Magen Cubed's Blog, page 22

Comic book review: Avengers Assemble #16

Who wants YOU for dinner? The Brood! From Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matteo Buffagni.

There’s no time for Carol Danvers to rest in the second part of this event, as The Brood strikes in another blast from her past. Despite her worsening condition (and a stern talking-to from Tracy), Captain Marvel assembles with the rest of the Avengers to keep the alien horde from destroying the city. It’s an action-packed team beat-‘em-up, with plenty of the banter and character dynamics that DeConnick has become known for regarding all things Carol. Fun, funny, and lots of alien punching. It’s exactly what you’ve come to expect from a Captain Marvel/Avengers story, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Meanwhile, Yon-Rogg, who has been manipulating Carol’s life from the shadows since the first appearance of Deathbird’s imposter, now has the last piece of the Psyche-Magnitron that gave Carol her powers. Attempting to barter his way back into the good graces of the Kree Empire, he offers them Captain Marvel and Earth in exchange for a hero’s return. The Kree have no interest in the offer and while Yon-Rogg is disappointed at their rejection, he remains undeterred. As the Avengers dispose of their bug problem, Yon-Rogg uses the Psyche-Magnitron to transform himself into a living weapon known as Magnitron. With Carol and company trying to make sense of the diversions, Magnitron puts the next phase of his plan into action.

This issue serves as another solid chapter in this event. The somewhat generic revenge story works rather well as this plot continues to unfold, spruced up by DeConnick’s excellent use of dialogue. The action and adventure keep things moving at a good pace, peppered by humorous exchanges and enough one-liners to give all the characters a chance to shine. Buffagni deftly handles the action with a lot of energy and grace, creating dynamic page layouts and panel compositions. Bellaire and Wilson’s colors really make the scenes pop, giving the spaces the character inhabit a light and airy feeling. Overall an enjoyable read.

Comic book review: Deadpool #11

Can Wade trust hell to keep their side of his contract? Will all of Deadpool’s new friends end up dead because of him? Are turkey sandwiches better than ham? 2 of these 3 questions will be answered! From Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan with art by Mike Hawthorne.

Deadpool’s demonic problems continue to unfold as he finds himself nearing the end of his deal with Vetis. Attempting to make his living situation with Preston work, Deadpool ties up Preston’s husband and son and cooks dinner for them. This family bonding, while humorous, doesn’t go over too well, with Preston’s husband not taking to his wife’s new form. Back to business, Deadpool and Preston go after a shapeshifter causing havoc in New York City. Dodging Vetis, the shapeshifter is running around posing as various superheroes in an effort to escape Deadpool until they both inadvertently end up on Daredevil’s radar.  I want to say hilarity ensues, but that’s not entirely accurate.

After a series of fight scenes (and the occasional embarrassment on Deadpool’s part), some quick thinking ends Deadpool’s standoff with Daredevil and he takes out the shapeshifter. Vetis, as always, comes to collect the souls promised to him. Just as Deadpool anticipated, the demon tries to consume Michael’s soul, only to discover Michael is already dead and in Hell, wheeling and dealing with Mephisto himself. Enraged, Vetis makes a move on Deadpool to take his soul instead, closing on a fairly predictable cliffhanger to this issue.

A more worthwhile effort from Posehn and Duggan than last month’s offering, this issue has some plenty of good going for it. The plot for this issue was generic but still fairly engaging, peppered by fun guest appearances, and the action served to carry things along at a good clip. Deadpool’s attempts at family bonding were very amusing, as is his and Preston’s banter as their strange relationship continues to develop. Hawthorne’s art remains a good complement to the series, capturing the action and absurdity without getting caught up in all the gore, as was sometimes distracting with Tony Moore’s art in the last arc.

All of that said, the weaknesses are still ever-present. Excessive references and out-of-place (and extremely juvenile) jokes come across as groan-worthy rather than entertaining, and slow down an otherwise fast-paced issue. Seriously: How many fart jokes does one book need? It’s a fun issue, but the lame one-liners and pop culture name-dropping continue to really take me out of the story. If any of the jokes were actually funny, it would be a different story. As it stands now, it’s all a bit of a drag on an otherwise decent book.

Comic book review: Avengers #13

The High Evolutionary stakes his claim on the Children of the Sun. Hyperion learns the true cost of the decisions he’s made at the Origin Site in the Savage Land. The Return of techno-titan Terminus. From Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer with art by Mike Deodato.

Another side-adventure issue with a bit of character development going for it, Hyperion and Thor continue to carry this storyline as the Avengers sets out to rescue the children of the Savage Land. With the High Evolutionary harnessing the children’s physiology for his own uses, the team reassembles with the arrival of Captain Universe, who introduces them to the petrified immortal Garokk. Garokk leads the team to the High Evolutionary’s hidden ship, where they fight through his mutant hordes to rescue the children.

Using the children together as one massive living battery, the High Evolutionary awakens a Terminus to turn loose on the team. Thor battles the machine back as Hyperion goes after the children, spurred by his burgeoning paternal instincts. He rips off the High Evolutionary’s arm and flies into the Terminus’ head, rescuing the children from inside. With the High Evolutionary disposed of for now, Thor and Hyperion commiserate on the hillside beneath the husk of the Terminus standing motionless in the distance.

In this brisk close to the Savage Land two-parter, Hickman delivers a fairly satisfying story that continues to move the post-Mars plot. Hyperion gets plenty of screen-time as he becomes emboldened by his desire to create a legacy through his accidental wards, viewing the children as his own. His conversations with Thor about strength and immortality cast a more interesting light on the impact of Ex Nihilo’s meddling on the planet, and serve to humanize this iteration of the character. The modest plot gives the rest of the team another chance to stretch their legs a bit, just as with the last issue, offering the others a bit more screen-time. Unfortunately, most of this just goes to show how Doc-Ock-as-Spider-Man fails to blend into the team, give or take a few chuckle-worthy lines.

It’s a simple story but it gets the job done, carried to a fitting conclusion by Deodato’s dynamic and engaging pencils. A decent read with consistent artwork and some interesting guest appearances. Not exactly a mind-blower, but a solid issue nonetheless.

Comic book review: The Fearless Defenders #5

All the fearless ladies on this cover are actually in this issue! Plus: Valkyrie v.s. She Hulk! From Cullen Bunn and Will Sliney.

Caroline LeFay’s plot to unleash the Doom Maidens takes an interesting turn, even as this issue falls a bit flat in some areas. As Valkyrie, Hippolyta and Dani Moonstar touch down in Brazil, they find themselves in an Asgardian arena with Le Fay and her Doom Maidens arriving via dragon. Outnumbered and outmatched, things look hopeless until Misty Knight arrives with the cavalry, which include some of Marvel’s toughest female brawlers. The all-female fight scene that ensues, is, of course, pretty awesome.

Away from innocent bystanders, and empowered by the ongoing awakening ritual that LeFay has started through Dani, Valkyrie awakens her true self. Knowing she would be unable to defeat the Doom Maidens, even with all of the Defenders at her side, Valkyrie, as the Maiden of Rage, is powerful enough to strike back at her former fellow maidens. This comes at a high price, as she slips into a beserker state of uncontrollable fury that worries all of her companions. Turning on their own, the issue closes as the Defenders – led by She-Hulk – prepare to fight their way through to Valkyrie to save her from herself.

Another fun romp in a consistently entertaining series, this issue has some highs and some lows. The all-female melee fight was pretty great, as every character featured on Mark Brooks’ fantastic cover got some screen-time. Bunn delivers up some fairly solid dialogue with a few funny throw-away lines, as well as some humorous captions for the character entrances. He still manages to keep all the character dynamics interesting and enjoyable, and the team itself continues to work together very well, huge personalities and egos aside. However, a lot of the dialogue in the fight scenes felt clunky and unnecessary, slowing down the pacing. I realize Bunn was trying to give each of the women a line, and I appreciate that, but there were just way too many guest stars to make this really feasible without feeling shoehorned in.

Again, Sliney’s artwork is the book’s biggest soft spot. His grasp on female anatomy leaves a lot to be desired, and with so many women crammed into one book, it’s hard to ignore the fact that they all have the same awkward expressions. The only upside is that his action sequences here are very energetic and visually appealing, and some of his style transitions between panels do a great job of subtle but affective storytelling.

An action-heavy issue with a lot good stuff going for it, and just few bumps and bruises along the way. Fun and engaging.

Comic book review: New Avengers #6

Using the knowledge gained from the Black Swan, the Illuminati rework all their plans and cross the uncrossable line. The first secret alliance is formed. If an incursion is normally RED, what does a BLUE one mean? From Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting.

Hickman delivers another enigmatic chapter in this slow-burn cosmic mystery, as the Illuminati now find themselves in Latveria with Black Swan at their side. Expecting to encounter another incursion point, to Black Swan’s horror they are instead met by the Mapmakers. Heralded by an ominous blue sky rather than the red one seen at other incursion points, the Mapmakers descend upon Doomstadt to eliminate all life on this world, barely held back by Doctor Doom and his son Kristoff Vernard. As Black Swan explains, Mapmakers wait for an incursion between universes, where the two planets touch. They are tasked with destroying all life on one of the planets before it’s finally consumed. A piece of the destroyed planet then collides with the next, marking it for annihilation. It’s a frightening but seemingly efficient system.

With the Mapmakers here, the team has little choice but to take radical action. Following Black Swan through the incursion point, they arrive on the now lifeless parallel Earth on the other side, ready to fragment at any moment and mark their world. Although they struggle with the decision, the team elects to destroy that world and close the incursion point, staving off annihilation for the time being. As the team returns to the Necropolis, and Black Swan returns to her cell to form new alliances with the alternate Terrax, a fragment of the parallel world is discovered in Latveria. Doom now has the marker, which opens doors to unforeseen complications.

Another complex and engaging issue in Hickman’s ongoing puzzle, with equal measures of exposition and character development. The tensions in the team play a nice role here, as Black Swan becomes comfortable in her strange status as both asset and prisoner, testing the waters with Tony. Her odd relationship Reed continues to be interesting to watch unfold, as Hank slowly finds his footing in the team and T’Challa continues to struggle with the weight on their shoulders. The moral questions being raised by their circumstances plague them in different ways (with the exception on Namor, whose commentary is always great), and it’s nice to see how that plays out.

As always Epting carries the narrative with great cinematic scope and poise, his pencils well-complemented by D’Armata’s cool color palettes. It stands in an interesting contrast to the overbearing red palettes that we’ve seen so much of in previous issues. The somber blue tones of the artwork comes together nicely here in a haunting effect; the sense of hopelessness from the earlier chapters is now giving way to a light at the end of the tunnel, this issue’s change in color choices making that shift apparent. Overall this was another curious addition in an engrossing series.

Comic book review: Captain America #7

Zola’s master plan revealed! Ian’s fate decided! Captain Zola’s quest for lies and injustice! From Rick Remender and John Romita, Jr.

After last issue’s divisive cliffhanger, which saw Steve apparently shooting Jet Black in the head at point-blank range, this month opens on a flashback to a simpler time for Steve and Ian. Recounting his childhood to his son, Steve makes the distinction between his actions and those of his abusive father, and swears to never succumb to the same weaknesses that ate away at his own father. Steve has clearly realized how much his ideals have consumed him over the years, allowing him to become a passive observer in his own life as he drifted away from those he cared about. In this flashback we see Steve try to make peace with the damage he’s caused in his own life, and try to do right by Ian moving forward in being the father he never had.

This touching scene comes to an abrupt end as we snap back to the present and Steve continues his rampage through Zolandia to rescue Ian. Jet, who we learn is still quite alive, is left tied up in her room before she’s finally rescued by Zola’s goons. Steve, still wounded and grappling with Zola’s viral influence, is desperate to reach Ian and put an end to Zola’s brainwashing. What he doesn’t realize, however, is that Zola’s city is actually a huge battle cruiser, capable of interdimensional travel, as Zola prepares to travel to Steve’s dimension to infect everyone there with his virus. The city now breaking away from the earth to make its way to Steve’s home, all hope appears lost.

As Jet tries to stop Steve before he can reach Ian, they have yet another brawl. This time, Steve is able to appeal to Jet’s reason, convincing her to abandon her father’s psychotic quest. Jet agrees to help Steve, on the condition that he takes her brother and gives him a real life. As she goes to release the Phrox and try to stop Zola, Steve’s last grasp at victory is short-lived. Ian, completely brainwashed by Zola, appears with a gun and shoots Steve, closing the issue in yet another cliffhanger ending.

Overall, this was a solid issue. Remender keeps the plot moving through almost non-stop action, pausing only to give us the lovely father-son moment in the beginning of the issue, carried by Steve’s desperate, punctuated narration. Romita continues to deliver a surreal and nightmarish vision of Zolandia, one that is well-complemented by White’s enthralling color work. The only real fault with this issue was the overly operatic dialogue between Jet and Steve during their fight in the middle of the book, which really bogged everything down. Beyond that, this was a tight and engaging issue.

Comic book review: X-Men #1

An old enemy shows up at the X-Men’s door, seeking asylum from an ancient evil come back to earth. Meanwhile, Jubilee has come home, and she’s brought with her an orphaned baby who might hold the key to the earth’s survival…or its destruction. From Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel.

Full of intrigue and excitement, Wood and Coipel execute a perfectly-plotted opening issue with poise and certainty. This revamped X-Men #1 features a wonderfully balanced mystery as a weary Jubilee makes her trek home to Westchester, looking for the comfort of her fellow X-Men. Having taken in an orphaned baby, Jubilee is now an inadvertent parent being followed by John Sublime, who is hot on the trail of his sister. His sister, a powerful strain of sentient bacteria who has recently arrived on the planet via meteorite strike, is looking for revenge against her brother in their ancient, and seemingly unending, feud.

Sublime suspects his sister is currently piggybacking a ride to civilization inside of Jubilee’s baby, and tries to intervene. Anxious, Jubilee calls in reinforcements as Storm leads her all-female team to take Jubilee and her baby into their custody. Despite the weird occurrences surrounding her baby, Jubilee is all the while unaware of Sublime’s motives as he seeks council with Rachel Summers and Psylocke in stopping his sister. With his sister now free to infect whomever she wishes on the grounds, things quickly get much worse than Sublime had previously anticipated as the issue closes in the ominous appearance of his sister, Akrea Prime.

Wonderfully balanced by Wood’s well-paced storytelling and Coipel’s stellar pencils, this issue hits all the right notes. The characterizations are delightfully on-point and organic, and each member of this rather large cast feels fully utilized in every scene. Mystery and action are skillfully interspersed between small heartfelt moments between the characters, driving both plot and character development in equal measure while never feeling rushed or clunky. Coipel’s artwork achieves great narrative economy with his dynamic page compositions and panel design, and captures each character with well-developed distinction and charm. Also, the triumphant return of Storm’s mohawk? Yes, please.

If you had any fears of this being a gimmick book, because of its all-female roster or the addition of Jubilee’s baby, put them to rest right now. This book is flawless.

Comic book review: The Fearless Defenders #4 AU

In a world where some villains became heroes instead Warrior Woman teams up with…Caroline LeFay? The connection between the Fearless Defenders greatest … (And it’s true in our world too!) From Cullen Bunn and Phil Jimenez.

In this Age of Ultron tie-in, Warrior Woman must team up with Caroline LeFay. Captured by Victor Von Doom, what remains of the Defenders are now thrust into his gladiatorial games. With magic winning the battle against technology, Morgan LeFay now controls half the planet as the Asgardians abandoned Midgard following the death of Thor. Learning Caroline’s connection to both Morgan and Victor as their time-lost daughter, Hippolyta uses this knowledge her advantage as they enter Victor’s coliseum to do battle against her fellow former Defenders.

As Hippolyta attacks Doom, the games are revealed to be a farce run by a Doombot. With the Doombot destroyed, Hippolyta’s father Ares emerges as the one behind the charade, using Doom to rule from the shadows. Defeating her father in battle, Hippolyta takes back Thor’s hammer and reassembles the Defenders at her side.

While I’m sure readers who have been actively following this event will get more out of this issue, I found it to be weirdly-paced and convoluted. The dialogue was often clunky, and while we got a lot of info-dump that’s supposed to be relevant to the main storyline, I didn’t feel particularly invested in any of this new information. This issue felt like a lot of things happening all at once, with little real payoff. As I said, fans of the event may enjoy it more, but overall this issue left me cold.

Comic book review: Avengers #12

A day in the life of the Avengers…in the Savage Land. The boys go hunting for dinosaurs and end up catching something else entirely. Hyperion and Captain Universe begin the godlike education of the transformed Savage Land children. From Jonathan Hickman and Mike Deodato.

It’s back to the Savage Land in this issue, as the team grapples with the new life forms taking root in the changing eco-system. The children, as they’re called, are in need of some guidance, and it’s up to the Avengers to impart valuable life lessons. With the likes of Hawkeye and (the less than friendly) Spider-Man teaching the children, the quality of the lessons are questionable at best. Although Thor, Hyperion and Captain Universe manage to reach the children, the field trip comes to an abrupt halt as the High Evolutionary launches an attack to steal the children for his own uses.

An interesting issue that deals with the continued ramifications of Ex Nihilo’s forced evolution, the focus falls less on plot and more on characterization instead. Hyperion and Thor take center stage as they deal with their own immortality in the face of the changes happening across the planet. The issue centers around the future and the legacies left behind as the world becomes a darker place despite their best efforts. Well-complemented by Deodato’s vibrant pencils and Martin’s lush colors, this is an enjoyable read.

Comic book review: Uncanny Avengers #8 AU

Kang and the The Apocalypse Twins enter the Age of Ultron, but what do they want? By Rick Remender & Gerry Duggan with art by Adam Kubert.

Looking to teach his surrogate children a lesson, Kang drops The Apocalypse Twins into the radically altered Age of Ultron timeline with a mission: Kill Colonel America. As the colonel heads into the Morlock tunnels to convince Havok to release Caliban into his custody, the already tense meeting takes a turn for the worse as the young and inexperienced Uriel and Eimen make a very public attempt on America’s life. Chaos erupts in the sewers, spilling over topside as Colonel America tries to lure the twins away from unarmed targets.

Havok and Rogue end up casualties in the skirmish, during which Rogue touches Uriel and learns the horrors he and his sister have undergone in service of Kang. As Uriel tries to save Rogue, Eimen appears to finish the job Uriel started and please their father. However, in failing to kill the colonel, they’ve already disappointed Kang. Returning them to their time Kang sends Uriel off to be punished in the camps and Eimen demands to accompany her brother, refusing to be separated.

As someone who isn’t keeping up with Age of Ultron, I can’t say I loved this issue. I’m not entirely familiar with these characters or the events they’re reacting to, which puts me at an immediate disadvantage. Unlike a lot of the other tie-ins, however, this one feels the most complete, and sheds some much-needed light on the twins and their relationship with Kang. It serves to humanize the twins and better illustrate their devotion to one another. The decision to have Kang and the twins visit the altered timeline was also a fairly clever one, allowing a little bit of latitude as outsiders looking in, and provides a cool hook for the issue. Kubert’s artwork was put to good use here, in energetic fight sequences and dynamic page compositions. The stylistic shift helped really sell the idea of all of this happening outside of the usual scope of this book.

While I’m not a fan of this event, this is the one tie-in I would definitely recommend to readers of this series.