#IReadsYou Review: HISTORY OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #1

HISTORY OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Mark Waid
PENCILS: Javier Rodríguez
INKS: Álvaro López
COLORS: Javier Rodríguez
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
MISC. ART: Phil Noto
COVER: Steve McNiven and Mark Farmer with Sunny Gho
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Nick Bradshaw with John Rauch; John Buscema with Jason Keith; David Marquez with Matthew Wilson; Javier Rodríguez and Álvaro López
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (September 2019)

Rated T

History of the Marvel Universe is a comic book miniseries that chronicles completely, for the first time, everything that was, is, or will be in the Marvel Universe.  History of the Marvel Universe is written by Mark Waid; drawn by Javier Rodríguez (pencils/colors) and Álvaro López (inks); and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

History of the Marvel Universe #1 opens at “the End of Time.”  There, Franklin Richards and the planet-devouring Galactus await the final death of the universe.  Although both will move to the universe born of the death of this one, Richards is concerned about memories.  Before it all ends, he wants the history of this universe to have meant something.  Richards asks Galactus to help him remember everything.  Thus, Galactus recounts the history of this universe, beginning with a first chapter.  It starts at the so-called “Big Bang” and ends both in the Wild West of The Rawhide Kid and The Two-Gun Kid and in the wild north of Canada where a boy named James Howlett emerges.

There is no doubt about it.  Marvel Comics' History of the Marvel Universe #1 has more than a passing resemblance to DC Comics' 1986, two-issue miniseries, History of the DC Universe.  It is true that Mark Waid and Javier Rodríguez could find no better template than the one writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Perez laid down in History of the DC Universe.

Some people consider Mark Waid an unofficial Marvel Comics historian; I imagine some people at Marvel probably think that.  Waid does a good job gathering the varied “histories” about the beginnings, the ancient times, the recent centuries, etc. that have been depicted in five decades of Marvel Comics titles.  Waid also mixes in threads from Marvel's predecessor Timely Comics and the two decades of material the predates the publication of The Fantastic Four #1.  Of course, Waid has to take into consideration decades of “retcons,” in which Marvel Comics scribes went back and changed things after the fact – the Avengers of one million years ago, introduced in Avengers #1 (2018).  I won't say that this first issue is a great read, but there are some interesting bits in this first issue.

I can say that I love the art team of Javier Rodríguez (pencils/colors) and Álvaro López.  Here, they don't have to engage in graphical storytelling, so much as they have to draw pictures that illustrate Mark Waid's text.  [Waid's script is presented in caption boxes, not word balloons, all well-crafted by Joe Caramagna.]  Their art reminds me of art of Alan Davis.

Speaking of which, Davis' longtime inker, Mark Farmer, inks Steve McNiven's cover pencil art – with excellent results.  So, in conclusion, History of the Marvel Universe #1 is an occasionally interesting curiosity, but honestly, you, dear readers, don't need to read it to enjoy Marvel Comics titles.  History of the Marvel Universe #1 is not the monumental work that Marvel Comics' monumental history deserves.  [I think the history of the Marvel Universe would be best told in a long-running, ongoing comic book series, which won't happen.]

6 out of 10

[This comic book includes four pages of annotations, which list the Marvel Comics publications which acted as reference for the story in History of the Marvel Universe #1.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: STAR WARS #38

STAR WARS No. 38 (2015)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[Visit the "Star Wars Central" review page here.]

STORY: Kieron Gillen
ART: Salvador Larroca
COLORS: Guru e-FX
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: David Marquez with Matthew Wilson
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2018)

Rated T

Part I: “The Ashes of Jedha”

In 2015, Marvel Comics restarted their publication of Star Wars comic books with a brand new Star Wars #1.  I wrote a review of it and went on to review a few more issues of the series, plus the first annual.  Jason Aaron was the series writer from the beginning and delivered a number of really good story arcs and, recently, several really good stand alone, single-issue stories.

Aaron has moved on and the new series writer is Kieron Gillen, who did stellar work on Marvel's initial Darth Vader title, which was drawn by Salvador Larroca.  In fact, I can make a good case that Gillen and Larroca's Darth Vader was and still is the best Star Wars comic book Marvel has published since it regained the license to produce such comic books.  Gillen, as writer, and Larroca, as artist, reunite as the new Star Wars creative team.  They are joined by Guru e-FX on colors and Clayton Cowles on letters.

Star Wars #38 (“The Ashes of Jedha”) finds that the forces of the Galactic Empire have returned to the desert moon Jedha, which the Empire nearly destroyed (as seen in the film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story).  The Empire wants the kyber crystals, which are plentiful on Jedha and which power lightsabers, that managed to survive the destruction wrought on the moon by a test of the Death Star.

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 have arrived on Jedha in hopes of forming an alliance with the “main” rebellion and the rebels on Jedha.  However, the partisans on Jedha are different in many ways from the Rebel Alliance, and these wild rebels of Jedha may hold the Alliance in as much disdain as they do the Empire.

As much as I was enjoying Star Wars the comic book, I know that there was a part of me that believed the series needed, if not a fresh start, some injection of freshness.  I think Kieron Gillen is that injection, and there is something about Gillen and Larroca that really works as a comic book creative team.  There is fire in the drama, and the tension is electrically charged.  Together, they produce comic books that have me hopping for the next issue every time I finish the issue at hand.

The rich colors by Guru e-FX dazzle my eyes.  It is near perfect, although the colors seem to emphasize a peculiar photo-like quality in many of the faces that Larroca draws.  I often don't mention lettering in my reviews, but here, Clayton Cowles actually super-charges the edgy mood of this story.

Once again, the creators of a Marvel Star Wars comic book title have me chomping at the bit to read the next issue.  In the case of the new Star Wars team, I am not ashamed to be a fanboy.

A
9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: DEFENDERS #1

DEFENDERS No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted in Patreon.]

STORY: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: David Marquez
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERS: VC's Corey Petit
MISC. ART: Michael Gaydos with Matt Hollingworth; Mike Mayhew; Olivier Coipel and Mark Morales with Jose Villarrubia; Jason Latour; Dave Cockrum and Rich Buckler with Paul Mounts; Lenil Francis Yu
COVER: David Marquez with Justin Ponsor
VARIANT COVERS: Jack Kirby, John Verpoorten and Paul Mounts with Joe Frontirre; Ron Lim with Rachelle Rosenberg; David Mack; Alex Maleev; Neal Adams with Paul Mounts; Skottie Young
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2017)

Rated T+

The Defenders is a Marvel Comics superhero team.  The original version of the team first appeared in the comic book, Marvel Feature #1 (cover dated:  December 1971).  The team's original lineup included the characters Doctor Strange, Hulk, and Namor.  Since that time, there have been several versions of the team with differing and fluctuating memberships, and differing mission statements from team to team.

Now, Marvel Comics is introducing a new version in the new comic book series, Defenders.  It is written by Brian Michael Bendis; drawn by David Marquez; colored by Justin Ponsor; and lettered by Corey Petit.  The members of the Defenders are Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist – the lineup that will be featured in the Marvel/Netflix series, “Defenders.”

Defenders #1 opens with the return of a villain that was supposed to be dead, Diamondback.  He is determined to prove to everyone that the streets of New York City are his.  When he launches an attack on a Defender, he gets to prove just how formidable he is, but is it enough?

I remember reading The Defenders comic book series in the 1980s, and it was terrible.  I kept reading it because I thought that it had the kind of characters that could yield a really good comic book, but it never did, in my estimation.  I abandoned it, and never read a Defenders comic book again – not even Secret Defenders... until now.

I believe in Brian Michael Bendis, so that is why I picked up this new Defenders comic book.  Plus, Bendis is working with artist David Marquez, with whom Bendis produced a nice run on Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man and on Invincible Iron Man.  So how is the latest Bendis-Marquez joint?

I like it, but not for the reasons you might normally guess, dear reader.  I like this depiction of Diamondback.  I am intrigued by everything about him – his character, his motivations, his machinations.  I can't say that I particularly care about these individual Defenders, at least not yet, but I'm sure that Bendis will work on that.  If there is one thing he does very well, it is produce page after page of dialogue, philosophizing, blather, rumination, etc. that make for great character probing.

Marquez's satiny compositions and Justin Ponsor's rich colors hit the eyes with milk shake smoothness.  The mood of the story constantly shifts, however, and the character drama seems to meander.  Where Marquez and Ponsor really shine is on Diamondback.  The art makes you believe he is every bit as bad-ass as Luke Cage.

I am willing to follow this series for a bit because of my affinity for Bendis with Marquez, but I won't lie.  This is not standout material, overall, and I expected more from this team for a first issue.  But I want to see where Diamondback takes crusade.

B+
7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #1

ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Tom Taylor
ART: David Lopez and David Navarrot
COLORS: Nathan Fairbairn
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Bengal
VARIANT COVERS: David Lopez; Art Adams with Peter Steigerwald; David Marquez with Marte Gracia; Keron Grant (Hip Hop variant cover)
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (January 2016)

Parental Advisory

Laura Kinney is a Marvel Comics character.  She is best known as X-23, a female clone of classic X-Men character, Wolverine.  X-23 was originally created by writer Craig Kyle for the Saturday morning animated television series, “X-Men: Evolution” (Season 2, Episode 11).  X-23 made her first appearance in Marvel Comics in the comic book, NYX #3 (cover dated: February 2004).

Like Wolverine, X-23 has a healing factor, superhuman strength, senses, speed, agility, and reflexes. She also has retractable, adamantium-coated bone claws in her hands (two per hand rather than the three per hand that Wolverine has) and also in her feet.

After Marvel's Secret Wars event miniseries, X-23 succeeded Logan/Wolverine as the star of the current ongoing Wolverine comic book series.  That new series is entitled All-New Wolverine and is written by Tom Taylor, drawn by David Lopez and David Navarrot, colored by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettered by Cory Petit.

All-New Wolverine #1 finds Laura and her boyfriend, the X-Men's Angel (the young, time-displaced Warren Worthington, III), in Paris trying to stop an assassination.  Their showdown with the assassins takes them to the Eiffel Tower.  Laura's opponents are formidable, but the identity of one of them shocks Laura, but does not necessarily surprise her.

The first issue of All-New Wolverine is fairly straight-forward:  stop the assassination.  Everything else is just set-up for future issues.   Still, All-New Wolverine #1 is an enjoyable read, an old-fashioned action-adventure, superhero fight comic.  Tom Taylor does not dazzle readers with character drama the way he did in the short-lived, but excellent Superior Iron Man.

The art by David Lopez and David Navarrot is fast-paced and kinetic; the graphical storytelling really sells the action, but also captures the intimacy of a flashback featuring Logan and Laura.  I did not plan on reading this series beyond the first issue, but I think that I will keep reading it for a bit.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: UNCANNY X-MEN #600

UNCANNY X-MEN No. 600
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brian Micheal Bendis
PENCILS:  Sara Pichelli, Mahmud Asrar, Stuart Immonen, Kris Anka, Chris Bachalo, David Marquez, Frazer Irving
INKS: Wade von Grawbadger, Tim Townsend, Mark Irwin
COLORS: Marte Gracia, Jason Keith, Chis Bachalo, Frazer Irving
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Chris Bachalo
VARIANT COVERS: Art Adams with Jason Keith; Kris Anka; John Tyler Christopher; Olivier Coipel with Marte Gracia; Adam Hughes; Rick Leonardi and Dan Green with Jason Keith; Ed McGuinness and Dexter Vines with Val Staples; Paul Smith with Paul Mounts; Leinel Yu with Jason Keith
60pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (January 2016)

Rated T+

X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

With the arrival of the “All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe,” X-Men comic books are entering a new era.  Apparently if all the incarnations of Uncanny X-Men are added together, the result is that 600 issues of comic books entitled Uncanny X-Men have been published.  It is that 600th issue that marks the end of something, if not an era, then, the end of Brian Michael Bendis' tenure as an X-Men writer.

Uncanny X-Men #600 opens at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.  Storm has called all the X-Men currently residing at the school to a meeting.  It's an intervention for Dr. Henry McCoy, or you can call it “The Trial of Beast, and Hank sure ain't feeling the love.  Also, young Iceman has a serious talk with adult Iceman.  Plus, a summons from Washington...

I found the Iceman/Iceman conversation to be heartfelt, and the Jean Grey-Beast meeting felt like something big.  The rest of “The Trial of Beast” does not amount to very much.  After months of delay, all readers get is this tepid tale – simple as that.  Considering the high-quality work that Bendis did on Uncanny X-Men and All-New X-Men, Uncanny X-Men #600 is quite disappointing.

B-

“Winter Carnival” (bonus story)

Writer: Mary Jo Duffy
Pencils: George Perez
Inks: Alfredo Alcala
Letters: Janice Chiang

As a bonus, Uncanny X-Men No. 600 closes with a reprint of the black and white story, “Winter Carnival.”  This 18-page story originally appeared in Bizarre Adventures #27.  This was the X-Men-themed issue of Marvel Comics' black and white comics magazine series that was published from the mid-1970s (under a different title) to the early 1980s.

The story finds Robert L. “Bobby” Drake a.k.a. Iceman as a visiting college student at Dartmouth College (an Ivy League school in Hanover, New Hampshire).  The campus is covered in snow, which is appropriate as this is the time of year for the celebration known as “Winter Carnival.”  Bobby discovers that Iceman is needed when crime decides not to take the weekend off and join in the wintry fun.

I wish Mary Jo Duffy (also known as simply Jo Duffy) were still writing her character-centrist stories for either Marvel or DC Comics.  I don't think that she has written for either publisher in over a decade.  In this story, she allows Iceman to shine as a superhero, but she opens the interior Bobby Drake, depicting him as thoughtful and possessing of a personality and of a sparkling wit.

Many readers may not recognize the art in “Winter Carnival” as that of George Perez (I didn't.), as it has very little resemblance to the graphic style that would define Perez's career on works like New Teen Titans, Crisis on Infinite Earths, and Wonder Woman, to name a few.  However, readers will get a chance to see the talents of inker Alfredo Alcala, whose ink wash over Perez's pencils does not look as good on glossy paper as it would on some good old-fashioned newsprint comic books.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and  syndication rights and fees.

Review: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN (2015) No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: David Marquez
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: David Marquez with Justin Ponsor
VARIANT COVERS: Adi Granov, Ryan Stegman with Richard Isanove; Sara Pichelli with Jason Keith; Mahmud Asrar with Sonia Oback; Valerio Schiti with Jason Keith; Nick Bradshaw with Paul Mounts; Bruce Timm; Skottie Young; Brian Stelfreeze; John Tyler Christopher; Yasmine Putri; Dale Oliver photographed by Judy Stephens
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2015)

Rated “T+”

I was very happy with the most recent “new” Iron Man comic book series, Superior Iron Man, that was launched in 2014 as part of Marvel Comics' “Avengers NOW!” initiative.  As part of the “All-New All-Different Marvel,” there is a new Iron Man comic book, and it is entitled Invincible Iron Man.  This new series is written by Brian Michael Bendis; drawn by David Marquez; colored by Justin Ponsor; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Bendis and Marquez were the creative team of the second Miles Morales Spider-Man comic book, and Invincible Iron Man was the title of an Iron Man (2008) comic book written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Salvador Larroca.  I loved me some Miles, but I did not read a single issue of the Fraction-Larroca Iron Man, although I still plan to do so.

Invincible Iron Man #1 opens with an former A.I.M. operative trying to make a deal with Madame Masque.  Meanwhile, Tony Stark is enjoying some shop time and finally finishes him newest armor, his best armor.  He will need this new suit as enemies old, new, and transformed step forward.

This breezy first issue of Invincible Iron Man makes it difficult to be particularly critical or adoring of it.  But I do like it, and will read future issues.  I enjoy the Bendis-Marquez team, and if this first issue is any indication, I will enjoy this duo again.  Still, I don't know if this Iron Man comic book will be a particularly memorable one, which is something I can say about Superior Iron Man.  Knowing Bendis, I should have an idea soon.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 20, 2016

MARVEL COMICS

OCT158856     ALL NEW X-MEN #1 BAGLEY 2ND PTG VAR     $3.99
OCT150983     ALL NEW X-MEN TP VOL 07 UTOPIANS     $19.99
OCT150981     ASM INHUMAN ALL NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA INHUMAN ERROR TP     $12.99
NOV150803     ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #4     $3.99
NOV150738     CAPTAIN MARVEL #1     $3.99
OCT158857     DAREDEVIL #1 GARNEY 2ND PTG VAR     $3.99
NOV150904     DARK TOWER DRAWING OF THREE LADY OF SHADOWS #5 (MR)     $3.99
NOV150897     DEADPOOL #6     $3.99
OCT158858     DOCTOR STRANGE #3 BACHALO 2ND PTG VAR     $3.99
NOV150812     DRAX #3     $3.99
NOV150853     HERCULES #3     $3.99
OCT158860     HOWARD THE DUCK #2 FOWLER GWENPOOL B&W 2ND PTG VAR     $4.99
OCT158859     HOWARD THE DUCK #2 QUINONES 2ND PTG VAR     $4.99
OCT158861     INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #4 MARQUEZ 2ND PTG VAR     $3.99
OCT150994     MARVEL FRONTIER COMICS TP COMPLETE COLLECTION (MR)     $39.99
NOV150901     MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS ASSEMBLE SEASON TWO #15     $2.99
NOV150905     MAX RIDE #3 ULTIMATE FLIGHT     $3.99
NOV150824     MS MARVEL #3     $3.99
NOV150787     NEW AVENGERS #5     $3.99
NOV150848     PATSY WALKER AKA HELLCAT #2     $3.99
OCT150993     PUNISHER MAX TP VOL 01 COMPLETE COLLECTION (MR)     $34.99
NOV150763     SILVER SURFER #1     $3.99
NOV150920     STAR WARS #15     $3.99
OCT150988     STAR WARS TP LANDO     $16.99
NOV150857     STARBRAND AND NIGHTMASK #2     $3.99
NOV150816     STAR-LORD #3     $3.99
OCT150985     THOR TP VOL 01 GODDESS OF THUNDER     $19.99
OCT150995     THUNDERBOLTS CLASSIC TP VOL 01 NEW PTG     $34.99
NOV150863     TRUE BELIEVERS GROOVY DEADPOOL #1     $1.00
NOV150864     TRUE BELIEVERS MEATY DEADPOOL #1     $1.00
NOV150865     TRUE BELIEVERS WEDDING OF DEADPOOL #1     $1.00
NOV150818     UNCANNY INHUMANS #4     $3.99
OCT150772     UNCANNY X-MEN #2     $3.99
OCT150984     X-MEN TP VOL 01 INFERNO     $34.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 9, 2015

MARVEL COMICS

OCT150887     ALL NEW HAWKEYE #2     $3.99
OCT150858     AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #4     $3.99
OCT150928     BLACK KNIGHT #2     $3.99
SEP150877     BLACK PANTHER BY PRIEST TP COMPLETE COLLECTION     $34.99
OCT150921     CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #3     $3.99
OCT150820     DEADPOOL #3     $3.99
OCT150999     DRAX MARVEL 92 BY LIM POSTER     $8.99
OCT150829     GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #3     $3.99
OCT151000     GUARDIANS OF INFINITY #1 BY CHEUNG POSTER     $8.99
OCT150807     GWENPOOL SPECIAL #1     $5.99
APR150916     HAWKEYE HC VOL 02     $34.99
OCT150911     HERCULES #2     $3.99
AUG150874     INFINITY GAUNTLET TP WARZONES     $16.99
OCT151001     INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #4 BY MARQUEZ POSTER     $8.99
OCT150950     MARVEL UNIVERSE GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #3     $2.99
OCT150954     MAX RIDE #2 ULTIMATE FLIGHT     $3.99
OCT151003     MAXIMUM CARNAGE MARVEL 92 BY DEODATO POSTER     $8.99
OCT150998     MIGHTY THOR #1 BY DAUTERMAN VINYL POSTER     $34.99
SEP150868     RUNAWAYS BATTLEWORLD TP     $15.99
OCT150797     SCARLET WITCH #1     $3.99
AUG150653     SECRET WARS #8 SWA     $3.99
OCT150866     SPIDER-GWEN #3     $3.99
OCT150856     SPIDER-MAN 2099 #4     $3.99
OCT151002     SPIDEY #1 BY BRADSHAW POSTER     $8.99
AUG150885     SQUADRON SINISTER TP     $16.99
OCT150941     STAR WARS ANNUAL #1     $4.99
OCT151004     TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #1 BY CHO POSTER     $8.99
OCT150884     ULTIMATES #2     $3.99
OCT150881     UNCANNY AVENGERS #3     $3.99

I Reads You Review: S.H.I.E.L.D. #1

S.H.I.E.L.D #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Mark Waid
PENCILS: Carlos Pacheco
INKS: Mariano Taibo with Jason Pax
COLORS: Dono Almara
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Julian Totino Tedesco
VARIANT COVERS: Mahmud Asrar with Dono Almara; John Tyler Christopher; Mike Deodato with Edgar Delgado; David Marquez with Laura Martin; Steve McNiven with Marte Gracia; Sara Pichelli with Dono Almara; Valerio Schiti with Laura Martin; Ryan Stegman with Rom Fajardo; Skottie Young
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (January 2015)

Rated “T+”

S.H.I.E.L.D created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“Perfect Bullets”

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, law-enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency that appears in Marvel Comics titles.  The agency often deals with paranormal and super-human threats.  This agency was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Strange Tales #135 (cover dated: August 1965).  The acronym, S.H.I.E.L.D., originally stood for “Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division,” but  changed in 1991 to “Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate.”

S.H.I.E.L.D. plays a prominent role in the films and television series (live-action and animated) that are part of the “Marvel Cinematic Universe.”  Currently, the S.H.I.E.L.D. acronym stands for “Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.”

S.H.I.E.L.D. is the star of an ABC television series, “Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”  On the last week of the 2014, Marvel Comics launched a new S.H.I.E.L.D. comic book series.  Mark Waid will write the series with the art provided by a rotating roster of popular comic book artists, beginning with the first issue's penciller, Carlos Pacheco.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 (“Perfect Bullets”) introduces Phil Coulson, the star of the ABC series.  This is his first day on the job as S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Ops Supreme Commander, and waiting for him is a full-on invasion of Earth.  It seems that the hordes of the “Norse World” (Thor's stomping grounds) have arrived on Earth to unleash some destruction.

Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, Black Knight, Blue Marvel, Hercules, Hyperion, Nova, Sunfire, Valkyrie, and The Vision have their hands full.  So it's up to Coulson to head to Sharzhad, a country beset by terrorists, and one of those terrorists may be the reason for the invasion.  Now, Coulson will need to align the “perfect bullets” to save the day.

I picked up a copy of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 because I knew a friend of mine would like to read it.  After reading it, he didn't seem impressed.  I'm not, either.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 isn't a bad read.  It's just nothing special or even worthy of much notice.  I have said this in other reviews I've written:  when Mark Waid is good, he's really good, but when he is not, he is mediocre.  I won't call him mediocre on S.H.I.E.L.D. #1, but he is in the sub-par zone.

S.H.I.E.L.D. is up to the third issue, as of the last time I looked.  I might try another issue, especially as characters from the ABC series will appear in the comic book.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

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I Reads You Review: LEGENDARY STAR-LORD #1

LEGENDARY STAR-LORD #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Sam Humphries
PENCILS: Paco Medina
INKS: Juan Vlasco
COLORS: David Curiel
LETTERS: VC’s Joe Caramagna
COVER: Paco Medina
VARIANT COVERS: Mahmud Asrar, Nick Bradshaw, David Marquez, Sara Pichelli, Valerio Schiti, Ryan Stegman
28pp, Color, $3.99 (September 2014)

Rated “T”

Star-Lord a/k/a Peter Quill is a Marvel Comics superhero and science fiction character.  Star-Lord was created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Steve Gan and first appeared in Marvel Preview #4 (cover dated: January 1976).  Quill is the son of a human mother and an alien father, and he assumes the mantle of Star-Lord, an interplanetary policeman.

After sporadic appearances, Star-Lord was revamped (or reinvigorated) for his appearance in Annihilation (2006) and Annihilation: Conquest (2007).  He became the leader of the space-based superhero team, Guardians of the Galaxy, for the 2008 re-launch/revamp of the Guardians of the Galaxy comic book series.

Marvel Studios’ new film, Guardians of the Galaxy, is about to open in movie theatres, so it makes sense, from a sales perspective, for Marvel Comics to take characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy comic book and give them their own series.  Thus, both Rocket Raccoon and Star-Lord have new titles.  Legendary Star-Lord is written by Sam Humphries, drawn by Paco Medina and Juan Vlasco, colored by David Curiel, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

Legendary Star-Lord #1 opens in Colorado, 20 years in the past.  We observe Peter Quill on the day of his mother, Meredith Quill’s funeral.  Cut to the present where we find Peter Quill as Star-Lord, outmanned and outgunned by the Badoon.  Star-Lord is a wanted man with a price on his head, and the Badoons get a second prize, the Mandalay Gem, which Quill has in his possession.  Escaping the Badoon might be easy, but facing his past will be a mess for Star-Lord.

I didn’t expect much from Legendary Star-Lord, but I liked it.  It has a lone gun, private eye, cowboy, freelance dude vibe that works, mainly because Peter Quill is an attractive character.  I figure that another issue or two will tell me if this series is really worth following for the (relatively) long haul.

I must say that I like Paco Medina’s art with Juan Vlasco’s Steve McNiven-like inks.  To the readers who liked the space opera/space fantasy style of the recently launched Cyclops comic book, I say give Legendary Star-Lord a try.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 16, 2014

MARVEL COMICS

MAY140815     100TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 X-MEN     $3.99
MAY140910     ALL NEW X-FACTOR #11     $3.99
MAY140828     AVENGERS WORLD #9     $3.99
APR148506     BLACK WIDOW #4 2ND PTG NOTO VAR     $3.99
APR148507     BLACK WIDOW #5 2ND PTG NOTO VAR     $3.99
APR148508     BLACK WIDOW #6 2ND PTG NOTO VAR     $3.99
APR140771     BLACK WIDOW TP VOL 01 FINELY WOVEN THREAD     $17.99
MAY140950     CAPTAIN AMERICA #22 75TH ANNIV BY ROSS POSTER     $8.99
MAY140890     DEADPOOL DRACULAS GAUNTLET #2     $3.99
MAY140854     ELEKTRA #4     $3.99
APR148509     GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #15 2ND PTG BRADSHAW VAR     $3.99
APR148516     INHUMAN #1 2ND PTG MADUREIRA VAR ANMN     $3.99
MAY140953     LEGENDARY STAR LORD #1 POSTER     $8.99
APR148510     LOKI AGENT OF ASGARD #4 2ND PTG FRISON VAR     $2.99
APR148511     LOKI AGENT OF ASGARD #5 2ND PTG FRISON VAR     $2.99
APR148514     MAGNETO #1 3RD PTG RIVERA VAR ANMN     $3.99
APR148515     MAGNETO #2 3RD PTG SAMNEE VAR ANMN     $3.99
APR148517     MAGNETO #4 2ND PTG SHALVEY VAR ANMN     $3.99
MAY140904     MAGNETO #7     $3.99
APR148512     MILES MORALES ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #2 2ND PTG MARQUEZ VAR     $3.99
FEB140825     MMW AVENGERS HC VOL 14     $69.99
APR148513     MOON KNIGHT #4 2ND PTG SHALVEY VAR     $3.99
MAY140864     MS MARVEL #6     $2.99
MAY140791     NOVA #19 SIN     $3.99
APR140642     ORIGINAL SIN #3.2     $3.99
MAY140768     ORIGINAL SIN #6     $3.99
MAY140951     ROCKET RACCOON #1 POSTER     $8.99
MAY140867     SAVAGE HULK #2     $3.99
MAY140908     SAVAGE WOLVERINE #21     $3.99
MAY140823     SECRET AVENGERS #5     $3.99
APR148518     SHE-HULK #4 2ND PTG WADA VAR     $2.99
MAY140869     SHE-HULK #6     $2.99
APR140694     SILVER SURFER #4     $3.99
MAY140952     SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 POSTER     $8.99
MAY140863     THUNDERBOLTS #28     $2.99
MAY140832     ULTIMATE FF #4     $3.99
MAY140792     UNCANNY X-MEN #23 SIN     $3.99
MAY140897     X-MEN #16     $3.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 18 2014

MARVEL COMICS

MAR140766 ALL NEW X-FACTOR TP VOL 01 NOT BRAND X $17.99
MAR140762 AMAZING X-MEN TP VOL 01 QUEST FOR NIGHTCRAWLER $17.99
APR140645 AVENGERS #31 SIN $3.99
MAR140781 AVENGERS EPIC COLLECTION TP JUDGMENT DAY $34.99
APR140662 AVENGERS WORLD #8 ANMN $3.99
MAR140767 AVENGERS WORLD TP VOL 01 AIMPIRE $16.99
APR140709 DAREDEVIL #4 $3.99
APR140704 ELEKTRA #3 $3.99
MAR140779 GALACTUS DEVOURER TP $24.99
MAR140685 GEORGE ROMEROS EMPIRE OF DEAD ACT ONE #5 $3.99
APR140685 IRON MAN #28 ANMN $3.99
APR140708 IRON PATRIOT #4 $3.99
APR148147 MILES MORALES ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1 2ND PTG MARQUEZ VAR $3.99
APR148152 MOON KNIGHT #1 3RD PTG SHALVEY VAR ANMN $3.99
APR148153 MOON KNIGHT #2 3RD PTG SHALVEY VAR ANMN $3.99
APR148148 MOON KNIGHT #3 2ND PTG SHALVEY VAR ANMN $3.99
APR148154 MS MARVEL #2 3RD PTG MCKELVIE VAR ANMN $2.99
APR140636 NOVA #18 SIN $3.99
APR140630 ORIGINAL SIN #4 $3.99
APR140698 PUNISHER #7 $3.99
APR148155 SHE-HULK #1 3RD PTG WADA VAR ANMN $2.99
APR148149 SILVER SURFER #2 2ND PTG ALLRED VAR ANMN $3.99
MAR140654 SILVER SURFER #3 ANMN $3.99
APR148150 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #31 2ND PTG CAMUNCOLI VAR ANMN $5.99
MAR140765 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 06 GOBLIN NATION $19.99
APR140691 THOR GOD OF THUNDER #23 $3.99
APR140695 THUNDERBOLTS #27 $2.99
APR140675 ULTIMATE FF #3 $3.99
APR140720 UNCANNY X-MEN #22 $3.99
APR140734 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #5 $3.99
APR140728 X-MEN #15 $3.99

I Reads You Review: MILES MORALES: Ultimate Spider-Man #1

MILES MORALES: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: David Marquez
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERS: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER: David Marquez and Justin Ponsor
VARIANT COVERS: Fiona Staples; Brandon Peterson
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2014)

Rated T+

In 2011, Marvel Comics and writer Brian Michael Bendis introduced a Black, Brooklyn teen as the new Spider-Man.  Specifically, Miles Morales, of African-American and Latino extraction, was the new Ultimate Spider-Man, the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler and web-slinger of Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics (or universe).

Miles received his own comic books series, Ultimate Spider-Man (or Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man).  Now, as part of the “Ultimate Marvel NOW” publishing initiative, Miles gets a new series, Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, courtesy of writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist David Marquez, colorist Justin Ponsor, and letterer Cory Petit.

Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 opens in a secret S.H.I.E.L.D. “Containment Facility,” from which Norman Osborn is being removed for transferal to a federal prison.  In Brooklyn, two armored thieves commit a bold robbery.  Meanwhile, Miles Morales contemplates revealing his secret to girlfriend Katie Bishop, but the surprise in store for Katie is nothing compared to the surprise in store for Miles.

I have stated in previous reviews of Ultimate Spider-Man comic books that I thought that Brian Michael Bendis merged the best of classic Steve Ditko-Stan Lee Spider-Man and early Milestone Media Static comic books in his stories of Miles Morales as Spider-Man.  Miles’ stories are as much misadventure as they are adventure, because Bendis makes the foibles and trials and tribulations of teen boyhood every bit as engaging as the never-ending battle of a superhero.  Most of the time, I can’t wait for the story to switch from Spider-Man back to Miles Morales’ civilian life.  Well, that is because Miles is a quite interesting young fellow.

In the first Miles Morales series, Bendis was blessed with a fantastic storytelling collaborator, artist Sara Pichelli.  Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man finds Bendis blessed again with another talented collaborator.  David Marquez is rapidly coming into his own in terms of storytelling.  I like Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1; it’s the kind of first issue that has me ready for more.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: ALL-NEW X-MEN #6

ALL-NEW X-MEN #6
MARVEL COMICS

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTIST: David Marquez
COLORS: Marte Gracia
LETTERS: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER: Stuart Immonen and Wade von Grawbadger with Marte Gracia
VARIANT COVER: Chris Bachalo and Tim Townsend
28pp, Colors, $3.99 U.S.

Rated T+

All-New X-Men, a Marvel NOW title, is set at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. Here, Storm, Wolverine, Beast, Iceman, and Kitty Pryde try to keep Professor Charles Xavier’s dream alive. Meanwhile, Cyclops/Scott Summers, one of the original X-Men, has become a highly controversial figure and is the public face of a new mutant revolution. He and his teammates: Magneto, the White Queen, and Majick, are gathering new mutants as fast as they appear.

In a desperate bid to stop Cyclops’ activities from triggering a mutant apocalypse, a dying Beast/Hank McCoy goes back in time. He brings the original X-Men: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast, and Angel, back with him. He wants young Cyclops see what he has become, so that he might change his ways and change his future.

All-New X-Men #6 opens after the original X-Men decide to stay in the present (their future) in order to save all our futures. Adjustment is difficult, however. Jean’s telepathic powers awakened for the first time. Angel is the only original X-Man who has not met his future-self. Cyclops has the most difficult time accepting what has happened, and that leads to a showdown with Wolverine.

With Brian Michael Bendis still writing, All-New X-Men is still good. His thoughtful, character-centric writing focuses on Marvel’s mutants both as people and as heroes. This makes All-New X-Men something like an evening teen soap opera / primetime drama.

David Marquez is now the artist on All-New X-Men. He replaces the team of Stuart Immonen and Wade von Grawbadger, who were the artists on the series’ first story arc. The results are mixed. Marquez storytelling is low-energy and his drawing style is bland. One of the problems with artists drawing from complete scripts is that they can become art robots, and Marquez’s art does lack a human touch. The robotic coloring doesn’t help.

Thank God for Bendis.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux