Author Archives: Troy Powell

Review: Black Panther#1

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5133332-01While reading Black Panther #1  I was constantly reminded of a term I learned from reading George Friedman, the term was “Borderland.”  A borderland is territory defined by contested histories and culture, a liminal space typically between rival entities that is perpetually vulnerable to flashpoints of grievance, reprisal and identity conflict. In Black Panther #1 we see Wakanda in the throes of another emerging crisis, Wakanda as a border land. While the trope of the unconquered and always embattled Wakanda is firmly established in the Marvel Universe, Ta-Nehisi Coates seems to be asking a new question, what happens when Wakanda is at war with itself?

In the first issue we see T’Challa stumble upon a mysterious female figure who appears to be fomenting discontent and uncertainty among the citizens of Wakanda. This discontent appears rooted in the recent trials that has tested Wakanda’s mettle. Coates is to be commended for establishing his take on the story recognizing the retrospective of Wakanda’s recent turmoils, seeing the current civil state of Wakanda in the wake of Doom’s false flag invasion (Doomwar), Wakanda’s flooding (Avengers vs X-Men), and Thanos’ Invasion (Infinity) was a nice touch, and reassures the reader that past trials will not be forgotten. What’s clear is that Coates is definitely trying to establish a new status quo for Wakanda. But is this accomplished at the outset?

Though the attempt was made to highlight the organic nature of Wakanda’s discontent,  T’Challa’s mysterious instigator appears on Wakanda’s Nigandan border where an amassing of Nigandan soldiers are present which raises some questions. In my opinion this may present a problem for Coates as this element seems poised to  run in the vein of similar invasion tropes we have seen before.  I’ve read elsewhere that Coates wants to present Wakanda as a metaphor for the rest of Africa, if this is true then perhaps there may be some Wakandan origin story on the horizon. I am a bit worried about the plot becoming a bit formulaic and retreading, into established patterns.

The presented crisis appears to have to have sparked a wave of autonomy, doubt and judgement among the Wakandans. Gone are the days of blind obedience to king and country, T’Challa’s most loyal adherents the Dora Milajae are asking hard questions that the ruling elite of Wakanda will have to answer. The traditional era of Wakandan is gone and we are seeing a modernist Wakanda emerge in its wake.

If I am to be honest, I was expecting a bit more from this story, despite the story being embedded within a keen awareness of past occurrences, Coates will have to show how and why  this latest uprising is different from Desturi in Doomwar and other similar incursions into Wakanda. While there is a lot of geopolitical grist to chew on where Wakanda is concerned, Coates needs to punctuate why this new status quo is different from instances past in order to sustain reader investment. The presence of Nigandan forces is a bit troubling where this is concerned.

The art by Brian Stelfreeze was vibrant and an absolute pleasure to look at. What caught my eye in this issue was all of the mythological and totemic flourishes represented in the aircraft and battle armor and so on. The issue even had some back matter elaborating some of the artistic design. What I really was Coates take on Vibranium which is now seen to be able to harness the ambient vibrations that the substance absorbs. This efficient mode of energy use gives us an elegant and specific look into why Wakanda is the economic and technological powerhouse that it is. Citizens now wear vibranium beads that can apply various applications such as personal tracking, telecommunications, and holographic heads up displays (HUD). This tech is all tied into the ambient energy provided by Vibranium’s characteristics and can only work in Wakanda. This is an element that I felt was very symbolic of Wakanda’s centralized strength and unity which serves its economic, cultural and technological lynch-pin and clout. Sadly this was reserved to the footnote of the story, and would have benefited it if it was  included more prominently in the plot.

Overall I was expecting more from this title launch, that said, I have no doubt Coates will in time turn out a vibrant and fresh take on the series, he is a seasoned writer, and aside from this open to feedback. In the letters section at the back there was a section asking for response from the readers. I can only interpret this as an active inspiration from this liberated engaged and involved new Wakanda emerging on the horizon.

Story: Ta-Nehisi Coates Art: Brian Stelfreeze
Story: 6.5 Art: 8 Overall: 7.3 Recommendation: Read

TV Review: Marvel’s Agents of Shield: Bouncing Back (A Second Take)

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NATALIA CORDOVA-BUCKLEY, HENRY SIMMONSOn Tuesday, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returned from it’s mid season hiatus with the episode’s appropriate namesake we are introduced to more Inhumans, namely Yo-Yo Rodriguez AKA Slingshot from the secret warriors title and another I assume to be Gorgon from the same comic series.  The episode is marked by a meeting between director Coulson the US President following the recent bout between Hydra and SHIELD. The meeting clears up SHIELDS official status or lack thereof. While the President feels its too soon to bring SHIELD back in an official capacity following the events of the Winter Soldier, he recognizes the necessity of SHIELD’s mission and gives Coulson his blessing albeit unofficially. While the ATCU will serve as the public face of the governmental response to the Inhuman crisis, they will be taking their orders unofficially from SHIELD.

AoS as a series as come a long way finding its place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as I have mentioned before it has succeeded in the task of adding to the rich tapestry of the MCU while carving out it’s own place and standing on its own. The introduction of the Secret Wars team/property is smart one, as it maintains both of these accomplishments.  Those with an ear to the ground may have caught wind of the alleged rivalry between Marvel Studios and Marvel TV, with the former hesitant to give creative/ jurisdiction or headway to the latter where storytelling is concerned. This is particularly the case with the Inhumans property. However this is resolved the impact should be minimal. Secret Warriors as a property has always centered on secrecy and fighting those invisible (yet nevertheless epic) espionage conflicts.  The team in the comics were identified not only for the powers but for the fact that few others knew about them. As a group running parallel to the Avengers it makes perfect sense for Marvel TV to embrace their ambit.  First they have free reign introduce any original character they wish as we have already seen with Joey as well as Lincoln and second, not all members of the SW team need to be Inhuman. Whatever path the producers choose there is plenty of space in the field to tell a story that does not step on too many toes. AoS has now provided a very good opportunity for cross media story telling that could dovetail into the MCU proper. While AoS and has itself benefitted from the story of the larger MCU whether the reverse will actually happen remains to be seen. An interesting article about this can be found here.

NATALIA CORDOVA-BUCKLEYThe Inhumans are becoming a high profile issue at least in this corner of the MCU, and I am really curious how this will play into the whole upcoming Civil War (if at all). At the very least we’ve seen that they have become a very strategic macguffin that both SHIELD and HYDRA are scrambling for. This made me ponder Luke’s revelation that Terrigenesis outcomes are not random and that some intelligent natural design is at work to maintain  some sort of equibrilium. This reminded me of the Red Queen Hypothesis.  Coulson gave some thoughts as to this equilibrium was being played out with both shield and hydra inhuman recruitments. This is an interesting point to consider given the symbiotic nature of Hydra and SHIELD both in the MCU and Comic Canon. This also gives a nod to the Inhuman series that has long established that terrigenesis serves the long term needs of the Inhuman community, how this will play out in the MCU with all the various factions remain to be seen but I am excited all the same to see it.

I must give full credit to the writers of the show for navigating a politically contentious mandate (studio wise) while structuring a story that stands on the legs of both the general MCU, as well classic comic stories.  This episode represents are marked improvement from those of   pre-midseason  The mythos of Hydra has been established and the organization reinvigorated with shield’s place on the other hand cemented in the world.

Final Thoughts
Mack and Yo-Yo overcoming their language barrier was a nice touch.
The encounter on a whole seemed to warm Mack up a bit, where his prior xenophobia was concerned.

Coulson’s frequent negotiation of SHIELD’s status presents a striking parallel that that which the producers of AoS seem required to do given the current studio politics. If this has been used as deliberate inspiration for the story, I must give kudos to the producer/writers.

Review: All-New Inhumans #2

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All-New-Inhumans-2One of the things that I enjoy about the current Inhuman status quo is how their story explores the space of hybrid citizenship and competing cultural heritage. I touched on this a bit earlier in a review of a previous Inhuman title.  While this is element shared with the mutant people to some extent in the Marvel Universe it seems to be emphasized a bit more strongly now with the Inhumans. They are a geneocracy afterall and everything about them hinges on family and heritage. All New-Inhumans #2 answers the questions of what’s to be done when rogue regime acts suspiciously in the wake of global terrigenesis. Crystal and her roving team are tasked with a diplomatic mission to the Republic of Sin Cong (our obvious Marvel U stand in for North Korea).

The mission centers on a the Commissar of Sin Cong’s curious report that no instances of terrigenesis have taken place on the nation’s soil. This admission is curious due to the global range of the T-Cloud  and has piqued the suspicion of both the Inhuman Royal family and S.H.I.E.L.D.  The Commissar’s report , seems to echo similar real world statements that persecuted minorities such has LGBTQ individuals do not  exist in certain nations with dubious human rights records. This parallel was not lost on me. Agent Daisy Johnson AKA Quake sends the team off with cautious blessing, letting Crystal know that as her inhuman Liaison to shield she was the deciding vote on a split decision on whether Crystal’s team would be sanctioned for their mission. Quake’s presence makes sense given her status as an Inhuman, and as a SHIELD agent she makes for a strategic asset. Additionally this may signal some future connections with the newly relaunched Agents of SHIELD title, and I always like to see  such inter-title ties like this. Quake’s position is interesting. As an inhuman, she shares a vested interest in the well being of her people, but as an agent of SHIELD she’ll be accountable and may be the chosen vehicle of sanction if things go south with this mission. That kind of conflict makes for rich story telling and a strong parallel for Inhumans of other nationalities who may find themselves in similar dilemmas of heritage. I’m sure we’ll see more of the latter soon enough

I am really starting to admire the Inhumans on this team. This title is rich with international  intrigue and shows the necessity of reconnaissance and espionage, in the age of international gesture and possible mass atrocities. I have always marveled how the skill-sets of the Inhuman power set are appropriately paired to their given missions. Crystals mission has both a diplomatic and espionage compliment and the team she chose for the latter were very smart.

Crystal’s overall diplomacy is worthy of mention. There was a series of panels where she appeals to the Commissar’s grossly inflated ego in order to alleviate a politically sensitive incident which maintains the cover of the diplomatic team. I must commend Soule’s consistent representation of Crystal’s character, she has always proven her political prowess to equal or possibly superior to that of her Sister, Queen Medusa She is very keen on the nuances of appearance, and has incredible foresight. I strongly suggest a reading of the War of Kings  event where she was dubbed the Kree’s “People’s Princess” due to these traits.  (Please read that volume if you have not done so already!)

The issue ends with disturbing revelation of possible crimes against humanity or Inhumanity as it were. This adds a very interesting wrinkle to the Marvel Universe, as the concept has been introduced (or lightly touched) in varying degrees and multiple incidents/contexts. I think the term Genocide was explicitly mentioned in the first issue of this title. This alone requires its own exploration and comparison  I have always enjoyed the exploits of the Inhumans and I am  very much hooked and anticipating what unfolds next. How various governments and nation react to Terrigenesis, is such a deep and winding mandate. I cannot wait to see where this all goes in the future.

I had a really nostalgic feeling while viewing the art, and was awestruck by the range of emotion  captured in the character’s faces. Upon further reflection I realized this nostalgia was due to Casseli’s work on the Secret Warriors title featuring Nick Fury and his black ops super hero team.  Both of these titles share strong espionage elements, and in my opinion made Casseli a smart choice this title

Final Thoughts

This issue made me ponder the post Dark Reign Mighty Avengers volume and the story of the redacted inhuman king “unspoken”. This story introduced the Xerogen crystals, which could pose a strategic weapon for either the Inhumans or non-inhuman community going forward.

Story: Charles Soule & James Asmus Art: Stefano Caselli
Story 10 Art 10 Overall 10 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Uncanny X-Men #3

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Uncanny X-Men #3The story of the latest volume of Uncanny X-Men sees a new issue this week, as the Dark Riders continue their killing spree of mutant healers.

It appears as though my hunch in my last review was correct and the Dark Riders quest is tied to some Darwinian ethos, given the current status quo with mutant kind and the Terrigen mists. This revelation came about courtesy of Psylocke’s psychic sleuthing and Magnetos’s rough handling of the Dark Riders.

I really enjoy the dynamic between these two characters. Their back and forth banter in this issue reminds me of how they were written during Kieron Gillen’s run  on the title. Their relationship seems to be a recognition of each others dark sides, but it’s done in a cordial and teasing way I have always appreciated. These two are really good foils for each other.

This issue is also marked by the re-emergence of Shen Xorn, as M attempts to further the team’s mission of protection to mutant healers. This was among the more interesting re-emergences as Xorn has been a notorious character due to major continuity flubs the characters’ use had previously caused.

During Grant Morrison’s visionary X-Men run, Xorn apparently took on the guise as Magneto and exacted revenge on New York for the atrocity committed in Genosha. Magneto was later revealed to be alive and elsewhere but confusion over what really took place and who was never 100% resolved. Xorn declined M’s assistance, but his reintroduction really has me anticipating an encounter with Magneto. If Cullen Bunn can unknot this continuity hiccup while resolving a long overdue encounter it would definitely add some weight to the current series,  I’m all for it.

I did not mention this in my previous review but I do have some concerns with Archangel falling sway to forces beyond his control again. Admittedly I am a bit unaware (as we all are) as to what has transpired within the 8 month jump but it doesn’t really matter. With something so familiar and recent (an apocalyptic possession) presumably happening to Archangel, I have reasonable concerns that Archangel is becoming a plot device again.

I understand that there is another Apocalypse event on the horizon but this really feels reductive, doubly so with so many Akkaba affiliated characters available for use. During the first volume of Wolverine and the X-Men I had always anticipated some apocalypse event perhaps with Blink, Chamber, and the newly cloned Genesis residing at the Jean Grey School. Anyone of those characters, (Genesis notwithstanding) could have filled in this role I find.  Still a lot remains to be seen, I am hoping I am proven wrong.

The last part of this issue reveals that Fantomex and Mystique have both been working with Hellfire Club with their investigation of the Someday Corporation. While this is an interesting development I felt that it led to a very flat ending and overall not much was added to progress the story to make it worthwhile.

All things considered It seems I have adjusted somewhat to Land’s art, either that or this particular issue wasn’t as overtly offensive as issues past. I found it less noxious as a result. There were some nice touches that I feel were worthy of note, I loved the neat effects that Magneto and Psylocke had while using their powers. The Butterfly telepathic effect is a time honoured effect but its use typically depends on the whims of the artist. In this issue Magneto’s gauntlets and boots had some glowing details that were really cool and made him feel more menacing.

Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Greg Land
Story: 6 Art: 7 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass/Borrow

Mark White Talks Comics, and A Philosopher Reads Marvel Comics’ Civil War: Exploring the Moral Judgment of Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-Man

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Marvel Comics Civil WarMark White is Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the College of Staten Island (CUNY). Mark’s writings represent a labour of love, as he has passionately explored the the intersection of politics, philosophy and the superhero world. A fixture in Blackwell’s Pop Culture and Philosophy series, Mark’s writing credits include, Batman and Philosophy: A Dark Knight of the Soul, The Virtues of Captain America: Modern Day Lessons in Character from a World War II Hero, and Avengers & Philosophy among many others. I am a huge fan and fellow contributor of the Blackwell series, and enjoy all works in this niche-genre. I was very fortunate to have a chat with Mark regarding his newest work.

Graphic Policy: In preparation for this interview, and your upcoming book, I read series editor William Irwin’s Defence on Writing Pop Cultural Philosophy. I loved his use of the Plato’s Cave analogy when describing how one must “adjust to the shadows” when communicating to a particular audience. In your writing do you experience any difficulty in writing academically for specific fandoms? If so, how do you manage this?

Mark White: I’m much more comfortable these days writing for non-academics, after writing all the chapters for Irwin’s series as well as my superhero books and economic policy books for wider audiences. Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but I like getting to the essence of a concept so I can explain it in the most straightforward and direct way possible (whether I use superheroes along the way or not). It’s when I return to academic writing that I have tend to have problems adjusting, but even then I try to retain some of the lightness from my popular writing — that’s just the way I write now, and I try not to make such a hard and fast distinction between writing for the two different audiences.

GP: You have written quite extensively on the superhero genre at the intersection of Philosophy. What was it specifically about the Civil War event that you felt warranted a stand alone book dedicated to it?

MW: It was the political context, the conflict between liberty and security, that drew me into the story, and that was the original focus of my book as well. But then I realized I was much more interested in how the main characters displayed their moral principles and judgment in supporting of those ideals, so the book changed accordingly. The political context is still there, but now we see it through the lens of the three heroes’ ethical choices rather than as broader political ideals.

GP: Plato was fond of using mythological allegory to punctuate and elaborate his philosophical arguments. Storytelling and folklore in general have been powerful tools to engage in hypothetical thought, would you consider pop cultural themes in today’s comics and other related media the modern day equivalent of this?

MW: Yes, definitely — that’s a large part of the thinking behind Irwin’s series that I’ve carried on in own books. Any story that grabs people, whether from ancient mythology, Star Wars, or comic books, provides a hook that you can use to introduce any number of philosophical ideas. And it’s commonplace these days to hear that superhero stories are part of our modern mythology, so I think they’re a natural stepping stone on the way to deeper discussions.

GP: Adaptations are tricky creatures. The Sokovia accords replace the Super Human Registration Act in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With respect to how the event plays out in comic canon vs the synopsis of the upcoming Civil War Film. Do you expect any changes in terms of what philosophical insights can be drawn from the story?

MW: I don’t think the broad themes will be very different — as in Captain America: Winter Soldier, it’s all about how far you’re willing to go to protect people and where you draw the line. In the comics, both Iron Man and Cap valued liberty and security in general, but they disagreed on where that line should be drawn, and hopefully that will come out in the movie as well. (Spider-Man obviously won’t play the same role as a pivot between the two older heroes, where he functioned as a point-of-view character for the reader, but I assume the movie won’t use that device.)

GP: Marvel Comics is about to embark on a sequel to its classic civil war event. Not too long ago we had the seismic Avengers vs X-Men event, AXIS and soon we will see an Avengers Standoff as well as an Apocalypse War. What is it about super human conflict that has Marvel returning to similar storytelling frameworks?

MW: For as long as superheroes have existed, fans have argued about who would win in a fight between, say, the Hulk and the Thing, or who would win in a race, Superman or the Flash. So I think fights between heroes can be interesting occasionally, but lately it seems they fight each other more than they fight villains, and after a while you forget what heroes are supposed to do: protect people by fighting evil. Civil War was great because the heroes were fighting about ideas, something important and relevant to what we saw in the world we live in. The sequel, about predictive policing, seems to following the same general plan, but most hero-versus-hero stories seem more like editorial contrivances and lowest-common-denominator storytelling to me. (Maybe supervillains simply don’t sell comics anymore — it might be as simple as that.)

GP: Comics have always been an interesting space to explore sensitive political subject matter. Considering the multiplicity of positions and opinions within the fandom do publishers like Marvel owe their consumers a degree of fairness or balance in terms of subject representation?

MW: I don’t know if I would say they “owe” their fans anything, but I do think it’s good business not to alienate any mainstream points of view. Certainly Marvel shouldn’t indulge racists or xenophobes, but showing the representative array of diverse (mainstream) viewpoints in “the world outside your window,” as Marvel likes to say, is valuable — not to mention great for generating story possibilities. They handled this very well in Civil War, because neither liberty nor security is the sole province of one party or the other, so it couldn’t be reduced to a simple left-versus-right story. As far I’m concerned, that’s the way political stories in comics should be done: getting past the simplistic left-right distinction and down to core issues, so they can show where people actually disagree, rather than the labels the media puts on them.

GP: Continuing with the theme of publisher responsibility it was recently announced that Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter donated 1 million to the Donald Trump Foundation, any thoughts on this transaction from an ethical point of view?

MW: That’s too complicated for one quick answer! But Ms. Marvel writer G. Willow Wilson laid out the various issues very well in a recent Tumblr post, and I’d recommend everyone read it.

GP: Thank you for your time Mark! all the best with your new publication!

Mark White’s A Philosopher Reads Marvel Comics’ Civil War is available for purchase February 3rd.

Retro Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #1 The Long Way Home Pt 1

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BTVS Season 8 #1So we wanted to try something new…or rather something vintage at Graphic Policy.  Comics as a medium have become a growing force in popular culture, enjoyed by people of many ages. Collectors can attest to their admiration for how the medium has changed visually, narrative-wise and so on over the years. In the spirit of this admiration we are very proud to introduce the Retro Review. An occasional curating of some classic or forgotten gems over the years, dusted off favourites, served up on tap and presented for analysis.

One of the landmark pop cultural icons of the 90s was Buffy the Vampire Slayer, originally a kitschy movie which debuted 1992 about a vally-girl heroine turned warrior against the forces of darkness. Buffy the Vampire introduced the  archetype of the subverted damsel in distressed turned chosen one. Though not presented exactly to her creator Joss Whedon’s initial expectations, the concept found its fullest expression and enjoyed its greatest success during its seven season television adaption which ran from to 1997-2003. The series end was book-ended with a seismic shift in the series mythos when Buffy makes the choice to share her power with other women around the world.

Flash forward five years to 2008 and the story has found its continuation albeit in comic form courtesy of Dark Horse comics.  Penned as Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8. We see the titular heroine in her brave new status quo. Both Buffy and her peers now find themselves holding the reigns of what once the Watcher’s Council. Adopting the operations and agenda of the now defunct organization, the Scoobies (as they are affectionately called by the fandom) have moved forward with their own vision. A vision where power is more distributed and things are less well…patriarchal.  Instead of one chosen slayer (or two thanks to the hiccups of seasons 2-7) there are now an estimated 1800 Slayers working with mentors in squads worldwide fighting the good fight.

A few fan favourites return as we get a look into their new operation and status quo. The Nick Fury-esque Xander Harris coordinates with Buffy remotely as she takes a squad of freshly called slayers to investigate a new seemingly demonic mystery. The team has a mixed roster of Watchers (but don’t call them that) mystics and slayers.  The story is subtitled “the Long Way Home” and is narrated by Buffy who shares her longing for her home Sunnydale, simpler times and perhaps hesitation at her station in this new landscape.

Buffy

Speaking of Sunnydale, the US military makes takes an active interest into matters as they happen upon the Sunnydale crater (Sunnydale was destroyed in the series finale). General Voll laments at the sheer destructive power that Buffy has wrought on the world, and tacitly rebrands intelligence of Buffy’s slayer squads as terroristic “cells”.  Sunnydale has always interested me, the theatre for most of the supernatural drama Buffy and her friends have endured, the longstanding nonchalance or perhaps ignorance of its citizens (with regard to its danger and weirdness) has been a striking and mostly unaddressed facet of the TV series (until season 7) since its beginning. Seeing the immensity of the crater, you realize it is truly emblematic of the consequence of its supernatural ignorance.

SD Crater

 

It is nice to see a military / government response to this new world order Buffy has spearheaded. It is an intriguing and organic thematic flourish from Season 4’s introduction of the Initiative. The raised profile of Buffy’s organization is poised to redefine human/ superhuman relations in the Buffyverse and raise the stakes for the time being. I always felt there was not enough of this element on the show and I was happy to see it explored in this series extension.

A long time Scooby villain re-emerges from the crater as with whom General makes a strategic partnership with. This villain is revealed to be the witch Amy Madison the military’s apparent answer to Buffy and company’s seeming threat and beachhead into the world of the supernatural. Those who know this carry may smell a grudge match on the horizon which stirs anticipation for issue 2.

Amy

I have written elsewhere of the risk of cross media integration, and this series is a strong successful example of that.  The tone and humour of the TV series carries over seamlessly into the comic and as strange as it sounds you really feel as though you are reading an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Lastly there is a lot to be said for the art. Georges Jeanty has an incredible knack for capturing the likeness of the characters we know and love. His covers are also vivid, and worthy of being a poster on any superfan’s wall.   The promises of the new medium also built up anticipation for the series at the time. BTVS has been known it’s schnazzy special effects. The venture into the comic platform seemed poised to lift the lid of that. Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 8 was an exciting time indeed.

Final Thoughts

5 years seems to be the magic number for this franchise. We saw a cross media jump from film to TV in the interim of 1992-97. And another from TV to comics from 2003-2008. Perhaps when (or if) this comic series wraps up we’ll see another such leap. Perhaps a Netflix reboot?…please? Joss willing of course.

 

Writer: Joss Whedon, Artist: Georges Jeanty

Story 9: Art: 10 Overall 9.5  Recommendation: Buy (And Cherish)

Review: Secret Wars #6

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secret_wars_vol_1_6_textlessSecret Wars #6 continues the series, with Valeria Richards sacrilegious quest for knowledge. I don’t recognize this as much as I would like to but Valeria has been a real stand out character in the past few years. Her overt child nature makes it easy to over look this, but when you think about it  must be a real burden to bear that kind of intellect at that age.  This is addressed in this issue where in a confrontation with the two Spider Men, she declines the opportunity to discover the source of Doom’s power. This was a powerful moment because the erudite Valeria has always been bold and unfazed in her exploration, this subtle shift and her recognition of the limits of her precociousness was a really nice touch.

There was another interesting scene where the two Reeds (616 and Ultimate version) discuss the logistics of the quest to take out Doom. The two Reeds differ significantly in their respectively in the philosophies, with Ultimate reed taking  a more realist approach and not being above killing. There’s a part that I loved where 616 reed ponders how ultimate Reed could be so callous to which Ultimate reed replies he doesn’t have the burden of a family to tie him down. Those who enjoy the nature vs nurture debate will have a lot mull over with this scene. One of my favourite aspects of alternate universe characters is the opportunity to explore aspects of a character that may not have arisen in their native dimensional upbringing. Ultimate seems to criticize 616 reeds’ ethical and compassionate as unfit for eh task at hand. His final jab  616 reed comes as he informs him about what Doom has done to  his family. This appears to put the fire under Reed to do what is required to stop Doom.

The emerging rebellion begins to boil over  as the prophet rallies the dissenting ranks. Admittedly I have not been following too much of the Secret Wars tie ins, but I suspect that there should be some connective tissue with what’s going on in these panels and some of those tie in issues. Sadly a lot of these tie ins failed to sustain my interest.

We get more insight into the mythos of Battleworld when Sue tells Franklin his bedtime story.  Sue tells of a modified fantastic four origin, where the Human Torch was sacrificed to become the sun of Battleworld. And The thing was made into the massive shield that keeps the dead away from the rest of Battleworld. It is a very touching story highlighting the heroism of both characters featured, however it raises some interesting questions. If Doom acquired for himself a degree of omnipotency, how was it that the circumstances were such that he needed these heroic sacrifices in the first place? To me it seems either strategic, or somewhat vindictive. Doom’s newfound power appears to be tempered by his villiany or perhaps some flaw that defines the limit of his power. The fact that Doom, has exploited or otherwise usurped each member of Reed’s family makes this a very personal attack on Reed and should make for a significant confrontation between the two in the end. This issue made me anticipate that encounter very much.

Story: Johnathan Hickman Art: Esad Ribic
Story 8 Art: 10 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Secret Wars #5

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Secret Wars #5 CoverIssue five of Secret Wars, takes place immediately after the death of Sheriff Strange. Godking Doom does his best to explain away the circumstance of his death and reinforce the mythology of Battleword’s founding, however the irreversible consequences still reverberate and those within Doom’s circle of influence are beginning to ask questions most notably Valeria.  To me Valeria has always been an underrated character, mostly because of her youth despite her precocious intellect. We are treated to some of her cosmic sleuthing, as she and her science division investigate what really happened prior to Sheriff Strange’s death.

It has been some time since writer Jonathan Hickman‘s Fantastic Four run, and this issue made me remember Hickman’s brilliance on it. I may have mentioned this elsewhere but Hickman’s plotting is very intricate, whether or not you enjoy this may depend on personal preference and perhaps patience. During Hickman’s FF run I really enjoyed the long form writing, and foreshadowing, but since his Avengers run and beyond, I feel he’s been encroaching the limits of that. With all the intricate plotting and the timeline flash-forwards, it’s kind of hard as a reader to navigate the context. I did follow the recent New Avengers story, but even as one who followed as best as I could, the panel explaining the metaphysical backdrop (presumably a refresher/intro for new readers) was a bit confusing.

Eagle eyed readers and fans of Hickman’s other series will appreciate some notable characters. For example Nostradamus and Dr Tesla make appearances. This was a real treat for me as I was (and still am) a die hard fan of Hickman’s SHIELD series, which if you haven’t already, you need to stop everything and go check it out. The tone of Hickman’s SHIELD is an intricate Dan Brown-esque journey that dives deep into the mythos of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the larger Marvel Universe by extension. The inclusions of these characters is appropriate in this respect as Secret Wars shares much of the motifs of the series.

There’s an underlying theme of knowledge seeking vs heresy, in this issue that really fleshes out the mythos and intrigue of Secret Wars. Again I am reminded other idyllic utopias showcased in the Marvel U that crumbled so quickly with a small inquiry into the truth of matters. Although at times convoluted and a bit dense narrative wise you can really tell that secret wars has been a labor of love for Hickman. I can’t help but respect that, and personally it fuels my own interest as well. The house of cards is slowly beginning to crumble and I am anxiously awaiting to see how this chapter ends, and shapes the future of the new Marvel Universe we have gotten glimpses of already.

Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Esad Ribic
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation Buy

Review: Uncanny X-Men #2

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Uncanny X-Men (2016-) 002-000Uncanny X-Men #2 continues the story of the bold new X-Men team lead by Magneto. At the conclusion of the last issue it appears as though the Dark Riders have made a return and are apparently targeting mutants with healing abilities. This issue focuses a bit on the individual team members carrying out respective missions for their investigation of the Someday organization.  With various team rosters, and their frequent change ups , I find it very effective for writers to zero in on select characters with smaller vignette style issues like this one. It helps the reader get acquainted with them. This worked very well on Ed Brubaker’s run on Secret Avengers (Volume 1) and I am quite happy to have seen that type of story telling in this issue.

I am not too familiar with the Dark Riders, my working knowledge on the group is that they had some affiliation with Apocalypse. By the end of this issue we learn that whatever the Dark Riders plans are in killing mutant healers they ultimately aim at attracting the attention of Apocalypse’s faithful cult the Akkaba clan. From what I’ve gathered from solicits this story element will dovetail into the Apocalypse event that is on the horizon. In a recent Sunday round-table I was a bit critical of the apparent cross media marketing ploy of featuring a new crossover with apocalypse while the next X-Men film features the titular villain. I am a bit reassured by this plot development because it serves as organic justification for Apocalypse presence within the comic canon. The whole ethos with Apocalypse and his Akkaba cult has always been culling the weak and revealing the strong. Looking at the current state of mutant affairs and the Terrigen mist crisis this would be an appropriately percieved period of testing that would warrant Apocalypse/Akkaba’s Darwinian guidance.

I was really thrilled to see Elixir again. Admittedly I missed the Utopians story arc so the last time I’ve seen him on panel was during the X-Force Necrosha arc. I am a bit out the loop as to whats going on with him lately, but a dangling plot element regarding him is his untapped omega mutant potential. A bit of that is explored in this issue is explored as he exhibits some power use that are apparently unprecedented (to my limited knowledge at least). I really loved this as it’s been long overdue. Given what Sinister is attempting in extraordinary X-Men it would be nice to see secondary mutations and omega mutations explored in this new uncertain landscape. The last time mutants were on the fast track to extinction it was met with a cosmic intervention by Phoenix force. Now that mutantkind is back in the same predicament surely there must be natural or cosmic response, continuity  sets a precedent and somewhat dictates this. Perhaps we’ll find our answer in the “Apocalypse Wars” event. Plus I find it very hard to believe that Mr Foley is permanently down for the count.

Now for the art……I have struggled with Greg Land, but I will try to be as balanced and fair as I can. My introduction to Land’s art was with the Phoenix Endsong miniseries, I was initially awestruck with the realism and beauty of his work at the time. In recent years sadly I have noticed a steady decline in quality. Land’s work has been plagued with rumors of photo-referencing and the more of his work I come across I can’t help but suspect them to be true. There have been multiple instances where I have gotten a déjà vu flash with some of his “drawn” characters, only to find identical posing by characters in other titles and work. (stay tuned to a follow up post on this). This comes across as very lazy, and I keep finding more and more evidence of this.

Another problem I find with his work is his egregiously exploitative portrayal of the female form. Now I am a guy who appreciates the female form, but even for me this comes across as sleazy and hypersexualized. We’re only two issues in and I’m already tired of seeing M’s mouth dramatically open all the time, the ridiculous perma-plump of her lips and her sudden penchant for always either sticking her tongue out or licking her lips (Between her and Mystique). This is one of those unfortunate instances where artistic interpretation(if we can be kind enough to call it that) eclipses the established character. M (and any female character really) is more dignified than this.

This isn’t a new gripe and I’m sure Land has caught wind of it, so I ‘m a bit disappointed that it continues. Now to the positive, The colors were very vivid and I really loved how they brought the panels alive. Kudos to colorist Nolan Woodard. The artistic take of Mystique’s shapeshifting was new and fun to see. I hope this continues. Lastly I loved seeing old school Cerebro design make a comeback.

In my opinion Uncanny X-Men is still finding its legs and I am still waiting to see what qualifies this take on the team as a “flagship” X-Title. Nevertheless the story is intriguing enough to keep me curious. To be 100% honest however I would be happier if the artistic direction changed for the better.

Final Thoughts:

I laughed for about 5 minutes when Sabretooth confessed that Cable Smelled like Gunpowder and Old Spice and that it was nice.

Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Greg Land
Story: 8 Art: 6 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Review : Extraordinary X-Men #3

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Extraordinary X-Men 3gIn an earlier review I wrote for X-Men No More Humans, I lamented how the high concept inter-temporal conflict between the past original X-Men and future brotherhood was a bit of a lost opportunity  that was corrected in that issue.  We get an interesting juxtaposition here with a heartfelt reunion of sorts between  young time displaced Jean, and old time displaced Logan.  Jean appears to be very empathic and familiar to old Logan despite not knowing the original wolverine for very long. Perhaps their similar time spanning predicaments has engendered some sympathy in her. Regardless of this however it does feel a bit forced…and so bizarre considering these are not the original versions we are poised to compare to them to. Nevertheless this is quite a surreal encounter. The X-Men are no strangers to countless resurrections. I found it very poignant that while the X-Men are still mourning the loss of Wolverine, this version of Wolverine is mourning the loss of the entire X-Men (by his own no less). That should lead to some interesting dynamics down the road.

Issue three of Extraordinary X-Men continues with its effective mix of the new and the nostalgic, and it was another enjoyable read. The younger X-Men get to flex their muscles as the demonic hordes native to their new environment invade X-Haven after Illyana’s incapacitation.  Being a long term X-Fan I could not help but recall familiar territory as some of the younger X-Men namely; Glob Herman and Anole got overdue some panel time. Eagle eyed readers will remember that it was  in Limbo where Anole lost his arm and discovered his ability to regenerate them in the Quest for Magik arc.  This arc was a coming of age story of sorts which saw the younger X-Men sucked into Limbo, and having to fend for themselves without their teachers. We had a similar Limbo Encounter in the more recent Uncanny X-Men run, which resulted in a very interesting outcome, Illyana seemingly absorbing the entire realm within her.   This issue brought back some of that “passing of the torch” sentiment that I feel has been waning from the x-books lately.  For too long I feel that the philosophical schism of the disparate interpretation of Xavier’s dream has eclipsed this.

It was nice Bobby’s ice clone army,  again this took me back to happier times, with Wolverine and the initial opening of the Jean Grey School. There are times that I forget how much power Bobby Drake has as an omega mutant. With Jean Grey (albeit a younger version) back in the mix, I would love to see the mutant classification taxonomy explored further especially now that they are an endangered species again. I have been missing Professor Xavier, and there’s an interesting development that I did not mention in my last review where Storm appears to be communicating with his spirit.  Storm and Xavier’s relationship has always been one that I admired and I have been extremely curious about the state of Xavier’s essence post-AXIS. In light of Storm’s innovative leadership and this secret counsel, interesting things are definitely around the corner.

I am patiently awaiting to see what Mr Sinister is up to. The character was written with so much finesse, under Kieron’s Gillen’s pen, and the finale of his run set up his intrigue so perfectly. The Sinister / Scott Summer’s conflict really hit its peak there ,  as Sinister became the Red Skull of sorts to Summers’ Steve rogers, perfect rivals.  Now with the elder Scott Summer’s allegedly dead, and mutants on the fast track to extinction, Sinister is no doubt bound to exact some extreme measures to procure and exploit what can be considered is favourite raw (and limited) resource, mutantkind. I had my reservations initially but I can say honestly I am very hooked by this new status quo with the added benefit of the tone hearkening back to that traditional X-Book feel and sentiment that I have missed.

Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Humberto Ramos
Story: 10 Art: 7 Overall 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

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