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Marvel Comics November 2024

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Introduction

Still running behind on the web page. I thought it might work out because I missed an order on DCBS. So, fill in with this round of comics and the X-Books next week. Then, I got the shipping notification from them, so I missed an order, just not this one. Oh well, I’ll figure it out eventually. We always do here. Anyway, with the uptick of X-Books and the cancelling of many of my favorites, I only have 5 books to review for Marvel Comics November 2024. And, I’m not going to review one of them. Well, six if you count Amazing Spider-Man. But, I’m not until they find a new writer.

The Avengers 19 (Legacy 785)

Writer: Jed McKay, Artist: Farid Karami

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: The Avengers, minus Black Panther who takes on a recon mission into the Tesseract Diadem, relax on the Impossible City and welcome Storm into their ranks. Doom calls upon them and meets them in a desert in Afghanistan. He poses a question to them. Why, with all of your power, have you not united the world to create it in your image? They refuse his premise and he leaves. In the aftermath, they muse about the purpose of the exercise. Eventually, they come to the conclusion that the offer was real and since they didn’t take him up on it, he intends to do what they wouldn’t.

An interesting lead in to what will eventually become World War Doom or whatever they’re calling the next event. Not an overly action packed issue necessarily, it still made me think. Is there some benefit to having a unified force for the betterment of society? Humans, by and large, haven’t exactly done a great job of it historically. Food for thought. The art is passable, but nothing extraordinary. Fine for what the issue entails. My verdict: Good.

Writer: Ryan North, Artist: Ivan Fiorelli

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: Another story driven issue. Reed and Johnny work excavating a basement. They hit a boulder that Johnny incinerates and it releases a bunch of ghosts. After thinking they sealed the “ghostmouth” as Johnny calls it, the ghosts again escape. They spend the rest of the issue trying to figure out what’s causing it, eventually saving the day. They tell the story to the rest of the crew and because some of the furniture got demolished, Johnny takes the kids to camp in the yard for Halloween.

When I say this is one of the best books out there, this is what I mean. North takes a completely stand alone approach to many of these stories. It harkens back to the older comic books where a story wrapped up in 22 pages. No need for six issue arcs or massive crossovers. Just two characters getting into minor mischief and solving it. This also shows the advantage of keeping teams together. The art fits so well with North’s story and vision and matches the characters perfectly. My verdict: Great.

The Immortal Thor 16 (Legacy 777)

Writer: Al Ewing, Artist: Jan Bazaldua

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: A fight between Thor and Radioactive Man becomes and ambush by The Cobra and Mr. Hyde. Finally, Grey Gargoyle turns him to stone. All except for his belt. Even so, they take advantage and decapitate Stone Thor.

Ewing obviously went on a deep dive in the Marvel wikis. He pulled from the C, D, and F lists on this one. But, he tells a compelling story with these characters and makes a highly unlikely outcome feel like a foregone conclusion. I came into this book expecting the Hulk treatment. Instead, he made a goofy left turn and brought everyone with him. While simplistic, the art gives enough detail during the important panels to not distract from the story. My verdict: Good.

The Incredible Hulk 18 (Legacy 799)

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artists: Danny Earl, Nic Klein

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: One last issue of set up before the big 800. Hulk reckons with Banner’s betrayal and Charlie teams with members of the cult to try to escape. Or, she may end up trapped forever.

I love this iteration of Hulk. And, while it took some time, the art has grown on me and it doesn’t distract as much from the story. It’s just there’s been a lot of set up recently. I hope that PKJ can pull off the eventual showdown and make it worth the wait. My verdict: Good.

Not Reviewed: Venom. Can we just move on, please?

The Verdict (Marvel Comics November 2024)

Marvel Comics November 2024 gives us mostly story building without a ton of action. That’s fine, though, because all of the stories are good and worth reading. It feels empty with so few books, but maybe I will build the stable up again in the future. Come back next week to see what the X-Books bring.

Images taken from Marvel.com

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X-Books October 2024

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Introduction

I went from missing the entire Krakoa era (other than the very end) to trying to collect as many of the mutant based titles as possible. As a result, X-Books October 2024 outpaces the other Marvel books for last month and this month. And, I haven’t even collected all of the possible books. Each month it seems like they add a new one or I find one that I missed. Clearly, the mutants are carrying Marvel Comics right now and they’re using them to hype up the eventual reveal in the MCU.

Exceptional X-Men #1

Writer: Eve L. Ewing, Artist: Carmen Carnero

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: Kitty tries to adjust to normal life in the wake of the fall of Krakoa. She’s a bartender, attending therapy, and going out on dates. No plans to start and lead a new team of mutants. Then, she intervenes in the rescue of just such a young mutant. But, still, not going to recruit that mutant into a team. Back to work. Or, is she? Emma Frost reaches out to find several of the X-Men and settles on Kitty. What plans does she have?

I loved Eve L. Ewing’s Black Panther story. I’m glad she’s back and writing for this book. It has some of the charm of She-Hulk, but not quite on the same level. As long as she keeps some of that fun in the book, I’ll keep coming back for more. The art, too, gives me a reason to enjoy the book. Carnero understands the assignment and gives the book a colorful look that adds to the fun. My verdict: Great start.

Nyx #3

Writers: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, Artist: Francesco Mortarino

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: The mutants of Nyx bid farewell to one of their fallen as they continue to face prejudice and attacks. In the aftermath, they welcome Anole into their family. Kamala Khan also makes an appearance, fighting alongside X-23. She continues to get pushed to think of herself again as Ms. Marvel and join the fight completely, an act that will tip the scales in the battle.

Lanzing and Kelly brought me my favorite Guardians of the Galaxy story, maybe ever. They pick up this title, another rag tag group of heroes that call themselves a family and bring much of the same magic to Nyx. I never heard of the title before now, but I’m glad that they enticed me to read it by putting these writers together again. The art lacks some detail, but I like the use of two page panels to bring more action when called for. My verdict: Great.

Phoenix #3

Writer: Stephanie Phillips, Artist: Alessandro Miracolo

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: Jean works to rescue an entire planet of abductees. Tipped off by Corsair, she wonders if she can even trust him. But, she goes through with it nonetheless. They have a showdown and the final page reveals who was behind the entire plot. The Black Order, scions of Thanos, now work to try to bring down the Phoenix.

This story is one of the few from these titles that doesn’t resonate with me. I never got into the original Phoenix story and the only recent experience I have is when they revealed that the Phoenix force was Thor’s mom or whatever. Not sure if that is even canon anymore, so who the heck knows. I don’t hate the story. It’s just that I can’t get into these galaxy spanning storylines as well as the more personal and down to earth ones. I will say the art is pretty in this book and that helps me to make it through the story. My verdict: Good.

The Uncanny X-Men #2 (Legacy 702)

Writer: Gail Simone, Artist: David Marquez

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: Like Nyx, the Uncanny bunch stumbles on a group of wild and untrained mutants. Initially, Wolverine causes a ruckus and the two groups battle. Jubilee comes back from a visit to the prison and brokers a tentative peace between them. Logan refuses any part of the mentoring or training. Interspersed in the story, they read from the journal of Charles Xavier and it gives some insight into where this story might go.

Marvel continues to sucker me into titles with writers that I love. This time, Gail Simone brings her unique ability to make these super powered beings completely human, even the mutants. By the end of this story, I expect to laugh more, cry more, and cheer when all is said and done. Right now, she’s masterfully setting up the pieces. Marquez helps to establish that humanity and those relationships with his very real portrayal of their facial expressions and other interactions. A good team for this title. My verdict: Great.

X-Force #3 (Legacy 283)

Writer: Geoffrey Thorne, Artist: Marcus To.

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: Forge’s team makes their way to confront the Fracture Node. They pick up on a massive force in the same area and try to neutralize that, as well. Neither goes according to plan because Nuklo feeds off of the anomaly and vice versa. They sacrifice themselves in the name of saving the day and end up on the verge of destruction.

This book is wild. While some of the other books focused on character building and the more human side of things, this one went balls to the wall with action right out of the gate. Usually, that’s not my thing, but it works with this book and this team. Add to the fact that the art is probably some of the best in the X-Books October 2024 and I want more of all of it. My verdict: Very good.

X-Men #4 (Legacy 304)

Writer: Jed MacKay, Artist: Netho Diaz

Quick Synopsis and Thoughts: An insane group of social media “stars” go live on a regular basis to kill mutants for clicks, likes, and subscribers. When the X-Men track them down from landmarks in the background, an epic battle ensues. What’s worse is that each member of the group seems to have a power that nullifies one of the X-Men. They return to report their success to the Sugar Man. The X-Men return to their base to regroup and come up with another game plan. At the end, an old friend awaits as Magick’s chess partner.

This article mirrors X-Factor some. So much so that it made me think of that book and why I never added it to my pull list. Oh well. A long weekend coming up that maybe I can use to travel to That’s Entertainment to fill in some of the books that I missed. I think I never put in an order for next month, so I need to pick up some books. Anyway, I liked this story more than what they did in X-Factor, which is why I mention it. MacKay gives us a reason to care about the social media aspect of the story. My verdict: Good.

The Verdict (X-Books October 2024)

Just like the main Marvel books, X-Books October 2024 brings some great stories. I liked every book, even if Phoenix isn’t quite my cup of tea. A few months ago, others joined mine and Chris’s chorus of “comics might be dead” and then DC sold half a million Absolute Batman books. So, I’m just sticking with my, “this might just be another golden age of comics” and if you’re not reading, you’re missing out.

Images downloaded from Marvel.

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Marvel Comics October 2024

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Introduction

My commitment to the page can not be questioned. My ability to live up to that commitment, however, remains very much in question. Last month, I posted 7 articles and I posted 5 so far this month. Hopefully, with Thanksgiving break, I make it to double digits this month. It remains to be seen. This week, I plan to post this Marvel Comics October 2024 article, then Marvel from November, then the X-Books from both months.

I also want to finish my Thankful articles with Sega/Nintendo and Steam. That gets me 6 more articles and up to 11 for the month. While not the best number for momentum building, at least I can point to something for this month. I promise, folks, I will get this page and the supporting content back to our semi-regular updates soon. How soon? Well, I’m done making promises. 😜

The Avengers 18 (Legacy 784)

Writer: Jed McKay, Artist: Velerio Schiti

Quick Synopsis and Review: Hyperion hurtles through space on a collision course with Earth. The Avengers realize and recognize the threat and try to neutralize it before it destroys the planet. The X-Men also make a cameo, as do the gods of Asgard. In the end, they come up with a plan to dimension shift him into another Earth that needs his assistance. Problem solved. Also, Thor formally asks Storm to become part of the team.

A bit anticlimactic on this one. I realize that not everything can be a 6 issue arc with the fate of the universe on the line, but I expected more from this story. However, those who saw McKay taking over for X-Men and predicting another AvX story just got a pretty big hint that may happen sooner rather than later. Schiti’s art is absolutely gorgeous and gives us the Avengers level team we need on this title. My verdict: Decent.

Captain America 13 (Legacy 763)

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski, Artist: Carlos Magno

Quick Synopsis and Review: Tell JMS that not everything needs to be a six issue arc with the literal fate of the human race on the line. Cap and his crew fight through the army sent by death. Cap realizes that he, alone, must face death and does so in an epic clash that goes on for about a dozen pages and includes a “final form” that doesn’t quite work out as intended. Cap defeats Death but, in doing so, isolates him and “ensures the downfall of humans” according to Death. So, where do we go from here?

The last two issues finally paid this story off. I think JMS wanted to write Dr. Strange, because this story reminded me very much of a Dr. Strange story instead of Cap. But, he pulled it together and gave it the Cap treatment. The fight between Cap and Death and the uncertain ending give me hope that this book is in good hands. While the art takes some shortcuts here and there, Magno knows when to bring the full monty and give us what we want. My verdict: Great.

Fantastic Four 25 (Legacy 718)

Writer: Ryan North, Artist: Carlos Gomez

Quick Synopsis and Review: Meanwhile, Ryan North continues to show why he’s the best pick for this book. Nearly all of his stories harken back to the early days of comics and Fantastic Four where everything can be contained within a single issue. They start in Latveria where they find a mysterious dome. When they touch it, they are instantly transported to an alien planet! They teach and learn from the denizens of the world. Johnny finds himself love. The FF also find a terrible secret on the planet that threatens the lives of many. Because they’re heroes, they solve the problem and jet off of the planet for the next adventure.

Now that Rainbow Rowell is no longer writing She-Hulk and they killed the GotG again, this might be my new favorite book. It always jostled for the top with the other two books, but now there’s no denying it. I love, LOVE how North writes the Fantastic Four. And Gomez’s art never lets me down. He has a good grasp on the characters and what makes them unique. My verdict: Great.

The Incredible Hulk 16/17 (Legacy 797/798)

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artists: Daniel Earls and Nic Klein

Quick Synopsis and Review: Issue 16 deals with some of the history of the Eldest. The normal ultraviolence that comes with such a being. The end sets up (again) the confrontation between Hulk and the Eldest. In issue 17, Hulk arrives at Vegas and accepts the invitation from the Eldest. Meanwhile, Banner is trapped in the Hulkscape and trying to find a way to free himself. Betty (not real) torments him. Later, after confronting the Eldest, this Betty subdues Hulk in order to allow for the true ascension of the Eldest.

Both issues accomplish what they want. I think Marvel realized that 800 was on the horizon and dragged things out a little bit. That’s all well and good, but it makes for some repetition in the story, like issue 16. I loved 17, though, and PKJ writes Hulk on par with Ewing. I’m glad they brought him on after some subpar runs in between. The art still bothers me, but it’s starting to grow on me some, too. My verdict: Overall, good.

The Verdict (Marvel Comics October 2024)

I lost She-Hulk, Dr. Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy over the last six months or so. That leaves only the books above in my regular rotation. I picked up some of the new Ultimate Marvel stuff, but I have to say, I don’t really like it all that much. And, so Marvel Comics October 2024 is a small but mighty bunch.

Not Reviewed: Any Amazing Spider-Man with Zeb Wells writing. Also, Venom 37 (still Venom War? another Venom War? I’m tired, Boss.)

Images downloaded from Marvel.com.

Digital Playground

Marvel SNAP November 2024: War of the Nine Realms

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Introduction

Frightober fell apart this year. After a promising start, things blew up due to several unforeseen circumstances. As a result, I also needed to rework the Noob’s Book Club schedule once again. I went an entire month without updating. Sorry. I will explain more with the episode coming this weekend. In spite of all that, I remain committed to getting back on track this month, starting with Marvel SNAP November 2024.

While not a first for me, I never even loaded the game last month. So, coming back might be a bit of a learning experience. Then again, this is Marvel SNAP we’re talking about. As long as you still play cards on a battlefield of three locations, I’ll figure it out. Ugh, that sounded bitter. Sorry.

New Locations

I like Valhalla. Anything that gives me a chance to abuse On Reveal cards sounds fun. Time to dust off the old Odin deck and see what shakes out. Yggdrasil just buffs power at another location. I mean, it might be fun with the one that decreases power by one each turn. But, that’s just the math geek in me laughing at all this action for ultimately nothing. Otherwise, I don’t see a huge advantage from the location.

New Characters

King Eitri

Image 1 of 6

Activate: Draw a card that didn’t start in your deck.

Fenris Wolf is the ultimate troll card, especially for someone like me who always seems to end up on the short end of the stick against disco or destro decks. Bringing back someone’s Infinaut sounds like a blast. Sutur goes right in my Skaar deck, but I don’t know which card I’d swap it in for. Eitri and Gorr are just decent cards by themselves. I think the two that I’ll have the most fun with, though are Malekith and Frigga. Especially Frigga. That recursion ability makes me unreasonably happy. Combine it with a double or triple effect and it gives you an embarrassment of riches.

The Verdict

While Marvel SNAP November 2024 offers neither compelling characters nor earth shattering card effects, I still want to come back to the game this month. So, I’ll make an effort to find the fun in the season. I don’t see anything for December yet, so I don’t know if will continue, but at least it’s a start.

Images SNAPped from here.

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Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 3

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Introduction

At long last, we arrive at the final article for our comic reviews. In fact, we celebrate two milestones. I also gave up on making any interactive elements for this year’s Spooktober and went with a boring old banner instead. Maybe next year. Additionally, Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 3 represents the final article for last month’s selection of books. Hopefully things run more smoothly in the coming months. But, no promises.

This article brings Venom and 2 X-Books for our enjoyment. If you want a TLDR; Venom has been inconsistent for a while, I’m not sure how I feel about X-Force’s just yet, and Jed McKay’s X-Men got off to a decent start last time. If you, instead, want more depth, keep reading.

Venom 36 (Legacy 236)

Writer: Torunn Gronbekk, Artist: Cafu

Quick Synopsis: Someone who looks and acts very much like Cable fights against some alien or cybernetic monster. H realizes that to finish his mission he needs to die, but that time is not yet. Speaking of time, he jumps through time to “Now” and assesses the situation in the Venom War. I actually know nothing about Venom War, but the issue ends with Spider-Man confronting who we now know is Old Man Venom.

My verdict: Too many crossovers and events for Venom lately. I said the book was uneven, but it’s more that there’s just too much homework right now to completely understand what’s going on. I hope that Venom War leads to some sort of soft reboot and a jumping on point for people. Otherwise, it’s just going to get more convoluted from this point forward and who has the time to read all that backstory? Decent.

X-Force 2 (Legacy 292)

Writer: Geoffrey Thorne, Artist: Marcus To

Quick Synopsis: Forge’s team moves on from the events of the previous issue right into Wakanda. The run afoul of the Wakandans and surrender to Black Panther. He threatens to wipe all mutants off the planet again, but Forge intervenes. Through the battle, they seal the fracture int he planet. No time to celebrate. The shit is hitting the fan on Cambodia.

My verdict: A group of Forge’s hand picked mutants from the bench that act as mercenaries to clean up the fallout from the Krakoa messy ending. Seems like my kind of book, right? Well, yes and no. Still having trouble wrapping my head around the whole team and caring all that much what happens to them. This might be the first to go when I start trimming the pull list again. Decent.

X-Men 2 and 3 (Legacy 302 and 303)

Writer: Jed McKay
Artist: Ryan Stegman

Quick Synopsis: A mutant named Ben rambles about alien abduction. A social worker tries to calm him. As it turns out, Ben had something to be worried about. Scott’s new team of X-Men fights off the aliens and takes in a badly injured Ben to try to figure out what happened to him. In the next issue, Scott debriefs with a contact from the US government, the rest of the team fights to keep themselves and their new headquarters safe. The issue ends with Scott and the team standing off against the government, insinuating that a war might be imminent. Scott retires to a bathroom to get his shit together.

My verdict: Unlike X-Force, which Marvel promoted as “finding its stride”, this book is already in stride and off and running. Granted much of that comes from the fact that we know and love almost all of the characters in this book. Also, Jed McKay has proven himself a prolific and good comic book writer. I will continue to give X-Force a shot, but only because I feel like this all leads to another X-Men/Avengers mega event at some point and I want to be up to date when it happens. Stegman’s art isn’t as clean as the other two X-Books I read, but I still like his style and it brings a fun to the book that counters the seeming constant trauma and tragedy right now. Good.

Final Verdict

Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 3 ends the month on a bit of a downturn. The books aren’t bad. It’s just that one of them requires too much homework right now and I haven’t quite fully bought into the other. X-Men is great and I can’t wait to read more of that one. As a final thought, you may have noticed I didn’t mention the art in Venom or X-Force. While good, I don’t necessarily collect for the art. I didn’t want it gone unsaid that I liked it, though.

Images taken from the mothership.

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Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 2

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Introduction

Yes, it’s October. And, yes, this article mentions Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 2. I told you, I wanted to change things up around here. Also, in the same article (or a different recent one), I mentioned that I always forget how hard the beginning of the school year hits. Hell, just this afternoon, I fell asleep for a good hour or so. The rest of my family joined me for nap time. Adorable, yes. But, also, brutal.

The long story short (I know, always too late) is that I split the Marvel Comics this month into 3 groups of four to allow for my more in depth reviews in a relatively timely fashion. A couple of days ago, I wrote about the first four. Today, I cover Thor, Hulk, Nyx, and Phoenix. Next time will be Venom and two other X-titles.

The Immortal Thor 13 (Legacy 774)

Writer: Al Ewing, Artist: Jan Bazaldua

Quick Synopsis: The issue starts with an interlude to introduce the principles in the story. Ewing tells it from a more modern perspective with both Thor and Loki wearing trendy tees and dad shorts. That leads to a name drop of Nyx and the “land of eternal night”. Cut to Thor and Herc traveling to Antarctica to face another trial. They succeed with some intervention from Loki. The issue ends with someone from Herc’s past entering into the picture.

My verdict: After what I consider to be growing pains at the beginning of the Al Ewing Thor era, this title came into its own. I love the dichotomy of the modern introduction with the mythology of the rest of the book works very well. It makes me think of a quote from Chris Hemsworth who said (paraphrased), “Maybe we had too much fun making the fourth Thor movie.” First, I don’t understand how you can have too much fun making a movie? Sure, it’s a job, but it must be hella fun, too. Second, I don’t agree. I really enjoyed that movie. People are just miserable shits. Anyway, this issue channeled much of that fun. I think I wrote last time that I didn’t recognize the artist, but he’s on the title full time. Good thing. He gives life to both the modern story and the story of the trial. Then, the final reveal brings it full circle. Good

The Incredible Hulk 15 (Legacy 796)

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Danny Earls

Quick Synopsis: As the eldest senses a Hulk approaching through the desert, it brings her back to a time millennia ago. A nomad finds a cave. In that cave, the first hulk awakens. It goes on a rampage and kills several and maims one. That one drags his destroyed body back to deliver a message to the Eldest. -She exterminates him and the issue closes with the showdown between the Eldest and the Incredible Hulk imminent.

My Verdict: PKJ tells a wonderful horror story. He continues the recent history of Al Ewing bringing back the horror to the title. This particular story adds to the mythology by bringing us back to the original Hulk. Not the original as in the 60s, but the first Hulk. Way further back that that. It reminds me of the Venom story that introduced Knull. This one leaned a little too heavy on the violence for me, but PKJ didn’t sacrifice story for it, so I don’t mind. Of the two artists that work on Hulk now, I prefer Earls. Even though he still gives the book a more cartoonish vibe, the dimensions aren’t quite as weird and the models have more depth. Good.

Nyx 2

Writers: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Artist: Francesco Mortarino

Quick Synopsis: Laura on the cover. That’s not a an okie doke. The entire issue deals with her trying to track down and infiltrate the group responsible for the missing mutants. She starts by mistakenly shaking down the protectors of a mutant. But, that gets her a lead that she uses to go undercover as “Scratch” when the lackey tries to identify her as the Wolverine. By proving that she’s the second best at what she does, she works her way up to the head, Mr. Friend. Uh, no. Mojo is in charge. After a good first shot, Mojo sends her back with her tail between her legs to love to fight another day.

My verdict: Kelly and Lanzing brought me the most fun Guardians of the Galaxy stories in their history. For those who think that James Gunn owns the Guardians wholesale, please read Grootfall. They bring that magic to this title, one that I never read before, and are telling a fantastic story so far. The art brings me back to the X-Men of my youth and that’s a good thing. This might be my favorite X-title to come out of the ashes so far. Great.

Phoenix 2

Writer: Stephanie Phillips, Artist: Alessandro Miracolo.

Quick Synopsis: Jean chose the life of universal protector. This issue continues setting that up and throws her a curveball. Her family arrives to tell her that her services are needed. She heeds this advice only to realize that family is, as always, complicated.

My verdict: I missed the first issue of this one, so I’m catching up on the fly. But, I don’t want things to go years like they did with the previous iteration of the X-books. With that being said, I don’t know if there’s enough interest out there for a solo Phoenix book right now. I love that they’re giving more voices to more creators, so I hope the book continues. I just wonder. Additionally, for this one too, that whoever is finding the talent for these books has guys like me in mind who remember 90s X-Men. Good

Final Verdict (Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 2)

I enjoyed the first group of books for Marvel Comics so far this month. Honestly, Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 2 brings more of the same. Little to no drop off in quality in either writing or art for these book, either. I keep saying and I will keep saying it. This is an amazing time to be a comic book fan.

Images taken from the mothership.

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Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 1

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Introduction

It took until October, but I finally started to finish the September comics with Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 1. As you know, I adjusted my comics review schedule to give me more time to read and review the comics in a more reader friendly way. That pushed the bulk of the books (Marvel at 12) into the end of the month and the beginning of October.

I now find myself further separating that lot of books into 3 groups of four for this week. That’s why this one goes by the name Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 1. I suppose that one positive is that now there is no lag as far as comic content goes. You get reviews every week of every month now. Hey, this really is working out for the best.

Avengers 17 (Legacy 783)

Writer: Jed McKay, Artist: Valerio Schiti

Quick Synopsis: The Avengers debrief after the Blood Hunt. While some think her judgement too harsh, Carol considers their response a failure. When they adjourn, Tony goes to speak with her. As her sponsor, he warns her against trading one addiction for another (guilt). Meanwhile, someone drops off a USB drive and a gold nugget as payment to deliver the drive. T’Challa apologizes to the Impossible City for allowing it to be overrun by the vampires. Wanda visits Vision, who shows her his garden and that he can’t help but agree with Carol about their failure. Sam visits his friend, Storm, for an outside opinion and asks her to join the team. The USB drive contains a message from Hyperion that gives the Avengers no more time to feel sorry for themselves as they need to prepare for this invasion.

My Verdict: I enjoy Jed McKay’s take on the Avengers. I liked them since the first issue. This issue shows one of the reasons why. He deals with the vulnerability of super powered beings in a way that few people explore in modern comics. I like my super humans to be humans at their core and that’s one of the reasons that it took me so long to get on board with Superman. But, McKay gives us a good look into everyone’s soul after they won but got their butts handed to them. The art is a little too simplistic for my tastes and looks an awful lot like anime. Not bad, mind you, just a bit jarring. Good.

Captain America 12 (Legacy 762)

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski, Artist: Jesus Saiz

Quick Synopsis: Cap and the crew start off the issue by laying out the plan to get into New York City. They need to fly part of the way and then ride in the rest of the way. When someone inquires why they ride instead of flying the whole way, Cap simply says that it’s risky with death literally waiting for them there. Death then takes some time to tell his side of the story in anticipation of the showdown. Cap’s crew takes one last chance to pull themselves together and heads into the city. They arrive to a city decimated and an army determined to stop them.

My verdict: I don’t usually think of such supernatural happenings as this when I think of Cap. Doctor Strange, obviously, sometimes Thor and Loki, Hulk now that they redefined the character as horror, and even the Avengers once in a while. But, the stand alone Cap title usually deals with more standard super hero stuff. That being said, I don’t hate it. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it. As I wrote during my review a couple of months ago, it’s grown on me. I think the main thing keeping me interested is Saiz’s art. He contrasts the light and the dark, the human and the mystical in such a seamless and, frankly, cool way. Good.

Doctor Strange 18 (Legacy 444)

Writer: Jed McKay, Artist: Pasqual Ferry

Quick Synopsis: Strange gave up the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme at the end of Blood Hunt. This issue deals with the aftermath of that decision. First, he realizes that without that power, he must be more careful. Mordo helps him with that realization by showing up to kill him once and for all. Clea helps and they discuss the decision to surrender the power to Doom. That leads Strange to follow up by confronting Doom. He is ignored and ends up back in the company of Clea. As Jed McKay wrote in his editorial at the end, Strange lost his power, but gained the love of his life. With that, another of my favorite books recently ends this current run.

My verdict: McKay also said something about Strange being a perpetual sidekick. I never saw him that way. In fact, growing up, he was always one of my favorite characters. Then again, I always gravitated towards the odd balls of the group during that time of my comics collecting. Anyway, with this and Avengers, McKay does bittersweet better than anyone out there right now. “The End” on the last page shocked me and made me a bit sad. Then, I read the editorial and thought, “He’s right. That’s really all we can ask for.” So, for now, Dr. Steven Strange lives in peace and happiness. Ferry’s art always tickled me on this title. He gives it just the right amount of ethereal that a title about magic as might needs. Great.

Fantastic Four 24 (Legacy 717)

Writer: Ryan North, Artist: Carlos Gomez

Quick Synopsis: The FF fight against an alien life form. Much of the issue deals with this battle. After they think they might have lost it, Reed finds, confronts, and continues the fight with the being. When it looks like all is lost, a force of warmth that feels like home comes to rescue Reed and ensure that he fights another day. Doom comes and his family need him. The issue closes out with Johnny cuddling another being that looks like the one they fought and assuring it that it’s safe and will be loved.

My verdict: When I wrote about She-Hulk and Rainbow Rowell as the perfect writer for that book, I also mentioned this book and Ryan North as another example. He brings such an old school vibe to the title that I hope they are able to channel for the movie that’s coming out. When I read this book, I can imagine myself as a young child or teenager in the 60s and 70s reading the old stories of love, hope, and family. Sometimes they struggled with that in the recent iterations, but I’m glad it’s back now. And the art brings the same fun bright colors and happy vibe that completes the whole package. Great

Final Verdict

So far, I don’t regred ordering 15 (!) Marvel books. Even though I split it up into pieces and only reviewed 4 books in Marvel Comics September 2024 Part 1, the books I read are all fantastic. If I had more money to throw at comics, I could follow up on some of the other smaller titles that Chris recommends and even check out a few more DC books. Then again, if anyone wants to sponsor me and throw me a few bucks, I wouldn’t say no to that, either.

Images taken from the mothership.

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Pour One Out for She-Hulk

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Introduction

If you followed the page for any length of time, you know that I loved Rainbow Rowell’s run on She-Hulk. Actually, loved might even be an understatement. I adored it. I looked forward to every new issue and couldn’t wait to read them. More than once, I think I called it the perfect marriage of creator and character. And, now, with Sensational She-Hulk 10, that run comes to an end. So, let’s pour one out for She-Hulk.

What Makes the Book So Great?

It came at a time when Marvel peaked as far as putting together comic book writers who understood the characters inside and out. Avengers, Fantastic Four, Guardians of the Galaxy, and She-Hulk all brought the old school flavor of their characters with modern touches that enhanced the books in a way that I haven’t witnessed since the Civil War era of Marvel. Heck, not even Nick Spencer’s run on Spider-Man came close to what they assembled (pun intended) with these four books. Two of them now, ingloriously ended. However, we get Lanzing and Kelly on Nyx. And, McKay writes for both Avengers and X-Men now, so I look forward to an epic crossover there.

But, honestly, Rainbow Rowell on She-Hulk may never be topped. She brought a light and buoyant energy to a title that too often strayed into self pity before she came along. I laughed at her attempts to retain some level of normalcy as a giant green behemoth. I cried when her relationship always seemed to go sideways. In this issue, I cheered because everything finally came full circle and set the character up for the future.

Only 12 issues short of 200. That’s the other tragedy here. Whoever takes over, when they do, they’ll get a chance to celebrate that milestone. Hopefully, Marvel invites Rainbow Rowell back to write a story for the big two-oh-oh. Thankfully, in the meantime, we can still read her in DC Comics. But, I miss the hell out of a new She-Hulk book to look forward to every month. It just won’t be the same not being able to read about the super heroine who tries to have it all.

Bittersweet Farewell

I’m terrible at saying “Good bye”. If this article didn’t prove that to you, I wanted to reiterate it there. Granted, I have all of the issues of the run to look back on. But, as I said, it just won’t be the same as experiencing it all for the first time. And, so, we pour one out for She-Hulk. Marvel-616 won’t be the same without you.

Took the image from Marvel.com

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Marvel Legacy Issues September 2024

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Introduction

With my new commitment to making the page more reader friendly, I spread my comics reviews out over the month instead of trying to finish them all in one week. Even so, with all of the new X-Men titles, I need to read and review over a dozen Marvel books. So, I split them up this week into two categories. Lucky for me, one of those categories included Marvel Legacy Issues September 2024.

The Amazing Spider-Man 950 and The Immortal Thor 14 (Legacy 775. Okay, I guess we’re celebrating quarters now. Fine.) both arrived in my DCBS order this month. And, still, even if I review those both in this article and give Sensational She-Hulk the send off she deserves, that’s still twelve books to read and review. I should look at that as a good problem to have. So, I will.

The Amazing Spider-Man 950

Writer: Zeb Wells (Oi), Artist: JRJR.

Quick Synopsis: We open on a flashback where Kingpin and Tombstone are on a safari. Kingpin points out a lion who took over a pack and killed a baby because resources are scarce. Power and something something, you get the point. In the present, Spidey breaks up an arms deal and attempts to keep the illusion alive that he’s working with Tombstone. Something something, tenuous grip on power. Tombstone pulls up while Robby and Peter are talking and “invites” Peter into the limo. Something something and they’re now fighting. The fight gets interrupted by She-Hulk and Luke Cage (Peter’s lawyer and the mayor?) and they take Tombstone into custody. The issue ends with the opening of Tombstone’s trial. There are also two short stories that I only skimmed. One shows how Peter retained She-Hulk’s services. The other mentions Wayep, so yeah.

My Verdict: While not a great issues, this one is decent. It’s not as bad as the worst of Wells. So, I give him credit for a mostly fun story in this landmark issue. I still refuse to read any more of what’s he’s done. Chris told me that it’s been up and down, but I guess I only saw the down. Also, Spidey is my favorite super hero of all time, so you don’t do him dirty and expect me to forgive you any time soon. JRJR’s art has absolutely evolved in a good way over time. While still distinct and blocky and not quit on the level of dear old dad, I don’t mind it as much on this book right now. Decent and that’s saying something from me, a know drinker of “Zeb Wells Amazing Spider-Man” haterade.

The Immortal Thor 14 (Legacy 775)

Writer: Al Ewing, Artist: Jan Bazaldua

Quick Synopsis: This, too, opens with some background. Rhea seeks the wisdom of Gaea to help keep her child alive. Because of Gaea’s actions, the child is doomed to be devoured by Chronos. Chronos arrives, takes the child, but spares him. That child grows up to be Zeus, who fulfills the prophecy of Gaea. In the present, Thor and Hercules wander through the dark realm that they were banished to. The book is billed as Thor the All-Father vs. Zeus the Skyfather and it doesn’t disappoint. A fun story and battle steeped in Norse mythology. It ends with Thor defeating Zeus and taking his power. Hercules isn’t so sure he likes the new Thunder God, but Thor tells him not to worry.

My verdict: I admit to not getting the first couple of issues of this book when Al Ewing took over. The whole Roxxon thing turned me off a bit. I know that it has deep roots in Marvel Comics history. However, it just didn’t work for me. I knew that Ewing would figure it out. He always does. But, after his masterful run on The Incredible Hulk and great stories on Venom, I just found the whole thing weird. I’m not familiar with the artist on this one, but they bring the head (well, lightning) in the fight without going overboard. I mean, they could be forgiven as it is two gods fighting for supremacy, but they show restraint. And, the more introspective scenes are painted with a deft hand to bring some balance to the story. Great. I love the mythology piece and the fight really was awesome.

The Verdict

We knew going in that Marvel Comics Legacy Issues September 2024 might be a bit of a mixed bag. I hoped for a decent Spider-Man story and got that. I didn’t know what to expect from Thor both because it’s such a weird milestone to celebrate but also because the Roxxon story still lingers in the back of my mind. But, I loved this issue.

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A Trip to Newbury Comics

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Introduction

We took our annual vacation to Cape Cod last week. As inevitably happens during the week, a tropical storm passed through the area. With rain on the forecast, we decided to drive to Hyannis and spend part of the day at the mall. However, when we woke up, it was only cloudy and a decent beach day. Christine and I decided to head to the beach. It took some time, but we convinced the kids to wait for us, so we all could go to the mall. The main stop everyone wanted was Barnes and Noble. However, Christine needed something at target, so we walked there. Along the way, we too a trip to Newbury Comics.

Comics played a big role in my life. They also eventually became a huge part of the web page. Chris and I tried an early podcast about comics that fizzled. Both of us attempted to record YouTube videos about comics hauls and reviews that might are lost to the great beyond because Google deleted that account due to inactivity. So, when I see a comic book store, I need to enter it. Those of you who know, understand when I said to them, “No, I was too busy searching for comics in the store with comics in the name” when they asked if I saw a certain item on the shelf. Nevertheless, I found some good ones.

What a Great Idea

I’ve been saying for years that comic publishers should print old issues on demand. Look, due to my interactions with Jason, I understand people and their collection brain. But, I would even take a copy of the book with the huge “REPRINT” banner over the top and bottom of the cover. I just want copies of the old books and not have to pay over 200 bucks for a single comic book. Yes, I can get trades, but there’s still that blank in my comic runs. I’m looking at you Spawn. Granted, I never wanted either one of these books, but I want to support the effort.

I texted Chris a picture of the cover of this magazine, with simply “Liefeld!” He responded, “gross lol”. “This is just the epitome of 90s Marvel right here.” And, so, that’s how I came to own Deadpool’s first appearance in comics.

Of the two, I wanted this one for sure. As a teenager, Gambit was my favorite X-Men character. What’s funny is when Aiden asked me a couple weeks ago at Quarters when I told him I didn’t really like Cyclops, I completely forgot about Gambit. Then, he showed up in Deadpool and Wolverine and it all came flooding back. Another old man moment. When I’m looking for something to watch later at night, I keep forgetting about X-Men ’97. Remind me next time!

A New Beginning

As I’ve told you many times, I missed most of the Krakoa era of the X-Men comics. When I heard that they rebooted the series with new writers and artists, I wanted to get in on the ground floor. I promptly forgot and DCBS never reminded me. So, when I saw these two books on the shelf from some of my favorite writers, I grabbed them. Now I need to grab X-Men #1 so that I can see the new direction better.

Blood Hunt (Wait? What?!)

I said numerous times that I cared nothing about Blood Hunt. I even refused to read the tie in issues from my regular shipments. Then, faced with the first three issues, I caved. Hey, I’m a complex person with layers. Like an onion! Also, when I see comics, I buy comics. That’s not complex at all. I just like comics.

The Verdict

I consider my trip to Newbury Comics a success. I got two comics I missed. I caught up on Blood Hunt (so far, I was right to ignore it, not great), and picked up some Liefeld and Gambit. I still hope that other comic publishers (Uncle Todd, please!) reprint some of their classic issues. But, I’ll take what I can get.