Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the first issue of the Utopia x-over. I wasn't expecting much, but that first issue really delivered. Will the second part follow suit? Let's find out! Uncanny is once again written by Matt Fraction.
-Cyclops runs from the police and makes like Spider-Man(REALLY!?!)flipping over a car and climbing a building to get away(WTF was that?!?). The various X-Men who were attacked by the Dark Avengers also manage to escape.
-From there we find out the impostor Prof. X seen with Osborn during part 1 was Mystique, and Emma meets her motley crew of Dark X-Men. For the record, the Dark X-Men consist of Daken, Weapon Omega, Cloak and Dagger, Mimic and Namor.
-Osborn introduces Emma's X-Men at a press conference and Emma gives the "We all have to work together, blah, blah, blah" speech, closing her statements by stating from now until further notice, San Fran is under a curfew, and any mutants who break the curfew have to answer to her and her X-Men.
-Cyclops and the mutants who have taken refuge under his leadership watch the press conference on TV and many of the mutants want to attack Emma and her X-Men, however, Scott convinces them not to act too rashly.
-Unfortunately for Scott, not all the mutants agree with his decree, and several of them blatantly break curfew and begin marching through the streets of San Fran, acting disorderly. Emma sends her team out and engages the unruly mutants. This issue ends with Cyclops, who was watching events play out live on the TV, deciding to pay Osborn a visit in order to find out what his relationship with Emma is.
-Other Developments: Dark Beast(who is working for Osborn)has created something called the Omega Project, which(according to Prof. X)seems to be taking away mutant powers. During this issue, Dark Beast prepares to send Beast through the device... Simon Trask wakes up in the hospital and transforms into a Sentinel, transforming other humans into Sentinels as he made his way through the hospital...
I've got to say that this issue didn't impress me as much as the first part of this x-over did. This issue was the proverbial set-up issue, Matt was moving the characters where they need to be before the major conflicts begin to take place. Now we have Cyclops preparing to go after Osborn and his Dark Avengers, Emma's Dark X-Men attacking any troublesome mutants they find, and Trask activating a mess of Sentinels against all of mutantkind.
I have to admit that I was VERY underwhelmed by the roster of the Dark X-Men. Cloak and Dagger? They haven't been relevant for like 20 years! Mimic?!?! He's always sucked! I did like the alternate version of Mimic from the early issues of the Exiles though. Weapon Omega?!?! No thank you!
The thing that has me the most interested is Dark Beast and the mysterious Omega Project. Whenever I see Dark Beast, I naturally begin to think back to the awesome "Age of Apocalypse" x-over, and once I start thinking about the AOA, Nate Grey(my all time favorite character)comes to mind... To this day, I'm still holding out hope that Marvel will bring Nate back to life. Remember, during the build-up to the Messiah CompleX x-over Dark Beast told Beast that he believed that Nate could be resurrected due to the strange way he died off. So, is this Omega Project somehow linked to Dark Beast's earlier comments about resurrecting Nate? Probably not, but a guy can hope, no? For a score, I'll give this issue a 7 out of 10. This issue was slower than the exciting first part of Utopia, but it did set the stage for the events yet to come.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1
This is the start of the Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men x-over(duh!). Personally I hope the Dark Avengers wipe the floor with the X-Men. As a life-long X-Men fan, it's almost unbearable for me to read the current crop of X-Men comics. Prof. X blacklisted from the team, Cyclops and the White Queen in charge, the X-Men living in San Fransisco, it's all just so wrong! Well, I could go on and on about what's wrong and why I hate the current direction the X-books have gone, but instead, I'll save it for another day. This issue is written by Matt Fraction.
-This comic begins with a fight between Simon Trask and his Humanity Now! organization(who are proposing legislation that would make it illegal for mutants to procreate)and a few of the younger X-Men. The battle becomes a full scale riot, which leads to the police being called in and Beast(who was at the scene trying to maintain some order)being arrested.
-Day turns to night, and the riots continue, with mutants and pro-Humanity Now! forces clashing all over San Fran. Norman Osborn, as the high muckity muck of the Dark Avengers, as well as the head of HAMMER, decides to send the Dark Avengers to San Fran, in order to end the rioting and reestablish some control. Cyclops sends the X-Men out for the same reason.
-Needless to say, members of the two super-teams come into contact with each other, and in short order the fists are flying.
-Emma meets with Osborn is secret to find out why Osborn is interfering in mutant affairs(as per their agreement, he's supposed to stay out of mutant business)and Osborn explains that with Cyclops unable to keep things peaceful in the mutant community, he has no choice but to step in. Osborn then hands Emma a file which he calls "The Plan". This "Plan" is apparently a group of mutants who will operate in the same manner as the Dark Avengers, in other words, X-Men who will be taking their marching orders from Osborn, with Emma as the face of the group.
-From there, Osborn holds a press conference with Prof. Xavier, who rips Cyclops, calling him insane. Well, I've been saying that for the past 3 years now! But wait, before this issue comes to a close, we learn that Prof. X is actually locked in a prison somewhere, and that the man with Osborn is an impostor.
This was a very strong opening chapter in this x-over. Matt did a great job establishing the story, and the reason for the conflict between the X-Men and the Dark Avengers. While I liked this issue, I'm a bit confused as to where this storyline is going to go from here. On paper, the Dark Avengers should be able to wipe the floor with this incarnation of the X-Men. I mean, the Dark Avengers have both Ares AND the Sentry on their side! The X-Men just don't match up... Plus, we've got Emma possibly switching sides as well. I don't know how Matt is going to stretch this out another 5 parts, but as long as the rest of this x-over is as strong as the first issue, I'll happily be along for the ride. For a score, I'll go with a very strong 8 1/2 out of 10. Could this be the x-over that gets Emma off the X-Men and Prof. X back where he belongs(leading mutantkind)? I sure hope so.
-This comic begins with a fight between Simon Trask and his Humanity Now! organization(who are proposing legislation that would make it illegal for mutants to procreate)and a few of the younger X-Men. The battle becomes a full scale riot, which leads to the police being called in and Beast(who was at the scene trying to maintain some order)being arrested.
-Day turns to night, and the riots continue, with mutants and pro-Humanity Now! forces clashing all over San Fran. Norman Osborn, as the high muckity muck of the Dark Avengers, as well as the head of HAMMER, decides to send the Dark Avengers to San Fran, in order to end the rioting and reestablish some control. Cyclops sends the X-Men out for the same reason.
-Needless to say, members of the two super-teams come into contact with each other, and in short order the fists are flying.
-Emma meets with Osborn is secret to find out why Osborn is interfering in mutant affairs(as per their agreement, he's supposed to stay out of mutant business)and Osborn explains that with Cyclops unable to keep things peaceful in the mutant community, he has no choice but to step in. Osborn then hands Emma a file which he calls "The Plan". This "Plan" is apparently a group of mutants who will operate in the same manner as the Dark Avengers, in other words, X-Men who will be taking their marching orders from Osborn, with Emma as the face of the group.
-From there, Osborn holds a press conference with Prof. Xavier, who rips Cyclops, calling him insane. Well, I've been saying that for the past 3 years now! But wait, before this issue comes to a close, we learn that Prof. X is actually locked in a prison somewhere, and that the man with Osborn is an impostor.
This was a very strong opening chapter in this x-over. Matt did a great job establishing the story, and the reason for the conflict between the X-Men and the Dark Avengers. While I liked this issue, I'm a bit confused as to where this storyline is going to go from here. On paper, the Dark Avengers should be able to wipe the floor with this incarnation of the X-Men. I mean, the Dark Avengers have both Ares AND the Sentry on their side! The X-Men just don't match up... Plus, we've got Emma possibly switching sides as well. I don't know how Matt is going to stretch this out another 5 parts, but as long as the rest of this x-over is as strong as the first issue, I'll happily be along for the ride. For a score, I'll go with a very strong 8 1/2 out of 10. Could this be the x-over that gets Emma off the X-Men and Prof. X back where he belongs(leading mutantkind)? I sure hope so.
Titans #15
This is a "Prelude to Blackest Night" comic. Methinks DC is hoping the Blackest Night banner will boost sales for this comic. If DC wants to get people reading the Titans series, here's a free piece of advice... Write better stories!!! The past several issues of this series have been nearly unreadable, with last issue being especially terrible. This issue can't possibly be any worse than the atrocity that was last issue... Can it??? The writer is JT Krul(who?)and is a spotlight on Tempest.
-Tempest recounts the destruction of Atlantis during Infinite Crisis, the death of Aquaman and the subsequent rebuilding of the city under the sea. Tempest reveals to some of the citizens of Atlantis that he has finally found the bodies of his wife Dolphin and their son Cerdian.
-Tempest buries his family and has a flashback detailing his entire life. His uncle, Slizzath(who has an AWESOME look!), arrives at the grave sight and taunts Tempest, stating he can hear both Dolphin and Cerdian crying out for him. Tempest attacks Slizzath, and Slizzath begins to force Tempest to pour a deadly amount of energy into him. Slizzath reveals that thanks to his link with the dead, he can sense the coming Blackest Night, and he wants to be a part of it. Slizzath eventually absorbs too much energy from Tempest, and dies, just as he wanted.
-Some Atlantians find the remains of Slizzath and an unconscious Tempest, and return Tempest to the royal throne room. Tempest awakens and the Atlantians practically beg him to become their king(without actually asking him). Tempest decides to pay a visit to longtime friend, Dick Grayson, to hear what he thinks about the situation. The two talk about life and their dead mentors, and when they are finished talking, Tempest has made up his mind. He returns to the undersea kingdom and takes his place on the throne as the new king of Atlantis.
I liked this comic. I've always liked Tempest, so it was nice to see him around. I actually wish he was a regular in this comic... But alas, he's not. The interaction between Dick and Tempest was extremely well done, I got a kick out of Tempest asking Dick to take the cowl off when they were speaking because it was too weird talking to Dick while he was in Batman mode. For people who have known both Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson for a long time, Dick as the Batman must be incredibly strange/unnerving!
This comic also set the stage for the Titans Blackest Night mini-series. With Terra already being a definite, this issue revealed that Slizzath should be a Black Lantern, with Dolphin(and Cerdian?)being a possibility as well(now that they have been confirmed dead). Jeez, the Atlantis contingent of Black Lanterns sure could be large with Aquaman, Slizzath, Dolphin and Tula all being prime candidates. For a score, I'll give this comic a 7 1/2 out of 10. This issue was astronomically better than the horrendous spotlight on Cyborg last issue. I'd recommend this comic with no qualms.
-Tempest recounts the destruction of Atlantis during Infinite Crisis, the death of Aquaman and the subsequent rebuilding of the city under the sea. Tempest reveals to some of the citizens of Atlantis that he has finally found the bodies of his wife Dolphin and their son Cerdian.
-Tempest buries his family and has a flashback detailing his entire life. His uncle, Slizzath(who has an AWESOME look!), arrives at the grave sight and taunts Tempest, stating he can hear both Dolphin and Cerdian crying out for him. Tempest attacks Slizzath, and Slizzath begins to force Tempest to pour a deadly amount of energy into him. Slizzath reveals that thanks to his link with the dead, he can sense the coming Blackest Night, and he wants to be a part of it. Slizzath eventually absorbs too much energy from Tempest, and dies, just as he wanted.
-Some Atlantians find the remains of Slizzath and an unconscious Tempest, and return Tempest to the royal throne room. Tempest awakens and the Atlantians practically beg him to become their king(without actually asking him). Tempest decides to pay a visit to longtime friend, Dick Grayson, to hear what he thinks about the situation. The two talk about life and their dead mentors, and when they are finished talking, Tempest has made up his mind. He returns to the undersea kingdom and takes his place on the throne as the new king of Atlantis.
I liked this comic. I've always liked Tempest, so it was nice to see him around. I actually wish he was a regular in this comic... But alas, he's not. The interaction between Dick and Tempest was extremely well done, I got a kick out of Tempest asking Dick to take the cowl off when they were speaking because it was too weird talking to Dick while he was in Batman mode. For people who have known both Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson for a long time, Dick as the Batman must be incredibly strange/unnerving!
This comic also set the stage for the Titans Blackest Night mini-series. With Terra already being a definite, this issue revealed that Slizzath should be a Black Lantern, with Dolphin(and Cerdian?)being a possibility as well(now that they have been confirmed dead). Jeez, the Atlantis contingent of Black Lanterns sure could be large with Aquaman, Slizzath, Dolphin and Tula all being prime candidates. For a score, I'll give this comic a 7 1/2 out of 10. This issue was astronomically better than the horrendous spotlight on Cyborg last issue. I'd recommend this comic with no qualms.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
New Avengers #54
This is the final BENDIS written comic I'll be reading tonight. So far, I've got to admit that I've been enjoying my mini BENDIS-athon. I know, it's crazy!!! I'm confident that this issue will herald the return of the evil DREAD LORD BENDIS, whose stories regularly drive me to the brink of madness.
-Brother Voodoo(who is inexplicably the new Sorcerer Supreme), Dr. Strange and Daimon Hellstrom decide to join forces to exercise the spirit that has taken possession of the Hood. Oh, and the New Avengers are there as well. The three sorcerers combine powers and reveal that it is Dormammu behind the possession of the Hood. After trapping Dormammu in a magical circle the trio is able to force him to return to his home, the Dark Dimension.
-The Avengers then clean up the mess, and hand the Hood and his accomplice Madame Masque over to the authorities. Before leaving, Hawkeye(or Ronin if you prefer)gets on camera and tells the world that he's sure Osborn will allow Masque and Hood to slip through the cracks and remain free, stating that Hood and Masque are secretly working for Osborn.
-This issue ends with Hawkeye returning home and catching the tail end of Osborn's LOOOONG interview from Dark Avengers #5. Clint is shocked that the media seems to be taking Osborn's side of the story, so Clint decides the only way left to stop Osborn and his Dark Reign is to kill Osborn... WHAT?!?!?
Wait, Clint Barton, the man who wouldn't forgive his own wife when she allowed her rapist to fall to his death is advocating murder? No, no, no... No frigging way. I'm not going to go too crazy yet, let's just say Clint was so upset he wasn't thinking about what he was saying. Yeah, that must be it, because Clinton Francis Barton DOES NOT KILL.
I still don't get/like the fact that Brother Voodoo is the new Sorcerer Supreme, but I think I made my feelings on that subject very well known during my review of New Avengers #53, so I'm not going to get into that again. This was a mediocre comic that I doubt I'll even remember come tomorrow morning. For a score, I'll go with a 5 out of 10.
-Brother Voodoo(who is inexplicably the new Sorcerer Supreme), Dr. Strange and Daimon Hellstrom decide to join forces to exercise the spirit that has taken possession of the Hood. Oh, and the New Avengers are there as well. The three sorcerers combine powers and reveal that it is Dormammu behind the possession of the Hood. After trapping Dormammu in a magical circle the trio is able to force him to return to his home, the Dark Dimension.
-The Avengers then clean up the mess, and hand the Hood and his accomplice Madame Masque over to the authorities. Before leaving, Hawkeye(or Ronin if you prefer)gets on camera and tells the world that he's sure Osborn will allow Masque and Hood to slip through the cracks and remain free, stating that Hood and Masque are secretly working for Osborn.
-This issue ends with Hawkeye returning home and catching the tail end of Osborn's LOOOONG interview from Dark Avengers #5. Clint is shocked that the media seems to be taking Osborn's side of the story, so Clint decides the only way left to stop Osborn and his Dark Reign is to kill Osborn... WHAT?!?!?
Wait, Clint Barton, the man who wouldn't forgive his own wife when she allowed her rapist to fall to his death is advocating murder? No, no, no... No frigging way. I'm not going to go too crazy yet, let's just say Clint was so upset he wasn't thinking about what he was saying. Yeah, that must be it, because Clinton Francis Barton DOES NOT KILL.
I still don't get/like the fact that Brother Voodoo is the new Sorcerer Supreme, but I think I made my feelings on that subject very well known during my review of New Avengers #53, so I'm not going to get into that again. This was a mediocre comic that I doubt I'll even remember come tomorrow morning. For a score, I'll go with a 5 out of 10.
Dark Avengers #6
Here's another BENDIS written masterpiece!
-Osborn meets with the Cabal(that's what those Dark Reign bad guys are called, right?)and demands that Namor takes care of the Atlantian terrorists who attacked Los Angeles the previous issue. Namor is enraged that Osborn has the nerve to demand anything of him, and after some harsh words, Osborn storms away.
-Osborn then meets with the Dark Avengers(minus Marvel Boy, who is missing)and orders the Sentry to hunt down the Atlantian terrorists and kill all but one of them. Sentry is shocked by this order, but Osborn tells Sentry that he doesn't want the Setry to preform this deed, instead he wants the Void(Sentry's evil alter-ego)to do the job. Sentry becomes the Void and does as he is commanded, bringing the sole survivor of the terrorists back to Avengers Tower where the Atalantian is fed to Venom for some reason.
-This issue ends with Osborn demanding to know what Moonstone said/did to cause Marvel Boy to run from the team, but he receives no answer. Osborn then storms away, goes to a secret lab in Avengers Tower and collapses to the floor while the voice of the Green Goblin tells him he's still around.
Huh, once again, this was a pretty good issue. What the hell, BENDIS? I'm really quite surprised that the same guy can be responsible for the abortion that is the New Avengers, while simultaneously putting out Dark Avengers, which is actually turning out to be a pretty decent series. So, the Sentry is crazy, Bullseye and Venom are crazy, and Osborn is(FINALLY)showing signs of cracking up. With Osborn seemingly headed back to the green and purple of the Goblin, I wonder what that means for the Dark Avengers. We all know that eventually Osborn's Dark Reign is going to collapse like a house of cards, but when that happens, what will become of this increasingly enjoyable comic?
Whatever the future holds, I hope Marvel Boy is a part of it. After Moonstone revealed that the Dark Avengers are a team of villains to him, Noh-Varr left the team, heading off to parts unknown. It would be nice if Noh-Varr became a full fledged hero in the Marvel Universe, but I'm not holding my breath. I still get the feeling my favorite Kree from an alternate future is marked for death. I'm also a bit confused as to why nobody seems to remember that Noh-Varr was a Kree terrorist who attacked New York on more than one occasion. He's not really dressed differently, or hiding his identity, so I'm kind of baffled as to why the public seemingly has no problem with him. Anyway, for a score, I'm going to give this comic a respectable 7 out of 10. If BENDIS keeps up the good work, I'm going to have to stop ragging on him.
-Osborn meets with the Cabal(that's what those Dark Reign bad guys are called, right?)and demands that Namor takes care of the Atlantian terrorists who attacked Los Angeles the previous issue. Namor is enraged that Osborn has the nerve to demand anything of him, and after some harsh words, Osborn storms away.
-Osborn then meets with the Dark Avengers(minus Marvel Boy, who is missing)and orders the Sentry to hunt down the Atlantian terrorists and kill all but one of them. Sentry is shocked by this order, but Osborn tells Sentry that he doesn't want the Setry to preform this deed, instead he wants the Void(Sentry's evil alter-ego)to do the job. Sentry becomes the Void and does as he is commanded, bringing the sole survivor of the terrorists back to Avengers Tower where the Atalantian is fed to Venom for some reason.
-This issue ends with Osborn demanding to know what Moonstone said/did to cause Marvel Boy to run from the team, but he receives no answer. Osborn then storms away, goes to a secret lab in Avengers Tower and collapses to the floor while the voice of the Green Goblin tells him he's still around.
Huh, once again, this was a pretty good issue. What the hell, BENDIS? I'm really quite surprised that the same guy can be responsible for the abortion that is the New Avengers, while simultaneously putting out Dark Avengers, which is actually turning out to be a pretty decent series. So, the Sentry is crazy, Bullseye and Venom are crazy, and Osborn is(FINALLY)showing signs of cracking up. With Osborn seemingly headed back to the green and purple of the Goblin, I wonder what that means for the Dark Avengers. We all know that eventually Osborn's Dark Reign is going to collapse like a house of cards, but when that happens, what will become of this increasingly enjoyable comic?
Whatever the future holds, I hope Marvel Boy is a part of it. After Moonstone revealed that the Dark Avengers are a team of villains to him, Noh-Varr left the team, heading off to parts unknown. It would be nice if Noh-Varr became a full fledged hero in the Marvel Universe, but I'm not holding my breath. I still get the feeling my favorite Kree from an alternate future is marked for death. I'm also a bit confused as to why nobody seems to remember that Noh-Varr was a Kree terrorist who attacked New York on more than one occasion. He's not really dressed differently, or hiding his identity, so I'm kind of baffled as to why the public seemingly has no problem with him. Anyway, for a score, I'm going to give this comic a respectable 7 out of 10. If BENDIS keeps up the good work, I'm going to have to stop ragging on him.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Dark Avengers #5
*Sigh*... Well, tonight I plan on reading three BENDIS written Avengers comics... Hopefully I survive the ordeal with minimal brain damage. Here we go.
-This issue basically consisted of Norman Osborn giving a VERRRY long interview in an attempt to discredit Hawkeye's accusations that Osborn is a maniac. Wait, did I say Hawkeye? I meant Ronin... Osborn yammers on and on and on and this issue ends with what appears to be Atlantians attacking Los Angeles.
-Other Developments: The Sentry was acting crazy. AGAIN... Bullseye and Venom aren't getting along. Wait, I mean Hawkeye and Spider-Man aren't getting along. While Venom was possessed he bit Bullseye in the shoulder... Ares has discovered that his son is missing... And finally Marvel Boy(or is it Captain Marvel)and Moonstone(oops, I mean Ms. Marvel)had sex, with Moonstone revealing to Marvel Boy afterwards that the Dark Avengers are actually a team of criminals and psychopaths, because for some reason Noh-Varr couldn't figure that out on his own...
Eh, for a BENDIS penned comic this was OK. I kind of take offence at the way Marvel Boy was portrayed(he's an idiot now?)but at least BENDIS hasn't killed him off... YET... Oh, and according to the DREAD LORD BENDIS, Krees have sex in a much different manner than Terrains. Just figured I'd throw that out there.
I still think this team should be called the Thunderbolts, not the Avengers, but if I'm going to be completely honest, "Dark Avengers" has been 1,000% better than the rubbish BENDIS feeds us in New Avengers. For a score, I'll give this comic a 6 out of 10. If you like dozens of panels of Norman Osborn giving an interview, then this is the comic for you!
-This issue basically consisted of Norman Osborn giving a VERRRY long interview in an attempt to discredit Hawkeye's accusations that Osborn is a maniac. Wait, did I say Hawkeye? I meant Ronin... Osborn yammers on and on and on and this issue ends with what appears to be Atlantians attacking Los Angeles.
-Other Developments: The Sentry was acting crazy. AGAIN... Bullseye and Venom aren't getting along. Wait, I mean Hawkeye and Spider-Man aren't getting along. While Venom was possessed he bit Bullseye in the shoulder... Ares has discovered that his son is missing... And finally Marvel Boy(or is it Captain Marvel)and Moonstone(oops, I mean Ms. Marvel)had sex, with Moonstone revealing to Marvel Boy afterwards that the Dark Avengers are actually a team of criminals and psychopaths, because for some reason Noh-Varr couldn't figure that out on his own...
Eh, for a BENDIS penned comic this was OK. I kind of take offence at the way Marvel Boy was portrayed(he's an idiot now?)but at least BENDIS hasn't killed him off... YET... Oh, and according to the DREAD LORD BENDIS, Krees have sex in a much different manner than Terrains. Just figured I'd throw that out there.
I still think this team should be called the Thunderbolts, not the Avengers, but if I'm going to be completely honest, "Dark Avengers" has been 1,000% better than the rubbish BENDIS feeds us in New Avengers. For a score, I'll give this comic a 6 out of 10. If you like dozens of panels of Norman Osborn giving an interview, then this is the comic for you!
Fantastic Four #568
This is the penultimate chapter to the "Master's of Doom" storyline. Anybody who has read my reviews on FF #'s 566 & 567 should know that I really don't like this storyline at all. Will this issue change my mind? Probably not, but who knows! This issue is written by Mark Millar.
-Due to the arrival of the Marquis of Death, the Earth's weather has gone crazy. After destroying Latveria(GRRR...)the Marquis and his Apprentice arrive at the Baxter Building and humble the Fantastic Four with ease.
-After tormenting Ben and Johnny, the Marquis offers Reed the chance to save his world from utter destruction if he agrees to allow the Marquis to alter history so that Reed's son Franklin was never born. Reed turns that offer down, and the Marquis asks if Reed would trade Ben for the world. Once again, Reed says no, so the Marquis takes Reed to the holding cell of Clyde Wyncham(the guy from Mark's 1985 mini-series). The Marquis reveals that he and Wyncham are one and the same, and that eventually Clyde is destined to become the Marquis. After informing Reed of this, he tells Reed his world will be spared if he kills Wyncham. Reed refuses the offer, and the Marquis returns him to the Baxter Building, where he is immediately attacked by the other members of the Fantastic Four. They disable Reed, and this issue ends with the bizarre scene of millions of members of the Fantastic Four attacking the Baxter Building... WTF???
-Other Developments: Ben and Debbie(Ben's fiance)have a heart to heart talk, where she asks him to try to control his temper, especially when it comes to normal un-powered folks. Ben agrees because he's in love. Awww...
Like I stated in the open, I really just don't like this storyline. Actually, after reading this issue, I'm a little annoyed with Mark Millar himself. It was bad enough Mark completely trashed Dr. Doom the past two issues, now we find out it was a character from a little known Mark Millar mini-series who squashed Doom? That kind of bugs me. I like Mark and I think he's a brilliant writer(95% of the time), but his inclusion of Wyncham just irks me. I didn't particularly like the "1985" mini, and I really don't understand why characters from that series are making appearances in the main Marvel Universe.
With that said, I did like the way the Marquis of Death went about torturing the members of the FF. To be honest, if Mark would have introduced the Marquis in any other way than he did, I probably would really like the character. He's got a great look, I like his attitude and he has the potential to be a great villain for Marvel's First Family. If only Mark didn't mess with Dr. Doom and his origin to introduce the Marquis... Everything would have been perfect then. Oh well, for a score, I'll go with a 7 out of 10. This issue was definitely an improvement over the last two, but the revelation that the Marquis and Wyncham are one and the same just failed to positively impact me. I'll be quite happy when this storyline finally ends next issue.
-Due to the arrival of the Marquis of Death, the Earth's weather has gone crazy. After destroying Latveria(GRRR...)the Marquis and his Apprentice arrive at the Baxter Building and humble the Fantastic Four with ease.
-After tormenting Ben and Johnny, the Marquis offers Reed the chance to save his world from utter destruction if he agrees to allow the Marquis to alter history so that Reed's son Franklin was never born. Reed turns that offer down, and the Marquis asks if Reed would trade Ben for the world. Once again, Reed says no, so the Marquis takes Reed to the holding cell of Clyde Wyncham(the guy from Mark's 1985 mini-series). The Marquis reveals that he and Wyncham are one and the same, and that eventually Clyde is destined to become the Marquis. After informing Reed of this, he tells Reed his world will be spared if he kills Wyncham. Reed refuses the offer, and the Marquis returns him to the Baxter Building, where he is immediately attacked by the other members of the Fantastic Four. They disable Reed, and this issue ends with the bizarre scene of millions of members of the Fantastic Four attacking the Baxter Building... WTF???
-Other Developments: Ben and Debbie(Ben's fiance)have a heart to heart talk, where she asks him to try to control his temper, especially when it comes to normal un-powered folks. Ben agrees because he's in love. Awww...
Like I stated in the open, I really just don't like this storyline. Actually, after reading this issue, I'm a little annoyed with Mark Millar himself. It was bad enough Mark completely trashed Dr. Doom the past two issues, now we find out it was a character from a little known Mark Millar mini-series who squashed Doom? That kind of bugs me. I like Mark and I think he's a brilliant writer(95% of the time), but his inclusion of Wyncham just irks me. I didn't particularly like the "1985" mini, and I really don't understand why characters from that series are making appearances in the main Marvel Universe.
With that said, I did like the way the Marquis of Death went about torturing the members of the FF. To be honest, if Mark would have introduced the Marquis in any other way than he did, I probably would really like the character. He's got a great look, I like his attitude and he has the potential to be a great villain for Marvel's First Family. If only Mark didn't mess with Dr. Doom and his origin to introduce the Marquis... Everything would have been perfect then. Oh well, for a score, I'll go with a 7 out of 10. This issue was definitely an improvement over the last two, but the revelation that the Marquis and Wyncham are one and the same just failed to positively impact me. I'll be quite happy when this storyline finally ends next issue.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Batman #688
This issue is written by Judd Winick and drawn by Mark Bagley, whose work I've always admired.
-This issue begins with Dick busting up a gun sale put together by some of Penguin's men. Not only does Dick bust up the sale, he also allows nearby security cameras to get a good look at the sale, something Bruce would NEVER do, which helps the cops make the charges stick.
-Penguin is unhappy about the blundered sale. I guess that should be kind of obvious, right?
-We end this issue with Two-Face, who is studying the surveillance footage of Dick taking down the Penguin's men. Two-Face has battled Batman enough times to spot a phony, which is exactly what he thinks Dick is. Two-Face orders one of his men to dig up as much dirt on Penguin's operations as possible and then to leak it all to Batman. Two-Face wants Dick to go after Penguin, while he sits back and tries to figure out who the current Caped Crusader is.
-Other Developments: Three weeks from the events of this comic, a mystery person is going to beat the hell out of Dick in the Batcave while telling him they know he isn't Batman... Commissioner Gordon has been lighting the Bat-signal every other day for the past two weeks, seemingly in case Dick wanted to stop by to talk. Huh, that's kind of weird... Dick complains to Alfred about how narrow the eye slits are on his mask and how heavy the cape is, to which Alfred laughs. Dick is definitely a different Batman than Alfred is used to... Dick and Damian have a training session, in which Dick tries to teach Damian to keep his emotions in check during a fight...
This was an enjoyable comic, but I have to ask, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE SCARECROW??? I mean, I'm not going crazy, right? Didn't last issue end with Dick confronting Scarecrow on a bridge in Gotham? I actually went and pulled out my issue of Batman #687, just to make sure I wasn't losing my mind. Sure enough, Dick and Scarecrow were preparing to go to war as that issue concluded. I guess Judd thinks Scarecrow is such a lightweight that the outcome of the fight was a forgone conclusion! I understand that we all know Dick was going to easily defeat Scarecrow, but it did bug me a little bit that Scarecrow is treated like an after thought while Penguin is treated like a heavyweight... Let me make something perfectly clear here, I HATE the Penguin! I get that DC wants him to be their answer to Marvel's Kingpin, but I just can't get into a character whose whole shtick is that he looks like a penguin! Whenever I see the Penguin, I can't help but roll my eyes. He doesn't look intimidating, he doesn't act intimidating, he really doesn't bring ANYTHING to the table. Now Black Mask would be the PERFECT crime lord for Gotham City. He has the look, the act, everything. No, we get the tired old Penguin... Bravo DC...
Now that I have my Penguin rant off my chest, I can get back to this issue. The big mystery to come out of this comic is who is going to beat Dick up in the Cave in three weeks time? My guess is going to have to be Two-Face. Harvey has already figured out that the current Batman isn't his usual foe, and Harvey has fought Dick enough times that he should be able to deduct that it is his old sparring partner, Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing currently behind the cowl of the Batman. The main problem with Two-Face laying the beatdown on Dick in the Cave is the location of the fight, the Cave. To my knowledge, Harvey has no clue as to the whereabouts of the Cave, and more importantly, Dick isn't even using the Cave as his base anymore! So, maybe Two-Face is a red herring... That takes us back to the original question, who is our mystery man? Who knows the location of the Batcave? Ra's Al Ghul? Nah, he seems to be pestering Tim in Red Robin. Maybe the Riddler? Um, how the HELL could Riddler beat Dick in a fight? Nope, it can't be Riddler... Jason Todd maybe? I'd say yes, definitely, but I think it's a wee bit too soon for Jason to make a comeback. Ah, how about Hush? Hush fits every criteria. He knows where the Cave is AND he'd probably be able to give Dick a decent fight. The only problem is, last I remember, he's locked up in Wayne Tower(I think). Still, I'd love for it to be Hush, he's a pretty awesome villain.
For a score, I'm going to give this comic a very strong 9 out of 10, and I'm also going to make a controversial statement, one that I'm certain many of my fellow bloggers will take immediate umbrage with. I think this series is better than Grant Morrison's "Batman and Robin"! Yep, I said it! The first two issues of Judd's run have been(to me anyway)more straightforward, easier to read and just plain better than Grant's first two issues of Batman and Robin. Plus I think Two-Face is a WAAAAY better foe than Pyg. OK, I've thrown down the gauntlet, "Batman and Robin" fanboys, return fire!
-This issue begins with Dick busting up a gun sale put together by some of Penguin's men. Not only does Dick bust up the sale, he also allows nearby security cameras to get a good look at the sale, something Bruce would NEVER do, which helps the cops make the charges stick.
-Penguin is unhappy about the blundered sale. I guess that should be kind of obvious, right?
-We end this issue with Two-Face, who is studying the surveillance footage of Dick taking down the Penguin's men. Two-Face has battled Batman enough times to spot a phony, which is exactly what he thinks Dick is. Two-Face orders one of his men to dig up as much dirt on Penguin's operations as possible and then to leak it all to Batman. Two-Face wants Dick to go after Penguin, while he sits back and tries to figure out who the current Caped Crusader is.
-Other Developments: Three weeks from the events of this comic, a mystery person is going to beat the hell out of Dick in the Batcave while telling him they know he isn't Batman... Commissioner Gordon has been lighting the Bat-signal every other day for the past two weeks, seemingly in case Dick wanted to stop by to talk. Huh, that's kind of weird... Dick complains to Alfred about how narrow the eye slits are on his mask and how heavy the cape is, to which Alfred laughs. Dick is definitely a different Batman than Alfred is used to... Dick and Damian have a training session, in which Dick tries to teach Damian to keep his emotions in check during a fight...
This was an enjoyable comic, but I have to ask, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE SCARECROW??? I mean, I'm not going crazy, right? Didn't last issue end with Dick confronting Scarecrow on a bridge in Gotham? I actually went and pulled out my issue of Batman #687, just to make sure I wasn't losing my mind. Sure enough, Dick and Scarecrow were preparing to go to war as that issue concluded. I guess Judd thinks Scarecrow is such a lightweight that the outcome of the fight was a forgone conclusion! I understand that we all know Dick was going to easily defeat Scarecrow, but it did bug me a little bit that Scarecrow is treated like an after thought while Penguin is treated like a heavyweight... Let me make something perfectly clear here, I HATE the Penguin! I get that DC wants him to be their answer to Marvel's Kingpin, but I just can't get into a character whose whole shtick is that he looks like a penguin! Whenever I see the Penguin, I can't help but roll my eyes. He doesn't look intimidating, he doesn't act intimidating, he really doesn't bring ANYTHING to the table. Now Black Mask would be the PERFECT crime lord for Gotham City. He has the look, the act, everything. No, we get the tired old Penguin... Bravo DC...
Now that I have my Penguin rant off my chest, I can get back to this issue. The big mystery to come out of this comic is who is going to beat Dick up in the Cave in three weeks time? My guess is going to have to be Two-Face. Harvey has already figured out that the current Batman isn't his usual foe, and Harvey has fought Dick enough times that he should be able to deduct that it is his old sparring partner, Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing currently behind the cowl of the Batman. The main problem with Two-Face laying the beatdown on Dick in the Cave is the location of the fight, the Cave. To my knowledge, Harvey has no clue as to the whereabouts of the Cave, and more importantly, Dick isn't even using the Cave as his base anymore! So, maybe Two-Face is a red herring... That takes us back to the original question, who is our mystery man? Who knows the location of the Batcave? Ra's Al Ghul? Nah, he seems to be pestering Tim in Red Robin. Maybe the Riddler? Um, how the HELL could Riddler beat Dick in a fight? Nope, it can't be Riddler... Jason Todd maybe? I'd say yes, definitely, but I think it's a wee bit too soon for Jason to make a comeback. Ah, how about Hush? Hush fits every criteria. He knows where the Cave is AND he'd probably be able to give Dick a decent fight. The only problem is, last I remember, he's locked up in Wayne Tower(I think). Still, I'd love for it to be Hush, he's a pretty awesome villain.
For a score, I'm going to give this comic a very strong 9 out of 10, and I'm also going to make a controversial statement, one that I'm certain many of my fellow bloggers will take immediate umbrage with. I think this series is better than Grant Morrison's "Batman and Robin"! Yep, I said it! The first two issues of Judd's run have been(to me anyway)more straightforward, easier to read and just plain better than Grant's first two issues of Batman and Robin. Plus I think Two-Face is a WAAAAY better foe than Pyg. OK, I've thrown down the gauntlet, "Batman and Robin" fanboys, return fire!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)