Comic

This third issue of Avengers versus X-Men is decidedly slower paced than the second issue, but it does provide a bit of a breather for the reader, while at the same time nicely moving events on Earth forwards, and deepening the personal conflicts at the core of the storyline. After reading this issue, it made me realize that the bi-weekly release schedule works quite well in this series’ favour. If this was a monthly series, this issue may have bothered me quite a bit, because it’s such a slowdown compared to last issue, but since the series is bi-weekly, it doesn’t feel like we’re slowing down nearly as much, and the pacing works extremely well to ramp up the suspense brewing as it won’t be long before the teams are once again in major armed conflict. If there was a major flaw in this issue, it’s...

When the second wave of DC’s New 52 titles were announced, the ones that immediately caught my eye were Earth 2 and Worlds’ Finest, particularly the former, as I was excited to see what James Robinson had up his sleeve. I was hoping he’d do a great version of the Justice Society of America, which would serve as a palette cleanser to the disappointing first arc of Geoff Johns / Jim Lee’s Justice League. This issue did not in any way disappoint me, as it managed to tell a great story, seed future plot developments, and leave some mystery in the air, all in one issue, and showed just how to handle an invasion from Apokalips properly. For all my disappointments regarding what Justice League ended up being, Robinson showed how great it could have been, if he had been writing the book.The first few pages...

Prior to the release of this first issue, Worlds’ Finest had been one of my two most anticipated books to be launched as part of DC’s New 52 second wave, yet sadly the end product wasn’t quite able to live up to my hopes and expectations.  The book isn’t bad by any means, as Paul Levitz and George Perez put together an enjoyable product, it just felt a little slow and boring, lacking a certain flare or fire that would have made the issue more engaging and enjoyable.  Picking up on a thread from Earth 2 #1, Supergirl and Robin have found themselves stranded on an alternate reality version of Earth, where they don’t exist, and their relatives (Supergirl’s cousin and Robin’s father) are younger and different than the versions they remember.  Vowing to stick together, the two characters decide to find their own way in this new world,...

In all my years of reading and reviewing comic books, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a series as straightforward in its intent than Avengers Vs. X-Men (well, aside from the 80s mini-series X-Men vs. Avengers and X-Men vs. Fantastic Four), as the main thrust of the series is right there in the title. This spin-off mini-series, the only actual spin-off mini-series to come out of Avengers vs. X-Men, is a very simple and narrowly focused mini-series, which expands some of the fight sequences that are only briefly set-up and mentioned in the main mini-series. There’s no real pretext here, all the reader needs to know is that the characters presented are throwing down in a big fight, and then strap in for the story that follows. By establishing where these fights take place as well as the context that they occur within, there’s much less...

With Manhattan Projects Jonathan Hickman has managed to successfully mix together science fiction and history, resulting in a truly engaging and stimulating cocktail of a comic book. Hickman doesn’t rest on his laurels with this title, as after just two issues he’s told two completely different types of stories, explored a few characters quite well, and drawn the reader in completely to his world of the Manhattan Projects, during the closing years of World War II.The first issue of this series focused on Dr. Oppenheimer, as he was brought into the Manhattan Projects, alternating the focus between Oppenheimer’s secret history and the organization of the Manhattan Projects itself. This issue has a very different sensibility to it, as it feels less like a build-up/set-up issue, and feels more self-contained, with some ominous portents at the end. The bulk of this issue focuses on Richard Feynman, as...

This issue is the officially beginning to the Night of the Owls crossover hitting various titles in the Bat-family, and it really does start off with a bang. For seven issues Scott Snyder has built up the mysterious Court of Owls, and had them shake Batman’s faith and belief in his own city, as he realizes that the Gotham City he believed in, and thought he knew, never existed, as there was a great evil lurking all around him the entire time. Snyder and Capullo are a brilliant creative team, as they manage to depict a Batman so utterly shaken to his core so superbly. Snyder writes an unhinged Batman far more successfully than Grant Morrison did a few years back, as in Snyder’s version Batman falling apart only leads to him getting stronger, not crazier, and pulling himself together to face the coming evil that...

Over the past few years, whenever a big crossover storyline has launched from either DC or Marvel Comics, there has been a propensity towards spending the first few months doing nothing but build-up, and then fumbling the climax a bit. I have to give Marvel credit though, after one issue to set-up the various conflicts in this story, this issue gets out of its own way, and just lets it all play out as one would expect. This series isn’t pretending to be anything but what it says in its title, and that’s a good thing. This is a storyline featuring Marvel’s two biggest franchises coming together for one heck of a throwdown, and this issue certainly did not disappoint. Jason Aaron picks up the writing baton for this issue, and he delivers a fast-paced, suspenseful script, which has the two teams engaging in a massive...

Marvel Comics’ biggest release of the year is without a doubt Avengers versus X-Men, this year’s big summer crossover. Not only is it a massive crossover, but it’s also a series bringing together the company’s two largest franchises, and pitting them against one another. What surprised me about this issue, however, is that it actually had some really entertaining story beats to set-up the inevitable slugfest between the two teams. When this book was first announced, I couldn’t help but wonder how even the portrayal of the two sides would be, especially after what happened with Civil War, where it quickly became a fairly one-sided affair, especially with writers constantly writing Tony Stark in a villainous fashion. Sure, only one issue of this series has been released thus far, but already the lines are drawn fairly quickly, with various different...

For over three years Jonathan Hickman has been writing the adventures of Marvel’s first family, the Fantastic Four, and this issue sees the story he’s been telling since that first issue finally come to a close. Over the past few years I’ve become a huge fan of Hickman’s work, particularly his runs both here and on Secret Warriors, but I have to admit that his long-term plotting on this book might actually be superior. Whereas at times Secret Warriors felt too lost in its own web of conspiracy and intrigue, this book has instead seeded ideas and concepts throughout, and over the past year we’ve seen the pacing speed up, as all of the disparate plot elements came together in a majestic, well-thought-out story. Time travel can be difficult to use in comics effectively, but the way in which Hickman used it was far more clever...

This issue is the first Zenescope Entertainment comic that I’ve read all-the-way through in quite some time, and I must admit to having been pleasantly surprised by what I found. Unsurprisingly, Zenescope’s twist on The Jungle Book has some obvious alterations, such as Mowgliii being recast as a gorgeous girl, but aside from that aesthetic change this is a very engaging and enjoyable adaptation of a classic story.This issue focuses on the origin of Mowglii, and puts several different twists on a story which readers only thought that they knew. In Zenescope’s version, Mowglii isn’t the only child to wind up in the Jungle, as he appears along with a few other babies in the middle of a great war within the Jungle between various different animal factions. Bagheera, wanting to end the bloodshed, calls the appearance of the children an omen, and convinces the factions...

Before I start my review, I must confess that this is actually the first issue of The Darkness that I’ve ever read. I’m not entirely sure how this happened, but it’s the truth. That being said, I still have a surface familiarity with the Darkness, as well as the characters that have passed through his corner of the Image/Top Cow Universe. Thankfully, this issue seems designed to operate as a jumping-on point of sorts, as it gives the reader plenty of exposition to sink their teeth into, in case it’s their fist issue of this title. Not being a long-time reader it’s hard to gauge how this issue would read for them, but from what I can tell it almost feels like a relaunch of the character somewhat, given the story which unfolds in the prologue to this story, showing how decisions were made recently...

Over the past few years, Jonathan Hickman has quickly become one of my favourite comic book writers, with truly amazing runs on both Secret Warriors and Fantastic Four/FF. Up until this point, I’d only ever read his work on pre-established characters at Marvel Comics, so I was excited to read a new creator-owned story by Hickman, and he does not disappoint. Most series that start with issue #0 irk me, but I think that in this case it would have been appropriate, as the first issue is devoted to developing and establishing the main character, Oppenheimer, and showing his initial visit to the Manhattan Projects. Everything about this book seems to be in Hickman’s wheelhouse, making it not much of a surprise that the script is so enjoyable, with not one page wasted. Hickman’s tenure on Fantastic Four / S.H.I.E.L.D. has shown...

Amazing Spider-Man has been so exceptionally solid and consistent during Dan Slott’s tenure as sole writer that I’m starting to run out of ways to say that this book is an absolute gem each time I review it. Last issue’s “Point One” issue wasn’t the strongest issue of Slott’s tenure, but this issue, co-written with Chris Yost (just like last issue) is a much stronger effort, as a sub-plot from far earlier in Slott’s run is revisited, and Spider-Man and the Human Torch go on a road rescue mission into space. With “Ends of the Earth”, the next big Spider-Man crossover looming in the horizon, this issue feels like a great set-up to that arc, as we revisit Dr. Octopus, his octo-bots, not to mention John Jameson and his current mission in space.This issue truly is a classic Amazing Spider-Man story because of how it deftly balances...

Ever been to a movie that you knew was going to look good, and have cool explosions, but which you were pretty sure was going to end up being pretty shallow as a story, more style than substance? And you sit through this movie, hoping it gets better, when in reality it just keeps getting worse, until it’s finally over and you’re relieved simply because it it’s over, and all you have to show for it is less money in your wallet? That’s pretty much exactly how I feel about this inaugural arc of Justice League by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. I read a review elsewhere that quite aptly compared this arc to a Transformers movie, in so much as it looks nice, but falls apart the longer it goes on, with the story getting thinner, and more and more reliance on bit set-pieces which...

When FF #14 came out I did a dual review on it and Fantastic Four #602, and I remember remarking that one of the only things that detracted from the overall reading experience on FF was the artwork, which although enjoyable just didn’t fit the mood and tone that FF seemed to be going for. This issue sees Nick Dragotta handle the art chores, and he’s a breath of fresh air for this title. He previously illustrated Fantastic Four #588, the silent issue after the death of Human Torch, and he acquits himself quite nicely here on this issue. It’s a shame that this issue didn’t have a simultaneous release date with Fantastic Four like it did for the last issue, because you really should be reading both of these titles together. The last few issues have made this quite clear, that what happens in...

When the New 52 was released, the Green Lantern family of titles seemed to be largely unaffected by the sweeping changes that occurred across the rest of DC’s newly launched titles. As the months drag on, I find myself wishing that it had been more affected, because the titles don’t feel like they’re making use of the opportunites the New 52 could have provided, and the stories being told are relatively generic and uninspired. It’s hard to even decide which of the three Green Lantern books is the most uninspired and uninteresting. This book has a lot of potential, which makes the fact that it is such a tepid read all the more disappointing. Kyle Rayner used to be a much more interesting and enjoyable character to read about, but sadly ever since Hal Jordan returned to the Green Lantern uniform in Green Lantern Rebirth,...

This issue marks the second “Point One” issue of Amazing Spider-Man that Marvel has published, yet sadly it doesn’t reach the same level of quality that the first one did. Last year’s “Point One” issue focused on the origin of the Flash Thompson version of Venom, which directly spun off into its own ongoing series, Venom. This year’s issue focuses on the identity of the mysterious scientist in Lab #6 at Horizon Labs, and explores further the details of this character’s current business at the lab. It’s already been revealed in recent issues that it’s none other than Dr. Michael Morbius inside lab #6, otherwise known as Morbius the Living Vampire, and this issue delves further into Morbius’ story. Considering how enjoyable last year’s “Point One” issue was, this issue was disappointing, with Slott/Yost not delivering their best script.Morbius wasn’t the only character getting some...

It’s been seventeen years since the last comic called Scarlet Spider was published by Marvel Comics, and oh what a different seventeen years makes. Published during the height of the infamous Clone Saga, the title featured Ben Reilly, Peter Parker’s clone, struggling to take over protecting New York City, and ultimately deciding to retire the Scarlet Spider identity and take over the Spider-Man identity.Now, seventeen years later, the wearer of the Scarlet Spider suit is still a clone of Peter Parker, but a dramatically different one. Kaine, who was originally an antagonist during the Clone Saga, has recently made a variety of appearances in Amazing Spider-Man, and after the events of Spider-Island, Kaine has found himself a changed man. Gone are his spider-sense (although it has not yet been explained how this happened), his scars and his cellular degeneration, and he’s left with a sense of...

Wolverine and the X-Men continues to impress, as it delivers solidly on the premise of Wolverine re-opening the school in Westchester, yet doesn’t focus primarily on Wolverine. When the title was first announced, I was afraid it would end up being yet another Wolverine ongoing, but Aaroan has allayed my concerns with a solid ensemble comic. There’s really only been one other time in recent history when the setting of the school was used to its full effect, to actually develop and characterize the new mutants who attend there, yet Aaron’s work here blows it away. Grant Morrison’s run on the X-Men reinvigorated the concept of the school as an actual functioning school. Jason Aaron is taking the concept one step further, imbuing the book with a variety of new characters, and ensuring that no one character gets that much more focus than the...

Up until this issue, Battle Scars has been a relatively forgettable yet decent mini-series. The series is set post-Fear Itself, one of two mini-series to launch out of the aftermath of the crossover. It’s still not readily apparent just why this series was launched now, and why it was tied into the aftermath of Fear Itself like it was, because there’s not much in the content that has anything to do with the storyline in Fear Itself. Whereas Fear Itself: The Fearless directly picks up from Fear Itself, with the enchanted hammers from that event being a sought-after prize throughout the Marvel Universe, this series has felt like it could have taken place anywhere and anytime. With this issue’s last page cliffhanger, it feels like pieces are starting to fall into place, although the picture that they make up is not in any way a...

When Fear Itself 7.1 came out late last year, I remember not looking forward to it all that much, as Bucky had just been killed, and it was supposed to be about his funeral. However, Brubaker subverted all expectations, and instead revealed that Bucky’s death had been faked, and that he was still alive, and as the big kicker, would be getting his own ongoing series early in 2012. Thankfully, Brubaker doesn’t disappoint in this first issue, as Bucky finds himself in a whole world of trouble, as he and Black Widow attempt to find sleeper agents similar to himself, as their locations are sold on the black market and they face to find these agents before anyone else does.There’s a cool black ops feel to this issue, and although part of me wonders how this book will be able to sustain itself with Bucky not having...

This issue is just as fast-paced as the preceding issue, as Spider-Man frantically tries to figure out how to stop a future he saw from occurring, with only hours left on the clock. Last issue was fast-paced, but somehow this issue is even moreso, as Dan Slott puts Spider-Man through the ringer as he tries to figure out how to solve the problem at hand. It’s a nifty time-travel story, which can at times be a difficult proposition, with some fun gags thrown in for good measure. With this title nearing its next big epic, Ends of the Earth, it’s nice to have a story seemingly unrelated to it, and which focuses on the Horizon Labs aspect of Peter’s life. Dan Slott has really pulled out all the stops to make Horizon Labs stick, and I for one appreciate the attempt to really flesh out...

Avengers: X-Sanction is definitely making good on its promise to be a rip-roaring action-packed story, pitting Cable against the Avengers, but unfortunately aside from the fight sequences the series is still lacking on any actual story per se.With the first two issues, this wasn’t necessarily a large problem, because there was plenty of time remaining to delve into story matters, such as just why Cable is targeting the Avengers in the first place.However, now that there’s just one issue remaining in the mini-series, it looks possible that we won’t end up getting many revelations, reveals or answers in next issue’s finale. In many ways, this series typifies Jeph Loeb’s writing style over the past few years- all style, little to no substance.This issue has big action, rendered superbly by Ed McGuinness, and gives you those big action movie moments, but it doesn’t really delve into the whys...