Category Archives: Reviews
Review: X-Factor #242
The deck clearing continues in X-Factor #242, as writer Peter David removes a few characters, settles several dangling plotlines and offers at least one little hint about future strangeness. It’s an entertaining issue, with more than a couple funny lines, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more by-the-numbers issue. I don’t mean that to be cruel, but look no further than the fact that this issue stars Darwin of all characters to see just how unimportant and workmanlike this is in the grand scheme of things.
X-Factor #242
Darwin is the red-headed step child of the X-Men franchise. And being rechristened as a demon-hunter is either the most brilliant or the stupidest choice possible for the character.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Like I said, it’s a good issue. The story is solid, the characters are themselves and it’s funny in places. The art by Leonard Kirk is also great, as usual. It’s just the fact that PAD is taking care of business is evident on every page. He’s got some plans for the new Marvel NOW! relaunch, which involves a smaller cast for X-Factor and new stories. So this issue, and this Breaking Points storyline, are all about removing characters as safely and calmly as possible. He’s also tying up dangling plot threads that I don’t think anybody particularly cares about anymore, and he’s doing it as quickly and as cleanly as he can.
For longtime X-Factor fans like me, it’s a fine enough issue. No major complaints. Other than that, it’s not much of anything. Unless you’re a huge Darwin fan. Or are excited to see Wolfsbane as a mom.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #10
In order to enjoy the rest of Avengers vs. X-Men, I’m just going to have to accept that Cyclops is evil now. Despite everything he has ever done or said in this comic, despite all the good he has done around the world with the Phoenix powers, despite never having done a single evil thing at all in this series, I’m just going to have to bow down to Avengers’ peer pressure and accept that Cyclops is the bad guy. Heck, they come right out and just tell me that he’s evil several times in this comic. So why not believe the Avengers? It’s not like they brought this on themselves or anything.
Avengers vs. X-Men #10
If you’re willing to accept that Cyclops is evil, this is a good comic with some kickass moments as the Avengers fight for their lives against a god-like force. If, like me, you’re not willing to accept that Cyclops is evil, this is yet another issue where characters just say that he’s the bad guy while trying to kill him, as if they can convince him of his new badness.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Despite my continued frustrations with Cyclops’ heroism, this is still a good issue, and Avengers vs. X-Men is still a good series. And if I read the comic how I want to read it, with Cyclops as the hero, it’s also a good issue. The battle in this issue is pretty awesome, with some truly great comic moments as the Avengers and Hope take on Phoenix Cyclops in the mystical city of kung fu. Meanwhile, Emma Frost really has become evil due to the Phoenix, and she’s off in the wings becoming what will probably be the ‘final boss’ of Avengers vs. X-Men. And after this issue, I’m legitimately excited to see what side Cyclops will pick in the final battle.
Will he live up to my continued endorsement of his heroism? Or will the Avengers be right when they compare Cyclops to a certain World War 2 villain? Either way, he’s pretty dangerous in this issue, that’s for sure. I wish Avengers vs. X-Men would have spent some time in Cyclops’ head, showing us his motivations and reasons for doing what he’s doing. Instead, we don’t get any of that here. No characters take center stage to help us understand the events. It’s mostly all action. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just the issues with a focal character have usually been stronger.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Review: Scarlet Spider #8
The epic battle between the Scarlet Spider and the Rangers was not as epic as I would have liked, but it was still entertaining. I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting, but this issue gave us a nice take on Scarlet Spider’s reaction to other superheroes, as well as a look at a hero team that doesn’t get much attention. Everything was a little cliche in the whole ‘heroes fight and then team up’ angle, but to be fair, Scarlet Spider is kind of breaking the law through a lot of this issue. So it only makes sense that the Rangers would be looking to stop him. And I prefer it when stories make sense.
Scarlet Spider #8
But basically this issue is straight forward and simple, with an emphasis on the action over characterization.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
I guess I was hoping that the Rangers would be more than just set dressing, or a cameo for cameo’s sake. I appreciate that writer Chris Yost didn’t force the Avengers into making an appearance, relying instead on realism over marketing, but the Rangers don’t really make a strong connection with our hero in this issue. It’s almost entirely fight scene with little depth to any of the characters. There’s some running, a little humor and banter, but mostly it’s just fisticuffs. Seeing as how this is a superhero comic, fighting is expected. But I would have liked a little more interaction. At least the art holds up, though it’s not as good as departed artist Ryan Stegman.
What we do get is another look into Kaine’s head as he tries to sort out all these shenanigans. He’s still rather entertaining as a reluctant hero who isn’t entirely sure if he’s doing this right, or even what he’s supposed to do. But Kaine is a competent hero, in a way that I think is working against Yost’s ideas. It’s like when an R-rated movie is softened to get the more marketable PG-13 rating. Yost could really push some boundaries with an uncouth, anti-hero Kaine; but it feels like he’s hemmed in by the idea that Scarlet Spider needs to be more ‘family friendly’ as part of the Spider-Man line of comics. So there’s a struggle between Kaine as competent superhero and Kaine as rough anti-hero. I don’t think the book should strike a balance between the two, I think Yost should go full-on anti-hero.
But at least Scarlet Spider remains an entertaining comic. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
Review: Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #13
The dreaded crossover has come to Ultimate Spider-Man, and the issue is worse off for it. Fortunately, writer Brian Michael Bendis does his best to shrug through this inane ‘Divided We Fall’ storyline so that he can keep telling the Miles Morales story he wants to tell. Seriously though, Bendis has had to deal with so much editorial bunk on this title. They force him to kill off Ultimate Peter Parker, and now barely a year into his new series, they force him to play along with the craziness of the rest of the Ultimate Universe. It’s a sad shame.
Ultimate Spider-Man #13
But like I said, Bendis mostly just offers a little lip service to Divided We Fall. He focuses much more on Miles than on the larger universe stuff, though a few odd story choices keep this issue from being too stellar.
And the random Batroc the Leaper cameo doesn’t help – though it also doesn’t hurt.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Quite honestly, the Divided We Fall storyline is completely at odds with the Ultimate Spider-Man storyline. So much so that there is at least one scene where the characters literally point out the silliness of trying to tell this serious Spider-Man story alongside the larger Ultimate Universe crossover. The two just clash, and awkwardly at that. So it makes for a stunted issue of Ultimate Spider-Man. When we focus on the non-Divided We Fall stuff, the story is OK. Miles is once again going through all manner of inner crisis as he once again balances being Spider-Man with living his life, and that always makes for good storytelling.
Unfortunately, the best stuff, a meeting between Miles and Aunt May, appears to be being saved for next issue. Instead, Bendis pads out this tale with yet another fight with a silly super-villain. Batroc is the same as Omega Red and the Ringer, just a silly bad guy for Spidey to pummel and take up page space. It’s kind of odd that Bendis has gone back to this well so often…
Anyway, join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Review: X-Factor #241
The action in X-Factor is knocked up a notch with this issue, which kicks off the new Breaking Points storyline. Marvel Comics is rocketing towards their new Marvel NOW! relaunch this fall, and even though X-Factor is going to be relatively untouched, writer Peter David appears to want to use this as a chance to streamline his title. I’m grateful for that. I’ve long complained about too many cast members. David has also had several long running storylines that he’s going to wrap up as well. Basically it seems like Breaking Points is going to be a big wrap up of the past year or so of stories.
X-Factor #241
So it’s a good thing that the first part of the story is an entertaining comic, with some great moments and some fun characterization. All those filler stories are in the past, now we’re back to the good stuff!
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
I’d complained in some of the most recent reviews that PAD seemed to have lost his touch when it came to his usually clever and fun characters. I think the problem was that he really was just spinning his wheels until he could get to this storyline. I had no idea what he has planned for Marvel NOW!, but this is the story that’s going to get us there. And like I said, it’s a good read. PAD expertly juggles his extended cast, mixing both superhero fun and down-to-Earth normal interactions, which I love. When the cast shrinks in the fall, hopefully he’ll have it even easier.
The true appeal of X-Factor has always been that these characters are people first and superheroes second. Sure they’ll fight the bad guys and save the day, but they’ll also get on each others nerves, bicker, bust chops and basically act like human beings. We get a really good taste of that in this issue.
So join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
