Okay, we're into part 5 now. This one scripted by Remender himself.
So how does it fair?
Freaking fantastic!
This issue finally starts getting more towards what I expected from this arc. The characters feel more authentic, and not like the caricatures the previous issues came across as. The story is starting to wind down, but the action is picking up too. It has an awesome cliffhanger at the end that just makes you want to scream "OH HELL YES!"
To be honest, I was getting to the point where I just wanted to give up on this story altogether. I didn't want to do this entry. I couldn't pawn it off on anyone. Believe me, I tried everything even bribery to do that. So I finally said screw it, I'll just read the damn issue and get this out of the way...
Boy was I glad I did. This issue was perfect. The character voices are on key. The humor is on point and organic without being forced and overabundant. The story details are fluid. The ideas come across as fully formed. Nothing is just shoved to the wayside. All around this issue has been what makes comics fun to read and has the depth I've been wishing the previous had with the concepts they presented.
I'm looking forward to the final chapter now. From where I once was waivering I'm now excited about this story again.
More to come on this as the story comes to a close next week! Finally, we're in for one hell of a ride!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Preview: Venom 13.4
The preview for the fifth part of Circle of Four is up on CBR.
Venom 13.4 will be released this Wednesday the 29th of February.
Venom 13.4 will be released this Wednesday the 29th of February.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
A few thoughts on Avengers Academy Issue 26
It was a good read, and interesting. Very light on X-23 but what it did use was pretty dead on accurate so no complaints. There seems to still be an undertone of Hazmat's jealousy of X-23 with X-23 oblivious to it. There's a one panel allusion that Mettle might be developing a crush on X-23, but nothing really explored yet on that front.
Some of the lines of dialogue in this issue really stuck out to me. "When you think you're a hero, everyone else looks like a villian." It's a line that speaks directly to egos and how self-perception clouds actions and perspectives. Granted it came from what could very well be a villian, it's still a very valid point. When you self-proclaim you're something, you won't see the actions you do that harm others as bad from your own self-perceived infallibility. Hank Pym also had a follow up line against that though that was highly enlightening. "To be redeemed you have to take responsibility for what you've done. And you have to be sorry." A line that speaks directly to the heart of the above hero quote too. When you refuse to be wrong, refuse to be questioned, or feel the need to blame others for your own mistakes, you can't be redeemed because you'll always be making the same mistakes without remorse. These are both great lessons that should be more actively taught in this day and age. I'm grateful they made their way into this comic that's all about growth and maturing.
Overall a very interesting read, but not much to talk about on the X-23 front. So be sure to buy a copy yourself to see how it's all unfolding including the reveal of the future selves leader. This issue was a fantastic and deep read!
Some of the lines of dialogue in this issue really stuck out to me. "When you think you're a hero, everyone else looks like a villian." It's a line that speaks directly to egos and how self-perception clouds actions and perspectives. Granted it came from what could very well be a villian, it's still a very valid point. When you self-proclaim you're something, you won't see the actions you do that harm others as bad from your own self-perceived infallibility. Hank Pym also had a follow up line against that though that was highly enlightening. "To be redeemed you have to take responsibility for what you've done. And you have to be sorry." A line that speaks directly to the heart of the above hero quote too. When you refuse to be wrong, refuse to be questioned, or feel the need to blame others for your own mistakes, you can't be redeemed because you'll always be making the same mistakes without remorse. These are both great lessons that should be more actively taught in this day and age. I'm grateful they made their way into this comic that's all about growth and maturing.
Overall a very interesting read, but not much to talk about on the X-23 front. So be sure to buy a copy yourself to see how it's all unfolding including the reveal of the future selves leader. This issue was a fantastic and deep read!
Marvel May Solicits for X-23
CBR has the May solicits up from Marvel.
For X-23 fans this means Avengers Academy and the Vol. 3 Premiere Hardcover of her v3 comic that Marvel seems to be calling her 2010 comic.
They've also corrected the solicit this time so it lists issue 21 instead of 22 on her TPB.
AVENGERS ACADEMY #29 & 30
CHRISTOS GAGE (w) • TOM GRUMMETT (a)
CoverS by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI • AVX TIE-IN!
• Both issues tie-in to AVENGERS VS. X-MEN!
• The Utopia and Gen Hope teens have come to the Academy…as prisoners?
• Sebastian Shaw strikes!
• Guest-starring Wolverine, Hawkeye, Hercules and Captain America!
32 PGS./Rated T …$2.99 (EACH)
X-23 VOL. 3: DON’T LOOK BACK PREMIERE HC
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by SANA TAKEDA & PHIL NOTO
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSKY
When an offer to join Wolverine collides with an offer from the FF, X-23 is forced to decide wheter she wants to continue her life as an assassin — or take a break and see what it’s like to be a regular teenager. Then: What could possibly go wrong for Hellion and X-23 on an already disastrous night? How about being kidnapped to another galaxy by the Collector? Plus: Jubilee guest-stars as X-23 returns to Utopia, to decide once and for all what direction her life should take. After all this time spent deciding who she will be, will X-23 permanently choose a team, as well? Collecting X-23 (2010) #17-21.
120 PGS./Parental Advisory …$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-5281-1
Trim size: standard
For X-23 fans this means Avengers Academy and the Vol. 3 Premiere Hardcover of her v3 comic that Marvel seems to be calling her 2010 comic.
They've also corrected the solicit this time so it lists issue 21 instead of 22 on her TPB.
AVENGERS ACADEMY #29 & 30
CHRISTOS GAGE (w) • TOM GRUMMETT (a)
CoverS by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI • AVX TIE-IN!
• Both issues tie-in to AVENGERS VS. X-MEN!
• The Utopia and Gen Hope teens have come to the Academy…as prisoners?
• Sebastian Shaw strikes!
• Guest-starring Wolverine, Hawkeye, Hercules and Captain America!
32 PGS./Rated T …$2.99 (EACH)
X-23 VOL. 3: DON’T LOOK BACK PREMIERE HC
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Penciled by SANA TAKEDA & PHIL NOTO
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSKY
When an offer to join Wolverine collides with an offer from the FF, X-23 is forced to decide wheter she wants to continue her life as an assassin — or take a break and see what it’s like to be a regular teenager. Then: What could possibly go wrong for Hellion and X-23 on an already disastrous night? How about being kidnapped to another galaxy by the Collector? Plus: Jubilee guest-stars as X-23 returns to Utopia, to decide once and for all what direction her life should take. After all this time spent deciding who she will be, will X-23 permanently choose a team, as well? Collecting X-23 (2010) #17-21.
120 PGS./Parental Advisory …$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-5281-1
Trim size: standard
Venom 13.3: Circle of Four - Thoughts So Far
Well, we're over the mid point hump. So how did this fair?
For Ghost Rider, Red Hulk, and Venom it was pretty good.
For X-23, it seems they let the lack of knowledge shine. While we got futures from the others, X-23 only got the immediate present.
I'm not sure what I was expecting. I was thinking maybe they'll dive into her solving the Kimura problem without it being a quest for revenge and finding her family again. Maybe they'll dive into her mother being in hell. Maybe they'll show her growing into her own hero before it all goes bad.
Pretty much all we got was a really brief touching moment of her "I have a soul realization" followed by her taking delight in destruction. Then it bled over into her calling triggerscent a pheromone and attacking Wolverine while still concious of her actions.
Since this is hell though, I can let a lot of that slide since it was supposed to be conveyed as nightmares gone real. Considering how guarded Laura is with her thoughts and memories it wouldn't surprise me that even the devil himself couldn't get a bead on her real fears and dreams. I'm not sure if that was intended, or just a happy accident. There's no clear push to establish that for the audience.
The ending pact seems odd, but we'll see how that goes. Considering everything X-23 has overcome, it could prove to be interesting to see how that pact is handled later after ample amounts of research is done into the character. Plus it does setup a potential sequel if the pact isn't dealt with in this arc.
Overall, this issue just illicits a kind of shrugged whatever on the X-23 front from me. It's picking up though over how it started. It's still not quite where it could have been. Overall this just feels like a classic throwback to old comic adventures but without the 'anything matters' feel to it or attention to detail. I hope the buildup here to suggest that's changing does indeed change though. Lots of promise here, but without any sense of it was intentional or not.
For Ghost Rider, Red Hulk, and Venom it was pretty good.
For X-23, it seems they let the lack of knowledge shine. While we got futures from the others, X-23 only got the immediate present.
I'm not sure what I was expecting. I was thinking maybe they'll dive into her solving the Kimura problem without it being a quest for revenge and finding her family again. Maybe they'll dive into her mother being in hell. Maybe they'll show her growing into her own hero before it all goes bad.
Pretty much all we got was a really brief touching moment of her "I have a soul realization" followed by her taking delight in destruction. Then it bled over into her calling triggerscent a pheromone and attacking Wolverine while still concious of her actions.
Since this is hell though, I can let a lot of that slide since it was supposed to be conveyed as nightmares gone real. Considering how guarded Laura is with her thoughts and memories it wouldn't surprise me that even the devil himself couldn't get a bead on her real fears and dreams. I'm not sure if that was intended, or just a happy accident. There's no clear push to establish that for the audience.
The ending pact seems odd, but we'll see how that goes. Considering everything X-23 has overcome, it could prove to be interesting to see how that pact is handled later after ample amounts of research is done into the character. Plus it does setup a potential sequel if the pact isn't dealt with in this arc.
Overall, this issue just illicits a kind of shrugged whatever on the X-23 front from me. It's picking up though over how it started. It's still not quite where it could have been. Overall this just feels like a classic throwback to old comic adventures but without the 'anything matters' feel to it or attention to detail. I hope the buildup here to suggest that's changing does indeed change though. Lots of promise here, but without any sense of it was intentional or not.
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