What You Should Have Read #20

Avengers

I’m a little surprised that Avengers: The Origin hasn’t happened before this. If you’re familiar with the Avengers and how they got together, then this isn’t new for anybody. This just updates the team’s origin and let’s us know it’s updated by throwing in computers and email. Also, and maybe this was already known and maybe not, but apparently Stark Industries developed Shield’s helicarrier. It is a good read, though, and it’s pretty to look at.

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers. I didn’t notice Cap’s shield on the cover, or else WWII as the setting wouldn’t have been such a shock. Well, I guess the title was a bit of a hint, too. So this is the first meeting of Cap and the Black Panther, but I think we can safely assume that this isn’t T’Challa, but most likely his father or grandfather. It’s a good story. I like how Gabe (that’s his name, right?) is getting some panel time, but he’s not being exploited by writer Reginald Hudlin as the only black member of the Howling Commandoes. I like the limited use of color (hmm, that phrase seems to take on a new meaning) by Pete Pantazis. It really makes Denys Cowan’s art pop when we eventually do get a bright splash of color. So yeah, I guess I like this book.

I normally don’t enjoy solo mini-series for characters I enjoy so much on a team. Sometimes a character works better as a member of the X-Men or the Avengers rather than fighting the good fight solo. But I thought I’d check out New Avengers: Luke Cage before dismissing it, and I liked the first issue. It’s Cage dealing with something in his past, which seems to be the default theme of mini-series like this. But it’s brought to the here-and-now by throwing in a couple of Spider-Man baddies and respecting the current continuity. So kudos to writer John Arcudi for that. I don’t recall ever having seen artist Eric Canete’s work before, but so far I’m impressed. He does a good job of not making all of the background/minor characters look the same, and there’s an energy to the work that I like. Hopefully I’ll be just as impressed with the remaining two issues of the mini.

Realm of Kings

Realm of Kings: Son of Hulk seems to have nothing to do with the rest of the crossover. Whereas the other books deal with creatures in or from the Fault, this is only tangentially related. It’s also done nothing to make me like this character any more. It looks like the only thing decent that might come from this series is the “resurrection” of the Micronauts.

Second Coming

Although it’s set during the events of Messiah Complex, I’m putting Cable here since Second Coming is a direct result of MC. I never read the Cable/Deadpool series, but now I’m thinking I need to go back and do just that. This issue was great. The chemistry between these characteristically polar opposites was great. These two characters need to get together again. I’d love to see what happens when Deadpool meets a grown-up Hope. That could be fun.

If this issue of Uncanny X-Men is doing what I think it’s doing, it’s doing a good job of it. Sure, it’s throwing a bunch of stuff at Cable and Hope, but we’re seeing Cyclops functioning as a competent and able leader with talented and ready crew. It’s like we’re being set up for an easy win early in the game, so I’m expecting that, within another issue or two, the shit is going to hit the fan and our mutant heroes will be taken down a few pegs. That’s a good way to handle a story like this, so kudos to writer Matt Fraction. I really like the use of Cypher here. I always thought he was a useless character, but the upgrades he’s been given have made him pretty indispensable to Cyclops.

Spider-Man

Uhhhhh, Spider-Man: Fever was just a bit too trippy for me. I have no idea who Brendan McCarthy is, but his style is pretty reminiscent of an underground comic creator, and his artwork at times reminds me of Peter Bagge. Half the book is a crazy LSD trip, and I’m assuming that all of the next issue will be similar. Good effort, but no thanks.

 

Ultimate

Well, I guess we learned who one of the characters is on one of the variant covers to issue #1 of Ultimate X. I don’t like this look for Jean Grey and hopes she goes back to something a bit more normal. Other than that, though, this was a good issue showing us what Jean has been doing since Scott’s death. Special people just can’t live mundane lives, at least not in comic books. I wonder if this first arc will introduce us to one of those cover characters each issue. I’m okay with that. I guess next issue we’ll learn how Jimmy found Jean and if Kitty is with him.

Wolverine

From one Captain America in last month’s Wolverine: Weapon X to another one in this month’s. As with last month’s bar hopping of Logan and Steve, it wasn’t the action that really brought this book home (although the fight with the Deathloks was good). It was one tiny thing: Bucky having dinner and talking about food in Russia. It’s the little things like that that humanize these characters and make them just a teensy bit more relatable and a lot more likable. I have no speculations on the identity of The General. I don’t often like to do that. It tends to ruin the revelation for me whether I’m right or not. If I’m right, then the surprise is ruined, and if I’m wrong, I’m disappointed because I’m wrong. I’ll just enjoy it for what it is.

World War Hulks

The last time I paid any attention to Rick and Marlo, Marlo had moved on to women and was seeing Moondragon. What happened with that? Eh, I guess it’s moot. Did we really have to see them taking a relationship break? That could have been covered off panel. The Talbot story was a good way of showing what kind of a soldier he is and what we might expect from him. The Cosmic Hulk (blech) story was more of a Betty/Glenn story. I thought the Samson story in a recent issue of Hulk was much more illustrative of Leonard than this small story. The Red She-Hulk story was a good continuation from her Hulk back-ups, but I don’t really like her as a character. The Hulkpool story could have been better. Arguing Hulk monologues would have been a plus. But at least we learned how Red Hulk got Deadpool into a duffel bag. I was really hoping for more from the first issue of World War Hulks, maybe of the actual war rather than some vignettes.

Other Marvel Books

Just when I thought Marvel milked their zombies for all they were worth, Marvel Zombies 5 comes along, and I’m still interested. So far, I like the premise. Machine Man and Howard the Duck are traversing parallel worlds that have been infected by zombie plagues in the hopes of finding the cure for the plague on their world. Wait, is their world the 616 Marvel Universe? Does Deadpool’s decapitated zombie head count as an infestation, or am I forgetting something from the ending of the last zombie mini-series? Either way, I think I’m going to enjoy their trip through the multiverse, hopefully in ways that I didn’t enjoy Deadpool’s recent jaunt in Prelude to Deadpool Corps.

Stephen King’s N. is freaking me the fuck out. And Alex Maleev’s art is doing a great job of giving it that extremely spooky ambiance. It’s weird. I don’t like horror stuff. I’m very easily scared. But I’ve been a fan of Stephen King since I was in middle school, maybe a bit earlier. He hasn’t helped in my trials as a scaredy cat. This book isn’t helping either. Lately king’s work has been less spooky and a bit more suspenseful. This has got classic King. Spooky creature. Ordinary people struggling to keep this creature at bay. Ordinary people failing. I’m loving this and getting freaked out at the same time.

For right now, I’m just assuming that S.H.I.E.L.D. takes place in an alternate reality. That has to be the only reason why we’ve never heard of the Brood attacking ancient Egypt of Galileo taking out Galactus. And Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic’s dads working for “S.H.I.E.L.D.” in a secret city deep under Rome in the ‘50s? Yeah, it’s gotta be an alternate reality. Doesn’t it? And who’s the guy with the Eternity or Captain Universe-like body?

Justice League/Society

Flash Secret Files and Origins is a pretty handy book, and it’s got a good tease for the new Flash series about to be released. The story is pretty forgettable, but it throws in a couple of interesting nuggets. First, apparently all the speedsters connected to the speed force are now drawn to Barry and his emotions. Ooooookay. Second, the Rogues have a contingency plan should Barry ever return…which he has. So let the speculations on what that play is…begin! The rest of the book is filled with dossiers on just about everybody important in the Flash’s world. Regular readers get to bone up, and new readers get a quick introduction to everyone. It’s kind of win-win.

Can somebody clear something up for me? Does JSA All-Stars take place before or after Blackest Night? If it’s before, then this story needs to wrap up quickly so it can get back into continuity. If it’s after, I guess Damage was resurrected along with a bunch of the other heroes via the White Lantern. My biggest problem with this issue was the relative ease with which Anna Fortune captured the King of Tears. He was a pretty big deal for the JSA when the team re-formed and we were first introduced to Johnny Sorrow. He took out the Spectre, right? And this girl shoots him and captures him? I don’t think so. I liked the Stargirl and Atom Smasher scenes, though. I hope those crazy kids can make it.

Last Stand of New Krypton

All this just to have Kandor rebottled in Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton? That seems like a colossal waste of comic book pages. It looks as though Zod has planned for this. Will this actually end up being master tactician Zod against brilliant Coluan and strategist Brainiac-5? Or the two teaming up against Brainiac? Ugh, I still don’t care at all. I just want to see this through.

Superman

As much as I like the writing and art of Superman: Secret Origin, I don’t like the fact that it’s here. I mean, I understand the need to revise a character’s origin every now and then. I just question the need to do that to Superman now. I like Metallo’s previous origin. I don’t like that Perry White is the editor of a tabloid rag and not a respected paper. I don’t like that Johns is shoehorning General Lane into Superman’s origin to better fit his current xenophobia. When John Byrne did this in the mid-‘80s, Crisis had just happened and this was an easy thing to do. Superman was pretty much a new hero. Now he’s just an existing hero who is being changed. But still, great art by Gary Frank.

Other Books

I don’t know which issue of The Boys it’ll happen in, but Hughie’s going to get an ass whooping from Butcher, and he’s not even going to know why. Y’know, lately I’ve been so tired of Garth Ennis, from his war stuff to his Avatar-published books, but I’m still enjoying The Boys. There’s still a lot of shock value in the book, but there’s a point to it. There’s still a good story behind it, and it’s not the sole purpose for the book.

I don’t know if I should be, but I’m confused as hell after reading this month’s issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8. I understand that explanations about this entire “season” were attempted, but they just didn’t click with me. I still don’t understand what Twilight is or really what the connection is between Angel and Buffy. I don’t like to admit when comic book concepts are over my head, so I’d rather just blame it on poor or vague writing. I’m going to hope that it all comes together for me in the end.

I’d like to do all I can to forget the G.I. Joe movie. But it seems IDW has gone and given Ripcord a bit of the movie treatment when focusing on him in G.I. Joe: Origins. Surprisingly, I’m okay with this. These past two issues did a great job of showing why Weems was chosen to be a Joe and how resourceful he is. It was a great story, regardless of the movie influence.

This Week's Prospects

Action Comics #888
Adventure Comics #10
Brightest Day #0
Daredevil #506
Ender's Game: The League War
Fables #94
Flash #1
Irredeemable Special #1
Siege: Captain America #1
Siege: Loki #1
Siege: Young Avengers #1
Spider-Man: Origin of Hunter #1
Ultimate Enemy #3
World War Hulks: Hulked-Out Heroes #1

Comic Book Reviews for the Week of Dec. 3, 2008 (Limited Series)

Battlefields: The Night Witches #2

With this issue we get a better view of the Germans on the ground who might have given the Night Witches their name. I was a bit shocked by the gang rape, but I wouldn’t be a decent human if I weren’t. At least there was that lone voice of reason, so Germans as a whole weren’t demonized. I’m a bit surprised that this is only a three-issue mini. It seems like there’s more story there.

Chuck #6

As with the TV show, this was incredibly corny. But also like the TV show, it was extremely fun and enjoyable. The Capt. Awesome back-up, though, was decidedly not awesome. In fact, it was downright stupid. Hell, if they needed filler material so bad, just go old school and throw in some pin-ups. It’s Wildstorm. There are tons of crazy-good artists who I’d love to see do a pin-up of Chuck and the gang.

Crossed #2

I’m really not sure what to make of this series. The art by Burrows is as consistent as ever. I expect graphic shit from him, and I’m by no means disappointed. It’s just the actual story. I mean, I also expect graphic stuff from Ennis, but this just feels different. Maybe I’m just burned out on zombie stories (yeah, I know these aren’t zombies in the strictest sense of the word, but it’s pretty fuckin’ close). Maybe it’s the sexual twist that Ennis put in. Other than that, I’m not really finding much difference than you’re run-of-the-mill zombie tale. Maybe he should just stick to military stories.

Ender’s Shadow: Battle School #1

I haven’t read the Shadow books, but I’ve always meant to. I remember Bean being a little shit in Ender’s Game, so I’m glad (and a little horrified) to finally get in on his background. I’m not saying I won’t eventually read the Shadow books, but now I know what to expect. Bean definitely is a scrawny little thing. This issue got him into the Battle School, so I’m hoping next issue we’ll see parallel’s made between him and Ender. And really, that’s already been done. We’ve seen what’s lead up to both kids being sent up to the Battle School. While physically and socially Ender and Bean may be totally different, it looks like they may have a common thought process. I’m loving the Card and King adaptations.

Haunted Tank #1

“A mistake has been made.”

Not a bad issue at all. We’re quickly brought up to speed regarding who JEB Stuart is and why he’s around to help out armored cavalry. Then we get joke: his ancestor this time around is black. This was pretty much an introductory issue that allowed us to meet General Stuart and Sergeant Stuart and his tank crew. While we got some decent but quick action this issue, I’m hoping we’ll get some more in the next one.

Marvel Zombies 3 #3

“Stop that robot! Bring me whichever part of it can feel pain…so I can stab it repeatedly!”

The zombies’ plan is revealed, but can Aaron make it back to Jocasta in time to stop her from delivering the final piece of the “inoculation?” No, he can’t. He gets himself blowed up. I’m a little disappointed in the lack of humor in this series, or how when we do get it, it’s pretty forced. The humor doesn’t flow nearly as well as it did in the last two series. Oh, and look at that. Almost everyone at A.R.M.O.R. is now infected thanks to zombie Morbius. How will Portal and Jocasta end up stopping this?

Marvels: Eye of the Camera #1

I think I was expecting something different. I expected it to pick up sometime after the previous series. But this issue seems to take place somewhere in the middle, right when the Silver Age Marvel Universe was being born. We’re reintroduced to Phil Sheldon and his family, but the first series isn’t really reference at all. At one point, quickly, in passing, he brings up Maggie. If I’m not mistaken, I think she was a little mutant girl that he saved from an angry mob or something like that. Other than that, though, there was nothing. We don’t know at what point in time the issue ends, just that it’s a few years after the intro of the Fantastic Four and the others. I’m assuming now we’re past where we left off in Marvels. It’ll be interesting to see where Phil goes from here.

Projet Superpowers #1/2

Either I missed it and never realized it or I had forgotten that the Dynamic Forces (all of them, or just Man and Boy?) are robots. And really, how self-serving can you be? Dynamite Entertainment is owned by Dynamic Forces, the online store that sells signed and special comic book merchandise, right? Or at least owned by the same guy? Of course, I guess it’s no different than Marvel having a Captain Marvel (or three) running around. This was a quick yet decent issue that gave us a brief glimpse inside Dynamic Man and Boy.

Sandman: The Dream Hunters #2

What a beautiful story. Someone has set out to kill the monk, while the fox creeps around to protect him, getting injured and trapped in dreams for her trouble. I really need to read the original version. Russell is doing an awesome and visually stunning job of adapting this thing.

Secret Invasion #8

Wow. Norman Osborn is having the best year ever (VH1 got it SO wrong). I cannot wait to see how that last page plays out. Osborn, The Hood, Loki, Dr. Doom, Namor, and The White Queen (isn’t she still a good guy?), all in cahoots. Nice. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a universe-wide crossover this much since Infinity Gauntlet. We’ve got actual repercussion rather than a reset to the status quo. We’ve got deaths. We’ve got “resurrections” (I would have been okay had some of them stayed dead). We’ve got a new status quo. And we’ve got a new pariah. I think this might be enough to drive Tony back to the bottle. I really want to see this played up in the Amazing Spider-Man. Norman Osborn is his arch enemy. This has to get more than just a passing mention. Kudos to Bendis and Yu and all involved with this story. This starts a new era in the Marvel Universe, and I’m glad I’m around to witness it.

Secret Invasion: Front Line #5

Oh no, Ben’s wife died? And he wasn’t there…how sad. I enjoyed this Front Line series much more than the Civil War one. It seemed more about real people, and we only got brief glimpses of the super heroes. Because of the last page, I’m hoping we’ll see a Dark Reign: Front Line series. With the death of his wife and his past with Osborn, I would assume this would consume Ben’s life. It’s a story someone needs to write and won’t be able to fit in Amazing Spider-Man or Daredevil, although with his relationships with both characters, his current situation should at least be brought up in both titles.

Terror Titans #3

All right, so Dreadbolt killed his dad, big deal. The shocker (hah!) here was the introduction of Static into the DCU proper. I knew the Milestone characters were coming over, I just didn’t expect Static to turn up here. I never read his comic, but I really enjoyed the cartoon…which was set in the animated DCU proper, so there’s that. So how long has he been here? He’s the reigning champion, so I would assume a while now. I’m looking forward to how this plays out.

Trinity #27

Amidst some page-filling fighting and Tarot and Charity trying to figure out what’s going on, Morgaine and Enigma recruit Konvict to the cause. I guess this was kind of a filler issue, getting us ready for heroes to go up against the unholy Trinity. I had been hoping that we’d seen the last of that horny gorilla, but I guess not.

Vixen: Return of the Lion #3

Again, beautiful artwork, but a lack of backgrounds. It makes me wonder if they’re just not Cafu’s strength and it’s a good thing the story is set in a pretty sparse setting, or if it’s just that we don’t get to see his background work because the story is set in a pretty sparse setting. I wonder what he’s got lined up next? The story is staying consistently decent, but Mari’s power being inside her was telegraphed a couple of pages earlier.

Wolverine: Manifest Destiny #2

The thing that still grabs me about this book is how similar Stephen Segovia’s artwork looks in comparison to Lionel Francis Yu’s. And has Wolverine ever had a girlfriend that wasn’t in some way a villain or at least connected to one? Even Mariko at one point led the Hand. I’m having a hard time getting into this. And Rock of the Buddha looks ridiculous. Is that a giant ball necklace? Seems ‘twould be a hindrance. Soulstriker was pretty cool, though. And at the end we’re dropped right into a Bruce Lee movie. Eh. Just eh.

Xena/Army of Darkness: What…again? #2

Ash, Xena, Gabrielle and Autolocus get thrown around different classic stories after trying to escape from a bunch of Deadites. There’s nothing high-brow about the show, but it’s pretty fun.

X-Infernus #1

Okay, I’ve got no idea what’s going on here, but I like it. The last time I was reading all of the X-Men titles regularly, Illyana was dead due to the Legacy Virus. So she’s alive and in Limbo. Is this Illyana from a different point in the timeline? I don’t know. I’ll have to look it up. But it looks like Pixie (whom I don’t know) has part of her soul (a soul dagger), and Nightcrawler had A soul sword, and maybe it’s Illyana’s and maybe it’s not, I don’t know, but whatever happened when Pixie pulled it out of Nightcrawler, it was enough to bring Darkchylde into the Danger Room. This should be fun.
X-Men: Manifest Destiny #4

I’m still out of the loop about Iceman and his powers. For me, this is all rehashing stuff Bobby went through with the White Queen. Cessily is new to me, too, but I’m getting sick of all the different X-kids and X-Men who bitch and moan about being different. It’s been done to death. Try something new. I guess Nightcrawler’s story had to be told, but something extremely similar is done almost any time an X-person dies. The entire issue seemed to be a retread.

X-Men: Worlds Apart #2
The Shadow King is toying with Ororo by controlling both Cyclops and Black Panther. She had no problem blowing Scott up while he was flying to San Fran to get rid of the X-Men, but things are a bit harder when you’re fighting a husband that wants to kill you. All the while she still has to protect her mutant ward, who killed a man while under the Shadow King’s control. Farouk is making things a bit difficult for Ororo. It’s a good story that shows her being pulled between two very different lives, one as an X-Man and one as a queen.

X-Men: Noir #1

Oh, I hope the Spider-Man book is better than this. It’s just not my thing. The art was too dark and sometimes it was difficult to tell who was who, and the story just didn’t grab me. I’ll pick up the Spidey story, but I think I’m done with the X-Men.

Comic Book Reviews for the Week of Nov. 5, 2008 (Mini Series)

Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel#1

The Blue Marvel. A new, ret-conned superhero that comes complete with his own ret-conned arch-nemesis, Anti-Man. His last fight with Anti-Man was June 4, 1962, so I’m assuming this takes place just days before the Fantastic Four show up on the scene and the Age of Marvels starts. But because of his race, he’s asked, by President Kennedy no less, to step down because the U.S. wouldn’t be able to handle a black superhero (hmm, this comic is released the same week that the first black President of the U.S. has been elected…eerie). I wonder what die hard Black Panther fans will think of this, or even thought of the introduction of Isaiah Bradley, a black man who preceded Steve Rogers as the first Captain America? BP has been regarded as THE first black (not African American, since he’s not American) superhero in the Marvel universe. This is an interesting premise, one that I hope is handled better than the convoluted mess that is the Sentry’s backstory.

Back to Brooklyn #2

I’ll say this for him, Garth Ennis is a consistently good writer. He may not always have a homerun like Preacher, Hellblazer or the Punisher, but he almost always gets a base hit. I think any fan of Ennis’ MAX Punisher series would enjoy this. My only gripe is with the artwork. It seems so stiff, and the characters are difficult to tell apart. I also don’t like the washed-out coloring.

Civil War: House of M #3

Another good issue, although I still think the title should be reversed (House of M: Civil War). Even though we know how the story is going to end, it’s interesting to see how the world got the way it was in House of M. I’ll have to go through my back issues, but did we see why Steve Rogers isn’t around but Bucky is? And I guess with the addition of Mimic to Bucky’s little strike force, not all mutants share Magneto’s, or even Xavier’s, views. Two more issues to go.

Marvel Zombies 3 #2

“Aw, snap! She’s a mannequin!”

Well, Fred Van Lente certainly has Kirkman’s fanboy disease. Portal? He’s using Portal in the series? He must be a Darkhawk fan. So this series looks like it actually takes place between the first two Marvel Zombie minis. I guess this’ll explain what happened while the other group was in space. The novelty of this has ALMOST worn off, but not quite, especially now that it’s robots vs. zombies!

Sub-Mariner: The Depths #3

This is still an engaging story, even though we haven’t seen more than bits and pieces of Namor. Maybe that’s why it’s probably the most compelling Sub-Mariner story I’ve read. I’ve never like the character; he seems so one-dimensional. Focusing on the submarine crew and the legend of Namor seems to be the way to go.

Terror Titans #2

Pretty decent, by-the-book mini here. We see the results of some 3rd-tier-hero fights, but not the fights themselves. Some of them would have been nice to see. I didn’t understand the Argent/Sapphire fight. From the art, it looked like Argent actually won. I’m wondering if Ravager is working on a little sting operation to prove herself to the Teen Titans.

Sandman: The Dream Hunters #1

This is an adaptation of a book that I haven’t read. I think I need to. This first issue was very well written (it’s a Sandman story by Gaiman, so why wouldn’t it be?) and beautifully illustrated by P. Craig Russell. It tells the story of a monk and a fox, how they meet, and what happens to them. Morpheus does not appear in the book, but it definitely fits in the Sandman mythos. I can’t wait for the next issue.

Ultimatum #1

Not the best first issue I’ve seen. I actually felt a greater sense of loss when Magneto blew up the Brooklyn (or was it the George Washington) Bridge in Ultimate X-Men. There was just too much going on to really make an impact. Jeph Loeb is just taking a hit from me lately. I don’t think he’s the right fit for the Ultimate universe. I will give him kudos, though, for being right on top of where all the titles are. As for David Finch, I can take him or leave him; it all depends on my mood. I liked him on Ascension and thought he was okay with Avengers and Ultimate X-Men, but I thought it was kind of ugly here. So, the book isn’t off to the greatest start, but I’ve got hope that it’ll get better.

Venom: Dark Origin #4

This has been a fascinating mini-series. We all thought we knew what we needed to know about Venom’s origin, right? I guess not. When telling a story like this for someone who has been around, what, 20 years, you can assume there’s going to be some retconning. What I’ve found, though, has been insignificant. When we first met Eddie’s wife in or around Amazing Spider-Man #375, she was white. Here she’s black. Big deal. In this issue we get to relive the classic being-pushed-in-front-of-the-subway-with-no-warning-from-his-spider-sense scene, but here it’s an elevated train, not the subway. Again, very minor. I was hoping we’d see the scene where Spidey’s crawling up a building and Eddie grabs his leg and tries to throw him off, but the MJ scene from the end of ASM #299 was extended instead. Good call. Zeb Wells is doing a superb job on this mini, and Angel Medina was made to draw Venom. But with the focus being on Eddie here, I wonder if he’s eventually going to get the suit back? I like Gargan as Venom, and Eddie as Anti-Venom (Corny!) is very neat. I’m looking forward to the conclusion next month.

Vixen: Return of the Lion

Meh. Dull story, beautiful art.

X-Men: Manifest Destiny #3

I feel like the Iceman story is just going over ground already covered when the White Queen took over his body for a while. He’s still got a villainous female putting him through the motions. The Graymalkin origin story was good. Having Yanick Paquette draw it was a good choice since he does the artwork on Young X-Men. I wonder, though, why Graymalkin wasn’t freed any of the other times the mansion was or grounds were destroyed? The Colossus story was pretty depressing, and as much as Wolverine tried to lighten things up, I think it was Santo who actually provided the comic relief. As depressing as it was, it was a story that needed to be told since Peter and Kitty were so close.

X-Men/Spider-Man #1

What we’ve got here is a decent throw-back story that seems to know its continuity. It’s not a bad story, and as I was getting to the end it looked like it was wrapping up as a one-shot and not a mini-series. But then a mystery villain (who is VERY mysterious for the time period) makes himself known, and we’ve got a good set-up for the next issue. Kudos to Gage. As for Mario Alberti, I’m disliking most of the art. When it doesn’t look like a Tim Sale clone, it’s just ugly. Except for the women, that is. He has a knack for drawing extremely gorgeous women. Go figure.