REVIEW: The Fearless Defenders, Volume One: Doom Maidens

PLOT: New team! New villains! New creators! Valkyrie and Misty Knight are the Fearless Defenders, and not since Power Man and Iron Fist has an unlikely duo kicked this much - well, you know.

REVIEW: In preparing to write a review for this book, I have discovered that this title has since been cancelled by Marvel and will end with the twelfth issue. What the hell are you guys thinking?! This is easily one of the best titles that I've read out of Marvel NOW!, most of which are pretty awful, and this is the one that's been cancelled over multiple other offenders? I'm really sad to say that Marvel doesn't quite know what quality is, because when I read the other more "popular" titles, I can't believe they're even being written. Captain America and Deadpool are about the only two characters that haven't been ultimately ruined by Marvel NOW!, and it's a shame to see that this third candidate for greatness will be no more. I am not familiar with these characters, so that may be why I was so pleased, but I thought the book was awesome. Valkyrie and Misty Knight are cool heroines which Marvel has so few of, and this book is not afraid of anything. There's a decapitation, lots of censored curses, and chicks kicking the living crap out of everything that threatens them. I liked seeing the assembly of a lot of the female characters in the Marvel Universe, and it's a damn shame to see a title that showcases these heroines in such a bad ass light, be shut down. I would say if you're a fan of the darker side of Marvel, and the more Asgardian-like characters and stories, this is definitely for you. Fans of female-centric comics will also really enjoy this, as I barely remember a dude in the book at all. I'm also starting to discover that I have very heavy metal tastes, because if the book has blood, magic, and epic wars with warriors in elaborate armor illustrated on the page, I'm automatically sucked in. Also, the covers are freaking awesome as hell.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Deadpool, Volume Two: Soul Hunter

PLOT: First: Flash back to Deadpool’s adventures of yesteryear with Iron Man! Then: A demon hires Deadpool to reclaim damned souls! And just in case you didn’t think he could get any stranger, Wade gets in touch with his feminine side! Plus: Deadpool targets a man with aquatic powers, and then teams up with your Superior Neighborhood Spider-Man! And we promise he kills one of those two! Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn’s hilarious, nonstop reinvention of the Merc With a Mouth continues here!

REVIEW: Even though I knew what to expect from Marvel NOW!'s Deadpool, I was still extremely impressed with this volume and completely blown away by how great it is. Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan have easily written what is the best title I've read from the Marvel NOW! series. While that isn't a huge compliment in itself, because I don't like much of the Marvel NOW! titles, Deadpool is lightyears beyond the others and has proven yet again why that is so. Brian Posehn's sense of humor is almost entirely too perfect for the character of Deadpool and it makes this comic one of the most fun to read in quite some time. Who would have thought that after filling the first volume with dead presidents for Deadpool to hunt down, there would be just as much fun to be had in a second volume. There isn't a single comic out there that I enjoy picking up and reading more than Deadpool. The first issue that puts Deadpool in a story that takes place during the 80's with Tony Stark was one of the funniest things I've ever read in comics. Of course that humor and entertainment extends into the other issues of this book and makes for such a blast of a read. The art is great, the writing is great, and the jokes in the book are just so funny. I know that the writing is superb because rarely does a book with so much writing on the page keep my attention, but this one had me flipping the pages as quickly as I could. This is a must read for fans of Mr. Pool, the Marvel Universe through adult eyes, and comedy in general. Please pick this up and support Duggan and Posehn's tremendous work on Deadpool.

WRITING : ( 10 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )
STORY : ( 10 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Young Avengers, Volume One: Style > Substance

PLOT: Legacy isn't a dirty word...but it's an irrelevant one. It's not important what our parents did. It matters what WE do. Someone has to save the world. You're someone. Do the math. The critically acclaimed team of Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie reinvent the teen super hero comic for the 21st century, uniting Wiccan, Hulkling and Kate "Hawkeye" Bishop with Kid Loki, Marvel Boy and Ms. America. No pressure, right? As a figure from Loki's past emerges, Wiccan makes a horrible mistake that comes back to bite everyone on their communal posteriors. Fight scenes! Fake IDs! And plentiful feels! (aka "meaningful emotional character beats" for people who aren't on tumblr.) Young Avengers is as NOW! as the air in your lungs, and twice as vital. Hyperbole is the BEST! THING! EVER!

REVIEW: Yet another Marvel NOW! title that I just don't understand. I suppose that Young Avengers is supposed to rock with a younger crowd, and probably appeals to teenage kids looking for a comic book that they can relate to their lives. There's a lot about this story that I just didn't find appealing to myself, and I am pretty open to anything but a lot of this felt forced for the ability to be marketed at a younger audience. First of all, the gay relationship presented from the beginning with Wiccan and Hulkling I just didn't get. It felt so forced to pair these two together, and really just to use as a marketing tool to appeal to comic readers of a younger age in high school. I know that writers have been trying to be inclusive in comics as of late, and I applaud them for that but I really don't feel like it was necessary in this story. I didn't think they were a good couple, nor was I invested in either character because all you know about them was that they were gay. There needed to be more of a set up as to who these two characters were, and what drew them together in the first place. It just starts out with "hey our comic book has two heroes in the Young Avengers that are gay! Look at us, we're all inclusive!" I know it sounds like I was offended, but really I would have been fine with it had there been more development leading up to why they were a couple, which would make it seem like less of a gimmick. Also, the other characters were pretty minimal in comparison, which compounded the problem. The only character I truly enjoyed was Kid Loki and that was because he had a sense of humor and he obviously plays off of the already known grown up characters of Thor and Loki. The villains were kind of neat, but I'm still kind of unsure what to make of the whole story because really the biggest plot of this whole book was the relationship between Wiccan and Hulkling. I think they could have spent a lot more time on other characters developing them just as much as the other two, and maybe it would have felt like there was an entire team in this book. The title was appropriate though I suppose, because substance took a backseat to style in this one. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, but I really didn't see too much in this book that appealed to me and made me want to read more.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 4 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 5 / 10 )

REVIEW: Nova, Volume One: Origin

PLOT: Sam Alexander is a kid bound by the gravity of a small town and a father whose ridiculous, drunken fairy tales about a "Nova Corps" were just another heavy burden. But luckily for Sam Alexander...soon gravity won't even matter. And those troubles are a billion miles away. It's a boy, a helmet, and an intergalactic legacy! Then: it's Sam Alexander's training day. And with the Guardians of the Galaxy's Gamora and Rocket Raccoon in charge, Nova soon learns that practice makes painful! Plus, the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of Sam's dad deepen...and the helmet leads Nova into intergalactic conflict that will affect the entire Marvel Universe!

REVIEW: Before this book, I had never read anything about or involving the character Nova. This book gives a great introduction into the original Nova and then follows with the story of the new Nova for Marvel NOW! I really like how accessible this character is even after the first issue contained in this volume. This was also an introduction to the Guardians of the Galaxy for me, which was nice to see previous to the Guardians of the Galaxy film coming out soon from Marvel. Rocket Raccoon was actually a really funny character, and also pretty tough, which was just cool to see in a comic book of this quality. I think Jeph Loeb having written this title is probably a pretty big reason as to why it is so good, because he's a pretty well-proven writer for comics at this point. The art is also great, and overall this volume of Nova is really impressive for a Marvel NOW! title. Easily one of the best of the NOW! initiative, Nova sets out to the stars and beyond for fans of Marvel. I'm not even that big on Marvel comics ever taking place in space, but this one had it all going right.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )
STORY : ( 9 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 5 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: All New X-Men, Volume Two: Here to Stay

PLOT: Yesterday's X-Men continue to adjust to a present day that's simultaneously more awe-inspiring and more disturbing than any future the young heroes had ever imagined for themselves. And things get even more dangerous when the shape-changing terrorist Mystique targets our young time-travelers...starting with Cyclops!

REVIEW: To start, I wasn't a huge fan of All New X-Men, Volume One: Yesterday's X-Men but it did leave some things open to get better in this second volume. Things definitely got better, but actually got really great and I really enjoyed this volume. The first volume was more of a set up for this one, as the X-Men from the past are still struggling in finding out what they've become in the present time. Most importantly, Scott Summers has seen where his life has gone and it's all too frightening a truth for him to take. He takes an approach to it, and vows to not be the same Scott Summers and do whatever he can to change it, but that's the typical Summers agenda when problems arise. It's really interesting to see these characters struggle with themselves in the past, when they've seen what they become in the future. There is a tie-in as well with the Uncanny X-Men cast, and I thought that was pretty cool just having read that. My review of the first volume was a considerable bashing, because I've been fed up with X-Men comics for the past year or so. They all seem so similar, and it seemed to me that this Marvel NOW! title was headed in the same direction. However, it has turned around in this second volume and I'd highly recommend All New X-Men to Marvel NOW! readers. It's definitely in the top three in the reboot, and I take back what I said about Brian Michael Bendis last volume. This guy is a mainstay in writing the Marvel universe, and he writes teams really well.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Uncanny X-Men, Volume One: Revolution

PLOT: In the wake of the Phoenix event, the world has changed and is torn on exactly what Cyclops and his team of outlaw X-Men are - visionary revolutionaries or dangerous terrorists? Whatever the truth, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto, and Magik are out in the world gathering new mutants and redefining the name Uncanny X-Men. But the challenges that they must overcome are fierce: once again, robotic Sentinels hunt the team and the mutants they protect...but when you find out who's doing the hunting, your jaw will drop! And if that's not enough, there's a mole on Cyclops' team - but who is it?

REVIEW: I really haven't had the greatest luck with the X-Men in comic book form. I did enjoy the Ultimate X-Men series for the most part, but other than that they've all been pretty lame to me. This volume didn't start out too great at first, because it was kind of a similar story that's been told before with the X-Men. The mutants being disliked by humans, and an all out war on the brink as Cyclops and his team try to fight the good fight. What it turns into though is that you're really unsure of Scott Summers' condition to lead a team of heroes because of information Magneto leaks to S.H.I.E.L.D. I surprisingly ended up really liking this volume and I think it was to do with the excellent writing from Brian Michael Bendis who always seems to do a very nice job of handling multiple characters without losing himself in the story. Often times, group comics tend to be a handful with all of the characters, but Bendis takes a few familiars and throws in a couple newbies and you've got a whole new team that's easy to follow, and each has their own personality and traits. I really like this Uncanny X-Men team and I hope it continues on the path that it has built in the first volume. The art is great, and I really like the way they make Cyclops look with the dark reds and X-visor with his costume because it gives him that evil aura. It does cause some confusion as to who to root for, but it does provide for some great super hero drama and this volume of Uncanny X-Men is not short on that. This is easily one of the better Marvel NOW! entries, and I hope that it can continue to be so.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Uncanny Avengers, Volume One: The Red Shadow

PLOT: The Marvel Universe's greatest era starts NOW!, as the all-new, all-different Avengers assemble! Captain America creates a sanctioned Avengers unit comprised of Avengers and X-Men, humans and mutants working together...so why is Professor Xavier's dream more at risk than ever? The Red Skull has returned - straight out of the 1940s and full of hatred - and his rebirth will alter the Marvel Universe forever! What are the Skull's new powers? Can Havok and Thor defeat the spreading influence of Honest John, The Living Propaganda? As Rogue and Scarlet Witch find themselves trapped on the Isle of the Red Skull's S-Men, Wolverine and Captain America investigate the worldwide mutant assassination epidemic! Uncanny Avengers Assemble! Plus: from the ashes of AvX, the funeral of one of Marvel's greatest heroes! 

REVIEW: I have yet to read the Avengers vs. X-Men event in Marvel comics because I own it and can take my time, but apparently this volume deals heavily with those events. I was able to get into the story for the most part though. I'm starting to sort of get sick of these Marvel NOW! titles claiming to be something new and bold in the Marvel universe, but most of it strikes me as the same old stuff. This volume of Uncanny Avengers focuses on the return of Red Skull in modern times, and he has taken control of Charles Xavier's brain after his death. He is using it to control the population and even minds of the mutants to do his bidding, but also is blackmailing hero teams to do the very same. I like the Red Skull as a villain, and I think he is very terrifying but at the same time. However, this book does little to nothing to differentiate itself from the multiple Avengers and X-Men books that are out right now. What Marvel NOW! has failed to do with their titles is create a clear and concise story for each character or character group, and suck the reader in to the new Marvel NOW! titles. Uncanny Avengers definitely wasn't the worst that I've read from the reboot series, but it definitely did little to impress me. It does leave off with a good scene that will hopefully carry into the next volume and propel it to higher levels. Unfortunately though, I find myself hoping for this with a lot of the current Marvel NOW! titles. I got a great kick out of the Deadpool variant at the end of the book.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 6 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Cable and X-Force, Volume One: Wanted

PLOT: Cable is back! NOW!, with a new X-Force at his side, he must tackle the threats that nobody else can know about - even if it makes him and his team public enemy number one. Just who are Cable's new recruits? Where has Colossus been post-AV X, and what is wrong with his powers? And most importantly, why are Cable and his team attacking a civilian company? Caught red-handed at the scene of a terrorist attack on a major American corporation whose CEO has expressed anti-mutant views, the X-Force find themselves branded criminals and on the run...with none other than the Uncanny Avengers in hot pursuit. There's no going back from here... 

REVIEW: This graphic novel was really poorly written. I could not for the life of me focus on the story and try to wrap my head around what was going on. I could only tell the basics from location and such, but the dialogue and interactions between characters didn't add much to the storytelling process. It was really a bummer to read this because the art was fantastic and of course it's supposed to be more of a darker Marvel tale being that it deals with Cable and a couple of the other darker characters. I really liked what was trying to be done, but somewhere along the lines the story was just lost to poor writing. I have read Dennis Hopeless before and it wasn't terrible so I know better is possible. This book needs a clear story to go through, and the first few issues do a really poor job of introducing the characters and the plot. The last issue was good and I think may be the turning point for this set of heroes and begin a new mission that some of us who are unfamiliar with most of these characters can grab on to. I have hopes that this series could turn around, but so far I wasn't impressed with anything but the art.

WRITING : ( 5 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 5 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 5 / 10 )

REVIEW: Thor: God of Thunder, Volume One: The God Butcher

PLOT: Throughout the ages, gods have been vanishing, their mortal worshippers left in chaos. Now, Thor follows a trail of blood that threatens to consume his past, present and future. The only hope for these ravaged worlds is for Thor to unravel the gruesome mystery of the God Butcher! In the distant past, Thor follows the bloody wake of murdered gods across the depths of space. In the present, the Thunder God discovers a forgotten cave that echoes with the cries of tortured gods...and is shocked to find himself among them! And thousands of years from now, the last god-king of a ruined Asgard makes his final stand against the God Butcher's beserker legions. As three Thors from three eras race to stop the God Butcher, the full extent of his vicious scheme takes terrifying shape!

REVIEW: I wouldn't go as far as considering myself a big fan of Thor, but I did really like the film Thor that came out as part of Marvel's Phase One. I wasn't extremely excited to see the film even though I knew that it had to be good because Marvel has done an extraordinary job with re-branding themselves in terms of film, and it was even better than good and may be my favorite other than Iron Man. This book, is the first book of the Marvel NOW! series now called Thor: God of Thunder and I have to say I was extremely surprised with how great it was. It opens with a spectacular first issue showing the many sides of Thor. An avenger, and a man of the people, the godliness of this character is shown in many different lights. I loved the way that the author is so easily able to blend the darkness and haunting story of Thor and The God Butcher, with Thor's recently unraveled sense of humor. The film showcased Thor's immense misunderstanding of the different world around him, where this book shows his simplest desires in the places he calls home. There are quite a few good jokes about Thor's habitual drinking, and I think it humanizes an otherwise unrelatable character. The God Butcher is a great villain, and flashes of Voldemort from the Harry Potter series shows in his look and his words. The writing is also phenomenal in telling three separate stories of Thor but keeping them entangled together to tell an even grander story of one of Thor's most dangerous enemies. I have to say that this may easily be the best Marvel NOW! title I've read, and again I'm shocked at the titles that this NOW! initiative has gotten right, over the ones that they've completely butchered, in my opinion. This is a must read for Marvel fans, Thor fans, and fans of the film.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: New Avengers, Volume One: Everything Dies

PLOT: To prevent the collision of our universe with another, the Illuminati must reassemble...NOW! It's the most powerful and brilliant team in the Marvel Universe: the Black Panther, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Mister Fantastic, Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Beast against an infinite legion of parallel realities. Armed with the six Infinity Gems, the Illuminati gather to plan for the death of everything...but their task is complicated by old wounds, lies and secret agendas. But when the Illuminati experience their first dimensional incursion, can this loose brotherhood of end times trust each other enough to use the Infinity Gems in unison? And what new member will join the group? Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting revamp the New Avengers in a multiverse-spanning saga!

REVIEW: Considering the Marvel NOW! entries haven't really dazzled me, I never have too high of hopes for any of these now upon picking them up. New Avengers is based on an older volume of a previous New Avengers comic it seems, called  The New Avengers: Illuminati. I had picked the previous volume up a month or so ago to read but I haven't gotten around to it, though this one does seem to originate from that story. It's a really cool group of Avengers that are assembled, and in my opinion some of the best characters from the Marvel universe. The volume deals with the threat created by The Black Swan, who upon coming to our Earth, destroys her own. This causes concern with the New Avengers and they then handle the threat as best they can without destroying all the universes and time as we know it. A few things I liked about this volume was the art, and some of the characters. I really like Black Panther, so it's nice to see him in this volume, and of course Iron Man. One character that bugged me to no end though was  Namor, because not only did he seem like he didn't want to be on the team, he didn't really seem like he wanted to be in the comic, as silly as that sounds. It was one complaint after another from this guy, and all he really seemed to serve as was the stirrer of the pot when things seemed to be going all too well for our new team. I'd definitely recommend this title out of the Marvel NOW! before I recommended a lot of others, but I still wasn't absolutely amazed by anything in this comic. I would definitely like to go back and read The New Avengers: Illuminati now to see how this team got together the first time, but you don't really need it to enjoy this book.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hawkeye, Volume Two: Little Hits

PLOT: Artist David Aja returns to the most critically acclaimed comic of 2012, as ace archer Clint Barton faces the digital doomsday of - DVR-Mageddon! Then: Cherry's got a gun. And she looks good in it. And Hawkeye gets very, very distracted. Plus: Valentine's Day with the heartthrob of the Marvel Universe? This will be...confusing.

REVIEW: After reading the first volume of Hawkeye, I had a pretty good idea what to expect of the second volume. This one is much like the first, where I find it hard to believe that this is so critically acclaimed when I really can't recall there ever being a threat to Hawkeye's well-being or super hero status. It focuses too much on the relationship between Clint Barton and Kate Bishop, with little to no outcome of their relationship or their adventures as Hawkeye. I guess I'm not just not seeing what everyone else sees, because these comics are kind of boring. I mean, shouldn't Hawkeye be doing something as an Avenger instead of running around as Clint Barton being a comedian? That's one of the few things I'll give these comics, and that's the sense of humor but where is everything else? My main gripe with this volume over the first one is while it's much the same, the tenth issue is phenomenal and comes out of nowhere. The art style is beyond amazing and really breathes life into the otherwise dull Hawkeye artwork, and it gave Hawkeye a viable threat that looks uncannily like Clint in clown makeup. I like the introduction of this villain, and maybe it will take us somewhere in the future. But until then, I'm still in the minority on this comic as it's way too bland and just squandered opportunities in my opinion. Also, the last issue of the volume is told from the point of view of a dog. While it's different, fresh, and somewhat funny, what was the point? Last time I checked this comic was Hawkeye, not his dog and I can't really say I got much from that issue at all. There's no desire for me to try and flip through a 20 page issue of a comic and try to decipher what the writer was trying to convey from the eyes of a dog. It just doesn't make sense, does it?

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 5 / 10 )

STORY : ( 5 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 6 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hawkeye, Volume One: My Life As A Weapon

PLOT: The breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good.

REVIEW: I've been hearing about this comic for months now, and finally I've been able to get around to it. Hawkeye was certainly one of the breakout stars in Marvel's The Avengers movie, and without Jeremy Renner it may not have been as successful. A lot of people really fell in love with the character, and a lot of girls did as well, probably because of Jeremy Renner. After reading the comic, I think it's the character in the film that everyone is in love with and it's carrying over into this book, because it isn't really that special, at least in my eyes. Now, let me say this though too, that I have yet to fully enjoy a Marvel NOW! title and I don't know why, but New 52's stories are so much more compelling to me. While Hawkeye may have been one of the better Marvel NOW! titles I've read, it certainly isn't anywhere near the best that it's being touted as. I'm not sure what it is about Matt Fraction's Hawkeye that has everyone all giddy, but I found it to be a pretty normal, but decent comic. The artwork is pretty simple, and has a basic look to it, so there's no wows there at all. Then you have the writing, and while it's definitely some of the better, I don't find the story groundbreaking in the slightest. The story seems a bit incomplete and that's what I'm hoping a second volume would correct, but I wasn't too much of a fan of the latter half of this. This book did serve very well for humor, as Clint Barton is a pretty humorous and snippy guy, but other than that I wasn't too entertained by it. I really like the bit with the different kinds of arrows that Clint uses as Hawkeye, but doesn't have labels on them to know which is which. Maybe the second volume will outline a grander story, but color me unimpressed, at least less impressed than everyone else is, with Hawkeye.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 4 / 10 )

STORY : ( 6 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 5 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain America, Volume One: Castaway in Dimension Z

PLOT: Thrust into a bizarre, inhospitable world far from home, the all-new, high-adventure, mind-melting, tough-as-nails, sci-fi, pulp-fantasy era of Captain America is NOW! Arnim Zola's ambitions leave Captain America stranded in the upside-down territory known as Dimension Z. With no country and no allies, what's left for the Sentinel of Liberty to protect? Just the one thing that his foe values most...Zola's son! Steve has saved the boy's life, but can he keep him alive against the savage barbarians of Phrox - with the fate of a world hinging on his victory? Plus: introducing Jet Black...the woman who's waited her whole life for the chance to destroy Captain America! Meanwhile, Zola's plans continue to move forward - and threaten to curse Steve Rogers for years to come.

REVIEW: This is my first journey with a Captain America comic, but I have a feeling that this is okay with this Marvel NOW! series. I have to say that this is the boldest entry yet, as the story seems very atypical of Captain America but also fitting. He gets stuck in an alternate dimension and befriends a young child who he claims as his own, and as time passes they both struggle to live in this new world. I like how ambitious Captain America is not only with the story, but also with the art. The artwork is pretty great, and it really helps to paint the portrait of a normal man in a strange world. This story doesn't seem like a typical story for this Avengers hero, though I could be wrong, but it takes place over a course of years and sees the Captain from confidence to losing hope. What I liked most about this comic was the fact that it was dark, and unforgivably dark at that. Captain America is a pretty light-hearted hero though he deals with large threats usually to the country or the world, like most heroes anyways. I like the attempts at trying for a darker audience though, because that is something Marvel NOW! has yet to successfully do.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Deadpool Killustrated

PLOT: Deadpool has already killed every hero in the Marvel Universe, but he isn't through. This time...Deadpool's gonna take down the most famous characters in classic literature! Why read a book when you can watch a book die?! Tom Sawyer gets slashed in TWAIN! The Little Women's throats MAY get ALL-CUT! Scrooge gets a visit from THREE BULLETS! Gulliver gets a SWIFT DEATH! The Three Musketeers are all for DONE! Sherlock Holmes gets to the bottom of HIS OWN GRAVE! And more book-related puns! Can Deadpool rid the universe of the scourge of classical literature?

REVIEW: Considering that I'm fairly new to the character of Deadpool in writing, all of this material just seems absolutely great to me. Anything Deadpool I read at the moment I would love, because I don't have a lot of experience with the character. Now, I do think this is supposed to be one of the more fun comics with Deadpool, and there are obvious reasons why. After his killing spree through the Marvel universe, which I have yet to read, Deadpool sets his sights on the characters that inspired the creation of all the heroes and villains in the Marvel universe. Thus, Deadpool takes his dead fleshy self to the "Ideaverse" as he likes to call it, where all things fictional come to creation. What is awesome about this book is that Deadpool literally goes all through classic literature and starts knocking off popular characters and worlds one by one. The covers actually do a pretty good job of showing how this book is meant to be taken, and it's really just another example of why Deadpool is so much fun. He's very self aware as well as aware of the reader reading the book, and his whole personality revolves around that. This book is the strongest of the two I've read in showing how Deadpool is a conscious character, aware that he's in a fictional world, and because of that it's really funny. This book is definitely for adults too, so if you're a fan of Marvel and want a good character to read, Deadpool is your guy.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Indestructible Hulk, Volume One: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

PLOT: Hulk: Indestructible force more weapon than man. Banner: Smartest man alive. Combined, they are the strongest, smartest weapon on the planet! And NOW!, the Indestructible Hulk is an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.! Hulk's first official missions include taking down the all-new Quintronic Man and battling Attuma on the ocean floor! But not everything is as it seems: What is Banner's secret hold over S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill? What and where is Bannertown, USA? And which one of Banner's lab assistants holds a deadly secret? Plus: Bruce Banner and Tony Stark are friends but Hulk and Iron Man are anything but!

REVIEW: For some reason, I was really excited to start reading Indestructible Hulk because the last few times I've encountered the green monster, I've had a lot of fun. Being that this is Marvel NOW!, I wasn't really expecting too much but this was probably one of the better entries in the NOW! Initiative. The first issue in particular is great, because any time the story of Bruce Banner and Hulk is picked apart and analyzed, it's really complex stuff. There's so much more to Hulk now that I'm an adult, and understand the underlying factors and personality traits that make Hulk part of Dr. Banner. This isn't short on action, and it's one of the few Marvel NOW! titles that was actually very visually impressive. I really dug the artwork in this one, and other than Marvel NOW!'s Deadpool, this may be the best I've read and that's shocking. Somehow they've managed to do pretty awful with their title characters in the Marvel universe, but are treating their second tier characters like stars. Granted, Hulk has arguably moved from second tier to top tier because of the movies, but before all of that I don't think he was one of the most popular characters in the universe. For Hulk fans this is a must read, and if you're looking for a good entry point into the NOW!, I'd give this a shot. Of course, after you're done laughing and being entertained by Deadpool.

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 6 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Avengers Arena, Volume One: Kill or Die

PLOT: Trapped on an isolated island, 16 superhuman teens (including cult favorites like members of the Runaways, the Avengers Academy and Darkhawk) are given a chilling ultimatum by their demented captor: Fight or die...only one will walk out alive! Thus begins a primal battle that will test the skills, stamina and morals of each combatant. Welcome to Murder World, where secrets are plenty, alliances are fleeting, and the key to victory might be rewriting the rules of the game. Who will survive? As Cammi and Hazmat battle the mysterious Deathlocket, X-23 and Juston Seyfert's Sentinel join the fray...but who is the killer stalking the heroes in their sleep? Who are the students of the Braddock Aacdemy? And why does Darkhawk equal death?

REVIEW: This book is incredibly sad in the worst way possible. For months, I've been anxious to read this Marvel NOW! title more than pretty much any of the others. So now I've found out for months, that I'd been duped by Marvel. Not only is this series one of the worst to come out of the Marvel NOW!, but it's quite possibly the most tangible reason that Marvel has fallen by the wayside and DC Comics' New 52 is considerably more successful. I've never seen such cowardice by a comic team, that in order to re-brand Marvel and create great new stories, they stole ideas from elsewhere. I get that concepts are borrowed in literature, and that nothing is 100% original or unique, but Avengers Arena is about the worst example of this I've ever seen. I also understand that this is somewhat an attempt at being clever and twisting a popular skeleton of a story around Marvel characters, but it just doesn't work at all as its own thing and basically comes off as a joke. From the beginning, sixteen super-teens are chosen and placed on an island to wage war against one another until there is only one left standing. Does that sound familiar to you? With the recent popularity of all things The Hunger Games, it leaves a lot of the not so popular books grasping for straws at how to make their stories as relatable as Suzanne Collins did for Katniss and Peeta.

The sad part is, that Marvel should be the pioneers of comic book hero stories, considering they're one of the top two comic producers out there. Instead, they're not even borrowing, but straight ripping off a concept from a popular teen fiction series and trying to make it their own. They could have easily taken a bit of this concept and put a unique twist on it to make it their own, as many others already have in this dystopian trend that I'm sick of, and with some success. There's nothing about this comic at all that is cool, original, or awesome. I was so disappointed that I had to read six issues of this comic and not get a single great thing out of it. A lot of the reviews I'd seen had claimed that this was intense, superb, and leaning towards adult. This is a teenage Marvel fan's dream comic I suppose, but I wasn't really expecting what I read at all in Avengers Arena. This series should be titled, Marvel's The Hunger Games, because that's about all it is. If you like The Hunger Games, you may like this. If you like Marvel NOW!, you may like this (and I really haven't so far). If you're an adult and want to read something worth your while, pass on this. Even one of the covers was a straight rip of the mockingjay pin on fire poster for the movie, but with an Avengers A! Marvel, this is pathetic.

WRITING : ( 5 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 3 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 2 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 4 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain Marvel, Volume Two: Down

PLOT: Former Captain Monica Rambeau returns, but what's her problem with Earth's new Mightiest Hero? What threat is lurking below the ocean's surface? And can both Captain Marvels stop it before they get ship wrecked? Then: Carol finally returns home, but is changed. What is weakening Captain Marvel's powers? How will the lifelong high-flyer react when she discovers that she can no longer fly?

REVIEW: It could have gone either way on the second volume of Captain Marvel, because at first it's not much to be impressed with and I was really annoyed by some of the choices with the writing and pacing. But as it goes on, it only continues to get better and drop a huge bomb on the character that will ensure drama for a bit. The first half, Carol Danvers is reunited with an old friend as they try to defeat a gigantic robot that was unearthed in the sea by Captain Marvel. What I didn't like about the first two issues with this battle was that all of the characters on the page were having pretty intense conversation during the fight with the robot. And it's not even like it was when there was a break in the action, it was just mid-fight and the characters made small talk about things they'd heard. I wasn't really a fan of this choice, and I think had the action been taken care of first, the book would have been able to show off some more complex art without text, and then take care of the dialogue after the fight was drawn out. But then, Captain Marvel returns after this journey to take on some wildly random villains in the city. As the story unfolds, you are learning more about the tumor that is in Carol's brain that has given doctors reason to tell her that she can no longer fly unless she wishes to further endanger her life and risk it all for her superpower. As this progresses, the story becomes a lot more intricate and poses legitimate questions for the character and has implications for the entire last four issues of the volume. I really liked this part of the book, and the story was really great. Captain Marvel is easily one of the better titles still from Marvel NOW!, and I'm looking forward to more now that a villain has returned!

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain Marvel, Volume One: In Pursuit of Flight

PLOT: Ace pilot. Legendary Avenger. One hundred percent pure bad-@$$. Carol Danvers has a new name, a new mission - and all the power she needs to make her own life a living hell. As the new Captain Marvel, Carol is forging from a challenge from her past! It's a firefight in the sky as the Banshee Squadron debut - but who are the Prowlers, and where has Carol seen them before? And how does secret NASA training program Mercury 13 fit in? Witness Captain Marvel in blazing battlefield action that just may change the course of history! Avengers Time Travel Protocols: engage!

REVIEW: Because this was a Marvel NOW! title I wasn't really expecting too much, plus with it being a character I'm not entirely familiar with I didn't figure I'd enjoy this much at all. I was really surprised at how much I like this title, and while it's not the greatest of characters it was enjoyable. I find it surprising that it's the second tier characters in Marvel that are getting the best treatment with this re-branding of all their characters in Marvel NOW!. Carol Danvers has a wit about her that makes her really fun to read, and I think it helps to have a female writer on board to give her that authentic female feel. All of the dialogue between her and all the gal pals she meets throughout her journey really feels right and not forced. It's rare that a character you really don't read, piques your interest and gives you a fun read that you can buy into immediately. I will be interested to see where this series goes, and if it continues to get any better as her character develops. This one of those volumes that definitely serves as an introduction to the character, so that may be why it's relatively easy to connect from the beginning. Go figure that Captain Marvel is one of the very few titles to impress me from Marvel NOW!, which still furthers my opinion that New 52 stories are above and beyond Marvel's new structure.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Deadpool, Volume One: Dead Presidents

PLOT: Dead former United States presidents, from George Washington to Gerald Ford, have been resurrected--and that's bad. The Marvel heroes can't be the ones to stop them...someone is needed with the reputation, skills and plausible deniability to take out these com-monsters in chiefs. Deadpool time is NOW! Be here as Deadpool de-un-deadifies ex-Presidents left and right...matching wits with Tricky Dick Nixon, fighting a grudge match against Honest Abe Lincoln, and battling Ronald Reagan--in space! Do you need more than that?! Fine, then: monkeys! And maybe Dr. Strange if you're good! This is the Deadpool series you will marry someday! In Wade We Trust!

REVIEW: Deadpool rules. I've always been a fan of character through growing up and collecting Marvel cards, but this is the first actual book I've read for the character. I have to say I'm extremely impressed and I'm so glad it came from Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan. I'm a huge fan of Posehn's stand up and comedic work, as well as his scene getting shot in the head in The Devil's Rejects. When I saw that he wrote this I just knew he was the heavy metal mind that would be perfect for Deadpool. I wasn't wrong. Everything about Deadpool is straight adult, and I loved every second of it. There was tons of blood and gore, and Deadpool is caught putting his intestines back into his stomach on more than one occasion. Also, the language and just overall feel on the panels is very bloody and bold but that's exactly what Deadpool is supposed to be. I particularly like the small strip where he makes a comment to you as the reader, and the characters in the book ask him who he's talking to. Him being self-aware and comedically present in every single panel is just highly entertaining. The Merc with a Mouth is never short on sarcastic comments and funny observations, and that's just one of many reasons I love this book and this character. Deadpool is a professional at being a dick, and just loves to be a pain in the ass of everyone in the Marvel universe. This is the guy that most people hate to love, but I love to love this character. Couldn't have been more pleased with this Marvel NOW! book, as it's now my favorite. Deadpool head to head against the dead presidents of the United States? Sold.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Gambit, Volume One: Once A Thief...

PLOT: When Marvel's premiere thief sets his sights on his biggest score yet, he may just end up over his head. Desperately searching for a means to destroy the pilfered artifact that's cursed him, Gambit journeys deep into the Guatemalan jungles in search of a lost temple - but finds an ancient god-monster accidentally loosed on Earth! It's going to take more than just playing cards and southern charm to get out of this one! Then, coerced by a criminal mastermind, Gambit is sent to the United Kingdom to heist the greatest weapon in the history of man: Excalibur! How will Marvel's premiere thief manage to dupe his extortionist while also escaping with a clear name? Be here as the X-Men's ragin' cajun kicks off his all-new solo career!

REVIEW: As I'm sure you can imagine, I wasn't much looking forward to reading another volume of a Marvel NOW! comic. So far my adventures in the NOW! aren't very stimulating or exciting, and I was about to vow off of them completely, until now. Leave it to one of the coolest Marvel characters in the universe to restore my faith in Marvel's mock New 52 run. Gambit is obviously part of the X-Men, but I love that this book focuses on him as a solitary character and not part of a group, though the X-Men are mentioned quite a few times in his thoughts. That was one of the strengths of this comic, is the ability to convey Remy's thoughts without it taking away from the action on the page. There's a lot of thought bubble going on with Mr. LeBeau in here, and where that usually gets annoying and becomes too much, it was a brief respite from the action every once in awhile but didn't completely suck you out of it. The story is great, as Gambit goes back to his thieving ways away from the X-Men and ends up getting himself into problems that he's not sure how to get out of. The ensuing journey to discover what exactly he has done to himself is great and really a lot bigger than you'd expect a story in Gambit's realm to go. He has of course, some hottie help from another hero, and the art and humor of the comic are just fantastic. I was thoroughly pleased with Once A Thief... and Marvel should pray that more of their NOW! titles are more like this one and not the multitude of other stinkers I've read thus far.

 

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )