Amazing Spider-Man #25: This issue is quite good, mostly because Spencer seems to have a better read on Mary Jane than he does any other character appearing in this series. It isn't that the scenes with Spider-Man trying to save Curt Connors from himself were bad; it's just that we've been down that road so many times. But, Mary Jane confronting her past and deciding to get back to acting was new. Spencer has Mary Jane allude to how ridiculous her career trajectory has been over the last few years. Her decision to return to acting feels organic, even if Peter's decision to return to graduate school felt obligatory. As far as I can tell, Spencer has essentially put us somewhere around "Amazing Spider-Man" #360. If I recall correctly, the "mystery" of Peter's parents starts the following issue, and it's the revelation that his parents were just clones that pushes him over the edge, leading to his estrangement from Mary Jane. To me, it was the heyday of Spider-Man, full of six-part storylines like "Round Robin: The Sidekick's Revenge" or "The Return of the Sinister Six." As excited as I am for us to be back to this era, I'll also admit that it's weird that we're functionally just ignoring 30 years of continuity. Spencer is at least trying to make it feel like an organic progression; in that way, he's showing Joe Quesada how unnecessary the deal with Mephisto was. But, you have to wonder how far Spencer is going to go. Beyond alluding to Mary Jane's time as CEO of Stark Industries, are we going to get to the point where we really just ignore the last 30 years? With Peter starting graduate school again, are we eventually not even going to mention the plagiarism, Parker Industries, or even Horizon Labs? Is it just going to be 1992 all over again? As much as I'm not necessarily opposed to it, it seems a little extreme.
Avengers #21: This issue is fun, but not as fun as Aaron thinks it is. As much as I love Aaron, this series has been so schizophrenic that I think it's time that I focus my energies elsewhere.
Batman #74: The problem with intensely disliking a run is that it starts to get hard not to dislike it. You go into each issue ready to be mad, and it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I've long felt like I'm punishing myself reading this series. In fact, I've often wondered if King is mocking us with his repeated use of tropes, like Bill Watterson's discarded plan to make Calvin wordlessly get bigger and bigger for several weeks until readers finally had enough.
But, this arc had given me some hope. Although it makes no sense on the face of it, removing Bruce and Thomas from Gotham also removed us from some of the zanier aspects of the story that King has been telling. If you could get past the ridiculousness of them dragging Martha Wayne's body through the desert, it was a pretty standard Lazarus Pit story. But, that was a good thing, in my book. It meant that we could strip away all the aforementioned tropes -- the literary allusions that never seemed to match the actual story, the wordless panels that left you confused instead of intrigued, the surprise reveals that had no basis in the actual story that King was telling -- and just focus on Bruce and Thomas. I mean, that's a story. Bruce gets to spend time with his father. It's almost literally a story 80 years in the making.
I took a short-story class once where the instructor encouraged us to "kill our pretties," meaning the sentences that we thought were beautifully constructed but that didn't really fit the story. King just can't do that here. Bruce and Thomas complete their journey to the pit, where Bruce reveals that he buried his mother's body in the desert so Thomas couldn't exchange her life for the life of the al Ghul minion that Thomas captured earlier in the issue. Unlike other issues, King at least seems to be going in an interesting direction here. After all, the more Thomas talks about resurrecting Martha, the crazier he seems. After so many issues where Bruce has been portrayed as the insane one, King flips the camera somewhat, revealing Bruce as biding his time as he waits for an increasingly unhinged Thomas to make a mistake. This story is one I'd like to see King develop.
But, as usual, King instead spends most of his time quoting literature, burning up valuable space that he could've actually spent on plot development. To make matters worse, he goes self-referential, as he's re-quoting the fairy tale that he invented for Bruce and the KGBeast. King could've spent the time revealing how Thomas made it into our world or even how Bruce and Martha were killed in his world. King even has Thomas hint her death wasn't "easy," but refuses to elaborate. Instead, he repeats the details of the fairy tale twice in this issue and throws them into the pit. Even when I try to give him the benefit of the doubt, I feel like a fool in the end.
Thor #15: Only Jason Aaron could imagine such an amazing torture for Malekith. I was surprised in Karnilla that she had become so evil as to force Malekith to watch his war dogs devour his innocent self -- the boy corpse gatherer -- each day. But, I needn't be surprised, because Aaron is nothing if not dedicated to characterization. Instead, she damns Malekith to watch a world where his innocent self frolics all day surrounded by the war dogs...who've reverted to puppies. It's just so perfect, Malekith forced to consider a world where he never found his raison d'être: war. Chilling.
Also Read: Detective Comics #1,007; Black Cat #2; Star Wars #68; War of the Realms Omega #1
Showing posts with label War of the Realms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label War of the Realms. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Monday, April 6, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The June 26 and July 3 Event Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Age of X-Man: X-Tremists #5: I've not been a fan of this event or this series, but Williams lays it all on the line here, and it might be the only thing to save this series (though too little to save the event). In each issue of this event, the authors have studiously avoided placing any blame on Nate for his decision to create his Utopia. Sure, this title and "Age of X-Man: Prisoner X" have focused on the repressive infrastructure Nate put in place. But, this issue finally shows how truly horrible it is, as Jubilee remembers Shogo. Williams effectively uses Jubilee writing a letter to Shogo as her framing device. It allows Williams to convey Jubilee's horror at not just forgetting Shogo, but, like a true parent, her horror at not knowing if he's OK. There's no redeeming that, particularly not when you consider how many people experienced exactly that horror. Speaking of horrors, Williams also addresses the homosexuality of Iceman, Northstar, and Rictor more directly than I've ever seen in a comic, even "Iceman." They're all comfortable in their skin here, as they engage in the drunken "gay apocalypse" with Jubilee. It makes their "awakening" all the more awful, as their loss of memories was functionally like returning them to the closet. Williams even addresses -- for the first time that I can recall -- the fact that Northstar's crush on Iceman was the first hint that we all had that Bobby was gay. "Otter-pop" indeed. I still can't say that I recommend this event or series, but Williams, at the end, gives it the emotional grounding that it's been missing all this time.
Age of X-Man: Prisoner X #5: It's hard to believe this event is still happening. The team, such as it is, rushes Legion, whose omnipotence is stretched to the limit in his attempt to keep the prison under control. Legion eventually surrenders, using a Shard persona to warn the team that someone is pulling the strings. For reasons that aren't clear, he can't say the name. Bishop guesses that it's Nate Gray, but his description of why he thought that Nate was the only person who could create this Universe is ridiculous. First, I'm not sure how Bishop even knows Nate other than a few X-Men Christmas parties. Second, even if he did, any number of powerful telepaths seem like possible candidates. It has to be Nate and not, say, a deranged alternate-future Cable possessing his full powers? Jean Grey losing it again? A personality Legion himself wasn't aware was doing it? This event has had way too many of these overly convenient epiphanies for me to take it seriously, and I find myself looking forward to Hickman's turn at the wheel here. Given how I feel about Hickman, that's saying a lot.
War of the Realms #6: If last issue was a chaotic mess, this issue was nothing short of perfect. It's like the creator of the "Gilmore Girls" knowing how the last episode was going to end from the start. Aaron's entire run led to the moment where Thor picked up a reborn Mjolnir and declared himself the God of the Unworthy. The Thor makes the hammer; the hammer doesn't make the Thor. But, Aaron let us think that we had lost Mjolnir forever, as Thor sacrificed that (and his eye) to Yggdrasil for knowledge. But, as the Mother Storm returns and everyone -- Daredevil, Freyja, Odin -- mumbles about how Thor has to use it to defeat Malekith, Thor responds, "What do they think I've been doing since the tree exploded?" Thor makes it rain fire to destroy the symbiote and then reveals Mjolnir, in all her fury. The single tear welling in his eye when she returns? Perfect. The Storm of Thors -- for Jane Thor, Old Thor, and Young Thor have all joined him -- makes short work of Malekith. Ultimately it's the Wild Hunt that kills him, smelling the fear on him: the fear that he lost his father, brothers, and uncles to war for no good reason. We then end where we needed to end, as Odin relinquishes his throne in favor of Thor. In some runs, this moment would seem logical but rushed, a quick way to change a status quo and show that the author had left his impact on a character. But after so many issues, after so many years, it feels like what it is: a Thor-blessed coronation. Thor has been in the wilderness for a long time, and he found his way home. I can't wait to see where we go from here. Although last issue might have been shaky, Aaron closes out this event so strongly that I think it's the best of the best. I can't recommend it enough.
Also Read: Avengers #20; Thor #14; War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #3
Age of X-Man: Prisoner X #5: It's hard to believe this event is still happening. The team, such as it is, rushes Legion, whose omnipotence is stretched to the limit in his attempt to keep the prison under control. Legion eventually surrenders, using a Shard persona to warn the team that someone is pulling the strings. For reasons that aren't clear, he can't say the name. Bishop guesses that it's Nate Gray, but his description of why he thought that Nate was the only person who could create this Universe is ridiculous. First, I'm not sure how Bishop even knows Nate other than a few X-Men Christmas parties. Second, even if he did, any number of powerful telepaths seem like possible candidates. It has to be Nate and not, say, a deranged alternate-future Cable possessing his full powers? Jean Grey losing it again? A personality Legion himself wasn't aware was doing it? This event has had way too many of these overly convenient epiphanies for me to take it seriously, and I find myself looking forward to Hickman's turn at the wheel here. Given how I feel about Hickman, that's saying a lot.
War of the Realms #6: If last issue was a chaotic mess, this issue was nothing short of perfect. It's like the creator of the "Gilmore Girls" knowing how the last episode was going to end from the start. Aaron's entire run led to the moment where Thor picked up a reborn Mjolnir and declared himself the God of the Unworthy. The Thor makes the hammer; the hammer doesn't make the Thor. But, Aaron let us think that we had lost Mjolnir forever, as Thor sacrificed that (and his eye) to Yggdrasil for knowledge. But, as the Mother Storm returns and everyone -- Daredevil, Freyja, Odin -- mumbles about how Thor has to use it to defeat Malekith, Thor responds, "What do they think I've been doing since the tree exploded?" Thor makes it rain fire to destroy the symbiote and then reveals Mjolnir, in all her fury. The single tear welling in his eye when she returns? Perfect. The Storm of Thors -- for Jane Thor, Old Thor, and Young Thor have all joined him -- makes short work of Malekith. Ultimately it's the Wild Hunt that kills him, smelling the fear on him: the fear that he lost his father, brothers, and uncles to war for no good reason. We then end where we needed to end, as Odin relinquishes his throne in favor of Thor. In some runs, this moment would seem logical but rushed, a quick way to change a status quo and show that the author had left his impact on a character. But after so many issues, after so many years, it feels like what it is: a Thor-blessed coronation. Thor has been in the wilderness for a long time, and he found his way home. I can't wait to see where we go from here. Although last issue might have been shaky, Aaron closes out this event so strongly that I think it's the best of the best. I can't recommend it enough.
Also Read: Avengers #20; Thor #14; War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #3
Sunday, April 5, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The June 19 "War of the Realms" Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Spider-Man and the League of the Realms #3: One of the problems of being a Spider-Man fan is that Marvel often takes advantage of that fact during events to produce exactly this sort of mini-series. They know you'll buy it, and you do. More often than not, the author barely has a grip on Spider-Man's character or events occurring in his life, and you spend most of the series mad. (If I remember correctly, "Fear Itself: Spider-Man" was particularly abysmal.) This series wasn't quite so bad, but it certainly wasn't good. Peter is excessively upbeat here, like when Kurse appears to break Sir Ivory's back after he throws himself in its path to save Peter: Peter makes a bad joke about Ivory saving his back. To make matters worse, situations change panel from panel. Ivory seems paralyzed, then he's standing on his own, then he's lying on the ground at the very end. Similarly, Fernande is homicidal, then suicidal, then homicidal again. Ryan wants us to believe the troll member of the League convinced her to fight for what's beautiful or something like that. But, it's so trite that it's hard to believe that it works on Fernande, particularly since she rebuffed Spider-Man's earlier attempts to help her in this way. In other words, it's just a mess and very, very easily skippable unless you're really invested in Kurse's story.
War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #5: Man, I'm going to miss this series. The combination of the McElroys and Araujo is definitely one that I'd seek out again, given the fun but also heartfelt story we got here. Ares finding himself in the embrace of the team after it turns out Laussa choreographed everything to build her own army was touching, as was Sebastian telling him about how Phobos would've done him proud when they were in the Secret Avengers together. I can't remember a team put together for an event that I've enjoyed more. At the very least, I hope Thori appears in Miles' book often, like Lockjaw in Kamala's!
Also Read: War of the Realms: War Scrolls #3
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The June 5 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Age of X-Man: Prisoner X #4: Like the other series in this event, this issue covers the same ground that we've previously covered without adding anything particularly new or interesting. The only real development is Dani putting to words what we've all already known, that every time someone manages to break free of Nate or Legion's control their control over everyone else slips. As such, it's no surprise that Bishop is able to get a full-scale riot going here. But, it's still unclear what role Legion plays in it: I can't tell if he encourages Forge to release the power-dampening collars or if Forge did it on his own. I honestly can't say I care all that much at this point. This entire event is just an awkward transition as we move to whatever mess Hickman plans on making.
Batman #72: Every time I think this series can't get worse and more repetitive, it does. I have to give King that, I guess.
Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1: This issue is interesting in that it maintains the main series' modus operandi, focusing not just exclusively on the Guardians team as we traditionally know it but also including the various Marvel Cosmic characters as well. As a Nova and Quasar fan, I was of course most interested in their story. I thought Ewing did a great job teasing out their characters through their dispute, as Rich criticizes Quasar's breezy optimism as a sign that he's lost touch with reality given his dealings with cosmic entities like Galactus. The conversation starts with Rich admitting to Quasar that he's on "therapeutic leave" after he watched the Skrulls destroy one of their renegade worlds. He had just saved a family from a group of Skrull soldiers when Adsit tells him that the Skrulls had withdrawn from the Pan-Worlds Treaty and revoked the Nova Corps jurisdiction over the planet. Adsit compels him to leave just before the Skrulls destroy the planet. Rich observes to Quasar that the Kree and Shi'ar are likely to withdraw as well, meaning galactic war is coming. Quasar essentially tells him that he's sure everything will be fine, prompting Rich's criticism. In an obvious parallel to our current era, Rich tells Quasar that he's on the front lines dealing with real people. He sees the hard-liners taking over the political system, the galactic economy collapsing after years of inequality and upheaval, etc. He warns Quasar that people like him are looking for a Thanos, when it's really the 30-credit beer that sparks revolution and chaos. Sound familiar?
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #9: As I think I've mentioned, I feel like this series has gotten increasingly repetitive, recycling the same story lines over and over again. McGuire does it again here, as a bad guy interrupts yet another Mary Janes' performance trying to get at Gwen. But, the good news is that Man-Wolf is at least a different villain, injecting some much needed energy into this issue. We don't yet know why he's targeting Gwen, other than his assertion that he's defeated all the city's heroes. It seems like he's essentially offended Gwen thinks she could superhero in "his" city. That said, the cop who helps Gwen ID Man-Wolf somewhat contradicts this claim, telling her that he appeared during her incarceration. Did he really defeat everyone in the short time she was in prison? Although the rhythm might be the same, at least the person playing the instrument is different. I'm not sure I'm going to stick with this title when it's (once again) relaunched, but for now I'm at least glad that I have a reason to hang in there.
War of the Realms #5: This issue is the point where it feels like this story spun beyond my ability to grasp. Previously, the tie-in issues had been supporting the main title, so they weren't necessary to read to understand the main title's plot. Although I've been reading many of the tie-in series, this issue is where I feel like you had to read specific tie-in issues to understand the developments here. I had to re-read several issues just to assemble the rough timeline I put together here, and even then I'm still not sure that it's right.
Some leaps you can legimitately make on your own. Last issue, most of the teams reconvened at Avengers Mountain, and it's clear that it's when they slammed the Boggle cube on the table to make new teams. She-Hulk brought the dwarves from Nidavellir in issue #4; in this issue, they joined forces with Iron Man to become, awesomely, the War Machine Dwarves. Meanwhile, She-Hulk is leading Daredevil, Deadpool, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage to take Australia from the Trolls. But, even when you can make some leaps on your own, it isn't all necessarily clear. For example, Jennifer has somehow gotten a hammer and Ulik calls her "Thunder-Hulk." I assume that happened in a tie-in issue that I didn't read.
In some cases, you can make the leap, but it's still hard to follow. Carol Danvers is a great example. She led the War Avengers (Black Widow, Captain Britain, Deadpool, Sif, Venom, Weapon H, and the Winter Soldier) in the Battle of London in issue #3 and "War of the Realms: Strike Force - The War Avengers" #1, but they seem to surrender in issue #3 when Malekith teleports Venom and himself...somewhere. They resume the fight at the end of "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1, taking on dark elves at the Great Wall. But, in issue #4, the Agents of Atlas have replaced the War Avengers in the fight with Carol at the Great Wall without explanation. In issue #5, Captain Britain has re-appeared in London, found the Black Blade, and is now fighting alongside Captain America, while Carol has moved onto Shanghai with Hawkeye and Shang-Chi. The Agents of Atlas are presumably somewhere.
In some instances, you just have to assume existing tie-in series end happily. Last we saw him, Sir Ivory was unconscious in Africa after fighting Kurse in "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" #2; in issue #5, he joins Queen Featherwine and the Punisher at the head of the Light Elf Rifle Brigade in Wakanda. (It seems like the entire "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" mini-series happens between issues #4 and #5, after Spider-Man returns from Jotunheim and the Punisher brings the Light Elves to Midgard.) Balder and Thori were trying to save Balder's sister in "War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery" #4, but now Balder is with Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man taking on the Enchantress in Montevideo and Thori is with Captains America and Britain in London. (I guess Spider-Man hitched a ride from Africa.) Kurse also apparently survived, because she's fighting the Destroyer somewhere.
In other words, the wheels come off the bus here as Aaron's ambition gets the better of him. I get what he was trying to do, instill in us the magnitude of the battle. He does accomplish that; it's awesome to see everyone fighting all over the place. But, the plot gets lost in the shuffle of players across the chessboard, a point Carol herself made in "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1. After all, Thor is the key here, but we barely get a sight of him. I get the symmetry of Thor hanging himself from Yggdrasil like Odin did. I just don't get why he does it. Insight? Did he really need insight to know that he has to take on Malekith? I assumed that it was to reforge Mjolnir, but that didn't seem to happen. I feel like we could've had fewer slugfests and a few more panels teasing out this very, very essential plot point. Aaron has pushed this moment of "OK, time to wrap up this story" longer than most authors, so I'm not complaining too much. But, it's time for the end to come, as it thankfully does next issue.
Also Read: Black Cat #1; Marvel Team-Up #3; Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Luke Skywalker #1; Uncanny X-Men #19; War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #4
Batman #72: Every time I think this series can't get worse and more repetitive, it does. I have to give King that, I guess.
Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1: This issue is interesting in that it maintains the main series' modus operandi, focusing not just exclusively on the Guardians team as we traditionally know it but also including the various Marvel Cosmic characters as well. As a Nova and Quasar fan, I was of course most interested in their story. I thought Ewing did a great job teasing out their characters through their dispute, as Rich criticizes Quasar's breezy optimism as a sign that he's lost touch with reality given his dealings with cosmic entities like Galactus. The conversation starts with Rich admitting to Quasar that he's on "therapeutic leave" after he watched the Skrulls destroy one of their renegade worlds. He had just saved a family from a group of Skrull soldiers when Adsit tells him that the Skrulls had withdrawn from the Pan-Worlds Treaty and revoked the Nova Corps jurisdiction over the planet. Adsit compels him to leave just before the Skrulls destroy the planet. Rich observes to Quasar that the Kree and Shi'ar are likely to withdraw as well, meaning galactic war is coming. Quasar essentially tells him that he's sure everything will be fine, prompting Rich's criticism. In an obvious parallel to our current era, Rich tells Quasar that he's on the front lines dealing with real people. He sees the hard-liners taking over the political system, the galactic economy collapsing after years of inequality and upheaval, etc. He warns Quasar that people like him are looking for a Thanos, when it's really the 30-credit beer that sparks revolution and chaos. Sound familiar?
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #9: As I think I've mentioned, I feel like this series has gotten increasingly repetitive, recycling the same story lines over and over again. McGuire does it again here, as a bad guy interrupts yet another Mary Janes' performance trying to get at Gwen. But, the good news is that Man-Wolf is at least a different villain, injecting some much needed energy into this issue. We don't yet know why he's targeting Gwen, other than his assertion that he's defeated all the city's heroes. It seems like he's essentially offended Gwen thinks she could superhero in "his" city. That said, the cop who helps Gwen ID Man-Wolf somewhat contradicts this claim, telling her that he appeared during her incarceration. Did he really defeat everyone in the short time she was in prison? Although the rhythm might be the same, at least the person playing the instrument is different. I'm not sure I'm going to stick with this title when it's (once again) relaunched, but for now I'm at least glad that I have a reason to hang in there.
War of the Realms #5: This issue is the point where it feels like this story spun beyond my ability to grasp. Previously, the tie-in issues had been supporting the main title, so they weren't necessary to read to understand the main title's plot. Although I've been reading many of the tie-in series, this issue is where I feel like you had to read specific tie-in issues to understand the developments here. I had to re-read several issues just to assemble the rough timeline I put together here, and even then I'm still not sure that it's right.
Some leaps you can legimitately make on your own. Last issue, most of the teams reconvened at Avengers Mountain, and it's clear that it's when they slammed the Boggle cube on the table to make new teams. She-Hulk brought the dwarves from Nidavellir in issue #4; in this issue, they joined forces with Iron Man to become, awesomely, the War Machine Dwarves. Meanwhile, She-Hulk is leading Daredevil, Deadpool, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage to take Australia from the Trolls. But, even when you can make some leaps on your own, it isn't all necessarily clear. For example, Jennifer has somehow gotten a hammer and Ulik calls her "Thunder-Hulk." I assume that happened in a tie-in issue that I didn't read.
In some cases, you can make the leap, but it's still hard to follow. Carol Danvers is a great example. She led the War Avengers (Black Widow, Captain Britain, Deadpool, Sif, Venom, Weapon H, and the Winter Soldier) in the Battle of London in issue #3 and "War of the Realms: Strike Force - The War Avengers" #1, but they seem to surrender in issue #3 when Malekith teleports Venom and himself...somewhere. They resume the fight at the end of "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1, taking on dark elves at the Great Wall. But, in issue #4, the Agents of Atlas have replaced the War Avengers in the fight with Carol at the Great Wall without explanation. In issue #5, Captain Britain has re-appeared in London, found the Black Blade, and is now fighting alongside Captain America, while Carol has moved onto Shanghai with Hawkeye and Shang-Chi. The Agents of Atlas are presumably somewhere.
In some instances, you just have to assume existing tie-in series end happily. Last we saw him, Sir Ivory was unconscious in Africa after fighting Kurse in "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" #2; in issue #5, he joins Queen Featherwine and the Punisher at the head of the Light Elf Rifle Brigade in Wakanda. (It seems like the entire "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" mini-series happens between issues #4 and #5, after Spider-Man returns from Jotunheim and the Punisher brings the Light Elves to Midgard.) Balder and Thori were trying to save Balder's sister in "War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery" #4, but now Balder is with Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man taking on the Enchantress in Montevideo and Thori is with Captains America and Britain in London. (I guess Spider-Man hitched a ride from Africa.) Kurse also apparently survived, because she's fighting the Destroyer somewhere.
In other words, the wheels come off the bus here as Aaron's ambition gets the better of him. I get what he was trying to do, instill in us the magnitude of the battle. He does accomplish that; it's awesome to see everyone fighting all over the place. But, the plot gets lost in the shuffle of players across the chessboard, a point Carol herself made in "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1. After all, Thor is the key here, but we barely get a sight of him. I get the symmetry of Thor hanging himself from Yggdrasil like Odin did. I just don't get why he does it. Insight? Did he really need insight to know that he has to take on Malekith? I assumed that it was to reforge Mjolnir, but that didn't seem to happen. I feel like we could've had fewer slugfests and a few more panels teasing out this very, very essential plot point. Aaron has pushed this moment of "OK, time to wrap up this story" longer than most authors, so I'm not complaining too much. But, it's time for the end to come, as it thankfully does next issue.
Also Read: Black Cat #1; Marvel Team-Up #3; Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Luke Skywalker #1; Uncanny X-Men #19; War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #4
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The May 29 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Age of X-Men: X-Tremists #4: This issue ends in a riot, as Jubilee remembers that she has a son and Jean-Paul remembers that he has a husband. Along the way, we're treated to Jean-Paul insulting Bobby's sweater and Bobby stripping off said sweater, asking Jean-Paul if he liked what he saw. Twunk indeed, as Rictor says. For his part, Rictor is running a theater where mutants can get busy, an homage to old-school X-rated theaters. For the first time, Williams finally addresses the fact that the X-Tremists have two gay team members. By adding Rictor and the theater, she makes the obvious parallel to a world where the LGBT community often has to hide their lives to this "Utopia" that X-Man made where no one can show affection. Sucks, don't it, straight people?
Amazing Spider-Man #22: To be honest, I felt like Spencer swerved here from the more interesting outcome. Although I was pretty sure Peter wasn't going to fully buy into Kraven's exhortation that he becomes a killer, I thought that he would at least emerge shaken from understanding Kraven's point of view.
After all, Kraven makes a compelling point. When Spidey appears to discover that the Lizard killed a series of guards on the way to save Billy, Kraven argues that the lives of mercenaries -- killers all -- pale in comparison to the lives of an innocent boy like Billy and the woman trying to protect him, the Black Cat. Peter initially seems to be struggling with this argument. But, Spencer takes an easier road, showing this confusion, if you will, to be the result of Kraven's "herbs and potions" and, in even more of a cop-out, revealing that Kraven himself killed the guards to set up the crisis of conscience that Peter would undergo.
Peter shakes off the drugs and beats Kraven, arguing that he doesn't kill so that his family doesn't have to kill? I'm not really sure I follow that, to be honest. I think that Peter is arguing that humanity is inherently kind, that we were meant to help each other not hunt each other. But, he seems to be gliding over all those one-percenters gathered in that ballroom to do exactly that, isn't he?
In other words, Spencer is letting Peter have his Pollyanna-ism, something that we also saw in the "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - Land of the Giants" one-shot and again in this week's "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms," where Peter doesn't want to kill Frost Giants like Logan does. I'm not saying that I want a homicidal Spider-Man, but I feel like Spencer was at least pushing Peter's ethical boundaries here. Dan Slott trod similar ground in his Massacre story arc, using Massacre to show how different Otto was from Peter, since he was willing to kill Massacre to stop his rampage. Peter finding a way to stop Kraven without killing would've been a powerful statement. Instead, the tension all fades with the herbs and potions and Peter just magically beats Kraven, something that he'd previously struggled to do. To make matters worse, Kraven embraces Peter's point of view, seeing the humanity in him. He sacrifices himself -- dressed in a black costume -- to give Peter time to escape, and Kraven's son kills him thinking that he's Peter.
I'm not saying the ending invalidates the strong story that Spencer told over the course of this event. But, it is disappointing, because I feel like he could've pushed somewhat a little darker, but instead stayed in a safer place. Oh, well. As I said, all in all, I still enjoyed the event so I'll call that a win.
Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions #4: First, like Diplo, Hopeless be everywhere. But, given the caliber of this story, it's easy to see why. Hopeless shows us an unnamed protagonist looking to avenge his smuggler father's death on Coruscant, a death he could've prevented as a young boy if he had taken the shot that his father had trained him to take. The boy grows into a cocky young pilot whose audacity the Rebel command continually rewards. Sounds familiar? However, unlike Han, Leia, or Luke, this guy chokes at his big moment, unable to take the shot (again) to take out Darth Vader. He flees to base, bringing Vader and a squadron of Tie Fighters with him. After vomiting from fear, he's (again) forced to watch the consequences of what his inaction has caused. Hopeless shows us a corner of the galaxy where pluck doesn't really get you anywhere, a corner that I'm sure would feel more familiar to the average Empire resident than Han, Leia, or Luke's.
War of the Realms: War Scrolls #2: This issue contains a lovely coda to Gillen's "Young Avenger" series, as Loki seeks forgiveness for siding with the bad guys from Billy Kaplan. Beyond the beauty of getting to see an always-hot Teddy Altman, we also get to see him in context of an adult relationship with Billy. They're apparently now living together, and they're over 21 years old as Billy believes that he's meeting "Kate" for brunch and mimosas. But, since Loki can't just ask for forgiveness, "Kate" is Loki in disguise, trying to get Billy to forgive him without having to ask for it. (His plans are foiled when Teddy sees Kate in Los Angeles on Instagram and texts Billy. Get with the times, Loki.) But, Billy gives Loki his forgiveness anyway, and he and Teddy mourn when they watch Laufey eat Loki later. If I've ever been disappointed with Jason Aaron, it's because he seemed to ignore a lot of the work GIllen and then Ewing did with Loki. It was a thrill to see this Loki again (and a sexy Teddy, obviously).
Also Read: Marvel's Spider-Man: City at War #3; Spider-Man and the League of the Realms #2; Thor #13
Amazing Spider-Man #22: To be honest, I felt like Spencer swerved here from the more interesting outcome. Although I was pretty sure Peter wasn't going to fully buy into Kraven's exhortation that he becomes a killer, I thought that he would at least emerge shaken from understanding Kraven's point of view.
After all, Kraven makes a compelling point. When Spidey appears to discover that the Lizard killed a series of guards on the way to save Billy, Kraven argues that the lives of mercenaries -- killers all -- pale in comparison to the lives of an innocent boy like Billy and the woman trying to protect him, the Black Cat. Peter initially seems to be struggling with this argument. But, Spencer takes an easier road, showing this confusion, if you will, to be the result of Kraven's "herbs and potions" and, in even more of a cop-out, revealing that Kraven himself killed the guards to set up the crisis of conscience that Peter would undergo.
Peter shakes off the drugs and beats Kraven, arguing that he doesn't kill so that his family doesn't have to kill? I'm not really sure I follow that, to be honest. I think that Peter is arguing that humanity is inherently kind, that we were meant to help each other not hunt each other. But, he seems to be gliding over all those one-percenters gathered in that ballroom to do exactly that, isn't he?
In other words, Spencer is letting Peter have his Pollyanna-ism, something that we also saw in the "War of the Realms: Strikeforce - Land of the Giants" one-shot and again in this week's "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms," where Peter doesn't want to kill Frost Giants like Logan does. I'm not saying that I want a homicidal Spider-Man, but I feel like Spencer was at least pushing Peter's ethical boundaries here. Dan Slott trod similar ground in his Massacre story arc, using Massacre to show how different Otto was from Peter, since he was willing to kill Massacre to stop his rampage. Peter finding a way to stop Kraven without killing would've been a powerful statement. Instead, the tension all fades with the herbs and potions and Peter just magically beats Kraven, something that he'd previously struggled to do. To make matters worse, Kraven embraces Peter's point of view, seeing the humanity in him. He sacrifices himself -- dressed in a black costume -- to give Peter time to escape, and Kraven's son kills him thinking that he's Peter.
I'm not saying the ending invalidates the strong story that Spencer told over the course of this event. But, it is disappointing, because I feel like he could've pushed somewhat a little darker, but instead stayed in a safer place. Oh, well. As I said, all in all, I still enjoyed the event so I'll call that a win.
Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions #4: First, like Diplo, Hopeless be everywhere. But, given the caliber of this story, it's easy to see why. Hopeless shows us an unnamed protagonist looking to avenge his smuggler father's death on Coruscant, a death he could've prevented as a young boy if he had taken the shot that his father had trained him to take. The boy grows into a cocky young pilot whose audacity the Rebel command continually rewards. Sounds familiar? However, unlike Han, Leia, or Luke, this guy chokes at his big moment, unable to take the shot (again) to take out Darth Vader. He flees to base, bringing Vader and a squadron of Tie Fighters with him. After vomiting from fear, he's (again) forced to watch the consequences of what his inaction has caused. Hopeless shows us a corner of the galaxy where pluck doesn't really get you anywhere, a corner that I'm sure would feel more familiar to the average Empire resident than Han, Leia, or Luke's.
War of the Realms: War Scrolls #2: This issue contains a lovely coda to Gillen's "Young Avenger" series, as Loki seeks forgiveness for siding with the bad guys from Billy Kaplan. Beyond the beauty of getting to see an always-hot Teddy Altman, we also get to see him in context of an adult relationship with Billy. They're apparently now living together, and they're over 21 years old as Billy believes that he's meeting "Kate" for brunch and mimosas. But, since Loki can't just ask for forgiveness, "Kate" is Loki in disguise, trying to get Billy to forgive him without having to ask for it. (His plans are foiled when Teddy sees Kate in Los Angeles on Instagram and texts Billy. Get with the times, Loki.) But, Billy gives Loki his forgiveness anyway, and he and Teddy mourn when they watch Laufey eat Loki later. If I've ever been disappointed with Jason Aaron, it's because he seemed to ignore a lot of the work GIllen and then Ewing did with Loki. It was a thrill to see this Loki again (and a sexy Teddy, obviously).
Also Read: Marvel's Spider-Man: City at War #3; Spider-Man and the League of the Realms #2; Thor #13
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The May 22 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #3: This series has gone from being an amusing tie-in series that you're pleased you don't hate to a bona fide team epic that I really don't want to end.
War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #2: It's sad that the actual "Uncanny X-Men" series is so bad at this point that I found myself truly understanding the potential that Rosenberg is squandering while reading this issue. This series feels the way that series should. Alex and, most importantly, Scott find themselves put in their respective places, serving as little more than mindless cannons to ensure the safety of the refugees whom the X-Men are assembling at Citi Field. Karma is running the show, and it's the generational transition that I thought that Rosenberg was going to show us in the main title. (I didn't expect for Scott to pass the torch to Karma without a fight, per se, but I at least thought that we'd see said fight. Instead, the New Mutants in that title are all either dying or quitting.) I'm not sure why Rosenberg seems to have a better grasp on the characters here than there, but I guess I have to take what I can get.
War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The Land of Giants #1: Oh, Buttercup. (Sniff.) You were a good horse.
X-Force #8: I like this series, but for some reason this issue didn't sing to me in the same way that the other ones have. Stryfe seems just completely unhinged here and as such makes overly convenient (in terms of the plot) mistakes. For example, it's hard to believe that he'd so blithely order his telepaths to free Rachel of their hold simply so that they could redouble their control of the MLF to take out X-Force. Moreover, Nate's descent into disintegration should be compelling, but for me it was lost among the chaos. I feel like Brisson has to pull us together here.
Also Read: Avengers #19; Detective Comics #1,004; Marvel Comics Presents #1-#5; Mr. and Mrs. X #11
War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #2: It's sad that the actual "Uncanny X-Men" series is so bad at this point that I found myself truly understanding the potential that Rosenberg is squandering while reading this issue. This series feels the way that series should. Alex and, most importantly, Scott find themselves put in their respective places, serving as little more than mindless cannons to ensure the safety of the refugees whom the X-Men are assembling at Citi Field. Karma is running the show, and it's the generational transition that I thought that Rosenberg was going to show us in the main title. (I didn't expect for Scott to pass the torch to Karma without a fight, per se, but I at least thought that we'd see said fight. Instead, the New Mutants in that title are all either dying or quitting.) I'm not sure why Rosenberg seems to have a better grasp on the characters here than there, but I guess I have to take what I can get.
War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The Land of Giants #1: Oh, Buttercup. (Sniff.) You were a good horse.
X-Force #8: I like this series, but for some reason this issue didn't sing to me in the same way that the other ones have. Stryfe seems just completely unhinged here and as such makes overly convenient (in terms of the plot) mistakes. For example, it's hard to believe that he'd so blithely order his telepaths to free Rachel of their hold simply so that they could redouble their control of the MLF to take out X-Force. Moreover, Nate's descent into disintegration should be compelling, but for me it was lost among the chaos. I feel like Brisson has to pull us together here.
Also Read: Avengers #19; Detective Comics #1,004; Marvel Comics Presents #1-#5; Mr. and Mrs. X #11
Friday, March 27, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The May 15 Non-X Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Amazing Spider-Man #21: Holy shit, this issue and "Star Wars" #66 make for a fucking intense week. Kraven eventually "rescues" Peter from the horde of Vermins, because they're just a prelude to his actual plan. Said plan is a doozy: to prove Peter is man enough to take on the Hunter, Kraven sets up Peter to rip out Curt Connors' inhibitor chip so the Lizard can, in turn, save Billy (and the Black Cat) from Kraven's son. Yup. To Kraven's mind, Peter is forced to sacrifice his "No One Dies" code (and, by extension, his view of himself as an uncompromising hero) to save Billy and Felicia. I wouldn't necessarily see it that way, but Spencer make a compelling argument that Peter does, and Peter's opinion is obviously the only one that matters. Moreover, on the road to this denouement, Curt and Billy reveal (to Peter and the Black Cat, respectively) that Billy remembers his dad eating him. Oy. As I said, intense. "Hunted" has been cruising on auto-pilot since the Gibbon issue, but Spencer floors it at the right moment. I can't wait to see how it ends.
Batman #71: Reading an issue like this one, I always wonder how exactly it got to be this bad. Yes, some people will continue to interpret (or, to my mind, confuse) King's obtuseness for genius, in the same way that I feel people interpret (or confuse) Hickman's obtuseness for genius. But, this issue goes beyond just the question of whether obtuseness equals genius. In both stories we see here, Bruce isn't Bruce. In both stories, he's spouting phrases that it's impossible to see him saying in any form, from repeatedly telling Bane that he's going to break his "damn back" to busting into a hospital mumbling paranoid dribble about seeing the truth behind Bane. King pretty clearly seems to be building to a reveal where we learn Bruce was right all along and Bane has been running Gotham in secret. But, King has dragged out this story well, well, well beyond any point where I could care. Taking into account that the Bat-family connects Bruce's current state of mind to Catwoman leaving him at the altar, King has functionally been telling this story for almost a year at this point. But, nothing has happened. Sure, maybe Bane, with the help of Bruce's father, is secretly running Gotham from Arkham and Bruce had to escape a machine designed to make him crazy to stop Bane. Or, maybe Bruce has just been...staring at the wall imaging that for the better part of the last year? Even if Bane is engaged in shenanigans, it's been 21 issues and we're not even close to confirming if he is, let alone to getting to the point where Bruce addresses it. I almost literally feel robbed.
Guardians of the Galaxy #5: This series has pleasantly surprised me from the start, but revealing that Thanos chose Eros, not Gamora, for his host was great. First, it makes total sense from a biological standpoint: as Hela says, it had to be a Titan. But, it also makes sense from a characterization standpoint as well, as it's so...cruel. Thanos delights in the fact that Eros thought himself to be a leader finally, assembling a team to do what it needed to do to save the galaxy from Thanos. In the end, he just achieved Thanos' goal of distracting everyone so they couldn't see the truth right in front of them. I'm used to this level of plotting from Aaron and Gillen, but it's nice to see someone like Cates throwing his hat into that ring.
Star Wars #66: Gillen actually gives Trios redemption here, something that I didn't think possible. She attempts to get Kanchar to end his aerial bombardment, but he refuses, committed to killing Leia even if it means killing Trios. (He assumes another "pampered aristocrat" will take the throne, so it's no great loss to the Empire, to his mind.) Trios realizes that she has no other option other than take out Leia and hopefully stop the assault, so she rushes Leia and her squad's position in the throne room. She and Leia have a full-on sword fight, which Leia wins. Trios calls Leia a monster at the start, and Gillen reminds us that she thinks Leia is trying to destroy Shu-Torun. After Leia strikes the killing blow, she explains that she's only trying to disable the Spike. Trios informs Leia that the plan has "gone awry." Leia promises to stop the Partisans, something Han notes might be a tall order. But, Trios' dying words are the best part here. She tells Leia that she fought for Shu-Torun like Leia would've for Alderaan. She curses the fact that she survived the attack on her family and laments that Shu-Torun may be destroyed because of her actions. As she dies, she tells Leia that she believes her and apologizes for making Leia believe her. It's sad. Gillen makes us really feel the weight on Trios' shoulder this entire time, as she was forced to choose between a set of increasingly bad options. The only good news for Trios as she dies is that she's leaving behind a pissed-off Leia committed to saving her planet.
Star Wars: Tie Fighter #2: This issue is interesting not because of anything its usual cast of characters does, but because of the issue's "villain." Shadow Wing finds itself captive after it fails to protect the Star Destroyer that it was supposed to protect and squad leader Broosh surrenders to the assailants. It turns out an Imperial officer, Admiral Gratloe, is running the outfit, hoping to operate a small mining operation outside the Imperials' notice. It's not entirely an enthralling issue, particularly since Shadow Wing goes all do-gooder here, in the sense that they plan on re-claiming the operation for the Empire. But, it does do something that we don't normally see, showing us the expanding chaos in the post-"Return of the Jedi" galaxy. Gratloe just wants to get him some, and I find myself relieved that the Powers That Be in "Star Wars" Land finally show this type of story. In all the galaxy, someone has to try to seize the moment. We often only see this galaxy far, far away through the eyes of ideologically motivated protagonists. But, I love watching a NPC operating on the margins and hope we get more issues like it.
War of the Realms #4: I haven't really written about "War of the Realms" mostly because I continue to enjoy it. Aaron hasn't really provided anything worth criticizing, but he also hasn't presented anything so amazing that I felt the need to comment. It's just a really solid event.
Aaron's plotting is above reproach, where he yet again manages to keep so many balls in the air while still giving each one its due. Virtually every other event author at this point in the story has you confused and tired, usually because they're trying to incorporate events that happen in the various tie-in issues. Not so here. The tie-in issues flesh out the events here, sure. But, honestly, you could really just read this mini-series and completely understand the events transpiring in it. How often do we get that, huh? Moreover, Aaron is funny as ever. The dwarves' reactions to She-Hulk calling on them to help her smash were hilarious, from one of them saying that he had dust in the eye to another one complimenting her on her motivational speaking. Thori is also great, as always, and Spider-Man continues to have such on-the-nose one-liners that I'd love for Aaron to write him one day. Dauterman is also, as always, on fire. The Iron Odin suit? Amazing. As Ghost Rider said, it's all very metal.
The only criticism I could find is that Aaron doesn't have a ton of space for emotional beats. Aaron has spent months, if not years, showing us the virtually non-existent relationship between Odin and Freyja. Here, Odin appearing to help her at her final stand on the Black Bifrost may have her claiming he finally "turned her on" for the first time ever, but it's rushed. If Aaron had more time, I could imagine him using flashbacks to remind us where we've been with these two, building to this rapprochement, instead of just hurling it at us to give us (presumably) the requisite event deaths. Again, it isn't a hideously off-note; it's just a note that I wish Aaron had more time to hit. It's a minor complaint for an otherwise great event, but there it is.
Also Read: Nightwing #60; Spider-Man and the League of the Realms #1; Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Lando Calrissian #1; Transformers #5; War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers #1
Batman #71: Reading an issue like this one, I always wonder how exactly it got to be this bad. Yes, some people will continue to interpret (or, to my mind, confuse) King's obtuseness for genius, in the same way that I feel people interpret (or confuse) Hickman's obtuseness for genius. But, this issue goes beyond just the question of whether obtuseness equals genius. In both stories we see here, Bruce isn't Bruce. In both stories, he's spouting phrases that it's impossible to see him saying in any form, from repeatedly telling Bane that he's going to break his "damn back" to busting into a hospital mumbling paranoid dribble about seeing the truth behind Bane. King pretty clearly seems to be building to a reveal where we learn Bruce was right all along and Bane has been running Gotham in secret. But, King has dragged out this story well, well, well beyond any point where I could care. Taking into account that the Bat-family connects Bruce's current state of mind to Catwoman leaving him at the altar, King has functionally been telling this story for almost a year at this point. But, nothing has happened. Sure, maybe Bane, with the help of Bruce's father, is secretly running Gotham from Arkham and Bruce had to escape a machine designed to make him crazy to stop Bane. Or, maybe Bruce has just been...staring at the wall imaging that for the better part of the last year? Even if Bane is engaged in shenanigans, it's been 21 issues and we're not even close to confirming if he is, let alone to getting to the point where Bruce addresses it. I almost literally feel robbed.
Guardians of the Galaxy #5: This series has pleasantly surprised me from the start, but revealing that Thanos chose Eros, not Gamora, for his host was great. First, it makes total sense from a biological standpoint: as Hela says, it had to be a Titan. But, it also makes sense from a characterization standpoint as well, as it's so...cruel. Thanos delights in the fact that Eros thought himself to be a leader finally, assembling a team to do what it needed to do to save the galaxy from Thanos. In the end, he just achieved Thanos' goal of distracting everyone so they couldn't see the truth right in front of them. I'm used to this level of plotting from Aaron and Gillen, but it's nice to see someone like Cates throwing his hat into that ring.
Star Wars #66: Gillen actually gives Trios redemption here, something that I didn't think possible. She attempts to get Kanchar to end his aerial bombardment, but he refuses, committed to killing Leia even if it means killing Trios. (He assumes another "pampered aristocrat" will take the throne, so it's no great loss to the Empire, to his mind.) Trios realizes that she has no other option other than take out Leia and hopefully stop the assault, so she rushes Leia and her squad's position in the throne room. She and Leia have a full-on sword fight, which Leia wins. Trios calls Leia a monster at the start, and Gillen reminds us that she thinks Leia is trying to destroy Shu-Torun. After Leia strikes the killing blow, she explains that she's only trying to disable the Spike. Trios informs Leia that the plan has "gone awry." Leia promises to stop the Partisans, something Han notes might be a tall order. But, Trios' dying words are the best part here. She tells Leia that she fought for Shu-Torun like Leia would've for Alderaan. She curses the fact that she survived the attack on her family and laments that Shu-Torun may be destroyed because of her actions. As she dies, she tells Leia that she believes her and apologizes for making Leia believe her. It's sad. Gillen makes us really feel the weight on Trios' shoulder this entire time, as she was forced to choose between a set of increasingly bad options. The only good news for Trios as she dies is that she's leaving behind a pissed-off Leia committed to saving her planet.
Star Wars: Tie Fighter #2: This issue is interesting not because of anything its usual cast of characters does, but because of the issue's "villain." Shadow Wing finds itself captive after it fails to protect the Star Destroyer that it was supposed to protect and squad leader Broosh surrenders to the assailants. It turns out an Imperial officer, Admiral Gratloe, is running the outfit, hoping to operate a small mining operation outside the Imperials' notice. It's not entirely an enthralling issue, particularly since Shadow Wing goes all do-gooder here, in the sense that they plan on re-claiming the operation for the Empire. But, it does do something that we don't normally see, showing us the expanding chaos in the post-"Return of the Jedi" galaxy. Gratloe just wants to get him some, and I find myself relieved that the Powers That Be in "Star Wars" Land finally show this type of story. In all the galaxy, someone has to try to seize the moment. We often only see this galaxy far, far away through the eyes of ideologically motivated protagonists. But, I love watching a NPC operating on the margins and hope we get more issues like it.
War of the Realms #4: I haven't really written about "War of the Realms" mostly because I continue to enjoy it. Aaron hasn't really provided anything worth criticizing, but he also hasn't presented anything so amazing that I felt the need to comment. It's just a really solid event.
Aaron's plotting is above reproach, where he yet again manages to keep so many balls in the air while still giving each one its due. Virtually every other event author at this point in the story has you confused and tired, usually because they're trying to incorporate events that happen in the various tie-in issues. Not so here. The tie-in issues flesh out the events here, sure. But, honestly, you could really just read this mini-series and completely understand the events transpiring in it. How often do we get that, huh? Moreover, Aaron is funny as ever. The dwarves' reactions to She-Hulk calling on them to help her smash were hilarious, from one of them saying that he had dust in the eye to another one complimenting her on her motivational speaking. Thori is also great, as always, and Spider-Man continues to have such on-the-nose one-liners that I'd love for Aaron to write him one day. Dauterman is also, as always, on fire. The Iron Odin suit? Amazing. As Ghost Rider said, it's all very metal.
The only criticism I could find is that Aaron doesn't have a ton of space for emotional beats. Aaron has spent months, if not years, showing us the virtually non-existent relationship between Odin and Freyja. Here, Odin appearing to help her at her final stand on the Black Bifrost may have her claiming he finally "turned her on" for the first time ever, but it's rushed. If Aaron had more time, I could imagine him using flashbacks to remind us where we've been with these two, building to this rapprochement, instead of just hurling it at us to give us (presumably) the requisite event deaths. Again, it isn't a hideously off-note; it's just a note that I wish Aaron had more time to hit. It's a minor complaint for an otherwise great event, but there it is.
Also Read: Nightwing #60; Spider-Man and the League of the Realms #1; Star Wars: Age of Rebellion - Lando Calrissian #1; Transformers #5; War of the Realms: Strikeforce - The War Avengers #1
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The April 24 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Age of X-Man: X-Tremists #3: I officially have no idea what's happening in this series. First, everyone speaks in some sort of literary tense; it's like reading 18th century French literature written in the passé simple. Moreover, everyone seems to have their own delusions. For example, we have Moneta believing in an Emmanuel Goldstein-esque Resistance and Blob somehow not realizing people hated Department X. (Yes, Blob, they all loved you for erasing their memories of the people they loved.) Betsy tells Blob about how happy she is that they put the "old ways" behind them, because she used to have an eating disorder and hated her body. (I guess she doesn't hate it now that she doesn't love anyone?) Also, everyone apparently no longer believes in the mission except Moneta, but no one actually says that. Again, like Fred, they seem not entirely clear on what their mission is? Honestly, I have no idea.
War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #1: This issue is truly excellent, definitely the best issue of "War of the Realms" to date. Rosenberg does a number of clever things here. First, he follows the formula of all good tie-in issues by not completely ignoring the team's existing storyline. When Dani gets Odin's call to assist the Valkyries (as seen in "War of the Realms" #2), she and the X-Men are fighting Nanny and the Orphan-Maker. Moreover, the team's banter and challenges are even more on display here than they usually are in the main title. Alex is the annoying little brother challenging his older brother, the New Mutants are a separate unit more dedicated to each other than the larger team, and Madrox is...Madrox. Finally, Rosenberg wisely puts the X-Men on the sidelines of the action. When they arrive in New York, it has already fallen: Dr. Strange has evacuated the city's population, and Frost Giants and dark elves are just wandering the streets. Rather than trying to insert the X-Men between panels of the main series, Rosenberg uses the team to show us the aftermath of the Battle of New York. He really leans into the banter and challenges here as he has everything descend further into chaos: Wolfsbane and one of Jamie's dupes fall down a hole, and Magik answers Cyclops' call to get reinforcements but can only find a full-snark Hope and a still-dead Banshee. The remaining members of the party unwisely split -- Hope takes Chamber to find Wolfsbane and the dupe while Scott and company find a devastated Dani looking at the bodies of her fellow Valkyries. Something about the nature of a tie-in issue really let Rosenberg spread his wings, and I look forward to seeing where the story goes.
The Wild Storm #22: My concern at this point is that Ellis has done such an amazing job throughout this series of keeping all the plates spinning in the air that we're approaching the moment when they're all just fall to the floor. He focuses simply on two stories in this issue, which seems unbelievable given how many threats we have out there.
First, Marc Slayton attempts to kill Jackie, but the "Battalion Device" that she swiped from IO protects her, disintegrating Slayton. Jackie exposits that Angie was right: the device is both scary and completely invisible to scanners, a point Elis and Davis-Hunt emphasized by opening the issue with Jackie getting scanned without incident while exiting the building.
But, we quickly move to the empty village in the middle of Utah, where Apollo and Midnight are awaiting the Skywatch ships after their shenanigans last issue. Jenny and company arrive after the Doctor felt the ships "drop" toward the planet; Angie was able to see into Jenny's mind and triangulate the ships' destination. Midnighter is understandably suspicious that they're Skywatch, given their use of teleportation. Jack introduces himself as a scrambled Skywatch experiment, but Midnight isn't convinced. Jenny then pledges to help them to prove their worth. When Apollo asks why, she rather convincingly responds that they've all lost or escaped people who know what Earth is really like and that they're the last people left to save the Earth. The combined team makes pretty quick work of the impressive-looking Skywatch ships, mostly due to Apollo and Jenny, who turn into a gigantic energy-being of some sort.
It's all totally fine. But, with only two issues left, I find myself wondering about Voodoo, who we saw in the background of the first few issues but haven't seen since. We also haven't seen Zealot or Marlowe and the Wild C.A.T.s in a long time. It's starting to feel like Ellis' careful planning wasn't so careful. Then again, I also know the 24-issues framework is a lie, as two mini-series follow this one. In other words, I can be patient, but I also hope that patience is rewarded and this series maintains the high level of excellence we've enjoyed so far.
Also Read: Amazing Spider-Man #20; Detective Comics #1,002; Mr. and Mrs. X #10; Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions #3
War of the Realms: Uncanny X-Men #1: This issue is truly excellent, definitely the best issue of "War of the Realms" to date. Rosenberg does a number of clever things here. First, he follows the formula of all good tie-in issues by not completely ignoring the team's existing storyline. When Dani gets Odin's call to assist the Valkyries (as seen in "War of the Realms" #2), she and the X-Men are fighting Nanny and the Orphan-Maker. Moreover, the team's banter and challenges are even more on display here than they usually are in the main title. Alex is the annoying little brother challenging his older brother, the New Mutants are a separate unit more dedicated to each other than the larger team, and Madrox is...Madrox. Finally, Rosenberg wisely puts the X-Men on the sidelines of the action. When they arrive in New York, it has already fallen: Dr. Strange has evacuated the city's population, and Frost Giants and dark elves are just wandering the streets. Rather than trying to insert the X-Men between panels of the main series, Rosenberg uses the team to show us the aftermath of the Battle of New York. He really leans into the banter and challenges here as he has everything descend further into chaos: Wolfsbane and one of Jamie's dupes fall down a hole, and Magik answers Cyclops' call to get reinforcements but can only find a full-snark Hope and a still-dead Banshee. The remaining members of the party unwisely split -- Hope takes Chamber to find Wolfsbane and the dupe while Scott and company find a devastated Dani looking at the bodies of her fellow Valkyries. Something about the nature of a tie-in issue really let Rosenberg spread his wings, and I look forward to seeing where the story goes.
The Wild Storm #22: My concern at this point is that Ellis has done such an amazing job throughout this series of keeping all the plates spinning in the air that we're approaching the moment when they're all just fall to the floor. He focuses simply on two stories in this issue, which seems unbelievable given how many threats we have out there.
First, Marc Slayton attempts to kill Jackie, but the "Battalion Device" that she swiped from IO protects her, disintegrating Slayton. Jackie exposits that Angie was right: the device is both scary and completely invisible to scanners, a point Elis and Davis-Hunt emphasized by opening the issue with Jackie getting scanned without incident while exiting the building.
But, we quickly move to the empty village in the middle of Utah, where Apollo and Midnight are awaiting the Skywatch ships after their shenanigans last issue. Jenny and company arrive after the Doctor felt the ships "drop" toward the planet; Angie was able to see into Jenny's mind and triangulate the ships' destination. Midnighter is understandably suspicious that they're Skywatch, given their use of teleportation. Jack introduces himself as a scrambled Skywatch experiment, but Midnight isn't convinced. Jenny then pledges to help them to prove their worth. When Apollo asks why, she rather convincingly responds that they've all lost or escaped people who know what Earth is really like and that they're the last people left to save the Earth. The combined team makes pretty quick work of the impressive-looking Skywatch ships, mostly due to Apollo and Jenny, who turn into a gigantic energy-being of some sort.
It's all totally fine. But, with only two issues left, I find myself wondering about Voodoo, who we saw in the background of the first few issues but haven't seen since. We also haven't seen Zealot or Marlowe and the Wild C.A.T.s in a long time. It's starting to feel like Ellis' careful planning wasn't so careful. Then again, I also know the 24-issues framework is a lie, as two mini-series follow this one. In other words, I can be patient, but I also hope that patience is rewarded and this series maintains the high level of excellence we've enjoyed so far.
Also Read: Amazing Spider-Man #20; Detective Comics #1,002; Mr. and Mrs. X #10; Star Wars: Vader - Dark Visions #3
Monday, March 23, 2020
Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The April 17 "War of the Realms" Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
I'm back. Yes, I'm aware that this event happened almost exactly a year ago. I also became a parent almost exactly a year ago, explaining why I'm a little...late in posting. But, I figured why not get back on the horse where it threw me, right?
(Marvel didn't publish these issues in the same order as the reading checklist in the back of "War of the Realms" #1 shows them. I'm presenting them here in the recommended order, even though they're not all strictly "April 17" issues.)
War of the Realms #2: I don't have much to say here because Aaron is an expert at delivering this sort of pitched battle; I don't think anyone else does it remotely as well. Only the opening issue of "Age of Ultron" comes close in my mind to using so many characters so effectively to convey the increasing sense of desperation and then doom that falls over the heroes as they struggle against Malekith's horde. Aaron's characterization is stellar, from small moments (like Wolverine's "Good catching up" quip to the Punisher after Frank simply states that he's "reloaded") to larger ones (like Jane's persistent need to find Malekith to hand him his head). No one acts against character just to advance the plot, as we often see in these events. When Dr. Strange inadvertently evacuates everyone to Avengers Mountain, you feel the heroes' overwhelming sense of confusion, as they want to return to battle but also realize that they can't win in a head-on conflict. (Also, how often does someone make a mistake in these events? That alone was a breath of fresh air.) Aaron then does a great job setting the stage for the four different quests the Avengers and their allies begin: rescuing Thor from Jotunheim, destroying the Black Bifrost in Svartalfheim, taking out Roxxon so T'Challa can essentially reboot the internet, and defending Earth. Aaron is pulling in every thread of his years-long run on the various Thor titles, and it's a wonderful tapestry to behold. By the time Malekith murders Valkyrie, you begin to believe the scroll, that the time of gods and Valhalla has ended. I am very excited about this event.
Thor #12: Aaron cleverly uses "A Christmas Carol" as inspiration here, forcing Loki to confront his various selves -- past, present, and future -- as he dissolves in Laufey's stomach. Loki is forced to confront his long (and persistent) history of evil, from allowing Eldred, his mentor in magic, to starve to death in the prison where Loki first met him to facing Kid Loki's accusation that maybe poisoning his mother wasn't the best way to prove that he wasn't evil. In the latter case, Loki insists that he was doing it to save her, but he has a much harder time justifying his evolution into Loki the Necrogod. Perhaps mostly notably, for fans of Loki's "Young Avengers" and "Loki: Agent of Asgard" arcs, I think Aaron finally acknowledges Loki's attempt to become the God of Stories here. I've been waiting a long time for that moment, and Aaron doesn't disappoint. In the past, Aaron has seemed to ignore Loki's evolution in those series, but here he more or less confirms that people continue to misunderstand Loki. But, importantly, Aaron also has Loki embrace the "truth" underlying that misunderstanding, his desire not to be a villain. To that end, he seems to accept his death in Laufey's stomach in order to prevent his evolution into the Necrogod. I don't think that it'll stick, to be honest. But, again, it's nice to see Aaron not using Loki as simply a useful tool of evil, instead forcing Loki to confront the fact that maybe all his scheming with Malekith didn't work out exactly the way that he hoped.
Avengers #18: This issue is...weird. We learn Agent Coulson has made some sort of deal with Mephisto not only to return to life but also to exert control over the Squadron Supreme. He controls them absolutely, convincing them that they've been guarding the United States for years. I'm not sure if Coulson's heel turn has been covered in a S.H.I.E.L.D. series, but I'll say that it's jarring to see him this way. Aaron does a good job tying the team's debut to the War of the Realms, as they help fend off a Frost Giant attack on Washington, DC. In that way, it's a solid tie-in issue, using the event to advance an ongoing plot line (even if it's one at which Aaron has only hinted previously). But, I have to admit that it feels like a little too much, a development that the already ambitious "War of the Realms" story could've managed not to include.
Also Read: War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #1; War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1
(Marvel didn't publish these issues in the same order as the reading checklist in the back of "War of the Realms" #1 shows them. I'm presenting them here in the recommended order, even though they're not all strictly "April 17" issues.)
War of the Realms #2: I don't have much to say here because Aaron is an expert at delivering this sort of pitched battle; I don't think anyone else does it remotely as well. Only the opening issue of "Age of Ultron" comes close in my mind to using so many characters so effectively to convey the increasing sense of desperation and then doom that falls over the heroes as they struggle against Malekith's horde. Aaron's characterization is stellar, from small moments (like Wolverine's "Good catching up" quip to the Punisher after Frank simply states that he's "reloaded") to larger ones (like Jane's persistent need to find Malekith to hand him his head). No one acts against character just to advance the plot, as we often see in these events. When Dr. Strange inadvertently evacuates everyone to Avengers Mountain, you feel the heroes' overwhelming sense of confusion, as they want to return to battle but also realize that they can't win in a head-on conflict. (Also, how often does someone make a mistake in these events? That alone was a breath of fresh air.) Aaron then does a great job setting the stage for the four different quests the Avengers and their allies begin: rescuing Thor from Jotunheim, destroying the Black Bifrost in Svartalfheim, taking out Roxxon so T'Challa can essentially reboot the internet, and defending Earth. Aaron is pulling in every thread of his years-long run on the various Thor titles, and it's a wonderful tapestry to behold. By the time Malekith murders Valkyrie, you begin to believe the scroll, that the time of gods and Valhalla has ended. I am very excited about this event.
Thor #12: Aaron cleverly uses "A Christmas Carol" as inspiration here, forcing Loki to confront his various selves -- past, present, and future -- as he dissolves in Laufey's stomach. Loki is forced to confront his long (and persistent) history of evil, from allowing Eldred, his mentor in magic, to starve to death in the prison where Loki first met him to facing Kid Loki's accusation that maybe poisoning his mother wasn't the best way to prove that he wasn't evil. In the latter case, Loki insists that he was doing it to save her, but he has a much harder time justifying his evolution into Loki the Necrogod. Perhaps mostly notably, for fans of Loki's "Young Avengers" and "Loki: Agent of Asgard" arcs, I think Aaron finally acknowledges Loki's attempt to become the God of Stories here. I've been waiting a long time for that moment, and Aaron doesn't disappoint. In the past, Aaron has seemed to ignore Loki's evolution in those series, but here he more or less confirms that people continue to misunderstand Loki. But, importantly, Aaron also has Loki embrace the "truth" underlying that misunderstanding, his desire not to be a villain. To that end, he seems to accept his death in Laufey's stomach in order to prevent his evolution into the Necrogod. I don't think that it'll stick, to be honest. But, again, it's nice to see Aaron not using Loki as simply a useful tool of evil, instead forcing Loki to confront the fact that maybe all his scheming with Malekith didn't work out exactly the way that he hoped.
Avengers #18: This issue is...weird. We learn Agent Coulson has made some sort of deal with Mephisto not only to return to life but also to exert control over the Squadron Supreme. He controls them absolutely, convincing them that they've been guarding the United States for years. I'm not sure if Coulson's heel turn has been covered in a S.H.I.E.L.D. series, but I'll say that it's jarring to see him this way. Aaron does a good job tying the team's debut to the War of the Realms, as they help fend off a Frost Giant attack on Washington, DC. In that way, it's a solid tie-in issue, using the event to advance an ongoing plot line (even if it's one at which Aaron has only hinted previously). But, I have to admit that it feels like a little too much, a development that the already ambitious "War of the Realms" story could've managed not to include.
Also Read: War of the Realms: Journey into Mystery #1; War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Not-Very-New Comics: The April 3 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
This summary is not available. Please
click here to view the post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)