Mary Louise Eklund

Tag: Bamfs

Comic Comments – This Why I Go To JGS

THIS is why I read this title! I know, I know it’s a tie-in to the AvX Interruptus that I hate so but it is completely school centered. The story is set in the school, centered on staff and students, develops a larger story and is what I want when I pick up this comic. It is a stand alone issue entitle “On The Eve Of Battle”.

First cudos to the team on this issue: Jason Aaron, Writer – Jorge Molina Penciler, Norman Lee, Inker – Morry Hollowell, Colorist – Chirs Eliopoulos, Letterer – Stuart Immonen & Marte Gracia, 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 – Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

Next we need to get the legal statement out of the way – 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.

As I said I’m very happy with this issue. It’s school centric which was the whole purpose of this line of comics to tell the story of Logan’s founding the Jean Grey School for High Learning. Here the X-Men that aren’t Pheonix possessed or backing those that are, have gathered at the school. Xavier is there. We deal with staff and student issues. New students from Utopia have enrolled and Headmaster Logan is as to the point as ever announcing over the PA “Attention students this is your headmaster reminding you welcome our new arrivals OR ELSE!” Gotta love ‘im he’s so not cut out to do what he’s doing but he’s trying.

The art is good. It’s not my favorite but given how much I disliked the first art of this series this art is more than serviceable. It’s good strong art that is not overly stylized and supports the story well. I totally enjoyed it and was thankful for it. However it wouldn’t rank in my top five, should I be pressed to do such.

In the end I put down the issue happy to be back to the core of the title. I enjoyed the whole thing from cover to cover. I like how Logan welcomed back the staff that had disagreed with him at the start of AvX but now sees it his way. I get the touching moment with Hank and felt it too. I worry about some of the hints dropped by students – who is Idie seeing at this church? How Quire deal with the Stepford Cuckoos given his feelings and resurrection of their sister? Warbird what will her new role be? Good plot lines to be developed over time if they don’t get lost (shhh we shall never bring up frozen wolverpups again that should be lost along with the stupid lupine/Romulus crap) in service of the huge ‘event’ multi-title marketing arcs.

So hang on to your hats an issue I thought lived up to the promise of the title but trust me it doesn’t last long. But let’s bathe in the joy of the moment shall we?

****Scans that are possible SPOILERS*** WARNING WARNING WILL ROBINSON DANGER OF SPOILERS*****

The great scientific minds (minus Bruce Banner) were puzzling over the Phoenix problem but Broo the JGS student saw the answer to their equation. I have to say I love how Tony befriends little lost Broo. Oh wait didn’t Tony want to register all mutants and declare them… oh let’s let Civil War by-gones be by-gones and enjoy the cute. Still if it were mutant me I’d hold a grudge against him.

There are so many things I loved in these few panels. First Logan’s announcement his gruff exterior with a heart of gold to run the school was showing in just that little bit. Next Quire and Stepfords LONG story there but to see him with them again in a school oh… you know that’s going to cook up trouble. Finally in the last panel there – my beloved bamfs. Not just because they are like naked little Kurts running around (I mean I adored Kurt as Logan’s BFF) but also how they seem to like and protect Kitty. I love how she’s petting one here and the look on that one’s face. So cute.

I think I liked this page best. Except that Bobby is iced up again. I am starting to feel sorry for Toad who must have to follow Professor Drake about and mop up the water puddles. Serious Bobby why?

Any way I like how Logan handles Bobby’s return. I want people who aren’t yes men. Logan knows he’s taken on something that goes against his grain, that isn’t his natural talent. Doesn’t mean he can’t do it just means he’s working at it and needs people who aren’t afraid to tell him like it is. Yeah there at the end Bobby’s totally right. Logan knows it but can’t change everything in the first year of being headmaster RIGHT?

Until next time folks!

November 27, 2012
Comic Comments – Just Another Day In Westchester County

In Wolverine and the X-Men, issue 4 we get a look at the staff and students at Logan’s (yes I’m shifting to calling him Logan since that’s what the characters call him) school, The Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.

As always I love to give credit where credit is due. The credits for this issue are: Jason Aaron, Writer; Nick Bradshaw, Artist; Justin Ponsor, Colorist; Nick Bradshaw & Frank Martin, Cover Artists; Rob Steen, Letterer; Irene Y. Lee, Production’ 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 have to say I ADORE this cover. The sign on his back is PERFECT! I like he’s cutting the board in frustration. The Bamfs are running loose. It’s mentioned in the staff meeting in the issue that the Bamfs found Logan’s stash of martial arts instruction videos and warn him to keep his other *wink wink nudge nudge** video collection more secure.

Warren Worthington comes in as a student which is one of the main themes of this issue. The former X-Man comes in as a student not a professor because he’s had his mind wiped. Also an Apocalypse clone checks in as a student. We see a future flash of how these students work together as a team when they are adults.

Logan considers how to balance being a Headmaster who teaches English Lit among other things with his night job as Wolverine on the X-Force team. He comes clean with his staff about what he’s doing on X-Force. None are happy about it but some take the news better than others.

This is the kind of story I enjoy from time to time. We see how life is day-to-day at a school run by superheroes. It’s fun to see them as people not as just fighters. I like that they fret over finances, tater tot complaints, and getting new students to fit into the dynamic of the classroom. It well done and gives us a feel for how Logan’s school differs from Xavier’s school.

As for the art, OH THANK GOODNESS it’s better, much much much better than that first arc. I don’t cringe reading it. I can tell what’s going on and who is who. I like it much better. Still it’s not my favorite and looks a bit too, cartoonish? clean? Something… but if given a choice of this or that. I’d take this every time! Here the bodies are correctly proportional and it’s not hard to tell who is who.

This issue ends with a real surprise for Kitty. It’s the basis of the next arc, Mutatis Mutandis. That arc takes us through Wolverine and the X-Men issues 5-7.

After the jump will come comments on specific panels, might be considered spoilery by some. You have been warned.

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August 10, 2012
Comic Comments – Welcome to the X-Men! Now Die!

This story kicks off the Wolverine And The X-Men series. It’s a three issue arc. James “Logan” Howlett, Headmaster as it now says on his new business cards, is facing the first day at his new school. The story opens up with him giving Professor Xavier a tour. Then the next day the New York State board of education inspectors make a visit to 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, New York (that’s in Westchester county ya know) to inspect the school and finalize its accreditation. To say thinks didn’t go smoothly would be an understatement.

If no issue is noted after their credit they deserve credit for all three issues: Jason Aaron, Writer; Chris Bachalo, Pencils & Colors Issues 1 & 2; Chris Bachalo, Duncan Rouleau & Matteo Saleara, Pencils Issue 3; Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza & Al Vey, Inks Issue 1; Tim Townsend & Jaime Mendoza, Inks Issue 2; Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza, Al Vey, Mark Irwin, Victor Olazaba, Duncan Rouleau, & Matteo Scalera, Inkers Issue 3; Chris Bachalo & Jason Keith, Colors Issue 2; Rob Steen, Letters’ Chris Bachalo, Cover Issue 1 shown here; Chris Bachalo & Tim Townsend, Cover Issue 2 & 3; Irene Y Lee, Production, Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor; Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor Issue 2 & 3; Nick Lowe, Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor In Cheif; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer, Dan Cuckley Publisher, 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.

If I was to sum up this arc for me it would be stellar writing and detestable art. I know there are people out there who like this art. I am NOT one of them. I find it overly stylized and way too busy. There is no realistic anatomy in any of the figures. If not told by the dialogue I’d not recognize some of the main X-Men characters by their appearance. The proportions of the figures morph constantly in relation to each other and heck on body part to another. There are times I can’t tell what the heck is going on visually! I had to rely on the writing to tell me. Thank goodness that was good.

I cringed at the art when reading but kept reading because the writing was wonderful. The dialogue was snappy, the characters were true to themselves but were obviously out of their comfort zones. That makes a good story, stories move forward by character change/growth. It could be for the better or for the worse but we watch/read to see how characters change. This was doing it so well as far as the writing goes.

There were some fun extras tied to this launch of a continuing series. First off was the flyer for the school. Look James teaches three classes! Witness to history, the art of fighting without fighting and the art of fighting with fighting. He’s also scheduled a field trip to his favorite sushi restaurant. The guy is trying.

He’s not the only one that steps up to the plate and matures here. Bobby Drake, Iceman, finally gets a chance to mature. He was one of the original X-Men but has perpetually been treated as a teenager/junior member. Here he’s a full fledged professor and told by James to use his full potential. He remembers this and taps into aspects of his abilities he’s not used before to help save the day.

Oh and we learn who is James “Logan” Howlett’s lawyer. It’s Matt Murdock, Daredevil! That was good.

There are things I don’t like in the story. I don’t like the aliens there. I sing la-la-la-la in my head and they are just other mutants. I don’t like a children’s Hellfire Club. Do your research on the REAL Hellfire Club is – it’s a sex club, a club for rakes like Ben Franklin. Today it’s an S&M club. That’s why all the corsets, whips, and such in the original Marvel villains Hellfire Club. It was inspired by real life. To have rich brats doing it was just so not right.

Also why didn’t they tell the staff, Hank especially, that TODAY IS INSPECTION DAY? Hmm? Look Hank is the known political animal on the team (pun intended). He’s always been good at working through the system. So why in the world is he taken by surprise if James knows enough to but on the weird tie. (more about that after the jump)

Still with all its faults I loved the series. Why? Because it’s something we’ve not seen before. It’s new, it’s fresh, it’s different, it’s hideous art! As a Wolverine fan I’m so starved for good well written new stuff that goes to different places than where we’ve been that I lapped this up.

Next is a stand alone story entitled Just Another Day in Westchester County which is Issue 4 of Wolverine and the X-Men. Stay tuned for the spoilery bits.

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August 9, 2012