Spider-Man, Hulk, and Deadpool are all at Horizons Lab for different reasons. When they all appear in the alternate universe, everything seems like a perfect version of the Marvel 616 universe. Spider-Man is the Amazing Spider, and Deadpool is Dead Wish. Uncle Ben is still alive and so is Gwen Stacy. The Amazing Spider was hurt in the blast that brought the three heroes to this new universe and needs to heal. So Peter offers to help, but once he starts digging into the mysteries of the Amazing Spider, something doesn't feel right.
This Annual starts the second round of Annuals that are connected with one story. We saw this start recently in Uncanny X-Men Annual #3. The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #38 is crossing over with Deadpool Annual #1 and The Incredible Hulks Annual #1. What I'm pleased to say is the Annual starts off the story nicely. While the meeting is a tad forced, the repercussions work very well. A lot of times in alternate universe tales, the new universe likes to take the road less traveled, but this never seem like it could happen. This Annual is one of the first times where it seems like all these things could have come true. Would Uncle Ben have been become power hungry from Peter having powers? Would Aunt May not have loved Peter as much? Much like House of M, this story looks to leave Peter quite beaten emotionally by the end of it. Kudos to John Layman for doing a good job on constructing this universe.
Lee Garbett's art is also quite nice to look at. It's very expressive and detailed. The Amazing Spider costume looks cool, even if a bit cheesy. Surprised the mast wasn't altered more. I'm not familiar with his work, but I look forward to future issue penciled by him. Does anyone know if he is penciling the rest of the Annuals tied into this story?
The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #38 gets 4/5
The fight in Latveria keeps going as Iron Lad comes in to save the butts of his fellow Young Avengers. His real purpose is to bring the rest of the group in the past so the Scarlet Witch's memory can maybe be jogged. While in the past, Cassie Lang bumps into her father, Scott Lang (the second Ant-Man). Jack of Hearts appears though, about to blow up the mansion (under the Scarlet Witch of past's power). They all appear in the present again, and the big reveal is........revealed.
While that seems like a short synopsis of what happened, it's because not a lot happens. It's mostly dialogue, but that doesn't stop it from being a great issue. Some of the personal stories, especially Cassie's, gets some major developments. Iron Lad looks to be around for a while, and Vision isn't especially happy with that. This takes up less than a page, but Alan Heinberg writes it so well that it's the perfect amount. The showdown between Doom and Magneto was another awesome sight. This is all helped by Jim Cheung and his amazing pencils.
As stated before, not a lot happens. It's a slight complaint, but with the book only coming out every other month (and this one seemed delayed to me. Correct me if I'm wrong), I was hoping for a little more plot development. It is still worth your hard earned money though.
It's hard to believe it's been 10 months since issue #1 came out. And we still have another 8 months to go.
Avengers: The Children's Cursade #5 gets 4/5
With all the major players in the Star City forest, the White Lantern's plan is all coming together. The Dark Avatar has shown his face. Our previously thought dead heroes are alive and well, and are ready to fight the enemy. Almost everyone has done their duty, except for Captain Boomerang. At the end, Earth's real champion is revealed.
The big reveal, while very cool, seems way out of left field to me. I know the character has a lot of history (none of which I have read), but this role seems odd. But I shall read #24 to see how it all plays out. Captain Boomerang hasn't had a lot to do in Brightest Day, and his sudden appearance kind of seems like "Shit, we forgot about him." He had a very small amount to do in The Flash ongoing and he has still only acted like a plot device in that book. No doubt his "role" will be shown in #24 and have ramifications on Boston Brand and Dove.
The art on this issue is one of the better. It's hard to tell where one artist ends and one begins, unless you stop and really look. The massive landscape view reveal looks awesome. He seems more menacing than Nekron every did in Blackest Night.
Brightest Day #23 gets 4/5.
Even the Marvel Universe is feeling the ramifications of the recession. It's citizens are having trouble getting by, and it has nothing to do with super villains. The new Red Skull, Sin (the daughter of the original Red Skull), has awoken the Serpent, an ancient Norse God who the Asgardians see as a villain. He has chosen the Red Skull as one of his Worthy and sent out the hammers to call the rest of the Worthy. Odin realizes this and orders everyone back to Asgard on their plane of existence. Thor naturally doesn't want to go. Odin forces him to go back, leaving the heroes to fend for themselves.
What astounded me first was how great the writing was. Usually in big events in comics, the first issue is more used for catching people up and explaining the characters. This issue is just for the event itself. There isn't any dialogue that seems out of character. The scope is set very big and it's going to be hard for this event to not have an affect on any character. This paragraph could have been summed up I guess. Summed up into, "Matt Fraction, that's a good fucking issue."
Stuart Immonen keeps up with his amazing penciling. All the faces are expressive the action feels kinetic. The panels flow like a dream. His art is helped out by the amazing colors of Laura Martin. Just look at the rainbow bridge leading towards Asgard to see what I mean.
Some will have a problem with continuity, as this takes place before the first arc of The Mighty Thor. Just a heads up for you continuity types.
Fear Itself #1 gets 5/5
Hercules isn't a god anymore. He is living in Brooklyn and trying to help people as much as he can. He runs into a Greek family who is being squeezed on by the Kingpin, and helps. The family takes him in and Herc is the new bartender (oh god the hilarious stuff to come from that). All the while, someone is praying to Hercules, although he can't find them. He does find an offering of beer ("Best. Offering. Ever" as he puts it). But his brush with the Kingpin people doesn't go unnoticed. The Hobgoblin finds him and is ready to fight.
The trademark wit is still as funny as ever. Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente have found a way to humanize Herc without loosing his sense of humor. Or his ability to bed women so fast. While Amadeus Cho is missing, Pak and Van Lente have added a few side characters. The shop owner and his two daughters (I think they are both daughters, only one for sure) seem like a good supporting cast. They help humanize him and keep him grounded. And plenty of love triangle soap opera.
Neil Edwards art looks really good. There are a few problems of panel flow, but overall, he does a great job. The action looks really good as well. One problem I noticed was that Hercules is described as 7 feet tall, but he is the same height as the officers around him.
The overall point of a #1 book is to give new readers a feel of the character and establish enough plot threads for readers to come back each month. Herc #1 does this, and quite well I might add.
Herc #1 gets 4/5
Most of the book details Misty and her attempted escape of the Puppet Master and his puppet the Punisher. Paladin and Iron Fist wait outside to help Misty, but get attacked by Black Widow, Moon Knight, and the Falcon. With the ear pieces in their ear, Puppet Master was able to map their brainwaves and take control of them easier. We also learn some personal information about Paladin.
While the story moves along at a nice pace, there are a couple of hiccups. The way that Misty gets free of her bad encounter with the Punisher seems somewhat like lazy writing to me. Yeah, it's logical, but just doesn't work in the situation of this comic. DnA are too good at writing comics to have a plot twist like that. But they have been consistently good throughout their careers, so it's fine for one comic to slip by.
What the book is really missing is the penciling by Bradley Walker. Robert Atkins pencils are comparable, but no where near as detailed as Walker's. Atkins seems to style his after Walker's, and it results in some weird panels. Look at Iron Fist's head when Misty is laying in bed. It's a very odd shape.
Heroes for Hire #5 gets 3.5/5
The rest of X-Force joins Fantomex, who is being attacked by Dethloks. One of the Dethloks saves the Fantomex, and fills the rest of the team in on why and why he is here. The group catches the Captain America Dethlok and pries out the reason they are being attacked. It seems the future is a Utopia since all the heroes have become automated. The Dethloks have traveled back in time to secure this future.
#6 is by far the best written of the series. Remender discusses a lot of heavy topics about superheroes and their need to exist. Betsy also has a nice conversation with Captain Britain while trying to get over her guilt about seeing Fantomex killing Apocalypse. It's clear that the situation is putting a wall between her and Angel, and you can see the threads for upcoming arcs being made. I thought I would never say this, but a writer has found a way to make Deadpool a serious person. He has become very serious in this book since the Apocalypse killing, and it's nice to see a new side to the regenerating degenerate.
Esad Ribic penciled a beautiful book last month, but this month is lacking a little. Some of the character blend together to much, as if a little more inking was needed. Forgetting that, his characters are hyper expressive, and seem lifelike. The big fight scene between Deathlok Spider-Man and Fantomex looks great and has some great fluidity to it.
Uncanny X-Force gets 5/5
The book resolves around Magneto talking to the new PR rep for the X-Men and her trying to reform the former villain. Most of this revolves around trudging up old history for him. While all this is going on, some A.I.M posers are threatening an earthquake on San Francisco. The X-Men go to help the situation.
Kieron Gillen shows very fast that he knows the X-Men. They seem like a team and everyone has their own personality. Many complained about this during Matt Fraction's run on Uncanny. What surprised me most about this issue was how it more acted like an introduction for Magneto instead of the X-Men. That's not a bad thing, but the title of the book indicates it was about the X-Men. The story with them is a good one and done issue, showing the team working well together. Magneto ultimately solves the situation on his own when he hears what is going on
Carlos Pacheo pencils his usual great book. Most of the book is talking heads, but it's still beautiful to look at. Oh, and Pacheo? I think Emma Frost has a bit of a camel toe issue on one page.
Uncanny X-Men #534.1 gets 4/5.
Cap is stuck in a prison cell by Frank Simpson. After Simpson tells him to ask his God for a miracle, a snake appears in the cell with Cap. Biting his venom sack out, Cap spits in Simpson's eyes and finds his edge in a fight with him. While fighting the two argue about ideologies.
The issue really hits home about America vs anyone else ideologies a lot of people have. It's kind of refreshing to have the anyone else ideology thrown on it's head, and Jason Aaron never makes it feel preachy. The end conversion that Cap has with Hawkeye just adds something to think about after reading this issue. Hopefully Aaron will continue to write Ultimate Cap.
Ron Garney delivers his usual great issue. There are some minor complaints about detailing, but these aren't enough to lower the rating. The big fight scene looks awesome, and especially the ending with a certain body part being punched out.
Ultimate Comics Captain America #4 gets 5/5
That's it for the week boys and girls. Look for my column to post tomorrow or Friday. I talk about how much the comic industry coddles fans of the movies.
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