Spider Island #1

Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Paco Diaz
Colorist: Frank D'Armata

"Part One: Altered States"

This is one interesting "What if?" style book. What if the cure for the Spider-virus was not ever released and it mutated, gaining control over all of the supers and humans on the planet other than a few people that somehow did not get infected? I mean, the first page of the book is a Spiderized Carol Danvers. The main character is actually Flash Thompson as Agent Venom because his symbiote was able to protect him from the virus and Spider-Man is MIA due to earlier events (explained in this issue).

As always, this first issue is setting everything up for what is to come, and the premise here is that Flash and the few rebels he leads, learns there may be a cure and decide to go after it even if it ends up to be a trap. There are some cool moments with other superheroes that were unfortunate enough to become infected and it leads to a definite confrontation between Flash and other Spider-Heroes in the next issue. 

As far as setups go, this wasn't a terrible issue. I enjoy Agent Venom and am happy to see him still used. That said, Spider Island the first time around was a little shakey for me and I hope that this doesn't fall flat as well.

I do want to mention that there is an added story tacked to the back of this issue that is focused on Mayday Parker that is written by Tom Defalco and Ron Frenz. It isn't bad but it just feels like it was added in last minute to ramp up the price of the issue.

Rating: 7/10

Inferno #3

Writer: Dennis Hopeless
Artist: Javier Garron
Colors: Chris Sotomayor

This title was the first of the Secret Wars books I picked up and wasn't exactly certain how it would play out. I have never been SUPER into Hopeless' work in the past and was nervous that he would chop this book up. Then again, the original Inferno story arc was odd within itself. So, how could it get much stranger?

I am actually surprised to the degree that I am enjoying this book. I have always enjoyed Colossus and Domino as a couple and there is a lot of play there. I also really enjoyed Madelyne Pryor as a crazy clone of Jean Grey that gained demon powers, even if it seemed insane at the time. So the fact that this book has these things it has my interest. I also like the immense chaos that is circling the whole book and that there really doesn't seem to be any downtime for anyone. There is cool use of a demonized Nightcrawler and nods to a lot of X-Men that haven't been used in years. I caught myself smiling a bit while reading this issue.

My problem is, and always has been with Hopeless, is he relies too often on the last page reveal. The "OH MAN!" moment at the end of a book where you are supposed to be drawn to jump into the next book. I can sum this issue up pretty quickly due to that because that is the main reason for the issue, to show the surprise at the end (which I will not ruin): Colossus has to relax, Domino helps, Magik wrecks the X-Men, surprise. That is it. There are great page spreads, but the writing is just somewhat goofy and predictable. I will stick around till the end, but I hope the surprise is worth it.

Rating: 4/10

Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor #14

Writers: Al Ewing & Rob Williams
Artist: Simon Fraser
Colorist: Gary Caldwell

"The Comfort of the Good Part 1"

This ride with the Matt Smith iteration of the Doctor has been interesting. I find myself oddly drawn to the book each month, even though I have REALLY considered dropping the Doctor Who titles as of late. There is something about the emotion angst that Ewing and Williams are putting the Doctor through in this tale, that makes me want to see how it all turns out. I mean, I know the things will work out in some way for the Doctor, but what about his companions Alice, Jones and ARC? What is the endgame for them all? Also, how does he mend his relationship with the TARDIS?

Well, some of these things are dealt with in this issue. Jones, the guy who is destined to be a rock god, vanished at the end of the last issue when the Doctor pretended to be a god and pushed the Entity (where ARC originates) away and somehow Jones was taken with it. This issue focuses heavily on ARC trying to communicate with Jones through its connection with the Entity to convince him to come back to them after the TARDIS abandoned them. The TARDIS' role in a Time Lord's life is explained a bit more and it really does make sense that the ship would abandon the failing Doctor.

The issue ties up neatly with the main characters back together (some changed due to events) and with them all standing before the TARDIS and a new player to the story. I am interested but am a tad weary as to how exactly this will all make sense. Then again, time is a wibbly wobbly thing, isn't it?

Rating: 7/10

Black Science #16

Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Matteo Scalera
Colors: Moreno Dinisio


Oh boy, this book really knows how to ramp it up. During my time away I have had my ups and downs with this title and even at one point considered dropping it purely based on how convoluted and drawn out it seemed to be getting, but Remender always seems to know how to tie things together and make you set down an issue with your jaw agape.

After 16 issues, it is no surprise that the characters start to grow on you and you get nervous when a gun is pressed against the back of their heads, or, I don't know, one of the main characters shoots the old man guide that has been present through the last 7 issues in the back of the head just because he wanted to try to save everyone (this happened in issue #15). That is the beauty of Black Science, you never know which character is going to snap and when.

The last handful of issues have really focused on Rebecca and Grant's relationship and the fact that Grant just wants to back away from it and be with his family. Also, there is some weird drive behind Rebecca that makes her REALLY want to jump to other worlds within the Multi-verse Onion that the book takes place in. This issue finally has answers, mistakes are made by main characters and a major villain from an earlier arc reappears. I am chomping at the bit for more...and of course the book is now on hiatus until November....right.

Anyhow, if you enjoy a crazy ride with characters that have personalities, science, and multiverse confusion give Black Science a go. If you like your books to have neat endings in every issue or three, this is not the book for you. For me, well, I am really happy I have been sticking around for the ride. I can't wait to see where this book is going to take me.

Rating: 9/10

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #2

Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Adam Kubert
Inker: John Dell
Colorist: Justin Ponsor

"Part 2: 'Because I Said So, That's Why.'"

Sadly I was still on my hiatus when the first issue of this series dropped so I didn't get to express my initial shock as to how good it really was. Dan Slott constantly surprises me with his Spider-Man stories, and I know that isn't always a popular opinion. This look into Peter Parker's life if he had still had a child, was still married to Mary Jane and also gave up being Spider-Man to protect his family, is beyond interesting.

The last issue left us with the fact that Spidey allowed for Venom to die to better protect his family and that he had given up the suit. This issue moves us a bit further into the timeline where Peter is still working for J.Jonah but is paid to not release his photos of superhero fights rather than to sell them to the paper to run. The world is controlled by a villain called Regent who has stolen the powers of all the other heroes he has defeated to make himself more powerful. Lastly, the Parker's girl, Annie, is showing that she has powers herself and is trying to hide them so that Regent doesn't come after her.

There are some really nice nods to old Spider-Man stories during the book and even a Power Pack reference during a school scene. I really don't want to ruin the whole thing, but it looks like Spidey should be back in full swing (get it??? Puns...oye) in the next issue. 

Rating: 9/10 - Pick of the Week!

Age of Apocalypse #1

Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Gerardo Sandoval
Colorist: David Curiel

"Sticks and Stones..."

It is no secret that one of my favorite story arcs from the 90's is Age of Apocalypse. I feel that a lot of readers from that time frame have a level of fond memories attached to that book. So when I heard that there was to be a Secret Wars tie-in, I was thrilled and quickly added it to my pull list. 

This first issue did an interesting job setting up the world that the rest of the tale is going to take place. The Four Horsemen are around and of course the X-Men are stationed away from them, leading their rebellion. For some reason, everyone is interested in Doug Ramsey (also known as Cypher) but he doesn't even understand why. The focus on Cypher is really the focal point in this issue. Everyone seems to want him but there is no real answer to be had unless you read between the lines; he can translate what the humans want and plan to do to deal with the mutants.

This book isn't perfect, but Sandoval does a nice job reflecting the darkness that is the world in which it takes place and the characters still have the draw that you would want. I also have an incredibly fond spot for Cypher and was pleased to see him used in the book. If you have a level of nostalgia for the original series or just dig the X-Men, give this book a go. If you want something incredibly riveting out the gate, maybe look elsewhere. 

Rating: 7/10

New books for 07/01/2015

Well Secret Wars is just chugging along isn't it? I love how before an event has even come to fruition we are beginning to hear about the fallout of the overall event. Marvel is priding itself by pouring the list of new books that will launch after Secret Wars to try to entice the readers to hang on for the re-boot...err...refresher....um....reset? I really am not sure what is going to happen considering there are people that still have memories of the old world hanging in the Battleworld which could lead to continuity still having a bearing on the All-New All-Different World that is right around the corner. I suppose we will see. I do know there are a few titles that are grabbing my attention simply due to the team working on the book. If you want to see all of the (currently) announced titles you can read an article and see the cover art here.

Now that I have looked ahead to the future, I suppose it is time to look at the now. Yesterday I grabbed a pretty decent sized stack of books to read through, and the seven titles are as follows:

The Amazing Spider-Man #19.1
Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #9
Giant-Size Little AvsX Marvel #2
Letter 44 #17
The Spire #1
Secret Wars #4
X-Tinction Agenda #2

Well, I suppose that is enough rambling for now...on to the brief reviews of this week's pulls!

Amazing Spider-Man #19.1

This is part four of Gerry Conway's current run on a side story of Spider-Man. I think it is a nice nudge to remind us what Conway can do in the Spider-verse considering he is going to be on the Carnage book come October. The story he is telling is actually more focused on Yuri Watanabe (or Wraith) and how she is being duped by Mr. Negative to do his bidding and to find out her secret identity. As always, Spider-Man is trying to be helpful but can't quite figure out what to do to help his friend and continues to question her methods throughout the issue. There is a nice nod to one of Spider-Man's more ridiculous group of enemies, The Circus of Crime, that shows even the most silly enemies can be a problem. This tale of manipulation and uncertainty has been a fun ride so far and I look forward to the conclusion next month. If you haven't read a Spidey book in a while or just are not a fan of Dan Slott's work (even though you should give it a chance), Conway's interpretation of the webslinger here is quite good and worth a read. (8 out of 10)

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #9

Again, I am struggling with the Doctor Who books simply because I am SWAMPED with them. There are four different Doctors with four different books telling different stories that begin to get confused in my mind because even if each Doctor has their own voice and attitude, they are still the Doctor. Regardless, I am still not that familiar with the Peter Capaldi, Twelfth Doctor in the real world which makes a comic version a little harder to get into. His and Clara's stories have not been weak really, but the last arc was a tad shakey and I am not certain about this new arc, dealing with aliens in Las Vegas with the Wolf Pack. The book opens up with a VERY Doctor Who feeling intro that then, after the splash page, goes back to what lead up to the opening pages. Sadly, even once you get through the issue, you still aren't certain exactly how the Doctor got into the place that he was at the beginning of the book but that should be answered in the next issue. For now I am hanging on to the Doctor Who books but may have to cut the cord really soon. (5 out of 10)

Giant-Size Little AvsX Marvel #2

I have to preface this by saying that I love Scottie Young and that was the main reason I picked this and the first issue up in the first place. His art makes me smile and he has surprised me in the past with some amazing story telling (Rocket Raccoon). This title is just silly. It is meant to be silly. It contains kid versions of the X-Men and the Avengers who happen to go to school together and are members of opposite clubs. Two new kids move into town and the two clubs begin to fight over who gets to hang out with the new kids. Nothing is really accomplished other than some grand, and silly, fights. There is no real meat in this book, but there isn't meant to be. The art is fun and pulls you in which makes it worth having in your collection. If you want a book that really has no true meaning other than fun, give this a go. (8 out of 10 for fun!)

Letter 44 #17

I do not remember if I ever did a review on any of these books, but this is Charles Soule's project out of Oni Press. The title is about the President of the United States dealing with political corruption, war, and aliens. The story is split between the issues that President Blades has to deal with on Earth and what a crew of scientists are dealing with in space while handling the new alien entities that have shown up. They are not certain what the aliens want, but there are weird things occurring. It is really hard to talk about this book without having major spoilers. I will say that the split in the story in this issue is the President trying to figure out the fastest way to end World War III so that he can focus more on the aliens, while the scientists are trying to beg the aliens to help them stop an asteroid before it hits the Earth. There is a lot of story here and it is very difficult to not recommend this book. Don't get me wrong, through the current seventeen issue run there have been some pretty long lulls that forced me to wonder where the book was going and if it would continue to have legs for the long haul, but Seole continues to impress. If you want a book that isn't a superhero book, give this a go. (8 out of 10)

The Spire #1

I was so unbelievably excited when I heard this book announced. Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely working together on a book again after their amazing run on Six-Gun Gorilla? Yes please! Of course, this book isn't the same thing at all, but you can tell that the two are at it again. This first issue is setting up the pieces of the world that the remaining seven issues will explore. The Spire itself seems to be where most people live to stay out of the wastelands. There are two clear cut types of people, the normal folks and the mutated folks (called many different things in the title). I am not even sure if mutated is the right word, perhaps just different. The main character has long, string-like extremities that pour out of her back. This setup issue did a nice job making me want more of what The Spire actually is. Why is everything so dark? Where is the story taking me? Stokely's art pulls me in with every frame and Spurrier is a master at making me become connected to characters quickly. I was uncertain if this title would be anywhere close to as good as their last project until the final few pages where I stopped and stared, mad that I had to wait another month before the story continued. I am excited to keep reading this book. (9 out of 10)

Secret Wars #4

This issue marks the halfway point of the current Marvel event and I must say that it has been enjoyable. The concepts of Doctor Doom being god and slamming together the remaining worlds after the Beyonders caused incursions has been interesting to say the least. Doom basically saved everyone but there is always the question of what is the endgame. Starting in the last issue we saw that there were members from the Ultimate and the 616 universes that retained their memories due to being in a ship of sorts. They had been held by Doctor Strange, uncertain what the ships contained and what to do with them. This issue deals with the Cabal and these heroes confronting one another and Doctor Doom, although briefly. There is quite a twist focused on Scott Summers as well as Mr. Fantastic and Doom. There is a new level of uncertainty in Battleworld as of this issue and I am excited to see where Hickman is going to take this roller coaster in the next four issues. (9 out of 10)

X-Tinction Agenda #2

When I decided to actually buy into Secret Wars, I decided to grab a few X-books that tied in to see what was going on in the Battleworlds considering there is a chance there will be repercussions in the All-New All-Different Marvel world and I want to know what the future holds for the X-Men considering they have been the titles I have been following for as long as I can remember. This title shows a tear between the mutant nation. There are a group of potentially infected mutants living on Genosha that want a cure and feel that the other group of mutants living at the school can help cure with the help of Triage (one of the newer mutants that can heal). Rachel is the baroness of this Battleworld and has put a complete quarantine on Genosha and Havok and his team feels it is wrong. At the end of the last issue we saw his team attacking the school to try to kidnap Triage and bring him back to Genosha to heal his friends. This issue focuses on the fight and how impressive mutants that are desperate can be. Of course, the end of the issue contains a twist that is a bit surprising but draws the reader into wanting to know what is coming. I have to admit, I do not regret giving this book a go. (8 out of 10)

Well, that is all I have this week (which is quite a lot). I am trying to decide if I want to try to do more detailed reviews or not in the coming weeks. Please give me feedback so I know what my readers are looking for in my blurbs! As always, don't forget to jump onto iTunes and give The Panel Scanners a search and a listen! Seriously, we put a lot of time and love into the podcast and try to really have fun with it. Well, until next week, enjoy your comics!