Outcast #1

 

There have been a lot of comics recently that I have looked forward to reading. Some have lived up to my expectations, some have been a letdown. Outcast is one of the rare books that totally blew my expectations away.
Robert Kirkman can sometimes be long-winded in his characterizations and plotting, but he nailed everything just right with this first issue. You immediately care about the characters. You want to learn more of their back stories that are slowly peeled back with each page. There is so much mystery that it's going to be thrilling AND excruciating to see how everything unfolds.
Paul Azaceta's style is the perfect choice to bring this world to life. Or is that afterlife? His dark and brooding tone sets the stage for each ominous event. The twisted facial features on each of the possessed gives you the heebie-jeebies. And Bettie Breitweiser does a phenomenal job at creating the dark recesses of not only the world these characters live in, but also their souls with her coloring. It's a perfect blend that these artists craft together.
I also want to give a shout out to an unsung part of the creative process: letterer Rus Wooton. Letterers usually get overlooked because a reader will normally just read the words, not putting too much emphasis or anything to the words they see. I, on the other hand, LOVE to add accents or fill in the &!@# blanks with cuss words to really make each comic feel real. Rus does a great job at giving life to the words with some unique fonts.
Overall, Outcast is probably Kirkman's best new book since the Irredeemable Ant-Man. It'll be interesting to see if it will have the staying power that Invincible and The Walking Dead have. Demonic possessions can only go so far, I'd assume, but so can the zombie apocalypse, and 10 years later, it's still going on strong. One thing's for certain, I'm along for the ride. The deep, dark, sinister ride.

On a side note, if you pick up the first issue because of all the hype of this being "the next Walking Dead" and you think this'll make you a hundredaire, do yourself a favor and READ THE BOOK. These people put a lot of hard work into these comics so you'll enjoy them, not so you'll bag & board them and put them in a box for 10 years hoping a tv show will be made of it. The book deserves to be READ. Why not give it a shot before you sleeve it? You might find out a shocking revelation...that comics can be GREAT. And this is one of those comics.

Justice League #19

This issue is a perfect example of how well Geoff Johns has mastered the nuances of the majority of DC's characters. Ever since Justice League #1 came out, I've been saying that Johns should be writing Batman. He makes Bats exude such power that not many other writers have been able to do recently. And come on, anyone that can make Aquaman a top tier character basically for the first time ever has to get major props! Heck, he can even make Superman seem, yep, super.

The thing that makes this series of Justice League stand out from almost every run that has come before it, is the fact that the League is not revered by the public. In a lot of cases, it's hated. It's similar to what Brian Bendis did with the Avengers on his lengthy run on that franchise. And what that does is make these almost-gods human. We, as a society, tend to tear down our heroes today. Yes, we cheer them on when they're helping us, but as soon as their spotlight is off, or they can't help in every circumstance, they are shunned. Or worse. The world has become untrusting and cynical. And now the Justice League are privy to these new trends. It becomes a struggle for some members to understand, and others, even though they get it, don't accept it. Johns excels at showing a wide range of emotions. This issue in particular, we get the question from Wonder Woman, if they can help, then why not damn the rules? Who will stop us? Or can? That then becomes the moral dilemma that can turn a hero to a villain. Will we see how far a hero can go to save us at the expense of mortal laws? I hope it's a theme that is continued to be explored in upcoming issues.

I was very sad to see Ivan Reis leave Green Lantern, but was extremely pleased to hear he was taking over DC's premiere title. It's a pleasure to see him draw all of DC's heavy hitters every month. Every character seems to take center stage when they are on panel. There's currently no one at DC better suited for this book than Reis.

All three Justice League titles are about to cross-over this summer during the Trinity War, so hopefully the underlying themes set up in this issue don't get shoved to the background. Maybe these themes will be an integral part of the storyline? Trinity War has been a mystery for over a year, so it's hard to say exactly what it will and will not entail. But if you're going to give that event a try, I'd suggest at least starting with this issue to see just how excellent a Justice League book can be.

G.I. Joe #1/G.I. Joe Special Missions #1/G.I. Joe: Cobra Files #1

 

G.I. Joe #1 started out as a real disappointment. For years, the Joe team's modus operandi has been keeping out of the public eye. But with this series, they are announced to the world as a special forces unit. The government goes so far as to hand pick members according to demographics that will make them appealing to U.S. citizens, no matter if they're the most qualified soldier for the team. That's a slap in the face to what the core meaning of G.I. Joe has always been. Sure, it makes light of some of the more outlandish aspects of the Joe team, but it also makes fun of the essence of the Joes' history. But the book did pick up in the second half when it got to mission time. The action was intense, and felt like a true military comic. Issue #2 continues that, so hopefully this series continues to straighten out and head in the right direction.

 

G.I. Joe Special Missions #1 continues the plots set up in the last main Joe series from IDW. This is the hard-nosed, military precision unit that this current run of G.I. Joe has become known for. If the team in the main Joe book is the face of the U.S. military, then Scarlet's team in Special Missions is the behind-the-scenes black ops unit that gets the dirty deeds done discreetly. Chuck Dixon continues his excellence with technical jargon and mission parameters. Paul Gulacy's art is legendary, and to see him take on my beloved Joes is one of the best things to happen in all my years of reading comics. This IS G.I. Joe to me.

 

G.I. Joe: Cobra Files #1 takes on the unique perspective of showcasing the villains of the Joe universe, an ideal set up in the previous G.I. Joe: Cobra series. The main focus of this series is Flint's undercover unit, but the main star is former Cobra agent turned Joe operative, Chameleon. Her narrative is superb. It takes a very extraordinary individual to completely give up on their life long beliefs to work with the polar opposite viewpoint. Will Chameleon ever revert to her old ways, or will she be able to find a whole new life for herself? And will Cobra allow her to live after exposing all their secrets? That is the ride you will be on if you decide to enlist.

 

Three monthly titles, with three different styles, yet all three set in the same universe. While you definitely don't need to read all three to enjoy the overall story, together they form a complex and compelling story. I'm not sure IDW needed to go through a whole renumbering of their Joe line, but in today's marketplace, first issues get more press and attention than issue #32s. If this move opens some eyes, then it was a smart move, and hopefully a few of you will be inclined to give it a hearty Yo Joe!

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #1 (Ongoing)

I've already reviewed the first issue of the MOTU mini-series, so I felt a little obligated to review the first issue of this new ongoing series.

This issue begins where the last series left off, with Eternia holding a memorial to the fallen Sorceress. It's nice to see the flow of continuity not interrupted between the two series. Readers can easily get right back into the world of Eternos without feeling like they need to catch up on anything. In fact, if you missed the original mini-series, this first issue does an excellent job of catching you up with the previous events with only a few short lines.

Now that we've moved on from the threat of Skeletor, who will fill the void of the big bad? Well, Hordak, of course. Or, to start out with, Hordak's daughter. Her army makes it's way to Eternia and immediately cuts a path directly to the royal palace. Her army is impressive, and sets up a grand battle for this opening arc.

Keith Giffen does a marvelous job getting into the personalities of the individual characters right away. There's no question of what anyone's role is. Teela is the fiery soldier (who finally gets her famous red hair after having blonde locks for some strange reason in the mini-series), Man-At-Arms is the fatherly protector, and He-Man is, well, He-Man, the greatest warrior of all. Giffen also makes the Horde out to be a menacing, calculated army, something quite opposite of Skeletor's rag-tag group of villains. The Horde is something to be most definitely feared.
Pop Mhan draws a wondrous Eternia. At once grand and epic, as well as simple and meager. You can see the difference in class of the citizens of the empire. His redesigns of the classic character's costumes are instantly recognizable, but still just new enough to be original. His best quality might be in the way he draws the Horde to be a precise military unit. Between his art and Giffen's writing, I think the Horde is going to have it's best representation it's ever seen.

The first MOTU series did a great job of introducing these beloved '80's characters to a whole new generation, yet making them seem new AND familiar to the original audience. The only drawback was the fact that it took until the final issue to get the characters to where we remembered them. This series won't have that problem and immediately feels like the He-Man comic we all deserve after all these many years. It might be a little more grown-up than younger readers should be reading, but the core audience is going to be readers that grew up in the '80's, so it hits it's target audience perfectly. And the surprise twist ending (that hopefully hasn't been spoiled by the time you read the issue) sets up a whole new world of possibilities that will get longtime fans talking for quite some time.

Batgirl #19

Batgirl has been a terrible book from the very beginning. I have never been a fan of Gail Simone, and I feel she is a horrible writer of female characters. I know I'm in the minority when it comes to this, but I stand by my feelings. She does not write strong female characters, she writes female characters as bullies. Every character she writes seems to have the entire world against them, even if that isn't the case. It's tiresome.

My main problem with this issue is not the line that Simone has Batgirl cross, even though it is yet again the opposite of what Barbara Gordon's character has been for her entire career. I can overlook that inconsistency because that's become the norm with Simone's writing. No, the problem I have is the way Barbara's roommate, Alysia, was revealed to be transgendered.

Comics, when done correctly, have always been a place for people that are different to find a voice. Whether they are gay, straight, handicapped, white, black, religious preference, or whatever, you can find a character somewhere in some title that you can identify with. Batgirl was a perfect example of this when the Joker shot and paralyzed her. She became Oracle, and did not let her handicap slow her down for one second. In fact, she became an even more important character as Oracle than she ever did as Batgirl. Until Gail undid all that with this latest series during DC's New 52 relaunch.

I feel the way Babs' roommate's revelation was handled was a slap in the face. A mere four panels after hearing the news, Babs gets a call and leaves. No discussion of how Alysia has been dealing with things, no thank you for confiding in me, nothing other than a hug and "I gotta go." And that's the last it was even mentioned in the entire issue. It was like in issue #18 when she found out Robin had been killed. We basically saw Batgirl say "That's sad. Anyways..." Granted, last issue wasn't written by Gail Simone, so maybe all of these insensitive character acts have been mandated by the sloppy editor work that has plagued the DC offices the past couple of months. What I do know is, this "outing" just seemed like a publicity stunt. Yes, the story can be gotten into in more detail in the next issue or longer, but the way it was introduced was shameless. Nobody reading that could have any sympathy for Alysia or have any sort of connection. It was basically disregarded.

I've been wanting to drop Batgirl for a good while now, but I've toughened it out, hoping it'd be better. I thought the Death of the Family stuff would've been great, considering her history with the Joker. But they, like the entire event, were crap. I thought the aftermath of Robin's death would allow Barbara to show some concern for someone, but got a two panel blow off. Now this. A hug and a "See ya." Well, that's exactly what I'm saying to this book. WTF indeed, DC. But my F does not stand for "Fifty-Two."

Secret Avengers #1

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Nick Spencer. In fact, you could say I'm addicted to him like crack, but only the biggest of morons use crack, so let's say I'm addicted to him like I am redheads. While his creator-owned books are some of the best books I've ever read, his mainstream work has never been his strongest. So when it was announced he was writing this book (his second time on the book), and he was bringing my two favorite Avengers in Black Widow and Hawkeye with him, I was excited, with a bit of trepidation.

Any fear went out the door almost immediately. Spencer takes all of the mystery and intrigue he puts in his own books and attaches it to Marvel's long-standing heroes as well as their up and coming new characters. Some people could look at this book as just a way for Marvel to integrate their movie universe into their comic universe. All of the characters are big players from the Avengers movie, including Agent Coulson, who first premiered in the movieverse. But this title is far from a throw-away tie-in book. It's a spy book first and foremost, with SHIELD taking the spotlight. It's a genre that has really disappeared from the comic racks the past few years, especially at the Big Two comic companies. If you're a fan of the genre, then don't miss this book. Everything from the gadgets, to the exotic locales, to the deception is present here. But the strong suit is the dialog Spencer brings to the group. The humor is reminiscent of Bendis, while the technical jargon reminds you of Hickman, blended together as only Spencer can.

Luke Ross' art is not as realistic here as it was during his time on Captain America. I can only assume it's because of the humor, and to make sure the characters don't look 100% like their movie counterparts. We need to know this is the comic world, not the movie world, and his pencils keep us firmly reminded of that. The coloring by Matthew Wilson plays an integral role in telling the story as well since it sets the mood. Mood is one of the most important things in a spy thriller. Shadows are always present, but if it's too dark, you can't tell what's going on. Wilson does a great job of allowing the reader to clearly tell what's happening while still portraying the dark and seedy environments flawlessly.

There are a ton of Avengers titles out there on the stands today. This one sets itself apart from the rest by bringing something different to the table. What it brings is the suspense, thrills, and humor that no other Avengers title has. If you want a little more from your Avengers than just the huge interplanetary battles, then look no further.

Uncanny X-Men #1

Hmmm, I feel like I have already reviewed an Uncanny X-Men #1. Oh, that's right! It's because I have. In today's market, books get renumbered almost on a monthly basis. It's frustrating to keep track of which number goes with which volume, but it's a sad necessity if certain titles want to survive. Long gone are the days of creators staying on books for years (with a few exceptions like Bendis, Brubaker, and Johns), as well as readers sticking with a title forever due to prices constantly rising. So companies relaunch to get higher exposure, and hoping to get readers to try something different. While not ideal, Marvel's current NOW! initiative has taken the idea and done it quite well. Shifting creators on almost their entire line of books was a bold move, and renumbering, in this case, was needed. So while this might be the second Uncanny X-Men #1 we've had in just the past couple years, I feel this one will not be renumbered anytime soon. And that is thanks to Brian Michael Bendis.

Bendis has come over to the X-Universe and completely made it the top franchise at Marvel, something it's taken a back-seat to the Avengers to for the entire time he wrote Marvel's mightiest heroes. All-New X-Men is the best book on the stands right now. It has the feel of newness that Stan Lee wrote back in the 60's combined with the present day of today's ever evolving world. If you are not reading that, mutant fan or not, you need to. You won't be disappointed.
But Uncanny has a different feel from All-New. While All-New has a feeling of hope for mutants, Uncanny has a feel of desperation. Cyclops is doing all he can to recreate the mutant race with his version of the Xavier school, recruiting new mutants as they arise after the fallout of the battle with the Phoenix Force. Cyclops' task isn't an easy one though, because now he and his group are wanted fugitives. He still believes in the next generation of mutants, but as an army, not students. He wants to teach, but must teach them survival, because now thanks to him, the world hates and fears mutants possibly more than they ever have.

This is a great sister book to All-New. Together, we get to see both sides of the coin. We get the Xavier/Magneto dynamic in Wolverine/Cyclops. Both men feel they are on the right side, and both men will fight to prove their point. This series is all about Cyclops' transformation into the Mutant Messiah, a title previously thought to belong to Hope Summers. After all the build-up of making it seem like Hope would save the mutant race, it ends up being Cyclops who will do that. And by any means necessary.

In this first issue, Bendis does a great job of blending a tale that alternates back and forth between dramatic dialog, and frenzied action, something he has always excelled at (unless you're a comic message board commenter, then you hate him). The scenes between Maria Hill and the mystery character are more important than the climatic battle scenes Cyclops' X-Men engage in. The last page twist sets up this series in the most intriguing of ways.
Chris Bachalo has been a favorite of mine for almost 20 years, dating all the way back to his Generation X days (hellllooooo 90's). But as great as he is, I'm not sure if he's the perfect choice for this book. I feel the book would be better off with an artist who does more "clean" lines. This team of X-Men is akin to a para-militaristic force, and I feel the characters need a more regimented look. Bachalo's hectic style sometimes makes the action scenes confusing, making it hard to tell exactly what's happening in certain panels. It's not anything that overly brings down the book, I just feel his strengths are better off suited for books with a bit more humor. Like his time on Wolverine & the X-Men. Cyclops is the farthest from being a hilarious chap. It'll be interesting to see what Frazer Irving's take on the book is with the next arc.

In any case, this is a fantastic read. Worthy of relaunching the original X-title into the next phase of Marvel's history. Whether you're a long time reader, or are jumping on board with the new #1's, it's a great time to be a fan of Marvel's mutant franchise.

Invincible #100

It all led to this! And what was it this led to? A whole bunch of talking. This had to be the most boring anniversary issue I've ever read. All the build-up from the previous months was disappointingly wrapped-up not with action, which is what you'd expect from this book, but with page after page of word balloons. This was so underwhelming, that I really don't have much to say. The characters said enough. In fact, I think they're still talking...

Aside from the wordiness of the issue, the fact that most of the overall plots were wrapped up so neatly, and in most cases so stupidly in their unbelievability, you'd think Robert Kirkman was busy with a tv show or something. The whole issue just seemed rushed. One thing this book did do right though, was to set up the next chapter in Invincible's life. We can see what is in store for Mark Grayson in his professional life as well as his personal life. I just wish there was more of a climatic battle that we were ultimately cheated out of. After 100 issues, the audience deserved that at least. I guess there wasn't enough room behind all the word balloons.

Ryan Ottley did his usual excellence on art, but there just wasn't a lot to draw except for a ton of characters standing around talking. I mean, seriously, it was panel after panel, page after page of Invincible talking. Talking to Dinosaurus, talking to Cecil, talking to Eve. At the end, he should've turned to the reader and said "I'm sorry."

I am looking forward to seeing where this book goes. I still feel it's an exceptional series, always being one of the best superhero titles each month. I just now worry that Kirkman is paying too much attention to The Walking Dead to give Invincible the time it deserves. Invincible was first and it is better. But has it passed it's prime? Hopefully not.

The Answer! #1

I went into this book thinking I'd get an exciting new character by two of today's hottest up-and-coming creators. What I got was a book with way too many questions. Kind of ironic since the book is entitled The Answer.

The story revolves around a research librarian named Devin MacKenzie, who receives a mysterious puzzle for her birthday. As Devin solves that puzzle, she's led to more puzzles to solve. Meanwhile, we see our hero stopping a convenience store robbery, who then is alerted to Devin's puzzle solving prowess. The Answer must get to Devin before she solves the final puzzle, unleashing a cadre of soldiers upon her. For what purpose? That is the premise of the book.

Frankly, there just wasn't enough here to really care about. This is a new universe we're being introduced to here, and we should have been given some back story into who The Answer is and what makes him tick. With this being only a 4-issue mini series, the answers need to come a lot quicker than they would in a monthly ongoing title. Sure, the next issue could be entirely about The Answer's origin. But by then, I'm not sure if I'm interested. The first issue was too boring to really expect any excitement in the remaining three issues.

The other area I was disappointed in was Mike Norton's art. The cover looks just like his art on Revival, but the interiors were almost sloppy. I don't know if the colors muddied everything up, but it was just very bland overall. And there was a huge coloring mistake where Devin has red hair on the cover, but was blond on the inside. What's the Answer to that??

This series could still end up being a good read because of the talent behind it, but I think it's going to take a lot to turn this whole thing around.

Uncanny X-Force #1

This book most definitely continues the wave of excellence that the term X-Force has been riding the past few years. I have never read anything by Sam Humphries before. In fact, before The Ultimates (which I gave up on long before he took over), I had never heard of him. I didn't hear many things about his run on the book, and the few things I did hear weren't glowing. But he's hooked me right away. He fills in the gaps of what happened after the last incarnation of the team disbanded almost immediately, while still leaving a few questions left to answer to get you to come back for more. You still get a sense that this is what an X-Force book should feel like, but with it's own new take on it.

All of the characters are easily introduced in a way that new readers can get into the groove right away, even if the lesser known characters aren't fleshed out entirely. You get the feeling you'll learn what you need to in the next couple of issues. One of the best attributes of the book is the fact that, so far, all of the characters have back story together. It's not like the readers nor the cast don't know who anybody is. We can get right past introductions and on to the meat of the story right away.

Ron Garney has been a favorite of mine for many a year, and this book really shows you why. He has a way about him that allows him to draw the grittiest of battle-hardened heroes, to the most sexiest of women. In this instance, they are one in the same. His stuff looks the best it has in years. The coloring almost acts like a character itself as well, setting the mood quite exquisitely in each exotic locale.

Rick Remender's run on the last volume of Uncanny X-Force drug on too long. The book needed a fresh perspective. This is without a doubt that. While there are currently two books with the name X-Force on the stands, I feel this one just made itself the true bearer of the name.

Oh, and that last page is sure to get some tongues wagging across the 'Net!

Young Avengers #1

This book didn't really grab me like I hoped it would. I am a huge Jamie McKelvie fan, but Kieron Gillen is hit or miss with me, with mostly misses. But the two of them together really tend to shine. I just couldn't get into this first issue, though.

The characters were really take 'em or leave 'em. First we see Kate Bishop (who I think is still going by the name Hawkeye) and Noh-varr (formerly Marvel Boy, formerly The Protector). Right here is where I have a major problem. Noh-varr seems to have already forgotten he had a somewhat girlfriend on Earth. Granted, it's only the first issue, and maybe we'll get into that, but I feel like it was a topic that should've been brought up immediately upon the reader seeing his actions with Kate. Hopefully Gillen hasn't forgotten that bit in Noh-varr's history, which is not that deeply involved.
Next we get Hulkling and Wiccan. This made the book for me. Their relationship has always been an important part of every previous Young Avengers series. It's never played out just for the fact that it's a gay relationship because that would be very offensive, it's always been about accepting the fact that two people can truly love each other, no matter their sex. Gillen does a fantastic job with Teddy and Billy. Every bit as good as Allan Heinberg, who co-created them.
Finally, we see Kid Loki and Miss America. Loki is as fun as he has been the entire time Gillen has written him. I only read Journey Into Mystery when it crossed-over with New Mutants, but even there you could see Loki as a youngster really should only be written by Gillen. Miss America, on the other hand, has been a boring character since she premiered in Vengeance. There's just not much to her. If Marvel was just looking for a strong Latina character, I really wish they had used Arana. She at least has some history to work with.

It's too early to tell exactly where the plot is going. This first issue set up about three different story lines with no clear hint of where they're heading, or if they connect. I'm going to assume they connect, or why are all these charcters coming together as a team?

At least Jamie McKelvie gave me everything I wanted (and somewhere so did Mike Norton, because he's also credited on art, but for the life of me, I see no difference in art style). I love how bold and clean every panel is. And there are a LOT of panels in this book. It has a very modern look to the storytelling. Without a doubt, I feel the art is the big selling point here.

This Young Avengers series is a far cry from every previous incarnation. I'm not sure every YA fan will be pleased with the new additions to the title. I know I wasn't happy with the subtractions. I still have hope for the book, because Gillen's stories always have a long lead-in to the overall plot. I'm just not sure if the plot is all that interesting to begin with.

Wolverine and the X-Men #24

This issue is what you'd call one of those "Great jumping on points!" And it really is. Nowadays, how many people don't know who Wolverine or the X-Men are? I'd wager very few. There's no need to get into who everybody is at the beginning of every arc anymore. I remember growing up and reading The Punisher, and every six issues you'd be reminded that his family was killed in a mob shootout in Central Park and he killed criminals for vengeance. It got so tiresome. I understand the need to fill in new readers, but in today's world of Google, and websites, and whatever, if the audience needs background info, they can find it easily without being constantly bogged down story-wise every few issues. This issue realizes all of that.

The premise this time is simple: date night. After all the months of crazy things that the X-Men have had to go through, they decide to take a night off to have some fun. We see the teaching staff leave the school to party, leaving Wolverine in charge, which he does not appreciate. Kitty Pryde and Iceman have their first official date, which is about as awkward as a first date can go. Jean Grey and Quentin Quire have a nice little exchange that shows how Jean is adapting to today's youth. And yes, there just might be a kiss that the cover blatantly spoils.

Wolverine and the X-Men has always been a lighter book, which is something you wouldn't expect from Jason Aaron. But I've always felt, since it's beginning, that it's portrayed the X-Men exactly how they've always acted at their core. It makes them human. The X-Men have always been the characters you're supposed to connect with because they could be you. Aaron does a wonderful job making you feel like these characters could be your neighbors, friends, or even family.
David Lopez on art even takes it a step further and draws the majority of the cast in normal clothes, almost making you forget you're reading a superhero book. His style here is almost reminiscent of the old 60's romance comics. He's been doing great with the super heroic action over in X-Men recently, and now he gets to show another side of his fantastic art. Some of his facial expressions he gives Kitty and Jean are priceless.

This isn't the perfect issue to introduce anybody to the X-Men if they're expecting action and wild powers. But it is the perfect issue to show them that the X-Men are more than a team with powers, they are us.

Savage Wolverine #1

It's another Wolverine title! Hooray! I just don't understand how Marvel can keep pitching this idea to anybody anymore. But they do. And they do it with Spider-Man, and DC does it with Superman and Batman. And why do they do that? Because it's a safe sale. Sometimes the titles end up being worth it and sometimes they end up being worthless. It's too soon to say where this title stands.

I didn't hate this book at all. It was fun, gory, and exactly what it's supposed to be: savage. The trouble is, is this the main Wolverine title or is the Paul Cornell/Alan Davis "Wolverine" book the main one? Wolverine does not need two monthly ongoings. He's in Wolverine & the X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, All-New X-Men, Avengers, Uncanny Avengers and now two self-titled books. That's way, way too many to justify two solo books. So one of these will not last. I have a feeling this will be the one to go. Like I said, I didn't hate it (even though I despise Savage Land stories and am sick to death of how many there have been in the Marvel Universe lately), but I feel once Frank Cho is no longer on the book, this title will become pointless. Cho is the strong point with this title. It has everything he's known for. You can see and feel his personal touch all over this book. If you are a fan of Frank, then don't miss this. I really hope he's on the book for a long time, and the Savage Land story is only the first arc. I'd love to see Frank write & draw Logan in Japan, interacting with the Avengers, teaming up with the Punisher, basically anything. But I don't want to see this book without Cho on it. It would become just another watered-down Wolverine title. That's not to belittle any other creator out there. I just feel like the aforementioned Cornell/Davis Wolverine title is going to be the solo book that affects Logan's ongoing history. This Savage Wolverine title should be a series of mini-series only done by Cho.

This is one of the few times I'd suggest picking up the book in trades. I feel like it's going to work best in arcs. Maybe I'm wrong and each successive issue will change my mind into thinking this book will be the main Wolverine title. But for right now, I feel this is a niche Wolverine book. By no means bad, but not entirely worthy of ongoing status.

Superior Spider-Man #1

 

One word to describe the first issue of this new era of Spider-Man's life: amazing. Everyone is going to have their personal opinions of this book before they even read it. Whether you're a long-time fan, casual reader, or this is your first time picking up anything with the name Spider-Man on it. The internet fervor has been widespread. Most of it has been hate. I think that's sadly unfair. You have to go into this series knowing full well this will not be permanent. How much in comics ever is? And this won't be the first. But what it is is an interesting tale, if you give it a chance.

 

This was the first time reading a Spider-Man comic that I felt like I knew what it was like to be in the costume. Marvel's characters have always been more relatable than any other companies'. But this took it one step beyond that. We as the readers are experiencing what it's like to actually be in Peter Parker's shoes along with Otto Octavious. And it's not easy. Would we be able to do it? Would we do it differently? Could we do it better? These are all things the former Doctor Octopus will be figuring out in his new lease on life. He's struggling with things he's never had to deal with before. He's helping innocents where he never would've cared before. He's dealing with relationships he never had the opportunity to do before. And he's getting admiration from the public for the first time. It's a very unique chance to see Spider-Man from behind the mask in a way that's never happened before.

 

Dan Slott being the writer to create this drastic change is a very smart move by Marvel. With their NOW! initiative, almost every creator has switched books, but it was very important for Slott to stay on Spider-Man. He can continue with storylines that have been going on for many months, while at the same time making everything brand new. Ryan Stegman on art is adequate. A bit too rough on the Spider-Man scenes for my taste, but very spot-on with the "Peter Parker" scenes. Hopefully his style improves on the action sequences. 

 

I know most of you are going to be hesitant with trying out this book, but you need to look past your bias and see what Slott has planned. It's a well thought out story that is just beginning. It deserves to be allowed to play out. And if you think Peter Parker's legacy will be trampled upon, I just have two words for you: Last. Page.

New Avengers #1

New Avengers is a misnomer. This book should really be called New Illuminati. And there's not a single thing wrong with that. Unless you didn't like the Illuminati. Which then can I interest you in some All-New X-Men?

Anyways, assuming you did like the Illuminati and are still reading this review, here's the deal. Black Panther takes center stage in this opening salvo. And I do mean salvo, because the action gets hot and heavy pretty much immediately. That pleases me very much. I thought Hickman's Avengers was just way too wordy. I understand that's his deal and writing style, but that's not for me. I never read his Fantastic Four, but I appreciated what he brought to the table with all of the scientific elements that book deserved. But that's not the Avengers. That's a book that should be about global-scale butt-whoopin.' Sure, Tony Stark and Bruce Banner are big brains, but that's why you read their solo titles. With the Avengers, I expect to see huge villains and their nefarious schemes being tackled by a massive group of heroes doing what they do best: fight.

New Avengers started off like Avengers did with a lot of scientific jargon. It almost turned me off. But as soon as T'Challa showed up, the action got going. For as well Hickman writes technical intricacies, he can also write a damn good fight sequence. Black Panther might be one of the best characters for him to write. The character has always been as much brain as he has been brawn. And both qualities were put to the test from the get-go.

This issue set up the threat that the Illuminati will have to tackle. Originally it seemed like this book was going to be another Exiles-style book. But instead, the multi-versal threats are coming to OUR planet, instead of the team going to the other planets. Well, we can't have that, can we? So in steps the team that shouldn't exist to fight the threats no one else can.

This is the first book by Johnathan Hickman that I've actually enjoyed. Again, I'm just not into the scientific stuff. Probably because I never did well in science and math in school. But here, Hickman blends science and action so perfectly, that I can't help to love his style. And having Steve Epting on art is an amazing choice. Steve had been stellar on Captain America the past few years, so it's a treat to see him get to draw so many of Marvel's heavy hitters in one title. One titanic title.

If you love the Avengers, you'll dig New Avengers. If you were like me and thought the Avengers was a bit lacking, try New Avengers. It's what you'd think an Avengers title should be.

Incredible Hulk #12

Jason Aaron's run on the Incredible Hulk has been one of the most disappointing things I've read in a long time. This is a writer who perfectly replaced Garth Ennis on the superb PunisherMAX, who wrote some of the most twisted Wolverine stories ever, and who is writing the current best X-title out there in Wolverine & the X-Men. So when I heard he was taking over the Jade Giant, I figured we'd get some of the most insane, epic brawls the Hulk has ever been in. But what we've gotten is the strangest take on the Banner/Hulk ideal ever. And it has not been good in any way, shape, or form. In fact, the issue that guest-starred the Punisher was one of the worst books I've ever read. The whole "Stay Angry" arc has been a horrible read. Each part has introduced the dumbest elements ever seen in a Hulk book. From mutated dog drug dealers, to Atlantean hicks, to space bears (which I will admit was an absolute hilarious issue), to a city of sasquatches, this has been a painful story to read. Except for this issue. This is the one where we finally see what Aaron could've done with his run.

The issue's main story is nothing we haven't seen a million times: the Hulk vs Wolverine & the Thing. And it's everything you'd expect out of that almost-annual battle. It's non-stop destruction, clobberin,' slashing and smashing. But it's the dialog that made me love this issue. If you read my review of New Avengers #29 (And if you didn't, why not? Don't you like me?), then you know sometimes all you need for a great story is to have great dialog. This issue shows you can have great dialog at the same time as great pummeling. Each character is given an equal amount of time to shine with their fists and their thoughts. The bickering between the three is exactly how you'd imagine these rivals to act. The funniest take on all three.

Carlos Pacheco really nails the brutality and savagery in the combatants. His art starts out smooth and refined, then ends sharp and rugged once the main event unfolds. I think it's his best art since returning to Marvel. I also think Roger Bonet does an exceptional job on inks giving each character the depth in their muscles to show their strength and ferocity. Laura Martin's colors really shine in this issue as well, giving everything a brutal shine with each blow delivered.

So while I can't recommend this entire Incredible Hulk series, or even this whole arc, I can say if you want an issue where three legendary brawlers pound the living snot out of each other while delivering the most killer one-liners, then look no further than this book.

New Avengers #29

My original plan was to review every single part of AvX after I had my first published review on Bleedingcool.com with #0. But the series blew up so big that it seemed like every person on the planet was reading it, so I didn't feel the need to review something everybody already had their hands on. And while that feeling still holds true, this tie-in issue was so good, so powerful, that I had to share my thoughts.

To me, Brian Michael Bendis is one of the best, if not THE best, at giving characterizations. This issue personifies that quite possibly better than anything else he's written. It's easily my favorite of any AvX issue so far, including the main series. It centers around Captain America's calling together of the remaining members of the Illuminati with the hope of talking some sense into Namor. As each member shows up, they all tell Cap how futile an effort it is to expect Namor to actually show up to peace talks. But Cap holds out hope that one of his oldest compatriots will see the light.

The entire issue is nothing but one big conversation, and that is what makes it perfect. Each character's thoughts on the whole AvX battle is truly eye-opening. The reasoning with which Reed Richards explains why he feels the X-Men might be right is a logical surprise. Professor X's inner turmoil about feeling blamed by the others for Cyclops' turn and his own feelings of failing Scott as a father is gut-wrenching. Iron Man's jerkish attitude hides his inability to find a solution to a crisis he feels he created when his weapon spilt the Phoenix into the Phoenix Five. Dr. Strange's slight indifference of doing anything other than taking orders from Cap. And of course, Cap's staunch refusal to believe his teammate is beyond reasoning with.

All of the emotion is brought to life brilliantly by artist Mike Deodato. The facial expressions he gives each character is exactly what you'd expect someone to look like in a real life situation. But that's always been one of Mike's best qualities as an artist; his realism. You can actually believe these people are out there doing these things. Even if it's just sitting around a table debating.

The only problem with this issue, and it's a pretty big one, is I'm not sure when it takes place. All of the Phoenix Five have their powers here, but that hasn't been the case for over a month. And when you factor in Namor's attack on Wakanda, this issue had to be before AvX #7. I just can't place it.

That possible continuity flub should in no way make you pass on reading one of the best written books in years. It's definitely the hands-down best written tie-in of any of these event books that have been the norm for the Big Two the past 8 years or so. Yes, there's really no action in this issue, but sometimes words are the most powerful weapons.

X-Treme X-Men #1

This book is exactly (or should that be x-actly?) what I figured it would be: pointless. There is just no need for this title to exist. It springs from an Astonishing X-Men storyline that was bad, and it doesn't get better here. Didn't we already see this book? Wasn't it called Mutant X? Oh, I'm sorry, I meant Exiles. It's the same old, same old. Just this time we get Dazzler! Hooray. No offense to any Dazzler fans out there. I like Alison. If anything, this gives Dazzler fans exactly what they want. She'll finally get a starring role. But honestly, how long will this book last? It is offered as an on-going, but shouldn't be more than a mini-series. It's too much to expect readers to stick with this book for two years, three years, or more. If this lasts one year, I'll be shocked.

It's not even that the book is bad. There's good dialog, and nice fluid art. But all of that is wasted on an over-used plot. And a plot the X-Men seem to own all to themselves. One of them gets sucked into another dimension and have to team up with that dimension's X-Men to save other dimensions? Oh man, sign me up for that original idea! Sigh.

Greg Pak is a very talented writer. It's sad to see him wasted on a book that shouldn't ever have been made. Why couldn't this just be another arc in Astonishing X-Men, like the story that inspired it? I just don't get it. Maybe Marvel was going to lose the rights to the term "X-Treme X-Men" like they almost did with "X-Factor" almost 15 years ago? It's really the only explanation I have as to why they bothered making this a monthly title.

If you love Dazzler, get this book. By all means, support this so Marvel will continue to actively use her. If you have no interest in her at all, then there's really no need bother with this.

Debris #1

Debris is set in a post-apocalyptic world where resources are a premium and humanity is dwindling. There is an encampment of survivors who struggle to make it in this harsh world. Adding to their troubles of survival are strange creatures that seem to be a mixture of long-lost broken technology and organics. A sort of cybernetic species, if you will. Enter Maya, who has been chosen to protect the camp from these creatures. She is their only hope to ensure their future. But when her mentor, Calista, is killed during an attack, Maya must abide by Calista's final wish and set forth on a journey to find the key to saving the remainder of the populace.

This premise has been seen in variations before. Nothing overly groundbreaking here. The creatures that seem to be made of junk are interesting. There was no backstory to why the world has become this way, why these people are all that is left of what we assume is earth, or even how these robotic creatures came to be. That will be a turn-off to some readers, I'm sure. It would've been nice to learn more about these characters in the first issue so we can learn why we're supposed to care for them. It's hard to worry about whether a character lives or dies if all we get is a lot of action panels with no explanation as to how these situations came to be. Hopefully the second issue sheds light on some of these areas. This is only a four-issue mini-series, so answers need to come fairly quickly.

The art is the selling point to me. I picked it up because I liked what I saw in the preview pages when the book was offered. The style is very similar to something you'd see in Heavy Metal. And it is the perfect style for the rugged, desolate future look this book commands. A lot of sharp points and muted colors to show how bleak this period is.

Overall, I was hoping for a little more out of this. I'm not a big sci-fi fan, but I took a chance with it because the premise seemed a bit new. After reading it, I was disappointed that it had a lot of the same premises that I have seen before. It's not a terrible read, but not much above average either. I'm sticking around since it's only four issues. Those type of books get to their points right away since there's no time to waste. Here's hoping the next issue can resolve some of my doubts.

Danger Girl/G.I. Joe #1

This is a cross-over I never would've guessed in a million years. On one hand you have the world's most elite anti-terrorist organization and on the other you have a group of ultra sexy adventurer chicks. That just screams team-up, doesn't it? Well, guess what? It actually works. It's a surprisingly well-crafted action tale that brings the best qualities of both franchises to the front.

The Joe team is escorting an important transport when they are caught in a Cobra ambush. Scarlett and Flint get caught behind enemy lines, but the Joes can do nothing to save them because the President has suspended the team due to the botched mission. So who can the Joes turn to? Team Danger Girl of course! Seems there's a connection with one of the members and my favorite Joe, Cover Girl. But just as the rescue plan is set, a traitor is revealed! Dun-dun-duuun!

This is another series that is played just for fun. And why not? The current G.I. Joe books are terrific, but they are strictly serious military books. There's nothing wrong with that at all, but this series plays upon the old cartoon tone. The Joes are in their old school uniforms, and the cool vehicles are present. There's a very nostalgic feel to it. The Danger Girl crew doesn't take center stage in this first issue like the Joes do, but the scenes they are in fit their style perfectly.

My one beef with the plot is the fact that the Joe team is suspended in yet another story. For a government that sorely needs the Joes to protect it, they sure love going out of their way to shut them down every chance they get. It makes sense in this case because why else would they need outside help, but it's just been used in so many different incarnations of G.I. Joe that it's really repetitive.

John Royle's artwork is very reminiscent of J. Scott Campbell's style, which makes sense since Campbell is the co-creator of Danger Girl. Royle's art is very action oriented. The best fit for a G.I. Joe title. I wish he had done the last Danger Girl series. That art was very sub par. Not this though. It adds a very cinematic style to the book, something that the Danger Girl books have become known for.

If you're unfamiliar with neither of these franchises, this issue doesn't give you much history of who the players are. That could be a detriment. But if you're knowledgeable with at least one side, you should get a kick out of this series. What starts out seeming like an impossible pairing ends up making more sense than any of the G.I. Joe/Transformers cross-overs!