Category Archives: X-Men
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 4/5/14
Busy week, my friends. Between seeing the new Captain America film, a dentist appointment and spending some time with my parents, I didn’t have time to get to all the comics I wanted. There are so many cool and interesting books coming out these days, but I had to cut my review list short, because The Winter Soldier wasn’t going to wait for any man! Neither were those fillings, ouch!
I decided to shake things up a little bit this week by paying a visit to Action Comics. I haven’t touched that series since about mid-way through Grant Morrison’s disappointing run – probably only disappointing to me. I know most people love that guy. But how poorly has Superman had it in the New 52? It’s depressing. But I think that writer Greg Pak is at least doing something fun with Action Comics.
A slew of Marvel’s new comics hit the stands this week, but I was only able to get to a few of them. The new Magneto is pretty good, but I really didn’t like the first issue of Inhuman. I’m afraid Marvel’s Next Big Thing is a bit of a dud from the get-go. But maybe you thought differently. What I do know is that Moon Knight won Comic Book of the Week almost on art alone!
He is…not quite the night
Comic Reviews: Action Comics #30, Aquaman and the Others #1, Inhuman #1, Magneto #2 and Moon Knight #2.
Review: All-New X-Factor #5
Well glue forks to my hands and call me Wolverine, I actually liked this issue of All-New X-Factor! I’ve been pretty hard on the series so far, but I really felt that Peter David’s writing and characters were finally starting to gel in this issue. Yes, he still has them rush off to face the next big, elaborate bad guy, but the first issue is all about slowing down the pace and letting us get to know who these characters are and why they’re doing what they’re doing. That is fundamental to appreciating fiction. You can’t just throw a bunch of superheroes onto a team together and have them fight bad guys.
X-Factor #5
Yet that’s exactly what PAD did for the start of All-New X-Factor, but he’s finally getting into the substance of why these characters are together and what motivates them to be a part of this series and this team. It’s a definite step in the right direction.
Comic Rating: 7/10 – Good.
The problem with All-New X-Factor is that it doesn’t have a soul. There doesn’t seem to be any greater purpose to the comic or any larger story that PAD is trying to tell. From issue #1, it’s felt like generic superhero mediocrity. It’s as if Marvel really wanted to relaunch X-Factor but didn’t have any good ideas, so PAD just grabbed a bunch of random X-characters and threw them together on a team. Not that any of this has really been fixed in the new issue. But at least with with All-New X-Factor #5, I’m finally starting to see what this endeavor means for these characters and why they’re putting up with it.
In a lot of ways, I definitely think PAD has a good idea on his hands; several, in fact. First there’s the idea of the first corporately-owned superhero team operating in the Marvel Universe. What does that mean for all involved and for the MU as a whole? Second, and more importantly, is the idea that these characters have all been down this road before, and they know this isn’t how such things are done. What do the superheroes themselves think when they’re randomly put together on a team? Unfortunately, five issues in, I don’t think PAD has really focused on either of those ideas very well. He really seems content to just tell random stories about his random X-heroes fighting random bad guys. That’s disappointing. I think PAD either needs to start focusing on the characters and their individual journeys or he needs to reveal the larger Serval Industries plot, because random fights against the Magus or whoever aren’t going to sell comics in this day and age.
All-New X-Factor finally delivers a worthwhile issue, but it’s not without the same faults that continue to plague this series. Join me after the jump for the full synopsis and more review.
Iceman Rocks in New X-Men: Days of Future Past Trailer!
Check out Iceman, you guys!
Did you see it? How cool was that brief, half-second clip of Iceman going full ice-slide? Badass!
What’s that? The movie is about much more than just Iceman, and he probably won’t appear much at all? Yeah, I guess…but seriously, that looked awesome! As did the rest of the trailer, I suppose. I’m a little lukewarm about X-Men: Days of Future Past right now. Everything about it looks cool, but I’m a little afraid that there’s going to be too much going on. There are dozens of characters, both new and returning, and the plot involves some complicated time travel. I’m worried that the film is just going to be too convoluted!
That trailer doesn’t necessarily assuage my fears. That trailer is filled to the brim with all sorts of insanity, one second after another. That they managed to squeeze in a few seconds of Iceman doing his thing is a perfect example that X-Men: Days of Future Past might just have eyes bigger than its stomach.
The film is out on May 23.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/22/14
What a great week for comics! Seriously, this is one of the best week’s I’ve seen in months! Nearly every comic I read this week was a real gem…except for that one comic. The one that pains me to even mention. The comic that burns a hole into my heart like a red hot poker dipped in demon blood! Why have you forsaken me, Christos Gage?! WHY?!
I talk, of course, about Superior Spider-Man Annual #2, which takes a slight break from Goblin Nation to show what Phil Urich the Goblin Knight is up to on the side. As regular readers know, Phil Urich is one of my all-time favorite comic book characters, having collected his Green Goblin series when I was just getting into comics as a wee lad in the 90s. And for the briefest of possible moments, when I heard about this comic only a few days ago, I allowed myself to believe that writer Christos Gage, who’d been doing such a great job with the Mimic recently, was finally going to tell the story where the good guy Phil shines through in light of his most recent heel turn.
But no. There was no such thing. Instead, the comic reinforced the evil bastard that Phil has become, declaring him all but lost to madness and villainy. Oh the pain to my little comic loving heart…
Fortunately, the rest of the comics this week were great! Especially the second issue of the new Ms. Marvel, which was just as adorable and awesome as the first issue.
This new series is off to a great start. Just like Phil Urich was back in the day, before…before…I’m gonna need a moment here.
Comic Reviews: Batwoman #29, Harley Quinn #4, Ms. Marvel #2, Superior Foes of Spider-Man #10, Thor: God of Thunder #20, Uncanny X-Men #19 and Wonder Woman #29.
Goldballs Got a Costume!
Exciting news, boys and girls! Your new favorite X-Man and mine, Goldballs, finally has a legitimate superhero costume! It debuted in this week’s Uncanny X-Men #19! Check it out!
I like that they incorporated gold balls into his costume
For those of you who don’t know, Goldballs, real name Fabio Medina, is the greatest new X-Man of the 21st century. And I’m being serious, unlike my take on Rush, the real character find of the 21st century. Goldballs is legitimately cool and funny, and I seriously want him to be an X-Man for a long time to come. Who does Brian Michael Bendis have to bribe to make that happen?
Goldballs has the awesome mutant power of launching golden balls out of his body. It’s an insanely weird power, but that is its appeal. Goldballs is weird, fat and dopey, the exact opposite of what’s expected of superheroes. And that’s why Goldballs is so cool! He’s an average guy with a weird power, but he could end up standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Storm or Colossus!
It would be neat!
It was only a few weeks ago that I was lamenting that Goldballs was fighting monsters in jungles in just shorts, sandals and a T-shirt.
Run Fabio!
So I’m glad to see him in a proper X-uniform! It’s not very personalized just yet, but it’s definitely perfect for a would-be X-cadet and trainee. It’s even got a touch of the 90s with that mask.
He might also get something even newer in June.
I prefer the Grant Morrison leather jackets, myself
We’ll see! For now, Goldballs remains generally awesome.
Henchman-4-Hire 