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Moon Knight #1 – Review

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Warren Ellis (Writer), Declan Shalvey (Artist), Jordie Bellaire (Colorist)

The Story: It takes a special kind of crazy to assume that a completely white suit will always stay clean while going into a sewer to fight crime.

The Review: Moon Knight is a strange character with a special history. First created as an antagonist in a Werewolf by Night comic, Marc Spector then gained a bit of a following with his own title, with Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz putting quite a lot of mythos behind his stories. Many years later, after the cancellation of said title, the character has been in the hand of many other writers, with most of them trying to bring him back, yet with a twist. Charlie Huston, Gregg Hurtwitz, Brian Michael Bendis and many others then tried to bring him back to pre-eminence, each with their own twists. Still, despite the many volumes and attempts, it seems that Marvel truly has faith in the character as he receives yet another chance in the All-New Marvel Now initiative.

Cue Warren Ellis, a celebrated writer that has done quite a lot of decidedly appreciated work in the comic medium. With a certain style that can certainly adapt itself to the adventures of Marc Spector and with yet another take on the crazed vigilante, could Ellis be the one to finally make it work?

In many respects, Ellis does manage to breathe a whole new life in the character, but also in the way he operates. The major success of the writer, though, rest in the portrayal of the titular hero himself, giving him a sharp personality. With a certain penchant for sophistication, yet not devoid of a certain edge, the more cynic qualities of Ellis writing manage to make him shine throughout the entire issue. He is charismatic, seemingly in control of the situation, yet also dangerous, making him some kind of ambiguous menace. Pushing forth the approach to ambiguity that made the character appealing in the first place, the issue does not still forget that this is as much an introduction as it is a re-introduction to just who and what Marc Spector is.

It’s in that respect that the issue also work very well, with just enough information given to old time fans that they can feel that this is not merely a continuation of what they love as it is an evolution, an adaptation of the character in its essence. The Moench, Huston, Hurwitz and Bendis era are all referenced, implementing what happened as essential to the character, yet without putting an over-emphasis on them. This is a new chapter in the saga of the Moon Knight and Ellis takes full advantage of it without pushing the past back.

However, those who are not fans might be a bit lost, making the few first pages talking about the character a tad superfluous in the whole experience. They are handled with enough clarity as to ensure the essential experience of this opening is enjoyable and concise, yet some might be a tad annoyed that there is a certain slowing down in the first few opening and closing pages of the issue.
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Magneto #1 – Review

Posted on March 6, 2014 by nightwing17

By: Cullen Bunn (writer), Gabriel Hernandez Walta (artist), Jordie Bellaire (color artist)

Magneto. Erik. Max. Champion. Terrorist. Survivor. Revolutionary. But never victim…

Magneto has been many things to many people, but, for better or worse, something’s changed in him. Building a stable future didn’t work, the mutant revolution wasn’t enough, and so this series opens with an inherent mystery: who is Magneto now?

Cullen Bunn does a fine job of demonstrating Erik’s complexity. An onlooker’s report that he kills “on autopilot” contrasts, but never contradicts, the methodical focus with which Magneto goes about his task. Bunn’s first issue lacks a single brilliant anything, not a scene, not a line, but while there isn’t a crystallized moment, it’s hard to deny that there’s a power in his words.

This Magneto gives off the gravity that his character deserves. He could be raining metal from the sky or drinking his coffee and you would be holding your breath just the same. But while Bunn gets into a great rhythm before long, he does take a minute to get the hang of Erik’s voice. Unnecessary biblical references and Magneto’s judgments of himself belabor the early pages. Thankfully, Bunn does a much better job of analyzing the master of magnetism through the lens of other characters. Magnus’ comments reflect the situation only as much as they reveal the inner workings of his mind.

One particularly welcome characteristic of our protagonist is his willingness to change his mind. At least to me, a Magneto beyond reasoning is a boring one. Not that he should be sticking up for humans, but so much beautiful subtlety is lost when he paints exclusively in black and white. The revelations of this issue’s final act demonstrate Magneto’s ability to reevaluate the situation and even to exhibit empathy, that most hated and yet most necessary element of the character.

The plot for this issue is pretty simplistic. It seems more interested in setting up the status quo and the tone of the series than demonstrating the premise at its most exciting. The series has a hook by the end of this issue, and a pretty solid one at that, but it’s a slow build.

Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s style is instantly distinct. He presents something of a simplified realism in his drawings, perhaps appropriate to the character. It’s very much in Marvel’s recent trend of more art-centric comics, but it’s decidedly not David Aja or Javier Pulido. Deep blacks and beautifully washed out colors, courtesy of Jordie Bellaire, flow into Walta’s thin, graceful lines and between the gentle shading that makes up so much of the book.
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New Warriors #2 – Review

Posted on March 6, 2014 by nightwing17

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

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

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

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

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

With thirteen pages devoted to battles with the Evolutionaries or superhero infighting, Yost has to make his remaining seven count. Justice gets some much needed time to shine in the form of a visit to Avengers Tower. This scene could probably have sped up its exposition slightly, but is decidedly helpful to new readers and conveys Justice’s concern without making him seem dull. Then again, maybe it’s just the fact that he’s standing next to ol’ Slim Summers.
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Punisher #3 – Review

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Nathan Edmondson (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Artist)

The Story: Can you harm electricity with bullets? I suppose Frank will find out soon enough as he fights Electro.

The Review: It must be tough to have a handle on a popular property. When a writer gets to write another chapter in the continuing adventures of a highly known and liked character, there must be a high amount of pressure. There’s a need to stick to what makes the property well-liked in the first place, but also a need to add something new all the same, to integrate a new voice all the same to the continuity.

It’s what Nathan Edmondson has to struggle with in this latest volume of Punisher. With some definitely highly-regarded stories done by reputed storytellers before him, the writer has the challenge to match them but also distinguish himself from what came before, which is a tough task with a character as singularly-minded in his appeal as Frank Castle. While past issues did their best to make it so this new volume has promise, does the third issue shows the same promise is the premise faltering?

Unfortunately, it’s a bit of a weaker offering this time around, despite some good ideas being thrown around to make things interesting. The explanation of what the weapon that brought Frank to L.A is, the arrival of Electro and the pretty solid amount of action is definitely a plus for the book, putting forth a good amount of what the character is appreciated for as well as a certain amount of depth to the first story arc.

What’s also good, but also different, is the manner in which Frank acts and operates with his mission. A bit more open to other people, yet not without his tactical approach to wholesale slaughter of criminals, this is a new type of Punisher that is quite fun to read. The contrast in how he talks to Tuggs in this issue and how he simply blast his way through henchmen is a rather simple, yet effective one that do send the message that Edmondson knows who Frank Castle is well.
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. S01E14 – Review

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Minhquan Nguyen

By: Jeffrey Bell (story)

The Story: Unsurprisingly, S.H.I.E.L.D. makes it even harder to get your medical history.

The Review: I’ve always had serious questions about this show’s attempts to wring a sense of closeness out of the cast before they’ve fully earned it, ever since the second episode, when they set all friction aside to watch the sunset together.  Things have improved since then, with the last episode in particular displaying how good a chemistry the team can have when allowed to bounce off each other, instead of delivering one-liners in between exposition.

The thing is there’s still a gap between the unity the show thinks they have and what actually comes across on screen.  Early in the first act of this episode, after S.H.I.E.L.D. medics strive and fail to repair Skye’s mortal wounds, a doctor tells Coulson and Co. to contact Skye’s family.  Coulson takes a beat and declares, “We’re her family.”  Allow me a dubious “Hm…” as I discuss the presumptuousness of that line.
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Hawkeye #15 – Review

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Minhquan Nguyen

By: Matt Fraction (story), David Aja (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors)

The Story: Get morning coffee.  Check.  Do crossword.  Check.  Defeat hitman…?

The Review: Much as I’ve enjoyed this series, I’ve always felt one of its biggest failings was the lack of an overarching plot.  Fraction definitely seems like he knows where he’s going, but his narrative has been distractible and meandering, making sudden jumps in time and perspective, giving you information in such a fractured way that it took months for us to learn what would ordinarily take a few issues.

And for what?  Mostly for Fraction to experiment with his storytelling and kill time with witty, random asides.  Indeed, the Kate-centric issues have been about almost nothing else.  Fruitful and entertaining as many of these experiments and asides have been, you would have preferred a speedier resolution to this whole deal with the Bro Gang, or Tracksuits, or Titushki, or whatever they actually call themselves.
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Revolutionary War Supersoldiers #1 – Review

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Rob Williams (Writer), Brent Anderson, Tom Palmer (Artists), Ruth Redmond (Colorist)

The Story: I suppose an invasion by demons sent by Mys-Tech might make the wait just a bit longer for the Super Soldiers movie.

The Review: It can be easy to fall into hype mode when reading about future projects and potential revivals. Publishers are, after all, business that do have to present with a sort of hyperbole their products to the market, to make sure people buy them. It’s common knowledge, of course, but it’s not so easy to be completely objective when certain factors are in play.

I really liked Captain Britain and MI:13, a fun super heroic book presenting one of my favourite character along other British heroes fighting weird threats, while I also loved Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning on many cosmic titles. Pushing ahead a whole mini-series of one-shots intended to revitalize the UK corner of the Marvel universe with Andy Lanning as one of the main driving force seemed like a dream come true, yet reality can be a harsh mistress. With some being quite decent while others not so much, we’ve had quite a fluctuation of quality, with this week’s offering being just another example of trying very hard, yet achieving little in general.

Rob Williams, the writer of this story trying to bring back the Super Soldiers, tries quite a lot in many ways to make this count, as if this was but the first chapter of a new ongoing. Presenting us his characters in a semi-satirical manner as well as throughout action, there are a number of ways where there is a genuine affection for the character permeating the issue, yet there is a multitude of elements going against the book.
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Indestructible Hulk #19 – Review

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Mark Waid (Writer) Jheremy Raapack, Joe Bennett, Ruy Jose, Tom Grummett, Karl Kesel, Andrew Hennessy (Artists), Val Staples (Colorist)

The Story: Bruce tries to find out just what happened to Jessup as an evil organisation plans for nefarious deeds related to inhumans.

The Review: Some writers are known to surprise readers. It can be an especially nice thing to know that someone is able to circumvent expectations, allowing for twists and turns to be shown at random. To not be able to see where the title could be headed is a blessing for fans, with a untold possibilities being presented in each issues.

However, not all such writers can achieve good results with said approach at all times. For all the praise Mark Waid has received for work such as Kingdom Come, Daredevil and Superman: Birthright, there are some things he did that don’t exactly warrant the same kind of commendation. Unfortunately, his Indestructible Hulk run, for the most part, simply hasn’t been the best of showcase when it comes to the man and his talent, with this issue being a good example.

It’s not that it’s bad, far from it. There are multiple qualities that are quite visible, making the book not a terrible read, but a bit of an unfulfilling one. For one, the characterization of Bruce Banner is not only sound, but also interesting. The use of narration to provide an outlet for his inner thoughts and his more analytical tendencies prove to be a rather apt method to present characterization and contextualization without slowing things down. His rage, his attempts at calming down and his interactions with others prove to be rather amusing, with Waid pushing forth his version of the character in ways that feel natural to the story he’s telling here.
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Wolverine and the X-Men #42 – Review

Posted on February 28, 2014 by nightwing17

By: Jason Aaron (writer); Nick Bradshaw, Pepe Larraz, Ramon Perez, Shawn Crystal, Steve Sanders, Nuno Alves, Tim Townsend, & Chris Bachalo (artists); Matt Milla & Lee Loughridge (color artists)

The Story: It’s graduation day for the Jean Grey School and Quentin Quire is in for a reckoning that’s been building all semester.

The Review: It’s been a long strange road for this series, but it’s finally over.

For this capstone story Jason Aaron returns us to the Jean Grey School of the future from WatXM #29. As the mutants of Earth-616 prepare for graduation, a tired old Logan prepares to shut down the school on Earth-13729.

Aaron, in no uncertain terms, focuses this story around the three most important characters of his run: Logan, Idie Okonkwo, and Quentin Quire. When the Jean Grey School opened, each one of them entered with blood on their hands. The struggle for each has not been to atone for past deeds, but rather to redefine themselves so that they have a future going forward.

Idie definitely gets the short end of the stick in terms of billing, but she’s actually one of the best characters in this issue. Both as her present self and as a confidant X-Man of the future, Idie shows drastic change from the beginning of the series. While I wish this transition had been more of a gradual process than a couple of off-screen leaps, the character that Idie has become is absolutely lovely. Her simple dialogue with Quire and Future Logan is probably some of the best work that Aaron has done with a female character over the whole of the run and makes her relationships with Logan and Quire feel real and substantial.

Meanwhile Quentin is dealing, or perhaps not dealing, with the fact that the Jean Grey School has changed him. Like a less flamboyant Stewie Griffin, he longs for the days when the mere thought of his dastardly plans made the hair stand up on Cyclops, Captain America, and Wolverine’s necks.  What Aaron fails to bring in reality, he certainly provides in humor and heart.
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Deadpool #24 – Review

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Brian Posehn, Gerry Duggan (Writers), Mike Hawthorne (Artist), Jordie Bellaire (Colorist)

The Story: Agent Preston finally gets transferred out of Deadpool. The only thing she needs to do is get out of his head.

The Review: The more you read cape comics, the more you begin to learn to appreciate honest effort from any creative team. While it can be a hard task to differentiate those that actually care from those that only wants a paycheck, there are times when the work is clear-cut in its quality that it is immediately noticeable.

This issue of Deadpool is one of the latter, with both writers actually going around with plenty of elements firmly established from their run as well as previous ones to present not only a definitive version of the character, but one that has plenty of hidden depth to boot.

What Posehn and Duggan does impossibly right is making the character an actual person, one with regrets, feelings and genuine emotions that are both said and unsaid, leaving room for readers to interpret things as well as invest themselves in. With this issue being the culmination of several elements brought up since the first arc, the evolution on display here is superb, with all the horror, the thrills and the actions of Wade Wilson coming back to him, making him not only a sympathetic character, but also one that becomes genuinely likable in many respects. To transform this character from recurring and sometimes annoying joke to an actual person takes skill, which is very commendable for both writers.
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Secret Avengers #16 – Review

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Nick Spencer, Ales Kot (Writers), Luke Ross (Artist), Matthew Wilson (Colorist)

The Story: Mockingbird gets her revenge as the weights of all the secrets may be too much for some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

The Review: Everyone have some preconceptions when it comes to finales. Whenever something conclude, many people hope to see a closure on the important themes, that each threads will get resolved and that there will be big moments that leave fans satisfied of the whole ride. Some books do deliver, some exceed expectations, yet some unfortunately comes short of greatness, which is always a tad regrettable for those who followed the whole thing.

This finale is, in its own ways, a strange beast as it manages to be all of those things, providing a certain sense of closure to the war against Andrew Forson, yet also goes out of its way to provide for some ending to other aspects that don’t all work.

One of the weirdest, yet strangely moving part is the one with Mentallo, one of the ministers of A.I.M. who was particularly depressed in this arc. While the few pages he received earlier never did seem especially important or relevant to the overall conflict shown, it was a certain showcase of a man hit by depression, by a cage of his own design and that wanted out. In this issue, both Kot and Spencer gives him a finale that is bizarre, but also utterly touching, with him doing plenty to help the only actual friend he had as well as setting himself free in a fashion that is creative, yet also true to the character.

A side that is also well played, yet in a way that feels a bit more true to the roots of the book is the one with the team and Maria Hill, with the secrets and the way the game is played being too much for many present in the heli-carrier. Opening with M.O.D.O.K and finishing with a term very familiar to fans of the series, those few pages encapsulate a lot of what Spencer and then Kot made work in this series. It’s a fitting ending to the current iteration of this team, with finishes on a panel focusing on Maria Hill, one of the better character of this series.
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Thunderbolts #22 – Review

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Charles Soule (Writer), Carlo Barberi (Artist), Israel Silva (Colorist)

The Story: Who knew that Hell would be so violent toward those that tries to challenge and overthrow their ruler?

The Review: There are times when, even if one might really like character exploration, big concepts or huge surprises, a person crave for action. With super hero comics being definitely known for delivering on said conflicts and fisticuffs, it’s nice to see that you can sometime count on a genre to deliver on a specific desire.

It is exactly what this conclusion to this arc brings to the table, with plenty of demon-bashing and violent tendencies being shown on the page. However, while a certain aspect might be satisfying, does Charles Soule deliver on other important aspects as well?

It’s a fine enough job, although it certainly isn’t perfect by any means. What work, though, is the continued combination of violence, dysfunctional character and humor that makes the scenes flow very naturally together for the most part. The normalization of violence and the setting in which the team is currently in makes for a strangely effective story, with the focus on action only enhancing the general allure.

What’s also quite good is the way Soule plays around with the character, with him having quite a lot of fun with characters like Ghost Rider, Red Leader, Red Hulk, Punisher and Deadpool. Playing with their quirks, desires and their speech pattern, the humor, action and chaos is accentuated by their reactions, with some moments being satisfying for fans.

Not all characters gets the same amount of work, though, with Elektra and Venom being a bit left on the side. Having few lines and few incidences on the plot, their inclusion seems more like a necessity of the concept rather than a natural and integral part of this present arc. They are present, but certainly not that important.

Still, despite it all, the aforementioned action takes a bit of precedence on the plot, which allows for cool moments and a display of some of the more brutal inclinations. However, the action doesn’t remove the importance of the plot, with the fight for Hell being still a focal point to the evolution of the team in many ways. Mephisto’s machinations, the deal they made and how they want to remove Mercy from their grasp is still dealt with in a manner that is generally entertaining and satisfying.
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Cataclysm: The Ultimates’ Last Stand #5 – Review

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy (Artists), Jason Keith (Colorist)

The Story: The plan of Reed Richards and Tony Stark gets going as the fate of the Ultimate universe lays on Kitty Pride and her ability to fight Galactus on her lonesome.

The Review: I have to confess I am a bit relieved. While this series started on the right footing with plenty of destruction and high stakes, the more it progressed, the less it could make me care. While I do have a general appreciation of the Ultimate universe and its characters, there are a great many things I like quite a bit more than this publishing line.

One of those is Galactus. Being a creation of Jack Kirby and Stan Lee along with being an amazing concept, I always do tend to like it when he is included in stories. With his presence, the stakes are always higher, more cosmic and there is always an inherent mix of goofiness and awesome that is brought alongside the character that I enjoy tremendously. However, for some reasons, it seems that this series and its conclusion, despite it featuring heavily the character in question, managed to be a rather unsatisfying affair.

Where it fails, in a way, is in how it is expedient, but also a bit unbelievable. While suspension of disbelief if a concept that is strongly tied to anything that is super heroic, the fact that the manner in which the characters actually defeat the cosmic entity is quite absurd is a tad baffling. While the very thought of someone trading punches with the planet-eater is something that is exciting on paper, the manner in which this very action unfold is quite a stretch considering the very threat and power Galactus represents.
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Superior Spider-Man #28 – Review

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Dan Slott (Writer), Giuseppe Camuncoli, John Dell (Artists), Antonio Fabela (Colorist)

The Story: The Goblin Nation gets even worse as Otto needs to prepare himself to counter-attack. The only thing, though, is that he’s not the only one in that regard…

The Review: Tempering our expectations is something that every enthusiast of anything should learn to do. To have any kind of hope toward something can lead to disappointment, which can be earned or not. Still, with many marketing strategy built around the fact that people must be excited and eager to find out what any product does or can succeed at, it’s something that can be particularly hard to achieve.

It is why the very last storyline of this book has quite a lot to live up to. With the controversial series building up to this particular arc, the creative team has a lot to work with, yet also huge challenges to meet if they want to end this whole experimentation on a high note.

With such information being released to the readers, one cannot help but be a tad underwhelmed by this particular issue for various reasons. While it doesn’t do anything of bad quality or things that are questionable at best, it suffers a bit from middle-chapter syndrome. It brings a lot of elements upfront and explains some details that are vital for the continuation of the story, yet sacrifice some of the better aspects in order to do just that.
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Fantastic Four #1 – Review

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by James Robinson (Writer), Leonard Kirk, Karl Kesel (Artists), Jesus Aburtov (Colorist)

The Story: The beginning of dire events are retold to us as Marvel’s first family stand unaware of what will eventually happen to them.

The Review: I have a fondness for the Fantastic Four. Being the very first team that actually opened up the Marvel universe, the way they functioned and operated was a barrel of fun, with some huge name like Jack Kirby, John Byrne, Walter Simonson, Mark Waid and Jonathan Hickman portraying their adventures. With a penchant for adventures fueled by a heavy dose of imagination and exploration, this team has turned plenty of cynics into fans thanks to a good dose of nostalgia and evolution which makes them still relevant in this day and age despite the fact that they are more than fifty years old.

However, not all the tenures on the title have been particularly good. For some, the tenure of Matt Fraction, Dwayne McDuffie, Mark Millar and others haven’t been of great quality, which makes this latest volume somewhat of a mystery. With James Robinson being a writer that is usually good with older concepts while also having a good deal of missteps in the past few years. Does the hit-and-miss writer succeed or fail when handling those treasured characters?

In many ways, it is a bit too early to tell when looking at the merits and the less-successful moments found in this opening issue. Going for a perhaps darker approach with this usually brighter team, Robinson shows a certain willingness to innovate and goes in a different direction. It is, however, a mixed success due to many factors.
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Uncanny Avengers #17 – Review

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Rick Remender (Writer), Steve McNiven, Jay Leisten (Artists), Laura Martin, Justin Ponsor, Matt Milla, Larry Molinar (Colorists)

The Story: The fate of the Earth is decided as the heroes fight for the survival of everyone.

The Review (with spoilers): Rick Remender can be a bit dark at times. With his penchant to throw several hardship and put his characters through many severe miseries, the writer knows that it’s through adversity and conflicts that actions actually hold a lot more weight. Through his work on Uncanny X-Force, his Fear Agent and many other of his books, there is a tendency to make the life of everyone there as hard and painful as possible.

With this in mind, it seems that Remender took this particular quirk of his to a whole new level. In this very book, which is the finale of a long story-arc that got started in issue five of this series, the heroes lose. Despite all the effort of everyone on Earth and aboard the ark, Exitar manages to destroy the Earth, shattering it to multiple small pieces as the attempts of everyone to save it fail.

In a genre where the usual good versus evil fight is painted in a low amount of grey, this kind of ending is something that is decidedly unusual, something that defies the norms established. Using the traditional non-ending to make things continuous for the next issue, the conclusion to this saga is something that is a bit disconcerting, yet in a good way.

Still, the ending isn’t the only thing of matter in this issue, with plenty of the strengths of Remender being on display here. With a penchant for merging dramatics with plenty of action, this issue is able to switch the focus from one character or set of characters very well, enhancing the scope of things as they escalate to their paroxysm. The way Remender switch from Thor, Wasp, Captain America to the heroes left on Earth makes for a very exciting narrative that makes the buildup to the conclusion that much more effective.
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Seekers of the Weird #2 – Review

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Minhquan Nguyen

By: Brandon Seifert (story), Karl Moline (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), Jean-Francois Beaulieu (colors)

The Story: Never mix reading with lacrosse.

The Review: As you could probably tell, I wasn’t all that impressed with the first issue of this series.  This isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker; plenty of stories need an issue or two—or more—before they get their sea legs.  You don’t always have to take a running leap from the very beginning, so long as you can prove that the premise or the characters are interesting enough to see how they come along.  Seekers of the Weird didn’t quite manage that.

Even more troubling, the second issue isn’t much of an improvement, either.  From the character side of things, Melody, Maxwell, and Roland haven’t gotten any more personable, remaining as flat as they were initially rendered.  Maybe this is the “All Ages” curse rearing its head, but Melody and Maxwell seem particularly generic as tomboy and bookworm.  When Roland explains their mission going forward, Maxwell remarks nervously, “This sounds like a lot of…exercise.”

“And homework,” adds a petulant Melody. (Later, in the Museum’s library, she stares in dismay at all the books around her and cries, “You did mean homework.  Boo!”)
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Daredevil #36 – Review

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Minhquan Nguyen

By: Mark Waid (story), Chris Samnee (art), Javier Rodriguez (colors)

The Story: Matt brings disorder to the court.

The Review: One of the quirks of mainstream superhero comics is that major changes in the status quo can just as likely be the products of editorial strategy as creative ingenuity.  Let’s take Daredevil’s impending move to San Francisco as an example.  It’s hard not to see this and immediately flashback to the X-Men’s inexplicable relocation to the same city just a few years earlier, which was clearly little more than a stunt designed, apparently, to appeal to hipsters.

This feels different, though.  For one thing, Matt has a prior history in California, or so he claims, and for another, moving out of New York became a necessity practically from the moment the words, “My name is Daredevil,” left his mouth last issue.  Even if—spoiler alert—he and Foggy weren’t disbarred as a result, it’s hard to imagine he and his loved ones would survive the public scrutiny and rogue attacks that were sure to come.
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Uncanny X-Men #17 – Review

Posted on February 22, 2014 by nightwing17

By: Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Chris Bachalo (pencils & colors), Tim Townsend w/ Al Vey & Jaime Mendoza (inks)

The Story: The newest X-Men battle chickasaurs, carrot people, Shelob, and S.H.I.E.L.D. while simultaneously acting in the greatest Verizon commercial never made.

The Review: In the past few months Uncanny X-Men has become a home for some of the best one-in-done stories in modern comics. After a look at the women of the New Xavier School and a spotlight on Magneto, Brian Michael Bendis gives us a, debatably, more traditional team story.

Another interesting trait of this title is Scott Summers’ emerging habit of putting his students in life threatening danger for training. While the issue hints that Magik is keeping an eye on them, it’s certainly in keeping with his mutant revolutionary status and differentiates his teaching style from Wolverine’s. Indeed, rather than retread classic X-Men ground and send his squad to the Savage Land, Bendis explores a newer locale. In the end the actual difference is pretty limited, but it’s an apt metaphor for what’s going on here.

This is the first issue of Uncanny X-Men where the teaching staff is largely absent. For the first, and the long overdue, time the success or failure of this issue rests entirely on the New Xavier’s students and, fun as a book about Scott, Emma, and Ilyanna can be, these kids are entirely up to the task. Likewise, while we all love a good Savage Land story now and again, Tabula Rasa presents a feeling of mystery and possibility.
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Amazing X-Men #4 – Review

Posted on February 21, 2014 by nightwing17

By: Jason Aaron (writer), Ed McGuinness (penciler), Dexter Vines (inker), Marte Gracia (colors)

The Story: Yo Ho, all together, hoist four-colors high…

The Review: Amazing X-Men is a strange beast – no pun intended, despite there being at least two. The latest X-Men ongoing from Jason Aaron has felt quite a bit more like a “Quest for Nightcrawler” miniseries thus far. It returns the X-Men to their largely forgotten demon battling days and reintroduces Azazel to their rogue’s gallery. Even stranger, it’s been a gorgeous widescreen romp, plagued by strange pacing problems. All of that continues this month, but it’s slowly becoming clearer what’s important to Jason Aaron.

The issue opens with the X-Men scattered throughout the various realms of the Christian afterlife, but it’s very much a story about their coming together. Aaron builds on the stupendous flashbacks that helped define last issue and doesn’t let up for a minute. To be honest, I usually try to build at least some level of suspense into my reviews, but there’s simply nothing that can justify not discussing the level to which Aaron understands the X-Men in this issue.

The highlight of the issue, by far, is the interaction between Nightcrawler and Beast. Aaron has every opportunity to simplify or stereotype the bluest X-Men, but instead he crafts a truly charming battle and an incredible flashback that is positively filled with everything wonderful about the old Xavier Institute.

Aaron draws similar emotion out of the inevitable reunion between Kurt and Logan. Though the flashback that precedes it is comparatively unadventurous, Aaron trusts his story, his characters, and his artist and the result is a moment of stunningly beautiful tenderness.
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New Warriors #1 – Review

Posted on February 20, 2014 by nightwing17

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

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

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

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

There’s certainly a sense of youth in this book, even Kaine, apparently the oldest member of the not-yet-team, is accompanied by the cheerful Hummingbird. Kaine is also probably one of the highest profile characters in the book. In some ways that’s refreshing, in others kind of sad. It’s rare that a book from DC or Marvel can claim that its most marketable team member is a recently revived veteran of one of the 90s’ most reviled events, but his sullen, brusque demeanor is an instant draw. Chris Yost does a good job of balancing the off-putting nature of such a reluctant hero against the reality of his recent experience and, if his interactions with Aracely are any indication, he’ll be a fine counterweight to the rest of the team. The pair are a delight to read and their powers are highlighted expertly, perhaps evidence of Yost’s familiarity with them. If you’re not intrigued by the descriptor “Demigod, Manipulation of Emotions, Levitation” I don’t know what to say to you.
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Punisher #2 – Review

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Nathan Edmondson (Writer), Mitch Gerads (Artist)

The Story: The Howling Commandos get even more interested in Frank as he begins to settle down in L.A.

The Review: Some people believe that opening issues are crucial. They need to open up possibilities, set up one or many ongoing threads, set up a world and its characters along many other things. There is a need for a hook to make sure readers are ready to get invested in the story and how the characters have to do with it. In a market with plenty of new series and new volumes starting in a competitive manner, that is something that stands up as even more truthful these days.

It is also something that I believe in, yet I also completely believe in an even bigger importance in the second issue. The follow-up to the opening needs to prove that it can sustain the themes and the possible progress the title has previously introduced. Unfortunately, as much as the first issue of this current volume of Punisher had been potent, there are some problems with the second one that does not necessarily bode well for the series.

The problems have nothing to do with some of the finer points like the cast. The way Frank Castle interacts with Tuggs, his weapon supplier, Lou the restaurant owner and officer Stone is actually quite interesting. With the character previously portrayed as a loner dedicated solely to his job, it is kind of refreshing to see a sort of nuance to how he actually talk with them in a semi-friendly manner. The addition to Loot, a coyote Frank saved could also bring a nice little humanity to the character that has been missing in previous iterations.
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Captain America #17 – Review

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Rick Remender (Writer), Nic Klein (Artist), Dean White (Colorist)

The Story: A groovy new villain called Dr. Mindbubble makes himself known, spelling insane doom for S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Review: Introducing new elements has got to be hard. Presenting new characters, new concepts and making them stick for new readers must be ready, with plenty of them always ready to be cynical when approaching new things. Not all newer elements to large continuity are appreciated, with words like Midi-chlorians, Romulus and other such ”nice” ideas being conveniently forgotten by many.

However, it can be achieved if done right, with some of the ideas that Rick Remender injected in the larger Marvel continuity being particularly sound. What he brought to the character of Apocalypse, to Wolverine and to some older concepts like Deathlok and the four horsemen are really nice extrapolations combined with new interpretations that did give something exciting to read.

However, just because he did something particularly good once does not mean that he is infallible, with his run on Captain America being an example of this. While packed with some ideas that are decidedly not bad at all, there is a certain shyness in the presentation and elaboration of some of the implications that some concepts have. While it is a traditional storytelling technique to slowly reveal new elements as the story progress, it is never a good thing to make readers wait too long either when it comes to surprises.

In this issue, Remender finally presents readers the character of Dr. Mindbubble, a character that has been teased since his Uncanny X-Force run as a statue in the background. With a rather amazing concept behind his creation, that of injecting a super-soldier serum inside him along with LSD, this creates for a troubled, yet groovy types of villain that could prove to be interesting if handled right. However, while the personality of the villain proves to be a tiny bit fun, there are several problems that don’t exactly make him as good as he very well could be.
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Avengers World #3 – Review

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Hugo Robberts Larivière

by Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer (Writers), Stefano Caselli (Artist), Frank Martin, Antonio Fabela, Edgar Delgado (Colorists)

The Story: It’s Shang-Chi versus Gorgon atop a flying dragon. How much more kung-fu can you get?

The Review: I love martial arts. To be a bit more precise, I love martial arts as depicted in fiction, with their choreography, their effects, the slow-motions and all the hyperbole related to the genre. It might be unrealistic, it might even be a bit of an insult to true masters of physical prowess and perfection, but there’s no denying the fact that as far as visuals go, it can be very entertaining.

Few comics these days actually try to represent the genre at its very core. Even some titles published years before like The Immortal Iron Fist did not solely focus on this particular element, yet shone when they did present it at its best. However, this issue seems like a homage to older Bruce Lee movies, yet one that possess a definite super heroic vibe that makes things even bigger. However, does all this kung-fu action manage to make this issue enjoyable or does it end up only as a mess?

For what it tries to bring to readers, this issue is definitely one of the more enjoyable in the short tenure of this series. Focusing solely on Shang-Chi and his battle against Gorgon, the leader of the Hand and its many deadly ninjas, this issue brings a boatload of action in the best of ways. There is an inherent exaggeration of some regular tropes, yet played in a very serious light that makes this definitely entertaining as far as depiction of violence is done.
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All-New X-Factor #3 – Review

Posted on February 18, 2014 by nightwing17

By: Peter David (writer), Carmine Di Giandomenico (artist), Lee Loughridge (colorist)

The Story: Gambit discovers that leading the Thieves’ Guild is as easy as herding cats as we discover that he’s actually pretty good at herding cats.

The Review: The first two issues of All-New X-Factor were somewhat surprising. I’ve always found Peter David to be a very talented writer with a knack for defining his characters and people swear by his second run on X-Factor. All the same, there was a distinct lack of identity in the opening story of this series.

This issue begins to address that concern and wastes absolutely no time doing it. From the first panel, David’s character-driven, old-Hollywood sensibility comes through clearly. In addition to a greater sense of David’s voice, this issue deals with many of the most interesting topics from the first two issues. Big subjects like Serval’s morality and Dr.Hoffman’s obsession with mutant powers get some time to grow, while David set the stage for the introduction of at least one of X-Factor’s missing crewmembers. Along the way, he also makes good on his NYCC promise that Gambit’s leadership of the Thieves’ Guild would come into play, which sets up our newest arc.

As you may have guessed, this issue is the best paced of the short run. The issue is packed with plot progression, but there’s plenty of room to play around. Quicksilver’s personality is still being defined as ‘hated by one and all with good reason’, but he’s much more human than he was last time. We also get some insight into Polaris that certainly frees her from the ‘generic team leader’ role that she seemed in danger of falling into. Though she has a ways to go, the weak link continues to be Gambit.
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