There are going to be quite a lot of new comics coming up over the next few weeks...which coincides with the Christmas shopping season, meaning that I've got to learn how to save and budget and prioritise like never before!
Brian Michael Bendis' Secret Invasion just finished...and what a series it was! The anticipation of what would happen in the next issue was just like Mark Millar's Civil War a couple of years ago and boy, was that a fantastic series and Secret Invasion certainly ended with more questions than resolutions.
Yes, the Skrull invasion was halted...was there really any doubt? But the fallout is just about to happen, and it leads nicely into Marvel's event of 2009: Dark Reign. I won't list any spoilers for those who haven't yet read Secret Invasion (and if you haven't, hurry up and go read it already!), but the gist of it is, the Marvel Universe has just become a much darker place with even MORE conspiracies than ever before at the conclusion of the failed Skrull invasion.
While Tony Stark was heralded as the Marvel Universe's saviour only a mere two years ago, with the Superhero Registration Act implemented as a result of the Civil War, he now finds himself discarded by his own government. All his plans post-Civil War failed to yield any fruition and he's failed to deliver on his promise of protecting America with the 50-State Initiative program.
So the government has sacked Tony from being the big kahuna of S.H.I.E.L.D. Wait until you see who they've chosen to be the new big boss...it's the shock ending of Secret Invasion that will resonate and create a ripple effect in all of Marvel Comics' books for years to come!
Anyway, I'll give Secret Invasion a proper review sometime down the line. Back on topic, another new title I'll be adding to my standing list is Dark Avengers, which spins off from the ending of Secret Invasion. There have been quite a number of huge releases in the TPB and HC format such as The Boys: Definitive Edition HC which collects the first 13 issues of Dynamite Entertainment's superb series.
The Boys is a guilty pleasure and the world it's set in is as realistic as it comes in posing the question: What would it be like if there really were superheroes in the real world? Garth Ennis (of Preacher and Punisher: Max infamy, and one of my favourite writers) crafts such a splendid tale of absolute power corrupting absolutely. He certainly doesn't hold back and while there are some moments in the series which are just flat out gross, it IS classic Ennis, which means fans will be treated with over-the-top humour in the vein of Preacher.
Hmm...methinks I should review The Boys sometime down the line too! It's just too good not to have a review!
The Rising Stars Compendium HC also gets released after the new year, which collects the entire series of Rising Stars, from the original 24 issue mini-series by J. Michael Stracyznski, to the three related mini-series. Rising Stars was absolutely brilliant, especially in the first third of the series where it established the world in which 113 special humans with powers lived and how they interacted with society at large.
It's a great time to be a comic book fan...not good for our wallets though!
Francis is also helping me to get the entire series of the Slam Dunk manga in English, published by Chuang Yi Comics in Singapore. 31 volumes means that it'll be a while before I can actually pay him for the order...yipes. Good reading times ahead!
Showing posts with label Brian Michael Bendis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Michael Bendis. Show all posts
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Monday, December 17, 2007
[PREVIEW] Mighty Avengers #6
Avengers-fever is at its highest right now with me, what with Ultimates 3 #1 having been released and Bendis and Cho doing some fabulous work on Mighty Avengers! So much so that I've decided I can't wait to read the single issues of New Avengers ONLY when I get back to Singapore...I want to read them now! Hence, I'm looking to obtain all the existing collections of New Avengers in Australia...either the TPB or HC versions, depending on which one is more worth it, and I don't mean just price-wise!
That's a great lead-in to the next issue of Mighty Avengers:
[PREVIEW] MIGHTY AVENGERS #6
The Avengers reassemble and go on the offensive against Ultron
That's a great lead-in to the next issue of Mighty Avengers:
[PREVIEW] MIGHTY AVENGERS #6
The Avengers reassemble and go on the offensive against Ultron
Posted December 14, 2007 11:20 AM
The shocking conclusion to the Ultron terror as the Avengers reassemble and go on the offensive. It’s now or never for an Ultron butt-kicking. How on Earth will Tony Stark survive this??? And how does this connect to the startling Skrull infestation that may have taken over the Marvel Universe? The next big clue to the truth is HERE!!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #6
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by FRANK CHO
Cover by FRANK CHO
Rated A …$2.99
On sale—12/19/07
MIGHTY AVENGERS #6
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by FRANK CHO
Cover by FRANK CHO
Rated A …$2.99
On sale—12/19/07
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Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Marvel Mondays: Luke and Jessica
Oh no! Surely it can't end THIS quickly! Barely two years ago (or maybe even just last year, I can't remember!), we were all celebrating the union between Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. Seemed like a match made in heaven...that was born in the ghetto.
So when I read this article on Wizard Universe, I just thought to myself: "Surely not?" Bendis is a big fan of both Luke AND Jessica, who was a character he created. Surely he won't go so far as to help them achieve happiness only to pull the rug out from under them?
But this IS Bendis I suppose, so nothing can be taken for granted.
MARVEL MONDAYS: LUKE AND JESSICA
A look at the marriage headed for the rocks in ‘New Avengers #37’
The gloves come off in a heated brawl between The Hood’s minions and the New Avengers this week in New Avengers #37. According to Brian Michael Bendis, however, one of the biggest fights waiting offstage may be a confrontation between Luke Cage and his wife Jessica Jones.
“Issue #38 of New Avengers is a very big issue where maybe even his marriage falls apart because of [the Initiative],” Bendis said in a recent Marvel press conference. Since Cage’s daughter Danielle batted some big green eyes at the close of New Avengers #31, a huge question mark has been dangling over the heads of Luke and Jessica. With the Initiative boiling up an occasionally tumultuous relationship, watch for some piping hot plot bubbles to start hitting the surface over the next two months.
But why exactly are the two heroes at odds? The two had a one-night stand long ago and fell at odds with one another shortly thereafter. That one night produced a baby, though, and the now husband and wife seemed to have repaired what was damaged between them, getting married to raise their daughter.
Civil War, however, through a huge wrench into their living situation, sending Jessica to Canada with Danielle while Luke remained in New York fighting alongside the unregistered New Avengers. Though Dr. Strange seems to have verified that Jessica isn’t a Skrull, the possibility of either her or her daughter being a sleeper agent who doesn’t know that she’s a Skrull in disguise has been suggested. Between the potentially cataclysmic ramifications such a reveal could have and the divide placed between them by Tony Stark’s 50-state Initiative, what happens between Luke and Jessica could echo throughout the Marvel Universe over the course of the next 2 issues.
So when I read this article on Wizard Universe, I just thought to myself: "Surely not?" Bendis is a big fan of both Luke AND Jessica, who was a character he created. Surely he won't go so far as to help them achieve happiness only to pull the rug out from under them?
But this IS Bendis I suppose, so nothing can be taken for granted.
MARVEL MONDAYS: LUKE AND JESSICA
A look at the marriage headed for the rocks in ‘New Avengers #37’
By Brian Warmoth | Posted December 10, 2007 3:00 PM |
The gloves come off in a heated brawl between The Hood’s minions and the New Avengers this week in New Avengers #37. According to Brian Michael Bendis, however, one of the biggest fights waiting offstage may be a confrontation between Luke Cage and his wife Jessica Jones.“Issue #38 of New Avengers is a very big issue where maybe even his marriage falls apart because of [the Initiative],” Bendis said in a recent Marvel press conference. Since Cage’s daughter Danielle batted some big green eyes at the close of New Avengers #31, a huge question mark has been dangling over the heads of Luke and Jessica. With the Initiative boiling up an occasionally tumultuous relationship, watch for some piping hot plot bubbles to start hitting the surface over the next two months.
But why exactly are the two heroes at odds? The two had a one-night stand long ago and fell at odds with one another shortly thereafter. That one night produced a baby, though, and the now husband and wife seemed to have repaired what was damaged between them, getting married to raise their daughter.Civil War, however, through a huge wrench into their living situation, sending Jessica to Canada with Danielle while Luke remained in New York fighting alongside the unregistered New Avengers. Though Dr. Strange seems to have verified that Jessica isn’t a Skrull, the possibility of either her or her daughter being a sleeper agent who doesn’t know that she’s a Skrull in disguise has been suggested. Between the potentially cataclysmic ramifications such a reveal could have and the divide placed between them by Tony Stark’s 50-state Initiative, what happens between Luke and Jessica could echo throughout the Marvel Universe over the course of the next 2 issues.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Bendis talks Skrulls, "Halo"
Well, with World War Hulk finished, Marvel Comics is gearing up towards the new Marvel event of 2008: Secret Invasion! I'm really excited about this, because I'd like to see who's been usurped as a Skrull and has been posing as a hero for a while now!
Here's an interview Wizard had with writer Brian Michael Bendis:
BENDIS TALKS SKRULLS, ‘HALO’
The writer discusses the lead-up to Secret Invasion and Halo: Uprising delays
By Brian Warmoth
Here's an interview Wizard had with writer Brian Michael Bendis:
BENDIS TALKS SKRULLS, ‘HALO’
The writer discusses the lead-up to Secret Invasion and Halo: Uprising delays
By Brian Warmoth
Posted November 28, 2007 5:20 PM
Marvel brought writer Brian Michael Bendis to the phone live from Portland, Ore., today for the second in a series of Initiative-centered talks about the state of the Marvel Universe segueing into 2008’s event Secret Invasion. Senior Art Director Jeff Suter moderated the discussion, in which Bendis dropped clues about how Secret Invasion will kick off and apologized for the delay of his Halo: Uprising series with Alex Maleev.
“In my corner of the Marvel Universe, the Initiative is a big part of the story, but I’m already working on my comics for next year, in which the Initiative will be tested to its very core by this book I’m doing called Secret Invasion,” Bendis began. “The Initiative will need to succeed on every conceivable level if we get to keep the Earth.”
“If the Initiative becomes a cohesive unit, it certainly is the first time we’ll see anything like that in years in the Marvel Universe,” he added.
In the meantime, Bendis pointed to Luke Cage as a character whose life has been profoundly affected by the Initiative and registration. “Issue #38 of New Avengers is a very big issue where maybe even his marriage falls apart because of it,” he forecasted.
The writer teased that the fate of Tony Stark’s national Initiative program would succeed or fail based on the outcome of his Secret Invasion. “Not everyone who’s in the Initiative will survive the situation,” he promised, adding that his epic 2008 storyline in many ways has already begun. “Some of the Initiative may already have been infiltrated by shape-shifting alien Skrulls,” he stated.
As for how the Skrull invasion has already manifested in the pages of Marvel Comics, Bendis gave few details but offered some insight. “They already may have been doing massive amounts of damage that we’ll be aware of once it’s revealed who they are and what they’ve done,” the writer said.
Bendis also revealed that once Secret Invasion begins and characters are outed as Skrulls, backstories will accompany his present-day arcs. “I’m not going to leave stuff up to interpretation,” he guaranteed. “We’re going to let you guess up until, but when it’s time we’re going to turn all of the cards over and let you see everything.”
Suter asked Bendis to define the word “Skrully,” which the writer has popularized characterizing Marvel heroes who may be Skrulls. “If you’ve been dead and you’re alive again, if your ill-defined powers are being used in ways that seem like many different writers are writing them differently, mustaches—many things can give off a Skrulliness,” he suggested.
The Mighty and New Avengers scribe spent a few minutes on the hero who won Civil War, Tony Stark, explaining how he got to the precarious position as head of S.H.I.E.L.D. where he now finds himself.
“A few years ago, one of the topics was ‘What is the point of Iron Man? It’s Tony, and he’s got the armor, but what’s the point of the book?’” Bendis recalled, referring back to a Marvel retreat where storylines were hatched. “From there, seeds were sewn, and they started in Warren Ellis’ run, reinventing his powers for the modern day,” he told.
Bendis cited Stark as a difficult character to write, elaborating on his creative process as a writer. “You literally have to think of someone than yourself and write that,” he said. “I actually read a lot of books about futurists and inventors from their point of view and try to get into his mindset—not only [Tony], but Reed Richards.”
Ultimately, Bendis framed Secret Invasion as a possible undoing of the rupture Civil War created in the Marvel U. “If the Civil War was the divider of the Marvel Universe, the Skrull invasion certainly has the ability to be the uniter,” he hinted.
Additionally, Bendis took a minute to address the delays on his Halo series Halo: Uprising from Marvel, which is still experiencing delays. “The delays for Halo are not Marvel’s fault and not me and Alex [Maleev]’s,” the writer clarified. “The approval process with Bungie, though necessary, is very slow going, so we apologize for that. The series was supposed to be out before the game was out, but it just didn’t go that way.”
Marvel brought writer Brian Michael Bendis to the phone live from Portland, Ore., today for the second in a series of Initiative-centered talks about the state of the Marvel Universe segueing into 2008’s event Secret Invasion. Senior Art Director Jeff Suter moderated the discussion, in which Bendis dropped clues about how Secret Invasion will kick off and apologized for the delay of his Halo: Uprising series with Alex Maleev.“In my corner of the Marvel Universe, the Initiative is a big part of the story, but I’m already working on my comics for next year, in which the Initiative will be tested to its very core by this book I’m doing called Secret Invasion,” Bendis began. “The Initiative will need to succeed on every conceivable level if we get to keep the Earth.”
“If the Initiative becomes a cohesive unit, it certainly is the first time we’ll see anything like that in years in the Marvel Universe,” he added.
In the meantime, Bendis pointed to Luke Cage as a character whose life has been profoundly affected by the Initiative and registration. “Issue #38 of New Avengers is a very big issue where maybe even his marriage falls apart because of it,” he forecasted.
The writer teased that the fate of Tony Stark’s national Initiative program would succeed or fail based on the outcome of his Secret Invasion. “Not everyone who’s in the Initiative will survive the situation,” he promised, adding that his epic 2008 storyline in many ways has already begun. “Some of the Initiative may already have been infiltrated by shape-shifting alien Skrulls,” he stated.
As for how the Skrull invasion has already manifested in the pages of Marvel Comics, Bendis gave few details but offered some insight. “They already may have been doing massive amounts of damage that we’ll be aware of once it’s revealed who they are and what they’ve done,” the writer said.
Bendis also revealed that once Secret Invasion begins and characters are outed as Skrulls, backstories will accompany his present-day arcs. “I’m not going to leave stuff up to interpretation,” he guaranteed. “We’re going to let you guess up until, but when it’s time we’re going to turn all of the cards over and let you see everything.”
Suter asked Bendis to define the word “Skrully,” which the writer has popularized characterizing Marvel heroes who may be Skrulls. “If you’ve been dead and you’re alive again, if your ill-defined powers are being used in ways that seem like many different writers are writing them differently, mustaches—many things can give off a Skrulliness,” he suggested.
The Mighty and New Avengers scribe spent a few minutes on the hero who won Civil War, Tony Stark, explaining how he got to the precarious position as head of S.H.I.E.L.D. where he now finds himself.
“A few years ago, one of the topics was ‘What is the point of Iron Man? It’s Tony, and he’s got the armor, but what’s the point of the book?’” Bendis recalled, referring back to a Marvel retreat where storylines were hatched. “From there, seeds were sewn, and they started in Warren Ellis’ run, reinventing his powers for the modern day,” he told.
Bendis cited Stark as a difficult character to write, elaborating on his creative process as a writer. “You literally have to think of someone than yourself and write that,” he said. “I actually read a lot of books about futurists and inventors from their point of view and try to get into his mindset—not only [Tony], but Reed Richards.”
Ultimately, Bendis framed Secret Invasion as a possible undoing of the rupture Civil War created in the Marvel U. “If the Civil War was the divider of the Marvel Universe, the Skrull invasion certainly has the ability to be the uniter,” he hinted.
Additionally, Bendis took a minute to address the delays on his Halo series Halo: Uprising from Marvel, which is still experiencing delays. “The delays for Halo are not Marvel’s fault and not me and Alex [Maleev]’s,” the writer clarified. “The approval process with Bungie, though necessary, is very slow going, so we apologize for that. The series was supposed to be out before the game was out, but it just didn’t go that way.”
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Marvel Mondays: "Daredevil" #102
Hey folks! I now know why there was so much stuff posted yesterday on Wizard Universe...I had posted stuff stretching TWO days! Well, there's quite a lot more stuff today, so enjoy!
Have I mentioned that Daredevil is now one of my favourite characters in the Marvel Universe? Ever since Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada relaunched the title as part of the Marvel Knights stable, the book has gone from strength to strength. Then Brian Michael Bendis started his legendary run and Ed Brubaker now carries on that legacy.
It's remarkable, considering there's nothing really special about Daredevil. Sure, he's got pretty unique powers. But he can't shoot lightning bolts out of his arse or anything fancy like that...he's just an expert hand-to-hand combatant with a radar sense and enhanced senses...and those enhanced senses are sometimes more of a disadvantage than an advantage!
So why do I like the character so much? Perhaps it's because he's a flawed hero. He makes bad choices in his personal life (some of which he's been pushed into) and his interaction with his supporting cast makes it one of the best reads right now. Daredevil, the hero, isn't anything special, when you're talking about superpowers. Matt Murdock, the CHARACTER though, now there's someone unique and special.
MARVEL MONDAYS: 'DAREDEVIL' #102
A glimpse at Mr. Fear and a look at Daredevil’s most vicious vendettas throughout history
By Brian Warmoth
Have I mentioned that Daredevil is now one of my favourite characters in the Marvel Universe? Ever since Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada relaunched the title as part of the Marvel Knights stable, the book has gone from strength to strength. Then Brian Michael Bendis started his legendary run and Ed Brubaker now carries on that legacy.
It's remarkable, considering there's nothing really special about Daredevil. Sure, he's got pretty unique powers. But he can't shoot lightning bolts out of his arse or anything fancy like that...he's just an expert hand-to-hand combatant with a radar sense and enhanced senses...and those enhanced senses are sometimes more of a disadvantage than an advantage!
So why do I like the character so much? Perhaps it's because he's a flawed hero. He makes bad choices in his personal life (some of which he's been pushed into) and his interaction with his supporting cast makes it one of the best reads right now. Daredevil, the hero, isn't anything special, when you're talking about superpowers. Matt Murdock, the CHARACTER though, now there's someone unique and special.
MARVEL MONDAYS: 'DAREDEVIL' #102
A glimpse at Mr. Fear and a look at Daredevil’s most vicious vendettas throughout history
By Brian Warmoth
Posted November 26, 2007 5:10 PM
Daredevil’s long history with Mr. Fear dates back for decades, but the masked villain crossed a new line when he sent Murdock’s wife Milla over the edge into a drug-induced psychotic rage. Now, Milla sits in a mental institution and things are very personal for the Man Without Fear. Mr. Fear earned a slot on top of an elite list of villains to land on the wrong end of one of Daredevil’s grudges. Alongside a preview of this week’s Daredevil #102, here are the worst of Daredevil’s rogues and what happened to them.
FIXER
The Grudge: Roscoe Sweeny had Matt Murdock’s dad Jack killed after the veteran boxer refused to throw a fight. If that wasn’t bad enough, he slipped right through the legal system and back onto the streets. The crime inspired Matt to take on his identity as Daredevil.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Daredevil not only managed to track down his father’s assailant Slade, he also found the Fixer in a subway and scared the life out of him—literally, the old man had a heart attack and croaked.
MICAH SYNN
The Grudge: Synn beat Daredevil to a pulp and then not only got a restraining order filed against him, but also tarnished his image in the media and kidnapped Murdock’s secretary. Synn also messed around with Foggy Nelson’s wife and used her against both Nelson and Murdock.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Daredevil teamed together with the Kingpin to completely dismantle Synn's crime syndicate and reduced the bare-chested pile of machismo to a groveling, begging embarrassment to supervillains everywhere.
KINGPIN
The Grudge: The Kingpin outed Daredevil as Matthew Murdock to the F.B.I. and got him thrown in jail. Then he had Murdock's partner and pal Foggy Nelson brutally stabbed. Unfortunately for him, the F.B.I. threw the Kingpin for a loop and tossed him in jail as well, right along with Murdock.
Daredevil’s Revenge: When a prison riot broke out and Daredevil and the Kingpin were forced to look out for each other momentarily, Murdock let the Kingpin catch a crippling blow from Bullseye and jumped out of jail with the big criminal Kahuna still behind bars in a world of pain.
OWL
The Grudge: The Owl got way out of line and teased Murdock about Foggy’s stabbing. The crude comments hit a nasty chord with the recently arrested hero.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Murdock slammed a few fistfuls of hurt into the Owl in response to the taunt and left him with a few bruises to remember him by.
MR. FEAR
The Grudge: Murdock’s law school classmate Larry Cranston carried his own grudge into a career as the third Mr. Fear. Partnering with chemist Dante Govich, Cranston lashed out at Milla and drugged her into a psychotic stupor.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Daredevil’s out for blood now, as well as an antidote for Milla’s condition. As history shows, messing with Daredevil’s loved ones rarely ends with a slap a on the wrist.
Daredevil’s long history with Mr. Fear dates back for decades, but the masked villain crossed a new line when he sent Murdock’s wife Milla over the edge into a drug-induced psychotic rage. Now, Milla sits in a mental institution and things are very personal for the Man Without Fear. Mr. Fear earned a slot on top of an elite list of villains to land on the wrong end of one of Daredevil’s grudges. Alongside a preview of this week’s Daredevil #102, here are the worst of Daredevil’s rogues and what happened to them.FIXER
The Grudge: Roscoe Sweeny had Matt Murdock’s dad Jack killed after the veteran boxer refused to throw a fight. If that wasn’t bad enough, he slipped right through the legal system and back onto the streets. The crime inspired Matt to take on his identity as Daredevil.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Daredevil not only managed to track down his father’s assailant Slade, he also found the Fixer in a subway and scared the life out of him—literally, the old man had a heart attack and croaked.
MICAH SYNN
The Grudge: Synn beat Daredevil to a pulp and then not only got a restraining order filed against him, but also tarnished his image in the media and kidnapped Murdock’s secretary. Synn also messed around with Foggy Nelson’s wife and used her against both Nelson and Murdock.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Daredevil teamed together with the Kingpin to completely dismantle Synn's crime syndicate and reduced the bare-chested pile of machismo to a groveling, begging embarrassment to supervillains everywhere.
KINGPIN
The Grudge: The Kingpin outed Daredevil as Matthew Murdock to the F.B.I. and got him thrown in jail. Then he had Murdock's partner and pal Foggy Nelson brutally stabbed. Unfortunately for him, the F.B.I. threw the Kingpin for a loop and tossed him in jail as well, right along with Murdock.
Daredevil’s Revenge: When a prison riot broke out and Daredevil and the Kingpin were forced to look out for each other momentarily, Murdock let the Kingpin catch a crippling blow from Bullseye and jumped out of jail with the big criminal Kahuna still behind bars in a world of pain.
OWL
The Grudge: The Owl got way out of line and teased Murdock about Foggy’s stabbing. The crude comments hit a nasty chord with the recently arrested hero.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Murdock slammed a few fistfuls of hurt into the Owl in response to the taunt and left him with a few bruises to remember him by.
MR. FEAR
The Grudge: Murdock’s law school classmate Larry Cranston carried his own grudge into a career as the third Mr. Fear. Partnering with chemist Dante Govich, Cranston lashed out at Milla and drugged her into a psychotic stupor.
Daredevil’s Revenge: Daredevil’s out for blood now, as well as an antidote for Milla’s condition. As history shows, messing with Daredevil’s loved ones rarely ends with a slap a on the wrist.
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Thursday, November 22, 2007
Wizard Insider: Secret invasion
Man, Brian Michael Bendis certainly know how to craft the big events, doesn't he? From Avengers: Disassembled to House to M to Secret War to New Avengers: The Illumnati to all the stuff happening in New Avengers and Mighty Avengers...why, it seems like he's scripted more major Marvel events than Geoff Johns has done for DC!
The next major storyline after World War Hulk is a development of his New Avengers story in issue #31, where Elektra was outed as a Skrull. The concept isn't a new one, but hey, with Bendis at the helm, it's sure to be a massive story!
Wizard Universe has the latest goss:
WIZARD INSIDER: SECRET INVASION
Brian Michael Bendis spills the beans as the alien aggressors seek to take over Earth in ‘Secret Invasion’
Brian Michael Bendis blew the proverbial little green lid off Marvel’s biggest secret. The Skrulls’ infiltration into the ranks of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the pages of New Avengers #31—with the outing of Elektra as one of the alien metamorphs—is a reveal that spawned thousands of forum posts, guesses around the water cooler and even a couple of backroom, high-stake bets all based around one simple question: Who do you trust?
With the Marvel U. primed and ready for April’s Secret Invasion, an eight-issue mini by Bendis and artist Leinil Yu, here’s some trustworthy info on those shifty shape-shifters from space and their sneaky schemes.
LITTLE SPECIES LOST After seeing throneworlds eaten for lunch by Galactus (pictured) and annihilated by Annihilus, the Skrull Empire, which first appeared in Fantastic Four [vol. 1] #2, faces complete dissolution without a kingdom from which to rule. With the Skrulls’ metamorphic fingers already growing deep roots on Earth, their new party pad might not be far off. “There’s a couple of different mindsets within the Skrulls,” explains Bendis, “and one of those factions believes it is written in the scriptures that Earth is the Skrull homeworld.”
PARANOIA WILL DESTROY YA When asked what Marvel team will be most affected by Secret Invasion, Bendis laughs: “The human team.” Although the number of sleeper Skrulls is “less than people think,” the outcome of their plan and the damage leaked from the faucet of mistrust runs a deep gorge in the landscape of the Marvel U. “Every team will be affected, but the Avengers will have the biggest effect in the endgame.”
GOOD, BAD OR JUST PLAIN UGLY Originally the Skrulls were a peaceful race of merchants, until the barbaric Kree (below) morphed them into a militaristic society through millennia of fierce, devastating war. Although green of skin and pointy of ear, the now-world-conquering Skrulls might not be much different from humans after all. “It isn’t an invasion of want, it’s an invasion of need,” says Bendis. “And this country was born on that [mindset]. We came and wiped out the people that were here before because ‘it’s ours, and God told us to.’”
LOOKS LIKE A JOB FOR SUPER-SKRULL! First appearing in Fantastic Four
[vol. 1] #18, Kl’rt the Super-Skrull’s genetic modifications allow him to wield all the powers of Marvel‘s First Family—thereby solidifying the Skrulls’ ability to effectively mimic the powers of Earth’s protectors. Despite numerous failures against the various heroes of Earth, Kl’rt (main illustration) recently redeemed himself, sacrificing his life to destroy Annihilus’ Harvester of Sorrow, a warship responsible for the obliteration of countless Skrull worlds. Though mysteriously revived post-mortem, Kl’rt currently battles Phalanx-controlled Kree and continues to verify his unwavering loyalty to the Skrull Empire.
HELL HATH NO FURY After pulling a Houdini at the end of 2004’s Secret War, Nick Fury makes his long-awaited return in Secret Invasion. Bendis plans to rewind the tape during a proposed issue of New Avengers to finally disclose what the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director has been up to. “Most of it he’s been watching Oprah,” jokes Bendis. “It’s not going to be the most exciting issue.” Other Skrullified heroes—whether Avenger or X-Man—also get time turned back in spotlighted issues, revealing when the swap occurred and what happened to the swappee, which Bendis promises “won’t be pretty.”
TRUST NO ONE… Not even Bendis himself, the man who began planting the seeds of a Skrull invasion three years ago beginning with Secret War and Avengers: Disassembled. “In the words of Tommy Lee Jones in ‘JFK,’ ‘If I was a Skrull, do you think I would tell someone like you?’” Sounds like Skrully behavior to us.
The next major storyline after World War Hulk is a development of his New Avengers story in issue #31, where Elektra was outed as a Skrull. The concept isn't a new one, but hey, with Bendis at the helm, it's sure to be a massive story!
Wizard Universe has the latest goss:
WIZARD INSIDER: SECRET INVASION
Brian Michael Bendis spills the beans as the alien aggressors seek to take over Earth in ‘Secret Invasion’
By Kevin Mahadeo | Posted November 21, 2007 10:45 AM |
Brian Michael Bendis blew the proverbial little green lid off Marvel’s biggest secret. The Skrulls’ infiltration into the ranks of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the pages of New Avengers #31—with the outing of Elektra as one of the alien metamorphs—is a reveal that spawned thousands of forum posts, guesses around the water cooler and even a couple of backroom, high-stake bets all based around one simple question: Who do you trust?With the Marvel U. primed and ready for April’s Secret Invasion, an eight-issue mini by Bendis and artist Leinil Yu, here’s some trustworthy info on those shifty shape-shifters from space and their sneaky schemes.
LITTLE SPECIES LOST After seeing throneworlds eaten for lunch by Galactus (pictured) and annihilated by Annihilus, the Skrull Empire, which first appeared in Fantastic Four [vol. 1] #2, faces complete dissolution without a kingdom from which to rule. With the Skrulls’ metamorphic fingers already growing deep roots on Earth, their new party pad might not be far off. “There’s a couple of different mindsets within the Skrulls,” explains Bendis, “and one of those factions believes it is written in the scriptures that Earth is the Skrull homeworld.”
PARANOIA WILL DESTROY YA When asked what Marvel team will be most affected by Secret Invasion, Bendis laughs: “The human team.” Although the number of sleeper Skrulls is “less than people think,” the outcome of their plan and the damage leaked from the faucet of mistrust runs a deep gorge in the landscape of the Marvel U. “Every team will be affected, but the Avengers will have the biggest effect in the endgame.”
GOOD, BAD OR JUST PLAIN UGLY Originally the Skrulls were a peaceful race of merchants, until the barbaric Kree (below) morphed them into a militaristic society through millennia of fierce, devastating war. Although green of skin and pointy of ear, the now-world-conquering Skrulls might not be much different from humans after all. “It isn’t an invasion of want, it’s an invasion of need,” says Bendis. “And this country was born on that [mindset]. We came and wiped out the people that were here before because ‘it’s ours, and God told us to.’”LOOKS LIKE A JOB FOR SUPER-SKRULL! First appearing in Fantastic Four
[vol. 1] #18, Kl’rt the Super-Skrull’s genetic modifications allow him to wield all the powers of Marvel‘s First Family—thereby solidifying the Skrulls’ ability to effectively mimic the powers of Earth’s protectors. Despite numerous failures against the various heroes of Earth, Kl’rt (main illustration) recently redeemed himself, sacrificing his life to destroy Annihilus’ Harvester of Sorrow, a warship responsible for the obliteration of countless Skrull worlds. Though mysteriously revived post-mortem, Kl’rt currently battles Phalanx-controlled Kree and continues to verify his unwavering loyalty to the Skrull Empire.
HELL HATH NO FURY After pulling a Houdini at the end of 2004’s Secret War, Nick Fury makes his long-awaited return in Secret Invasion. Bendis plans to rewind the tape during a proposed issue of New Avengers to finally disclose what the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director has been up to. “Most of it he’s been watching Oprah,” jokes Bendis. “It’s not going to be the most exciting issue.” Other Skrullified heroes—whether Avenger or X-Man—also get time turned back in spotlighted issues, revealing when the swap occurred and what happened to the swappee, which Bendis promises “won’t be pretty.”
TRUST NO ONE… Not even Bendis himself, the man who began planting the seeds of a Skrull invasion three years ago beginning with Secret War and Avengers: Disassembled. “In the words of Tommy Lee Jones in ‘JFK,’ ‘If I was a Skrull, do you think I would tell someone like you?’” Sounds like Skrully behavior to us.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Earth's Mightiest Column: Nov. 14, 2007
Time for another Earth's Mightiest Column!
EARTH’S MIGHTIEST COLUMN: NOV. 14, 2007
Wizard Universe’s regular rundown of Marvel’s mightiest teams
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Beyond the umbrella of “The Initiative,” Earth’s mightiest heroes soldier on to unravel the shadowy threats that menace the Marvel Universe! For regular recaps of post-Initiative New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and New Avengers: The Illuminati, swing by with each new issue for insight into the costumed conspiracies and superpowered slugfests that break out every time the Avengers assemble! )
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
PREVIOUSLY IN THE ‘AVENGERS’ TITLES:
• It was a period of Civil War. Though seemingly brought together by fate out of the ashes of the disassembled Avengers team to stop a supervillain breakout at the supermaximum security prison the Raft, the group of heroes known as the New Avengers—Captain America (Steve Rogers), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), Luke Cage, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) and sometimes Ronin (Maya Lopez, aka Echo)—were torn between Iron Man’s drive to register all superhumans and Captain America’s determination to resist.
• When the dust settled, Captain America was dead and Iron Man triumphant, installed as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result, two separate teams claim the Avengers mantle.
• Duly authorized under the Superhuman Registration Act, the Mighty Avengers consist of Iron Man, the Sentry, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Wonder Man (Simon Reynolds) and god of war Ares.
• On the run from the government—including the Mighty Avengers—the New Avengers comprise Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme), Iron Fist (Danny Rand) and the new Ronin (Clint Barton, formerly known as Hawkeye). They’re supported by Strange’s servant Wong and Cage’s wife Jessica Jones (the one-time hero Jewel and mother of Cage’s child).
• As part of the “Initiative” event, the Mighty Avengers are embroiled in a tense struggle against a new Ultron, who seized control of Tony Stark’s biomechanically enhanced body, transforming it into a female form not unlike the Wasp’s and deploying near-unstoppable new powers against the team—most recently killing the Sentry’s wife Lindy.
• Meanwhile, the New Avengers’ battle to rescue their teammate Echo from the clutches of the powerful ninja cult called the Hand ended abruptly when Echo stabbed the Hand’s leader Elektra to death—revealing that she’s not Greco-American Elektra Natchios at all, but a Skrull impostor. The fact that a member of this shape-shifting alien race—whose long and hostile history with Earth’s heroes was recently illustrated in New Avengers: Illuminati—could assume control of the deadliest group of assassins known to man left the team wondering: Who else might be a Skrull? And who can they trust?
• Not Spider-Woman, apparently: Whether because she’s secretly a Skrull or just thinks taking Skrullektra’s body to Tony Stark for analysis is the right thing to do despite the objections of her teammates, Jessica Drew takes advantage of the crash of the New Avengers’ jet to zap Wolverine and make off with Skrullektra’s corpse.
• Tempers rise and paranoia spreads like a disease, causing the New Avengers to almost disassemble! As the team takes a much-needed break from one another, Wolverine comes face-to-gun-barrel with the criminal underground’s newest head honcho—the Hood!
• New Avengers: Illuminati has been depicting untold tales of a clandestine group of heroes known as the Illuminati: Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Professor X (Charles Xavier), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon, king of the Inhumans) and Namor the Sub-Mariner (ruler of Atlantis). Brought together in secret by Stark in the wake of the Kree-Skrull War to quietly protect humanity from major threats, the group played a major behind-the-scenes role in the Marvel Universe before splitting up prior to the Civil War. Among other tasks, they’ve chased off a Skrull fleet, gathered the Infinity Gems, attempted to banish the Beyonder from this universe, convinced Marvel Boy to rethink his life, and exiled the Hulk from the Earth.
• Capitalizing on the disarray facing Marvel’s heroes following the Civil War and the Initiative, the new Kingpin-in-training—the Hood—gets organized and rounds up virtually every villain who broke out of the Raft back in New Avengers #1. Promising his newfound allies more money than they can imagine, the Hood pledges to hit heroes where it hurts—particularly their families—if any cape comes near his new operation. To prove his dedication to his new world order, the Hood physically and psychologically takes out Tigra and sets his sights to earn big while the heroes are occupied with a symbiote infestation.
• While the Mighty Avengers continue their metallic melee with the horde of Iron Man armors unleashed upon them by Ultron, Ares leaves the battle to travel to the S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier and reveals his plan to take down Ultron. After a brief meeting of the minds, Ares and Hank agree to implant a virus directly into Ultron’s system. However, to keep the Avengers busy, Ultron hacks into government systems, causing the launch of a nuclear missile off the Florida coast. While the Avengers halt the missile, the Starktech 940 drone secretly launches a shrunken Ares into the mouth of Ultron to implant the virus.
• Disturbed by recent events (and a body bag dropped on his doorstep), Iron Man calls an Illuminati meeting to address the corpse of Skrullektra and threat of a Skrull invasion, which is the result of their past attack. As the group tries to rationalize how to approach this threat, Black Bolt is revealed to be a Skrull spy who immediately attacks the stunned heroes. In the fight against…umm, Black Skrolt, the Illuminati seemingly kill him, only to be surprise-attacked by Skrulls mimicking the powers of Thor and Colossus. To end the battle quickly, Iron Man creates a huge explosion that appears to have destroyed the Skrull attackers. Fueled by distrust and betrayal in light of the current situation, the team disbands again, leaving Iron Man to lament the Skrull invasion.
NEW AVENGERS #36
Brian Michael Bendis (W)/Leinil Francis Yu (A)
SYNOPSIS ASSEMBLE!
• Luke Cage gives the play-by-play to his lady, Jessica Drew, on how his teammates were infected with Venom symbiotes (along with millions of others in NYC) and attacked him.
• Brutally assaulted by his infected allies, Cage awoke uninfected (thanks to his unbreakable skin) and to the face of Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man of the Mighty Avengers.
• Teaming up with the pro-registration Avengers, Cage took it to the streets to halt the threat while Iron Man sped away to find a cure for the plague.
• At the climax of the battle, Tony Stark comes through and spontaneously transforms all the affected heroes and bystanders back to human form.
• After everyone is returned to normal, both Avengers teams remain behind for damage control and to assist the disoriented citizens.
• Tensions rise as Cage continues his talk with Jessica, as they are both worried about who could be a Skrull in disguise and the secret invasion going on.
• At Avengers Tower, the Mighty Avengers team learns that Dr. Doom was behind the symbiote bomb that infected NYC, and make preparations to depart to Latveria to confront Doom.
• Meanwhile, to get some long-overdue answers, Wolverine confronts Jessica Drew as she showers to interrogate her on her actions leading up to her quitting the team.
• Following all the leads they can, Cage, his Avengers, and a host of Marvel heroes find themselves at the Hood’s doorstep ready to throw down with Hood’s new organization.
LITTLE CITY OF HORRORS
As if Skrulls weren’t enough to worry about already! The Avengers (and practically all of NYC) play host to a horde of symbiotes in full-on tongue-waving, drool-drippin’ fashion! You can save your mind power on wondering, “What if the New Avengers were taken over by symbiotes?” as Leinil Yu awesomely illustrates the plague. As amazed as we were by the sight of Venoms and Carnages everywhere, we can’t help but wonder how cool this would look in a video game. Marvel Universe: Ultimate Carnage has a nice ring to it, right Marvel (nudge nudge)? We’re just saying…
DR. D-BAG
The Fantastic Four’s professor of chaos is in full D-bag form with this move. The Doc took a backseat in Civil War, but obviously he was biding his time to capitalize in the launch of his “symbiote bomb” dropping smack-dab in the heart of NYC. However, justice is swift, as Iron Man quickly gathers all the evidence he needs to launch a full-scale assault on Latveria, Avengers-style, to introduce some gunmetal to Doom’s iron face.
SHOWERTIME INTERROGATIONS
As much as Wolverine likes to get down-and-dirty, in this issue ol’ Logan’s ready to get squeaky clean with Jessica Drew in the shower. Hold your thoughts folks, because Logan’s all business and keeps his claws out to get the truth from Jessie on what her deal is. When a scantily clad Black Widow enters the room, Wolvie does what any guy caught in a compromising position with two women would do: hastily leave the room! But when you’re about 80 stories up, jumpin’ out the window’s all ya got. “The best there is,” indeed!
REUNITED…
…and doesn’t it feel so good to not see our heroes trading punches with each other? When Luke Cage said he needed backup, we didn’t think the God of Thunder, let alone the Silver Surfer, would be on his Rolodex. But hey, you can’t blame a guy for aiming high. It’s like Malone said in “The Untouchables”: “They pull a knife, you pull a gun…” Hope you’re wearing a diaper, Hood.
Venom symbiotes infecting the superhuman population in New York City! 'Tis a dream come true for fans of Marvel Comics in the early 90s when Venom was an uber hot property.
And yet another shot of the uber sexy Spider-woman nude in the pages of New Avengers. With strategically placed "endowments" covering up her naughty bits. But hey, nudity is nudity, even covered up. Man does Bendis like those shots of Spider-woman...he keeps writing them in!
EARTH’S MIGHTIEST COLUMN: NOV. 14, 2007
Wizard Universe’s regular rundown of Marvel’s mightiest teams
By Matt Powell | Posted November 14, 2007 4:00 PM |
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Beyond the umbrella of “The Initiative,” Earth’s mightiest heroes soldier on to unravel the shadowy threats that menace the Marvel Universe! For regular recaps of post-Initiative New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and New Avengers: The Illuminati, swing by with each new issue for insight into the costumed conspiracies and superpowered slugfests that break out every time the Avengers assemble! )
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
PREVIOUSLY IN THE ‘AVENGERS’ TITLES:
• It was a period of Civil War. Though seemingly brought together by fate out of the ashes of the disassembled Avengers team to stop a supervillain breakout at the supermaximum security prison the Raft, the group of heroes known as the New Avengers—Captain America (Steve Rogers), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), Luke Cage, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) and sometimes Ronin (Maya Lopez, aka Echo)—were torn between Iron Man’s drive to register all superhumans and Captain America’s determination to resist.
• When the dust settled, Captain America was dead and Iron Man triumphant, installed as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result, two separate teams claim the Avengers mantle.
• Duly authorized under the Superhuman Registration Act, the Mighty Avengers consist of Iron Man, the Sentry, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Wonder Man (Simon Reynolds) and god of war Ares.
• On the run from the government—including the Mighty Avengers—the New Avengers comprise Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme), Iron Fist (Danny Rand) and the new Ronin (Clint Barton, formerly known as Hawkeye). They’re supported by Strange’s servant Wong and Cage’s wife Jessica Jones (the one-time hero Jewel and mother of Cage’s child).
• As part of the “Initiative” event, the Mighty Avengers are embroiled in a tense struggle against a new Ultron, who seized control of Tony Stark’s biomechanically enhanced body, transforming it into a female form not unlike the Wasp’s and deploying near-unstoppable new powers against the team—most recently killing the Sentry’s wife Lindy.
• Meanwhile, the New Avengers’ battle to rescue their teammate Echo from the clutches of the powerful ninja cult called the Hand ended abruptly when Echo stabbed the Hand’s leader Elektra to death—revealing that she’s not Greco-American Elektra Natchios at all, but a Skrull impostor. The fact that a member of this shape-shifting alien race—whose long and hostile history with Earth’s heroes was recently illustrated in New Avengers: Illuminati—could assume control of the deadliest group of assassins known to man left the team wondering: Who else might be a Skrull? And who can they trust?
• Not Spider-Woman, apparently: Whether because she’s secretly a Skrull or just thinks taking Skrullektra’s body to Tony Stark for analysis is the right thing to do despite the objections of her teammates, Jessica Drew takes advantage of the crash of the New Avengers’ jet to zap Wolverine and make off with Skrullektra’s corpse.
• Tempers rise and paranoia spreads like a disease, causing the New Avengers to almost disassemble! As the team takes a much-needed break from one another, Wolverine comes face-to-gun-barrel with the criminal underground’s newest head honcho—the Hood!
• New Avengers: Illuminati has been depicting untold tales of a clandestine group of heroes known as the Illuminati: Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Professor X (Charles Xavier), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon, king of the Inhumans) and Namor the Sub-Mariner (ruler of Atlantis). Brought together in secret by Stark in the wake of the Kree-Skrull War to quietly protect humanity from major threats, the group played a major behind-the-scenes role in the Marvel Universe before splitting up prior to the Civil War. Among other tasks, they’ve chased off a Skrull fleet, gathered the Infinity Gems, attempted to banish the Beyonder from this universe, convinced Marvel Boy to rethink his life, and exiled the Hulk from the Earth.
• Capitalizing on the disarray facing Marvel’s heroes following the Civil War and the Initiative, the new Kingpin-in-training—the Hood—gets organized and rounds up virtually every villain who broke out of the Raft back in New Avengers #1. Promising his newfound allies more money than they can imagine, the Hood pledges to hit heroes where it hurts—particularly their families—if any cape comes near his new operation. To prove his dedication to his new world order, the Hood physically and psychologically takes out Tigra and sets his sights to earn big while the heroes are occupied with a symbiote infestation.
• While the Mighty Avengers continue their metallic melee with the horde of Iron Man armors unleashed upon them by Ultron, Ares leaves the battle to travel to the S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier and reveals his plan to take down Ultron. After a brief meeting of the minds, Ares and Hank agree to implant a virus directly into Ultron’s system. However, to keep the Avengers busy, Ultron hacks into government systems, causing the launch of a nuclear missile off the Florida coast. While the Avengers halt the missile, the Starktech 940 drone secretly launches a shrunken Ares into the mouth of Ultron to implant the virus.
• Disturbed by recent events (and a body bag dropped on his doorstep), Iron Man calls an Illuminati meeting to address the corpse of Skrullektra and threat of a Skrull invasion, which is the result of their past attack. As the group tries to rationalize how to approach this threat, Black Bolt is revealed to be a Skrull spy who immediately attacks the stunned heroes. In the fight against…umm, Black Skrolt, the Illuminati seemingly kill him, only to be surprise-attacked by Skrulls mimicking the powers of Thor and Colossus. To end the battle quickly, Iron Man creates a huge explosion that appears to have destroyed the Skrull attackers. Fueled by distrust and betrayal in light of the current situation, the team disbands again, leaving Iron Man to lament the Skrull invasion.
NEW AVENGERS #36
Brian Michael Bendis (W)/Leinil Francis Yu (A)
SYNOPSIS ASSEMBLE!
• Luke Cage gives the play-by-play to his lady, Jessica Drew, on how his teammates were infected with Venom symbiotes (along with millions of others in NYC) and attacked him.
• Brutally assaulted by his infected allies, Cage awoke uninfected (thanks to his unbreakable skin) and to the face of Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man of the Mighty Avengers.
• Teaming up with the pro-registration Avengers, Cage took it to the streets to halt the threat while Iron Man sped away to find a cure for the plague.
• At the climax of the battle, Tony Stark comes through and spontaneously transforms all the affected heroes and bystanders back to human form.
• After everyone is returned to normal, both Avengers teams remain behind for damage control and to assist the disoriented citizens.
• Tensions rise as Cage continues his talk with Jessica, as they are both worried about who could be a Skrull in disguise and the secret invasion going on.
• At Avengers Tower, the Mighty Avengers team learns that Dr. Doom was behind the symbiote bomb that infected NYC, and make preparations to depart to Latveria to confront Doom.
• Meanwhile, to get some long-overdue answers, Wolverine confronts Jessica Drew as she showers to interrogate her on her actions leading up to her quitting the team.
• Following all the leads they can, Cage, his Avengers, and a host of Marvel heroes find themselves at the Hood’s doorstep ready to throw down with Hood’s new organization.
LITTLE CITY OF HORRORS
As if Skrulls weren’t enough to worry about already! The Avengers (and practically all of NYC) play host to a horde of symbiotes in full-on tongue-waving, drool-drippin’ fashion! You can save your mind power on wondering, “What if the New Avengers were taken over by symbiotes?” as Leinil Yu awesomely illustrates the plague. As amazed as we were by the sight of Venoms and Carnages everywhere, we can’t help but wonder how cool this would look in a video game. Marvel Universe: Ultimate Carnage has a nice ring to it, right Marvel (nudge nudge)? We’re just saying…
DR. D-BAG
The Fantastic Four’s professor of chaos is in full D-bag form with this move. The Doc took a backseat in Civil War, but obviously he was biding his time to capitalize in the launch of his “symbiote bomb” dropping smack-dab in the heart of NYC. However, justice is swift, as Iron Man quickly gathers all the evidence he needs to launch a full-scale assault on Latveria, Avengers-style, to introduce some gunmetal to Doom’s iron face.
SHOWERTIME INTERROGATIONS
As much as Wolverine likes to get down-and-dirty, in this issue ol’ Logan’s ready to get squeaky clean with Jessica Drew in the shower. Hold your thoughts folks, because Logan’s all business and keeps his claws out to get the truth from Jessie on what her deal is. When a scantily clad Black Widow enters the room, Wolvie does what any guy caught in a compromising position with two women would do: hastily leave the room! But when you’re about 80 stories up, jumpin’ out the window’s all ya got. “The best there is,” indeed!
REUNITED…
…and doesn’t it feel so good to not see our heroes trading punches with each other? When Luke Cage said he needed backup, we didn’t think the God of Thunder, let alone the Silver Surfer, would be on his Rolodex. But hey, you can’t blame a guy for aiming high. It’s like Malone said in “The Untouchables”: “They pull a knife, you pull a gun…” Hope you’re wearing a diaper, Hood.
|
Venom symbiotes infecting the superhuman population in New York City! 'Tis a dream come true for fans of Marvel Comics in the early 90s when Venom was an uber hot property.
And yet another shot of the uber sexy Spider-woman nude in the pages of New Avengers. With strategically placed "endowments" covering up her naughty bits. But hey, nudity is nudity, even covered up. Man does Bendis like those shots of Spider-woman...he keeps writing them in!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
[PREVIEW] Daredevil Annual #1
Seems like Brian Michael Bendis' and Ed Brubaker's arcs on Daredevil are linked so closely that everything seems interconnected. I'm really loving reading Daredevil when I pick up the TPBs...so much so that I want to pick up the HCs and preserve all those awesome stories!
The Daredevil Annual #1 is coming up:
[PREVIEW] DAREDEVIL ANNUAL #1
An under-the-weather Matt Murdock comes face to face with Black Tarantula—is he friend or foe?
The Daredevil Annual #1 is coming up:
[PREVIEW] DAREDEVIL ANNUAL #1
An under-the-weather Matt Murdock comes face to face with Black Tarantula—is he friend or foe?
Posted October 29, 2007 3:55 PM
Daredevil’s having a tough week. A flu bug has rendered his radar power useless, a Yakuza gang is trying to reclaim its power in Hell’s Kitchen, and there’s a murder to be solved. Now, he has to deal with a visitor from his time in prison—Carlos LaMuerto, aka the Black Tarantula. Carlos has been released, and he’s looking to Matt Murdock for some help in setting up a new life on the outside. Will Murdock and LaMuerto end up as allies, or foes? Will Black Tarantula really go straight, or will his inner demons lure him back to his crimelord past?
DAREDEVIL ANNUAL #1
Written by ED BRUBAKER & ANDE PARKS
Penciled by ROY ALLEN MARTINEZ
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Rated T+…$3.99
On sale 10/31/07
DAREDEVIL ANNUAL #1
Written by ED BRUBAKER & ANDE PARKS
Penciled by ROY ALLEN MARTINEZ
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Rated T+…$3.99
On sale 10/31/07
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Friday, October 26, 2007
Alas, poor Yorick, the last man on earth.
Second day in a row and almost no updates that interest me from Wizard again! What gives man? I guess they give equal coverage to DC and Marvel...and I really don't give two damns about DC's shit most of the time. And some Marvel stuff just doesn't really pique my interest all that much.
So I finished reading Dr Strange: The Oath yesterday and boy was it good! It just cements Brian K. Vaughan's reputation as a stellar writer (with brilliant comedic timing and humour!) and while he's already one of my favourite writers, he's quickly moving up a notch or two. I think at last count, he was my 3rd or 4th favourite writer...he's easily just behind Brian Bendis and Alan Moore now, with Ed Brubaker moving to 4th and Mark Millar just a tad out of touch at 5th.
Was desperate to read another TPB yesterday but I couldn't decide what I wanted to read: Astro City? XXXenophile? Captain America Omnibus? I didn't want something too heavy or something too light. And though I know I'm probably going to regret doing this (because I've only at the moment got Vols.1-3 and 8-9), I started Y - The Last Man...by a certain Mr Vaughan. Might have something to do with the fact that I wanted to read something written by him after reading the goodness that was Dr Strange: The Oath.
Now I've read all the TPBs of Y - The Last Man published so far...heck, I own ALL of them, though most of the TPBs are back in Singapore. Trying to rebuild my collection here a la the Preacher series, since it's just so good. The premise is simple: something happens that causes every human, foetus and mammal with a Y chromosome (that's the one that's in the MALE gender for those of you who never studied genetics) in the world to just die at the same moment. The gendercide is complete worldwide...all except for one man and his pet monkey.
Cmon...if that premise doesn't get you hooked, what will? It's the last man on earth! With his monkey! As the last man and the only one with a working...er...set of tools, doesn't that automatically make his wang hot property? Shouldn't he be some sort of Wilt Chamberlain/Hugh Hefner hybrid when it comes to number of women bedded?
On the contrary. Life isn't that rosy for the last man on earth. It's a brilliant examination of the human psyche, and everyone knows I love reading about stuff where a human (or bunch of) get thrusted into extreme situations and we get to see how they react. Yorick, our hero, doesn't quite become the love machine that one automatically assumes he would be. There are a whole bunch of femi-nazis gunning for him. Heck, seems like a LOT of people are after him, either to kill him or to sell him off in the sex trade, or to try and protect him so he could one day jumpstart humanity again.
It's a fascinating read and it's a shame the series ends with #60, which I believe is out in stores this month. I'd love to read this series back to back just like I did Preacher, though it'd take me a couple of days...at least a week, what with my working schedule. But having read the first three issues in the first TPB yesterday and this morning, I've already discovered a whole lot of other things that I didn't know about previously. It's one of my recommended reads...try it!
On another note, it's also a title published by Vertigo, the mature-readers-centric line of titles published by DC comics. Some of my FAVOURITE titles and series have been published by Vertigo. While I generally shun the DC stuff (because I just don't relate and care for the superheroes in the DC-verse...I'm a Marvel man after all!), Vertigo stuff is just so awesome.
I've got Preacher, Y - The Last Man, Ex Machina, Fables, Jack of Fables, 100 Bullets (though I've never had the time to read them...have the TPBs at home)...and then there are titles like Bite Club that they publish that I have. I'm also interested in Loveless and American Virgin and a whole lot of other titles published. Not to mention that Neil Gaiman's famous Sandman series was a Vertigo series and a lot of the popular mainstream writers all got their start on that imprint, like Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Brian Azzarello, Ed Brubaker, Warren Ellis...and Alan Moore too!
Vertigo: A font of creative goodness.
So I finished reading Dr Strange: The Oath yesterday and boy was it good! It just cements Brian K. Vaughan's reputation as a stellar writer (with brilliant comedic timing and humour!) and while he's already one of my favourite writers, he's quickly moving up a notch or two. I think at last count, he was my 3rd or 4th favourite writer...he's easily just behind Brian Bendis and Alan Moore now, with Ed Brubaker moving to 4th and Mark Millar just a tad out of touch at 5th.
Was desperate to read another TPB yesterday but I couldn't decide what I wanted to read: Astro City? XXXenophile? Captain America Omnibus? I didn't want something too heavy or something too light. And though I know I'm probably going to regret doing this (because I've only at the moment got Vols.1-3 and 8-9), I started Y - The Last Man...by a certain Mr Vaughan. Might have something to do with the fact that I wanted to read something written by him after reading the goodness that was Dr Strange: The Oath.
Now I've read all the TPBs of Y - The Last Man published so far...heck, I own ALL of them, though most of the TPBs are back in Singapore. Trying to rebuild my collection here a la the Preacher series, since it's just so good. The premise is simple: something happens that causes every human, foetus and mammal with a Y chromosome (that's the one that's in the MALE gender for those of you who never studied genetics) in the world to just die at the same moment. The gendercide is complete worldwide...all except for one man and his pet monkey.
Cmon...if that premise doesn't get you hooked, what will? It's the last man on earth! With his monkey! As the last man and the only one with a working...er...set of tools, doesn't that automatically make his wang hot property? Shouldn't he be some sort of Wilt Chamberlain/Hugh Hefner hybrid when it comes to number of women bedded?
On the contrary. Life isn't that rosy for the last man on earth. It's a brilliant examination of the human psyche, and everyone knows I love reading about stuff where a human (or bunch of) get thrusted into extreme situations and we get to see how they react. Yorick, our hero, doesn't quite become the love machine that one automatically assumes he would be. There are a whole bunch of femi-nazis gunning for him. Heck, seems like a LOT of people are after him, either to kill him or to sell him off in the sex trade, or to try and protect him so he could one day jumpstart humanity again.
It's a fascinating read and it's a shame the series ends with #60, which I believe is out in stores this month. I'd love to read this series back to back just like I did Preacher, though it'd take me a couple of days...at least a week, what with my working schedule. But having read the first three issues in the first TPB yesterday and this morning, I've already discovered a whole lot of other things that I didn't know about previously. It's one of my recommended reads...try it!
On another note, it's also a title published by Vertigo, the mature-readers-centric line of titles published by DC comics. Some of my FAVOURITE titles and series have been published by Vertigo. While I generally shun the DC stuff (because I just don't relate and care for the superheroes in the DC-verse...I'm a Marvel man after all!), Vertigo stuff is just so awesome.
I've got Preacher, Y - The Last Man, Ex Machina, Fables, Jack of Fables, 100 Bullets (though I've never had the time to read them...have the TPBs at home)...and then there are titles like Bite Club that they publish that I have. I'm also interested in Loveless and American Virgin and a whole lot of other titles published. Not to mention that Neil Gaiman's famous Sandman series was a Vertigo series and a lot of the popular mainstream writers all got their start on that imprint, like Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, Brian Azzarello, Ed Brubaker, Warren Ellis...and Alan Moore too!
Vertigo: A font of creative goodness.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Marvel Mondays: Bendis and Cho
Mighty Avengers #5 is out this week! And about time...seems like way too long since I last read #4!
Big big fan of Brian Bendis' writing (he's my favourite comic book scribe after all, just edging out Alan Moore) and a big fan of Frank Cho's art as well. I wish I could get all the Liberty Meadows TPBs that Cho has put out over the years. Perhaps in the future when I have heaps of disposable income.
Anyway, this from Wizard Universe:
MARVEL MONDAYS: BENDIS AND CHO
Brian Michael Bendis offers a look at Frank Cho’s shocking inks in this week’s Mighty Avengers #5
Tony Stark got his post-Civil War just desserts when his newly integrated armor turned him into a new, sexier version of Ultron modeled after Janet Pym. Since his dramatic Midtown transformation, the Mighty Avengers have been scrapping it out with the metallic beauty and trying to prevent Hank Pym’s creation from starting a nuclear holocaust. Last issue, Jan-tron took the fight to Sentry’s wife Lindy and snapped her neck as part of a so-called “Plan B” that also included summoning Iron Man’s entire wardrobe from the last few decades.
This week, the battle against the armor rages on as Cho gets as provocative as ever. “We’re still in that same crazy day,” Bendis explains. “Tony is still a woman.”
The story heats up in issue #5 as Hank Pym becomes a major player and gets crafty with some unlikely electronics. “He’s using parts of a Commodore 64,” Bendis says. “There’s different computer sets, and I thought it would be funny if how you defeat this A.I. that is beyond anything being used is by using technology that nobody uses.”
Bringing Hank into a more active role also complicates the confrontation in the book as Bendis puts him on a collision course with the new Ultron-possessed Tony, who looks just like the ex-wife with whom he shares an ugly history of domestic violence. “What would be great would be—and I know I get such sh-- when I say stuff like this—when he has to confront the Jan Ultron and Ultron slaps him!” Bendis teases. “The creator confronting his creation is a great moment in sci-fi.”
However the punches fall when issue #5 gets rolling, the pages, several of which appear here at their uncolored, dialogue-free sexiest, are still the work of Frank Cho. And Bendis has good news for those left in shock this week waiting for #6.
“I apologize for the slow goings-on the book’s production, but when you see these pages you see they really are beautiful, and I’d rather have them be beautiful,” he states. “Once issue #6 ships, the cool news is that [Mark] Bagley’s already finished the whole next arc. It’s done! New Avengers and Mighty Avengers will catch up and really steamroll toward Secret Invasion coming out next April.”
As for the Cho-rific scenes now laid before you, Bendis says he got everything he wanted and more out of his Mighty Avengers partner. “I got to the point where in the third act where I had Ultron—with a little imagination—using all of the things that she sees were done before, including taking control of the Iron Man armors that was recently done by Tony in the New Avengers Annual,” the writer points out. “She’s using that trick against them, which includes [Cho] drawing all of the armors. I said, ‘Look, I gave you a lot of boobage time. I’m going to have to ask you for some compromise here and really deliver on this. And he did! He did an amazing job. I was crossing my fingers, and I think it’s one of the best spreads in the whole run.”
Just gasp at the wonders that await this week in these snapshots of Mighty Avengers #5.
UM, WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Even if Ares can get to wherever he’s going riding the Iron Man armor, how will the Mighty Avengers stop Ultron if Hank Pym won’t listen? What is Ares yelling about? And has Hank Pym ever really cared what anyone has to say to him? (Answer: probably not. That was a rhetorical question.)
THE SMELL OF WAR
Black Widow smells something fishy standing behind Ares. Is he offended that she doesn’t find his masculine scent pleasing? What does Hank Pym have in store for that ominously silhouetted suit of armor in the background? During her time in Russia, didn’t Black Widow smell many worse things than the smell of a god of war?
IRON MAN: PEACEMAKER?
In the midst of armor armageddon in Manhattan, one red and gold suit comes between Sentry and the feminized Tony Stark robot. Will the outmoded tin can succeed in its act of diplomacy? Does Ultron smell the same thing that Black Widow did before? Could Ares be nearby?
MS. MARVEL’S MOMENT OF TRUTH
Carol Danvers is chasing a missile across the sky, and surely the fate of the free world hangs tremulously in the balance. Is she fast enough to catch it? Do her teammates know that this page feels like an homage to the film “Armageddon”?
Ares is fast becoming one of my favourite characters to read about. And check out Cho's beautiful artwork! He certainly makes the women uber sexy...no wonder he's such a fan favourite and one of the more renowned "cheesecake" artists out there!
Big big fan of Brian Bendis' writing (he's my favourite comic book scribe after all, just edging out Alan Moore) and a big fan of Frank Cho's art as well. I wish I could get all the Liberty Meadows TPBs that Cho has put out over the years. Perhaps in the future when I have heaps of disposable income.
Anyway, this from Wizard Universe:
MARVEL MONDAYS: BENDIS AND CHO
Brian Michael Bendis offers a look at Frank Cho’s shocking inks in this week’s Mighty Avengers #5
By Brian Warmoth | Posted October 15, 2007 12:15 PM |
Tony Stark got his post-Civil War just desserts when his newly integrated armor turned him into a new, sexier version of Ultron modeled after Janet Pym. Since his dramatic Midtown transformation, the Mighty Avengers have been scrapping it out with the metallic beauty and trying to prevent Hank Pym’s creation from starting a nuclear holocaust. Last issue, Jan-tron took the fight to Sentry’s wife Lindy and snapped her neck as part of a so-called “Plan B” that also included summoning Iron Man’s entire wardrobe from the last few decades.
This week, the battle against the armor rages on as Cho gets as provocative as ever. “We’re still in that same crazy day,” Bendis explains. “Tony is still a woman.”
The story heats up in issue #5 as Hank Pym becomes a major player and gets crafty with some unlikely electronics. “He’s using parts of a Commodore 64,” Bendis says. “There’s different computer sets, and I thought it would be funny if how you defeat this A.I. that is beyond anything being used is by using technology that nobody uses.”
Bringing Hank into a more active role also complicates the confrontation in the book as Bendis puts him on a collision course with the new Ultron-possessed Tony, who looks just like the ex-wife with whom he shares an ugly history of domestic violence. “What would be great would be—and I know I get such sh-- when I say stuff like this—when he has to confront the Jan Ultron and Ultron slaps him!” Bendis teases. “The creator confronting his creation is a great moment in sci-fi.”
However the punches fall when issue #5 gets rolling, the pages, several of which appear here at their uncolored, dialogue-free sexiest, are still the work of Frank Cho. And Bendis has good news for those left in shock this week waiting for #6.
“I apologize for the slow goings-on the book’s production, but when you see these pages you see they really are beautiful, and I’d rather have them be beautiful,” he states. “Once issue #6 ships, the cool news is that [Mark] Bagley’s already finished the whole next arc. It’s done! New Avengers and Mighty Avengers will catch up and really steamroll toward Secret Invasion coming out next April.”
As for the Cho-rific scenes now laid before you, Bendis says he got everything he wanted and more out of his Mighty Avengers partner. “I got to the point where in the third act where I had Ultron—with a little imagination—using all of the things that she sees were done before, including taking control of the Iron Man armors that was recently done by Tony in the New Avengers Annual,” the writer points out. “She’s using that trick against them, which includes [Cho] drawing all of the armors. I said, ‘Look, I gave you a lot of boobage time. I’m going to have to ask you for some compromise here and really deliver on this. And he did! He did an amazing job. I was crossing my fingers, and I think it’s one of the best spreads in the whole run.”
Just gasp at the wonders that await this week in these snapshots of Mighty Avengers #5.
| ARES’ NEW RIDE Oggle as Ares makes a stabby hole through this suit of armor’s head and jury-rigs it into his own private air bike. But where will he go? What of Wonder Man’s nearly squashed face? And how long will it be before Ares realizes that all of the bad guys are in the other direction? |
UM, WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Even if Ares can get to wherever he’s going riding the Iron Man armor, how will the Mighty Avengers stop Ultron if Hank Pym won’t listen? What is Ares yelling about? And has Hank Pym ever really cared what anyone has to say to him? (Answer: probably not. That was a rhetorical question.)
THE SMELL OF WAR
Black Widow smells something fishy standing behind Ares. Is he offended that she doesn’t find his masculine scent pleasing? What does Hank Pym have in store for that ominously silhouetted suit of armor in the background? During her time in Russia, didn’t Black Widow smell many worse things than the smell of a god of war?
IRON MAN: PEACEMAKER?
In the midst of armor armageddon in Manhattan, one red and gold suit comes between Sentry and the feminized Tony Stark robot. Will the outmoded tin can succeed in its act of diplomacy? Does Ultron smell the same thing that Black Widow did before? Could Ares be nearby?
MS. MARVEL’S MOMENT OF TRUTH
Carol Danvers is chasing a missile across the sky, and surely the fate of the free world hangs tremulously in the balance. Is she fast enough to catch it? Do her teammates know that this page feels like an homage to the film “Armageddon”?
Ares is fast becoming one of my favourite characters to read about. And check out Cho's beautiful artwork! He certainly makes the women uber sexy...no wonder he's such a fan favourite and one of the more renowned "cheesecake" artists out there!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Catching up on reading TPBs
No new updates from Wizard Universe today, unfortunately...nothing that really interests me much. There's an interview with Ed Brubaker, Mike Carey and Chris Yost about the latest storyline, Messiah Complex, that's going to be the prevalent storyarc in the X-Men titles, but I've been weaned off the X-Universe for quite a long time now that it doesn't really interest me much anymore. The last real storyarc/series I read was Morrison and Quitely's run on New X-Men...and not only was that ages ago, but I didn't even get the single issues and resorted to purchasing the HCs and TPBs to read the entire storyline! Oh yeah, must remind myself to save up for that New X-Men Omnibus...I really love those Marvel Omnibuses which are something like the DC Absolute Editions, though with less extras but more issues collected.
I'd finished reading Preacher Vol.7, so I'm about 70 to 80 per cent through the entire series. Jarrod from Classic Comics rang me yesterday evening to inform me that Preacher Vol.8 is in store now, so once I get it, just another two more TPBs to read and I'd have read the Preacher series for the third time. It gets better everytime I read it...learn so much more! I'd really love for one day to have loads of free time to read the entire series from cover to cover in one go. Would take me a good portion of the day methinks. But hell, it'd be worth it.
Obviously, I needed something else to read in the meantime, since I didn't know when Preacher Vol.8 was going to be available, so I started on Brian K. Vaughan's Y - The Last Man Vol.8. I've got the seven previous volumes back in Singapore and I THOUGHT I'd remember enough of the story to make reading the latest TPB worthwhile...but alas, it felt like just jumping into the series midway with not much of an idea what had happened previously before! That's one of the reasons why I decided to get the ENTIRE Preacher series again here...I wanted to have the whole collection to read in the one go. Y - The Last Man is absolutely brilliant as well and well worth getting the entire series too. Hmmm...priorities.
I started on the Ed Brubaker run of Daredevil as well last night, which is kinda nice because while it was good to have some previous idea of what happened in the past in Brian Michael Bendis' run, it certainly wasn't necessary to know ALL that had transpired. Got through the first three issues in the TPB and it's as good as the critics have said. I really love the whole notion of Daredevil's secret identity being outed in the press, then everyone looking at him as if he's this street urban vigilante who fights crime at night but fights evil in the court of law in the day. Which is exactly what he does...but now with the added "twist" that people know and shoot accusatory glares at him!
It's funny seeing how Murdock keeps denying that he's Daredevil, but then proceeds to prove that he's anything BUT a blind man. Take for instance: Murdock is thrown in jail and he keeps telling the prison warden that he's not Daredevil. So the prison warden, who's been bought off, sets a trap for him in which a group of superthugs all jump Murdock, hoping to shiv him. A couple of panels later, the prison guards bust in and they find everyone bruised, bloody and down for the count...all except Murdock, who's ATTEMPTING to hide in the corner, completely unharmed. Murdock's excuse? That the thugs (who ALL work for the same person) just started beating up on each other and in the panic, he was trying to find some corner to escape the violence. Yeah, I'm sure they'd believe that.
There are too many incidents in the prison where the prisoners all start heading to the infirmary, one by one. And is it a massive coincidence that these prisoners all have had run-ins with Murdock BEFORE being sent to the hospital? It doesn't look good for Murdock's secret identity, but I love the way that it's playing out this way. Oh! In the last panel of the third issue, we see a man snapping the neck of a wannabe rapist. A bunch of cops see this happening and they rush up to arrest the man. The man opens up his trenchcoat and then puts his arms up in the air, asking for the cops to arrest him and take him to prison...the same prison that Murdock is in.
All this is well and good, until they focus in on the man's chest and there's this eerie huge fricking skull on his chest. You guessed it...the Punisher wants to go to prison! Does he want to save Daredevil, his one time ally? Or does he want to kill him, since Daredevil has been his long-time nemesis...not nemesis in terms of "I want to kill you because you're my enemy", but nemesis because both of them don't agree on the way to deal with villains. Daredevil wants villains to go through due process in a court of law, while the Punisher, well, he wants to punish them by killing them all and letting God sort them out.
I can't wait to read the rest tonight!
I'd finished reading Preacher Vol.7, so I'm about 70 to 80 per cent through the entire series. Jarrod from Classic Comics rang me yesterday evening to inform me that Preacher Vol.8 is in store now, so once I get it, just another two more TPBs to read and I'd have read the Preacher series for the third time. It gets better everytime I read it...learn so much more! I'd really love for one day to have loads of free time to read the entire series from cover to cover in one go. Would take me a good portion of the day methinks. But hell, it'd be worth it.
Obviously, I needed something else to read in the meantime, since I didn't know when Preacher Vol.8 was going to be available, so I started on Brian K. Vaughan's Y - The Last Man Vol.8. I've got the seven previous volumes back in Singapore and I THOUGHT I'd remember enough of the story to make reading the latest TPB worthwhile...but alas, it felt like just jumping into the series midway with not much of an idea what had happened previously before! That's one of the reasons why I decided to get the ENTIRE Preacher series again here...I wanted to have the whole collection to read in the one go. Y - The Last Man is absolutely brilliant as well and well worth getting the entire series too. Hmmm...priorities.
I started on the Ed Brubaker run of Daredevil as well last night, which is kinda nice because while it was good to have some previous idea of what happened in the past in Brian Michael Bendis' run, it certainly wasn't necessary to know ALL that had transpired. Got through the first three issues in the TPB and it's as good as the critics have said. I really love the whole notion of Daredevil's secret identity being outed in the press, then everyone looking at him as if he's this street urban vigilante who fights crime at night but fights evil in the court of law in the day. Which is exactly what he does...but now with the added "twist" that people know and shoot accusatory glares at him!
It's funny seeing how Murdock keeps denying that he's Daredevil, but then proceeds to prove that he's anything BUT a blind man. Take for instance: Murdock is thrown in jail and he keeps telling the prison warden that he's not Daredevil. So the prison warden, who's been bought off, sets a trap for him in which a group of superthugs all jump Murdock, hoping to shiv him. A couple of panels later, the prison guards bust in and they find everyone bruised, bloody and down for the count...all except Murdock, who's ATTEMPTING to hide in the corner, completely unharmed. Murdock's excuse? That the thugs (who ALL work for the same person) just started beating up on each other and in the panic, he was trying to find some corner to escape the violence. Yeah, I'm sure they'd believe that.
There are too many incidents in the prison where the prisoners all start heading to the infirmary, one by one. And is it a massive coincidence that these prisoners all have had run-ins with Murdock BEFORE being sent to the hospital? It doesn't look good for Murdock's secret identity, but I love the way that it's playing out this way. Oh! In the last panel of the third issue, we see a man snapping the neck of a wannabe rapist. A bunch of cops see this happening and they rush up to arrest the man. The man opens up his trenchcoat and then puts his arms up in the air, asking for the cops to arrest him and take him to prison...the same prison that Murdock is in.
All this is well and good, until they focus in on the man's chest and there's this eerie huge fricking skull on his chest. You guessed it...the Punisher wants to go to prison! Does he want to save Daredevil, his one time ally? Or does he want to kill him, since Daredevil has been his long-time nemesis...not nemesis in terms of "I want to kill you because you're my enemy", but nemesis because both of them don't agree on the way to deal with villains. Daredevil wants villains to go through due process in a court of law, while the Punisher, well, he wants to punish them by killing them all and letting God sort them out.
I can't wait to read the rest tonight!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Earth's Mightiest Column: 8 August 2007
EARTH'S MIGHTIEST COLUMN: AUGUST 8, 2007
Wizard Universe’s regular rundown of Marvel’s mightiest teams
(Editor’s note: Beyond the umbrella of ‘The Initiative,’ Earth’s mightiest heroes soldier on to unravel the shadowy threats that menace the Marvel Universe! For regular recaps of post-‘Initiative’ New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and New Avengers: The Illuminati, swing by with each new issue for insight into the costumed conspiracies and superpowered slugfests that break out every time the Avengers assemble!)
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
PREVIOUSLY IN THE ‘AVENGERS’ TITLES:
• It was a period of Civil War. Though seemingly brought together by fate out of the ashes of the disassembled Avengers team to stop a supervillain breakout at the supermaximum security prison the Raft, the group of heroes known as the New Avengers—Captain America (Steve Rogers), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), Luke Cage, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) and sometimes Ronin (Maya Lopez, aka Echo)—were torn between Iron Man’s drive to register all superhumans and Captain America’s determination to resist.
• When the dust settled, Captain America was dead and Iron Man triumphant, installed as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result, two separate teams claim the Avengers mantle.
• Duly authorized under the Superhuman Registration Act, the Mighty Avengers consist of Iron Man, the Sentry, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Wonder Man (Simon Williams) and god of war Ares.
• On the run from the government—including the Mighty Avengers—the New Avengers comprise Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme), Iron Fist (Danny Rand) and the new Ronin (Clint Barton, formerly known as Hawkeye). They’re supported by Strange’s servant Wong and Cage’s wife Jessica Jones (the one-time hero Jewel and mother of Cage’s child).
• As part of the ‘Initiative’ event, the Mighty Avengers are embroiled in a tense struggle against a new Ultron, who seized control of Tony Stark’s biomechanically enhanced body, transforming it into a female form not unlike the Wasp’s and deploying near-unstoppable new powers against the team—most recently killing the Sentry’s wife Lindy.
• Meanwhile, the New Avengers’ battle to rescue their teammate Echo from the clutches of the powerful ninja cult called the Hand ended abruptly when Echo stabbed the Hand’s leader Elektra to death—reveal-ing that she’s not Greco-American Elektra Natchios at all, but a Skrull impostor. The fact that a member of this shape-shifting alien race—whose long and hostile history with the Earth’s heroes was recently illustrated in New Avengers: Illuminati—could assume control of the deadliest group of assassins known to man left the team wondering: Who else might be a Skrull? And who can they trust?
• Not Spider-Woman, apparently: Whether because she’s secretly a Skrull or just thinks taking Skrullektra’s body to Tony Stark for analysis is the right thing to do despite the objections of her teammates, Jessica Drew takes advantage of the crash of the New Avengers’ jet to zap Wolverine and make off with Skrullektra’s corpse.
• Finally, New Avengers: Illuminati has been depicting untold tales of a clandestine group of heroes known as the Illuminati: Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Professor X (Charles Xavier), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon, King of the Inhumans) and Namor the Sub-Mariner (ruler of Atlantis). Brought together in secret by Stark in the wake of the Kree/Skrull War to quietly protect humanity from major threats, the group played a major behind-the-scenes role in the Marvel Universe before splitting up prior to the Civil War. Among other tasks, they’ve chased off a Skrull fleet, gathered the Infinity Gems, attempted to banish the Beyonder from this universe, convinced Marvel Boy to rethink his life, and exiled the Hulk from the Earth.
NEW AVENGERS #33
Brian Michael Bendis (W)/Leinil Yu (A)
SYNOPSIS ASSEMBLE!
• Captain America lives!… on in our hearts and memories as displayed by Hawkeye, who flashes back to an explanation on where he developed those spectacular fist-to-cuffs skills demonstrated in Japan.
• Cooped up in a hotel room, Luke Cage’s paranoia pushes him over the edge as he takes out his frustration on poor ol’ web-head. The Skrull accusations thicken the air and makes dinner severely awkward as Hawkeye asks the question people have been wondering since Civil War: “Where are the bad guys?”
• Apparently, they’re gathering together at some sort of secret warehouse meeting! Madame Masque, the Crimson Cowl, Jonas Harrow and the Wizard convene under the request of the Owl, who plans on auctioning off one heck of an item—Luther Manning, aka Deathlok!
• However, before bidding can begin John King, cousin to the Hood, arrives to inform the group that permission must be asked if an auction were to occur. Showing his stern disagreement, the Owl fails to wizen up before being gunned down by the Hood.
• Returning to the Sanctum Sanctorum, the New Avengers disassemble for the night in order to clear their heads—deciding to reconvene in 24 hours to formulate some sort of plan. However, even marriages aren’t safe as Luke’s perturbed demeanor causes Jessica Jones to storm out the door.
• Wolverine takes a walk down to his local shakedown house/bar where he is inadvertently directed to the back room. Upon investigating, Logan finds himself face to gun barrel with the Hood!
HOLY CRAPPERS! IS THAT DEATHLOK?!
In a far-distant post-apocalyptic future, Colonel Luther Manning awoke to find himself transformed into the cybernetic Deathlok after sustaining life-threatening injuries. Between toppling corrupt corporations and military regimes, Manning took numerous trips through time and teamed with some of Earth’s Mightest, including the late Captain America. But wait! The last time we saw him, Deathlok was still in his future. What’s he doing here? Can a Skrull impersonate a mandroid? The plot thickens…
HERE’S WHAT’S IN HIS BASKET
While donning his ever-colorful red cape, the Hood remains invisible so long as he holds his breath. So when it comes time to make himself known, he poignantly whispers his comment to Owl, appears mid-air thanks to his gravity boots, blasts the little birdy away and vanishes faster than a couple of speeding bullets. Now that is how you make a first impression!
TROUBLE AT HOME
Sweet Christmas! The threat of the Skrulls is a legitimate reason to question the loyalty of those around you, but is it really necessary to question your wife in such a dickish manner? “You’re not an alcoholic. You love me. You’re a better person. This upsets me.” Can you really blame Jessica for bringing out that embittered, snippy side of her, thought lost in the midst of married life?
Wizard Universe’s regular rundown of Marvel’s mightiest teams
By Kevin Mahadeo | Posted August 8, 2007 9:20 AM |
(Editor’s note: Beyond the umbrella of ‘The Initiative,’ Earth’s mightiest heroes soldier on to unravel the shadowy threats that menace the Marvel Universe! For regular recaps of post-‘Initiative’ New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and New Avengers: The Illuminati, swing by with each new issue for insight into the costumed conspiracies and superpowered slugfests that break out every time the Avengers assemble!)
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
PREVIOUSLY IN THE ‘AVENGERS’ TITLES:
• It was a period of Civil War. Though seemingly brought together by fate out of the ashes of the disassembled Avengers team to stop a supervillain breakout at the supermaximum security prison the Raft, the group of heroes known as the New Avengers—Captain America (Steve Rogers), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), Luke Cage, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) and sometimes Ronin (Maya Lopez, aka Echo)—were torn between Iron Man’s drive to register all superhumans and Captain America’s determination to resist.
• When the dust settled, Captain America was dead and Iron Man triumphant, installed as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result, two separate teams claim the Avengers mantle.
• Duly authorized under the Superhuman Registration Act, the Mighty Avengers consist of Iron Man, the Sentry, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Wonder Man (Simon Williams) and god of war Ares.
• On the run from the government—including the Mighty Avengers—the New Avengers comprise Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme), Iron Fist (Danny Rand) and the new Ronin (Clint Barton, formerly known as Hawkeye). They’re supported by Strange’s servant Wong and Cage’s wife Jessica Jones (the one-time hero Jewel and mother of Cage’s child).
• As part of the ‘Initiative’ event, the Mighty Avengers are embroiled in a tense struggle against a new Ultron, who seized control of Tony Stark’s biomechanically enhanced body, transforming it into a female form not unlike the Wasp’s and deploying near-unstoppable new powers against the team—most recently killing the Sentry’s wife Lindy.
• Meanwhile, the New Avengers’ battle to rescue their teammate Echo from the clutches of the powerful ninja cult called the Hand ended abruptly when Echo stabbed the Hand’s leader Elektra to death—reveal-ing that she’s not Greco-American Elektra Natchios at all, but a Skrull impostor. The fact that a member of this shape-shifting alien race—whose long and hostile history with the Earth’s heroes was recently illustrated in New Avengers: Illuminati—could assume control of the deadliest group of assassins known to man left the team wondering: Who else might be a Skrull? And who can they trust?
• Not Spider-Woman, apparently: Whether because she’s secretly a Skrull or just thinks taking Skrullektra’s body to Tony Stark for analysis is the right thing to do despite the objections of her teammates, Jessica Drew takes advantage of the crash of the New Avengers’ jet to zap Wolverine and make off with Skrullektra’s corpse.
• Finally, New Avengers: Illuminati has been depicting untold tales of a clandestine group of heroes known as the Illuminati: Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Professor X (Charles Xavier), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon, King of the Inhumans) and Namor the Sub-Mariner (ruler of Atlantis). Brought together in secret by Stark in the wake of the Kree/Skrull War to quietly protect humanity from major threats, the group played a major behind-the-scenes role in the Marvel Universe before splitting up prior to the Civil War. Among other tasks, they’ve chased off a Skrull fleet, gathered the Infinity Gems, attempted to banish the Beyonder from this universe, convinced Marvel Boy to rethink his life, and exiled the Hulk from the Earth.
NEW AVENGERS #33
Brian Michael Bendis (W)/Leinil Yu (A)
SYNOPSIS ASSEMBLE!
• Captain America lives!… on in our hearts and memories as displayed by Hawkeye, who flashes back to an explanation on where he developed those spectacular fist-to-cuffs skills demonstrated in Japan.
• Cooped up in a hotel room, Luke Cage’s paranoia pushes him over the edge as he takes out his frustration on poor ol’ web-head. The Skrull accusations thicken the air and makes dinner severely awkward as Hawkeye asks the question people have been wondering since Civil War: “Where are the bad guys?”
• Apparently, they’re gathering together at some sort of secret warehouse meeting! Madame Masque, the Crimson Cowl, Jonas Harrow and the Wizard convene under the request of the Owl, who plans on auctioning off one heck of an item—Luther Manning, aka Deathlok!
• However, before bidding can begin John King, cousin to the Hood, arrives to inform the group that permission must be asked if an auction were to occur. Showing his stern disagreement, the Owl fails to wizen up before being gunned down by the Hood.
• Returning to the Sanctum Sanctorum, the New Avengers disassemble for the night in order to clear their heads—deciding to reconvene in 24 hours to formulate some sort of plan. However, even marriages aren’t safe as Luke’s perturbed demeanor causes Jessica Jones to storm out the door.
• Wolverine takes a walk down to his local shakedown house/bar where he is inadvertently directed to the back room. Upon investigating, Logan finds himself face to gun barrel with the Hood!
HOLY CRAPPERS! IS THAT DEATHLOK?!
In a far-distant post-apocalyptic future, Colonel Luther Manning awoke to find himself transformed into the cybernetic Deathlok after sustaining life-threatening injuries. Between toppling corrupt corporations and military regimes, Manning took numerous trips through time and teamed with some of Earth’s Mightest, including the late Captain America. But wait! The last time we saw him, Deathlok was still in his future. What’s he doing here? Can a Skrull impersonate a mandroid? The plot thickens…
HERE’S WHAT’S IN HIS BASKET
While donning his ever-colorful red cape, the Hood remains invisible so long as he holds his breath. So when it comes time to make himself known, he poignantly whispers his comment to Owl, appears mid-air thanks to his gravity boots, blasts the little birdy away and vanishes faster than a couple of speeding bullets. Now that is how you make a first impression!
TROUBLE AT HOME
Sweet Christmas! The threat of the Skrulls is a legitimate reason to question the loyalty of those around you, but is it really necessary to question your wife in such a dickish manner? “You’re not an alcoholic. You love me. You’re a better person. This upsets me.” Can you really blame Jessica for bringing out that embittered, snippy side of her, thought lost in the midst of married life?
Earth's Mightiest Column: 1 August 2007
EARTH'S MIGHTIEST COLUMN: AUGUST 1, 2007
Wizard Universe’s regular rundown of Marvel’s mightiest teams
(Editor’s note: Beyond the umbrella of ‘The Initiative,’ Earth’s mightiest heroes soldier on to unravel the shadowy threats that menace the Marvel Universe! For regular recaps of post-‘Initiative’ New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and New Avengers: The Illuminati, swing by with each new issue for insight into the costumed conspiracies and superpowered slugfests that break out every time the Avengers assemble!)
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
PREVIOUSLY IN THE ‘AVENGERS’ TITLES:
• It was a period of Civil War. Though seemingly brought together by fate out of the ashes of the disassembled Avengers team to stop a supervillain breakout at the supermaximum security prison the Raft, the group of heroes known as the New Avengers—Captain America (Reed Richards), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), Luke Cage, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) and sometimes Ronin (Maya Lopez, aka Echo)—were torn between Iron Man’s drive to register all superhumans and Captain America’s determination to resist.
• When the dust settled, Captain America was dead and Iron Man triumphant, installed as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result, two separate teams claim the Avengers mantle.
• Duly authorized under the Superhuman Registration Act, the Mighty Avengers consist of Iron Man, the Sentry, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Wonder Man (Simon Reynolds) and god of war Ares.
• On the run from the government—including the Mighty Avengers—the New Avengers comprise Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme), Iron Fist (Danny Rand) and the new Ronin (Clint Barton, formerly known as Hawkeye). They’re supported by Strange’s servant Wong and Cage’s wife Jessica Jones (the one-time hero Jewel and mother of Cage’s child).
• As part of the ‘Initiative’ event, the Mighty Avengers are embroiled in a tense struggle against a new Ultron, who seized control of Tony Stark’s biomechanically enhanced body, transforming it into a female form not unlike the Wasp’s and deploying near-unstoppable new powers against the team—most recently killing the Sentry’s wife Lindy.
• Meanwhile, the New Avengers’ battle to rescue their teammate Echo from the clutches of the powerful ninja cult called the Hand ended abruptly when Echo stabbed the Hand’s leader Elektra to death—revealking that she’s not Greco-American Elektra Natchios at all, but a Skrull impostor. The fact that a member of this shape-shifting alien race—whose long and hostile history with the Earth’s heroes was recently illustrated in New Avengers: Illuminati—could assume control of the deadliest group of assassins known to man left the team wondering: Who else might be a Skrull? And who can they trust?
• Not Spider-Woman, apparently: Whether because she’s secretly a Skrull or just thinks taking Skrullektra’s body to Tony Stark for analysis is the right thing to do despite the objections of her teammates, Jessica Drew takes advantage of the crash of the New Avengers’ jet to zap Wolverine and make off with Skrullektra’s corpse.
• Finally, New Avengers: Illuminati has been depicting untold tales of a clandestine group of heroes known as the Illuminati: Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Professor X (Charles Xavier), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon, King of the Inhumans) and Namor the Sub-Mariner (ruler of Atlantis). Brought together in secret by Stark in the wake of the Kree/Skrull War to quietly protect humanity from major threats, the group played a major behind-the-scenes role in the Marvel Universe before splitting up prior to the Civil War. Among other tasks, they’ve chased off a Skrull fleet, gathered the Infinity Gems, attempted to banish the Beyonder from this universe and exiled the Hulk from the Earth.
NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #4 (of 5)
Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed (W)/Jim Cheung (A)
SYNOPSIS ASSEMBLE!
• As this issue’s Illuminati meeting begins, Dr. Strange notes that his lover, Clea, has left him. Everyone around the table discusses similar “women problems.”
• Reed mentions that he’s had a disconnection with his wife Sue lately, and off-handedly mentions that she might be seeing Namor. Namor takes issue with this accusation and reminds Reed that he should always cherish his wife and family.
• The Illuminati try to convince Noh-Varr, a young Kree agent codenamed Marvel Boy and bent on conquering Earth but currently imprisoned in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s ultra-high security prison the Cube, to become the new heir to the Captain Marvel legacy. They leave Marvel Boy alone to think their offer over.
• In an epilogue, Reed resolves to spend more time with his family and wife.
SKRULL-WATCH: DETAILS, DETAILS…
Normally when a hero doesn’t even remember their scores of team-ups with loveable D-list characters, we’d say Skrull, but this example of poor social skills tends to be par for the course for absent-minded professor Reed Richards.
TAKE MY WIFE (AND HER PSYCHOKINETICALLY ANIMATED HAIR)—PLEASE!
Being an unmarried millionaire playboy with a suit of armor that makes you one of the world’s greatest superheroes has got to make it hard to get chicks. So when Tony Stark complains that he’d rather be married so he could get the proverbial milk on demand if not for free, mutant psychic Professor X has to inform him of the humor that the mute king (and married guy) of the Inhumans finds in that statement.
NAMOR SMASH!
Something tells me that if belt buckles with slogans were fashionable under the sea, Namor’s would be all like, “DON’T MESS WITH ATLANTIS.” Seriously, nigh-invulnerable alien invader Marvel Boy probably had it coming and maybe didn’t even feel this, but is this really the best way to make friends, Namor? Someone should probably re-take kindergarten.
Wizard Universe’s regular rundown of Marvel’s mightiest teams
By Michael Fitzgerald | Posted August 1, 2007 10:35 AM |
| By Michael Fitzgerald | Posted August 1, 2007 10:35 AM |
(Editor’s note: Beyond the umbrella of ‘The Initiative,’ Earth’s mightiest heroes soldier on to unravel the shadowy threats that menace the Marvel Universe! For regular recaps of post-‘Initiative’ New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and New Avengers: The Illuminati, swing by with each new issue for insight into the costumed conspiracies and superpowered slugfests that break out every time the Avengers assemble!)
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
PREVIOUSLY IN THE ‘AVENGERS’ TITLES:
• It was a period of Civil War. Though seemingly brought together by fate out of the ashes of the disassembled Avengers team to stop a supervillain breakout at the supermaximum security prison the Raft, the group of heroes known as the New Avengers—Captain America (Reed Richards), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan/James Howlett), Luke Cage, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), the Sentry (Robert Reynolds) and sometimes Ronin (Maya Lopez, aka Echo)—were torn between Iron Man’s drive to register all superhumans and Captain America’s determination to resist.
• When the dust settled, Captain America was dead and Iron Man triumphant, installed as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result, two separate teams claim the Avengers mantle.
• Duly authorized under the Superhuman Registration Act, the Mighty Avengers consist of Iron Man, the Sentry, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), Wonder Man (Simon Reynolds) and god of war Ares.
• On the run from the government—including the Mighty Avengers—the New Avengers comprise Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme), Iron Fist (Danny Rand) and the new Ronin (Clint Barton, formerly known as Hawkeye). They’re supported by Strange’s servant Wong and Cage’s wife Jessica Jones (the one-time hero Jewel and mother of Cage’s child).
• As part of the ‘Initiative’ event, the Mighty Avengers are embroiled in a tense struggle against a new Ultron, who seized control of Tony Stark’s biomechanically enhanced body, transforming it into a female form not unlike the Wasp’s and deploying near-unstoppable new powers against the team—most recently killing the Sentry’s wife Lindy.
• Meanwhile, the New Avengers’ battle to rescue their teammate Echo from the clutches of the powerful ninja cult called the Hand ended abruptly when Echo stabbed the Hand’s leader Elektra to death—revealking that she’s not Greco-American Elektra Natchios at all, but a Skrull impostor. The fact that a member of this shape-shifting alien race—whose long and hostile history with the Earth’s heroes was recently illustrated in New Avengers: Illuminati—could assume control of the deadliest group of assassins known to man left the team wondering: Who else might be a Skrull? And who can they trust?
• Not Spider-Woman, apparently: Whether because she’s secretly a Skrull or just thinks taking Skrullektra’s body to Tony Stark for analysis is the right thing to do despite the objections of her teammates, Jessica Drew takes advantage of the crash of the New Avengers’ jet to zap Wolverine and make off with Skrullektra’s corpse.
• Finally, New Avengers: Illuminati has been depicting untold tales of a clandestine group of heroes known as the Illuminati: Iron Man, Dr. Strange, Professor X (Charles Xavier), Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards), Black Bolt (Blackagar Boltagon, King of the Inhumans) and Namor the Sub-Mariner (ruler of Atlantis). Brought together in secret by Stark in the wake of the Kree/Skrull War to quietly protect humanity from major threats, the group played a major behind-the-scenes role in the Marvel Universe before splitting up prior to the Civil War. Among other tasks, they’ve chased off a Skrull fleet, gathered the Infinity Gems, attempted to banish the Beyonder from this universe and exiled the Hulk from the Earth.
NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #4 (of 5)
Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed (W)/Jim Cheung (A)
SYNOPSIS ASSEMBLE!
• As this issue’s Illuminati meeting begins, Dr. Strange notes that his lover, Clea, has left him. Everyone around the table discusses similar “women problems.”
• Reed mentions that he’s had a disconnection with his wife Sue lately, and off-handedly mentions that she might be seeing Namor. Namor takes issue with this accusation and reminds Reed that he should always cherish his wife and family.
• The Illuminati try to convince Noh-Varr, a young Kree agent codenamed Marvel Boy and bent on conquering Earth but currently imprisoned in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s ultra-high security prison the Cube, to become the new heir to the Captain Marvel legacy. They leave Marvel Boy alone to think their offer over.
• In an epilogue, Reed resolves to spend more time with his family and wife.
SKRULL-WATCH: DETAILS, DETAILS…
Normally when a hero doesn’t even remember their scores of team-ups with loveable D-list characters, we’d say Skrull, but this example of poor social skills tends to be par for the course for absent-minded professor Reed Richards.
TAKE MY WIFE (AND HER PSYCHOKINETICALLY ANIMATED HAIR)—PLEASE!
Being an unmarried millionaire playboy with a suit of armor that makes you one of the world’s greatest superheroes has got to make it hard to get chicks. So when Tony Stark complains that he’d rather be married so he could get the proverbial milk on demand if not for free, mutant psychic Professor X has to inform him of the humor that the mute king (and married guy) of the Inhumans finds in that statement.
NAMOR SMASH!
Something tells me that if belt buckles with slogans were fashionable under the sea, Namor’s would be all like, “DON’T MESS WITH ATLANTIS.” Seriously, nigh-invulnerable alien invader Marvel Boy probably had it coming and maybe didn’t even feel this, but is this really the best way to make friends, Namor? Someone should probably re-take kindergarten.
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