JewishHobbit
Avenger
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2003
- Messages
- 26,683
- Reaction score
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- Points
- 56
Second or third heavy week in a row with another one next week. I might need to cut some more books. I've let myself try too many new things or return to too many old things. Need to fix that.
Anyhow...
New Avengers 25 - I'll be honest, I loved this issue. It has nothing to do with the Avengers and takes place entirely a few hundred years ago in the magical city of K'un lun. So yes, Immortal Iron Fist fans... this issue is for us! The story is that several hundred years ago former master Yu Ti (who was dethroned in Immortal Iron Fist) had a dream seeing a bird of fire and a girl with crimson hair. He begins searching all of K'un Lun nervously, asking the Thunderer if he had seen a girl of this description. Though the Thunderer had not they do eventually find the girl, a recent refugee from Earth, and so Yu Ti takes the girl and puts her under the Thunderer's training as the next Iron Fist in preparation for the day when the bird of fire comes.
My prediction is that we're going to learn that Hope derives from the crimson headed girl's line. This prophecy will have been taught, or will soon be taught, to Danny Rand by the Thunderer and he will seek to take Hope to train her in the ways of the Iron Fist so that she might control or confront the Phoenix.
I could be wrong but this feels like the obvious direction and as a fan of the Immortal Iron Fist series I'd be stoked to see it. It honestly felt great reading this issue, like reading the old series, and there wasn't a single "Bendisism" to be found. Truthfully, I think any fan of the Immortal Iron Fist series would have liked this issue... even jaded Bendis haters like my ol' buddy Dread. I'm not sure how the rest of the arc is going to go but this was a good start. Probably the best issue of AvsX since it's started... though that's admittedly due to my biased Immortal Iron Fist love. Good issue.
Uncanny X-Men 11 - Still in our first month and I'm already tired of misc. X-Man vs misc. Avenger. I'm just not a fan of random battle with no furthering of the plot. I really hope this plot isn't going to be like this for the whole six months.
In this issue we get some focus on Hope, though not much, and we get into the heads of Namor and Colossus. The Colossus/Red Hulk battle was interesting and I was cool with it's conclusion. I liked how that played out. The Namor stuff was alright. All in all the issue was fine but nothing necessary to people who aren't already reading the book.
Secret Avengers 26 - Yay! Not a single Avenger fighting an X-Man... and it still bored me. Honestly, for as good as Remender is his take on this book is just boring me. I thought the .1 issue was boring set up but the next two issues showed promise. The last two have been completely uninteresting and then the art here kinda killed it for me. I've come to the realization that I just don't care about any of these Avengers books save New and I'm debating on just dropping both this and Avengers proper now. I WANT to like this title with Captain Britain and Beast on the roster but I just don't care and this Kree plot here just doesn't interest me in the slightest. And I don't even really get Marvel's return here. Is it him? Is he back? And what the heck were Protector and Ms. Marvel talking about? That was out of the blue. I just didn't 'get' this issue. Maybe it's because I'm tired but I closed the book very disappointed.
AvX: VS 1 - I don't know why I bought this issue. I honestly have no idea. I told myself I wouldn't buy it and I had no interest in buying it... but out of the blue I put it on my stack and took it to the register. Well, the art on both stories were good and that's a good start. I mean, seriously, Kubert and Immonen?! Fantastic! Aaron's a fantastic writing and Kathy Immonen's not too bad herself for what little I've read of her. The actual stories were decent but honestly left something to be desired. I think the Namor/Thing fight was the better of the two though neither blew my socks off. I didn't like that the Avengers won both of their battles here. I thought that with this being the first issue it should have been a little more even but I guess that doesn't really matter. For what it was though it was good... it's just not really my thing.
I might get the next issue because I'm curious about the matches (Spidey/Colossus and Cap/Gambit) but I honestly con't care about any of the things I've seen after that. And honestly, I'll probably skim the issue to see if I even want to buy it. For me, it'll only be worth the $4 if Gambit beats Cap. otherwise who cares.
X-Men Legacy 265 - This book, on the other hand, I really enjoyed. I've always liked the Mimic and wanted him to step up and it seems like he does it here, officially joining the team as I hoped he would. Despite still pailing in comparison to Aaron's Wolverine & the X-Men I am finding this book to be an enjoyable read. I like Rogue's current direction and Gage has been handling characters/threats that I've always found interesting. It isn't near W&tXM's league but it's still a fun, enjoyable read for me each month.
And was it just me or did anyone else expect Mimic and Michael Pointer to kiss after Mimic's "buddy" speach. I'm glad they didn't. Not that I'm against gay characters but it's a pet peeve of mine to make a character gay who hasn't been in the past. It feels like a marketing ploy. Pointer can be gay and I'd be cool with that, he's still new enough, but Mimic would bug me because he's never been hinted that way in the past.
Astonishing X-Men 49 - Second issue of Liu's run and I think I'm starting to get bored. I really wanted to dig this book because I loved Liu's X-23 but I've not been that impressed. The art doesn't help either.
I like the focus on Northstar, a character who doesn't get near enough, but the villains don't really interest me and I don't have a clue who that woman is in the end. I'm hoping that Liu's just feeling her way around right now and will soon get into her groove. With money how it is right now I figure I'll give this title maybe 6 issues to capture me. If it hasn't by then I may end up dropping it.
Oh, question... is Karma telepathic normally? I don't recall her ever doing that, though I've never really given a lick about the character. It just struck me as odd. I know she can get into people's heads and control them, like posession, but telepathic? I don't know.
Oh, Oh... and what was up with Vanisher? Where'd is cool head tatoos go from X-Force?
I, Vampire 8 & Justice League Dark 8 - Rise of the Vampires 3 & 4. So the story concludes and I shrug. This has been more of an I, Vampire story so it doesn't do much for me, who only read it for the JLD tie-ins. The only real important thing that happens here for me is that Shade seems to leave the title, succumbing to his madness or something wierd like that. Either way, that's good. He was always my least favorite of the bunch and I'm glad to see him go. I'm not sure if Lemiure starts writing duties next issue or the one following but I know he's changing up the cast a bit so this must be part of that. The three that I like most (Zantanna, Deadman, and Constatine) are still present though so I'm good. This is one of my lower tier books but I wanted to at least give Lemiure a fair shot before dropping it. Plus the regular artist is phenominal.
Superman 8 - Not a title I buy really but I picked up this two part arc, of which this is the second issue, for Helspont. I like Grifter's title a lot so this loose tie-in with Helspont was worth a shot. It wasn't a bad read but I don't think anything here hooked me enough to want to come back regularly. I don't regret buying them. They were fun.
Best and Worst of the Week
Best: New Avengers 25 - This was an easy pick for me. Besides Deodato's fantastic art (and that's something that lacked a lot this week) this was such a refreshing flashback to my Immortal Iron Fist reading days. The issue began a plot that has me more interested than anything else in this event so far. Eager for the next issue.
Worst: Astonishing X-Men 49 - I just couldn't get into this issue. I wanted to but just couldn't. Hopefully it'll pick up soon.
Anyhow...
New Avengers 25 - I'll be honest, I loved this issue. It has nothing to do with the Avengers and takes place entirely a few hundred years ago in the magical city of K'un lun. So yes, Immortal Iron Fist fans... this issue is for us! The story is that several hundred years ago former master Yu Ti (who was dethroned in Immortal Iron Fist) had a dream seeing a bird of fire and a girl with crimson hair. He begins searching all of K'un Lun nervously, asking the Thunderer if he had seen a girl of this description. Though the Thunderer had not they do eventually find the girl, a recent refugee from Earth, and so Yu Ti takes the girl and puts her under the Thunderer's training as the next Iron Fist in preparation for the day when the bird of fire comes.
My prediction is that we're going to learn that Hope derives from the crimson headed girl's line. This prophecy will have been taught, or will soon be taught, to Danny Rand by the Thunderer and he will seek to take Hope to train her in the ways of the Iron Fist so that she might control or confront the Phoenix.
I could be wrong but this feels like the obvious direction and as a fan of the Immortal Iron Fist series I'd be stoked to see it. It honestly felt great reading this issue, like reading the old series, and there wasn't a single "Bendisism" to be found. Truthfully, I think any fan of the Immortal Iron Fist series would have liked this issue... even jaded Bendis haters like my ol' buddy Dread. I'm not sure how the rest of the arc is going to go but this was a good start. Probably the best issue of AvsX since it's started... though that's admittedly due to my biased Immortal Iron Fist love. Good issue.
Uncanny X-Men 11 - Still in our first month and I'm already tired of misc. X-Man vs misc. Avenger. I'm just not a fan of random battle with no furthering of the plot. I really hope this plot isn't going to be like this for the whole six months.
In this issue we get some focus on Hope, though not much, and we get into the heads of Namor and Colossus. The Colossus/Red Hulk battle was interesting and I was cool with it's conclusion. I liked how that played out. The Namor stuff was alright. All in all the issue was fine but nothing necessary to people who aren't already reading the book.
Secret Avengers 26 - Yay! Not a single Avenger fighting an X-Man... and it still bored me. Honestly, for as good as Remender is his take on this book is just boring me. I thought the .1 issue was boring set up but the next two issues showed promise. The last two have been completely uninteresting and then the art here kinda killed it for me. I've come to the realization that I just don't care about any of these Avengers books save New and I'm debating on just dropping both this and Avengers proper now. I WANT to like this title with Captain Britain and Beast on the roster but I just don't care and this Kree plot here just doesn't interest me in the slightest. And I don't even really get Marvel's return here. Is it him? Is he back? And what the heck were Protector and Ms. Marvel talking about? That was out of the blue. I just didn't 'get' this issue. Maybe it's because I'm tired but I closed the book very disappointed.
AvX: VS 1 - I don't know why I bought this issue. I honestly have no idea. I told myself I wouldn't buy it and I had no interest in buying it... but out of the blue I put it on my stack and took it to the register. Well, the art on both stories were good and that's a good start. I mean, seriously, Kubert and Immonen?! Fantastic! Aaron's a fantastic writing and Kathy Immonen's not too bad herself for what little I've read of her. The actual stories were decent but honestly left something to be desired. I think the Namor/Thing fight was the better of the two though neither blew my socks off. I didn't like that the Avengers won both of their battles here. I thought that with this being the first issue it should have been a little more even but I guess that doesn't really matter. For what it was though it was good... it's just not really my thing.
I might get the next issue because I'm curious about the matches (Spidey/Colossus and Cap/Gambit) but I honestly con't care about any of the things I've seen after that. And honestly, I'll probably skim the issue to see if I even want to buy it. For me, it'll only be worth the $4 if Gambit beats Cap. otherwise who cares.
X-Men Legacy 265 - This book, on the other hand, I really enjoyed. I've always liked the Mimic and wanted him to step up and it seems like he does it here, officially joining the team as I hoped he would. Despite still pailing in comparison to Aaron's Wolverine & the X-Men I am finding this book to be an enjoyable read. I like Rogue's current direction and Gage has been handling characters/threats that I've always found interesting. It isn't near W&tXM's league but it's still a fun, enjoyable read for me each month.
And was it just me or did anyone else expect Mimic and Michael Pointer to kiss after Mimic's "buddy" speach. I'm glad they didn't. Not that I'm against gay characters but it's a pet peeve of mine to make a character gay who hasn't been in the past. It feels like a marketing ploy. Pointer can be gay and I'd be cool with that, he's still new enough, but Mimic would bug me because he's never been hinted that way in the past.
Astonishing X-Men 49 - Second issue of Liu's run and I think I'm starting to get bored. I really wanted to dig this book because I loved Liu's X-23 but I've not been that impressed. The art doesn't help either.
I like the focus on Northstar, a character who doesn't get near enough, but the villains don't really interest me and I don't have a clue who that woman is in the end. I'm hoping that Liu's just feeling her way around right now and will soon get into her groove. With money how it is right now I figure I'll give this title maybe 6 issues to capture me. If it hasn't by then I may end up dropping it.
Oh, question... is Karma telepathic normally? I don't recall her ever doing that, though I've never really given a lick about the character. It just struck me as odd. I know she can get into people's heads and control them, like posession, but telepathic? I don't know.
Oh, Oh... and what was up with Vanisher? Where'd is cool head tatoos go from X-Force?
I, Vampire 8 & Justice League Dark 8 - Rise of the Vampires 3 & 4. So the story concludes and I shrug. This has been more of an I, Vampire story so it doesn't do much for me, who only read it for the JLD tie-ins. The only real important thing that happens here for me is that Shade seems to leave the title, succumbing to his madness or something wierd like that. Either way, that's good. He was always my least favorite of the bunch and I'm glad to see him go. I'm not sure if Lemiure starts writing duties next issue or the one following but I know he's changing up the cast a bit so this must be part of that. The three that I like most (Zantanna, Deadman, and Constatine) are still present though so I'm good. This is one of my lower tier books but I wanted to at least give Lemiure a fair shot before dropping it. Plus the regular artist is phenominal.
Superman 8 - Not a title I buy really but I picked up this two part arc, of which this is the second issue, for Helspont. I like Grifter's title a lot so this loose tie-in with Helspont was worth a shot. It wasn't a bad read but I don't think anything here hooked me enough to want to come back regularly. I don't regret buying them. They were fun.
Best and Worst of the Week
Best: New Avengers 25 - This was an easy pick for me. Besides Deodato's fantastic art (and that's something that lacked a lot this week) this was such a refreshing flashback to my Immortal Iron Fist reading days. The issue began a plot that has me more interested than anything else in this event so far. Eager for the next issue.
Worst: Astonishing X-Men 49 - I just couldn't get into this issue. I wanted to but just couldn't. Hopefully it'll pick up soon.
