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A Tale of Two Quicksilvers in the Cards for Marvel

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May 232013
 

by Josh Starnes, CMRO Editor

With the vast seeding of Marvel film properties across different film studios over the years before comic book films became summer tent-poles, it has seemed inevitable that at some point more than one studio would try to claim their own version of the same character, with more questions of how that would work.

With news Thursday that Quicksilver would be appearing in some role in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” when it comes out in 2014, that inevitability came to pass.

“Before he was an #Avenger he was just a REALLY fast kid. Thrilled to say #EvanPeters is joining #XMen #DaysOfFuturePast as #Quicksilver,” Days of Future Past director Bryan Singer tweeted Thursday morning.

That announcement comes just a few short weeks after “Avengers 2″ mastermind Joss Whedon announced that he would be adding both Quicksilver and his sister, the Scarlet Witch, to the cast of the highly anticipated sequel due out in 2015.

“There’s a specific arrangement with those two characters that would allow us to use them with ‘Avengers,’ but not discuss or reference their mutant or Magneto-related lineage. They can use them as mutants and as Magneto’s relatives, but cannot have anything to do with ‘The Avengers’,” Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige explained in an interview with SuperHero Hype in 2012.

What remains a question then is exactly how Quicksilver will be shared between the studios as a character—whether or not Peters will play the character in both films or if two actors will play the same character for the two different studios. Reportedly the same situation could occur with the Scarlet Witch.

As to who will play his sister, according to an interview with The Mary Sue, rumor has it Irish actress Saoirse Ronan is being considered.

“I have heard about it and yes, I would. Yeah, of course I would. I love Joss and I love those films, and I love his handle on them and how he portrayed these kinds of superheroes. I think it’s very different from what anyone else has done. So yeah, I’d love to be in it,” Ronan told the website.

Evan Peters can currently be seen in the hit FX show “American Horror Story.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite Comic #4 Review

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May 232013
 

by Lindsay Young, CMRO Contributing Writer

Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite

Issue #4

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Michael Del Mundo

Published: July 2013

I have been shamelessly enjoying this series recently, and jumping at the chance to read each issue that Marvel releases online for free. There’s just something about the sweeping sci-fi world that’s endlessly engaging, and each character introduced thus far has been full of personality, or at the very least, come packaged with enough hints and foreshadowing to their own unique and interesting backstories.

It doesn’t hurt that the art is just painfully beautiful. The sandy textures, the colours, the movement and poses! It’s just a gorgeous-looking series thus far, and I would recommend the great character designs alone. So many unique-looking aliens and creatures! Thankfully, the story continues to be pretty engaging on its own terms, and I like the fact that each issue comes complete with its own small storylines and narratives and characters. I never feel dissatisfied when I finish one, like I’m just waiting for some greater story to start. The build-up is compelling on its own, and while it still very much reads as build-up, the slow introduction to the world is thoroughly enjoyable—and what a vast world it seems to be! Quirky and gritty and diverse all at once.

While I’m really enjoying the very self-contained narratives of each issue, however, I’m also starting to get a bit antsy to see how everything is going to tie together, and how these characters are going to relate to one another. This is maybe my disadvantage as a new fan, but I think it’s testament to how enjoyable this series is that I’m so eager for more.

CMRO Update (05/23/2013)

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May 232013
 
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Thor #364 Review

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May 232013
 

by Lindsay Young, CMRO Contributing Writer

Thor

Issue #364

Written by Walt Simonson, Art by Walt Simonson

Published: February 1986

The opening page proudly titles this story “The Mighty Thor… Croaks!” Oftentimes with older comics like this there’s a certain sense of irony that goes along with one’s enjoyment of it. It’s fun to read comics that conform to campy storytelling standards that would seem ridiculous today (well…maybe). Still, you can usually tell a silver age comic from a modern-day comic through tone alone, for example. This one’s from the late 80s, so it’s not quite as campy as some of the older fare, but it still indulges in pure silliness. Happily, there’s nothing ironic about my enjoyment of this one—this is a funny issue, and the funny is absolutely intended.

There’s just something endlessly charming and riotously hilarious about frog!Thor, with his very serious ‘thinking’ closeups and his old timey dialogue. The flippant tone of the narration—which kindly informs us that they will be translating frog!Thor’s ribbits for those of us who cannot speak ‘the language of the beasts’—also adds to the general hilarity.

Inevitably, with a concept like this, it’s a bit gimmicky. Much of the plotline is taken up by the predictable efforts of frog!Thor to get his friends to realize it’s him. Still, this one is pure goofy fun, and it’s hard to criticize it too much for being predictable. It’s still charming and funny, and that’s what matters.

This kind of comic is such a ‘your mileage may vary’ sort of thing. If you’re the type of person who likes their heroes dark and gritty and angsty, stay away from this one. If you just want to have fun, check it out.

Incredible Hulks #623 Review

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May 232013
 

by Charlie Brooks, CMRO Contributing Writer

Incredible Hulks

Issue #623

Written by Greg Pak, Art by Dale Eaglesham

Published: April 2011

Boy, Marvel really likes drawing parallels to Planet Hulk and World War Hulk in Hulk-related titles. We’ve had “World War Cho,” World War Hulks, and, over in the red Hulk’s title, Planet Red Hulk. Now we’ve got Planet Savage, which is a bit of a misnomer since we’re still on the planet Earth, albeit in the Savage Land. To the credit of this story arc that begins in The Incredible Hulks #623, at least there is a tie back to Planet Hulk, with Miek and the Warbound making an appearance.

The issue picks up where the last one left off, with the Hulk near death after the beating he took from Zeus. His ex-girlfriend Kate Waynesboro rigs up a super-defibrillator to stabilize the Hulk’s heart, and I have to give a slight nod that she isn’t just shocking a flatline like most media medics do when they use a defibrillator. Leave it to a comic book involving a green monster lying near death after fighting a Greek god to show the use of a defibrillator in a more realistic light than any medical drama.

The Hulk’s weakened state means a couple of things. First, he’s not able to transform back to Bruce Banner lest he dies from his wounds. Second, he’s much more vulnerable than we’ve seen anywhere in Greg Pak’s run. The Hulk gets a message from his old ally Ka-Zar in the Savage Land, who informs him that Miek’s bug refugees from World War Hulk have been wreaking havoc in the area. That means that it’s time to leave the Hulk family behind, save for Skaar, and journey with the Warbound to face off against Miek.

Unfortunately for the Hulk, Miek has a bit more cunning than he’s previously displayed. A traitor poisons the Hulk’s company’s food, rendering them all unconscious. This is probably Miek taking advantage of the Hulk’s weakened state, since it’s unlikely he’d be so easily captured otherwise. Skaar, Ka-Zar, and the rest of the Warbound sleep the night away while the Hulk is brought before Miek as a prisoner.

This is a buildup issue, but it’s done very well. First of all, we jump right into the action due to the fact that the story picks up right after Godsmash, and even if you didn’t read the previous issue you’ve got a decent idea of what’s going on. The Hulk has some nice character moments, particularly when he leaves Betty behind to go to the Savage Land and they have a talk/fight on his way out. It’s also interesting to see the Hulk in such a weakened state, since for most of Pak’s run he’s been stronger than he ever has been before. The art is solid, although Dale Eagleham’s pencils make the current Hulk look like the more intelligent merged Hulk that showed up throughout the 1990s as part of Peter David’s run. Other than that, though, the Savage Land is rendered beautifully.

Overall, The Incredible Hulks #623 is one of the better kickoffs to a new storyline that Marvel has had lately, and it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re keen on seeing a continuation of the Planet Hulk saga or are just a fan of the Incredible One in general.

Justice League of America #2 Review

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May 232013
 

by Dylan Duarte, CMRO Contributing Writer

Justice League of America

Issue #2

Written by Mark Kindt, Art by Scott Clark

Published: May 2013

Leave it to DC all-star Geoff Johns to take a team of second stringers and make them more interesting and compelling than the actual Justice League. Justice League of America contains some big names like Martian Manhunter, Catwoman, and Hawkman, but then there’s also Stargirl and Vibe. The team that’s been put together is an effective one, but whether or not they could stop the Justice League – which, unknown to them, is the purpose of the team – seems very likely, at least at this stage.

In this issue, the Justice League of America gets an official endorsement from the President of the United States that stems from a scene very reminiscent of the opening scene in X2: X-Men United. Martian Manhunter bypasses all of the White House’s defenses to show that he could easily kill the President, leaving him with no other option but to back the team. It’s dirty pool, but that’s what makes this book and these characters so compelling. They do have the country’s best interest in mind, but they will cut corners to get there.

Then there’s the Secret Society, the current antagonists of the book. The one member whom we’ve seen looks like a cross between the Joker, the Riddler, and Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth. Whatever his visual inspirations, the effect works and he’s very intimidating, managing to the be the scarier character when side-by-side with the Scarecrow. Johns is definitely doing a good job in drumming up interest in the Secret Society.

So we’ve got two teams, one full of heroes and the other villains, both incredibly shady. It’s definitely a solid foundation and there’s a lot of potential with this mix of characters. I have the utmost faith in Johns to take this book somewhere worthwhile.

Uncanny Avengers #8 Review

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May 222013
 

by Dylan Duarte, CMRO Contributing Writer

Uncanny Avengers

Issue #8

Written by Rick Remender, Art by Daniel Acuna

Published: July 2013

Uncanny Avengers 8 has its moments of genuine, enthralling excitement, including two fist-pumping “heck yeah!” moments. There are even a few compelling conversations. It moves the story along nicely and leaves us with a decent cliffhanger. So why am I just not digging it?

I’m never comfortable bashing on something if I can’t pinpoint the exact reason why I’m bashing it, but I really don’t know what it is about issue 8 that just doesn’t do it for me. I like pretty much every individual thing that takes place, I just don’t think the whole is equal to the sum of its parts. The few moments where the issue did grab me, it almost immediately lost me. I really enjoyed Captain America’s segment, where he crashed landed in Sudan and had to fight his way to safety. I especially liked when he came to the realization that what was happening to him was all intentional, revealing a “deep game,” as he put it. That’s all fantastic stuff, but it lasts all of four pages.

I get that there’s a lot of ground to cover, especially when the Avengers get split up like this, and I don’t even know what Remender could have done differently to keep my interest. This is most unconstructive criticism.

Despite the disappointment, I can still recommend the issue. I think that maybe what’s happening is simply too large for a 22-page book and Remender can only do what he can. It’s a noble effort, and like I said, there are plenty of great moments, but given how great of a series Uncanny Avengers has been, I think issue 8 sticks out like a sore thumb. That doesn’t mean I’m not excited to come back for the next issue. I need to find out who left that message for Captain America and how long it’s been there. There were cobwebs!

CMRO Update (05/22/2013)

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May 222013
 
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Superior Spider-Man #9 Review

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May 222013
 

by Dylan Duarte, CMRO Contributing Writer

Superior Spider-Man

Issue #9

Written by Dan Slott, Art by Humberto Ramos

Published: July 2013

Which each issue of Superior Spider-Man that I read, I’m further amazed at how much I’ve come full circle on the comic. Like the legions of fans out there, I was upset at Dan Slott for the crazy stunt that he pulled. In my defense, I didn’t foam at the mouth or send him death threats or anything else that the “crazy” fans did, but I certainly wasn’t happy about it. I was afraid that it would end up like Brand New Day, forcing Marvel in a sloppy ret-con. Nine issues in, however, and I really think Slott might pull this off.

Regardless of how this all ends up, Superior Spider-Man has turned into one hell of a comic, and issue nine is the most emotionally charged yet. Octavius has discovered that a part of Peter Parker’s psyche is still alive in the back of his mind and is planning to use his neurolitic scanner to wipe him out of existence completely. What follows is a mental showdown between Spidey and Doc Ock, where Ock begins systematically – and permanently – erasing Peter’s memories.

Overall it was a really sad issue, but a few moments in there were absolutely heartbreaking. Peter forgetting Gwen’s dad’s name, then forgetting Uncle Ben; it was brutal. And to have it all end with him forgetting his own name was the perfect touch. I’m a sucker for tragedy and at this point I think I could sue Dan Slott for emotional abuse.

So Peter Parker is gone. The last fragments of him buried deep in what used to be his brain have been wiped out and all that remains is Otto Octavius. Obviously Peter is going to be back, and probably soon rather than later, but I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen next, and I find that very, very exciting.

CMRO Update (05/21/2013)

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May 212013
 
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Death’s Head #9 Review

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May 212013
 

by Rocketraccoon, CMRO Contributing Writer

Death’s Head

Issue #9

Written by Simon Furman, Art by Geoff Senior

Published: August 1989

Death’s head is a badass and despite the fact that he doesn’t manage to land a single punch in this issue his sheer badassery makes him seem awesome while doing it.  In this issue Deaths head is ditched in the past by that double dealing master trickster Dr Who. Who left Deaths Head on top of the Fantastic Fours headquarters in modern times (read 1989) rather than deaths head natural terrain of the 2800’s. The FF’s defense systems immediately open fire of course. What follows is fairly short & straightforward issue wherein deaths head has to team up with the FF in order to defeat the buildings defense systems gone haywire. Eventually Deaths head save Franklin and Reed uses the FF’s time machine to send Deaths Head back to the future. Unfortunately deaths head manages to mess that up by saying to Reed that he kills people for a living and Reed sends Deaths Head to 2020 by accident. Deaths Head just couldn’t resist that parting shot and it cost him big.

Not a lot happening is this issue as its only 23 pages long. We see some interesting character development when Deaths Head saves Franklin. It is implied that he saved Franklin due to some fleeting moment of sympathy with him but we also know that Deaths Head was planning to save him anyway because he had the suspicion that letting the FF’s son die when he needed access to their time machine might be a bad idea. So while his emotions exist and he barely lets them change his course of action, he still does the most pragmatic thing. This is part of what makes Deaths Head such a refreshing change from other protagonists, he’s a bounty hunter, or freelance peacekeeping agent as he would say, who kills people for money and he generally works for villains against other villains. A hero would charge in without a thought and save the kid, while many villains would abandon Franklin equally thoughtlessly and without thinking of the consequences. Deaths Head strikes a balance and he’s always got a plan backed up with a big gun. He won’t kill children for nickels but neither does he make it his business to save them for free.  This comic is while worth reading, yes?

The Punisher #22 Review

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May 212013
 

by Rocketraccoon, CMRO Contributing Writer

The Punisher

Issue #22

Written by Mike Baron, Art by Erik Larsen

Published: August 1989

From the cover you might imagine that Punisher is going to ninja training school to get a piece of all that sweet mystic eastern wisdom. And to learn to kill a man with a pair of chopsticks.  But he’s actually just following up lead from his last case involving a boxer who was poisoned by a mysterious woman who was trained at said school. In reality this school is just a tool to cheat angry idiots out of their money. Which seems like it might be bad plan but is explained by the fact that the owners of the school are even angrier idiots than those they propose to train. The issue starts when Frank gets off the bus looking typically grumpy. He is attacked as soon as he enters the bar but this is soon revealed to be a test to see if he is worthy to join the elite idiots of the “Ninja Training School”.

The Punisher then goes through the classical travails of protagonists stuck in schools run by narcissistic bastards, and quickly manages to humiliate the teacher of unarmed combat, beating him by using the old “throw sand in his eyes” trick.  After some tense negotiations with the runner of school (whose name is Scully), who is pretty much a prototypical thug, the issue moves to a scene where the students are being asked to spend the night in woods, because it will raise their levels of “ninja” but the Punisher ain’t taking none of that guff and he quickly captures a raccoon. Turns out this raccoon kidnapping was the first step of his plan to break into the thugs lair and take a gander at his secret files, as he uses it to lure away Scully’s guard dog. Whilst there he meets a mysterious real ninja who appears and vanishes like the wind, or like a ghost, or actually just like a ninja. A ninja who appears and vanishes like a ninja.  She’s there to deal with Scully for claiming association with Hatsu Yakamoto. After she vanishes (using her ninja magic) the Punisher leaves too, but only after torching the place with the fuel that he presumes she left behind. Why he does this is unclear, since it causes the camp teachers to hunt down and kill all their students in the next issue and (as far as he knows) destroys the files that he came there to collect. In fact the Punisher assumes that the lady ninja left the kerosene by the window with the intent that he torch the place. The evil camp runner could just be storing kerosene in his basement Frank.

This issue illustrates the Punisher’s modus operandi. The Punisher doesn’t need your ninja skills thank you very much; he’s got good old American guns and explosives. As shown when in the aforementioned bar brawl Frank doesn’t start punching; he ups the ante by pulling a gun. The Punisher has no time to waste in brawling. This issue is the first half of an arc which deals with the Ninja Training Camp. It culminates in the next issue when the punisher shoots all the badguys that don’t get incidentally blown up. Sometimes the Punisher can be like watching an action movie. But it generally has more depth in that the people fed into the punisher meatgrinder have some sort of character. Generally evil character but there is something to the bad guys here that makes them somewhat believable bad guys and not the sort of one dimensional faceless soldier’s types you would see in a Rambo Flick.

All in all it’s a good issue. Lots of build up for the action next issue but it’s worth it and makes the orgy of violence in the next issue all the more satisfying.

The Umbrella Academy #0 Review

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May 212013
 

by Linsay Young, CMRO User

The Umbrella Academy

Issue #0

Written by Gerard Way, Art by Gabriel Ba

Published: April 2011

What attracted me to this one was the weird cover that combines a gothic aesthetic with the superhero imagery. It’s no surprise, then, that one of the chief creative minds is Gerald Way of My Chemical Romance fame. That cover that drew me in, though, was the work of James Jean, who might be better known as one of the artists on Fable. Well, now I know why the cover was so effective!

The interior art is very stylized, favouring a more cartoonish look rather than realism. I like it. It’s characterized by thick and jagged lines, but it’s expressive and fun to look at.

As for the actual book, it’s not so much an issue as a teaser, clocking in at about twelve pages of actual story. Naturally it’s a quick read. If you don’t mind the shortness, Issue #0 manages to give us a pretty fun romp through its campy, pseudo-sci fi universe (with maybe a pinch of steampunk aesthetic). Despite the gothic cover and the opening scene of a body being found in a shadowed alley, it’s a whole lot sillier than one might be led to believe. The villain we’re introduced to is gleefully and ridiculously evil, easily the best part of the issue. The team itself, while possessive creative powers and some cool designs, aren’t quite as energetic as the Murder Magician, and there’s no real emergent personality except for the Monocle, who appears near the end. This character is intriguing; he only features in a few pages, but his harshness, in addition to the mystery of what role he’s meant to play, is certainly engaging.

Overall, I’m not totally won over yet, but this issue was fun and short, well worth checking out.

New Avengers #5 Review

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May 202013
 

by Dylan Duarte, CMRO Contributing Writer

New Avengers

Issue #5

Written by Jonathan Hickman, Art by by Steve Epting

Published: April 2013

Captain America is one of my favorite Marvel characters, if not one of my favorite comic book characters overall. When Hickman took him out of the equation in New Avengers 3, I wasn’t too thrilled going forward. I’m still in it. Captain America being his usual stubborn self was my favorite part of the arc, so with him gone I’m not as invested as I once was, but there’s still plenty going to keep my attention.

The introduction of Galactus and Terrax in the last issue was great to see, but they’ve already fell by the wayside, it seems. Terrax is briefly shown being held prisoner by the Avengers, while Galactus is presumably still tearing up the alternate New York. Issue #5 delves into the history of the arc, specifically how things got to be as royally screwed up as they are. The team frees Black Swan in exchange for her cooperation and she gives a lengthy lecture. It’s a lot of exposition. It’s not bad exposition; Hickman’s skilled writing still shines through, but pages and pages of exposition is always going to be rough.

I’m excited about all of this coming to a head, though whether that’s because I want to see the gang saves the day or I just want all of this to end, I’m not entirely sure. It’s still a fairly riveting story, but I feel like Hickman is raising the stakes too high. We know what Marvel will and won’t do, so unless they’re going to pull a big surprise – which is always possible – Hickman is over-preparing us for what can only be a lackluster conclusion. I don’t think it will be a bad conclusion, but I don’t think it’s going to be very satisfying.

CMRO Update (05/20/2013)

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May 202013
 
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