Ultimate Origins #5

Posted by Jeb on October 23, 2008

(Marvel)

The end… of the beginning… of the end.

Someone once remarked that the British empire had been created in “a fit of absence of mind.” Bit of a stretch to extend the analogy to Marvel’s Ultimate Universe, but in a way it fits: Marvel didn’t set out to create what they ultimately (so to speak) wound up with.

When Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada conceived it, the Ultimate Universe was going to be the non-comic-store universe. Leave decades of continuity and crossover to the D-and-D-playing nerds at the local comic shop: the Ultimate Universe would start over with Marvel’s most popular characters, brought up to the present day, with a limited number of titles, and minimal overlap between them. They’d be rack-jobbed, just like the good old days, and would pop up in bookstores, drugstores, supermarkets, toy stores-all the place kids used to buy comics.

Which is probably why, instead of turning to established veterans of superhero storytelling, Marvel handed over this new project to a rising creator of indie crime comics, and a Scotsman best known for getting The Authority into censorship problems that not even Warren Ellis had managed. So Brian Michael Bendis took Spider-Man back to his roots, this time as a late-90’s teenager, and Mark Millar infused the freshness of discovery into the X franchise.

It’s hard to say whether it’s down to the talents of Bendis and Millar, the purity of the concepts, or some combination of the two, but while Marvel had mixed success getting their books into places like Toys R Us and Target, there was one place that the books were a resounding success: with the D-and-D-playing nerds at the local comic shop. The one thing most people at Marvel had pretty much taken for granted was that, in what was a declining comics market, the last thing you were going to get established readers to do was buy into a new set of books featuring versions of the same characters they were already reading in monthly comics form. It was a groundswell at first, with Ultimate Spider-Man winning praise from comic critics and shifting huge numbers of trade paperback collections; the dam broke with Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch’s reimagining of The Avengers as The Ultimates: a tighter, funnier, even more outrageous, and more satisfying version of The Authority. Despite the absurd delays that plagued the book during Millar/Hitch’s tenure, and beyond, it became a massive seller, riding the upper region of the Direct Market sales charts, establishing beyond doubt that the Ultimate Universe was a commercial force to be reckoned with.

But reckoned how? How to market what was supposed to be a set of stand-alone books without seeming to dilute either them, or the core universe of Marvel books? The answer seemed to be to shrug, add another category to Previews, and let things just sail along.s

But nothing in superhero comics is more certain than attrition, both in sales and reader and critical interest. At a time of rising comic sales, the Ultimate Universe has remained flat-apart from the sporadic issues of The Ultimates, sales of the line haven’t moved much over the last few years, and sales figures that once had Ultimate books in the top ten now have them nestling somewhere near the bottom of the top 50. And though Marvel made some belated moves to capitalize on the virtues of a shared universe (Kitty Pryde as Spider-Man’s girlfriend was an inspired stroke), they’ve seemed unwilling to make a long-term commitment to the idea (Kitty was quickly relegated to just another ex going to school with Peter and MJ).

As a consequence, heading toward the end of the 21st century’s first decade, the Ultimate Universe had become a bit stale, and almost irrelevant by comparison with the main Marvel line. To the extent that anyone still cares about monthly superhero comics, the main Marvel U has always moved forward with a sense of urgency, that you DARE NOT MISS this month’s Spider-Man/Hulk/DD/X title. Having achieved its first success just as the trade paperback was emerging as a major revenue stream, the Ultimate Universe has always seemed geared to those who want to absorb six months’ worth of story at a sitting, and who might go another six months without reading the next installment.

So if the Ultimate Universe was to remain a going concern in the monthly comics biz, a change of direction was indicated-but in which direction? Rumors have flown for months, with the complete demise of the Ultimate line being predicted (this despite the fact that Marvel’s most successful writer has continued to insist that he’s writing the Ultimate version of Spider-Man for the foreseeable future). Doubt turned to despair for many readers of Jeph Loeb’s critically-savaged version of The Ultimates when it was announced that Loeb would be overseeing whatever the Ultimate Universe morphed into.

And in that atmosphere of uncertainty, in Ultimate Origins, Bendis and penciller Butch Guice promised to pull back the curtain, show us where the Ultimate Universe came from, and point to where it’s going. And it would be fair to say that’s what they did… for better or worse.

Here we have it, then– the beginning of the end of the Ultimate Universe as we’ve known it. And Marvel has an interesting opportunity here: while “earth-shaking” changes are the stock in trade of superhero comic “events” (Cap is dead! Batman RIP!), the necessity of keeping the licensed commercial properties in play means that the reset button must always be kept close at hand.

Not here. Marvel can unmask Spider-Man, blow up The Hulk, or REALLY get rid of all the mutants without slowing the flow of lunchboxes or Underoos, since the original versions of all those characters still exist,

And there’s some indication in this climactic chapter that they’re pretty serious about it. Speaking through Sue Storm, an Ultimate Watcher lays things out for the besieged of earth: in typical Rod Serling fashion, these interstellar wiseguys have watched humanity bumble along for eons, developing powers (super and otherwise) that we’re not capable of managing responsibly, and that our inevitable doom approaches, On top of that, we get ultimate (both lower-and-upper-case) badassness from Nick Fury (flashing back to the eponymous Origins) and Magneto, taking his argument to Charles Xavier with a final persuasiveness that typically eludes his regular Marvel U counterpart.

In short, this series completes the transformation (begun, many would argue, with volume 1 of The Ultimates) of the Ultimate Universe from a place of new-reader-friendly superhero spectacle, into the sort of dark and doomed place that appeals so much to today’s superhero comics reader… who, we should note, is basically the same comic-shop specialist that Marvel thought the Ultimate line was going to leave behind, if not outright transcend.

And the ending… well, I suppose you could argue that there might be five issues’ worth of interest or value in this “prelude” series, but to me, it just looks like little more than the introductory chapter to “Ultimatum” (I suppose they had to get around to using that title someday). There’s a new uber-cosmic herald introduced, with lashings of nostalgia for old-school Kree-Skrull fans. But we have to wait for the next series to see him actually do anything.

Even for a Bendis comic, this issue is fairly static; while Fury and his boys make some tough decisions with the open end of their guns, most of the rest of the book consists of Sue channeling Ultimate Uatu while Magneto and Xavier do the psychic phone-call thing. It certainly doesn’t play to Guice’s old-school strengths. He does get a nice splash page of Ultimate Universe headshots, with the old-school flavor of a Buscema or Romita Sr.: like them, Guice centers a male character’s power in his expressions and actions, not his pectorals, and a woman’s beauty in her face and hair, not boobs and butt. But there’s just not enough in this comic that will remind anyone of just how good the guy can be.

There’s a good chance that you already know more about the new Ultimate Universe than I do, since I’m something of a spoiler-phobe, and don’t even read Previews much. It’s possible that Marvel’s deck-clearing will pave the way for something genuinely new and different. But I doubt it. Fond though I am of Ultimate Spider-Man and The Ultimates, the continued presence of Bendis, and the return of Millar, sounds more like a grab at past glories than a new direction. Adding Loeb into the mix doesn’t do much for me, either, particularly since it’s hard to figure just where he fits: Bendis and Millar may use him for a sounding board, but I don’t get the feeling that either of those guys is likely to tailor his work to someone else’s vision.

As I say, Marvel’s got a unique chance here to really shake up the sandbox, and find new ways to play with these decades-old toys. They’re a pretty canny bunch, though: if they miss the opportunity, it will likely be because not enough of us voted with our wallets for them to do so.

Two and a half out of five Vikings.

Mighty Avengers #14 (SI)

Posted by Eric on May 24, 2008

(Marvel)

Has event fatigue set in yet? I hope not, because with only two issues of Secret Invasion having been released, and Final Crisis set to drop this upcoming week, we still have quite a year to go. I don’t necessarily know if I agree with the term ‘event fatigue’ being that fundamentally it has a few flaws. To me an event comic signifies the upper echelon of talent working cohesively to provide the best possible narrative while furthering the characters that we all know and are familiar. Everyone who’s picked up a comic in the last few years knows that scenario is not always the case, but it’s what should happen, and when it even comes close there isn’t a line long enough of people ready to heap praise upon it. Sometimes the responses are justified, but more often than not they’re just shy of the greatness or disaster were hoping. Where I start to get a bit frustrated is something that we could call ‘crossover fatigue’. Endless numbers of issues thrust upon us with the promise of the complete storyline being better understood once read, often just leaves us cold, bored, and worst of all with the feeling of putting our wallets back into our pockets.

Mighty Avengers #12 worked for me. Seeing where Nick Fury has been and his suspicious about the world around him regarding his former colleagues and friends just fit, and was a perfect addendum to his eventual return within the pages of Secret Invasion. What followed was a mess of an issue where we were treated with seeing how Nick Fury sent someone else to round up a group of unfamiliar people to be his updated version of the Howling Commandos. Taken as a larger part of the story, this could be seen as a necessary issue so we don’t wonder where these new characters came from, but what Brian Michael Bendis did in twenty-two pages could have arguably been done in three. Is Mighty Avengers #14 any better or, by your opinion, worse than #13? The answer is: it depends. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Mighty Avengers #13

Posted by Eric on May 6, 2008

(Marvel)

“I want my money back.”

In my review for Secret Invasion #2, I said that publishers pushing event comics should be beholden to a standard of quality to ensure that readers can feel like they are acquiring some semblance of quality while putting down their three to four dollars per issue and tie-in. Immediately after I finished that review, I read Mighty Avengers #13, and almost like a light bulb illuminating above my head, I wanted to grab my receipt and get my $2.99 back into my pockets. When you put a lot of thought into a review, it can be supremely frustrating when nothing comes to mind for a particular issue, and while we don’t get monetary compensation, we do feel we need to keep ourselves to a high standard of quality; much like I’ve openly asked out of Marvel and DC. But, we’re all allowed a contradictory statement here or there, and we’ll consider that mine for the decade.

A good thing in the contemporary comic industry, and an increasingly bad thing, is the very quick turnaround from monthly to collected form. What this has done is help readers catch up with what they miss in a very timely fashion, but creates a bit of a laissez-faire attitude from the readers in terms of picking up their comics week to week. And, if you think this doesn’t also affect the creators, you’re are most likely mistaken. We’re seeing a trend expand over the industry where writers are now making the conscious decision to write their six issue arcs for the graphic novel collection, and letting the pieces come together at the end while ignoring the readers who read on an issue by issue basis. Secret Invasion #2 and Mighty Avengers #13 both suffer from this a great deal, and the product of that is an extremely disinterested reader by issue’s end. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Secret Invasion #2

Posted by Eric on

(Marvel)

With the first issue being such a blast, it could go unsaid that I was anxiously awaiting issue number two of Secret Invasion. But, in the interest of filling space, I was fairly excited for the second installment of the series that could finally put the event comic back in high standings with the readers who will buy it regardless of quality. So far I’ve read it twice, and I’m still not sure how I feel about this issue, and possibly it’s because after the craziness that was Secret Invasion #1, this seems a bit scaled back and unsure of where it’s heading. If I recall correctly, and I’m never wrong, Brian Michael Bendis said that this second issue had the Skrull reveal that he felt would cause the most interesting fan reactions. Maybe I’m blind, or maybe I need to read it more than twice, but this issue lacked the impact that the first issue carried, and I couldn’t find a reveal worth noting throughout this entire issue.

With that being said, to me a Skrull reveal is just the means to an end and I’m more interested in the overall plot of Secret Invasion than I am a character reveal. And this issue carries very little in the area of story advancement. We pick up at the moment the first issue had all of the Skrull or not Skrull characters coming off of the ship, and I’m not going to lie, the panel layout, the dialogue, and the structure left me a bit confused as to what was actually happening. I don’t think it benefits the story or the reader to have panel after panel over-laying with dialogue from other people and conversations interjected into what seemed to be random spots. I can say that I’m usually a fan of Bendis’ dialogue, but even this was populated with too many “Yeah, well” conversation for my liking, and it will cause quite a few people to go back and re-read pages because everything happened so quick and in a convoluted manner. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

New Avengers #40

Posted by Eric on April 29, 2008

(Marvel)

There are a few good things that can happen be a by-product of the same writer tackling a large event and most of the comics that tie-in – one cohesive story, full character development, a singular narrative, etc. But, as New Avengers #40 shows us, it can also lead to copious amounts of meandering exposition leading up a reveal that everybody and their mother saw coming from a Skrull world away. The biggest problem that I have with this issue is that it gives us absolutely nothing new that most readers didn’t already piece together in their heads after Secret Invasion #1, or anything that is worth caring about. I suppose after a very meaty run of issues and planning as massive an event as Secret Invasion you’re allowed a misfire or two, and for Brian Michael Bendis I’m afraid that this may be one of them. That’s not to say that this issue was a complete loss.

What we have here is basically a series of quasi-flashbacks told from the perspective of the Skrulls after the Avengers: Illuminati mini-series; how they formulated their plan and advanced their technology in order to survive among human beings completely undetected. There’s a part of me that believes it was too soon to have an issue devoted to the Skrulls motivation and infiltration, as it makes for a better story having them be a silent threat that can reveal themselves at any moment. In no way do I think it lessens the impact that the later issues of Secret Invasion will have, I just don’t think this was needed now, or possibly at all. And when I said that this issue was nothing but exposition – I wasn’t kidding. The entire book reads like a tossed script from a shelved James Bond film in which the evil villain with the scar pets his cat and tells Bond about how his giant laser is going to evaporate all of the cheese in Wisconsin, and holds the world ransom for one trillion dollars and a free iPod. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Mighty Avengers #12 (SI)

Posted by Eric on April 22, 2008

(Marvel)

It seems fairly obvious at this point that the alien race known as the Skrulls know what they’re doing when it comes to putting a stake right through the heart of the Marvel Universe. In one highly conceived and perfectly orchestrated strike, they were able to achieve what many a super-villain has failed to do in the last forty years: destroy the foundation in which our heroes stand on a daily basis. But, in the fray that has been created, one of Earth’s greatest minds and heroes has slipped through the cracks and is considered to be the greatest threat of all to the Skrulls and their plans to inhabit the world they believe is theirs to own. In Mighty Avengers #12 we see the reemergence of the ghost that is Nick Fury, and I know you’re wondering the same exact question as the next reader; how does he fit into all of this?

Well, there are no bombshells in this issue other than we finally do get to see Nick Fury grace the pages of a Marvel comic once again, and this was an insanely quick read. At it’s most stripped down conceit, this is the story of how Fury realized there was “something… off” about the way things have been running lately. The story begins with Fury in an exotic location reuniting with Valentina De Fontaine, and she tells him that she’s been suspended, and has come to be with him. Of course, a man in Nick Fury’s position should never take anything at face value, and due to his cunning intellect (or general distrust of women; amirite fellas?) he follows her and discovers she is in fact a shape shifting alien hell bent on destroying humanity. After confronting her and subsequently putting a bullet through her head, he decides it’s time to leap back into action and find out more about the situation. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

Secret Invasion #1 (of 8)

Posted by Eric on April 1, 2008

(Marvel)

The past few years have not been kind to event comics, on either the Marvel or DC side of things, and although there are people who are fans of titles such as Infinite Crisis and Civil War, there always seemed to be a general lack of urgency spurned by these story arcs. Every few months we get another excuse to spend money and yet feel empty because the stories we were looking forward to never turned out to be the stories that we hoped they were, and more often than not it was frustrating because there had been potential for something great. But, in the Marvel universe there’s been something looming under the surface of everything that we thought we knew, and an inherent evil that always seemed to be pulling the strings but nobody could figure out just where the puppet master was hiding. It’s been in the making for the better part of three years, and now the brainchild of Brian Michael Bendis known as Secret Invasion has finally arrived to either thrill or disappoint all of those who are wondering: Who do you trust?

Whether it’s because of the inherently clever idea of a secret Skrull invasion that’s been taking place right under our noses, or the fact that I’ve been a New Avengers fan since the first issue, I’ve been looking forward to Secret Invasion because I wanted something that could deliver what so many comic events in the past have offered, and that is seeing heroes being heroes. Civil War was an average attempt at allegory using the political climate of the new millennium, but had built up too much of it’s own bravado along the way only to let down the readers who wanted it to be something special. With only having read one issue of Secret Invasion, I think it’s already surpassed the magnitude of the past few Marvel events combined, even more so because they all in their own ways seemed to be leading up to this moment where humanity is most weakened by a Skrull conspiracy. Thankfully Bendis doesn’t fall prey to his too often showcased affinity for decompression, and the issue moves along as swiftly as all of the dramatic beats and reveals allow. And yes, there are reveals. A few are obvious, and there are a couple where it would benefit the reader to take a closer look and connect the dots, because they’re as subtle as can be. By the end of the issue I wouldn’t be surprised if you doubt everybody’s real identities, and that only makes for more exciting speculation and reader involvement.

As I said, Bendis does appear to be making all of these threads he’s been weaving over the past few years come together in a way where everything does in fact make sense and the reveals each have reference points where you have the ability to say that moment or scenario is when they were replaced. Like his recent New Avengers arcs, Brian Michael Bendis has really hit his groove when it comes to the Skrull invasion, and I’m very intrigued as to where this story is ultimately going to wind up, not only within the context of Secret Invasion, but the Marvel universe as a whole. Lenil Yu’s art will sometimes divide fan opinion, but I must say that I am a fan of his work in this book. The pencils are clean as can be, and out of any artist in the Marvel bullpen, I do feel that he was best suited to work on this book because he is able to bring that gritty, almost thriller-like, feeling to the issue. Not to mention he draws a great Skrull. If you’ve been following along in the Marvel universe for any amount of time in the recent years, or even if you’re new to comics, I would recommend picking up Secret Invasion #1. It was a successful first issue with all of the twists and turns that readers will be picking it up for, and there are plenty more to follow, such as more Skrull reveals, and the main reason I’m reading this book: the eventual and hopeful return of Nick Fury.

Alright, well that more or less covers a general overview of the book, and now I’m going to delve more into spoiler material (heavy spoiler material) from Secret Invasion #1, so if you haven’t read this book yet and want to go in unspoiled, it would be in your best interest to stop reading at all costs. Or else! WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

New Avengers #39

Posted by Eric on March 27, 2008

(Marvel)

With Secret Invasion looming only a week away, the hype surrounding Marvel’s 2008 event is reaching a breaking point, as many people are wondering how well the idea of a long-standing skrull invasion will play into the last five or so years of continuity. The most commonly voiced concern is that, much like One More Day, it will seem to offset or cheapen the past few years of the Marvel Universe and do nothing more than deliver a few shocking moments that were achieved in a less than honest way. I, for one, am looking forward to Secret Invasion as the past few events have ranged from extremely mediocre to flat out useless. Still, there is hope that this can be the all-unifying event in the wake of Civil War, and we can finally see heroes be heroes again, and not caricatures of their former selves. Just as a warning to anyone who hasn’t read New Avengers #39, this review will contain spoilers from the issue, and although they are in my eyes quite minor, if you want to go in blind then stop reading for the love of Odin!

This issue of New Avengers is an Echo-centric tale and while reading it I was surprised at how quickly it moved, as most of the book was a fight scene between Maya and Daredevil. Or should I say; Skrulldevil! But, in regular Marvel fashion, they didn’t give away what would be one of the more controversial reveals in a book other than the main Secret Invasion title, and it should be quickly deduced by the reader that this particular skrull has not been posing as Daredevil for any prolonged amount of time, and this was merely a ploy to get to Echo in order to take her place. And to be perfectly honest, that is about as much substance as this issue has to offer, and if finally seeing a skrull in action is what gets you in a fervor, then this issue will suit your sensibilities just fine. The only other aspect of this issue that could induce a head scratching was the information of just how powerful these skrulls are, in fact. During the fight between Maya and Skrulldevil, the alien had the ability for rapid shape shifts into four or five other Marvel heroes, while still displaying all of their powers. It may be safe to say that if it weren’t for Wolverine tailing Echo, their plan of replacing her would have most likely worked. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

New Avengers #37

Posted by Eric on December 14, 2007

(Marvel)

Have you ever cracked open a comic book and feel as though you’ve been cheated? Like there was some higher power at play that was just toying with your sensibilities and emotions, giving little regard as to how you’ve felt towards previous engagements? Well, that’s a bit how I felt towards this past issue of New Avengers. This story-arc crafted by Brian Michael Bendis, and penciled by Leinil Yu, has had the ability to reach the pinnacle of comic book storytelling like few others in recent memory have been able to, but the fallout from their missteps are disheartening. After an above average previous issue with an enticing set-up, we are given an issue that seems to be an anti-climax from the previous few issues that haven’t fallen short on promise.

We pick up at the moment we were left at the end of New Avengers #36, and I’m finding it a bit hard to find the words to craft this review; due to the fact that the main conceit in the issue is revealed rather early, so I’d rather talk about less than more, because this issue is still worth reading, but there is little to no furthering of the current story line. The fight continued through most of the issue, and while I’m usually a fan of Bendis’ banter during these scuffles, this issue he went ridiculously overboard. Perhaps I get that feeling because the fight must have gone on for about fifteen or sixteen of the twenty-two readable pages, and it had to be filled with some form of dialogue one way or another. New Avengers #37 continues the trend where the ending seems less like a cliffhanger and more One of my problems with modern comics is that they’ve all but forgotten to self-contain themselves and provide readers with satisfying conclusions to the monthly issues they purchase, while still leaving the breadcrumbs to be devoured. It seems less and less likely to be left with cliffhangers as we are with stories being cut before their climax, only for us to be relegated to waiting for the next issue. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

New Avengers #36

Posted by Eric on November 15, 2007

(Marvel)

There are short and to the point reviews, then there are long-winded intellectual reviews scouring a comic book for any semblance of deeper meaning. This will probably be brief. And now, we move on to the feature attraction: New Avengers #36. For the millions (numbers may be exaggerated, slightly) of you who read my write-up of New Avengers #35 I won“t bore you with an inane retread. But for the one of you that didn“t read it, I will enthrall you with my findings: it was great. I“m a self-professed DC reader, and have never really been all that concerned with the happenings over at Marvel, but from the first issue, New Avengers has kept me a loyal and excited reader. But, as with any other comic there are hits and misses. Going so far as to say New Avengers #36 is a miss will probably be overstepping my intentions, but after the absolutely stellar previous issue, anything less than the second coming would be a bit disappointing. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »

[Trade Winds] Daredevil Volumes 1 through 6

Posted by Elgin on March 7, 2007

Marvel

The number of comic books and their kin that are published every month are such that only those truly blessed with limitless disposable funds can follow every published item. Choices must be made and varied tastes dictate that titles some would never miss are never read by others.

When Daredevil first sprang onto the scene with artists like Bill Everett and Wally Wood in the first 10 issues, there was an excitement at that time surrounding the book because everything Marvel touched seemed to be golden. Despite a succession of good writers and excellent artists, the attempt to make a reasonably believable character into more than he could be left something of a sour taste in the mouth. Not bad, just not that good. So choices were made and Daredevil left the pull list for decades, with only the slightest awareness of the changes that were going on with the blind lawyer with heightened senses.

While those changes were taking place, the business of producing and distributing comics underwent such dramatic alterations as to make the terrain unrecognizable. It has and does teeter on the brink of extinction and is grasping for whatever support will place it back on firm ground. Content of the books themselves has received a great deal of input and adjustments to bring them to a higher level of quality. The format of the books themselves has received some scrutiny and experimental formatting to broaden the audience, with varying success. The original “floppy” comic is clearly not conducive to reasonable pricing relative to content and/or quality and will never receive wider distribution than the marketplace presently provides. The Absolute editions for certain keystone series have qualities, such as completeness and durability, that make their utility and desirability almost mandatory for the established collector. However they have negative aspects, like price and size, that make the likelihood of new readers picking them up highly unlikely. The graphic novel sort of collection brings the price and availability more into line to expand readership, but seems to leave a sense that what is being collected is for people unconcerned with quality or permanence. However when those sorts of collections have a hard cover added, an indescribable something occurs that ratchets the book into a higher strata. The long history and culturally unconscious meaning of what a book is seems to be satisfied, if certain other threshold points are crossed, the main one being size.

The most recent decade of Daredevil has been reprinted in almost every type of comic format ever tried. Floppies, softbound collections, hardbound collections of four to five issues, which carry with them all the detriments described. These slightly oversized collections of 11 to 15 issues per book with some appended material meet all the listed requirements for books that will increase the market. These are not quite Absolute editions, but are easier to handle and easier on the pocketbook. Judging just by the format, these clearly point the way to the future of comics, and may describe it exactly. However format is not everything. In fact without suitable content it is nothing.

Having avoided the title for a generation or so makes these books a revelation. Most of the stories are written by Brian Michael Bendis and others by Kevin Smith. They take the superhero style into the “real” world in a way that has only been hinted at since Marvel began the trend in the early 1960s. These are both excellent comic book writers. Maybe the best. It is critical for the industry to understand however, that compared to great literature, this writing, while head and shoulders above historical comic writing, is pale and paltry. All fans enjoy comics, hence the term “fan” being applicable. Yet as fans, we are all obligated to recognize the actual level of the quality we are receiving and continuously demand better material, and shun that which does not rise to the levels we want and require. Today’s books are beginning to explore the deeper questions of life, but in a sophomoric manner. Despite the quality of some few series, Watchmen being the most notable example, the exploration of the genre has advanced little since 1938. Until we get a serious masterpiece, written in a deep and thoughtful manner to inspire and point the way, the advancement of the artform will remain stagnant and perceived by the public as childish limiting what we get, how we get it, and where it can be had.

As the format points the way, so does the content. Not solely concerned with action and physical conflict, with storylines that continue for issue after issue so as to better explore the philosophical questions raised, this series has set a new mark for others to shoot for. This team and others need to aim, not for this mark, but higher still.

4 and a half out of 5 Vikings

[Raided] Illuminati#1

Posted by Sean on January 11, 2007

(Marvel Comics)

Welcome to adventures in Ret-Conning! Seriously though, much in the same way that I dig what Brad Meltzer did with the “Star Chamber” in Identity Crisis, I can dig what writers Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed are doing with the Illuminati – a secret society of the most powerful superheroes in the Marvel Universe who meet periodically to discuss emerging threats…and even influence events. Sure, in a way it is rewriting Marvel history. But it makes sense. We humans have the Bilderberg Group controlling the world behind closed doors, why shouldn“t superhumans have their own secret, exclusive and non-accountable power sect pulling the strings? Of course, Bendis“ Illuminati isn“t as power-hungry and domineering as their human counterparts…at least in the beginning. And that“s where I think this mini-series is going to be interesting, to see how an idea that began with the best intentions (to coordinate, and hopefully anticipate the most serious threats) eventually becomes corrupted, leading to the Hulk being banished from Earth and, in part, the current Civil War. Power corrupts! But before the fall, there were the good old days, and this issue features the group fighting the good fight against the Skrulls on their own turf to prevent them from attacking Earth. Superhero Preemption Doctrine? We fight them on Skrull-World so we don“t have to fight them here? My lunatic rantings aside, this looks to be a fun series. I“m not sure I“d stick with it were it an ongoing, but I think there“s enough to this basic premise for it to remain fresh for five issues – and I dig Jim Cheung“s artwork.

3 and a half out of 5 Vikings

[Raided] Ultimate Power #3 (of 9)

Posted by Jeb on January 9, 2007

(Marvel Comcs)

Well, now we know just what Ultimate Reed Richards did to the Squadron Supreme’s universe… he… um… released a monster. A big, gloopy monster.

OK, technically, there’s more to it than that, but who cares? This is an old-fashioned superhero crossover, and the casus belli is just an excuse to pit the heroes against each other. As the writer of the first third of this 9-issue series, Brian Bendis was given the job of bringing the Squadron Supreme and the heroes of the Ultimate Universe together, and he’s done that. And now, he’s getting out while the getting is good.

Anytime one reviews a Bendis comic, of course, it’s de rigueur to complain about the story being padded-i.e., the material from these three issues could have been told in one. Apart from the pointlessness of the argument (you can tell the same story in a novel or a single panel, depending on what you’re trying to achieve), it completely negates the contribution of comic book artists, who can put just as much meat into a plot as do the writers. A good artist can take longer to “read” than many writers if you’re not just whipping through a book to see how it ends.

The artist for this book, Greg Land, however, doesn’t fall into that category. While his sequential work has shown some slow improvement since his days on Sojourn, he continues to substitute pretty people in runway-model poses for actual storytelling. In fact, hard as it is to believe at this point, this book might contain his most ludicrous panel yet: with the White House under attack, and Hyperion flying overhead, Princess Zarda cries out: “Oh, my lord, Hyperion, What is it? Are you OK?”… but she’s not even looking at him. Instead, she is languidly gazing out at the reader with enormous bedroom eyes, one arm draped seductively. It is quite the silliest illustration I’ve seen in some time. Like all Greg Land females, she’s unbelievably beautiful… and, like all Greg Land females, she’s drawn to look completely clueless.

Just forget it. Bendis sets up the basic premise well, gets a few laughs with some bureaucratic infighting, and gives Nick Fury a nice closing line, but honestly, the chance that either of the next two writers on the series (J. Michael Straczynski and Jeph Loeb) can turn this storyline into something worth wading through Land’s porn-fantasy art for is damned unlikely.

2 out of 5 Vikings

Ultimate Spider-Man # 100

Posted by Jeb on October 4, 2006

Bendis and Bagley Do It Up Right in Ultimate Spider-Man #100

By Jeb D.

It“s a shame that this “centennial” issue falls in the middle of the most intriguing story arc this title has had for quite some time. Anyone expecting a retrospective, or horde of guest stars (or, heaven help us, the extra arms Spidey grew in ASM #100) is going to be disappointed; anyone who enjoys the way Brian Bendis puts the screws to poor Peter Parker, though, will shake their head and wonder just how much worse things can get for the poor guy.

The setup? Oh, it“s pretty simple: Peter“s dad is alive and telling a story that seems near-insane, Aunt May“s nursing enough bitterness towards him and Spider-Man to chuck everyone out of the house, Gwen“s not sure just how alive she really is, Mary Jane“s still the prisoner of the ravaged Spider-Man clone, and darned if those extra arms actually do make an appearance after all (though not where you might think); by issue“s end, disaster has well and truly hit everyone involved. I“m not placing bets on which of the supporting cast will still be around when Bendis and Bagley break the Lee/Kirby consecutive-issue record in a few months (come to think of it, this being a Clone Saga, I“m not sure I“d put a lot of money on Peter himself!).

The backstory, provided by Peter“s dad, is a brilliant variation on the “secret” of Peter“s parents from the regular Marvel U, with a Clone Saga gone haywire thrown in, and threads from the very earliest days of USM. It also has the engrossing feel of those early issues, and represents a strong return to form—never mind what the 616 Spidey is doing in Civil War, Ultimate Spider-Man is once more the Spider-Man book of record, as far as I“m concerned.

Thirty well-stuffed pages of spandex fun, filled out with an extensive collection of Mark Bagley concept sketches and unused art, plus a text recap of the series to date. And Marvel even stuck the UPC on the back (as they“re doing more and more lately), so whichever cover you get is suitable for framing. Issue #100 of Ultimate Spider-Man“s not a landmark… just a darn good comic.

RATING: