Bought/Thought 9/17

[Marcdachamp]

Amazing Spider-Man: New Ways to Die Parts 3-5- PICK OF THE WEEK! Because of a two week delay on my shop getting part 3, I had 66 pages of Amazing Spider-Man to read today. It was worth the wait. There is a LOT to love. Front Line, Anti-Venom, regular Venom, Spidey vs. Bullseye (Pete plays for keeps, and a BRILLIANT end to that fight), Norman at his finest, more Menace mystery... this arc has delivered with every page. Just fantastic. 9/10

Mighty Avengers- On one hand, the torture scene really turned me off. Bendis, I love you, but Alan Moore did it over 20 years ago, and every time I see it in comics since, it feels like more of the same. But, I gave Brian Wood a pass on it over in DMZ because the story was still really good, so it's only fair to do it for you because, well, the story is really good. Doesn't hurt that you have the amazing Caselli on art chores, either. Seems odd that he did this issue when he just had a fill-in mid-arc over in The Initiative, though. Seems to me that the Avengers offices are having difficulty figuring out which artists are drawing which arcs. Anyway, I liked this issue, and I liked that Fury is training Hill the same way he's training these kids. She's really become one of my favorite new Marvel characters since her debut. 8/10

X-Factor- See? This is why I love PAD. This book will be ho-hum for an arc, or a few issues, but then out of left field, he'll smack you upside the head with a whopper of a cliff-hanger, and I'll be reminded why I buy this book month in and month out. Part of me wishes that

Spoiler

Darwin's Dad had died

, simply because it would have made that final portion all the crazier, but it's still a great ending based on the implications it poses for this arc. 8/10

Transformers: All Hail Megatron- Starting to wish I'd trade-waited it, I think. The Decepticons are being shown in a very realistic, militaristic light. That's great. There's a real sense of a coordinated effort, and it's cool to see them cut loose. Unfortunately, 3 issues in, and we've seen little else. The art is great, and the Megatron/Starscream portions are fantastic, but watching the Decepticons decimate the Earth unchecked is going to get old fast. We know the Autobots are coming, but let's see it already! Luckily, it looks like that's coming next issue. Also, Reflector's appearance seems odd considering

Spoiler

he died over in Spotlight: Wheelie.

Hopefully we'll get that cleared up. 7/10

 

[Blader5489]

Mighty Avengers #18 - Another waste of an MA issue, with another pointless story. I might actually give a **** about Fury training the Secret Warriors if they hadn't already been sortied twice in SI.

 

[CaptainCanada]

Part I: Post-Secret Invasion

Captain Britain and MI: 13 #5

Okay, minor annoyance: on both of the occasins that Jackie gets space on the cover (this and #3), she's barely in the issues themselves, although she does better here then in #3. This is an epilogue to the first "Secret Invasion" tie-in arc and a prologue to the next, and it suggests some pretty major changes in store for the Marvel Universe, although these won't affect this series (pretty much the opposite of what is suggested by The Incredible Herc), but, because of the Skrulls' banishment from the United Kingdom, it doesn't really affect this book much. Blade is plucked out of the USA by the British government to join MI:13 in place of Skrull John (whose grave, marked just "John", Jackie quietly visits). Most of the issue is a meeting between the Black Knight and Faiza's family, which is a well-done mix of culture clash comedy and pathos (her dad's reaction to her getting Excalibur feels pretty perfect). We also get a brief appearance by the hilarious Captain Midlands. Union Jack (the most notable absence in the lineup) also guests, although I dislike the hint of him wanting to renew his relationship with Jackie. Pat Olliffe fills in on art, and he does a very good job. This continues to be a high-quality team book.

The Incredible Hercules #121

The second post-"Secret Invasion" arc also begins this week. Hercules and Amadeus Cho slew Kly'bn the Eternal Skrull, so what do they do next? Vacation. Herc and Amadeus are found on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere; Herc is having a fun time with Namora, Princess of Atlantis, while Cho sulks on the beach, annoyed that there aren't any wood nymphs about. Herc surely gets around, having had sex with three women (She-Hulk, Snowbird, Namora) in the space of about a week (depending on how much time passed between #120 and #121). Their vacation is interrupted by the arrival of the Amazon Princess Artume and her war band, who snatch Cho and some Atlantean aircraft ("machcraft" as Namora calls them, perhaps trying to mitigate the incongruity of sea-dwellers having planes; now, that's logically no different from land-dwellers, but it just feels a bit weird). Hercules isn't particularly perturbed this this, figuring they just want to sex him up as part of their breeding program (since they need new children every so often), and he thinks this would be a good experience (not aware, apparently, that they normally kill their mates). Artume, an obvious Wonder Woman stand-in, ("I made you out of..." stammers Hippolyta tearfully when she stares down the barrel of her daughter's gun) wants to restore Amazons as the world's fiercest warriors, and mounts a coup against mom, before planning war against Atlantis. Meanwhile, Namor shows up tot fight Hercules for some reason; with most characters this would be contrived, but with Namor to write it any other way would be out of character. This is a comedy-heavy issue, and it is extremely funny. We also get the first acknowledgement of Hercules' male lovers in Greece (and Cho's emphatic denial of the Amazons' assumption that he's the latest). Clay Henry takes over on art, and while there's a certain blandness to his style, the facial expressions are great. This book just goes from strength to strength.

 

[KangConquers]

Captain America #42: Yes, I got this early. Amazing. Even this late in the game Brubaker manages to throw many curve balls. Very few things happened as I thought they would, but everything made sense, nonetheless. 10/10.

Secret Invasion Thor #2: A pretty good issue. Great battle between Beta Ray Bill and a Super-Skrull. Good to see Blake heading back to Asgard now that the baby's been delivered. 8/10

The Incredible Hercules #121: As always this kicks my ass 8 ways to sunday. Great book. Nothing like a group of ultra feminist dieties capturing nerdy Amadeus Cho in hopes that he sires their next generation; Herc remains one of the most delightful books Marvel produces. 9/10.

Mighty Avengers #18: The best of the MA issues during SI, but that's like having the biggest johnson in an elementary school. 5/10.

I forgot to pick up Captain Britain in the MI-13... I will next week...since fortunately (unfortunately) the book rarely sells out.

 

[Blader5489]

Mighty Avengers #18: The best of the MA issues during SI, but that's like having the biggest johnson in an elementary school. 5/10.

Hell no, the Maleev issues were much better than this ****.

 

[Hans]

I thought Caselli's art in MA was incredible. Not a bad issue, although I'd like to see some Avengers in my Avengers books at some point.

 

[iloveclones]

Mighty Avengers #18 - Another waste of an MA issue, with another pointless story. I might actually give a **** about Fury training the Secret Warriors if they hadn't already been sortied twice in SI.

I couldn't disagree more. I thought the issue was great. IMO, the best of MA yet (although it really wasn't about the MA's)

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Captain Britain and MI-13 #5 was good. Kind of sad that Cornell didn't make Dane actually address his time in the Crusades when Faiza's dad (I think) brought it up. That's one aspect of the character that's always been uncomfortable for me. It's cool that he got to fight alongside Richard the Lionheart, but it's still the Crusades--essentially a racist attempt at genocide under the church's "'cause we said so" mandate of the time. But whatever, everything else with Faiza's family was great. Her parents are adorable, especially her mom with the "you're getting married?!" line. Blade is suitably taciturn until the final page, which works well. I miss the coat, but I'm glad he's in a comic that doesn't suck for once, even if I do find myself wondering if those black lightning bolts on his head are tattoos or really, really intricately cut hair. I hope we finally get some answers regarding Jackie's condition in the next issue, since it's been totally glossed over so far. All in all, a pretty low-key issue, but it makes sense given what the characters just went through and the fact that they're still getting the team set up. Olliffe's art is a really good fit for the book, too. I kind of wish he'd take over full-time and let Kirk team up with Jeff Parker again on the upcoming Agents of Atlas series.

 

[Hans]

I loved that Pak and Van Lente finally addressed the boy-love in Hercules. It's an aspect of Greek culture that Marvel has glossed right over, and understandably so. Still, they brought it up in a hilarious and sincere way and had me laughing out loud in a few parts.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That was pretty funny.

I wonder if Athena's green eyes are ever going to be addressed.

 

[Hans]

I figured that was just a red herring. Something Pak and Van Lente teased during all of the initial confusion and distrust as to who was a Skrull and who wasn't.

 

[KangConquers]

Captain Britain and MI-13 #5 was good. Kind of sad that Cornell didn't make Dane actually address his time in the Crusades when Faiza's dad (I think) brought it up. That's one aspect of the character that's always been uncomfortable for me. It's cool that he got to fight alongside Richard the Lionheart, but it's still the Crusades--essentially a racist attempt at genocide under the church's "'cause we said so" mandate of the time. But whatever, everything else with Faiza's family was great. Her parents are adorable, especially her mom with the "you're getting married?!" line. Blade is suitably taciturn until the final page, which works well. I miss the coat, but I'm glad he's in a comic that doesn't suck for once, even if I do find myself wondering if those black lightning bolts on his head are tattoos or really, really intricately cut hair. I hope we finally get some answers regarding Jackie's condition in the next issue, since it's been totally glossed over so far. All in all, a pretty low-key issue, but it makes sense given what the characters just went through and the fact that they're still getting the team set up. Olliffe's art is a really good fit for the book, too. I kind of wish he'd take over full-time and let Kirk team up with Jeff Parker again on the upcoming Agents of Atlas series.

Low Key? am I the only person who saw the last page?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I saw it. One page with a big shock in an issue that was almost entirely talking and setting things up for later doesn't make it a big action issue or anything.

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention that I absolutely loved was the return of Strider. I was so annoyed that Cornell was going to just waste Strider by ignoring him, but he's back for a nice little cameo in this issue, which was great. I hope he becomes Dane's transport of choice again. Even if you forget that he can break the sound barrier and mystically protect Dane from any harsh environment while he's riding, at the very least, he must've impressed Faiza.

I figured that was just a red herring. Something Pak and Van Lente teased during all of the initial confusion and distrust as to who was a Skrull and who wasn't.

They never showed that Skrullthena and Kirby the Skrull-Pup were one and the same, though. That means that if Skrullthena was in fact a Skrull and not just Athena trying to shake her "gray-eyed" image for no particular reason, Athena is still a Skrull. That's kind of a huge deal that can't just be swept away without any explanation.

 

[Hans]

They never showed that Skrullthena and Kirby the Skrull-Pup were one and the same, though. That means that if Skrullthena was in fact a Skrull and not just Athena trying to shake her "gray-eyed" image for no particular reason, Athena is still a Skrull. That's kind of a huge deal that can't just be swept away without any explanation.

Oh, does she actually have gray eyes? I just figured she had green eyes, and they choose to focus on that for a panel or two because of the coincidence of the Skrulls having green eyes.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'm pretty certain she's meant to have gray eyes. "Gray-eyed Athena" is a common epithet for her. Gray eyes are supposed to imply wisdom, I think, and she's the goddess of wisdom.

 

[Hans]

Hmm...I guess maybe she is a Skrull, then. Maybe a fail safe, in case the invasion goes belly up?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Perhaps. Just because the official SI tie-in is over, doesn't mean Pak and Van Lente can't revisit Skrulls later on, I suppose.

 

[Hans]

That's true. And actually, it would be refreshing to see something an event like that carry over instead of being forgotten, as is usually the case.

 

[Manic]

If Athena is a Skrull, why did she seem happy to see her gods die?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Maybe she's not a religious fanatic. Do you think Kl'rt would give a s*** to know his gods are dead?

 

[Hans]

Maybe she is Kl'rt.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Mind = blown.

 

[Hans]

The only thing that could make The Incredible Hercules any more awesome would be the addition of everyone's favorite wife beating Skrull.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Or a night on the town with Thor and/or the Black Knight.

 

[KangConquers]

The only thing that could make The Incredible Hercules any more awesome would be the addition of everyone's favorite wife beating Skrull.

Yes indeed.

Incredible Herc is such a big dumb fun book, but at the same time, it's an intelligently done, well scripted, big dumb fun book.

Loeb should take note...