Punisher #3 – Review

by Nathan Edmondson (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Artist)

The Story: Can you harm electricity with bullets? I suppose Frank will find out soon enough as he fights Electro.

The Review: It must be tough to have a handle on a popular property. When a writer gets to write another chapter in the continuing adventures of a highly known and liked character, there must be a high amount of pressure. There’s a need to stick to what makes the property well-liked in the first place, but also a need to add something new all the same, to integrate a new voice all the same to the continuity.

It’s what Nathan Edmondson has to struggle with in this latest volume of Punisher. With some definitely highly-regarded stories done by reputed storytellers before him, the writer has the challenge to match them but also distinguish himself from what came before, which is a tough task with a character as singularly-minded in his appeal as Frank Castle. While past issues did their best to make it so this new volume has promise, does the third issue shows the same promise is the premise faltering?

Unfortunately, it’s a bit of a weaker offering this time around, despite some good ideas being thrown around to make things interesting. The explanation of what the weapon that brought Frank to L.A is, the arrival of Electro and the pretty solid amount of action is definitely a plus for the book, putting forth a good amount of what the character is appreciated for as well as a certain amount of depth to the first story arc.

What’s also good, but also different, is the manner in which Frank acts and operates with his mission. A bit more open to other people, yet not without his tactical approach to wholesale slaughter of criminals, this is a new type of Punisher that is quite fun to read. The contrast in how he talks to Tuggs in this issue and how he simply blast his way through henchmen is a rather simple, yet effective one that do send the message that Edmondson knows who Frank Castle is well.

Punisher #2 – Review

by Nathan Edmondson (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Artist)

The Story: The Howling Commandos get even more interested in Frank as he begins to settle down in L.A.

The Review: Some people believe that opening issues are crucial. They need to open up possibilities, set up one or many ongoing threads, set up a world and its characters along many other things. There is a need for a hook to make sure readers are ready to get invested in the story and how the characters have to do with it. In a market with plenty of new series and new volumes starting in a competitive manner, that is something that stands up as even more truthful these days.

It is also something that I believe in, yet I also completely believe in an even bigger importance in the second issue. The follow-up to the opening needs to prove that it can sustain the themes and the possible progress the title has previously introduced. Unfortunately, as much as the first issue of this current volume of Punisher had been potent, there are some problems with the second one that does not necessarily bode well for the series.

The problems have nothing to do with some of the finer points like the cast. The way Frank Castle interacts with Tuggs, his weapon supplier, Lou the restaurant owner and officer Stone is actually quite interesting. With the character previously portrayed as a loner dedicated solely to his job, it is kind of refreshing to see a sort of nuance to how he actually talk with them in a semi-friendly manner. The addition to Loot, a coyote Frank saved could also bring a nice little humanity to the character that has been missing in previous iterations.

Punisher #1 – Review

by Nathan Edmondson (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Artist)

The Story: Now located in L.A, Frank Castle continues his war on crime.

The Review: Like any human being, I am full of contradictions. While I do enjoy cosmic and high adventure tremendously, I still have a soft spot for lower settings, for the more mundane stories with a more realistic approach. Preferring ambitious stories instead of more traditional ones, I still find ways to thoroughly enjoy the adventures of characters like Frank Castle and the noir approach of certain writers like Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka.

Thus, it’s a rather welcome sight to see the Punisher getting a new ongoing, with a creative team that has shown it can handle military, espionage and warfare very well in The Activity. With the writer being rather good when it comes to realistic settings and to a more nuanced approach to violence and war tactics, this could be very well the beginning of a very beautiful thing. However, does Nathan Edmondson provides the necessary spark to begin a new chapter in the life of Frank Castle, a character that has been touched by a plethora of talent in the past?

If the first chapter of this new volume is any indication, this ought to be good, as Nathan Edmondson dives right into the heart of the matter, giving new readers and fan a good take on the character without forgetting to add to the character. There has been many different interpretation of the character, with Garth Ennis driven and rather stoic Punisher, the more bombastic and pragmatic one from Rick Remender or the more silent and professional version that was Greg Rucka’s. Edmondson version is his own, with a more talkative personality and a certain penchant for conversation and repartee that is not unlike Ennis or Remender, yet it is dialed down to a certain approach to his work that makes this an elegant amalgamation of three distinct voices without being defined as just that. Distancing the character from the loner perspective that has been his in the past, there are a few supporting characters with which Frank might interact with in further details down the line, cementing this as not just being the ongoing war on crime that Frank is in, but perhaps something more. It is a certain diversion of what the character is known for, yet it is not one that remove or destroy anything from the character. As far as alternative versions goes, this one isn’t bad at all.

Ultimate Comics: The Ultimates # 28 Review

By: Joshua Hale Fialkov (Writer), Carmine Di Giandomenico (Penciler), Lorenzo Ruggiero (Inker), Jim Charalampidis (Colorist)

Review: First of all: Yeesh! Try typing out the names of that creative team. Go on, try it. It tests everything you ever knew about the layout of the QWERTY keyboard to its utmost limits. I felt like a monkey tasked with typing out the entire Human Genome with single-stroke key taps while I was entering that…testing stuff.

Second: All such effort was totally worth it because now I can get to the good bit – telling you exactly how awesome Fialkov and co have made The Ultimates. I was pleasantly blown away by the last issue, and this one continues to impress. Humpries’ run seems like a distant memory now (one that I’m keen to forget) and even though some of Fialkov’s moves lay claim to similar structural traits as those laid out by his predecessor, this team actually makes them work – and work brilliantly. It’s full of the kind of grand ideas, great character moments and high stakes that make this book an undeniable keeper.

Actually, the storyline also has shades of Hickman’s time on the title, as well as a touch of the Phoenix Force Five’s A vs X exploits. Reed’s band of villains have set about winning the hearts and minds of Earth by building a better world than the Ultimates were ever able to give them. Quicksilver’s doing what is, I guess, community outreach work, Banner’s bringing about an ecological revolution (and the odd bit of smashing) to Africa, and Reed’s Herbietrons are fixing and securing pretty much everything else.

Secret Warriors #28 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), IFS (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: 27 issues have led to this, the final issue of Secret Warriors.  Who’s left standing?

What’s Good:  As a final issue that came over 30 issues to soon, Hickman plays this one well.  There aren’t any other slam-bang events of climactic moments in this final outing.  Indeed, it’s important to recall that this was actually a “bonus issue,” and it certainly feels that way.  This functions as a sort of epilogue to Secret Warriors, and I’m really happy that it is, as were Secret Warriors to have ended last month, it would have been a disservice to the series.

In fact, this issue made me all the grumpier about Secret Warriors abbreviated run and consequently overly compressed story.  The series would have been a lot better served if it had more issues like this one.  You get strong character moments and time for the characters to reflect on and soak in recent events.  Instead of crazily rushing through big events, here we have characters able to outline the gravity of everything that’s happened.

The end result is that in retrospect, Secret Warriors ends up feeling less haphazard than it often was.  This epilogue manages to cast the series in better light, one that almost lured me into re-reading the entire run to see if it holds together better in such a format.  Hickman manages to retroactively inject more emotion into his story and its characters than we’ve often gotten.  It’s unfortunate, but in this epilogue, Secret Warriors is allowed to truly breathe for the first time in a while, and it’s elegant and affecting.

Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers #1 – Review

By Reginald Hudlin (writer), Denys Cowan (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors), VC’s Joe Sabino (letters)

The Story: Gabe Jones and the Howling Commandos find themselves in a tough spot on the WWII battlefield. Captain America arrives in time to lend a hand though, and helps them finish the fight. Elsewhere, the Nazis have learned of Wakanda (and, more of interest to them, its supply of vibranium). They make plans to take the kingdom for themselves, and Captain America and the Commandos are sent in to stop them. What neither side has counted on, however, was having to deal with Wakanda’s guardian, the Black Panther.

What’s Good: Quite a bit! I came to this book with relatively low expectations–I’ve always been a huge fan of Cap, but just don’t feel the same way about Black Panther. I was pleasantly surprised. Hudlin’s writing is right on target, making extremely effective use of Jones as the narrator. His voice is just right for the story, and I don’t think it would have been nearly as effective if told from Cap’s perspective. All of the characters fare well here in fact; everyone sounds like themselves, and there are some very nice character moments thrown in for good measure. (The quick scene between Jones and Cap in the dining facility is my favorite, even if it is a little…blunt in getting its point across.) The pacing of the story is also excellent, starting off with a bang, establishing the villains and what they want, quickly coming up for air before the climax, and then pulling out all the stops for the conclusion and cliffhanger. This man knows how to write.

Secret Warriors #8 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), Sunny Gho (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: The kids get stuck in front of Norman, Hawkeye, and Ares.

What’s Good: This month’s issue in the always solid Secret Warriors was a bit of a jump in quality from last month’s book, and that’s largely due to two big surprises.

First off is Norman Osborn/Dark Reign’s presence.  Often cringe-worthy whenever he shows up to disrupt a book, Hickman writes him amazingly well and manages to load Osborn’s scenes with such a malevolent intensity, that it seeps off the page.  Norman’s monologue to Nick Fury about his rise and Nick’s respective fall pinpointed what Dark Reign should be about and this scene really showed the potential that this status quo can have, if used properly.  Osborn was fantastic, written perfectly, and his presence actually enhanced a book for once.

The second surprise is Alessandro Vitti’s art.  Vitti still isn’t Casselli, but he felt a lot more comfortable this month, feeling more consistent in style and detail.  Sunny Gho’s change of heart aids this significantly.  Last month, it felt like Gho had worked the colors to make Vitti’s art as similar to Casselli’s as possible, which invited unflattering comparisons and ultimately exposed Vitti’s weaknesses.  This month, Gho actually adds colors more appropriate to Vitti’s style, and the book is the better for it.  Gone is the gloss and sheen, and in its place is a lot of darkness and shadow, making this feel like more of a cloak-and-dagger spy comic than the all-out action of Casselli’s arc.  As such, Vitti’s work finally manages to shine on its own, working with the more subdued, less action-intensive story, while evoking a different sort of Japanese/anime influence.

The other big hit this month is Phobos.  It’s always great to see a character, especially a kid character, act like a badass and show his superpowered muscle.  His interplay with his father, Ares, was also well-done.  Hickman avoids any possible overwriting and goes minimalist, making the interaction between the two speak volumes as a result.

Outside of Phobos, we also get some solid character moments and promising new issues for the Caterpillars and a mandatory “Nick Fury is a badass” scene.

What’s Not So Good: It’s better and he’s standing on his own, but Vitti’s art still isn’t perfect.  While he hits far more than he misses, this is particularly noticeable in some of his facial expressions, which can feel a bit off, strange even.

There’s also the Nick Fury scene.  While funny, this was so detached from the rest of the book, that I wondered how necessary it really was, aside from its fulfilling the need to have Fury in every issue of Secret Warriors.  Worse still, it felt a little too stretched out and decompressed.

Conclusion: This book is at its best when the kids are at the forefront, as they are this month.  Though still not perfect, Vitti is also coming into his own.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Secret Warriors #7 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Alessandro Vitti (art), Sunny Gho (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: Fury and the Caterpillars get some much needed funding and Baron Strucker asks for help from a surprising source.

What’s Good: The opening sequence of the issue, which sees Fury and the Caterpillars pulling off an old-fashioned bank heist, is easily one of the best scenes of the series thus far. It’s definitely my personal favourite, anyway. It’s just flat-out cool and sees nice touches of characterization as well. It also reminds me just how much more attached I am to the kids than I am with the older Howling Commandos. It’s great to see them being the badasses and the focus for the second issue in a row.

Hickman also continues to write a perfect Nick Fury. Gruff and uncompromising, Fury this month again shows a sense of humor in his unwavering resolve, even if that humor comes at the expense of the kids.

JT, and Alex in particular, are also given some needed characterization this issue. JT provides the usual humor, while Alex is a fun character, as “wise beyond their years” children always are. In just a couple of pages of dialogue, Hickman makes these two incredibly likable in a light-hearted way.

I also enjoyed the conversation between the Baron and Osborn. Hickman gives a good sense of the war of egos going on here, and apparently the term “it takes one to know one” applies to megalomaniacal sociopaths as well. Seeing Strucker and Osborn call each other out for their obvious failings was fun and fresh.

What’s Not So Good: Stefano Casselli isn’t drawing this. Alessandro Vitti’s art is very good overall, but coming after Casselli, it’s hard not to be extra critical of his work here.

That said, there are some obvious “first issue jitters” for Vitti. Several characters, Daisy and Osborn in particular, look different from panel to panel. Nastasha Romanoff also just doesn’t look quite like Natasha Romanoff.

Vitti’s style also shows some difficulties as well. When drawing close-ups, his work is absolutely outstanding. However, the moment the camera pans out, so to speak, there is a huge drop in detail. It’s as though Vitti puts in a huge amount of work for his close-ups, only to slack off on the other panels. At times, it’s as though the guy doing the close-ups is a different artist. It’s certainly very odd.

Furthermore, while I enjoyed the dynamic of Strucker and Osborn’s conversation, I’m still not entirely certain how Strucker is getting Osborn to do his bidding. The logic here is a little hazy and it’s never exactly clear why Osborn actually decides to help Strucker. Also, I had no idea we were entering a full-fledged crossover with the Thunderbolts; I’m a bit burned out on crossovers at the moment, and I doubt I’m the only one.

Conclusion: It’s still a good issue and a fantastic comic, but it’s hard not to see this as a transitional comic, setting up a crossover and a Dark Reign-related conflict. It’s a book that’ll read better as a chapter in a trade. Also, Vitti, while good, isn’t in Casselli’s league.

Grade: B

-Alex Evans

Secret Warriors #6 – Review

by Jonathan Hickman (writer), Stefano Caselli (art), Daniele Rudoni (colors), and Dave Lanphear (letters)

The Story: The Caterpillars join the battle between the Howling Commandos, HYDRA, and HAMMER.  Meanwhile, HYDRA takes possession of a mysterious box.

What’s Good: Whelp, the Caterpillars are back and I’m a happy man. Some might say that there isn’t enough time spent on individual character development, but for Hickman, that time isn’t necessarily needed. One conversation later between Daisy and Fury, and Daisy grows exponentially as a character. Even when characters only get a single line here and there, Hickman does the most with those little bubbles. His grasp of his characters is so solid, that even isolated, seemingly throwaway lines carry unique personality.

Of course, one character that no one can complain about is Nick Fury himself. The mastery over Fury’s voice never fails to impress with its grit and nuance, a heady mix of salt, vinegar, and dry-as-vermouth humor.  Whether he’s disarming a whole mess of HAMMER troops or giving Daisy a reality check, Hickman has created a Fury that you both love and respect; and that’s exactly the way it should be. For these reasons, the afore mentioned conversation with Daisy is a highpoint; when he compliments her, it truly resonates, yet as always, Nick Fury always knows more than you do, whether you’re a member of his team or a reader of his book.

It would have been all too easy for Hickman to make this issue entirely devoted to the battle, but that would be far too straightforward  for this spybook.  While giving adrenaline junkies the fix they need, Hickman also provides further mysteries with a new, now HYDRA-owned artifact. The artifact continues the trend in this book of things always being bigger than they seem, or at least of there always being something bigger/worse looming around the corner.  As big as the battle is, there’s always something else going on behind the scenes that’s scarier than what you’re looking at.  And as for the ending of the book?  Let’s just say that my jaw just about hit the floor while my eyebrows hit the ceiling.

It’s hard to give Stefano Caselli and Daniele Rudoni enough praise for their work on Secret Warriors. It’s obvious that Caselli’s work is that of a perfectionist, with its level of detail, heavy inks, and distinct without being overwhelming Japanese influences. I  love Caselli’s action scenes, which are fluid, dynamic, and hard-hitting and, thanks to Rudoni, serve as a brightly lit contrast to the dark, greyed out scenes in the bowels of Fury’s base.  This is the best looking book Marvel is currently putting out, and this issue provides further proof of that argument.

What’s Not So Good: I guess the only complaint I have is not getting more frames of seeing the Helicarriers in action or really getting any idea at all of the impact they had on the battle.  Their activation is meant to be a moment that turns the tide of the battle, and yet we don’t really see their weapony in action, or at least their effect.  A couple more frames would’ve been nice.

Conclusion: Forget Dark Avengers, this is the real blockbuster.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

Secret Warriors #5 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev (Creators), Jonathan Hickman (Script), Stefano Caselli (Art), and Daniele Rudoni (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve made no secret about how much I love what at Bendis, Hickman, Caselli, and Rudoni are doing with Secret Warriors. Their series is good, very good…and it looks to get even better as time goes on.

The Story: Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos infiltrate and attack a H.A.M.M.E.R. dock in order to some nab some helicarriers. There’s one problem…Kraken, one of the heads of HYDRA, knows of the plan.

What’s Good: If you can get past one glaring issue (which I’ll get to), you’ll have one hell of a time with Secret Warriors #5. It looks incredible most of the time and reads far better than most action heavy comics as the Howling Commandos, Hydra, and H.A.M.M.E.R. collide on a former S.H.I.E.L.D. dock. In short, the latest issue of Secret Warriors is a great example of a creative team at the top of it’s game.

Jonathan Hickman does a superb job of handling the dialogue for the Howling Commandos (especially Fury and Dum Dum Dugan) and the heads of Hydra. With the Commandos, Hickman writes them in a way that makes you truly get a feel for who they are (as a group) and what they stand for. Gruff, dedicated, and no-nonsense, you’ll have little difficulty buying into the idea that the Commandos actually have a shot at getting away with the Helicarriers despite the thousands of troops manning the dock. As for Hydra, Hickman shows that he has it in him to really establish Hydra as a true threat. The brief Hydra meeting is chilling and does a nice job of setting the tone for how dangerous the heads of Hydra truly are.

There’s a whole lot to like about what Stefano Caselli and Daniele Rudoni deliver in Secret Warriors #5. The characters look great and the action is fast, fluid, and frantic in all the right ways. The highlight though, is easily the true introduction of The Hive. The segment that shows the head of Hydra doing, well, what it does, is insanely cool and slightly disturbing (in a good way).

What’s Not So Good: So… That glaring issue I mentioned early in the review? It’s that the Secret Warriors are given exactly one page in the latest issue of their series. While it’s great to see Fury, Dugan, and the heads of Hydra duke it out, I still feel as though the titular Secret Warriors have been woefully underdeveloped. The first arc of their series ends with the next issue and I barely have their names straight, let alone their team dynamic or final roster. While Jonathan Hickman’s storytelling/character decisions are far from crippling, they are still somewhat annoying considering that, five issue in, his cast of unknowns remains a cast of unknowns.

Conclusion: Lack of Secret Warriors aside, the latest issue of Secret Warriors delivers the goods. I highly recommend it!

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Mighty Avengers #18 – Review

By Brian Bendis (story), Stefano Caselli (art), Daniele Rudoni (colors)

From a visual stand point alone, this book is worth buying. I know there’s people out there who may not like Stefano Caselli’s artwork as much as I, and that’s understandable. But if there was ever a comic that looked like it took frames from an animated cartoon, this (and Caselli’s work on Avengers: The Initivative) would be it. Daniele Rudoni deserves as much praise as well. Her use of vibrant colors and shading brings the art to life. Stuff as mundane as barren walls are suddenly given more depth and character thanks to the roughed textures and brushes she employs. She does, however, make a few mistakes like having Quake wear black lipstick in one panel and then no lipstick on the next, but it’s easily forgiven when compared to the overall body of work.

The story is something we’ve all be clamoring: Nick Fury and his new commandos. Last time we saw these guys in an Avengers book, Fury was recruiting them. Now, they’re ready for their first operation. Fury feels he’s trained them enough and he he’s lets them loose. The problem is they’re lacking severely in confidence. This leads to a lot of bickering and some backstory on how far they’ve all come. As annoying as this bickering is, it’s understandable given the difficulty of the mission. The story here is light and mildly entertaining, playing off like a Hollywood heist or caper, but in a rushed manner. Personally, I was hoping for something more exciting, but with the constant pissing and moaning I almost teetered on the edge of hating these commandos.

As you can imagine, the end of the issue brings us up to current events in Secret Invasion – which is good. After this issue, I’d rather pass on the team’s growing pains and just see them kick some butt. Great art, average story. (Grade: C)

– J. Montes

Mighty Avengers #13 (Secret Invasion) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Alex Maleev (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors)

Waiting for Secret Invasion #2 has been an exercise in patience. Thankfully, we’ve had many titles interwoven into continuity to keep us busy. And once again, Mighty Avengers delves into the world of Nick Fury as he attempts to get to the bottom of the Skrull conspiracy. Most of this issue is a series of introductions. It’s an origin issue and it’s the same story we’ve seen time and again from team books: One person travels from location to location, recruiting members for a team.

There has got to be a better way of telling a story like this, but in the world of superheroes it almost seems impossible. With what we’re given, the story is competent and straight forward. The nods to Secret War are given again, and it’s finally outright explained why Fury engaged in the war in the first place. But the rest of the issue barely touches on the Skrull menace. We’re just taken from place to place, meeting the members of what will become Nick Fury’s new team of Howling Commandos. Fury’s instincts and justifications serve him well, and it’s excellent to see the long awaited return of Daisy Johnson (the girl who made Wolverine’s heart explode in Secret War).

Alex Maleev takes this very domestic story and brings it to life with his visuals. Granted most of his backgrounds are manipulated photographs, you just can’t help but notice how alive New York feels. Credit goes to Matt Hollingsworth for contributing some very good coloring work. My only complaint is how Maleev handles Daisy. Maybe it’s the glasses, but she looks way too similar to Matt Murdock’s wife, Milla (who Maleev co-created).

There’s potential in this team, but we honestly don’t get enough time with each of them to see their quirks or personalities. It’ll be interesting to see where Fury and his team go from here. I foresee a new team book from Marvel soon. (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

There really isn’t much I can add to what Jason has already said about Mighty Avengers #13. Stories like this are difficult to review because they are really a necessary evil. As a stand alone comic, I would use words like “generic” or “boring,” but within the context of the Secret Invasion storyline and the numerous possibilities that can come with a new team lead by Nick Fury, I have to instead look beyond the confines of this single issue.

Outside of Fury and Daisy Johnson, this team is filled with a bunch of unknowns – but I like what I see so far. It was weird seeing Layla Miller show up, especially because last I checked she was stuck in Bishop’s future (because of the time travel that took place during the Messiah Complex). I realize this story takes place before Messiah Complex, but it was still a bit odd. I wish she was on the team to be honest, as I found her quirky personality pretty interesting and she would have played off the team in a very entertaining manner. But we all know that won’t be happening.

The art in this issue is excellent and elevates a rather generic story into something more. Alex Maleev’s gritty style fits the tale well and seems perfect for a Nick Fury story.

Brian Bendis is an author that I feel is sort of hit or miss. I find his witty, pop culture, heavy banter to be a bit much sometimes and his penchant for thought bubbles is mostly irritating. However, Bendis has really shined since the true launch of the Secret Invasion arc. This issue features some solid dialogue, especially with Daisy being a great storytelling vehicle. Her conversations with Fury and the potential recruits fill in enough backstory without coming across as dry or extra talky. A great showing here all around.

Overall, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed with this latest issue because of the baggage that it carries. The Nick Fury storyline kicked off on a really high level last issue and it was disappointing to see this story do little more than assemble a new team in a pretty generic fashion. I understand the story had to be told, however, and the excellent art and dialogue kept things rolling smoothly throughout. Know what you are getting into with this issue and I think you will find it satisfying. (Grade: B-)

-Kyle Posluszny