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!

Captain America #614 – Review

By Ed Brubaker (writer), Butch Guice (pencils), Stefano Gaudiano w/ Mark Morales, Tom Palmer, Rick Magyar, Mike Perkins and Butch Guice (inks), Bettie Breitweiser w/ Chris Sotomayor, Humberto Ramos and Frank Martin (colors), VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters and production)

The Story: The trial of Bucky Barnes continues, with things going about as well as can be expected for the good guys under the circumstances. A new wrinkle is thrown in when Falcon and Black Widow are captured by Sin and Master Man, who threatens to blow them up (along with the entire Statue of Liberty) if Bucky does not surrender himself to them by sunset.

What’s Good: This storyline is still chugging along nicely between Brubaker’s writing and Guice’s pencils (and ungodly-sized army of inkers and colorists, but the book doesn’t seem much he worse for all the hands involved.) I especially enjoy the court scenes; they may not be action packed in the traditional sense, but it’s a lot of fun to watch the strategies and counter-strategies play out, especially since Bucky is technically guilty of all the crimes he’s being accused of.

Also: Dr. Faust is awesome.

What’s Not So Good: Although I like this arc, it’s beginning to suffer from a bit of schizophrenia. The juxtaposition of battle of the trial’s battle of wills and intellect, and the physical battle going on between Falcon/Window and Master Man, just isn’t handled very well. I would honestly have preferred they just finish out the trial, and focus on that; trying to do both in the same issue gave both story halves the shaft. I would have been more than happy with a couple issues just dealing with the trial and its fallout. And why does Sin suddenly want Bucky to turn himself in to HER, anyway? Wasn’t the whole plan to discredit him publicly? I know the trial was going decently well, but you’d think she would at least have waited for a verdict, after all the trouble she went through to put these pieces in play.

X-Men: Endangered Species – Review

Written by Mike Carey, Christopher Yost, and Christos Gage

Penciled by Scot Eaton, Mark Bagely, Mike Perkins, Tom Grummett, and Andrea Divito

For the next four weeks, I’m going to give a closer look at the Messiah Trilogy that has consumed the X-Verse for the last three years. I know what you’re thinking: if it’s a trilogy, why are there going to be four posts? That doesn’t add up. Well, no, it might not, but there is a fourth story that I believe is crucial to the experience of these X-Men events. That Story is Endangered Species. It’s a depressing piece, filled with crushed hope and doomed times. All in all, it’s perfect.

The event that truly started all of this was House of M, written by Brian Michael Bendis. It’s a shame, really, because House of M changed so much of the X-Verse and nothing at all in the Avengers world, yet an the Avenger writer wrote the story that would alter the course of X-Men stories forever—or at least for a decade or more. House of M was a horribly written story that made very little sense with repercussions that didn’t add up (and this is coming from a Bendis fan). The Scarlet Witch casts a spell for “no more mutants.” Except most of the X-Men and their key villains keep their powers. Oh, and what was supposed to be 198 mutants left is clearly wrong as “undiscovered” mutants pop up everywhere. However, what the X-writers have done with the concept of an endangered species has been incredible—and future stories are very promising. These writers have carefully crafted a story (I will prove it to you) that has been developing since House of M and is still going on. The Avenger side of the Marvel Universe claim that the story of Siege was building for 10 years or so, but let’s be honest, it was from Civil War on.  The X-Men are on their 5^th year of being endangered.

The Stand: American Nightmares #5 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Mike Perkins (Art), and Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The Stand’s pace is really starting to get to me as a comic fan. While the writing and artwork is quite fantastic all around, it’s difficult to be completely satisfied with tiny chunks of a massive story. Maybe I’ll trade wait Soul Survivors, the next chapter of The Stand comic series.

The Story: Nick Andros visits two very different places in his dreams as he hopes to make it through the night. Larry Underwood awakes and makes a grisly discovery. Stu Redman meets up with Harold and Frannie, warning them that their destination is not a place they want to be.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: The worst thing I can say about the final issue of The Stand: American Nightmares? That it doesn’t feel at all like a conclusion to anything. Nothing terribly exciting happens, there’s no killer cliffhanger, and everything just sort of inches forward in a way that lays the groundwork for the next mini-series. Does that mean it’s a bad comic though? Not at all.

From the revealing dialogue to the almost folksy narration, The Stand: American Nightmares #5 is an effective read. As expected, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s scripting gives every character a realistic voice and a satisfying level of emotion. In addition, the slow storytelling style almost forces you to invest in the characters so that the lingering sense of dread feels all the more unsettling.

As for the artwork, it’s as good as I’ve come to expect from the team of Mike Perkins and Laura Martin. From horrific details to subtle emotion, Perkins and Martin truly bring Stephen King’s story to life. I honestly have no complaints.

Conclusion: The last part of American Nightmares is about as technically sound as a comic can get. That said, it’s a bit boring and lacks the sense of urgency that should leave readers dying for more.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: American Nightmares #4 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Writer), Mike Perkins (Artist), and Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I thought the last issue of American Nightmares was pretty great. While it didn’t advance the story a whole lot, it made up for its shortcomings by being incredibly intense and disturbing.

The Story: Stu Redman and artist Glen Bateman discuss the nature of Captain Tripps and nightmares. Lloyd debates cannibalism in the name of survival and is approached by a Randall Flagg. Frannie and Harold pass the time by relaxing.

What’s Good: In The Stand: American Nightmares #4, the writing is excellent, the realistic artwork is genuinely unsettling, and the plot inches forward enough to keep things interesting. In other words, the fourth chapter of American Nightmares delivers… Well everything you’ve come to expect from The Stand and the creative team of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Mike Perkins, and Laura Martin… Nothing more, nothing less.

What’s Not So Good: I hate to knock something that’s so well done for moving forward at a slow pace (especially considering the source material), but The Stand: American Nightmares #4 reminds me of why trade-waiting is so appealing to some people. The trade format just works better for some things and I’m fairly certain The Stand is one of those things. I’ll be sure to stick around for the conclusion of American Nightmares next month, but I doubt I’ll be picking up the next mini-series as a monthly unless American Nightmares #5 leaves me with that “I can’t possibly wait” feeling.

Conclusion: American Nightmares #4 is very good, but it’s also pretty slow. If you’ve been following The Stand from the beginning, then you should already know what to expect.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: America Nightmares #3 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Script), Mike Perkins (Art), and Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The slow pace of The Stand is starting to get to me as a monthly reader. I realize that the book is adapting a fairly large work and that Stephen King is an author that likes to take his time with telling a story, but I always go into a new issue of the comic adaptation accepting the fact that I may get less of the story than I’m ready for. The comic is damn fine-looking and extremely well-written, but the current pace is making me think about trade-waiting the next part of the story.

The Story: Larry Underwood and Rita Blakemoor make their way out of New York, encountering all sorts of grisly things along the way. The situation they find out turns out to be much worse than they had imagined…

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: While limited in scope (as far as how many characters are in it) compared to earlier issues, American Nightmares #3 is one of the best chapters of The Stand yet. The story of Larry and Rita’s trip through (and out of) New York is thrilling, intense, brutal, and almost perfectly executed. If I have any complaint, it’s that the characters that the issue focuses on aren’t all that interesting or likable. Rita has some unique quirks and Larry’s attempt at personal redemption is well-written, but personally, I feel like I don’t have any real emotional investment in either character. It hurts the overall impact of the book, but only a small amount.

On a technical level, the latest issue of The Stand is quite brilliant. The occasional stomach-churning artwork by Mike Perkins and Laura Martin looks fantastic when on display, though the most effective scenes show almost nothing. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has to write his way through a number of panels that are completely black except for the dialogue and it works far better than you might expect. The scenes are surprisingly creepy as Larry deals with horrors that cannot be seen.

I could probably go on some more about what I like, but I really don’t want to ruin anything. So let me just say that my interest in the series has been renewed thanks to the impressive work by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Mike Perkins, and Laura Martin. I look forward to seeing more focused issues in the future.

Conclusion: American Nightmares #3 is probably my favorite issue of The Stand (so far). Be sure to check it out!

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: American Nightmares #2 – Review

By Stephen King (Creator), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Script), Mike Perkins (Art), and Laura Martin (Colors)

The Story: The tension continues to mount as American Nightmares rolls on. A starving convict, a pyromaniac named The Trashcan Man, and Randall Flagg take up a majority of the issue. While the other surviving characters think of possible destinations that could provide safety.

What’s Good: The creative team behind the Marvel adaptation of The Stand impresses on nearly every level. The script by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is impressively tight, especially considering how dense Stephen King’s writing can be. That said, it also manages to be necessarily descriptive and entertainingly wordy in the appropriate places. As for the visuals, Mike Perkins and Laura Martin absolutely nail the brutal tone of the story with their disturbingly detailed work. The art team makes you truly fear Captain Tripps, Randall Flagg, those that run wild, and how distressingly bleak the entire situation has become.

What’s Not So Good: For as much as I’m enjoying the series, the pace is starting to wear on me a bit. While it worked extremely well in Captain Tripps by highlighting the ominous spread of a virus, American Nightmares suffers because of it since so much still needs to be introduced or explained. In other words, Nightmares (so far) lacks the sense of direction that made Tripps so satisfying.

Conclusion: While The Stand: American Nightmares #2 is quite impressive on a technical level, it proves to be a rather unsatisfying chapter in a much larger work.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: Captain Trips #4 – Review

By Stephen King (Creative & Executive Director), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Script), Mike Perkins (Art), and Laura Martin (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I’ve never read the novel it’s based on, so I can’t really comment on how effective the adaptation is. That said, I am definitely enjoying every bit of The Stand: Captain Trips. From the weighty, slow burn storytelling to the memorable visuals, everything about the series just feels right. It’s the perfect thing for when I feel like I’ve had my fill of superhero comics for the month.

The Story: Captain Trips continues to spread like wildfire as people drop like flies in a number of states. A storm approaches, both literally and figuratively, as the cast tries to cope and brace for the worst. Randall Flagg continues his travels as well.

What’s Good: Everything about the issue works for me. The artwork is absolutely perfect for the grim tone and impending doom present throughout the book. As for the script, it effectively increases the tension and builds the drama without ever resorting to something that feels like a blatant hook to grab readers. Long story short, Captain Trips continues to be a prime example of an adaptation that respects the source material and makes fantastic use of the comic medium.

What’s Not So Good: The only thing I can possibly say that might be regarded as a negative is that the series is not going to appeal to everyone. And the latest chapter isn’t going to change any minds. The series almost demands patience and I know some people will be turned off by that.

Conclusion: Marvel’s adaptation of The Stand continues to impress. If you liked the first three chapters, you will love the fourth. I highly recommend it.

Grade: A

-Kyle Posluszny

The Stand: Captain Trips #3 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer), Mike Perkins (art), Laura Martin (colors)

The Story: As far as the arc of this series, this issue stands as the “day before” the world is decimated. The Captain Trips virus continues its deadly crawl across the United States. We watch the individual stories surrounding our main characters unfold with a twisted sense of irony, knowing Captain Trips will make all their struggles, experiences, hopes, and dreams utterly mute. In this issue, we’re introduced to two new characters, Lloyd Henreid and “Poke” Freeman, career criminals of whom only one will make a lasting appearance in the series.

What’s Good: Aguirre-Sacasa’s Omni-present narrator tells the story seamlessly.  Also, the dialogue is concise, revealing, and dramatic as it compliments the narration boxes that tell the crux of the tale. Perkins’ art is fabulous. From the subtle signs of a character becoming ill, to the posture of covert military agents surveying their kill, Perkins excels at creating captivating, ultra-realistic scenes to tell this story.

What’s-Not-So- Good: Not too much! I have minor criticism on some of the narration, specifically a narration that reads, “And that made Larry sad,” that sounds a little corny at times. Also, I have no idea what is going on with the gunfights and the subsequent damage caused by them. Why are people exploding and being incinerated by bullets? Is everyone using exploding shells?

Conclusion: From any standpoint, this is a great book that merges many different styles of comic book creating. I have never read “The Stand,” but that has played no part in how much I like this book. Even though very little transpires in this issue, the slow build is enjoyable and keeps me wanting more.

Final Grade: A-

-Rob Galinsky

Civil War: House Of M #3 – Review

Christos N. Gage (writer), Andrea Divito (pencils), Nathan Fairbairn (colors), Dave Sharpe (letters), Mike Perkins (cover)

The Story: Magneto’s campaign for mutant rights continues. After liberating Genosha and making it a safe nation for all Mutantkind, Xavier urges Magnus to seek less violent ways to progress the cause. Even with the support of Black Bolt, Black Panther, and Namor, Magneto’s patience wears thin with diplomacy. Behind Xavier’s back, he starts to move the pieces into position for full scale war, while the US sends a strike team to assassinate him.

What’s Good: Gage does a good job of dealing with the Magneto-Xavier relationship. As Magneto nudges things closer to war, Xavier’s opposing views take a front-seat which provides some great tension between the two. It’s also nice to see Magneto’s attempts at diplomacy. He’s such a strong character, and to see him do something “weak” like seeking the support of others is a pretty compelling power-shift to see. This ties back into his relationship with Xavier as things always cut back to Magneto telling Charles how he really feels about groveling.

What’s Not So Good: There’s a lot of exposition and setup. That in itself isn’t a problem, but since the first two issues were so war-heavy, the drag of the setup is more noticeable. Still the overload of information takes a toll on all aspects of the book. Andrea Divito has a great visual pallet for battle scenes, but since there’s a lot of talk here, she doesn’t get as much of a chance to shine. Nothing looks bad, in fact the pencils are still outstanding. However, I’m looking forward to seeing the massive battles which are no doubt on their way.

Conclusion: It’s a slow week for this title, but a necessary one. Things are set up nicely for a dramatic conclusion to Magneto’s rise to power. I wish this information had been spread out better over all three issues, but as it stands now we’re ready for war.

Grade: B

– Ben Berger

Civil War: House of M #1 – Review

By Christos N. Gage (writer), Andrea Divito (pencils), Laura Villari (colors), Dave Sharpe (letters), Mike Perkins (cover)

Part Magneto back-story, part House of M/Civil War tie in, this book retells an origin and gives new insight to one of Marvel’s major events. I’m usually against prequels since many of them are done for the wrong reasons (see Star Wars, and money), and in most cases they’re unnecessary and create more plot holes than they solve (see Star Wars). However, House of M shows a lot of promise one issue in, successfully documenting the rise of the Master of Magnetism.

Christos Gage and Andrea Divito hit the good points while avoiding many pitfalls in this issue. In this tale, Gage depicts Magneto as a man fighting for a cause rather than an extremist hellbent on seeking domination. His portrayal of the Magneto leaves readers curious to see exactly how he takes over and leaves in question how the humans can put up a fight. Accompanying Gage’s Magneto is Andrea Divito’s sizzling art. Divito is a superstar, making every panel sizzle. The artist’s work delivers, as it is able to focus greatly on the backgrounds just as the characters and the foreground. Divito’s work manages to  hold on to your attention, panel for panel while not distracting you too much from the main action.

House of M: Civil War is a sure pickup, as it offers a lot for an origin story. Gage and Divito gives us a lot of exciting scenes and an interesting character study of one of Marvel’s beloved villains/ anti-heroes. If you want a tale that follows the psyche of Magneto and some explanation as to how he gained leadership of the mutants, then this is the book to pick up. This issue perfectly sets the history of the House of M. (Grade A-)

-Ben Berger

The Stand: Captain Trips #1 – Review

By Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer), Mike Perkins (art), Laura Martin (colors)

I tried numerous times to read this novel as a kid, but it was just too dense for me. When the mini-series came on TV I completely forgot to watch it. So there was definitely some enthusiasm going into this book. I don’t know much of the story, only its basic premise: There’s a viral outbreak in America and The Stand is about those who survive the plague. I’m a fan of survival horror stories and this debut issue wasted no time in getting me involved with the characters and their soon to be post-apocalyptic future.

I can’t say how faithful this is to the novel, but being a first time reader, myself, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa impressed me with his ability to introduce to an ensemble cast, quickly set the tone, and pace the spread of the of the virus. What I could have done without, however, are the character profiles at the end of the book. Seeing these instantly told me that these characters would most likely be survivors. For new readers like me this serves nothing more than to spoil the story. Bad call, Marvel.

Mike Perkins carries over the fantastic style he delivered in Captain America to The Stand. His work here is much more grounded in reality. In fact it may be too grounded in reality – there’s a few scenes that look a little too photo referenced for their own good. But all in all, this is a beautiful book that’s further accented by Laura Martin’s brilliant coloring. Unlike The Dark Tower series that Marvel’s been putting out The Stand needs no prior reading. And for that, I highly recommend it to just about anyone looking to dip their feet into Stephen King’s world. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? #1 – A Review

Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? is an anthology, gathering together vignettes that concern the Secret Invasion, but didn’t fit in any of the regular books. As anthologies have always been since the first publisher crawled from the Precambrian sea, it’s an uneven mix—with A-listers, B-listers, and some folks I didn’t think were on any list at all.

Going from worst to best (IMHO):

Marvel Boy: Master of the Cube by Zeb Wells (Writer) and Steve Kurth & Drew Hennessey (Artists)
Who is this guy? Seriously. I first encountered him in the Young Avengers/Runaways miniseries. I didn’t like him then, and this story gives me no reason to reassess my opinion. For a character with the stupidest name and the ugliest costume in the Marvel Universe, he sure has a more-badass-than-thou attitude. The Skrulls invade the superhuman detention center—the Cube—that Marvel Boy has taken over, and Marvel Boy fights back. That’s the whole story.

Agents of ATLAS: The Resistance by Jeff Parker (Writer) and Leonard Kirk & Karl Kesel (Artists)
The 1950’s Avengers versus the Skrulls. A minor skirmish, but I enjoyed the contrast of these stupid old characters in a desperate modern setting. The best thing about this story is that the Agents hand the aliens their heads (in one case, literally). With the rest of the Marvel superheroes getting their asses kicked right now, it’s a nice change of pace.

Agent Brand: In Plain Sight by Mike Carey (Writer) and Timothy Green III (Artist)
This is a relatively subtle piece, one that requires a little thought… and when you think, you remember that the Trojan Horse is from the Odyssey, not the Iliad… but no matter. Like Hawkeye, I dig a woman with green hair and lips. Agent Brand, agent of SWORD, is assigned to the Peak, to watch over the various alien ambassadors stationed there, and she knows something is up with that shifty Skrull, but she just can’t figure out what it is. Until, of course, it’s too late.

Captain Marvel: Farewell by Brian Reed (Writer) and Lee Weeks (Artist)
This story is basically a bridge to the Secret Invasion from the Captain Marvel miniseries, and it has the same feel, the same moral ambiguity. Captain Marvel (who, as we learned in the mini-series, is actually just a Skrull who thinks he’s Captain Marvel) tells the Skrull army he wants to help their invasion by taking on the Thunderbolts. What are his real motivations? Does he want to do the right thing? And even if his intentions are good, will he end up making things better, or worse?

Wonder Man and the Beast: Seems Like Old Times by Christos N. Gage (Writer) and Mike Perkins (Artist)
This one harkens way back to when David Michelinie was writing the Avengers. During the Skrull/Avenger/dinosaur fight, Wonder Man and the Beast are separated from the others, and have to fight their way out of a cave filled with King-Kong-style giant insects. The problem is, it’s the modern Wonder Man, but the old, pointy-haired, devil-may-care Beast from the 80’s, and either one of them could be a Skrull. While the Beast takes this all in stride, Wonder Man’s discomfort is apparent from the beginning. He misses his old buddy, but he can’t trust him. Unlike most of the others in this anthology, this story doesn’t lead into anything bigger. It just takes two interesting characters and puts them in a unique situation that causes them to play off one another. Which is what every good vignette should do.

(Grade: B)

– Andrew C. Murphy

Captain America By Ed Brubaker Omnibus Vol.1 – Review

By Ed Brubaker (Writer), Steve Epting, Mike Perkins, Michael Lark, John Paul Leon, Tom Palmer, Javier Pulido, Marcos Martin, Lee Weeks, Stefano Gaudiano, Rick Holberg, and Jesse Delperdang (Artists), and Frank D’Armata, Javier Rodriguez, and Matt Milla (Colors)

This is an absolute necessary collection for anyone who is currently reading Captain America. I’ll admit, I fall into the category of readers who jumped on the series around Civil War. Having only read those issues, I knew where this big tome of story would end up: Captain America dead, and Bucky back from the dead. Despite knowing exactly how it would end, the story found in this omnibus not only kept me enthralled, but several times it kept me on the edge of my seat. Ed Brubaker is a master storyteller, and I can see why his run is already being heralded one the best in Cap’s history.

The story contained within is very personal. We get to look into the life and mind of Steve Rogers, as well of several of the supporting cast members. Knowing that the Winter Soldier would end up being Bucky, it was painful and poignant to see Steve Rogers discover this for himself. Through Brubaker’s clever use of flashbacks, we also get to see the great dynamic that developed between these two partners as they fought together in World War II. Where Bucky’s return as a brainwashed Russian agent brings sadness into the life of Steve Rogers, we get to witness the development of his rekindled relationship with Sharon Carter. This relationship brings Cap rare moments of fulfillment.

Of course, the brilliant characterization is not just limited to the good guys. On the villainous side of things, we get several displays of genius, treachery, and just pure evil on the parts of both Aleksander Lukin and the Red Skull (along with their minions.) Fans of bad guy romance even get appeased as the relationship between Crossbones and Sin develops.

The characterization is only half of what makes the story so good. The other half is tons of action. In fact, this story has some of the best action I’ve seen in comics. Whether it is Steve Epting, Mike Perkins, or any of the other artists who contributed to this book, the action they bring to these issues is dynamic, cinematic, and just plain stunning to look at. Stuff likes this leaves me hoping that the Captain America movie will be popular enough just so this storyline can be adapted to the bring screen.

I realize this is a pretty expensive book to buy ($74.99 for 25 issues of story), but any current fan of Captain America who hasn’t read these stories needs to pick this up just to appreciate who the old Captain America was, who the new Captain America is, and just how genius the Red Skull has been in the implementation of his diabolical plan. If you want a money saving tip, save up, and buy it used on eBay (that is what I had to do), or buy it from a store like DCBS. It’s definitely worth your money. (Grade: A+)

-M. Staples

Captain America #36 – Review

By Ed Brubaker (writer), Butch Guice & Mike Perkins (pencils), Frank D’Armata (colors)

Wow at Ed Brubaker. I’m disbelief right now. I honestly thought we had seen the pinnacle of surprises with Brubaker’s run on Captain America, but I was wrong! With Captain America #36, he drops a huge bomb on the last page that may just turn out to be the biggest twist yet. With this writer upping the ante every two to three issues, you’d think something has got to give. Yet, from what I’ve seen, that’s not going to be happening any time soon.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not just the ending that’ll blow you away, this whole issue is solid all around. Its only handicap is Butch Guice and Mike Perkin’s art, which can be a bit confusing at times when the action gets heated. Their art is well adapted to (regular Captain America artist) Steve Epting’s style, and because of this, the continuity between issues is kept consistent (excellent accomplishment, guys). It’s also because of these two artists that the book is on schedule too! But make no mistake, these two just aren’t Steve Epting at the end of the day, and consequently, a few panels left me squinting, trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

Small quibbles aside, the action portrayed in this issue is glorious. We finally get to see Bucky kick some serious butt (and also get his butt kicked, too). He’s definitely not the super human Steve Rogers was, but  here’s where the treat comes in: he makes up for this deficiency with dirty play and un-Captain America-like tactics. For instance, one scene has him throwing his shield at a pack of bad guys and then whipping out his pistol to shoot them while they’re distracted. Brilliant.

On the story side, things continue to move along with Red Skull and company finally getting a tad nervous about a new Captain America floating around, while Sharon Carter’s disappearance compounds their problems even more. And Tony Stark? He’s come a long way since Civil War. Seeing him cover for Bucky will restore a lot of people’s faith in SHIELD’s director. Fantastic issue. (Grade: A+)

– J. Montes

Captain America #35 – Review

By Ed Brubaker (writer), Butch Guice (pencils & inks), Mike Perkins (inks), Frank D’Armata (colors)

There’s something off about this issue. Butch Guice is filling in on penciling duties, and he does a wonderful job aping Steve Epting. But it’s not his art, it’s Frank D’Armata’s colors. From since I can remember (of this current Captain America run), the books have always been colored in a very dark, muted fashion. But from the opening pages of this issue, the colors are vibrant and full of life. Granted, most of this issue takes place in broad daylight, but it’s great to see this book looking brighter.

That said, the story’s still completely dark. With the open assault on protesters by SHIELD agents last issue, Red Skull advances his plan by getting the senate to outsource its Washington DC security to a private security group (or mercs if you will), owned by his Kronos Corporation. With Tony Stark tied up in political scandal, Captain America and Black Widow are on their own as they try to dig deeper into the Red Skull’s conspiracy to overtake the country. With riots brewing outside the nation’s capital, time is running out. And the ending of this issue will shock you.

I know I sound like an old record, but Ed Brubaker has done it again: Captain America #35 is enthralling, intense, and politically charged. Seeing Bucky kicking butt as Captain America is so much fun, too. I actually caught myself smiling when he took out a bunch of guys with his shield throwing. Butch Guice does an excellent job filling in. In fact, I didn’t even know he was on art chores until I read the credits. This book is phenomenal. (Grade: A+)

– J. Montes