Splash page is inspired, like something Will Eisner would’ve done. After that, I was left...wanting.
Something something “Chinese junks” - why did theySplash page is inspired, like something Will Eisner would’ve done. After that, I was left...wanting.
Something something “Chinese junks” - why did they feature so heavily in mythology/pop culture of my youth - like quicksand and Bermuda Triangle? What was in the zeitgeist that these oddities became so ubiquitous?
This story’s kung-fu battle seems especially pointless (as Shang Chi himself notes in his narration) - but not just for plot reasons; also for reasons of requiring a compelling villain (which this didn’t have). Once we learn it’s the Nazis and some Uber-weapon we’re all trying to get rid of, what’s the point of spending so many pages on fisticuffs? Just skip to the punchline.
The “fight” feels obligatory, until it’s proven it’s not. And maybe Moench meant it to feel this…empty? It certainly confounded any expectations of that time - or did it? Maybe this deep into a run of king-fu/philosophy books, this was the only logical way to wrap up the battle between arch-enemies....more
Another rec from Douglas Wolk’s All The Marvels, and this one goes deep off the deep end. For this to be one of the few crossovers with typical MarvelAnother rec from Douglas Wolk’s All The Marvels, and this one goes deep off the deep end. For this to be one of the few crossovers with typical Marvel characters - in such an atypical fashion - is pretty fascinating.
One you have to read, after getting the feel for MOKF from the 38-39 I just read too. Two-parter with 59 & 60....more
Another rec from Douglas Wolk’s All The Marvels, and this one goes deep off the deep end. For this to be one of the few crossovers with typical MarvelAnother rec from Douglas Wolk’s All The Marvels, and this one goes deep off the deep end. For this to be one of the few crossovers with typical Marvel characters - in such an atypical fashion - is pretty fascinating.
One you have to read, after getting the feel for MOKF from the 38-39 I just read too. Two-parter with 59 & 60....more
Wow! Douglas Wolk’s All of the Marvels: A Journey to the Ends of the Biggest Story Ever Told wasn’t lying when he asidely called this one of Marvel’s Wow! Douglas Wolk’s All of the Marvels: A Journey to the Ends of the Biggest Story Ever Told wasn’t lying when he asidely called this one of Marvel’s hidden gems, unlike nearly any other Marvel comic I’ve read (though it certainly shares some tone with Moench’s later run on Moon Knight). Well worth a read, for many reasons but definitely to see that Stan’s bombast and Jack’s Big Scenes aren’t all of what comics of this era had to offer. Read as a two-parter (issues 38 and 39), reviewed as such. Poetic, almost passive (weird for a book ostensibly about martial arts), deeply philosophical. ...more
Wow! Douglas Wolk’s All of the Marvels: A Journey to the Ends of the Biggest Story Ever Told wasn’t lying when he asidely called this one of Marvel’s Wow! Douglas Wolk’s All of the Marvels: A Journey to the Ends of the Biggest Story Ever Told wasn’t lying when he asidely called this one of Marvel’s hidden gems, unlike nearly any other Marvel comic I’ve read (though it certainly shares some tone with Moench’s later run on Moon Knight). Well worth a read, for many reasons but definitely to see that Stan’s bombast and Jack’s Big Scenes aren’t all of what comics of this era had to offer. Read as a two-parter (issues 38 and 39), reviewed as such. Poetic, almost passive (weird for a book ostensibly about martial arts), deeply philosophical. ...more
This book kicked up all sorts of internet snot when it started rolling out, being all "guys aren't the overlords of every story" and "chicks can do coThis book kicked up all sorts of internet snot when it started rolling out, being all "guys aren't the overlords of every story" and "chicks can do cool shit too". Which often makes me want to rage-read something like this just to make sure rub it in the internet's face, and "I'll show them". And it pays off most of the time, because whenever the red-pill brigade gets their tighty-whiteys in a knot, there's sure to be something a little close to home that actually touches one of their last functional nerves.
Bobbi is the kind of completely self-sufficient character we need more of in comics. Not that she wins everything with her eyes closed, but rather that she doesn't even pretend to think she needs anyone else to help her figure out a way to solve whatever is in front of her.
Bobbi is like Captain Marvel without the self-destructive impulsive streak. Or the awe-inspiring super-powers. Which makes Bobbi a little more relatable (if intimidating as hell for how smart she is).
I think it's fantastic that they gender-swapped the usual "she's skimpy and he's fully clothed" narrative:
[image]
Or played with it in other ways:
[image]
And I'm fully invested in how often Bobbi brings up here science background and relates to nearly everything through her Ph.D.
[image] [image] (Just a typical moment with Bobbi)
I'm less enthused about the often-weak sense of humour. And the art seems kinda rough in places.
Sweet in a slightly naive way though:
[image]
And subversive on the power dynamics in her previous relationship with Hawkeye:
[image]
Good, not mind-blowing, but a solid read and I'll be back for the second half of this too-short run....more
Of all the What-If stories, this is one of the odder ones. It sure takes its premise seriously:
[image]
And it keeps up appearances, weaving in all the Of all the What-If stories, this is one of the odder ones. It sure takes its premise seriously:
[image]
And it keeps up appearances, weaving in all the high point of the modern 616 into an old-west mythos pretty damned finely.
Duggan, is that really you behind the keyboard? I didn't know you had it in you to write a serious story this well.
In some ways, each character does exactly what they'll always do no matter the setting:
[image]
In other ways, Duggan surprises us with enough twists to make this an entirely interesting story in its own right (even though we know it has no specific consequence for the overall Marvel timeline). That's quite a feat, to make me care about these people in such a short time period - and unusual among all these "What If" tie-ins to Secret Wars, where most of them just waste their short time on replays of stories of old.
There's a teaser at the end that "The Avengers of the West Will Return...", but I can find no mention of this on Marvel Unlimited, GoodReads or the web. Which must mean if I'm looking that hard, I would totally read more of this story. Well done Duggan, you made me enjoy something of the old West. (A damned accomplishment better than Palmiotti's New 52 Jonah Hex I'll tell you...)
Uncle Guggy. Mastermind of the Flarrowverse, the man who's brought more misery to superhero-TV-obsessed weenies like me than even the bastards who bulUncle Guggy. Mastermind of the Flarrowverse, the man who's brought more misery to superhero-TV-obsessed weenies like me than even the bastards who bullied me in grade school.
So why am I subjecting myself to this? One, it ranks among "My Favourite Secret Wars Comics" on the ComicHerald guide, and two, enough of my friends here on GoodReads haven't shat on it, so I felt pretty safe in the encounter. How much could The G-Meister possibly do to intentionally inflict pain on his poor embattled readers?
I get the feeling from the first page that Guggy's been dying to "go nasty" in comics for a long time. Maybe that's why he's so good at such superficially trashy villains on Arrow. Here, he's trying to push boundaries but mostly it makes me think of my parents having sex - hell, anyone's parents having sex:
[image]
And he needed to one-up the Thor-putation put on by our good friend Jonathan Hickman:
[image]
The mystery of who's against whom, and who's going to pull off a coup against which of their teammates (before another beats them to it) is fun to watch.
I got a little thrill of fun when I finally saw who the leaders of Nutopia were:
[image] [What the fuck is going on, that I remember *anything* from the New Universe shit-show series' from the 80's eh?]
It's a good story but no real surprises.
Frankly, the story feels derivative. Derivative of what exactly I don't recall, but the JLA Tower of Babel story is a good place to start the comparison....more
Mike Costa, I could kiss you. (If I could find you. And if I ignored the restraining order.)
This book feels (a) like a natural epilogue to Spider-VersMike Costa, I could kiss you. (If I could find you. And if I ignored the restraining order.)
This book feels (a) like a natural epilogue to Spider-Verse, (b) like a whole lotta naturalistic fun and (c) like Mike knows how to write the voices of most of these Spiders.
This is the Spider-Gwen that has half of comicdom all squealing. She's brash, impulsive, self-deprecating and yet doesn't doubt her strengths one bit.
[image]
and here: [image] [image] [image] [image]
And Spider-Ham? Ridiculous as always.
[image] [image]
The book is fun, twisty-turny and funny in a non-forced way. How is that possible, and where can I get more of this please?
And for the art, while I'm not a fan of the Lemire-isms that have spidery lines and irregular shapes, Arujo seems to express the characters' emotions awfully well through his pencils, so forget I had any worries - he's a great complement to this. ...more
A sweet story, with a touch of emotion and loss that doesn't normally show up in the "bro" comics. Oh is that so? Marguerite Bennett does poetry in herA sweet story, with a touch of emotion and loss that doesn't normally show up in the "bro" comics. Oh is that so? Marguerite Bennett does poetry in her comic scripts? This oughtta be an interesting ride... [image]
While some complain that there are too many women in this comic to do each of them justice, that's a weird criticism to lay on such a book: too *many* women. Yes not all of them get an arc or even a personality; neither do the guy-heavy a Avengers or X-Men when a big-team book gets together.
But isn't it cool that we get to see the breadth (if not the entirety of depth) of the female super-heroes in Marvel, for a rare occasion? When was the last occasion like this - Lauren Sankovitch's Girl Comics anthology? No wait, there was Brian Wood's mediocre X-Men (ugh).
Like these great heroes we haven't seen together: [image] [Though why Jennifer is still rocking the 80's high-cut swimsuit is beyond me]
The adventure is a simple mystery, with portals and crossing forbidden borders, betrayal and the threat of being overrun by the zombie hordes: [image] [zombie Green Goblin's looking pretty good these days]
Couple of questions I have after reading half of the Secret Wars book and a couple of tie-ins:
1. How did Doom remember so many of the heroes and villains to be able to recreate them? He's always holed up in his castle, and he doesn't keep a copy of the Encyclopedia of the Marvel Universe on his bookcase. *I* don't even remember half of these folks without prompting. I mean, even Snowbird [she's in the back row with that spectacular headpiece and matching neck cape]? Maybe Doom secretly kept a spank bank for them all. [image]
2. Did Doom decide which costume each player would have? If so, again how did he know Captain Marvel went militaristic, but didn't see She-Hulk's new getup? Did he let his subscription to Super People magazine lapse?
And one last question: with such a wide range of female heroes represented, where the hell was Doreen? [image]...more
TL;DR Funny in spurts. Duggan has found his groove with this character.
This is the first of my many Secret Wars tie-ins, which I'm selecting based onTL;DR Funny in spurts. Duggan has found his groove with this character.
This is the first of my many Secret Wars tie-ins, which I'm selecting based on a combination of reviews by trusted Goodreaders + the ranking in Comic Book Herald's Secret Wars tie-ins list, where I'm going no lower than the "Average to Good" category. [My reviews may indicate I hate myself, but not *that* much.]
Deadpool's dead? [image] [image] [Yep, that'll do it.]
But his ability to take shots at his loyal readers isn't: [image] [Um, why are you looking at me?]
Or at his fellow characters: [image]
Of course, he has us all at a disadvantage - a disembodied ghost who can somehow flip pages of his own comic book. That's quite a trick DP: [image]
Big goofy fun. (That Star Wars callback near the end was hilarious. Trust me.) This is a character I'll trust with Duggan for a while yet - he doesn't seem to have run out of steam, puns or ass-backwards ideas....more
OK boys, have a little fun. When playing with a new, dimensions-hopping mutant, pop open a few portals to alterna-realities that show us either (a) sOK boys, have a little fun. When playing with a new, dimensions-hopping mutant, pop open a few portals to alterna-realities that show us either (a) something fun, (b) something horrifying, (c) something from the Secret Wars forthcoming "What If" stories? Dunno, but this is definitely (b): [image]
The issue by Mike DelMundo is beautiful - all washed watercolours and indistinct scenery, setting a lovely tone for the story exploring the seedy underbelly of Madripoor. Jean learns a valuable lesson in how much more capable she is than she thinks (or Emma Frost lets on most days). Very Special Episode that's actually fun because Emma keeps Jean in such good suspense. [image]
Then Bendis hijacks his own books to take a magical mystery tour of Space Marvel with all his toys (and even a few borrowed ones). I just read the fragments in the X-Men run and didn't bother with the rest of the Black Vortex story because WHO GIVES A SHIT. (I'm lazy alright? I don't have another event in me. I don't care how much Anne liked it. *ooof* Ow, you didn't have to kick me in the nads dear woman. OK you've "convinced" me I care, but I still don't have the stamina.)
Correct me, but didn't we *just* do this go-like cosmic power thing in Avengers vs. X-Men a couple of years ago? [image] [image]
I'd like to say I love Sorrentino's art - it certainly has a distinctive style - but this sequence sinks it by being SO WRONG: [image] [If you compare her to the ass end of a Badoon warrior, I guess...]
Back to the final wrap-up issues...the only question is, will Bendis do an art-jam wank in the final issue? Will he? [spoiler: ugh.]
While we're waiting to see how that plays out, Bendis pulls a fast one with (view spoiler)[ Bobby's constant misogyny, outing him: [image]
Which shouldn't come as much of a surprise if we assume they're part of the normal human population and just have to hide - but amazingly this got all sorts of boy shorts in a knot as if Bendis was taking something *away* from Bobby, rather than giving him something *extra*. Boy are people weird about shit that doesn't affect them. (hide spoiler)]...more
Haphazard, forgettable, reminiscent of Arrow Season 4.
Humphries' .2 Avengers tale is cute, helps flesh out the two weirdos a little, but ultimately meHaphazard, forgettable, reminiscent of Arrow Season 4.
Humphries' .2 Avengers tale is cute, helps flesh out the two weirdos a little, but ultimately meh.
Awww, that's so sweet, Sam adventuring across the galaxy to demonstrate his love for Izzy. (*retch*)
Fun little backstory on how Bobby acquired A.I.M. Almost makes me like Bobby, which I don't think I've done since the 80's when I last spent any real time with him. (Boy were those comics bad, and boy did I not know or care.)
Silly maudlin whining from Namor becomes a little more weighty or at least escalates the stakes for one of the most selfish supes in the Marvel universe.
And the gang tries to help the Odinson get his groove back? (Why didn't they just bring dwarven ale by the cask?)
Not a terrible book, fills in some of the cracks that Hickman left in his wake, but ultimately just a "meh" set of stories.
These are the kind of "companion to a better creative team's story" books that make me leery to broaden my reach during any event by any comics publisher. It's like the Arrowverse, only in reverse.
Arrow is so fucking painfully, excruciatingly bad that the DC TV people looked around, pointed guns at heads and demanded that someone please average shit out by making an amazing Flash show. And Arrow only gets good-ish now when Flash crosses over into Starling City (and Flash suffers every time when Olicity bring their stench into Central City).
[image] [Seriously, kill me]
I don't know why I thought that was an analogy to how middling accompaniments compare to their mainline comic stories, but my rando tangent stands....more
Still trudges along as dull and absent of exciting spark.
I mean, guys like Hyperion *look* cool: [image] (Hype blasting with his eyes)
...but his inner tStill trudges along as dull and absent of exciting spark.
I mean, guys like Hyperion *look* cool: [image] (Hype blasting with his eyes)
...but his inner turmoil ain't nothing I haven't read before.
The one exception to the mediocrity is Al Ewing's .1 issue of Avengers, focusing on the inner life of Hyperion. Superman types are hard to write (hard to relate to), and Al is one of those great writers who can see (and elegantly write) a vulnerable-invulnerable hero. He goes a little philosophical (not Neil Gaiman self-wanking level), gives us a glimpse behind the curtain to someone burdened by terrible self-awareness. [image]
Falcon going off for a little solo adventures feels pretty boring...and then wham! (view spoiler)[Damned if someone didn't come up with a very cool new concept in superheroing! China fielding a super team (the Ascendants) and a security organization (SPEAR). Of *course* modern China in the 616 would do this, be there. Why not? They're as much a superpower as any major nation-state. This feels WAAAAY overdue, and I can't wait to see how the rest of SHIELD, SWORD, Avengers etc deal with this. (hide spoiler)]
Pretty amazing really that the rest of Hickman's run didn't spoil this nice surprise. Very fucking cool.
And Bobby and Sam's adventures in the future were a lot of fun - Spencer really turned up the humour quotient on that issue (nice to see that Spencer back after all the super-serious mechanics until that point).
There's not much point in me reviewing/shitting-on this book any further though - I'm following the Comic Herald official reading order for Secret Wars, and damned if I'm going to stop before I get to the recommended issues, no matter how inconsequential this storyline is. ...more
What a fucking ride. As always, trust in...Hickman? He wraps up a maddening story with some truly INSANE revelations here - ones that will take me toWhat a fucking ride. As always, trust in...Hickman? He wraps up a maddening story with some truly INSANE revelations here - ones that will take me too many brain cells to really process, but which makes me feel small and religious under his tutelage.
Some kick-ass Doctor Strange action - he really amps up his desperate leadership over magic and the Black Priests to secure Earth-616's existence against Rabum Alal. [image] [image]
And what a mind-fuck reveal that is, (view spoiler)[ Doom being the grand ruler of the Black Swans: [image] (hide spoiler)]
Fan-fucking-tastic. Time for a big-ass battle to be called by trumpets.
And in battling Beyonders, some grave consequences are felt, not least of which Odinson loses his metal arm: [image] [Yeah, aren't you the guys orchestrating all the arm-ripping in the New 52 DC universe? What are you doing over here in New York?]
And then as the Kree alliance comes to kill the Earth to save the 616, they...pull out a cliche from every modern doomsday movie? [image] [Is there a particular reason everyone hates the Golden Gate Bridge so much? Is it secretly some desire every writer/director has to cut off SF from the rest of the world?]
And of course, they lean on cliche #2 from every dumbass villain ever: [image] [When will the villain just kill rather than monologue their master plan first?]
[And here's a prototypical Canadian question: why do all world-killing villains visit the White House to negotiate or communicate their intent? Why wouldn't aliens choose the most populous city as the most likely seat of power for the world? I'd love to see Shanghai show up in these one of these apocalyptic plots.]
Total spoiler here: (view spoiler)[it was Doom who (hide spoiler)] caused the number of universes to shrink from thousands to less than two dozen? I actually let that factoid go thinking it was just some random thing to up the dramatic tension. What a rube I am, ever doubting Hickman's marionette antics.
However, the resolution of the relationship between Steve and Tony is...disappointing. They do *not* have to be at war; they do not have to be upset; Steve does not have to carry a grudge. I don't get that dynamic at all. Maybe I missed some subtle detail that Hickman laced throughout these books, but I missed why Steve has SUCH a hate on for Tony. Sure he had Steve mind-wiped, but then Steve decked Tony back and it could've easily been even. Instead we have to go into Secret Wars with the long-ago mad still somehow being carried in, and Steve and Tony being this broken by it....more
This as the second-to-last book in the run-up to Secret Wars is building up excruciatingly to the moment when Shit Really Happens, and it's hard to keThis as the second-to-last book in the run-up to Secret Wars is building up excruciatingly to the moment when Shit Really Happens, and it's hard to keep straight all the threats to humanity that keep popping up with their Mohawks and helmets. Grrrr. I want this to be over but I don't want to miss any of the great moments in store for me.
Nice little moment of poetry and dirty heroism in this book, what with (view spoiler)[Namor finally getting revenged/killed by (hide spoiler)] Black Panther, at the behest of his sister. I don't say I like what happened. I hate to see well-written antagonists go. Hell, as far as I know I'm someone else's antagonist and I'd hate to see this kind of outcome against *me*. (What, you don't think I could be an asshole? Try me after five hours of meetings. Just try me.) [image]
I was pretty damned excited when I saw that (view spoiler)[Ultimate Universe heroes started showing up in this storyline: [image]
I mean, I've been waiting for this for a long time - evil Reed vs "good" Reed, our favourite Spideys getting to cross paths again, and the Samuel L. Jackson cool badass Fury coming into the picture? (hide spoiler)].
Fuck yeah. Makes me drool a little (which is stage 2 of Marvel Zombification setting in, after the glassy-eyed state but before the shambling ham-fisted mashing at my tablet to keep turning pages in the Marvel Unlimited app).
This is when the event really starts to build as far as I'm concerned.
And where it gets unrealistically terrifying. When they start talking about beings that can kill Celestials, that are ultimately behind the incursions and collapse of the multiverse, this is a Marvel-wide threat we can really get worried about. And yet...
How the hell deus ex machina are these mere human (and superhuman) Earth-bound heroes and villains possibly going to defeat a power this far above their magnitude? It'd be like an ant colony trying to, I dunno, beat down an army of drones? A nuclear weapon? Or maybe how's about trying to defeat the sun?
Where can this possibly go that won't feel completely cheap and too-clever-for-itself?
I mean, they killed Eternity: [image] (That's one psychedelic "brain" spatter)
THEY KILLED A BEING WE CALL ETERNITY. WHAT. THE. FUCK. HICKMAN?...more
There isn't one thing about this comic that isn't ridiculous. Did I say fabulous? I meant ridiculous.
Especially the footnotes at the bottom of each pThere isn't one thing about this comic that isn't ridiculous. Did I say fabulous? I meant ridiculous.
Especially the footnotes at the bottom of each page that just can't help calling attention to how ridiculous this all is.
Like so:
[image]
Or this:
[image]
And there's some pretty spot-on personality coming out of this Doreen chick:
[image] [image]
But the best part is how unflappable she is:
[image]
The Unflappable Squirrel Girl sounds waaaay better than The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, don't you think? Of course you do.
Doreen's the plucky, always-optimistic friend you have that bugs the shit out of you in real life. Like, you wish you could maintain that unwavering positive attitude, but instead because you fail at life you wish they secretly go home and self-mutilate, or cry into a bowl of dry corn flakes, or seethe in their aloneness (because no one can truly relate to them).
But hey, in the pages of a fictional story, awesome!
Stick with this book - I promise you, I actually laughed more frequently the further I got. Maybe my genetically enhanced cynicism has a limit, beyond which I just relax and enjoy something this sweet and (generally) innocent.
I mean, not all of North's (wait, a Canadian comics writer whose name is literally "North"? A bit _on_the_nose_ don't you think folks?) jokes are Comedy Awards-winning (although how would I know? I don't watch whatever passes in the comedy industry for a televised awards show - unless Craig Kilborn's late night show was it, because I'd totally believe that), but there's a few that brought on entirely *involuntary* laughter, so forgive that snot bubble we'll both just pretend didn't happen right in front of you. ...more
Formula for an 80's team comic: - ridiculous amount of bookkeeping exposition - introducing characters, laying out the setting, re-introducing the chaFormula for an 80's team comic: - ridiculous amount of bookkeeping exposition - introducing characters, laying out the setting, re-introducing the characters' code names every issue and every appearance between scenes. CHECK. - ham-fisted and redundant internal monologues by most characters, even the jock types who clearly couldn't spell introspection let alone practice it. CHECK. - team status meetings every day that would drive corporate drones batty, let alone risk junkies like the spandex set. CHECK. - ridiculously naive tension - "if my wife knew Arcanna Jones was sleeping just a few feet away fro me, I just know she wouldn't approve": [image]
- mid-battle long-winded exposition: [image]
This story has all the earmarks of a do-not-finish. It's boring, windy, full of bloated dialogue and doesn't much matter anymore. It's also predictable - I guarantee it's going to show the heroes that their hubris and arrogance will overreach, they'll out someone or something precious in serious danger (might even get a teammate killed) and pull back and return to status quo (as close as possible).
What I'd LIKE to see out of a premise like this: someone like the WW copy goes FAR off the reservation. Eating babies, killing entire species of invasive plants or insects (learning what a fragile balance out ecosystem really is), has sex with a supervillian...hmm, I'm starting to sound like Ennis' The Boys.
I know I should be more understanding of the context of old comics like this - and I *do* understand that they weren't writing 21st-century style back then (though some of it was ahead of its time). But that still doesn't make it any easier for me to viscerally enjoy now. My tastes have left this stuff behind, and I get a helluva lot more pleasure out of Clevinger than Gruenwald.
(Footnote: weeks later, Mike threw in the towel. DNF, his shame. Still a Shallow Comics Reader.)...more
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