Moon Knight (2014) #1

I asked at my comic store if this is Warren Ellis from Nextwave, or Warren Ellis from Thunderbolts. The former was one of my least favorite comics I’ve read (an unpopular opinion, I know) while the latter is one of my all-time favorite runs. The answer is: this is Ellis working with established continuity, but bringing his bad-ass sensibilities to a character that can really flourish under that attention. This is Ellis from Thunderbolts!

Marc Spector was in LA, acting as a TV show coordinator in his last series. I can’t speak too much to it, since I skipped that run, but I was never sold on the idea of replacing Spector’s alternate personalities with Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America. I will catch up on Bendis’ take eventually, but for now, I’m glad it is in the rearview mirror.

Moon Knight is back in New York, working with the cops, and while he does seem to be a very lonely man (no Frenchy or Samuels here), he’s got enough automated help to get by. Moonie’s car drives itself, and while he’s rocking a sweet new costume, his tech still seems pretty darn effective. Ellis’ Moon Knight is a very competent detective, too. I never got that impression in previous runs, but I like making the character more like a unique take on Batman. Moonie really enjoys his bad guys seeing him coming, explaining the white suit and mask. It isn’t the classic 70’s look, but it is a visually striking and impressive design. I didn’t think I’d like the new take this much, but after one issue I’m sold.

Declan Shalvey does a tremendous job establishing the tone with Moon Knight’s new look, but he really impresses me with the surroundings. The page showing Moon Knight descending into the lower levels of Manhattan were impressive, and the old-fashioned SHIELD logo really won me over. I also like that Moon Knight’s subtle heroics are totally visible on the page when you take a second look.

I usually don’t mention colorists, but I need to make a mention of Jordie Bellaire. Her use of colors to establish different moods in different locations really powers the book. Plus, Moon Knight’s lack of color on his suit is a striking use of negative space in the wash of constant color. It’s a great look.

There are some more callbacks to previous Moon Knight series, but I’m not going to ruin them here. But I can say that if you like Moon Knight, hard crime heroics, or fantastic art, this GOOD book is for you. 

She-Hulk #1 (2014)

I find it interesting that so many of my favorite characters are getting this “Hawkeye” style overhaul. This is very much in the same vein, with Charles Soule putting the focus squarely on the “regular” life of Jennifer Walters, lawyer. Sure, she’s big and green and smashes a couple robots. But there is very little in this issue that couldn’t have been starring a regular super-powered lawyer.

After quitting her job in a law office, She-Hulk takes a case for a super-villain’s widow. It seems that a Stark subsidiary illegally acquired some of Jonas Harrow’s inventions. I appreciate that Soule uses the death of D-lister Harrow to provide the plot device for another issue. If characters have to die to serve a story, they might as well power more than one story!

Soule toes the line perfectly throughout the issue, keeping She-Hulk likable, smart, and confident. She won’t back down, even against her old buddy Tony Stark. And Stark, when he does show up, is perfect. He’s confident, smug, and a bit of a horn dog. And he also does the right thing, like a hero should. Jennifer Walters gets a nice payout and a nice new status quo for her new series.

I’m happy to see She-Hulk so happy and confident; the last series by Peter David was a bit too much of a downer. I do hope that Soule factors in some super-heroics soon, but honestly, if the law-based stories are as interesting as the one in this issue, I’m fine with getting my She-Hulk “hero” fix over in Mighty Avengers.

Javier Pulido’s cartoony art keeps the tone of this series quite clear. As I said, this is a Hawkeye type series; we’re going to see a lot of She-Hulk in the normal world, in normal clothes. I can’t say I wouldn’t love to occasionally get a more “classic” super-artist drawing some issues, but there is no doubt that Pulido handles this material perfectly.

This is a GOOD new issue and a hopeful launch for the jade giantess. Maybe this one will stick around for a while; I certainly hope so! 

Uncanny X-Force v1: Let It Bleed TPB

I really like Psylocke and Storm. Fantomex seemed cooler in concept than execution; I don’t know why people don’t see him as Gambit for the 2000’s. Spiral was never my favorite villain. Puck is way down the list of faves from Alpha Flight. And I liked Bishop better as a future cop trying to fit in rather than an evil maniac.

So Sam Humphries had a lot of obstacles to overcome before I would really go crazy about this comic. I’m sad to say he never really does it.

The high concept is deceptively simple. Wolverine sends Psylocke to LA to hunt down Spiral. Psylocke is depressed after a bad breakup with Fantomex, so Storm goes along. They meet up with Puck, and find Spiral dealing drugs at a club. Only it isn’t drugs, it is the mind-affecting powers of a new mutant. One who has ties to an immortal body-stealing corruptor from the future. Where Bishop has also become involved with the psychic evil. And he comes back too. And Spiral just wants to protect the little girl.

Oh, and I guess Fantomex got split into three bodies at some point? I was unaware. This comic has Fantomex (the version closest to the original, Cluster (a female version), and Dark Fantomex (an evil version). Eva the intelligent spaceship shows up a few times as a very womanly robot, taking away from the weirdness of her relationship with Fantomex, in my opinion.

Then Bishop starts “BROOOOAAAAR”ing all the time, somehow tied to Dani Moonstar’s demon bear.

So yeah, to me, this is kind of a mess. The characters are fine on the surface, because they don’t do much more than run around. I appreciate Humphries trying to give Spiral some depth, but man, she was a solid villain, right? No need to soften her up.

There are too many story elements mixed together, and they don’t really belong together. Like a peanut butter and ham sandwich.

The art is passable, but not overly impressive. To be honest, this is barely recognizable as Ron Garney’s work. I usually love his pencils, as I do on his current Thor run. This seems oddly rushed. Perhaps the inking isn’t a good fit? Adrian Alphona comes on for the last few issues, but the art looks dreamlike and inconsistent with the earlier issues.

This is an EVIL version an old favorite. I think reading library copies is the way to go here. 

Nova v1: Origin HC

Wow. Was I wrong about this comic!

I’m a huge Richard Rider fan, so this book was not going to be my speed, no matter what. Heck, I love Ed McGuinness’ artwork, but I knew that this wasn’t going to be a comic I could get behind, because I want more from Rich, not some new kid Sam Alexander.

Then I heard from some guys at my comic store that this was a pretty kid-friendly comic, so I decided to read it with my almost 9-year-old and my 6 six-year old daughters. Oh my lord, did they love it. They even requested to read new issues of Nova over new issues of Adventure Time, so you know they loved it.

The art is fantastic, as you’d expect. This thing looks like a cartoon come to life. And it functions as a great intro to cosmic Marvel, with Gamorra and Rocket Raccoon both showing up multiple times. I also like the way Jeph Loeb uses the Watcher. That guy is totally interfering now, he barely even hides it!

The villains are the Chitauri, the alien race from the Avengers film. McGuinness does a nice job keeping both the aliens and their “whale ships” looking on-model. That was another plus for my daughters; they felt they knew the villains already.

Loeb does a masterful job mixing in “normal” kid problems like school, parents, and siblings. Sam is a really well fleshed out character. Both of my girls are extremely taken with him. And that hopeful close to the book? Perfect. That’s what comics should be delivering.

And now my daughters are calling Sam “their Nova” and Rich is now “Dad’s Nova.” Oh my goodness, when did I get on the wrong side of history. (And Loeb, not even a shout out to old Richard Rider? C’mon now!)

This Nova for the next generation is GOOD!

X-Men Legacy v1: Prodigal TPB

I think I can sift through potential readers for this title with only a sentence or two. If you like the idea of a creature called Tyrrannix the Abominoid, if you want to hear him lisp “Mine is the power of telepathy,” then this is going to be a good book for you.

Simon Spurrier isn’t reinventing the wheel, here, but he is telling a strange, offbeat story different than anything else on the stands. I don’t recall having strong feelings on his writing either way, but after seeing how strong his voice is in this collection, I think I’ll be keeping an eye out.

After years focusing on the X-Men team, then on Rogue, X-Men Legacy now stars David Haller: Legion. The character makes sense with this title, and while I still don’t count Legion as a favorite character, there is no debating that this book is filled with intriguing concepts.

In order to harness the many powers at his disposal, Legion has always had a big disadvantage; Legion is a split personality, with each personality exhibiting a different power set. After months of training at a weird retreat for psychics, Legion has created a mental prison. A construct that allows him to utilize one power at time, while keeping his other personalities locked up in mental “cells.” They don’t like this, of course, and things go smoothly for only a few pages.

This book kicks off after Professor X died during AvX, and his death shakes Legion to his core. And frees his many personalities. For the rest of the collection, Legion is hiding from his alternate selves, but trying to grab them in order to use their powers. It’s a weird game of cat-and-mouse where the roles are constantly reversed.

Spurrier uses young X-Man Blindfold quite a bit; it seems she’s got a destiny tied to Legion. There are some nice reveals tied to both characters, and a disturbing new villain with familial ties to Blindfold. Again, I could barely process what was going on, but the sharp, witty tone throughout makes it work.

Tan Eng Huat and Jorge Molina share the art duties in the first six issues. Huat reigns in his madness a bit, but this still doesn’t look like any other book on the stands. Fans of Chris Bachalo and other impressionistic artists might dig this style, but I preferred the more straightforward super heroic work from Molina.

This is another book that falls in the FAIR category. I’m not sure I’ll ever re-read it. It isn’t a modern classic. But Spurrier is weaving an inventive, odd ball tale here, and I want to see where it goes. 

Cable & X-Force v1: Wanted TPB

I’m sorry. I just don’t buy it. The premise of this book is that Cable puts together a team of “outlaw” mutants. Motivated by apocalyptic visions of the future, Cable needs to head off the next mutant disaster before it strikes. For some reason, he thinks that he can’t tell the X-Men, SHIELD, or anyone else. And when things go sour, he still feels that being on the run and not clearing up the situation is the best choice.

It just doesn’t work. I can’t buy it. It’s too bad, because Dennis Hopeless puts together a fun team, and he’s got a good handle on their disparate personalities. Forge hasn’t been this cool in years, I’ve missed the guy. Domino and Colossus are favorites of mine, so seeing them pair up and find a bit of happiness together is a brilliant move. I really like the way Hope and Cable work through their father-daughter issues in terms of guns and survival training. Heck, even the weird outbreak they have to stop is pretty neat and dramatic!

One weakness for the book is the lack of a clear antagonist. There is some sort of shadowy manipulation going on, but there isn’t enough of a mastermind or common foe to give the book much direction. That directly plays into my other problem with the book; the pacing. It takes three issues for Colossus to even show up. He’s the reason I tried the first two issues off the shelf, that’s too long for arguably the biggest name on the team. Hopeless just isn’t getting there fast enough for me. I’m not even certain that the end of the trade qualifies as a cliffhanger. It’s more like the mutants are just hanging out on the run.

It is too bad. Salvador LaRocca is an artist who I’ve liked for years and years, ever since his Ghost Rider days. This is more in the digital style of his Iron Man work, but the guy is a talented artist. I just wish he got to draw the characters doing a bit more comic book fisticuffs. When the characters do get to cut loose, it looks great. There just needs to be more.

Good art and solid characterization can’t overcome a lack of momentum in the plot. This comic is EVIL. 

Marvel Solicits for August 2013

Nope, not even Art Adams can save that
Cap costume!

Marvel is getting all my money these days, and August seems likely to keep the streak alive. Here is what caught my eye! 

INFINITY #1 (of 6)
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • JIM CHEUNG (A)
Cover by ADAM KUBERT
Blank Variant Also Available
Design Variant by JEROME OPEÑA
Generals Variant by IN-HYUK LEE
Hero Variant by ARTHUR ADAMS
Hero Sketch Variant by ARTHUR ADAMS
Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
The oversized kickoff to the year’s most anticipate Blockbuster summer event, changing the way you view the Marvel Universe!
• The outbreak of war on two fronts: Earth and Space, with our heroes torn between them.
• The world-shattering return of Thanos!
• Includes material from FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: INFINITY
56 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
Retailers: Check the Marvel Mailer for news on Infinity Launch Parties!

Geez, I want to like this, but Hickman’s work is almost always too complicated for me. Hearing that this will be a huge, sprawling crossover like Fear Itself doesn’t make me think this concept will be any simpler. 

AVENGERS #17
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A)
Cover by LEINIL YU
“ALL QUIET”
The Avengers recruit more members to deal with the soon-arriving threat to Earth.
The Builders enter the Marvel Universe.
The Finale of the Prelude to INFINITY: Part Four.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

17 issues in, and we’re just finishing the PRELUDE? Seriously? That’s insane, right? And the worst part is, I have no idea what the current story is even about!  

AVENGERS ARENA #13 & 14
CHRISTOS GAGE & DENNIS HOPELESS (W)
KARL MOLINE & KEV WALKER (A)
#13 COVER BY KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
#14 COVER BY MIKE DEODATO JR.
#14 8-bit Variant by MATTHEW WAITE
TWO KEY ISSUES: THE HUNT FOR THE MISSING TEENS! PLUS: THE START OF OUR NEXT BIG ARC “BOSS LEVEL!”
• Issue #13: Hank Pym searches for the kidnapped Avengers Academy students…by the special guest creative team of AVENGERS ACADEMY’s Christos Gage and Karl Moline!
• Issue #14: It begins here, the last story arc of Season One! The contestants have fought one another, now can they put aside their feuds and battle Arcade?
32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$2.99 (EACH)

Sold! Christos Gage gets to come in and clean up after Avengers Academy, plus it stars Hank Pym! This has me even more certain that Avengers Arena is going to end up being a virtual reality deal. No way would they kill off all these characters. 

AVENGERS A.I. #2
SAM HUMPHRIES (W) • ANDRE LIMA ARAUJO (A)
Cover by DAVE MARQUEZ
ARTIST VARIANT BY ED MCGUINNESS
• The return of the Sentient Iron Man armor!
• Dimitrios -- a powerful super-intelligence with an axe to grind against humanity -- strikes...!
• What secrets does the powerful Alexis hold for the Marvel Universe? Is it your bank account balance, your email password, your secret journal entries?
• There’s nothing about your life that artificial intelligence cannot use against you! BEWARE!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

I like the concept and the team, but I’m not sold on Sam Humphries yet. Is his stuff any good? Too bad that sweet Sean Chen-designed Iron Man armor is evil now! And why the heck is Jocasta not on this team? 

HUNGER #2 (of 4)
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV (W) • LEONARD KIRK (A)
Cover by ADI GRANOV
• The fallout from AGE OF ULTRON rips open a dangerous rift in the universe!
• Prepare for a hunger so strong, that no universe is safe.
• Is this the beginning of the end?
• All the details will be revealed when Age of Ultron #10 hits stands everywhere!
• PREVIOUSLY SOLICITED UNDER THE CLASSIFIED NAME OF AGE OF ULTRON #10 UC
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Galactus, is that you? I mean, “Hunger” in purple, who else could it be? Is Fialkov a big enough name to get a Galactus story this soon, though? 

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #2
CHRISTOPHER YOST (W) • MARCO CHECCETTO (A)
Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
SIBLING RIVALRY BEGINS HERE!
• Because you demanded it! Parker versus Parker! The Superior Spider-Man Versus Scarlet Spider!
• Kaine has come to New York to check on Peter’s ‘superior’ behavior, not realizing Doc Ock has taken over Peter’s life. But Ock sure knows who Kaine is...Kaine, the man who once KILLED Doctor Octopus. And now it’s payback time.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

I’ve said it many times; this book is Marvel Team-Up. I’m legally obligated to support team-up books. Plus, look at that cover! I’m not happy I have to follow the story over to Scarlet Spider, though. I don't think I'm going to do it. I’ve been ignoring Kaine for a long time; I’m not going to stop now!

ROCKET RACCOON: TALES FROM HALF-WORLD
BILL MANTLO (W) • MIKE MIGNOLA (A)
Cover by Steve McNiven
• Relive the early adventures of the furry, feisty breakout star of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY!
• Captain of the starship Rack ’n’ Ruin, chief ranger of Halfworld, Rocket protects the Keystone Quadrant!
• When the Toy War erupts, Rocket and his first mate Wal Russ must team with Bucky O’Hare!
• Can they triumph over killer clowns, defeat Lord Dyvyne and Judson Jakes, and cure Halfworld’s insane population, the Loonies?
• Oh, and Rocket’s a talking raccoon from outer space. We mentioned that, right?
• Collecting ROCKET RACCOON #1-4.
104 PGS./Rated T …$7.99

Just make sure Bill Mantlo makes money off this, OK Marvel?

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #6
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & NEIL GAIMAN (W) • SARA PICHELLI (A/C)
VARIANT Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
• The blockbuster new series hits hard as Marvel’s newest superstar Angela comes right for the Guardians!
• Round one is Gamora versus Angela…with an entire universe at stake!
• All that and comics legend Neil Gaiman joins the award-winning Ultimate Spider-Man team of Bendis and Pichelli in this one-of-a-kind comic book event!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I like the design, and I’m intrigued by Angela joining the Marvel U. But aren’t her powers pretty close to Gamorra? Two sword-gals on the same team seems to be above quota, doesn’t it?

IRON MAN #14
KIERON GILLEN (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)
MORE MIND-BLOWING REVELATIONS AS “THE SECRET ORIGIN OF TONY STARK” CONTINUES!
• Free at last, all IRON MAN has to do is fight a robot who can take over his armor at any time and avoid one of the universe’s greatest bounty-hunters...DEATH’S HEAD.
• An impossible choice at the edge of space will decide the fate of two worlds. Who lives? Who dies?
• And can TONY STARK somehow find a way to avoid his destiny...
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

What is it about Iron Man? I absolutely love any cover where he’s in a tight spot. Even Greg Land can knock it out of the park! 

FEARLESS DEFENDERS #8
CULLEN BUNN (W)
WILLIAM SLINEY (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
• New costume! New arc! New status quo I still won’t tell you about!
• Misty kicked ass in Valkyrie’s world, now it’s time to see how Valkyrie fairs in Misty’s.
• Guest staring Elsa Bloodstone!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This book has not been as good as I’d hoped, but man, the covers are wonderful. Love the new costume for Valkyrie too.

 DAREDEVIL #30

MARK WAID (W) • CHRIS SAMNEE (A/C)
• When soars the Silver Surfer!
• What weird menace unites Daredevil with the Cosmic Rider of the Spaceways?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

If that cover doesn’t get you excited about comic books, we can’t be friends anymore. 

WOLVERINE #8
PAUL CORNELL (W) • ALAN DAVIS (A/C)
Artist Variant by TBD
8-bit VARIANT Cover by MATTHEW WAITE
PART ONE OF KILLABLE!
• It all starts here, the biggest Wolverine event in years!
• Wolverine thinks a cure has been found…but it’s in Wakanda, where he’s not exactly a welcome guest!
• Meanwhile, Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. are working on even bigger problems that Wolverine might have caused.
• Guest-starring Storm and Black Panther!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

Same as above. This is what comic books are all about!  Black Panther fighting Wolverine drawn by Alan Davis is a gift to the world! That’s a lot of pressure for Paul Cornell!

AVENGERS: ENDLESS WARTIME OGN-HC
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Penciled by MIKE MCKONE
Cover by MIKE MCKONE
The first in a series of all-new original graphic novels! An abomination, long thought buried, has resurfaced in a war-torn land. But now it wears an American flag. Faced with another nightmare reborn, Captain America will not stand for yet more death at the hands of a ghost from his past. Haunted by his greatest shame, Thor must renew the hunt for a familiar beast. At their side, an assemblage of allies united to end the threats no one of them could face alone. They are soldiers. Warriors. Comrades-in-arms. Mighty heroes led by a living legend, stronger together than apart. They are the Avengers.
120 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-8467-6
Trim size: oversized

I’m tempted to pick this up in hardcover, but Ellis is a real love-or-hate writer for me. I might need to see how snarky the tone is before I buy this one.

Obviously, I’m much more interested in Marvel’s books than DC these days. They seem to be leveraging their characters in a much more effective manner. (Seriously, Two Gun Kid and Iron Man’s sentient armor in the same month? The Impossible Man in FF?) Most of their artists are longtime favorites, and while the core Infinity story hasn’t intrigued me so far, the X-universe and the 2nd tier titles are rocking. I will be buying a ton of Marvel books in August. Clearly, these solicitations are GOOD.

(But let me leave you with one word of advice. DO NOT BUY THE AGE OF ULTRON COLLECTION. You will regret it!)

Captain America #4

Let me boast for a moment. I read comics to my two daughters all the time, and since they are getting their comics filtered through me, they are exposed to weird characters and books that aren’t usually the top draw. I know that I’m doing the right thing, because when my five-year-old saw the cover to Captain America #4, she said “Is that Big Barda?” So not only does my daughter know who Barda is, but that means that John Romita Jr’s attempt to design a Kirby-esque character certainly succeeded.

I give Rick Remender and Marvel a lot of credit. This isn’t exactly a guarantee for sales. Since the relaunch, Cap has been exiled to another dimension, aged 11 years, and grown an Arnim Zola faceplate in his chest. The story is self-contained and new-reader friendly, but man, this isn’t a book someone would pick up off the street and “get.”

So yeah, Cap is looking mighty haggard after 11 years and constant fighting against Zola’s influence on his psyche. I like the addition of Cap’s Mom to his mythos. I don’t think I’ve seen much of her before; now she’s the one who instilled Cap with his sense of honor and moral fortitude.

It will also be interesting seeing if Ian ends up being added to Cap’s supporting cast. (How weird is it that Captain America and Batman both got crazy artificial sons recently.) Jet Black has the look to go places too; that Kirby design totally works. I still think that this is going to all be wiped out in an alternate world or something, but I hope Jet Black makes it back to the Marvel U.

Man, John Romita Jr. I love his monsters; he’s been drawing fantastic creatures for decades now. He’s the perfect artist for this. He can deliver the period stuff too, the 1930’s materials is dramatic and effective. I won’t lie, I’m looking forward to seeing JRJR do some more straightforward super-heroics, but for now, seeing Arnim Zola’s monsters will do.

Good

Uncanny X-Men #1

I lasted a week before I gave in. I had planned on passing on this one since I’m not a huge fan of Bendis’ pacing. But the leaded “traitor” and the chance to see Cyclops as a hero convinced me.

Unfortunately, the issue is narrated by Magneto. And he is not a believer in Cyclops these days. Magneto’s powers are messed up, Cyke killed Professor X, and Cyclops won’t take the time to get himself retrained with his new power set. But I’m not buying it. Magneto is either playing a long con and still loyal to Cyclops, or he’s being manipulated by Professor X’s brainwaves or something. At least, that’s what I’m hoping. I’ve loved the Magneto and Cyclops relationship; I bet Bendis isn’t going to tear it down easily.

I do like the way Bendis is putting together the new Uncanny X-Men. We’ve got Magneto plus four of the Phoenix 5. The only guy missing is Colossus, and I actually would like to see him show up here. I think the team needs some more support from the other X-Men, but I understand that is coming. For now, it is pretty cool seeing some of the new mutants buying in to Cyclops’ vision for mutantkind. I also love that the new mutants call him “Professor.”

I wasn’t sold on Cyclops’ new costume, but Chris Bachalo sells it. Cyclops looks awesome, especially on his propaganda-style pages where we see him as a champion of mutant equality. Bachalo has a habit of drawing his women way too young, and he does it again here. Emma Frost doesn’t really look like herself, although I do dig her costume. Magik looks closer to the right age, and I dig the gigantic sword! Let’s add in a couple more “classic” X-Men or crazier costumes on the new mutants, and this book will be all set.

Good

Avengers #6

After the strangely abbreviated three-issue arc against Ex Nihilo, Jonathan Hickman has gone back to introduce us to his new Avengers. After seeing three, I have to rank them Smasher, Hyperion, Captain Universe. Captain Universe has an absolutely tragic origin that goes a long way towards making the character relatable, but in the end, she’s too powerful. I can’t really connect to a character that is talking about the start of the universe and refers to herself as the “mother” of creation. How is any villain ever going to challenge the team while she’s on it?

And it stinks, because the tragedy facing the current Captain is awful and a great seed for future stories. I even like the way the Captain Universe presence is sort of protecting Tamara from her own past. It just makes for a slow-paced issue.

I am warming up to Hickman’s portrayal of Cannonball and Sunspot. They haven’t done much, but seeing them bristle after dealing with the Superior Spider-Man is a great moment. I also love Ock’s amazement at the lack of respect Spider-Man gets with the Avengers. When Peter gets back, he better get mending fences.

Adam Kubert delivers another beautiful issue. The Universe-based stuff is hard to pull off, but he does it. He also imbues Tamara with a great sense of brokenness, a clear necessity for the character. He does fail to make Cannonball and Sunspot’s new costumes work, though. Someone needs to fix those fast!

The big cliffhanger is the lead in to the New Universe stuff that’s been rumored for a few months. I never really followed much of the New Universe. I’ve read DP7, but at the time, the only book I actually collected was Spitfire and the Troubleshooters! Something tells me those folks won’t be showing up!

Fair

Indestructible Hulk #3

Clearly my Hulk-fu is lacking, because I have no idea who this Quintronic Man is. But Mark Waid does what he does best and reintroduces the concept in a fantastic new way. AIM’s plan to put a new pilot in the suit along with the corpses of the old co-pilots? That’s brilliant stuff and an idea that is remarkably spooky and exciting at the same time.

For me, Waid is striking the perfect balance between destructive heroics and the development of Bruce Banner: Agent of SHIELD. I like seeing Banner putting together a team of rogue scientists; they’ve all got good potential as a new supporting cast. But I come to this book for the punching, and Waid has made sure there is plenty in each issue.

And man, am I glad AIM is involved. I love my super villain techies, and by getting them involved, this feels like Hulk has been dropped into an ongoing SHIELD story. Maria Hill is still handling all the cases she normally would, but now she’s got a Hulk.

Leinil Yu’s art is so much fun. He’s got a fairly realistic vibe, but the more I see the Hulk’s armor, the more of a Kirby vibe I’m getting off it. I also think Yu might be, ah, scaling back Maria Hill’s chest. She was really out there in issue 1; I think this portrayal is a bit more in line with other artists’ interpretations.

Good

Captain America #3

Wow, this really is a pretty drastic shift in tone from Ed Brubaker’s run, huh?

I have liked just about all of Rick Remender’s output over the last few years, and I like his Cap, too. But I’m not liking it as much as I thought I would. I’m not sure jumping into an alien dimension story is the right way to kick off a relaunch like this. The tone and feeling in issue 1, where Cap was facing the Green Skull and then dealing with long-time foe Arnim Zola is more what I was hoping for from this book.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that Arnim Zola is getting this spotlight and that the bio-fanatic is such a threat for Cap. But this is the second issue where Zola has been a more off-screen presence than on, and where the main antagonists are big, weird-looking creatures drawn by John Romita Jr.

This issue quickly establishes a bond between Cap and an alien family so that there will be some resonance when the family suffers a loss. It’s just too quick and too alien to have a huge impact. I understand a fair amount of time passes in those few pages, but it’s not enough to make the reader get too wound up.

Of course, the final page reveal shows what Remender has had up his sleeve this whole time. Cap has picked up more than an adopted son during his travels around Dimension Z, and Romita really sells the horror on Cap’s face and the triumph on Zola’s. I’m very excited to see Cap facing down some villains that don’t look like Romita’s Limbo demons from Inferno, and this final cliffhanger gives me hope that is coming.

Fair

Iron Man #5

Wow, that new Eli character looks an awful lot like Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane, doesn’t he? I mean, it took me a few pages to realize that wasn’t who he was. Weird! Was that by design from Kieron Gillen or Greg Land, or a simply a coincidence?

Gillen doesn’t have much time to deal with the last Extremis packet; it felt like about half the book dealt with setting up the next status quo. I’m OK with the last challenge not being that great, since the other packets all involved solid fisticuffs. But I was expecting a bit more fallout and follow-up on Maya Hansen’s death and the future use of Extremis. But again, there was little time for that as Stark refocuses to his next arc. This awkward close makes the pacing of the entire first arc seem off.

I have to wonder if this is what Gillen had planned when he took over this book. We got about 5 issues of “modular” Iron Man in two months’ time, and now Iron Man is rocketing off into space to join the Guardians of the Galaxy. In new red and gold armor. I was really enjoying the retro-feel of Iron Man with a trailer full of parts, so I’m a bit bummed that we seem to be moving on from that already.

I don’t think Tony Stark will work that well as a space-based character, so I’m pretty curious to see how many issues have to be spent out in deep space. Again, I understand Bendis wanted Iron Man in Guardians of the Galaxy, so Stark has to get out there, but wow, that choice is totally going to play havoc with the core title. It will be interesting to see if I like the book as much after the locale shifts.

Land doesn’t get a ton of dynamic work to do here, although I do like the giant arm he puts on Iron Man’s spacesuit. The problem with all these modular designs is that they are all reminiscent of Bob Layton’s fantastic alternate armors from my childhood. Stealth, space, Hulkbuster, these things have all been around for a long time, but the past versions stood out a bit more as unique and original. I enjoy seeing the modifications and it sets up a great limitation for storytelling purposes, but a bit more variation in design would have been nice.

Fair

All-New X-Men #4

This is more like it. It took three issues, but Bendis addresses a lot of my concerns in this chapter. The Kid X-Men face off against their older selves and then promptly return to the X-Mansion. This story was never going to be as strong if the kids were out in the world hiding from the X-Men. The whole structure of the book is the tease of seeing the young mutants interacting with their older peers (and older selves). 

I’m still not sure what Cyclops’ status is. I will admit I’m excited to see him leading the Brotherhood, but he needs some more “classic” X-Men to side with him or else Cyke is going to end up looking like the bad guy. I don’t think that’s the intent. Cyclops is a flawed, possibly broken man, but I think he’s still a hero. (Magik? I’m not so sure.)

There is no way that Bendis is going to walk onto this book and kill the Beast, right? Hank McCoy doesn’t look good at the close of this issue, and I’ve heard rumors of an original X-Man dying. I suppose it could be young Hank, but don’t ask me how that would work. Plus, I thought Beast was on the New Avengers taking Charles Xavier’s place?

Stuart Immonen stacked the deck last issue. By adding the new “swirl effect” to modern Cyclops’ blast, he’s guaranteed a way to make battles between the two Cyclops’ will remain clear. Is it me, or is the lack of sound effects a tad disappointing. I want some classic “Zapt” and other Cyclops sound effects, at least from the kid! Immonen’s artwork is beautiful and striking on its own, but some nice sound effects would really drive home the “out of their time” era of the original X-Men! 

Good

Captain America #2

Let’s start with the art. Rick Remender is writing the perfect story for his artist. John Romita Jr. has been drawing demons and monsters since I was a kid. His Daredevil and X-Men runs were filled with Blackheart’s devils and the demons of Limbo. So that means that drawing Arnim Zola’s genetic mutants are about the perfect use of his talents. 

The creatures in Dimension Z are sporting some fantastic exoskeletons and crazy whisker/face prong things. We don’t see a ton of the monsters here, but the ones we get are good ones, and Remender’s dialogue has me hoping for more. 

As I finished this issue, I was trying to figure out why I’m enjoying this story, but I didn’t care for Rogue’s solo adventure in the crazy dimension during AvX. I think it boils down to stakes. Cap is protecting Ian, a new character, Arnim Zola’s child, and Cap’s constant worry and protectiveness makes Ian important to the reader. It all happens in one issue, thanks to sped-up comic time, but man, I already worry for the kid!

Another strength is the self-reliance of Captain America. Cap has got his shield and his skills, so even if Zola has weakened Steve Rogers, he can still get by. He’s been surviving in this dimension for a year. Rogue’s powers are more passive by nature, and setting her up in a solo story just doesn’t fit as well.

Remender drops his first hint about Hank Pym’s new job as tech supplier for Cap. If this is the only home Pym has in Marvel Now, I hope we get to see him soon!

Good

Avengers #2

Thank goodness Jonathan Hickman took mercy on me and told me who Manifold is. I’ve actually read a bunch of Secret Warriors issues, but other than Quake, I don’t think I could recognize any of the Caterpillars. I do like that Hickman gets to graduate a pet character, that’s always fun to see. 

Hickman flashes back to let the reader in on the recruiting process for this “Bigger” Avengers line-up. This issue sticks with mostly established characters. Manifold, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Captain Marvel, Sunspot, Falcon, and Cannonball each have unique reasons for joining. Some heroes, like Dr. Strange and Luke Cage, seem to have reasons not to join. (Who else thinks Luke Cage is about to open up a new Heroes for Hire franchise?)

It’s not surprising to see the classic Avenger types returning, but I think I’m most excited by Sunspot and Cannonball joining up. These two have the potential to be the Wonder Man and Beast of our time; they are clearly going to relish their time in the spotlight.

Ex Nihilo and his crew deliver some classic super-villain monologues to the captured Avengers on Mars, too. Nihilo does have a method behind his madness, and his “affection” for Earth makes him feel even more like a modern High Evolutionary. That robot dude reminds me of the one in Kieron Gillen’s short-lived SWORD series. 

Jerome Opena has some interesting takes on a couple of these guys. Hulk is very monkey-like, and his Captain America looks uncomfortable in that new suit. I still can’t stand Captain Marvel’s haircut, that weird swoop makes her look like Elvis. The creatures look great, as do the new villains. I also like Opena’s Wolverine; not surprising since he drew the character so long in X-Force. 

This book is still trucking along, with a lot of character building and plot movement this issue. It’s light on actual action, but that’s OK. This is an origin story.

Good