Comic Vine - Staff Reviews

Honor vs. Expediency: Round Two

0.0 out of 5

The Shi’ar Avengers team has finally arrived at the Palace Regal on Chandilar, throneworld of the Shi’ar Imperium. The Imperial Guard, what remains of it, is unhappy about escorting them to Lilandra, for various reasons. Lilandra, in full regalia, is likewise irritated with them – perhaps if it were the X-Men, she would have been a bit happier to see them. The tensions are ratcheted up by Prime Minister Araki, who mimics Guardian’s argument the needs of “a single, insignificant, little backwater planet” pale in comparison to the needs of “the entire Shi’ar Empire!” He still believes they are in league with the Kree who assaulted their outpost. That Thor trounced Gladiator and closed their stargate and Wonder Man highjiacked their Nega-portal doesn’t make their claims for peace all that palpable. Thor’s hotheadedness rears its hot head again, infuriating Lilandra (and making Captain Marvel none too happy, as well). The meeting is adjourned.

Of course, the Kree Starforce arrives at that moment, splitting up to track down Lilandra as quickly as possible. In a nice nod to the series’ continuity, the reader is privy to Korath’s thoughts they would have been their sooner had Ronan not taken the time to fight Iron Man in the previous installment. While Captain Marvel upbraids Thor and his continuing lack of impulsiveness, Araki and Lilandra discuss the progress of the war. In the solitude of her chambers, we finally see Lilandra’s softer side as she begins to lament the damage the war is doing to the Shi’ar, Earth, and even the Kree. Araki, displeased with Lilandra’s weakening, secretly prepares to assassinate her himself, saving Starforce the trouble … but he is prevented by the Imperial Guardsman Earthquake and his report. Suddenly, none of it matters as the Starforce and Imperial Guard finally join in combat throughout the palace.

This latest battle is unique mainly because the Avengers are mostly ancillary components for so much of it. The cover is quite accurate: it is a battle between the Kree Starforce and Shi’ar Imperial Guard, with the Avengers caught in the middle. Since they are there to enlist Shi’ar assistance, the Avengers soon join in with the Imperial Guard, which likewise helps heal the wounds and irritations noted earlier in the issue (though it’s not as simple and sappy as this last sentence made it out to be – fast, perhaps; neat, sure; but it works well, since the conflicts come more to an uneasy truce than genuine camaraderie). Living Lightning’s appreciation for Thor increases throughout the issue, and Thor gets some narrative focus, since it’s his series, but not as much as in the previous issue. The brief duel between Ronan with his Universal Weapon and Thor with Mjolnir is a good couple of panels, but the needs of the star-studded issue prevent it from getting enough elaboration. While this mega brouhaha rages, the scene briefly shifts to Wonder Man and Vision, who feel the effects of the Skrull’s discovery of the Nega-bomb (as seen in the previous installment). Now they, too, know the Skrulls are playing some inscrutable role in this perplexing conflict between the Shi’ar and Kree.

The real highlight of the issue is Starfox’s encounter with Ultimus. Already shown to be the most conscience-affected member of Starforce, Ultimus struggles not just to overcome Starfox but also understand him, though in the end he is too limited by the biases of his recent “education” from the Supreme Intelligence to heed the higher call of mercy, since it “is not the way of the Kree” – a telling declaration in a war riven by the seeming incompatibility of morality and justice.

Though he’s there to save her, Starfox is saved by Lilandra, but she gets to the heart of the issue – Starfox’s willingness to die for her, choosing “honor above expediency” (the other key motif in the series), inspires and shames her. For the first time she calls the Nega-portal by its proper name, the Nega-bomb. She declares it will be recalled and the war will end by negotiations not attrition. Unfortunately for her conscience (and the lives of the Kree), we know it is essentially too late: the Skrulls are going to detonate the Nega-bomb in Kree space! Wonder Man was right: if one waits too long for morality to rule out, stopping the war machines in time may become impossible.

The (Mercy) Killing of Dr. Manhattan

0.206549316544 out of 5

This cover is lying to you. This is technically a spoiler, but its the good kind. Don't do into this issue expecting a big fight with a red giant. It doesn't happen. I would've been fine with it not happening if it hadn't been teased to me by the cover.

The artwork is what anyone 5 issues in has come to expect. You like it or you don't. I like it. It's very stylized and some people mistake that for genuine low quality. I'll accept people not liking it, but I don't accept that it's 'bad.' I don't like Brett Booth's artwork really, but it isn't something I could genuinely call bad. The artwork here is spindly and creepy, which works well for a series like this.

Anyone complaining about a lack of character development for the supporting cast should be pleased with this issue. Khalis starts to show a little more about himself, Lady Frankenstein is able to hold attention just as well as her ex husband, Nina's interactions with Ray Palmer make me much more interested in his role as a scientist over that of The Atom. We see a lot of stuff about S.H.A.D.E. City and the inner workings. The first arc was a pilot movie that introduced us to the concept and characters and asked us if we were ready to buy. Now we begin the true beginning. We know the characters enough to see them start a more routine mission, and we get a more guided tour of the headquarters. Unfortunately this leads into...

A plot that comes way too soon. If you read the first issue, you just KNEW we'd see a Humanid revolution. It was just way too obvious. The problem is that having it happen so soon, makes it even more obvious, at least waiting would leave us unnerved a little until it happened, now we get the payoff we say coming almost instantly. We haven't earned this arc yet. Although, the explanation for the catalyst of this arc was actually very clever. It did justify this arc happening when it did, but from a literary standpoint, it still bothers me.

But the meat of this issue as an issue itself more than just the start of this Humanid arc is the Killing of Col. Quantum. Unfortunately this meat is soggy leftovers with a sprinkle of delicious seasoning to keep it from being a total mess. In and of itself, the handling of the story was touching and emotional, and interesting. But aside from the misleading cover, the entire thing was fundamentally flawed. Col. Quantum is a blatant carbon copy of Dr. Manhattan. But he's red instead of blue. Both of them were naked behemoths shooting lasers of god mod for the US in Vietnam and contemplating the pointlessness of the war and arguing with their more gruff and cynical counterpart in a bar.

In Conclusion: 3/5

While I'm annoyed that the Humanid Revolution is happening too early, the overall handling of it was superb, from the beginnings of self awareness, to the creeping subtle pacing in which the 'virus' of consciousness spread through S.H.A.D.E. City. Similarly Col. Quantum's story is just about doomed for crap from the start, but enough of the execution saves it from being genuinely awful. But in the end, this is really a mediocre issue for some really unfortunate reasons.

You Cannot Be Perfect Until You Have Been Imperfect

0.206549316544 out of 5

Wow. I was REALLY afraid that this arc had hit its climax too early last issue, but this one manages to provide an equally epic scene for the finale without feeling too similar. It's a much quieter climax, but the deep metaphysical tone resonates just as deeply, if not stronger. Deadman stares a goddess in the face, and tells her that she isn't perfect because she's perfect. Its as simple as that.

The panel layouts take a turn for the bizarre in an eerily subtle way. They're nothing like J.H. Willaims or Marco Rudy would do. In fact, hardly any of the panels are something other than a rectangular shape. But there's a ton of moments where little panels pop up in odd places in a crazy patchwork kind of way, blipping close shots at us at a glance. It's impressively subtle and unique.

But ultimately, and this might just be a personal thing, I was bothered by the excessive focus on Johnny Foster, the man in the wheelchair. I can understand why, and I know there are people who will disagree with me on this. In fact, anyone who disagrees with me about this, I will not say they are wrong. This is something entirely subjective. It was my feeling that this was an arc about Deadman, an arc that dug deep an defined him. 'If Deadman could only get one arc' kind of thing. It felt like that for the most part, except that they kept dragging us back to this guy in a wheel chair. To me, it made things feel like this was just another arc of Deadman as if it was an ongoing, instead of a full tale in one standalone arc. Because aside from Johnny, this arc was exactly about how it wasn't about the people Deadman helped, it was about Deadman. Johnny was just a plot device. Except he was his own side plotline, and I never really enjoyed that idea. This issue especially dedicated a huge chunk to wrapping up Johnny's story, AFTER wrapping up Deadman's story. It was just a little awkward imo.

In Conclusion: 4/5

What else can I say? This was an incredible 5 issue metaphysical experience like no other. And it had plenty of comedy along the way. And it gave the spotlight to an under appreciated DC hero as I hope this series continues to do. But if you're not into the whole philosophical stuff, DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP ON THIS SERIES. The next arc is something completely new from a completely different creative team. Just make sure you know that that's how this works. You are actually encouraged to jump in at any arc, because each arc is only connected to the others by being set in the same DC Universe. That is it.

Does Johns Realize That Hal Isn't Perfect?

0.206549316544 out of 5

The more I look at this cover, the more I like it. It's actually impressively deceiving. Beginning at the moment this solicit appeared, and ending in the final pages of this issue; I was certain that Hal was fighting Sinestro for the ring. But he's not. He's fighting Sinestro to NOT wear the the ring. That level of deception, and the way its utilized, is pretty damn brilliant.

Now I'm not going to say Mike Choi's artwork is bad. His covers on Demon Knights are astounding, and his guest art on said title was a thing of beauty, especially the way it was justified. But honestly, in this issue, it just doesn't work. A lot of things look really awkward, and other things have an 'Alex Ross' kind of over detailed look that destroys any sense of dynamic and flow. Nothing ever feels like its moving. I was weirded out when Starstorm's mask shattered, or when a ring was suddenly on Hal's finger because I completely missed the movements that lead up to them. Not to mention that Choi's Sinestro looks bulbous and his Hal looks like he's 14. I mean, ok, he did a great job with the layouts, choosing which angles to use and how close to make the shot; but overall the artwork just didn't work for me at all. It was really awkward, and had no justification for being a different artist.

I also think Johns is starting to overuse the plot device where a character has a fragmented vision of things to come. Its a great way to tease readers, but its getting repetitive, and none of the things Sinestro saw really phased me all that much. It wasn't stupid, but it wasn't as exciting as the last few times Johns did it.

Starstorm was a fantastic metaphor character. It was a strange feeling to see Sinestro with an idealistic view of broken men, but it lead him to see the good in Hal. At first I was bothered by the use of someone so obscure, or someone completely new pretending to be someone obscure; but the end result of his character was effective.

And I'm still really aggravated by Hal's horrendously easy victory over his addiction. I was hoping Johns had something better in mind, some kind of continued struggle, but no. Hal has 100% beat his addiction with little effort. No. Just, no on about a million levels. I understand, from a plot perspective, that Johns is using Hal beating his addiction to create this interesting situation where his addiction comes crawling back to him, but there's no internal conflict. Hal doesn't want it. Sure he'll like it again after a bit, but he was adamant about his refusal, and that is just impossible, even with a bowl full of traditional comic book suspension of disbelief; this breaks the core rules of how psychological issues work. You don't just wake up one day without temptation for your addiction, it just doesn't work that way.

In Conclusion: 2.5/5

So we've got some awkward artwork that makes a good effort but suffers further from a lack of justification. Then when I thought Johns was going to either go the best route and show us Hal not as over his addiction as he thought, or the average route of having him know he has a problem and dealing with it; he creates a third option where Hal is some kind of god who can overcome an addiction perfectly without effort just because he wants to. Just bring back all the modern mythology stuff and make me forget you ever got my hopes up about Hal actually confronting his addiction.

Getting somewhere

0.0 out of 5

So, finally, an issue full of story. My complaints with a lot of Marvel comics lately is lack of script and story but here we get our fill of both. Brubaker still isn't writing like he used to but Cap 8 is a very fun and interesting issue. The story is picking up a bit and we are starting to see events tie together and the story evolve into a more complex creature. The art is a bit disappointing but at times I really enjoy what I'm seeing. One thing Davis does that I missed is he draws a more lean athletic Steve Rogers vs. the bulky, strong man version. I like an acrobatic Cap like in the old days. All in all, it isn't a masterpiece but at least things are in motion, the script is there with more going on and the story is pulling together. Read it!

Addiction Is Not That Simple

0.206549316544 out of 5

I don't really like Hal Jordan. Of all the Lanterns of Earth, he's my least favorite, and plenty of other Lanterns are above him as well. He's just too much of a tool. This doesn't stop me from enjoying all the stories where he headlines, I just don't like him as a person.

And I've been liking Sinestro more and more with each issue of this volume of Green Lantern. He takes great joy in pointing out every single flaw in Hal, something I no longer need to do because Sinestro does it for me. But this time its even more than that, we actually get deep into his character. He expresses genuine remorse, and an urge to start over, one that Hal most certainly isn't willing to give him.

Sinestro's a completely different kind of Lantern than Hal. Hal's answer to everything is generally to smash though it, but Sinestro has back up plans to his back up plans. He's the Batman of the Green Lantern Corps. He's much more pragmatic than what we're used to, and so it comes as even more of a surprise when we learn that he's overextended his ring to the point of breaking it. Twice. That's pretty boastful, do we believe that? Partially, and that's what makes it so brilliant. The idea that a ring can be broken through overwilling it is a shocking notion, but almost obvious once its actually been said out loud, so in that case I believe it, why else would the line be written. But has Sinestro really done it twice? He tacked that extra word onto the end after a split second of hesitation. Was it dramatic effect, or a quick decision to boast. I honestly have no idea which, and each option seems equally likely. Demonstrating to us this ability to possibly lie so effectively is actually kind of creepy, because his remorse seems so genuine it moved me. But when you realize just how charismatic and effective at lying Sinestro is, his repentance comes into question in the form a chill down my spine. And the final icicle nail in the heart coffin is the children's instant idolization of him. Kids are rebellious, and the kids now have a positive image of Sinestro. If he's still harboring darkness, he could easily take control again in a few years.

But as much as I love Sinestro's excessive planning, this arc skitters the edge of anticlimactic. Its not a huge letdown, but it feels like there's inconsistencies in the secret powers of the Central Yellow Battery. It was supposed to send Sinestro to the Antimatter Universe, and almost did so to Hal, though it is implied it will have some lasting effects on Hal. But, I don't know, the explanation for how he disabled all the Sinestro Corps on Korugar seemed a little convenient. But the biggest problem is that it disabled only all the Sinestro Corps in the vicinity. It's the CENTRAL BATTERY. When the Green Central Battery screws up, it affects the ENTIRE Corps. Maybe if Sinestro has sent something more specific through the battery to effect every Yellow Lantern in the vicinity, it might've worked better; but he drained the Central Yellow Battery to send it into a defensive mode or something or whatever; which should've had more wide spread effects. But of course that would ruin New Guardians (Which was referenced here to help strengthen the connected nature of the series'.

But Johns does throw a saving grace in the final moments. Even better than his recasting of Sinestro as a hero, is his recasting of the Guardians as full villains rather than just anti-heroes. It is implied with fantastic subtlety that perhaps they only made Sinestro a Green Lantern again so that his Corps would force Sinestro to take them out of the picture by messing with his home planet. And then they start alluding to some other stuff that sounds absolutely epic. The First Lantern. The Chamber of Shadows. The Third Army. Johns is doing an awesome job at slowly building the tension towards the next big thing. He writes Green Lantern in such a way that it could truly be considered a genuine modern mythology.

But there's also one final nagging flaw that squirmed into existence last issue, and has now grown and festered into a larger concern. Hal has learned his lesson already. He's been taught humility and accepted that he has an addiction, but he hasn't earned these things. The first two issues had him in incredible denial, not having learned a thing. He hasn't been at the bottom of the barrel long enough to make me believe he's learned the error of his ways. He's been the same Hal without this kind of consequence for years. He was ringless for about a day or a few, and then got into a situation barely any more desperate than usual; and suddenly he's beginning to change his ways? No. No way. He needs more time with no ring to learn. He had no ring for a few days and it sucked, then he jumped right on a chance to have a ring and he took it. He was not shown that once the fleeting high wore off, he'd crash again. He didn't have his second crash, he learned his lesson DURING his first high after his first crash. That's just.... no.

In Conclusion: 3.5/5 (Tentative)

I might go back and change this score. IF Hal has a relapse, I will go up to 4/5. Hal learned his lesson FAR too easily, and at the wrong moment. He didn't have a chance to experience a second crash, and for an addiction situation, it just isn't believable, especially considering how weakly motivated his epiphany last issue was. But a nagging doubt says it may be setting Hal up for another crash, that maybe he's deluded himself into thinking he's better than his addiction. Thinking he no longer fears it instead of confronting the fear of it head on. That would be brilliant, but Johns has a tendency to lead me to think he's going to be that brilliant, but settle for being just one step away from it. And I know he has a fondness for Hal so maybe he rushed it so he wouldn't have to make Hal suffer for too long. So I hope Johns will prove to me that he's willing to crush Hal for the sake of being an even better writer than he already is. And he is a pretty great writer already.

Taylor's Story Ending Soon?

0.0 out of 5

Tom Taylor has been captured by the Cabal and has had his powers stripped from him by the Grid. As he sits, gun in his face, he gets an ultimatum -- join the Cabal or take a bullet to the head. But Taylor has questions of his own he wants answered. Just because he's been stripped of his magic doesn't mean that he's completely helpless. Meanwhile, Pullman has his own ideas about what should be done next about the Taylor problem.

Mike Carey and Peter Gross delivered another incredible issue of The Unwritten this month and I can't wait to see what happens next. This issue ends on a cliffhanger I've been waiting for since I started reading the series, and it feels so good to know that the ultimate battle is on it's way. But is it the ultimate battle? The book right now seems to be telling us that it's going to end soon. All of the stars have aligned for a great ending, but there's a good chance it could continue.

I personally would be fine with the story ending with this arc. It feels like the natural ending point. I won't complain if I do get more issues of The Unwritten, but I'd be happy knowing it went out with a bang and not a whimper. I've really enjoyed Taylor's storyline, the mechanics of how stories work in this universe, and all the great literary references and side stories thrown in for good measure. If this is the end I'm ready for it to blow me away.

This issue gets a 4.5/5 for continuing one of the best ongoing and original series from Vertigo or any other publisher. Now if we could only get a crossover between The Unwritten and Fables.

A little early in the morning for a moral dilemma

0.206549316544 out of 5

We start with the symbiote squad (I am so trademarking that name) doing some recon work and running into the Doppleganger, because I guess he's still around. Meanwhile, Cletus has appointed himself the town's preacher and as you can imagine, he's less qualified for the position than Jesse Custer. He makes the towns people pull out their teeth for his own amusement. The Carnage possessed Captain America starts to show signs of resistance but Cletus doesn't appear too perturbed. Meanwhile, the wife of the resistance leader shows up outside their homebase, now possessed by Carnage and having been given orders to kill her husband or Carnage will kill her kids. Spiderman tries to save him but is stopped by 5 year old Carnage kids. Only this creative team can be at the same time so disturbing and hilarious at the same time... well, maybe Garth Ennis. (That makes two preacher references) When the guy volunteers to die, Carnage decides killing him would not be fun, and so they leave and the symbiote promises to eat the children. Meanwhile, the Symbiote Squad (TM) engages the carnage army. They hold their own but they seem to be outnumbered. Carnage orders Captain America to kill the kids, but Cap temporarily breaks free and punches Cletus like he's Hitler. Before Carnage can take control Cap uses his wrist com to execute order 4563. What the hell is order 4563? Well, apparently we're sending in Venom, for real this time. As Jim Ross once said, business is about to pick up.

What Works:

This is a very gruesome miniseries and I love it. We have new characters blended with old, a great villain, some damn horrifying story ideas and stellar artwork. And with that ending, next issue promises to be even more awesome.

What Doesn't:

My only real complaint is with the color. This issue takes place mostly at night and so all the colors are darkened and faded. I've seen night stories done by Clayton Crain with better colors before so I know he's better than this. In Venom vs Carnage, Crain's first major story with this style, most of the fights were at night and the colors were still vibrant and bright. I know it's a minor nitpick but that really bugged me about this issue. Especially given the fact that with this color, Carnage looks purple so I keep mistaking female Carnages for Scorn.

Overall:

4.5/5

Next Time: VEMON! Nuff said

And your guns can hear me

0.0 out of 5

(No Spoilers)

Edmondson and Clark deliver another action packed issue of Grifter. There have been a few that have grown weary with all the action, but Edmondson takes the story in a couple of different directions which could have easily been solved with some tried and true storytelling. This has left the title open and left us wondering where it will go next.

This book is plotted like an action movie. It’s a combination of Scott Clark’s layouts and the situations Nathan Edmondson puts these characters in. I get a very James-Bond feel to the story because he’s taking us to interesting locations having the characters solve the problems presented by doing some pretty crazy things. If Edmondson hadn’t given Grifter some of the abilities he did, Grifter wouldn’t have lasted long in this book. The Daemonites have been established as a legitimate threat and we’ve seen how normal humans haven’t fared well against them for very long.

We get to see a little more of Grifter’s love-interest, Gretchen, in this issue. Because of the situation they find themselves in, we don’t get to know more about her character but I was happy to see she can hold her own against the Daemonites. I can see why Grifter is attracted to her. To round out the cast, Grifter gets more support from the mysterious woman Sofia, who seems to be more than prepared to face the Daemonite threat. There was an obvious path Edmondson could’ve taken the story with these three but I’m glad he chose to throw us for a little loop to keeps things interesting.

I’m still very much enjoying this title but I would’ve been disappointed if Edmondson had taken the easy way out of this story. I’m glad he chose a different route and it’s makes next month’s issue that much more anticipated. Because the solicits show us it’s Grifter vs. Midnighter! I can’t wait!

GN Review -- Buffy the Vampire Slayer, volume one: The Long Way H

0.0 out of 5

Originally posted in my blog, The Comics Cove, not too long ago...

If you've been reading this blog, you know I've pretty well taken to reviewing Joss Whedon's Serenity comics. I've waited a while to come around to other properties of his, partially out of concern for my blog being perceived as a Joss Whedon comics review blog, and partially because I haven't read some of them. Where Buffy the Vampire Slayer is concerned, though, I've read plenty, and think it's a good time to start reviewing the post-television comics.

When volume one, The Long Way Home, starts, we see things are not necessarily the way they were left in the TV show. In the wake of Sunnydale's destruction and Buffy Summers's victorious battle against the First Evil, the world has changed considerably for her. She's gone from being a single, solitary Slayer to commanding a worldwide army of women Slayers. Her sister Dawn has become inexplicably giant, and their home base has moved to a castle in the Scottish highlands. She and her friends monitor demon and monster activity on a worldwide scale, and respond to threats with the help of squadrons of mystics, seers, and Watchers as they are able.

But things have also gotten more complicated. The world is aware--and scared--of the sudden influx of Slayers, and military forces that can't control them are eager to wipe them off the face of the earth. Old nemeses are eager to take advantage of the situation so they can resolve personal grudges, and the arrival of a new organization named Twilight is using both technological and supernatural means to fight them. And the Scoobies, as Buffy and her gang are lovingly called by fans, have their own problems: Dawn won't talk to Buffy about her condition, Willow arrives in time to save the day but soon gets kidnapped, and Xander is just trying to keep from getting splashed while living among all these strong women.

As I'm sure you either know or can expect, the writing here is exceptional. It's well plotted, paced, and characterized, and the dialog is typical Whedon intellisnark. The characters feel exactly like they were portrayed in the show, and the plot involving the new nemesis, Twilight, sets up a potentially huge foe for them to fight. The myriad of self-referential material will be a delight to devotees, and further serves to advance the plot as characters from the show emerge out of the woodwork, all over the world, old and relatively new, good and evil. In the end, we're set up with the Slayers in an unenviable position, and Buffy, with her typical resolve, essentially acknowledges it with a simple okay.

The most questionable aspect I have about The Long Way Home is its viability as a stand-alone story for readers who may not be familiar with the Buffyverse. I actually read this volume when I was only moderately familiar with the series--I certainly hadn't seen much of it--and I have to say that this could be an issue to someone who isn't an initiate. Looking at it now, I can appreciate things like who Ethan Rayne is, why Buffy showed Amy Madigan her mother at a critical point, and what it meant for Willow to "go dark." But back then, I really had to shove all that to the side to push on with the larger narrative. The solid writing kept me from getting too lost, but I also had a modicum of familiarity with the show at the time. It's obviously a great read for fans of the series, but Buffy newbies may find the constant self-references confusing, when they get them, and could be turned off by it.

The artwork here is pretty stunning, and I have to give Georges Jeanty props for not only faithfully recreating the characters from the TV show in comic book form, but for realistically extending them beyond their scope in the show, now that they're not limited by a television show budget. Willow's brief aerial battle with Amy, for instance, was amazing. Dawn as a giant was both hilarious and visually believable. And the locales are very well done too, from a castle in Scotland to a military base.

Overall, I don't have any problems commending The Long Way Home as a worthwhile read. It positively shines for Buffy fans, and while it can be considerably more confusing for the noobs, it's still very well written and beautifully illustrated. A must-read for Joss Whedon fans, people who like vampires, demons and monsters, and anyone who enjoys witty writing. Highly recommended.

Justice Made Here

0.0 out of 5

Picking up moments after the last installment, we find Iron Man and Hawkeye wondering what to do, oblivious to the Supreme Intelligence’s loudspeaker declarations the Avengers are on their way to execution. More concerned with how Iron Man’s cloaking field makes him itchy, Hawkeye does not notice the propaganda film blaring in front of his face until halfway through the story. Once they realize what is going on, their reactions to the accusations are unsurprising: Hawkeye is irate at the notion Avengers could commit murder (“That’s not how we operate!”); Iron Man is quietly embittered (“Hardly surprising, though. I would’ve expected authentic justice to be in short supply here. We’ll just have to make some of our own.”) Oh dear. We’ve seen throughout the series the sharp differences among the Avengers, particularly in their philosophies to war, justice, and morality. Iron Man clearly represents situational morality and justice, as if that somehow will prove more just than the Kree’s situational justice. After more bickering (Hawkeye truly does complain a lot, even though he thinks he’s being funny), the final two free Avengers split up.

With Iron Man as the central focus again, we return to his computerized perspective. He’s still in bad shape after his encounter with Shatterax, and assaulting the Kree Citadel of Justice singlehandedly is not going to help matters much. Even though the panels showing Tony Stark’s mental state are scarce, we still get a good, meaningful grasp of his increasing sense of desperation. The “bad judgment” of the title again cleverly relates to multiple narrative elements: not only was the Supreme Intelligence’s vindictive judgment against the Avengers bad (as in “thoroughly unjust”), but also Tony Stark is losing his ability to make sound decisions (leading to “bad judgment”).

The narration shifts again inside the Citadel. Captain America is being taken away for individual trial, stoically claiming “[t]he innocent have nothing to fear from true justice.” Either he’s not paying attention or he’s quickly proving himself an ossified relic no longer fit for the contemporary world of situational justice. (Or perhaps the creative teams are telling us he’s the only one with a grasp on true justice, and he alone should be heeded, despite majority or pragmatic popularity.) Another brief moment of “bad judgment” comes as Hercules charges against his captors, unheeding the laser-beam bars until they zzrrap him into docility. Higher up in the Citadel, the Supreme Intelligence has his final revenge on Ael-Dan and Dar-Benn, assuming them into himself.

Iron Man begins his one-man assault on the Kree, only to stumble immediately upon Ronan the Accuser (as the cover indicates would happen), who is himself desperate to prove his worth to his disembodied leader. It’s an interesting issue as far as location oscillation, shifting from the uppermost reaches of the Citadel where the Avengers are captive, to the street level where Iron Man and Ronan battle, and down to the sewers where Hawkeye stumbles upon Deathbird – in the manner of loudly sneaking up on her from the front using Iron Man’s tracking device which she shoots with her laser pistol getting the drop on Hawkeye in the process. Hawkeye is certainly the comic relief of the issue, though he is a much more respectable and likable fellow than U.S. Agent (bolstered by his moral strength and long-lasting career with the Avengers). Ever cool under pressure (most of the time, anyway), Hawkeye turns the tables on Deathbird and convinces her to help him clear the Avengers’ names.

Iron Man’s duel with Ronan is short and intense, and though it doesn’t quite stick out in uniqueness like so many of the earlier battles in the series, it is remarkable for Iron Man’s rapid deterioration and acceptance of what he considers his inevitable demise. Most poignant is Tony’s acceptance of his culpability as well: he may have been right to surrender to Shatterax and thus get the Avengers arrested in the first place, but he is still responsible for where they are now, and he is in some way responsible for getting them out. His willingness to sacrifice himself (and take out Ronan in the process) strikes the right emotional chord, even if the reader is not a fan of Tony Stark and/or Iron Man.

The rapid slam-bang finish of the issue is intense, to say the least. It has a 24-like finish, a decade before 24. Hawkeye and Deathbird rescued the Avengers in time for them to save Iron Man from Ronan and self-slaughter –the appearance of the rallying cry “Avengers Assemble” during the rescue reminds us how rarely we have heard it during this crossover, during which few moments of enthusiasm have been appropriate for Earth’s Mightiest Beleaguered Heroes. Deathbird disappears as is her wont, and Hawkeye (in his Goliath persona) brings down the roof to allow the Avengers to disappear much more conspicuously, motivated with the knowledge from Deathbird the Shi’ar are prepared to launch the Nega-bomb against the Kree. With this literal ticking time bomb added to the equation, Iron Man makes the tough decision as only a leader can do: the Avengers have to abandon Captain America and go after the Nega-bomb. Most agree, but, bringing this and the last Iron Man issue full circle, Hawkeye dissents and rebels, heading out to rescue Cap. Even though he did the same thing last time, Iron Man will not tolerate it in another Avenger here: he stuns Hawkeye and carries him back to the Quinjet. The Avengers, stunned metaphorically, tacitly follow. As if that was not enough of a dramatic conclusion, the epilogue takes us quickly back to the Nega-bomb still floating in space. Who should stumble across it but the mysterious race sporadically appearing at the most inexplicable times throughout this crossover – the Skrulls! “Very interesting,” says the Skrull captain. Very interesting indeed!

BEST. FIELD TRIP. EVER!

0.342380230483 out of 5

Wolverine and Angel are trying to secure money from Angel's own Worthington Industries to help keep the Jean Grey School open. Meanwhile, Beast takes the students on the most unique field trip ever. And Kitty, well she's got some real trouble brewing.

Five issues in and you'd expect the series to drop at least a little in expectations this far in. Not the case for Jason Aaron. He continues to impress and entertain with each issue. The comic continues to make me laugh out loud, keep me entertained, and make me love and care about this huge cast of oddball characters. More than half the characters are students that are either new or have been around but I've never heard of before. It doesn't matter though, because I love them all. There's not one character that I don't care about. Even background characters like Toad the janitor are awesome! Aaron has to be the best writer in the business today for doing what he does with this comic. This is just another great issue and the opening part of what looks to be another great story arc.

Nick Bradshaw does the drawing duties again and while I prefer Chris Bachalds art, Nick does another fine job. Nothing really stands out but nothing is awful about it either.

I can't do this review without mentioning the class field trip that Beast takes the students on. It's totally original and hilarious as all get and totally over the top, but it fits perfectly into this wonderful universe Aaron has created. If all this was real, I could see the students acting and talking lie they do on this field trip. It's remarkable.

Seriously, anyone that likes or collects comics HAS to be getting this series. Or if you've ever wanted to go to Hogwarts School, this school is even better. It's fascinating and it doesn't look like the greatness is going to end any time soon. Humor, action, fantasy like adventure, and the best cast of characters in the comic world today, this is THE comic series above all others.

It was all a trick...

0.0 out of 5

I have to say this mini-series started out good, but has left a sour taste in my mouth. For one thing, though the writing is pretty good, the art is terrible, there's no consistency in the character depictions even within a given issue, let alone between issues - the noses look particularly bad.

But the big deal is that the whole manga mini-series format thing - that was all just a trap. There's no complete story arc here - this last issue in the series leaves off - on a cliffhanger! Ugh. I am so annoyed right now.

Why Simon Why..Aka..Curse you Bendis!!

0.0 out of 5

So it is no secret I am a old school comic book fan. I make no apologies for this as I am almost 40 yrs old, and have been blessed enough to see some of the greatest story lines and comic book events first hand.

And this is why I may come across as the "Old Man" in regards to what I want to see and wish happens to my favorite comic characters. So please do not get my stance twisted when I say "get back to the roots" of a character. But this does not mean I am against change, in fact if their is no evolution of character then you become stale and extinct ( think Popeye and Dick Tracy).

At the end of the day, I GET IT. Superman cannot leap tall buildings forever, Power Pack will have to grow up one day, and yes, I fully concede that the shoulder pads, pony tails and cybernetic body parts of the 90's no longer make for good character designs.

So that being said, I fully place a gigantic cross hair on Brian Michael Bendis's head in regards to his Avengers work. He has been a driving force for The earth's Mightiest Heroes since 2003-2004 I believe. Since that time the team has seen incredible chaos, heartbreaking defeats and the body count of fallen Avengers has been numerous.

We have seen ICONS have been decimated, destroyed and reduced to second rate villains. Bendis's run has been full of "Oh My Gawd!!" moments.

In the pages of The Mighty Avengers the story line of Simon Williams warning the Avengers to change their ways was presented to us, and I have been on a warpath ever since.

How many of my Heroes will feel the wrath of Bendis's pen? Jack of hearts, Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Ant Man and now Wonder Man?!

Despite what I felt personally about the current state of the book, I am a Avengers fan and I have to see this through regardless, so I picked up the 2 part Revenger tale and see what happens.

I grew up as a Whacko fan as a kid and I always had a soft spot for the Man of Wonder, so while I am glad to see Simon taking the lead, i was a bit sad to see him depicted in such a out of character way.

PLOT:

After Simon warned The Avengers to changed their way a few times in the past, first by pleading with them, then by taking force against them, he returned to stop the Avengers.

Simon believes that the Avengers as they are currently constructed does not work and are doing more harm then they are doing good.

Sloppy heroics and disregard to address the dangers around them siting the creation of Ultron, the fall of The Scarlet Witch, allowing The Hulk to run unchecked for years and blaming them for the events that lead to THE CIVIL WAR event. He went on to state that The Avengers were such a failure that a villain such as Norman Osborn was able to recruit killers and murderers to become a new team of Avengers with clear public support

And with Simon this time is a team whose rosters is filled with characters that have personal grudges against the Avengers in various forms known as The Revengers! The 2 part story line focuses on the battle against the Avengers and the Questions Simon raises to his longtime friends.

ART:

Often when you read Annuals the art suffers from the main books. Here you see up and coming talent or folks looking to do fill in work. But here you get interiors and cover work from Gabriele Dell'Otto whose work is just as powerful as ever. I am a huge fan of his cover work ever since his SECRET WARS work. But I do find his interior work a bit confusing in regards to picking out the details of some of the characters uniforms, for if not for their names being said throughout the book I would not be able to pick out one or two characters in the book. Perhaps it is the artwork, or the fact I have no seen the characters in some time.

In any case the two books were very nice to look at, with some impressive moments and double page layouts that looked awesome!

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Once I got past the initial idea of what was going on, the really lazy name of the "Revengers" and their roster, and the end result of some of the fight scenes in The New Avengers Annual…(Really Luke?!….Really??) I have to say the final 10 or so pages of The Avengers Annual. I finally get to see The Avengers kick some ones ass that they are SUPPOSED to beat! But more importantly it is the questions that Simon brought to the surface, and the intense and interesting cliffhanger at the end.

True Bendis fans will enjoy the read, as I believe fans of the current Avenger books will enjoy this as well. Hardcore Avengers fanatics like myself will scream bloody murder but I will say this to them.

Yes their is plenty to bitch about here, but the one nugget of interest is VERY interesting and you owe it to yourself to see where it leads.

Keeping this in mind, Bendis is due to end his run some time this year, this is one sub plot that may play a key role in future events of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

FINAL SCORE:

This is not a must buy book, as I am sure the plot line will be revisited in the main books in the next few months. But for the fans of Bendis, Dell'Otto and of course Simon Williams you could do worse things with your 10 bucks.

Johns Really Can't Push The Boundaries Can He?

0.206549316544 out of 5

The concept for this issue is fantastic. Drop Aquaman in the desert. Win. And every scene that depicts Aquaman in the desert is fantastic. A lot of care is put into making sure we really feel the vast emptiness. Huge expanses of the sky, balance between wide shots and uncomfortably close without much in between. Great use of repeated or almost repeated panels. All of it is excellent.

Now I appreciate juxtaposition as much as anyone else, likely a little more than most; but here it just didn't work. It was way too straightforward, way too standard. The story jumped back and forth between 'Aquaman in the desert' and 'how he got there.' Sometimes this can work brilliantly if done right. This was not done right. It wasn't done wrong, it just didn't make any effort to justify the transitions. It's like it saw how interesting it was do that kind of story, so it did it, missing the idea that when done well it serves a purpose. This almost felt like two stories were happening at the same time, which is when the standard back and forth without justification works best, because the tension builds as you want to get back to the other story no matter which story you're leaving.

Johns basically wasted an Aquaman in the desert story on developing his bigger arc. I was never able to fully feel a sense of emptiness or desperation because the story kept shifting back to the buildup. This issue didn't need to have Aquaman in the desert, it was only a minor subplot that went nowhere. I actually would've preferred this story go through all the motions it did, and END with Aquaman stranded. Then we could fully dedicate an issue to Aquaman vs. The Wild. That is how you push the boundaries of storytelling. It even works fine with the arc because he ends in the desert after getting the artifact and the exposition. He went after and got it, then suddenly realized he's in a desert. And then you get a unique and gripping next issue dedicated entirely to Aquaman surviving the desert, like when Daredevil was in the snowstorm but without the blind kids.

What is here is good, aside from the desert. Johns does as expected and uses The Trench arc as a stepping stone to really start building the whole Aquaman world from the building materials left by years of continuity. This is what he did on Green Lantern to outstanding effect. I do like that overall direction of the book. And Aquaman even started showing his flashes of guilt over The Trench, hinting hopefully that we'll be able to get into the ethical gray area Johns tripped and missed last issue.

In Conclusion: 3.5/5

That's right, and I dare you to come after me. Don't give my review a 'Not Recommend unless you comment on it backing up your objection. This is my opinion, and I have explained it to you in detail. If you think I'm blatantly wrong, tell me so. However, know that I do not think this is a bad book by any means. Nor was this a bad issue. Aquaman is an excellent and solid series. It just dances so close to the edge of deeper value, then runs away from it to do more badass things. Badass things aren't inherently stupid. I'd be looking a little more favorably on this series if it didn't constantly tease me with signs that it could easily be more than it is and then yanking them away in favor of more guns and fists. It's like Johns doesn't want to be a beyond amazing writer, that he refuses to push himself just a little further and is content to be the best of the second best. He reachers for the outer edge of the atmosphere, stopping just short of the stars. He's still great, he's the best of the 'Almost the best,' which is still a damn good place to be. But its hard for me to fully respect him when he keeps showing that he has more talent than he lets on, but refuses to use all of it.