Busy Bee

I'm sorry that I have not been updating the blog as much recently.  I've been bogged down by a lot of school work and it doesn't look like it will be letting up anytime soon.  I've got a huge music history project that I've been slowly working on while working on about 10 other things.  I'm hoping that once Thanksgiving is over, I'll have a brief period of down time before finals.  However, you didn't come here to read about my boring personal life; you came here to read some awesome comic reviews.

This was a HUGE week for releases, with a plethora of Marvel NOW! titles got released as well as the next chapter of the Batman epic "Death of the Family".  Seeing that there are going to be a good deal of comics this week (plus having a lot of school work I should be doing instead of this), I won't be giving a story recap as I normally do.  Instead, I'll just be giving my thoughts on the book with grades.

All New X-Men #1

 

And so begins my trek into the X-Verse.  Sure, I've gotten a few issues of Wolverine & the X-Men in recent weeks, but this was my first "true" X-Men title.  With Marvel NOW!, I wanted to explore the X-Men a bit, as they've always been the line I ignored like an ex-girlfriend.  So, what a better way to try the characters than in a book by one of my favorite writer/artist teams.  I loved what Bendis and Immonen did on Ultimate Spider-Man back in the day, so when it was announced that they would be on the "core" X-book, I knew I had to at least give it a look.  I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the book. Sure, the price could be a factor in the future along with my interest in the relaunched Uncanny X-Men, but this book started off with a bang and I'm looking forward to exploring the X-Verse.

Grade: A

Amazing Spider-Man #697

This was a great conclusion to the Hobgoblin story and it sets up the end of the title nicely.  I only wish that we had a little bit more time before Superior Spider-Man because I would have loved to have seen this arc drawn out a tad bit more, with maybe just an extra issue, because it was really fun to read.  Obviously, there is a bit of foreshadowing here, as "Dying Wish" is now upon us, so we see the golden Octobot again, this time in New York City.  However, there are a pair of cliffhangers that seem to be setting up something huge in Superior.  One of them would be Rodrick setting up a villain version of Batman, Inc., with villains all over the world in action and under Rodrick's control.  The other cliffhanger is the reappearance of the Osborn family.  Not only do we get a a glimpse of Harry and Stanley, but we also get an update on Norman as well, something I was not expecting at all.  The Spidey team, with welcomed guest Christos Gage, pull off another spectacular issue, and I'm pumped to see all this start to wrap up next week.

Grade: A

Batman #14

Somehow, this issue was better than Batman #13.  I mean, this was just spectacular.  My LCS owner told me to wait and read this last, and man, was it a great decision to do that.  It's amazing to think that we are only two issues into a five issue storyline.  The way that Scott and Greg along with the rest of Team Batman tell the story is just masterful.  "Death of the Family" is shaping up to be an epic story, with not only the Joker, but a bunch of Bat rogues seemingly being involved.  And Joker's master plan is just pure evil: he wants the take out the Bat family, but he's going to make Batman himself do it.  The whole scene on the bridge between Batman and Joker was just perfect.  Also, the panel that made me laugh yet stare in awe was one of the simplest of the issue.  The panel would be the one of the radio Bruce uses to listen to the tape Joker left behind.  The radio looks like the Joker, with his eyes/knobs all crazy, the sound bars as his hair, etc.  That was just so darn clever that I laughed the first time I read it.  Again, Batman just continues to amaze me and I love Team Batman so much for putting out such great books month after month.

Grade: A+

Batgirl #14

I've decided to get Batgirl during the "Death of the Family" storyline, as the premise of the arc seems really, really interesting.  Not only does it have Barbara going up against the man who paralyzed her, but he seems to have "fallen in love with her".  I'm skeptical about the Joker's new found love for Barb, but it definitely is interesting.  Having Joker propose to her on the last page of #14 was definitely a shocker, especially when you realize that it is Barb's mom's finger he cut off to propose with.  Add in the fact that James Jr. makes a slight appearance in the book foreshadowing something even bigger on the horizon, and you got a good comic.  Plus, Barbara makes a sandwich. There's a woman in the kitchen joke somewhere in there, but I think it would be best if I don't try to find it. But c'mon, Barb. No meat on the sandwich? Just lettuce, tomato, and bun. How hard would it have been to put some turkey or salami on that, huh?

Grade: B+ (D- for sandwich making)

Fantastic Four #1

A new era for the Fantastic Four has begun.  Written by Matt Fraction with art by Mark Bagley, the book looks and sounds right up my alley.  I've always liked the Fantastic Four, but Hickman's run was way too daunting for me to tackle at first.  Eventually, I'm going to work my way through it, but we are talking about NOW!  The premise of the book seems interesting enough, with Marvel's First Family leaving to go on an intergalactic adventure for a year, which will end up being for only a minute or two by the end of it, as Reed put a time machine on the ship.  Also, it's pretty interesting to see why Reed needs to go on this mission, as it is something that I don't think we have ever seen him deal with.  This book was a blast to read and I can see myself getting it for the long run.

Grade: A-

Thor: God of Thunder #1

Yet another Marvel NOW! #1 issue out this week.  This time, we have the Asgardian god Thor and his adventures through time, though not in the traditional manner.  Typically, when there is a story detailing an adventure through time, time travel technology is utilized.  However, that is the nice spin that Thor: God of Thunder provides; we instead get to view Thor's life at different points.  The story shows Thor trying to figure out who or what is killing a bunch of gods.  The story mostly takes place with young and current Thor, though King Thor makes an appearance at the end.  Though we don't get to see Gorr, the God Butcher in this issue, we feel how big a threat he is, especially on the last page, as King Thor takes on the Butcher's army as the last Asgardian alive.  Another great start for a Marvel NOW! book and I can definitely see myself following the tales of Thor.

Grade: A

Venom #27

The penultimate chapter of the "Minimum Carnage" storyline finally brings Scarlet Spider and Venom together to fight Carnage, something that has not happened since Minimum Carnage: Alpha and Scarlet Spider #10. Not only does that happen, but there is actually a great deal of action in this issue as well.  Seeing the unlikely duo going up against a ton of symbiote charged zombies was definitely a lot more interesting than most everything that has occurred in this crossover so far, sadly.  I still have hope for the end of this crossover, but I'm actually a tad disappointed about it.  Not a lot has happened story-wise, though this issue helps ease that.  Having such nice artwork (at least in Venom) definitely helps to help cure the feelings, but that can only go so far.  I'm not bagging on the crossover, though it seems like I am.  I'm just, as I said, a bit disappointed with the mini-event.  However, the finale could quickly change that view, as it looks to be not only action packed, but also jam packed with murder and death, just what you expect from a book with Carnage, Venom, and Scarlet Spider.

Grade: B+

So, was that a good week or what? Honestly, it might have been the best week of comics for me personally in a long, long time.  Somehow, my pull for next week might even rival it.  However, I do not know when my reviews for next week will be posted, as it'll be Thanksgiving. I'm hoping to have them done that Wednesday night/early Thanksgiving morning.  If that does not happen, they'll more than likely be up Friday or Saturday evening.  As you can tell, I have a busy schedule, so I should get going now and start doing some work. If I don't talk to you before then, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for reading!

Avengers Vs. X-Men

Here it is, the big wrap up for Marvel's huge summer event, Avengers Vs. X-Men.  With a premise that seemed very much like Civil War, many were a little apprehensive when it was initially announced.  However, the story for AvX was very much different that Civil War.  Now, I'm not going to go play by play with this, as it would take me forever to write. I will, however, give my general opinion about the event as a whole.

Let me lead off by saying this: I was on the Avengers side.  From the moment this event was announced, I sided with the Avengers, as I had more ties with them than I did with the X-Men.  However, through the process of the book, I couldn't help but feel like the X-Men kept getting screwed over, being made to look like the villains of the event.  I mean, it's obvious in issue #12 that one X-Man, Cyclops, is the true villain of the story with Emma Frost being the Harley Quinn to Cyclops' Joker.  But, man, the X-Men got jipped during this event.  Especially in the AvX: Versus book.  Marvel had the Avengers winning fights they had no right winning, like Iron Man vs Magneto and Thing vs Namor especially, seeing as that fight happened under water. Namor should have kicked Thing's ass in that one yet the Avengers somehow one that one. Then there were fights that the X-Men won that the Avengers should have.  The one specifically would be Colossus versus Spider-Man. I already wrote about this, but to recap my feelings about that fight: Spider-Man won that fight. I don't care what Marvel says, Spidey won. The only reason Colossus won was because Spidey fell back when it was revealed that Hope wasn't in Latveria (plus the X-Men needed a win, as they were winless up to that point).  

Storywise, I really enjoyed the plot.  Surprisingly, there really wasn't any bad issue or, really, a slow issue.  Yes, there were issues where not as actiony as the others but those issues were the more personal, character driven ones.  The hook of the Phoenix Five was definitely an interesting aspect.  My favorite characters were, surprisingly, the two characters in the forefront towards the end of the event: Scarlet Witch and Hope. This strikes me as odd, because I've never really been a X-Men person (minus Wolverine), yet two of my three favorite characters for this event were mutants (the other one being, of course, Spider-Man).  Both the characters emerged as new favorites of mine, especially Hope.  I'm anxious to know where she ends up at in the Marvel NOW! era.  I do kind of wish that Cyclops didn't go all villain on the Avengers, yet I understand why he needed to be pegged as the villain.  Scott was already heading down the dark path, plus it gives the parallel between him and Jean.  But the death of Professor X is what I had the most issue with.  We all knew it was coming, but the death just felt cheap.  True, it showed that Scott was the villain of the story, but we had known that since the Phoenix Five showed up.  But the death was so quick and then they moved on just like that.  I know that it is a staple in Marvel events for someone to die, but I really wish they broke that chain with this event.  The story could have moved on just as well without Xavier dying. 

For the first time in a Marvel event, there was a rotating cast of writers.  The writing team for Avengers Vs. X-Men consisted of the usual suspects: Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, Jason Aaron, Ed Brubaker, and Jonathon Hickman.  You would think that having a rotating cast of writers for an event would be terrible, with each issue being different from the others.  Shockingly, that was not the case.  Each issue connected smoothly together.  Most of the time, you could hardly even tell that the book switched writers between issues.  Sure, there were times where you can tell which writer was writing the issue (notably Bendis and his Bendis speak) but 99% of the time everything was nice and smooth.  

Artist-wise, the event had an A-list line up.  The first five issues were drawn by John Romita, Jr., Olivier Coipel on issues #6, #7, and #11, and Adam Kubert on issues #8, #9, #10, and #12.  Last, but certainly not least, Jim Cheung did the covers for all 12 issues, which were just spectacular.  Before this event, I really only knew JRJR, as he has been a Spidey staple for the past few years. I knew a little bit of Coipel's work, but this event really opened my eyes to how amazing his and Adam Kubert's art is. Before this event, I don't believe I've ever seen Kubert's art, but man, was it nice to look at.  I'm happy to see that Adam is going to be on the artist rotation for Jonathon Hickman's Avengers series. I'm equally as excited to see JRJR is going to be on Rick Remender's Captain America.  However, I really, really want to know where Olivier Coipel is going to be in the Marvel NOW! era.  His art was arguably the best in this event and he is primed to be Marvel's next superstar, go-to artist. So I just find it odd that he hasn't been announced on anything yet.  Anyways, the art on Avengers Vs. X-Men was top class, and it really helped me enjoy this series even more.

When it came down to deciding my favorite issues of the event, two stuck out to me. Obviously, issue #9 was a favorite, as it was the issue that had Spider-Man in the spotlight.  Seeing as Spidey is always the comedic relief in events as of late, it was great to see him actually do something in an event.  The team of Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert did a fantastic job on this issue, as they show Spider-Man making the ultimate sacrifice: letting the Avengers escape with the members that were taken prisoner.  Spider-Man takes on not just one, but two members of the Phoenix Five and puts up a fight, but eventually the fight turns bad for him, especially when Colossus basically breaks Spidey's face in.  Yet, somehow, Spider-Man is able to get to Colossus and Magik, causing the two to take each other out, eliminating two more members of the Phoenix Five.  Though it was a brutal issue for my favorite hero, it was also good to read him actually doing something in an event besides standing in the back making some quips about the current situation (which he did a couple times during the event).  This was my personal favorite issue of the entire series, making me happy to be a Spider-Man fan. Also, Jason Aaron is welcome to write Spider-Man whenever he wants.  He seems to be one of the few writers that actually gets the character and I would love to see him get a run on a Spider-Man book sometime in the future.

Though the Spider-Man centric issue #9 was my personal favorite, the best issue of the event was Avengers Vs. X-Men #6.  Written by Jonathon Hickman and drawn by Oliver Coipel, this was without a doubt the best issue of the series, in both writing and art.  Up until this point, the issues had been pretty well done; however, this was the perfect issue.  It was the first issue that explored the newly minted Phoenix Five, as we got to see their powers in effect, with Coipel drawn pages that were just stunning.  The pages where the Phoenix Five (minus Scott) are using their powers to eliminate the violent threats were just jaw dropping.  Then you also had the excellent sequence where the Avengers infiltrate Utopia to grab Hope.  We get the first fight between the Avengers and the Phoenix Five and, at first, you expect the Phoenix Five to mop the floor with the Avengers, just as they did before.  However, the tides turn when the Scarlet Witch shows up, revealing that the Phoenix Five actually have some kind of weakness.  The issue ends with the brilliant line delivered by Cyclops: "No more Avengers", setting the stage for an action-packed second act.

Overall, Avengers Vs. X-Men was a great mini-series.  Not only was the story itself great, but many of the tie-in issues were of equal greatness as well.  Ever since Civil War came out, Marvel has not put a mini-series that came close to its greatness.  Avengers Vs. X-Men is the event that does just that; it is the best mini-series Marvel has put out since Civil War.  Not only was it written extremely well, but it was drawn spectacularly as well.  Initially, I wasn't so keen on this series when it was announced, but now I can look back and realize how silly those thoughts were.  Hopefully, Marvel has learned something with this event; don't be afraid to have multiple writers on one project and to give Coipel more work.  I personally had a few gripes here and there with the event, with Professor X's death being the big one, but besides that, I really had no problem with this event and I hope to see more events like this down the line.

The Clown Prince Returns

Batman #13

  

He's back.  One of the most recognizable, beloved, and fantastic villains of all times returned. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Joker has stormed back into the DC world.  The starts off with van, parked by the water, looking at Gotham.  We then cut to Gordon and Harvey on the roof of the GCPD building, acknowledging that something is coming. That something, obviously, is the Joker, as he shuts down power to the GCPD building and starts his killing spree in one of the most disturbing and terrifying scenes I've ever read.  The Joker, looking for his face that was carved off in Detective Comics #1, goes around snapping cops necks while he tells Gordon a joke and some disturbing things, like how he lays under Gordon's bed, listening to him while he sleeps. Just as the Joker escapes, Batman arrives on the scene, only to discover that the Joker got his face and vanished.  Back in the Batcave, Bruce brings everyone up to speed on what's going on, showing everyone from the Bat family excluding Catwoman, Red Hood, and Batwoman (seeing as she doesn't have anything to do with this event).  A broadcast comes through, with the Joker having someone dressed up as him, delivering a message that the mayor will die tonight.  Gordon sets up shop at the Mayor's office, with Batman lurking inside, making sure everything is okay. However, Batman realizes that everything isn't okay, just too late, as all the officers are killed thanks to a toxin delivered by Joker.  Batman puts the clues together and figures out that Joker is hiding out at the ACE Chemical Building and promptly speeds over there.  He finally comes face to Red Hooded face with Joker, who lures Batman into a trap. Bats gets hit by a big hammer down into a holding chamber which starts to fill up with some liquid.  The Red Hood (not Jason Todd) takes off the hood, revealing that Joker isn't actually there; it is actually Harley Quinn dressed up as Red Hood. She tells Bats that Joker has changed and that he isn't her "Mr. J" anymore.  Batman demands that Harley tell him where Joker is, and it is shown that he goes to Wayne Manor and comes at Alfred with a hammer, finally revealing what he really looks like with his attached face.

The backup, set shortly before the events of the main story, show Harley meeting up with Joker for the first time since he disappeared.  Joker, after a little bit of back and forth, tells Harley to take her clothes off.  He gives her a new set of clothes and Harley realizes that Joker is getting her to dress up like him. Joker then tells Harley that he is going to cut off her face so she can be just like him.  However, Harley is hesitant, and starts to freak out when the Joker comes towards her to do the deed.  Instead of cutting her face off, it is revealed that Joker was just pulling a fast one, instead putting the Red Hood hood on her and leaving her to deal with Batman.

I'm going to just come out and say it. This was one of the best issues I've ever read; it might actually be in my personal top 10. This issue was just spectacular, as it totally lived up the hype that has been swirling around it ever since it was announced that Joker would be returning to the pages of Batman.  It was one of the most frightening issue of a comic that I have ever read, especially the scene in the GCPD.  And even though it is only the first issue, you can tell at the end of it that Bruce is already panicking about those he holds near to him.  That's why Joker is such a great villain; he is so predictably unpredictable.  Just when Batman thinks he has a lead on the Joker, something goes wrong.  And the ending, oh man. That ending is already making me anxious for the next issue, as Alfred comes face to attached face with Joker. This issue solidified Team Batman as the elite team in the world of comics, whether it be DC, Marvel, or Image.  The way that Scott Snyder writes the Joker is truly some of the most disturbing and haunting stuff I've ever read. AND IT'S ONLY THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE STORY!!!! And Greg Capullo, Jock, and the entire art team earn my highest praise. Rarely have I enjoyed comic art as much as I am on this title and those guys get all the credit for making this one of the most beautiful looking books on the stand, despite it being such a dark book.  Just as I expected, this issue blew my socks off and I'm so ready for the next part to come out.

Grade: A+

Batman & Robin #13

Dealing with an entire other threat yet the Joker has a cameo in this book.  It starts off with Damian and Titus sleeping, as Daimon has been studying like crazy to get info on Joker.  Bruce wakes Damian up, with the kid thinking that Joker has returned.  Bruce tells him otherwise, and the two go on a little trip. Taking the Batrocket (since when does Bruce have a freaking rocket?), the two go up into space and look at the solar eclipse from a perspective that no one else gets to see.  Damian brings up Talia, asking Bruce if he loved her. Bruce replies that he did at some point. Damian thanks Bruce for showing him this just as the Bat signal turns on.  Bruce tells Damian to take the rocket back to the cave (which is apparently big enough to house a rocket ship now) while he goes and sees what Gordon wants.  After a quick jump to some secret society called the Saturn Club, we see Damian back at the Batcave.  He is only there for a brief second, telling Titus that he is going back out, against Bruce's word.  In a graveyard, Batman and Gordon talk about a bunch of missing bodies, stating that there might be a possible zombie outbreak. Damian is down in the sewers and reaches for something unseen when a huge monster shows up, planning on killing Damian to earn the bounty Talia put on Damian's head.  Damian outmatches the monster and walks off, only to be contacted by Bruce.  He tells Damian to head back to the cave ASAP due to the zombies.  Damian, however, decides to go help people but ends up getting swarmed by zombies himself.

Though I haven't been picking up Batman & Robin regularly, I must say that I love Damian.  I love the aspect of Batman's Robin being his own son.  Though my first formal introduction to Damian was in Grant Morrison's Batman & Robin when he was the Robin to Dick's Batman.  It was that story that made me really enjoy the character of Damian, as he is the most different Robin the title has seen outside Jason Todd.  I wasn't too sure on Batman & Robin when it debuted in the New 52, though I have gotten a couple of issues here and there.  However, when #13 and #14 were solicited as dealing with zombies, I knew I had to get them. How often does Batman go up against zombies? Anyway, just like the other issues I've gotten of this series, Peter Tomasi does a great job of writing.  I know that this is essentially a Damian book, but I'm alright with that, as Tomasi writes the character so well.  Having the book be illustrated by Pat Gleason (with the help of Tomas Giorello in this issue) doesn't hurt the title either. Definitely an enjoyable issue, especially given the time of year and the content.

Grade: A

Scarlet Spider #10

Part two of "Minimum Carnage" lies here though the issue seemed more as a set up issue.  We start up right were Alpha left off, with Flash and Kaine meeting for the first time and already at each other's throats.  After some threatening, swearing and a little bit of info given, the first big thing in the issue happens: Flash loses control of the symbiote for some reason, as it tries to kill (or maybe bond with) Kaine.  Flash tries to convince Kaine that they need to go after Carnage, but Kaine says "F#ck that" and leaves, leaving Flash and the doctor to get the machine back up and running.  Meanwhile, in the Microverse, it is revealed that Carnage was brought there in order to kill someone(s), though those who brought Carnage there are unsure, as he is such a loose cannon.  Just as the portal gets back up and running, Kaine returns to the scene, agreeing with Flash that they need to find Carnage (though Kaine is more selfish, thinking of Houston and Carnage's return).  The duo step into the machine and get sent to the Microverse, though they get separated.  Flash gets sent to a wooded area and gets attacked by some sonic fairies before he is saved by a team of heroes, who ask for his help. Meanwhile, Kaine is met by a man who says that he is preparing to die, as they are met by a huge monster.

Well, what can I say about this issue?  It was an okay issue, though it did not move the plot along much.  It was basically a set up issue for many of the different storylines that are going to take place in this event, with Carnage going to be used to kill people, Venom teaming up with a group of heroes, and whatever mess Kaine has gotten himself into.  Though I really didn't have a problem with the dialogue, it was the story itself. I know that this is going to be a larger story and that there were going to be an issue or two here and there that are going to be slower, but I really didn't expect it to be this one.  However, that is no knock on Christopher Yost.  I know that this is not foreshadowing for the entire event, it was just one of the necessary set up issues.  Khoi Pham draws the issue (with an assist from Reilly Brown) and I must say that I'm still not a big fan of his (Pham). Yes, it is an improvement over the Daredevil issues he did, but I'm still not overly wowed by the artwork on this title.  Still, it was a decent issue, but I do wish more happened in it.

Grade: B

Smallville #6

The issue starts with Chloe and Oliver discussing the "Crisis", though it seems like Chloe is hiding something from Ollie.  In Stryker's, Batman and Clark continue their fight, with Batman seemingly getting the upper hand until Clark takes control of the situation.  While Batman and Clark play a game of hide and seek, Bats informs Clark that he knows all about Kryptonians, thanks to research he has conducted over the years.  Meanwhile, Nightwing and Green Arrow square off while Clark figures out that Batman is Bruce Wayne.  Batman tells Clark about needing information about his parents death.  The Nightwing/Green Arrow fight comes to a close when Clark shows up, taking Manheim up into the sky.  Oliver chases the Batplane, but quickly loses it, as Bruce and Barbara track Clark, who is holding a little interrogation with Manheim.  Back at Watchtower, Chloe informs Oliver about who is sending him mysterious messages while Clark and Lois finally get to talk to each other.  Later, Clark makes his own Bat signal, getting Bruce's attention.  The two agree to team up, for the good of Gotham and Metropolis.  Lex is shown to have retrieved a copy of the Batman/Superman fight when Oliver shows up, accusing Lex of sending the messages to him, though Lex has no idea what he is talking about.  Batman tries to get a jump on Joe Chill, who is homed in a Suicide Slum safe house but Clark stops him before he gets in the room.  Batman is surprised to see that Chill is an old man in a wheelchair.  Back at Lexcorp, Lex is shown to be sleepwalking and talking, implying heavily that Tess is somehow in control of him, as she is the one who is sending the messages.  Batman and Superman try to get info out of Chill but are interrupted by Prankster and Mr. Freeze.

Another great issue from the Smallville universe.  For 10 seasons, we, the Smallville fans, have been waiting for Batman, whether it be the man himself or at least just a reference.  Though we got a bone tossed our way in Season 10, this is what every Smallville fan has dreamed of since the show was introduced.  I'm loving the way that Clark and Batman have such a rough yet somewhat trusting relationship already, as they start to realize how similar they really are.  However, the best parts of the issue would be the fight between Clark and Batman that takes place during the first part of the issue and the whole interrogation scene was just hilarious.  Bryan Miller impresses yet again, as the story is better than ever.  The art by Jamal Igle is phenomenal as well and I really like the Smallville Universe's version of the Batsuit.  I cannot wait to see these two heroes fighting side by side next issue and the continuing building of the World's Finest friendship.

Grade: A

Superman #0

No story for this one, as it came out a long time ago (I only just got it because of damages and Diamond being slow. I'm still waiting for them to deliver my copy of Aquaman #0) though I will discuss my feelings for the issue. Honestly, I'm pumped for the new creative team of Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort, as things are looking to be an amazing run.  I know that a lot of people don't like Lobdell's writing, but I haven't read anything that I don't like (yet).  However, the main reason I get this title might just be Kenneth Rocafort's art.  After seeing the preview art for the upcoming issues plus this #0, I'm sold on getting this title.  This is going to be another beautifully drawn book from DC and I can't wait to start collecting an actual Superman comic (minus Smallville).  2013 is shaping up to be a great year for Superman, with this new team on Superman, the new creative team of Diggle and Daniel on Action Comics, and the newly announced but already known Superman comic by the all star team of Scott Snyder and Jim Lee (already on my "must buy" list).

Grade: A

Uncanny Avengers #1

The beginning of the Marvel NOW! era has begun.  The issue begins in an interesting way, as some unknown person is cutting open some mutants brain and inserting some device into it.  We then cut to the Jean Grey School of higher Learning, where Wolverine is reminiscing about the first time he met Professor X.  Rogue gathers him and Logan starts to give Professor X's eulogy while Alex Summers is shown meeting Cyclops in his holding cell.  Logan finishes his eulogy by stating that they, the mutant race, failed Professor X, seeing as he died without seeing his dream come true. Back at Scott's holding cell, Alex talks to Scott about his decisions during Avengers Vs. X-Men.  Scott stands by his decisions, minus killing Xavier, though Alex disagrees with him.  Scott mentions the abundance of new mutants caused by the outcome of AvX but Alex basically reminds him that Scott still forgot everything Xavier taught him.  After leaving the holding cell, Alex is met by Captain America and Thor, who say that they need to talk with him.  The Avengers tell Alex that they really want to, when the time is right, pay their respects to Professor X. Cap then offers Alex a spot on the Avengers, asking him to lead a team made up of Avengers and X-Men, stating that he is the perfect one to lead the team.  Alex refuses just as Avalanche, revealed to be the man under the knife in the opening pages, attacks innocents on the street.   Thor goes to save the bystanders while Cap, with a little help from Alex, goes to take down Avalanche.  Alex eventually suits up as Havok, saving people from falling debris.  With Avalanche defeated, the book then goes to Scarlet Witch, who is paying her respects at Xavier's grave.  However, Rogue shows up, telling Wanda to get the hell out.  The two try talking it out, but eventually Rogue starts talking with her fists, but that gets interrupted when an explosion occurs.  Out of the explosion emerges a group of possible evil mutants, who attack Wanda and Rogue.  Wanda jumps in front of an attack aimed for Rogue and the mutants just leave.  We finally cut back to the mystery man from the beginning, seeing that it is the Red Skull, who has cut Xavier's brain out with the intentions of using it to eradicate the mutants.

Definitely an interesting first issue, to say the least.  Honestly, I don't believe that I am going to be following this title in the long run. I might pick up the first few issues, but I'm pretty sure that I won't be picking it up on a regular basis. I will say this though, that last page was a shocker for me. I was in the mindset that Xavier was going to return down the line, but now it looks like it might be a very slim possibility unless Xavier pulls a "X-Men 3" on us and transferred his mind to another body just before he died.  Written by Rick Remender, the issue is paced very well, as each story gets a good deal of story time, with the Cap/Havok section being the meatiest one.  John Cassaday is the artist on this book and he was amazing. This actually might be the first time I've read anything with his art (there probably is another instance that I can't remember) but it definitely was a good first impression.

Grade: A-

Alright, weekly reviews are done.  Expect the Avengers Vs. X-Men wrap-up tomorrow morning and the Marvel NOW! post on Monday, seeing that NYCC will be over by then.

Thanks for reading!!

Flag Football, Anyone?

A week removed, but here are the reviews for Wednesday, October 10th.  And, man, was it a huge week.  With the culmination of Marvel's latest summer event and Detective Comics getting a new writer/artist team plus a couple of other comics, this week was a good one.  Just a little note, though I will be talking about Avengers Vs. X-Men here, the full review of the event will come in another post in a couple days.

Amazing Spider-Man #695

And the end begins.  With just a couple of issues before the "final" issue of Amazing Spider-Man, #700, the future of Marvel is revealed, at least a bit.  The issue starts off with Spidey and Hobgoblin going at it, with Tiberius Stone in the wings, ready to jam Spidey's spider sense. However, that backfires and helps Spider-Man defeat the Hand ninjas, forcing Hobby to flee. What Phil doesn't see when he flies away is that the original Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley, is watching him.  Julia Carpenter, the all seeing Madame Web, sees this but get interrupted by her daughter, who is leaving to go to her grandparent's house in Colorado, sent there by her mom so she is safe from the impending doom.  Peter, believing that Stone has something to do with the Hobgoblin, attempts to talk to Max about the situation, only to be reunited with Daily Bugle reporter Sally Floyd.  Sally tells Peter that some of his coworkers have blabbed, telling the reporter about his relationship with Spider-Man. Peter begs her and, eventually, Robbie to kill that part of the story. Now back at the Bugle, Peter runs into Norah and Phil, the later immediately triggering Pete's spider-sense.  Back with the Kingpin, Stone works on his jamming device, hoping that it will work. However, it does not, as it amplifies not only Peter's spider-sense to extreme levels, but it also causes Julia to get a massive overload on her visions of the future (more on that in a bit). Julia sends her celestial being to find Peter, delivering him an emergency warning about the future.  Peter stumbles away only to be jumped by Hobgoblin, who might possibly outed Peter as Spider-Man.

Written by the team of Dan Slott and Christos Gage, "Danger Zone" starts off with a bang.  I'm really happy to see Hobgoblin (both of them) again, as he's (Phil) been missing for far too long. Also, Norah returns to the book, another character who has been missing for awhile (though she has made appearances in Punisher).  I also really liked the progression with Peter's spider sense getting super charged. The little arrows telling what the "threat" was was actually pretty witty.  Art-wise, the issue is drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli, returning after taking an arc off. He does a masterful job of illustrating the story, even though most of it was dealing with Peter's out of costume life.  However, the page that will get the most attention will be the double page spread where the future of Marvel is shown.  Almost every snippet shown deal with a Marvel NOW! book, so it was pretty interesting to see the new art.  It also caught me by surprise, as I was not expecting Marvel to do something like this, especially as Avengers Vs. X-Men had their final issue released the same day.  For the majority, I was interested in the panels, as they dealt with the future of Spider-Man (especially the Peter/Hydro-Man....thing? and the shadowy Peter/MJ scene), books I'm already reading (Captain Marvel and Daredevil), or NOW! books I'm interested in (Avengers Arena and Deadpool).  This was an excellent start for the end of Spider-Man, and I'm pumped to see where it goes (also, a little bit afraid).

Grade: A

Avengers Vs. X-Men #12

Ah, the finale of Marvel's big summer event has finally arrived, ushering in the Marvel NOW! era. I won't talk about the story or my feelings for the overall event here (see my next post for those). I will, however, talk about my feelings for this issue. Written by Jason Aaron and drawn by Adam Kubert, the finale is a double sized book of awesomeness.  The stakes were raised to extreme, as the Avengers and the X-Men teamed up to take down Cyclops Dark Phoenix.  During this event, Hope has become one of my favorite characters, which is surprising because I've never been a X-Men person.  I particularly liked the shots between the fight and Cap talking with Hope, leading to the end of the issue. Again, my full feelings on the event will be up in a few days, but I'm happy that I read this event.

Grade: A-

Avengers Academy #38

Guest starring Wolverine and the X-Men, this is the first issue to deal with the outcome of AvX.  And this has been the issue many Avengers Academy fans have been waiting for: the flag football game between the two schools. It was actually a clever issue, as it kinda sorta dealt with the outcome of Avengers Vs. X-Men, but very subtly.  The only time that AvX is mentioned is when Logan and Hank discuss their little scuffle on the Quinjet during issue #3 and when the teachers leave the game, making the Avengers Academy kids be on the teams with the X-Men kids.  Though little football is actually played, when it is played, the scenes are hilarious, a couple involving Jocasta and a taser.  AvX isn't the only subject discussed, however. X-23 and Finesse also discuss the end of "Final Exam", seeing as X-23 still believes that she killed Jeremy. Finesse tells her that it was actually her that killed him. Another sore subject brought back up is the "relationship" between Finesse and Reptil, with Reptil getting advice from the ladies man, Gambit.  However, the kids and teachers are shown getting along and having fun, with Hank getting an idea for the future and the kids admitting to needing to do this (the game) more often.

This is the penultimate issue of Avengers Academy, which makes me really sad. Though I jumped on after the Amazing Spider-Man issues where Spidey taught the kids, I've followed the books religiously, picking up the trades and every issue (minus two which I'm still hunting down). This is an issue which proves why this books was so popular among comic fans. It was just an overall fun issue, right after the issue where the AA kids have their arch enemy killed and so soon after the devastating events of Avengers Vs. X-Men.  This was just an issue where two schools, both devastated by the events of AvX, meet up for some fun.  It's issues like this one that made this series so much fun to read. Christos Gage gets major props for taking a series this far, as I'm sure not many saw this title, with a cast of new characters and B-listers, lasting 40 issues.  Also, sometimes you read a crossover comic and realize what you are missing out on, in my case with Amazing and AA. Well, this issue did it for me with Wolverine and the X-Men. I typically avoid anything X-Men like the plague for whatever reason. However, this AA issue might have piqued my interest in the book. I will definitely look into getting the trades in the future to see how it is.

Grade: A

Detective Comics #13

With an all new writer and artist team, why not check out the first issue of their run?  It starts off with Batman cracking some skulls as a sniper takes aim at him.  As Batman gets into the Batplane, the sniper is called off. The sniper is then shown to be working for the man on the cover: the Penguin.  However, the target is not Batman; it's Bruce Wayne.  Bruce, preparing to arrive late for a ceremony for a wing in a children's center named after his mom, gets sidetracked when he takes down a couple of thugs who are robbing an apartment.  After Bruce gets the info he needs, he radios to Nightwing, telling him to look into the situation.  Just as Bruce starts going towards the ceremony, he gets distracted once more, this time by the sniper, and the two get into a tussle.  While Bruce deals with the assassin, Penguin bribes/threatens his way into getting his name, not Martha's name, on the children's wing, just as Bruce arrives.  Before Bruce even has time to react, the assassin arrives, ready to take down Bruce.

For a first issue of a new direction, this was done really well.  I've never read anything by this team, either art or story.  So it was interesting for me to do that.  But that might be a problem within itself.  I've been wavering on whether to add Detective Comics on my pull list, as I'm pulling way too many comics for my own good now (even more complicated with all the new MarvelNOW stuff coming out soon). I honestly don't know what I'm going to do with this title, because the first storyline looks really interesting, as it looks to delve into the world of Batman's villains, including Poison Ivy and a tie-in with "Death of the Family".  John Layman and Jason Fabok do a fantastic job on this issue, as did Andy Clarke on the backup art (he needs to get more work, as his stuff is amazing).  I'm going to be pulling this title for now, and we'll have to see what the future holds.

Grade: A

Minimum Carnage: Alpha

Here we go again: another Spider-family mini-event that looks really promising.  The issue starts off with Venom, fresh off his situation with Daimon Hellstrom, helping out the military hunt down Cletus Kasady aka Carnage, who has escaped from his prison cell.  At a security checkpoint, officers discover Cletus, but the cops get killed by some unseen force.  Venom checks the footage, finding something really odd and really small on the bodies. After calling the Avengers, letting them know to be ready on a notices call, calls Katy, his reporter friend.  She gives him information about the Prometheus Pit, which happens to be located in Houston.  Speaking of Houston, its resident hero, Scarlet Spider, jumps into a burning building and discovers a horrific scene with only one survivor.  Kaine goes looking for the man's wife, who gets a visit from Carnage himself.  Kaine arrives and takes on Carnage, who believes Kaine to be Spider-Man initially.  However, after noticing Kaine's more brutal behavior and stingers, determines that he isn't actually Spider-Man. It doesn't matter to Cletus, as his friends attack Kaine. With Scarlet Spider immobilized, Cletus grabs Katy, who was in Houston to interview the doctor in charge of the Prometheus Pit, and heads into the pit with his friends.  Kaine tries to stop Carnage, but Carnage destroys the machine just as he jumps in.  Just as he does that, Scarlet Spider meets Venom, as they both threaten to either kill or shoot each other.

The start of another Spider mini event, this issue is written by both Cullen Bunn and Chris Yost, the normal writers of Venom and Scarlet Spider, respectively.  Overall, the story was done extremely well. I definitely enjoyed the way the two stories were written separately and then brought together in the last panel, setting up the beginning of Scarlet Spider #10. Though I did find it interesting to bring in Katy for this story, everything else was a-okay by me. Also a-okay was the art. Done by ex-Venom artist Lan Medina, the art was nicely done. However, it made me miss Lan's work on Venom just a wee bit. This was a strong first issue for the next Spider mini-event and I'm definitely looking forward to the next issue.

Grade: A-

Alright, these reviews are done. As you read this, I am working on between five and six other posts at the same time: Avengers Vs. X-Men wrap up, another weekly review post that may spin off into two separate posts, a "10 Things" post, a Marvel NOW post, and a couple of "30 Day Challenge" posts. Needless to say, I'm going to be busy over the next couple of days. Look out for the majority of these posts in the next week, with the "30 Day Challenge" starting in about a weeks time.  Here's a little tease about the next review post: one issue gets the elusive A+ grade...  Gotta go for now. Lots more to write and not a lot of time to write it.

Thanks for reading!!

More Late Reviews

This was a big week this week for Avengers vs. X-Men.  Three of the five books I got this week dealt with Marvel's summer event and they were pretty good. However, the overall quality of this week's pull was meh. I'm sorry that it took me so long to get these reviews out. I've started working again and it really affected how much I was able to write in a day.

Avengers Academy #30

The issue starts with a select group of individuals gathering to discuss the mutants being forced to stay at Avengers Academy.  The group includes Wiz Kid, Ricochet, X-23, and Hazmat (who is not really a mutant, but was invited because she is Japanese) and shows that X-23 is still undecided on whose side she is on. Meanwhile, we get a view of the second story of this issue, showing Tigra, Hercules, Madison Jeffries, and Dr. Kavita Rao discussing Sebastian Shaw's escape and how he regained his memory recently.  Hazmat and X-23 then talk about Mettle and Hazmat's feelings for him and for X-23, revealing that she doesn't actually hate her.  The adults attempt to take down Shaw but each of them get beaten one by one while Reptil tries to talk to Finesse about their "relationship" when X-23 shows up, asking for info about the battle waging between the Avengers and the X-Men.  X-23 admits to Finesse on how she is still undecided on which side to take and the two seem to bond a little bit, just in time to experience the X-kids and the Academy students face off.  As the players on each side are decided (minus X-23), Juston and his Sentinel arrive, making the X-kids freak out.  X-23 forces Juston to leave and tells the Academy kids that she sides with the X-kids, just as Shaw arrives, ready to throw down.

Well, even though I missed the issue that came before this one, I still enjoyed reading this book, as I always do.  That being said, there is a possibility that I may drop the book in the future.  I just cannot seem to connect to the characters anymore.  Once "Final Exam", the arc after the AvX tie in, is over, I'll figure out what I'm doing with this book.  But that is nothing against Christos Gage and Tom Grummett, as they provide a strong tie-in to Marvel's summer event, just like when AA tied into Fear Itself last summer. I do wish that we could have seen more of the fights going on between Shaw and the adults on campus but the book is about the kids so it is fine.  I'm really looking forward to the fight with Shaw and the outcome that X-23's decision has on her classmates.

Grade: B+


Avengers Vs. X-Men #4

Marvel's blockbuster summer event continues!  We start off with Wolverine, still trapped in Antarctica where he runs into Hope, who set a beer trail for him.  Out in space, we see the majority of the space team has been knocked out, minus Thor, who hurls his hammer at the oncoming Phoenix.  The hammer connects, forcing the Phoenix to escape towards a planet/moon.  Thor believes that he was won when the Phoenix decimates the planet, showing how strong it really is.  Back in Antarctica, Hope and Logan talk about Hope's plan of action, saying that she wants the power of the Phoenix in order to help the world.  She invites Logan along for the ride, saying that she trusts him enough that if she goes out of control when combined with the Phoenix, he can end it quickly.  In a safe house, Emma and Scott go over the situations in some of the possible locations of where Hope is.  While flashing through all the locales, we get to see the X-Men and Avengers duking it out, including seeing some fights that will be/have been seen in AvX Vs.  Emma looks into Captain America's mind and discovers that he knows the true location of Hope.  Hope and Wolverine are shown to have infiltrated A.I.M. headquarters and steal a rocket.  They fly to the moon; specifically the blue area of the moon, created by the Skrulls.  Little does Hope know, Wolverine called the Avengers while she slept on the way to the A.I.M. base.  As Logan tells Hope his reasons for calling the Avengers, the X-Men arrive and a fight is ready to break out.  However, before any punches are thrown, Thor crashes on the moon and the Phoenix arrives.

Part four of the summer epic continues the high standard that the other issues have established.  After last issue, where there was not a lot of fighting, this issue brings it back, despite the fights lasting a few panels.  I honestly did not have a lot of objections when it came to this issue, as I feel as it was written pretty well and drawn equally as well, so props to Jonathon Hickman and John Romita, Jr.  Act one is almost finished and it looks like it will be finishing on an epic note.

Grade: A


AvX Vs. #2

The second issue in the series of six issues showcasing the fights that the main series could not contain.  The first story shows Captain America and Gambit squaring off in the Savage Land.  Gambit ambushes Cap and initiates the fight.  Cap hurls his shield at Gambit but he catches it and returns it to Cap, with some added energy.  Cap captures Gambit but, when distracted by Tony Stark, Gambit charges up Cap's shirt and blows him up. Gambit believes that he has won but Cap wins by TKO.  The second fight shows Colossus/Juggernaut throwing down with Spider-Man in Latveria.  As the fight progresses, Spidey is shown having the upper edge while telling Colossunaut how the typical Spidey/Juggernaut fight goes.  However, Colossunaut gains the upper hand and eventually starts hurling Doombots at Spidey, having one explode at Spider-Man.  Though he is taking a beating, Spider-Man tells Colossus that not matter how strong he is, he will always be as strong in order to stop Colossus.  Just as round two gets underway, however, Daredevil shows up, telling Spidey that Hope isn't in Latveria and the two leave, with Spider-Man remarking that he is surprised he is still standing.  In the end, the fight is shown to have Colossus as the winner.

I'm not going to lie; the only reason I got this issue was because Spider-Man showed up in it.  However, I was surprised how much I liked this issue overall.  The Cap/Gambit section was extremely well written and drawn, with both being done by Steve McNiven, a favorite of the blog.  The Spidey/Colossus fight was written by Kieron Gillen and it was drawn by Salvador Larroca and it was well done, save for one thing.  No matter what the final outcome said, Spider-Man won that fight.  Sure, Colossus roughed Spidey up, but Spider-Man had the emotional and psychological edge in that fight and, if it were to have been continued, I'm sure that Spider-Man would have won.  They just needed to have a X-Man win a match so their fans didn't riot but still.  They should have had a winner in the first issue because there is no way the Thing should have beaten Namor.  So I'm going to edit my copy to say that Spider-Man won that match, which is the right thing.

Grade: B+


Daredevil #13

This issue starts off with Foggy finding something really upsetting in Matt's office, although we don't get to see what it is yet.  We jump to Matt, who has just gotten off his date from hell, seeing as an agent of Black Spectre.  Matt suits up and takes the fight to Black Spectre in the middle of a public area and, eventually, the other members of the Megacrime syndicate arrive, ready to take the Omega Drive from Daredevil.  Matt attempts to take down everyone by himself but gets impaired when a member of Agence Byzantine uses sonics on him.  Just when it looks like Daredevil has lost, Black Spectre shows up and turns on everyone there, helping Daredevil.  The odd thing is that Black Spectre is supposed to be done.  So what is going on?  It was all part of Daredevil's master plan, having members of the New Avengers dress up in Black Spectre costumes to get the other syndicates of Megacrime to hunt down the group, which really has been shut down.  However, just when it seems that everything is going to be okay, Daredevil gets transported to Latveria, home of Doctor Doom.

Well, this was an interesting issue, mainly because this was the first issue of the series where I was not in love with the artwork.  The writing was spot on and I cannot wait to see what Foggy has found in Matt's desk and what plans Doctor Doom has for Daredevil.  Do they involve Black Spectre?  How did Doom transport Daredevil there? Did Foggy find Matt's collection of dirty magazines? (I kid) So that was the positive of the issue.  It was the artwork, however, that I had a problem with.  I know that lots of people thought that Khoi Pham's artwork was improved since the .1 issue, but I do not think so.  The art in this issue was a turn off for me, which is a shame because it was an extremely well written issue. The writing is the only saving grace for this issue, so I won't dock it too much.  Thankfully, I do not believe that Pham is coming back to Daredevil any time soon, but it makes me rethink about getting Scarlet Spider, seeing as he is going over to that book in the near future.

Grade: B-


Venom #18

We start off with Venom arriving at Betty's apartment, only to find out that she is out with Peter.  We see that she and Peter are discussing Flash and Peter asks Betty to give Flash a second chance.  After Peter leaves, Betty gets approached by Jack O'Lantern and he tries to take her until Flash shows up.  Though Flash is protecting Betty, she uses a sonic pepper spray on him.  Flash takes it and orders her to run. With Betty gone, Jack introduces Flash to his new friend and Savage Six member, Megatak.  Megatak has the ability to travel via any electronic and looks like a boss from a video game.  Flash tosses Jack at Megatak and tries to call the Avengers, only to have Megatak punch him through the phone.  Flash picks up Betty and tries to get her to safety but is attacked by the new Toxin aka Eddie Brock.  Though Toxin seems to have the upper hand on Flash, Flash uses the sonic pepper spray and weakens Eddie enough that Flash can web him up, though Flash considers shooting and killing Brock.  Flash then confronts Betty and reveals his identity to her, knowing that it is the only way to get her to trust him.

Although I missed the issue previous to this one as I did with Avengers Academy, I really loved this issue and it was my favorite issue of the week.  Rick Remender and Cullen Bunn co-write this issue but you cannot even tell, as the pace and feel of the book makes it feel as if one person is writing it.  It doesn't hurt that Lan Medina returns to deliver so amazing artwork.  Although I'm sad that this is going to be Remender's last arc on the book, seeing as Cullen is working on the book as well, it makes me happy to know that the book is going to be in good hands when Rick leaves.  The only complaint I have about the book is that I really want a long term artist on the book.  Though the art we've had on the book has been amazing, I do wish that there was a permanent artist on the book. Maybe when Cullen takes over we'll have one (hopefully Kev Walker or Lan Medina).

Grade: A


Alright, I'm done. I've got a full week of work ahead of me so I'm hoping that the reviews will come quicker than these ones did.  Reviews should not take this long to do and I apologize for that.  I also apologize to say that my stories are taking longer to write than I imagined so it may be a while before I start posting those, but they will start arriving in the near future.

Thanks for reading!