Amazing Spider-Man #24: This issue is really solid. Spencer uses a session between Mysterio and his new Ravencroft therapist to tease out details about the mysterious goblin that we've seen lurking in the background these last few issues. We learn that Quentin thinks that he went to Hell after he committed suicide in his battle with Daredevil. (Wha?) In Hell, we learn that this goblin endlessly tortured Mysterio and that the goblin is possibly a condemned soul who rose through Hell's ranks to devil. He was also an enemy of Spider-Man, and he sent back Mysterio to enact his plan against Peter. Spencer throws us off the trail here by having the therapist walk us through a theory that Quentin invented his death and condemnation as a way to deal with his terminal-cancer diagnosis. The therapist provides a number of examples to support his claim, and you almost believe him at the end. Of course, the goblin arrives, throwing that theory out the window and prompting the therapist to flee. The goblin then unexpectedly murders Mysterio because he's somehow arranged Peter to see this moment in his dreams. He taunts Peter by telling him that he won't appear to face him until he guesses who he is. It seems clichéd, but Spencer really sells it. This entire issue feels like "Faust," with all the bargains and side deals with devils. It also explains why Peter's vision of Mary Jane during "Hunted" seemed so real, since we learn the goblin can (somehow) directly affect Peter's thinking through dreams and visions. The goblin then provides a hint to his identity, calling himself "Kindred." At first, I thought we were dealing with Harry Osborn, and we still may be. But, now I wonder if it isn't someone like Ben Reilly or some other clone with a soul. I'm just glad that we're getting some information at this point.
Mr. and Mrs. X #12: Marvel seems insane to cancel this series. But, it looks like sales fell in almost half from issue #3 to issue #12, so it did what it had to do, I guess. Given "West Coast Avengers'" cancelation as well, I worry that readers aren't appreciating the kind of emotional yet hilarious stories that Thompson is telling. Or maybe people just got tired of stories involving power-inhibitor collars? I don't know. Whatever the reason, I definitely feel like comics telling these stories aren't finding their footing lately, particularly since I see "Invaders" near this series on the sales lists. At any rate, Thompson does her best here. She gets to wrap up this series in less of a rush than "West Coast Avengers," and I'm glad that we at least got to walk down this road with her. It's unbelievable that after so many years she's really the first author to explore the root of Rogue's problems with her powers, and I'm glad that she at least had time to do that. Hopefully Marvel gets to a point where she can return to telling these sorts of stories soon. I would love for her to take over "Amazing Spider-Man" one day. Here's hoping.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #10: This issue ends the same way every other Spider-Gwen series has ended, with Gwen committing to live her life despite the challenges in doing so. The problem is, the challenges never really change and she never really accomplishes this goal. At first, we had Matt Murdoch as the shadowy figure and Rhino as the powerful enforcer; now, we have Miles Warren and Man-Wolf. We had Gwen dealing with her Spider powers not working after she lost them and replaced them with shots; now we have her Venom powers not working. After fifty issues, it's hard to see such a great character just spinning her wheels. It's like each successive creative team is nervous about doing anything that could impact the story that the next creative team will tell, so they just change the names and keep telling the same story. We even return her to the Multiverse here despite her seemingly abandoning it in this volume, undoing the one step toward progress that we've had. In other words, I sadly don't think that I'm following her into the next series. Fare ye well, Gwen. See you in the next inevitable "Spider-Verse" event.
Star Wars: Target Vader #1: I'll admit that my first thought was that I'd be more interested in this series if they didn't decide to make the protagonist a cut-rate Han Solo cyborg, down to (sort of) recreating the Greedo cantina scene and everything. But, it was clear that I was supposed to recognize him, and some Googling revealed that he's the asshole from Han's squad in "Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet." I feel like Thompson could've done a little bit more to help make that connection clearer. Without it, it all feels derivative and rushed. Thompson also wants us to be surprised when it turns out the Hidden Hand isn't just a smuggler outfit running guns for the Rebellion, but actually part of the Rebellion itself. I mean, is it that surprising? They're a pretty scrappy group, the rebels, by definition. At any rate, I feel like I shouldn't complain, because this premise is the sort of "edge of the Empire" story that I keep saying I want to see. I just wish this one was a little more interesting at the start.
Transformers #8: Ruckey is trying here, but, OMG, this series is moving at a glacial pace. Even Megatron's conversation with Termagax is boring, despite Ruckey using it to hint at the larger story that he's telling. Termagax implies that she's only willing to return from her exile if a series of events occur, such as the Ascenticons securing a quarter of the Senate seats or someone finding some unnamed artifacts. (She also asks if the Autobots released so-and-so. I'm assuming that so-and-so is the one prisoner who Orion Pax won't allow released, as mentioned a few issues ago.) We learn later that Megatron wasn't there to convince Termagax to leave her exile, but to confirm that she doesn't plan to do so, so she won't interfere with his plans. But, again, we're still just getting hints about plans. At some point, someone is going to have to do something to put one of these many, many plans into action. But, I'm pretty sure that I won't be here to see it.
Uncanny X-Men #21: This issue is solid. Rosenberg does an excellent job of staying in control of the chaos, as Emma sends the X-Men on a rescue mission to implement her plan of wiping away humanity's memories of mutants. Although she succeeds in her mission, the cost is high: Banshee is killed, Callahan strips Illyana of her mutant powers and thus brings back Darkchilde, Darkchilde tears out the Gem of Cyttorak and sends Cain...somewhere, and Hope and Logan are injured. Earlier, Callahan also stripped Triage of his mutant abilities, and Logan mercy killed a dying Velocidad after Callahan used his powers to manufacture new Warlocks, who Rosenberg turns into the new Sentinels. In the end, we're left only with Cyclops, Havoc, Mirage, and Multiple Man. In other words, Rosenberg brings the X-Men to a moment of triumph, but one with few X-Men left to celebrate. As usual, Marvel has ruined this moment with its relentless advertising of the upcoming Hickman era: we already know that pretty much everyone is returning. But, Rosenberg does what he can with the constraints that he's been given, and I applaud him for that.
The Weatherman, Vol. 2 #1: If the first volume of this series was a breakneck tour of the galaxy's precarious status quo, LeHeup goes in the opposite direction here. Rather than spreading his focus across several groups of actors as he did in the first volume, we have one team with one mission: find Dr. Nyseth and, hopefully, Ian Black's mind somewhere on Earth.
After keeping Earth a mystery for the first volume, LeHeup somehow met all my expectations when we first arrive. First, he starts off the issue with two soldiers' banter about how boring it is guarding Earth. It's here that we first get the sense that everything isn't as it seems. I think LeHeup had alluded to the fact that some people on Earth might be alive, but I had no idea that it was as many as we see here. LeHeup makes it clear that entire cities of people are still alive, and you immediately begin to wonder if people off-Earth know that. In a conversation the Martian president has with a lobbyist eager to kill the remaining population to cut up the spoils, LeHeup hints at just one reason the galaxy's leaders might want that information to remain hidden.
But LeHeup also shows that it isn't like life as normal is continuing down there. We're introduced to one of the outposts, where people are sent on suicide missions by lottery, presumably as a form of population control. We also learn that the remaining population is expected to succumb to the virus within three months. LeHeup goes one step even further, as the team arrives in New York and is unaware a group of zombie-like humans are following them. Now you begin to see the chaos in store for them.
But this series avoids sliding just into simple sci-fi conjecture with LeHeup's laser focus on Nathan. He's his usual idiot self here, though he has moments of reflection, like when they stumble upon the skyscraper-sized pile of skeletons in New York. But the most heart-breaking moment is when Nathan is left to eat alone after all his companions leave. He's left simply with an image of his now-dead dog as company. LeHeup and Fox turn it into a meditation on not just what Nathan has lost, but what everyone has lost. It's hard to see any happy ending for Nathan, but the glimmer of one is one of the many things that keeps me returning.
The Wild Storm #24: It's almost impossible to sum up this issue, coming at the end of Ellis' two-year journey in this world. In a lesser author's hands, the denouement would feel rushed. Craven kills Cray! Jackie kills Craven! Jackie takes over IO! But, in Ellis' hands, it feels more like the dominoes all falling into place. That said, Ellis leaves some dominoes still standing, leaving you at the end of this issue feeling like we've just gotten a glimpse of the complicated dynamics at play.
First, Ellis presents the hypothesis that we're at this point because Craven was an incompetent leader. Slayton mentions how crappy of a manager of Earth Craven was right before Clay kills Slayton and saves Craven. Jackie refers to him as a "scared little emperor." I accept this hypothesis at face value; you don't get to the point where Skywatch is willing to destroy New York in its war with IO and not believe that Craven didn't play a role in that escalation. But, I wish Ellis had taken the time to go into a little more detail about why Craven sucked at managing the planet so badly. Ellis hints at a larger reason as his eyes glow red with rage right before he decides to kill Cray. Was he a Kheran? Right now we don't know.
After the Authority takes out the Skywatch sleeper agents, Angie goes after Skywatch itself to stop the diamond spike that Bendix dropped. Jackie agrees to help her. The surprise comes when Craven tries to stop Jackie, believing that she's a traitor. He's totally unhinged in this conversation, and Jackie fries him with some sort of electric blast from her head. She then buys Angie time to synthesize all her powers. Apollo flies Angie to the rapidly descending spike and then Shen sends a door through her telepathic link with Angie, allowing Angie to send the spike right at Skywatch. Boom.
At IO, Baiul think she's going to take over IO, believing that she's rid of Jackie because she saw her kill Craven. She gloats that she planned everything so perfectly and that she's surprised in the end that it was so easy because Jackie just vaporized Craven. But, Jackie then reveals that she planted an "unauthorized" weapon on Baiul and security takes her into custody. Jackie King: IO chief. Meanwhile, Skywatch now stands revealed and we learn someone (Angie?) dumped a bunch of IO-related documents on the internet.
Ellis includes all sorts of Easter eggs along the way here, like Voodoo seemingly using her power to save Angie (or Miles' husband, it's unclear to me). He also recalls previous attacks on Skywatch: Angie first has Jackie run her bot attack on Skywatch so they can get an image of the station, even though I though the Wild C.A.T.s did that first? Isn't that the bot attack that started the war, with Bendix thinking it was IO but it was actually the Wild C.A.T.s? Or did the Wild C.A.T.s just take advantage of IO's attack? I can't remember.
Anyway, it's all complicated, right? If I re-read this series from the start, I feel like it would be clearer to me just how many loose ends Ellis leaves here. Voodoo never really materialized as anyone important. Zealot initially seemed like she was going to play a major role but then faded into the background. Ditto Michael Cray, and he even had his own series. Most importantly, I can't remember the last time we saw the Wild C.A.T.s, as the last six or seven issues have mostly focused on the Authority. The Comicbook Database tells me that we haven't seen Grifter since issue #16, which Ellis explains by the fact that he's in hiding because IO now knows that he's alive. That makes sense, but would Marlowe really sit out this war? Ellis wants us to believe that he would (as he does so here), but it's hard to believe that Ellis doesn't even bother to tell us what Marlowe and his team are doing right now. They've got to be scheming somewhere, right?
What was it all about then? In the end, Jenny Sparks says it was all about Angie learning how to use her powers so she could help people, not the secret history of the world. But, that feels...unrealistic. Angie spent most of the series in the background. Sure, she saved New York, but that really just puts her in the same category as everyone else here, doesn't it? In other words, I'm not disappointed, but I also can't say I'm totally satisfied. I think it makes the most sense to look at this series as the first arc of a larger story, with Ellis setting the groundwork for the series and stories that will follow. If so, I might find myself more satisfied as the loose ends that Ellis leaves here later get addressed. I hope that's the case, given how exciting it was to read this series at the start.
Also Read: Conan the Barbarian #7; Detective Comics #1,006; Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #8; Marvel Comics Presents #6
Showing posts with label Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider (2018). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider (2018). Show all posts
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The June 5 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Age of X-Man: Prisoner X #4: Like the other series in this event, this issue covers the same ground that we've previously covered without adding anything particularly new or interesting. The only real development is Dani putting to words what we've all already known, that every time someone manages to break free of Nate or Legion's control their control over everyone else slips. As such, it's no surprise that Bishop is able to get a full-scale riot going here. But, it's still unclear what role Legion plays in it: I can't tell if he encourages Forge to release the power-dampening collars or if Forge did it on his own. I honestly can't say I care all that much at this point. This entire event is just an awkward transition as we move to whatever mess Hickman plans on making.
Batman #72: Every time I think this series can't get worse and more repetitive, it does. I have to give King that, I guess.
Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1: This issue is interesting in that it maintains the main series' modus operandi, focusing not just exclusively on the Guardians team as we traditionally know it but also including the various Marvel Cosmic characters as well. As a Nova and Quasar fan, I was of course most interested in their story. I thought Ewing did a great job teasing out their characters through their dispute, as Rich criticizes Quasar's breezy optimism as a sign that he's lost touch with reality given his dealings with cosmic entities like Galactus. The conversation starts with Rich admitting to Quasar that he's on "therapeutic leave" after he watched the Skrulls destroy one of their renegade worlds. He had just saved a family from a group of Skrull soldiers when Adsit tells him that the Skrulls had withdrawn from the Pan-Worlds Treaty and revoked the Nova Corps jurisdiction over the planet. Adsit compels him to leave just before the Skrulls destroy the planet. Rich observes to Quasar that the Kree and Shi'ar are likely to withdraw as well, meaning galactic war is coming. Quasar essentially tells him that he's sure everything will be fine, prompting Rich's criticism. In an obvious parallel to our current era, Rich tells Quasar that he's on the front lines dealing with real people. He sees the hard-liners taking over the political system, the galactic economy collapsing after years of inequality and upheaval, etc. He warns Quasar that people like him are looking for a Thanos, when it's really the 30-credit beer that sparks revolution and chaos. Sound familiar?
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #9: As I think I've mentioned, I feel like this series has gotten increasingly repetitive, recycling the same story lines over and over again. McGuire does it again here, as a bad guy interrupts yet another Mary Janes' performance trying to get at Gwen. But, the good news is that Man-Wolf is at least a different villain, injecting some much needed energy into this issue. We don't yet know why he's targeting Gwen, other than his assertion that he's defeated all the city's heroes. It seems like he's essentially offended Gwen thinks she could superhero in "his" city. That said, the cop who helps Gwen ID Man-Wolf somewhat contradicts this claim, telling her that he appeared during her incarceration. Did he really defeat everyone in the short time she was in prison? Although the rhythm might be the same, at least the person playing the instrument is different. I'm not sure I'm going to stick with this title when it's (once again) relaunched, but for now I'm at least glad that I have a reason to hang in there.
War of the Realms #5: This issue is the point where it feels like this story spun beyond my ability to grasp. Previously, the tie-in issues had been supporting the main title, so they weren't necessary to read to understand the main title's plot. Although I've been reading many of the tie-in series, this issue is where I feel like you had to read specific tie-in issues to understand the developments here. I had to re-read several issues just to assemble the rough timeline I put together here, and even then I'm still not sure that it's right.
Some leaps you can legimitately make on your own. Last issue, most of the teams reconvened at Avengers Mountain, and it's clear that it's when they slammed the Boggle cube on the table to make new teams. She-Hulk brought the dwarves from Nidavellir in issue #4; in this issue, they joined forces with Iron Man to become, awesomely, the War Machine Dwarves. Meanwhile, She-Hulk is leading Daredevil, Deadpool, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage to take Australia from the Trolls. But, even when you can make some leaps on your own, it isn't all necessarily clear. For example, Jennifer has somehow gotten a hammer and Ulik calls her "Thunder-Hulk." I assume that happened in a tie-in issue that I didn't read.
In some cases, you can make the leap, but it's still hard to follow. Carol Danvers is a great example. She led the War Avengers (Black Widow, Captain Britain, Deadpool, Sif, Venom, Weapon H, and the Winter Soldier) in the Battle of London in issue #3 and "War of the Realms: Strike Force - The War Avengers" #1, but they seem to surrender in issue #3 when Malekith teleports Venom and himself...somewhere. They resume the fight at the end of "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1, taking on dark elves at the Great Wall. But, in issue #4, the Agents of Atlas have replaced the War Avengers in the fight with Carol at the Great Wall without explanation. In issue #5, Captain Britain has re-appeared in London, found the Black Blade, and is now fighting alongside Captain America, while Carol has moved onto Shanghai with Hawkeye and Shang-Chi. The Agents of Atlas are presumably somewhere.
In some instances, you just have to assume existing tie-in series end happily. Last we saw him, Sir Ivory was unconscious in Africa after fighting Kurse in "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" #2; in issue #5, he joins Queen Featherwine and the Punisher at the head of the Light Elf Rifle Brigade in Wakanda. (It seems like the entire "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" mini-series happens between issues #4 and #5, after Spider-Man returns from Jotunheim and the Punisher brings the Light Elves to Midgard.) Balder and Thori were trying to save Balder's sister in "War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery" #4, but now Balder is with Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man taking on the Enchantress in Montevideo and Thori is with Captains America and Britain in London. (I guess Spider-Man hitched a ride from Africa.) Kurse also apparently survived, because she's fighting the Destroyer somewhere.
In other words, the wheels come off the bus here as Aaron's ambition gets the better of him. I get what he was trying to do, instill in us the magnitude of the battle. He does accomplish that; it's awesome to see everyone fighting all over the place. But, the plot gets lost in the shuffle of players across the chessboard, a point Carol herself made in "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1. After all, Thor is the key here, but we barely get a sight of him. I get the symmetry of Thor hanging himself from Yggdrasil like Odin did. I just don't get why he does it. Insight? Did he really need insight to know that he has to take on Malekith? I assumed that it was to reforge Mjolnir, but that didn't seem to happen. I feel like we could've had fewer slugfests and a few more panels teasing out this very, very essential plot point. Aaron has pushed this moment of "OK, time to wrap up this story" longer than most authors, so I'm not complaining too much. But, it's time for the end to come, as it thankfully does next issue.
Also Read: Black Cat #1; Marvel Team-Up #3; Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Luke Skywalker #1; Uncanny X-Men #19; War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #4
Batman #72: Every time I think this series can't get worse and more repetitive, it does. I have to give King that, I guess.
Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1: This issue is interesting in that it maintains the main series' modus operandi, focusing not just exclusively on the Guardians team as we traditionally know it but also including the various Marvel Cosmic characters as well. As a Nova and Quasar fan, I was of course most interested in their story. I thought Ewing did a great job teasing out their characters through their dispute, as Rich criticizes Quasar's breezy optimism as a sign that he's lost touch with reality given his dealings with cosmic entities like Galactus. The conversation starts with Rich admitting to Quasar that he's on "therapeutic leave" after he watched the Skrulls destroy one of their renegade worlds. He had just saved a family from a group of Skrull soldiers when Adsit tells him that the Skrulls had withdrawn from the Pan-Worlds Treaty and revoked the Nova Corps jurisdiction over the planet. Adsit compels him to leave just before the Skrulls destroy the planet. Rich observes to Quasar that the Kree and Shi'ar are likely to withdraw as well, meaning galactic war is coming. Quasar essentially tells him that he's sure everything will be fine, prompting Rich's criticism. In an obvious parallel to our current era, Rich tells Quasar that he's on the front lines dealing with real people. He sees the hard-liners taking over the political system, the galactic economy collapsing after years of inequality and upheaval, etc. He warns Quasar that people like him are looking for a Thanos, when it's really the 30-credit beer that sparks revolution and chaos. Sound familiar?
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #9: As I think I've mentioned, I feel like this series has gotten increasingly repetitive, recycling the same story lines over and over again. McGuire does it again here, as a bad guy interrupts yet another Mary Janes' performance trying to get at Gwen. But, the good news is that Man-Wolf is at least a different villain, injecting some much needed energy into this issue. We don't yet know why he's targeting Gwen, other than his assertion that he's defeated all the city's heroes. It seems like he's essentially offended Gwen thinks she could superhero in "his" city. That said, the cop who helps Gwen ID Man-Wolf somewhat contradicts this claim, telling her that he appeared during her incarceration. Did he really defeat everyone in the short time she was in prison? Although the rhythm might be the same, at least the person playing the instrument is different. I'm not sure I'm going to stick with this title when it's (once again) relaunched, but for now I'm at least glad that I have a reason to hang in there.
War of the Realms #5: This issue is the point where it feels like this story spun beyond my ability to grasp. Previously, the tie-in issues had been supporting the main title, so they weren't necessary to read to understand the main title's plot. Although I've been reading many of the tie-in series, this issue is where I feel like you had to read specific tie-in issues to understand the developments here. I had to re-read several issues just to assemble the rough timeline I put together here, and even then I'm still not sure that it's right.
Some leaps you can legimitately make on your own. Last issue, most of the teams reconvened at Avengers Mountain, and it's clear that it's when they slammed the Boggle cube on the table to make new teams. She-Hulk brought the dwarves from Nidavellir in issue #4; in this issue, they joined forces with Iron Man to become, awesomely, the War Machine Dwarves. Meanwhile, She-Hulk is leading Daredevil, Deadpool, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage to take Australia from the Trolls. But, even when you can make some leaps on your own, it isn't all necessarily clear. For example, Jennifer has somehow gotten a hammer and Ulik calls her "Thunder-Hulk." I assume that happened in a tie-in issue that I didn't read.
In some cases, you can make the leap, but it's still hard to follow. Carol Danvers is a great example. She led the War Avengers (Black Widow, Captain Britain, Deadpool, Sif, Venom, Weapon H, and the Winter Soldier) in the Battle of London in issue #3 and "War of the Realms: Strike Force - The War Avengers" #1, but they seem to surrender in issue #3 when Malekith teleports Venom and himself...somewhere. They resume the fight at the end of "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1, taking on dark elves at the Great Wall. But, in issue #4, the Agents of Atlas have replaced the War Avengers in the fight with Carol at the Great Wall without explanation. In issue #5, Captain Britain has re-appeared in London, found the Black Blade, and is now fighting alongside Captain America, while Carol has moved onto Shanghai with Hawkeye and Shang-Chi. The Agents of Atlas are presumably somewhere.
In some instances, you just have to assume existing tie-in series end happily. Last we saw him, Sir Ivory was unconscious in Africa after fighting Kurse in "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" #2; in issue #5, he joins Queen Featherwine and the Punisher at the head of the Light Elf Rifle Brigade in Wakanda. (It seems like the entire "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" mini-series happens between issues #4 and #5, after Spider-Man returns from Jotunheim and the Punisher brings the Light Elves to Midgard.) Balder and Thori were trying to save Balder's sister in "War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery" #4, but now Balder is with Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man taking on the Enchantress in Montevideo and Thori is with Captains America and Britain in London. (I guess Spider-Man hitched a ride from Africa.) Kurse also apparently survived, because she's fighting the Destroyer somewhere.
In other words, the wheels come off the bus here as Aaron's ambition gets the better of him. I get what he was trying to do, instill in us the magnitude of the battle. He does accomplish that; it's awesome to see everyone fighting all over the place. But, the plot gets lost in the shuffle of players across the chessboard, a point Carol herself made in "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1. After all, Thor is the key here, but we barely get a sight of him. I get the symmetry of Thor hanging himself from Yggdrasil like Odin did. I just don't get why he does it. Insight? Did he really need insight to know that he has to take on Malekith? I assumed that it was to reforge Mjolnir, but that didn't seem to happen. I feel like we could've had fewer slugfests and a few more panels teasing out this very, very essential plot point. Aaron has pushed this moment of "OK, time to wrap up this story" longer than most authors, so I'm not complaining too much. But, it's time for the end to come, as it thankfully does next issue.
Also Read: Black Cat #1; Marvel Team-Up #3; Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Luke Skywalker #1; Uncanny X-Men #19; War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #4
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The April 3 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
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Thursday, May 23, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The March 13 Non-X Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Amazing Spider-Man #17: I initially decided not to pin this issue with the Women in Refrigerator tag, given that Felicia threatens to gut Kraven herself if he somehow defeats Spider-Man. (Note to self: send Nick Spencer a muffin basket for returning Felicia to us.) But, then we had the Mary-Jane-as-Barbara-Gordon moment, and I decided it was appropriate after all. Beyond that, though, it's a solid start to what could really be a great event. Spencer leans heavily into characterization here, from Felicia's struggle to comfort Billy when they awaken as captives in the Plaza Hotel to Kraven's melancholy reflections on how this new world doesn't value his ethos. Spencer is also clearly having a great time; the twist that Kraven has everyone stashed at the Plaza is pretty great. But, Spencer is using enough foreshadowing to let us know that it isn't all fun and games. I applaud his decision to make Peter fight Kraven with the flu, because I feel like "Amazing Spider-Man" has always done the best job among comic-book series of showing how Peter's need to act as Spider-Man doesn't always happen at the most convenient times for Peter himself. (If I remember correctly, he also had the flu in "Kraven's Last Hunt.") Spencer doesn't just use the Mary-Jane-meet-coffee-table moment to show us how high the stakes are: Ramos does a spectacular (heh) job of really showing how Kraven's son beat Peter's ass something fierce. Then, he puts him in the black costume in a dome filled with his enemies, and you're like, "OK, game on, Spencer." Then, he introduces Kraven robots trying to kill everyone, and you're like "OK, maybe I can look past the Mary Jane problem..."
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #6: Jackal working with Man-Wolf! McGuire does a good job here of introducing Gwen's new status quo, where she has to deal with the ramifications of outing herself. For reasons that aren't yet clear, we learn that Jackal and Man-Wolf are working together to take her down, sending a group of thugs to attack her so that they can learn her fighting style. But, they're not Gwen's only problem, as she suffers a series of headaches in the issue and is unaware that she appears to be shedding spiders. Are they going to form the real Venom eventually? I guess we'll see. Meanwhile, she's hiring out her services, and we know that's going to end well.
Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #5: This story's conclusion is pitch perfect. Han and his fellow cadets find Valance, only to discover a group of slaves seeking to escape the planet in the chaos of the Empire's attack. The cadets learn that the slaves mine farium, and Kanina is shaken to her core, as her boyfriend Weegee is a farium miner on her home planet in the Huru system. She realizes that the battalion heading to the Huru system means the Empire is going to enslave her people. Han convinces her to let the cadets and he fake her death so she can save her planet. If Marvel is looking for a good sequel to this story, Kanina leading a rebellion against the Empire on her home planet gets my vote. I've always liked Robbie Thompson, but he's been particularly impressive here, infusing Han's four fellow cadets with solid backstories and clear personalities in just five issues. Unfortunately, the emotional denouement -- Kanina arriving on her planet to fall into Weegee's arms as Han spends time in the stockade -- is ruined in part because of the art choices. Weegee looks identical to Han, and Prianto's use of a sepia tone makes it seem like Kanina is happy to see Han years later, after he leaves the Empire. I'm surprised the editors didn't catch that, particularly given how many editors the Star Wars line has at this point. But, overall, this mini-series was one of the strongest ones that we've had so far.
Transformers #1: As a child of the '80s, I was very excited about this comic. As often as I complain about reboots, I'll admit Dark Horse's universe of Transformers-related comics made it difficult to figure out where I could engage. In other words, I'm loathe to admit it, but this reboot was exactly for people like me; I apologize to long-time fans who just saw their continuity swept into the dustbin for us. But, I also think Ruckley does a great job of offering something for everyone, as this issue starts us at the time before the Autobots and Decepticons go to war.
The main story involves Bumblebee leading a newly sparked Transformer named Rubble to a transmission station to learn the wonders of "energon engineering" from a fellow Transformer named Brainstorm. In their journey they meet with a Transformer named Windblade. She works for Security Operations, and she asks to accompany Bumblebee and Rubble because she's also heading to the station after Brainstorm reported some "anomalies with the monitoring equipment." She hypothesizes that it's sabotage, leading Bumblebee to wonder if "the Rise" could be out this far. Along their journey to the station, we learn that Rubble is in a period of exploration that all newly sparked Transformers experience, as they journey to choose their alternate form. We also learn that they can later change their choice, as Bumblebee "left" Security Operations (where he met Windblade) to become a Search and Rescue worker. (Windblade implies that he didn't leave Security Operations so voluntarily.) Arriving at the station, Windblade senses something is wrong. While she and Bumblebee scout around a bit, Rubble stumbles upon a murdered Brainstorm.
The second story gives us context to this scene. We learn Megatron is the leader of a group called the Ascenticons. They're marching on a place called Tarm, which seems to have some sort of religious connotation to the Ascenticons. Concerned about safety, Orion Pax calls for a meeting with Megatron, as a fellow Senator and old friend. Ruckley doesn't give us much information here on the substance of Megatron's dissent. We only learn that his last rally left dozens injured, and he paints the Autobots as fascists seeking to restrict Transformers' freedoms. Moreover, Ruckley makes it clear that Orion uses "friend" a little too loosely here; Ruckley even mentions in his interview at the end of the issue that they aren't exactly "friends.'
In other words, Ruckley manages to make the comic feel familiar yet fresh at the same time. One of the most interesting developments is his introduction of an organic race of ape-like creatures called the Voin. Windblade dismisses them as scavengers, though it's unclear what they would be scavenging as Cybertron does seem entirely inorganic. Moreover, some of the Voin are connected to a floating aquarium containing a squid-like creature that speaks for the apes. In other words, we have a lot to explore.
Winter Soldier #4-#5: Issue #4 was so gripping that I just went ahead and read issue #5. Jesus fucking Christ. I've been following Higgins for a long time now, and he really takes his work on "Nightwing" to the next level here. He's gotten the tone of each issue exactly right. After all, RJ's cautious hope about his father, Richie, makes it clear that it's all going to end in tears, because it's a Bucky Barnes story and not a Steve Rogers story.
In both these issues, Higgins perfectly uses RJ as a mirror to Bucky's own feelings of doubt and mistrust. RJ desperately wants to believe Richie is trying to start a new life after he was released from prison. But, RJ is who HYDRA made him, so he's also suspicious. For example, he doesn't believe Richie's story that he recognized RJ on television, because RJ was only a year old when Richie went to jail. But, Richie shows him a picture that RJ's mother (allegedly) sent him, and he tells a moving story about how all he did for the time he was in prison was stare at that picture and imagine who his son was. It's enough for RJ.
But, it's not enough for Bucky. Higgins makes it clear that Bucky needs RJ. He needs to believe that he (and he alone) can save RJ from himself, because Bucky needs to believe that he can save himself. He learns that lesson hard in issue #5, but in issue #4 he still hasn't fully come to grips with his own motivations. The problem is that he's obviously not wrong in his suspicion of Richie. When RJ beats away some goons who came after Richie for money that he borrowed from them, it's the proof that Bucky needs that, at best, Richie is a small-time hood who can't go straight. After all, what kind of guy looking to go straight borrows money from a loan shark on his first day on the outside? But, RJ has faith in him, and he convinces Bucky to do for Richie what Bucky does for other people looking to leave "the life."
The problem is, Bucky is right. Sharon gets video of Colt paying Richie a visit, and it seems clear that Colt arranged his coincidental release to bring back in RJ. But, it's even worse than Bucky thought, as Richie is also using his old contacts to put together a job to rob a high-stakes poker game, figuring RJ's particular skill set would come in handy. But, Higgins goes one step further, in the other direction. When Bucky confronts Richie, telling him to leave town, Higgins has Richie full of fury over Bucky's sense of entitlement over RJ. Richie's right in this way: Bucky has decided he's better for RJ, and he's impatient to be rid of Richie. When Richie dies accidentally in their fight, Bucky struggles once again to come to grips with his lack of control.
Everything spirals into chaos in issue #5. Colt lays in wait for RJ at Richie's place, knowing he'll come looking for his father when he doesn't show for breakfast. He tells RJ the truth about what Bucky did, while Bucky calls Sharon for help as he plans on burying Richie's body in the woods. Higgins uses this scene perfectly to show how much Bucky is struggling to make his own good decisions. Sharon convinces him to tell RJ the truth, but his instinct not to do so calls into question his motivations. Higgins once again shows us that Bucky's need to save RJ is more about him than RJ. When RJ rejects his attempt to apologize, seeing how he heard from Colt first, Bucky is devastated. Sharon pulls in favors to get Richie buried in a proper cemetery, but she warns Bucky she's depleting that store of favors. Bucky tearfully admits to Sharon that he was trying to save RJ from the fate that he so clearly feels, from hating himself so much that he can't imagine someone not hating him. Sharon comforts him, reminding him that helping someone and saving them are different paths. She encourages him not to forget that, not to try for perfection. His hotline rings, and despite his misgivings he answers. Meanwhile, RJ takes out Colt dressed in his uniform and tearfully fades in to the night.
In other words, wow. This mini-series has been spectacular from start to finish, but it ends so fucking strongly. It's an amazing psychological study of Bucky, and I honestly don't understand why they aren't just handing Higgins the keys to this kingdom here. We rarely get an author explore the savior complex that runs through superheroes, and Higgins does it so perfectly here.
Also Read: Avengers: No Road Home #5
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #6: Jackal working with Man-Wolf! McGuire does a good job here of introducing Gwen's new status quo, where she has to deal with the ramifications of outing herself. For reasons that aren't yet clear, we learn that Jackal and Man-Wolf are working together to take her down, sending a group of thugs to attack her so that they can learn her fighting style. But, they're not Gwen's only problem, as she suffers a series of headaches in the issue and is unaware that she appears to be shedding spiders. Are they going to form the real Venom eventually? I guess we'll see. Meanwhile, she's hiring out her services, and we know that's going to end well.
Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #5: This story's conclusion is pitch perfect. Han and his fellow cadets find Valance, only to discover a group of slaves seeking to escape the planet in the chaos of the Empire's attack. The cadets learn that the slaves mine farium, and Kanina is shaken to her core, as her boyfriend Weegee is a farium miner on her home planet in the Huru system. She realizes that the battalion heading to the Huru system means the Empire is going to enslave her people. Han convinces her to let the cadets and he fake her death so she can save her planet. If Marvel is looking for a good sequel to this story, Kanina leading a rebellion against the Empire on her home planet gets my vote. I've always liked Robbie Thompson, but he's been particularly impressive here, infusing Han's four fellow cadets with solid backstories and clear personalities in just five issues. Unfortunately, the emotional denouement -- Kanina arriving on her planet to fall into Weegee's arms as Han spends time in the stockade -- is ruined in part because of the art choices. Weegee looks identical to Han, and Prianto's use of a sepia tone makes it seem like Kanina is happy to see Han years later, after he leaves the Empire. I'm surprised the editors didn't catch that, particularly given how many editors the Star Wars line has at this point. But, overall, this mini-series was one of the strongest ones that we've had so far.
Transformers #1: As a child of the '80s, I was very excited about this comic. As often as I complain about reboots, I'll admit Dark Horse's universe of Transformers-related comics made it difficult to figure out where I could engage. In other words, I'm loathe to admit it, but this reboot was exactly for people like me; I apologize to long-time fans who just saw their continuity swept into the dustbin for us. But, I also think Ruckley does a great job of offering something for everyone, as this issue starts us at the time before the Autobots and Decepticons go to war.
The main story involves Bumblebee leading a newly sparked Transformer named Rubble to a transmission station to learn the wonders of "energon engineering" from a fellow Transformer named Brainstorm. In their journey they meet with a Transformer named Windblade. She works for Security Operations, and she asks to accompany Bumblebee and Rubble because she's also heading to the station after Brainstorm reported some "anomalies with the monitoring equipment." She hypothesizes that it's sabotage, leading Bumblebee to wonder if "the Rise" could be out this far. Along their journey to the station, we learn that Rubble is in a period of exploration that all newly sparked Transformers experience, as they journey to choose their alternate form. We also learn that they can later change their choice, as Bumblebee "left" Security Operations (where he met Windblade) to become a Search and Rescue worker. (Windblade implies that he didn't leave Security Operations so voluntarily.) Arriving at the station, Windblade senses something is wrong. While she and Bumblebee scout around a bit, Rubble stumbles upon a murdered Brainstorm.
The second story gives us context to this scene. We learn Megatron is the leader of a group called the Ascenticons. They're marching on a place called Tarm, which seems to have some sort of religious connotation to the Ascenticons. Concerned about safety, Orion Pax calls for a meeting with Megatron, as a fellow Senator and old friend. Ruckley doesn't give us much information here on the substance of Megatron's dissent. We only learn that his last rally left dozens injured, and he paints the Autobots as fascists seeking to restrict Transformers' freedoms. Moreover, Ruckley makes it clear that Orion uses "friend" a little too loosely here; Ruckley even mentions in his interview at the end of the issue that they aren't exactly "friends.'
In other words, Ruckley manages to make the comic feel familiar yet fresh at the same time. One of the most interesting developments is his introduction of an organic race of ape-like creatures called the Voin. Windblade dismisses them as scavengers, though it's unclear what they would be scavenging as Cybertron does seem entirely inorganic. Moreover, some of the Voin are connected to a floating aquarium containing a squid-like creature that speaks for the apes. In other words, we have a lot to explore.
Winter Soldier #4-#5: Issue #4 was so gripping that I just went ahead and read issue #5. Jesus fucking Christ. I've been following Higgins for a long time now, and he really takes his work on "Nightwing" to the next level here. He's gotten the tone of each issue exactly right. After all, RJ's cautious hope about his father, Richie, makes it clear that it's all going to end in tears, because it's a Bucky Barnes story and not a Steve Rogers story.
In both these issues, Higgins perfectly uses RJ as a mirror to Bucky's own feelings of doubt and mistrust. RJ desperately wants to believe Richie is trying to start a new life after he was released from prison. But, RJ is who HYDRA made him, so he's also suspicious. For example, he doesn't believe Richie's story that he recognized RJ on television, because RJ was only a year old when Richie went to jail. But, Richie shows him a picture that RJ's mother (allegedly) sent him, and he tells a moving story about how all he did for the time he was in prison was stare at that picture and imagine who his son was. It's enough for RJ.
But, it's not enough for Bucky. Higgins makes it clear that Bucky needs RJ. He needs to believe that he (and he alone) can save RJ from himself, because Bucky needs to believe that he can save himself. He learns that lesson hard in issue #5, but in issue #4 he still hasn't fully come to grips with his own motivations. The problem is that he's obviously not wrong in his suspicion of Richie. When RJ beats away some goons who came after Richie for money that he borrowed from them, it's the proof that Bucky needs that, at best, Richie is a small-time hood who can't go straight. After all, what kind of guy looking to go straight borrows money from a loan shark on his first day on the outside? But, RJ has faith in him, and he convinces Bucky to do for Richie what Bucky does for other people looking to leave "the life."
The problem is, Bucky is right. Sharon gets video of Colt paying Richie a visit, and it seems clear that Colt arranged his coincidental release to bring back in RJ. But, it's even worse than Bucky thought, as Richie is also using his old contacts to put together a job to rob a high-stakes poker game, figuring RJ's particular skill set would come in handy. But, Higgins goes one step further, in the other direction. When Bucky confronts Richie, telling him to leave town, Higgins has Richie full of fury over Bucky's sense of entitlement over RJ. Richie's right in this way: Bucky has decided he's better for RJ, and he's impatient to be rid of Richie. When Richie dies accidentally in their fight, Bucky struggles once again to come to grips with his lack of control.
Everything spirals into chaos in issue #5. Colt lays in wait for RJ at Richie's place, knowing he'll come looking for his father when he doesn't show for breakfast. He tells RJ the truth about what Bucky did, while Bucky calls Sharon for help as he plans on burying Richie's body in the woods. Higgins uses this scene perfectly to show how much Bucky is struggling to make his own good decisions. Sharon convinces him to tell RJ the truth, but his instinct not to do so calls into question his motivations. Higgins once again shows us that Bucky's need to save RJ is more about him than RJ. When RJ rejects his attempt to apologize, seeing how he heard from Colt first, Bucky is devastated. Sharon pulls in favors to get Richie buried in a proper cemetery, but she warns Bucky she's depleting that store of favors. Bucky tearfully admits to Sharon that he was trying to save RJ from the fate that he so clearly feels, from hating himself so much that he can't imagine someone not hating him. Sharon comforts him, reminding him that helping someone and saving them are different paths. She encourages him not to forget that, not to try for perfection. His hotline rings, and despite his misgivings he answers. Meanwhile, RJ takes out Colt dressed in his uniform and tearfully fades in to the night.
In other words, wow. This mini-series has been spectacular from start to finish, but it ends so fucking strongly. It's an amazing psychological study of Bucky, and I honestly don't understand why they aren't just handing Higgins the keys to this kingdom here. We rarely get an author explore the savior complex that runs through superheroes, and Higgins does it so perfectly here.
Also Read: Avengers: No Road Home #5
Friday, April 5, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The February 13 Non-Avengers Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Amazing Spider-Man #15: Spencer continues to undo some of the more ill-advised aspects of Slott's run here by killing off the newly resurrected Ned Leeds. It turns out Ned is the homeless guy May invited to dinner last issue; he sacrifices himself to save her in this one. But, Spencer doesn't just pop Ned for shits and giggles; Ned warns Spider-Man that Betty is in trouble. She's in Europe on assignment, so it's pretty clear we won't get to that story until we get through whatever Sinister Six reunion Spencer is planning next. In the meantime, Ned's death inspires May to reopen F.E.A.S.T., and it's an excellent call on Spencer's part. Aunt May's at her best as a character when she has something to do other than worry about Peter, and this development brings her a little more closely in line with her depiction in the "Marvel's Spider-Man" videogame. Showing how Spencer has a lot of pots on a lot of burners right now, I also wonder what horrible thing is going to happen to Billy Connors by trusting his mysterious friend. Time will tell.
The Flash #64: I'm not reading "Heroes in Crisis" in part because I don't believe DC would really kill Wally West so soon after he returned to the land of the living. If you don't accept that part as truth, then you don't accept why everyone is so angry at Batman. (I don't totally understand what responsibility Batman had for "Sanctuary" and whatever it was that happened there. But, again, I don't care.) As such, I spent most of this issue just rolling my eyes whenever the narrative veered towards Barry or Iris' anger at Bruce over Wally's "death." Williamson is at his best when he focuses on Gotham Girl. Barry proves Bruce's point that he may be the better detective when he posits that someone had to help Gotham and Gotham Girl with their costumes, just like Bruce (well, Alfred) did with the Robins and Barry did with Wally. Given the amount of Venom they find in the compound they're investigating, it seems like Bane is the answer. The more we can focus on this mystery and not "Heroes in Crisis," the better.
Shatterstar #5: What a weird but delightful miniseries this one was. Seeley really delivered a great cast of supporting characters while also managing to streamline Shatterstar's history. He lost a purpose -- death and destruction -- and found a purpose -- friends and belonging. Do I totally understand how Rictor uses his seismic powers to reach across the galaxy and pluck Ben from space because his powers are (allegedly) sonic in nature? No, no, I don't. But, was it worth that confusion for the great line about how he and Rictor have always been on the same wavelength? Yes, yes, it was. Also, Shatterstar bringing Grandmaster to Tina's god- and hero-less Universe so he could negate his godhood and wound him was remarkably clever, like a well timed stand-up comedy call back. Of the various five-issue mini-series we've been getting lately, this one is the best candidate for an ongoing series in my opinion.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #5: At long last, McGuire returns Gwen to her life. I feel like it's been years since we had a story focused on Gwen just trying to balance her personal life and her superhero career, and it's a welcome relief when McGuire does so here. Moreover, McGuire makes it clear we're not going to be jaunting to Madripoor or an alternate Universe anytime soon, as Gwen's got a more local foe to defeat: Man-Wolf! I've enjoyed all the places we've gone with Gwen, but I'm possibly most excited about her just spending some time with her in New York for a while.
Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #4: Thompson continues his strong run here, as Han and company decide to defy orders (surprising, I know) to save Valence after he crashed during a mission. By this point, no one should be surprised Han is willing to risk reprimand for a guy he doesn't even like: his sense of loyalty is beyond question. But, Thompson makes it interesting by using the predicament as a way to show how cold the Empire really is. Although Valence crashed, Han's pretty sure he's still alive. He only resorts to breaking orders after he's repeatedly denied resources to save Valence. His commander's indifference to Valence's plight makes it pretty clear why the Empire eventually falls.
Also Read: Detective Comics #998; Mr. and Mrs. X #8
The Flash #64: I'm not reading "Heroes in Crisis" in part because I don't believe DC would really kill Wally West so soon after he returned to the land of the living. If you don't accept that part as truth, then you don't accept why everyone is so angry at Batman. (I don't totally understand what responsibility Batman had for "Sanctuary" and whatever it was that happened there. But, again, I don't care.) As such, I spent most of this issue just rolling my eyes whenever the narrative veered towards Barry or Iris' anger at Bruce over Wally's "death." Williamson is at his best when he focuses on Gotham Girl. Barry proves Bruce's point that he may be the better detective when he posits that someone had to help Gotham and Gotham Girl with their costumes, just like Bruce (well, Alfred) did with the Robins and Barry did with Wally. Given the amount of Venom they find in the compound they're investigating, it seems like Bane is the answer. The more we can focus on this mystery and not "Heroes in Crisis," the better.
Shatterstar #5: What a weird but delightful miniseries this one was. Seeley really delivered a great cast of supporting characters while also managing to streamline Shatterstar's history. He lost a purpose -- death and destruction -- and found a purpose -- friends and belonging. Do I totally understand how Rictor uses his seismic powers to reach across the galaxy and pluck Ben from space because his powers are (allegedly) sonic in nature? No, no, I don't. But, was it worth that confusion for the great line about how he and Rictor have always been on the same wavelength? Yes, yes, it was. Also, Shatterstar bringing Grandmaster to Tina's god- and hero-less Universe so he could negate his godhood and wound him was remarkably clever, like a well timed stand-up comedy call back. Of the various five-issue mini-series we've been getting lately, this one is the best candidate for an ongoing series in my opinion.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #5: At long last, McGuire returns Gwen to her life. I feel like it's been years since we had a story focused on Gwen just trying to balance her personal life and her superhero career, and it's a welcome relief when McGuire does so here. Moreover, McGuire makes it clear we're not going to be jaunting to Madripoor or an alternate Universe anytime soon, as Gwen's got a more local foe to defeat: Man-Wolf! I've enjoyed all the places we've gone with Gwen, but I'm possibly most excited about her just spending some time with her in New York for a while.
Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #4: Thompson continues his strong run here, as Han and company decide to defy orders (surprising, I know) to save Valence after he crashed during a mission. By this point, no one should be surprised Han is willing to risk reprimand for a guy he doesn't even like: his sense of loyalty is beyond question. But, Thompson makes it interesting by using the predicament as a way to show how cold the Empire really is. Although Valence crashed, Han's pretty sure he's still alive. He only resorts to breaking orders after he's repeatedly denied resources to save Valence. His commander's indifference to Valence's plight makes it pretty clear why the Empire eventually falls.
Also Read: Detective Comics #998; Mr. and Mrs. X #8
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The December 12 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Amazing Spider-Man #11: This issue is solid, as JJJ, Jr. -- desperately seeking acceptance once again from New York's high society -- agrees to Wilson Fisk's invitation to present him with an award at an exclusive private club. The catch is that Fisk wants Spider-Man there, too, as part of his campaign to make it seem like Spider-Man supports him. Spencer has a good read on JJJ, Jr., particularly when it comes to the lenses through which other characters, like Robbie Robertson, see him. That said, I still feel like this series is missing something. It's not terrible by any means, but Spencer doesn't seem to be hitting his steps as neatly as he did when he was writing "Captain America."
Mr. and Mrs X #6: I really enjoyed this issue. We don't really see enough issues focused on the X-Men spending time with each other anymore, and Thompson delivers. Surprisingly, she's possibly at her best in depicting Bobby and Laura, to the point where I really think we could use a Thompson-penned "Iceman/X-23" road-trip series, something I didn't know I needed until this issue. But, she also does a great job of showing Remy and Rogue confront their pasts. Remy has to face down Bella Donna and a Thieves' Guild furious at him for marrying a goody-two-shoes like Rogue. For her part, Rogue has to encounter Magneto, but it's a much more helpful reunion. He tells her to talk to Remy about her concerns over her fluctuating powers but also something else she needs to hear, that Remy isn't going anywhere. Magneto, apparently ever the romantic.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #313: This arc ends more strongly than I expected as Peter successfully outfoxes Morlun, drugging him into submission with tranquilizers he found at the zoo. It feels inspired by the "Marvel's Spider-Man" videogame, as we don't usually see Peter interact with New York as specifically as he does here (and as he does throughout the videogame). Peter makes a speech at the end of the issue that summarizes Ryan's assertion on why he defeats Morlun so often, namely that Morlun assumes he's going to win because he's faster and stronger and thus never has a plan. I more or less buy that logic, and it does at least partly address my criticism of issue #312. It's not perfect, but I'll take it. Frigeri is also on fire here; he can draw half-naked Spidey whenever he wants in my book.
Spider-Force #3: I read the words, but, honestly, I barely understand what they were saying. I think Priest was telling a story about no one trusting each other, so they made bad decisions. The problem with that premise is he also repeatedly mentioned they were all bonded to each other after Jameson linked their minds. But, apparently Kaine lied about his Web-Warrior watch being broken, though I have no idea why he did so? It doesn't help that understanding this issue requires you to remember what happened in issue #1, since we reach that moment here. I'm sure if you're reading this series as part of a TPB it might make sense but I don't at all remember the details Priest wants me to remember two months later. Plus, "Spider-geddon" #4 already spoiled the ending, showing Jessica arriving on Earth-616 with the Solus crystal. This series had great potential, but it's really just a mess at the end.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #3: I'll admit I don't totally buy the resolution here. Gwen realizes the Green Goblin is spending time at the warehouse where she and the Mary Janes practiced in her reality, and she brings Mary Jane with her to try to reason with other Gwen. The Green Goblin sees Mary Jane and almost instantly remembers who she is, which is...weird. After all, Mary Jane talks about how the Green Goblin had previously seen her: every time she threw a pumpkin bomb at Mary Jane, she missed. If so, why didn't she remember who she was all those times that she saw Mary Jane? The only thing our Gwen does here to help is remove the Green Goblin's mask, but that seems pretty...basic. At any rate, I have to say I'm overall happy with the way this arc went because the characterization was really strong. I wouldn't mind returning to this Earth in a future anthology, just to see how everyone is doing. (That said, Peter doesn't share that hope. He remarks here that he hopes they don't see Gwen again because he's pretty sure she hates him.) Now, let's get back to our Mary Jane, shall we? (I loved when she mentioned Mary Jane is terrifying in any reality.) It's time to see what Gwen's life is like with "Spider-geddon" in the rear-view mirror.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #27: I'm making the somewhat difficult decision to stop getting this book with this issue. It's difficult because I've actually enjoyed this arc more than previous ones. Aphra is almost human here, and Triple-Zero is a thrill as always. But, I feel like this series has definitely lost its way. It just seems to recycle the same scenarios and antagonists, setting up yet another situation where Aphra betrays her companions but not so badly that she's irredeemable. I could hang in there another four issues to see how the arc ends, but I feel like I already know how it will go. I've been following Aphra for almost four years, after her debut in "Darth Vader," so it's sad to let her go. But, why delay the inevitable? Bye, Aphra. I hope you survive Triple-Zero to betray another day.
Also Read: Avengers #11; Fantastic Four: Wedding Special #1; Infinity Wars: Sleepwalker #4; Uncanny X-Men #5; X-Men: Red #11
Mr. and Mrs X #6: I really enjoyed this issue. We don't really see enough issues focused on the X-Men spending time with each other anymore, and Thompson delivers. Surprisingly, she's possibly at her best in depicting Bobby and Laura, to the point where I really think we could use a Thompson-penned "Iceman/X-23" road-trip series, something I didn't know I needed until this issue. But, she also does a great job of showing Remy and Rogue confront their pasts. Remy has to face down Bella Donna and a Thieves' Guild furious at him for marrying a goody-two-shoes like Rogue. For her part, Rogue has to encounter Magneto, but it's a much more helpful reunion. He tells her to talk to Remy about her concerns over her fluctuating powers but also something else she needs to hear, that Remy isn't going anywhere. Magneto, apparently ever the romantic.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #313: This arc ends more strongly than I expected as Peter successfully outfoxes Morlun, drugging him into submission with tranquilizers he found at the zoo. It feels inspired by the "Marvel's Spider-Man" videogame, as we don't usually see Peter interact with New York as specifically as he does here (and as he does throughout the videogame). Peter makes a speech at the end of the issue that summarizes Ryan's assertion on why he defeats Morlun so often, namely that Morlun assumes he's going to win because he's faster and stronger and thus never has a plan. I more or less buy that logic, and it does at least partly address my criticism of issue #312. It's not perfect, but I'll take it. Frigeri is also on fire here; he can draw half-naked Spidey whenever he wants in my book.
Spider-Force #3: I read the words, but, honestly, I barely understand what they were saying. I think Priest was telling a story about no one trusting each other, so they made bad decisions. The problem with that premise is he also repeatedly mentioned they were all bonded to each other after Jameson linked their minds. But, apparently Kaine lied about his Web-Warrior watch being broken, though I have no idea why he did so? It doesn't help that understanding this issue requires you to remember what happened in issue #1, since we reach that moment here. I'm sure if you're reading this series as part of a TPB it might make sense but I don't at all remember the details Priest wants me to remember two months later. Plus, "Spider-geddon" #4 already spoiled the ending, showing Jessica arriving on Earth-616 with the Solus crystal. This series had great potential, but it's really just a mess at the end.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #3: I'll admit I don't totally buy the resolution here. Gwen realizes the Green Goblin is spending time at the warehouse where she and the Mary Janes practiced in her reality, and she brings Mary Jane with her to try to reason with other Gwen. The Green Goblin sees Mary Jane and almost instantly remembers who she is, which is...weird. After all, Mary Jane talks about how the Green Goblin had previously seen her: every time she threw a pumpkin bomb at Mary Jane, she missed. If so, why didn't she remember who she was all those times that she saw Mary Jane? The only thing our Gwen does here to help is remove the Green Goblin's mask, but that seems pretty...basic. At any rate, I have to say I'm overall happy with the way this arc went because the characterization was really strong. I wouldn't mind returning to this Earth in a future anthology, just to see how everyone is doing. (That said, Peter doesn't share that hope. He remarks here that he hopes they don't see Gwen again because he's pretty sure she hates him.) Now, let's get back to our Mary Jane, shall we? (I loved when she mentioned Mary Jane is terrifying in any reality.) It's time to see what Gwen's life is like with "Spider-geddon" in the rear-view mirror.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #27: I'm making the somewhat difficult decision to stop getting this book with this issue. It's difficult because I've actually enjoyed this arc more than previous ones. Aphra is almost human here, and Triple-Zero is a thrill as always. But, I feel like this series has definitely lost its way. It just seems to recycle the same scenarios and antagonists, setting up yet another situation where Aphra betrays her companions but not so badly that she's irredeemable. I could hang in there another four issues to see how the arc ends, but I feel like I already know how it will go. I've been following Aphra for almost four years, after her debut in "Darth Vader," so it's sad to let her go. But, why delay the inevitable? Bye, Aphra. I hope you survive Triple-Zero to betray another day.
Also Read: Avengers #11; Fantastic Four: Wedding Special #1; Infinity Wars: Sleepwalker #4; Uncanny X-Men #5; X-Men: Red #11
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The November 28 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Amazing Spider-Man #10: Spencer clearly hated exactly the same things about Slott's run as I did as he changes one of Slott's most egregious characterization crimes in this issue: Felicia is thankfully on the side of angels again. (I'm just going to overlook Peter overlooking her crimes, like I do with Batman overlooking Red Hood's.) More interestingly, she pins her fall into evil as starting when she realized she no longer knew who Peter was under the mask. (Apparently Spencer also had issues with Quesada as well.) Moved by her insistence they meant something once, Peter unmasks himself to her, a moment that validates her importance not just to him but to us, the fans, as well. I'll admit Spencer is still struggling to get a definitive bead on Peter as a character, veering seemingly randomly from excessively chipper to downright maudlin. But, he definitely secures my patience as he fixes yet another wrong perpetrated on Peter and his supporting cast during "Brand New Day" and its hangover.
Darth Vader #24: Soule does a great job here of not delaying Vader's crossing into the Force for too long, but long enough to make it suspenseful. Momin's betrayal of Vader allows the indigenous Mustafarian forces time to marshal an attack, forcing Vader to re-focus his efforts on securing the fortress. Soule takes the extra step of showing Vader successfully rallying his rattled troops into battle, a reminder that the Stormtroopers don't follow Vader from a place of fear so much as awe. The Mustafarians seem to get the upper hand as they use the lava to wipe out the Imperials. Vader only survives in a display of badass-ery that recalls his origins: as we see him leaping from the lava and burning on the shores once again, it's clear it isn't going to end well for the Mustafarians. Once he vanquishes them, he makes fairly short work of a surprised Momin. I have to be honest, I understand why Momin would arrogantly assume his superiority to Vader, since he just managed to pull off a millennia-long plan to resurrect himself. But, Vader is Vader, and he uses this arrogance against Momin, clearing the way for his own crossing into the Force. I'm intrigued where Soule is going here. One of my hopes for this series since Day #1 was that the authors would explore Vader before he became the (seemingly) irredeemably villain he was in "Star Wars." I have to wonder if his presumed "reunion" with Padme doesn't push him farther along that spectrum, something I'd be excited to see.
Marvel 2-in-One #12: Zdarsky ends this series on a high note, with Johnny showing how much he's matured since the team began. After all, Ben, Reed, and Sue all lied to him to protect his feelings, and Johnny argues they treated him like a child in so doing. His call for them to be better about sharing their pain forces everyone, the reader included, to reassess their view of him. But, he also shows his maturity by forgiving them. Zdarksy did such an excellent job on this title and "Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man" that it's hard to believe Marvel would allow his run on either one to end. At least Zdarsky had the chance to wrap up some of the emotional loose ends from Reed and Sue's disappearance, particularly as Slott has already moved onto the wedding in the main title. I still think we (and Johnny) deserve a better explanation from Reed and Sue, but at least we get this moment here.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #2: This issue is spectacular. McGuire pours his heart and soul into this issue and it shows. This issue clears the high bar "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2 set in terms of presenting a fully realized world containing clearly drawn characters. For really the first time I can remember, someone presents us a intuitively believable vision of Peter Parker if he hadn't become Spider-Man. In a way, it feels like McGuire is finishing the work Latour started with our Gwen's Peter, since we never really meet him. This Peter is the nerd he was destined to be. He created the radioactive spider that bit Harry, turning Harry into Spider-Man. Gwen is also the scientist she was supposed to be. After Harry became Spider-Man, she created the Goblin outfit based on her work with bio-feedback circuitry at Oscorp (where she and Peter were interning). Peter and Mary Jane play the supporting roles here, but it all goes tragically wrong when Gwen accidentally kills her father in a fight she and Harry are having with Sandman. Her moment of distraction gives Sandman time to kill Harry and an ensuing explosion fuses Gwen with her suit. She's now only the Goblin, and Peter and Mary Jane are frantically trying to find a way to save her when our Gwen appears. McGuire is at his best when he shows Peter as totally desperate to save his friends; it's an echo of our Peter, but in a world where the sorrows he's known have overwhelmed him. He's not funny or quippy, just focused and serious. He unapologetically blackmails our Gwen into helping them by saying their Gwen is the only person who can help her fix her Web-Warriors' watch. Our Gwen seems to suspect he's lying as much as we do. McGuire really conveys Gwen's desperation here, as she's aware her friends could be dying as she's delayed in this Universe. But, Gwen decides to throw in her lot with Peter and Mary Jane, clearly moved in party by their plight. It's this sort of realistic characterization that makes this issue so gripping. I can't wait to see where we go from here.
Uncanny X-Men #3: This issue is an improvement over the last two issues, though I can't say I'm enthusiastic about where we're going here. After the X-Men in Montana make short work of the rampaging dinosaurs, they fly to Kansas to help the other X-Men take on the Madrox horde. Jean and Psylocke are able to shut down the dupes' minds, and they discover Jamie Prime beaten and locked in the basement. (The authors make no comment at all on the fact Jamie Prime is supposed to be dead, so it's unclear to me if it's the real Jamie Prime or the megalomaniacal Jamie Prime from the "Multiple Man" mini-series. Also, where's Layla?) Jamie reveals Legion beat him repeatedly to create dupes into which he could stash his personalities. (I guess those dupes were the ones the X-Men just defeated?) It's still unclear why they were all looking for Kitty Pryde, but, if I'm guessing, it's because Legion was looking at her. He wanted to warn the X-Men of the coming of the Four Horsemen of Salvation: Angel, Blob, Magneto, and Omega Red. It seems clear they're working for X-Man, but we're not going to get there until next issue (at least). Instead, Magneto, the so-called Horseman of Peace, destroys the X-Mansion, because his goal is to take out anyone who creates war (i.e., the X-Men.) Um, OK, I guess? It all still feels like a mess, but at least we're getting closer to answers here.
Also Read: Detective Comics #993; Fantastic Four #4; Old Man Hawkeye #11; Return of Wolverine #3
Darth Vader #24: Soule does a great job here of not delaying Vader's crossing into the Force for too long, but long enough to make it suspenseful. Momin's betrayal of Vader allows the indigenous Mustafarian forces time to marshal an attack, forcing Vader to re-focus his efforts on securing the fortress. Soule takes the extra step of showing Vader successfully rallying his rattled troops into battle, a reminder that the Stormtroopers don't follow Vader from a place of fear so much as awe. The Mustafarians seem to get the upper hand as they use the lava to wipe out the Imperials. Vader only survives in a display of badass-ery that recalls his origins: as we see him leaping from the lava and burning on the shores once again, it's clear it isn't going to end well for the Mustafarians. Once he vanquishes them, he makes fairly short work of a surprised Momin. I have to be honest, I understand why Momin would arrogantly assume his superiority to Vader, since he just managed to pull off a millennia-long plan to resurrect himself. But, Vader is Vader, and he uses this arrogance against Momin, clearing the way for his own crossing into the Force. I'm intrigued where Soule is going here. One of my hopes for this series since Day #1 was that the authors would explore Vader before he became the (seemingly) irredeemably villain he was in "Star Wars." I have to wonder if his presumed "reunion" with Padme doesn't push him farther along that spectrum, something I'd be excited to see.
Marvel 2-in-One #12: Zdarsky ends this series on a high note, with Johnny showing how much he's matured since the team began. After all, Ben, Reed, and Sue all lied to him to protect his feelings, and Johnny argues they treated him like a child in so doing. His call for them to be better about sharing their pain forces everyone, the reader included, to reassess their view of him. But, he also shows his maturity by forgiving them. Zdarksy did such an excellent job on this title and "Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man" that it's hard to believe Marvel would allow his run on either one to end. At least Zdarsky had the chance to wrap up some of the emotional loose ends from Reed and Sue's disappearance, particularly as Slott has already moved onto the wedding in the main title. I still think we (and Johnny) deserve a better explanation from Reed and Sue, but at least we get this moment here.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #2: This issue is spectacular. McGuire pours his heart and soul into this issue and it shows. This issue clears the high bar "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2 set in terms of presenting a fully realized world containing clearly drawn characters. For really the first time I can remember, someone presents us a intuitively believable vision of Peter Parker if he hadn't become Spider-Man. In a way, it feels like McGuire is finishing the work Latour started with our Gwen's Peter, since we never really meet him. This Peter is the nerd he was destined to be. He created the radioactive spider that bit Harry, turning Harry into Spider-Man. Gwen is also the scientist she was supposed to be. After Harry became Spider-Man, she created the Goblin outfit based on her work with bio-feedback circuitry at Oscorp (where she and Peter were interning). Peter and Mary Jane play the supporting roles here, but it all goes tragically wrong when Gwen accidentally kills her father in a fight she and Harry are having with Sandman. Her moment of distraction gives Sandman time to kill Harry and an ensuing explosion fuses Gwen with her suit. She's now only the Goblin, and Peter and Mary Jane are frantically trying to find a way to save her when our Gwen appears. McGuire is at his best when he shows Peter as totally desperate to save his friends; it's an echo of our Peter, but in a world where the sorrows he's known have overwhelmed him. He's not funny or quippy, just focused and serious. He unapologetically blackmails our Gwen into helping them by saying their Gwen is the only person who can help her fix her Web-Warriors' watch. Our Gwen seems to suspect he's lying as much as we do. McGuire really conveys Gwen's desperation here, as she's aware her friends could be dying as she's delayed in this Universe. But, Gwen decides to throw in her lot with Peter and Mary Jane, clearly moved in party by their plight. It's this sort of realistic characterization that makes this issue so gripping. I can't wait to see where we go from here.
Uncanny X-Men #3: This issue is an improvement over the last two issues, though I can't say I'm enthusiastic about where we're going here. After the X-Men in Montana make short work of the rampaging dinosaurs, they fly to Kansas to help the other X-Men take on the Madrox horde. Jean and Psylocke are able to shut down the dupes' minds, and they discover Jamie Prime beaten and locked in the basement. (The authors make no comment at all on the fact Jamie Prime is supposed to be dead, so it's unclear to me if it's the real Jamie Prime or the megalomaniacal Jamie Prime from the "Multiple Man" mini-series. Also, where's Layla?) Jamie reveals Legion beat him repeatedly to create dupes into which he could stash his personalities. (I guess those dupes were the ones the X-Men just defeated?) It's still unclear why they were all looking for Kitty Pryde, but, if I'm guessing, it's because Legion was looking at her. He wanted to warn the X-Men of the coming of the Four Horsemen of Salvation: Angel, Blob, Magneto, and Omega Red. It seems clear they're working for X-Man, but we're not going to get there until next issue (at least). Instead, Magneto, the so-called Horseman of Peace, destroys the X-Mansion, because his goal is to take out anyone who creates war (i.e., the X-Men.) Um, OK, I guess? It all still feels like a mess, but at least we're getting closer to answers here.
Also Read: Detective Comics #993; Fantastic Four #4; Old Man Hawkeye #11; Return of Wolverine #3
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