Author Archives: Troy Powell

Review: Illuminati #1

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Illuminati_1_CoverI love a good redemption story, and I must confess I have a love for all of Marvel‘s naughty and secret clubs. That was my main draw to the latest Illuminati title which sees Parker Robbins AKA the Hood venture forth with his own iteration of the iconic group. Illuminati is essentially a redemption story, and follows the struggle of Titania as she adjusts to post-incarceration life. It’s an endearing story and Williamson does a very good job building pathos for the character.  Long story short Titania is set up to fail courtesy of the Hood, who usurps her attempt to go on the straight and narrow with a strategically timed set up. Hood then later inducts her into his new Illuminati.

Though it was nice to see Titania make an earnest attempt to turn over a new leaf, it was a bit painful to see her get duped like this. Doubly so considering her recent possession by the Serpent/Skirnn during  the Fear Itself event. Side note I had a bit of disappointment that this was not mentioned at all hopefully it will be addressed in a subsequent issue. The Hood was one member of Norman Osborn’s past Cabal who I felt did not get to flex his muscles enough with the other members. To me he was so perfectly conniving and resourceful that I always wondered how he would perform in non-criminal settings. His ability to network, his knowledge of what battles to join in, and his endless ability maneuver any leverage point he could was and remains very impressive.

Speaking of rehabilitation, and transitioning to the non-criminal world, Illuminati #1 offers some interesting arguments regarding the state of criminals. Where Titania seems to champion the premise that one can make a change and that it would make for a better life, the Hood’s sentiments are more fatalistic. The Hood maintains the  view that villains will never be accepted for anything other than what they are, and any attempt to change that will relegate them to a second class citizen status.  The Hood somewhat undermines his argument, in that he actively sabotages Titania’s attempt to explain herself, after her foiled employment gig. If Hood truly believes that villains are doomed to constant disenfranchisement he probably wouldn’t have intervened personally as quickly as he had. This adds an interesting wrinkle to his relationship with Titania vis-a-vis their membership in the new Illuminati. It is based on mutual self-interest but mostly cemented through deception that should lead to some interesting developments going forward.

The Illuminati has become a recognized brand and property, and by virtue of that, this newest iteration will have some big shoes to fill. For me the main draw to previous titles has been the political intrigue of the group’s respective missions and some of the controversial memberships.  I judge each Illuminati by the influence and connectedness  of its membership and what they set out to accomplish. By this standard I am a bit underwhelmed by the current team up. We have the Black Ant, Enchantress, Thunderball and the Mad thinker, who are joined by both the Hood and Titania. Kind of a lackluster assemblage in my opinion.  The Hood introduces the teams inaugural mission which will be a heist of Asgardian Weaponry. If this sounds familiar it should. Norman Osborn’s black ops thunderbolt team tried to pull of the same gig during the Siege event. I don’t want to throw out the baby with the bath water, Illuminati is a curious title that sheds light on the disenfranchisement of Marvel’s villains, at the same time however it will need to do more to distance itself  from patterns and themes we are already familiar with and show us why it’s members are worth their salt. I’ll keep reading for now just out of curiosity and my soft side for the underdog.

Shawn Crystal‘s art was a pleasure, to my knowledge this is the first time I am seeing it.  He does a good job capturing some really menacing expressions from the Hood, whose power set also lends itself well to some creative artistic expression. No matter what power set or demon Hood has sold himself out to at a given time (Norn Stones or being pimped out to Dormammu) Hood has always had some interesting artistic effects to showcase his power set, this issue was no exception in that regard. Crystal also had some fun dragon effects when Iron Fist was fighting Titania that was really fun to see.

Story: Joshua Williamson Art: Shawn Crystal
Story: 7 Art: 10 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Read

Review: Extraordinary X-Men #2

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Extraordinary_X-Men_Vol_1_2I was pleasantly surprised reading Extraordinary X-Men #2,  for a number of reasons.  First It felt like a homecoming of sorts.  I know how weird that sounds given what has been said on graphic policy regarding the “return of the same” with respect to X-Men story plotting, and to a degree I still hold on to the critique.

Additionally, The story in Extraordinary X-Men was interspersed with very good character moments,  and a sense of intimacy I have not seen for a long time. When Wolverine and he X-Men (volume 1) launched I was reminded of how much I had missed the grass roots level of mutant persecution. The X-Men had become so big and militant that I hadn’t realized it been years since something as small as school licensing/approval was a hurdle for the X-Men to jump.

A bit of that returns in this issue during  a scene where the young Jean Grey is flirting with a human class mate. It does not end well. During an after school social event, Jean mistakes a manifesting inhuman for a mutant. In addition to revealing herself as a mutant, Jean faces the brunt of human racism as well inhuman fear.  Despite the similarity to past events in this new status the concept of interspecies competition is somewhat a rarity. The last time I remember mutants having a viable rival was back with Mike Carey’s Children of the Vault. The revelation of M-Pox hearkens back to the Legacy Virus, and adds another nostalgic flourish to the story. Is it derivative? definitely,  but these elements are likely to make for a more interesting circumstance the more the post-Battleword era is revealed to us.

To my memory this is the first time the Inhumans and Mutants have been in direct conflict. What I find interesting about this new status quo is that the X-Men and Inhumans engaged in a role reversal of sorts. The previously sequestered Inhumans are on the rise and on the fast track to becoming earth’s dominant species. This was a position briefly held by mutant kind who now find themselves cloistered to their own Attilan-esque X-haven. (More on that in a bit).  The X-Men have a history of some very awesome headquarters. We’ve had them in the Australian outback, a decommissioned Weapon X facility, and even Magneto’s Asteroid M. The revelation of X-Haven’s location was one of my favourite hooks in this story. It not only sparks some intrigue for the state of Mutantkind going forward, it ties up some lose ends from the previous Uncanny X-Men arc. X-Haven was revealed to be in Limbo, and inexorably tied to Illyana Rasputin, shedding light on Storm’s misgivings on whether she has saved Mutantkind or damned it.

Humberto Ramos‘ art was also a nostalgic pleasure, the quirkiness of his style matches the topsy turvy status quo that the X-Men find themselves in. Further to this I believe my introduction to Humberto Ramos was around the Mike Carey and eventual Messiah Complex era.  A lot of the theme during this era centered an impending mutant extinction, so it feels right that Ramos is back when the X-men are facing much of same again. Additonally Ramos quirky art also reminds me of Chris Bachalo’s work. Work which takes me back to Wolverine and the X-Men Volume 1. Again familiar territory and perhaps appropriate given the new status quo of the Jean Grey School.

Final Thoughts

The whole  mutant refugee angle has some similarity to the current Syrian Refugee crisis I find. Not sure if this was intentional but the seeing the element of mistaken identity and mutants running from an all pervading threat they are also blamed for seemed to be an interesting commentary on current events.

The conflict between the Inhumans and Mutants has very Malthusian tones, and really sounds like a zero-sum state of affairs, . Calling it now…. Unless Beast can find a solution with his Inhumans team I sense a species war event of sorts on the horizon.

A classic X-Villain rears his head at the end of this issue and I thrilled to bits about it.

Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Humberto Ramos
Story: 9 Art: 10 Overall 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Unfollow #1

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Unfollow #1Let me start by saying I absolutely love social experiments, in all their forms.  I was a diligent student of Psychology during my undergrad and I was a mesmerized teen in High School when the reality-tv revolution lit its spark. (I’m starting to give away my age!) Like most people, for me human nature in all its variants is a perennial curiosity.  I am always theorizing when people’s behaviour confuses me and I love when our art attempts to do much of the same.

I first heard about Unfollow via an article I read on Wired. The basic premise is that a tech inventor / billionaire and creator of a twitter like communication network (chirper) wants to know  the true nature of humanity. Terminally ill Larry Ferrell bequeaths his 17 billion dollar to 140 strangers (or characters) within a grand social experiment to determine of altruism or violence is humanity’s most defining trait.  What I love about this work is that the author was partly inspired by a Louis CK comedy bit where the comedian pondered at humanity’s luck for being outside the food chain.  The author  wanted to show that the opposite is the case and set out to use social media as inspiration for this sentiment.

The story wastes no time and begins in media res as two individuals on a seemingly private island, are involved in an altercation with each other. The confrontation between the two individuals centers on the selection of the “140”  This panel ends with one of the individuals being chased to his death. We’re introduced  to more characters who realize they have been chosen as  a member of the 140.  The reactions to this news range from the hilarious to the disturbing.  For instance a philanthropist heiress sick of the 1% seeks to rid her inheritance for a noble cause, only to discover she’s rich again after her selection to the 140. Another individual appears to be an ex-military recluse who believes he is receiving instructions from  God. After his notification of 140 membership he sets out heavily armed, on an assumed mission from above.

The themes of social Darwinism as well as altruism vs rational self-interest were very salient in this issue as it introduced the first round of characters and the premise of the story. Ferrell’s 17 billion fortune is poised to be split 140 ways (120 million each) unless something were to happen to some of the characters resulting in a greater share of the pie for each remaining character.  This grand experiment serving to answer the question of the man who initiated it.  It will be very interesting to watch the encounter all the interactions among the characters, although at a slated 140 it is questionable how many we’ll actually see on panel.

The whole nature of social media, highlights our obsession with narcissism and competitiveness but at the same time our capacity for empathy and connection. This double edged sword motif is sure to resonate as the series continues. Interestingly the story is likely to be mediated through each character. Possibly leading to a Rashomon like effect. Everyone is the hero of their own story, and their justification for their own behaviour contra everyone elses usually is more flattering than what it may be in reality.  This will be another element to watch closely in Unfollow.

The art was different, not what I am used to admittedly but the colours were bright and vivid. There was a serious tone to the art that really matches the subject matter giving it an appropriate sense of realism.  The experiment showcased in Unfollow would never gain ethics approval in the real world, but I am more than happy to explore it in a fictional setting.  I am hooked and cannot wait for the next  issue to come out.

Story: Rob Williams Art: Mike Dowling
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall 8 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Uncanny X-Men #600

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Uncanny_X-Men_600_CoverSo here we are the end of an era.  The latest chapter in the annals of Uncanny X-Men marked with a milestone renumbering. Or in other words PLEASE BUY ME!  This issue is what it is. Writer Brian Michael Bendis‘ attempt to wrap a bow on what was (to me at least) a very haphazard run on an iconic and beloved franchise.

The issue was very emotional, intimate and essentially centered on Hank McCoy being held to account for his unilateral decision-making a dangerous encroachment on the laws of nature. We are reminded how vast the X-Cast really is on numerous panels as the entire X-family assembles to witness Hank’s intervention, or as he astutely surmises his “Trial.”  Beast comes off very arrogant and bitter this issue. His wounded pride about the very public nature of this encounter seemed very petty and unlike him at all. Select X-Men are given the moment to express their concern and frustration but this is ultimately cut off by Beast who leaves abruptly.

This was unfortunate as it was a long overdue encounter, and Beast’s justification or perhaps his position seems weakened by his response. This scene is interrupted by another loose end with the appearance of Cyclops who is addressing the world with congregation of mutants at Washington DC. By his own admission Scott Summers confesses to the world that when he initially used the word revolution he did not really know what he wanted to convey or implement. In this panel Cyclops sets out to prove his “revolution” correct by showing a benign amassing of mutants. This is punctuated with the arrival of Magneto who smiles and assures cyclops this is something Xavier would have approved.

My reaction to this was a big fat “Really?”

Not only does this display say nothing for the problem of mutant externality which directly impacts mutant-human relations but it completely undermines everything we’ve been reading about prior. Cyclops has always been the master strategist. Since Messiah Complex all the way through to Second Coming nothing he has ever done has been random, and more recently his threats have been very calculated. There’s no phoenix force to blame his judgement on this time. To take this revealed “revolution” at face value, we’ll have to ignore all his militant preparation and his espionage chess game with SHIELD. My verdict…sloppy. This is just bad characterization, and aborted plotting, the former of which Bendis has showcased with alarming consistency. Overall this reads like an abrupt cancellation where the writer was unable to finish or flesh out their initial plot planning.

Now to Bendis’ defense the aftermath of the Last will and Testament of Charles Xavier, and the reveal of SHIELD’s “mole” may have changed Cyclops thinking. But there’s no reflection of that (on Cyclops’ part) or any explicit justification for the complete 180 degree turn. I think most readers will be left scratching their heads, and inferring the reason for themselves. This is a major gripe for me because I was really curious about Cyclops revolution and how it would unfold, and to have such a weak pay off to so much hype and buildup is very frustrating, it makes me want to request a refund for everything I have read.

Bendis primary challenge with this post was balancing a huge cast of characters and adding some fresh blood to the formula. With the re-invigoration of mutantkind post Avengers vs X-Men, he was able to do that, with some interesting new mutants. The most stand out  character among these fresh faces in my opinion is Eva Bell, who has an interesting encounter with Hank McCoy. Eva mentions to Beast that she’s a time traveler and has some interesting insight for him, but something happens which is interesting and not explicitly explained on panel, save for beasts frightened expression in the end. *SPOILER*  She disappears  mid conversation, when discussing the consequences of his actions. Did Beast break time? Or did she disappear on purpose? *Spoiler* (Highlight to read)

I really love Eva. The X-Men have always had an interesting relationship to time travel and seeing that expressed in a mutants power set and seeing how that has shifted their outlook just seems very poignant for the franchise. At the very least we can give kudos to Bendis for achieving that.

Other interesting developments was the coming out of Robert Drake the elder, after a discussion with his younger self and the younger Jean Grey. Seeing him come to terms with why he stayed in the closet for so long while freezing his tears was such a nice touch.  The interaction between the various generations and the current occurrences of things that did not originally take place (i.e. young Beast and Jean’s romance and Iceman coming out earlier) is another achievement we can credit to Bendis, at the very least this was executed very well.

The art was very expressive, and it was nice that Bendis got to showcase work with most of the artists he admires (as his own admission). The emotional tone of the issue was matched with the facial expressions, and the otherworldly art of Frazer Irving really punctuated the creepy (at least to me) encounter between Eva and Beast perfectly. Overall and by endpoint standards, this issue was sub-par, more could have been done to tie up loose ends and offer some intrigue for the transition going forward. Though I applaud Bendis for handling this new mandate with its bold status-quo, I am ultimately left feeling relief that the creative guard is changing.

Story: Brian Michael Bendis Art: Various
Story: 5 Art:  8 Overall 6.5 Recommendation: Read

Fan-Fiction as the “Uberization” of Canon

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I recently came across a blog by Nassim Taleb Nicholas describing the “Uberization” of education, the proliferation, of bottom-up alternatives to education such as MOOCs and other means of training that are slowly catching up with the traditional paradigm of formal education. Nassim was making the point that decentralization and perhaps disruption is becoming the norm, allowing people a greater range of freedom by providing means to bypass rigid establishments (i.e. the University). This article was a timely find for me as I have been really obsessed and invested in all variants of decentralization and disruption both academically and by virtue of curiosity. The following is an example of some various forms of disruptive industry.

Digital DisruptionUpon some reflection I would  argue that fan-fiction could be considered an “uberized” response to traditional canon. Admittedly I am no expert on the phenomenon of fan-fiction, however I do know enough to recognize its mass and broadening appeal to people of many ages within various fandoms and tastes. Within the world of fan-fiction there truly appears to be something for everyone and this momentum doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Fan-fictional works span from the fan imagined continuation of cancelled series, fictional universe mashups/crossovers, to the practice of romantic “shipping”  that ranges from platonic to the outright erotic (slash/fiction). I find this absolutely fascinating. There is a degree of creative wish fulfillment going on here that is very alluring and seemingly all encompassing. Perhaps fan-fiction represents the “made-to-order” consumer-oriented advent with respect to canonized fictional works. A lot of people forget that 50 Shades of Grey technically started out as erotic Twilight Fan-Fiction. Not that I’ve ever indulged in that swill *spits on the ground*

Phoenix and WandapngI experienced my appreciation for fan-fiction first hand after reading Marvel‘s mega event Avengers vs X-Men. AvX arrived with much marketing and fanfare, the culmination of years of Marvel lore, and a controversial smackdown between two major franchises. AvX excited me in the run up to the event but afterwards in its aftermath I was ultimately underwhelmed by it. In sum AvX was just too big. Too many writers, too many tie-ins to dance between. Overall the event felt constrained perhaps by editorial restrictions and glaring continuity errors. At 10 issues long I felt the overarching goal was to just sell as many issues as possible rather than to focus on good storytelling. Ulitmately the resurgence of mutantkind should have been a monumental occurrence, AvX made it feel like a whimper. Additionally The Phoenix force a pillar of X-Men lore was relegated to a mere plot device. Likewise Hope Summers a Character Marvel spent years investing and developing was essentially a McGuffin for the story. In my judgement mega comic events tend to  become productions that are too-big, and collapse under their own weight. Large teams of writers or “Architects” are enlisted and eventually things become cacaphonic.

Mutant ResurgenceSoon after I stumbled upon a fanfic on a website called Archive of Our Own titled Firebirds which was billed as the story that AvX should have been. A “fix-it” story as labelled in one if its tags. This was no lie, the story was everything an X-Fan or Avengers fan could want from the AvX conflict with some unexpected edge. The story was gritty, dark, violent and punctuated with some very shocking deaths that kept you reading. Oh and did I mention the profanity? That was nice touch to be included. Above all else I really loved the creative twist that the author took with the AvX storyline, the readers were to introduced some broader plot elements/factions that fleshed out the continuity, and the characterization was razor sharp.  You could really tell that the author knew the characters and their history and showcased this wonderfully in their interactions. Firebirds was my first bonafide foray into fanfiction and it was a surreal experience because it was a non-canon story that I enjoyed more than its canonical counterpart!  I remember uploading every single chapter to my kindle and waiting impatiently for each new update on the story after finishing each installment.

This experience made me realize that perhaps Marvel’s house of ideas and arguably other publishers alone don’t hold a monopoly on creative story telling. If Marvel’s AXIS was any indication, Marvel itself seems to be waning in this regard. There is even some evidence that most of Marvels’ acclaimed architects are gravitating towards more creator-owned ventures. Kieron Gillen, and Matt Fraction are notable examples. The glaring and more recent example of this dearth of creativity would be Marvel’s AXIS event, which rehashed so much of the plot of AvX and past event story-lines it was unbearable to endure.

The popularity and enjoyment of fan-fiction is definitely something to watch for I would argue, as other forms of media are poised for their own encounters with “uberization.” I follow an artist on Tumblr who has put together several X-Men team concepts one of which “Endless Summers” I would definitely pay to read . The concept is essentially a Summers reunion of sorts planned with some very appropriate villians with contemporary and fitting plot elements. Though it is way too early to say whether fan-fiction can maintain enough momentum to become a viable alternative to traditional fictional media, I believe there is a case to made that if publishers are looking to inject fresh blood into their respective house of ideas they should start paying close attention to fan-fiction or perhaps consider hiring fan-fic writers. Shameless Plug Alert, although I am not currently looking for work in the comic industry, I did put together a fan-fic of my own called Aerie. Inspired by Firebirds and my love for all things Shi’ar I wanted to put forth a creative story that was hybrid of sorts of the Shi’ar and the HBO series Rome. Life and school got in the way and I was not able to continue the venture, but I am very proud of the first chapter and the opportunity to add my own imagination to the growing tapestry of fan-fiction. Have a look if your curiosity has been piqued!

What do you think? Is Fan-Fiction an idle waste of time? Or is here to stay? What are the legal ramifications of it? Who “owns” the characters? are respectful disclaimers enough? Do fans have the right to write creatively about the characters they love? I’d love to hear some thoughts in the comments section below!

Review: Assassin’s Creed #1

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Assassins_Creed_#1_CoverA (1) (1)From a personal perspective there is something absolutely alluring about the Assassin’s Creed Franchise.

As a recent graduate of conflict studies, social justice has always been a fervent interest of mine. These themes run deep in the Assassin’s Creed franchise which explores the conflict of the Assassin’s and Templars. A conflict centered on the dilemma of freedom versus control. I can trace my own ancestry to Maroon and Possibly Taino/Arawak origins in Jamaica. Playing Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, anchored my investment into the franchise in multiple ways. Exploring the digital recreation of my ancestral home country (Jamaica) was very meta and surreal. It cemented my empathy to the protagonists, and in a way made me feel a part of the universe (With Maroon and Taino assassins  to boot!). The notion of slavery explored in Black Flag  has striking parallels to the modern-day story, and the Assassin’s Creed franchise showcased this to great effect.

This is where and how the franchise exceeds and sets itself apart I find, they make strong connections not only between the quasi-fictional antiquity and modern world (in their narrative canon). But also between the fictional world itself and our world. “Synchronization / Synchronicity” never had so much broad meaning. This remains true in Assassin Creed #1 which introduces us to Charlotte De La Cruz, a passionate young woman disenchanted with world/government corruption, debt-slavery, and the 1%. Charlotte’s world is turned upside when her ancestral connections to the Salem Witch trials unfurls a fresh new battleground between the Assassins and the Templars.

What impressed me the most about Assassin’s Creed #1, is that it functions perfectly as a stand-alone introduction to the series, but still retains enough connective tissue to anchoring it to the rest of the Assassin’s Creed Universe. As such it is suitable both for curious new fans as well as established die-hards. Assassin’s Creed #1 clearly introduces the perennial conflict between the Assassins’ and Templars in a straightforward way, establishing the mythos. We are also treated to technological mementos from other series installments. We are re-introduced to Abstergo Entertainment’s helix device (from Assassin’s Creed Unity) we also see the Animus 2.0 from Assassin’s Creed 2 and Brotherhood. We even get a reference to Gavin the chief Assassin, also to the events of Assassin’s Creed the Fall (The first foray into comics for Assassin’s Creed) are mentioned

Cross-Media Integration/penetration is a special yet risky undertaking. We are seeing it pay off (albeit after 2 seasons) with the Agents of Shield TV series and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was attempted (with mixed results) with Terminator the Sarah Connor Chronicles. There was even the Post Season 7 Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic stories that garnered both acclaim and some criticism. It is not always the case that a well-known franchise can successfully tread new waters. (How is that Minority Report and Limitless TV series doing by the way?) If they can however, it can lead to a tremendous pay off, as well as shed new light on areas overlooked in the main Canon. I thought this was one of the main draws of Terminator SCC, which explored the industry and development Skynet, and added multiple factions to the canon. For this new Assassin’s Creed comic to be successful it will have to transcend the typical “villain/crisis of the week” plotting style common in many comics. It will also have to introduce elements that cement its importance in the franchise in addition to just being merely in that universe. Although it’s too early to definitely say where Assassin’s Creed #1 falls in this respect, I am of the opinion that they have set up the groundwork well with a very human and relatable protagonist, and a fresh new ecosystem within the franchise. I look forward to reading more.

Story: Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery Art: Neil Edwards
Story: 8 Art: 10 Overall 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Titan Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: X-Men: No More Humans

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X-Men_No_More_Humans_CoverAmong my fellow comic book peers it is no secret that I was not the biggest fan of Brian Bendis’ run with the X-Men flagship titles.  For me he failed to connect strongly with the rich tradition of the X-Men, presented some disjointed characterization and overall was just not able to invigorate the franchise. Bendis is a great breaker of toys, and lover of controversy. Where this worked to great effect on his run during Avengers, this ethos fell very flat with the X-Men. One of the outgrowths of Bendis‘ run was the arrival of the future brotherhood of evil mutants In the aftermath of Battle of the Atom.

The prospect of a future brotherhood had great promise, and presented a unique and unprecedented threat to the x-men and their mission. With the countervailing presence of the time displaced original five X-Men from the past, we had a very high concept status quo for this era’s X-Men, the struggle and legacy of Xavier’s dream played out on the landscape of space and time. This should have breathed new life into the X-Men, unfortunately under Bendis‘ pen it did not. For all their grandeur and theatrics the future brotherhood were quickly relegated to irrelevance.  Additionally further follow-up stories were beleaguered non sensical and flashy non sequiturs. Seriously, in what universe would Charles Xavier willingly procreate with Mystique?

All that said Mike Carey’s graphic Novel X-Men: No More Humans presents a brief yet enjoyable salve to these problems. In my opinion Carey’s primary strength has always centered on his portrayal of relationships and his dutiful and faithful approach to characterizations. All characters under Carey’s pen have their own voice, and the interactions amongst the characters he writes are authentic and reflective of all those voices whether harmonious or discordant.  In X-Men: No More Humans Raze a future brotherhood member (and mystique and wolverine’s future son)* uses his future knowledge to enact a sweeping and blunt solution to the problem of mutant-human relations. Stealing technology that was (or will be ) used against mutants in the future., Raze manages to temporally displace all humans away from the earth. He then begins the second phase of his plan by bringing repressed mutants from alternate dimensions. This is the kind of threat from the future brotherhood I was waiting for. Anti-human sentiment matched with future knowledge. This not only presents the X-Men with a pressing moral dilemma and refugee crisis, it provides them with a superordinate goal that temporally galvanizes all of the X-Men factions which gives everyone the opportunity to reassess their mission as well as the future for mutantkind.

Interactions among Magneto- Mystique, Magneto and the Maximoff twins are heartfelt, nostalgic and build on as well as affirms years of storytelling. They also provide some thought provoking philosophical argument.  Many characters get a moment to shine given their own unique take on the state of mutantkind and how they believe the solution should be approached given the current crisis.  What we get as a result is a stimulating commentary on mutant human relations and a refreshing X-Men reunion.

X-Men: No More Humans is not a perfect story. While it’s nice to see the X-Men discuss the philosophy of their seemingly splintered visions, and working together, the resolution arrives via deus ex machina with an intervention from the phoenix force. A very  overused plot element in my opinion. The flashy and cosmic muscle flexing of the Phoenix force are nice to  look at but its use and intervention ultimately renders all the philosophical considerations and plot progression moot. We essentially get a big reset button setting everything back to the same before the crisis began, with the exception of Raze being taken out of play with a cosmic spank from the Phoenix. (Perhaps a tongue in cheek commentary of the future brotherhood from Carey). While this was a plausible solution given the interdimensional nature of the crisis it ultimately felt uninspired and too easy.

The art was colorful and the extradimensional panels (i.e the null space) were amazing to look at. Larroca also captured the frightful eeriness of an empty Time Square quite well, it felt like you were there. I still have issue with how he draws faces ( I feel they can be uniform)  but this is a minor gripe that in no way detracts from his work on this book which look diligent and polished overall.  X-Men: No More Humans is not essential reading, but in my opinion it stands as the last great X-story/X-dilemma prior to Secret Wars.

Final Thoughts

* So in this apparent future Mystique has child with both Xavier and Wolverine, which is odd timeline wise and logistically given Wolverine’s recent death.

I loved that the secondary villain is a mere human employing stolen alternate dimension technology. For some reason I just loved the simplicity of that.

Story: Mike Carey Art: Salvador Larocca
Story: 8 Art: 9 Overall 8.5 Recommendation: Read

Review: Civil War #2

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CivilWar2“We’re being played” – President Stark

The second installment of Civil War continues to stun with its expressive landscapes. Each panel in Civil War #2 presents its own reward, in addition to the engrossing mystery of what I can say now is my favorite battlezone.  Issue two showcases the aftermath of Miriam Sharpe’s assassination as both factions in the warzone carry out their own respective measures and investigation. We get an interesting reveal from President Stark’s analysis recent events. Employing his trademark technical finesse Stark carries out a statistical analysis of occurrences spanning from the  Stamford Incident (the classic trigger of the Civil War event) up to the Maria Sharpe’s death.   Stark’s work presents us with a timeline reminiscent of a similar one in Avengers #5 (Vol.4)  and another one created by a time displaced Hank McCoy in Bendis’ All-New X-Men.

I really do love timelines like these, they act as firm plot structure devices, and can lead to some awesome foreshadowing.  In this case the timeline does not just hint that there is more than what meets the eye is at work in Battleworld, it shows what could have been.  I have not been reading all of the tie ins to Secret Wars, but I have been reading most the reviews on Graphic Policy, and there seems to be a recurring theme that Battleworld is definitely flawed. I suspect the timeline analysis segment here touches on that thread.

A5 Timeline

Beasts TimelineCW Timeline

Back in the Blue, Rogers is overseeing a project dubbed “Bellcurve”  which appears to be a means to depower superhuman individuals.  With the genius inventiveness of Hank McCoy at its helm the project is poised to be a game changer for the seemingly endless conflict. Once more the Blue is constrained by resource limitations and the Blue faction is only able to conduct one successful run of the experiment. This will require a stealth mission into the Iron to acquire the necessary materials to carry out the project again.  What I found significant about this project is that it mirrors the Spin-tech measures used by the Pro-registration faction in the original Civil War event. This is yet another point emphasizing how similar each faction appears to be beyond the surface. Additionally Hank McCoy engineering depowering tech presents a striking parallel to the Utopia (Dark Reign) event where the Dark Beast (Hank’s Alterate reality doppelganger) creates the omega machine to painfully remove mutant abilities at the behest of Norman Osborn. That both events occur on the same timeline trajectory (albeit different universes) is no coincidence I think. That makes me appreciate this story so much more.

The visuals continue to carry the story in their own way. Seeing the capital cities of the Blue and the Iron was not only breathtaking, they  really accentuate the politics of place. Stark’s Resilient Alpha (a city we’ve seen a variant of before) is a sprawling technological utopia. This gilded empire matches the bureaucratic and ambitious nature of Stark’s politics and perhaps his approach to the super-human question….big, imposing, and intricate.  The capital of the Blue “Liberation” is a mountain side refuge, complete with a sweet Cap Shield Motif. A majestic unassuming refuge…remote and protected.  Seeing the nerve centre of both factions really anchors each ideology and gives them a sense of importance and place on par with the Inhumans’ Attilan or Namor’s Atlantis. I’m seriously dying to see Blue and Iron variants of Hellicarriers next.

Story: Charles Soule Art: Leinil Francis Yu
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall 10 Recommendation: Buy!

Review: Secret Wars #4

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Secret Wars 4The fourth installment of Secret Wars core story begins with a narrative by Sheriff Strange, informing the reader as well as the salvaged heroes and villains about the metaphysical nature of Battleworld. Sheriff Strange hints that Battleworld’s existence was born from uncertainty and as such it is a place of challenge and constant contest as “survival is its first and highest purpose” This identification of Battleworld had me wondering if the reality could have taken on other metaphysical properties if someone else had taken the power that Doom has usurped.  Doom has always taken measure of himself by challenging insurmountable odds, as well as cosmic magnitudes of power.  It is definitely telling that Battleworld appears to operate under that same ethos as well.

Upon further reflection, Battleworld follows in a long line of idyllic artificial realities/constructs gone awry. While reading issue four I couldn’t help but be reminded of 2005’s House of M, 2011’s Age of X, and in a sense Scott Summer’s Utopia. All established to solve some pressing conflict/circumstance.  All of these temporary solutions were fragile and suffered an early demise.  What Battleworld shares intimately with Age of X is that both of these realities reflect or project the inherent flaws of their respective creators. (David Haller aka Legion in the latter case) Perhaps this will be the key to Doom’s defeat.

In a previous review I pondered at the upper limits of Doom’s newfound Godhood. His apparent boredom and hesitation continues in this issue until he witnesses the arrival of his long-time nemesis Reed Richards. Doom’s disinterest melts away at this point and he joins the fray with a very spectacular entrance. Questions regarding Doom’s abilities are answered as he takes on a phoenix imbued Scott Summers and seemingly kills him. (but as we know with a Phoenix this is usually a Sisyphean task)  At this critical juncture Sheriff Strange makes a decisive play that answers any questions regarding his allegiance, but this has a fatal consequence for him.

I really loved this issue, call it morbid fascination, but for some reason I really enjoy watching yet another idyllic construct unravel, and I just find the inner psychology of Doom so fascinating. With each progressive issue he comes off as more rattled and insecure. We do not see him this way often. With the literal weight of the world on his shoulders and for all his power it is so interesting that one mortal (Reed Richards) can worry him so greatly. At this point I am not so burdened by the impending cosmic reset. When you think about it, paradigmatic shifts in the landscape are a staple Marvel’s event cycle as each event is bookended by them. What’s laudable about Secret Wars and Battleworld is that these changes are more ambitious affecting an entire universe rather than a political status quo, or a specific population. In this sense the arrival of Battleworld and the coming universe in its aftermath are a mix of traditional and uncharted territory, I can respect that.

Esad Ribic‘s art continues to dazzle me.  The panel where Doom goes to his watch room to observe the battle of our interloping heroes/villains were just breathtaking. I have been a critic of Ribic’s art in the past but this issue made me feel as though I am seeing his art in its full splendour for the first time. I wish he always drew this way.  After a cautious and curious exploration of this event, I can say I am really hooked….impatiently awaiting the next issue.

Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Esad Ribic
Story: 10 Art: 9 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy!

Review: Civil War #1 (A second take)

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Civil War #1“The more corrupt a state, the more numerous the laws” – Tacitus

Civil war stands as one of my favourite Marvel events, and in my opinion, one of the most consequential.

On Marvel’s Franchise itself.  I was very happy to revisit that territory through the multidimensional lens of Secret Wars. Civil War presented a fantastic conflict that sent shockwaves through subsequent stories for years to come.  Despite the reverberations that the event sparked in its aftermath the conflict itself (the 616 variant) ended very quickly. Any “war” in the traditional sense can be expecting to have uncalculated unknowns, and longterm effects that draw out the conflict into unforeseen territory and status quo.  Secret Wars’ rendition of Civil War offers us an exploration of some of these longer term effects, and I must say they are very interesting.

Essentially we see an entire country divided by both the pro and anti super-human registration act (SHRA) factions.  Tony Stark heads up “The Iron” in the West. And Steven Rogers has dominion of “The Blue” in the East. How each territory responds to the uninitiated use of power is elegantly shown in a number of panels involving Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel) on the Pro-Reg/ Iron side, and Cassie Lang (Stature) on the Anti-Reg / The Blue side.  The panel with Ms. Marvel, emphasizes  a case for personal safety that was not as salient I find in the original Civil War event.  Despite this there are some interesting parallels between “the blue” and “the Iron”. Although Steve Roger’s anti-registration faction’s laws are more parsimonious (1. Don’t hurt others, 2. do some good) Both factions have their idiosyncratic means of dealing with an unchecked / problematic use of power. Cassie’s obscure reference to the “Punishers” was very interesting reveal and may show that both factions are more similar beyond the surface.

The designation of both “The Iron” and “The Blue” reminded me of how important both real and imagined groups notions are to intractable conflicts like the one presented in Civil War. The group classifications here carry as much gravitas as the terms “the 99%” and “the 1%” in the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon we all know too well.  Such concepts work to both temper and define their respective conflicts. The mere conception of nominal groups are powerful drivers when elevated to the level of symbolic effigy.  It will be very interesting to see how the classical Pro and Anti-registration dichotomy gets extended towards the general populace in this regard. Accountability aside, the SHRA in the original Civil featured the super human community more prominently than everyone else.  This brings me to Miriam Sharpe.  There was no character (aside from Tony Stark during CW) who I loved to hate more than Mrs. Sharpe. To me she was both a protagonist and antagonist in the event. A driving catalyst behind conflict in the original iteration of Civil War, we see Sharpe here as an advocate for peace, a very interesting reversal.  I love that a non-powered character had so much impact and impetus driving the Civil War, I would easily put her in the ranks of Maria Hill, or even J Jonah Jameson.  I’m happy to see her again.

The art speaks just as much as the dialogue in Civil War.  I was really impressed with how much the landscape conveyed the story. We see the physical scars of the Civil War event in the purest way with a location that literally divides the nation. “The Divide” as it is called is the site of one of the Civil War’s battles and is marked with a bridge over a long pronounced fissure, a symbolic and apt location that is chosen for the peace talks between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. Leinil Francis Yu’s work on this title is one of the best that I have seen from the Artist.   I was introduced to  Yu’s work first during the Secret Invasion event.  His work here appears very polished and the facial expressions he depicts reflect emotional responses very well.  The panels were a complete delight, I felt as though I was reading and episode of 24. There’s a grown up seriousness in Yu’s work that really complements the thematic and epic tone of Civil War perfectly.

There were some elements of story that left me scratching my head. At the beginning we were told that the events sparking this dimensional iteration of the Civil War Began six years ago. It’s a bit confusing to place this within the timeline of Battleworld’s inception. Was this six years prior to the formation of Battleworld? Or after? This was not entirely clear Additionally it is mentioned that Tony Stark’s “Iron” half of the country is a recognized State entity whereas Rogers’ Blue half is not. Issues of trade were brought up in the peace talks, where The Iron receives vital trade from other states but the Blue does not due to its lack of recognition. Again, are these other countries the neighbouring warzones of Battleworld?  Or the countries that existed in this world prior to the final incursion? I am tempted to assume it is the former, however considering the draconian regulation of cross border flows of Battleworld by Master of the Universe Doom. I am not so certain. A minor gripe that barely detracted from my enjoyment of the story and I am sure will be cleared up in future issues.

Story: Charles Soule Art:  Leinil Francis Yu

Story: 9 Art: 10 Overall 9.5 Recommendation: Buy!

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