Wolverine: Weapon X #12 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Ron Garney (art), Jason Keith (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Logan and Bucky Barnes battle Deathloks to save the future.

What’s Good: It was clear last issue and it’s even more clear this issue: Jason Aaron loves the old Terminator movies.  The influences run throughout, and given that those movies are two of the greatest science fiction films of all time, that’s far from a bad thing.  We have the dystopian near future with a hunted group of underground rebels, and when one character discusses the Deathloks’ plan of coming to the present to snuff out the future leader of the rebellion, well, it’s just all kinds of cool.  The idea of taking a classic plot like that of Terminator and tossing it into the Marvel Universe and involving Wolverine as a kind of wildcard is just total genius.  It shouldn’t work, but it does, and it’s all kinds of fun.  If you have any love for the Terminator films, it’s hard not to totally geek out.

Uncanny X-Men #522 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Whilce Portacio (pencils), Ed Tadeo (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Magneto brings Kitty home as Nation X comes to a close.

What’s Good: This is easily among the best issues of Matt Fraction’s run on Uncanny X-men, as the man who writes Invincible Iron Man shows up rather than his louder, dumbed down counter-part.

Really, this book essentially gives you everything you could want from an X-Men comic.  The opening scene is done in epic form with an excellent use of “storybook” styled narration, turning Kitty into a sort of fairytale “princess in a high tower” while relating this to Magneto’s stay with the High Evolutionary.  The storytelling feels grand in this sequence, as it should.

Beyond that, there are several great character moments, the sort that Uncanny so often lacks.  Emma Frost has a kind of confessional about Scott Summers to the mentally dormant Magneto that is touching, riveting, intelligent, and painfully honest in just one of several great scenes.

Despite the gravity of the events in this book, Fraction finds time for comedy as well.  A “travel game” between Fantomex and Wolverine certainly got a laugh out of me and was a welcome relief in a book that is otherwise very weighty.

All told-this is a beautiful issue with a number of poignant moments.  While the reunion of Colossus and Kitty is cut short, this is made up for by the issues ending montage, which wordlessly sums up the status quo after Nation X, and it really is touching.  The montage is so wonderfully executed, that you’d almost forget all of the sloppier moments that have occurred over this arc.  It makes what came before look better, which is just what a concluding issue should do.

On the art, it’s hard not to look at Portacio’s work here as accomplishing what Land strives for, and fails at, with every outing.  We have the big, splashy, impressive images and we have the hyper-realistic style, but this does not come at the cost of detail or narrative flow.  Portacio’s outing here is basically what an Uncanny X-Men should like: impressive, big-budget, epic, yet human.

The back-up, also written by Fraction but illustrated by Phil Jimenez, is magnificent and well worth the extra dollar.  While completely barely related to the X-universe, it’s a poignant and very emotionally touching tale about a world facing Armageddon.  It reminds us that Fraction, at his best, is able to move us, and that’s just what this back-up does.

Uncanny X-Men: First Class #8

By: Scott Gray (writer), Fernando Blanco (artist), Jordan D. White (editor)

The Story: An apparent suicide has occurred at Cassidy Keep and Banshee brings Nightcrawler, Colossus and Wolverine along to solve the mystery.

What’s Good: There is almost no story you can tell in the early Uncanny X-Men era (let’s say before the death of Phoenix) that I won’t love. The X-Men mythos is simpler and, to my tastes, purer. You’ve only got about fourteen possible X-Men total (including Professor X) and a new world to be explored. The X-Men roster is Cyclops, Phoenix, Colossus, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Storm and Banshee. How do you beat that lineup?

Scott Gray led with a dramatic start. Not much can launch a story with more momentum than a dead body. See? I just said dead body and now you want to see who did it, don’t you? Sean as the leader of this little team of the X-Men was also a nostalgic reminder of just how unpolished they all were, even Wolverine, who was more than a little bit of a loose cannon. Wolverine did steal the stage though, once they were swarmed by leprechauns, when he said “This is the dumbest fight I’ve ever been in. Hands down.” The moral of the story was also pretty strong and I didn’t see it coming.

Uncanny X-Men #520 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Psylocke, Wolverine, and Colossus go Predator-hunting in NYC while Magneto tries to get Utopia’s population to trust him.

What’s Good: Overall, I’ve been enjoying Matt Fraction’s Uncanny X-Men quite a bit more after Utopia, and this month continues the positive trend.

I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that Fraction has taken a much more character-driven approach.  This month once again shows just how much the addition of Magneto has helped in this regard.  Fraction is doing his damndest to make the former villain into a sympathetic character, and he’s definitely making headway.  Magneto’s presence alone also brings a lot out of other characters.  His battle to gain trust and his constant sense of guilt and self-loathing all worked to give him a kind of vulnerable humanity.

This was nicely juxtaposed to his having grown accustomed to being the guy in charge.  Even as he tries to redeem himself for what he was, the vestiges of his past still govern his manners.  His consequent conversation with Cyclops was far and away the high point this month, with Fraction capturing the tension perfectly.  It’s so odd to see Cyclops as the dominant personality between the two, with Magneto being the one in the subservient position seeking approval, and Fraction highlights and plays up this interesting dynamic rather well.

The exploits of the X-Men in NYC provide lighter fare, bringing a bit of humor to the book.  Of course, it helps to have Fantomex around when you want to lighten the mood and create an adventure/mystery plot.  All told, Fantomex is well-written and Fraction’s balancing of his two plots means good pacing, as we never become bogged down in Utopia’s tensions, nor does the book ever feel like insubstantial roving in New York.

Beyond that, this secondary plot also allows Fraction to play with some rather underused characters, and that’s never a bad thing.

Wolverine: Weapon X #9 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Yanick Paquette (pencils), Michel Lacombe (inks), Nathan Fairbairn (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: All hell breaks loose in Dunwich as “Insane in the Brain” hits its appropriately messy conclusion.

What’s Good: This issue breaks a lot of the rules that made this arc such a rousing success, as the arc loses the insularity and isolation that really marked it out.  What saves the book is that Aaron still seemed bent on making it as chaotic and over-the-top.  Make no mistake, this is still a very readable comic, but the constant mayhem pushes much of this issue beyond certain limits, giving it a bloody carefree feel.  There’s so much going on, so much violence in particular, that the pages can’t quite contain or portray it all.

Case in point was probably my favourite scene in the book, which sees a character attempt to use his own disemboweled intestines to choke out Logan.  If that isn’t mayhem personified, I’m not sure what is.  Furthermore, kudos to Aaron for getting Marvel to publish material so graphic in a non-MAX title.

Surprisingly, Nightcrawler and Psylocke don’t harm the book.  If the book’s completely cut loose, why not add more characters and make it even more frantic?  Both characters are handled well, and their comparative rationality and outsider position really draw attention to how nuts Wolverine’s current predicament really is.  It also brings a bit of comedy.

I’m also really, really happy that at the end of this arc, we appear to be far from done with Dr. Rot.  Given how experimental this arc was, I was certain this’d be the end of him.  Aaron instead positions Rotwell as a new, lurking nemesis for Logan.  Dr. Rotwell’s discovered some rather nifty things in Logan’s brain related to Weapon X, and it’s given the character legs beyond “Insane in the Brain.”

It also bears being mentioned that this is a truly fantastic outing by Paquette.  The action is savage and Paquette’s creative paneling mirrors this.  He also does some rather interesting things with lighting when entering Rotwell’s darker “backstage” areas.  Furthermore, I absolutely loved his depictions of Nightcrawler and Psylocke.  Psylocke even looked completely and realistically Asian.  There’s also a really hilarious “brain bomb” that Paquette obviously had a lot of fun with.

Cable #22 – Review

By: Duane Swierczynski (writer), Gabriel Guzman (artist), Thomas Mason (colors), Axel Alonso (editor)

The Story: Homecoming, Part 2: This issue is part of the build-up to the X-Men: Second Coming event. Seventeen-year-old Hope has decided it is time to join to X-Men in the present. Cable’s time gizmo isn’t very precise. It keeps landing on the past or the future, but gets closer and closer (the opposite of what the time traveler did in Wells’ Time Machine). The problem is Bishop keeps getting dragged along with them.

What’s Good: Swierczynski is writing a pursuit plot, which can be a lot of fun. The secret to the chase plot is never letting the quarry get too far from the hunter, and Swierczynski certainly did that here. Even when they manage to make some major gain, Hope and Cable can’t get any real distance between themselves and Bishop. Also, some of the traps and attacks that Cable and Hope devised were pretty fun to watch. Ever thought you’d see Cable shooting muskets? It is cool, and the camera angle that Guzman chose was a good one.

Uncanny X-Men #519 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Terry Dodson (pencils), Rachel Dodson (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Emma enters Scott’s mind while Magneto works to keep the island from sinking.

What’s Good: Much like last issue, the Dodsons breathe so much life into Uncanny.  The characters all look significantly more individual and lovable under their capable hands and the book has a vitality, an intimacy, and an intelligence that it doesn’t have under Land.  As I said in my last review of Fraction’s book, the Dodsons have a style that is simply “fun” at its core level.  #519 is actually a much stronger effort than their already solid work last month.  There’s a lot more detail and their depiction of the Void-contaminated version of Scott’s mind is a great amount of fun.  Meanwhile, their “nice guy” Magneto looks Disney-huggable.  I also absolutely loved Emma Frost’s military-styled outfit when in Scott’s mind, as well as the Mark Buckingham-styled paneling and borders during these portions.

This is also some of the best work I’ve seen out of Fraction on Uncanny that’ll have you wondering why the series couldn’t always be like this.  This is the kind of human soap opera that Uncanny should be and this comic actually feels like it was penned by the same guy who writes Invincible Iron Man.

All the characters have individual voices, all of the dialogue is characterful and tight, and all the interpersonal dynamics are fun and nuanced.  Emma and Scott’s adventure is well done; Emma is human, loving, and empathetic while retaining hints of her trademark high-nosed arrogance.  Scott is heroic and stalwart, as we’d expect him to be, while Fraction nonetheless has the Void complicate this portrayal by giving voice to his flaws and insecurities.  Meanwhile, I’m loving “nice guy Magneto,” and his conversation with Namor is spot-on and really enjoyable; it’s clear that these two characters have a unique chemistry that Fraction is beginning to explore.  Both are brazen characters willing to do what others won’t, but neither are the most socially capable.

Uncanny X-Men #518 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Terry Dodson (pencils), Rachel Dodson (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Scott ventures into Emma’s mind in an attempt to seperate her from the void as tensions grow among Utopia’s residents.

What’s Good:  X-Men fans will no doubt be absolutely thrilled to know that this month is a Greg Land-free zone.  I’ll admit that over the past couple of months, my position on land has reached something akin to sadly ambivalent resignation.  The Dodsons’ signature style has always been fun and as a result, this entire experience of this issue is a much more pleasant affair compared to the past few Land-drawn books.  I can’t necessarily point to specific images that blew me away, nor can I talk in specifics.  All I can say is that the book as a whole feels so different and so much better under the Dodsons’ hands.  It feels so much more fun, so much more full of life, and so much more likable.  Hell, even though they aren’t writing, the book even feels smarter.  Under the Dodsons, Uncanny essentially becomes a better book, one that’ll leave you feeling a lot happier and a lot more eager to read it.

To be fair, though, this is also a better outing by Fraction as well.  While last week’s book was little more than an extended action sequence, this month is much more character-based and human.  It’s a more intimate, relatable, and engaging read for these reasons.

Normally, I’m not a fan of books centered on one character’s adventures in another’s mind.  Such comics often end up being strange for strange’s sake, while not carrying the gravitas that a good book should.  That said, I rather enjoyed Scott’s adventures in Emma’s brain.  Largely, this is due to the dynamic between the two characters, but even more so, it’s because Fraction does not attempt to have these abstract psychic adventures fill the entire issue.  We get extended breaks from all the psychic wandering, and as a result, what wandering there is more palatable and the book feels much better paced.  Furthermore, Fraction takes a minimalist approach to Emma’s mind.  It’s big, blank, and full of doppelgangers; the Void’s presence makes it weird and creepy, but Fraction’s restraint keeps it from going off the deep-end.

Meanwhile, Beast’s reappearance in the book’s pages is a welcome, grounded relief and he remains a well-written character.  I also continue to enjoy whenever Fraction treats the logistic difficulties of living on a “floating” asteroid.  His acknowledging the real difficulties of sustained living on such an impossible location make the book feel more intelligent and eases the already massive strain on the suspension of disbelief.

What’s Not So Good: Fraction’s minimalist approach to his depiction of Emma’s mind is a bit double-edged.  While it prevents the book from becoming lost in the wilds of indecipherable abstraction and metaphor, Fraction may very well have taken it a little far in making Emma’s mind nothing but a white blank.  It’s bland and empty and one can’t help but wish Fraction pushed the very able Dodsons a little more.

Also, while the artwork was great, I’m not sure if the opening scene with a Predator X was necessary, given how much was already going on in this book.  It doesn’t help that it’s the only scene not on Utopia and as a result, it feels detached and not at all the sort of introduction or prologue that an opening two pages should be.

Conclusion: A really good issue of Uncanny accompanied by refreshingly vibrant, characterful artwork

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

Uncanny X-Men #517 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: The X-Men attempt to stave off the Predator X attack.

What’s Good: This is an action comic, pure and simple and in that capacity, it delivers; it’s big, bloody, and explosive.

Better still, Matt Fraction makes the most of the fact that it’s a team based action comic.  One really gets a sense of strategy in the X-Men’s dealing with the Predator Xs.  Abilities are used in perfect concert and the X-Men feel like a well-trained, well-oiled machine.  Multi-level, cooperative strategy is employed as the mutants essentially combine and chain each other’s abilities in a sort of cooperative harmony that was clearly quite well thought out by Fraction.

Taking this perhaps a little more literally is Fraction’s use of Rogue.  He uses her power absorption ability to synchronize X-Men mutant abilities, allowing him to essentially play a cool and creative game of mix and match with mutant powers.

While action-based, the issue is nonetheless not without development.  A very interesting Phoenix-related occurrence happens with respect to the Cuckoos that is foreboding and is sure to pay dividends at a later date.  Furthermore, the last page of the book is similarly intriguing, as we get a look at Danger’s idea of a prison.  Those who have read William Gibson’s foundational cyberpunk novel “Neuromancer” will probably get a kick out of the scene.

On art, Greg Land actually acquits himself quite well, particularly for his often-weak standards.  While certain female faces do lack detail or appear a little awkwardly photo-referenced, there aren’t any real catastrophes this month.  Compliments are due, however, for Land’s drawings of the Predator X monstrosities, which look horrifyingly savage and distinctly alien.  That last page with Danger was also quite beautiful.

What’s Not So Good: While the use of teamwork in harmonizing abilities and employing strategy was impressive, that doesn’t change the fact that this is just one big, extended action scene across 21 pages.  In other words, it’s hard not read this without realizing that while you’re entertained, the book nonetheless feels strangely hollow, shallow even.  Indeed, this is mainstream comics at its most popcorn superficial, the sort of book that the indie comic fan no doubt points to in horror.  That doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it also means that the book doesn’t summon any sort of emotion beyond the base-level amusement that comes with reading a good action scene.  It’s not a smart read in the slightest, nor is it a dense one, though it is enjoyable for what it is.

Also, some of Fraction’s voices are still off.   He struggles with Rogue’s colloquial accent, for starters.  At times it disappears altogether or is at least very minimal, while at other times, she sounds like a painfully exaggerated hillbilly.  Fraction can’t seem to find a middle ground, nor can he find consistency.

Magneto’s voice also feels problematic this month and reminds me of Fraction’s struggles to write Xavier’s voice in past issues.  At times, Magneto just sounds too young, hip, and catchy, particularly with his battle banter.  Worse still, in a later scene, he goes back to the more aged, formal tone we saw last month.  Like Rogue, not only is the voice problematic in itself, but it also lacks consistency.

Conclusion: Enjoyable for what it is, this issue still feels a little thin due to its not striving to be anything more.

Grade: B –

-Alex Evans

 

Wolverine: Weapon X #7 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Yanick Paquette (pencils), Michel Lacombe (inks), Nathan Fairbairn (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Dr. Rot attempts to release the animal inside Logan.

What’s Good: Last month’s issue was fantastic and this month is basically just more of a good thing.  Aaron’s “Insane in the Brain” arc continues to be a fantastic horror comic; it’s twisted, creepy, and shockingly gory for a mainstream Marvel comic.

Dr. Rot continues to be an incredibly strong character.  This month, his gleeful insanity is all the more enjoyable, as he has a run-in with some ordinary Mafia thugs.  What ensues is a delightful collision of worlds, where contact with the more mundane criminal only makes Rot appear all the more outrageous.  Also, if that female mask Rot wore last month wasn’t bad enough, this time Rot actually has it adopt its own personality, as he talks to himself in a mirror.  I couldn’t figure out whether I wanted to laugh or take a shower after reading that.

I suppose that that’s really indicative of how this issue’s build upon last month’s groundwork: it just seems that little bit more outrageous.  Where last month saw a bloody sack of brains, this one sees Rot running around with cleavers, a man with his hands removed, and an all-out chainsaw massacre.  Where last month had more of a “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” feel, this month continues that, but adds a strong dash of grindhouse, splatter-horror into the mix.  Indeed, when we enter Rot’s mad scientist lab and he goes plucking brains, it certainly feels like something out of a thirty year old horror flick.  It’s sensationalist, bloody, and delightfully campy.

On art, Yanick Paquette continues to put out incredibly pleasing work.  His character models remain fantastic.  I also enjoyed how most of the frames featuring Rot have his eyes shaded in.  The character’s only having shadowy black pits for eyes is definitely disquieting.  Paquette also extends his range a bit this month, drawing Wolverine’s nightmares in a completely different style, one that’s more blurred, painted, and hellish.  It’s a perfect juxtaposition to the rest of the comic and is suitably horrifying.  Colorist Nathan Fairbairn also continues to have a great effect on Paquette’s work, giving Wolverine’s “treatment” scenes in particular a very well-lit, even fluorescent, clinical feel.

All told, the book hits all the same right notes it hit last month.  While it shows more this month, using the suspense of the page-turn to the maximum, it still also plays up what we can’t see.  Certain areas remain cordoned off, and as demonstrated by the bandaged nurse this month, that’s often the worst part.

What’s Not So Good: Admittedly, much of the ground covered plot-wise is the same stuff we went over last month.  For instance, Wolverine repeats that he doesn’t know where he is or what his name is.  He stated those same lines through monologue a bit last month, but when he does so a few more times this month, it does become noticeable.   At one point, Wolverine’s continued restating of this existential dilemma made me wonder whether some of the internal monologue was even necessary, if it’s only there to echo what we’ve heard several times already.

The big ending this month does help, but there is a slight sense of water treading through some parts of this issue.  That said, I don’t suspect it will greatly bother anyone with a decent attention span.

Conclusion: Still incredibly experimental and creative, with a cool grindhouse flavor added in, this one’s a keeper.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

 

X-Men Legacy #229 – Review

By Mike Carey (writer), Daniel Acuña (artist), Daniel Ketchum (associate editor), Nick Lowe (editor)

The Story: Rogue has entered Emplate’s dimension using the astral projection power of Trance to search for Bling!.  She found her, but also got discovered and is now running from astral monsters.  In the meantime, her teammates are trying to bail them both out.

What’s Good: I really enjoyed the whacked-out settings Acuña brought to life for this issue.  We’ve got a weird, other-dimensional castle, retro-tech, bizarre monsters that look like Cambrian explosion rejects, and chase scenes galore.  Acuña also drew an effective Scott Summers.  Given that Acuña is playing penciller, inker and colorist, he does pull off some of his trademark effects well, like where he changes color abruptly without the inker’s lines to separate the changes.  With Acuña, black is only used for true shadows and the rest of the definition he gives with different patches of color.

My first thought on the story as a whole was that it felt a bit empty.  Nothing had happened except that Rogue’s conflict had been decided.  But on second glance, this is a passable rescue plot set in a really original place (for this team).  And the X-team on Earth is working pretty hard on making this rescue a success, which drives up the tension even more.  The bits with Dr. Nemesis and “the smart team” were fun to read.  And, this issue is dominated by an effective chase conflict with Rogue.  Not sure why I had an initially negative reaction to the book, unless the art had a hand…

What’s Not So Good: Acuña’s art takes a bit of getting used to.  Since I’m talking about some of it here, I obviously haven’t completely come around to it yet.  I mentioned the great setting and background work above.  On most characters though, his style rubs me the wrong way.  The body proportion distortions, the occasionally crude and generic facial expressions, and the stock poses give all the characters an unnatural look.  And, just as an aside: The dumbest looking, least related cover of the week award goes to…. Legacy #229!

Conclusion: Diehard X-fans should certainly get this.  Carey has publicly stated his mission of really developing Rogue and Gambit and a few other, so if you’re a fan of any of those characters, you should get the book.  If you’re an occasional reader and you don’t get this issue, I don’t get the impression you’ll be missing out on something that to sends ripples through the X-universe.

Grade: C

-DS Arsenault

 



Deapool #17 – Review

By Daniel Way (Writer), Paco Medina (Pencils), Juan Vlasco (Inks), and Marte Gracia (Colors)

The Story: Cyclops sends Domino to do what she can to keep Deadpool from killing Mr. Kincaid. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn relishes watching the mutant’s situation and does what he can to make it even worse.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: I didn’t really mind seeing Deadpool take a back seat to the X-Men last month because of the type of story Daniel Way is telling with “Want You To Want Me.” Way had to set up the situation with Mr. Kincaid and the X-Men, so it made sense to use Deadpool as an obstacle rather than the main character. That same approach doesn’t really work as well in Deadpool #17. While the comic is certainly funny (when Domino comes face to face with her biggest fear, I literally laughed out loud) and Deadpool flavored (Way’s ‘pool dialogue is as humorous as always), the X-Men just simply aren’t as entertaining as Deadpool is. Sure it’s fun to see some of them dragged down to his level and the Norman Osborn stuff is unexpectedly clever, but, as a whole, Deadpool #17 is more entertainingly solid than memorably good.

Simply put, the idea behind the current Deadpool arc is far better than the way it is being executed. Deadpool as walking potential PR disaster for the mutants is a funny, clever way to use the character in a way that fits really well within current Marvel continuity. Instead of focusing on the way Deadpool navigates the situation, however, Way chooses to focus on how the X-Men and Osborn react and deal with Wade Wilson. That is fine and dandy to a point, but when I pick up a Deadpool book I do it to read a story mostly about Deadpool, not the X-Men or Norman Osborn (both the X-Men and Osborn have enough books anyway…Deadpool has just recently started to catch up).

As expected, Deadpool #17 is one slick looking book. Paco Medina and his team do a fine job telling the story and their character work is really strong (thought the focus on Domino’s body is quite obnoxious). While some of the exaggerated expressions are a bit much and a few panels look rushed, as a whole, I’m really happy with the artwork throughout the latest issue of Deadpool.

Conclusion: A little more Deadpool would have gone a long way towards making Deadpool #17 a better comic book. While it’s far from bad, Deadpool #17 isn’t as strong as some of the other issues of Deadpool.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

 

X-Force #21 – Review

By Craig Kyle & Chris Yost (Writers) and Clayton Crain (Artist)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Thanks to the Necrosha one-shot and a compelling New Mutants chapter, the latest “X” crossover has gotten off to a solid start. Can Necrosha go from being solid to being good? Time to find out.

The Story: The X-Men battle Selene’s army as she continues to raise the dead.

What’s Good: X-Force #21 is packed with all the action and formerly dead mutants you could ask for. The shit hits the fan in a big way throughout the book and, really, that’s the best thing the comic has going for it. Every few pages a new “T-O” virus mutant is revealed so longtime X-Men fans are going to get a kick out of seeing some of their favorites back in action. And since the virus Selene uses allows her slaves to, in ways, retain their personalities, Craig Kyle & Chris Yost are able to write the recently dead mutants some pretty fun (though, at times, clichéd and silly) dialogue.

While it can be argued that the fights are actually all X-Force #21 has going for it (I’ll explain why shortly), some of Clayton Crain’s artwork, in this critic’s opinion, is simply stunning. It absolutely nails the grim, bleak tone of the story and totally does justice to the vision of Craig Kyle and Chris Yost. In addition, it must be noted that Crain’s work looks the best when the artist is given a lot of space to work with. And Kyle and Yost aren’t shy about giving Crain space to work with as evidenced by the number of large and full-page scenes. One particularly impressive image that shows the Techno-Organic virus at work is particularly noteworthy and absolutely worth checking out.

What’s Not So Good: The fight scenes and returning characters that take up most of the space in X-Force #21 are easily the best part of Necrosha’s second chapter. However, there’s no way to ignore the numerous flaws in the book. The story takes a backseat to the action in such a way that it’s impossible not to notice. The dialogue is super serious at points, heavy on comic book banter at others, and totally over-the-top almost any time a “MWUAHAHAHA EVIL!!” bad guy is in a scene. In other words, the tone of the dialogue is all over the place in a way that clashes with both the story being told and the visuals. Speaking of the visuals, Clayton Crain’s work is as frustrating in X-Force #21 as it was in the Necrosha one-shot. Far too many scenes are cluttered, muddy, or impossible to figure out. While the dark colors do a nice job setting the mood and tone of the story, they are WAY too dark WAY too often.

Conclusion: The second chapter of Necrosha delivers some kick-ass action and a whole lot of mutant fan service, but not much else. If you found yourself unsatisfied or frustrated by the Necrosha one-shot, you will probably feel the same way about X-Force #21.

Grade: C

-Kyle Posluszny

The Rest of the Stack for the Week of 11-4-09

Deadpool Team-Up #899

By Fred Van Lente (Writer) and Dalibor Talajic (Art)

The Story: Deadpool and Hercules, both plagued by nightmares, find themselves trapped in a strange labyrinth created by villains Nightmare and Arcade.

The Good And The Bad: The first issue of Deadpool’s new series delivers everything I want from a comic featuring a team-up between Deadpool and Hercules. Fred Van Lente’s script is funny, action-packed, and surprisingly clever. And since the writer manages to find a sweet spot between what a Deadpool comic is like and what a Hercules comic is like to great effect, Deadpool Team-Up #899 is filled with all the violence, wacky comedy, and mythology you could ever want from a team-up between Wade Wilson and the Lion of Olympus. The only real downside to Van Lente’s script is that it follows a fairly predictable team-up formula. The heroes meet, they fight, they team, and they win out in the end. You’ve seen it before.

Dalibor Talajic’s work in Deadpool Team-Up #899 is impressive all around. His action scenes are dynamic and brutal, his character work is solid (I especially like how accurate his Hercules looks), and his storytelling compliments the script extremely well. My only real complaint about his work is that a few scenes look slightly “off.” Bodies look either disproportionate or awkward at times.

Grade: B

Assault on New Olympus #1

“Assault on New Olympus Prologue” by Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (Writers), Rodney Buschemi (Art), and Guillem Mari (Colors)

“Godmarked” by Jeff Parker (Writer), Gabriel Hardman (Artist), Elizabeth Breitweiser (Colors)

The Story: “Assault on New Olympus” begins with a reveal about what the mysterious Continuum project is and a fight between Hercules and Spider-Man over the affections of Hercule’s wife Hebe. In “Godmarked,” the Agents of Atlas take on the god Phorcys in order to save Venus.

The Good And The Bad: While previews make the plot of Assault on New Olympus sound fairly promising, there really isn’t a whole lot to the first part of the Incredible Hercules event. Sure, the Continuum reveal is interesting, the confrontation between Herc and Spidey is fun, and the visuals by Rodney Buschemi and Guillem Mari are very nice, but, as a whole, it’s clear that Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente are saving the most interesting stuff for later.

The strongest part of the Assault on New Olympus prologue is the Agents of Atlas backup story. Thanks Jeff Parker’s entertaining dialogue and Gabriel Hardman’s outstanding visuals (I seriously think Hardman’s Phorcys attack is one of the coolest scenes of the year), I wouldn’t be surprised if “Godmarked” ends up being one of the year’s best surprises.

Grade: C+

Psylocke #1

“Kill Matsu’o” by Chris Yost (Writer), Harvey Talibao (Pencils), Paul Neary (Inks), and Ulises Arreola w/ Brian Reber (Colors)

“A Girl Called Hope” by Duane Swierczynski (Writer), Steve Dillon (Art), and Matt Hollingsworth (Colors)

The Story: Psylocke heads to Japan and finds out that her past isn’t as far behind as she thought. In the backup story, Hope deals with a wound and Cable deals with a sniper.

The Good And The Bad: The story that begins in Psylocke #1 isn’t all that inviting to people new to the title character, but Chris Yost deserves credit for attempting to make sense of her twisted continuity regardless. Yost does a fine job of letting Psylocke’s somewhat cold personality come through in the dialogue and it goes a long way towards helping make up for the inaccessible nature of Yost’s continuity heavy story. The artwork throughout the book is pretty slick (thanks, largely to the impressive color work), but it’s also obnoxiously heavy on T’n’A fan-service and posing. Also, it must be noted that Harvey Talibao has a problem keeping Psylocke’s face looking consistent. She looks like a completely different character in a more than a few panels.

The backup story about Cable and Hope is an effective character piece that establishes the relationship the characters share for those that haven’t been following the Cable series. There isn’t much to Swierczynski’s tale, but Steve Dillon’s visual storytelling more than makes up for that. One odd thing about the backup story is that it makes Hope seem younger than I believe she is supposed to be at this point. I could be wrong through, so if I am, feel free to correct me in the comment area.

Grade: C+

Haunt #2

By Robert Kirkman (Writer), Greg Capullo (Layouts), Ryan Ottley (Pencils), Todd McFarlane (Inks), and FCO Plascencia (Colors)

The Story: Daniel Kilgore finds himself getting pulled deeper into his brother’s former life as he learns to adjust to his new powers.

The Good And The Bad: In all honesty, Haunt #2 is only a tiny bit better than the first issue of the series. In other words, it’s a pretty bad comic. Alex covered all that’s wrong about the series in his review of Haunt #1, so instead of repeating everything he said, I’ll just say that the only thing Haunt has going for it is a somewhat interesting story. A nugget of potential exists somewhere within the plot Kirkman and McFarlane are developing. I’m sure of it. It needs to reveal itself soon though or else Haunt is going to be remembered as nothing more than a failed vanity project.

Grade: D

-Kyle Posluszny

 

X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #2 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer), Carlo Pagulayan, Gabriel Hardman, Chris Samnee, & Carlos Rodriguez (Pencils), Jason Paz, Hardman, Samnee, &Terry Pallot (Inks), and Wilfred Quintana & Veronica Gandini

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The first X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas book was solid and entertaining. That said, it wasn’t anything special and a bit too much of an “X” title for my taste. Perhaps the second half of the mini-series will swing things more in the favor of the Agents of Atlas.

The Story: The X-Men and the Agents of Atlas fight for a while until they realize that there is a connection between them. Meanwhile, Venus finds herself at the mercy of a follower of Aphrodite.

What’s Good: The fight that opens X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #2 is easily the highlight of the entire book. It’s chaotic as hell and a whole lot of fun to see play out…especially when Mr. Lao the Agent’s dragon gets involved. The art team does an excellent job of packing a ton of characters on each page during the scene and Jeff Parker’s battle-banter shines. Also, importantly, both teams come out of the encounter looking pretty damned good. The Agents prove that they’ve got what it takes to hang with the big dogs, while the X-Men once again show why they are one of the best comic teams of all time.

While Jeff Parker’s script is entertaining and serviceable, the only real surprise about it is how he manages to tie the bonus story from last month into the main X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas plot. It’s a nice twist to an otherwise predictable story. Thankfully, the book as a whole is elevated by the impressive artwork. The styles used fit the various segments and really make each piece of the story feel visually distinct.

What’s Not So Good: Outside of the interesting plot twist involving the bonus segment from X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #1, there’s little in X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #2 that you haven’t seen before. Jeff Parker uses standard “good guys vs. good guys” plot beats from start to finish. The teams fight, someone gets both sides to listen, and soon they realize they shouldn’t be fighting. It’s predictable and, to be honest, a bit boring. The great action and artwork covers up the dull plot to a certain extent, but it can’t mask it completely.

Conclusion: X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #2 is a visually impressive, entertaining conclusion to a fun mini-series. It doesn’t really do anything new, but chances are you probably won’t mind.

Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

 

Astonishing X-Men #32 – Review

by Warren Ellis (Writer), Phil Jimenez (Pencils), Andy Lanning (Inks), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Art hang-ups and the lack of plot development aside, the Warren Ellis/Phil Jimenez run on Astonishing X-Men got off to a pretty nice start. As a fan of the Brood, I can’t help but look forward to what Ellis has up his sleeve.

The Story: The X-Men deal with a strange biological Sentinel and unexpectedly find themselves up against Brood as well.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: Astonishing X-Men #32 is, well, a whole lot like Astonishing X-Men #31. As you’ve no doubt guessed, that’s both a positive thing to say about the book in some ways and a negative thing to say in others. It means that the latest Astonishing X-Men is one hell of a fun, action-packed thrill ride. It also means that the art issues are still a problem and that the current arc’s overall plot only advances over the span of a few pages.

The script for Astonishing X-Men #32 is filled with loads of dialogue that could only come from the mind of Warren Ellis. From the pet names Beast gives to Abigail Brand to the sarcasm that drips from nearly every word bubble, the dialogue is so awesome, so distinctly “Warren Ellis,” that you can’t help but wonder what other type of magic he could work with some of the other Marvel teams. All that good dialogue comes at a price, however, as the story sort of takes a backseat to the action. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since seeing the X-Men do what they do best is almost always a good time, but it does leave the book feeling a little light on plot.

Phil Jimenez’s detailed, dynamic artwork in Astonishing #32 leaves little to be desired from a storytelling standpoint. Especially since the artist’s character work is far more consistent than it was in his Astonishing debut. Visually, Astonishing X-Men #32 is not perfect, however. The problem is that Frank D’Armata’s colors simply overwhelm Jimenez’s pencil work far too often. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that D’Armata’s slick, shiny color work makes some of the action almost indecipherable at times. Some panels/scenes are so awash in a “motion-blur” effect that everything sort of blends together in a way that’s downright hard to follow.

Conclusion: Light on story, but packed with lots of X-Men action, Astonishing X-Men #32 is definitely worth your time and money if you’re a fan of Warren Ellis or Phil Jimenez or both.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

 

New Mutants/X-Force/X-Men Legacy: Necrosha One-Shot – Review

Necrosha: Chapter 1 by Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost (Writers) and Clayton Crain (Art)

Necrosha: Binary by Zeb Wells (Writer), Ibraim Roberson (Art), and John Rauch (Colors)

Necrosha: The Foretelling by Mike Carey (Writer), Laurence Campbell (Art), and Matt Milla (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Since the first chapter of Necrosha takes up the bulk of the one-shot, I will use the regular review format for it. The two smaller chapters that lead into the stories that connect X-Force to New Mutants and X-Men: Legacy will get capsule reviews. Also, as a side note, be sure to read the one-shot after reading X-Force #20 (which I’ll be reviewing by the end of the release week), but before reading New Mutants #6. While it’s not entirely necessary to read X-Force #20, a few scenes simply won’t make much sense unless you do.

“Necrosha: Chapter One”

The Story: Selene builds up her army using an altered version of the techno-organic virus that Bastion has been using and makes her first move against those that have stopped her in the past.

What’s Good: New Mutants/X-Force/X-Men Legacy: Necrosha is, in many ways, a typical Marvel “hey it’s crossover time!” one-shot. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, as Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost do a really nice job of finding a balance between getting readers up to speed and getting the Necrosha crossover rolling in a positive direction that makes it seem like Necrosha will be quite the treat for most “X” fans. And, in all honesty, that’s half the battle.

The best thing about the book is that, from start to finish, both visually and as far as the dialogue is concerned, the Necrosha one-shot carries an ominous, creepy tone that never really lets up. I’m all about mood and setting the stage and Yost, Kyle, and Clayton Crain nail it as far as the total creative package is concerned. Even when Kyle and Yost throw in some banter and one-liners, the first chapter of Necrosha manages to really drive home the point that stuff is about to “get real” as all the kids say these days.

Another high point is that the writers instill a real sense of history, as far as lives lived, into the story through both Selene and the various characters that are infected with the “T-O” virus. From Selene’s dialogue about her past to the conversations that take place between the formerly dead and the living, it’s clear that Kyle and Yost did the homework necessary to give Necrosha that extra bit of weight and depth. It’s that something that can turn a solid story into a good, or even great, story.

Visually, Clayton Crain’s artwork is near perfect as far as mood and tone is concerned. It’s dark, it’s heavy, and it expertly captures the horror movie vibe that permeates throughout the entire book. While Crain’s work is definitely flawed (which I’ll get to in a moment), a few scenes, like the birth that opens the book or the arrival of Selene’s army near Utopia for example, show that Clayton Crain is definitely the right artist for the crossover.

What’s Not So Good: There’s a lot to like about the first chapter of Necrosha, but, unfortunately, there’s quite a bit to dislike about it as well. While the good outweighs the bad, nearly every negative is directly related one of the start of the crossover’s strong points. It makes Necrosha: Chapter One feel rather uneven.

The ominous, creepy tone I talked about earlier? It’s certainly a highlight and quite effective…until you realize that the deadly seriousness leads to a number of groan-worthy lines of dialogue (“She sent us here to remind you of that…And to make you suffer!”) that tend to fall extremely flat. In addition, the seriousness makes some of the banter and humor feel wildly out of place. I’m all for lightening the mood, but the swing from horror to comic book fun and back again is a bit jarring.

Another part that didn’t bode well is the sense of history that Yost and Kyle use to the advantage of their story. It makes some portions of the comic feel too heavy on exposition. It’s understandable considering that chances are good that a large portion of the Necrosha audience isn’t going to know who a handful of the characters are, but it’s also rather annoying.

Clayton Crain’s fitting artwork? It is…well…Clayton Crain artwork. Now I truly find Crain’s work to be absolutely stunning when everything about it comes together. When it doesn’t, however Crain’s work can look muddy, overly dark, and, at worst, totally incoherent. Unfortunately, a large part of the first Necrosha chapter is pretty tough to follow due to Crain’s style. A number of characters look exactly the same (Wolverine? Shaw? Pierce? – Selene? X-23, a Hellion?) and while hairstyle and context make it fairly easy to sort out who’s who, it shouldn’t be a chore to keep characters straight. Also, some of the action that takes place is so darkly colored that it’s next to impossible to figure out what, exactly, is happening.

“Binary”

The Story: Binary is “turned on” by the T-O virus and helps Selene’s slaves get inside Utopia.

The Good And The Bad: I don’t know if this is really a negative (it could be considered to be since it’s not the main event), but Binary is actually the best thing about the Necrosha one-shot as a whole. It’s an extremely good short story all around. Roberson’s detailed artwork is impressive, John Rauch’s colors elevate Roberson’s work to another level, the binary code framed panels are a great touch, and Zeb Wells’ story does a great job reintroducing the character.

“The Foretelling”

The Story: Selene calls on The Crone to learn the future. The Crone then contacts her daughter.

The Good And The Bad: Laurence Campbell’s gritty artwork feels a bit out of place the book, but it still winds up being a nice fit for Mike Carey’s unsettling character piece. I’ve always liked Blindfold and her interaction with her mother does an excellent job of adding another layer of uncertainty to the start of the Necrosha crossover. While I wish there was a bit more to it, the important stuff manages to make quite an impact.

Conclusion: While the first chapter of Necrosha has a few problems it’s still a strong start to what looks to be a memorable crossover. As for the one-shot as a whole, thanks to two excellent bonus stories, the book is a surprisingly great package.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Wolverine: Weapon X #6 – Review

by Jason Aaron (writer), Yanick Paquette (pencils), Michel Lacombe (inks), Nathan Fairbairn (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Wolverine finds himself a patient in a very strange mental asylum, unsure of who or where he is.

What’s Good: This is an amazing book and is not only the best issue of Aaron’s new series thus far, but it’s also one of the best Wolverine books I’ve read in quite a while. Were it not for Old Man Logan, it’d be the best of the year.

Like with Old Man Logan, why this issue succeeds is that it gives us a Logan who isn’t at all like the Logan we’ve grown accustomed to. As a result, we get a story unlike the usual Wolverine fare in tone and even genre. Make no mistake, this is a straight up horror comic that borders on IDW territory. It’s unique, different, and very creative.

Having forgotten who he is and without any healing, claws, or “bubs,” Logan sounds naïve, lost, and oddly well-spoken. Seeing him in such a state of innocence is in itself unsettling. The fact that Aaron makes Logan a mental patient also provides a bit of wry fun. It leads to a pointed joke over how ridiculous and convoluted Logan’s history really is; any man who believes himself to have had such a life is surely crazy.

But where this book most succeeds as a horror comic is its use of mystery and obfuscation. Take new villain Dr. Rot, for example. We never actually see his face. His masks get smaller as the issue goes on, but this facelessness is unsettling, giving him that air of dominance. His masquerade costume is bound to make you uncomfortable. Of a similar nature is the counter, where a strange, bandaged hand delivers “medicine” that blends horror with the surreal. Then there’s the fact that Logan, and the comic, are restricted to a very small area, with the other corners of the building cloaked in darkness. Aaron gives the sense that we and Logan truly have no idea what’s going on, but that whatever it is, it’s all truly horrible. Dreadful, grisly evil lurks just out of sight in every direction.

Paquette’s art is both brightly lit and clinical and full of the nasty, dirty browns and beiges of a sanitarium. As such, this fashions an atmosphere of disgust and insanity. His depictions of the other mental patients are horrifying, while her neutered Logan is a sad sight indeed.

What’s Not So Good: If you’re walking into this expecting your average Wolverine comic, especially given Aaron’s previous arc, forget it. While it makes sense given what Aaron is doing, I can see some readers being particularly upset with a Logan who doesn’t at all sound like Logan. The gruff, burly rhetoric is completely gone. Aaron has shown himself very, very capable of writing in this voice, so it’s clear that Logan’s change of vernacular is intentional, but it may off-put some veteran Wolverine readers. Then again, this entire comic is likely to do that, what with there being no action and no claws.

Conclusion: Aaron does the impossible: he has written a Wolverine comic that has me gasping at its creativity. A truly unsettling horror comic with Logan as you’ve never seen him before.

Grade: A

-Alex Evans

X-Men: Legacy #228 – Review

by Mike Carey (writer), Daniel Acuna (art)

The Story: Picking up from the X-Men Legacy Annual last month, Rogue and the X-Men must figure out a way to rescue neophyte student Bling from another dimension where she’s being held by old Generation X villain Emplate, along with his demented toady, D.O.A.

What’s Good: Under the pen of Mike Carey, new life has been breathed into the character of Rogue.  His decision to finally give her full control over her mutant power has finally allowed the once-one note X-Man to really grab the spotlight and move forward, and this issue gives us more of that to enjoy.  The script does a good job of getting across how much Rogue has come into her own over the course of the last few issues.  The moment when she steps up with a solution to following Emplate back to his dimension without endangering  X-Man-in-training Trance not only serves as a powerful character beat, but a perfectly logical answer to the predicament.

Speaking of Trance, she seems to be a character that Carey’s taken an interest in and I welcome his decision to give her a bit of the spotlight.  It’s sometimes disconcerting to note just how much of the different X-titles “airtime” constantly goes to Cyclops, Emma Frost, and Wolverine.  Carey is taking advantage of the large, eclectic cast this kind of title offers him.

Acuna’s art is beginning to grow on me.  Despite some slight muddiness and loss of detail in the scenes set on the island of Utopia, he really shines when we enter Emplate’s otherworldly dimension.  I’d even say it’s fair to say that his real strength lies with bringing the bizarre to life, as his renditions of the vampiric Emplate, the twisted D.O.A., and Rogue’s trance form are a sight to behold.  The Peepshow moment and this issue’s cover were also both particularly strong.

What’s Not So Good: No matter what anyone tells me, “Bling” is one of the worst super-hero names ever.  It also doesn’t work one bit, despite what this comic book thinks, as a sound effect.

Nitpicker alert!  Someone should really mention to Acuna that having Onyxx standing directly beside Rockslide is just plain confusing.  I mean, they’re both basically “big rock-skinned guys” and the only way you can tell them apart is that one of them wears a helmet.  At least I think that’s a helmet.

Conclusion: This issue’s a winner.  Carey, every month, demonstrates that he knows these characters well and how to make them interesting, most prominently Rogue.  Acuna shows off his ability by really taking advantage of his strengths within the story.  As a result, X-Men Legacy is definitely becoming the X-Men title to follow.

Grade: B

– Joe Lopez

Uncanny X-Men #516 – Review

by Matt Fraction (writer), Greg Land (pencils), Jay Leisten (inks), Justin Ponsors (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Magneto tries to make his position clear and Nation X faces its first attack/invasion.

What’s Good: Magneto is the obvious star of the show here.  Fraction does a solid job of writing the character.  His voice is enjoyable, at once likable and yet impossible not to find suspicious, always carrying that air of sophistication, intelligence, and power.

What’s even better is how his very presence alone only deepens the already present cracks between X-Men.  If anything, Fraction uses Magneto not just as a character, but also as a kind of social phenomenon among Nation-X’s residents.  This leads to a particularly interesting legitimization of Scott, as he puts Professor X in line.  It makes the issue feel intelligent, something that Uncanny sorely needs.

Magneto is also a good fit ideologically within Nation X in his non-combative stance.  It allows a number of interesting discussions.  His conversation with Cyclops over the possibility of continuing the mutant race is a definite highlight, with Scott’s stance of hope standing nicely in contrast to Magneto’s noble pessimism.  It’s a nice debate with both characters occupying rather touching positions.

Art-wise, Greg Land, overall, actually does a pretty good job.  Magneto looks good, with one double-page spread detailing Magneto’s recent history with the High Evolutionary being very impressive.  I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention that this is probably my favourite Uncanny cover in a long time.  Nightcrawler is also very well done, whether static or in motion.  Thankfully, much of this issue is dialogue, meaning Land can stick to the basics.

What’s Not So Good: That said, Land, even on a good month, commits an atrocity.  This month, I was stunned to see Land seemingly re-use images from last month.  There is one particular panel featuring the mysterious new crew of baddies, with Bouncing Bettie and Verre in the background.  I’m pretty damned sure that Land just took prominent images of the two characters from last month’s issue and pasted them in, hoping that just because they’re now in the background, we won’t notice.  Then later, he uses the same image of Bouncing Bettie again in another panel.  Now, perhaps this is just a case of Land re-using a photo-reference, but it sure doesn’t look it.

Speaking of cutting corners, Fraction clearly wanted to quickly create a rift between Xavier and Summers over Magneto, but chose not to do it in any logical manner.  Magneto removes his helmet and invites the X-Men to read his mind.  Why then would Xavier assume Magneto’s guilt without using his telepathy, let alone launch a psychic attack?  It’s a shame, as the Xavier/Cyclops dynamic is a good one here, but Xavier’s actions didn’t make sense.

Beyond this, I felt that scenes with Scalphunter went on a little too long.  I also don’t feel that Fraction has yet settled on bad-guy leader Lobe’s voice, which veers wildly between formal and colloquial in a manner that’s just strange.

Conclusion: It’s actually a pretty good issue of Uncanny, and mainly because Magneto rules!

Grade: B –

-Alex Evans

X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #1 – Review

By Jeff Parker (Writer – Both Stories)

“The X-Heist” Art Team – Carlo Pagulayan (Pencils), Jason Paz (Inks) and Wil Quintana (Colors)

“Atomic Age Heroes” Art Team – Chris Samnee (Art) and Veronica Gandini (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: The X-Men/Agents of Atlas crossover seems a bit unnecessary. That said, I can’t help but support it if it helps to grab more readers for the next volume of the Agents of Atlas ongoing.

The Story: In “The X-Heist” the Agents of Atlas attempt to steal Cerebro from Utopia in order to use it in their search for the missing Venus. “Atomic Age Heroes” is decidedly old school in tone and style as the X-Men and the Agents of Atlas fight it out because of mutant wildlife.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #1 (lead by the “X-Heist” story) is, somewhat surprisingly, a fine start to what looks to be an entertaining bridge between the Atlas ongoing and the eventual monthly Incredible Hercules bonus feature. The X-Men and the Agents have a confrontation for a logical reason and that goes a long way towards making the limited series feel more meaningful than your typical cash/reader grab-fueled crossover right from the start. The “Atomic Age Heroes” story, meanwhile, is a fun slice of retro comic goodness that proves to be a nice little addition to the book.

While the storytelling and character work by Jeff Parker is as strong as expected (it’s what has made Atlas a favorite of mine) for both stories, Parker’s use of Matt Fraction’s now signature character information boxes in “The X-Heist” is, in a word, annoying. I get that the limited series is designed to get Uncanny readers interested in the Agents, but by using Fraction’s style it seems as though Parker (it might be Marvel’s fault) is setting up a bait and switch move. Agents of Atlas has never read like an “X” book, so maybe it would have been a better move to let the limited series read more like an Atlas book. At the very least it would have given new readers a better taste of what the Atlas series is really like. At least “Atomic Age Heroes” makes up for it somewhat by reading like long like comic from Marvel’s past.

Carlo Pagulayan’s work for “The X-Heist” is very impressive and does both teams justice. The X-Men look iconic, the Agents look appropriately pulpy, and the action makes good use of all the characters battling it out. Everything looks slick, modern, and polished during most of the “X-Heist,” though I’m not quite sure that’s exactly the best style for the comic. It makes the Agents look really out of place and, I hate to say it, but a bit silly. Two scenes employ a more familiar Atlas style however, and it makes me wonder why the look couldn’t have been used for the entire book.

Chris Samnee’s work for “Atomic Age Heroes” is a perfect fit for the way the short bonus tale plays out. It’s retro and old school without ever giving off the sense that someone was trying to hard. In short, Samnee’s art hits pretty much all the right notes and helps “Atomic Age Heroes” to be a lot of fun.

Conclusion: More Atlas is always a good thing, but I can’t help but be disappointed by the fact that someone felt that the Agents needed to conform to the X-Men style.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Deadpool #16 – Review

By Daniel Way (Writer), Paco Medina (Pencils), Juan Vlasco (Inks), Marte Gracia (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Given how the recent “X” crossovers have turned out, I’m a bit concerned about what’s going to happen to Deadpool now that Wade is headed towards becoming one of the X-Men. Now, granted, I do realize that the Deadpool “X” arc isn’t a true crossover so it might not be such a bad thing for the series. One thing’s for sure though: If any series can enter X-Men territory and come out unscathed, it’s Deadpool.

The Story: After initially getting rejected by the X-Men, Deadpool finds himself being cautiously welcomed back by the mutants. Meanwhile, the X-Men deal with a strange media circus that’s being caused by a young mutant’s father.

What’s Good: I hope this makes sense…Deadpool #16 is, in reality, only half of a Deadpool comic. The other half is an X-Men comic that Daniel Way wrote with his Deadpool pen. Is that a bad thing? Surprisingly, it’s not.

As expected, humor is a large part of what makes Deadpool #16 such an entertaining book. While the story is certainly strong enough to move things along (especially in regards to the Domino and Dagger scenes), there’s no question that bringing the funny is what Way does best when it comes to his Deadpool series. Way gives the X-Men humorous dialogue whenever Wade is somehow involved in their conversations and uses the mutants in a way that makes Deadpool come across as far more sympathetic than usual. However, that’s not to say that Wade’s being soften up by Way. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Merc with a Mouth is as unpredictable and crazy as ever throughout Deadpool #16. Case in point: I doubt you’ve ever seen pancakes used in such a way.

Paco Medina is quickly becoming one of my favorite Marvel artists. Since he started on the Deadpool series, I’ve wanted to see what he would do with other characters. Now that I’ve seen him handle the X-Men, I can’t help but wonder why Marvel isn’t putting him on more books. With the help of Juan Vlasco’s inks and Marte Gracia’s vivid colors, Medina’s pencils are stylish, clean and a little sexy, and loaded with the type of personality that needs to be seen more often.

What’s Not So Good: While Deadpool #16 looks great and proves to be extremely entertaining, some of the storytelling is a bit clunky. While the family issue between a mutant and her father that takes up a chunk of the book eventually becomes relevant, it takes up more page space than it’s worth. Also, a scene that meshes Deadpool and Domino’s encounter with Domino’s status report to Cyclops doesn’t really flow all that well. It comes across as far more convoluted and complicated than it should.

Conclusion: Deadpool continues to be one hell of a fun series. If you aren’t reading it than you’re definitely missing out on one of Marvel’s best monthlies.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Astonishing X-Men #31 – Review

By Warren Ellis (Writer), Phil Jimenez (Pencils), Andy Lanning (Inks), and Frank D’Armata (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Warren Ellis’ first Astonishing arc was held back a bit by Simone Bianchi’s inconsistent, occasionally ugly artwork. With Phil Jimenez now on board, I’m hoping that the artwork consistently does justice to Ellis’ storytelling. If Jimenez’s past work is any indication, it’s a good bet that it will.

The Story: The X-Men pull out all the stops in an effort to save Abigail Brand’s life as she plummets to the earth in an escape shell following an unexpected encounter with The Brood.

What’s Good And What’s Not So Good: From start to finish, Astonishing X-Men #31 is one hell an entertaining thrill ride. While there isn’t a whole lot to the book beyond the Abigail Brand rescue and an interesting, somewhat odd ending, there really doesn’t need to be because Warren Ellis and Phil Jimenez are such a strong creative team. Ellis and Jimenez make the absolute most of a simple premise and show that their run definitely has the potential to live up to the hype that Marvel has given it.

As expected, Warren Ellis’ dialogue is superb. Predictably, He throws around techno-babble like a pro, yet his writing never feels pretentious. His signature wit and dry humor manages to shine through on nearly every page as he effortlessly continues to put his stamp on the Astonishing team’s dynamic. Also, it must be said once again that Ellis writes Emma Frost and Beast better than anyone. The writer’s style and sense of humor truly shines whenever either Beast or Frost is in command of a panel.

Phil Jimenez’s Astonishing debut is impressive, yet it’s not perfect. The gripping action is silky smooth and the panel layouts are slick, but some of the character work and coloring knock the overall quality down a notch. In particular, Jimenez has some noticeable problems keeping Emma Frost’s look consistent and Frank D’Armata’s rich colors have the unfortunate effect of making everyone look a bit shiny. Still though, despite the flaws, the action that drives Astonishing X-Men #31 is incredibly engaging and a whole lot of fun.

Conclusion: The Warren Ellis/Phil Jimenez era of Astonishing X-Men is off to a fine start. I look forward to seeing what the team has in store for us next. Also, on a personal note, I believe that the word “gauche” totally needs to be used in more comics.

Grade: B

-Kyle Posluszny

WCBR’s Top Picks

Kyle’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Secret Warriors #8 – The “God of Fear, God of War” arc continues to impress the hell out of me thanks to the strong character work that’s been done for both Phobos and his father, Ares.

Most Anticipated: Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors #1 – Predictable choice, I know, but more Secret Warriors is always a good thing.

Other Top Picks: Batman and Robin #5, Sweet Tooth #2, Astonishing X-Men #31, The List: Secret Warriors, Deadpool #16, Strange Tales #2, Vengence of the Moon Knight #2, X-Men Vs. Agents of Atlas #1, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #3, Haunt #1, Incarnate #2, Witchblade #131, and War Heroes #3.

Rob G.’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Thor #603- This just book just edges out Green Lantern #46 because of it’s sheer literary mastery (although GL was a ton of fun). Thor is one for the ages and will be remembered as a classic, maybe the best run of this past decade.

Most Anticipated: Astonishing X-Men #31 – The return of the Brood in Ellis’s hands. Let me wipe the drool away. Plus, Jemeriz has taken over art duties so I’m looking forward to more consistent and pleasing visuals than the last arc. Honestly, I can’t see what can be bad here.

Other Top Picks: Amazing Spider-Man #608, Batman and Robin #5, Batman: The Unseen #1, Captain America: Theater of War – Ghosts of my Country, Daredevil #501, Dark Reign: The List – Secret Warriors, Irredeemable #7, Spider-Man 1602 #1, Sweet Tooth #2, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #3, Vengeance of the Moon Knight #2.

DS’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Wonder Woman #36 – Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti are succeeding in restoring WW to her deserved status as one of the pillars of the DCU. Simone’s fantastic story-telling is setting the stage for another great story arc.

Most Anticipated: Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1 – it’s been a long time since we’ve had a regular dose of a Sorcerer Supreme and I’ve liked Jericho Drumm since first reading him in Strange Tales. I love Dr. Strange, but I’m hoping a new doctor in the house will bring back the freshness that made the sorcerer supreme so great under Lee and Ditko in the 1960’s.

Other Picks: Ghost Rider: Heavens on Fire #3, Batman and Robin #5, Justice League: Cry for Justice #4, Magog #2, Superman: World of New Krypton #8.

Alex’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Secret Warriors #8 -The more this book focuses on the kids, the more I like it. This month’s issue was entirely centred around them, and so it takes home my pick of the week.

Most Anticipated: Haunt #1 – I was underwhelmed with Kirkman’s last ongoing, Astounding Wolf-Man, I haven’t cared about Todd McFarlane in ten years (maybe), the 10-page preview was disappointing, and the advance reviews have been absolutely blistering. What was once excitement for this series has quickly turned to morbid curiosity. That said, I’m taking a real “I’ll see it for myself” stand on this for now.

Other Picks: Batman & Robin #5, Sweet Tooth #2, Daredevil #501.

Tony’s Picks

Best of the Past Week: Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu Black & White One Shot – Green Lantern was good, don’t get me wrong, but last week’s black and white Shang-Chi comic was unlike anything Marvel’s done in a long time, and I really respected that.

Most Anticipated: Planetary #27 – Wow, the comic three years in the making. I’m sitting here at work right now typing this out and actually still have a copy of Planetary #26 in my desk, noting with bewilderment that it came out November 2006. For better or worse, the comic that reignited my love of this artform ends here and now. I’ve waited three years for this moment so, yes, it is rather anticipated.

Other Top Picks: Batman and Robin #5, Criminal: Sinner #1, Daredevil #501, Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1, Vengeance of the Moon Knight #2

Comics for 4-Year-Olds

X-Men #1

By Stan Lee (writer), Jack Kirby (artist), Paul Reinman (inker)

A few comments before the review: I started sharing my love of superheroes with my 4-year-old son a few months ago. At a recent comic con in Toronto, I bought him the X-Men Omnibus Volume 1 (collecting issues #1-31 of Uncanny). He loves it and we are reading one issue each night. We’re doing reviews for all those other dads out there that want to share the magic with their children.

The Story: The book opens on Professor X and the four first X-Men heading into another training session. Then Jean Grey arrives and the boys go gaga (except for Iceman) and the team is complete. In the meantime, Magneto is misdirecting and stealing rockets and finally attacks the missile base of Cape Citadel. Then comes the X-Men’s Baptist of fire.

What’s good for my 4-year-old: This is a great action story that leads into hours of conversation and a few laughs. I get questions like “Why does Marble Girl lift Beast in the air?” My answer: “Because he didn’t ask before he kissed her.” We talked about what magnets do, and army men, and why ice melts. He laughs when Beast blows on his hands after Bobby frosted them up. Joshua gets up out of bed and runs around the room to show me how fast Angel can fly.

What’s good for me: I obviously don’t read Lee’s text to a 4-year-old (even in 1963, he was writing to pretty advanced teenagers), so I really have to work at bringing the story and concepts to a level that Joshua will enjoy. We laugh over the slapstick moments, like Cyclops shooting through Iceman’s ice-wall in the danger room. Joshua delights in the Beast walking on his fingers or spinning on a wire. He also loves to see Angel fly really fast. That’s a real eye-opener for me. I never would have expected the Beast to be the most popular, but to a 4-year-old, Hank McCoy is the funniest one. What was also great was looking back at issue #1 with 46 years of history between now and then. The X-Men have come a long way from the seven mutants in that first issue. It was also great to read this issue and compare it with the hindsight perspective that Scott had in UXM #138, just after Phoenix died.

What’s hard to explain: The whole concept of unconsciousness (a common thing in the superhero world) is difficult, but I get through by explaining it as sleep. The larger question of ethics (“Why is Magneto not nice?”) is tougher, but I keep telling him that when Magneto was a boy, he didn’t listen to his papa. That explanation will actually hold water for another 149 issues…

Conclusion: I went back in time to get something I could share with my son. Uncanny X-Men #1 in the X-Men Omnibus turned out to be a great choice. I can get into it for nostalgic reasons. Joshua gets into it for high adventure. The conflicts are simple, no one gets hurt, and the comic code reigns supreme, all of which is perfect when reading to a 4-year-old.

Grade: B+

X-Men #2

By Stan Lee (writer), Jack Kirby (artist), Paul Reinman (inker)

The Story: “No One Can Stop The Vanisher” This issue opens with a bang as the X-Men race across their splash page to an emergency summons by Professor X. Beast hops on a train to get to Westchester. Angel carries Marvel Girl and after saving some workmen, Cyclops and Iceman ride in the back of an ice cream truck. At the mansion, the professor shows them a projection of the Vanisher. We see the very first session of the X-Men in the danger room, before they go off to stop the Vanisher from stealing top-secret defense plans from the Pentagon. The Vanisher really is unstoppable and finally makes an advance on the White House after defeating the X-Men. I won’t spoil the ending, but it’s great (half deus ex machine, half classic X-Men character development).

What’s good for my 4-year-old: Iceman stole the show as far as my audience was concerned. Joshua laughed at Iceman freezing a workman’s glove and at Bobby and Scott riding in the back of the ice cream truck. He loved the rapid-fire snowballs Bobby shot around and laughed out loud again when Bobby slid an icy horse underneath Scott and Jean when he found their conversation a little too mushy. This issue, I tried to point out a lot of faces and see if Joshua could tell me what the expressions were. He loved Hank’s look of surprise when the Vanisher swiped back a stolen briefcase and he loved the series of Vanisher expressions at the climax of the book.

What’s good for me: I got to see once again what makes my son laugh out loud and conceptualizing a modern fairy tale for a 4-year-old once again brought me closer to where he is.

What’s hard to explain: Explaining what Professor X and Marvel Girl can do is always a challenge. The source of the Vanisher’s power was slightly easier (he was born different).

Conclusion: Thanks Stan and Jack for a great read for me and my boy. I highly recommend the X-Men Omnibus Volume 1 for just this purpose and now that I’ve seen how Joshua reacts to it, I might look for the Lee/Ditko Spiderman Omnibus. Pricey, but worth it.

Grade: B+

Amazing Fantasy #15

By Stan Lee (writer), Steve Ditko (artist)

The Story: Peter Parker, the sad, friendless boy at school goes to the science center to hear a talk on radioactivity. A spider, creeping down its thread, gets irradiated in the experiment and falls onto Peter’s hand, and bites him. Peter feels strange and leaves the center, ridiculed even by the scientists, not looking where he is going. A car honks and he leaps high out of the way and sticks to the wall. Peter finds he has the abilities of a giant spider and decides to cash in on them by winning $100 in a wrestling match and appearing on TV, as Spiderman. However, when a policeman calls for help with an escaping thief, Peter does nothing. This fateful, selfish decision comes home to haunt him with tragic consequences.

What’s good for my 4-year-old: For pure slapstick adventure, it doesn’t get much better than this. Joshua loves to see Peter jump, stick to walls and crush the metal pipe on the rooftop by accident. Joshua loves seeing Uncle Ben waking up Peter and his mouth waters over the stack of wheatcakes Peter gets for breakfast. The wrestling match is a laugh-out-loud hoot, especially when I do a special voice for Crusher Hogan, the unlucky wrestler.

What’s good for me: The first appearance of Spiderman is a great modern fairy tale, but is also a great morality tale that I can use as the meat and potatoes on talking to my son on how people should be treated and valued. The way Flash Thompson and crew treat Peter is just plain wrong as are their reasons (he’s not very fast, he’s not very strong). Peter asking out Sally is an opportunity to talk about girls and boys. Finally, this was the first time I read it to him including the death of Uncle Ben and why, which is an opportunity to talk about responsibility towards everyone, not just the people who love you.

What’s hard to explain: Joshua asks repeated, probing questions about why getting bitten by a radioactive spider would give someone powers. He also asks why a boy would ask a girl out. The second is easier to answer than the first.

Conclusion: It’s hard to believe that Stan and Steve delivered this iconic story just as filler in a book that was being cancelled. It is a classically crafted story that works well for 4-year olds and for me. I can’t grade it any less than an A+.

Grade: A+

-DS Arsenault and Joshua