Dread
TMNT 1984-2009
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2001
- Messages
- 21,788
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- 31
The rest:
NEW WARRIORS #6: After skipping November, NW finally finishes their first arc and reveals who their entire team is, in perhaps a mystery drug out too long. Many of the New Warriors were already revealed, and the one standout was Ripchord, revealed to have been Stacy X. But, wasn't she shown in GENERATION M still with her scales, just sans powers? Guess they fell off. I liked how Sophia mentioned it, claiming Angel "lost some junk in her trunk". But on the other hand, should they all know what House of M was? I know they'd know about M-Day, but House of M itself was seemingly forgotten by many, wasn't it? In any case, Grevioux has decided to pluck from side X-Men from the runs of various writers, like Morrison and others, and use them to fill the roles of heroes here, rather than allowing them to rot in depowered limbo, waiting to die in NXM. I suppose to people who liked some of these characters, they are astonished and appalled that they have been redesigned from scratch to look like typical attractive heroes, but I never cared for many of these characters, and that apathy means I just accept it as face value. I'll admit it took guts, and I really like Jubilee here. She comes off as she should; a young adult who has been through a lot and doesn't buckle or break to either pressure or authority. I never hated her, nor did I ever really say I liked her, but here I am starting to appreciate her. I also like how the series notes that the X-Men did train people to be heroes and even without powers, many of them still have that desire, and the training. That makes the book feel like a surrogate X-book, I guess. Only the sag of the X-Line from earlier in the year and the rise of the Avengers prevents this from being solicted as an X-book. But it really isn't. It has some X-characters, but it is a superhero book. Night-Thrasher is also revealed as suspect #1, Dwayne's brother Bandit, who either faked losing his legs or has advanced prosthetics (it would be great if someone said in passing that Bandit is using the revolutionary technology invented by Calamity from THE ORDER for his legs). The other big reveal is that Stark himself is secretly funding the New Warriors himself, although whether this is true or yet another ruse is kept murky enough that anything could happen. And some questions remain; namely, who was that shadowy figure watching their battle with the Zodiak? Just because Bandit has taken up Thrasher's armor may not mean that Dwayne is actually dead. And it explains why "Thrash" has issues with leadership; frankly Jubilee has way more experience. The series is slow paced at times, and so far suffers from a lack of an antagonist (the Zodiak gang appears, Scorpio babbles about some MacGuffin, one of 'em kills Longstrike, and then they vanish). But fortunately my lack of feeling for the D-List X-characters that Grevioux has remade works for it. It is a bias, or an anti-bias, but there it is. It isn't what I expected, but that takes some guts too. I'd like some more actual Old Warriors in it, but future comics next issue hint at that, so I'll wait and see. This isn't the end for the New Warriors, but a beginning. Or at least the beginning of the next 6 issues, and then after that, sales determine the future. After some horrid previews, this has turned out a bit better than expected. And hey, at least Thrasher wasn't Forge or some other mutie. I'm also with Kaz here: Grace's "white ghetto routine" is annoying. Grevioux at least shows he is paying attention to continuity, making hay with the FRONTLINE reveal that Stark tried to manipulate a fight with Atlantis to get the SHRA to go down via a common foe. It is odd to see Ben Urich be such a wimp, but Jenkins got that ball rolling, not Grevioux. Things do need to pick up, but so far this is a success to me, and a title I both miss when let and look forward to when it isn't. That's good enough for me.
NOVA #9: The account from AIN'T-IT-COOL-NEWS may be a bit much, but there is no denying that NOVA is having a great run here, and sales back it as the best of the Annihilation related titles in sales right now. The adventure at Knowhere concludes as Nova and Cosmo figure out the threat of Abyss and Nova has to go the ultimate mile to keep the threat entrapped, riddling himself with the Phalanx virus to keep the threat contained. And Cosmo is the best talking, psychic Russian dog ever, and I was actually saddened that he didn't become a Centurian and come along with Nova, but I guess Knowhere needs him more. There has to be something said for Abnett & Lanning's ability to create new characters in this title and within 2 issues or so, get you to really like them; first Ko-Rel and now Cosmo. That is a rare gift as some writers can't get established characters to work with dozens of issues. Unfortunately, Nova is now sicker than he was before, and has Gamora & Drax on his tail. Alves' art has really picked up the ball from Chen and scored a "trey" with it, it fits in well and works great. Abnett & Lanning have also helped make Nova from a C-List footnote into one of Marvel's greatest space heroes, and while I wouldn't call this Marvel's best ongoings right now, it is ONE of them. 2007's actually been a good year for Marvel, all *****ing aside, and NOVA has been a part of that. He's too good for Earth now. The universe needs fellas like this.
PUNISHER: WAR JOURNAL #14: Speaking of artists picking up for another, Wegener takes the ball from Cory Walker and runs with it as well, providing a style that works well when read after it and yet has a life unto itself. This title is plain wacky, and while that won't do for some hardcore Punisher fans, it works well enough for a fair weather one like me. Kraven is collecting animal-themed villains and keeping them in this bizarre "zoo" on this ocean liner. If they resist, they are blown to bits and fed to the rest. Now, this seems pretty crazy; fortunately, "Al" Kravenoff has been crazy for ages, so it works. Quite frankly, when I saw the genetically bred steed Aragorn blown up, I thought, "**** the Punisher, get Black Knight on this guy's ass". Really, what the hell HAS Dane Whitman been doing for the past year or two? Anyway, it also has been a rough year for Vulture, who apparently is better from his stroke but had his fingers broken a lot. And Kraven can take out Rhino with one punch; weak. Punisher falls into Krave's trap and the next issue looks to get real messy, real fast. G.W. Bridge is also assembling a new Wild Pack and one wonders if they'll save Frank's rear again, like they did in around the Mexican border against the Hate Monger. This is an acquired taste, and not for everyone. It doesn't deserve to outsell THE ORDER, Fraction's much better Marvel book. But I enjoy it. Kraven is an interesting foil for Punisher, as both are hunters of humans (and now superhumans). Hopefully the climax has some entertaining Castle action. He's bad-ass.
NEW WARRIORS #6: After skipping November, NW finally finishes their first arc and reveals who their entire team is, in perhaps a mystery drug out too long. Many of the New Warriors were already revealed, and the one standout was Ripchord, revealed to have been Stacy X. But, wasn't she shown in GENERATION M still with her scales, just sans powers? Guess they fell off. I liked how Sophia mentioned it, claiming Angel "lost some junk in her trunk". But on the other hand, should they all know what House of M was? I know they'd know about M-Day, but House of M itself was seemingly forgotten by many, wasn't it? In any case, Grevioux has decided to pluck from side X-Men from the runs of various writers, like Morrison and others, and use them to fill the roles of heroes here, rather than allowing them to rot in depowered limbo, waiting to die in NXM. I suppose to people who liked some of these characters, they are astonished and appalled that they have been redesigned from scratch to look like typical attractive heroes, but I never cared for many of these characters, and that apathy means I just accept it as face value. I'll admit it took guts, and I really like Jubilee here. She comes off as she should; a young adult who has been through a lot and doesn't buckle or break to either pressure or authority. I never hated her, nor did I ever really say I liked her, but here I am starting to appreciate her. I also like how the series notes that the X-Men did train people to be heroes and even without powers, many of them still have that desire, and the training. That makes the book feel like a surrogate X-book, I guess. Only the sag of the X-Line from earlier in the year and the rise of the Avengers prevents this from being solicted as an X-book. But it really isn't. It has some X-characters, but it is a superhero book. Night-Thrasher is also revealed as suspect #1, Dwayne's brother Bandit, who either faked losing his legs or has advanced prosthetics (it would be great if someone said in passing that Bandit is using the revolutionary technology invented by Calamity from THE ORDER for his legs). The other big reveal is that Stark himself is secretly funding the New Warriors himself, although whether this is true or yet another ruse is kept murky enough that anything could happen. And some questions remain; namely, who was that shadowy figure watching their battle with the Zodiak? Just because Bandit has taken up Thrasher's armor may not mean that Dwayne is actually dead. And it explains why "Thrash" has issues with leadership; frankly Jubilee has way more experience. The series is slow paced at times, and so far suffers from a lack of an antagonist (the Zodiak gang appears, Scorpio babbles about some MacGuffin, one of 'em kills Longstrike, and then they vanish). But fortunately my lack of feeling for the D-List X-characters that Grevioux has remade works for it. It is a bias, or an anti-bias, but there it is. It isn't what I expected, but that takes some guts too. I'd like some more actual Old Warriors in it, but future comics next issue hint at that, so I'll wait and see. This isn't the end for the New Warriors, but a beginning. Or at least the beginning of the next 6 issues, and then after that, sales determine the future. After some horrid previews, this has turned out a bit better than expected. And hey, at least Thrasher wasn't Forge or some other mutie. I'm also with Kaz here: Grace's "white ghetto routine" is annoying. Grevioux at least shows he is paying attention to continuity, making hay with the FRONTLINE reveal that Stark tried to manipulate a fight with Atlantis to get the SHRA to go down via a common foe. It is odd to see Ben Urich be such a wimp, but Jenkins got that ball rolling, not Grevioux. Things do need to pick up, but so far this is a success to me, and a title I both miss when let and look forward to when it isn't. That's good enough for me.
NOVA #9: The account from AIN'T-IT-COOL-NEWS may be a bit much, but there is no denying that NOVA is having a great run here, and sales back it as the best of the Annihilation related titles in sales right now. The adventure at Knowhere concludes as Nova and Cosmo figure out the threat of Abyss and Nova has to go the ultimate mile to keep the threat entrapped, riddling himself with the Phalanx virus to keep the threat contained. And Cosmo is the best talking, psychic Russian dog ever, and I was actually saddened that he didn't become a Centurian and come along with Nova, but I guess Knowhere needs him more. There has to be something said for Abnett & Lanning's ability to create new characters in this title and within 2 issues or so, get you to really like them; first Ko-Rel and now Cosmo. That is a rare gift as some writers can't get established characters to work with dozens of issues. Unfortunately, Nova is now sicker than he was before, and has Gamora & Drax on his tail. Alves' art has really picked up the ball from Chen and scored a "trey" with it, it fits in well and works great. Abnett & Lanning have also helped make Nova from a C-List footnote into one of Marvel's greatest space heroes, and while I wouldn't call this Marvel's best ongoings right now, it is ONE of them. 2007's actually been a good year for Marvel, all *****ing aside, and NOVA has been a part of that. He's too good for Earth now. The universe needs fellas like this.
PUNISHER: WAR JOURNAL #14: Speaking of artists picking up for another, Wegener takes the ball from Cory Walker and runs with it as well, providing a style that works well when read after it and yet has a life unto itself. This title is plain wacky, and while that won't do for some hardcore Punisher fans, it works well enough for a fair weather one like me. Kraven is collecting animal-themed villains and keeping them in this bizarre "zoo" on this ocean liner. If they resist, they are blown to bits and fed to the rest. Now, this seems pretty crazy; fortunately, "Al" Kravenoff has been crazy for ages, so it works. Quite frankly, when I saw the genetically bred steed Aragorn blown up, I thought, "**** the Punisher, get Black Knight on this guy's ass". Really, what the hell HAS Dane Whitman been doing for the past year or two? Anyway, it also has been a rough year for Vulture, who apparently is better from his stroke but had his fingers broken a lot. And Kraven can take out Rhino with one punch; weak. Punisher falls into Krave's trap and the next issue looks to get real messy, real fast. G.W. Bridge is also assembling a new Wild Pack and one wonders if they'll save Frank's rear again, like they did in around the Mexican border against the Hate Monger. This is an acquired taste, and not for everyone. It doesn't deserve to outsell THE ORDER, Fraction's much better Marvel book. But I enjoy it. Kraven is an interesting foil for Punisher, as both are hunters of humans (and now superhumans). Hopefully the climax has some entertaining Castle action. He's bad-ass.
