Bought Thought 9/24

[KangConquers]

Captain America #42- I got this a week ago, but now I can finally review it.

Spoiler

The Issue is a fitting conclusion to the death of Captain America mega-arc that's been going on for the last 17 months. The art is great as always, and Bru adds some slight twists along the way.

James finally gaining acceptance and acclaim as Captain America is a great pay off after 8 months of him crawling around back alleys like he was still Winter Soldier; it's nice to see the man finally get his due. Even though Steve isn't there to pass the torch, the way the civilians handle his big save is good enough. Sin is apprehended, and presumably taken to a high security prison.

The Red Skull's arc wrap up was interesting; unable to use Sharon's fetus (which they tried to steal out of time and rapidly age) Zola has no choice but to transfer Skull's body into one of Zola's own bodies...an extra droid. This is a great way to keep Skull away from the book for a while without a death and resurrection; he won't be back of course until he has an actual body.

I was sad about Lukin biting the dust, though I guess, after the torture, Sharon deserved her pound of flesh. It's interesting that when Black Widow and Falcon find the body (w/ Sharon passed out next to it) they assume the Red Skull is still in there.

The grand director is the only villain who makes it out unscathed, helps Sharon defeat Zola, believing that's what Captain America does. He then dissapears, only to show up on the second to last page, thinking to himself about how he needs to change america.

All in all, a great issue. Bru cranks out another masterpiece, and as always, Epting delivers great art that supports the story rather than overwhelms it. Still the best comic marvel puts out imo. 9/10.

 

[Brainiac 8]

I love bought/thoughts with no current weeks comics.

 

[KangConquers]

I love bought/thoughts with no current weeks comics.

This is a current week comic...I just got an early vendor's copy...

 

[Anubis]

I still haven't gotten my comics from last week.

 

[Brainiac 8]

This is a current week comic...I just got an early vendor's copy...

Oh, well, my bad then.

I don't buy Captain America by the issue so I don't know when its released.

 

[KangConquers]

Oh, well, my bad then.

I don't buy Captain America by the issue so I don't know when its released.

what do you buy it by? Trades?

 

[Brainiac 8]

what do you buy it by? Trades?

Yea, its a trader for me.


It makes it easier for me to read when I have the full set of stories all in one.

 

[iloveclones]

Daredevil #111 - Matt officially becomes the biggest **** of the Marvel Universe. Sorry Tony. Good run, though.

 

[Doc Destruction]

Oh god, who did he nail, Shulkie?

 

[CaptainCanada]

Part I: Ed Brubaker

Captain America #42

After 42 issues, this is the end of the big Red Skull story. The story has gone through multiple different arcs, the last of which lasted for 18 issues; all told, enough for a volume of Cerebus. And here, that story comes to an end; well, mostly; Brubaker artfully leaves various story threads to be revisited later; indeed, all of the three main villains are still in play, theoretically, though the Skull finds himself in a rather unglamorous position. This arc began with the Skull getting shot and shuffled off to a new body unbeknownst to anyone, and that's basically where we leave him at the end. For the meantime, the series changes course and heads off in the direction of new adventures. Brubaker also does the unexpected (though I predicted it) with New Cap, who does not have a showdown with the Skull this issue; instead, he saves Obama and/or McCain from Sin's assassination attempt, earning the public validation that eluded him in his initial debut in #36. Facing down Lukin/Skull and Zola is left to Sharon, who singlehandedly wrecks their plans at the last moment; she's had a rough 1.5 years, and this plot has come into a bit of criticism for being too down, but she gets her big validatory moment. Falcon, who's always been a third character here, continues to quietly do his heroic thing; I wouldn't mind him getting him getting something a bit more character-building in the future. And Black Widow, who looks to be making this a four-man-band permanently, is cool. Tony pops in briefly, and continues to be very sympathetic. I said before that I was worried how this arc would end, but thankfully, it all goes down well. If I wanted to register one niggle, it would be that I was hoping for a fuller explanation of what the Skull's machine was all about.

Daredevil #111

Meanwhile, I return to Brubaker's Daredevil; I lost interest a while ago, when Daredevil got out of jail and headed to Europe, but I've followed developments since, and, since I'm a big fan of Brubaker and the book was still getting good rep, I decided to go back; this heavily-promoted jumping-on point (getting it's own Saga, even) seemed a good bet. And it's a good start, with great art from Clay Mann (it looks a lot like Lark's, except the women are hotter; which is convenient, as it turns out). The story has basically two parts: the first follows Matt and Dakota North as she gets her arm healed by Iron Fist (nice to see Brubaker writing Danny again), and then spend more time together, which leads them to having hot adulterous sex at Matt's house; in his defence, his wife's crazy and he's not allowed to see her anymore. This, of course, puts Dakota's life in serious jeopardy, although she was recently almost-killed, so perhaps that will innoculate her for a while. This is a good wrinkle in Matt's private life. And then there is the debut of the arc's titular villain, Lady Bullseye (whose costume I think looks better in red on the cover then the black in the issue itself), whose link the Bullseye is that he inadvertently rescued her from some Yakuza when she was a sex slave, and has dedicated herself to dealing out death for the Hand. The Hand, meanwhile, are in New York looking to catch up with various people (Iron Fist, Black Tarantula, Logan (who they can't find, amusingly), an "old man", and, eventually Daredevil); to keep DD busy for the time being, LB frames him for murder. As I said, this is a good start to a new arc; Brubaker specializes in making things you'd think shouldn't be done work flawlessly, so I have no fear regarding LB.

 

[Anubis]

Heh, Bet when Bullseye sees her he's gonna end up killing her.

 

[KangConquers]

Part I: Ed Brubaker

Captain America #42

After 42 issues, this is the end of the big Red Skull story. The story has gone through multiple different arcs, the last of which lasted for 18 issues; all told, enough for a volume of Cerebus. And here, that story comes to an end; well, mostly; Brubaker artfully leaves various story threads to be revisited later; indeed, all of the three main villains are still in play, theoretically, though the Skull finds himself in a rather unglamorous position. This arc began with the Skull getting shot and shuffled off to a new body unbeknownst to anyone, and that's basically where we leave him at the end. For the meantime, the series changes course and heads off in the direction of new adventures. Brubaker also does the unexpected (though I predicted it) with New Cap, who does not have a showdown with the Skull this issue; instead, he saves Obama and/or McCain from Sin's assassination attempt, earning the public validation that eluded him in his initial debut in #36. Facing down Lukin/Skull and Zola is left to Sharon, who singlehandedly wrecks their plans at the last moment; she's had a rough 1.5 years, and this plot has come into a bit of criticism for being too down, but she gets her big validatory moment. Falcon, who's always been a third character here, continues to quietly do his heroic thing; I wouldn't mind him getting him getting something a bit more character-building in the future. And Black Widow, who looks to be making this a four-man-band permanently, is cool. Tony pops in briefly, and continues to be very sympathetic. I said before that I was worried how this arc would end, but thankfully, it all goes down well. If I wanted to register one niggle, it would be that I was hoping for a fuller explanation of what the Skull's machine was all about.

Daredevil #111

Meanwhile, I return to Brubaker's Daredevil; I lost interest a while ago, when Daredevil got out of jail and headed to Europe, but I've followed developments since, and, since I'm a big fan of Brubaker and the book was still getting good rep, I decided to go back; this heavily-promoted jumping-on point (getting it's own Saga, even) seemed a good bet. And it's a good start, with great art from Clay Mann (it looks a lot like Lark's, except the women are hotter; which is convenient, as it turns out). The story has basically two parts: the first follows Matt and Dakota North as she gets her arm healed by Iron Fist (nice to see Brubaker writing Danny again), and then spend more time together, which leads them to having hot adulterous sex at Matt's house; in his defence, his wife's crazy and he's not allowed to see her anymore. This, of course, puts Dakota's life in serious jeopardy, although she was recently almost-killed, so perhaps that will innoculate her for a while. This is a good wrinkle in Matt's private life. And then there is the debut of the arc's titular villain, Lady Bullseye (whose costume I think looks better in red on the cover then the black in the issue itself), whose link the Bullseye is that he inadvertently rescued her from some Yakuza when she was a sex slave, and has dedicated herself to dealing out death for the Hand. The Hand, meanwhile, are in New York looking to catch up with various people (Iron Fist, Black Tarantula, Logan (who they can't find, amusingly), an "old man", and, eventually Daredevil); to keep DD busy for the time being, LB frames him for murder. As I said, this is a good start to a new arc; Brubaker specializes in making things you'd think shouldn't be done work flawlessly, so I have no fear regarding LB.

Brubaker: Genius or super-genius?

 

[KangConquers]

Yea, its a trader for me.


It makes it easier for me to read when I have the full set of stories all in one.

I'm getting the omnibus soon, just to have it all together in a nice package.

Omnibus volume 2 will be complete in about 7 issues btw.

 

[iloveclones]

Oh god, who did he nail, Shulkie?

Dakota.

He shoots and scoooooooooores.

 

[Manic]

Oh god, who did he nail, Shulkie?

Shulkie is Marvel's village bicycle. Everyone gets a ride.

 

[fifthfiend]

Marvel has the best bicycle ever.

I mean like a hundred times better than the bicycle in Pee-Wee Herman's Big Adventure. And that was a pretty ****ing sweet bike.

 

[supermarvelman]

Hulk, Awesome as usual.

 

[Mr. Green]

If you like Hulk, more power to you. But being the Hulk fan-boy that I am, I'm pretty disappointed with how things didn't really follow up WWH well at all.

And if I don't find out why Rick is A-Bomb and who Rulk is my head is going to explode.

 

[supermarvelman]

How did it now follow up well? The Red Hulk probably has everything to do with what happened in WWH.

 

[supermarvelman]

We will find all these things out like...

Who is the Red Hulk?
How did Rick become A-Bomb?
What is up with Samson and Ross?
Why is Samsons hair long all of a sudden?
When does this take place, before or after SI?

I am a very impatient person, but when it comes to comics I can wait, cause i trust the writers know what they are doing. I trust that these writers will answer these questions just not yet.

 

[supermarvelman]

We will find all these things out like...

Who is the Red Hulk?
How did Rick become A-Bomb?
What is up with Samson and Ross?
Why is Samsons hair long all of a sudden?
When does this take place, before or after SI?

I am a very impatient person, but when it comes to comics I can wait, cause i trust the writers know what they are doing. I trust that these writers will answer these questions just not yet.

 

[Mr. Green]

We will find all these things out like...

Who is the Red Hulk?
How did Rick become A-Bomb?
What is up with Samson and Ross?
Why is Samsons hair long all of a sudden?
When does this take place, before or after SI?

I am a very impatient person, but when it comes to comics I can wait, cause i trust the writers know what they are doing. I trust that these writers will answer these questions just not yet.

I saw some interview at a convention with Loeb and he said that further on down the road we'll find out a whole bunch of things like why the Watcher was there in the first place and so on...

But in my personal opinion I think that we should at least know the origin and identity of the main character of the book by now.

 

[supermarvelman]

The origin no, identity maybe.

I totally thought Rulk was Samson, still could be in my opinion. Could there be some time-traveling going on?

 

[CaptainCanada]

Part II: Fantastic Double-Dose

Fantastic Four #560

Millar and Hitch's second arc, "The Death of the Invisible Woman", hits its third issue; after inking-related delays knocked the arc off schedule a bit, things seem to be getting back to a normal shipping schedule. Weirdly, the solicit people basically lifted the solicit for this issue from Millar's dialogue in the opening pages. As the solicit said, Reed ends up saving the Earth, but it goes kaput in 500 years anyway, so the heroes of that era decide to save the eight billion remaining inhabitants by going back in time and occupying the present-day Earth, displacing the existing inhabitants one way or another. This is actually a longstanding sci-fi hypothetical (which I first read about in an article on Cracked.com a month or so ago) called the Chronological Collapse Scenario. The leader of the crew turns out to be Future Sue Richards, aka, Mrs. Deneuve (I was split on it being her or Future Valeria); she steals an item from Reed's lab and takes out the team, isolating Franklin for safekeeping but leaving Val free in what I'm sure will turn out to be a colossal miscalculation (Val herself shouldn't have trusted Future Mom so much, as well). The New Defenders plan to use Johnny and Doom to power their machine in conjunction with Galactus to bring everyone to the present; the idea that it has to be them (that they'd even contribute much beside the power of Galactus) is a bit silly, but this is Fantastic Four, so obviously relevant characters will not be from the X-family. The reveal of Future Sue would seem to suggest an "out" for the title of this arc, as I specualted, though perhaps that's the obvious thing. Depending on whether the incapacitated Reed, Sue, and Ben (and Jen, who dropped by to help) stay down, it's up to super-intelligent little Val to help Johnny, it would seem. This is a very enjoyable piece of work from Millar; it's rather toned down from his more extreme work, though that hasn't stopped some inexplicable rants about how he's ruining the team by telling fairly standard FF stories. Hitch's art, which I initially found a bit weak compared to his work on The Ultimates, has hit its stride with the characters.

Fantastic Four: True Story #3

Paul Cornell and Horacio Domingues' four-issue miniseries hits its penultimate issue, as the creew journey into fiction to find out what's going wrong. There are heavy similarities between this and such works as the novels of Jasper Fforde (referenced here) and Bill Willingham (likewise). The villain was revealed last issue to be Nightmare, the dream king (no, not that dream king), who has decided to conquer fiction (and thus, somehow, the world). The Fantastic Four assembled a motley crew of fictional allies, including Dante Alighieri and the Dashwood Sisters from Sense & Sensibility. One of the sisters, Elinor, has actually begun to divert from her literary coding (a standard sci-fi trope with robots), and accidentally strips the Fantastic Four of their superpowers in order to try and make them more acceptable to herself (partly because she'd like to marry Ben, apparently); this coincides with an attack on the castle by Nightmare's men, led by the Sheriff of Nottingham. The Four are seemingly all killed at issue's end (prompting an hilarious solicit for #4 which talks about how they're all dead, and how the guys on the main title will just have to deal with it). There are some humourous and interesting ideas thrown in here, such as the incident thta made Nightmare's scheme possible: an author catching sight of him and turning him into a fictional character, thus admitting him to that world, where he easily conquered the "postmodern novels" (serial killer fiction, decadent 80s literature, Woody Allen movies). A lot of the specifics are a bit confusing, though. Cornell has a good handle on all the characters, and I've gotten used to Domingues' art. It's a good time to be an FF fan.

 

[KangConquers]

The origin no, identity maybe.

I totally thought Rulk was Samson, still could be in my opinion. Could there be some time-traveling going on?

Time-Travel? No. There's an even better candidate.

Red Hulk is Glen Talbot. I'd bank on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Talbot for those of you unfamiliar, he was Betty's first husband. It's also possibly his nephew, who's first name escapes me who blames Banner on the death of his uncle.

Samson has very little motivation compared to these two to go on a rampage.