Today there is a grand total of three comics that I've decided are worth reviewing. Shadowland: Blood on the Streets is good and did a good job of convincing me that The Shroud would make a good Daredevil fill-in, but besides that it didn't really do anything for me, so that is why you will find it absent.
The Invincible Iron Man #29 also came out, and I was going to do start including the series in my reviews from #30. However, I'm considering dropping it because it really does feel like it's going absolutely nowhere.
Thursday's Comics.
The Thanos Imperative #3 of 6.
After the epic reveal that The Cancerverse had an approximation of Galactus, you'd be forgiven for thinking this issue would see it play major prominence!
You'd be wrong. The Galactus Engine is absolutely NOWHERE to be seen in this issue at all, to my recollection. Besides that, this is a fairly decent issue, but it makes me realise just what the pitfalls of the past two cosmic arcs (Including this) have been.
Thanos and the Guardians of the Galaxy continue into The Cancerverse to that universe's version of Titan, Thanos's homeworld. They learn of The Cancerverse's origins via Titan's computer system, I.S.A.A.C.
What happened is this...Captain Mar-Vell did not die of cancer in this universe as he did in the regular one. They performed a ritual that involved sacrificing the avatar of Death and thus, life won and death was killed. Now, I personally took this to mean that it was The Cancerverse's version of Thanos. I don't know who it could be if not him, but it's an interesting development. Lord Mar-Vell and his lackies seek to perform this again, in the regular universe, thus they need Thanos.
The problem is that Drax the Destroyer, ever the idiot, decides to strap an anti-matter device to Thanos's chest and disintegrate him. His hatred always seems to jeopardise missions, but this raises a question: how can someone die in a universe where there's no death? Hmm!
Elsewhere, The Cancerverse's forces are busting through The Fault and really taking it to our heroes. They even manage to destroy one of the cosmic abstracts, Aegis, which causes a psionic backlash that renders Nova comatose for a bit.
The coolest development of this issue is when Nova and the others regroup on a moon to discuss battle options, and Nova requests a small strike team to head into The Fault. He wants to do this with a view to striking The Cancerverse's armies at the source and ending the war. He team he assembles is himself, Gladiator, The Silver Surfer, Quasar, Ronan the Accusor and Beta Ray Bill. It's a pretty hefty team and the team that many think will be formed into a permanent group, the focus of an upcoming Cosmic Avengers team.
If nothing else, the scene of them walking together is just...ugh. It's hype-tastic.
The issue ends with Thanos's aforementioned disintegration, leaving us all to wonder just what the Hell is going to happen now.
It's a decent issue, the art is decent, but I'd like to go back to me saying I figured out what was lacking in these cosmic events since Realm of Kings. A VILLAIN. Yes, it's all very good having this terrifying, grotesque and cancerous source of unlife from another dimension, but they're all faceless, Lovecraftian monsters. War of Kings was so excellent because it has a brilliant and despicably evil tyrant, Vulcan, at the head of the bad guys. It wasn't just the forces of good continually trying to work out what they were fighting and why.
Sure, you've got Lord Mar-Vell and The Revengers etc, but they don't have nearly enough time to make you feel like there's any equality there. Even Thanos is currently aiding the forces of good. Conflicts need to have two discernable sides in wars like this, and I feel this hasn't got that.
Still, if you're a mega cosmic fan or if Realm of Kings made you wonder how all of this will end, The Thanos Imperative is probably for you. I wouldn't recommend it to many others, and I'd definitely say that the trade would be as effective.
Don't get me wrong, I'm loving The Thanos Imperative as a concept. As a story it's tremendous and Abnett/Lanning really do know the cosmic stuff.
They've essentially given it its own personality again. They've re-established it and its heroes as a majorly important segment of the Marvel Universe. In fact, they've established that the cosmics really are the big players and that Earth is just one planet.
This series continues to do that and I feel that if you have the trades of all three sagas, four if you include Annihilation, then it'll be some of the best comic book material of the last decade.
Just be prepared to give it time.
X-Force: Sex & Violence #2 of 3.
If Craig Kyle and Chris Yost don't take over Uncanny X-Men after Matt Fraction, then I seriously question Marvel's sanity. This is a case similar to having Duane Swierczynski on a Deadpool title that is a mini and isn't even canon.
They are the main reason I loved the now finished X-Force series so much. Rick Remender really does have his work cut out for him in October when Uncanny X-Force launches.
This issue continues immediately after #1, with Wolverine being pissed that Domino didn't give him the whole story and the two of them having to fend off the on-rushing agents of The Assassin's Guild, lead by Razorfist. The tense, one-way banter from Domino to Wolverine is really well done during this scene. It really is. Dell'Otto's art is ABSOLTUELY BRILLIANT on this mini-series, truly. It has a magnifcent sense of blurry grittiness about it that almost seems watercoloured and photographed.
Case in point, the art is perfect for the aforementioned fight scene. It's mouth-wateringly violent and it shows Wolverine in a light that we really don't get to see him in much. He creatively despatches his opponents in varieties of gruesome ways, and Dell'Otto makes a point of showing every directional incision as well as the aftermath of said attacks. If Wolverine slices someone's arm in three, you see the gashes, then the separation, then the parts falling to the ground.
This is in stark contrast to Domino's distance-based gunplay, and it works tremendously.
The story is as you'd expect and it's nothing revolutionary. Domino took a job, people got screwed and Wolverine's stuck in the middle, but he's helping her because they're friends/fuck buddies-for-now. It's ok, but it really acts as nothing more than a serviceable framework from which Kyle and Yost can hang their tremendous dialogue, decorated by Dell'Otto's art.
It is, indeed, sex and violence. Sex? Oh yes.
After the fight, Domino shows Wolverine all the money she found/stole and then suggests they go to a hotel room to "work stuff out". They then have sex, and it's shown. Not explicitly in any anatomical sense, but you see them slam each other into walls and eventually onto the bed, entirely naked and covered by a blanket. I guess that's the pitfall of it being mainstream and not on the MAX label; you can't show anything graphic.
In such a heated and furious sexual encounter, why would they bother with a blanket to cover themselves up? Not a problem, but it adds a romantic feeling where there DEEEFINITELY was no romance. NONE. It says that there's explicit content on the cover, but I think that's the violence. I will never understand why it's ok to show Wolverine slicing a man into three pieces, but they can't show an aerial view of his ass while he's fucking Domino. You don't need to show penis, Marvel, but if you're gonna so ultraviolent fights, at least show softcore sex scenes in the same comic.
I realise this seems like I'm lobbying to see Wolverine's ass...I'm not. Domino's? Yes, please. I'd like that. Ass, either way, though. It's hypocritical otherwise. Sex is a natural thing that all people should experience, as is the human body. Cutting a fellow human up is not, yet that's the thing they'll show in all its glory! I don't get it.
Belladonna, leader of The Assassin's Guild hires most of the world's best assassins to track them down and bring them in. One of which, Bushwacker, attempts an assassination and is promptly relieved of his arm by Wolverine.
This mini-series is just an adrenaline-fuelled romp that showcases two of humanity's primal urges, those being sex and violence. It's done with brilliant dialogue and fantastic artwork. It doesn't try to be an intricate story for a three-parter, but it doesn't shirk responsibility either. The story is simple, but it's feasible, unlike Avatar. That movie was an example of truly dire plotline, terrible dialogue and mind-blowing visuals. X-Force: Sex & Violence is a combination of decent plot, and superb...well, everything else.
If you feel like getting your first comics, if this blog inspires you to do so, go for this mini-series. It doesn't require any knowledge you can't get from here, or any at all...arguably. You can more or less dive straight in, have a blast and be shown exactly what comics are capable of. It's three parts, so there's no sense in waiting for a trade either. Just eBay issue #1 if you can't find it!
Don't miss out on this, it's delicious.
Daredevil #509.
What is essentially a prequel issue to Shadowland #2, Daredevil #509 does nothing to aid the reader in guessing where this story might go.
I'm someone who enjoys guessing, but not too much. I won't sit there and plot out where I think things should or shouldn't go, might or might not, but I'll give my thoughts on it if asked. This issue doesn't even let you really do that. It, like Shadowland, gives us many possible reasons to believe that the ultimate conclusion could be any one of a million options.
First and most notably, I want to highlight Roberto De la Torre's art. I'll say that he definitely draws certain geographical locations better than others, but overall he just gives such an unreal feeling of contrast. He'll take a sparse location or setting and make it seem as though it is chock full of majesty. The Hand's headquarters atop a mountain, for example. You could print that image out and hang it on your wall without consideration for it being comic art.
Daredevil #509 was really enjoyable, it was my favourite comic of the week until I read the X-Force mini's latest issue, but...something juuust feels lacking. Maybe it's the lack of Daredevil, I don't quite know. At the end of Shadowland #1, trust me, I literally couldn't wait for Daredevil #508. Then, at the end of Daredevil #508, I couldn't wait until Shadowland #2. After Shadowland #2 and Daredevil #509, however, I don't find myself riveted as much. I find myself simply wanting to find out what happens rather than being on edge and dying to know what happens.
Typhoid Mary is back, and that's an interesting development. Someone who previously manipulated Matt in the past isn't someone you'd want around him at this point, but she claims to be reformed and offers to help him. Oddly, he accepts. The leaders of The Hand tell White Tiger, via magic communication, that she must begin taking out all those closest to Daredevil.
Lots of people are starting to get involved and they all appear to have endgames. My worry is that there are too many and not all of them will be resolved, or resolved with great impact. I think it may have been better to just sacrifice a few of them, if only in favour of making those that DO appear have a more relevant involvement. Elektra gets sent to New York to do what, according to Master Izo (They were spying on The Hand's leaders, got chased and he stayed behind to hold off the various ninjas), "must be done". Typhoid Mary probably has an endgame, too. Then consider that The Kingpin is involved and we've got three parts to go yet.
Dakota North and Foggy Nelson are to be the first victims of White Tiger's cleansing of Matt's social circle. Saved by Luke Cage and Iron Fist (Totally awesome moment), they hole up in a safehouse and, at the end of the issue, see an explosion erupt from Shadowland. This, obviously, would be during the events that ended Shadowland #2. Either something exploded during the fight with Daredevil or it signifies Ghost Rider's arrival.
Andy Diggle and Andrew Johnston do a good job co-writing, but it doesn't really have a distinct style of dialogue. That doesn't bother me, because I only feel certain writers have distinct dialogue. I care about how they portray Matt and such, though.
I'm really nervous that Marvel could be tinkering with a title that doesn't need it, and they are. I initially thought Shadowland was a chance for Daredevil to get an event that would just enhance his history, character and give the subsequent issues of his on-going series something fresh to go by. Naive? Perhaps so, as it now seems to be nothing more than a reason for Marvel to change Daredevil's name into a more marketable concept.
This campaign about getting someone to be a new version of The Man without Fear just smacks of money, to me anyway. Daredevil is, was and will forever be fine as Matt Murdock. If it stops selling well, try a new writer or cancel it. The readers would rather you do that than anything that could be considered bastardising or compromising. The title ran to issue #380 in Vol. 1, but ultimately it wasn't doing well. So, Kevin Smith came on and revamped it. He was followed by Bendis, and so the run of excellent stories, continuity and general enjoyment began.
All of this Shadowland story is meant to be about Daredevil's darkest downward spiral ever. Not just into self-doubt, but into actually bad practices, and I feel like it's being wasted on people who aren't Matt. There's nowhere near enough internal dialogue in these issues, or in Daredevil #509. It's a very good comic, but if you're looking to get into Daredevil as a character, I can't recommend Daredevil OR Shadowland by the looks of things. Simply because it doesn't seem to be about him. Proof? Those who dissed the prior installments of this saga are now praising Shadowland #2 and such.
I thought it would be about Matt, and it looks like it's veering away from that and into something that doesn't benefit the Daredevil mythos.
I will remain open-minded, though. I have my own opinions on how this could go amazingly, but I know it won't happen like that.
Keep your eyes peeled. For better or worse, it's a major time to be a Daredevil fan.
Direct Edition Updates.
That's right, I guested on Direct Edition again! The comic review show is up, and the news episode will be up on Monday as always. I had a blast doing it and it was my first time flying solo with Iyare, who so graciously invited me back. The better news is that he is considering naming me as an official member of the Direct Edition team! I am very honoured and want to give him a big shout-out there.
As always, you can watch Direct Edition RIGHT HERE! So go do that. Subscribe if you haven't done so already, and don't forget to pass it on if you like it or know someone who might.
If you have Twitter (No, I don't, nor will I ever), you can follow Direct Edition HERE!
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That's all I have for you today!
I will say now that you MAY have to wait until tomorrow for the latest installment of The Mast's 30 Days of Comicdom. I've been kind of busy today, and after typing all of this out, the tiredness/eye strain is starting to take its ugly toll. Plus, I'm not feeling entirely well.
Sorry, truly, for any inconvenience this caused. I'm sure that you know I do bust my head open to try and get these posts up on time and with as much competence as they deserve, thus I would gladly sacrifice being a day late to make the posts good, rather than uploading it on time and half-assing it.
Thanks again and take care.
Until next time, peace.
-The Mast
