Savage Wolverine #1

Wolverine awakes to find himself transported to the Savage Land and labeled public enemy number one!  With no memory of how he got there, and Shanna the She-Devil his only ally, Logan must unravel the mystery that slumbers at the heart of the Savage Land before it finds a way to kill him first.

That’s the premise of this new Wolverine series which in it’s first issue sets up the mystery, but comes off like a failed spin-off of Lost. I should be completely honest on this, I hate the Savage Land as a setting. To me it gets old and at times can be fun, but here, not so much in this first issue.

The comic feels more like a story done by Mad Lib. Mysterious island? Check! Mysterious energy source that makes talking to the outside world impossible? Check! Black crew member first to die? Check! Yes, the comic even has a “Red Shirt” moment. There’s little in this first issue that got me excited, nor made it’s case as to why it needed to be. The premise feels like a limited series at most, and the first issue has that vibe as well.

The art, also done by Frank Cho is pretty good. There’s some things I like, and some I didn’t. Overall, it’s decent to look at but again, much like the story, doesn’t blow me away.

Maybe by the end of the first story arc I might be singing a different tune, but so far, I’m not impressed or excited after this first issue.

Story and Art: Frank Cho

Story: 6.75 Art: 7 Overall: 6.75 Recommendation: Read

Uncanny X-Force #1

After the shocking end to the previous group known as X-Force, the mutant known as Psylocke recruits her own clandestine group of operatives—Storm, Puck and Spiral—for missions so important—and so bloody—no one can know the truth. But when the time traveler known as Bishop returns to the present, he puts this new X-Force in his sights and won’t rest till he finds them. But just why does this former ally of the X-Men now hunt his former teammates? The answer will leave you speechless.

That pitch made this series one of my more anticipated reads of 2013. I went into this first issue with some high expectations, and I wasn’t disappointed. Writer Sam Humphries had some big shoes to fill with this series and it looks like he’s not only honoring what’s come before, but putting his own mark on it.

What I thought was potentially interesting in this series is Psylocke’s continued slide to the dark side. Out of all of the members of X-Force, the dirty work they did seemed to impact her the most. This first issue picked up on that and makes it front and center and she acts as you’d expect. Storm joins her, another character who has gone through major changes over the last year, similarly a psychological journey like Psylocke.

The two of them join Puck, who is as entertaining as he ever was on Alpha Flight (and a great addition to the team). How Spiral fits in, we don’t know yet and then there’s Bishop’s return too. That brings us to Fantomex/Cluster. I’ll just leave folks to find out about that on their own (where’s the outrage!?).

The series is a great start with solid art by Ron Garney backing it up. Can’t wait for the second issue.

Story: Sam Humphries Art: Ron Garney

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Young Avengers #1

This comic was billed as a “reinvention of the teen superhero comic for the 21st century.” This new incarnation of Young Avengers unites Wiccan, Hulkling and Hawkeye with Loki, Marvel Boy and Miss America. While we’ve seen how these heroes have handled the hardships of the world, now we can bear witness as these Young Avengers grapple with challenges of becoming a new brand of hero. Will they be up to the task?  Will they be able to follow in the footsteps of the heroes before them?  Will they want to?

This first issue is all set up. Hawkeye and Marvel Boy are our first focus, but we’re kind of in the middle of that story, then a quick shift to Wiccan and Hulkling. The two continue to be one of the cutest couples in the Marvel Universe. And then Loki and Miss America are thrown in there.

Overall, all three stories are quick and not full stories, again it’s a set up issue. And that being so, it feels a bit short-shrift, especially the Wiccan/Hulkling spat. There’s a quick resolution, a bit too quick for me.

The ending was interesting and it should be fun to see where this goes. The first issue didn’t blow me away, but it’s a decent read. I think the potential is high with this one, but as a first issue, I’m left wanting more.

Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Jamie McKelvie and Mike Norton

Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read