Albert Avilla Reviews: Avengers Vs. X-Men Round 11

Avengers Vs. X-Men Round 11 (Avengers vs. X-Men #11)
Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis with Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, Matt Fraction
Pencils: Olivier Coipel
Inks: Mark Morales
Colors: Laura DePuy
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Covers: Jim Cheung, Sara Pichelli, Justin Ponsor

It's not issue 11. It's round 11, because a real Marvel throw-down is about to start. If you're going to have about a million characters in a story, then you better deliver the action. This was accomplished big time. Xavier was cool hands in his pockets while holy hell was being unleashed around him. This was an intervention on the cosmic level, and Cyclops wasn't having any of it. The moral compass of the mutant race has become a power mad tyrant willing to do whatever it takes to remake the world in his own image. He's saving the mutant race if he has to kill every one of them to do it. Does he remember that Jean sacrificed herself to stop the Phoenix Force? He basks in the power that he has fought to prevent. He's doing a great job of getting mutants and humans to work together. Olay, I'm going off on a tangent. This has been the best round in the match so far.

Just the art in this round was worth the $3.99. Majestic is the word that comes to mind. The landscapes add to the immensity of the story. The pages are not large enough to contain the action; you can feel the power exploding from the pages. My copy is nowhere near mint, because I've thumbed through it so many times enjoying the art.

I rate this round Recommend It to a Friend.

I Reads You Review: THE ROCKETEER: CARGO OF DOOM #1

"Back in the sky high saddle, again..."

THE ROCKETEER: CARGO OF DOOM #1

IDW PUBLISHING

WRITER: Mark Waid
ARTIST: Chris Samnee
COLORS: Jordie Bellaire
LETTERS: Shawn Lee
EDITOR: Scott Dunbier
COVERS: Chris Samnee with Dave Stewart – Cover A
Dave Stevens with Laura Martin – Cover B and Jetpack Comics Cover
Chris Samnee with Jordie Bellaire – Cover RIA
Chris Samnee – Cover RIB
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

The Rocketeer is a comic book character created by artist and illustrator, Dave Stevens (who died in March of 2008). The Rocketeer is Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious jet pack that allows him to fly, and his adventures are set mainly in Los Angeles in and after the year 1938.

The Rocketeer returned to comic books in 2011 in Rocketeer Adventures. Edited by Scott Dunbier and published by IDW Publishing, this anthology comic book was a tribute to Stevens and featured Rocketeer short stories from some of the premiere creators in American comic books. Now, the adventure continues in the new series, The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom, from writer Mark Waid and artist Chris Samnee.

The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom #1 opens in 1940. Cliff dons his Rocketeer garb and gear to rescue two people from a struggling airplane. One of those people is Sally, the young niece of Peevy, Cliff’s best pal and the one mechanic who can tinker with the Rocketeer’s jetpack. Sally has a mad crush on Cliff, and Cliff’s actress/bombshell girlfriend, Betty, is fuming about the crush and Sally. Meanwhile, something wicked has just docked at the port in Los Angeles, and the sinister mastermind targets The Rocketeer.

As much as I liked both Rocketeer Adventures series (or at least parts of Vol. 2), I wanted IDW to publish an actual Rocketeer story arc. I was excited to discover The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom while reading the list of comic books shipping this week (8/22/). I was immediately determined to get my hands on this comic book, and having just read it, I am not disappointed.

When Mark Waid is on, the comic books he writes are fun to read. In Cargo of Doom, he uses dialogue to form the characters for readers, and crackling dialogue is always preferable to a psycho-babble when it comes to developing comic book characters. This is why I think someone like Waid is more of a natural at creating comic book than other writers who seem to have some kind of quasi-literary credibility. Under Waid’s care, Peevy hasn’t been this spicy since Dave Steven’s original comics. As for the characters’ actions, Waid also makes that clear and straightforward, from the lecherous government agent to the mercurial Guptmann.

I had been planning on reading some comic books drawn by Chris Samnee, but I was reluctant to try some of his Marvel Comics work if that meant figuring out whatever is going on in the Marvel Universe. Samnee’s art bears similarities to the work of Darwyn Cooke, David Mazzuchelli (Batman: Year One era), and Bruce Timm, while remaining uniquely his own style. Samnee’s figure drawing is killer, and there is a bit of classicism in the way he poses characters, as if he were drawing human bodies for academic critics.

I must admit that I am not crazy about Cargo of Doom’s cover price, and I may ultimately balk at paying $20 to read the entire series. Still, The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom #1 is one of the year’s best debuts.

A-

I Reads You Review: AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1

"Come back to the Five-and-Dime, Secret Wars, Secret Wars"
AVENGERS VS. X-MEN #1
MARVEL COMICS

STORY: Jason Aaron, Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, and Matt Fraction
SCRIPT: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: John Romita, Jr.
INKS: Scott Hanna
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos
COVERS: Jim Cheung and Justin Ponsor
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

Rated: T+

Marvel Comics’ latest big, event series is Avengers vs. X-Men. This planned 12-issue miniseries pits the Avengers and the X-Men against each other over the return of The Phoenix and its likely host, the Mutant Messiah, Hope Summers.

As Avengers vs. X-Men #1 begins, The Phoenix force makes itself known. Meanwhile, the Avengers deal with a crisis over New York City that threatens both civilians and landmarks. This crisis, however, is merely a harbinger of things to come concerning The Phoenix, a threat that both the Avengers and the White House take seriously. What they decide to do about it leads straight to the X-Men. When Captain America approaches Cyclops, will the mutant leader want to hear what the Avenger has to say?

I found the prologue to this event, Avengers vs. X-Men #0, to be surprisingly blasé. Avengers vs. X-Men #1 is a bit more exciting, mainly because its focus is conflict, whereas #0 offered character vignettes (and not very interesting ones, at that). From the destruction depicted early in this issue to the New York City disaster scene to the designation of the X-Men as a nexus point, this first issue clearly presages a superhero “pay-per-view” wrestling match.

One thing that certainly surprises me is how simply told this comic book is. None of that sophisticated, faux-Mamet drama here: this is Secret Wars-like in its punch-to-settle-differences ethos. Even John Romita, Jr.’s pencil art is retro-cool, lacking photo-realism and exaggerated detail in the figure drawing (especially on the musculature).

There is no telling where this narrative will go when new writers and artists take over in the later issues, but for now, I find this straight-forward superhero battle to be quaint, but fun to read. I won’t lie and say that it is great, but Avengers vs. X-Men #1 is nice.

B

Leroy Douresseaux on ROCKETEER ADVENTURES #2

ROCKETEER ADVENTURES #2
IDW PUBLISHING

WRITERS: Mark Waid, Darwyn Cooke, Lowell Francis
ARTISTS: Chris Weston, Darwyn Cooke, Gene Ha
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Chris Mowry, Darwyn Cooke
PIN-UP: Geof Darrow with Dave Stewart
COVER: Alex Ross (alternate cover by Dave Stevens with Laura Martin)
32pp, Color, $3.99

Long live The Rocketeer!

The Rocketeer is a superhero created by the late writer/illustrator Dave Stevens that first appeared in 1982. The character’s style and the mode of his adventures are also an homage to the Saturday matinee heroes of the 1930s and 1940s and to adventure movie serials like Republic Picture’s King of the Rocket Men. The Rocketeer’s exploits are mainly set in Los Angeles in and after the year 1938. The Rocketeer made it onto the big screen in a 1991 film from Walt Disney Pictures.

The Rocketeer is Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious jet pack that allows him to fly. Secord’s girlfriend, Bettie Page, is based upon real life, 1950s pin-up and fetish model, Bettie Page.

The Rocketeer has made infrequent comic book appearances in several publications from several publishers. The Rocketeer’s first comic book appearances were in 1982, as backup features in Starslayer, a comic book series by Mike Grell from the now-defunct Pacific Comics. Two more installments of The Rocketeer appeared in Pacific's anthology comic book, Pacific Presents.

The character appeared at Eclipse Comics in Rocketeer Special Edition and in a single-volume graphic novel entitled, The Rocketeer, which concluded the story begun in Starslayer. The character appeared in Rocketeer Adventure Magazine from the now-defunct Comico Comics and also finally at Dark Horse Comics

The Rocketeer returns in Rocketeer Adventures, a new anthology series from IDW Publishing. Edited by Scott Dunbier, Rocketeer Adventures features Rocketeer short stories (about 7 or 8 pages in length) from some of the premiere creators in comic books. Rocketeer Adventures #2 has stories by the teams of Mark Waid and Chris Weston and also Lowell Francis and Gene Ha, with a short story by Darwyn Cooke and a centerfold pin-up from artist Geof Darrow and colorist supreme, Dave Stewart.

I must say that, at a cover price of $3.99, Rocketeer Adventures is a bargain. The art is exceptional, even if most of the stories are, for the most part, mere trifles, though entertaining. Anytime we get to see Dave Stewart’s magnificent comic book coloring, we are in for a treat.

Mark Waid and Chris Weston’s “It Ain’t the Fall that Kills Ya…” features some gorgeous Dave Stevens-inspired art from the talented Weston, a master of composition and a superb draftsman. For Waid’s part, the story is either ironic or is simply unintentionally hypocritical. Lowell Francis and Gene Ha’s “TKO” is clever-lite, a play of mixing an aerial battle with a boxing match. Ha’s execution in the graphical storytelling of “TKO” is skillful. As for the Geof Darrow pin-up – YAWN – been there, seen that.

Leave it to genius Darwyn Cooke to offer this issue’s best story, a slam-bang piece, entitled “Betty Saves the Day.” It is only seven-pages long, but it reads like a great stand-alone, 22-page comic book. An Eisner Award nomination (at least) for best short story is a must.

A-

I Reads You Review: ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS: BLADE VS. THE AVENGERS

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS: BLADE VS. THE AVENGERS
MARVEL COMICS

WRITER: Mark Millar
PENCILS: Steve Dillon
INKS: Andy Lanning and Scott Hanna
COLORS: Matt Hollingsworth with Matthew Wilson and John Rauch
LETTERS: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER: Leinil Francis Yu and Marte Gracia
EXTRA ART: Olivier Coipel and Laura Martin; Greg Land and Frank D’Armata
ISBN: 978-0-7851-4009-2; hardcover
152pp, Color, $24.99 U.S., $27.99 CAN

Several years ago, there were rumors or perhaps a semi-official announcement that Mark Millar was going to be the writer of a new comic book series featuring, Blade, Marvel’s resident vampire hunter. It never came to pass.

Now, Mark Millar writes Blade. Nuff said…

Well, not quite, but Blade gets his name in the title in the new hardcover collection, Ultimate Comics Avengers: Blade vs. The Avengers. Written by Mark Millar and drawn by Steve Dillon, this book reprints Ultimate Avengers 3 #1-6. This story arc sees the Avengers battle a highly-organized attempt at a vampire takeover of the world.

The story begins when Blade gets an offer of a truce from Anthony, a new vampire leader. Mysterious and charismatic, Anthony has encased himself in an old Iron Man suit of armor, making him hard to kill. Anthony’s plot to rule the world involves building an army of superheroes converted into vampires.

After one of their own is bitten and recruited into the vampire army, Nick Fury and his black-ops task force, the Avengers, find themselves on the frontlines fighting to save humankind. The new vampire king rallies all the various vampire clans to his ever-growing number of super-powered Nosferatu. Meanwhile, Fury is wary of half-vampire Blade, who offers his help. Is the Daywalker friend or foe?

This Ultimate Avengers story arc is not so much “Blade vs. The Avengers” as it is The Avengers vs. the vampire apocalypse – with Blade as a character on the periphery. It’s as if Millar didn’t realize that the Blade he was writing is supposed to be a major player and not just a player in a few interludes. Still, what we get of Blade is quite good. Millar’s knack for dialogue makes this a sparkling read. Millar doesn’t just write snark and satire. His dialogue defines the characters mood as well as it colors the scene in which a character speaks. Millar’s Blade is the most attractive since the 1970s Blade of Marv Wolfman and Chris Claremont.

Equally evocative is the art of Steve Dillon. With his clean style, Dillon conveys character, setting, and plot and executes a narrative that is as complex as it is streamlined. For all their photo-realism, cross-hatching, and computer coloring, most artists can’t touch Dillon’s depth of storytelling. For all this story’s craziness, Dillon even manages to wring out a few poignant and dramatic moments.

Yeah, I wanted more Blade, much more Blade, but I like Ultimate Comics Avengers: Blade vs. The Avengers.

B+

Ultimate Comics Avengers: Blade Vs. the Avengers (See all Superheroes Graphic Novels)

I Reads You Review: DETECTIVE COMICS #854

Detective Comics #854
DC COMICS

WRITER: Greg Rucka
ARTISTS: J.H. Williams III, Cully Hamner (backup)
COLORS: Dave Stewart, Laura Martin (backup)
LETTERS: Todd Klein, Jared K. Fletcher (backup)
40pp, Color, $3.99

Elegy Part One, “Agitato”

The Katherine Kane Batwoman began her reign over her very own Batman title in Detective Comics #854. Written by Greg Rucka, this issue is apparently part of the “Batman: Reborn” event, which, if I remember correctly, had something to do with the original Robin (Dick Grayson who now uses the first name, Richard) becoming Batman and Damien Wayne (Batman and Talia al Ghul’s lovechild) becoming the new Robin.

Apparently because Batman and Robin were busy at the time, Gotham City’s newest caped crusader, Batwoman, took on the responsibility of fighting the 13 covens that make up something called the Religion of Crime. Yes, DC Comics is now the “House of Ideas (Not).” That aside, what is now of note about Detective Comics is that Katherine Kane is a lesbian. Rucka even writes a rather dull scene in which Katherine and her lover have a very hetero you-don’t-bring-me-flowers slash you-don’t-sing-me-love-songs-anymore moment.

Dull is the word to describe Detective Comics #854. The fights are uninspired; the character drama falls flat, and the villains are just the latest in the mostly monotonous line of colorful, DC Comics baddies. Thank heavens for the art by J.H. Williams III (pencils and inks) and Dave Stewart (colors).

Williams and Stewart shine on the pages with Batwoman in action scenes. Their inspired art and graphical storytelling present Batwoman as a wraith, depicted in painted art against a backdrop of characters and settings whose colors are all muted to some extent by gray. These scenes look so pretty that I could eat them like candy. The Williams/Stewart art team also does good work on the Kathy Kane-civilian scenes, but even they seem a bit lackluster next to the visually striking superhero scenes.

Rucka redeems himself (a little) on the backup feature, which stars The Question. The venerable character, formerly a white man, is now a Latina named Renee Montoya. In the “Pipeline” story arc, she searches for a missing young Mexican woman. This looks to be the familiar human trafficking/Mexican mafia story, but at least it is better storytelling than the main feature.

B-