Tag Archives: X-Men

Weekly Anticipation: Wonder Xschism

by windiebird

(Cover by Joshua Middleton, DC Comics)

Wonder Woman 613 is my most anticipated pick of the week because Phil Hester is finally bringing us the two-part conclusion to The Odyssey! Diana vs. The Morrigan in a show-stopping finale…that won’t matter in two months! The thing about that though is that I’ve found this to be a legitimately captivating story arc to me. Phil Hester’s words (on top of JMS’ plot) made me care about Wonder Woman; where she’s been and where she’s going. It’s going to be one long metaphor with a strong sprinkling of ass-kicking. I am all kinds of signed up!

 

(Cover by Frank Cho, Marvel Comics)

X-Men Schism 2 makes the list since I loved the first issue! The only slight concern I have is that it almost felt too much like a “aww yeah, X-Men!” beginning, in that I don’t see the conflict coming to a head between Wolverine & Cyclops thus far. That’s a very minor quibble and doesn’t affect my desire to find out how this terrorist/Sentinel-response situation plays out for the beleaguered Utopians just that for an event about a rift between the mutants, we’re getting the more usual Homo sapiens vs. homo superior plot points. All masterfully done by the creative team, of course, just that my interest is genuinely piqued about how we get from point A to point Schism.

(Cover by Frazer Irving, DC Comics)

Xombi 5 is the penultimate issue of this magnificent but short-lived reboot. The team is on board the Ninth Stronghold and it’s up to David Kim to steal back the city-ship and save the day. Seriously, with only 4 other issues to pick up to be caught up, definitely seek them out! It’s strange, it’s funny it’s haunting and beautiful. This is art on top of art and well worth the time and money.

(American Vampire 17, Search for Swamp Thing 2, DC Retroactive: JLA The 70s, Kid Flash Lost 2, Lois Lane and the Resistance 2, Project Superman 2, Green Arrow 14, Green Lantern Corps 62, Emerald Warriors 12, JSA 53, Teen Titans 98, Ultimate Comics Fallout 3, Uncanny X-Force 12)

-windiebird

windiebird’s Weekly Winner: I Only Speak ze Truth!

by windiebird

(Cover by Carlos Pacheco, Marvel Comics)

Though War of the Green Lanterns delivered some serious shocks and twists (and ended in true Big Summer Film fashion) the winner this week was Schism #1 by a mile! The relief I felt when I put down this issue after the rocky and lackluster Prelude just can’t be expressed fully in words. Jason Aaron and Carlos Pacheco (writing and pencils, respectively) turned in a masterful X-Men comic and started this event off on the right foot with action, actual character development and exciting plot movement! While many of these plot threads have been used before and some fans are more than sick of them, surely, it almost doesn’t matter with how compellingly real and natural the story feels. I resonated with the X-teams and I felt the fear of a Sentinel strike right along with them. I can’t wait for more and I must insist any X-fans get in on this! This is a complete 180 from the Prelude, pick it up if you dropped it on account of that!

Weekly Anticipation: War of the Schisming Fit

by windiebird

(Cover by Carlos Pacheco, Marvel Comics)

It’s finally here! X-Men Schism 1 arrives to fanfare, making up for the lackluster prelude (fingers crossed, anyways) and to bust up the Marvel mutant status quo! Anti-mutant sentiment is inflamed by a mutant terrorist (maybe a cell?) adding more pressure to the already stressed and provoked X-teams. An ideological crack is forming in the bedrock of Utopia and it looks like it’s only going to get worse! Beautiful covers always start an event off on the right foot.

(Cover by Doug Mahnke, DC Comics)

Green Lantern 67 comes to us all kinds of late but is technically the end of the War of the Green Lanterns, which I have enjoyed as a kind of movie-on-page event. With the major loss (as well as many smaller losses) still looming over Oa and Krona’s mad Entity-Guardians thrashing the Earth-born Lanterns we can only light a candle for Geoff Johns and pray he has it in him to bring this cinematic crossover to the conclusion it deserves without unfinished plots flailing about. It’s been a blast so far and well worth it for any Lantern fans out there!

(Cover by Sean Murphy, Vertigo Comics)

Survival of the Fittest 2 continues this week and, boy, I don’t see how the quality of the first issue could falter with this creative team! Sean Murphy is amazing, Scott Snyder is amazing and the set up is pure gold. Felicia and Cash are on their way to Romania for the fabled cure to vampirism but find themselves in trouble as Nazis (of course) shoot down their transport cutting the flight short. Beautifully rendered action, horror and undead hijinks are sure to please once again. This is a must for any American Vampires fans (which should be everyone reading this)!

(Birds of Prey 14, Dollhouse Epitaphs 1, Citizen Cold 2, Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager 2, Emperor Aquaman 2, Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown 2, Teen Titans 97, Ultimate Comics Fallout 1)

-windiebird

It’s MAX!

by mutantaday

Once upon a time Erik Lensherr a.k.a. Magnus a.k.a. Magneto was a young jewish boy named Max growing up in Nazi Germany. He would later grow up to become the evil misunderstood master of magnetism leading The Brotherhood against human kind and those who opposed the notion of survival of the fittest. Now he fights along side the X Men to survive against extinction in a post M-Day world.

Magneto by Paco Medina

Weekly Anticipation: Hope on Pope

by windiebird

(Cover by Salvador Espin, Marvel Comics)

Generation Hope 8 features Teon peeing on the justice system! JUSTICE LIKE A WATERFALL!!! Anyways, the gang helps their resident primal-type character deal with charges levied against him and I don’t see how this could be anything but another great entry to the Generation Hope series. Kieron Gillen always brings innovative new twists to this book and as I’ve never regretted buying in. Grunts and justice hooooo!

(Cover by David Yardin, Marvel Comics)

X-Factor 221 leaves off from last month (or two weeks? This book ships a lot, y’all, and that’s a great thing!) with Feral back in town, Rahne feeling guilty for not being catholic enough and Shatterstar stabbing demons in the rain. The new story arc starts here and we can only ask that Peter David never stops writing this always excellent soap opera!

(Cover by Billy Tan, Marvel Comics)

There is almost nothing more bothersome to me in a solicit than blanked out or x-ed out names. The solicit for Avengers Academy 15 has plenty of that but since the series has been pure quality since its inception, I’m not even batting an eyelash about having no interest in Fear Itself (of which this heavily ties in, apparently) and still buying the issue. It’s the Academy kids and that means a purchase! Hank Pym something something rematch something something taste of war.

(Alpha Flight 1, Deadman & the Flying Graysons 1, Grodd of War, Wonder Woman and the Furies 1, Teen Titans 96, Uncanny X-Men 538, X-Men 13 and Prelude to Schism 3 round out my list for the week)

-windiebird

Weekly Anticipation: Earth Goddess

by windiebird

(Cover by Don Kramer & Jay Leisten, DC Comics)

Wonder Woman 611 had to earn my top pick this week (in another week of titles I’m genuinely thrilled to read) simply because Phil Hester’s scripts, though still outlined by JMS, have actually brought tears to my eyes and chills to my flesh. This reboot was off to a rocky start but has made a serious turnaround for the better. I feel like I know something about Diana now, even if I don’t know her history. Not to mention that this has become a title I’m looking forward to monthly based on the story alone! Really, it’s not to late to do what I’ve done and catch up on this Wonder Woman refitting. Especially if she’s a character you’re interested in but find the sheer canon behind her daunting.

(Cover by Andy Kubert & Sandra Hope, DC Comics)

Flashpoint 2 had to be on here, of course! I find this event a bit of an oddball after the first issue. If the tone continues going forward, we’ll find ourselves mildly amused by the main event book but will probably find the individual spin-offs and tie-ins more gratifying for our personal tastes. Which I, frankly, find pretty fantastic! I can imagine it’s a nightmare for retailers to try and gauge customer interest for particular books but I was definitely emboldened by the direction we seem to be headed in from reading issue 1.

(Cover by Daniel Luvisi, DC Comics)

I am so glad I’m caught up on Secret Six now because Secret Six 34 is guaranteed to be one twisted, delightful read! The Get Out of Hell Free card story arc has just concluded and now the team is back to the mundane world. Facing all those demons apparently is about to send Bane off the deep end (I guess that would be the deepest end for the Six) and back to his Batman-crazed bloodrage. It can only mean trouble and that can only mean one more hell of a stupendous comic from Gail Simone. Seriously, there are only five vastly under priced trades between you, a non-Secret-Six reader, and being just about all caught up on one of the best consistent comics ever.

(Avengers Academy 14.1, Batman – Knight of Vengeance 1, Secret Seven 1, The World of Flashpoint 1, iZombie 14, Static Shock Special, Uncanny X-Force 11, X-Factor 220, X-Men 12 are my remaining titles this week)

-windiebird

Weekly Anticipation: Giant-Sized

by windiebird

(Cover by Ed McGuiness, Marvel Comics)

X-Men Giant Size 2011 1 had one heck of a compelling preview (Emma & Scott being cute, mutants defending Utopia against the Evolutionaries) and managed to make its way to the top of my list after a solid Jubilee-centric issue before. A dark secret from the original X-Men team re-surfaces and Scott has to deal with it. Like I’ve said before, Marvel mutants + angst is exactly the basic formula that will get me to buy a Marvel issue every time. The past haunting the present and maybe the start of the schism that rips apart the X-Men? I can’t wait to see!

(Cover by Trevor McCarthy, DC Comics)

Batman: Gates of Gotham 1 is Scott Snyder writing a superhero mystery…with Cassandra Cain. Not only are we assured an excellent story with that information but the art looks promising and the story delves into the unknown depths of Gotham’s past! Mini-series like this are my favorite way to enjoy a character I’m not too familiar with like Batman. Top hats and cowls, what ho!

(Cover by Salvador Espin, Marvel Comics)

Generation Hope 7 HAD to make my top three this week because the cliffhanger from last month was just too insane! Unstable-mutant-baby-hive-mind is an idea I’ve never seen before (or thought I’d be saying but that’s comics, right?) and one that is cementing Kieron Gillen’s place in my mind as a truly creative writer. He gets what drives these world-weary teens and it’s as fun to read as it is terrifying to consider! He knows exactly how to keep testing them and drawing out their character too.

(The rest of my Giganta-sized pull list this week is Batman & Robin 23, Booster Gold 44, JLA 57, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents 7, Teen Titans 95, Zatanna 13, Alpha Flight 0.1, Avengers Academy 14, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man 158, Uncanny X-Force 10, X-Factor 219, X-Men: Prelude to Schism 2, Pixies 1)

-windiebird

Weekly Anticipation: Batprey Mutantpoint!

by windiebird

(Cover by Jesus Saiz, DC Comics)

Birds of Prey 12 is easily the top title I’m excited for this week and it’s only partially because of this totally rad cover! Oracle and the Birds are all, “Oh! Did we blow up that building? Well, hooooowdee!” that’s a very fitting introduction to Jesus Saiz, the new ongoing series artist and a fitting start to what feels like the Birds really finding their own after Brightest Day. I can’t wait!

(Cover by Andy Kubert, DC Comics)

Flashpoint 1 kicks off the summer’s huge DC event (not like we always need one, Big Two, but I love you anyways) with Geoff Johns ode to Flash and Cyborg! It’s the same world with important points in the timeline messed up. I’ve read some promising interviews with some of the tie-in creators that seem to truly grasp the opportunity something like this provides. Fingers crossed that we’ll be seeing plenty of great character studies that are fresh and new but still cast a mirrored image of the heroes we know and love. I’m unironically stoked like a furnace and I hope it can live up to the  hype.

(Cover by Mico Suayan, Marvel Comics)

X-Men Legacy 248 is tied for third with New Mutants on my list this week but pulls ahead slightly since it officially starts this Year of the X-Men we’ve been so coyly teased about! Longtime X-Men fans, is Legacy’s hair a mutant power? Because damn, that is a mountain of mane. We’re getting the fallout of the Age of X here focusing specifically on Rogue and Magneto, two characters I’ve enjoyed in one medium or another and their sometimes-antagonism is bubbling to the surface as they try to deal with their newly acquired baggage. Sounds like an angst-ridden joyride to me!

(New Mutants 25, The Flash 12, X-Men 11 & Batman, Inc. 6 round out my pull list for the week. What are you reading?)

-windiebird

Secret School of Undead X-Stars 2

by windiebird

(Cover by Billy Tan, Marvel Comics)

Avengers Academy 13 is superhero prom featuring the Young Allies, an assault from the Sinister Six and all the angsty drama that has made this a must-read every month!

(Cover by Ed McGuinness, Marvel Comics)

Avengers Academy Giant-Size 1 comprises what was once I think like three or four annuals and a special? Anyways, we now have this gigantic magazine that wraps up some of the Young Allies plot threads and showcases the Avengers Academy versus Arcade! He’s back and this time…he’s making New York into Murderworld! Ha, what a sentence but this is practically a guaranteed good read.

(Cover by Michael Allred, Vertigo Comics)

IZombie 13 is the start of the second year for the series and the start of a new, real-time story arc! “5 Brains, 5 Months” Gwen and Co. solve a mystery that leads to Amon’s mysterious door and the vamps of Oregon add another child of the night to their fold! We’re getting the first of a new backup feature highlighting a government organization soon to make the lives (or unlives) of the supernatural denizens of this tiny town a whole new level of hell, named the Dead Presidents.

(Cover by Freddie Williams II, DC Comics)

JSA All-Stars 18 is the end of the line for our junior team but Matthew Sturges sure has been ramping it up to a pretty explosive conclusion the past few issues! We know they fold back into the JSA-proper but it’ll still be a sad day to see them leave the ol’ ranch behind. All-Stars, we barely knew ye (but I suppose it was your time).

(Cover by Dan Schoening, Ape Entertainment)

The cover for the Kung Fu Panda 2 Movie Prequel caught my eye and ultimately convinced me to purchase this movie prequel. Loved the first film, love Jack Black and I love Kung Fu movies! So even if it’s just an alright comic, there should be plenty to enjoy (Jack Black centerfold? Fingers crossed!). I can’t get over how fun the cover is!

(Cover by Daniel Luvisi, DC Comics)

In Secret Six 33, “The Darkest House” concludes as the Get Out of Hell Free card comes into play! The last Secrest Six TPB I need to be caught up comes out the same day so I’m trying not to spoil myself here but by all accounts, Gail Simone is still making beautiful, deeply disturbed magic with the Six. I’m rooting for a Knockout resurrection! Buffy Season 6 anyone?

(Cover by Esad Ribic, Marvel Comics)

Uncanny X-Force 9 crosses the paths of X-Force with the foxiest fascist ever when Magneto discovers the existence of the clandestine hit squad. In exchange for his silence, Mags asks the team to take out an old foe of his and the solicit alone has me gasping and giving a heartfelt, “daaaaaaaaaaaaamn!” It’s gonna be good, y’all (said the horrible, no-good latecomer).

(Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Marvel Comics)

X-Men: Prelude to Schism is mostly an interest-in-Marvel-mutants and part apology-for-missing-Fear-Itself for me (but really, I’m just plain interested). This four-part miniseries sets the tone for the Schism event later in the year while asking questions about what leadership means, what it looks like and whether it’s a quality earned or demanded. All introspection is greater when contextualized by the mutants of Utopia!

-windiebird

While My Wallet Gently Weeps

by windiebird

(Cover by David Finch, DC Comics)

Action Comics 900 has a huge order to fill, wrapping up Reign of Doomsday & the Luthor storyline in one 96-page mega-issue while paying homage to the Man of Steel and the villain…people-named-Lex.

(Cover by Simone Bianchi, Marvel Comics)

Age of X: Universe 2 is almost a What If? with the reveal from the previous chapters of Age of X but that doesn’t mean the story here can’t wrap up to be an interesting (if super-gritty) tale of a world gone mad!

(Cover by Rafael Albuquerque, Vertigo Comics)

American Vampire 14 continues the WWII-era arc from the chilling close of Skinner’s appearance last issue. Henry’s in trouble over there and Pearl’s got her hands full on the home front, a pretty excellent beginning so far to another year of American Vampire!

(Cover by David Finch, DC Comics)

Brightest Day 24 is Swamp Thing/one-pissed-off-planet vs. humanity/Alec Holland (or his body at least?)! Is it bad that I’m kind of rooting for Swamp Thing?

(Cover by Francis Manapul, DC Comics)

The Flash 11 has one fiiiine cover there! Flashpoint is coming and it’s bringing red spandex! Looks like all the speedsters are getting involved in the mixup and I’m hoping Liberty Belle (Jesse Quick, geez, let’s just ignore all that beautiful JSA characterization you wrote yourself, Geoff Johns!) shows up in this second-to-last issue.

(Cover by Tyler Kirkham & BATT, DC Comics)

Green Arrow 11 takes place before the finale in BD 24 so it looks like Oliver, Galahad and the forest are bringing this party to a fiery end! Final answers about the forest’s place in the White Lantern’s plan are promised and hopefully there’s some closure to this interesting and sometimes bumpy reboot to Green Arrow. Onwards and upwards to the next story arc!

(Cover by Felipe Massafera, DC Comics)

Issue 8 left us with Mogo blasting the newly-minted earth-born Lanterns haaaaaaard and Emerald Warriors 9 continues right where we left off! Is the yellow weakness restored with the impurity in the Green Lantern Battery? Hopefully so, since the learning curve on the new rings has been steep.

(Cover by Dustin Nguyen, DC Comics)

Generation Lost 24 – JLI vs. Maxwell Lord IV! The end is here and the OMACs are angry. I hope the ending is epic and the momentum continues into a new series for these one-of-a-kind heroes!

(Cover by Felipe Massafera, DC Comics)

JSA 50 is another anniversary issue this week and it’s going to be full even for an extra-sized issue! The Society joins with the Challengers of the Unknown to uncover the dark mysteries below Monument Point and more of Senator Eagin’s past is explored as well. Felipe Massaferra’s cover is (as always) worth the price alone.

(Cover by Mico Suayan, Marvel Comics)

New Mutants 24 is the end of the line for Age of X! All secrets revealed, all Moira entities defeated and all realities restored (we hope)!

(Cover by Terry Dodson, Marvel Comics)

Uncanny X-Men 536 begins the real story line about the asylum-seeking Breakworlders and it’s going to put Colossus through the wringer! Are they as innocuous as they appeared last issue or hiding more complex motivations? We’ll see starting today and what a curveball to start off with!

(Cover by Tony Moore, Marvel Comics)

Venom 2 is Flash Thompson’s second issue as Venom and I’m seriously digging the vibe so far. Military order and dedication meets the chaos of the symbiotes, now that’s a recipe for drama and action! Kraven fights Flash in the Savage Lands over some weaponized vibranium WMDs, hoo ah!

(Cover by Don Kramer & Jay Leisten, DC Comics)

Wonder Woman 610 couldn’t possibly give me any more (awesome) chills than last issue but if anyone could make it happen, Phil Hester could. You’re making a real Wondy fan out of me, P.H., and I couldn’t be happier about it!

(Cover by Terry Dodson, Marvel Comics)

X-Men 10 concludes “To Serve and Protect” with Emma Frost and Peter Parker the last hope of the X-Men as they fight the Lizardfolk of the NY sewage system! I’m back on board Marvel, so there!

(Cover by Frazer Irving, DC Comics)

Xombi 2 is sure to continue the sheer joy and insanity of the first issue of this re-boot. Nuns with guns, immortal caucAsians & psychic school girls; I’m so happy to be on this crazy train!

-windiebird