Category Archives: Reviews
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #4
Four issues in to Marvel’s big summer event, one thing has become very clear: Avengers vs. X-Men the series is going to speed through the basic plot, leaving all the actual fighting and meaningful character interaction to the tie-ins. While normally I might have a problem with this, I’m happy to say that Avengers vs. X-Men remains a good read in and of itself. I’ve been avoiding the AvX fight series, because I don’t need to spend good money on pages full of punching. And I’ve been buying a few of the regular series tie-ins, especially the X-Men ones. They haven’t exactly matched up perfectly with the main series, but I can live with that.
Avengers vs. X-Men #4
Four issues in and Avengers vs. X-Men is still good, as far as I’m concerned. The story is moving at a crisp pace, always changing and always giving me something new and exciting to read. Heck, everybody visits the Moon in this issue, for crying out loud!
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
At the end of last issue, I was worried that we were going to spend several issues with the various teams searching for Hope in the five different locations across the globe. Turns out, those searches were relegated to the tie-ins. We see brief glimpses of each search in this issue, and the fights that occur in those places, but by the end of the issue they’ve found Hope and we move on to the next big part of the story. One could argue that those five separate location visits were just filler or padding, but not the kind we usually get in these big event comics. If the filler lasts less than an issue before moving on to the next exciting event, I’m cool with that. If I wanted to read that filler, I know which tie-in comics to buy.
I’m definitely enjoying the pace of Avengers vs. X-Men. That’s probably it’s strongest element. Part of me wants to give this comic a lower grade because of the lack of depth, but I can honestly say I enjoyed the comic while I was reading it. All in one sitting, I bet the full series is going to be even better. Avengers vs. X-Men isn’t going to have depth and intense character drama. While that might improve things, the series definitely isn’t broke without them.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more analysis.
Review: Scarlet Spider #5
The latest issue of Kaine’s ongoing series (still weird to say it) is an entertaining one-off story that gets a little too big for its own good. Our hero saves the day in glorious fashion, but brief cameos by Iron Man, President Obama and the new SHIELD (featuring Fury Jr. and Coulson!) create a magnitude that is more jarring than exciting. If writer Chris Yost wanted to go this big this soon with his fledgling series, he should have given more time for the story to grow. Perhaps a two-parter.
Scarlet Spider #5
While this done-in-one story doesn’t feel rushed, it definitely feels like we’ve jumped into the middle of the action-packed story and are expected to catch up. And the flashbacks don’t provide nearly enough material to help in that regard.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
There’s also a new artist, Neil Edwards, who while not as good as regular artist Ryan Stegman, easily holds his own in the action department, and looks similar enough to Stegman that the change isn’t a problem. Although he’ll have to do, since Stegman got the bump up to the Fantastic Four. We won’t have him around much longer.
If nothing else, this issue is a fantastic look into Kaine’s mindset when it comes to being a superhero. He’s got a lot of great character moments throughout that show he’s not a goody two shoes like Spider-Man. He’s definitely an anti-hero, though the series hasn’t pushed him over the edge just yet. I’m sure it wants to maintain some level of decency in its protagonist. Still, he’s a lot of fun to read when he really lets the bad guys have it. And while I suppose I’d like to see Kaine interact with the rest of the Marvel Universe in time, this issue just gets too big too fast, but doesn’t do anything interesting with those high stakes – unless next issue follows up on some of these story ideas.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and review.
Review: Mimic and the X-Men #3
How freakin’ awesome is it that the Mimic is now a regular character in an ongoing comic book series? We haven’t enjoyed this since back in the 1960s for about three issues of X-Men – that is if you don’t count Exiles, which I don’t, since it was a very different Mimic. We’re truly living in a Golden Age of being a fan of the obscure comic book character the Mimic! But sadly, as awesome as this is, it’s also a double-edged sword. Because in the first issue following Mimic’s grand return to the X-Men, he’s reduced to just a side character with very little panel-time.
One very Mimic-less issue
This is Rogue’s comic, after all. But I may keep up these reviews since I know I’m not the only Mimic fan in the world.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
As a Mimic comic, this issue sucks. He barely appears. It’s great that he’s in the cast now, but it’s sad to see him doing nothing. As a tie-in to Avengers vs. X-Men, the comic isn’t any good either. It’s been less than a year since Regenesis, when Wolverine split the X-Men in half in order to go off and re-open the school in Westchester. Yet one giant crossover later and everything he set up is being thrown under the bus, all in the name of yet another punch-fest between superheroes.
This issue pushes the whole school idea just a little too far, revealing it to be the sham that it is. The students don’t want to learn, they want to join in the fight against the Avengers. If they wanted to fight so badly, why didn’t they stay on Utopia? And the ‘teachers’ spend all their time worrying about making sure they stick to the class schedule – yet they all still dress in superhero costumes.
But who cares about all of that? Bring on the Mimic!
Review: Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #10
For an issue that’s almost entirely talking heads, writer Brian Michael Bendis knocks it out of the park. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Bendis is a master of dialogue, and of crafting characters and conflicts through that dialogue. He does more for Ultimate Prowler in this one issue than he’s done in the entire series so far. And star Miles Morales has some fantastic moments as well, making decisions that will define him as a superhero and provide fascinating stories for us readers.
Ultimate Spider-Man #10
Bendis is basically writing a Masters Course on superhero comics with this series.
Comic rating: 5/5: Great.
Seriously, this issue is almost entirely talking. It’s a chat between Miles and his Uncle Aaron, only now they are both dressed in their respective superhero/villain costumes, and standing on a rooftop. The oddness of such an exchange is not lost on the characters either. But rather than let the 13-year-old Miles get bowled over by his adult uncle, Miles holds his own in the exchange, revealing true growth for the kid. He’s finally no longer beating up losers like Omega Red or the Ringer. It’s time for Miles to get a dose of the real world, courtesy of someone he thought he respected and idolized.
Uncle Aaron, meanwhile, reveals several new layers to his character during this rooftop chat. He’s not just some scumbag super-villain. He’s a thief, and he’s a smart thief. And he also, to some extent, has an eye out for his nephew. So even though he wants Miles’ help with nefarious things, and even threatens to blackmail the kid, Aaron still wants the best for the boy.
That’s some fascinating character work in what is another great issue of the Miles Morales saga.
Review: X-Factor #235
Now this is the kind of character-based drama I love to see in my comics, especially X-Factor! Peter David finally gives us some real tension between series star Jamie Madrox and his beleaguered usurper Alex Summers, otherwise known as Multiple Man and Havok. I’ve been waiting for this tension to hit for several issues now, and it feels good to finally have something meaty to sink our teeth into at X-Factor Investigations. That coupled with a new and possible entertaining case leads to a damn good issue of X-Factor.
X-Factor #235
This is exactly the kind of comic I want X-Factor to be – minus the blue-skinned, big gun-wielding space maniac.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
For the first time in a long while, X-Factor is finally dealing with something on their level again. No interdimensional journeys, no time-traveling duplicates and no evil Reed Richardses. Yes, I realize the Isolationist and his hot demon girlfriend are behind it all, but they thankfully don’t appear in this issue. I also realize that this is an entirely biased sentiment, that I shouldn’t judge a comic book based on what I want it to be, as opposed to what it actually is. And I’m not. The ‘good’ rating isn’t based on my being pleased with the plot. It’s based on the quality of the comic. Trust me.
We have here some Grade A character-based drama, some great scenes with the team, and a fairly unique and compelling mystery to solve. Not to mention the promise of uncovering a mystery that has been around in the X-franchise for decades: just who or what are Shatterstar and Longshot?
And solving those kinds of mysteries involving B and C-list comic book characters is exactly what X-Factor is for!
Henchman-4-Hire 