Fear Itself: The Fearless #4(of 12):
What Happened: While Valkyrie is getting tips from a dwarf on how to spot weaknesses in any building and how to exploit those weaknesses to enter, Sin, Crossbones and their lackeys have managed to find one of the Serpent's hammers. Where you ask? Why where Namor himself hid the hammer, in the stomach of a massive shark. Sin's crew blow the shark up and go looking for the hammer, but are confronted by Namor(!), which prompts a “game over” from me. However, Sin uses some sorcery taught to her by her mysterious DOA allies and summons three immensely powerful and ancient creatures called Devourers, who... Well I think you can figure it out. Realizing he was outsmarted, Namor is forced to turn his full attention on the Devourers allowing Sin and company to snatch the hammer and make good their escape. From there we head back to Valkyrie, who had managed to break into the Baxter Building(!) and makes her way to the room holding the hammer the Thing had been using during Fear Itself. Before Valkyrie can get at the hammer, she is confronted by the Thing himself, who tells her that she wasn't getting that hammer without going through him first.
The Good: I could be smart and just say everything... This issue was pretty much non-stop action from start to finish. The Namor scene was great. Speaking of great, the cliffhanger was just that. Great. Honestly, story, art and dialogue came together perfectly here.
The Bad: Really? Another dwarf? Seriously, Marvel/Matt Fraction must have dwarfs on the brain or something... Have dwarfs replaced vampires in pop culture and nobody told me? Namor let Sin off too easily... He could have broken her arm or something before letting her go... I didn't see the point of the Valkyrie flashback to open this issue.
The Verdict: This was probably my favorite issue of this “mini”-series. Although, to be honest, this “mini”(sorry, but I hate the term maxi-series) has been surprisingly good from the start. Sure, the last issue was a bit lackluster, but the first two were pretty strong. Considering this series is little more than an obvious money grab by Marvel as they try to squeeze every last penny out of the Fear Itself event, I have to say, I've been very happy with the quality here. Here's hoping that continues for the next 8(!) issues.
Score: 9 out of 10.
There's the Namor I know and love!
mmm I dont know the prevoius status of Valkyrie in the MU but I think that this series is trying to make her a major character, driving the attention of fear itself to her. That is thee only point I found for the flashbacks.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Alien. Valkyrie has never been a major player in the Marvel U, but it def could be that Marvel is trying to change that. I think she's an odd choice of a character to promote, but why not I guess.
ReplyDeleteMaybe for the people complaning for the lack of solo woman series? since the cancellation of x-23 and ghost rider people are bitching at Marvel for that.
ReplyDeletehttp://cdn.the-gutters.com/comics/dcf4992347851753d3954e97f8a4d3a6b2701d08.jpg
ReplyDeleteXP
"Maybe for the people complaning for the lack of solo woman series? since the cancellation of x-23 and ghost rider people are bitching at Marvel for that." That could definitely be it, Alien. I def wouldn't be surprised. Although, in defense of Marvel here, maybe if people would actually BUY comic books with female stars, Marvel wouldn't have to keep canceling them... That argument really pisses me off... People act like X-23 and Ghost Rider were near the top of the charts. They were near the bottom. Seriously, most male comic book fans, especially younger ones, want to read about a character they wish they were and/or can relate to. How many 11 year old comic fans are sitting around saying, "I wish I was X-23!" no, it's "I want to be Wolverine!"... *rant over*
ReplyDeleteI definitely think it is possible to have a successful solo woman series. It's just that most of Marvel's female characters suck the big one. Why would anyone want to read about a female version of their favorite male characters? X-23 is a stupid idea, and I hate that she even exists. Woman ghost rider wasn't going to make anyone forget about Johnny Blaze. I don't know anything about Valkyrie, and don't give a damn about she-red skull.
ReplyDeleteIf Marvel came up with an interesting new female character and assigned a good creative team to the book, I would buy it. Likewise, I would at least be interested in a book about the decent female characters in the Marvel U (Black Widow, Mystique or a number of women from the x-men line, etc.).
..The funny thing is that they have an answer to your rant. It's Marvel/DC fault for not promoting those titles as they do with the male titles?¡?.. Wait isn't that girl with claws in Marvel vs Capcom x-23??
ReplyDeleteto put an exaple.. http://dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com/post/13878069506/marvelblame#disqus_thread
And I personally think that x-men is about teams you know.
Personally I like valkyrie and wouldn't mind to read a solo series with her., but I almost dig, everything mythological related.
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ReplyDeleteAnd this is the true origin of X-23 for sure
ReplyDeletehttp://www.the-gutters.com/comic/217-mark-dos-santos
I def agree, TRobb. Marvel CAN have a successful solo female series, just don't expect it to top the charts. Almost all younger male comic readers just aren't going to flock to a solo series starring a female lead. I firmly believe that. However, females and more mature comic fans WILL pick up that same series... As long as it's good...
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you when it comes to "turning" male characters female, which is something Marvel has done WAY too much in recent years. I've constantly said to just create a NEW female character instead of replacing/aping an existing male one. I mean I've collected She-Hulk, X-23, Dazzler, Black Widow, Mystique runs. I gave that new GR series a shot. I've picked up plenty of mini-series/one-shots(X-23, Firestar, Witches) starring female characters. I'd KILL for a Black Widow, Sharon Carter, Mockingbird, Namorita, Jennifer Kale, or Satana solo series with a top writer(Brubaker, Fraction, Aaron, Gage) attached to it. That's the sad thing. Marvel DOES have a LOAD of great female characters. They just don't seem to know how to use them. That GR book was doomed to fail. X-23 is best used in mini-series, because as much as Joe Quesada wishes it wasn't so, she's a sorry, cheap knock off of Wolverine, with less personality and little interest. The funny thing is that the X-23 book DID have a strong writing team, but they didn't have a strong lead. Give Marjorie Liu and Dan Way a character like Mockingbird(and resist the urge to cancel it after 6 issues...) and I'd bet they could work some awesome stories there. She-Hulk and Ms Marvel have proven that Marvel can have a moderately successful series with a female lead, but that it's probably not going to sell in the top 50 range. The only female lead that sells consistently in the top 50 is Wonder Woman, and Marvel def doesn't have a female character of THAT stature.
Some news here, Marjorie Liu will be the next writer for Astonisging X-men
ReplyDeleteReally? You know, it sounds like I REALLY need to start picking up Astonishing! I thought Greg Pak(who I've never been a fan of) was the writer of that title. But Gage and then Liu sounds too good to pass up.
ReplyDelete..For what I know (doing some wiki research) Cristos Gage wrote, Astonishing, alternating issues whit Daniel Way, from 36 to 42, then Greg Pak took over, and will be there until March when he will be replaced by Marjorie Liu in issue 48
ReplyDeleteJeez, very confusing... That's probably why I stopped collecting that series. Marvel doesn't seem to know what to do with it. In a way Astonishing has become what Superman/Batman was towards the end. It used to be a HUGE series that sold great and told fantastic stories, but once the original creative team left it just fell into confusion and bad stories.
ReplyDelete...Not sure if this is confusing, or my way I write in wacky English is confusing.LOL XD
ReplyDeleteAnd wasn't in the first issues of this series where Colossus came back?
ReplyDeleteHA! No, it definitely wasn't the way you put it, Alien, it's the way Marvel is switching writers for that series so much... Just pick a writer and stick woth them! Why keep going back and forth?!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the early issues of Astonishing were written by Joss Whedon and did indeed feature the return of Colossus. While Whedon was the writer Astonishing was the #1 X-Men book. Uncanny was probably #2 while X-Men was #3. Now Astonishing seems to be like #6 or something...