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Ultimate Wolverine #1 is a brutal hell of a debut and continues the Ultimate Universe’s excellence

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In order to maintain control of their corner of the Maker’s world, three members of his council-Magik, Colossus and Omega Red-deploy their most lethal asset: The Winter Soldier! But WHO is the weapon behind the mask?

Story: Chris Condon
Art: Alessandro Cappuccio
Color: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: Cory Petit

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics
Kindle

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Ultimate Wolverine #1 Snikts Its Claws into Readers

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Ultimate Wolverine #1

The Maker reshaped the world of Earth 6160 in his twisted image and enshrined the Maker’s Council to rule it. Colossus, Magik, and Omega Red oversee the Euroasian Republic, one of the two only locations with publicly known mutants where they commit horrific experiments on them. A secretive group called The Opposition formed to take the trio’s rule down and to free mutants. But to hold onto power, the trio utilizes the Winter Soldier, an unflinching and remorseless assassin, to kill the freedom fighters. Chris Condon and Alessandro Cappuccio introduce the mutant of Earth 6160, who is the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t very nice in Ultimate Wolverine #1.

Focusing on the villain’s side of the Ultimate Universe, Condon and Cappuccio plop us into the frosty Euroasian Republic as we get a look into this side of the world and its characters. Diving into the political power plays of Magik, Colossus, Omega Red, and Doctor Prostovich and their war with the rebels of the Opposition, where The Winter Soldier essentially serves as a loyal and brutal killer meant to crush dissent. Calling back to Logan’s origins in Weapon X, his role as the Winter Soldier hones into his animalistic instincts due to acting more like a muzzled attack dog or beast than a human being. Considering his lack of dialogue and essentially relying on his senses further dehumanizes him, where he exists as a weapon to be unleashed. 

The introduction of the Opposition brings a few familiar faces with close ties to Logan, including Nightcrawler and Mystique. Their introduction does not feel like a simple callback but expands the Euroasian republic and the potential cast we might see. It’s also interesting to see Kurt serving as a priest and working with his mother, Mystique, which reflects what we know should have happened for them in the central 616 universe. With Logan not recognizing them or remembering their shared history makes their slaughter even more horrific. Condon has crafted a ghost who stalks the snowy forests.

Cappuccio truly brings his incredible gifts to the art, where he captures the cold spy tone of the story. Due to the non-verbal nature of the Winter Soldier, Cappuccio nails the character’s body language to help the readers know what he is thinking. Paired with Bryan Valenza’s colors and VC’s Cory Petit, the visuals ooze with style and put you in the boots of the bloodied and dark atmosphere of the Euroasian Republic and how unforgiven it can be. It’s only fitting in a world entirely of shadows that the only true light can be derived from the pure, untainted moon or snow. 

With the arrival of year two for the Ultimate Universe, Ultimate Wolverine #1 by Condon and Cappuccio snikts onto the scene and jams its claws into readers. Brutal and bloody, the duo lands an incredible debut that leaves the reader wanting to know more about the Winter Soldier and what else lies in this part of the world.

Story: Chris Condon Art: Alessandro Cappuccio
Color: Bryan Valenza Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Story: 9.4 Art: 9.4 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 feels like a bit of a missed opportunity

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THE CLOCK IS TICKING DOWN TO THE MAKER’S ARRIVAL! Deniz Camp flips the narrative on ULTIMATES and takes us inside the Maker’s Council! The heroes of the Ultimate Universe aren’t the only ones who have been preparing for the return of the Maker, and the clock is ticking down… This unique one-shot sets the stage for the second year of the Ultimate line and includes the debut of the Ultimate versions of two major Marvel characters!

Story: Deniz Camp, Chris Condon
Art: Jonas Scharf, Alessandro Cappuccio
Color: Mattia Iacono, Bryan Valenza
Letterer: Travis Lanham

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

TFAW
Kindle

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Exclusive Preview: Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27

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Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27

(W) Cody Ziglar (A) Daniele Nicuolo
(C) Bryan Valenza (L) Cory Petit
(CA) Federico Vicentini (VCA) Stefano Caselli, Todd Nauck
Rated T
In Shops: Dec 04, 2024
SRP: $3.99

NEW SUIT, NEW PROBLEMS!

BLACK PANTHER IS SPIDER-MAN’S ONLY HOPE! Does Miles Morales have what it takes to pass T’Challa’s grueling tests in far-away WAKANDA?! And who is web-slinging around New York City masquerading as Spidey in Miles’ absence?!

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #27

Wolverine #1 goes a bit retro for a new beginning

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Wolverine #1

There’s a killer in the woods – and as Wolverine’s attempt at piece is shattered, an old enemy will re-emerge as a NEW VILLAIN rises who will bring Logan to the brink of his berserker rage. But Nightcrawler knows his old friend is capable of doing what’s right, and before long, Logan will have to unleash his claws, push his healing factor to the limit and demonstrate he’s the best there is at what he does once and for all – nice be damned! Wolverine #1 kicks off the post-Krakoa era for Wolverine and takes things a bit back to basics.

Written by Saladin Ahmed, Wolverine #1 is a nice start to the latest volume for the character. While it deals with the fallout of Krakoa, the issue in some ways feels like it’s a bit retro in some ways. Logan is running through the Canadian wilderness attempting to clear his head and find a simple family. But, things can’t stay peaceful for the character and an old villain returns to hunt him and kill anyone that may be in the way.

Ahmed delivers an interesting debut that feels like a Wolverine comic we’ve seen before, and that’s not a bad thing. But, the issue gets going almost too fast, cutting short the internal conflict of Logan and rushing through what would be an interesting perspective on recent X-Men related events. The concept of the comic also clashes a bit with other “From the Ashes” comics. We’ve seen Logan in X-Men and Uncanny X-Men, making his being isolated and wanting to get away from it all a bit… inconsistent.

The art by Martin Coccolo is great delivering a setting that feels cold and isolated. Coccolo is joined by Bryan Valenza on color and lettering by Cory Petit for a comic that’s a nice mix of action and drama and delivers just enough death and destruction without going a bit overboard. The team also does a solid job of capturing the horror aspects of the comic as a new villain is slowly teased.

Wolverine #1 is a nice start that takes things back to basics and gets Wolverine away from the crazier aspects of his life. It teases and dances around his past and delivers some anguish over his present life. It tip toes closer to the grumpy and gruff Wolverine who is filled with hurt and anguish. It’s a Wolverine we haven’t seen in some time.

Story: Saladin Ahmed Art: Martin Coccolo
Color: Bryan Valenza Letterer: Cory Petit
Story: 7.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Apotheosis Comics – Kindle

Exclusive Preview: Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #2

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Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #2

(W) Ben Percy (A) Danny Kim
(C) Bryan Valenza (L) Travis Lanham
(CA) Juan Ferreyra (VCA) Elena Casagrande, Geoff Shaw, Mark Texeira
Rated T+
In Shops: Apr 17, 2024
SRP: $3.99

THE NEW GHOST RIDER!
There’s a new Spirit of Vengeance in town and he’s looking to run the place. There will be no stopping THIS rider. The mystery of Johnny Blaze’s disappearance continues!

Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #2

Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1 debuts the new Ghost Rider

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Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1

Johnny Blaze was bonded with the Spirit of Vengeance. Unwilling to be a monster, Johnny used this demon from Hell to do good as the Ghost Rider. But heroism isn’t what the Rider was meant for. So who will be the new Spirit of Vengeance? And what will it mean for the Marvel Universe? Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1 kicks off the next chapter for the Spirit of Vengeance as it seeks, and finds, a new host.

Written by Benjamin Percy, Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1 is a prime example of missed opportunity. A new character taking on an old mantle could be a moment of excitement and get a lot of buzz. But, Marvel spoiled who the new host Ghost Rider would be some time ago. With that already out there, the comic’s surprise and draw shifts a bit. How did this happen? Why was he chosen? What would he be like? Those first two questions are answered but that final one is left for another time. The over-sized comic takes its time getting us to what we know is coming and thus creates a comic that leaves us with what we already knew and wanted to know.

Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1 is interesting in that the Ghost Rider spirit leaves Johnny Blaze at a difficult moment. He’s in the middle of battle and thus powerless to fend for himself. But, that’s put to the side and instead we get to see the entity search for a new host as it goes on about its history. There’s some interesting aspects with quick hits of individuals as the Ghost Rider and damage left as it leaves. Most are very short and there’s little impact but two segments are given some breathing room, each creating potential stories that would have been worth seeing more of. In other words, the comic feels more like a bunch of teasers taking far to long to get to the point and skipping over some excellent ideas. No spoilers here as to all of that. But, there’s interesting aspects to the comic as it hops all over to get us to the new host for Ghost Rider, something we already knew and spoiled a while ago.

With the new host spoiled and already revealed before release, the more interesting aspect of the comic is the situation Johnny Blaze is left in. The moment is silly in some ways but how he escapes has potential and feels like an aspect of the comic that was set up, forgot, we’re given some detours, and then remembered to be resolved. A classic character thrown into danger should get a bit more focus, but instead, the comic spends a lot of time on the Ghost Rider entity waxing poetic and philosophically about what it’s looking for in a new host. One thing goes on too long and the other a bit too short. Then there’s the two hosts for a short time that could have been an issue or two on their own.

The art by Danny Kim is decent. With color by Bryan Valenza and lettering by Travis Lanham, the art, like the story, at times feels like quick hits. It’s amplified by pages and panels which are more focused and look great. Basically, the scenes with a lot of people, the detail drops but when it’s just a few, there’s a solid amount and it looks much better.

Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1 is an interesting comic. If it just focused on the new host and got us there, the pacing would have picked up and it’d be far more entertaining to get to what we already knew was happening. The other improvement would have been to not spoil it at all and let readers be surprised. Finally, a better direction would have been to let it play out through the first arc with the reveal coming the fourth or fifth issue and again not spoiling it. That would have allowed Percy to better explore the Ghost Rider entity and its role in the Marvel Universe. As is, we get some cool ideas and an ending we knew was coming. In other words, it’s a comic that doesn’t deliver much beyond what we already knew.

Story: Benjamin Percy Art: Danny Kim
Color: Bryan Valenza Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 6.5 Art: 7.0 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Pass

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Fall Of The House Of X #1 is a Disappointing Start 

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Fall of the House of X #1

Fall Of The House Of X has huge boots to fill, there is a certain boldness with naming a comic after one of the best X-Men stories ever told. Not only that but it sets out to be the cap end to the story that comic started, all of this leaves a lot of room for comparisons. Unfortunately Fall Of The House Of X #1 by Gerry Duggan and Lucas Werneck does not invite flattering comparisons between the two and overall disappoints. 

The Mutants lost at the Hellfire Gala, they lost bad. They were slaughtered and scattered to the winds. And now Cyclops stands on trial, in a way it isn’t just him standing on trial, it’s the entirety of Mutantdom. The architects of the brutal attack on the Hellfire Gala, Orchis, wants to use him to set a precedent, I think? The issue is a little vague on what the consequences of this trial actually are. It’s clear that Cyclops losing this sham trial is supposed to be the winning blow for Orchis but it’s never elaborated on as to why. This sets a precedent for this issue itself, things are a little unclear. For instance, Wolverine and Colossus along with a few other X-Men are on a mission to liberate Cyclops before the trial, but in X-Force they are on the complete opposite side of the planet, we aren’t told how they met up with the other X-Men, it’s just a gap that we are meant to fill in our heads, and there are quite a few gaps like it in this issue. This thing isn’t rare in comics but the Krakoan era has been such an interconnected one that it’s somewhat befuddling to have two books be asynchronous and at odds like that during the climax. Especially when the past five months of The Fall Of X could have been used to set up this very climax. 

If I had to use one word to describe this issue it would be abrupt, which is a shame since so much of the Fall Of X has been set up for this very issue, but even then it still feels like we are a couple months off before the books line up with the events we see in this comic. Hell there is even an editor’s box telling us to check out upcoming issues of Invincible Iron Man to be filled in on plot details that are supposed to be unfolding in the now of this book. 

It’s not all bad though, there is some pretty short but sweet stuff with Cyclops that lands well even in the midst of an overall confused trial that we barely get to see any of. Plus, there is a particular moment at the end of the issue that still blew my socks off and delivers on the type of bombast Duggan is known for. Duggan is a talented writer, he’s great at doing character driven stuff and big superheroic bombast, but frankly this is not him at his best.

On the art front Lucas Werneck is good but perhaps not the best fit for a big action event book like this. Werneck is still a developing artist but he is great at two things in particular, character interactions and amazing poses. While both of those are on offer here and are a feast for the eyes they don’t make up the eternity of this book. There are also some moments where the art looks rushed, which again is unfortunate for a big event book like this. The art is by no means bad but it’s an ill fit for what this book is going for. 

Overall Fall Of The House Of X #1 is a disappointing start made all the more unfortunate by the quality of what preceded it, not only its namesake but Duggan’s other work from the Fall Of X which has largely been stellar. Hopefully the following issues can pick up the momentum the first issue so desperately lacked. 

Story: Gerry Duggan Art: Lucas Werneck
Color: Bryan Valenza Letterer: Travis Lanham Design: Tom Muller & Jay Bowen
Story: 6.5 Art: 7.7 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle

Fall of the House of X #1 kicks off the war against Orchis

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Fall of the House of X #1

Mutantkind has never had a greater fall. From the highs of Krakoa – their own glorious nation, a place where they were safe and happy – to the lowest of lows. Outlawed, hunted, killed, most of their kind missing or dead, and now, one their greatest leaders, Cyclops, is on trial facing a death penalty. Ready or not, the time has come for the X-Men to make their final stand against the forces that have struck them low. The day is now. The place is here. The tale of the house Xavier built will long be told…and few will forget this darkest chapter. Fall of the House of X #1 kicks off the the end of the Krakoan era for the X-Men leading into what comes next.

I’ll admit, I haven’t been a fan of the Krakoan age of the X-Men. While there’s many interesting aspects, the storyline got too far from their roots. They went from the underdogs, the oppressed, to nationalists. They stated they were “gods” to humankind. It also took away any sense of danger with their ability to create new bodies and download their minds into them, though it explained their lack of aging. Small details here and there worked but overall, it’s an experiment that I don’t think did what it intended to do.

With the “Mutant Massacre” and attack on Krakoa by Orchis, the era began to wrap up leading into Fall of X. Their numbers dwindled. The ability to be reborn was taken away. The comic felt closer to the X-Men of the past, an oppressed group looking to fight for their rights and equality.

Written by Gerry Duggan Fall of the House of X #1 begins the final chapter of that story, beginning to truly wrap up and transition to what’s next. Fall of X was the lead up to this, getting things in order. And the result is an ok beginning.

Duggan tightens the focus a bit, with Cyclops on trial for what feels like all of Mutantdom. But, there’s a mission to free him while taking the fight to Orchis. It’s all rather cinematic and in some ways predictable in that things don’t go as planned. But, where the comic fumbles is when things really get going. The battle goes from 0 to 60 in a blink. It feels rushed, which the attack by the X-Men against Orchis is, but that rushed feeling also makes it seem like something is missing in the storytelling.

The art by Lucas Werneck is solid. The characters look good and there’s a lot of dynamic moments that hit the right emotional queues. Werneck is joined by Bryan Valenza on color and Travis Lanham on lettering. Like the narrative, the art has a slight bump as well when things ramp up. It too feels like it goes into overdrive where visuals go from rather tight and focused moments to gigantic battles. It’s like a step has been missed.

Overall, the comic is ok. Fall of the House of X #1 shows off some potential as to where things go but it doesn’t quite excite and stand on its own. It feels like a slightly opening chapter before the credits of the action film roll. It does a good job of creating the situation and setting but as a comic, it has a sense of being rushed.

Story: Gerry Duggan Art: Lucas Werneck
Color: Bryan Valenza Letterer: Travis Lanham Design: Tom Muller, Jay Bowen
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – Kindle

Exclusive Preview: Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War – First Strike #1

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Gang War is coming! Spinning out of Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr.’s hit run of Amazing Spider-Man, GANG WAR will see a war erupt between the gang lords of New York City, causing chaos throughout the Big Apple. Villains are fighting villains. Criminals are fighting criminals. Hobgoblin, Mr. Negative, the Owl, Shotgun, Diamondback, A.I.M., H.Y.D.R.A., and more battle with and against each other for NYC supremacy. For Peter Parker, “going on patrol” isn’t enough.. and he declares his own war on super-crime. It’s General Spidey at the helm, leading a group of heroes that includes fellow Spider-Man Miles Morales, She-Hulk, Daredevil, and Spider-Woman. Their goal: take down the super-gangs in under 48 hours. But what does Mayor Luke Cage and the city’s strong anti-vigilante laws have to say about it? Will Jackpot gamble on getting involved? And is Shang-Chi a friend or foe? They better all figure it out before two classic villains make a game-changing return!

We have an exclusive preview of Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War – First Strike #1 from writers Zeb Wells and Cody Ziglar, art by Joey Vazquez and Julian Shaw, and colors by Bryan Valenza. It comes to shelves on November 29!

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