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CIVIL WAR #1
"Part One of Seven"
Writer: Mark Millar
Pencils: Steve McNiven
Inks: Dexter Vines
Colors: Morry Hollowell
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Publisher: Marvel
Comics
$3.99 U.S. / $5.75 CAN
"For the times they are
a-changin'"
I don’t want to be the type of fan who
goes looking for problems where none exist, but I find myself openly wondering why Mark
Millar and the other writers involved in laying the groundwork for this summer event
didn’t come up with at least one catalyst event that the government legislators
pushing the registration act could point to as something that the act would’ve
prevented. I mean the opening events involving the New Warriors would’ve still played
out even if the team had been registered with the government, as thousands of car
accidents occur every single day in spite of vehicles being registered. I mean what this
story really needs at it’s core is a tragic event where a hero or group of heroes
reckless behaviour caused an accident, and than they ran off and hid behind their
secret-identities to avoid the fallout. Right now though the New Warriors involved in this
accident are dead, and while one could argue that their recklessness played a direct role
in this tragedy, the connection that is made to the registration act is nowhere near as
smooth as I’d have liked to see. Still, I can’t deny that the argument that
rests at the core of this project is rife with potential. Plus, Mark Millar does a lovely
job of making arguments for both sides, as the anguished mother’s tirade against Tony
is quite powerful, and the back & forth between the gathered characters is very
effective at showing readers how this one event has provoked a very divided response. This
being a Mark Millar written title we also have the added benefit of a writer who knows how
to deliver some top-notch action, and this issue provides a high intensity exchange where
Captain America has a difference of opinion with S.H.I.E.L.D. and it quickly transforms
into an amazing sequence that ends with Captain America riding surfboard style on top of a
speeding fighter plane (trust me it’s much cooler than it sounds). As for the art,
Steve McNiven makes me a little nervous as he hasn’t exactly proven he can deliver a
string of consecutive issues, but I can’t deny the simple fact that he is the ideal
artist for this material, as his characters have a wide range of emotions, and he’s
equally adapt when it comes to the action sequences. However the most effective image of
the entire issue would have to be the chilling panel where the Watcher makes his presence
known.
4 out of 5 Stars
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FRIENDLY
NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #8
"Jumping the Tracks - Part 1"
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Mike Wieringo
Inks: Karl Kesel
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: VC’s Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel
Comics
$2.99 U.S. / $4.25 CAN
"I want the world to change for
me!"
Truth be told the what-if material detailing
what happens to the life/career of Spider-Man when Aunt May dies instead of Uncle Ben does
feel a bit like a repeat performance of the recent "Spider-Man: House of M"
miniseries, but I have to give Peter David full marks for deciding to focus on Uncle Ben
rather than Peter, as he makes for a far more engaging window into the changes that Peter
has undergone. I also have to confess that "It’s a Wonderful Life" has been
my all-time favourite movie for pretty much my entire movie watching life, so I’m a
sucker for the type of story where we see what the world would’ve been like if
someone turned left instead of right. Now the minute we got the scene where Peter and Ben
were haggling over the percentage of Ben’s commission I could see where this story
was headed, but the story manages to take a bit of a detour in the final moments that
brought me back on board, as when Ben arrives in the mainstream reality, how can one not
be remind of Jimmy Stewart’s frantic state when he finds himself in a world where he
never existed. The issue also features a couple cute nods to the camera, as Ben and Peter
get in a prophetic conversation about computer chat-rooms, and the brief look at
Spider-Man 4 does a very effective job of presenting a cheesy summer blockbuster. In fact
the only real compliant that I’d make about this issue is that the big baddie is
presented to readers like we’re supposed to recognize him, and while I make a habit
of picking up pretty much everything Spider-Man related, I don’t know who this
character is. Still I imagine this problem will be rectified in the next issue. As for the
art, it’s great to have Mike Wieringo back on board, as his work brings a much needed
sense of energy to the proceedings, and he’s one of the better visual storytellers
working in the industry. From the visual impact of the credit page which nicely sets up
the entire hook of this parallel reality, to Ben's growing confusion when he finds himself
in a new reality, the art does a very effective job selling the story. The visual design
of the big baddie left me a bit flat though, as if nothing else I found his goblin glider
looked a bit goofy.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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MARVEL TEAM-UP
#20
"Freedom Ring - Part One of
Five"
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art: Andy Kuhn
Colors: Studio F’s Marte Gracia
Letters: VC’s Rus Wooton
Publisher: Marvel
Comics
$2.99 U.S. / $4.25 CAN
"Anything your heart desires"
I’m seen other reviewers online kick up
a big fuss and bother that this opening issue doesn’t hold true to the Marvel Team-Up
format, as while the book opens with a six page battle where Captain America does battle
with an armored squadron of A.I.M. goons, he’s the only hero to make an appearance in
this issue, while the bulk of the issue looks in on a young man who discovers the wish
granting ring that Captain America lost track of during the fight. However, I’ve
never been much of a stickler when it comes to the idea that every issue of Marvel Team-Up
should feature an actual team-up, and given this is the first chapter it’s only fair
that Robert Kirkman be given the time to lay the groundwork that will inspired team-ups in
the future chapters. Plus it doesn’t hurt that the new character that Robert Kirkman
brings to the table is a fairly engaging character with a nicely defined personality. He
also comes complete with a supporting cast, so that when he discovers the magical
properties of the ring, he’s not forced to monologue. Now there are a couple moments
that felt a little too cute, as we spend far to much time on a Seinfeld-style of whether a
restaurant would care if you brought your own bottle of syrup, and the big "next
morning" reveal felt a little desperate for laughs. However, the initial reaction of
Curtis when the power of the ring first manifests made me smile, and the back and forth
conversation between Curtis and Troy managed to deftly address the potential of the ring.
In fact the more if it’s handled properly Curtis and his magic ring could make for a
promising new addition to the Marvel Universe. In fact I rather suspect the team-ups that
we’ll see in upcoming issues, will involve Curtis hooking up with a steady stream of
Marvel’s established heroes. As for the art, Andy Kuhn work is a bit sketchy at times
and he has a hard to ignore quirk of squeezing the character’s facial features in
close to the centre of the face, or slightly off centre, which gives characters odd
looking heads. However, he’s really quite good when it comes to the basics of good
storytelling, and the art deftly captured the sense of wonder and excitement as Curtis and
Troy mess with the ring.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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ULTIMATE
SPIDER-MAN #94
"Deadpool: Part 4 of 4"
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inks: John Dell with Mark McKenna
Colors: Justin Ponsor
Letters: VC’s Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel
Comics
$2.99 U.S. / $4.25 CAN
"A face only a mother could
love"
Everything plays out pretty much the way one
would expect it to as Spider-Man and the X-Men work together to turn the tables on
Deadpool and his group of hired guns, and before they head off into the sunset they also
use the opportunity to condemn the Mojoverse practice of staging televised mutant hunts.
Now I have to confess I had bought into last issue’s cliff-hanger moment, and while I
did openly wonder why I never considered the fact that Brian Michael Bendis had already
established Deadpool had the ability to change his appearance, since it didn’t cross
my mind until Spider-Man nailed the Professor with a good punch to the head I have to give
Brian Michael Bendis full credit for how he played this hand. The issue also manages to
offer up a couple more solid developments as the big reveal of Deadpool’s true
appearance was a very effective moment, as was the unsettling scene where the book leaves
what Professor Xavier does to Mojo up to the imagination of the reader. On the other hand
the battle itself was a rather bland sequence, as there were no real moments where Brian
Michael Bendis looked to be interested in offering up anything more than the typical
display of power. In fact the most effective sequence of the issue in terms of actual
excitement would have to be the final pages where Peter returns home expecting to get an
earful from Aunt May only to discover a slightly disturbing message waiting for him on the
answering machine. If nothing else this does serve to introduce another character from the
mainstream Spider-Man books to the Ultimate Universe in a rather unexpected manner. As for
the art, Mark Bagley is a good fit for this issue as for the most part it’s one
extended action sequence, and he delivers some highly effective displays of power. The art
also does a wonderful job on the big reveal moment as Deadpool’s true appearance is
truly a nightmarish image. I also enjoyed the double-page shot of the group as they bring
the battle to a close. Plus, Peter and Kitty’s expressions as they listen to the
phone message do a great job of selling their different reactions to what they hear.
3.5 out of 5 Stars
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