Spider-Woman #3 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Alex Maleev (art), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Madame Hydra attempts to recruit Jessica once again.

What’s Good: Madame Hydra/Viper is certainly great fun to read and works as an excellent foil to Jessica.  If Bendis hopes to use her as the arch-nemesis of the series, it certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea.  The chemistry is definitely there.  Viper’s voice is well-done by Bendis, a good mix of slimy, conniving villainy and rampant sociopathy.  It’s also clear that in the midst of her intelligence, a few screws are loose.  Several times I felt as though Viper’s dialogue wasn’t quite in-synch with her conversational context and surroundings.  It’s very subtle, but it definitely adds a nice tone to the character.

Overall, what this issue does is muddy the waters.  Jessica Drew hunting skrulls for SWORD is apparently, while fun, just too damned simple for a Spider-Woman comic.  Rather, the possibility of her working as a double agent returns and at the end of the issue in particular, her ethical limits will be tested.  Long-term, this issue looks to make things more interesting.

I also enjoyed the internal monologue quite a deal this month.  The repetitive self-pity and excessive quips of self-loathing that I’ve complained about in past are completely gone.  Instead, Jessica’s snarkiness has been raised, making her far more likable.

On art, Alex Maleev is still putting out an amazing looking comic.  His rendition of Madame Hydra looks almost as good as Jessica Drew, and that’s saying a lot.  It’s refreshing that for once, Jessica doesn’t stand head and shoulders above all the other characters.  Maleev’s drawings of the comic’s urban surroundings are also absolutely fantastic.  His scenery shots nicely break up what would otherwise have been a comic entirely of talking heads.

What’s Not So Good: Unfortunately, that doesn’t change the fact that barring one quick helicopter chase, this entire comic is essentially one long conversation.  That doesn’t make for the most thrilling reading, nor does it feel like particularly brisk storytelling.

Also, while I did say that I liked Jessica’s skrull-hunting occupation being made a little more complex, I am wondering if everything’s happening just a little too soon.  She’s only hunted down one skrull, and already she’s being approached by HYDRA?  She just became an Agent of SWORD, and it already feels as though Bendis was running out of ideas on the simpler skrull-hunting front, so decided to move onto the next thing.

It’s a shame too that older Spider-Woman continuity is already being brought in to play a major part.  I guess I thought this book was going to be a fresher start for the character than it is and I can’t help feeling a bit disappointed.

Finally, this isn’t Maleev’s strongest work either.  While the book is by no means bad looking, Maleev definitely goes overboard when it comes to re-using the same images over and over.  This is fine when it’s used for dramatic purpose or pause, but it’s clear that the only motivation here was cutting corners and saving time.  Changing the size or placement of a face does not mean that it’s a different image, and it’s thoroughly unacceptable on an ethical level.  I bought a comic to see illustrating, not copy/pasting.

Conclusion: I’ve really enjoyed Spider-Woman thus far, but this is issue is feels a little phoned in.

Grade: C+

-Alex Evans

 

Spider-Woman #2 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Alex Maleev (art), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Jessica Drew finds herself in a Madripoor prison and that’s never good.

What’s Good: As always, the first thing you’ll notice is the art.  Maleev’s art once again looks amazing and unlike anything else on the market.  As always, the modeled Jessica Drew stands alongside grimy, blurred surroundings and Maleev continues to work his magic when it comes to the bright lights, whether it be Jessica’s powers or the red tail-lights of a car.  This month brings some light anime influence into his already multi-faceted work, as Maleev draws a flying car that looks like something out of Ghost in the Shell.  Maleev also works a great deal with shadows and darkness this month, really capturing the mood and feel of the issue and the bowels of Madripoor.  The panel structures also continue to have a highly personal feel, from completely black panels reflecting Jessica’s coming to consciousness, to pages being structured around her face.

Everything continues to feel highly personal, as it did last month.  The narration remains highly self-conscious. Thankfully, the irritating little asides of self-loathing that troubled me last month have been scaled back.  Instead, we get the kind of thrilling chase sequence that Bendis and Maleev perfected in their Daredevil days, an action sequence that is pure art.

The book’s greatest narrative achievement, however, is how it deals with Jessica’s somewhat uncomfortable chemical powers related to men.  I’ve always felt that this power was problematic, always verging on some uncomfortable gender grounds.  Objectification, titillation, and the clichéd femme fatale are only a hair’s-breadth away.  Though Bendis almost falls into those waters at the start (the cleavage shot wasn’t necessary), he ends up succeeding in a very difficult area, and it’s all thanks to that internal narration.  Through it, the power becomes awkward and loathed by Jessica herself, as she hates herself for turning herself into that two-dimensional stereotype.  The power is also given a new kind of resonance: there is a genuine connection somewhere between Jessica and every man she cons, and that it’s artificial and forced is tragic, almost like a kind of rape.

What’s Not So Good: The art is nowhere near the level of last month’s issue.   Don’t get me wrong, it’s still excellent, flawless work, but it didn’t have the pyrotechnics of last month.  The work here is much more restrained and much darker.  While it reflects the book’s mood, after last month’s career-defining performance, it’s hard not to feel let down.  The highlighting of particular colors is gone, the larger images are gone, and the use of weather is gone.  It just feels like there’s a lot less going on and everything is taken down a level.

Also, while the self-loathing asides were scaled back, the little references to Secret Invasion and her being tortured by the skrulls were pretty damned grating.  Thankfully it vanished in the book’s second half, but whenever Jessica talks about how bad she’s had it or how this is nothing compared to her past, it’s nails on a chalkboard.  It’s just pure telling when we can just as easily have the showing and it’s beating us over the head with what we already know about her.

Conclusion: It didn’t feel quite as fresh or jaw-dropping as last month, but that’s more to do with how good last month was.  And hey, the price is dropped down to $2.99!

Grade: B

-Alex Evans

Spider-Woman #1 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Alex Maleev (art), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Jessica Drew gets recruited by S.W.O.R.D., heading to Madripoor for her first mission to find a Super-Skrull.

What’s Good: In my opinion, this is some of Maleev’s best work.  It’s just gorgeous, gorgeous stuff, sporting photorealistic detail not only in the photo-referenced Jessica Drew, but also in the often very intricate backgrounds.  Even faraway buildings are laden with little windows and cracks.  However, Maleev’s work here is not just that of a detail workaholic; there’s also a tremendous sense of a style here, an odd blend of gritty film noir and dark superhero science fiction unafraid to getting a little creative or abstract.

Maleev also shows outstanding shading and use of color.  He often illuminates an environment by making certain items stand out, such as in a simply gorgeous scene involving Jessica’s yellow umbrella.  He also makes use of his colors and shading to give the best sense of lighting that I’ve seen in a comic in a long time.  A dark room is cloudy and mysterious.  A rainy day is murky and noirish, but oddly romantic.  A night in Madripoor is dense and seedy.  A sunset on the water in southeast Asia is autumnal glory.  The weather and lighting of every scene dramatically changes how the comic looks.  Only enhancing this are Jessica’s powers, which add a weird, sci-fi glow into the mix.

Maleev makes the choice to use a model for Jessica, but it’s a total success, with Jessica coming off as completely natural.  Her looking so life-like actually made me connect with her more.  While not referencing the other characters makes Jessica stand out, it’s appropriate, as this book is about Jessica, front and centre in her isolation.

So far, Bendis is also doing his job well.  It’s clear that he’s in love with this character, and he establishes quickly a very unique, recognizable, and nuanced voice, weighed with a ton of baggage but not without a rye sense of humor that smacks of his work on “Powers.”  This comic mostly works on establishing that voice, and it’s mostly a success; I can say Jessica has a voice all her own and that after this issue, I feel like I’ve gotten to know her a little better.  It’s a very close, intimate comic book, at times claustrophic in its introspection.

When Bendis focuses on her paranoia and her obsessive-compulsive habits, she is at her most human. When she comments on the dirtiness of her hotel bed, she’s instantly likable, almost a friend.  Abigail Brand is also a promising character that I look forward to seeing more of, acting as a more wisened, “been there before,” guide figure.

What’s Not So Good: This comic is a real downer.  In fact, it may be the biggest downer Marvel’s putting out right now.  That’s not a bad thing at all, but Bendis is walking a fine line here with Jessica’s self-loathing.  Her considering suicide was one of the high-points of the book, but I could do without some of the throwaway, snide little remarks within the narration.  I get that Jessica hates herself, but a little more subtlety could’ve been exercised.  Does she really need to use every available opportunity within her narration to throw a little jab or insult against herself?  Towards the end of the book, in Madripoor, it began to feel a little much, bordering on contrived.

Conclusion:  An artistic master-piece with deeply introspective writing.  This is the definition of promising.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Captain Britain And MI:13 #3 – Review

By Paul Cornell (Writer), Leonard Kirk (Penciller), and Jesse Delperdano & Scott Hanna (Inkers)

I had high hopes for this series based on the first issue. I liked the premise (Skrulls invade Britain because that’s where the highest concentration of magic is on Earth), and I liked the characters. Unfortunately, in the issues since, the characters haven’t evolved, only fought. But the plot remains compelling enough for me to continue picking up the book.

Last issue we discovered that MI:13 agent Peter Wisdom was actually Peter Pan (The copyright expired last year. Sorry, Great Ormond Street Hospital, no more royalty checks for you…), and we were introduced to the “new” Tinkerbell, who is 50% Goth, 50% Society for Creative Anachronism, and 100% icky. We also met the new super-magic Skrull, an amalgamation of Dr. Strange, Dormammu, Surtur, Zom, Kulan Gath, Urthona, and—for some damn reason—Mysterio (Check out the ornament on his left wrist).

In this issue, the voices Peter’s been hearing turn out to be from Merlin, whom he frees from some alternate universe, along with Umar and a bunch of other nasties I don’t recognize. Merlin, of course, will be the key to turning the whole thing around. Oh, and the Skrulls are marching on Parliament. That’s about all that happens this issue. Nothing more about why Spitfire is now a vampire, nothing new about that Arab woman who can take people apart… and the Black Knight and the John Lennon Skrull are still doing the same things they were doing two months ago.

It’s almost enough to make me give up the book. Except for the last panel and that bit of classic British understatement: “We just don’t like to make a fuss.”

Heh. (Grade: B-)

– Andrew C. Murphy

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

New Avengers #41 (Secret Invasion) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Billy Tan (Artist), and Justin Ponsor (Colorist)

On Sale 5/29/08

One thing that bothers me about Brian Bendis is that he’s always willing to waste a page or two recapping something we’ve already seen. In this issue we get to see the Avengers/Skrull/dinosaur fight (from Secret Invasion #2) for, what, the third or fourth time? It only takes two and a half pages, but at 22 pages every 30 days, that’s three whole days blown. On the other hand, this issue features Shanna the She-Devil and, damn, does that girl look fine.

Like all Bendis’ other Secret Invasion books lately, this issue is mostly back story, explaining what’s been happening in the background of the Marvel Universe for the past few years. Or it could all be a big, fat lie.

Let me explain: Spider-Man gets separated from the other Avengers during the fight and runs into Ka-Zar and the aforementioned sweet-looking She-Devil. (Spidey calls her “Sheena”, a cute side-reference to one of the 50 other comic book jungle girls who preceded her.) After a few pages of the usual “You’re a Skrull!”, “I’m not a Skrull!” bickering, Ka-Zar and Shanna explain how they discovered Skrulls disguised as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents poaching the Savage Land’s vibranium mines, at long last bringing us back to the plot line Bendis established way back in New Avengers #1. They claim they infiltrated the camp but were caught, then escaped, and have been fighting a guerrilla war with the Skrulls ever since. Of course, Ka-Zar and/or Shanna could be Skrulls him/her/themselves, in which case they may have left out a few key details.

Overall, it’s a good issue, though Bendis pads things out even more than usual. Billy Tan has never caught my eye before but, my goodness, he certainly knows how to draw Shanna in all her buckskin-clad glory.

The character who shows up on the last page is no big surprise. What with Mockingbird (maybe) coming back from the dead, we all knew it was only a matter of time before they put the spotlight on this guy. Still, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Did I mention Shanna is really, really hot?

Too bad she’s probably a Skrull. (Grade: A-)

– Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

It’s hard to say if Ka-Zar or Shanna are Skrulls. They definitely have their story straight, but one thing I’ve learned to trust over the years is Spidey’s intelligence. We’ll just have to see where it goes. As for the rest of the issue, there’s definitely a lot of padding as Andrew suggested, but it wasn’t so jarring to me. In fact, I had a lot of fun in this story. The connection it makes to New Avengers #1 will pay off for loyal readers of the series, and just having an issue with our two favorite Savage Land residents is enough to make me smile.

Billy Tan’s art is incredibly lush. I was always a fan of his X-Men work, but here he’s given a chance to shine, showing more versatility thanks to the large cast of characters and dense jungle setting. If Marvel’s smart, they’ll keep him out of the “mutant ghetto” and let him thrive on another book. Hell, keep him on New Avengers – I’d love to see that! And yes, his rendition of Shanna is delicious; however, Frank Cho, in my mind, will forever own her after that Shanna mini-series he did a few years ago.

I had a lot of fun with this issue. It’s actually got Avengers in it, plus it’s more concurrent with the main Secret Invasion storyline. It’s not a key issue, but it does act as a decent supplement until Secret Invasion #3 hits the newsstand next month. (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes

Avengers: The Initiative #12 – Review

By Dan Slott, Christos N. Gage, (Writers) and Steve Uy (Artist)

Avengers: The Initiative has been one of my favorite reads for quite some time now. That is why it almost pains me to say that this issue is a failure on a number of different levels. It does have high points, but unfortunately, those are few and far between. They also only serve as a way to show just how much potential this issue had.

This issue deals with all of the various plot threads that were left hanging following the chaos created by the Tactigon wielding K.I.A. and does very little justice to any of them. To put it simply, there is too much story to tell and not enough space to tell it. Here is a quick rundown of the things this issue attempts to cover in less than 22 pages:

• Tony Stark’s hearing regarding the cloning cover up, the K.I.A. chaos, and the injuries/deaths at Camp Hammond

• The way the government and the Initiative deal with the deceased.

• The injuries sustained by various members of the Initiative, including the Skrull infiltrator.

• The graduation ceremony for the students.

• The assignments given to those graduates and how they take the parting from one another.

• Why a group goes rogue from the Initiative program and who is involved.

Almost every plot thread here could have had some sort of emotional impact after the rollercoaster ride that was the K.I.A. arc. Instead, everything moves along so fast that any such impact is lessened by the drastic shifts in tone. From a sarcastic question and answer exchange during the hearing, to dark humor while a body is presented to a family, to an incredibly somber chapel scene, and back again, this issue never feels consistent in any way. Dan Slott and Christos Gage have told an incredibly entertaining story with the large cast of Initiative recruits and teachers up to this point, so it is difficult for me to understand how things could become so uneven with this issue. I will say, however, that there are some poignant scenes from time to time, especially one involving Thor Girl that I was incredibly impressed by.

This issue also features an artwork change, from the team of Stefano Caselli and Daniele Rudoni to artist Steve Uy. While his work is fitting for this issue, I can’t help but wish it was done by the team I have gotten used to. Some of the characters look quite different, like Taskmaster and Ant Man, and the lack of definition from time to time hurts the expression of various emotions.

Overall, I was extremely disappointed. I sincerely hope this was just a rocky shift over to a brand new arc and not a new status quo. I believe Dan Slott and Christos Gage will right the ship sooner than later, but there is no denying that this issue was a big missed opportunity. (Grade: D+)

– Kyle Posluszny

A Second Opinion

I have to disagree with Kyle on this one. Yes, the book plays out very unevenly, and some of the dialogue is hokey (especially the thought bubbles), but that’s just Dan Slott for you. He’s an old school Marvel fanboy. If you look at this series, it’s been about a year since its inception – and one year is probably enough time for these kids to graduate (I’m sure it’s been less than that, continuity speaking, but that’s besides the point). This issue serves as an excellent end cap to the current storyline while opening up the future to possibilities. For instance, the new look for UltraGirl is one that will definitely get people excited.

Dan Slott is still up to his antics. The moments we get with Ant Man and Taskmaster are priceless. And Slapstick may be the lamest character in the Marvel Universe, but his one-liners are laugh out loud hilarious. The art is definitely not anything to write home about, but the coloring goes a long way to keep the animated look of this title somewhat consistent. Ultimately, this issue is an epilogue and there’s usually nothing epic in nature that happens in a story like this. Perhaps the only thing I really found lame was the need for our heroes to be fully costumed while at a judicial hearing. Take it for what it is and enjoy it. (Grade: B-)

– J. Montes

A Third Opinion

Slott and Gage have put out another piece of genius. This issue, while lacking the action of the last several issues, is the epilogue of the first act of Avengers: The Initiative. In fact, if I didn’t know that this series was continuing, I would’ve thought that this was the series finale. Because of this, it may not be a good jumping on point for new readers (wait until next issue), but it will certainly satisfy those who have been reading since the beginning. Within its pages, we find out the fates of all of the recruits introduced in the first two or three issues, and I’ll admit some were quite surprising (especially the one whose fate seemed already determined; those who’ve read the issue will know who I’m referring to).

Perhaps one of the most interesting is the fate of the newly formed New Warriors team, composed of the Old New Warriors (so the New Old New Warriors? That’s it, I’m confused.) Confusion of their proper name aside, what becomes of this group is something I certainly did not see coming, and a new ongoing about this group would provide another great insight on the current state of the Initiative; I would certainly give it a look if it was also written by Slott and Gage.

This story also has a lot of political play, as those responsible for the MVP clones finally have to reveal their mistakes to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the U.S. government, and we get some courtroom drama as fingers are pointed at different people. During this scene, we get some more cryptic messages about War Machine’s current “condition,” as revealed in last issue. Perhaps the solving of this mystery will be dealt with in act two?

One last thing of note from this issue is the introduction of a new doctor with transparent skin. I’m not sure if he’s a mutant, or has some sort of powers, but I definitely want to know his story. It’s the subtle storylines like these two which help make this series so enjoyable. While my favorite character from this series may have moved on to better things, I’m definitely looking forward to the next issue, and what the new batch of recruits will bring. (Grade: A)

-M. Staples