Avengers #3 – Review

by Brian Michael Bendis (writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: The Avengers battle Apocalypse and his horsemen as the broken timestream causes mayhem.

What’s Good: After complaining about the mediocrity of this title for the last two months, I admit that I was fully prepared to voice some variation of the same concerns this month.  I’m happily able to report that, much to my surprise, that’s far from the case.

I think a big part of this is due to the book’s no longer being so self-conscious about headlining the Heroic Age or moving past Dark Reign.  Status quo, rosters, and pondering the past are all shuffled to the side.  We’re also no longer mired in the ambiguities of Bendis’ ideas relating to time travel or the “broken” timestream.  In the place of all this muck is a barrel-full of fun, as this issue smashes you in the face with a fist-full of Marvel insanity.

And really, this insanity seems key to the book’s identity.  The brawl with Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen is awesome and a really cool throwback and reminder of the late 80s and early 90s.  Mix this together with Apocalypse’s cheesy, old-school villain dialogue and the whole conflict is an absolute blast.  It makes the Avengers completely unlike anything else offered by the Avengers-line of titles.  This issue is such a concentrated dose of camp and nostalgia that it ends up being truly unique.

Along with this newly-found identity are the beginnings of the team dynamic and synergy that were sorely lacking in the first two issues.  Spider-Man and Iron Man of all people have something of a bonding experience that feels almost inexplicably resonant, perhaps because this title has thus far been starved of this sort of meaningful interplay between team members.  Meanwhile, Spider-Woman and Spider-Man rekindle their spark and Noh-Varr and his ongoing attempts at humanity add another source of comedy.  Surprisingly integral as well is Maria Hill, who acts as the glue that holds the team together and provides narrative direction.  Her constant snark added a great deal of colour to the issue and catered well to the voice Bendis does so well.

Deadpool: Wade Wilson’s War #2 – Review

By Duane Swierczynksi (writer), Jason Pearson (art), Paul Mounts (colors), VC’s Clayton Cowles (letters and production)

The Story: Deadpool continues his testimony before the Senate committee, explaining (his version) of his origin and the details of his first mission as a covert operative. Meanwhile, the people behind the Weapon X program that created Deadpool scramble to piece together their own version of events.

What’s Good: I was pretty hard on the first issue of this mini-series, but I’m happy to report that things have significantly improved in the second. The expositional growing pains are out of the way, and the plot finally has room to open up and breathe a bit. ‘Pool’s antics in front of the committee feel toned down from last issue, and are less distracting—and far more effective—because of this decision.

The fiction Deadpool weaves for the committee is infused with just the right mix of self-aggrandizing insanity and well-meaning sincerity, and the cuts between his idealized version of history and the more truthful, recorded version being dug out by the Weapon X crew is very well handled, and quite entertaining. Ashbury’s panic over the information leak, and his scramble to obtain details and figure out exactly what it means for himself and his company, feels suitably frantic and imperative.

Swierczynski seems to have tapped into just the right part of Deadpool’s insanity for this issue: he is well spoken, lucid, and we can never be quite sure if his clowning and tenuous grip on reality (and history) are simply the honest product of his psychosis, or if they are calculated bits of manipulation designed to misdirect and misinform the committee. THIS is the Deadpool I like, and want to read about!

Secret Six #21 – Second Review

By Gail Simone (writer), J. Calafiore (artist), Jason Wright (colorist) and Travis Lanham (letters)

SoldierHawk did a great job on her review of Secret Six #21.  Given that I consume a lot of comics related media (blogs, podcasts, etc.) I think just about everyone agrees with her that this is one of the best Secret Six stories ever, but I had a slightly different take on this issue.

I still love the series and won’t stop reading it, but this current story-arc just isn’t working for me.  In saying this I feel a little like a blogger for Wired who is saying that the iPad isn’t the coolest thing of all time, so let me walk you through briefly what I thought of the issue.  And….there are a LOT of positives with this issue, but listing them is just redundant.

The thing that makes Secret Six so awesome for me is the team dynamic.  And, what makes them such a great team is that there are about 52 neat little two-way dynamics going on.  Catman & Deadshot have the buddy vibe.  Bane is always threatening to kill Ragdoll.  Ragdoll and Black Alice have some kind of weirdo romance going on.  Scandal and Bane have whatever it is that they have.  Deadshot constantly offends Scandal.  Etc, etc, etc.

But, we don’t get to have any of that here because the team is split into three.  Catman is off being badass vengeance-man.  Part of the Six are following him.  And Bane and Jeanette (she’s the dud of the team, btw because she has no interesting relationships with any of the other Six) are soldiering on with a new band of mercenaries to fulfill their contracts.  So, the only neat dialogue that we get was a cute standoff between Scandal and Alice.  In a normal Six issue we get about 10 of those moments per issue.

Orc Stain #3 – Review

By: James Stokoe (creator, writer, art & colors)

The Story: One-eye the orc tries to escape retribution for knocking the gronch off his old partner-in-crime.

What’s Good: If you aren’t familiar with Orc Stain, you should definitely try it out.  Track down the first few issues or get the trade when it comes out.  I read all the standard super-hero comics and the first thing you think when you open Orc Stain is, “Well…..this is different!”  The art is just tremendous.  It is weird and may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is one of those comics where you can just stare at a panel and look at some of the weird things that Stokoe has drawn in the background.  I love his sense of overall design as well: most of the tools/weapons/apparatus in this world are some sort of animal, so an orc’s armor is made of live animals that have all these whacky eyeballs jutting out everywhere.  Another example: To spy on One-Eye, the bad orcs send a bug into the room.  It looks like some wild crab with a huge eyeball on it.  It observes and trundles off to give its report by climbing into the mouth of an orc and commandeering his voice! Crazy stuff!

The story in this issue is fun too.  This is only the third issue, so we’re just getting to know the characters and the world.  We already know that One-Eye is a safe-cracker and can use his magic hammer to tap the perfect spot on safes to break them open.  In the last issue, we learned he could tap a fellow orc and make his gronche fall off (“gronche” is the orc word for a man’s….ahem…..”stuff”).  Here we learn that he can do just about anything with his little hammer.  Destroy a building?  Check.  Kill a room full of orcs?  Check.  It is becoming a very cool story and Stokoe has already violated enough taboos that you really don’t know what will happen next.

A final plus is there is a lot of bang for the buck here:  31 pages of great art for $2.99!

Irredeemable #13 – Review

By: Mark Waid (writer), Diego Barreto (art), Andrew Dalhouse (colors) & Ed Dukeshire (letters)

The Story: Bette Noir reconnects with her father and gives us a flashback of the initial rampage of the Plutonian from the heroes’ point of view.

What’s Good: I enjoyed seeing the depiction of the Plutonian’s destruction of Sky City from the heroes’ perspective.  As with any crisis, when the information is coming in real-time, you are going have pretty big gaps in your information, so it was pretty realistic to see them trying to locate Plutonian to come help them with the disaster before they knew he was the cause of the disaster.  Even then, they think he must be some villain with shapeshifting abilities (because haven’t we all seen that situation play out in comics….).

Of course, once they realize that Plutonian is behind the mess, the heroes all ask Bette if she knows of any weaknesses Plutonian has because she “knows him the best.”  Little to they know how well she “knows” him.

One other cool item is that I seem Waid possibly reinventing this series’ story yet again with the ending that shows a comatose Cary (who was abducted by Orian the Demon), flopped next to that weird binary/digital character (who kidnapped Encanta) while the robot Modeus (who snuck off around issue 5 or so) looks on.  WTF?  The neat thing is that I’ve heard people who don’t want to read this series say, “That’s just a ‘What if Superman was evil?” story.  Who needs another one of those?”  That IS how this series started out, but it has successfully changed gears a few times since showing that Waid has a lot of story to tell.

iZombie #1 – Review

by Chris Roberson (writer), Mike Allred (art), Laura Allred (colors), and Todd Klein (letters)

The Story: We’re introduced to the varied, and mostly monstrous, cast of iZombie.

What’s Good: It seems that for many people, the main attraction for this title is the art provided by the Allreds.  Well, rest assured that they most definitely deliver, even in an issue like this one that is fairly understated, without any pyrotechnics and little to no impressive displays of the supernatural.  The world Allred illustrates is a bizarre mixture of horror, indie quirk, and retro pulp that somehow works out.  More importantly, all of the characters look very distinct and well defined.

For example, Gwen, the main character, is made instantly likable due to her awesome character design.  On the other hand, Ellie, her ghostly girlfriend, stands out due to her vintage appearance; Allred makes her seem like a character from a 70s publication.  While the character work is excellent, Allred also brings in some really fun layouts towards the end of the issue that make for some poignancy that Roberson’s script may not have carried otherwise.

Secret Six #21 – Review

By Gail Simone (writer), J. Calafiore (artist), Jason Wright (colorist) and Travis Lanham (letters)

The Story Catman continues his hunt for his son’s kidnapper, while the rest of the Six try to catch up.

What’s Good: Every month I put down Secret Six absolutely convinced that this issue can’t be topped. And then the next issue hits, and Simone and company raise the bar and blow me away yet again. That’s certainly the case here–this arc has been my favorite of the run so far (although my love for Catman may have biased me on that front a bit), and this issue is easily the best of the arc.

The best part about a book like this is that there is no best part— the art, the writing, the pacing, all the elements gel together into the kind of comic that illustrates just how effectively this medium is capable of telling a story. (It’s worth noting here that there are only four people credited on the creative team: one writer, one artist, one colorist, and one letterer. Four people, and one very cohesive and successfully executed creative vision. Coincidence? I think not.)

The pacing really is what makes this issue work so well. The tension is kept at a slow boil, but ratchets up bit by bit as the story progresses. Even the fight between (very small spoiler alert) Catman and Bane feels almost muted. After the absolutely frantic nature of the last two issues, this felt like a much needed…well, it wasn’t exactly a “breather,” but it was nice to change up the pace, and avoid possible burnout going into next month’s finale.

Red Robin #12 – Review

By Chris Yost (writer), Marcus To (pencils), Ray McCarthy (inks), Guy Major (colors) and Sal Cipriano (letters)

The Story The epic “Collisions” storyline comes to a conclusion as the League of Shadows threatens everything and everyone Bruce Wayne holds dear. As time begins to run out, Red Robin finally comes face to face with Ra’s al Ghul.

What’s Good: Red Robin has been a fantastic book since issue #1, but the whole creative team really pulls out all the stops for the conclusion of this first arc. In addition to being an absolutely excellent and suspenseful story as a whole, Tim Drake himself gets some wonderful character moments. The way he relies on his brain even more than his (not insignificant) fighting skill during his confrontation with al Ghul cements this Red Robin’s place as a worthy addition to the Bat-family, while the courage and character he exhibits earns him the title of ‘hero’ in his own right as well. This book has allowed Tim to mature in the best way, both as a person and a character, and the payoff we witness in this issue is a wholly satisfying pleasure to see. The actual conclusion—both to the issue and the storyline as a whole—is…not what I expected at all, but it works very well and is actually quite heartwarming to watch, after everything Tim has been through and sacrificed in the last year.

Amazing Spider-Man #630 – Review

By: Zeb Wells (writer), Chris Bachalo (pencils), Tim Townsend & Jaime Mendoza (inks), Antonio Fabela (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

The Story: The Lizard is back, and Peter Parker has girl troubles.

What’s Good: This is why I love the almost weekly schedule that ASM is on.  Last week’s issue wasn’t so hot, but it’s Wednesday again, and time to turn the page to a good Spider-Man story so I don’t have to think about that unfulfilling Juggernaut/Captain Universe arc any more.  This is really a pretty simple issue: The Lizard re-emerges at the end of the issue and that promises a fun, dark and good story.  I like the Lizard as an enemy because he is truly dangerous, but Spider-Man is very conflicted about really going after him because of the fondness he has for Dr. Connors.  The entire lead-up to the Lizard re-emerging is really well written by Zeb Wells.  I love the little Lizard inner-monologue mixed with Connors’ explanation of the nasty instincts of reptiles.

Meanwhile, we get some good, Peter Parker love-life stuff.  I know it’s old and cliché for this series, but I really never get sick of the issues where it looks like Peter is hitting it off with a new girl and Wells writes his budding relationship with Carlie really well. Even us old married guys remember how wonderful it felt to hit it off with a new girl!

Deadpool #22 – Review

By Daniel Way (writer), Tan Eng Huat (art), Marte Gracia (colors), and VC’s Joe Sabino (letters)

The Story: A one-and-done issue in which Deadpool find himself mixed up with the dastardly doings of a small town Georgia Sheriff station. Can our favorite Merc stop the wave of corruption infecting the office? Who can he trust? Has he finally found the woman of his dreams? Only the voices in his head know for sure.

What’s Good: Daniel Way’s Deadpool book has always been the best of an overstocked lot, and that doesn’t change in this issue. What really sets this apart, though, is the fact that Way gives us not only the best-written Deadpool of the bunch, but the best-written supporting/guest cast as well. ‘Pool has some absolutely fantastic lines (especially in the rather…surprising opening sequence, which I won’t spoil here except to say that it put me on the floor laughing), but all of the other characters have their own distinctive voices as well. Many writers—even the good ones—sometimes fail to do this, giving the small fry characters dialogue that sounds either so vanilla its completely unmemorable, or (worse) too much in the style of one of their main characters. None of the Way-Pool books I’ve ever read have fallen into this trap, and it’s amazing what a difference a detail like this makes both in terms of enjoyment and in ease of following the plot.

Tan Eng Huat has art duty, and does a bang-up job. None of these panels are going to be framed anytime soon, but the whole book has a rough and exaggerated feel to it that fits the mood of the story very well. There are a couple of weird angles and a few instances of strange character proportions, but nothing big or consistent enough to be a bother or distraction. Overall, very solid work. Marte Gracia does a great job backing him up with the colors as well; everything has a dark, brooding—almost horror-movie-esque—look that contrasts brilliantly with the absurdity of the dialogue and a lot of the drawings. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but either way it works out nicely.

Wonder Woman #43 – Review

By Gail Simone (writer), Nicola Scott and Fernando Dagnino (pencils), Doug Hazelwood and Wayne Faucher (inks), Brad Anderson (colors/additional digital inks), Travis Lanham (letters)

The Story: Wonder Woman (with a little help from her friends) continues the fight against the invasion led by Captain Astarte, Diana’s own blood relative.

What’s Good: This book does a lot of little things right. Both Wonder Woman and Astarte have some wonderful lines (“the truth is a river that will not be dammed”), and there are a couple of fantastic scenes that really elevate the proceedings. (Chief among these is the opening flashback, as well as—small spoiler alert—Achilles riding in atop Mysia cavalry-style to dispatch the Citizenry’s giant serpent.) I also really liked Simone’s characterization of Diana; while its very obvious that the Princess can hold her own in a fight as most super heroes can, it’s very gratifying to see her resolve a situation (at least partially) using her own unique brand of truth and compassion. These are the things that set her apart from her heroic brethren, and it’s great fun to watch.

Deadpool Corps #1 – Review

By Victor Gischler & Frank Tieri (writers), Rob Liefield, Adelso Corona, Matteo Scalera (artists), Matt Yackey, Matt Wilson (colors)

The Story: Pool-Pocalypse Now, Part 1: Respect Your Elders. Deadpool, Headpool, Lady Deadpool and Kidpool are called upon to spearhead a cosmos-spanning battle against a Galactus-like creature that feeds on the consciousness of sentient beings. After ducking a fight with Tryco Slatterus, another would-be champion, the gang lands their ship to refuel… just in time for Tryco to catch up with them again. (Also note, although this book is technically labeled #1, the story really starts out in medias res. You’ll still be able to follow it if you haven’t read the Prelude to the Deadpool Corps miniseries, but you will be at a bit of a disadvantage.) In a second feature, Dead Man Talking, ‘Pool tries to talk through some of his problems on a psychiatrist’s couch…

What’s Good: Gischler’s writing is solid for the most part, and is quite well paced— even when the humor is missing its mark, the plot itself moves along at a good speed. Despite a (rather disappointing) lack of Deadpool speaking to himself, Gischler does capture the character’s voice well. (Almost too well; of the Corps members, only Headpool really has his own voice; the others just sound like a parrot of Deadpool himself.) The book also provides a couple genuinely funny moments—the way the Deadpools deal with Slatterus made me laugh out loud, as did the christening of the team’s new ship.

What’s Bad: The unnecessary nature of this comic itself, in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, Deadpool is very near and dear to my heart, but someone needs to send Marvel the definition of the word “over-saturation.” Really, Marvel? Not only a fourth Deadpool book, but one that involves four spin-offs of the title character? Really?

Publisher issues aside, the book also suffers from simple misuse of the character. Although Gischler writes him well enough, Deadpool is just not well-served by this overabundance of sidekicks. He is at his best when playing off of straight (that is, serious) characters, whose reactions feed off his rather demented sense of humor. Playing off characters so similar to himself does Deadpool no favors. When all you hear is attempted punchline after attempted punchline, the humor becomes forced. It’s no longer funny, and the whole scene loses its impact.

The art, while competent, does nothing to help elevate the proceedings either. Many of the characters, especially Deadpool himself, are oddly proportioned, with very small heads and massive limbs. The action is neither kinetic nor exciting, which is a big problem in a Deadpool story. Matt Yackey’s colors, on the other hand, are excellent—bold, bright, and extremely effective use of contrast.

Kick-Ass #7 – Review

By Mark Millar (writer) John Romita Jr. (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Dean White (colors)

The Story: Red Mist’s ambush of Dave, Big Daddy, and Hit-Girl, comes to a brutal crescendo with the death of a major character, while Millar and Romita pay homage to the everyday fanboy.

What’s Good: Well, this series has finally caught up to its opening scene of Dave getting tortured and recounting his origin story. If you like the gory, ultra-violent stuff that has characterized this comic to date, then you’ll love this issue. Personally, I have always liked the whole concept/existential aspects of the idea behind this comic and not really cared for the gore. I’m happy to say that Millar does explore these themes a little here and satiates gore-prudes like me.

It’s weird, unique, and borders on great when the characters in this comic talk about comics being just fantasy. It reminds the reader that this comic is “real,” i.e. based on everyday life and no superheroes, but then in clicks that this is still a comic. This dynamic coats a nice “4th wall” layer to the comic in a un-in-your-face, non-Dead Pool manner. So, the way I view this comic is that it is a unique use of the medium to play on the whole comic metaphor, while exploring the real-world sociological effects of comic books.

Outside of all this, there is some interesting character work and Millar does a good job of making Red Mist into a true “villain” and Hit-Girl into a hero.

The artwork is off the hook, but I gotta be honest, something doesn’t sit right with me seeing JRJR drawing guts and blood to this level. I’m not sure why this is, but it is.

What’s Not So Good: Big Daddy’s narrative seemed very, very contrived. I know this is all about fanboy culture, but the specifics of his tale we’re a “Come on, man!” moment. If it wasn’t for JRJR drawing an unbelievable micro-shot of all the great Marvel Silver Age Covers, it would have been a total loss. Also, Dave actually surviving his torture and beat down was far less than plausible. It would have been better to just lighten the torture and make his escape believable. Lastly, Hit-Girl has one of the all-time corny lines ever to be written in a comic. I’ll leave it to the reader to find it (hint: combination).

Conclusion: It’s hard to get into this series’ momentum when issues are produced so sporadically, but KA has so much charge and energy that it is easy to fall back into its kinetic feel. Truly, there is nothing else like this on the stands. It’s one of a kind.

Regarding this issue specifically, it does what every previous issue has done: leaving you excited for more. But in this issues, there is that true heroic pseudo-superhero vibe to the ending and the direction of the series. However, I’m sure Millar will turn this flow around into some twisted, distorted and unexpected fun current.

Grade: A-

-Rob G.

Amazing Spider-Man #603 – Review

By Fred Van Lente (writer), Robert Atkins (pencils), Victor Olazaba (inks), Jeremy Cox (colors)

The Story: The Chameleon fully adopts Peter’s identity and attempts to use it as an instrument of mass destruction as he overturns Peter’s life and the lives of those he holds dear.

What’s Good: This comic is easily my sleeper surprise of the year. When I read the solicitations about this being a Chameleon story working off MJ’s return I was completely underwhelmed and considered skipping this arc altogether. I decided to go for it as Fred Van Lente has been one of the best ASM writers in the Brain Trust and that decision has paid off as this is reads an incredible comic.

First off, the Chameleon is awesome. Was he ever this great of a villain? I can’t remember his mythos that much (which is usually a sign that it’s forgettable) and the last time he was used was in that terrible, terrible Obama tribute issue.  We are treated to his personality and motivations as his voice narrates the story. We see how ruthless, cunning and ingenious he is. Most interesting, however, is the warped sense of morality and dedication he has to those who he has murdered and stolen their identity.

The other great thing about this issue is that Van Lente mines the Spider-Man mythos, showing Peter’s life entire, without Peter making an appearance at all. We see the ties that bind the people and events of Peter’s life as the Chameleon systematically deconstructs them.

This is a slow read, which is a nice change to the usual quick reading that most comics are today. There are lots of moments that linger, like the confrontation between “Peter” and Flash Thompson and especially the last scene with Harry. I really can’t imagine how Peter will recover from the damage that Chameleon has done to his life. It is all going to make for some very interesting stories down the road.

I’m not familiar with Robert Atkins’ art, but he does stellar work in this issue. Just all around great work from the character designs to the panel selection. This is one of those comics where you can tell what a character is going through, what dynamics are in play, without having to rely on the script.

What’s Not So Good: The scene with JJ’s new Spider-hunting gear was kind of a throw away moment. Additionally, there was one or two scenes with JJ which were confusing. He is starting to kind of annoy me and I think the Brain Trust is using him and his antics a little too much.

Conclusion: Fantastic story here. Maybe one of the best post-Brand New Day ASM issues. Incredible character work on the Chameleon who fights the fights of his victims in some twisted sense of loyalty to the lives he’s destroyed.  I literally cannot wait for the final installment of this arc in two weeks to see how Peter is going to come out of this one and what effect it will have on his life.

Grade: A-

-Rob G

Captain America: Reborn #1- Review

By Ed Brubaker (writer)Bryan Hitch (pencils) Butch Guice (inks) Paul Mounts (colors)

The Story: Bucky and Widow raid a H.A.M.M.E.R. carrier searching for the remains of Zola and the Red Skull’s lab to find evidence that will shed light on Steve Roger’s status. Is he alive or not? Meanwhile, Sharon Carter, the Vision, and the Falcon meet Hank Pym so that he can analyze the “murder weapon” Sharon used to “kill” Steve. Do you “get” what I’m “saying” with the “scare-quotes”?

What’s Good: Did you love Bryan Hitch on Ultimates– especially his WW2 scenes featuring Cap? Well, here you get to see a lot more of that. As usual, his outing here is stupendous and this book is complete eye-candy, especially if you’re a Hitch fan.

As for the writing, Ed Brubaker tells a complete story. All the dynamics that make a comic book high quality are in place here. You have great action, pacing, and dialogue. The mechanics are good. Also, this whole mini is about the return of Steve Rogers and for that I am a bit beholden to this series. That being said, there is a ton to be upset about here, so let me get to that.

What’s Not So Good: Trust me, I hate to say this, but as it stands now, Steve’s return is a major, major disappointment. I am stunned with the shoddiness and lack of creativity on the mechanics and back story to Steve’s “death” and how his return will be orchestrated. I am completely under-whelmed.

We have a no spoiler policy here at WCBR and we won’t betray that, especially for an event this big, but let me say this: Marvel has “Captain America Reborn” going on now while DC is currently running “Batman Reborn.” BOTH of these A-list characters’ “death” involves some type of temporal distortion or conundrum. Let me ask: How is that possible and what does it say about the industry as a whole?

Marvel couldn’t find a bigger cheerleader for this endeavor to bring Steve back than me. But it is impossible for me to gloss over the flaws here. First of all, what happened to all the mystery and the detective story Brubaker spun in CA #600? Inexplicably, we went from having a hard-boiled mystery to Zola spilling out all the details to Norman Osborn about what really happened to Steve and where he is. What’s the point in watching the good guys figure out what happened to Steve when we already know?

I read in an interview that Brubaker originally had in mind that Steve’s absence would only be an issue, but the editors decided to let it play out longer. Well, Brubaker was right. If this is the story of Steve’s apparent death and return, then there was no point in keeping it going this long. The story is not compelling enough to hold together the fake magnitude created by the Death of Character America.

Conclusion: I realize that there are still five more issues in this mini, but as it stands now, this tank is empty. It’s like the reverse plot of Invaders/ Avengers. I can’t fathom why everything is spelled out and if it was done differently it might just work. Might.

I have to give the creative team here that something big will happen later on this series, something of actual importance. Because right now it looks like the cards are shown and it is a losing hand. The only thing that saves this issue from a D or lower is the fantastic art.

Grade: C-

-Rob G.

Uncanny X-Men # 512 – Review

By Matt Fraction (writer), Yanick Paquette (pencil), Karl Story (inks), and Justin Posner (colors)

The Story: The Beast takes his science team back in time to the early 1900’s to try and find out how to find a way to erase the effects of M-day on the dwindling mutant population. The hope is that by finding the parents of the first mutant, who by the way is the science team’s vary own Nemesis, they will be able to find the cure for the three deadly words: “no more mutants.”

What’s Good: For a change the story and art. Seriously, not to be coy, but both those things have really been putrid and pull-list erasing as of late on Uncanny X-men. It was great to see Matt Fraction tell a story without trying to sound ultra-cool and slick. The dynamics of the tale itself moved the story, not a certain message or tone. When Fraction took away the soapbox, the characters were free to develop and seemed very natural as opposed to the forced, MTV, and generation Y campiness that he’s shoved down the readers’ throats as of late.

Yanick Paquette took over pencils from the Greg Land/Terry Dodson rotating work, and honestly, the book was infinitely better for it. Not to get into Land’s work and approach to character designs (WCBR has been down that road many times recently), but simply, Land’s and Dodson’s work is so different from one another  that the series itself seems like a jaded, out of synch visual offering. However, Paquette seems to come in the middle of these two, with a perkier Bryan Hitch type of style.

The story itself has a lot of interesting and quirky dimensions to it and as with most good stories, leaves many issues open to explore at a later date. It plays with some stereotypical time travel cliche’s effectively.  Aside from still not knowing what caused the first mutant (of the modern day mutie population), there are also new questions surrounding the Hell Fire club and its founders that are pretty cool. I’ve never cared for Sebastian Shaw and his lot, but now seeing that they have some role to play in modern mutant origins, I am definitely more interested in them.

What’s Not So Good: I guess the overall premise of this voyage to the past is a little shaky. The fact that Beast’s crew needs to go back to the early 1900’s to get blood samples seems a little silly. Couldn’t they just do some tests, like DNA or something, on the corpses buried in the present? Also, the large cast of the Science Team were mostly superfluous, playing no role at all except drinking tea and sitting around while a few members did all the work.

I know the X-men Universe will get a boost with the Dark X-Men arc hitting this month, but I was disappointed to see that there is still no progress in the whole M-Day situation. This is really interesting stuff and the longer it lingers unresolved or overlooked, then the cheaper the series feels. The fact that the science team comes back empty handed basically dead-ended all the momentum built up to the issue.

Conclusion: A good one-shot featuring the most interesting sub-plot in the X-Men world right now. Too bad nothing substantial came from it.

Grade: B

-Rob G.

Wolverine: Origins #37 – Review

By Daniel Way (writer), Scot Eaton (pencils), Andrew Hennessy (inks) Andy Troy (colors)

The Story: Wolverine is out to find the man, or dog-man, Romulus, that has been pulling his strings for most of his life. He’s out with a vengeance and taking no prisoners as he navigates different strata of Russian society to confront Romulus, only to find himself wrapped up in the adamantium coils (hint-hint) of one of his deadliest enemies.

What’s Good: A little disclaimer: this is the first Wolverine Origins comic I’ve ever read, so I’m coming to this series with fresh eyes and no knowledge of things past. What I liked about this comic was Wolverine’s ferociousness. In every scene it seemed like he was getting ready to pop a blood vessel in rage. This depiction is more like Aaron’s Weapon X version of Wolverine and not like the portrayal in the other X books. It’s an honest portrayal of the character and it keeps the book engaging and full of momentum.  I think Easton is as much responsible for this as Way, as Logan both looks and feels like an active volcano.

What pulled me into this title was the scope of this arc, which is centered fully on Wolverine encountering Romulus. To that end, this book delivers as interesting details about Romulus are revealed and his nature is more discerning. I really don’t know what to make of this character and that is what brought me to this book. The guy who is behind manipulating the most interesting character in the Marvel Universe has to bring something unique to the table, right? I guess it remains to be seen, but so far the Romulus angle has me hooked.

I’m new to Eaton’s work, but I was impressed with what he did, here. I already mentioned his depiction of Wolverine was really solid, but his landscapes and other character designs were also well done. His characters are all extremely emotive.

Can’t let this go: Best cover I’ve seen on a Marvel book in a while!

What’s Not So Good: 95% of the time, first installments in any arc are usually bland affairs so it is hard to come down too hard on these types of issues. That being said, I thought that the trap was thrown on Wolverine a little too obvious. The whole time it was clear what was going to go down and although it was well played, I wonder why it worked in a way that was void of mystery and surprise.

Conclusion: As a newcomer to this series I was not let down for my new investment. I think the story is there, and the characterization is strong. As long as this arc delivers something substantial and interesting regarding Romulus than it will remain in good shape. I like the way Wolverine is at the end of the rope and unrelenting in his quest to confront his biggest and most influential arch-nemesis. I guess I’m surprised that this arc isn’t receiving more hype than it is. Perhaps that is in fact a bad thing that the Marvel Machine isn’t selling this arc more because it is not meant to really deliver, but just to keep the Romulus saga going. But for now, I’ll stay optimistic and give this comic a…

Grade: B+

-Rob G.

Wolverine #74 – Review

By Jason Aaron and Daniel Way (writers) Adam Kubert and Tommy Lee Edwards (art), Mark Farmer (inks), Edgar Delgado, Mary Hollowell, and Paul Mounts (colors)

The Story: This two-part swansong of Wolverine wraps up its two stories, as we prepare to see the series renamed “Dark Wolverine” next month.  The first story concludes the family soap-opera centering around a biker gang as Wolverine goes from playing social worker to sacrificial lamb. The second part of this arc, a day in the life of Wolverine, concludes as Spider-Man has a super-hero intervention with Wolverine for his obsessive work habit.

What’s Good: This issue is a mixed bag. I suspect that hardcore Wolverine fans are so hot-blooded about Logan lately that Marvel could release a Wolverine playing water-sports on a Caribbean vacation to rave reviews and high sales. So, if you’re an adamantium addict, this issue will give you a quick fix as it is standard Wolverine fair, chock-full of softie with gruff exterior, one-liners, and of course, opening his claws into the bad guy at just the right time.

The other highlight of this issue in my mind is his team-up with Spiderman, that takes place in the second story. I love the way these characters interact and just by default, there is a lot of humor that naturally surfaces between the two. When done right, I think the Wolverine/Spider-Man team-up is one of the best in comics.

As I said with the last issue, Tommy Lee Edwards’ art is great in this arc, especially given the fact that the scenery rarely changes as he is limited to a few scenes and settings. Also, Kubert’s art is typically classically executed and detailed. I am no student of illustration at all, but I’d say his work here lands in the same family as John Romita Jr.

What’s Not So Good: Well to be blunt, both stories are really flat-lined affairs. I wish I could think of a different adjective for the first story besides “stupid,” but I can’t. It so mentally devoid, Daniel Way had to literary explain the whole plot through Wolverine’s inner monologue. Also, none of the plotlines and character relationships were resolved at all, save for Wolvie gutting the bad guy, as Way explained, at the end. The ending made no sense to me and involved traceable bullets from some guy who we didn’t even see shoot Wolverine.

As for the second story, although I appreciate Spidey and Wolverine having a heart-to-heart, this particular episode in their friendship was very forgettable. It involved Spidey telling Wolverine a bunch of things about himself that Wolverine already knows. The whole premise of this story was built on an uninspiring premise about Wolverine’s work ethic. Not that his commitment to the uniform is spurred by a sense of justice, revenge, wrath, anger, or duty, but rather, because he doesn’t want to face his issues. I know writers in the past have used that dynamic to explain his destructive personal life like the drinking and the relationships, but it seems like a let down for denial to be his major motivation for being a superhero.

Conclusion: I’m sure that there will be many fans that will enjoy this book simply because it is a Wolverine story that pulls the heart-strings a little. However, I think if one looks at this book objectively, it’s obvious that there is very little merit here, save for some of the art. I know this is a new era for the Wolverine franchise as this title changes creative direction, but this is far off from being a decent sendoff to Wolverine from his own series. By the way, can anyone tell me why the second story is entitled “A Mile In My Moccasins?” Doesn’t Wolverine wears boots?

Grade: D+

-Rob G.

War Of Kings: Ascension #2 – Review

By Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (writers), Wellington Alves (pencils) Scott Hanna and Nelson Pereira (inkers), GURU eFX (colors)

The Story: The Dark Hawks Talon and newly resurrected Razor continue their mission of acquiring the Cosmic Control Rod from Catatastophus. Meanwhile, Christopher Powell deals with his banishment into the null force and learns deep and difficult truths about the null source itself, himself and the Dark Hawks.

What’s Good: There are a ton of revelations about the Dark Hawk mythos, and although I am not a Dark Hawk devotee, I would reckon that these revelations are new and will completely transform everything about “The Fraternity of Raptors.” Let me blunt: these revelations are really interesting and entertaining. There is so much to explore in this newly reinvented Dark Hawk character. Who or what are the Servants of the Source? What is the Crystal Tree? Where is the Data Song originating from? Why did Talon come to be? I can’t forget to mention the return of an important figure, who we haven’t seen since the final pages of Annihilation, and who will no doubt play a major role in things somewhere down the road.

It’s kinda unreal that there are so many interesting dynamics at play in the Null Source and tons of other variant plotlines, like what is going to happen to Powell and, most importantly, how is this all going to effect War Of The Kings? To think I almost dropped this mini-series after last issue!

As for the art, it’s excellent; especially the character designs. Specifically of note  was a spread where swarms of Raptors were fighting some space battle that was drawn amazingly.

What’s Not So Good: Powell is supposed to have anger issues that hinder his evolution as both a hero and a raptor. However, he never comes off as angry–just snotty and whiny. This characterization gets very annoying very quickly, and it was one of the reasons I wasn’t going to pick up this issue. Additionally, not being steeped too deeply in Cosmic Marvel, I had no idea who Blastaar is and his arrival into this plot. His appearance at the end of the story didn’t allow for this issue to end as strong as it could have.

Conclusion: Saying that I am pleasantly surprised with this issue is a huge understatement. Is there anyone else who puts out as consistent and voluminous work as the Abnett and Lanning team? Seriously, how many books are these guys writing? And they are all above average, at the least. Lanning even finds time to do inks on certain other titles as well!

This issue is full of cool concepts and characters, and a plot that keeps you on your toes. Not to mention that there is the possibility hinted around that there could be thousands of Dark Hawks on the scene soon. Imagine: the Nova Corps and the Fraternity of Raptors roaming the Universe! Currently, Cosmic Marvel is a much more interesting place than its terrestrial counterpart.

Grade: A-

-Rob G.

Ultimate Spider-Man #132 – Review

By Brian Bendis (writer), Stuart Immonen (pencils), Wade Von Grawbadger (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors)

The Story: Ultimatum drudges on in Ultimate Spider-Man like sludge through a sewer. New York is still destroyed and people are still scrambling for survival.  Spidey and the Hulk confront monsters at Doctor Strange’s mansion,  while the people closest to Peter look for him, dramatically.

What’s Good: Peter’s inner-monologue and overall personality is highly kinetic and enjoyable. As alway, Bendis has a great and consistent take on Spider-Man. Although they can border on campy, I like Peter’s supporting cast and despite that they are supposed to be teenagers but act like they are plucked from 30 Something, they help this issue stay above water. Even if they only make a brief appearance.

I am also a big fan of Stuart Immonen; and the great art in this issue is par for the course with him. Spidey has been drawn by all the greats and I think Immonen’s particular take ranks up there with the best. In this issue, due to induced nightmares on the central characters, Immonen gets to draw a range of characters and action and nails it all.

What’s Not So Good: It’s really hard to care about what’s transpiring in this issue. In fact, it is difficult to not be resentful that the great world of Ultimate Spider-Man is being sacrificed for Ultimatum. There are so many pointless detours in this story, like Hulk being haunted by those who he killed and diving into Ultimate Dr. Strange– a character who has never worked.

I was also really confused about the main villain in this issue as all of a sudden he showed up as a blue Human Torch; but before that was supposed to be a spirit or something. At one point, like me, Spidey asked, “Why is this happening?” I guess we were both clueless.

I like the idea of a Hulk/Spidey team up and last issue was an excellent depiction of this dynamic (remember Peter telling Hulk, “Friends don’t smash friends”? How awesome was that?). But in this issue, the relationship was flat and didn’t add anything to the story. Also, seeing Hulk rage his way into defeating a spirit was a little illogical.

Conclusion: Its official: Ultimatum has ruined the Ultimate Universe– literally, as the bad of Loeb’s Ultimatum’s is stronger than the good of Bendis’ USM. Also, I hope Bendis isn’t planning on killing Spidey, but I think he is and replacing him with…Spider-Woman! I guess, for some unknown reason, one prominent Spider-Woman, found in the regular Marvel U, is not enough for Bendis to work with.

Although this issue is rather poor, it is a necessary piece in the puzzle. I’m hoping that the next issue will have a big rebound as the characters and plotlines coalesce.

Grade: C-

-Rob G.

Weekly Comic Book Review

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Immortal Iron Fist #24 – Review

By Duance Swierczynski (writer), Kano (artist)

The Story: Another story chronicling the adventures of Iron Fists throughout histor… This standalone issue tells the tale of Li Park, K’un-Lun’s only pacifist Immortal Weapon.  Inheriting the mantle intended for his younger brother, Li is more of a dreamer than a fighter, and would rather seek peaceful resolutions than resort to violence.  His convictions are challenged though when he is sent to defend a village from invading hordes.  Li’s actions will forever change the people of the village, and even K’un-Lun itself.

The Good: Swierczynski turns in another solid story that continues the great tradition of exploring the history of Iron Fists through individual issues.  I liked Li’s character and was intrigued by the idea of an Iron Fist who not only didn’t want his power, but shunned violence all together.  Kano’s art is the right fit for this story, and after looking at Foreman’s minimalist style for so long, it was refreshing to enjoy Kano’s attention to detail for a change.

The Not So Good: Other than needing glasses and a magnifying lense to read the captions, my problem with this issue was why, when Swierczynski is in the middle of his excellent “Eighth City” storyline, would he break the momentum of that story with this issue.  It was good, but not great, and ultimately very out of place here.  Of course, if the rumors I’m hearing are true and Immortal Iron Fist is going to be canceled with issue 27, maybe Swierczynski did this story now so that he could end the series with the conclusion to “Eighth City”.

Conclusion: This was by no means a bad issue, but it certainly isn’t necessary to buy either.  Spend your money on something else this month.

Grade:  C

Tony Rakittke