With the Dawg out for the count, suffering under what Marvel's 1970's editorial team would have called "the dreaded deadline doom," but with bat_collector jumping in for a little pinch hitting, we're off and running.
Wktf’s Reviews
Before we get started with our reviews…RIP, Dina Babbitt. Her story can be found at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/ar...babbitt&st=cse, but anyone who’s read the final issue of the Magneto Testament mini-series (or the HC) knows of it from the work Neal Adams and Joe Kubert put into bringing it to life. This woman faced down the angel of death and was denied a body of work that extended directly into her soul. Where was justice that no one could intervene successfully on her behalf?
This was a pretty big week for Marvel event titles. I understand that some lcs’ got advance copies of Brubaker and Epting’s “Marvels Project.” Mine didn’t, but I’ve got important installments from three big event stories this week for you here. So let’s get started!
Captain America: Reborn #2 (of 5)
Marvel Comics
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Drawn by: Bryan Hitch & Butch Guice
Covers by: Hitch, Guice and Mounts; John Cassaday and Laura Martin; Time Sale and Dave Stewart
Last issue we learned that, while Steve Rogers’ body may well be dead, his spirit from today has been bouncing around and inhabiting his body from various times in his past life during WWII. A small group of heroes (Bucky, Black Widow, Sharon Carter, Nick Fury, Falcon, Vision, Hank Pym) have learned that Steve may not truly be dead and have taken a divide and conquer approach to unraveling this mystery. Bucky and Natasha have infiltrated one of Osborn’s complexes in search of Zola’s mechanical body in hopes of determining what was done with Steve, Falcon and Vision have gone after the new Cap and Widow after too much time has elapsed before checking in, and Pym has enlisted the aid of Reed Richards to analyze Sharon and determine what it is about her (and why Zola and The Red Skull referred to her as The Constant) that makes her so important to the mystery of Steve’s whereabouts. In the meantime, a baffled Steve Rogers continues to jump through time reliving the same battles he fought another lifetime ago.
While I’m having a conceptual problem with this series, after all Steve’s death was handled so realistically and Bucky’s been so compelling as the new Captain America, I’ve gotta admit Bru and Hitch are packing some serious punches here. The opening WWII scenes where Cap is storming at breakneck speed through bullets and mayhem, saving his own men, and rocketing toward a battle with the super strong Master Man is as kinetic and action packed as any you’re likely to find. In the mean time, Bucky and The Widow, hopelessly outmatched by Osborn’s Dark Avengers are frantically trying to battle their way out of a clear trap. Fists fly, shields are slung and, in another moment of time travel we are taken to the moment when Steve Rogers embarks on the famous experiment with Dr. Erskine that created the star spangled sentinel. Yeah, sure, we’ve seen this scene played out countless times but here Hitch’s art (and the full page shot of the transformed Steve Rogers is awesome indeed) coupled with Bru’s capturing Steve’s present day conscience as he relives past glories and failures adds a new depth of excitement to an origin story we know so well.
Steve Rogers has returned. That we know for sure. That he’ll return to our time is highly likely. But beyond that I’m not sure we can even guess for sure. Will he resume as Captain America? Can he even inhabit his now emaciated body lying at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean? But before we can address these questions we first must learn what mystery Reed Richards is beginning to uncover that links an element in Sharon’s blood to the data about Steve’s decayed body. And, in addition, Osborn’s tightening the screws on Steve’s rescue team. Aside from the helmet Hitch keeps putting on the Cap from WWII (which I find ridiculous), I’m enjoying the hell out of this series. In my heart, I don’t feel Cap should be brought back but, as my favorite hero, I’m also really curious how they’re going to swing this in a way that’s credible and exciting. And, so far, Bru and Hitch are delivering the goods!
War of Kings #6 (of 6)
Marvel Comics
Written by: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Drawn by: Paul Pelletier
Cover by: Brandon Peterson
Well, it’s finally here. The gigantic cosmic slobberknocker toward which this whole mini-series has been leading. Black Bolt, ruler of the Inhumans and now the Kree, versus the mad mutant Vulcan who rules the Shi’Ar Imperium. There’s great distrust, anger and even hatred that’s been building over the course of this series. The Inhumans assumed rulership over the Kree. Vulcan attacked the Kree during Crystal’s wedding to Ronan the Accuser. The Kree counterattacked and put the Shi’Ar on their heels. In addition, Gladiator actually turned his back on the Shi’Ar out of loyalty to the imprisoned Lilandra only to find his allegiance rewarded with his former empresses’ murder. In the end, ultimately, Black Bolt has determined to turn the Terrigen Mists that give the Inhumans their powers out into the galaxy, thus evolving even his enemies to the point that all races would become Inhuman and eliminating the need for war. But, is Black Bolt acting as a king or playing the role of a god? And now that the two kings are in direct, personal war with each other how does it and this larger war resolve?
As the two powerhouse kings battle in the void of space the Kree and the Shi’Ar have to take stock. Chandilar, the Shi’Ar Throne world is engulfed in flames from war. Lorna and Havok, surveying the chaos they helped create, look on the abyss of flames in despair. A battered Guardian must turn to his people and, in a simple act of remembrance for his fallen Empress, finds himself cast into a role at the behest of his people who need leadership and aid more than ever. The Kree and Inhumans find themselves in near despair over Black Bolt’s intentional suicide mission. And, again, deep in space is a no holds, absolutely brutal battle of seemingly equally powerful titans that seems to shift sides as frequently and easily as we can flip coins. The resulting cataclysm literally rips a hole in the fabric of space and time that, likely, will be explored in the next installment (yes, already advertised) of War of Kings.
Death and despair fill all sides of this conflict where personal tragedy seems to be all that’s left to everyone. Can it truly be that beloved characters that’ve existed in the Marvel Universe for decades now are gone? Again, looking at the ad for “Who Will Rule?” segment of War of Kings that’ll be on sale 9/9/09, it’s right to feel some suspicion to the outcome of this story. Regardless, this is how cosmic superhero storytelling should be done. Grand scale. Huge stakes. Strong, visceral feelings and actions. Monumental galaxy spanning battles. And an ultimate and epic face off. I loved Pelletier’s art during his brief pairing with Dwayne McDuffie on Fantastic Four and he’s ratcheted it up another notch here with facial expressions that scream emotion and battle scenes that are absolutely searing. And the Abnett/Lanning writing team has delivered some fearless storytelling along with truly gut-wrenching dialogue. The final scene between Crystal and Medusa is painful to read. No surprise, then, that this book is
my pick of the week.
Ghost Rider: Heaven’s on Fire #1 (of 6)
Marvel Comics
Written by: Jason Aaron
Drawn by: Roland Buschi
Cover by: Jae Lee
If you’ve been hiding under your covers in fear over the events in Jason Aaron’s Ghost Rider book, you’re not to be blamed. Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign? Pfagh! Kid’s stuff. This book is where the real world shaking events, events that should have every man, woman and child fearing for their lives, are happening. Johnny Blaze recently learned he’s an instrument of Heaven rather than Hell, and was created by a renegade archangel named Zadkiel. This same angel tricked Blaze’s brother and fellow Ghost Rider Danny Ketch into gathering the power of all the world’s Ghost Riders so he could, literally, conquer the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, accomplishing what Lucifer could not in Milton’s Paradise Lost, it seems that God is out and Zadkiel is in, gathering more power all the time, and is preparing to exert that power over all of God’s creation. Hopeless as it seems, and partnered with the sword wielding Sister Sara, the latest of the famous Caretakers, Blaze is trying to figure out how to take the fight back to Zadkiel.
Enter Daimon Hellstrom, or Hellstorm, the Son of Satan. Yes, fresh of his adventures in Marvel Zombies 4 The Son of Satan returns to his roots in Ghost Rider, having entered the Marvel Universe first in the pages of Ghost Rider vol. 2 #1 in 1973 (and that first appearance is reprinted in this issue, as well). Part of Zadkiel’s deal is a desire to rewrite the biblical prophecies of Armageddon in the Book of Revelations which, supposedly, requires an Anti-Christ to bring about. Oddly enough, there’s a group of Satan worshippers who’ve been breeding the worst of the human lot (including CEOs, it turns out) to give birth to, you guessed it, the Anti-Christ. All in the interests of Satan, which puts this child at odds with Hellstorm who hates everything about his famous father. Still, the existence of the Anti-Christ creates complications for Zadkiel. So, not only is Hellstorm after this child but so are the legions of Zadkiel, but for different reasons. Since Blaze and Sarah want to bring down Zadkiel then Ghost Rider, Hellstorm and Zakiels minions are all on a collision course with each other. And the Anti-Christ child himself? Given all the heinous acts of corporate malfeasance that’ve brought our nation’s economy to its knees, it’s not too surprising in what part of the world we actually find the little monster.
This first issue is packed with multiple and intermingling plot and storylines, all masterfully and with good humor delivered by Wizard Magazines 2008 Best Writer of the Year. Best of all there’s nearly more supernatural sword wielding and gun toting action than a single issue should be able to contain. The battle between Zadkiel’s minions and the team of Ghost Rider and Sarah contains an awesome example of ninja style acrobatics and intimate sword play that I just had to read two or three times, I dug it so much, especially Sarah’s final strike. Gotta hand it to Roland Boschi. You don’t have to be a cinematically detailed artist like Bryan Hitch, though credit to Hitch again for his work in Captain America: Reborn, to deliver wildly fun and even shocking action. The stakes simply couldn’t be higher and Aaron and Boschi’s serving up a way cool Ghost Rider story that everyone concerned with the fate of creation should be reading.
Sam Wilson’s Review
Luke Cage Noir #1
Marvel Comics
Written by: Mike Benson and Adam Glass
Drawn by: Shawn Martinbrough
Cover by: Tim Bradstreet
For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, Mike Benson is the latest in Marvel’s stable of hotshot new writers. Coming off an emmy-winning sting on HBO’s Entourage, Mike is a veteran TV writer and entered the comic game last year with a Punisher-one shot and then stepped it up with a sting on Moon Knight (taking him through the Civil War and then some) and the Deadpool one-shot “Games of Death”, and is currently writing Deadpool “Suicide Kings” and kicking all kinds of ass with everyone’s favorite merc with a mouth. Bringing dialogue and characterization back into comics, Mike is just the thing Marvel needed to bring some fire back into a clichéd and played out market, with crossover after crossover beating readers into submission with no end in sight. Marvel’s started it’s “noir” line a few months back, a shout out to the 1930’s Sam Spade-type hard nosed adventures, with a modern twist of course and Mike Benson (and Marvel newcomer Adam Glass, straight from the hit A & E show “The Cleaner”) jumps into the fray with their take on Luke Cage, setting him in 1930’s Harlem. So how is it?
Mike and Adam set the “noir” tone right away, opening our story with the murder of a white woman in Harlem. Luke Cage is brought into it as a man who just got out of prison, a man whose reputation precedes him. Harlem denizens speak his named in a hush tone, part fear, part respect and Cage is looking to get his mojo back on again after being away. His origin is still the same, he was experimented on in prison and it did something to him (steel-hard skin is mentioned) but he got early parole for it and did not break out. No mention is made as to why he was in prison or if he was guilty or innocent, but at the onset of our tale that isn’t important. Cage checks out some of his old haunts, looking for an old girl and touching base with an old associate Stryker, a man who has done well for himself running a speakeasy in depression era Harlem. He finds out his old girl died in a fire, but doesn’t buy it. Cage also finds himself a new gig, a mysterious white man hires him to find out who killed his wife, the white woman whom I mentioned earlier was murdered. Two murdered women, a new gig, and at the end a familiar Marvel character given a “noir” twist. Oh yeah, Luke Cage is in Harlem and I’m guessing next issue it’s on…
Luke Cage noir is 2009 bad-ass with 1930’s cool. I didn’t think I would go for the whole “noir” concept, but the way Mike and Adam laid it down I’m good with it. Luke Cage is the baddest motherfu**er in Harlem, and he doesn’t even put anyone through a wall. Mike Benson is putting the character back in comics and newcomer Adam Glass brings the hotness, and I’m damn okay with it. Shawn Martinbrough also sets the “noir” tone perfectly with his muted tones and subtle pencils.
My pick of the week.
..Would love to hear wht you guys think abt it.. For me.. it was the pick of the week..
