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Secret Wars 2099 #1 [Review]

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Walt

secretwars_2099001Writer: Peter David
Artist: Will Sliney
Colorists: Antonio Fabela & Andres Mossa
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Dave Rapoza
Editor: Devin Lewis
Senior Editor: Nick Lowe
Published by: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: July 2015
Cover Price: $3.99

I haven’t read a 2099 book in years. Sadly, it may have been well over a decade, and closer to two. But I’ve been on a major Spider-Man 2099 kick lately with toys and really loving the classic Spidey 2099 costume, having avoided the recent series primarily for the $3.99 cover price (though there were other ‘standard’ Marvel factors for me). But throwing in with a bunch of the Secret Wars stuff, this seemed well worth checking out, so I grabbed it.

The story of the issue gets around a bit, as we begin with getting to see the 2099 Black Widow in civilian guise get called away from flirtation to action, then we meet the other current ‘Avengers’ (a female Captain America, a new Hawkeye, a new Iron Man, and Hercules, as well as Black Widow). They face off against some teched-up thugs, while interpersonal stuff comes out about the characters, and after the fight with the villais we’re given more insight into who the new characters are as well as what’s exacerbated stuff with Hercules. We meet the team’s advocate in Alchemax, as well as the current Vision, and learn of a pending threat to the team.

Even as this story is relatively simple and generic, if not a bit blatant in showing us various personality bits with the various characters and how this tea has come to be, it still works well. There’s a definite feeling for me of an "older" comic with these elements, and knowing this is Peter David back on 2099 stuff is a definite treat, perhaps contributing to my enjoying this…to my wanting to enjoy this.

I’m less familiar with the art team, but I do like the visuals on the whole. I don’t care for the cover art overall…except for Iron Man, whose armor looks fantastic to me on the cover. I actually like it throughout the issue, but particularly on the cover.

As this is new stuff, pushing the 2099 universe forward a bit or in a different direction (but no mention or reference to Doom having taken over, etc), it’s not exactly a beginning…yet it doesn’t entirely feel like just some continuation, either.

I was curious about this…curious enough to check it out. This was not a bad issue, and I’m interested on the whole in learning more of these characters…but with all the many Secret Wars tie-ins, some of these will ultimately competed with each other. I’m more willing to check out *A* first issue than to stick with an entire (mini) series. I’m not choosing from this issue to not continue, but this isn’t quite enough for me to say I absolutely will get the next issue.

If you’re a 2099 fan, you’ll definitely want to get this; ditto (I imagine) if you’d followed the recent Spidey 2099 series…or if you’re just a fan of Peter David‘s work. And of course, if you’re an Avengers fan this could almost be titled Avengers 2099, except its timing is such that it gets the Secret Wars branding foremost, and may prove to take on the entirety of the 2099 stuff, with just this first issue so focused on the Avengers team.

Recommended, definitely one of the more interesting of the tie-ins so far.

Filed under: 2015 posts, 2015 Reviews, MARVEL, Marvel Universe, Secret Wars (Event) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Deadpool #31 [Review]

Posted on January 15, 2011 by Walt

I Rule, You Suck (Conclusion)

Writer: Daniel Way
Pencils: Bong Dazo
Inks: Jose Pimentel
Colorist: Andres Mossa
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover Artist: Dave Johnson
Assistant Editor: Jody Leheup
Editor: Axel Alonso
Published by: Marvel Comics

Story-wise, there’s not a whole lot to this issue. Deadpool’s trapped in a hospital, trying to keep a young doctor alive while killing vampires of the Claw Sect (who have infiltrated the hospital). Amidst the fighting, we get an extremely amusing moment in one of Deadpool’s hallucinations, riffing on Twilight. We also get to see Deadpool spring a couple of traps that are really quite smart–and the flashback to seeing him setting the first struck me as funny in its own way, even while thinking what an awesome moment of planning ahead it was…I’m surprised I’ve never seen that solution used in anything else with vampires before. The issue ends on a bit of a sad note…one can’t help but feel for Deadpool here.

The art by Dazo continues to impress me. There’s something to the visual style Dazo brings to the book that works really well for me, and there was nothing that jumped out at me as complaint-worthy. This looks and feels like the Deadpool I’ve come to enjoy the last couple years, and remains a great-looking comic.

I’d not been following Deadpool for a few months–waiting instead to pick up collected volumes–but the cover of the previous issue drew me in; and especially for discovering this would be only a 2-part story, there was no way I wasn’t going to get this issue. This series continues to surprise me at how much I enjoy it. The enjoyment this time is as much in the story as it is in that the cover price seems to be holding–for present–at “only” $2.99. as well as the fact that this was a highly-enjoyable Deadpool arc of only 2 issues rather than being drawn out across six issues.

The cover shows this as a tie-in to the recently-concluded Curse of the Mutants arc from X-Men…this is a thematic tie-in, but can be read and enjoyed entirely without that story, and vice-versa. This–along with the previous issue–make a great little set for Deadpool fans unwilling to commit to six issues but who want to read a well-done Deadpool story set inside current continuity, interacting with the goings-on of the Marvel Universe.

All in all…this is my favorite issue of the week for sheer enjoyment. Definitely recommended.

Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Whole: 8.5/10

Filed under: Curse of the Mutants (event), Deadpool, MARVEL, Marvel Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Amazing Spider-Man #611 [Review]

Posted on November 15, 2009 by Walt

This Man, This [Expletive Deleted]

Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Eric Canete
Colorist: Andres Mossa
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Asst. Editor: Tom Brennan
Editor: Stephen Wacker
Exec. Editor: Tom Brevoort
Publisher: Marvel Comics

I never expected to be reviewing–much less BUYING–an issue of this title given the current status quo. I’m one of those who has zero interest in the current Spider-Man post-One-More-Day. That I bought this issue at all is high praise to the draw of Deadpool. And, as I’d hoped…this felt more like a Deadpool title than Spider-Man.

The issue opens with Deadpool amidst a bunch of mostly recognizeable Marvel Women taking a phone call about a new job. Of course, this plays out in typical Deadpool-fashion and manages to reference/poke fun at a couple notable points of Spider-Man comics the last couple years. Even the “Previously Page” is given some hokiness, breaking the “fourth wall” having the Marvel EIC and other editors give the situation-so-far. We then quickly move into seeing Spider-Man in action against Lady Stilt-Man and all the ridiculousness one can imagine. Deadpool steps in and he and Spidey fight (though the fight devolves to juvenile “yo mamma” trade-offs). Finally, Deadpool attains his goal, and the scene shifts to show us the real purpose of Deadpool taking on Spidey, with a fairly major character now lying dead, as this title heads into something called “The Gauntlet.”

I’m not familiar with the artist…and honestly, this issue did absolute zero to make me want to get familiar. The style is rather stylistic…but really does not at all fit what I’d expect of something with Deadpool (or Spider-Man, for that matter). If I wasn’t 1. so stoked about Deadpool as written by Joe Kelly and/or 2. never bothered to look inside the issue before purchase, due to knowledge of Deadpool’s presence and the “regular” cover being the one I wanted*…I’d recommend against this for anyone but those already following and enjoying the title.

(* see how I’ll use the asterisk to note something? Sort like Deadpool and his “voices.” I specifically avoided a recent issue of Hulk that had Deadpool in it, due to the fact that the cover I wanted turned out to be a 1:200 or so ratioed-variant. I’d’ve avoided this issue had it been the same set-up.)

Where this issue succeeds is in feeling like a Deadpool story guest-starring Spider-Man. As I have zero interest in Spidey’s current status quo, this issue worked very well by not dealing with it in any focal manner. I recognize background characters–Madame Web, and Mattie in particular–and see how they provide a sort of “framing sequence” that marks this as a sort of “prologue” to The Gauntlet.

Where this issue fails is in establishing anything to bring me back next issue. This felt like a one-off, and though I’m mildly intrigued by what was set up here…I’m still not at all interested in actually investing in the next arc.

Deadpool fan? This is well worth picking up, if you don’t mind the art. Regular reader of The Amazing Spider-Man? This’ll probably be right up your alley and have more significance for you than me (not having touched a Spider-Man comic in close to two years).

Final thought: The cover is great. And yet realy has nothing to do with the issue. This is the sort of image that would make a great ad in that regard…and I daresay I’d buy a poster if they made one of this image.

Story: 7/10
Art: 3/10
Whole: 5/10

Filed under: Amazing Spider-Man, Comic Reviews 2009, MARVEL, Marvel Universe | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »