Original Sin #0 – Review

Mark Waid (Writer), Jim Cheung & Paco Medina (Pencilers), Justin Ponser (Colorist).

The Story: Sam Alexander bonds with Uatu the Watcher over their paternal issues.

The Review: Daddy issues, all of my favorite heroes from Jon Snow to Scott Summers have them. I would never have listed Uatu and Sam Alexander as part of that group before reading this fantastic issue that sets up Marvel’s big summer event with a quiet, character driven prelude.

I’m not entirely sure how much of Uatu’s origin that was revealed in this issue was the invention of Mark Waid and how much (if any) had already been established but this story injected a lot of pathos and tragedy into a figure that has always been slightly lacking in depth of characterization. Much like with his stellar work on Daredevil, Waid shows a fantastic knack for taking the established framework of a character’s history, personality and powers and putting a unique spin on it. Throughout this issue Waid concretely explores the background of Uatu and his race, explains why the Watcher’s watch, the reasons behind their vow of non-interference as well as the why of Uatu’s seemingly constant struggle to uphold said vow.

Another unexpected treat within these pages was the inclusion of Nova, I’ve been following the Nova book with varying degrees of interest as it’s gone on but assumed that his inclusion in this #0 issue was just part of Marvel’s attempt to promote the character. While that may be true to an extent, his inclusion in this issue feels organic and vital as seeing the Watcher through a relatively fresh set of eyes allows the reader to view him in a different light.

New Warriors #2 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (writer), Marcus To (artist), Daniel Curiel (color artist)

The Story: Spurned by the X-Men, the Evolutionaries throw millennia of planning out the window and decide to back a new, more human, horse.

The Review: With the team’s final member making his appearance at the start of issue #2, New Guardians is clearly taking care with how the titular heroes come together. It’s an impressively varied group, but this is the time to prove that the execution will live up to its concept. In that respect, New Warriors #2 is a bit unsteady.

Picking up where we left off last month, this issue opens with our disparate heroes facing off with teams of Evolutionaries. These adversaries are imposing, thanks in no small part to Marcus To’s artwork, but despite the sheer number of conflicts, none of them justify the issue. It’s not that the book lacks spectacle, but that none of these fights feel like the core struggle. I suspect that this will seem less of a problem in trade, but as it’s probably going to be half a year before we see one, Chris Yost should really be providing a stronger arc in each issue.

The Evolutionaries also lose some of their menace this go around. At times this seems like a conscious choice, but in some cases it just diminishes the story. They whine too much and retreat too frequently, though hints of a greater plan keep them aloft.

With thirteen pages devoted to battles with the Evolutionaries or superhero infighting, Yost has to make his remaining seven count. Justice gets some much needed time to shine in the form of a visit to Avengers Tower. This scene could probably have sped up its exposition slightly, but is decidedly helpful to new readers and conveys Justice’s concern without making him seem dull. Then again, maybe it’s just the fact that he’s standing next to ol’ Slim Summers.

New Warriors #1 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (writer), Marcus To (art), David Curiel (color art)

The Story: Clearly Robbie hasn’t been listening to Edwin Starr or Louis C.K…

The Review: Launching a series is a complicated thing. There are all sorts of different requirements that a first issue holds above all other books and it can be nearly impossible to craft the perfect opening to many worthwhile stories. Team books can have an even harder time. How do you bring potentially disparate heroes together, define personalities, and establish what a series will be all in a scant twenty pages?

For New Warriors #1 the answer seems to be breadth. This issue is aware that it’s not a team book yet and it’s unapologetic about it. Held together by a single mystery and a tempting opening page, this issue takes us on a regular tour of North America as we meet our future Warriors.

There’s certainly a sense of youth in this book, even Kaine, apparently the oldest member of the not-yet-team, is accompanied by the cheerful Hummingbird. Kaine is also probably one of the highest profile characters in the book. In some ways that’s refreshing, in others kind of sad. It’s rare that a book from DC or Marvel can claim that its most marketable team member is a recently revived veteran of one of the 90s’ most reviled events, but his sullen, brusque demeanor is an instant draw. Chris Yost does a good job of balancing the off-putting nature of such a reluctant hero against the reality of his recent experience and, if his interactions with Aracely are any indication, he’ll be a fine counterweight to the rest of the team. The pair are a delight to read and their powers are highlighted expertly, perhaps evidence of Yost’s familiarity with them. If you’re not intrigued by the descriptor “Demigod, Manipulation of Emotions, Levitation” I don’t know what to say to you.

Nova #6 – Review

By: Zeb Wells (Writer), Paco Medina (Penciler), Juan Vlasco (Inker), David Curiel (Colorist), Comicraft’s Albert Deschesne

Review: This is Nova all grown up, in a way; Jeph Loeb’s inaugural story arc has finished, and this is the first issue where Sam Alexander has been handled by another writer. Loeb actually did a pretty great job introducing the character and Zeb Wells is an almost pitch-perfect replacement. He’s writes a liekable smartass well, and Sam’s definitely that, though he’s also got a fairly well developed personal life where he’s rendered a bit softer, more insecure. It’s the latter that Wells focuses on for his first time behind the wheel, and while the action gets knocked down a gear as a result it’s still well worth a read.

This issue begins with Sam returning home after helping the X-Men take down Dark Scott in Avengers Vs. X-Men #12. That happened (in the context of this book) a month after Nova #5, which means the events seen here are, what, 6-9 months old? No matter, as there’s not much that occurs here that alters wider continuity. It’s mainly a tour through the important parts of any fourteen year old’s life – the home, school, family, friends and (for all too many of us) bullies that make up the day-to-day.

Nova #5 – Review

By: Jeph Loeb (Writer), Ed McGuinness (Penciler), Dexter Vines & Ed McGuinness (Inkers), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

Review: A strange thing has happened. I think I’ve actually enjoyed a Jeph Loeb comic book. I don’t know if the events over in Age of Ultron somehow impacted on our own universe, but something is definitely up. This is not the natural order of things.

After reading Nova #5 – the finale to Loeb’s scene-setting inaugural story arc – I’ve been surprised to come away with a keen affection for its eponymous hero. He’s young, headstrong and cocky, three character traits that usually leave me feeling cold. But Loeb’s vision for Sam Alexander is fuelled by an infectious sense of energy and an emphasis on a certain Silver Age approach to superheroics (one that’s proved rewarding for Waid’s Daredevil and Fraction’s Hawkeye); these heroes enjoy the day job. There are tensions and tribulations outside of the mask but freedom and escapism behind it. Sometimes it’s just nice to sit back and watch a superhero have a good time.

Nova #4 – Review

By: Jeph Loeb (Writer), Ed McGuinness (Penciler), Dexter Vines (Inker), Marte Gracia (Colorist), Comicraft’s Albert Deschesne (Letterer)

Review: It’s a mystery to me quite how this happened, but Nova is undoubtedly the best cosmic book Marvel currently publish – this issue seals it. I never expected that from Loeb. I thought this’d be a big, dumb, brash piece of fluff – and it is, I guess – but it’s also filled with the fun of sci-fi, of explosions in space, of weird aliens aboard even weirder ships. Guardians of the Galaxy could learn a lot from this.

This issue starts with out with Sam Alexander, AKA Nova, apparently unconscious, left drifting through space at the mercy of the incoming Chitauri armada. Just as they’re about to scoop him up he blasts away with a glib cry (“Suckers!”) and weaves through the Alien hordes before crashing into the mothership: “All I have to do is find the generator or the power core or the thingy thing that runs this beast – and problem solved – Nova style.”

Nova #2 – Review

By: Jeph Loeb (Writer), Ed McGuiness (Penciler), Dexter Vines (Inker), Marte Gracia (Colorist), Comicraft’s Albert Deschesne (Letterer)

Review: Space: The Final Frontier. This is the origin of Nova Corps member Sam Alexander. His mission: to beat up a talking Raccoon, to act like a bit of a dunderhead, to boldly go where several hundred heroes have gone before…

Such is the plot of Nova #2, where one young lad plays with his helmet in order to experience pleasures hitherto unknown. We’ve all been there, but it’s not often that the results saw us flying through space headed to the moon (unless you’re some kind of medical anomaly). Yet this is the next stage of Sam’s journey: a seat-of-the-pants induction into the Nova Corps and a crash course in supersonic flight. There’s a surprising amount of charm in Loeb’s story, with Sam Alexander further settling into his role as a likeable, wide-eyed ingénue thrust into an intergalactic Soap Opera. It might not have achieved ‘spellbinding’ status just yet, but it’s definitely on the right path. Bewilderingly, as a self-proclaimed Loeb-denier, I find much about it highly enjoyable.

Nova #1 – Review

By: Jeph Loeb (Writer), Ed McGuinness (Artist), Dexter Vines (Inker), Marte Gracia (Colorist), Albert Deschesne (Letterer)

The Review: I was bracing myself to maul this book. Even the physical act of purchasing it elicited a heavy sigh; there is simply no fun in handing over hard-earned money for something you feel in your gut you’re going to hate. Sadly, this is the main response my nervous system has developed to anything with the name ‘Jeph Loeb’ attached to it over the last few years. I’ve read things of his I’ve enjoyed, sure – you can’t really deny the quality of most of his Batman work or his Marvel ‘Colour’ titles – but most of his recent output has been, in my eyes, unabashedly poor.  In some cases, like Hulk or X-Sanction, I actually felt like he was trying to see how far he could push his audience, using them as a test group in a heinous experiment to seek out that magic ‘so bad it’s good’ sweet spot. Problem is, when you fall short of that target, you just get ‘bad’. Yet Marvel continues to put their faith in him, and perhaps no more so than with Nova, being as it is an integral part of the company’s Cosmic restructuring.