I Reads You Review - MARVEL MUST HAVES: Wolverine #20-22

MARVEL MUST HAVES: WOLVERINE #20-22
MARVEL COMICS

WRITERS: Mark Millar
PENCILS: John Romita, Jr.
INKS: Klaus Janson
COLORS: Paul Mounts
LETTERS: VC’s Rus Wooton
ADDITIONAL ART: John Romita, Jr. and Richard Isanove
COVER: John Romita, Jr. with Paul Mounts
80pp, Color, $3.99 U.S., $5.75 CAN

Rated: PSR+

I was going through a stack of comic books that I found in the comics graveyard that part of my house has become. I came across Marvel Must Haves: Wolverine #20-22. I remember reading it or at least some of it some time ago. I do remember why I bought this comic book: it collected a hot story arc.

Mark Millar started writing Wolverine (Vol. 3) around 2004. His first story arc was “Enemy of the State” (Wolverine #20-25), which was drawn by John Romita, Jr., with inks by Klaus Janson and colors by Paul Monts. Because the early issues of “Enemy of the State” were selling out, Marvel Comics collected the first three issues in a “Marvel Must Haves” edition. For a time, Marvel re-offered portions of hot story arcs for readers who wanted to catch up on those stories without having to wait for a trade collection in “Marvel Must Have” comic books.

I can only remember reading part of “Enemy of the State,” but I do remember really liking what I read. I can say, after having recently read the entirety of Marvel Must Haves: Wolverine #20-22, “I gots to read da rest!”

In Wolverine #20, our hero, Wolverine/Logan, arrives in Japan to help an old acquaintance recover his kidnapped son. Instead, Logan finds himself battling ninja, before falling into the clutches of Gorgon, some kind of mutant, ninja-master. This is all part of plot involving three groups: Gorgon’s Dawn of the White Light, The Hand (a ninja outfit), and Hydra. Guest-stars include Nick Fury and Elektra Natchios.

In Wolverine #21, Logan infiltrates a S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft carrier in the South Atlantic Ocean, where he takes on Elektra. Guest-stars include Kitty Pryde and Storm of the X-Men. In Wolverine #22, Logan infiltrates the Baxter Building for a battle royale with the Fantastic Four. Dr. Henry Pym and Tony Stark also guest-star.

I think that Mark Millar is one of the best superhero comic book writers to emerge in the last two decades. I’d place him in a group just behind Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. Who else is in that group with Millar? Later for that is what I’ll say for now. Millar has a knack for creating these rousing stories with great action and suspense set pieces that turn his comic books into potboilers. He can do it without developing character relationships in a meaningful way or offering emotional resonance; his work is action movie comics.

I think this is one of those stories in which Millar’s script is more than just a guide for the artists. His writing dominates, and just about any comic book artist with strong storytelling skills could have done a good job with “Enemy of the State.” Janson’s inking streamlines Romita’s chunky compositions, and Mounts coloring makes the art pop off the page. Still, this is Millar’s show, and it’s a good show.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Rin-ne: Shinigami Rivals

I read RIN-NE, Vol. 10

I posted a review at ComicBookBin (which as free smart phone apps and comics).

Albert Avilla Reviews: Talon #0

Talon #0
DC Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Plot: James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder
Writer: James Tynion
Art: Guillem March

The Long Run (Spoilers!)

When I first looked at the cover, I was thinking, what is this corny B. S.? After reading the story, that is a faded memory soon to be completely lost in the recesses of my mind. No, my thoughts are that Talon is the best new character to come bursting on the scene this month. Everything that I saw as a joke is now awesome in my sight.

In the opening scene, we find eight-year-old Calvin Ross, Talon, locked in a dog kennel by his sick father. His flair for the art of the escape emerges and an escape artist is born. Talon tells his origin during his own failed assassination. Young Calvin escapes to Haly's Circus to become an apprentice to an escape artist and eventually becomes a star in his own right. Calvin is taken by The Court of Owls to be trained to become a Talon. Calvin is won over by The Court of Owls with promises of fighting evil. To become a Talon, Calvin must kill the present Talon. Calvin is quilt ridden after killing the Talon. He continues to amaze The Court by being the first to escape their Labyrinth and becoming the new Talon.

On his first mission, Talon is ordered to kill a twenty-three-year-old heiress and her two-year-old daughter. Instead, Talon rescues Casey and Sarah Washington and once again performs an amazing escape. He is now a target of The Court. The Talon sent to kill Calvin makes the mistake of testing Calvin's skills by locking him in the trunk of a car and dumping it in the river. Calvin once again escapes and defeats the Talon. Now a man on the run, Talon must continue to escape The Court of Owls.

Talon has the potential to be the next big thing. Snyder and Tynion have overcome my prejudgments by creating a fresh new character. Talon’s unique skills take him from being a circus act to an assassin to a hero. Calvin Ross's heroism is demonstrated by his ability to rise above evil's influence throughout his life. Talon does not allow himself to become a victim of circumstance, but fights to forge his own path into heroism. A hero arises from The New 52.

The art is an integral part of the story. It does its part to demonstrate the enormity of the forces arrayed against Talon and the difficulty of the tasks he must accomplish. The immensity of the structures in comparison to Talon is symbolic of the position that Talon finds himself in his struggle against The Court of Owls.

I rate Talon # 0 Buy Your Own Copy. #2 (of 5) on Al-O-Meter Ranking

Albert Avilla Reviews: Secret Avengers #33

Secret Avengers # 33
Marvel Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Andy Kuhn

Rise of the Descendants (Spoilers!)
We have good comic book stuff going on here, and we have bad comic book stuff going on here. We are left with no doubt that Black Ant is a despicable piece of slime. This is revealed in his thoughts about dying a hero and his murder of Max Fury. Heroes are measured by the villainy that they face. I like to hate my villains with a passion. This leads to his betrayal of the Avengers when he teleports the descendant onto the Lighthouse Station.

Hawkeye and Captain Britain have their hands full facing off against the Avengers of the Undead and the Undead Celestial to regain the Orb of Necromancy. At the Lighthouse Station, the Descendant Wasp uses Hank Pym’s guilt to defeat him. The other Descendants get the jump on Valkyrie and Venom, who are about to have relations. If I was Venom, and I was about to have a sexy blonde goddess have her way with me, then, these mother-shut-my-mouth Descendants stop that. You know he’s ready to rain his wrath down on some life model decoys. They kidnap Hank, leave Valkyrie and Venom adrift in space, and destroy the Lighthouse Station. Oh, yeah! There is some payback coming for the Descendants. That’s all the good stuff.

I know that writers take some liberties to tell a good story, but damn. Hank Pym, one of the greatest intellects in the Marvel Universe, Giant-Man tries to defend himself with a scalpel and is taken down with one punch. He used to slap the Wasp around on a daily basis, and now he’s crying like a little bee. The Descendants enter the Lighthouse Station without some defense system to at least impede them. You would think that the Avengers would have defense systems that backup the defense systems that backup the defense system.

The art doesn’t help matters at all. When I said that Valkyrie was a sexy blonde goddess, it wasn’t the art that put the image in my mind.

I rate Secret Avengers # 33 Read a Friend’s Copy. #3 (of 5) on the Al-O-Meter Ranking

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Shinji Ikari - A Boy's Life

I read Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 13

I posted a review at ComicBookBin.

Albert Avilla Reviews: Justice League #13

Justice League #13
DC Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Tony S. Daniel
Inks: Richard Friend and Batt

The Secret of the Cheetah (Spoilers!)

Johns is getting me interested in the League. Superman and Wonder Woman continue the Kiss. Where is this going? Do we want Superman running around all frustrated? We don't linger long on the love story. The next scene is a throw down between Wonder Woman and the Cheetah. Awesome splash page gets the action started. After a few good rounds, Cheetah knocks Wonder Woman the f.... out. Batman and Aquaman question Trevor about Cheetah to give us a little background information.

Back at the satellite, Superman gets some time alone with Wonder Woman. Yeah! he wants some of that Amazon loving. Who's going to be the artist for that Scene? Cyborg admits to not having a life. He needs to go out and find his own archenemy or two. All the other superheroes don't have enough time in the day to put all the criminals in jail and he's sitting around moping. The team tracks Cheetah to the Congo where she proceeds to throw down on the whole team. She bites Superman in the process, and we end up with Cheetah Superman.

We get a Justice League of America and the Superman crossover H"El on Earth preview. Man, I need a better job. I can't afford all of these books.

Mr. Johns is earning his spot on the flagship of DC Comics. Action, mystery, exotic locales, and sexual tension: what more can you ask for in a story? Not a dull moment and hot chicks kicking that ass.

If Jim Lee is not the artist anymore, then, Tony Daniel is the next best thing. The fight in Central Park and the waterfall in the Congo were worth the price of admission. The cover had me before I saw a page. Tony Daniel is a premier artist.

I rate Justice League # 13 Buy Your Own Copy.  #2 (of 5) Al-O-Meter Ranking

Rosario+Vampire: Season II - Fortress Fairy Tale

I read Rosario+Vampire: Season II, Vol. 10

I posted a review at ComicBookBin.