The Marvel Thread

[Talavar]

I read Avengers #01 this week, and I've got to ask: does anyone have a large enough stick that we can use to pry Bendis off the Avengers books?  I'm not a complete Bendis hater or anything - the man has some strengths - but he's all wrong for these characters and this type of book.

[AfghanAnt]

I read Avengers #01 this week, and I've got to ask: does anyone have a large enough stick that we can use to pry Bendis off the Avengers books?  I'm not a complete Bendis hater or anything - the man has some strengths - but he's all wrong for these characters and this type of book.

I thought it was an ok start. Did I miss something?

[Talavar]

I read Avengers #01 this week, and I've got to ask: does anyone have a large enough stick that we can use to pry Bendis off the Avengers books?  I'm not a complete Bendis hater or anything - the man has some strengths - but he's all wrong for these characters and this type of book.

I thought it was an ok start. Did I miss something?

I didn't think it was bad, exactly, just sort of 'meh.'  A lot of the character's voices seem off and Bendis rarely delivers big action that satisfies (or makes any sense).  I think dialogue is usually one of Bendis' strong points, but not here.  Hopefully, the next issue will improve.

Oh, I also read X-Men Legacy 236, and Greg Land needs to go away from comics entirely.

[Previsionary]

Know what's the worst thing about Second Coming? Hope still doesn't do anything, and instead, they're giving us filler. Why is the middle portion of events always so difficult for X-writers? I'm actually annoyed by this because I keep seeing people ask what Hope does and when she'll show her powers. I guess less people read Cable than I expected, lol. It certainly shows that a few X-writers haven't because Hope goes from useful to useless every other issue.

Know what I loved? Psylocke casually going from telekinetically flying to being carried in Angel's arms then back to flying. Oh, Land.

[Previsionary]

Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1 (4)

After the Fall of Hercules, this is Amadeus's true ushering in as Hercules's replacement written by the same creative team that handle Incredible Herc. How did it do, my fair FRers? Allow me to tell you.

Spoiler

The book opens up with the Council of Godheads discussing who shall be the "Greatest Champion of the Heroic age." Obviously, the three main mascots are up for debate, but Athena, who was newly appointed to this position, suggests it can only be one person: Amadeus Cho, the new Prince of Power and current C.E.O. of the Olympus Group! But how will Amadeus, a boy with no real power beyond his brain, be able to stop evil? Enter the fight scene between Amadeus and Griffin, which shows that Amadeus, armed with Herc's adamantine mace and Banner's shield tech, is more than capable of protecting himself and the lives of innocents who get stuck in the way.

Later, Amadeus returns to the Olympus Group R&D lab where he runs into his assistant Hebe, who's worried about a large sum of money disappearing from the groups holding, and Banner. Amadeus reveals that he spent money on a machine that Banner built to search the multiverse for any signs of Hercules. This pleases Hebe, but unfortunately, Banner reveals that finding Hercules could take a nearly infinite amount of time.

Several pages of brooding later, enter Vali Halfling who presents Amadeus with a plan to become a legitimate god himself. He only has to collect several items and help him kill the gods. Amadeus thinks this over before setting into motion a plan of his own, effectively ridding himself of a nuisance. With the list to obtain forced godhood in his hands, Amadeus creates his own plan to obtain immortality, using it as a means to search for Hercules until he finds him. As he lands in Asgard, Amadeus immediately sets forth to grab an apple of Idunn only to discover he's been set up... and now he has to deal with a disappointed Thor! Drama!

I loved this book and having Cho as the leading character hasn't really damaged the brand at all, imo. Of course, some of the humor is missing now that Hercules is absent as the funny man, but the benefit of that is that Amadeus finally gets some much needed characterization that will hopefully evolve him into a more relatable character. Typically portrayed as the straight man with the never ending smarts and the sarcastic tongue, even Amadeus can bring some funny from time to time. One of the better things about the Herc books are the SFX. Name me one book where you'll see onomatopoeia such as "KRAKAHUMMMMAA," "CHOBOOM," and "REBOOOOOOT"? Can't do it? Exactly. The things that helped make this series what it is are still there; only Hercules is missing... and if Amadeus has anything to say about that, he'll find a way to bring that missing element back. 4 out of 5! Get it. Get it now. Next issue, expect some Thor and Cho fun.... But it is $4 dollars, so maybe wait on the trades. Books are expensive!

[AfghanAnt]

Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1 (4)

After the Fall of Hercules, this is Amadeus's true ushering in as Hercules's replacement written by the same creative team that handle Incredible Herc. How did it do, my fair FRers? Allow me to tell you.

Spoiler

The book opens up with the Council of Godheads discussing who shall be the "Greatest Champion of the Heroic age." Obviously, the three main mascots are up for debate, but Athena, who was newly appointed to this position, suggests it can only be one person: Amadeus Cho, the new Prince of Power and current C.E.O. of the Olympus Group! But how will Amadeus, a boy with no real power beyond his brain, be able to stop evil? Enter the fight scene between Amadeus and Griffin, which shows that Amadeus, armed with Herc's adamantine mace and Banner's shield tech, is more than capable of protecting himself and the lives of innocents who get stuck in the way.

Later, Amadeus returns to the Olympus Group R&D lab where he runs into his assistant Hebe, who's worried about a large sum of money disappearing from the groups holding, and Banner. Amadeus reveals that he spent money on a machine that Banner built to search the multiverse for any signs of Hercules. This pleases Hebe, but unfortunately, Banner reveals that finding Hercules could take a nearly infinite amount of time.

Several pages of brooding later, enter Vali Halfling who presents Amadeus with a plan to become a legitimate god himself. He only has to collect several items and help him kill the gods. Amadeus thinks this over before setting into motion a plan of his own, effectively ridding himself of a nuisance. With the list to obtain forced godhood in his hands, Amadeus creates his own plan to obtain immortality, using it as a means to search for Hercules until he finds him. As he lands in Asgard, Amadeus immediately sets forth to grab an apple of Idunn only to discover he's been set up... and now he has to deal with a disappointed Thor! Drama!

I loved this book and having Cho as the leading character hasn't really damaged the brand at all, imo. Of course, some of the humor is missing now that Hercules is absent as the funny man, but the benefit of that is that Amadeus finally gets some much needed characterization that will hopefully evolve him into a more relatable character. Typically portrayed as the straight man with the never ending smarts and the sarcastic tongue, even Amadeus can bring some funny from time to time. One of the better things about the Herc books are the SFX. Name me one book where you'll see onomatopoeia such as "KRAKAHUMMMMAA," "CHOBOOM," and "REBOOOOOOT"? Can't do it? Exactly. The things that helped make this series what it is are still there; only Hercules is missing... and if Amadeus has anything to say about that, he'll find a way to bring that missing element back. 4 out of 5! Get it. Get it now. Next issue, expect some Thor and Cho fun.... But it is $4 dollars, so maybe wait on the trades. Books are expensive!

Cho is prime example of how a minority character can be fostered and promoted correctly. I'm so amazed with how much love Marvel has for characters while DC murders it's one non-stereotypical Asian lead. RIP Ryan Choi. Long Live Amadeus Cho.

[Talavar]

Incredible Hercules has been one of my favourite Marvel titles since it launched, and Prince of Power was a fine continuation.  I did miss Hercules himself though, and hope it's not too long before he rejoins the title.

[pr1983]

Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1 (4)

After the Fall of Hercules, this is Amadeus's true ushering in as Hercules's replacement written by the same creative team that handle Incredible Herc. How did it do, my fair FRers? Allow me to tell you.

Spoiler

The book opens up with the Council of Godheads discussing who shall be the "Greatest Champion of the Heroic age." Obviously, the three main mascots are up for debate, but Athena, who was newly appointed to this position, suggests it can only be one person: Amadeus Cho, the new Prince of Power and current C.E.O. of the Olympus Group! But how will Amadeus, a boy with no real power beyond his brain, be able to stop evil? Enter the fight scene between Amadeus and Griffin, which shows that Amadeus, armed with Herc's adamantine mace and Banner's shield tech, is more than capable of protecting himself and the lives of innocents who get stuck in the way.

Later, Amadeus returns to the Olympus Group R&D lab where he runs into his assistant Hebe, who's worried about a large sum of money disappearing from the groups holding, and Banner. Amadeus reveals that he spent money on a machine that Banner built to search the multiverse for any signs of Hercules. This pleases Hebe, but unfortunately, Banner reveals that finding Hercules could take a nearly infinite amount of time.

Several pages of brooding later, enter Vali Halfling who presents Amadeus with a plan to become a legitimate god himself. He only has to collect several items and help him kill the gods. Amadeus thinks this over before setting into motion a plan of his own, effectively ridding himself of a nuisance. With the list to obtain forced godhood in his hands, Amadeus creates his own plan to obtain immortality, using it as a means to search for Hercules until he finds him. As he lands in Asgard, Amadeus immediately sets forth to grab an apple of Idunn only to discover he's been set up... and now he has to deal with a disappointed Thor! Drama!

I loved this book and having Cho as the leading character hasn't really damaged the brand at all, imo. Of course, some of the humor is missing now that Hercules is absent as the funny man, but the benefit of that is that Amadeus finally gets some much needed characterization that will hopefully evolve him into a more relatable character. Typically portrayed as the straight man with the never ending smarts and the sarcastic tongue, even Amadeus can bring some funny from time to time. One of the better things about the Herc books are the SFX. Name me one book where you'll see onomatopoeia such as "KRAKAHUMMMMAA," "CHOBOOM," and "REBOOOOOOT"? Can't do it? Exactly. The things that helped make this series what it is are still there; only Hercules is missing... and if Amadeus has anything to say about that, he'll find a way to bring that missing element back. 4 out of 5! Get it. Get it now. Next issue, expect some Thor and Cho fun.... But it is $4 dollars, so maybe wait on the trades. Books are expensive!

Cho is prime example of how a minority character can be fostered and promoted correctly. I'm so amazed with how much love Marvel has for characters while DC murders it's one non-stereotypical Asian lead. RIP Ryan Choi. Long Live Amadeus Cho.

not a fan of the great ten, then?

[AfghanAnt]

Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1 (4)

After the Fall of Hercules, this is Amadeus's true ushering in as Hercules's replacement written by the same creative team that handle Incredible Herc. How did it do, my fair FRers? Allow me to tell you.

Spoiler

The book opens up with the Council of Godheads discussing who shall be the "Greatest Champion of the Heroic age." Obviously, the three main mascots are up for debate, but Athena, who was newly appointed to this position, suggests it can only be one person: Amadeus Cho, the new Prince of Power and current C.E.O. of the Olympus Group! But how will Amadeus, a boy with no real power beyond his brain, be able to stop evil? Enter the fight scene between Amadeus and Griffin, which shows that Amadeus, armed with Herc's adamantine mace and Banner's shield tech, is more than capable of protecting himself and the lives of innocents who get stuck in the way.

Later, Amadeus returns to the Olympus Group R&D lab where he runs into his assistant Hebe, who's worried about a large sum of money disappearing from the groups holding, and Banner. Amadeus reveals that he spent money on a machine that Banner built to search the multiverse for any signs of Hercules. This pleases Hebe, but unfortunately, Banner reveals that finding Hercules could take a nearly infinite amount of time.

Several pages of brooding later, enter Vali Halfling who presents Amadeus with a plan to become a legitimate god himself. He only has to collect several items and help him kill the gods. Amadeus thinks this over before setting into motion a plan of his own, effectively ridding himself of a nuisance. With the list to obtain forced godhood in his hands, Amadeus creates his own plan to obtain immortality, using it as a means to search for Hercules until he finds him. As he lands in Asgard, Amadeus immediately sets forth to grab an apple of Idunn only to discover he's been set up... and now he has to deal with a disappointed Thor! Drama!

I loved this book and having Cho as the leading character hasn't really damaged the brand at all, imo. Of course, some of the humor is missing now that Hercules is absent as the funny man, but the benefit of that is that Amadeus finally gets some much needed characterization that will hopefully evolve him into a more relatable character. Typically portrayed as the straight man with the never ending smarts and the sarcastic tongue, even Amadeus can bring some funny from time to time. One of the better things about the Herc books are the SFX. Name me one book where you'll see onomatopoeia such as "KRAKAHUMMMMAA," "CHOBOOM," and "REBOOOOOOT"? Can't do it? Exactly. The things that helped make this series what it is are still there; only Hercules is missing... and if Amadeus has anything to say about that, he'll find a way to bring that missing element back. 4 out of 5! Get it. Get it now. Next issue, expect some Thor and Cho fun.... But it is $4 dollars, so maybe wait on the trades. Books are expensive!

Cho is prime example of how a minority character can be fostered and promoted correctly. I'm so amazed with how much love Marvel has for characters while DC murders it's one non-stereotypical Asian lead. RIP Ryan Choi. Long Live Amadeus Cho.

not a fan of the great ten, then?

No. I'm not a fan of caricatures of Asians whose powers are being Asian. Seriously their powersets are offensive - super pregnancy, really?

[pr1983]

lol, i was kidding.

there's still kimiyo hoshi, who deserves a lot more than she's getting (mcduffie and robinson... ugh).

[Previsionary]

So, I was reading a list of tropes randomly and ended up on Bendis's entry (I actually almost called this man, "Bentry."). One thing that immediately caught my eye was the Whedon/Diablo Cody dialogue comparison. That... has never occurred to me. Ever. Has anyone ever read any of BMB's work and connected it with Whedon's Buffyisms or Diablo Cody's Junoisms? I'm sincerely curious as I'm reading a book now that actually DOES remind me of early Buffy to a degree (which I hopefully will blog about one day).

[Podmark]

I take it more to mean he has a specific style of dialogue, not necessarily the same style as Whedon or Diablo.

[marhawkman]

Yes, Lyra is his daughter (not alternate world... alternate time. She does have his actual DNA inside of her). What's the story behind Hiro-kala? The Scorpion/Hulk thing hasn't been touched on anymore. Scorpion is also a character that isn't used very much.

Scorpion, aka Carmilla Black, aka Thanassee Rapaccini is the daughter of the AIM scientist supreme Monica Rapaccini.  It's been confirmed that Bruce Banner was romantically involved with Monica shortly before she got pregnant, but I don't think they've ever directly stated who the father is.

[Talavar]

I do see a similarity between Bendis, Whedon and Diablo Cody though - not that they all have the same style, but they do all use a stylistic, pop-culture-reference dropping, inventive-slang using form of dialogue that suits some characters and feels awkward coming out of other characters' mouths.  During Whedon's run on Astonishing X-men, Kitty Pryde could have fit right in among the cast of Buffy, for instance, and Bendis' run on Ultimate Spider-man was always a favourite of mine until Jeph Loeb nuked the Ultimate universe.

Of the three of them (well, mainly two - Diablo Cody has only written 2 movies, and I've only seen one of them) I think Whedon is the best at stretching beyond his linguistic tics.  He better found the 'voice' of the other X-men characters than I think Bendis gets certain characters (Captain America/Steve Rogers, traditional, monologuing villains, and I've never thought he writes a very good Wolverine).

[Previsionary]

I always said Whedon's Kitty was just her masquerading as a differently powered Buffy, as ironic as that may be considering the story behind the character. It's just, I've never even considered Bendis's dialogue style to be that... stylistic. He has more of a "realistic," repeats several times, full of interruptions, gritty/street level, swear-happy, and long-winded type of approach that I don't really get from the other two (I have two frames of references for Diablo: Juno and U.S. of Tara [which is a dramatically different style with some of her same ticks. Check it out.])

With that said, the current book I'm reviewing, even with it's different style, automatically made me think of Whedon's linguistic method, and it doesn't use the slang or the awkward/quirky approach at all.

[lugaru]

I do see a similarity between Bendis, Whedon and Diablo Cody though - not that they all have the same style, but they do all use a stylistic, pop-culture-reference dropping, inventive-slang using form of dialogue that suits some characters and feels awkward coming out of other characters' mouths.  During Whedon's run on Astonishing X-men, Kitty Pryde could have fit right in among the cast of Buffy, for instance, and Bendis' run on Ultimate Spider-man was always a favourite of mine until Jeph Loeb nuked the Ultimate universe.

Of the three of them (well, mainly two - Diablo Cody has only written 2 movies, and I've only seen one of them) I think Whedon is the best at stretching beyond his linguistic tics.  He better found the 'voice' of the other X-men characters than I think Bendis gets certain characters (Captain America/Steve Rogers, traditional, monologuing villains, and I've never thought he writes a very good Wolverine).

I really  like that! Hmm... you know what is the big flaw with those 3 writers? They lend the vocal ticks and cutesy dialog to EVERYONE instead of one or two characters. I mean yeah, Whedon and Bendis can have the villains talk tough but that is inevitable (I dont think Diablo has done anything yet with "badguys") but they seem to almost be incapable of thinking in a voice that is not overthought.

[Previsionary]

*points out U.S. of Tara again*

Diablo can vary up her ticks a bit to not rely on that strange dialogue style she implemented in Juno. U.S. of Tara has relatively normal dialogue, as it should since it deals with a realistic subject matter with humor and drama thrown in, but you can still tell it's Diablo's work (yes, other writers come in and out). I think with an editor, all three of them can be better than what they are.

[lugaru]

Yeah... I'm trying not to say Diablo might be the better writer (since she has done less work) but "Jennifer's Body" was better writen than a movie of it's sort deserved to be. Whedon had some killer moments in Buffy too and Bendis really kicks with a small or street level cast. Yeah, let's buy them a round of editors.

[Xenolith]

I picked up Avengers #1 with the hope that the Heroic Age will be something more than another crossover. 

I really didn't hate it.  It was okay.  I don't think a battle with Kang should last about one panel, but whatever.

I suspect Marvel is giving me a nice bagel (which I like) but once I bite into it I'll find out it was made with puppy brains or something.  I just feel like this is a big set up for something I will completely hate.

[lugaru]

I'm hoping for something like the first few arcs of New Avengers, big crazy stories that had no particular overarching plot. You know... the pre-civil war days. I'm talking out of my @$$ but I expect at least 8 - 12 normal issues.

[Previsionary]

Secret Avengers #1 (4)

The next Avenger team is assembled and heading into action with Brubaker behind the wheel. The last time Brubaker had a team book, it didn't turn out too well. It definitely wasn't bad, but it had a case of being so completely average and drawn out that it left many feeling indifferent until the benefit of hindsight came into play. How will Brubaker fare with this team book? Let's take a look. It's in a book. It's Reading Rainbow!

Spoiler

We open up to a scene of Black Widow and Valkryie working undercover by seducing a Roxxon Senior VP. All is going well until the women make it into the VP's office where things quickly take a turn for the worse when the VP violates Valkryie's space. As a fight breaks out, the women make quick work of their opponents, with the help of Steve Rogers, of course (once again in two places at one time...), and secure a secret box they were after. Steve congratulates them on a job well done, and they all take off in their plane completely unaware that they left a traceable heat signature.

Enter Beast who reveals that the artifact they were after -- The Serpent's crown -- is not what they retrieved. After a bit more of exposition I won't go through, Steve makes his way to the pilot seat and talks with Sharon. This is where we get a brief Invaders reference, which is a good series you all should read, and a bit of romance.

Meanwhile in Delaware, Antman III and Moonknight strike another Roxxon corporation and attempt to recover some intel. While this is going on, we get quick scenes of their recruitment into the Secret Avengers. These panels work for me and are fairly simple, 1 page setups. No time is wasted unnecessarily, which I think works in the books favor. As the intel transfers, Beast digs through the information and discovers that Roxxon had men digging on Mars and all their information disappeared around the same time the Serpent crown was found.

Two nights later, Steve reassembles his team and alerts them that they will be heading for Mars with the last member of the team. Unfortunately, that morning, Steve lost contact with the last addition -- Nova -- because he was'attacked by primitive creatures in humvees shooting blasts at him he can't absorb. As Nova attempts to escape, her burrows into a mountain and discovers and discovers as crown. As Richard forsakens his helmet, the worldmind warns him. What could possibly happen?!

The book ends on a cliffhanger as Sharon is attacked by none other than... NICK FURY!

I loved this issue. It didn't feature a bunch of heroes sitting around talking at each other while the villains did nothing, but it also didn't just drop us into a story with no set up or exposition. Every member of the team got the spotlight and some character moments, and we got all the info we could need without it being jammed into our heads. I loved the character interaction between Antman III and Moonknight, and I liked that the book attempted to work in "joining" scenes for at least three of the members without the need for a 2 page montage of people saying "yes." This is the type of setup issue I enjoy. Compared to his X-men work, Brubaker is off to a good start and I give this issue a 4. It may please you all that Beast even refers to his previous time as an Avenger as his personality seems to be stable again. Maybe he DID need to get away from the X-men because he seems to be his best when he's not around them of late.

All in all, it's nice to see Steve in a new role still leading a team of Avengers. With Brubaker at the helm, it seems completely natural. It actually worries me now to think of a time where Brubaker won't be in charge of Bucky and Steve's development. This has been such a great ride that I'd hate to see what'll happen if Marvel picks the wrong guy to follow him. Oh well, let's stick to the present, right?

In other news, looks like this $4 price tag is gonna stick. Looks like I'll be dropping a few more books.

[Podmark]

Well good to hear Bru's Avengers are starting off well. Honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this. How's Antman written?
I was concerned about Nova being on the team but I took a look at today's interview with Bru at Newsarama where he said Nova wouldn't be used much because he had his own ongoing. That seems to imply the cosmic will continue in some form at least.



Speaking of...

Some thoughts on some of my books this week.

Thanos Imperative Ignition was really good, all the story elements of Realm of Kings are coming into play. I'm actually glad they put Nova and Guardians on hold (hopefully) for this because the story reads better without having to do tie-ins (also it's lighter on the wallet). Of course I want Nova and GotG back when it's over. One surprising twist:

Spoiler

Adam Magus, the main antagonist of GotG lately, was quickly killed for failure by the new big bag from the Fault - Evil Mar-Vell.

4/5

Enjoyed this week's Second Coming. To start, art was a million suns better than Greg Land.

Spoiler

The first 10 or so pages are a pretty decent wordless fight scene where we learn the Nimrods must have been massively downgraded in the future so that individual X-Men can destroy them on their own. The rest of the issue sets up the threat and has Cable and Cypher join whats left of X-Force to go to the future and stop the Nimrods. The only thing that really bugged me is that Warpath and Elixir aren't mentioned. Elixir in particular because while he'd be useless against Sentinels, he could have healed Julian and Iceman - but I guess he can't heal right now? Why can't the actual book tell me this?

4/5

Also read the first issue of the new Tbolts run. The whole issue is just setting up the team, Cage talking to each member and telling us why they were chosen. There's some spotty characterization/use of history here and there that bugged, the art was a little hit or miss, and overall it was mostly meh. Nothing bad per se but nothing great either. I wasn't even sure I wanted to pick up the next issue...until I hit the last page:

Spoiler

And Baron Freaking Zemo shows up. That's one way to make sure I buy the next one.

You guys know I'm HUGE fan of Zemo in Tbolts right?

3/5
last page 10/5

[Previsionary]

Honestly, Antman doesn't get a lot of dialogue in this issue. He keeps his "funny man" and superficial nature, and he's not on this team for complete redemption. Obviously, he wants to be on a more public team just so he could get the immediate benefits such as women and fame. ^^. Also, his helmet has been upgraded a bit.

Thor #610 (3):

Spoiler

For all intents and purposes, this is a wrap-up issues that has the Asgardians cleaning up the remains of Asgard. Thor is no longer exiled but refuses to return to the throne, opting instead to be an adviser to Baldur, Volstagg attempts to make up for his part in Siege, and Kelda finally gets to see Bill again, although she can't be with him. For those that wanted the Ragnarok/Thor fight, you might enjoy the final 4-5 pages as the two exchange blows and a reference to Black Goliath is made.

It's a 3 for me. I was a little iffy on the art in this book, and I found that some of the fighting scenes weren't as lucid as they could have been. Nothing exciting but it does its job.

Wolverine: Weapon X #13 (3.5):

Over the past few issues, Wolverine has been on a mission to stop the Dethloks from killing Captain America in an effort to alter the future. You'd think this would mean Steve after the opening issue, but surprisingly, it's Bucky! What's with this Roxxon company anyway? They're so... evil.

Spoiler

22 years in the future, a mob protests to Roxxon's control. They will be no one's corporate whore, dannit. So, of course, they must be dealt with. Enter: The Dethloks and commence a killing spree. Luckily, however, Peter Parker is on the scene and guns down as many Dethloks as he can before he's killed off.

Present day: Spider-man comes across a fallen Dethlok and attempts to help it, not realizing this thing is an enemy. Dethlok responds by kindly sending Peter through a wall. Meanwhile, Bucky and Wolverine are still fighting Dethloks. They're faring well, but the fight gets even more fair when Steve, Thing, Luke, Ironfist, Spider-man, and Spider-woman arrive and join the fray. I would like to stop here and point out that J. Aaron does an adequate job at writing Spidey and the other Avengers. He should have taken one of Bendis's books.

With the Avengers on the scene, Wolverine and the people he's protecting give Steve and the others all the information they know. Steve then decides to round up all the targets he can find and relocate them to the Baxter building for safekeeping. During the interim, Wolverine and Bucky head to one of Osborn's ex-lackeys and try to get some information on the Dethlok's he'll create in the future (this scene references the Dark Reign: Wolverine one shot.). Since this goon isn't providing any useful info, Wolverine suggest they kill the man. That doesn't happen... well, not in the way you would expect. Instead, a broken down, headless Dethlok brought in by Wolvie wakes up and shoves an arm through the doctor's back.

The book ends on yet another cliffhanger. The New Avengers have been defeated at their base, and Wolverine and Bucky have been taken off guard. The dethloks new objective: Kill Miranda, the girl Wolvie has been protecting.

This issue is a 3.5. I'm not typically a fan of time travel stuff, but it didn't play a big role in this issue. Jason writes a wonderful Spider-man, and the riffs between Thing and Spidey reminded me of the interaction between the characters in Slott's "The Thing" ongoing that was canceled much too soon. The scenes featuring Bucky and Wolvie were also great because it shows that these two characters still have tension between them but can get along. No other book shows them like that. Not New Avengers nor Black Widow. It's a nice dynamic that plays off well. For such an action heavy, plot forward book, it's good to see Aaron work in some humor were he can without it feeling too force. There was a scene with the doctor, although, where I thought the jeers were pushing it a little too far, but overall, if Marvel ever decides to cut Bendis down to one book, Aaron would be my choice for the next New Avengers writer. Also, once again, Steve is everywhere. He must have caught the Logan disease.

Age of Heroes #1 (2):

Yet another anthology series by Marvel that will usher us into yet another new (old) age with no STATED definition. I haven't heard good things about this book, but I like to make my own decisions in life. I encourage everyone to do the same... but when I recommend a book, you should go buy it. I obviously don't grade lightly.

JJJ in "Thumb on the Pulse" by Kurt Busiek and Marko Djurdjevic

Spoiler

This story is completely one sided and nothing you haven't seen before with JJJ. After the events of Siege #4, JJJ is preparing a speech for Queen's in order to make them see that Costumed vigilantes are dangerous and we, as people, should be backing real heroes -- everyday people. He even goes so far as to call Norman a good man that was driven mad by the heroic community. As JJJ walks down the street, still working on his speech, the news breaks that a town is about to be washed away by a giant flood caused by the fall of Asgard. JJJ smiles to himself as the Avengers heads into action. He expects the people to hate them, but instead, the public cheer for the work the Avengers do to save the town. The vignette ends with JJJ being disappointed as he changes his speech to honor the Avengers instead; however, he will be keeping the old speech on file... just in case.

Doctor Voodoo in "A Date with the Doctor" by Rick Remender and Chris Samnee

Spoiler

If one were to blink, they'd forget that Doc Voodoo was the new Sorcerer Supreme. Anyway, Jericho takes a girl on a date to make up with her after abandoning her on the first one. Unfortunately, life is never that simple for a hero as he's almost immediately called into action to handle a creature known as the Hypermind. After all that is done, Jericho returns to his date and manages to make things work out in his favor.

CB&MI13 in "Diplomatic Incident" by Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk

Spoiler

At the gov't reception of the British superheroes, with Steve presiding, the MI13 are celebrated for their work and progress as a team. As Steve congratulates the team, he stops at Brian and tells him that he has already invited Dane/Black Knight back to the team, but he'd love for Brian to consider joining as well. THis shocks the whole team, especially Pete who goes on a small tirade against Steve and needing Capt. B around to handle threats as the first line of defense. After Meggan/Gloriana and the rest of the team voice their opinion, Pete allows Brian to serve both teams after they work out a time-share agreement.

Spider-man in "New York State of Mind" by Dan Slott and Ty Templeton

Spoiler

Um... Spider-man catches Griffin and New York still hates him.

The JJJ story was pointless to me. Did we really need to see such a one dimensional tale of a man that has had the same shtick for over 40 years? Although I don't recall him hating the sum total of the heroic community, this story didn't do anything for me but cement that JJJ is a character desperately in the need of a storyline that doesn't play him off as a loud-mouth, arrogant, and bitter man that refuses to change. I'm actually going to juxtapose 616 JJJ with Ultimate JJJ. You see, when Bendis wrote his farewell issues to the original Ultimate Marvel and Spider-man using JJJ as a mouth piece, it worked. The character was given depth and realized that he wasn't always right in his firm beliefs. He realized that Spider-man was doing something good for the community, and he, JJJ, was just giving Spidey a hard time. I wanted something like that to happen in this story. It didn't. It was useless. Ironically, a flood was used in both stories to force JJJ's change in opinion. 2 out of 5.

The Doc Voodoo story was nothing to bat an eye it. It's there, and that's all you need to know. You've seen the setup in a million different sitcoms by now. 3 out of 5. I did find it odd that Jericho, a known lady's man, I guess, is now after a new woman after professing his feelings for Monica/Photon a few months back.

As far as a 2 page story goes, it's OK. I don't remember Brian's name being brought up for any Avenger book, so we'll see what happens. The last time a Capt. Britain was on the team, she barely did much and ended up in a horrible series in cahoots with an evil Capt Brit... and then landed up in limbo, never to be heard from again. 3 out of 5.

Remember when I said the JJJ piece was useless? Well... this is the epitome of "Why are you in this book." Sorry, Slott, you should have passed on this 1 pager. 1 out of 5.

Overall, like most Marvel anthologies, this is a mixed bag of poor to OK stories with a variance in pages allotted to the story being told. Averaging my scores, this is a low 2 out of 5 [2.25 for you math whizzes]. Not recommended.
---------------

Having not read X-force yet, I don't think Iceman "should" need a healer depending on what happened to him. He should be able to take care of himself for the most part. Of course, this is relying on the fact that writers remember what he's capable of with his powers.

[Xenolith]

I picked up Secret Avengers this week, more out of curiosity than anything else, and I thought it was pretty good.  It was better than the Avengers.

I haven't read a Marvel comic other than Nova and GotG for the last two or three years so...

Spoiler

What is the Shadow Council, and why is Nick Fury the leader, and does Steve Rogers know about it?

[Talavar]

X-Force 27/Second Coming: Biggest question that needs answering now - where the heck is Elixir? 

Spoiler

Karma and Hellion could be up and about in no time, let alone Bobby, who shouldn't even have been burned (I hate when writers forget that Iceman and Colossus don't just coat themselves in ice/metal but actually become ice/metal, and that Bobby can actually come back from being vaporized).  I know having a healer with his power-level can be frustrating, but the writers need to stop pretending he doesn't exist.

Also - why was Surge so visibly upset?  Hellion's injuries, or am I missing something?

I'm personally with fine the Nimrod sentinels' diminishing returns - it's been a long time since most of the X-men have fought one (the new new X-men not withstanding) and there's been a lot of power creep among the team.  If the new X-men can take one down - which they did - I have no problem with Namor being able to handle a couple.

Wolverine: Weapon X 13: get Jason Aaron on New Avengers, stat!  He writes these characters quite nicely, at least in this cameo.  Otherwise, I get a feeling of been there, done that from the plot - how many competing dystopian futures does Marvel have at the moment?  Maybe they should fight each other.

Secret Avengers 1: Very nice first issue, like others have already said.  We get some action and some team set-up, and the team dynamic is working much better than when Brubaker wrote Uncanny X-men (which wasn't bad, just bland).  Xenolith:

Spoiler

the Shadow Council & Nick Fury's involvement with it are new developments.  As far as I know, this is their first appearance.

[Previsionary]

Having read X-force now, I'm not fond on several pages being wordless especially since not all of the action was clear on the first read, imo. And I really wish the writers would figure out where they want Iceman's power levels to be because he seems to be near his O5 levels now... as in extremely inefficient with his powers and relying too heavily on ice beams (Iceman would actually be very proficient to use in these types of situations if utilized correctly). Funny... just last year he relearned how to walk through fire in ice form, and he knows how to heal himself using his ice abilities under the right circumstances... with that said, isn't it funny how in the Uncanny previews, Iceman looks to be fine and fighting? At least the rest of the X-men know about X-force now.

Xeno, Talavar is correct in regards to the spoilers.

[Podmark]

Talavar:

Spoiler

As I've mentioned before there is a kinda explanation of why Elixir can't heal right now. Apparently he's having trouble staying gold - which presumably inhibits his ability to heal. Still I'd have appreciated a throw away line in one of the crossover issues explaining away this fact. I'm also annoyed at his lack of appearances because he knows Hope's secret and you'd think someone would want to know.

Iceman is back up and fighting in the Uncanny in two weeks. Saw the preview pics up at Marvel. Guess his injuries weren't severe. As to how he could even be hurt like that, either Yost and Kyle screwed up, or it's possible the Nimrod used an attack that neutralized his powers - I can't remember if they do that or not.
Also does Bobby always become ice rather than just being coated? Or is that a more powerful use of his powers?

I think Surge is so upset because of Hellion's injuries and the hopelessness of the situation. Surge was (is?) leader of the New X-Men and takes the rest of the kids well being pretty hard. She feels it's her job to protect them. Also she's probably closest to Hellion of the remaining kids since Prodigy broke up with her - she's a bit of a loner.
Anyway Surge is back up and fighting in the next issue too.

Keep in mind that 7 New X-Men and Forge just barely beat a damaged Nimrod that was in a less powerful body at the time. I can easily agree that the X-Men are stronger than when they first fought Nimrod, and Namor is a significant addition to the team, but the Nimrods should have been better than their showing in X-Force. Most of them were going down in one hit. But this is actually pretty common when you have a really powerful enemy attack in large amounts later in a series (for example the uber vamps in season 7 of Buffy).

[Previsionary]

Yes, Iceman becomes ice the same way Torch used to become a pure ball of fire. It's been described as organic ice. This is why I said his levels seem to be going back to his O5 days. Back then, his temperature just lowered, and he covered himself with thick snow. That eventually developed into ice armor... but for the past few years, it's been living ice.

Pod, did you happen to pick up the Blind Science tie in to Second Coming?

[daglob]

Yes, Iceman becomes ice the same way Torch used to become a pure ball of fire. It's been described as organic ice. This is why I said his levels seem to be going back to his O5 days. Back then, his temperature just lowered, and he covered himself with thick snow. That eventually developed into ice armor... but for the past few years, it's been living ice.

...and before that he coverd himself with ice, and before that he turned into ice, and before that... you get the picture. I still remember the bit where he first went "icy", and you could actually see through him...

[Previsionary]

So... I reread Second Coming: Prepare today and realized Karma was being operated on in that book. Looks like Elixir won't be coming to her aid. -_-.