"Aquaman" #35 is a quieter issue where Jeff Parker, Paul Pelletier, Sean Parsons, Rain Beredo and Taylor Esposito focus on the deeds of King Arthur, ruler of Atlantis as opposed to Arthur Curry, citizen of Amnesty or Aquaman, member of the Justice League. Part one of a tale titled "Maelstrom," the issue showcases Atlantis through the eyes of Stephen Shin and Daniel Evans.
Readers who have been with the title longer than this installment will recognize both characters as significant sources of pain for Aquaman, and the fact that the Sea King reaches out to both of them is writer Jeff Parker's way of showing how committed Aquaman is to find some answers and how human he can be in looking for the very best in other people. Aquaman's humanity and his Atlantean heritage come to a head in this issue as Atlantis itself -- not the people or the government, but the location -- shudders whenever he enters.
"Aquaman" #35 is yet another fine example of this title bringing out the very best in talented creators while they come together as a single creative team. Parker, Pelletier, Parsons, Beredo and Esposito each augment one another's strengths and find their own particular way to influence the story at hand. "Maelstrom" is just getting started, but this creative team has "Aquaman" #35 shaped into mid-arc form. The thought that this tale is only going to get more intense is invigorating, especially as Parker and company leave readers with a last-page revelation that launches a queen-sized mystery for Aquaman and Mera in one of DC's greatest looking and most consistently entertaining titles.
Get full review from Comic Book Resources here.
Duggan's setup for "Arkham Manor," spinning out of this week's "Batman Eternal," is fairly simple. With Arkham Asylum destroyed, Wayne Manor is eventually seized and turned into the new home for so many of its prisoners. And so, with Bruce having sealed the entrance to the Batcave with concrete, his ancestral home is now full of the freaks that he's been putting away. But now, of course, who better than Batman to go undercover inside a building that he's lived in since birth?
I like the concept of "Arkham Manor," which is a little silly sounding at first but is played seriously and works surprisingly well when you stop and think about it. Duggan takes his time establishing the new status quo within the title; rather than jumping into lots of flashbacks, we instead move forward throughout the process until we get to the post-"Batman Eternal" timeline that "Batman" itself has already stepped into. The upside to this is that by the time the issue is over, there's no need for any future setup; you understand the concept and the thrust of the comic, and he can hit the ground running. The one downside is that it does provide for a slightly slow debut issue, and it makes me miss the old days of a double-sized first issue where you can include not only the setup but the immediate follow-through in one fell swoop.
"Arkham Manor" #1 is a reasonable enough start to the series. With the setup presumably complete, the second issue will make or break the comic. For now, though, I'm pleased enough to want to see what happens next. If the pace picks up a bit, we'll have a real winner. For now, I'm optimistic. Not bad at all.
Get full review from Comic Book Resources here
In my opinion, the Arkham issues are the red headed stepchild of Batman Eternal, and I wish I could kick his teeth in… I usually try and find something positive to discuss, even in issues that I don’t appreciate as much, and I can usually put my personal feelings aside and review strictly from a technical aspect. Sometimes I tackle my review by sharing, not necessarily what happened in a given story, but by how it made me feel or the related thoughts it generated. Today is not one of those occasions. This issue is not deserving of an in depth analysis; it deserves a synopsis…at best. The rest of this “review” is nothing but spoilers so don’t read anymore if you want to go into the issue spoiler free.
I love how smart Batman is! I love seeing him do the detective work and whenever they show that I’m always super ecstatic about how he deduces stuff from clues. In this issue: I FELT CHEATED! Even Julia thinks it is a rather peculiar jump in logic to make and says as much. If Batman really has any reason for making this kind of deduction it would have been nice if he would have explained it to Julia who was questioning him so that we would have been able to understand it in the process, and if he’s just guessing… well, this is just cheap!
Blackfire: Most of his dialogue ends up being meaningless mystical rant stuff. At one point he tells Corrigan to hush, and I suppose that was to tip him off about Hush’s involvement, but after that goofy bit from a previous issue where the tower vibrated Hussshhhhhh, which clued Batman on to Hush’s involvement, I wasn’t looking forward to getting another little cutsie way of informing us of the involvement of a villain we already knew was involved! When the writer keeps the audience in the dark and then we discover what is going on, along with the characters, it is genuinely shocking, but this is like the third time we have had characters stumble upon shocking information that we already knew about. It just reads as very hollow.
This is, hands down, the worst issue of Eternal in my opinion. Believe me, I take no pleasure in saying it either! I wish I could give glowing reviews for everything. I want to read good stories, but if they aren’t putting out worthwhile material, I’m not going to lie about it.
Get the full review from Batman News here
DC might have been better off relaunching this series as "Selina Kyle #1" or something similar. Calling this comic "Catwoman" suggests a certain level of costumed adventuring that simply isn't present. The focus is squarely on Selina's new role as head of the Calabrese crime family. She's traded her spandex catsuit in for a pantsuit, and even Batman himself is a minimal presence. This is a crime drama, not a superhero book. The grounded setting and grittier, more noir-tinged art style actually make this issue the closest thing to Gotham Central we've seen from DC in some time. It fills a much-needed niche in the Batman franchise.
New writer Genevieve Valentine takes a clever approach to fleshing out Selina by drawing clear comparisons between Gotham's newest mob leader and Queen Elizabeth. These allusions to the iconic royal figure highlight the challenges Selina faces in her new role and give the story a scope that rises above the petty squabbles between mob families. The writing can be a bit heavy-handed and choked with dialogue at times, but hopefully these are problems that will smooth out as the new creative team settles in more.
Get the full review from IGN here.
Deathstroke #1 (download here)
Tony S. Daniel pulls double-duty in launching a new series for Slade Wilson with "Deathstroke" #1. As both writer and artist (as well as cover artist), Daniel is joined by Sandu Florea on inks, Tomeu Morey on colors and Rob Leigh for letters. While the profile for "the world's greatest mercenary" is certainly elevated by his appearances on "Arrow," this comic book launches independently of any other connections Slade Wilson has ever made: Teen Titans, Team 7, Green Arrow or otherwise.
Daniel doesn't restrain Slade's actions at all, allowing the readers into Deathstroke's thoughts as he justifies his choices as "adventure." The writer/artist doesn't pretend to make Wilson an upstanding example of moral excellence, but he does make Deathstroke an interesting character all the way through "Deathstroke" #1. When Wilson's secrets are tapped, we get a peek into Daniel's music collection and beyond, as the writer/artist drops codes like "KWS" and "2112." Daniel reminds readers that Deathstroke is an enhanced being, utilizing more of his brain (90%) than most. These are nice details to include, especially since Daniel skimps on some other details, such as taking readers to "one of Russia's new mega cities." The name might not be imperative, but as Deathstroke's sphere of influence expands and his passport gets punched, readers might enjoy keeping track of his travels.
Beyond that Daniel adds depth to Wilson's world in the form of additional characters, introducing readers to Tiggs, Wilson's "broker," and Angelica, a contact Wilson uses for information and other needs in Russia and beyond. The biggest contribution Daniel makes to the legend of Slade Wilson (considering Angelica's "situation" in this issue and Tiggs' cipher-like placeholding) is Possum, who appears to be set up a Wilson's Joker.
While this is the first solo title to be granted a second shot at success in the "New 52," "Deathstroke" #1 is a strong showing with plenty of intrigue, action and promise. Daniel brings a whole lot of destruction and pain, making this easily one of the goriest single issues since 2011, but the mayhem suits Deathstroke, and Deathstroke suits Daniel much better than his other efforts within the New 52 to this point. This isn't the be-all, end-all perfect introduction to Deathstroke, but it certainly is a great start for a new beginning, especially if you require blood and fire with your Deathstroke adventures.
Get the full review from Comic Book Resources here.
The Good
There are many kinds of cross-overs. Ones that require one issue after another of unconnected titles to be read in a particular order to maintain narrative, tie-ins with major events, even issues that are barely connected except when they’re all read. What we have with the current run of AVENGERS titles is something that doesn’t require everything to be read to maintain plot coherency, but IF they all are, the experience is much, much richer.
This issue focuses much more on the S.H.I.E.L.D. side of things than the mostly-disbanded Illuminati and Sue Storm’s role within the new organization. We also get a snapshot of an enraged, impatient Steve Rogers, still in uniform but also depowered. Seeing Cap’s slow motion breakdown is not easy to watch, but considering all that’s gone on, it actually doesn’t feel out of character. We get glimpses of Carol Danvers and Clint Barton as well, but the main event is unequivocally Sue and Steve, both of whom have some very, very interesting developments by issue’s end.
The Bad
Sue Storm’s motivations, though now more understood, still aren’t terribly well-defined. Without giving anything away, I didn’t know why, exactly, she was doing what she was in NEW AVENGERS, and now I actually know even LESS after this revelation. Likewise the reason for making S.H.I.E.L.D. an organization that can only operate in the US, despite it being international, isn’t terribly fleshed out.
The Verdict
Things are still muddy and mysterious, but this issue, at least, feels like it’s doing far more with the characters it has in terms of defining them and giving them a context in the greater narrative. The fact that it does more to define that NARRATIVE is also not hurting anything. I still have faith that Hickman will fill out the backstory of exactly what went down and while we’re losing out on some emotional investment, there are enough small hints and details to make it feel like it’s all building to something substantial.
Read the full review on Comic Vine here
Now that AXIS #3 is out, the tie-in floodgates have opened. This mini-series explores what happens when Roderick Kingsley's mental switch is flipped from "evil" to "good." It turns out that not much changes for the original Hobgoblin. Rather than franchising old supervillain identities, as he was in Dan Slott's Superior Spider-Man, he's switched to making money off of licensed heroes instead. This issue is fairly steeped in recent Spider-Man continuity, but the main appeal is simply in seeing Roderick remold himself as the television spokesman of the superhero community.
Writer Kevin Shinick brings a fun, slightly postmodern vibe to this issue as he explores the redemptive power of D-List heroes.In a way, it's almost like reading the good guy version of Superior Foes of Spider-Man. The industry can always use more books of that caliber. Unfortunately, this issue does get bogged down by its attempts to set up a more cohesive conflict. Once rival Hobgoblin Phil Urich enters the fray, the script grows clunky through the over-reliance on exposition. Hopefully things will smooth out now that the basic setup phase is out of the way.
Even if you're not a fan of AXIS, this issue is probably worth checking out on the strength of the visuals and its celebration of Spider-Man's goblin-themed enemies.
Read the full review on IGN here
Cyclops #6 (download here)
Although "Cyclops" #6 opens with Scott Summers getting decked by his father, Corsair of the Starjammers, this comic is filled with lot of cushion. That delivers a nice chance for readers to get caught up as incoming writer John Layman and artist Javier Garrón take inventory of the cast. Letterer Joe Caramagna and colorist Chris Sotomayor remain on from the previous regime, providing stability in those respective areas.
The letterer casts Cyclops' caption boxes in ruby quartz red with white text throughout the issue, tying them quite closely to the titular mutant. The word balloons Caramagna uses don't have a wide range of tenor, but they work for the story, with lots of inflection and emphasis built into them, playfully swapping places with sound effects throughout "Cyclops" #6. Along the way Sotomayor paints with every color at his disposal, all of them bright, bold and on task for the crew of the Starjammer, as Garrón tests the waters with most of the characters, visually introducing readers to his take on Ch'od, Hepzibah, Raza, Korvus, Sikorsky and Cr'eee along the way.
The opening is explained within the context of the story, giving Layman a chance to go full circle in the span of the issue, making "Cyclops" #6 feel more robust than the storybeats would be if they were simply stacked one on top of the other. The writer plays upon the loneliness Scott Summers is feeling, despite being with his father and his father's crew. That leads to oafish teenager mistakes, making Cyclops less of a heroic figure and more of a sympathetic every kid. The plot Layman uses to anchor this tale has swift repercussions, but the story itself gets wobbly under its own exposition. The end result is that "Cyclops" #6 is a mundane issue that leads to new paths for Cyclops, Corsair and the Starjammers, but the story itself needs more electricity. Now that Layman has introduced himself and the readers to the crew of the Starjammer, maybe he can fire up some action and make this swashbuckling crew's adventures worth reading and re-reading.
Get full review from Comic Book Resources here.
Some time has passed since The Invaders last united. Thanks to recent events, Steve Rogers now looks his age and Namor - never the most popular of heroes or world leaders - is more hated than ever. Despite this, Namor is still determined to find and save an apparently mad Jim Hammond - the first man to be called The Human Torch and one of the few Namor considers a true friend.
I've spoken before of James Robinson's gift for fitting exposition into his dialogue. In most of his stories - such as the Times Past chapters of Robinson's Starman - this was due to flashbacks depicting old adventures relevant to the current adventure. In this case, Robinson's gift is needed to explain away the current events of the Captain America title as well as the latest Marvel inter-company crossover. Still, the information is delivered quickly and the proceedings are rounded out with some of Robinson's usual humor without things becoming too chatty.
Unlike last month's issue, All New Invaders #11 allows Steven Pugh ample opportunity to dazzle the audience with an epic splash page or two. Pugh is even capable of fitting a poster-worthy piece of action-packed artwork into a half-page. Such ability to depict this level of detail in a confined panel is a rare gift and we are all fortunate to see such talent on display here.
Get full review from My Geeky Geeky Ways here
As the first chapter of Marvel’s latest crossover event ends, it continues to show troubling signs of being a rushed affair in terms of both story and art. Luckily, some of Marvel’s liveliest villains steal the issue and, if anything, make Rick Remender’s Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #3 a lot of fun.
Events are always heavy on action but AXIS is testing new limits with three straight issues of the battle against Red Onslaught and his sentinels on Genosha. The good news is that Remender has a blast this issue writing some of Marvel’s zaniest villains such as Carnage and Hobgoblin as well as tossing around witty banter between the likes of Mystique, Enchantress, and Loki. Despite not being a villain, Deadpool also manages to grab the spotlight and Remender embraces the chance to return to the character he wrote so well in Uncanny X-Force.
The bad news about the issue is that when the dust from the battle settles, the glaring problems about the event as a whole come and hit you upside the head. The last few pages lack so little emotional depth that you easily forget that this whole story started in mutant concentration camps. In fact, it seems the X-Men and Avengers forgot about them too considering the way they hastily take off from Genosha on the final page.
The inspired battle between some classic Marvel villains and giant sentinels serves as a brilliant distraction to the many flaws of Remender’s unambitious story. But this being only the end of chapter one and with the event just getting started, we have a long way to go before this story can be deemed a true failure.
Get full review from Comicosity here
G.I. Zombie crash lands the missile right into a local animal hospital in Sutterville, Tennessee and the virus/disease carried on the missile infects all of the animals in the place. From there, they start biting the people, who then start biting other people and a full-scale zombie outbreak hits the area. If our hero and the army don’t contain this quickly, America could be in a lot of trouble.
Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed with G.I. Zombie #3. Not that the story is bad; we get to see our title character deal with a huge zombie outbreak, try to figure out how to contain it, and scheme for a cure — which makes for an interesting story, especially when he interacts with the survivors.
It mostly has to do with the pacing of the story. The comic is on fast forward for most of the book, speeding through scene after scene. It honestly doesn’t allow for much development of the cast or for us to really focus too much on the carnage and chaos taking place. This results in a lot of awkward and disjointed transitions from page to page, which can result in you turning back a page to see if you accidentally missed something in between. Frankly, between the zombie outbreak and checking in on the other military characters, there is enough material for this to be spread into two issues or at least one oversized issue. The limited amount of pages just didn’t help.
The artwork by Scott Hampton is solid. The characters look fine and the Hampton does a fantastic job depicting the zombies, who are still mostly human looking and exhibit a nice transitional, “just infected” look. The only real weak part is that there are a lot of blank white or dull looking backgrounds. It doesn’t take too much away from the book, but is noticeable at points.
Star Spangled War Stories Featuring GI Zombie #3 has a solid story coupled with some very effective artwork, but is unfortunately pulled down too much by the terrible pacing and story flow. Hopefully, the next issue will read much better than this issue.
Get full review from Adventures In Poor Taste here
Geoff Johns and John Romita, Jr. are back after a month-long hiatus to tell the further adventures of Superman and his new BFF, Ulysses. Issue #34 ended on a pretty significant cliffhanger, making the extra wait that much harder to deal with. And even though the characterization in this issue is a bit off compared to the previous chapters, there’s no momentum lost as this partnership continues to develop.
Issue #35 does disappoint somewhat in its early pages. Rather than force the powerful but naive Ulysses to deal with the consequences of killing an innocent man, Geoff Johns finds a way to downplay that mistake. But the end result is still a heavy focus on the morality of being a superhero and te limits of what one man can do to change the world. Here Johns really taps into what makes Superman so super. Ulysses may be a physical match for the Man of Steel, but he doesn’t quite have Clark’s heart or head yet.
Aside from the tension-deflating opening where this issue stumbles is in its overly brisk handling of Ulysses’ arc. The character undergoes significant changes in terms of his world-view and relationship with Superman, and the whole process seems a bit rushed. In the process, the Machinist seems important more as a means to an end than as a lasting addition to Superman’s rogues gallery. The interaction between the two characters remains a highlight, though, and it’s really more a case of needing to see where this arc is headed before judging too firmly.
Johns' script offers John Romita, Jr. a winning blend of action and character drama to tackle. Naturally, Romita shows a flair for both. His use of body language early on hammers home the pain and despair Ulysses is feeling at the death he caused (even if that despair is fleeting). Romita's facial work shines in the Daily Planet scenes, apart from one panel where Lois' face is a bit off. And there's a great action-oriented sequence as the two heroes attack the Machinist aboard an oil tanker and battle all manner of crazy inventions. As always, I do wish Romita were paired with a different inker. There's a subtlety to his line-work that sometimes gets drowned out under Klaus Janson's heavy blacks. But at least Laura martin's colors give every panel that extra bit of vitality and depth.
THE VERDICT
It's good to have Johns and Romita back on Superman after the month-long hiatus. This isn't their strongest issue, as the underwhelming resolution to the previous chapter's cliffhanger and a fairly rushed approach to Ulysses' character arc are problematic. But there's still a great blend of character dynamics and epic action to be found. And through it all, Johns shows an ability and a willingness to delve into the heart of who Superman is.
Get full review from IGN here
One of the biggest reveals of the New 52 has been giving Princess Diana an actual Olympian bloodline, rather than making her an enteirely magical creature brought to life out of base clay. This made me a little bit sad, as I greatly liked the revelation in the Gail Simone run of the book that Diana became as good a combatant and as faithful an Amazon as she did due to being teased about her strange origins. The Wonder Woman story in this issue gives that back to us, opening the issue with Diana play-sparring with one of her fellow Amazons, trying to articulate her desire to leave Paradise Island and venture into man’s world. It’s a very skillfully done sequence, with lovely art and even a quiet undertone that her sister Amazon may have more than just sisterly feelings for her, ending with the deadly insult hurled at Diana “You aren’t one of us! CLAY!” Of course, the truth is more complicated, and a visit from Athena to her unknowing half-sister helps to soothe Diana’s conscience. When Steve Trevor crashes on the island, Diana is there to save him, and the story ends with her pleased to have found her excuse to go out into the greater world…
Sadly, the other two stories in the issue aren’t quite as solid as the well-done Wonder Woman tale that opens the book. Deadman’s story (pretty much the save Deadman origin we’ve seen since 1968, with the addition of abusive parents) is well-written by JM DeMatteis, with an oddly bulbous and cartoony art style undermining DeMatteis usual skillful existentialism. It does end with a lovely moment, and a message on forgiveness that I truly appreciate, but the art just isn’t up to the task of delivering all the text and subtext of JM’s story. As for our final tale, it’s the origin of Thaal Sinestro, Interstellar Fascist, and it mirrors the classic Hal Jordan “alien-crashes-to-Earth” origin. The difference here is, Thaal takes the ring, defeats a weaponer of Qward, and then watches the Lantern die rather than return his ring and save him. We then see a condensed version of his history, leading up to the revelation that Sinestro is once again thinking about how best to make his empire the one that takes over the world. It’s an artistically impressive story, undermined somewhat by the creeping tendency to treat Sinestro as nothing more than a well-intentioned extremist, and this fact undermines the tale a little bit for me.
Get the full review on Major Spoilers here
The Good
After the events of the previous story line, Guy seamlessly relaxes on a beach. However, he's really there to take down a new growing power and in the midst of that, a group of the New Gods called "The Wheel" head to Earth to kill Guy. Luckily, Simon Baz is there to help.
What this book does extremely well is make sure that it doesn't reveal too much about the last arc, so fans who enjoyed this issue will go back and read more. Writer Charles Soule makes you want to go back and see what happened to Guy in the last arc. The series has a strong connectivity to itself, even in the midst of a larger-form crossover.
The Bad
This issue has a lot of rough edges, and quite frankly, is not a great fit for Godhead, in the grand scheme of things. The last story wrapped up too quickly, and there's no time to deal with the aftermath, so it's shoe-horned into the opening pages of this book. In addition, it feels like this issue treats its readers a bit like they have no clue what's going on in the other Lantern books. Simon Baz explains what's going on to Guy, who truly has been separated from everything that's happening to the Green Lantern Corps, but it's done in a way that feels like it's geared more towards readers than anything else.
The Verdict
This is a decent issue of RED LANTERNS, but not the greatest of tie-in issues. It doesn't add much to the main story and to fully appreciate what it going on, you have to read the last part of the story line, which took place in GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS, but you should be reading that if you're invested in Godhead already. There are some great fight scenes in here and Simon Baz teaming up with Guy Gardner is promising, but overall it was a bit of a let down. It's still good, but not on par with the rest of the issues of Godhead thus far.
Get the full review from Comic Vine
Everybody’s favorite backwards-talking magician, Zatanna, gets her own solo adventure this month, and it’s a lot of fun. Just not for her.
Zatanna has gotten herself stuck alone in an unknown time–six billion years ago, before science believes the Earth was even created.Magic is raw in this age, and simply thinking about something–or someone–can make it real. Naturally, Zatanna starts to see a whole bunch of stuff that isn’t real.
J.M. DeMatteis does a great job of dramatizing Zatanna’s grief at the loss of her father in this issue. In team books, it’s common to see creators focus on characters like Swamp Thing and Deadman for drama, since their stories are so fraught with bizarre tragedy. Zatanna has a lot of sadness within her too, but it’s a more human kind, something that anyone who’s lost a family member can understand. It’s easier to empathize with her than a murdered guy who’s been cursed never to pass through the gates of Heaven. For all its mystical craziness, DeMatteis’ JLD is still grounded in compelling human stories. DeMatteis has said before that he has big plans for Zatanna, so it’s nice to see plenty of groundwork being laid.
Less compelling were this issue’s layouts. A book as grounded in fantasy and magic as JLD deserves some more inspired pages than simple six-panel grids. The one notable exception is a nice two-page spread of Zatanna and Zatara flying together over some of Zatara’s flashback panels. Still, though the presentation may have been pedestrian, I can’t fault guest artist Tom Derenick’s flair for the dramatic, as his wrapup in the issue’s final pages–showing Zatanna lost and alone in a barren, slowly disintegrating landscape–is wildly evocative.
Get the full review on The Raibow Hub (click here)
Robbie Reyes vs Johnny Blaze! This is the issue we’ve been waiting for. It not only sets us on a course for craziness, but it unleashes some devastating reveals that finally shows us a little more light on the spirit that’s inhabiting Robbie’s body.
With Johnny guest starring in this issue and with a bunch of thugs riding the aftermath of Mr. Hyde’s pills, we get expanded POVs again that broadened the story to more than just Robbie. We also finally get a culmination of Robbie’s actions. Although he did some good as the new Rider as he defended Hillrock Heights, he ultimately used his powers for a more personal gain. They had noble intentions, but Felipe Smith reveals just how dark this path for him can get. That being said, although Ghost Rider is usually a grim, lesson learning story (and I may be speaking too soon), Smith’s run continues to carry a hopeful tone that allows the comic to be full of action and fun.
All New Ghost Rider #8 may not be the best of the run thus far, but everywhere its going is something to look forward to. New readers, you still haven’t fallen too behind to catch up! This continues to be an eagerly awaited pickup on the pull list, so treat yo’self!
See full review at eatgeekplay.com
The Story: Washington DC is full of crazy people and they must be stopped.
The Review: This is a wonderfully action-packed issue with a little something for everyone to do, and it sets itself up as the middle chapter in a (likely) three-issue arc. It takes its set-up from the events in Avengers and X-Men: Axis story, or at least I think it does. There was no segue from the previous issue into this one, leaving the set-up to be just a reference in the “Previously” page and some lip-service by Polaris a couple of times. It’s also taking such a tangential angle that it’s almost a disservice. It’s possible for a regular series to have a good tie-in to a publishing event, like having your cake and eating it, too, but I can’t help but feel this comic is taking some cake, eating it, but making sure not to enjoy it with every slow, frowning bite.
A really nice thing is that this issue is very nicely balanced among all the characters. A key sequence features a Polaris versus Gambit moment, but all the members of the team get a moment, too. In P v. G, there’s some nice display of powers, and Gambit proves a smart fighter. Polaris is very forgiving, however, and nothing really comes out of it, which is surprising given that the two have been bouncing off of each other from the start.
The art, again, is nice when characters are posing, often floating between panels. Some of the layout/sequencing just isn’t effective, though, such as when Luna is about to be shot. The angle of the layout shifts so dramatically that it doesn’t read as a continuous moment, when it would be more effective to visually be as similar as possible *before* the characters move. Luna is carried away in the space of a bullet by her father Quicksilver, a move that we have seen to good effect in movies (X-Men: Days of Future Past!) and on TV (yay, The Flash!) but comics are not film and what works visually on film can’t be expressed the same way in comics. I’ve looked at this page a lot, and I can see the layout working if the coloring between the panels were more consistent and if dialogue was clipped between them– as I said, perhaps to read as a continuous moment.
The Bottom Line: This is an abrupt jump into some version of the Axis story that leaves all the characters scrambling into action without a lot of context. There’s some dynamic layouts among some poor ones, and some interesting character moments among some poor character decisions, and all that mixed messaging to the reader won’t be enough to distinguish the comic as living up to X-Factor’s real potential
The Grade: C+
Get the full review on Weekly Comic Book Review here
The Good
Whether it be to boost sales of a flagging title or just for fun, team-ups work best when the characters have some kind of chemistry and a reason to connect for a brief stint. Christos Gage, with a plot by Dan Slott, presented both in spades last issue, teaming the ultra-enthusiastic Ms. Marvel up with the veteran Spider-Man to take down a Kree operative stealing a Terrigen Misted cocoon. Kamala’s unbridled enthusiasm was infectious throughout the issue, and that’s the absolute highlight of this one as well. Her delightful freakout over not just fighting alongside Spidey, but getting to use one of his signature moves PREVIOUSLY used by he and Captain Marvel is enough to trigger a day-long grin.
The pencils by Giuseppe Camuncoli carries the story forward expertly. The main part of the issue is almost entirely action from start to stop, but Camuncoli’s visuals flow easily and steadily, both creating the illusion of movement and setting things out in a way that makes them extremely easy to follow.
We ALSO get a backup story from Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos with inks by Victor Olazaba and colors from Edgar Delgado set in Earth-982 as Spider-Girl finds herself under attack from the gargantuan, gluttonous Daemos.
The Bad
If you believe the cover, the backup is the main focus of this book and the main story is the backup when, in fact, the reverse is true. I, of course, enjoyed both stories, but one could be forgiven for not having their expectations met, especially with the passionate following Spider-Girl has.
The Verdict
Slott and Gage are clearly building to Spider-Verse, but it’s certainly not coming at the expense of the main AMAZING SPIDER-MAN title. While we might not be getting huge plot developments and high-stakes, we’re getting some great character work and, quite frankly, the dust is STILL settling from SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN’s massive shakeup, so it’s relaxing to actually have a status quo to return to. Kamala and Peter’s story is great fun to read and juxtaposes strongly against the savagery of the EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE back-up, but the two don’t clash and are both, ultimately, entertaining.
Get full review from Comic Vine here
The big problem here is that Craig Kyle and Chris Yost's script brings nothing new to the comic that hasn't been seen before. This is just about every Wendigo (or any other possession) story mashed together, but with a pacing that doesn't require five issues by any stretch of the imagination. Every moment in this comic is heavily telegraphed or repeated from an earlier moment in the storyline, and sometimes it manages to do both at the same time.
The bigger issue is that almost all of this installment is just a generic fight scene. There's nothing new, nothing exciting, nothing that warrants this being part 5 of 5. This was a 3-part storyline at best, one that could have been pared down without losing a single plot progression. Instead it's an "Alpha Flight" Greatest Hits album, throwing in all of the Great Beasts that appeared in the title over the years, but without any of their actual menace that John Byrne brought to their forms.
"Amazing X-Men" #12 marks a moment where, in just twelve issues, this title has made itself irrelevant once again. With a fill-in and then an "AXIS" tie-in scheduled to round out the rest of the year, I'm not sure that status will change any time soon. What first felt like a great opportunity is now a title quietly limping towards what one can only expect will be a stealth cancellation. If this is the best that "Amazing X-Men" can do, maybe it's time for one less X-Men title until there's a proper reason to revive it.
Review from Comic Book Resources (read full review here)
