Amazing Spider-Man #23: This issue feels slapdash, but it does what it needs to do. Spencer ticks off the list of future threats emerging from "Hunted," with the Vulture reforming the Savage Six, Kraven, Jr. assuming the mantle of Kraven the Hunter, and the Chameleon thanking Sergei (at his grave) for sparing him the Hunt and pledging destruction and doom in the future. But, most importantly, Spencer thankfully throws out the "Women in Refrigerators" plot, as we learn MJ's injury came from slipping on Peter's costume and putting an arm through the coffee table. (She seems pretty OK given the severity of the cuts that should involve.) The creeper Goblin we previously saw hanging over her has taken the form of an inchworm -- yeah, I don't know how either -- observing Peter tearfully hugging her. The inchworm -- er, Goblin -- exposits that he's keeping MJ safe from her greatest threat -- Peter -- so that they can be together. If we were dealing with the post-collegiate versions of these characters, I'd say the creeper Goblin was Harry Osborn, but that makes less sense now. I guess we'll see, though I admit I have problems caring? Like, I thought the joy of Spencer getting MJ and Peter back together was that he'd avoid these sorts of clichés. Oh, well.
Detective Comics #1,005: I'll be honest that I'm not sure why DC felt the need to introduce the Arkham Knight to the comics continuity. In the video game, it was Jason Todd, thought killed by the Joker. As we learned last issue, it's now Jeremiah Arkham's secret daughter, Astrid. Raised in Arkham surrounded by convicts, she believed that Batman was the bad guy, particularly after he allegedly killed her mother. It's a lie Jeremiah allowed to persist because it meant that he could escape culpability in wife's death. (What a therapist, this guy.) After her previous dry run of setting off a small sun in Gotham, Astrid now tries to blind Gotham's citizens so they can't see Batman. To her, he's an agent of the darkness and shadows so, if everyone is blind, his power over them fades. In other words, she's crazy. For all the hoopla of introducing the Knight, it just feels so ho-hum, yet another lunatic with some diabolical plan that Batman easily foils. (Also, why go with the dry run and alert Batman to your existence? Why not just blind everyone from the get-go?) The end sequence of Batman and Robin surveying the city days later feels directly lifted from a "Batman: The Animated Series" episode, the first time I've felt that way about Tomasi's writing.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #7: I've been enjoying this series a lot, but this issue is an unfortunate miss. Taylor leans very, very heavily into eye-rolling clichés, from Marnie telling Peter that she didn't know May was a superhero to the cartoonishly villainous local businesspeople who prompt May's aforementioned "super heroics" when confronting her about opening F.E.A.S.T. It all feels rushed, as Taylor is more than capable of providing a better script that got across the same message.
Invaders #6: Zdarsky continues to make this series tense and unexpected as something that almost never happens in the Marvel Universe does here: the heroes lose. Cap fails to stop Namor from launching his bomb, which turns 3,000 people in a coastal Maine town (as well as Nay and Roman) into Atlanteans. Zdarksy also doesn't avoid pinning blame on Steve; in a character-honest approach, he has Tony frequently point out the fact that he told Steve they needed to act and not try to reason with Namor. I'm intrigued to see if Steve doubles down next issue on his belief that he can save Namor or if he accepts that he's too far gone.
Transformers #7: I had been disappointed by the slow pace of this series, but Ruckley really kicks it up a notch here. I can't believe he actually killed off Rubble! Bumblebee is devastated, and LaFuente and Burcham do a spectacular job here using the all-yellow panels to convey his grief, letting us know Rubble is dead before we're told. That event is the catalyst for all sorts of developments.
First, Ratchet informs Prowl that the modus operandi is different from the one that Brainstorm's murderer used, meaning that Cybertron has two different killers on the loose. Bumblebee isn't the only Transformer feeling guilt, as Prowl tells Chromia that he's going to get revenge, blaming himself for not finding the Voin more quickly. Ironhide informs Orion that Sentinel Prime, Starscream, and Nautica will all return from their colony tour once they reach the nearest Spacebridge; Ironhide isn't sure if it's a good or a bad thing.
Bumblebee visits the Ascenticon Guard after his conversation with Senator Soundwave last issue. Bumblebee tells Elita-1 that he needs to do something, as Cybertronians are dying, but Refraktor and Skytred make it clear that they don't want a Security reject on the team. Elita-1 isn't buying their toxic masculinity, telling Bumbleebee that the Guard wants to bring about the orderly and safe change that must come, as the Autobots' way of restraint is clearly not helping anyone. (Ruckley does a great job here of showing how the Ascenticons have a point. I'm also assuming Ascenticons are behind the murders.) But, Skytred can't keep his mouth shut and teases Bumblebee over Rubble's murder, sparking a fight between them and Refraktor. Elita-1 breaks up the fight, and Bumblebee notes that he isn't wanted, but also wonders where Quake is. (Dun-dun-DUN!)
Meanwhile, Cyclonus is clearly cuckoo for cocoa puffs, as he's haunted by the ghosts of Gridlock, Highfire, and an unidentified Transformer. Gridlock says Cyclonus is broken after Highfire wonders why he would hang around the Memorial Crater, the site of the last battle in the war "against the Threefold Spark." It seems the three frequently haunt Cyclonus (who Gridlock calls "boss"). Highfire encourages Cyclonus to stay focused on the "mission," but Gridlock tells him that he's wasting his time, because the war has ended and "Exarchon's gone." Cyclonus says that no one knows that, and he's surprised when he finds a loose cable at the Crater, part of his lament that no one is performing the necessary upkeep. He's surprised again when a smallish Transformer opens fire on him.
Again, Rubble's murder really injected some much needed energy into this series. I'm intrigued to see where we go from here.
Also Read: Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions #5
Showing posts with label Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2019). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2019). Show all posts
Friday, April 3, 2020
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The May 8 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Detective Comics #1,003: Given the state of affairs in "Batman," this series is pretty much the only coherent Batman series. After a somewhat rough start, Tomasi finds his footing here. First, he doesn't drag out the mystery of the Arkham Knight's identity too long: as Batman and Robin arrive at Arkham, we learn that she's Jeremiah Arkham's daughter. If she isn't going to be Jason Todd per the video game, Tomasi at least makes her connection to "Arkham" make sense. That said, her grand plan still doesn't make any sense to me: she's fixated on the "eclipse" that she's going to bring to Gotham to blot out Batman's shadow. But, Tomasi has plenty of time to tease out her motivations. Right now I'm just glad to be reading a Batman story with characters engaging in dialogue and not just quoting non sequitur lines of poetry.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #6: This issue is an ode to "Amazing Spider-Man" #246, or "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man," and a fitting one at that. Taylor reimagines the story for the current era, where Spider-Man would've worked with the parents of a kid dying of cancer to create an entire adventure for him. It's the sort of story that Taylor (and Zdarksy before him on "Spectacular Spider-Man") has been delivering for a while and exactly the sort of story that we've been missing in "Amazing Spider-Man" for a long time. Although it might lack the punch of "Amazing Spider-Man" #246, I'm thrilled to see Taylor swinging for the fences.
Invaders #5: Zdarsky continues to tell a tight story here. We learn that Roman was positioned at the base not to prevent the U.S. Navy from launching missiles, but to launch them, so Namor could justify his strike. Cap sends the Avengers to Atlantis, but Namor outsmarts him by hiding the missiles right off the U.S. coast. You don't often expect to see the bad guy win here, but he does, as we see a series of bombs successfully explode. Next issue, we'll see what they wrought. Also, Zdarsky assures us that Bucky isn't, in fact, an idiot, as we learn that he put blanks in his gun. In other words, Zdarsky really keeps you guessing, which is impressive given the fact that he's dealing with 70-year-old characters.
X-Force #7: This series continues to be well plotted and scripted, though I feel like we're just re-treading ground that we covered in the '90s. That said, my only real complaint is that Brisson throws "the Zoo Family" and "the Circle" at us here without any real explanation. It's hard enough to keep all the various factions in the Transian war in the present and Askani war in the future straight without more players getting randomly added. Cannonball and Shatterstar steal some sort of ion engine that Deathlok needs to activate the time portal that Stryfe left behind. They seem to steal it from the Zoo Family, but the Circle also claims it? I don't know. I feel like they could've just stolen it from some random thugs without fan-wanking the three people who might recognize either team. Overall, we're solid, but I'm still not sure how much longer I'm going to hang in here.
Also Read: Captain America #10; Conan the Barbarian #6; War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #2
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #6: This issue is an ode to "Amazing Spider-Man" #246, or "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man," and a fitting one at that. Taylor reimagines the story for the current era, where Spider-Man would've worked with the parents of a kid dying of cancer to create an entire adventure for him. It's the sort of story that Taylor (and Zdarksy before him on "Spectacular Spider-Man") has been delivering for a while and exactly the sort of story that we've been missing in "Amazing Spider-Man" for a long time. Although it might lack the punch of "Amazing Spider-Man" #246, I'm thrilled to see Taylor swinging for the fences.
Invaders #5: Zdarsky continues to tell a tight story here. We learn that Roman was positioned at the base not to prevent the U.S. Navy from launching missiles, but to launch them, so Namor could justify his strike. Cap sends the Avengers to Atlantis, but Namor outsmarts him by hiding the missiles right off the U.S. coast. You don't often expect to see the bad guy win here, but he does, as we see a series of bombs successfully explode. Next issue, we'll see what they wrought. Also, Zdarsky assures us that Bucky isn't, in fact, an idiot, as we learn that he put blanks in his gun. In other words, Zdarsky really keeps you guessing, which is impressive given the fact that he's dealing with 70-year-old characters.
X-Force #7: This series continues to be well plotted and scripted, though I feel like we're just re-treading ground that we covered in the '90s. That said, my only real complaint is that Brisson throws "the Zoo Family" and "the Circle" at us here without any real explanation. It's hard enough to keep all the various factions in the Transian war in the present and Askani war in the future straight without more players getting randomly added. Cannonball and Shatterstar steal some sort of ion engine that Deathlok needs to activate the time portal that Stryfe left behind. They seem to steal it from the Zoo Family, but the Circle also claims it? I don't know. I feel like they could've just stolen it from some random thugs without fan-wanking the three people who might recognize either team. Overall, we're solid, but I'm still not sure how much longer I'm going to hang in here.
Also Read: Captain America #10; Conan the Barbarian #6; War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #2
Monday, June 17, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The March 20 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Avengers #17: This issue is OK, though it felt rushed, to be honest. Aaron is trying to fit in a lot of plot here, so he resorts to having important sequences, like the Legion of the Unliving taking on the Winter Guard right before the Avengers arrive, occur off-panel. The battle itself between the Avengers and the Legion is fine, though Aaron again hurries the battle between Blade and Colonel, with Blade defeating him too easily. He also rushes to the conclusion that Dracula planned the entire "civil war." The Colonel is revealed to be his son, Xarus, and Dracula's goal all along was to get the Russians to imprison him in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, apparently because the radiation somehow heals him. (I'd love to see the physics of that.) But, this revelation doesn't explain why Dracula was willing to sacrifice all his subjects in Transylvania just to move his kingdom to Chernobyl. Couldn't he have just...snuck into the Exclusion Zone? Did he have to be invited to an entire geographic space? It isn't like Chernobyl is a house. Overall, it was still a strong arc, but I feel like an extra issue would've made it all the better.
Avengers: No Road Home #6: Although I know the authors are stoked about getting to use Conan and I'm loving Aaron's run on "Conan the Barbarian" itself, this issue was a dud to me. Even with the expanded length, they cover too much ground, literally and narratively. Conan and Wanda seem to cover the entire Thurian continent in search of the thieves who stole the shard. Some of the individual moments are great, but the authors move off them too quickly to advance to the next location. The arrival at Shadizar is a great moment, but it would've been even more impactful if I still hadn't been trying to figure out where they had been before they got there. Moreover, this specific flaw exacerbates the problem that I have with the regular series, where Aaron (and now the trio here) are telling stories across Conan's lifespan. Here, he loves Bêlit, but we haven't even met her in the regular series yet. I get that Conan fans will recognize all these various timeframes and characters, but it's a challenge for a newbie like me. As such, it feels like too much of the authors playing with a toy, particularly given the fact that Conan's presence here is a stretch from the start. I initially thought that they were going to connect Nyx with the Night-God whose worshipers Conan and Wanda encounter on the way to Shadizar. How cool would it have been if they had gone to all this trouble to shield Wanda's eyes so Nyx wouldn't know that they found the shard, only for the "Night-God's" worshipers to successfully open a portal to her? These missed opportunities are what make me feel like the authors are rushing through this mini-series just like Aaron is rushing through "Avengers."
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #4-#5: For the fact that these issues involve Peter learning Aunt May has cancer, they're not as devastating as you'd expect them to be. But, it isn't necessarily a bad thing, to be honest.
In issue #4, Tayor wraps up the Underworld storyline in a fantastic way. The villain arrives demanding Spider-Man and the Rumor turn over his daughter and grandchildren, and they refuse. Fighting ensues. But, before we get there, Juann Cabal provides one of the greatest panels I've ever seen, akin to the famous Hawkeye mask covering Hawkeye's hawkeye. As Peter tells Johnny the story of saving Leilani from her father from the top of an alternate Empire State Building, Cabal given us a Super Mario Bros. background to underline the point. It is...mind-blowing. Moreover, during the aforementioned above-ground fight, he delivers an amazingly (heh) kinetic panel showing Peter dodging the thugs' bullets while also saving a cat and setting up the fight's denouement when Peter manages to web every gun and pull them towards him. The emotional denouement comes when a crowd gathers around Spidey to stand with him, eventually forcing the Kingpin -- who arrived on the scene to force Spider-Man and the Rumor to surrender Leilani and the kids -- to break his deal with the villain. This entire arc has been great from start to finish, focusing on Peter's New York as promised.
Even after Aunt May arrives in Peter's apartment in issue #5 to tell him she has cancer, Taylor keeps up said focus, when Peter catches one of the homeless kids from the neighborhood stealing a car. When it turns out he's running from his mother's abusive boyfriend, Spidey -- feeling a little guilty that he got distracted and broke the kid's wrist -- actually helps him steal said car to prevent from getting arrested. (I guess Peter learned how to drive at some point...) Peter winds up webbing the car above an alley to allow them to escape the ensuing police, a sequence you kind of have to see to appreciate. Peter brings the kid to see Dr. Strange, who (somewhat reluctantly) sets the arm. Peter confesses he broke the wrist because he's distracted by May's illness, and Dr. Strange jokingly refers to making a deal with an interdimensional demon to help her, though suggests that it could bring an eternity of torment. (Ha!) Peter wisely passes, and Dr. Strange tells him that some things are beyond magic and medicine. After originally telling Aunt May he has "a lot going on right now" when she asked if he'd go to chemo with her, he's there when she arrives, with the nurse touchingly referring to him as her "son." I always love the moments when May and Peter acknowledge their mother-son relationship directly, and this one is no different. Did I roll my eyes at Peter's initial response of saying that he was too busy to be at her appointment? Yes, because Peter probably wouldn't have responded that way. But, Taylor is killing it so much in this series, I can look past it. Also, Cinar and Woodard's art is so impressive here (including a beautiful Peter) that they convey emotions that Taylor's script alone doesn't necessarily convey.
In other words, just like "Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man," this series is increasingly my go-to Spider-Man series, no matter how much I like what Nick Spencer is doing in the main title.
Nightwing #58: This issue is a little heavy handed with the narrative, from Hutch's extended meditation on why he's not "cut out for this vigilante crap" to Joker's Daughter's eyeroll-inducing diatribe about the elites to Bab's earnestness in telling "Ric" that Dick would be proud of him. But, Lobdell and Kaplan still do a solid job of showing how Ric's membership in the Nightwings happens organically, to the point where this new status quo starts feeling more and more familiar. But, it's really Moore and Bonvillain who shine here; Hutch is so beautifully rendered in the first few panels that he looks almost lifelike.
Uncanny X-Men #14: Rosenberg continues doing a solid job here. By the end of the issue, you get the sense that Scott is going to find himself with his hands full of mutants, and Rosenberg implies then it'll really start to get interesting. After all, he added Logan in issue #11, Havok, Magik, and Wolfsbane in issue #12, Dark Beast and Multiple Man in issue #13, and now Chamber in this issue. (I don't really count Karma and Mirage from issue #12 since they've unfortunately been non-entities.) In other words, this issue really gets Scott's little war going. So far, he's really just struck against O.N.E. for holding Havok, Multiple Man, and the New Mutants and then Dark Beast. In this issue, we have the team chase down Reaper (only to learn he's depowered and not working with the MLF) and help the remaining Morlocks relocate to Chernaya after eliminating the fascist opposition forces left after X-Force's sojourn there. (I think they're the same place? If not, Marvel is really pushing the limits of credulity to make two made-up Eastern European countries into mutant havens with fascist uprisings.) Why do they need to relocate the "remaining" Morlocks, you ask? Because the Marauders killed the rest of them...again. (I'm imaging the Marauders are moving up Scott's hit list.) Also, the move to Chernaya killed a few too birds with one stone, as Scott and Logan got Valerie Cooper to agree to do them favors if they do her favors (like eliminating said fascist opposition forces). In other words, Scott's got a lot of irons in the fire. But, the team takes a well advised moment to celebrate the "small victories" only to have Captain America crash the party. Again, Rosenberg is doing a great job of making each issue complicate Scott's life even further, but I'm also glad he's giving the team some time to bond as well. As Jono himself implies, no one on this team has enjoyed a good run over the last few years. Most of them really need these wins, even if it's clear whatever limited roll that they're enjoying now is going to come to an end.
West Coast Avengers #9: This issue is great. It's like Thompson hit full speed as we got to the top of the mountain and she's just letting us enjoy the free fall as we make our way down the other side. Ramone and Johnny are children of a Dora Milaje? Ramone's powers allow her to fuse permanently with vibranium? Johnny and Marvel Boy might forget Katie and get together themselves? Katie's mom is a vampire? Each new development builds off previous developments, so it doesn't all sounds as random as it does here. Plus, we get the usual adorable crazy moments, like discovering Jeff the Shark loves Quentin and likes to sit in his lap. (The panel where Jeff is actually sitting in Quentin's lap should win Gang Hyuk Lim some sort of award. That, and the panel where Gwenpool, Quentin, and Ramone all put their hands to their chest in faux outrage, like they're grabbing their Southern ladies grabbing their pearls, after Kate's mom reveals that they're dealing with vampires, not Skrulls.) I've said it before, and I'll say it again: as Quentin's t-shirt says, West Coast, Best Coast!
The Wild Storm #21: As we approach the end, each issue seems much more focused now. Jenny Sparks' trip through Skywatch's computer system allowed her to discover the existence of Midnighter and Apollo. Wisely, she realizes their defense of the village meant not only that they were preventing Skywatch from making more people like them and the Mayor but also that they were probably good recruits for the still-forming Authority. Meanwhile, Miles orders Ivana to start creating a narrative that an "extranational terrorist network" is ramping up its activities in nuclear-armed countries, and it leads her to call someone to report that they "may have a situation." Bendix seems to believe IO shot down some Skywatch ships, but I can't tell if he's confusing Midnighter and Apollo's attack with IO or if he's referring to that fight at Skywatch's ground base a few issues ago. Bendix is ready to burn down the world, but Lauren warns him that he should focus on IO specifically to prevent them from having "supply issues." To help the Doctor recognize Skywatch ships when they enter orbit, Angie provides her with a device that allows them to communicate telepathically, projecting to her images of a Skywatch ship. (Interestingly, Angie is super aggro all issue, and it takes the Doctor confronting her to make her admit the events of the last few weeks are weighing on her.) Elsewhere, Jackie finds some sort of device in the IO equipment room, and the guy that Miles hired to kill her is on her tail. Later, Jenny confirms that the bot attack IO launched on Skywatch (though I think it was really the Wild C.A.T.s) allowed them to see the Skywatch space station. Jenny then observes that everything that's happened since Cray tried to kill Marlowe has meant that "the most powerful people in the world are terrified of everything and everyone," putting the world on the brink of annihilation. I'm not sure if Ellis is describing their world or our world, but there we are.
(NB: I tagged this post "Nova" because Richard appears in "Guardians of the Galaxy" #3, but I didn't review it. It's a fine issue; it just didn't seem to merit much discussion at this phase of the story.)
Also Read: Batman #67; Dungeons & Dragons: A Darkened Wish #1; Guardians of the Galaxy #3; Marvel's Spider-Man: City at War #1; Star Wars #63; Thor #11
Avengers: No Road Home #6: Although I know the authors are stoked about getting to use Conan and I'm loving Aaron's run on "Conan the Barbarian" itself, this issue was a dud to me. Even with the expanded length, they cover too much ground, literally and narratively. Conan and Wanda seem to cover the entire Thurian continent in search of the thieves who stole the shard. Some of the individual moments are great, but the authors move off them too quickly to advance to the next location. The arrival at Shadizar is a great moment, but it would've been even more impactful if I still hadn't been trying to figure out where they had been before they got there. Moreover, this specific flaw exacerbates the problem that I have with the regular series, where Aaron (and now the trio here) are telling stories across Conan's lifespan. Here, he loves Bêlit, but we haven't even met her in the regular series yet. I get that Conan fans will recognize all these various timeframes and characters, but it's a challenge for a newbie like me. As such, it feels like too much of the authors playing with a toy, particularly given the fact that Conan's presence here is a stretch from the start. I initially thought that they were going to connect Nyx with the Night-God whose worshipers Conan and Wanda encounter on the way to Shadizar. How cool would it have been if they had gone to all this trouble to shield Wanda's eyes so Nyx wouldn't know that they found the shard, only for the "Night-God's" worshipers to successfully open a portal to her? These missed opportunities are what make me feel like the authors are rushing through this mini-series just like Aaron is rushing through "Avengers."
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #4-#5: For the fact that these issues involve Peter learning Aunt May has cancer, they're not as devastating as you'd expect them to be. But, it isn't necessarily a bad thing, to be honest.
In issue #4, Tayor wraps up the Underworld storyline in a fantastic way. The villain arrives demanding Spider-Man and the Rumor turn over his daughter and grandchildren, and they refuse. Fighting ensues. But, before we get there, Juann Cabal provides one of the greatest panels I've ever seen, akin to the famous Hawkeye mask covering Hawkeye's hawkeye. As Peter tells Johnny the story of saving Leilani from her father from the top of an alternate Empire State Building, Cabal given us a Super Mario Bros. background to underline the point. It is...mind-blowing. Moreover, during the aforementioned above-ground fight, he delivers an amazingly (heh) kinetic panel showing Peter dodging the thugs' bullets while also saving a cat and setting up the fight's denouement when Peter manages to web every gun and pull them towards him. The emotional denouement comes when a crowd gathers around Spidey to stand with him, eventually forcing the Kingpin -- who arrived on the scene to force Spider-Man and the Rumor to surrender Leilani and the kids -- to break his deal with the villain. This entire arc has been great from start to finish, focusing on Peter's New York as promised.
Even after Aunt May arrives in Peter's apartment in issue #5 to tell him she has cancer, Taylor keeps up said focus, when Peter catches one of the homeless kids from the neighborhood stealing a car. When it turns out he's running from his mother's abusive boyfriend, Spidey -- feeling a little guilty that he got distracted and broke the kid's wrist -- actually helps him steal said car to prevent from getting arrested. (I guess Peter learned how to drive at some point...) Peter winds up webbing the car above an alley to allow them to escape the ensuing police, a sequence you kind of have to see to appreciate. Peter brings the kid to see Dr. Strange, who (somewhat reluctantly) sets the arm. Peter confesses he broke the wrist because he's distracted by May's illness, and Dr. Strange jokingly refers to making a deal with an interdimensional demon to help her, though suggests that it could bring an eternity of torment. (Ha!) Peter wisely passes, and Dr. Strange tells him that some things are beyond magic and medicine. After originally telling Aunt May he has "a lot going on right now" when she asked if he'd go to chemo with her, he's there when she arrives, with the nurse touchingly referring to him as her "son." I always love the moments when May and Peter acknowledge their mother-son relationship directly, and this one is no different. Did I roll my eyes at Peter's initial response of saying that he was too busy to be at her appointment? Yes, because Peter probably wouldn't have responded that way. But, Taylor is killing it so much in this series, I can look past it. Also, Cinar and Woodard's art is so impressive here (including a beautiful Peter) that they convey emotions that Taylor's script alone doesn't necessarily convey.
In other words, just like "Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man," this series is increasingly my go-to Spider-Man series, no matter how much I like what Nick Spencer is doing in the main title.
Nightwing #58: This issue is a little heavy handed with the narrative, from Hutch's extended meditation on why he's not "cut out for this vigilante crap" to Joker's Daughter's eyeroll-inducing diatribe about the elites to Bab's earnestness in telling "Ric" that Dick would be proud of him. But, Lobdell and Kaplan still do a solid job of showing how Ric's membership in the Nightwings happens organically, to the point where this new status quo starts feeling more and more familiar. But, it's really Moore and Bonvillain who shine here; Hutch is so beautifully rendered in the first few panels that he looks almost lifelike.
Uncanny X-Men #14: Rosenberg continues doing a solid job here. By the end of the issue, you get the sense that Scott is going to find himself with his hands full of mutants, and Rosenberg implies then it'll really start to get interesting. After all, he added Logan in issue #11, Havok, Magik, and Wolfsbane in issue #12, Dark Beast and Multiple Man in issue #13, and now Chamber in this issue. (I don't really count Karma and Mirage from issue #12 since they've unfortunately been non-entities.) In other words, this issue really gets Scott's little war going. So far, he's really just struck against O.N.E. for holding Havok, Multiple Man, and the New Mutants and then Dark Beast. In this issue, we have the team chase down Reaper (only to learn he's depowered and not working with the MLF) and help the remaining Morlocks relocate to Chernaya after eliminating the fascist opposition forces left after X-Force's sojourn there. (I think they're the same place? If not, Marvel is really pushing the limits of credulity to make two made-up Eastern European countries into mutant havens with fascist uprisings.) Why do they need to relocate the "remaining" Morlocks, you ask? Because the Marauders killed the rest of them...again. (I'm imaging the Marauders are moving up Scott's hit list.) Also, the move to Chernaya killed a few too birds with one stone, as Scott and Logan got Valerie Cooper to agree to do them favors if they do her favors (like eliminating said fascist opposition forces). In other words, Scott's got a lot of irons in the fire. But, the team takes a well advised moment to celebrate the "small victories" only to have Captain America crash the party. Again, Rosenberg is doing a great job of making each issue complicate Scott's life even further, but I'm also glad he's giving the team some time to bond as well. As Jono himself implies, no one on this team has enjoyed a good run over the last few years. Most of them really need these wins, even if it's clear whatever limited roll that they're enjoying now is going to come to an end.
West Coast Avengers #9: This issue is great. It's like Thompson hit full speed as we got to the top of the mountain and she's just letting us enjoy the free fall as we make our way down the other side. Ramone and Johnny are children of a Dora Milaje? Ramone's powers allow her to fuse permanently with vibranium? Johnny and Marvel Boy might forget Katie and get together themselves? Katie's mom is a vampire? Each new development builds off previous developments, so it doesn't all sounds as random as it does here. Plus, we get the usual adorable crazy moments, like discovering Jeff the Shark loves Quentin and likes to sit in his lap. (The panel where Jeff is actually sitting in Quentin's lap should win Gang Hyuk Lim some sort of award. That, and the panel where Gwenpool, Quentin, and Ramone all put their hands to their chest in faux outrage, like they're grabbing their Southern ladies grabbing their pearls, after Kate's mom reveals that they're dealing with vampires, not Skrulls.) I've said it before, and I'll say it again: as Quentin's t-shirt says, West Coast, Best Coast!
The Wild Storm #21: As we approach the end, each issue seems much more focused now. Jenny Sparks' trip through Skywatch's computer system allowed her to discover the existence of Midnighter and Apollo. Wisely, she realizes their defense of the village meant not only that they were preventing Skywatch from making more people like them and the Mayor but also that they were probably good recruits for the still-forming Authority. Meanwhile, Miles orders Ivana to start creating a narrative that an "extranational terrorist network" is ramping up its activities in nuclear-armed countries, and it leads her to call someone to report that they "may have a situation." Bendix seems to believe IO shot down some Skywatch ships, but I can't tell if he's confusing Midnighter and Apollo's attack with IO or if he's referring to that fight at Skywatch's ground base a few issues ago. Bendix is ready to burn down the world, but Lauren warns him that he should focus on IO specifically to prevent them from having "supply issues." To help the Doctor recognize Skywatch ships when they enter orbit, Angie provides her with a device that allows them to communicate telepathically, projecting to her images of a Skywatch ship. (Interestingly, Angie is super aggro all issue, and it takes the Doctor confronting her to make her admit the events of the last few weeks are weighing on her.) Elsewhere, Jackie finds some sort of device in the IO equipment room, and the guy that Miles hired to kill her is on her tail. Later, Jenny confirms that the bot attack IO launched on Skywatch (though I think it was really the Wild C.A.T.s) allowed them to see the Skywatch space station. Jenny then observes that everything that's happened since Cray tried to kill Marlowe has meant that "the most powerful people in the world are terrified of everything and everyone," putting the world on the brink of annihilation. I'm not sure if Ellis is describing their world or our world, but there we are.
(NB: I tagged this post "Nova" because Richard appears in "Guardians of the Galaxy" #3, but I didn't review it. It's a fine issue; it just didn't seem to merit much discussion at this phase of the story.)
Also Read: Batman #67; Dungeons & Dragons: A Darkened Wish #1; Guardians of the Galaxy #3; Marvel's Spider-Man: City at War #1; Star Wars #63; Thor #11
Monday, April 8, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The February 20 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Avengers: No Road Home #2: I was perfectly OK with this series not serving as a sequel to "Avengers: No Surrender." After all, the first series was a fun romp, so I was totally down with Marvel get the band back together for another one. But, the authors do actually make it a sequel in an unexpected way. In a flashback to Nyx and her children murdering the Olympian gods, we learn Zeus imprisoned Nyx somewhere until the sun disappeared. Well, the Challenge and the Gamemaster managed that when they moved Earth during their challenge, freeing Nyx to seek out her revenge. The authors then rely on a similar format as the first series, as Voyager sends three teams of Avengers to beat Nyx's children in capturing the shards of her soul that Zeus scattered around the Universe. But, the authors go one better here, as it isn't all about the action. Clint provides an increasingly dramatic narration throughout the issue, as he talks about how people often ask him how he does what he does, fighting alongside and against gods. He admits he's just lucky, but his luck seems to have hit a wall: he awakens in a hospital room missing the thumb on his right hand. Clint barely has time to process that when the Hulk reveals himself, ready to exact his vengeance. It shows the authors are working multiple stories on multiple levels, just like the first series. I'm definitely happy I picked up this one.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3: OMG, this issue was awesome. It turns out Leilani -- the mother of the two orange-skinned kids -- is the daughter of the dictator of Under York, an underground version of New York accessible by a magic elevator. We learn Under York used to interact with our New York, but the dictator cut off ties, forcing Under York to stagnate. (Apparently all our best ideas -- like the Empire State Building -- come from Under York.) Peter and the Rumor manage to break into the dictator's penthouse and nab Leilani. Peter gets shot in the process, but he manages to scale the miles-deep elevator staff with the two women after the Under Yorkers cut the power. The Rumor warns Peter to prepare for a small war. I know it sounds insane, but Taylor's script really sells it; I could read Peter and the Rumor bantering all day. Taylor manages to capture the spark of a Spider-Man story without weighing down the issue with all of Peter's usual bullshit. This issue really carries on the great tradition of Zdarsky's work in "Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man." I can't wait to see where we go from here.
Guardians of the Galaxy #2: OK, this issue is really good. Like, really good. First, Cates makes it clear that Peter is spiraling into alcoholism and depression because he can't get over the fact Gamora killed him. That's...sound. (To be honest, I barely remember her killing him, and I definitely don't remember how he got resurrected. Oh, "Infinity Wars." You were such a bullshit event.) Cates does a great job of not telling us this information, but showing it to us, through Peter's late-night call to Kitty. Phyla-Vell even tells him he looks terrible when he delivers some uniforms to her and Moondragon. But, Peter doesn't just get to sleep the sleep of the drunk, as he has to break up a fight between Ghost Rider and Groot. This part of the issue is the only part I disliked. I'm still struggling with the characterization of Groot as an adolescent surfer, and Ghost Rider doesn't really sound the way Frank Castle sounds. That said, their fight is hilarious, as Ghost Rider inadvertently creates an army of mini-Groots by cutting off parts of him. They're fighting as Ghost Rider learned Beta Ray Bill and Groot plan on saving Gamora. Peter invites him to leave if he wants, notably telling Beta Ray Bill and Groot to do the same, showing he has no intention of saving Gamora. Castle leaves, leading us to realize just how big of a story Cates is telling. The Shi'ar have rescued a now-scarred Starfox and some other "heroes" who fell into the vortex, and Castle joins their crusade to find Gamora. Also in this group is Nebula, who suggests they'll find Gamora through the "stupid boy she loves:" Nova. Peter might be upset about that, particularly since he thinks he and Groot are the only ones who know where Gamora is. We also see Hela and the Black Order in action here, as they shake down the Collector to discover Thanos' head is in the Negative Zone. Does no one burn a body anymore?
Nightwing #57: Although Lobdell's plot is fine here, it's Kaplan who really makes this issue sing. It's the first one in the Ric Grayson era where Ric feels like a character in and of himself. Kaplan makes it clear that Ric's moral compass is essentially the same as Dick's: he's moved beyond words when he accompanies Bea to a community meeting with a councilman eager to destroy a homeless shelter to build a parking lot for a new stadium. Bea reveals she grew up homeless, and it's a clever move on Lobdell's part. It would feel ridiculous to watch Dick Grayson, ward of wealth, try even to comprehend that, but Ric is another story altogether. Kaplan also really sells Ric finding himself agreeing to work with the Nightwings, particularly in playing up the hilarity of Detective Sapienza exerting such a sense of ownership over the identity. Despite the jumble of authors who've worked on this story, they've carefully built each supporting character piece by piece; no revelation has felt forced. At this point, they all feel like fully fleshed out characters at this point, and, regardless if Ric recovers his memory, I hope they all stay. But, it isn't all about the perfect tone Kaplan is able to strike. Lobdell using the Joker's Daughter in a war against elites doesn't feel over the top. She kidnaps the councilman and sends him into a fancy restaurant as a suicide bomber, interrupting all the conversations praising gentrification happening at the moment. If that isn't a 2019 plot device, I don't know what is.
Return of Wolverine #5: Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure what happened here. Like, sure, I get Persephone's evil plan to kill all of humanity and then resurrect them as her mindless slaves. But, I'm still not sure how Wolverine himself was resurrected. If I had to guess, his fire claws were some sort of secondary mutation that activated once he was encapsulated in the adamantium, allowing him to claw his way to freedom. Or maybe Persephone gave him that power? I honestly don't know. Soule does manage to wrap up the primary story about Persephone in a believable way (Logan destroy the space station, natch), but I'm surprised after all the preceding mini-series and then this series I'm still not clear on how we got to this point in the first place.
Uncanny X-Men #12: Man, you put Scott and Logan together and they can really find themselves some trouble. Logan somehow knows O.N.E. is keeping a group of mutants hostage, and he and Scott pretty roughly break into the relevant base. Logan tries for subtlety by posing as a O.N.E. solider and kidnapping another, but the plan goes hilariously awry when the kidnapped soldier yells out Logan is trying to break in the base. Once they deal with the soldiers, they encounter the en-Warlock-ed New Mutants, who O.N.E. has tried to turn into living Sentinels. We learn Magik and Rahne have managed to emerge from the techno-organic virus, with Rahne positing because they're also shapeshifters they have a certain immunity. They also discover a few Jamies as well as Havok, who O.N.E. is using to power the base. Magik is unable to use her powers to teleport, and O.N.E. soldiers pounce on them all as they try to escape. Someone at O.N.E. has implanted bombs in the Madri, and Strong Guy sacrifices himself to take the brunt of the blast. Thankfully, said blast knocks out the field disrupting Illyana's powers, and the team manages to escape, with O.N.E. Director Callaghan now aware the X-Men have returned. I have to say, Scott and Logan find themselves with a helluva team. Even if the New Mutants have to stay on the sidelines, an X-Men team of Cyclops, Havok, Wolverine, Rahne, and Magik is no freaking joke. As I mentioned in my last review, Rosenberg really imbues this issue with a "What If...?" sense, as if we're reading "Days of Future Present" come to life. You really have no idea where we're going next.
The Wild Storm #20: This issue is really more about letting Davis-Hunt and Buccellato run wild as they depict Midnighter and Apollo make short work of a Skywatch team sent to capture (or kill) them. But, we do learn some interesting things along the way. First, Miles is under obvious strain and asks Ben Santini, the leader of the Razors Alpha CAT, for advice. He suggests Miles uses IO's resources to engage in violence to distract people from the evils of "dark capitalism," implying IO has been behind civil wars, school shootings, terrorist attacks, and other violent acts. Miles listens to his advice and then dispatches Ben to give Ivana and Jackie their "pension plans." Meanwhile, Skywatch's spaceships arrive at Midnighter and Apollo's farm, and they annihilate them before they can hurt anyone in town. Along the way, based on a sketch of Apollo's eyes, it seems like he's actually some sort of android. One of the spaceship's pilots panics and hails Skywatch on an open line, allowing Jennie Sparks to travel to Skywatch HQ. Once Midnighter confirms no one in the town was hurt, the two of them depart.
Also Read: Avengers #15; Batman #65
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3: OMG, this issue was awesome. It turns out Leilani -- the mother of the two orange-skinned kids -- is the daughter of the dictator of Under York, an underground version of New York accessible by a magic elevator. We learn Under York used to interact with our New York, but the dictator cut off ties, forcing Under York to stagnate. (Apparently all our best ideas -- like the Empire State Building -- come from Under York.) Peter and the Rumor manage to break into the dictator's penthouse and nab Leilani. Peter gets shot in the process, but he manages to scale the miles-deep elevator staff with the two women after the Under Yorkers cut the power. The Rumor warns Peter to prepare for a small war. I know it sounds insane, but Taylor's script really sells it; I could read Peter and the Rumor bantering all day. Taylor manages to capture the spark of a Spider-Man story without weighing down the issue with all of Peter's usual bullshit. This issue really carries on the great tradition of Zdarsky's work in "Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man." I can't wait to see where we go from here.
Guardians of the Galaxy #2: OK, this issue is really good. Like, really good. First, Cates makes it clear that Peter is spiraling into alcoholism and depression because he can't get over the fact Gamora killed him. That's...sound. (To be honest, I barely remember her killing him, and I definitely don't remember how he got resurrected. Oh, "Infinity Wars." You were such a bullshit event.) Cates does a great job of not telling us this information, but showing it to us, through Peter's late-night call to Kitty. Phyla-Vell even tells him he looks terrible when he delivers some uniforms to her and Moondragon. But, Peter doesn't just get to sleep the sleep of the drunk, as he has to break up a fight between Ghost Rider and Groot. This part of the issue is the only part I disliked. I'm still struggling with the characterization of Groot as an adolescent surfer, and Ghost Rider doesn't really sound the way Frank Castle sounds. That said, their fight is hilarious, as Ghost Rider inadvertently creates an army of mini-Groots by cutting off parts of him. They're fighting as Ghost Rider learned Beta Ray Bill and Groot plan on saving Gamora. Peter invites him to leave if he wants, notably telling Beta Ray Bill and Groot to do the same, showing he has no intention of saving Gamora. Castle leaves, leading us to realize just how big of a story Cates is telling. The Shi'ar have rescued a now-scarred Starfox and some other "heroes" who fell into the vortex, and Castle joins their crusade to find Gamora. Also in this group is Nebula, who suggests they'll find Gamora through the "stupid boy she loves:" Nova. Peter might be upset about that, particularly since he thinks he and Groot are the only ones who know where Gamora is. We also see Hela and the Black Order in action here, as they shake down the Collector to discover Thanos' head is in the Negative Zone. Does no one burn a body anymore?
Nightwing #57: Although Lobdell's plot is fine here, it's Kaplan who really makes this issue sing. It's the first one in the Ric Grayson era where Ric feels like a character in and of himself. Kaplan makes it clear that Ric's moral compass is essentially the same as Dick's: he's moved beyond words when he accompanies Bea to a community meeting with a councilman eager to destroy a homeless shelter to build a parking lot for a new stadium. Bea reveals she grew up homeless, and it's a clever move on Lobdell's part. It would feel ridiculous to watch Dick Grayson, ward of wealth, try even to comprehend that, but Ric is another story altogether. Kaplan also really sells Ric finding himself agreeing to work with the Nightwings, particularly in playing up the hilarity of Detective Sapienza exerting such a sense of ownership over the identity. Despite the jumble of authors who've worked on this story, they've carefully built each supporting character piece by piece; no revelation has felt forced. At this point, they all feel like fully fleshed out characters at this point, and, regardless if Ric recovers his memory, I hope they all stay. But, it isn't all about the perfect tone Kaplan is able to strike. Lobdell using the Joker's Daughter in a war against elites doesn't feel over the top. She kidnaps the councilman and sends him into a fancy restaurant as a suicide bomber, interrupting all the conversations praising gentrification happening at the moment. If that isn't a 2019 plot device, I don't know what is.
Return of Wolverine #5: Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure what happened here. Like, sure, I get Persephone's evil plan to kill all of humanity and then resurrect them as her mindless slaves. But, I'm still not sure how Wolverine himself was resurrected. If I had to guess, his fire claws were some sort of secondary mutation that activated once he was encapsulated in the adamantium, allowing him to claw his way to freedom. Or maybe Persephone gave him that power? I honestly don't know. Soule does manage to wrap up the primary story about Persephone in a believable way (Logan destroy the space station, natch), but I'm surprised after all the preceding mini-series and then this series I'm still not clear on how we got to this point in the first place.
Uncanny X-Men #12: Man, you put Scott and Logan together and they can really find themselves some trouble. Logan somehow knows O.N.E. is keeping a group of mutants hostage, and he and Scott pretty roughly break into the relevant base. Logan tries for subtlety by posing as a O.N.E. solider and kidnapping another, but the plan goes hilariously awry when the kidnapped soldier yells out Logan is trying to break in the base. Once they deal with the soldiers, they encounter the en-Warlock-ed New Mutants, who O.N.E. has tried to turn into living Sentinels. We learn Magik and Rahne have managed to emerge from the techno-organic virus, with Rahne positing because they're also shapeshifters they have a certain immunity. They also discover a few Jamies as well as Havok, who O.N.E. is using to power the base. Magik is unable to use her powers to teleport, and O.N.E. soldiers pounce on them all as they try to escape. Someone at O.N.E. has implanted bombs in the Madri, and Strong Guy sacrifices himself to take the brunt of the blast. Thankfully, said blast knocks out the field disrupting Illyana's powers, and the team manages to escape, with O.N.E. Director Callaghan now aware the X-Men have returned. I have to say, Scott and Logan find themselves with a helluva team. Even if the New Mutants have to stay on the sidelines, an X-Men team of Cyclops, Havok, Wolverine, Rahne, and Magik is no freaking joke. As I mentioned in my last review, Rosenberg really imbues this issue with a "What If...?" sense, as if we're reading "Days of Future Present" come to life. You really have no idea where we're going next.
The Wild Storm #20: This issue is really more about letting Davis-Hunt and Buccellato run wild as they depict Midnighter and Apollo make short work of a Skywatch team sent to capture (or kill) them. But, we do learn some interesting things along the way. First, Miles is under obvious strain and asks Ben Santini, the leader of the Razors Alpha CAT, for advice. He suggests Miles uses IO's resources to engage in violence to distract people from the evils of "dark capitalism," implying IO has been behind civil wars, school shootings, terrorist attacks, and other violent acts. Miles listens to his advice and then dispatches Ben to give Ivana and Jackie their "pension plans." Meanwhile, Skywatch's spaceships arrive at Midnighter and Apollo's farm, and they annihilate them before they can hurt anyone in town. Along the way, based on a sketch of Apollo's eyes, it seems like he's actually some sort of android. One of the spaceship's pilots panics and hails Skywatch on an open line, allowing Jennie Sparks to travel to Skywatch HQ. Once Midnighter confirms no one in the town was hurt, the two of them depart.
Also Read: Avengers #15; Batman #65
Monday, March 4, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics!: The January 9 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Avengers #12: The idea of T'Challa assembling a team of agents to provide the Avengers with intelligence is so good that it honestly makes you wonder why no one else has thought of it before. As T'Challa notes, this team of Avengers is the most powerful one ever assembled, so it makes sense they wouldn't be the ones doing the legwork, be it investigating Namor's plans for the surface world or the brewing vampire civil war. Enter the Agents of Wakanda. My only concern going forward is I wonder how Aaron is going to juggle so many characters. We're probably at something like 20 identified characters here so far. I get Broo doesn't need to be involved in the A plot, but a lot of these characters are sufficiently well known (like Broo) that it would be disappointing if we only see them in brief moments. In other words, it could all be too much of a good thing. I'm guessing that probably means we're going to see an "Agents of Wakanda" series soon...
Batman #62: [Sigh.] King seems to be trying to tie some threads together here, but I still have my doubts. As Bruce tries to figure out how Professor Pyg captured him and why he's suddenly deaf, he ponders the events of the last few issues, from Catwoman leaving him at the altar to Bane controlling Arkham to Thomas appearing in the Batcave. King seems to be connecting all these events, and I would welcome some revelation that he hasn't just been shooting blanks in the dark. Of course, part of the problem is that the events of these last few issues -- Dick getting shot in the head, Alfred bleeding on the floor of the Batcave, etc. -- are repeated in "Detective Comics." So far over there, a weird Clayface-y creature exposed Leslie to laughing gas and someone stabbed Alfred, though I can't remember if he was stabbed as Zorro there or in this series. I mean, did the group editor just take vacation or something? No one saw a problem with this timing? That said, the issue ends with Pyg taking off his mask, revealing he's actually Damian, which begs the question if Damian was also the one who convinced the Batcomputer that "Zorro" was Commissioner Gordon. Or, wait, did that happen in "Detective Comics?" Whatever.
Die #2: Gillen sketches out an incredible amount of detail here without falling into the void of telling instead of showing. (Yes, he's that good.) It's a thrilling issue, and I can't wait to jump right into it.
First, we learn the Grandmaster was the one who told the kids how they could return: they all just had to wish it. He told them because he wanted them to spread word about him on Earth, since it meant (somehow) more victims would fall into his reality, called Die. It's why Ash initially created the geas, to prevent them from doing exactly that. After defeating the Grandmaster, the party made the wish to return. But, the Grandmaster managed to grab Sol just as they dissolved into our reality. Now, in Die, Sol doesn't want to leave, as they all realize immediately. He wants them to continue playing the game, and he disappears to his land in Twenty, where they presumably have to face him.
The party is left with few options other than traipsing across Die to get to Sol. But, some roads are more perilous than others. They decide to avoid Eternal Prussia altogether (for reasons that aren't immediately clear to me) and debate their two options. They can cross the Front, a war zone that Ash explains to us was so dangerous even when they were overconfident teenagers that they avoided it altogether. Or, they can sail across the seas of Gondol to Angria, where we learn they spent most of their time in the past. Their decision is made for them when a knight unexpectedly approaches them; he was Ash's lover, and Ash bound him to his word that he wouldn't rest until he saw Ash again. He died three years later, and he now exists as an eyeless zombie, unable to fulfill his oath. Isabelle offers a favor to one of her gods and restores his eyes. He finally melts with a curse on his lips for Ash, and they decide to avoid their past and head through the Front.
Before all that happens, an elf queen from the Dreaming Lands approached them asking for help as a "waking nightmare" has engulfed the Dreaming Lands (paging Silvanesti). But, Chuck quickly realizes she's a Fallen, this world's version of an orc, or a non-conscious "trap with legs." (Chuck had this epiphany because she offered to sleep with him.) It's here where we first see everyone's powers. For example, Isabelle calls in a favor that one of the gods owes her, making it seem like clerical powers here are based on favors. As she uses her powers to fight the Fallen and its minions, Chuck roots around the "queen's" discarded bags to find "gifts of the Fair," or elven treasure. We learn these "gifts" are what fuel Angela's powers. But, they only do so until the next day, essentially meaning that she's addicted to them. Now empowered, she starts turning off the Fallen's minions; in other words, she seems to have the power to hack into Die's underlying code, as if it really were a videogame. For his part, Ash uses his powers to make Matt feel grief that he doesn't feel so he can summon his Grief Knight sword and defeat the rest of the Fallen's minions.
In other words, wow. One of the best parts of this issue is when they all agree to treat Die as real. Isabelle takes the lead on this front, reminding them if they don't -- if they treat it as fantasy and it's real -- their actions will make them monsters. Angela reminds them that her cybernetic arm disappeared when they arrived in the "real" world, meaning that Die has to be real, on some level. This exchange essentially serves as Gillen's call for us, as readers, also to take the series' events seriously, which I totally do.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1: I'm a fan of the concept of this series -- focusing on Peter's immediate neighborhood -- since it likely entails exploring his supporting cast more than we have recently. Slott largely ignored Peter's family and friends, preferring to create his own characters, like the Horizon crew or the various Parker Industries employees. Other than the Horizon crew (to an extent), Slott's supporting characters usually served a very specific plot purpose. Conversely, back in the day, Peter's encounters with folks like Bambi, Candi, Randi, or Mrs. Muggins humanized him, making us feel like we knew him better. In other words, they weren't a means to an end. Taylor seems to be going that route here, and I approve. That said, Taylor also seems to be making Peter into a little too much of a saint. For example, when he saves a man and his daughter as their van plunges off a bridge, he has the man give the cash he was offering him to a group of homeless folks (whose names he all knows). They later treat Peter to a hot dog in recognition of how good of a guy he is, not knowing he's the reason they're flush in the first place. I'm not opposed to showing that side of Peter, but it can't be all we see of Peter. I'd love to see him trying to skip on rent like he used to do back in the day. But, that said, I'm still happy with the direction we're going, like when Peter's surprised by two kids in his laundry basket as he's changing into his costume in his room. We used to see those sorts of transitions a lot more, and they, again, remind us that someone is behind the mask. They're what has always made Peter so relatable, and here's hoping Taylor keeps up that focus.
Iceman #5: Grace manages to stick a wobbly landing here as he finally brings together the large number of threads he's been trying to weave into a coherent story. First, Bobby eventually explains to Kitty that he was trying to handle Sinister on his own because he felt she needed something (i.e., the mutant-pride festival) to go right, after her disastrous wedding. I probably would've worked that part in a little sooner, since I've been wondering about it since issue #1. It also requires us to take a lot on Bobby's efforts on faith, since Bobby seems to have been working off-panel with Bishop to prepare for Sinister's Ice Army to attack the festival. (As far as I can tell, nothing we've seen so far would imply they were as prepared for the Army's attack as they are here.) That said, I'm still not sure why Sinister would attack a mutant-pride festival. It feels...off-brand for him. Moreover, Grace also implies Bishop and Iceman were also on top of the anti-mutant soldiers attacking the festival, but I don't have any memory of them getting that information? Again, we seem to have to take it on faith, though at least we understand why they're attacking the festival. I really would've preferred to see more time between Bobby and Judah, as we get in a flashback here where Bobby has an unusual moment of reflection. Sitting alone on a beach with Judah, Bobby realizes he has to talk constantly not only to distract everyone from his anxiety but also not to fade into the background. It's a pretty incisive take on Bobby, placing his loneliness (particularly while he was in the closet) at the core of his characterization. It fits, and I really wish Grace would've focused on that part of him throughout this series. Instead, we get him weirdly claiming Sinister's just lonely, too, almost offering him a hug to stop him. (Seriously.) It's just a mess, but I guess it's the best I'm going to get. I still wish we'd get some sort of regular Bobby vehicle focused more on his coming-out experience, like the brief glimpse we get here with Judah. Fingers crossed.
Star Wars #59: This issue covers a lot of ground. First, Leia reveals her plans to Han, informing him that they gained access to Shu-Torun’s defense systems when they spiked into Trios’ ship. She explains she didn’t want to tell him and Luke before she was sure about her plan, since she didn’t want to raise “false hope.” Han hilariously notes his "false" hopes were on something else, and Leia just as hilariously evicts him from her room. At Han’s urging, Leia explains her plan to Luke, who asks why she couldn’t trust him. Of course, at dinner that night, Markona reveals Luke built the transmitter, prompting Leia to call him on his bullshit. Dinner is interrupted when Scar Squadron arrives, which Luke blames on himself until Tula explains her father blocked his signal: he just wanted to see if Luke would actually activate the transmitter. Kreel reveals they found the team after torturing Sana and tells Markona he’ll kill Sana if the Han, Leia, and Luke don't reveal themselves. The gang of course appears guns blazing, and Markona unexpectedly has Han and Leia stunned. Kreel is excited, but Markona explains he’ll face Luke in a duel as part of Markonan hospitality. This issue is all about tests of trust, as Luke fails his test by activating the transmitter but Han passes his test when he simply stuns a drunk who challenges him to a duel. Gillen keeps underlining how childish Luke is, not only from his actions but by how his dialogue is at its whiniest. In fact, it’s one of those issues where you can hear the actors’ voices saying the characters’ dialogue. For the fact this arc is all about inaction and isolation, it's been surprisingly good.
Uncanny X-Men #9: The thing is, X-Man is totally right: the X-Men did abandon him and Legion. They let Omega-level mutants with obvious issues — from Nate’s time displacement to David’s mental illness — just roam free with no to little support. It’s like how Reed Richards can miraculously solve every problem, except his best friend’s. Now, when one of those neglected children is powerful enough to do something they don’t want him to do, they suddenly care. Moreover, why don’t they want Nate to achieve his goal of Utopia here? I know why I oppose it, but I’m surprised the authors haven’t had anyone defect from Jean’s side, to think maybe Nate has a good point. It’s these sort of defections that made “Operation: Galactic Storm” and the first “Civil War” so gripping. Jean's been dead for years and everyone just blindly follows her? Really?
Also Read: Nightwing #56; Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #4; Thor #9
Batman #62: [Sigh.] King seems to be trying to tie some threads together here, but I still have my doubts. As Bruce tries to figure out how Professor Pyg captured him and why he's suddenly deaf, he ponders the events of the last few issues, from Catwoman leaving him at the altar to Bane controlling Arkham to Thomas appearing in the Batcave. King seems to be connecting all these events, and I would welcome some revelation that he hasn't just been shooting blanks in the dark. Of course, part of the problem is that the events of these last few issues -- Dick getting shot in the head, Alfred bleeding on the floor of the Batcave, etc. -- are repeated in "Detective Comics." So far over there, a weird Clayface-y creature exposed Leslie to laughing gas and someone stabbed Alfred, though I can't remember if he was stabbed as Zorro there or in this series. I mean, did the group editor just take vacation or something? No one saw a problem with this timing? That said, the issue ends with Pyg taking off his mask, revealing he's actually Damian, which begs the question if Damian was also the one who convinced the Batcomputer that "Zorro" was Commissioner Gordon. Or, wait, did that happen in "Detective Comics?" Whatever.
Die #2: Gillen sketches out an incredible amount of detail here without falling into the void of telling instead of showing. (Yes, he's that good.) It's a thrilling issue, and I can't wait to jump right into it.
First, we learn the Grandmaster was the one who told the kids how they could return: they all just had to wish it. He told them because he wanted them to spread word about him on Earth, since it meant (somehow) more victims would fall into his reality, called Die. It's why Ash initially created the geas, to prevent them from doing exactly that. After defeating the Grandmaster, the party made the wish to return. But, the Grandmaster managed to grab Sol just as they dissolved into our reality. Now, in Die, Sol doesn't want to leave, as they all realize immediately. He wants them to continue playing the game, and he disappears to his land in Twenty, where they presumably have to face him.
The party is left with few options other than traipsing across Die to get to Sol. But, some roads are more perilous than others. They decide to avoid Eternal Prussia altogether (for reasons that aren't immediately clear to me) and debate their two options. They can cross the Front, a war zone that Ash explains to us was so dangerous even when they were overconfident teenagers that they avoided it altogether. Or, they can sail across the seas of Gondol to Angria, where we learn they spent most of their time in the past. Their decision is made for them when a knight unexpectedly approaches them; he was Ash's lover, and Ash bound him to his word that he wouldn't rest until he saw Ash again. He died three years later, and he now exists as an eyeless zombie, unable to fulfill his oath. Isabelle offers a favor to one of her gods and restores his eyes. He finally melts with a curse on his lips for Ash, and they decide to avoid their past and head through the Front.
Before all that happens, an elf queen from the Dreaming Lands approached them asking for help as a "waking nightmare" has engulfed the Dreaming Lands (paging Silvanesti). But, Chuck quickly realizes she's a Fallen, this world's version of an orc, or a non-conscious "trap with legs." (Chuck had this epiphany because she offered to sleep with him.) It's here where we first see everyone's powers. For example, Isabelle calls in a favor that one of the gods owes her, making it seem like clerical powers here are based on favors. As she uses her powers to fight the Fallen and its minions, Chuck roots around the "queen's" discarded bags to find "gifts of the Fair," or elven treasure. We learn these "gifts" are what fuel Angela's powers. But, they only do so until the next day, essentially meaning that she's addicted to them. Now empowered, she starts turning off the Fallen's minions; in other words, she seems to have the power to hack into Die's underlying code, as if it really were a videogame. For his part, Ash uses his powers to make Matt feel grief that he doesn't feel so he can summon his Grief Knight sword and defeat the rest of the Fallen's minions.
In other words, wow. One of the best parts of this issue is when they all agree to treat Die as real. Isabelle takes the lead on this front, reminding them if they don't -- if they treat it as fantasy and it's real -- their actions will make them monsters. Angela reminds them that her cybernetic arm disappeared when they arrived in the "real" world, meaning that Die has to be real, on some level. This exchange essentially serves as Gillen's call for us, as readers, also to take the series' events seriously, which I totally do.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1: I'm a fan of the concept of this series -- focusing on Peter's immediate neighborhood -- since it likely entails exploring his supporting cast more than we have recently. Slott largely ignored Peter's family and friends, preferring to create his own characters, like the Horizon crew or the various Parker Industries employees. Other than the Horizon crew (to an extent), Slott's supporting characters usually served a very specific plot purpose. Conversely, back in the day, Peter's encounters with folks like Bambi, Candi, Randi, or Mrs. Muggins humanized him, making us feel like we knew him better. In other words, they weren't a means to an end. Taylor seems to be going that route here, and I approve. That said, Taylor also seems to be making Peter into a little too much of a saint. For example, when he saves a man and his daughter as their van plunges off a bridge, he has the man give the cash he was offering him to a group of homeless folks (whose names he all knows). They later treat Peter to a hot dog in recognition of how good of a guy he is, not knowing he's the reason they're flush in the first place. I'm not opposed to showing that side of Peter, but it can't be all we see of Peter. I'd love to see him trying to skip on rent like he used to do back in the day. But, that said, I'm still happy with the direction we're going, like when Peter's surprised by two kids in his laundry basket as he's changing into his costume in his room. We used to see those sorts of transitions a lot more, and they, again, remind us that someone is behind the mask. They're what has always made Peter so relatable, and here's hoping Taylor keeps up that focus.
Iceman #5: Grace manages to stick a wobbly landing here as he finally brings together the large number of threads he's been trying to weave into a coherent story. First, Bobby eventually explains to Kitty that he was trying to handle Sinister on his own because he felt she needed something (i.e., the mutant-pride festival) to go right, after her disastrous wedding. I probably would've worked that part in a little sooner, since I've been wondering about it since issue #1. It also requires us to take a lot on Bobby's efforts on faith, since Bobby seems to have been working off-panel with Bishop to prepare for Sinister's Ice Army to attack the festival. (As far as I can tell, nothing we've seen so far would imply they were as prepared for the Army's attack as they are here.) That said, I'm still not sure why Sinister would attack a mutant-pride festival. It feels...off-brand for him. Moreover, Grace also implies Bishop and Iceman were also on top of the anti-mutant soldiers attacking the festival, but I don't have any memory of them getting that information? Again, we seem to have to take it on faith, though at least we understand why they're attacking the festival. I really would've preferred to see more time between Bobby and Judah, as we get in a flashback here where Bobby has an unusual moment of reflection. Sitting alone on a beach with Judah, Bobby realizes he has to talk constantly not only to distract everyone from his anxiety but also not to fade into the background. It's a pretty incisive take on Bobby, placing his loneliness (particularly while he was in the closet) at the core of his characterization. It fits, and I really wish Grace would've focused on that part of him throughout this series. Instead, we get him weirdly claiming Sinister's just lonely, too, almost offering him a hug to stop him. (Seriously.) It's just a mess, but I guess it's the best I'm going to get. I still wish we'd get some sort of regular Bobby vehicle focused more on his coming-out experience, like the brief glimpse we get here with Judah. Fingers crossed.
Star Wars #59: This issue covers a lot of ground. First, Leia reveals her plans to Han, informing him that they gained access to Shu-Torun’s defense systems when they spiked into Trios’ ship. She explains she didn’t want to tell him and Luke before she was sure about her plan, since she didn’t want to raise “false hope.” Han hilariously notes his "false" hopes were on something else, and Leia just as hilariously evicts him from her room. At Han’s urging, Leia explains her plan to Luke, who asks why she couldn’t trust him. Of course, at dinner that night, Markona reveals Luke built the transmitter, prompting Leia to call him on his bullshit. Dinner is interrupted when Scar Squadron arrives, which Luke blames on himself until Tula explains her father blocked his signal: he just wanted to see if Luke would actually activate the transmitter. Kreel reveals they found the team after torturing Sana and tells Markona he’ll kill Sana if the Han, Leia, and Luke don't reveal themselves. The gang of course appears guns blazing, and Markona unexpectedly has Han and Leia stunned. Kreel is excited, but Markona explains he’ll face Luke in a duel as part of Markonan hospitality. This issue is all about tests of trust, as Luke fails his test by activating the transmitter but Han passes his test when he simply stuns a drunk who challenges him to a duel. Gillen keeps underlining how childish Luke is, not only from his actions but by how his dialogue is at its whiniest. In fact, it’s one of those issues where you can hear the actors’ voices saying the characters’ dialogue. For the fact this arc is all about inaction and isolation, it's been surprisingly good.
Uncanny X-Men #9: The thing is, X-Man is totally right: the X-Men did abandon him and Legion. They let Omega-level mutants with obvious issues — from Nate’s time displacement to David’s mental illness — just roam free with no to little support. It’s like how Reed Richards can miraculously solve every problem, except his best friend’s. Now, when one of those neglected children is powerful enough to do something they don’t want him to do, they suddenly care. Moreover, why don’t they want Nate to achieve his goal of Utopia here? I know why I oppose it, but I’m surprised the authors haven’t had anyone defect from Jean’s side, to think maybe Nate has a good point. It’s these sort of defections that made “Operation: Galactic Storm” and the first “Civil War” so gripping. Jean's been dead for years and everyone just blindly follows her? Really?
Also Read: Nightwing #56; Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #4; Thor #9
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