Generations: Ms. Marvel and Ms. Marvel #1: This issue is even better than the “Hawkeye and Hawkeye” one. It proves the concept: a way to get fresh eyes on our heroes. Kamala beautifully summarizes her fight with Carol in the present as Carol wanting peace and order but Kamala wanting to know who takes the peace and who gets the orders. Somehow, she realizes she can reconcile those two positions when she writes make-up tips for protesters, saving “Woman” magazine from getting sold to the Shi’ar. (It’s less crazy than it sounds.) I’m not quite sure how it shows Kamala has reconciled Carol’s black-and-white view of peace and order with her own view, but I’m not going to let it get in the way of my enjoyment of the story. Willow is supported by an excellent Villanelli who delivers an appearance by a divinely handsome Peter Parker. I wouldn’t recommend many “Generations” issues, but I’d recommend this one. (I'd also like to get Villanelli on a Spider-Man title, stat!)
Spider-Men II #3: Despite pet peeve #2 rearing its ugly head here, Miles Morales doesn’t fight his Prime Earth doppelganger in this issue. Instead, we see how “our” Miles Morales (if you will) becomes friends with Wilson Fisk in prison, earning the respect of the mob family for whom Fisk is an enforcer by serving time for his own cousin. When Fisk eventually takes over said family, Morales is right at his side. Eventually, he falls in love, and Wilson offers to grant his greatest wish; Miles says he wants to “disappear” from this world with his girlfriend. It implies somehow “our” Miles Morales actually did go to another world, but it doesn’t explain what Peter found when he Googled Miles’ name at the end of the original “Spider-Men." I can’t say I really care about the answer, but in for a penny in for a pound.
U.S.Avengers #10: I quit this book once, but I returned mostly because it plays a fairly significant role in cross-over events. With “Secret Empire” behind us, Ewing tries to justify the team’s existence yet again. This time, Toni’s speech to herself in her cell during "Secret Empire" has inspired A.I.M.’s scientists to embrace their core mission of pushing science to its limits. Ewing strikes a political tone in doing so, as one of the scientists observes that science is on the outs right now in American political discourse; underscoring that point, the new A.I.M. liaison is a combination of Ted Cruz and Jeff Sessions. I can’t say I’m all that enthralled. But, the next few issues seem to focus on Cannonball, as Smasher finds Roberto to tell him Sam is alive and needs help. I’m really only here for Cannonball, so I guess I’ll keep going for at least a few more issues.
Also Read: Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Captain Phasma #2; Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #4; Star Wars Annual #3; X-Men: Gold #12
Showing posts with label U.S.Avengers (2017). Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S.Avengers (2017). Show all posts
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The April 19 "Secret Empire" Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
OK, here we go. If you've been reading my posts as we built to this event, you know that I'm not as vehemently opposed to Captain Nazi as some other fans are. I think it's mostly because Spencer isn't out there swearing to God that Steve will be Captain Nazi forever, as Steve Wacker and Dan Slott did when they subjected us to Spider-Ock. Spencer is telling a story that feels limited in its ambition; after 75+ years, it was probably time for Cap to have his heel turn. If you come to the issue that way (and I totally understand why you wouldn't), then Spencer has to be judged by whether it's actually a good story. A lot of cross-over events have started as great ideas only for the execution to rob it of all greatness. ("Age of Ultron" is probably the best example to me of a cross-over event with an awesome premise that rapidly devolved.) As such, let's see how Spencer does.
Secret Empire #0: I inadvertently read this issue first, even though it eventually became clear I should've read "Captain America: Steve Rogers," "Thunderbolts," and "U.S.Avengers" first. Oh, well.
As widely discussed in the media at this point, Spencer implies the "true" story is the one we've seen unfold over the course of the last few issues: a mystically powered Elisa Sinclair identified Steve as the agent of change HYDRA needed to take over the world. In this issue, starting in 1945, Kraken has revealed himself to be alive as Steve arrives at the "source of all HYDRA's powers" in Japan. It's the remains of Ashomia, "a lost city of the wicked and the abandoned." Steve is introduced to a mysterious figure, and Kraken informs us he's the man who "birthed HYDRA from the spear" and made him Kraken. Let's call him Father HYDRA. Father HYDRA tells Steve that the Allies' Cosmic Cube will allow them to re-write history so they win the war; in other words, the history we used to think was the "true" story. As the Cube begins to do exactly that, Father HYDRA has Steve enter a pool so his memories are preserved; we see him fade into the block of ice where the Avengers will find him in the now "fake" story. As he escorts Steve into the pool, Father HYDRA warns Steve the Cube will eventually become Kobik and the Skull (called the "usurper" here) will use Kobik to rekindle Steve's memory of the "true" story. This part answers one of my main questions, namely why no one else remembers the now "true" history. Spencer has sent conflicting messages on this front, but at least he comes down firmly here on one side (some evidence in previous issues to the contrary).
In the present, we are at a moment of crisis as three separate events happen at once: the Chitauri horde arrives; Baron Zemo is leading the villains imprisoned at Pleasant Hill on a rampage o' revenge in New York city; and the Crescent, the Helicarrier Sharon sent to Sokovia in "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #15, has gone missing. In terms of the Chitauri invasion, a HYDRA suicide bomber has apparently blown up the Shield. Ironheart (a.k.a. Riri Williams) and Iron Man (who's apparently alive again) are frantically trying to fix the Shield as Alpha Flight, Quasar, and the Ultimates hold off the Chitauri. In New York, Luke Cage leads an expanded Defenders line-up to protect civilians; meanwhile, Sharon and Steve are heading to Sokovia on the Iliad to try to find out what happened to the Crescent. Spencer makes it immediately clear Steve has orchestrated these events so the President will put into action the S.H.I.E.L.D. Act. With Steve now able to rule the United States by fiat, he activates his plan. Ironheart realizes the Shield is somehow not as damaged as she thought it was; they're able to activate it, and the world watches as the Chitauri are unable to cross it. Eventually, Ironheart and Iron Man discover the damage to the Shield's hardware was superficial; it was lowered not because of the bomb but because someone at command used the software to do so. Meanwhile, Sharon and Steve come upon the Crescent, which rams into the Iliad. As mind-controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. agents rush aboard. Steve reveals himself to Sharon; Dr. Faustus' voice is broadcast throughout the Iliad, bringing more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents fully under Steve's control. Steve then tells Carol he's locking her outside the planet (with the Chitauri horde). Finally, Baron Zemo uses Blackout to plunge New York into the Darkforce Dimension, taking all New York's heroes off the board. Steve then heads to Washington to complete his coup.
All in all, it's not terrible. Again, if you go into it assuming Cap won't be evil forever, then it's easier to enjoy the story. After all, it's clearly Spencer has carefully constructed this story; the only weakness I can identify is some ambiguity in previous issues about why people didn't remember the new "true" history. At this stage, I think the question for me is how far we really go here. As I mention below, "U.S.Avengers" #5 shows us where I hope we won't go, with Steve being reduced to a mentally unstable cliché of a super-villain. This event will be scarier if Steve is just as calculating and strategic as we know he can be. If he is, then it could even be great.
Thunderbolts #12: Reading this issue after "Secret Empire" #0, it feels like Zub had to rush the ending so he could make sure the Masters of Evil (with Atlas) could be in place for Baron Zemo's attack on New York. Events move more quickly than they probably should have as Zub is forced to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. For example, I was surprised the main drama in this issue is Kobik apparently throwing such a temper tantrum that she threatened reality. I get she's upset about Bucky not believing in HYDRA, but it feels like she's gone a little too far here, even for a child. It would've helped to see more of Erik trying to calm her, since it would've established why she's so upset. But, we move almost immediately to Fixer developing a device to strip Kobik of her personality (I think); instead, it shatters her into many pieces. Zemo recruits Moonstone (easily) and Fixer to help him track down the pieces. He also convinces Atlas to join them, a wink to Zub's characterization of Atlas as a follow at his core. In the aftermath, Jolt is unconscious after Kobik's explosion (inexplicably) drained off her energy, and the Ghost swipes her. (For some reason, she's also miniaturized by the blast, allowing Ghost to drop her into his pocket.) After the team's now-abandoned headquarters collapses on them, Melissa emerges from the rubble, but Mach-X is missing. Melissa trudges into the snow, and the series concludes behind her. I have a feeling Marvel will revisit the team after "Secret Empire" concludes. They had grown on me, and they deserve a better ending than they get here.
U.S.Avengers #5: In terms of plot, this issue is solid. Cap visit Roberto to remind him that he works for him, making sure Roberto is willing to follow orders he initially finds questionable. Meanwhile, a HYDRA agent within A.I.M. convinces Red Hulk to allow him to override his safety protocol after he express frustration when he de-Hulks during a fight; Steve clearly plans to use a berserk Hulk at some point. The most important development, though, seems to be Steve learning that Roberto has trained A.I.M. agents in Xavier's techniques to block telepathic incursions, meaning Dr. Faustus' mind-control techniques won't work on them. (I know why that's important after reading "Secret Empire" #0.) But, it's the characterization that leaves you scratching your head. Steve acts like a cut-rate villain here, adopting various personas during his talk with Roberto. First he's obsessed with people getting him coffee then he's berating Roberto for being elitist. He seems totally insane; if his goal was not tipping off Roberto that something was wrong with him, it seems unlikely it worked.
Captain America: Steve Rogers #16: This issue completes setting up "Secret Empire" #0 in a number of ways. First, the Masters of Evil (unexpectedly, to me) complete the search for the last fragment of Kobik. I had initially thought their search for the Cube was going to occur throughout "Secret Empire;" after all, its reunification would clearly set up someone using it to rewrite history. However, Spencer cleverly finds a way to delay this moment and take a major player off the board. Dr. Selvig is disturbed by Zemo's insistence on reassembling the Cube and not letting Kobik pull herself together. (Zemo wisely would rather a non-sentient Cube since it's easier to control.) As such, Selvig sends the fragments to an unidentified place before killing himself. Steve is furious when Zemo eventually tells him, since his plan was not only to conquer the world for HYDRA but use the Cube to "right" history. However, Zemo is now free to lead the Masters of Evil on the assault of New York in "Secret Empire" #0. Meanwhile, Maria Hill breaks into Taskmaster's computer and discovers the video of Steve saying "Hail HYDRA." She tells Rick Jones Steve is an agent of HYDRA just before HYDRA captures her, but Cap calls Rick just in time, after Taskmaster alerted him to Maria's actions. He tells Rick that Maria is off the reservation; in his story, she's going to use the override codes for the Shield as leverage to get back her old job. Rick believes him and sends Steve the codes to the Shield. Black Ant than knocks him unconscious, and we see the HYDRA suicide bomber seemingly blow up the Shield. (However, we know from "Secret Empire" #0 that Steve uses the codes to take down the Shield; the damage to the Shield was purposefully superficial.) Finally, Steve laments the loss of Xavier's brain to Elisa, but she reminds him of Dr. Faustus' powers; he takes control of the Cresent here. The other big development is Steve allowing Zemo seemingly to kill Bucky in the same way his father died. It seems unlikely Bucky is dead, but it's yet another player off the board for a while. At this stage, the only people who know of Cap's treachery are Carol, who's stranded outside Earth, and Maria, Rick (to a certain extent), and Sharon, all of whom are in Steve's custody.
At this stage, Spencer has set up two main storylines. We're going to have the struggle against Steve as he tries to impose his will on the United States. But, I also imagine we're going to have the quest for the Cube, as both sides try to "right" history. It feels like the story I thought we were going to get in "Age of Ultron," and I'll be a happy camper if Spencer accomplishes that.
Secret Empire #0: I inadvertently read this issue first, even though it eventually became clear I should've read "Captain America: Steve Rogers," "Thunderbolts," and "U.S.Avengers" first. Oh, well.
As widely discussed in the media at this point, Spencer implies the "true" story is the one we've seen unfold over the course of the last few issues: a mystically powered Elisa Sinclair identified Steve as the agent of change HYDRA needed to take over the world. In this issue, starting in 1945, Kraken has revealed himself to be alive as Steve arrives at the "source of all HYDRA's powers" in Japan. It's the remains of Ashomia, "a lost city of the wicked and the abandoned." Steve is introduced to a mysterious figure, and Kraken informs us he's the man who "birthed HYDRA from the spear" and made him Kraken. Let's call him Father HYDRA. Father HYDRA tells Steve that the Allies' Cosmic Cube will allow them to re-write history so they win the war; in other words, the history we used to think was the "true" story. As the Cube begins to do exactly that, Father HYDRA has Steve enter a pool so his memories are preserved; we see him fade into the block of ice where the Avengers will find him in the now "fake" story. As he escorts Steve into the pool, Father HYDRA warns Steve the Cube will eventually become Kobik and the Skull (called the "usurper" here) will use Kobik to rekindle Steve's memory of the "true" story. This part answers one of my main questions, namely why no one else remembers the now "true" history. Spencer has sent conflicting messages on this front, but at least he comes down firmly here on one side (some evidence in previous issues to the contrary).
In the present, we are at a moment of crisis as three separate events happen at once: the Chitauri horde arrives; Baron Zemo is leading the villains imprisoned at Pleasant Hill on a rampage o' revenge in New York city; and the Crescent, the Helicarrier Sharon sent to Sokovia in "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #15, has gone missing. In terms of the Chitauri invasion, a HYDRA suicide bomber has apparently blown up the Shield. Ironheart (a.k.a. Riri Williams) and Iron Man (who's apparently alive again) are frantically trying to fix the Shield as Alpha Flight, Quasar, and the Ultimates hold off the Chitauri. In New York, Luke Cage leads an expanded Defenders line-up to protect civilians; meanwhile, Sharon and Steve are heading to Sokovia on the Iliad to try to find out what happened to the Crescent. Spencer makes it immediately clear Steve has orchestrated these events so the President will put into action the S.H.I.E.L.D. Act. With Steve now able to rule the United States by fiat, he activates his plan. Ironheart realizes the Shield is somehow not as damaged as she thought it was; they're able to activate it, and the world watches as the Chitauri are unable to cross it. Eventually, Ironheart and Iron Man discover the damage to the Shield's hardware was superficial; it was lowered not because of the bomb but because someone at command used the software to do so. Meanwhile, Sharon and Steve come upon the Crescent, which rams into the Iliad. As mind-controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. agents rush aboard. Steve reveals himself to Sharon; Dr. Faustus' voice is broadcast throughout the Iliad, bringing more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents fully under Steve's control. Steve then tells Carol he's locking her outside the planet (with the Chitauri horde). Finally, Baron Zemo uses Blackout to plunge New York into the Darkforce Dimension, taking all New York's heroes off the board. Steve then heads to Washington to complete his coup.
All in all, it's not terrible. Again, if you go into it assuming Cap won't be evil forever, then it's easier to enjoy the story. After all, it's clearly Spencer has carefully constructed this story; the only weakness I can identify is some ambiguity in previous issues about why people didn't remember the new "true" history. At this stage, I think the question for me is how far we really go here. As I mention below, "U.S.Avengers" #5 shows us where I hope we won't go, with Steve being reduced to a mentally unstable cliché of a super-villain. This event will be scarier if Steve is just as calculating and strategic as we know he can be. If he is, then it could even be great.
Thunderbolts #12: Reading this issue after "Secret Empire" #0, it feels like Zub had to rush the ending so he could make sure the Masters of Evil (with Atlas) could be in place for Baron Zemo's attack on New York. Events move more quickly than they probably should have as Zub is forced to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. For example, I was surprised the main drama in this issue is Kobik apparently throwing such a temper tantrum that she threatened reality. I get she's upset about Bucky not believing in HYDRA, but it feels like she's gone a little too far here, even for a child. It would've helped to see more of Erik trying to calm her, since it would've established why she's so upset. But, we move almost immediately to Fixer developing a device to strip Kobik of her personality (I think); instead, it shatters her into many pieces. Zemo recruits Moonstone (easily) and Fixer to help him track down the pieces. He also convinces Atlas to join them, a wink to Zub's characterization of Atlas as a follow at his core. In the aftermath, Jolt is unconscious after Kobik's explosion (inexplicably) drained off her energy, and the Ghost swipes her. (For some reason, she's also miniaturized by the blast, allowing Ghost to drop her into his pocket.) After the team's now-abandoned headquarters collapses on them, Melissa emerges from the rubble, but Mach-X is missing. Melissa trudges into the snow, and the series concludes behind her. I have a feeling Marvel will revisit the team after "Secret Empire" concludes. They had grown on me, and they deserve a better ending than they get here.
U.S.Avengers #5: In terms of plot, this issue is solid. Cap visit Roberto to remind him that he works for him, making sure Roberto is willing to follow orders he initially finds questionable. Meanwhile, a HYDRA agent within A.I.M. convinces Red Hulk to allow him to override his safety protocol after he express frustration when he de-Hulks during a fight; Steve clearly plans to use a berserk Hulk at some point. The most important development, though, seems to be Steve learning that Roberto has trained A.I.M. agents in Xavier's techniques to block telepathic incursions, meaning Dr. Faustus' mind-control techniques won't work on them. (I know why that's important after reading "Secret Empire" #0.) But, it's the characterization that leaves you scratching your head. Steve acts like a cut-rate villain here, adopting various personas during his talk with Roberto. First he's obsessed with people getting him coffee then he's berating Roberto for being elitist. He seems totally insane; if his goal was not tipping off Roberto that something was wrong with him, it seems unlikely it worked.
Captain America: Steve Rogers #16: This issue completes setting up "Secret Empire" #0 in a number of ways. First, the Masters of Evil (unexpectedly, to me) complete the search for the last fragment of Kobik. I had initially thought their search for the Cube was going to occur throughout "Secret Empire;" after all, its reunification would clearly set up someone using it to rewrite history. However, Spencer cleverly finds a way to delay this moment and take a major player off the board. Dr. Selvig is disturbed by Zemo's insistence on reassembling the Cube and not letting Kobik pull herself together. (Zemo wisely would rather a non-sentient Cube since it's easier to control.) As such, Selvig sends the fragments to an unidentified place before killing himself. Steve is furious when Zemo eventually tells him, since his plan was not only to conquer the world for HYDRA but use the Cube to "right" history. However, Zemo is now free to lead the Masters of Evil on the assault of New York in "Secret Empire" #0. Meanwhile, Maria Hill breaks into Taskmaster's computer and discovers the video of Steve saying "Hail HYDRA." She tells Rick Jones Steve is an agent of HYDRA just before HYDRA captures her, but Cap calls Rick just in time, after Taskmaster alerted him to Maria's actions. He tells Rick that Maria is off the reservation; in his story, she's going to use the override codes for the Shield as leverage to get back her old job. Rick believes him and sends Steve the codes to the Shield. Black Ant than knocks him unconscious, and we see the HYDRA suicide bomber seemingly blow up the Shield. (However, we know from "Secret Empire" #0 that Steve uses the codes to take down the Shield; the damage to the Shield was purposefully superficial.) Finally, Steve laments the loss of Xavier's brain to Elisa, but she reminds him of Dr. Faustus' powers; he takes control of the Cresent here. The other big development is Steve allowing Zemo seemingly to kill Bucky in the same way his father died. It seems unlikely Bucky is dead, but it's yet another player off the board for a while. At this stage, the only people who know of Cap's treachery are Carol, who's stranded outside Earth, and Maria, Rick (to a certain extent), and Sharon, all of whom are in Steve's custody.
At this stage, Spencer has set up two main storylines. We're going to have the struggle against Steve as he tries to impose his will on the United States. But, I also imagine we're going to have the quest for the Cube, as both sides try to "right" history. It feels like the story I thought we were going to get in "Age of Ultron," and I'll be a happy camper if Spencer accomplishes that.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The January 4 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Avengers #3: I could try to explain what I think happened here, but I won't, because I honestly have no idea. Somehow the Wasp returning the baby to the future undoes the time paradox Vision created when he kidnapped the baby in the first place, and everyone goes home happy..., well, everyone except for Kang. Apparently the Priests of Pama feed on time paradoxes, so they consume Kang and the Scarlet Centurion. However, the Avengers are apparently going to go to war with Kang next issue, implementing a plan Sam has. Yeah, I don't get it either.
Batman #14: King confirms what we've known all along, that Catwoman didn't kill 237 people. However, for some reason, she's committed to going to prison for life for the crime, after Amanda Waller abides by her agreement with Bruce and has her sentence commuted. My guess is Selena is covering for the orphan who did kill these people, but we'll get there at some point. In the meantime, King delivers a beautifully terse issue that lets Gerards' amazing artwork do the talking. We're treated to a two-page splash of the starry Gotham night that foreshadows the diamonds Selena later gives to Bruce to fund an orphanage. But, the scene is beautiful in its own right and really sets the stage for the two of them eventually making love on the rooftop. (It's a rare acknowledgement that Selena knows Bruce's identity, something thrown into question at the start of the DCnU if I remember correctly.) It's just a perfectly paced story from start to finish, conveying the melancholy and regret both characters feel. Rarely does the art and script work together as beautifully as they do here.
Black Widow #1-#6 (TPB): I first considered getting this series when I heard Bucky would be appearing at some point. Bucky's relationship with Nat was one of the best parts of his time as Captain America, and I was devastated (really, I still am) when they erased her memory of him. I was actually so mad at comics that I stopped really enjoying them for a few weeks. But, Comixology was having a sale on TPBs, and I got this one. I'm still trying to pare down my pull list, not expand it, but, after reading this arc, someone else is going to be on the chopping block. At some point in the letters page, the editor acknowledges that one of the questions running through Waid and Samnee's run is whether Nat's really knowable. I feel like I came the closest to doing so during those "Captain America" issues where she's in a relationship with Bucky, but maybe it wasn't the real her. Maybe she was too happy. Waid and Samnee explore that idea here, and it's amazing. To be honest, my appreciation of Nat outside "Captain America" larges comes from Scarlet Johansson's portrayal of her in the MCU, and Waid and Samnee preserve that dry sense of humor here. I particularly loved the sequence where she mumbles to herself about Tony mocking her skills...after she took him by surprise and knocked him unconscious to access his vault. Doubting her, indeed. Moreover, Waid and Samnee have given Nat two formidable pairs of enemies in just these six issues: the Weeping Lion brothers as well as the Recluse and her mother, Nat's former Headmistress at the Red Room. The mind boggles where we're going to go from here.
Midnighter and Apollo #4: Orlando leaves us with a mystery here, as Apollo seemed to have stumped Neron with a question about why he calls himself Apollo. But, Neron later appears to have imprisoned Apollo, implying Neron guessed correctly (despite him obviously having guessed incorrectly that Apollo named himself after the Roman god). But, the most interesting thing to me is the revelation that Apollo was human at some point. I always thought he was an alien, but we learned here that he was abducted by aliens trying to make their own Superman after he told his parents he was gay. Long-time readers might have known that, but I didn't. Orlando uses this revelation to maximum effect, as Apollo basically laughs off Neron's attempt to break him, stating people have tried that many times before. It's a reminder just how bad-ass Midnighter and Apollo are separately and together.
Nova (2017) #2: "Your fans are...intense." We are, Kamala. We totally are! I knew I trusted these authors when they evoked an argument Rich made during the original "Civil War," when he berated Iron Man for fighting the Civil War while he was busy fighting the Annihilation Wave. They get it. I'll also admit I totally cried fanboy tears when the bar on Knowhere toasted Rich, a sign that Earth might not remember his heroism but space does. Originally, I wanted this series just to be about Rich, but I can't deny Sam adds something. First, Rich and Sam's banter is great. I loved when Rich started getting upset when Sam questioned him about his origins, and Sam responded by observing his father was a clone who tried to kill him. Rich's response? "Fair." Perfect. But, Sam's youth reminds us that Rich has now entered senior hero status and not just because Sam tries to defend himself by citing his ability to grow...."hair." The authors draw a line under the point when Rich meets the Champions and asks if every superhero is a twelve-year-old. If he is Rich and he's going to stay, he has to operate in the new Marvel Universe. He's no longer a New Warrior, but an honest-to-fucking-God hero, as the toasting denizens of the bar remind us.
Spider-Man 2099 #19: Well, Peter David really stepped it up a notch, didn't he? I mean, sure, I didn't really buy that "Mother" (or whatever her name was) forgot about Elektra, allowing Elektra to kill her while she was delivering a monologue to Miguel and Roberta about why America has to fall. But, it doesn't matter...because Tyler Stone is back in action! He's clearly going to turn Tempest into some sort of terrible monster, maybe like the one she became when Miguel cured her cancer. Whatever it is, it seems unlikely Miguel is going to be happy with the result. (For the continuity folks out there like me, Tyler specifically refers to the fact that he was also previously paralyzed, adding to the information we have about where we are in Miguel's original timeline.)
U.S.Avengers #1: Reading Bobby's speech about how the American flag is his flag and their flag regardless of how the people afraid of them feel about it the weekend of Donald Trump banning Muslims from entering the United States makes me think Al Ewing can predict the future. I was going to cancel this series in favor of "Hawkeye" but decided to give it a whirl because I love Sam. Well, after reading it, I'm all on board with Bobby and his desire to reclaim the flag for the rest of us.
Also Read: Captain America: Sam Wilson #17; Champions #4; Hawkeye #2; Moon Knight #10; Nightwing #12; Unworthy Thor #2
Batman #14: King confirms what we've known all along, that Catwoman didn't kill 237 people. However, for some reason, she's committed to going to prison for life for the crime, after Amanda Waller abides by her agreement with Bruce and has her sentence commuted. My guess is Selena is covering for the orphan who did kill these people, but we'll get there at some point. In the meantime, King delivers a beautifully terse issue that lets Gerards' amazing artwork do the talking. We're treated to a two-page splash of the starry Gotham night that foreshadows the diamonds Selena later gives to Bruce to fund an orphanage. But, the scene is beautiful in its own right and really sets the stage for the two of them eventually making love on the rooftop. (It's a rare acknowledgement that Selena knows Bruce's identity, something thrown into question at the start of the DCnU if I remember correctly.) It's just a perfectly paced story from start to finish, conveying the melancholy and regret both characters feel. Rarely does the art and script work together as beautifully as they do here.
Black Widow #1-#6 (TPB): I first considered getting this series when I heard Bucky would be appearing at some point. Bucky's relationship with Nat was one of the best parts of his time as Captain America, and I was devastated (really, I still am) when they erased her memory of him. I was actually so mad at comics that I stopped really enjoying them for a few weeks. But, Comixology was having a sale on TPBs, and I got this one. I'm still trying to pare down my pull list, not expand it, but, after reading this arc, someone else is going to be on the chopping block. At some point in the letters page, the editor acknowledges that one of the questions running through Waid and Samnee's run is whether Nat's really knowable. I feel like I came the closest to doing so during those "Captain America" issues where she's in a relationship with Bucky, but maybe it wasn't the real her. Maybe she was too happy. Waid and Samnee explore that idea here, and it's amazing. To be honest, my appreciation of Nat outside "Captain America" larges comes from Scarlet Johansson's portrayal of her in the MCU, and Waid and Samnee preserve that dry sense of humor here. I particularly loved the sequence where she mumbles to herself about Tony mocking her skills...after she took him by surprise and knocked him unconscious to access his vault. Doubting her, indeed. Moreover, Waid and Samnee have given Nat two formidable pairs of enemies in just these six issues: the Weeping Lion brothers as well as the Recluse and her mother, Nat's former Headmistress at the Red Room. The mind boggles where we're going to go from here.
Midnighter and Apollo #4: Orlando leaves us with a mystery here, as Apollo seemed to have stumped Neron with a question about why he calls himself Apollo. But, Neron later appears to have imprisoned Apollo, implying Neron guessed correctly (despite him obviously having guessed incorrectly that Apollo named himself after the Roman god). But, the most interesting thing to me is the revelation that Apollo was human at some point. I always thought he was an alien, but we learned here that he was abducted by aliens trying to make their own Superman after he told his parents he was gay. Long-time readers might have known that, but I didn't. Orlando uses this revelation to maximum effect, as Apollo basically laughs off Neron's attempt to break him, stating people have tried that many times before. It's a reminder just how bad-ass Midnighter and Apollo are separately and together.
Nova (2017) #2: "Your fans are...intense." We are, Kamala. We totally are! I knew I trusted these authors when they evoked an argument Rich made during the original "Civil War," when he berated Iron Man for fighting the Civil War while he was busy fighting the Annihilation Wave. They get it. I'll also admit I totally cried fanboy tears when the bar on Knowhere toasted Rich, a sign that Earth might not remember his heroism but space does. Originally, I wanted this series just to be about Rich, but I can't deny Sam adds something. First, Rich and Sam's banter is great. I loved when Rich started getting upset when Sam questioned him about his origins, and Sam responded by observing his father was a clone who tried to kill him. Rich's response? "Fair." Perfect. But, Sam's youth reminds us that Rich has now entered senior hero status and not just because Sam tries to defend himself by citing his ability to grow...."hair." The authors draw a line under the point when Rich meets the Champions and asks if every superhero is a twelve-year-old. If he is Rich and he's going to stay, he has to operate in the new Marvel Universe. He's no longer a New Warrior, but an honest-to-fucking-God hero, as the toasting denizens of the bar remind us.
Spider-Man 2099 #19: Well, Peter David really stepped it up a notch, didn't he? I mean, sure, I didn't really buy that "Mother" (or whatever her name was) forgot about Elektra, allowing Elektra to kill her while she was delivering a monologue to Miguel and Roberta about why America has to fall. But, it doesn't matter...because Tyler Stone is back in action! He's clearly going to turn Tempest into some sort of terrible monster, maybe like the one she became when Miguel cured her cancer. Whatever it is, it seems unlikely Miguel is going to be happy with the result. (For the continuity folks out there like me, Tyler specifically refers to the fact that he was also previously paralyzed, adding to the information we have about where we are in Miguel's original timeline.)
U.S.Avengers #1: Reading Bobby's speech about how the American flag is his flag and their flag regardless of how the people afraid of them feel about it the weekend of Donald Trump banning Muslims from entering the United States makes me think Al Ewing can predict the future. I was going to cancel this series in favor of "Hawkeye" but decided to give it a whirl because I love Sam. Well, after reading it, I'm all on board with Bobby and his desire to reclaim the flag for the rest of us.
Also Read: Captain America: Sam Wilson #17; Champions #4; Hawkeye #2; Moon Knight #10; Nightwing #12; Unworthy Thor #2
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