This week's comics

[angelophile]

Whole batch of comics this week and, unusually, I read them all in less than a day. I was obviously in a comic mood yesterday. Either that or the comics I bought grabbed me, cos it seemed to be a pretty good week.

So, this week I read:

ASTONISHING X-MEN 11
DAREDEVIL 75
DEFENDERS 1
GREAT LAKES AVENGERS 4
HOUSE OF M 4
MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN 16
WOLVERINE 30



ASTONISHING X-MEN 11

Joss Weedon has failed to dazzle me with this story arc so far. Indeed, his run on X-men hasn't really been half of what I'd hoped it would be. The character moments have been wonderful, the dialogue sparkling, but… the plots have been repetitive junk. I suppose you could argue that no story is original, it's just the way it's told, but frankly I expected better.
It's nice then to see this issue is a LOT stronger than those that have made up the rest of the arc. The Danger Room coming to life, rebuilding itself into a robotic body and trying to kill everyone is the worst plotline since… well, since it was last used with Cerebro. Weedon's doing the usual of building up a "big bad" for the team to face and it almost comes off this issue. A few problems - clearly Weedon hasn't read any book that featured Genosha of the past three years. It means that the final scene of the book has the rug pulled from under it by some readers, me included, going "wait a minute…" Shame, because it was a good twist.
The book's salvaged by the countless strong character moments. There's a beautiful cameo from Josh from New X-men, which is almost worth the cost of admission by itself. Then there's the interlude with Kitty and Piotr that is truly touching. Considering how badly Piotr's been ignored in the arc so far, it was nice to see his chance to shine. Then there's Emma's collapse at the end of the book and I really hope that she's in shock, not under mental attack. The trauma she must have suffered being on Genosha and watching the giant sentinel wipe out everything around her must have been horrific, and it's been utterly ignored by other writers. The sight being repeated for her should bring about her collapse and I hope that's the reason behind it.
If the last issue of the arc is as good, it may have been salvaged.

RATING - ****

DAREDEVIL 75

A special 36 page story rounds off this storyline. presumably the extra dozen or so pages were badly needed to ensure there was space for something to actually happen this issue, amid the talking heads. Sometimes decompression works, sometimes it doesn't. This arc has been pretty dire, only this last issue really picking up the pace. We finally find out the origins of the "demon baby" thing that's featured throughout the arc, as well as the identity of the mystery villain. Frankly, it's a little bit disappointing. Weird, certainly. Rather nonsensical even, but with Bendis' straight face it almost works. The problem is, this issue could have been combined with one of the previous issues and created a pretty strong two parter. As it is, the bulk of the arc just felt like filler.

RATING - **1/2

DEFENDERS 1

"Wings on the feet are a trifle fey, don't you think?"

Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire turn their attentions from "Formerly Known as the Justice League" to take on Marvel's Defenders - Dr Strange, The Hulk, Namor and the Silver Surfer. Anyone who read the old, classic Justice League should know what to expect - mismatching personalities, plot and some funny funny jokes.
Defenders doesn't disappoint. It's sublime. It's beautiful. It's hysterically funny. The bickering between Banner and Namor is the highlight of the issue, especially the Finding Nemo gag, but Strange's exchanges (hey, that rhymed) with Nightmare run a close second. The digs at the melodramatic mannerisms of the central characters cracked me up and the location of the Silver Surfer was just brilliant. Even the bad guys get some funny moments as Umar (isn't she married to Ethan Hawke) and Dormammu plan their invasion of Earth.
It's only a five issue series. If you haven't bought it, you must be dead or terminally lacking a sense of humor.

RATING -*****

GREAT LAKES AVENGERS 4

Defenders SHOULD have been the funniest comic out there this week. It was hysterical. Sadly, Marvel chose to release it the same week as the final issue of GLA.
What can I say? This has been THE comic of the year. Black, black humor, pathos, some endearing characters, some surprising deaths, Squirrel Girl…
It seems that even after death, one of the GLAers is going to steal all the best lines. Satirical humor has been the focus of this book and even Giffen and DeMatteis haven't done it better. A blend of vaudeville, crass, sick, black and just laugh out loud humor, the book manages to juggle them all as it shambles its way towards the finale. Did the GLA manage to save the universe from being destroyed? Well, yeah, but who did they lose in the process? Just what was on the last page that had me in tears of laughter? Is Mr Immortal ever gonna stop listening to the Magnolia soundtrack and snap out of it? Just how stupid is Bantoc the Leaper's accent? Who are Slippy Pete and Mr. Freckle and what the hell have they got to do with anything?
Just remember folks - Eat more nuts.

RATING - *****

HOUSE OF M 4

Stuff happens. Kinda.
With this issue, House of M finally starts rolling properly. It's all been build up til now - now we find out that Wolverine is not alone in realizing that the Marvel Universe has been radically changed, and the reasons behind it. It's mostly an exposition issue, with some action thrown in at the beginning, but at leas, finally, the exposition serves a purpose. I can't help but feel the story's had way too much set up 4 issues into an 8 issue series and people are only now figuring out something's wrong? Shoddy. But the dialogue is strong and the art pretty. There's also a couple of truly fantastic moments in there that are down entirely to artist Coipel - Magneto's look of shame as he stares down at his grandchild and Xavier's look of horror in the brief flash later on. Sublime. There's actually a lot to like here and if the standard keeps up then House of M shouldn't be the horror story many were expecting.

RATING - ****

MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN 16

Dammit, another great comic. There's not too much Spiderman action in this issue - Peter is mostly involved trying to figure out the history of Ethan, the Superman clone this story arc has revolved around (or been a parody of, depending on your perspective). That all gets blown entirely out of the water with the closing pages which adds a major twist to the story, turning it entirely on its head and turning a fairly pedestrian, but enjoyable, spoof into something more dangerous. Along the way there's some strong moments with the Owl and the Absorbing Man, and it's Creel's fate that is a horrible horrible twist on his powers. I hope this isn't the end for the character, because his fate, while incredibly inventive, is rather disturbing. There's also a nice Fantastic Four cameo and some great use of the device of drawing pages in "Golden Age" style to indicate flashbacks as well as a great gag about superhero alter egos.
Very strong stuff.

RATING - ***

WOLVERINE 30

One of the weaker issues of the week is still a very strong issue. Starting with a flashback to Northstar's death and then a scene with the X-men who were there in Emma's "psychic therapy", it sets up the reasons for Wolverine's thirst for revenge and his own guilt over his actions, even brainwashed. After some moments with Wolverine gathering his thoughts before the battle and working out the justification for his acts, Elektra, Wolverine and SHIELD move to attack Hydra and the Gorgon. Then we're into pure, cinematic, wall to wall action. Each panel screams out to be on the big screen, the direction of the action and the visuals reading more like a storyboard than a comic. John Romita Jr's art once again plays to his strengths and is, mainly, sublime. The confrontation with the Gorgon is shocking and bloody and sets us up for an explosive finale. In terms of wall-to-wall action this arc has been a real step-up on the last Enemy of the State and Millar has avoided the pratfall of too many Millarisms that make his books uncomfortable reads. In terms of straight, bloody violence, this book is fulfilling its purpose.

RATING - ***