Marlene Bonnelly Comic Reviews

I began reading this one-shot with few expectations, but I still managed to finish it mildly disappointed. Recycling classic X-Men themes is par for the course, but their implementation was mostly unoriginal and the issue's art was only acceptable. What should have been a "happily-ever-after" ending just made me shrug, unimpressed, and remember how silly I must have been to think anything could have permanence in the X-Men's world, even in an alternate universe. All in all, while we may feel a bit of anticipation and even nostalgia with the title of "anniversary special," this is a special you'd be safe with skipping.

Remender tried to cram in 101 great things and succeeded. He paced the plot well, too, with intense action cut by moments of reflection. The icing on the cake, of course, is Immonen's impeccable linework, which really feeds into the solemn mood.

Still, I want to have faith that these disjointed pieces will come together as Robbie embraces his new persona and tracks down those who have wronged him in true Ghost Rider form. There is a lot of potential for this book, especially since the main character’s loved ones are dropping left and right, providing plenty of fuel for his fiery vengeance. The initial shock of seeing such a different version of Ghost Rider has died down, leaving room for me to really admire the budding anti-hero who pulls bad guys up through car hoods and sets them ablaze. If Smith can narrow the focus of his story and continue to bridge the gap between Robbie’s story and the world around him more concretely, then this title could definitely shape up to be something incredible.

Action! Adventure! Romance! The creative team crams a little bit of everything into this issue, making Amazing X-Men #3 the busiest installment yet.

Animal Man has been a consistently enjoyable read so far. The story may have become a little shaky, but that shakiness is forgivable because it's character-driven and beautifully illustrated. As long as the team doesn't pull any other strange tricks out of a hat, I look forward to seeing how the Baker family manages this last battle for the Red.

If this book intended to get readers interested in this girl, then it partially succeeded. The character is strange and different, but I'm left wondering why I should care about her, because her existence doesn't actually change anything significant in the universe. She seems like the type that Batman could easily scoop up again and stick in Arkham. We have a lot left to see in terms of her development, but if the Joker does get involved - and I'm hoping he does - then that development will be a lot more interesting.

The writing is clever and accessible by all ages, too, which makes this a perfect book for comic beginners and veterans alike.

Though this issue may stall in some places, DeConnick has done an excellent job of creating believable tension between both individual characters and their respective groups.

Kelly Sue DeConnick again proves that she can write a spectacular, well-paced feel-good comic, with this issue in particular further developing a group of genuinely likable, easy-to-empathize-with characters.

Marvel is clearly taking advantage of its growing digital market, tailoring series like The Gauntlet specifically for mobile devices in its new Infinite line. These efforts open up a world of possibilities. Will clever transitions become simple animations and further blur the line between mediums? Will we have official soundtracks playing as we read our comics? I don't know, but if any of it happens alongside Deadpool's antics, I'm excited.

Crowded, obnoxious speech bubbles and cheesy dialogue aside, I want to read more.

Pacing and mysteries aside, I can really understand why this title has been so well received. This isn't a standard comic book packed with superheroes and/or super villains duking it out with muscles and gadgetry. This is a story about a young woman who's just as confused as we the readers are.

Now that we’ve finally moved away from the trials of the X-Men on earth and have delved back into the stories of the Guardians and their efforts, I’m really enjoying the run again. They have an obvious goal in mind - finding Thanos - and that helps establish a sense of consistency despite the fact that they keep getting sidetracked. It’s not hard to root for these guys or to want more of them; I finished this issue feeling anxious to read the next part of their journey, which means Bendis and company did something right.

A testament to this book is that if you were to remove all the dialogue and text, you would still be able to understand almost everything happening and all the associated emotions for each member of the Great Warrior's party. This fact is what, in my opinion, cements the title as a fantastic all-ages comic, though I'll be the first to admit that I'll gladly pick up the next issue as an adult.

I was hoping for the best, but Inhumanity: Awakening just didn't live up to the potential of its engaging teenage cast. The second issue's poor structure and art made it difficult to read, and the plot managed to be both rushed and very boring. If you're looking for a fun series about teenage heroes, you'd be better off reading about this team in Marvel's far more satisfying Wolverine and the X-Men.

Overall, Klarion's title didn't fare well this time around. The most exciting parts of the book are his banter with his guardians or the battle scenes, but his actual relationships with the other teens"that is, Rasp and Zell"are underwhelming and a bit boring. Readers will probably be more bewildered than fascinated by the mysteries surrounding the tech-savvy villains, too, which doesn't bode well for engagement. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the third issue smooths out some of these issues and puts us back on the right track for adventure.

True, issue #9 still provides some of the same introspective monologue and character development we've come to expect, but somehow these elements take a backseat to a bigger story setup.

The end of issue two leaves Kamala facing a difficult situation: should she seize the opportunity her new gifts have granted her and become the hero she's always wanted to be, or play it safe for the sake of her family and whatever sense of normalcy she'd hoped to maintain? We already know which path she'll choose (or there wouldn't be subsequent issues to read), but seeing her acknowledge the dilemma adds another layer of humanity to her character. No one that I know can stretch a hand out ala Mr. Fantastic, but we all strive to be both socially accepted and extraordinary at the same time, not unlike Kamala"that's why her story is so fascinating.

All in all, this was a strange book. While it’s certainly not the worst thing I’ve ever read, the cast of characters, art and general storyline make it hard to see any potential in future issues. I’ll be honest and say that the only redeeming quality was the very end, if only because I desperately hope those Rocket Reds will actually do some damage to this ridiculous team.

Overall, is this issue especially meaningful? Probably not. Rocket and Cosmo are even now, but I can't say that that the adventure much impact in the series. It wasn't meant to be. It feels like a type of palette cleanser, an injection of guns and silliness that serves as a tremendously enjoyable read but that I can't say blew me away. It's just fun in the special, ultra-violent way that we've come to expect from Rocket Raccoon.

Even those who have never watched the show can appreciate it, though S.H.I.E.L.D. does feel more like a fun extra side read than a necessary, impactful pull.

Rather than moving forward and redefining herself, issue #3 had Storm moving backward and revisiting her past, which I understand can be necessary for growth. It's very possible that Pak believed settling an old grudge with Forge and shedding the "goddess" persona Kenyans once worshipped were important milestones in Ororo's development, though I still wish there had been more to the story for us, as readers, to sink our teeth into.

Overall, I think this issue will turn many into Lois' fans. In a world full of aliens with laser eyes and detectives with an arsenal of gadgetry at their disposal, Lane is a reporter on a mission armed only with her wit, determination, a camera and a swift roundhouse kick. In a way, especially in this issue, she represents the everyman, and I think that's what makes her exploits so fun to read. Part of me is actually pretty disappointed that this particular story won't carry on into a second issue.

All in all, this first issue was a well-paced introduction to a lovable character with a pretty decent story and some genuinely interesting obstacles to overcome. I'm impressed by the start of this series and, given the fantastic cliffhanger it left off at, I'm looking forward to the rest of the action in Squirrel Girl's future.

This is a title that hooks you in from the start. Aaron's image of a sullen Thor overlooking the mess of planet earth is more than a little depressing, but it makes the flashbacks to happier times much more valuable.

Overall, the new Wolverine has potential. I want to understand the mystery surrounding the Offer and wrap my head around why Logan has decided on this path, I want to read his conversation with Superior Spider-Man in the second issue" but Logan himself seems out of character compared to the version of him that we'd watched develop very recently. Issue #1 was fun to look at it with its copious action and shock value, but I haven't yet bought into the concept of a truly villainous Wolverine.