AvX Versus #3
Okay, c'mon Marvel...I KNOW this title isn't about story or plot, but this series focuses on only 4 characters each issue and only two of them X-Men. WHY has Colossus been in EVERY Versus issue so far?!? There are a TON of great X-Men characters. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Colossus fan, but let's spread the love a bit!
That's out of my system now. Let's review the book now...
Again, this title focuses only on the 1 on 1 battles that the main title of this story AvX didn't have the time and space to focus on. This is a book split into two, each half focusing on a fight between two characters. At first the Avengers were cleaning house, but in the issue the tide turned. Black Widow faced off against Magik and Colossus fought the Thing. Widow really takes it to Magik even when the mutant takes them into her demonic limbo realms. In fact, in the end, Widow thinks she's won and turns away only to get run through with Magik's Soul Sword, which rendered her unconscious. The other fight was just what you would expect, a slobberknocker! Punches all around! It was fun, but there's not much to describe. Colossus just out-punched Thing.
This book is great for what it is. Mindless violence between superheroes by some of the biggest names in comic art. Don't overthink this one, just enjoy.
Avengers Assemble #4
What's a nice way to say, "piece of crap in comic book form"? After issue 3 I swore to cancel my subscription to this one, but my curiosity about Thanos talked me into buying one more issue. I have since beat my curiosity with a hammer and locked it in the pantry. This was a waste of my money and I wish Marvel had a buy-back option for disappointed fans.
First, let me explain that this book is intended to be "light reading" for newcomers brought to the comic stores by the best movie in the history of cinema, The Avengers. Great idea, bad followthrough. This isn't light reading, it's shallow, boring reading. I think Bendis let his 6-year-old kid write this or something. Bendis is capable of great work, but this is the opposite. It's like a week shadow of what an Avengers comic book should be. The characters are cliches of their usual selves and Thanos doesn't even fight! He gets the Avengers to fight the Hulk and his loser underlings go chasing off after the fleeing Black Widow. I'm not going to expand on this story. I want to forget I read it.
Hold on, maybe I'm being too harsh. Yes, this book sucks haggis, but it's probably perfect reading for middle schoolers, so that being said, buy it for your nephew, but dont' read it yourself. Let it be a spring board for future comic buyers. Yeah, that's where it belongs. Seasoned readers should steer clear.
Mark Bagley's art is the only saving grace in this steaming pile. He does a good job, but I think he's better suited to Spidey than the Avengers...just my opinion. For him I will give this one more star than it deserves.
The Mighty Thor #15
The lame story of the Mares continues! Thor has unwittingly unleashed a race of alien dogs into the world who put you to sleep and trap you in a big group nightmare with other victims. The Mares look cool and are unsettling to look at. It's just funny because their so tiny! They are beagle sized!
In this issue the victims of the Mares have to face Thor's greatest nightmare, his daddy issues! A giant undead Odin attacks and Thor has to face him alone because everyone else who has fallen to the Mares are weaklings for some reason. Where are the other awesome Asgardian warriors? Who knows!?! In the meantime some random goth kid in nearby Broxton, Oklahoma has run away from home...and run INTO the Mares! He runs away but gets trapped in his truck and falls asleep, thus trapping him in their nightmare world. When he arrives, some weird man-sized otter monks tell him that he has some cool mind abilites and task him with dreaming up a savior to save them from the nightmare. About that time Thor and Zombie Odin's fight collapses the huge dream room they were fighting in and they are both crushed in the rubble. Suddently Thor bursts free from the rocks but he has been changed by the goth kid's imagination and NOW looks like the lame dude on the cover of the kid's garage band's cd!
Wow...I really like Thor, but this story kinda sucks. I'm not digging the goth kid or his lame goth Thor creation. I hope this ends soon so we can forget IT like a bad dream. Only Thor's personal awesomeness saves this issue from a lower score.
Spider-Men #1
Now we get to the good stuff!
In this new, unprecedented story regular Marvel U Spider-Man, Peter Parker gets to meet the brand-new Ultimate Marvel U's Spider-Man, Miles Morales! This whole issue was a set up to the meeting, but it was a fun read in and of itself. Brian Bendis is at his BEST writing Spider-man. It's funny, it's fresh, it's action-packed! Here's how it happens...
Spidey (Peter Parker) sees a weird flash of light on the outskirts of Manhatten and proceeds to investigate. He finds Mysterio's lab, but doesn't realize it's not HIS Mysterio, it's the Ultimate Marvel version. During the ensuing fight, Spidey gets sucked through a portal in Mysterio's lab and he finds himself in the Ultimate Marvel Universe! As he goes about trying to find out what has happened to him, he talks to several people who tell him that his costume is in poor taste and that it didn't respect the memory of Peter Parker. Spidey freaks out at the mention of his name and tries to play it cool. See, in the Ultimate Universe, Peter Parker died defending his family against the Sinister Six after having already sustained an accidental gunshot wound to his abdomen thanks to the Punisher. After his death, his secret identity became public knowledge. As Peter takes to the rooftops, he runs smack into Ultimate Spidey...Continued Next Issue!
Like I mentioned, this story is uncharacteristically fun for a crossover story and Bendis is in fine form on the dialog. Ultimate Spider-man artist Sarah Pichelli is handling the art beautifully. This is a great start to the story and I can't wait for the next issue. This will be a nice graphic novel once it's collected. Pick of the Week!!!
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