Fantastic Four v2: Original Sin TPB

What the heck. James Robinson has been hiding some core Marvel U comics in plain sight in this comic. Much like his solid work on New Invaders, this is classic Marvel U stuff here. Robinson has plumbed the depths of continuity in the DCU for decades, but he is proving equally adept at doing it in the Marvel U. I mean, this trade has the Sharon Ventura She-Thing, for heaven’s sake. I certainly never thought I’d see that character again! And she actually mentions Unlimited Class Wrestling! Mark Gruenwald would be thrilled!

The poor FF have had a rough go of it over the years. It seems they are constantly being split up, tossed out of their headquarters, and then struggling to get back together. I’m not sure who the evil mastermind is behind all of this yet, but whoever it is, they have good taste in flunkies. The Wizard, the Frightful Four, SHIELD, and even the Avengers all show up to make things miserable for the FF. Of course, Robinson uses this as a chance to show off just how powerful the Invisible Woman really is. How great is it that the character has been portrayed as so frigging powerful for the past few years?

I also really enjoy the mini-crossover Robinson’s got going on. He leverages his work in New Invaders to use the original Human Torch as a supporting character in this title. Jim Hammond has the same quiet dignity and honor in this book as in the Invaders. The Torch is in charge of looking after the Future Foundation kids while SHIELD looks at the FF’s legal standing, and Hammond’s integrity in the role is refreshing. He continually stands up to SHIELD’s bureaucracy and does the right thing. It is good stuff.

I realize I’m skipping over the “original sin” portion of the story, but frankly, that is the least interesting part of this collection. After all these years, seeing that Johnny Storm ruined one of Ben Grimm’s chances at humanity just doesn’t catch my interest anymore!

Marc Laming and Leonard Kirk are amongst the artists on this run, and they do a great job keeping the book looking like classic Marvel. Even with tweaks and updates, everyone’s costumes are immediately recognizable. The Wizard and his new Frightful Four look ready for inclusion in a Marvel Handbook.

It bums me out that sales haven’t been stellar on this run. It really is action in the Mighty Marvel Manner. Unfortunately, since I’m reading this on Marvel Unlimited, I guess I am part of the problem. It is a GOOD comic though!

Original Sin: Hulk vs. Iron Man TPB

Mark Waid and Kieron Gillen wrapped up their run on two Marvel icons in a strange way. Departing Hulk and Iron Man, respectively, the last big story by the authors involved tying in to the Marvel crossover Original Sin. Unfortunately, I’d say that my opinion of this series is the same as the runs that these creators had on their books. Good concepts, solid execution, but the story never really hooked me.

The sin that comes to light in this story is that Tony Stark may have tinkered with the original gamma bomb. Was Stark responsible for Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk? (Spoilers: No.) There are some neat narrative tricks here. The best is that Stark can’t remember what he actually did the night before the gamma test because he had been drinking so heavily. So he has to use an assortment of technological aids to try to recreate just what happened all those years ago.

While this is happening, the Hulk is hunting down Tony Stark. It’s always fun seeing Hulk rip through Iron Man armor, and that holds in this collection. I also enjoyed the spin of this being an Extremis-focused Hulk. Thanks to Tony Stark’s brother Arno, Hulk is smart AND angry, which is a bad combination.

I am a bit bummed that Kieron Gillen’s Iron Man run sort of petered out in this tie-in mini-series rather than in the core title. I didn’t collect this as it came out, so it almost seemed like Gillen’s story just faded rather than going out with a bang like it deserved. The Iron Metropolitan city, Arno Stark, the black and gold armor… these are all dangling threads that could have used stronger conclusions.

Mark Bagley is one of the MVPs of the Marvel bullpen, and he pulls his weight again. It’s not a tough sell to draw Hulk fighting different Iron Man suits, but it isn’t guaranteed to look this good. I especially enjoyed seeing Bagley’s take on the black and gold suit. I’ll miss that one, the current white suit just doesn’t do it for me.

This is a FAIR comic. Perfectly fine, but an odd place to tuck away story conclusions that should have gone down in the core titles.

New Invaders v2: Original Sin TPB

James Robinson is really impressing me on this title. It might say Invaders on the title, but Robinson is putting a lot of the focus on the under-used original Human Torch. Jim Hammond is a fascinating character with a ton of potential, and Robinson is really proving to have a nice handle on the character.

Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and Winter Soldier all appear on a fair number of the pages, but make no mistake; this is Jim Hammond’s book. When a super-powered pop star goes rogue, it is the Torch who tracks down her secret past and the “sin” of the original Invaders that did the original damage. Torch takes the blame like a champ, too. It is neat seeing how Robinson is writing the Torch so consistently in both his titles (this and Fantastic Four).

Not satisfied with the Kree and the original Invaders, Robinson tosses even more elements of classic Marvel in to the mix with Deathlok and the cyborg’s secret master. I won’t ruin it (although I think recent covers have), but this might end up being a pretty big tie in to a lot of clues found in Bendis titles over the past few years. Marvel has used these aliens for years, but their best role was definitely in the 1970’s title Killraven. I’m sure he’ll show up soon.

But for now, there are a legion of Deathloks taking on the Invaders. I was never a Luthor Manning guy (more of a Michael Collins deadhead, you know), but Robinson makes it easy to cheer for the mind-controlled, undead soldier. I also have to wonder about the psychopathic Deathlok that Jason Aaron used in his X-Men and Wolverine run.

One of the coolest choices in this book is the new Human Torch uniform that Marc Laming and Steve Pugh use for Hammond once he joins up with SHIELD. It is almost the same as the Super Soldier (or Nick Fury) suit, with the primary-colored shirt with a big logo on the front. Hammond’s has a flame (obviously) and the SHIELD logo on the sleeves. I hadn’t really thought about it before this, but the original Human Torch would look great on screen, wouldn’t he?

One complaint that keeps this book from being EXCELLENT is that the story always feels like second fiddle. Perhaps it is my resentment of the eternal and boring incursion story from the Avengers titles, but seeing Namor treat this book like it isn’t his priority; seeing Cap wrestle with bigger problems on his other team… well, it just makes this title’s stories feel like they don’t matter as much. If this is a relaxing distraction for Namor, how huge can the stakes really be for the reader? That makes this merely a GOOD comic.

Nightcrawler v1: Homecoming TPB

Like many fans my age, I grew up on Chris Claremont X-Men comics. They were just about the apex of my comics experience for years. Eventually, Claremont left and had an eventual triumphant return to the X-titles. The problem was, the books were not good. It certainly seemed that Claremont had lost “it” during his time away. But now, I don’t think that was necessarily the case. That’s because his current run on Nightcrawler shows flashes of that old adventure and fun.

After returning from the dead, Kurt Wagner has some affairs to settle. In addition to taking some time with his X-Men pals, Kurt needs to get in touch with the love of his life, Amanda Sefton. The sorceress is excited to see him, and their reunion goes well, with the exception of repeated attacks by a bunch of weird robots.

The story progresses as Kurt and Amanda meet up with Margoli Szardos, Kurt’s adoptive mother. This leads to a reunion with some low-powered mutants from Nightcrawler’s past. Throughout, Claremont does a nice job re-introducing these older characters for the current audience. I certainly couldn’t remember Margoli or Amanda’s status quo, so I appreciate the reintroduction.

Things do get a bit chaotic and confusing as the story returns to the Jean Grey School. It makes me wonder if Claremont’s greater strength is with solo characters. The best emotional beats and most dramatic moments are all centered on Nightcrawler. The interpersonal drama with the greater X-team isn’t quite as strong.

Todd Nauck’s art is deceptively simplistic. It seems to be so cartoony and elementary, but it tells the story so well. The characters are all on model and the action is well set up. I think the Chris Samnee covers are stunning, which sort of hurts the interior pencils. That doesn’t mean the interiors are weak, but man, imagine seeing Samnee’s Nightcrawler every month.

This is a FAIR comic. It doesn’t affect the greater Marvel U or even the X-Universe, but as a solo feature, this is a fun book. I wish Claremont could have kept this as more of a team-up title; I think that was the strength of the series. 

Iron Fist v1: Rage TPB

Oh man, I tried. I really tried. Kaare Andrews’ art is pretty, make no mistake. But the grim dark tone. The insane violence. And the portrayal of Danny Rand as being a superficial bozo. It’s all too much.

When I got to the cliffhanger where K’un L’un was burned to the ground with bodies and blood everywhere? Yeah, that’s enough for me.

This book is EVIL. I’ll wait for Iron Fist’s next appearance. 

Inhuman v1: Genesis TPB

After reading Charles Soule’s She-Hulk and Death of Wolverine, the guy can really do no wrong with me. That said, I have less than zero interest in the Inhumans as the core protagonists of their own series. Making matters worse, knowing that Marvel is “pushing” these characters so dang hard makes it even harder to really be invested in them. I like the OLD X-Men; I don’t need their corporate-approved replacements, even if it makes sense from a Marvel Cinematic point of view. (For wrestling fans, it is sort of like how I can’t get into Roman Reigns because you just KNOW that WWE has anointed him the next big thing.)

Because let’s be honest with each other, this book is essentially the X-Men. There are some different trappings thanks to Medusa’s royal status, but c’mon. She’s Professor X, reaching out and discovering newly powered people and bringing them back home. She’s got her core team of X-Men in the royal family. And we’ve got newly discovered “mutants” like Inferno.

Oh! Medusa is also racing against an evil Inhuman who is out to gain influence over these newly powered individuals. Just like Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. In just about every way, this is an early-era X-Men comic.

I will admit to being puzzled at the use of the royal family though. None of the new Inhumans have grabbed my interest, yet old faces like Gorgon and Triton really haven’t had much to do. I know Karnak is dead after stupidly killing himself in the Inhumanity one-shot (which was a stupid and short-sighted decision to start with), which doesn’t leave us with a lot of big-time characters to use. Frankly, I think this book would benefit from using Crystal. She’s got a good look and nice power set (although I guess Inferno has the fire part covered). Heck, if Soule could get Quicksilver to make some appearances, that would help too.

Right now, this feels like a bunch of stuff being thrown against the wall to see what sticks. Maybe Inferno will end up being a character I can really get behind, but for now, there are no new Inhumans that I’m rooting for. Now is that my established prejudice against the Inhuman concept? Or is it that Soule hasn’t hit on the right character yet? I’m not sure; all I know is that I’m reading this book waiting to be hooked.

The most obvious strength of this title is Joe Madureira’s art. After all these years, I still love his manga-influenced style. I love the huge shoulders and chiseled chin on his male characters. I love the bubbly bodies on his ladies. His work just screams 90’s comics, and since I dug comics in that time, the fit is a good one for me. I’m not sure if Madureira made the choice or not, but other than Medusa, no one is wearing spandex in this book. That robs Mad of one of his strengths, he is dang good at drawing super-heroes; I feel he’s a tad wasted drawing ugly looking mutants. Sorry! I mean Inhumans!

This book isn’t awful, but man, it sure needs something else to hook me. Right now this FAIR comic is feeling way too forced. 

Cyclops v1: Starstruck TPB

There has got to be a limit to the “teenage X-Men” concept, right? I thought I’d tire of it in the All-New X-Men title, but strangely enough, I haven’t. But I am tiring of it here. It is not that I don’t like the ongoing adventures of teenage Scott Summers and his dad (Corsair). It is that I’d much rather see the “real” Cyclops having these moments to bond. This seems like such an odd exercise…

That said, this isn’t a bad comic. Corsair is such a fun character, it is hard to make him uninteresting. Even better, Greg Rucka tackles Corsair’s two largest problems head-on. First of all, how the heck are we supposed to root for this guy who never went back and checked in on the sons he left behind? Didn’t this guy have any sort of connection or conscience after his alien abduction? And second, isn’t Corsair supposed to be dead? It has been a long time, but I swear that Ed Brubaker killed him during his run on X-Men. But here he is, alive and well and leading the Starjammers once again. Both problems are addressed. The death issue isn’t an insurmountable one, and in Rucka’s hands, resurrection can lead to some interesting new character flaws.

This is almost strictly a sci-fi comic. Other than a few Marvel U trappings (brief appearances by the Starjammers, the use of a Badoon spaceship) this could be any father and son series set in outer space. It’s pretty interesting that my main complaint about this book (that it features a confusing past-era version of Scott Summers) is almost totally incidental to the actual plot. Of course, the relationship does color the interaction of the characters; this is Corsair’s second chance at fatherhood. A chance to do it right. But as for the actual plot, the characters’ history is not important at all.

Actually, my favorite thing about this series is the discovery of Russell Dauterman. His art is cartoony but still very kinetic and dramatic. The action is full-on comic book mayhem. I like his work better in the new Thor series, but man, he’s quite the discovery! He’s clearly good at drawing aliens and alien tech, which made him a natural fit for the odd world of Asgardia and Thor.

For me, this is an AVERAGE comic. I’ll keep reading it on the Marvel App, but it isn’t exactly one of my favorites. 

Punisher v2: Border Crossing TPB

Man, the Punisher is such a clear, simple concept. I usually enjoy Punisher comics; he’s a character that almost every writer can write about for at least one story.

Some of Frank Castle’s most interesting stories are fish-out-of-water tales, and that’s sort of what Nathan Edmondson is doing in this current series. Relocating from New York to L.A., the Punisher is targeting a cartels rather than the mafia, leading to some interesting conflicts. Now, old foes like Electro are still very much a factor, but it is neat seeing Frank mix up his targets.

Putting Frank back in the jungle gets him a bit more in his comfort zone. When the Punisher faces off with a South American drug kingpin, it is mad action and ultra-violence. Most of the conflict is standard Punisher violence fantasy, but Edmondson mixes things up by teaming up the Punisher with some special forces operators. Punisher and the soldiers quickly establish a bond that proves very effective. Showing this connection between military service members is exciting and adds to Castle’s mysterious nobility. When Edmondson shows the lasting impact that the Punisher has on the two operators’ lives, it is even cooler. Punisher’s influence lives on…

Another aspect of the new setting is the ability to play Frank off new and interesting villains. Crossbones is a top-level Captain America villain, but he fits in perfectly to the Punisher’s world of grime and violence. Of course, Crossbones manages to pull out a temporary victory, but the appearance of Punisher’s old buddy Black Widow puts a stop to that.

This current Black Widow feels like a new character compared to the old shorthaired gal in the ‘90s. Unless I’m misremembering, I thought that Castle and the Widow hooked up in the olden days, but there is no chemistry between the two of them during this team up. That said, it could be that these are just two very damaged individuals incapable of showing that level of connection. Thinking about it, that’s a lot cooler of a way to think about it.

Mitchell Gerads' art is fantastic. The art is gritty, dark, and the ink almost drips off the page (like blood). I have no idea if Gerards can work in a “cleaner” style or not, but for this book, I don’t want him to do anything else. Frank’s executioner’s hood is definitely a mask, but in no way does it look like a super-hero mask. Make no mistake, this is an executioner’s hood. Crossbones, Black Widow, and Electro look a tad off-model from their standard Marvel designs, but that’s OK. They are slumming it in Frank’s world, they need to adapt to him.

This is a GOOD comic, and one of my favorite finds on the Marvel Unlimited app. 

Magneto v1: Infamous TPB

I think Cullen Bunn is one of the most confusing writers currently working in comics. Some of his work is just average; I can’t get excited about it. But his work on his creator-owned Sixth Gun is excellent. I’m happy to say that this title shows Bunn’s strengths. This is a fantastic comic.

Seemingly drawing influence from the “Nazi-hunter” concept in X-Men First Class, this series follows Magneto as he hunts down threats to mutant kind all over the world. Now, Magneto is always sort of an angry guy, but he’s on a whole different level here. He is totally dedicated to eradicating threats to his people. This is the same character from Uncanny X-Men, but he’s much more compelling here on his own.

I absolutely love the way he overcomes his current power troubles purely through force of will. (Mags’ powers have been a bit iffy ever since Avengers vs. X-Men.) From sentinel nanotech to smaller and more targeted mutant racism, Magneto really gets things done. And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t thrilling seeing him kill small-minded and evil humans. Magneto has never felt so much like the X-Men’s Punisher.

I know Kevin Walta’s work from his She-Hulk covers, but I had no idea he was this strong at sequential art. The action is top notch, but the facial expressions are tremendous too. I also love the way Walta shows Magneto using his powers. It is clearly a drain on him, but that doesn’t stop Magneto from using metal projectiles in aggressive, violent ways.

This is a GOOD comic. I don’t’ believe it will last a long time, but I’m really enjoying it while it lasts.

Sable & Fortune 1-4 (2006)

Oh Marvel Unlimited. You are going to be a very dangerous application for me. Now that I can discover forgotten limited series like this… well, you can expect some oddball Marvel reviews, that’s all I’m saying.

After reading it, I can see why this series is forgotten. It isn’t that writer Brendan Cahill or artist John Burns do a bad job, it is just that they are hamstrung by their leads. There is a reason that Silver Sable and Dominic Fortune aren’t used more than they are. Sable is by far the stronger character of the two, and she’s strictly C-list.

This is a fairly generic story about sleeper cells and betrayals within the Wild Pack. I can’t really tell who everyone is, and the lack of costumed villains to distinguish people from each other really hurts. Cahill does a nice job with some of Fortune’s dialogue; he’s a lovable rogue constantly in danger. He plays the damsel in distress role while Sable is the butt-kicking action lead. The reversal of traditional roles is amusing, but not enough to give the series enough traction.

I’ve never seen it, but isn’t this what Remington Steele was based on? If so, then this would certainly make for a good Marvel version of that show.

I assume John Burns is a classic artist of 2000 AD or something. (EDIT: Just confirmed, he’s a Judge Dredd artist too.) His art has that British flair that used to pop up in the late 80’s and 90’s, especially on covers. His Silver Sable has a striking look, complete with enormous hair that just screams 80’s action movie. She looks fantastic. Burns’ art is a good enough reason for this to exist. He certainly has fans that must have appreciated this look. That’s how I made this the first book I read with my new Marvel Unlimited subscription.

That gets blown out of the water when Laurenn McCubbin takes over on the last issue. Cut from six issues to four, Burns doesn’t get to finish. McCubbin’s work looks so drastically different that I thought I was reading a different comic. Not to mention the bigger problem; the main villains were all eliminated in issue 3! I honestly couldn’t finish issue 4, that’s how unnecessary it felt.

It is disappointing; this went from a niche project with a targeted appeal to a four issue series that lived one issue too long. This EVIL comic is recommended for Burns fans only.