I Think, You Think, We All Think About Comic Boughts 8/22

WOLVERINE25TH

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HERO WORSHIP #2 - I had pretty much predicted where this series might go, and it looks like I'm right in the broader context. We'll see if the finer details deviate a bit. Anyway, interesting look at a corporatized Superman-esque character. Is he really the hero, or is there something more sinister? Hopefully the pacing of the story picks up a bit because while it is intriguing, it's not really enough to keep me picking up a $4 book monthly.

ETERNAL DESCENT #6 - This is a series based on a band and it's members, set against the backdrop of angels vs. devils. This is the second volume. While the concept is interesting, the story and artwork are oftentimes lacking and/or confusing as to what exactly is going on. There's tons of mystical mumbo-jumbo to hide the holes in the scripting, and the art is definitely pretty. Overall, probably a good read in trades when you can get it all at once. The issues are not exactly new-reader friendly if your shop happens to miss one (like mine have).

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #692 - I swung by Jim Hanely's today to pick up the previous two books that my shop didn't have. I found they had the complete cover set for this issue, all signed by Dan. As much as I'd have loved to pick them all up, I couldn't justify spending $36 on multiple copies of the same book (yes, this issue is $6 a pop). I did, however, pick up the regular and the 1990s variant for one simple reason: Ben Reilly, baby! I digress...

So, what did we get? Three stories. The first is the long anticipated debut of new hero Alpha, who is basically Peter with all the power and none of the responsibility (doesn't that sound familiar?). His story closely mirrors Peter's, although from the opposite end of the spectrum. Given past history and Slott's skills, I'll wait till the story is over to judge how this new character stacks up. See if Slott just needed an issue or two to find the character's voice. The back-up strips featured a man taking Spidey's costume from the trash (ASM #50) to use for his own uses, and learning what being a hero really means. The next is Spidey being a mentor of sorts to a more receptive youngster (unlike the titular Alpha character) after a day of Parker-luck mishaps. Both were nicely done and cute reads, and rounded out the book well.
 
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #692 - Given past history and Slott's skills, I'll wait till the story is over to judge how this new character stacks up. See if Slott just needed an issue or two to find the character's voice.

That's how I kinda feel too. The issue was a tiny bit boring and predictable for a long time fan (at least that's how I feel being a long time fan) but Slott's track record is too good to doubt. You say a couple of issues, I'm thinking that the Alpha story is going to ride all the way up to and past ASM 700 as part of a bigger story.
 
Oh, yeah and I don't know if anyone else was buying Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe but I thought the ending of the last issue was neat for the most part. The mini itself was pretty decent but it's not the type of story meant to be taken too seriously in the first place. It's very much in the vein of Jonathan Mayberry's Punisher mini's where the writer (in this case Cullen Bunn) just gets to cut loose and run wild with carnage.
 
Small week, only 4 comics.

X-Men Legacy #272 - This issue was bad. How bad was it, JewishHobbit? I'm glad you asked. It was so bad that I didn't even bother finishing the issue! Seriously?! I read about half of it and was so bored out of my mind that I just flipped the pages, saw nothing interesting happened and bagged it. This is part 2 of this storyline and it is quite possibly the worst story since this title began back in the 90's. That sounds like a wild thing to say after 272 issues but think back. Can you think of a single storyline that was worse than this? I honestly can't. I am so bored that suddenly, after two issues, I'm eager for Gage to leave. His run hasn't been stellar but it's been decent enough for me but this arc now makes me wonder what the heck he was thinking when he came up with it and what was wrong with Marvel for approving it. It's just rediculously boring and dumb.

I'm going to just come out and call this the worst book of the week now... and likely for the month or even year. For me to not even bother finishing a book that I paid money for is pretty bad. This was just boring to the fullest extent.

Uncanny X-Men 17 - This issue was enjoyable. I really like the new Sinister Nation thing that Gillen's done and I thought this divergent mid-AvX was a nice story. The ending happened about how I expected and it's sad that Gillen's pretty much stated that the Nation has ended, though with how the Nation works it would be so easy to see it return so I guess anything can happen.

I think, chronologically, this was the first time anyone got the upper hand on any of the Phoenix 5 (and the only time anyone has gotten the upperhand on all 5 of them). Sinister puts up a good fight but in the end is overcome. Some of the other X-Men (Psylocke, Magneto, Storm, and Danger) have some shine time, which has been lacked in the second half of this event, so that was nice. And as always Acuna's art rocks.

Good issue. I hate that the title is ending (again) and that Gillen is being replaced by Bendis. I like Bendis but I really like what Gillen's been doing and would like to see it continue.

Batman Incorporated 3 - This was a good issue. I didn't really care one way or the other for issue 1, issue 2 I liked less, but this issue is starting to get me back into the swing of Morrison's epic. I think the board with all the connections between characters that's appeared throughout his run helped. I like that Damian's adopted a new costume and name and I'm curious if it's Morrison's plan to have him keep it. I don't see DC sticking with it though because that'd make the book Batman & Robin a bit moot. I'm curious where it goes though.

And who is Matches Malone? I recognize the name but I honestly cannot place who his character is (and I'm too lazy to look it up).

Justice League Dark 12 - This book was so far down my chopping block before Lemire came on that I was mostly just buying it out of habit. Now it's one of my favorite titles. I know next to nothing about DC's magical dark side pre-New 52 so all these things that are likely big deals like the House of Mystery and now the House of Secrets, the Books of Magic, etc. mean little to me, but the story is just getting really good. The art is gorgeous and the characters are interesting. Two big magical threats are brought into this issue and I recongize one of the names, Blackbriar Thorn, from a brief but cool scene in the Infinite Crisis lead-in, Days of Vengeance. I know nothing about him but he looks cool as can be in this issue. The other character, Black Boris, I've never heard of but he looks interesting. We also learn more about a boy briefly introduced last issue named Timothy but he's apparently just a brief story mixed into the plot.

Honestly, I really enjoyed Milligan's first arc on the title, though it started a bit slow, but I didn't love it enough to take it off of my "testing" stage. The second arc with I, Vampire was bad enough that it was pretty much dropped. Then Lemire came in and I was iffy at first but after two or three issues I was pulled in and now I look forward to this book every month. It's definately one of my top titles at the moment.


And if you couldn't tell, this was definately my Best Book of the Week. Batman Incorporated was a close second but this one deserves it by far.
 
Matches Malone is another ID Bruce uses to mingle with criminals.
 
So he wasn't posing as an old character, it's a character he's created? That's pretty cool.
 
Well, Matches Malone was a real guy for a while too. I don't know which came first, though.
 
I bought a couple...

Ultimate Comics Ultimates Number Fourteen #14 (just to be extra repetitive)

Was awesome. Humphries definitely doesn't have the subtly and skill that Hickman has for writing, but despite his different and more blunt approaching, The Ultimates still succeeds wonderfully in what it tries to do - bringing back Cap, Humphries masterfully characterizes him with that same gruff tongue-in-cheek charm that he's always been known for, and the pure conceptual ramifications of a divided America continue to make for an intriguing and suspenseful story. The art definitely is a step down from what it once was, but as soon as Like Ross takes over for Tan, it will be scores better.

Batman Incorporated #3

Genius. In an age when comic writers are often afraid to embrace the rather campier side of their characters' histories, Morrison dives head first into the gawdy and over the top characterization of Matches Malone - in fact this entire volume of Inc has seemed as if it was crafted right from Denny O'Neil's 1972 pen, which makes for an incredibly fun and energetic story. Plus Damian's new persona (and costume) were downright awesome. Oh, and Bat-Cow's even in it.
 
Justice League Dark 12 - This book was so far down my chopping block before Lemire came on that I was mostly just buying it out of habit. Now it's one of my favorite titles. I know next to nothing about DC's magical dark side pre-New 52 so all these things that are likely big deals like the House of Mystery and now the House of Secrets, the Books of Magic, etc. mean little to me, but the story is just getting really good. The art is gorgeous and the characters are interesting. Two big magical threats are brought into this issue and I recongize one of the names, Blackbriar Thorn, from a brief but cool scene in the Infinite Crisis lead-in, Days of Vengeance. I know nothing about him but he looks cool as can be in this issue. The other character, Black Boris, I've never heard of but he looks interesting. We also learn more about a boy briefly introduced last issue named Timothy but he's apparently just a brief story mixed into the plot.

Honestly, I really enjoyed Milligan's first arc on the title, though it started a bit slow, but I didn't love it enough to take it off of my "testing" stage. The second arc with I, Vampire was bad enough that it was pretty much dropped. Then Lemire came in and I was iffy at first but after two or three issues I was pulled in and now I look forward to this book every month. It's definately one of my top titles at the moment.
Justice League Dark is pretty good. Its cool to see DC do some cool stuff with their Supernatural chracters almost like what Marvel did with their Space based chracters. Give that corner of the universe to a writer that knows his stuff and let him run with it.
 
I'm not a fan of Zatanna's depowering. They made her less-trained and mentally unstable.
 
I didn't really follow her pre-New 52 so I didn't even know they made changes. I never picked up on her being mentally unstable in JLD though.
 
Alpha has got to be the most unoriginal superhero I have ever seen, and that even goes to his name. Andrew Maguire. Really? Toby Garfield too obvious?
 
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Six comics, six chanced to be spoiled. Onward!

DREAD'S BOUGHT/THOUGHT FOR 8/22/12:

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #13: IDW's exceptionally crafted as well as top selling (in relative company terms) relaunch and re-creation of the Ninja Turtles comic enters its second year with this issue. While the writing team remains TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz and the colorist remains Ronda Pattison, the lead artist for the series has changed. Dan Duncan has left for greener pastures after a year, and FIREBREATHER co-creator Andy Kuhn has taken over. This is hardly Kuhn's first work with the IDW era of Ninja Turtles; he drew the second issue of the TMNT MICRO-SERIES (the Michelangelo issue) and now makes the leap to the ongoing. It won't be surprising if the Micro-Series was seen as a "try out" book for other creators to handle this franchise, and some other artists from those issues could appear here if Kuhn's run isn't as long as Duncan's. While the story picks up right where it left off and Pattison's consistent colors help, Kuhn has a different style than Duncan which could put off some fans of this series. On the other hand, Kuhn is a moderately well known creator - Cartoon Network did produce an animated film of FIREBREATHER in 2010, and he drew a run of MARVEL TEAM-UP in 2006 - which is something Duncan lacked.

While this issue picks up from the last one, it also feels very much like the first chapter of a second volume, or a season premiere. The Turtles and their allies managed to find and rescue their master Splinter and finally met their enemies the Foot Clan, although they chose to escape than earn an outright victory. While the Turtles attempt to hold off tension with idle play with some of the games in April's antique shop, it is Splinter himself who is wound tight enough to snap. When their pal Casey stumbles in after another beating from his drunken father, both Raph and Splinter storm off to settle the matter - and which of them becomes the aggressor is surprising. As a contrast to the mutant ninja family, Shredder continues to train his granddaughter Karai in endless battle. In setting up the cliffhanger, Baxtor Stockman also becomes the first to learn the secret of General Krang - that he's an alien from another dimension and he's hardly the only one of his kind. While many have analyzed the TMNT franchise in various ways since it began in 1984 (and especially after the cartoon hit TV in '87), what is lost on some is that the franchise is at its core about family. This issue perfectly compares and contrasts at least three families in various lights; Casey and his father, Karai and Shredder, and naturally the Turtles, their allies, and Splinter. The latter is naturally the most functional, although it is hardly flawless and is very unorthodox - just like the families of most readers, or people on earth. It is this dynamic which is at the heart - or shell - of the franchise and why it is endured for over 25 years, and naturally Eastman and Waltz get that in their scripts.

The artwork by Kuhn does take some getting used to, as he has simpler line work most times than Duncan did. The Turtles and Casey themselves look the most different while Kuhn seems to be at home with Duncan's design for the Foot characters. There is always charm and emotion to Kuhn's work and the TMNT comic benefits from that. There were some more "mainstream" artists to choose from, but siding with another well known creator may actually boost the buzz for this book.

This issue was the start of a new era with a new artist, which manages to demonstrate all the strengths the series has had since its debut. If only more major franchise comics could begin a second year so well.

INVINCIBLE #94: As Image Comics and Skybound Comics begin the promotional drum-beat towards a 100th issue, this particular issues ships roughly a fortnight late. This is either due to or despite the fact that the art duties for these last few issues have been split between series co-creator Cory Walker and longtime artist Ryan Ottley. This issue continues the trend began regular writer Robert Kirkman in this series, which is arcs where the lead hero Mark Grayson is practically a guest star in his own series. Robot and Monster Girl - and in particular their centuries long adventures in another dimension - have become the crux of the arc and naturally take up a good chunk of the issue. The duo followed the sporadic invading alien empire called the Flaxians to their home dimension seeking a more permanent solution. While they had thought they had "fixed" the empire - at the cost of their relationship - the Flaxians have invaded anew. The general of the forces naturally turns out to be a pivotal figure for the two Guardians Of The Globe. The issue has a lot of costumed characters punching things as well as a lot of imaginative and even tender flashbacks as drawn by Walker. The business of these issues is a demerit and probably a distraction to a degree, but it does provide a break as well as an embellishment of some long term characters who have been on the sidelines for years.

SUPER-DINOSAUR #13: With all the promotion these days at Image revolving around WALKING DEAD or INVINCIBLE, this is the OTHER Kirkman book at Skybound which seems to be under the radar; and by that I mean selling way down in the Top 300. I imagine it's doing way better than the last DYNAMO 5 mini sold, but it's low for a book with Image's top guy like Kirkman now is. It does get hard to review issues of this because each issue is like a segment of a cartoon show, setting forward the story for another few minutes. Derek Dynamo has been kidnapped by the Exile and taken to Inner Earth, the world at the center of the globe which is populated by dinosaurs...and apparently a race of dinosaur-men. It had been believed that the only "dino-men" that existed were the genetic creations of Max Maximus, but that's now wrong. The Exile is literally that, the exiled brother of the monarch of these "natural" dino-men who don't believe the "surface world" exists. Meanwhile, Super-Dino and the rest of Derek's peers and pals have come to Inner Earth without permission to save him, and wind up nearly being trampled by real dinosaurs. SD, who is smaller but more intelligent than the native dino's, feels out of place. The artwork from Jason Howard in this issue is quite incredible with a lot of bits which reminded me of former TMNT artist Jim Lawson, if only due to all the dinosaurs (Lawson's later work included PALEO, which was about dinosaurs). The aim for the book was to be "all ages" and it is does that; it isn't too complex or scary to ward off a child nor is it too dumb or simplistic to completely bore an adult. That said, it isn't usually a book which dazzles or disappoints me, but is just sort of there. CN is crying out for an animated adaptation of it, especially since it is far smarter than MAN OF ACTION drivel, although this is hardly the second coming of "GARGOYLES". The book is getting complicated which may be awkward for anyone jumping on late, but if the sales are any indicator that isn't a concern. I am curious whether this series will end up lasting any longer than the last collaboration between these two did, which was ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN (which ran 25 issues, most of them behind schedule).

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #692: A week after wrapping up an imaginative Lizard story hot on the heels of Sony's latest blockbuster film, Marvel officially begins the celebration of Spider-Man's 50th anniversary. This means an extra-sized issue sold for $5.99 which features a 25 page lead story by regular writer Dan Slott and one of the trio of regular artists, Humberto Ramos, along with two back-up strips by other contributors. While the back up strips are fine, it is the extra sized lead story which Marvel has promoted for a few months by leaking that it will feature the introduction of Alpha, a teenage hero who will become Spider-Man's sidekick. Much has been discussed online about that, including the irony of a hero who was so heralded as being "youthful" to the point that his marriage was erased now needing a teenage tag-a-long to stay hip. As a story itself, however, this issue does a good job on a broader scope of bringing Spider-Man/Peter Parker full circle in being the expert scientist responsible for creating a teenage metahuman via a freak accident. There is an obvious homage to AMAZING FANTASY #15 from Stan Lee and Steve Ditko although it is far more modern and features a character different from Peter Parker. That character, Andy Maguire, both succeeds and fails in this issue by the established premise. The story envisions him as an "average" teenage boy, and that is where his struggle begins. From his design both in and out of costume to the flow of the story he is in, Andy/Alpha comes off as a mundane character even to moderate superhero fans. Relying on the time honored tropes is both the point of Andy and a limitation. Readers of AVENGERS ACADEMY or RUNAWAYS or YOUNG AVENGERS may actually be put off by how generic Andy seems at the onset. In fairness, few characters are at their prime in debut, and the angle seems to be that despite Spidey's best attempts to teach the kid responsibility, Andy is being corrupted by the easy fame and the vast power. The appearance of a well known villain from Spidey's past (as well as from last year's SPIDER-ISLAND) naturally sets the stage for a more interesting second and third chapter. Slott does run a risk of telegraphing this a bit simply as well as merely creating a "Mary Sue" style pet character; Andy so far is nowhere near as imaginative as even some of Slott's creations from AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE such as Trauma, Komodo, or Hardball. The very angle of Spider-Man getting a teenage sidekick is hardly new; Frog-Man and Spider-Kid in the 1980's, Captain Zero in the 90's and even teases regarding Arana/Spider-Girl in such a role last year. The difference here is Peter was directly responsible for the origin sequence and the "hero" he is responsible for has vast power potential, rather than simply being annoying. This isn't to say that Alpha is not annoying, but this time Spidey isn't shooing him off to go on with his life as he did with many of the others.

Two back up strips make up another 30 pages of material for a whopping 55 page packet. "Spider-Man For A Night" by Dean Haspiel tells the tale of a petty crook who happens to find Spidey's costume in the trash from ASM #50 (the "Spider-Man No More" issue) and the complications and insights donning it brings him. It isn't the greatest story ever but is a simple and engaging slice of life tale. Stretching on for 22 pages is "Just Right" by Joshua Hale Fialkov and artist Nuno Plati about how a day in Peter's life goes horribly wrong until he decides on a whim to indulge the fantasies of a local boy with a trip around town. The humor is hit-or-miss and it does feel like padding more than a story which needed to be told. Overall this extra sized anniversary issue of ASM is a mixed bag, but a bag which invites a lot of thought and speculation, as well as being better than an average issue of the event du jour, AVENGERS VS. X-MEN.

SECRET AVENGERS #30: With the AVX crossover obligation now a memory, Rick Remender can continue on his own bizarre and cameo laden storyline involving an nation of Adaptoids as well as a vastly expanded roster of Masters Of Evil run by Max Fury of the Shadow Council. Remender plays with some of the leftover tidbits from Brubakers run here, such as John Steele and having Max chase after magic Crowns from space, but he manages to do it in a manner which doesn't seem plodding, boring, or humorless as Brubaker did in his opening act. Venom has a fight with Taskmaster that goes poorly until he gets some back up, and Valkyrie and Hawkeye are stuck trying to steal the MacGuffin back from Taskmaster. They fail but when Max Fury finally gets his hands on the big scary crown, it reminded me of the climax of "GRANDPA WORE TIGHTS" from "THE TICK" in which the puppet Handy tries to use a reality altering machine, only played straighter. There are a lot of cameos to throw a Marvel Handbook at, the dialogue is entertaining and it has a lot of big over the top action and comic book elements - stuff lacking in many Avengers titles frankly. The twist ending presents an interesting dynamic for the next issue, and once again it is apparent that Remender is the best writer this series has had. The angle of Vengeance being a reverse Ghost Rider - he aims to punish good people with visions of their sins versus bad people - makes for a fun gimmick for dialogue. The art by Matteo Scalera and Matthew Wilson (colors) fits the tone of the series, and it is due to this series and VENOM that I will consider Remender on UNCANNY AVENGERS at all. During the Bendis era, good Avengers runs became few and far between. This is probably the best one I have enjoyed since Dan Slott called it a day on MIGHTY AVENGERS.

VENOM #23: The first issue of Cullen Bunn's solo run on the book, and he'll get one arc before the MINIMUM CARNAGE crossover gets underway. Initially there is a sign of some wires crossed since both this issue and the last (Remender's finale) began with an exposition dump in regards to Thompson's backstory and status as agent Venom, which in two issues in a row gets irritating. Thony Silas is the new artist but with much the same ink and color team as prior issues it all looks fine. Bunn settles into creating a sort of sequel to the "CIRCLE OF FOUR" crossover in which Hellstorm, the Son of Satan has shifted back to acting fairly demonic and he toys with Venom, who bares some "mark of Mephisto" from that prior adventure. Hellstorm has gone off the grid with a cult and Venom was sent in to gather data, but as usual stumbles upon something messy and storms in with guns blazing. Hellstorm's angle is they are both monsters who deny who they are and will be rejected by their peers, so may as well revel in their monstrous nature. Bunn also introduces his love interest character to replace Betty Brant in the title, in another reporter named Katy Kiernon. She's sassy and all that, which is about standard for attractive lady reporters since the 19-flipping-40's, but hopefully she will grow on readers with more time. I am not entirely sold on VENOM delving into supernatural elements; "CIRCLE OF FOUR" had the justification for being a crossover with GHOST RIDER, of which the supernatural is key. Still, the themes of battling a darker nature remain the same so it should work. Bunn's first issue isn't dazzling and the info-dump rereun was annoying, but he's captured the tone of the series and that is the main thing one wants from a new writer coming in after a heralded run. He isn't performing a 180 like some new writers do, merely steering the same boat on a new course. VENOM has become a book I enjoy and for the moment it does look like I will continue to do so even without Remender.

X-MEN LEGACY #272: Christos Gage and Rafa Sandoval continue on a story which is essentially PLANET ROGUE, in which Rogue has been zapped to another dimension/planet where she is in the middle of two warring factions and trying to sort out how to survive and return home. The previous issue focused on the Vhray, who are the feline warriors of the planet. This chapter focuses on the Swarm, who are bug-creatures who act very much like almost all bug aliens in fiction in that they all work in a hive and stress universal harmony and order over individuality. To their credit, the Swarm claim to be more accepting of strays than the Vhray, if only one surrenders free will. Naturally Rogue resists, and uncovers a secret between the commanders of both hordes which isn't terribly shocking. The story gives Sandoval excuse to draw a lot of crazy creatures and landscapes which he doesn't get to do often. The tale isn't bad but there is a "been there, done that" sort of sense with these sorts of tales which have been done many times - "JOHN CARTER" reminding people of one of the most famous versions. Fans of Rogue may be thrilled to see Rogue having her turn at this sort of thing, and while it isn't bad it hasn't been something I have been overly ecstatic about reading. The fact that this is a story which could fit no end of superheroes or characters in general and Rogue just happens to be the one doesn't help either; it makes it feel more like a page filling exercise than a tale which really says something about her. I hold by the statement that I have never read a bad comic book story by Gage; however, I have read a few "less good" or mediocre stories from him, and this run is starting to swing closer to that than AVENGERS ACADEMY is right now (which is in upswing). I'll finish the run out but this won't be one I miss from my list so far.
 
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How in the world can you consider this arc of Legacy to NOT be bad. It is the most mundane, unoriginal story that's been on Legacy since it's inception in the 90s. It makes me miss Fraction's Uncanny X-Men run it's so bad.
 
How in the world can you consider this arc of Legacy to NOT be bad. It is the most mundane, unoriginal story that's been on Legacy since it's inception in the 90s. It makes me miss Fraction's Uncanny X-Men run it's so bad.

To me there is a difference between "mundane" and "bad". A bad story, for instance, would be a story in which Wonder Man decides he hates the Avengers for no real reason and assembles a squad to kill them which includes formerly loyal allies such as D-Man, Ultra-Man and Century (without an explanation of mind control for some or all of them). PLANET ROGUE in Legacy right now is just an average story. It's a "stranger in a space war" story which we've seen many times (PLANET HULK is just the biggest and most recent example). I mean, Joss Whedon's plot involving the Breakworld could have been rewritten to be a Defenders or Avengers or Fantastic Four or Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew story without much difficulty yet everyone fawned and raved over that one.

I do see it as a case of an editor perhaps going, "Gage, you have ____ amount of issues before we relaunch the book without you and you can't do anything DRASTIC to Rogue since she's going to headline a team book in the fall, so, write something in between" and Gage settled on a space adventure away from the mess.
 
How in the world can you consider this arc of Legacy to NOT be bad. It is the most mundane, unoriginal story that's been on Legacy since it's inception in the 90s. It makes me miss Fraction's Uncanny X-Men run it's so bad.

Opinions vary there JH. Like how you enjoy Bendis while over 80% of the board can't stand him. Same thing.
 
To me there is a difference between "mundane" and "bad". A bad story, for instance, would be a story in which Wonder Man decides he hates the Avengers for no real reason and assembles a squad to kill them which includes formerly loyal allies such as D-Man, Ultra-Man and Century (without an explanation of mind control for some or all of them). PLANET ROGUE in Legacy right now is just an average story. It's a "stranger in a space war" story which we've seen many times (PLANET HULK is just the biggest and most recent example). I mean, Joss Whedon's plot involving the Breakworld could have been rewritten to be a Defenders or Avengers or Fantastic Four or Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew story without much difficulty yet everyone fawned and raved over that one.

I do see it as a case of an editor perhaps going, "Gage, you have ____ amount of issues before we relaunch the book without you and you can't do anything DRASTIC to Rogue since she's going to headline a team book in the fall, so, write something in between" and Gage settled on a space adventure away from the mess.

I gotta go with Dread on this one. The current arc is not "bad," just horribly, horribly dull and mundane. There's nothing really incompetent about the story or the writing, it's just rather boring. If it weren't for the fact that X-Men Legacy weren't ending in October, I'd probably drop it because it's been getting a bit dull for a while.
 
One thing I'm loving about the recent Punisher books is the blend of crime busting, but still firmly rooted in the MU. IF you look in Frank's workshop, you can see a visor from Cyclops, an old Webshooter from Pete and such. It looks like they didn't retcon out his time with Henry. I'm also loving the new beard and Colve-Alves. I pray she's part of the new status quo and isn't written off into the bg or unceremoniously killed near the end of the run.
 
One of the upcoming covers has Frank pointing a gun at her head, but I hope that's just dramatic exaggeration. I really want her and Frank to stick together as a duo.
 
You just want to see them punishing each other's privates. :o
 
Someday, maybe. That'd be a weird, perverse, but ultimately kind of sweet relationship to explore, and Greg Rucka could certainly do it justice. But I'm good with Frank corrupting/redeeming Rachel according to his Punisher rule book right now. It's surprisingly compelling.
 
Indeed, compelling is the key word. The relationship isn't just something we've seen before. The usage of lingo and how he's appointed her a soldier in his army is very telling. I really really cringe a the thought of ditching her, but it'll probably happen as soon as the next writer takes over. *sigh* I'm worried that Frank'll go to limbo for a bit after this. I haven't really heard anything of the future, but then again, the upcoming fight with the avengers will last a while, so there's that.
 
Ennis did a similar relationship during his MAX run between Frank and a disgraced ex CIA agent. They had the similar vibe of 2 damaged people meeting in this kind of environment. He actually had an illegitimate child with her.

Rachel is gonna be dead or off the book by the time Rucka is done with his run. I'd hate to say it but I don't see the point of keeping her around since the next guy probably won't use her anyway. It's a shame but probably true. I love the character and I love the way Checchetto draws her. He depicts her as a drop dead gorgeous woman with a 1000 yard stare in her eyes where you can see her pain. The guy's seriously talented.
 
Yeah, I'll be interested to see where Checchetto lands after he and Rucka are done. He's an amazing artist. Everything looks slick and gorgeous, yet he's also great at actual storytelling elements, like facial expressions and layouts.
 

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