Bought/Thought August 27th, 2008

[CaptainCanada]

Dread is really neglecting his responsibilities.

 

[Dread]

Dread is really neglecting his responsibilities.

The past two days have been long ones at work and by the time I come back to face a computer for personal rather than office reasons, I'm tired and just can't muster the will to sit in front of a Word Document and type comic reviews for 2-3 hours, since this is a large week for me.

The easy answer would be to type shorter reviews, and I do that sometimes (some weeks when I have 4 books, each one may get like 5 billion words, but when I have 7-10, anything beyond three paragraphs can get tiresome to type). But I'm sometimes a stickler for tradition and "doing things right or not at all". That and I probably just like reading my own words.

But, hey, other people are posting great reviews. No need to wait on me.

For the record, this week I bought BLUE BEETLE, AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, IMMORTAL IRON FIST, KICK-ASS, MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS, MIGHTY & NEW AVENGERS, NEW WARRIORS, and NOVA.

Thoughts will be forthcoming...TGIF.

 

[arachnid-guy]

Bought

Amazing Spider-Man 569
Amazing Spider-Man: Secret Invasion 1
Daredevil 110
Ultimate Spider-Man 125


Thought

Nova: SI
Thor: SI

 

[Blader5489]

Am I the only one who thinks Nova is gradually getting worse?

God, I wish Keith Giffen would come back and write more cosmic Marvel.

 

[Obi-Ron]

Fantastic Four: True Story #2

Paul Cornell and Horacio Domingues' miniseries hits its second issue, as the Fantastic Four head into fiction to find out what's amiss; after rescuing the Dashwood sisters from Sense & Sensibility from an army of goblins, they head over to Ivanhoe and from there rally all the adjacent fictional characters to confront the uncoming goblin army. Cornell throws out a lot of metafictional concepts into the stew, and it's a lot of fun. Particularly enjoyable is the Austen-like Dashwoods interacting with the Fantastic Four and Dante; little Margaret pals around with the Thing, while Elinor and Marianne find Ben and Johnny dashing heroes. And the villain of the piece is revealed to be Nightmare, out to subsume all fiction; not a bad half-year for Nightmare, between this and Incredible Herc, since he's a pretty minor villain.

It's pretty sad when the "House of Ideas" has to resort to ripping off plotlines from episodes of South Park.

 

[Brainiac 8]

Am I the only one who thinks Nova is gradually getting worse?

God, I wish Keith Giffen would come back and write more cosmic Marvel.

I don't think Nova has missed a beat yet, it's been constantly superb IMO.

In fact, I loved the two parter Galactus story.

 

[CaptainCanada]

It's pretty sad when the "House of Ideas" has to resort to ripping off plotlines from episodes of South Park.

Actually, it's a tribute to Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next novels more then anything else (with a shoutout to Bill Willingham as well) (and the idea wasn't original when Fforde and Willingham did it).

 

[RockSP]

It's pretty sad when the "House of Ideas" has to resort to ripping off plotlines from episodes of South Park.

House of Ideas, not the House of ORIGINAL Ideas.

 

[Dread]

Am I the only one who thinks Nova is gradually getting worse?

God, I wish Keith Giffen would come back and write more cosmic Marvel.

DnA don't have Giffen's flair or experience, but I think NOVA has been consistantly good since it became an ongoing. They struggled at times with the initial 4 issue mini in ANNIHILATION and ANNIHILATION CONQUEST had some hiccups (it was their first event story; tell me House of M had no "hiccups"), but NOVA has been good. Not perfect, some stories better than others, and a few moments where Nova struggles with an opponent he should be able to overpower and I think, "Oh, come on" (but, I imagine Flash readers go through that a lot). But I greatly enjoy NOVA, and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

More on NOVA later.

 

[Brainiac 8]

DnA don't have Giffen's flair or experience, but I think NOVA has been consistantly good since it became an ongoing. They struggled at times with the initial 4 issue mini in ANNIHILATION and ANNIHILATION CONQUEST had some hiccups (it was their first event story; tell me House of M had no "hiccups"), but NOVA has been good. Not perfect, some stories better than others, and a few moments where Nova struggles with an opponent he should be able to overpower and I think, "Oh, come on" (but, I imagine Flash readers go through that a lot). But I greatly enjoy NOVA, and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

More on NOVA later.

What he said.

 

[Red]

Am I the only one who thinks Nova is gradually getting worse?

God, I wish Keith Giffen would come back and write more cosmic Marvel.

You fail at taste.

 

[fifthfiend]

Am I the only one who thinks Nova is gradually getting worse?

God, I wish Keith Giffen would come back and write more cosmic Marvel.

I actually agree inasmuch as "worse" translates to "slightly less totally fantastic." But that still leaves light years worth of room before it got near anything I'd call bad, or even mediocre.

And yeah, everyone loves them some Giffen.

 

[Anubis]

You fail at taste.

Words right outta my mouth.

 

[fifthfiend]

I kind of wish She-Hulk had the realization about heroism she had this issue, like, on the first or second issue of PAD's run, so we could just skip over all the angsty crap we've had to sit through in the interim. But she's had it now, so hopefully this comic can start being interesting again. Having She-Hulk throw Super-Skrull out the window of a flying spaceship is, I feel, a positive step in that direction.

 

[Blader5489]

I actually agree inasmuch as "worse" translates to "slightly less totally fantastic." But that still leaves light years worth of room before it got near anything I'd call bad, or even mediocre.

And yeah, everyone loves them some Giffen.

I didn't say it was bad, it just seems like it's not as good as it used to be (damned if I knew what it was though).

I do like Guardians, though, and I'm frothing for War of Kings.

 

[Dread]

Great reviews this week from everyone else. I usually have been too tired from work to want to type for a few hours, but we have a 3 day weekend here, so, now I'm good. Least I will get them in before August ends. As always, full spoilers.

It was a big week for me, especially for SECRET INVASION tie-in's, which are in full blast.

Dread's BOUGHT/THOUGHT for 8/27/08 - Part One:

BLUE BEETLE #30: Give credit to DC, they are a company that can allow a comic to remain on the shelves even if it doesn't sell terribly well, and Blue Beetle hasn't sold closer than the Top 120 or so in ages. While that is fine for, say, Dark Horse or Image, most Big Two books aim higher and Marvel would have never allowed a low selling book to survive even 2 years. For a company that is plagued by terrible franchise decisions, they have done something to keep BLUE BEETLE a fun, action packed young hero yarn despite the departure of the launch writer(s). Now, if only that could be duplicated more often.

While regular artist Albuquerque remains on usual art chores (beyond the occasional fill in issue or two), Sturges has taken over as the new lead writer with Part 2 of his newest storyline. While helping Peacemaker patrol the border last issue, four men snuck across with a secret weapon; MGH. Well, not really MGH because that is Marvel, but SOME sort of funky drugs that gave them super-powers. While inexperienced, Jaime's armor couldn't get a proper bead on the threat and the thugs escaped into the town. He also ran into a new girl, who is staying at Paco's house and getting in the middle of his new "non-relationship relationship" with Brenda.

And yes, the teenage drama is nearly as much fun as the superhero epics, just like INVINCIBLE, or the premise behind classic Spider-Man. That is what keeps the series fun and fresh. It doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, but does it justice. That is often more than enough for me and most true fans. Sturges has managed to capture enough of the flair of the Giffen & Jones run that this seems like a seamless continuation, which is a break from the typical "new writer" on a book, especially DC, who decides to do a 180 (usually back to 1972).

Jaimie questions La Dama about the super-illegals, thinking as the area's major crime boss, she knows SOMETHING about the hit. She does, but keeps it to herself. The two wanna-be villains from last issue come back, using the monikers that Jaimie gave them, and get a beat down. After some hyjinks at the Paco home and running into The Posse, the issue hits high gear in the third act as Beetle confronts the four powered thugs, and manages to defeat them. However, one of them dies from pre-determined causes, and now El Paso's hero is stuck answering uneasy media questions about his stance on illegal immigration. What Sturges gets is that while BLUE BEETLE has madcap action and often hilarious one-liners, there is legitimate superhero and character pathos here, and I thought the ending was effective to build drama, to get me eager for that extra 22 pages next month.

(FYI: while I like Blue Beetle, I am not SO devoted that I would bite on reading TEEN TITANS just because he is an official member know. After scimming some reviews at the DC Board, I am glad for this fact.)

I like to imagine BLUE BEETLE as the little book that could. It sells around the range where a lot of 3rd party books do and always seems to be consistent in quality; even fill-in issues have been enjoyable and readable. That means the premise is simple yet distinct enough for many writers to handle and respect, and that's good. DC's a cesspool of darkness or complications or universe reshuffling, but BLUE BEETLE is the rare oasis away from that. And to think it started as a spin-off from INFINITE CRISIS.

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #16: Caselli returns to major art chores and that is good, as his art is the distinctive and definitive art on this title, and the fill-in artists usually struggle to even match his flair and style. Slott & Gage continue their tag team on, for my $3, one of SECRET INVASIONS most enjoyable and action packed tie-in's. I wouldn't call it the best, because it isn't, but I certainly have been enjoying it. It has managed to give us a slew of characters (as usual, handled well for the most part) while focusing on a few. In this arc's case, 3-D Man, Crusader, and Ant-Man III (Eric O'Grady). The last two are refugees from Robert Kirkman series and it is great seeing them handled with vigor.

While in April of this year, Bendis denied that the Skrull Kill Krew would play a major role in SECRET INVASION, Slott & Gage likely figured how ridiculous this is, and rightly have the remaining members of the Krew waging their own "guerilla war" against the invading Skrulls, traveling across the Midwest blasting away any they find. Slott & Gage also realize that many of these characters are not familiar to everyone and a few pages are devoted to going over the origins of the Krew, the original 3-D Man and Delroy (formerly Triathlon). I mean, the Krew really haven't been seen much in about 13 years, after all. It is repeated that while the Krew were empowered by accidentally eating "Skrull beef", they had a disease that was slowly killing them. After all these years, it has killed 3 out of the five, leaving only Ryder and Riot, with the latter trapped in a monstrous form. The only caveat is that all this effort was made into explaning backstory, yet there was no mention that Riot is actually a girl; I mean, that's a bit of a vital detail to know a character's gender. Armed with 3-D Man's goggles and a hankering for Skrull flesh, the trio head into the home planet of John McCain, Arizona. They run into Komodo from the "first class" and her team, who have been infiltrated by a Skrull.

As with many SI books, the power levels of the Neo-Skrulls vary. Some titles, including some of Bendis', imply that they can be killed with only slightly more effort than normal Skrulls (but rely on surprise and superior numbers). And others, like this one, show that each is powerful enough to challenge an average superhero team, if not outright beat them. I've long griped that a major flaw of the event is that the Skrull power levels are kept flexible and they keep making boneheaded errors. This title keeps a proper mix about the Neo Skrulls, which is good. There is the concern, mentioned by TheCorpulent1, of superheroes becoming increasingly inclined to killing enemies no matter who they are. Even in past invasions by aliens, not every hero would be keen on just slaughtering the aliens. I think it is due to not only marketing modern comics to an older audiences than grade school children, but also the standards of what is accepted in society in terms of violence expanding. I mean, in the era of NES, no one ever "died". Your character was "defeated" or turned into an icon and floated away. Now nearly every game is a FPS and you slaughter and get slaughtered. What passes in a PG movie is more than what passed in one 20 years ago. Network TV shows, least live action, have expanded what could be shown for years. In light of all this, comics had to flex a bit to remain some sort of cult appeal. Plus, one could argue that war makes killers of many people if they have to. Seeing it in Delroy doesn't shock me as it would in Spider-Man (who, I might add, went at a few threats during JMS' run that he "destroyed" but for one reason or another decided didn't count enough as living things), so I don't mind it. Of course, I knew Delroy a lot less before now. Even when the Invasion is eventually repelled, there likely will still be many Skrulls for the Krew to kill left. Komodo naturally wants to go to Nevada to save Hardball, but preview art from Joe Q's blog some time ago showed Steve Uy drawing a scene there, so I wonder if he is the next artist for issue #17 or #18.

Slott & Gage also adhere to strict continuity. They set up War Machine and give him a graceful exit for his next series takeover, something that used to happen a lot in the past but which has also become sadly rare in modern years. Crusader also fits in well with SECRET INVASION issues as he is inspired by Nick Fury's rally. He's an interesting character, a Skrull who went native who is, basically, a big superhero fanboy with a cosmic ring. At first I imagined a dark motive for him, but I like him more without one.

Nabbing a few pages is Eric O'Grady, who is out to just hide and save himself, but naturally stumbles upon Skrullowjacket and him leading a squad of Skrulls, wanting to make Camp Hammond the nerve center of the new empire. Not everyone is taken to O'Grady, but I am. I think he is a fun, interesting character. He isn't evil, but he is completely NOT the guy you ever would imagine getting access to super-powers or you would feel deserves them. I'm just happy that Slott & Gage haven't let two of Kirkman's creations fall into Limbo. Now if only they would truck Titannus out...I mean, why would the Skrulls just leave him to rot in SHIELD?

As always, AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE offers characters you never imagined carrying solo issues a chance to shine, and in a series that is fully intertwined into what the Marvel line is doing at the moment. Full of continuity, character, action, and some dark humor. Gage compliments Slott on the title seamlessly and well. Overall, this series is kind of like MARVEL TEAM UP, only relavent and important (and thus, better), if that makes sense.

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #18: One of the few Marvel titles that isn't taking part in Secret Invasion, likely because it doesn't need to. While semi-regular artist from the previous run, Trevor Foreman, continues on pencils, Swierczynski continues to fill the shows of Fraction & Brubaker.

The plot, started as an epilogue by the departing writers, involves around the mysterious fact that all of the past Iron Fist's have either disappeared or died at age 33, aside for Orson, who escaped his destiny by refusing to be Iron Fist and taking drugs for years. Coincidentally, and for plot convenience, Danny Rand just turned 33. He is immediately accosted by a two-headed man (kind of like that guy from HITCHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE, only with more evil and chop-socky) who appears to know all his moves and is immune to his chi powers. While the death of the 1800's Iron Fist is recounted in the Old West, Danny survives by calling upon his buddies the Heroes for Hire, who manage to escape with Danny despite even Luke Cage being unable to do more than stalemate the threat. Davos learns of this threat to Rand (and is probably jealous to not be the one icing him) and the Iron Fist Serial Killer decides to lure Rand out by targeting one of his charity dojo's; something the Tick might muse, "Standard villain procedure."

The art is crisp and keeps the action flowing, although Foreman is no Aja. Like the prior run, flashbacks are used to spice the story and give context, as well as shave a few pages from the core artist's workload per month. Some might say that after some of the complicated weavings of the past run, the "scourge of the Iron Fist legacy" turning out to basically be Micheal Myers with Kung Fu Grip may seem a little simple, but it may not be. The guy is clearly operating for some other mystical dragon or "heavenly city" and is likely not the only one of his kind. The point is made that unlike past Iron Fist's, Danny surrounds himself with allies, and that has kept him alive many times. Is the strength of a true warrior knowing when one cannot win a battle alone? Bah, now I'm getting all Caine on people.

I was hesitant about continuing the book without Fraction and Brubaker, and while Swierczyski won't ever be accused of topping them, he's managed to come in seamlessly enough and continue on the themes well. I look forward to seeing how this story develops and whether the cult fan following of the series will give him a chance for more issues beyond 6.

And hey, another random Orson flashback one-shot. Those are usually fun.

KICK-ASS #4: One of the best selling ICON titles in ages, this series from Millar & Romita Jr. is garnering a lot of attention and already has a movie studio interested. It also is barely 10k below FANTASTIC FOUR with Bryan Hitch in terms of sales, which has to be underwhelming for the Four.

Still, while I like the series overall, it is on the verge of being overrated and is succumbing to some of Millar's narrative flaws. Namely, the fact that he sometimes appears to be an odd hybrid of a storyteller and an overzealous car salesman, trying to tell us how "awesome" something in a story is every few panels (sometimes by having a character outright say something is hilarous or so on).

This series started on the premise of being "real world" based, where superheroes don't exist and their feats are nearly impossible to duplicate. Where trying to slap on a costume and fight thugs in alleys gets you in the hospital and in a lifetime of pain, as Dave Lizewski has learned. Still, he's managed to save one guy, wind up on YouTube, and become a post-modern "Internet celebrity" in his costumed guise. In school, though, he still is a loser pretending to be a homosexual to get near a girl he likes, and his father is still struggling. It has a lot of F-words and Millar's sense of crude, vile humor and non-PC language (could any writer with less hype or of American birth get away with homophobic or sometimes borderline racist comments in comic books these days quite like Millar or Ennis do?).

But this issue, naturally introduces a 10 year old girl who can slaughter a dozen men with two katanna's and who can leap across rooftops. Effortlessly. She's joined by a massive masked man named "Big Daddy". She is named "Hit Girl" and although 10, she talks like a potty mouthed middle ages housewife. They've been hunting mobsters and this brings the mafia to gain interest in Kick-Ass (and issue 1 opened with him in their clutches), but this seems to be an aberration to the little universe Millar made. It also bares resemblances to WANTED, which was hardly a work worthy of duplication. It was shallow enough for Hollywood (which still altered the hell out of it) but is no comic classic. It is like claiming that superheroes aren't real or possible, then inserting Iron Fist, powers and all, into the mix. It doesn't gell.

There's some pathos of Dave worrying about the muck his vigilante attempts are making of his life, but after 4 issues even this is starting to repeat.

Everyone screams about how unique it is, but I swear I have read stuff like this from Millar before. It's not as overrated as NEXTWAVE was, but getting close. The fast track that it getting through Hollywood is probably a testament to how desperate they are for script ideas. I mean, eventually they will run out of remakes or TV adaptations.

MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #12: After a year of long $4 issues, this series finally comes to a close. It hasn't been solicted after this and the sales were dire. The regular stories weren't dramatically impressive and some of the best tales came from the one-and-done shots. Last month featured STINGRAY and this one is a MAN-THING story, although it is more about the two SHIELD agents tasked to find him.

That story, "Dirty Work", is written by Jai Nitz with art by Ben Stenbeck. Yeah, never heard about them either. It is about two SHIELD agents with less-than-stellar career histories named Easterbrook and London being tasked with finding Man-Thing in the Florida Everglades and, in the spirit of the SHRA, getting him to register with the feds or destroy him with herbicides. The two share biting wisecracks with each other, including botched missions and the fact that London slept with Easterbrook's (ex)wife. During their hunt, they come across a crashed drug-smuggling plane with piles of gold bars. Easterbrook wants to steal the gold and flee SHIELD, while London is still interested in a career. They run into Man-Thing, who almost seems to show up via obligation. Man-Thing of course doesn't understand the registration concept and Easterbrook attacks the monster, leading in his demise. London seemingly kills the monster (real surprise; he doesn't) and cobbles together a plan for both gold and glory, although his boss outsmarts him in the end. The dialogue is crisp and while there is little purpose to the story, it ends before it wears out any welcome and was on the whole enjoyable and stress-free. Apparently, Eric O'Grady wasn't the only SHIELD agent who was a *****ebag out for a quick score.

How about the other three "main stories"? Two cluster-****'s out of three. The VANGUARD story from Guggenheim & Tsai wraps with the titled super-psionic soldier seemingly wasting the secret team after they discover him. Only he doesn't. It was Retcon doing SOME mind mangling, only to what and how is kept vague and confusing. And it still doesn't answer why Yelana Belova is still alive (although she notes how "she is believed dead"). Dude, she outright DIED in a NEW AVENGERS SPECIAL. Dead. Doornail. So this is either a Skrull, an LMD, or a ****-up. As for Vanguard himself, he played surprisingly little role in his own story, although I suppose he could be an interesting detail to pop up in another story, especially considering he is full gung-ho American soldier in the age of SHRA and can nuke entire countries with mind-bullets. Blade got in some alright lines, but many elements of this story were pointless and seemed like dragging (the bit with Watcher, and Thing, especially) and I expect better things with Blade in CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI-13 soon.

MACHINE MAN from Brandon & Henrighon wraps and has another dead woman, Madame Menace, looking very much alive as she uses a bunch of robots to get the robot hero through a funky mental crisis. He gets a giant body and Brandon is clearly trying to channel Ellis from NEXTWAVE, but aside for a few funny moments, it mostly falls flat and appears like a waste. Oh, wait, that WAS NEXTWAVE as well. Nevermind. Anyway, same question about Menace; Skrull, LMD, or does this story just take place before she was killed in PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL?

WEAPON OMEGA wraps with the mother of all surprises; Pointer overcomes his evil shrink and becomes a reluctant hero. Isn't this where he started? Blech. Oeming got some traction from the wiggy OMEGA FLIGHT premise, but this story has struggled. I like the dynamic between U.S. Agent and Arachne's daughter, but as former FORCE WORKS members, they could interact in some random Initiative team instead of clogging up Canada. Not a bad story, but like VANGUARD, even for 8-10 pages a month, parts felt dragged out, which is never good. Plus, Pointer is oozing with Bendis-level uber angst and I just don't feel sorry for him, sorry. Sticking a mass-murderer of heroes and innocents inside a nation's national colors is kind of like if Timothy McVeigh cut a deal and become Captain America. It is the sort of ******ed, illogical premise that only Bendis could come up, leaving Oeming and Kolowski to deal with it. Hopefully Magneto will figure out to just kill Pointer and get all those mutants their powers back. He reminds me of Vulcan; a character with incredible powers to escape any situation, with barely any personality beyond what the story needs of him. Boring.

This is a title I won't be giving another shot if relaunched and I won't miss. The fact that the one-and-done stories usually beat out the regular tales speaks volumes. The stories were not of top caliber, came out too slowly compared to the bi-weekly schedule of past volumes and was overpriced. A misfire all around.

 

[Dread]

Part Two (of Two):

MIGHTY AVENGERS #17: The title should be, "BENDIS HATES HANK PYM FOREVER", but it isn't. At least the cover is somewhat accurate in that way.

Rather than answer the fate of the REAL Hank Pym (is he dead, or in an incubation cube like Jessica Drew likely is?), this issue focuses on Dugan and the Skrull Pym. It is a bit of more endless preludes before SI started that isn't especially necessary. The crux of the story is that Hank Pym sucks. Bendis has written untold pages of how Pym is nothing but his worst moments, and is a failure as a hero, a man, and heck, probably couldn't outdo a goldfish in the game of life. And even when this Skrull takes over his form and believes to be him, he inherits the ineptitude, and has to be taken down. Not even Pym as a Skrull is competent. Pym to Bendis is a curse of suckiness that not even aliens can escape. It merely is a testament to how poorly Bendis knows this character, and how little he cares to find out anything about him beyond whatever is on a poor fansite or whatever Millar told him in a bar at 4:00 a.m. back in 2000 when they were launching ULTIMATE. The art is by Pham, and it is fine. Phamtastic, one could say.

The story and issue, though, is a waste and contributes next to nothing. Skrull Dugan is also the size of a small barn; even Juggernaut would have muscle envy.

The revelation I guess is that they needed many agents to try to imitate Pym and master his suckitude without dying. Skrullowjacket may be one of many who failed before him. Does this really matter? No. But it paid Bendis' rent, sucka! Manhattan's expensive, y'know.

A completely skippable issue, worthless for anything but compost or an object to swat flies with. If anyone offers cash money for it on eBay that is 1 penny over the cover price, ACCEPT!


NEW AVENGERS #44: Giving Bendis an 8-9 issue event mini as well as 2 monthly comic titles to use as tie-in's adds to indulgence. He is literally intent on milking his own story for all it is worth and devoting 22 pages to the most mundane of details. Marvel at how the Skrulls pick their noses before launching their attack! About the angst Spider-Man feels between panel 22 and penal 23 of SECRET INVASION #4. Does any writer get to stroke their ego across an entire line quite like Bendis does? Maybe Geoff Johns at DC?

The cover and solicts promise a revelation about the Illuminati. In classic bait-and-switch, it doesn't offer one. Not really. Between that and the "Thor/New Cap" panels in SI, Bendis seems to be using this event to purposefully goad and bait readers from $3 just to prove how clever he thinks he is. Not even John Bryne was that arrogant.

But, unlike MIGHTY AVENGERS, this story has some good moments and once you get over being rooked, the story works. Past issues detailed how after kidnapping the Illuminati and testing their DNA, Dorekk VII would clone them to aid in drills and would usually kill them for pleasure. During one such exercise, a clone of Reed discovers a bit of genetic science the Skrulls themselves didn't master, but could empower them a thousandfold. Dorekk, citing the horrible irony of relying on his hated Terran enemy for aid for his empire, follows the advice of a lower level scientist and tries to get this data out of subsequent clones. Killing Clone Reed's Clone Family (with some Ultimate-level schlock death) doesn't work, so they use the tried-and-true Bendis method of using a talkative kid and lover to coax information out of someone before killing him. Basically what happened to Pym. This story is, apparently, the tale of how the Skrulls mastered their new genetic status.

The only caveat is, if the Skrulls had this data back in the 70's-80's when Dorekk was alive, why the hell did they wait until NOW to launch this type of attack? Riiiight, retcon, nevermind.

Still, this story has a point, the art from Tan is solid and it has some genuinely chilling moments. Of course, the same Skrulls Bendis writes as soulless killers here are expected to be taken seriously over in SECRET WAR talking about how much of a warmongering race Earthlings are and how peachy Earth will be under their control, but no matter. Unlike MA, this issue at least works.

NEW WARRIORS #15: The downside of the SECRET INVASION boost to sales is that smaller books like NW's, which most shops maybe order about a dozen or less copies for, is that the crossover leads them to sell out of these quick. Granted, NW's sales are slipping below the Top 100 and is still being solicted, so Marvel either has faith in Grevioux or the bounce from sales. Turnbull continues on fill-in art for Medina and while he's not as stiff as Malin was, his art is hardly A-list, either. His proportions are sometimes out of whack and some of his action is hard to follow. But it isn't horrid.

The New Warriors square off in front of the Taylor home with Counter-Force, mostly consisting of the Old New Warriors (plus MVP and the two Scarlet Spiders, who say nothing and are just there for continuity's sake, which is worth something). After a quick battle between the teams (who each think the others are Skrulls, Night-Thrasher calls a halt to the festivities and reveals his identity as Donyell. The readers knew this more than 6 months ago, but to the characters it is a revelation. And they all know that Night-Thrasher is no longer a Skrull. After all, if reading SECRET INVASION teaches me anything, it is that any Skrull will reveal themselves if you simply accuse them of being a Skrull loud enough.

Donyell still wants to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt if Dwyane is dead. That involves getting a DNA sample from the corpse, which Justice reveals is on the SHIELD helicarrier (or a specific SHIELD helicarrier). Unfortunately, it is being attacked by super-Skrulls, so both teams have to fend them off and save some soldiers. Justice and Donyell get their DNA sample, and it proves that Dwayne really is dead. They give him a proper burial and memorial, and Justice allows the new incarnation of the team to continue. Part of me kind of wanted some of the older Warriors to return to their roots, and I wonder if this title had more of them from the start, if it'd be selling better. The X-X-People weren't what was expected. I did like Justice figuring out that Wondra was Jubilee, although I haven't a clue when he ever actually met Jubilee before.

At one point, they battle a super-Skrull with the combined powers of the founding New Warriors, and he looked exactly the same as a Skrull who was in the last panel of YOUNG AVENGERS/RUNAWAYS #2. Is this the same warrior, or do the Skrulls just find New Warrior powers useful? I'm curious how they imitate Nova's, personally. Still, I understand why such a Skrull would fit into this title, and it's fine. Provides drama.

The main "Donyell and Midnight's Fire have a shadowy plan" plot continues next month, and hopefully it call comes to a satisfying conclusion. The sales are horrid and while I still like the book, I am amazed at Marvel's patience. Maybe after their cut from IRON MAN, they realize they can afford some small books. Good. So bring back THE LONERS!

NOVA #16: After facing Galactus & Silver Surfer last issue, NOVA takes part in his third crossover with SECRET INVASION. While a sales boost is always nice, I wondered about this one. Sure, Skrulls and aliens and Nova is space. Fine. But the Skrulls are focused on Earth and Nova was at the other end of the galaxy. I wondered what the point was, and how it would work as a story.

Nova answers a distress call on the plant planet Dendron (yes, I catch the botany reference) that is considered a Phalanx invasion, but turns out to be a trap laid on him by Neo-Skrulls. Due to surprise and the fact that Worldmind is still gone and Nova is stuck with an inferior "User Control" for his suit, the Skrulls have the advantage until Kl'rt, the Super-Skrull himself, lends a hand and Nova then can turn the battle. The entire reason for the trap? The Skrulls know Nova hails from Earth and did not want to risk him aiding the planet with the Nova Force. I suppose that is logical enough, although in failing in the attack, Nova ends up finding about the invasion anyway.

Much of the issue focuses on Nova talking with Super-Skrull and unlike a Bendis discussion, it feels relavent and not a line is wasted. DnA continue giving Super-Skrull a "gray" side by depicting the idea that the current Skrull leadership is a "jihadist cult" and that Super-Skrull is more in tune with the other ways. Considering he is an old soldier, it seems reasonable. Once he gets around to telling Rich that Earth is being invaded, they boot up a stargate and head off. They wind up smack in the middle of the Skrull Armada and Super-Skrull seemingly turns on Nova immediately. Was it truly a luse in an elaborate trap, or is Kl'rt just putting on a show for his species? Maybe a bit of both? Playing both sides? One can never tell. Super-Skrull is loyal to his people to a fault, but has his own concerns and desires. He mentions a daughter on Earth, who apparently is in SHE-HULK, which I don't read.

The only real caveat is Super-Skrull appears to not get some of Rich's Earth slang, which seems odd as Super-Skrull has sometimes been in deep cover for days or months on Earth and should know all that. I mean, he impersonated a mobster once, for chrissakes.

Alves's art as usual is great. I was surprised that Nova didn't make mention of some of the powers being used against him, including Sandman. Some people may not like that he has to announce his suit's functions most times like a Power Ranger, but I don't mind it, and it adds a limitation to his staggering powers. Much like Dr. Strange, he can be caught off guard. Seeing him effortlessly blow up a warship was cool, though. Very cool. "Pow."

The dilemma is, Nova can't influence the invasion outright, otherwise he'd be appearing in SECRET INVASION, which he isn't. That means something has to happen, and I am curious to what it is and how important to the series it would be. In a just world, SECRET INVASION would be written by someone else and Nova would be one of the major heroes in it. Oh, well.

As always, a solid issue from DnA & Alves. NOVA continues to be a great space adventure book with the best run and take on the character since...ever.

 

[fifthfiend]

literally

 

[Dread]

What?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'm guessing he's disappointed that you misused the word "literally." It's one of those exaggerations that becomes a pet peeve to a lot of people.

 

[fifthfiend]

He is literally intent on milking his own story for all it is worth

Unless science has found a way to graft teats onto a comic book, no part of that statement is literal.

 

[masteryoda]

Unless science has found a way to graft teats onto a comic book, no part of that statement is literal.

I'm sure there are quite a few fanboys working on that right now.

 

[Dread]

I'm guessing he's disappointed that you misused the word "literally." It's one of those exaggerations that becomes a pet peeve to a lot of people.

I see. Kind of like how some people don't like the word "just". They think it is a "useless" word. Paul McCartney was quoted as thinking so, I think, somewhere.

Unless science has found a way to graft teats onto a comic book, no part of that statement is literal.

You're seriously arguing semantics with me? Every single person on the Internet uses bold exaggerations to make a point or react to something, but when Dread does it, suddenly it's the abomination of mankind, right?

I mean, when someone says a story "sucks", is that true? Does it have lips and suckle something? No. I can't imagine what you'd think if someone says it "really sucks".

What kills me every week is all anyone focuses on are the Bendis rants. I can praise BLUE BEETLE, or AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, or NOVA, or even to some degree IRON FIST. But no one wants to talk about it. No, all it is is, "How dare you rip into Marvel's Golden Child? Booooo!"

 

[RockSP]

As for Vanguard himself, he played surprisingly little role in his own story, although I suppose he could be an interesting detail to pop up in another story, especially considering he is full gung-ho American soldier in the age of SHRA and can nuke entire countries with mind-bullets.

Vanguard was the group, not the psychic dude.

 

[Dread]

Vanguard was the group, not the psychic dude.

I thought that was also the name of the psychic dude. Oh, well. That story was so confusing it is no wonder I got it mixed up.

This incarnation of MCP was a far cry from the 90's when it was Sam Keith's launching pad.