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Hey all. Another late edition, but a full docket nonetheless. As always, spoiler alert. Let’s begin.
Amazing Spider-Man #683. Hot damn, has this arc been hitting the right notes with me. We see just how much of a menace and master manipulator Doctor Octopus can truly be and he’s equipped the Sinister Six with enough tricks and methods to do battle with the freakin’ Avengers… AND WIN. Seeing that alone should be worth the price of admission. Seriously, we see the Avengers just brutalized and beaten in a matter of minutes, in-comic time. Even Thor gets taken out by Rhyno. Yeah. Let that sink in for a bit. It also continues the angle of J. Jonah Jameson going after Horizon labs, but it never overstays its welcome and adds a much-needed break in the appropriate location. So far so good for “The Ends of the Earth,” and I’m wondering where the return of Silver Sable is going to play out. Certainly, she helps Spider-Man, but I wouldn’t picture her as someone who can do what the Avengers couldn’t. It’s going to be an interesting read going forward. After the disaster that was One More Day and One Moment In Time, Dan Slott has made Spider-Man not only readable, but an enjoyable read. I would never make the claim that these arcs couldn’t happen with Spider-Man being married to Mary Jane, so yes, One More Day is still effectively useless and still didn’t need to happen.
Verdict – Highly Recommended
Avengers Academy #28 was a big disappointment for me in terms of the issue as a whole. We end this arc with the Runaways which, really, didn’t need to happen. I don’t even think Marvel would really bring them back, since they trashed their old teen hero books in no time flat recently, including Young Allies and not even letting “The Chosen” get off the ground. I can’t say I actually gave much of a damn about this arc. Don’t get me wrong, it was good, but only good in an okay kind of way. Oh well. Can’t win ‘em all, but now I can safely say that Aquaman IS better than this book, generally speaking.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended
Avengers vs. X-Men #1 was… pretty slow starting. Everything we’ve read in previews is played out here, just to a longer degree. We see Cyclops brutally training Hope when she manifests her Phoenix powers. This results in a visit from Captain America and the Avengers, which goes as well as can be expected. If you skipped the preview pages because you didn’t want to be spoiled, than I’d say you should pick this up. If not, there really isn’t too much here to warrant a purchase.
Verdict – Pass
Daredevil #10.1 was our second straight solid entry into the Marvel.1 series. This was just good ol’ Daredevil fun as we see ol’ Horn Head dealing with some jackass detention center officers and facing off with a supervillain who can generate fire. He also confronts representitives from several crime organizations including A.I.M. and Black Specter with some good, verbal, cat and mouse, showing us that Daredevil isn’t just all about fisticuffs. If this book was meant as an introduction, it’s certainly succeeded. Daredevil is probably Marvel’s best book right now and Ii certainly hope it’s one you’re all reading right now anyway. Even if you’re already familiar with Daredevil, this was a pretty fun read.
Verdict – Recommended
Fear Itself: The Fearless #12 ends with one thing that comes to mind: Marvel cannot do a bi-weekly series not named The Amazing Spider-Man.
Verdict – Pass
Hulk #50 was pretty solid stuff. We see Red Hulk being haunted by apparent ghosts, to which he goes to Doctor Strange for help. It starts off an angle which will amount to being a big conspiracy against Big Red, but we also see some glimpses into Red Hulk being General Ross again, finding new romance and trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter. It was a solid read, something Hulk needed desperately to remain what I’d call a worthwhile series.
Verdict – Recommended
Queen Sonja #28 would have gotten a straight “Recommended” verdict out of me if it weren’t for the fact that there is some questionable nudity. In this book, we get a fully nude woman who is obscured by shadows. That would have been fine and no cause for concern, except for the fact that in a couple panels, we can clearly see the outlines of her nipples! How are the artists getting away with this? And how has this book not been relegated to the adult section of the comic store? Other than that, the book is just fine. There are some decent interactions with the characters, some good action, and we continue the conspiracy against the kingdom Sonja is empress of. I’m interested, and like I said, this would have gotten a straight “Recommended” verdict, but since I know some people aren’t interested in their comics as softcore porn, I’ve gotta give you guys a fair warning.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended (via nudity warning)
Red Sonja/Witchblade #2. This was BORING. That may be because I’m interested in this book for Red Sonja and this was heavily focused on Witchblade, but this is where the writer has to make me care about the character I’m not invested in. The only thing I care about with Witchblade is that she’s a mother, which is pretty unique for a superheroine supposed badass. Other than that… why should I care?
Verdict – Pass
Sonic the Hedgehog #235… There are about a thousand different story arcs happening in this book, most of which occur at a break-neck speed, and none of which I’d say are very satisfying. First, you get Silver the Hedgehog, who is only margionally less useless of a character than Shadow, going on about his believed traitor in the Freedom Fighters (whom I’m leaning towards Tails, at this point), and coming off as a generally delusional hack, not some savior from the future. Next, you get Bunnie, mourning over her hospitalized husband. Rather than stay by his side, she leaves to do something. Great domestic display there, Ian Flynn. Have her ignore the man she loves to take a gamble somewhere else. Then you have Tails and Amy, doing who cares what. Generally, they’re being emo. After that, you get Rotor quitting from the royal council after they vote to exile Nicole’s consciousness to Freedom HQ outside of New Mobotropolis. While I can appreciate the symbolic gesture Rotor was going for… Rotor… YOU JUST FORFEITED YOUR SEAT OF ACTUAL POLITICAL POWER AGAINST IXIS NAUGUS JUST SO YOU COULD PROVE YOU WERE HAVING A HISSY FIT OVER A DECISION YOU DISAGREED WITH! Geesh, how dumb can a smart guy be? Now, Naugus can put someone, oh say, an apprentice of his, in that position to always vote his way. We’ve already seen that the former Reserve Freedom Fighters will automatically make the worst possible decision possible, Rosemary Prower doesn’t seem to have rhyme nor reason for her votes, and Charles… is spineless on that council. After that, Sonic the Hedgehog mopes and throws temper tantrums. Our hero, ladies and gentlemen! Finally, the only thing of merit to this book, Harvey Who, who comes across as a legitimate mastermind, recruits Silver to his “Secret Freedom Fighters.” I appreciate the attempts at drama for this book, but it’s either out-of-character drama or it’s set-up to which we have no reason to become immediately invested in. Ian Flynn, you find new reasons to make me hate you with every book you write, don’t you?
Verdict – Pass
Thunderbolts #172… I can’t say I’m thrilled with the fact that this series is going to be re-branded as Dark Avengers and, unless it really wows me, I’m likely going to drop it. Seriously, this act of re-branding series’ mid-run bugs me. Thor becoming Journey Into Mystery, for one. It bugs me almost as much as re-numbering. I say, be proud of your heritage and keep your true numbering. If you want to do volume numbers, than acknowledge the volume you’re on. But if you DO change your numbering, don’t change back will-nil for milestones. You broke your chain, now you start again! Anyway, Thunderbolts. It starts what will be the final arc as the Thunderbolts face the Thunderbolts of the Heroes Reborn era. It’s got some potential, as we see Moonstone confronting, well, Moonstone. Obviously, this time-travel to face their past-selves is non-canon due to Marvel’s laws of time travel, but then again, this is the Joe Quessada Marvel that ignores such rules by the sake of their own convenience *coughOneMoreDaycough*. The issue itself was okay, but uninspired to say the least. Honestly, it was a little too slow for me. Not what I’d call a bad issue, but far more could have happened to start this final arc with a bang.
Verdict – Cautiously Recommended
We’re ending on a high note this week. Wolverine and the X-Men #8. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Wolverine only really works, in my book, on team books or while flanked by several characters to play off of his dynamics, with him playing off of theirs. This is why Wolverine is fondly remembered when he’s paired off with the likes of Kitty Pryde and Jubilee, but issues where it’s him being “the best at what he does,” aren’t quite remembered so much. This is why I dropped the Wolverine solo book in favor of this one and it’s been a damn good investment, I think. We don’t get bombarded by the Mary Sue-prone nature of Wolverine’s character, but we still get to see him being a bad-ass. This issue, however, isn’t all about Wolverine. He’s mentioned and he has some minor scenes, but this is more about Sabretooth trying to help the Hellfire Club get back at Wolverine and his school. More importantly, it heavily features Sabretooth’s attack on the S.W.O.R.D. satellite and an awesome battle between him and Beast as he tries to save his would-be girlfriend, Abigail Brand. It’s a fun issue with a lot of good action and some good moments from the students, including a particularly sweet scene between the “reborn” Angel and Genesis. Wolverine and the X-Men has been a generally fun series and it’s good to see this series challenge expectations and develop its own unique identity.
Verdict – Highly Recommended
And with that, we’re done here. Now go out there and pick yourself up some comics. I hope I’ve piqued your interest with some of these books and I hope you’ll consider them… the good ones, anyways.
Cheers;
Master Graveheart
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