Young Avengers #2

Here’s another issue where I enjoyed the second issue more than the first. Kieron Gillen intrigued me with the premiere, but there was a lot of unrelated action going down and a ton of characters doing it. 

This issue wisely focuses on the great climax from issue 1; Hulkling’s returned momster. By keeping the focus on Wiccan and Hulkling, I really got worried for the characters and their upsetting situation. 

Thanks to Loki, I think things could end up OK, but wow, everything sure looked bleak for a few pages! (As an aside, how interesting is it that the Avengers in the mansion were the Uncanny Avengers?)

So the evil mom has not been resolved, but clearly she’s got some decent powers. Either there is some reality shifting happening, or she is one powerful mind-controller. She controls the reactions of both the Avengers and random folks on the street, so she’s pretty souped up.

One of my favorite parts of the issue is the way Gillen writes Hulkling and Wiccan. Gillen remembers that these guys are Avengers fan boys, so they definitely have some suspicions when dealing with Thor’s evil brother. I’m excited to see Laufey (the movie version) appear on the printed page, but I hope he’s not around too long. If I start thinking about it too much, I start to really want Tom Hiddleston’s Loki to be in the Marvel U, not this kid version of the character.

Jamie McKelvie doesn’t have the wondering, jarring layouts from last issue; he just has solid, beautiful regular pages. Because of the way he shows Wiccan’s powers operating, with the words showing up like a normal comic’s sound effects, it is neat that there is no SFX for regular fighting. That’s fine with me. I can provide the “SPLUFF” sound effect when Hulkling splatters his Mom all over the kitchen!

Good

Hawkeye #8

Issues like this remind me that I’m wired wrong. I absolutely loved this issue, and yet I'll be in the minority. The last few months of time-jumping, more unconventional issues have been decent, but this was my favorite issue of Hawkeye since he fought the Ringmaster.

What makes this comic so good is that it really felt like we are seeing Hawkeye on his off hours. Hawkeye might be a world-beating Avenger, but Clint Barton makes some really poor decisions. Penny has clearly got Clint wrapped around her finger, and he can’t see it. While I would have loved to see more from Hawkeye’s Avenging exes, they come off perfectly in their cameo. What is even more amazing about the scene is that Penny isn’t intimidated by Black Widow, Spider-Woman, or Mockingbird. That takes some nerve to waltz in and kiss Clint in front of them.

Clint may not be a heist guy, but this has 70’s heist movie all over it. The ladies are all dressed in fantastic looking retro-outfits, with the Avengers wearing dresses that harken back to their costumes. (Spider-Woman’s is the most creative, but I like Mockingbird’s look best.) David Aja is outdoing himself, finally this feels like the successor to Iron Fist (and that’s not just because of a clever call out in the comic).

I’m hoping the cliffhanger at the close of the book means we are in for a bit more of a standard super-hero story that maintains the indie sensibilities we love. This issue’s weird brilliance is inset covers to fake comics, all featuring redhead protagonists who resemble Penny. The one-page covers are remarkably effective at building a past for the gal, even though we clearly can’t trust that they are true. I’m not sure if she’s told the truth about anything so far!

Good

Batman Inc. #8

SPOILERS AHOY!

Man. When Grant Morrison gets to tell his story all the way through, with a solid artist, there is no one better.

I’ve read that Morrison promised to leave the Bat-universe as he found it. That means no Damian, no Batman Inc. (I assume) and everything back to normal. I respect that, but I’m going to miss Damian Wayne a lot. Unlike a lot of my comic-reading friends, I loved Damian from the start. I found his poor attitude hilarious, and I was fascinated by the relationship Damian formed with Dick Grayson. Seeing the two of them function as Batman & Robin was a joy.

I think Morrison found it that way too. Damian has one hell of a send-off in this issue; he saves pretty much all the other Robins, he fights off crowds of bad guys, and he even gets a moment with Grayson. It’s a nice, quiet moment between explosions where the two of them get to acknowledge how much fun they had working together as the caped crusaders. Perhaps Damian is a bit mushier than normal, but it is totally worth it to see the two buds charge into the maelstrom together one last time. A wonderful, touching scene; it is my favorite in the comic.

But the death scene is great too. Rendered in unbelievable detail by Chris Burnham, Robin goes down fighting. His bulky brother (who still reminds me of Bane) is a tough opponent, and the two of them shred each other attempting to win. During the whole conflict, however, Damian is being shot with arrows and bullets. By the time the fight is wrapping up, Damian is bloodied, tattered, and spitting blood. Burnham does a great job making Damian still look like a kid too, making his death all the more tragic.

I find it to be a fascinating decision that Damian’s “goodbye” is with Nightwing, not with Batman. Bruce Wayne will never have the chance to say goodbye to his son. Damian’s mother, Talia Al Ghul/Leviathan? She could have saved Damian or at least said goodbye. She does neither.

Excellent

Uncanny Avengers #4

I love the Uncanny Avengers. I love the villain, the art, the characters, the new ways Rick Remender can play all these folks off each other. There is a ton to like in Marvel’s new flagship title.

This issue actually has the team sort of come together. Instead of weird pairings, more and more characters start to actually join up and form a team. Remender gives us some fantastic pairings that feel really new. The Marvel U is an old place, so it is tough to see new character interactions, but this issue is full of them. Havok and Captain America, Havok and Scarlet Witch, Scarlet Witch vs. Thor. It’s got a ton of new combos. But Remender still delivers what we want, a Captain America vs. the Red Skull conflict; it’s worked for decades, and it is still effective.

There are a bunch of weird moments tossed in during Red Skull’s America bashing. Anything that can call back to Days of Future Past and mock reality TV is OK by me. As with all offensive tirades, there are just a few bits of truth mixed in to the Skull’s rant about America’s decline. That is why the Skull is an A-list villain. And that is why is so very sweet when the Marvel heroes get to knock him down.

John Cassady’s art is stunning. The Thor/Scarlet Witch conflict plays out like a heavyweight showdown, although I’m not sure that’s exactly how the Witch’s powers work. Poor Havok’s lumpy face makes him look ridiculous through the entire issue, but when it is time for him to deliver a speech, it just makes him look dedicated. And wow, it is weird seeing Thor look so much like a villain… he’s got a look that could make the switch, you know? I’d say I love all the new designs except for Cap’s new combat armor. Everything else looks like a modernized version of classic costumes. And soon we get Wasp, Sunfire, and Wonder Man!

Excellent 

Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen TPB

I’m trying to place what it is I like about Kieron Gillen’s writing. He’s really impressed me on his recent X-books and Iron Man. I think it is that he’s taken over as the unofficial clean-up man for Marvel. For a long time it was Christos Gage who wrote the “missing chapters” to clean up after the big name writers. Now it seems Gillen is the guy riding in to deal with messes like the Dreaming Celestial and the new world of Uncanny X-Force.

The first trade collects issues 1-4, all dealing with the Dreaming Celestial and Mr. Sinister. (Wisely, Gillen has done away with the “Mr.”) Sinister is a lot more playful and amusing in this incarnation, prone to monologues and long villainous explanations of his plans. Emma Frost and other characters call him out on this numerous times, and it is a fun turn for the long-time mastermind.

Cyclops’ Extinction Team is equal parts deterrent and corrective action for the world. Seeing Cyclops, Magneto, Emma Frost, Magik, Colossus, Danger, and Storm all together is pretty intimidating. Hope is on the team too, and she more than holds her own.

Gillen’s dialogue is what makes the whole thing work. Storm’s imperious nature is played occasionally for laughs, but she works best as the moral compass of the team. When she asks which team members have been considered villains, and Cyclops dares to not raise his hand? Great moment.

And this is a book filled with them. Gillen writes Hope as a young lady quite impressed with Namor’s physical charms. She makes numerous references to his body parts and how handsome he is, and Namor eats it up. I don’t get a skeevy vibe from the Sub-Mariner, but he definitely likes that she noticed. And Magneto. Gillen's Magneto might be the best character in the book. Gillen maximizes each and every line for haughtiness, confidence, and power. Fantastic.

Like Claremont’s classic X-work, Gillen is laying the seeds for later stories too. Danger is marginalized a bit as a mobile communications station, but again, it’s directly addressed in the script, so I’m sure there is a method to the madness. As a big Colossus fan, I’d like a bit more with Piotr and Magik, but again, I think there’s a long-form story going on.

I’m not a huge Greg Land fan, but I have to admit he’s a good fit for this title. He can draw beautiful people behaving badly, and really, that’s all this book is! Hope looks a bit too much like a super-model, but hey, she’s on the big X-Men team now, that must be a natural development too. My biggest complaint is bad Colossus. It just doesn’t work!

Good

Thor: God of Thunder #5

Well now that’s weird. I absolutely loved this issue when I started reading it, because it promises the beginning of the Gorr, the god-butcher’s comeuppance. In the past, present, and future, Thor is out to turn things around and start bringing it to the new villain. I finished the book eagerly anticipating the final showdown with the Butcher. But it seems I’m wrong, this is the conclusion of the first arc. 

It is labeled as “Part 5 of 5” yet as far as I can tell, there is no resolution in sight.

In the past, Thor’s Viking companions show their grit and loyalty in facing down the Butcher. Thor manages to bust free and really do some damage to his captor. In the present, Avengers-Thor is on the warpath, hunting down Gorr and his underlings as they attempt to change the universe by traveling through time. Thor is having none of it, and once again wallops Gorr a bit. Gorr’s got a master plan, but I don’t think he’s got quite the upper hand he thinks he does against Thor.

In the future, old Thor needs some help. Good thing Avengers-era Thor is doing some time-travelling, huh?

I have really enjoyed this story, but I must confess I’m ready for a full on confrontation. I want our hero to get his licks in and be able to do something besides chase the god butcher around the galaxy. I think that time is coming; I just think it should have come at the conclusion of this arc rather than in a later one.

Esad Ribic’s art is wonderful, but surely he can’t keep this up? I need to check out the solicits, I don’t think this level of painted work is too quick to produce. Although looking back, there are definitely some shortcuts in the backgrounds. Most panels just have different colors. I didn’t notice that on first read, though, because they colors are used to effectively to feature the foreground characters. This book is like a Brom painting come to life!

Good

Indestructible Hulk #4

Mark Waid has done an insane job with this title. In only four issues, this new status quo for the Hulk feels like the beginning of an era. (Come to think of it, Hulk has had a lot of status quo changes over the years, hasn’t he?) I think part of the reason I love this setup so much is that it reminds me of the Pantheon era. Just like in those issues, Hulk has a huge organization pointing him in the right direction while interacting through snarky sidekicks.

Of course, it is only natural that there is an aquatic helicarrier. There sort of had to be, didn’t there?

I’m also tickled at the villain for this two-parter. I had no idea who that was reaching out on that cover, but it’s a Marvel classic. Just one that hasn’t crossed paths with the Hulk too much. I love the use of lady-troopers in the Lemurian army, we don’t see that enough. It’s also neat seeing how the mystery villain utilizes so many different undersea powers to aid him in his conquest.

If I had to make a complaint, it is that I don’t like the idea that Hulk’s new armor gives him an air bubble to breathe in. It’s just like the Legion trans suits. Maybe it is because I love seeing Iron Man tricked out in different armors for different situations, but I’d love to see Hulk looking a bit more “undersea” you know? Let’s get some toyetic costumes going!

Good