The Rouges Gallery Returns to the Flash

For the next trick in their post-New 52 plans for The Flash writer-artist-colorist team Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato are bringing the Rogues Gallery back into Barry Allen’s world the duo announced in an interview on Friday.

“Everything has been a build-up to where we are.  Every single beat and every single thread, even from the Mob Rule story ark,” Manapul said.

They idea of the Rogues was a natural one, he said, tying into his overall theme for the first year of the series of the Flash being “overwhelmed, physically and emotionally.”

The re-introduction will begin in issues #11 and #12 and continue on into the Flash Annual. They will begin appearing slowly at first, Manapul said, slowly gathering steam before appearing in the Annual en masse.

However, Manapul stated, not all of the Rogues will make an appearance at first, with Flash Annual #1 featuring some of the classic members of the group while others may rotate at in during other stories as needed.

As part of his remit to introduce the Flash to a new Generation, Manapul has been re-inventing some classic Flash characters, such as Gorilla Grodd. Some of that re-invention will carry over into the new Rogues Gallery as well, though many will retain their classic designs, Manapul said.

Avengers vs X-Men

Issue #4

Written by Jonathan Hickman, Art by John Romita Jr

Published: July 2012

Somehow this book has become a sort of summary issue. In case you aren’t reading all of the other books involved in the crossover (like me) you can grab this issue to get a bunch of quick updates. It is like getting Sportscenter highlights on the days’ action. First note, Jonathan Hickman is the lead on this issue backed up by the art of John Romita Jr.

The shining moment for this entire book is the interaction between Hope and Wolverine. Really this made the entire issue great to me. We finally had some honest to God dialogue with substance about what is going on and motivations. From there everything was a little hit and miss. I liked a lot of the action sequences as we bounced around the Marvel Universe getting in touch with everything that was happening. I didn’t like the overall disconnect I felt with most of the characters because we had so little time to do more than peek at what is happening. But the plot moved along very steadily and it really seems like the story is unfolding well with a good amount of tension and solid set-up for the next parts. Also there was a nice twist in the end.

Romita Jr.’s art was good but I wish someone else would have been on board to take this book to another level. He really did better than I expected but my experience with him has lead to the bar being set in the middle.

All things considered I bumped this book up to a solid 9 out of 10. If you are reading the crossover then you need to read this book. For the casual fan it comprises too many issues so you can’t just pick it up to enjoy without getting massively confused.

• Giant-Size Super-Stars #1 to precede Fantastic Four #145

Updated

• Fantastic Four #112 (v1) to add walter collins.
• Fantastic Four #114 (v1) to switch out characters.
• Avengers #96 (v1) to add Nick Fury and SHIELD.
• Uncanny X-Men #39 (v1) to add Fred Duncan.
• Fantastic Four #116 (v1) to add Walter Collins.

Added

• Captain America #6 Annual
• Spirit of 76
• Patriot
• Dazzler #21 (v1)
• Defenders #111 (v1)
• Moonglow
• Defenders #112 (v1)
• Arcanna
• Nuke
• Skrullian Skymaster

Scarlet Spider

Issue #5

Written by Christopher Yost, Art by Neil Edwards

Published: July 2012

Writer Christ Yost deserves a lot of credit for taking a character who is beyond ridiculous on paper and turning him into not only a serious character, but a compelling one. The Scarlet Spider is nonsense from head-to-toe, and yet here he is, a legitimately interesting character headlining an equally interesting title. Not to sound pretentious, but in a way The Scarlet Spider illustrates one of the all-time great things about comic books: taking the absurd and making it believable.

It’s issue five of Scarlet Spider and our web-slinging doppleganger finds himself in Houston, Texas. It’s more than a little odd to think of a superhero in Texas, but good on Yost (or whoever made the decision) for taking a stab at an unfamiliar setting and penciler Neil Edwards for making Houston feel very much unlike New York. It only feels odd because they’re trying something new, which is something we should always embrace.

The Scarlet Spider is technically an anti-hero, but he’s really just an angry superhero. Police Officer Wally Layton and our hero are sniffing out a bomb that a right-wing radical group has planted somewhere in the city and the Spider gets plenty of opportunity to work on his Jack Bauer impression. The action is exciting and the plot compelling, but notice how I said “right-wing” group? This issue carries some pretty heavy political tones that I’m not crazy about. It has nothing to do with my political views, as I’m liberal as all get-out, but the lack of subtlety made it hard to take seriously. I realize that “right-wing extremist groups” are an actual problem, but once Yost goes into detail about them targeting abortion clinics and homosexuals, it feels a little forced.

Hopefully this issue was the end of that problem. It’s still a good issue in a solid series.

Wolverine

Issue #306

Written by Cullen Bunn, Art by Paul Pelletier

Published: July 2012

There’s a reason Wolverine is such a popular character and Cullen Bunn knows that reason. It’s the darkness and maturity that surrounds the character. People read Wolverine for two different, but equally important reasons: to see Logan struggle with his inner demons, and to see that inner demon win and tear people to shreds. It’s a simple but effective concept. Issue 306 continues the Rot storyline, in which Wolverine finds himself up against a foe who makes his barbaric indulgences look like child’s play. And not only has Dr. Rot been on a villainous murder spree, killing innocent people and removing their brains, but Wolverine has been framed for the crimes.

Bunn doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the nitty gritty. We see Wolverine’s healing effect in full force here after he suffers some devastatingly brutal injuries at the hands of some Deliverance-esque hillbillies. There’s also some fairly graphic content involving someone’s exposed brain. And yet none of this is done for shock and awe or to appease gorehounds. Bunn uses this imagery (wonderfully displayed by BLANK and BLANK) to illustrate the morbid nature of Dr. Rot and the lengths in which Wolverine is willing to go to stop a killer.

There’s the fugitive subplot involving the law enforcement looking for Wolverine, and while it isn’t poorly done, it’s nowhere near as exciting as the Dr. Rot plot thread. How could it be? In one you have law enforcement agents questioning Logan’s ex as to his whereabouts, in the other you have Wolverine, fully embracing his berserker rage and stalking deranged hillbillies. Wolverine is the best at what he does, and what he does is brutal murder in the most entertaining fashion. I’m greatly anticipating the conclusion to the Rot storyline, if only to see Rot get torn to pieces.

• Marvel Two-in-One #1 to follow Marvel Feature #12.

Added

• Thor #324a (v1)
• Thor #324b (v1)
• Fire Demons
• Storm Giants
• Captain America #273 (v1)
• Percival Pinkerton
• Senator Robert Ralston
• General Sawyer
• Captain America #274 (v1)
• Uncanny X-Men #161 (v1)
• Daniel Shomron
• Gabrielle Haller
• Uncanny X-Men #162 (v1)
• Uncanny X-Men #163 (v1)
• Uncanny X-Men #164 (v1)
• Uncanny X-Men #165 (v1)
• Marvel Fanfare #5a
• Marvel Fanfare #5b
• Nicodemus

Hulk

Issue #2

Written by Jeph Loeb, Art by Ed McGuinnes

Published: February 2008

Hulk #2 continues the mystery of who the red Hulk is and actually presents it as a mystery rather than a typical Jeph Loeb plot for a change – at least for the most part.

We don’t find out yet what General Ross and Doc Samson got out of Bruce Banner at the end of last issue, because this one takes place back aboard the SHIELD Helicarrier where we find out that SHIELD has a gun big enough for the Hulk to use. The reason is never explained, but there we have it.

The talking bits don’t last long before the red Hulk attacks. He proceeds to trash the She-Hulk and leave her nearly dead before disappearing. He runs into General Ross and Doc Samson, apparently beating them up off-panel. Then he pummels Iron Man before escaping. And that’s pretty much the entire issue.

On the bright side, the fight is entertaining and well-depicted by Ed McGuinness. So if not a lot is going to happen, at least there are pretty pictures to look at.

In terms of the mystery, Loeb actually gives us a few hints here that are real hints and not just red herrings. For example, the red Hulk only growls when he attacks Iron Man, but She-Hulk states that he was capable of speaking. We find out for sure that he was indeed able to speak at the end of the issue when he confronts Rick Jones. And speaking of Rick, who apparently is now the gamma creature known as “A-Bomb,” we find out that he knows the red Hulk’s human form enough to talk with him in a familiar tone outside of Gamma Base. (How Rick got from Alaska last issue to New Mexico this issue in what is apparently a day or less is a mystery that will remain forever unsolved.)

Hindsight is kind of a pain, though, and reading this story with the knowledge of who the red Hulk actually is really highlights how thoroughly Loeb cheated in this one. Not to ruin things just yet, but the red Hulk’s human form is somebody on-board the Helicarrier. And apparently, that somebody has magically regenerating clothes, because he appears in his human form moments after being in Hulk form, torn up pants and all, without any hint that the reader can pick up on as to the change. The biggest weakness of Loeb’s mysteries is that he cares too much about tricking the reader, and will resort to cheap tactics like this, removing hints where they should be in hopes that the reader won’t pick up on it.

Aside from the mystery cheating and the fact that the book has very little content to it, this is not a bad comic. It’s basically one big fight scene, true, but the fight scene is at least well-drawn. There are some legitimate hints about the nature of the red Hulk, even if his identity is deliberately obscured. And now we have the question of why Rick Jones is a gamma creature again. Two issues in, the red Hulk storyline isn’t great, but it is enjoyable.

Sin City returning to screens in 2013

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For has been scheduled for release in October, 2013 according to distributor Dimension Films in a press release on Thursday.

The sequel to 2005′s Sin City will again be co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller and is expected to go into production in Austin later this year. Mickey Roark and Jessica Alba and Rosario Dawson are already confirmed to their roles from the first Sin City.

The screenplay, by Miller and Academy Award winner William Monohan (The Departed), will combine elements of the Dame To Kill For graphic novel with several Sin City short stories and at least one original section. The film story will again be told through a series of vignettes featuring returning and new characters in the Sin City universe.

According to Rodriguez and Miller, the unique palette utilized for the first Sin City, and for Miller’s The Spirit, will return and be carried into the three dimensional realm by director of photography Rodriguez who will also return as editor.

Other recurring characters from the Sin City universe – including Bruce Willis, Clive Owen and Michael Clarke Duncan — are expected to return as well.

According to Dimension, which produced and distributed the previous film, no casting announcement is yet set for the new roles for A Dame to Kill For, particularly for the leading characters of Dwight McCarthy and Ava Lord, though the studio said an announcement would be coming shortly.

Shortly after the first Sin City both Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie were rumored to be in consideration for the parts whenever the film was green light.

The original Sin City grossed more than $150 million worldwide on a $40 million budget.

The New Avengers

Issue #26

Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Mike Deodato Jr

Published: July 2012

One word summary – interesting. This series continues to impress me. Part of it has to do with it being abnormal in some respects to the other Avengers series. Brian Bendis has done a nice job with the story and cast of characters to really pique my interest even with a story line that arcs a little bit further out from what was expected with the AvX cross over.

In this book we get more of Master Yu Ti and his quest to deal with the Phoenix Force. Part of the plan ends up being DaVinci showing up to help. Now I like the DaVinci character as it has older roots in the universe and whenever a story brings in concepts from earlier times I get a little excited. Fongji, Shao Lao, and the Phoenix Force make for an interesting power triangle especially when you consider that the power of the Iron Fist is in play as well.

To go with the interesting story (note: this means other people might not like the lack of real Avengers in the book but I think it is a great change of pace) we have the outstanding art of Mike Deodato. Honestly you can’t get much better than what this guy brings to the table. His big scenes are always fantastic with tons of details. Honestly I think he is in the top 2 or 3 comic artists for his ability to create an amazing scene especially when given the space to work.

The final review is a beefy 9 out of 10. I think some fans will be miffed about the lack of Avenger action but the story line does tie into AvX and it is a cool bit of variety that I think works as part of the crossover and also by itself. Pick up the book and enjoy it!

• Savage Tales #1c (v1) and Savage Tales #1a (v1) to go with #1b.
• Captain America #135 (v1) through Captain America #143 (v1) to precede Iron Man #33.
• Amazing Spider-Man #83 (v1) through Amazing Spider-Man #87 (v1) to precede (and follow) #86.
• Amazing Adventures #3 (v2) and Amazing Adventures #4 (v2) to follow issue #2.
• Silver Surfer #16 (v1) through Silver Surfer #18 (v1) to follow Sub-Mariner #27.
• Incredible Hulk #125 (v2) to precede issue #126.
• Avengers #83 (v1) to come after Amazing Adventures #4.

Updated

• Astonishing Tales #7 (v1) to add Tongah Zabu.
• Iron Man #39 (v1) to change character name.
• Savage Tales #1b (v1) to remove note.
• Iron Man #40 (v1) to change character name.
• Savage Tales #1c (v1) to remove Tongah.
• Fantastic Four #107 (v1) to remove Anihilus.
• Fantastic Four #110 (v1) to add Franklin Richards.
• Fantastic Four #108 (v1) to add Candace Southern.
• Ka-Zar #2 (v1) to add multiple characters.
• Marvel Tales #30 (v2) to add Candace Southern.
• Captain America #139 (v1) to change character name.
• Captain America #140 (v1) to remove characters.
• Sub-Mariner #38 (v1) to add Lord Vashti.
• Avengers #90 (v1) to remove multiple characters.
• Avengers #91 (v1) to add the Skrulls.
• Avengers #93 (v1) to add and remove characters.
• Avengers #94 (v1) to add Dorek and Anelle.
• Uncanny X-Men #2 (v1) to add Fred Duncan.
• Uncanny X-Men #38 (v1) to add Fred Duncan.
• Uncanny X-Men #39 (v1) to add The Living Diamond.
• Uncanny X-Men #40 (v1) to add The Living Diamond.
• Uncanny X-Men #41 (v1) to add The Living Diamond.
• Uncanny X-Men #42 (v1) to add The Living Diamond.
• Uncanny X-Men #46 (v1) to add Fred Duncan.
• Uncanny X-Men #2 (v1) to add Fred Duncan.
• Captain America #137 (v1) to add Stoneface.
• Captain America #138 (v1) to add Stoneface.
• Amazing Spider-Man #93 (v1) to switch out characters.
• Fantastic Four #108 (v1) to remove Candace Southern.
• Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #21 to switch out characters.
• Defenders #62 (v1) to switch out characters.
• Defenders #63 (v1) to switch out characters.
• Defenders #64 (v1) to switch out characters.
• Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #47 (v1) to add Hobie Brown.

Added

• Moon Knight #24 (v1)
• Fred Duncan
• Ka-Zar the Savage #19a
• Ka-Zar the Savage #18b
• Ka-Zar the Savage #19b
• Living Diamond
• Avengers #224 (v1)
• Thor #323 (v1)
• Desire
• Dark Man