Marvel — Page 4

Captain Marvel #16 – Deconnick/Van Meter/Oliffe

September 26, 2013 by Kimberley Griffiths

I’m not entirely sure where to start with Captain Marvel #16, and there’s two major contributors to the apathy I feel over it. The first is the art, and the second is Infinity.

Overall, this issue is completely forgettable. While the dialogue is good, I’m finding myself left almost entirely cold by Infinity as an event. I’m bored with the repetitive nature of the narrative, and I’m sad that Deconnick’s wonderful title has been sucked into it.

This month, Deconnick has Jen Van Meter on board as a co-writer, and it shows. While previously, Captain Marvel has proven to be a fresh, clever, and easy to follow title, #16 feels far more ‘Hickmannish’ (a term I’ve coined to describe anything that gets sucked into Jonathan Hickman’s endless, talking in circles, deliberately obtuse style on his current Avengers and New Avengers runs). While Hickman is the main writer for the event, I fail to see why his narrative style must creep into a title that has otherwise featured a completely different tone.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy certain parts of the story – although they were mostly the dialogue sections – but I sincerely hope my favourite title isn’t drawn into any major events any time soon. There is some good exposition about Carol’s Binary powers, that is a simple introduction for newer readers, but not overly repetitive for those who have been reading Carol’s story for a while. Deconnick and Van Meter cram in a lot of characters, as is usual for a CM book, but this time around it doesn’t feel as seamless as usual. I felt like there were a lot of Avengers here, whereas normally that isn’t the case.

Back to the first major problem I have with this issue – the art. There really is no way to put it other than it’s really unpleasant.

Bodies are bizarrely proportioned, there’s little to no expression or movement, and some of the facial expressions are downright bizarre. The colouring is too bright and garish, the page layouts are uninspired, and at times quite irritating.

This book does little to advance the Infinity storyline (or what there is of one – I’m still waiting for Hickman to get to the point), and really only serves as an introduction to Carol’s Binary powers.

The bottom line? Don’t skip it, because CM is a wonderful title that needs to continue, but don’t judge this series on a decidedly mediocre issue.

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: captain marvel, DeConnick, Oliffe, Van Meter

Film and Comic Comparisons – An Exercise in Futility and Frustration

August 15, 2013 by Kimberley Griffiths

‘I Have An Issue’ is a regular opinion column from Kimberley Griffiths, with no fear or favour shown. If you’d like to suggest something for a future column, drop us a line. Also, check out Kimberley’s blog!

Let’s make one thing abundantly clear if it wasn’t already. I am a huge fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s not exactly a secret – I blather on about the movies all the time, I started MediAvengers, and I participate an awful lot in the fan community on Tumblr. I love the idea of a new, fresh outlook on these incredible stories that have been a part of so many people’s lives. I also – rather stupidly to be honest – follow the MCU fan page on Facebook.

While the page is useful for catching up on things I miss on my Tumblr dash, sometimes it’s really hard to subscribe to the old never read the comments adage. Many are reasonably well thought out and articulate, but there’s also a large quantity of replies like Screw Black Widow n Hawkeye, YO! Black Widow wants the D from Captain A! lol, and How survive that stab from the back by lokie [sic]. Sadly, it’s often difficult to look away from the complete and utter tripe you see posted by the various idiots, misogynists, bigots, and generally misguided individuals.

Comments like the above are easy to pass over without the desire to respond, though. It’s not until you come across thoughts like the below that your brain slowly begins to leak out of your ears…

Here’s the thing.

It’s called the Marvel Multiverse for a reason. We have two main universe continuities in Marvel comics, and don’t have any trouble distinguishing these from one another, so why do so many insist on directly comparing story arcs and plot points when it comes to the MCU? Why do fans get up on their high horses and complain about differences between 616 and the MCU when they aren’t even remotely in the same universe?

There’s always been resistance to the interpretation of these characters, events, and plot lines. I’m not just talking about the current crop of Marvel Studios produced films, but I am going to focus this post on the debate I see raging on various MCU specific forums, websites, and pages. While the lines are certainly being blurred between these universes – an observation I’ve expressed discomfort with in the past – the fact still remains that the comics are the comics, and the movies are the movies.

The distinction we as fans should perhaps be more aware of, is that what we’ve seen in print is merely a starting off point for what will eventually be presented on screen. The argument that X won’t happen in the films because of Y is old, invalid, and continuing to use it makes a fan appear to lack a fundamental understanding of the Marvel Multiverse.

Apart from the obvious reality that creating shot for panel recreations of comics is unrealistic and possibly unfilmable in most cases, do we really want these stories interpreted in such a way that offers nothing new?

You know what, that’s a stupid question, because yes, that is what some fans want. The same unenlightened readers whose comments are mentioned above. These fans are the ones who get on their high horses and say I’ve been reading the comics since I was a kid and [insert vitriol here], immediately attempting to invalidate anyone else’s argument because they’re the genuine fan. A real fan. A fan who’s been reading the comics since before they could actually read and my opinion is better than yours goddamnit!

But no, the Real Fan’s, opinion isn’t better than anyone else’s. As people who are asserting their knowledge, isn’t it rather ironic that they fail to understand the concept of different planes of existence? An idea that Marvel has reinforced in its readers over decades of printing these stories they claim to know so much better than everyone else.

What all this boils down to, is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not Earth-616 (primary continuity). Nor is it 1610 (Ultimates). The Marvel Cinematic Universe is its own little corner of the Marvel Multiverse – unofficial designation 199999 – and this is an important distinction to be aware of when conversing on pages and sites where the focus is the MCU.

Let’s take a look at comics for a moment. Considering the length of time Marvel has been spinning these tales, you can’t ignore the racism, homophobia, misogyny, generalisations and stereotyping that have been displayed on the pages. This is just the reality of the world we live in, and a part of humanity’s history. These are issues society has learned and still is learning from. It’s important for Marvel to adapt and change to remain contemporary.

Perhaps we need to not think of the movies as an interpretation of the comics, but as a version of events that is relevant to our modern society – the real world. A world where an environment of fear is just as powerful as a physical threat, where characters don’t need prosthetics, as we’re cool with them looking like human beings, not a Rob Liefeld drawing, and social awareness and conscience is at an all time high. Movies are made for the general public, not for a small selection of cranky, territorial fans.

Fans of the films don’t have to be fans of the comics, and vice versa. Just because a person has never read a comic book, doesn’t mean they have less of a right to enjoy and discuss the material that has been presented on screen. I’ve been witness to many interactions where a comics fan has suggested that someone who exclusively enjoys the films has less right to an opinion, but this is like saying you can’t be a real fan of cheese unless you like Stilton as well as cheddar.

Fraction knows what’s what.

Marvel is doing a great job of bringing more people into the fan community. The films have been the catalyst for many new people to pick up comics, often for the first time ever. We should be celebrating the newer members of the community, not deriding them. Welcome these people with open arms, shove books at them and tell them to read all the things go forth and experience joy and wonderfulness and oh god this storyline is just the best you need to read it first before anything else oh em gee.

On a more personal note, I really don’t feel the desire to see word for word remakes of material I’ve already read. Nothing is more exciting to me than going along to a movie unspoiled, and thrilled at the idea that what I think is going to happen might not. That I’ll get to see something completely new, or a really clever mash-up of Ultimates and the primary continuity. Hey, we might even see an entirely new character that turns out to be so awesome, that the fans start a campaign that causes Marvel to resurrect him and give him his own TV show called Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Criticising films for not adhering to comics canon is an inherently pointless exercise, that wastes the time of everyone involved. Criticising the films for their own problems, is not. Viewers may disagree with the handling of certain changes because they turn something that was well handled in the comics, into something problematic in the films. They may feel that the interpretation of the basic concept creates needless plotholes, badly handled characters, or marginalise areas that were important to focus on. Comparing in this way is perfectly valid, and it would be silly to say otherwise. but saying The movie sucked because in the comics Y happened, not X is redundant.

Then we have the very extreme end of the spectrum. The fans who take every adaptation’s changes to comics canon as a personal affront. Flying spittle in the face of their years of loyal fan servitude. A rude kick in the balls to someone who thinks their status as a Real Fan gives them some sort of ownership over these characters. Fans who have the gall to presume they speak for everyone. Fans who write comments like this:

I don’t know about you, but these fans certainly don’t speak for me.

These people have no more of a right to these characters than the next person. These characters belong to Marvel, who may do with them what they choose. Self proclaimed Real Fans can bitch and moan and groan until they’re blue in the face, but that’s not going to change the fact that their self-entitled, idiotic remarks are serving to contribute precisely nothing even remotely worthwhile to the discussion.

So what conclusion is there to draw from this? Is this simply just a post where I go on a rant because my views are different to others, or is there a serious underlying issue that I’m getting at?

There is a very real issue that’s the crux of this whole subject: inclusiveness, tolerance, and the importance of stamping out elitism. While a majority of the comments you see that fail to recognise the significance of the difference between Marvel universes are reasonably trivial, the fact remains that many use discussions on the MCU as a place to demonstrate their supposed encyclopaedic knowledge of the comics. If anyone wants to talk about these, and – the vastly varying and continually retconned, I might say – comics canon then might I suggest they go discuss it somewhere relevant.

Fans who wade in to a discussion about the MCU with a purist, elitist attitude are doing nothing but drive new fans away, frustrating people who recognise the difference between universes, and making themselves look like rude, judgemental imbeciles, who just happen to know how to use the Marvel Wiki. Let new fans discover the multiverse in their own way, and let old fans experience a new version of their favourite characters and story arcs.

Being a fan is about enjoying something, criticising it for its flaws, lauding it for its successes, not comparing it to something it’s not trying to be.

Filed Under: Marvel, Movies, Opinion

Review: Avengers Assemble #17 and Captain Marvel #14

August 15, 2013 by Kimberley Griffiths

And so we reach the conclusion of The Enemy Within, the Avengers Assemble and Captain Marvel crossover event that’s really put Carol Danvers through the ringer.

Avengers Assemble #17, the penultimate issue of this event, is a beautiful looking book. The art, colours, and page design are all truly stunning, but in particular Buffagni’s art is exceptional here. The faces are all expressive, poses are filled with movement and action, and body types are more realistically represented than in many comics, which for me, is something I really look for in a book.

As usual, Kelly Sue handles the large cast of characters excellently, without it ever feeling like the focus has been taken off Carol. Along with Spider-Woman, Wolverine, The Hulk, Black Widow, Cap, Wasp, Hawkeye, and Abigail Brand, DeConnick somehow manages to squeeze Sersi in there as well. I honestly don’t know how she does it, the issue never feels cluttered or rushed, and I’m in complete awe of Kelly Sue’s writing abilities.

The biggest strength in this book however, is the emotional response it generates in the reader. You really get a sense of hopelessness, so that while you know the Avengers will prevail, things aren’t going to turn out well for Carol. There’s always been a certain amount of dramatic irony in this storyline, but it comes to a head at the end, where anyone who’s been reading closely, or actually taken notice of the title of the event, finally gets that ‘AHA! I knew it!’ moment. Right after the big plot twist reveal, we’re confronted with an entire page of Carol lying prone and bleeding on the ground, eyes blank and unseeing, and it’s then you realise there might not be a happy ending here.

Despite her rather dire circumstances, she gets up. The determination and strength shown in this issue is actually quite inspiring. That sense of hopelessness is still there, but there’s an underlying feeling of dogged persistence, that’s cemented by Carol’s final words in the in the book – “I will make it if I have to crawl.”

Moving on to Captain Marvel #14, featuring Scott Hepburn and Gerardo Sandoval as artists. Hepburn’s pencils are more consistent here than in #13, and it makes for a much more enjoyable issue than his previous one. The difference between the two artists isn’t as obvious as I though it may have been, but I certainly still have issues with Sandoval’s way of drawing body shapes – his version of Abigail Brand is particularly displeasing.

Like AA #17, Captain Marvel #14 is action packed. There’s plenty of great action sequences, but also a more human element with Carol’s friends hiding in the basement as Yon-Rogg attempts to crush New York with New Kree-Lar, and some personal interaction between Yon-Rogg and Carol in the central part of the issue.

Carol is broken. She’s weak, damaged, and at the mercy of her enemy, yet this issue has one of the best lines I’ve ever seen in a comic. As Carol stands over Yon-Rogg after summoning one last energy blast to knock him to the ground, we see her anger, strength, and a certain amount of resignation (and kudos to Hepburn for this panel, it’s excellent). What’s the line? Well you’ll have to read the book to find out!

The final issue in this event isn’t anything less than brilliant in it’s hearbreak. DeConnick has crafted an incredible conclusion to an immensely satisfying mini-event, and I can’t wait to see which direction she takes Carol’s character in future Captain Marvel issues.

Well done, Kelly Sue. The tears were worth it.

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: avengers assemble, captain marvel

Review: FF #10 – Matt Fraction & Mike Allred

August 8, 2013 by Sean Robinson

I’m not entirely sure what I think about this issue. On the one hand it dares to go places most creative teams don’t – breaking down the barriers between the creator and the creation, by placing Fraction, Allred and editor Tom Brevoot into their own comic; for the most part making it an enjoyable and silly tale. On the other hand, this story can feel a little too much like one big inside joke, and does require a working knowledge of each of these characters to fully appreciate. To be fair, a lesser day in the issues of FF is still nothing to sneeze at, and the team manage to create a book that still stands out, if for sometimes the wrong reasons.

The issue is split between two stories, one with the more outcast members of the FF engaged in twenty questions with a madman as one of their own is forced to kill the old man who may-or-may-not be Johnny Storm, and another as the rest of the members take a microscopic field trip with the Marvel creative team. The aforementioned game is great and still manages to live up to the standard seen in previous issues, but the field trip does seem to feel a bit out of place. Full of inside jokes and references to the team’s social media presence, like Tom Breevot’s Formspring, this issue isn’t really aimed at anyone who hasn’t got anything more than a cursory knowledge of these people.

Thankfully, the accompanying FF members remain fun, with Scott Lang’s dialogue reminiscent of an actual parent – remaining empathetic and dismissive, especially regarding the children’s love of the tiger. It speaks volumes of the character – a man who has lost his child and is beginning to let these few take her place, and Fraction really hits the nail on the head here.

The other half of the issue is great, letting the other characters shine. Tong in particular is a character that continues to grow, following her change earlier in the series, and is becoming a larger and more fun part of the team. Alex is still battling between saving his parents, and betraying the FF.

What else can I say about the Allreds that hasn’t been said already? They are great, plain and simple, and this issue continues to be a large selling point. I really cannot speak any more highly about those two, and I love coming back to them each week.

Despite a very risky choice taking place in the issue, it still manages to be a great read. I’m glad that this team is making choices like this, and while FF #10 doesn’t hit all the right notes, it still manages to sing strongly.

Filed Under: Marvel Tagged With: allred, fraction

Review: Young Avengers #7 – Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie

July 17, 2013 by Sean Robinson

Full disclaimer – I have never read the much-loved original run of Young Avengers from a few years back. It slipped right past me, and I have always intended to pick it up. So without this preconception, I picked up the first arc of Young Avengers a few weeks back, and haven’t looked back. This title is absolutely fantastic, and with issue 7, it looks like its only going to get better.

Writer Kieron Gillen has managed to create a superhero team that doesn’t feel quite so self important like the other Avenger crews. Too often in those larger titles the world feels like it’s the only thing at stake, and everything is written with that in mind rather than a more closer threat. With Young Avengers this isn’t the case. Their enemies, while equally universe-spanning, feel a lot more personal rather than an attempt at destroying the planet – and with the events of issue 6 setting up a fairly terrifying villain who has taken one of their own – it feels like these heroes are merely trying to get by rather than looking for danger. It makes the series feel more realistic, with the threat being a danger to the team, not some mustache twirling super-villain’s attempt at a new world order

Gillen’s more grounded storytelling transfers over well to the characters. Each individual character acts like you’d imagine a group of 18 year olds battling personal dilemmas like having sense of worth and managing powers. Not only are their issues real, but the dialogue feels real also. These are a bunch of teenagers who react to each other, and the language reflects that – these are kids who are stuck with one another, so it’d make even the most quiet of people want pick on one another.

The story in this issue is mainly about having the pieces fall into place. The team is approached by Prodigy, who gives Wiccan information about his brother, who is seemingly absorbed by an inter-dimensional being. As they move to stop him, they find themselves about to pass through other dimensions to do so. There isn’t a great deal going on, but if Young Avengers can be this good on a slow issue, it’s even more brilliant on a better one.

Speaking on brilliance, Jamie McKelvie rivals Hawkeye‘s David Aja in art duties and panel design. From his impressive work on his Tumblr-esque recap page, his breakfast menu credits page, or his Facebook photo reel, each page brims with smart design and great art. His character designs, while were initially a bit too realistic for my liking, and felt like a Saturday morning cartoon, have grown on me and I take back all of that. I absolutely adore McKelvie’s work.

In fact I adore the entire series. Gillen and McKelvie’s smart design and storytelling have elevated this series to one of Marvel’s best, and one of my favourite series so far. Lets all hope it lasts longer than its predecessor.

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: gillen, mckelvie, young avengers

Review: Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1 – Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber

July 10, 2013 by Sean Robinson

Another double header review from Sean and Shawn – enjoy! – Ed.

Sean Robinson’s Take

Superior Spider-Month kicks off over at Marvel Comics on an interesting note. Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1, is actually anything but Superior – in a good way. Taking a leaf out of Hawkeye‘s book, this story of the new Sinister Six (minus one) focuses less on an overarching threat, or a long form tale involving the team’s titular nemesis, and instead on the day to day lives of this band of C-listers. While it doesn’t seem to come out swinging of the gate quite as well as Hawkeye did, it still manages to be a good time.

Nick Spencer decides to focus on Boomerang AKA Fred Myers for the first issue, and if you have no idea who that is don’t worry. Spencer sets out to tell everyone who Boomerang is, and in turn makes him that little bit more human. It’s an important, and easily overlooked concept that if handled badly could make this book about villains hard to get into. Granted, by focusing on Boomerang it then overlooks the other members of the team which doesn’t necessarily sell the issue as a team based book, but it doesn’t hurt it here.

The story at hand, with Boomerang trying to get his team a job, is fairly straightforward. It does give a bit of an insight into the team dynamic, and positioning the team as a matter of necessity rather than a close knit group of friends does set up for some fun banter, and the dialogue elsewhere, especially in the flashback, makes for some truly funny moments. It even gives the story a Lucky-esque dog character that I hope has more play in future issues.

Lieber’s art is also pretty good too. His use of symbols in the speech bubbles, for background noise or the animals is a particularly neat design choice, and he manages to express characters well. His art style is well suited for a mainstream superhero-comedy title, realistic but exaggerated enough to portray humour. While not as visually impressive as other titles out there it does serve it’s purpose.

Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1 gives the reader – aside from the long-winded title – a fun comic. While I have been throwing that word around a lot, especially in regards to Hawkeye or FF, it manages to get up there in being a title that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is something that Marvel has been doing a lot lately. But while this issue does manage to channel the right emotions – it doesn’t quite reach those two in quality. Hopefully when the team dynamic gets underway will we see another truly great title from Marvel.

Shawn Warner’s Take

Another Marvel team book is not so news worthy in these “Uncanny” days but when that team consists solely of villains, that can generate some interest. Throw in the fact that these villains are all enemies of The Superior Spider-Man and Marvel just might have another hit on their hands. Not since Norman Osborn headed up Thunderbolts and Dark Avengers has there been a true villain-centric title at Marvel. In fact, Jeff Parker recently wrapped up Dark Avengers and the current Thunderbolts though made up of characters like Deadpool, Punisher and Venom cannot truly be called a team of villains. The success of Secret Six at DC is indicative that there is a fan base for a book like this. The only question I have is what took so long?

Superior Foes of Spider-Man is a bit of a misnomer; these guys are only superior in their ineptitude. They are Marvel’s answer to the cast of Seinfeld – they are a team of D-listers and that is where this disarmingly charming book comes into its own. Boomerang is a down and out ex-baseball player cum swindler who from his current locale behind bars, runs a team of equally bumbling miscreants. They have dubbed themselves the New Sinister Six despite the fact that there are only five of them as yet. Speed Demon and Shocker shoulder much of the comedic load and they do so with the savvy of a seasoned Vaudeville duo. Beetle is more concerned with social media than what’s going on during “team meetings” and Overdrive is the consummate wheelman. These two team up to knock off a comic book store in one of the books funniest scenes full of Nick Spencer’s razor-sharp dialog.

Oddly enough for a Spider-Book debuting during Superior Spider-Month, there is not a single panel featuring Spider-Man, Superior or otherwise. This did not present a problem for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this book much in the same way I enjoy Hawkeye. Now before I get crucified for blasphemy against Hawkguy, let me explain. Both books are very stylish in design – Steve Lieber’s artwork is slick and his old school page layouts have a retro sensibility not dissimilar from Aja’s work on Hawkeye. As for the writing, Nick Spencer and Matt Fraction have taken characters otherwise overlooked by most comic book readers and thrust them into the spotlight. The stories are full of excellent dialog and quirky characterizations written at a snappy pace, with lots of action to boot.

This is only the first issue, but there is so much potential and so many unmined plot gems to be discovered in these vastly unexplored characters – Nick Spencer has his work cut out for him. The team dynamic for a group of cutthroat backstabbers is going to be a joy to develop I’m sure. Then there are the countless solo mis-adventures for each of these characters. I look forward to Shocker and Speed Demon crossing paths with just about any Marvel hero but Deadpool immediately comes to mind. The quips, one-liners and obscure pop culture references boggle the mind. Then of course there are the inevitable run-ins with Superior Spider-Man himself, who just happens to be the former head of the Sinister Six.

I have become a big fan of Nick Spencer, his work on Secret Avengers is something I look forward to every month, so I am extremely happy that Marvel has given him another ongoing monthly series. This book is fun and full of all the things that make comic books thrilling and engrossing. Spencer has the unique opportunity to move these characters from obscurity to centre stage in the 616. Although the events do take place in continuity, this book is not bogged down by that fact. It exists alongside the world of big events – Infinity is even referred to when the Origin Bomb is mentioned.

Steve Lieber is a perfect choice for this book. His style is polished and very hip. He has an eccentricity that comes through in the way he renders a scene right down to the posing and anatomy of the characters within a panel.

I found The Superior Foes of Spider-man to be wildly humorous and absolutely enjoyable. Visually and textually relevant, I whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who likes some criminal hijinks and first-rate writing and artwork with their laughs.

So until next week, see you at the comic book store.

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: nick spencer, steve lieber, superior spiderman, villains

Review: Avengers A.I. #1 – Humphries and Araujo

July 5, 2013 by Kimberley Griffiths

And so we begin with the Age of Ultron spin-offs, this one featuring Hank Pym, Vision, Monica Chang, Victor Mancha, and a Doombot. Despite AoU’s truly dire final issue, this seemed like an interesting combination. I love Vision, I find Hank a very interesting and important guy – when he’s written well, and I was interested to see how they would develop Monica as a character in the primary continuity (if you don’t read Ultimates, she’s the current Ults Black Widow).

So… Sam Humphries, who is best known for taking over from Jonathan Hickman on Ultimates, is the writer on this one, and I really only have one word for almost everything he does here.

No.

No no no no no.

No.

To be honest, there’s also some other words that come to mind, but they aren’t appropriate for a review that isn’t preceded by an adult content warning.

I’ve read some other reviews, and I can’t help but wonder… did we read the same book? I hated this book so much that if it had been a physical copy instead of a digital one, I would have burned it ceremonially, and buried the ashes with a small piece of cardboard as a headstone proclaiming here lies what remains of Dr. Henry Pym’s character.

Hank’s no saint, we know this. He’s a mentally unstable, obsessive narcissist, and thanks to that artist’s drawing mistake, he’s also one of the most controversial characters in Marvel’s line-up. But hey, when the writer gets him, he can be very compelling. I think he’s often written badly, but when he’s written well, he’s one of the most interesting and complex heroes out there.

Sam Humphries takes the subtle nuances of his persona, and exaggerates them, turning him into a wisecracking, smarmy, egomaniacal dickwad, who has already apparently forgotten how his out of control A.I. nearly destroyed humanity. I mean, come on. The Avengers almost destroyed reality to repair the mess that was AoU – and yes, as mentioned, Hank is obsessive about his creations. But this is just ridiculous.

What is with writers trying to make characters ‘cooler’ or ‘more interesting’? What is wrong with writing characters in the way that we’ve come to know them? Why can’t someone with a a mental illness be written like a person with a mental illness, instead being turned into a socipoath? While you may think that assertion is a little over the top, that’s exactly the vibe I got from Hank here.

The other characters… whatever. I don’t really care. Steve pops up for a page, and basically tells Monica to let Hank do whatever he wants… I mean what?

I just can’t fathom what is going on with the characters in this book. It’s truly horrendous. The only shining light here is Doombot, who is reasonably amusing, if underused, as a reluctant hero.

What about André Lima Araújo’s art?

Ugh. It’s horrible. Vision looks like a green and yellow brick with some appendages sticking out, the colouring is dull, and everyone’s faces are wonky and flat. Bodies are out of proportion, the page design is snooze-inducing, and all the characters look incredibly young. Where others have praised the action sequence, all I see is a lack of movement, and far too many static panels meant I got very bored very quickly

Over all, it was a real struggle to get through this book. I put the misinterpretation of Hank’s character right up there with Remender’s work with Steve at the moment (Uncanny Avengers, and Captain America), and sadly, it means I won’t be continuing with this title.

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: araujo, avengers, humphries

Eight reasons Fraction’s Hawkeye is such an important title

July 2, 2013 by Kimberley Griffiths

Hawkeye is one of those rare comics that come along, and unexpectedly smash you over the head with a glowing truncheon of excellence. While that may not be the most eloquent of descriptions, it accurately describes how I felt about the first issue of Fraction’s brilliantly down to earth take on an Avenger who has generally been relegated to the second-string.

I was wary of Hawkeye in the lead up to its release, concerned that the popularity the film version of the character has found would taint the authenticity of the story existing in the primary comics continuity. I was particularly apprehensive about Matt Fraction writing another character whom I’ve always had a soft spot for, as I still had a bad taste in my mouth from the second half of his run on Invincible Iron Man.

What I was excited for, however, was the inclusion of David Aja on the creative team, and I did really enjoy the Brubaker/Fraction/Aja combination during Immortal Iron Fist. Aja has been responsible for some of my favourite panels from recent years, and I was excited to see how his simple, yet brilliantly expressive style, could work with a character I’ve come to think of as the most inconsistently drawn in Marvel Comics.

So with trepidation, I read the first issue. And then I read it again. And again. I read it four times in twenty-four hours. I gushed about it on tumblr. I stared at the art for a long time just letting the beauty of every panel sink in. I think I may have actually had tears in my eyes at one point, just because it was as close to perfect as I’ve ever seen in a comic.

But why did I feel this way? What made me actually get emotional over some drawings with some words on them? What makes this book the one on my pull list that I anticipate the most each month?

1. Fraction takes a B-lister, and doesn’t immediately turn him into a hero

Many writers’ first instincts when tackling a character, with such an historically bad ability to carry their own title as Clint Barton, would be to have him doing something epically heroic in the first issue. Taking on Taskmaster, or Zemo, or a Brood Queen, with a toothpick and some dental floss – something MacGyver-level silly. Maybe even give him some temporary enhancement, to subvert the belief a comic about a dude without any superpowers will be boring, then take it away three issues later – which is something I sort of expected from Fraction, to be honest.

He usurps this by smashing Clint up so badly in the first two pages, that he’s stuck in a hospital for six weeks. When he does get out, he acts like a childish brat, and stops traffic by letting his wheelchair roll into the road. A page later, he’s at a vet clinic, telling them to fix up a dog that looks like it’s on death’s door.

So I guess while we do get a sense of heroism from this version of Clint, he’s still a dick. He’s still just a dude with a bow. He’s still just a guy. He lives in a building owned by the Russian Mob, which he makes a complete hash of buying in a back room casino. He hangs out with his neighbours and barbecues on the roof, has a fight with the mobsters in the vet’s office, and then gets mistaken for Iron Fist.

Instead of putting Hawkeye on a pedestal, Fraction expertly parodies the popular audience opinion of the character. He gives us a sardonic, three dimensional, morally ambiguous Clint, and isn’t afraid to remind us that he hasn’t always been a good guy. He continually enforces the idea that most people have no idea who the hell he is, and not only is it a brilliant running gag, it also helps to demonstrate how Clint has come in possession of such a low sense of self-worth.

2. Kate Bishop

The most important thing to note about Kate is that she isn’t a former Hawkeye. She is Hawkeye. Just because Clint isn’t running around in the black and yellow Ronin outfit any more (he hasn’t been for a while, to be fair), doesn’t mean she has to give up the mantle. So we have Hawkeye and Hawkguy, and it’s glorious. The rapport between Kate and Clint is excellently conveyed, with Kate being the major thing in Clint’s life that’s keeping him on the straight and narrow, calling him out when he’s wallowing in self-pity, and telling him to stop being a loser when he needs a wake-up call.

The best part about the relationship between Clint and Kate however, is the fact that it’s strictly platonic. Any one-liners alluding to a romantic entanglement are swiftly dealt with, and serve to enforce how comfortable they are with each other as friends. Do I ship them? Uh… yeah. But am I glad Fraction’s said he’s never going to go there? Absolutely.

Kate is the glue that holds this book together. Without her, it would be good, but not great. Hawkeye isn’t just about Clint, it’s about Clint and Kate.

3. The page design

Page design is sometimes overlooked when talking about comic art, which is a shame, because it’s something I’m particularly excited by. Aja’s brilliance doesn’t just extend to the the pencilling – his layouts are dynamic, interesting, and quirky. It just looks so different to most comics out there; an interesting mix of complex and simple, that is really one of the most visually pleasing reading experiences I’ve ever had. The only issue of any comic I’ve enjoyed looking at as much as this title, would be Secret Avengers #18 – Another Aja book.

The layouts of every issue, including the ones where Javier Pulido, and Steve Lieber and Jesse Hamm take over, are a great demonstration of how smaller panels can come together to convey both pace and tone. Even Francesco Francavella’s #10 – while not being the strongest art wise – has some excellent choices in the design department.

4. It’s not afraid to be high-concept

Fraction really pushes the envelope a lot with some of the storylines, and they all pay off big time. The latest issue – #11 – takes a look at the world of Hawkeye through the eyes of Lucky (the Pizza Dog). Not only is there limited discernable dialogue, but the majority of the story is told through simplified diagrams and flow charts. This could have all gone horribly wrong, but it’s the single best issue of a comic book I’ve read since Iron Age. Which is a tough call for me to make, as there have been some wonderful things on offer from many of the Marvel NOW! titles.

Every issue to this point, has taken a risk. The whole idea of trying to give Hawkeye his own title again seemed ludicrous to many – readers and critics alike – but taking the concept of exploring what Clint does when he’s not avenging, pushes Hawkeye out of the superhero genre. It inhabits a strange space where you can’t really pin any genre on it, and that’s partially what makes it so brilliant. Despite the ridiculous situations Clint and Kate find themselves in, they retain one important characteristic – you can relate to them.

5. Nobody lets Clint get away with his bad decisions

Here’s something that you don’t often see happen in any form of media, let alone comics. Everyone calls Clint out for being a dick. Kate,Jessica, Bobbi, Natasha… pretty much every woman in his life isn’t afraid to tell him he’s a self-destructive asshole. And while he tries to defend himself to a point, in the end, he just sits back and takes it.

You’re so wrapped up in hating yourself that any time anybody starts to care about you, or god forbid you start to care about them – you push them away —Jessica Drew, Hawkeye #9

Kate’s there to support him after that zinger, but the fact still remains, that even though everyone loves him and would do anything to help him out, they don’t always like him that much. Even Tony Stark, king of the narcissistic, self-indulgent assholes, tells him he needs to pull his head in.

6. Bro.

Bro. Brobrobrobro.

Bro.

7. It’s visibly contemporary

We see events from our universe bleed into Earth 616, with #7 dealing with how Clint, Kate, and their friends fare during Hurricane Sandy. It could have come across as preachy, exploitative, or opportunistic. Instead it was an incredibly heartfelt issue, focusing on the concept of family, both those we’re born to, and those we choose.

Add to that, Fraction is intent on pointing out that Clint is ageing. He’s divorced. He’s got aches in places he didn’t know he has. He’s sometimes weirded out by the fact that he hangs out with a woman who is barely twenty. You almost feel like these people could be real, living around the corner from you, and that’s what I love in any story, be it comics, books, television, or film.

8. People are people

What’s Fraction’s biggest strength at the moment? Treating every character, no matter their race, gender, sexuality, age, or abilities, as a goddamn person. No character inclusion feels forced, or accommodated for diversity’s sake. Apart from Clint, Grills, and the Russians, most of the featured characters in Hawkeye are women, but then that’s not something that’s clumsily and deliberately pointed out. It’s just the way it is.

So, while I may sing the praises of Captain Marvel, the reality is that both CM and Hawkeye are far and away my favourite books out there at the moment, holding equal places in my heart thanks mostly to superior storytelling.

Hawkeye is such a breath of fresh air, and even though most of Marvel’s crop of current titles are very good, Hawkeye is a true step forward in the superhero genre. Despite the fact that – as previously mentioned – it doesn’t really fit that label.

Filed Under: Marvel, Opinion

Captain Marvel #13 – DeConnick & Hepburn/Sandoval

July 1, 2013 by Kimberley Griffiths

I know I’m a bit late with this one, but I’ve had a bit of a busy week. Having something go viral is a bit of a time sucker.

Anyway – Captain Marvel 13, part three of The Enemy Within. How is it?

I really liked the story, the way Kelly Sue managed to jam a bunch of characters into the one issue was really well done, and I commend her for it. Even so, I did get the feeling it had a bit of ‘middle child syndrome’ about it – it is the middle issue, after all – and as such, it’s not perfect.

For starters, the art is becoming a serious problem for me. Most of the issue is pencilled by Scott Hepburn, but there are two pages that were drawn by Gerardo Sandoval, which wouldn’t normally be that much of a big deal, if the art was pleasing.

Hepburn’s art still has me in two minds. Sometimes I really really like it – and I particularly enjoy the way he draws Jessica’s actions – but then there are points that I dislike it so much I want to scrub it off the page. Faces are a hard to look at at times, with everyone looking a strange mixture of pinched and pouty, which is head-scratchingly irritating. Having said that, his work with poses and movement is impressive, and I found myself flip-flopping between oh my god that’s gorgeous and ugh get it out of my eyeline now please.

Sandoval’s work on page fourteen is really rather unpleasant, mostly because his drawing of Cap is overly muscled (I’m talking Liefeld levels of ridiculousness here – one of his hands looks like it belongs on Hellboy), with ugly facial expressions, and an extreme macho feel that really doesn’t fit with the tone of the book. The supporting characters in these panels are nothing special, and over all, it makes the dialogue on the pages reasonably forgettable.

Story-wise, it’s solid. Some may be confused by the jumping about, but I quite liked it. The story could have otherwise been rather flat without the dynamic aspect of quick story shifts between panels. I particularly liked Spider-Woman and Hulk in the Everglades, even though it’s only over two pages.

There’s a lull in the over all Enemy Within storyline movement, and while there’s plenty of interesting dialogue and action, the actual plot doesn’t move forward much other than to finally bring the dramatic irony aspect to a conclusion.

As usual, the strength of Kelly Sue’s character driven story is what carries this issue. Her secondary characters are dynamic, funny, and a joy to read, and while the art was at times distracting, overall I did enjoy this book. There’s a great little hint at Wendy having a crush on Bruce, Tracey is brilliantly cranky as usual, and Carol is her normal endearingly altruistic self.

Seeing as The Enemy Within only has two parts to go, I’m excited for the next issue of Avengers Assemble, and am hoping that the mini-event doesn’t end with a whimper like Age of Ultron!

Filed Under: Marvel, Review

Review: Age of Ultron #10 – Disappointment x 2

June 24, 2013 by Shawn Warner

Something a little different with this review, with both Shawn and Sean throwing their hats in the ring to have a loser look…

Shawn’s take

After ten issues of anticipation and hope for a mind blowing climax that would forever change the Marvel Universe, what I have just read is without a doubt the most disappointing event finale in Marvel history. Age of Ultron is nothing more than a sales pitch to sell more books based on this pointless anti-event – it is a proverbial snake eating its own tail. As disheartening as this issue is, it is not completely without merit – the opening pages reunite Bendis with his frequent collaborator Alex Maleev for one of the highlights but the mish mash of artists on this book destroy any sense of cohesion. All of the art is top-notch by some of the industry’s best but the way they are all thrown together give the book the feel of an ill-conceived jam.

I lost count of the sub-plots that once began were left to wither and die unresolved, like Nick Fury and his team of Avengers that were sent into the future to stop Ultron. So many plot points were touched on, only to ultimately amount to nothing or be rendered moot by the events of issue ten. The majority of the issue takes place in the past as Hank Pym reacts to a warning sent to himself pertaining to Ultron. This adds to the increasing sense of tension as the final conflict with Ultron looms ever closer. However, the disillusionment begins and once it does it never lets up. From here the encounter with Ultron takes place during the time of the Age of Ultron prologue which literally reprints Bryan Hitch’s artwork, only varying the dialogue to reflect changes that occurred during Wolverine and Sue Storm’s time travel mission and Hank Pym’s own interfering with Ultron’s brain.

The final battle with Ultron is summed up with one mighty blow from Thor. While the other Avengers stand around in what appears to be a ceremonial circle, Thor takes the initiative and shatters Ultron to bits with one swing of Mjollnir. Ten issues of posturing and false promises come to an end – but wait, there are more Age of Ultron tie-ins to hype in the remaining pages. In fact once all is said and done, the Marvel Universe we lovingly refer to as the 616 is virtually untouched by the Age of Ultron. As the final pages flip by, the highly- touted introduction of some mystery character (everyone knew who this was going to be) felt more like a last minute afterthought than an event with a nine issue build up. Anti-climactic does not begin to describe the feelings I had to contend with after reading this book. For nine issues I reserved judgment because I love so much of what Age of Ultron consisted of; it had a great writer with freedom to explore any plot he could come up with more or less, it had illustrious artists, it had a remarkable cast of characters that spanned time and space, how could it fail to amaze? For nine issues I disputed my friends and colleagues who discounted the premise without reading the first word. Now after the tenth issue I am completely disillusioned. Of course over the span of ten issues there were some inspired moments, but without a pay-off they amount to spinning wheels, they go nowhere. As lovely as many of the pages were to look at they were merely window dressing.

I am still looking forward to reading Infinity. I have not soured on Marvel or on event books as a whole, (I even liked AVX) but this just felt like a massive waste of time and at $3.99 an issue there is no excuse for an ending like this. By the last page Ultron as a threat or even as a character is forgotten. I can see no lasting ramifications that could conceivably come from the events of this book. The only real result of this fiasco seems to be that now the Ultimate Universe (which is dead already for all intents and purposes) is now slated to be victim of the ill-fated premise that is The Age of Ultron.

Age of Ultron as a whole had glimmers of genuine brilliance but they were quickly abandoned or left to die on the vine. Plot threads that would have led to a much more exciting and satisfying climax were left unexplored in favor of hackneyed and convoluted plot devices that ended in a sales pitch for more Ultronless Age of Ultron books instead of a real resolution. Visually Age of Ultron is stunning – even in the inconsistent conglomeration of fantastic artists that graced issue ten with their work, there is definitely virtuosity. For me Age of Ultron ended up being nine issues of titillating set up with the most dissatisfying culmination. As much as I love comic books, it pains me to have so little to praise in this finale but also as a fan of comics I believe the creators that are entrusted with these beloved characters owe it to us to put out their very best work.

I don’t believe for a second that this is the best Bendis can do.

Sean’s take

And so Age of Ultron ends, in potentially the most anti-climactic way possible. Brian Michael Bendis – and the many artists he brought along for the ride – were definitely on to something. Who would have thought that a post-apocalyptic, time travel story, involving some of the biggest names in the Marvel Universe, with no telling who would live – or die – could turn out so badly? With its drawn out story, erratic use of artists, and little closure for many events that preceded it, Age of Ultron #10 flounders what could have been a truly interesting story.

Where Age of Ultron really suffers is its apparent disregard for many events it set up. Remember Captain America’s assault on Ultron’s future headquarters? The writers seem to have forgotten, as this future where Ultron is in control is never mentioned again. The four chapter build up to that moment feels wasted, and this entire arc could have easily been cut back in those issues. Echoing Shawn’s sentiment about the high price per issue, I feel like Marvel pushed for more issue to pull more money from the readers. Bendis seems to struggle with the ten issues he was given with injecting some plot points that go nowhere, seeming to exist only as filler rather than a fully-fledged storyline.

The entire issue feels like a half-baked mix of many different ingredients. The use of many different artists is difficult to follow, and while each in their own right does look good, the overwhelming mix makes the issue feel disjointed. There is a reason why they usually stick to one artist per issue, and this is a complete embodiment of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

Joe Quesada’s mysterious final pages (which were spoiled for me many months ago) do look great. It’s nice to see him drawing again, but I can’t help but feel that this mysterious and exciting reveal didn’t really need to be here. It didn’t have to be a part of this event and it makes me wonder if this reveal was shoe-horned in at the last minute, as it could have been put in almost any other title.

That’s not to say everything in this issue is bad. Like Marvel’s AvX last year, the set-up to what is to come is much more interesting that the actual event itself. The cross-over to the Ultimate Universe is exciting, and reminds me of the fantastic Spider-Men event last year. Plus the entire Wolverine/Sue Storm relationship was great, and I’d love to see Marvel pick up this again in other avenues.

None of this set up could really save this series. Age of Ultron seems to be an event for events sake. It doesn’t help that before the final issue landed, Marvel began promoting their new Thanos-led event Infinity, not inspiring confidence in their current one. The choices made through this event were odd, and plotlines were fairly quickly dropped. Age of Ultron made so many weird choices that didn’t really inspire interest, just confusion. The only question that came out of my mouth when this finished was just one word.

Why?

Filed Under: Marvel Tagged With: age of ultron