Today has been a sensationally packed week, but I haven't forgotten about you people. I have a number of scripted ideas for posts, it's just a matter of when and why.
I'm planning to give you guys the heads-up on some trades you can pick up, and what I'm reading lately. Most noteworthy of all is Scalped, the F.B.I./Native American crime thriller by Jason Aaron. It's fucking brilliant.
There are seven volumes and I don't have all of them yet. I don't know if I wanna do an in-depth review of the story so far when I HAVE caught up, or if I want to just go by what I've read and give a spoiler-less article for you to read. We shall see!
On top of that, I have a post coming up regarding something a lot of people have asked me, which will be coming this weekend.
I actually only have two comics to review this week, but next week is looking PRETTY sick.
The Avengers #2.
I must admit, as much as I'm warming up to John Jr.'s art, I think the writing is a little disjointed.
It's not like Bendis, but I sort of feel as though he doesn't know where he's going with the story. He does, obviously. As a reader, though, it's hard to tell. Maestro Hulk obviously has plans involving The Avengers, time and many other things. Kang is a part of that and it still isn't stated why.
Marvel Boy - now calling himself The Protector - helps The Avengers build a time machine. Rather, a machine that can see all possible futures of Earth at once. This is possible because time, according to Stark, is not linear. Time has many different and simultaneously existing sides, like Dr. Manhattan said in Watchmen.
During this time, The Avengers are trying to figure out what the Hell is going on. They see the Next Avengers execute Immortus (Kang before he was Kang) and are not sure what it all means. Wonder Man appears and goes ape at the group.
This is what I mean about it feeling disjointed. Wonder Man warned Captain Rogers not to reform The Avengers, and this is him giving them his opinion I suppose. Then, he disappears into thin air. Stark vows to not let another friend and ex-member fall from grace.
No sooner has all this happened than an alternate version of Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen appear.
I really enjoyed these first two issues, but I just feel like Bendis MAY...MAY be trying to do too much. I hope the Simon Williams (Wonder Man) thread doesn't unravel. It has the potential to be a great story. I suppose we'll see.
Romita Jr.'s art is warming up. I'm getting used to it again. I REALLY like how he draws Captain America, I must admit.
I recommend it!
X-Men Legacy #237 (Second Coming: Chapter 12).
With Second Coming almost over and us readers being literally none the wiser to how it'll all end, we get the third from last chapter of the story.
The Battle of San Francisco is still underway and this time, Magneto has joined the fray. For a man of half-health, he fares fairly well. After taking out a good few Nimrod Sentinels, he is almost killed. Hope and Rogue arrive and rescue Storm, then head back to Cyclops and Emma Frost.
X-Force begin their assault on Bastion's production facility in the future, and do so with reasonable success. With Cable protecting him, Cypher begins interfacing with Master Mold's computer and drops all the Sentinels. In the dome, present day, all the Nimrod Sentinels drop down and de-activate. They try to figure out how to get back through the portal, as nothing organic can pass through. The answer is Cable, who we last see struggling to emerge from the portal on the Golden Gate bridge.
Bastion admits the setback, but the dome is still sealed. He ominously states that the only change is WHO will end mutantkind.
I dig the way Greg Land draws his women, I'm sorry. I'm a sucker for a Greg Land drawn Emma or Psylocke.
Still, I really have no fucking clue what is gonna happen in the next two issues of this story! I hope it doesn't feel rushed. 12 chapters in, though, I can't say I feel they'll fail on the last two. What exactly IS Hope's role? Will any others die? What WILL THE END GAME BE?! AHH! I'm excited.
I just hope they wrap it up nicely. If they do, they'll have sold me on the on-going series of Uncanny X-Men again.
I think that eBay is the best option for you guys and girls looking to catch this series, by now. Not the most recent issues, but the older ones. Otherwise, buy the trade. TRUST ME.
Special mentions and props to Adi Granov, too. The man has absolutely nailed every single Second Coming tie-in cover. He's a god.
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That's all I've got for you monkeys.
Like I said, though, stay tuned for more posts in the pipeline! Tell your friends about me, like Batman said. Tell them to tell their friends, and their friends' friends!
Until next time, peace.
-The Mast
