An uninspired choice of title, I do apologize as I'm a bit fried but let's get to the reviews:
Secret Warriors #17: This book hangs in the balance. Already shaved down from 60 issues to 30 or so, the lead artist has left for other projects and sales are hanging in the mid to low range. Admittedly, it is impossible to initiate anyone into this book without having them start at issue #1 and very few people are willing to do that right now. I can only hope that Hickman keeps his head up and keeps writing the hell out of this book. He is such a talent and when this all wraps up, it is going to be a huge part of his bibliography for years to come. Each issue has been fantastic and this one is no different. Beginning the new arc, "The Last Ride of the Howling Commandos" we begin to see the final pieces get into place as Nick Fury's PMC unit celebrates one last time before what may potentially be their final mission. Also great to finally see some of the other caterpillars for the first time in over two years. These combined with a great last page are why I love this book so much. Fantastic dialogue, excellent characters and incredibly deep plot. Vitti has become the new lead artist here and his work is solid. but Casseli is definitely missed. My only real criticism is that after more than two years of having one of the most recognizable covers on the stands, Marvel broke away from that to showcase the Heroic Age banner. B+
Avengers #2: I don't know what has gotten into Brian Bendis, but I'm damn glad of it. For three weeks in a row now I've read a Bendis book that just absolutely smashes it out of the park. I was initially critical how rushed the initial issue was but those concerns fall away as the writing keeps the narrative tightly focused on the adventure at hand rather than worrying about ironing out continuity. Plenty of standing around chatting by the heroes, but also loads of great dialogue, especially from Tony Stark. I know plenty of people are upset with how Marvel Boy is being handled and I agree that "Protector" is the most ham fisted naming ever, but after an issue, I'll let it slide. Fantastic stuff by JRjr here, I really dug the 2099, Days of Future Past and Age of Apocalypse nods and the cliffhanger spread is absolutely awesome. I didn't think it was possible but the Avengers stock continues to rise and the next issue will only get better. A
Amazing Spider-Man #635: Anyone buying singles right now but not buying Spider-Man, does not like good comics. It is absolutely insane how good this book is. After how powerful #634 was, I had no clue how Joe Kelly was going to top himself, but he did. The plot on this story is absolutely off the rails providing homage to Kraven's Last Hunt, The Clone Saga, JMS's run, The Gauntlet and all kinds of crazy stuff. The involvement of the "other Spiders" makes perfect sense and you can't help but fist pump and pep talk Peter as he goes through this issue. Michael Lark continues to bring his A game to the world of Spider-Man and I'd expect nothing less. The bonus material is alright, it is frustrating to only get 2 Marcos Martin pages a week, and Fimura brings his unusual style to another stale "lost tale." Neither outshine the main book, but given that ASM is in the middle of its best run maybe ever, that isn't surprising. A+ (It is pretty hard to talk about this book without delving into spoilers, but good lord just read it.)
X-Men Legacy #237: I want so badly to just write, "Was ok" and move on, but that wouldn't be fair. Another chapter that hits "good" on the solid factor but just isn't that great. The dire threat of the Nimrods is wrapped up quickly with out X-Force ever really feeling like it was in danger and the last page cliffhanger is only a cliffhanger because I was so bored with the plot that I never bothered to put the time into figuring out how that particular thread would work out. Greg Land manages not to wreck things too badly again and even manages to put together a decent spread page. Two chapters left by Kyle and Yost, hopefully they end this with a bang. B-
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Reviews Whatever Has Spider-Man (for 06/16/2010)
Amazing Spider-Man #633: Shed concludes this week and by now you know that I've been passing out the kool aid to anyone who will listen about how great this story has been, and the final issue did not disappoint. It was however a lot quieter than I had anticipated, which wasn't bad at all. The evolved Lizard is going to be an interesting character for writers to use in the future now that it is clear Curt Connors is officially gone and a potential journey towards hero-dom could be quite interesting. A lot of credit to Zeb Wells for opting to conclude this arc with a lot of emotional power versus a giant fist fight, especially with ASM double shipping this week, those final pages were a subtle and powerful bridge into Joe Kelly's Grim Hunt story. Bachalo is as brilliant as ever and after three weeks, I don't have much more to say about what he brings to the table. A lot of love also to Emma Rios, whom I was skeptical of at the beginning, but performed admirably, especially in the final pages. This story was absolutely stellar and I do not regret my pushing it so hard in the least. A
New Mutants #14: Second Coming marches on this week, inching its way towards the finale and after 11 weeks, it really can't get here fast enough. I'm over rallying speeches, I'm over dramatic moments and I'm through with pointless deaths. Bring on the final confrontations, bring on the manifestation of powers and let's end this thing. At this point, I'm going to really need to be blown away by the finale, because with three issues to go now, I'm not sure how they're going to confront Bastion, save the city, save the future, resolve this three year Hope story and not have it feel like a rush job. At this point however, I fully expect Cable to die in the future, which will cause Hope to jump start the X-gene and rather than be an ending, Second Coming will only be the beginning of the next phase of X-stories. Plot complaints aside, this issue did have some enjoyable scenes, Legion was used in a very interesting fashion and it was great to see Colossus actually victimized, rather than simply off panel. The art was also handled well, given that it was comprised of 6 members, they kept everything looking uniform and solid. B-
Amazing Spider-Man #634: This is it. What everything has been building towards since last June. The Grim Hunt, and holy cow is here in a big way. Starting the story off a few days after #633, Peter is at rock bottom, adding swine flu to his list of burdens. I can't say too much about the plot because things take off from the very first page, including some serious call backs to the Clone Saga, JMS's run and some hints that have been dropped over the last year or so. Some serious care and energy went into this story and it shows. Joe Kelly has really kicked things off with a bang and has turned in one of the best ASM issues of the year, the last few pages alone were probably some of the most difficult and tear jerking panels I've read since.. well since I Kill Giants. Truly heart-wrenching stuff. Was great to see Michael Lark back on the pencils, his faces look goofy on occasion, but he absolutely killed this stuff with his fluid movements and subtle touches that really brought the story to life. The back-up features were alright, I don't think anyone particularly cares about another "Secret Kaine story" written by J.M. DeMatteis, but it was fun to see Max Fiumara back in Spidey's world. I was a little disappointed to find out that the Stan Lee/Marcos Martin joint is only 2 pages a week, but I'll take Marcos however I can get him. I have no clue how they're going to trump themselves next week, but I have every confidence that they will. A+
Brightest Day #4: The instant this story stops being a stream of blue-balling cliffhangers, it is going to take off in a huge way. There is so much talent in each issue that it is absolutely frustrating how poorly paced it has been. Things are slowly picking up, with Martian Manhunter's story missing in action and the Aquaman pages were re-purposed for the new Aqualad. Thankfully the biggest gains were made for Aliveman, who at this point is probably the main character of the story, but my largest frustration comes at the lack of Firestorm pages, primarily because I'm anxious to know if my theory about the revived heroes being converted Black Lanterns is correct. All things considered, the art is great in these issues, but with Reis, Syaf, Clark and Prado, who can be surprised by that. At this point you are either buying this or not, depending on how it all turns out, trade waiting may be the best idea. B
New Avengers #1: It is insanely frustrating how enjoyable this book was. Last week I remarked that I couldn't understand how Bendis wasn't translating the quality of his Ultimate Spider-Man comics into his Avengers work and it looks like he decided to show me the business. New Avengers was everything Avengers wasn't. Organic, natural, fluid, and filled with characters that felt like themselves instead of being puppeted around. I'd almost dare say that half the reason this issue was so good, was because Spider-Man and Wolverine barely do a thing. Luke Cage in the front and center is really the key here and his interactions with Victoria Hand especially let Bendis's talent for dialogue shine. Even the unrevealed enemy-as-driving force feels less forced than last month's encounter with Kang, as the tension builds in juxtaposition with the blossoming New Avengers. Carrying over from the last volume, the team of Immonen, Von Grawbadger and Martin continue to do fabulous things: this book looks great, reads great and flows fantastically. I think it will be difficult for even those who dislike JRjr over on Avengers to dispute that this is a visually impressive book. Overall, my only complaint is that there is no credit to Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction for the lifting of the great idea to elaborate on Doctor Voodoo's spells and where they came from. A+
The Black Cat #1: In a week with 4 Spider-Man comics, this was actually the one I was most looking forward to. Jen Van Meter and Javier Pulido set up a Felicia Hardy story that is running concurrently with the Grim Hunt, and while those details are still developing, the inital story is still fantastic. As a long running member of Spidey's supporting cast, I may be wrong but I don't think Felicia has ever received the level of background that Van Meter provides here, generating a supporting cast of the Cat's own: from the women who handle her gear to the men who provide her with information. It was great to have a look past the "independent woman"facade she is always written with, for a better look into her life. Everything about the story feels genuine, the dialogue is natural and the events of the book are perfectly suited to a street level hero with a more minor super-power. Visually, this comic pops. From the people I've talked to, Javier Pulido tends to get lost in Marcos Martin's shadow, but as an individual talent, he is just as skilled as Marcos, if not more. With a fantastic use of panel construction and unique layouts, Pulido's talking scenes feel just as fluid as the action, eliminating any chance for a dull moment to even exist. I was very surprised at how lengthy this comic felt, even more so than the other Spidey issues this week. With Shed having been concluded, this may be my new Spider-Man comic to push on everyone, as it was absolutely fantastic. A
New Mutants #14: Second Coming marches on this week, inching its way towards the finale and after 11 weeks, it really can't get here fast enough. I'm over rallying speeches, I'm over dramatic moments and I'm through with pointless deaths. Bring on the final confrontations, bring on the manifestation of powers and let's end this thing. At this point, I'm going to really need to be blown away by the finale, because with three issues to go now, I'm not sure how they're going to confront Bastion, save the city, save the future, resolve this three year Hope story and not have it feel like a rush job. At this point however, I fully expect Cable to die in the future, which will cause Hope to jump start the X-gene and rather than be an ending, Second Coming will only be the beginning of the next phase of X-stories. Plot complaints aside, this issue did have some enjoyable scenes, Legion was used in a very interesting fashion and it was great to see Colossus actually victimized, rather than simply off panel. The art was also handled well, given that it was comprised of 6 members, they kept everything looking uniform and solid. B-
Amazing Spider-Man #634: This is it. What everything has been building towards since last June. The Grim Hunt, and holy cow is here in a big way. Starting the story off a few days after #633, Peter is at rock bottom, adding swine flu to his list of burdens. I can't say too much about the plot because things take off from the very first page, including some serious call backs to the Clone Saga, JMS's run and some hints that have been dropped over the last year or so. Some serious care and energy went into this story and it shows. Joe Kelly has really kicked things off with a bang and has turned in one of the best ASM issues of the year, the last few pages alone were probably some of the most difficult and tear jerking panels I've read since.. well since I Kill Giants. Truly heart-wrenching stuff. Was great to see Michael Lark back on the pencils, his faces look goofy on occasion, but he absolutely killed this stuff with his fluid movements and subtle touches that really brought the story to life. The back-up features were alright, I don't think anyone particularly cares about another "Secret Kaine story" written by J.M. DeMatteis, but it was fun to see Max Fiumara back in Spidey's world. I was a little disappointed to find out that the Stan Lee/Marcos Martin joint is only 2 pages a week, but I'll take Marcos however I can get him. I have no clue how they're going to trump themselves next week, but I have every confidence that they will. A+
Brightest Day #4: The instant this story stops being a stream of blue-balling cliffhangers, it is going to take off in a huge way. There is so much talent in each issue that it is absolutely frustrating how poorly paced it has been. Things are slowly picking up, with Martian Manhunter's story missing in action and the Aquaman pages were re-purposed for the new Aqualad. Thankfully the biggest gains were made for Aliveman, who at this point is probably the main character of the story, but my largest frustration comes at the lack of Firestorm pages, primarily because I'm anxious to know if my theory about the revived heroes being converted Black Lanterns is correct. All things considered, the art is great in these issues, but with Reis, Syaf, Clark and Prado, who can be surprised by that. At this point you are either buying this or not, depending on how it all turns out, trade waiting may be the best idea. B
New Avengers #1: It is insanely frustrating how enjoyable this book was. Last week I remarked that I couldn't understand how Bendis wasn't translating the quality of his Ultimate Spider-Man comics into his Avengers work and it looks like he decided to show me the business. New Avengers was everything Avengers wasn't. Organic, natural, fluid, and filled with characters that felt like themselves instead of being puppeted around. I'd almost dare say that half the reason this issue was so good, was because Spider-Man and Wolverine barely do a thing. Luke Cage in the front and center is really the key here and his interactions with Victoria Hand especially let Bendis's talent for dialogue shine. Even the unrevealed enemy-as-driving force feels less forced than last month's encounter with Kang, as the tension builds in juxtaposition with the blossoming New Avengers. Carrying over from the last volume, the team of Immonen, Von Grawbadger and Martin continue to do fabulous things: this book looks great, reads great and flows fantastically. I think it will be difficult for even those who dislike JRjr over on Avengers to dispute that this is a visually impressive book. Overall, my only complaint is that there is no credit to Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction for the lifting of the great idea to elaborate on Doctor Voodoo's spells and where they came from. A+
The Black Cat #1: In a week with 4 Spider-Man comics, this was actually the one I was most looking forward to. Jen Van Meter and Javier Pulido set up a Felicia Hardy story that is running concurrently with the Grim Hunt, and while those details are still developing, the inital story is still fantastic. As a long running member of Spidey's supporting cast, I may be wrong but I don't think Felicia has ever received the level of background that Van Meter provides here, generating a supporting cast of the Cat's own: from the women who handle her gear to the men who provide her with information. It was great to have a look past the "independent woman"facade she is always written with, for a better look into her life. Everything about the story feels genuine, the dialogue is natural and the events of the book are perfectly suited to a street level hero with a more minor super-power. Visually, this comic pops. From the people I've talked to, Javier Pulido tends to get lost in Marcos Martin's shadow, but as an individual talent, he is just as skilled as Marcos, if not more. With a fantastic use of panel construction and unique layouts, Pulido's talking scenes feel just as fluid as the action, eliminating any chance for a dull moment to even exist. I was very surprised at how lengthy this comic felt, even more so than the other Spidey issues this week. With Shed having been concluded, this may be my new Spider-Man comic to push on everyone, as it was absolutely fantastic. A
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Light Reviews for 06/10/2010
I've been a bit overwhelmed with school but I caught some time tonight so I figured I'd throw down a few quick reviews:
Batman #700 Typical DC managed to false advertise the hell out of this book, making people believe that it would be more of an anthology and less of a consolidated story and while it is, it really isn't. I know a lot of people were also expecting this to be a huge moment for the Return of Bruce Wayne story that is on-going right now, but we didn't get that either. However, a lot of credit to Grant Morrison, who gets a bad rap for being inaccessible, for turning out a fantastic, one and done story that (if I can use the ever cliche phrase) rewards longtime readers but is also a fun tale for first timers. Anyone who has ever heard of Batman knows that there is always going to be one, and that is really the only piece of information you need going into the story. The art teams all shine on their respective Batmen, although Scott Kolins out of nowhere was very surprising, especially the style used for his pages. As David Uzumeri mentioned on his Twitter, Kolins normal Flash work would have fit in just fine, instead his pages possess a glossy feel that makes everything feel fuzzy. I absolutely love Kubert's Damian Batman as well, but that is just personal preference. The only thing I can really be unhappy with is the additional 4 pages of "Batcave" material which should have really just been a re-print of Jim Lee's All Star Batman and Robin gateway spread which really is all one needs. From a critical eye this issue could have trimmed some fat and been priced at $3.99, but from a celebratory perspective, it succeeds. A-
PunisherMAX #8: I don't consider myself a Punisher fan, but I love this series to death, if only because each month tells you a little bit more about how absolute insane Jason Aaron actually is. Aaron's take on these characters continues to dwell in the land of excess: graphic violence, absolutely insane situations and a true sense of never really knowing what can come next and yet it all feels very natural to the book. His mastery of these characters keeps everything flowing and Dillion's art remains as solid as ever. I'm going to end this portion now because I find it terribly difficult to review without foul language, but that is just the nature of the beast. B+
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #11: Reading this book each month continues to make it more and more difficult for me to dump $3.99 into other Bendis titles because his Spider-Man is just so good each month that it baffles how he isn't translating this stuff to his Avengers work. While no actual webs appear in this issue, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of action as the fallout from last month's Kitty-focused drama segues right into something brand new that I would have never expected if I didn't keep an eye on the solicitations. Strong dialogue, solid art and an enjoyable plot both keep this title in the upper tier of comics and reminding us of how quickly time flies (ASM's similar story was a year ago last July and the iPad was announced in January, but appears here). A
Uncanny X-Men #525: Uncanny has continually been the weak-link in the Second Coming chain, even factoring in Greg Land artwork elsewhere, lacking the necessary urgency and cohesion the other titles have had. At this point the plot really needs to be advancing, and instead readers get yet another collection of character moments that don't really go anywhere. Everyone gets it, Scott is carrying a heavy burden, mutants are extinct in the future and outside the dome everyone is crashing into it just to shut up the occasional "Where were the Avengers?" fan. Let's get on with the story, and don't even get me started on the Watchmen joke. At least The Dodson's are doing what they can. I'm ready for Second Coming to wrap-up so we can finally put this Messiah business to rest. B-
Batman #700 Typical DC managed to false advertise the hell out of this book, making people believe that it would be more of an anthology and less of a consolidated story and while it is, it really isn't. I know a lot of people were also expecting this to be a huge moment for the Return of Bruce Wayne story that is on-going right now, but we didn't get that either. However, a lot of credit to Grant Morrison, who gets a bad rap for being inaccessible, for turning out a fantastic, one and done story that (if I can use the ever cliche phrase) rewards longtime readers but is also a fun tale for first timers. Anyone who has ever heard of Batman knows that there is always going to be one, and that is really the only piece of information you need going into the story. The art teams all shine on their respective Batmen, although Scott Kolins out of nowhere was very surprising, especially the style used for his pages. As David Uzumeri mentioned on his Twitter, Kolins normal Flash work would have fit in just fine, instead his pages possess a glossy feel that makes everything feel fuzzy. I absolutely love Kubert's Damian Batman as well, but that is just personal preference. The only thing I can really be unhappy with is the additional 4 pages of "Batcave" material which should have really just been a re-print of Jim Lee's All Star Batman and Robin gateway spread which really is all one needs. From a critical eye this issue could have trimmed some fat and been priced at $3.99, but from a celebratory perspective, it succeeds. A-
PunisherMAX #8: I don't consider myself a Punisher fan, but I love this series to death, if only because each month tells you a little bit more about how absolute insane Jason Aaron actually is. Aaron's take on these characters continues to dwell in the land of excess: graphic violence, absolutely insane situations and a true sense of never really knowing what can come next and yet it all feels very natural to the book. His mastery of these characters keeps everything flowing and Dillion's art remains as solid as ever. I'm going to end this portion now because I find it terribly difficult to review without foul language, but that is just the nature of the beast. B+
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #11: Reading this book each month continues to make it more and more difficult for me to dump $3.99 into other Bendis titles because his Spider-Man is just so good each month that it baffles how he isn't translating this stuff to his Avengers work. While no actual webs appear in this issue, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of action as the fallout from last month's Kitty-focused drama segues right into something brand new that I would have never expected if I didn't keep an eye on the solicitations. Strong dialogue, solid art and an enjoyable plot both keep this title in the upper tier of comics and reminding us of how quickly time flies (ASM's similar story was a year ago last July and the iPad was announced in January, but appears here). A
Uncanny X-Men #525: Uncanny has continually been the weak-link in the Second Coming chain, even factoring in Greg Land artwork elsewhere, lacking the necessary urgency and cohesion the other titles have had. At this point the plot really needs to be advancing, and instead readers get yet another collection of character moments that don't really go anywhere. Everyone gets it, Scott is carrying a heavy burden, mutants are extinct in the future and outside the dome everyone is crashing into it just to shut up the occasional "Where were the Avengers?" fan. Let's get on with the story, and don't even get me started on the Watchmen joke. At least The Dodson's are doing what they can. I'm ready for Second Coming to wrap-up so we can finally put this Messiah business to rest. B-
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
If Only Every Week Could Be This Great: Reviews for 05/26/2010
Secret Avengers #1: This is the book that Avengers #1 should have been. Strong character voices, intriguing situations, and excellent pacing make this not only one of the best books of the week, but a strong candidate for best book of the Avengers franchise. It is only one issue but I'm tremendously impressed with how Brubaker structured this book. Popular characters are left only to their introductions while characters that may be more unfamiliar to new readers. Figures people may not know like Moon Knight or Ant-Man are the subject of short yet poignant flashbacks that both explore their motivations for joining the team and relating to their actions in the present day, subtlety illustrating why Steve would want them on his team and Ed would want them in his book. Mike Deodato is providing stellar work, hot off of Dark Avengers and he continues to deliver. His action scenes are paced well, his layouts and storytelling remains top-notch and while his normally shadow-heavy and darker style of art is perfectly suited for the book, the brief taste of Mars we got with his pencils were satisfactory as well. If you are buying one Avengers book, it needs to be this one. A
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2: Grant Morrison's masterpiece Batman run continues here and I don't use the word lightly. Grant is the absolute king of comics writing right now and no one comes close. No one else matches his imagination, his scope, his plotting and his eye for details. Casual readers will certainly enjoy this issue of a Puritan Bruce Wayne battling the narrow minding zealots of the Salem era Witch Hunters but for fans of G-Mo and stronger readers there is a deeper end to this pool. No longer limiting himself to the story threads of his Batman and Final Crisis works, there are a number of references to older Morrison works including Animal Man, 52, Seven Soldiers and potentially All-Star Superman as well. Grant is both an absolute genius and totally nuts, elaborating on space, the multiverse and laying out intense concepts about the construction of time. The Puritan story is solid as well, it was fantastic to see Bruce's detective skills on serious display after a long time away and while it remains fairly predictable, it still manages to generate some further questions as we move towards Wayne's inevitable return to the present. Irving's art is solid, fantastic in some areas and questionable in others. I'm not the biggest fan in the world, but I can certainly understand why people like it and try not to let it affect my perception of the comic negatively. Another strong issue and I'm looking forward to Batman and Robin in a few weeks. A
Amazing Spider-Man #632: In all honesty, I was VERY, VERY tempted to simply place a page here and let that stand as my review, but at the end of all things, I do try hard to avoid spoilers and this particular piece is just so absolutely bonkers and key to the whole Shed arc that to do so would ruin a lot for anyone looking to check it out. That said, I ranted about this arc before it began, I continue to do so week after week. This is the best Spider-Man story in the middle of the best Spider-Man long-story in forever. If you have a vague interest in Amazing Spider-Man, please, please, please, pick up this arc. A+++++
Secret Warriors #16: Hickman kills on this book but it should be a sin that it only comes out once a month. There is so much going on sixteen issues in that you almost HAVE to re-read the previous parts of the arc just to stay on your toes. This is going to be a guaranteed omnibus when it finally finishes, an absolute tome of espionage, intrigue, and action that is filled with crosses, double crosses and crosses that you've never even heard of. Keeping up with the BKV tradition of always closing on a cliff-hanger, Secret Warriors does everything in its power to keep you interested, guessing and reaching for old issues. Jonathan has a hold on these characters, Nick Fury especially that no one else will likely ever be able to match and it will be very interesting to see what project he moves on to next. If the book has one weakness however, it is in the art. Until this point, Vitti and Caselli have been the only pencillers to have worked on the title but it looks like time has caught up with them as this month's issue features fill-in work by Gianluca Gugliotta who was selected for a style that matches the other two and while he gets the story told, it is not visually impressive by any means. Next month concludes "Wake the Beast" and it is going to be huge for sure. B
X-Force #27: Funny what a difference a week can make. 7 days ago I was terribly down on Second Coming, the story was slowing a bit, Greg Land was on art and things were fairly boring. Then I popped open X-Force this week and was quite impressed. Mike Choi and Sonia Oback handle the story telling for the first ten or so pages to the point that I almost wondered if there was a printing error. There are no words and there is no real need for them either. The art team is by far the best of the crossover and they've handled the strongest bits powerfully. Given that the story has really been the brain child of Yost & Kyle, I expected them to bring no less than their A game and they did not disappoint. The plot has begun moving again, the characters are interacting well, the mood is as grim as expected and the mandatory amount of Young X-Men were properly harmed. All is well in the Mutant World again. B+
Green Lantern #54: It is an absolutely insane week when Green Lantern is like the fifth or sixth book getting reviewed by me. That isn't an indication of its quality just that it somehow got lost in the stack. Continuing the Spirit Animals arc of the new Brightest Day status quo, the book continues on as wonderfully as always. Things are progressing at a satisfactory rate as Sinestro continues his task to gather the New Guardians while the original Guardian continues hunting down energy beasts. I have a few qualms with the writing, particularly some of the Johnsian Literalism (copyright David Uzumeri 2010) found throughout and the last page left me scratching my head but I'm curious to see where it goes for sure. Doug Mahnke continues to shine with his absolutely awesome art, capturing both human and alien flawlessly and is perfectly suited in every way for this book. One thing that has stood out to me is that the Green Lantern franchise is really turning into just that as some threads from Green Lantern Corps are picked up here and some of the characters will no doubt be featured in the other books as Johns, Bedard and Tomasi expand the Lantern Line into something that may potentially rival the Bat books. All in all, another solid outing. A-
Ultimate Enemy #4: This book has frustrated me beyond belief. I understand that it is part of a trilogy of minis, but the last page has The End. on it. With a period. Then right underneath it, it says "TO BE CONTINUED!" how does that work? How do you put "The End." on a cliffhanger? If you consider this to be just another issue in an event book, it is a lot of fun. Populated by plenty of great character moments and dialogue it carries on the standard quality of a Bendis book, but in the end it has been four issues and the heroes only have the vaguest idea of what they're dealing with. Rafa Sandoval continues to dominate artistically, visually solid, Sandoval continues to prove himself as an excellent storyteller and it is quite clear why Bendis would enjoy working with him. Frustrations aside, I have been enjoying this series to a degree, maybe not a 3.99 degree, but to a degree. A finished trilogy will no doubt cast some better light on this story, so I'll definitely anticipate re-reading it in the coming months. B+ as en event issue. C+ as a miniseries.
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2: Grant Morrison's masterpiece Batman run continues here and I don't use the word lightly. Grant is the absolute king of comics writing right now and no one comes close. No one else matches his imagination, his scope, his plotting and his eye for details. Casual readers will certainly enjoy this issue of a Puritan Bruce Wayne battling the narrow minding zealots of the Salem era Witch Hunters but for fans of G-Mo and stronger readers there is a deeper end to this pool. No longer limiting himself to the story threads of his Batman and Final Crisis works, there are a number of references to older Morrison works including Animal Man, 52, Seven Soldiers and potentially All-Star Superman as well. Grant is both an absolute genius and totally nuts, elaborating on space, the multiverse and laying out intense concepts about the construction of time. The Puritan story is solid as well, it was fantastic to see Bruce's detective skills on serious display after a long time away and while it remains fairly predictable, it still manages to generate some further questions as we move towards Wayne's inevitable return to the present. Irving's art is solid, fantastic in some areas and questionable in others. I'm not the biggest fan in the world, but I can certainly understand why people like it and try not to let it affect my perception of the comic negatively. Another strong issue and I'm looking forward to Batman and Robin in a few weeks. A
Amazing Spider-Man #632: In all honesty, I was VERY, VERY tempted to simply place a page here and let that stand as my review, but at the end of all things, I do try hard to avoid spoilers and this particular piece is just so absolutely bonkers and key to the whole Shed arc that to do so would ruin a lot for anyone looking to check it out. That said, I ranted about this arc before it began, I continue to do so week after week. This is the best Spider-Man story in the middle of the best Spider-Man long-story in forever. If you have a vague interest in Amazing Spider-Man, please, please, please, pick up this arc. A+++++
Secret Warriors #16: Hickman kills on this book but it should be a sin that it only comes out once a month. There is so much going on sixteen issues in that you almost HAVE to re-read the previous parts of the arc just to stay on your toes. This is going to be a guaranteed omnibus when it finally finishes, an absolute tome of espionage, intrigue, and action that is filled with crosses, double crosses and crosses that you've never even heard of. Keeping up with the BKV tradition of always closing on a cliff-hanger, Secret Warriors does everything in its power to keep you interested, guessing and reaching for old issues. Jonathan has a hold on these characters, Nick Fury especially that no one else will likely ever be able to match and it will be very interesting to see what project he moves on to next. If the book has one weakness however, it is in the art. Until this point, Vitti and Caselli have been the only pencillers to have worked on the title but it looks like time has caught up with them as this month's issue features fill-in work by Gianluca Gugliotta who was selected for a style that matches the other two and while he gets the story told, it is not visually impressive by any means. Next month concludes "Wake the Beast" and it is going to be huge for sure. B
X-Force #27: Funny what a difference a week can make. 7 days ago I was terribly down on Second Coming, the story was slowing a bit, Greg Land was on art and things were fairly boring. Then I popped open X-Force this week and was quite impressed. Mike Choi and Sonia Oback handle the story telling for the first ten or so pages to the point that I almost wondered if there was a printing error. There are no words and there is no real need for them either. The art team is by far the best of the crossover and they've handled the strongest bits powerfully. Given that the story has really been the brain child of Yost & Kyle, I expected them to bring no less than their A game and they did not disappoint. The plot has begun moving again, the characters are interacting well, the mood is as grim as expected and the mandatory amount of Young X-Men were properly harmed. All is well in the Mutant World again. B+
Green Lantern #54: It is an absolutely insane week when Green Lantern is like the fifth or sixth book getting reviewed by me. That isn't an indication of its quality just that it somehow got lost in the stack. Continuing the Spirit Animals arc of the new Brightest Day status quo, the book continues on as wonderfully as always. Things are progressing at a satisfactory rate as Sinestro continues his task to gather the New Guardians while the original Guardian continues hunting down energy beasts. I have a few qualms with the writing, particularly some of the Johnsian Literalism (copyright David Uzumeri 2010) found throughout and the last page left me scratching my head but I'm curious to see where it goes for sure. Doug Mahnke continues to shine with his absolutely awesome art, capturing both human and alien flawlessly and is perfectly suited in every way for this book. One thing that has stood out to me is that the Green Lantern franchise is really turning into just that as some threads from Green Lantern Corps are picked up here and some of the characters will no doubt be featured in the other books as Johns, Bedard and Tomasi expand the Lantern Line into something that may potentially rival the Bat books. All in all, another solid outing. A-
Ultimate Enemy #4: This book has frustrated me beyond belief. I understand that it is part of a trilogy of minis, but the last page has The End. on it. With a period. Then right underneath it, it says "TO BE CONTINUED!" how does that work? How do you put "The End." on a cliffhanger? If you consider this to be just another issue in an event book, it is a lot of fun. Populated by plenty of great character moments and dialogue it carries on the standard quality of a Bendis book, but in the end it has been four issues and the heroes only have the vaguest idea of what they're dealing with. Rafa Sandoval continues to dominate artistically, visually solid, Sandoval continues to prove himself as an excellent storyteller and it is quite clear why Bendis would enjoy working with him. Frustrations aside, I have been enjoying this series to a degree, maybe not a 3.99 degree, but to a degree. A finished trilogy will no doubt cast some better light on this story, so I'll definitely anticipate re-reading it in the coming months. B+ as en event issue. C+ as a miniseries.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Is Jeph Loeb Responsible for ASM's Gauntlet Storyline?
A few days ago, I was in my local comic book shop and came across a bundle of single issues for Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Spider-Man: Blue for $6.99. I had heard the story was excellent and as trades usually run in the price range of twice that, I had no qualms about throwing it into my pile and heading home. I had the opportunity to sit down and read the story and while I thought it was a very fun and solid story, something about it and its relationship to the current ASM storyline was bothering me. A day or so later in the shower I realized that the reason Blue felt so familiar to me, was because of how similar they two storylines are. Everyone has heard the phrase “there are no more original ideas” at least once in their life and as I began to count the coincidences, I have to on some degree acknowledge that Jeph Loeb may in some ways be responsible for ASM’s “The Gauntlet” storyline. Spider-Man: Blue is the re-telling and re-purposing of some older issues of Amazing Spider-Man and the Silver Age love story of Gwen Stacey and Peter Parker. The project has all the features of an enjoyable Loeb tale, emotion, solid dialogue and both a diverse cast and a multitude of situations for the lead character to participate in as the story evolves. These situations are rarely developed in a significant way, and in the case of Blue, are primarily action sequences to give Spidey some monologue time. It was a quick six issues that told a great story and was over with.
The Gauntlet: Beginning with Amazing Spider-Man #600 and running into June of 2010, Spider-Man’s gallery of villains have been returning, one after another, re-tooled and deadlier than ever to make Peter Parker’s life a living hell. The stories themselves have been fantastic, original, deep and have made the book probably the best it has ever been.
SPOILERS FOR BOTH SPIDER-MAN:BLUE AND THE LAST 40 OR SO ISSUES OF AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN BELOW
In summary, Spider-Man: Blue IS the story of how Gwen Stacey and Peter Parker fell in love, but against the back drop of a larger story. Across six issues, Spider-Man is forced to face several of his villains, who either receive help during the battle, or are set free by a mysterious figure who is revealed to be Kraven the Hunter. Kraven has been studying Spider-Man’s battles to prepare himself to eventually hunt and kill Peter Parker, fulfilling a contract given to him by the Green Goblin. It should be noted that Blue’s timeline has been liberally re-arranged and Kraven’s role in the story modified for Loeb’s goal.
The Gauntlet is the story of Kraven’s family, desperate for revenge against Spider-Man and his allies, preparing themselves for Kraven’s potential return in The Grim Hunt story that is set to occur shortly. Like Spider-Man: Blue, Spidey is fighting these battles one after the other with very little time to rest. He is also unknowingly dealing with the Kravinoff family who has abducted Madam Webb and is using her foresight to ensure Peter is constantly losing battles or experiencing pyrrhic victories. In a sense, The Gauntlet is all about taking the story in the opposite direction than what audiences have been trained to expect from their plotlines.
What kicks off both stories, are encounters with Norman Osborn. Blue hits a story point early in Amazing Spider-Man, around issue thirty-three or so, when Osborn briefly loses his memory and forgets that he in fact is the Green Goblin and that Peter is Spider-Man. The Gauntlet was preceded by the Goblin story, “American Son” where Norman wanted Harry to join his Dark Avengers, and Spider-Man was forced to go undercover to try and help Harry. Both stories get Osborn off the grid for a time, freeing up Harry to be part of the cast and develop his friendship with Peter.
The first villain to appear in Spider-Man: Blue is the Rhino. Set free by Kraven, the Rhino goes on a rampage in downtown New York, looking to get revenge against Spider-Man. During the battle, Spidey manages to break a piece of the Rhino’s hide free and with the help of Curt Connors, creates a modified webbing that allows him to remove the Rhino’s costume and ultimately defeat him.
The Gauntlet’s two-issue take on the Rhino is a similar but very different fashion. More in-depth and focusing primarily on skin/hide as identity rather than power, Joe Kelly introduces a second Rhino that is being funded and trained by the Kravinoffs. In order to prove himself, he is convinced he must defeat the original Rhino and take his “skin” in order to ascend and earn the right to be called the Rhino. Despite Spidey’s best efforts to keep Aleksei Sytsevich out of costume and away from this new Rhino, tragedy wins out and the two Rhinos die in a final battle.
This panel stands out nicely, especially when contrasted with this one from Spider-Man: Blue:
Although featuring Vultures instead of Rhinos, Blue also features a take on legacy villainsn with the inclusion of Blackie Drago’s origin as the Vulture. Poisoning Adrian Toomes in order to find out where he has hidden his wings and armor, Drago escapes from prison and while nearly defeating Spider-Man, fails to kill him, which prompts Kraven to save Toomes and allow the two to battle for the right to be The Vulture, eventually involving Spider-Man.
With Curt Connors’s appearance in the story, it was almost guaranteed that the Lizard would appear in Blue. Maintaining the formulaic story of a one armed doctor trying to re-grow the limb, keep his family together and find scientific success turning into a monster, Blue keeps the story lighthearted. With Spidey’s help, Connors returns to human form in the nick of time, preventing his family from seeing him as a reptile.
The Gauntlet specifically avoids that story by acknowledging the formula exists:
With Madam Webb in their possession, the Kravinoffs are able to obtain knowledge of the future and take action to turn events towards their favor. A story that should have ended normally, if not happily, instead takes a terrible turn that ends with the actual consumption of Billy Connors.
Even some of the minor story beats feel familiar. During Spider-Man’s first battle with Drago, he passes out in the snow and winds up sick, having to go into battle ill a few days later:
The Grim Hunt looks like it will feature a similar moment, as some leaked preview art shows an unhealthy Peter Parker answering a knock at the door:
In the end, my implications here may just be coincidence. It is certainly hard to compare 6 issues versus 36 issues and not expect any overlap. But given the thematic similarities and the involvement of many of the same characters, it is certainly worth taking a look at the two series side by side and mulling it over. Many consider Loeb to be a hack these days, but it is certainly curious to wonder if he unknowingly laid the ground work for one of the best years of Spider-Man ever.
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