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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/2/13
Robin Week comes to a close with my official review of Batman Incorporated #8. It’s actually a very good comic, so it’s great to see Damian go out at the height of his awesomeness and popularity; kind of like Seinfeld or Calvin & Hobbes. I would even be tempted to give Damian’s demise the Comic Book of the Week, but that award has to go to Hawkeye #8. Writer Matt Fraction had an amazing week, delivering the one-two romantic punch of Hawkeye and FF, two amazing comics that reinforce why I love the medium in the first place. If you’re not reading either book then you’re definitely missing out.
Who would have thought that coming out of the big The Avengers movie last summer, the two characters with the best comics would be Hawkeye and Thor? Speaking of which, why doesn’t the Black Widow have her own comic series? That seems like it would be a no-brainer, especially for Marvel NOW! Oh well, this is why Marvel is not paying me the big bucks.
Comic Reviews: Aquaman #17, Batman Incorporated #8, FF #4, Hawkeye #8, Talon #5, Uncanny Avengers #4, Uncanny X-Force #2, Uncanny X-Men #2 and Young Avengers #2.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/16/13
Do you like Batman and the X-Men? Because those are the only comics that came out this week! Or at least, they’re the only comics on my pull list this week (if we don’t count Scarlet Spider). But wow, what a great week for Batman and the X-Men! Death of the Family ends in Batman, with a sort-of epilogue in Batman and Robin. The Internet is crowing about the finale of Scott Snyder’s Joker story…but I just don’t get it. Sorry. I guess it went right over my head. Still entertaining though.
The real treasure this week is the first issue of Brian Michael Bendis’ Uncanny X-Men, debuting Cyclop’s new team of mutant revolutionaries! I have very much been looking forward to this comic, and it does not disappoint! Uncanny X-Men #1 easily wins Comic Book of the Week!
Comic Reviews: Batman #17, Batman and Robin #17, Uncanny X-Men #1, Wolverine and the X-Men #25.
The New Awesome Cyclops Will Get His Own Awesome Series!
Turns out that Brian Michael Bendis really will be writing a standard X-Men series, and it’s going to star Cyclops and Magneto on their quest to save the new mutants created after Avengers vs. X-Men! I’ve often said that Bendis’ talents might be wasted on this All-New X-Men series, which is going to be about the original five X-Men from the past coming to the present. That’s not a premise I want to read about, let alone one I think can sustain an ongoing series.
Bendis and Marvel revealed details about this new series today. Along with Cyclops and Magneto, there will be Emma Frost and Magik on the team, as well as a few others. And my brother will be happy to hear that Scott and Emma are no longer a couple.
Bendis gave a full interview today. The interview is fantastic.
This is incredibly exciting news! Readers of my blog know that I have stood by Cyclops’ side all through Avengers vs. X-Men, and I am absolutely loving his characterization in AvX: Consequences. The final issue came out this week, and it’s as amazing as the rest have been. Look for that review in this weekend’s Hench-Sized reviews. So Cyclops is in a great place right now, and if Marvel sticks with how Kieron Gillen has been writing him, I bet this series will be amazing. I have all the faith in the world in Bendis.
Here’s what he had to say about Cyclops:
You will discover in the very first issue of ALL-NEW X-MEN exactly where Scott Summers’ head is at. Of all the X-Men that feel it is their job to further the legacy of Charles Xavier, no one feels it more strongly than Scott Summers. Scott Summers himself is not only trying to save these kids but he is trying to train them and get them ready for what he feels is coming mutant revolution These new students represent his only hope for true redemption. And his only hope to make the world the way he really thinks it should be.
Marvel went ahead and teased this development last week with one of their ‘one-word’ teasers they’ve been doing for Marvel NOW! It had the word ‘Uncanny’ and both Bendis and Bachalo’s names, as well as a red beam to indicate Cyclops.
And while Marvel only confirmed the series today, artist Chris Bachalo offered yesterday some information on his personal blog:
Looks like the cats out of the bag. Its me an Bendis on a new launch of the series. This was a tough one as i was really enjoying my time on WX but Brian asked for me to help him launch the new Uncanny and how do you turn down that offer. Launches are tough as there’s a lot of ground to cover to get things rolling. Characters are re-imagined, writing styles adjusted to, locations established. Its a tough learning curve that typically takes a few issues to figure out and grow comfortable with. We’re still very early into the creative part so hard for me to comment on exactly what to expect. The daring part is that the tone of the book–feels like, its early–will be a little darker. Characters powers have been ‘adjusted” as a result of the Phoenix five fall out and I was asked to redesign costumes for the entire cast. Everyone. Plus, as of today, there are two “new” mutants. Its a big jump that I’m sure will turn a few off but, we’re betting on, that most will welcome and enjoy. One thing that you can count on Is that Brian will always give you something worth reading. He never fails to be interesting. Launch is two issues in February.
I am already in love with this series.
Playing in the X-Men Toy Box
Can you imagine how much fun it must be to write for the X-Men? To be allowed to pick whichever characters you want and come up with some cool new setting or story to put them in? To have the freedom to just create adventures and relationships using some of the coolest characters ever?
That’s why I want to be a comic book writer.
And that’s what it must be like to be a part of the current Regenesis story event.





