Age of Ultron #4 – Review

By: Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Bryan Hitch (Penciler), Paul Neary (Inkers), Paul Mounts (Colorist), VC’s Cory Petit (Letterer)

The Review: It seems like patience may play a large part in how taken you are with Age of Ultron. Despite a pretty relentless release schedule the decompressed storytelling that Bendis has employed for the event is a sore point for some. Even though in this – the fourth issue – we’re still only inching towards a resolution, at least all the disparate plot-threads are finally tying together. With that in mind, and with the next issue signalling the end of Bryan Hitch’s stint on the book, I think we’re heading towards a satisfying end to AoU’s first act.

Secret Invasion #2 (of 8) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Leinil Francis Yu (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Laura Martin (colors)

So, Secret Invasion #2. Heh, yeah. Where do I begin with this one?

After the first issue blew my mind, I was hoping for the momentum to keep going. Sadly, it does not. Sure, there’s plenty of fighting and Brian Bendis’ dialogue is top notch per usual, but are there any surprises? Not really. Most of what we’ve come to surmise or assume from the end of last issue’s confrontation comes to fruition. Those we thought were Skrulls are Skrulls and those we didn’t, seem to be the real deal. Of course, this can all change later, but so far everything that’s been revealed in this book has been quite predictable.

My problem with is that the story focuses too long on the Avengers and their dealings with the “dopplegangers” in the Savage Land. Were the story to shift around more like it did previously, I’d see the bigger scope of this event. But, because Bendis keeps the story confined, we’re given a small amount of reveals and perhaps too many pages of fighting. Speaking of action, it eventually moves back to New York near the end of the book, but what we’re shown is just another prelude to yet another battle. Oh, and the Skrulls who invade New York? As much as I can appreciate the concept behind them, they look utterly ridiculous.

Perhaps the thing that made me smile the most was the confirmation that Sentry is the biggest wuss in the Marvel Universe. God, he’s so annoying and completely useless as Marvel’s “Superman”. I keep hoping he’ll end up being a Skrull and they’ll have reason to kill him off, but alas, I don’t think that’ll be happening any time soon.

In the art department, Leinil Yu does another fantastic job on pencils, while Mark Morales makes the line work crisp and defined. Laura Martin also continues to shine with her vivid color palette. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see a book that’s not over-colored or covered in “moodiness”. I wish more Marvel books were colored like this.

Ultimately, Secret Invasion #2 will be better judged as a small cog in a big machine. But if you’re asking me to judge it on its merits alone, I’m going to have to say doesn’t match the intensity or fun of the first issue by any means, nor does it sit well by itself. (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

I have to respectfully disagree with Jay. To paraphrase James Cameron, “If you don’t like this book, maybe you just don’t like comics.” Marvel comics anyway.

Sure, the plot doesn’t advance much in this issue, but these are not the “instant gratification” comics of our childhood. Bendis takes his time to build suspense and explore characters. Also, I admit, to get the full impact of the most important scene in the book, you have to have read the lousy, lousy Marvel comics of the 90’s, and remember a particular lousy, lousy character. It comes in the middle of the book, when Hawkeye encounters Mockingbird. He knows she’s a Skrull. We know she’s a Skrull. After all, Mockingbird is dead. But she is perfectly in character, and she knows a little, mind-blowing detail about Hawkeye’s private life that we’ve never heard before. So against all better judgement, he lets her live. He knows he’s going to regret it, but he simply cannot kill the woman he loves in cold blood. And does that make him a fool? Or a real man, with a real heart?

Oh, and by the way, those Skrulls who invade New York are totally awesome. (Grade: A+)

– Andrew C. Murphy

Young Avengers Presents #4 – Review

By Paul Cornell (writer), Mark Brooks (pencils), Jaime Mendoza (inks)

I miss the Vision. There was a time when he was the coolest character in the Marvel universe. He was the reason you bought The Avengers, a synthetic cross between Dr. Spock and Superman. But over the years, the writers ran out of stories to tell about him. They broke up his marriage, drove him crazy, had him taken apart and rebuilt him more times than I could count. When several heroes died during Avengers Disassembled, all the fuss was about Hawkeye; the Vision sank with barely a ripple.

Someday they’ll bring the original Vision back, in the meantime I’ll have to make due with the character in Avengers Presents #4. This Vision is younger, more fashion-conscious, has eyes where he should have dark unfathomable pits, and once went by the horrifically Legionesque name of Iron Lad. But you know what? I like him anyway.

As with the other issues in this series, the story is a where-are-they-now vignette. The Vision is trying to reconcile with Stature, who picked the other side during Marvel’s Civil War, when they get ambushed by the hordes of A.I.M. (Not only Hydra has hordes, you know.) We get to learn a little about what this Vision’s been up to and what his powers are. In the fight that ensues, his powers backfire in a way that gives new meaning to the phrase “physical intimacy”.

This book is definitely not for anyone new to comics — the story relies heavily on several years of Marvel history for its emotional resonance — but if you’ve passed this book by while looking for the latest Avengers or Secret Invasion book, I’d recommend picking it up. (Grade: B)

-Andrew C. Murphy

A Second Opinion

I recently asked a friend “Whatever happened to the Vision?” as I hadn’t seen this mainstay in the Avengers since my return to reading comics in the past year. He told me to check out New Avengers, so when I saw this issue featuring the Vision I nabbed it. It turns out that this isn’t quite the character I grew up with. This Vision is based on the brain waves of a character named Iron-Lad (does anyone outside of comics use the word “lad” anymore, and didn’t it go out of style 40 years ago?), Cassie Lang’s deceased boyfriend. The focus of the book is a lengthy conversation at the local diner between the anti-registration Vision and the pro-initiative Cassie (aka Stature and the daughter of Scott Lang) during which we learn about his recent past and, ultimately, his affection for her. One could well think, “Oh come on, this doesn’t sound very exciting!” but it did serve to fill me in fairly quickly on the Vision’s recent whereabouts. During the conversation our heroes are attacked by some AIM bad guys who are dealt with effectively in a 7-8 page fight sequence.

On the plus side for this book I enjoyed a 2-page spread featuring Cassie in profile angrily explaining her point of view while all the movement towards the action in the next page is subtly set up in the background, nicely done. On the minus side, at the beginning of the battle the Vision is hit with a disrupter beam the result of which leaves his arm accidentally materialized in Cassie’s chest. This didn’t bother her and the pair was able to fight with this hindrance but it bothered me. The materialized arm in the chest was always the Vision’s most devastating weapon but I didn’t understand why it had no effect on Cassie here.

In sum, the issue did a fine job of informing me, essentially a new reader, about a new version of an old favorite. This new version is less robotic and more human than the old. While I still prefer the old vision, I wouldn’t rule out reading more about this one. (Grade: B)

– Arthur Cooke