Magen Cubed's Blog, page 24

Comic book review: New Avengers #5

Learn the history of the enigmatic Black Swan. What answers can she provide the Illuminati? And watch as the New Avengers do the unthinkable! From Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting.

One week after the last incursion, the Illuminati are back at the Necropolis following their fight with Terrax. We soon discover that the Illuminati incapacitated Terrax and left the incursion point, taking him with them as a captive while Galactus consumed the parallel Earth. What they plan to use Terrax for is unclear, but just as Black Swan predicted, they come to her for answers. Soon, however, releasing her despite Black Panther’s reservations, they find themselves asking more questions instead. As Black Swan retells her origins, we learn that she was once a young princess from another reality, her brother heir to the throne. She is one of many Black Swans, fabled Great Ladies in service of a being known as Rabum Alal, offering him Earths in order to stave off the total annihilation of reality. As a child she escaped the destruction of her own world by finding refuge in the Library of Worlds, a gateway to parallel universe, where she was raised by the Great Ladies to become a harbinger of death.

The Library of Worlds is now destroyed and the other Swans scattered. Black Swan explains that other Earths have attempted to stop Rabum Alal in what she calls “shading the apocalypse,” desperate efforts meant to stop the incursions. The eighth way, a plan enacted by another Hank McCoy, saw that Earth evacuated and then completely destroyed, but nothing will hold Rabum Alal back for long. As the issue closes on a cliffhanger, the group has reservations about trusting Black Swan’s information, but there is little time to discuss her freedom as another incursion crops up in Latveria. Enter Doctor Doom: Latest edition to the Illuminati?

With such skillful exposition, Hickman continues to unfold his puzzle one well-plotted issue at a time. The pacing is essentially perfect, every line and scene purposeful and deliberate. Epting’s pencils carry the weight of the narrative with cinematic scope and expert poise, which is well complemented by D’Armata’s somber color work. Another deeply fascinating issue that leaves the reading wanting more.

Comic book review: Uncanny Avengers #7

Enter The Apocalypse Twins! The beginning of the end begins with their arrival! From Rick Remender and Daniel Acuna.

The Apocalypse Twins arrive on the scene in a big way in this issue from Remender and Acuna. Asserting their birthrights as the heirs of Apocalypse, twins Uriel and Eimin usurp their brother Genocide’s claim by assassinating the Celestial he had called forth in his plans to accept his mantle. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing at Avengers Mansion, as Alex comes to bat for Rogue in the fallout of Grim Reaper’s death. S.H.I.E.L.D. is unhappy with the new squad’s appearance in the media, but Alex convinces them to sweep it under the rug in exchange for benching Rogue in the immediate future. Tensions are high as the team’s internal struggles bubble to the surface, and Wanda and Rogue’s unresolved issues remain center-stage. Other unresolved issues, such as Simon’s feelings for Wanda, and Jan’s apparent interest in Alex, are broached with little success.

Alex does what he can to hold everyone together, but there’s little time to patch up old wounds. Captain America and Sunfire answer a S.W.O.R.D. distress call at The Peak as word of the Celestial’s murder reaches the outpost. Before they can deal with the ramifications of the Uriel and Eimin’s grab for power, a ship emerges on a collision course with the station, forcing an immediate evacuation. Sunfire stays behind so Cap can escape as the station plummets to the Earth over Brazil.

Full of intrigue and conflict, Remender kicks his Apocalypse Twins storyline into high gear with visually impressive stakes. The cinematic flow of the narrative works perfectly here, even better than the last arc, as Remender seems to have worked out the kinks in linking varying points of view. Better yet is Acuna’s absolutely stellar artwork, which affects a pulp noir quality in many of the non-action sequences, and is relentlessly energetic and engaging throughout. While I wasn’t entirely sold on this book during its first arc, it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite titles.

Comic book review: Deadpool #8

First…flashback to Deadpool’s adventures in yesteryear with Iron Man! Then…Deadpool is hired by a demon to reclaim damned souls! Plus…Wade gets in touch with his feminine side! From Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan with art by Mark Hawthorne.

After a fun detour in last issue’s 1980s flashback, it’s unfortunately back to business as usual as Deadpool gets used to sharing his body with Agent Preston. While Preston is still reeling from her death, the demon Vetis returns to hold Deadpool to his contract. When Deadpool refuses, Vetis ransoms the necromancer Michael’s life in exchange for employing Deadpool’s services as a reaper. With few other options, Deadpool goes on a killing spree for the demon to give Michael the time he needs to find a way to pull Preston out of his body. What sounds like another day at the office ends on a sour note, as we learn somebody’s been using Deadpool for organ harvesting against his will, and the issue closes on this new mystery.

Surprisingly enough, there are a few clever elements here. I found the switch narrative between Deadpool and Preston to be interesting, alternating out the dominant personalities as Deadpool sees Preston in his reflection. Also the idea of somebody using Deadpool’s healing factor for harvesting his blood and organs is something I’d never considered before. Unfortunately, any attempt at heartfelt character development is immediately squashed by the endless assault of flimsy one-liners and unnecessary pop culture references, undermining what could otherwise pass as a pretty decent story.

Comic book review: FF #6

Darla vs Yancy Street! ‘ NUFF SAID! From Matt Fraction and Joe Quinones.

Joe Quinones plays pinch hitter for Mike Allred in this issue, but the book doesn’t miss a beat. Strange things are afoot at the Baxter Building, as Medusa disappears with Bentley-23 and Dragon Man must play detective. Still plagued by nightmares, Scott remains unable to move on after Cassie’s death. He has little time or inclination to deal with his own problems as Darla continues to come under fire from the Yancy Street Gang, who have made a target out of her. Even family bonds are explored throughout, despite the chaos. One of the Moloids comes out as transgendered and She-Hulk takes Ahura to enlist the Inhumans in finding Medusa, before the story closes on another strange note following this developing mystery.

As weird as ever, Fraction delivers a particularly endearing story, subtly crafting the relationships and dynamics of these characters. Scott’s subplot as the grieving father is heartfelt without being overplayed, and his growing relationship with Darla is interesting to see unfold. In a book with such a huge cast, Fraction manages to fold everyone into the story in an engaging way, from the Moloids to the Inhumans, making for an engrossing and enjoyable read. Quinones’ art coupled with Laura Allred’s colors is a fun and vibrant addition to the book, and carry the story with all the loveable strangeness readers have come to expect from this title.

21 Reasons You Decided to Write the Next Novel

 

Watchmen
Kelly Sue DeConnick
Woodkid
Earth X
Misfits
Lana Del Rey
Hawkeye
Matt Fraction
Earth X
Moebius
Captain America
Charles Burns
MGMT
Earth X
David Aja
Metal Gear Solid 4
Iron Man
Jonathan Hickman
Luther
Earth X
Insert reason here

 

Comic book review: Captain Marvel #12

Still grounded from flying, Captain Marvel takes on a different and dangerous kind of bird—DEATHBIRD! Handicapped, but determined Carol risks her powers and her life! PLUS: The unstoppable evil that’s been pulling Deathbird’s strings! From Kelly Sue DeConnick & Christopher Sebela with pencils from Filipe Andrade.

A tight and exciting issue, Carol’s battle with Deathbird rages on over New York City, but things are not what they seem. Meanwhile, her doctors are coming to some surprising conclusions about her illness, which are going to make Carol’s life a lot more complicated. As this arc comes to a close, Carol’s struggles with disease and inner demons alike yield no easy answers. The ramifications of her time-traveling hijinks with Helen Cobb make themselves painfully known, and another familiar face from Carol’s past rears his ugly head as the book transitions into its next arc.

Andrade’s pencils carry the fast-paced story, striking a nice balance from the dynamic action sequences and tense hospital scenes that are woven together in this issue, and are beautifully complemented by Bellaire’s colors. DeConnick’s dialogue is smart and on-point as ever, and her Carol-narration never feels stale or out of place. Another winner of an issue, from this consistently fun and engaging book.

Comic book review: Captain America #6

THE ODD WAR OF DIMENSION Z continues! Steve Rogers is dead–long live Captain Zola! A traitor strikes. Arnim Zola gets everything he wants. From Rick Remender and John Romita, Jr.

Some good, some bad, this issue from Remender and Romita poses quite a few questions. Brought back from the edge of death by his rage and desperation, Steve has little more than sewn closed the gaping wound in his chest and taken off into the city to rescue Ian from Zola’s clutches. This is the first the reader has seen of Zola’s seat of power as Steve fights his way inside, battling through monsters, mutates and the grizzly aftermath of Zola’s cloning experiments. Despite his haggard condition, and the horror of seeing the bodies of his twisted clones, Steve presses on to a somewhat shocking conclusion.

An action-heavy issue, Steve’s tense narration is interspersed with scenes of Zola and his children. We finally get some sense of Zola’s endgame as he labors to make a perfect Captain America clone to infiltrate Earth, coming up short again and again. Zola is also struggling to turn Ian against Steve but Ian is resistant, even as Jett finds herself attracted to Steve despite her training and indoctrination.  Making his way inside Zola’s lair, Steve finds Jett in the shower, where he puts a gun to her head and demands she tell him where Ian is. When she refuses, he shoots her in the head (or appears to, considering this book has relied on fake-outs in previous cliffhanger endings), as we learn Ian has fallen to Zola’s brainwashing and renounced Steve as his father.

While I am a little uneasy with the apparent death of Jett, it is emblematic of the kind of surprises I enjoy about this book. The setting is far-fetched and the story is outlandish, but it somehow still feels believable to me. Remender has done a good job of setting up who Steve Rogers is, rooting his characterization in poignant childhood flashbacks, and now he is taking Steve apart. I know some fans will be upset by Steve’s actions, because it is shocking and out-of-character. However, he has been in Dimension Z for twelve years now, and what worked on Earth does not work here. He is traumatized, alone and doing the best he can in an impossible situation. I am not defending people shooting teenage girls in the face with laser weapons (as I suspect it might be a fake-out, like when Ian was supposedly beheaded a few issues back), I just think, you know, I could see myself shooting my daughter’s enemy if I were in Steve’s shoes. Just saying.

Romita delivers some solid art in this issue, with dynamic panel layouts and well-paced action. White’s colors add a layer of grit and unreality to this very unreal situation, and are generally a good complement to the pencils. My only real nitpick is with Jett herself, and that goes back to the writing. Her sudden romantic interest in Steve feels pointless and contrived as it stands now, especially if she really is dead. Also, again for the pointless column: Having an eighteen-year-old warrior princess slink around in leather underwear. (That castle looks drafty, girl. Put some pants on.) Remender has done little to develop Jett or her importance in the story, which makes her a throwaway and that really is just poor writing.

Beyond that, this is another intriguing issue from a title that has pleasantly surprised me so far.

Comic book review: Iron Man #8

The conclusion to the Godkiller arc is here. Tony Stark, The Godkiller is found guilty! What horrible punishment will the Shi’ard impose? The surprising consequences of Iron Man’s role in AVX! From Kieron Gillen and Greg Land.

Tony faces Death’s Head in a kill-or-be-killed battle. His plan to throw in with Recorder 451, the A.I. introduced last issue, in a bid to save his life does not go quite according to plan as the android reveals his ulterior motives. Recorder 451, who infiltrates the inner guts of the Voldi citadel to free Tony’s suit, meets his end of the bargain but not before he steals The Heart. The Heart, as it turns out, is a cloaking device that keeps the Voldi hidden from the Celestials, upon which, the Voldi have been “subsisting upon.” While it is not entirely clear how the Voldi are doing this, the Celestials are certainly not pleased to finally find them.

His armor free, Tony is rescued by his PEPPER A.I. and shoots off to evade capture by the Voldi’s sentries. When the sentries suddenly die, Tony returns to The Tear just as the Celestials unleash the Star Giants on the Voldi citadel, slaughtering their entire species in retribution. Too late to stop the carnage, Tony is confronted by Recorder 451. The A.I. explains that he stole The Heart in order to prevent a future genocide, and allowed the Voldi to die for noble purposes despite his unclear reasoning. As Recorder 451 vanishes, Tony swears he will avenge the Voldi, which just continues the cycle of violence and retaliation that brought Tony to judgment in the first place.

Despite an abrupt and somewhat clunky ending, this is a well-paced issue with some excellent dialogue and narration. Land’s pencils really shine here, in dynamic panel compositions and stunning full-page scenes of action, all of which is beautifully complemented by Guru eFX’s color work. While not a perfect issue, it is an entertaining one. It raises some interesting ethical questions and seeds future intrigue regarding Recorder 451, offering as resolute an ending as this arc can offer.

Comic book review: The Fearless Defenders #3

Defenders vs. Doom Maidens! From Cullen Bunn and Will Sliney.

Bunn and Sliney serve up another decent read in this month’s issue, as Valkyrie leads her new Defenders into battle. Hela has brought a revived Amazon Hippolyta to the All-Mother to offer her as a champion against the Doom Maidens. Dani Moonstar, one of Hela’s own Shield Maidens, has been kidnapped by Caroline Le Fay and used to awaken the Doom Maidens, who are now poised to destroy everything in their path. Immediately Hela and Valkyrie skirmish over who has the rightful duty of leading the charge, but the All-Mother agree to send Hippolyta after Le Fay, with Valkyrie, Misty and Annabelle serving as her maidens. Nobody is exactly pleased with the prospect of serving under Hippolyta, but, with few other options, Annabelle gets a Viking helmet and they set off.

As it turns out, Le Fay is currently holed up in a secret lair underneath Harrowpoint Island, a replica town (not unlike those used for nuclear testing in the 1940s and 50s) filled with mannequins wearing superhero costumes. This is all suitably nefarious, and soon Valkyrie is drawn to a nearby church where she leads the rest of the team into the caverns below. Inside they encounter the newly resurrected Doom Maidens, operating under Le Fey’s power. Rescuing Dani, the team does battle with supernatural Asgardian warrior-women of various themes and namesakes. But, as Hippolyta falls to a spell, Valkyrie goes into a berserker rage, feeling herself called by some magical force. Suddenly the Doom Maidens stop to bow, declaring Valkyrie their sister and fellow Doom Maiden. Cue cliffhanger ending.

Overall, this is a fairly enjoyable read. I enjoy the idea of an all-female cast facing all-female villains, without it spiraling into immediate camp or exploitation. (Beyond the acceptable level of camp that is inherent to these characters, of course, which I personally find endearing.) Bunn delivers a lot of good dialogue, and keeps the action balanced with some interesting plot twists. That said, I still have trouble taking Caroline Le Fay seriously as it stands right now, but the overall story is still entertaining enough to keep me engaged. Sliney’s artwork, while not as grating as last issue, is by far the weakest part of the series. It is entirely too generic and cheesecake-y for my tastes, and when you have a cast composed entirely of women (of varying ethnicities and body types, mind you), it’s hard to overlook his inadequacies with the female form. A fun book with disappointing artwork, it falls a little flat, but still finds its stride as a kitschy adventure title.

Comic book review: Uncanny Avengers #6

The Avengers’ ancestors are being hunted and only a young Thor can save his future companions! From Rick Remender and Daniel Acuna.

A total departure from last issue’s cliffhanger, Remender and new artist Acuna switch gears to set the stage for the Apocalypse Twins. This issue features the mutant tyrant himself going back into Thor’s distant past, interrupting the youthful god’s celebration in a Scandinavian tavern. Apocalypse, aided by Rama-Tut, has set out to annihilate the ancestors of the modern day Avengers, and begins with trying to murder Thor in the past. Outmatched against Apocalypse’s armor, a vengeful Thor returns to Asgard to demand Odin’s help in destroying Apocalypse. Odin refuses, much to Thor’s anger, due to a pact between the Asgardians and Celestials to never interfere with one another’s schemes.

Thor, demanding revenge, is unknowingly manipulated by Kang the Conqueror to throw a wrench in Apocalypse’s plan. Disguised as Loki, Kang sends Thor with a magic-imbued battle axe to London with the intention of keeping Apocalypse’s Horsemen from killing Wolverine’s ancestor. After preventing London from being destroyed in the process, Thor battles Apocalypse once again, using the axe to break through Apocalypse’s armor before Apocalypse teleports back to the safety of the future. In the present Kang travels to Brazil, where Baron Mordo lies buried in a tomb with Thor’s lost axe, still imbued with the power to kill Apocalypse.

While this issue is a complete detour from the tone of the series so far, Remender delivers a solid and engaging read that hints at the intricacies of Kang’s schemes. Told entirely in flashback, it establishes the larger plotline and successfully establishes Apocalypse’s place in Thor’s backstory without feeling clunky or contrived. The idea of going back in time to kill the ancestors of one’s enemies is a bit old-hat, but Remender makes it work here. Acuna’s pencils round out the story with lush detail and cinematic scope, making for a visually exciting issue with great compositions. Overall a highly satisfying read.