Mary Louise Eklund

Category: Astonishing X-Men

Comic Comments – I have No Idea What Is Going On

The title of this post says it all about these three issues – I don’t know what the heck is going on in the story. This crossover took place in Astonishing X-Men issues #59-61. This reflect the culmination scene from X-Factor at title I don’t follow. So before I attempt to explain my confusion and why I don’t care to put forth the effort to clear it up, let’s take care of technicalities.

Disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

These credits are very complicated please excuse them but if I don’t say the credit covers all three issues: Marjorie Liu, Writer – David Lapham, Marjorie Liu, & Greg Pak, Story Issues #60 &61 – Gabriel Hernadez Walta, Artist #59 – Matteo Buffogni & Renato Arlem, Artist #60 – Renato Arlem, Klebs deMoura, Matteo Buffagni, Raul Valdes, & Carlos Cuevas, Artists #61 – Chris Peter, Colorist #59 – Christopher Sotomayer & Lee Loughridge, Colorists #60 – Lee Loughride & Chris Sotomayer with Andres Mossa, Colorists #61 – VC’s Joe Caramagna, Letterer #59 & #60 – VC’s Joe Caramagna with Clayton Cowles, Letterer #61 – Phil Noto, Cover #59 & varient covers for #60 & #61 – Giuseppe Camuncoli with Cam Smith and Rain Beredo, Covers #60 & &61 – Jennifer M. Smith, Asst Editor – Jeannie Schaefer, Editor – Nick Lowe, Group Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

The whole concept of the title is a group of time-line jumping X-Men that keep the time-lines straight. Think Time Cop kinda thing but with mutants. I am aware of various incarnations of characters I try to ignore this but with Logan’s best friend Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler) who died heroically has a doppleganger with a helpful red face tattoo to tell him from our priest Nightcrawler has been on the X-Force team (a title I followed). There’s some big shouting battle in issues #60 & 61 with a mismash of artists. I don’t know who is who since I don’t follow that title and don’t care to follow it. Then after all this of deaths of some their characters in my book it is continued out of my title somewhere else. So essentially I paid for a two issue ad for another title.

Also in issue #59 the concept of the US deporting Northstar. If you don’t know the character he’s an X-Man that’s Canadian and gay. He’s the one that got married in Astonishing X-Men #51 but the fact that he married an American doesn’t help since at that time gay marriage wasn’t federally recognized. That’s changed recently but any way, it doesn’t matter since that plot line just falls to the side and gets lost in the big advertisement for X-Force.

As for the art – I’m not a huge fan of Walta but find him serviceable. However for issues #60 & #61 it’s a mess of styles that just shocks the eye. It’s not fair to give a read on any of the artists because it’s such a mess.

Moving on to the covers – I like #59 and the variants for the other two issues because I enjoy Noto’s art. As for the non variant covers – #60 is passable but looks like a bad photoshop of various artists’s interpretation of characters pasted together. #61’s cover looks like art from the County Fair’s middle school exhibit – sure they have potential but it’s too blocky, no life in it just overly studied with tight interpretation and over-consciousness on technique. I don’t even know whose work that is given the long list of credits. What possibly happened is too many were involved that no one put their style to it thus no life was ever breathed into the work.

Overall these three issues were worthless to me. I don’t need another X title and am contemplating dropping this title completely if the current Iceman centric arc isn’t awesome (or at least good and makes sense) then I shall drop it.

After the jump are a few panels I enjoyed just for themselves.

(more…)

July 23, 2013
Comic Comments – Awaken

This was a short arc of just two issues Astonishing X-Men # 57 & 58. The story focuses on Warbird as the new member of the Astonishing X-Men. If you remember back in Wolverine and the X-Men # 13 (which was as aptly named as the Holy Roman Empire) she was left here on Earth by her people. Now she’s trying to cope and find her place. We also know she has an artistic soul which is not just frowned upon but destroyed by her culture. So what happens to an alien that’s artistic when its no longer forbidden. What does it take to let go of your home world and embrace the new one? Maybe meeting a dying race?

Let’s switch it up a bit and do the legalese first. Eh? Living on the edge here aren’t I? So here goes – All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

Now to give credit where credit is due. Marjorie Liu, Writer – Gabriel Hernandez Walta & Felix Ruiz, Artists Issue 57 – Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Artist Issue 58 – Cris Peter w/ Dan Brown, Color Artists – VC’s Joe Caramanga, Letterer – Phil Noto, Covers – Jennifer M. Smith, Assistant Editor – Jeanine Schaefer, Editor – Nick Lowe, Group Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

If you know my comic book preferences you know I HATE absolutely HATE aliens, magic, time travel in my X-Men. No I think there’s enough to explore about humans/mutants without getting into that. It’s not that I don’t like sci-fi and fantasy in comic books. I do but just not here, kinda like just because I like peanut butter and ribeye doesn’t meant I want to slather my ribeye with peanut butter. Any way the way I get around it is create my own little personal Earth-616-ML (for those who aren’t comic geeks the main Marvel universe is called Earth-616) universe where I sing LA-LA-LA in my head and make all aliens just more mutants.

Given that I took this to be a story about a mutant from a family that discourages artistic endeavors. She meets up with another mutant that is dying but awakens such things in others. Well, that given they fight because that’s what comic book heroes do when they are made to feel uncomfortable. He dies leaving money for an interactive museum dedicated to awakening the artistic endeavors of everyone. As a result she embraces that part of her nature and becomes a whole person. That’s the Earth-616-ML verison. In the real one – he’s the survivor of genocide by her people against his and the story progresses from there.

What I liked about the story is how the team worked together. Yes they were concerned about her but they didn’t charge in and fight this battle for her nor did they lecture her to be something she was uncomfortable with. Also they didn’t fall into the trope of fighting her because she’s gone rogue. Instead they gave her room to work it out while doing their best to protect her and the survivor. THAT is what true teammates do.

I also enjoyed getting glimpses into the life of other X-Men during the holidays. (Yes I’m that far behind on Comic Comments that this arc started at Christmas time!). We see the newlywed couple dealing with what will be the subject of the next arc – illegal Canadians! Gambit reveals what he’s done on his holiday break. He’s such a flirt with all the ladies watch out Dr. Reyes. Karma has Warbird join her family for the holiday dinner. Seems they are coping well with the events of the previous arc. I always enjoy the glimpses of heroes being people.

As for the art I can’t say I enjoyed it – I found it good but not great. The morgue scene in Issue 57 was better but it’s Ruiz’s work where most of the arc is Walta. I don’t dislike Walta’s effort here some panels I found myself enjoying but many others irked me by being either too boxy in the depiction of characters or too cartoony with expressions. It’s a fine line to get an action comic right – not too much in any direction. I know I’m picky. Yet I know what I like, what I find irksome, and what I dislike. Walta is good and I felt it ranged from serviceable to great. Then again that’s my taste. Who am I to criticize when I can’t draw a lick?

Overall I put this down as one of the better arc that highlights a team member. I liked the pacing and story even if the alien thing reared it’s ugly head I just ignored that bit. I like how the team worked together to deal with yet another member’s personal issues (last one was Karma’s family yeah her sister made my Wolvie into a BOMB!) and next one is focusing on Northstar’s immigration issues. Gosh knows we need to get those illegal superpowered Canadians deported! Wait, no – my Wolvie!

Here’s the spacing to warn those who are further behind in their comic reading than me of possible SPOILERS BELOW.

Yep down here are interior scans that may reveal too much for the SPOILER phobic.

If you feel that might be yo don’t keep scrolling down.

Really I can’t be responsible if you get spoiled. I posted warnings and ample space…

here goes…

(more…)

May 1, 2013
Comic Comments – Finally A Honeymoon!

In the last arc of Uncanny X-Men Kyle and Jean-Paul were married. Then Wolverine exploded at their reception at the Jean Grey School For Higher Learning and their honeymoon got postponed. (I’ve heard exploding Wolverines will do that.) So the 2012 Annual of this title’s first story Welcome To The Family covers the delayed honeymoon – that’s even further delayed. No Wolvie didn’t explode again, thank goodness! That’s a mess to clean up and heal from!

The second story is a reprint of Alpha Flight issue #106. This is the issue is entitled The Walking Wounded where Jean-Paul Beaubier comes out to the world. He loses his adopted daughter to AIDS, she was found in a trash can as an infant. He feels he can live in hiding no more and must come out to bring open the discussion of the AIDS epidemic at the time. This was set in the 80s.

The legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

Now the credit for Welcome to the Family: Christos Gage, Writer – David Baldeon, Penciler – Jordi Tarragona, Inker – Veronica Gandi, Colorist – Chris Elipoulos, Letterer 0 David WIlliams & Jay David Ramos, Cover – Daniel Ketchum, Editor – Nick Lowe, X-Men Group Editor – Azel Alonso, Editor In Chief – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – and Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

Credits for the Walking Wounded story are as follows: Scott Lobdell, Words – Mark Pacella, Pencils – Janice Chiang, Letters – Bobbie Chase, Edits – Tom DeFalco, Editor In Chief.

The first story is Welcome to the Family of how Kyle’s and Jean-Paul’s honeymoon is interrupted by the team. There is a threat to all non-mutant loved ones of the team. Northstar is the only one with enough speed to reach all of them and warn/take them to safety. He does want to go but Kyle says – go the team will be enough to protect me here and they’re family! So Kyle is left in his honeymoon suite with the team. He tries to get to know each one individually. As he has a conversation with each he gets relationship advice of course. None of it sounds promising as each has a heartbreaking story of loss of a loved one.

I felt for Kyle in this issue. Having been a Navy wife for going on 28 years I know what it’s like to have a spouse that must leave to harms way when duty calls. Yes when we were starting out I got a lot of advice. I faced the highest divorce rate in the services at the time – submarine wives (back then only men were on subs that’s changing). As I read the issue I reflected on the advice and stories I was told. What helped the most oddly paralleled what Logan tells Kyle in the end. Strength holds you together because you know you are better and stronger together than you could ever be apart, because your love for each other is strong enough to flex and not break, because you are strong enough to be on your own when you have to be and strong enough to lean on the other when they are there. Yeah that’s strength to take the risk of loss because the moments together are worth it. In the end Kyle has to find his own way to cope with Northstar’s X-Family and their world saving needs. Just like all military spouses every day have to do the same.

As for the art of this story – it was okay. I found the colors a bit too glowy for my taste, too bright or primary not blended or muted enough. Also the heavy outline of each character gave them cartoony looks at times. I didn’t care for that effect. Though I like the depiction of Logan more as a short powerhouse almost barrel chested than the more Hugh Jackman look he gets at times. (not that I object to Hugh playing Logan in the least! I don’t but it’s nice to see him portrayed as the powerful runt from time to time). Over all it did nicely.

The second story struck me as somewhat of a cop out for an Annual. I like it when they are one long stand-alone story or two new stories that are asides supporting the title’s continuum. I get that this coming-out issue was an important one for the star characters of the story – Marvel’s first married gay couple. But really there was an era there that was horrid in art – it was called the 80s. Time has not been kind to it as it has say the comics of the 50s, 60s, or even 70s. Instead I think as time goes on it becomes more atrocious to me. I’ve read the issue years ago and this time I couldn’t make it deeper than a quick scan due to the art. OMG! I just couldn’t stomach it. I began to think of what I could say good about it – at least there were any ties going back and curling up like greyhound tails that have to poop. Oh and at least I could follow the story with the images, though it wasn’t pleasant.

So that’s this year’s annual Kyle meets the family and comes to terms with Jean-Paul’s 24 hour, 7 day a week, on-call job.

****You know what’s next SPOILER SCANS***You’ve BEEN WARNED**** LOOK AWAY IF YOU MUST*****

(more…)

December 26, 2012
Comic Comments – A Wedding, An Explosion, A Betrayal

I’ve not gotten an X-Men title in so long. I’m Wolverine centric as you know. I figured keeping up with his titles was enough. I caught on to what the team was doing with previews, the sucking cross-title arcs, and various comic books discussion sites. However I have to say the preview of issue 53 brought me into this title. The scene where Logan is in the infirmary healing and the team is rallying around to figure out what happened to him – sucked me in. Remy was portrayed as I like him. Beast was as brilliant and hug-able as ever. The team’s concern for Northstar to go join his husband and they’d take care of this was touching. Oh and the banter between Remy, Bobby, and Jean-Paul made this fangurl’s heart melt. So I had to go back to the start of this arc and put Astonishing X-Men on my pull list. The arc turned out to be a long one of seven issues covering issues 50 through 56. Still I’m glad I got it and hope to see the team spirit hold up through the upcoming issues as it did in this one.

The wrap around wedding cover.

The required US legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

Credit to the creative team that brought us this arc: Marjorie Liu, Writer – Mike Perkins, Artist Issues 50 & 53-56, Penciler Issue 51, Artist with Gabriel Hernandez Walta on Issue 52 – Andy Troy, Colorist Issue 50 & Colorist with Jim Charalampidis and Rachelle Rosenberg on issue 51, Jay David Ramos, Colorist Issues 53-55, Colorist with Cris Peter in Issue 52, Colorist with Andres Mossa in Issue 56 – VC’s Joe Caramagna, Letterer Issue 50, 52-54, & 56, Letterer with VC’s Cory Petit & Cowles on Issue 51 – VC’s Cory Petit, Letterer Issue 55 – Dustin Weaver & Rachelle Rosenberg, Cover Issues 50 – 53, Phil Noto, Covers Issues 54 – 56, John Cassady & Lara Martin, Varient Cover for Issue 50, Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor Issues 50 -53, Jennifer M. Smith, Assistant Editor Issues 53 – 56, Jeanine Schaefer, Editor – Nick Lowe, X-Men Group Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor In Cheif – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – Alaen Fine, Executive Producer.

This arc covers Jean Paul Beaulier’s marriage to his long time boyfriend Kyle Jinadu. I never really enjoy Marvel weddings because they remind me of Barbie weddings. The big fancy things that are more show that substance. For once I’d like a Marvel headline couple in love to elope! Really, I’m not a fan of big ceremonies in general. What counts isn’t the day but what you do as a couple in the days that make the decades to follow. I often feel these weddings are what fanboys THINK fangurls want. Even though this arc was written by a woman it still falls into that cheesy fantasy princess wedding feel with two princes instead.

This arc centers on the character and X-Man member Xi’an Coy Manh codename Karma. I don’t know her really. She’s one of the many peripheral characters to my interests. I am aware of them and know their names but not much else. Apparently she has a step sister who was depowered after M-Day and shunned by their father years ago. This chick carries one MEAN grudge. Being an international arms dealer makes her more than able to act out her vengeance. She uses cutting technology to turn Logan into a bomb at the wedding reception and later take control of the X-Men’s bodies. Heck she even makes an X-Men themed team of her own using technology. The battle is on – mutant trained fighters against technology! It’s a good story with a team that’s working together not fighting among themselves. They support each other in their personal as well as professional lives. THIS is the team work I want to see when I come to an X-Man comic. Cudos to the creative team.

As for the artwork – I like the covers. I especially love the concept of issue #55. Just one nitpicking thing on Issue 50 what the heck has made Logan’s mask grow HUGE wings? What? Also a few panels at the reception get Greg Land-ish (he’s know for tracing photos and porn faces). Other than that it’s good solid comic art. I like that it isn’t over stylized but yet has just enough of the comic book better than real life feel – people are pretty or unique in a more striking way that real life. The drama is a bit heightened that in real life, yet very much real like Logan’s flirting with former friend with benefits now just friend Ororo. That scene plays nicely as do the anguish scenes for Karma and the action scenes for the team. I would be happy with this team for any superhero comic.

Overall this was a strong arc about a character I didn’t know but came to care about. The ability to do that in seven issues puts Astonishing X-Men firmly on my pull list for some time to come.

*** YOU KNOW WHAT IS NEXT SPOILERY SCANS DON’T LOOK ETHEL LESS YOU BE SPOILED**** (more…)

December 20, 2012