The Clone Conspiracy Omega #1: First, unless you're really, really invested in Rita Clarkson, the doctor who helped Ben at New U, you can skip this issue entirely. In the aftermath of last issue, Ben tips off some angry family members to Rita's location so he can be on hand to save her life when they attack her. In return, Rita goes all damsel-in-distress and hands Ben her IRA since he doesn't have any cash. (Rita doesn't believe him when he admits he arranged for the guys to attack her. Apparently doctors can be idiots.) Shouldn't she be in jail? Everyone is pretty clear as they're cleaning up the scene of the crime that she's in trouble. Shouldn't they prevent her from going to her "favorite watering hole?" At the very least, wouldn't you want to be able to prevent her from withdrawing her life savings, given she's likely a flight risk? I guess not. Beyond Rita's story, Slott uses the same shtick he did in the "Amazing Spider-Man" tie-in issues, filling in moments between the scenes in the main series. The problem is these scenes still make no sense. Peter is irate with Kaine for not telling him sooner that everyone was going to become Carrion zombies...even though I'm fairly certain he did tell him. (Is he mad Kaine didn't tell him the clones would dissolve? Isn't that what clones do?) Moreover, Ben still suffers from a lack of consistent characterization, even under Peter David. As you can see in his manipulation of Rita, he's still in full Bond-villain mode here, and I struggle to see why any of us would want to read his new title. He isn't a nuanced villain, like Dr. Doom or Magneto. He's as crazy as the original Jackal, and I can only tolerate him every fifty issues or so. [Sigh.] Meanwhile, the Rhino has all the sads, the Lizard's family turns into lizards like him, Jerry's wife is suing Peter, the Kingpin gives Peter Norman Osborn's whereabouts, yadda yadda yadda. Who the fuck cares at this point?
Avengers #5: I still have no idea what Waid is doing here, but it's fun to look at del Mundo's art so I guess I'll have to live with that. People seem to love what Waid is doing. I admit it's super-cool to see the present Avengers interact with the former teams, chosen for how they can help implement Sam's plan to take down Kang. But, the story still makes no sense to me. At one point, future Vision claims Sam inspired the Avengers' rallying cry when he said it in front of the original members. If that's true, why wouldn't they themselves remember that? Present Wasp never said to Sam, "Hey, did I ever tell you you're the guy who coined 'Avengers Assemble?' By the way, you become Captain America at some point." I could also talk about how it makes no sense Kang's minions can "mine" time or how it's unclear how the Avengers identified which links in Kang's billion-year long supply chain were the most essential. But, I guess I'm just supposed to go with it. It's like Xena said in that episode of "The Simpsons:" if something happens that doesn't make sense, a wizard did it! (Only, this time, the wizard is a synthezoid named Vision, at least in the latter case.)
Hawkeye #4: OMG, Jessica Jones! Mentor in awesomeness and private-eyeing! Twist I did not see coming! First things first: frat-boy Greg was the looming figure at the end of last issue. As suspected, he's been using the TBC stickers to prime hate, allowing him to absorb it and become, in Kate's words, a third-rate Hulk. In possibly the best denouement of the year, Kate is able to lure him to an outdoor sing-along "Sound of Music" performance, and the positivity that comes with that causes him to de-Hulk. (Seriously, that's just effing brilliant. I've never seen that in comics before. I love the idea of Thompson sitting around thinking, "OK, what's the most positive thing I can imagine? Positive, positive, positive...") You'd almost think everything worked out well, as Kate ends the issue happy and with her new crew in place. Rivera even agrees she's getting a nickname! But, then we go dark. Greg asks to see Kate, and he mentions he should've recognized "the resemblance." Kate believes this comment connects him to her father, and we learn she's in Los Angeles (and stalking surfer Brad) to find her father. But, Greg blows up before he can say anything else. (Suspicious.) Thankfully, when Kate arrives at her apartment, Jessica is there with Brad. Dun-dun-DUN!
Midnighter and Apollo #6: I often struggle with violence in comic books. Modern authors are aware of the challenge this violence presents in a way that, say, Stan Lee wasn't. But, at some point probably every month, I have a moment where I think, "Why am I reading stories about super-powered beings beating on each other?" But, Midnighter bottom lines it here rather nicely (and in his boxer-briefs to boot). He tells Apollo he's going to keep on killing bad guys so people don't have to live without someone they love. He can't imagine anything worse, after coming close to it in this adventure. Honestly? That's a pretty solid reason. Moreover, we learn Apollo chose his name not because he thought of himself as a sun god, but because Apollo turned his lover Hyacinth into something better when he thought he was going to lose him. Midnighter doesn't ask for redemption, and Apollo doesn't ask permission to give it to him. They are who they are, and thank God they are the type of people to play sexy, half-naked chess in their apartment. In other words? I fucking love these two.
Moon Knight #12: This issue couldn't be more exciting. Lemire and Smallwood's pacing is really spectacular. First, we have Marc unexpectedly being joined by his alter egos in the Overvoid, who help him rescue Anput and escape with Crawley. This entire sequence is amazing, from the smugly bemused look on handsome Steve's face to spaceman Marc facilitating their escape with his spaceship. (Spaceship!) It's like a great pulp film come to life. But, it's Marc's adventures in Saudi Arabia as a mercenary that really leap off the page for their realism. Lemire is giving us a ring-side seat to Marc's descent into darkness. Frenchie advises him not to meet the crime lord giving them jobs, but Marc chases the money, wanting more. When we meet the Bushman, it's clear why Frenchie was nervous. I've always known Marc was a mercenary when he became Moon Knight, but it was always sort of a throw-away piece of information, like how Peter Parker won a science fair as a kid or something. It was just part of the background. But, Lemire is walking us through this period, and it's amazing to watch. It's really a chance to get to know this character, and I feel like, in the end, I'll be able to call myself a legitimate Moon Knight fan. That's exciting stuff right there.
Nightwing #16: The good news is we don't get confirmation Shawn is dead here. The bad news is the guy who seems to have kidnapped her calls himself Deathwing so her survival isn't looking so good. The issue starts with Dick taking down a hilariously ridiculous group of criminals called the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Lest you think they're all cool like the X-Men's version, they're a bunch of small-time hoods wearing horse-head masks. (Seriously.) Dick makes short work of them. Then, Damian appears suddenly; he's traveled from San Francisco because he's bothered by people on Twitter claiming Dick is the true heir. He tries to challenge Dick to some sort of duel, but Shawn calls at that moment to tell Dick she may be pregnant. Dick doesn't have patience for Damian's antics and tackles him, dismissing him as a hormonal teenager. He picks up a pregnancy test on his way to Shawn's apartment (I'd love to know how exactly he swung that in his costume) and discovers Shawn is missing. He's distraught just as Damian arrives, having followed him. This next part is amazing as Damian apologizes in his way: he tells Dick he's sorry they fought and urges Dick to apologize for being terse. Seeley gets Damian, y'all. At any rate, Dick leaves Damian again, but Damian finds the pregnancy test and realizes Dick is in trouble. He meets Dick with their old Batmobile, and Dick realizes he needs help: as Damian said, he's emotional and he's going to get himself killed without Damian. It's touching in the way it's always touching with these guys: it's not like they ever hug, but the love is there. Moreover, Seeley makes it clear why Dick is going to need Damian. As I mentioned, the perpetrator of the kidnapping is a guy named Deathwing. We meet him at the scene of the crime Dick stopped at the start of this issue. He's now killed the Horsemen and the cops Dick had someone call to arrest them. This guy is definitely playing for keeps.
Spider-Man 2099 #21:
I'll admit we have a lot going on here. Electro 2099 is after Sonny,
probably on behalf of the Fist and probably because Sonny knows something
he shouldn't know. However, he has amnesia, though it's not clear to me the Fist knows that. Miguel manages to save Sonny and capture Electro. He plans on interrogating Electro into telling him when the Fist attacks Times Square, and we learn it's this attack that destroys New York and allows Nueva York to be built. However, I'm still a little confused by this revelation. First, if Miguel knows the Fist attack creates Nueva York, then it can't be the event that altered his future; it's the event that essentially created his future. After all, the reason he's stuck in the present is because his 2099 was eliminated. Maybe this attack creates Roberta's 2099 not Miguel's 2099? If so, it makes sense she knows the Fist attack that created Nueva York in her 2099. But, again, if Miguel knows about it, it doesn't seem to be relevant to his goal of re-engineering his 2099. In fact, he has to let it happen. If it is the event to create the alternate future (possibly Roberta's), then we still don't know how Miguel created the Fist in the past. Since they already exist, it implies this action-forcing event has already taken place, but it's unclear what it is. As I said, it's a lot.
Star Wars #29: This story has been on a slow burn, but Aaron throws
some kerosene on the fire in this issue. The concept of "stonepower" as
the syncretic version of the Force has been intriguing, mostly because
its practitioners could obviously learn a thing or two from Yoda. They
do so here, but it's not the lesson Yoda wanted them to learn. After he
discovers the stone the Rockhawkers prize is part of a living mountain,
he re-awakens the mountain. We learn he's the last remaining giant who used to live on
this world, before the power-hungry humans reduced them to rubble. Yoda and Garro leave the mountain as its lava (i.e.,
blood) starts flowing, and Garro reveals its secret to his fellow
Rockhawkers as a way of getting in good with them again. A
disappointed Yoda returns to the Muckwhackers to prepare them for war,
correctly predicting the Rockhawkers will send the revived mountain after the Muckwhackers . But, Aaron kicks up the story a notch when Luke arrives on
the planet in the present to learn the fate of the mountain. (No, he didn't finish the
story first. Is that a convenient device? Yes, yes, it is. But, is
Luke also enough of an impatient idiot to make it believable? Yes, yes, he is.) An older Garro -- the man we likely saw last issue talking to
Ben on Tatooine -- greets him, telling Luke he's the last of the Rockhawkers and
he's going to help him end the war. Given the body of the giant
is buried in the sand next to where they're standing, I'm intrigued to see exactly how Luke is going to do
that.
Also Read: Batman #18; Champions #6
Showing posts with label The Clone Conspiracy (2016). Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Clone Conspiracy (2016). Show all posts
Monday, March 20, 2017
Friday, March 10, 2017
Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The February 15 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Captain America: Sam Wilson #19: This issue is painful to read because, just like Rage, we all know how it's going to end. Sam's belief in the system is admirable, but Spencer reminds us why we are where we are as a country. It's OK for the Americops to testify against Rage in their masks, but it's something else entirely for Sam's surveillance system to be used as evidence. The only uplifting part of this issue is the revelation Speed Demon finally got a dog (presumably not Inspector, the dog he stole -- and eventually returned -- from the little girl in "Superior Foes of Spider-Man"). In other words, Spencer is delivering a tour de force of political and social commentary. I'm not sure it's going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it's certain mine, and I applaud him for it.
Captain America: Steve Rogers #11: Based solely on the increasing number of issues of other series connected to this one, we finally seem to be getting somewhere. Spencer mostly manages to stick the landing as Steve walks Helmut through their "new" history. Over the course of this conversation, Spencer invites us to start asking questions I admit hadn't dawned on me before. (It's a good sign he's really in control of this narrative.) After all, if Zemo doesn't remember the new history -- where he and Steve were friends at HYDRAwarts -- then did it really happen? Did Kobik change Steve's history, or did she just change Steve's memory of his history? On the other hand, for this new history to be true, someone had to de-age Zemo; otherwise, he would be in his 90s. Rogers alludes to someone doing exactly that, but he never reveals who did it. Similarly, in the new history, Arnim Zola took Dr. Erskine's place as the head of Project Rebirth. But, does everyone else know that? These questions are important because it calls into question Helmut's state of mind at the end of the issue. Is he pretending to believe the new history when he embraces Steve, or does he really "remember" it? At this point, I would guess Kobik didn't re-write everyone's history, mostly because Steve doesn't seem to have a coherent view of the new world order he believes HYDRA is going to bring. He talks about using the Chitauri invasion to wipe away the current world, which he deems wrong. But, we still don't know what he finds so wrong about it. What values are guiding HYDRA that will make the world better to Steve's mind? I don't think Steve really knows. In other words, it seems like Kobik has just brainwashed Steve to support HYDRA and made limited changes to support this outcome. She tweaked history a bit, like putting Zola in charge of Project: Rebirth, de-aging Zemo for reasons we still don't understand, or creating Sinclair as her agent of change. It seems like Zemo does remember this new history if everyone "remembers" Zola as the head of Project: Rebirth. Spencer makes it clear this moment of revelation may be near: Taskmaster has found a tape of Cap saying "Hail HYDRA" (and possibly showing him shoving Jack Flag out the plane). In other words, Spencer significantly raises the tension here, as he seems to be going the route I think we all fear: the public becoming aware of Cap's betrayal rather than Kobik eventually "correcting" his history. At this stage, I honestly don't know which one I'd rather.
Clone Conspiracy #5: It's hard to believe Dan Slott wanted this event to end this way, in utter and total chaos. OK, some of the chaos he probably wanted: Slott generally likes not wrapping up stories neatly, like when he left it unclear if the Rhino and Silver Sable died at the end of "Ends of the Earth." The fact we're not clear on which heroes or villains died or survived here fits with that approach. But, once again, it's the science -- or lack thereof -- that really causes the confusion. First, one of the New U scientists reveals they kept the original bodies of some of the people they cloned in stasis. This part makes no sense. First, to the extent Slott has laid out the science used to make the clones, it seemed clear Ben needed all the remains of a body to clone it. However, here, it seems like you don't even need any of the remains, if they could keep the bodies of people they cloned in stasis. Moreover, they allegedly did so in order to cure the people's maladies. But, how did they "cure" Hobie? He was shocked to death by Electro! [Sigh.] The science is even more unclear when it comes to why some clones survived and others died. Slott shows the clones differing in terms of their sturdiness as they disintegrate at different rates once Ben broadcasts the signal; for example, Gwen is alive to watch her father turn to dust. But, Slott never addresses why they would disintegrate at different rates. Why were some clones more stable than others? No idea. Moreover, we have a great example of pet peeve #3. All the resurrected "good guys" die: Jean DeWolff, Marla Jameson, Oksana, Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy, etc. The only exception seems to be the Lizard's wife and son, because Curt figured out a cure, but he only had enough for the two of them. But, all the villains seem to have lived. Spider-Gwen mentions she saw "some" bad guys dissolve, but the only evidence of a dead bad guy we have is Otto's arms, and, since we know Ben survived (due to his new series), it seems likely Otto did, too. Peter says (again) it's always the villains who return, but that doesn't make sense just because Peter said it. In the end, all "Clone Conspiracy" seems to have done is resurrect virtually every Spider-Man villain since he started his career. I'm not fundamentally against that; in fact, it's pretty cool. But, it would've been better if Slott had done it in a careful and methodical way. Instead, we get a cheap ret-con that destroys the reputation of a great character to accomplish it. I wouldn't call that a win.
Deadpool #27: I'll hand it to Marvel: when they recommend you read this issue at the end of "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #11, they're not kidding. A trio of future Captain Americas arrive in the past to prevent Rogers from creating his "Secret Empire," but Cap, Agent Coulson, and Deadpool make short work of them. However, Coulson stumbles upon Cap putting a gun in the hand of the last future Cap they killed, retroactively justifying his order for Deadpool to shoot to kill moments before. Coulson is shaken and starts to put two and two together, from Kobik restoring Steve to his younger age to Dalton's murder leading to Maria's ouster and Steve becoming the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director. Between that and Taskmaster's discovery at the end of "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #11, the net is starting to tighten here.
Also Read: Mighty Thor #16; Poe Dameron #11; Spider-Man #13; U.S.Avengers #3
Captain America: Steve Rogers #11: Based solely on the increasing number of issues of other series connected to this one, we finally seem to be getting somewhere. Spencer mostly manages to stick the landing as Steve walks Helmut through their "new" history. Over the course of this conversation, Spencer invites us to start asking questions I admit hadn't dawned on me before. (It's a good sign he's really in control of this narrative.) After all, if Zemo doesn't remember the new history -- where he and Steve were friends at HYDRAwarts -- then did it really happen? Did Kobik change Steve's history, or did she just change Steve's memory of his history? On the other hand, for this new history to be true, someone had to de-age Zemo; otherwise, he would be in his 90s. Rogers alludes to someone doing exactly that, but he never reveals who did it. Similarly, in the new history, Arnim Zola took Dr. Erskine's place as the head of Project Rebirth. But, does everyone else know that? These questions are important because it calls into question Helmut's state of mind at the end of the issue. Is he pretending to believe the new history when he embraces Steve, or does he really "remember" it? At this point, I would guess Kobik didn't re-write everyone's history, mostly because Steve doesn't seem to have a coherent view of the new world order he believes HYDRA is going to bring. He talks about using the Chitauri invasion to wipe away the current world, which he deems wrong. But, we still don't know what he finds so wrong about it. What values are guiding HYDRA that will make the world better to Steve's mind? I don't think Steve really knows. In other words, it seems like Kobik has just brainwashed Steve to support HYDRA and made limited changes to support this outcome. She tweaked history a bit, like putting Zola in charge of Project: Rebirth, de-aging Zemo for reasons we still don't understand, or creating Sinclair as her agent of change. It seems like Zemo does remember this new history if everyone "remembers" Zola as the head of Project: Rebirth. Spencer makes it clear this moment of revelation may be near: Taskmaster has found a tape of Cap saying "Hail HYDRA" (and possibly showing him shoving Jack Flag out the plane). In other words, Spencer significantly raises the tension here, as he seems to be going the route I think we all fear: the public becoming aware of Cap's betrayal rather than Kobik eventually "correcting" his history. At this stage, I honestly don't know which one I'd rather.
Clone Conspiracy #5: It's hard to believe Dan Slott wanted this event to end this way, in utter and total chaos. OK, some of the chaos he probably wanted: Slott generally likes not wrapping up stories neatly, like when he left it unclear if the Rhino and Silver Sable died at the end of "Ends of the Earth." The fact we're not clear on which heroes or villains died or survived here fits with that approach. But, once again, it's the science -- or lack thereof -- that really causes the confusion. First, one of the New U scientists reveals they kept the original bodies of some of the people they cloned in stasis. This part makes no sense. First, to the extent Slott has laid out the science used to make the clones, it seemed clear Ben needed all the remains of a body to clone it. However, here, it seems like you don't even need any of the remains, if they could keep the bodies of people they cloned in stasis. Moreover, they allegedly did so in order to cure the people's maladies. But, how did they "cure" Hobie? He was shocked to death by Electro! [Sigh.] The science is even more unclear when it comes to why some clones survived and others died. Slott shows the clones differing in terms of their sturdiness as they disintegrate at different rates once Ben broadcasts the signal; for example, Gwen is alive to watch her father turn to dust. But, Slott never addresses why they would disintegrate at different rates. Why were some clones more stable than others? No idea. Moreover, we have a great example of pet peeve #3. All the resurrected "good guys" die: Jean DeWolff, Marla Jameson, Oksana, Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy, etc. The only exception seems to be the Lizard's wife and son, because Curt figured out a cure, but he only had enough for the two of them. But, all the villains seem to have lived. Spider-Gwen mentions she saw "some" bad guys dissolve, but the only evidence of a dead bad guy we have is Otto's arms, and, since we know Ben survived (due to his new series), it seems likely Otto did, too. Peter says (again) it's always the villains who return, but that doesn't make sense just because Peter said it. In the end, all "Clone Conspiracy" seems to have done is resurrect virtually every Spider-Man villain since he started his career. I'm not fundamentally against that; in fact, it's pretty cool. But, it would've been better if Slott had done it in a careful and methodical way. Instead, we get a cheap ret-con that destroys the reputation of a great character to accomplish it. I wouldn't call that a win.
Deadpool #27: I'll hand it to Marvel: when they recommend you read this issue at the end of "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #11, they're not kidding. A trio of future Captain Americas arrive in the past to prevent Rogers from creating his "Secret Empire," but Cap, Agent Coulson, and Deadpool make short work of them. However, Coulson stumbles upon Cap putting a gun in the hand of the last future Cap they killed, retroactively justifying his order for Deadpool to shoot to kill moments before. Coulson is shaken and starts to put two and two together, from Kobik restoring Steve to his younger age to Dalton's murder leading to Maria's ouster and Steve becoming the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director. Between that and Taskmaster's discovery at the end of "Captain America: Steve Rogers" #11, the net is starting to tighten here.
Also Read: Mighty Thor #16; Poe Dameron #11; Spider-Man #13; U.S.Avengers #3
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The January 18 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Batman #15: This entire arc is possibly the most perfect Batman/Catwoman story ever written, and I won't spoil it by even reviewing it. Just read it. She stole the night indeed.
Black Widow #10: Well, I didn't see pretty much any of that coming. OK, I thought Waid might give Natasha back her memories of her relationship with Bucky. After all, the Lion's cousin was pretty much made-to-order for that task, particularly when his powers were combined with access to Nick Fury's secrets. But, Waid doesn't exactly confirm that here. Sure, Nat calls Bucky "James" and awakens from her ever-so-brief coma with a personality much more reminiscent of her previous one. But, Waid is right that Nat also knows she has a job to do, so she can't get entangled with Bucky at this moment. (Her most enigmatic comment is about how Bucky can't keep secrets from her. Their relationship wasn't Bucky's secret, so I'm not sure what she meant by that. It's particularly weird considering it was her answer to his question about whether she remembers their relationship.) We're just left with the hope that she feels something for him again, and I guess I can live with that (for now). All that said, it's the death of both Lions that threw me for a loop. Waid seemed to have greater plans for them, so their sudden exit from the scene is surprising. But, it does re-focus us on Recluse, who gets back her "girls" here, preparing for war with Nat. Moreover, Fury's cryptic message to Nat -- spelling out the word "friendship" in Russian -- remains unclear. Maybe it was that message that activated her memory of Bucky, like a code word. Or, maybe it's something else. But, again, it's a reminder that Nat's right: we've got other fish to fry than romance at this point.
Clone Conspiracy #4: After three issues and several tie-in issues where Slott seemed to be dragging out the story for as long as possible, he slams on the accelerator here. Unfortunately, it means we fly past logic on the way to our destination (wherever that is). Peter decides not to help Ben resurrect Uncle Ben after he sees Ben's "Haven," a Pleasant Hill-esque sub-basement where the resurrected people live with their families. I generally agree with Slott that Peter would come to this conclusion, but I'll say that Slott could've explored his decision-making process a little more. Peter tells Ben he's exercising his power without responsibility, but doesn't really elaborate on why he thinks so: he only seems troubled (as he should be) by Ben engaging in emotional blackmail to create his "web" of supporters, like Jonah. Again, I don't necessarily disagree with the idea Peter would reject Ben's overture, but Slott's has strongly hinted Peter was sympathetic to Ben's plans. In fact, in dozens of alternative universes, Peter apparently winds up helping Ben. As such, it would've been nice to see why this Peter draws a line. Was it just because of the blackmail? But, Ben suddenly orders the residents of Haven to kill Peter without any hesitation, and an answer to that question becomes irrelevant. This action makes it hard to believe we're really dealing with Ben here. First, he continues to refuse to answer Peter's questions about how he could've been resurrected from mere ash. But, more importantly, Slott never really explains how someone who goes to great lengths in this issue to assure Peter he's a good guy could so easily embrace being a bad guy. It even gets worse: Ben offers to give Anna-Maria a "normal" body in exchange for the cure she's developed for the cellular degeneration. It not only reveals Ben is a bigot, but it also shows just how cutting edge Ben's technology apparently is. Previously, he could just miraculously cure ailments like heart disease. Now, Slott is saying he can change a person's entire body structure. But, it's the crack about Anna-Marie's height that pushes Otto over the edge, and he uses his discovery that harmonics are the cause of the cellular degeneration to start destroying the clones. This incident somehow creates the Carrion virus, because Anna-Maria also begins to disintegrate. Before Slott can explain why the clones' affliction jumps to humans, Ben decides to use Jonah's FACT studio to broadcast the signal -- and the virus -- to the entire world. Yeah, I don't get it either. I mean, I get the idea clones might be susceptible to harmonics, but why would humans be? Moreover, why would a radio signal cause it? The whole story -- between the now-numerous instances of sketchy scientific justifications and the character assassination of Ben -- is just a mess.
Amazing Spider-Man #23: Slott and Gage pick up the story we didn't see in "Clone Conspiracy"#4 in this issue but it leaves me with more questions than answers. Something I didn't mention in the review of "Clone Conspiracy" #4 is that Peter was fast and loose with calling out Ben's name while everything goes pear-shaped. At one point, Ben is on the TV monitor announcing he's broadcasting the Carrion virus and Peter is surrounded by his enemies as they succumb to the virus. Peter just starts absolutely bellowing, "Ben!" This carelessness is made all the odder here with the revelation that most people seem to think the Jackal is Warren. Captain Stacy and Gwen know it's Ben Reilly, though it's unclear how Stacy knew; Gwen admits she guessed. Why would he even remotely want to throw out that name, given how easy it would be to connect him to Ben? Other than that, Slott and Gage do a solid job of imaging what a conversation between Peter and a resurrected Gwen Stacy would look like. Peter is particularly fixated on Gwen as a clone, putting her in the same category as Ben and Kaine: he's not negating her right to exist, but he's also not accepting her as "Gwen" anymore than Ben or Kaine are "Peter." But, Gwen rightfully notes both Ben and Kaine had life experiences different from Peter that inform who they are; Gwen herself essentially woke up the minute after dying. At this point, they get to the crux of the matter: Gwen believes Peter can't accept her because he can't accept being happy. After he admits that he and MJ were only happy for "a time," she realizes he's built the walls so high around himself that no one can get over them, not even her. It's a solid argument, to an extent. Peter essentially agrees, saying that she's not Gwen to him largely because he's not the Peter he was when they were together. It's the first time Peter's refusal to accept this new technology feels real and not just a convenient way for Slott to advance the action. That said, part of me still wonders if Peter feels this way about everyone else he knows who's been resurrected. Does he refuse to accept Captain America is Steve Rogers? I mean, how many times has Harry Osborn "died?" But, Slott clearly hasn't thought through this argument fully, so I'm not going to push my luck.
Mighty Captain Marvel #1: The good news is this issue is fun. Stohl really captures the joy of Carol. As a member of the Carol Corps, it's this sense of humor I felt was missing in the woman we saw in "Civil War II," and I'm glad to see it's returned. The only bad news is it's almost too much fun. Stohl has Alpha Flight producing a TV series based on Carol to fund its operations, and I have to admit I found that premise implausible even for a comic book. Is Netflix really paying so much at this point that we could run a fully staffed space station from the proceeds? If so, I need to get into producing. At any rate, Stohl thankfully has a firmer handle on the rest of the plot, diving into current events in the same way Nick Spencer is in "Captain America: Sam Wilson." We learn S.H.I.E.L.D. (if not Maria Hill) is building the Shield to keep out interplanetary refugees fleeing the oncoming Chitauri horde. Carol has apparently regrown her conscience, because she's appalled at the idea we're going to lock out refugees. However, before we can delve too far into that argument, she is called to save a Kree child in one of the camps. Said child was the target of a shape-shifting bounty hunter, who's apparently been tasked with collecting ten such children. Good luck getting his hands on that last kid now that she's under Carol's care! Other than the TV-series weirdness, this issue is a long awaited return to form for Carol.
Nightwing #13: Seeley is stretching some premises a little too far here. For example, the hard-boiled detective who doesn't like "tights" apparently has a photographic memory for the position of the heads of every murder she's worked. Moreover, the perpetrator apparently has an obsession with moving said heads after he kills the person, which just seems...weird. Like, what sort of childhood trauma makes him want to position all the heads in the same way? Did his father only look at his younger brother to his left at the dinner table?
Rebels #7-#10: I felt the same way about these issues as I did the first six: Wood and his collaborators have real moments of brilliance, but they just as often get a strike while swinging for the fences. Wood's approach to this series has been to harness the power of understated quiet. This approach shined when he used it to uncover the various layers of Seth Abbot's soul in the first six issues. But, it doesn't work in all cases, and we see that time and again in these issues. The character of Silence Bright -- a mixed-race printer in British-occupied Boston -- needed much more attention in issue #8; Wood never even attempts to describe how someone like her could survive and thrive in colonial Boston. He does much better in telling the story of Molly Pitcher in issue #7, stoking the reader's outrage as she's denied a veteran's pension because she's not a man. Wood uses her story to bring to life the teams of women and children who supported the Colonial Army, and it works so well because her steely quiet conveys her disapproval so perfectly. He also excels with Stone Hoof, the young Native American featured in issue #9, but he does so because he ditches the silent approach. We are given enough insight into the characters' thinking for the tragedy of the French and Indian War to be made clear. It also embraces the ethos of this series, sending most of us, I'm guessing, to Wikipedia to learn more about it. It's probably the best single issue of the series. But, Wood takes the silent approach to an extreme in the final issue, and it's probably the worst one of the series. We are left knowing virtually nothing about the young British redcoat after we watch his story unfold so tragically. Wood and his collaborators often toy with us through ambiguity, but they go too far here: it seems to be Seth Abbot himself who shot the young man, and it's also unclear whether he's dead or playing possum. But, Wood has given us so little at that point that it's hard to care whether or not he survives; the possibility of it being Seth is the only frisson of energy I felt in the issue. I ended issue #6 saying I wish it had been issue #24, and I feel the same way here. Wood leaves so much on the table that it feels like a promise unfulfilled. I just have to hope he returns to Seth (and not just his son, as he apparently will be doing in the upcoming series) again, so we can see the war through his eyes. That would be a comic I'd be happy to read.
Also Read: Avengers #3.1; Captain America: Sam Wilson #18; Doctor Aphra #3; Spider-Gwen #16; U.S.Avengers #2
Black Widow #10: Well, I didn't see pretty much any of that coming. OK, I thought Waid might give Natasha back her memories of her relationship with Bucky. After all, the Lion's cousin was pretty much made-to-order for that task, particularly when his powers were combined with access to Nick Fury's secrets. But, Waid doesn't exactly confirm that here. Sure, Nat calls Bucky "James" and awakens from her ever-so-brief coma with a personality much more reminiscent of her previous one. But, Waid is right that Nat also knows she has a job to do, so she can't get entangled with Bucky at this moment. (Her most enigmatic comment is about how Bucky can't keep secrets from her. Their relationship wasn't Bucky's secret, so I'm not sure what she meant by that. It's particularly weird considering it was her answer to his question about whether she remembers their relationship.) We're just left with the hope that she feels something for him again, and I guess I can live with that (for now). All that said, it's the death of both Lions that threw me for a loop. Waid seemed to have greater plans for them, so their sudden exit from the scene is surprising. But, it does re-focus us on Recluse, who gets back her "girls" here, preparing for war with Nat. Moreover, Fury's cryptic message to Nat -- spelling out the word "friendship" in Russian -- remains unclear. Maybe it was that message that activated her memory of Bucky, like a code word. Or, maybe it's something else. But, again, it's a reminder that Nat's right: we've got other fish to fry than romance at this point.
Clone Conspiracy #4: After three issues and several tie-in issues where Slott seemed to be dragging out the story for as long as possible, he slams on the accelerator here. Unfortunately, it means we fly past logic on the way to our destination (wherever that is). Peter decides not to help Ben resurrect Uncle Ben after he sees Ben's "Haven," a Pleasant Hill-esque sub-basement where the resurrected people live with their families. I generally agree with Slott that Peter would come to this conclusion, but I'll say that Slott could've explored his decision-making process a little more. Peter tells Ben he's exercising his power without responsibility, but doesn't really elaborate on why he thinks so: he only seems troubled (as he should be) by Ben engaging in emotional blackmail to create his "web" of supporters, like Jonah. Again, I don't necessarily disagree with the idea Peter would reject Ben's overture, but Slott's has strongly hinted Peter was sympathetic to Ben's plans. In fact, in dozens of alternative universes, Peter apparently winds up helping Ben. As such, it would've been nice to see why this Peter draws a line. Was it just because of the blackmail? But, Ben suddenly orders the residents of Haven to kill Peter without any hesitation, and an answer to that question becomes irrelevant. This action makes it hard to believe we're really dealing with Ben here. First, he continues to refuse to answer Peter's questions about how he could've been resurrected from mere ash. But, more importantly, Slott never really explains how someone who goes to great lengths in this issue to assure Peter he's a good guy could so easily embrace being a bad guy. It even gets worse: Ben offers to give Anna-Maria a "normal" body in exchange for the cure she's developed for the cellular degeneration. It not only reveals Ben is a bigot, but it also shows just how cutting edge Ben's technology apparently is. Previously, he could just miraculously cure ailments like heart disease. Now, Slott is saying he can change a person's entire body structure. But, it's the crack about Anna-Marie's height that pushes Otto over the edge, and he uses his discovery that harmonics are the cause of the cellular degeneration to start destroying the clones. This incident somehow creates the Carrion virus, because Anna-Maria also begins to disintegrate. Before Slott can explain why the clones' affliction jumps to humans, Ben decides to use Jonah's FACT studio to broadcast the signal -- and the virus -- to the entire world. Yeah, I don't get it either. I mean, I get the idea clones might be susceptible to harmonics, but why would humans be? Moreover, why would a radio signal cause it? The whole story -- between the now-numerous instances of sketchy scientific justifications and the character assassination of Ben -- is just a mess.
Amazing Spider-Man #23: Slott and Gage pick up the story we didn't see in "Clone Conspiracy"#4 in this issue but it leaves me with more questions than answers. Something I didn't mention in the review of "Clone Conspiracy" #4 is that Peter was fast and loose with calling out Ben's name while everything goes pear-shaped. At one point, Ben is on the TV monitor announcing he's broadcasting the Carrion virus and Peter is surrounded by his enemies as they succumb to the virus. Peter just starts absolutely bellowing, "Ben!" This carelessness is made all the odder here with the revelation that most people seem to think the Jackal is Warren. Captain Stacy and Gwen know it's Ben Reilly, though it's unclear how Stacy knew; Gwen admits she guessed. Why would he even remotely want to throw out that name, given how easy it would be to connect him to Ben? Other than that, Slott and Gage do a solid job of imaging what a conversation between Peter and a resurrected Gwen Stacy would look like. Peter is particularly fixated on Gwen as a clone, putting her in the same category as Ben and Kaine: he's not negating her right to exist, but he's also not accepting her as "Gwen" anymore than Ben or Kaine are "Peter." But, Gwen rightfully notes both Ben and Kaine had life experiences different from Peter that inform who they are; Gwen herself essentially woke up the minute after dying. At this point, they get to the crux of the matter: Gwen believes Peter can't accept her because he can't accept being happy. After he admits that he and MJ were only happy for "a time," she realizes he's built the walls so high around himself that no one can get over them, not even her. It's a solid argument, to an extent. Peter essentially agrees, saying that she's not Gwen to him largely because he's not the Peter he was when they were together. It's the first time Peter's refusal to accept this new technology feels real and not just a convenient way for Slott to advance the action. That said, part of me still wonders if Peter feels this way about everyone else he knows who's been resurrected. Does he refuse to accept Captain America is Steve Rogers? I mean, how many times has Harry Osborn "died?" But, Slott clearly hasn't thought through this argument fully, so I'm not going to push my luck.
Mighty Captain Marvel #1: The good news is this issue is fun. Stohl really captures the joy of Carol. As a member of the Carol Corps, it's this sense of humor I felt was missing in the woman we saw in "Civil War II," and I'm glad to see it's returned. The only bad news is it's almost too much fun. Stohl has Alpha Flight producing a TV series based on Carol to fund its operations, and I have to admit I found that premise implausible even for a comic book. Is Netflix really paying so much at this point that we could run a fully staffed space station from the proceeds? If so, I need to get into producing. At any rate, Stohl thankfully has a firmer handle on the rest of the plot, diving into current events in the same way Nick Spencer is in "Captain America: Sam Wilson." We learn S.H.I.E.L.D. (if not Maria Hill) is building the Shield to keep out interplanetary refugees fleeing the oncoming Chitauri horde. Carol has apparently regrown her conscience, because she's appalled at the idea we're going to lock out refugees. However, before we can delve too far into that argument, she is called to save a Kree child in one of the camps. Said child was the target of a shape-shifting bounty hunter, who's apparently been tasked with collecting ten such children. Good luck getting his hands on that last kid now that she's under Carol's care! Other than the TV-series weirdness, this issue is a long awaited return to form for Carol.
Nightwing #13: Seeley is stretching some premises a little too far here. For example, the hard-boiled detective who doesn't like "tights" apparently has a photographic memory for the position of the heads of every murder she's worked. Moreover, the perpetrator apparently has an obsession with moving said heads after he kills the person, which just seems...weird. Like, what sort of childhood trauma makes him want to position all the heads in the same way? Did his father only look at his younger brother to his left at the dinner table?
Rebels #7-#10: I felt the same way about these issues as I did the first six: Wood and his collaborators have real moments of brilliance, but they just as often get a strike while swinging for the fences. Wood's approach to this series has been to harness the power of understated quiet. This approach shined when he used it to uncover the various layers of Seth Abbot's soul in the first six issues. But, it doesn't work in all cases, and we see that time and again in these issues. The character of Silence Bright -- a mixed-race printer in British-occupied Boston -- needed much more attention in issue #8; Wood never even attempts to describe how someone like her could survive and thrive in colonial Boston. He does much better in telling the story of Molly Pitcher in issue #7, stoking the reader's outrage as she's denied a veteran's pension because she's not a man. Wood uses her story to bring to life the teams of women and children who supported the Colonial Army, and it works so well because her steely quiet conveys her disapproval so perfectly. He also excels with Stone Hoof, the young Native American featured in issue #9, but he does so because he ditches the silent approach. We are given enough insight into the characters' thinking for the tragedy of the French and Indian War to be made clear. It also embraces the ethos of this series, sending most of us, I'm guessing, to Wikipedia to learn more about it. It's probably the best single issue of the series. But, Wood takes the silent approach to an extreme in the final issue, and it's probably the worst one of the series. We are left knowing virtually nothing about the young British redcoat after we watch his story unfold so tragically. Wood and his collaborators often toy with us through ambiguity, but they go too far here: it seems to be Seth Abbot himself who shot the young man, and it's also unclear whether he's dead or playing possum. But, Wood has given us so little at that point that it's hard to care whether or not he survives; the possibility of it being Seth is the only frisson of energy I felt in the issue. I ended issue #6 saying I wish it had been issue #24, and I feel the same way here. Wood leaves so much on the table that it feels like a promise unfulfilled. I just have to hope he returns to Seth (and not just his son, as he apparently will be doing in the upcoming series) again, so we can see the war through his eyes. That would be a comic I'd be happy to read.
Also Read: Avengers #3.1; Captain America: Sam Wilson #18; Doctor Aphra #3; Spider-Gwen #16; U.S.Avengers #2
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