Avengers Children's Crusade Young Avengers #1 ****Writer: Allan Heinberg
Artist: Alan Davis
Cover Artist: Alan Davis
Publisher: Marvel
Allan Heinberg is absolutely brilliant. He writes these kids like no one else. And I don't mean that because no one has really written them. Quite the contrary. Heinberg has been able to create such a wonderful story for these guys. The flashback story was absolutely hilarious. It was fun, it was a great friendship story, and it throws an interesting twist into this whole story. The art, well that's really another story. For the main story we've been getting some stunning artwork and unfortunately, that was not the case. It's been a while since we've got the actual series and while this issue was nice, I want some more of the other stuff.
Generation Hope #5 ***1/2Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie
Cover Artist: David Lafuente
Publisher: Marvel
I'm still not sure whether I like Hope or if I find her to be annoying. On the one hand I can see where she is coming from. Being raised in near isolation for the most of her life, she's become a strong and independent woman. That's the problem, in my opinion; she's no longer independent. For one thing, she's a part of this large family known as the X-Men. But on a more important level, she's the leader of a team. A team that is filled with inexperienced teenagers. Time after time she puts herself and her own desires over the good of her team, and refuses to listen to any one else. This issue highlights this problems I have with Hope very well. I really think I'd like her as she is now, if she wasn't a team leader and more of a roaming spirit, much like I see Rogue as.
Uncanny X-Force #5.1 ****1/2Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Cover Artists: Simone Bianchi and Simone Peruzzi
Publisher: Marvel
Well hot damn kids. The art in this book is freaking fabulous that you should read it for that reason alone. Albuquerque, who is known for his art in American Vampire, pulls out all the stops in this beautiful issue. Things are heating up for the new X-Force team as they face off Lady Deathstrike and her minions. As the team rips through their enemies, their secret may be out. With the mission leading two crooks and Betsy to Utopia, Cyclops and Magneto become aware of an outside presence on the island. Remender is doing a standup job with this new X-Force team.
Uncanny X-Men Annual #3 **Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Nicholas Bradshaw
Cover Artist: Black Frog
Publisher: Marvel
There's not much for me to actually say here. The art in this book was all sorts of bad. The story was decent enough. Scott, Hope, Dr. Nemesis, and Namor have all been transported to another dimension and might have no way of getting back. I'm not altogether sure what purpose this annual is going to or is meant to serve. I don't know if this is some type of editorial mandate or something, but I find it weird that Hope is obnoxious as she is in everything she appears in.
X-Factor #217 ****Writer: Peter David
Artists: Emanuela Lupacchino and Guillermo Ortego
Cover Artists: David Yardin and Sonia Oback
Publisher: Marvel
This book is absolutely great. Peter David is one of Marvel's most consistently excellent writer. His story telling is fluid, humorous, intricate without being unnecessary. What's great about him, is that when something happens out of the blue, you know that eventually it will play a role. A couple issues back a rogue villainess, Ballistique, made an appearance and now she's back. Partnered with some friends of hers, she's is looking to assassinate the mayor. Luckily for him, the mayor that is, he's got X-Factor on his side. Meanwhile, there were two parts I specifically want to bring attention to. Monet and Strong Guy in the streets was both humorous while socially important. The other, was the interaction between Shatterstar and Rictor regarding Shatterstar's relationship with Longshot. I think it's great that Peter David is touching upon the long forgotten plot thread of Longshot being Shatterstar's father.
Writer: Ron Marz
Artists: Whilce Portacio, Joe Weems, and Mukesh Singh
Cover Artists: Phil Noto and John Tyler Christopher
Publisher: Top Cow
We are now six issues in and things are progressing steadily. With Cyberforce joining in the fight last issue, things weren't looking so good for the forces of evil. There are two distinctive things I have to say about this issue. One, the story is quite good. The way everything plays out, the pacing of the issue, it all plays out very well. Two, the art here works as a detriment for me, which is not to say that it is bad, just problematic. It has a very sketchy, rough edge to it that I actually like. However, in this situation where I'm still working out who's who, the sketchy look keeps me guessing more often than I want. So much so, that by the end of this issue my take on what happened is, everyone but the Witchblade is now dead. We'll see what turns out to be the truth.
Be sure to read my DC reviews at ComicAttack.net!
Children's Crusade , X-Force, and X-Factor were great reads. It's great that they are all consistently fantastic reads.
ReplyDeleteRafael Albuquerque is AWESOME!!