Mary Louise Eklund

Tag: Gambit

Comic Comments – Gambit Tries Solo Title Again

I’m not sure what volume of Gambit stand alone title this is but it’s the latest one. I think it’s volume 5 according to Marvel. It’s nice to see him in his own title again. So it’s good to see Remy in the spot light. If you like magic that’s here in heaping quantities too.
What is sad is that he always seems to be treated like the ‘red headed step child’ as my grandmother put it. I think the call goes out for mediocrity when there’s a Gambit launch. No, don’t bring your A game a strong C or B- at the highest will do.

The ever present 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.

Acknowledgement of the village that got this story to press. James Asmus, Writer – Clay Mann, Penciler Issues 1 & 2 with Clay Kirk on issues 3 &4 – Seth Mann, Inker Issues 1 &2 with Clay Kirk on issues 3 &4 – Rachelle Rosenberg, Colorist – VC’S Coery Petit, Letterer – Mann, Mann Rosenburg – Cover to issue 1 – Mann & Rosenberg, Covers 2-4, Chris Bachalo, Variant Cover Issue 1 – Dan Ketchum, Editor, Idette Winecoor, Production Issue 2 – Jennifer M. Smith, Assistant Editor Issues 2-4 – Nick Lowe, X-Men Group Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – Alan Fine, Executive Producer – Special thanks Issue 1 to Irene Y. Lee and Manny Mederos.

The story is that Remy hasn’t had enough excitement in his life as a Professor. Apparently the whole Phoenix AvX thing bored him as much as it did me. We he gets an invitation to a fundraiser at Borya Cich’s house he’s in to rob it for some good old time excitement. Borya Cich is one that bankrolls the uber bad guys. When the baddies are defeated Cich gets the gadgets or magical goodies they were using. Remy’s cover is to be there to get money for the Jean Grey school, his entertainment will be to break in and see what goodies Mr. Cich has accumulated. In the process of this he finds out he’s rusty and meets a mystery woman. They team up (stop me if you’ve heard this before) but she betrays him only to help him in the end. Oh and magic gets way out of hand and Cich loses his goodies and blames Remy (not the mystery woman for some convenient reason).

Now don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with a familiar story frame. There school of thought is that there are only so many story frames out there (7 to 21 seem to be the consensus) when you boil things down to their essence. So the trick is being original in how you decorate that frame. I’m sure you can name many stories where two sides team up to get a goal that sticks it to a third party. That’s the frame here but the story seem a bit too trite, too often told in the thief/spy genre. Remy deserves better. He’s a strong diverse character with a lot of emotional depth but often is short changed into the joking flirty characterization of himself. That’s what happened here. The dialogue is weak stung out over many frames. The cliches keep coming and I ache to see more.

Then there’s the whole aliens and magic crap I don’t like. I know it’s a personal thing for me so I’ll do my best to overlook it. I try hard to just shrug and go that’s for someone else. But when it is used to justify weak writing I call foul. Write yourself into a corner then edit and rewrite the story don’t rely on magic, infinity cubes, Lazarus pits, or it was just a dream to get you out of it. That’s a cop out of a writer’s lack of ability. Here I felt so many opportunities to be a better writer and tell a more complex story were tossed aside thinking “oh this is a Gambit title it won’t last long any way.” Sadly it is such thoughts that I think feed that trend.

As for the art. It relies heavily on the colorist for textures and depths. The colorist goes for the glow Photoshop tones a bit much for my tastes. After having just left Think Thank where the details are drawn in this style struck me as wholly unfinished and rushed. Even more so as the title when on, with greater sweeps to the colorist filling in the lack of penciller’s detail. The covers struck me as a nod to the Bond openings where the women are frames for the images but again the concept seemed solid (much like the start of the written story) but then seemed rushed and unfinished.

In the end it all goes back to the mediocrity I mentioned in my introduction. I felt like the writer, penciller, and colorist wanted to bring their A game but couldn’t for what ever reason be it rushed or told don’t worry just get something out it’s not going to last or be promoted. I don’t know but I saw so much potential there that was left undeveloped. If you are a Gambit fan like me, this is still a must. It’s good to see him out there on his own and I support that in hopes that some day the team can bring their A game to it. If you aren’t into him and aren’t looking to pad your pull list to get something (freebies like shipping). Then as much as it pains me and saddens my Remy lovin’ heart I’d say pass this by and hope next volume gets better treatment.

**** Interior scans*** You have been warned that such scans might be considered spoilery***

Okay here the inane party chatter grated on me like a cheese grater on my bare bum. The Paris Hilton stupid shallow rich people wanting to hang out with gods, magicians, mutants, and aliens just hit all the notes of what I don’t like in my X-Men. Yeah I know others do and that’s for them, enjoy knowing it made me cringe.

Oh Remy we oldsters always wonder just when did computers take over every thing?!? Loved this scene it’s our Gambit doing what he does best and he’s pretty while doing it!

Okay here we meet the mystery woman he teams up with. She’s dumped him once and now before their team-up continues Remy evens the score. Good thing mutants don’t injure as easily as we real people eh?

As you can see she’s a tattooed Laura Croft type. I personally nominate this pose for the Hawkeye Initiative. Caw Caw boyz!

As you can see it really jumped my no magic/gods/aliens in my X-Men shark by a mile. So there you go and I hope the next arc get down to more thievery heist type stuff and less magic stuff.

February 11, 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*****

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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