James Hannon Comic Reviews

In my short time reading comic books I have figured out one of the things that I love most in them; change. I just find it fascinating when a character that can be so confident in their abilities, or with their love life, is forced to go through some sort of turmoil (perhaps this is why I'm on board with Superior Spider-Man). I think it strengthens characters, and adds to their intrigue. This is the reason why I think this issue is a very good one. At the end of the issue Carol is put in a position that she is uncomfortable with, and I cannot wait to see how she deals with the ramifications that will go along with this change. I think that this is one of the best series at Marvel right now, and this issue continues its winning streak. 8/10

This book has been special from the beginning, and the artwork is one of the main reasons for this. In every single issue of this series, the art has been absolutely superb. I often get worried when a new artist is drawing one of the comics that I love, but the choices that Marvel have made for this book have been exemplary. Marvel has been consistently raising the game in terms of the uniqueness and quality of the art that their books are providing us. From Hawkeye to Daredevil to Captain Marvel, the pencils and colours have all been excellent. It is Filipe Andrade who provided the art for this issue and he does brilliantly. His style is like no other, and his storytelling is masterful. In the letters section of the comic someone wrote in saying that they did not like his style, but I think they are missing the point. Captain Marvel is not your average hero so she does not deserve an average artist.

Felipe Andrade continues to amaze with the art in this issue. He has such a distinctive style that adds to the personality of this comic book. His character moments are great, his action is great. This is one of the best books out there a the moment, everyone should give it a shot.

However, there are a couple of things that I dislike about this issue. The first of which is the repetition. I think that there is little to distinguish this chapter in the story from those that have come previously except for the jokes and the names of the presidents being killed. Maybe it will read a little better when I have the entire arc, but as of now, this issue is a little bit forgettable. My only other problem with the book is way in which the panels are laid out. This is just a minor nitpick, but I really enjoy it when the artists and writers think up unique ways to present the story. I don't really get that with this book. Despite these small issues, it is still a really good issue.

This issue is different from any of the previous ones that have come out during Marvel NOW! And it is different in a good way. In the previous issues it seemed that Deadpool was simply going through the motions in killing the Presidents, but in this issue the stakes are raised and thinks are going badly wrong. I enjoyed seeing the writers take a darker path, and it certainly bodes well for the future of the book. We have also finally zoned in on a major antagonist to the story. It is clear that the undead George Washington is the leader of the merry band of American Presidents. Deadpool will have to defeat him if he wants to win the day. This probably wasn't the strongest issue of this series so far, but it tried things that the others have not. It is because of this that the book deserves a solid 7.5/10.

There were a few good payoffs in this issue to what was built up in the previous issues. I think that this is always a good sign for an ending to an arc. If there is a good finale to a story then everything you read previous is made better because of that. This will definitely be a good arc to read in TPB for that reason. This particular Deadpool story is over, but this issue sets up a number of places for Deadpool to go. Dr. Strange has a few things in store for Ol' Wadey, and our hero now has quite a few enemies within S.H.I.E.L.D. This was a great end to very good arc, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Wade Wilson can sometimes be a character that is wacky and just plain stupid. In this issue he is wacky, but also very clever. That is the version of Deadpool that I like, and I hope that the writers continue in this vein. He actually comes up with a clever plan in this story, and the conclusion is very satisfying. You cannot be unhappy with that, and when you factor in the solid execution of a number of jokes that hit the nail on the head, you cannot deny that this is an excellent issue of Deadpool.

My main complaint for this series, and this issue, is the lack of heart that is in it. I understand that Deadpool isn't the most emotional character, but one of the best issues so far was #6 and that was because we got the full package. We got jokes, wackiness, action, and some emotion. Now, I'm not asking for Deadpool to make us cry every issue, but I think they should remind us more that while he is hilarious, Deadpool is really a tragic character. Also, what the hell is up with that ending?

This series continues to be one of the best monthly comic books that Marvel has to offer. If you're not already reading Hawkeye go out there and get it. Superb.

This is another excellent edition to the Clint Barton story that Matt Fraction and David Aja have been telling. It is clear that big things are about to happen to the character, and that something is about to hit the fan, but that didn't take away from this issues story. This issue was clever, cool and extremely enjoyable.

This series really is a bit of a love letter to that great city. The mystery man's story is both interesting and unique, and I really like how he links in with the Tracksuit Mafia. I also like how even though we get very little of Clint in this issue, he is still developed as a character, and the last issue's themes are expanded upon.

I'm really digging the fact that Banner, who has seemed to be a loner for so long, is now going to have his own team to work with. So far, they seem to be a dynamic bunch with varying personalities (One in particular seems a bit robotic). I actually cannot wait for the next issue to see how they interact with Bruce; I expect it will be intense. I am sure that Waid and Yu are going to take this comic book places that no Hulk book has gone before, and I will definitely be with them for that journey. This issue was simply brilliant; their best so far in the series.

As ever, the art in this comic book is absolutely superb. Leinil Yu is not just a brilliant artist, but a brilliant storyteller. His panels are interesting and dynamic, and are excellent in both physical and digital copies of the comic. One thing that I think is quite cool is that Banner's (and the Hulk's) hair is growing throughout this run. It seems as if Banner got a haircut to signal a new beginning for him, and now the story is unfolding as his hair grows. Also, the introduction of the Hulk's robot companion R.O.B. helps with the narrative of the story especially when the Hulk is alone. The big green monster hardly has a way with words so this character helped to advance the story in this issue. Aside from an issue with the character in general, this was an excellent read, and this creative team are doing wonders.

The artwork in this issue was fantastic once again. Leinil Yu's pencils are superb and really tell the story well. When the Hulk smashes, Yu can truly shine. His action is epic and very clear, and this was perfect for the storyline that was unfolding throughout the issue. The combination of writing and artwork is working perfectly for this series, and this is my favourite issue so far.

The storyline in this comic is full of fun, and there are a number of very humorous moments. There is also a lot of good action, and it is dealt with excellently by the artist. It is clear the whole time what is going on, and the images are quite memorable. The ending of this comic is also something that will be widely discussed and debated over the coming weeks. There are so many possibilities for what happened, and it is truly a topic of intrigue

This issue moves at a very quick pace, and by golly it's one hell of a ride. So many of Marvel's current books are just a big bag of fun, and this title is one of their best at the moment, in my opinion. Some people prefer the Hulk when he is working on a team, and I can see why. This series gives Banner his own team to lead and the results are excellent. We get some cool characters, but we also get to see Bruce Banner be a badass leader. There is also a revelation at the end about one of the lab assistants (Patricia) and it shows us that there is still some Banner in the Hulk, even when he is smashing the place up.