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We Got Yer Books – Reviews for 11/22

Light on the reviews this week, but still some fantastic books coming out from Marvel this week. Why don't we get DC First Look books anymore? And no, for the last time, Thanksgiving will not delay your books. At least not at Metro Entertainment!

And they pay me to say that!

Daredevil #91

By all accounts, this is a filler issue, a shorter step of confronting the girl and fighting her flunkies to a bigger punch of finding out who's behind all this. And the best part if it all is that I don't mind in the slightest. Instead of a book like Civil War, marching towards its apex, there's an almost dreamy quality to the book, getting you where you need to go while telling a few anecdotes along the way. We watch Daredevil do his best Batman, flinging himself off rooftops in that newspapery inking style that I've come to know and love from the book, colored in muted tones except for the red of his costume. Ah, Brubaker.

Heroes for Hire #4

Okay, the guys at the shop were really into this book at the start, finding it a nice little tie-in to Civil War. Odd, considering how much fluff (good fluff, mind you) the Daughters of the Dragon mini-series was, but I could see how it might be put as a lighter, get the job done kind of view it could have on the big tent event. So all that good work, all that buzz from Civil War... and we're back to mini-series material. They have these new and interesting characters, why not to go them for plot? Why crack open the OHtMU's and find some random villains or heroes to put under the Registration crunch? Ah well. Riccadonna is out and, to prove her major villainess status, sends hitmen after the H for H. Some are kind of stupid (Insecticide? Really?), some are kind of cool (Shang-Chi's stylish calm against his foe) and some play right into their clichés, down to the ninja. Our cliffhanger ending shows that Riccadonna now has superpowers. This should be exciting.

Marvel Spotlight: Ultimate Spider-Man - Bendis/Bagley

I stopped reading Wizard. The ads posing as articles got to me after awhile and I'll just flip through the store copy if I really need to. I also haven't bought any of these "Daily Bugle" mini-papers since the CSN is free; yeah, they want a quarter but it still boils down to ads. Then the X-Axis lets off some steam about Marvel's 24 pages of adverts to 22 pages of story ratio. So I took one look at the Marvel Spotlight and went on to the next book.

New Excalibur #13

The Wrecking Crew! YAY! These guys are still up and at it? That rules! Not to mention the fact that they're having a little private chat with reformed villain, Juggernaut. And by private chat, I mean pounding him into the pavement. I appreciate seeing a little retribution for switching sides, especially from the working class Wrecking Crew. Juggernaut's smashed with a car, the rest of Excalibur engages in a little light hearted fight with the Crew and Juggernaut makes a last minute smash in the nick of time. But that doesn't mean he still doesn't hear what I assume to be the little Cyttorak headvoice in his brain telling him that evil would be a lot more fun. He goes to see the only guy who'd really understand him and the guy he helped put in prison: Black Tom. They commiserate, have a bit of a Dr. Phil moment and Cain goes off to where it all began at the temple of the Cytorrak, where he will most likely fight ninjas.

Runaways #22

Widower boyfriend Chase continues not to take the death of Gertie well at all and resorts to angry teen coping tactics. Victor and Nico talk about it and continue their awkward "romance" and in the middle of all this is an honest and simple "The More You Know" segment with Xavin the Skrull and Molly about tolerance. Now, I grew up in the '80s so I am more than familiar with embedding little public service announcements in the middle of your comics, but this sounded more like a conversation than any of them had before. Molly's little retort of having a picture of Northstar on her wall and everything was pretty cute and reminds me again what an opportunity Marvel missed with Northstar's current predicament. The Gibborim, their evil parent's benefactors, offers getting Gertie back for good in exchange for a "flawless crime" of an innocent soul sacrifice. Like any good D&D player, Chase goes over all the details and promises to return with an answer that just might be Nico on the chopping block.

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #12

And another chapter in awesome teenage drama unfolds. Don't tell me there are no comics out there for kids. This one is a done-in-one character study on MJ and Harry being flirts. I like that use of 'flirt'; it sounds fun and young and cute, doesn't it? A hard hitting school reporter wants the inside scoop on Mary Jane (who's starting to buckle under the weight of being 'plastic', as she puts it) and Harry the playah. Both have their reasons and a lot of it deals with self-confidence, more of the personalities that we know and love from our classic characters are coming to the fore and one can see how these guys grow up into the Spider-Man mythology. Also, do note: This is Issue 12! Yay Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane! And yay for Sean McKeever, the man who writes the little book that could.

Wolverine #48

Hrm. Can't find my notes on this one, so... what do I remember about the issue? For one, it looks into a little something people don't like to think about and for good reason. Wouldn't it really hurt to regenerate some of the grievous wounds we've seen Wolvie take very the years? As a matter of fact, it does! In some stunning artwork from Humberto Ramos, we get a little look at what Logan's thinking about when he's regrowing a limb or reknitting his nervous system. Sure, it's a little hokey and don't dare think about the logistics of regenerating your entire body over your skeleton, but enjoy the flashbacks, the noirish writing, and the cheep Atlantian roll in the hay. Also, Nitro is dead and/or in the hands of Namor; the preview copy might have been missing a page or two.

X-Factor #13

And this... this is going to take a full post tomorrow. You see, X-Factor #87 is to this day one of my favorite comics of all time. Everything, from the characters to the writing to the artwork to the coloring, it's my "gold standard" by which a lot of comics are judged in my book. I have HUGE expectations for a book that's the sequel and, well... watch for a full post tomorrow.

All You Need to Know: New Avengers #25

Civil War continues to bum me out, making going through the books a little harder these days as I see the finish line ahead in February and it's starting to look more and more like the light to an oncoming train.  But another month has gone by, bringing us another look at your favorite anthology series about a bunch of marketable heroes, the "New" Avengers. Wait. That should be New "Avengers" as I haven't really seen these guys do much as a team really besides hit ninjas. (SPOILER: In February? They'll be fighting ninjas again.)

But I think I figured it out.

Since starting up this upkeep, I'm pretty sure I have liked every THIRD issue of New Avengers. The Xorn Mess, the luke-warm Captain America, then the surprisingly solid Luke Cage issue. Back to the Spider-Woman Debacle, the Sentry letdown (god, what was that issue supposed to be about anyway?), and now some peace with of all people: Iron Man.

Issue stars out cheezily enough, some guy breaking into Stark Tower via ambiguous handheld device. I know it woud take too long to really show how hard it is to break into one of the most technologically secure buildings in the nation (even when it's not being monitored by SHIELD agents in powered armor), but couldn't we get something better than a Palm Pilot?

Jarvis has his back turned to the huge monitoring center at just the wrong time to miss this guy (and can we decide if Jarvis is skinny or chunky style?  Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man had him rather thick in the middle while this issue he's apparently gone on a severe weight loss program).  But when they both enter the same room, Jarvis lunges for the security alarm, and guy lunges for his gun and fires. Jarvis is religated to lying down on the floor, shot somewhere ambiguous for the rest of the issue. Guy shuts down the alarm system as Iron Man shows up wondering what in tarnation is going on here. Guy responds with "Cincula Tempest Mupon" and the armor locks up, Shellhead falling to the floor with a 'Toom'. My Google Fu turns up nothing for the special code, but I do note it's fun to say outloud. Especially Mupon. Mupon!

Anyhow, who is this guy who's taken down Stark Tower, SHIELD agents, Jarvis and Iron Man in six pages? Why, it's Kenny! Kenny, who knows Jim Rhodes apparently. And Kenny, who worked for Tony Stark at some point and is starting to feel a bit of the fanboy's plight.  You see, he can't stand to see the work he did for Stark being used to fight Captain America, given to SHIELD to incarcerate superheroes and to see someone he looked up to and believed going against the very ideals that Kenny looked up to Tony for in the first place. You see, he's here to end this "war" by basically reversing the matter of the entire Stark Tower so that he, Iron Man and the rather unfortunate addition of "the butler dude" (who is fairly old, still shot and bleeding out on the floor) would simply cease to exist in a controlled implosion. Then there would be no sides, as he sees it, and the war would be over and people could get on with their lives.

Man, I was so rooting for this guy. Every single one of the issues brought up against Iron Man and his actions thus far had no rebuttal. The fact that Iron Man has barely left his suit since the War began, suggesting some need to separate himself from what he's doing in order to rationalize it all.   The recent Giant Sized Hulk also had a similar theme of supporting characters wondering what in the world their heroes are doing anymore.  I know the feeling.  I've always felt that Marvel comics have always been the most, for lackof a better term, relatable.  I could be one of these guys under the same random circumstances and right now, I could really feel for this Kenny guy. Tony Stark picks him out of college and tells him the world was his, helps put his mind to this noble cause of helping people through heroism, being able to look at the TV or in the sky and see Iron Man go by and know that you helped put him there.  Feeling safe with those you honestly look up to.
Too bad he was this issue's villain.

Shooting Jarvis and letting him just sort of bleed there while you rant and rail against ol' Shellhead doesn't make you look all that good, no matter where you heart is on this whole thing.   Maria Hill, still needing some reader sympathy, finds out Tony's in dire straits, puts on a bunch of SHIELD gear (perhaps some even invented by Kenny.  IRONY!) and get there in the nick of time to shoot Kenny, stop his matter reversal processor and then it's SHIELD to the rescue!  Let's hear it for the best job SHIELD's done in nearly four months!  YAY!  Oh yeah, other Avengers show up in a last minute sort of way (just a panel with Ms. Marvel and the Sentry flying in after SHIELD, good job team!).

Maria and Iron Man hang out on the rooftop, talking about how underqualified she is for this job.  Now, I could understand the whole "Not Nick Fury" syndrome; man's got HUGE shoes to fill and people treating you like crap because you're not the second coming of the man who made the organization what it is today sucks, but it's understandable.  Especially when he's running around in other books still, Life Model Decoy or not, but that's a rant for another time.  Agent Hill says there are actually 75 people more qualified than her.  I'm almost offended that she's apparently that bad, my knee jerking in the direction of the implications that women can't run SHIELD.

But no, there's a reason why Agent Hill was given one of the most powerful positions in the nation, and it has to do with the movie A Few Good Men.  At least that's what she thinks and this leads her to believe that Iron Man... why, he'd make the best SHIELD director of them all.

So, all you need to know?  Yes, Iron Man's role in the Civil War has been pretty messed up.  People are upset with him and bring up valid points about his actions.  They get shot, adding 'shooting innocent people' right next to 'killing children' in the book of How To Tell the Reader You're Serious.  Iron Man, not defending himself against rather valid and aggravated complaints, says all of 17 total word balloons in a book that's supposed to focus on how he is handling the war.  He might take over SHIELD because it would "piss off all the right people".

Yep, Agent Hill, you're right.

Next issue: HAWKEYE!

Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed – Preview Reviews for 11/8

Remember these? Funny thing is, I've still been reading what they send, though DC's been totally slacking on sending the store their preview copies. So for once, it's not my normal bias, but a lack of sneaky new books.

But Marvel's got my back, so let's see what they sent me:

Doctor Strange: the Oath #2

It continues to be everything I want in a Dr. Strange comic, even things I didn't know I wanted. Like an arrogant Doctor Strange, but yet still very practical when it comes to his first profession. A hardboiled Wong, ready to play down his life for Strange no matter how much the good Doctor disagrees. And, most surprising, Night Nurse who doesn't jump into the role of 'girl friday' or 'besting sidekick', but a rather practical gal on the side there to aid both Strange and Wong as they're on half strength. Exposition is done elegantly, from the Eye of Aggamotto to talks on the subway about where they're going and why, leaving this a title people can still jump into on #2. There's even a little catchy flashback to remind us that Dr. Strange, pre magical mysticism, was a dick and that this might come back to bite him in the end, no matter how much good he's done since. As Strange has fought some extradimentional horror to obtain an elixir that can cure Wong of his lethal tumor,it turns out it can cure cancer. All cancer. Thus, he confirms this with an old doctor friend and later gets shot in his home on Bleeker Street by a their who's obviously more than he appears. Good stuff, can't wait to see where it's going.

Annihilation #4

Galactus as a weapon. Think about it. Take into detail the idea of putting an eminent cosmic being, locking him to a machine, and forcing him to destroy planet after planet, but with none of the nourishment that comes from such an act. Just enough to keep him alive to do it again. And again. Hand to God, gives me the shivers every time because Keith Giffen has thought about it and explained it all very well to you, the reader. Annihilation is honestly some of the best of Marvel this year and it just keeps getting better every step of the way. A cosmic story that you don't need pounds of backstory to understand since the characters dealing with this incredible threat are very good at focusing down to points that we can relate to.Nova had to disband the resistance but knows this war isn't over. Annihilus is power mad and seeks only to destroy everything so that he may know peace. Drax was created to destroy Thanos and hones in on this fact like a laser beam. And Thanos, well... he's just pleased to be at the center of it all. It's just fantastic and while some brave souls might be willing to go grab up the comic off the shelf and wade on in to the story at it's mid-point, only some will point themselves back issue first and most will say they'll wait for the trade. Trust me, this story is worth it. Because in a few issues, Galactus is going to break free of being used. And boy, is he going to be sore.

Fantastic Four Presents Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius - Happy Franksgiving!

Don't forget to grab a copy of the latest Franklin Richard's special, "Happy Franksgiving!". Five all new stories, each one just as fun and silly as you've come to expect and love, there's just a Marvel Universe-Guiding Light comic preview in the back. What can I say besides this comic is sure to sell out, just like the others?

New X-Men #32

Funny how the "New" X-Men books is the closest thing you can get to "old school" X-Men style stories on the shelves these days and I think I'm going to get into that over at Blog@Newsarama. Remember Whither? Apparently, after M-Day, he dared to touch the chick he liked only to maim her as he hadn't actually lost his powers. He runs off to Mutant Town and we don't see him as the camera is firmly fixed on the Nimrod storyline. Well, guess what? Nimrod storyline over, the camera goes right back to where it should with the dangling plot with Wither! Who knew?? No matter what happens in this book, the story is so tight nothing slips through the cracks and even if I don't like the characters all that much, I have to give them props for character growth and continuity. Like all mutants with a lousy power, he is troubled about not touching anyone and fears the life ahead of him; but unlike some characters (*cough*ROGUE*cough*), he seems to be trying to make it on his own and wrestle over what he can do about it. Taken in my mysterious old woman, he pours his heart out to her while she seems to be trying to get him more comfortable with his "gifts". Yes, we've all seen the cover so we know the woman's Selene, but it's still neat to see poor Whither wrestle with what God gave him.Meanwhile, the X-Mansion has another funeral to do, this time it's a Guthrie. Mrs. Guthrie, a woman who's given three kids to the cause of Xavier's Dream, is not the angry screaming woman from Civil War, wondering why it's her child who died and yanking her kids out of the school fast enough to get whiplash. No, she's a brave, strong soul who admits to believing in Xavier's Dream and is proud to have her children there, no matter how much she fears for their safety. A powerful funeral scene follows her speech where Kitty Pryde and the last of the Mansion residents remember those who have fallen fighting for a world that fears and hates them.

Wolverine: Origins #8

Getting better! More foreign intrigue and espionage as Logan goes in search of Omega Red whose taken Jubilee and the Carbonadium Synthesizer, taking him to Germany as he has a little reflective flashback about working with Creed and Maverick. I have to admit, I'd like to see back in the day stories when they didn't immediately go for the throat and were forced to work together. But in the end, we get a Natasha Romanov cameo and SHIELD still on the trail. Man, those guys are slow.

Bullet Points #1

There's been some hype around the book and there are some real die hard J. Michael Straczynski fans out there who continue to put him on the Spider-Man books and we all know that Quesada thinks the world of him. So... let's face it, someone gave ol' JMS a copy of JLA: The Nail and he went "Hey! I could do this!" Now, I'm not saying that getting inspiration from books the Distinguished Competition (man, remember when they used to call DC that? Good times.) has already done; thanks to Kingdom Come, I got Earth X, one of my favorite Marvel reads. JMS goes the "bullet" route instead of the "nail" metaphor and ponders through mini-series all the things that could come if the scientist with the Super Soldier serum was shot before administering it to Steve Rogers. I guess we're not counting "Truth" in all of this or something.Anyways... the good news is that it's a fun quickie history lesson through WWII (or at least tries to be) and die hard American altruist cannot be denied the change to fight for his country. Everyone one remarks on how extraordinary the guy is and thanks to the art and narrative, we really believe it too. If the story stayed with the Second World War and what would have happened without a Captain America it would have been an interesting look at the Greatest Generation through Marvel eyes. Sadly, this is not to be as the Iron Man armor wasn't built in a Vietnam POW camp, but was ready just in time to be tested on a driven and eager Rogers. Okay, I could live with this. Also, Ben Parker was shot along with the scientist holding the Super Soldier serum, leaving May a widow of a very young marriage. This makes her a "single mom" raising Peter Parker (as his parents play out their fate just fine); without Uncle Ben's influence, Peter's a bit of a rake and roustabout who winds up with some kids at a military testing site where the gamma bomb is going off.

Now it feels like he's trying too hard. Why would a lack of Captain America mean that there would be no Rick Jones? And was Bruce Banner just waiting for Jones then and didn't bother too rescue this kid? I know he wants to make this one big Butterfly Effect study (because someone at Marvel read a book and it's become the hip new idea amongst the writing staff), but come on. I have a sinking feeling it's just going to get more ridiculous as we go on.

Amazing Spider-Men #1

I wonder to myself when the store is dead and we have more than one copy of Spider-Girl Digest TP vol. 1 why this book isn't flying off the shelf. It's got a great story, it's real roots-style Marvel writing, what gives? I think it might have to do with some people thinking this is going to be a Spider-Man book with boobs. Or a (heaven forbid) a GIRL'S BOOK! When, in actuality, if this was just a Spider-Man with Boobs™ book, I don't think it would work as well. This is just a great book for teens, the kind of books parents would want kids to read, all about growing up, doing the right thing, actions having consequences and a snappy fun fight from time to time with the bad guys. Nothing more, nothing less than good clean fun in a comic book for real true all ages.Spider-Girl disobeys her parent's wishes and investigates as an abused woman stops by the shelter she volunteers at after school. The woman's a grifter and might have stolen something that the Hobgoblin could use for mysterious criminal power. Hearing that the shelter's volunteers have been targeted by thugs, Mary Jane entrusts her daughter to wear the Spider-Suit, and Mayday gets to feel a little guilty that she was running around before permission was given. Now, the neat thing about that exchange with Mary Jane doing her best to trust her daughter not to ruin her life with the Spider Mantle is that it is straight, to the point and gets you right back to the heart of the story. Strangely enough, going right to the second page with Spider-Girl swinging away in moral debate makes the short time they had stick more than if it was a long drawn out sequence. Maybe that's just me.