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.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Movie Review

I’ve been raving about this one for days, so it is time to post my official review.

I LOVED Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This is probably my favorite Marvel movie other than the Avengers. Heck, I’d be hard-pressed to say which film I enjoyed more.

The amazing thing about this movie is that it does so many things so well. Directors Anthony and Joe Russo, along with the screenwriters, have jammed this full of everything I look for in a comic-book movie. Heck, it has what I look for in any movie!

From an action movie perspective, the Russos never let things get boring. There are action sequences peppered through the entire film. The audience never has to go more than 10 minutes before you get another set piece where stuff is blowing up or people are getting punched. Best of all, while Captain America definitely dominates the screen time, there are plenty of moments for the excellent supporting cast as well.

And that cast. What a glorious exploration of the Marvel U. Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, the Winter Soldier, Alexander Pierce, and MORE! Brock Rumlow is there for you eagle-eyed comics fans! Batroc shows up in the first few minutes of the film, and he’s wearing purple and orange! This movie exults in the depths of Marvel’s catalogue of characters. Black Widow, Falcon, and Fury are particularly riveting; I found myself almost equally invested in them as in Cap himself.

The villains? If I had to pick a weak point, I guess I’d say the fact that Robert Redford’s Alexander Pierce doesn’t pose a physical threat might weaken him a bit. Winter Soldier is the heavy, of course, and he does a fantastic job. When the Soldier has his face mask on? Geez, that is one intimidating bad guy, especially seeing how well he can whip Cappy’s shield right back at him! But for those of us who know the Winter Soldier’s tragic back story, we know he doesn’t REALLY count as a full-on villain, right? And Rumlow is definitely a presence, but he’s there to plant a seed for the future, he’s not a prime time baddy now.

One of the most refreshing things about seeing comic characters on the big screen is seeing how the Hollywood lens can refocus our heroes. Cap’s physical prowess in this film is amazing. I enjoyed seeing him dive out of planes, run rings around his foes, beat the holy heck out of thugs while his shield “pings” away at them. But the scene that blew me away the most was a chase sequence. Watching Cap bull his way through an office building showed off his power and determination perfectly. I found myself cheering for every crash.

There are some folks who have complained about how a square like Cap can’t be a convincing or interesting hero. I say that type of comment says more about the reviewer than it does about Cap. Chris Evans is PERFECT as the sentinel of liberty. He’s honest, courageous, and funny while retaining his edge in combat. Cap doesn’t kill anyone he doesn’t have to, leaving most of his foes breathing but unconscious. Evans’ makes each line of noble dialogue sound eminently reasonable; this is the type of hero you’d WANT to protect you. Keep Man of Steel, this guy is a hero.

That is not to neglect Scarlet Johansson’s Black Widow or Anthony Mackie’s Falcon. Black Widow basically co-headlines the film. If you want a more nuanced, conflicted character fighting a murky past, then the Widow is the character for you. Johansson plays her to perfection; she makes ominous comments about not really being anything to anyone and references her dark past, but she’s clearly having fun teaming up with Cap and doing the right thing.

Anthony Mackie’s Falcon? This is a hard part to get right. He’s got to nice enough be instantly accepted as Cap’s new best friend, but still be enough of a hard-ass to get assigned with Cap-level tasks. Mackie does both.

So yeah. The Winter Soldier has everything. Comic book history. Easter eggs for longtime fans. Great characters. Top notch action. Excellent pacing. I’m going to go out and say it; this will probably end up being my favorite film of 2014.

Winter Soldier #14

So Ed Brubaker’s last issue is #14, huh? That’s an odd choice. But when it is time to go; it’s time to go, huh?

Brubaker dodges one of the common complaints in comics writing, he doesn’t leave everything nice and neat for the next creative team. Too often the status quo is restored in time for the new creators to come in and put their stamp on a character. And while Black Widow is back to her normal self, and Winter Soldier is plain ol’ Bucky Barnes again, it’s not the same between them. I won’t give it away, because that is the whole tragedy of the book, but it sure seems like Mary Jane Watson and Bucky have something in common now.

Leo never did get that costume I was hoping for, but Brubaker doesn’t play to expectations with him, either. Leo had all the makings of a villain who would die at the end, but Brubaker doesn’t even leave the possibility of him dying. Leo is going to live, and I’m sure he’s going to menace the Marvel U again.

The final confrontation feels a tad rushed; the fight probably could have used a bit more time to breathe. Hawkeye shows up to play a pretty important role, but he just sort of shows up to give Bucky a hand. I would have liked Leo to get some butt-whipping in on Hawk, Wolvie, and Cap; that would have shown how tough it was for Bucky to get his win.

Butch Guice’s art has an unusual look to it. I got an almost Dale Eaglesham-ish vibe from a couple characters. Maybe it’s the inker, but this doesn’t look quite like Guice’s other work. I do like that he uses so many shadowed figures and silhouettes in a spy title.

Fair

Winter Soldier #13

Ed Brubaker has accomplished an amazing feat. I still don’t really love Winter Soldier. But I’m riveted by this current storyline. By making Bucky Barnes so important to characters I do like, I can’t help but be more invested in what happens to the guy. This issue alone features Captain America, Daredevil, Wolverine, Hawkeye, and Nick Fury. The whole thing has been saving Black Widow, so while she doesn’t actually show up in more than a few panels; her presence is felt through the entire book. 

This is a middle chapter, so the plot isn’t going to move along very far. But I’m fine with that if it means a good battle like this one. Winter Soldier takes on Wolverine, Hawkeye, and Daredevil, all at the same time. It’s a delicate balancing act, at least two of those guys are A-listers, so we don’t want to see DD and Wolvie totally punked out. The fight goes just how it needs to in order for Winter Soldier to do well, but not TOO well. And of course, the scales get totally balanced when Cap shows up.

I’m happy it is so easy to write-over brainwashing. I figured we were in for a long, protracted recovery to get Bucky back, but no, a couple panels in the Brainwave Scanner (seriously, look how close it is!) and he’s A-OK. Hopefully it will be that easy for the Widow too. 

Butch Guice’s pencils seem a bit smoother than they have recently, no doubt due to the inker. I’m not complaining, the book looks great, and it’s really neat how some of the characters seem to have different weight pencils on them. 

Good

Winter Soldier #12

Do you realize that Winter Soldier is using Wolverine as cover on the front of this comic? Has there ever been a less heroic use of Logan in Marvel’s history? That’s a great cover.

I’m racking my brain to think if there is anyone involved with the Black Widow who Ed Brubaker hasn’t drawn into this story. We had Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, and Cap, but this issue adds in Wolverine. Plus, it seems that sleeper agent Leo has targeted another man in Natasha’s life to be the Winter Soldier’s target. It’s a little crazy, how much mind-control and brainwashing is going on here, but I’ll take it. I love seeing heroes fight each other, and Winter Soldier vs. Hawkeye and Wolverine is a darn good fight. Heck, Winter Soldier vs. his target has tremendous potential too, especially since Brubaker has previously written that guy too!

I’m also holding out hope that the Black Widow may end up getting the last laugh. Is she going to successfully toss off her brainwashing and end up having to save Bucky? I’d be fine with that.

I’m really digging Butch Guice’s heavy pencils on this book. His Winter Soldier almost has a John Buscema-brow, which really gives him an air of brutality while under mind control. The art seems to work better on darker characters like Hawkeye, the targeted hero, and the Widow; Cap never looks quite right in this one. His brightness and smooth lines don’t fit in the wet, dangerous world on the other pages.

Good

Winter Soldier #11

A buddy book starring Hawkeye and Winter Soldier! What a concept! Ed Brubaker’s Hawkeye is still sarcastic, but he’s definitely a toned-down version. Winter Soldier has no time to ease up, making this a very tense team-up. It’s interesting; does Winter Soldier work well on his own? In this series, he’s gone from one team-up to another; Black Widow, Jasper Sitwell, and now Hawkeye. I think he works well in this context, as the brooding tough guy with someone else carrying the dialogue.

There is some nice AIM action as the two Avengers unload on the beekeepers. I love the volume of destruction these two guys bring down on this secret base.

On the other side, Leo and Black Widow make a pretty good team themselves. Giving them a techie to make cool equipment makes sense too. I’ve said Leo needs a more memorable costume. Having a personal inventor certainly makes that more likely.

Butch Guice almost pulls off the new Hawkeye costume. Instead of generic goggles or shades, he draws Hawk’s new eyewear as a clear version of his old mask. The corners point up, making this seem a lot closer to that classic look. The inks are a tad heavy, especially on characters’ eyes, but this book makes a great transition from spy to superhero.

Good

Winter Soldier #9

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!

I can’t get too angry at Winter Soldier after he pulls a boneheaded move this issue. I mean, how many times have we seen a brainwashed hero pull themselves back into control when confronted with the one they love? So of course ol’ Buck would think he’s got the stuff to bring Black Widow back into a capitalist frame of mind after their brief fight.

I love that whole sequence at the ballet. The choreography of the fight is perfect, and Buck’s comment about how strong the Widow is really amps up her threat level. Heck, every other peak human character is getting a boost; maybe the Widow needs one too!

It is going to be a bit disappointing when “Nick Fury” ends up being an LMD. How many robot doubles does that guy have? He must have insulted everyone he knows by just sending a double at this point. Jasper Sitwell may not be as lucky. He’s enough of a name that his death would matter, but no one is really going to miss him.

Michael Lark is doing great things. From the choreography I mentioned above to the sets. I’m not sure where he comes up with the details for these great scenes, but the atmosphere in this book is second-to-none. This book really looks like it is a practice run for the next cable drama.

Good

Winter Soldier #8

Dang, this book improved in a hurry. I figured I’d love the strong ties to the Marvel U in the opening arc, but this title is actually a lot more exciting in a world of its own. We’ve got Bucky, Black Widow, Jasper Sitwell, and that’s about it as far as long-standing Marvel characters go. Everyone and everything else in this title is all about spies. This is a thriller, not a super-hero title. In fact, I’d say this would make for a hell of a TV show.

As expected, Leo’s goal is to turn back the clock for Black Widow. He wants her to revert to the bad old days when she was a Russian spy, and it certainly looks like he’s succeeded. At this point, I’m fuzzy on Natasha’s true origin, but in one of her origins she was a ballerina, and I see she’s back to that career at the close of the issue. Probably going undercover!

Now, I’m fuzzy on Leo’s long-term goals, since the Cold War is over. Does he want to heat it back up? In the end, it doesn’t matter; because it’s great seeing Bucky and Jasper just rake themselves over the coals for failing to save the Widow. I hope Natasha gets to play some role in her eventual freedom; she’s too good to just be a woman in peril.

Michael Lark is a big part of the reason why this looks like a TV show. He does remove Jasper’s signature crew-cut, but I guess the guy needs to be modernized a bit. It could be a bit of a problem that everything is so dark. It’s fine for now, but Leo and Buck look pretty darn similar except for that robot arm.

Good

Winter Soldier #7

I guess Ed Brubaker doesn’t like RV’s! During the main set piece, Bucky refers to a mobile home as a rolling deathtrap, rolling death, and a piece of junk. Now admittedly, there is a bomb in the back, but only one of those three phrases comes up after he knows it!

This issue starts off with some nice, mood-establishing moments. Leo is still turning out to be the best antagonist in the series so far. Brubaker really plays up the relationship between Bucky and Black Widow, so I’m fairly certain things are going to go badly next month.

The main action on the RV is wonderful. Bucky comes off like a true hero, not just a super-spy, and it’s nice to see him handle the role. This is barely a super-hero comic, the action in this one wouldn’t be out of place on 24 or Fringe. This comic lets Brubaker play in the Marvel U sandbox, but still tell stories like Sleeper or Incognito. It’s a winning combo.

Michael Lark. Never have I seen an exploding RV look so beautiful. (You’d be surprised how often it comes up, actually.) Lark knocks it out of the park this issue. The mood, pacing, and direction are all top notch. He draws an assault on a moving RV and the action is always clearly established. There is no point in the shenanigans where I didn’t know what was going on. And the looks on the heroes faces during their moments of truth? Fantastic. Black Widow’s smile as she zips off on the bike and the satisfied smirk on Bucky as he lets go of the wheel, just great work.

Good

Winter Soldier #6

This is the best issue of Winter Soldier so far. I’m not sure if that is because Ed Brubaker is back to the noir-ish world where Bucky works best or what, but I found myself way more interested in a new villain and opening moves than on Lucia Von Bardas’ plot from the opening arc.

Leonid is the last sleeper trained by Bucky Barnes to show up in the pages, but he’s clearly the most dangerous. Freed from his programming, he’s got a weird obsession with super-heroes in general and the Winter Soldier in particular. I’m not sure if “you should have woken me up better!” is much of a motivation for a villain to go after a hero, but this new guys is so interesting it’s fine with me. Leonid actually seems competent, and his actions at the close of the issue prove that he’s willing to do some awful things to achieve his goals.

I’m enjoying Bucky’s supporting cast more and more. Jasper Sitwell is a bit of a cold fish, but that puts him at nice odds with Black Widow. The Widow is a perfect partner for Bucky; as an ex-Soviet spy, she’s got all sorts of plot-relevant insight that pops up all the time. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Falcon show up, he and Bucky got along so well when Bucky Cap was on the scene.

Michael Lark’s moody art is perfect for the book. I think we could just rotate through old Gotham Central artists and we’d be in good shape. I do wish that more artists could capture that 70’s vibe on the Widow, though. She’s got such a great look, but it’s hard to show off in her limited panel time. And surely Leonid is going to get some kind of costume, right?

Good

Winter Soldier #5

I have to open with an observation: Butch Guice draws a hell of a Dr. Doom. It’s like a realistic Kirby drawing walked onto the page every time ol’ Vic shows up, and it’s a great look. The different inkers do a nice job too. I’m not sure who inked the opening conversation on the shuttle, but Black Widow looks incredible. THAT should be the model sheet for the character. She retains her sweet 70’s look while still being modern. Well done to Guice and whoever else worked on that.

I know I’m a bit simple, but I’m disappointed we didn’t get more of the super apes fighting Winter Soldier. It just doesn’t’ seem fair putting them up against Dr. Doom. Lucia Von Bardas, at least to me, only has vague cyborg powers, so I wasn’t too worried about her either. So while I enjoyed the super-villain elements of this story, I think I liked Ed Brubaker’s last Bucky Cap run a bit more. Unicorn and Ursa Major seemed a bit more out there, and so a bit more fun.

I do like that not all the sleeper agents turned out to be totally evil. You’ve got to figure that at least some of these brainwashed guys would be darn confused. And leaving one out there at the close of the story is a smart move too. The only question now is if he’s a new character, or this is a shocking reveal for an existing character?

Fair

Captain America: The Trial of Captain America TPB

(Note: Whoops, posted my Cap reviews in the wrong order!)


Sin is one messed up lady. I’m clearly way behind, since I’ve already read (and reviewed Fear Itself), and that makes the stakes in this storyline already seem antiquated. Sin doesn’t really try to do a whole lot in this entire trade, because her BIG plan is going to unfold in Fear Itself. This story is basically her just killing time until it’s summer event season. Ed Brubaker gets to keep her busy just messing with Bucky.

I do like the inclusion of Master Man, especially in his current incarnation. He’s not a smart guy, but he’s crafty, and he seems good enough at what he does to be dang dangerous. He sure didn’t have a problem taking out Black Widow and Falcon.

Brubaker keeps a tie to older Cap continuity with the return of Bernie Rosenthal, Cap’s old neighbor and love interest. There’s no spark between them evident in this collection, but that’s OK. Steve Rogers is fully in Nick Fury mode. He serves the purposes of the story, but I’d much rather see him in the lead. I’m finding that while I like Winter Soldier/Bucky/NuCap, I’m nowhere near as invested in him as I am in Rogers.

One aspect of the NuCap era that is really interesting to me is Bucky’s supporting cast. The immediate and powerful partnership with Black Widow makes sense, but I really like the way Falcon and Bucky hit it off too. The two guys didn’t really know each other, but they sure fit well as partners with Rogers off juggling checkbooks.

Butch Guice is solid, and his long-standing relationship with Brubaker is one of the stronger collaborations in comics. Guice seems to relish the chance to draw the Black Widow; her graceful dancing through combat is always well done.

Fair

Captain America: Prisoner of War TPB

So it certainly seems I should have read this issue before starting up on the Winter Soldier series. I’m also regretting buying Winter Soldier in floppy, since I was reading Bucky Cap’s adventures in trade format, I’ve got a media switch halfway through the story!

Time must have been short in this storyline, because the story is split up between three artists, with each one handling a different character. Butch Guice is “the” artist for the Winter Soldier, so his stuff looked on-model and dramatic, as always.

I loved Mike Deodato’s take on the Russian gulag too. He gets to draw Ursa Major throwing down with Bucky in some fantastic fight sequences. (It’s weird how Bucky’s specialty seems to be fighting animals, isn’t it?)

Chris Samnee works on the Black Widow and Sharon Carter segments, and those are fun little spy adventures that show off the skills of two characters often relegated to support status. Black Widow in particular kicks a whole lot of butt in her storyline.

It couldn’t have been easy for Ed Brubaker to populate his Russian gulag with good old Marvel villains. All those Cold War era dudes got killed at the end of their storylines, so of the named villains, two are “surprisingly” alive. I’m not complaining that Titanium Man and Unicorn are both still kicking. Unicorn in particular has a ton of potential in the modern Marvel U. I hope someone makes use of him.

There have been so many Crimson Dynamos that at this point, I can’t even figure out who wore what. Having an old Dynamo makes perfect sense in the prison too, and I can’t imagine many people have a flowchart of who wore which armor in which time. As for the Wolfspiders, I love the idea of expanding the KGB’s Black Widow program to make some more baddies. Great move.

This book spends a lot of time in Bucky’s head. Brubaker writes him the same way he writes the leads in Criminal and Incognito. Bucky is a neat character, but this story really drives home that he is not Captain America. As Nick Fury says, he picked up the mantle just to keep everyone else from doing it. We all know Steve Rogers needs to be back in the suit.

Good

Invaders Now! HC

I picked this one up from the library, and it’s odd, I like the Invaders, I like Christos Gage, but this series left me fairly cold. In fact, other than the excellent Torch trade, I haven’t loved any of the Invaders material that Dynamite put out over the last few months.

And really, I should have liked this a lot more. This story features Arnim Zola, Shuma Gorath, and zombies. I mean, those are three of my favorite things, right? But the whole time lost element of the story never totally works. I just don’t feel bad for Bucky Cap or Toro, not as much as I guess I should. It’s also hard to get riled up about the repercussions of a story we never heard about before now.

Gage does a nice job with Union Jack, giving the character a pretty great batting average. Has anyone actually read a bad story featuring the current Union Jack? I can’t think of one. Steve Rogers is fine, as is Toro, but Namor, Spitfire, and the Torch don’t get a ton to do. The Golden Age Vision is somewhat interesting, but I don’t know much of anything about the character.

Arnim Zola isn’t much of a mastermind, leaving the main scheming up to the Lovecraftian Shuma Gorath. Shuma doesn’t have any dialogue, so it’s up to Zola and a weird WWII survivor to give the Invaders someone to play off. The dramatics never fully coalesced for me.

Caio Reis is a new name for me, and his art is decent. It’s tough going up against those Alex Ross covers. Reis’ faces were a bit lumpy and sometimes the battle scenes were too sketchy.

Average

Winter Soldier #2

I couldn’t resist the rumors of a gorilla with a jetpack.

This is a really odd comic, with Ed Brubaker writing a nourish spy thriller, but starring flying gorillas and evil robots. It’s neat seeing how he’s merging the two worlds so effectively. I always like the ideas of super-villain auctions, and seeing them pawning off HAMMER tech and Pym particle gear seems to be par for the course in this book.

This issue seemed like a lot more fun than the previous one. Winter Soldier seems to be enjoying the absurdity of his world more, and it makes the whole book feel lighter. He and Black Widow are a fun couple, and a perfect match, so its great seeing them just decimating everyone they go up against.

I’m not sure I buy the robot from the closing panel as a true threat, but for a street-level duo like Winter and Widow, it might work.

Butch Guice has reinvented himself again. This book is positively scratchy, so much so that at times its hard to discern what’s happening in some of the more frenetic action sequences. It’s not a bad fit, the action is in dark alleys after all. And Guice can certainly bring the classic when he wants to; his Dr. Doom looks like he stepped out of a comic from the 1960’s.

Good

Winter Soldier #1

Time for a weird review. I really enjoyed Ed Brubaker’s Winter Soldier, but I don’t think I’m going to get #2 next month. I’ll still read it, but I feel like these espionage-style stories tend to work out better in trade than in floppy. Brubaker clearly has a lot of affection for his two leads (Bucky and Black Widow). And who doesn’t like the sleeper super-villain angle? There is a lot of action, but the pacing of the main story is pretty slow. I think I’d prefer to get this whole arc and read it at once.

The villains actually stand out nicely. R.A.I.D shows up, as does Red Ghost and his Super Apes. There’s a good surprise villain at the close, and I like that this character would be using old Cold War technology for her villainous goals. Jasper Sitwell is another nice Marvel U mainstay to clearly root this in the Marvel U.

There is a lot of exposition packed into these pages, but Brubaker wisely leaves a lot of room for Butch Guice to show off some cinematic action sequences. This comic looks like it is ready to be filmed for an HBO-style show tomorrow.

Butch Guice’s artwork is beautiful, it looks oddly painted in some panels, but that just adds to the 60’s spy-feel of the book. Guice has always been good, but some of these pages are unbelievable. The Minnesota-sequence, with the rain-soaked spider-web that shows up just before Black Widow, that’s some great storytelling. And the “Death to America” page? Man, I want that on my wall.

Good