Young Avengers #11 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (story), Jamie McKelvie (pencils), Kris Anka & Mike Norton (inks), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Loki undergoes a whirlwind adolescence.

The Review: Pride goes before a fall.  The person who coined that maxim probably wasn’t thinking of Loki when he did, but he might as well have.  At the heart of Loki’s biggest failing is his pride, which seems to stick with him whether he’s on the side of the angels or not.  No matter how masterfully he plans, connives, and manipulates his way to what he wants, he always shoots himself in the foot by thinking he has it all under his impeccable control.

He might be able to save himself if he at least kept his confidence to himself, but he can’t seem to help broadcasting how good he is.  Maybe it’s all for the best.  But for his utter cockiness, perhaps no one would ever catch on to his schemes.  After all, if he hadn’t goaded Mother so mercilessly last issue, she might not have decided to make it her personal goal to scar his home dimension as a comeback, which in turn pushes Loki and Billy to dare far bigger magical efforts than either would have made otherwise.

Young Avengers #10 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (story), Jamie McKelvie & Mike Norton (art), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Leah’s counseling group is all about working through their issues by revenge.

The Review: Mother, the central antagonist of Young Avengers, has evolved a great deal since her initial introduction.  Early in the series, she seemed like an anal-retentive nag with some formidable powers, but without much in the way of a clear motivation.  As the story went on, her abilities and place in the universe became more extensive and complicated, but her goals remained obscure.  For a dimensional parasite, she hasn’t been very dimensional.

In this issue, Gillen makes the case that for Mother, it perhaps doesn’t matter.  As a being beyond our understanding, her motives aren’t likely to be relatable ones anyway.  Gillen takes a few pages out of Grant Morrison’s meta-handbook to portray Mother as a creature who seems to realize the fictional fabric around her.  It’s quite eerie, how keen her perception is.  The moment where she spots the narrating caption, then devours it as it begs you for help (“Don’t leave me.  I came here to show you the way.  No, you can’t.  Please.  I don’t want it to end here.  It can’t.”) is actually chilling.

Journey into Mystery #644 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Carmine di Giandomenico (art), Chris Sotomayor (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story:  Loki tries to save Leah while Thor finds himself in Hel.

The Review:  Five issues in and the Everything Burns crossover is still going strong, serving as an effective and complete culmination of Kieron Gillen’s run on Journey into Mystery, with no stone left unturned and no element left unused, as Hela and the Disir get in the mix this month.

What really makes this issue shine, like most issues of JIM, is the excellent character-work.  Amidst all the bluster and wit, there’s a real aura of sadness and guilt that comes off of Loki throughout the whole issue.  Truly, Everything Burns is everything Loki has done throughout the series coming around to bite him and Gillen does a great job in emphasizing that fact.  This isn’t just Loki with his back against the wall, this is a sad Loki faced with the ruin he’s wrought, alone and outcast.

Journey into Mystery #641 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Rich Elson (art), Sotocolors (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Loki brings an unpopular kind of peace to Otherworld and fulfills his debt to Hela.

The Review:  KIERON!!!!!!  Seriously, this issue made me feel like Captain Kirk in Wrath of Khan.

That’s actually not really a bad thing though.  It’s just that Gillen delivers an absolutely heart-rending, downright unfair character death this month that almost hits too hard.  Given that it’s a character that Gillen has done such a great job of building from the ground up, and one with a really great dynamic with Loki, it’s hard to read.  Gillen also shows his skill as a writer:  this is one of the best written death scenes that I’ve read in a big two comic in some time.  In just a couple of pages, Gillen makes the scene truly emotional by capitalizing on the reader’s investment, using dialogue that recalls former elements of the character’s relationship with Loki.  I guess that’s what makes it so sad as well: those elements are, chiefly, a running joke between the two that now takes on a very sad and ironic, and hence very different, meaning.  I guess this touches upon why this death is written so well – it feels meaningful because Gillen has spent so much of the series getting us invested in the character and his/her relationship to Loki.  Gillen spent the time in the script, he made the investments, and now he’s reaping the dividends.

Journey into Mystery #639 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Rich Elson (artist), IFS (colorist), and Clayton Cowles (letterer)

The Story: Loki and Leah arrive to aid a beleaguered Otherworld at war with….urban sprawl?

The Review:  I’ll admit that while it certainly ended better than it started, I wasn’t particularly thrilled by the Exiled crossover.  It’s a good thing then that this issue of Journey into Mystery feels like a righting of the ship as Gillen gets back to doing what he does best.  I’ve often felt, with his character-centered stories and sense of humour and general Englishness that Kieron Gillen bore some resemblance to Paul Cornell.  As such, having Gillen do a Captain Britain story in a fantasy setting just makes sense.  It’s a natural fit.  Moreover, it lets Gillen get back to telling a straight up fantasy story, as opposed to the somewhat awkward urban fantasy with mutants that was exiled.

Where this book succeeds most is when Gillen allows the mundane and he magical to intersect, allowing elements of the fantastical world of Loki and Otherworld to crossover into our world.  You get hilarious scenes like Loki and Leah taking a cab across England and Hern the Hunter waiting to pick them up at the airport, sign and all.  It leads to a kind of absurdity that suits Gillen’s comic voice very well.

Journey into Mystery #638 – Review

by Kieron Gillen, Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (writers), Carmine Di Giandomenico (art), Chris Sotomayor (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: As they run wild, we learn that everything we thought we knew about the history of the Disir is wrong.

The Review:  While Journey into Mystery is one of favourite books, I’ll admit that I’ve not been too high on Exiled as of yet.  However, after the genius twist at the end of last week’s issue of New Mutants, things are definitely coming together with this issue.  As the Disir cause mayhem, it seems that the prior issues were only awkward because it was Gillen and DnA getting the pieces in place so that we could get to the story that is told this month.

This issue’s big reveal is, basically, that everything we thought we knew about the Disir is wrong.  Frankly, I love it when writers pull things like this, particularly given that Gillen created the Disir anyway.  The best part is that this sudden reveal about the Disir’s true history makes them far more sympathetic, which completes a slow-burn effort Gillen has been working towards throughout his run; since his run on Thor, the Disir have gradually become more sympathetic and this reveal is all of that reaching its fruition.  It’s a lot more tragic and it makes a lot more sense than a bunch of women randomly deciding to take up cannibalism in a cave.  It’s a great story by Gillen that serves to truly flesh out the Disir, putting the reader in the odd position of feeling a bit bad for the monsters as they rage around and tear the city up.

Quite honestly, that flashback tale/retelling carries the issue and it alone makes this by far the best issue of Exiled thus far.  There are other things to like, however.  Dani Moonstar really shines this month as the souped-up Valkyrie action hero, courtesy of Hela.  The last page is also a pretty bold move by Gillen and DnA, bringing back a very, very powerful character who is suddenly extremely relevant to this story.

Exiled #1 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen, Dan Abnett, & Andy Lanning (writers), Carmine di Giandomenico (art), Andy Troy (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story:  After a mysterious hero from ages past dons his suit of armour, the Disir break loose from their enslavement in hell.

The Review:  I confess that I’m not at all a New Mutants reader and, as such, wasn’t particularly thrilled at the announcement of this crossover.  However, as a huge Journey into Mystery fan, I’m happy to say that a lot of the charm of that series remains in this issue.  In fact, you could argue that this is more a JIM storyline than a New Mutants one, as Thor and the Asgardians run amok, the Disir are the baddies, and Hela arrives on Earth.  Really, it actually made the New Mutants more palatable to me.  They felt somewhat disoriented and confused, suddenly thrown into a high fantasy, Journey into Mystery story, having to play outside their usual realm/genre.  Their presence is so dissonant, that it actually ends up being kind of cool.

As he had throughout JIM, Loki continues to light up every page on which he appears.  Even in this issue, which has much less Loki than your average issue of JIM, Gillen’s wit nonetheless crackles.  Loki’s playing a telephone game of sorts in relaying the bad news regarding the Disir was entertainingly scripted and Gillen continues to amuse with Loki’s eager adoption of contemporary slang.

Journey into Mystery #632 – Review

by Kieron Gillen (writing), Mitch Breitweiser (art), Bettie Breitweiser (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Loki gets a very special present from Hela, courtesy of Garm.

The Review:  This was originally advertised as something of a Christmas issue, but ultimately, while Gillen delivers on that promise, we get something a little more subtle.  While there definitely is a nice message and a certain Christmas-y atmosphere, outside of an opening scene, it’s never overtly a Christmas issue.  Rather, it’s a charming one-shot that feels appropriate for the spirit of the season.

The first thing you’re going to notice about this book is the art.  It’s a pretty big departure from the look Doug Braithwaite established for the book and yet, it’s utterly gorgeous and totally appropriate in its own way.  Much like the Allreds, the Breitweiser husband/wife duo are perfect artistic compliments to one another.  They come together to bring you a book that feels, well, mysterious.  It’s a book that’s heavy on atmosphere and one really gets the feeling of a fantastical wintry wonderland.  And then there are the little puppies which are the core of the issue, and the Breitweisers do an absolutely adorable job on them, making them little bundles of malcontented fur.

And really, those puppies sum up this issue: completely and utterly charming and adorable.  This is a comic with a big heart, but one that also has mature sensibilities when it comes to its storytelling.  Loki, Leah, the puppies introduced in this issue, all of them are just so bloody lovable.

This helps Gillen in getting the reader to really become emotionally invested in the issue.  On the one hand, yes, the ending was predictable and yet, in spite of that, I was still crying out at “Loki, don’t do it!”  The fact that I was so desperate to get the ending I expected/wanted and that Gillen kept me on the hook throughout says quite a bit about this book.  When I finally got that ending, it was all too satisfying.

There are a lot of laughs to be had this month as well.  From Leah and Loki’s always wonderful relationship, to Volstagg’s honorary Christmas job, to the ridiculously murderous quips of Loki’s new pet puppy, you’re guaranteed to laugh out loud with this comic and all of the jokes are of the good-natured sort.

Journey into Mystery #626 – Review

by Kieron Gillen (writer), Doug Braithwaite (pencils), Ulises Arreola & Andy Troy (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: Loki cuts a deal with the biggest, toughest demon in limbo before seeking the aid of a very shiny resident of Asgard.

What’s Good:  One thing I’ve really appreciated about Kieron Gillen’s Journey into Mystery has been it’s pacing.  Each issue is a full experience, seeing Loki get himself into a scrape, cut a deal with a megapower or two, and achieve an objective.  Each issue then leaves us with a prelude for next month’s issue, showing where Loki’s going to be heading to next.  It’s a really great format that makes each issue comprehensive and satisfying, while also leaving the reader desperately wanting the next installment.  It’s a fine balance, and Gillen rides it well.

Meanwhile, Loki remains as endearing as ever as we once again watch his machinations unfold as he constantly seems one step ahead of the big boys of the Nine Realms.  Gillen makes it easy to see suggestions of how exactly Loki is manipulating the great powers he runs up against, Surtur in this case, yet that the big demon seems unaware of any foul play ends up forging a kind of link between Loki and the reader and makes us all the more attached.  Loki’s escape route was also a really nice touch of comedy and mischief.  Similarly, it’s just so easy to root for Loki as he runs from a vengeful Hel-Wolf or dodges giant demon swords, as the character manages to be crafty and lovable, but also vulnerable.  As witty and smart as Loki is, Gillen is aware of his physical fragility and how most readers will react to a kid in danger.

Meanwhile, Doug Braithwaite is as epic and generally awesome as ever and despite the extra colorist, there’s really not any noticeable difference from previous months.  I remain impressed at how Braithwaite is able to produce detailed, impressive work like this month after month without any delays.

Also, that ending…  Wow.  Just wow.  It’s as though Gillen sat back and thinks to himself each month “how can I make Kid Loki more awesome?”

Journey into Mystery #625 – Review

by Kieron Gillen (writer), Doug Braithwaite (pencils), Ulises Arreola (colors), and Clayton Cowles (letters)

The Story: With war in hell on the horizon, Loki brokers a deal with Mephisto and Hela.

What’s Good:  In case you didn’t know, Kieron Gillen’s Journey into Mystery is among Marvel’s very best books.  It’s witty, charming, funny, dramatic, and epic, just like its lead character.  It’s also remarkably consistent in its quality and so, once again this month, we get a fantastic outing from Kid Loki and friends.  As ever, the little guy oozes charisma and carries the book with ease.  His machinations are a joy to watch, his jokes are consistently funny, and he’s all-around adorable and naturally likable.

This month in particular, it’s really good fun-seeing Loki play the mega-powers off one another, manipulating beings far beyond him in power to suit his ends.  He also does it with such grace and humour that it’s a joy to watch and the dialogue is eloquently written by far, far ever ever being dry.  Loki’s humour is also often edgy in its wit.  One line he delivers in particular to the Tongue of the Serpent really got a laugh out of me.  Gillen’s clearly quite a funny guy, and the humour isn’t just extended to Loki; Hel-Wolf’s grumpy, murderous demeanor is great and there’s a fantastic sight gag Gillen delivers near the end of the issue when Loki, Ikol, and Hel Wolf get beamed to a backyard in New Jersey.

Mephisto, Hela, and new character Leah are all excellently written.  I cannot stop heaping praise on Gillen’s dialogue, which carries this issue.  Mephisto is as slimy as ever (he even gives us the recap page!) and Leah’s playing the straight man to Loki makes me very happy to see her as an addition to the cast.