Alpha Flight by David Little
(#1 - #4)
The Cast: Guardian, Vindicator, Puck, Sasquatch, Murmur, Northstar, Aurora, Snowbird, Shaman, Radius, and Flex

Antagonists Faced: An unknown suicide attacker

Stand-Out Character: Vindicator

Best Moment: Vindicator learning the truth about Guardian’s younger clone

There was quite the interesting mystery running through this title as there was a killer offing political officials in a pretty neat way. He would kill someone and leave behind a note. It started off with “Beware” and kept going to “Beware. We are here.” So you can guess that a few more people died. David manages to intertwine a lot of politics and mystery into these killings. One savvy politician who just so happens to be sleeping with the Prime Minister was able to maneuver the killings into getting Department H opened again. Which of course ends up drawing our main characters, Guardian and Vindicator, back into the fold.

I like the fact that David showed these two trying to have a normal life. He did a good job of showing just how their relationship worked and the dynamic that they had. I really was with Vindicator in this matter though. Patriotism aside, if Department H had done as much to me as they had done to those two I would have told them where to shove it. But true to form, Guardian answers the call and it tumbles down into the reformation of Alpha Flight.

There were a lot of flashbacks going on in this series and I think they could have stood to be better labeled as it made the reading a bit difficult at times. And as someone who’s not a native Canadian it may not be my place to comment, but it felt like a lot of these characters sounded more British than any of the Canadian people I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Small gripes though because David really does have a handle on the conspiracy that has been associated heavily with Alpha Flight since the Seagle run of the nineties.


Amazing Spider-Man by Tony Thornley
(#1 - #4)
The Cast: Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Flash Thompson, Aunt May, Ben Urich

Antagonists Faced: Morlun

Stand-Out Character: Ben Urich

Best Moment: Spider-Man’s ‘win’ over Morlun…for now…

Tony started his run on Spider-Man in that weird era similar to JMS’s run on the book, with MJ being out of the picture and the coming of Morlun, as well as Peter’s new profession as a teacher and trying to find a new place for himself outside of marriage and the Daily Bugle. Fortunately, these are problems that are handled well and logically by Tony, finding a legal remedy for Pete from his good friend Matt Murdock, and getting his employment straightened out in an amusing scene with a former nemesis.

Tony’s handle on Pete/Spidey is very good, a tricky element with this character who is so smart and so childish at the same time, and he handles seamlessly the changes in humor and action and seriousness, which comes in waves as Morlun’s plans are put into motion and Spidey finds himself standing in his way for reasons he can’t fathom, but knowing he has to stop this overwhelming force. The fights between the two are very well done and even better in prose for me, without the overdone yet beautiful splash pages by JRJr to distract you, as well as JMS’s seeming desire to make Spider-Man bleed as much as possible at every turn.

The finale between these two was great, showing the scientist and noble warrior sides of Spidey working in tandem to stop the bad guy, at least for now, though Morlun’s actions will have lots of consequences after his imprisonment of Ben Urich and bombing of Madison Square Garden, the ramifications for Pete both super-heroically and personally will be here for a time to come. Moving past this formidable foe, how will Spider-Man’s new life status develop and how will he develop with it? I don’t know but I’m very interested to find out.


Astonishing X-Men by Dino Pollard & Scott Redmond
(#1 - #3)
The Cast: Banshee, Cyclops, Firestar, Justice, Sunfire, Longshot, Phoenix, Iceman, Shadowcat, and Jubilee

Antagonists Faced: Dr. Apocalypse and Warp Savant

Stand-Out Character: Iceman

Best Moment: Iceman assuring Jean that Cyke would soon have his proverbial stick up his ass.

Banshee putting his police background to work was nice to see considering it’s never really given much light except when trying to highlight his past with some figure from X-History. This title has done a good job in showing the newfound celebrity status of the X-Men and the pushing of Xavier’s dream into a positive direction. There is a positive energy coming from the title and you can’t help but to feel that progress is coming forth. This title is really meant to be the flagship of MA’s X-Line and it did a good job establishing that tone in the first three issues.

The antagonists in this title really haven’t been up to par thus far. It’s pretty obvious that Dr. Apocalypse wasn’t meant to be, but it seems so much attention was put onto establishing this title’s tone that creating an actual threat seemed to be thrown out of the window. A few mysteries were created, but there needs to be something more powerful in the mix. Something seems to be missing.

Longshot seems to have gotten the short end of the stick in terms of screen time, but that is bound to happen in a title with a roster this big. The best remedy to that though is probably stretching out the issues and adding some more in there for the folks getting the short end of the stick.


Avengers by Tony Thornley
(#1 & #2)
The Cast: Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Knight, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Scarlet Witch, Yellowjacket, Beast, Ultra-Girl, Jarvis, Wasp, Wonder Man, Falcon and Vision.

Antagonists Faced: Unknown

Stand-Out Character: Ultra-Girl

Best Moment: Tony Stark’s ‘pep talk’ to Suzy Sherman a.k.a. Ultra-Girl.

Tony’s Avengers came out of the gate with a bang…literally! Starting with a sobering press conference, MA’s Avengers were rocked to the core when the mansion was devastated by an explosion, presumably killing the Wasp, Wonder Man, Falcon and the Vision. The devastating search for survivors and answers afterword by the remaining Avengers, including Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Knight, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Scarlet Witch, Yellowjacket, Beast, Ultra-Girl and Jarvis in issue #2 was sobering, but never more so than when the Witch’s secret was revealed…she was pregnant!

The team that has come together is great, larger than normal but when an event like this happens you just know a large grouping of heroes is going to come ‘avenging’. In the Avengers Assemble special issue, more elements of the search of the mansion’s rubble were revealed, including Ant Man and his daughter, Cassie, being present, which spun off into the ongoing Yellowjacket ongoing I’ll review later. This Avengers series also touches on other events in the MA universe, including appearances by Wanda in X-Factor, dealing with the death of her father and rise of Quicksilver to the leadership role in Genosha. Those ties to a shared continuity are wonderful for the reader of the site.

Tony’s first two issues really set the tone for the series, and his characterization of many characters are spot on, especially Iron Man, Captain America and the newbie, Ultra-Girl, who’s fears and insecurities are captured very well in this series, and the sense of family and of loss that permeates the events is well captured. Now that the hunt is on for the attacker and the true fate of the lost Avengers, the action quotient can only go up, so I’m very interested in seeing this group of Avengers get down to business and get some of that good ol’ Vengeance!


Captain America by Tony Thornley & Mick Edwards
(#1 - #3)
The Cast: Steve Rogers / Captain America, Nick Fury

Antagonists Faced: Serpent Society, HYDRA, Viper, Baron Strucker, Chameleon

Stand-Out Character: Chameleon

Best Moment: The revelation of the true identity of the President of the United States.

This series got off to a racing start with a bold and unexpected attack by the Serpent Society and Viper to attack and kidnap the President of the United States of America…and they succeeded! Injured previously in the attack on the Avengers Mansion and struggling along with S.H.I.E.L.D. to stop this attack, Captain America felt this failure powerfully and that was captured well by Tony and Mick. The best part of the arc, however, was the revelations that not only was HYDRA actually being the abduction…but the President had been abducted and replaced by the Chameleon!

The scenes of the bad guys in the second and third issues were some of my favorite, as they all individually attempted to find a way to salvage their own plans while now having to worry not only about Captain America and SHIELD, but also the man behind the Chameleon…Armin Zola! And where Zola goes can the Red Skull be far behind? Even if he never shows up, that’s enough to make Strucker and Viper slow down to reconsider their plans, and that angst was excellent.

While the actual kidnapping was a bit anticlimactic in some regards, as sometimes Cap and SHIELD didn’t come off as intelligent as we’d sometimes expect, that’s not an unexpected or even damaging problem for the story, as surprise and injuries can cause even the best of us to have bad days. I think Tony and Mick have a good handle on the characters, especially the villains, and their Cap is noble and driven as he should be. Finding out how this turns out as everyone has different plans and barriers to success, will be very entertaining to find out in 2010!


The Defenders by Ed Ainsworth
(#1 - #4)
The Cast: Doctor Strange, Bruce Banner / Hulk, Silver Surfer, Namor, Nighthawk

Antagonists Faced: Doctor Spectrum, Galactus, every Herald ever and more

Stand-Out Character: Bruce Banner

Best Moment: The beginning of the Hulk: Spectrum event.

Easily the craziest title on the site, as is usually with an Ainsworth book, the Defenders came out of the Strange Tales anthology like a rocket with the classic and perfect original Defenders…Dr. Strange, Bruce Banner / Hulk, Silver Surfer and Namor the Sub-Mariner…coming together at Strange’s house to try to help Banner and end up getting attacked by Dr. Spectrum and during the ensuing battle the Hulk shatters her Power Prism and inadvertently releases an ongoing MA event…Hulk: Spectrum!

This series is just awesome, mind-bending and hilarious, the latter at the expense of Nighthawk who wants nothing more than to be a Defender but like Dangerfield gets no respect at all. Kyle’s recruiting efforts after the Big 4 leave Earth was hilarious and sad at the same time, though the team he pulled together at the end is varied and interesting and should be a lot of fun going forward. As for the Big 4, they found themselves pulled into the Herald War and being recruited by Galactus to stop this madness before it destroys the universe.

The interaction of all the characters, especially Namor and Banner, is classic and sidesplitting, and Doc Strange has a wry whit that fits him very well and keeps him probably as the most balanced of all these uber-powered beings. The Surfer’s cosmic indifference plays well with Namor’s attempts to be the refined yet savage king, and their upcoming trip to Plodex will no doubt prove to be out of this world crazy and riveting at the same time. Coupled with the less-cosmic Defenders on Earth getting into who knows what trouble, Ed’s Defenders is a unique and outstanding read at MA!


Exiles by Mitch Crane
(#1 - #5)
The Cast: Blink, Heather Hudson, Longshot, Morph, Power Princess, Sabretooth, Spider-Man 2099, and Access

Antagonists Faced: Hank Pym, The Void, and The Terran Empire

Stand-Out Character: Morph

Best Moment: Morph going semi-Proteus and smashing Gladiator to paste.

Mitch understands something about the Exiles that I think a lot of writers (myself included when I attempted the title) forget. It’s not about how fancy the worlds they travel to are, but it’s about the characters themselves. Mitch manages to take what is probably my least favorite of Exiles rosters and makes them very enjoyable to read and watch interact with one another. I especially enjoy how Mitch sprinkles in a number of different characters throughout his realties. You aren’t going to see the X-Men and Avengers pop up on every single world.

And Mitch has successfully upped the stakes that the Exiles face by adding Axel Asher into the mix along with this new threat of the Monolith. I’m intrigued to see just where this plot goes. I’m also glad that Mitch didn’t immediately come in and start killing people off to get his own Exiles in the mix. I like that he was patient and it has paid off because I’m even more excited to see who he adds into the mix.

I think the title is off to a pretty good start and Mitch has added enough layers to the plot to make this title more than just Marvel’s version of SLIDERS. There is a real threat out there and I’m intrigued to see just how the Exiles are going to combat it. If Miguel with a Cosmic Cube empowering him was afraid of this Monolith then its going to be quite the fight.


Force Works by Stuart Fairchild
(#1)
The Cast: Moonraker, Jack of Hearts, Killraven, Scarlet Centurion

Antagonists Faced: Growing Man, Alioth, Kang, Time Variance Authority (?)

Stand-Out Character: Jack of Hearts

Best Moment: Jack of Hearts vs. Growing Man…plus Moonraker’s cryptic mission.

Force Works is similar to Defenders as it’s got ideas and concepts that stretch the space/time limitations in a dozen ways and doesn’t care a bit if you can’t keep up. Stu started things off in Avengers Assemble, showcasing a day in the life of the imprisonment-prone Jack of Hearts and his attempts to save the city from the Growing Man. This action packed story was handled very well by Stu, made even more sweet by the ending scene in the Zero Room where Jack was met by the mysterious Moonraker and an agreement was struck between the two.

The action then shifted to the first issue, where an alternate reality team of Killraven, Moonraker and Machine Man fought through Limbo to find the Scarlet Centurion and save the Avengers. Instead, they found the menace of Alioth and are destroyed…except for Moonraker, who is recruited by Mobius of the Time Variance Authority to help stop the menace of Alioth, and Kang, from destroying all of everything. This was the beginning of Moonraker’s mission into the MA universe, including his above recruiting of Jack of Hearts.

These two issues were very well written by Stuart, and his characterization of the various Avengers is spot on, even for alternate reality characters. I hope we see more of his Killraven and Machine Man, who were very entertaining, as well as the Scarlet Centurion. The mystery of Alioth is a good one, and seeing this team come together, including Moonraker’s old flame Julia Carpenter aka Arachne, who has her own recent past problems with a current West Coast Avenger named USAgent to deal with. Can’t wait to see more of the most ambitious Avengers project at MA in 2010!


Gambit by David Brashear
(#1 - #18)
The Cast: Gambit, Jean-Luc LeBeau, Jacques LeBeau, Tante Mattie, Souris, Fontanelle and Courier

Antagonists Faced: New Son and Belladonna

Stand-Out Character: Jacques LeBeau

Best Moment: Gris Gris revealing to Jean-Luc that he has a grandson.

I know a lot of people rag on Gambit stories involving his dealings with the Guild and try to shy away from them. In some respects, they really are The Hand to his Daredevil, but interesting stories can still come from his interactions with them. David manages to create an interesting story because he manages to get you to care about the other characters in the Guild besides for Remy. His father and his brother especially felt more real to me here than they ever have in the comics. David did a very good job with Jacques and added layers to him within a few short issues.

David really put in the time to make Gambit’s supporting cast interesting and that helped make dealing with yet another Guild story a lot easier. And David is answering some of the bigger mysteries revolving around Gambit. I couldn’t help but to be enthralled by the journal entries from the thief Fleur. As anyone who knows me knows, I’m a huge Sinister fan so seeing him pop up was a definite plus. But by putting forth answers to questions long since revolving around Gambit the reader is definitely getting hooked in.

One of the better things I like about the series is that Gambit’s accent isn’t overdone, but it isn’t completely ignored either. I don’t prefer either extreme as I feel one stereotypes, but completely ignoring the accent does his background/heritage injustice. So I enjoy that David was able to reach a middle ground on that point. Being a native of Louisiana and having the majority of my family there, I can hear Gambit and the characters around him with such clarity that I would probably keep reading the series just to get that home feeling.


Heroes for Hire by Josh Reynolds
(#1)
The Cast: Black Cat, Luke Cage, Prowler, Colleen Wing, Misty Knight, and Iron Fist

Antagonists Faced: Flying Tiger and Cyclone

Stand-Out Character: Iron Fist

Best Moment: Iron Fist pointing to Prowler as his example of synergy.

I like the fact that Josh is playing with The Great Game plot as I always felt that was something that had a lot of potential, but wasn’t really followed up on too strongly. Taking into mind the intricate plot that Josh seems to be setting up with Midnight Sons, I have full faith that this particular plot thread will lead to some fun and exciting places. Black Cat having Luke Cage in her sights is just too interesting a confrontation to not want to watch. I always like to see the unusual match-ups in fanfic and this is definitely one of those.

Josh pretty much nails the Iron Fist/Luke Cage dynamic and successfully makes Code: BLUE look like something legitimate instead of just a comic book footnote. I look forward to seeing Lt. Stone’s continued involvement in the series as I can only think of one other fanfic title that is actively using the guy.

I really hate that Flying Tiger got sidelined for Cyclone as he is a character that I really enjoy, but Cyclone was no pushover in this issue. Loved how Prowler took him down though. He’s really an underappreciated character, but Josh seems to have a knack of making those shine. So Prowler is in good hands.

I would like to see some more of this new prison that Code: BLUE has and exactly how it works. Where is waste deposited? How are time issues handled etc. I think a lil bit of time spent on that would definitely help the reader. Maybe Prowler gets whiff of the thing and has a science orgasm or something.


Hulk: Spectrum by Various
(Hulk: Orange, Hulk: Green, Hulk: Indigo)
The Cast: Hulks, Ka-Zar & Zabu, X-Force, X-Factor

Antagonists Faced: Singularity Securities, Tan Siblings

Stand-Out Character: Zabu (always a standout)

Best Moment: The huge twists for both X-Force and X-Factor resulting from their interactions with the two variants of the Hulk.

Spinning out of the events of Defenders #1, Hulk: Spectrum chronicles the travails of the various Hulk’s created when Doctor Spectrum’s Power Prism exploded. The now Hulk-less Banner left with the Defenders into space before realizing the scope of the problem he had left behind, which will impact the entirety of the MA universe before this Crayola rainbow of pain and carnage is brought to an end.

Starting with the Orange Hulk by Derrick Ferguson, Ka-Zar and Zabu travel from the Savage Land to the Amazon rainforest to help an old friend get to the bottom of this unexpected Hulk situation. Being a creature of purest nature, the Orange Hulk was peaceful and loving, forming a bond with all the animals in his vicinity, while lashing out to stop those who would destroy or devastate such a paradise. Zabu’s reaction to the Hulk’s influence and his loyalty to Ka-Zar were wonderful to read, as this story was more sweet than action packed, though Ka-Zar’s face-off with an overzealous foe of the Hulk was fun to read. Ka-Zar’s solution to the problem was noble and in character, and maybe we’ll see more of the Orange Hulk in the Savage Land before this story is resolved.

The Green Hulk was the target not only of X-Force but also the mysterious Singularity Securities, both who wanted samples of the Hulk’s DNA for their own purposes, and it is not really clear yet if either of them have the noblest of intentions for its use. X-Force did however act in an attempt to save lives during the all-out devastating brawl between them, the Green Hulk (who was lost in his rage without Banner’s consciousness) and the Tan Siblings hired by Singularity. The action was fast and furious and really progressed X-Force’s storyline more than the Hulk: Spectrum angle, but Brent Lambert was able to deftly incorporate this into his series seamlessly and also incorporate a great throw-back to the Hulk’s history by using the Outcasts and their desert home, a story and characters I hope he’s not actually finished with at MA!

Lastly (so far) Brent introduced us to the Indigo Hulk in Genosha, a creature of pure scientific intellect and ambition, who used advanced technology to attempt to make his own tailor-made mutants for reasons that were as-yet fully unknown. The reactions of the newly formed X-Factor team were in character and dynamic, as the personalities on this team vary from the experienced yet childish Speedball to the hard-assed intelligence of Sage. Trying to keep the plates in the air, Polaris and Songbird came off as the heart of the team, and they succeed sometimes despite themselves and manage to secure the ship for Genosha’s future…but a weapon that powerful is a temptation that President Maximoff’s father could not have withstood…can his impatient speedster son hope to resist such temptation himself? Or is this a road of good intentions being paved before our eyes???

Overall, the Hulk: Spectrum event has been outstanding and varied, and with upcoming chapters featuring the Gray, Black and Red Hulks among others, it shows no chance of slowing down. Once the individual parts are told, the whole will be resolved by Ed and the Defenders in what promises to be a very satisfying and mystifying conclusion that I can’t wait to read!


Infinity by Barry Reese
(#1 - #3)
The Cast: Warlock, Gamora, Ms. Marvel, Nova, Mantis, Captain Marvel

Antagonists Faced: Count Abyss, Thanos, Dark Warlock

Stand-Out Character: Dark Warlock

Best Moment: The many deaths, rebirths, and deaths in Issue #3!

Infinity is MA’s first foray into the cosmic landscape of our universe and it is an ambitious and exciting. After the events of the Annihilation Wave, the cosmic landscape of the MA Universe has changed and the remaining threats out weigh the sources of good remaining…until Adam Warlock steps in to plug the gap. Joining him are Gamora, Ms. Marvel, Nova, Mantis and Captain Marvel, all drawn to Warlock’s purpose and desire to save as many lives as possible.

Warlock’s missions are not entirely clear so far, and the flies in the ointments of an alternate reality and evil version of Warlock and the continuing threat of Thanos, hang over the series, and the attempts to restore Eternity and Infinity was an outstanding way to kick off the series, with our heroes facing down Lord Abyss. The creation of Infinity Station is the answer to Knowhere and allows for an endless possibility for stories going forward, and the political interactions with the Shi ‘Ar and others will make for fascinating reading.

Characterization is spot on, especially for the most important characters (Warlock, Thanos, Nova) and the hanging ending of issue #3, with Dark Warlock having imprisoned Gamora and Pip in the Soul Gem, blowing up the just resurrected Warlock and Thanos, and heading for Infinity Station to destroy the rest of the team was a terribly tantalizing place to hang the story and I hope the resolution comes sooner rather than later. This is an ambitious start for MA’s space age, one that hopefully will be followed up on very soon, and I’m very excited to have it and Barry involved with MA!


Invincible Iron Man by Mike Hintze
(#1)
The Cast: Tony Stark / Iron Man, T’Challa / Black Panther, every genius in the world

Antagonists Faced: Ultimatum

Stand-Out Character: Iron Man

Best Moment: The death of Tony Stark.

When it comes to series I’ve always imagined being very difficult to write, Iron Man was at the top. While I had fun writing a version at an Age of Apocalypse site named X-Calibre Fromme and I ran for a while, I had free reign of what I could and couldn’t destroy and not many smart people existed in that world any more to question anything smart I had Tony Stark do. Here, Mike has to not only pull off tech talk and technical battles with walking armor, he also has to write one of the smartest men in the MA Universe…and he starts it off by taking him and every other smartest person in the world to Wakanda for a ‘We’re the Smartest Bastards Alive’ symposium!

While that would be an overwhelming problem for me, Mike pulls it off with style and writes a Tony, T’Challa, Richards, Pym and others that not only ring true but are also fun and thought provoking. The story incorporates ongoing events in other Avengers titles, but also incorporates the story setup from his Solo Avengers series and the anthology book Avengers Assemble, bringing us a fully rounded Iron Man with a lot of ‘irons’ in the fire and problems to solve, which is just how we like our Tony Stark.

The ending to the first issue was quite the shocker, with Tony Stark actually gunned down during the opening of the international technical symposium and the arrival of a new Iron Man in the supposed wake of his death. Where this goes and how, or even if, Tony can recover from this, or perhaps his really smart friends can figure something out, remains to be seen, but Mike certainly captured my imagination and interest with this book and I can’t wait to see more of it.


Ka-Zar by Derrick Ferguson
(#1 - #3)
The Cast: Ka-Zar, Shanna, Zabu, and Rosalind

Antagonists Faced: The UN General Assembly, Zarrko the Tomorrow Man

Stand-Out Character: Zabu

Best Moment: When Zarrko tells Ka-Zar about The War of Monarchs and how he killed his wife.

Man the way that Derrick describes The Savage Land is just amazing. He makes it feel so lush and real. Having lived in Central America before, I can tell you that the jungle is even more beautiful than the movies make it look. Derrick was able to capture that, but he was also able to zoom in on the primal essence of it. The Savage Land is not only beautiful, but it is also extremely dangerous as a group of unfortunate good doers found out when they became raptor food. Which was another beautifully described scene that made me hold off on eating lunch.

Zabu just shines in this series. He is even more alive and more of character than Ka-Zar which I want to give Derrick a big hug for. Zabu’s fleshing out had such a depth to the title that I don’t think it would have had if he had just been left a dumb animal who just so happened to do everything right at the right moment. The way Derrick played it is how I wish Marvel would play it.

I encourage people to read this series because of the vast scenery, lively characters, and because you are seeing the inklings of something in this title that is going to end up having a massive impact on the future of the Marvel Anthology universe. You should want to say you were on the ground floor and was able to guess how things were coming together. I hope Derrick keeps throwing up the unusual foe at Ka-Zar and avoids all potential clichés, but I have complete faith that he will.


Master of Kung Fu by David Brashear
(#1)
The Cast: Shang-Chi, Clive Reston, Leiko Wu, and Black Jack Tarr

Antagonists Faced: Fu Manchu

Stand-Out Character: Leiko Wu

Best Moment: Shang-Chi reflecting on the foes he had faced with his allies in the past.

I loved the fact that as I was reading this it felt like I was being thrust into a martial arts movie. It was like at the very beginning where you tend to get all your exposition through flashbacks. Yes, that can come off a bit cliche at times but it worked here because it showed that David had a grasp of atmosphere and the characters he had at his disposal. You have all the right elements. The tortured hero, the femme fatale, and the grand schemer.

While I like the idea of the grand schemer being in the mix I just wish he could have been someone other than Fu Manchu. It just seems like such familiar territory and I much prefer to read something that is trying to tread something new. I would like to see a villain from the greater Marvel universe be put in Shang-Chi’s path. I remember fondly enjoying the story where he teamed up with the X-Men against Sebastian Shaw and The Kingpin.

Fu Manchu should definitely be involved in the title, but he shouldn’t have been there from the start. Be that as it may, I see that David has a clear kind of atmosphere he’s trying to establish and he did a good job with it in his prose. I eagerly look forward to the future challenges that The Master of Kung-Fu and his friends deal. Perhaps a mad god or demon from Chinese mythology?


Midnight Sons by Josh Reynolds
(#1 - #4)
The Cast: Blade, Frankenstein's Monster, Morbius, and Werewolf by Night

Antagonists Faced: Moded the Mystic, Lilith, The Prince of Venice

Stand-Out Character: Dracula

Best Moment: Modred going apeshit on The Darkhold Order.

The thing I enjoyed the most about this title is the predicament that Dracula found himself in. He’s stripped of his power but he proves to be just as capable as Josh shows. The Prince of Venice is just as wicked of a character and I look forward to seeing him potentially grow in prominence in the vampire world. One can only imagine what will happen to him if Dracula does ever find a way to get his immortality back. Honestly, I was surprised that Lilith was introduced as early in the game as she was, but seeing her around is going to be cool I’m sure. She has a very twisted relationship with her father and going by the dark tones that Josh has already established, I’m sure he’ll dig gives us readers quite the bizarre look into how that works.

I also really like the idea of these separate stories (Morbius, Blade, Dracula, and Modred) seemingly converging on each other in something that is promising to be explosive. I love stories like that because again I think it’s more realistic to write that way. The problems and conflicts of the world are not handled in a neat, tight, orderly list. They crash and slam into each other at random.

In issues 3 and 4 there seems to be a lack of exposition and the issue sort of reads skeleton like in some places. The conversation that occurred between Blade and Vinchese definitely felt sparse and I think more could have been drawn from it. But overall, Josh’s writing of the series is solid and works as a dark, supernatural tale.

I would like to potentially see some more of Marvel’s supernatural elements come into the book. Like maybe some of the remaining Lillin showing up. I have always had a thing for Skinner. I see that Victoria Montesi is about to make her way into the tussle. I hope she isn’t lost in the mix as human characters can sometimes be amongst those who are super powered.


New X-Men by Jimmy Mathis
(#1 - #2)
The Cast: Anole, Network, Decibel, Pixie, Speed, Loa, Elixir, Rockslide, Hardball, Stepford Cuckoos, Mercury, and Surge

Antagonists Faced: The Pusher Man and various thugs

Stand-Out Character: Loa

Best Moment: Cable confusing Rachel as to the true purpose of the New X-Men team.

It is obvious that JD really has a love for the characters he's using here. Even in the most awful writing, you can still pick up on whether the writer loves what he's doing. Enthusiasm can't be faked and that's not to say that NEW X-MEN is awful writing. Far from it, but it helps to know that genuine enthusiasm is there. I know that I have probably said this in the past, but I loved how JD introduced the characters in the series. It was clear, concise, and straight to the point without being overly cutesy. I also liked how fast that JD addressed one of my main concerns with the title when it initially started and that was how The New X-Men were able to exist without the main X team knowing.

I feel like with the large cast that JD is building up he is going to have to slow down and spread out his screen time a little more evenly. Right now things feel a bit lopsided in the favor of Speed and Loa. I know that the bigger the cast the harder it is to spread out the time on page, but that is the balancing act of team books. I would suggest a sort of cycling process with the kids. Focus on whoever you're going to and then try to bring some spotlight on the person who received the least amount of action. And maybe with that you'll be able to get to all the characters in the series.

I definitely feel like there needs to be some more classroom time and some teenage drama in the mix for this title. I respect that JD is treating these kids and this title with the same dignity someone would a main X team, but we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that they're supposed to be young people. So let's bring that a bit more into the limelight. And definitely some more teacher/student interaction could help with that. I think unusual pairings might be the way to go as well. What could Emma have to teach someone like Loa or Colossus have to teach Anole?


Nightstalkers by Jan Oudshoorn
(#1)
The Cast: Jennifer Kale, Johnny Blaze, Hannibal King, Elsa Bloodstone, Talisman, and Guiseppe Balsamo

Antagonists Faced: Pestilence and a few mysterious demons

Stand-Out Character: The demon that killed the truck driver

Best Moment: The ghost killing the truck driver while wishing he could yodel.

There is a hefty mix of humor and mysticism thrown into this intial issue. Jan also manages to establish enough plot points to propel the series for a little bit. In serial writing, I’m definitely a fan of having more than one plot going at the same time. It helps in world building and adding a sense of realism. Our day-to-day lives aren’t tackled one problem after another. We’re constantly thrown obstacles and issues out of the woodwork even as we are trying to solve an issue.

Cagliostro is pretty interesting as well and I think will be akin, if done right, to Chapman over in Daniel Ingram’s EXCALIBUR for all those familiar with that title. He’s got a large dose of jackass with a fair dose of brains and ruthlessness. I like how Jan is playing him thus far.

With that said, some of the other characters could potentially use a bit of work. Johnny Blaze in particular stuck out to me as a character who would be need in some focus. He didn’t come off right to me and seemed a bit too…talkative I suppose would be the word.

I have a feeling this title will be dealing heavily with The Red Event described in STRANGE TALES so Jan will need to give this title an epic feel. They should deal with the full breadth of Marvel’s magic to fully investigate this phenomenon. There should be appearances from all corners of Marvel supernatural universe and I think maybe a few new characters would be in order as well.


Uncanny X-Men by Tony Thornley
(#1 - #4)
The Cast: Cable, Cannonball, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Chamber, Siryn, Marvel Girl, Storm, and Wolverine

Antagonists Faced: Weapon X and Sebastian Shaw

Stand-Out Character: Nightcrawler

Best Moment: Colossus punching the crap out of Cassandra Nova

Tony definitely understands this title’s role in the X-Branch of Marvel Anthology. It isn’t necessarily meant to be the flagship (that’s more Astonishing X-Men), but it is meant to be the bridge between the celebrity of AXM and the brutality of X-Force. Uncanny X-Men sort of stands in the middle of that. Tony definitely dove head first into the Weapon X threat and you can tell that he has a lot of fun with it. Siryn and Wolverine definitely get to shine though I wonder how these guys will change their tactics up next time because I’m not sure how they’re going to be taking on anyone if they got beat by three X-men let alone a whole team. Something Cassandra Nova pointed out in issue 4 so Sabes’ squad is definitely going to have to step their game up. They did not have a very impressive first showing at all.

Colossus’ return was handled pretty well. It wasn’t cheesy and it wasn’t full of continuity explanations as resurrections can sometimes be. I’m glad that Tony has decided to take the slower route and work out the W questions of this resurrection over time instead of all in one big dump. I’m also interested to see exactly why Nova was after Colossus and Wolverine’s kids. Some motivation there would have definitely helped in amping up the conflict I think.

Overall, the title is a pretty strong one. The cast is a tad big as seen by the sparsely divided screen time amongst the cast except for Cable, Jono, Rachel, and Logan. Maybe that focus will shift in coming issues, but with a cast this big it could stand to be a little more even. Despite that, there is an interesting cast of characters here that I think if Tony takes full advantage of will provide him with some really interesting stories.


West Coast Avengers by Clayton Tooley
(#1 - #3)
The Cast: Hercules, Human Torch, Namorita, Rage, Stingray, Spitfire, War Machine, and US Agent

Antagonists Faced: Lava Men and The Master

Stand-Out Character: Hercules

Best Moment: It’s a tie between Spitfire retrieving US Agent’s shield and Hercules being insulted at being called weaker than Thor.

Man this is easily the team having the most fun at Marvel Anthology. Clayton knows these characters all very well and has positioned them in just a way that nothing but crazy antics and fun banter can occur between them. Hercules taking Rage under his wing is hilarious and US Agent says something funny almost every other line he gets. There is a place for dark and gloomy, but Clayton realizes that West Coast Avengers isn’t it. At least not the majority of the time anyway and its obvious that Clayton enjoys writing these guys. The enthusiasm pours off of the page and makes the reader enjoy it all the more.

Honestly, I would not have thought that Spitfire would work in this series, but Clayton made me a believer quite quickly. She brings a certain balance to the series, but really I think every character does. I’m hard pressed to ever call anything a perfect roster, but Clayton comes pretty close. Or maybe he’s just presenting the guys that good. I don’t know which but I am absolutely in love with it.

In the future, I would love to see these guys tackle some more of the oddball villains out there. The Master of the World isn’t exactly a respected villain, but Clayton makes him more than a formidable threat in these first three issues. I’d like to see him give the same treatment to some other villains. Maybe The Leader or someone like Absorbing Man. Who knows, but either way I’m along for the ride.


Solo Avengers by Mike Hintze
(#1)
The Cast: Iron Man

Antagonists Faced: Future Iron Man

Stand-Out Character: Future Iron Man

Best Moment: The mystery of Future Iron Man.

This issue was a setup for the huge mystery that will develop and resolve during the first 12 or so issues, but that doesn’t make it a throwaway at all as it came right out of the bat with the huge story points for the spotlighted Avenger…Iron Man. We were introduced to the Wakanda ‘Leaping Forward’ international technical symposium that was developed in Iron Man #1, and also learned that the niece of Justin Hammer, Janine Hammer, was joining Stark Industries as the Executive VP of Operations. How both of these big plot points will reflect on Stark Industries and Iron Man himself have yet to be fully developed.

But this issue had more to sink its teeth into than that, including a call from the Pentagon for assistance from Iron Man, who was shown an advanced version of his own armor that had traces of time travel in evidence, having been found at the bottom of the Marianas Trench. While investigating the armor, it came to life and fled, which resulted in an exciting and well-written chase/fight scene between the Iron Men that ended with the armor revealing our era was in danger…from Stark-Fujikawa!

A final mysterious revelation of the face of the man in the armor has established another mystery for this series, which will expand now that the mysterious future Iron Man is on the loose and going about his mission of saving the world. The initial tease was great and sets the imagination going and I’m very interested in how this turns out and just who this future Iron Man is and what threat was so severe to bring him here to stop. An excellent beginning, Mike!


Winter Guard by Gavin Devlin
(#1)
The Cast: Black Widow, Vazhin, Kragov, Vanguard, Ursa Major, Fantasia, Red Guardian, Starshine

Antagonists Faced: Yelena Belova, Democracy

Stand-Out Character: Vanguard & Ursa Major

Best Moment: The introduction of the future of Mother Russia.

The newest series at MA got off to a very political start with the democratic Russia taking its first steps to protect itself, but a rash of deaths sets events in motion to speed that process up. Sent home by Nick Fury, the Black Widow sets up base in the new Kremlin and its leader, Vazhin, begrudgedly begins assisting her in the creation of a team to stop all threats to Mother Russia, including this hidden assassin…who they do not know is Yelena Belova, the second Black Widow!

The world-building done in this issue was excellently paced and the individuals approached to form the new Winter Guard…Vanguard, Ursa Major, Fantasia, Red Guardian and Starshine…were handled very well. The introduction of Field Marshal Kragov was handled well as he demonstrated his position and intelligence in gathering many of those above, and Gavin didn’t forget any histories or old grudges held by the characters, as detailed for example by Ursa Major’s answer to why he agreed to turn from communism and Vanguard’s exchange with the Black Widow.

Gavin’s team is well defined and everyone got a reasonably deep background description and personality to make them all interesting and whetting the appetite for more to come. Now that the political battlefield has been laid, future issues can expand and delve into that while putting the Winter Guard out in a real battlefield and let the public react to them as well. An interesting and engaging start, Comrade Devlin!


X-Factor by Brent Lambert
(#1 - #4)
The Cast: President Pietro Maximoff, Polaris, Songbird, Sage, Speedball, Guido, Omega, Thunderbird, Slipstream, Wash Out, Proto-Goblin, Professor X, White Queen, Marvel Girl

Antagonists Faced: Exodus and the Acolytes

Stand-Out Character: Polaris

Best Moment: The death of Magneto and rebirth of Genosha.

A political book on the other side of the spectrum from Winter Guard, X-Factor tells the story of Genosha spinning out of the tragic events of X-Men: Alpha, where Magneto died and Polaris was given her first order of business as the leader of X-Factor…bring down Exodus and the Acolytes!

The series itself got off to a quick start with a visit from Charles Xavier, Emma Frost, Rachel Summers, Wanda Maximoff and Rogue, who were attempting to assist with this mission. The telepathic search for Exodus was well handled, and the chaffing at the initial failures to stop him from President Pietro Maximoff was well handled, as his impatience has not been tempered yet by his office. The distrust between Quicksilver and Professor X was established well, as each has their own motivations that may not be mutually beneficial in the long run. Each man has a big stick to bring to the table, Xavier with the X-Men and their new worldwide popularity with the X-Corporation, and Pietro with the densely populated hub of mutant activity in the nation of Genosha. How this relationship continues will be fun to watch.

The actual hunt for the Acolytes was handled well also, as Brent develops their current fixation on their belief that Magneto is actually alive only missing, and they will burn the world down to find him. Their efforts to find a mutant that can track any mutant on the planet were well handled and the lead they developed, be it actually a lead or a figment of their shared desire, was huge and will have long-lasting ramifications not only for this book but for MA in total. Brent’s handle on Exodus and the Acolytes is great, especially Exodus and Cortez, and how that powderkeg of a team moves forward will be interesting.

The first action of the combined X-Factor team was good but short, as their initial battle with the Acolytes was dominated mostly by the guest-staring Phoenix and Polaris, but other members got a chance to shine in personality if not in action, and the team built…Polaris, Songbird, Strong Guy, Speedball, Sage, Omega, Thunderbird, Slipstream, Wash Out and Proto-Goblin…are a varied group that will lead to a lot of great stories, and the attempts to tame the wild Proto-Goblin were interesting and slightly fearful at the same time. The manipulation that went on between the enigmatic Sage and White Queen was also excellent and showed that both characters haven’t quite kicked their questionable pasts, and seeing them clash in the future will be great.

Brent is off to a great start on a book with a wide range of potential storylines and problems to deal with, and the crossover with the Hulk: Spectrum event (reviewed separately) gave the team more of a chance to show their stuff and give Genosha a whole nother problem and weapon to worry about…or to make the world worry about. Keep up the good work, Brent!


X-Force by Brent Lambert
(#1 - #10)
The Cast: Havok, Blind Faith, M, Marrow, Abyss, Shatterstar, Cecelia Reyes, Pipeline, Madrox, Mikhail Rasputin, White Queen

Antagonists Faced: Dark Beast, Agent X, Selene, Genegineer, Ahab

Stand-Out Character: M, Marrow & Dr. Reyes

Best Moments: Cecelia giving M a much needed tune-up, and Abyss’s capture by Selene.

This is perhaps the most political book on the site without any nations actually involved, as none of the big players on showcase here can call any place home any more and all seem ok with that. Spinning out of X-Men: Alpha, Havok sets up the black ops X-Men team created by him, White Queen and Wolverine to do the work that needs to be done from their base on Muir Island. Gathering other like-minded souls…Blind Faith, Abyss, Marrow, M, Maddrox, Pipeline, Shatterstar and Dr. Reyes…Havok sets out on an almost Ahab-like mission to destroy the evils in the mutant world.

The series stars with an effort to stop the sale of a Phalanx on the black market, one being pursued by both the Dark Beast and Selene, and involves the enigmatic Mikhail Rasputin as an information source with his own agenda. The setup for the mission contained a lot of information and good showcase of each member of the team, some who just don’t like others and some who don’t care what anyone thinks. The group is anchored, in my opinion, by the under-used Dr. Reyes, who is the one with the most heart left unbruised on the team, though when pushed she has a true backbone, as shown in her interactions with Monet and Marrow.

The action in the series is raw and true, but started slowly in the first arc as things were being established. The fact that this team is willing to kill was made clear by Marrow, but even Maddrox is double-fisting pistols and Havok’s counterattack on Selene was creative yet brutal. The Dark Beast was a great character when created in the AoA and he continues to be so under Brent’s hand, and his cruel manipulation of Agent X as his bodyguard shows the depths of his depravity. As a constant thorn in the side of the team moving forward, Dark Beast stands to be a fantastic foil.

But he and Selene are not the only foes for X-Force, as explained by Selene to Abyss there are other dangers in this world, including Eliphas, a lover of hers from back in Rome she had made an Immortal but who surpassed her in power and evil and, fearful, she used her magic to lock him away. He has now returned and Selene, having been denied the Phalanx samples by X-Force, is at a loss on how to stop him on her own. This issue, #7, was one of the more entertaining as the back and forth between Nils and Selene was fun to see develop.

The next and current arc introduced the Genegineer, another depraved genetic manipulator to rival the Dark Beast, and also Ahab and his Hounds, and gave the still-gelling team a chance to strut their stuff as they fought to stop both of these threats while still striving to get to the bottom of the neogenics equipment being sold by the black marketer known as Adel, who has had ongoing business in the series with all parties and was involved in the sale of the Phalanx samples. The ongoing battle between X-Force and Ahab is excellent and gave my second favorite character, M, a chance to shine.

The glimpse of X-Force’s future provided in the Hulk: Spectrum crossover (reviewed separately) was also enlightening as it gave us a glimpse of the Singularity Securities organization, a new threat on the horizon and potentially the most devastating of the assortment they are gathering. It also introduced the Tan Siblings, a mercenary family for hire who aren’t afraid to do what needs to be done, and who hold grudges for a long time. Finally, the true hand behind Singularity was revealed…Eliphas.

This is a complex and very entertaining book and perhaps the most in-your-face ongoing at MA, willing to push the limits in every way imaginable. The characters are vivid and well defined, and watching the stress and obsessions begin to take hold of Havok as he keeps wallowing in the mud will continue to be fascinating in the months to come. Brent has etched out a great niche for himself with this team and I can’t wait to see how he keeps all the balls in the air!


X-Men Unlimited by Clayton Tooley
(#1)
The Cast: Maverick, Moon Knight, Frenchie and Sekhmet

Antagonists Faced: Sekhmet

Stand-Out Character: Maverick

Best Moment: Sekhmet’s origins being revealed.

This is hands down my single most favorite issue to come out of the site this year. Clayton had a real handle on every character involved in the story and while the plot was simple Clayton made it very engaging. Maverick and Moon Knight aren’t exactly people I’d call my favorite characters (though they’re far from bad), but Clayton made them jump out from the page. You could tell these were two distinct characters interacting with each other.

Sekhmet was a very interesting threat with a powerful back-story that is going to have major implications for the entire X-Line and the website once the story really gets rolling. Clayton wrote her powerfully and gave her a nice, strong voice. She commanded her own presence without sounding like a cheap Apocalypse knockoff. She stood on her own and wiped the floor with the two guys, which is to be expected considering her power level.

Small stories like these keep the site going whether people realize them or not. I always like to look back through my comic collection and find those issues where something big happened, but at the time no one really realized it. This is one of those issues. Clayton plays the story perfectly and it’s like he’s winking at those of us in the know about the consequences to come. Definitely an all around great issue.


X-Men Unlimited by Brent Lambert
(#2 & #3)

The Cast: White Queen, Professor X, Angel, Weapon X (various)

Antagonists Faced: Christian Frost, Ugandan Rebels

Stand-Out Character: Fatale (issue #3)

Best Moment: The peek into the inner workings of Weapon X.

The anthology X-Men book at MA has had two entries from the leading X-scribe at MA, Brent Lambert, that included two very different tones. In the first, Emma Frost was forced to confront her brother Christian and come to terms with his new position and her own feelings of her failure as a sister. The interaction between Emma and Charles showed the depth of their feelings for each other gave us a better look at that surprising relationship, including Xavier’s discussion about Emma with Warren. The actual meeting between Emma and Christian was surprising emotional for her, but took an ugly turn when Christian announced the partnership between Frost Biological Solutions and Singularity Securities, and an offer to Emma to come join him in his work. The manipulation of Emma’s emotions cannot end well in the end for Christian, but how it affects her work with Charles, with X-Force and her future dealings with Christian will provide a lot of ramifications for all of MA’s X-verse!

The second issue gave us a glimpse into the heart of the Weapon X organization that was introduced in X-Men: Alpha and developed further by Tony over in Uncanny X-Men. A den of evil overseen by Cassandra Nova and including such operatives as Sabretooth, Fatale, Scalphunter, Carnage, Dark Beast, Gryphon and others is a fantastic counterpoint to the various X-teams and even the Avenger teams at MA, as Nova has gathered not only mutants but also other types of powered villains, all for her own mysterious goals. The mission undertaken in this issue by Fatale and her team, a mission to Uganda to kidnap rebel mutants for experimentation and recruitment, was well handled, action packed and full of questionable morality and showed that no one inside or outside of Weapon X is truly safe from this organization, and everyone is expendable to Nova’s goals.

With both of these issues, Brent has taken the introduced items from various X-related items at MA and deepened them, fleshing out the threats on the horizon and giving some of our heroes, and even some villains, a broader range of emotion and motivation than they had before. This is exactly what an Anthology book should do, and I hope that Brent and many other writers find more of these insightful stories to tell in X-Men Unlimited and further dive into the rich tapestry established here at MA!


Yellowjacket by Anthony Crute
(#1 - #3)
The Cast: Hank Pym / Yellowjacket, Cassandra Lang, Wasp, Giant-Man, Ant-Man, SHIELD

Antagonists Faced: Psycho Man

Stand-Out Character: Yellowjacket

Best Moment: The escape from Psycho Man that saved the world in issue #3.

Yellowjacket is less of a superhero story and more of the story of a damaged, brilliant man who is capable of being one of the greatest heroes the world has ever seen…or crawling into a tiny padded room and screaming for the rest of his life. The pain and desperation Anthony has given voice to from Henry Pym was very well established in this series, spinning in part out of the events of Avengers Assemble and Avengers #1 in the wake of the explosion of the mansion and the effects of the supposed death of Janet Van Dyne had on Hank, though the initial arc in Yellowjacket takes place after the resolution of that mystery. The introduction of his ‘niece’ Cassie Lang, daughter of Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, was a great idea to give Hank some motivation to keep putting one step forward and to answer the call from SHIELD that would kickstart him into the next phase of his life.

Arriving at Central Park, Yellowjacket is presented with a series of strange deaths of civilians with holes bored cleanly through their foreheads, which he quickly determines to be caused by a miniature sun growing into our realm from the Microverse. Anthony doesn’t spare the technobabble when having Hank explain to Cassie and SHIELD what is happening, and the use of his size-changing abilities was handled excellently. The initial failure that he encountered in finding a way to shrink small enough to combat this threat in the microverse was an unexpected way for Anthony to take the story, as Hank almost made a deadly mistake that showed he had not really gotten a handle on everything just yet.

Those interactions with Cassie are good and showing Hank’s failings against his victories is very important in this character, but even more important is showing that Hank is now finding ways to use his failings to make him a better hero and a better man, and not letting them consume him into the dark places he had fallen into before. The rescue mission mounted by Yellowjacket, Ant-Man, Wasp and Goliath was well set-up and executed, even their capture and torture at the hands of the Psycho Man was done in a way to not diminish the heroes efforts.

The resolution was excellent as it utilized Hank’s own mental problems to his benefit, it also showcased the deep and untarnished level of trust between him and Jan, and at the end of the day the moment they shared in Hank’s tiny yet huge mansion was sweet and hopeful. I think Anthony has a handle on these characters that is simply wonderful, especially Pym himself, but don’t think that everything is hunky-dory with our hero just yet, as exposed in the Avengers Assemble anthology Hank’s mental problems may not be over and perhaps have a different origin than we ever believed, as the tiny and cruel little Yellowjacket dogging Pym in secret during the investigation of the Mansion explosion was entertaining and concerning at the same time. I, for one, cannot wait to see where Anthony takes Pym and Co. next, and really want to get to the bottom of this tiny Yellowjacket as soon as possible!