elevation

drive-by readings

Superior #1 (Marvel/Icon) "One Magic Wish" Mark Millar Leinil Francis Yu Gerry Alanguilan Dave McCaig Clayton Cowles

what we learned: a gentle nudge in the direction opposite of Kick-Ass and Nemesis, Mark Millar's new movie (ok, soon to be a movie, at this rate) courts the bleeding heart crowd with its protagonist an MS sufferer who's suddenly becomes endowed with superpowers by a ... talking monkey named Ormon.
oh shit moment: an extraterrestial talking monkey!
what's next: all will be explained in one month.


you'd be mad too if you're Superman with Magneto's costume

reflection

drive-by readings

Wolverine: Weapon X #15 (Marvel) "The End of the Beginning" Jason Aaron Davide Gianfelice Dave McCaig Cory Petit Ron Garney/Morry Hollowell (cover)

what we learned: somebody has to write the obligatory Logan/Kurt reminiscing story, and that task falls on Jason Aaron, who does a good job. Kurt, through all their years as X-Men, has been carrying his heart on his sleeve, and even after he's passed on to the afterlife, finally gets through to Logan's hardcase exterior.
oh shit moment: you ever carry a piano up an impassable mountain on foot?
what's next: stories like these lose some of its luster when the character in question gets revived at some point. but then again, its Nightcrawler, and such an event which will then become proof of his faith (betcha somebody's writing that story right now).


yeah, and we will too ... in Essential X-Men!

plastic fantastic

.... or bloated botoxified face. i know you have an image to keep, but i don't know, Cap.

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New Avengers #64

breaking bad

drive-by readings

Nemesis #1 (Marvel/Icon) Mark Millar Steve McNiven Dave McCaig Chris Elipoulos Leinil Francis Yu (variant cover) with the success of Kick-Ass like blood in the water, the shark that is Mark Millar (not @Not_Mark_Millar, but sometimes we're not sure) comes back for more ... shall we say, violence porn. granted, he had to top his and JRJR's baby (and cheekily putting it down right on the cover), and he doesn't hold back in the premiere issue. a diabolical cop-killer, who looks like a cross between Space Ghost and the Midnighter, targets only policeman who do their job well. and to this 'creative' ending, collateral damage doesn't matter. having caused havoc all over the globe, Nemesis now sets his sights on Washington DC Chief of Police Blake Morrow, rumored to be next in line for Homeland Security Directorship and Oprah's favorite cop. how to get his attention? oh, just by simply hijacking Air Force One and forcing it down and running pedestrians over. move over, Dave Lizewski; there's a new Kick-Ass in town. and he's playing for the other side. and he's wickedly good at being bad.

scene of the week

Omni-Man crashing in Allen the Alien's crib.






ohhh, i bet he wants to reconcile with Debbie so bad!!

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Invincible #67

drive-by readings: New Avengers #55

New Avengers #55 (Marvel) Brian Michael Bendis Stuart Immonen Wade von Grawbadger Dave McCaig Albert Deschesne

maybe it's just me, but i've been largely a fan of Bendis' work. jumping from (excellent) to Daredevil (excellent) to Avengers Disassembled to House of M to Secret Invasion and now, Dark Reign, i mean the man has the Marvel U in the palm of his hand, just like the X Universe resided in Bob Harras' head during his heyday. and all these stories that can be told, all the rich tapestry of characters in the 616 that you can tap into - its mind-boggling just to string them all together and make them react to the new world around them, instead of taking the easy way out and inventing new characters and gloss over what the existing ones might do. purists might still find continuity glitches somewhere but you can't deny the ambitiousness of remaking the Marvel world as we know it. this is why Norman Osborn is on top, the villains have taken the reins, and Tony Stark is out there clean shaven and penniless. this is why Spider-Man and Hawkeye have to argue about whether to kill or not. and who would think D-listers like Chemistro and Jonas Harrow would have what it takes to smartly take down the (not-Dark) Avengers? by the way, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers is alive and well here so those who are reading her proper title, its kinda bit late. now, if i had a bone to pick with Bendis, i'd ask him: where's the one guy that could totally sway power to either side? where's Owen Reece? did i miss him somewhere in your master plan?

drive-by readings: Berserker #1

Berserker #1 (Top Cow) Rick Loverd Jeremy Haun Dave McCaig Troy Peteri Dale Keown (cover)

anybody with a berserker's rage will identify with this new series from Top Cow. Farris Jorn and Aaron Bural are two diverse people with something in common - they can be sparked to go in a murderous rage given the right (unfortunate) conditions. Farris works with his girlfriend Eva in a metal factory, and always gets pushed around by his asshole of a boss (who likes harassing Eva), resulting in some sweet evisceration, the kind any hard-working peon would love to perform on their own idiot bosses. Aaron just wants to pull up stakes and leave town with his girl Courtney, but a terrible incident during a wrestling match triggers a series of unfortunate events, not the least of which is a separation of head from body of a supporting character, i won't tell you who. lurking in the background are two competing organizations, Aasgard and Midgard (whooopee - laying the Norse stuff a bit too thickly, eh), vying for the services of talents like Farris and Aaron.

the pacing could use a bit more polishing; otherwise, this seems to be an interesting (if ultra-violent) book with a nice premise. if it turns out to be a hit, a movie could be in the pipeline (property's owned by Divide Pictures owned by - cough, Heroes are an X-Men ripoff, cough, cough - Milo Ventimiglia).

huh?!

Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk ends ... a la the Hulk '70s TV show with Bill Bixby hightailing it on an empty highway.


what, no final issue wanton destruction of limb and property? that too cliche?

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Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk #6
(thank you for that 3-plus years, six-issue series - that saved us a lot of money, you %#$%#@$@%#% shits)

Betty has found someone Uglier ...

... and that someone is the Hulk!



um, you're not referring to Master Betty, right, Bruce?

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Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk #4 (for god's sake, finish this already!!!)