Back to blogging, Marvel Reviews... Daredevil, Captain America, Ultimate Comics Spiderman and more!

Man, I missed this. Been busy with my real life lately that's why I haven't got any posts for a long time, and I'm still pretty busy so I'm just gonna make this quick. 

So what's up? Well, I will tell you right off the bat that its a FREAKING GREAT time to be a comics fan now. No scratch that. ITS AWESOME!

Marvel is hitting the strides with their books and they have pretty much kept pace with their own new #1s, especially with their revamped Ultimate Comics line, and a new Punisher and Daredevil series that has kept me absolutely happy every month.

Here are my picks (ongoing series and individual issues) from The House of Ideas:

• Punisher #3 (new ongoing series) by Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto - Frank Castle is back and is better than ever with Rucka writing a detective-themed and action packed book with good 'ol guns, knives, decapitations and badasserry that you can't help but scream the word awesome. Marco's art is on full force here with some of the most bad-ass action sequences in comics today featuring a high flying Vulture-Frank Castle battle in midair. Another reason why this is one of Marvel's hottest books. You gotta see it to believe it. 

• Daredevil #4 (new ongoing series) by Mark Waid and Paolo Rivera & Marcos Martin - say goodbye to the old DD. This is a fresh take on the Man Without Fear and the man behind the suit, Matt Murdock. Waid has figured this hero out completely by balancing  the life and thought-process of the lawyer and the vigilante, and is starting to become of the greatest 'Devil runs since Frank Miller's. And the art? Gorgeous. The guy has mastered the ability to illustrate Daredevil's Radar Sense partnered with simple, yet dynamic storytelling sequences. This issue has some detective work, old-school vigilantism, and a tutorial on how to defend yourself in a gut-wrenching trial. Cool.

• Captain America #3 (new ongoing series) by Ed Brubaker and Steve McNiven - I have reviewed issues #1 and #2 somewhere in this blog, and that's all I need to convince you that this is a gem that you should be digging. This time, Cap fights a gigantic robot in a Captain America costume! Full of non-stop fighting, chaos, and incomparable art, (that scene where Sharon throws the shield to Cap is priceless) McNiven and Brubaker continue their streak as they make this series completely unpredictable to make fans happy. Damn, how I wish they could make this a bi-monthly series already so I don't have to wait for 30 more days for the next issue.

• Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic - after the horrible Ultimates 3 and Ultimatum, Marvel decided to reboot their continuity-free franchise for new and old readers alike. And issue #1 just hit the mark. Our heroes has to deal with an uprising threat to the US, but with little resources to back them up. Previous political overtones from Ultimates #1 and #2 are retained which sets up a connection to previous installments. Finally Esad Ribic's clean pencils blend in very well with the naturalistic dialogue and setting. Overall, a solid book that any Marvel fan (new and old) should pick up. 

• Ultimate Comics: Spiderman #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli - you might have heard this in the news. Peter Parker is dead (at least in the Ultimate Universe) and now, we got a new #1 which means a new Spiderman. And he's black! He's Miles Morales! Ethnicity aside, this is a great start. New storyline, new hero, familiar villains and new power(s) that I haven't seen before. Then throw in Sara Pichelli's stunning art and I don't know what else would make you skip this. I'm sold on this one and I believe you will too once you read it. 

• X-Men: Schism #4 by Jason Aaron and Carlos Pacheco/Cam Smith -This is it! Cyclops vs Wolverine. And it doesn't get any bigger than that. More importantly, this marks the beginning of the end of the X-Men that we all knew. By the end of this battle, the X-Men will be no more. Cykes and Logan battle it out in Utopia after a bitter disagreement, while a dangerous and powerful uber-Sentinel looks out to eradicate mutant kind. The stakes have never been higher, and the end coming closer. This is one event that you don't want to miss out on.

•  Ultimate Comics X-Men #1 by Nick Spencer and Paco Medina - I never thought Spencer's writing will work on an X-book, but damn he does it. This is not the X-Men you were used to see in the past Ultimate stories. Mutants are being tortured and hunted more than ever, and the government is behind it all - while telling people and the media otherwise - making them look good on the outside. Sinister. What a great way to set up an intriguing storyline that sees Iceman, Human Torch and Kitty Pryde take center stage. Art is not great but good enough to make me try a second issue. Can't wait for the X-Men to re-group and kick the government's skinny fat asses. 

• Fear Itself #6 (intercompany crossover) by Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen - ah the event that wasn't as big as it was dubbed. But still, I can't help but follow this and see our Avengers get newly designed Tron costumes and powerful RPG-inspired weapons courtesy of Tony Stark and Odin's Asgardian warehouse after that last panel. I know they will be kicking The Worthy and Sin's asses next issue, and Thor will go one-on-one with The Serpent himself to end things once and for all. Or maybe not. Nonetheless, this is a pretty cool issue. Stuart Immonen's art is another reason why this is on my pull list.

That's it for now folks. I'll be back tomorrow with my DC New 52 Picks that should at least help you choose the titles you will be spending your money on because like most of you, I'm just an ordinary guy with a decent work who just can't get every comic book that's on the stands right now. So we have to pick carefully. 

Are we good with that? Alright.

Now back to reality.

Dammit, Spoilers!!!

If you don't want to get spoiled, stop reading right now and don't click any of the links.

So what's the fuss all about? Apparently, I read a Newsarama interview that gave a massive spoiler within Marvel's Fear Itself.

Its all about Bucky Barnes aka the 2nd Captain America. It happens in Fear Itself #3, and confirmed in its upcoming 4th issue. I don't know how and I don't know why, but fuck, Marvel did it. 

He's fucking dead. Again. 

And the writers insist that "Bucky stays dead".

Whether that's true or not,  the fact (for now) still remains that Bucky is now gone fishing with his maker, as previewed in this teaser for Fear Itself #4.

Comics Alliance EIC Laura Hudson apparently wrote about it a couple of days ago in one of her articles (can't fin the specific link for that sorry), and now she's flooded with a lot of angry comments from fans who were disappointed from the lack of warning and apology. 

Can't blame the angry mob to be honest.

Latest Comic Book Reviews (06.03.2011) - Flashpoint #2 | Moon Knight #2 | Fear Itself #3

I would say this is a pretty nice week for superhero comics.

Issues from the biggest comic book "Houses" going at it for crossover and storytelling supremacy with the 2nd installment of DC's universe-altering "Flashpoint" up against the third part of Marvel's mega-event "Fear Itself", while Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev tries to improve on their work on Moon Knight.

Do they all manage to impress?

All my reviews after the cut.

**MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!**

 Moon Knight #2
 Written by Brian Michael Bendis
 Art by Alex Maleev
 Colors by Matthew Wilson
 Publisher Marvel Comics 

Opening this 2nd issue was a little bit of a surprise. We see Captain America, Spiderman and Wolverine again conferring with Moon Knight about strategies before "they" infiltrate an illegal establishment that could lead them to the main villain of this adventure. The reason why they is in quotes is because of the realization that Moon Knight wasn't actually speaking with the three Avengers:

It's just his multiple-personality shebang taking over. Yes, Marc Spector is in fact - talking to himself. 

This is a great idea I thought at first. Now MK has Cap, Wolverine and Spidey all in one helping him break down different fighting and espionage methods needed for this mission, and that could only mean a good thing right? But it got so messed up when Bendis' put our white robed hero in the guise of Spiderman himself as he attacked in the open.

Wait... what? Yes folks, Moon Knight is Spiderman... or rather, Spiderman in a Moon Knight costume. I'll give you 10 seconds to process that one in your head.

Ok, got that? Here's another: not only MK is playing Spidey dress-up, he is also shooting-webs and talking shit like he was Spiderman. To make things worse, claws went out of MK's webshooters, started to growl and for another duration of the ensuing fiasco, he is Wolverine! I could have just got a "Wolverine" or an "Amazing Spider-Man" issue and read it instead of putting up with this. It's awfully-hilarious. Words escape me.

 

And to point another thing, Bendis didn't even give any explosive or shocking revelations that could make this story more interesting. Its the 2nd issue and readers need to know what is really happening here, who is this kingpin we're supposed to know and what his motives are. Sadly, still no hints or whatsoever.

The only bright spot here is Maleev's drastic art improvement. He's got better facial expressions, clear sequential storytelling, nice paneling and great action scenes. Gone are the recycled and repetitive illustrations and sketchy lines. Hopefully he continues this and even make a better job next time because Bendis' script is seemingly out of place right now, and a little saving grace will always be helpful.

Rating:

Fear Itself #3

Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Stuart Immonnen and Wade Von Grawbadger
Colors by Laura Martin
Published by Marvel Comics

Just started catching up with this one a couple of hours ago after reading the Prologue, the impressive first issue and the slightly okay book two that had my interest dwindling a little bit.

So here we are with Fear Itself #3. Can Matt Fraction quickly bring back the lost momentum of this mega-event and fill-up the large plot holes in the process?

Just like my previous review on Moon Knight, F.I.#3 barely gives us any indication of when the real fight is going to happen despite Skadi's attack against the Avengers in D.C, the rampage of the Serpent's Worthys in different parts of the globe, The Thing transforming into one of the Worthys as "The Breaker of Souls", and a certain Thunder god's return to Midgard. 

Curiously, the supposed main antagonist - the so-called God of Fear himself - is actually missing in this issue, with no single hint of where the hell he is and what he is doing. And where is the actual "fear"? We have yet to see the ordinary citizens and our superheroes cower helplessly in terror and fear, and I'm starting to feel like this is just an ordinary superhero story that has nothing to actually do with "Fear Itself."

 Immonen and Grawbadger's team continue to deliver in the art department, showing more detailed illustrations together with gorgeous sequencing. There are a little flaws with the inking in some panels, but that doesn't affect the overall beauty of their images. Laura Martin's superb coloring makes it even more lively and I have to say - this team really gets the job done each and every time. Here's a good sample:

The Thing destroys everything after he transforms into one of The Worthy.

I believe that the incredible art is the thing that makes readers coming back for more and Immonen and his gang should stick to what works and make it even better in the following issues.

Finally, if there was one thing that was truly noteworthy for Fraction, that would be everything in final 2-3 pages depicting the "death" of a certain Star-Spangled hero in the hands of Skadi. As usual in event books like this, there will be one or two casualties in the forces of good, and this one of the very first. And its a BIG one.

Poor Bucky. Dying without his robotic arm.

Questions loom as to whether Bucky will survive after a brutal ass-kicking, but clearly, there are more important ones needed to be answered halfway in this event. With just four issues remaining, Fraction has to quickly turn things around and make his story live up to its hype before it blows badly.

Pretty okay issue here despite the numerous plot holes. I'll give it...

Rating:

Flashpoint #2
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Andy Kubert
Published by DC Comics


After a shocking reveal at the end of issue #1, fans we're left hanging with this question: Is this for real?

Geoff Johns clearly answered that with a resounding yes as we get a glimpse of Barry Allen's thoughts in a full page spread that shows him talking to the Flashpoint Batman, (and getting his ass kicked at the same time) when a vision of the past year suddenly dawns upon him - showing Emperor Aquaman and Queen Diana at war - and realizing that this is exactly the same DC Universe, only altered by the his arch nemesis, The Reverse Flash.

Its not the only thing Johns had in store though, he also shows us Flashpoint Deathstroke depicted as a pirate and the first ever full appearance of the Flashpoint Aquaman at the beginning. Wonder Woman makes her appearance as well and their both of their actions in this issue and the last one clearly shows that they are not the same "do-gooders" we are used to see. These are savage and ego-maniacal beings. Change is clearly upon the DCU.

Wonder Woman using the lasso on Trevor

One scene in particular symbolizes that change. The panel that shows Wonder Woman actually strangling his first love (in the original DCU) Steven Trevor depicts strong womanly violence and superiority, something that we have never seen in any WW incarnations. The same thing can be said with Aquaman showing his ruthless aggression on Deathstroke, as if he is going to impale him with his mighty trident.

Then Johns goes for the kill in the last panel, making me go "Oh shit" again as the image of an electrocuted and unconscious Allen - a result of  him re-creating the lightning accident that granted him his powers thinking he can probably get them back - splashed before my eyes. Great cliffhanger by John there. Now readers would have no idea on what's gonna happen next. 

Andy Kubert improves on his drawings for this 2nd issue, paying more attention to the smallest amount of details without sacrificing his main focal points and the appropriate facial expressions needed.

His sequencing is also way better than the first and he fully utilizes the spaces given to him to deliver his own sequential narrative in the most effective way possible. Kubert is a true master of the arts and he's proving that with his current work.

Only flaw is Johns' surprisingly slow writing because only few questions from #1 were attended to, and mainly because the hero Cyborg is nowhere to be found. But despite that, Flashpoint #2 in its entirety was a great, enjoyable read.

Rating:

If you like my post, get free updates via email or RSS.