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Bought/Thought June 4th, 2008

Nope, not at all about Carter. Not really about Caleb, either. It mostly follows Travis Parham, an ex-Confederate soldier who befriends Caleb after Caleb and his family find him wounded on a battlefield and take him in, and the villains of the story--the gang of outlaws who murder Caleb's family.
 
Okay I guess I have to spell it out for you, big shocker.

NICK FURY IS THE DEUS EX MACHINA.

Yeah, I'm not sure it qualifies as a deus ex machina if it's alluded to and built up as a major part of the story.
 
Yeah, Layla Miller was introduced, built up as a major part of the story and she was the deus ex machina in House of M. Actually, House of M had two deus ex machina.
 
I wouldn't call Nick Fury a deus ex machina. Now, one of the new Howling Commandos, on the other hand...
 
Whatever happened to those other Howling Commandos? From that mini series a little while back?
 
Several of the characters involved went on to other things. Gorilla Man rejoined the Agents of Atlas, Clay Quartermain went back to doing other stuff for SHIELD, and N'Kantu got his ass captured and sent to 42. He was freed by Hulkling toward the end of Civil War and I don't think we've seen anything else from him.
 
Dammit.

JSA was damn good - missed Eaglesham though.

Just as you are getting out they drag you back in - and Black Adam appears.
 
Sure it does. It doesn't have to be a surprise at all.

No, it does.

It also has to be improbable, I don't think you're going to tell me fury making a plan to defend earth is improbable.


Also it's unlikely (given the nature) that this qualifies because it comes in at the middle of the story anyway and is unlikely to resolve the story itself.
 
fury making a plan to defend earth

That wasn't nearly unspecific or vague enough.

To really make your argument sing you should have gone with "You're not going to tell me it's improbable for a guy to do a thing, are you? Guys do things all the time!"
 
No, it does.

It also has to be improbable, I don't think you're going to tell me fury making a plan to defend earth is improbable.


Also it's unlikely (given the nature) that this qualifies because it comes in at the middle of the story anyway and is unlikely to resolve the story itself.

No, It doesn't. I studied literature, I should know. This is grade-A Bendis plotline #1.
 
Jesus, who cares? Do you want a medal or something?

It was never meant to be a surprise, it's been something Bendis has alluded and built to as part of Secret Invasion. I doubt people were "calling it" before Bendis revealed it, and if they did, it was probably more like "I hope this is the event that returns Fury to the MU" (it couldn't have been a year ago because it hasn't even been a year since SI was announced). You'd have a more valid point arguing that [blackout]J'onn's death[/blackout] in Final Crisis was a more predictable plot point.

But in the end, you're really just *****ing about this because it's a Bendis-written comic and you have some kind of personal vendetta against Bendis. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that--and I'm not going to waste any more time on it.

Actually, people were calling this as the event where Nick Fury returned. I was afraid that Nick would simply become head of SHIELD again and return to status quo; some other powers argued that even if that was true, it was worth his return. But, I have sort of enjoyed Nick being in the shadows in CAPTAIN AMERICA too much, I guess.

Oh, I more than admit to a Bendis-Bias. But that doesn't mean that I am always wrong when I criticize his stories. Bendis in many ways reminds me of Wolverine; he was great until he became popular, and it has ruined him (or at least shaved off a lot of his luster).

I got my interpretation from the bit of dialogue between Nova and Surfer (and I don't have the issue in front of my so I'm paraphrasing) were Surfer says "It is done (meaning eliminating the interference) and Nova says "You can do that" to which Surfer replies "The Power Cosmic allows me to...I don't have to explain myself."

Also, I see the decision of the Silver Surfer to become a herald again as the culmination of 40 years of history. For all this time the Silver Surfer has been flitting about the universe saving lives and being introspective. How could he not come to the realization that Galactus could only be tempered through his intervention. For someone with the Surfer's morals the only option is for him to become the herald. He couldn't entrust it to anyone else. At least that's the way I see it.

And the Galactus/Vampire comparison doesn't really stand up. Galactus is a fundamental part of the universe created at the dawn of the current universe. Vampires are little more than a spell created from Chthon's (sp?) Darkhold. Galactus is essentially beyond morality, he simple exists, like inertia or light as a part of the fabric of the current reality. Vampires were created by evil for the purpose of evil. It's like comparing a hurricane to nerve gas.

Yeah, I re-read the issue and it was obvious that Surfer used his Power Cosmic to get rid of the storm. Most of the time I read my comics on the bus ride home from work once before spitting out reviews, so I miss stuff sometimes. Despite the long text, I AM only human. ;)

I suppose that argument holds water, that Surfer wants to use his experience to try to make Galactus as compassionate as possible. It doesn't hurt that theory to consider that most of Galactus' heralds since Surfer; specifically, Terrax and Morg, were essentially ruthless and power-mad. Still, to me it seems like a big step backward. If Surfer is so compassionate, then watching worlds and peoples be wiped out every time Galactus eats and heralding it has to dig at him. Plus, part of me figures it was done because they knew the FF sequel film was coming out. Both Marvel and DC pimp their own films.

Oh, wait, I forgot. Emo is in. Yeah, it's perfect for Surfer, especially since one could argue that ever since his ongoing was canceled in the late 90's, Marvel had some up with nothing for him to do. Hence, old school status quo. It isn't uncommon.

I know about all that stuff about Galactus, but I always saw it as a complicated excuse for why he can never be outright killed or defeated, beyond the fact that he is a popular and well known cosmic figure. Frankly, Marvel 616 has usually acted like hypocrites regarding Galactus. When he tries to eat Earth, oh of course the Four and a billion superheroes pull of no end of miracles to spare the world. But if he goes off to feast on some other planet, they usually don't bat an eye. But, again, while that 80's Bryne story had a lot of cool moments, I just could never buy the logic. Galactus isn't a hurricane; he isn't a random mixture of elements. He has free will; in fact, more than that. He could just allow himself to die to spare the lives of billions of innocents, but doesn't. The survival instinct is too strong. He doesn't take pleasure in it, and goes on about being "above sentiment", but at the same token, he's gone on a few times, "But if Galactus were capable of sorrow, the skies would drown" and all that. Personally I'd rather the reason why Galactus can never be stopped be because he is too strong, rather than claiming he is part of the fabric of the universe. That seems like a cop out and always has to me. That angle didn't exist until that Bryne story, where Reed and the other superheroes basically saved Galactus because, "no living thing should die", even if by living it kills countless more.

Galactus is basically a cosmic vampire. So long as he exists, innocents will die. And heroes can't do anything because a cosmic tribunal in funny clothes tells them not to? Pfft. Just say he's really tough. :p

Don't get me wrong, I like Galactus as an "OMFG" type threat for space stories, I just never liked the "fabric of the universe" excuse. I don't like coming up with convenient comic book "laws" to explain why a popular character can never die, or why characters who should attempt to stop him don't. It seems too self serving. Greg Pak dreamed up "Hulk Math" to explain why Hulk never killed anyone. Did that really do anything for the character? No. Suspension of belief should be enough. If not, watch CNN. That's just what I think.

and I really dont see how DC is trying to rip off the death of captain america with Batman RIP, especially when theyve said bruce isnt dying, and especially when grant morrison said that this was actually the first story he came up with for his run,which i believe was before cap dying...not to mention the "RIP" part is being heavily hinted at meaning something other than "Rest in peace"

DC revived Jason Todd around the same time as Marvel revived Bucky. Both as villains originally. Just one did better than the other, one revived a franchise, and the other has sort of staggered into oblivion. I sense sour grapes.

Dread, as far as Captain Marvel attacking the Thunderbolts, it's been suggested that he's going after a Skrull infiltrator, not attacking Earth's heroes.

Where has it been suggested.

Oh, on a reread, I did see the tears in Capt. Marvel's eyes. If he was being mind-controlled by Skrull psychics, that I could buy.

And you miss the point AGAIN!

Here is every Bendis book written in the past few years:

Interesting concept - Possibly a taste of action
Build up
Talking
More build up
Talking
Action
Deus Ex Machina comes out of nowhere and saves the day.

He's a one trick pony, anymore...and that pony sucks. You REFUSE to see it, so don't blame Dread. There are FAR better writers out there you could be defending. Only, you wouldn't have to defend them, because they don't suck.

Glad you see my point.

To be fair, I was expecting SI to be of D- quality and so far it is a stable C+ on average; nothing great but nothing too offensive. I just keep waiting for that show to drop, and believe that often times Marvel allows a writer to make a storyline beyond 6 issues too often. Most stories cannot sustain it. Hell, CIVIL WAR was only 7 parts.
 
Hence, old school status quo. It isn't uncommon.

This actually isn't at all his old-school status quo, as his rebellion was part and parcel of his introduction story. The Surfer actually at work as Galactus' herald, in an ongoing, non-flashback context, is something that really hasn't (AFAIK) been done before.

You're probably right that it's movie****ing, though.

I suppose that argument holds water, that Surfer wants to use his experience to try to make Galactus as compassionate as possible. It doesn't hurt that theory to consider that most of Galactus' heralds since Surfer; specifically, Terrax and Morg, were essentially ruthless and power-mad. Still, to me it seems like a big step backward. If Surfer is so compassionate, then watching worlds and peoples be wiped out every time Galactus eats and heralding it has to dig at him. Plus, part of me figures it was done because they knew the FF sequel film was coming out. Both Marvel and DC pimp their own films.

I don't really buy the attribution of Surfer's actions to compassion either, as it doesn't really seem to fit what we observed in Annihilation or here in Nova. A Surfer with compassion as a specific, deliberate aim would presumably have been much more interested in hearing Nova out and less intent on beating him half to death before letting Rich get a word in.

EDIT: My previous response to Gildea probably could have been done without the jackassy sarcasm. My bad, I've been trying to get away from that kind of thing.
 
This actually isn't at all his old-school status quo, as his rebellion was part and parcel of his introduction story. The Surfer actually at work as Galactus' herald, in an ongoing, non-flashback context, is something that really hasn't (AFAIK) been done before.

Yeah, but between all the flashbacks, we did see a lot of it. It is like, all we have ever seen of Colossus' farm life are flashbacks and whatnot. Would I want to see him return there? No.

You're probably right that it's movie****ing, though.

Especially since the Surfer was the only part about FF2 that didn't suck. :o

I don't really buy the attribution of Surfer's actions to compassion either, as it doesn't really seem to fit what we observed in Annihilation or here in Nova. A Surfer with compassion as a specific, deliberate aim would presumably have been much more interested in hearing Nova out and less intent on beating him half to death before letting Rich get a word in.

To be fair, Surfer wanted to get Nova out of Galactus' sense range before speaking to him, because he doubted Galactus would understand (and might have swatted Nova). There may have been another way to do that besides fighting him, but it is a comic, and, well...he had to act all herald-y. Which is part of my issue. As a herald, he HAS to beat people down who may try to save their worlds or, heaven help them, fight Galactus. It is part of the job. The "if I don't do it, someone nastier will" excuse holds some water, I just am a little miffed that Marvel couldn't think of anything better to do with Surfer other than, "Oh, have him go back to doing what he did in his first appearance!" Because that is SO DC.
 
Manhunter #31

"The Uncancellable Manhunter" returns, after an absence of about a year, with Marc Andreyko still writing, and Michael Gaydos on art; I'm not a fan of Gaydos, but I discovered Manhunter in trade, so here we are. One would have thought they'd have tried a new #1 just for a cheap boost, but apparently not; either this is one of those titles where sales really don't matter since the boss likes it (see also: Blue Beetle), so they aren't even trying, or DC's marketing department are just morons. Of course, both could be true. Regardless, we're probably looking at another cancellation after an arc or so, but whatever.

The first two pages basically recap the series up until this point, not a bad idea when you've been gone for a year, and (theoretically) some new people should be reading this. The recap is notable since it contains the first real acknowledgement that Kate is now allied with the Birds of Prey; being networked with Oracle is a big change for someone who hid in the bushes from the JLA in her first arc. The story itself is, of course, also a bit of a reintroduction; now that Kate's not a prosecutor anymore, the series' frame has a changed a bit (like a lot of OYL things, we never really got an explanation for it that I recall); her assistant Jerry's sister goes missing (we see her seemingly killed) while crossing the border from Mexico, and Kate heads southeast to check out a supposed serial-killer/ring/whatever that is blamed for more than 400 missing women in the last few years (she gets an assist from Obsidian, who borrows a JSA copter). Kate's still clumsy, and her monologue is still a running commentary on her inability to be standard superhero cool in battle. And she runs into Blue Beetle, apparently also looking into the "dead Mexicans" thing. Dylan, meanwhile, gets a present from Mistah J; oh dear. It's nice to have Manhunter back, for however long.
 
Yeah, but between all the flashbacks, we did see a lot of it. It is like, all we have ever seen of Colossus' farm life are flashbacks and whatnot. Would I want to see him return there? No.

I find that this metaphor fails as the problem with Colossus returning to his farm life wouldn't be returning to a point in his backstory, it would be that farms are ****ing boring and nobody wants to read a comic book about some dude hanging out on one.* Whereas being a Herald of Galactus is pretty much the exact opposite of that.

To be fair, Surfer wanted to get Nova out of Galactus' sense range before speaking to him, because he doubted Galactus would understand (and might have swatted Nova).

The thing with that is even once Surfer gets him down planetside to chat Surfer's end of things is "**** OFF GALACTUS IS GONNA EAT AND THAT'S THAT." He didn't seem at all interested in finding any way to help the planet's inhabitants until Nova beat him over the head with the idea.

If Surfer were legitimately focused on amelioration as a concious goal I would think he would have played a role in that comic more like that of, well, Nova, accepting that Galactus is going to feed and that there's nothing you can do about that but looking for opportunities to save and protect those whom it is within his power to help.
 
I find that this metaphor fails as the problem with Colossus returning to his farm life wouldn't be returning to a point in his backstory, it would be that farms are ****ing boring and nobody wants to read a comic book about some dude hanging out on one.* Whereas being a Herald of Galactus is pretty much the exact opposite of that.

True, although I still see it as a regression. Still, it is what it is.

The thing with that is even once Surfer gets him down planetside to chat Surfer's end of things is "**** OFF GALACTUS IS GONNA EAT AND THAT'S THAT." He didn't seem at all interested in finding any way to help the planet's inhabitants until Nova beat him over the head with the idea.

If Surfer were legitimately focused on amelioration as a concious goal I would think he would have played a role in that comic more like that of, well, Nova, accepting that Galactus is going to feed and that there's nothing you can do about that but looking for opportunities to save and protect those whom it is within his power to help.

I agree. Surfer was really not making any effort to save anyone, just help Nova to. Again, part of why I see this as a regression. Surfer has become so cold.
 
Final Crisis #1: Great start to what looks like a nice event, better than what i read of SI.

Trinity #1: This book is going to be awesom im super pumped and get to read it again next week! This is my first weekly and im already addicted.
 
No crossovers for me. The Crisis and the Invasion can kick rocks.


Robin/Spoiler Special
Spoiler is back, and all is right with the world. She kicks ass, takes names, and brings out the best in Tim. It's basically told from Steph's perspective, both as she enjoys working with Robin, and how she couldn't stay away from her life as the Spoiler. Also, the art in the second half of this book was gorgeous.


Justice Society of America #16
*sigh*
So it turns out the real Gog is a survivor of the 3rd World, and all he wants to do is heal the world. Make it a better place. For you and for me and the entire human race. How lovely. So... this book had damn well better go somewhere, now.
I did find it interesting that Gog ignored the definitively atheist Mr. Terrific. I'm not necessarily surprised to see a sect of gods (or rather, the last of a sect) who can only perceive people who believe in gods. Isn't it kinda established that some gods only live for as long as someone believes in them, then the disappear into the Dreaming realm?


Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 #15
Well. Renee's dead. That is quite possibly my least favorite death in the entire Buffyverse. I hate it. We barely even got to know Renee. Think about it like this: if this comic was a TV show, then every 4-part arc would be an individual episode (and sure enough, it takes just as long to read 4 issues as it does to watch an episode). That means Renee died somewhere within the first 5 or so episodes.

I did like the Dawn vs. Mecha-Dawn fight, along with Andrew in the distance living out his geekiest fantasies. I swear, if someone actually gave him any superpowers or enchanted him with anything, he'd immediately cream his pants, then die of a heart attack from all the excitement.

It also looks like Dracula is closer to a regular vampire, though still much more dangerous. And maybe Xander's "spider-eating man-b****" days are finally over.


Young X-Men #3
Let's check the Out Of Character Chart, shall we?
1. Cyclops (for sending children in to kill former X-Men)
2. Dani Moonstar (for threatening to kill her students)
3. Magma (for not only threatening to kill her students, but also certainly trying to kill Rockslide and Dust)
4. Sam & Berto (for hiding a secret so big and bad, they're actually not surprised to see their fellow X-Men out to get them)

So basically, this book will either go down as one of the worst series of character ****-ups in X-Men history, or it will have one hell of a twist at the end that will explain everything. I'm hoping it's the latter, but I'm prepared to drop this book if it's the former.



Apparently, I have to go back to my comic shop. I didn't remember Cable or Trinity.
 
No, It doesn't. I studied literature, I should know. This is grade-A Bendis plotline #1.

On you go then explain your point.

Explain what a deus ex machina is and how fury in this story is one.


Your habit of just insisting loudly you're right is tiresome, try forming an argument.
 
That wasn't nearly unspecific or vague enough.

We don't really know more than that though so it seems unfair to say that.

Do you beleive fury's actions thus far have been improbable?
 
I don't think Layla was a Deus Ex Machina in the classic sense of the word. DEM's usually pop out of nowhere to resolve the "impossible situation." Layla didn't resolve HoM, she just returned the memories of those involved. It doesn't violate the internal logic structure of the "world", because it's a world of mutants. If anything, I would say she's a DEM lite.

Same with Wanda. She showed the power to make HoM, she certainly had the power to unmake it. Again, since she was previously shown to have that ability, it's not unreasonable for it to be resolved in the same manner. Although, since Wanda never really showed this kind of power before, Bendis may have done something in literature that no-one has done before: Create an impossible situation with one DEM and resolve it with the same one.

I also don't think Fury is a DEM. Yet. The only thing that makes it so, is that the characters that he's collected have never been seen before, and are coming in to save the day. But if you give Bendis the benefit of the doubt ( I can hear the comments already): if his premise all along was to gather characters who flew under the skrulls radar, i.e. they've never appeared before outside of Phobos, then they couldn't have appeared before now.

And frankly, I think you guys are so nitpicky on the Deus Ex Machina thing simply because it's Bendis. I doubt you could pick up an issue of Spider-Man back in the day where he didn't come up with some widget to save the day. Or how about [cue music] The Ultimate Nullifier [/cue music] ?

I have no doubt that the conclusion to SI will be unsatisfying. But in the meantime, chill out and enjoy the first two acts.
 

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