Well, it's finally happened. The harsh reality of my economic situation has caught up to the whimsical way in which I make my purchases, and so it all must come to an end. The buying of monthly comic books has to end.
But, it will not be the end of me, for lovely hardcover collections grease the shelves every few weeks and I will do my best to get my hands on them. And if a particularly intriguing mini-series is released (such as 'Darkstar and the Winter Guard, issue #2 out this week) I will buy, cheat, beg or steal my way into it's glossy pages.
But that isn't the point of this post, the point of this post is to point (HA! Repetition!) out that i will continue to strive on and deliver reviews of the the hardcovers that come out for the series (plural) i'm reading. At the moment i'll be catching up, looking at : Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth, Absolute Batman: The Long Halloween, Absolute Dark Knight and Batwoman: Elegy. All DC I know, but I am trying to diversify, which really defeats the purpose and meaning of itself (HA! Paradox!). I'd like to mention that i'm loving Amazon at the moment, ordering Absolute GL on Monday and getting it by Friday is my kind of delivery service.
Before I go, I'll leave you with my series to watch, in the hope that unlike myself, you have the money to buy them:
Hawkeye and Mockingbird (Issue #1 sold out and is being reprinted, to be simultaneously released with issue #2 this week)
Secret Avengers (Again, sold out and reprinting with issue #2 this week)
Batwoman: Elegy (already released in Detective Comics and recently came out in hardcover, but she'll be getting her own solo series very soon)
Batman & Robin (getting closer to the big finale and still rocking it. I feel bad for liking Dick Grayson as Batman more than Bruce Wayne)
Green Lantern (Geoff Johns is still going strong with this series and shows no sign of stopping)
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne (with Jonah Hex starring next issue, and pirate Batman in the last one, this series is serving as another chapter in Grant Morrison's epic Batman tale, and it's awesome)
Daredevil (Shadowland is just around the corner, get ready to have the Marvel universe turned upside-down)
Well, that's all i'll care to mention, but I'm going to do my best to keep this blog as interesting as possible, and diversify my reviews and updates into gaming as well. This is only the beginning.
Showing posts with label Secret Avengers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Secret Avengers. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
My Comics for the month of June 2010 [UPDATED]
I'm back again for another installment of Mark's pull list. Last month was quite eventful in the fact that I picked up a few series that I didn't mean to, and wasn't disappointed. But enough talk, I know what you want, you want to know what I want, so here we go (sorry, no linking to covers this month, the more comics the harder it is to find all there cover art. i'm a terrible blogger.):
Angel #34 (30/6/2010) - Well, seems I got my numbering wrong last month, so here we are at issue 34! James has revealed himself to be something that isn't in fact an angel, and now he's going to rip the Angel team a new one. By proxy of course. Elena Casagrande took over art duties from Denham last issue and did a great job, and Willingham's story is still a thrill. I always look forward to picking up this series every month, and so should you.
Angel Barbary Coast #3 (30/6/2010) - The final issue of this miniseries features many things: cable-cars, vampires and a dragon. What's not to love? Angel's chances of winning against a giant fire-breathing lizard don't seem to be great, but i'm sure he'll figure it out. The next miniseries after this one falls to Spike in 'Spike: the Devil you know'.
Avengers #2 (23/6/2010) - The Avengers are back and Kang has provided them with their first adventure: sort out your kids. So it's a hop, skip and a jump away into the time stream, but not before they find a time machine. Oh, and fight Wonder Man who's still convinced putting the Avengers back together is a bad idea. I'm interested to see where this title will go, and to see hwo the last member of the Avengers is, or if i'm imagining if there is anyone else.
Avengers Prime #1 (3/6/2010) - The story that bridges the gap between Siege and the Heroic Age is this! Steve Rogers, Iron Man and Thor go on a little side adventure to mend their broken friendship, so they can all get along again in the new world order. A bi-monthly, five-part miniseries.
Avengers: The Origin #3 (3/6/2010) - We're halfway through this miniseries and I don't feel any forward momentum whatsoever. Last issue was mostly a dream (or nightmare) which Loki sent to Thor's brain. Thrilling? Not so much. But i'm sticking with it to see them get together (eventually) as the Avengers. Plus a fantastic cover for this issue.
Batman #700 (9/6/2010) - As a lovely person on CBR's forum pointed out to me, if I want to start reading Batman, #700 is the issue for me. This issue is going to chronicle the lives of the different Bats (Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson and Damien Wayne) and serve as an anniversary issue. Perfect time to jump on for me and for anyone else who wants to start reading Batman. And 700 issues? Now that's a milestone.
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #3 (16/6/2010) - An intriguing miniseries that has me wondering, what the hell is going on here? Now Bruce Wayne is on the swashbuckling high seas with Blackbeard, while Superman, the Green Lantern, Booster Gold and Rip Hunter try to find their friend before he destroys reality. I'm sticking with this series and trying to get into other Batman titles as well. Come on, it's Batman!
Black Widow #3 (16/6/2010) - With Elektra's appearance at the end of last issue, and looking at the cover for this one, I can guarantee there's going to be a little tension between the two ladies. Daredevil jealousy perhaps? The artwork for this series has been fantastic, I love the painted style and washed out colours. Buy this series!
Daredevil #507 (9/6/2010) - Daredevil is back after a bi-monthly stint (which is over now, thankfully), and racing towards Shadowland. But before we get there, Matt Murdock needs to resolve the Hand situation in Japan and figure out what's happened to White Tiger. We lose the Japanese theme in the cover this month, but gain a great display of DD's radar sense instead.
Darkstar and the Winter Guard #1 (3/6/2010) - Nostroyvia! The Winter Guard are back after the success of their Hulk one-shot. Who knows, if this three part miniseries sells well enough we might be seeing more of them in th months and years to come. I am certainly hoping that we do. Red Guardian! Darkstar (obviously!)! Crimson Dynamo! Ursa Major! Russians! ASSEMBLE!
Green Arrow #1 (23/6/2010) - Green Arrow gets a relaunch this month, so I thought what a perfect place to jump on and read me some DC! The Emerald Archer is living in Star City Forest and shooting at punks (as you do), and i'm looking forward to reading this one. If it's good, i'll continue. If it doesn't impress me, could it lead to Mark not buying into DC Comics anymore? Stay tuned! I'll be reviewing this one.
Hawkeye and Mockingbird #1 (3/6/2010) - Now this is a series i've seen waiting for! I love Hawkeye, bow and arrow rules, screw modernity. Clint Barton is back together with Mockingbird, his erstwhile wife and current girlfriend, and along with a new team are taking on the world's terrorists. This book has mega potential and i'll be very excited to get my hands on it this week.
Heroic Age: Prince of Power #2 (9/6/2010) - BUY THIS SERIES. DO IT NOW.
Fantastic miniseries and I hope it won't be the last we see of Amadeus Cho and Hercules, as well as the plethora of fantastic supporting characters. We last saw Amadeus being confronted by Thor after Vali Halfling tricked the boy genius into sneaking into the Asgardian apple orchard right after all the apples were stolen! Why is this starting to sound like a kids' book...
Secret Avengers #2 (30/6/2010) - Ed Brubaker's team of secret heroes are on their way to Mars to rescue Nova, who discarded his awesome helmet for the Serpent Crown. Roxxon, that oh-so-evil energy corporation are at something again and it's up to Steve Rogers and his super spies to figure it out. With Shadow Council Nick-Fury-lookalike man attacking Sharon Carter back on planet Earth, when will we find out just what the hell is going on? Great series, buy it!
Serenity: Float Out #1 (3/6/2010) - We all loved Firefly, we all loved Serenity, we all loved Wash. So Joss Whedon stuck the nose of a spaceship through him. Why do I put up with you Whedon? A one-shot story from Dark Horse that chronicles three different stories of Wash from three different people who knew him. Written by Patton Oswalt actor/comedian/writer/(minor bad guy in Daredevil? Chico, look him up) and illustrated by Patric Reynolds, this will be a great add-on to the growing Serenity comics library.
The New Avengers #1 (16/6/2010) - One thing Marvel likes to do is spread their characters across several teams. A marketing strategy you say? No! They wouldn't do that! Anyway, New Avengers gets a relaunch this month with a few old faces but a few new ones too. Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Spider-Man, Wolverine and The Thing are the members i'm sure of, but let's hope there are some different characters in the mix as well. Doctor Strange and Iron Fist seems like good and likely candidates. *cough* Iron Fist *cough*
The New Avengers: Luke Cage #3 (23/6/2010) - The final issue of this miniseries, which has been an interesting look back at Luke's days in Harlem. We're still slugging our way to the bad guy right now, but run ins with Hammerhead and Wheelchair-man have kept the action moving along nicely. Nothing fantastic in this series but if you're a fan of Luke Cage I think you'll enjoy it.
Thunderbolts #144/#145 (OUT NOW/ 23/6/2010) - A great series brought to my attention again by CBR, with Luke Cage taking the reins of another title's team. I've been reading Thunderbolts for about 20 or 30 issues back and i've found it really interesting. I wasn't going to pursue the series monthly (maybe getting the hardcovers if and when they came out) but after the review it got (here) I thought i'd better get out and take a look. Issue #144 came out last week but I neglected to get it, so here it is listed today. They better not be sold out...
Angel #34 (30/6/2010) - Well, seems I got my numbering wrong last month, so here we are at issue 34! James has revealed himself to be something that isn't in fact an angel, and now he's going to rip the Angel team a new one. By proxy of course. Elena Casagrande took over art duties from Denham last issue and did a great job, and Willingham's story is still a thrill. I always look forward to picking up this series every month, and so should you.
Angel Barbary Coast #3 (30/6/2010) - The final issue of this miniseries features many things: cable-cars, vampires and a dragon. What's not to love? Angel's chances of winning against a giant fire-breathing lizard don't seem to be great, but i'm sure he'll figure it out. The next miniseries after this one falls to Spike in 'Spike: the Devil you know'.
Avengers #2 (23/6/2010) - The Avengers are back and Kang has provided them with their first adventure: sort out your kids. So it's a hop, skip and a jump away into the time stream, but not before they find a time machine. Oh, and fight Wonder Man who's still convinced putting the Avengers back together is a bad idea. I'm interested to see where this title will go, and to see hwo the last member of the Avengers is, or if i'm imagining if there is anyone else.
Avengers Prime #1 (3/6/2010) - The story that bridges the gap between Siege and the Heroic Age is this! Steve Rogers, Iron Man and Thor go on a little side adventure to mend their broken friendship, so they can all get along again in the new world order. A bi-monthly, five-part miniseries.
Avengers: The Origin #3 (3/6/2010) - We're halfway through this miniseries and I don't feel any forward momentum whatsoever. Last issue was mostly a dream (or nightmare) which Loki sent to Thor's brain. Thrilling? Not so much. But i'm sticking with it to see them get together (eventually) as the Avengers. Plus a fantastic cover for this issue.
Batman #700 (9/6/2010) - As a lovely person on CBR's forum pointed out to me, if I want to start reading Batman, #700 is the issue for me. This issue is going to chronicle the lives of the different Bats (Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson and Damien Wayne) and serve as an anniversary issue. Perfect time to jump on for me and for anyone else who wants to start reading Batman. And 700 issues? Now that's a milestone.
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #3 (16/6/2010) - An intriguing miniseries that has me wondering, what the hell is going on here? Now Bruce Wayne is on the swashbuckling high seas with Blackbeard, while Superman, the Green Lantern, Booster Gold and Rip Hunter try to find their friend before he destroys reality. I'm sticking with this series and trying to get into other Batman titles as well. Come on, it's Batman!
Black Widow #3 (16/6/2010) - With Elektra's appearance at the end of last issue, and looking at the cover for this one, I can guarantee there's going to be a little tension between the two ladies. Daredevil jealousy perhaps? The artwork for this series has been fantastic, I love the painted style and washed out colours. Buy this series!
Daredevil #507 (9/6/2010) - Daredevil is back after a bi-monthly stint (which is over now, thankfully), and racing towards Shadowland. But before we get there, Matt Murdock needs to resolve the Hand situation in Japan and figure out what's happened to White Tiger. We lose the Japanese theme in the cover this month, but gain a great display of DD's radar sense instead.
Darkstar and the Winter Guard #1 (3/6/2010) - Nostroyvia! The Winter Guard are back after the success of their Hulk one-shot. Who knows, if this three part miniseries sells well enough we might be seeing more of them in th months and years to come. I am certainly hoping that we do. Red Guardian! Darkstar (obviously!)! Crimson Dynamo! Ursa Major! Russians! ASSEMBLE!
Green Arrow #1 (23/6/2010) - Green Arrow gets a relaunch this month, so I thought what a perfect place to jump on and read me some DC! The Emerald Archer is living in Star City Forest and shooting at punks (as you do), and i'm looking forward to reading this one. If it's good, i'll continue. If it doesn't impress me, could it lead to Mark not buying into DC Comics anymore? Stay tuned! I'll be reviewing this one.
Hawkeye and Mockingbird #1 (3/6/2010) - Now this is a series i've seen waiting for! I love Hawkeye, bow and arrow rules, screw modernity. Clint Barton is back together with Mockingbird, his erstwhile wife and current girlfriend, and along with a new team are taking on the world's terrorists. This book has mega potential and i'll be very excited to get my hands on it this week.
Heroic Age: Prince of Power #2 (9/6/2010) - BUY THIS SERIES. DO IT NOW.
Fantastic miniseries and I hope it won't be the last we see of Amadeus Cho and Hercules, as well as the plethora of fantastic supporting characters. We last saw Amadeus being confronted by Thor after Vali Halfling tricked the boy genius into sneaking into the Asgardian apple orchard right after all the apples were stolen! Why is this starting to sound like a kids' book...
Secret Avengers #2 (30/6/2010) - Ed Brubaker's team of secret heroes are on their way to Mars to rescue Nova, who discarded his awesome helmet for the Serpent Crown. Roxxon, that oh-so-evil energy corporation are at something again and it's up to Steve Rogers and his super spies to figure it out. With Shadow Council Nick-Fury-lookalike man attacking Sharon Carter back on planet Earth, when will we find out just what the hell is going on? Great series, buy it!
Serenity: Float Out #1 (3/6/2010) - We all loved Firefly, we all loved Serenity, we all loved Wash. So Joss Whedon stuck the nose of a spaceship through him. Why do I put up with you Whedon? A one-shot story from Dark Horse that chronicles three different stories of Wash from three different people who knew him. Written by Patton Oswalt actor/comedian/writer/(minor bad guy in Daredevil? Chico, look him up) and illustrated by Patric Reynolds, this will be a great add-on to the growing Serenity comics library.
The New Avengers #1 (16/6/2010) - One thing Marvel likes to do is spread their characters across several teams. A marketing strategy you say? No! They wouldn't do that! Anyway, New Avengers gets a relaunch this month with a few old faces but a few new ones too. Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Spider-Man, Wolverine and The Thing are the members i'm sure of, but let's hope there are some different characters in the mix as well. Doctor Strange and Iron Fist seems like good and likely candidates. *cough* Iron Fist *cough*
The New Avengers: Luke Cage #3 (23/6/2010) - The final issue of this miniseries, which has been an interesting look back at Luke's days in Harlem. We're still slugging our way to the bad guy right now, but run ins with Hammerhead and Wheelchair-man have kept the action moving along nicely. Nothing fantastic in this series but if you're a fan of Luke Cage I think you'll enjoy it.
Thunderbolts #144/#145 (OUT NOW/ 23/6/2010) - A great series brought to my attention again by CBR, with Luke Cage taking the reins of another title's team. I've been reading Thunderbolts for about 20 or 30 issues back and i've found it really interesting. I wasn't going to pursue the series monthly (maybe getting the hardcovers if and when they came out) but after the review it got (here) I thought i'd better get out and take a look. Issue #144 came out last week but I neglected to get it, so here it is listed today. They better not be sold out...
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Review: Secret Avengers #1
Writer: Ed Brubaker Artist: Mike Deodato
Well, I just put it down and I feel like I need to read it again. Maybe after I post this.
'Secret Avengers' is another series that has spun out of 'Siege', and unlike 'The Avengers' isn't a return to the norm in a sense. The newly formed team is run by Steve Rogers (former Captain America, current Steve Rogers) and includes the Black Widow (Natalia Romanova), Beast, War Machine, Moon Knight, Valkyrie, Nova and Ant-Man (Eric O'Grady), with Sharon Carter (Ex- S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent/former hypnotised murderer of Captain America) in a consultancy position. Now, to me, almost half the team are heroes I don't really no much about. Beast i've read some of in Joss Whedon's 'Astonishing X-Men', War Machine guest starring in Matt Fration's 'The Invincible Iron Man' and everybody knows the Black Widow and Captain America; but Ant-Man, Moon Knight, Valkyrie and Nova are relatively new characters in my eyes. While this leaves me in something of an uncomfortable position, I'm also kind of excited to see how they operate in a team environment. It might even inspire me to look into their titles.
Our story begins in Dubai, with the eveil energy corporation Roxxon in possession of something obviously dangerous, and after Valkyrie blows the mission, we find out it's a crown with tentacles that as Beast says seems to only move between moments. Weeping Angels, anyone?
From then on we get to see the different elements of the team coming together. Beast as their scientist, Black Widow on espionage, War Machine for firepower and as a pilot, Ant-Man and Moon Knight as infiltration and Nova as their off planet powerhouse/spy/possessor of cool helmet. Now everything isn't going super smoothly as the Shadow Council begins to follow our Avengers as soon as they leave with the creepy artifact, and Nova, as Steve tells us, has dropped out of communication on Mars after trying to find out what Roxxon is doing up there. So as Nova is consumed by another creepy snake/octopus crown thing, and Sharon Carter is attacked by the Shadow Council (whose leader looks like Nick Fury?), issue #1 closes and leaves me wanting more. now I just need to make it a month to get my fix...
Secret Avengers, the concept is viable enough, an Avengers team formed off the radar to handle pre-emptive strikes against enemy forces. Sounds good to me. But why are they going to Mars? The leap that was taken in this first issue definately surprised me, I was expecting a pretty simple 'let's show the reader what these guys can do to protect us' storyline, not to say that it hasn't piqued my interest. Ed Brubaker has achieved immense success with his 'Captain America' and 'Daredevil' (and 'Immortal Iron Fist') and obviously Marvel thinks he can handle his own team of Avengers, and I have to agree. While I have yet to see the individual power sets of some of the characters, the already established heroes seem in form (Brubaker should be able to write Steve and Sharon), except for Valkyrie's outburst. Isn't a black ops team all about seamless deception/inception/extraction? If she's going to be that volatile every adventure, Steve might want to rethink her as a team member.
Mike Deodato's artwork... I can take it or leave it. Having experienced it in 'Dark Avengers' I wasn't really expecting much, his renderings of the characters sort of freak me out. It's hard to explain but in some scenes they just look too plastic. Black Widow and Valkyrie's lips look like they're about to leap off their faces at some points. Some panels are fine, others make me squirm. Sorry Mike Deodato, but once again I want to see Oliver Coipel handle an Avengers title.
In summery, I was really happy to read this issue of what will no doubt be a very popular title. With a strong cast, and the talents of Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato at the helm, i'm looking forward to the future adventures of the Secret Avengers.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Is Wonder Man the last Avenger? [UPDATED]
After reading issue #1 of the new Avengers ongoing today, I'm wondering who the final member of the team is. Just before Kang appears to warn the Avengers, Tony Stark asks if 'This is everybody?', with Steve Rogers replying that it isn't and then'I thought he'd show'.
Now earlier in the issue Steve Rogers had gone to recruit Wonder Man (Simon Williams) with litlle success, as the former Avenger told him that all the recent problems in their universe occured because of some instance of the Avengers trying to reform. Steve left hoping that Simon would change his mind, and Wonder Man noted that if Steve didn't change his own view, Wonder Man would. Now with the preview of next issue showing an image of Wonder Man attacking the newly formed team, the theory that he will join them seems less likely, but who really knows?
And if it isn't Wonder Man, could it be Iron Fist? I know I'm hoping it is. Any compelling evidence? Iron Fist's appearance in the two page spread showing many other members of new Avengers affiliated teams (New Avengers, Secret Avengers and Avengers Academy), and the Avenger's children. One of the boys is of African American decent (and with Danny Rand and Misty Knight expecting a child...), and he seems to be in a fighter's stance. If he isn't an Avenger, I can only imagine him as a New Avenger (since he's already appeared on the solicit cover for issue #3 of New Avengers).
Oh yeh, bought two more Immortal Iron Fist back issues today. Ka-ching.
NEWS FLASH BUT NOT REALLY
I just discovered after reading CBR's review of Avengers #1, that the Avenger's children or 'Next Avengers' have been in their own direct to DVD animated movie. Checking the Wikipedia page for the film, I discovered that the child I was hoping was the son of Iron Fist and Misty Knight is actually the son of Storm and the Black Panther. Oh well, there's still a chance Iron Fist will be a New Avenger. Fingers are still crossed.
Now earlier in the issue Steve Rogers had gone to recruit Wonder Man (Simon Williams) with litlle success, as the former Avenger told him that all the recent problems in their universe occured because of some instance of the Avengers trying to reform. Steve left hoping that Simon would change his mind, and Wonder Man noted that if Steve didn't change his own view, Wonder Man would. Now with the preview of next issue showing an image of Wonder Man attacking the newly formed team, the theory that he will join them seems less likely, but who really knows?
And if it isn't Wonder Man, could it be Iron Fist? I know I'm hoping it is. Any compelling evidence? Iron Fist's appearance in the two page spread showing many other members of new Avengers affiliated teams (New Avengers, Secret Avengers and Avengers Academy), and the Avenger's children. One of the boys is of African American decent (and with Danny Rand and Misty Knight expecting a child...), and he seems to be in a fighter's stance. If he isn't an Avenger, I can only imagine him as a New Avenger (since he's already appeared on the solicit cover for issue #3 of New Avengers).
Oh yeh, bought two more Immortal Iron Fist back issues today. Ka-ching.
NEWS FLASH BUT NOT REALLY
I just discovered after reading CBR's review of Avengers #1, that the Avenger's children or 'Next Avengers' have been in their own direct to DVD animated movie. Checking the Wikipedia page for the film, I discovered that the child I was hoping was the son of Iron Fist and Misty Knight is actually the son of Storm and the Black Panther. Oh well, there's still a chance Iron Fist will be a New Avenger. Fingers are still crossed.
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