drive-by readings: Dark Avengers / Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1

Dark Avengers / Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1 (Marvel) "Utopia, Part 1" Matt Fraction Marc Silvestri/Michael Broussard Tyler Kirkham/Sheldon Mitchell Joe Weems/Marco Galli Eric Basaldua/Rick Basaldua Jason Gorder/Sal Regla Jon Sibal/Ryan Winn Frank D'Armata Chris Eliopoulos

let me first say that for this "important event", Marvel couldn't even put together a stable creative team (writer+penciler+inker) that it becomes "Marc Silvestri and the Top Cow All-Stars and then some" (no offense, but it is that). which is why the art suffers. Silvestri hits when he's on, but this ... this isn't one of those moments ... hoooo-boy. thank goodness for the pencil assists. no, not really. and oh, what's with the cliched 'villain standing victorious over prone protagonists' cover? that's what we get? nobody had a better idea??

so, the story: we turn the clock back to the late '80s/early '90s when people in the 616 USA used to hate mutants with fervor (a theme so ably resurrected by the X-writers). even San Francisco is not a safe haven anymore, as riots have been breaking out between the humans and mutants. Norman Osborn thinks Scott can't handle his troops, therefore dispatches his own, and imposing martial law in the Bay Area (really? no Prez Obama or Congress to curb his enthusiasm?). considering his backroom deals with Emma Frost (who's been keeping this from her fearless stud), this is probably where the X-Men gets divided and they'll have to move back to New York. or Amsterdam.

drive-by readings: Invincible Iron Man #14

Invincible Iron Man #14 (Marvel) "The Shape of the World These Days" Matt Fraction Salvador Larocca Frank D'Armata Joe Caramagna Marc Silvestri/Joe Weems (cover)

Tony Stark has been reduced to a Road Runner being chased all over the world by the Coyote named Norman Osborn. its ultimately for informational, not gastronomical, reasons, as Osborn wants the data in Tony's head (and he don't have no stinkin' backup, smart man). Tony wants to wipe out the data, but he has two things going against him: (a) wiping that amount of data needs a lot of power and (b) doing so would make him dumb as a rock.

hey, i like his new look - military crewcut sans moustache (hello, ladies), which is why he almost gets punked by his old Russian frenemy the Crimson Dynamo. yes, Tony's in Russia to marry a nouveau riche petro-millionaire Russian cougar. no, he needs to get a Stark plant deep in the Siberian heartland to do his thing. little does he know Madame Masque is hot on his trail, and not because she thinks he's off philandering again.

lest we forget Tony's other flames (two of whom he's sent on errands), they're all here: newest one-night-stand Maria Hill, the Black Widow, and Pepper Potts, now armored up and reuniting with her boss (Matt Fraction still wants to turn Pepper into a superhero, after being turned into a semi-Oracle in The Order, then cyborg-ized early in this series).

and oh, Don Heck thanks you, Matt, for the tip of the hat.