It's been a few days and I am terribly sorry for the lack of posts.
Due to health reasons I couldn't go to the comic store on Thursday OR Friday, so I went on Saturday. By this point I figured it would be a bit ridiculous to do an edition of Thursday's Comics. I was going to just do a double post next Thursday, but then I figured that'd be way too much due to the amount of comics coming out.
So, apologies for this belated post, but here is Thursday's Comics for 18/2/2010!
Deadpool #19.
Two Deadpool comics this week. No shock there. The shock is that they're both quite good.
No, seriously, they're both quite good.
Deadpool #19 sees my favourite of favourites arrive in New York City with hopes of yet again becoming a hero. The plot isn't anything you'd be surprised with, which makes its enjoyable execution all the better.
In order to learn the ways of a hero, Deadpool decides he must acquire Spider-Man's attention. After eating a crapton of street hot dogs, he sets off to get Spider-Man to notice him. Elsewhere, someone assassinates Spider-Man's shopkeeper friend, Mr. Cheng, and a bunch of his back-room collegues. Assuming Deadpool is the culprit (Having seen him enter the city from the office windows of the Daily Bugle), he hunts him down and gives him a beat down. Now, Spidey WOULD beat Deadpool, so I don't mind him being on the losing side here. I just wish Way would give him SOME FUCKING FIGHTING SKILLS. Jesus.
Anyway, Spidey webs him up and naturally doesn't believe him when he says he didn't do it. For once, Deadpool is being truthful! He even has an alibi. Agreeing to let him tag along and help if he agrees not to kill, Spidey and Deadpool set off to the crime scene. Surveying the bodies and damage, Deadpool claims this was the work of a REAL pro, a professional and legendary assassin named Hit-Monkey.
Yes, Hit-Monkey. A hitman that's a monkey (Deadpool actually says that line). The interaction between Spidey and Deadpool IS enjoyable in this issue, unlike The Amazing Spider-Man #611.
Hit-Monkey only takes out people who've killed, so Deadpool says, leading us to believe there was more to Mr. Cheng than people knew.
With disbelief, Spidey dismisses the claims and Deadpool begins explaining who Hit-Monkey is (He hasn't been seen by many, just known). As he does so, we see Hit-Monkey entering a club with women on his arms etc. Deadpool tells Spidey that they can't find him, they can only hope to find who he's after before he does and that he goes after multiple, high-profile gun-for-hire targets as per his modus operandi.
Spidey says that Deadpool fits that description and the issue ends, implying that Deadpool is Hit-Monkey's next target.
I don't know if this issue was good or if I'm so used to Daniel Way's shit that it seemed good. Either way, I enjoyed it. It felt more like he was an integral part of the story and had something to contribute as opposed to just BEING there and Way assuming that would be enough.
We'll see how the next issues go. #20 is due out next week according to various sites (#19 was late I suppose), so there won't be long to wait.
Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #8.
This issue seemingly wraps up the previous arc and begins a new one all in the same comic.
Dr. Voodoo explains to Deadpool, Headpool and co. that time is unstable due to all the time travelling they've been doing. He suggests that they put it right as soon as possible and opens a portal to Headpool's world for them, the destination they've been waiting for.
When Dr. Voodoo says that time has been thrown out of balance due to overuse, Deadpool says his Xbox 360 does that too; "You've just gotta keep it ventilated.". I laughed.
Leaping through, they find themselves in the Marvel zombies universe. Zombies attack, they fight them off and spend the issue hiding in place after place, all while trying to formulate a plan. Headpool reveals a way to get them all back to their own dimensions just as they are accosted by another group of zombies.
They are rescued by four surviving humans that have built a base amongst rubble further into the city, hidden from the zombies. Professor Veronica Chase and her three friends; Costello, Porter and Weinstein take the crew back to their hideout and the issue ends.
All in all, I'm happy with this series. It feels like it has come far in eight issues. It's far from great, but it's solidly good. I'll want way more variation in the coming stories, but I'm liking it so far. Gischler has a knack for the lighter side of Deadpool and as I've said before, this series reads like a typical '80s action flick; full of violence, action, a couple of big-boobed chicks and witty one-liners.
Not a bad week for Deadpool.
Doomwar #1 of 6.
I bought this under the pretenses that it was a Deadpool appearance, and was prepared to do so begrudgingly. I really didn't want another mini-series.
Deadpool is NOT in this issue, he is on the cover. Quite bullshit. That's not what shocked me, though. No. What shocked me was the fact that this is a pretty fucking epic opening to what could evolve into a captivating story.
Basically, a group of clandestine rebels known as The Desturi have overthrown the Wakandan government and seized power. Storm is held captive and T'Challa - most famous for being the former Black Panther - has fled with the current Black Panther, Shuri. It's revealed that Dr. Doom has been plotting to conquer Wakanda for some time and these are his first steps to doing so. Do you see why I love the guy so much? One country isn't enough, he wants the country that's allegedly impossible to conquer through force of arms.
At first, it's entirely unknown as to why this is, but the most televised part of the takeover is Storm's trial for witchcraft. Even more shocking is that she is sentenced to death for her alleged crimes. The audience most intrigued and unsettled by this are her former teammates, the X-Men, who are watching from Utopia.
Desperate for help, T'Challa and Shuri (For those reading at home, she's T'Challa's sister and regent Princess of Wakanda) approach the X-Men on Utopia and request assistance in retaking their homeland. T'Challa illustrates that Dr. Doom wants all of Wakanda's exclusive supply of vibranium, known for being the most durable substance on Earth besides adamantium. The X-Men ask why it matters if Dr. Doom gets his hands on "some metal", and T'Challa reveals the terrifying truth.
Vibranium has a quality that has not been looked into or researched; magical absorption. He believes that while nobody in Wakanda or elsewhere has figured out its potential in conjunction with magical powers, Dr. Doom has. If Dr. Doom got his hands on the mountainous amounts of vibranium contained in the Wakandan vaults and proved this theory to be true, he would undoubtedly become the most powerful being to ever walk the Earth.
Cyclops, ever loyal to his currant Utopia philosophy, states that he cannot sanction such an intervention, what with their existence and public relations being shaky at best. Just as T'Challa leaves with a great deal of supplies, Cyclops tells him that he can't SANCTION the intervention...but he can't stop the X-Men from following their hearts. T'Challa's jet opens and we see the X-Men sitting in there waiting to go to war with him whilst Cyclops and Emma stay behind.
Battle plans seem bleak, especially considering the country they're about to go up against, but it really is all very exciting as they're on the plane heading to Wakanda. Truly. The art is also especially sharp thanks to some nice pencilling from Scot Eaton.
As soon as they land they are greeted by a swathe of Wakanda military might. A nice touch is that when the focus is aimed at the invaders, there's a sign that says "You are now leaving Wakanda.", and when it's aimed at the military, it says "Welcome to Wakanda.". I dunno, I thought that was cool.
The newly elected and corrupt leader, T'Ken, mocks the invaders and tells them to leave. Shuri, more than prepared to shed blood to reclaim her country and directly opposed to T'Challa's previously diplomatic approach, immediately tells them to back off or die. Well, not verbatim, but more or less.
T'Ken asks if they are truly going to shed blood of their countrymen and go to war with Wakanda. Nightcrawler provides a distraction and, quick as lightning, Shuri rushes in and breaks T'Ken's neck. T'Challa ends the issue by saying "You are NOT Wakanda. WE are...", as Shuri clutches the dead T'Ken in her hands.
I have to say, Jonathan Maberry totally surprised me here. What I thought would be a throwaway, contradictory-to-Siege mini-series has turned out to be reasonably captivating! I really didn't need another series to buy, but since I've dropped Uncanny X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova (For now), I can pick this up without worries. I'd be dropping Nation X too if it wasn't an issue from ending.
Regardless, this is looking to be a NICE series so get it while it's new. I wonder how Deadpool will figure into this...
Dark Avengers #14.
A point of contention among fans, oddly, has been that the synopsis for this issue was a complete lie and that nothing mentioned therein actually happened in this issue. For one thing, synopses will always overblow the story more often than not. Secondly, cover art is always false. Nothing on covers actually happens in the comics, at least not often.
Not a great deal happens in this pre-Siege issue of Dark Avengers, but what does happen is rather intriguing and could have serious ramifications.
Victoria Hand expresses great discomfort at Norman Osborn's continually deteriorating mental state ahead of his planned invasion. She requests he see a team psychologist to which her efforts are quite vehemently rebuffed. I must add that I think Bendis does a good job of writing the devious and the insane, with this scene proving why. Osborn really does seem unhinged as he expresses his stress under the pressure his job brings upon him.
Hand goes so far as to say that she is scared he is reverting back to the Green Goblin and that he is losing his team. Not surprisingly, she highlights Karla as the problem factor, stating that she has been working (Fucking) her way through the roster and has already scared off Noh-Varr. At this point she shows Karla and Bullseye having fun in the meeting room, awakening Osborn to the lack of seriousness his team are exhibiting. He gives her full authority to deal with it however she sees fit, and with that, she leaves.
What happens next is just badass. Now, of the two newly introduced women, I always liked Maria Hill more as a character. She's a completely unlikable bitch, but that proves how well her character gets across. Victoria Hand seemed like nothing more than Dark Maria Hill, but she really has developed into her own character over the past 14 issues.
She walks into the meeting room and orders Karla to go to her quarters, which Karla scoffs at. She won't have anyone effectively sending her to her room, and she questions Hand's guts to even confront her. Hand blasts her with a ray gun and sends her into paralysing spasms, after which she is dragged back to her quarters and Bullseye is sent to the gym, but not before making some choice, sexual remarks to Hand.
This scene was one I really enjoyed. It feels like there's a real struggle going on between the sane, the insane and the murderous. Victoria Hand is trying to keep balance between members of a team that consists of super powered questionables. Elsewhere, Osborn is cracking up internally and then you have Bullseye who just loves the drama. The interaction between the characters in this scene, ironically, just seemed to dive a wedge further between everyone. I loved it. Hand is badass.
Alarms ring out all over the tower and Osborn expresses fear at what he sees. The Void is slowly closing in on Avengers Tower after appearing at the end of Dark Avengers #13, and Sentry appears to be orchestrating it. Osborn flies up in his Iron Patriot armour and talks to Sentry as controlled by The Void, trying to calm him down and dismissing this as a tantrum. His pleas fall on deaf ears as Sentry begins mocking him and saying how weak Bob is, all while reigning chaos and destruction on New York City.
Osborn needs Sentry, right? So he's panicking like fucking crazy, he's screaming at Sentry to stop. Sentry says he can't sotp him, but Osborn retorts that the likes of Reed Richards, Dr. Doom and others can...and will if he continues to prove unstable. Sentry says that he can't kill Lindy, because he won't let himself (Remember, The Void is speaking through him), but he can make the world bad enough that she'll go away.
At first, it seems like Osborn genuinely doesn't want The Void to continue using Sentry in this way, and after some coercing, Sentry stops. The Void clearly is the dominant personality here, and it shows. Osborn warns Sentry that if this happens again, he won't stop him, but he won't stop what happens next either. Lindy, terrified beyond belief, looks up at the confrontation from a window in the tower.
The comic ends on the note that I think the synopsis was referring to. Osborn pays Bullseye a visit and asks if he's feeling blood thirsty and, receiving the obvious answer, gives Bullseye the task of murdering Lindy...Sentry's wife.
If this goes ahead, The Void probably won't give a shit and it'll cause more destruction than perhaps any available being can handle, what with no ties to subdue Bob anymore. Alternatively, Bob may use such a tragedy to come to a realisation and be all good again. I really hope that's not the case, but it could be.
Being that Siege is happening (This is pre-Siege, remember), we have to see if Lindy dies or not. It will go some way to maybe explaining the current actions of Sentry in Siege if she IS dead, and if he knows this.
All in all, I can't really see why so many people are crying foul over this issue. I really liked it, but then again, I consider most solicit/synopsis reading forum dwellers to be idiots.
Bring on Dark Avengers #15.
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Next week sees the release of SIX comics that I'll be picking up. The volume is increasing again, people! To be honest, had I continued buying Guardians of the Galaxy AND Uncanny X-Men, I'd have had seven comics to review instead of four!
Seven? Yes, seven.
Seven because Daredevil #505 came out this week. I know, I know...I said I'd get started on covering Daredevil this week, but I didn't. I want to give Daredevil's series a proper catch up and as a result, I've decided to dedicate a post to Daredevil's entire second volume (He only has two), from Kevin Smith's run up to #505. I'm working on the format so that it won't be just a chunk of text that you have no interest in, or...it might me a chunk of text. At least it'll be out there either way.
This will come sometime before Daredevil #506. So that's the next big thing.
With regards to interviews, I've got three in the pipeline. I won't announce the two you're unaware of until I'm certain they're gonna happen. Vast Aire is semi-confirmed and I'm waiting on him to tell me how he wants to do it, since he already said he would. That's the deal with those, incase you were wondering.
All things said, thanks for reading and sorry for the delays. It won't happen again unless there're extreme circumstances.
Until next time, peace!
-The Mast
