There's a solid chunk of character insight carried in the PoV narration, and there are some significant long-term plot developments. But the overall amount of plot-character content isn't that high.
And it's completely forgivable when it's skillfully woven into a massive full-issue battle. Brilliantly illustrated, paced, and structured--this is a real pleasure to read. It makes a thorou more
My expectations couldn't have been lower, but this went skyrocketing past them. It delivers a more than generous share of plot development (even for a "1.5 issues" extra-pager), sharp, clear storytelling in words and art, and fascinating developments for Normie Osborn as a character. It's even nicely self-contained--no mean feat given its convoluted continuity history. A healthy serving of memorabmore
THE NEWEST - AND DEADLIEST - RED GOBLIN! SPINNING OUT OF THE PAGES OF VENOM!
Normie Osborn receives his own symbiote at last! As a new Red Goblin, will Normie fulfill his destiny as an Osborn - or will he and his symbiote be able to make a difference for the better?
Rated T+
It features tight, snappy storytelling--plenty of quality in both prose and art. It's done well enough to make it a good comic and a fun read. I appreciate that this issue makes some firm continuity nods toward my favorite parts of X-Men: Red.
But there's not too much real plot here (it's awfully recap-y), and there's a lurking big-picture problem. Choosing to homage/recycle the premise more
Ten years from now, Mars has been destroyed - and now STORM wants revenge! To get it, the New Brotherhood will battle their way through Hell to seek the greatest secret of the Sinister Age... but are they fighting to save the world - or end it? And who is the man called IRONFIRE?
Rated T+
The art remains exceptional here. There's plenty of plot and character development to move the story along. There were some minor hiccups in the jumps from plot point to plot point. The information's all there, but putting it together is harder than it needs to be. This is no mortal sin, but it's not ideal in a book aimed at younger readers.
DEVIL HAS LOST HIS MIND! OMG!
Olivia's Sparkle Bots are spreading her mind control all across the Lower East Side - and she's controlling Devil Dinosaur too! Lunella needs a way to cure her best dino sidekick and keep the other roller-derby kids safe from the brainwashing. But as her lunar mind-swap with Devil Dinosaur approaches, she might jus...
This is a pretty solid start to an interlude arc. The creators are obviously talented--not working their fingers to the bone, but their experience shines through. As usual, Joe Kelly digs a touch too deep into premises that would be more palatable without the scrutiny. And though the Dodsons don't do so great with smaller panels or scene-setting, their skill in the splashier moments is undeniable.more
Dark Web is over, but the effects will shake Spider-Man for a long time. To recover, Peter Parker and Felicia Hardy, A.K.A. the Black Cat, escape from the city to an exclusive spa in the Catskills! Surely, trouble won't follow our Web-Head and ruin his romantic getaway? Join superstar guest creative team Joe Kelly and Terry Dodson for this special ...
This is a loving, finely-crafted example of an awful thing that happened a lot in the Silver Age: the left-field, tall-grass plot derailment. It's still entertaining thanks to the great storytelling and the brisk pace.
What I would have preferred, though, was a satirical/deconstructive edge. Yeah, superheroes used to randomly lose interest and bail out of stories in the 60s. How about g more
Thor! Iron Man! Captain America! Giant-Man & the Wasp! The original Avengers invade the Baxter Building and break the barriers between worlds! Will Willie Lumpkin unleash a dangerous menace? Can Thor lose Mjolnir? Will Eisner Hall of Famer Paul Levitz and legendary X-artist Alan Davis successfully channel the classic heroes' adventures? Come check ...
While I don't think it's a big-picture positive when creators have to spend most of an issue explaining what the hell's going on, I can appreciate it when they recognize the need and do it right.
The script doesn't shine and it doesn't cover too much ground, plotwise, but it does move things forward. And more importantly, it does a thorough job of clarifying the story.
And it more
CAP VS. FALCON!
When Falcon arrives in Mohannda, delirious and rampaging from the effects of White Wolf's chemical attack, it's up to Captain America to save his friend - or to stop Falcon from hurting anyone else. In this heartbreaking showdown between partners, Sam Wilson must make a choice about who he wants to be - and what he is willing to...
Powerful moments undercut by poor art.
Norman was handed his first losses throughout DARK WEB, but he's not about to make it a habit. His first target? Jack O'Lantern. But is Norman still in someone else's crosshairs? Will this new zeal lead him down the dark path that we all know he's headed toward? You better believe it.
Rated T+
There is nothing mortally wrong with the way it's written, and quite a bit right with the way it's drawn. But it's just relentlessly average--it would have to be far better to recapture my enthusiasm after the misadventures of previous issues.
ENTER NAMOR!
Battered and beaten after his grueling battle with Captain America, T'Challa has everything to prove and nothing left to lose. So when Namor arrives on the scene, Black Panther is determined to make him pay for the pain he's inflicted on Wakanda in the past. But the terrorists of his making still loom large, and Namor never goes an...
The resolution of the plot is, I suppose, satisfactory. Though the colorful art could definitely be more polished, it's also definitely well-constructed. Gosh, the script is clunky, though! Both the ideas and the expression thereof are stiff and dull.
Who will survive in this fallen world? Who will rebuild it? Atlantis? The machines? A long-suffering humankind? Namor faces off against the Original Human Torch one last time... and then his own underwater empire. In the end, will anything be left to rule on these conquered shores?
Rated T+
While the issue itself is a slow, clunky read, it does good work by burying (literally and metaphorically) the last traces of Exhaust before this series really gets rolling on its next arc.
HELLFIRE AND DANNY KETCH!
The F.B.I. has cast out Johnny Blaze and Talia Warroad, maybe because they're too destructive and unmanageable?or maybe because there is some corruption present that reaches inside the very institution meant to protect us. As Johnny and Talia head down to Savannah to investigate a necropolis, there are hints of old fri...
Maria Hill has made her call about the Skrull - and now all the dominoes will fall according to her design. But Tony Stark disagrees with her decision... so Iron Man is going rogue! An action-packed issue culminates in a dramatic leap into the unknown you won't see coming... and a no-win scenario leads to our shocking conclusion!
Rated T+
The storytelling's all generally decent, with a couple of nice conversations and some good fight art. But the plot isn't all that interesting and it feels like every scene's been stretched to cover the maximum number of pages with the minimum amount of development.
Also: "Antihero Hulk likes bedding floozies in teams? Who would bring that chestnut back in 2023?" *looks at author credit* more
Peter David's return to one of his most iconic Hulk stories continues! Everyone wants to know who the mysterious Joe Fixit really is, and Spider-Man is on the case (complete with location-appropriate disguises)! Kingpin wants Las Vegas's toughest enforcer working for him instead of the competition, and he's prepared to make Joe Fixit an offer he ca...
ASSASSIN OR X-MAN? THE DEADLY DAYS OF X-23! LAURA KINNEY, A.K.A. X-23, was cloned from LOGAN and trained by the Facility to be a deadly assassin. Even as she tries to put that life behind her, forces will try to drag her back - and she'll fight them tooth and claw! Beset by NEW ENEMIES - as well as OLD FAVORITES! - and set during X-23's days as a m...
BACK FROM THE FUTURE!
OMEGA SQUAD will die. And it's all BISHOP's fault. BISHOP makes a fateful decision that will spell the end of life as he knew it! Presaging his appearance in the classic UNCANNY X-MEN #282, witness legendary Whilce Portacio's vision for his co-creation as we finally detail the truth behind the X.S.E.'s time-travel mission ...
Criminy, what comic were *y'all* reading?
THE ALL-NEW, ALL-GREAT X-MEN DEBUT!
Krakoa is an island paradise, and it's a vulnerable one... but not with Lucas Bishop on the case! Armor, Surge, Cam Long, Aura Charles, Amass - these are his students. Their course objective: Get strong. Defend the island. Keep mutantkind safe. What does any of that have to do with an all-Black X-Men team? F...
The big plot just barely gets rolling here, but that's because this book spends plenty of time establishing a new status quo. And the process is *delightful*.
The structure is clear, the pace is smooth, and the prose is clean. It's not quite as sparkly as the author's very best, but it's certainly leagues beyond average.
The art is a bit of an acquired taste, but very palata more
Stephen Strange is back! Reunited with Clea and Wong, it's back to business as usual for the Sorcerer Supreme. Have your children fallen into a deep nightmarish slumber? Are demonic refugees invading your home? Is your husband possessed by a satanic entity? Then call Doctor Strange! Join Jed MacKay (MOON KNIGHT, BLACK CAT) and Pasqual Ferry (NAMOR:...
Spectacular storytelling amply compensates for some ambiguous last-act plotting. (We're stuck in a "what's real, what's not, when did the mind games start?" trap by the end.) This series has been so consistently great that I have complete faith in the way it'll play out.
The dialogue is delightful. There are multiple points where a great line drops my jaw and it just stays hanging for a more
THE NEW INVADERS STRIKE!
Captain America and his allies put their best infiltration tactics to the test to free lower Manhattan from A.I.M.'s grasp. But the battleground is not what it seems and the Outer Circle not so easily surprised. Can Steve Rogers uncover a lurking enemy - or will his friends face doom at the hands of the Outer Circle's m...
This is a good comic, but I'd call it provisionally good. It can be a blast to read--so long as you meet the creators halfway. I did and I had a blast.
There are half a dozen valid reasons not to reach out that way. One of them is dumb ("I want more of the 'real' New Mutants!"), but still valid.
And then there's the *evil* reason to dislike this book. You know the one.
more
THE NEW, NEW MUTANTS - WITH ALL THE CLASSIC THRILLS! Best-selling, multiple-award-winning, generally bedazzling writer Charlie Jane Anders launches a fresh take on the beloved team, with rising star Enid Bal?m behind the illustrious pencils! The Shadow King. U-Men. Demon Bear. Themselves. The New Mutants have faced some of the most cunning minds in...
The art is dynamic as all hell, and the script makes plenty of room to let it breathe. That makes the overall pace very speedy, perhaps even too fast.
The pieces and parts used to advance the plot and develop the characters (particularly Raneem) are all off-the-shelf stuff. Nothing revolutionary.
Yet they're assembled with utmost skill, doing a perfect job of making the new a more
SHE'S A REAL RABBLE ROUSER!
For years, she's schemed in the shadows. Now RABBLE is finally ready to unleash an assault on everything and everyone MILES MORALES loves - but why does she hate SPIDER-MAN so dang much?! What secrets from Spidey's past still stand to be revealed? To survive her, first Spidey'll need to survive the SCORPION. Miles. C...
This feels like a distinct uptick in the series. The visuals remain delightful, the plot progresses in a clear fashion, and Mariko is a compellingly active protagonist this time around. It makes a fun read, and the process of digging into all the mythological and Marvel connections is fun too.
PHOENIX vs MAGIK!
Things are heating up in Momoko's Marvel Universe! The spirit world is divided. Its inhabitants, strange creatures called yokai, have chosen sides, and the two factions are on the brink of all-out war. A bird-like yokai who wields some serious firepower faces off against a club-wielding demon. Mariko Yashida finds herself righ...
This series stays firmly on its rails for its second issue, and that's all to the good. Viv's nightmare problem makes a nicely-portioned one-shot plot. Some solid character insights for Wanda and especially Viv deliver satisfying depth, and the art continues to be a big boost.
SCARLET WITCH BATTLES DREAMQUEEN!
Wanda Maximoff is no stranger to grief, so when Viv Vision stumbles through Wanda's door, exhausted and terrified of the nightmares playing her mother's death on repeat, Wanda dives into Viv's dreams to find the cause of the android's suffering. And it turns out Viv isn't alone in her mind? Scarlet Witch faces ...
It's another fast, action-heavy episode. As usual, the art works perfectly for that, and the prose is no slouch either. The in media res start could have been fine-tuned, but it all works. Jake Lockley's role is inspired.
I even like the B strip almost as much as the A. It's dense and well-plotted for just 8 pages, telling a pretty complete story. It introduces a cool flashback characte more
There's blood on the streets as assassins work their way through a list of names containing those who once formed Moon Knight's Shadow Cabinet. But with a number of potential targets and no idea who's next, how can Moon Knight save his former associates?
PLUS: Just in time for Black History Month, a second story in which the crescent crusader c...
This is a satisfying payoff to a long-running mystery; the XENO story is popping again. The art serves up the usual yummy mix of detail and body horror, and the dialogue is solid. There's maybe a bit more Deadpool comic relief than I want, but that's subjective.
THE PEACOCK TATTOO?
At last - learn the truth about the man behind the mask who's been plaguing X-FORCE since 2019's issue #1!
X-fans new and old will reel from this startling revelation. Collectors and readers alike - don't miss this key issue!
Rated T+
Al Ewing corrects the title's tie-in course again, this time by tacking back toward the event and reminding everyone (via an excellently-written Ms. Marvel) that there's still a demon invasion going on in New York. The art's outstanding for this action-heavy serving (though Bryan Hitch won't be making my list of top Ms. Marvel artists).
This is a nicely-streamlined episode of this over more
With the truth about Eddie Brock, Bedlam and the Garden of Time revealed at last, Eddie has no choice but to move heaven, earth, space and time to get back to his son. But it may all be for naught - Eddie's greatest fears are at the precipice of being realized, as Dylan may still succumb to the darkness within him!
Rated T+
It's a fascinating story and it's a direct sequel to the Silver Surfer's first truly great solo comic (SS #5; which I highly recommend you read if you can).
The art isn't super-detailed, but it can get super-expressive.
On the writing side, the good news is, this issue delivers a ton of information. And the bad news is, this issue delivers a ton of information. Very slow, ver more
Toni Brooks and her family have moved into the quiet town of Sweetwater. But nothing is quite what it seems in their new home. What mystery did Toni and her family unravel that would call upon the Sentinel of the Spaceways - the Silver Surfer?! And just who, or what, is GHOST LIGHT? Eisner Award winner JOHN JENNINGS and artist VALENTINE DE LANDRO (...
I really like the status quo tweaks made in the final scene. The Big Dumb Fight leading up to it is pretty weak tea, though. There are some funny quips, but they're slotted into a *very* simplistic structure: "Everybody split up into smaller fights, then take turns making a joke and resolving your conflict so we can gang up on Chasm and end this." The artists work together fairly well. But I also more
The dawn rises after the demonic invasion of New York City, but what will that light reveal? It will reveal Chasm's final gambit and the new denizens of Hell he helped create and unleash on Spider-Man and the X-Men! See how Dark Web changed this city's landscape forever!
Rated T
It's a decently put together book, and the art's nice. But I'm split on the Okoye character work. Her relationship with Natima, I like; her ruthlessness, not so much.
But the book's good enough to get me questioning how much of that is my own sexist bias; would it bug me if a male Black Panther did those things?
The dramatic conclusion of the Wakanda anthology! After the events of WAKANDA #1, Okoye has a message for the rest of the world: Wakanda is NOT without protectors. And in this daring story by Brandon Thomas and Jose Luis, Okoye will teach anyone who questions that just how painfully mistaken they are - and just how unrivaled her dedication to Wakan...
There's nothing seriously wrong with it. The prose is clean, the structure flows nicely, and the art is polished (if a little cheesecake-y).
But it hasn't sunk a hook in me at all. It may be that this issue's plot points are only connected by proximity and authorial fiat. Optimistically, that's a problem that may fade away as the story goes on.
And maybe the harsher reviews more
DESTINY STRIKES YOUR FAVORITE X-MEN DUO!
Krakoa is on a precipice. Destiny alone can see what's coming - but the precog cannot act. For that, she'll need her adoptive daughter, Rogue. Husbands need not apply! But with mutant duties stealing Rogue away so much these days, Gambit is determined to make the most of the mission and put some Cajun s...
These previews are nigh-painfully on-brand for their respective writers.
Hickman takes the 1610: Cryptic and intriguing, check-check.
Al Ewing Venom: Yes, *of course* 1940s Flexo was actually a symbiote.
Zeb Wells Spider-Man: Snappy humor, action scenes that triumph or flounder based entirely on the artist, and plotting that I'm struggling to say anything nice abou more