Writer: Matt Fraction

Penciller: Terry Dodson

Inker: Rachel Dodson

Colurist: Sonia Oback

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover: Terry and Rachel Dodson; Adam Kubert and Laura Martin (variant)

Publisher: Marvel Comics

The third issue of Matt Fraction’s Defenders title was released last week.  Defenders features an interesting cast of Marvel’s lesser promoted, yet very powerful characters who have charged themselves with protecting earth from the impossible.

The Road So Far…

Requiring help to contain the spirit of rage he was possessed by, the Incredible Hulk turned to his former Defenders allies to help him track down Nul, The Breaker of Worlds. Finding him in Wundagore Mountain, the Defenders found themselves in the midst of Prester John, a time-lost warlord and alleged Templar Knight, who rules over the mountain side. Hidden within the mountain’s recesses is a machine which causes strange things to happen throughout the locale, and it’s this machine which can send Nul home, but can also destroy the universe.

What’s the Story?

The Defenders prepare to attack Nul.

Deep within Wundagore Mountain, Nul, the Breaker of Worlds, rampages forward to the secret heart of the mountain, destroying everything in his path. Nul is confronted by the Defenders as he plods towards his goal, confronted first by Red She-Hulk before Namor, Dr. Strange and Iron Fist resolve to join the fray. While Namor holds Nul in place, Iron Fist punches Nul in the chest. It continues forward, despite their attacks while Silver Surfer tries to uncover the connection between John and Nul by speaking to one of the Prester John copies. Realizing the original John is attempting to escape, Silver Surfer gives chase. As the Silver Sentinel flies off, Nul, undeterred, devastates the Defenders and arrives at the machine. He begins hitting the device, as reality shifts around him. A John copy rises from his chair, and for the sake of protecting the universe, erases Nul from existence. As Silver Surfer reaches John’s ship, the rest of his teammates decide to steal the machine.

Iron Fist and Namor attempt to subdue Nul.

Three issues into the run, Fraction’s revamped Defenders title feels very muddled, unaided by the strange team composition which places three of the original team members alongside newcomers Iron Fist and Red She-Hulk. The issue feels sluggish under the weight of its plot, although I suspect much of that is the result of the strange, reality, altering dynamic of the mountain’s machine which makes understanding what’s going on in the story rather cumbersome. To further complicate the storytelling, the different coloured narrative boxes were confusing to read, and I wasn’t completely sure whom was speaking at a given time which disrupted the flow of the text at first. Conceptually the story feels “out there,” somewhat beyond the realm of where these characters should be operating, creating an awkward, rag-tag element to the title. These characters are all heavy-hitters to varying degrees though, which despite the strange opening arc, leaves the story open to travel to other worlds if the book’s ending is to allude to the machine’s use for dimensional hopping. If that’s the case, I’m interested to see what Fraction has plotted beyond these first issues.

The Pretty, Pretty Pictures

Silver Surfer flies off, giving chase to Prester John.

I traditionally dislike the work the Dodsons do, having been overjoyed upon their departure from Uncanny X-Men. Surprisingly, although I dislike some of the work in the issue, I enjoyed some of what they had to offer. There are times where the characters seem very static, boring or statuesque, while in the case of Red She-Hulk, she bears resemblance to Emma Frost, Rogue and Kitty Pryde from their X-Men contributions. The minor differentiations between them exhibit a dearth of creativity, leaving the Dodsons’ females with very much the same body type. I did however enjoy a lot of their Silver Surfer work, of which I would call the best offerings within the issue. I think they did a great job of presenting him in the little panel time he had, while the last few pages featuring Nul’s removal from existence and Iron Fist and Namor tag-teaming Nul were very cool pages.

Final Thoughts

I really wanted to like this book, and expected to considering Fraction’s involvement, but the confusing story detracted from the experience, requiring me to read it twice to really understand what was going on. It was difficult to follow at times, but the book has the potential to be really good. Even still, this opening arc feels too high-concept, reminiscent of Fraction’s Casanova series in some respects. Although the team composition is strange, I think they’ll provide great story opportunities together, especially if they begin to travel to other worlds. Altogether this book wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. That isn’t to say I was disappointed in it, as there were parts I enjoyed, but it was hard to follow not knowing the background of the story, making it a difficult read for someone not following the series prior to this release.

The rest of the comic book publishers shared the remaining 31.28% of the Retail Dollar total. Image Comics was the best of the rest snagging 5.48% of the total Retail Dollar.

Sales in January declined slightly from December, with Comics falling by 7% and Graphic Novels falling by 4.5%. January’s sales improved over the year previous, with Comics sales up by 32% and Graphic Novels up by 18%.

DC Comics enjoyed a clean sweep posting the top 10 spots on the comic sales charts! Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s Justice League #5 was the month’s best-selling comic book. Sweeping the top 10 spots is quite the coup for DC; I can’t see them holding every top ten spot for long especially with Marvel’s Avengers and Spider-Man movies hitting theatres this spring and summer.

DC Comics also dominated January’s top 10 graphic novel list, posting 5 including the top selling Batman: Through the Looking Glass.

Writer: Daniel Way

Artist: John McCrea

Colourist: Veronica Gandini

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover: Stegman, Babinski and Gracia

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Marvel released its latest round of point-one comics last week, among them Deadpool #49.1. Like any other “point-one” issue, this was a side-story bonus for readers featuring everyone’s favourite “Merc with a Mouth.” If that weren’t enough, the book was written as a musical. Considering that irresistible combination, the issue had to be remarked on. Onward to the review!

The Road So Far…

Once upon a time Deadpool was created. He liked guns and killing, it was a hobby. Old Wade is a deep fellow though, and like anyone else, he’s been through a lot and has begun to contemplate his life.

What’s the Story?

Deadppol prepares to harmonically throw down with some thugs.

A quartet of thugs scurry through a warehouse hoping to escape Deadpool, but meet their pursuer face-to-face. One of the thugs remarks that Deadpool doesn’t even have a gun, to which Wade replies that he doesn’t need one, he’s armed with harmonies. As Dave fires up Wade’s boombox, Deadpool “kicks” a rhyme to the tune of Naughty by Nature’s O.P.P. After taking care of the four goons, Deadpool takes us on a journey about how his life got flipped, turned upside down, and how he came to be the man he is today. From his battles with Wolverine, to his recent quarrels with Norman Osborn and Bullseye, up to his attempts to join the X-Men, become a better hero and his moonlighting as a pirate, Wade’s sense for song captivates the audience in his mind. Upon closing with the Misfits’ “Last Caress,” Deadpool remarks that he’s saved some planets, but laments whether this is all there is in life. As the final number ends and Deadpool is left by himself, he walks away slowly, remarking that the final curtain has yet to fall.

What is there to really say here? It’s a Deadpool comic after all. In this case, having not read a Deadpool book in some time, it was nice to be able to pick it up and read through it as though I hadn’t skipped an issue. Although I dislike the idea of Marvel’s “point-one” comics, I can hardly take issue with it in this case as it gives Way another opportunity to tell a Deadpool story, to which he is quite good at. This issue was what you would expect. There was a little bit of violence, a lot of comedy, while the premise itself reminded me of the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It’s a funny platform to put Deadpool on, but one that works as he’s a character that while still capable of being taken seriously in the right setting, is also one where the character’s comedic traits can shine in an issue like this where the book’s plot isn’t being told in a conventional way, rather its gimmick helps convey what Deadpool is feeling, while dually functioning as a recap for readers to use to catch up on what Wade has been up to leading into the “Dead” storyline. Altogether a fun, enjoyable issue.

Wade attempts to join the X-Men

The Pretty, Pretty Pictures

The artwork fit the story nicely. It definitely had its comedic elements, which for a book like this isn’t out of the ordinary. McCrea did a great job of recreating panels and sequences of artwork from previous storylines, mashing it all together into a cohesive presentation of Deadpool artwork over the last 50 issues or so. I enjoyed changing the landscape of the panels to resemble an actual stage play, as though Wade had actually gone to the trouble of constructing a stage for his musical. Despite the book’s goofiness, the art did its job of matching it page for page, offering a light-hearted viewing experience.

Final Thoughts

Deadpool titles are what they are, and this was no different. I really liked the musical premise of the issue, operating nicely to sum up his story and prepare new readers for the “Dead” storyline. Amid seemingly endless Deadpool titles, Way’s version of the character is the best, most enjoyable version and one which I’ve never been disappointed reading. Conceptually the issue was well done, leaving me smiling during the duration of my reading. The book has never taken itself seriously, and it’s a welcome change for anyone who just wants to read a fun book that also happens to be well written.

Writer: Rob Williams

Artist: Lee Garbett

Colours: Rob Schwager and Andres Mossa (p. 18, 19)

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover: Matt Clarke with Sean Parsons and Rob Schwager

Publisher: Marvel Comics

With the movie’s release in sight, Marvel commissioned a new Ghost Rider series to bring the rider of vengeance back into our hands. This week CBD takes a look at issue eight of the series.

The Road So Far…

Since the beginning of time, the Spirit of Vengeance has existed to seek retribution, roaming the earth guided only by the unquenchable thirst to right society’s wrongs and to punish the wicked. Now with the spirit having passed from Johnny Blaze to a young girl named Alejandra, a new Ghost Rider is born. Yet, it’s one whose upbringing led her to sew chaos and destruction in her path. Now having broken free from her past, she must now deal with the repercussions of her actions as Hawkeye has given chase, hoping to bring her to justice.

What’s the Story?

After catching up with Alejandra, Hawkeye puts an arrow through her heart. Although it wouldn’t normally stop a Ghost Rider, the mystical amulet attached to the arrow is another story. With Alejandra subdued, Hawkeye resigns himself to his duties and decides to rescue Johnny Blaze from the two sisters, whom at this point had Blaze chained to their motorcycles and were playing chicken with a train. Breaking free of his restraints thanks to Hawkeye’s marksmanship, Blaze escapes his captors and narrowly avoids certain death. Preoccupied with the sisters, Hawkeye had forgotten about Ghost Rider, who by this point began to understand the amulet paralyzes the mystical nature of her existence, but not her inner drive; she quickly pulls the arrow from her chest. Alejandra catches up to the sisters, Blaze and Hawkeye in Tokyo, riding a transformed bullet train into town as Ghost Rider. Chasing the sisters out of the city whilst giving chase on the train, Alejandra apprehends the two and moves to end their lives, but is stopped by Blaze who offers to help her control her calling. They teleport away much to the anger of Barton, who quickly realizes Blaze and Alejandra had taken the mystical amulet.

Ghost Rider rides a flaming bullet train into downtown Tokyo.

Having not read previous issues, it’s hard to say how the dynamic between Blaze and Alejandra has developed or what the relationship thus far has been. What it seems as though this series is setting itself up for is a type of mentorship between the two, where Blaze will guide Alejandra’s development as Ghost Rider. It’s not the most original dynamic, but one that I suppose works in this case. The issue picked up with Hawkeye having already caught up with Alejandra and subduing her. The scenes with Hawkeye throughout the book were fun, and I feel like he was well represented in the issue by Williams. It doesn’t feel like much happened though as a whole. We found ourselves at a point in the story where the initial arc seemed to come to a close, where Alejandra experienced an epiphany and began to understand the drive waiting to be unleashed within her, which itself was well done. In that sense the issue felt like the beginning of the book’s grander vision, which I suspect will remain in place until the film. With that in mind, the book’s ending was predictable, which I felt took a bit away from it. It wasn’t altogether a mind-blowing read, despite its fun moments such as Hawkeye taking a flying leap from his glider or Alejandra turning a bullet train into “her ride.” I’m not sure what will come of the book in the long-term, but the series, although not anything to get worked up for, was an enjoyable experience.

Ghost Rider prepares her final blow.

The Pretty, Pretty Pictures

Garbett’s artwork helped this book along, although it was not remarkable. I really liked the pages which feature Alejandra’s internal monologue as she gradually realizes her capabilities. Garbett presents each panel with minor differences in her facial expressions and angling, creating a nuanced series of self-realization panels resulting in her breaking her bonds and creating a “new ride” in the form of a fantastic looking Ghost Rider flaming bullet train. There really isn’t much else of note. The artwork was solid and really complemented the story, while the mystical elements of the book, its centerpiece, were nicely coloured by Schwager and Mossa.

Final Thoughts

Ghost Rider is one of those books that’s hard to gauge, as there’s only so much that can really be done with it considering the limitations of the characters. Another example would be Black Panther or Moon Knight. In an effort to reinvigorate the franchise leading into the film’s release, we find the classic Ghost Rider alter-ego Johnny Blaze acting as a mentor to the title character. This is really the only logical route at this point and I think it’s a good call. As someone who himself has been through a great deal in his life, Blaze is in the perfect position to guide Alejandra, someone with her own terrible upbringing, as she acclimates to her calling. It does remind me a little too much of the Black Panther relaunch featuring the female Panther though, which felt forced. I wasn’t expecting a female lead in this case, but I was surprised by the story and I believe it’s a good opportunity to expand the Ghost Rider mythology while also building up to the eventual reclamation of the mantle by Blaze, who in the meantime should be allowed to develop further as a character. As a whole, the book was not great, but was enjoyable.

Daredevil and Spider-Man leap and swing into action in the latest issue of Waid's run.

Last week I saw something truly heinous, truly unseemly, truly asinine: “Daredevil is Marvel’s best new comic series of 2011.” With Comic Book Resources among them, media outlets and reviewers have praised the book for its content. Here are some examples.

“Best New Comic Series of 2011” – IGN.Com

 

 

“…easily among the best new series to come out in 2011.” – CNN.com

 

 

“Simply a beautiful, beautiful book both thematically and visually” – MTV.com

 

 

“Best relaunch…Mark Waid’s brought him back with a new freshness and Marcos Martin & Paolo Rivera have chipped in exquisite artwork.” – USA Today

Before I continue, let’s analyze the book based on these comments. First, in what regard was Daredevil the best new series of 2011? What has it accomplished as a title? What ground breaking elements has it introduced that has blown away the competition? My answer, quite plainly, is it’s done nothing to warrant such acclaim. Altogether it’s one of the most lazily cobbled messes, continuity wise, and Stephen Wacker should be ashamed of this book for it’s near complete ignorance of Daredevil’s history. I know he’s not, as I’m sure Marvel editorial is quite pleased with the misplaced praise this watered down iteration of one of Marvel’s classic characters has received. What Mark Waid has effectively done is unravel the quality work Miller, Bendis, Brubaker and Diggle completed before him, creating a poor man’s Spider-Man in the process. Secondly, although I’ve come to appreciate Paolo Rivera’s artwork in contrast to Waid’s writing, it still pales in comparison to the work of Marco Checchetto and Matt Hollingsworth during the Diggle run which was dark, atmospheric and beautifully done. Although Rivera’s work is intuitively detailed, his pencils are too cartoonish, while Martin is effectively a poor man’s Rivera, failing to do much of what I appreciate Rivera for. The book, as a whole, is simply mediocre and pedestrian. It has not done a thing to encourage positive review.

Given Waid’s track record, I even doubt whether we’ll ever see Waid’s Murdock deal with the fallout of Shadowland. We’ve been given no indication, as it seems all signs point towards Murdock somehow being unquestionably forgiven for his misdeeds, while the character himself has simply, until now anyway, stuck his head in the sand and is pretending it never happened. We’re to forget he murdered Bullseye in cold blood? That he led The Hand to taking over New York? That many were killed during this period and it’s on his head? No, and those who discount those elements in favour of some false, squeaky clean Matty are flat out wrong in their opinions. Part of what has made Daredevil a successful series since it’s Marvel Knights relaunch (including Miller as well) has been the humanity and resiliency of Murdock, how in the end the man, without fear, shines through and he rebounds. Moreover, what we’ve seen especially in the transition from Bendis to Brubaker, and later Brubaker to Diggle, is a direct continuation of the previous arc. Each writer had to deal with the dangling plot lines from the previous run, and what happens is a fantastic story about a guy who has been through absolutely everything the world could throw at him, and yet here he is, still standing. Shadowland was a story about finally pushing him too far, about finally going over the edge and subsequently, his road back from actions which he can’t ever be completely exonerated from. Marvel editorial has decisively dropped the ball with bringing Waid on to write the book. This run has completely ignored the last year’s worth of stories, not even addressing a shred of its plot, much less that Black Panther is still running around Hell’s Kitchen. The book, as a whole, is lazy.

That’s not even the most concerning part. Although some commentary I’ve read on the new series points towards the character’s obvious denial of the events and his eventually having to deal with the aftermath realistically, I’m not so convinced it’s going to happen, and if it does, much less that Waid can execute it. That is the mark of a great (mainstream) comic book writer, and the fact that Waid can’t seemingly perform, and that Marvel has actually approved this book is a travesty.

I truly look forward to the issue where I have to eat my own words, but I have no reason to believe it’s going to happen, or that Daredevil, while helmed by Mark Waid, is going to turn the corner any time soon. As of issue eight of the relaunched series, it’s still failing to impress.

Writer: Mark Waid

Penciller: Paolo Rivera

Inker: Joe Rivera

Colourist: Javier Rodriguez

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover: Alex Maleev and Dave McCaig

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Earlier this year Marvel relaunched the Daredevil series after Andy Diggle’s Shadowland story and his subsequent Reborn limited series. It’s been a polarizing run for Mark Waid, so let’s take a look at issue seven of this series; a very special Christmas issue at that.

The Road So Far…

Daredevil has swashbuckled his way past low level villains and has continued to deny his connection to Daredevil, that is until he stumbled onto a plot involving Hydra and A.I.M. and the uniforms made famous by Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four. A possible misstep which has placed him in many people’s crosshairs.

What’s the Story?

The school bus Murdock was riding on with blind children after having crashed.

Continuing his attempts to atone for misdeeds of issue’s past, Matt Murdock takes a group of kids from the Cresskill School for the Blind up to cottage country for a few days to ease their minds from their daily troubles. It seems to follow them though, as the bus driver veers off the road in an attempt to avoid a deer running across the icy roadway. The bus crashes, leaving each rider frazzled, hurt or dead. Unconscious, we find Murdock flashing back to a Christmas party prior to the trip; sitting in the dark analyzing the Fantastic Four patch he had recently recovered, Foggy walks into the office and encourages Matt to come out. He obliges, walking into the party wearing a pair of devil horns and a red shirt proclaiming “I’m not Daredevil.” Recognizing the voice of attorney Kirsten McDuffie, Matt purposely fumbles a bottle of wine, and after a short conversation, Murdock flashes back to his current predicament. The bus driver is dead, the kids are scared, and Matt himself is injured. Amid the wreckage, Matt hurries each kid away from the bus only moments before it explodes. Upon leading them away, Murdock changes into full Daredevil garb and guides them further to safety. Eventually succumbing to his injury, Murdock collapses in the snow while chasing down a nearby truck. The children make him a sleigh/stretcher to cart him away with to a nearby cabin where he’s able to regain his strength before leaving town and returning home. The issue concludes with an ominous view of Murdock’s former grave site.

Murdock blindly leads the children out into the cold from the wreckage.

The seventh issue of Mark Waid’s Daredevil only loosely ties in to the previous six-issue story arc. This was largely a Christmas themed issue featuring Murdock taking troubled youths on a trip, which he apparently does every year, to a cabin a little further north of New York City. As a concept I liked the premise of the story as it ties into the heart of who Murdock is as a character. However, Waid poorly executed the plotting, which by and large felt campish and poorly laid out. The Christmas party felt hokey, yet I caught a glimpse of what may be in store for Daredevil right around the corner. The scene began with a seemingly moody Murdock sitting alone in his office with the lights turned off as he examines the Fantastic Four patch he recovered in issue six. The mood instantly changes though once Murdock joins the party, where he becomes a fun-loving bloke who openly mocks the public’s belief he is Daredevil by wearing devil horns and a red shirt with a proclamation written on it, stating, “I’m not Daredevil.” There’s a clear dichotomy in the mood of those pages, but I’m not sure whether Waid is competent enough to execute such a complicated story as his track record doesn’t lend to that belief. Instead, he continues on with the “fingers in ears whilst singing la la la la la la I can’t hear you, it didn’t happen,” approach. The change in Murdock’s characterization is very abrupt comparing Bendis/Brubaker/Diggle to this iteration, which amounts to a complete departure in continuity such that Waid can do what he likes for better or worse. The complete absolution of his deeds seems the case, while allusions to Shadowland have been painfully missing over the first seven issues. This was a hallmark event for the character, and it’s being ignored. Waid’s run is failing to hit what makes the character tick, and it’s accompanied by poorly thought out plotting whereby a man claiming not to be Daredevil leaps “fearlessly” into a party dressed in a shirt meant to mock those believing he’s Daredevil. I feel like the story was designed to be a transition between story arcs, while also implementing a christmas theme to the issue, in that this issue feels like filler. Waid continues his story ho-hum story, that’s beginning to feel more like the campy Adam West, 60′s era Batman than the Daredevil we’ve come to know since the 1970s.

Daredevil stumbles after injuring his leg.

The Pretty, Pretty Pictures

I’m not a fan of Rivera’s previous work, but his pencils in Daredevil have been very good. While his pencils by large are dull and boring in books such as the O.M.I.T. story in The Amazing Spider-Man, his work on this series has been very enjoyable. Here Rivera continues to do what no other Daredevil artist has done before him, and that’s help readers conceptualize through visual representations how Matt Murdock’s heightened senses function, whether using his radar sense to locate items, read heartbeats or find locations, or using his heightened sense of smell to notice changes in the wind or the smell of gasoline prior to the bus exploding. He also nicely contrasted the mood with his pencils and inks early in the issue where Murdock had been sitting in his office in the dark before going out the party. The dark moodiness of the pages clash with the festiveness of the party, which combined with radar sense panels, inked by Joe Rivera and coloured by Javier Rodriguez,  create a nicely presented set of pages to look at. I also thought Rivera did a great job with the entire sequence of pages following the bus crash as Murdock trudges through the snow with the children behind him; the snow fall looks remarkably beautiful on the page. I’ve not been a fan of Paolo Rivera thus far, and although I still prefer previous Daredevil artists, I’ve gained an appreciation for the intricacies of Rivera’s work on Daredevil. Rivera’s pencil work in the book is finely detailed right down to the most minute twitch in a character’s face, the scent of a given smell as it passes Murdock’s nose, or the representation of Murdock’s radar sense in full effect.

Final Thoughts

Despite the acclaim the series has garnered from some circles, I can’t afford it the same praise. Waid’s Daredevil leaves me fuming after each issue with its detached take on the character from any continuity from the last 40 years. Reading the book feels more like something from the early 1960s than something modernized, while the reckless abandon both Waid and Marvel editorial has taken with this series is worrisome. Waid’s story is as light as it is ridiculous, as he’s failed to put his stamp on the character, as I’m not even sure what his Daredevil represents. Altogether this issue, and series, is disappointing. It is salvaged by Rivera’s artwork which outshines Waid’s writing unbelievably. It’s the highlight of the series by far, while Waid struggles to meet even a sub-par performance in the light of Rivera’s fantastic work. Daredevil deserves its praise in so far as the artwork is carrying this book and often tells the story better than Waid. It’s very much the case, where the art for the most part obscures the shallow plotting thus far.

Writer: Jeph Loeb

Penciller: Ed McGuinness

Inker: Dexter Vines

Colourist: Morry Hollowell

Letterer: A. Deschene

Cover: Ed McGuiness, Dexter Vines and Morry Hollowell

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Earlier this year the comic book world first caught wind of Cable’s imminent return to the Marvel universe. The only question that remained, was, how? With Cable’s death in Second Coming, it appeared that he had completed his final mission, but it would seem that for the time-travelling hero from the future, one final mission remains.

The Road So Far…

When a young mutant was born in the harsh cold of the Alaskan climate, armed with the knowledge of things to come, Cable charged himself with protecting the young mutant even if it meant sacrificing himself to do it. After adopting her as his daughter and naming her Hope, Cable travelled through time protecting her at every turn. Upon returning to the present, Cable and Hope found themselves embroiled in a battle between Bastion and the rest of the X-Men. Ultimately Cable gave his life for his daughter and appeared dead to the world, but it would appear more is at play than any have realized.

What’s the Story?

As the Avengers swiftly move through New York City’s meat-packing district, a shrouded man watches closely as his targets move further into his sights. With Cap and company’s attentions directed towards their targets, Falcon is shot down abruptly; he lands with a thud in an NYC alley. Seeking help, the cloaked figure punches him into unconsciousness and drags him towards a sewer entrance and takes Falcon underground. After a brief recount of the moments after his “death,” we quickly find Steve Rogers in pursuit of Cable, using Falcon’s bird, Redwing, to track him. Upon arriving in the warehouse, Rogers is taken by surprise by Cable who holds his large pistol to Cap’s head. A fight breaks out between the two, each using their weapons and surroundings to their advantage, but it’s Cable who eventually comes out ahead, leaving Captain America unconscious. Another brief flashback later, we discover that the Avengers somehow affect Hope’s future, and Cable has charged himself with ensuring Hope lives to reach her destiny. A mission he intends to complete even if it means putting down each Avenger in his way.

The Avengers ride into action

After months of build up, Cable Reborn, as it was tentatively titled upon announcement, was released last week and is the first issue to help kick off Marvel’s huge company crossover set for 2012 featuring the X-Men versus the Avengers. Written by Jeph Loeb, Avengers X-Sanction re-introduces Cable to the Marvel universe for one final mission (for now anyway). Continuing his story from his perceived death in Second Coming, we find Cable having returned to the present with the intent of picking off each of the Avengers one-by-one, with each believed a legitimate threat to Hope’s destiny of saving mutantkind. Loeb’s storytelling adopts two tones. Foremost we are introduced once more to the unbridled, uncompromising soldier/warrior that Cable is. Loeb correctly articulated the importance of “the mission” to such a character such that they appear cold and callous. Comparatively, we also see glimpses of the tired, worn down father figure who fought long and hard to protect Hope, a young mutant girl whom he considers his surrogate daughter. The two dynamics of the character are melded together to combine the best parts of Duane Swierczynski’s Cable series and the classic depictions of Cable throughout the 1990s. In this respect I really think Loeb did a fantastic job of marrying those two aspects of the character and presenting them in a way where Cable’s lone-wolf, mercenary mentality shines through in how he, without reservation, takes down both Steve Rogers and the Falcon if it means protecting Hope. It’s difficult to perceive the trajectory of the story other than the inevitable conclusion, but what’s clear is that if this is actually Cable’s final mission (…), it could be his biggest story yet.

The Pretty, Pretty Pictures

Cable watches the Avengers very intently as they take down some villains on the rainy New York City streets

Ed McGuinness came ready to fire on all cylinders in this opening issue to the X-Men-Avengers salvo that will envelope the Marvel Universe in 2012. The opening introductions of each Avengers team member amid the pouring rain as they attempt to apprehend evil doers on the New York City’s streets nicely set the stage for the booming sound of a sniper rifle’s gunfire as a shot rings out across the city streets; emanating high up atop a building several stories above the Avengers. There we find a rain-poncho clad Cable sitting comfortably with his .50-calibre rifle post-Falcon shooting. The description summarizes the first few pages of the book, which McGuinness expertly executes with ease. The landscape is nicely coloured by Morry Hollowell who’s work further constructs the atmosphere of the microcosm of the city’s landscape. McGuinness and Hollowell resume their work later in the issue once Cap and Cable’s “disagreement” becomes physical and the two throw down. Although strangely clunky and over muscular in the silhouette page, I thought the pages featuring Cap deflecting his shield off a support beaming and beaning Cable in the back of the head, their exchange of weapons with Cable using Cap’s shield and Cap using Cable’s gun, straight on through to their finale once Cable hurls the shield into a wall and blind sides Rogers as he tries to retrieve it. Although I must complain about the unrealistic, almost Liefeld sized proportions of Cable in some panels, I felt the artwork was a nice, action-packed, atmospheric companion to the story which helped tell pieces of Loeb’s plot which perhaps were otherwise lacking.

Cable holds Captain America at gunpoint.

Final Thoughts

Upon hearing this title’s announcement, and being a fan of the “last Cable story,” I was hesitant to approve of this story especially with Loeb’s hit-and-miss tendencies and his avoidance of most continuity when writing anything. This story, however, nicely flows from Second Coming, however we’ve yet to see a complete explanation as to what happened to Cable, why he isn’t dead, and how he’s reverted back essentially to his previous form before he allowed the techno-organic virus to overwhelm his body. This is no small detail, and I feel it’s necessary to explain these plot points sooner rather than later. Otherwise I can’t help but look as this Cable story as being anything but “another cool story” that Loeb writes freed from continuity. I feel it’s very crucial with this limited series and the greater crossover going forward that this is explained, especially if Cable is to maintain a presence until at least through the duration of the Avengers vs. X-Men event. The issue itself, sans these gripes, was well done and I enjoyed the story Loeb is setting the stage for. I liked the pacing of the issue, and combined with McGuinness’ fantastic pencils, the book was an enjoyable read, one ripe with action, intensity and a strong story.

Images courtesy of IGN.

Kyle Baker, of course, sums it up very succinctly.

It is nice to see strong market share performances from the secondary publishers. Dark Horse, IDW and Image all posted solid dollar share numbers.

Overall November 2011 was up 4.33% from October 2011. The interesting thing here is that comic sales were actually down 4.5% dollar share and a full 7% unit share. This drop in comic shares was more than offset buy a very strong 30% increase in graphic novel sales. I don’t think we should read too much into the 7% unit drop over the month. It is expected that the DC New 52 titles start dropping off a bit as people stop sampling all and settle into more affordable quantities of titles.

Year to date sales for the industry as a whole are up 2% over 2010.

Writer: Mike Carey

Penciller: Khoi Pham

Inker: Tom Palmer

Colourist: Antonio Fabela

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover: Clay Mann, Seth Mann, Christina Strain

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Continuing the Regenesis saga in the aftermath of Schism, the latest issue of Mike Carey’s X-Men title was released alongside the flagship title last week. Again following the movements of Rogue, Gambit and Magneto, we now follow them after their escapades in space as part of the team prepares to travel eastward to Westchester.

The Road So Far…

In the aftermath of Schism, the X-Men are left split in two camps: one follows Cyclops and has remained on Utopia, while the other has followed Wolverine back to Westchester where they intend to reopen the institution that Professor Xavier built. Rogue is undecided as to what she will do.

What’s the Story?

Scott and Alex Summers discuss the X-Men's recent split

Facing the immensity the decision facing her friends, Rogue sits alone in Utopia’s coliseum as Gambit slowly approaches her for a chat. After discussing their options, Gambit suggests she not think about the future and what may happen if the X-Men split. Rather, she should follow her heart and decide where she wants to be at that very moment.  As they continue their conversation, Havok and Cyclops reunite, but immediately get down to business with the former asking his older brother whether there was any chance Scott and Logan could find middle-ground between their visions of the world. He believes many X-Men have strong feelings about one vision versus the other, leaving but a few on the fence, such as Rogue. Leaving Gambit behind in the coliseum, Rogue meets up with Magneto who had been sitting alone contemplating recent events. Seeking guidance, he explains to Rogue why he’s chosen to remain on Utopia, seeing Scott as an equal to himself. After a time, Magneto requests Rogue to touch his skin to gain some clarity of the situation, but what she gets is a small piece of another mutant’s lifeforce. The X-Men converge within Utopia’s stronghold walls and discuss the matter, resolving to test each of the returned mutants from space after discovering an eighth lifeforce attached to them. They discover Korvus’ sword to be a gateway to another realm, but are unsure of how to access it until the team decides to funnel the smaller pieces of the mutant’s essence into Rogue, who then uses the sword to open a gateway to the other realm where they find a long lost mutant: Ariel.

This is an interesting start to the final arc of Carey’s run on Legacy. Having returned to Utopia, we find the “X-Jammers” thrust right into the middle of the Schism debate. Despite their inclusion in the story, much like past Legacy casts, the book finds them organically included into the story which for the last 30-plus issues has revolved around Rogue. At the core this is still her story, and perhaps with the book’s direction and inclusion of the “X-Jammers,” this may be the best ensemble cast the book has seen where Rogue is the fixture character. With Carey leaving the title, this is his last hurrah and despite noted ups-and-downs, as a long-term series this has been the most solid X-title for the last several years. This story was well put together, adding a layer of intrigue once the characters begin theorizing about the mutant’s identity (Jean Grey?). For a moment, you believe it, and that’s a testament to Carey’s writing. This was an interesting first issue of the arc, and I would say Carey is nicely primed to go out with a bang.

The X-Men open a gateway to another dimension using Korvus' sword as the key.

The Pretty, Pretty Pictures

Pham and Fabela put some fairly nice work together in this issue. I enjoyed the collage page featuring snapshots of the X-Men’s recent battles against threats ranging from Mr. Sinister to Bastion. They also created some beautifully touching scenes, such as Magneto and Rogue’s scenes on Utopia’s mountainous coastline. However I dislike how Pham portrays his male and female characters. Dependent on the gender, the characters have uniformed facial features in that all of the male characters have similar features, as do the female characters. There’s little variation in them in their arguably lazy composition. They deserve acknowledgement though for their great work on the final few pages as Rogue enters the other dimension through Korvus’ blade. The pencils were great, as was Fabela’s colouring as the issue came to a close.

Final Thoughts

While the artwork was good for the most part, the writing was strong as it has been throughout Mike Carey’s acclaimed run on the title. This final arc of his places the stamp on his run and should nicely reflect the absolute strength of his tenure and the duration of high quality the book has offered. This issue particularly sets up the final story of Carey’s opus, which for the last 30 or so issues has centered on Rogue. This final chapter finds her searching for a reason to make a decision to either leave or stay on Utopia, which I believe we’ll discover as the arc moves forward. The book also returns Ariel, last seen during Second Coming, to the X-Men fold. The impact of her return or the importance of it for that matter are yet to be seen, but considering Carey has scarcely stumbled throughout his run, I suspect he’s cooked up one final gem to christen his departure.