Spider-Verse (The Amazing Spider-Man #s 7 to 11, Superior Spider Man #32 and 33)
(writer) Dan Slott
(artists) Olivier Coipel, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Humberto Ramos, Adam Kubert (with various inkers)
(colorist) various
The biggest Spider-Man event of 2014 (next to Peter Parker's return, of course), kicked off in earnest last month, and unfortunately, I wasn't around for it, unfortunately, but I have since caught up, and boy, am I glad I did. This won't really be a proper review, given the sheer number of issues involved, but I would like to share some impressions on what is shaping up to be a pretty big milestone for Spidey.
Writer Dan Slott, this time joined by the magnificent Olivier Coipel, having brought Peter Parker back from the dead, now pits him against a foe that has actually almost killed him twice, the energy vampire Morlun. To ramp up the stakes, Slott introduces a whole family of "Morluns," a family of centuries old energy vampires known as the Inheritors. The good news, though, is that Peter won't be facing them alone; he'll have help from Spider-Men from universes all over the multiverse. The question is, will even their combined strength and brains be enough to conquer a foe that lives solely to consume them?
The thing about Morlun, as a character, is that there really wasn't all that much to him in terms of back story in both the times that he fought Spider-Man. He was, most likely by design, shrouded in mystery, and Slott has seen this as an opportunity to build a whole world around him. Of course, a lot of these narrative innovations could very well create retroactive plot holes in Morlun's previous appearances, but I will give Slott high marks for his sense of scope. He really is turning out to be quite the Ringmaster of the Spidey circus; since he took over solo writing duties back in 2010 he's churned out quite a "event" storylines like "Spider-Island," "The Ends of the Earth," and, of course "Superior Spider-Man," probably the story for which he will be best remembered.
The best part of this new story arc, however, is far and away artist Olivier Coipel, who brings a dynamic look this book hasn't enjoyed since Stefano Caselli left the Spider-books some years ago.With due respect to series regulars Humberto Ramos and Giuseppe Camuncoli, who also turn in some work here, Coipel brings his "A" game to these pages, and elevates the entire story in the process. His take on Spider-man, from his size, to his body language, to the ever present web swinging, proves that Coipel is a natural fit for this title, which makes it all the more regrettable that Camuncoli will be alternating on art duties for at least two issues. Coipel is a true superstar, and I hope he comes back to the book after this story wraps up early next year.
Welcome to Spider-Verse Peter Parker and friends! Hope you survive the experience!
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Why Daryl Dixon Must Die (Mild Spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 5)
As much as I wanted to follow season 5 of AMC's insanely popular ongoing series The Walking Dead from the very first episode, I was out of town and without any access to cable television for the two weeks during which the first two episodes aired. As a result, I missed the two episodes in which Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his crew escaped the clutches of the cannibals from Terminus, who had them in a bit of a bind at the end of Season 4. I did make it back in time, however, to see team Rick dispatch the Terminus cannibals in a decidedly...final fashion.
With the Terminus crew dealt with, the group splits in two and the focus of the story is primarily about finding Beth (Emily Kinney).
It's eight episodes packed with murder, mayhem, cannibalism, and, of course zombies, all of which comes to a head in a mid-season finale that, while still a shocker in some ways, no longer delivers the same impact that the older episodes, especially the ones involving character deaths, used to do.
There's no point in reviewing the first half of the season, which has been over and done with for a couple of weeks now, but I feel I have to weigh in on a trend I'm observing, especially with two character deaths over the course of eight episodes. The thing about both of the characters who kicked the proverbial bucket was that they basically had "will die eventually" written all over them. Two more characters have joined the group, but the cynic in me says it's only a matter of time before they bite the big one as well (or, as is often the case with this show, get bitten).
The simple reality is that characters will come and characters will go; such is the nature of this show, and in a show about a zombie apocalypse death is basically a constant companion for supposedly everyone.
After five seasons and some real humdingers for episodes, however, the show has finally started falling into a rut of sorts, with one of the two character deaths coming across as downright predictable and the other one, coming across as ill-conceived, almost as if it was done purely so that the show's writers could meet their shock and awe quota.
Worse still, it seems to have become fairly clear that the whole "anyone can die" wisdom does not quite apply to everyone.
While there are still five characters alive from the show's very first season, most of them may yet get their ticket punched. To my mind, however, there is one character the showrunners have no intention of killing at all.
Glenn, the Korean American played by Steven Yuen, has already been somewhat brutally killed in the comics, so his character is at risk.
Michonne, the katana-wielding badass played by Danai Gurira who joined the show in season 3, is arguably the most popular character from both the comics and the movies, but at the end of the day, she is both black and a woman, two demographics which generally have not had the best record of longevity in this series. Also, while killing her would have genuine and profound shock value, the death of Glenn in the comics has pretty much established her as fair game.
Carl Grimes (Chandler Rigg) the son of the lead character Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) is a character whose death would arguably be the most tragic of all, given that he and his sister Judith represent the future of that bleak world, but considering how many kids have been offed I can definitely see it happening, whether or not the producers ever decide to pull the trigger on him.
Rick may be the lead character of both the television and comic book series, but at the beginning of season 4 the writers teased the possibility that he had turned into a walker, specifically in that episode when he and Carl were holed up in am abandoned house following the governor's destruction of the prison. It may not happen soon, if it happens at all, but the people behind the show have already hinted at what Rick's demise would be like.
Which brings us to Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), a TV-exclusive character who, I will venture to say, is easily the most popular.
Daryl has had his share of close calls during his five-season tenure. There was the possibility that he might die in Woodbury episodes, or when walkers overran the funeral home where he and Beth briefly holed up, or at the hands of the Terminus cannibals, to name but a few.
As a result of all these near misses, I have come to believe that the show's bosses have no intention of killing Daryl off, at least not while his popularity is so high. He is a fantastic character, really, and Reedus plays him with incredible charisma. The problem, is thought, that the notion of a character who remains impervious to any lasting harm feels like an antithesis to one of the show's central themes, which is the fragility and fleeting nature of life. It is for this reason that, sooner or later, Daryl has to die.
Sure, fans would go absolutely insane, but Daryl's death would truly slam home the point that anyone in the show is potential zombie food, or cannon fodder. All bets would be off, and each and every episode would be terrifying for fans because no one would ever feel safe again.
THAT'S the kind of thrill this show needs to really bring back the sense of urgency and utter peril of those first season episodes.
With the Terminus crew dealt with, the group splits in two and the focus of the story is primarily about finding Beth (Emily Kinney).
It's eight episodes packed with murder, mayhem, cannibalism, and, of course zombies, all of which comes to a head in a mid-season finale that, while still a shocker in some ways, no longer delivers the same impact that the older episodes, especially the ones involving character deaths, used to do.
There's no point in reviewing the first half of the season, which has been over and done with for a couple of weeks now, but I feel I have to weigh in on a trend I'm observing, especially with two character deaths over the course of eight episodes. The thing about both of the characters who kicked the proverbial bucket was that they basically had "will die eventually" written all over them. Two more characters have joined the group, but the cynic in me says it's only a matter of time before they bite the big one as well (or, as is often the case with this show, get bitten).
The simple reality is that characters will come and characters will go; such is the nature of this show, and in a show about a zombie apocalypse death is basically a constant companion for supposedly everyone.
After five seasons and some real humdingers for episodes, however, the show has finally started falling into a rut of sorts, with one of the two character deaths coming across as downright predictable and the other one, coming across as ill-conceived, almost as if it was done purely so that the show's writers could meet their shock and awe quota.
Worse still, it seems to have become fairly clear that the whole "anyone can die" wisdom does not quite apply to everyone.
While there are still five characters alive from the show's very first season, most of them may yet get their ticket punched. To my mind, however, there is one character the showrunners have no intention of killing at all.
Glenn, the Korean American played by Steven Yuen, has already been somewhat brutally killed in the comics, so his character is at risk.
Michonne, the katana-wielding badass played by Danai Gurira who joined the show in season 3, is arguably the most popular character from both the comics and the movies, but at the end of the day, she is both black and a woman, two demographics which generally have not had the best record of longevity in this series. Also, while killing her would have genuine and profound shock value, the death of Glenn in the comics has pretty much established her as fair game.
Carl Grimes (Chandler Rigg) the son of the lead character Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) is a character whose death would arguably be the most tragic of all, given that he and his sister Judith represent the future of that bleak world, but considering how many kids have been offed I can definitely see it happening, whether or not the producers ever decide to pull the trigger on him.
Rick may be the lead character of both the television and comic book series, but at the beginning of season 4 the writers teased the possibility that he had turned into a walker, specifically in that episode when he and Carl were holed up in am abandoned house following the governor's destruction of the prison. It may not happen soon, if it happens at all, but the people behind the show have already hinted at what Rick's demise would be like.
Which brings us to Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), a TV-exclusive character who, I will venture to say, is easily the most popular.
Daryl has had his share of close calls during his five-season tenure. There was the possibility that he might die in Woodbury episodes, or when walkers overran the funeral home where he and Beth briefly holed up, or at the hands of the Terminus cannibals, to name but a few.
As a result of all these near misses, I have come to believe that the show's bosses have no intention of killing Daryl off, at least not while his popularity is so high. He is a fantastic character, really, and Reedus plays him with incredible charisma. The problem, is thought, that the notion of a character who remains impervious to any lasting harm feels like an antithesis to one of the show's central themes, which is the fragility and fleeting nature of life. It is for this reason that, sooner or later, Daryl has to die.
Sure, fans would go absolutely insane, but Daryl's death would truly slam home the point that anyone in the show is potential zombie food, or cannon fodder. All bets would be off, and each and every episode would be terrifying for fans because no one would ever feel safe again.
THAT'S the kind of thrill this show needs to really bring back the sense of urgency and utter peril of those first season episodes.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Purple Reign: A Review of Daredevil #10
written by Mark Waid
illustrated by Chris Samnee
colored by Matthew Wilson
The last issue had Zebediah Killgrave, a.k.a. the murderous Purple Man, standing over Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil after the latter had fallen off a bridge, having fallen prey to the overwhelming empathic powers of Killgrave's illegitimate children by several different women. Now, Matt must take on Killgrave and figure out how to deal with five kids with powers capable of crippling him with depression. Meanwhile, the father of Matt's current law-partner/squeeze Kirsten McDuffie, who also happens to be a successful publisher, continues to ask if he's interested in turning his life story into a book.
Waid wraps up a fairly compact three-issue arc with a healthy dose of action and Matt's trademark ingenuity in dealing with his adversary. The manner in which Matt saves the day here is not quite as clever as the way he stopped a bomb from exploding in issue #1, but it is fun, and gratifying to boot. It's not quite what I'd call groundbreaking as far as storytelling is concerned, and while this may sound hypocritical of me, especially considering how much I complain about decompressed storytelling, there's a part of me that feels this story line could have benefited from one more issue. I would have loved to have seen more of Waid's and Samnee's take on Killgrave.
Ultimately, though, Waid and Samnee most certainly gave me my Daredevil fix with this issue, and this arc, and that's what matters.
I would especially like to sing praises for Samnee's inspired cover. This entire arc has basically been a sort of homage to Gothic horror stories, and it's a lot of fun to see Samnee really immersing himself in this particular brand of storytelling, particularly in terms of how he draws covers.
For me, though, the real treat in this story happens on the very last page, which is actually a surprise epilogue of sorts. I dare not spoil it, but suffice it to say that Waid and Samnee sell the readers a bit of a dummy as far as Matt's emotional state is concerned, only to trick us at the very last minute. It's a fitting ending given the light-hearted tone this series has had since Waid first relaunched Daredevil half a decade ago, and serves as a bit of a reassurance that Waid and Samnee still have several stories to tell without having to take DD down the "dark" path with which he is still most commonly associated thanks to the likes of Frank Miller.
Again, Waid, Samnee and Wilson have come up with a real winner here.
8.7/10
illustrated by Chris Samnee
colored by Matthew Wilson
The last issue had Zebediah Killgrave, a.k.a. the murderous Purple Man, standing over Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil after the latter had fallen off a bridge, having fallen prey to the overwhelming empathic powers of Killgrave's illegitimate children by several different women. Now, Matt must take on Killgrave and figure out how to deal with five kids with powers capable of crippling him with depression. Meanwhile, the father of Matt's current law-partner/squeeze Kirsten McDuffie, who also happens to be a successful publisher, continues to ask if he's interested in turning his life story into a book.
Waid wraps up a fairly compact three-issue arc with a healthy dose of action and Matt's trademark ingenuity in dealing with his adversary. The manner in which Matt saves the day here is not quite as clever as the way he stopped a bomb from exploding in issue #1, but it is fun, and gratifying to boot. It's not quite what I'd call groundbreaking as far as storytelling is concerned, and while this may sound hypocritical of me, especially considering how much I complain about decompressed storytelling, there's a part of me that feels this story line could have benefited from one more issue. I would have loved to have seen more of Waid's and Samnee's take on Killgrave.
Ultimately, though, Waid and Samnee most certainly gave me my Daredevil fix with this issue, and this arc, and that's what matters.
I would especially like to sing praises for Samnee's inspired cover. This entire arc has basically been a sort of homage to Gothic horror stories, and it's a lot of fun to see Samnee really immersing himself in this particular brand of storytelling, particularly in terms of how he draws covers.
For me, though, the real treat in this story happens on the very last page, which is actually a surprise epilogue of sorts. I dare not spoil it, but suffice it to say that Waid and Samnee sell the readers a bit of a dummy as far as Matt's emotional state is concerned, only to trick us at the very last minute. It's a fitting ending given the light-hearted tone this series has had since Waid first relaunched Daredevil half a decade ago, and serves as a bit of a reassurance that Waid and Samnee still have several stories to tell without having to take DD down the "dark" path with which he is still most commonly associated thanks to the likes of Frank Miller.
Again, Waid, Samnee and Wilson have come up with a real winner here.
8.7/10
Quick Looks Part VII: The Amazing Spider-Man #s 1.4 and 1.5
(writer) Dan Slott
(artist) Ramon Perez
(colorist) Ian Herring
Dan Slott's look at the first few months of Peter Parker's career as Spider-Man concludes, as he deals both with his own issues of who he has to be, as well as Clash, the high school loner who has gone from Spider-Man wannabe to aspiring supervillian in the course of two issues.
I confess to being a little disappointed at how the series ultimately played out; the marketing promised answers as to why Clash has not been a part of the Spider-Man mythology all these years, and the comic book failed to deliver. As a retcon, then, this series is slightly problematic.
In all other respects, though, this is a pretty satisfying retro story in the vein of Daredevil: Yellow. Truth be told, it doesn't really bring too much that's new to the canon, but it is a nice reaffirmation of the values that makes Peter Spider-man. Also, it gave Alex Ross the opportunity to turn it some truly astonishing covers.
I suppose we'll be seeing Clash again soon, but even if we don't, Slott told a pretty decent story, even if he had to introduce a new character to do it.
8/10
(artist) Ramon Perez
(colorist) Ian Herring
Dan Slott's look at the first few months of Peter Parker's career as Spider-Man concludes, as he deals both with his own issues of who he has to be, as well as Clash, the high school loner who has gone from Spider-Man wannabe to aspiring supervillian in the course of two issues.
I confess to being a little disappointed at how the series ultimately played out; the marketing promised answers as to why Clash has not been a part of the Spider-Man mythology all these years, and the comic book failed to deliver. As a retcon, then, this series is slightly problematic.
In all other respects, though, this is a pretty satisfying retro story in the vein of Daredevil: Yellow. Truth be told, it doesn't really bring too much that's new to the canon, but it is a nice reaffirmation of the values that makes Peter Spider-man. Also, it gave Alex Ross the opportunity to turn it some truly astonishing covers.
I suppose we'll be seeing Clash again soon, but even if we don't, Slott told a pretty decent story, even if he had to introduce a new character to do it.
8/10
Quick Looks Part VI: Ultimate Spider Man #6 and #7
written by Brian Michael Bendis
illustrated by David Marquez
colored by Justin Ponsor
Miles Morales has a rematch with Norman Osborn, one that spans two issues, and Peter Parker, apparently really and truly not dead, comes to an important decision. Also, the readers learn why it's quite a bummer for Katie Bishop to learn that her boyfriend Miles is actually Spider-Man.
This issue is brilliantly illustrated, and a pretty satisfying conclusion as far as the Osborn/Parker/Morales saga goes, but holy cow, it took Bendis two issues to say what could have easily been said in one, and as I will emphasize in my review of Daredevil #10 (which will be a full review, unlike this snippet), the extra twenty pages were completely unnecessary.
Apart from Bendis' penchant for decompression, though, I think the reason for the ultra-long two-part climax to this story; is to definitively establish Miles Morales as a force to reckon with in the Marvel Universe. Norman Osborn, in this particular world, is the definitive "ultimate universe" bad guy, and Miles takes him on without blinking. Bendis has put Miles through the wringer since creating him, and seeing Miles really cut loose is cathartic, in a way, as it would surely be for the character after all he has endured. To be fair, despite the extra length, Bendis' story manages to pack quite a few narrative punches.
The star of this show, though, is Marquez, and whatever happens to this title or the Ultimate Universe in general, I hope he continues to illustrate Spider-Man adventures for a long time to come, whether it's Miles or Peter under the mask.
There are some unresolved threads, apart from the one introduced at the end of the issue; in particular the "Spider-Men" who have been on a robbery spree remain on the loose, but clearly Bendis has more stories to tell in the little time this book, and this imprint, have left. I just hope they're a little more compact than this rather bloated seven-issue story has been.
7/10
illustrated by David Marquez
colored by Justin Ponsor
Miles Morales has a rematch with Norman Osborn, one that spans two issues, and Peter Parker, apparently really and truly not dead, comes to an important decision. Also, the readers learn why it's quite a bummer for Katie Bishop to learn that her boyfriend Miles is actually Spider-Man.
This issue is brilliantly illustrated, and a pretty satisfying conclusion as far as the Osborn/Parker/Morales saga goes, but holy cow, it took Bendis two issues to say what could have easily been said in one, and as I will emphasize in my review of Daredevil #10 (which will be a full review, unlike this snippet), the extra twenty pages were completely unnecessary.
Apart from Bendis' penchant for decompression, though, I think the reason for the ultra-long two-part climax to this story; is to definitively establish Miles Morales as a force to reckon with in the Marvel Universe. Norman Osborn, in this particular world, is the definitive "ultimate universe" bad guy, and Miles takes him on without blinking. Bendis has put Miles through the wringer since creating him, and seeing Miles really cut loose is cathartic, in a way, as it would surely be for the character after all he has endured. To be fair, despite the extra length, Bendis' story manages to pack quite a few narrative punches.
The star of this show, though, is Marquez, and whatever happens to this title or the Ultimate Universe in general, I hope he continues to illustrate Spider-Man adventures for a long time to come, whether it's Miles or Peter under the mask.
There are some unresolved threads, apart from the one introduced at the end of the issue; in particular the "Spider-Men" who have been on a robbery spree remain on the loose, but clearly Bendis has more stories to tell in the little time this book, and this imprint, have left. I just hope they're a little more compact than this rather bloated seven-issue story has been.
7/10
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Quick Looks Part V: Daredevil #8 and #9
(writer) Mark Waid
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Matthew Wilson
After taking two issues off, regular series artist Chris Samnee rejoins Mark Waid for this genuinely chilling story arc which sees the return of longtime Daredevil foe Zebediah Killgrave, otherwise known as the Purple Man, who gathers up various children he has sired by women using his mind-control powers. He has two goals: one being to rule the city or something like that, and the other and apparently more primordial one being to enjoy the affection of people who aren't forced, by his "talents," to love him. It all goes horribly wrong for him, however, as his kids have other ideas. Meanwhile, Daredevil's blossoming romance with his law partner and life coach Kirsten McDuffie takes a turn for the interesting when Kirsten's father, a self-made publishing magnate, offers Daredevil a book deal for his life-story, with a hefty advance. The problem, however, is that for all of his eloquence in the courtroom and acumen in hand-to-hand combat, Matt is apparently a terrible writer. He's about to have about several bigger problems in very short order, though.
While I certainly missed Samnee during the last two "Original Sin" issues, I'm more than happy for his time off, because his art on both of these issues visibly benefits from his brief hiatus; the level of rendering is quite impressive, even by his already considerably high standards. It perfectly captures the decidedly dark atmosphere Waid has set for this particular story line.
Killgrave, like most of Daredevil's original villains, was actually kind of goofy when he came out (Kingpin, often regarded as DD's ultimate nemesis, was originally a Spider-Man bad guy), but in the last ten years or so, thanks in large part to Brian Michael Bendis, who reworked the character in the now defunct series Alias, he has metamorphosed into a rather frightening character in the mold of Hannibal Lecter. Waid teases the reader with the prospect of Killgrave using his army of kids to make life very difficult for Daredevil, before taking an abrupt, very interesting left turn and setting the stage for what could not only be an interesting showdown, but a very interesting team-up as well. That's all I'll say on the matter.
This storyline kind of eschews the swashbuckling tone that has pervaded this series for the last half decade or so, but rather than revisit its more famous noir roots it goes for a more gothic horror, "Children of the Corn" kind of approach, and I'm very interested to see what Waid and Samnee, joined by new series colorist Matthew Wilson, have in store.
9/10
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Matthew Wilson
After taking two issues off, regular series artist Chris Samnee rejoins Mark Waid for this genuinely chilling story arc which sees the return of longtime Daredevil foe Zebediah Killgrave, otherwise known as the Purple Man, who gathers up various children he has sired by women using his mind-control powers. He has two goals: one being to rule the city or something like that, and the other and apparently more primordial one being to enjoy the affection of people who aren't forced, by his "talents," to love him. It all goes horribly wrong for him, however, as his kids have other ideas. Meanwhile, Daredevil's blossoming romance with his law partner and life coach Kirsten McDuffie takes a turn for the interesting when Kirsten's father, a self-made publishing magnate, offers Daredevil a book deal for his life-story, with a hefty advance. The problem, however, is that for all of his eloquence in the courtroom and acumen in hand-to-hand combat, Matt is apparently a terrible writer. He's about to have about several bigger problems in very short order, though.
While I certainly missed Samnee during the last two "Original Sin" issues, I'm more than happy for his time off, because his art on both of these issues visibly benefits from his brief hiatus; the level of rendering is quite impressive, even by his already considerably high standards. It perfectly captures the decidedly dark atmosphere Waid has set for this particular story line.
Killgrave, like most of Daredevil's original villains, was actually kind of goofy when he came out (Kingpin, often regarded as DD's ultimate nemesis, was originally a Spider-Man bad guy), but in the last ten years or so, thanks in large part to Brian Michael Bendis, who reworked the character in the now defunct series Alias, he has metamorphosed into a rather frightening character in the mold of Hannibal Lecter. Waid teases the reader with the prospect of Killgrave using his army of kids to make life very difficult for Daredevil, before taking an abrupt, very interesting left turn and setting the stage for what could not only be an interesting showdown, but a very interesting team-up as well. That's all I'll say on the matter.
This storyline kind of eschews the swashbuckling tone that has pervaded this series for the last half decade or so, but rather than revisit its more famous noir roots it goes for a more gothic horror, "Children of the Corn" kind of approach, and I'm very interested to see what Waid and Samnee, joined by new series colorist Matthew Wilson, have in store.
9/10
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Quick Looks Part IV: Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #s 4 and 5
(writer) Brian Michael Bendis
(artist) David Marquez
(colorist) Justin Ponsor
In issue #4, Miles Morales gets into a fistfight with Norman Osborn, a.k.a. the Green Goblin. Peter Parker (yes, Peter Parker) helps out. In issue #5, they escape the police. Save for a few other pages of dialogue between other characters, little else actually happens.
This book is turning into one big anti-climax, which Bendis is unduly dragging out for reasons I cannot quite understand. Bendis didn't do this too often on his first run with this character. His longest story arc on the previous iteration of this title was seven issues, but here, five issues in, things don't feel anywhere near resolution, and it's largely because of his insufferable propensity for decompressed storytelling.
The good news is that artist David Marquez is at the top of his game here, and his art for both issues is nothing short of amazing, ably abetted by Justin Ponsor and his color palette. Bendis' dialogue, particularly the exchange between Miles' girlfriend, Katie Bishop, and her older sister, is fairly enjoyable, if a little repetitive, considering how most of his characters seem to have identical speech tics. Truth be told, the story overall is rather enjoyable; what detracts is the feeling that so little has happened over two whole issues, and even over the last five.
It's been said that Marvel looks like it's finally calling time on the Ultimate imprint (though people have been saying that for some time now), and considering the sagging sales its titles have experienced for over half a decade now if they've decided to make that call I can hardly blame them. Maybe that's why Bendis is dragging this series out a bit; maybe he knows the world in which it moves is on its last legs.
Either way, I really hope Bendis has a really butt-kicking finale in store for this arc.
It's been said that Marvel looks like it's finally calling time on the Ultimate imprint (though people have been saying that for some time now), and considering the sagging sales its titles have experienced for over half a decade now if they've decided to make that call I can hardly blame them. Maybe that's why Bendis is dragging this series out a bit; maybe he knows the world in which it moves is on its last legs.
Either way, I really hope Bendis has a really butt-kicking finale in store for this arc.
7/10
Quick Looks Part III: Guardians of the Galaxy #18 to 20 (spoilers)
(writer) Brian Michael Bendis
(pencils) Ed McGuinness, Valerio Schiti (some pages of issue 20)
(inks) Mark Farmer
(colors) Jason Keith
Peter Quill, a.k.a. Starlord, for some time, was believed dead, having trapped himself, Drax the Destroyer, and the missing hero Richard Ryder, a.k.a. Nova, in the dreaded Cancerverse with Thanos the Titan. Quill, Drax and Thanos have since returned from what was believed to be certain death, but Ryder has not. In the course of three issues, Quill explains what happened to Gamora, who had some kind of romantic liaison with Quill.
I'll be honest, I didn't follow this series before Bendis relaunched it with Steve McNiven last year, but it really felt like it was designed to sell the then-upcoming movie, from Star Lord's revised, mask-free look to the stories that didn't seem particularly n any kind of preexisting continuity. With the movie having come, seen and conquered, Bendis and crew now revisit some of the past of the title, and it's pretty gruesome.
I wasn't particularly a fan of Bendis' decompressed storytelling, which is on full display as he takes three issues to tell what is basically a two-issue story, but I will give him credit for telling a pretty moving story about a hero's last stand (at least, until some other writer decides otherwise). Richard Ryder makes a pretty heroic decision in the face of a pretty grisly fate, but personally, and even without any real attachment to this character, I wasn't quite happy with the denouement he was given, which really felt like an afterthought.
I get that there was some kind of imperative for the Nova title to be rebooted for younger readers, starring the (kind of annoying) character that Jeph Loeb created for the Ultimate Spider-Man TV series, but I don't believe that they had to dispatch with Ryder the way they did. But then, I'm not Marvel.
I only picked up this book for some Ed McGuinness art, and while I will say I was happy with what I got, I have to say I would have preferred for him to have worked with his more frequent collaborator Dexter Vines. Mark Farmer's softer inking style doesn't quite do Ed's pencils justice.
All in all, I really could have done without this in my collection, but at least, unlike the issues illustrated by Nick Bradshaw (and company) that came before it, this had a more meaningful narrative and some pretty good art.
6.5/10
(pencils) Ed McGuinness, Valerio Schiti (some pages of issue 20)
(inks) Mark Farmer
(colors) Jason Keith
Peter Quill, a.k.a. Starlord, for some time, was believed dead, having trapped himself, Drax the Destroyer, and the missing hero Richard Ryder, a.k.a. Nova, in the dreaded Cancerverse with Thanos the Titan. Quill, Drax and Thanos have since returned from what was believed to be certain death, but Ryder has not. In the course of three issues, Quill explains what happened to Gamora, who had some kind of romantic liaison with Quill.
I'll be honest, I didn't follow this series before Bendis relaunched it with Steve McNiven last year, but it really felt like it was designed to sell the then-upcoming movie, from Star Lord's revised, mask-free look to the stories that didn't seem particularly n any kind of preexisting continuity. With the movie having come, seen and conquered, Bendis and crew now revisit some of the past of the title, and it's pretty gruesome.
I wasn't particularly a fan of Bendis' decompressed storytelling, which is on full display as he takes three issues to tell what is basically a two-issue story, but I will give him credit for telling a pretty moving story about a hero's last stand (at least, until some other writer decides otherwise). Richard Ryder makes a pretty heroic decision in the face of a pretty grisly fate, but personally, and even without any real attachment to this character, I wasn't quite happy with the denouement he was given, which really felt like an afterthought.
I get that there was some kind of imperative for the Nova title to be rebooted for younger readers, starring the (kind of annoying) character that Jeph Loeb created for the Ultimate Spider-Man TV series, but I don't believe that they had to dispatch with Ryder the way they did. But then, I'm not Marvel.
I only picked up this book for some Ed McGuinness art, and while I will say I was happy with what I got, I have to say I would have preferred for him to have worked with his more frequent collaborator Dexter Vines. Mark Farmer's softer inking style doesn't quite do Ed's pencils justice.
All in all, I really could have done without this in my collection, but at least, unlike the issues illustrated by Nick Bradshaw (and company) that came before it, this had a more meaningful narrative and some pretty good art.
6.5/10
Quick Looks Part II: A Review of Daredevil issues #6 and #7
(writer) Mark Waid
(artist) Javier Rodriguez
(colorist) Alvaro Lopez
In the months that I was unable to purchase any new comic books due to a heavy work schedule, being away from this title was the most difficult for me to endure. This title is, hands-down, my very favorite on sale today, and not being able to follow it was an honest-to-God bummer.
These two issues constitute the title's tie-in to Marvel's "Original Sin" event which wrapped up a couple of months ago. The premise is that Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil is given a memory from his past involving his mother and father. It's an unpleasant image that suggests that his father physically abused his mother, but it is not a complete memory, and as a result, Matt hunts down the enigmatic nun known as Sister Maggie, whom he also knows to be his mother. Much to his shock, however, she is in jail for reasons that no one seems willing to disclose to Matt, but which involve the sovereign nation of Wakanda.
Sending Daredevil on international adventures isn't exactly a new thing; a few years back he was in Monaco during Ed Brubaker's run and only a few years ago, under the tenure of Mark Waid, he paid a visit to Doctor Doom's native Latveria. This story is a little less ambitious than those were, as it only spans two issues compared to the four or five issues, but it does contain Waid's patented dynamite storytelling ability, which hinges on Matt's hero worship for his dad, and how this fragment of a memory comes close to shattering that mental and emotional image he has of his father. It's a pretty potent story, even if it isn't all about shifting the status quo or anything like that, and has something fairly interesting to say about post-partum depression. Also, it answers the long standing question of why Daredevil's mom left his dad in a way that is neither cloying nor judgmental.
Regular artist Chris Samnee takes a break for these two issues (though he is back for the next two with a vengeance), and Javier Rodriguez, his usual fill-in guy, does an admirable job illustrating this compact tale, though he isn't quite on par with Samnee's regular work. I chuckled at the realization that Samnee is probably not Catholic, though; his cover of issue #6, which features several nuns in prayer, depicts one of them holding what is supposed to be a rosary, one which is incorrectly drawn. Well, research into religious iconography isn't one of his strong points, then. It's not exactly a deal-breaker for me, especially considering the work Samnee turns in for issues #8 and #9. But that's another review altogether.
Yet again, Mark Waid delivers!
8.5/10
(artist) Javier Rodriguez
(colorist) Alvaro Lopez
In the months that I was unable to purchase any new comic books due to a heavy work schedule, being away from this title was the most difficult for me to endure. This title is, hands-down, my very favorite on sale today, and not being able to follow it was an honest-to-God bummer.
These two issues constitute the title's tie-in to Marvel's "Original Sin" event which wrapped up a couple of months ago. The premise is that Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil is given a memory from his past involving his mother and father. It's an unpleasant image that suggests that his father physically abused his mother, but it is not a complete memory, and as a result, Matt hunts down the enigmatic nun known as Sister Maggie, whom he also knows to be his mother. Much to his shock, however, she is in jail for reasons that no one seems willing to disclose to Matt, but which involve the sovereign nation of Wakanda.
Sending Daredevil on international adventures isn't exactly a new thing; a few years back he was in Monaco during Ed Brubaker's run and only a few years ago, under the tenure of Mark Waid, he paid a visit to Doctor Doom's native Latveria. This story is a little less ambitious than those were, as it only spans two issues compared to the four or five issues, but it does contain Waid's patented dynamite storytelling ability, which hinges on Matt's hero worship for his dad, and how this fragment of a memory comes close to shattering that mental and emotional image he has of his father. It's a pretty potent story, even if it isn't all about shifting the status quo or anything like that, and has something fairly interesting to say about post-partum depression. Also, it answers the long standing question of why Daredevil's mom left his dad in a way that is neither cloying nor judgmental.
Regular artist Chris Samnee takes a break for these two issues (though he is back for the next two with a vengeance), and Javier Rodriguez, his usual fill-in guy, does an admirable job illustrating this compact tale, though he isn't quite on par with Samnee's regular work. I chuckled at the realization that Samnee is probably not Catholic, though; his cover of issue #6, which features several nuns in prayer, depicts one of them holding what is supposed to be a rosary, one which is incorrectly drawn. Well, research into religious iconography isn't one of his strong points, then. It's not exactly a deal-breaker for me, especially considering the work Samnee turns in for issues #8 and #9. But that's another review altogether.
Yet again, Mark Waid delivers!
8.5/10
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Quick Looks Part 1: The Amazing Spider-Man #s 4 to 6
(writer) Dan Slott
(penciler) Humberto Ramos
(inker) Victor Olazaba
(colorist) Edgar Delgado
Work has kept me away from this blog for something like three months running now, so there are literally over a dozen reviews I would have wanted to write that I simply could not find the time for.
These three issues see the end of the first arc of Peter Parker's inaugural return as Spidey, and to the credit of Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos and the rest of the crew responsible, they are three very eventful issues as they contain some pretty significant developments not only for Spidey, but for longtime supporting character Felicia Hardy, aka the Black Cat, who seems to have made the transition into full-blown bad guy, and for the relative newbies, like Peter's business partners Sajani, and his body's ex (from the time Doctor Octopus was running around in it) Anna Maria Marconi. The arc also introduces a new character with Spider powers, Cindy Moon, aka Silk, who comes across to me as one of the most pointless retcon jobs I've seen in recent years, but one which may yet prove important to the "Spider-Verse" storyline, which has already begun with issue #9. In the meantime, I'm so darned far behind in my reading that I only just finished with #6.
I'll say this for Slott: he may have put Peter back in the driver's seat, but he certainly isn't about to go easy on him. It looks like he's about to have a pretty serious dose of "the Parker luck" coming. Also, the fact that the Black Cat has gone from one-time Spidey friend to full-on Spidey foe is some of the fall-out from Spider-Ock's tenure that I was sincerely hoping to see.
For me, the jury is still out on Moon a.k.a. Silk, but if nothing else I'm glad Slott has, through her, revisited the Morlun character, first introduced by J. Michael Straczynski during the inaugural arc of his celebrated run on the book over a decade ago.
Ramos is...well, Ramos. There has been some improvement to his style but it is still essentially the same bundle of barely-controlled chaos that it usually is during the action sequences. His character work has improved quite a bit, and at least Peter doesn't look like he's twelve years old, as he did when Ramos first started drawing him many years ago.
All told, it's a respectable story that will probably play out well as a collected edition, but it was hardly the big bang I was expecting from the team that was welcoming Peter back after over a year away from his own body, especially considering they took six issues to tell the story.
It's a pity I had so many comics to catch up on, as I would have wanted to dive right into "Spider-Verse" after so many months away. Ah, well. Next time.
7.5/10
(penciler) Humberto Ramos
(inker) Victor Olazaba
(colorist) Edgar Delgado
Work has kept me away from this blog for something like three months running now, so there are literally over a dozen reviews I would have wanted to write that I simply could not find the time for.
These three issues see the end of the first arc of Peter Parker's inaugural return as Spidey, and to the credit of Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos and the rest of the crew responsible, they are three very eventful issues as they contain some pretty significant developments not only for Spidey, but for longtime supporting character Felicia Hardy, aka the Black Cat, who seems to have made the transition into full-blown bad guy, and for the relative newbies, like Peter's business partners Sajani, and his body's ex (from the time Doctor Octopus was running around in it) Anna Maria Marconi. The arc also introduces a new character with Spider powers, Cindy Moon, aka Silk, who comes across to me as one of the most pointless retcon jobs I've seen in recent years, but one which may yet prove important to the "Spider-Verse" storyline, which has already begun with issue #9. In the meantime, I'm so darned far behind in my reading that I only just finished with #6.
I'll say this for Slott: he may have put Peter back in the driver's seat, but he certainly isn't about to go easy on him. It looks like he's about to have a pretty serious dose of "the Parker luck" coming. Also, the fact that the Black Cat has gone from one-time Spidey friend to full-on Spidey foe is some of the fall-out from Spider-Ock's tenure that I was sincerely hoping to see.
For me, the jury is still out on Moon a.k.a. Silk, but if nothing else I'm glad Slott has, through her, revisited the Morlun character, first introduced by J. Michael Straczynski during the inaugural arc of his celebrated run on the book over a decade ago.
Ramos is...well, Ramos. There has been some improvement to his style but it is still essentially the same bundle of barely-controlled chaos that it usually is during the action sequences. His character work has improved quite a bit, and at least Peter doesn't look like he's twelve years old, as he did when Ramos first started drawing him many years ago.
All told, it's a respectable story that will probably play out well as a collected edition, but it was hardly the big bang I was expecting from the team that was welcoming Peter back after over a year away from his own body, especially considering they took six issues to tell the story.
It's a pity I had so many comics to catch up on, as I would have wanted to dive right into "Spider-Verse" after so many months away. Ah, well. Next time.
7.5/10
Saturday, July 19, 2014
How to Kill Foggy Nelson: A Review of Daredevil #5
(writer) Mark Waid
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
I can happily assure anyone who reads the title of this review that it spoils nothing at all.
I can also assure anyone who has been enjoyed the new Daredevil ongoing series by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee that this issue is easily the best one that the team have churned out so far. As wonderful as the inaugural issue was, this one still manages to top it for the sheer brilliance of its execution.
The first four issues of this series featured Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, in his new environment, the city of San Francisco as a direct result of his having outed himself in the last few issues of the series' previous incarnation. Reference has been made to the fact that the Foggy Nelson is believed by the general public to be dead, with only a handful of people, namely Matt, his new law partner Kirsten, and Hank Pym, a.k.a. Ant Man, knowing the truth.
This issue explains how that status quo came about, in a story that is equal parts exhilarating and heart-warming.
What really astonishes me about this team's work, when they're firing on all cylinders, is how the quiet, character oriented moments balance perfectly against the bombastic action scenes, and this issue is a sterling example. Although the action kicks in pretty early on, Waid makes it clear that at heart, this issue isn't about yet another supervillain takedown; it's basically about Matt's friendship with Foggy, who is, at this point, Daredevil's oldest living supporting character, and basically Matt's version of Aunt May. The lengths to which Matt will go to protect his ailing friend, who was diagnosed with cancer late in the last volume of this series, illustrate just how important Foggy is to Matt, which is no surprise considering that he's basically the closest thing Matt has to a family.
Now, Foggy Nelson is no stranger to mortal peril. In the 50 years that he's been a part of this title he has been shot, stabbed, hit with crockery, drugged and even sent into witness protection on account of one peril or another. Heck, it could practically be a running joke by now. What spells the difference here is how this creative team depicts Matt's journey with Foggy on this latest tribulation.
Now, the good news for fans of Chris Samnee is that he absolutely shines here. This is the first issue of the new series that is set in New York City as opposed to Daredevil's new "digs," San Francisco, and Samnee draws the heck out of the Big Apple, almost as though he was starved for its skyscrapers and for the lovely exteriors of Central Park. That he would give the action sequences his all is a given at this stage, but his design for the bad guy Matt faces off against this issue, an unnamed villain piloting what is essentially a robotic frog suit, basically jumps off the page, no pun intended. This is Samnee at his very best, and considering that his every single issue of this new iteration of Daredevil has been exceptional, even when the script was not up to par, that says quite a lot.
This one comes highly recommended.
10/10
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
I can happily assure anyone who reads the title of this review that it spoils nothing at all.
I can also assure anyone who has been enjoyed the new Daredevil ongoing series by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee that this issue is easily the best one that the team have churned out so far. As wonderful as the inaugural issue was, this one still manages to top it for the sheer brilliance of its execution.
The first four issues of this series featured Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil, in his new environment, the city of San Francisco as a direct result of his having outed himself in the last few issues of the series' previous incarnation. Reference has been made to the fact that the Foggy Nelson is believed by the general public to be dead, with only a handful of people, namely Matt, his new law partner Kirsten, and Hank Pym, a.k.a. Ant Man, knowing the truth.
This issue explains how that status quo came about, in a story that is equal parts exhilarating and heart-warming.
What really astonishes me about this team's work, when they're firing on all cylinders, is how the quiet, character oriented moments balance perfectly against the bombastic action scenes, and this issue is a sterling example. Although the action kicks in pretty early on, Waid makes it clear that at heart, this issue isn't about yet another supervillain takedown; it's basically about Matt's friendship with Foggy, who is, at this point, Daredevil's oldest living supporting character, and basically Matt's version of Aunt May. The lengths to which Matt will go to protect his ailing friend, who was diagnosed with cancer late in the last volume of this series, illustrate just how important Foggy is to Matt, which is no surprise considering that he's basically the closest thing Matt has to a family.
Now, Foggy Nelson is no stranger to mortal peril. In the 50 years that he's been a part of this title he has been shot, stabbed, hit with crockery, drugged and even sent into witness protection on account of one peril or another. Heck, it could practically be a running joke by now. What spells the difference here is how this creative team depicts Matt's journey with Foggy on this latest tribulation.
Now, the good news for fans of Chris Samnee is that he absolutely shines here. This is the first issue of the new series that is set in New York City as opposed to Daredevil's new "digs," San Francisco, and Samnee draws the heck out of the Big Apple, almost as though he was starved for its skyscrapers and for the lovely exteriors of Central Park. That he would give the action sequences his all is a given at this stage, but his design for the bad guy Matt faces off against this issue, an unnamed villain piloting what is essentially a robotic frog suit, basically jumps off the page, no pun intended. This is Samnee at his very best, and considering that his every single issue of this new iteration of Daredevil has been exceptional, even when the script was not up to par, that says quite a lot.
This one comes highly recommended.
10/10
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #3
(writer) Dan Slott
(artists) Humberto Ramos and Victor Olazaba
(colorist) Edgar Delgado
Three issues into Peter Parker's new lease on life, he finds himself tracking down Electro, who was a victim of Spider-Ock's experiments back in the days when he was roaming around town in Peter's body as the "superior" Spider-Man, and whose power is now beyond even his own ability to control. Peter and his team from Parker Industries actually find themselves at a fire that Electro inadvertently started. More importantly, though, Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat, who was imprisoned by Spider-Ock and who managed to break out of jail (courtesy, also, of Electro), finally finds confronts her one-time lover and now mortal enemy, and it ain't pretty.
This, quite frankly is the issue I'd been hoping to see since the relaunch. It's several weeks old as of writing, but an extended trip out of town for work kept me from reading and reviewing comics for quite some time. Still, for me it's worth taking the time to write this review considering that all of those months of seeing Spider-Ock treat people like utter garbage are finally starting to pay off.
The interesting thing about Felicia's lust for vengeance is that putting her away is, ironically enough, one of the few things that Doc Ock did right as Spider-Man; she was a felon, after all. Of course, her shared past with him understandably made Ock's actions feel like a deep form of betrayal by Peter, even though, to Ock, they meant next to nothing. It was utterly gratifying seeing Peter come face-to-face with someone who brushed his now-standard "it was Ock, not me" explanation aside, and even more amusing to see how he dealt with the situation. Truth be told, that was a bit of inspired writing by Slott even as it poked fun at the whole notion of Doctor Octopus being Spider-Man for fifteen whole months. I realize that Slott has a lot lined up for Peter and doesn't intend to give him a moment's rest, but it was nice to finally see some real fallout from Spider-Ock's tenure bite Peter on the butt in a big way. That is truly the embodiment of Parker luck.
Humberto Ramos' art, again, hold steady in this issue, and if nothing else he actually manages to make Ms. Hardy look attractive this time. He tells the story pretty well, even when things start to get frenetic, but his distorted Spidey anatomy is still rather distracting to look at. Considering that my favorite artist working these days, Chris Samnee, can tell stories and depict more or less accurate anatomy, it's a little hard to swallow Ramos' stylized art, but I am willing to cut him some slack.
To my mind, this has been the best issue of the series since Peter's return.
8.5/10
(artists) Humberto Ramos and Victor Olazaba
(colorist) Edgar Delgado
Three issues into Peter Parker's new lease on life, he finds himself tracking down Electro, who was a victim of Spider-Ock's experiments back in the days when he was roaming around town in Peter's body as the "superior" Spider-Man, and whose power is now beyond even his own ability to control. Peter and his team from Parker Industries actually find themselves at a fire that Electro inadvertently started. More importantly, though, Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat, who was imprisoned by Spider-Ock and who managed to break out of jail (courtesy, also, of Electro), finally finds confronts her one-time lover and now mortal enemy, and it ain't pretty.
This, quite frankly is the issue I'd been hoping to see since the relaunch. It's several weeks old as of writing, but an extended trip out of town for work kept me from reading and reviewing comics for quite some time. Still, for me it's worth taking the time to write this review considering that all of those months of seeing Spider-Ock treat people like utter garbage are finally starting to pay off.
The interesting thing about Felicia's lust for vengeance is that putting her away is, ironically enough, one of the few things that Doc Ock did right as Spider-Man; she was a felon, after all. Of course, her shared past with him understandably made Ock's actions feel like a deep form of betrayal by Peter, even though, to Ock, they meant next to nothing. It was utterly gratifying seeing Peter come face-to-face with someone who brushed his now-standard "it was Ock, not me" explanation aside, and even more amusing to see how he dealt with the situation. Truth be told, that was a bit of inspired writing by Slott even as it poked fun at the whole notion of Doctor Octopus being Spider-Man for fifteen whole months. I realize that Slott has a lot lined up for Peter and doesn't intend to give him a moment's rest, but it was nice to finally see some real fallout from Spider-Ock's tenure bite Peter on the butt in a big way. That is truly the embodiment of Parker luck.
Humberto Ramos' art, again, hold steady in this issue, and if nothing else he actually manages to make Ms. Hardy look attractive this time. He tells the story pretty well, even when things start to get frenetic, but his distorted Spidey anatomy is still rather distracting to look at. Considering that my favorite artist working these days, Chris Samnee, can tell stories and depict more or less accurate anatomy, it's a little hard to swallow Ramos' stylized art, but I am willing to cut him some slack.
To my mind, this has been the best issue of the series since Peter's return.
8.5/10
Saturday, June 21, 2014
A Return to Form, Somewhat: Daredevil #4
(writer) Mark Waid
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Last month's "Daredevil #3" was extremely disappointing in that it had Matt Murdock acting extremely out of character, putting his fate in the hands of someone who had not shown him, at that point in the story, if he could be trusted.
Here, Waid changes gears a little bit as Max Coleridge, a.k.a. the Shroud, helps Matt out against one of his oldest enemies, the Owl, whom the pair of them teamed up to take down last issue. Still, the Owl's got an ace up his sleeve that keeps the blind crimefighting duo from taking him in, and Matt is back to square one. Thanks to some valuable intel picked up by his new partner-in-crimefighting Kirsten MacDuffie, Matt is soon back on the trail of his old nemesis.
I still don't buy that Matt would trust someone like the Shroud, but Waid at least moves on from that story point quickly enough to make me forgive that lapse and enjoy the rest of the story, even if it isn't quite up to the standard Waid has set with this series. There isn't much of Matt using his brain here, just his acrobatic and fighting skills as he escapes from one tightly guarded place in the beginning of the issue and breaks into another towards the end. Still, the issue is well-paced, and I have to admit I'm intrigued at how Waid appears to be setting up a pretty significant story arc for the Owl, even as he wraps this one up. That would be a welcome development; apart from the time Brian Bendis used the character to develop the "Mutant Growth Hormone" drug during his run on Daredevil, very few writers have taken the character too seriously. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing Waid and Samnee take a crack at making him a proper menace for my favorite blind superhero.
Speaking of Samnee, he's firing on all cylinders, as usual. This guys has really cemented his status as one of my favorite artists of all time, and my favorite on this particular character. The thought of him and Waid cooking up a storm for DD in the months to come has my mouth watering. Javier Rodriguez is in top form as well, and I'm looking forward to him taking over the book for two issues for the "Original Sin" crossover in a few months' time. This book has, to my mind, the best rotating creative team in the business right now.
I found Foggy Nelson's absence from the issue quite conspicuous, and the last page made it clear that next issue will be pretty much all about him. Given how oblique the storytelling has been on exactly what the game plan is regarding his character, I am extremely interested to see what happens next issue.
8/10
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Last month's "Daredevil #3" was extremely disappointing in that it had Matt Murdock acting extremely out of character, putting his fate in the hands of someone who had not shown him, at that point in the story, if he could be trusted.
Here, Waid changes gears a little bit as Max Coleridge, a.k.a. the Shroud, helps Matt out against one of his oldest enemies, the Owl, whom the pair of them teamed up to take down last issue. Still, the Owl's got an ace up his sleeve that keeps the blind crimefighting duo from taking him in, and Matt is back to square one. Thanks to some valuable intel picked up by his new partner-in-crimefighting Kirsten MacDuffie, Matt is soon back on the trail of his old nemesis.
I still don't buy that Matt would trust someone like the Shroud, but Waid at least moves on from that story point quickly enough to make me forgive that lapse and enjoy the rest of the story, even if it isn't quite up to the standard Waid has set with this series. There isn't much of Matt using his brain here, just his acrobatic and fighting skills as he escapes from one tightly guarded place in the beginning of the issue and breaks into another towards the end. Still, the issue is well-paced, and I have to admit I'm intrigued at how Waid appears to be setting up a pretty significant story arc for the Owl, even as he wraps this one up. That would be a welcome development; apart from the time Brian Bendis used the character to develop the "Mutant Growth Hormone" drug during his run on Daredevil, very few writers have taken the character too seriously. I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing Waid and Samnee take a crack at making him a proper menace for my favorite blind superhero.
Speaking of Samnee, he's firing on all cylinders, as usual. This guys has really cemented his status as one of my favorite artists of all time, and my favorite on this particular character. The thought of him and Waid cooking up a storm for DD in the months to come has my mouth watering. Javier Rodriguez is in top form as well, and I'm looking forward to him taking over the book for two issues for the "Original Sin" crossover in a few months' time. This book has, to my mind, the best rotating creative team in the business right now.
I found Foggy Nelson's absence from the issue quite conspicuous, and the last page made it clear that next issue will be pretty much all about him. Given how oblique the storytelling has been on exactly what the game plan is regarding his character, I am extremely interested to see what happens next issue.
8/10
Thursday, June 12, 2014
More Retro Fun: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #1.2
"Learning to Crawl, part 2"
(writer) Dan Slott
(artist) Ramon Perez
(colorist) Ian Herring
Dan Slott's "between the lines" miniseries "Learning to Crawl" continues, and this issue takes place in between and around the events of 1963's "The Amazing Spider-Man #1" in which Spider-Man tries to join the Fantastic Four, only for their first meeting to go sour. Peter continues to grapple with his problems; he cannot explain to the school counselor why he is always withdrawn, and why he actually has a black eye. Peter makes up a generic excuse that ends up sounding like a wrongful accusation of Midtown High jock Flash Thompson. Meanwhile, Clayton Cole, who now dresses up as a superhero, outfits himself with an interesting sound-based gadget, and calls himself "Clash," takes his admiration for Spidey up a notch, and even arranges a meeting with him with the help of some big bucks. All told Peter ends up making one good decision, and one he may yet regret.
I quite enjoyed this issue, as I did the last one. Slott writes a meaty issue that tells a full story, even as it leads into the next installment, and it's particularly remarkable that he was able to pack as much as he did into it, considering that he only had nineteen pages to work with this time, which is Marvel's shitty way for docking the readers one page after last issue's extra page. Of course, the page shortage isn't Slott's fault, although I have to say, I still have some problems with the basic premise of the miniseries.
Clearly the purpose of this series is to launch "Clash," whether as a hero or as a villain, and although he starts out as wanting to be the former, the closing pages of the issue seem to suggest that he goes the way of Syndome in the Pixar's The Incredibles. Either way, though, by situating his origin so near so near to Spidey's, Slott will either have to throw this Clash in jail by the end of this series, send him to the Negative Zone, kill him or otherwise remove him from the picture for at least the next ten "comic-book years" to account for his absence from fifty-one years of Spider-Man stories. That's really just the problem with retcons, along with all of the anachronisms I pointed out from the first issue.
This is a shame, because as narrative flow goes, this issue is magnificent, no matter how derivative the origin story of "Clash" feels. This is the Spider-Man I grew up with: a guy always wanting to do the right thing but who all too often makes bad decisions along the way; I loved the way Slott handles Peter's quandary with the guidance counselor, and the subsequent run-in with Flash Thompson. It's really wonderful stuff, and more than the ham-handed retconning of a new character into Spidey's past, is this aspect of the series that makes it worth reading. Ramon Perez gives more of his magnificent Steve Ditko/Tim Sale hybrid art and on top of it all is a magnificent Alex Ross cover. The first one just featured Spidey in costume and actually looked pretty generic, but this one, with Silver Age Peter's tensed-up face, actually said a little something about the story inside the comic book, even if the representation was more impressionist than literal.
I'm definitely finishing this particular miniseries. For all its flaws, it's arguably the best Spider-Man book on sale today.
8.5/10
(writer) Dan Slott
(artist) Ramon Perez
(colorist) Ian Herring
Dan Slott's "between the lines" miniseries "Learning to Crawl" continues, and this issue takes place in between and around the events of 1963's "The Amazing Spider-Man #1" in which Spider-Man tries to join the Fantastic Four, only for their first meeting to go sour. Peter continues to grapple with his problems; he cannot explain to the school counselor why he is always withdrawn, and why he actually has a black eye. Peter makes up a generic excuse that ends up sounding like a wrongful accusation of Midtown High jock Flash Thompson. Meanwhile, Clayton Cole, who now dresses up as a superhero, outfits himself with an interesting sound-based gadget, and calls himself "Clash," takes his admiration for Spidey up a notch, and even arranges a meeting with him with the help of some big bucks. All told Peter ends up making one good decision, and one he may yet regret.
I quite enjoyed this issue, as I did the last one. Slott writes a meaty issue that tells a full story, even as it leads into the next installment, and it's particularly remarkable that he was able to pack as much as he did into it, considering that he only had nineteen pages to work with this time, which is Marvel's shitty way for docking the readers one page after last issue's extra page. Of course, the page shortage isn't Slott's fault, although I have to say, I still have some problems with the basic premise of the miniseries.
Clearly the purpose of this series is to launch "Clash," whether as a hero or as a villain, and although he starts out as wanting to be the former, the closing pages of the issue seem to suggest that he goes the way of Syndome in the Pixar's The Incredibles. Either way, though, by situating his origin so near so near to Spidey's, Slott will either have to throw this Clash in jail by the end of this series, send him to the Negative Zone, kill him or otherwise remove him from the picture for at least the next ten "comic-book years" to account for his absence from fifty-one years of Spider-Man stories. That's really just the problem with retcons, along with all of the anachronisms I pointed out from the first issue.
This is a shame, because as narrative flow goes, this issue is magnificent, no matter how derivative the origin story of "Clash" feels. This is the Spider-Man I grew up with: a guy always wanting to do the right thing but who all too often makes bad decisions along the way; I loved the way Slott handles Peter's quandary with the guidance counselor, and the subsequent run-in with Flash Thompson. It's really wonderful stuff, and more than the ham-handed retconning of a new character into Spidey's past, is this aspect of the series that makes it worth reading. Ramon Perez gives more of his magnificent Steve Ditko/Tim Sale hybrid art and on top of it all is a magnificent Alex Ross cover. The first one just featured Spidey in costume and actually looked pretty generic, but this one, with Silver Age Peter's tensed-up face, actually said a little something about the story inside the comic book, even if the representation was more impressionist than literal.
I'm definitely finishing this particular miniseries. For all its flaws, it's arguably the best Spider-Man book on sale today.
8.5/10
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
What's Old is New Again: A Review of Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #2 [SPOILERS]
(writer) Brian Michael Bendis
(artist) David Marquez
(colorist) Justin Ponsor
There's no getting around this; last issue both Ultimate Norman Osborn and Ultimate Peter Parker came back from the grave, and the timing couldn't be worse for current Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales, who is still reeling from the fact that his dad has dropped off the face of the earth after finding out his secret identity, and is struggling with the decision of whether or not to tell his girlfriend, Katie Bishop, his secret as well. Worse still, there are a couple of masked, superpowered crooks who appear to have the powers of Spider-Man hijacking dock shipments. The last issue ended with Miles actually meeting someone who appears to be Peter, and this issue, things get a little ugly.
It's been a little over three years since Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley put Ultimate Peter Parker in his grave and replaced him with the controversial half-African-American, half-Puerto-Rican Miles Morales as Spider-Man. A lot has happened to Miles since then; he's fought his uncle or the Ultimate Prowler, Ultimate Venom, Ultimate H.Y.D.R.A., he's met the "616" Peter Parker and even fought alongside him, he's lost his mom and taken part in an effort to save his world from being eaten by Galactus. In short, he's no rookie. Still, not even all of his experience as Spider-Man could have prepared him for the shock of meeting the boy he replaced. After all, not only was Peter buried; just two issues back (Ultimate Spider-Man #200) all of Peter's supporting cast held a memorial for him. This is not the "616" universe, after all, where, since the resurrection of Jean Grey in 1985, death has virtually ceased to mean anything. Here, main characters tend to stay dead (so far), so Peter's reappearance is a big thing, although Miles most likely called it right when he guessed the reason for Peter's apparent resurrection, which I will not spoil.
It's a nice, meaty issue in terms of developments in the story. Sure, it's a slow burn, but the good news is that a lot still happens here; Bendis is pacing himself well with this particular arc. Also, I genuinely enjoyed the depiction of the confrontation between old and new Ultimate Spider-Man; the feelings were genuine, and even though, naturally, the reader is meant to root for Miles, we cannot fault Peter for his actions, at least not for the moment. There is no doubt in my mind that this character is not what he appears to be, and it's to Bendis's credit that he totally has me interested in finding out what he really is.
Again, I cannot praise David Marquez's work enough. I was ready to drop this title after issue #200 but the guy just keeps me coming back for more. I was never a fan of Ultimate Peter Parker's look, whether it was drawn by series pioneer Mark Bagley or even his successor David Lafuente, but Marquez's take manages to look distinct from the "616" version while at the same time making him recognizable somehow as Peter. Marquez's action sequences are incredible, and I really, really look forward to the inevitable showdown between Miles and whoever the ultimate villain of this story turns out to be, because it's looking really crowded so far, which makes things all the more interesting.
9/10
(artist) David Marquez
(colorist) Justin Ponsor
There's no getting around this; last issue both Ultimate Norman Osborn and Ultimate Peter Parker came back from the grave, and the timing couldn't be worse for current Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales, who is still reeling from the fact that his dad has dropped off the face of the earth after finding out his secret identity, and is struggling with the decision of whether or not to tell his girlfriend, Katie Bishop, his secret as well. Worse still, there are a couple of masked, superpowered crooks who appear to have the powers of Spider-Man hijacking dock shipments. The last issue ended with Miles actually meeting someone who appears to be Peter, and this issue, things get a little ugly.
It's been a little over three years since Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley put Ultimate Peter Parker in his grave and replaced him with the controversial half-African-American, half-Puerto-Rican Miles Morales as Spider-Man. A lot has happened to Miles since then; he's fought his uncle or the Ultimate Prowler, Ultimate Venom, Ultimate H.Y.D.R.A., he's met the "616" Peter Parker and even fought alongside him, he's lost his mom and taken part in an effort to save his world from being eaten by Galactus. In short, he's no rookie. Still, not even all of his experience as Spider-Man could have prepared him for the shock of meeting the boy he replaced. After all, not only was Peter buried; just two issues back (Ultimate Spider-Man #200) all of Peter's supporting cast held a memorial for him. This is not the "616" universe, after all, where, since the resurrection of Jean Grey in 1985, death has virtually ceased to mean anything. Here, main characters tend to stay dead (so far), so Peter's reappearance is a big thing, although Miles most likely called it right when he guessed the reason for Peter's apparent resurrection, which I will not spoil.
It's a nice, meaty issue in terms of developments in the story. Sure, it's a slow burn, but the good news is that a lot still happens here; Bendis is pacing himself well with this particular arc. Also, I genuinely enjoyed the depiction of the confrontation between old and new Ultimate Spider-Man; the feelings were genuine, and even though, naturally, the reader is meant to root for Miles, we cannot fault Peter for his actions, at least not for the moment. There is no doubt in my mind that this character is not what he appears to be, and it's to Bendis's credit that he totally has me interested in finding out what he really is.
Again, I cannot praise David Marquez's work enough. I was ready to drop this title after issue #200 but the guy just keeps me coming back for more. I was never a fan of Ultimate Peter Parker's look, whether it was drawn by series pioneer Mark Bagley or even his successor David Lafuente, but Marquez's take manages to look distinct from the "616" version while at the same time making him recognizable somehow as Peter. Marquez's action sequences are incredible, and I really, really look forward to the inevitable showdown between Miles and whoever the ultimate villain of this story turns out to be, because it's looking really crowded so far, which makes things all the more interesting.
9/10
Why Is This Title Being Published Again? A Review of Inhumans #2
(writer) Charles Soule
(artist) Joe Madureira
(colorist) Marte Gracia
So, the new era for Inhumans continues. The issue features the newly-Inhuman Dante beginning his training in handling his new abilities, a guest appearance by Captain America as he helps Inhuman Queen and leader Medusa recover tech from fallen Attilan that has fallen into Central Park, and a mysterious purple-faced stranger who visits Medusa and who may or may not have answers for her regarding her still-missing husband, Black Bolt.
Two issues in, and to my mind, Marvel really haven't justified this book's reason for being, apart from more eye-catching art from Joe Madureira who will, unfortunately, be gone after issue #3. The appearance by Captain America, while it receives some perfunctory justification from the script, feels like little more than an attempt to boost sales, which haven't been all that impressive for a book featuring art by a superstar like Joe Mad. And the new character who is supposedly getting launched by this series gets precious little to do other than yell a lot at the beginning of the issue, get punched in the face, and then get immersed in a tank of water while delivering a one-liner about the heavy metal band Slayer. Classic stuff...not.
The good news is that Joe Mad delivers yet again, and I was particularly intrigued by his take on classic Inhuman character Gorgon, who now appears to be cousins with the Minotaur, judging by his animal-like legs. Of course, the action sequence he illustrated kicks all kinds of butt, but again, not really in service of a greater story.
I began to wonder if I wasn't just getting sick of reading comic books, when I purchased two this week which I will review next and which, quite simply, were both amazing reads, and it then occurred to me the overall storytelling in this title, as in the last one I reviewed, simply isn't very good.
Since Marvel has failed yet again to make a case for this book as far as I'm concerned, as I said before: after Joe Mad is gone from this book, so am I.
5/10
(artist) Joe Madureira
(colorist) Marte Gracia
So, the new era for Inhumans continues. The issue features the newly-Inhuman Dante beginning his training in handling his new abilities, a guest appearance by Captain America as he helps Inhuman Queen and leader Medusa recover tech from fallen Attilan that has fallen into Central Park, and a mysterious purple-faced stranger who visits Medusa and who may or may not have answers for her regarding her still-missing husband, Black Bolt.
Two issues in, and to my mind, Marvel really haven't justified this book's reason for being, apart from more eye-catching art from Joe Madureira who will, unfortunately, be gone after issue #3. The appearance by Captain America, while it receives some perfunctory justification from the script, feels like little more than an attempt to boost sales, which haven't been all that impressive for a book featuring art by a superstar like Joe Mad. And the new character who is supposedly getting launched by this series gets precious little to do other than yell a lot at the beginning of the issue, get punched in the face, and then get immersed in a tank of water while delivering a one-liner about the heavy metal band Slayer. Classic stuff...not.
The good news is that Joe Mad delivers yet again, and I was particularly intrigued by his take on classic Inhuman character Gorgon, who now appears to be cousins with the Minotaur, judging by his animal-like legs. Of course, the action sequence he illustrated kicks all kinds of butt, but again, not really in service of a greater story.
I began to wonder if I wasn't just getting sick of reading comic books, when I purchased two this week which I will review next and which, quite simply, were both amazing reads, and it then occurred to me the overall storytelling in this title, as in the last one I reviewed, simply isn't very good.
Since Marvel has failed yet again to make a case for this book as far as I'm concerned, as I said before: after Joe Mad is gone from this book, so am I.
5/10
Wow...Just...Wow: The Complete Waste of Money That was Guardians of the Galaxy #15
(writer) Brian Michael Bendis
(artists) Nick Bradshaw and Cameron Stewart
The Guardians of the Galaxy are separated, and this issue shows the reader what each of them is doing.
Hyperbole aside, this is one of the worst comic books I have ever had the misfortune of reading, and I inherited a vaguely racist 1957 issue of "The Lone Ranger." Bendis' script is as rote and by-the-numbers as they come, and is clearly meant to pass the time till next issue without anything meaningful happening, and worse, Bradshaw's Art-Adams-aping that he tries to pass of as art is particularly poor this issue, and again, he doesn't even finish the whole story, with Cameron Stewart stepping in to do the final few pages.
Worst of all? Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), who appears on the cover, is NOWHERE IN THE BOOK.
Gahd. Eff you Marvel.
0/10
(artists) Nick Bradshaw and Cameron Stewart
The Guardians of the Galaxy are separated, and this issue shows the reader what each of them is doing.
Hyperbole aside, this is one of the worst comic books I have ever had the misfortune of reading, and I inherited a vaguely racist 1957 issue of "The Lone Ranger." Bendis' script is as rote and by-the-numbers as they come, and is clearly meant to pass the time till next issue without anything meaningful happening, and worse, Bradshaw's Art-Adams-aping that he tries to pass of as art is particularly poor this issue, and again, he doesn't even finish the whole story, with Cameron Stewart stepping in to do the final few pages.
Worst of all? Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), who appears on the cover, is NOWHERE IN THE BOOK.
Gahd. Eff you Marvel.
0/10
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
From the Back-Issue Bin: A Review of Cloak and Dagger #9 (1986)
(writer) Bill Mantlo
(artists) Arthur Adams
(pencils) Terry Austin (inks)
(colorist) Glynis Oliver
This issue saddened me
for a number of reasons, even as it entertained me.
First of all, since
writer Bill Mantlo suffered irreparable brain damage due to a hit-and-run way
back in 1992 and has since needed institutional care, he hasn't written (and
won't ever write another) comic book. It's a real shame, considering
that, in addition to co-creating these characters, he is also responsible for
the creation of the soon-to-be-world-famous Rocket Raccoon, one of the most
prominent characters of Marvel Studios' upcoming film Guardians of the Galaxy.
It also saddened me to
see Art Adams' work on a full twenty-two pages of story because it made me
think of how seldom the guy works on comic book interiors. The last book he
actually worked on, Ultimate X, is over three years old and was part of a
failed attempt to reignite flagging interest in Marvel Comics'
"Ultimate" line. He's drawn covers for nearly every major character
these days, mostly Marvel books, but apart from the aforementioned Ultimate X and HALF of a three-issue Hulk story arc, he hasn't really turned more than a few pages of
interior art, with his latest effort most notably being two or three pages of
Brian Bendis' All-New X-Men #25, which was yet another "jam" issue.
The thing is, I've
wanted this issue since I was a kid, way, way back when I saw the November
checklist in another Marvel comic book, so when my favorite retail shop was
able to track the issue down I simply jumped at the chance to add it to my
collection.
The story is simple
enough; Cloak and Dagger find themselves in France after having stowed away on
a boat while chasing a drug syndicate. Dagger, influenced by their
"traveling companion" Bill Clayton falls in love with the circus and
becomes their star performer, while Cloak remains intent on chasing down the
bad guys until they've paid for their crimes. Unfortunately for Dagger, the
whimsical fantasy of the world she has embraced meets up with the grimy
violence of the world she has been living in, and tragedy ensues.
Although the story is
self-contained, it is clearly part of a larger narrative thread, and feels a
little bit beholden to it at times. What’s really striking was how the comic
book was very much a product of its time, also known as the “grim and gritty”
era of comics that spawned books like Daredevil:
Born Again, The Dark Knight Returns
and Watchmen. After all, Cloak and
Dagger weren’t chasing down some muscled supervillain but a bunch of
run-of-the-mill drug dealers. Despite Mantlo’s efforts to conform to that era
of storytelling, though, the issue still feels distinctly clunky in the
narrative, like an after-school special more than a hard-hitting tale of
vigilantes taking on the drug scourge. The dialogue just gets a touch too
heavy-handed at times, and it’s a little laughable at one point to see Dagger
yell “killer” at one of the gangsters she confronts. For Pete’s sake, nobody
actually calls someone that, not even in the 80s. If they wanted to avoid the
more adult-sounding “bastard,” editorial could have allowed Mantlo to use the
word “murderer” which isn’t potty mouthed and which sounds a lot more natural.
Adams’ art was a strange fit for the rather dark story, considering that his lively,
Disney-inspired work is better-suited to more fantastical stories. I also found rather halting his distinctly
80s styling for the characters. While I wasn't impressed by the way the art told the story, as an Adams fanboy I daresay my cup ran over, especially with
Adams’ frequent collaborator (back then, anyway) Terry Austin inking over Adams
pencils. I also saw why it was so easy for me to fall for Adams’ work back
then; the shoddy printing quality of the issue went a long way towards masking
the flaws in the workmanship. And it irked me that like so many
prominent comic book artists, including the likes of Jim Lee, Adams seemed simply incapable of drawing black people properly, which was a bit of an issue here considering Cloak’s ethnicity. I think Adams has improved his craft since then
(this issue is nearly thirty years old, after all) but it was still a treat, in
a time-capsule sort of way, to see his pencils as they used to be.
This particular series
ended only two issues after #9, but I have no interest in tracking down the
other issues of the series. I am glad,
however, that I picked this one up.
7.5/10
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Things Are Picking Up, But Too Slowly: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #2
(writer) Dan Slott
(artists) Humberto Ramos (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks)
(colorist) Edgar Delgado
Last month's relaunch of The Amazing Spider-Man, which featured the return of Peter Parker to his own body after a year of Doctor Octopus running the show, was surprisingly muted in terms of story, but at least things picks up a bit this month when Spidey throws down with one of his classic villains and current cinematic nemesis, Max Dillon a.k.a. Electro. Spidey's one-time flame Black Cat makes a brief appearance, foreshadowing their impending showdown in issue #3, Peter comes clean with Anna Marconi, the "little person" with whom Doctor Octopus entered a relationship while occupying Peter's body, and Peter has a little talk with the Avengers which lays to rest any theories that Ock's tenure in his body would permanently erode his relationship with them.
This issue is considerably livelier than the one that came before it, and without all of the back-up features packed into the first issue, I suppose it has to be, but it still has a long way to go before it can quite match the taut, how-will-Doc-Ock-screw-up-Peter's-life-next suspense of Superior Spider-Man.
That was what I was reading that book for, after all. I always knew Spider-Ock was not a long term deal, even without Marvel saying a word. I just wanted to see how deep a hole Marvel could dig for Spidey before dropping him into it. Heck, even comic geek-site Newsarama wrote an op-ed piece on it; The Amazing Spider-Man should be spent with Peter trying to fix what Otto broke. Frustratingly, that's not quite the case.
So far, he's already mended fences with the closest members of his supporting cast, he's cleared the air with the "late" Doc Ock's girlfriend, and has, as of this issue, been able to explain himself to the Avengers, and it's only been two issues so far. Well, that didn't last very long at all.
The good news is that Electro, who was also one of Spider-Ock's victims during Spidey's Superior days, having been experimented on by him, is royally pissed and, interestingly enough, Peter finds himself momentarily hobbled by his guilt over something that wasn't even his fault. This is a little story quirk that is good for more than a few interesting stories, and I hope Slott is able to milk it for a while yet. Slott's saved another ace for next issue, namely a spurned, and similarly vengeful Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat, who makes a brief appearance, along with her bad luck powers.
I understand that the stink left behind by Otto's...different brand of justice won't last forever, but really, it strikes me that Slott's in too much of a hurry to set things right with Peter's world. We, the readers, all know that Peter is a good guy and that he wasn't responsible for the excessive, or sometimes downright awful things that Ock did, but the world at large doesn't know yet, and really, there isn't any reason for them to know so soon.
Still, there are other interesting tidbits, like seeing Peter grapple with running the company that Otto left behind, the fact that Peter has already sworn off helping Spider-Man to Aunt May, and a little bit of lingering awkwardness between Peter and Anna Maria now that he's disclosed what actually happened. This could be the groundwork for some interesting future developments, particularly the fate of Spider-Ock's company and Peter's distinctly disingenuous promise to stop helping himself out to the most important person in his life.
Humberto Ramos' work is still holding steady in his slightly improved standard of quality, but the seams are showing, more than they were last issue. Anyway, I'm still glad he's on board for at least the remainder of this inaugural arc.
Come on Slott; you managed to tell interesting, if slightly flawed Spidey stories for over thirty issues without Peter. Surely you can keep things interesting now that Peter is back.
7/10
(artists) Humberto Ramos (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks)
(colorist) Edgar Delgado
Last month's relaunch of The Amazing Spider-Man, which featured the return of Peter Parker to his own body after a year of Doctor Octopus running the show, was surprisingly muted in terms of story, but at least things picks up a bit this month when Spidey throws down with one of his classic villains and current cinematic nemesis, Max Dillon a.k.a. Electro. Spidey's one-time flame Black Cat makes a brief appearance, foreshadowing their impending showdown in issue #3, Peter comes clean with Anna Marconi, the "little person" with whom Doctor Octopus entered a relationship while occupying Peter's body, and Peter has a little talk with the Avengers which lays to rest any theories that Ock's tenure in his body would permanently erode his relationship with them.
This issue is considerably livelier than the one that came before it, and without all of the back-up features packed into the first issue, I suppose it has to be, but it still has a long way to go before it can quite match the taut, how-will-Doc-Ock-screw-up-Peter's-life-next suspense of Superior Spider-Man.
That was what I was reading that book for, after all. I always knew Spider-Ock was not a long term deal, even without Marvel saying a word. I just wanted to see how deep a hole Marvel could dig for Spidey before dropping him into it. Heck, even comic geek-site Newsarama wrote an op-ed piece on it; The Amazing Spider-Man should be spent with Peter trying to fix what Otto broke. Frustratingly, that's not quite the case.
So far, he's already mended fences with the closest members of his supporting cast, he's cleared the air with the "late" Doc Ock's girlfriend, and has, as of this issue, been able to explain himself to the Avengers, and it's only been two issues so far. Well, that didn't last very long at all.
The good news is that Electro, who was also one of Spider-Ock's victims during Spidey's Superior days, having been experimented on by him, is royally pissed and, interestingly enough, Peter finds himself momentarily hobbled by his guilt over something that wasn't even his fault. This is a little story quirk that is good for more than a few interesting stories, and I hope Slott is able to milk it for a while yet. Slott's saved another ace for next issue, namely a spurned, and similarly vengeful Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat, who makes a brief appearance, along with her bad luck powers.
I understand that the stink left behind by Otto's...different brand of justice won't last forever, but really, it strikes me that Slott's in too much of a hurry to set things right with Peter's world. We, the readers, all know that Peter is a good guy and that he wasn't responsible for the excessive, or sometimes downright awful things that Ock did, but the world at large doesn't know yet, and really, there isn't any reason for them to know so soon.
Still, there are other interesting tidbits, like seeing Peter grapple with running the company that Otto left behind, the fact that Peter has already sworn off helping Spider-Man to Aunt May, and a little bit of lingering awkwardness between Peter and Anna Maria now that he's disclosed what actually happened. This could be the groundwork for some interesting future developments, particularly the fate of Spider-Ock's company and Peter's distinctly disingenuous promise to stop helping himself out to the most important person in his life.
Humberto Ramos' work is still holding steady in his slightly improved standard of quality, but the seams are showing, more than they were last issue. Anyway, I'm still glad he's on board for at least the remainder of this inaugural arc.
Come on Slott; you managed to tell interesting, if slightly flawed Spidey stories for over thirty issues without Peter. Surely you can keep things interesting now that Peter is back.
7/10
Friday, May 23, 2014
Everyone Has an Off-Day: A Review of Daredevil #3
(writer) Mark Waid
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Since I started reading the work of the creative team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee on Marvel's Daredevil title I have had nothing but praise for them. All things must come to an end, though, I suppose, and to my mind their pitch perfect run, with colorist Javier Rodriguez, has, for me, hit its first speed bump.
After last issue's cliffhanger in which Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil is about to face off with vigilante-apparently-turned-aspiring-crimelord Max Coleride, a.k.a. the Shroud, Matt (predictably) triumphs, they resolve their difference and in short order are off to double team the rising new crime lord in San Francisco, Matt's old enemy the Owl. What Matt doesn't know, however, is that apparently the Owl, according to the research of his new "sidekick" and law partner Kirsten MacDuffie, is quite a bit more formidable than he used to be, something Daredevil is about to find out the hard way.
It's hard to discuss the problems I had with the issue without spoiling plot points, but suffice it to say the errors in judgment that Matt makes in this issue are really rather unbelievable for someone as smart as he is. Sure, Matt is only human, and this was emphasized in the storylines involving both Bullseye and the Serpent Society in the previous incarnation of this series. He makes mistakes and often has his back against the wall, but the one thing he isn't is reckless, but considering that he has teamed up with a guy he barely knows to take on one of his oldest enemies, that is practically the only way to describe him in this issue. I suppose it's part of Waid's grand plan for the next issue, but to my mind, he has committed the cardinal sin of moving the story forward by having the lead character do something unnecessarily (and in this case uncharacteristically) stupid.
Samnee and Rodriguez do not disappoint, though, and it's a treat to see their take on the Owl. Waid's script said he's supposed to look more bestial, but I suppose they're saving his "altered" appearance for a big throwdown next issue.
I suppose Waid's a victim of his own success here; after over three years of turning in some of the best stories that have ever featured this character he was bound to slip up at some point. This certainly hasn't turned me off to the book in general, but it is quite the disappointment. I'm confident Waid will get his stride back next issue.
6.5/10
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Since I started reading the work of the creative team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee on Marvel's Daredevil title I have had nothing but praise for them. All things must come to an end, though, I suppose, and to my mind their pitch perfect run, with colorist Javier Rodriguez, has, for me, hit its first speed bump.
After last issue's cliffhanger in which Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil is about to face off with vigilante-apparently-turned-aspiring-crimelord Max Coleride, a.k.a. the Shroud, Matt (predictably) triumphs, they resolve their difference and in short order are off to double team the rising new crime lord in San Francisco, Matt's old enemy the Owl. What Matt doesn't know, however, is that apparently the Owl, according to the research of his new "sidekick" and law partner Kirsten MacDuffie, is quite a bit more formidable than he used to be, something Daredevil is about to find out the hard way.
It's hard to discuss the problems I had with the issue without spoiling plot points, but suffice it to say the errors in judgment that Matt makes in this issue are really rather unbelievable for someone as smart as he is. Sure, Matt is only human, and this was emphasized in the storylines involving both Bullseye and the Serpent Society in the previous incarnation of this series. He makes mistakes and often has his back against the wall, but the one thing he isn't is reckless, but considering that he has teamed up with a guy he barely knows to take on one of his oldest enemies, that is practically the only way to describe him in this issue. I suppose it's part of Waid's grand plan for the next issue, but to my mind, he has committed the cardinal sin of moving the story forward by having the lead character do something unnecessarily (and in this case uncharacteristically) stupid.
Samnee and Rodriguez do not disappoint, though, and it's a treat to see their take on the Owl. Waid's script said he's supposed to look more bestial, but I suppose they're saving his "altered" appearance for a big throwdown next issue.
I suppose Waid's a victim of his own success here; after over three years of turning in some of the best stories that have ever featured this character he was bound to slip up at some point. This certainly hasn't turned me off to the book in general, but it is quite the disappointment. I'm confident Waid will get his stride back next issue.
6.5/10
A Disappointing Anti-Climax: A Review Black Widow #6
(writer) Nathan Edmonson
(artist) Phil Noto
When Marvel Comics included the entire Black Widow #1 as a bonus feature to Superior Spider-Man #31, my curiosity was piqued, both by the dynamic action and Phil Noto's stylized art.
Six issues later, though, I find myself disillusioned with a non-ending basically designed to hook me into the rest of the series.
Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. the Black Widow has found the principal behind the Mad Monk, the religious fanatic/assassin who has been giving her a headache for the last two issues or so, an it happens to be an old enemy of hers, Damon Dran a.k.a. the Indestructible Man. As it turns out, he is extremely paranoid (which is, in fact, the title of the issue) due to the fact that he has discovered that he is not quite indestructible after all. Events that unfold in the issue actually bear out this fear.
For the few people who may read this issue, I will not spoil any plot points, but suffice it to say that the series' first major story arc's supposed final issue is poorly paced and, more surprisingly, poorly drawn.
It was quite a bit of a letdown, considering the excellent first three issues, and perhaps I will revisit the series in collected form, depending on how they recover from this, but for now, considering my limited budget (nobody is paying me to review these comics, after all), I'll have to take this off my list. Sorry, Natasha.
6/10
(artist) Phil Noto
When Marvel Comics included the entire Black Widow #1 as a bonus feature to Superior Spider-Man #31, my curiosity was piqued, both by the dynamic action and Phil Noto's stylized art.
Six issues later, though, I find myself disillusioned with a non-ending basically designed to hook me into the rest of the series.
Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. the Black Widow has found the principal behind the Mad Monk, the religious fanatic/assassin who has been giving her a headache for the last two issues or so, an it happens to be an old enemy of hers, Damon Dran a.k.a. the Indestructible Man. As it turns out, he is extremely paranoid (which is, in fact, the title of the issue) due to the fact that he has discovered that he is not quite indestructible after all. Events that unfold in the issue actually bear out this fear.
For the few people who may read this issue, I will not spoil any plot points, but suffice it to say that the series' first major story arc's supposed final issue is poorly paced and, more surprisingly, poorly drawn.
It was quite a bit of a letdown, considering the excellent first three issues, and perhaps I will revisit the series in collected form, depending on how they recover from this, but for now, considering my limited budget (nobody is paying me to review these comics, after all), I'll have to take this off my list. Sorry, Natasha.
6/10
Friday, May 9, 2014
Well THAT was Unexpected: A Review of Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1
(writer) Brian Michael Bendis
(artist) David Marquez
(colorist) Justin Ponsor
In this issue, Miles Morales, the ultimate universe version of Spider-Man, grapples with the fact that his father has basically abandoned him after learning his secret identity during the invasion of Galactus which nearly resulted in the extinction of all humankind. He contemplates telling his girlfriend, Katie Bishop, his secret. In the meantime, significant characters long thought dead make an appearance.
I had originally conceived of this post as spoiler-heavy, but even though I have no idea how many of my readers actually follow "Ultimate Spider-Man," this issue has two major surprises for anyone who knows what has been going on, both of which, to my mind, are worth preserving.
Having skipped "Cataclysm" I was saddened but not necessarily surprised to learn that Jefferson Davis had skipped out on his son Miles; Bendis had put his cards on the table fairly early in the series by having Davis declare his feelings about superheroes, mutant or otherwise, in no uncertain terms, so I suppose it was an inevitability, especially after the death of Miles' mom sometime ago. I am disappointed that Bendis didn't stretch the tension out a little further but I suppose he has his creative reasons. Bendis' scripting here is solid, and the interaction between Miles and MJ on the question of whether or not he should come out to Katie is some of the best dialogue I have seen from him in a while.
For me, however, the star of this book is David Marquez, whose artwork seems to get better every time I see it. I realize now that I missed a whole chunk of his tenure on Miles Morales' adventures by skipping out on the "Cataclysm" miniseries (which I will most likely get in trade paperback someday) and I have to say his work, which I already admired, has improved immensely since last I saw it in a full comic book, as opposed to the interstitial nature of his art in Ultimate Spider-Man #200.
It's hard to really discuss this issue without risking spoiling things, so I'll stop there, but suffice it to say that this new iteration of the long-running "Ultimate Spider-Man" title is off to a hell of a good start.
8.5/10
(artist) David Marquez
(colorist) Justin Ponsor
In this issue, Miles Morales, the ultimate universe version of Spider-Man, grapples with the fact that his father has basically abandoned him after learning his secret identity during the invasion of Galactus which nearly resulted in the extinction of all humankind. He contemplates telling his girlfriend, Katie Bishop, his secret. In the meantime, significant characters long thought dead make an appearance.
I had originally conceived of this post as spoiler-heavy, but even though I have no idea how many of my readers actually follow "Ultimate Spider-Man," this issue has two major surprises for anyone who knows what has been going on, both of which, to my mind, are worth preserving.
Having skipped "Cataclysm" I was saddened but not necessarily surprised to learn that Jefferson Davis had skipped out on his son Miles; Bendis had put his cards on the table fairly early in the series by having Davis declare his feelings about superheroes, mutant or otherwise, in no uncertain terms, so I suppose it was an inevitability, especially after the death of Miles' mom sometime ago. I am disappointed that Bendis didn't stretch the tension out a little further but I suppose he has his creative reasons. Bendis' scripting here is solid, and the interaction between Miles and MJ on the question of whether or not he should come out to Katie is some of the best dialogue I have seen from him in a while.
For me, however, the star of this book is David Marquez, whose artwork seems to get better every time I see it. I realize now that I missed a whole chunk of his tenure on Miles Morales' adventures by skipping out on the "Cataclysm" miniseries (which I will most likely get in trade paperback someday) and I have to say his work, which I already admired, has improved immensely since last I saw it in a full comic book, as opposed to the interstitial nature of his art in Ultimate Spider-Man #200.
It's hard to really discuss this issue without risking spoiling things, so I'll stop there, but suffice it to say that this new iteration of the long-running "Ultimate Spider-Man" title is off to a hell of a good start.
8.5/10
Back to the Beginning: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #1.1 a.k.a. "Learning to Crawl"
(writer) Dan Slott
(artist) Ramon Perez
(colorist) Ian Herring
Last week Spider-Man writer Dan Slott kind of took me by surprise with his rather underwhelming story for the "Amazing Spider-Man" relaunch, which marked the return of Peter Parker to his body and life as Spider-Man after a year of one of his worst nemeses, Doctor Octopus, running around in his body. I understood the choice to go low-key, but I expected a much splashier first issue.
Fortunately, this week Slott, this time joined by artist Ramon Perez, more than makes up for that disappointing first issue with the first issue of his much-hyped flashback miniseries "Learning to Crawl" which is actually numbered as The Amazing Spider-Man #1.1 to 1.5. As far as I understand it, as far as Marvel chronology goes, this story takes place between the events of Amazing Fantasy #15 and The Amazing Spider-Man #1, or something like that.
In this story, Uncle Ben has just died, and Peter Parker has learned more than one important lesson about power and responsibility, as he has officially become the man of the house, having become the family breadwinner, a role he fulfills by continuing to appear on television, an occupation which, he comes to realize, become progressively difficult. What Peter doesn't know is that he has an admirer in the home-schooled prodigy/loner Clayton Cole, an admiration he takes very seriously, as revealed in the very last panel.
Marvel's done quite a few of these retcon/flashback miniseries before, but apart from, and arguably because of the first issue of John Byrne's Spider-Man: Chapter One back in 1998, which was supposed to do for Spider-Man what Byrne's Man of Steel miniseries did for Superman back in 1986 I haven't picked up any of them, because to be honest I am no fan of the whole concept of retroactive continuity, even though I will admit it has been done well from time to time. What hooked me here was Ramon Perez's art, which recalls not only Steve Ditko but Tim Sale, and the snippets of Slott's script which, really are vintage Peter Parker. For all of his shortcomings, Slott well and truly gets the character. Those two aspects of this issue alone make it a highly satisfying read.
I have to be honest, though; I wasn't quite sold on the rather anachronistic tone Slott set by choosing to transplant Spider-Man's 1962 origin story to the present day. For one thing, Peter and his supporting cast look pretty much as they did back then, with the hairdos and clothes to match, even though theirs are obviously not "hip, happening threads." Perhaps more glaring is the thought that, with live streaming and every other kid owning a hand-held media device, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Liz Allen to invite Peter over to her house to watch Spider-Man's live performance her her gang on television, even if it is a flat screen. While Pete and his gang still feel very much like 1960s kids, Clayton Cowl, with his smartphone and hipster-cool aloofness, is very much a child of the 21st century, and while I get the impression that the contrast between old and new was intentional, and a little trippy at that, it's still a little jarring at some points. Still this is a minor quibble; this is a very enjoyable story, and considering the disappointment I felt after reading Peter's comeback in The Amazing Spider-Man #1, one I welcomed enthusiastically into my collection.
8.5/10
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Softer Than Expected: A Review of The Amazing Spider Man #1
(writers) Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Peter David and various
(artists) Humberto Ramos, Javier Rodriguez, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Will Sliney and various
It's already been reported that The Amazing Spider-Man #1, which marks Peter Parker's "official" return to Spider-Man duties (his actual return having occurred at the tail-end of Superior Spider-Man #30) has sold well over half a million copies. I got my copy last Wednesday, expecting fireworks, and was a little surprised by what I saw.
The book is divided into five stories, the 20-page main story by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos and several back-up stories by Slott and Christos Gage artists like Javier Rodriguez and Giuseppe Camuncoli. There are brief stories which are essentially plugs for other books like the Peter David/Will Sliney story hawking the upcoming Spider-Man 2099, and the Christopher Yost/David Baldeon blurb for The New Warriors, which happens to star the Scarlet Spider, or the former villain known as Kaine. Notably, there's a preview for the "Learn to Crawl" miniseries by Dan Slott and Ramon Perez, easily the most interesting looking tease of the lot.
The main story, however, is surprisingly...tame for a title that has endured much tumult for the last year and a half. Basically it's more of Peter Parker settling back into his old life as Spider-Man, and trying to get used to the new things, like the company he owns, the doctorate he now has, and the girlfriend to whom he, or Doctor Octopus, was about to propose. He fights a bunch of throwaway bad guys, one of whom has the fairly interesting power of manipulating fabric, which results in him being buck naked, but other than that, nothing of note truly happens, although there is some foreshadowing of things to come.
Speaking of foreshadowing, it's the five-page back-up stories featuring Electro and the Black Cat that portend things to come for Spidey in the next few issues, and in particular I am interested to see how things will unfold with Peter's one-time lover Felicia Hardy, who for the first time in her shared history with Spider-Man has experienced what it's like when he has no interest in her other than putting her behind bars, thanks to Spider-Ock. Thus does Slott continue what he started with Superior Spider-Man, and by keeping the character in uncharted territory like that he may well keep readers interested even after their euphoria over Peter's return has long worn off. I know Marvel has an event planned starting issue #9, but I, for one am more interested to see how the fallout from the tenure of Superior Spider-Man plays out, and judging by the way Slott is keeping his cards close to his chest this time around, it seems like he plans to milk this for all it's worth. I certainly hope that's the case. I mean, I honestly hope that Peter's impending collision with Felicia isn't all neatly tied up in an issue or two.
The artwork of the issue is pretty impressive, for the most part. Humberto Ramos surprises here; he hasn't exactly metamorphosed into Jim Lee all of a sudden, but his work seems a lot more coherent here than his usual fare, and I think it is to his credit that he handles the quiet moments rather well here. Notably, his Spider-Man has received some visual tweaks, most notably in the eye department, and it's a welcome development. I was also struck by his genuine effort to make Anna Maria Marconi look like an actual "little person" and not a child. He really has come a long, long way from Peter Parker: Spider-Man #44. Javier Rodriguez, whose backup work on Daredevil usually impresses, turns in some solid work on the backup story, though to my mind not his best work. The biggest surprise for me, though, was Giuseppe Camuncoli, who drew the Black Cat story and who has turned in some of the best work I have seen from him so far.
The teaser for the "Learning to Crawl" miniseries is topnotch stuff, thanks not only to Slott's script but to Ramon Perez's wonderfully lively, retro-flavored art style which calls to mind the work of not only Steve Ditko but of other artists who deftly mix past and present, like Darwyn Cooke, Tim Sale, and my personal favorite, Chris Samnee. I've already added the miniseries to my pull list.
All things considered, as a main attraction, the actual story isn't all that much of a page-turner this time around, but Iunderstand why Slott and his fellow storytellers told the story this way. After everything they've put him through, the creators of the book have seen fit to give Peter a bit of a breather, for at least one issue. This is sort of like the calm before the storm.
I, for one, am eagerly preparing my umbrella.
7.5/10 (main story)
8/10 (overall score for the issue)
(artists) Humberto Ramos, Javier Rodriguez, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Will Sliney and various
It's already been reported that The Amazing Spider-Man #1, which marks Peter Parker's "official" return to Spider-Man duties (his actual return having occurred at the tail-end of Superior Spider-Man #30) has sold well over half a million copies. I got my copy last Wednesday, expecting fireworks, and was a little surprised by what I saw.
The book is divided into five stories, the 20-page main story by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos and several back-up stories by Slott and Christos Gage artists like Javier Rodriguez and Giuseppe Camuncoli. There are brief stories which are essentially plugs for other books like the Peter David/Will Sliney story hawking the upcoming Spider-Man 2099, and the Christopher Yost/David Baldeon blurb for The New Warriors, which happens to star the Scarlet Spider, or the former villain known as Kaine. Notably, there's a preview for the "Learn to Crawl" miniseries by Dan Slott and Ramon Perez, easily the most interesting looking tease of the lot.
The main story, however, is surprisingly...tame for a title that has endured much tumult for the last year and a half. Basically it's more of Peter Parker settling back into his old life as Spider-Man, and trying to get used to the new things, like the company he owns, the doctorate he now has, and the girlfriend to whom he, or Doctor Octopus, was about to propose. He fights a bunch of throwaway bad guys, one of whom has the fairly interesting power of manipulating fabric, which results in him being buck naked, but other than that, nothing of note truly happens, although there is some foreshadowing of things to come.
Speaking of foreshadowing, it's the five-page back-up stories featuring Electro and the Black Cat that portend things to come for Spidey in the next few issues, and in particular I am interested to see how things will unfold with Peter's one-time lover Felicia Hardy, who for the first time in her shared history with Spider-Man has experienced what it's like when he has no interest in her other than putting her behind bars, thanks to Spider-Ock. Thus does Slott continue what he started with Superior Spider-Man, and by keeping the character in uncharted territory like that he may well keep readers interested even after their euphoria over Peter's return has long worn off. I know Marvel has an event planned starting issue #9, but I, for one am more interested to see how the fallout from the tenure of Superior Spider-Man plays out, and judging by the way Slott is keeping his cards close to his chest this time around, it seems like he plans to milk this for all it's worth. I certainly hope that's the case. I mean, I honestly hope that Peter's impending collision with Felicia isn't all neatly tied up in an issue or two.
The artwork of the issue is pretty impressive, for the most part. Humberto Ramos surprises here; he hasn't exactly metamorphosed into Jim Lee all of a sudden, but his work seems a lot more coherent here than his usual fare, and I think it is to his credit that he handles the quiet moments rather well here. Notably, his Spider-Man has received some visual tweaks, most notably in the eye department, and it's a welcome development. I was also struck by his genuine effort to make Anna Maria Marconi look like an actual "little person" and not a child. He really has come a long, long way from Peter Parker: Spider-Man #44. Javier Rodriguez, whose backup work on Daredevil usually impresses, turns in some solid work on the backup story, though to my mind not his best work. The biggest surprise for me, though, was Giuseppe Camuncoli, who drew the Black Cat story and who has turned in some of the best work I have seen from him so far.
The teaser for the "Learning to Crawl" miniseries is topnotch stuff, thanks not only to Slott's script but to Ramon Perez's wonderfully lively, retro-flavored art style which calls to mind the work of not only Steve Ditko but of other artists who deftly mix past and present, like Darwyn Cooke, Tim Sale, and my personal favorite, Chris Samnee. I've already added the miniseries to my pull list.
All things considered, as a main attraction, the actual story isn't all that much of a page-turner this time around, but Iunderstand why Slott and his fellow storytellers told the story this way. After everything they've put him through, the creators of the book have seen fit to give Peter a bit of a breather, for at least one issue. This is sort of like the calm before the storm.
I, for one, am eagerly preparing my umbrella.
7.5/10 (main story)
8/10 (overall score for the issue)
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Homegrown Goodness: A Review of Rodski Patotski
(writer) Gerry Alanguilan
(artist) Arnold Arre
I've been a fan of Filipino comic book creators Gerry Alanguilan and Arnold Arre since I was a college student, and one of the things I dearly miss about my old "Multiply" page is the reviews I wrote of their work, like the acclaimed Elmer and Mythology Class.
About two or three years ago the pair of them collaborated on an eight-page online story about Filipino superhero icon Darna, a bit of self-confessed fan fiction, and it basically blew my socks off and left me with a hankering for more work from the pair of them. Gerry declared some years later that his Darna team-up with Arnold was not in the cards, and that their focus was more on creating new characters.
Instead of Darna, they've given readers "Rodski Patotski: Ang Dalagang Baby" (very loosely translated as Rodksi Patotski: The Woman-Child), and I, for one, am utterly grateful.
The premise is simple enough: the title character, Roddelyn Rosario (nicknamed "Rodski"), born to Norbert and Glenda, a hard-up Filipino couple who have long prayed for children, is a bona fide genius, able to speak at infancy and able to detect a Ponzi scheme by the time she's six years old. Superstition and gullibility on the part of her parents' neighbors, who are angry with Rosarios when they are the only ones to avoid losing their money to the scam artist, nearly result in disaster for Rodski until she and her family are whisked off to a government think tank, where she spends the next eighteen years thinking up weapons for the Philippine government. In one instance, her efforts even help prevent war. Throughout all of this, Rodski, while brilliant, remains childlike, even into her twenties, and her parents actually find themselves setting her up with young men, even though Rodski herself is averse to the idea. The only men she is exposed to for a prolonged period of time are her father, her mentor Dr. Dalawangpuso, and her loyal bodyguard, Dindo.
Not long after her actions save the Philippines, however, Dr. Dalawangpuso detects a possible problem which may or may not have an impact on her intellect, and at a most inopportune time as well as her ingenuity may be needed to avert a catastrophe. The problem, is that she may be in love, and this apparently diminishes her genius-level brain power.
In a way, then, the question for Rodski is: does she choose love, or country?
Of course, there's more to the story than my fairly spoiler-free synopsis would suggest, but it's worth checking out to find out what it is.
This book is 95 pages of full-color delight, with Gerry Alanguilan delivering a fun, engaging story that both sings to fans of pop culture and is almost completely family-friendly at the same time. Coming from the creator such adult (or man-child, depending on how you view it) fare as Wasted and Elmer, this story represents a significant creative departure for Gerry, and I'm happy to report that he tells the story of this childlike prodigy as creatively and skillfully as he did his story of an angry chicken and a jilted young man. It's wonderfully whimsical, even despite or perhaps because of its fanciful depiction of a Philippines that is inordinately advanced in technology.
Alanguilan, however, is only half of the equation, as Arnold Arre, of whose work I have long been a fan, turns in some of the best work I've ever seen from him, and this time in full, glorious color. I was amused by the nods, inadvertent or otherwise, to some 90s pop culture icons like Sailor Moon and Lara Croft and by Arre's anime-inspired style in general, though I wondered at times if Rodski's choice of wardrobe could have been a little less risque for the benefit of the younger kids who should be allowed to read this wonderful volume. Anyway, it's a minor quibble, and doesn't really hurt the story overall.
Fans of the two creators, and of enjoyable comics in general should definitely pick this book up.
9/10
(artist) Arnold Arre
I've been a fan of Filipino comic book creators Gerry Alanguilan and Arnold Arre since I was a college student, and one of the things I dearly miss about my old "Multiply" page is the reviews I wrote of their work, like the acclaimed Elmer and Mythology Class.
About two or three years ago the pair of them collaborated on an eight-page online story about Filipino superhero icon Darna, a bit of self-confessed fan fiction, and it basically blew my socks off and left me with a hankering for more work from the pair of them. Gerry declared some years later that his Darna team-up with Arnold was not in the cards, and that their focus was more on creating new characters.
Instead of Darna, they've given readers "Rodski Patotski: Ang Dalagang Baby" (very loosely translated as Rodksi Patotski: The Woman-Child), and I, for one, am utterly grateful.
The premise is simple enough: the title character, Roddelyn Rosario (nicknamed "Rodski"), born to Norbert and Glenda, a hard-up Filipino couple who have long prayed for children, is a bona fide genius, able to speak at infancy and able to detect a Ponzi scheme by the time she's six years old. Superstition and gullibility on the part of her parents' neighbors, who are angry with Rosarios when they are the only ones to avoid losing their money to the scam artist, nearly result in disaster for Rodski until she and her family are whisked off to a government think tank, where she spends the next eighteen years thinking up weapons for the Philippine government. In one instance, her efforts even help prevent war. Throughout all of this, Rodski, while brilliant, remains childlike, even into her twenties, and her parents actually find themselves setting her up with young men, even though Rodski herself is averse to the idea. The only men she is exposed to for a prolonged period of time are her father, her mentor Dr. Dalawangpuso, and her loyal bodyguard, Dindo.
Not long after her actions save the Philippines, however, Dr. Dalawangpuso detects a possible problem which may or may not have an impact on her intellect, and at a most inopportune time as well as her ingenuity may be needed to avert a catastrophe. The problem, is that she may be in love, and this apparently diminishes her genius-level brain power.
In a way, then, the question for Rodski is: does she choose love, or country?
Of course, there's more to the story than my fairly spoiler-free synopsis would suggest, but it's worth checking out to find out what it is.
This book is 95 pages of full-color delight, with Gerry Alanguilan delivering a fun, engaging story that both sings to fans of pop culture and is almost completely family-friendly at the same time. Coming from the creator such adult (or man-child, depending on how you view it) fare as Wasted and Elmer, this story represents a significant creative departure for Gerry, and I'm happy to report that he tells the story of this childlike prodigy as creatively and skillfully as he did his story of an angry chicken and a jilted young man. It's wonderfully whimsical, even despite or perhaps because of its fanciful depiction of a Philippines that is inordinately advanced in technology.
Alanguilan, however, is only half of the equation, as Arnold Arre, of whose work I have long been a fan, turns in some of the best work I've ever seen from him, and this time in full, glorious color. I was amused by the nods, inadvertent or otherwise, to some 90s pop culture icons like Sailor Moon and Lara Croft and by Arre's anime-inspired style in general, though I wondered at times if Rodski's choice of wardrobe could have been a little less risque for the benefit of the younger kids who should be allowed to read this wonderful volume. Anyway, it's a minor quibble, and doesn't really hurt the story overall.
Fans of the two creators, and of enjoyable comics in general should definitely pick this book up.
9/10
The Blind Fighting the Blind: A Review of Daredevil #2
(writer) Mark Waid
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Now a resident of and practicing lawyer in San Francisco, Matt Murdock is still adjusting to the single biggest status quo shift his writers have ever given him. Deputy Mayor Charlotte Hastert pays him a visit, telling him that one of his old enemies, the Owl, may be coming to town. In the meantime, Matt faces a more immediate threat; a washed-up superhero named the Shroud who, like him, is a blind martial arts expert, but who also has some darkness manipulating power, and who may turn out to be more of a pain that Matt originally imagined. Also, there's an interesting development regarding the fate of Foggy Nelson.
This issue doesn't quite have the bombast of last month's debut, which is quite understandable given that Waid and Samnee are now settling into their narrative rhythm, but they nonetheless maintain the standard of excellence they established when they started working together way back in issue #12 of their previous volume of this series.
I loved the "fake-out" depicted in the first four pages of the issue, which featured the Shroud basically dreaming about the kind of life he wanted, only to realize it was being lived by someone else. I've only encountered this character once before, in a throwaway "Spectacular Spider-Man" storyarc back in 1993, and even then I found him somewhat unremarkable, although notably it was never mentioned that he was blind. Like Deadpool, who was originally a parody of DC Comics' Deathstroke, the Shroud was a deliberate mashup of preexisting characters in this case Batman (orphaned when his parents were shot dead in front of him, studied martial arts to be a hero) and the Shadow (has some kind of supernatural power over darkness), but unlike Deadpool he never really took off as a property.
Given his physical impairment, it's interesting that it took so long to pit the Shroud against the Marvel Universe's preeminent blind martial artist Daredevil, but now that Waid's finally gotten around to it, round 1 is pretty spectacular to watch. Matt doesn't quite flex his brain as much here (though he undoubtedly will next issue) as he did in the first issue, but it was fun to see him show off his extraordinary hearing to detect someone sneaking around on his roof. The main highlight of this issue was the fight scene, and what a throwdown it is, courtesy of Chris Samnee.
I'm fairly sure I've praised Samnee in other reviews I've written, but quite honestly I cannot seem to praise him enough. I could wax lyrical about how his depiction of Daredevil in action is like visual poetry, but I think it's sufficient for me to say that I like this guy's work better than that of anyone who's ever worked on this character, including Frank Miller, John Romita, Jr. and Joe Quesada. In fact, if Jim Lee himself renounced DC tomorrow and declared that he wanted to work on Daredevil, I honestly cannot imagine him doing a better job on this book than Samnee is doing right now. I can think of no higher praise. The irony is, I didn't even think Samnee would be a good fit for this book when I first found out he'd be working on it. I have never been happier to be proven wrong in my life.
Anyway, I'm hoping Waid and Samnee have big plans for the Shroud, whether as a misguided hero or a headache for Daredevil because this issue has shown a lot of promise. Also, I continue to wait on bated breath to see how Foggy Nelson's story will unfold.
9/10
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Now a resident of and practicing lawyer in San Francisco, Matt Murdock is still adjusting to the single biggest status quo shift his writers have ever given him. Deputy Mayor Charlotte Hastert pays him a visit, telling him that one of his old enemies, the Owl, may be coming to town. In the meantime, Matt faces a more immediate threat; a washed-up superhero named the Shroud who, like him, is a blind martial arts expert, but who also has some darkness manipulating power, and who may turn out to be more of a pain that Matt originally imagined. Also, there's an interesting development regarding the fate of Foggy Nelson.
This issue doesn't quite have the bombast of last month's debut, which is quite understandable given that Waid and Samnee are now settling into their narrative rhythm, but they nonetheless maintain the standard of excellence they established when they started working together way back in issue #12 of their previous volume of this series.
I loved the "fake-out" depicted in the first four pages of the issue, which featured the Shroud basically dreaming about the kind of life he wanted, only to realize it was being lived by someone else. I've only encountered this character once before, in a throwaway "Spectacular Spider-Man" storyarc back in 1993, and even then I found him somewhat unremarkable, although notably it was never mentioned that he was blind. Like Deadpool, who was originally a parody of DC Comics' Deathstroke, the Shroud was a deliberate mashup of preexisting characters in this case Batman (orphaned when his parents were shot dead in front of him, studied martial arts to be a hero) and the Shadow (has some kind of supernatural power over darkness), but unlike Deadpool he never really took off as a property.
Given his physical impairment, it's interesting that it took so long to pit the Shroud against the Marvel Universe's preeminent blind martial artist Daredevil, but now that Waid's finally gotten around to it, round 1 is pretty spectacular to watch. Matt doesn't quite flex his brain as much here (though he undoubtedly will next issue) as he did in the first issue, but it was fun to see him show off his extraordinary hearing to detect someone sneaking around on his roof. The main highlight of this issue was the fight scene, and what a throwdown it is, courtesy of Chris Samnee.
I'm fairly sure I've praised Samnee in other reviews I've written, but quite honestly I cannot seem to praise him enough. I could wax lyrical about how his depiction of Daredevil in action is like visual poetry, but I think it's sufficient for me to say that I like this guy's work better than that of anyone who's ever worked on this character, including Frank Miller, John Romita, Jr. and Joe Quesada. In fact, if Jim Lee himself renounced DC tomorrow and declared that he wanted to work on Daredevil, I honestly cannot imagine him doing a better job on this book than Samnee is doing right now. I can think of no higher praise. The irony is, I didn't even think Samnee would be a good fit for this book when I first found out he'd be working on it. I have never been happier to be proven wrong in my life.
Anyway, I'm hoping Waid and Samnee have big plans for the Shroud, whether as a misguided hero or a headache for Daredevil because this issue has shown a lot of promise. Also, I continue to wait on bated breath to see how Foggy Nelson's story will unfold.
9/10
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Prepping for the Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy #14
(writers) Brian Michael Bendis, Andy Lanning, Dan Abnett
(artists) Nick Bradshaw, Todd Nauck, Jason Masters, Phil Jimenez, Rafa Sandoval
The first thing that struck me about the cover of this issue was that Starlord, the lead GotG character, was no longer wearing his ridiculous blue and black space suit with the exposed face but an outfit strikingly similar to the leather jacket, pants, boots and full face mask that Chris Pratt has been sporting in promotional stills for the upcoming movie.
The second thing was Nick Bradshaw's art. Now, since I first laid eyes on Bradshaw's art I have believed him to be an Art Adams copycat, but I figured that, given the sheer number of books he's worked on, he is unlike Adams in that he is able to put books out on time. I was right on the first count, and wrong on the second. He is indeed an Art Adams copycat, with nearly nothing to distinguish his own style, and even less value-added but he is not at all more prolific; of the twenty pages of Brian Michael Bendis' story, Bradshaw only illustrates fourteen, with Todd Nauck and Jason Masters actually filling in for the remainder of the story.
The main story is pretty simple; J'Son of Spartax, Peter Quill/Starlord's dad, who has been chasing the Guardians since the very first story arc, has finally caught up with them, and things look grim for Starlord and his crew.
The first backup story, written by Andy Lanning and drawn by Phil Jimenez, is the origin of Groot, told completely without dialogue, save for Groot's trademark 'I am Groot' which he and everyone from his race utters, and the second, written by Dan Abnett and drawn by Rafa Sandoval, involves the 31st century Guardians, or at least some of them, like Vance Astro, Martinex T'Naga and Charlie-27, among others and may or may not tie into the main book at some point.
It's a nice meaty issue, the highlight of which, for me, is the Groot story, which boasts some fantastic art by Jimenez, but the weakness of the main story, which, really, is nothing more than a continuation of the story that began well over a year ago, basically undermines everything else, especially with Bradshaw's copycat art. Still, perhaps things will pick up with the next issue, given the appearance of a fairly prominent Avenger on the very last page.
6.5/10
(artists) Nick Bradshaw, Todd Nauck, Jason Masters, Phil Jimenez, Rafa Sandoval
The first thing that struck me about the cover of this issue was that Starlord, the lead GotG character, was no longer wearing his ridiculous blue and black space suit with the exposed face but an outfit strikingly similar to the leather jacket, pants, boots and full face mask that Chris Pratt has been sporting in promotional stills for the upcoming movie.
The second thing was Nick Bradshaw's art. Now, since I first laid eyes on Bradshaw's art I have believed him to be an Art Adams copycat, but I figured that, given the sheer number of books he's worked on, he is unlike Adams in that he is able to put books out on time. I was right on the first count, and wrong on the second. He is indeed an Art Adams copycat, with nearly nothing to distinguish his own style, and even less value-added but he is not at all more prolific; of the twenty pages of Brian Michael Bendis' story, Bradshaw only illustrates fourteen, with Todd Nauck and Jason Masters actually filling in for the remainder of the story.
The main story is pretty simple; J'Son of Spartax, Peter Quill/Starlord's dad, who has been chasing the Guardians since the very first story arc, has finally caught up with them, and things look grim for Starlord and his crew.
The first backup story, written by Andy Lanning and drawn by Phil Jimenez, is the origin of Groot, told completely without dialogue, save for Groot's trademark 'I am Groot' which he and everyone from his race utters, and the second, written by Dan Abnett and drawn by Rafa Sandoval, involves the 31st century Guardians, or at least some of them, like Vance Astro, Martinex T'Naga and Charlie-27, among others and may or may not tie into the main book at some point.
It's a nice meaty issue, the highlight of which, for me, is the Groot story, which boasts some fantastic art by Jimenez, but the weakness of the main story, which, really, is nothing more than a continuation of the story that began well over a year ago, basically undermines everything else, especially with Bradshaw's copycat art. Still, perhaps things will pick up with the next issue, given the appearance of a fairly prominent Avenger on the very last page.
6.5/10
Sunday, April 20, 2014
And Bendis Does the Jam Thing Again: All New X-Men #25
(writer) Brian Michael Bendis
(artists) David Marquez and various, including Arthur Adams, Bruce Timm, Skottie Young, David Mack, Lee Bermejo, J. Scott Campbell and many, many more.
About a week or so ago I reviewed another landmark issue in which writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Marquez were joined by a gaggle of guest artists, namely Ultimate Spider-Man #200, which featured a lovely tribute to the late, lamented "ultimate" version of Peter Parker. I remarked that Bendis really seems at home with these kinds of special issues, and he hits yet another home run with the 25th issue of the X-Men title he launched three years back, All New X-Men.
The entire premise of the title is that Hank McCoy, a.k.a. the Beast, devastated by Professor X's murder at the hands of his old friend Cyclops back in the pages of Avengers vs. X-Men, has gone back in time and brought FORWARD the five original X-Men, including himself, in the vague hope that this will somehow alter the present. A lot of things have happened since then (I stopped following the book after eleven issues, especially when they started bringing on the crossovers) and apparently the original X-Men can no longer go back to their proper time.
As a result, present-day Beast gets an ominous visit from a major character in the Marvel Universe whose identity I will not spoil, and gets a glimpse of the various potential futures lying in store for the X-Men which he may well have ruined with his actions.
Bendis really has a field day with such an enormous roster of artists, so much so that he eschews his usual "jam" format of having his guest artists do two-page spreads and goes for an approach that isn't usually my cup of tea but which works out just brilliantly here. There's humor and pathos in the various "alternate future" vignettes, and each one tells a mini story on its own. Of course, there are still the splash pages and those still look great, but for this particular issue Bendis needed several of his guest artists to flex some sequential muscle, and each and every one of them knocked his or her segment out of the park. Still, some of the newspaper strip/webcomic style art looks a little out of place in a comic book like this one, so I can't say I enjoyed this book quite as much as I would have if it had sported the more traditional "action" oriented artwork.
My personal favorite, largely for sentimental reasons, is Arthur Adam's Savage Land segment, which features a truly feral Beast scaring the hell out of Kazar and Zabu as he chows down on a dinosaur. It's a throwback to the comics I grew up with as a kid, and to be fair Adams has improved on his rendering skills since then.
It was quite considerate of Bendis to make this issue self-contained rather than use it as a springboard for a multi-issue story-arc, but it does require quite a bit of knowledge of what has gone before. Still, anyone with a passing knowledge of the X-Men should be able to figure things out easily enough, thanks to a little bit of exposition from the Beast's watchful visitor.
8.5/10
(artists) David Marquez and various, including Arthur Adams, Bruce Timm, Skottie Young, David Mack, Lee Bermejo, J. Scott Campbell and many, many more.
About a week or so ago I reviewed another landmark issue in which writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Marquez were joined by a gaggle of guest artists, namely Ultimate Spider-Man #200, which featured a lovely tribute to the late, lamented "ultimate" version of Peter Parker. I remarked that Bendis really seems at home with these kinds of special issues, and he hits yet another home run with the 25th issue of the X-Men title he launched three years back, All New X-Men.
The entire premise of the title is that Hank McCoy, a.k.a. the Beast, devastated by Professor X's murder at the hands of his old friend Cyclops back in the pages of Avengers vs. X-Men, has gone back in time and brought FORWARD the five original X-Men, including himself, in the vague hope that this will somehow alter the present. A lot of things have happened since then (I stopped following the book after eleven issues, especially when they started bringing on the crossovers) and apparently the original X-Men can no longer go back to their proper time.
As a result, present-day Beast gets an ominous visit from a major character in the Marvel Universe whose identity I will not spoil, and gets a glimpse of the various potential futures lying in store for the X-Men which he may well have ruined with his actions.
Bendis really has a field day with such an enormous roster of artists, so much so that he eschews his usual "jam" format of having his guest artists do two-page spreads and goes for an approach that isn't usually my cup of tea but which works out just brilliantly here. There's humor and pathos in the various "alternate future" vignettes, and each one tells a mini story on its own. Of course, there are still the splash pages and those still look great, but for this particular issue Bendis needed several of his guest artists to flex some sequential muscle, and each and every one of them knocked his or her segment out of the park. Still, some of the newspaper strip/webcomic style art looks a little out of place in a comic book like this one, so I can't say I enjoyed this book quite as much as I would have if it had sported the more traditional "action" oriented artwork.
My personal favorite, largely for sentimental reasons, is Arthur Adam's Savage Land segment, which features a truly feral Beast scaring the hell out of Kazar and Zabu as he chows down on a dinosaur. It's a throwback to the comics I grew up with as a kid, and to be fair Adams has improved on his rendering skills since then.
It was quite considerate of Bendis to make this issue self-contained rather than use it as a springboard for a multi-issue story-arc, but it does require quite a bit of knowledge of what has gone before. Still, anyone with a passing knowledge of the X-Men should be able to figure things out easily enough, thanks to a little bit of exposition from the Beast's watchful visitor.
8.5/10
Friday, April 18, 2014
Late to the Party: A Review of Inhuman #1
(writer) Charles Soule
(artist) Joe Madureira
In the wake of the significant events involving the Inhumans, Marvel has launched a new series involving both existing characters and those mutated by the Terrigen Mists that have been loosed on an unsuspecting population by no less than the apparently deceased king of the Inhumans, Black Bolt.
Inhuman deals with new characters who have inhaled the mists, and the race between Medusa, queen of the Inhumans and the relatively new character Lash, to gain their allegiance. Two metamorphoses occur in this issue; the first one, of a professor in Norway, does not really yield super-powered results. When drummer and wedding-band-regular Dante (another new character) gets a whiff of the mists, however, interesting things happen, and he finds himself a target for Lash, unless Medusa can protect him first.
I like this relatively recent practice of Marvel Comics of getting top-tier talent to do short story arcs on a variety of titles. Civil War veteran Steve McNiven, for example, has worked on at least three titles in as many years, boosting the sales profile of each and getting them noticed by readers both old and new.
Madureira, who rose to fame drawing X-Men books in the late 1990s, has, after an extended sabbatical from comics to work in the video game industry, has worked sporadically for Marvel since coming back in 2007. After a five issue stint on the Ultimates, Madureira or "Joe Mad" as he's more popularly called, has drawn three-issue stints on Avenging Spider-Man and Savage Wolverine. That's a total of eleven issues over a seven year period, which kind of highlights Joe Mad's timeliness issues, but the good news is that for fans of his anime-inspired art style, he absolutely delivers, as he does here. His take on Medusa, the only familiar character here, is drop dead gorgeous.
The problem with this issue, however, is that Charles Soule's script is, in a word, uninspired. I have no idea if it's because he was a last-minute replacement for original writer Matt Fraction, but from the character concept to the narrative, the issue just doesn't come together for me. I was intrigued by the notion of a "fake-out" lead character, which is clearly what the writer intended with the blond Norwegian professor whose Terrigenesis turns him into some kind of troll, but the concept isn't developed at all and quite frankly the pages spent on him would have been better devoted to developing Dante, clearly the hero meant to be launched by this series, a bit more thoroughly. I mean, it's bad enough that the character they've apparently come up with, a fire manipulator of some sort, has already been done several times before. Dante had better have something unique going for him.
I'm fairly sure I won't be sitting through too many of these issues, given Joe Mad's track record. I'd be surprised if he lasted longer than four or five issues on this title before Marvel finds something else for him to do. That's good news for me as I am trying to keep my monthly collection down to two or three titles at the most. I just hope the remaining issues of this story arc have scripts that are at least half as good as the art that brings them to life.
6/10
Inevitable Disappointment: A Review of Superior Spider-Man #31 (Mild Spoilers)
(writers) Dan Slott and Christos Gage
(artists) Giuseppe Camuncoli, John Dell, Will Sliney
After the sheer narrative punch of last issue, it was perhaps inevitable that Marvel would let me down with the resolution of "Goblin Nation" and of the entire Superior Spider-Man series.
Having retaken control of his body from Otto Octavius, who quite literally gave up the ghost last issue, Peter Parker/Spider-Man puts an end to the threat posed by the Green Goblin, for now. He also sets things right with those close to him, though he's unable to mend some fences the way he would have liked.
There was really no doubt as to how the "Goblin Nation" storyline would be resolved, and the only major issue left to be resolved this issue was the identity of the Green Goblin, which Slott kept hidden from the readers ever since he appeared in issue #5. Even without the meaty narrative turn that took place last issue, the revelation of who was under the Goblin mask, as twists go, was utterly flaccid. Then again, Slott and company were never going to top themselves after last issue, which, to my mind at least, was one of the best of the entire series, so maybe I can cut him some slack. Still, this issue feels like a bit of a cop-out.
This issue was intended to tie things up in time for The Amazing Spider-Man #1, out in two weeks, and in order to keep readers guessing, Slott keeps a lot of cards close to his chest. If things are going to go really badly for Peter in view of everything that Otto has spent the last year or so doing, the proverbial poop isn't going to hit the fan until the relaunch hits. Still, if nothing else, in this issue, particularly the second half written by Christos Gage and drawn by soon-to-be Spider-Man 2099 artist Will Sliney, Peter mends some of his "core" relationships, namely those with Aunt May and Mary Jane, both of whom were on the receiving end of some of Ock's nastiness.
Everything is else is left pretty much in the air, and it should be interesting to see how the likes of the Avengers react to the return of Peter, especially considering they never knew he was gone in the first place.
As swan songs go, however, considering the kind of sales Spider-Ock pulled in for Marvel during his 30-issue tenure, I feel they could have given him something a little more meaningful.
6.5/10
(artists) Giuseppe Camuncoli, John Dell, Will Sliney
After the sheer narrative punch of last issue, it was perhaps inevitable that Marvel would let me down with the resolution of "Goblin Nation" and of the entire Superior Spider-Man series.
Having retaken control of his body from Otto Octavius, who quite literally gave up the ghost last issue, Peter Parker/Spider-Man puts an end to the threat posed by the Green Goblin, for now. He also sets things right with those close to him, though he's unable to mend some fences the way he would have liked.
There was really no doubt as to how the "Goblin Nation" storyline would be resolved, and the only major issue left to be resolved this issue was the identity of the Green Goblin, which Slott kept hidden from the readers ever since he appeared in issue #5. Even without the meaty narrative turn that took place last issue, the revelation of who was under the Goblin mask, as twists go, was utterly flaccid. Then again, Slott and company were never going to top themselves after last issue, which, to my mind at least, was one of the best of the entire series, so maybe I can cut him some slack. Still, this issue feels like a bit of a cop-out.
This issue was intended to tie things up in time for The Amazing Spider-Man #1, out in two weeks, and in order to keep readers guessing, Slott keeps a lot of cards close to his chest. If things are going to go really badly for Peter in view of everything that Otto has spent the last year or so doing, the proverbial poop isn't going to hit the fan until the relaunch hits. Still, if nothing else, in this issue, particularly the second half written by Christos Gage and drawn by soon-to-be Spider-Man 2099 artist Will Sliney, Peter mends some of his "core" relationships, namely those with Aunt May and Mary Jane, both of whom were on the receiving end of some of Ock's nastiness.
Everything is else is left pretty much in the air, and it should be interesting to see how the likes of the Avengers react to the return of Peter, especially considering they never knew he was gone in the first place.
As swan songs go, however, considering the kind of sales Spider-Ock pulled in for Marvel during his 30-issue tenure, I feel they could have given him something a little more meaningful.
6.5/10
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Late to the Party: Black Widow #1 to #5
(writer) Nathan Edmonson
(artist) Phil Noto
I have a confession to make: even though I have been familiar with the Black Widow character appearing in Marvel Comics publications for almost as long as I have been reading comics, I have never really been much of a fan, and I have never collected comic books in which she had a starring role, the closest being the issues of "The Ultimates" in which an alternate version of her appeared (and in which she turned out to be not quite what I expected). The truth of the matter is that I have become a fan of the character thanks to actress Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of her in 2012's The Avengers, and in this year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Thus, when Marvel stuff the entirety of issue #1 into Superior Spider-Man #30 as an extra, featuring a fairly interesting script by Nathan Edmonson and some drop dead gorgeous art by Phil Noto, I didn't need much convincing to pick the series up, and I have to say, I'm glad I did.
Each of the first three issues contains a solo adventure for Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. the Black Widow, who, when not helping the Avengers save the world, is busy atoning for her past life as a KGB assassin, taking on various high-paying odd jobs that involve protection or rescue, a marked contrast from her former line of work. Issues #4 and #5 raise the stakes a bit as Natasha takes on a mysterious organization that, in issue #4 does its dirty work through a former Russian Orthodox monk, and may have bitten off more than she can chew.
Nathan Edmonson makes the character accessible for anyone who knows her strictly from the Avengers movie, and I confess that, outside of Mark Millar's Ultimates, and the odd Avengers or Daredevil issue, I didn't really know her all that well either as a character. His script isn't all that slick, though, and I sometimes get the impression he spends too much time hammering the "atonement" point home, although he drops it around the fourth issue.
The real draw for me, though, is Phil Noto's art (pardon the pun). I've admired this guy's work for some time but have never really felt compelled to buy anything he has worked on, until now. The 70s-inspired visuals are a perfect fit for this book, and although his Natasha seems a little masculine from time to time, the most important thing is that she is utterly credible as a truly formidable superspy.
I'm definitely staying on board for at least as long as Noto is.
7.5/10
(artist) Phil Noto
I have a confession to make: even though I have been familiar with the Black Widow character appearing in Marvel Comics publications for almost as long as I have been reading comics, I have never really been much of a fan, and I have never collected comic books in which she had a starring role, the closest being the issues of "The Ultimates" in which an alternate version of her appeared (and in which she turned out to be not quite what I expected). The truth of the matter is that I have become a fan of the character thanks to actress Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of her in 2012's The Avengers, and in this year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Thus, when Marvel stuff the entirety of issue #1 into Superior Spider-Man #30 as an extra, featuring a fairly interesting script by Nathan Edmonson and some drop dead gorgeous art by Phil Noto, I didn't need much convincing to pick the series up, and I have to say, I'm glad I did.
Each of the first three issues contains a solo adventure for Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. the Black Widow, who, when not helping the Avengers save the world, is busy atoning for her past life as a KGB assassin, taking on various high-paying odd jobs that involve protection or rescue, a marked contrast from her former line of work. Issues #4 and #5 raise the stakes a bit as Natasha takes on a mysterious organization that, in issue #4 does its dirty work through a former Russian Orthodox monk, and may have bitten off more than she can chew.
Nathan Edmonson makes the character accessible for anyone who knows her strictly from the Avengers movie, and I confess that, outside of Mark Millar's Ultimates, and the odd Avengers or Daredevil issue, I didn't really know her all that well either as a character. His script isn't all that slick, though, and I sometimes get the impression he spends too much time hammering the "atonement" point home, although he drops it around the fourth issue.
The real draw for me, though, is Phil Noto's art (pardon the pun). I've admired this guy's work for some time but have never really felt compelled to buy anything he has worked on, until now. The 70s-inspired visuals are a perfect fit for this book, and although his Natasha seems a little masculine from time to time, the most important thing is that she is utterly credible as a truly formidable superspy.
I'm definitely staying on board for at least as long as Noto is.
7.5/10
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Peripheral: My Theory on Why Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Isn't at the Top of the Ratings Heap
I find it strange that, even though I am a comic-book fan through and through, with a particular preference or Marvel Comics, and even though I am also a fan of television adaptations of comic book series such as The Walking Dead, I have next to no interest whatsoever in following Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ongoing television series. I find it even stranger that, for all of the box-office clout that Marvel seems to wield at the box office, they seem unable to translate those all-conquering numbers, and the audiences they represent, into a similarly dominant number of television viewers.
Obviously, I have no intention of reviewing a series I haven't actually watched, but considering that the series is a far cry from the ratings juggernaut that Marvel Studios were no doubt hoping for, I thought I might give them some thoughts on what they may be doing wrong, as opposed to the creators of TWD, currently the most popular show on television right now.
Of course, it seems a bit ridiculous that Marvel should be taking unsolicited advice from someone like me, but hey, it's a free country, and more than that, ultimately it's the attention from the fans, or lack of it, that can drive these movies and T.V. shows to great heights of success, or right into the ground.
My theory is this: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., unlike the massive movie franchise from which it was spun off, has very few moorings in the comic books on which the movies were based, apart from the titular organization to which the characters belong. The lead character, Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson, is a creation exclusively for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and was a common thread running through most of the films, starting with Iron Man. Every other lead character, however, seems to have been created purely for the show, although a few minor characters from the comics, like Deathlok and Victoria Hand are featured, and some characters both from the comics and the MCU, like Lady Sif (Jamie Alexander) from the Thor series, as well as Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and S.H.I.E.L.D. head honcho himself, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) have done walk-ons as well. These appearances, however, seem to be few and far between, and feel like nothing more than crumbs from the MCU pie.
For me, the charm of the MCU is seeing characters I have grown up with in one medium vividly realized in another. The first Spider-Man movie, for all its flaws, was an utterly magical experience for me, and while I only started reading Avengers comics when I was quite a bit older, I was similarly enthralled when "Earth's mightiest heroes" had their big-screen team-up two years ago. I've loved most of these adaptations, even some of the less-well received ones, and it's in no small part because I grew up with the characters whose adventures were realized onscreen. Characters like the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men were all a part of my childhood and adolescence, and so, when their adaptations were well-done, and sometimes even when they weren't, I was happy. Judging by the grosses, so were a lot of other people.
With AoS, the rule is different, and the creators of the show seem less interested in tapping fans' nostalgia and instead cashing in purely on the Marvel brand. It calls to mind the short-lived, pre-Marvel studios television series Mutant X, which Marvel and some partners made in an apparent attempt to circumvent the exclusive license enjoyed by Twentieth Century Fox to produce X-Men related films and shows, although no similar legal issues exist here. Basically, Marvel wanted to sell audiences a product with their name on it, but with next to none of the history that truly made their name resonate with so many people. That seems to be eerily similar to what's happening here, although AoS certainly has more polish that Mutant X ever did, at least based on the little I've seen.
With TWD and even Game of Thrones, people know that they're getting the main characters from the books on the small screen; it's one of the reasons why Vol. 1 of TWD comics, (a collection which, by the way, is over ten years old) has been a consistent bestseller ever since the T.V. series premiered; people wanting to see where the show came from get almost exactly what they're looking for, as Season 1 was remarkably faithful to much of that first volume, the usual liberties notwithstanding.
Marvel, to be fair, has made some attempts to draw connections between the MCU and AoS, as evidenced by the aforementioned guest appearances and, most recently, a significant narrative tie-up between the show and the highly successful film Captain America: The Winter Soldier. At the end of the day, though, Marvel still hasn't addressed the fact that AoS has very little to do with the comic books on which the whole MCU was based.
While I understand the imperative at Marvel is to bring as many characters as possible to the big screen (which isn't even necessarily true, given that Daredevil, a character worthy of a decent feature film if ever there was one, will have a Netflix series next year), there are, to my mind, plenty of supporting S.H.I.E.L.D. players who really wouldn't be able to support a feature film on their own but who might just go the distance in a T.V. show, like the Contessa, Clay Quartermain, and maybe even Gabe Jones and Dum Dum Dugan, who were Howling Commandos in the first Captain America movie but who also happen to be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the comics. If there's a problem with aging them, then maybe their kids could be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents instead. It's a pretty substantial list, and any of those characters would more likely resonate with fans than generic, made-exclusively-for-T.V. characters with cookie-cutter names like Ward, Fitz and Garrett. With shows involving superheroics like Heroes and Alphas, and more investigative/conspiracy shows on the air than you could shake a stick at, AoS needs something to set itself apart, and that could have been characters derived from comic books with decades of history.
Not only that, but if the show won people over with their stories, then fans of the television series could then dive into old S.H.I.E.L.D. comic books and relive the fun in another format, just as the newly-won-over fans of TWD did when they went off in search of the trade paperbacks.
As it is, well, it really just strikes me that, in the great, MCU scheme of things, AoS just doesn't matter, and to many of the millions of people who pay good money to patronize the MCU, the T.V. show feels like a side dish they can skip.
Again, this isn't me dissing the show, which I can't do because I don't watch it. It is me, however giving my opinion as a virtual lifelong geek as to why the billions of dollars in box-office revenue from the MCU are not translating into chart-topping ratings for AoS.
Obviously, I have no intention of reviewing a series I haven't actually watched, but considering that the series is a far cry from the ratings juggernaut that Marvel Studios were no doubt hoping for, I thought I might give them some thoughts on what they may be doing wrong, as opposed to the creators of TWD, currently the most popular show on television right now.
Of course, it seems a bit ridiculous that Marvel should be taking unsolicited advice from someone like me, but hey, it's a free country, and more than that, ultimately it's the attention from the fans, or lack of it, that can drive these movies and T.V. shows to great heights of success, or right into the ground.
My theory is this: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., unlike the massive movie franchise from which it was spun off, has very few moorings in the comic books on which the movies were based, apart from the titular organization to which the characters belong. The lead character, Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson, is a creation exclusively for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and was a common thread running through most of the films, starting with Iron Man. Every other lead character, however, seems to have been created purely for the show, although a few minor characters from the comics, like Deathlok and Victoria Hand are featured, and some characters both from the comics and the MCU, like Lady Sif (Jamie Alexander) from the Thor series, as well as Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and S.H.I.E.L.D. head honcho himself, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) have done walk-ons as well. These appearances, however, seem to be few and far between, and feel like nothing more than crumbs from the MCU pie.
For me, the charm of the MCU is seeing characters I have grown up with in one medium vividly realized in another. The first Spider-Man movie, for all its flaws, was an utterly magical experience for me, and while I only started reading Avengers comics when I was quite a bit older, I was similarly enthralled when "Earth's mightiest heroes" had their big-screen team-up two years ago. I've loved most of these adaptations, even some of the less-well received ones, and it's in no small part because I grew up with the characters whose adventures were realized onscreen. Characters like the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men were all a part of my childhood and adolescence, and so, when their adaptations were well-done, and sometimes even when they weren't, I was happy. Judging by the grosses, so were a lot of other people.
With AoS, the rule is different, and the creators of the show seem less interested in tapping fans' nostalgia and instead cashing in purely on the Marvel brand. It calls to mind the short-lived, pre-Marvel studios television series Mutant X, which Marvel and some partners made in an apparent attempt to circumvent the exclusive license enjoyed by Twentieth Century Fox to produce X-Men related films and shows, although no similar legal issues exist here. Basically, Marvel wanted to sell audiences a product with their name on it, but with next to none of the history that truly made their name resonate with so many people. That seems to be eerily similar to what's happening here, although AoS certainly has more polish that Mutant X ever did, at least based on the little I've seen.
With TWD and even Game of Thrones, people know that they're getting the main characters from the books on the small screen; it's one of the reasons why Vol. 1 of TWD comics, (a collection which, by the way, is over ten years old) has been a consistent bestseller ever since the T.V. series premiered; people wanting to see where the show came from get almost exactly what they're looking for, as Season 1 was remarkably faithful to much of that first volume, the usual liberties notwithstanding.
Marvel, to be fair, has made some attempts to draw connections between the MCU and AoS, as evidenced by the aforementioned guest appearances and, most recently, a significant narrative tie-up between the show and the highly successful film Captain America: The Winter Soldier. At the end of the day, though, Marvel still hasn't addressed the fact that AoS has very little to do with the comic books on which the whole MCU was based.
While I understand the imperative at Marvel is to bring as many characters as possible to the big screen (which isn't even necessarily true, given that Daredevil, a character worthy of a decent feature film if ever there was one, will have a Netflix series next year), there are, to my mind, plenty of supporting S.H.I.E.L.D. players who really wouldn't be able to support a feature film on their own but who might just go the distance in a T.V. show, like the Contessa, Clay Quartermain, and maybe even Gabe Jones and Dum Dum Dugan, who were Howling Commandos in the first Captain America movie but who also happen to be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents in the comics. If there's a problem with aging them, then maybe their kids could be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents instead. It's a pretty substantial list, and any of those characters would more likely resonate with fans than generic, made-exclusively-for-T.V. characters with cookie-cutter names like Ward, Fitz and Garrett. With shows involving superheroics like Heroes and Alphas, and more investigative/conspiracy shows on the air than you could shake a stick at, AoS needs something to set itself apart, and that could have been characters derived from comic books with decades of history.
Not only that, but if the show won people over with their stories, then fans of the television series could then dive into old S.H.I.E.L.D. comic books and relive the fun in another format, just as the newly-won-over fans of TWD did when they went off in search of the trade paperbacks.
As it is, well, it really just strikes me that, in the great, MCU scheme of things, AoS just doesn't matter, and to many of the millions of people who pay good money to patronize the MCU, the T.V. show feels like a side dish they can skip.
Again, this isn't me dissing the show, which I can't do because I don't watch it. It is me, however giving my opinion as a virtual lifelong geek as to why the billions of dollars in box-office revenue from the MCU are not translating into chart-topping ratings for AoS.
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