Oh, sorry! Didn't see you all there. I do have some exciting stuff to say AND talk about today, though! So, all yous guys lucked out.
First, the picture that's causing some ruckus in the comics community. Nope, not the up-skirts of Psylocke we all wanted, but something else! Marvel posted the first publicity still of Odin and Loki! Thor is in shot, but we've seen him already.
Loki...looks fine. Well, his costume is cool, and I've always said Tom Hiddleston looks perfect. Here he just looks calm. I wish they'd had him devilishly smirking, but most of all, I WISH HE HAD HIS HELMET. Seriosuly. Thor not having one would suck, but I'd get over it. Loki NEEDS his horns, man! Oh well.
Odin...just looks...like a pirate. I'll reserve judgement on performance of course, but he just looks ridiculous. He does not look like the ruler of Asgard. Maybe I'll warm up to it.
Another first was seeing Ryan Reynolds in the Green Lantern costume for the first time! It's been getting mixed responses.
Now, I like Green Lantern, a couple of the incarnations anyway. I'm not a mad enough fan that I will be as critical of the movie as his fans will, to be honest. It's SAID that the costume will be C.G.I. also. Now, I think it makes sense to have a bit more to the costume than it just looking like a body suit, or something like Daredevil or Spider-Man wear. The guy is recruited into an inter-galactic peacekeeping and defence force. You'd think they'd offer him more than spandex.
Regardless, I've never seen the suit as something that defines him. I think it's familiar enough, but it's not so different that it'll cause backlash. None that's reasonable anyway. For example, I didn't think Daredevil's movie outfit was bad at all. I think Affleck was too big, mass wise, to play Daredevil. Yet, I thought the costume was extremely realistic and practical. A flexible leather would make a lot of sense. I hope Green Lantern fans can see this the same way.
Well, like I said, this is a bit of a bumper post. LOTS of comics to talk about today, and they're all pretty spectacular!
The Thanos Imperative #2 of 6.
The big guns and heavy-hitters are really coming out in this one.
The war between The Cancerverse and Earth/Space's combined forces continues with great urgency in this issue. The unparalleled space-masters, Abnett and Lanning, pile on the dread and let you know that shit is not going to be easy. The Guardians of the Galaxy make hilariously short work of the evil version of The Defenders, but with what's going on in this issue, I don't mind. Thanos cleans up and notes that he can cause permanent death, even in their universe.
The big fight is out at the opening, however. In what I considered to be a really epic moment, The Silver Surfer bursts through one of the monsters to announce his arrival and aid of the Kree/Shi'ar forces. The art on that particular picture was incredible. It conveyed such a sense of speed and eruption.
Surfer didn't come alone. He says to Nova, "I am but a herald, Richard Rider of Earth.", and reveals that all the massive, cosmic abstracts have joined the fight.
Holy shit, is what I said.
We're talking Galactus, Celestials etc. They're here and they're actually fighting. Not since The Infinity Gauntlet or The Annihilation War has a situation been so grave that their involvement was needed.
Unfortunately, things are about to get worse. From out of The Fault comes a gigantic construction/organism known as The Galactus Engine. It is modelled after its namesake's head and dwarfs even Galactus himself.
What is this contraption? What does it mean for everyone else?
All I know is that I'm not gonna miss this. The one worry I have is whether or not I will be able to devote attention to it. There's so many great series I'm into, I just always find myself not totally into this. I mean, it's great when you read it, but if you've got a lot of other comics in between issues, it can kill the anticipation.
Nevertheless, it IS looking good. I wouldn't recommend it to you guys, though. Only read it if you read War of Kings and did research on Realm of Kings (Asking me would probably be better), and even then, you may not like the space characters.
X-Force: Sex & Violence #1 of 3.
I'm way more inclined to check out three part mini-series than any other kind of mini-series, simply because if it flops, it's only three parts.
My problem with Marvel flooding the market is the question of continuity. I'm normally not too big a stickler for it, but it's getting to the point that I'm wondering things. I'm wondering how Wolverine is a member of The Avengers, The New Avengers, The X-Men and X-Force. I'm wondering when all these stories are happening.
Regardless, this looks to be pretty much what it says on the cover. Sex and violence. A three-parter exploring the sexual tension between Domino and Wolverine, as he helps her out of a bit of trouble she's in. They kill lots of people together, too. The cover is very sexy and the art is very good. It has a gritty, grindhouse feel to it, really.
It could be a surprise hit! Check back for my opinion of issue #2 when it comes out.
I love Kyle/Yost's work on the X-Force books/characters. This is no exception.
Plus, the violence is epic. I'm VERY critical of what Wolverine material/stories I do like, but there must be very few characters who are as fun to write off-the-chain violence for.
X-Men: Second Coming #2 (Second Coming: Chapter 13).
It all ends here.
In a jam-packed issue, we're treated to a myriad of different plotlines. Mutantkind has been saved by Hope, but how? Who is she? What is she? These are the questions we head into this comic with.
Lots of this issue is just detailing how the team are settling after such an ordeal. Beast leaves, for good, unable to take Scott's decisions with forgiveness. I assume he's gone to be a full time Secret Avenger (He's meant to be on Mars, but that's what I mean about continuity).
Various X-Kids are being patched up after the battle, too. Magneto tells Hope that a lot of good can come of being perceived as dangerous, and gets rather annoyed when Hellion hilariously asks if there's a bidet anywhere, having lost his hands in the battle.
Most touching of all is Cable's funeral. Hope describes him to a T, by saying that nobody should cry for him because he died as he wanted to; fighting for something that matters, alongside people he loves. Deadpool even makes a cameo, looking rather saddened in the background. That's what got to me. Those two became the closest thing to best friends that I think either of them have ever had. It was sad.
Storm confronts Cyclops about X-Force after Cyclops puts Rogue on suspension for risking Hope in the battke. Another pivotal moment, and great piece of Kyle/Yost writing, comes when Wolverine and Storm have a talk. These two are close, they've always been close. She expresses great disappointment in Wolverine's decision and, when he says he'd do it all again, says that this may be the last conversation they ever have.
It's all very sad. It's dawn, but at what cost, you know? On a similar note, Cyclops tells Wolverine that X-Force is no longer needed, it's disbanded and over. Wolverine agrees after some debating, only to walk to a hidden area of the island and into a darkened room. He speaks to some unseen characters and it is revealed, epically, that he is going to continue X-Force in secret.
The team?
It's ok, I nearly had to change underwear too. You may remember, during my X-Force Annual review, that I loved Kyle/Yost's depiction of Deadpool in the mini-story they included. Well...THEY'RE NOT WRITING THE NEW UNCANNY X-FORCE BOOK. Rick Remender is.
We'll see.
Anyway, things culminate at the very end when Emma Frost is watching after Hope. Hope begins radiating fire and, with a smirk toward Emma Frost, begins showing the Phoenix symbol in her hand. Emma, running to tell Cyke, discovers him smiling at a computerised image of the world. Five new mutant births/signals have appears across the world.
The mutant race has been born again.
I must say, I both loved and disliked things about this ending. On one hand it felt complete, like the battle had been won and that the mutant race had been revived. It had. On the other hand, I just feel as though they're gonna drag this Hope thing out for longer. I had the impression THIS was going to be the story to reveal who and what she is.
Aside from that, I have to say Second Coming was an absolutely blistering, exciting ride. One I never expected The X-Men and it's associated teams to give me, outside of X-Force.
Definitely unexpected.
So, a second coming for mutants and in my opinion, a second coming for the quality of X-Books. Will this resurrection of quality be upheld? Let's see.
Avengers Academy #2.
I suspect these issues will start off a little slow as we're introduced to the characters and their histories, which is cool as long as it picks up later.
This time, we are treated to a Finesse-focused issue, the polymath capable of learning anything instantly.
She is kind of like a female Spock. Every intellectual excellence under the Sun, but zero ability to interact with people on a human level, even though she is human.
The issue consists of some nice, fitting art by McKone that compliments Gage's writing. Speaking of which, he seems to have really worked out how he wants to individualise these characters.
Finesse ultimately seeks guidance from Quicksilver, but not the kind you'd expect. She wants him to teach her what he learned during his time in The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. He neglects, but she blackmails him by saying that she knows he was never copied by The Skrulls, that everything he did during their invasion was him.
Edgy stuff! I would say it's a great series for new fans, too. It's not just a good jumping-on point for existing characters; these are brand new characters. You would be getting to know them with everyone else.
Check it out!
X-Men Origins: Deadpool.
I swear to God and every available deity, if Duane Swierczynski isn't given the main Deadpool title soon...
This is fucking...amazing. Deadpool opens the narration by telling us that a movie adaptation of his story is coming out, but before they mess it up, he wants to get the real story out there.
In this gem, this delicious gem of a comic, we get treated to Deadpool hiring two screenwriters to pitch their ideas. One says they should do Michael Bay shit, so Deadpool shoots him in the arm. The other wants to scrap the merc stuff and have him play a country singer, so he shoots him in the leg.
Eventually, and among some TERRIFIC dialogue, Deadpool meets one who simply asks him to tell the story rather than it being pitched.
Now, nobody really knows what Deadpool's true origin is, in detail. Thus, the freedom with an origin story! Anyone can write anything and say, "Well, Deadpool lies a lot." It can cause real shoddy work, or creative bursts of genius. That's what this is.
Eventually the movie is made and it's awful, resulting in Deadpool blowing up the director's car. It's just...such a cleverly done, excellently written Deadpool story. It's the Deadpool I fell in love with.
What I didn't expect was the heart-breaking emotional story that Swierczynski has woven into it. Whether or not it's true, whether or not Deadpool is lying, I don't know.
During his convo with the director, Deadpool says that he loved his Dad. He says that, as a kid, his Dad would go outside the door and they'd actually act out knock-knock jokes. When he ends the tale with, "One day Dad slipped behind the door and never came back. I used to act out our knock-knock routine just to see if he was waiting me out, but he wasn't.", it's truly saddening. I mean, I felt something. Even though Deadpool wipes a tear away and acts like he's just sweaty, you know he's not.
This thread continues when the director asks Deadpool, as he's leaving, what he'd ask his Dad if he had the chance. Deadpool simply replies, "My Dad? I think I'd ask him for the punchline."
It's such a truly, honestly sad and depressing portrayal.
The worst part, and the most heart-wrenching piece of Swierczynski's writing in this book, comes at the end. Feeling down due to the flopped premiere and an overwhelming sense that nothing in his life is really genuine, he drives off to an address he claims to have had for a while. Walking up to a rickety old house, he knocks on the door and the man behind asks who it is. He says "It's Wade." The man opens the door, decrepit and old, replying "Wade? Wade who?"
Deadpool ends the issue by pulling off his mask and saying, with the most forlorn look of sadness:
"Wade until you see what happened to me...Dad."
It's the kind of stuff that people cry over in movies.
I honestly felt so emotionally drawn into this issue that I had to take a break from reading the others.
It's only a one-shot, so please...if you can, pick it up.
Absolutely breathtaking.
Daredevil #508.
This truly is Matt Murdock's downward spiral. It's the worst I've ever seen him.
Whatever The Hand did to him, it's truly taking its toll. Matt has become distant, reclusive and has alienated his remaining friends. The Hand, and especially White Tiger, are very protective of him. When Dakota North and Foggy Nelson go to Shadowland to speak with him over murdering Bullseye, they are threatened by White Tiger and told he doesn't want to see them.
White Tiger, possibly being manipulated by The Hand's magic herself, is really pulling off the devil-on-shoulder role. Diggle KILLS this writing, he really does. So does Johnston. The art, compiments of the sickeningly excellent Roberto De la Torre, is just mindblowing. It's Noir without the Noir.
Things just go horribly wrong. Matt is talking to himself and losing the battle with whatever force is controlling him, and The Hand cause Dakota North and Foggy Nelson to endure a near fatal car crash which they may not walk away from.
Of course, though, what is Daredevil without a shocking end?
Master Izo is seen speaking to an off-panel character, describing his opinion that Matt is way over his head, not in control. The off-panel character says that Matt probably planned for all this and IS in control.
Izo asks if that's what this person believes, or if it's their love for Matt Murdock speaking.
The last page reveals this person to be none other than ELEKTRA! Motherfucking Elektra! I swear.
I sorta knew she'd turn up from the unavoidable teaser posters (That reveal entirely too much, Marvel!), but her presense in a Daredevil comic is ALWAYS so mindblowing.
To quote Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys 2, shit just got real.
BRING ON SHADOWLAND #2 FOR GOD'S SAKE!
---
That's about it for today, guys and humans without guy parts.
Catch me on Saturday with a blog post regarding the future of Welcome to the Mast!
Don't forget to check out, and subscribe to, Direct Edition on YouTube! This week's episode should be up soon, as well as their customary Monday news episode. Sorry to Iyare for my lack of guesting this week, as I'd LOVED to review Daredevil #508, but hopefully I'll have a catch up next week! Congrats on the job opportunity too! Whatever it is. Happy for you, bro.
Take care, everyone.
Until next time, peace.
-The Mast
