Mary Louise Eklund

Tag: Kid Omega

Comic Comment – WXM Alpha and Omega

Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha & Omega was a limited run five issue story. I will have to say I LOVED this story. It’s the kind of thing I come to a book about Logan running a school for mutant kids to find. KUDOS! I don’t know why this wonderful arc wasn’t part of the main title. I can only guess it would have interfered withe AvsX Interruptus and we gotta support the annual Big Event to sell dem comic books. Never mind great art and great story telling we need multi-title gimmicks. AT least we got this story!

I want to give credit to the creators of this arc. They are: Brian Wood, Writer; Roland Boschi & Dan Brown, Art (Westchester); Mark Brooks with Andrew Currie, Jay Leisten, Norman Lee, & Ronda Pattison, Art (Construct) Issue 1; Mark Brooks with Andrew Currie, Walden Wong, Ronda Pattison & Andres Mossa, Art (Construct) Issue 2; Mark Brooks with Andrew Currie & Ronda Pattison, Art (Construct) Issues 3 & 4; Mark Brooks with Andrew Currie, Cam Smith & Ronda Pattison, Art (Construct) Issue 5; Mark Brooks, Cover Art issues 1 & 2; Joe Tyler Christopher, Cover Art Issue 3, 4, & 5; VX’S Joe Sabino, Letterer, Jared K. Fletcher, Designer; Sebastian Girner, Assistant Editor; Jeanine Schaefer, Editor; Nick Lowe, Group 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’ll start with the art. I like the covers. Though they aren’t always accurate for the story. Like Beast doesn’t appear in any issue but on the cover of 5. They all reflect the story well and represent what is going on in the books. It’s not stock images stuck on to finish it off. My favorite cover is 4. I just like the composition of it and the idea of Quentin trying to force Logan into doing something and Logan fighting that control. So the covers are cool and despite all the little Liefield pouches on Logan in the first one I like them.

The interior art is well conceived. I like having two distinct styles for the two settings of the story. One is the school – real life what’s going on here in reality. The second is the construct – what’s going on in the mind game Quentin is running. The art for Westchester is bright crisp and clean. The art for the construct (images cobbled together by Quentin from his favorite video games, action movies, and books) is darker and grittier. The concept works beautifully to quickly and clearly let you know where you are. The characters are well done in both worlds. Well except Rachel at times looks odd… in Westchester. I had a few nit picky things because I am a nit picky person when it comes to my favorite character in comic books but over all I was happily reading and enjoying the experience of a good story told with words and art.

The story is a simple one but profoundly reveals much about the two main characters and who they really are. Logan proves he’s a changed man, even the berserker rage in him has changed. Quentin exposes the real kid under all the bravado he puts on most of the time. The only problem is the whole school gets caught up in these two strong personalities coming to terms with each other and themselves.

Quentin is bored. He’s rebellious and resents having to go to classes. He focuses most of his frustration on Logan as the headmaster. Quentin feels he’s being held prisoner here by Logan given how he came to be a student (scroll down for black and white scan to see the deal Logan made). To prove he doesn’t need to go the psychwar 101 class he decides to take over the mind of the headmaster. Also there’s a bit of jealousy that Logan is “the coolest dude in the room.” So he captures Logan’s conscience into this mind construct he’s built. Immediately there are problems. First Logan was sparring with Hisako Ichiki, Armor, at the time and the mind capture caught her in the construct too. Second there’s the bodies of Logan and Hisako collapsing on the grass in front of the school.

Quentin deals with these problems and goes about playing games with Logan in the construct. Only another problem surfaces, Quentin didn’t capture all of Logan’s mind. The berserker part is still in Logan’s body and now has control of it. Not good to have an angry Berserker running loose in the school screaming for Quire! The school goes into lockdown while Rachel tries to figure out where Hisako is and what’s happened to the headmaster.

Quentin is feeling the strain. Logan very experience in mind games realizes something is up in the construct. He’s fighting against it and trying to put it all together. Hisako is taking his lead. This ups the stress level on Quentin who realizes he has to shut this down and get Logan back in control of his body. After Logan tore up Quentin’s room looking for him.

When in the construct a few things come to light. Quentin isn’t as confident as he seems he’s really a terrified young man with a magnificent power. He’s not totally sure how to use it or control it. He’s lonely and scared and truth be told admires Logan. Logan stays true to himself he’s willing to fight to keep Quentin and Hisako safe. Quentin realizes how important the school is for so many people like himself and Hisako. He knows if Logan doesn’t make it out of the construct then that’s over. Only problem is Quentin can’t get them out! It’s taken on running itself and he has no idea on how to shut it down.

In the end Quentin grows up some and makes a sacrifice of himself for all the others he knows needs Logan and the school. They finally make out of the construct but not damage free. However, both Quentin and Logan learned some important things from the debacle. They come to a new understanding between the two of them.

Like I said this is an awesome story for the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning. It’s what I want from the title. Logan is not Xavier as headmaster but it’s growing into the role and making it his own. His students aren’t being groomed to be a fighting team but they are being groomed to be responsible mutants in life. This story underlines that concept and reaffirms it not only for the title that is currently just supporting the AvsX arc but for Logan himself.

Next up we’ll be leaving Marvel for a look at my free preview issue of DC’s Batman Earth One. A funny fact – you can confirm this with my parents – my first word in life was Batman. No joke. I was DC fan way back but left it behind in the 70s and move to Marvel. Who knows maybe this issue convinces me to try DC again. Stay tuned.

You know what’s after the jump. Commentary on panels and pages.

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August 22, 2012
Comic Comments – Mutatis Mutandis

No your eyes aren’t deceiving you, that’s a very pregnant Kitty on the cover there. How and why she got that way is a very important part of this arc. The other key factor is the school needs money. Two story lines run in the arc what’s happening at the school and what’s happening with Logan trying to fund the school. Neither are going smoothly. It all plays out in Wolverine and The X-Men issues 5 – 7.

If you’ve been reading these you know what’s next, yep giving credit to the talent that brought us these books. So here goes: Jason Aaron, Writer; Nick Bradshaw, Pencils; Nick Bradshaw & Walden Wong, Inks Issue 5; Walden Wong, Jay Leisten, Norman Lee, & Cam Smith, Inks Issue 6; Walden Wong, Norman Lee, & Nick Bradshaw, Inks Issue 7; Justin Ponsor, Colorist Issues 5 & 7; Justin Ponsor & Matthew Wilson, Colorists Issue 6; Nick Bradshaw & Frank Martin, Cover Issue 5; Nick Bradshaw & Morry Hollowell, Cover Issues 6 & 7; 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.

First off the money problems at the school are something I love. Why? Because it’s a real world problem that adults have. Logan is now trying hard to be the adult, take responsibility for the children, and do the right thing. One of these is dealing with the money issue with letting the kids know it’s a worry. The hitch is Logan’s not quite got that last one down. He’s grabbed Quentin the Omega psychic mutant trouble making student to come with him to help count cards and see others hands at a space casino. (More damn aliens in my X-Men! I stuck fingers in my ears went LA-LA-LA and voila it was a rich mutant casino) Whoa there Logan this doesn’t sound like a good idea from the start! It’s not but it plays out with comedy and results that even Logan didn’t expect. In the end he’s getting more like Xavier every day!

The story is Kitty and her sudden pregnancy. Now she’s shocked, it’s been some time since she and Colossus split up. In the Schism she went with Logan agreeing with his philosophy. Colossus stayed with Scott agreeing with him. The couple regretted not coming to terms but with such differences they couldn’t continue. Hank is all understanding when she come into medical and excited about being Uncle Hank, except he finds out she’s not preggers she’s infected! She’s infected with brood (more damn aliens). As members of the staff shrink down to deal with that the school is under attack AGAIN! Except we learn that Kitty’s pregnancy was just a diversion from the real goal of the attackers.

I enjoyed this issue. It has Logan being his own headmaster. No Xavier wouldn’t have funded the school in this manner but it’s pure Logan and I loved it. The school coping with multiple crises at once reminded me of the old day and why I read X-Men all those years ago. To see a school of cool mutant kids led by cool mutant heroes try hard to just be a school. It wasn’t about setting a mutant agenda to rule the humans but rather just to be part of society and deal with threats to the peace of that blended society. Great story fun arc!

The interior art is fun and I enjoyed it. There were little things that irked me. Logan’s hat when at the Worthington Industries didn’t fit right – that bugged me. It’s clean, it’s clear, it’s straight forward. It’s not stylized and overly cluttered. I enjoy reading it and found it did support the story rather than detract from it. At times I feel it’s a bit cartoonish for what is rated as a more mature comic but only a tad. I found it highly enjoyable.

The covers are fun. Issue 6 is my favorite of course except for the aliens. NO ALIENS PLEASE! I thought the cover for issue 7 looked too busy and too tabloid or Vogue-ish. I mean the “X-Man MUST DIE!” and “LOST INSIDE KITTY PRYDE” headlines with the duo art brought that to my mind. Oh and even in an Pym-particle suit Bobby is iced up… WHY?!?

Next is a stand alone issue entitled A Little Impossible. This is the last issue before the Avengers Versus X-Men craptastic over arching Marvel Universe wide story comes marching in to disrupt everything. I’ll rant more on that later but I think you get the gist of where I’ll be heading.

There be spoilery bits after the jump! It’s all comments and laughs on a few specific panels and pages.

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August 13, 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