Category Archives: Marvel
Review: X-Factor #234
In which two members do some soul searching while everyone else enjoys a much deserved group hug. And that’s mostly it. This issue of X-Factor had a few certain story beats it wanted to hit, so it did. Everything else is just kind of fun, generally moving a few different plots along while taking care of the ‘Madrox is back from the dead!’ angle. It’s not the big, emotional scene of awesome I was hoping for, but it’s definitely some good team bonding. We also have Madrox and Havok start butting heads, so that was fun. Though I hope we see some more of this team drama in the issues that come.
X-Factor #234
This issue also featured one of the most adorable superhero group hugs ever.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
This issue is also book-ended by the Isolationist’s story, as the mysterious woman is finally revealed in full. But their little segments add absolutely nothing to the overall threat they’re trying to convey, and I find myself rolling my eyes at them even more than last week. They are not threatening, they are not interesting and I have little to no desire in seeing them eventually face off against X-Factor. This book’s greatest strength is when its characters can act like real people, and deal with grounded, street-level adventures. The idea of them facing off against two far-out super-villains seeking world domination just doesn’t interest me in the least.
Fortunately, this issue mostly focuses on the good characters and what their lives are like together. So that’s a plus.
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #2
And lo, it was on like Donkey Kong! The epic battle of the Avengers vs. the X-Men has begun! Friend against friend! Husband against wife! Hero against hero! And with that, I’ve pretty much summed up the entire comic. The two teams come to blows very quickly in this issue, and it’s a little bit disappointing. I realize all of these characters are superheroes, and so fighting just comes natural to them. But holy cow does every single character just jump straight into a big brawl without a moment’s hesitation. All of the motivation behind the fighting seems to have dried up.
Avengers vs. X-Men #2
This is just a big, dumb fight issue with far too many characters to keep track of any of them. Though this comic tries its hardest. No wonder Marvel is also publishing a spin-off title that is nothing but fights – because none of them actually happen in this issue.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
But none of that is to say this was a bad issue. It’s still a very entertaining comic, and the end reveals that maybe we won’t just have 12 issues of boring fisticuffs. Because quite honestly, if this is all we can expect from the fights for this series, then count me out. This’ll be the most boring Big Event comic ever. Very little of the characters’ histories with one another are touched upon when they come to blows, and most of the fights happen off panel – or in that other comic book. And I’m not even sure if that spin-off comic is even out yet.
So basically what we get here are a few very short vignettes about fights that don’t happen in this comic, and then a medium-sized twist for the ending to catapult us into next issue. Cyclops and Captain America have another discussion during the fighting, but it’s not as good as the one last issue that kicked off the fight. But then this comic has a new scripter, so that could explain it.
That would also explain the silly purple prose found throughout the issue…Join me after the jump for a full synopsis, spoilers and more hot Avenger on X -Men action!
6 Super-Villains Based on Randomly Lame Objects
Never let it be said that all the good super-villain themes are taken. If you can settle for not being the next Joker or Doctor Doom of the world, there are a whole host of possibilities for the up-and-coming villain of tomorrow! There are whole arsenals of deadly weapons to base yourself on or an always expanding and ever fearsome animal kingdom! Or why not combine the two? Did someone say Pistol Shrimp?
Or maybe you can just base your villain identity on whatever you find lying around.
Vacuum...Woman? Maybe? Too sexist?
Not everybody can have a real stellar super-villain identity like Magneto or Doctor Octopus. Sometimes super-villains need to get creative. And sometimes maybe they shouldn’t have even bothered. Here are 6 super-villains who weren’t trying very hard.
A New Gambit Series for People Who Really Like Gambit
Another announcement from C2E2 this weekend is that of a new Gambit comic book series, also starting in August. So apparently Marvel is big on books starring solo white guys doing their own thing. Unfortunately, just like Hawkeye, I’ve never been a big Gambit fan. So I don’t have much interest in the comic – but maybe you do!
The latest in a long line of Gambit solo series
The series is going to be written by James Asmus and drawn by Clay Mann. Apparently Gambit is going to break away from the X-Men, and instead of focusing on all the classic Gambit stories (like the Thieves Guild), the book will feature Gambit as the ultimate thief, exploring the Marvel Universe to steal awesome items.
Here’s what Asmus and others had to say, according to ComicBookResources.com:
“This book focuses on the two most important aspects of Gambit: #1 that he’s sexy, and #2 that he’s the preeminent bad ass thief of the Marvel Universe,” the writer said. He explained that the book will feature Gambit broken away from the X-Men, stealing wild items from across the Marvel U in locations like space, places with Kirby monsters and more. “It lets us refresh and do new things with the crime capers involving our classic bad ass.” He also joked that “We got rid of the head sock” in describing Mann’s art as “Sexy.”
Overall, the book will build a “dangerous series of events” that pull Gambit into a “territory of mixed morality.” Asmus also noted that he wanted to make the book as accessible for everyone including fans of the ’90s “X-Men” cartoon and longtime readers who have been asking for Gambit to return in a major way.
Editor Ketchum said that he didn’t want to revisit the same stories that have been told with Gambit a thousand times with Bella Donna and the Thieves Guild in New Orleans. Instead, this will be like a Gambit movie that reintroduces the character in an all-new way.
A New Hawkeye Series for People Who Really Like Hawkeye
Personally, I’ve never cared for Hawkeye, so I doubt I’ll have any interest in this comic. But holy hot damn does it have some amazing covers!
I just love a stylish comic book cover
The new series was announced Saturday at C2E2, the comic book convention going on this weekend in Chicago. That cover, and it’s partner that I’ll post in a minute, are drawn by superstar artist David Aja. The comic is going to be a reteaming of Aja and writer Matt Fraction, who last collaborated on the incredible Iron Fist series from a few years ago. That comic was so good that it even got me interested in Iron Fist! And the Iron Fist covers were equally as awesome.
So this series is already building a lot of hype. It’s due out in August.
Free archery lesson!
Wow those are awesome covers.
Anyway, a new Hawkeye series is a great idea from Marvel. Hawkeye is never going to be more exposed than when he appears in next month’s The Avengers movie. This will be the most high profile he has ever been. So capitalizing on that success with a new comic is a good idea.
On a personal note, I’m getting a good giggle from the very swift evolution of Hawkeye’s costume in the past year to coincide with the movie. Marvel has found themselves in a bit of a pickle, because the movie costume is based on the Ultimate Universe costume, but they can’t exactly have one of their normal universe characters just switch to an identical Ultimate costume.
This is Hawkeye’s classic costume:
All purples and blues, with a full face mask, loin cloth and other superhero tropes. He’s worn a variation of this costume since he debuted. It’s one of those classic costumes. But in anything other than comic books, it could look a little silly. So when Marvel put Hawkeye in The Ultimates, they gave him a much more realistic looking leather costume. As was the style in that book.
I’m a huge fan of The Ultimates, and of Ultimate Hawkeye’s costume. It’s a great look for the character, and is not adorned with all the silly purple decorations of the classic costume.
So it’s no surprise that when Marvel decided to add Hawkeye to The Avengers movie, they picked his sensible Ultimate costume over his flamboyant classic costume.
But then getting back to the topic of Hawkeye’s new high profile, Marvel has to capitalize. There has been no great proof that the movies actually get people to buy more comics, but there is always the chance that somebody is going to see the movie and then want to read more about Hawkeye. But when they go to the comic shop, as recent as last year they would see Hawkeye in his purple costume. Visual continuity is important. If the fan is looking on the shelves for movie Hawkeye, give them something similar. So in recent months, Marvel has given Hawkeye a new costume.
Though based on those new comic book covers, he might be reducing his costume to just a T-shirt soon enough. Still, it’s an awesome design that draws heavily from the Ultimate and movie versions, while retaining some of its classic roots. I’m definitely a fan of the new look. Real men wear purple.
So hopefully Hawkeye fans are excited at this news.
