BOUGHT/THOUGHT 6/28 Spoilers To Come!

[gildea]

Foiled! But you understand what im saying right?

course i do.

Its part of the reason I'm enjoying moon knight, its written in the slow burn decompressed style I tend to enjoy (which works better for gritty individual heroics than teams like NA some would argue )

 

[Darthphere]

Yeah, and hopefully the end of the arc has a huge pay-off.

 

[GNR]

Yea,I'm guessing 5 or 6 is where he dons the costume again.

 

[Darthphere]

Yea,I'm guessing 5 or 6 is where he dons the costume again.

The flashback scenes are enough to whet my appetite til then. Its almost like Daredevil, just that we get to see him in costume from time to time.

 

[MyPokerShirt]

i wish theyd define Patriots his powers. he jokes super-hearing is one of them. at least.. it seemed like a joke. and in civil war 2 he seems to kick ass and was waaay more powerful than a super soldier should be. i thought in cw 2, the way they handled wiccan and patriots powers was just a "wow" moment tho. those kids rule. maybe millar should write them some more. can i have spoilers at to whats in YA special 01? and when did it come out (im assumin aaaaaages ago - i obv dont have it). thanx


edit:i thort this was gona post under a YA convo. u guys talk fast...

 

[MyPokerShirt]

Amazing Spider-man 533

Anyone notice the not so suttle hints? Peter says that if anything should happen to his family then he'll come after Tony, inidicating that this must be what turns his view on what side to go for What a shame, i dont want MJ to die!!

 

[Not Jake]

Damn that was harsh.

Yeah you or DBM should get on Tivo-ing that. Not that I like to push my own tivos. Okay, I do. Proud papa

 

[PWN3R]

Nextwave #6

Wow...this book is insane, I love it. You will see Dirk Anger in a new light after this issue.

And I love Immonen's art, it fits this book so well.

10/10


Young Avengers #12

I'm not gonna lie, this felt just a little....I guess rushed? I mean it took 4ever to come out, but it felt they had to settle things fast.

Even so, this was an awesome ending. Speed on the team, Eli with powers, the last shot was great, this was a great book, so glad I started picking this up!

9/10


ASM #533

Solid stuff here, JMS has my attention with this tie-in?

8/10


New Avengers #21

Too bad the art sucked, because this story on Cap was excellent. I mean the art......*sigh* . Henry "betraying" Cap was a good touch.

7/10

Wolverine #43

I along with maybe one or two people on this board love the art. This issue and last were so awesome. I mean this writer nails Wolverine IMO.

Although his stunt with Nitro's blast....I dunno if it was Ramos's fault, or Guggenheim's fault, but there is no way Wolverine would live that. Still, the last page was nice. Great stuff...

8/10

FF#538

Reed ans Sue are slowly falling apart, and Ben doesn't know what he wants. Overall another solid CW tie in.

Ben's convo with Johnny was great, it made it seem he was in there for hours, and then Sue comes in and tells him he has been in there for only one hour!

And "someone" picked up the hammer....

8/10
Civil War Frontline #2

This book has surpised me, its actually really good. Speedball gets owned though.

8/10

Runaways #17

Wowwowowowowowowowowowowowowowow!


BKV is awesome. The ending had me like this. ----->

10/10

Moonknight #3

I dunno what some of you guys are talking about. The pacing isn't slow. MK is basically a new character(relaunching a series to a character barely no one knows of.) Thats how I see they are treating it.

I mean I knew nothing of him, and with each issue, Huston adds more to the character, and builds on what he has already given us. Its great, and Finch's art has improved IMO. Although Taskmaster looked odd....

9/10

Daredevil #86

Effin awesome! Man, the $#&% most def jumped off! Holy crap, Matt was insane. Bullseye's owning rampage was great to see. And Matt remembering Milla's words at the end right before he tricked Fisk and Bullseye....Bru is awesome!

The last page was great, next issue is going to be everything it has been built up to be! PICK OF THE WEEK!

10/10




*I am surpised that every Civil War tie-in I've read has been really good.

 

[Darthphere]

Yeah you or DBM should get on Tivo-ing that. Not that I like to push my own tivos. Okay, I do. Proud papa

Done and done.

 

[GNR]

i wish theyd define Patriots his powers. he jokes super-hearing is one of them. at least.. it seemed like a joke. and in civil war 2 he seems to kick ass and was waaay more powerful than a super soldier should be. i thought in cw 2, the way they handled wiccan and patriots powers was just a "wow" moment tho. those kids rule. maybe millar should write them some more. can i have spoilers at to whats in YA special 01? and when did it come out (im assumin aaaaaages ago - i obv dont have it). thanx


edit:i thort this was gona post under a YA convo. u guys talk fast...

Yea,that really bugged me.

One panel he's dying in a bed,the next he's okay carrying a statue.The whole irony of it all wasn't even addressed and there wasn't even a moment between Cap and Eli or even Isaiah and Eli.

 

[deemar325]

So Patriot seems to be alot more powerful than Cap, any theories?

 

[Darthphere]

The only explanation I can come up with (not reading the comic) is that they hadnt planned on ending it with issue #12, and taking a hiatus after that. Therefore the comic seems rushed. It seems all it really needed was an extra page or two to be perfetc, maybe theylll release one of those famous Director's Cuts.

 

[deemar325]

I think it's more Eli's genetic lineage, if his Grandfather, like Cap had the right genetic make up to accept the SSSerum, (and I'm reaching here) maybe Eli is that 1% of people who react remarkably well to the serum.

Eli's Grandpa got either a bad batch of serum or didn't completely mesh with the serum, maybe Eli was the next step biologically to accepting it.


Eli is like Cap (Steve Rogers) the one in a million who the serum reacts well too.

 

[MyPokerShirt]

The only explanation I can come up with (not reading the comic) is that they hadnt planned on ending it with issue #12, and taking a hiatus after that. Therefore the comic seems rushed. It seems all it really needed was an extra page or two to be perfetc, maybe theylll release one of those famous Director's Cuts.

what was in the directors cut? i hada quick look over it and all i saw was like a commentary on the issue.


I never got the impression it was rushed when i read it but i get what you mean. there are inconsistencies in the book that cant just be shaken off by saying "well the book was delayed, it was going to happen". i cant believe how teddy didnt seem to care about how his mother was killed by super skrull til this issue and that the wanda twins seem to want to find thei "mother" despite having real parents. if i found out my soul was the reincarnation of someone else i wouldnt consider their parents mine (lol - that sounds soooo weird).

plus is there going to be any fall-out from superskrull becoming a spy? i bet its not even mentioned in annihalation. sigh...


anyway this book is still very good and these points shouldnt take anything away from it.

 

[MyPokerShirt]

Deemar, Don't people always try to steal/recreate the super soldier serum. if it could be achieved by blood transfusions then wouldnt this sorta thing have happened years ago?

 

[SpideyInATree]

Yeah, I was happy with that. I'm glad they gave a reason for him calling Tony Boss all the time, even though it seemed like a BS one.

I don't think that it was BS. Because I always looked at it like Peter busting Stark's balls...and Pete came out and said it because he's freakin' pissed.

 

[deemar325]

Deemar, Don't people always try to steal/recreate the super soldier serum. if it could be achieved by blood transfusions then wouldnt this sorta thing have happened years ago?

Heres the thing, most who try to use the serum, either go insane, their metabolism can't handle it and they die, or the effects are weak at best, they become feable minded (Isiah), they gain enhancement but extreme physical deformities and health issues.

The point is most people don't have the right genetics to accept the serum perfectly.

So recreating or stealing the serum is ineffective, because at best all your gonna get is a Super Soldier with either a limited lifespan or one who is feable minded.

 

[Dread]

Its been a HUGE Wed. this week, with a good $40 worth of comic books shipping in one dump, plus the debut of SUPERMAN RETURNS (free plug: its good, so long as you're not looking for a Neo vs. Agent Smith esque megabrawl). In fact, this week was so huge that I missed BLUE BEETLE #4. I may get it next week or whatever. I do like the book, but if I end up missing out, I won't shed too many tears. Anyway, this was a heavy CIVIL WAR week with damn near every tie-in issue of the month shipping now. I got a heapload and by now the storyline seems to become more apparent, and more emotional.

DREAD'S BOUGHT/THOUGHT FOR 6/28/06:

52 WEEK #8: DC's weekly serial has managed 2 months worth of comics on time, which should be worth something. It also manages to keep the stories and puzzles trucking along, although you have to get used to some stories taking center stage, and others being forgotten for issues on end. This issue focuses heavilly on Steel and his niece, and on the plerplexing issue on why he's becoming metahuman (re: Luthor actually spiked his blood with his metagene a few issues ago). This drives a wedge between him and his niece, who is desperately trying to "earn" (build) her armor, but ends up being manipulated into Luthor's metagene program. Meanwhile, Green Arrow and Ralph Dibney (who's quite drinking his "rubber" formula) track down another "cult of Conner" hideout, only to find it empty. Off-planet, Starfire, Animal-Man and the still-eyeless Adam Strange are trapped by their planet's giant hunter beings. And in the wake of Booster Gold's umpteenth "fall from grace" storyline, he has to contend with a new hero Supernova grabbing headlines in the wake of his scandal. The downside is that the Question, promised as a major player in the beginning, has barely been seen, and I miss 'im. The upside is that with so much happening, the weekly format is always entertaining, and the pages seem to run out of plot before you're ready for them to. "A series starring the entire DCU" seems to be very accurate right now. Plus, 52 manages to put in a lot of "real world"-esque intrique without being stuck in the mire of grimness, darkness, and mutilation, which in a nutshell is CIVIL WAR. So it feels good to read both back to back.

BRAVE NEW WORLD: DC gained a lot of fame and hype with their last 80-page, $1 special, COUNTDOWN (which featured the now infamous death of Blue Beetle), as well as a prologue to INFINITE CRISIS (which'd been brewing about a year before anyway). Obviously wanting to repeat that tradition, BRAVE NEW WORLD appears to be more pedestrian. Rather than an interweaving story about one character that interacts with many, this one basically seems like an 80-page PREVIEWS edition for DC's latest 6 launches, from a new MANHUNTER mini to ATOM, CREEPER, SHAZAM, OMAC, and FREEDOM FIGHTERS. Much like Marvel's done post DISASSEMBLED, DC is using their event to try to score hits off properties that've TANKED before in the solo realm (Manhunter, Atom, Shazam and Creeper haven't made any money in solo books in what, a decade?). There's some last page threat of a squad of "Moniters" that harkens to more CRISIS crap, but I guess I feel like Storm from ULTIMATE X-MEN #2: Without being as filled in on DC lore, I can't "wet my pants too" about it. 80 pages of comic for a dollar is always a steal, but this is more like an advertisement preview than a story unto itself in any way. I don't really care for all of them to bother buying their mini's really, although considering Marvel's CW/SHRA act, they could probably launch a title simular to FREEDOM FIGHTERS in the near future and have it sell decently.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #533: The CIVIL WAR tie-ins begin in full swing, as Marvel's writers are desperate to stay on the same page in terms of continuity in order to make a 70 chapter "event" work. This issue basically has Spider-Man's reactions and fallout to revealing his identity in CW #2, as well as the reactions of J.Jonah Jameson (whose reaction supporters of the move seem to believe justify it). JJJ's given this issue and FRONTLINE #2 to react, basically. Peter of course has a mangled conversation with his family and Reed & Sue, which only seemed to prove my point that had JMS & Co. wanted to get Spider-Man to join the pro-SHRA side by his friendship and closeness to Reed Richards (and the Four), it would have seemed more natural and less "lackey-inducing" than MANUFACTURING a frienship with Tony THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE within the span of maybe 4-6 months prior to CW. But Marvel always wants to make things harder than they have to be at times. Of course, Stark, the Richards', MJ and May are proud of his decision. JJJ's furious about being lied to after all these years and is suing Peter for back-wages paid to him as well as other matters, to the tune of $5 million; an interesting plot point. The downside, of course, is much like I predicted in the "DEVELOPMENT VS. RETCONNING" topic on the matter. The public still doesn't really support Spider-Man, as they seem him as being "freaky" regardless of what his real name is. In fact, this knowledge has only seemed to give those who hate Spider-Man for whatever reason (and after Stamford, superheroes themselves aren't popular currently), which is shown by a lone gunman nearly shooting Peter & MJ as they step out for fresh air. Flash Thompson reverts to his de-facto position on the matter (not believing Peter really is Spidey so he can continue to rag on him like he's done since 1964 without any change), and Spider-Man's villians (Doc Ock, Vulture, and a "conviently not dead anymore because SPIDER-MAN 3 is 11 months away" Eddie Brock are shown by panel, before the splashes) seem to be all but overjoyed at the revelation, thus making Spider-Man's life a dozen times more dangerous. This is a fact Spider-Man should have known, and the fact that it seems to surprise him makes him seem like the slowest learner in the Marvel Universe. If ONE supervillian knowing who he was could cause him trouble, imagine ALL of them knowing? Some scientist, Pete. On the plus side, Stark pulls a reversal, instantly claiming that since Spider-Man is his b!tch when it comes to registering and revealing themselves publically despite that NOT being part of the SHRA, he'll also be on the squad that arrests now-criminalized heroes, something Peter finds apalling. The last page displays "The Narc Squad" of the Thunderbolts (former criminals all), She-Hulk, Doc Samson, non-hospitalized Four members, Ms. Marvel, Yellowjacket, and Wasp; none of whom have to worry about having families (a point FRONTLINE #2 makes later, and Stark admits to in this issue). In a way, desides the reveal and the "instant celebrity" status merely adding to Peter becoming a more Generic Superhero (or the fact that since apparently all storyline with his civilian guise are "exhausted", it became time to abandon it completely by having his superhero life overrule it, a point I disagree with), the "inner child" in me is sort of disturbed that all because of a free armor costume, free rent, and a few buddies to fight in battles with, Spider-Man sold out. Joe Q I am sure would get snippy and go, "he sold out when he married a supermodel", but dude, its not the same (nor has MJ always been a successful model/actress; many times during the 90's her career was on the skids; its a fickle industry after all). I know Spider-Man is one of the central figures of CW and I also know that means he has to be "taught a refresher lesson in pain" to sort of "showcase" that the SHRA is wrong. But, shouldn't Spider-Man not need any more "lessons"? He's lost a good half dozen people he's cared about during his career. I just fondly recall the lone hero who wouldn't take being treated like a "rookie" from even Cap and the Avengers during team-ups in the Silver Age and now he's simply joined The Man. I know it won't last, but that doesn't make it swallow better either. Just because a broken leg heals in a few months doesn't make it a fun thing to have. Still, JMS writes a good issue, although I can easily see the "revelation" storyline running out of steam after a few months, much like some of DC'S OLY stories.

FANTASTIC FOUR #538: Boy, Reed & Sue seem to be fighting more and more since CW started, aren't they? Could it simply be the stress of the current act (as Reed is all gung-ho for it and Sue is conflicted, especially since it got Johnny pounded into a coma by a mob), a reverting to their "endless bickering" during the 90's, or an organized plan to cause the end of their marriage, as Joe Q seems to have a vendetta against any married superhero (except for Black Panther & Storm, of course, which makes SO much sense that it requires a mini, a few arcs of BP and endless retcons to make work, and that Joe is currently pimping out with Hudlin on BET)? Maybe a bit of all of them? Regardless, the F4 CW issues read less like F4 issues and more like a 52-ish chapter of the CW arc, which is crossed with the return of Thor. Quite why of all titles Thor seems set to return in FANTASTIC FOUR and not in, oh, maybe AVENGERS or something is beyond me. Maybe its because FANTASTIC FOUR hasn't been selling in the Top 15 in YEARS before CW? Regardless, most of the issue focuses on Thing, who confronts his old homies from the Yancy Street Gang, who are anti-SHRA and can't see how Thing is "for" it, even when he wants to be "all Switzerland" and be neutral. Considering Slott's THE THING is on the chopping block, and his style of "no events, just superhero fun" is something Marvel doesn't in any way, shape or form believe "modern" comics should still be doing, I didn't mind the Thing-focus. Mad Thinker and Puppet Master also seem set to "capitlize" on the SHRA by "icing some competition", meaning that a full supervillian response is underway (after they've conviently let a lot of past chances, including the crappiest and least-organized Avengers roster since THE CROSSING go by without incident). I can easily agree with the Yancy Streeters; they're about supporting "local" heroes as "one of them", see Spider-Man as a sellout, and so on. Of course, one could argue that as a street gang, they're already on the "fringe" of society and naturally would gravitate towards any cause if it meant rebelling against an authority (which as a gang, they do daily). But the main theme of CW so far is clearly "its worth standing against your country when they make a morally bad choice of action", so relating to the Yancy Streeters is probably the intended effect. The Fantastic Four may not be the same afterwards, and that may not be a good thing. Marvel's seem to have set themselves in the habit of destroying things for sales, but destroying is always easier and lazier than CREATING. It can take years to properly build a character, but only a panel to kill him. That sort of thing. Oh, and Ms. Marvel arrests Perez's pet D-List Avenger, Silverclaw.

FRONTLINE #2: This issue sort of acts like yet another part of the CW #2/ASM # 533 arc of fallout in reaction to Spider-Man's revelation. In it, J.J. seems more genuinely betrayed by Peter's decade long deception rather than outright angered, which is an interesting angle (although again, an angle I can see totally sucked dry and boring in about a year or less, even with the best writing possible). Some fun points include the media "not being surprised that Stark claimed to be Iron Man" for about the second time in 1-2 years, and that Robbie points out that J.J. always treated Peter like crap for years, and only after the betrayal seems to "act" like he was a mentor. Of course, J.J.'s always had appeal as a creep with a good heart (sort of) underneathe miles of rotten exterior to react to a harsh world, sort of like a editorial version of Luie DePalma from TAXI. Ulrich finds himself stuck in the middle of political extremes as a rally seems to crowd around Prodigy, one of the old (and suriving) SLINGERS who opposes the act publically, only to be brutally taken down by Iron Man and anti-metahuman strike troops (Sally Floyd's seen ranting against them). Jenkins naturally is making a great read of FRONTLINE. In the second chapter, Speedball goes through more hell, but a hell in a way that shows how the government seems to react towards superhuman criminals; he'd be granted a full pardon if he agrees to become their agent; if that seems to be extreme, recall that even before SHRA, the U.S. government was willing to make an "agent" out of any damned supervillian who agreed to be a stooge, from Mystique's Brotherhood to Puppet Master to even Venom (and the Thunderbolts currently). Speedball refuses on the principle that he doesn't feel responsible for what happened on Stamford; Nitro is. For that, he's being thrown to the wolves in prison. The last story is more heavy-handed liberal gibberish, this time equating the current struggle to Ceaser's struggles against the Senate in Rome. It has nothing to do with CW, much as the last Internment story really had no connection to Spider-Man angsting about his reveal, only to allow for some "artsey" panels. Thankfully, the rest of CW isn't nearly as heavy handed as the stuff in the last chapters of CIVIL WAR. This one is better than the last, though. Of course, SLINGERS fans will note that out of the four, Ricochet is in Excelsior in RUNAWAYS (although he hasn't been seen in some 12 issues), Hornet was killed by Wolverine during Millar's yearlong arc, and Prodigy is now a victim of the SHRA arrests. Only Dusk remains unseen since the 90's. Norman Osborn seems to flip out about the reveal, too, but it seems that even HE is capable of becoming a gov't stooge if he "tows the line". Its easy to feel bitter when supervillians can be handed out badges in Marvel if they agree to be cogs, but honest superheroes wanting to protect their families and/or being suspicious of the classically corrupt Marvel U.S. government (which is nothing new) are now being hunted with a harsher fury than ANY supervillian has every suffered. Not even MAXIMUM CARNAGE garnered that much attention from the feds. Oh, and poor Firestar quits being a hero due to SHRA in a touching sequence.

MOON KNIGHT #3: Taking a break from CW for a moment comes Huston & Finch's MK relaunch, which is 3 weeks late. Its also working itself very slowly, proving that Huston is still more used to novels than comic books. In a novel, using 66 pages to plod slowly is fine, because most novels are about 200-400 pages on average, and aren't broken into 22 pages a month. But for comics, its torture. For late comics, its even worse. This issue recaps MK's origin as the Committee, a cabal who once sought to manipulate him (and sicced him on Werewolf By Night in his first appearence) want to get him out of retirement, but their plan is starting to backfire, so they've hired Taskmaster to take Spectre out. Taskmaster is back to his "I shop in the same store as Deathstroke the Terminater" pirate gear after getting a more streamlined design from UDON some years ago. Yes, Yes, I know, Taskie predates Deathstroke by a few months or so, but Deathstroke'll always be bigger, and the average fan will always assume Taskie is a knockoff rather than the other way around. A different design helped avoid that trap, but returning to the old pooches it. Oh, and we find out that Frenchie is gay, a plot point not unlike the misspelled ramblings of internet message boards. How original. I get that Huston wants to tell an urban, gritty noir story, but its just moving along too slowly. Hopefully after the next two issues he manages to learn how to tighten things up for comics. They're NOT the same, and Marvel's insistance that ANY writer from ANY medium can "adjust" flawlessly to comics seems to show they have no idea of the complexities of their own medium. Which would just make them seem like mere moneygrubbers, which surely can't be true. I won't accept it. Its faster then Scott Card's ULTIMATE IRON MAN, which took 4 issues to get Stark from birth to middle school, but that's not saying much. MOON KNIGHT's still a good read, I'm just waiting for stuff to HAPPEN.

NEW AVENGERS #21: A week after THE COLLECTIVE ended in yet another Bendis debacle (is their any other kind), NA #21 seems to serve as an issue that takes place bewteen CW #1 and #2, and I wonder if this would feel less like a prologue if the last issue of NA wasn't late (which'd make this issue, what, 2 weeks late?). Its obviously showing Cap's reactions to CW #1 and how he gathered his "strike team", starting with the Falcon and continuing next issue with Luke Cage (Bendy's pet Avenger just CAN'T be sellout like that silly Spider-Man, yo). It also goes to show yet again that Bendis seems much better at writing 1-2 issues stories than he is at writing 4-6 issue arcs, a lesson a smarter writer would take advantage of. Chaykin's art reminds me of mediocre artists who used to draw D-List MALIBU books, but I've seen worse. Cap has an excellent reaction and narration, and he relies on his "good friend" Falcon and attempts to round up Hank Pym, who's honestly surprised Cap bothered, before attempting to capture him. Its a good issue, far better than NA's last one, but it seems to continue the trend of CW leading to nothing but destruction. Destruction of characters (death, defamation, identity revelations), destruction of relationship ties (Sue/Reed, Cap & fellow Avengers, like Pym, Tony, etc), destruction of a distinction between good/evil (something that Marvel seems to enjoy blurring, much like the premise of KINGDOM COME), etc. I'm no optimist but I am almost getting overwhelmed in the sheer direness of everything, and CW's not even a 3rd finished yet. How about CREATING something? Right now the only bright spot in CW is that it does give purpose to a lot of D-Listers, and if they don't die, I could see some efficient relaunches in the future. Only a fool would squander a chance to revive a definitive NEW WARRIORS after the ashes of Stamford, but then again, Marvel's been fools with properties before. Don't be a stickler for the art, and its a good read.

To Be Continued...

 

[Dread]

Bought/Thought for 6/28 con't:

WOLVERINE #43: Nothing beats the baby-blue of Wolvie's CW cover than some Ramos cover art that defies all levels of anatomy or proportion. Nitro's neck is about a foot-long (like the rubbery Spidercide's used to be)! Logan's elbow is bigger than his head! His mask's ears are in 70's INCREDIBLE HULK levels! And its yet another CW tie in where the writing is good, but the art totally tanks, much like NA #21. Wolverine's tracked down Nitro's truck-ride, and beats a location out of the driver. A confrontation with Iron Man leads him to join a strike force being assembled to deal with Nitro (after seemingly ignoring him). Logan does nothing but moan about how stupid a plan it is, so what does Mr. Rebel X-Man do? Go along with the plan hook, line, and sinker, doing nothing to save the soldiers who're incinerated because of it. Wow. Wolverine also performs a feat of meta-regeneration that is beyond HULK levels, as he seems to reform from being reduced to an adamantium skeleton in less than a few pages. C'MON! How is this in anyway relatable!? What happened to the scrapper who had to make up for his lack of sheer power with grit and skill? THIS is why there is so much anti-Wolverine hate out there, because he's become ridiculously overpowered. Its not as bad as healing from a nuke to the face (done a few years ago in VENOM), but close. Conspiracy buffs who've been wondering if Stamford was "planned" ever since Sally's line from FRONTLINE #1 get some vindication here, as Nitro seems to be sponsored by someone in a "mysterious car"...in Washington, D.C. Considering that, as I said above, the U.S. government has been eager to deputize any supervillian who agrees to tow the line, the possibility of Nitro doing some dirty work for some pro-SHRA politicians is hardly far-fetched; if anything, it may be time in coming. Aside for the ridiculous Super-Saiyen Wolverine power-crap, Guggenheim writes a thrilling tale, but the art is quite lame.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #96: The only Marvel title that hasn't abandoned Spider-Man's roots as if it was a plague, and the only Spider-title I've read in some form religiously for 6 years. The 2-part MORBIUS storyline closes and this 2-parter at a glance seems like easy UMTU-esque filler between major arcs, sort of how a series of team-up stories were between CARNAGE and HOBGOBLIN. Morbuis acts like he was the main ally in this 2-parter, although Blade got more pagetime last issue, leading me to believe that he'd show up in this issue; silly me, that'd have been logical. I was also wrong in last month's prediction, where I felt Spider-Man would be unmasked, and be a "helpless kid out of his element" being chewed out by Blade. I was wrong. Instead, Spider-Man is unmasked, and is a "helpless kid out of his element" being chewed out by Morbius. At least Morbius is "terrrrribly mysterious" like the Blue Raja, making up for his utter randomness. In typical shorthand Bendis, Morbius acts as the smart-mouthed character who appears out of nowhere and solves the arc's dilemma with little effort, before chewing out the hero, who does nothing. Bendis' done this a few times in USM as well as in SECRET WAR, a few NEW AVENGERS arcs, and DISASSEMBLED, and it is getting bloody old and repetitive. I wish Bendis had the sense to see where he is predictable and learn some new tricks. On the other hand, this 2-parter is an enjoyable USM actioner that allows Ulrich to be the focus for a bit, and has Peter reacting poorly to more "dark" elements of the superhero life, which can creep up on you without warning. It also gets MJ back in the picture in some form, conviently on time for her to get kidnapped in CLONE SAGA (solicts are a b!tch, aren't they, Bendy)? At best, USM proves that what made Spider-Man work in the 60's can work here if you just update things a smidge, and its the only title where Bendis actively CREATES something, whereas in all his 616 Marvel work, he does nothing but kill, destroy, and tear down to make a punch. At its worst, Bendis' insistance on repeating himself over and over and over and over again, even the bits that don't work, adds fuel to the fire for extremists who want "shocking new things" to happen, like unmaskings to the media. This book'd be flawless if Bendis weren't so predictable, and if Spider-Man could ever be something ABOVE a helpless masked puss. 96 issues of it starts to ware very thin. I'd almost pay double cover price for new writer blood for a month. Bagley's art is, as always, good and reliable, and I liked seeing his vampire/Morbius designs.

RUNAWAYS #17: The next two comics are the best comics of the month, and as such I always save them as the "main course" at the end of my lists, to be savored after what came before. BKV continues his "New Pridee" storyline with another taut chapter with twists, turns, and genuine surprises. He knows skillfully how to play with his audience without feeling that they're being cheated; a rare skill indeed. Karolina returns from space to a Runaways team that's in a shambles, and right in the nick of time. She also brings along Xavin, her gender-variable Skrull fiance, who has been theorized as a "red shirt" for the storyline. She gets the team to stop bickering and instead converge on their real enemies, the new Pride, who've kidnapped Molly. Victor tracks them down and Nico & Gert seem to bury the hatchet in a way that only teenage girls can, although Chase fears his relationship with Gert is over (despite the fact that, well, he didn't agree to Nico's kiss and shoved her off the second she did it). They're immature and whatnot at times, but they're teenagers; too long I see comic teenagers as being "perfect little spandex adults, only with more sex" and BKV has them act more like folks who still have growing to do, like most teenagers. Geoffry Wilder's still manipulating his teammates, as they prep up to fight the Runaways. Turns out, for the twist, that Molly was only bate, and NICO's his intended mystical sacrifice! BKV promises the next issue will have a Runaway die, and I am dreading it, because I like all of them. Future covers to RUNAWAYS/YOUNG AVENGERS, which takes place after #18 (god, I hope shipping schedules won't ruin it) seem to show that Nico, Karolina, and Victor are safe from The Reaper (they're also agruably the Runaway's most powerful members). That leaves Chase, Molly, Gert (and Old Lace), and Xavin as the "red shirt". Few Western comics have the balls to kill off a 9-year old major character, which leaves Gert & Chase. I've been fearing it to be Chase for about a year now, and I hope I'm wrong. I really like these characters and I don't want any of them to die really, because they're some of Marvel's best creations in years. Heck, BKV could punk-out and ice Xavin, and I'd forgive him (although some future coverse seem to suggest Xavin lives; plus, for the YA/RUN team-up, having Xavin and Hulkling meet may be too tempting to pass up). But considering Future Gert's words in #1, my RUNAWAY odds on fave to die in a month is Chase. Sniffle. Still, though, an incredible read, and in a month already filled with darkness and death, only one book could almost overshadow RUNAWAYS for a month.

YOUNG AVENGERS #12: And the only book to overshadow RUNAWAYS is, and in some months always has been, this one. As only the second issue of YA in nearly 7 months, this title has been hopelessly late, even by "bimonthly" standards (it was a monthly retroactively made a bimonthly due to lateness, and it was still late). For purists, this issue was clearly intended to have been published before CW #2 or even ANNIHILATION, but it just dragged hopelessly beyond schedule. Heinberg claimed in Paul O'Brien's X-Axis website that "no issue of mine has ever been late because an artist was waiting on a script" or words to that effect, which means Cheung's on the hook for it. With incredible art like this, I can almost forgive him. My only regrets of the issue are that its been this late, that it's the last issue until Marvel 2007 (a full 9 months), and that the team and characters that Heinberg & Cheung have so eagerly created and remastered are about to go through the dark, grim, destructive blender of CIVIL WAR and I only hope when they come out, they resemble the team that was created. The issue features the best depiction of the NEW AVENGERS in ages, which is telling as aside for Cap, many of them only have a few lines (and they take a backseat to the kids). It also boasts an incredible battle sequence, but above all, it boasts something that Marvel has been steering away from: SUPERHEROICS and CREATION. CIVIL WAR is all about tearing down, breaking up, shocking, shattering, destroying, ripping away what is. YOUNG AVENGERS is in the creation business. They're creating a new team of young heroes as heirs to the legacy of the Avengers and doing it right, and well. And the book offers an honest slobberknocker with YOUNG and NEW AVENGERS side-by-side in combat with an armada of Kree and Skrull soldiers. No one dies, no one is raped, no one unmasks to the media, there are no huge shocks, just good honest entertaining superheroics. Heinberg doesn't feel the need to apologize for it, or pretend it doesn't work. He RUNS with it, plays it honestly, treats it with respect. He obviously honors the respect of the legacy of the Avengers even if Marvel's editorial staff has forgotten them, to the point that in the finale, his once-rebellious heroes are all but honoring fallen past members by rebuilding their statues. The art as usual is fantastic, with a few splash-pages being instant posters. Heinberg again feels no need to gloss over superheroics as he embraces the "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!" battlecry, and each Young Avenger gets to share fun LOTR-esque battlefield rapport with at least one hero; Stature with Spider-Man, Kate Bishop with Spider-Woman, Hulkling and Cage, Vision 2.0 and Iron Man, Tommy and Wolverine (which was GREAT), and even Wiccan and Cap (after Patriot was whisked away by Sentry for medical treatment). After an intense battle, Hulkling seemingly agrees to a deal to cease hostilities between the Kree & Skrull, only for it to be (of course) a clever ruse by Super-Skrull to impersonate Hulking to act as a spy, and to allow the boy his own life on Earth. This time Eli gets a REAL blood transfusion from his grandpa, and gains super-soldier abilities again (without MGH). Cap also accepts them as heroes and the YA honor their past legacies by rebuilding the statues of the dead Avengers, like Ant-Man (Cassie's father), Capt. Marvel (Hulkling's father), Mockingbird, Swordsman, and so on. Some purist fans object to the fact that Kate's now called "Hawkeye", but I don't mind and think it was handled well. Firstly, admittedly, Heinberg has an issue with original codenames; "Stature" hardly rolls off the tongue, some have complained about Hulkling or Iron Lad, and even Tommy's "Speed" name is painfully simplistic (TheCorpulent1 and I discussed on a topic a codename and we feared it'd be "Speedster", we were half right), for for god's sake, let her inherit one. Plus, the point of it was that it was Cap, HIMSELF, the man who'd been against the YA forming and fighting crime officially CONDONING her and their career by honoring her with Hawkeye's weapons and codename. Those who simply decry that Marvel's tanishing Clint Barton are, IMO, missing the forest behind the trees. Clint can still return as Hawkeye; DC has Ollie Queen and Conner Hawke going by Green Arrow, and the universe didn't implode (this month). Teddy also honors his mother and Tommy embraces being a hero as Speed, whose costume just looks VERY cool (and, to honor a legacy, it is green & silver, the original costume colors of Quicksilver). In the end YOUNG AVENGERS is a Marvel book that feels very much like a DC book, only done with effective characters in a mighty Marvel fashion. To those who haven't been reading it, grab the trades, you have almost a year to catch up. By the end of the last page I had a great smile on my face, which is better than most of the CW books, where I was wincing in pain as I was about to see some character I like get mutiliated. YA is inspirational, entertaining, upbeat and CREATIVE. I'll miss it terribly. I bid it and them godspeed until Heinberg & Cheung's return, and hope that the team won't be mutiliated, raped, beaten and embittered beyond recognition after whatever happens to them in their CW mini. Because any Marvel editorial staff, ANY ONE that would ruin this brilliant team dynamic for the sake of a single summer's event doesn't deserve to call itself the House of Ideas. 9 months until the relaunch (my god, if ASTONISHING could return with their original numbering, why not YA? YA's been aces better, there I said it) can't come fast enough. Not only was this my favorite comic in June, it may be my favorite comic of the year.

As for the "Marvel Man" back-up, I felt it was a little funny, but sort of pointless. Pointless back-up strips are what made back-ups seem irrelevant to begin with.

WIZARD #178: Read it, naturally a decent issue of WIZARD pimping out Marvel and DC's ride, although they give some indie's and Vertigo a shot, celebrate 20 years of Dark Horse, and have an article about the enigmic creator of Plastic Man, who killed himself during the 50's. Bendis also gives his 100th interview, where he answers fan questions. The highlight; he claims the death of Capt. America would be something "dramatic" for Marvel, but says he'd never write it. The cover boasts "..and the character he'd love to kill". No offense, but what character WOULDN'T he want to kill. My god, nearly every 616 Bendis story relies heavilly on destroying, on killing, on maiming, on ripping away what was and using that for shock value punch, a policy that's admittedly sold very well, so Marvel's all over it like Uncle Scrooge swimming in a vat of money. I've just never seen a writer so reliant on murdering and maiming 616 characters for a story as Bendy has been during his AVENGERS stuff. Naturally, a fine issue.

ALL-NEW OHBOTMU #6: Got it, didn't read it yet, but naturally I enjoy these things.

 

[MyPokerShirt]

Heres the thing, most who try to use the serum, either go insane, their metabolism can't handle it and they die, or the effects are weak at best, they become feable minded (Isiah), they gain enhancement but extreme physical deformities and health issues.

The point is most people don't have the right genetics to accept the serum perfectly.

So recreating or stealing the serum is ineffective, because at best all your gonna get is a Super Soldier with either a limited lifespan or one who is feable minded.

So how did they know patriot wasnt goin to turn into a 'tard?? Now it does seem rushed (and contrived -- he didnt HAVE to have powers right away.They coulda waited for the relaunch)

 

[Dread]

So how did they know patriot wasnt goin to turn into a 'tard?? Now it does seem rushed (and contrived -- he didnt HAVE to have powers right away.They coulda waited for the relaunch)

The relaunch of YA is 9 months away. Marvel wanted the YA for their CW mini-series alongside the RUNAWAYS. For that they needed Patriot back in action. Plus, rumor was that because of the extreme lateness of YA, the final storyline was supposed to go another issue, but they deciced to end it at #12 and just add a few extra pages. Really, its not that big a deal. We suspend so many other beliefs for comics and this one with Patriot is hardly the biggest.

Wolverine regenerating from an adamantium skeleton is a far greater one. No one will moan about that one. Of course, Claremont was the first to have Wolverine literally regenerate from a SINGLE CELL, like some Dragon Ball Z villian, so whatever.

 

[PWN3R]

Seriously, as much as I have loved Guggenheim's last two issues, that was just.....

 

[MyPokerShirt]

whoa... when did wolverine regenerate from a cell??

 

[Dread]

whoa... when did wolverine regenerate from a cell??

Taken from the "WTF" moments topic:

From The Uncanny X-Men Annual #11: Wolverine is seeking the Crystal of Ultimate of Vision in the Citadel of Light and Shadow for a mutant villan named Horde. Horde has threatened to destroy our world if the X-Men don't return it to him. All the other X-Men are trapped by the Citadel's safeguards. Upon reaching the Crystal (which is a magical power on the level of the M'Kraan crystal), Horde attacks Wolverine which leads to this startleing revelation about his healing factor...

So Wolverine can regrow himself from BLOOD CELLS. WTF?

 

[Colossal Spoons]

The relaunch of YA is 9 months away.

Damn, didn't know it was that long

On another note, F4 made is seem like Sue was against the SHRA and Ben was neutral. Yet the last page of ASM has them both ready to fight the SHRA opposition. WTF