X-Men: Gold #31 - Review

How about that marriage, huh? Yeah, well at least the fans got the long pined-for wedding of Gambit and Rogue. That is a hell of a consolation prize. We get just a bit of the fallout from the wedding before we are whisked away to the future, seeing that despite all their turmoil Shadowcat and Colossus still love each other and may still get together down the road - just not today.

God, it was good seeing Scott Summers again wasn't it???!!!

I was confused that we were seeing a glimpse into Extermination, but then the ending revealed it was just a hallucination and not real time travel - so erase from your memory all that bullshit I said before.

Poor Prestige was mind controlled - where the hell was Old Man Logan? Why isn't he on this team? That would have been perfect character work since he knows all about mind control. Oh well, none of that. Instead it looks like we might be blending with X-Men: Blue as Prestige laid waste to some of the originals.

This was a serviceable issue. Art was decent, story moved along. Your average X-Men comic.

Avengers #694 - Review

First of all, I will always use the legacy number when available. I absolutely hate relaunches and if I can reference a series while ignoring the constant relaunches the Big 2 are complicit in, I will. This is and will always be Avengers #694.

With that out of the way, how is the issue? Very good, actually. McGuinness gets top billing, but I see very little of his work here - only if I look really hard. Paco Medina does an amazing job and their styles are so similar, that it all blended together for me. I love the cartoon style at play here. It reminds me of the late great Mike Wieringo, who I still miss very much. I am so glad this style is alive and well after so many dark and gritty renditions of these characters.

One feature of comic books that I think is often overlooked in review is pacing. How does it read? If the most breezy Daniel Way comic is one end of the spectrum and Alan Moore is on the other, I would say this one is pretty solidly in the middle. I realized about three quarters of the way through that the issue wasn't finished yet and I found that comforting. It had just enough to make it feel like a full meal.

The plot has been a bit confusing in this story arc. For instance, why in the hell do they keep referencing the "Final Host", but not showing a single Dark Celestial. Is it multiple? I've never heard host referred to in the plural and I find it confusing every time they do it. I am sure there will be a good explanation for it eventually. Thankfully, we get more clarity on what is going on with the Celestials. Though whomever thought this arc would lead to the return of the Eternals was dead wrong (pun intended).

To be honest though, I am getting tired of these stories that reveal the truth about the past and bring something that is impossible to beat - only to be eventually defeated anyway. Like, can't we just move forward and introduce new characters without them having a reason to be away and dormant for long periods of time? There are only so many times you can go to that well before it runs dry - I am looking at you Bendis!

Anyway, I enjoyed it. Great art and pacing, some great moments for She-Hulk who I find compellingly sexy. Hey, what can I say....I like 'em thick.

My Comic Book Origins

Mighty Mutanimals was the first comic book I ever bought.

Felpausch, a regional grocery store, had a comic book section that I would eagerly browse when my parents would shop there.

The first issue of Bucky O'Hare by Continuity Comics was another comic book I purchased from the same store.

When my grandfather was in the hospital for cancer of the larynx and was having a laryngectomy, I had a lot of time on my hands while my parents were dealing with all that. It was in that hospital that I began drawing my own comic books. I recently learned that if I folded computer paper sideways and I planned out the pages, I could make my own comics. The one thing dad had a lot of was computer paper - he was always printing things.

Just like riding a bike. I drew this in less than a minute. Unfortunately, none of the original comics survived, but I can draw him exactly as he looked back then.

What I created that day was the Adventures of Stick Figure Man, but that wasn't my first comic book character. It was my second. In the fourth grade, we had an art assignment and I wanted to create an original super hero. I thought about all the various characters and their powers and realized the one hero they hadn't yet created had plant-based powers (I wasn't aware of Swamp Thing at the time). I created my own super hero I called Plant Man.

It was on this very assignment that I first met who would become my best friend, Andrew. I paid attention to everyone's submissions, comparing them to mine. Then I saw something that really took my breath away - someone had drawn almost perfect replications of the Simpsons. Then I felt something that I had never felt before or since - an impulsive desire to meet this person. I had never before or since wanted to meet anyone in my life. Even meeting my future wife on a blind date filled me with anxiety. Most of the time I just want to avoid people and observe them and learn from them afar. For whatever reason, I said to myself - I want to meet this person and I had absolutely no anxiety whatsoever. Whether he wanted to be my friend or not, over the years, I willed it to happen.

Andrew grew up to be quite a dapper fellow. I realize now that there are very few pictures of us together even though I was his best man at his wedding :/. Ironically, he turned out to be a much better writer than an artist. Ah, maybe a co-writer or editor instead? :D.

My lack of drawing ability always nagged at me and being an impatient kid, I never really had the discipline or time to practice. So over the years, I made friends with people who I thought could draw well. There were outliers of course, but unconsciously, I was always recruiting an artist to draw my comic books. Of course in almost 30 years, that still hasn't happened. I promised myself that if I couldn't convince anyone to be my artist, than I would take back up the pencil and do it myself. Here I am at 37 and I think finally ready to get started.

Perennials Preview - October 2015

Age of Apocalypse #5 (of 5)

(W) Fabian Nicieza (A) Iban Coello (CA) Gerardo Sandoval

The philosophy of Apocalypse has always been "let the fittest survive," but by its ultimate extension, that would only leave one person standing! As mutants fall from the shocking release of a devastating plague, who will live and who will die? And if Apocalypse falls, who will rule in his place...?

Note: This Secret Wars mini was chosen as the Uncanny X-Men replacement (even though Uncanny X-Men has technically not yet ended).

Amazing Spider-Man #1

(W) Dan Slott (A) Giuseppe Camuncoli, Various (CA) Alex Ross

Spider-Man has gone global! Parker Industries is more successful than ever, with offices in New York, Shanghai, London and San Francisco and Peter Parker is racking up the frequent flyer miles with his "bodyguard" Spider-Man in tow, of course. But success breeds enemies and a reinvigorated Zodiac have also widened their scope to threaten the whole world. Join Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli as they take Spider-Man to the next level! This huge first issue also includes stories featuring Silk, Spidey 2099, Spider-Woman and much more!

Amazing Spider-Man #2

(W) Dan Slott (A) Giuseppe Camuncoli, Various (CA) Alex Ross

Captain America: Sam Wilson #1

(W) Nick Spencer (A/CA) Daniel Acuña

When Steve Rogers was restored to his natural age, he chose one of his closest and most trusted allies to take up his shield. Now Sam Wilson, formerly the Avenger known as Falcon, carries on the fight for liberty and justice as the all-new, all-different Captain America!

Note: This is a variant cover for issue #1

Captain America: Sam Wilson #2

(W) Nick Spencer (A/CA) Daniel Acuña

Civil War #5 (of 5)

(W) Charles Soule (A/CA) Leinil Francis Yu

• The final battle of the Civil War. Heroes and Villains from both sides of the Divide clash in an epic confrontation to determine the future of the Warzone once and for all!

Note: This Secret Wars mini was chosen as the Avengers replacement.

Extraordinary X-Men #1

(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Humberto Ramos

The fate of mutantkind is decided here! Staring down the threat of extinction once more, veteran X-Man Storm pulls together the team she'll need to ensure her race's survival. Together, these EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN will struggle with the familiar burden of being hated and feared, while facing threats the likes of which they've never seen. Here's hoping they survive the experience!

Extraordinary X-Men #2

(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Humberto Ramos

Invincible Iron Man #1 & 2

(W) Brian Michael Bendis (A/CA) David Marquez

Exploding out of the pages of SECRET WARS, one of the most popular super heroes in the world gets a gigantic new series. From the creators that brought you ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN comes new armor, new supporting cast, new villains and a new purpose that is going to tear itself across the entire Marvel Universe and beyond. With a shocker of a last page that will have everyone talking and the return of one of Tony's biggest nemeses, you will not want to miss this!! Also, who are Tony's biological parents? The quest begins here!

Secret Wars #6 & 7 (of 9)

(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Esad Ribic (CA) Alex Ross

THE FINAL WAR!

Thors #4 (of 4)

(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Chris Sprouse

• The shocking conclusion.
• The murderer revealed.
• The last stand of the Thors!

Note: This Secret Wars mini was chosen to replace Thor.

The Perennials are Changing

For the past 4 years, I have been collecting DC's New 52 Perennials:

• Justice League
• Superman
• Action Comics
• Batman
• Detective Comics
• Wonder Woman
• Green Lantern
• Flash
• Aquaman

Recently, I have had the desire to do other things, so I had to figure out a way to reduce my pull list. I looked over the 4 years of stories that DC has produced in the New 52 and I can safely say only Justice League was compelling. Greg Pak did some enjoyable things with Action Comics, but it played second-fiddle to Superman. Batman has had a nice run, but it hasn't spilled over into any grand ideas that influenced anything else. Some titles have not yet found their footing. For those reasons, I have to abandon my DC pull. I just don't enjoy their stories anymore.

An additional casualty is Daredevil. The idea of Perennials has two components: big characters and big stories. Daredevil has been around a long time, but his stories are always so insular and have almost zero impact in the Marvel Universe at large. He could disappear tomorrow and would create no ripple effect.

Thus, what I am left with are 8 solid Marvel Perennials, which will now be referred to as simple The Perennials. They include:

• All-New, All-Different Avengers by Mark Waid
• Extraordinary X-Men by Jeff Lemire
• Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman (My Fantastic Four book)
• Amazing Spider-Man by Dan Slott
• Totally Awesome Hulk by Greg Pak
• Captain America: Sam Wilson by Nick Spencer
• Invincible Iron Man by Brian Michael Bendis
• Mighty Thor by Jason Aaron

It has always been my intention to write reviews and explore the Perennials in further depth, but given the scope of the Perennials in the past, I couldn't realistic accomplish that goal. Now, with the scope of the Perennials being 8 series (plus future crossovers or event minis). I should be able to start working on that kind of coverage. No guarantees.

Perennials Preview - September 16th, 2015

Superman/Wonder Woman #21

(W) Peter J. Tomasi (A) Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza (CA) Paulo Siqueira

The epic "Truth" arc hits close to the heart as dark secrets come to light, forcing Superman and Wonder Woman to question whether their relationship can work in this new world of identities revealed and questionable actions.

Wonder Woman #44

(W) Meredith Finch (A/CA) David Finch, Jonathan Glapion

Wonder Woman is on the trail of Donna Troy, who seeks refuge in London from both Diana and her past. But a new friend may be more trouble than help for the fleeing Amazon outcast!

Age of Apocalypse #4 (of 5)

(W) Fabian Nicieza (A) Iban Coello (CA) Gerardo Sandoval

The philosophy of Apocalypse has always been "let the fittest survive," but by its ultimate extension, that would only leave one person standing! As mutants fall from the shocking release of a devastating plague, who will live and who will die? And if Apocalypse falls, who will rule in his place...?

Armor Wars #5 (of 5)

(W) James Robinson (A) Marcio Takara (CA) Paul Rivoche

ATTACK OF THE FIFTY FOOT MECHA!
• With the STARK FAMILY secret revealed...
• One the STARK BROTHERS must pay the price...
• Plus: Justice for SPYDER-MAN

Guardians of Knowhere #4 (of 4)

(W) Brian Michael Bendis (A/CA) Mike Deodato

• Who is this mysterious woman and how could she have taken out Gamora?
• Knowhere is in turmoil and, some would say, easy-pickings. Who's going to take it all?

House of M #3 (of 4)

(W) Dennis Hopeless, Cullen Bunn (A) Ario Anindito (CA) Kris Anka

• In order to retake everything he has lost, MAGNETO, the rightful patriarch of the House of Magnus, must ally himself with those he has sworn to rule-LUKE CAGE and the rest of the human resistance!

The Risk of J. J. Abrams Directing Star Wars: The Force Awakens

If there is one element which ties all of J. J. Abrams work together is the idea of the great reveal. Secrets and reveals were the cornerstone of LOST, the ABC serialized drama which put his name on the pop culture map. His subsequent films including Super 8, hinged on a reveal that once known allowed the film to be seen on its own merits, which usually didn't amount to much. The only time where one of J. J. Abram's films was able to stand on its own, his only enduring work, is Star Trek. The film is as watchable now as it was when it was first released. It doesn't rely as heavily on the reveal and Abrams would be wise to follow that framework for Star Wars.

People will discover the secrets of Star Wars: The Force Awakens before it is released. The film will be leaked. Secrets will be spilled. Abrams needs to make sure that the work isn't diminished by the inevitable reveals. The greatness of the current Star Wars is that they are enjoyable and watchable even after you learn that Darth Vader is Luke's father. That's what Abrams should be aiming for. Have secrets and reveals in the film, sure, but also make sure the work is able to stand as a shining example of cinema even after fans memorize every scene of the film.

DC/Marvel Perennials Preview - September 9th, 2015

Perennials is the word I use to describe the most popular and enduring characters from the DC/Marvel canon. I try to limit my comics purchases somehow, lest I go broke. So I settled on the Perennials.

Action Comics #44 (#948)

(W) Greg Pak, Aaron Kuder (A/CA) Aaron Kuder

The epic "Truth" arc reaches its finale as Superman makes some brutal choices and discovers the source of the Shadow Warriors.

Batman #44 (#757)

(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Jock

It's the origin of new villain Mr. Bloom! In a tale from Bruce Wayne's past, Batman must investigate a vicious crime in the shadowy area of Gotham City known as the Narrows. Don't miss this special issue illustrated by superstar artist Jock (Wytches, GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE)!

Batman/Superman #24

(W) Greg Pak (A/CA) Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes

The epic "Truth" arc reaches its finale as Superman discovers the true fate of Batman and makes a fateful decision.

Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #5 (of 5)

(W) Dan Slott (A/CA) Adam Kubert

• The Parkers vs. Regent.

Civil War #4 (of 5)

(W) Charles Soule (A/CA) Leinil Francis Yu

• Tony Stark comes face-to-face with his true enemy, while General Rogers commences a massive military effort to end the Civil War once and for all.

Planet Hulk #5 (of 5)

(W) Sam Humphries (A) Marc Laming (CA) Mike Del Mundo

BRANDED BY BATTLE! ABSOLVED BY BLOOD!
• For STEVE ROGERS and DEVIL DINOSAUR...there is no end to HULK, no promise of salvation.
• Crawl in the mud and the blood, until the claws of death reach your throat!
• THERE IS NO ESCAPE...PLANET HULK IS INSIDE US ALL!

Marvel Studios Thriftiness Hurts Film Quality

By many measures Marvel Studios has been a major success story. What began as an experiment to see if Iron Man could make it on the big screen has turned into a whole tapestry of films which tie into each other. This success was not guaranteed and I argue it Marvel Studios has been damn lucky so far. Currently they risk their luck running out and imploding upon their own lofty expectations. But how? By not investing in the tools of the trade - good writers and directors.

Recall that the first Marvel Studio film in the Cinematic Universe was Iron Man. Who directed that film? Happy Hogan himself, Jon Favreau. Not a fantastic director by any means, but cheap and pliable. Marvel got lucky in that the film was successful with those parts, taking a risk on a recovering Robert Downey Jr. who was past his prime.

Years later and we have a history of films directors and actors, which all point to the same conclusion - hire cheap and hope for the best. Marvel again got lucky with James Gunn and the Russo Brothers as their filmography was no guarantee of a good film, but they were cheap and pliable.

Recently, Marvel Studios has gotten competition from Warner Bros who owns DC Comics and is crafting their own comic book-based super-hero cinematic universe led by Superman and Batman. Who do they hire to make their films? Zach Snyder, David Ayer, James Wan, the writers/directors of The Lego Movie and Ben Affleck as writer/director/actor. Warner is investing heavily in actual established talent. Just look at the cast of Suicide Squad which casts former tent-pole actor Will Smith as just one of many popular actors in an ensemble cast.

Today comes word that Marvel Studios is breaking away from Marvel because of limits on costs and creativity. So Disney is not stupid and has seen what Warner Bros. is doing and realizes that Marvel needs to actually invest in their films to guarantee quality. This is a good development for the studio, but the damage has already been done. Doctor Strange and Spider-Man have already had directors with spotty (or non-existent) track records attached to them. If those film bomb, Marvel has no one to blame but themselves. I still mourn the Edgar Wright Ant-Man film I never got to see and will continue to for the rest of my life.

Pull List - April 1st, 2015

Amazing Spider-Man #17
(W) Dan Slott (A/CA) Humberto Ramos
• The Ghost has invaded Parker Industries!
• With this super-powered saboteur, no secret is safe-- no PEOPLE are safe, either, for that matter.

Avengers #43

(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Mike Mayhew (CA) Adam Kubert
IN TWO MONTHS...TIME RUNS OUT!

Cyclops #12

(W) John Layman (A) Javi Garron (CA) Alexander Lozano
• If power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, whaddaya think near-infinite cosmic power granted by the Black Vortex does?
• Jean Grey is about to find out, which spells very bad news for both Jean Grey-- and the universe!
• But there's one man who might be able to stop her, who might be able to save her... except in this case it's not exactly a man, it's a 16-year-old space-pirate-in-training and (maybe) the love of Jean Grey's life... Scott Summers.
• Can Cyclops save the day? Maybe. But we can't guarantee he'll survive the experience.

Uncanny Avengers #3

(W) Rick Remender, Gerry Duggan (A/CA) Daniel Acuña
• It was a perfect day on Counter Earth, then Sabretooth showed up.
• The Avengers are divided; the hunt for their missing friends unearths a terrible secret.
• What evil lurks on the moon of Counter Earth?

Uncanny Inhumans #0

(W) Charles Soule (A/CA) Steve McNiven
• The industry's best-selling artist comes to the Inhumans!
• The prelude to one of Marvel's biggest launches of 2015 is here!
• Think you know Black Bolt? Think again, as the men who killed Wolverine show you a side of the Inhuman King you've never seen before!

Wolverines #13

(W) Ray Fawkes, Charles Soule (A) Jason Masters (CA) Guillem March
THIS IS IT! THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!
• Make sure to pick up this issue for the DEBUT of a very special guest.
• Also, special appearances by some of your favorite Marvel Universe heroes (and even some villains).
• But what will the Paradise and Wolverines team think of the return?

Secret Wars Pre-Event Analysis

So Secret Wars is happening over at Marvel. It is an 8-issue event series, affecting just about every other book that Marvel publishes in its 616 universe of titles. Rumors swirled that this was a reboot of sorts for the continuity. I still don't know whether that will be the case or not. Let's go over what we do know.

• The Marvel Universe (and all multiverses and timelines) are being destroyed and mapped into a single planet known as Battleworld. Each continuity exists as its own country on this planet.
• Most of the existing series taking place in the Marvel Universe are being ended and starting in May will be replaced by series which seem to homage previous events. For example, Infinity Gauntlet and Planet Hulk.
• After having seen all the current replacement series, I can safely say that not a single 616-er is the focus or among any of these series. These are series about non-616 versions of 616 characters or in some cases characters that Marvel hasn't used for decades (Weirdworld).
• These series are advertised as series and not mini-series, which means they have the potential to keep going after Secret Wars has ended.

We have seen something similar to this in the past with the Age of Apocalypse storyline in X-Men during the 1990's. Each of the major X-Men titles were replaced by mini-series which told new and interesting stories from that timeline. The existing continuity ceased to exist and then after the event was over, the previous continuity continued. There is a major here and that difference is intriguing.

• A lot of these are advertised as ongoing series, rather than minis-series. How can these series work on their own if after the event, things go back to some semblance of normalcy? Will Battleworld exist separately from the Marvel 616 Universe? Will these warzones as they are described be transported back to their own place in the timeline and multiverse after the event is over? I think that seems more likely.

Don't forget that X-Man become a series after Age of Apocalypse ended when the titular character was transported to main-line continuity, but that was more of a surprise than expectation.

Other interesting tidbits include:

• Marvel is saying that these series will have legs and affect what kind of outcome Secret Wars has. Is Marvel really going to do a Survivor-esque game to determine what the future Marvel looks like based on the sales of these new ongoing series? If 1872 sells the most of all the other titles, will the new Marvel Universe become a Western-themed one? That's a strange thought. How would they be able to accommodate a Western-setting with alternate versions of Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Bruce Banner in the new 616 that may appear out of the end of Secret wars?
• There isn't a single X-Men series announced so far which includes an exclusive creator as the writing lead. I don't mean writers who only write for Marvel, but those who have signed an exclusive contract and therefore are put on the most high-profile books and take part in the Writer summits that occur several times a year. Sure we have Old Man Logan by Brian Michael Bendis, but that storyline was known as a Wolverine book with very few X-Men in it. We still have House of M, I believe, as the last outstanding series that would be X-Men-related and could be considered a major X-Men replacement.
• There is no Daredevil. Sure there was mention of a Daredevil in one of the series, but there is no book with Daredevil as the lead. A privilege the character has enjoyed for decades. Rumor has it that Daredevil is not affected by Secret Wars, however Daredevil is conspicuously absent from the latest June solicitations.

Ultimately, I think Marvel is using this event to try to throw some new ideas and concepts at the wall without having to rely on their core 616 characters (who I assume will all be stuck in the Secret Wars mini-proper). There are some exceptions to that idea, namely Ultimate End, Thors and Inhumans: Attilan Rising, all of which include 616 references of one kind or another. We can easily explain Ultimate End as taking place during the incursion between 616 and Ultimate Marvel. However, Thors and Inhumans: Attilan Rising both use references to the existing female Thor. Maybe it is only the Warzone titles which won't include 616 characters, while the Battleworld titles won't have such a restriction. 

At this stage, who can say? This is all horribly confusing and I wish Marvel would provide more clarity in their intentions. I don't want spoilers or the ending of the Secret Wars event ruined for me. What I want is assurances on which books are the most important to the publisher. As a Marvel fan who is mostly concerned with continuity, I would find that most comforting. Right now, the only thing I have to go by are which titles have exclusive creators on them. Those include:

Ultimate End	Bendis
Old Man Logan	Bendis
Guardians of Knowhere	Bendis
Inhumans: Attilan Rising	Charles Soule
Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows	Dan Slott
A-Force	G. Willow Wilson
1872	Gerry Duggan
Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos	Gerry Duggan
Infinity Gauntlet	Gerry Duggan
Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies	James Robinson
Armor Wars	James Robinson
Thors	Jason Aaron
Weirdworld	Jason Aaron
1602: Witch Hunter Angela	Kieron Gillen
Future Imperfect	Peter David, Greg Land
Star-Lord & Kitty Pryde	Sam Humphries
Planet Hulk	Sam Humphries

Future Imperfect is iffy, if only because Peter David has a history of not working on high-profile titles within the publisher or being a major fixture at the Marvel summits. Greg Land, however, is known to work the more high-profile titles within Marvel. That combination is why I included Future Imperfect. 

Rick Remender is conspicuously absent from any of these Secret Wars shenanigans. Maybe he sees it as a good time to take a break and get some creator-owned work completed. I also expected Tom Taylor to be present, since he is writing Superior Iron Man, but he is also missing. I don't know for sure if he is an exclusive creator at this point in time, but working on Iron Man does make him a high-profile creator for Marvel. Also missing is Mark Waid, though I have no idea what his future plans with Marvel are after his exit from Daredevil takes place. Maybe just Star Wars comics.

Green Lantern #40 Review

I will be the first to admit when I am wrong. I was wrong about Robert Venditti.

After Geoff Johns left Green Lantern, I was pessimistic that Venditti could fill his shoes. Johns had a legendary run. The first few issues and arcs felt a bit rocky, one event after another, but I see the big picture now. I see the groundwork that was being laid to led us to this moment. The moment when Hal Jordan leaves the Green Lantern Corps determined to go from it's greatest member to its greatest enemy.

Of course this sounds familiar. We have been here before in Emerald Twilight under different circumstances. The main difference here is that Hal Jordan is not evil, merely executing a plan to being the Green Lantern Corps back to greatness.

Because of the myriad of events, trials, and tribulations over the existing Venditti run, the universe no longer desires to have the Green Lantern Corps around. Hal's plan and that of the Guardians is to have Hal steal Krona's Gauntlet, leave the Corps and divert the hate from the Corps itself to Hal. Because Hal was the leader of the Corps when the people lost faith in it, he can become an antagonist for the Corps to triumph against and rebuild their reputation with him.

There was a very touching moment in the issue where Hal had to fight Kilowog, the only person he could confess his plan to, in order to make the betrayal appear more genuine. Kilowog made Hal beat him up real good. Kilowog would have it no other way.

How this will affect his return to the Justice League, I have no idea. Maybe in an effort to diversify the Green Lantern from the Power Ring, they can have Hal running around with the Gauntlet in Justice League as well. I am interested to see how the other DC titles are going to change for their pre-Convergence issues.

The Perennials: October 2014 Solicitations

DC Comics
(In the order they appear in Previews)

The New 52: Futures End #22-26
Justice League #34-35
Wonder Woman #35
Aquaman #35
The Flash #35
Superman #35
Action Comics #35
Batman #35
Detective Comics #35
Green Lantern/New Gods: Godhead #1
Green Lantern #35
Green Lantern Corps #35
Green Lantern: New Guardians #35
Red Lanterns #35
Sinestro #6

Marvel Comics
(In the order they appear in Marvel Previews)

Avengers & X-Men: Axis #1-3 (of 9)

Captain America #25

Thor #1

Avengers #36-37

Original Sin Annual #1

Amazing Spider-Man #7-8

Hulk #7

Daredevil #9

Fantastic Four #11-12

Uncanny X-Men #27

• The New 52: Futures End and Axis are taking over their respective event slots. The Original Sin Annual is extra and hopefully ties into the end of that event. I have no information about it, but it could end up just being like the Avengers AI tie-in for Age of Ultron....which would be a bummer.
• This is evidently the last issue of Captain America before we get the All-New Captain America in November.
• Iron Man is again missing, but not for long. Superior Iron Man launches next month.
• Green Lantern begins another crossover a month after I get to drop Green Lantern Corps. I hope this crossover is more interesting than the last one.
• I am not going to follow Superman: Doomed Aftermath as it appears to not be as tightly plotted as the event itself was. Supergirl reads like it has almost nothing to do with it. If it remains a numbered crossover, I will of course have to pick it up, but for now it is just Action Comics.
• This is the end of the line for Brian Azzarello on Wonder Woman. We will have a new creative team in the form of the Finch family. I am looking forward to the art.
• The new Thor as female arc begins this month.
• We are getting a crossover with Ms. Marvel in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man this month.
• Still kind of pissed that Detective Comics is a fill-in. Oh well, I hope it is good. I am probably being pessimistic for no reason.
• I wish Flash would get more interesting. I don't think the current creative team is right for the book.

Announcing a New Female Thor Relaunching a New Thor Series

On The View today Marvel revealed that Thor will no longer be worthy of Mjolnir and the title of Thor will be given to someone who is worthy.....a female.

It doesn't appear to be Angela, who was revealed to be sister to Thor and Loki in the Tenth Realm mini-series spinning out of Original Sin. Angela has red hair. Personally, I am really excited to this change and hope it remains for a long time to come.

Update: Apparently, this new Thor will relaunch the Thor: God of Thunder series into another iteration of simply Thor with a #1 issue beginning in the fall.

The Perennials: Week of 3/26/2014

Aquaman v5 #29

(W) Jeff Parker (A/CA) Paul Pelletier, Sean Parsons
It's all-out action as Aquaman feels the wrath It's all-out action as Aquaman feels the wrath of Atlas as he makes his first appearance in The New 52! And the environmental havoc seen in the pages of SWAMP THING may put Arthur on a collision course with a certain Avatar of the Green!

The Flash v4 #29

(W) Brian Buccellato (A) Patrick Zircher (CA) Pasqual Ferry
The Flash faces the final battle against the Central City killer! But will we learn the truth behind the murder of Barry Allen's mother? Only Deadman can help solve this mystery!

Superman v4 #29

(W) Scott Lobdell (A/CA) Ed Benes
Superman and Starfire must deal with a cache of deadly alien weapons - and its horrifying impact on the innocents who find them! But first, these two heroes will have to stop fighting each other before someone ends up dead!

Avengers v5 #27

(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Salvador Larroca (CA) Mike Deodato
"ADAPT OR DIE"
•  The secret behind the All-New Avengers revealed!
•  The science war overtakes the world(s).
•  All the answers to the questions you wished remained hidden.
•  The collision of Avengers and New Avengers is imminent.

Indestructible Hulk #20

(W) Mark Waid (A) Joe Bennett (CA) Mahmud A. Asrar
• BRUCE BANNER has had enough! He's mad--and that's not good!
•  Banner blames MARIA HILL and S.H.I.E.L.D. for the tragic fate of his lab assistant and seeks revenge!
•  There's more than enough blame to go around, however--and Banner's in the crosshairs of an assassin!

Superior Spider-Man #30

(W) Dan Slott, Christos N. Gage (A/CA) Giuseppe Camuncoli
"Goblin Nation" - Part 4 of 5
•  Since the start of DYING WISH, it has ALL been building to this.
•  One of the most important moments of the ENTIRE Superior Spider-Man Saga!
•  Once this happens, it CANNOT be undone!
•  DO NOT MISS THIS ISSUE!

Uncanny X-Men v3 #19.NOW - Comic Book Review

How many times have the Uncanny X-Men teleported somewhere, found S.H.I.E.L.D. or sentinels waiting for them, Cyclops then yells, "Get the kids out of here!", then something goes wrong? How many times? Three? Four? This is a serious question. Reading Uncanny X-Men v3 is like experiencing the film Groundhog Day. This is the most decompressed, meandering mess of a series. It feels like a series on auto-pilot waiting for the result of other series, like maybe All-New X-Men to actually do something before anything happens in Uncanny. I am starting to get fed up. Having said that, I want to go into this with an open mind and a blank set of expectations. Finally Cyclops decides to get to the bottom of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the sentinel issue let us hope there is more to the conclusion than the usual.

Anyway, what we have here is a pretty decent issue. Bachelo is back after the mess of an artist from last issue. He is very welcome here and he makes the cutest-looking females. I love it. We finally get some plot developments concerning Dazzler and what Mystique is up to, but not much. Goldballs gets a new costume, that I like. Hijack gets a wake up call from S.H.I.E.L.D. and Bendis makes a script error saying that they removed all electronics from the block.....but he has a whole house full of them, soooo ummm....whatever.

In addition to all that we get new mutant-neutralizing sentinels, oh no we had this same thing happen before...did Eva use her powers then...I will have to look that up. Anyway, this looks to be, finally, the jump start the series needs to get the plot moving. Will we finally figure out who is behind the new sentinels? I hope so, fingers crossed.

RATING: B

Thor: God of Thunder #20 - Comic Book Review

Jason Aaron, you are the best Thor writer I have read. Truthfully though, I am a youngling when it comes to Thor. I began reading his volume when JMS and Olivier Coipel began their run some years back. Peanuts in Thor-time. To be frank, the Marvel Now era has given us some definite hit, miss, and mediocre works. Thor: God of Thunder is one if not THE crown jewel of the relaunch.

One of the weakest aspects of Thor as a standalone volume is his supporting cast. I just never liked any of them, to be perfectly honest. The idea of using three Thors, one from the past and one from the future? Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. It gives the perception of a supporting cast, only with the character we care most about - Thor. Then on top of all that we get the amazing talents of Esad Ribic more often than not and we are truly talking about a great series here.

I really dig the concept of this most recent storyline, a mega corporation that is killing the planet, and an old Thor pining over the carcass of a long-dead Earth. Great setup. In this issue we have King Thor confronting Old Galactus far in the future over the dead husk of what was once Earth. Aaron absolutely nails the personality of this older Thor and the conversation between him and Galactus is awesome.

In the present we have Thor the Avenger working his lightning magic against the likes of factories and power plants in an effort to put the mega corp out of business. But the person running the show, the CEO, is not what he seems and his sinister anti-environmental nature is not just ignorant indifference, but actual bloodlust for ruining the Earth. It all makes for an enjoyable and very cool story with, like I said, amazing art from Esad Ribic. That first long shot of Galactus, I had to slow down and take it all in, and look up at him as King Thor would.....what majesty and what a comic!

RATING: A

Iron Man v5 #23.NOW - Comic Book Review

Let me just get this out of the way - using Malekith the Accursed as an Iron Man villain is inspired. Iron Man may be a top-tier super hero, but his rogues gallery is paper-thin. Thor doesn't have a ton either, but Malekith as an Iron Man villain is like jelly added to peanut butter. First you have the whole Dark Elves weak against iron thing, then you have Malekith as a kick-ass sorcerer, so you then have the magic vs. technology angle. It is just an amazing marriage of ideas.

Having said that, I cannot help but admit that this issue is a bit of a mess. I love the brilliant medieval history motif. The indicia claims that the issue only contains one artist, Luke Ross, but I am having a hard time believing it. The art is.....all over the place. It looks very rushed. Some paces look amazingly clear while others look like a muddy mess. Ross at his best is what I want, great stuff, this rushed mess, not so much. You have some strange layouts and glaring blank/white backgrounds.

As for the story, Tony spends an inordinate amount of time explaining why readers should not expect a Thor guest appearance. I understand that needed to be explained, but they kind of labor the point and hell...Malekith should be a Iron Man villain, damn it! Other than that, Kieron Gillen does a great job on the script. I was a bit taken aback by the sudden appearance of the rune-chick from what, issue 5, and this "Dark Angel" character. I think Tony was away from these characters too long and is acting like we should know them more intimately. Gillen needs to reintroduce them better into the story.

Overall though, decent, with some script and definitely some art-related issues. The issues ends with a guffaw-worthy moment, so that is always a plus.

RATING: C

Daredevil v4 #1 - Comic Book Review

New verse, same as the first. Why did this need to get relaunched again?

Anyway, Marvel decided to relaunch it and I have to say San Francisco is a way better environment for someone like Daredevil than New York City. Another thing that struck me while reading the first few pages of this issue is that Matt would make a far better detective or forensic expert than a lawyer. Why is he a lawyer again? Oh right, upholding justice and all that. His talents are would make him the perfect detective. They should change his profession from lawyer to detective....gives them an excuse to launch volume 5.

So here we are in San Francisco we have the same amazing Chris Samnee art and the same amazing Mark Waid script. What else is there to say? Matt is having trouble adjusting to the new topography and well Daredevil also gets a new female sidekick (not anyone new really), which looks to be a very promising partnership. And.....in the end...what is going on with Foggy? Intrigue! Suspense! Can't wait until the next issue!

Rating: A

The Superior Spider-Man Annual #2 - Comic Book Review

Annuals are interesting creatures. They can either be amazing or complete failures. They have the distinction of not being part of the main series and they can either choose to embrace that aspect or do their best to tie-in. I personally prefer the latter, if they are going to adopt the name of the main series, make yourself relevant by giving us some content that has meaning to the main series. This, btw, is one of those amazing annuals.

We are given two stories in this annual. The main story is about Ben Urich and his relationship with the recent Hobgoblin, his nephew Phil Urich. It becomes apparent that Phil still cares about his uncle, and Ben misinterprets this as Phil being essentially a good person who, if given the chance, would turn everything around. It is a great bit of storytelling to see that hope Ben has completely dissolved, realizing that Phil enjoys what he is doing and that his care for Ben is not necessarily due to altruism.

The second story herein is about Carlie Cooper and Watanabe, and Sajani's attempting to cure Carlie of the Goblin serum and Watanabe realizing Monster is Carlie and that her tracking algorithm in her lenses are compromised. This story is less deep than the first story, but it serves a vital purpose - giving readers a glimpse at some secondary characters in this play, freeing up Otto for the main event next issue. Great characterizations here by Christos Gage, who does some amazing one-off pick-up work like annuals. The art is very enjoyable as well we get some Javier Rodriguez channeling Marcos Martin in the first story and Philippe Brione doing some decent superhero-standard in the second story. All-in-all some great side stories, just what an annual should do.

RATING: A