X-23: Target X will be worth buying for the art alone. This beautiful and violent tale is brought to life by Mike Choi. If the story by Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost is half as good as the art, this will be a great way to end the year. Out December. Anticipation factor: 7
Squadron Supreme: Hyperion Vs. Nighthawk is a five-issue limited series written by Marc Guggenheim. What really has me excited about this one is the presence of legendary artist Paul Gulacy. If the cover to issue one is anything to go by, this one is going to be a real bruising encounter. Available January. Anticipation factor: 9
Thunderbolts 110 marks a big change both for the group and the creative team behind it. Warren Ellis gives us “Faith in Monsters” with pencils by Mike Deodato. Following on from events in Civil War, this will be out in January. Anticipation factor: 9
This month's reading:
The Amazing Spider-Man 535
If there was a hero I’d have picked to switch sides in the Civil War, it would have been Spider-Man, and this issue he does just that. Now all he has to do is get out of Avenger's Tower and that may not be easy; next month promises a free-for-all with Iron Man. Garney’s art is still lacking in detail but writer Straczynski’s on fine form. We get a scene towards the end of the book from Peter Parker’s perspective and in this month’s FF (also scripted by Straczynski) we see it from a different view; it’s a nice idea and very well handled. Grade: B
Aquaman 44
Butch Guice’s art continues to be the highlight of this book but the story is picking up a little more pace and I think the mystery surrounding Arthur Curry may soon be revealed. Grade: B-
Blade 1
This was a disappointment. As with his recent work on The New Avengers, Chaykin’s art is great in the action scenes but looks stiff when the characters aren’t trying to kill each other. Spider-Man’s guest spot amounts to just two pages while the central story concerning a vampire unit within S.H.I.E.L.D. fails to impress. Only the flashback pages revealing hitherto unknown secrets of Blade’s origin really work, although even this seems derivative of Miller’s Daredevil, with a Stick-like character introduced. Great cover though. Grade: C
Cable & Deadpool 32
The third Civil War crossover issue concludes with the two friends on opposite sides and nothing here suggests they’ll be reunited anytime soon. Fabian Nicienza did a good job of adding some humour to the Civil War in the previous two issues but here, particularly with Cable’s confrontation with the President, he’s far too heavy handed. Staz Johnson’s pencils are once again unexceptional but adequate. Grade: C
Article comments
1 - Rohan Venkat
Some good calls there. And yes, although Civil War #4 was really really good, I'm still worried that Miller is only showing us the pro's bad side, I mean look at all that happens in this issue, and though we are getting some points in for the pro's, it is coming from the tie-in's rather than from the main back. Yes there are 3m ore issues to go, but right about this now, I'd have expected to be rethinking my decision about "Whose Side I'm On."
Still, can't criticise an unfinished event.
Thanks for bringing up Elephantmen, I'm definitely going to have a look at it.
I realize you have a rather extensive pull list there, but have you checked out any of Virgin's offerings yet? My best bet there so far, has to be John Woo's Seven Brothers.
2 - Ian Woolstencroft
Rohan, I can see your point about Civil War, it may be a little unbalanced in its perspective but for me that's a plus. I'd rather read a comic by a writer like Millar who's making a point as well as telling a damn good yarn, so long as it's true to the characters and I think this has been. As for rethinking your position, you may not be but some of the heroes are and I was pleased to see Spidey swap sides. I still don't see how it's going to end although I suspect both sides may have to come together to combat a larger threat, possibly from Dr Doom and the Red Skull. We shall see...
Hope you enjoy Elephantmen as much as I did. There's an issue 0 due out soon that reprints the original first story to feature the characters - "Unnatural Selection."
As for Virgin Comics, I've read issue 1 of Devi and thought it was OK but nothing special and I have the premier of Snake Woman in my "to read" pile. I was tempted by Seven Brothers but what puts me off is the line's reliance on name directors like Woo and Shekhar Kapur to sell the comics even though they're not writing the books, only coming up with the initial concept. I may give them another try at some point though.
3 - Rohan Venkat
Yeah, Civil War's a good book, for sure, it's just not, so far, all that Marvel said it would be.
And honestly, I had little doubt that Spidey would swap sides, it'll who else will do it. And yes, unless the ending is going to be interesting, and if it's anything other than what you said, then Marvel have done a good job in keeping wraps on it, that is, assuming it's any good.
I realise that John Woo's name is only useful for the marketing, but 7 brothers is written by Garth Ennis, and is quite good, IMO.
4 - manfred
I am looking forward to reading X-23, one of the few new interesting characters in the Marvel Universe and Spiderman Reign. Wonder how they ever killed Mary Jane.
X-23, how old is she anyway?
5 - Ian Woolstencroft
I think X-23 is about 13 or 14 but don’t quote me on that.
As for killing off Mary Jane, this goes against a recent Peter David scripted issue of Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man which had a future Mary Jane outlive Peter Parker. I’m not sure if this means that Reign takes place outside established continuity or not.
6 - manfred
13 or 14? And she was a prostitute ? She was in Nyx.
I believe I read somewhere that Reign takes place in an alternative timeline, not part of the Established one.