Uncanny X-Men #1: A Roundabout Review

          I'mgoing to pretend this is not another first issue. In my eyes the “Uncanny X-Men”are on their way towards six hundred and not nine issues away from issue ten.Does anyone remember that Uncanny X-Men started with issue #142?

          BrianMichael Bendis wrote some amazing twists and turns through his run with the “Avengers”.He brought me back to a comic book I haven't collected in years. As Marvelinitiated their Marvel Now program I already decided which titles I wanted totry and of course the X-Men were to be part of my collection. The creative lineup for “All New X-Men” had me salivating while wondering how they would portraythe original X-Men as teens.

Spoilers Ahead

          “AllStar X-Men” was at #7 by the time “Uncanny X-Men” #1 reached my LCS. The teamof Cyclops, The White Queen, Magneto, and one of my favorite characters, Magikwere on the rise to start a revolution. This does not include the newest teenmembers Tempus and a character to be names later.  They pick up a third mutant in this issue who’sbubble powers are still a mystery but reminds me a bit of the effect Speedballhad when he bounced around. Unlike the first issue of the X-Men back in 1963when the now deceased (again) Professor Xavier had his young students battleMagneto, they battle Sentinels alongside the self proclaimed Master of Magnetism.A weakened Magneto uses projectiles against the metal monstrosities rather thanshredding them apart.  He blames ScottSummers for his current predicament.

          My favorite scene leaves me in a quandary; Magik with her Soul Sword rips a Sentinel in half. This same sword time and time again through many different writers could not affect anything other than the unworldly, which makes me question what BMB is trying to do. Yes, the easy answer does have to do with the Phoenix Force she had once permeated.  Then there is the White Queen herself, who never should have been an X-Man to begin with. Why is she with the team? Cyclops her former (?) lover decimated her and even though they both were tainted by the same force that gave them power, he did betray her, rather ruthlessly.

          Theteam still follows Cyclops and BMB links them together very well. I lookforward to seeing the team expand, explode out into the world and implode in onitself. Not to mention the amazing talents of Chris Bachalo. Ever since I firstsaw his art I was pulled in. The colors and intricate detail draw my eye topanel after panel. This book would be great by his art alone, it's only icingon the cake that Brian Michael Bendis is leading the way.

          I was excited about the “Avengers”because of Cannonball joining the ranks, the short return of the InfinityGauntlet in the “New Avengers”, I went back and started the “IndestructibleHulk” from the original perception of the Hulk now smashes with a purpose, AllStar X-Men making something old new again, and Superior Spider-Man swingingthrough the city with no one the wiser it’s Doc Ock. It's this book, UncannyX-Men #1 out if all the others that reminds me why I like comic books. Ichallenge them to keep it up.

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The New Valiant: A Roundabout Review

Well here it is, book seven and Archer and Armstrong continues to impress. Valiant keeps producing book after book that entertains me for my dollar. It doesn't seem to matter if it’s Bloodshot, Harbinger, or their flagship title X-O Manowar. Valiant in the nineties was the pinnacle new comic book company. Magnus Robot Fighter, Solar, and Harbinger were already out a few months before I became enraptured. Solar #10 was the first “gimmick” book with an all black cover which had comic book stores scrambling for more copies to sell. Valiant answered the demand with a second printing.   This is when I took notice and my addictive nature had me looking to pick up every back issue that I missed.

In today’s market of third party grading, mostly by industry leader CGC, many collector’s want the best possible, myself included. In the case of Harbinger #1 this means getting one graded a 9.8 with white pages. If I'm not mistaken this was the first book from the nineties graded a 9.8 by CGC to sell for over $1000. In March of 2008 it reached its ceiling price of $2550.  Recently it has been steady at twenty percent that price. This is nowhere near the same for an Archer and Armstrong #1 in a 9.8, which hasn't broke the $100 mark. 

Jim Shooter had his first major story at Valiant with “Unity”.  To this day it is my favorite cross-over event. Archer and Armstrong #1 made its debut with this story line (not including Zero) becoming my second favorite Valiant title behind Harbinger. Archer and Armstrong are fighting secret sects and it seems The Null is the biggest one of them. Their goal is unlike Pinky and the Brain’s, they don’t want to take over the Earth; they want to end it. I never understood those organizations, and Archer who once was a member of the sect through selective training comes to light by meeting the “devil” himself, Armstrong.

The action really started to heat up when a Geomancer was killed. Its Armstrong’s brother, the sworn protector of those that speak with the Earth, Gilad, or the Eternal Warrior as he is known to the reader, that plans to avenge the death by killing who he holds responsible, Archer.   How he could think it would be anything other than the Sect is somewhat close minded on his part, but then again Archer was a member of that same group until his "parents" tried to kill him. I guess being best friends with ones brother does not give a free pass.

The summer of 12' brought these great Valiant titles to the newsstand again in a day and age where the two major companies feel the only way to garnish new readers is to start with a new number one. And yes, Valiant did indeed start with a number one, but let’s face it they only just started publishing again. I could have easily ended with number two as I have with other titles, but between the art and story Valiant seems to be creating something I love to read, Comics Books.

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Marvel Now: A Roundabout Review

Marvel

 Now:

A 

Roundabout 

Review

I have made it known before and I'll make it known now, I dislike the whole posturing for a new number one comic book companies seem to thrive on. I enjoyed the (*) notation and would look in the lower portion of the panel to figure out what I had to read to understand more. DC started their New 52 a little over a year ago and I planned to try numerous different titles. I started with four and am currently at two. 

When Marvel decided to do the same I silently lowered and shook my head. I wasn't going to write them telling them they would lose my business. I enjoy the hobby too much. What I did decide was to limit what I would collect because as much as a number one is a good jumping on point; it’s also good to jump off. I planned to give each Marvel title the first story arc; then again the plan to give DC a try on sixteen titles didn't work either.

I gave Iron Man a try, along with All New X-Men, Captain America, Avengers, Cable and X-Force, New Avengers, and Uncanny Avengers. I skipped entirely Avengers Academy, Indestructible Hulk, X-Men Legacy, and Uncanny X-Force. I dropped Captain America along with Cable and X-Force, but I picked up Indestructible Hulk to replace it. Then of course there is Superior Spider-Man and as much as I've enjoyed Dan Slots current story, issue two just seemed full of redundancies. I get it. As much as I enjoyed the secret reveal at the end of #1, I felt dissatisfied after the second. I still think this series has the greatest potential.

In Avengers #1 they got straight to the action, it's a new world and the Avengers have to get bigger. What I don't get is how all the titles fit together. How is Iron Man going off in space in his title, the Hulk works for one of the agencies that chased him for decades, and there are a bunch of characters now ranked as the “greatest”. In the eighties the continuity was easier to follow. Now that I'm an adult I feel like I just turned on General Hospital and it has the cast of Days of our Lives, Dallas, and Fantasy Island. As many questions as this number one gave me I stuck around for number two, the hopes that Cannonball would finally be a contender had me part with my $3.99, again. I was even OK with the buildup of a possible six issue story arc.

I was disappointed at the end of issue three, what could have been a battle to destroy the heavens only reminded me off the fireworks in San Diego on July 4th, 2012 when the night long celebration erupted prematurely  in fifteen seconds. Issue four lost more momentum still. I was unimpressed with the J.J. Abrams flashback storytelling quality that Jonathan Hickman did not pull off as well as he did in the previous issues.

Cable and X-Force didn't get past issue #1. I stopped Captain America after issue #2, the Fantastic Four and FF were not worth picking up, and I was scared to try Uncanny X-Force for fear they would destroy the image of Puck I retain in my head. The New Avengers feels like it has the chance to really propel itself along but will issue three be a silent fizzle. So far the one that has surprised me was the Indestructible Hulk. After issue three I'm looking forward to the next one. Then of course you have the one title that is not a Marvel Now and probably more of a Marvel Then is Daredevil by Mark Waid. Month after Month I look forward to this title, maybe that's why I decided to follow the exploits of Bruce Banner and S.H.I.E.L.D.



To be fair, I will continue a little longer on some of these titles while others I might wait for a convention and purchase them at a dollar. I did give DC a bit longer before I opted to go from four titles to only two. The thing that Marvel has over DC with me is history. I have always enjoyed the Marvel Universe more. I'll continue with Avengers, New Avengers, All-New X-Men, Indestructible Hulk, Uncanny Avengers and Superior Spider-Man but at the moment I'm really looking forward to "Age of Ultron" that Michael Brian Bendis hinted at before the whole Marvel Now exploitation. And then is it right for a company to start in a new direction and still use storylines from its previous incarnations?

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Superior Spider-Man #1: A Roundabout Review

Superior Spider-Man #1: A Roundabout Review

Wednesday arrived and I left work to go home and change for my weekly ritual. This consists of coffee with my Dad and a trip to my Comic Book store. My Comixology.com e-mail was checked through my iPhone and my weekly pulllist had the comics I am waiting for, primarily Superior Spider-Man #1.

I picked up Star Wars #1, Shadow-Man #3 and decided to stick with a digital download only for Non-Humans #2. With only three books to read on the way home from Fat Jack’s Comic Crypt in Center City Philadelphia, it was the twice a month Superior Spider-Man #1 by Dan Slott and Ryan Stegman that I waited until I got on the twenty bus to start reading. When I got home, I read it again.

Previously in Amazing Spider-man, and if you are reading Superior #1 before ASM #700, then shame on you, Peter Parker dies. Yes, Marvel allowed the one of the main bread winners to receive a dirt nap. Otto Octavius reigns supreme in the body of Aunt May’s favorite nephew and for anyone who remembers, this has some gross overtones because Otto almost married Peter’s Aunt May. I truly hope this is a story thread they never follow up on. So how does one of the greatest villains on the planet become a 100 percent rehabilitated super hero in the body of his greatest adversary? The answer is he doesn't.

Spoilers Abound

The sinister six arrives on the scene which includes The Shocker, Speed Demon, Boomerang, Living Brain, Beetle, and Overdrive which brought to mind the cover of issue #183. I don’t understand what it is about a big wheel. For a change of pace it was actually pretty enjoyable to watch Boomerang call the shots. Of course who else but Dr. Octopus would be so insulted about a new Sinister Six, and I find it quite ironically pleasing that this is the Superior Spider-Man’s first battle. Otto/Pete seems so enraged he rips into them but seriously realizes how hard Peter had it when Speed Demon pummels him repetitively to the point Otto decides to flee. By the way, Dan pulls off all this action in the first six pages and that includes Peter paying his respects at Otto’s gravesite.

          So Otto being Otto, he runs, but Spider-man being who he is, returns as he sees an innocent cop about to get in the way of a deadly boomerang. Without even fully understanding why Otto/Pete is saving someone who "states the obvious" he also would make Wolverine proud by slicing Boomerang with claws? Later Peter is being talked to by Max Modell and on these two pages I almost feel like I should be listening to Dr. Horrible’s singalong.

               Another two pages and Peter hits the Jackpot. Mary Jane interacts with Peter in a way she never did before, she wasn't passed off for him to go run and be Spider-Man even though Otto/Pete is listening into the Sinister Six’s next conspiracy through “eighty nano-spider tracers”. Otto/Pete is much more interested in the dinner,drink, and the view.

Dan Slott keeps the comic rollingalong in a smooth flow of story worthy of being a #1 issue.

               The action speeds up again as Otto prepared for the Sinister Six, and instead of a six Issue story, he wraps them up in one measly issue, which makes me wonder, is the Otto Spider-Man really that superior. He’s vicious, calculating,and arrogant, many things Peter never was, so as he pummels Boomerang with the intent of ending his life we have none other than his subconscious staying his hand from the killing blow, or is it something more. I’m not going to spoil everything, read the book and figure out for yourself if Dan Slott is the story weaver you think he is.

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Indestructible Hulk #2: A Roundabout Review

Indestructible

 Hulk

 #2

 A 

Roundabout 

Review

As a child, everyFriday I looked forward to watching the Hulk. There was something about the wayBill Bixby turned into Lou Ferrigno that appeased my young mind.  It amazed me this destructive force of naturewas always on the run, from all people, a reporter. The show was scheduledsurrounding my mid-hour bedtime, but for some reason I was allowed to watch ituntil the end.  Although, I had alreadyreceived my first comic book, I had yet to start collecting them.

I picked up theIncredible Hulk from time to time, but it was never a title that made it on mymust have list. Quite honestly the Hulk always felt like a strong B-listcharacter.  As atrocious as that soundsit is a compliment. Every time I collected the Hulk, a few issues later Istopped. But, if you threw the Hulk as a character into another book, I lovedthe madness that ensued.

There were some goodruns, like Todd McFarlane’s Joe Fix-It, Peter David & Dale Keown's convergenceof Banner and The Hulk, especially the start of it in issue 377, and myfavorite is the Hulk from the Secret Wars contributing to one of my favoritecovers, issue #4. Then of course Planet Hulk led into World War Hulk which enrapturedme. The combined skills of John Romita Jr. and Greg Pak encroached on my beliefthat the Hulk could seriously gain my respect... And yet, I stopped again. 

The whole Red Hulkfailed to impress me in a financially burdened market. I can only afford somuch. Once again the Hulk fell to the wayside. When it was announced that"Indestructible Hulk" would be hitting the stands, I opted to pass. Iwas wrong to do so.

I picked up issue #1 aweek before issue #2 was due out. After reading it, I finally felt I wasreading a comic book worthy of a new beginning. I have mentioned, loudly, thatI am against the number one craze. Both my Roundabout Reviews were "Marvel Now" #1's. I found them confusing. They threw me into a story I knewnothing about. Indestructible Hulk gave me no such illusions. Mark Waid, also currentlywriting my favorite title, Daredevil, continued to impress me. But wouldissue two of “Indestructible Hulk” be any good by comparison? Can Lenil Yu keepetching personalities on each face? Are his dark shadowed eyes his tribute toRob Liefeld’s white orbs?

I am still trying to figure out a format for myRoundabout Reviews. Do I spoil the book for you, do I hint to entice you to buyit, do I do one single review or multiples, and will I review anything elsebesides Marvel? The truth is after heading to the comic book shop, a day late,I was ready to read and review the latest Locke & Key but with four morebooks to read, Indestructible Hulk #2 was exceptionally good enough I proceededto write leaving the last four books to read until later.

I will retain the right to add spoilers in myRoundabouts but for this one I’ll keep it spoiler free. All pictures are takenfrom issue #1, or from previous incarnations  buy them both and I think you'll be like me and feelcompelled to not only pick up issue #3 but look forward to it.

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