Adam J. Langton Comic Reviews

"Avengers Assemble" #1 is a very strange comic that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. While the movie tie-in will ensure strong sales, I can't help but get the impression there is no purpose to the book beyond the specific collection of film-adapted characters. It is worth noting Bagley's pencils in static moments are as strong and clear as ever, bolstered by Paul Mounts' colors, which bolster the impression of this being a traditional superhero comic. I just wish the plot contained something new, despite the traditional superhero look. With comic shop shelves overflowing with comic books with "Avengers" in the title, the directive of "Avengers Assemble" #1 should have been to provide a driving force to stay aboard for issue #2. Unfortunately, much like whatever the bad guys are up to and whatever's inside the stolen package, this force is left entirely out of the book.

"Crossed: Badlands" #1 is a promising issue for what I hope is an excellent series. If you are new to the book I would urge two things upon you: trust that issue #1 is just the tip of the iceberg and" courage.

The inability to invest in the story of "Daken: Dark Wolverine" #23 isn't limited to the emotions of the main character; in true superhero fashion, we are assured that every life being risked by these last destructive, villainous acts are expedited to safety, off-panel. The result is a comic where buildings are destroyed with no real risk or consequence, as the city in the Marvel Universe will be fully rebuilt without a trace of these events by the time we put the comic down. Instead of an emotional outburst or dramatic tension, "Daken: Dark Wolverine" #23 has as much impact as watching a pouting toddler smash his tinker toys. The hope as I approached this issue was even if we could not identify with Daken, we would find the emotional impact of the scenario on his father -- yet Logan remains stalwart throughout. Sadly, this is symbolic of the Daken character itself: the Marvel Universe will be unchanged in the wake of this title, leaving no trace of Daken to be found.

Perhaps the only drawback to the issue is the alienation of readers due to Way's willingness in embracing the madcap insanity of the character. It's possible those who aren't as willing to play along with the joke could receive issue #52 as a cluttered, chaotic cluster of panels. Still, even those readers who are less willing to play along will find enough laughs in the issue and enough enjoyment in the artwork to make it worth the cover price. If you're curious about the strange and unique narrative experience of both loving a character and hoping they manage to kill themselves at the same time, "Deadpool" #52 is worth checking out.

As the issue opens by giving us more information than Jordan, we end just as lost and confused as he is when Black Hand appears and refuses to explain the situation, despite his palpable sadness upon encountering Hal. Johns hangs us upon a cliff when Black Hand merely declares "we are all saved." Saved from what? From whom? We'll have to wait for the next installment to find out. The obvious talents of the creative team in "Green Lantern" #7 gives new readers enough reason to stick around, even as the issue comes up middling.

Whereas previous Bat-crossovers have felt like Batman stories with a supporting cast squarely in the background, the creative team of "Nightwing" #7 has proven Dick won't be forgotten in the upcoming shuffle. Not only does issue #7 conclude the Saiko storyline as well as introduce "Night of the Owls," the final page instigates a new storyline and direction for our hero to explore, separate from Batman and the Court. The plot of "Nightwing" #7 accomplishes as much as any single issue possibly can, crafted and carried by beautiful artwork all the while. If you have been hesitant about this series to date, #7 is incredibly strong evidence this book is just hitting its stride. I have dipped in and out of "Nightwing" since the relaunch, but issue #7 just rocketed it to the top of my pull-list. Nothing short of a fantastic superhero comic book, "Nightwing" #7 is a turning point in more ways than one.

"Orchid" #5 is a book reminding us why we read dystopian stories in the first place -- more than just cool and unknown settings, dystopian fiction allows us to play out our worst political fears and perhaps follow characters as they pursue our personal hopes against all odds. Issue #5 is a perfect place to jump into the world of "Orchid," even if you haven't heard of the book before. Hurry up, the shops in my town sold out completely. Get your copy while the gettin' is good.

Kaine's life is swiftly becoming something entirely different than it ever was before and Yost & Stegman's work ideally captures the dizzying effects on the character and the breakneck speed of events on the page. "Scarlet Spider" #3 is a superhero comic about a man who isn't yet certain if he fits the superhero mold -- or if he ever cares to. As we make up our own minds about the character and direction, the comic ensures we'll be thoroughly entertained along the way.

Even if we are able to suspend our disbelief and overcome the winking in-jokes like the one above, what we are left with in "Super Crooks" #1 is the first issue of a series presenting no likable characters and nothing we haven't seen before, several times over. The cover presents us with many more characters than are introduced to us in "Super Crooks" #1, so we can hold out hope those future introductions will be more nuanced and intriguing than the ones we find within. As for the first issue, what we find remains bland and uninspired for an inauspicious start to the series.

All in all, the events of "Ultimate Comics Ultimates" #8 needed to take place for the good of the overall plot, but the eighth issue remains anemic on its own. The Ultimates themselves remain woefully unprepared for The City and the response of their own government, which scales back the impact of the team itself to a certain extent. Even Hulk's mission in the text is, admittedly, nonexistent -- these elements may be planted to emphasize the need for a tactician like Steve Rogers on the team, but they also take away from the sense of epic confrontation the series has cultivated to this point. Although a slight misstep, "Ultimate Comics Ultimates" #8 proves that even when Hickman is off, his work remains in the upper-echelon of writing. Thanks to Esad & Ribic, it is hard to fault Hickman for thinking in terms of trade paperback; it is going to be gorgeous.

One intriguing aspect of "Uncanny X-Men" #9 is the portrayal of Cyclops: where he has appeared the confident and capable leader in the previous eight issues, the dialogue from both Emma and Scott seems to suggest he's becoming involved in his role to the point of psychosis. The calm down period of the first half of issue #9 doesn't sit well with Scott, as he seems listless without an Extinction-level event to pursue. Scott is presented as a tightly-wound spring kept under constant pressure, which is perhaps the most intriguing element of the "AvX" setting going forward; as readers, we know what to expect from Captain America, as he has commanded this much power for quite some time. The reaction from a suddenly-capable Scott Summers is left much more to our imaginations. To their credit, the team of "Uncanny X-Men" keeps us guessing about Scott's upcoming role throughout issue #9 and leaves us wanting to discover more about his role as leader in "AvX."