Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 2.5/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 3/5
Filed under: Captain America, cxPulp.com, MARVEL, Marvel Universe | Tagged: American Dreamers, Cap, Captain America, Comic Reviews, cxPulp, Dum Dum Dugan, Ed Brubaker, Joe Caramagna, Justin Ponsor, Lauren Sankovitch, Mark Morales, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Nick Fury, Sharon Carter, STeve McNIven, Tom Brevoort, Zemo | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 3/5
Art: 2.5/5
Overall: 3/5
Filed under: cxPulp.com, Fear Itself (event), MARVEL, Marvel Universe, Uncanny X-Force | Tagged: Archangel, Before the Devil Knows We're Dead, Comic Reviews, comics, cxPulp, Deadpool, Fear Itself, Jared K. Fletcher, Jody Leheup, Joe Sabino, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Nick Lowe, Rob Williams, Simone Bianchi, Simone Peruzzi, Uncanny X-Force, VC, Wolverine, x-force | Leave a comment »
Death of Spider-Man: Part 5 of 5
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Mark Bagley
Inker: Andy Lanning with Andrew Hennessy
Colorist: Justin Ponsor
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Art: Bagley & Ponsor
Assistant Editor: Sana Amant
Senior Editor: Mark Paniccia
Published by: Marvel Comics
So, this issue is mostly one big fight scene. Seems the Green Goblin’s been busy, and it’s all come back down to Norman Osborn vs. Peter Parker. But unlike that first time the Goblin came back–when it was Mary Jane who was thrown off a bridge, playing on readers’ knowledge of what happened to Gwen in the regular Marvel Universe–this time, it just feels like little more than a ripoff of a two-decades-old Superman story. Yet, it works.
The villain apparently rose…many have fallen, and it’s down to the titular hero to save those around him from said villain.
Face it…the title of the story, the branding of the last few issues of this title and the Ultimate Avengers thing–it gives it all away. Much like knowing weeks before the story even began that Doomsday! was a tale that would end with the death of Superman. It was the journey to get there, watching the hero gradually take more and more of a beating, attempting to dish it back, and ultimately making a final sacrifice to save those he loves from a monster’s rampage.
The story itself–pretty simplistic. I haven’t read the first four chapters of it in this title, and bought (but wound up only skimming) the issue where Peter takes the bullet for Cap….yet, the recap page at the beginning of this issue sum things up pretty succinctly–I don’t need those chapters to “get” this.
The art–maybe not fantastic, but after recently reading the first tpb of the post-Ultimatum Ultimate Comics Spider-Man…Bagley‘s art–which I’ve always enjoyed and associated with Ultimate Spider-Man–is SUCH a thing of beauty. The characters actually look like I’d expect, as I got used to. The way they looked over the course of all those practically biweekly issues in college and all those TPBs after that when I went back to the series last year and caught up on over 60 issues of story.
As a whole…not truly worth the $3.99 cover price. Not even with that black plastic bag with the hero’s logo in red on it. But y’know? I missed out on Ultimate Spider-Man #1; I wasn’t able to acquire any issues til #4 or so, and was only able to get back to #3. But by and large (I got the first hardcover with those first 13 fantastic issues) I got in at the beginning. So I couldn’t bring myself to entirely “pass” on this ending.
If you’re already buying this title, sticking with the singles after the Ultimatum stuff and the renumbering and the re-renumbering, the changes in art and all that…if you read the earlier chapters of this story…again, face it: you were already going to or have bought this issue already. If you’ve sat things out, wondering at simply waiting for the collected volume: keep to that route. You’ll get a full story. If you’ve avoided this story on principle…hold to it.
This isn’t going to be for everyone. In many ways, I should be appalled at this. To see the character I so enjoyed reading about–and the supporting cast–put in this (albeit fictitious) situation, to see things come to this…it’s horrible. Heart-wrenching. But when you come down to it…this issue makes this version of Peter Parker, Spider-Man, much more real, at least in the moment. We saw his origin. His beginnings. His career. And now, his end.
If you can find this issue, without being taken for a marked-up price…I recommend it. If you’re a lapsed fan of the series, it might be worth getting to be there for the end. If nothing else–consider the collected volume.
Story: 4/10
Art: 9/10
Overall: 7/10
Filed under: MARVEL, Spider-Man, Ultimate Comics | Tagged: Andrew Hennessy, Andy Lanning, Brian Michael Bendis, Comic Reviews, Cory Petit, Death of Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Justin Ponsor, Mark Bagley, Mark Paniccia, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Sana Amant, Spider-Man, Ultimate Comics, ultimate comics spider-man, ultimate spider-man | 3 Comments »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 3.5/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Filed under: cxPulp.com, MARVEL, Marvel Universe, X-Men: Legacy | Tagged: Age of X, Age of X Aftermath, Brian Reber, Claremont, Comic Reviews, Cory Petit, cxPulp.com, Daniel Ketchum, Flashback, Glynis, Into the Abyss, Jay Leisten, Khoi Pham, Legacy, Lost Legions, Marte Gracia, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Mico Suayan, Mike Carey, New Mutants, Orz, Sebastian Girner, Sienkiewicz, Steve Kurth, Tom Palmer, x-men, X-Men: Legacy | Leave a comment »
The Last of the Innocent part 1
By: Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
With: Val Staples
Published by: Icon/Marvel
I’d pretty much forgotten the existence of this title. It seems to be a series of mini-series, each serving as a particular character or story arc. I’ve never disliked an issue I’ve read, but one of the best things about Criminal is the same thing that’s kept me from getting invested: the stories are full. Read just one issue, and there’s a full enough story there that it’s almost hard to believe the thing continues.
This issue follows Riley as he journeys back to his hometown to see his father before a risky surgery, and reconnecting with old friends and old memories. Of course, the trip nicely coincides with an itch to get away from debt he owes to some legbreakers and provides a chance to grab some quick cash to pay them off.
The story itself is very down to earth and realistic. No superpowers, no superheroics, no supervillains, no world-conquering invading armies, no wars or proclaimed crises of any kind. The characters are all believable if not stereotypical, and there’s some great allusion that serves to add even more depth to these characters and at one point left me actually laughing at picturing the alluded-to character acting in this way.
The art is simple yet detailed. It doesn’t try to be photorealistic, and simply depicts the characters. And the flashbacks being done in an even simpler style of old comic strips (in the vein of Archie, most recognizably to me) adds to the sense of layering and allusion.
The end of the issue is both ending–stopped here, it leaves plenty to the imagination. But it also–since it DOES promise more–piques the curiosity and leaves me wondering what comes next, especially for a book called Criminal, from Brubaker.
There may be some stuff here that I’m simply not getting, references or characters from some previous story. But if there is, I don’t see it, and I’d say it’s non-essential. I picked this up cold, and enjoyed it for itself. This is a brand new story, a brand new #1, and a great jumping-on point. All you need to know, I’d say, is that this is a creator-owned property from Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips, about very realistic people in a realistic world, if a bit noir-ish, and that the title Criminal fits the content.
Highly recommended.
Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
Whole: 8/10
Filed under: Criminal, Icon, MARVEL | Tagged: Comic Reviews, Criminal, Ed Brubaker, Icon, Last of the Innocent, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Sean Phillips, Val Staples | 1 Comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Filed under: cxPulp.com, MARVEL, Marvel Universe, Uncanny X-Force | Tagged: Age of Apocalypse, Andrew Currie, Angel, apocalypse, Archangel, Comic Reviews, Cory Petit, Dark Angel, Dark Angel Saga, Dark Beast, Deadpool, Dean White, Esad Ribic, Fantomex, Jared K. Fletcher, Jody Leheup, Mark Brooks, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Nick Lowe, Psylocke, Rick Remender, Uncanny X-Force, Wolverine, x-force | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 3.5/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Filed under: cxPulp.com, Fear Itself, Fear Itself (event), MARVEL, Marvel Universe | Tagged: Captain America, Chris Eliopoulos, Comic Reviews, Fear Itself, Hammer That Fell on Yancy Street, Larry Molinar, Laura Martin, Lauren Sankovitch, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Matt Fraction, Serpent, Sin, STeve McNIven, Stuart Immonen, The Worthy, thor, Tom Brevoort, Wade Von Grawbadger | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 4/5
Art: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5
Filed under: Age of X (event), cxPulp.com, MARVEL, Marvel Universe, X-Men: Legacy | Tagged: Aftermath, Age of X, Comic Reviews, Cory Petit, cxPulp, Daniel Ketchum, Frenzy, Gambit, Legacy, magneto, Marte Gracia, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Matthew Wilson, Mico Suayan, Mike Carey, Nick Lowe, Rafa Sandoval, Rogue, Sebastian Girner, VC, x-men, X-Men: Legacy | Leave a comment »
Full review posted to cxPulp.com.
Story: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Filed under: Crossgen, cxPulp.com, MARVEL, Ruse | Tagged: Butch Guice, Crossgen, Crossgen Comics, Ellie Pyle, Laura Martin, Mark Waid, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Mike Perkins, Mirco Pierfederici, Ruse, Stephen Wacker | Leave a comment »
Writer: Mike Carey
Pencils: Leonard Kirk
Inks: Ed Tadeo
Colors: Guru eFX
Letters: Rob Steen
Cover: Jelena Djurdjevic
Production: Irene Y. Lee
Asst. Editor: Sebastian Girner
Senior Editor: Nick Lowe
Published by: Crossgen/Marvel Comics
I’ve missed Crossgen. However, until this issue, I don’t recall ever reading an issue of Sigil. So, with this being a new take on things and not a continuation of the old…I come to it fresh. And perhaps for that, I greatly enjoyed this issue.
The issue opens with some disembodied voices talking about some past events, and we gradually move to seeing someone who turns toward the camera with surprise, and cut to a high schooler–Samantha Rey–waking suddenly from the dream, to an impatient father trying to get her up for school. She has an important history exam that day, and we learn she’s having trouble with school since losing her mother. Further exposition follows as daughter/father talk, and then as Sam stops by the cemetery on her way to school. Once at school, we see some of what Sam’s high school life is like, as an encounter with a bully forces her to race to class, where her teacher is not happy at her tardiness. Beginning her history exam, she blacks out to a vision, and finds an hour passed, leaving her in hot water with the teacher. We’re introduced to other students, and then Sam’s bully instigates a situation that causes Sam’s birthmark to flare up, and she finds herself facing the realization that her birthmark is something far more.
The art–perhaps simply for Sam having red hair–reminds me a bit of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, and the high school setting certainly contributed to that as well. The art seems fairly simple…smooth, and the coloring somehow lighter or “brighter” than I think I’m used to. Overall, nothing struck me in a negative light, and I had zero issue with the art. The entire art team provides a great piece of work that clearly conveys everything going on, and I really liked the art overall.
The story is quite solid. It’s got a lot of exposition to bring us up to speed on the main character in particular, to work us into her world, and while it’s rather noticeable as exposition…it still works for me. It seems the most important, core elements are presented in this issue as we should get from any first issue. The story provides a nice hook at the beginning, introduces us to the main character, to her family, to her school life, and then takes that extra little leap into what makes this story more than just some slice-of-life about some random high school girl. The cliffhanger leaves me eager for more, and yet I don’t feel shortchanged by what story was provided in this issue by itself.
Overall…this is a fantastic start to the series. For some reason, I have it in my head that this is just a mini-series…but I for one would absolutely love to see this as an ongoing, if every issue was up to the quality of this one.
As said above…I come to Sigil fresh. I recognize the name of the ship Sam sees–and caught myself grinning when I recognized it. Major plot point or simple nod to the past, its presence is a welcome inclusion. The use of the sigil itself reminds me of early issues of the original Crossgen stuff without feeling out of place…perhaps for its stylized modification from the original.
I also come to this just totally thrilled that it carries a $2.99 price.
I don’t often talk about a comic’s cover…but I really like the layout of this, what I believe is the “trade dress” for the new Marvel Crossgen stuff. Having Marvel‘s logo at the very bottom puts it virtually out of site, allowing the Crossgen sigil to stand as its own thing at the top, allowing the “branding” to stand on its own. The logo seems familiar, though I can’t presently recall the original to know how it compares to that. The main image draws the eye to the sigil, as a whole emphasizing that. There’s something to be said about such a close-up on the character, but the image doesn’t truly stray into particularly questionable territory.
This is a complete, totally fresh start…there is zero need to have ever read anything else before this. The art is easy on the eyes, and the story draws one in. While fans of the original Crossgen work may be disappointed at this not being a return to the original series…I think it likely that those fans will be able to appreciate this new start. And for anyone considering this…I highly recommend it! As a whole, I consider this a fantastic first issue that is more than the sum of individual story/art ratings…as seen below.
Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Whole: 9.5/10
Filed under: Crossgen, MARVEL, Sigil | Tagged: Comic Reviews, Crossgen, Ed Tadeo, El Cazador, Guru eFX, Irene Y. Lee, Jelena Djurdjevic, Leonard Kirk, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Mike Carey, Nick Lowe, Rob Steen, Sam Rey, Samantha Rey, Sebastian Girner, Sigil | Leave a comment »
Comic Reviews by Walt 