SENYC Report: Marvel – The Next Big Thing

Marvel came out in force for Special Edition: NYC. Though they easily flattened the competition when it came to number of panels, this was the one to see if you wanted to know what was coming from the House of Ideas.

The panel was moderated by Senior VP of Publishing Tom Brevoort and featured a slew of top name talent. This included Senior X-Men Editor Mike Marts, fan favorite writer Peter David, Storm writer Greg Pak, and Deadpool editor Jordan D. White. There was even a surprise guest in the form of Katie Kubert, the former editor of Batman and Detective comics who had announced her departure from DC less than twenty-four hours before!

Cable and X-Force #5 – Review

By: Dennis Hopeless (Writer), Salvador Larocca (Artist), Frank D’Armata (Colorist), VC’s Joe Sabino (Letterer)

Review: Much like I did with X-Men Legacy a while back, I caught up with Cable and X-Force by inhaling issues #1-5 in one sitting. The effect was akin to turning up late to an ice-cream party to find that the only flavor left is Peanut Butter Crunch and you’ve got to chug 5 scoops immediately in order to catch up with everyone else. Oh, and you’re allergic to peanuts. And you’re lactose intolerant. Come to think of it, why the smeg did you agree to this ice-cream party in the first place? What the hell is an Ice Cream party!? A more pertinent question: why have I spent $19.95 of my hard-earned Earth Dollars on Cable and X-Force? Because I’m an idiot, that’s why; no dodging the bullet on that one.

Cable and X-Force #1–Review

By: Dennis Hopeless (writer), Salvador Larroca (Art), and Frank D’Armata (colors)

The Story: Cable is back, and the first thing he does is make himself and his teammates fugitives. Way to go, Nate.

The Review: Vibrant art, vibrant writing. That’s the best way to describe Cable and X-Force. There is a lot of dynamic here that Larroca, Hopeless, and D’Armata bring to the comic, but this doesn’t mean that it’s a perfect book. The best comparison is the new Thunderbolts. Both books are about how the team comes together, but the difference is in the execution. This incarnation of X-Force is partly chance and partly planned. Cable  needs Forge and Dr. Nemesis, so he recruits them. But Domino and Hope arrive by other means…and Colossus’s role is not yet defined. This works well. It shows a team becoming something rather than Cable sipping tea in France watching Domino kill mimes (or whatever the hell that scene was in Thunderbolts with Deadpool). There’s a progression and a purpose. The problem is, the first issue doesn’t give us an idea of what that purpose is. We see them all on the run, not able to explain a lot of dead bodies to Havok and the rest of the Uncanny X-Force, and they have matching uniforms. They become a team–but why? This could be just a casualty of “writing for the trade.” But it didn’t leave me anxious for the next issue.Hopeless is good with the individual characters, developing them and letting us get to know them, but the plot is weak.

The Uncanny X-Men #187 – Flash Back Review

By: Chris Claremont (writer), John Romita, Jr. & Dan Green (art), Glynis Wein (colors) & Tom Orzechowski (letters)

The Story: Storm has lost her powers due to a weapon designed by Forge (a man she thought she might have loved).  Forge based the gun’s design on the neutralizer of none other than ROM – Spaceknight, making him a target for the dreaded Dire Wraiths.

What’s Good: If there were a carbon-dating system for comic book fans, it would be: Did you read ROM – Spaceknight?  I LOVED ROM as a kid in the early/mid-1980’s but after his ongoing series ended, the character has been so completely tied up in an intellectual property Gordian knot that there has never been, nor will there ever be (probably) a collected edition of ROM.

So, it was with some fun that I stumbled up an appearance of ROM in this issue of Uncanny X-Men from November 1984.  Granted ROM only appears as a hologram created by Forge to distract the Wraiths, but it was cool to see the silver guy and remind myself that putting together a collection of ROM is definitely on the “to-do” list.

From a story standpoint, as it features a all-out battle between a depowered Storm, Forge and his father-figure, Naze, and a mess of Wraiths and their minions.  It is great as Storm is at her street-fighting best, using the skills that Wolverine taught her that she never thought she’d have to use (including shooting a gun…. gasp!).  Forge at this point in time was Tony Stark without the armor, but he sure had a sophisticated defense system in his penthouse.  And Naze is doing his best Wolverine impression as the tough old guy who strikes from the shadows (but with a shotgun instead of claws).  By the time Rogue and Colossus show up at the end, this issue had already been a lot of fun.

I know that some people aren’t wild about the way Romita, Jr. draws now, but if you need an example of why the dude has been around for 30+ years in comics, this is a pretty good issue to look at.  I remember his Dire Wraiths giving me the creeps as a kid and they’re still pretty impressive today.  We also get a masterful inking job by Dan Green who had to do a LOT of detailed inking on several scenes of Storm fighting Wraiths in the snow and rain (guess the temperature outside changed during the issue or something).

Exiles #5 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer), Casey Jones (Pencils), Karl Kessel (Inks), and Anthony Washington (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m going to miss Jeff Parker’s Exiles when the series comes to an end next month. It’s had a short, but very sweet, run…

The Story: The Exiles try to escape their robot captors and learn some very startling information about the current reality they are in.

What’s Good: Jeff Parker scores a lot points for taking a fairly basic “robopocalypse” concept and injecting some clever, intelligent (Marvel-centric) twists into the formula. I wish I could go into more detail about what makes the story in Exiles #5 so cool, but it’d be a shame to ruin some of the smartest moments of Parker’s plot. In addition to a cool plot, the latest issue of Exiles also provides the usual dose of humor and personality that has made the series such a fun read since the beginning. It’s clear now that Parker had some sort of character path for each of the Exiles planned (Beast’s, while obvious, works especially well in Exiles #5), which makes series finale all the more disappointing. Oh and another good thing? Morph is as cool as ever!

The artwork done by Casey Jones, Karl Kessel, and Anthony Washington is a breath of fresh air in comparison to all the dark, gritty, moody Marvel books on the stands. While one could argue that the art would look more at home in a Marvel Adventures book, it really brings all the creativity and personality of Parker’s script to the page. And quite frankly, isn’t that what the artwork is supposed to do?

What’s Not So Good: The biggest complaint I have about Exiles #5 really doesn’t matter a whole lot in wake of the series cancellation. That said, here it is: the formula Jeff Parker seemed to have in place for Exiles is more prominent than ever in Exiles #5. If you’ve been a reader since issue one, you’ll have no problem seeing nearly every plot beat before it happens. As a result, some of the storytelling takes a bit of a hit. My only other complaint is that, as far as character work goes, I still prefer Salva Espin’s work to Casey Jones’. I think Espin’s more cartoony style is a better fit than Jones’ more realistic one.

Conclusion: Exiles #5 delivers everything I’ve come to expect (not 100% a good thing) from a Jeff Parker Exiles book. If you’ve enjoyed the series so far, why not stick it out till the finale next month?

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Exiles #4 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer), Casey Jones (Pencils), Karl Kesel (Inks), and Anthony Washington (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’m not quite sure what I think about having Casey Jones take over for Salva Espin. However, I’ll save any judgment until after I’ve seen what the artist can do with a full issue.

The Story: The Exiles must overthrow the machines that have made great strides towards killing most of the life on the planet.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Exile’s #4 delivers in all the ways you’d expect. Jeff Parker introduces an interesting alternate world that seems rather plausible, considering how technology exists in the Marvel Universe. Furthermore, he uses that world to give each Exile a chance to shine (Polaris, as you’d expect, really benefits from the situation). In addition, Parker intelligently uses Blink to add a layer of uneasiness to a series that, so far, has been fairly light-hearted and fun. While I’m not entirely sure if Exiles will actually benefit from the darker tone that’s hinted at (since the series stands out because of it’s tone), I’m confident that Parker will find a way to make the most of it.

The artwork in Exiles #4 works a lot better than I had expected. While I prefer Salva Espin’s style, Casey Jones’ work definitely doesn’t feel out of place. Jones handles all the action well and brings out the personalities of the characters in a way that elevates Parker’s handle on the team. The more I think about it, I feel that Jones’ more realistic style might prove to be more effective than Espin’s in the long run; now that Parker seems to be moving the Exiles down a darker path.

Conclusion: I recommend picking up Exiles #4. It’s satisfying for regular readers and it can function as a nice jump on point for new readers.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Exiles #2 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer), Salva Espin (Artist), and Anthony Washington (Colorist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Exiles #1 wasted no time in winning me over. Jeff Parker’s script was informative, surprisingly funny, and featured a solid twist ending. Salva Espin’s lively, expressive artwork proved to be a perfect compliment to the story being told. As for the colors, Anthony Washington’s work made the entire book feel like a breath of fresh air from all the darker, more serious Marvel fare. Simply put, I found Exiles #1 to be quite the creative success because of the fact that everything just came together so damn well. It will be interesting to see if the second issue can keep up all the positive momentum.

The Story: The Exiles mission is to help Wolverine overthrow Magneto’s reign in Genosha. The one catch is that in the reality the Exiles are in, Wolverine isn’t much more than a head on a stick. So what that means is that it’s up to the Exiles to figure out a way to overthrow the royal family of Genosha while blending in with the general mutant population of this alternate reality.

What’s Good: Nearly everything about Exiles #2 works for me. The story that develops successfully threads the line between fun and serious, rarely losing balance. Jeff Parker’s script is clever, humorous (Black Panther has some great lines), and very effective in how it plays around with established character norms. The visuals from Salva Espin look fantastic, especially in regards to the highly expressive characters that show an impressive range of emotion throughout the book. Also, I must mention that Anthony Washington deserves praise for making Exiles one of the most colorful, eye-catching books on the stands.

What’s Not So Good: While rarely losing balance, Exiles #2 does occasionally teeter into melodrama here and there. It doesn’t really hurt things from a story perspective because the drama is used to develop the characters on the team, but it does come across as a bit heavy-handed. Another small complaint is that some panels look a bit rushed. It’s something that’s carried over from issue one and it, while somewhat understandable, still proves to be distracting.

Conclusion: Exiles #2 manages to maintain nearly all of the momentum generated by the strong debut. I highly recommend that you give the series a chance while it’s still early enough (and easy enough) to get into it right from the beginning.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Astonishing X-Men #29 – Review

By Warren Ellis (Writer), Simone Bianchi (Pencils & Inks), Andrea Silvestri (Inks), and Simone Peruzzi, Christina Strain, & Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Astonishing X-Men should be better than it has been, especially considering both the talent involved and how long the wait is between issues. The biting humor and high-concept storyline work quite well. The muddy, (sometimes ridiculous) artwork and fairly plodding pace, however, does not.

The Story: The penultimate chapter of “Ghost Boxes” reveals more of the details behind both the ghost boxes and the artificial mutants. In addition, the X-Men learn about Forge’s involvement in a secret war between alternate realities. The information comes mostly from some brutal interrogation techniques used by the team.

What’s Good: I know it sounds terribly simplistic, but the good stuff about the current form of Astonishing X-Men keeps being good in Astonishing #29. Warren Ellis does a great job writing some of the characters (especially Emma Frost) and his storyline continues to be dense and intriguing, but not overwhelming (though it still feels like the plot’s moving a bit slow). The interrogation scenes are particularly amusing, given that they are written with an edge rarely seen in an “X” book that isn’t called X-Force.

What’s Not So Good: Just as the good stuff remains good, the bad stuff remains bad. The artwork is a mess of highs and lows that is incredibly frustrating to look at. For every panel (or page) that looks damn near fantastic, there are a handful that can be described as (feel free to pick more than one) inconsistent, muddy, unclear, or just downright silly looking. Wolverine is shown with a hilariously flat face on two occasions. Cyclops seems to have some relation to Angelina Jolie. Storm is actually lacking facial features in one panel. I could go on, but I assume you get my point. I know how good Simone Bianchi’s work can look. That’s why I have to come down so hard on the art in Astonishing.

Conclusion: The good outweighs the bad in Astonishing X-Men #29, but not by as much as I’d like. The writing rocks for the most part, but the book as a whole is weighed down by the art and the pacing.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

Exiles #1 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer), Salva Espin (Art), and Anthony Washington (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ll be totally honest and admit that I’ve never read an Exiles comic before. But since it was a light week for me, I figured a new number one issue would be a pretty good place to start.

The Story: The Exiles are a team of (B, C, and D list) Marvel heroes plucked from their respective realities mere moments before death. The mission? To travel from reality to reality in order to put things right so that existence (as a whole) continues. Beast, Forge, The Witch, Polaris, Blink, and The Panther are given the rundown on the situation in the first issue and then sent to fix the first of many realities.

What’s Good: Exiles #1 really gets the series off on the right foot. From the characterization, to the artwork, to the execution of the necessary plot introduction, everything feels absolutely full of energy. And that, my friends, is a very good thing.

Jeff Parker’s script is clever and humorous while also intelligently dealing with both the dense concept and the unique challenge that comes from introducing characters from alternate realities. It is perfectly complimented by artwork that effortlessly manages to be humorous, clever (Beast’s look rocks), vibrant, and lively all at once. Throughout the book there are great examples of how the visuals can elevate the writing and vice versa. And almost all of those examples involve the brilliant use of the character Morph. I never thought I’d see the “Hitler as a baby” dilemma delivered in such a humorous manner…

What’s Not So Good: Despite the entertaining script and eye-catching visuals, there is no denying the fact that Exiles #1 is a fairly standard “team introduction” comic. The formula is a formula for a reason…because it works. But that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t point out it’s use.

Also worth noting is that some of the smaller panels look slightly rushed and/or lack detail. While excusable for the most part, it proves to be a distraction when the rest of the issue looks so nice.

Conclusion: What else can I say? Exiles is now the latest addition to my pull list. Take a chance with the first issue, I think you will be more than pleasantly surprised.

Grade:  B+

-Kyle Posluszny