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
Showing posts with label Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2017). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2017). Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The October 24 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Amazing Spider-Man #8: This issue is OK, but I’ll admit I’m having trouble following everyone’s status quo (a theme of the month, as you’ll see). First, we have MJ. It was always a little unbelievable Mary Jane was a top executive at Stark Industries, a reality highlighted when Peter lists her previous jobs as a model, actress, and club owner. We learn here she quit under acrimonious circumstances, but I don't read "Iron Man" so I don't know why. Plus, I’m still not sure whether Peter accepted the Lizard’s offer to help him actually earn his Ph.D. Before we can get to the bottom of either mystery, we’re launched into the next arc. It’s just a little dizzying at this point.
Detective Comics #991: Well, that went James Robinson very quickly. This issue quickly devolves into a circular and largely nonsensical conversation between Batman, Commission Gordon, and Two-Face. Jim seems determined to believe Harvey is still alive somewhere in there even though, OMFG, how many times have we been down this road, Jim? But, it just doesn't stop there. Robinson tries to do too much here as Two-Face argues it was Harvey who killed Karl Twist while Bruce notes the Fireflies' description of Twist's building means Two-Face is helping Kobra (because Bruce didn't get a chance to read the plans Twist developed for them). So is Harvey working for Kobra , too? Also, at some point, Two-Face jumps off the bridge because he's mad Jim is there. Yeah, I don't know. I'm just trying to get to Tomasi at this point.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #25: This series has always been written for the trade, but I have to admit I think it’s gotten to the point where I can’t really follow from month to month. Granted, it’s probably been two months or so since I read the last issue, but I spent most of the issue trying to remember everyone status quo. (See? Theme.) For example, I think “Sir” called Vader to delay Accresker Jail crashing into the planet Tiferep, but I’m not 100% certain. I also know Sana was involved in this arc somehow, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just to evacuate the Rebel forces from Tiferep, as she does here. Moreover, I think Dr. Evazan had something to do with the death of Tam Posla’s partner, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was. All in all, I think it’s time for me to call it a day with this series. I enjoy Aphra as a character, but the series may require more work than I can provide at this point.
X-Men: Red #9: The X-Men seem not to have a group editor, because I feel like everyone is just telling stories. For example, Rachel comes under the sway of Cassandra Nova here, meaning Taylor is telling almost exactly the same story Guggenheim just told in "X-Men Gold." It wasn't all that believable when it was Mesmero controlling her, and I have to stay it still isn't all that believable even when it's Cassandra Nova. Given Rachel is also likely coming under the sway of Ahab in "Extermination," it really makes you wonder how no editor didn't maybe raise his or her hand and note we were getting downright repetitive in X-Land.
Also Read: Infinity Wars: Sleepwalker #2; Return of Wolverine #2; Spider-geddon #2; Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #1; X-Men: Black - Juggernaut #1
Detective Comics #991: Well, that went James Robinson very quickly. This issue quickly devolves into a circular and largely nonsensical conversation between Batman, Commission Gordon, and Two-Face. Jim seems determined to believe Harvey is still alive somewhere in there even though, OMFG, how many times have we been down this road, Jim? But, it just doesn't stop there. Robinson tries to do too much here as Two-Face argues it was Harvey who killed Karl Twist while Bruce notes the Fireflies' description of Twist's building means Two-Face is helping Kobra (because Bruce didn't get a chance to read the plans Twist developed for them). So is Harvey working for Kobra , too? Also, at some point, Two-Face jumps off the bridge because he's mad Jim is there. Yeah, I don't know. I'm just trying to get to Tomasi at this point.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #25: This series has always been written for the trade, but I have to admit I think it’s gotten to the point where I can’t really follow from month to month. Granted, it’s probably been two months or so since I read the last issue, but I spent most of the issue trying to remember everyone status quo. (See? Theme.) For example, I think “Sir” called Vader to delay Accresker Jail crashing into the planet Tiferep, but I’m not 100% certain. I also know Sana was involved in this arc somehow, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just to evacuate the Rebel forces from Tiferep, as she does here. Moreover, I think Dr. Evazan had something to do with the death of Tam Posla’s partner, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was. All in all, I think it’s time for me to call it a day with this series. I enjoy Aphra as a character, but the series may require more work than I can provide at this point.
X-Men: Red #9: The X-Men seem not to have a group editor, because I feel like everyone is just telling stories. For example, Rachel comes under the sway of Cassandra Nova here, meaning Taylor is telling almost exactly the same story Guggenheim just told in "X-Men Gold." It wasn't all that believable when it was Mesmero controlling her, and I have to stay it still isn't all that believable even when it's Cassandra Nova. Given Rachel is also likely coming under the sway of Ahab in "Extermination," it really makes you wonder how no editor didn't maybe raise his or her hand and note we were getting downright repetitive in X-Land.
Also Read: Infinity Wars: Sleepwalker #2; Return of Wolverine #2; Spider-geddon #2; Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #1; X-Men: Black - Juggernaut #1
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Not-Very-New Comics: The September 5 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Astonishing X-Men #15: I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about this series rubs me the wrong way. I mean, I like where Rosenberg is going with the idea the team is full of rejects: Kitty disavows them publicly, they have to take a bus instead of jetting everywhere in a Blackbird, etc. It's not only funny but it also puts them in situations we don't often see. How would a superhero team function if a wealthy patron wasn't paying the bills? Moreover, I'm enjoying angry and drunk Alex; he's super fun here, in a "total mess" kind of way. (Maybe he can drunkenly go bi-curious with Bobby?) But, I'm not sure I'm buying everything else. First, we have some odd character beats, like Proudstar being chatty and Dazzler calling Beast fat. Then, I'm still not sure I get what O.N.E. wants with the Reavers. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a child of the ‘80s, so I love me some Reavers. But, I almost feel l like I missed an issue when it comes to their connection. When you add in the Greg Land porn poses, the series has some weaknesses that I hope get addressed because it also has potential.
Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #23: I'm totally on board with what David is doing here, so it's weird that I don't really seem to care. I mean, I love the twist here, with Mephisto killing Abigail by tricking Cassandra and Peter into thinking he was an immortal Abigail traveling back from the future with only one wish: to die. Of course, he goes one better and then implants false memories into Cassandra's and Slate's minds, making them believe Ben let Abigail die so he could sell the cure to a major pharmaceutical company. If Ben survives an hour, Mephisto will restore their (still fake, but better for Ben) memories! Hurrah! But, 23 issues into this series, I still feel like I don't really know Ben. Slott turned him into an entirely different character than the one we all knew and loved, but David hasn't really done much to give us any additional insight into his thinking. The entire series feels a lot more shallow than the typical David story, as if David doesn't really know who he wants Ben to be. As such, he just jumps from crisis to crisis. He doesn't really have a life or any supporting characters (other than possibly Kaine) who care about him. In fact, David seems just to tell the same story about trying to cure Abigail over and over again, a far cry from the road epic I thought we were going to get when this series started. In other words: meh?
Captain America #3: Coates is really on fire here as he shows how an entity called Power Enterprises stepped into the vacuum HYDRA left in fly-over country. At a street fair, Steve chats up an average Joe (henceforth, Average Joe, like the gym). He describes what his life used to be like: unemployed, wife on disability, son on drugs. Then, HYDRA came and did what the government couldn’t: reopened the mines, improved the schools, got people healthy. It’s morning in America, according to Average Joe. When HYDRA collapsed, Power Enterprises took over that role. But, Steve knows better: he entered the mines and discovered the "miners" were just moving around dirt. Later, he and T’Challa discuss how easy it is for the people to look the other way with their belief in how life is realized. (Steve also hypothesizes HYDRA got rid of anyone that would’ve caused problems.) With the remaining residents of the town blissfully satisfied, Power Enterprises has a great place to operate: the empty mine below the town houses Zeke Stane’s base, where he’s creating his army of Nukes. T’Challa briefs Steve on the Power Elite: they’re a coterie of criminals (including Stane) who fought HYDRA, so they enjoy influence in the new Washington. Steve and T'Challa discover someone in Washington is Stane’s handler, and I’m guessing it’s General Ross, who sees America in similar terms as Average Joe. Meanwhile, Sharon finds herself face-to-face with Selene in Albania, an interesting development to say the least. Honest, Coates is really telling a classic -- in all senses -- Captain America story. He’s really working through the thought experiment of what America would look like after a hostile takeover. (Actually exploring the aftermath of an event alone earns him a medal.) He explores the winners and losers, both within the government and outside it. Moreover, he has sympathy for Average Joe’s plight, but this sympathy has limits: Joe clearly only cares about what he gets, without wondering who paid for it. It’s a political story, but it’s not a partisan one. In fact, it underscores the challenge politicians have in this environment, where compromise is virtually impossible since no one wants to give up anything. Whereas I find myself bored with most of the other marquee titles right now, Coates is making “Captain America” a must-read one.
Nightwing #48: I totally dig the premise of this issue, because Dick Grayson definitely lends himself to a story about a secret cosmic motocross race. In fact, I feel like Percy rushed us too quickly into the story, as I would've enjoyed Dick doing his best Han Solo in the pubs before the race. We know two of the racers -- Flamingo and Professor Pyg in an ode to "Batman" #666 -- but Dick barely has time to register for the race before it begins, so we don't really know anyone else. It feels like a missed opportunity, but only because I dig the premise so much. But, the main problem is the fact this story ties into the larger Wyrm story. Dick informs us he's racing for his "friends" Vicki Vale and Willem Cloke (a sign Dick seems to use "friends" loosely). If he wins, he gets to ask Cimialcinnus, the Celtic deity of paths, a question. But, he apparently has to hack into Cimialcinnus' "techno-mythological" altar instead as part of his deal with Wyrm. (I don't really remember Wyrm asking him to do so, but there you go.) Dick's plan seems to be just to ride and hope he can figure out a way to avoid hacking into the altar as he goes. To make matters worse, DC has inserted Silencer into the issue. They've been pushing her heavily for months and for some reason she's here to kill Dick. All these twists just weigh down what could've been a pretty great story. I guess we'll see if Percy can stick the landing.
Star Wars #53: This issue is spectacular. It has everything you could possibly want. Han and Luke enjoy some banter, but then they get to work. Luke uses the fireworks rig from the commissioning ceremony to show Ackbar any ship broadcasting a Rebel signal can open the flight doors, getting the fleet back into action. Han is uncharacteristically all business here, and it’s a side of him we’ve never really seen. He and Chewie manage to crash-land the Falcon on one of the cruisers, and he immediately demands a ship to rejoin the fight. Gillen is really showing Han to be the hero he is when no one is looking. Meanwhile, Leia’s guilt eventually overwhelms her. When one of the hackers discovers the override codes are on the Executor, Leia impersonates Trios to get on board the ship, since the Imperials don’t know she bailed in an escape pod. The only problem is Vader has her dock in his own private hanger. The Rebels accompanying her then blast their way through the support staff as Vader approaches the ship. If the opening arc of this series felt like “Star Wars” 1.5, this arc feels like “Star Wars” 1.75. If Disney had any idea what it was doing, it would use this plot as the basis for the next movie.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Annual #2: This issue is nothing but fun. Throughout the issue, Spurrier keeps you guessing what Aphra's angle is and the reveal doesn't disappoint. He also introduces us to two characters that feel ripe for a miniseries or spin-off series. Aphra has shown Disney that this galaxy far, far away can tell stories outside the Skywalker saga, so I hope they embrace that lesson with Winloss and Nokk.
Also Read: Avengers #7; Batman #54; X-Men: Gold #35
Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #23: I'm totally on board with what David is doing here, so it's weird that I don't really seem to care. I mean, I love the twist here, with Mephisto killing Abigail by tricking Cassandra and Peter into thinking he was an immortal Abigail traveling back from the future with only one wish: to die. Of course, he goes one better and then implants false memories into Cassandra's and Slate's minds, making them believe Ben let Abigail die so he could sell the cure to a major pharmaceutical company. If Ben survives an hour, Mephisto will restore their (still fake, but better for Ben) memories! Hurrah! But, 23 issues into this series, I still feel like I don't really know Ben. Slott turned him into an entirely different character than the one we all knew and loved, but David hasn't really done much to give us any additional insight into his thinking. The entire series feels a lot more shallow than the typical David story, as if David doesn't really know who he wants Ben to be. As such, he just jumps from crisis to crisis. He doesn't really have a life or any supporting characters (other than possibly Kaine) who care about him. In fact, David seems just to tell the same story about trying to cure Abigail over and over again, a far cry from the road epic I thought we were going to get when this series started. In other words: meh?
Captain America #3: Coates is really on fire here as he shows how an entity called Power Enterprises stepped into the vacuum HYDRA left in fly-over country. At a street fair, Steve chats up an average Joe (henceforth, Average Joe, like the gym). He describes what his life used to be like: unemployed, wife on disability, son on drugs. Then, HYDRA came and did what the government couldn’t: reopened the mines, improved the schools, got people healthy. It’s morning in America, according to Average Joe. When HYDRA collapsed, Power Enterprises took over that role. But, Steve knows better: he entered the mines and discovered the "miners" were just moving around dirt. Later, he and T’Challa discuss how easy it is for the people to look the other way with their belief in how life is realized. (Steve also hypothesizes HYDRA got rid of anyone that would’ve caused problems.) With the remaining residents of the town blissfully satisfied, Power Enterprises has a great place to operate: the empty mine below the town houses Zeke Stane’s base, where he’s creating his army of Nukes. T’Challa briefs Steve on the Power Elite: they’re a coterie of criminals (including Stane) who fought HYDRA, so they enjoy influence in the new Washington. Steve and T'Challa discover someone in Washington is Stane’s handler, and I’m guessing it’s General Ross, who sees America in similar terms as Average Joe. Meanwhile, Sharon finds herself face-to-face with Selene in Albania, an interesting development to say the least. Honest, Coates is really telling a classic -- in all senses -- Captain America story. He’s really working through the thought experiment of what America would look like after a hostile takeover. (Actually exploring the aftermath of an event alone earns him a medal.) He explores the winners and losers, both within the government and outside it. Moreover, he has sympathy for Average Joe’s plight, but this sympathy has limits: Joe clearly only cares about what he gets, without wondering who paid for it. It’s a political story, but it’s not a partisan one. In fact, it underscores the challenge politicians have in this environment, where compromise is virtually impossible since no one wants to give up anything. Whereas I find myself bored with most of the other marquee titles right now, Coates is making “Captain America” a must-read one.
Nightwing #48: I totally dig the premise of this issue, because Dick Grayson definitely lends himself to a story about a secret cosmic motocross race. In fact, I feel like Percy rushed us too quickly into the story, as I would've enjoyed Dick doing his best Han Solo in the pubs before the race. We know two of the racers -- Flamingo and Professor Pyg in an ode to "Batman" #666 -- but Dick barely has time to register for the race before it begins, so we don't really know anyone else. It feels like a missed opportunity, but only because I dig the premise so much. But, the main problem is the fact this story ties into the larger Wyrm story. Dick informs us he's racing for his "friends" Vicki Vale and Willem Cloke (a sign Dick seems to use "friends" loosely). If he wins, he gets to ask Cimialcinnus, the Celtic deity of paths, a question. But, he apparently has to hack into Cimialcinnus' "techno-mythological" altar instead as part of his deal with Wyrm. (I don't really remember Wyrm asking him to do so, but there you go.) Dick's plan seems to be just to ride and hope he can figure out a way to avoid hacking into the altar as he goes. To make matters worse, DC has inserted Silencer into the issue. They've been pushing her heavily for months and for some reason she's here to kill Dick. All these twists just weigh down what could've been a pretty great story. I guess we'll see if Percy can stick the landing.
Star Wars #53: This issue is spectacular. It has everything you could possibly want. Han and Luke enjoy some banter, but then they get to work. Luke uses the fireworks rig from the commissioning ceremony to show Ackbar any ship broadcasting a Rebel signal can open the flight doors, getting the fleet back into action. Han is uncharacteristically all business here, and it’s a side of him we’ve never really seen. He and Chewie manage to crash-land the Falcon on one of the cruisers, and he immediately demands a ship to rejoin the fight. Gillen is really showing Han to be the hero he is when no one is looking. Meanwhile, Leia’s guilt eventually overwhelms her. When one of the hackers discovers the override codes are on the Executor, Leia impersonates Trios to get on board the ship, since the Imperials don’t know she bailed in an escape pod. The only problem is Vader has her dock in his own private hanger. The Rebels accompanying her then blast their way through the support staff as Vader approaches the ship. If the opening arc of this series felt like “Star Wars” 1.5, this arc feels like “Star Wars” 1.75. If Disney had any idea what it was doing, it would use this plot as the basis for the next movie.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Annual #2: This issue is nothing but fun. Throughout the issue, Spurrier keeps you guessing what Aphra's angle is and the reveal doesn't disappoint. He also introduces us to two characters that feel ripe for a miniseries or spin-off series. Aphra has shown Disney that this galaxy far, far away can tell stories outside the Skywalker saga, so I hope they embrace that lesson with Winloss and Nokk.
Also Read: Avengers #7; Batman #54; X-Men: Gold #35
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
New-ish Comics: The June 27 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #3: Seriously how many times can Marvel ret-con Darkhawk’s origin? We learn here the Gardener, one of the Elders of the Universe, created the Tree of Shadows. He was obsessed with seeing where he could grow life, and he saw the Darkforce Dimension as a challenge. He apparently forgot about the Tree after planting it. However, millennia later, the Shi’ar and Skrulls somehow discovered it and fought over it. A Shi’ar soldier gets to the Tree first and steals a seed, and it somehow transforms him into a set of “living armor.” (I'm definitely not sure how that happened. Did his armor take over his body? If so, how and why did the Tree make that happen?) Moreover, the soldier observes the Skrulls changing shape, which somehow allows him to change shape? I don’t know. At any rate, he seems to be the first Raptor. Chris gets this information from Razor, who was supposedly dead but whose essence is apparently still rattling around wherever Chris’ consciousness/soul is. Along those lines, I think the amulet is Chris' soul now? He mentions how his soul is powering Starhawk; since Robbie became Starhawk when he got his hands on the amulet, the transitive property means Chris' soul is the amulet. At any rate, Razor’s pep talk here means Chris can suddenly alter his armor again. This time, he sheds his former armor like a skin and becomes a new set of armor that can turn into a ship. I don't know. This whole story just feels like a mess.
Multiple Man #1: "Dammit, Jamie! Stuff like this is why everyone finds you so annoying!" Truer words, Beast, truer words. The new New Mutants find one of Jamie's dupes in a sealed-off lab, though we're never told why they're looking for the lab in the first place. It turns out this dupe had all of Jamie's science abilities and was trying to create a serum that would stabilize dupes and let them live independently from Jamie, in cases just like this one, where Jamie Prime is dead. However, he's not as smart as Beast, so the serum only works temporarily. As Beast works to stabilize the serum, Jamie swipes Bishop's time-travel device and heads to the future. He returns almost immediately to stop something (we're not sure what yet) from happening, and he unexpectedly brings back versions of himself who are also Cable, Deadpool, Dr. Strange, and Hulk. Yeah, it's confusing. At this stage, Rosenberg hasn't hinted Jamie Prime survived the Terrigen Mists, so we're left to assume Jamie Prime is really dead. But, that said, if Jamie could travel to the future, why not travel to the past, grab Jamie Prime, travel back to the present (skipping the Terrigen Mists), and have him reabsorb Jamie? Anyone?
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #306: I've said it before and I'll say it again: this title is the Spider-Man title. From his fresh take on JJJ, Jr. to his introduction of new characters (like Teresa), Zdarsky is telling a modern Spider-Man tale, not entangled in all the usual clichés and tropes Spider-Man carries with him after 55 years. But, it's still a Spider-Man story at its heart. In the present, Daredevil leads Peter and the gang to the Resistance's secret base in the Baxter Building. There, T'Challa analyzes the device the Vedomi scout gave Peter and reveals it's a capsule that connects a biological consciousness with the Vedomi's hivemind. The connected person would then be able to override the Vedomi's directive, making them see Earth as an empty planet. Before anyone can react, Peter opens the capsule and absorbs the programming. It allows him full access to his memories, including his parents. He's overwhelmed, but Teresa encourages him to embrace it, a reminder that he needs to save the people who love him. (He sees MJ at one point, and I wonder if the editors would let Zdarsky have Peter remember the deal with Mephisto...) At any rate, these sequences are what makes this story a Spider-Man story, grounded as they are in Peter Parker and his experiences. He tells Teresa he's not going to survive this adventure, since his body is overheating due to the presence of the programming. He makes his way onto the ship, but, before he can merge with the core, the Tinkerer appears. (Earlier he had hacked into Ironheart's armor and used her as a ride to the ship.) Dun-dun-DUN! Zdarsky even manages to upgrade the Tinkerer here into a threat in and of himself. I'll admit I rolled my eyes at the claim that Peter is going to die, but, otherwise, Zdarsky is telling a great story here. Whereas I'm bored of the similarly long "Daredevil" arc about Wilson Fisk as Mayor of New York, Zdarsky has managed to keep this tale fresh as we enter the last act.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #21: Spurrier is clearly writing for the trade, because I had to re-read last issue and this one just to get a basic sense of the plot. But, it's not just because there are twists and turns, because twists and turns are good. It's because it's all lost in a variety of technical mumbo-jumbo that I find hard to understand but is unfortunately key to understanding the plot. Moreover, the technical mumbo-jumbo consists of a string of overly convenient developments that even Aphra seems unlikely to be able to arrange. This title keeps creeping down my list, to be honest.
X-Men: Blue #30: These two issues have just been uncharacteristically terrible. I barely care about Jimmy let alone Jimmy as the central figure in a storyline that continues from a cross-over event I didn't read. It's like a particularly bad hangover. Like last issue, this issue focuses on Jimmy as a Poison, something we're supposed to believe means he's functionally dead. Yet, Bunn has already shown Jean was able to resurrect herself, so it's clear Jimmy will be able to do so, too. As such, I'm not sure why Bunn made the decision to extend this story, when he has much more interesting ones to tell. Whatever. This series ends in six issues anyway.
Also Read: Marvel 2-in-One #7; Ms. Marvel #31; Old Man Hawkeye #6; Star Wars: Lando - Double or Nothing #2; Thor #2
Multiple Man #1: "Dammit, Jamie! Stuff like this is why everyone finds you so annoying!" Truer words, Beast, truer words. The new New Mutants find one of Jamie's dupes in a sealed-off lab, though we're never told why they're looking for the lab in the first place. It turns out this dupe had all of Jamie's science abilities and was trying to create a serum that would stabilize dupes and let them live independently from Jamie, in cases just like this one, where Jamie Prime is dead. However, he's not as smart as Beast, so the serum only works temporarily. As Beast works to stabilize the serum, Jamie swipes Bishop's time-travel device and heads to the future. He returns almost immediately to stop something (we're not sure what yet) from happening, and he unexpectedly brings back versions of himself who are also Cable, Deadpool, Dr. Strange, and Hulk. Yeah, it's confusing. At this stage, Rosenberg hasn't hinted Jamie Prime survived the Terrigen Mists, so we're left to assume Jamie Prime is really dead. But, that said, if Jamie could travel to the future, why not travel to the past, grab Jamie Prime, travel back to the present (skipping the Terrigen Mists), and have him reabsorb Jamie? Anyone?
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #306: I've said it before and I'll say it again: this title is the Spider-Man title. From his fresh take on JJJ, Jr. to his introduction of new characters (like Teresa), Zdarsky is telling a modern Spider-Man tale, not entangled in all the usual clichés and tropes Spider-Man carries with him after 55 years. But, it's still a Spider-Man story at its heart. In the present, Daredevil leads Peter and the gang to the Resistance's secret base in the Baxter Building. There, T'Challa analyzes the device the Vedomi scout gave Peter and reveals it's a capsule that connects a biological consciousness with the Vedomi's hivemind. The connected person would then be able to override the Vedomi's directive, making them see Earth as an empty planet. Before anyone can react, Peter opens the capsule and absorbs the programming. It allows him full access to his memories, including his parents. He's overwhelmed, but Teresa encourages him to embrace it, a reminder that he needs to save the people who love him. (He sees MJ at one point, and I wonder if the editors would let Zdarsky have Peter remember the deal with Mephisto...) At any rate, these sequences are what makes this story a Spider-Man story, grounded as they are in Peter Parker and his experiences. He tells Teresa he's not going to survive this adventure, since his body is overheating due to the presence of the programming. He makes his way onto the ship, but, before he can merge with the core, the Tinkerer appears. (Earlier he had hacked into Ironheart's armor and used her as a ride to the ship.) Dun-dun-DUN! Zdarsky even manages to upgrade the Tinkerer here into a threat in and of himself. I'll admit I rolled my eyes at the claim that Peter is going to die, but, otherwise, Zdarsky is telling a great story here. Whereas I'm bored of the similarly long "Daredevil" arc about Wilson Fisk as Mayor of New York, Zdarsky has managed to keep this tale fresh as we enter the last act.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #21: Spurrier is clearly writing for the trade, because I had to re-read last issue and this one just to get a basic sense of the plot. But, it's not just because there are twists and turns, because twists and turns are good. It's because it's all lost in a variety of technical mumbo-jumbo that I find hard to understand but is unfortunately key to understanding the plot. Moreover, the technical mumbo-jumbo consists of a string of overly convenient developments that even Aphra seems unlikely to be able to arrange. This title keeps creeping down my list, to be honest.
X-Men: Blue #30: These two issues have just been uncharacteristically terrible. I barely care about Jimmy let alone Jimmy as the central figure in a storyline that continues from a cross-over event I didn't read. It's like a particularly bad hangover. Like last issue, this issue focuses on Jimmy as a Poison, something we're supposed to believe means he's functionally dead. Yet, Bunn has already shown Jean was able to resurrect herself, so it's clear Jimmy will be able to do so, too. As such, I'm not sure why Bunn made the decision to extend this story, when he has much more interesting ones to tell. Whatever. This series ends in six issues anyway.
Also Read: Marvel 2-in-One #7; Ms. Marvel #31; Old Man Hawkeye #6; Star Wars: Lando - Double or Nothing #2; Thor #2
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Not-So-New Comics: The March 28 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Avengers #686: The authors continue to split their (and our) focus on the Hulk and Voyager here as we get more insight into both characters. Simon appeals to the Banner persona he believes to be buried somewhere in the Hulk, but we appear to be dealing with an entirely different Hulk here. This Hulk seems to be intelligent in his own right as opposed to the times he was intelligent because Banner was at least partially controlling him. The Hulk dismisses Simon as an egotistical Hollywood star who's only a pacifist because he's immune to injury. The Hulk threatens to injure him (making him question his pacifism), and Simon seems poised to face a spiritual crisis when Rogue and her team arrive. Simon still believes he can appeal to the Hulk, but Rogue touches the Hulk, trying to drain his power. She somehow sees inside the Hulk to Bruce, who exhaustedly tells her it's a whole new ballgame. Meanwhile, Voyager confesses she's the Gamemaster's daughter, but pledges her support to the Avengers after their heroism inspired her. When Gamemaster pushes her to activate the Pyramoid, she refuses, and she confirms for everyone -- including the Challenger -- her father used her to cheat. But, the Hulk destroys the final Pyramoid, resulting in a negative point for the Challenger (since he was his pawn) and awarding the game to the Gamemaster. Under blistering allegations of cheating from the Challenger, the Gamemaster offers a rematch, but the Challenger appears to kill him instead. That's one way to solve the problem.
Daredevil #600: Ho boy. Matt's hole-filled plan for using New York's street-level heroes to take on the Kingpin proves how off his game he is. Matt reveals the Kingpin has invited a group of Mob bosses -- including Black Cat, Hammerhead, and the Owl -- to a restaurant to discuss mayoral appointments right before his planned rally that night. Matt plans on eavesdropping on the conversation and then using that information to call in the cops. (His plan is based on the Supreme Court case he won, which makes information superheroes obtain legally admissible. I'll admit I'm not sure why Matt would think a jury wouldn't find some reasonable doubt when it came to him testifying against the Kingpin. Like, can we not get a recording, just to be safe?) However, the heroes are skeptical, reminding him he's now Public Enemy #1 so the cops might not be so game to act on his tip. Daredevil swears he has it under control, and they all get in position. Meanwhile, "the Beast" offers Blindspot the power he needs to overcome the Muse, but Blindspot draws the line at killing him. The Muse is irate at this refusal, running into flames on his own. (This part made no sense to me. I get the Muse is cray-cray, but I don't get why him killing himself somehow furthers "art.") The Beast then pledges revenge for Blindspot refusing to take the Muse's life (though, again, I'm not totally clear why). At the restaurant, Matt's plan goes awry when it turns out the Kingpin never appears; as Cat perceptively notes, he instead assumed the bosses would eventually turn on each other in the face of such boredom, which they do. The heroes enter the fracas to stop them from killing each other, meaning they're on hand as the cops, who Fisk sent to the restaurant, arrive. It allows the Kingpin to throw everyone -- mobsters and heroes -- in jail. Daredevil escapes and confronts the Kingpin on the roof of City Hall, and the Kingpin beats him with a hammer after forcing Daredevil to stop him from beating himself (since he could blame the beating on Matt). He then has Daredevil arrested. However, even the Kingpin can't control everything: the Beast sends the Hand to assassinate him. At the rally, he's riddled with arrows as they swarm Central Park, and Daredevil thinks it's because the Beast is seeking revenge on him. (If he isn't and it's because he's seeking revenge on Blindspot for breaking their deal, I'm not sure what his plan is. Why attack the Kingpin to get revenge on Blindspot? Matt thinks he's going after New York because it means everything to Matt, but I'm not sure it means as much to Blindspot. If he is getting revenge on Matt, it does make sense, though presumably we'll see some other form of revenge involving Blindspot, too. So much revenge, so little time.) The plot thickens when the guy who had been reading all the regulations and rules to Matt reveals to Wesley that the Public Advocate used to be next in the line of succession, but the former mayor changed it when he ran for the third time and Kingpin hadn't changed it back yet. The guy tells Wesley Matt had this information, which means Daredevil knows he's become acting Mayor given the Kingpin's incapacitation. However, I'm not sure if that figured into Matt's plan. After all, I'm pretty sure he wasn't expecting the Hand to incapacitate Kingpin while he was locked in a paddy wagon. I guess we'll see. (Also, I teared up a bit during the Foggy back-up story.)
Generation X #87: I don't have too much to say here, other than the fact Strain does a great job maneuvering everyone into a solid place at the end. Benjamin's love for Nathaniel is pure enough that it can survive (at least for now) his powers, and the X-Mansion seems like it now has two fewer virgins. Quentin's powers are on the fritz, and he uses it as a justification for staying at the school. Benji hugs him after his announcement, and it's a lovely moment, underscoring Jubilee's point that Quentin was more needed than he thought. Quentin has always been a great character, and I'd love for someone to start teasing out his leadership potential, showing him a way to embrace the loneliness of leadership while getting past his ego to accept friendship (and love) when it's presented. At the very least, he's gone a long way from Kid Omega. Jubilee's resurrection doesn't feel forced, and Strain does a great job paying homage to this title by having Chamber, Husk, and Jubilee force Monet to remember who she is. (To do so, they touch her, because Nathaniel purposefully "gave" her his powers, since he knew it meant they could use their links to her to overwhelm Emplate's link.) Chamber gives Roxy a scarf as a sign of remembering who she is, and it's a really touching moment, the sort of non-romantic interaction we saw between Han Solo and Ubin in "Star Wars" #43. In other words, all's well that ends well. Like Grace on "Iceman," Strain clearly had other plans here, particularly when it came to often overlooked characters like Eye-Boy and Nature Girl. I still find it hard to believe Marvel couldn't keep a teenage-focused mutant title running, but it is what it is, I guess. All in all, Strain accomplished a lot in twelve issues, securing this next generation of X-Men in place after their absence since "Wolverine and the X-Men" ended. I just wish it had been longer.
Moon Knight #193: Although I like where Bemis takes us here, I found the fight with the Sun King concludes way too quickly. Marc is pushed to the point where he thinks he’s going to die, and his personalities realize he has the “power of crazy,” i.e., the ability to make the truth irrelevant. Motivated by Diatrice, Marc uses this power to beat the Sun King. I get that part. But, he really only gets in a few licks before he has the Sun King broken and recanting before him, claiming he now worships Marc. At the end of last issue, Bemis seemed to be setting up Marc suffering a real crisis of faith, where he would have to reconcile his troubled relationship with Khonshu in the face of the Sun King's unwavering belief in Ra. But, the personalities just basically have a chat, realize Diatrice is a good motivator for Marc, and send him into the ring to land a few punches. It felt pretty anticlimactic. That said, I like the idea of Marc taking over the Sun King's army as an advisor, teaching them how to "fight back against getting taking advantaged of like this again." Every knight needs a few willing warriors, as he says. We'll see how that plays.
Old Man Hawkeye #3: Hawkeye arrives at Arcade's Murder World theme park at the start of this issue, and it's a pretty grim indictment of this reality (if you needed any more grim to make the point). Hawkeye watches with profound dismay as some customers beat (possibly to death) the actor playing the "evil" Captain America, and it tells us everything we need to know about how Hawkeye feels about this brutal world. But, he's there on a mission, and he achieves it: he kills Atlas for siding with the villains. As he makes his way to Atlas' tent, a seer -- whose identity isn't confirmed but almost seemed to be Rogue -- warns Hawkeye revenge isn't going to make him happy. At the pivotal moment, Eric dares Hawkeye to kill him as memories of their time together as Thunderbolts race across Clint's mind. Clint takes the shot, crying as he does so, proving the seer had a point. Given the cover to next issue, he's going to move onto Beetle next, though Eric warned him Abner spends 18 hours a day making Doombots. It was Eric's way of saying none of them benefited from this world. But, Clint's got Bullseye and Venom-Madrox on his tail, so we'll see how that goes.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #302: The thing I don't get here is that I'm pretty sure Dr. Doom said Peter and his crew can't change the past, so I'm not really sure what the stakes are. Right now, the Peters exposing Norman's identity to the world has led to JJJ, Jr.'s death (possibly) and Norman learning Peter's identity. It's obviously a pretty significant set of developments, so does it create a new reality? Are we now on Earth-x or something? If not, then will it all revert to the "normal" timeline once they depart? I don't really see a third option. As I've frequently said: ugh, time-travel stories. Right now, the biggest development seems to be proof that Mary and Richard Parker "faking" a pregnancy as part of a mission (to steal secrets related to the L.M.D. program) was just a ruse, as she was actually pregnant. We'll see if that sticks.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #18: I spent the early part of this issue rolling my eyes as Aphra asserts the Imperials will swap the Rebel general for Triple-Zero's memories. After all, the Imperials I know don't make deals; they'd just take the Rebel general off Aphra's hands and kill her and her team. But, then Aphra disables the general's tracker so the Alliance can try to rescue her, bringing about the distraction she needed to slip on board Hivebase. After all, as she says, "Imps" don't make deals. Well played, Gillen. Well played.
X-Men: Blue #24: This issue is great. Bunn and Molina hit all the right notes, with each scene showing their grasp of the characters' histories and personalities. Again, they're telling stories on so many levels here it's hard to remember them all. First, Shaw initially overwhelms Magneto with his new powers, but Magneto's insistence that Mothervine's "gifts" have costs proves true when Shaw's powers start feeding off his own cells' energy. In the Mojave desert, Miss Sinister's Marauders try to recruit Xorn, but he refuses. Xorn is always a difficult character to read, as he's been through so many iterations. I initially thought he was going to be a threat to Bloodstorm and Jimmy, but instead he seems to be more aligned to his iteration as a peaceful teacher. Xorn attacks the Marauders to try to convince them to leave, but they return fire, with Mach II cracking his helmet. Xorn is forced to focus on keeping his energy contained (as he has either a sun or black hole for the brain, depending on which Xorn we have here), and Bloodstorm and Jimmy rescue him. Meanwhile, Malice makes short work of the Raksha (she pretty brutally breaks Norio's neck and wrists), expositing that she's an alternate universe version of Malice and part of Miss Sinister's Marauders. Lorna eventually repels her, as this Malice is a weaker version of our Malice. In perhaps the best sequence, Briar walks through a club in Spain to find a shirtless (and sexy as ever) Daken, handing him adamantine blades Magneto himself carved for him as an invitation to help. Daken seems to bristle at the idea of working for Magneto, but Briar encourages him to think of it as more an excuse to employ his talent for chaos. The issue ends with Magneto meeting Alex and his team at a secret safe house he maintained off the coast of Scotland. He talks about it as a reflective place, though admits that reflection rarely led him to change course. Alex asks Magneto to work with them, but Magneto brings Shaw with him to show how astray they've gone. Alex is dismissive of the costs, and Bunn makes it pretty clear he's going to pay for that.
Also Read: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #16
Daredevil #600: Ho boy. Matt's hole-filled plan for using New York's street-level heroes to take on the Kingpin proves how off his game he is. Matt reveals the Kingpin has invited a group of Mob bosses -- including Black Cat, Hammerhead, and the Owl -- to a restaurant to discuss mayoral appointments right before his planned rally that night. Matt plans on eavesdropping on the conversation and then using that information to call in the cops. (His plan is based on the Supreme Court case he won, which makes information superheroes obtain legally admissible. I'll admit I'm not sure why Matt would think a jury wouldn't find some reasonable doubt when it came to him testifying against the Kingpin. Like, can we not get a recording, just to be safe?) However, the heroes are skeptical, reminding him he's now Public Enemy #1 so the cops might not be so game to act on his tip. Daredevil swears he has it under control, and they all get in position. Meanwhile, "the Beast" offers Blindspot the power he needs to overcome the Muse, but Blindspot draws the line at killing him. The Muse is irate at this refusal, running into flames on his own. (This part made no sense to me. I get the Muse is cray-cray, but I don't get why him killing himself somehow furthers "art.") The Beast then pledges revenge for Blindspot refusing to take the Muse's life (though, again, I'm not totally clear why). At the restaurant, Matt's plan goes awry when it turns out the Kingpin never appears; as Cat perceptively notes, he instead assumed the bosses would eventually turn on each other in the face of such boredom, which they do. The heroes enter the fracas to stop them from killing each other, meaning they're on hand as the cops, who Fisk sent to the restaurant, arrive. It allows the Kingpin to throw everyone -- mobsters and heroes -- in jail. Daredevil escapes and confronts the Kingpin on the roof of City Hall, and the Kingpin beats him with a hammer after forcing Daredevil to stop him from beating himself (since he could blame the beating on Matt). He then has Daredevil arrested. However, even the Kingpin can't control everything: the Beast sends the Hand to assassinate him. At the rally, he's riddled with arrows as they swarm Central Park, and Daredevil thinks it's because the Beast is seeking revenge on him. (If he isn't and it's because he's seeking revenge on Blindspot for breaking their deal, I'm not sure what his plan is. Why attack the Kingpin to get revenge on Blindspot? Matt thinks he's going after New York because it means everything to Matt, but I'm not sure it means as much to Blindspot. If he is getting revenge on Matt, it does make sense, though presumably we'll see some other form of revenge involving Blindspot, too. So much revenge, so little time.) The plot thickens when the guy who had been reading all the regulations and rules to Matt reveals to Wesley that the Public Advocate used to be next in the line of succession, but the former mayor changed it when he ran for the third time and Kingpin hadn't changed it back yet. The guy tells Wesley Matt had this information, which means Daredevil knows he's become acting Mayor given the Kingpin's incapacitation. However, I'm not sure if that figured into Matt's plan. After all, I'm pretty sure he wasn't expecting the Hand to incapacitate Kingpin while he was locked in a paddy wagon. I guess we'll see. (Also, I teared up a bit during the Foggy back-up story.)
Generation X #87: I don't have too much to say here, other than the fact Strain does a great job maneuvering everyone into a solid place at the end. Benjamin's love for Nathaniel is pure enough that it can survive (at least for now) his powers, and the X-Mansion seems like it now has two fewer virgins. Quentin's powers are on the fritz, and he uses it as a justification for staying at the school. Benji hugs him after his announcement, and it's a lovely moment, underscoring Jubilee's point that Quentin was more needed than he thought. Quentin has always been a great character, and I'd love for someone to start teasing out his leadership potential, showing him a way to embrace the loneliness of leadership while getting past his ego to accept friendship (and love) when it's presented. At the very least, he's gone a long way from Kid Omega. Jubilee's resurrection doesn't feel forced, and Strain does a great job paying homage to this title by having Chamber, Husk, and Jubilee force Monet to remember who she is. (To do so, they touch her, because Nathaniel purposefully "gave" her his powers, since he knew it meant they could use their links to her to overwhelm Emplate's link.) Chamber gives Roxy a scarf as a sign of remembering who she is, and it's a really touching moment, the sort of non-romantic interaction we saw between Han Solo and Ubin in "Star Wars" #43. In other words, all's well that ends well. Like Grace on "Iceman," Strain clearly had other plans here, particularly when it came to often overlooked characters like Eye-Boy and Nature Girl. I still find it hard to believe Marvel couldn't keep a teenage-focused mutant title running, but it is what it is, I guess. All in all, Strain accomplished a lot in twelve issues, securing this next generation of X-Men in place after their absence since "Wolverine and the X-Men" ended. I just wish it had been longer.
Moon Knight #193: Although I like where Bemis takes us here, I found the fight with the Sun King concludes way too quickly. Marc is pushed to the point where he thinks he’s going to die, and his personalities realize he has the “power of crazy,” i.e., the ability to make the truth irrelevant. Motivated by Diatrice, Marc uses this power to beat the Sun King. I get that part. But, he really only gets in a few licks before he has the Sun King broken and recanting before him, claiming he now worships Marc. At the end of last issue, Bemis seemed to be setting up Marc suffering a real crisis of faith, where he would have to reconcile his troubled relationship with Khonshu in the face of the Sun King's unwavering belief in Ra. But, the personalities just basically have a chat, realize Diatrice is a good motivator for Marc, and send him into the ring to land a few punches. It felt pretty anticlimactic. That said, I like the idea of Marc taking over the Sun King's army as an advisor, teaching them how to "fight back against getting taking advantaged of like this again." Every knight needs a few willing warriors, as he says. We'll see how that plays.
Old Man Hawkeye #3: Hawkeye arrives at Arcade's Murder World theme park at the start of this issue, and it's a pretty grim indictment of this reality (if you needed any more grim to make the point). Hawkeye watches with profound dismay as some customers beat (possibly to death) the actor playing the "evil" Captain America, and it tells us everything we need to know about how Hawkeye feels about this brutal world. But, he's there on a mission, and he achieves it: he kills Atlas for siding with the villains. As he makes his way to Atlas' tent, a seer -- whose identity isn't confirmed but almost seemed to be Rogue -- warns Hawkeye revenge isn't going to make him happy. At the pivotal moment, Eric dares Hawkeye to kill him as memories of their time together as Thunderbolts race across Clint's mind. Clint takes the shot, crying as he does so, proving the seer had a point. Given the cover to next issue, he's going to move onto Beetle next, though Eric warned him Abner spends 18 hours a day making Doombots. It was Eric's way of saying none of them benefited from this world. But, Clint's got Bullseye and Venom-Madrox on his tail, so we'll see how that goes.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #302: The thing I don't get here is that I'm pretty sure Dr. Doom said Peter and his crew can't change the past, so I'm not really sure what the stakes are. Right now, the Peters exposing Norman's identity to the world has led to JJJ, Jr.'s death (possibly) and Norman learning Peter's identity. It's obviously a pretty significant set of developments, so does it create a new reality? Are we now on Earth-x or something? If not, then will it all revert to the "normal" timeline once they depart? I don't really see a third option. As I've frequently said: ugh, time-travel stories. Right now, the biggest development seems to be proof that Mary and Richard Parker "faking" a pregnancy as part of a mission (to steal secrets related to the L.M.D. program) was just a ruse, as she was actually pregnant. We'll see if that sticks.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #18: I spent the early part of this issue rolling my eyes as Aphra asserts the Imperials will swap the Rebel general for Triple-Zero's memories. After all, the Imperials I know don't make deals; they'd just take the Rebel general off Aphra's hands and kill her and her team. But, then Aphra disables the general's tracker so the Alliance can try to rescue her, bringing about the distraction she needed to slip on board Hivebase. After all, as she says, "Imps" don't make deals. Well played, Gillen. Well played.
X-Men: Blue #24: This issue is great. Bunn and Molina hit all the right notes, with each scene showing their grasp of the characters' histories and personalities. Again, they're telling stories on so many levels here it's hard to remember them all. First, Shaw initially overwhelms Magneto with his new powers, but Magneto's insistence that Mothervine's "gifts" have costs proves true when Shaw's powers start feeding off his own cells' energy. In the Mojave desert, Miss Sinister's Marauders try to recruit Xorn, but he refuses. Xorn is always a difficult character to read, as he's been through so many iterations. I initially thought he was going to be a threat to Bloodstorm and Jimmy, but instead he seems to be more aligned to his iteration as a peaceful teacher. Xorn attacks the Marauders to try to convince them to leave, but they return fire, with Mach II cracking his helmet. Xorn is forced to focus on keeping his energy contained (as he has either a sun or black hole for the brain, depending on which Xorn we have here), and Bloodstorm and Jimmy rescue him. Meanwhile, Malice makes short work of the Raksha (she pretty brutally breaks Norio's neck and wrists), expositing that she's an alternate universe version of Malice and part of Miss Sinister's Marauders. Lorna eventually repels her, as this Malice is a weaker version of our Malice. In perhaps the best sequence, Briar walks through a club in Spain to find a shirtless (and sexy as ever) Daken, handing him adamantine blades Magneto himself carved for him as an invitation to help. Daken seems to bristle at the idea of working for Magneto, but Briar encourages him to think of it as more an excuse to employ his talent for chaos. The issue ends with Magneto meeting Alex and his team at a secret safe house he maintained off the coast of Scotland. He talks about it as a reflective place, though admits that reflection rarely led him to change course. Alex asks Magneto to work with them, but Magneto brings Shaw with him to show how astray they've gone. Alex is dismissive of the costs, and Bunn makes it pretty clear he's going to pay for that.
Also Read: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #16
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Not-So-New Comics: The December 20 Non-Spider Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Champions #15: I know it’s clichéd to say so, but Viv really is the heart of this team. This series has been hit or miss for me for a while, but Waid does a really great job of putting everyone’s emotions on display in this issue. He uses Nova deciding to quit the team as his lens for their despair. Nova saw Viv as the only member of the team who didn’t condescend to him; without her, he just doesn’t want to be there anymore. The Avengers make everything worse through their own condescension, and my only complaint here is Waid didn’t have Kamala and Scott realize they do the same thing to Sam as they complain Falcon and Thor do to them. But, it’s a minor complaint. Kamala rallies to remind Sam he -- and not all the geniuses -- saved the day on Counter-Earth. He confesses to her he just misses Viv, in a moment that makes me tear up a bit just writing about it. Similarly, the Wasp trying to convince the Vision not to activate the new body he’s constructing for Viv is equally poignant. The Wasp says it would dishonor her memory, but the Vision’s grief is so real here you understand why he might not care. We’re also introduced to a mystery I never realized was out there as the Wasp asks Vision whose engram is the source of Viv’s personality. Meanwhile, Viv discovers she’s where the High Evolutionary is, some plane of existence where they’ve essentially becoming data streams. They’re aware Vision is trying to rebuild Viv in his basement, and the Evolutionary wants to piggyback on Viv’s data stream when the Vision eventually unifies it with her (synthezoid) body. Viv refuses and somehow discovers how to travel to her father on her own. Waid does a good job with this moment, since you think it’s just the Vision activating her body. You’d be wrong, though, because we now have two Vivs! I've made the decision to call it quits with this series, because it's too inconsistent and I have other stories out there I'd like to follow. But, this issue was a great way to end.
Marvel 2-in-One #1: Chip Zdarsky is one of my favorite authors lately, so when I saw Marvel green-lit him taking out Ben and Johnny for a stroll I was on it! I’m glad I was, because this issue is everything I ever wanted it to be. In a way, this series should really be titled “Marvel Three-in-One,” because Doom is poised to play a pretty significant role in it. He reveals to an appalled Ben he raided the Baxter Building in the days after the incursion ended (of course he did), but he couldn’t find a clue that explained the Richards’ disappearance. The only clue he thinks might exist was in an orb he couldn't open; Reed left it for Ben. Doom gives it to Ben, and he opens it. Reed reveals the device will play a recording based on the circumstances of his death: in this case, if he, Susan, Franklin, and Valeria no longer exist in the Universe. He directs Ben to a place only they know -- the location of their first adventure -- to recover a device called the Multisect, which allows access to the nexus of the multiverse. He's obviously concerned it'll fall in the wrong hands. He also beseeches Ben to keep exploring with Johnny, and he becomes the third voice pressing Ben to resolve issues with Johnny: Ben himself has memories of Susan pleading with him to take care of Johnny as Battleworld dissolved, and Spidey earlier expressed his concern to Ben that Johnny is losing control. When Ben finds Johnny, he’s literally in free fall. But, Johnny reveals it was a test because he’s losing his powers, something he sees as an existential threat. The best part? Allegedly reformed Doom is watching from the shadows, clearly wanting to get his hands on the Multisect. It’s this revelation that proves to me this series is going to be great. Zdarsky manages to advance this story on three axes — emotion, humor, and intrigue — and I can’t wait to see where he goes with it. I wasn’t a regular reader of “Fantastic Four,” mostly because I wasn’t a fan of Reed or Sue. (Sorry.) As such, this series is tailor-made for me. It seems obviously it’s laying the groundwork for an eventual relaunch of “Fantastic Four,” and I’m OK with that. In fact, it’s exciting to be on the ground floor of that. In other words, I highly, highly recommend this book.
Mighty Thor #702: As always, the story here is excellent. Odinson makes a lovely and impassioned speech to Jane, telling her she needs to take care of herself because the Realms need Jane Foster as much as they need Thor. It inspires her to throw away Mjolnir...and confront Odin over his absence, which isn’t exactly what Odinson had in mind. But, it works, though not because Odin agrees to her plea to dispatch Asgardia to save the Realms: Jane’s speech awakens Freya. She agrees with Jane that Asgardia must act, but it may be too late: Jane collapses on the steps of Odin’s citadel as the Mangog arrives at Asgardia. But, as compelling as that story is, the art is just spectacular. From beautiful Hercules and Odinson to dying Jane, Dauterman and Wilson infuse every panel with life-like wonder.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #15: RIP, Flufto. This entire issue is great. Triple-Zero gives Aphra a ship full of mercenaries as staff on a mysterious mission; the only catch is she has to jettison one of them to make the ship light enough to fly. (She chooses a fairly obnoxious Alderaan prince pretending to be a mercenary; he was off-planet during Alderaan’s destruction at the Pleasuredome VII. Of course he was. He then has to face a group of rampaging brutes on his own.) Along the way, she successfully guesses Tripe-Zero wants to swipe something from the workshop of Tambor, the Techno Union’s leader. We learn the Union was the most successful separatists when the Empire took over the galaxy, though clearly "success" is a relative term there. (Aphra put two and two together by realizing their guide was from Skako Minor, where the Union was located, and their last job on Somelik focused on Clone War data. It doesn't necessarily make sense to me, but it did to her.) However, the guide Triple-Zero hired to escort them on Skaka Minor betrays them, turning over the prospective looters into the Imperials in the hope they’ll leave Skako Minor. (They don’t.) But, Aphra has an ace up her sleeve as always, namely Flufto, the cute little Pokémon-looking creature she’s carrying throughout the issue: he’s really a bomb, and she uses him to take out the Imperials. Good times. Meanwhile, now-Lt. Tolvan is saved form the firing squad after word reaches the executioner that Inspector-General Thanoth nominated her as his legatee. (She was going to be executed over her three demerits for her failures at Eadu, Yavin, and Somelik. But, she’s saved when it turns out the ”investigative branches” allow for four demerits, rather than three demerits like the field corps. Her executioner was going to continue with her execution because he didn't know that, earning him his third demerit...and his own execution. Sloppy, as Tolvan said.) Her first order of business is to ID Aphra, who she previously dreamed was rescuing her. (Sexy time!) However, Thanoth’s reports are redacted with a code that she learns was only available to the man for whom he was serving as adjutant: Darth Vader. Dun-dun-DUN!
Uncanny Avengers #30: Over the course of three volumes and 62 issues (by my count), this series has consistently been the Avengers title to me as far as I concerned. It felt like the authors of this series were the only ones to hit the right formula for an Avengers book: a clever villain thrusting some outlandish scheme on the unsuspecting heroes, interpersonal strife and personal shortcomings that almost doom the team’s attempts to foil said scheme, a romantic spark along the way, and a final stand of inspiring heroism that saves the day. In particular, Remender's stories felt like Avengers stories because failure often drove them: Thor’s arrogance as a young man set up the Earth’s destruction (by empowering Jarnbjorn to cut a Celestial’s armor), Rogue’s initial and profound distrust of Wanda opened the door to the Red Skull stealing Xavier’s brain and then almost ruined Wanda’s plan to save mutantkind from the Apocalypse Twins. Zub continues that trend here, as Pietro’s arrogance led to Synapse’s injuries and consequentially his departure from the team. But, we also have the heroes who rise to the occasion, often at great personal cost: Havok restores Earth even though it costs him his daughter, his relationship with Janet, and his face; Rogue holds together the team after Steve Rogers disbands it to defeat the Red Skull; and Deadpool survives the Red Skull’s brutal assault on him to get Magneto’s helmet to Rogue, allowing her to escape the Skull's control and defeat him. It’s all...Avengers-y. The good news is the series is coming to a close as all the Avengers series converge as a weekly series. I can’t say I’m bothered by that; I reluctantly came to admit I loved “Brand New Day” in “Amazing Spider-Man,” so if they can pull off something similar here, I’m all on board. But, in case “Uncanny Avengers” doesn’t return after that series, I just want to take a minute to mourn one of the best corners of the Avengers universe. To me, the creative teams preserved the Avengers during one of the more inconsistent times of their history, and I thank them for that.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #15: RIP, Flufto. This entire issue is great. Triple-Zero gives Aphra a ship full of mercenaries as staff on a mysterious mission; the only catch is she has to jettison one of them to make the ship light enough to fly. (She chooses a fairly obnoxious Alderaan prince pretending to be a mercenary; he was off-planet during Alderaan’s destruction at the Pleasuredome VII. Of course he was. He then has to face a group of rampaging brutes on his own.) Along the way, she successfully guesses Tripe-Zero wants to swipe something from the workshop of Tambor, the Techno Union’s leader. We learn the Union was the most successful separatists when the Empire took over the galaxy, though clearly "success" is a relative term there. (Aphra put two and two together by realizing their guide was from Skako Minor, where the Union was located, and their last job on Somelik focused on Clone War data. It doesn't necessarily make sense to me, but it did to her.) However, the guide Triple-Zero hired to escort them on Skaka Minor betrays them, turning over the prospective looters into the Imperials in the hope they’ll leave Skako Minor. (They don’t.) But, Aphra has an ace up her sleeve as always, namely Flufto, the cute little Pokémon-looking creature she’s carrying throughout the issue: he’s really a bomb, and she uses him to take out the Imperials. Good times. Meanwhile, now-Lt. Tolvan is saved form the firing squad after word reaches the executioner that Inspector-General Thanoth nominated her as his legatee. (She was going to be executed over her three demerits for her failures at Eadu, Yavin, and Somelik. But, she’s saved when it turns out the ”investigative branches” allow for four demerits, rather than three demerits like the field corps. Her executioner was going to continue with her execution because he didn't know that, earning him his third demerit...and his own execution. Sloppy, as Tolvan said.) Her first order of business is to ID Aphra, who she previously dreamed was rescuing her. (Sexy time!) However, Thanoth’s reports are redacted with a code that she learns was only available to the man for whom he was serving as adjutant: Darth Vader. Dun-dun-DUN!
Uncanny Avengers #30: Over the course of three volumes and 62 issues (by my count), this series has consistently been the Avengers title to me as far as I concerned. It felt like the authors of this series were the only ones to hit the right formula for an Avengers book: a clever villain thrusting some outlandish scheme on the unsuspecting heroes, interpersonal strife and personal shortcomings that almost doom the team’s attempts to foil said scheme, a romantic spark along the way, and a final stand of inspiring heroism that saves the day. In particular, Remender's stories felt like Avengers stories because failure often drove them: Thor’s arrogance as a young man set up the Earth’s destruction (by empowering Jarnbjorn to cut a Celestial’s armor), Rogue’s initial and profound distrust of Wanda opened the door to the Red Skull stealing Xavier’s brain and then almost ruined Wanda’s plan to save mutantkind from the Apocalypse Twins. Zub continues that trend here, as Pietro’s arrogance led to Synapse’s injuries and consequentially his departure from the team. But, we also have the heroes who rise to the occasion, often at great personal cost: Havok restores Earth even though it costs him his daughter, his relationship with Janet, and his face; Rogue holds together the team after Steve Rogers disbands it to defeat the Red Skull; and Deadpool survives the Red Skull’s brutal assault on him to get Magneto’s helmet to Rogue, allowing her to escape the Skull's control and defeat him. It’s all...Avengers-y. The good news is the series is coming to a close as all the Avengers series converge as a weekly series. I can’t say I’m bothered by that; I reluctantly came to admit I loved “Brand New Day” in “Amazing Spider-Man,” so if they can pull off something similar here, I’m all on board. But, in case “Uncanny Avengers” doesn’t return after that series, I just want to take a minute to mourn one of the best corners of the Avengers universe. To me, the creative teams preserved the Avengers during one of the more inconsistent times of their history, and I thank them for that.
X-Men: Gold #18: I'll say right off the bat that the Negative Zone War is leaving me happier than previous arcs in this series. Guggenheim does a solid job of faking us out a bit here. It makes perfect sense for Kologoth to offer back Kitty and Kurt since his plans for the planet don't involve a group of outside do-gooders poking around the place. However, when the team arrives to collect Kitty and Kurt, they discover Kurt is missing. (Guggenheim reminds us of Kurt’s status quo here; he’s immortal because he’s exiled from heaven. As such, he survives the impaling from last issue. It makes me less mad about it, retroactively.) Kologoth informs the team Kurt is dead, mainly because he really wants them to leave. The team realizes Kologoth is lying, since they know Kurt can’t die. As such, they correctly deduce Kologoth just doesn’t want them mucking around the place. A fight ensues (of course), and it seems Kologoth didn’t want them there because he's resurrected his god, Scythian. Ruh-roh! Also, I’d like to praise Guggenheim for including some critical letters in the letters page. One thing I hated about “Brand New Day” was Steve Wacker’s child-like rejection of any criticism of the book. Guggenheim publishes an extremely thoughtful critique of his decision to reunite Kitty and Peter, and he responds with an equally thoughtful justification that he also acknowledges might not satisfy the writer’s concerns. Respect and dialogue: it’s nice to see.
Also Read: All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #149; Generation X #85; Ms. Marvel #25
Friday, December 8, 2017
Not-So-New Comics: The October 11 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Amazing Spider-Man #789: Brand. New. Day! Slott has Bobbi toss off that comment as a wink to us, and, man, it worked. I'm loath to trust Slott here, because I've been disappointed so many times before. But, this issue feels exactly like the issue I've been waiting for him to write every since the excellent "Big Time!" Peter's interactions with Bobbi are amazing, the scene with Robbie at the "Daily Bugle" was great, and I cheered when Harry and Liz kissed. Even Betty and Flash return! (No, no, no, don't get your hopes up too high, JW. It's all a trick! Peter is going to make a deal with Mephisto to get Mjolnir and become Spider-Thor. You know it.)
Slott does an excellent job of immediately establishing Peter's current status quo. After one date, he's living on Bobbi's couch. She notes it's been weeks and she's managed to find an apartment and a job, but he's sitting on her couch wearing her shirt. He's avoiding Harry's calls and the media, as they report constantly about the implosion of PI. However, he's incensed when the "Bugle" runs a critical story about him, and he confronts Joe in the newsroom. But, Joe's not having it: he notes Peter's incompetence resulted in working-class people like his Uncle Ben losing they jobs, and Peter accepts he's right. He also notices the science writer has gotten something wrong in his article about Pym micro-processors, and Slott seems to be setting up Robbie hiring Peter as the "Bugle's" new science writer. Meanwhile, Betty invites Peter to Flash's birthday party. He's accosted by an angry mob on the way, and he bails on the party after hearing everyone (including MJ) talking about how royally he screwed up everything. (This scene is important, too. Slott fanwanks us by having someone refer to the time they bought Petey furniture when he was down and out the last time, but MJ says he's way too old for that now. It's part of the tone Slott is striking, that it's time for Peter to act like an adult. It's a little harsh and not entirely fair, but also maybe a little true.) Everything looks up later when Bobbi tosses Peter his Spider-Man costume and they go patrolling. They save a food truck from the Griffin, and Spidey wins over the previously hostile crowd in so doing. Slott seems to be setting up "Peter Parker No More!" redux, as Spidey kisses Mockingbird and realizes life as Spider-Man is going well.
Immonen, von Grawbadger, and Gracia make this book (and Peter) look better than literally ever. (Peter can lie on the couch in sweatpants for all future issues and I'd buy them.) That said, my only complaint is they occasionally make him look too young. As fetching as he looks in a tight t-shirt staring into the refrigerator, he looks about a decade younger than his friends. It's not just a nitpick: it undermines the story Slott is trying to tell. Peter should look like an adult if we're going to expect him to act like one. But, it's a minor complaint. Slott has me (even me!) hopeful we're returning to form here. Fingers crossed.
Falcon #1: This issue is a mixed bag. Like Slott in "Amazing Spider-Man," Barnes has Sam return to being a street-level hero as he decides to solve the gang problem in Chicago. It's exactly what you'd expect Falcon to do. Barnes also does a great job with Patriot here. I was never really a fan of the "new" Falcon, whose presence on Sam's team always felt forced. Conversely, Rayshaun is a great character that Marvel slowly developed over time. He has the same urgency to be in the field as Joaquin did, but his character also has more depth as a result of him seeing the devastation of Las Vegas firsthand. Spencer didn't really do much to develop Joaquin as a character; he woke up one day as a falcon-human hybrid and basically saw no downside to that. Rayshaun is an improvement. That said, both Sam and Rayshaun seem to be heading for a rude awakening. Listening to Sam, gang violence is basically just a reflection of poor public-policy choices; John Gotti would've become a florist had he been given the right incentives. It's here where Barnes makes the odd decision of revealing the gang violence is happening because Blackheart is the mayor and one of the gang's leaders is beholden to him. It removes all agency from everyone, from the people making those bad public-policy choices to the gang members themselves. I'm hoping Barnes uses Blackheart as a metaphor for evil, a reflection of the fact some people really do embrace violence as the preferred way to solve their problems. If he doesn't, it's going to undermine the story I think he's trying to tell.
Ms. Marvel #22-#23: I somehow missed issue #22 when it was released, but it wraps up the Josh arc pretty well. Josh is unapologetic for the decisions he's made, but Willow doesn't turn him into a total villain: he believes in his cause (whatever it actually is, because I can't exactly say I understand it for sure), but he doesn't believe in the extreme measures Basic Becky is willing to take to further it. Kamala makes the insightful point that she didn't believe Josh is this person, but sometimes you have to believe people when they tell you who they are. It's...dark. But, issue #23 is a breath of fresh air as handsome Kareem arrives from Pakistan. This sequence is amazing for a number of reasons. First, Kamala's homeroom teacher wants her to show around the new Pakistani exchange student, and she and Nakia are outraged the teacher thinks somehow she knows him despite Pakistan having 200 million people. But, of course, she does. (Her parents didn't tell her because they were too busy helping Amir and Tyesha prepare to move to their new apartment before the baby comes.) Second, Mike hilariously pretty much throws herself at him, and it lightens the mood a bit. I have to admit it's good to see Kamala's supporting cast. Willow also does a great job with the Red Dagger and Ms. Marvel's interactions, with Kamala furious he's already got a legion of Instagram fans (thanks to his surfer's hair) as they try to stop a runaway train. (Also, I think they included a "Station Agent" shoutout in here, and, if so, mind blown.)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #13: The thing that's always so fun about this series is you're never really sure what Aphra's plan is. For example, in this issue, you're left wondering if she arranged the auction of Rur specifically to steal the artifacts she returns for cash at the end of this issue, or if she really did intend to auction Rur and just had to steal the artifacts to make the best of a bad situation. With Aphra, you just never know. The ending is even better (and I'm not just talking about the Beetee-narrated letters page, which should continue now and forever). After re-reading the entire arc, it's pretty clear Gillen is writing for the trade. Aphra mentions not expecting to get a happy ending in issue #11, a theme that comes up again in this issue. Initially, I couldn't figure out the connection to the Museum of Bar'leth, one of the two places where she returns the aforementioned artifacts. I had to re-read issue #12 to realize Aphra returned some of the artifacts to the Shadow University and then clearly sold the rest of them to the Museum. That's our Aphra. I'm also not sure if I'm supposed to recognize this "Dukan," a name mentioned by a group of figures who accosts Aphra on the beach at the end of the issue. (See her aforementioned inability to have a happy ending.) I don't remember Aphra killing alone named Dukan before, but I guess we'll see.
Uncanny Avengers #28: First, I have to thank Izaakse for finding an excuse to keep Johnny Storm in his underwear. He's in them so often I was almost surprised to see him wearing honest-to-goodness clothes later in the issue. Izaakse isn't just great when it comes to delivering Mr. Easy-on-the-Eyes Storm. His panel work is really spectacular, and he uses a number of layouts that evoke the 1960s, just what a Legacy issue demands. It's not just the artwork that invokes the Legacy idea. Beast and Wonder Man meet at a Midtown bar to marvel at how they find themselves in such poor shape. Beast is finally coming to terms with how he's let his uncontrolled ego push him into a series of bad decisions -- from bringing the original X-Men to the present to doing nothing to stop a fascist dictator from taking over America. For his part, Wonder Man recounts his "dead/alive/angry/dead again/alive again/angry again" history, and it's a wonder he's not totally insane. The duo find themselves stopping Whirlwind from escaping the police and decide (again, in keeping with the Legacy theme) to return to basics. Zub is taking two great characters who Marvel has criminally misused, drawing a line under their past, and relaunching them into the present. But, he doesn't stop there. I was wondering a few issues ago why Jan wasn't leading this team, and she actually answers that question here. It's not because she isn't a leader; she just isn't the leader of this team. She notes everyone looks to Rogue for leadership; in fact, they're all still on this officially disbanded team because of her. It's 100% true, and I have to really applaud Zub for this insight into the characters. As I've said before, this series to me is the Avengers series. With Johnny suddenly coming into Reed's money and Dr. Voodoo summoning mini-Juggernauts to rebuild the Mansion, it's pretty clear we're on solid footing here for the foreseeable future. Avengers assemble!
Also Read: X-Men: Blue #13
Slott does an excellent job of immediately establishing Peter's current status quo. After one date, he's living on Bobbi's couch. She notes it's been weeks and she's managed to find an apartment and a job, but he's sitting on her couch wearing her shirt. He's avoiding Harry's calls and the media, as they report constantly about the implosion of PI. However, he's incensed when the "Bugle" runs a critical story about him, and he confronts Joe in the newsroom. But, Joe's not having it: he notes Peter's incompetence resulted in working-class people like his Uncle Ben losing they jobs, and Peter accepts he's right. He also notices the science writer has gotten something wrong in his article about Pym micro-processors, and Slott seems to be setting up Robbie hiring Peter as the "Bugle's" new science writer. Meanwhile, Betty invites Peter to Flash's birthday party. He's accosted by an angry mob on the way, and he bails on the party after hearing everyone (including MJ) talking about how royally he screwed up everything. (This scene is important, too. Slott fanwanks us by having someone refer to the time they bought Petey furniture when he was down and out the last time, but MJ says he's way too old for that now. It's part of the tone Slott is striking, that it's time for Peter to act like an adult. It's a little harsh and not entirely fair, but also maybe a little true.) Everything looks up later when Bobbi tosses Peter his Spider-Man costume and they go patrolling. They save a food truck from the Griffin, and Spidey wins over the previously hostile crowd in so doing. Slott seems to be setting up "Peter Parker No More!" redux, as Spidey kisses Mockingbird and realizes life as Spider-Man is going well.
Immonen, von Grawbadger, and Gracia make this book (and Peter) look better than literally ever. (Peter can lie on the couch in sweatpants for all future issues and I'd buy them.) That said, my only complaint is they occasionally make him look too young. As fetching as he looks in a tight t-shirt staring into the refrigerator, he looks about a decade younger than his friends. It's not just a nitpick: it undermines the story Slott is trying to tell. Peter should look like an adult if we're going to expect him to act like one. But, it's a minor complaint. Slott has me (even me!) hopeful we're returning to form here. Fingers crossed.
Falcon #1: This issue is a mixed bag. Like Slott in "Amazing Spider-Man," Barnes has Sam return to being a street-level hero as he decides to solve the gang problem in Chicago. It's exactly what you'd expect Falcon to do. Barnes also does a great job with Patriot here. I was never really a fan of the "new" Falcon, whose presence on Sam's team always felt forced. Conversely, Rayshaun is a great character that Marvel slowly developed over time. He has the same urgency to be in the field as Joaquin did, but his character also has more depth as a result of him seeing the devastation of Las Vegas firsthand. Spencer didn't really do much to develop Joaquin as a character; he woke up one day as a falcon-human hybrid and basically saw no downside to that. Rayshaun is an improvement. That said, both Sam and Rayshaun seem to be heading for a rude awakening. Listening to Sam, gang violence is basically just a reflection of poor public-policy choices; John Gotti would've become a florist had he been given the right incentives. It's here where Barnes makes the odd decision of revealing the gang violence is happening because Blackheart is the mayor and one of the gang's leaders is beholden to him. It removes all agency from everyone, from the people making those bad public-policy choices to the gang members themselves. I'm hoping Barnes uses Blackheart as a metaphor for evil, a reflection of the fact some people really do embrace violence as the preferred way to solve their problems. If he doesn't, it's going to undermine the story I think he's trying to tell.
Ms. Marvel #22-#23: I somehow missed issue #22 when it was released, but it wraps up the Josh arc pretty well. Josh is unapologetic for the decisions he's made, but Willow doesn't turn him into a total villain: he believes in his cause (whatever it actually is, because I can't exactly say I understand it for sure), but he doesn't believe in the extreme measures Basic Becky is willing to take to further it. Kamala makes the insightful point that she didn't believe Josh is this person, but sometimes you have to believe people when they tell you who they are. It's...dark. But, issue #23 is a breath of fresh air as handsome Kareem arrives from Pakistan. This sequence is amazing for a number of reasons. First, Kamala's homeroom teacher wants her to show around the new Pakistani exchange student, and she and Nakia are outraged the teacher thinks somehow she knows him despite Pakistan having 200 million people. But, of course, she does. (Her parents didn't tell her because they were too busy helping Amir and Tyesha prepare to move to their new apartment before the baby comes.) Second, Mike hilariously pretty much throws herself at him, and it lightens the mood a bit. I have to admit it's good to see Kamala's supporting cast. Willow also does a great job with the Red Dagger and Ms. Marvel's interactions, with Kamala furious he's already got a legion of Instagram fans (thanks to his surfer's hair) as they try to stop a runaway train. (Also, I think they included a "Station Agent" shoutout in here, and, if so, mind blown.)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #13: The thing that's always so fun about this series is you're never really sure what Aphra's plan is. For example, in this issue, you're left wondering if she arranged the auction of Rur specifically to steal the artifacts she returns for cash at the end of this issue, or if she really did intend to auction Rur and just had to steal the artifacts to make the best of a bad situation. With Aphra, you just never know. The ending is even better (and I'm not just talking about the Beetee-narrated letters page, which should continue now and forever). After re-reading the entire arc, it's pretty clear Gillen is writing for the trade. Aphra mentions not expecting to get a happy ending in issue #11, a theme that comes up again in this issue. Initially, I couldn't figure out the connection to the Museum of Bar'leth, one of the two places where she returns the aforementioned artifacts. I had to re-read issue #12 to realize Aphra returned some of the artifacts to the Shadow University and then clearly sold the rest of them to the Museum. That's our Aphra. I'm also not sure if I'm supposed to recognize this "Dukan," a name mentioned by a group of figures who accosts Aphra on the beach at the end of the issue. (See her aforementioned inability to have a happy ending.) I don't remember Aphra killing alone named Dukan before, but I guess we'll see.
Uncanny Avengers #28: First, I have to thank Izaakse for finding an excuse to keep Johnny Storm in his underwear. He's in them so often I was almost surprised to see him wearing honest-to-goodness clothes later in the issue. Izaakse isn't just great when it comes to delivering Mr. Easy-on-the-Eyes Storm. His panel work is really spectacular, and he uses a number of layouts that evoke the 1960s, just what a Legacy issue demands. It's not just the artwork that invokes the Legacy idea. Beast and Wonder Man meet at a Midtown bar to marvel at how they find themselves in such poor shape. Beast is finally coming to terms with how he's let his uncontrolled ego push him into a series of bad decisions -- from bringing the original X-Men to the present to doing nothing to stop a fascist dictator from taking over America. For his part, Wonder Man recounts his "dead/alive/angry/dead again/alive again/angry again" history, and it's a wonder he's not totally insane. The duo find themselves stopping Whirlwind from escaping the police and decide (again, in keeping with the Legacy theme) to return to basics. Zub is taking two great characters who Marvel has criminally misused, drawing a line under their past, and relaunching them into the present. But, he doesn't stop there. I was wondering a few issues ago why Jan wasn't leading this team, and she actually answers that question here. It's not because she isn't a leader; she just isn't the leader of this team. She notes everyone looks to Rogue for leadership; in fact, they're all still on this officially disbanded team because of her. It's 100% true, and I have to really applaud Zub for this insight into the characters. As I've said before, this series to me is the Avengers series. With Johnny suddenly coming into Reed's money and Dr. Voodoo summoning mini-Juggernauts to rebuild the Mansion, it's pretty clear we're on solid footing here for the foreseeable future. Avengers assemble!
Also Read: X-Men: Blue #13
Monday, October 16, 2017
Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The August 9 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Captain America #25 and Secret Empire #8: OK, here we go. In “Captain America” #25, Tony reveals he’s figured out each Cosmic Cube fragment has its own juice. I’ll be honest I’m not quite sure I understand his explanation of the discovery. He apparently realized Ulysses’ vision of Miles killing Cap didn’t come true because Cap was holding a Cosmic Cube fragment when Miles had a chance to kill him in "Secret Empire" #7. In other words, Steve wished Miles didn’t kill him, and it worked. This development results in the usual cascade of problems I've come to expect when confronted with prophecy-based stories, as you have to wonder why Ulysses’ prediction didn’t factor in the Cube fragment’s presence. But, if I know anything after 30+ years of reading comics, it’s not to expect prophecy-based or time-travel stories to make sense. In other words, fine: the Cube changed the history Ulysses predicted because, I don't know, it exists outside reality. Whatever. At any rate, Tony's realization sets up the plan we see unfolding at the start of “Secret Empire” #8: Sam and Tony use the fragment they have to free New York from the Darkforce Dimension and destroy the Shield, freeing the heroes trapped on the other side. To be honest, this issue is the first one to feel like filler, even though a lot happens. Spencer builds some suspense by showing the heroes fail yet again to deliver: Sam gets shot in his attempt to triangulate himself between the Darkforce Dimension and the Shield, failing to give the heroes the juice they need to free themselves. As such, Dr. Strange’s spell and Rocket’s bomb fail. But, Spencer reminds us the Cube works in mysterious ways. Instead, Hawkeye’s jail break allows Maria Hill to kill “Bob,” a.k.a. Blackout, and Quasar’s coma comes to an end. With the heroes reunited, Namor reveals the ace up his sleeve we saw at the end of “Captain America” #25: Bucky is alive. As I said, though, this issue is missing something, given the conclusion seems more and more inevitable. It's not like the first few issues where I legitimately had no idea where Spencer was going. It seems pretty clear the team is going to somehow use the Cube to "save" Steve. That said, it might not have been the most exciting installment of this event, but I also have to admit we do have some momentum carrying us into the finale.
Amazing Spider-Man #31: Something about Doc Ock makes Dan Slott just completely lose the plot, and I use that expression almost literally here. Peter orders everyone in Parker Industries to active worms that destroy everything the company has created; he does so to prevent Otto from breaking into PI's systems and using its technology to advance HYDRA. I get that, but, as usual, Slott takes it too far. At one point, Phillip Chang physically burns his written notes. Really? How exactly was Otto going to access them remotely when he hacked into Parker Industries? Couldn't Phillip just have left the building with them? Also, does he really remember nothing of his research? He basically says he'll never be able to introduce his clean fuel. It's like he's Drew Barrymore in "50 First Dates" and forgets what he did the previous day until he reads his notes. It's just one of several examples showing why this development makes no sense. In addition, Peter seems to deny Otto’s (entirely accurate) claim he, not Peter, started Parker Industries. WTF, Peter? On some level, the story supports this bias, since Peter didn't bother to make sure to scrub Otto from the system. But, does Peter really not believe Otto started PI? If he does, wouldn’t scrubbing Otto from the system be the first thing you'd do after discovering Otto had been in charge of your body for months? OK, first, I’d take a shower at the idea of the dirty things he did with my penis. Then, I’d make sure I eliminated any back-door programs. Peter's inability to do so -- and, by extension, inability to acknowledge Otto's role in the creation of PI -- really challenges my ability to suspend disbelief. It's part of Slott's approach to Peter as a bumbling idiot that I've never bought and just supports my hope we'll one day be freed from his control.
Generations: Phoenix and Jean Grey #1: If all "Generations" titles are as meaningless and poorly scripted as this one, I need to admit right now Marvel has yet again figured out a way to swindle me.
Generations: Phoenix and Jean Grey #1: If all "Generations" titles are as meaningless and poorly scripted as this one, I need to admit right now Marvel has yet again figured out a way to swindle me.
Ms. Marvel #21: I've always been impressed with Wilson's ability to convey complicated social themes in an emotional yet somehow still neutral way, and she really tops herself here. The revelation Basic Becky's creepy henchman is Josh isn't all that surprising. It's more surprising Wilson is able to handle him with such care, showing a broken young man who wanted to be seen as more than a dumb white jock. These sorts of messages can get lost in everyone shouting at each other today ("Poor little white boy!") but Wilson really manages to sell it. As Kamala says, at some point, it's just Josh and Kamala sitting on the floor of the mosque talking about their hurt. We probably need a lot more of that.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #11 and Star Wars: Rogue One - Cassian and K2SO Special #1: I lumped these two issues together because they basically tell the same story: both Aphra and Cassian have to deal with droids trying to kill them. In so doing, the Story Group reminds us just how dangerous this far, far away galaxy is, as you not only have to contend with all sorts of humanoids trying to kill you but droids, too. Triple-Zero is really the star of the show, though, as he not only manipulates Rur to get in the kills Aphra has denied him but also backs her into a corner as Vader boards the ship. In so doing, Gillen is setting up a stark reminder about the limits of Aphra's occasional "good" impulses. Would she allow Triple-Zero to kill more indiscriminately just to keep his talents on her side? It feels like a safe bet to take.
Friday, October 6, 2017
Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The July 26 Other Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Iceman #3: I really, really want to like this series, but, OMG, the art is so bad. It's hard to get past it. Grace does a great job of showing Bobby trying to be real with his parents in anticipation of telling them he's gay. He even gives us insight into why Bobby uses humor to deflect emotions, as his parents do the same thing during their ill-fated dinner. Actually, it's less "humor" and more "bitchiness." In that way, we get a good sense why Bobby is apprehensive about telling them the truth. But, Grace opens a door here as his mother admits they're not giving him a fair shot. In fact, I thought Grace does a great job of using mutants as a parallel for gays when he has Bobby's mother mention that society might be totally fine with mutants (gays) now, but it wasn't for a long time. They're having a hard time making that switch, and, frankly, I am, too (but from the other side, obviously). But, the art distracts from the story Grace is telling. It's almost like Vitti has been possessed by Rob Liefeld, with random lines populating all his figures. These sort of solo X-Men series don't typically last long, and I just hope they smooth out the art problems to give Grace some space to tell the story he wants to tell.
Spider-Gwen #22: After convincing Kitty to stop Logan from killing Harry, Gwen calls Reed to get a second opinion on whether the Lizard/Venom switcheroo will work. But, she's really calling for moral support, and Reed does her a solid by not giving it to her. She's convinced she's saving Harry, but Reed asks her what she really expects to happen here. It's not like Harry can just live a normal life once he's divested of his Lizard persona; he's made mistakes for which he'll have to pay. Moreover, he reminds Gwen she had numerous other options -- hiring a lawyer, calling in Captain America -- other than aligning aligning herself with the Kingpin. Left unsaid, Reed is basically saying Gwen is doing what suits her interests, getting back her powers and freeing her father. She's not really saving Harry for his sake; as we said, Harry is unlikely to walk into the sunset when he's cured. But, Gwen does it anyway, essentially proving Reed's point. I really have to give Latour credit here for allowing Gwen to be so morally ambiguous. It's a difficult road to hoe, but he really nails the landing (to mix metaphors) here.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #10: Gillen continues to remind us that somewhere under that tough exterior Aphra still seeks a certain level of approval. We saw her disappointment when Luke made it clear at the end of the "Screaming Citadel" arc that he couldn't forgive her for using him to get answers about Rur, and here Aphra selects a lower offer for Rur because the Shadow University promises to keep evidence of her cheating buried (allowing her to keep her doctorate) and even allow her access to Rur. Now she just has to survive Rur itself!
Also Read: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #5
Spider-Gwen #22: After convincing Kitty to stop Logan from killing Harry, Gwen calls Reed to get a second opinion on whether the Lizard/Venom switcheroo will work. But, she's really calling for moral support, and Reed does her a solid by not giving it to her. She's convinced she's saving Harry, but Reed asks her what she really expects to happen here. It's not like Harry can just live a normal life once he's divested of his Lizard persona; he's made mistakes for which he'll have to pay. Moreover, he reminds Gwen she had numerous other options -- hiring a lawyer, calling in Captain America -- other than aligning aligning herself with the Kingpin. Left unsaid, Reed is basically saying Gwen is doing what suits her interests, getting back her powers and freeing her father. She's not really saving Harry for his sake; as we said, Harry is unlikely to walk into the sunset when he's cured. But, Gwen does it anyway, essentially proving Reed's point. I really have to give Latour credit here for allowing Gwen to be so morally ambiguous. It's a difficult road to hoe, but he really nails the landing (to mix metaphors) here.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #10: Gillen continues to remind us that somewhere under that tough exterior Aphra still seeks a certain level of approval. We saw her disappointment when Luke made it clear at the end of the "Screaming Citadel" arc that he couldn't forgive her for using him to get answers about Rur, and here Aphra selects a lower offer for Rur because the Shadow University promises to keep evidence of her cheating buried (allowing her to keep her doctorate) and even allow her access to Rur. Now she just has to survive Rur itself!
Also Read: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #5
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