The Ongoing Bought/Thought! 2013

[Themanofbat]

I saw Superman in '78 at the theatre...

 

[squeekness]

Wow, that probably makes you makes you older than me. A rarity, lol. I am 47.

 

[runawayboulder]

I didn't see any of the (Reeve) Superman's until they were on HBO.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The All-New X-Men Special[/b] was a good start to what seems like it'll be a fun sci fi mash-up with the Hulk, SpOck, and the remaining original X-Men who haven't gone crazy and decided Cyclops was right. The mention of Beast and Jean kissing at the beginning was pretty stupid, but I suppose I shouldn't expect better than CW-style love triangles from Bendis or teenage characters at this point. Other than that, though, the story was a lot of fun. It centers on a Beast who hasn't had all the terrible characterization choices of recent years piled atop the base that comprised one of my favorite characters, so that was a big treat for me. I really wish we could somehow get back to this Beast, who's got doubts and is unsure of himself but is ruled primarily by optimistic idealism. The modern Beast has become a cynical, hypocritical jerk; I just never realized how much until this early version came along to remind me.

Beyond Beast, SpOck also gets in some good digs at the X-Men, whom he assumes are clones, genetic experiments, robots, and basically everything else other than the time-displaced actual people they are. There's a particularly good crack at Jean, who retorts that she's not a clone when SpOck accuses her of that, which in turn prompts SpOck to remember that the last clone of Jean said much the same. The whole thing culminates in an earlier version of Ock (about whom SpOck hilariously alternates between being wildly defensive and callously dismissive) radiating gamma radiation everywhere, which will lead into the Hulk's involvement in the next issue. Looking forward to adding his personality into the mix.

I don't think I've heard of Kris Anka, but his (or her?) art is pretty impressive here. Sort of like a looser version of Stuart Immonen's extremely clean lines and dynamic panel layouts.

 

[Themanofbat]

Wow, that probably makes you makes you older than me. A rarity, lol. I am 47.

lol... not quite... I will be 46 next month... but I did go see it when I was 10...

 

[Will Nolte]

I wasn't even alive in 78...(was born in 80)

 

[JewishHobbit]

Birthing class of '81 here

 

[Spider-Jay420]

1977 since we're sharing.

 

[Norrin Parker]

93!

 

[Captain Lantern]

Good ol' '86!

 

[Dread]

Small week to kick off October, but a solid one. Spoilers ahoy!

DREAD'S BOUGHT/THOUGHT FOR 10/2/13:

QUANTUM & WOODY #4: Valiant Entertainment's original "Quantum & Woody" series of the late 90's was known for many things. Some of them include its creator Christopher Priest, its innovative sense of humor, and its unique take on "buddy team" comics. But most of all, it was known for the official mascot of the duo, which was a goat. When the relaunch of this series was announced last year, questions about the goat were among the first asked to Valiant editors as well as the series' new writer, James Asmus. The goat has appeared on every single cover so far, either on the regular cover and/or the variant covers (of which Valiant is fond of). Usually, only characters such as Wolverine, Spider-Man, or Batman are capable of appearing on covers of comics they're not actually in. Thankfully, goat fans can rejoice as that drought which began in 2000 is ended. The goat is back. Fortunately, the other two guys are back, too.

This issue concludes the opening arc of this relaunch by Asmus alongside former "MAD Magazine" artist Tom Fowler and colorist Jordie Bellaire. The non-dynamic duo of "Quantum & Woody" split up at the end of the previous issue, but both found themselves circling back to the source of their current pain - the headquarters of the mad science enclave Edison Radical Acquisitions (E.R.A.), who were involved in the death of their father and the lab explosion which empowered the adoptive brothers. Woody has been captured by the "Johnny twins" as well as the reclusive woman who runs the enclave, who has cheated death by swapping body parts (or her face) with an army of clones - including Det. Cejudo, who has been chasing the pair to begin with. Also stealing the spotlight here is a cyborg from the 1980's named "Beta-Max". Quantum manages to save his brother and unleashes an army of animals from an experimental wing, and this is where the infamous goat comes from. Much like the rabbit from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", the goat is a terror who manages to tear enemies limb from limb, albeit off panel for comic effect. This finale establishes the rest of the supporting cast going forward and gets the combative siblings to a reasonable status quo.

Much like "Archer & Armstrong", this series manages to mingle comedy alongside some genuinely tender moments. While this series is more comedic than "Archer & Armstrong" (which takes some doing), at its heart is a narrative about two guys who grew up in a very nontraditional family who manage to unite despite their baggage and conflicting personalities. The villains get defeated and the brothers come to a compromise to continue as heroes as well as existing, given their shared energy status. Fowler has proven he is more than capable for a gig in mainstream comics, excelling at physical comedy as well as over the top action sequences as well. The one-liners from Asmus always fly faster than the energy beams, and every issue is simply a pleasure to read through. The next arc sees Ming Doyle ("Mara") take over for three issues, as Valiant Entertainment chooses to rotate artists every arc rather than see any delays in publications. "Quantum & Woody" remains a hilarious superhero option for those who need a much needed laugh out of their spandex adventures.

IRON MAN #16: "The Origin of Tony Stark" continues on as Kieron Gillen remains joined by former "Iron Man" artist in Carlos Pagulayan in this seemingly endless story adding retroactive continuity to Tony Stark's origin. Having revealed that his birth and intelligence were part of a ploy by alien recorder robot 451 in an "ends justify the means" style attempt to defend earth, Tony has to escape the massive Godkiller armor before it vanishes into another dimension. While he finally does and escapes back home in time for a surprise birthday party, 451's revelations appear to be only the start of the skeletons suddenly within the closet of Tony's parents. Pagulayan's art is great with great colors by Guru eFX, although by this stage this story is dangerously close to overstaying its welcome.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #2: Al Ewing continues his first major foray into Marvel Comics with his relaunch of yet another Avengers title riding the coattails of the "Infinity" crossover event. Despite being joined by "art" by Greg "Photoshop" Land, he continues to pen an action packed and exciting yarn about a band of plucky heroes who unite due to proximity and circumstance to become the latest squad of Avengers, considering that all the rest of the heroes are busy fighting a war in space. Thus, Thanos' minion Proxima Midnight has led an attack on Times Square with a horde of expendable alien soldiers and Luke Cage, Monica Rambeau (now calling herself "Spectrum"), the "superior" Spider-Man and the mysterious "Spider-Hero" have randomly mobilized to stop them. Yet half the issue focuses on the Watcher subtly convincing retired superhero Adam Brashear - a.k.a. the Blue Marvel - to go back into action to turn the tide. Originally created by actor/screenwriter/producer Kevin Grevioux (best known for "Underworld") in a mini series which came and went in 2008 offering a forgotten hero who was a casualty of the pre-Civil Rights era of the early 1960's. Grevioux has written the hero in two anthology stories since then as a sporadic savior in international disasters, but little has been done with a character who is arguably a superior version of Paul Jenkins' "Sentry". Ewing suddenly becomes the first writer to handle Brashear besides his creator, and overall does a bang up job summarizing the key details of his past while getting him back into action. Additional highlights include Luke Cage's showdown with Proxima. Lowlights include a hammy sequence with some random pedestrians which was played out even when "Spider-Man 2" did it nine years ago, and Greg Land seeming to believe Monica looks like trace shots of Halle Berry. Regardless, readers who want a simple, action packed and upbeat Avengers title with many lessor tier characters should be satisfied.

SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #4: When a book featuring some B-List villains of Spider-Man are suddenly easier to root for than the web-head himself, that is a sign that readers are in an odd era for the core Spider-Man series. Nick Spencer, artist Steve Lieber and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg continue to tell the madcap adventures of Fred Myers, ex baseball pitcher turned professional super villain, as he tries to lead a band of fellow villains while remaining out of jail. Ever since being forced into doing the bidding of the Chameleon, Myers has been stuck trying to get his former Sinister Six comrades - Shocker, Speed-Demon, Overdrive and the new female Beetle - to tow the line without making them suspicious. Unfortunately, none of them are terribly competent or loyal. After being booted from the team in the previous issue, Myers sets up his own team's arrest by the "heroes for hire" before arranging for their subsequent jailbreak to force their loyalty. Meanwhile, he tries to keep Chameleon off his back and score with a random snooty bartender. For some this may be a "Hawkeye Lite", but for others it is an entertaining look at the life of lower tier villains who are just out for cash scores and surviving the machinations of mob bosses rather than seek world domination or revenge. It is a book which will likely struggle to survive past a tenth issue, so it should be enjoyed while it lasts.

 

[squeekness]

Birthing class of '81 here

1977 since we're sharing.

93!

Good ol' '86!

Apparently it was the age of dinosaurs for me, lol.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Pretty good week of comics.

Infinity 4 - This was the first time in 6 issues of the space portion of the story that I actually really liked what I read. Thor had an awesome moment in it, leading to a fairly predictable ending with the Kree. Still, Thor had an awesome moment. I don't know if it's enough to get me to buy any more issues of Avengers, but it was at least nice to read.

As for the Thanos/New Avengers aspect of the story, it's focused fully on Blackbolt and Thanos' battle with snippets going to Thanos' son. It was decent, but I feel like they had Thanos take one too many Blackbolt screams. I know Thanos is resilient but I feel like that was just slightly too much. But Thanos' past has shown him to be powerful so I can overlook that. The story itself was decent. I'm curious what's to come now that Blackbolt is down. I'm hoping the other New Avengers play a bigger role in the next two issues.

And was it just me or was Weaver's art not on par with the rest of his work throughout this event? It didn't look quite as good.


X-Men 6 - Love Jubilee, but this issue was just sorta okay. Not bad, not great. Just okay. I predicted before the event started that Xorn would be Shogo. Well, I was wrong on which future X-Man was Shogo, but I was correct in predicting he was one of them. Still, the event is pretty crappy. Eager for it to end.


Forever Evil: Arkham War 1 - I've been looking forward to this and was pleased by what I read. I love Professor Pig, so I like that he was a big part of this issue. I love the villains in this issue and in many of the Villain Month tie-ins that lead to it. I'm definitely on board with the rest of this mini. I love that Bane is being a major force to be reckoned with here. Tomasi and Eaton have my attention, but really, knowing the two of them that shouldn't have come as a surprise.


Phantom Stranger 12 - Still my favorite comic. I'm hoping that Trinity War and then the upcoming Forever Evil: Blight crossover will help its sales. Dematteis took what was a pretty crappy comic and turned it into something deep and amazing. This issue is just as good or better than anything that's come prior, and I'm completely invested here. I'm completely intrigued by what possible role Doctor Thirteen and Chris have to play from here on forward. Great comic.


Batman 24 - The price of this issue took the enjoyment out of the read for me. I can see that it was a decent issue, but I couldn't help but to shrug. The art was fine, and it was good finally seeing Bruce in the cowl, but I think I'm ready for this story to be finished. That said, this was a nice, unspoken origin for the Joker. It was obvious where it was going and that the leader of the Red Hood Gang was him (though it was never said) but I liked that. I am pretty interested in Riddler's upcoming plot though. But still, I'm ready for moder Bat-stories.


Nightwing 24 - The conclusion to the Prankster/Zucco plot is pretty good. Will Conrad's art better suits this book than Booth's did, so that helps. I'm not sure where this'll catch up to Forever Evil, possibly next issue, but I look forward to how that plays out. With needing to make more cut soon, I worry that I won't be able to continue this title, but I'm crossing my fingers I can make cuts elsewhere. I've not enjoyed the book as much since Dick left Gotham, but he's still one of my favorite characters.


The Owl 4 - The final issue of the return mini into the world of Project Superpowers. As a big PSP fan, I was a little disappointed with this mini, but at least the final issue was the best of the bunch. The story wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing either. Fortunately, it was helped by some pretty good art. I do like the Owl, but I think I like him better in a group setting. Here's hoping for some more PSP titles soon. I know a Ghost mini is ready to go. They're just waiting for the right time, and hopefully that time is soon. That goes for PSP Chapter 3 as well.


Best and Worst of the Week

Best: Phantom Stranger - It's pretty much become standard with me that if an issue of PS comes out, it'll be the best of the month. I just love this book.

Worst: X-Men - Yeah, what I said above applies to Battle of the Atom as well... only substitute 'best' with 'worst'.

 

[runawayboulder]

So.......Thor finally had an awesome moment in a Marvel Event.

IT WAS GLORIOUS.

 

[JTStarkiller]

My God, Infinity was so great this week. I just love this series.

 

[Mr. Dent]

What a great YOU WANT ME TO PUT THE HAMMER DOWN moment

And the Earth portion was great also. Birth of Thane, Thanos and Black Bolt face to face. Kind of wish we had see what the Illuminati and the Black Order were doing but the more intimate focus this issue was nice in itself.

 

[hippie_hunter]

So did anyone else read Afterlife with Archie, because I thought that book was FREAKING AWESOME!

 

[Dread]

Only hours away from my third NYCC in a row, better drop this spoiler bomb while I can. It was a short but mostly sweet week.

DREAD'S BOUGHT/THOUGHT FOR 10/9/13:

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #14: Fred Van Lente kicks off a new arc in his far reaching and often hilarious series about two unlikely allies with Valiant Comics, which means a new artist has been added to the fold. Khari Evans joins the fold flanked by regular colorist Dave Baron and as usual, maintains the general feel of the series artistically while still offering something distinct and new. Frankly, the only thing which diminishes this issue is that it is clearly a set up issue to kick off the arc more than a story unto itself. This issue reveals the origin of "the Sect", the secret cabal which controls the planet who Archer and Armstrong have been involved with since the series began. Their origins reach back into ancient Egypt and have since split into twelve factions - three of which have been dismantled by our heroes' efforts. The remaining nine are about to go to war with each other not only due to Archer seeking out his origins, but due to manipulations from within. This issue offers a splash of action and some much needed exposition, but having split its duo for now, it has lost some of the humor which is usually apparent. Regardless, the "Sect Civil War" is off to a fascinating start.

AVENGERS A.I. #4: Between this and "Avengers Arena", these haven't been good times for "Runaways" characters. Hank Pym and his robot Avengers (Vision, Victor Mancha, a Doombot and the mysterious Alexis) have teamed with SHIELD's Monica Chang to take on rogue artificial intelligence Dimitrios and his new army of A.I.s. Vision has been manipulated into their online city "the diamond" while the heroes have assembled to destroy its physical server on an abandoned oil rig, which turns out to be a trap. Writer Sam Humphries and artist Andre Lima Araujo (and colorist Frank D'Armata) pen an interesting story placing robots and cyborgs into the role of ostracized "other" and the battles which this provokes. Dimitrios is a robotic terrorist seeking to destroy humanity to gain robot rights, while other characters seek other solutions. As a cyborg, Victor has lived in both worlds and seems to make the ultimate sacrifice to try to save his comrades here. Araujo's art continues to seem similar to Khoi Pham's although his line work is superior, often going to town on the action or the far out internet landscapes. On the downside, Alexis continues to be a walking deus ex machina whose origins remain vague. As part of the mass expansion of the "Avengers" line, this series is hanging in there better than "Fearless Defenders" is in terms of sales so far, even if it seems to remain a more run of the mill adventure series springing forth from some ideas presented from Rick Remender's run on "Secret Avengers".

INFINITY #4: This may be the best issue of this crossover event series by writer Jonathan Hickman, even if that doesn't say much. As with most crossover event stories, it is more of an attempt to put forth an editorial agenda more than it is to be a story unto itself, and this issue proves no exception. Marvel Comics are seeking to give "the Inhumans" franchise another major push across their line, more than likely due to the fact that they are a franchise similar to that of the "X-Men" which hasn't been licensed out to a different film studio as the "X-Men" have been since the late 90's. To this end Black Bolt's destruction of the Inhuman city of Attilan to spite Thanos has released their empowering Terrigen mists across the world. These mists have suddenly attached to people descended from Inhumans around the world and increased their ranks. The blurring of the line between mutants and Inhumans is interesting, as the aftermath of 2005's "House of M" proved that Terrigen mists could effect mutants, albeit often fatally. It is stated that "Maximus the Mad" rigged something so these mists only go towards secret Inhuman offspring, and that's the best explanation one will get. Thanos' son "Thane" is introduced as a healer in a far off country whose heritage has now been thrust upon him; one wonders how many seconds it took to come up with that name for Thanos' son. One supposes "Hanos" was too easy. It would have been a surprise had Marvel's official Facebook game not ruined this plot detail weeks ago. Meanwhile, Captain America tricks one of their space aliens into a false surrender meeting just to see if Thor is capable of taking one of the powerful "Builders" down. The art by Jerome Opena and Dustin Weaver continues to excel, even if the story remains bland and uninspiring. Far better space sagas by Marvel Comics can be read at the graphic novel section of any bookstore; just look for "Annihilation" or "Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning" on the spine.

FEARLESS DEFENDERS #10: This latest incarnation of a "Defenders" series has experienced an interesting run thus far. Launched in February only two months after a previous volume of "Defenders" written by hot writer Matt Fraction was canceled for low sales, it was merged with "The Fearless" mini series which bubbled forth after the "Fear Itself" event of 2012 to create what was Marvel's first all heroine team book, "Fearless Defenders". Written by Cullen Bunn ("Venom") with regular art by Will Sliney and colors by Veronica Gandini, it saw a modest debut of just under 54,000 copies sold before promptly dropping like a stone down the top 100 sales list. Despite selling worse than the previous "Defenders" volume since June, it was decided not to cancel it, but to increase the cover price by a dollar to maximize profits in the short term to keep the book in print longer. Despite the series being popular on various Internet circles like Tumblr and gaining a lot of negative press when it seemed as if Bunn had killed off a lesbian supporting character (who was resurrected in the next issue), that amount of attention has not translated into sales. The efforts of Marvel to throw this title more rope, perhaps to avoid negative press from female bloggers, have been commendable and allowed Bunn and Sliney time to craft a stronger book than its first arc implied.

At this stage in the game, Bunn has avoided strict arcs for more "done in one" stories which connect to an overall subplot - a more successful strategy. While the cover notes that this is part of the "Infinity" crossover event, in practice this is simply yet another random adventure with the new squad of lady Defenders against a threat of the month. A drastic difference is that Bunn and Sliney have chosen to devote the lion's share of the issue towards using the events of the latest issue of "Infinity" to introduce a new character into the fold. Readers are introduced to Ren Kimura, the product of upper class parents who have sought to control her life and hobbies with regimen and routine to mold her into something like them who in the end simply wants to dance. The latest crossover event has revealed that she's descended from the Inhumans and she's suddenly burst from a cocoon with strange new powers. She finds she's hardly alone as more people are becoming cocoons around Manhattan and are not only under attack by spare space thugs from Thanos' army, but are being kidnapped by this series' main antagonist Caroline Le Fay and a gang of female villains plucked from the Marvel Handbook. Characters such as spare Spider-Man villains Mindblast and Shriek put in their first appearance in over a decade. When Valkyrie, Misty Knight and the rest of the Defenders appear, which side will Ren choose?

On the whole, this is a very by-the-numbers superhero story which likely won't offer many surprises. There is a lot of action, some snappy dialogue and explosions offered throughout. Sliney's artwork has continued to evolve during his tenure on this book, and while he's limited his "T&A" poses somewhat, he still seems to struggle with facial expressions. As has become common, the listed team of Defenders on the first page don't actually all assemble in the story within (even if missing members are at least mentioned). Considering how many comic creators save their major creative juices for properties they own, it is to be commended that Bunn is willing and able to add new characters to the Marvel Universe in Annabelle Riggs and now Ren Kimura. While Ren's introduction many be similar to how many "new mutant" stories are done in X-Men comics, that is more a flaw of the general editorial push of the Inhumans franchise more than Bunn's story itself. In addition, Bunn's eagerness to pluck heroes and villains out of obscurity for his battle scenes always warms the cockles of a hardcore fan's heart.

"Fearless Defenders" may not be long for this world despite the extra rope it's been given, but for as long as it remains it continues to be an entertaining romp featuring ladies new, old, and everything in between.

 

[The Squirrel]

Rocket Girl #1 A start that good have used more set up, but a fun book nonetheless. The art is gorgeous! I'm looking forward to the next issue. Hopefully this book will catch on.

 

[squeekness]

X-Men 6 - Love Jubilee, but this issue was just sorta okay. Not bad, not great. Just okay. I predicted before the event started that Xorn would be Shogo. Well, I was wrong on which future X-Man was Shogo, but I was correct in predicting he was one of them. Still, the event is pretty crappy. Eager for it to end.




Best and Worst of the Week

Best: Phantom Stranger - It's pretty much become standard with me that if an issue of PS comes out, it'll be the best of the month. I just love this book.

Worst: X-Men - Yeah, what I said above applies to Battle of the Atom as well... only substitute 'best' with 'worst'.

Yeah, this crossover isn't wowing me either. I can't keep track of who is really who and who is on which side. It hurts my brain.

 

[Hush]

I loved pretty much every comic I read this week and infinity is the best event I have read In a very long time. Zero Year was pretty great too, Snyder writes the best Batman in years.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Quick reviews...

Uncanny X-Men 13 - Battle of the Atom Chapter 8. Same as the rest of my BotA reviews. Bleh.

New Avengers 11 - Decent issue that fits in well with what's going on in the space aspect of the story, but still remains separate enough to not need to be reading Avengers. Fortunately, because I decided to finally skip out on Avengers starting this week. Apparently the Builders were defeated in that issue, because this issue says they were defeated and they weren't in the last issue of Infinity. Still, I don't care about that. As far as the issue itself goes, it was decent. I'm not as big on the Incursion issues, but it was still decent. Good to see Black Swan and Terrax make a little cameo.

Batwoman 24 - I really wanted to enjoy this issue but had trouble taking it seriously now that Williams III and Blackman are gone. Next issue is a Year Zero issue (that I'm not interested in) and then a new writer is taking over. I'm curious how he picks up on this plot, especially this cliffhanger ending. Still, the issue was alright (though the art was just sorta okay in places). I think it's a bad idea for DC to interrupt this series so badly. First a month pause for Villains month, then one issue, then a Zero Year pause next month, then it comes back but with a new writer. They aren't even using the script already completed by Williams. I'm curious how the new writer picks up this issue's ending. We'll see.

I like Flamebird in this book. I forget what she's calling herself now but remember not liking it. She refers to herself as Rook in this issue (as a code name, not a heroic name) and I liked that. I wish she would go by that regularly.

Pandora 4 - This was probably the most interesting issue since this title started. Following Trinity War, Pandora is quickly shunted to Earth 3 where she briefly meets the dying Earth 3 version of Martian Manhunter. Then she returns and hunts down Vandal Savage to help her find the Outsider. That will then lead to a cliffhanger ending against Outsider with hopes of her being able to force him into fixing Pandora's Box. Pretty good.

I was planning on dropping this book but decided to keep going on it since it's crossing over with Justice League Dark and Phantom Stranger for 5 or so months. Might as well keep going instead of skipping 2 issues. I like the character, so I don't mind.

Justice League of America 8 - I bought this on accident because I thought it was Justice League, but it ended up featuring several of the main JL characters, so I don't mind. It showed that the Justice League is trapped in some prison, but I get the impression Manhunter, the main character, isn't as free as he thinks. I won't be getting any more of this I don't think, but it wasn't that bad.


Best and Worst of the Week

Best: New Avengers - It was a pretty good issue. I'm glad this is the last tie-in though, other than an aftermath following Infinity 6. I' ready for this title to move on.

Worst: Uncanny X-Men - Battle of the Atom in last place as always.

 

[Mr. Dent]

Avengers and New Avengers was awesome this week. Cool how the aftermath of Avengers lead right into New Avengers. Only thing I didn't like between the two issues was the montage in Avengers of them freeing worlds and Captain Universe deus-exing them...but at least it's a believable deus ex since she created them in the first place.

lol at Thanos not releasing Black Swan. You know it's bad when even he is scared of the consequences. I also really liked how Thanos commented on how what the Illuminati are doing agrees with him. They really are doing his work. Great stuff. I'm still hoping Hickman ties in the stuff going on with the Inhumans and Thanos back into the larger Builder storyline, because otherwise it really was just a company ordered thing and he never had to be there in the first place. Or maybe that's too harsh...I'd just like to see Thanos have a better reason for razing Earth than to just kill his son for the same reasons that were presented in Thanos Rising and go on a meaningless hunting spree...both things that were obviously going to end up in vain from the very beginning.

I guess we have to wait to find out why exactly Black Bolt had that Terrigen Bomb built in the first place.

Cool getting a first taste of what Inhumanity will be like in Avengers Assemble 20.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he first have the Terrigen Bomb built during War of Kings? Wasn't that what he was trying to do prior to the bomb exploding and ripping a hole in space? I was thinking that was his plan, to force the Kree to evolve to better challenge the Shi'ar... but then, it's been a while since I read that.

 

[Dread]

Been a hectic week post-NYCC, but may as well get in some reviews now!

DREAD'S BOUGHT/THOUGHT FOR 10/16/13:

BLOODHOUND: CROWBAR MEDICINE #1: What a wild and strange trip it has been for this creator owned series by Dan Jolley and Drew Johnson. Back in 2004, "Bloodhound" graced comic book shelves on behalf of DC Comics, offering a very different series than what most of their traditional superhero or Vertigo books offered. Drawn by Leonard Kirk with inks by Robin Riggs and colors by Moose Baumann, it offered a series with a simple premise yet excellent execution. Hulking ex-cop, ex-con Travis Clevenger, a.k.a. "Clev", wound up getting out of prison to help FBI agent Saffron Bell with tracking down a superhuman criminal. Thrown in jail for the death of his partner, despite being set up by dirty cops, Clev was often hated by both crooks and lawmen alike, but he used his time in jail to become as huge as a pro-wrestler via the weight room. Having a "knack" for profiling superhuman criminals, Clev and Bell would go on to tackle powerful criminals outside the areas where traditional DC superheroes roamed. The series lasted ten issues, with one of those issues being a crossover with "Firestorm" and thus not counting towards the series own continuity. Thus, with nine issues Jolley managed to tell three arcs, which at the time was considered revolutionary. Unfortunately, DC did little to promote the series and it was cancelled in 2005, left to become a cult favorite of back issue bin hounds. On a personal note, it was a series I always remembered, and I listed the series in my "best 725 comics of the decade" article at the end of 2009 (which was my first year as an Examiner).

Fast forward eight years, and now the series has found a home at Dark Horse Comics. Some secret contract deals allowed Jolley to eventually pluck his series from DC Comics ownership, so long as subsequent reprints and newer stories made no mention to DC characters (i.e. no reprint of that "Firestorm" crossover issue). As Dark Horse seeks to craft their future while mindful of the upcoming loss of their "Star Wars" license as well as Image Comics' rise as a creator ownership haven, they have been allowing many creators to continue old series with their publisher as well as relaunch past characters. Their editors have wisely organized the complete reunion of the entire creative team behind the original run of "Bloodhound" for a five part mini series with ambitions for more.

This issue operates as an eleventh issue of a series, which might seem a bit dismaying for some as this series has been off the grid for almost a decade. There is a recap of the basic premise behind the front cover, but there is no in-story flashback or summary of the previous series, which may be offsetting to some newcomers. Clev is in Georgia having a visit with his ex-wife Trish and his daughter, while his partner/"handler" Bell is having a timely debate with a friend about self defense and weapons, with "superhumans" being switched in for "guns" in the debate. Unfortunately, yet another superhuman criminal runs amok about the area, leading to a massive attack which kills a lot of people. Leaping into the fray over the protests of local cops, it is soon up to Clev to try to talk down a living earthquake. The story ends with Dr. Bradly Morgenstern upping the ante by offering super powers to anyone who asks...for a price.

Fans of the old series will find themselves in familiar territory. Kirk's artwork remains as crisp and smooth as ever, flanked by great colors and inks by Baumann and Riggs. The story captures both Clev and Bell well and sets up their series' premise effectively enough that new readers should be able to follow the story and hopefully be inspired to grab the trade collection of the previous nine issues Dark Horse is soon publishing. As usual, Clev solves the problem with a combination of keen, sharp wits and knuckles of steel, and it is nice to see the swear words not "bleeped" by text. Offering 22 pages for $3.99, this is considered "extra sized" compared to many "big two" comics at such a price. In addition, the letters page has added a segment where Clev himself offers advice to people, which is equally hilarious. Mixing in one part "Sin City" with another part "Criminal Minds" with a pinch of "Heroes", "Bloodhound" remains a unique and entertaining, as well as "butt kicking", addition to any comic fan's pull list. It was a crying shame that this series was overlooked back in 2005; it would be an even worse shame for history to repeat itself.

BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE #3: DC Comics' anthology reprint of their digital-first "Beyond" line of comics continues to offer thrills and chills based loosely on their animated universe from the turn of the century. Kyle Higgins continues to expertly pick up where Adam Beechen left off with the main "Batman Beyond" strip, flanked well by Thony Silas' art and Andrew Elder's colors. Terry McGinnis - the Batman of 2040 - is dealing with a disaster which has caused the murder of Gotham's newest mayor and a massive breakout at Arkham Asylum. Seemingly attacked by the Batman family of the past, he finds himself engaged against an alliance of some of his worst foes, as well as a new one, the electricity controlling Rewire. As Terry and the middle aged Dick Grayson fight to save everyone, commissioner Barbara Gordon works behind the scenes to piece the mystery together, as the over the hill Bruce Wayne refuses to retire during a crisis. The artwork is terrific and Higgins has captured the voices of the series so well, one can almost hear the electric guitar music of the cartoon playing as the panels are read. Rewire may seem a generic choice for a new villain, but it is good that Higgins is looking to create new rogues rather than use old ones from the cartoon or just pluck off standard DC Comics figures from the past. In the second strip of the tome, Christos Gage and artist Ban Coello have constructed a "Justice League Unlimited" story around their most well known member, Superman. Having been lured into the Phantom Zone via the mysterious loss of his powers, he's now at the mercy of Jox-Ur, who was the "Superman: The Animated Series'" answer to General Zod. Can Superman defeat Jor-Ur and his son as they attempt to kill the rest of the League with Superman's own robots and cause a Phantom Zone break out? The action is a bit straightforward, although Gage always juggles a large cast well and captures the voices of his characters whether they have a big or small role, and this run proves no exception. As always, this package continues to offer a respite for DC Comics fans seeking both nostalgia and quality in their comics.

INVINCIBLE #106: Mark Grayson and Atom Eve have an awkward dinner with the parents in this amusing issue of Robert Kirkman's long running superhero epic, drawn as always by the ever talented Ryan Ottley and colored by John Rauch. A visit to Mark's parents home on the moon leads to a clash of ideals between Nolan and Eve, as well as a chance to see if the son is stronger than the father via an arm wrestling match - even if the cover does ruin that surprise. Meanwhile, Battle Beast is recruited for an assassination mission by Allen, which may not quite be what Nolan wanted. Considering some of the action packed issues from last year missed the mark quite a bit, a return to a slower and steadier progression of the plot has allowed this series to see an upswing in quality, even if it may not quite be at its prime for some.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #19: The finale of Dan Slott's current arc pitting the "superior" Spider-Man (Doc Ock possessing Peter Parker's body) against the time spanning plots of Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O'Hara) come to an exciting conclusion with not only works on its own as a standard over the top cross time caper, but as an installment in the larger subplot revolving Ock possessing the body of the hero he essentially murdered. Growing more and more unstable, Spidey-Ock is forced to try to prevent all of time and space from exploding due to the machinations of Ty Stone alongside the rest of the Horizon Lab techs after foolishly knocking Miguel out. Once coming to, Miguel once again has to decide whether it is worth it to preserve his timeline if it means allowing the ancestor of his enemy to thrive and create the harsh world where Miguel hails from - where corporations like Alchemax run everything. In the end, the era of Horizon Labs seems to end as the rise of Alchemax becomes official, with Miguel trapped in the past against his will. Above all, this arc has seen the hint of some long overdue comeuppance for the increasingly unstable and dangerously egotist Ock. Despite obviously acting like a cheap 1950's villain, Carlie Cooper is convinced figuring out how "Spidey" funds his toys is the only way to show that something is obviously wrong (on a world where Jackal still makes clones and shapeshifting aliens who could fool all of Marvel's heroes' tech invaded only about two years prior). Fortunately, her subplot comes to a head this week. The biggest development is a two page sequence that suggests in trying to access Peter's memories, Ock may have psychically resurrected the "soul" he has tried so hard to destroy. That sequence is just a sample of the terrific artwork provided by Ryan Stegman and colorist Edgar Delgado for this arc. While the long term premise continues to rely on many characters and fellow heroes being incredibly naive, this arc has been an upswing in terms of providing a heroic counterpart to Ock as well as progressing the overall series forward.

THE STANDARD #4: If it feels like ages between issues, it is only because it has been; I reviewed the previous issue at the end of last year's New York Comic Con. To recap, "The Standard" is a superhero murder mystery story wrapped around a commentary about differences between generations as well as the impact of the media in this current generation. Decades ago, Gilbert Graham became the superhero "the Standard" via a freak encounter with a space rock and eventually adopted a troubled young boy, Alex Thomas, as a surrogate son and sidekick, Fabu-Lad. Graham ultimately retired to become a teacher as Thomas grew up and took over the Standard mantle. However, when a child abduction captures the heart of the media and Thomas is murdered by a mysterious figure, Graham ultimately comes out of retirement to finish his ward's last case. Caught in the midst of the 24/7 media cycle, however, means Graham's happy retirement may be a thing of the past.

After the third issue's joyous ending, this issue brings things down to earth with expected ramifications as well as offers a contrast between tones of comic heroes once more. The return of the original Standard has spread across the media, and once again catapulted Graham into the social spotlight. Being greeted like a rock star when arriving to work, Graham recalls the case of "TV-Man", a burly thug who sought to lure him into a fight nearly thirty years prior via a series of televised boasts. Graham tried to impart into the young Alex the folly of having motivated by ego or fame, which were sadly lessons which he lost sight of as he got older. At first unwilling to return to wearing his purple and orange tights full time, Graham manages to save two of his students from street punks before ultimately being convinced to help solve the spate of murders linked to his past alongside Sky City's other superhero, "the Corpse". Much as Graham represents the "gee whiz" Silver Age, "the Corpse" represents the "extreme" era of the early 1990's with a design and dialogue balloon scheme which immediately invokes memories of "Spawn". Such comparisons work as the artwork by Jonathan Rector seems to have a hint of Todd McFarlane in his style, flanked well by Mike Gagnon's vibrant colors. The result is art which manages to tell an effective superhero story in a way which perennial superhero comic readers are used to and which manages to evoke different eras at once.

Writer John Lees (a.k.a. Keyser Soze) displays a love and understanding of superhero comics with this series, and this issue is no exception. There have been quite a few "old hero comes out of retirement" stories in superhero comics, from classics like "The Dark Knight Returns" or the more recent "Destroyer MAX" from Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker. One of the major differences in "The Standard" is that Gilbert Graham is the complete opposite of many of those senior citizen superheroes. He isn't grim or gritty and returns the same light hearted charm, demeanor, and optimism as from his youth. He tells street punks to watch their potty mouths, rocks a bow tie, and offers kids milkshakes without any hint of cynicism. The fact that the story he's in is actually quite violent and there's a layer of tragedy to his wife which this issue finally reveals simply stands to make those qualities shine. While "the Corpse" was an easy suspect for the series' string of murders, he turns out to be a red herring as the killer seems to be going down a list of victims which will eventually lead to hi-tech tycoon Zena Zarthos, daughter of Graham's arch nemesis. "The Standard" doesn't mock the simplistic morality and mannerisms of the Silver Age while acknowledging that times have changed and not always for the better. The meeting between Graham and "the Corpse" offers great contrast as the story deepens the mystery and offers an exciting cliffhanger.

Although Gilbert Graham wasn't declared the official lead of this series until its second issue, it is the focus and embellishment of him which sparks more interest than the murder mystery angle at times. The revelations in this issue reveal that Graham isn't who he is because he's not faced tragedy or grim events, but in spite of them. One can almost hear Adam West voicing the character in some imaginary animated adaptation, only not the version who voices the mayor in "Family Guy", but the West who impressed a generation of kids in "Beware the Grey Ghost" on "Batman: The Animated Series" in the 90's. Seeing Graham contrast with the world around him from Thomas' sleazy agent to "the Corpse" as well as face villains far more vicious than anything he's faced in his prime is at the heart of the drama, and one which can make waiting a year between issues seem to not seem as long. Fortunately, it won't be nearly that long until the next installment, and remains one of ComixTribe's best titles. At 28 pages for four dollars, it's more than a bargain for page count alone.

AND THEN EMILY WAS GONE #1: John Lees shifts gears from superheroes to horror with this new title alongside artist Iain Laurie for a very different story about an unlikely hero coming out of retirement. Drawn in black and white, it seems as if having a hero come out of retirement to solve a child abduction is a trope which Lees seems to favor, although that's where similarities with "The Standard" end. The star of the story is Mr. Hellinger, an ex-cop who fell from grace after claiming to see monsters and then drinking himself to oblivion to avoid them ever since. The young Fiona spurs him out of his drunken stupor and his shabby apartment with a fantastic story; not only does she believe her friend Emily was abducted, but that she was taken by a monster from urban legend, Bonnie Shaw. Meanwhile, Emily's parents become obsessed with a demonic box, and readers also meet the bizarre Vin and Louise, who seem to be low level thugs for hire.

Describing Laurie's artwork can be a task, since it is far different from Jonathan Rector's more flashy superhero style. Laurie uses strong lines, a lot of detail and excellent uses of blacks and white to establish a creepy mood throughout the work, not unlike an indie horror film. His style may seem vaguely similar to many small indie comics offered on sale at progressive shops in downtown Brooklyn or even "Forbidden Planet" in Greenwich Village, yet remains distinctly his own. Bonnie Shaw himself is essentially "the Boogeyman of Merksay island" and has a design which makes him look frightening without being so over the top that he borders on parody, as many monsters in cinema tend to do. Nobody is a perfectly chiseled super model in these pages, with their own distinctive faces, body types and teeth. It may merely be the opening chapter of a longer story, but it is an effective chapter which sets up this strange horror/mystery quite well with efficient dialogue and art like no other.