Category Archives: young avengers

September 3, 2009 · 6:00 pm

Avengers: New, Mighty, The Initiative & Young

It’s easy to lump all the Avengers books into one pile, but much tougher to say that all of the Avenger books are the same. While they all seem to be dealing with the same subject, Norman Osborn and the Dark Reign, the stories are all over the place – street level, cosmic, conspiracy and ridiculous. I’m starting to hit the wall of Dark Reign fatigue and these are four examples why.

The New Avengers #55

Brian Michael Bendis writes and Stuart Immonen pencils what was actually my favorite of the Avengers books reviewed here today. The cracks in The Hood’s army of super villains are starting to show and when Chemistro & Dr. Jonas Harrow reverse engineer the power blocker that the Avengers attempted to use several issues ago. They expect to use it as the great equalizer in the “super power” war and eliminate the need for The Hood. I like that plot line. Also we see just what it is like to invite the New Avengers over to your house to stay when your name isn’t Steve Rogers and how they mess up your place. I like that bit of character. I also like how there is a build up about Spider-Man revealing identity and the possible/inevitable complications that will rise because of it. There were lots of little things that really show off BMB’s sense of drama and character. The conversation about killing Osborn, how Spider-Man reacts to it, the fact that Bucky gets alerts about trouble in the city on his Blackberry are all really subtle and make the read really enjoyable for me.

As far as moving the story though, it feels pretty slow. We actually spend a good part of the issue in flashback. And there was a weird art thing that actually took me out of the story when the villains pull out the power blocker and use it. I don’t want to go into the effect it has on the heroes, because that’s dealt with next issue, but seeing Clint Barton vomit through his mask? I’m pretty sure the mask would stop that, or it’s the most porous mask ever invented.

All in all I still really like New Avengers, but I’m ready for more forward momentum.

The Mighty Avengers #27

Dan Slott how is it that you can do such amazing work on Avengers: The Initiative and then have such a slow start on The Mighty Avengers? I should start off by saying that I like this issue, but it really feels like Slott is writing for the trade and not for the month. The story comes in stilted chunks and flows dramatically to a sudden cliffhanger. The introduction of a new Inhuman villain was my favorite part, but then we go right back to Pym’s new headquarters and get a glimpse of Stature making a mad face at the Scarlet Witch, even though she has seen her before and not reacted the same way. Does she have reason to hate the Witch? Totally, Scarlet Witch killed her father, but why hasn’t she reacted like this before? Maybe she did and it just wasn’t memorable? I don’t remember.

Maybe it’s the Christos Gage script that is making the changes? I have no idea. I really like what Khoi Pham is doing with his pencils, and the art in general is really nice! They all look like powerful heroes. I keep waiting for this book to wow me and I think I’ll have to keep waiting.

Avengers: The Initiative #26

Up is down, left is right, and good is bad. Osborn is in charge of all the heroes in the United States and he’s replacing them all with villains! Our new hero roster, Gauntlet, Tigra, Justice, Ultra Girl, and the rest of the “New Warriors,” are going underground but still trying to go on the offensive.

This book is finally finding its footing in a post Civil War world and it’s making big strides in, what I think, is a good direction! Christos Gage scripted this book as well and is becoming a common fixture in books that make dramatic strides forward. This story was kinetic, well thought out and really sets up the whole status quo for this series. The art by Rafa Sandoval (pencils), Roget Bonet (inks), and Edgar Delgato (colors) matched the story style with visual perfection – and there’s an appearance by the U-Foes! where have they been?!?!

It’s an exciting time for this book and if the past issues scared you off then now is a good time to come back!

Dark Reign: Young Avengers #3 of 5

Paul Cornell and Mark Brooks keep the hits coming! This teenage soap opera where the good Young Avengers meet the Bad(?) Young Avengers, test them and show how age and experience really help make good decisions.

Now that Captain Britain and MI13 is over this is a great place to get a monthly Paul Cornell fix. The twists and turns and reveals are way too good to spoil and the the story is being paced perfectly for its five issues. Between Princess Python and a last minute Norman Osborn issue #4 looks like ti’s going to be phenomenal!

Don’t wait for the trade on this, buy it NOW!!

Well, that’s it for now. See you tomorrow!

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Filed under avengers, comic books, mighty avengers, new avengers, reviews, the initiative, young avengers

June 26, 2009 · 12:42 am

MASSIVE COMIC REVIEW CATCH-UP!!!!!!!!

Here we go, quite a bit to catch up on so I’m getting right down to it. Also, different style of reviews this week, I will only be spending as much time on them as I was interested in them. Some will be short. Very short.

New Avengers: The Reunion #4: $16 down the tube. Four issues to tell a 3 panel story. Hawkeye and Mockingbird get back together. Sorry, spoiler. I hate that I bought this.


The Mighty Avengers #25 & #26: Two issue arc. Mighty Avengers fight Fantastic Four for a spacial thingamajig. Two issues to tell a one issue story. Story telling and art were no different for me this issue than the last, I’m totally losing interest in this title the more Iron Man isn’t in it. Maybe one more issue.


War Machine #6 & #7: I’m not a huge fan of the cartoonish art that is happening now from Allan Jefferson & Mahmud Asrar. Rhodes versus the US government. More back story. The armor is back, so the cliff hanger at the end with him armorless in #5 came to nothing and somewhere along the line they picked up another War Machine armor for one of Rhody’s associates. Also issue #7 shows how Rhodes got bionic. Oh and Ultimo is back and in a weird continuity twist Tony Stark shows up at the end(?!?!?!?!?!) That managed to keep me around for another issue.

Avengers the Initiative #24: Christos Gage writing, Humberto Ramos on art. This story actually keeps the entertainment coming in spite of cliche. The Initiative is getting shut down, the Shadow Initiative is stuck in Madripoor and Hardball is a traitor?!?!!?!? Of course he isn’t, but neither is Lady Hydra. Besides that little bit of cliche it is nice to see all of these story elements finally sewing themselves up and FINALLY getting this book caught up with current continuity. I really liked seeing Roughhouse and Bloodscream again. I always liked these villains since they first appeared in the Wolverine solo series way back in the early 90’s. I still don’t know what kind of vampire Bloodscream is, and I’m sure he’s been “killed” a few times, but here we see how undead he really is. And I remember John Byrne turning Roughhouse into a gentle giant about a decade ago, but I guess he’s back to being bad. Good fight scenes kept the pages turning. Ant-Man commits a great kill and the Shadow Initiative becomes the Dark Initiative. I’m excited about the new status quo.

Dark Reign: Young Avengers #2 of 5: Cornell. Brooks. Morales. Great! Great! Great! This creative team is awesome! This book is a LOT of fun! Twists, turns, and action galore! Just read it and get as much Paul Cornell as you can since Captain Britain & MI13 is canceled.

Dark Avengers #5: Now we’re getting to the good stuff. Brian Michael Bendis continues his exploration into the mind of Norman Osborn as he continues his Reign over the Marvel Universe. After their first big fight to help Doom they come home to find that things are not well at home. The Sentry floats above Avengers Tower seemingly brought back to life, Clint Barton (Hawkeye/Ronin/Goliath) has called out Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin and half of his team is ready to kill each other. This issue spends most of it’s time with Osborn going on television to answer the Barton accusations (with hints that he might be cracking under the pressure) with surprisingly good points – scary – and seeing the team “debrief” after returning from Latveria. Highlights include Ares addressing all of the Avengers and telling them it is their duty to be heroes, Moonstone and Noh-Var getting close and Bullseye adding people to his hit list. Also, who is leading all of those sea creatures in an attack on the city??!?!

The New Avengers #53: Another Bendis bit and we finally see who the new Sorcerer Supreme is – but not before there’s a huge fight in New Orleans!! Hasn’t that city suffered enough? Madame Masque shows how lethal she can be and fights hand to hand with Spider Woman – under the veil of smoke grenades – and the Hood fights the Son of Satan. I miss the Son of Satan. I always thought he was a cool character that never really got a fair shake and Bendis does him very well. BMB writes him as a flippant, cavalier almost Doctor Who-like in his casualness to extreme situations. When Dormamuu actually makes his appearance SoS attacks him as if he were a common street thug, it’s funny and clever and I love characters like that. I hope we get to see more of him. Maybe he can replace Ms. Marvel – SINCE SHE’S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! But apparently she isn’t – or this book just needs to catch -up? Who can tell anymore, especially when a book like The Initiative is almost a year behind, any of these books could be anytime in between. I think Spider-Man may be leaving this team soon, he’s having lots of moral/ethical dilemmas that seem to be very hard for him to live with (stealing the quinjet, Bucky Cap shooting Madame Masque even though she doesn’t die) but I like seeing him struggle. And it’s totally worth the reveal of the new Sorcerer Supreme at the end! Also, I really like Billy Tan art.


Agents of Atlas #5 & #6: If you do nothing else you need to pick up these books just to read the re-cap page at the front. Each issue is clever and does a great job of getting you caught up on story. Issue #5 written by Jeff Parker and penciled by Carlo Pagulayan shows the confrontation between Atlas and The New Avengers. It’s nice to have this this kind of cross-over because sometimes when I read this book it feels like it’s happening in a different universe than the main Marvel one. There was a nice twist on what could have been just a simple, boring “we don’t know you, let’s fight!” situation when Spider-Man steps in a points out that maybe the Agents of Atlas aren’t bad guys at all. Would have made for a very awkward confession – which Jimmy Woo was starting – until M-11 recognized Logan’s voice from an old operation and blasted Wolverine’s arm off! Then there’s a fight that makes sense! Two-page spread! M-11 vs Cage! Namora vs Ms. Marvel (still should be dead)! Gorilla Man vs Spider-Man! And Wolverine missing an arm! And the BEST part is that Venus finishes the fight by using her powers to over stimulate everybody! Hysterical and awesome all at the same time! Issue #6, also by Parker but this time with art by Gabriel Hardman, is not as action packed instead, using info gained from Osborn’s mind, the Agents go to visit with Namor to see if he will get them access into Osborn’s inner circle, or at least behind the scenes of H.A.M.M.E.R.’s operations. We are welcomed into the new utopia city that Namor is building for the Atlantians and learn that Namor and Namora are more than just cousins. I’ll let you learn the extent of that on your own. It ends on a cliffhanger: will Namora stay with Namor and the Atlantians? Are they going to turn on the surface world completely? I guess we’ll see in issue #7.


Captain Britain and MI13 Annual & #14: It’s so sad to see a good book fall. When this is collected into a massive trade paperback I hope you all buy a dozen copies and maybe, just maybe, they’ll let Paul Cornell come back and tell the rest of his story. As it is these two book are tied in together. The Annual shows us how Meggan gets back (thanks Doctor Doom) and issue #14 gets us set-up for next issue – the last issue – #15. I actually don’t want to give any of this book away. Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk do such a GREAT job on this title that you should go out and buy every issue that you can! Safe to say that Pete Wisdom and MI13 have the situation well in hand, even after last month’s cliffhanger, and the final issue looks like it’s going to be a doozy!

BUY THIS BOOK!

Invincible Iron Man #14: Classic armor! Classic Crimson Dynamo! Rockets! Missiles! Pepper Potts going underground! Maria Hill on the run looking for Captain America! Armor swaps! The Black Widow! Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca are telling great Iron Man stories just like they were told in the 70’s & 80’s when ol’ Shellhead’s book was in it’s prime. International intrigue, foreign locals, and a strong resurgence of old Russian allies/enemies. Fraction is doing a great thing where he is not only deconstructing the Tony Stark character, but also revisiting the character’s past in a really contemporary way, reminding us of how many characters have actualy crossed Stark’s past. I knew that this story was going in the right direction issues ago, but there was a moment in this issue, when the Russians turn down Norman Osborn, that make you feel like the stakes are both high and realistic. Maria Hill seems a bit broken and when she tracks down the Black Widow you aren’t sure if she’s there to talk or there to kill and the Pepper Potts story just keeps being interesting as she does her best to find Tony so she can help him. Madame Masque makes an appearance here too – and the cliffhanger makes me want issue #15 so bad!

That’s the massive catch-up! See you tomorrow!

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Filed under avengers, comic books, iron man, mi13, reviews, war machine, young avengers

May 20, 2009 · 5:30 pm

Secret Warriors #4, Dark Reign: Young Avengers 1 of 5 & Captain Britain and MI13 #13

Three books this review, with some bummer news about the canceling of a good book and my dropping another.

I’m going to start by droppin’ bombs. Secret Warriors #4 is the last issue that I will buy. I like the idea behind this book, and Jonathan Hickman is the perfect writer for it, but it’s really slow and I’ve lost any momentum that I had for this book. Fury catches up with Dum Dum Dugan, Jasper Sitwell, and Gabe Jones – all loyal SHIELD guys who are now the operators of Howling Commandos Private Military Contractors. They share war stories and Gabe makes a frowny face the whole time. Guess what happens? Fury and the Howling Commandos are back together – it’s like Ross and Rachel – you always knew it would happen it was just a matter of how.

Other highlights:

– New team member recruited in Australia.
– Yo-Yo isn’t dead, but she’s still missing her arms.
– Hydra votes to go on the offensive.
– Fury convinces the Howling Commandos to attack a HAMMER base staffed with ex-SHIELD guys.

Here’s a thing about that last bullet point, Fury is straight up blood thirsty. When asked what he’ll feel when he has to shoot men that he used to command, men that he trained and lead into battle before he went underground, his reply is…

***SPOILER***

“Recoil.”

The other interesting thing that we discovered this issue, the one thing that I’d like to see the answer to, was Fury’s room of LMD’s (Life Model Decoys – Stark invented robots that simulate a person when assassination is expected). Phobos and Hellfire (I’m pretty sure it’s Hellfire at least) are rummaging through Fury’s office and find the LMD’s. One of them was opened up and inside the chest was a little seat and monitor screens. This is really odd since LMD’s are supposed to be robots and not a vehicle. The ramifications of whether or not the Fury walking around is actually Fury or if he’s suddenly been shrunk down very small size and runs around in normal Fury sized robots could be staggering or this could have just been a red herring by artist Stefano Caselli. I guess we’ll see – I’ll I’ll just have to check it out in the store.

Dark Reign: Young Avengers 1 of 5

Here’s a fun book from Paul Cornell and artist Mark Brooks. The cover hits you right away with six totally new characters you’ve never seen before and a cover blast that says, “They’re EXACTLY What You Think!” Then the recap page is presented as a blog talking about the Young Avengers (the ones we recognize) and their relationships and ends wondering where they have gone since the battle against the Skrulls in Central Park.

Paul Cornell does a great job of dropping you right in the middle of the action and giving you a flavor for what you are going to get from a team without giving up all of their secrets. We get a great splash page of this new team, their names aren’t put on display so you have to pay attention to the dialogue and we hear some familiar names. There’s a girl who grows to giant size called Big Zero. She’s also a racist. There’s a teenage girl calling herself Enchatress complete with Asgardian garb and speech, although she has a bit of a lisp. Their leader is named Melter and he can make things melt. Executioner is like the Punisher but wears a skull-like mask. Coat of Arms has six arms and seems an awful lot like Spiral – down to video taping their exploits as if they will be broadcast. And then there’s a robot called Egghead who looks really familiar, although I can’t place where I might have seen him before, and damaged.

Immediately, the first time we see them, the robbers they are trying to stop get killed. It’s a great opening act. We see that these kids are not well balanced and are the poster children for why Tony was right about super-hero registration. The relationships are well defined and you feel like you get a LOT for your dollar. I was really impressed with this book and can’t wait to see how well this struggle goes as Melter tries to make his team heroes or if they are just going to be another team of misguided youths.

Oh, and the real Young Avengers so up at the end. It’s was a fantastic first issue making me excited about the next one!

Captain Britain and MI13 #13

Paul Cornell again with Leonard Kirk on art duties picks up right where we left off last issue, right in the thick of a full scale vampire invasion of England! It is just as bad a thing as it sounds. The threat of Dracula continues to be impressive. There is a conceit among comics that you make the situation as bad as possible before you have the heroes come back from behind and win the day. That is all well and good but for the MI13 team things are looking really dire with very little chance of reprieve.

England has been magically sealed off from the rest of the world keeping the rest of the Marvel heroes from coming to the rescue, Norman Osborn calls Wisdom personally to tell him that he can’t help due to agreements that are in place (remember Doctor Doom from way back at the start of this arc?), and Dracula pushes his full mental influence on Spitfire making her a full on baddie now too!

Spitfire calls the team out to a field where, expecting a trap, the team heads to. Captain Britain fears that Dracula knows too much about how Merlin created him and, since Cap’s powers are now dependent on how confident he is, this makes for some trouble. It is, in fact, a trap and a lot of things happen at once:

– Cap Britain discovers that he can leave the magic shell, but then can’t get back in if he does.
– Thousands of vampires appear to fight.
– The vampire assault is using magic and technology to cover all bases.

The MI13 team attacks, but not as a unit which leads to deaths, lots of deaths, unexpected deaths. Paul Cornell has said over and again that not everyone will survive this invasion so you really are left hanging as to who’s left. I really don’t want to spoil anything else, but I can say that Dracula wins.

Seriously.

I can’t wait for next issue!!!!!

Now here’s the bad news, this series ends at issue 15. TWO MORE ISSUES!!!!! Sales have not been good, which really sucks because this has been one of the best books of the year. I can only hope that fan outcry will mean at least a few one-shots or specials after it’s over. It’s a shame to see something this good have to end.

That’s all for today. See you tomorrow!

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Filed under avengers, comic books, mi13, reviews, young avengers