Well, I didn’t really get all my notes ready as I got hit with the fangirl stick and have dedicated my online time to finding the latest Doctor Who episodes on the BBC. Thanks, Sci Fi, for giving me something new to go berserk over (seriously, guys, this is some fine old school sci fi the likes of which haven’t been seen in years, good stuff.)
Anyhoo, I wasn’t going to even bother until I read Moon Knight, so warning about a particular retcon spoiler ahead and away we go:
- Moon Knight #3
- I want to get this out now, because I have to say it: FRENCHIE IS BATWOMAN OMG! Why do I get the feeling someone saw the name ‘Frenchie’ and in a Beavis voice said, “Huh, that’s gay, dude.” and the writer went ‘YOU’RE RIGHT!’. It didn’t feel right; not to say that it wasn’t written well, but … come on. Frenchie? It’s a retcon for the wrong reasons. Let me explain: while Marc Spector goes to see his old comrade, Frenchie (who too has no legs) who seems surprised that ol’ Marc didn’t know he was gay. Apparently, he was even in love with him at one point as well. But that doesn’t matter since he has a partner now and is running a french bistro and life’s going well for the first time in a long while. So you know what has to happen, right? This time our super-hero watching secret agency is called ‘The Committee’ (because all the cool names were taken) and they give us a rugged sort of recap that just calls everyone killers. Three military killers find a archeologist who’s daughter is a killer and Marc gets killed by some guys trying to stop the archeologist’s work. The man giving us the recap explains that, “It works out that way.” Sure. These guys really want Moon Knight to do what they say and so they orchestrate a hit on a loved one to get him back into the fight. It’s like they realize this is all a script and are working out motivations for the main character. Well, what serves vengence more than beating the crap out of a newly outed Frenchie? Marc isn’t going to take this lying down (or hobbling around on crutches) and he find the guy what done it and gives him horrible retribution. Apparently, this didn’t give him the right motivation and The Committee has to go to a new plan, stat! That’s it, books illustrated by David Finch cannot have words in them. He’s got great moody, gritty art but the storylines he gets are just so silly.
- X-Men #187
- Is it over yet? Nope! Still more Apocalypse recap. Gambit tries to convince the reader that no, really, he’s different now, look at his cool white hair and Rogue continues to do what she does best for the past ten years: angst over Remy. Lorna is fighting off THE PLAGUE, once again trying to get herself together and figure out who she is, Alex remembers the way he used to be during X-Factor and Bobby loses the last bit of characterization he had and thinks Alex is the better man. All New All Different Gambit and Sunfire come to the mansion to collect Lorna since she’s one of them now and I guess Sentinel Squad ONE is on a coffee break. They even go talk to Val afterwards and she’s even pretty disappointed. The former Horsemen have a fight, X-Men win, and the guy taking in Apocalypse’s leftovers? Mr. Sinister! And yes, I’ll keep reading the book to see what that dude is going to do because I am a sucker. The little moments between this ‘Gus’ guy and Rogue are kind of nice, pretty witty, it’s just Mystique all over them like a nosey mother that has lost its humor for me. Every scene with them ends with Mystique checking up on the two and them being turned off by it, giving us the retort: “Mystique, why don’t you go metamorphose yourself?” Ooh, snap… if I even knew what that meant.
- Exiles #83
- This was actually a interesting story concept. Apparently, everyone they’ve lost or picked up along the way through their alternate-world hopping gets put in what is now their new HQ and they have to do the long and hard task of putting everyone back, and not how they found them. This could have been a lovely and repectful visit to where they’ve all been, how much they’ve changed and where they want to go next. Remember that kid of Rogue and Magneto’s who died in the first story arc? That’s your opening shot of the book and it would have been kind of cool to see where all these people came from. But no, all of that are some single small panel shots. And this whole Morph/Proteus thing is just kind of creepy. There’s some sort of problem with a Tony Stark they picked up, they put him down and Blink has to go have her moment over Mimic’s dead body in his home universe. She’s worn out her welcome with me, we need a new lead for this book. I vote Spidey 2099.
- Nexwave #6
- Like mana from heaven. I cannot explain this book. I don’t have to. This book speaks for itself. It grabs you and shakes you and if you don’t get it, it’s your loss. Because a robot in a bra is never a good sign. Because Tabitha has been lifted up to stylized hong kong action poses as she fights instead of playing softball all the time and is given more kick-ass time that her ‘Meltdown’ era. Because that is NOT a issue number up there under the Marvel logo. No, that’s a rating and each issue bests the other one by means not known to normal men. Read this book. Love this book. Lick this book.
- Daredevil #86
- Okay, this without a doubt is Marvel’s flagship book. Forget Spider-Man, Captain America, the Avengers. This is consistantly written and drawn and I am his close to actually putting it on my pull. Brubaker is awesome here and he hits all the points I want to see in the title. Ever since Foggy’s death, Matt Murdock has taken a turn for the worse morally, more than willing to play the Prison Game in order to get what he wants. The Punisher took him for a time out to tell him he was heading down the wrong path. The Kingpin, seeing an opportunity, tries to get this new Matt Murdock in on his side. There’s a prison break and that’s where our hero finally remembers who he is. When he’s standing next to Bullseye and the FREAKIN’ Kingpin, it’s a wake-up call he needed and he finally gets his head on straight. Very well played and while I really think killing off Foggy kind of shot them in the foot, the book does good.
Like I said, short list. Happy Wednesday, everyone.
