Hulk Smash

Hulk Smash

Friday, January 29, 2016

This Week in Marvel 1/27/16




First off lets get the big news that is really non news out of the way since it should come as no surprise that the Alex Ross cover of the All New Avengers fourth issue that got some hype as it fooled you into thinking that Sam Wilson and Jane Foster were going to be a thing. Given her taste in men, it seemed far fetched to begin with and the two have zero chemistry, when here motives for kissing him on solid ground not in the sky are vague, just a seize the moment shock value thing that doesn't even make sense when taken in context. The best moment aside from Vision schooling a 3rd string villain is the line by the civilians complaining about being save by the understudy Avengers to which the other replies "Where are the real ones, man the world is getting so politically correct these days." While the tension continues to grow with Marvel trolling their readers, take a look at message boards and it's obvious to readers this is becoming the case, which is only going to go so far. I for one am not buying comics any more for this reason and will only read them online or in the store and purposefully not buy them, with the first issue of the recent Dr. Strange being the only exception. I will buy issues when Thor...Odinson and Bruce Banner Hulk come back. But Marvel is pissing over their legacy for a feeble attempt to grab more money, that way they can do much like the trend of bringing back the originals, sell you an Asian ken doll or a white one. But super heroes are iconic because they are the only one who does what they do so it is devaluing their product.

Squirrel Girl continues to be a waste of time, they can't even keep to their own myths with the Dr .Doom thing. Venom Space Knight at least continues to wow you with the art where Carnage's solo book is now a mess and just a waste of time , if this is supposed to be a horror book there is nothing scary about. Spider- woman's 3rd issue sees the stupid pregnancy arc coming to a close. There was some interesting choices with the layout of the story that almost seems like clips from Family Circus, but they work and this is one of the better issues in the Ms. Drew book since she has been slapped in that stupid costume. While it's not bad and often endearing the 6th issue of Extraordinary X-men is not extraordinary. It is better than the first issue of Old Man Logan which seems unclear as to what world this is happening in and wasn't that the point of Secret Wars to get everyone on the same page. Another looming mess is in Angela Queen of Hel, though Hela's appearance might clear some things up. How Angela can hold her own against Bor is a mystery to me, but it is good to see the forced lesbianism on a character who wears a chastity belt pushed aside for a second for some sword play and that was not mean to be the pun it turned out to be. Moongirl and Devil Dinosaur might be getting better when the Cho-Hulk shows up in the next issue , but the current 3rd issue is really nothing to write home about. The New In-Humans  this week feels more like  a super hero book, book none of the characters are very engaging even Crystal so you could care less if they are walking into a trap or not.

The fourth issue of "Howling Commandos" finds the title pulling it together to make one of the best books of the weeks holding it's own if not better than most of Marvel's other team books and finds the book at a place where the story has arrived to take you off into what could be one of their staples if given the right push and aside from Man-thing these were characters I never ad any connection with. In the 3rd issue Daredevil continues to stay strong and finds his secret identity colliding once again with his work in tights.

Friday, January 22, 2016

The Week in Marvel... we're back





We are back up in this bitch . Obviously I was doing what I had been doing in terms of reviewing comics for Geeknthings so it would have been redundant for me to replicate that, but Geeknthings is gone to ground for the time being and may or may not climb back out so it's time to pick up where we left off. The big news is Steve Rogers is coming back as Captain America, because diversity is just a marketing tool over at Marvel and with the new movie coming out of course he was going to be back, Jane Fosters Thor days will also come to an end when the next Thor movie comes out. Ok now for a look at this weeks comics there's some good new and bad news , lets get the bad news out of the way first.



The bad news is that the Uncanny Inhuman's finds the book becoming even more obtuse and less entertaining despite some great art in it's fourth issue. When Black Bolt's song asks Johnny Storm, why he is there it and he can't come up with an answers, because it's just so forced , his lack of an answer reflects the tone of the entire story. I'm also beginning to slip away from New Avengers in it's 5th issue , which the arc it's self is going to be dealing with the corruption of Wiccan and turning him into the Demi Urge.The 2nd issue of Starbrand and Nightmask, doesn't really do anything for me. I'm a little hesitant on how they are starting off Sliver Surfer, it's about as serious as an issue of Howard the Duck, which doesn't reflect a tone that is most fitting for the character.The art work is the same and Ben Grimmm looks to be making an appearence soon so there is a chance for improvement.

As much as I don't like Kamala Khan the 3rd issue of Ms. Marvel serves as a much better sales pitch for the character. Uncanny X-men's second issue has great art and brings Mystique to the forefront with Monet and Sabertooth not far behind. The mutant hunting in this issue is smartly written. Ant-man is better than most in its 4th issue and I can see it beginning to get bogged down in it's soap opera , as if the writer watches too much "House of Cards" and the more soap operatic parts are all they latch onto. This new Giant-man is just dumb all the way around. Even if I'm not too fond of the whole prequel thing, the vibe continues to improve in the 3rd issue of "Star Lord". The art is some of their best. Speaking of space, with Kelly Sue Deconnick gone from the book, Danvers is soaring higher than ever. Not sure yet how I feel about the Alpha Flight being her underlings , but I have always loved that team, so good to see them back in action in some capacity, even if I question the voice they are written with it's still and improvement. The third issue of Hercules is o.k, not mind blowing a little tired of him having to use guns, the art is pretty decent in this issue.