Age of Ultron #9 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Brandon Peterson (Artist), Carlos Pacheco (Penciler), Roger Bonet (Inker), Paul Mounts, Jose Villarrubia (Color Artists), VC’s Cory Petit (Letterer)

The Review: I’ll say this: Wolverine’s lucky that Doc Brown ain’t an Avenger. He’d have a few harsh words for the hairy canuck right about now, least of which would be “Great Scott!” Then again, perhaps it’s for the best. All Marty ever gave back was a “Gee, Doc!” as he gurned a weary frown; Wolverine would probably have gutted him from top to bottom with a “Stick that in your Flux Capacitor!” Either way, the Space-Time Continuum would still be stretched to breaking point…as may be your levels of patience and willing sense of disbelief at this point.

Uncanny X-Men #2 – Review

By: Kieron Gillen (writer), Carlos Pacheco, Jorge Molina & Rodney Buchemi (pencils), Cam Smith, Roger Bonet, Walden Wong & Molina (inks), Frank D’Armata, Rachelle Rosenberg, Jim Charalampidis & Molina (colors), Joe Caramagna (letters), Jordan D. White & Sebastian Girner (assistant editor), Daniel Ketchum (associate editor) & Nick Lowe (editor)

The Story: Mr. Sinister has created an army of clones of himself.

Five Things: 

1. Enjoyable Mr. Sinister story. – I’m not usually a fan of recycled villains in superhero comics because they become as predictable as the heroes, but this is a pretty nifty Mr. Sinister story.  The idea that he’s been chasing perfection for over a century and now finally thinks he has things in place to act is pretty cool.  It reminds me of something someone said about cottage cheese once: the first time someone made cottage cheese someone opened up the vat and said, “It’s ready.  Let’s eat it.”  How did they know that the goopy white stuff was ready to eat?  That’s kinda what Sinister has done here: He thinks he’s perfect and he’s ready to clone himself and control the planet.

2. A little talky. – Man….there is a lot of Mr. Sinister talking to hear his own voice in this issue.  Gillen manages to power through it in this issue just by being a gifted wordsmith, but there will be fans that groan any time they see such big word balloons.  The trouble with lots of words is that it sometimes slows the tempo of the comic down more than it should by making us linger too much on panels that should be fleeting.

3. Art manages to be okay in spite of a huge cast. – There’s no art in this issue that is “bad”, but anytime you have 3 pencillers, 4 inkers and 4 colorists the issue will look like a bit of a mess.  On a positive note, the storytelling remains intact and all the pages are professional.  I don’t want to bang on the art too much, but it just kinda bums me out that we’re already running into this problem on issue #2 AND that comes on the heels of a pretty average first issue.  Damn it, Uncanny is supposed to be a flagship book!  The art shouldn’t have to be workman-like and professional.  It should be awesome and with the exception of Terry Dodson, this title hasn’t had “awesome” in a long time.

The Rest Of The Stack

Superman: Secret Origin #1

Geoff Johns (Writer), Gary Frank (Pencils), Jon Sibal (Inks)

The Good and the Bad: Superman: Secret Origin is a near perfect “jump-on point” for those who haven’t picked up a Superman book in a long time. In this new mini-series Geoff Johns and Gary Frank don’t offer us a mere summary of how Superman came to be, instead they give us a funny and moving coming-of-age story of a small town boy that transitions from adolescent to a young man aware of his capabilities. However, since this is a story about Superman after all, Johns and Frank waste no time jumping straight to the superhero scenes. Right away they gives us the superhero puberty scenes, showing Clark realizing his powers in the most common teenage boy ways. From realizing his bone-breaking strength on the field, to his premature heat discharges with Lana, Johns and Frank win big in drawing the similarities of a hero in the making and the familiar and awkward moments of a young boy. Even though the pacing may be unfolding a little too quickly, we get a much-needed background on how Superman came to be. This is definitely worth checking out.

Grade: A-

-Raymond Hilario

Avengers: The Initiative #28

Christos N. Gage (Writer), Rafa Sandoval (Pencils), Roger Bonet (Inks), and Edgar Delgado (Colors)

The Good and the Bad: Avengers: The Initiative is one series that’s definitely making the most of the whole Dark Reign thing. As the Avengers Resistance assembles to help some like-minded Initiative members in need, it’s hard not to smile as the whole Marvel sandbox concept gets used to full effect. On a technical level, Avengers: The Initiative #28 is a winner. Christos Gage does a fine job of cramming in some really nice character work among all the clever action. The artists prove that they are certainly up to the task of handling anything (and anyone) that Gage throws at them in an entertaining, slightly chaotic way. That said, it’s unfortunate that the impressive artwork, as a whole, doesn’t really fit the surprisingly dark script all that well. Simply put, it’s too lively and vibrant for the story being told.

Grade: B

The Darkness/Pitt #2

Paul Jenkins (Writer), Dale Keown (Pencils & Inks), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

The Good and the Bad: I never would have considered the likeable Jackie Estacado to be a racist homophobe until reading The Darkness/Pitt #2, but, Paul Jenkins’ questionable character work aside, the Top Cow mini-series is proving to be a fun, violent romp. The dialogue between Pitt, Estacado, and Timmy is mostly entertaining in that “odd couple” type of way and Dale Keown’s slick, polished artwork is elevated by Frank D’Armata’s moody, dark colors. If you don’t mind a generic, forgettable plot, give the mini-series a look at some point if you are in the mood for something with that special “90s” vibe.

Grade: C+

No Hero #7

Warren Ellis (Writer), Juan Jose Ryp (Art), and Digikore Studios (Colors)

The Good and the Bad: Whoa! That’s the word that comes to mind when I think about the conclusion to No Hero. Warren Ellis throws a very cool curveball into the plot that makes main character Josh Carver infinitely more interesting as a character. The downside is that the brutal, violent ending pretty much puts the kibosh on any more exploration of the very character that you’re probably going to want to follow a bit more (though a prequel might work…). Oh well. At least Ellis ends things with one hell of a finish, mostly thanks to the incredibly disturbing, disgusting, detailed artwork provided by the talented Juan Jose Ryp. Whether you want it to or not, because of Ryp’s work, No Hero #7 will stick in your mind for quite some time.

Grade: B+

-Kyle Posluszny

Avengers: The Initiative #27 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Christos N. Gage (Writer), Rafa Sandoval (Pencils), Roger Bonet (Inks), and Edgar Delgado (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: I enjoyed Rafa Sandoval’s work for Incredible Hercules quite a bit. I look forward to seeing how the artist handles all the characters that appear in The Initiative.

The Story: Chapter 1: Learn the origin story of Johnny Guitar (and his pal Dr. Sax) and about how they got involved with the Initiative program. Chapter 2: The Initiative members try to take back the Negative Zone prison currently controlled by King Blastaar.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: As far as the writing by Christos Gage goes, the latest issue of Avengers: The Initiative is a great example of everything that’s right about the series as a whole. Pretty much any character can show up in the spotlight and, more often than not, truly make an impact on some sort of level (emotionally or during an action scene). Case in point: Johnny Guitar. His journey is very well-written and, while a bit heavy-handed, definitely makes you feel for the character whether you had any intention of doing so or not.

If Gage takes center stage during chapter one, then the whole Negative Zone battle is the art team’s show. The fight is chaotic, colorful, and quite fun to look at as far as crazy superhero battles go. Rafa Sandoval, thanks to help from Roger Bonet and Edgar Delgado, manages to put a whole hell of a lot on every page, and it works to great effect. While faces tend to look similar and some of the action is a bit hard to follow, the artwork, as a whole, really gets the job done far better than it has any right to. There’s a LOT going on in the Negative Zone, and Sandoval makes sure that the reader knows it.

Conclusion: Avengers: The Initiative #27 doesn’t amount to a whole lot (it’s basically a character highlight reel followed by a fight scene), but it delivers a whole lot of entertainment. Johnny Guitar’s story and the Negative Zone rumble combine to make the latest issue of The Initiative an example of what happens when a creative team makes the most of the series concept.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Avengers: The Initiative #26 (Dark Reign) – Review

By Christos N. Gage (Writer), Rafa Sandoval (Pencils), Roger Bonet (Inks), and Edgar Delgado (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Now that the great Dark Reign shakeup has finally finished, it’ll be interesting to see what Christos N. Gage has in store for the Initiative.

The Story: Tigra, Gauntlet, and some of the New Warriors desperately try to escape one of Norman Osborn’s Initiative teams. When they do, Tigra has a plan to gain some measure of revenge of one person that has wronged her in the past. Meanwhile, Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. officially opens and Taskmaster and The Hood go to work, making sure things are in order. The Hood explains the current situation to some recruits, Taskmaster explains the Penance situation to Trauma, and Trauma tries to get…anything out of Penance.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Writer Christos N. Gage clearly has a lot to tackle in the first true Dark Reign Initiative book. It’s loaded with characters, slightly cluttered, and seems to jump all over the place at times. But you know what? Gage handles the challenge extremely well. The storytelling is fairly tight, the character work is effective (especially the stuff with Trauma and the final scene with Tigra), and Gage will constantly remind readers why they pick up a book like Avengers: The Initiative in the first place; to dive into the giant sandbox that is the Marvel Universe. While it’s still early, the Initiative and Dark Reign look to fit together quite well. I wonder if Gage will be able to make the most of it?

As for the visuals, Rafa Sandoval’s artwork gets the job done in the ways that matter. Characters look distinct, expressions are appropriate, and the action looks decent enough. Note that I said “decent enough,” because the action is probably the weak point of Avengers: The Initiative #26. It seems to lack any sort of comfortable flow and gets overwhelmed by all the characters taking part in the action. Also, what’s with Tigra having giant paws for hands? Is that supposed to be like that? I’m not too familiar with the character so if you know if Sandoval’s take on her is actually how it’s supposed to be, leave me a comment.

Conclusion: Not all that it could be, but certainly good enough, Avengers: The Initiative #26 is a worthy chapter of a series that keeps on moving forward at a nice pace.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

The Incredible Hercules #120 (Secret Invasion) – Review

By Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (Writers), Rafa Sandoval (Penciler), Roger Bonet & Greg Adams (Inkers) and Gracia with Calero & Trevino (Colors)

In the comics world, there are two kinds of writers: the Innovators, who come up with wild new ideas that don’t always make sense, and the Consolidators, equally talented people who spend most of their time filling in the gaps and coming up with ways to explain the inconsistencies in the work of the Innovators. Of course, sometimes a Consolidator will devote years to making sense of an Innovator’s work (as Mark Gruenwald did with Kirby’s Asgardians and Eternals), only to have another Innovator (Walt Simonson) come along to make things nice and messy again.

Well, wherever Mark Gruenwald is right now, he must be smiling, because Hercules #120 is his kind of book, and builds on one of his ideas. Gruenwald was the guy who decided that the Skrulls were a race where the Deviants had taken over the planet by killing all the Eternals and Normals. Well, now Pak and Van Lente are doing a little consolidating of their own by asking the question, “What was that epic battle like, and what if a single Eternal had survived?”

You may notice I haven’t said a lot about the plot of the book yet. That’s because I don’t want to spoil all the comic-y goodness that awaits you when you read it. But the premise is so good I have to share it: the “He” that the Skrulls keep invoking when they say “He loves you,” is the Skrull’s last Eternal, elevated to Godhood. The events of this issue tie into the core of the Secret Invasion, and will have long-lasting repercussions in that storyline and others.

What else can I give away without spoiling the fun? There’s a big, big battle. The unbeatable are beaten. The unkillable are killed. Goodness triumphs, and so does evil. Hercules continues to be written with the same perfect blend of arrogance and self-doubt that makes him so likable in this series. The art is still beautiful, if a bit confusing at times (What can you expect with no less than three shape-changers in the cast?). And vertebrae and mosquitos are very, very important.

One other thing: the Skrull Book of Worlds, their Bible, is as inconstant as they are. Forget Reed Richards escaping the Skrulls—if you really want to experience the true turning point of the Secret Invasion, imagine if Billy Graham or Rick Warren opened the Good Book one morning and the only words inside were, “YOU’RE WRONG.” (Grade: A+)

– Andrew C. Murphy

Incredible Hercules #119 (Secret Invasion) – Review

Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, (Writers) Rafa Sandoval, (Penciler) Roger Bonet, (Inker) and Martegod Gracia (Colorist)

This latest issue of The Incredible Hercules is really just one extended fight scene as Kirby, the pup recently revealed to be a Skrull, causes all sorts of trouble for the God Squad. While an extremely quick read, it sets the stage nicely for the showdown between the Skrull god and the God Squad. I really wish there was more to say about this issue, but, to be honest, the focus here is on action, not story.

I have no problem with comics featuring non-stop action, but I do have a problem if the action isn’t very well orchestrated. The scenes of calm look great, but those are few and far between. Maybe they were just running on a loose plot, because the art team just doesn’t seem to have a handle on everything that is going on in this issue. At times, it feels as though penciler, Rafa Sandoval, is more concerned with creature design than visual storytelling. There is a lot of good stuff to look at here, but you have to work to find it amongst the chaos. Truth be told, I happen to like this art team, but they have to get a handle on how to control the chaos because epic battles these are not.

As for the writing, it is as enjoyable as always. Incredible Hercules continues to be one of the best written books each month even when the writing takes a bit of a back seat to the action. The humor works as it should, the characters continue to entertain, and the visual chaos is translated into all sorts of fun dialogue. Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente continue to make one heck of a writing team.

While I like Incredible Hercules #119 quite a bit, the issue is weighed down by the poor art direction. I can understand what Sandoval and his team were going for, but there is just too much going on in nearly every scene. That said, I am still enjoying the hell out of this tie-in and can’t wait to see how the team handles Kly’bn, the Skrull God. (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny

Incredible Hercules #118 (Secret Invasion) – Review

Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, (Writers) Rafa Sandoval, (Pencils) Roger Bonet, (Inker) and Martegod Gracia (Colorist)

The last time I opened up a comic to the first page and laughed out loud, I was reading Incredible Hercules #116. I found the beer road map to be one of the funniest things I had seen in a comic and was fairly certain it would be hard to top. It was quite a surprise to find that Herc #118 manages to top the beer map in a big way by offering up…wait for it…FREE GOD SQUAD TRADING CARDS!! Needless to say, this awesome first page, featuring an Amadeus Cho rookie card nonetheless, set the bar pretty high for this issue. Does the rest of the issue manage to live up to the first page? Read on to find out!

Incredible Hercules #118 continues right where the last issue left off as the newly formed “God Squad” makes its way toward the Skrull Pantheon by way of the Dreamtime pathways. The only problem is the Skrull Pantheon is far from easy to find so the team must attempt to persuade Nightmare to give them the coordinates necessary to find the Pantheon. An interesting deal is struck, tensions flare, Skrully accusations are made, and the team faces its first true challenge. All in all, this is a compelling chapter for both the Incredible Hercules series and the Secret Invasion.

As usual, Pak and Van Lente have crafted a funny, suspenseful, and action-packed story. The interaction between the team members is a real high point as both humor and tension is used to great effect. Also, they make some nice additions to the Skrull side of the conflict (for those interested in the way Skrulls treat other religions). The writers show they have a strong grasp on how Hercules and the God Squad should fit into the bigger picture and the book is all the better for it. To be honest, this is just an incredibly fun story and if you aren’t along for the ride yet, you’re missing out. Pak and Van Lente have made Incredible Hercules one of the most consistently entertaining books on the shelf.

The artwork for this series continues to be strong. The team does a great job crafting aspects of the Dreamtime and some of the scenes featuring Nightmare are outstanding. Martegod Gracia’s work was particularly impressive with some fantastic use of color. If I have any issue with the art it is that some of the action gets a bit confusing and there was a few times I felt the scenes lacked direction. Still, this is quite a good looking book.

In closing, Incredible Hercules scores again with another good issue. The story is fun, the writing is excellent, and the artwork is almost always a treat to look at. As I said before, if you aren’t reading this series, you should be. Also, think about this…do you really want to miss out on that Amadeus Cho rookie card? In all seriousness though, pick this one up. While the issue as a whole can’t quite match the bar that was set with the awesome first page, this is still one of the best releases of the week. (Grade B+)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

Maybe I was just tired when I read this, but I found the story a little hard to follow when the God Squad confronts Nightmare. Nevermind, I see Kyle had the same problem as well. Anyway, while the coloring is superb throughout the issue, it gets a little muddled during this sequence and I had to do some backtracking to get my bearings. Also, naming the dog Kerberos and then referring to him as Kirby later on was a bit confusing, too. And why does this coyote pup look like a labrador? Eh.

Dog gripes aside, this is another fun-filled issue that rates high on the humor scale. There’s times where things do get serious and our gods put themselves in danger, but those moments are brief and quickly off-set by a gag or joke. For example, when a bevvy of nightmares is unleashed on our heroes, one of Amadeus’ biggest fears is realized: an over-sized Rubik’s Cube with an additional row of squares on each side. Having that thrown into a sea of bad, nightmarish creatures made me laugh out loud.

There’s just no way to take this book seriously. Sure, there may be a moment where things get heated, but for the most part, it’s very reminiscent of an action-comedy or cop-buddy flick. Again, much credit to Grek Pak and Fred Van Lente for writing one of the best titles on Marvel’s block. Rafa Sandoval’s art, along with his supporting team of Roger Bonet and Martegod Gracia are outstanding as well. (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

The Incredible Hercules #117 (Secret Invasion) – Review

Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, (Writers) Rafa Sandoval, (Penciler) Roger Bonet, (Inker) and Martegod Gracia (Colorist)

Back in the Sixties, when Stan Lee told him he couldn’t have Thor on the Avengers, Roy Thomas pulled in Hercules instead. Herc’s tenure didn’t last long, maybe because they made the horrible mistake of shaving his beard. In the Seventies, they gave him own team, The Champions. Other than a few issues beautifully illustrated by John Byrne, that was a failure as well. In the Eighties, Hercules got his own mini-series. It was cute (“Sayest what?”), but ultimately forgettable.

Finally, after forty years, Marvel has figured out how to write Hercules.

Rule #1: Don’t put Herc in charge. He’s muscle, pure and simple. Make someone else the boss — Athena, for example — and just let him react.

Rule #2: Never forget that underneath all his bluster, Hercules is a tragic figure. He killed his own wife and children in a fit of madness, after all. He may be a god among men, but among the gods he is only a man, and gods are careless with mortal lives.

Rule #3: Think big. Really big.

The premise of the book is both grand and simple: Athena wants to stop the Skrull invasion because if humanity is wiped out then the gods they worship will die as well. Since the Skrulls think they were promised Earth in an ancient religious prophecy, Athena’s plan is to bypass the Skrulls themselves and take the fight directly to their gods, Kly’bn and Sl’gur’t. To that end, she assembles a divine strike force that Amadeus Cho dubs the God Squad: Hercules, Snowbird, Amatsu-Mikaboshi (the Japanese god of evil), Atum (also known as Demogorge, the God-Eater), and Ajak. (This last bit is the only part I have a problem with; Ajak is an Eternal who is sometimes mistaken for a god, not actually the Incan god Tecumotzin. But that’s just a quibble.)

Gathering the team together and establishing their back-stories takes most of this issue. There are a few wonderful character revelations. Ajak, known as “He Who Talks to Celestials”, is jealous that the Dreaming Celestial prefers to communicate with Makkari. Hercules is upset because he’s been put in charge of the team, and he’s not sure he has what it takes to be a good leader. And Atum is helping save the gods only because he plans to slay them and eat them himself at some later time.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Sandoval’s art only gets better each issue. But Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente really deserve the most praise. It’s remarkable how well this book draws upon years of continuity, yet still manages to boldly go (dare I say it?) where no god has gone before. (Grade: A)

– Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

I’ll admit to being a bit late to the critically acclaimed Hercules series, but after reading the first Hercules Secret Invasion tie-in, I know I’ll have to go back to see what I’ve missed. Simply put, this is a very fun book that manages to make Secret Invasion even more epic.

The bulk of this issue consists of a meeting of the Council of Gods that has been organized by Athena to recognize and combat the Skrull threat. While I have very little experience with the characters or continuity presented in this issue, I had no problems keeping up thanks to some clever writing and helpful flashback sequences. After each group in the council offers up a warrior to help deal with the Skrulls and the inherent tensions of the meeting boil over, Hercules finds himself as the leader of the “God Squad,” as they are dubbed by Amadeus Cho (who, yes, still has pup in tow).

Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente have written a very nice jump-on point for people interested in this series now that it has been tied to the Secret Invasion. I had no trouble keeping up and quickly found Hercules to a likeable and hilarious character. I can’t wait to see what Pak and Van Lente come up with next as Hercules seems like the perfect character to be the reluctant leader of a group of gods. Everything in this issue clicks extremely well from dialogue and storytelling to the spot on humor and tension. The stakes are, obviously, high, but the writing team manages to use it to their advantage – instead of letting the book get weighed down by drama.

The artwork in Incredible Hercules #117 is nearly as strong as the writing and storytelling. Sandoval, Bonet, and Gracia have created quite a nice book here and it compliments the story extremely well. The visuals during Hercules’ reluctant leader tantrum are hilarious and as tensions boil over we are treated to some dynamic action scenes. The imagery used during the council meeting is both surreal and compelling and I can only imagine things will get more visually interesting as the story continues for the “God Squad” as they take the fight to the Skrulls.

If you haven’t noticed by now, I really enjoyed this issue of The Incredible Hercules. I will definitely go back to catch up on what I missed, but not necessarily because I felt like I missed something. The writing is so strong that I was instantly drawn into Herc’s story and only feel like I need to go back because I know I won’t be able to wait a month for the next issue. If you have been hesitant about this series up until this point, now is the time to get in on the action. Not only does it have to do with the Secret Invasion, but it also proves why The Incredible Hercules has become such a critically acclaimed series. (Grade B+)

-Kyle Posluszny

Incredible Hercules #116 – Review

By Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers), Rafa Sandoval (pencils), Roger Bonet (inks), Martegod Gracia (colors)

Always a fun and entertaining romp, team Hercules, now comprised of Herc, Amadeus Cho, his pup, and Athena show up in San Francisco after a long road trip across the United States. Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente take some time to show us the chemistry and bond that’s developed between Athena and Cho. Athena acts very much like an older sister who’s main purpose is to keep the boys out of trouble. After the harrowing events of the past two issues where Cho almost “lost it”, he’s kept more in the background in this issue, playing a supporting role.

The main story, is Hercules’ as he tussles with his identity, his history, and two Eternals that have mistaken him for someone else. Since the whole Eternals mini-series ended (by Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr.), Marvel continuity has done little to address just how the story fit into the grand scheme of things. And while, Pak and Ven Lente do little to provide answers, it’s nice to know that the Eternals (along with the Celestials) are being acknowledged. I’ve got a feeling that with the upcoming Eternals series due out in a couple of months, this is Marvel’s way of reminding us that they’re still around and we’ll be getting the answers we seek.

So what is the deal with the gang hanging around San Francisco? Well, it appears Athena has made a startling revelation and she realizes mankind is going to need a lot of help. What this revelation is won’t come as a surprise to most, but it sure did surprise me! With Khoi Pham now gone as penciler, I was weary of what we’d be getting out of Rafa Sandoval. But Sandoval easily survives his trial by fire and delivers some really good art. Some of his facial expressions are a bit wonky (particularly Ikaris), but everyone else is down pat, especially Hercules. (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes