The Weekly Round-Up #867 w/ Avengers: Armageddon, Absolute Wonder Woman, Justice League Unlimited, Battle Beast, and more…
Best Comic of the Week:
Escape #7 & 8 – I love this series so much. Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña have crafted one of the most compelling and suspenseful comics I’ve read in years. Milton is an Allied bomber who is determined to complete his mission while behind enemy lines. He’s been captured, but that’s all part of his plan, as he tries to take out the giant cannon that has been keeping his country’s bombers at bay. This issue introduces us to the local Resistance, and continues to toss Milton into ever more difficult situations. I like how Remender frames so much of what’s happening in terms of duty – even the enemy soldiers get some sympathy from him as we see how the war makes everyone make regrettable decisions. Acuña’s art has rarely looked this good; he manages to make each page feel like it’s moving quickly while also making the anthropomorphic characters feel very believable and emotional. This is a very special book.
Quick Takes:
Absolute Green Lantern #15 & 16 – Al Ewing’s very conceptual approach to the Lanterns continues to interest me without really understanding a lot of it yet. Jo fights back against the Tomar while some of her friends try to defend the Green Lantern from the Blackstars. Jo discovers the extent of her powers, while Hal does the same with his, and on Earth, Cameron Chase and Simon Baz keep looking for information. We also get the first glimpse of Absolute Sinestro. This book is weird, and I keep fearing that I’ve zoned out while reading something that would make it click for me. I don’t like feeling so lost or disengaged (I can’t decide which it is).
Absolute Wonder Woman #20 & 21 – Diana’s fight against Cale’s forces doesn’t go the way she wants, and she finds herself captured, but not for long, as the gods choose to intervene in an unwelcome way. Barbara Minerva is also captured, and given a choice by the god Urzkartaga, which is sure to have unwelcome consequences. Guest artist Dillon Snook drew issue twenty-one, and his work is very cool. Of course I love the work that Hayden Sherman continues to do on this book, but it’s also cool to see a different interpretation of these characters sometimes. This continues to be my favourite of the Absolute line.
Avengers: Armageddon #1 & 2 – This event has started off really well. General Ross, the Red Hulk, has taken over Latveria and renamed it New America, and is already looking to expand his borders into neighbouring countries. The world’s hero community has been told to stand down by the United Nations, but of course that doesn’t stop the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and some allies from getting involved. On Wolverine’s suggestion, they recruit David Colton, the short-lived Captain America that Chip Zdarsky retconned into his current Cap run. The thing is, Colton has upgraded his powers considerably lately, and isn’t exactly in agreement with the approach the other heroes are taking to things. These first two issues move smoothly, and set up the larger story quite well. Zdarsky is not really commenting on recent events (especially since planning for this book would have been underway before the recent war with Iran started), but this still feels very much of this time, as we see countries and individuals acting on a whim without understanding the situation. The art is by Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar, and it’s pretty nice. These are not names I am familiar with, and I think it’s interesting that Marvel would give them the summer tentpole book. I’m curious to see what Zdarsky has planned here, and how it will impact other titles.
Cyclops #5 – I enjoyed this Cyclops miniseries. It didn’t really add a whole lot to his character or say anything new about him, but Alex Paknadel did a good job of capturing the relentlessness that makes Scott such a good leader, and Rogê Antônio’s art was nice.
Deathstroke The Terminator #3 – 5 – I’ve been liking the general vibe of this newest Deathstroke series, and reading these three issues back-to-back made it clear that Tony Fleecs is not pulling any punches in his approach to writing Slade. With Wintergreen dead and his money all gone, Slade is reeling, and things keep getting worse for him. His daughter, Ravager, is not much help to him, mainly because he’s not one to accept help. I’m not sure how I feel about the revelation of who is behind Slade’s troubles, because I thought that their issues were resolved in Priest’s excellent run, but I still look forward to seeing how this is going to play out. Carmine Di Giandomenico’s work has never looked better.
DoomQuest #1 & 2 – When this was solicited, it wasn’t clear if this was a follow-up to the One World Under Doom event or not, but given what’s happening in Captain America, and the way this story starts, it appears to be out of continuity, and is likely just designed to have a Doom book on the stands for when he shows up in the upcoming Avengers movie. Still, this is written by Ryan North, so it’s inventive and compelling. Doom has decided that he will use all of his resources to build a time machine that will allow him to stack changes to the past so that they happen simultaneously (which, according to some quantum physics, all of time is already doing, I think). Reed Richards sabotages his machine though, so Doom’s goal of improving the standing of Latveria in the world is out of his grasp, and at first, he appears to be stuck in a bit of a time loop. North is very good at these kinds of stories, and I’ve liked every part of these two first issues. Francesco Mobili’s art is very nice, and I like the history-hopping aspect to this. I do hope that he’s going to run across some Marvel heroes or villains from different eras (basically, I want to see the Invaders).
The Flash #33 & 34 – Ryan North is settling into his Flash run, giving Wally the ability to use the speed force to peek into the future for brief ‘flashes of insight’. It’s an interesting addition to his power set, and so North sets out to find intriguing ways for Wally to make use of it. The approach here is very similar to North’s current Fantastic Four run, and I like it, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how North is writing Wally a lot like he does Johnny Storm. I always like Wally best as Flash, but I like it when his family and his speedster family are front and centre in the stories. Gavin Guidry is doing fine work, and I loved the two-page spread that basically worked like a Choose-Your-Own Adventure strip. It’s creative stuff.
FML #8 – The best thing about this issue, which wraps up the first arc of FML, is the news that this is only the first arc. Kelly Sue DeConnick and David López have built a very unique title, showcasing a typical Portland family as they go through the usual problems of life – turning into a monster, having your daughter stolen by a crazed fangirl – stuff like that. This book is amusing and poignant, and the cast has really grown on me. It’s interesting that it’s actually Matt Fraction who will be writing the next arc, but given how slowly DeConnick tends to work, I’m good with it. This was a satisfying end to the arc, showing the power of family, both biological and chosen.
Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #9 – 11 – One of the standout things about Invincible was the long and bloody battle scenes. Where I thought this series was providing that before, nothing really prepared me for the ferocity of the fight between Battle Beast and Conquest, when he comes looking to capture the Juggernaut and Colossus for the Viltrumites, and instead finds our hero. It’s clear that Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley are having a ball with this book, and making it pretty entertaining throughout. The inventiveness that they display in finding new ways to make these fight scenes gory and ridiculous is impressive.
The Jungle #4 – This is such an unlikely book – it’s a large format black and white comic about motorcycle gang apes in a corrupt prison, and it’s a follow-up to an Image series from like a decade ago. Yet, it’s one of my favourite books on the stands right now. Keenan Marshall Keller is relying on a lot of prison movie tropes, yet it all works remarkably well. Tom Neely’s art is dynamic and emotional, and these characters are very likeable. This issue centres around the Warden’s cage match, which is his way of resolving disputes between inmates. Johnny is still recovering from the beating he took two issues back, so Puke goes to fight in his place. While the fight is happening, one of the God-bullies comes after Johnny. It’s a bloody and brutal issue (pairing nicely with the latest issue of Battle Beast, really), but it’s also very good.
Justice League Unlimited #19 & 20 – The JLU’s plans to rehabilitate some of their foes are not going great, especially after Lex Luthor leaked the existence of their secret program to the media. When the Brainiac Queen reforms in the middle of their satellite (and imprisons Air Wave in the process), it takes a lot of heroes working together to try to turn things around, but again, Luthor ends up being more trouble than he’s worth (really, I’m not sure why anyone would think to include him in this project). At the same time, Guy Gardner’s mission to take a “power bank” to Oa turns wrong when the collected powers of Earth’s heroes get distributed to a bunch of wild animals on a distant planet. Mark Waid keeps the energy moving in this series, and Dan Mora somehow ramps that up even further, but I do think this book would benefit from the occasional “day off” kind of story. There’s just always a lot going on here.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #5 – Marc goes into the demonic building that has claimed his friends, taking the sword Ginnarr with him, and finds that things don’t go all that well for him. As usual, Jed MacKay delivers a great story, and Devmalya Pramanik matches him spectacularly on the art. This issue reminded me a little of the issue during Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey’s run, where MK fought his way through an entire building of tough guys, but that time he actually got what he was after. The issue ends with a visit to the Sanctum Santorum, which I thought belonged to the Scarlet Witch now, but instead we see Clea, who decides to put a particularly strange band back together. This continues to be one of my favourite monthly books, as I really like the approach MacKay and Pramanik are taking to this title (in whatever relaunched form it’s in).
MASK #1 – I wasn’t originally going to get into this series at all, just as I’ve not been buying any of the Energon GI Joe stuff, but then I saw that some of the people buying the blind bags got a ROM comic. I love ROM’s old Marvel comic, but figured there was little chance that I’d get one. After that, I read the FCBD comic and liked the MASK story enough that I figured I’d pick up the first trade. Then, I was in a shop in another city, and saw they had one blind bag left, and that it was only $1 more than the regular comic, so I figured I’d roll the dice. I didn’t get the ROM comic I wanted, and ended up with an ugly Mark Spears cover, but the comic was still pretty decent. I like how writer Dan Watters is setting up the story, showing us that Miles Mayhem is going after an alien device on a remote island, and showing us how Matt Trakker is one of the few people who would be able to stop him, with the help of his high-tech car. It’s a cool setup, and the art by Pye Parr is pretty nice. I don’t think I’ll pick up the second issue, but I’m more likely to grab the trade at a sale some day. I still want to know about that ROM comic though…
Mind MGMT: New & Improved #1 – I’m happy to see Matt Kindt return to Mind MGMT, his keynote title. I’ll admit, I don’t really remember how things ended in the original Mind MGMT series, or in the miniseries (I think there’s only been one) that came after, but that doesn’t really seem to matter, as this issue picks up without any real baggage. Two agents are sent to investigate a strange death in a coffee shop, and they learn that the deceased was likely an agent of the organization. There’s not much that suggests where this title is headed, but I like how Kindt builds these new characters, and slowly takes us back into this highly paranoid and strange world. The backup feature jogged my memory loose a little more. This is cool stuff.
The Seasons #10 & 11 – This series continues to be one of Rick Remender’s stranger works, with a shape that is a little hard to see. These issues have Spring and Summer working to stop their sister Winter’s control over their city, and then, we learn the secret of the mirrors and the Ringleader’s backstory. This series has been a bit of a challenge for me, as I don’t really love these characters, but Paul Azaceta’s art is terrific, and there’s enough to keep me interested and coming back for more.
Superman #38 & 39 – I’m enjoying the Superboy Prime storyline more than I expected to. I usually hate characters that break the fourth wall or who know they’re in comics (Deadpool, Ambush Bug, and Byrne’s She-Hulk all bothered me), but Joshua Williamson is doing something new with it here, acknowledging the characters’ troubled past, but making clear his intent to improve upon himself. Artist Dan Mora is getting a real workout, as Prime moves through different eras and approaches to art, which makes issue thirty-nine a lot of fun to read. It looks like Superman is on his way back soon, but I’d be happy with a full year of Prime.
Wiccan and Hulkling: Raid of Ultron #1 – I enjoyed the recent Wiccan miniseries enough to come back for this one-off, which doubles as Marvel’s Voices Pride Month special. The two heroes have a bunch of their strangely extended family over for a party which is quickly ruined by a few Ultrons, looking to integrate Vision and Vivian Vision into their new matrix or whatever. This becomes a good excuse for the family members to split up, Golden Age Justice Society style, and have separate adventures before reuniting to finish things off. This is not a particularly memorable comic, but I like seeing Night’s Cam Kennedy start to write more in the Marvel Universe.
W0rldtr33 #20 & 21 – This continues to be a very fascinating series. Many threads of James Tynion IV’s story have been coming together lately, and through that, we are learning a lot more about who is responsible for what, as the threat of the Undernet continues to grow. Agent Silk has an interview with Gregory Bell who, we’ve recently learned, is very involved in what’s been happening. At the same time, the group of friends connect with Ellison and his siblings, although none of these are peaceful conversations. It feels like this book is building towards something big, and I’m excited to see where it is headed. In the time since this series debuted, I feel more alarmed about AI and the future of our technology, and this book helps me feel even worse about it.
X-Men United #3 – 5 – I want to like this book a lot, but the mechanics of the story keep tripping me up. I can accept that all the various factions of X-Men meet at Graymatter Lane, which is a psychic construction, but I don’t understand what happens to their bodies while they’re there, and how they are able to physically move from the construct to various locations, such as the home of a man who was experimented on during an early attempt to re-create Captain America. These issues are fine, except that I keep wondering about things like that and it gets in the way. After the Cap story, we get a story that brings back another of my most disliked villains, the Shadow King. As I said, I want to like this book, and am enjoying how it has various characters interacting, but I think it’s weird that it keeps focusing on characters from the main two X-Men comics, and their proteges. There are enough other mutants to choose from.
The Week In Music:
Green-House – Hinterlands – Green-House has been one of my favourite ambient acts for a while now, and it’s nice to see their work get wider notice now that they are on the Ghostly International label. This album is lush and lovely, but also often very minimalist. Olive Ardizoni, the originator of Green-House, is joined by Michael Flanagan, and the collaboration adds depth and texture to their music. I’m excited that they’re touring this album and that I’ll finally be able to see them perform in the fall.
Jasmine Myra – Where Light Settles – I love just about everything that comes out on Gondwana Records, and this new album by saxophonist Jasmine Myra helps prove why that is. This is another example of thoughtful, intentional jazz music. It’s very lovely, and soothing. Myra has talked about how with this album she’s let herself experiment a little more with her sound, and a new confidence comes through. It’s very nice and uplifting.
Setting – Setting – This band is a new discovery for me. I saw them play one night, and now I’m hooked. The three musicians that make up this group construct sonic landscapes, but use some analogue instruments, such as the banjo, as part of their ambient mixture, and the result is not like anything I’m used to hearing. The five tracks on this album represent their own droning, pulsing worlds, and I love sitting back and listening to it.
Jalen Ngonda – Doctrine Of Love – With pretty much any Daptone record, you know what you’re going to get – masterful soul music that could be fifty years old, but with modern recording quality. Jalen Ngonda does not deviate at all from the usual Daptone approach, and it’s great. He has a high voice and a tendency to write songs that sound like a different era (he sings to a train conductor on one song), and that is his greatest strength. This album is so warm and comforting.
FATHERS – FATHERS – I love it when artists I admire come together and create something. The musicians that make up FATHERS are Kiefer (on keys), CARRTOONS (on bass), Nate Smith (on drums) and Kenny Beats (on production). Strangely, I saw all of these artists except for Kenny Beats last year in Montreal, and wonder if some of the ideas for this album came out of conversations there. This is the kind of jazz fusion that I like – both Kiefer and CARRTOONS have lots of space to roam, while Smith keeps them on time and in a pocket. Apparently this entire project was conceived of and recorded in just a couple of days, but it has the level of polish that you expect with artists of this caliber. It’s very good stuff.
Baby Rose – Yearnalism – After her incredible EP with BADBADNOTGOOD, I knew to keep an eye out for any new Baby Rose releases. She has a timeless, soulful voice and delivery that makes her songs stand out, and on this new full-length release, she leans into the potential of her sultry, wise delivery. These songs are terrific, and sound like they could come from just about any time in the last sixty or seventy years. She sings over live instruments (I’m not sure who produced or played on this, since there are no credits in the disc packaging), and moves through a wide variety of subgenres. This is a gorgeous record.
Gigi Masin – Movement – I know that Gigi Masin has had a long career, but I’m not all that familiar with any of it. This album just found its way to me, and I really like it. At times it’s an ambient album, but at other times it’s a fusion of dance music with jazz, and the overall effect takes listeners on a journey. It’s impressive and enjoyable.
