Digging Up Lost Characters with the Energy Analyzer

The Prowler appearing in Amazing Spider-Man!

Sometimes, Energy Analyzers rediscover lost treasure.

We are in a golden age for lower tier characters from Marvel and DC comics. When I was a kid, one of my favorite things about the greater comic universe was the endless depth chart when it came to guest stars and villains.

These days we have D-Man appearing in Captain America: Sam Wilson. We have Cassie Lang taking on the name of Stinger in Ant-Man (along with Grizzly and Machinesmith!). We have Gilgamesh appearing in Hercules. Doctor Druid, Modred the Mystic, and Thundra are getting quality airtime in Squadron Supreme. Heck, James Robinson even used Sleepwalker in his recent Fantastic Four run! I’m sad to announce that my fave Black Knight’s book was recently cancelled, but at least he headlined for a few months.

(I will say that while I enjoy seeing Gilgamesh appearing in Hercules’ current book, I really miss the fantastic redesign that Daniel Acuna used in the most recent Eternals series.)

Look at Deadpool’s Mercs for Money; it has Stingray, Terror, Foolkiller and more. And Nightwatch was a big part of the recent She-Hulk series. Talk about obscure…

Since every character is just a spit-and-polish away from being an interesting supporting character or possible lead, I’m going to point out some characters that haven’t been used for years and years. I’m going to try to avoid folks who appeared in recent storylines, even if I miss them greatly. Folks like Richard Rider/Nova and Darkhawk fall into this category.

Gilgamesh's short-lived costume.

I’ll lead off my character profiles by making some observations about the characters Costume and Power Set. Unique costumes and great powers will earn more points than generic abilities and boring looks. Characters like D-Man and Amazing Spider-Man’s Prowler prove how easy it is to revamp a character’s look for modern sensibilities. I LOVE that Prowler redesign!

Take note, I will also not let myself be dissuaded by little problems like the character being dead. Comic companies forget who is alive or dead on a constant basis. And if the character was killed off in a little-read book or so quietly that a big nerd like me missed it? Well then that character should pretty much be alive anyway, right? If the character is currently dead, I will decide on the Importance of Death. If no one read it, why should it “stick?” How many times has Grim Reaper been killed off only to show up with no comment? Take note, this will hurt dead characters like Nomad or Black Goliath, who died during widely read runs or crossovers.

D-Man triumphant!

For Marvel characters, I’ll also make a judgment on how easily the characters’ origin could be rewritten to find out if he or she is Really an Inhuman. With inhumans overtaking mutants as the focus of the line, the difference between languishing in obscurity and a triumphant return might come down to whether or not Marvel can retcon the character’s genes!

Finally, we all see that Cosplay Potential is an important part of any character’s popularity these days. Gwenpool, Gwenom, and more are all actual characters basically because of cosplay. So how likely are people to latch onto this forgotten character as a con feature?

The final categories for judging the characters return will be the following. Each category can earn the character up to 20 points towards his or her Return Potential.

Costume:

Power Set:

Importance of Death:

Really an Inhuman?:

Cosplay Changes:

So follow @MrTimbotron on Twitter as I’ll be posting new characters along with a few thoughts as I find them. 

Amazing Spider-Man #1-3

Dan Slott has been writing Spider-Man comics for a long time. And while I faded out a bit during the One More Day era, I have to say I’ve loved everything since Superior Spider-Man a few years ago. Once again, Slott has a new, fresh take on Spider-Man that is different than everything we’ve seen before but that still remains true to the Peter Parker we know and love.

Peter has finally used his brain to get himself rich. Parker Industries is doing big things in the world, and while he isn’t Tony Stark (yet) he’s doing pretty well for himself. Peter has employees, friends, family, and plenty of other supporting characters that should give plenty of opportunities for upcoming stories.

Best of all, Spider-Man almost has a super-team. Spider-Man has been on team books in the past, but he’s rarely the financier and driver behind the story. In this incarnation of the title, Spidey has Mockingbird as a SHIELD liaison and Clash as an employee struggling to give up his costumed identity. Best of all, Hobie Brown, the Prowler, is on the payroll too. The Prowler fits in the book perfectly as both a partner for super-heroics and as a straight man for Spidey’s buffoonery. It never hurts to see the Human Torch either, and playing him against a “friend rival” in Harry Osborne is a great move too. There were multiple times while reading these comics where my daughters and I laughed out loud.

In addition to the high concept and the guest-stars working perfectly, Slott is using one of the best “classic” villain teams in the Marvel U: The Zodiac. Sure, it is a new incarnation, but man, they are already a great team. The Zodiac is presented as a real threat with a large, well-financed organization and a cadre of super-villains at the top. And Slott is knocking their characterization out of the park. He is able to give bosses and flunkies alike delightful personalities in only a few lines of dialogue.

Giuseppe Camuncoli is an artist well-accustomed to Spider-Man, and he shows it. The new Spidey design is just a bit off from the classic look, so I accepted the new look with no reservations. The Zodiac designs are instantly recognizable and striking. I also like the design of the fleet of Spider-based vehicles and gear that Peter is able to show off these days. In fact, on those gorgeous Alex Ross covers, the new costume looks nearly as good as the original!

Good

Silk #1

Of the new Spider-series, my favorite is definitely Silk. I’m not sure if it is set in the regular Marvel U and just makes sense to me, or if it is the sheer joy that Cindy Moon exhibits when she heroes around. Either way, I like Silk, I like Cindy Moon and her secret identity life, and I like how Robbie Thompson is handling both.

For those unfamiliar with her, Cindy Moon/Silk is a new spider-character introduced in Dan Slott’s Spider-Man. Cindy Moon was on the same field trip as Peter Parker in High School, and that spider bit her first. The enigmatic spider-totem Ezekiel hid Cindy in a bunker for years and years. Spidey freed her, and since then she and Peter have had a spider-pheromone infused infatuation with each other. She has also established herself in her own super-identity as Silk.

By day, Cindy Moon works for J. Jonah Jameson at a Fox News analogue. She spends the rest of her time as the vigilante Silk. For a rookie, she’s already got the witty banter down, and she’s cultivating some new super-villains for her rogues’ gallery too.

Cindy is very likable, and her sad life in the bunker hasn’t turned her into a negative person (much like the excellent Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix!). In fact, one of my favorite things in this first issue is that Cindy has a really tough time dealing with people being around. She can’t take it after spending so many years alone in her bunker. At the close of the issue, she decides that the pre-paid bunker is actually still her home, and she returns. How interesting is that?

Stacy Lee’s art has way too much of an anime vibe for me, but again, like many of the current relaunches, I’m pretty sure I’m not the target audience. The art fits the story but the contrast with Dave Johnson’s fantastic cover is a bit jarring for me.

Of the spider-launches, this is my favorite. This is a GOOD comic starring a likable heroine in the mainstream Marvel U. It is good stuff! 

Spider-Gwen #1

I know next to nothing about Spider-Gwen. In Spider-Verse, Gwen had a featured role, but there wasn’t a whole lot of character development for her. In the new series, Jason Latour gives us a lot more, but it is clearly picking up from a series or one-shot that I haven’t read. For example, Gwen spends a lot of time dealing with a rock band called the Mary Janes, but I have no idea who they are or what the history is. Latour does a nice job catching me up, but this doesn’t exactly feel like a first issue.

To be honest, I could have used a tad more explanation that this was an alternate Earth. I mean, I know this Vulture is different than the one we know. I see that Ben Grimm is a cop instead of being the Thing. But there are so many subtle (or not-subtle) callouts to the regular Marvel U, it did limit how invested I got in this comic.

The whole tone of this comic is definitely along the lines of DC’s Batgirl of Burnside relaunch. That goes for the art too. Robbi Rodriguez’s art is very stylized and modern, not done in the normal Marvel style. It is fine but not exactly for me. That said, I love Rodriguez’s design on the Spider-Gwen costume. That is a striking, excellent design.

Like many other current and upcoming comics, I’m pretty sure I’m not the target audience for this comic. Hey, I hope folks dig it, but I’m probably going to pass on picking up the next issues. 

12 Days of X-Mas: X-Force #4

Here we go! Rob Liefeld must have been focused on this issue for the past few months, because this book looks a ton better than issues 2 and 3. The horizontal layout challenge must have been a fun one, because Liefeld’s art hasn’t looked this good since issue 1. Sure, Cable is still wearing that absolutely atrocious metal armor with the prongs; and Cable’s thighs are still unbelievably huge, but almost everything else in this book looks better than the last two books.

Liefeld’s Spider-Man is distinctly McFarlane-esque, which makes sense since this story crossed over with McFarlane’s title. There are almost no backgrounds throughout the entire issue, but that time seems to have been made up in details on the core characters. Juggernaut (sporting glowing red eyes in most panels) looks demonic and dangerous. The mutants battling him look great, with some nicely detailed panels for Siryn and the other ground-level fighters.

The storytelling suffers on the Cable-centric pages. Either Cable is walking or the hand holding his huge gun is just mysteriously switching for no reason. If there were backgrounds or more of a sense of motion, I’d probably know which it was, but as I said; no backgrounds. Cable also acts like a tough guy in his panels, blasting Black Tom as he dangles down an elevator shaft. Somehow missing at point blank range, Deadpool just pops on panel to rescue Mr. Cassidy before he buys the farm. 

Unfortunately, the Tolliver sub-plot bleeds over into this story big time, with Deadpool porting out Juggernaut too. And after the heroes had just gotten his helmet off too! (Now, I’m not certain how much a difference that made. It sure doesn’t seem to me that even the entire X-Force team (plus Spidey) could stop Juggernaut. Juggs is no worse for wear after 30-plus minutes fighting the heroes. This is a well-choreographed boss fight that really feels big-time thanks to the horizontal page gimmick.

Spidey just doesn’t fit in that well with the X-folks here. (This is in the married Spider-Man era, so it was nice to see Spidey making references to Mary Jane.) There aren’t really any good “connections” for Spidey among the X-Force roster, so there aren’t any great bonding moments. It’s too bad; I know Fabian Nicieza could do more if there was a kindred spirit amongst Cable’s young troopers. Heck, I think the strongest bond for the web-slinger is Juggernaut due to their past conflicts.

Tomorrow I’ll be jumping ahead in the X-Force chronology, so this wraps up the initial “Liefeld era” of the title. I remember liking it, but not loving it. Reading it over 20 years later, it doesn’t hold up that great. The art is more uneven than I remembered, although the sense of kinetic action is still strong. I still think Liefeld’s greatest strengths are his character design and frenetic action sequences. When the story slows down, when I have time to really pore over the anatomy, I have a lot of questions. But dangit, I still like the overall energy of Liefeld comics! 

12 Days of X-Mas: X-Force #3

Oh my gosh, three issues in, and I’m having a hard time. Rob Liefeld’s art, which was so nicely laid out and designed in issue 1 is really starting to look rushed. The thighs and general anatomy of the characters has gone out the window. I mean, there are panels where Warpath’s waist looks thicker than Juggernaut’s whole body! And Cable’s armor, oh my gosh, it is awful. There are two strange sharp prongs that look like they should be jabbing ol’ Nathan in the face during every fight. Juggernaut looks OK, but most of the characters really don’t look good.

But that isn’t a universal comment, because once again, Liefeld seems to be spending a lot of time on Shatterstar and Feral. Both characters look more completely penciled in. Their cross-hatching is more detailed. They have more lines on their uniforms and faces. In general, these two look the best every single issue. The list does grow here, though. Black Tom Cassidy is nicely realized on the page here. From his fantastic, over-the-top villainous posing to his moments in battle, Black Tom looks good. 

Siryn, for the most part, looks good too, but there are a few iffy panels for her too. Adding Siryn to the team does wonders for the color scheme of the team. With this early 90’s coloring, the pinks, purples, and silvers were not looking good. Only Warpaths’ blue and red really breaks up the bland-looking team. Adding Siryn's greens and yellows really breaks up the page.

I love Fabian Nicieza’s dialogue for Black Tom and Juggernaut. They sound like classic comic book bullies. It is weird seeing this much talking between Warpath and Juggsy, but it is amusing seeing the tough guy posturing. Plus, any book with a “Krathakapow” sound effect is OK by me!

  

This book is a set-up for issue 4, the “all-horizontal” issue guest-starring Spider-Man. Issue 3 doesn’t stand too well on its own, but it does pull the book out of the nosedive of issue 2. Issue one remains the high point of this FAIR series. 

Superior Foes of Spider-Man #17

(To be honest, this is more a review of the whole run.)

How do I continually get my heart broken by series like this? Regular readers know that I don’t care for a lot of the headliner Avengers titles these days. Instead, the best team books seem to be the ones hanging out on the fringes of the Marvel U. Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, MODOK’s 11, Mystery Men, Thunderbolts, I could go on and on about the best Marvel team books. And Superior Foes deserves to be in that conversation.

I picked up this series because when I chatted with artist Steve Lieber at a con, and he seemed really excited about the book. Not only did I get a great Snow Job sketch, but I also found a fantastic series.

Historically and almost thematically, this series picked up after Jeff Parker’s wonderful run on Thunderbolts. I wasn’t tremendously familiar with Nick Spencer’s work, but from the opening pages of the first issue, this series boasted top notch characterization, laugh-out-loud moments, and an entertainingly confusing plot. The Sinister Six (who have only 5 members) consist of Boomerang, Beetle, Speed Demon, Shocker, and Overdrive. This mix of classic, new, and legacy villains was a delightful ensemble. Even though Boomerang was a raging jerk, you couldn’t help pull for the guy. With supporting appearances from Mach-V, Chameleon, Silvermane, Punisher, Owl, and a lot more, this was firmly planted in the Marvel U.

Of course, as we learned in this issue, we have had a darn unreliable narrator for the entire series. Boomerang isn’t exactly trustworthy. The last issue (like many of the others) has a lot of late reveals and explanations that our guide didn’t want to let go too soon.

Spencer really proves himself in one aspect. He leaves the Marvel U richer than he found it. Boomerang has had some moments of characterization before. But the new Beetle being Tombstone’s ambitious daughter? Overdrive pining to eventually become an Avenger? Who knew that Speed Demon had a soft spot for dogs? And Shocker, truly, his potential is the most surprising (or not). These goofballs are the type of characters that drew me into the Marvel U when I first discovered it as a kid. The costumed villains can have lives just as rich (or richer) as those of the super-heroes.

Aside from a few fill-in issues that couldn’t live up to the standard set by the rest of the series, this run is the child of Spencer and Lieber. The book wouldn’t have worked without Lieber’s art. In addition to solid super-heroics, Lieber shows off a tremendous sense of comedic timing. His art direction seamlessly flows between drama and comedy. And his action scenes? He rarely if ever delivers them straight. If there is a fight in an issue of this book, you are going to get something new and special. The pacing of the fight scenes keeps the book moving at an amazing pace. Sure, the world is never at risk, but a LOT happens throughout this run. Lieber’s gritty but clear pencils are key to making that fast pace work.

Folks, this is an EXCELLENT comic. The type of comic you can look back on fondly and realize that you’ve discovered a hidden gem. 

Captain America & the Mighty Avengers #1

Well, it is official. We can now put Al Ewing on the list of Marvel writers who seem to be there to serve my kind of niche audience. The kind of talented writer who uses humor, action, and a solid knowledge of Marvel continuity to deliver modern stories that make me feel the way I did when I was a kid discovering comics. Some writers can strike it big with this style. Guys like Mark Waid and Dan Slott are still big comic industry names now. Others carve out solid chunks on solid books; writers like Jeff Parker, Christos Gage, and Fred Van Lente all do these books with smaller audiences, but are often my favorite. We’ll have to see where Ewing ends up, but just as he did in his first volume of Mighty Avengers, he’s proving he gets the Marvel U better than a lot of big-name Marvel writers.

I do have to question the decision to open up the new volume of Mighty with inverted FalCap and Luke Cage, though. Ewing handles them superbly, of course. FalCap is inverted from Chaotic Good to Lawful Evil, and Luke Cage has done the same. Falcon’s transformation is more unsettling, as Sam Wilson embraces violence and an overpowering love of his country that excuses all sorts of super-hero infractions. He seriously injures low-level thugs, all the while thinking that they are getting off easy. The most alarming part is seeing how he is justifying all this aggression through his newfound dedication to the real America.

Luke Cage is a bit more standoffish, that’s his biggest inversion. Not only is he totally unwilling to forgive Spider-Man for his “Superior” time, Cage also is more motivated by money than ever before. Part of the Hero for Hire gimmick was that Cage rarely got paid, but the inverted Luke Cage won’t stand for that. I can’t mention Spider-Man’s appearance without giving Ewing props for the awful, uncomfortable, and dead-on page of Spidey apologies. Spider-Man has a lot of awkwardness built into his character, but that usually only manifests when he’s Peter Parker. Seeing poor Spidey so discombobulated and uncomfortable is hilarious and just makes you feel for the guy.

Just like Mighty Avengers, I read this book with my daughter. She LOVED Parnival Plunder and his bad guys. It’s silly to think that the Plunderer has enough importance to be included among the inverted, but man, does it work. The urban pirate theme, the revealing and familiar banter amongst his underlings, the use of first names! All of these things made Parnival Plunder’s appearance in this book a special thing. My daughter was very upset to see this “villain” and his henchmen get beaten so badly. She read Cap #1 with me, so she knows the real FalCap, but man, she was bummed out.

Luke Ross is an artist I’ve liked for years. His solid pencils are always a nice fit for super-hero action, and the art is solid once again. I am particularly impressed with the way he draws the new Cap handling himself. From the high-altitude shield-throw to the absolutely brutal office takedown, the sense of motion and action on the page is tremendous.

Any comic that makes me think of Monty Python’s Meaning of Life has to be a GOOD comic. When those pirate ropes slapped against the glass, I thought for a moment we were getting the first in-continuity appearance of the Crimson Permanent Insurance pirates!

Amazing Spider-Man #9

So my daughters and I read most of our comics together these days and Amazing Spider-Man is on the list of favorites. (I have to skim over and block some of Pete and Silk’s dialogue, but other than that the book is very kid-friendly.)

My 10-year-old is a huge Mayday Parker fan, thanks to years of back issue bin diving. So Dan Slott's Spider-verse story was right up our alley, based on what we’d heard. She’s a smart kid; concepts like alternate realities and multiple Earths don’t scare her off. But, after reading the opening chapter of Spider-verse, I was feeling a big confused. I don’t know anything about Morlun’s family. Are they new? Where do they live? Why do they get the Earth-1 designation? These things were bothering me! So I figured I’d ask my daughter to tell me what SHE thinks Spider-verse is about.

“Spider-verse is about a ton of Spider-people coming together to team up. The spider-people think our Peter Parker is really important, but he’s just confused. One of the Spider-Men is very powerful. A family of vampire-type thingamabobs want to eat all the spider-people. One is named Morlun. One has a name that starts with a D. And their Dad looks like a sasquatch. And there is a pig Spider-Man.”

So really, what else does she need to know? I guess it really isn’t that complicated, is it? She and her sister both love Peter Porker after one appearance. They are intrigued by Gwen Stacy as Spider-Woman. They love Silk and the Scarlet Spider. (And boy, are my kiddos worried about the New Warriors.) They have fewer reservations about the complexity than I do!

I will say this; my daughter is very, very worried that Peter and MJ from the MC2 Universe are really dead. She’s going to be mighty upset to see her beloved Mayday lose both her parents. I’m hoping Slott will give us some sort of an out before the end of this storyline.

I’m also very hopeful that the Spiders are going to eliminate some of the Morlun family’s more forgettable members. They look too much alike and have too similar of goals for me to easily differentiate between them. Morlun never had the most unique look when he was alone, having “fat Morlun” “girl Morlun” and “hairy Morlun” isn’t quite enough for me.

Olivier Coipel does a great job on art, as always. My daughters thought Mayday looked “different” and I’d have to agree. Seeing her rendered in Coipel’s modern style is a bit jarring after a hundred issues of Ron Frenz’s far more “classic” pencils.

This is a GOOD comic, continuing Slott’s epic run on the wall-crawler. It’s even worth the extra buck at $4.99!

Avengers & X-Men: Axis #4

So I’m a tad surprised by this one… I had understood that Rick Remender’s (through Red Skull) “inversion” of Marvel’s main characters would be a twist on their personalities, not a total alignment shift. It’s interesting. Some folks, like Iron Man, seem to definitely be off, but the core of the character seems unchanged.

The X-Men, as another example, seem to be shoring up as an army. Storm has bought in with Cyclops (who hasn’t changed that I’ve seen) and the newly powered-up Apocalypse (formerly known as Genesis). I am thrilled to see the X-Men back under one roof as a big, powerful team again; too bad it probably can’t last.

Then we’ve got the Avengers. I have no idea what is up with them. Captain America, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, they all just seem to be bad guys (some worse than others). Luke Cage seems to be greedier than evil, while Thor is cowardly AND evil. I’m just having a hard time.

Don’t even get me started on how Kluh works, exactly. The sadder Kluh gets the stronger he gets, and he seems irredeemably evil. Just full on bad guy. So that means that Hulk is normally… good? Carnage is a hero too. He’s not killing, he’s cracking jokes, and he’s rescuing hostages. So the opposite of Carnage is… Spider-Man? I’m not totally sure.

Since Jarvis, Spider-Man, Daredevil, and the SHIELD agents seem to be their normal selves, it seems only those characters actually present in Genosha have been inverted. At least, that makes sense to me and explains why the whole world hasn’t turned upside down.

I’m enjoying the overall feel of the event book so far, it does seem like a huge shake-up. That said, I hope later chapters give us some sort of explanation of what exactly happened here. Right now, it still seems a bit random.

Leinil Francis Yu’s art is always a treat. He gives the heroes and villains godlike bodies that really show off how they tower above normal humans. The difference in personality manifests nicely in the posture of some of the heroes too, especially Iron Man, Thor, and Medusa.

So I’m giving this a cautious GOOD. I like the concept, the art is great, and the stakes are high. This is much more my cup of tea than Original Sin. But I do hope Remender explains exactly how this inversion works soon. 

Amazing Spider-Man #1 (2014)

So here we are, a pretty Saturday morning, heading out for Free Comic Book Day. Westfield Comics has two posters up that my daughters are looking at as they get excited about picking up free comics. One poster is the cover to this issue, with a very happy-looking Peter Parker joyously swinging over New York, reveling in being a super hero. The other poster is Batman Eternal #1, showing the dour Dark Knight splashed in blood brooding on a rooftop. Now, I admit the Batman image is striking, and well within the expectations for the character. But I asked my daughter, “who’s blood do you think that is?” and she couldn’t answer. I can’t either. At this point, I honestly don’t know which is more likely, that Batman would be posing on rooftops after getting the crap kicked out of him, or if he’s stand around showing off the tremendous about of blood he managed to wring out of some criminal. Either way, I know which comic I want to read.

Dan Slott has clearly been waiting to bring back Peter Parker. There are multiple things in this issue that simply would not have worked with Doc Ock in the webs. The silliest part is Skein (formerly Gypsy Moth) dissolving Spidey’s costume. Spider-Woman’s response to this is absolutely perfect, and nails the tone Slott wants in this issue. Peter Parker has crazy adventures, folks, and he’s got bad luck that won’t always hurt him, but he isn’t going to come out looking good.

Slott takes time to check in with most of Pete’s supporting cast, and they all seem pretty OK with the returned Spidey. I’m one of those older readers that will always pine for a return to the Pete & MJ dynamic, but it certainly doesn’t seem imminent here. That’s OK, at this point most new readers wouldn’t even recognize that as an acceptable status quo. I also love that the cliffhanger comes from a Peter Parker relationship, not from a super-villain. If that doesn’t scream “Spider-Man” then I don’t know what does.

I LOVE the villains used in this issue. I’m not the world’s biggest Humberto Ramos fan, but he does draw striking ladies, so giving him a team of cute animal gals (and the Hippo) is a good choice. White Rabbit is fun as always (maybe Marvel should start treating her like Harley Quinn?), and Skein is always interesting. Although I have to say, I don’t know how to pronounce her name. The newest member of the Rabbit’s Menagerie is a panda villain with the type of too-clever pun name that makes comic books work.

One other comment on Ramos’ art; my daughter didn’t says he disliked it, but she did comment that Spidey looked awfully skinny to have such huge muscles! She also commented that the art looked a lot like one of her other favorites; Nova.

This is a fun, entertaining comic and a GOOD sign that Spider-Man’s continuing adventures are still in good hands. 

Superior Spider-Man #31

It is a triumph of storytelling that Dan Slott can leave his readers with a twinge of regret at the end of this issue. Peter Parker is one of the most popular, enduring characters of all time, yet I know I felt a bit bummed out that I won’t get any more adventures of Otto Octavius as the Superior Spider-Man. This era of the comic got me back into Spidey, so I have to thank Slott for re-energizing my interest in the wall crawler.

SPOILERS BELOW!

Peter actually reclaimed control of his body last issue, so this is all about the final confrontation with the Goblins. Slott delivers on that score, and he even gives us a few hints about how much work Pete has ahead of him in trying to get his life back in order. But when acquaintances like Spider-Man 2099 can instantly tell when Spider-Man is back to normal, it isn’t shocking that former girlfriends like Mary Jane and Carlie Cooper can see things are straightened out. In fact, it will be interesting seeing how much drama Slott lays out for Peter to try and wade through. Other than a renewed antagonism with J. Jonah Jameson, it seems like Pete’s life isn’t out of control, even after months of Otto behind the wheel.

Anyway, back to the core conflict. While Peter Parker might be a bit confused on his personal status quo and what exactly is going on in the world, there is one area where he is very confident. He knows he can beat up the Green Goblin. After months of overconfidence from Otto, Peter exhibits some confidence of his own, never showing a shadow of doubt that he can handle the situation. It’s great seeing Pete take it to his old foes both verbally and physically. (Green Goblin is another character that can instantly recognize Peter’s return.)

I’m not sure how I feel about Norman Osborn going undercover and taking on new identities, but I really dig the use of Liz Allen and Normie Osborn as new foils for Spidey. Especially if the new Spider-Man 2099 series will be based out of Liz Allen’s Alchemax. It will be interesting seeing how much Osborn gets used with this new gimmick; the character was so overexposed during Dark Reign that his time away has been a nice break.

How long before we get the Molten Man involved? If Liz is going full-on villain, let’s get that guy involved!

Giuseppe Camuncoli delivers solid art, as always, but some of the panels look a bit rushed. I’m not sure if it is a printing error or what, but the pages with the Avengers taking on the Spider-Slayers looked blurry and unfinished. (Odd, since artists usually love the chance to draw big-name guest stars.)When it counts, Camuncoli nails it. The crux of the issue is in that last panel, the moment when Peter Parker realizes that Otto actually did do some good as Spider-Man. And Peter has to admit that people are going to grieve for his old foe. It’s a classic Spidey image, and Camuncoli expresses the emotion perfectly.

The story is clearly Good. I can’t say the same about the price.

Now listen, Marvel. I like Christos Gage a lot, but $5.99 is too pricey for a single comic. Especially one bound with a standard cover. I could feel the paper disintegrating as I read the issue. I’m not sure if Marvel is testing the waters for a $4.99 standard price, but I can promise that when that day comes, no digital copy is going to get me to stick around. Fair warning, I’m not going higher than $3.99 (and it better have the digital code, or I’ll drop it like I’m dropping Superior Foes.)

Superior Spider-Man: Goblin War

Time to look at one of the most consistent books on the stands. Great since issue one...

Dan Slott has been doing some amazing things on this title. Who would have thought that so many of us would be distressed at the thought of losing the Doc Ock-driven Spider-Man? With Peter’s return in Amazing just around the corner, I know I’m very torn about it. I love Otto’s Superior Spider-Man, and I haven’t been this invested in Spider-Man in years. Could there be room for both?

For now, this is still Otto’s show. Things are finally starting to turn for the guy, though. He spent 20 or so issues getting Peter Parker’s life in order; getting a girlfriend, graduating with a doctorate, starting a company, hiring an army, and putting J. Jonah Jameson in line. But all of that is crashing down in the current Goblin War storyline. While Otto may have been able to handle everything that has come his way so far, the Green Goblin might be beyond him.

I can’t remember exactly what Norman Osborn’s status is right now, but it sure sounds like him behind the old mask. Surrounding himself with his goblin family has set up a nice gauntlet of flunkies for Otto to work through before finishing the story too. Monster, Menace, the Goblin Knight, and the many, many flunkies on the scene provide plenty of scaling villains for Otto to deal with.

I’m happy that Spider-Man 2099 seems to be coming back into the spotlight too. I loved the character from his first appearance, and giving the reader a straight-up good guy to root for is a very wise move.

Slott clearly has affection for Spider-Man history too. His use of Roderick Kingsley has been inspired; Kingsley “franchises” out-of-use villain IDs to losers in exchange for a cut of their take. Kingsley also remains one of the smarter villains in the book, sending doubles and replacements to keep himself safe. One thing I really like about Slott’s villains is how he mixes in different eras of characters, with 90’s characters like Stunner and Cardiac playing important roles too.

One area where this book shines is in the use of a supporting cast. There aren’t a lot of comics that still utilize the supporting cast like in the old days; it seems most heroes just hang out with other spandex folks now. Not Slott’s Spider-Man. Mary Jane is doing fine on her own, with a new boyfriend and occasional links back to the main story. Aunt May is still around and still important. Otto’s girlfriend, coworkers, Jonah, and the rest round out a cast that makes this book feel like a lived-in world. The regular Avengers appearances are icing on the cake.

I’m amazed at the pace that this book comes out. I felt like I hadn’t read an issue for awhile, and when I opened up my Comixology account, I had 4 issues waiting! I swear it had only been a month or so since I’d read an issue. For a guy with an online reputation for lateness, Slott is pumping this book out very quickly.

He wouldn’t be able to hit this schedule without the assistance of his very able artistic bullpen. Humberto Ramos, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and more swap storylines to make sure each chapter has a consistent look while maintaining a decent through-style. I think I like Camuncoli the most right now, but there aren’t any real weak links on this title. I particularly like the Goblin Knight design; I don’t love Phil Urich as a villain, but if he has to do it, at least he looks awesome.

I never thought I’d say this, but I think I’d keep reading this book if it keeps going after Amazing returns. This comic is so GOOD, it will be holding its spot on my sublist and adding another for Amazing in a few months. 

SAFE

Deadpool v2: Soul Hunter TPB

Just to catch you guys up from the reboot of this book last summer; Deadpool’s Marvel Now series has tongue planted firmly in cheek as he opened the series fighting the re-animated bodies of the dead American presidents. This included fighting Ronald Reagan on a space station and William Taft in a bathtub. So Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn haven’t exactly been aiming for drama. This is meant to be a fun, irreverent book.

The status quo heading into the second trade is an update to Wade’s weird voiceovers. He’s got a co-pilot in his head, deceased SHIELD agent Preston is now wandering around in Wade’s mindscape; able to both see what he’s up to in the real world, and explore the depths of Wade’s memories during downtime.

Through the use of an inspired “inventory issue,” Deadpool gains a new nemesis in Vetis, a demon with big plans. Vetis has been storing stolen soul power in his victims for decades, now he wants Deadpool to go and “collect.” Naturally, this involves Wade killing a lot of people.

The plot is largely secondary here; there more to facilitate some interesting team-ups and give the core cast time to make jokes. Iron Man (circa Demon in the Bottle) and Daredevil get some panel time, but the biggest guest appearance is the Superior Spider-Man. It is interesting that Otto Octavius’ take on Spider-Man has so much less patience for Deadpool than Peter Parker. Parker always makes concessions and often looks the other way; Otto does not.

Of the core cast, Preston, Ben Franklin, and the inept wizard who raised the presidents make for a good supporting cast. Deadpool only works when he’s got people to bounce off of; Duggan and Posehn know that and make it work. They also introduce some potential game-changing back story for the future.

The artwork from Scott Koblish and Matt Hawthorne is professional. I’m not overly familiar with either guy, but I can’t complain. They had big shoes to fill since the departure of Tony Moore, but the art is fine.

While I enjoy Deadpool in team books, I rarely love his solo series. This is no exception. This is competent and it has real laughs. I think fans of Deadpool’s lighter side will really dig this. But for me, this is definition of a FAIR comic. 

Age of Ultron #4

After last week’s snooze-fest, at least this issue feels like it is trying to go somewhere. Unlike Black Panther (and one of his partners goes in this issue), when She-Hulk and Luke Cage have to sacrifice for the greater good, it at least seems worth it. It also moves the plot forward.

Not only that, but Bendis seems to have brought his geographically diverse cast together. We’re down a couple more players, but Black Widow, Moon Knight, Red Hulk, and Ka-Zar all join the resistance in a more official capacity. This is playing out like a long What If? story, but half the fun of those old comics was seeing which heroes happened to survive. Anyone have any bets on how long Quicksilver or Monica Rambeau last? I give them one more issue.

I’m also growing more and more convinced that Nick Fury’s secret bailout plan is just to time-hop back and prevent Hank Pym from creating Ultron. Perhaps Pym will somehow survive, since he’s in the cast of that new Robot Avengers title, but I’m not quite sold yet. Too easy for that to end up being Scott Lang or something.

Bryan Hitch’s art has a habit of bringing out Bendis’ worst tendencies. The wide-screen approach to comic can lead to a lot of empty panels where dialogue would make things a bit more interesting or involved. The two creators mesh a bit better this issue; I really enjoyed the escape from New York sequence with the surviving Avengers going on the run. Invisible Woman really is quite powerful, isn’t she?

Fair

Superior Spider-Man #8

Sure, the Avengers made the cover. But this would have been my #1 read of the week had I known that CARDIAC was appearing!!!! Cardiac! The crusading doctor who looks out for the little man while blasting his foes with his beta-staff. One of my favorite relics of the 1990’s is back!

Dan Slott pulls off a great, natural intersection in this one. The book opens at Cardiac’s clinic, where the crusading doctor is looking for some specific equipment to save a young patient. The reader instantly sympathizes and roots for Cardiac, there is no doubting the guy’s motivations after those first few pages. Contrast that with the always annoying Superior Otto-Spidey. Otto gets summoned to the scene where he enlists the local cops to aid him and then barges in. Peter Parker’s consciousness continues to sit in the backseat, mentally speaking. He spends the issue yelling at Otto that Cardiac is really just a good guy.

Thanks to the groundwork laid in the last few issues, there is a real concern at what Otto might do to Cardiac after seeing the Superior Spider-Man put Boomerang, Vulture, Jester, and Screwball in the hospital, and Massacre in the morgue. Will Otto go too far and take out a good-hearted vigilante? I won’t say, but remember that Cardiac might have something to say too.

The rest of the issue has the Avengers finally picking up on Otto’s odd behavior while he’s been Spider-Man. When the team wants to do a full examination on Spidey, Otto’s not having it. I love that the Avengers aren’t letting him leave, too. I expected Spidey to get kicked off, but not an actual battle!

I’m not the world’s biggest Humberto Ramos fan. But man, does he hit a homerun with Cardiac. The guy looks awesome; bulky, powerful, and heroic all at once. I always liked his design, but Ramos updates it and amps up the features while still retaining the classic feel. It’s a great piece of super-hero design. What other 90’s classics can he take on? Anyone remember Mongoose?

Good

Avenging Spider-Man #18

How fun is it seeing this proactive Spider-Man? Otto Octavius might be a better Spidey than Peter Parker.

When Electro returns to New York after being blasted away by Thor, Doc Spidey is immediately on the scene. Not only that, but Otto tracks down Thor to warn him about the return. Christopher Yost does a great job showing Otto stay ahead of every move Electro makes. He knows where Electro goes for help, he knows the plan, and he tries to head it off every chance he gets.

Yost’s Thor is a bit of an oaf. Thor can always take himself too seriously, and his dismissive attitude towards Spidey is abrasive. I like thinking that Peter Parker would have just rolled with it and made a quip, but Doc Spidey is offended and grumpy. Thor doesn’t have to do much besides survive some lightning strikes, but he does come off as a noble hero looking out for everyone else.

Really, this book couldn’t fail. It has Doc Spidey, Thor, Electro, and AIM. That’s certainly enough classic Marvel elements to keep me happy. The story is slight fun; it won’t leave a lasting impression, but it certainly holds up as a strong Marvel team-up.

Marco Checchetto draws in the same style as Gabriel Del Otto. Sometimes that means the action isn’t quite as “fun” as I’d like in my Marvel comics. Electro is sporting his tattooed face look rather than his great mask. Thor’s current costume doesn’t have the same flair as some of the more Kirby-esque designs. That said, Checchetto’s Spider-Man and AIM agents look tremendous. I love the textured feel of the Superior Spider-Man costume throughout the issue.

Fair

Superior Spider-Man #5

It is hard to believe, but I think Dan Slott is actually getting better with this Superior Spider-Man thing. The moral dilemmas are getting more permanent and the stark contrast between Otto-Spidey and Peter Parker are really showing off the best of both characters. Otto is going to start doing serious, permanent damage to Spider-Man’s reputation as a hero. But that’s not all. Ol’ Otto always enjoyed chowing down, and he’s now eating mass quantities while possessing a slim spider-tuned body. Peter might come back to a middle aged body squeezed into the spandex!

Otto’s totally different approach to life is refreshing too. The costume is the same, but the somewhat laid back approach to super-heroing is so different, it is weird! This is clearly a different guy in the suit! Otto puts equal focus on personal development as the hero business, and he is quickly removing the need to stay on patrol. Sure, he’s blurring the line about too much power vs. keeping an eye on his city, but there is no doubting he’s a lot more efficient than Peter Parker. This set-up of a watchful, overlord Spider-Man would make him a good city-level villain should Slott and Marvel go in that direction.

I’m deliberately avoiding talking about the showdown with Massacre. Slott does an absolutely fantastic job showing how Otto’s arrival on the scene differs from Peter’s. The reader can see what Otto is doing, but Peter is frantic when he thinks Otto isn’t taking the situation seriously. And then the old moral dilemma about rehabilitation. Why let a known murderer go free when you know he will kill again? I can’t be sure what Otto-Spidey actually does here, but either way, I don’t think it is going to be good for Spidey or Peter’s reputation.

I continue to appreciate Giuseppe Camuncoli’s bulked-up Spider-Man. Giving Otto that extra heft makes him seem even more like a new character. I like the new Empire State tutor, but I’m not sure Camuncoli has quite mastered drawing a little person yet. She looks a bit too child-like, but her clothes and facial expressions do a good job showing her true age.

Good

Age of Ultron #1

I will never complain about Hawkeye being the star of a Marvel crossover! I certainly wasn’t expecting Clint Barton to have a major role in an Ultron-themed event, but I’m not complaining. The book really focuses on the archer as he infiltrates a villain HQ in order to rescue his teammate Spider-Man.

First of all, this isn’t just a normal hero situation. There is a massive dome over New York City that seems to be run by Ultron. There are drone-versions of the villain soaring around seeking out fallen heroes. The streets are in ruins, there are almost no civilians visible, and the villains seem pretty confident they can buy Ultron’s indulgence by selling him Avengers. So yeah, things are downright apocalyptic. I’m not sure if this is just the situation in the city or if the entire world has been taken over. From a narrative standpoint, it probably makes more sense to have Ultron totally triumphant. We shall see.

That would explain why Hawkeye is this desperate. Bendis has always written Hawkeye as ready to kill, but he’s downright bloodthirsty in this. Hawk regularly punctures heads and necks as he kills his way to the Owl and Hammerhead. The only way I can justify that is if it really is do-or-die time, and that Hawkeye has very little left to lose. I can’t be sure, but it sure looks like Spider-Man is the Peter Parker version, not Dock Ock. I’m fine with that; if this story is going to hold up as an evergreen trade for Marvel, it needs to feature the default Spider-Man. (I just wish it had Hawkeye in his real suit!)

Things are so dire for our heroes that Hawkeye and Spider-Man have a hard time gaining access to the heroes’ secret base in Central Park. I spotted Luke Cage, She-Hulk, Iron Man, Emma Frost, the Thing, Wolverine, Beast, Invisible Woman, and Captain America amongst the living. Not all of those guys seem like they are still in the fight though. Only about half of them seem to have the physical and mental fortitude to keep fighting. (I won’t spoil who is still standing tall.)

There is no sign of the characters I most closely associate with Ultron (and no Ultron himself, either). Hank Pym, Wasp, and Vision are all absent. I’m curious to see how Bendis uses them after recently bringing back the Wasp. I do have one prediction; the solicits say Wolverine and Invisible Woman are going back in time to change the past. Wolvie is going back to kill Hank Pym before he creates Ultron. Set your watch on it! There is a reason Pym is absent from all the Marvel Now titles. And I’ve never seen Bendis have too much affection for the character.

Bryan Hitch returns to Marvel with his widescreen style. The rubble is detailed, the action is expansive. Even though I don’t like Hawkeye killing, Hitch makes it look great. I also hate the costume, but again, Hitch designed it, so I’m not surprised to see it. I’d love to see this tougher She-Hulk get a lot of panel time; Hitch has really roughed her up.

Good

Superior Spider-Man #4

I think this is my favorite issue of Superior Spider-Man so far. 

A lot of it has to do with the art. I like Ryan Stegman’s work, but his lean Spidey doesn’t seem threatening enough in this current story. Giuseppe Camuncoli draws a bulkier Spidey; a Spidey who actually intimidates on the page. When you see him go up against the White Rabbit or the folks at Horizon labs, you see why they are scared, now. This doesn’t feel like Spider-Man. The added bit with Octo-Peter wearing Doc Ock style goggles really drives the point home, too. Well played!

And how great is it that “slacker” Peter Parker was never able to get his doctorate, but with Doc Ock steering, he’s finally going to finish his coursework. It’s hard to argue that for as much as Ock is messing up Pete’s life; he may be doing some improvements too. Peter Parker may be becoming a bit of a mad scientist with human trials and a robotic assistant, but there is no denying he’s also pretty darn productive right now.

But honestly, my favorite thing in this issue is seeing Sha Shan doing physical therapy with Aunt May. I have not seen that character in years. Is Flash Thompson around? I want to see the two of them interact again! Dare I dream that Dan Slott will continue mining old Spectacular Spider-Man back issues for characters? Tarantula? Cloak & Dagger?

Good