Since Diamond screwed up last week and failed to deliver any comics, this week is a double-sized dose of reviews, as I have to read and review last week's load as well as this week's. So let's start with the ones that have been waiting a whole week to find out what I thought of them, and then - after this month's Previews summary - get on to this week's reviews.
Guardians of the Galaxy #5 ~ I'm still not really buying this as a Secret Invasion tie-in, nor do I think anyone who's picking it up purely on that basis, not having read the first three pre-tie-in issues, will really be enjoying themselves much. The Skrull thing is just too incidental - sure, it kicks off the plot, but it could've been any outer space menace achieving roughly the same end; it's certainly no Avengers-style 'stuff you need to know' issue for the big event miniseries. On its own merits, though, Guardians fares a lot better - the previous issue, while I enjoyed it, seemed a little bit slice-of-life without a huge sense of narrative, but this one tightens up the storytelling, hitting high points in several of the strands of plot going on simultaneously. It's this multi-plot approach that, I think, is this title's weakness, as well as one of its strengths - each issue isn't really about one specific thing, which'd be easier to summarise (or understand if you pick it up randomly), but rather the issues move all of the subplots forward a little bit at a time, giving prominence to whichever area of the story merits it at the time. I think it'll read really well in trade paperback format; issue to issue, it makes this an ongoing reader's title, not one to dip in and out of.
Batgirl #3 ~ Yeah okay, I'm pretty bored now. This issue was actually a lot like the last one, with three major differences. One: Batgirl and Masque, and new girl Ravager, act dumber than previously as they have a lacklustre fight with a bunch of generic ninjas; two: there's no characterisation scenes for Cassandra this time around, like the cute diner scene last issue; three: this time, the Oracle scene was annoying rather than interesting. Seriously, I feel offended on behalf of Birds of Prey that Barbara gets treated so poorly by this dull little miniseries, for no more reason than to make its own derivative plotline look important. I won't be getting any more issues - there are better comics to spend my money on.
Fathom #2 ~ The attack on the surface world has gotten major attention, with everyone sitting up and taking notice - which is a really interesting facet to this story so far, that it's not just a bunch of covert goings-on that no-one outside the scope of its own story learns about. Pearl Harbour got blasted to bits, Rio de Janeiro has a huge mass of water hovering above it menacingly, and the whole world is wondering who it's at war with, and whether the freaky stuff they're seeing in some videos to escape the carnage are aliens or what. I like that grand, all-encompassive scope - it makes it feel like this matters, and I rather hope that the existence of the Blue and whatever else is down beneath the ocean doesn't get swept under the rug at the end of this crisis. Meanwhile Aspen goes in search of her brother, and runs into her people's attempt to rein their rebel faction back under control before humanity starts fighting back - there's some interesting choices, and nice character writing along the way, though nothing with any great drama is happening yet. It's early days, but I'm enjoying reading this.
Birds of Prey #122 ~ Kind of an in-between issue, this - a lot happens in various areas of the storyline, but the real payoff is still to come. That said, what's here is enjoyable - Manhunter's guest appearance comes to an interesting close, we get a bit of Misfit at school (with Huntress a teacher, no less), and the Birds have a run-in with the bad guys as a prelude to the real show. I can't actually remember the bad guys' group name - or the individuals, for that matter - but whereas before I'd have said that was a weakness of the story, now that the Joker's in town it's not such a big deal, since they're just there to get screwed over by him, as he does to everyone around him. That's the high point of the issue - it's the Joker, and he's not just a guest villain: as we all know (or should), he and Oracle have history in a big way. As much as I might dismiss this issue a bit, it does set up the meeting between the two in a big, dramatic way - the last few pages make you really want to see what happens next, so I can't fault the issue on that count.
Mighty Avengers #18 ~ Yet another prologue-to-Secret Invasion tie-in - with so many issues already out (especially of the main miniseries itself) there's not much in the way of vital information left, so by now you're either interested in the lead-up to the invasion for its own sake, or you know to give these issues a miss. This time around we check back in on Nick Fury and his Minimum Wage Commandos, and see how he's trained his team of off-the-radar superheroes - by being a bastard, basically. It's fair to draw a comparison to V (of V for Vendetta, since Bendis flat-out steals one of his techniques - it's the same kind of deal, Fury beats the hell out of his charges, physically and psychologically, in the manner of a drill sergeant, toughening them up for the conflict to come by throwing everything he can think of at them, whether they like it or not. It's very much anti-hero territory - a lot of what Fury does is dishonest and reprehensible, but no doubt he'll get away with it, because he's Nick Fury and he's doing it for the greater good (meanwhile people are still whining that 'Iron Man is a douche,' for doing exactly the same thing, just not quite as nastily). One happy moment (for me, anyway) is where Maria Hill scores a minor point, which is nice to see - I adore her, and I'm glad Bendis is using her as more than just the whipping girl for whatever hero she's arguing with at any given moment.
True Believers #3 ~ The life and times of Payback gets its own issue, as this one occupies itself almost entirely with an extended flashback - the origin of Mavis's powers, how she got them, how she started putting together the True Believers, and so on. It's interesting to read, and the art has a nicely subdued tone, but there's a huge flaw in this issue, and it's called the recap page. Normally, this would be a page that tells you what happened in previous issues - for some reason, this one tells you what you're about to learn, so it's basically just one huge spoiler, and it sucked a lot of the surprise out of the issue for me, having the 'revelations' explained beforehand in a dry, brief synopsis. That aside - and it's a pretty big mistake to make - it's a decent issue, though the Luke Cage encounter that the cover sports is a relatively minor part of it, which again makes the whole thing feel a bit off-kilter - you go in expecting the issue to be about something it's not really, and it's not the best frame of mind to appreciate a story in. I'm still optimistic about Payback's character, and this title as a whole, but I just feel it could be being executed a little more elegantly.
Previews XVIII #10 ~ Okay, comics first. There're a couple of She-Hulk-relevant issues on the way, with Hulk Family #1 (Marvel p33) and She-Hulk: Cosmic Collision (Marvel p51). I noticed a solicitation for Fire and Brimstone (p205), up to issue four now - I hope I can find #2 and #3, since I enjoyed the first one quite a bit when I picked it up on a whim (reviewed here). Broadsword has Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose #48 reoffered (p241), both regular and signed versions - that's the big reintroduction of Raven Hex issue (reviewed here). Take A Chance #1 (p272) looks like it might be interesting, with a regular woman putting on a mask to bring some justice to the world after the death of her son - kind of like Batman, only female (and hopefully better - I'm so-so on Batman). And M.I.L.F. Magnet #1 (p313) sounds... well, ridiculous, but perhaps worth a look for goofy, smutty comedy value.
Action figures: Superman/Batman series 7 (p137) includes Live Wire, Battlestar Galactica series 4 (p406) has the yummy President Roslin, and a Previews exclusive Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes), and the DC Heroes Despero series (p412) is solicited, including Wonder Woman and the Artemis chase figure - I hope my comic store will be able to get some of those, because Hasbro is useless at getting its products onto toy store shelves in Australia - I've yet to see a single DC figure, of any kind, from them in the past couple of years. Indie Spotlight solicits the Katchoo figure (p413), there's the Marvel Select Skrull Elektra (p417) left over from the San Diego convention, and The Spirit series 1 (p422) includes the sexy-looking Plaster of Paris and Sand Seref. Also, Doctor Who classics (p467) are in the imports section - I'll be getting as many of those as I can find - and WALL-E and EVE (of the fabulous movie, go see it) get maquettes (p442).
Contract #3 ~ This title's opening miniseries wraps up with a twin serving of action on the one hand, and genuine emotional drama on the other. Jessie and her team (Tsumi, Panzer, and their co-opted 'crechebaby' virtual reality warrior-cyborgs) battle their way through all opposition towards their target, the kidnapped girl Luma. But when they finally get there - after plenty of dynamic fighting, and nice little sequence with a crechebaby - they run into an intriguing moral dilemma that puts the icing on what has been a fantastic debut for Contract. All three characters say their piece in deciding what to do, and all of them (even the hilarious Panzer) come across intelligently; I won't go into details, but I found the moral question, and its resolution, intriguing to the end. As usual,in addition to the full 22 pages of story, there are extras included - a letters page, a Jessie sketch by David Hahn, and a cute little two-page comic featuring Panzer's date with... well, if you remember issue one, you'll know who, and all I'll add is that I laughed out loud when I turned the page, even though both the earlier issue, and the dialogue in this one, tell you the 'twist'. It's just a matter of delivery of the punchline, it's a classic. Finally there's a page of character sketches from Ariel Padilla, and a two-page cover gallery of the earlier issues, and the upcoming Contract Solo Missions one-shots, with synopses and ordering codes. Contract is an outstanding debut from a new publisher, and I'm glad there's more to come in the Solo Missions.
Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose #52 ~ This issue concludes the 'So Mote It Be' story, with the end of Tarot's duel with Thornwic, and while it's not an especially surprising ending, it's executed with confidence. The art is lovely throughout: Balent's trademark naked Tarot, of course, but also the composition of the scenes - the double page where Tarot makes her final decision, almost entirely without dialogue or narration, is full of storytelling if you look for it. This arc was touted as reintroducing Tarot, and shaking her up a bit - it's done all of that, and while Thornwic may return, the most present change is Tarot's interpretation of her own role. Her admission that she's favoured mankind over fairykind - which, regardless of her general good intentions, has been true from the beginning of the title - foreshadows an interesting new direction, and the potential to change not just Tarot, but her relationships with other characters as well. Raven, for instance - who gets an cameo appearance, displaying her typical dark demeanour but also a genuine understanding of Tarot - may find her sister more receptive to her point of view; she's always been cynical about humanity, and while Tarot surely won't follow her that far, it'll be interesting to see the two interact now that Tarot's acknowledged that her prior defence of mankind was somewhat blinkered. Jon also gets a fair share of the focus this issue, with special mention of the darkness in his character - a reminder that there's more to him than the combination loyal ally/goofy comic relief butt-of-jokes. Overall, a satisfying three-issue arc that hints at good things to come.
Avengers: The Initiative #17~ As always there's a whole bunch of things going on simultaneously, but the centrepiece of this issue is the Shadow Initiative (Trauma, Mutant X, Constrictor and Bengal) getting the emergency summons and deciding to take out the Skrull Empress. Obviously that's not going to happen - you don't off the main antagonist in a company-wide event in a tie-in, especially one that's not written by Bendis in person - but it's an enjoyable show seeing them make the attempt, and they fail in a clever way. We see more of Mutant X (plenty more), including some big hints - if I knew more about mutants, maybe I'd know who she is by now - and Trauma continues to develop well (albeit mostly by off-camera learning), now a confident soldier as well as a counselor, with a quick mind. Elsewhere we check in on Komodo - still in love with Hardball (aww, they're sweet), and possibly setting up for a future schism between those (remember he's got his dirty secret), and Nick Fury still hasn't twigged that after all his careful planning and trusting no-one, he's just gone and recruited a Skrull, albeit a good one. This title's kind of an action soap opera - every issue there's a big stand-out sequence, but by and large the strength of it is the ongoing plotlines. To a newbie it may not all come through, but if you've read from the beginning, there's a lot to appreciate, and it shows no signs of losing quality.
Ms. Marvel #31 ~ First off, I love the cover - it's your usual superheroine poster kind of thing, and yet it's not - there's something individual and eye-catching about the mix of colour-based detail and sparse inked lines. That aside, this is a curious issue. With this title no longer tying into Secret Invasion it's in a weird kind of limbo state with regards to the wider world - obviously there's not a war going on any more, but are the Skrulls gone? Or are they in charge, and this is an occupied Earth - it's not impossible, they claimed they weren't here to drastically change people's lives, just to be in charge for our own good. It's an interesting thought that they might not have been completely lying in that regard - 'Vichy Earth'. Anyway, what this issue is about is Carol's family - but in fact, it's just about Carol, since (as long-time readers will know) she was attacked by Rogue ages ago, and lost her memories as a result. They were restored, but only as information - she has no emotional connection to her memories of her family or childhood. It explains a lot - it was a surprise, on opening up this issue, to realise that she has a family floating around somewhere, specifically because over all the previous issues they haven't been a part of her life - emotionally, to her, they're just not. The strain between Carol and her mother is sketched out pretty well, although no real conclusion is reached - likewise with her father, though there things are a little more hazy. In the end, that's about it for this issue - there's a lot of material here about Carol that's rewarding to read, but it doesn't do anything much with that material. There is an intriguing teaser on the final page, although I'd suggest perhaps it's too ambitious - I doubt it'll really come to fruition one way or another.
New Avengers #45 ~ After several intervening issues (odd choice, that) we finally get to see what happened to the Skrull infiltrators during House of M, as was led up to a few issues ago. I haven't read House of M, so I only know it second-hand, but I don't really think I'm missing that much of the importance of it here - it's really just a sideshow to the Skrull story. In most regards, this - and the tie-in to Annihilation at the end - are really just going through the motions, but I've got this nagging suspicion that there's something more going on with the Skrull Empress. I can't put my finger on it, but some panels, some expressions, just seem to be suggesting that there's more going on that I'm aware of. If I'm right, presumably Bendis will drop the bombshell in due time; if not, well, I'm just going crazy. For this issue itself, it's not one of the most rewarding of the fill-in-the-backstory tie-ins that New Avengers and Mighty Avengers have been doing, but it's not among the weaker ones either - it's solid middle-of-the-road material, with a few points that lift it above average. I particularly liked the Skrull summary of regular human life: sleep, eat, watch TV, have sex; I like the little touches of wry humour that the Skrulls get, it humanises them (pardon the contradiction), and makes them more interesting as an adversary.
She-Hulk #33 ~ The four-way tussle between She-Hulk, the Super-Skrull (do we still call him that now that there are more? Super-Skrull mk1?), Jazinda, and the Talisman concludes, and trust Peter David, it concludes cleverly. Shulkie's immediate problem - collision with an airliner - is played out in a neat little action sequence, and then it's down to exposition, argument, and fisticuffs, as She-Hulk tries to get Kl'rt not to kill Jazinda - his daughter - both with her fists and with impassioned debate. I admit, when the revelation that Jaz is the Super-Skrull's child first turned up, I wasn't sure how well that'd fit in with Super-Skrull's own stories, especially his miniseries during the first Annihilation event, concerning his son. In this issue, David weaves the two stories together in a way that makes perfect sense. GG Studio's art is once more impeccable, with energetic lines and lovely use of colour in a variety of lighting conditions.
