Secret Avengers #19

I'm still just tickled that there is an Avengers title out there that feels so right. Bendis loves the dialogue and relationships, but Warren Ellis is writing an Avengers comic where crap gets done!

This issue features Steve Rogers, Moon Knight (in a suit), Black Widow, and Sharon Carter. It's pretty great, because while this is still an Avengers comic with big baddies like elder gods, it works just as well as a drug-bust comic. The street-level heroes are all packing knockout guns and blasting their way around; it's pretty entertaining.

The high point of the issue has to be Steve Rogers' street fight. It's light on dialogue, but man, these amped up drug-dealers are a real threat. Steve is sporting a shiner for the rest of the issue after taking out just one of these guys. From that point on, it's K-O gun time! Moon Knight gets some sweet undercover action in his white suit too. More heroes need a formal-wear version of their costumes!

Michael Lark is a chameleon. This looks street-level and gritty, as it needs to, the big moments all get to shine. That double page knockout in the middle works because it is so jarring from the rest of the story.

Good

Avengers Solo #2

You'd think ol' Hawkeye was fighting Spidey by the looks of that cover! I suppose there is some overlap with the Trapster's powers, though.

I'm enjoying Jen Van Meter's Hawkeye story as it moves into the second chapter. This is the definition of a plot-based story, you could plug in any hero to this story and it would work equally well; there are no real "Hawkeye" elements that make this a personal mission for him. That said, Van Meter writes Hawkeye as a competent and powerful hero who is out to do the right thing. The thugs are a tad generic, but you can't fault this book on action. There is a ton going on, including more super-villain goodness from Trapster. I hope another baddie shows up next issue, or that the bandaged gal turns out to be a real villain. (I would have guessed Moonstone, except that she's busy elsewhere.)

Roger Robinson draws a fantastic Hawkeye. There are a ton of really strong pages with great action shots. I got sketch from Robinson years ago, and I asked for Hawkeye then because I thought he'd do a great job. He did then and he's doing a bang-up job now.

Good

The Torch TPB

Head on over to the Collected Editions blog for my guest-review of The Torch TPB.

Here's a hint: It was good!

Marvel Zombies 5 HC

I like Fred Van Lente's writing. Heck, I even liked Marvel Zombies 3 that he wrote. But what is the point of this story? It's a random sampling of alternate universes where different forms of the zombie virus have taken hold (all named after famous directors, amusingly enough).

The problem is that this story can't decide if it wants to take the story seriously or if it is a joke. Machine Man and Howard the Duck? How are we supposed to take that seriously? And the original Black Knight's world is overrun with Deadites from Army of Darkness?

The last story is mighty confusing too, a more "realistic?" take on the zombie story? I'm not sure what the point was, but the whole thing comes off a bit oddly.

The art is a mix of decent creators, but my confusion at the tone of the story kept me from getting too wrapped up.

Weird.

Average

Fall of the New Mutants TPB

Zeb Wells continues to churn out good, classic-feeling stories that acknowledge the rich history of the Marvel U without bogging them down in continuity. If you liked Inferno or the original New Mutants at all, you will dig this series. If you like super-heroes taking on mutant soldiers? Yeah, you'll like this a lot too.

Back during Inferno, Maddie Pryor used a bunch of mutant babies to bring about the end of the world. When it didn't happen, the US Government took those kids and set about turning them into weapons. In what is clearly a horrible choice, but logical in comic book-thinking, the government set up a base in Limbo to raise and train the kids. This gives Wells a chance to indulge in some classic sci-fi elements. The sped-up aging of Limbo; the horrific grafts of demonic transplants; and some absolutely killer designs for weird new limbo monsters. This is great stuff, and the design work of these bad guys is wonderful. Every one looks like they could star as the big bad on his or her own.

The "babies" as they're called have some sick personalities, but getting raised in Limbo would probably do that to you. Wells has examined the outlook of the New Mutants before, but seeing them contrasted against this other group makes a lot of sense. Sure, Cannonball used them poorly during Necrosha and Second Coming, but he never got close to using them as badly as the soldiers do the Inferno kids. Cannonball cares about his crew too much and takes his responsibility too seriously to ever think of his crew as resources. (Especially now that he and a teammate seem to be acting upon some long-theorized feelings for each other.)

Part of what makes the New Mutants work is how well the characters know each other (and we know them). Sunspot is going to be a cad, even when decked out with a sword and armor. Magma is noble. Magik is scheming and plotting. Wells keeps everyone in character so well. This is almost fan-fiction, except that it's handled so well.

Leonard Kirk is a fantastic artist and he's a great fit for this book. As I said, his design work on the Limbo demons is wonderful. There are some little frog-guys that just tickled me, and the vision-enhancing creatures that clamp their fists under their human host's jaw? Horrifying and cool at the same time.

Good

Secret Avengers #18

I'm a few weeks late, but since I decided to pick up the upcoming Rick Remender-era of Secret Avengers, I've gone back to get Warren Ellis' run too. I'm glad I did.

If you liked Planetary but thought it was missing that Marvel something, then this is the title for you. The secret societies and snappy dialogue are all there, but now we've got Shang-Chi, Steve Rogers, and Sharon Carter taking care of business.

This issue features a Secret Avengers strike team out to destroy a group of terrorists before they can use a slice of reality to create a big bomb. It's pretty generic, but it gives David Aja a chance to show off some Escher-related combat on a satellite. Seriously, the plot is secondary in this thing, this is all about space-fu.

Ellis does have time to fit in some of his patented mad ideas. Arnim Zola 4.2.3 is so logical an idea, I'm puzzled how it hasn't come up before. Of course there would be old copies of Zola's personality still puttering around in old combat suits! Why not?

There are also a few nice moments with Shang-Chi questioning his role (and responsibilities) on an Avengers team. I'm not sure I totally buy Steve Rogers' explanation and rationalization at the end, after all, he did just use Shang to brutally incapacitate a lot of people. But hey, Rogers gives a good enough reason, one that Shang can probably use to justify sticking around. It probably would wear on you permanently hurting people like that, so the questioning works.

Good

Avengers Academy #22

Let's all give thanks for low-selling fanboy titles like Avengers Academy. I hope it can survive the current Marvel cancellation purge!

I get the feeling that Christos Gage has been looking forward to this issue's big showdown for a long time. It had to happen, Quicksilver and Magneto. With the Academy relocating to California, the timing couldn't be better. (Check out the battling logos on the cover: "Shattered Heroes" on top and "Regenesis" on the bottom. Go for those sales!)

While the conflict between the two groups is a little forced, I loved seeing folks like Whiz Kid (remember him?) caught in the middle. He's a mutant, but enrolled in Avengers Academy. Which side will he choose? And if there was any doubt about Gage writing Hawkeye well, check out the archer's reasoning of why White Queen is still evil: her outfit! This while Hawk is on a team with Tigra. (White Queen has some wonderful advice for Tigra too. What lucky students they must have.)

It is nice seeing Finesse throw her support behind Quicksilver. She's long been fascinated by Magneto and villains in general, so this switch to Quicksilver gives me hope that maybe she's going to be a hero after all. What a turnaround considering her history and actions so far.

I also really like Hank Pym's awkwardness around the other heroes. He's a neat hero, but man, Cyclops shoots down just about everything he says. Pym isn't quite enough of a tyrant to fit in with Scott Summers these days.

Sean Chen is a fantastic artist, I've sung his praises for years. I'm sad to see him go, but Tom Grummett will be another great "classic" replacement. That said, if Sean Chen can't make the current Hawkeye look work, then it is time to go back to the drawing board. Those purple sunglasses are plain awful. Why would Marvel move away from a classic design like Hawks' in order to get some synergy with a movie that's still six months away! Yuck!

Good