Dread
TMNT 1984-2009
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This was a very small week for me; only 3 books. I suppose it was for many, as no topic has been made. As the title says, spoilers below! Mind your head!
AVENGERS ACADEMY #8: Christos Gage continues to knock it out of the park writing the best Avengers comic on the racks, while regular artist Mike McKone returns to interior artwork for perhaps one of the last times. At a recent convention last year, McKone stated that issue nine would be his last (at least in terms of interior art; he often draws the covers), and as he has difficulty meeting a monthly schedule without a lot of lead in time to get several issues into the can, this is not a surprise. Still, it will be a shame to lose McKone's regular presence on a book he helped launch, and especially with a cast of characters he co-created. The book is running at least a week (or two) behind schedule, as the promotions for AGE OF X running in the back of the book prove - this week, those promotions are running with the CROSSGEN relaunch. So long as it actually comes out every month, however, there is little to complain about.
The running theme of the series has been to focus on one character for every issue, while still allowing plenty of characterization to occur with all the rest - a simple yet proper strategy for a team superhero book that is rarer than it should be. With the kids having all gotten their origins told (or at least the broad strokes of them revealed), as well as Hank Pym going through his semi-frequent spandex change, this issue focuses on Tigra. A 1970's character whose creation involved the legendary Roy Thomas, she had all sorts of quirky adventures that one would expect of a bikini clad "tiger-woman" before officially joining the Avengers roster in the early 80's. Despite having over 30 years of history behind her, the ex-cop turned furry heroine has often been treated as somewhat of a sultry sex-kitten stereotype by writers and artists. Her lowest point came during NEW AVENGERS #35, which is the focal point of this issue of Academy. Christos Gage, however, has been one of the few writers in recent years to break that chain. Starting with his solo tenure on AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, Gage has handled Tigra as an experienced heroine who is more than a pin up pose on Deviant Art. From all but leading the "Avengers Resistance" against Norman Osborn during DARK REIGN to avenging herself againts the Hood and other villains, to even becoming a mother despite bizarre and traumatic circumstances, Gage has taken a heroine most dismissed and made her more than she had been in ages, if not ever. As has become obvious by now, the adult heroes of Academy all have their own skeletons in the closet and baggage they have sought to bury or recover from, and Tigra is no exception. When the video of her lowest moment is found by their young cadets, and is on the verge of hitting TV, Tigra has to assess where she is and who she wants to be. Unfortunately, telling teenagers how they should ideally behave and react to something bad is easier said than done - especially when they have super-powers. Some of them agree with how Tigra handled the situation, while others demand a more extreme response. The consequences for some of them are laid out bluntly in an excellent cliffhanger.
I liked seeing the teen cast split down the middle on the issue, and opinions fell about where you'd expect. The interesting thing is while Finesse wasn't the one who took part in the issue's "controversial moment", she continues to be nearly insufferable to me. Every time she has a moment, it seems she always acts like a ***** or logically chooses the reaction that makes her seem like one. I've seen robots that have more compassion. Veil is also letting more of her darker side show these last two issues.
This issue is meant to tie into AVENGERS #7 (written by Brian Bendis and drawn by John Romita Jr.), but this can be read without reading that, which is fortunate. While every issue flows from the last one, this issue feels very much like part one of a two part story. While this isn't a book where the villain of the month gets major attention, it is a book where characters are explored and every action has a reaction and consequence.
In fact the only problem with this story is the same as when the Hood showed up at the end of AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE. Because he is the central villain for the better selling NEW AVENGERS, and has been for years, that is the book that dictates his fate on an editorial level - not this one. That means that Tigra can never really have a battle to the finish or any lasting resolution with the Hood can occur, much as one would expect that a story that takes the Joker out of commission for a while would likely happen in BATMAN INCORPORATED or BATMAN, not BIRDS OF PREY or TEEN TITANS. While companies deny officially that certain books are more important than others based on creator and/or sales, the truth is that some are "more equal" than others. The Hood can not die, or be horribly mangled, or be taken out of commission in any meaningful way outside of NEW AVENGERS - and that can seem like an invisible barrier against Christos Gage to tell a story that rightly belongs to Tigra. Still, Gage handled a similar situation successfully in AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #33-35, and it is easy to expect more of the same for AVENGERS ACADEMY #9. Still only $2.99, and still the best Avengers comic Marvel publishes. Buy it while it lasts.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #652: While this is the second time a perfectly solid issue has had to compete against AVENGERS ACADEMY, the true winners are readers of both, who are treated to another epic issue by writer Dan Slott. Stefano Caselli, formerly the regular artist for SECRET WARRIORS and AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, takes over for Humberto Ramos for the next arc. He is the second of three artists that AMAZING SPIDER-MAN has in rotation for their BIG TIME push; the third being Marcos Martin. This arc picks right up from the subplot from last issue's back-up strip, with the revenge plot by Scorpion and the Ultimate Spider-Slayer (Alistair Smythe, deranged son of the original) to get even with the one man that both of them hate - and it isn't the web-slinger! To accomplish this task, both have been outfitted with new cybernetics as well as an army of additional cyborg bug-minions. Meanwhile, Peter Parker attends a roller derby event to watch his new love Carlie Cooper on skates, and he has to deal with his aunt as well as his ex, MJ! Peter's job at Horizon Labs as well as J.J.'s role as mayor of New York City (he is much more lively than NYC's real mayor since 2001, Michael Bloomberg). Mary Jane's role in the book has been a delicate balance; her marriage to Peter has been erased from continuity via editorial decree, which is something only she seems aware of, but to remove her entirely would be too drastic. Slott continues to handle her in an interesting manner while resisting the urge to make "marriage" jokes with her - instead he is treating her as Spidey's ex and best friend, which is the proper way to do it. Edgar Delgado's colors really add spark to Caselli's solid artwork, and the action scenes pop. In terms of a grander debate, there are a vocal minority of fans who feel that this direction - of Peter Parker/Spider-Man getting a gig at a technological think-tank and exploiting his Avengers membership more takes him too far away from his roots. This Examiner feels that Spider-Man has been in endless spin cycle too long and that one may as well take established story plot points to logical conclusions for character development. For a hero who by all rights should be pushing thirty, Peter has acted like a college freshman for far too long.
The back-up strip this time is an additional treat; an eight-page POWER MAN story by the always reliable Fred Van Lente and artist Reilly Brown that picks up from where SHADOWLAND: POWER MAN #4 left off as well as tides fans over until the POWER MAN & IRON FIST mini series begins! SHADOWLAND: POWER MAN was not only the best comic to come out of SHADOWLAND, it was one of the best comics of 2010 - so any tale that continues that is appreciated. The restless new Power Man, Victor Alvarez, wants to build his rep by taking out a hero who Iron Fist could never defeat (much to the veteran hero's chagrin). However, how does this aid a theft from one of Spider-Man's most overlooked villains? While (too) many titles from Marvel are $3.99, ASM during BIG TIME has always been more than worth the cash.
THOR #619: This is the fifth issue by Matt Fraction and Pasqual Ferry, and while Ferry's artwork (backed by Chris Hollingswoth's terrific colors) is always something to behold, the story has often been dodgy. Thor acts oddly, and the pace moves along far too slowly - a dilemma that has plagued Fraction's run on INVINCIBLE IRON MAN within the past year or two. By sheer virtue of this being the third (and last) comic this Examiner bought, it has to be covered. In truth, this issue is better than some of the last five. The crux of the story up until this point is that a race of red warriors are cutting their way through the mystical nine realms because Asgard has left that dimensional space to be set up in Oklahoma (where it was destroyed during SIEGE). Thor and the rest of his people are trying to rebuild, or at least move the rubble into piles. Under Fraction, Thor has suddenly revived his arch nemesis (and brother) Loki regardless of his role in Asgard's destruction, dismissed his Donald Blake persona in particular and many mortals in general, and as of last issue, revived his father Odin as well. One would think Thor was about to have a feature film and the comic was trying to go back to a similar status quo with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer through Jello. Odin, at the very least, calls out Thor for his idiocy in reviving Loki and fiddling while a threat mounts against them. Iron Man and Jane Foster also arrive, and Balder and Tyr make a final stand. Odin delivers exposition and screaming - his stock and trade. A technical problem that has plagued this entire run is that Pasqual Ferry often has panels stretch across two pages that are meant to be read as one long page versus two distinct pages, and it is not always obvious how one should read a two page spread until the panels seem awkward. The run by writer Kieron Gillen was surprisingly good; this one, however, seems to be more frustrating than epic.
I have to say I am with Odin on this one; Thor's been acting like a moron for some time now.
While not the worst thing Marvel publishes by any means, it is not worth $3.99 for a story in which a mere four panels are told within two pages. Matt Fraction will be writing FEAR ITSELF, Marvel's "event" for 2011, and THOR figures to be a key part of that. Given that THOR is also being relaunched into MIGHTY THOR in three months, obviously sales need another spike. Hopefully Fraction reclaims his A-game soon, although I doubt it. This series is being relaunched in April, which means this story will end in March. I'm not sure I can or desire to hold out that long.
AVENGERS ACADEMY #8: Christos Gage continues to knock it out of the park writing the best Avengers comic on the racks, while regular artist Mike McKone returns to interior artwork for perhaps one of the last times. At a recent convention last year, McKone stated that issue nine would be his last (at least in terms of interior art; he often draws the covers), and as he has difficulty meeting a monthly schedule without a lot of lead in time to get several issues into the can, this is not a surprise. Still, it will be a shame to lose McKone's regular presence on a book he helped launch, and especially with a cast of characters he co-created. The book is running at least a week (or two) behind schedule, as the promotions for AGE OF X running in the back of the book prove - this week, those promotions are running with the CROSSGEN relaunch. So long as it actually comes out every month, however, there is little to complain about.
The running theme of the series has been to focus on one character for every issue, while still allowing plenty of characterization to occur with all the rest - a simple yet proper strategy for a team superhero book that is rarer than it should be. With the kids having all gotten their origins told (or at least the broad strokes of them revealed), as well as Hank Pym going through his semi-frequent spandex change, this issue focuses on Tigra. A 1970's character whose creation involved the legendary Roy Thomas, she had all sorts of quirky adventures that one would expect of a bikini clad "tiger-woman" before officially joining the Avengers roster in the early 80's. Despite having over 30 years of history behind her, the ex-cop turned furry heroine has often been treated as somewhat of a sultry sex-kitten stereotype by writers and artists. Her lowest point came during NEW AVENGERS #35, which is the focal point of this issue of Academy. Christos Gage, however, has been one of the few writers in recent years to break that chain. Starting with his solo tenure on AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, Gage has handled Tigra as an experienced heroine who is more than a pin up pose on Deviant Art. From all but leading the "Avengers Resistance" against Norman Osborn during DARK REIGN to avenging herself againts the Hood and other villains, to even becoming a mother despite bizarre and traumatic circumstances, Gage has taken a heroine most dismissed and made her more than she had been in ages, if not ever. As has become obvious by now, the adult heroes of Academy all have their own skeletons in the closet and baggage they have sought to bury or recover from, and Tigra is no exception. When the video of her lowest moment is found by their young cadets, and is on the verge of hitting TV, Tigra has to assess where she is and who she wants to be. Unfortunately, telling teenagers how they should ideally behave and react to something bad is easier said than done - especially when they have super-powers. Some of them agree with how Tigra handled the situation, while others demand a more extreme response. The consequences for some of them are laid out bluntly in an excellent cliffhanger.
I liked seeing the teen cast split down the middle on the issue, and opinions fell about where you'd expect. The interesting thing is while Finesse wasn't the one who took part in the issue's "controversial moment", she continues to be nearly insufferable to me. Every time she has a moment, it seems she always acts like a ***** or logically chooses the reaction that makes her seem like one. I've seen robots that have more compassion. Veil is also letting more of her darker side show these last two issues.
This issue is meant to tie into AVENGERS #7 (written by Brian Bendis and drawn by John Romita Jr.), but this can be read without reading that, which is fortunate. While every issue flows from the last one, this issue feels very much like part one of a two part story. While this isn't a book where the villain of the month gets major attention, it is a book where characters are explored and every action has a reaction and consequence.
In fact the only problem with this story is the same as when the Hood showed up at the end of AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE. Because he is the central villain for the better selling NEW AVENGERS, and has been for years, that is the book that dictates his fate on an editorial level - not this one. That means that Tigra can never really have a battle to the finish or any lasting resolution with the Hood can occur, much as one would expect that a story that takes the Joker out of commission for a while would likely happen in BATMAN INCORPORATED or BATMAN, not BIRDS OF PREY or TEEN TITANS. While companies deny officially that certain books are more important than others based on creator and/or sales, the truth is that some are "more equal" than others. The Hood can not die, or be horribly mangled, or be taken out of commission in any meaningful way outside of NEW AVENGERS - and that can seem like an invisible barrier against Christos Gage to tell a story that rightly belongs to Tigra. Still, Gage handled a similar situation successfully in AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #33-35, and it is easy to expect more of the same for AVENGERS ACADEMY #9. Still only $2.99, and still the best Avengers comic Marvel publishes. Buy it while it lasts.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #652: While this is the second time a perfectly solid issue has had to compete against AVENGERS ACADEMY, the true winners are readers of both, who are treated to another epic issue by writer Dan Slott. Stefano Caselli, formerly the regular artist for SECRET WARRIORS and AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, takes over for Humberto Ramos for the next arc. He is the second of three artists that AMAZING SPIDER-MAN has in rotation for their BIG TIME push; the third being Marcos Martin. This arc picks right up from the subplot from last issue's back-up strip, with the revenge plot by Scorpion and the Ultimate Spider-Slayer (Alistair Smythe, deranged son of the original) to get even with the one man that both of them hate - and it isn't the web-slinger! To accomplish this task, both have been outfitted with new cybernetics as well as an army of additional cyborg bug-minions. Meanwhile, Peter Parker attends a roller derby event to watch his new love Carlie Cooper on skates, and he has to deal with his aunt as well as his ex, MJ! Peter's job at Horizon Labs as well as J.J.'s role as mayor of New York City (he is much more lively than NYC's real mayor since 2001, Michael Bloomberg). Mary Jane's role in the book has been a delicate balance; her marriage to Peter has been erased from continuity via editorial decree, which is something only she seems aware of, but to remove her entirely would be too drastic. Slott continues to handle her in an interesting manner while resisting the urge to make "marriage" jokes with her - instead he is treating her as Spidey's ex and best friend, which is the proper way to do it. Edgar Delgado's colors really add spark to Caselli's solid artwork, and the action scenes pop. In terms of a grander debate, there are a vocal minority of fans who feel that this direction - of Peter Parker/Spider-Man getting a gig at a technological think-tank and exploiting his Avengers membership more takes him too far away from his roots. This Examiner feels that Spider-Man has been in endless spin cycle too long and that one may as well take established story plot points to logical conclusions for character development. For a hero who by all rights should be pushing thirty, Peter has acted like a college freshman for far too long.
The back-up strip this time is an additional treat; an eight-page POWER MAN story by the always reliable Fred Van Lente and artist Reilly Brown that picks up from where SHADOWLAND: POWER MAN #4 left off as well as tides fans over until the POWER MAN & IRON FIST mini series begins! SHADOWLAND: POWER MAN was not only the best comic to come out of SHADOWLAND, it was one of the best comics of 2010 - so any tale that continues that is appreciated. The restless new Power Man, Victor Alvarez, wants to build his rep by taking out a hero who Iron Fist could never defeat (much to the veteran hero's chagrin). However, how does this aid a theft from one of Spider-Man's most overlooked villains? While (too) many titles from Marvel are $3.99, ASM during BIG TIME has always been more than worth the cash.
THOR #619: This is the fifth issue by Matt Fraction and Pasqual Ferry, and while Ferry's artwork (backed by Chris Hollingswoth's terrific colors) is always something to behold, the story has often been dodgy. Thor acts oddly, and the pace moves along far too slowly - a dilemma that has plagued Fraction's run on INVINCIBLE IRON MAN within the past year or two. By sheer virtue of this being the third (and last) comic this Examiner bought, it has to be covered. In truth, this issue is better than some of the last five. The crux of the story up until this point is that a race of red warriors are cutting their way through the mystical nine realms because Asgard has left that dimensional space to be set up in Oklahoma (where it was destroyed during SIEGE). Thor and the rest of his people are trying to rebuild, or at least move the rubble into piles. Under Fraction, Thor has suddenly revived his arch nemesis (and brother) Loki regardless of his role in Asgard's destruction, dismissed his Donald Blake persona in particular and many mortals in general, and as of last issue, revived his father Odin as well. One would think Thor was about to have a feature film and the comic was trying to go back to a similar status quo with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer through Jello. Odin, at the very least, calls out Thor for his idiocy in reviving Loki and fiddling while a threat mounts against them. Iron Man and Jane Foster also arrive, and Balder and Tyr make a final stand. Odin delivers exposition and screaming - his stock and trade. A technical problem that has plagued this entire run is that Pasqual Ferry often has panels stretch across two pages that are meant to be read as one long page versus two distinct pages, and it is not always obvious how one should read a two page spread until the panels seem awkward. The run by writer Kieron Gillen was surprisingly good; this one, however, seems to be more frustrating than epic.
I have to say I am with Odin on this one; Thor's been acting like a moron for some time now.
While not the worst thing Marvel publishes by any means, it is not worth $3.99 for a story in which a mere four panels are told within two pages. Matt Fraction will be writing FEAR ITSELF, Marvel's "event" for 2011, and THOR figures to be a key part of that. Given that THOR is also being relaunched into MIGHTY THOR in three months, obviously sales need another spike. Hopefully Fraction reclaims his A-game soon, although I doubt it. This series is being relaunched in April, which means this story will end in March. I'm not sure I can or desire to hold out that long.
I have been collecting fractions Thor but havent read any of it yet as I was waiting to get the first arc but it sounds like i havent been missing much - what have sales been like in comparison to the JMS and Gillen runs? On the slide I should imagine...
