Mary Louise Eklund

Tag: Avengers versus X-Men

Comic Comments – When A Hot Date Goes Bad

This is a decent tie-in to the AvX. If you’ve been reading you know my issues with AvX and I’m not following it beyond when it interrupts my pull list. This falls into that category. However I will say this issue is much better than the last issue which didn’t center on the school AT ALL. This centers on the school even though it’s a date between Kitty and Piotr (Colossus who is possessed with the Phoenix). We see the strain on the staff to have Hank, Rachel, Bobby, and Logan all off in the stupid war. We also see the strain between Kitty and Piotr differences over the school concept as well as the Phoenix force.

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.

The creative team for the issue is as follows: Jason Aaron, Writer – Jorge Molina, Penciler – Norman Lee, Inker – Morry Hollowell, Colorist – Chris Eliopoulos, Letterer – Nick Bradshaw & Justin Ponsor, Cover Artists – Jordan D. White, Assistant editor – Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor – Nick Lowe, Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief, Jow Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

Since the Scott/Logan issues from Wolverine and the X-Men title this is the best. That’s not saying much really but it’s something. This one like those centers on the school and tell how the AvX interruptus effects the staff and students at the school. Let’s face it I come to this title to read about the school, preferably Logan and his staff, students and how they interact AT THE SCHOOL he founded. I don’t come here to read about some alien race fighting the Phoenix force or some big sales pitch multi-title arc. This issue gives me what I buy the book to read and for that I am thankful.

There are many plot threads here that are developing – the return of staff that sided with Scott at first but don’t like what he’s become. Will the be welcomed back or turned away? Toad’s collecting Husk’s discarded skin and playing house with them. That’s gotta surface in some odd way some time. The relationship of Bobby/Kitty and Pitor/Kitty which is the future and will the headmistress stay at the school or go for a man? Oh and how is the school coping with so many of the staff gone? What if they are attacked when at low staff will Logan’s edict of ‘kids don’t fight’ stand? All great plot threads started in this issue and all centered around the school at the school.

While I’m in what I like/don’t like mode let me say I still don’t like Colossus being alive. Nope I don’t. When he was brought back in Ultimates I thought it was a disservice to his character that made a noble sacrifice to kill a virus that was deadly. I thought okay this is a separate universe I’ll go with the what if he survived in the Ultimates but don’t dare bring him back in the main 616 universe. But some how it bled over – why some things that happen in the Ultimates stay in the Ultimates and don’t bleed over but other stuff does is beyond me. It makes no damn sense. Then to bring back a character that performed a heroic death only to make him the monster he’s been becoming over the last year I don’t like at all. In my book Piotr is dead from the virus stayed dead and is a noble hero. Don’t care about the Ultimates any more and if he lives over there so be it. Don’t cross streams Marvel and for gosh sakes DON’T CROSS STEAMS ARBITRARILY!

As for the art – VAST improvement over the first arc in this line where it was so busy I had to cling to dialogue to tell what was happening in the story. There is no distortion of mouths or hands, no curling greyhound-ties, no pointy feel girls. It’s good solid art that I enjoyed VERY MUCH. I do think the color palette was a bit too far on the light or pastel side. I enjoy bolder colors but it didn’t bother me at the school so much as in the date scene. As for the cover, I love that art. Oh please please let that team do a few arcs in the story some time. PLEASE for me…

In the end I liked the story for what it was a forced tie-in from the title to the overall marketing arc that was undoing the House of M stuff for now at least. I’ve learned don’t count on Marvel to ever do much that lasts or is new and lasts. They almost always go back and forth on the same road. Yet hope does spring eternal and I hope that one day they will grow up and move beyond that. If only the money would let them.

As for this title there’s a few more AvX interruptus issues then they get an arc of their own. Shall we hope it’s as good as Alpha and Omega was? ohhh dare I hope even BETTER! Yes yes I’m climbing down I won’t go over the edge into insanity.

*** a few scanned pages that might be deemed spoilery** I didn’t want to spoil how the date went so here’s the staff meeting I enjoyed more than the date any way.

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November 20, 2012
Comic Comments – Born Warbird

This is Kid Gladiator’s father fighting the Phoenix. Why it’s on the cover of Wolverine and The X-Men is beyond me. Its tie to this title is very tenuous at best. Are we now going to be treated to a series of covers of parents of students at the school reacting to the Big Event? So goes the whole issue 13 of the title. It’s not about the school, staff members, students, but rather the bodyguard of a student.

Still I like to give credit where it’s due. As Charlemagne said no one ever did me a favor or an injustice without being richly repaid (or words to that effect as a high schooler I wanted that on my tombstone see why Wolverine is my favorite). Those responsible for this issue are: Jason Aaron, Writer; Nick Bradshaw, Penciler; Walden Wong, Cam Smith, & Nick Bradshaw, Inkers; Guru EFX, Colorist; Chris Eliopoulos, Letterer; Nick Bradshaw & Justin Ponsor, Cover Artists; Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor; Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor; Nick Lowe, Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Dan Buckley, Publisher; and Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

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.

We all know my rule about MY X-men – no aliens and no magic! This issue centers around an alien bodyguard of an alien student who I pretend isn’t alien but is a rich mutant brat with a mutant bodyguard. It didn’t work well in this issue. She is of Shi’Tar no that’s not shittier that’s Shi’Tar a warrior like race (think Klingon but cleaner with brighter colors).

We learn Warbird was given Kid Gladiator as her charge to be punished. She tells of how she liked to draw, let an enemy kid go during a battle, and still longs to learn how to live. Her culture teaches her how to die, but she’s struggling to learn how to live.

That story is told with the obligatory cuts to the Big Event story of Warbird going with Gladiator (the father) to get her charge. Kid Gladiator has gone to fight with the X-Men. Since the Phoenix is with the X-Men they have to do battle with it. The warrior race the Shi’Tar get their asses kicked.

No sign of the school, no sign of the staff, no sign of Wolverine named in the title, just the memories of a student’s bodyguard and fights scenes. Don’t care about any of that I come to this title for the stuff that was left out this time.

It is on that note we leave this title to churn away in AvsX interruptus. Hopefully when it pops back up in the rotation we’ll be through with that and can get back to the reason for the title.

Up next is a great limited run title that does take place at the school, that is about the students and staff. Wolverine and The X-Men: Alpha and Omega issues 1-5.

Not much here just one scan of a few panels. You hear Warbird tell us her punishment for letting a kid go and see a bit of the fight action.

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August 20, 2012
Comic Comments – Hounded
We’re back for another installment of AvsX interruptus. This is issue 12 of Wolverine and The X-Men which is supposed to be about Logan being headmaster of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning we get Kid Gladiator fighting the Avengers on the cover of an issue about Rachel Summers. Yes the former staff member is doing her part on the X-men side. This issue also features Hank fighting with Bobby as they took opposite sides.

So let’s give credit to those who made this: Jason Aaron, Writer; Chris Bachalo, Penciler/Colorist; Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza, Al Vey, & Victor Olazaba, Inkers; Chris Eliopoulos, Letterer; Nick Bradshaw & Rachelle Rosenberg, Cover Artists; Jordan D White, Assistant Editor; Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor; Nick Lowe, Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Dan Buckley, Publisher; and Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

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.

I’ve already aired my issues with the cover. The interior art suffers from my usual complaints with Bachalo – messy confusing fight scenes, too stylized characters, and I can’t tell who is who in the action sequences. I have to admit I am growing to like his down time stuff but it’s not got the bizarre issues of the action that throw me out of the story and leave me clinging to dialogue to figure out what’s happening. His bar scene with Rachel and Logan is good. His classroom scenes are good. So I say give him the issues that are calm, character driven ones and let Bradshaw handle the action issues. Just my personal opinion, kinda like showing you my belly button we all got ’em.

Now for the story I had some questions. First off why do Namor and Scott talk in squiggly yellow bubbles with red writing. Well that was answered when I found out they are now two of the Phoenix Five. Apparently Tony Stark, Ironman, did something to divide the Phoenix and it went into Scott Summers, Emma Frost, Namor, Piotr Rasputin, and Magik. So now they are the Phoenix and that’s why the special bubbles.

Next why is Rachel going to meet Logan when they have already chosen opposite sides in the war? Then why does she lie to Scott? Apparently the rest of this story was told in Avengers issue 29. One of those follow the thread all over the damn place that happens with the Big Events. I’m not. Didn’t know until I read Eric Scroggs’s review there.

So what did I walk away from this issue with?
- Kid Gladiator’s father is coming for him. I don’t care.
- Rachel may be returning to Logan’s point of view. Okay good so we can get back to where we were before this rude AvsX interruption.
- Hank dislikes Scott’s stance as much as Logan does. (Yep B is definitely for Beast on the dartboard)
- Logan gives Kid Gladiator a lesson in How to Fight with Fighting (one of the classes he teacher at JGSHL. The boy’s been schooled by the experienced headmaster.
So the battle rages on and I’m anxiously awaiting school to start back again. Next is more AvsX with issue 13 centered on the bodyguard of Kid Gladiator in an issue entitled Born Warbird then we’ll leave this title for now.

As usual more after the jump but don’t think they are spoilery as this issue really doesn’t have a story arc it’s just supporting the Big Event and stories in other titles to sell more books. I’d prefer if they depended on good title development to that and save the Big Events for once a decade kind of changes, or every other decade…

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August 17, 2012
Comic Comments – Got Hope?

After some internal debate I decided to take this AVX tie-in stories one at a time. They hop all around the major story time line so really they are single stand alone vignettes related to the characters featured in Wolverine And The X-Men title. This one centers on the staff in their new positions on their chosen sides in the war. It’s issue 11 for the title and has very little to do with the operation of the school. I’m not buying the titles in AVX so I have fill in here and there with what I learn of the other story lines that are effecting what’s going on here. I’ll try to keep up but if you can fill me in or correct me that’d be great.

As always there’s credits to be given: Jason Aaron, Writer; Nick Bradshaw, Penciler; Walden Wong, Nick Bradshaw, & Norman Lee, Inkers; Justin Ponsor, Colorist; Chris Eliopoulos, Letterer; Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor; Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor; Nick Lowe, Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Dan Buckley, Publisher; and Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

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.

First off the cover – I have no clue why Hulk is red and don’t really care. I’m not into Hulk comics too much SMASH not enough story. Next it’s Bobby all iced up again doing that multiple man trick he developed back in issue 1. Has nothing to do with why I come to Wolverine and the X-Men title which is Logan and his school. This cover has everything to do with the event I have no interest in at all.

Interior is just a choppy mess. We jump from fight to fight with the only slim thread tying it to this title is each fight either has a staff member or student in it. The fights are all fan-boy match-ups shown in just a few panels before we jump over here then over there. I can name the characters because I recognize them and am familiar with the Marvel Universe.

There was one big thing I got from this issue. Logan realizes he can’t kill Hope even if it’s to save the world. It’s not what he’s been fighting for, it’s not who he chose to be from now on. He’s not the guy who kills kids, he’s the one who saves them. He’s determined to save Hope.

A few asides I picked up are: Capt can kick Gambit’s ass. Kid Omega sided with Scott. Quentin complains about not being able to fight doesn’t care which side just hates doing homework. Hope has some Phoenix in her right now and wants to get to the moon for some reason.

That’s it. That’s all I got. Glad Logan reaffirmed his reasons for founding the school. Don’t care about the rest. Just wish this big fight would be over so we can reboot – sorry that’s a DC term now isn’t it – so we can be Marvel NOW!’d and get back to Logan being headmaster at a school for mutant kids.

Next up is issue 12 entitled Hounded with more AVX crap. Yeah you can feel my excitement over this radiating out through the screen can’t you? **YAWN**

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August 16, 2012
Comic Comments – Day of the Phoenix, Dark Night of the Soul/Avengers vs X-Men…vs X-Men

It’s happened, I didn’t like it. It disrupts the whole great thing that was starting at Jean Grey School For Higher Learning, Avengers versus X-Men. I’ve grouped Wolverine and the X-Men issues 9 and 10 cover Scott coming to the school to see who will side with him and who will side with the Avengers.

Credits for the issues are as follows Jason Aaron, Writer; Chris Bachalo, Penciler/Colorist; Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza, Al Vey, Inkers Issues 9 & 10 Victor Olazaba joined the Inker team for issue 10; Chris Bachalo, Cover Issue 9; Tim Townsend, Cover Issue 10; Chris Eliopoulos, Letterer; Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor; Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor; Nick Lowe, Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Dan Buckley, Publisher; and Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

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.

Before I get into a long thing about the story and the AVX let me address the art. There on cover 9 is my main complaint about Bachalo’s art. Logan is a retangle with a pin head. His torso is too wide, his arms too large, the whole thing is too square and the head is too small. I don’t like the style. I’ve come to take some of his moments when it’s downtime as just art I don’t like as much as others. However when the bodies get boxy, the fights get overly done, the characters are unrecognizable I have to ditch the art and rely of Jason Aaron’s writing to carry me through. Luckily it does. So I know now I really don’t like Bachalo’s fights because I can’t tell what’s going on, I don’t like his Iceman because it’s so cluttered and over done I can’t tell what’s going on. I don’t like it when goes for more style than story telling, I can’t tell who is who or what’s going on. It’s me. I’m not the target market. I’m over 45 not young but dear Marvel I have a very deep pocket and if you want me buying up say 20+ titles a month again, well I have to tell what’s going on and who is who in well written not told before stories.

Let me explain to those who read this but aren’t really comic geeks. Yes, yes there are some and I’ve heard from them, positive stuff. I figure if I entertain non comic book geeks rambling on about comic books then I’m doing something right. Maybe just maybe they might pick one up and find out they like them too. BACK on topic here just what is Avenger Versus X-Men? Well it’s and “event” that crosses into many Marvel Universe titles and makes changes to the whole universe or at least a majority of the characters. First time it happened it was awesome, it was a way to make deeply needed changes in many titles all at once while telling an epic story that showed how everything was related in the Marvel Universe. The one that did this as it should have been done was House of M. It sold well, as in fabulously well. So Marvel made a big changing arc an annual event even though the story lines didn’t need such drastic revision so frequently. Marvel wanted the sales. The next big event I liked was Civil War it started out great but ended with a whimper in my opinion and drove me from buying Marvel for about 4 years. (I came back because Logan was becoming headmaster and I wanted to catch up on how he changed so much). You don’t really need to worry about Civil War because unlike House of M it’s changes didn’t last and we’re still not feeling their effects today. Ironman and Capt America are on the same team again for years and mutant registration went away and the broken stuff they stopped for isn’t broken any more. There were other arcs that sounded stupid and when I’d see posters for them I’d roll my eyes and dispargeningly say “Fanboys, the damn company is run by adolescent fanboys.” It seemed the HULK SMASH of World War Hulk and the bizarre in fighting was the ultimate fan boy argument of “What if Hulk fought Ben Grimm who’d win?” or what if this character fought that one… No reason, no ramifications, no real changes just smashing and fighting and hype.

So the big events started to refresh then got stale themselves. Now the current big event is Avengers versus X-Men the title even belies my reason for dropping out of Marvel for four years. The story stems back to two things 1) there are few mutants after the House of M and 2) the Phoenix force (a fiery space bird that’s been WAY over used for DECADES at Marvel). It’s coming back to earth, Jean Grey the only character that finally and thankfully has stayed dead (PLEASE LET HER STAY THAT WAY) isn’t here to host it so it’s thought it’ll destroy the planet or get Hope Summers the child of Jean. X-Men under the leadership of Scott Summers who is acting more and more like Villain Magneto did in the old days – sees this as a good thing to make more mutants. Avengers don’t want the planet to die and think it’s a bad thing. Now you’re up to speed. An over used reset tool with an over used plot devise has now become an event that will disrupt titles that didn’t need resetting or disrupting.

So now to Issues 9, we rap up the problems from issue 8 Hank is well Logan has his legs back. Then the school becomes aware the Phoenix is coming to earth. The ball starts rolling – Logan is an Avenger and has been an X-Man for years but he’s now on the outs with Scott (see the dartboard here figured out the B isn’t Bobby it’s Beast) thus not part of the team any more. Capt America shows up to talk to his Avenger teammate with the most Phoenix experience, Logan. Everyone involved knows this is going to be drawing up sides, Logan makes it clear he’s on the Avenger’s side because he thinks that the only way for the planet and thus his school will survive. He doesn’t want the kids involved. As it is none have tossed in with the X-Men yet but Hank makes it clear he’s joining Logan with the Avengers. The other staff opts to stay at the school and keep the kids on routine and protected from all of this.

Issue 10 takes place after the Avengers try to take Hope Summers (the believed Phoenix Target) from the X-Men. There has been the first battle, and now Scott Summers himself shows up at Jean Grey’s School of Higher Learning to find who stands with him from the staff there. He first approaches Logan which makes sense being the leader of the group and all. It leads to some really excellent dialogue between the two frienemies. Logan carried a torch for Scott’s wife for years still does in that he named his school after her maiden name and the statue is the Marvel Girl costume.

Speaking of the statue there is a well written moment between Logan and Idie at Jean’s statue. He takes on the headmaster/father role very well and very comfortably. I was impressed how he put aside all the adult crap about AVX to chat with her about how she was doing. That’s what a mature man does when he’s responsible for kids. He protects from the adult problems and helps them with their problems. Admittedly most kids don’t list flame thrower toilets as among their problems but when you integrate the Danger Room training through out the building that’s what you get. OH BTW Capt America only got a B- when battled the new integrated Danger Room… issue 9.

In the end we know the staff divides Bobby, Rachel, Gambit and Chamber go back to Utopia and follow Scott. Cannonball, Husk, Kitty, Rogue, and a few others I can’t recognize from Bachalo’s art stay on the school as staff. They will protect the school no matter what and keep the kids out of the fight. Hank and Logan are off on different missions to support the Avengers.

The sides have been taken let’s get this over with so we can HOPEFULLY go back to a good comic centered on a school for mutant kids with James “Logan” Howlett as the headmaster. In the end I think he should have told both sides to go F**K YOURSELF, holed up in his school and become the Switzerland of AVX to keep the kids safe but then again he is the best at what he does, and what he does isn’t pretty. Besides it’s a fight against Summers no way Logan’s not gonna throw a punch at Scott when given the chance.

Next up more AVX tie-in story lines. We see the fractured staff on their new lines. Each has to decide what they are willing to do to former teammates in this battle. I’ll do two issues again Got Hope and Hounded, issues 11 and 12.

Spoilery comments on specific pages and panels after the jump.

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August 15, 2012