Josh on comics

A (Very Late) Review of Scarlet Spider #1

2012-01-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

Scarlet Spider #1 By Yost / Stegman

The decision to publish a series titled 'Scarlet Spider' is nothing if not a bold move on Marvel's part. The name immediately harks back to darker days - The Clone Saga, widely recognised as one of the worst periods in Spider-Man, if not Marvel itself's history. There are those who would argue that the storyline was unfairly reviled, but it cannot be denied that it is one that Marvel would rather brush under the carpet.

Their attempt to revive the, admittedly popular, Scarlet Spider name stars Kaine, a failed clone of Peter Parker, a character who till now has been largely villainous, attempting to bring some semblance of purpose to his life. Although I have always felt that Kaine would be a fascinating adversary for Spider-Man, I think that his move to the side of the angels is an interesting one too. From the off, Yost establishes that Kaine is a very bad man, even if the idea is put across in a bit of a heavy handed way throughout. Kaine's characterisation is spot on and complex throughout, but it is difficult not to be reminded of the rash of 'anti-heroes' that broke out in the 1990's, with the issues tagline 'All Of The Power. None Of The Responsiblity' seeming particularly cheesy. From this issue it seems that Yost is doing more to make Kaine himself an interesting character, but I do hope that we aren't beaten over the head with how 'bad' he is constantly.

The plot is what you would expect from a first issue - it sets the scene, establishes the central character and introduces a couple of subplots. There is little room to manouver for Yost and it does feel a little formulaic at times, but it is still very readable. Some semblance of a supporting cast, or at least hints in that direction would have been welcome, but that aside this ticks all the boxes. The tone of the issue is dark, but not overly so - a fact helped by Ryan Stegman's soft, rounded pencils. Stegman's storytelling is great throughot, and the issue has a very cinematic feel.

If all goes well then it seems as though Yost is close to perfecting a formula that many writers struggled with in the 1990's. Kaine has been mishandled over the years, but Yost seems a good choice to give him a more consistent voice and motivations, although I think he will struggle to carry the series on his own. This issue was mainly build up and exposition, but handled very well by an undoubtedly talented creative team.

B+

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man #6

2012-01-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

Ultimate Spider-Man #6 By Bendis / Samnee

In many respects the hard part is over for Brian Michael Bendis. Following Peter Parker's high profile death and subsequent replacement, expectations were always going to be meteoric for the experienced writer, yet they were generally met with aplomb in the series' impressive opening arc. With the business of establishing Miles as a character largely over and done with, it seems that Bendis can now begin crafting the meaty tales that he is so famous for.

One of the biggest complaints about Ultimate Spider-Man's opening few issues was its slow pace and noticeably decompressed style. Although it didn't particularly bother me, Bendis has amped the pace of his storytelling up a few notches with this issue. Although it is hardly a return to the breakneck pacing of the 1960's, there is a lot of plot packed into this issue without it ever coming across as too cramped. Miles receives a pleasing amount of development, and his increasingly large supporting cast are also utilised well. It is great to see Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle returning too - I have always found his Ultimate iteration a brilliant character and am curious to see how he interacts with the new Spider-Man.

Chris Samnee temporarily takes over art duties from Sara Pichelli and does a solid job. Although his work lacks the definition and finesse of Pichelli's, he boasts a distinctive and quirky style that works well with the tone of the book. Perhaps the most pleasing thing about his artwork was the way that he shifted seamlessly between gritty and light hearted scenes, showcasing an impressive level of artistic versatility.

This issue didn't miss a beat. Action, character development and humour, with the return of some older characters and the introduction of an intruguing new villain. This story may not boast the levels of hype that were attached to the series in its earlier months, but is perhaps all the better for it.

A

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part 14: Another Return Of The Sinister Six

2012-01-16T04:10:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Spider-Man #12 By Mackie / Byrne / Beatty / Ramos
Peter Parker: Spider-Man #12 By Mackie / Romita Jr / Isherwood / Hanna / Ramos

In theory, the Sinister Six should be one of Spider-Man's most fearsome threats. In practice - despite being comprised of six of his best known villains - this has often not been the case, despite the team starring in some memorable stories. After an underwhelming first year of the reboot, what better way to restore a bit of excitement to the titles than another return of the team. The first crossover between the newly relaunched Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man even featured a nifty (if slightly jumbled) wraparound cover. But was the story any good?

The first part begins with a duel between Spider-Man and an ever-enigmatic Mysterio, who is repeatedly committing suicide. Spider-Man actually comes straight from a shift at Tricorp, a refreshing reminder from Mackie of his new job. The rest of the meat of the issue is largely based on Sandman recruiting a new Sinister Six, aiming to take on original leader Doctor Octopus, as well as score some cash for the capture of Senator Ward.

Throughout the issue we are also reminded of Peter and MJ's marital strife, and the friction that his activities as Spider-Man have caused between the couple. It seems believable enough that MJ would be annoyed at Peter lying to her, but her opposition to his secret identity seems way out of left field. I have always preferred Mary Jane when she is more accepting of his alter ego and her portrayal here never quite rings true, just as I was never convinced by Peter lying to her about being Spider-Man. There are plenty of other ways that Mackie could have driven a realistic wedge between the two characters, and I think that using Peter's superhero status was fairly lazy writing.

It turns out that Doctor Octopus is allied with Senator Ward, and neatly enough the Sinister Six attack him at the same that Spider-Man has tracked down Arthur Stacy (who is also after Ward). Spider-Man battles with the Six for a while, and just as he is on the ropes things get a whole lot worse as the Six are joined by a surprise new member.. Venom.

Part two starts with Arthur Stacy rescuing Spider-Man from a distance. Ock and Ward leave, with the Six hot pursuit. Interestingly Venom struggles as a team player, and finds himself in constant dispute with Sandman. Meanwhile MJ's stalker is turning his activities up a notch, continuing to detonate bombs and notifying the Daily Bugle of his activities. MJ is unlucky enough to be trapped in a car with him, but she manages to pepper spray him and escapes. Spider-Man turns up just a little too late, and predictably enough MJ is not happy.

The Sinister Six plot ends in confusing fashion, as Ward starts emitting powerful looking pink rays of energy and is spirited away by Electro and Mysterio (who are now apparently a duo). Mysterio remarks that they've done it.

It is always good to see the Sinister Six appear, and for that reason I enjoyed bits of this two-parter. The Sinister Six themselves though seemed misused throughout. Venom joining the team was on paper, a very cool but never really went anywhere - although I thought that the friction between the team was both realistic and well written by Mackie. Despite tis The Sandman's role as leader seemed out of nowhere, and Mysterio and Electro's bond was random and poorly developed, with Electro's previous appearance (and apparent death) barely referenced. Their reasons for reforming too, were strange, and I'm not sure what exactly they wanted revenge on Ock for. He did once betray them but it was years ago, and there didn't seem to much of a catalyst for them getting together again. Kraven Jr had never even met Doc Ock, and his reasons for joining and characterisation were both fairly blank throughout. Visually, the Six were as much of a spectacle as ever, it just didn't make much sense.

The stalker subplot is still kicking into high gear, and getting a little out of hand in the process. He is still a suitably creepy threat, not to mention a unique one in a world of flashy costumes and superpowers, but seems too omnipotent and vague to be much of a realistic character. Weirdly the subplot works fairly well as a way of establishing tension between Peter and MJ, so it seems odd that Mackie decided to favour the Spider-Man angle which is as tired as ever.

The Senator Ward subplot is also moving along, but by this point has got very out of hand. Ward has received barely any character development, and the mystery around him has been sloppily developed. Mackie is great at building mystique and intrigue around a character, but seemingly little more. Ward's character amounts to a series of vague hints and poorly outlined links to more interesting characters. Ock's presence in the story is pretty much neutered through his connection to a thoroughly inferior character in Senator Ward. By the time Mysterio and Electro were revealed to have a connection to him it was approaching the point of self parody. To credit Mackie though, the Arthur Stacy angle is far more interesting and needs more development.

It seems difficult to miss the target with a Sinister Six story, and on a basic level this is a fun, slightly overcomplicated two parter with good art. The plot is a little muddled and the dialogue is a mixed bag, but it is still perfectly readable. Where Mackie falls down however, is where he trys to be too elaborate, with many of his attempts at depth falling flat.

C+

Review: Batman And Robin #5

2012-01-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

Batman And Robin #5 By Tomasi / Gleason

Batman And Robin has so far been one of the titles that seems to have been lost in the shuffle since D.C's much vaunted relaunch. With Scott Synder's more simply titled Batman series attracting rave reviews, Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's series has been shifted to one side, perhaps unfairly given the solid stories that have been produced by the duo.

Their fifth issues sees Batman reeling after learning that his son Damian, the latest youth to wear the Robin costume, has defected to join forces with the mercenary Morgan Ducard. Despite having generally altruistic goals, Ducard's slightly more morally dubious methods promise to allow Damian the chance to let loose, and live up to his bloodthirsty upbringing. Along the way Batman recounts Ducard's origin, giving us an interesting look at a man who promises to be an engaging villain - or perhaps even antihero. Ducard has been an enigmatic figure throughout this series, something that I felt has harmed it at times. His origin was well told however, and reveals him as a figure who shares some intriguing similarities with both Damian and Batman himself.

As with the rest of the series, this issue also gives us a look into Batman's psyche, revealing some of the difficulties that he has found with being a father to Damian. The idea is fairly solid, but perhaps not as clever as Tomasi thinks it is. It doesn't help that Damian himself is a fairly one note and unlikable character. For me, he seems to hold far more potential as a villain than at Batman's side. Batman has seemed a rather passive figure at times in this series, and although it makes sense given his status as a father to Damian, it stands slightly at odds with what makes the character interesting. Although Tomasi shows him taking to the streets in a bid to find his son, greater emphasis is placed on his thought processes - I tend to prefer him written as a man of action.

This issue is solid in every respect. Tomasi's writing is very polished and Gleason's pencils are understated, but still stylised and with a tone suitable for Batman's world. It still seems to lack 'wow factor' though, for want of a better phrase. The build up has been slow and measured, but so far there has been little pay off. This approach may have worked had Damian been a more engaging character, but as it is there is little reason to care particularly deeply about him. It is welcome to see development given to Morgan Ducard however, and he seems a promising character. It seems churlish to criticise such a well crafted series, but despite being competent in every respect Batman And Robin still seems critically lacking in bite.

B

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part 13: Bright Lights, Bigger City

2012-01-13T03:10:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Spider-Man #11 By Mackie / Byrne

Has anyone else noticed that I'm writing my thirteenth part on Friday 13th? No? Just me? Ok. Anyway.. You may have seen that I have skipped two issues of the Amazing Spider-Man. For those of you who don't know, Amazing Spider-Man #9-10 were a two part Doctor Octopus story with several fairly heavy links to Spider-Man: Chapter One - a recently (at the time) released mini-series by John Byrne that rewrote Spider-Man's early history. That series is no longer in continuity so I decided to skip the issues - no significant developments occur, unless you count a genuine Tricorp sighting. The issues aren't quite the worst that the reboot has to offer, but I would recommend that only completists bother hunting them down.

#11 begins with a few pages of essentially exposition, reminding us of the difficulties currently facing Peter Parker and Mary-Jane, and how their many differences have finally driven a wedge between the couple. There is a decent double page spread of Spider-Man and Mary-Jane (across town from each other) but it doesn't really tell us anything that we didn't already know. We move slightly into the future to Mary-Jane's dressing room, where Jill appears. Her and MJ talk and we get yet more reminders of how distant Peter and MJ has been. MJ's phone rings and she exits, clearly rattled due to the threatening phone calls she has been receiving.

Meanwhile, Peter swings off to the Daily Bugle and is greeted by an uncharacteristically cheery J Jonah Jameson, who it turns out wants Peter to get him an exclusive interview with his supermodel wife. Peter accepts the assignment as long as he is allowed to take photos, seeing it as a way to get closer to her. Jill and MJ re-enter her dressing room, only to find that her mirror is emblazoned with a creepy message from her stalker, reading 'YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM ME! IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU NOBODY WILL! YOUR HUSBAND IS GOING TO DIE'. Jeepers. Outside, Peter is trying to get in to see MJ, but security refuse to believe that he is her husband. She comes out, guards in tow and Peter's spider sense goes off. In a bid to protect from the unseen danger her he leaps at her and pushes her to the floor, only to be dragged away by a posse of armed guards. The source of his spider sense soon appears on the scene, busting out of an armored truck - it's classic X-Men villain The Blob. Peter gets changed and the two fight for a few pages, before Spidey defeats him by unloading a web cartridge onto him, trapping him in place. He swings off to find MJ, who is in a limousine with... you guessed it, Jill! A bomb goes off nearby them, and MJ correctly guesses that it's the work of her stalker, and is understandably terrified. She gets out of the limo and is immediately grabbed by Spider-Man, who swings her away.

The story is picked up on Peter Parker: Spider-Man #12, which I also won't be taking an in depth look at. Most of the story is mired in an Avengers crossover that will just confuse matters - I didn't mind covering the Thor crossover as that was a fairly self contained story in its own right but this would just be a waste of time. The first few pages of the story are moderately important however - they see Peter revealing to MJ that he is still Spider-Man, much to her disgust, before they both learn that Arthur Stacy has gone missing.

After a few encouraging issues, this was a deeply disappointing story. Until now MJ's stalker was an interesting subplot, and although it remains a solid mystery, I thought that his methods this issue came across as a little over the top for my liking. The attempts to put distance between Peter and MJ are, once again, unwelcome and come across as forced and frankly unrealistic. This isn't such a problem when it is merely lingering in the background, but with this issue it took centre stage. The Blob isn't the best villain, but as purely a visual spectacle he is fairly interesting. The fight between him and Spider-Man was largely formulaic stuff, but I did think that Spidey's method of defeating him was nicely done.

However bad the stories have been since the reboot, I have always at least been able to say that they have boasted very nice art (with the slight exception of the two issues drawn by Bart Sears). With this issue however, that is not the case. Scott Hanna's usually capable inks are missing, leaving Byrne to ink his own work. It is noticeably rushed throughout, and a real step down from his previous work on the series. Byrne's distinctive style still shines through, but it is a far cry from his best work, with some questionable storytelling choices too.

Unfortunately nothing really went right for this issue. A promising subplot went a little off the rails, and it was plagued by the same problems that have been there for most of the reboot. Jill Stacy still refuses to go away, Peter and MJ are still on the outs, and even the artwork is not up to scratch anymore. A very disappointing effort from all concerned.

D-

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part 12: Venom Returns

2012-01-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #9-10 By Mackie / Romita Jr. / Hanna

Since his introduction in the now classic Amazing Spider-Man #300, Venom has been one of Spider-Man's most acclaimed foes. Unfortunately, as is inevitable with all popular characters, he suffered from horrendous overexposure during the 1990's, as Marvel took the ill advised path of trying to turn him into an anti-hero, with predictably limp results. As the above cover suggests, the reboot signaled a return to Venom's days as an antogonist, a welcome move amid a reboot that had largely struggled to build much in the way of momentum.

Part one opens with the symbiote (currently separated from Eddie Brock) attaching itself to a homeless man in an attempt to find ex-host Peter Parker. There is a nice reference to Joey Z and its generally a well done, very creepy scene that builds up tension for the issue ahead. We then look in on Peter, who briefly discusses the threatening phone calls that Mary-Jane has been receiving with Aunt May before heading out, convinced that a recently escaped Eddie Brock is behind them. A fairly logical way of thinking, and a decent way of working Brock into the story. Peter (as Spider-Man) recounts Venom's backstory before calling in on private investigator Arthur Stacy, who is having something of a tete a tete with children Paul and Jill. Jill has been forced into centre stage since the reboot and is a slightly weak character but Arthur and Paul are both stronger and its nice to see them show up, even if Paul's appearance is very brief. Peter returns home, with the symbiote hot on his heels and is briefly accosted by it in a very creepy scene. After he fights it off it resolves to rejoin with Eddie, and leaves. Peter is distracted by the doorbell, and would you believe it's Jill Stacy, who has shown up to tell Peter that his wife is coming home. At this point Jill is appearing in every issue and it is coming across as more and more forced each time. She reveals that Arthur has some information for Spider-Man, so Peter makes his awkward excuses and leaves. After Arthur gives him a line on Eddie's whereabouts Peter tracks him to his scummy looking apartment. Eddie seems in a bad way, and seems ignorant as to the threatening phone calls that MJ has been receiving, even claiming that he can't remember Peter's secret identity. A weak, and so far unexplained move that actually takes away a lot of the tension between the characters. Inexplicable writing from Mackie.

Predictably enough, the symbiote appears and attempts to bond with Eddie, much to Spider-Man's horror. Eddie seems terrified of it and jumps out of his window into a nearby river, with the creature in hot pursuit. Spider-Man follows, but loses them in the river and after waiting for 'hours', gives up and leaves. Just a page later though, a fearsome looking Venom emerges, with Eddie seemingly having shaken off his antipathy towards the symbiote. A cool cliffhanger, and one well rendered by Romita, but hardly surprising.

The next, and final part begins with Venom paying a visit to his 'son' Carnage, aka Cletus Kasady who is currently incarcerated at 'The Manhattan Correctional Facility'. Venom infiltrates the facility by posing as a janitor, before murdering Carnage's guards, breaking into his cell and...eating his symbiote. Very strange. Mackie doesn't explain how Carnage escaped from the cocoon that the Silver Surfer imprisoned him in before the reboot either. Still, it's a fairly effective scene and does a good job of establishing Venom has a pretty serious threat.

Meanwhile at Peter's apartment he, Jill and Aunt May are putting up decorations ahead of MJ's return home. While putting up a banner Peter falls, is caught by Jill and they share a brief moment on the floor, much to Aunt May's chagrin. I have no idea where Mackie is going with this subplot. The idea of Peter being attracted to a relative of Gwens is interesting enough, but the execution of it has been layed on far too thickly for my liking. Peter sets up a lavish looking candlelit dinner, but sees Venom swinging about and leaves to chase after him. Venom kidnaps Jonah Jameson and takes him to the scene of his 'birth' - the church where the symbiote first bonded with him. Spider-Man swings onto the scene and the pair fight for a few pages, with Spider-Man struggling against a seemingly turbocharged Venom. Even an attempt to use the symbiote's weakness to loud noise falls flat, as Venom reveals that he removed the clappers from the bells in anticipation for their showdown.Venom trashes Spider-Man, but is forced to leave as the Carnage symbiote begins to... rebel against him. It's odd, and Mackie never fully explains how the process of absorbing it works. Jameson finds himself alone with an unconscious Spider-Man, and is left to decide whether to unmask him or not. The final page sees Mary-Jane arriving home to an empty house, and soon enough a threatening phone call, as her mysterious stalker reveals that her husband will be 'the first to go'...

This was a reasonably solid two parter. Venom's return to the Spider-titles is a welcome one, although I do think that his character was irreversibly damaged by his stint as a more heroic figure. Nonetheless, he is back to his off the wall best here and is a threatening presence throughout. Romita Jr's rendition of him is excellent, but his work looks a little rough around the edges here. As Scott Hanna was inking both Spider-titles at the time its not unreasonable to assume that he may have been feeling rather stretched. The plot seems a little contrived in places, but is paced well and has a good atmosphere throughout, which harks back to Venom's superb first few appearances. Venom forgetting Spider-Man's secret identity does lose a lot of the dynamic between the two characters though, and I thought that the symbiote pining for Peter was forgotten about slightly abruptly after part one.

The subplots are a mixed bag. The tension between Peter and MJ seems as out of place as ever, and Jill Stacy's flirtations with him are getting more and more irritating with each passing issue. Aunt May has been an utterly pointless addition to the supporting cast, and her makeover from earlier in the reboot seems to have abruptly been forgotten about. She isn't quite as annoying, or grating as she was, but her resurrection still stands out as a pointless decision. MJ's stalker on the other hand, is a solidly executed subplot that seems to be moving along well. I do wish that she had played a bigger part in recent stories though. If her and Peter are married I prefer having them bouncing off each other, rather than their relationship being a source of tension.

There are better Venom stories than this, but there are also far worse ones and for the most part Mackie does a solid job of reintroducing him as a Villain. Some of the finer details of the story do not quite work, but on an exclusively shallow level it is very decent, entertaining stuff.

B

Review: Wolverine And The X-Men #4

2012-01-11T07:35:00.000-08:00

Wolverine And The X-Men #4 By Aaron / Bradshaw

It's safe to say that the X-Men franchise has not been at its healthiest in recent years. Usurped by the Avengers as Marvel's top property, and struggling for consistency, it seemed that the X-Men's most recent reboot may have signalled a return to better days with solid reviews across the board. Wolverine And The X-Men's debut arc was a particular triumph, featuring strong characters, effortless humor and superb artwork throughout from Chis Bachalo. Expectations have been high since the titlesopening issue, which makes its first misfire all the more disappointing.

This issue is a done in story and something of a departure from the frantic action of the opening arc. Jason Aaron takes the opportunity to introduce a handful of new characters and subplots, as well as to nurture some of the ideas introduced in his first three issues. At various points the plot seems to paint itself as a Wolverine centric story, which seems a rather tacked on idea. Wolverine's interior narration comes only on the issues first and last pages, and seems rather forced and unnecessary given the fairly small role that he plays in the plot. Wolverine's titular role in the series is not one that has bothered me as yet, but if he is crowbarred into every story it will begin to grate. His recent hi-jinks with X-Force allow the introduction of a former X-Men favourite, namely Warren Worthington III Aka Angel, although due to a significant recent trauma he has lost his memories and believes himself to be an angel of the slightly more literal kind. As an idea it falls totally flat for me. Aaron chooses to play the character entirely for laughs and it seems very jarring and ultimately unsucessful, despite the writer largely succeeding with his humor in the titles opening few issues.

Nick Bradshaw's art too, is a step down from Bachalo's in the opening three issues. I am not a fan of his style at all, and although it shares the cartoony quality of Bachlo's work, it lacks the edgy quality that makes his work such a joy to look at it. Bradshaw's work is defined by smooth lines and while his use of detail is excellent, his style as a whole is unfortunately not for me at all and detracts from the story.

That's not to say that this issue is all bad. A new student is introduced, and he seems like a genuinely fascinating character with a lot of potential. The existing students too were dealt with well, and Aaron seems to have a good handle on his supporting cast, each character fitting into a clearly defined role without their actions ever coming across as formulaic or dull. His willingness to mine the Marvel Universe for existing characters and continuity is welcome too, and having Deathlok appear was a nice surprise.

If anything, this issue suffered from the quality of those that have come before it. Bradshaw's artwork is worlds apart from Bachalo's style, and much of the kinetic energy of Aaron's opening arc has fizzled out. There are positives though - Aaron's cast of characters look to be interesting and promise a lot, while his use of the more iconic characters has been nothing if not solid. A backwards step, but not an irreversible one.

C

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part 11: All You People Are Vampires

2012-01-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #7-8 By Mackie / Romita Jr. / Hanna

Howard Mackie wasn't always universally known as a writer of bad Spider-Man stories, and it seems unfair that in recent years that is all he is remembered for. Before the reboot, he and John Romita Jr actually had a solid run on Peter Parker: Spider-Man, generally dealing with Spider-Man's interactions with the shadier side of New York, nominally involving plenty of gangland scuffles. With that in mind it is more welcome to see Mackie and Romita Jr returning to their roots for this two parter, even if they have decided to introduce a more supernatural element to the proceedings.

The first two pages introduces us to Mutt and T-Bone, a pair of small time crooks working for the Kingpin. They break into a crypt, where they are met by a group of creepy looking vampire types guarding a mysterious looking trunk. The scene shifts to Peter Parker, who is preparing for a long deserved holiday with his wife Mary-Jane. After getting his belongings together Peter makes it as far as a shop before he is caught in the middle of a brawl between Mutt and T-Bone (who seem to have stolen the trunk) and the vampires from earlier. Peter changes into his costume and joins the fray, naturally taking sides against the vampires, despite being unsure as to how genuine they are. After dispensing with the undead types, Spidey follows Mutt across town to an abandoned factory, and after being surprised by the web-slinger, Mutt decides to fill him in on recent events. It seems that a recent gangland showdown was interrupted by a shadowy vampiric figure who killed a lot of Mutt's colleagues - understandably leaving he and most of his cohorts rather shook. up.

Spidey and Mutt are interrupted by a vampire who Mutt quickly stakes, before inadvertently revealing that the vampire who attacked the showdown was none other than.. Hunger (remember him), a shadowy figure that Spider-Man tussled with a few months ago. Spidey webs up a few more attacking vampires, before reminding Mutt that he doesn't want any more killing. The two of them are interrupted by Blade the Vampire Hunter, followed by another group of vampires and another brief fight scene quickly ensues. The trio once again go off in search of the trunk, and quickly find it, along with none other than Hunger, shrouded in purple smoke. Hunger reveals that he is feeling a lot more together than when they last met, and quickly destroys their weapons before making light work of both Blade and Spider-Man. Mutt has wandered off, and quickly runs into T-Bone, who is now a member of the undead. Unswayed by his former friends desire to convert him, Mutt stakes him, and Hunger quickly feels the loss and slinks off into the shadows. Spidey leaves the trunk with Blade and swings off to catch his and Mary-Jane's flight. Surprise suprise - it's delayed, and Peter is left to commiserate with Jill Stacy who is waiting with him at the airport. The issue closes with Kingpin, who outlines his desire to regain the trunk, and 'return some control to the city'. Exciting.

The following issue begins with Spidey trying to get a hold of MJ, and unsurprisingly failing. He eventually gets a call from Robbie at the Bugle, asking him to go and cover a summit of crime lords across town. Peter goes there, and after hiding in the bushes is greeted by the sight of Kingpin and Jimmy Six who appear to be closing some kind of deal. Peter is found by one of Kingpin's men but runs off, straight into Blade. Another goon fires what looks like a rocket launcher at them, and Peter knocks Blade out of the way before losing consciousness. The two of them come to with a group of cops standing over them and quickly exit, with Blade reminding Peter to stay out of the conflict. We are treated to a brief interlude where one of Kingpin's men brings him Peter Parker's name, before we move over to the Daily Bugle offices. Robbie is advising Peter to get out of town for a while for his own safety (why hasn't he just got a later flight to join Mary Jane) before another reporter blurts out that Eddie Brock (aka Venom) has escaped from jail, and is apparently heading back to New York Peter muses it on it and decides to join MJ, before learning that she is so annoyed at him that she is refusing his phone calls. Surprise surprise Jill Stacy is on hand to soften the blow, and she promptly appears out of nowhere to reassure Peter that him and MJ will be ok. This is then followed by an awkward moment where Peter double takes, as he realises how similar Jill looks to her cousin (and Peter's ex girlfriend) Gwen Stacy. Jill tells him that it happens to her a lot, before exiting. I have been very critical of the romantic tension between Jill and Peter, but in this case I thought it actually worked well and was very realistic. Jill's attitude towards Peter still seems a bit strange, you might even say creepy, but this brief exchange has given me some hope for the subplot.

Peter changes into his costume and heads across town to yet another gangland meeting, where the mysterious trunk is opened, revealing it to contain classic Spider-Man villain Morbius, the living vampire, who was presumably being contained within the trunk as a sort of living weapon. Blade appears, and a fight begins between him, Spider-Man, Kingpin and Morbius, who seems understandably confused at the situation. After zapping Morbius, Kingpin slinks off and Spider-Man is left attempting to stop Blade from killing the Living Vampire. Blade agrees to do things Spider-Man's way and leaves, leaving the web slinger alone with Morbius. Morbius reveals that Hunger is actually Crown, a Hydra-created villain from before the reboot, and warns Spider-Man to stay away from both he, and Senator Ward before collapsing.

Peter returns to his appartment, and reveals through internal narration that he dropped Morbius off at Tricorp. Finally! A mention of Peter's new job. It might be a brief one but it is welcome nonetheless, and a genuinely clever way of working it into the story. Peter answers the phone and is shocked to hear that it is MJ's mysterious stalker, who he immediately assumes is the recently escaped Eddie Brock. While Peter is distracted by the phone call he is crept up on by Jimmy Six, who appears behind him, holding a gun to his head. Six, who was friends with Peter's late 'cousin' Ben Reilly, warns Peter to lay low and stay out things before exiting, leaving Peter clutching a ringing phone, with his other hand clenched into a fist.

Phew, Mackie certainly packs a lot of twists and turns into this two parter - not all of them entirely necessary. The plot is certainly not his strongest and doesn't hang together well at all. Far too many characters are used and none of them are particularly strongly portrayed - with even Spider-Man himself often seeming like a passenger in several scenes. Hunger's return was welcome, he is still an intriguing villain with a solid design and his links to Crown and Hydra were fairly realistic. His character is still a little vague and poorly defined though, and he was underused across these two issues. Blade's presence is logical, but he adds barely anything to the story plotwise. As with many of Mackie's guest stars, he seems largely superfluous and adds little to an already overcrowded cast.

As mentioned before, Mackie and Romita Jr tend to excel at mob based storylines, and although this is one of their weaker efforts the tone is spot on throughout. The Kingpin's presence in the background once again lends a certain sense of foreboding to events, but I thought it was a mistake to use him in the story's climatic fight scene. To me, Kingpin has always worked better when operating from the shadows. Jimmy Six's return was well handled throughout though, and a good example of using a previously existing character when other writers might have created an unnecessary new one.

Once again, Peter and MJ's relationship takes a backburner (for the most part), but as often seems to be the case with the reboot, when Mackie focuses on it, it tends to be misused. I'm not entirely against creating tension between the couple, but I think it has been very forced in recent months. It is good to see the Jill Stacy subplot portrayed a little more realistically however, and I'm hopeful that this is a sign that the character will edge into a slightly more believable direction. It's good to see the stalker subplot coming along too. It has been one of the better handled ones from the reboot, even if it has been seen before (albeit with a few differences) in David Micheline's run.

This was far from Mackie's worst storyline since the reboot, but it's not the best either. Romita Jr's art is a mixed bag, and most of the fight sequences are a little messy, but it still managed to be good fun, with some interesting twists and turns and bags of suspense throughout - even if a lot of it is ultimately unfulfilled.

C

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part 10: The Perfect World

2012-01-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

Amazing Spider-Man (Volume 2) #7-8 By Mackie / Byrne / Hanna

After providing a good issue last time round, Howard Mackie has once again delivered the unthinkable - this time by following up an unresolved plotline. After being confronted at his home at the end of the last issue of Amazing Spider-Man, Flash has been seen walking around in a daze in the intervening issue of Peter Parker: Spider-Man. With this two parter we finally find out what happened to the former high school jock.

The issue's opening firmly establishes the storys setting in an alternate universe of some kind, as Flash is woken up in a luxury apartment by his superhero partner - Spider-Man. Flash's powers are not made entirely clear, but he appears to be able to fly and have superhuman strength, both potentially enabled by the jazzy suit that he wears throughout the story. This is a minor detail though, and doesn't make much of a difference to the plot. Flash and Peter learn of Dr. Doom's latest scheme through Captain Stacy, before Flash has to fight of a gaggle of women comprised of Mary-Jane, Gwen Stacy and Betty Brant. Oddly, Spider-Man doesn't react to their presence at all.

The bulk of the issue is composed of a light hearted super hero romp, as Flash and Peter rescue a captured Fantastic Four from Dr. Doom, defeating Blastaar and Annihilus along the way. Mackie's tongue is firmly in his cheek, and its clear the story is not supposed to be taken seriously - a welcome move as it is hardly compelling. Mackie's dialogue is at times poor, but works better in a more light hearted setting than usual. After their victory Flash and Peter are granted a lavish, over the top victory paraded, before Flash is handed the keys to the city by mayor Norman Osborn (?), despite the protestations of a bedraggled looking Jonah Jameson. Perhaps the issue's most intriguing detail comes in its final few pages, as we are granted a look at Peter Parker, who interestingly does not appear to be Spider-Man. Peter is in a wheelchair, back wearing glasses and while watching the parade on TV claims to Aunt May that something is wrong, and that the world is a little off centre. His complaints are rebuffed by a smiling Uncle Ben on the issues final page. How's that for a cliffhanger eh?

The beginning of the next issue is more of the same, as Flash and Spider-Man take on the Red Skull, Kingpin and a veritable army of goons. Their eventual triumph is predictable, but brief, and the heroes are confronted by wheelchair bound Peter Parker at their victory press conference, who is still sure that something is not quite right. Peter is dragged off by police and strapped down in their vehicle, and Gwen follows in an attempt to calm him. Gwen tells Peter that she has always loved him, before her face and hair bizarrely transform into her cousin Jill's. Peter becomes enraged and asks to see MJ, before Gwen/Jill informs him that she is due to marry Flash that afternoon. This appears to be the final straw for Peter, and he unleashes hitherto unseen super strength to break free of his shackles, and escape from the vehicle (shedding his glasses in the process)

Peter now seems to remember the 'real' world, and heads to the church. Upon arriving he bumps into 'Spider-Man', who is acting as Flash's best man, and shown dispelling some of his fresh doubts. Peter knocks out Spider-Man and unmasks him, revealing a familiar (but initially unseen) face. Putting on the webs, Peter enters the church, just as it comes under assault from virtually every major foe of Spider-Man's (with one notable exception). Byrne's double page spread here is excellent, and a great glimpse at his interpretations of Spidey's rogues gallery. Peter and Flash fight off the villains while Peter explains to his friend that something is very wrong. Flash seems reluctant to accept it, but it appears to be dawning on him too. Eventually Peter finds the true source of the illusion, Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, who had been posing as Spider-Man. He reveals that he had created the illusion in order to figure out Spider-Man's true identity, capturing several of those closest to him in order to create the 'Perfect World' scenario. It seems that Flash's will was strongest, and thus his desires took centre stage. It's up to Flash to shatter the illusion, and despite his misgivings he does, smashing Mysterio's fishbowl and restoring the true reality. Mysterio jets off, and Flash, Peter, and most of the rest of Spider-Man's supporting cast wake in a mysterious chamber, all floating in a vat of mysterious liquid. Peter reaches out to Flash but he hits back, and appears resentful, seeming to revert to 'dumb jock' mode and verbally lashing out at Peter, before leaving.

Although the plot of this two parter is utterly ridiculous, it is actually a pretty good story. Mackie actually seems well suited to writing a more light hearted tale, and Byrne does a great job at drawing some classic members of Spider-Man's supporting cast and rogues gallery. It is also telling that one of the strongest issues of the reboot is one where the focus has been taken away from Mackie's dull subplots - this story is very self contained and all the better for it. Perhaps more than anything else it is simply a great character study of Flash himself, revealing his innermost desires and frustrations, while also emphasising his heroic qualities at the conclusion. I wasn't initially a fan of his bitterness on the issues final page but can't deny that it was a realistic reaction.

The main plot, and explanation for the 'Perfect World' scenario is gibberish though, and riddled with contrivances and plot holes. Mysterio is a good villain but his presence here doesn't really convince, not least because Quentin Beck was killed off in an earlier issue of Daredevil (a fact that the story does half heartedly make reference to). His desire to figure out Spider-Man's secret identity comes out of nowhere, and doesn't really make sense at all within the context of the story.

Still, this was an enjoyable, and perhaps most all original diversion from the tiresome world of the reboot. It's always good to see a member of Spider-Man's fantastic supporting cast take centre stage, and for the most part Flash is portrayed realistically here. A poor plot is not enough to take the sheen of another solid story from Mackie.

B+

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part 9: Answers? We Should Be So Lucky

2012-01-06T09:56:00.000-08:00

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #6 By Mackie / Romita Jr / Hanna

The Kingpin was once - and has often been thought of since - as one of Spider-Man's most iconic foes. He debuted of course in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man, in the now classic #50, and was used as a primary antagonist in the popular 90's animated series. While now known more as an enemy of Daredevil's, his return to menacing Spider-Man was a fairly exciting step at the time.

Romita Jr returns on pencils, a more than welcome move. His style is well suited to the noirish undertones of this story, and look significantly more polished than Bart Sears' did.

Kingpin appears right off the bat, in the issue's opening page - disappointingly his only panel time in the issue. While overseeing the routine killing of an inadequate underling, he gives Bullseye a vague set of instructions, telling the master assassin that 'people must die tonight'. A fairly generic scene, but done very well by Mackie and Romita. The pair have often been at their best when working on noir themed stories, and the scene seems to come easily to them.

We move to what is now becoming a routine scene featuring Spider-Man rescuing Senator Ward from some green-garbed goons. The senator is still no more forthcoming than before about why he is being targeted by super-powered heavies, and brushes off Spider-Man's questions by implicating him in the attack. Spider-Man slings off, promising that they will talk again. He rejoins the scene as Peter Parker, and hooks up with Betty Brant, claiming to have taken some good photos of the action. Betty's response is strange - telling Peter that she has known him long enough to be aware that he isn't the heroic type. It seems unnecessarily harsh, and a lazy way of establishing the dichotomy between Peter Parker and Spider-Man. The pair see a dazed Flash Thompson who walks by them without a word (remember, he was the subject of a cryptic cliffhanger in a previous issue).

Mackie then treats us an increasingly tiresome domestic scene, featuring yet more marital troubles between Peter and MJ. It's fairly standard stuff - Peter lies about being Spider-Man, and MJ feigns ignorance about the threatening phone calls that she has been receiving. Both subplots are still as tiring as ever, and do not appear to be developing at all. What's more welcome is the presence of Arthur Stacy, always an interesting character. His links to Stewart Ward may actually make the shady senator an interesting character. After leaving, Arthur Stacy warns his daughter Jill to stay away from Ward, claiming that he is dangerous, while being spiririted away by a group of the senator's black suited, car driving goons. Peter is on hand to dry Jill's tears, before snagging the vehicle in question with a tracer.

Arthur meets with Ward, and the two trade cryptic statements about their respective pasts. Linking the two characters may be an interesting move, but it still reveals little to nothing about the Senator. Once again, the subplot appears to be treading water, despite seeming to establish Ward as a more definitive thread than before. As Arthur attempts to leave, Bullseye appears on the scene and starts slinging projectiles around at the Kingpins behest, before Spider-Man appears and the two trade a few punches. Bullseye is a logical opponent for Spider-Man and it seems odd that the two characters haven't tussled before this issue. In any case, it's an excellent fight scene with some good dialogue, potentially the best action seen since the reboot. As Spider-Man chases Bullseye off the scene, the assassin detonates a bomb (why didn't he do that in the first place), and the web slinger rescues Stacy and Ward. After returning to ground, Ward refuses once again to give any hints as to his past, while being dragged away by yet more dark suited goons. Arthur appears in poor shape, and murmurs to Spider-Man that he 'has to be stopped', an appropriate enough cliffhanger to end the issue on.

While this issue did carry many of the same faults as the rest of the reboot, it was a very enjoyable story. Not as much was done with the Kingpin as I would have liked, but his presence in the background did lend the plot some additional weight. Bullseye was probably the strongest villain seen yet in the reboot, even if he was lacking in a little depth, the fight scene between him and Spider-Man was excellent. The Senator Ward subplot continues to plod along, but Mackie has at least made an attempt to give the character a more tangible connection to Spider-Man's world, in the form of his relationship with Arthur Stacy. This issue did nothing to convince me that the reboots flaws are on their way to being corrected, but in its own right was an enjoyable, fast paced romp.

B+

Review: Swamp Thing #5

2012-01-05T08:47:00.000-08:00

Swamp Thing #5 By Snyder / Paquette

The cat is finally out of the bag. With this weeks Animal Man #5 finally making reference to Swamp Thing, a crossover that has been hinted at since day one of the D.C reboot seems firmly on the horizon. Both series have been firing on all cylinders since debuting last year, and a meeting of the two seems likely to excite both readers and critics alike.

Swamp Thing is still yet to make reference to Animal Man, but the two titles still share one main element - that is the villainous 'rot', a decaying, malignant that stands as a deathly counterpart to the more benevolent forces of the Green and the Red. This issue sees Alec Holland and his erstwhile companion Abby Arcane finally meeting the Rot headfirst, in the form of Abby's half brother, the eerily youthful William. William, and the decaying forces that he commands, make for brilliantly creepy adversaries, even if they are dispatched quickly by an impressive show of vegetative force from not-quite-Swamp Thing Holland. The pages are beautifully rendered by Yanick Paquette, an artist whose style is not immediately eye catching, but rarely falters in detail and execution. Paquette's layouts are daring too and evocative, and although they don't always come off the issue is rarely anything less than visually impressive.

Synder's script is solid, but feels a little slight. Unlike Animal Man this is not a frenziedly paced romp, and at times this issue feels a little padded - a fact not helped by the bookending scenes, that are not yet straightforward enough to be as compelling as the title's core plot. What they do achieve, is adding a new depth to a story which, to be fair, hardly needed it.

Although it feels very much like a middle chapter, this issue does have its share of surprises, not to mention action. Snyder ably keeps subplots moving along, as well as introducing new ones without the plot ever seeming too overcrowded. An enjoyable, if vaguely unsatisfying installment, in a title that looks set to impress this year.

B+

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part Eight: Girl Trouble (In More Ways Than One...)

2012-01-04T07:14:00.001-08:00

The Amazing Spider-Man #5-6 By Mackie / Byrne / Hanna
Peter Parker: Spider-Man #5 By Mackie / Sears / Hanna

It's easy to forgot that when the Spider-Man reboot first began, Peter Parker himself wasn't wearing the webs, having retired after the Gathering of Five storyline that worked as a climax for the previous era of the character's history. Peter was briefly replaced as Spider-Man by a mystery character, later revealed to be a 15 year old girl called Mattie Franklin. After Peter returned to the webs Mattie promptly disappeared from the titles.. Until now!

The first installment of this three parter opens with a fairly generic scene featuring Mattie Franklin taking down some Millenium bug themed crooks (No I don't get that either, at least its an attempt to make them somewhat unique I suppose). Unlike her previous appearances however, Mattie has taken on the guise of Spider-Woman, sporting an uninspired Spider-Man-like costume pictured above. There is nothing particularly wrong with it, but the ponytail is a little silly and it is quite bland. The scene is brief, but Mattie is as annoying as ever. She seems a little more assured as a hero than before however. Mackie then looks in on the first person to call herself Spider-Woman - Jessica Drew, now operating as a private detective. Drew is ambushed at her home by an unseen adversary, and quickly overpowered, despite a reminder that her powers are still working.

After nearly of a quarter of the issue gone, we finally switch to our hero, Peter Parker, as he chows down on one of Aunt May's signature dishes, while Mary-Jane rushes around, readying herself for another modelling assignment. Aunt May's characterisation is still annoying,but I actually liked the way that Mackie wrote Peter and MJ's relationship in this scene. The two characters haven't interacted all that much since the reboot and its refreshing to see them together and operating well as a couple - that is until a timely reminder that Peter hasn't yet told his wife that he has returned to being Spider-Man, as he is forced to cover up one of his costumes. The action is actually fairly well told by Mackie, but it doesn't disguise the fact that Peter really should have told her by now. We then get another brief scene featuring another ex-Spider-Woman (this time it's Julia Carpenter) being assaulted by a mystery attacker. The sequences seem oddly similar in execution to the sewer kidnappings in the previous issue of PP:SM, and lose a lot of their appeal as a result, although that aside they are still compelling enough.

While at the Bugle (with Tricorp still nowhere to be seen) Peter learns of the new Spider-Woman, as well as the recent assaults on her predecessors. Peter correctly guesses that she is Mattie Franklin, and webslings across town to where she is battling a group of hulking monsters. Mattie seems to be holding her own, but makes a couple of rookie errors, although she eventually manages to defeat the monsters with Spider-Man's help. Despite her victory Spider-Man spends a few pages chiding her for her inexperience, before they are both attacked by the mystery villain from earlier in the issue, who is revealed to be YET another Spider-Woman - this one decidedly more evil than the other three.

On the whole this was a decent issue. Mattie is a slightly annoying character, but needed to be followed up on, and its always great to be reminded of Spider-Man's maturity as a character. The action is well drawn by Byrne, and the idea of a villainous Spider-Woman is a neat concept, particularly as Spider-Man tends to lack female foes. Peter keeping secrets from MJ does rankle a bit, but that isn't enough to take the sheen off what is actually a solid issue.

Part two is once again drawn by Bart Sears rather than John Romita Jr, although given that Sears was the artist on Spider-Woman's solo series it does make some sense. His work is a lot more polished here than in the previous issue of PP: SM, although it is still a notch below Byrne's work.

We pick up the story a little after last issues cliffhanger, as its revealed that the villainous Spider-Woman gave Mattie and Peter a bit of a trashing. Peter is considerably worse off and carries her to safety, dropping her off in...a random apartment (?) It's clearly not Peter and MJ's apartment, and its never made entirely clear where it is, or who exactly it belongs to. Very odd. Mattie comes around and recounts her (rather dull) origin to Peter, who attempts to take her to a doctor. Mattie isn't happy and physically resists, before collapsing from the strain of her injuries. Peter carries her off to the Black Cat's apart, reasoning that he 'didn't know where else to turn'. Again, slightly odd, but whatever. As soon as Peter has managed to get the Black Cat up to speed they are attacked by Spider-Woman, and after a few pages of tussling manage to defeat her (but not before Peter has planted a spider-tracer on her). After a bit of awkward flirting between Spidey and the Black Cat, he swings off, once again with Mattie in tow.

The issue is also intercut with scenes featuring Mary-Jane, as she begins to suspect that Peter has returned to the webs. Peter was supposed to take her to the airport for her modelling gig, but hasn't showed up, so MJ cancels her flight and takes to the streets with Jill out of worry. She also receives a couple of threatening sounding phone calls and the issue closes with her collapsed the floor in tears, phone ringing in the background. It's a little over the top but actually quite touching, and a fairly strong note to the end the issue on. The barrier between her and Peter works slightly less well however, and it never quite rings true seeing them keep secrets from each other.

The main portion of the issue is poor quality too, and probably could have been skipped. As with many of the recent guest stars, Black Cat's role in the story is utterly superfluous and forgettable. Spider-Woman appears again but receives little development, while Mattie ranges from being unconscious to intensely annoying. A large step down after an enjoyable first part.

The conclusion sees John Byrne on art duties, so in that respect it is an instant step up from Bart Sears' mediocre artwork on the middle part. The first few pages are composes of thinly veiled exposition, as Spidey recounts the events of the previous two issues in fourth-wall-breaking fashion. It isn't particularly necessary but we get a nice double page spread out of it from Byrne. It isn't immediately clear what Peter has done with Mattie, but the assumption seems to be that he has dropped her off at hospital, before heading home to profusely apologise to Mary Jane. We get what now seems to be a standard few panels of Aunt May character deconstruction, before MJ confronts Peter, asking him outright if he is Spider-Man again (but not before lying to him about the threatening phone calls she has been getting) Peter opens his chest to reveal no Spider-Man costume underneath, and claims that he isn't. Oh dear. The phone rings and it's Robbie from the Bugle, who wants Peter to cover a sighting of the new Spider-Woman. Still no sign of Peter's flashy new job at Tricorp by the way.

We cut to the evil Spider-Woman, who seems in anguish. She is talking to someone who isn't in the scene but appears to be in her head, controlling her somehow. After randomly attacking some cops she is found by Spider-Man, and claims to him that she doesn't like violence, and is being controlled by someone who wants her to drain the powers of the other Spider-Women before killing Spider-Man - A Doctor of some kind who has experimented on her in a lab, and presumably given her her new abilities. She swiftly loses control and attacks Spider-Man, before the scene shifts to Jonah Jameson and his wife Marla, who are visiting Mattie Franklin - it turns out that her father is a friend of Jamesons. I actually found this to be a fairly interesting move, and the scene is pretty funny. After Jonah and Marla leave, a de-aged Madame Web enters, who claims to have a job for her. Interesting...

Oddly, Mackie skips the fight between Spider-Woman and Spider-Man. It turns out that she defeated him, and he is now webbed up, hanging from the ceiling in the secret lair of... Doctor Octopus. It turns out that classic Spider-Man villain was the mysterious doctor who gave Spider-Woman her powers, and he now appears to have Spider-Man on the ropes. Ock recounts Spider-Woman's origin, but it doesn't make any sense. He reveals that she was a fashion designer called Charlotte Witter, who lived a 'double life' and that she possessed 'qualities that would prove to be valuable'. Neither of these statements are expanded on at all and we are left to guess at what Ock is talking about. He kidnapped Witter and experimented her, turning her into the villainous Spider-Woman. Her powers are still not made entirely clear, aside from an ability to 'mesmerise' males, that as far as my memory goes hasn't been glimpsed yet.

Spider-Man breaks free of the webs, and after fighting off Doc Ock and Spider-Woman smashes a window, flooding the presumably underwater hideout. Ock grabs Spider-Woman and leaves, while Spidey swims to surface, remarking that he has a feeling that he hasn't seen the last of Spider-Woman. The final scene sees him racing across town to meet Aunt May, who has just undergone a dramatic new look (that seems to have shaved about 30 years off her life). I was never a fan of the skeletal look for Aunt May, so I quite like her more youthful appearance, even if it doesn't make much sense and came completely out of nowhere. The cliffhanger sees a brooding Flash Thompson surprised at his home by an unexpected (and unseen - to us) visitor...

After a solid first part I had high hopes for this arc. The new Spider-Woman has a decent design, and as mentioned earlier, new female villains for Spider-Man are always a welcome thing. I thought Spider-Man's characterisation was excellent too. The latter two parts however saw a massive drop off in quality. Mackie's pacing was very off throughout - Black Cat's appearance was ultimately pointless, yet Doc Ock barely appeared in the story, the conclusion is horribly rushed and Spider-Woman ends up defeating Spider-Man off panel, which was a little disappointing. Her origin is pretty lacklustre and poorly explained, although the idea of Doc Ock controlling a villainous Spider-Woman is quite an inspired one in my opinion. Worse still is the portrayal of Peter and MJ's relationship, with both lying to each other. MJ's refusal to tell Peter about her strange phone calls is particular jarring given that they were forced to deal with Jonathon Caesar stalking her when they were newlyweds. As a couple they have gone through too much to constantly deceive each other in this way, and it comes across as very forced. The Tricorp situation has reached ridiculous levels too - with the Daily Bugle playing a part in every story it begs the question of why Mackie bothered introducing Peter's job without a clear idea of where he was going to go with it. The first part saves this story somewhat, but this is still yet more below par work.

D

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail? Part Seven: Guest Stars Galore!

2012-01-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Spider-Man #4 By Mackie / Byrne / Hanna
Peter Parker: Spider-Man #4 By Mackie / Sears / Hanna

After a couple of multi-part stories it's back to single parters for the Spider-Man reboot. Single part stories tend to work well for the character, and it's a particularly welcome move after seeing most of the reboots subplots ground to a halt in recent issues.

Amazing Spider-Man #4 throws us straight into the action, right in the middle of a brawl between Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, The Sandman and The Trapster. The double page spread on page three does a lot to intrigue the reader about the upcoming story - Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four's team ups are about as iconic as they come, and both the Trapster and particularly the Sandman have been well developed in recent years. Mackie then rewinds, as Spider-Man visits the Fantastic Four so that they can confirm that he is the real deal, following his brief retirement. Mackie's dialogue is slightly vacuous and stilted, but its still good to see them interacting. The scene is brief but is good fun, and Peter and Johnny's conversation (pictured above) is amusing enough. The merriment is interrupted by a blackout that Reed decides is linked to an anomalous magnetic pulse that occurred just moments before. In the meantime Peter notices that the Thing has been monitoring the Sandman, his reasoning being that he never fully believed the ex-villain's conversion to the right side of the law. This troubled me somewhat - although I haven't read it, Sandman and the Thing actually went out drinking in an acclaimed issue of Marvel Team Up years before, and it seems slightly creepy that the Thing has been monitoring him for all the time.

The scene then neatly switches to Sandman, who is working as a bodyguard for Senator Ward, a solid way of involving him in the story - or so we think. The brief scene is mainly exposition and nothing much happens before we move to Spider-Man, on the phone to Mary-Jane. MJ assures him that she is fine, but asks him to go across town and look after Jilly Stacy, who is 'freaked out' because of a childhood incident involving the dark. Why Mary-Jane doesn't just go herself... I don't know. Peter goes to meet Jill who greets him with uncomfortable warmth. They make small talk, and the conversation is jarringly shifted onto Peter's relationship with Mary-Jane, as he confides in Jill the difficulties of being married to a supermodel. It's fairly believable, but seems crowbarred into the story. Peter eventually spots the Trapster, and ditches Jill to follow him.

The Trapster attacks Sandman and Senator Ward, with Spidey following closely on his heels. Spider-Man and the Sandman seem to have Trapster on the ropes, before the supposedly reformed Sandman wallops Spidey right off the roof. Luckily the FF are on hand to catch him in their Fantasti-Car. Meanwhile Sandman and Trapster continue to tussle on the troof. It emerges that they were working in cahoots but Trapster somehow ruined their plan. Sandman seems enraged that his career as a do-gooder is in tatters, even though he hardly seemed to be working hard to preserve it. Ward tries to escape but Sandman stops him, before Spider-Man and the FF turn up and make light work of the two villains. The Thing uses the Trapster's adhesive to stick the pair together but they quickly jump off a building and... dissapear. Hmm.. After a bit of head-scratching our heroes split up, and Peter escorts Jill back to his apartment where it dawns on him that he has completely forgotten that its valentines day (MJ is asleep with Aunt May on the sofa, cradling their gift to him). Jill reveals that its been the 'best she's EVER had', and plants a kiss on Peter's cheek. The romantic tension between Jill and Peter would be a lot more believable if she wasn't best friends with MJ. As it is, it makes her seem like a creep.

Mackie cuts to one of Senator Ward's press conferences, where after leaving he phones up... The Wizard! It emerges that Ward hired the Wizard to loose the Sandman and the Trapster on him as a fake assassination attempt, therefore making him more of a hero to the public. A fairly interesting twist, although it seems slightly odd that Ward would go to a known supervillain for something like that. It makes some comic book sense though. The mystery around Ward is getting deeper and deeper, without any questions being answered, or even clues being given. This is fine though, for now at least.

Although it falls apart under close scrutiny, Mackie writes a fairly enjoyable action packed romp of an issue. The camaraderie between Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four is fun to see, and Byrne's art is terrific throughout. The use of the Sandman however, is terrible. His development as a hero was great to watch over the years, and for Mackie to undo it in one issue is very poor form. It also seems that he was pretending to be reformed the whole time, which undermines several years of good storytelling. Jill's characterisation is also pretty troubling too and I don't like where that particular subplot is going at all.

If you ignore these flaws however, its a decent, well drawn issue, with a good balance of action and subplots - even if the subplots themselves are not entirely to my liking.

C

The first thing I noticed about Peter Parker: Spider-Man #4 was the change in artist - after a solid mix of John Byrne and John Romita Jr for the reboots opening issues, Romita Jr appears to have taken a month off, and has been replaced by Bart Sears with Scott Hanna on inks. Sear's artwork is very cartoony, but with a more angular quality than many of his contemporaries. He draws a great, almost McFarlanesque Spider-Man, but his civillian characters are not to my liking at all. Another minor point - The issues cover advertises its guest star Marrow as 'The Hottest New X-Man', which doesn't seem true at all whichever way you look at it.

Anyway, the issue begins in typical horror movie fashion, with a young couple out alone at night. The man (Jeff) gets abruply dragged down an open manhole by an unseen assailant, much to his companions horror and she collapses to the ground screaming in apparent terror. The scene is pretty poorly rendered by Sears, and seems fairly rushed. It serves a purpose though, and we quickly move on to the Daily Bugle, where Jonah is instructing his staff to somehow implicate Spider-Man in what is apparently a recent spate of kidnappings. Jonah's characterisation seems to have been reset to the silver age - although his hatred of Spider-Man has always been a major aspect of the character, I prefer it when he is a more nuanced character, something that is definitely not the case here. Jonah leaves, and enters a limousine to meet...yeah you guessed it, Senator Ward. Ward wants to talk to him about the sewer kidnapping story, but it isn't revealed why before the scene is cut short.

Peter and MJ are out on the streets investigating the story, before Peter gets a whack on the head and Betty is dragged down a manhole by our mysterious kidnapper. As I keep saying, it's great seeing Peter interacting with Betty, but the constant focus on the Daily Bugle seems unnecessary when he has a new job at Tricorp. It seems confusing that the focus is on his old job, when you consider the fanfare that accompanied Tricorp's introduction just a few issues ago.

We get a look in at the X-Men, which seems realistic enough given that mutants have been implicated in the disappearances. Most of them seem content enough to sit back, but Marrow is a lot angrier. Her reaction is understandable given that she is a former member of the Morlocks - a sewer dwelling tribe of somewhat unattractive mutants. Marrow's concern for her former comrades is realistic, and actually fairly touching.

Peter wakes up in hospital, with Mary-Jane, Aunt May and Jill Stacy (?) at his bedside. His immediate concern is for Betty, but the girls tell him that there is nothing that he can do to help. MJ reminds him that he isn't Spider-Man anymore (remember - she still thinks that it's the new Spider-Man out on duty). Flash enters and seems enraged at Peter for not doing more to protect his ex-girlfriend. He resolves to rescue her himself and exits. His reversion to silver age meathead is pretty abrupt, and his friendship with Peter seems to have been completely forgotten about, although I suppose it could just be that he cares more about Betty than most people would suspect. Jonah shows up and tells Peter to kill the story, the implication being that he was ordered to by Senator Ward during their encounter in the limousine.

Peter, of course ignores everyone's advice, changes into his costume and actually sneaks past his wife to get out of the house. His constant deception seems ridiculous, and undermines what had been a very strong relationship before the reboot. A full scale riot has now developed on the streets, with Flash at the forefront, enraged at not being allowed into the sewers to look for Betty. Marrow appears, and chaos ensues (remember that mutants have been largely blamed for the attacks) Spider-Man manages to calm things down a little, and he and Marrow are allowed down to try to get to the bottom of the attacks. Flash manages to break free of the crowd, and follows a constantly bickering Spidey and Marrow down to the sewers.

Marrow's characterisation is a little one note - what was initially endearing has become wearing, as she seems to take offence to everything. They eventually arrive at a large cavern, where the kidnapped humans are... just lying around. Weird. One of them is Marrow's old mentor from the Morlocks, who reveals that several more of her people are among the kidnapped. Spider-Man finds Betty and sets her free, before their mysterious captor arrives, heralded by a ridiculously cliche stream of bats. He is a pretty stereotypical looking vampire.. thing, calling himself 'Hunger'. His design is actually fairly good, if a little unimaginative, although his dialogue is very hammy. During the ensuing battle, Hunger claims not to be a vampire and seems generally confused as to his origins. The fight goes on for a few pages - during which Flash tries to help out before being swatted aside -before Spider-Man defeats him, although he refuses to stake him using one of Marrow's bone daggers. Hunger vanishes, and Peter, Flash and Betty depart the scene, leaving Marrow to ponder on why Flash would risk his life. The issue isn't complete without what is now becoming an obligatory Senator Ward epilogue, as the mysterious character reveals to an unseen ally that he was responsible for Hunger's appearance. Once again.. Hmmm.

In general this was a pretty poor quality issue. Bart Sears' art was a step down from Romita and Byrne - his Spider-Man is good but most of his work seemed rushed, with some suspect storytelling. I don't think that he did a particularly good job on the issues climatic fight scene either, with much of the action seeming overly static. Mackie's plot is serviceable, but some of the finer nuances are frustrating. The Daily Bugle's continued prominence is strange and Peter and MJ's relationship is being portrayed as far less intimate than it should be. Mackie seems to be ignoring several years worth of character development, particularly with the likes of Flash Thompson and Jonah Jameson. Flash's heroic turn at the end of the issue seemed thrown in for the sake of it, and didn't really have the desired impact. Marrow's appearance as a guest star was ultimately a little pointless - the mutant element of the story was logical but added little and without its presence Flash may have been able to have more of an impact on the story. As it is, his inclusion seems like one element too many. Senator Ward's involvement in every storyline is getting tiresome, and frankly seems a little lazy. His character is still poorly defined beyond his status as a mystery man. The mystery is still engaging enough, but is beginning to get wearing. Some answers, however small are needed in the near future. Overall, a below par effort from all concerned.

D

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail: Part Six - Plaything Of The Gods

2012-01-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

Thor (Volume 2) #8 by Jurgens / Romita Jr. / Janson
Peter Parker: Spider-Man #2 by Mackie / Romita / Hanna

While Peter Parker: Spider-Man #2 was obviously released before #3, I'm dealing with it afterwards for simplicity's sake as #3 followed on from Amazing Spider-Man #2-3.

Just two issues in and the Spider-Man reboot is already the subject of a crossover - with no less than Marvel's God of Thunder, the Mighty Thor! Crossovers are traditionally maligned devices, often quite transparent in their desire to attract more readers to the titles in question. This one seems particularly unnecessary, as all of the plot threads introduced in the reboots opening issues are ignored.

Part one, from Thor #8 is the first issue that I have dealt with that hasn't been written by Howard Mackie. Oddly enough it's written by Dan Jurgens, who briefly wrote Sensational Spider-Man for seven issues, following the title's launch in 1997. Jurgens attributed his early departure to his unwillingness to write Ben Reilly as Spider-Man, despite his run being generally well received.

Much of the Part One's first half deals with what seems to have been a plot running through Thor's series. I (perhaps understandably) struggled to follow it, but it seems that Odin and Balder have been taken prisoner by an unpleasant looking cabal of villains. The baddies dispatch one of their funny looking lackeys named Tokkots to cause havoc in the mortal world. Many of the plot's finer nuances passed me by, but this isn't down to poor writing at all - although there was little to draw me in, and I felt that Jurgens could have done a better job at getting non-Thor readers up to speed.

The scene shifts to Memorial hospital, where Peter and Aunt May are picking up a prescription. Aunt May's characterisation is as horrible as it has been since the reboot began, an irritating aspect that is showing no sign of going away. It is understandable that writers would be keen to make use of her so soon after being brought back, but there are several more interesting supporting characters that I would prefer to see in her place. Coincidentally, Peter and May are at the same hospital as Thor's civillian alter ego, Jake Olsen. Both characters hear of a commotion over in Midtown, and head to the scene, Peter leaving Aunt May behind while unknowingly keeping hold of her prescription. Oy.. Olsen's career as a paramedic gives him a convenient excuse to join the festivities. Tokkots is trashing the city, while talking exclusively in verse. His dialogue is intensely annoying, and pretty much ruins him as a villain. He has a dodgy design and poorly defined powers, so for me is a complete failure of a character.After a brief melee between the three characters, Tokkots splits into two (?) and the issue closes with Aunt May fearing for Peter's safety. It's all inoffensive enough, but not a particularly exciting read. The main plot of the Thor book isn't explained terribly well so as a Spider-Man reader there is little to care about. Romita Jr's art is decent, and provides nice continuity between the two books, despite looking a little rushed in some places. I prefer his work when inked by Scott Hanna, but that is just a matter of personal preference.

Part two is a fairly standard slugfest between the Tokkots', Thor and Spider-Man, intercut with a few pages of Aunt May fretting about her nephew, before somewhat predictably collapsing from the strain of it all. Once again, very annoying, not to mention dull, and adds little to the issue. Thankfully the Thor details are kept to a minimum, although this means that the story has little weight beyond its status as a generic superhero battle. Romita Jr. does a capable enough job again, without ever really excelling - there were a number of very bland backgrounds that made the issue a bit of a bland read. With a few pages remaining Peter's beeper goes off, which somehow puts Tokkots out of action. It isn't entirely clear why, but I found it a fun and fairly unexpected way to close the battle, even if it did reek of deus ex-machina. The scene featuring the Bugle staff waiting for Peter to answer was amusingly rendered, and made for a pleasing interlude. Jonah, when written correctly is arguably the strongest member of Spider-Man's supporting cast and his brief cameo utilises him well. The issue closes with Peter reunited with his well again aunt, before shaking hands with Jake Olsen, the irony being that the two are unaware of their superhero alter egos. It's a nice way of rounding off the story, if a little heavy handed.

Overall the two parter was below par, but not a disaster. Most of Spider-Man's subplots are firmly on the back burner and there is barely a mention of his return to the webs - a frustrating detail given how much emphasis was placed on his giving up being Spider-Man. The dichotomy between Thor and Spider-Man can be interesting, not to mention amusing, if written well but that is not the case here, and neither Mackie nor Jurgens do a more than average job of pairing the characters with each other. Tokkots is a bland villain, with any attempts to make him interesting or unique largely falling flat. He may be more engaging for those familiar with Thor's world at the time, but that is little consolation to me. Perhaps this story would have been a solid interlude if positioned a little later along the line, but so early in the reboot it feels like an irritating distraction.

C-

Review of 2011

2011-12-31T03:57:00.000-08:00

As with every year, it feels like it has come around twice as quickly as before, but nonetheless, we are on the cusp of 2012, and hence a whole new year in the world of comic books. 2011 was an up and down year for comics, but will personally always be a year that I remember as the one that I started to regularly buy D.C comic books. I had often previously picked up titles as collected editions, but had always stuck to Marvel for single issues, a peculiar quirk of them being the company that got me into comic books. D.C's 'New 52' initiative seemed a great place to jump on, and I have not been disappointed in the five titles that I am picking up. For the first time ever D.C are challenging Marvel on my pull list and it actually feels great, despite some misplaced brand loyalty initially making me uneasy about it.

Either way, despite more mixed fortunes than their rivals there has been much to cheer for Marvel too. Fear Itself flopped but Daredevil's relaunch under Mark Waid has earned widespread critical acclaim and was recently voted CBR's best ongoing of 2011. Ultimate Spider-Man has shot back to the top of many people's reading lists through the unexpected death of Peter Parker, and introduction of Miles Morales as his replacement. And of course lets not forget the Avengers titles, which after an underwhelming 18 months have rapidly improved in the second half of 2011. With D.C's relaunch still firing on all cylinders and Marvel's Avengers vs X-Men event Amazing Spider-Man's 'Ends of the Earth' storyline on the horizon too, there is much to expect from both companies in 2012. But who was I most impressed with in 2011? Read on to find out...

Best Single Issue: I, Vampire #1 by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino
I picked up the first issue of I, Vampire completely on a whim, amid the hype and bluster created by the D.C relaunch. In truth it is not the sort of series that I usually go for - I was burned out on vampires before Twilight, and horror has never really been my thing. In the space of a single issue however, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino hooked me on Andrew and Mary Bennet's story. Because that's what the series is - the story of two starcrossed lovers who just happen to be vampires. One of them relentlessly bloodthirsty. Sorrentino's beautiful art completed what for me, was the best single issue of 2011.

Best Character: Miles Morales
Given the monumental pressure on his shoulders, it is a huge surprise that Miles Morales has even begun to live up to it. Peter Parker's replacement as Ultimate Spider-Man, his story has barely begun to get going yet, but Bendis has already managed to invest me in his character. Somewhat more unassuming than the bespectacled Peter Parker, Morales is shy, humble, but above all possesses obvious heroic quality. The decision to make him a thirteen year old boy was a brave move but has so far paid off, giving his character a unique slant. Miles Morales could yet be the biggest hit in what has been a career full of them for Brian Michael Bendis.

Best Villain: Norman Osborn
There are many who disagree with Norman Osborn's ascent into being an adversary shared by the whole Marvel Universe, as opposed to just Spider-Man. Formerly the alias of the Green Goblin, Osborn has been Spider-Man's greatest foe for decades, and I would agree that it is a shame that he rarely appears within the pages of Amazing Spider-Man anymore. Those feelings, however, are tempered by the fact that he appears such a natural fit to be a universe wide threat. Osborn is ruthless, cunning, and clinically insane, and his appearances in both Avengers and New Avengers towards the end of the year have turned both into must-read titles.

Best Story-Arc: Who is Jake Ellis? (#1-5) by Nathan Edmonson and Zoran Taljic
I have no doubt that quite a few people will not have heard of Nathan Edmonson's breakout success, and in fact the series was brought to my attention almost by accident. This does not change the fact that Edmonson, along with artist Tonci Zonjic are responsible for what has been the most gripping, exciting and most importantly original arc of 2011. Edmonson's plot oozes cinematic quality, helped ably by Taljic's moody yet cartoony artwork. I have no doubt that both will be names to watch in 2012.

Best Comic Book Series: Animal Man
One of the most pleasing things about the D.C reboot so far has been its capacity for getting me involved in series' and characters that I previously had only the most cursory of knowledge. Animal Man is one such title, initially made popular by Grant Morrison in the late 1980's and experiencing something of a resurgance of late. Despite my ignorance I heard good things about Jeff Lemire's reboot, and was far from disappointed. Lemire's take on the character is creepy ahead of all else, a style matched by Trevor Foreman's sketchy, macabre style of artwork. Foreman is something of an acquired taste, but his pencils give the plot an edge that they may not be there under a more conventional artist. Lemire is sowing the seeds for an epic story but the core plot is still moving along nicely and the series manages to be a well rounded read each and every month.

Best Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis is a writer who, perhaps more than most, has to contend with a number of detractors. It's true that since being elevated to the upper echelons of comic book writers, his work has not always been as good as it could have been. His event books have often flattered to deceive, and despite several high points his run on Avengers has been uneven. Despite this, 2011 will have been a year to remember for Bendis. His relaunch of Ultimate Spider-Man has been outstanding so far, and the Avengers titles have been firing on all cylinders since their disappointing Fear Itself tie ins earlier in the year. Bendis plans to leave the franchise late next year, and all signs point to the superstar writer going out with a bang.

Best Artist: Daniel Acuna
Despite loving his style, Daniel Acuna's work has often flown under my radar. With his Avengers issues however, I have finally got a chance to sample the Spanish artist's work, and what a treat it has been! Acuna's style is distinctive, and though I would not instantly put it down as a suitable one for a conventional superhero book, he copes admirably well with action sequences despite his dreamlike style often coming across as more static than particularly dynamic. While Bendis' scripts on Avengers have been suitable solid, Acuna's artwork has made the book in recent issues. I hope to see more of him in 2012.

That's all for now from me, thanks a lot to everyone for reading! Be here in 2012 for more on my series on 'Why The Spider-Man Reboot Failed'. Most importantly perhaps, I hope each and every one of you have a happy and fulfilling new year. Live long and prosper.

I, Vampire #4

2011-12-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

I, Vampire #4 by Fialkov / Sorrentino

The irony of the D.C reboot is mainly found in the fact that its most successful titles aren't as well represented by sales as they could be. I, Vampire sums up the problem - Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino are crafting an epic, slow burning story, the tragedy being that not enough people are reading it. One of the most pleasing facets of the story has been Fialkov's willingness to use established D.C characters, with a scattering of references to Batman in previous issues and John Constantine's star billing in this weeks #4.

Although some of the wider plot threads continue to drift along, for the most part this is a done in one story about a 'vampire' and his struggle to control his ability. Constantine's appearance was a somewhat obvious move for the title, but he is more than welcome and Fialkov writes him with unexpected verve and confidence. For those unfamiliar with the character he is well introduced, without any intimidating info-dumps and plays a refreshingly pivotal role in the story. The plot, while being simple is rendered well, and its central figure is once again introduced effectively in a limited timespan, Fialkov forging the sort of emotional connection with the reader that often takes several issues of development. One gripe would be the lack of last issues newly introduced supporting cast - I thoroughly enjoyed them and was hoping for more this issue. I also expected the story to have developed a little further at this point, although Fialkov's measured style is one of the stronger aspects of his work. Andrea Sorrentino's work is once again, simply beautiful, atmospheric and haunting. The book looks superb and has a style to it that many top tier titles would do well to learn from.

I, Vampire still isn't flashy, colourful, or particularly gimmicky, but it certainly fits into a niche not otherwise occupied in the world of comic books - despite its somewhat done to death subject matter. It won't be for everyone, but Fialkov and Sorrentino look to be crafting the sort of storyline that deserves a lengthy run to match its obvious scope.

A

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail: Part Five - And Here, My Troubles Begin...

2011-12-22T03:09:00.000-08:00

Amazing Spider-Man #3 by Mackie / Byrne / Hanna

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #3 by Mackie / Romita Jr. / Hanna

Surprisingly enough, Amazing Spider-Man's second issue was a decent enough story in its own right. Sure, it had the same faults that have plagued the rest of the reboot, but at its core it was a solid slice of superhero action, with a cool villain. A good conclusion to the story may have kickstarted what was already a somewhat disappointing start for the rebooted Spider-Man titles. Unfortunately what we were ultimately given fell a little short of the mark...

Amazing Spider-Man #3 follows on from the end of #2, with Peter Parker (now as Spider-Man) exiting the scene while handily recapping the events of the previous issue. He also forgets that the Spider-Man costume that he is wearing doesn't have webshooters and falls to earth in embarassing fashion. Oops.

We then get an origin for our intriguing new villain, Shadrac, as his shadowy master reveals that he is Override, a pre-reboot villain who took part in the Gathering of Five ceremony in an attempt to save his dying wife. The ceremony held five possible outcomes - one being power, but Override ultimately received death, a 'reward' that appears to have transformed him into Shadrac, a ghoul like character. The shadowy figure reveals himself to be Dolman, the previous owner of one of the five shards required to perform the ceremony, who is now on a quest to recapture the shard. Or something. If it sounds boring and convoluted, it's because it is. I could feel my brain turning to mush just typing it out. Override was actually a very interesting character before the reboot, but loses a lot of his depth as Shadrac. His dying wife seems abruptly forgotten about, and he simply becomes an anguished pawn of Dolman's and an essentially useless character, cool design or not. This is the point where the arc begins to go off the rails.

Mackie switches the scene to Peter Parker, who has stopped off at Tricorp to pick up some webshooters, that he has inexplicably stashed at his place of work. It seems like an awkward way of squeezing Tricorp into the story, which isn't actually a particularly bad thing given how irregularly Peter's new job was mentioned later on. Peter runs into resident A-hole Javier who tries to rope him into viewing an 'exciting' new project. Unfortunately Peter is forced to leave to track Shadrac, much to the disappointment of his new boss. While Mackie obviously has the best of intentions with the scene, it reads very irritatingly. The balance between being Spider-Man and having a real life has always been a fundemantal aspect of the character, but it comes across as forced here, and far too early to show Peter letting down his new employers. He comes across as a bit of a jerk, even if he does have the best of intentions in mind.

Shadrac and Dolman continue to look for the shard, but are interrupted by Spider-Man and Iceman (?). Dolman is revealed to be in complete control of poor Shadrac, but is nowhere to be found as Spider-Man and Iceman take on the beleaguered villain. Iceman's appearance is completely inexplicable, he seems to have been placed in the story purely for the visual of his ice against Shadrac's fire. It makes some wonky sense, but isn't explained very well and after a few pages of enjoyable enough tussling, Iceman literally freezes Shadrac in a block of ice.

The story continues in #3 of Peter Parker: Spider-Man (not #2, confusingly enough. We'll get to that next time). Here, Mackie takes the interesting step of recounting the plot through the eyes of a handful of innocent bystanders, the idea being that Betty Brant and Jonah Jameson are trying to piece together the events so as to include them in a story. The idea is neat but doesn't really work, it ends up being fairly annoying having to see the events of the conclusion second hand, it doesn't help that Mackie's dialogue is sort of clunky too. I think that the idea would have worked more effectively in the middle part of the storyline. MJ being interviewed about Spider-Man was a nice idea though, and she is written very convincingly. It's always nice to see her showing up at this stage, even if it is a cameo.

Anyway, various bystanders guide us through what is a very formulaic story, as Shadrac breaks free and runs off the pawn shop owned by yet another person to take part in the Gathering of Five ceremony. Spidey and Iceman follow, but somehow allow him to build up a significant lead over them, despite the fact that they should both probably be quicker than him. Never mind. They eventually track Shadrac through a sewer, bringing them to an underground cavern, where he is revealed to have kidnapped the pawnbroker, with Dolman joining the two of them in some sort of bizarre ritual. The characters keep talking about preventing Dolman making contact with 'the spindle' but it's unclear what it is. It's also unclear why the pawnbroker needs to be there, Dolman refers to him having the spindle, and having hidden it somewhere in the crevice but it's all very sloppily explained. I'm not sure why Dolman couldn't have just gone to the pawnbroker himself without involving Shadrac, particularly as it's already been established that he can control the holders of of the other shards. At several points reading this story it feels like I've missed a few pages somewhere along the line.

Anyway, Dolman starts suddenly getting really powerful - again its unclear why - giving off lots of yellow crackly energy and levitating a couple of feet off the ground. Who knows what he actually plans to do with this power, he is a really poorly defined character. The next few pages are a total mess, as Dolman seems to cause the cavern to collapse around them and the other characters sort of...flail around a bit. Eventually Shadrac leaps at Dolman and thrusts his arms into his chest, revealing that if he can't stop him as Shadrac, maybe he can as Override. No, I don't know what he means either. There is a big explosion and Spider-Man and Iceman run away, pawnbroker in tow.

The final civilian - a hobo - finishes telling the story to Jameson and sneaks off when Spidey and Iceman show up, neither of whom can remember seeing a hobo on the scene. When he is alone, he removes his hood and reveals himself to be.. Dolman! And Shadrac, the two of them having somehow merged. He slinks off into an alley, and is never seen again.

This was a really poor end to what had started off as a promising story. The involvement of the Gathering of Five was completely unnecessary - apart from revealing what happened to a couple of characters - and feels tacked on. Mattie Franklin is completely forgotten about, after the first couple of pages of Amazing #3. I have no doubt that she will appear again, but it feels pretty jarring. Peter being back as Spider-Man doesn't really have the impact that I thought it would either.

Shadrac was a decent enough villain who became completely pointless by the stories end. As I said earlier, Override was a good character and seems to have been totally ruined. As I keep pointing out, he does have a cool design but that doesn't make up for his failings in every other respect. Dolman is an atrocious villain with no motivations or personality to speak of. Mackie does make a half hearted attempt to give him a British accent, but it adds nothing to the character and he is very very weak throughout. Iceman's presence was pointless, and he really added nothing to the story apart from being able to cover Shadrac in ice - which ultimately never achieved anything. The pawnbroker's also seems pretty superfluous, and does very little. He only actually appears in a handful of panels - again, what was the point?

It pains me to say it, but this was a total failure of a storyline. Mackie seemed to have good intentions, dealing with the ramifications from the Gathering of Five, but nothing is properly explained or resolved. Dolman/Shadrac never appeared again, and it is easy to see why. The story is a convoluted mess. Byrne's art on part 2 is excellent, and makes the story somewhat readable, but Romita Jr.'s work on the conclusion is less successful, often coming across as slightly muddled and sketchy. The artwork was enough to rescue the first two issues of the reboot, it unfortunately can't do the same here.

D-

Review: Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #5

2011-12-21T08:36:00.000-08:00

Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #5 by Bendis / Pichelli

As is inevitable, the latest Ultimate Spider-Man relaunch was not short of naysayers. Poor old Miles Morales - the now deceased Peter Parker's replacement as Ultimate Spider-Man - was up against it from the start. Everything, from his age, to his race were placed under the closest of scrutiny, yet all the doubts seem to have been forgotten since the series itself actually started. Bendis has shattered all expectations with an opening that - whisper it - may have reached the quality of his initial run on Ultimate Spider-Man. The series has been a slow burner thusfar, but with Miles finally in costume, the action amps up a notch with its fifth issue.

After meeting a none too pleased Spider-Woman at the close of #4, Miles is quickly brought into custody at the Triskellion, home to a justifiably suspicious Ultimates team. Miles is introduced to Nick Fury, and after its revealed that Fury is aware of Miles' uncle Aaron, their conversation is interrupted by Electro breaking himself out of custody. A brief fight scene ensues, as Electro takes down Iron Man, Hawkeye and Spider-Woman but Miles (aided by no small amount of luck) manages to subdue him and he is shot by Nick Fury. Miles appears to have proved himself, and at the issues close is finally awarded the nifty black costume that he has been sporting on the series' covers.

The series has been accused of severe decompression so far but although it's hardly silver age style storytelling, this issue does manage to fit in a pleasing amount of plot. Miles is introduced to the Ultimates, defeats a villain and is given his costume - and Bendis even manages to fit in a page or two dealing with his admittedly limited supporting cast. As ever, Miles is a likeable, if somewhat blank character and his reaction to meeting a group of world famous superheroes is suitably realistic. By the same token, it's fun seeing the Ultimates, although they were taken down a little too easily by Electro, a villain hardly among the big hitters of the Ultimate Universe. This brings me neatly onto my main complaint with the issue - despite it being fairly lucky, it seemed a little unbelievable, not to mention slightly predictable, that Miles would be able to defeat Electro where three of the world's premier superheroes failed. I had enjoyed seeing him built up as very much a rookie superhero, and he seems a little too competent in his fight scene with Electro.

That said, this is still a very enjoyable comic book. The subplot concerning Miles' uncle Aaron continues to be interesting and promises to be brought to the fore next issue. Sara Pichelli's art is as excellent as ever, although her handle on the Ultimates is not quite as strong as her version of Miles Morales has proved to be. The action seems a little static, but she does capture Electro's powers very well. This may not be the strongest issue of the titles relaunch, but it is still a good read, and carries on the momentum of what has, so far been a solid debut storyline.

B+

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail: Part Four - Because Nobody Demanded It

2011-12-20T15:17:00.000-08:00

Amazing Spider-Man (Vol.2) #2- by Mackie / Byrne / Hanna

If you've read my previous two entries, you may be surprised to hear that the debut issues of Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man's second volumes weren't too bad. They were fairly dull, and had their flaws of course, but they were not complete failures. With the reboot's first multi-part story, writer Howard Mackie had the chance to tell a gripping, elaborate tale, and hook readers onto what had so far proved to be an underwhelming new direction for the two titles.

Mackie actually makes a solid enough start, and the first issue of this three parter is a decent enough story, perhaps the most enjoyable of the reboot so far. I complained in the previous part that the new Spider-Man lacked characterisation, and lo and behold! The first four pages of Amazing Spider-Man's second issue are given over to fleshing out 'his' character, as he stops a mugger. The scene is nothing special really, but it is interesting to get a glimpse into the character's head. The idea of a fan of Spider-Man replacing him is fairly obvious, but is played out well, and a character who I had complained of being unlikeable is made far more engaging in the space of a few pages. Very nice.

What follows, however is less pleasing, as Mackie gives us the latest in a series of 'stock scenes' that have plagued the reboot. The two scenes in question remind us of how young and in love Peter and Mary-Jane are , as well as looking in on Aunt May who is in typically irritating form. The scenes add literally nothing that we do not already know, save for a worrying early sign that Jill Stacy may 'like' Peter. The first step on the road to what eventually made a welcome supporting character into a loathsome presence in the titles. More on that soon, I'm sure.

The villain of the piece is then introduced, Shadrac - a shabby looking bandaged man in a long overcoat. His appearance is actually more interesting than the previous two villains to appear in the reboot, and although his personality is barely glimpsed, we are given a look at a 'mysterious figure in the background' who appears to be controlling him as he breaks into Osborn Industries (not Oscorp) demanding to see new CEO 'John Stone'.

The rest of the issue passes by more quickly. Peter is actually shown at his new place of work (take a picture), clearly the darling of his new colleagues. One of his co-workers, Javier, appears to be Tricorp's resident douche, and acts very off towards Peter for no apparent reason - although he does correctly guess that Peter has made a mistake in one of his calculations. The resulting explosion is quickly forgotten about as the team are relayed footage of Spider-Man and Shadrac dueling outside Osborn Industries. Presumably his meeting with John Stone didn't go so well. Conveniently enough Peter is required to head into the field to procure a DNA sample, and he promptly heads over there.

We are given another glimpse into the new Spider-Man's head as 'he' battles Shadrac, who after a few pages trading punches has his bandages torn off, revealing him to be a glowing skeleton-thing. It looks cooler than it sounds, honest. His design is probably the best thing about the character, particularly as he still doesn't have much of a personality to speak of. Shadrac beats up Spider-Man, before Peter Parker breaks his no-powers rule to carry him to safety. He unmasks him, and shock horror - he, is a her, a teenage girl to be precise. The new Spider-Man is revealed to be Mattie Franklin, a minor character from the much maligned Gathering of Five storyline, where she took part in the ceremony in question, in place of her father and received vaguely defined superpowers. She will not shut up either, and grates a lot in this scene. After glancing guiltily at a billboard of his wife, Peter changes into Mattie's conveniently stretchy costume, and swings off into action. That lasted long.

Despite how predictable it was, it is good to see Peter Parker back in costume, although the excitement quickly wears off. Much is done in the issue's early stages to endear the new Spider-Man to the reader, so in that respect it is a massive disappointment that she is written in such an irritating way after being unmasked. Ultimately there weren't any real clues as to the new Spider-Man's identity, and it is resolved too quickly to be a truly satisfying arc. On paper Mattie makes sense, but in practice she turned out to be a massive disappointment.

The bulk of this issue is fine though. Shadrac is a much more interesting adversary than the Ranger and the Scorpion, and although he isn't given much in the way of personality his design is very cool and makes for a fun fight scene. Byrne's artwork is once again excellent, and Mackie's pacing is very good. None of the scenes are particularly interesting in their own right, but the action zips along very nicely and this issue is certainly more exciting than the previous two. The links introduced in this story to the Gathering of Five storyline are somewhat less welcome. It was a dreadful, universally reviled story that did not even need to be told. Its presence here also makes the reboot's intentions seem very confused. Was it intended to be a clean break from the previous titles? If so then why reference them in just the third comic book to be released since the reboot. In any case, if they had to carry on pre-reboot storylines then there were far more interesting ones than the Gathering of Five. While this issue doesn't bode well for the future, it is actually an entertaining story in its own right. Nothing special of course, and still nothing to justify a character-wide reboot, but a fun enough start to what eventually turned out to be an abysmal story-arc.

B-

Why Did The Spider-Man Reboot Fail: Part Three - The New Beginning, Again

2011-12-20T01:58:00.000-08:00

Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol.2) #1 by Mackie / Romita Jr. / Hanna

So far, so mediocre. Howard Mackie's first issue of post-reboot Amazing Spider-Man was hardly a disaster, but failed to entirely capture the imagination. On his first issue of sister title Peter Parker: Spider-Man, Mackie teams up with John Romita Jr, the pair having recently joined forces on the titles successful first volume.

The first page sees Peter Parker standing, somewhat nervously over the body of a policeman, camera in the hand. Not an entirely thrilling way to start the issue, particularly given the promise of an interesting new career in the first issue of Amazing Spider-Man. It turns out that Peter is taking pictures of the new Spider-Man, who is clashing with a group of armored heavies calling themselves 'The Agents of Anarchy'. The group manage to break out a colleague of theirs known as 'The Ranger' from a nearby police van, and he promptly exits, with the new Spider-Man doing the same, albeit somewhat less gracefully. The scene is very brief, but it is mildly interesting to see Peter Parker taking pictures of someone else as Spider-Man. Mackie seems to be setting Spider-Man up as a bit of a klutz, and once again 'he' isn't shown to be much use at all. Mackie's dialogue is decent, apart from the few lines that the Ranger gets - they are all horribly hackneyed. Towards the end of the scene a Police Officer describes Peter as a 'kid' the second reference in two issues to his youth. It comes across as very forced and unnecessary, but isn't a major issue yet.

The scene shifts to the Daily Bugle, in a scene presumably intended to remind readers that everything is as it used to be. Jonah Jameson is on top form, actually rewriting Betty Brant's story to show the new webslinger in a bad light. Jameson's portrayal doesn't bother me as much as Aunt May's reversion to type in Amazing Spider-Man #1 - he does after all tend to be defined by his hatred for Spider-Man - but in context this seems to represent something of a worrying trend towards ignoring character development. The scene doesn't really accomplish anything apart from introducing Senator Stewart Ward, but it is good to see the Daily Bugle cast showing up. Peter and Betty also appear to be on good terms, a development that I have always liked.

The next scene is a brief interlude, as Stewart Ward is bombarded in his hotel room by spooky otherwordly messages, that appear to be reminding him of some past misdemeanor. It all comes across as a little to vague and wishy-washy to be immediately compelling, particularly given that we have barely been introduced to Ward as a character. The scene would have had more impact if he already had a strong presence in the stories, and ultimately comes across as a cheap way of making him an important character.

After a page of groan-inducing interaction between Peter and Aunt May, Mackie brings us over to JFK International airport, where MJ is returning from a modelling gig a few days early. Jill Stacy has joined Peter, which at this stage is a welcome move. Introducing Gwen Stacy's relatives was an inspired move on Mackie's part - they were an interesting addition to the pre-reboot supporting cast. MJ and Peter's reunion is fairly touching, if a little hammy, and is followed by Stewart Ward entering the scene, amid a wealth of publicity. Ward is promptly attacked by the Ranger, and the new Spider-Man enters the scene a page later, prompting a bit of obligatory soul searching from Peter. It is obviously nice to see him conflicted as to whether he should be helping out or not, but it seems slightly unbelievable that he would stand by and watch. Much of the tension is also alleviated by the knowledge that he will be Spider-Man again. It's easy to forget that he was a civillian just a couple of years earlier, when Ben Reilly was Spider-Man, so the development isn't that original, although the fact that he doesn't know who this Spider-Man is does put a unique spin on the idea. Spider-Man and the Ranger tussle for a few pages, and once again Spider-Man is defeated. It is realistic that the new Spider-Man would be somewhat less experienced, but it seems like Mackie is laying it on a little thick. The Ranger is after Stewart Ward for as yet unknown reasons, and keeps reminding him of 'the monster that he really is'. Once again, it isn't very engaging, particularly as there are no real clues yet as to 'what' exactly Ward is. As the Ranger is bearing down on his prey, Peter Parker enters the scene and lays a punch on him, serving as a distraction to allow Spider-Man to attack him from behind. He really unloads on the villain, hitting him several times until he is lying on the floor, before leaving. Peter remarks that he is 'like an embarrassed kid lashing out at a bully'. The issue ends with the Ranger being captured and Peter resolving to find out more about the connection between Ward and the Ranger.

Once again, this issue isn't a disaster - it is just a little dull. There are no strong emotional moments and only very basic characterisation. Mackie has a decent handle on Peter's voice and general character, but this should really be the minimum requirement for a Spider-Man writer, and it is frustrating seeing him not being in costume. The new Spider-Man is not particularly interesting as a character. Very few clues have been given as to 'his' true identity, and although seeing him lash out at the Ranger was pretty cool, the mystery around him seems a little forced. The Ranger is simply a dull villain, boasting a bland design and fairly uninteresting powers. He isn't an awful choice, but more thought should have been given to the first villain after the title's reboot, particularly as he is a new character. His dialogue is atrocious throughout, and although it is implied that his intentions are more noble than a typical villain, the idea is half baked. John Romita's art lacks the mass appeal of John Byrne's, but his style has become synonymous with Spider-Man and he and Mackie seem to work well together. His action sequences carry a bit more weight than Byrne's, and overall there is little to choose from between the two artists. Both are solid choices for the relaunched titles.

This was slightly better than Amazing Spider-Man #1, but not by much. The art is solid, Mackie's script is slightly better and Aunt May doesn't grate quite as much. There is still little weight behind the story though, this feels like an average Spider-Man yarn rather than the event that a new #1 should be. The Ranger is an uninspired villain and the Stewart Ward subplot gets off to a relatively bland start. This is decent work from all concerned, but a minor failure as a first issue.

C

Why The Spider-Man Reboot Failed: Part Two - The Legend Reborn

2011-12-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol.2) #1 By Mackie / Byrne / Hanna

The issue opens with the Human Torch investigating Spider-Man's disappearance. The Torch narrates the opening two pages, which serve as a fairly clunky way of getting new readers up to speed with the events of the past few months. Despite his severely workmanlike dialogue, The Human Torch's appearance is welcome, if a little random - he plays no significant part in the story and disappears from the title for a good few months.

The story moves on to Peter Parker himself, enjoying a relaxing time at home with his newly returned Aunt. This scene is where the problems really set in. Peter's internal narration is constantly reminding us of how great his life is without the burden of being Spider-Man, which does not sit too well with his generally guilt ridden attitude. This isn't a major problem though -it is fairly obvious that he will be back in the webs before too long and it is actually fairly refreshing seeing Peter happy with his life for a change. My real issue with this scene is the way it deals with Aunt May. Peter's elderly aunt was a mainstay of the title for a numbers of years, but in all honesty was barely missed when she was deceased, and this issue does little to remind readers of what they were missing when she wasn't around. May's characterisation seems to have regressed entirely back to the Silver Age. She treats Peter like a child, dotes on him to the point of irritation and actually uses the phrase 'That horrible Spider-Man'. Years of character development appear to have been thrown out of the window for the sake of an unnecessary nostalgia trip. MJ shows up briefly and is revealed to have resumed her supermodel career, a fact touched on before the reboot. I don't have a problem with the development, and find it can actually make her a more interesting character. In this case she only appears very briefly though.

The issues villain is introduced shortly after, a revamped version of The Scorpion who seems to be causing trouble for the sake of it. His new design is solid, but somewhat lacking in inspiration and his motivations are pretty much non existent. The character tends to be at his most interesting when he is railing against his status as a 'freak', a facet that is barely touched on here. Betty Brant shows up taking pictures of the commotion, a welcome move on Mackie's part. It's always good to remind readers that Spider-Man has one of the healthiest supporting casts in comics, and its especially welcome seeing Betty being portrayed as strongly as ever. The 'new' Spider-Man is also introduced here, and gets 'his' clock cleaned by the Scorpion. It's easy to scoff at the character, but initially at least it was an intriguing enough idea, and one never really seen before in Spider-Man's history. Little is done to make the character immediately compelling but the mystery itself is fairly strong in its own right, underdeveloped as it may be.

The action moves back to Peter Parker, who is across town at an interview for a seemingly lucrative position at 'Tricorp' Industries. Once again, it's easy to scoff when you know where the plot will eventually end up, but initially it seems an intriguing move. It was hardly new, given that Peter had moved to Portland for a similar job just a couple of years ago, but it is more interesting than yet more Daily Bugle, beloved it as it is. Unfortunately Mackie fails to make the job, nor any of his potential co-workers interesting in the slightest. Great care has obviously been taken to make their appearances as diverse as possible, but they barely have a glimmer of personality between them. Anyway, The Scorpion appears and it emerges that he is after Peter. After a brief tussle, the 'New Spider-Man' appears and a couple of pages of fisticuffs ensue, before Peter takes the villain down using his scientific acumen. Suffice it to say that Spider-Man exits, and Peter reveals to Aunt May that he was given the job for 'thinking on his feet' in what is clearly intended as a heartwarming final page.

The issue is not without its faults - as I have hopefully made clear. The Scorpion is hardly an exciting choice of villain and none of the new characters introduced are given much room to shine either. Mackie's dialogue ranges from adequate to horrible and Aunt May's characterisation is truly grim. Despite this, it isn't a complete failure as a debut issue. The identity of the new Spider-Man is relatively interesting, and makes up for the half baked mystery around the Scorpion's employers. Peter's job at Tricorp is hardly thrilling, but the promise seems to be there for interesting stories. John Byrne's artwork is very solid throughout. His action sequences could use a bit of work, but for the most part his pencils are vibrant, detailed and expressive throughout. Unfortunately the story is, on the whole, a little dull. The only thing genuinely 'new' or different about the series is the presence of a new Spider-Man, and honestly - I think most people would have preferred to see Peter wearing the webs. Not a disaster by any means, but a below par start for Mackie and Byrne.

C-

Why The Spider-Man Reboot Failed: Part One - Background

2011-12-19T01:53:00.000-08:00

There is a reason that Spider-Man is arguably the most popular comic book character of all time. With a few notable exceptions his titles have been consistently good for a number of years and have encompassed some of the finest (and often groundbreaking) super hero stories of all time. The likes of 'The Night Gwen Stacy Died', 'Kraven's Last Hunt' and 'The Death of Jean Dewolff' are all held up as high points in comic book storytelling, and the character has been the subject of many other classic stories, with many comic book greats having tackled his universe.

With that in mind, it often comes as a surprise when the Spider-Man books are struggling. When he is the victim of, not just one poor story but a seemingly never ending succession of uninspired and sometimes downright awful tales. There have been several periods of Spider-Man's history that have polarised opinion - The Clone Saga or Brand New Day for example, yet none have been as universally reviled as the era that saw both Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man relaunched with new #1's for the first time in the character's history. Despite the era that it followed not being one of the more commercially successful spells for the Spider-Man titles, it had, broadly speaking, a good time to be a fan of the character. All four Spider-Man books were telling solid, easily distinguishable stories, with more than passable artwork. A number of intriguing subplots appeared to be heading a conclusion - in short, the era was one of my most memorable as a Spider-Man fan. And then came the 'Final Chapter'. Advertised as the culmination of several long running and noticeably popular story arcs, the Final Chapter was a widely criticised storyline for a number of reasons. Aunt May's death - widely known as one of the finest Spider-Man stories of all time - was undone, and following a climactic (off panel) duel with the Green Goblin, Peter Parker decided to retire from his career as Spider-Man. The story was ill conceived, poorly paced, and a sloppy way to close Amazing Spider-Man's 35 year run. Issue #441, released in November 1998 was the title's final issue, and after a month long break both it, and sister title Peter Parker: Spider-Man were relaunched with new #1's. Long running Spider-Man writer Howard Mackie was tasked with writing both comics, with legendary artists John Romita Jr and John Byrne tackling art duties on one title each.

The stage had been set for the latest acclaimed Spider-Man run, yet what followed was one of the worst eras in the character's history - both critically and commercially. What went wrong? Although I read the issues in question a number of years ago, I have lacked the will to return to them since. With this in mind I thought it would be interesting to return to the period and read the issues in order, noting down my thoughts, and finally aiming to pinpoint what exactly went wrong, and whether the period deserves to be called the worst in Spider-Man's history. With that in mind, read on as I tackle the very first issue of a phase that has become synonymous with failure, lack of inspiration and all round suckage - 'The Reboot'!

Review: Animal Man #4

2011-12-07T11:05:00.001-08:00

Animal Man #4 by Lemire / Foreman

Possibly the most pleasant surprise to be found among DC's new 52 has been two of the less heralded additions to the line - Jeff Lemire's Animal Man and Scott Snyder's Swamp Thing. Two titles that deal with the supernatural side of the D.C Universe, their opening storylines have gradually intertwined to the point where the new D.C Universe's first crossover appears to be forthcoming.

Animal Man's first four issues have seen the veteran superhero's seemingly idyllic family life put under considerable strain, his daughter Maxine having appeared to inherit his animal based powers. Maxine's gift has made her an object of desire for 'The Red', the supernatural power that is the source of Animal Man's powers, with the powerful pre-teen key in its struggle to defeat the plague-like 'Rot'. This issue sees her struggling to rescue her father from the Rot, while another one of its diabolical agents pursues the rest of her family.

Placing Animal's Man's daughter at the forefront of the book has certainly been an unexpected move by Lemire, but is a more than welcome one. What could have been a somewhat cliche family dynamic has become much more interesting - helped by the fact that Maxine is a charming and likeable character in her own right. Animal Man himself has seemed like a slightly peripheral figure at times, but it is pleasing to see the entire family given a role to play in the series. The pacing of the issue is excellent too - a lot of plot is packed in without it ever seeming rushed, and the story moves along in exhilarating fashion.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about this issue is the macabre tone that is prevalent throughout. Travel Foreman's art is an acquired taste and his human figures do at times leave a little to be desired, but he provides a great take on some of the more supernatural aspects of the issue. Foreman is also a better storyteller than it might appear at first glance, and he handles what could be a confusing plot in style. Lemire's humour too, is subtle but ever present - the issue is far from slapstick but there is a surreal undertone that is played with in a pleasingly light hearted way at times.

Animal Man is not flashy, and I do not doubt that Lemire is yet to play his full hand. Ably assisted by Foreman, he is telling a slow burning story, that may yet become something of an epic. Perhaps not the capes and japes superhero book that you might expect, but a great read nonetheless, and for my money the most consistent book of the last six months.

Review: Daredevil #6

2011-11-30T10:57:00.000-08:00

Daredevil #6 by Waid / Martin

Mark Waid has achieved the unthinkable in just six issues - the acclaimed writer has made Daredevil fun again, ably assisted by his art team of Marcos Martin and Paolo Rivera. This may seem a small victory, after all many forget that Daredevil was founded on the light hearted ideals shared by much of Marvel's 1960's output - but in recent years the character has been put through the emotional wringer, surrounded by death, violence and high crime. His propensity for emotional turmoil has been such that it is now considered a fundamental part of Matt Murdoch's character. Mark Waid will not change that overnight, but what he has done with his opening six issues is convinced me that there is a place in Daredevil's world for sunshine as well as gloom.

This issue is action packed from the get-go, with Daredevil hot on the heels of a deadly new adversary. The action soon shifts to an underground hideout straight out of the 60's and a plot that would not have been out of place there either! This issue does perhaps lack the nuances and intelligence of some of Waid's other issues, but in place there is fast paced action that the equal of any book currently on the stands. At first glance Bruiser seems a somewhat uninspired new adversary, but Waid manages to put a modern day spin on the character that sets him aside from the rest of Daredevil's rogues gallery. A repeat appearance would be more than welcome.

Without taking anything away from the quality of Waid's script, it is once again the visuals that make this such a joy to behold. Marcos Martin's pencils are energetic, detailed and crisp. His layouts are brilliantly imaginative and tell the story with refreshing verve. His style feels retro, while still embracing the advances of the 21st century.

Six issues in this, this title is no longer the surprise hit that it was at its debut. What is perhaps more remarkable is that Waid, Martin and Rivera have largely sustained the same level of unbroken quality. There have been peaks and troughs, of course, but the troughs have been infrequent and the peaks have been pleasingly maintained. Daredevil may not yet be able to boast the levels of emotional depth that it could under the likes of Bendis and Brubaker, but it is all the more well rounded for it. This is not a comic that anyone will dislike, and I would wager that few will not love it. Bold? Yes, but in this case well deserved.

Review: I, Vampire #3

2011-11-25T06:35:00.000-08:00

I, Vampire #3 by Fialkov/ Sorrentino

It would be easy to accuse I, Vampire of pandering to the current, Twilight inspired trend for romance inspired horror stories. Indeed, Joshua Hale Fialkov's story ticks all the boxes - starcrossed lovers, a likable, heroic vampire as protagonist and an all new take on a monster that has been terrorising readers across the globe for decades - the vampire. That is not to say that I, Vampire bears any resemblance to Stephanie Meyer's ubiquitous series. Although it is just three issues in, Fialkov looks to be sowing the seeds for an epic, character driven story, complimented of course by lashings of blood and violence.

Lesser known writer Fialkov has a measured, almost ponderous style that could easily be mistaken for decompression - it is not. It's true that this series has been slow so far, and also that this issue has little in the way of plot. This is, however a beautifully told story that is unfolding in a naturalistic way. Far from shooting his load with cheap thrills and plot devices in the opening issues Fialkov is gradually building his universe from the ground up. Andrew Bennet is an engaging protagonist, while arch-foe and former lover Mary is becoming an enigmatic and fearsome adversary. This issue also does a good job of introducing something of a supporting cast for Bennet, giving the reader enough information to intrigue without ever coming across as heavy handed.

Although Fialkov's writing is pitch perfect for this series, it is matched by his artist, the equally lesser known Andrea Sorrentino. The comparisons to Jae Lee are obvious, but also fair - Sorrentino's gloomy, shadow heavy style is very similar and is a perfect fit for this series, lending a dark atmosphere to its narrative.

I, Vampire was hardly one of the more heralded of D.C's new 52, but is shaping up to be one of the brightest new books around. Joshua Hale Fialkov's script is subtle but laden with hooks, and is subtly woven into the wider D.C Universe. Complimented by superb art, it is not hyperbole to call this one of the most beautifully produced comic books on the market at the moment. I only hope that it gets the sales figures that it so richly deserves.

Review: Spider-Man: Shed

2011-11-18T14:53:00.002-08:00

The Amazing Spider-Man: Shed, collects The Amazing Spider-Man #630-633 by Wells / Bachalo / Rios

It is unlikely that there has ever been a Spider-Man story that has split collective fandom down the middle as much as last years Shed. Although he is one of Spider-Man's oldest foes the Lizard has hardly been one of his most compelling, with the nature of his character lending itself to repetitive story arcs. While several writers have attempted to combat the Lizard's lack of long term appeal, none of his revamps have stuck and he has ended up reverting to type every few years. It is true that he is one of Spider-Man's more visually spectacular villains, there is only so many times you can see Spider-Man battling to defeat Curt Connors reptillian alter ego without harming him, eventually (and inevitably) defeating him through the use of some sort of hastily devised serum. With the character starring in the forthcoming Amazing Spider-Man film, the time clearly seemed ripe last year to give the tired rogue a more lasting overhaul. Opinions on Shed have ranged from disgust to acclaim, but thanks to my stubborn Spider-Man buying habits I have only just got around the reading the much reviled story. Does it deserve the criticism that it received in some quarters? Or is Shed merely a misunderstood gem?

Zeb Wells is a writer whose interpretation of the Web-Slinger I have long admired. Put simply, he has a great handle on Peter Parker's voice and has managed to excel telling more off-beat Spider-Man stories that other writers would perhaps not attempt. This arc is no exception and if Wells is to be criticized for anything it should not be his handle on the character. Wells' Parker is shy, nervous and humble, retaining a sense of humor without descending into the wisecracking loser that he is sometimes mistaken for. While some Mary Jane apologists would take issue with Peter's flirtations with other women, the Black Cat and Carlie Cooper scenes are all pitched perfectly and are among the highlights of the arc. I find Peter to be a more engaging character when his personal life is in disarray, and this story is no exception. Carlie Cooper in particular is an excellent foil for him and I found it an interesting twist having Peter be stood up by a date who needs to be present at a crimescene. It could easily become tired, but for now it is an interesting subversion of what by now is a ubiquitous Spider-Man trope.

The Lizard sequences are less convincing, something of a bad omen considering the pivotal role that the character plays in this arc. Wells seems confused as to his intentions for the character, with the plot initially seeming as cliche as any of his previous appearances, and just as predictable too. There is little in the way of suspense or surprises regarding Curt Connors' transformation here.

Of course the meat of the story occurs when Connors has been transformed - this time for good. This is a new iteration of the Lizard, one that eventually severs all ties with its human counterpart. The idea of the Lizard without Connors initially seems pointless and this story does little to convince otherwise. His new schtick of driving humans wild is somewhat confusing explained as well as executed and does not really add much to the character, with mst of his subtleties lost with Connors. Visually the new Lizard is spectacular and Wells does attempt to inject some much needed depth late in the day, but he remains an unconvincing adversary.

Much has been made of the stories so called 'explicit content', with several choosing its dark nature as a point for criticism. It is true, that this is a dark, harrowing story, but I wouldn't say that it particularly bothered me, although I could have done without some of the more obvious sexual imagery. It is always interesting to see Spider-Man plunged into more mature situations, and while this is clearly not a story suitable for all ages that is an entirely different issue.

Another plot given some face time here, albeit briefly is 'Negative Aunt May' - Peter's Aunt May having earlier been transformed into a bitter old crone by Mr. Negative. The subplot was initially interesting but lost direction over time and gradually fizzled out. Its conclusion at this story's close was welcome, but was very rushed for such a long running plot thread. I didn't feel that it had as much emotional resonance as Wells was hoping for, although I must admit I found the closing panel with Peter and May to be fairly touching.

The artwork over the course of this four issues is the very definition of inconsistent. Bachalo at his best is one of the finest artists in modern comics, and at times he manages to reach that peak here. His rendition of the Lizard is truly frightening and enough to make an unremarkable villain something more than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately this arc also seems some of the artists worst excesses, and some of the arc's action sequences are very difficult to follow. Emma Rios is a good artist but her soft, clean style is an abrupt shift from Bachalo's and she is never given much of a chance to shine.

Shed was, in theory, a good idea. The Lizard has long been in need of a retool and Wells and Bachalo seem like fine choices to be charged with his rebirth. Their second duet on Brand New Day Spider-Man feels like a missed opportunity however - the new Lizard is hardly an improvement on his old character and scarcely seems worth the collateral damage accumulated across the four issues. A frustrating read, but one ultimately worth checking out.

C+

Review: Ultimate Comics X-Men #3

2011-11-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

Ultimate Comics: X-Men #3 by Spencer / Medina

This is the dawning of a new era for Marvel's Ultimate Universe. After years of questions over its relevance the line has been propelled to the forefront (perhaps temporarily) of Marvel's stable of title. It could be down to a lack of competition (and much has been made of the recent cutbacks at the House of Ideas) or perhaps the injection of youth provided by up and coming writers Nick Spencer and Jonathon Hickman. Maybe it is simply a by product of the media coverage granted to uber-creator Brian Michael Bendis' now Peter Parker-less Spider-Man relaunch. Either way, if there was a time for the Ultimate titles to impress it is now.

As I reported last week Ultimate Spider-Man is continues to be a consistent performer into its fourth issue, with Nick Spencer's Ultimate X-Men relaunch proving to be something of an ugly sibling to it so far. On paper Spencer should be the perfect choice for a hip new X-Men title - he excelled on Morning Glories after all, an independent title with a glaringly similar 'gifted youngsters' style premise. So far however he has flattered to deceive, with Spencer's Ultimate X-Men lacking in the fresh ideas and concepts that the X-Men franchise has thrived on in the past.

It's easy to forget that in its initial run under Mark Millar, Ultimate X-Men more than held its own next to Bendis' acclaimed early Ultimate Spider-Man arcs. The franchises 616 iterations have longed seemed bloated and overly confusing, and could easily be accused of having become a victim of their own success. The comic book that ate itself perhaps? Millar's back to basics, stripped back versions of the characters shone and I had similar hopes for Spencer's run, with many of the more overexposed X-Men characters taken off the table by Marvel's 'Ultimatum' event. The stage was set for a back to basics triumph, from a writer yet to handle Marvel's Mutant heroes.

This third issue sees little in the way of improvement on Spencer's below par start, with many of my fears for the title looking like being confirmed. Brian Michael Bendis made the 'underground X-Men' - Kitty Pryde, the curiously non-mutant Human Torch and Bobby Drake - into compelling characters with an intriguing group dynamic. With Rogue introduced to the mix the quartet should by rights make for an engaging core cast. The problem is that they have been shunted to one side, cowering in the sewers for the entirety of the series' opening three issues. They have barely interacted with the core plot and their sequences feel frustratingly inconsequential as a result. This brings me neatly onto the antagonist of the series - The Sentinel styled Stryker, who strikes me as about one of the most cliche, bland X-Men villains I have encountered in years. His costume evokes the worst excesses of the 90's and his characterisation so far is too over the top for my liking. His masterplan also seems to vague to be interesting - haven't we seen enough bigoted villains whose ultimate aim is to wipe out all of mutantkind? The idea itself is not bad, but has been seen more convincingly elsewhere, even in the archetypal 90's crossover Operation Zero Tolerance.

Hickman has passed up an opportunity to inject some fresh impetus into a defunct series, by making it as hackneyed as the X-Men franchise has ever been. Evil mutants, suspicious government agents, puritanical mutant hating humans, oh and course of the obligatory 'underground X-Men', on the run from a world that naturally, hates and fears them more than ever. All of this on their own could easily be fashioned into an interesting premise in their right. Together they seem forced. Even the interesting idea of mutants originally being government creations has been frustratingly underplayed. We have been here before, and it had better art.

Not 'bad' per se, and potentially a good introduction to the X-Men to a newcomer, but when a comic is this derivative it needs to be highly polished too. This is no rough gem.

C-

Review: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #4

2011-11-10T04:22:00.000-08:00

By Bendis / Pichelli

It is inarguable that D.C are currently making bigger waves in the comic book industry than their traditional rivals Marvel. The company who have largely ruled the roost for the last 50 years have finally been toppled - temporarily? Perhaps, either way it is good to see Marvel putting up a fight with books of the quality (and newsorthiness) of Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man reboot.

It was predictable that the focus of many would be on Peter Parker's replacement as Spider-Man, 13 year old Miles Morales. What wasn't so predictable was that he would become such a well defined, likeable character so early in the titles run. While the similarities with Peter are obvious, he is also a well developed character in his own right. Avoiding the comic book cliche of being an orphan, while also carrying elements of the 'reluctant hero' that have served Spider-Man so well over the years. Morales is far from the conventional square jawed superhero and is all the better for it. In many ways he feels like the closest to a modern day retooling of Peter Parker that we have received since his inception. Is Brian Michael Bendis the modern day Stan Lee? The comparisons are obvious, Bendis crafted the Ultimate Universe and revolutionised comic book storytelling. He has his detractors but that should be seen more as an affirmation of his popularity than anything else. I dread to think of what the keyboard warriors of today would have had to say about Stan The Man.

In terms of action this issue moves as slowly as the previous three. There is a hint of an action sequence but little more - that story was told in the issue of Ultimate Fallout that introduced readers to Miles Morales. Again, the naysayers could find cause to complain but as someone who read that story I see little to be bothered by. It does however suggest a dangerous trend in modern day comics - when I buy a comic book I expect that comic book to contain a full and self contained story. If what is currently an exception becomes the rule I will begin to question my comic buying habits.

In place of fast paced action there remains the ponderous character development that has characterised this series. The foundations are there for one of the more memorable comic book creations in recent times, and they look to be solidly built, if lacking in the verve that many would demand. Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man may not be the energetic, loudmothed romp that Stan Lee delivered in the 1960's, but it is a comic book series planted squarely in the present day, with all the sensibilities that carries with it .

The New 52: Three Months On - Or, My Relationship With The Big Two

2011-11-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

Three months ago a self confessed Marvel Zombie decided to give the D.C Universe a try for the very first time in his sixteen years collecting comic books. Three months on, my D.C pile has already outnumbered my Marvel pile on one occasion, and has come close a number of times. Why the sudden defection? Am I in danger of becoming one of the ever vocal lapsed Marvelites.

I have always nurtured affections for several of D.C's characters - primarily Batman and Superman. If D.C reprints were as widely available as Marvel ones in UK newsagents my four year old self may even have chosen the two above to collect rather than the X-Men and Spider-Man. Superman and Superman II are among my favourite comic book movies and while I never threw myself into it with the same vigour as Spider-Man's animated series, I admired Batman: The Animated Series from afar. I have no issue with D.C's stable of characters - I have just never been exposed to them in the same way that I have been to Marvel's. I have tried to get into D.C's Universe a couple of times, but have always found it daunting and have never managed to pick up one of their titles on a regular basis. Although the companies Universe wide reboot has been criticized by longer term readers, it provided the perfect opportunity for a shameless Marvel Zombie to broaden his horizons.

Action Comics seemed a perfect starting point. Set in the early days of the rebooted D.C Universe, it saw Grant Morrison return to the character following his acclaimed run on All Star: Superman. As one of the few D.C runs that I have read and enjoyed (albeit as a collected edition), his return was a definite purchase for me.

Batman and Robin was the second title to catch my eye. While I was familiar with neither writer Peter Tomasi nor artist Patrick Gleason, the idea of Batman having a son immediately caught my attention. While not a traditional part of the character's make up it seems somehow natural to me. A brief flick through #1 and Gleason's pencils had confirmed my purchase. The book looks beautiful and was worth a buy for me on the strength of that alone.

My next, and final two purchases of the New 52 were reserved for slightly more off-beat titles, with both featuring characters that I was barely familiar with before picking up their respective #1's. I, Vampire was perhaps the more surprising of the two, at least for me. I have little interest in Vampire's or the supernatural, but writer Joshua Hale Fialkov piqued my interest in the concept with an impressive interview, and Andrea Sorrentino's impressive, Jae Lee-esque pencils confirmed my purchase.

Animal Man, while being a character I knew next to nothing about, was the subject of a critically lauded Grant Morrison reboot in the 1980's. Although that alone wasn't enough to convince me to buy #1, impressive reviews led me to pick it up, despite not being immediately enamored with Trevor Green's scratchy pencils.

Somewhat surprisingly, the two less heralded series have been by far the two that I have enjoyed the most, with Action Comics and Batman and Robin flattering to deceive despite superb art and overall presentation. Weirdly though, the lack of cohesion between the two titles has actually made them more satisfying reads. The comic reading populace is clearly burnt out by Universe wide crossovers and tie ins, to the extent that even the suggestion that two titles are interlinked would see me eyeing them with a degree of suspicion. I suspect that the days of sprawling, epic crossovers are nearing an end, particularly after Marvel's latest effort, in the shape of Fear Itself was met with a collective sigh by even the most zealous Marvel Zombies. There are problems with the two - the changes made by Morrison to the Superman mythos seem awkward and Batman and Robin's pacing has been sluggish, but at least both feel like complete stories.Animal Man is apparently linked to Swamp Thing, but as someone not familiar with the latter I can honestly say that I didn't realise that the two were interconnected. Take note Marvel - this is how you tie issues together, with subtly and tact rather than brash, and rather empty proclamations. Both Animal Man and I, Vampire work superbly as exercises in how to tell self contained stories, despite the fact that both will clearly be linked with other series somewhere down the line.

That is not to say that it is all good news however. It is telling that more successful of the four books that I have sampled are the ones that are least bogged down in the continuity of the D.C Universe. It is difficult to reconcile the renegade Superman of Action Comics with the caped crusader that we are all familiar with, and Morrison's version of him seems slightly off. The supporting cast are generally portrayed well, but Superman himself seems to have been altered for the sake of it. The concept of Batman training his son is a solid one, but the reader is provided with little context, or background for their relationship. Not a problem for a hardened D.C reader, but for a novice such as myself it has been difficult to involve myself in their relationship.

The bottom line seems to be that when freed from continuity, D.C's reboot has been excellent. However, it is a little to difficult to reconcile this new universes versions of their more iconic heroes. I have never been a stickler for continuity, but I like to recognise the characters that I am reading, or at least be gradually introduced to their worlds. I don't want D.C to hold my hand, but I for one think that the new 52 could do with being a little more reader friendly. I can just about handle it, but with new comic book readers increasingly thin on the ground, more needs to be done to get comic novices involved in their more celebrated characters.

Daredevil #5 Review

2011-10-28T15:13:00.000-07:00

Daredevil #5

By Waid / Martin

One of the more recent of my increasingly sporadic blog posts was a gushing entry, near overflowing with praise for the first issue of Mark Waid’s new Daredevil relaunch. The comic in question was everything that a debut issue should be, it was vibrant, witty, fast paced and above all fun, with plenty of plot to boot. While the following three issues failed to quite reach these heights, I’m pleased to report that this weeks #5 marks a return to form for the series.

The middle segment of a three part arc, this issue picks up with Matt Murdock (Aka Daredevil) defending a client – in both senses of the word. Once his assailants are dispatched, he gets to work on uncovering the mystery surrounding him and learns of a conspiracy stretching far wider than he anticipated. Waid’s plot is dense and filled with intricacies, a fact that may put off more casual readers but not one that makes it any less readable. This is by no means a shallow read and does require some thought on the readers part, but still manages to be an action packed romp with the brains to counter its full colour superheroics. Waid’s pacing is adept and the story zips refreshingly quickly from scene to scene without ever feeling rushed.

Of course Matt Murdock is not the only member of the books cast, a fact that the reader is ably reminded of through a brief, if intriguing scene checking up on Foggy Nelson. One of the most valuable skills in comic book storytelling is being able to juggle subplots with the main thrust of the story and Waid proves adept at it here. The villain of the piece is skilfully introduced too – on the surface he seems little more than a shallow, well…Bruiser (you’ll get it if you read the book), but there a number of interesting touches to his character and appearance that made him a compelling enough adversary.

Mark Waid and Marcos Martin should be applauded for creating a comic book that works very well on several levels. Light hearted but tense, conventional while still remaining unpredictable, I am willing to bet that this will become one the characters defining modern day runs.

A+

An Objective Look At The Night Gwen Stacy Died

2011-08-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

Few would argue that The Amazing Spider-Man #122 is one of the greatest Spider-Man stories ever told, perhaps even one of the greatest comic book stories ever told. Boasting both the deaths of Spider-Man's first love and his greatest enemy, the conclusion of 'The Night Gwen Stacy Died' has gone down in history as one of the most significant comic book stories of all time, heralded by many as the end of the Silver Age of comic books.

I first read the story a number of years ago, very shortly after I began collecting comic books. As you might expect, it blew my four year old self away, despite the fact that I only read the conclusion of the two-parter. However, since then I have only read the story perhaps once or twice, and while I have remained happy to call it one of my favourite stories of all time, that opinion has begun to feel increasingly less well informed. To this end, earlier this evening I re-read the issue - with the first part of the storyline once again absent (to my great shame, I do not own a colour copy of the issue)

One thing that immediately struck me about the issue was how close it was to the 'Turning Point' episode of the 90's Spider-Man: Animated Series, to this day one of my favorites from an excellent series. Despite there being a number of key plot differences, the fight between the Goblin and Spider-Man on the bridge is hugely similar and I actually found myself imagining the dialogue using the characters voice actors from the show. Not a particularly interesting point, but an interesting aside nonetheless.

Of course this brings me onto my main (and perhaps only) quibble about this issue - the dialogue. Of course hokey dialogue is a product of the era that this story was written in, but at several points I found it to be really overblown and a little too wordy.

Where the issue really shines is in its sincerity. This is a Spider-Man driven to almost unfathomable grief, followed by rage caused by the death of a loved one, at this point something never really seen before in a generally light hearted series. Yes, the dialogue is sometimes clunky but it always rings true and heightens the emotional impact of the issue. It is refreshing to read a comic where death actually means something, as opposed to being a cheap plot device that will generally be undone in a matter of months.

Conway also excels in his use of the supporting cast, many of whom shine despite very limited page space. Mary-Jane appears very briefly, but in the space of just a handful of panels shows a glimpse of the multi-layered character that she eventually became, a far cry from the vacuous party girl created by Stan Lee years before. The likes of Robbie, Jameson and Harry are all given time in the spotlight too, with each other their renditions being pitch perfect, however limited they are in length. Harry's anguished appearance is a particularly poignant look at the tragedy of his friendship with Peter, and an excellent precursor for his villainous turn later in the series.

Which brings me neatly onto the true villain of the story - Harry's father Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin. While many would see this, the story originally intended to be his swansong as his finest hour, I would disagree. While an effective choice of villain, in truth the Goblin is portrayed as fairly one-dimensional here, with little of the depth to his relationship with Peter glimpsed in later stories. His presence as an antagonist is welcome though, and his death a powerful moment, if not quite as effective as Gwen's earlier on.

While I have left him till last, that is no reflection on the quality of Gil Kane's artwork. He is often overlooked, perhaps rightly so, in favour of more prolific Spider-Man artists, but this issue is a near enough perfect artistic performance. His fights are brutally brilliant, but perhaps even more effective are the emotional scenes, where Kane showcases his impressive range of facial expressions. He perhaps does not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Romita and Ditko, but this is probably one of the most artistically excellent issues of Spider-Man ever produced.

It is difficult to give this issue a grade, partly as it would seem churlish to give such a classic issue less than an A+. What I would say though, is that even decades on the story still bears a significant emotional weight, and stands as one of the most important, if not best Spider-Man stories of all time. A true classic.

Daredevil #1 Review

2011-07-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Daredevil #1 - By Waid / Rivera / Martin

It isn't often that I will gush with praise over things (or at least I hope not), but I am going to give you an advanced warning: I will be doing so in this post. So if that sort of thing bothers you, turn away now (preferably to one of my other posts).

With that out of the way I can get to the business at hand - possibly the best produced comic book that I have read for some time. Before this issue was released much was made of the decision to return Daredevil to his superhero roots after years of his adventures being swathed in darkness and despair. This was certainly not a misrepresentation of the approach taken by Mark Waid to this issue - within the first few pages we are knee deep in swashbuckling superheroics, as the man without fear takes on classic Spider-Man villain the Spot. Right from the off Waid's writing bristles with enthusiasm, with Paolo Rivera as inventive as ever. He and Martin working in tandem are a supremely wise choice of artists, and do a sterling job illustrating Waid's witty script.

Far from being solely focused on its action sequence this issue does a fine job of establishing the characters new status quo, one that I find immediately appealing after years of dark, angst ridden stories (not that a lot of them weren't enjoyable). While Matt Murdoch as a lawyer is far from a new development there is enough unique spin placed on it here to make it intriguing. The cliffhanger does not have me quite as excited as the rest of the issue but nonetheless I am curious to see where Waid takes it.

The back up story, far from being superfluous was very enjoyable, and benefited from superb art from Marcos Martin, who makes even the most mundane sounding action utterly engaging. While the plot is far from thrilling and little happens, it works well as a character piece and a good way of establishing Matt and Foggy's relationship.

As a series that I have eagerly anticipating since it was announced, it brings me great pleasure to recommend this issue more than any I have read for a long time. Yes, it is vastly different to how Daredevil has been portrayed in recent years but don't let this put you off - it actually fits the character more effectively than you might think. I would struggle to think of a better debut issue than this for quite a while, I just hope that the rest of the series can live up to my already lofty expectations.

A+

Retro Review: Spider-Man: Masques

2011-06-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

Spider-Man: Masques, collects Spider-Man #6-7 by Todd McFarlane

Over a year ago I reviewed Spider-Man: Torment, superstar artists Todd McFarlane's first work on the character as both writer and artist. While Torment has become one of the most talked about Spider-Man stories in recent years, his second storyline failed to make the same impression, and has been largely forgotten about in most circles. At times, Masques feels a lot like a product of the 90's, featuring many of the most notable excesses of the era. Despite this it is refreshing to see Spider-Man appearing in a different sort of storyline, far removed from the more 'fun' arcs that the character is known for.

Masques features the short lived 'Demonic Hobgoblin' as the villain of the piece, as he kidnaps a small boy, seeking to remake him in his own image. While this particular take on the character is not one that is generally well thought of, I thought it worked excellently in this two-parter. His motivations are a little murky and his dialogue is very hackneyed, but there is a real sense of menace and fear around the character, largely created by McFarlane's superb, atmospheric artwork. His renditions of regular human's often drew criticism, but he was born to draw a story of this nature.

Ghost Rider also appears, and although he is also very well drawn I found his presence in the story a little forced and pointless. I have never thought him to be a particularly interesting character, and there is little done here to develop his character beyond a very basic level. The idea of Spidey finding conflict with a hero using more extreme methods than his is one that has been done to death over the years, and there is little attempt here to put a new spin on it. Nevertheless, the character looks great and fits with the overall tone of the story.

If you can put up with some poor dialogue and questionable storytelling from McFarlane, I would recommend this as at the very least, a beautiful looking comic book story, and an attempt to tell a different sort of story with Spider-Man. The character himself has little of note to do, but that doesn't matter too much as McFarlane crafts a cinematic thrill ride, with some superb visuals. It might sound like I am damning it with faint praise by calling it his finest work on the adjectiveless Spider-Man title, but that doesn't make it any less true.

B-

The CLiNT Experiment

2011-06-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Just over a year ago Mark Millar announced the latest in a long line of ambitious comic book projects - a monthly British comics anthology, with the long term aim of moving comic books back to the mainstream. A highly ambitious brief, and perhaps one that even Millar himself did not realistically believe that he would achieve. Nevertheless, CLiNT was announced in May last year, as a mix of comic strips, features and news, all produced by young British talent. At its inception Millar described CLiNT as The Eagle for the 21st Century, confirming that he would be aiming it at the 16-30 age bracket, ambitiously declaring that he wanted it to be 'passed around lunch halls and common rooms'.

The first issue (pictured above) launched in September, featuring strips by renowned British celebrities Jonathon Ross and Frankie Boyle. Largely a success, CLiNT #1 sold out and was confirmed for a second printing by its publisher Titan in November. Reviews were mixed, with seasoned comics readers praising the strips, while criticizing the magazines features for their somewhat low-brow nature. But they were missing the point. Seasoned comics readers were not the magazines target audience. I didn't like the features any more than they did. I was buying CLiNT for Nemesis, Kick-Ass and Turf, not for 'Sexy Chavs', or 'Top Ten Milfs'. But I understood why they were there, and accepted them, without ever really enjoying them. I loved Kick-Ass and its sequel was more of the same, Jonathon Ross' Turf was very good, if a little unpolished. Frankie Boyle's Rex Royd was not my cup of tea at all but nonetheless, there was a lot of good stuff in the magazine, something that hasn't changed nine months on.

In its early months CLiNT was dishearteningly ubiquitous, occupying pride of place in mainstays such as WHSmith and Tesco, and confusingly appearing on corner shops up and down the country. Had comic books finally cracked the mainstream again? The answer was of course, no. The confetti, premature. Since those heady days CLiNT has failed to maintain its position in shops, in my experience at least, and has shipped late at least twice. Can it be a surprise that interest is waning when the most reliable way to keep up with its erratic schedule is through its creators twitter feed? CLiNT will not be passed around lunch halls and common rooms if it can't be bought in the first place, and almost a year after its high profile launch, the public seem in danger of dropping out. The strips have for the most part been excellent, and Millar seems to have reigned in the spurious additional content, but in a notoriously fickle marketplace, no excuse can be given to lose interest.

I have no access to sales figures - for all I know CLiNT could be flying off the shelves, but for my money it is vital that the magazine sticks to a regular release schedule. I am a seasoned comic book reader, and avidly look forward to the magazine every month but even my affections have begun to wane. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for the uninitiated to stay abreast of the magazines schedule. Lest we forget, to many not interested in comics Mark Millar is hardly a celebrity, let alone one deemed worthy of following on twitter (sorry Mark), whether they read his magazine or not. I was happy to read the release date of the magazine's latest issue on Millar's twitter feed, other readers may not have been so fortunate.

In short - Mark is doing a great job with the content. CLiNT is fantastic value for money, even if you skim over the features. My main criticism would be the scheduling. Mark cited the absence of any new Kick-Ass 2 content as the reason for this months latest delay, but I would put getting the product on the shelves ahead of ensuring that the selection of strips is as perfect as it could be. I can understand Millar wanting the product to be as good as it can be, but as long as the strip that replaces it can stand up to Kick-Ass 2, I'm sure that regular readers will not have a problem. What they may have a problem with is following a periodical that appears on an increasingly erratic basis. Retailers may feel the same way. Mark's choice of strips so far has been superb, and as long as what he chooses to replace any wayward ones is of a similar ilk I for one will still be happily buying.

Retro Review: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4

2011-06-19T11:51:00.001-07:00

The Web and the Flame by Lee / Lieber

Amazing Spider-Man Annual's have played host to a number of significant stories over the years, among them being the debut of the Sinister Six and the first mention of Peter Parker's parents. While this story cannot claim to be as much of a milestone as either of those classics, it is certainly a lot of fun, and while not quite a must read for any fans of Silver Age comic books, a more than worthy purchase.

All the way through, this story bears Stan Lee's unmistakable stamp. From his trademark fourth wall breaking captions, to his jazzy (if amusingly dated) dialogue. In places it can read as very cheesy, but if you are willing to accept that as a product of its time period then it shouldn't bother you too much. Indeed, for the most part Lee's writing has aged very well, carrying with it an undeniable charm and energy that is a great fit for the character. While the core plot is a little silly, the story is carried by the dynamic between Spidey and the Human Torch. It's easy to forget that once upon a time the two had a real rivalry, and this annual is a stark reminder of the edge that their relationship used to have. The two bounce off each other pleasingly, with Stan penning some fantastic quips that do not come across as nearly as dated as a lot of his dialogue does. Stan Lee's brother Larry Lieber is on art duties and does an able job. He is not quite John Romita Sr but his clear, smooth style is a more than capable substitute. The rest of the art team are on good form as well - Mike Esposito's inks are characteristically tight and the colors jump off the page (I couldn't find a credit for them anywhere so apologies to the talented creator who provided them).

The Wizard and Mysterio seem logical choices of villains, and serve their roles well, within ever being given much characterization. In truth, both are largely sidelined for the duration of the story and could have been replaced by any number of other villains with minimum fuss. Nevertheless, their combined mechanical expertise makes for an interesting variety of threats to be thrown at the two heroes. Just don't expect multi-layered characterization or well thought out schemes.

Of course this story is very much a product of its time, and carries with it a number of the flaws commonly associated with Silver Age comic books. The plot is nothing special, or indeed original and is held together by a number of contrivances and inconsistencies. In places it is very predictable and lacking in any tension or real atmosphere. In short - this story is not one to be taken too seriously. However, as long as you take it for what it is, The Web and the Flame is sure to be a comic book that you read with a big smile on your face.

TPB Review: Spectacular Spider-Man: Countdown

2011-06-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

Spectacular Spider-Man: Countdown, collects the Spectacular Spider-Man (volume 2) #6-10 by Jenkins / Ramos

Despite being undeniably one of Spider-Man's premier rogues, it could be argued that over the years Doctor Octopus has been mishandled on occasion. Despite being the star of some classic stories (and a well received movie), the good doctor has also appeared in some very forgettable comics, with his appearances often lacking the gravitas that a character of his stature probably deserves. While he is perhaps more known for his emotional, character driven stories Paul Jenkins also drew plaudits for his revamp Spidey's arch nemesis the Green Goblin, in the fan favourite A Death in the Family arc. With Doctor Octopus appearing in Spider-Man 2, Jenkins was chosen as the writer to take advantage of the character's increased exposure, and featured him as the focal point of his second arc on Spectacular Spider-Man, titled Countdown.

The story sees Octavius at his scheming best, as he kidnaps a Palestinian Foreign Minister, promising to release him only if Spider-Man unmasks at a scheduled time. Jenkins manages to craft an excellent Spider-Man story here, in my opinion using all the elements that make the web-slinger such a great character. His supporter cast - so often marginalized during the JMS era is utilized superbly well across the five issues. While Big John clearly has the potential to become very annoying I found him a likable presence and it's a shame that he has disappeared from the books with his creator. Jenkins is as adept as using classing members of the supporting cast as his own creations, and MJ and Peter's relationship, so often a bone of contention among Spider-fans, is displayed touchingly without being overplayed. This story is a good example of what MJ brought to the Spider-Man mythos while she and Peter were married. The likes of Jonah Jameson, Robbie and Flash Thompson are all here too, and while not playing major roles are all portrayed well. Despite his incapacitation the scenes with Flash in particular are very touching and a real highlight. Jenkins' scripting is superb and the pacing of the story is excellent. despite being spread across five issues it rarely lags and every page is used well.

Doctor Octopus too is at his villainous best here, Jenkins understands his personality and delivers a multi layered, if obviously insane villain. It was pleasing too, to see the criminally underrated origin story from Spider-Man: Unlimited #3 revisited. His fight scenes are superbly done and all in all I think there have been few better portrayals of the character.

This brings me neatly to Humberto Ramos' artwork. Few artists divide opinion as much as he does but I love his distinctive style and consider it a great fit for the character. His action scenes bristle with energy and even his human characters are well drawn, if very very odd.

For me, there have been few better stories featuring Doctor Octopus, and it is a shame that the character has not been this well done throughout his history. Nothing too groundbreaking occurs over the course of the five issues but if you are looking for a quintessential Spider-Man arc featuring one of his greatest villains, look no further.

Film Review: Thor

2011-05-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

Despite Marvel Studio's excellent track record so far, I must confess that I had my misgivings about their latest release. Marvel Comics' interpretation of the Norse God of thunder is far from the easiest of their characters to adapt, with a vast array of supporting characters and perhaps the most complex mythology of any superhero. This coupled with the slightly cheap looking costumes and underwhelming trailers served to ensure that my reputations were somewhat on the low side, a rarity when it comes to comic book adaptations.

The films opening half hour seemed to conform to my expectations, styling itself as a Lord of the Rings lite, with little of the charm or unique aesthetic qualities that have made Thor such a successful character over the decades. The Warriors Three and Sif are all there but their characterizations are hurried and unconvincing with the action sequences being competent and entertaining, but somehow still a little hollow. The world of Asgard is presented somewhat simplistically and I found myself struggling to engage with it.

Thankfully the film impresses a lot more when the setting is moved to Midgard - Earth to you and me. Hemsworth plays Thor in an admirably straight manner and the interplay between he and the human characters is both endearing and and funny, without the humor ever being piled on too thickly or seeming out of place. Thor's character development over his time on Earth is a little unconvincing but still comes across as credible enough, despite his romance-by-numbers with Natalie Portman's Jane Foster treading a fine line between irritating and preposterous. The predictable love affair between the two is bearable enough when it simmers in the background, but soon outstays its welcome after being thrust to centre stage at the films climax.

Thor purists may be annoyed at the large role that the S.H.I.E.L.D organisation play in the story, but I found them to be a welcome presence, helping to tie the film into the Avengers franchise without ever coming across as too forced. Clark Gregg continues to grow into his role as Agent Phil Coulson and manages to come across as oddly likable without ever exuding much in the way of charisma.

While the Frost Giants are fairly bland adversaries, Tom Hiddleston is pitch perfect as Thor's scheming brother Loki. He originally auditioned for the role of Thor but does an admirable job as his arch nemesis, and steals the show on more than one occasion. Hemsworth too impresses as the title character, a clearly revered presence, still imbuing him with the humanistic traits that make him such an interesting character.

Thor is ultimately a success, far more than I would have presumed. The characters and the world of Asgard are all introduced well enough for the most part, as well as the all important connection between Thor and the human world. The film is far more than set up for the forthcoming Avengers movie though, managing to entertain throughout thanks in no small part to strong, convincing performances from its leads. There are a few plot holes and inconsistencies, but all in all, Branagh has crafted a more than worthy addition to the Avengers franchise.

A-

DVD Review: Neverwhere

2011-03-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

Neverwhere (episodes 1-6), created by Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry

Starring: Gary Bakewell, Laura Fraser, Hywel Bennet, Clive Russel, Paterson Joseph.

A collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry seems, at first glance to be a sort of bizarre joke, much less a project that was actually made and screened on TV, before being adapted into both a book and a comic book series. Luckily for us, such a project does exist and was released on DVD six years ago.

I think it's fair to say that there is more evidence of the former's involvement than Lenny Henry's. Neverwhere feels totally like a Gaiman creation from the off, an oddly comforting sensation to one used to the British writers work. Be warned though - the plot is anything but comforting as everyman office worker Richard Mayhew (Bakewell) is transported to a mysterious world beneath London, bizarrely inhabited by living and breathing personifications of several famous tube stops. The plot hangs together fairly loosely, zipping along at a brisk pace without ever being particularly gripping or compelling. Bakewell is never anything less than thoroughly likeable as Richard Mayhew and serves a logical purpose as an entry point for the viewer into the weird and wacky world of Neverwhere. Sadly his co-star Laura Fraser is less impressive, putting in a very bland performance, with the pair lacking in any chemistry whatsoever. Other standouts are Paterson Joseph as the enigmatic Marquis de Carabas and Clive Russel as hilariously blunt Mr. Vandemar. The script is largely excellent and gives the star studded cast a lot to work with, Luckily for the most part they do - there are several laugh out loud lines over the six episodes. Some of the more emotional scenes fall a little flat but Bakewell copes very well with a chilling psychosis sequence.

Sadly the show is let down by absolutely shocking production values, the music and costumes are passable enough but everything else is fairly uninspired, from the cinematography to the props and sound effects. Put it this way - a lot of the time it makes Doctor Who look like Avatar.

Neverwhere is a long way from perfect - Neil Gaiman reportedly wrote the novelization due to a lack of creative control and I think at times it shows. Nevertheless, despite the shoddy special effects and dodgy plot, Neverwhere is actually a very watchable show, with its three hour running time passing very quickly for me. It is not a masterpiece, nor anywhere near Gaiman's best work but is definitely worth a watch (even if it's just for the novelty value of seeing Johnson from Peep Show in a wig)

Review: Uncanny X-Force #5

2011-03-20T02:52:00.000-07:00

Writer: Rick Remender

Artist: Esad Ribic

I have never bought an issue of X-Force before, nor do I have any real interest in the concept or the current X-Universe. However, when I saw Esad Ribic’s beautiful cover and noticed that he was also drawing interiors, I couldn’t resist picking up this issue. Rick Remender is a highly rated writer and I was curious to see if he could get me interested in at title that had previously been nowhere near my radar.

The plot focuses largely on Fantomex, shortly after his controversial murder of a baby carrying the soul of Apocalypse. I found the story to be fairly complex and difficult to understand but Fantomex is a cool character with a great design so I was fairly happy to see the issue centred around him. The rest of the team do show up in a brief four page scene but it didn’t really interest me at all. Remender has chosen a very bizarre mix of characters and I’m not convinced that the dynamic between them works particularly well at all. The conversation between them was interesting enough but I found the idea of Deadpool being the team’s moral compass quite unsettling, perhaps Remender’s intention?

The sequences with Fantomex work a lot better, with Remender doing a lot to endear him to the reader. While I thought that he was in interesting enough character when written by his creator, Grant Morrison, I never thought that he had much of a personality, something that Remender at least attempts to remedy here. His origin has always been slightly off the wall and bizarre but this something that Remender tries to play with rather than shying away from and it is generally well dealt with.

Of course the real selling point of this issue (for me at least) is Esad Ribic’s superb artwork. He, along with the rest of the art team can give themselves a pat on the back because this is one of the best drawn comic books I have read for a long time. Ribic’s pencils are beautiful, and his layouts superb while Matt Wilson’s colours bring a lot to the story, imbuing each scene with a totally different tone. This is one of the few comic books that I can honestly say I would buy for the art alone. The story isn’t bad and is very well competently told by Remender but in truth, is not particularly interesting. Remender does deserve plaudits for making Fantomex an interesting character though. Overall this issue was pretty much what I was expecting – confusing and occasionally difficult to follow but never less than beautifully drawn. There is definitely enough here to keep me on board for the next issue.

Retro Review: Web of Spider-Man #8-9

2011-03-06T03:09:00.000-08:00

Local Super Hero by Micheline / Isherwood

I wasn't expecting much when I sat down to read these two issues, in truth having only bought them because of #8's gorgeous cover. David Micheline is a widely respected Spider-Man writer but his work on Web of Spider-Man has been largely ignored by critics, with the title having gone down in the annals of history as the 'black sheep' of Spider-Man satellite titles, sorely lacking in both purpose and quality stories.

Thankfully, Local Super Hero really surprised me. The plot takes us to Smithsville, where titular hero the Smithsville Thunderbolt has been protecting the sleepy town for years after gaining superpowers from a mysterious meteor. Approaching retirement age he is struggling to deal with the fact that his powers are gradually fading away, but is forced into action one last time after another, less immediately heroic recipient of the meteors power comes to town looking for answers. Spider-Man's role in the story is fairly minor as he is called to the town by the Bugle to cover the Smithsville Thunderbolt. He takes part in the fight scenes and there is a minor subplot involving Peter and a bratty local reporter but it is fairly uninteresting and really only serves to pad out the page count.

The real selling point of the story is the Smithsville Thunderbolt, a thoroughly believable character who engages the reader right from the off. The idea of superheroes getting older and having to face retirement is one that is rarely played out in modern superhero comics and it is dealt with brilliantly here, as Micheline captures the sense of desperation in a man who has no idea how else to live his life. The character of the second Smithsville Thunderbolt also works well - he is the archetypal sympathetic villain, leaving the reader ever unsure of who to root for. Where the story is really made is in its ending - without wanting to give it away it is unpredictable, bittersweet and tugs at the heartstrings, leaving an impression long after the issue has been put down.

Geof Isherwood's artwork is very unremarkable but it does little to harm the story and actually suits the somewhat downbeat tone more than a lot of styles probably would. It never detracted from the plot and really that is what you want in a story of this nature.

In short, this was a very entertaining two-parter- not your typical superhero story.

A-

Retro Review: Captain America and the Falcon: Madbomb

2011-02-06T18:02:00.001-08:00

Captain America and the Falcon: Madbomb collects Captain America #193-200 by Jack Kirby

It is a sad fact that the late Jack Kirby will always be more well known for his (admittedly spectacular) artwork than his writing. Indeed, his runs as writer for Marvel on Captain America and the Black Panther will always be eclipsed by his career defining work pencilling Stan Lee's seminal run on Fantastic Four. With that in mind I was unsure of what to expect from his Captain America work but this storyline happily does little to dispel Kirby's status as one of the comic book worlds most iconic figures.

Kirby's plotting itself is fairly unremarkable, while the story works well enough it is often overly complex, with some fairly sloppy pacing. A whole issue is devoted to an unnecessary and forgettable love interest, while the final confrontation between Cap and the arc's villain seems oddly abrupt and inconsequential. Despite these issues, this graphic novel was a great read. What the plot lacks in ingenuity it more than makes up for in heart. Kirby's great strength as a writer is in the weaving of real-world social issues into his plots without ever coming across as heavy handed or preachy, and this is something that definitely comes to the fore in this collection. Madbomb is much more than men wearing silly outfits hitting each other and is a much stronger read as a consequence, with some genuinely though provoking dialogue.

Of course it is impossible to review any Kirby-penned title without mentioning its artwork. Although Kirby's style is slightly dated it has aged remarkably well. His artwork is vibrant, dynamic and brilliantly detailed, aided by Janice Cohen's brilliantly vibrant colours. Kirby's fight sequences are outstanding as well, very well choreographed and packing a real punch. It is plain to see from his work here how he has come to be known as one of the finest comic book artists of all time.

While this story is hardly doing anything groundbreaking, it is an excellent example of Kirby's oft-ignored talent as a writer. The plot isn't perfect and the dialogue is sometimes cheesy but where this story really shines is in its refusal to shy away from difficult social issues, something that gives the story a somewhat timeless feel. Madbomb is a little known but heavily underrated story, by a man whose writing talents have sadly received little of the acclaim that they undoubtedly deserve. A very good read.

A-

Tpb Review: Astonishing X-Men Volume 1

2011-01-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

Astonishing X-Men: Volume 1 collects Astonishing X-Men #1-6 by Whedon / Cassady

The X-Men is a brilliant concept, yet one that is very easy to get wrong. Boiled down to its core concept though, and with the right combination of characters the X-Men arguably have a greater potential for good stories than any other group of comic book characters out there. For me Joss Whedon and John Cassady's debut arc on Astonishing X-Men is a superb example of this. Even in the absence of series mainstay professor Xavier, Whedon hits all the right notes for a classic X-Men story. Gifted is a tightly plotted, quick witted blend of high octane superheroics and thought provoking moral questions, inviting the reader to think as well as marvel at the action unfolding before them.

The arcs core concept, that of a cure for the mutant gene, is not exactly an innovative one but is dealt with in a sensitive and intelligent way by Whedon. By the end of the arc it becomes clear that this isn't even the focus of the arc, more a backdrop behind which the main bulk of the plot can take place. Ord is a good villain - again, not exactly innovative but a good deadpan foil for the rest of the characters.

Whedon chose his team very well, and they have a great dynamic. He also seems to have a great handle on all the characters. As well as appreciating past classics he shows a willingness to build on established characterisation - while Kitty Pryde has been shown as a mature young woman in previous stories it is great to see her being treated as a respected heroine here. Whedon's dialogue is also superb, smart, witty and never clichéd. Many cite Brian Michael Bendis as the man who revolutionised comic book dialogue - while I have the utmost respect for Bendis' work I think he has been trumped here.

John Cassady is a fantastic and often unappreciated artist. His work here is no exception. Wolverine looks ferocious, Beast looks larger than life and well...beastly - in short, all the characters look the way they should do. Cassady's action scenes are as kinetic as his conversations are heartfelt. Wonderful work, and it never looks rushed at all.

I don't like awarding things perfect scores on principle, but I really can't think of a way that this story would lose marks. Whedon clearly understands the characters and is a talented storyteller to boot. The plot may not be the most innovative, and the villains may not be that compelling but when a story is this gripping, exciting and thoughtful in equal measure I can live without those things. Spectacular work from all concerned.

A+

Joshoncomics Review of 2010

2010-12-29T02:11:00.000-08:00

2010 has been a mixed year for me on a personal level, with several high points and sadly some low points as well. That said, it gives me great pleasure to see this post bring me to 20 for the year - equalling my output for 2009 despite a period of shocking and inexcusable inactivity in the Summer. It has been, in all honesty a below par year for comics. Sales are down to near unheard of levels and my pull list has been mercilessly shorn. Despite this there is much to celebrate, as in my mind Marvel's Heroic Age has been a quiet success, ushering in an end to the event driven storytelling of recent years. Hopefully next year will be a great, and improved year for comics with increased sales and more great stories! But for now, let's focus on the best of 2010. Happy reading, happy new year and a million thankyous to anyone who has spent even a moment reading my inane ramblings this year!

Best Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

While Bendis has been one of the most lauded figures in modern day comic books, he is also heavily criticised, with online fandom taking issue with his decompressed style of writing and distinctive patterns of dialogue. Thankfully, given his rather prolific output I am not one of those critics. While his relaunched Avengers title has faltered, both New Avengers and Ultimate Spider-Man have been firing on all cylinders. Bendis deserves this award for consistently delivering quality, despite a workload that would reduce many other writers to tears.

Best Artist: Pasqual Ferry

The jury is still out on Matt Fraction's hotly anticipated Thor series, yet its biggest success in my eyes has been Pasqual Ferry's distinctive artwork. I am not art critic but Ferry's work on the title has enlivened Fraction's occasionally pedestrian scripts, making Thor one of 2010's most readable titles.

Best Series: Avengers Academy

Christos Gage is a writer that few would have been familiar with just a few years ago but in the last 12 months he has risen to the top of my list of up and coming Marvel writers. In his acclaimed, if not hotly anticipated run on Avengers Academy Gage has mixed deft characterisation with classic superheroics, to brilliant effect.

Best Single Issue: Ultimate Avengers 2 #2

Mark Millar's return to the Ultimates characters that he made famous has sadly not fully lived up to its potential, despite being an entertaining enough blockbuster action romp. The undoubted highlight in my mind was the second issue of the second volume of his Ultimate Avengers series. In the space of 22 pages Millar introduces a compelling and multi-layered new character, as well as finding space the hard hitting fight scenes that made him famous. Add Leinil Francis Yu to the mix, back to his best after a lacklustre showing on Secret Invasion and you have my favourite single issue of the year.

Biggest Disappointment: Avengers

While he was my favourite writer of the year, this title's inclusion shows that Brian Michael Bendis is in no way exempt from criticism. Avengers promised much, especially after a stellar opening issue, but delivered little. Its opening arc was something of a confusing mess, although a promising latest issue suggests that the title could be in for a much improved 2011!

Best Film: Shutter Island

For someone who quite simply did not understand Inception, Shutter Island stands as a memorable highlight in a solid year for film. Martin Scorsese's psychological thriller melded a star studded cast and a bafflingly brilliant storyline, to create one of the most thought provoking films of the year, with probably my favourite twist ending of all time (Yes, I didn't see it coming).

Best TV Series: The Trip

I was sorely tempted to give LOST, my personal favourite television series of all time, this award, but the fact is that sixth season was slightly below par, and was largely saved by an outstanding conclusion. With that in mind, my favourite television series of the year goes to a show that probably won't be widely known outside the UK - The Trip, starring British actors/comedians Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan. Boasting a confusing premise, the Trip's strength lies not in its comedy but its honesty, with Brydon and Coogans often inane conversations standing apart from anything else on modern television. Infused with an unexpected bleakness, The Trip is a rare breed - a completely unique modern televison program. Highly recommended.

Song of the year: O Children - Ruins

Album of the Year: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Well that brings us to a close, and concludes my postings this year. While I still have your attention I implore you to listen to the above songs - they really are excellent! Thanks to everyone once again for reading, if you disagree (or agree) with any of my choices then by all means contact me - the links are in the top left of the page. Happy new year readers! Josh out!

How Did Writer's Tackle the Spider-Marriage?

2010-12-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

One of the major bones of contention among Spider-Man fandom in recent years has been the character's marriage - or lack thereof. Joe Quesada's hugely controversial decision to terminate Peter and Mary-Janes wedding in the widely panned One More Day storyline has literally split the webslinger's fanbase through the middle. Whether you loved it, hated it or are somewhere inbetween it is a definite fact that several writers disliked the marriage, and found it difficult to write stories with a married Spider-Man. However - arguably just as many writers thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of writing a married Spider-Man and thrived under the constraints that the marriage provided. In this article I intend to look at a few of the more notable writers who dealt with a married Spider-Man, looking at who was successful and who was...less than successful.

David Micheline:

David Micheline was the first writer to regularly tackle the Spider-Marriage in the flagship title, Amazing Spider-Man. Micheline also wrote the landmark storyline running through ASM #290-292 where Peter finally pops the question (successfully). In my opinion, a lot of the strongest aspects of Peter and Mary Jane's marriage originated in Micheline's portrayal of their relationship. Micheline writes Mary-Jane as a woman who in Peter has finally found someone that she can trust - enabling to grow out of being the girl who always ran away from her problems. MJ's acceptance of Peter's double life is a testament to her growth of character, and many forget that is Micheline who is largely responsible for this growth. Of course Micheline's portrayal of the relationship is not without fault - I felt that he often idealized their relationship. Although it was initially appropriate as Peter and MJ were still in the 'honeymoon period' I felt it wore a little thin as his run progressed. Nonetheless, in my mind Micheline still stands as one of the foremost architects of Spider-Man's massively popular marriage.

Tom Defalco:

Although Tom Defalco's record writing the marriage in mainstream continuity is unremarkable at best, he definitely deserves plaudits for his superb alternate reality take on it in his recently cancelled Spider-Girl series. Although Defalco's portrayal of Peter and Mary-Jane's marriage is undoubtedly changed due to its status in the characters future, it is an undeniably fascinating look at how the make up of their relationship is fundamentally altered by the presence of a child and the absence of Peter's dual identity. Defalco writes a hugely convincing Peter as a father, and his portrayal of Mary-Jane is bang on as well - with her rebellious streak often coming to the fore during disagreements about their daughters superheroics. While at its core, Spider-Girl is a series about the daughter of Spider-Man, it could be argued that it is just as much about Spider-Man's family.

J.M Dematteis

Probably the man responsible for my favourite marriage related stories, J.M Dematteis is distinguished as man responsible for not one, but two of the most underrated runs in Spider-Man's history. What is even more remarkable is that his, and arguably the best ever story about the marriage actually takes place outside both of these runs, in a stand alone arc running through all four Spider-Man titles shortly after the wedding entitled Kraven's Last Hunt. Dematteis' blend of psychological and light hearted stories lent itself well to Peter and Mary-Janes characters, as Dematteis proved himself to be adept at writing both the serious and more jokey sides of their relationship. I also really liked the way, particularly in his second run on Spectacular Spider-Man that Mary-Jane was shown to be an active participant in Peter's in costume adventures, such as when she knocked out the Chameleon and helped Peter design several new costumed identities during the Identity Crisis storyline.

Howard Mackie

There are several writers who wrote Peter and Mary-Janes relationship poorly, but few failed as spectacularly as Howard Mackie in his post-reboot run on both the Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man. To be fair to Mackie, he has publically admitted several times that he was burnt out on the character during this period, and some of the blame must lie at Marvel's door for putting him on both titles. Nonetheless, I am of the opinion that this roughly 25 issue period did more to damage public opinion of the Spider-Marriage than any other period in its history. Peter and Mary-Jane both behaved bizarrely during this period, repeatedly reminding readers of how young they were during their all too frequent squabbles. Mary-Jane's supposed 'death' was pretty much caused by her ridiculous refusal to tell her husband about the stalker making her life hell. To add insult to injury, after Mary-Jane finally returned Mackie promptly wrote her out of the series in a diabolically bad annual where Peter relentlessly hounded her for sex. As I said, Mackie is not entirely to blame here but this was very bad stuff.

J. Michael Straczynski

In all honesty I am only including JMS as he is probably one of the most acclaimed writers of the marriage in its history. While I enjoyed his run and felt that Peter and MJ's relationship was one of its strongest aspects I just didn't find it as compelling as under previous writers, possibly due to the fact that I thought that the quality of his stories gradually decreased when Mary-Jane returned to the series. That said, I think that Sins Past is one of the strongest examples of the marriage in recent history - while it was a hugely controversial story I don't think that his portrayal of Peter and Mary-Jane's relationship during it can be faulted.

Honourable mention must go to Matt Fraction, for his superb portrayal of the marriage during the critically acclaimed Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1. While I didn't think that it would be appropriate to include him based on one story I strongly recommend that anyone interested in the marriage check it out. I would also recommend the excellent J.R Fettinger's series of essays on their relationship entitled Why did it have to be you Mary-Jane? The articles can be found over at http://www.spideykicksbutt.com/SKBTableofContents.html

That just about wraps things up - I hope you've enjoyed my brief rundown, if you think I have missed any writers out or disagree with any of my opinions please feel to free to comment or contact me by via email. Thanks a lot for your time, I hope all my readers have a very merry christmas!

Spider-Girl # 1 Review

2010-12-18T05:30:00.000-08:00

Spider-Girl #1 by Tobin / Henry

The launch of Paul Tobin’s new Spider-Girl series has been more controversial than it really has any right to be. The fanatical following of Tom Defalco’s recently cancelled previous Spider-Girl series have sworn off the title in droves, seeing Anya Corazon as a pretender to Mayday Parker’s Spider-Girl throne. While I was a fan of Defalco’s Spider-Girl I thought that it had run out of steam in recent times. Given its poor sales I can understand Marvel’s decision to cancel it and hand the title over to a new character (albeit one that has been around for a few years in a different guise).

Tobin’s debut issue is a strong start, introducing readers to an engaging heroine with a well worked, if limited supporting cast. Anya’s relationship with her father is very well written and a welcome tonic to the fraught parental relationships often evident among young characters. The family’s links to the Fantastic Four are well worked as well, without seeming forced – it is great to see Sue Storm in an off duty capacity and Tobin writes the character very well.

Oddly for a new series, this issue is fairly light on superheroics and it is in the out of costume scenes where the story really shines. The story does start off with a fun bout between Spider-Girl and Screwball, an underused villain with a cool concept who I always like seeing. It bothered me that she was so easily beaten though – Screwball is a character who has often given Spider-Man trouble in the past so I found a bit odd that a teenage girl with no actual superpowers was able to take her out in the space of a few pages. Spider-Girl’s status as a non-superpowered heroine was one that while well explained, seems a bit of a stretch to me. The recap page helpfully explains that she has received training from other heroes but I found it a bit puzzling that she seems to find crimefighting as easy as she does. I’m hoping that this is something that is expanded on in coming issues.

The cliffhanger ending featuring the Red Hulk came way out of left field for me. While it is good that Spider-Girl will be tying into the wider Marvel Universe, I would probably rather that she was more attached to Spider-Man’s world. Red Hulk is never a character that I have found particularly interesting and he has appeared in two Marvel books that I pick up in this month alone – this seems a little like overkill for me, particularly for a character who appears regularly in the Hulk stable of books.

Clayton Henry’s artwork is solid and serviceable without ever being spectacular. While I admire his clarity and good grasp of anatomy I tend to prefer more stylised artwork, with his work in this issue appearing a little bland for my tastes. He still does a good job though and I am more than happy with him on the title.

The issue also includes a short back up, also written by Paul Tobin with art by Dean Haspiel. It was nothing groundbreaking but was a fun little story, providing some much needed backstory on the Corazon’s relationship with the Fantastic Four. The artwork was very easy on the eye and I would not mind at all were it to become a regular feature. Anya and her father’s relationship with the FF is a very interesting element of the series and one that is ripe for exploration in future issues.

This is an issue that will probably not blow anyone’s socks off, but it worked very well for me as an introduction to the new Spider-Girl and her world. Anya is a very appealing and unique character and hopefully Tobin can build on this strong, if unspectacular start.

Tpb Review: Batman - Gothic

2010-12-13T03:36:00.000-08:00

Batman: Gothic, collecting Legends of the Dark Knight #6-10 by Morrison / Janson

My forays into the mainstream DC universe are rare at best, but after one of my class teachers last week encouraged me to 'read some Batman comics' in preparation for this weeks seminar, I thought it would be rude not to. In addition to being one of modern day comic books most critically acclaimed figures, Grant Morrison is the current writer of Batman inc. and has recently completed a hugely commercially successful run on Batman and Robin. Batman: Gothic is one of the Scottish writers earlier attempts at writing the character, taking place in the anthology series Legends of the Dark Knight.

The plot takes a more supernatural angle on Batman and his world than is often seen, with the Dark Knight dealing with a series of murders in Gotham City, which may or may not be linked with a mysterious figure from the past. I found the plot fairly unremarkable. The additions to Batman's backstory were solid and made sense, but it feels like every time I read a Batman comic book or watch a Batman film his childhood is dredged up in some way. This is probably a more modern day trend and so may not have applied as much when Morrison was writing this story, but I found it a fairly tired element of the arc that didn't really add much. The villain was pretty generic as well, with no discernible motivations beyond 'being eeeeevil'. One of the strongest aspects of Batman's universe is his wealth of cool villains, this might have been a more effective story had Morrison used an already established foe, or even one with a little more depth.

The tone of the story was spot on for me though, and was one of the arc's strongest features. While Batman stories do not traditionally deal with supernatural themes, they seemed to fit in very well here with his universe. Batman has the potential to be a very dark character, and this is something that Morrison was not afraid to explore here with some very 'mature' subject matter and imagery. He also has a great handle on the character of Bruce Wayne, in particular his relationship with his butler Alfred- who stole every scene that he appeared in. With Batman himself being such a compelling character it is often easy to ignore his civilian alter-ego, a pitfall that Morrison thankfully avoided.

Janson's art was serviceable and fit with the tone of the story but is ultimately not really to my taste. Janson is a great inker, but his pencilling work often looks rough with some questionable anatomy. Thankfully this fits with the tone of the story so it wasn't too jarring.

Despite having a few flaws, Batman: Gothic was an enjoyable enough read. Morrison clearly has a great handle on Batman and his world and I'm not surprised that he has gone on to great success with the character.

B-

Are Digital Comics the Future? Part Two

2010-12-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

So what are Digital Comics, and why do I think that they have the potential to save the comic book industry?

Webcomics have been around in various forms since the 1980's, with varying degrees of success. Marvel and DC's forays into the world of cybercomics have been mixed at best with both publishers seeming hesitant towards the idea. Marvel experimented with Cybercomics - that is original flash animated online comic strips - from 1996-2000, before the companies financial worries saw the idea abandoned. Most comic book fans have an aversion to the idea of digital comics and I have generally shared that attitude, never being able to imagine reading a comic book on a computer screen. Sure I have done it before and it hasn't been too bad, but to me nothing can replace the feeling of holding the comic itself in your hands.

So why do I think that digital comics could save the industry when I'm barely even interested in them myself? The sad answer is that people like me (and probably you) are not who comic book companies need to be targeting. Like it or not, the world of comic books needs fresh blood. The industry has been shedding readers for decades and the trend has to stop somewhere if it is to stay alive.

Digital comics tick all the right boxes for me, in particular for users of the ipad; The comixology app features over 2,000 comics from 40 publishers, including the 'Holy Trinity' of Marvel, DC and Image. The devices slick interface allows for a truly ingenious reading experience, that potentially rivals the act of reading a comic book itself! Crucially the app also features 160 free comics. For me this is exactly what is needed for new readers, perhaps brought in by the myriad films and television series' based on comic books. Marvel and DC's digital download service also offer a similar feature, and with the sad social stigma around comic books, a free sample might be necessary to encourage many to take the plunge and give them a try. The fact is that comic books are not impulse buys anymore - to get hold of them you need to find a specialist shop and pay often in excess of £3 for a single issue.Digital comics allow potential customers to browse from the comfort of their own home, with affordable costs of around the £1-1.150 mark for a single issue.

If it sounds like I'm advertising digital comics that's because...I am. If you know anyone who is vaguely interested in super heroes or any of the various comic book adaptations on TV or cinema screens, chances are they will at least be curious about the possibility of seeing these characters in their 'original' forms. With free samples on offer there really is no excuse for them not to at least check out a couple of digital comics. Who knows, they could become a new comic book reader?

There is still some work to do, but if the major comic book companies can tap into digital comics in the right way they could bring in countless new costumers. Used in conjunction with the vast array of blockbuster comic book movies comics could finally become socially acceptable. It seems unlikely, even to an optimist like myself. But we can dream right?

Are Digital Comics the Future? Part One

2010-11-24T07:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not going to mince my words here - Comic books, or at least printed comic books are dying. Sales of single issues are dropping at an unprecedented level and show no signs of slowing down while the 'writing for the trade' mentality adopted by many writers means that 'floppies' (single comic books for the uninitiated) are rapidly decreasing in importance, being replaced by their harder backed cousins. Something needs to be done of course; Sales of collected editions are more closely guarded than single issues but it has to be assumed that they are not faring much better, despite being a lot more trendy and accessible. So what is the answer? Can anything save modern comic books from the malaise that they are currently steeped in?

Two words - Digital. Comics. Yes that's right, Digital Comics. I will admit that I have viewed Digital Comics with the same level as scepticism as most other comic book fans, remaining unconvinced that reading a comic on a screen can accurately replicate the comic book reading experience cherished by many (myself included). However, the sad truth is that aiming comic books at die hard comic readers is perhaps no longer enough. There clearly aren't enough, in the Direct Market at least, to attain the sales that the major comic book companies quite clearly crave. The answer is to preach to the uninitiated. Marvel and DC in particular, in the form of the successful film adaptations based on their characters, have the perfect point of entry for new readers. As of yet however, this has not been taken advantage of as much as it could have been.

For me, the main problems with attracting new readers to comic books seem to be twofold; Price and accessibility. Paying $3.99 or £3.00 for 22 pages of content is clearly not something that many comic-novices would choose to do, particularly given that many people choose not to pay at all for films, television or music, choosing instead to illegally download. The problem is exacerbated when you consider that legally downloading also seems a much more attractive proposition than walking into a shop and buying a few comics. A quick browse of the iTunes store reveals that for the price of one 22 page comic book from my local comic shop (roughly 5-10 minutes of entertainment) you can buy one episode of popular TV series House (roughly 45 minutes of entertainment) with around 50p to spare. Clearly something does not compute.

So what exactly are Digital Comics, and can they save the comic book industry? Find out next time on Josh On Comics! (Too cheesy? I think so...)

Retro Review: Thunderbolts #18

2010-10-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Thunderbolts (volume 1) #18 by Busiek / Bagley

Despite loving the concept and generally enjoying the modern day iterations of the series, it has taken me an insultingly long time to check out the series that started it all. Fondly remembered by most, I was lucky enough to find a handful of issues in a 50p bin at my local comic shop recently, this issue being one of my favourites.

Did it meet my lofty expectations? In short - pretty much yes. Kurt Busiek is a master of characterisation and that is where this issue, and indeed the series as a whole shines. Previously bland characters such as Goliath and the Beetle are given believable motivations and are made to be impressively likeable characters. Goliath (now calling himself Atlas) is characterised very believably given the characters history. Each character has a clear and well defined role in the team and a realistic reason for being there, something pleasing to see in the current age of teams being seemingly randomly thrown together.

Busiek manages to fit a lot of plot into the issue along with the character development, it is all fairly standard stuff but enjoyable enough. The status quo (or lack thereof) of the team is very refreshing. While the idea of the heroes being mistaken for villains has been around since the 1960s (Spider-Man the X-Men) the fact that the Thunderbolts were initially genuine villains (with many still unsure of where their loyalties lie) is a superb twist on a fairly tired idea. Jolt's presence as the teams moral compass is also an inspired move on Busiek's part.

That said, the story isn't perfect. Busiek's dialogue is not his strong point and his love for silver age comics is clear from his portrayal of the stories villains, who primarily come in the form of cackling ciphers. The Masters of Evil are still fun enough villains though and Busiek crafts a good fight sequence that stands as a good contrast to the stories quiet beginning.

Mark Bagley is on solid form, despite not quite matching the heights of his work on Spider-Man. His storytelling is solid and he is predictably adept at fight sequences. I think he works better on solo rather than team books but there are still few that I would rather have had drawing this issue.

Overall, on the strength of this issue The Thunderbolts probably deserves its reputation. A genuinely original concept, coupled with a solid plot and excellent characterisation. Not even some slightly iffy dialogue and hackneyed villains can drag this issue down. Recommended.

A-

Tpb Review: Scott Pilgrim - Precious Little Life

2010-08-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Scott Pilgrim volume 1: Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley

It was with some trepidation that I sat down to read Bryan Lee O'Malley's critically acclaimed (and soon to be captured on film) series Scott Pilgrim. Over the last year it has become a series that I have heard and read so much praise for that I was afraid it might be difficult to look at it in an objective way. In addition to this, at first glance the books artwork looked...not to my tastes. I have the utmost respect for Manga but it is really not my sort of thing and at first glance I casually dismissed O'Malley's artwork as 'too manga', possibly in part due to the lack of colour. Thankfully a glowing recommendation from a member of staff at my LCS was all that was needed for me to take the plunge and give volume 1 a try.

While not exactly Manga, Scott Pilgrim is far from your typical comic book. Despite my initial dislike for it, O'Malley's artwork really grew on me over the course of the book. What his art lacks in detail it more than makes up for in kinetic, off the wall energy. O'Malley's often unconventional storytelling choices also suit the quirky tone of the book. Don't get me wrong, it isn't the sort of thing I would usually go for but in this instance is a perfect fit for the story.

Ah...the story. Even for a comic book the plot of Scott Pilgrim is often utterly ridiculous, yet still manages to be more rooted in the real world than most. The titular character of Scott Pilgrim is an average Canadian guy, currently between jobs whose main passion is playing in his (terrible) band. The story picks up as a year on from a seemingly painful breakup, the 23 year old Pilgrim acquiries a high school girlfriend before becoming obsessed with the enigmatic delivery girl Ramona Flowers. Pilgrim learns that to date Flowers he has to defeat her seven 'evil exes' in combat. Despite the bizarre premise O'Malley manages to make it work, mainly through his excellent dialogue and likeable, realistic characters. This runs as a sharp contrast to the ridiculous and brilliantly over the top fight scenes, where his dynamic artwork is allowed to really shine.

It's not perfect - at times the plot seems a little aimless and I have a feeling that there is a lot more to come from forthcoming volumes. Despite this O'Malley does a fantastic job of introducing the reader to Scott Pilgrim's crazy world and the characters that inhabit it. A nice surprise.

B+

Wolverine and the X-Men: Episode One Review

2010-06-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Despite being a fan of Marvel Animation, Wolverine and the X-Men was never a series that I had much interest in. Perhaps this is due to my recent lack of recent interest in the X-Men franchise, perhaps it's more to do with Wolverine's prominent placement in the series title. Either way, up until earlier this evening I had made very little effort to watch the show. This all changed when I noticed a DVD containing the first six episodes on sale for £2 (for my American readers, I'm not sure how much this is in $ - probably not a lot). At such a knockdown price I could hardly turn it down and settled down about half an hour ago to watch the first episode.

And I was pleasantly surprised. The core plot of the episode is nothing to write home about and variants of it have been seen elsewhere in subtly different forms. Despite this however the series promises a lot so far, with various subplots and mysteries introduced already. Both the animation and artwork shine, with a delicate balance being struck between overly complex and too simple and some really fluid, realistic movement on show. While not many of the X-Men made extended appearances the designs looked generally solid as well.

One thing that annoyed me a little, and justified my fears about the series name, was the prominent role that Wolverine played in the episode. While Wolverine is a good character he has been horrendously overexposed at times, most notably (and annoyingly) in the X-Men films, which may as well have shared a title with this series. While a lot of his characterisation in this episode is good it is ground that has been covered before. I appreciate that this show is aimed at the younger viewer who may not have been exposed to the comics but this was something that harmed the episode for me. Despite this, once Beast was introduced the episode improved a lot. The voice actors nailed both the characters and they played off each other very well. Here's hoping that the chemistry between the rest of the team will be as good.

Perhaps this episode was helped slightly by my low expectations, but nevertheless I found it a very enjoyable start, one which certainly whetted my appetite for more. Very much recommended to fans of the X-Men or just Marvel Animation in general.

A-

Retro Review: Spider-Man: Redemption

2010-05-29T03:17:00.000-07:00

Spider-Man: Redemption #1-4 by Dematteis / Zeck

The brief 90's period where Ben Reilly stood in for Peter Parker as Spider-Man is not one fondly remembered by fans and critics alike. Ben's status as the 'real' Peter Parker was seen as a slap in the face by many of the wall crawlers longtime followers and it could be argued that as a result he was never given a fair chance to shine as Spider-Man. Despite his generally lukewarm reception there are two Spider-Man stories that are generally cited as hidden gems from his brief run wearing the webs, both written by experienced Spider-Scribe J.M Dematteis. The first of which, titled The Lost Years told an untold story of Ben's time on the road and was a huge success. As a big fan of the story I was very much looking forward to reading Dematteis' follow up mini-series, Spider-Man: Redemption.

Set in the present (at the time) day, Redemption deals with the return of Ben's ex-lover Janine. Despite leading an initially blissful existence the pairs happiness together is shattered by the return of arch-nemesis Kaine and his final plan to end both his and Ben's lives.

It's kinda sad to say it but I really wanted to enjoy Redemption more than I did. The Lost Years was a great story, and while its follow up isn't bad at all, it fails to reach the heights of its predecessor. Part of the problem is the art. Mike Zeck is a very capable artist, as can be seen from his excellent work on Dematteis' critically acclaimed Kraven's Last Hunt. However, his art here fails to capture the brutal, gritty tone of the story as well as John Romita Jr's did in the The Lost Years. While Zeck's linework is as solid as ever the colours appeared far too pale and washed out for me.

The strength of the story, as is typical with Dematteis is in its characterisation. Dematteis clearly has a great love for and understanding of the characters of Ben, Janine and Kaine and portrays them all realistically, capturing the complexities of their characters. Janine in particular is really allowed to shine here and it's a real shame that she will probably never be seen again. Dematteis is infamous for the psychological nature of his stories and this is no exception. While his style can appear overdone and unnecessary at times it is the perfect fit for Redemption.

Sadly the plot fails to match the depth of characterisation on show, often hinging on overly contrived and unbelievable elements. While Kaine is a good villain and is used effectively in the story his plans seemed very unconvincing and poorly defined at times. Also, while it isn't Dematteis' fault, the story now appears depressingly inconsequential. Ben's vow to watch over Janine at the stories conclusion seems somewhat hollow as he died shortly after and Janine has never even been mentioned since. This obviously has nothing to do with Dematteis but really harms the stories conclusion.

Sadly Dematteis' story is ultimately harmed by it's lack of impact. All three of the main characters disappeared from the Spider-Man universe shortly after this story and thus the emotional growth in this story seems almost redundant. Dematteis' characteristic strong emotional depth manages to rescue a weak and unconvincing plot, but this is ultimately a dissapointing sequel to a superb story.

C+

I can't wrap up my review without congratulating Dematteis for sneaking in the most blatant sexual innuendo I have ever seen in a comic book. If this was unintentional then it is certainly a hilarious coincidence. If you missed then I'll give you a clue...it's in one of the flashback sequences.

Review: Sentry - Fallen Sun

2010-05-18T03:05:00.000-07:00

Sentry: Fallen Sun by Jenkins / Raney

WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Siege #4

The Sentry is a strange character. Debuting in a critically acclaimed mini-series by Paul Jenkins, the general consensus seems to be that he should have been left well alone after that, and that Brian Michael Bendis' inclusion of him in his New Avengers team was a horrible mistake. I tend to disagree with this, his joining Bendis' team was an interesting move which led to some good stories (Jenkins' second Sentry series to name but one), the mistake was the cack handed handling of his origin. For roughly a three year period Marvel rammed SHOCKING new Sentry origins and powers down our throats until a once interesting, well defined character became a confusing mess. His death in Siege #4 seemed like a mercy killing if anything.

Luckily Paul Jenkins is the one man who has been able to write the Sentry consistently well, and he doesn't disappoint with this issue. Jenkins' strength has always been poignant, character driven issues, both descriptions that fit Fallen Sun perfectly. As in the original Sentry mini-series, Jenkins makes a convincing case for the Sentry's existence in the Marvel Universe, with the various heroes heartfelt tributes to him. Jenkins' characterisation's are consistently spot on, with his Tony Stark being particularly impressive. It was also a welcome surprise to see Sentry's sidekick Scout and his 'Watchdog'. This issues strengths mainly come from its ignoring of the more convoluted aspects of the character - Jenkins keeps it simple and it really works.There are minor complaints - it would have been nice to see the Hulk in some capacity and Rogue's revelations regarding her relationship with Sentry come slightly out of left-field but these are easily ignored.

Tom Raney's pencils are suitably understated - they didn't blow me away but what he had to do he did excellently, capturing the character's emotions well. I really liked his renditions of the heroes in street clothes with his Doctor Strange in particular being recognisable enough while still looking inappropriately dressed.

Silly name aside, this was a heartfelt, touching one-shot with a suitable tone - that said, if you aren't a fan of the Sentry stay well away from this, as it will most likely only fuel your hatred.

A-

News...Yes that's right, news!

2010-05-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

We interrupt your regularly scheduled blog to bring you some exciting news about Josh On Comics. I was recently asked to write reviews for popular comic book website True Believer Reviews. I will be reviewing the Avengers titles there, with my first review being Dark Avengers #16 followed by Avengers #1 this week. The webmaster Otomo is a great guy so go check it out if you like reading comic reviews, interviews or features! There's a link in the bottom right corner of this very page!

Also, for anyone who wants to keep up with my various comic book related projects or just my general thoughts, I recently caved and got a Twitter account. Search for joshoncomics and follow me to keep updated and informed about all the latest comic book reviews from me.

Thanks for your time guys!

Not-Quite-Retro Review: Daredevil - Golden Age

2010-05-14T01:58:00.000-07:00

Daredevil (volume 2) #66-70 by Bendis / Maleev

I turn to the not yet distant past for my latest review, and one of the darker, more obscure corners of Brian Michael Bendis' critically acclaimed run on Daredevil.

Golden Age is an intriguingly paced look back at the man who was Kingpin before Wilson Fisk and what happens on his release from prison after decades behind bars.

The first thing I noticed about Golden Age was the art. Alex Maleev's work is beautiful, realistic and richly coloured by Dave Stewart. Maleev's work manages to be moody without being overly dark or grimy, a mistake made by many of his contemparies. He also switches effectively between the differing time periods, altering his artwork without it being jarring and creating a strong, consistent tone.

Thankfully Bendis is able to craft a story to match the sublime artwork. His dialogue is, as usual, smart and witty throughout, managing to fit the earlier time periods without being too cheesy. His characterisation is spot on as well. Matt Murdoch is a grim, isolated protagonist, obviously affected by the traumatic events of his recent past (recapped well for those who haven't read the stories) while Bendis effectively builds up a new villain in Alexander Bont over the course of the five issue arc. Bont's anger and bitterness are conveyed superbly well through Bendis' writing and Maleev's cinematic pencils as the reader is treated to a widescreen look at his rise, fall and return.

It could be argued that Bendis' epic falls down slightly in its final act and although I agree that it was a slight anticlimax, it was definitely in keeping with the tone of the rest of the story. One area that the story does dissapoint in is the gratuitious appearances of one of Bendis' slightly less successful 'pet' characters, in this case an ill-fated reworking of obscure 1970's superhero The White Tiger. The character is interesting enough in her civillian guise in the opening chapters but only serves to get in the way of the central plot after her flirting with heroism begins.

Nevertheless, despite having read very little of Bendis' run before this story I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. This generation spanning epic is the perfect fit for Bendis and Maleev's cinematic style.

A-

Dark Reign: My Verdict

2010-05-12T05:08:00.001-07:00

Before I embark upon this revision dodging Blog, let me first make it clear that I am in no way 'against' Marvel. I am about as close to a 'Marvel Zombie' as it gets and have loved a lot of what has come out of the company over the last few years (Civil War included).

Dark Reign was a great idea. Letting the villains 'win' is an often underused plot, particularly in the Marvel Universe. While it has been done before (Kurt Busieks' excellent Kang Dynasty story arc among others) this is the first time it has been truly attempted on a company wide scale, with the vast majority of Marvel's books tying into the central story. Did it work? In my opinion, not really...

The story started off brilliantly. Norman Osborn was a great choice of villain and it seemed fresh and interesting to see him in a position of such great power. The cabal were also great fun. I wasn't around for the 90's Acts of Vengeance crossover so I loved seeing some of Marvel's most well known villains (and the Hood) interacting with each other. The group had a great dynamic with the charismatic duo of Doom and Loki often upstaging Osborn.

The tie-ins were generally excellent as well. The Thunderbolts in particular worked very well in their new niche as Osborn's black ops squad. The Dark Avengers were also great as a grittier, modern day reworking of the original Thunderbolts concept and for me marks a high point in Bendis' modern day writings. It was cool seeing a total reversal in Tony Stark's fortunes in Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man as well. And as I detailed in an earlier post Dan Slott's Mighty Avengers served as an excellent tonic to the moodiness of the rest of the Marvel Universe, while still tying loosely into Dark Reign.

So where did it go wrong? For me, Dark Reign was almost doomed from the start. Even in the early months as Osborn's fragile sanity began to collapse it became clear that it was a case of when, not if he would be deposed. Osborn was ultimately an unconvincing figurehead for the cabal. There were some hints that Doom would take over but they came to nothing and he now appears to have been shunted off into his own corner of the Marvel Universe in Doomwar. The inevitability of Osborn's collapse robbed the story of much needed feelings of hopeless and dread.

The tie-ins gradually decreased in quality as well. Thunderbolts seemed for the latter half of Dark Reign to be in a constant struggle to validate its existence, with even fan favourite writer Jeff Parker unable to give the title a point. Mighty Avengers collapsed as well, Slott's bizarre insistence on 'redeeming Hank Pym reaching ridiculous levels by the books increasingly silly conclusion. Dark Avengers was a very well written core book but suffered from Bendis' lamentable insistence that every team that he writes needs to be dismantled within a handful of story-arcs. The Dark Avengers seemed to have barely got started before they had been jettisoned (a shame too - it's probably been my favourite Marvel book for the duration of Dark Reign).

And Siege. Ah...Siege. Hyped as a story seven years in the making Siege has been acclaimed as the best 'event book' since House of M started the trend. I agree, it's been a solid series, but as a conclusion to a status quo as promising as Dark Reign was it seems little more than a predictable four issue long slugfest. I won't even go into the effect it's had on Thor, one of my favourite books. Kieron Gillon has done an admirable job under difficult circumstances but Siege has sadly made the title's plot seem irrelevant.

I would like to reiterate, this was not a post intended to bash Marvel. I actually thought they got a lot right during Dark Reign and it let to some enjoyable stories . For me though, it fell some way short of being classed as a classic era of Marvel Comics. If you enjoyed it more than I did...I'm happy for you, and I would love to hear why, leave a comment!

Thanks

Retro Review: Spider-Man: Torment

2010-04-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

With the American comic book market currently in a somewhat precarious state, it seems ludicrous that once upon a time a single issue could sell in excess of two million copies. Yet once upon a time, in 1990 (funnily enough the year of my birth) Todd McFarlane managed just that with the debut issue of a fourth ongoing Spider-Man series, titled simply 'Spider-Man'. The issue kicked off a five part arc entitled 'Torment', but was this story worth its lofty sales figures? The short answer is probably not.

Torment has little plot for a five issue storyline. Basically, Spider-Man heads out to investigate a serial killer that he suspects to be old foe the Lizard. After finding the Lizard Spideyengages himself in one of the more brutal fights in the characters history, being drugged by a voodoo priestess along the way.

This stories greatest strength, by a long shot is its presentation. The issues have a very dark, almost gothic style, with the panels laid out in an abstract way never before seen in a Spider-Man book. The art, while clearly not being to everyones taste is spectacular, dynamic and vibrantly coloured. While his anatomy is not always spot on Mcfarlane draws Spider-Man very well, retaining the creepiness brought to the character by Steve Ditko while adding more modern sensibilities. His redesign of the Lizard is inspired as well and is as terrifying as any comic book villain has ever looked. However, McFarlane's storytelling is fairly weak. while individually his panels look great it is often unclear what is actually happening.

It is sadly indicative of McFarlane's priorities with this story that the first thing I discussed was its presentation. As I said before, Torment looks great but there is never that much going on below the surface. It definitely shows that this was McFarlane's first assignment as a writer, as he makes some amateurish decisions, most notoriously the ludicariously pretensious narrative captions that run throughout the story. McFarlane seems to be going for a 'Stan Lee for the 90's vibe' but sadly falls flat on his face. Torment is also very decompressed. While this has become quite the trend in recent years this does not make it excusable. Torment was clearly influenced by JM Dematteis' classic six part storyline 'Kraven's Last Hunt', but that story actually had the substance to justify its extended length, something that Torment is lacking.

McFarlane's characterisation of Peter Parker, Mary-Jane and their relationship is actually one of Torment's strengths in my opinion. McFarlane has a good handle idea of Peter Parker's 'voice', and while many have criticised the Mary-Jane focused sections of the story I enjoyed them and felt that they gave an interesting insight into MJ's character development since settling down with Peter and how events echoing Kraven's Last Hunt have become all too commonplace for her.

Overall Torment is a solid story, very well presented and perhaps only hampered by McFarlane's inexperience as a writer and the lofty expectations placed upon it

C+

Tpb Review: Madrox - Multiple Choice

2010-04-17T05:59:00.000-07:00

Madrox #1-5 by David / Raimondi

A fair criticism levelled at this blog could be that it is too Spider-Man centric. Yes, the webhead is easily my favourite character but 100% of my 2010 posts being Spider-Man related is perhaps overkill. With that in mind, I thought I would review a recently bought graphic novel that while being penned by a renowned Spider-Man writer is far from related to the webhead. Great...my first non-Spider-Man post of the year and I have talked about nothing else so far. I'll move on.

Madrox stars Jamie Madrox aka the Multiple Man, a former member of Peter David's X-Factor team with the power to create duplicates or 'dupes' of himself. Handily prior knowledge of the character is not a requirement for enjoying this story, and David does an excellent job of getting new readers (of which I am one) up to speed with the character. The plot, while not being Multiple Choice's main strength, is adequate enough and features Jamie Madrox investigating the murder of one of his 'dupes' and its potential links to organised crime. Where the book really shines however, is in Madrox's characterisation and David's interesting and original use of his power. Madrox, logically enough, is portrayed here as an increasingly fractured individual, unsure of which direction to take his life in and thus taking it in every direction at once through his dupes. David also raises some interesting, if slightly vague questions about the nature of his powers and a new foe for him, both of which I hope are followed up on.

Interestingly enough Madrox is also given a strong if slightly small supporting cast and a slightly superfluous subplot, giving this series the mark of the opening of an ongoing series rather than a finite mini. As Madrox was ultimately spun into an X-Factor ongoing based around his private detectives agency this seems like a good move. Nevertheless, the supporting characters bounce off Madrox well and I look forward to seeing them given an extended role in X-Factor.

Raimondi's art is solid enough and a good fit for the story. While the storytelling is a little clumsy in places he has a very likeable style, realistic enough yet zany when necessary. The colouring is top notch as well and fits with the mock-noirish theme of the story.

Overall an excellent mini-series from a more than capable writer, that leads very well into the X-Factor ongoing.

A-

Spider-Man's Top Ten Villains: Best of the Rest

2010-03-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

Solid villains who weren't quite memorable enough to make it onto my list...Sorry guys! In no particular order...

Carnage

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #361

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #361-363

The Scorpion

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #20

Recommended Reading: Spectacular Spider-Man #215-216

The Vulture

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #2

Recommended Reading: Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man #14-16.

Electro

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #9

Recommended Reading: Spider-Man #38-40

Morlun:

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #471

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #471-476

The Lizard

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #6

Recommended Reading: Spectacular Spider-Man (volume 2) #11-13

Spider-Man's Top Ten Villains: Part Two

2010-03-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hey comic fans, hope everyone is well. I will waste no further time in introducing my fifth favourite Spider-Man villain...

5. The Sandman

Perhaps a surprising choice for inclusion in my top five, I consider The Sandman to be one of Spider-Man's most underrated foes. Despite being one of the first villains he ever faced, as with many the bulk of his earlier foes Sandman's characterisation has occurred in more recent years, with the villain enjoying a ten year spell of reformation during which he even appeared as an Avenger! Since then he has inexplicibly returned to the side of villainy, but is still a highly morally ambiguous character with an intriguing moral compass. And of course I can't fail to mention his inspired design. Perhaps one of Ditko's more realistic costumes, the Sandman's striped shirt has survived it's fair share of attempted revamps to become one of the most iconic designs among Spidey's enemies.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #4

Recommended Reading: Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man Annual #1, Amazing Spider-Man #302.

4. Venom (Eddie Brock)

Since his introduction in the classic ASM #300 Venom's popularity has exploded, and he is arguably the only modern Spider-Man foe to earn a place on the A-List of villainy. Venom is a classic 'mirror image' villain, of which Spider-Man always lacked in his early days, and his relentless style and almost frightening design was a start contrast with some of the more outdated (but still cool) Ditko villains. Perhaps would have placed higher but the character has stagnated in recent years, from the ill advised move of turning him into an anti-hero to the pointless one of replacing Eddie Brock with Mac Gargan aka the Scorpion, turning two solid villains into one average one.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #300

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #300

3. The Hobgoblin (Roderick Kingsley)

The Hobgoblin was originally creating to fill the hole in Spider-Man's rogues gallery left by the absence of a Green Goblin, yet has become an inspired villain in his own right. A superb modernisation of the Green Goblin's costume coupled with an intriguing mystery (albeit one that perhaps went on too long) made Kingsley one of Spider-Man's most popular foes in the 1980s. Part of his appeal as a villain also lies in his status as perhaps the one foe that Spider-Man has never truly defeated...Kingsley is currently enjoying a relaxing retirement on an unnamed Caribbean island. Will he ever return? Most Spider-fans would love to see Kingsley again, but either way he will surely go down as one of Spider-Man's most persistent, intelligent adversarys of all time.

First Appearance: Spectacular Spider-Man #43 (As Kingsley) Amazing Spider-Man #238 (As Hobgoblin)

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #238-239, 249-251.

2. Doctor Octopus

This man had to be in the top two. From his very earliest appearances 'Doc Ock' has tormented Spider-Man time after time, from handing the teenager a humiliating defeat in his first appearance to causing him to be partly responsible for the death of Gwen Stacey's father Captain Stacy, a man who had become something of a father figure to Peter. Doctor Octopus conjures up images of the sort of man Peter Parker may have become had he not had the guiding figure of his uncle Ben and aunt May in his life, a man twisted by his love of science and the lack of affection of those around him. Recently revealed to be terminally ill in Amazing Spider-Man #600, I sincerely doubt we have seen the last of Doctor Otto Octavius.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #3

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #31-33 Spider-Man Unlimited #3.

1. The Green Goblin (Norman/Harry Osborn)

I would like to say that I had a tough time choosing the number one spot on this list, but in reality this couldn't be further from the truth. The Green Goblin is Spider-Man's deadliest foe, there is no question about that. Whether we are talking about Norman Osborn or his son Harry, there is no other villain which such a long lasting legacy of misery over the lives of both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Heralded by Norman becoming the first villain to learn that Peter Parker and Spider-Man are one and the same and cemented by Norman's death driving a wedge between former best friends Peter Parker and Harry Osborn, the conflict between the Green Goblin and Spider-Man is nothing if not personal. From killing his first love, Gwen Stacy, to faking the return of his parents, to engineering the Clone Saga there is little that the father and son duo haven't done to terrorise Spidey. And with Harry recently returned to life it is a sure thing that you will see more diabolical plots from them in the future.

First Appearances: Norman - Amazing Spider-Man #14, Harry - Amazing Spider-Man #31, Amazing Spider-Man #136 (As Green Goblin)

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #39-40,121-122. Spectacular Spider-Man #189, 200. Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75

The Spider-Man Movie Reboot: My Thoughts

2010-01-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems that Sam Raimi's hugely successful Spider-Man film series is finally at an end, and the franchise will be rebooted, with a new film tentatively due for release in 2012. As a huge Spider-fan I feel duty bound to comment on this shocking news, and give my thoughts on which direction the series needs to take. I realise that this post is appearing some time after the news actually broke, but I felt like taking a bit more time to collect my thoughts about the matter.

Firstly I should make it clear that I have no problem whatsoever with the Raimi films. The first two are great, the third less so, but they are all enjoyable enough. The cast is pretty much perfect as it is. Maguire isn't perfect, he still has yet to nail the wisecracking elements of the character and struggled with some of the more emotional scenes but I think apart from that he was pretty much perfect. However, he is possibly getting a little too old for the role so I'm not too dissapointed with the idea of a recast. A lot of people had major problems with Kirsten Dunst as Mary-Jane, but I can't say I agree with them. Dunst is a good actress and deserves little of the abuse that she gets for her portrayal of MJ, the vast majority of the problems with the character come from her characterisation, and overuse as a damsel in distress. There is little that any actress could do to overcome that. The villains were all perfectly cast in my opinion (Yes even Venom and Sandman), as were most members of the supporting cast. I would have no problems whatsover with the likes of JK Simmons and Rosemary Harris returning as Jonah Jameson and Aunt May respectively.

In terms of story, I can't see the reboot dealing with Spidey's origin. For starters, it is one of the most iconic origin stories in comic book history. Beyond a brief recap the vast majority of the audience will not need to see it again, particularly as the original Spider-Man was released less than a decade ago. Raimi as far as I'm concerned also told as good an adaption of the origin as I have ever seen, and I'm unsure of how it could be improved upon, something that is only going to harm the film.

It has been confirmed that the Reboot will deal with Peter Parker's time at High School, something that gets a big thumbs up from me. The High School setting was notably underused in Raimi's trilogy, and a Reboot will give potential directors a chance to explore it, hopefully giving more screentime and development to the likes of Betty Brant, Flash Thompson and Liz Allen, who comprised the bulk of the Webhead's supporting cast in his early years. In fact, I would not be totally adverse to leaving out Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy entirely, instead using Liz Allen and Betty Brant as love interests. Mary Jane was originally a mystery character in the comics, who was seen many times in silhouette or with her face obscured before finally making an appearance. This is an approach that I think a Reboot could easily take. In terms of supporting cast, I would be fine with limiting it to those that were actually around when Peter was at High School in the comics, leaving out Harry Osborn for one. It is often forgotten that the Peter Parker of these stories was a loner who had very few, if any friends. It could be interesting to see this sort of take on the character on screen, perhaps eventually introducing Betty and Liz as friends or love interests as he grows in confidence. However, Harry, Gwen and MJ are integral parts of the Spider-Man mythos and it would take a very brave man to leave the trio out entirely.

Villainwise I would be dissapointed to see any villains that have already appeared, with the possible exception of Dr. Octopus. While I loved the character in Spider-Man 2, it was a much more sympathetic portrayal than in the comics, with the good doctor actually befriending Peter shortly before his accident, and then saving the day at the films climax. I think it would be interesting to see him as more of a straight villain, perhaps an adaption of the critically acclaimed Master Planner storyline? However there are still a number of classic villains that haven't been seen on film, and the likes of Electro, the Chameleon and Mysterio would all be solid choices. Either way I think that Norman Osborn needs to play a part in the movie, perhaps as a man in the shadows behind the films main villain? This was an approach taken by both Spider-Man: The Animated Series and the Spectacular Spider-Man show, very successfully in both cases!

Most importantly, I want to be able to judge the new film on its own merits, and not to have it compared to the Raimi trilogy. Yes it was generally good, but I would love the relaunch to go in a completely different, exciting direction, showing us aspects of Spider-Man's life never before captured on the silver screen.

NEXT: FINALLY - My rundown of Spider-Man's top five foes

Spider-Man's Top Ten Villains - Part One

2010-01-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

Most people would agree that Spider-Man has one of the best rogues gallerys in comics, most of which created by the genius team of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. I thought it would be fun to count down my top ten! If you disagree with my list...Tell me why!

10. Kraven the Hunter

Initially Kraven was probably one of the least impressive of the Lee/Ditko created villains. Overly camp with somewhat lame powers, he was never a credible threat for the webhead in his early appearances. All of this changed with JM Dematteis' groundbreaking storyline 'Kraven's Last Hunt', a deep, dramatic storyline that delved into Kraven's motivations and just nudges him into the top 10. Just try to ignore his increasingly lame offspring that keep getting introduced.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #15

Recommended Reading: Kraven's Last Hunt (Web of Spider-Man #31-32,Amazing Spider-Man#293-294, Spectacular Spider-Man #131-132)

9. The Kingpin

Although he was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man, Kingpin has since evolved into a more persistant adversary for Daredevil after his successful use in Frank Miller's run. Nonetheless his initial battles with Spider-Man are among the best in the characters history. Before his introduction Spider-Man had mainly faced off against colourful costumed villains (with a few exceptions), The besuited Kingpin's debut was a welcome contrast to this, and heralded many future gang based storylines.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #50

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #50-52

8. The Chameleon

The Chameleon was the first ever villain to battle Spider-Man, and despite being physically inferior to many of Spider-Man's other enemies he has been a consistent danger to the wallcrawler since. Favouring carefully laid out schemes rather than the knock-out brawls of other villains, among his devious plans have been kidnapping and replacing Jonah Jameson and convincing Peter Parker that his parents were alive through the use of androids. The master of disguise has recently been revamped by writer Fred Van Lente in the 'Red Headed Stranger' arc of Amazing Spider-Man.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #1

Recommended Reading: Webspinners Tales of Spider-Man #10-12

7. Kaine

On first glance a typical 90's 'mystery villain', Kaine is actually able to boast more depth than the vast majority of Spidey's rogues gallery. A failed, twisted clone of Peter Parker has also struck me as being a fantastic concept for a villain, a concept which has arguably never reached it's full potential (Beyond JM Demetteis' excellent Mini-series The Lost Years). Nonetheless, Kaine has recently been reintroduced to the Spider-titles, and appears consistently in Tom Defalco's Clone Saga loveletter Spider-Girl. He remains a huge threat to the Web-Slinger.

First Appearance: Web of Spider-Man #119

Recommended Reading: Spider-Man: The Lost Years #1-3

6. Mysterio

Blessed with one of Steve Ditko's most gloriously goofy costumes (and that's saying something), the master of illusion has become one of Spidey's most persistent antagonists, even joining every iteration of the Sinister Six! While often being regarded as a joke, partly due to his rather silly name and appearance, when taken seriously by writers Mysterio has proven to be one of the more colourful, wacky member of Spidey's rogues gallery, while more recently being given some much needed emotional depth.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #13

Recommended Reading: Amazing Spider-Man #198-199, Webspinners Tales of Spider-Man #1-3.

That's all for now folks, tune in next time for my top five Spider-Man villains of all time!

Josh on Comics Review of the Year 2009!

2009-12-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, that time of year has come for me to round up what I think have been the best (and possibly worse, I haven't finalised the categories yet) of the comics world in 2009. Apologies for the lack of pictures, but to be quite honest I find it very frustrating uploading them onto blogger - part of the reason for my pathetic output of late! Anyway, without further ado...On with the awards!

Best ongoing series: Dark Avengers
Much of Dark Reign has flattered to decieve, promising much and delivering little. Thankfully Bendis' latest attempt at writing the Avengers has lived up to its meteoric expectations. I have had my misgivings about Bendis' ability to write a decent team book ever since his abortive relaunch of the Avengers franchise, but he seems disturbingly adept at capturing the dynamic of a team of pyschopaths. Of course I must mention the art, from Mike Deodato Jr. His moody, ink heavy style has not always been my cup of tea but it is a superb fit for this series. Splendid stuff!

It should be noted that I am not counting the widely panned 'Utopia' crossover with Uncanny X-Men, that ran through issues seven and eight. The storyline was written by Matt Fraction rather than Bendis so I decided to skip it.

Best mini series: Destroyer (MAX)
To be perfectly honest, 2009 has been a subpar year for mini series. Even the much anticipated Spider-Man: Close Saga series has, so far at least been merely average. Thank goodness for Robert Kirkman. I love the man, so it is no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed what looks to be his final work for Marvel. Gloriously violent, with the occasional heartfelt moment, it is great to see Robert go out with a bang.

Best Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
A clean sweep from the man with one name too many. As far as I'm concerned no one can match his output this year. I haven't been reading his new Spider-Woman series (partly through lack of interest, partly as a protest at it's shambolic lack of a UK digital release), but as should be immediatley obvious I consider Dark Avengers to be the best ongoing series of the year. Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man has had mixed reviews but I have very much enjoyed it.

Best Artist: Olivier Coipel
Easily the comics world's most improved artist over the last few years. I found Coipel's work on House of M sloppy and confusing, but his Thor over the last few years has been beautiful. JMS's writing has tailed off slightly over the last year, But Coipel's art has remained consistently Mighty (pun intended). I am a big fan of his occasional replacement Mirko Djurdjevic but it is a crying shame that he has had to replace Coipel as often as he has.

Biggest WTF!!! Moment: Hank Pym being named 'Scientist Supreme'.
Dan Slott's Mighty Avenger's run started off solidly enough, in fact I remember devoting an entire post to its greatness early in the year. Sadly it has gone downhill to the point where I considered the inclusion of a 'Biggest Dissapointment' category so I could rant about the latest story arc. I can't even remember which issue this insane development occured in, but suffice it to say that its sheer lack of sense sadly undermined Slott's brilliant characterisation of Pym throughout his run. The latest issue however was fantastic, so I'm hoping that the run is back on track.

Best Character: Hercules
This should really go to Norman Osborn, superbly rendered by Brian Michael Bendis in Dark Avengers. However, this would possibly have made this post a little too much of a love letter to the aforementioned series, so the award goes to Hercules, from Fred van Lente's humerous Incredible Hercules. Brilliantly funny, and a pleasing tonic to the hordes of more responsible, some would say boring heroes, van Lente's Hercules manages to be an utter buffon while remaining immensely likeable. His relationship with Amadeus Cho is also very sweet, the two of them are currently one of my favourite pairings in comics.

There you go, and I managed to do it without a single wholly negative category (close as it was). If anyone is reading, I hope that you have had a prosperous holiday season, and that your 2010 is equally so! Josh out.

Haunt #1 Review

2009-10-10T01:43:00.000-07:00

Haunt #1 by Kirkman / McFarlane / Ottley

As a huge fan of Robert Kirkman, when I found out that he would be working with Todd McFarlane I was obviously hugely interested. My curiosity reached a peak when I saw the first few images of the character, although some have criticised him for being too similar to Spider-Man I think Haunt is a very visually appealing character, and I have been eagerly anticipating this issue for the last few months.

The plot follows the Kilgore brothers, Daniel and Kurt. Daniel is a priest - yet he displays few of the morals and attitudes typically associated with religious men. In contrast to this, despite being a CIA operative, and a mass murderer Kurt seems to be a decent guy. The opening issue deals with the fallout from one of Kurt's missions, as shortly after a confession session with Daniel he is captured and killed....Or is he?

Kirkman does a great job of weaving various mysteries into the story...what exactly happened to Daniel? Who was he captured by? What exactly is the relationship between his widow and Daniel? Obviously these give a great incentive to read on. Some of the pacing is a little iffy however, a lot happens in this issue and some of the events aren't told as clearly as they probably should be. While in some cases this builds mystery for the reader, in others it just doesn't work and makes the plot somewhat confusing.

The art is very different to Ottley's work on Invincible, McFarlane's inks definitely have a massive effect, leading to a dark, sketchy style. I really liked it, particularly when Haunt shows up at the end. The character's design is excellent, and his powers are really interesting and different. The fight scenes are also superbly done, and were the highlights of the issue for me.

Overall, despite a few small niggles this was a solid first issue that did a lot of things right. I will definitely be onboard for #2.

B+

Spider-Man: The Clone Saga #1 Review

2009-10-01T07:02:00.000-07:00

Spider-Man: The Clone Saga #1 By DeFalco / Mackie / Nauck

Where to start? The Clone Saga is probably one of the most hotly debated storylines in comic book history. Despite the fan backlash it provoked at the time, the storyline and the characters it introduced (perhaps excluding Spidercide) have a massive cult following. For this reason Tom DeFalco and Howard Mackie's reimagining of the saga has been arguably one of the most hotly anticipated mini series of the year. As a massive fan of the Clone Saga myself I have been eagerly awaiting it since it's initial announcement. Now that the first issue has finally arrived, does it meet its massive expectations?

Well...Not yet. Compressing a storyline that ran across four books plus various minis and one shots for years into a six issue mini series was always going to be a tough task, and despite Defalco's fast paced style being well suited to this sort of project, this issue feels very rushed. It would perhaps be unrealistic to expect a 12 issue mini series but I feel that that would have been a more suitable length for a project of this nature. Despite this the issue is generally well written, the highlights being Peter and Ben's internal monologues. Ben has been away for so long and its just great to see him again. It's also a treat to see Kaine in his classic costume, it sadly looks like when he returns in Amazing Spider-Man he will be sporting an updated look. Defalco and Mackie also manage to keep up the tension in a storyline that could become predictable with the introduction of a shadowy figure giving Kaine orders, and a mystery surrounding Aunt May's illness. I'm not crazy about the idea of Kaine working for someone but I am willing to see how it is developed, and I'm glad that Mackie and Defalco are doing their best to keep the storyline fresh for more seasoned readers. Getting rid of the Judas Traveller subplot was another welcome change, while the character has his fans he has no place in an already overcrowded storyline. Sadly the dialogue for the most part wasterrible, although this could be a subtle comment on the style of most 90's comics it really took me out of the story at times. Neither Mackie or Defalco are famed for their good dialogue however so luckily I was prepared for this and it wasn't too much of a dissapointment. The original saga's strength was more in it's plotting than it's dialogue anyway so I will be more willing to overlook this negative if the story stays on track

I am a big fan of Todd Nauck's art and he does not dissapoint here, indeed I don't think I could think of a better choice to pencil this series (perhaps Mark Bagley aside). His work looks a lot more polished than it was during his run on Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, and I look forward to seeing his renditions of some classic Clone Saga characters.

Overall a solid read, perhaps harmed by the weight of my expectations. Still, the original saga took a while to get going and I look forward to seeing the direction that Mackie and Defalco take the story in. I'm slightly underwhelmed, but still expectant!

B-

TPB Review: The Walking Dead Volume 1

2009-09-09T06:58:00.001-07:00

The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone By - Collects The Walking Dead #1-6 By Kirkman / Moore

As a huge Robert Kirkman fan I have always felt like something of a fraud having never read arguably his most critically acclaimed work, The Walking Dead. For this reason when I noticed the first volume in Forbidden Planet for just £7.50 I didn't need to think about it for too long before purchasing it.

For those who don't know, the series features a premise almost identical to the film '28 Days Later', the protagonist of the series, small town police officer Rick, waking up alone in a hospital and slowly realising that the world is now populated by zombies. Eventually hooking up with a group of survivors the series then follows the groups attempts to survive.

Kirkman's strength, as usual is his brilliant characterisation and dialogue. The main draw of the series, rather than being the zombie action are the interactions between the brilliantly varied cast, all of whom are very believably written. While pacing is initially very slow it picks up a lot by the midway point and by the end I was hooked.

I was initially slightly put off by the black and white art, done by Tony Moore, but it suits the series very well. Moore's art, while being slightly cartoony is able to express the characters emotions brilliantly, and is always pleasing to look at it. It's a shame that this is the only story arc which he drew.

Overall I would highly reccomend this book, judging from the cheap price I managed to pick it up for it should be relatively inexpensive, and is a brilliant introduction to a series that is often described as Kirkman's best work. I look forward to volume 2!

Marvel Team Up: The Golden Child Review

2009-08-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

Firstly, an apology. In the last couple of months I have not been able to write nearly as much on this blog as I would have liked. The reasons for this are many, exams and holidays being at the forefront. However, I am hoping that normal service will be resumed from now and I will be able to start churning out articles and reviews faster than ever before!

Marvel Team Up (V3) #1-6 By Kirkman / Kolins

Now that that is out of the way, onto the review, of Marvel's most recent attempt to relaunch the Marvel Team Up brand. Unlike with past series, which tended to focus on Spider-Man, Marvel promised that this time round the series would be centred on a wider variety of heroes.

The main story arc running through the opening six issues centres around a young boy with mutant abilities, and the attempts of a not-so-familiar antagonist to control his abilities for his own ends. Despite Marvel's assurances to the contrary Spider-Man is a chief protagonist in the story, along with Wolverine, The Fantastic Four,

Doctor Strange and Captain America among others.

Robert Kirkman is one of my favourite writers, and I think it's a shame that he no longer works for Marvel. As this arc shows, he clearly has a good grasp on the Marvel Universe. His use of continuity is wonderful - in an age where many writers seem at loathe to mention other writers work Kirkman is never afraid of referencing goings on in other titles. His characterisation and dialogue are both generally excellent, with his Spider-Man and the banter between the Fantastic Four being particularly enjoyable.

The pacing of the story is ok. Decompression is generally seen as a bad thing in modern comics, but Kirkman packs so much plot into these six issues that sometimes its difficult to keep track. The use of subplots is good, and it is pleasing to see some often neglected Marvel characters, but I would have preffered Kirkman to scale it down a little. As it is, the story often feels a little messy.

Kirkman's love for the Silver Age and Silver Age methods of storytelling is something that is made clear in most of his works, especially these six issues. As with his frantic pacing, sometimes it works well and sometimes less well. Much of the plot is brilliantly zany, in a clearly silver age way. However, the villainous dialogue certainly needs work and feels very dated.

Scott Kolin's artwork is also a mixed bag. His cartoony style is very dynamic and pleasing to look at, but is sadly often rushed.

Overall this story arc is not Kirkman's best work. while still being a good read. He is clearly a good writer, and the ideas in 'The Golden Child' are excellent, if sometimes not as well executed as they could be. It seems to me as if Kirkman was possibly trying a little too hard with this arc. With so many ideas, characters and subplots thrown into the ring it is just a bit, well...messy.

C+

JMS on Amazing Spider-Man

2009-07-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

Amazing Spider-Man (V2) #30-35, 37-38 By Straczynski / Romita Jr.

JMS's run on Amazing Spider-Man has never been one that I am too fond of. I have been never been interested in his mystical reimagining of Spidey's origin, and I thought that his run sorely missed some classic Spider-Man villains. However, after thoroughly enjoying his current Thor relaunch, and his film The Changeling I have decided to re-read his run, and see if I can gain any more enjoyment from it, starting with his opening seven issues (discounting #36 which was a special 9/11 issue).

After reading the opening to his run my opinion is...much the same. His proposed new origin for Spider-Man is still overly convoluted and ill fitting for the character. It does raise some interesting points, but reading the issues with the benefit of hindsight I know that the plotline ultimatley doesn't go anywhere. Ezekiel however is an interesting character, and it's a shame that no other writers have really explored the character. I honestly can't remember how his storyline was resolved and so I am genuinely intrigued about where JMS is going with him. Morlun, for the purposes of this storyline was ok, not great. The fight scenes (excellently drawn by JrJr) are spectacular, and the idea of a villain with the sole purpose of destroying Spider-Man is a good one. JMS does well establishing a villain who had never appeared before as a genuine threat, if occasionally in a somewhat overzealous manner. Spider-Man's frequent utterances about how powerful he is just come across as JMS bigging up his creation. It was also good to see Peter using his all too frequently ignored scientific abilities to take him down.

Peter's new job at the school was also a welcome move, and a believable one for the character. Taking pictures of himself was starting to wear a little thin after 40 years. This was easily my favourite element that JMS introduced, and I genuinely felt that some of Peter's fellow Midtown High teachers and students had potential as characters, and were sadly underused. Ultimately this element of JMS's run has now been jettisoned by Brand New Day. Sigh.

Aunt May's characterisation is JMS's run has been lauded by many as a welcome move for the character. However to me it comes a little out of nowhere. A woman who for 40 years has been portrayed as well...A doddering old fool, is now suddenly a strong, witty woman. Obviously characterisation in comic books is liable to fluctuate, but this was perhaps a step too far. I'm not really going to comment on her learning Peter's secret identity, as however well done it was by JMS, it now means virtually nothing.

JrJr's art is also something I am going to skim over. When he pencils a book you know what you are going to get. Some people hate his style, I quite like it, and felt that it definitely enhanced the quality of these issues, the fight scenes in particular.

Overall, these issues are much as I remember them. A solid start to JMS's run, but plagued by the irritating totem storyline that never really went anywhere after this story. JMS definitely has a strong sense of what makes the Webhead tick, evident from the frequent, strongly written monologues that these issues are littered with, it's just a shame that this is undermined by story elements that do not belong in Spider-Man comic books. A mixed bag.

B+

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Review

2009-05-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

With the success of the X-Men series of films, and the popularity of the title character this movie has been pretty much certain for some time. However, whether it would be any good has been the topic of some debate, particularly after popular characters such as Deadpool and Gambit were announced to appear in the film. The director Gavin Hood was under immense pressure to do these characters justice, and in my opinion he succeeds...Just about.

The plot is fairly faithful to the comic books, and follows yes you guessed it...Wolverine's origin story, as he is enlisted in Team X and subjected to the adumantiam bonding process. The plot is decent, but many aspects of it make little sense. Sabretooth's motivations are bizarre, and are never really properly explained, causing him to be a somewhat unsatisfying antagonist for Wolverine. Wolverine himself was also somewhat bland, Hugh Jackman is a decent, likeable actor but struggles to effectively portray Logan's inner turmoil, and the struggle between man and beast that often makes him such a compelling character. Also, despite the history between the two characters there is little chemistry between them on screen, not helped by the fact that most of Sabretooth's dialogue is composed of terrible one liners.

The rest of the cast are decent, with Will.i.am in particular impressing as John Wraith, a very minor character from the comics. Most of the others are hit and miss; Taylor Kitsch as Gambit is nowhere near as bad as he could have been, but doesn't exactly nail the cajun, his accent in particular being very dodgey. There has been a lot of furore over Deadpool's brief appearance, I'm not going to comment on the change that occurs later in the movie as it will obviously be reversed but I thought Ryan Reynolds was a good choice as the merc with the mouth, and I look forward to seeing his role expanded in possible future films.

Lastly I have to comment on the brilliant action sequences, despite some rubbish CGI the fight scenes in this film were truly fantastic, and drag it kicking and screaming away from mediocrity. Overall a decent effort, while hardly up there with the likes of Spider-Man 2 and X-Men, far better than it could, and perhaps should have been. I would be happy to see a sequel.

Is Peter Parker really an everyman?

2009-04-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

One of Peter Parker's principal characteristics is his status as an everyman. Indeed, this was one of things that made Amazing Fantasy #15 such a breakout success back in the 60's. While the likes of Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark were billionare playboys who lived in mansions, Peter was a shy, nerdy, orphaned teen who lived with his frail aunt May and got picked on at school. This, and his subsequent troubles with girls, money and the health of his Aunt have led to him being dubbed the archetypal everyman, and this has often been seen as the key to his success as a character. One of Marvel's excuses for repeatedly attempting to jettison his and Mary-Jane's relationship has been that they want to get back to the root of his character, and that being married to a supermodel does not allow readers to relate to him. However, has this ever been the case? And if it isn't then does such a character exist?

Obviously your definition of 'everyman' depends a lot on who you are. For example people from a working class background may find it difficult to relate to a character from a middle class background and vice versa. So for the purpose of this article I am trying to be as general as possible. Peter's status as an orphan is one shared by many fictional characters, to name but a few; Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins, Bruce Wayne and Superman. There are many reasons for this, parents can tie the character down and having them dead before their adventures even start creates instant dramatic tension. While this obviously an effect storytelling device, proven by the fact that it has been used for so many fictional characters over the years, it cannot be argued that this makes the character an everyman. Now I have no actual figures to back this up, but surely the vast majority of teenagers are not orphaned, and I would guess that even fewer live with elderly relatives. However, the notion of an older relative incessantly fussing and worrying about you is definitely something that will ring true with many people, and so I suppose this makes Peter a more relatable character.

Socially, Peter is initally presented as an outcast, awkward looking, shy and picked on by his classmates. Bullying is something that has probably been experienced by most people in one way or another, just as most people will have felt like an outsider at one time or another. This feeling is particularly emphasised during the early Steve Ditko stories, where Peter is drawn as skinny, not particularly handsome, and is relentlessley picked on, first by Flash Thompson, then later by Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy when he starts college. Despite the romantic attentions of Liz Allen and Betty Brant he is shown as unlucky in love, eventually losing Betty Brant to Ned Leeds, and often ends the stories with monologues depicting his misery and isolation. This is something I am sure most young people will be able to relate to, however melodramatic it might sound.

This all changed with the departure of Ditko as penciller, and the arrival of John Romita Sr as his replacement. Romita's background came in romance comics, and one of the most initially striking things about his artwork is how beautiful everyone is. Even Peter himself was giving something of a makeover, appearing as much more muscular and handsome. It could be argued that this led to a change in Lee's stories, particularly as it has since become clear that Ditko played a big part in plotting as well as pencilling. Peter became more popular, making friends with Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, and even managing to get Flash Thompson on his side. The introduction of Mary-Jane also meant that Peter had two beautiful young women vying for his attention. Who can honestly say they can relate to that?

This for me is where Peter lost his everyman status. Although the quality of the stories is undeniable, Peter had gone from being a socially awkward nerd to a popular, handsome ladies man. This trend continued over the years. Although Peter had his fair share of unluckiness in love, it was often self inflicted, caused by his sense of responsibility and need to play hero. I can only recall a few, very rare occasions when Peter Parker has had romantic advances rejected, most notably the two marriage proposals he had rejected by Mary-Jane. However even these are not shown as being due to any lack of desirability on Peter's part, merely poor timing and MJ's fear of commitment. I am going to try not to comment on their eventual union, as Marvel has ridiculously blamed this for making the character relatable, when it really could be argued that this has not been the case since Amazing Spider-Man #38, 30 or so years ago.

In fact the current state of the character is perhaps less relatable than ever before. Again I am not going into any depth about this as the Brand New Day debate has been done to death, my only comment is that Marvel's alleged reasons for the One More Day/Brand New Day debacle were in no way valid. An example of this is one of the frequent ways that Marvel has often tried to return the character to his 'roots' as an everyman; by giving him money troubles, a ridiculously overplayed and misguided scenario. Yes everyone worries about money. Yes a lot of people are unemployed and struggle to find jobs, but this doesn't mean that having Peter routinely lose all his money or his apartment in bizzare circumstances is in any way realistic or enjoyable for the reader. I agree that it is another way of creating dramatic tension, but surely there must be more imaginative ways than the same old money troubles scenario? Are people who are capable of managing their money really that unusual? This isn't a dig at people who have at any time had financial difficulties, I am trying to say that lumbering Peter Parker with them is not a way of making him an everyman.

NEXT: If Peter Parker is not the archetypal everyman...who is?

LOST review: "Whatever Happened, Happened"

2009-04-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

SPOILER WARNING:

After last weeks thrilling, unexpected conclusion the writers of Lost had a mammoth task on their hand explaining young Ben's apparent death at the hands of Sayid. Sadly the result is one of Lost's weaker episodes, although obviously still a cut above everything else on TV. The episode is Kate centric, and focuses on her attempts to heal Ben in the 70's, cutting back to her time off island and the ultimate fate of baby Aaron. As soon as I realised it was a Kate episode I groaned - she is easily the most unlikeable character on the show for me, and frustratingly also has one of the highest episode counts. Surely the enigmatic Richard Alpert or even Ben deserve episodes more than her? Most of the episode is filler - Kate meeting Cassidy and Miles' chats to Hurley about the nature of time were both nice moments, but ultimately the episode could have done without them. The saving grace for the episode was easily Sawyer, Josh Holloway is on top form as always and steals every scene he is in, in contrast with the ever dull and annoying Jack. The ending also felt like a cop out, and lazy writing, with Ben's not recognising Sayid in the future being explained away by Richard as him losing him memories. Very conveniant. Ultimately however, this is still excellent stuff, just not as good as I know LOST can be. I'm hoping that it can kick into high gear once again in time for the finale of series five.

B+

TPB Review: Marvel Visionaries - Busiek

2009-03-29T06:54:00.000-07:00

Marvel Visionaries: Kurt Busiek, includes Untold Tales of Spider-Man #1-8, by Busiek / Olliffe.

Nowadays, Spider-Man's vast history is the subject of countless series', some more succesful than others. However, to the best of my knowledge Kurt Busiek's Untold Tales was the first series to attempt to plug the gaps in between early Stan Lee and Steve Ditko issues. Although the book was a commercial failure and was cancelled after Busiek left with #25, it has been critically acclaimed since, which led to Busiek getting his own 'Marvel Visionaries' volume.

The most immediatley obvious thing about the series is its retro style. The stories are all done in one, with concurrent subplots running throughout. Many of the stories are far from serious by modern standards, and come across as a little silly, particularly the team-up with the Human Torch in #6. However, it could be argued that this is Busiek's attempt to capture the feel of 60's comics, and he certainly achieves that. While his attemps to create new villains fall a little flat Busiek handles the classics excellently. His portrayal of Sandman is particularly impressive. Another plus is the characterisation of Spidey. Busiek takes into consideration that he had only been wearing the webs for a very short amount of time when these stories took place, and so portrays him as somewhat inexperienced and naive, a nice detail. He is also very careful with continuity, the stories fit neatly into place with the Lee/Ditko issues, and it would be very interesting reading them side by side.

Finally, Pat Olliffe's stellar art must be mentioned. His style is very close to Ditko's while still retaining it's own unique style. His renditions of Spidey's villains are about as classic as it goes, it's a shame that he has pencilled very little mainstream Spider-Man.

Overall, while Busiek and Olliffe's Untold Tales is perhaps slightly outdated, and a bit of a dramatic shift from the modern storytelling methods of today, it is still an excellent read for fans of the wall crawler.

B+

Retro Review: Was the clone saga really that bad?

2009-03-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

Spider-Man #53: By Mackie / Lyle

Aah the Clone saga, without doubt the period of Spider-history that divides fanboys opinions more than any other. Whether you love it or hate, chances are you have an opinion on it. When I started picking up comic books as a fresh faced six year old, they were knee deep in the clone saga, and hence I look back on it with fond memories. However, there are obviously a great many people who would not share this view, indeed there are many who see the clone saga as the proverbial dark age of Spider-Man's publication history. For the most part I totally disagree with this, while Spider-Man has seen better times the clone saga includes some very solid stories from top creators such as Jurgens, Defalco, Bagley and Romita Jr. However, that is not to say that it did not contain a fair few godawful stories. This clunker is one of them.

This storyline, 'The Exile Returns' is one of the gaps in my clone saga collection, and I have longed to pick it up since I learned that it featured Ben Reilly taking down Venom. On this note, when I saw part four of the aforemention storyline for a knockdown price of 50p in Mega City Comics it was a no brainer! Undeterred by the fact that I was coming in at the conclusion of a four parter, I filled myself in on the plot and settled down to read what I hoped would be one of the high points of the clone saga. However, this issue was the exact opposite, one of the definite low points of the saga. Howard Mackie is a writer who often gets a lot of unfair stick, but this really is turgid stuff. His dialogue is atrocious, cliched rubbish that really has no place in modern comic books. The narrative captions he uses are even worse, hilariously overdramatic. However, for his faults the way that Reilly eventually beats Venom is fairly imaginative, and visually interesting. Tom Lyle's artwork is also slightly above average, and is something of a saving grace for the issue, although that isn't really saying much. Reading the issue in hindsight also rams home just how inconsequential some of Mackie's subplots were. The Grim Hunter? Ken Ellis? Jacob Raven? Where are these characters now? The answer gives a clue about Mackie's talent for introducing new characters and plots. A very dissapointing issue from a writer who I know can do much better.

D+

Saturday Morning Watchmen!

2009-03-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

I recently stumbled across this amusing video, and figured that with Watchmen being released in cinemas today now would be the perfect time to post it. Enjoy!

My thanks to George Berryman who originally posted the video on the Spider-Man Crawl Space.

Mighty Avengers: A return to form

2009-03-01T08:48:00.000-08:00

Since Brian Michael Bendis 'Disassembled' the Avengers starting with #500 the title has come in for a lot of criticism, particularly from longtime Avengers fans, arguing that Bendis' New Avengers were not 'the real' Avengers, and were not true to the team's history. While I think there are flaws in this argument, I can definitely see where the naysayers are coming from. Bendis' New Avengers often suffered from extreme decompression, and a lack of direction and purpose. The title was also often horrificly derailed by events, indeed its abysmal tie in to Secret Invasion led to me dropping it.
Mighty Avengers, launched a couple of years after New Avengers, and was also written by Bendis. Aimed at fans of the classic Avengers, featuring a more traditional set up, in my eyes it was streets ahead of New Avengers, returning the Avengers to a more classic style, while still retaining some modern sensibilites. However, eventually the title came to be plagued by familiar demons, lateness, inconsistent art and poor tie ins, all of which have cursed New Avengers at one time or another. The utterly tepid, unnecessary Secret Invasion tie ins were the last straw and led to me again dropping the title.
However, the announcement that Dan Slott would be taking over with #21 reignited my interest. Slott I feel is one of Marvel's premier writers at the moment, and it is about time he was given a chance on one of its bigger titles. (ASM aside) Khoi Pham was more of an unknown quantity to me, but nonetheless I was very excited about it.
Happily, and somewhat surprisingly I have not yet been dissapointed. While there isn't really anything groundbreaking about the two issues I have read, there is a lot to admire. Slott has proved once again that he is a master of using obscure continuity, and referencing other writers work. While many are happy to steamroller over things to suit there own purposes, Slott is careful not to do this, an example being his use of the Hulk, where he references the recent 'Planet Hulk' storyline, and Pietro's inner turmoil and some of his villainous deeds from the past few years.. Slott's dialogue is also impressive, each character clearly has it's own voice, and adds something different to the team. Hercules in particular is a fine addition, I keep meaning to pick up his solo book, and his showing here is a fine advertisment for it.
The plot is impressive as well. It is generally well paced, keeping up the mystery while slowly drip feeding readers information to keep them interested. It is also good to see the Avengers dealing with threats on a global scale again, Bendis' generally tended to stick to more street level, personal stories, which were a nice change, but more suited to other characters.
With the widespread changes to the Marvel Universe during the 'Dark Reign' crossover, it is fantastic to see a Marvel book largely ignoring them, and blazing its own trail, while not being afraid to reference continuity. Slott is doing sterling work so far, and long may it continue. In short: It is good to see the Avengers back where they belong.

Spider-Man Animated - My Thoughts: Part Three

2009-02-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)

Finally, we come to the most recent Spider-Man animated series, and the only one still producing new episodes today, Greg Weisman's 'The Spectacular Spider-Man'. Weisman is held in high regard by many animation fans due to his sterling work on the critically acclaimed 90's show 'Gargoyles'. The Spectacular Spider-Man promised to be a more faithfull adaptation than Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, and so far at least has lived up to this promise, with its opening one and a half series being among the greatest Spider-Man animation seen so far.

Peter Parker:
The Spectacular Spider-Man's character designs have come in for a lot of flak from many, mainly due to their simplicity in comparison to previous animations. However, once you get past the very detail light style the designs are fine, and Peter's is actually a massive improvement on his very dodgey Spider-Man: TAS appearance. This style also allowed the animation of the character to reach new heights. The voice acting and character of Peter are also both spot on, with Josh Keaton bringing just the right level of nerdy teenagerness to the role without becoming annoying, and the writers giving him the classic 'Parker Luck', without making him too morally questionable, as was occasionally the case in MTV Spider-Man.
A+

The Supporting Cast:
Spectacular Spider-Man made some fairly significant changes to Peter's supporting cast, most notably the changes in ethnicity of certain characters (Liz Allen), and transforming Gwen Stacey from a beauty queen to a shy nerd. Although I would usually be primarily against changes made to the classic Spider-Man mythos (one of the things that ruined MTV Spider-Man for me) The changes here are done for genuine reasons, and mean that Spidey's supporting cast is much more well rounded and varied that in the comics. Kudos should also go to the writers for cramming in so many classic supporting cast members from the comics, many of which have never been animated before such as Frederick Foswell.
A

The Villains:
The Spectacular Spider-Man is similar to Spider-Man: TAS, in that it makes excellent use of Spidey's classic rogues. However, in a similar manner to its use of his supporting cast, many of their costumes and even secret identitys have been changed, something that some fans have taken issue with. Many of the villains costumes and backstories have also been updated for the modern age as well, for example the Vultures new black and red armour (inspired by MK: Spider-Man) and Electro's more sympathetic personality. Like the changes made to the supporting cast these changes have clearly been carefull though through, and add a lot to the characters. The villains are all given realistic motivations, and the designs, while being a mixed bag are a brave attempt to update Ditko's classic costumes, many of which have never been bettered. Arguably the finest, if not bravest attempt at adapting Spider-Man's rogues gallery for the small screen.
A-

Narrative:
Although as yet only one and a half series have been aired, so far TSSM has a very strong narrative drive, with subplots introduced early on in the series still going strong, and new ones constantly being introduced. The narrative also does an excellent job of balancing out Peter's romantic life with his budding superhero career, with neither feeling neglected. There is also an end to the confusing episodic placements of MTV Spider-Man, with a clear sense of linear narrative. So far so good, but only time will tell.
A

Overall:

Pros - Good animation, wide range of characters from the comic books, excellent use of subplots and strong sense of narrative drive.

Cons - Character designs could often do with more detail, some changes made to characters unnecessary.

A

Reviews 4/2

2009-02-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Age of Sentry #5 (0f 6) by Tobin / Parker / Galvan / Dragotta
Age of Sentry is nearing its conclusion, and it has actually been far more than I was expecting. Despite finding the Sentry a very interesting character, I debated long and hard over whether to pick this series up, worrying that it would be nothing more than a shallow silver age parody. Thankfully I have been proven wrong. This issue, in a similar vein to the others features two goofy silver age paradies, the first of which in particular is a hoot, with some very silly, but cute ideas (interstellar mailman?!) and humerous dialogue. The second story is a slight step down, with a very clever idea, that sadly appears to be too clever for its own good, and is let down by the overcomplex, confusing execution. It does however boast fantastic art from Nick Dragotta, whose style is the perfect blend of silver age simplicity and more sophisticated modern day storytelling techniques. There are also the usual hints that something is not quite right with the Sentry, which do a good job of building tension ahead of the final issue. The simplicity of this series may not be to everyones taste, but for me it is a welcome relief from the darkness taking over modern marvel comics.
B+

The Invincible Iron Man #10 by Fraction / Larocca
Matt Fraction is without doubt one of Marvel's most critically acclaimed up and coming writers. His work on Immortal Iron Fist is widely recognised as a character defining run, and he has now deservedly graduated onto a higher status title; Iron Man! This storyline has been a radical departure from the last few years of Iron Man, where he found himself leading S.H.I.E.L.D. Following his failure to deal with the Skrull invasion Stark is now on the run from Norman Osborn, who is in charge of a restructured S.H.I.E.L.D. The premise of Stark being on the run is an interesting one, and certainly helps give the issue more of a sense of urgency. However, this arc has been a little slow for my tastes, and title characters appearances have been far too sporadic. In the three issues he has bought, Iron Man has only actually appeared in about five pages, the result is that the issues have lacked action. However the pluses do generally outweight the minuses, Fraction's dialogue is very modern and realistic, each character has its own voice, his Tony Stark being particularly inspired. Frank D'Armata's typically fantastic colours also enrich Salvador Larocca's pencils, that as usual have been very hit and miss on this title. Overall, a solid, well written issue, part of an arc that I hope will kick into high gear soon.
B

Spider-Man Animated - My Thoughts: Part Two

2009-02-05T04:04:00.000-08:00

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003)

The next animated series starring Spider-Man (I am not counting Spider-Man: Unlimited) was Spider-Man: The New Animated Series, that used a revolutionary form of CGI Cel shaded animation, and was broadcast on MTV. Heavily influenced by Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man series, it also loosely followed the continuity of the Spider-Man film series, something that helped to attract fans of the movies, but arguably hindered the show in the long run.

Peter Parker:
In many ways the Peter Parker of this series is actually an improvement on his Spider-Man: TAS counterpart. His design, as with most of the characters is a lot sleeker and more modern looking, and Neil Patrick Harris while being different to previous Peter Parker voice actors is definitely a good fit for the character, and is generally excellent . The characterisation is more hit and miss. Peter has always been shown as unlucky in love in the comic books, and an the writers attempted to do this here, giving him the dilemma of having to choose between two girls. However, the results just make Peter look a bit selfish, toying with Mary-Jane's feelings, and leading her on. Although this isn't the case in every episode, with Peter often shown as caring deeply for Mary-Jane, it was something that often bothered me, and in my opinion harmed the character.
A-

The Supporting Cast:
Again, the supporting cast in the show is very mixed. The characterisation of the core supporting characters (Harry and Mary-Jane) is spot on, even moreso than Peter Parker, and they were animated better than ever before. However, many other characters didn't fare so well. Poor old Aunt May didn't actually make an appearance, beyond being shown in a photo frame, a consequence of MTV trying to appeal to the younger generation. J Jonah Jameson was also lacklustre, and brought little to the show, beyond being blessed with a very irritating voice actor. The original characters created for the series were horrendous. Indie in particular looked annoying, sounded annoying, and was annoying, playing little part apart from creating needless romantic tension between Peter and Mary-Jane.

B-

The Villains:
Without a doubt the thing that harmed this show most was the poor quality of its villains. Due to it being based in the continuity of the movies, the vast majority of Spidey's classic foes were off limits, so the creators were forced to insert brand new villains specially created for the show, many of whom were very very shoddy. Although as with the rest of the show they were animated very well, and could boast some excellent fight scenes, they often lacked the depth of Spider-Man's more traditional rogues gallery. His classic villains that were animated ranged from excellent (The Lizard, Kraven) to atrocious (Kingpin). While Lizard and Kraven were given modern updates, and portrayed as genuine threats to Spider-Man, the Kingpin was a joke, and was taken down in one episode, a far cry from his untouchable status in Spider-Man: TAS.
D+

Narrative:
Despite being produced years after Spider-Man: TAS, and being aimed at a more mature audience, the overall narrative of this show is comparitively undeveloped. Although it was sadly only given one series, and this is something that may have been worked on with subsequent episodes, there is very little in the way of episode to episode continuity, and for the most part they can be watched in any order. There is also little in the way of character development, although again this could be something that could have been worked on during subsequent series. It seems harsh to judge the series on just thirteen episodes, but unfortunately this is all we have to go on, and it doesn't compare to the frequent multi part episodes, and series spanning storylines seen in Spider-Man: TAS.

C-

Overall:
Pros - Superb animation, beyond anything ever seen in Spider-Man animation, mature style, good dialogue, solid characterisation.

Cons - Lack of classic villains, little episode to episode continuity, few significant supporting characters.

B-

Spider-Man Animated - My Thoughts: Part One

2009-02-02T01:15:00.000-08:00

Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994)

Like a great many Spider-Man, and indeed comic book fans I was originally introduced to the webhead through television, more specifically the 90's Fox Kids animated series. This, the first in a three part series of articles intends to compare the three notable modern attempts at animating Spider-Man (I am pretending that Spider-Man: Unlimited didn't exist). So without further ado, Spider-Man: The Animated Series...

Peter Parker:
As mentioned before, this series was my first foray into the world of Spider-Man, so it is unsurprising that the series has for me, the definitive version of Peter Parker. However, even with the benefit of hindsight it is clear that the producers did a sterling job. Christopher Daniel Barnes is perfect for the role, and captures both Spider-Man and Peter Parker's sense of humour perfectly, something that Tobey Maguire sadly fails to do. Although he often has trouble with portraying anger, this is a minor complaint. However, the design sadly doesn't match his fantastic voice work. Although Spider-Man looks good, Peter is far too bulky, moreso than he has ever been shown in the comics, and this unfortunately does a lot to ruin his appearance. The writers did have a fantastic grasp of his character, this is the truest portrayal of Peter Parker seen in animation, and is often more credible than the modern comic books. Overall, despite the dissapointing design, Spider-Man: TAS's Peter Parker is about as close to perfect as we have ever got.
A

The Supporting Cast:
Another area that Spider-Man: TAS excels is its use of the supporting cast, something that is often overlooked by modern Spider-Man writers. A primary reason for this is the very long run given to the series, the longest so far out of any Spider-Man animation. This allowed a few episodes that explored the backstory of Spider-Man's rich supporting cast, with a particular standout being the episode 'Guilty', that did a lot to flesh out the characters of J Jonah Jameson and Robbie Robertson. Although these episodes were fairly hit and miss, the writers should be applauded for exploring this area like no other cartoon has. The designs and voice acting are generally spot on, with Jonah Jameson and Robbie Robertson again being standouts, however the show often falls wide of the mark with its use of female characters. Choosing to almost totally ignore Gwen Stacey and Betty Brant, two of the most important women in Peter's life, it's version of Mary Jane is also far from perfect, with a bizarre colour clashing design, and frankly irritating voice acting. However, despite this complaint it's use of supporting cast is generally very good, and again, often actually a lot better than in the comic books.
B-

Villains:
One thing that Spider-Man: TAS is often criticised for is its poor character designs, something that I have mentioned in the previous two sections. This is something that is also true for the villains. There are many excellent designs, Shocker, Carnage and the Green Goblin to name but a few, all of which stick fairly closely to their comic book designs, and are all the better for it. However, it is when the show deviates from the classic comic book look that it often falters. Doc Ock's design for example, is an over complicated mess, and Chameleon is so bizarrely coloured you have to wonder what they were thinking. The villains backstories and motivations are generally excellent, with Mysterio being a particular favourite of mine and all of the goblins being suitable creepy, with Mark Hammills voice acting on Hobgoblin being one of the best in the series. Even minor villains such as Shocker and Rhino, despite being given very little in the way of backstory, are superbly voiced. Spider-Man: TAS must also be applauded for its use of minor villains such as the Spot, Big Wheel and Rocket Racer. Like many aspects of the show, some of these were clunkers, but I greatly admire the writers for delving into the backwaters of Spider-Man history.
B+

Narrative:
By far the strongest aspect of Spider-Man: TAS, and I am sure many will agree with me here, was its fantastic use of narrative, the complexity of which had never been seen before in an animation, and has rarely been matched since. Episode to episode continuity is very tight, and there are several multi part stories, and series long storylines. The pacing within the episodes is generally good, although it is usually very fast paced this is made up for by the fact that many stories are told in multiple parts.
A+

Overall:
Pros - Strong sense of narrative, excellent voice acting, faithful to comics, good use of supporting cast and humour.

Cons - Very shoddy animation, hit and miss character designs, often ridculous censorship, some characters being far more prominent than they should ever be allowed to be (Morbius).

A-

Reviews 28/1

2009-02-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Ultimate Spider-Man #130 by Bendis/Immonen

Ultimatum, the biggest story yet in the Ultimate universe finally takes effect on the lines premier title, with this issue. Although I have not been reading the aforementioned story I have been keeping up with the events unfolding via the internet, and it sounds like a typical Jeph Loeb shockfest. Despite little actually occurring, this issue is one of the more tense issues of Ultimate Spider-Man in its run so far. The books impending cancellation (and probably relaunch) gives a sense that anything could happen, perhaps even the death of the title character, hinted at by the recent soliticiation for issue 133. However, this does not take away from the fact that this is basically a filler issue. The aunt May getting arrested plot goes nowhere, as the tidal wave allows her to escape, and the rest of the plot in the issue basically retells Ultimatum #1. Although it is nice to see most of the supporting cast, they are given nominal page time and little to do. A solid start to the storyline, but improvement is needed to reach the heights of many previous arcs.
B

Captain America #46 by Brubaker/Epting

Since Ed Brubaker took over Captain America with #1 of this volume, it has been one of the most constently acclaimed titles published by Marvel. For the most part I have agreed with this assesment, however, since Brubaker wrapped up his first major storyline a few issues ago I feel it has lost a lot of steam. Brubakers entire run has so far relied on revisiting past history, and has heavily involved Cap's World War II adventures. Although the book is still consistently well written and enjoyable to read, he needs to start moving on and making his own history, rather than exploring Bucky's past. That is not to say that this isn't a good issue, Brubaker's dialogue is excellent as ever, and the pacing is superb, however it lacks the tension and surprise factor that his earlier run brought to the table. There is no doubt that Brubaker is still an excellent writer, but the title needs a bit of a shake up to maintain by interest.

C+