Bought/Thought 12/10 (SPOILERS)

[SouLeSS]

You single out my post in the entire thread and bring negative trolling attention to it.

Yeah, you sure are better than me.

 

[Darthphere]

You single out my post in the entire thread and bring negative trolling attention to it.

Yeah, you sure are better than me.

I'm glad you can admit that.

But yeah, bragging about kicking some nerd's ass at the comic book store is real top notch. Even though I'm sure you're making it up and will try to play it off as a joke.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It sounded like a joke initially, actually. Who would ever claim to kick someone's ass by "showing off their karate skills"? Other than Mac from It's Always Sunny, anyway.

 

[Darthphere]

******s? And clearly....well you know.

 

[SouLeSS]

It sounded like a joke initially, actually. Who would ever claim to kick someone's ass by "showing off their karate skills"? Other than Mac from It's Always Sunny, anyway.

B-b-b-b-b-bingo.

 

[hippie_hunter]

They've certainly been building to Doom making a move against the MU for the past year or so. He's allied with Namor, Loki, and Red Skull, so a rivalry with Norman would be the last straw before Doom goes into conquer-the-world mode.

I don't think Red Skull really counts that much. All Red Skull needed was some device so he could get his body back. Plus he's a Nazi who would see the Slavic Doom to be inferior, which would just clash with Doom's ego. And Doom would hate the fact that the Nazis persecuted his people. Red Skull would be more of the type to ally himself with Norman Osborne than Dr. Doom.

Doom on the other hand wants to rule the land (Earth), Namor the seas (Atlantis), and Loki the skies (Asgard)

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I hadn't thought of it that way. That's a pretty interesting observation.

 

[SouLeSS]

I can see Doom doing something big in the next Summer Event. I mean hell, whens the last time he's actually stood is ground and acted like the total badass he is?

 

[StreetWarrior]

Secret Invasion: Dark Reign - Not amazing, but not bad. Norman gives a decent speech, everyone seems pretty much in character (except Namor) and the art was so-so. I was hoping [BLACKOUT]swordsman's[/BLACKOUT] death would have been more dramatic, but whatever. All in all, a decent read. It could have done without the previews though... 7/10

Punisher Warzone #1 - I'm a huge Punisher fan and I hated the movie. Thankfully, this book is a thousand times better. After the cluster**** that Fraction turned War Journal into, it's great to see Ennis back. Even though he's only been gone for about three months, his work seems kinda legendary. Anyway, this issue was nostalgic. As "Welcome Back Frank" introduced me to the character, this feels like an exact throwback. Good writing, "meh" art, and a pretty comedic concept -- this mini seems like it might be pretty good. 9/10

I'm still not happy about $3.99 though.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I can see Doom doing something big in the next Summer Event. I mean hell, whens the last time he's actually stood is ground and acted like the total badass he is?

Far, far too long, as far as I'm concerned. Doom at the center of the next big event would be awesome. Hopefully Bendis hands the reins to someone else for that one if that's the case.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Just finished the latest issue of Action Comics, #872, and had a flashback to when I first started collecting comics, way back in the early 80's. The return of the Creature Commandos was neat, as I probably haven't thought about that group for a good 20 years.

While I have been sorely disappointed with Morrison's "Batman R.I.P.," Superman's "New Krypton" has been pretty enjoyable. I can't wait to see how this all ends.

 

[Kevin]

I liked Dark Reign. I like Norman. Sadly, I'm now excited.

 

[mjdiddy1]

I think the unholy trinity of Doom, Loki, and Namor could present a threat to the Marvel U this summer w/ Doom pulling all the strings

 

[Phaedrus45]

I Kill Giants #6
Last issue, just when you thought you'd figured this series out, it dropped the mother of all plot twists straight onto your face. This issue follows up on that, with Barbara finally facing her first, real, full-fledged giant. The dialogue between Barbara and the giant hints at something deeper going on, seemingly reinforcing the idea that all the fantasy stuff was just a figment of Barbara's imagination, but Sophia and the obnoxious bully b**** both clearly see and react to the giant in this issue, so I'm left confused. There's another issue to go, so I'll probably be able to piece everything together by the end of that issue; although, this series has been anything but obvious in a lot of its storytelling, so I could see the question of what the fantasy elements' true nature is being left open-ended.

Anyway, the art is gorgeous, and that's coming from an unabashed hater of almost all anime. Niimura has a scratchy style that somehow blends into whole pictures beautifully while leaving a lot of the internal detail looking a bit chaotic but effective.

The little cartoons inside the back cover are hilarious, by the way. Kelly and Niimura must really like each other to be able to poke fun at themselves and each other that way. Kelly's neglected kids are great, too.

With comics, there is a good confusion, like this title gives it's reader; and, there is bad confusion, like what Morrison has been doing in Final Crisis. I loved issue #6 of I Kill Giants, even though I'm wondering what the hell is happening. (As you said, obviously the two other gals see the Giant...I'm wondering if this is all in Barbara's mind, and she's actually the person afflicted with cancer; after all, the Giant does say that he actually came for Barbara. Is this the final moments of this girl's death, that the disease has created an alternate world in her mind?)

With Final Crisis #5, I find myself just not caring. It's as if Morrison had a bunch of ideas, put them all in a big old blender, but forgot to put the lid on. Now, it's just a bunch of stuff thrown all over the pages, not blending into a comprehensible story. What makes it more glaring is that the tie-ins, like Final Crisis: Revelations, do tell the reader a good story, obviously having a clear idea of how to present that to the readers.

 

[fifthfiend]

So it's like the middle part of basically every Grant Morrison story ever written?

I mean I'm just saying, I didn't know what in the **** was going on for 90% of that Philospher's Stone arc in JLA, and that was Morrison trying to crowd-please.

 

[CaptainCanada]

I'm with you there; I still want an explanation for why destroying the Philosopher's Stone causes Darkseid to take over the world.

 

[Phaedrus45]

I don't know. I can't remember ever hating his writing like I am doing with Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis. Sure, I was disappointed with the ending of "Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul;" but, it wasn't the mess these two storylines have been. Heck, even the (overhyped by Wizard) All-Star Superman was pretty tight and a dang good read, and that wasn't so long ago. (Maybe he needs the amount of time to work on a book, like he was given with All-Star, to get it right.)

 

[Phaedrus45]

BTW, is anyone playing Little Big Planet? I read an awesome review, that makes me think I should ask for it for Christmas, and just wondered what some players thought.

 

[GNR]

Finally finished Inhumans by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee.I started this over the summer break but never made it past the first chapter.Finally got around to starting it again 2 days ago and finishing it.

Moving,beautiful,imaginative,inspiring and epic.One of the greatest superhero stories ever?Pretty close.This book totally caught me off guard.

 

[Blader5489]

BTW, is anyone playing Little Big Planet? I read an awesome review, that makes me think I should ask for it for Christmas, and just wondered what some players thought.

How creative are you?

It's a fun game in its own right, but a big part of it is being able to create and share your own levels. If you don't doing that, then you won't get as much as enjoyment as possible out of the game.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Secret Invasion: Dark Reign - Not amazing, but not bad. Norman gives a decent speech, everyone seems pretty much in character (except Namor) and the art was so-so. I was hoping [blackout]swordsman's[/blackout] death would have been more dramatic, but whatever. All in all, a decent read. It could have done without the previews though... 7/10

That pretty much sums it up for me. Most of the issue is one long speech by Norman; but, a few interesting things do emerge from it after he shuts his yap. The art is terrible, though. "So-so" is being too kind. I don't think there is another artist in this world who would make Namor look like Robert Deniro. (Or, maybe it's if Bendis and Namor had a love-child together.)

Echo #8, though, was great! Terry Moore shines when writing his own books. Too bad isn't as apparent with Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, and definitely not with Runaways. I don't think he's making any new fans on those two books.

 

[Phaedrus45]

How creative are you?

It's a fun game in its own right, but a big part of it is being able to create and share your own levels. If you don't doing that, then you won't get as much as enjoyment as possible out of the game.

That's too bad. I never play online with other players. Video games, for me, is about taking a little time out and simply playing with myself. (No pun intended!)

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I tend to stick to single player as much as possible myself, but some multiplayer games are too good to pass up. Left 4 Dead in particular is tons of fun, but pretty much unplayable without 3 other people.

With comics, there is a good confusion, like this title gives it's reader; and, there is bad confusion, like what Morrison has been doing in Final Crisis. I loved issue #6 of I Kill Giants, even though I'm wondering what the hell is happening. (As you said, obviously the two other gals see the Giant...I'm wondering if this is all in Barbara's mind, and she's actually the person afflicted with cancer; after all, the Giant does say that he actually came for Barbara. Is this the final moments of this girl's death, that the disease has created an alternate world in her mind?)

Interesting, I hadn't thought of that. Like I said, I think we're gonna have to wait until the story is over to really piece everything together. I'm glad someone else is reading IKG, though. This is exactly the sort of brilliant indie comic that tends to go unnoticed.

Madame Xanadu #6
This isn't an indie comic, being published by Vertigo, but it is probably going unnoticed, which is a shame. Vertigo started out as essentially a mature-readers line of DC comics, i.e. there was no separation between the canon for each, just in the style of the stories and the intended audience. It's veered away from that into full-blown creator-owned fare over the last decade or so, which is totally fine because it gives us stuff like 100 Bullets and Fables, but also left a bit of a void for me personally because it meant we couldn't see anything like Sandman or Animal Man again--things firmly rooted in the DC universe that add to the lore of the DC universe while remaining largely independent of it.

Well, thanks to Madame Xanadu and House of Mystery, that void is filled. This is 100% exactly the sort of comic that started Vertigo's rise to greatness. It operates on the fringe of the DC universe and employs various characters and objects from said universe in exciting new contexts. Already we've seen Madame Xanadu, obviously, and the Phantom Stranger traveling through the ages, finding them each time in some new time period having some new adventure or getting caught up in the events of the time. Wagner has a knack for capturing the zeitgeist of whatever era he places them in, so that the whole atmosphere of the book seems to change with the period. We've also seen (or at least seen allusions to) the Starheart, Merlin, King Arthur, Morgaine Le Fey, and, in this issue, the Helm of Nabu. Just a hint of DC proper in an otherwise self-contained Vertigo series, which I love because it opens the series up a lot and can be fitted into the DC universe neatly or glossed over and ignored, depending on your preference.

The period we currently find Madame Xanadu in is the French Revolution--specifically, in prison for associating with the freshly deposed queen. Deprived of the potions she needs to stop her aging, MX has gotten really old and, sensing death coming near, she summons Death of the Endless to try and buy herself some time. Yes, finally, after Gaiman closed the book on the Endless for the most part, we get to see a fresh new appearance for Death, and Wagner handles her extremely well. She's bubbly and perky and all the incongruous things Gaiman's Death ought to be, and she takes Madame Xanadu's attempt to chance her way to a life extension totally in stride. MX succeeds of course, and Death has herself a good laugh and leaves MX to her devices.

I'm a little unsure of what happened toward the end when MX drinks that potion. I guess it somehow gave her a flash of clairvoyance all the way up to the present, since we see a big splash page with images of Martin Luther King, Jr. and various other historically important people and things. Either way, she seems to know what's coming, and after the Phantom Stranger disappears on her again, she goes into jilted (would-be) lover mode, swearing to disrupt the Phantom Stranger's plans the next time they meet. Could be tacky, but I trust Wagner to make it work. He's done everything else right so far.

Amy Reeder Hadley's art is gorgeous. Really, really beautiful, elegant work that gives you exactly what you need to understand the story clearly and nothing more, but not in a sparse, unfinished way, either. It doesn't feel bloated or overly detailed like a lot of other comic art. It's exactly what it needs to be and it works wonderfully for the series.

This and House of Mystery are making me really glad the Vertigo higher-ups have finally reopened this door to fringe-DCU storytelling.

 

[Dread]

Decently large week, especially with more Bendis event comics/preludes coming out and most of my books from Marvel being $3.99. Way to keep fans from not trade waiting, guys! Oh, wait, then the next strategy is to forgo with trades and just spit out higher priced mini HC's, like the INCREDIBLE HERCULES SECRET INVASION HC, coming out 4-6 months before the trade. This on top of a comic from last week that charged $4 for about 8 pages of story material and ads/reprints/filler. If the Big Two were Deadly Sins, DC would be SLOTH and Marvel would probably be GREED. Bendis himself would probably be PRIDE with DiDio being ENVY. But now I'm distracting myself.

As always, full spoilers ahead. Warning; this review is made while suffering from a seasonal cold, so it may be extra rambling or random than usual.

Dread's Bought/Thought for 12/10/08:

BOOSTER GOLD #15: Dan Jurgens, writer/artist and creator of Booster Gold, returns to do another arc of one of DC's more fun, and therefore poorly selling, regular titles. Still, Johns helped launch the book and I would be surprised if it ended before Dec. 2009, as DC has usually been generous with poorly selling books. This time, Jurgens is providing story and pencils, with Rapmund working on the inks and whatnot. Right on the cover, one gets the sense of this being a more timeless sort of superhero comic, with the bright Booster Gold in the grasp of Elongated Man and the cover teaser alluding to that struggle as if EM were some sort of threat like Darkseid or something. Older comics were all about over-the-top declarations of the most mundane story elements in old school covers and BOOSTER GOLD has been running like that. In terms of sales, in October, BOOSTER GOLD sold at #85 of the Top 100 with slightly under 30k (as in under 100 copies shy of 30k). Sales have dropped 24% during the last year and once the "filler" run started after Johns & Katz left, the book started shedding about 4-6% of it's readers a month, which is unhealthy for a book that basically is approaching a second year. Hopefully the return of Jurgens can get this on track. It still is outselling stuff like BRAVE AND THE BOLD, THE FLASH, SECRET SIX, GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY, and other titles. DC's threshold for enduring lowering sales seems to be below about 18-13k monthly with no signs of getting stable (there always are exceptions, such as BLUE BEETLE sticking it out at least another 6-12 months longer than many other books with similar sales).

Frankly I am glad to have Jurgens back. His art has defined the run for me and losing it for the last two issues took some of the charm out of the book for me. Not all of it, but some. It was a noticeable absence and I am glad things have come full circle and allowed Jurgens the reigns of control on his character again.

Rebounding from the last story where he provided art, the Dixon run, Booster Gold & Michelle (who was a detail of the last two issues) return from Renaissance era Italy where she is getting painted by Leonardo DaVinci (sometime before he was making a bulky machine alongside Ben Franklin that shot peanuts in that episode of THE TICK) and he was out for good food. Jurgens maintains the comedy of the series that helps one not feel overwhelmed by the time travel paradox stuff that happens. Fearing that Michelle is effecting the timeline, Booster yanks her away (of course, the Mona Lisa, Leo's only well known painting apparently, gets finished right). Skeets informs them of a new time travel crisis, which once again leads back to that time in Gotham's past when time traveling theif Wiley Dalbert got involved in that affair with a Killer Moth robbery. The knife he was after has time travel capabilities (via magic, as it dates to ancient Egypt, apparently). Booster and Michelle go back in time, again, to that already mangled scene that involved a blond Batgirl and Booster-as-Elvis. This time, Booster runs into a younger Elongated Man, pre-JLA, and has to ***** foot around telling him enough about his destiny to win his trust, but not enough to mangle time, which includes not warning him about losing his wife. This would feel out of character if we did not have that long adventure where time was forever mucked up from Booster trying to undo Ted Kord's murder; we did have that, so it feels fine, and Jurgens still has a page of Booster feeling pressure about such a thing. The thief this time turns out to be some random guy with chrono-energy budding around him. In leaping after him, Booster is stuck in some other time.

Michelle was mostly wasted, in comparison, the last two issues, and here Jurgens shows why adding her to the small cast of the book (to make up for losing Kord) helps balance out Booster as a character. While she is not as experienced a hero or time traveler as he is, she is more mature in some ways and they play off each other as siblings. Thankfully, she isn't stiff and nagging like a lot of "older sister/mother" types in comics and knows how to be fun or even immature alongside her brother as well. It's DC so eventually she will be raped and brutally murdered by some low level grunt villain, but for now it's great to have her back. I also still like how Booster is a flawed hero, but isn't so flawed that he is helpless in a fight, like Sentry. Bendis has SO defined him by his flaws that he is not a character; he is a psychosis with legs. Booster still gets lost in merchandising plans or wishes for glory, but he can still mix it up in a fight as someone who has been involved with the Justice League. There are allusions to a lot of past JL eras, many of them involving happier memories and more light-hearted fare than DC seems to be interested in now. BOOSTER GOLD to me is that last foothold to comics that weren't defined by how many people could be tortured or killed within 22 pages, but in character and even a sense of lightness, least in DC. Sure, BLUE BEETLE has that too, but that'll be ending soon.

Basically, another solid issue, and while the last two were okay, I am thrilled that Jurgens is back and I hope he writes and/or draws as many issues as possible. Considering how "ownership" of a character in the Big Two is sort of an oxymoron, it is great to see the creator of a franchise character get more time to spend with his creation, without completely going against what other writers have done, but using that as a fine tapestry. There's more to it than wisecracks for me.

INVINCIBLE #56: After a slobberknocker issue that had Omni-Man, Allen, and Battle Beast team up to fight Viltrumites, how could another issue immediately after make an impression? Kirkman naturally answers with a personal story that involves little to do with superpowers and more about emotional reactions. I was actually a little cynical when I saw the promo for the last issue, but I am glad this one turned out better than expected.

In this issue, Eve and Mark naturally finish an intimate night together, and angst a bit about neither of them having a place of their own within the continent where parents can't overhear. Without Cecil, Mark lacks the sort of money to afford a place, after all. Mrs. Grayson is more than aware of her son's new relationship with Eve, but humors him anyway. Oliver of course barges in, more interested in having Mark help him with patrols or training than on a social life, and goes off on his own when Mark has a personal crisis.

That crisis? His ex-girlfriend Amber calling him in a hysterical wreck about being slugged by her new boyfriend Gary. Which should teach everyone never to trust someone with a soul-patch who can't commit to a full beard or a shave. It's like wearing a pant leg on one leg and a short leg on the other, because committing to pants or shorts isn't unique enough. What really sells the impact of this story are not only Ryan Ottley's art, but especially FCO Plascencia's colors of that shiner. It really looked nasty without being too gorey, which was how to sell it. Most normal guys would pretty much WANT to just grab the guy and dangle him off a building, but as Mark has the power to do that, he does it literally. It is a scene that actually went without the "Mark grabbing Gary" scene which helped make it seem abrupt as it would have felt to Gary, just being grabbed by one of his planet's super-beings and basically having him threaten to kill him if he laid another finger on his girlfriend. Considering Invincible has killed and/or seriously mangled super-villains for hurting his friends or family, Gary's lucky he wasn't in a costume or had a name like Soul Patch Bandit, otherwise he may have been a smear. Naturally, for me it was a scene that resonated because I've had some female friends who had jerk boyfriends or even rape in their past and I kind of felt like doing what Mark did (although I may not have stopped with a threat). For me, sometimes those moments where a superhero kind of breaks character and with his powers can perform some of those cathartic fantasies many of us have when tragedy strikes can really sell them as human and interesting. The best example of this, of course, is that story that has been rendered pointless; college aged Spider-Man cradling his murdered girlfriend and offering no jokes or heroic promises to an arch foe, but a death threat.

Mark, of course, is then scared of his own temper and potential and needs Eve to support him in that regard. Although part of me does wonder if Amber was as clueless as she seemed and couldn't figure out that her SUPERHERO EX-BOYFRIEND would do, well, SOMETHING. After all, the fact that he was a superhero did once turn her on. Like maybe calling Mark wasn't just to talk to someone she trusted and felt connected to about the incident, but also because she knew he could make Gary "behave" or whatnot? It would certainly help balance out her "beaten housewife syndrome" of assuming that one punch was a "glitch" and Gary wouldn't touch her again. Unless you're Hank Pym, it never ends with one hit.

The issue ends with a cliffhanger about the Grayson home being electronically monitored and next alluding to the two issue crossover with WOLF-MAN, which should be interesting considering Wolf-Man is a wanted fugitive there and that is the sort of situation that suits Invincible well; chasing after a "super-villain" wanted for killing his wife.

What INVINCIBLE is doing now is sort of moving aside from the black and white morals of prior years and introducing shades of grey in not only Cecil but Invincible as well which is a healthy sign of the book soft of growing and maturing with it's lead. I also really like Mark & Eve together; sure, it's a bit corny that they compliment each other well, but good relationships are rare in comics so I appreciate them when they last. It also was not lost on me that inserting Amber back into things with an abusive boyfriend also could form a potential triangle, albeit with an newer dynamic (before, Mark was dating Amber, with Eve having feelings on the side). It is in that way that INVINCIBLE of course works as a human drama as much as a superhero opera, which is what good comics should do.

Still probably the greatest superhero comic book in the universe.

In the letters section, it still remains clear that Kirkman had some bad blood with Marvel, and is now free to say that Bendis "sucks" on Avengers titles. Really? Bendis isn't good on that book? Amazing how some writers can speak the truth once they leave the company that signs their paychecks. I can imagine a slew of talent having DiDio horror stories.

ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL #2: Well, Grevioux went where I was curious where he would go last issue. That is, making Adam not only, gasp, a Class 100 black superhero during the height of the civil rights movements, but a MUTANT as well. Of course, a young Robert Kelly entering the story was a bit of a giveaway.

The fudgiest bit about the story, besides the fact that if Blue Marvel was not a retcon, he would have long ago been mentioned more by other heroes, especially ones over 30 or of various races (like Luke Cage), is the continuity. With Hank still in his Yellowjacket outfit and Wasp shown as alive, that means this is before SECRET INVASION which means Hank and Dum Dum Dugan are Skrulls right now. Which does take some of the drama away from Stark confronting Dugan later about the cover-up over Adam.

Once Mr. Fantastic figures out that Anti-Man literally uses anti-matter as fuel, plus the fact that he took down the Mighty Avengers as well as She-Hulk and Doc Samson without breaking a sweat, Stark realizes that finding Blue Marvel is a priority. That leads to uncovering bits buried from the past by "Dugan", or the Skrull that was posing as him and knew an awful lot about his past to know stuff from 40 years prior. Iron Man actually serves as a bit of the conscience of the piece, reacting poorly to the injustice that Blue Marvel suffered due to racism at the time. Imagine, Tony Stark as a story's moral compass! In 2008! Will wonders never cease.

Stark tracks down a dying government grunt named Kreutz to get the full story. Which is that officially, at least in the eyes of the government, the President summoned Blue Marvel for a final mission to intercept an alien, which seemingly led to both of their demises. However, even that adventure was used as cover for the truth, which is Blue Marvel going back underground as a college teacher with a wife who is also a SHIELD agent.

Matt Broome this time needs help from another artist, Roberto Castro, to finish the story, which makes me wonder if not even a 5 issue throway mini (re: not part of an event) doesn't get enough lead in time for modern artists. The pencils are strong and maintain a similar look throughout that Castro's work wasn't noticable to me until I looked at the credits. Not everyone is thrilled with this story and I may not exactly recommend it to trade waiters at this stage, but for me it is a solid work. It has strong themes about racism and all that, but this issue wasn't quite as blunt about it as the last, and it was a part of the nation's past. The fact that Blue Marvel actually isn't as militant as a lot of "oppressed racial victim heroes" in some stories actually makes him more interesting to me. I will be curious how the story ends and if Blue Marvel will pop up elsewhere. It may read like AMERICAN WAY LITE, but I don't mind that as much as others. It certainly is better than the other 5 issue mini that I bought a chapter of this week, BIG HERO 6.

BIG HERO 6 #4: Almost the end, and it still feels very random. Honestly, while this has been a fun, quirky series, it is an example of one of the sheer glut of comics that Marvel is going to have to stop publishing to cut some costs down. Think about this; want to know how many comics Marvel published in October over 4-5 weeks? 88. EIGHTY-EIGHT titles. That includes of course Anita Blake/Dark Tower/Marvel Age books, but still, almost 90 titles. And that is counting ASM, which ships 3 times a month, as one title. Maybe if Marvel was willing to shave off a few of these, the price increase on precious glossy expensive paper wouldn't have to be a buck a comic. Cut costs, prices can remain more stable. But what are silly economic facts to the cottage industry giant that is Marvel!?

I mean, BIG HERO 6 sold under 9,000 copies in October. It wasn't even in the Top 210, or hell, the Top 215. And anyone who couldn't have predicted that an underadvertised, random mini by fading star Claremont starring heroes no one knows wouldn't sink like a stone at Marvel, then they are the sort of reality-avoiding cranks who need to either look outside or find another job. ADAM: LEGEND OF THE BLUE MARVEL at the very least has a theme that, with our historic election, has some social relevance. BIG HERO 6 is basically a welfare check for Claremont. Frankly, just pay him royalties from the X-Men profits and let him retire with grace already.

To be fair, though, BIG HERO 6 isn't terrible. It just is sort of mundane. It has Claremont repeating his themes in stories of mind control, minor bondage allusions and, as of the end of this issue, aliens. He is barely cracking his knuckles in terms of creativity and while there is good art by Nakayama and some good new members of the team, Wasabi and the visually interesting Fred, it all feels like stuff I have seen before. And at the very least, every issue has thrown in extra content to justify the extra dollar in price, from sketches and Handbook Bio's to the last two issues that have had the editor basically submit a fan-fiction revolving around two BH6 members Claremont couldn't be bothered with. So this isn't the worst $3.99 mini there is. But there was no reason for it to exist. It offers nothing cutting edge and doesn't even tap the potential of a Japanese superhero team, because they have been in NY for most of the series.

Big Hero 6 basically has to fight their brainwashed friends, who are working for the Enigmic "Bad Gal" who possesses people like Shadow King, only isn't the Shadow King, thankfully. Thanks to smarts and someone having a fake eye, they prevail, only to stumble upon short chubby aliens. The tone is light-hearted, and the art suits the style even when it is buried in Claremont narration boxes.

Frankly, Marvel doesn't come across as sympathetic about their price increases when they are doing nothing to curb expenses, which include a few "what are they thinking" style mini's like this. They just are assuming that fans in this rough climate can absorb an extra 3-5 bucks a week. If this leads to another collapse of the market, frankly it is deserved. Much like the sports industry, comics have taken their fanbase for granted for far too long and deserve to suffer the karma from that.

Least the covers are usually interesting on this book.

 

[Dread]

CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI-13 #8: Unlike BH6, this is easily one of those quality comics I wouldn't mind paying an extra buck to keep around (although it is still $2.99). The sales figures are not terribly promising; in October it sold 28k, clinging to the Top 100 at #96 and would be among the poorest selling regular ongoing titles if not for RUNAWAYS, GHOST RIDER, SHE-HULK, MS. MARVEL, BLACK PANTHER, IMMORTAL IRON FIST, NEW WARRIORS (which is canned) or SPIDER-GIRL (which is being axed). Of course, the Top 100 was bloated a bit with both FINAL CRISIS and SECRET INVASION shipping, which has been rare. During the last two issues, which had varient covers that usually boost sales, sales have been falling 10-15% per issue. Sales slipped almost 6% even for the last SI tie in issue. While we don't know how many copies are shipping to the UK, where it might be more popular, I have a feeling this book will last until issue #12 for sure, issue #18 if we are lucky, and anything more may be a gift unless sales get stable and can remain within the Top 100. While I railed about Marvel exploiting fans as suckers in another review, many are suckers for letting solid books struggle to survive while supporting all the bloated crossovers. At least I support a little of both.

Rather than offering shock value or poor writing, this chapter continues what Cornell has made work for the series. He treats his characters competantly and explores them when given the chance. Faced with a mutual demonic enemy in Plokta, creator of the Mindless Ones, Blade decides to team up with the mangled Spitfire despite her being a vampire, and even teaches her how to use her vampiric regeneration abilities. Much as Spitfire put out that olive branch by not killing Blade when she had the chance, Blade now has returned the favor by helping her survive. Elsewhere, we learn (or for some, reminded) that the true Ebony Blade is owned by Black Panther in Wakanda, and what Dane is using is some mystical knock-off that duplicates many of the powers, but apparently also the blood-lust. Although I am curious if some of the effect is psychological. Not that Dane is a psycho, but he DID experience the Crusades. It is hard for any soldier to turn off that instinct, especially in the sorts of intense battles superheroes face. Faiza is disturbed and wants Dane to abandon the blade. It makes me seriously wonder if Cornell is aware of the safer Avalon gear from 1997-1998's HEROES FOR HIRE at all, because he's solid with other continuity. Captain Britain, meanwhile, proves to be more resistant to Plokta's magic than believed, although that means anyone hoping for a reunion with Meggan will be disappointed. Captain Midlands, however, isn't, and leads the rest into a trap for the cliffhanger.

As usual, Leonard Kirk's art is amazing and works well with the characters and the story. There also are some other figures in Pete Wisdom's unit who may be more recognizable to people who read Cornell's WISDOM mini last year, all 27 of you. As one who didn't, I didn't feel too lost about it. Considering that Pete Wisdom's unit was made to cover supernatural threats, and the UK has loads of them, having containment units for a Mindless One is fine. I also like that longtime mystical figures like the Mindless Ones finally have an origin to them, and it helped narrow down the threat as VERY severe for the planet. Hey, at least this time New York isn't the center of the universe. I like the little relationships forming between Faiza and Dane, and Spitfire & Blade. And, yeah, the title character is cool, too. Really, I like just about every character here, even Pete Wisdom, who I couldn't stand in the 90's. A solid superhero team book that, of course, is barely holding on in terms of sales. Such is life.

Last, and certainly least...

SECRET INVASION: DARK REIGN #1
Has two event titles in it's name, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Gives Bendis an-other chance to dole out pain, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Maleev's art really is a shame, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Makes Namor look-like Rob-ert Englund, playing Spock, on hero-in, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Makes Nor-Man Osborn look like Ray Steven-son, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Twenty-two pages, one long speech, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Exactly the same speech as Hood in New Avengers, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Doctor Doom has been most lame, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Loki's speech is nine years out of date, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Emma Frost is not even lead-er of the X-Men, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Gives a-way the ending a year too ear-ly, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Credits Hood with the first super-villain alliance, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Why does that song have thirty-two million hits, Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!
Dark DARK REEIIGGNN!

Succumbing to full cold germs, I wanted to do something a little more unique than rant about this book for 5,000 words. I am sure you all hate it. So here is a rant anyway.

The bottom line is this one-shot offers so many things wrong with Bendis. Maybe Emma Frost would have made more sense to come here and be called the Leader of the X-Men about 3-4 years ago, but not now with Cyclops taking more reins of control. Norman Osborn seriously credits the Hood with being the first guy to try to unite the supervillains for a common goal, despite infamously refusing to join the original Sinister Six under Dr. Octopus, or that other teams like the Masters of Evil or Lethal Legion or whatnot have been doing it longer, and more competently?

2008 has been a horrible year for Dr. Doom. He went from the world's most powerful villain to a rented thug. There is no way he should be giving Norman an ounce of time, considering the guy was flying around on a glider throwing Halloween themed grenades only about three years ago. And then he claims a conflict with Norman would be, like, "THE HARDEST BATTLE EVAR!" Please, man, suck it up. Once a monarch, Dr. Doom was defeated by the sissiest superhero in the universe (the Sentry makes Captain Planet look tough) and is little more than Crimson Dynamo at this point, another armored maniac. Bendis can't even be bothered to even SKIM the JMS THOR run and realize they have not been talking in Thou Arts anymore. And I love how Norman treats Hood's brilliant leadership skills of, "gather all villains into a room and have them charge blindly into every fight ever, even the mad scientists or mind controllers, like they are brawlers" as something to imitate. He basically gives the same exact speech that Hood gave, only with less cursing, so it is somehow different.

Much as Bendis is miscast on mainstream superhero books, Maleev really was this issue. Sure, Doom, Hood, and Frost looked fine, although there was that panel of Frost saying "No" that Norman wasn't lying that looked like she was getting ready to suck on his Goblin Broomstick. Namor, Loki, and Norman himself looked ATROCIOUS. Much as Bendis would still have some respect in the community if he stuck to his niche of noir, urban stories, Maleev simply doesn't work outside that genre, and normally there would be no shame in that. Stephen King may be great for horror, but could he write JLA? Should he try? No. The Bendisization of the Marvel Universe has been good for sales, or some lessor titles or launches, but an abomination of character and story quality. Not since M. Night Shamalayan has a writer been so overrated for producing so little, simply on the strength of one or two ever-fading-into-history hits.

And it wouldn't be a Bendis comic without a completely random murder of a C-List character, which is Swordsman, or giving away the climax of the event before another 6-12 months of pretending that the story isn't going there, WWE style, at the finish. About the only thing I liked was Emma being haunted by Kitty's death (since she was psychically connected to her as she died), and that Namor & Doom are still having an alliance, which they have had in the past, at least before Namor remembered that Doom rarely could be trusted not to backstab someone eventually.

The issue is padded with previews you could get for free on the Internet to justify the price increase, and aside for AGENTS OF ATLAS, they all look bad. A shame Caselli had to leave AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE for the glory of drawing the worst named superheroine ever, Yo-Yo, in SECRET WARRIORS. Atop that, the whole premise of DARK REIGN ignores the reality that Marvel desperately wants to capture. It is like President Bush making O.J. Simpson in charge of National Security because he stabbed Osama Bin Laden on TV. There is no humanly way that would ever happen, that people would go for it and support it as if Norman Osborn was Superman, the same people calling Steve Rogers a traitor before he was shot to death. That kind of bleak stuff is just as unrealistic as talking gorillas, just far more pretentious.

The idea of an event for 2009 revolving around Dr. Doom might be interesting if Bendis didn't write it, but he will. So it will be garbage of the highest order. At $4 an issue, **** this. **** New Avengers and **** being curious about the rest of the MU that always springs from Bendis' *** hole and has to answer to it or adjust to it. I'm ****ing done. It is high time to cut some fat in my collection, and Bendis' stuff at this point is a cancerous tumor filled with mucus and bile about a mile wide by this stage. The shame of it was he used to be good, and can be when he goes with his strengths, but Marvel has yes-man'd him into writing things he has no clue how to grasp, and Bendis' quality has been on autopilot for about five years. Success has ruined him. I've about had it with watching the sinking ship.