co-written by Chris Samnee and Mark Waid
illustrated by Samnee
colored by Matt Wilson
In issue #2, Natasha's daring heist of sensitive data from a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier is explained with a flashback. Most of the story takes place at a secret cemetery for fallen S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, where Director Hill and Agent Elder attend a funeral for a young agent when several men try to attack them, only to be killed off, one by one, by Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. the Black Widow. She believes Hill and Elder have fallen into a trap, only to find out too late who the real target of the trap was. She is eventually forced to pull off the Helicarrier heist using one of the oldest tricks in the book: good old fashioned blackmail.
In issue #3, Natasha's new "principal" the Weeping Lion, directs her to travel to Russia, to her old training facility the Red Room to find something. As she arrives at the dilapidated facility, memories come flooding back, even as she finds and neutralizes scavengers, and manages to discover something even more terrifying than her.
As much as I am still enjoying this series, the fact that Samnee's doing the plotting is becoming a bit more evident here as the story's starting to seem a little thin to be stretched over three issues. The first issue, which was basically one long chase and fight sequence, was a real show-stopper, but when Samnee and Waid explain in a second-issue flashback that Natasha was basically blackmailed with secrets from her past, I couldn't help but think: "THAT old chestnut?" I realize that as a former Soviet spy (and in the comic books, through some Russian version of the Super Soldier Serum or Infinity Formula, she's really been around since World War II), she has a checkered past, but how much does that even matter anymore? Sure, they're clearly still playing the whole antihero card for her in having her do something bad to avoid her dirty little secrets being exposed, but by screwing over S.H.I.E.L.D. to serve a bad guy in order to save her own ass it strikes me that she's made herself some powerful enemies anyway, so it doesn't seem all that logical. The action sequences, of which there are several throughout this issue, were great, though, and it seems to me that Samnee has raised his game quite a bit as an artist and as a visual storyteller.
Issue #3, while it still has me wondering just how damning the documents the Weeping Lion has on Natasha are, at least it doesn't involve her taking on an entire S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier full of agents and doesn't feel like an affront to storytelling logic. It's nice and low key, and it offers us a glimpse into her past in the Red Room, though I don't know how much of that is left to tell short of wandering into retcon territory. In any event, this was a more enjoyable issue.
Don't get me wrong; I remain a huge fan of these creators, and I definitely want to see what comes next, but considering the lofty standard of storytelling the pair of them had established during their lengthy run on Daredevil I was a little bit disappointed to see them coming down to earth a little bit. One aspect of the storytelling I appreciate though is the way they're keeping things mysterious. This really appears to be Samnee's show, with Waid basically just lending the dialogue, but even though Samnee isn't quite the scribe Waid is, I still appreciate his sense of pacing and how to build the sense of peril and menace our heroine faces.
Black Widow has never been a best-selling book so I don't see them lasting on it as long as they did on DD, but I am still looking forward to what these guys have to offer.
7.5/10 for issue #2
8/10 for issue #3
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Budding Insurgency: A Review of Black Panther #2
written by Ta-Nehisi Coates
drawn by Brian Stelfreeze
colored by Laura Martin
T'Challa tracks down the mysterious telepath who has been stoking the anger of the Wakandans against him, only to find out the true, terrifying nature of her powers, while two of his rogue Dora Milaje free oppressed women in another district of Wakanda, and start sowing the seeds of discontent among his subjects as well, as they firmly believe that no one man should wield power over the whole country. Meanwhile, T'Challa's sister Shuri may not be as dead as he thinks she is.
Two issues in and writer Ta-Nehisi Coates has me hooked on this story of internal struggle in Wakanda on two fronts. I'll admit I'm a little concerned that T'Challa's primary antagonists are all women; as I'm not really keen on supporting a misogynistic story, but what's fascinating about how these characters are all described so far is that, especially in the case of the two Dora Milaje guardswomen, their anger against T'Challa appears to be coming from someplace righteous. This makes me quite keen to see how all of this will shake down eventually.
While there are only two main sequences in this story, Coates paces his action well, and gives us the Black Panther martial arts sequence he had to have known readers were eager to see. There is at least one other sequence squeezed in as one of T'Challa's advisers talks to a former student of his, but it feels more like a quiet interlude. It was gratifying to see T'Challa in action, something Coates scrimped on a bit last issue. This not only gave the chance for T'Challa to cut loose, but artist Stelfreeze as well.
Speaking of Stelfreeze, his work has actually improved since the already impressive art he turned in last issue, probably because Coates shifts from talking heads to action sequences this time around. I really love it when an artist picks up steam with the succeeding issue; it makes it even more exciting to look forward to the next issue. The sequence in which T'Challa learns just how his enemy's power works (she has more in common with Dani Moonstar of the New Mutants than Professor X), is a spectacular collaboration between Stelfreeze and colorist Laura Martin and is easily one of the best-illustrated sequences I've seen in some time.
Coates is telling a genuinely fascinating story on his own terms, without (so far) a gratuitous cameo from a Marvel Universe regular. I truly hope he can keep up this standard of quality storytelling, because this is a character that truly deserves it.
9/10
drawn by Brian Stelfreeze
colored by Laura Martin
T'Challa tracks down the mysterious telepath who has been stoking the anger of the Wakandans against him, only to find out the true, terrifying nature of her powers, while two of his rogue Dora Milaje free oppressed women in another district of Wakanda, and start sowing the seeds of discontent among his subjects as well, as they firmly believe that no one man should wield power over the whole country. Meanwhile, T'Challa's sister Shuri may not be as dead as he thinks she is.
Two issues in and writer Ta-Nehisi Coates has me hooked on this story of internal struggle in Wakanda on two fronts. I'll admit I'm a little concerned that T'Challa's primary antagonists are all women; as I'm not really keen on supporting a misogynistic story, but what's fascinating about how these characters are all described so far is that, especially in the case of the two Dora Milaje guardswomen, their anger against T'Challa appears to be coming from someplace righteous. This makes me quite keen to see how all of this will shake down eventually.
While there are only two main sequences in this story, Coates paces his action well, and gives us the Black Panther martial arts sequence he had to have known readers were eager to see. There is at least one other sequence squeezed in as one of T'Challa's advisers talks to a former student of his, but it feels more like a quiet interlude. It was gratifying to see T'Challa in action, something Coates scrimped on a bit last issue. This not only gave the chance for T'Challa to cut loose, but artist Stelfreeze as well.
Speaking of Stelfreeze, his work has actually improved since the already impressive art he turned in last issue, probably because Coates shifts from talking heads to action sequences this time around. I really love it when an artist picks up steam with the succeeding issue; it makes it even more exciting to look forward to the next issue. The sequence in which T'Challa learns just how his enemy's power works (she has more in common with Dani Moonstar of the New Mutants than Professor X), is a spectacular collaboration between Stelfreeze and colorist Laura Martin and is easily one of the best-illustrated sequences I've seen in some time.
Coates is telling a genuinely fascinating story on his own terms, without (so far) a gratuitous cameo from a Marvel Universe regular. I truly hope he can keep up this standard of quality storytelling, because this is a character that truly deserves it.
9/10
Friday, May 27, 2016
Quick Looks: Spider-Man #4
written by Brian Michael Bendis
drawn by Sara Pichelli
colored by Justin Ponsor
Miles Morales spends the vast majority of this issue arguing with Ganke about meeting the new student at their school, former X-Man Goldballs. After that, he gets attacked and captured by Hammerhead.
Considering how much I enjoyed Miles' Morales adventures back when he was in the "Ultimate" universe, I am surprised by how utterly appalling this latest issue is. I know Bendis is fond of talking heads, but this issue just takes it to an illogical extreme, and two characters essentially get into a fight over a lame Bendis creation. Self-promotion at its worst, really.
I hear Pichelli's leaving this book after this story arc. If this kind of storytelling keeps up, so am I.
4/10
drawn by Sara Pichelli
colored by Justin Ponsor
Miles Morales spends the vast majority of this issue arguing with Ganke about meeting the new student at their school, former X-Man Goldballs. After that, he gets attacked and captured by Hammerhead.
Considering how much I enjoyed Miles' Morales adventures back when he was in the "Ultimate" universe, I am surprised by how utterly appalling this latest issue is. I know Bendis is fond of talking heads, but this issue just takes it to an illogical extreme, and two characters essentially get into a fight over a lame Bendis creation. Self-promotion at its worst, really.
I hear Pichelli's leaving this book after this story arc. If this kind of storytelling keeps up, so am I.
4/10
Quick Looks: All-New, All-Different Avengers #9
written by Mark Waid
drawn by Mahmud Asrar
colored by Dave McCaig
After the crossover event "Assault at Standoff Hill" which included two issues of this title, the book goes back to solo mode with this issue, as the All-New All-Different Avengers (sans Captain America and Thor) receive a very special visitor: the Wasp! This is not quite the Wasp we all know, though she is still a Pym. Also, Kang's not quite yet done with the Vision, as some quirks left behind in his programming prove to be quite the menace. Finally, Nova's dad is still lost in space, and the team resolve to help Sam find his dad.
I consider myself a fan of this series and while the first arc had its faults, it was still a solid read. This issue manages to maintain that standard somewhat, but is still a little low-key. Waid's not quite firing on all cylinders like he was over on Daredevil (and is in Black Widow, which he's co-writing with artist Chris Samnee), but this is still a perfectly respectable issue, and a very neat done-in-one of sorts as well as it introduces the new Wasp in a full story replete with two epilogues, the second of which sets up the next few issues.
Mahmud Asrar is back after series co-artist Adam Kubert took over for two issues, and man oh man, this guy has yet to disappoint. I am looking forward to the story arc that is set in space because I imagine this guy will be turning some outstanding work for those issues. My hopes are high.
8/10
drawn by Mahmud Asrar
colored by Dave McCaig
After the crossover event "Assault at Standoff Hill" which included two issues of this title, the book goes back to solo mode with this issue, as the All-New All-Different Avengers (sans Captain America and Thor) receive a very special visitor: the Wasp! This is not quite the Wasp we all know, though she is still a Pym. Also, Kang's not quite yet done with the Vision, as some quirks left behind in his programming prove to be quite the menace. Finally, Nova's dad is still lost in space, and the team resolve to help Sam find his dad.
I consider myself a fan of this series and while the first arc had its faults, it was still a solid read. This issue manages to maintain that standard somewhat, but is still a little low-key. Waid's not quite firing on all cylinders like he was over on Daredevil (and is in Black Widow, which he's co-writing with artist Chris Samnee), but this is still a perfectly respectable issue, and a very neat done-in-one of sorts as well as it introduces the new Wasp in a full story replete with two epilogues, the second of which sets up the next few issues.
Mahmud Asrar is back after series co-artist Adam Kubert took over for two issues, and man oh man, this guy has yet to disappoint. I am looking forward to the story arc that is set in space because I imagine this guy will be turning some outstanding work for those issues. My hopes are high.
8/10
Quick Looks: A Review of Daredevil #7
written by Charles Soule
drawn by Matteo Bufagni
colored by Matt Milla
Matt and Elektra stop fighting long enough for Matt to learn just why Elektra wants to kill him. Elektra believes her daughter, that Matt had, up until this point known nothing about, has been kidnapped, and believes his is somehow involved. Matt gets to the bottom of what has happened, and while he clears things up with Elektra, it seems someone is gunning for him yet again.
While I had known this story arc would be a brief one, it basically opened up more questions for me than it answered. Matt pays Foggy Nelson a visit this time and clarifies that in this new, post-Secret Wars world, it is truly only Foggy who knows Matt's secret, with Elektra, who has known Matt since before he actually became Daredevil, being similarly blindsided. I am still no closer to knowing the mysterious process through which this happened, though. In that, the issue was a tad frustrating, especially since it just repeated what had already been stated previously: only Foggy knows Matt's secret.
Surprisingly little happens in this issue, especially given how the last issue was able to pack quite a bit of exposition and set-up into twenty pages. Anyway, Soule's script is decent and Bufagni's artwork is consistent with the standard he set last issue, but really, given the disclosures I was hoping to read here, this issue was an almost inevitable disappointment.
6.7/10
drawn by Matteo Bufagni
colored by Matt Milla
Matt and Elektra stop fighting long enough for Matt to learn just why Elektra wants to kill him. Elektra believes her daughter, that Matt had, up until this point known nothing about, has been kidnapped, and believes his is somehow involved. Matt gets to the bottom of what has happened, and while he clears things up with Elektra, it seems someone is gunning for him yet again.
While I had known this story arc would be a brief one, it basically opened up more questions for me than it answered. Matt pays Foggy Nelson a visit this time and clarifies that in this new, post-Secret Wars world, it is truly only Foggy who knows Matt's secret, with Elektra, who has known Matt since before he actually became Daredevil, being similarly blindsided. I am still no closer to knowing the mysterious process through which this happened, though. In that, the issue was a tad frustrating, especially since it just repeated what had already been stated previously: only Foggy knows Matt's secret.
Surprisingly little happens in this issue, especially given how the last issue was able to pack quite a bit of exposition and set-up into twenty pages. Anyway, Soule's script is decent and Bufagni's artwork is consistent with the standard he set last issue, but really, given the disclosures I was hoping to read here, this issue was an almost inevitable disappointment.
6.7/10
Quick Looks: Spider-Man/Deadpool #5
written by Joe Kelly
illustrated by Ed McGuinness (pencils), Mark Morales (inks)
colored by Jason Keith
Superstar Deadpool creators Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness wrap up their first story-arc on this book, in which Spider-Man, having been shot in the face by Deadpool last issue, has himself a bit of an out-of-body experience, while Deadpool, upon realizing that Peter Parker wasn't the dirtbag he'd been led to think he was when he was hired to kill him, quite literally goes to hell and back to bring him back to life.
Now, I was not fond of the issue that preceded this one, and while I did not disclose it, part of that was down to the fact that Deadpool, whose abilities do not include lightning fast reflexes, was basically able to shoot Spider-Man point blank and kill him, something which, given Spider-Man's spider sense and preternatural speed and agility, should have been impossible.
It was done, though, in the service of this idiotic variation of the overused story trope of one "good" guy (Deadpool, hence the quotes) being tricked into attacking another good guy (Spider-Man) by a behind-the-scenes bad guy. Basically, Kelly just ignored a long-established rule of Spider-Man lore to advance his lame plot, and it utterly pissed me off. Deadpool should not be able to kill Spider-Man, at least not the way he did. Sure, one could argue that Spider-Man was enchanted by a succubus in issue #4 (he was) and that this somehow impaired him, but I honestly think Kelly should have established that a little better before foisting such a poorly-conceived twist on readers.
And then there was the reference in the story to the infamous One More Day storyline which, unless Kelly intends to explore that thread somewhere down the line, served no other purpose than to annoy.
This book started off fun but has been rather irritating for two issues in a row, now. Fortunately, McGuinness' art remains fantastic, and he wraps up this arc in fine style, with the little thread dangling about finding out who set Deadpool up in the first place, or the mysterious "patient zero." Possibly against my better judgment, I'll be coming back for that, for the pretty pictures if nothing else.
6/10
illustrated by Ed McGuinness (pencils), Mark Morales (inks)
colored by Jason Keith
Superstar Deadpool creators Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness wrap up their first story-arc on this book, in which Spider-Man, having been shot in the face by Deadpool last issue, has himself a bit of an out-of-body experience, while Deadpool, upon realizing that Peter Parker wasn't the dirtbag he'd been led to think he was when he was hired to kill him, quite literally goes to hell and back to bring him back to life.
Now, I was not fond of the issue that preceded this one, and while I did not disclose it, part of that was down to the fact that Deadpool, whose abilities do not include lightning fast reflexes, was basically able to shoot Spider-Man point blank and kill him, something which, given Spider-Man's spider sense and preternatural speed and agility, should have been impossible.
It was done, though, in the service of this idiotic variation of the overused story trope of one "good" guy (Deadpool, hence the quotes) being tricked into attacking another good guy (Spider-Man) by a behind-the-scenes bad guy. Basically, Kelly just ignored a long-established rule of Spider-Man lore to advance his lame plot, and it utterly pissed me off. Deadpool should not be able to kill Spider-Man, at least not the way he did. Sure, one could argue that Spider-Man was enchanted by a succubus in issue #4 (he was) and that this somehow impaired him, but I honestly think Kelly should have established that a little better before foisting such a poorly-conceived twist on readers.
And then there was the reference in the story to the infamous One More Day storyline which, unless Kelly intends to explore that thread somewhere down the line, served no other purpose than to annoy.
This book started off fun but has been rather irritating for two issues in a row, now. Fortunately, McGuinness' art remains fantastic, and he wraps up this arc in fine style, with the little thread dangling about finding out who set Deadpool up in the first place, or the mysterious "patient zero." Possibly against my better judgment, I'll be coming back for that, for the pretty pictures if nothing else.
6/10
How I Imagine the Decision to Make Captain America Evil Was Reached
According to Tom Brevoort, the idea to have Captain America turned into a Hydra agent was reached back in 2014. Here's my little "fanfic" on how that conversation went...(in spirit, if not in fact).
"Have you seen these sales figures for 'Superior Spider-Man?' We haven't seen these kinds of numbers regularly on the book since before Straczynski left!"
"Holy shit, you weren't kidding. How many issues has it been now?"
"It's been six or seven issues in, and we've barely seen any attrition! People are really reading these stories!"
"Huh. Who'd thought that one sure way to get people to read about a superhero was by replacing him with a bad guy..."
"I know, it's insane!"
"Who else could we give this treatment? Whose books need the boost? Iron Man? Cap? Thor?"
"Iron Man could use a boost. Sales have been flagging since the last reboot."
"Okay. Give him a 'superior' relaunch, as soon as possible."
"How? Swap him out with the Mandarin?"
"Nah, too obvious. And we've already messed with his armor and powers. Let's dial it back a little, make him the prick he was when he started being Iron Man."
"Ummm, okay. And Thor?"
"Well, he's already kind of a hotheaded prick isn't he? And having him possessed wouldn't be any fun; it's the kind of thing that could happen to him, being from a magical realm and all. I mean, we've already made him a frog, for God's sake. Why don't we do what we did with Loki, and make him a woman?"
"Huh?"
"Well, not Thor himself, but, you know, pass the mantle to someone else. Like that time when Simonson replaced Thor with that weird alien horse-looking thing. Yes, woman Thor."
"Uhhh...we'll see. And Cap?"
"Two reboots in as many years and people still don't seem interested. The guy's already been in two movies, including the Avengers, but not even that works."
"So, we swap him out with the Red Skull's mind?"
"We already did that when we brought him back to life. And we've already killed him too. This guy's a hard sell; he's just too boring to sustain sales for very long. Let me think..."
"..."
"Well?"
"I got it."
"What?"
"Make him an agent of Hydra."
"A...what?"
"I mean, we can't kill him or mind-swap him. We already did that."
"So...he's mind-controlled?"
"Nah, that's too boring, and readers will see right through that."
"So what, then? Have him switch sides?"
"Nope. Make it so that he's been a Hydra agent all along. And make reference to old issues that support the theory."
"I...what? No! Just...what?"
"This is totally fucked up. We're talking about an American icon!"
"I know, right? How soon can we make it happen?"
"Well, there are still a few events lined up...and we've already got plans to de-power him by taking out the super-soldier serum and replacing him with Falcon."
"Perfect, when you put him back in the flag, you drop the bomb on the readers. And time it for right after the 'Civil War' movie. We want to be able to bitch-slap readers eager to get their Captain America fix!"
"Why don't we just...I don't know...just give him a topnotch creative team or something?"
"Because comic book fans, especially the ones sustaining these sales for Spider-Man, aren't happy unless something really messed up is happening to their favorite characters. That's why Batman sells so well every month; he's perpetually messed up! If these losers even think things are going to be fine and dandy for a character like Cap, they'll drop the book like a hot potato. Make Cap a Hydra agent, and they'll stick around month after month to see what our angle is, or what the twist is. Look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong."
"..."
"Are we all in agreement then?"
"..."
"Okay. Have a two-year storyline prepped. This should last till the third Avengers movie, and give us plenty of time to think of how much worse we could fuck him up after that. Maybe he could murder the UN Secretary General or something."
"..."
"Make it happen."
"All right."
"Hail Hydra."
"Hail Hydra."
"Have you seen these sales figures for 'Superior Spider-Man?' We haven't seen these kinds of numbers regularly on the book since before Straczynski left!"
"Holy shit, you weren't kidding. How many issues has it been now?"
"It's been six or seven issues in, and we've barely seen any attrition! People are really reading these stories!"
"Huh. Who'd thought that one sure way to get people to read about a superhero was by replacing him with a bad guy..."
"I know, it's insane!"
"Who else could we give this treatment? Whose books need the boost? Iron Man? Cap? Thor?"
"Iron Man could use a boost. Sales have been flagging since the last reboot."
"Okay. Give him a 'superior' relaunch, as soon as possible."
"How? Swap him out with the Mandarin?"
"Nah, too obvious. And we've already messed with his armor and powers. Let's dial it back a little, make him the prick he was when he started being Iron Man."
"Ummm, okay. And Thor?"
"Well, he's already kind of a hotheaded prick isn't he? And having him possessed wouldn't be any fun; it's the kind of thing that could happen to him, being from a magical realm and all. I mean, we've already made him a frog, for God's sake. Why don't we do what we did with Loki, and make him a woman?"
"Huh?"
"Well, not Thor himself, but, you know, pass the mantle to someone else. Like that time when Simonson replaced Thor with that weird alien horse-looking thing. Yes, woman Thor."
"Uhhh...we'll see. And Cap?"
"Two reboots in as many years and people still don't seem interested. The guy's already been in two movies, including the Avengers, but not even that works."
"So, we swap him out with the Red Skull's mind?"
"We already did that when we brought him back to life. And we've already killed him too. This guy's a hard sell; he's just too boring to sustain sales for very long. Let me think..."
"..."
"Well?"
"I got it."
"What?"
"Make him an agent of Hydra."
"A...what?"
"I mean, we can't kill him or mind-swap him. We already did that."
"So...he's mind-controlled?"
"Nah, that's too boring, and readers will see right through that."
"So what, then? Have him switch sides?"
"Nope. Make it so that he's been a Hydra agent all along. And make reference to old issues that support the theory."
"I...what? No! Just...what?"
"This is totally fucked up. We're talking about an American icon!"
"I know, right? How soon can we make it happen?"
"Well, there are still a few events lined up...and we've already got plans to de-power him by taking out the super-soldier serum and replacing him with Falcon."
"Perfect, when you put him back in the flag, you drop the bomb on the readers. And time it for right after the 'Civil War' movie. We want to be able to bitch-slap readers eager to get their Captain America fix!"
"Why don't we just...I don't know...just give him a topnotch creative team or something?"
"Because comic book fans, especially the ones sustaining these sales for Spider-Man, aren't happy unless something really messed up is happening to their favorite characters. That's why Batman sells so well every month; he's perpetually messed up! If these losers even think things are going to be fine and dandy for a character like Cap, they'll drop the book like a hot potato. Make Cap a Hydra agent, and they'll stick around month after month to see what our angle is, or what the twist is. Look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong."
"..."
"Are we all in agreement then?"
"..."
"Okay. Have a two-year storyline prepped. This should last till the third Avengers movie, and give us plenty of time to think of how much worse we could fuck him up after that. Maybe he could murder the UN Secretary General or something."
"..."
"Make it happen."
"All right."
"Hail Hydra."
"Hail Hydra."
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
My Pitch to Marvel: Doug Ramsey - Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Sometime last week a colleague and I spent our lunch break playing the classic game hangman. The category chosen was Marvel Comics characters, and the character my colleague picked was Douglas Ramsey, aka Cypher. Marvel nerd though I may be, it took me awhile to guess the character as he is relatively obscure and I have not been reading a lot of X-Men comic books lately. As I got it, my colleague said, "he's got a lame superpower" or something like that.
Up until exactly that point, I actually agreed. Of the New Mutants, the team into which the character was introduced in the 80s Cyper was arguably the weakest, as his power involved neither physical force nor some form of mind control but the ability to translate language and nothing more. Of course he would look like a complete wimp next to the likes of Sunspot, Cannonball, Magma, et al. It's sad because Chris Claremont created and wrote him to show that heroes don't need to be powerful to be, well, super, but in the end it clearly didn't work that way.
What occurred to me at exactly that moment, though, was the question: what if he was taken out of the context of the X-men and put in something else, as, say, a superspy?
In Captain America: Civil War, which I had watched not too long before that hangman game, Bucky tells Cap of the threat of several other Winter Soldiers whom he believes the villainous Zemo intends to bring out of deep freeze. In describing them as possible world-destroying threats, Bucky mentions, as one of their talents, the ability to speak 30 languages. Remembering both this line and Cypher's lone superpower, I thought, wouldn't the ability to speak any language one hears, make someone a truly formidable hero? Spy movies like the Mission Impossible movies and the Bourne series play up the lead character's ability to blend into an environment, and in Bourne's case that usually involves the ability to speak the local language. A character that can do that naturally could be an amazing spy, especially if he was able to hone those abilities through training, which he could easily get from S.H.I.E.L.D.
Essentially, this is my pitch to the people who make Marvel Comics (not the movies), to do something with a long-existing, not particularly prominent mutant property other than kill him or retroactively alter his sexual orientation.
Cypher is a fantastic Marvel character in that, unlike Steve Rogers who went from being a 98-pound weakling to being the ultimate fighting machine, he actually stayed the 98-pound weakling, even after getting his superpower (which for mutants like him, happens at puberty).
A few years back in the "Necrosha" storyline I think Marvel took up a long-standing fan suggestion to have Doug's language-acquiring powers include the ability to learn fighting ability as a form of "body language" which led to him defeating his entire team, the New Mutants. This was a bit of redemption for the character, and they followed it up (sort of) by including him in a new X-Factor team formed by a writer whose work I enjoy, Peter David.
Now, as much as I enjoy David's writing, I think to keep Cypher in an ensemble book full of fantastical characters (even if they're playing detective, as I think they are in this book) is a waste of his talents, which are more suited to the kind of work that the Black Widow and Winter Soldier do than to traditional "superheroing."
Not that I think Cypher deserves his own book; if sales warranted it he would surely have had one by now. I do think, though, a change of scenery is in order for this character.
I don't know if you ever get to read this, folks at Marvel, but if you do I hope you consider it.
Up until exactly that point, I actually agreed. Of the New Mutants, the team into which the character was introduced in the 80s Cyper was arguably the weakest, as his power involved neither physical force nor some form of mind control but the ability to translate language and nothing more. Of course he would look like a complete wimp next to the likes of Sunspot, Cannonball, Magma, et al. It's sad because Chris Claremont created and wrote him to show that heroes don't need to be powerful to be, well, super, but in the end it clearly didn't work that way.
What occurred to me at exactly that moment, though, was the question: what if he was taken out of the context of the X-men and put in something else, as, say, a superspy?
In Captain America: Civil War, which I had watched not too long before that hangman game, Bucky tells Cap of the threat of several other Winter Soldiers whom he believes the villainous Zemo intends to bring out of deep freeze. In describing them as possible world-destroying threats, Bucky mentions, as one of their talents, the ability to speak 30 languages. Remembering both this line and Cypher's lone superpower, I thought, wouldn't the ability to speak any language one hears, make someone a truly formidable hero? Spy movies like the Mission Impossible movies and the Bourne series play up the lead character's ability to blend into an environment, and in Bourne's case that usually involves the ability to speak the local language. A character that can do that naturally could be an amazing spy, especially if he was able to hone those abilities through training, which he could easily get from S.H.I.E.L.D.
Essentially, this is my pitch to the people who make Marvel Comics (not the movies), to do something with a long-existing, not particularly prominent mutant property other than kill him or retroactively alter his sexual orientation.
Cypher is a fantastic Marvel character in that, unlike Steve Rogers who went from being a 98-pound weakling to being the ultimate fighting machine, he actually stayed the 98-pound weakling, even after getting his superpower (which for mutants like him, happens at puberty).
A few years back in the "Necrosha" storyline I think Marvel took up a long-standing fan suggestion to have Doug's language-acquiring powers include the ability to learn fighting ability as a form of "body language" which led to him defeating his entire team, the New Mutants. This was a bit of redemption for the character, and they followed it up (sort of) by including him in a new X-Factor team formed by a writer whose work I enjoy, Peter David.
Now, as much as I enjoy David's writing, I think to keep Cypher in an ensemble book full of fantastical characters (even if they're playing detective, as I think they are in this book) is a waste of his talents, which are more suited to the kind of work that the Black Widow and Winter Soldier do than to traditional "superheroing."
Not that I think Cypher deserves his own book; if sales warranted it he would surely have had one by now. I do think, though, a change of scenery is in order for this character.
I don't know if you ever get to read this, folks at Marvel, but if you do I hope you consider it.
Friday, May 6, 2016
Quick Looks: Spider-Man/Deadpool #4
written by Joe Kelly
drawn by Ed McGuinness (pencils) and Mark Morales (inks)
colored by Jason Keith
Spider-Man and Deadpool double-date. Deadpool brings a succubus for Spider-man to date and manages to trick the new Thor into showing up as his...date? Also, Deadpool also finally gets around to doing something he's been meaning to do since issue one.
This issue is a bit more low key than the first three that came before it; there are no punch-ups, for one thing, and I have to say I didn't particularly care for it, much, either, as it basically involves Spider-Man being somehow complicit in a rather sleazy, sexist trick Deadpool pulls on the aforementioned succubus and Thor. It backfires and is supposed to be played for laughs, but for me the jokes, including one in which Spider-man uses an image modifier to pose as a black man named Leonardo diCaprio (seriously), fell flat.
McGuinness shines as always but Kelly's joke that's basically stretched out over an entire issue really didn't work for me. Anyway, the cliffhanger (and the series' general standard of quality) will ensure that I'll be back for the next issue.
6.5/10
drawn by Ed McGuinness (pencils) and Mark Morales (inks)
colored by Jason Keith
Spider-Man and Deadpool double-date. Deadpool brings a succubus for Spider-man to date and manages to trick the new Thor into showing up as his...date? Also, Deadpool also finally gets around to doing something he's been meaning to do since issue one.
This issue is a bit more low key than the first three that came before it; there are no punch-ups, for one thing, and I have to say I didn't particularly care for it, much, either, as it basically involves Spider-Man being somehow complicit in a rather sleazy, sexist trick Deadpool pulls on the aforementioned succubus and Thor. It backfires and is supposed to be played for laughs, but for me the jokes, including one in which Spider-man uses an image modifier to pose as a black man named Leonardo diCaprio (seriously), fell flat.
McGuinness shines as always but Kelly's joke that's basically stretched out over an entire issue really didn't work for me. Anyway, the cliffhanger (and the series' general standard of quality) will ensure that I'll be back for the next issue.
6.5/10
Quick Looks: A Review of Daredevil #6
written by Charles Soule
drawn by Matteo Bufagni
colored by Matt Milla
After spending the first story arc dealing mostly with Matt Murdock's new environment and supporting cast, writer Charles Soule kicks off his second arc with a most welcome blast from Matt's past: the assassin Elektra. She drops in on him at his new job with the Early Case Assessment Bureau as he debates over the proper bail for an accused, and has dinner with him shortly thereafter. Then, later in the evening, she tries to kill him.
Interestingly enough, this is the first encounter between these two characters in the context of Matt having magically deprived everyone except Foggy Nelson of knowledge of his secret identity, through means still not disclosed. It's an interesting situation considering that all of the romantic history between Matt and Elektra, as well as Daredevil and Elektra, remains despite the magical mindwipe, which is a first in the characters' entire shared history. Soule only touches slightly on what this implies before ending the issue with yet another twist. I rather liked this issue as it is the first issue of this new series that really explores just how different Matt's status quo is, and Soule does an interesting bit of striptease here with how things have changed.
The first arc, while it certainly had its good points, was, at its core, just another crimefighting adventure, albeit with some new faces and situations. Here, Daredevil finds himself facing the fallout from whatever "reset" button it is he pressed on his secret identity, and I have to admit Soule really has me looking forward to what's next. The art from newcomer Matteo Bufagni, while tonally consistent with Ron Garney's, (especially with series regular Matt Milla lending his noir-inspired color palette to this story as well) is, to me at least, notably cleaner. It would have been really nice had the interiors been drawn, as the cover was, by the legendary Bill Sienkiewicz, but as it is I'm happy enough to see a cover from this fantastic artist.
This story arc looks like it will only be a two-parter, but I'm hoping the next issue is generous with details on what really happened to Matt between the last volume of his book and this one.
7.9/10
drawn by Matteo Bufagni
colored by Matt Milla
After spending the first story arc dealing mostly with Matt Murdock's new environment and supporting cast, writer Charles Soule kicks off his second arc with a most welcome blast from Matt's past: the assassin Elektra. She drops in on him at his new job with the Early Case Assessment Bureau as he debates over the proper bail for an accused, and has dinner with him shortly thereafter. Then, later in the evening, she tries to kill him.
Interestingly enough, this is the first encounter between these two characters in the context of Matt having magically deprived everyone except Foggy Nelson of knowledge of his secret identity, through means still not disclosed. It's an interesting situation considering that all of the romantic history between Matt and Elektra, as well as Daredevil and Elektra, remains despite the magical mindwipe, which is a first in the characters' entire shared history. Soule only touches slightly on what this implies before ending the issue with yet another twist. I rather liked this issue as it is the first issue of this new series that really explores just how different Matt's status quo is, and Soule does an interesting bit of striptease here with how things have changed.
The first arc, while it certainly had its good points, was, at its core, just another crimefighting adventure, albeit with some new faces and situations. Here, Daredevil finds himself facing the fallout from whatever "reset" button it is he pressed on his secret identity, and I have to admit Soule really has me looking forward to what's next. The art from newcomer Matteo Bufagni, while tonally consistent with Ron Garney's, (especially with series regular Matt Milla lending his noir-inspired color palette to this story as well) is, to me at least, notably cleaner. It would have been really nice had the interiors been drawn, as the cover was, by the legendary Bill Sienkiewicz, but as it is I'm happy enough to see a cover from this fantastic artist.
This story arc looks like it will only be a two-parter, but I'm hoping the next issue is generous with details on what really happened to Matt between the last volume of his book and this one.
7.9/10
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