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Wolverine: Origins #37 – It’s been teased since issue #1 of this series: the identity of Romulus. Having saved Daken from Victor Hudson Romulus’ right hand man, (even though he’s blind and mute…), Logan has turned his attention fully to tracking down Romulus and making him pay. But, as always, Romulus is two steps ahead of Logan and walks him directly into a confrontation with Omega Red. I’m glad that Scot Eaton is handling the art for this book and Daniel Way is constructing a great story as he only feeds us bits of Logan’s history.
Dead @17: Afterbirth #1 – I had heard this was a good series, but never got around to picking up a issue or trade. Something made me pick this issue up and I’m glad I did. The series focuses on Nara Kilday, a girl who has been brought back from the dead twice and her friend, Asia Black, who is housing the key to the doorway to Hell in her body. Hell is trying to get out and the girls are fighting to keep them where they belong, killing any who escape. The artwork has an “indy” feel and the story was enough to at least get me back for issue #2.
X-Men #225 – Xavier’s walk down memory lane is done and he’s come back to kick the Acolytes outta the train of thought they’ve been in for too long. Wanting the mutants of the world to unite, Charles convinces Exodus and all but two of the most savage Acolytes to give up their fight against other mutants simply based on ideology. The ending is the best part. As the Acolytes are parting ways – some for parts unknown and some for San Francisco; Norman Osborn shows up with an offer for Xavier; which obviously leads us directly into Dark X-Men. This is going to be the mutant civil war we didn’t get in the normal Marvel Civil War. It might even wind up being three factions of X-Men: Cyclops in one corner, Emma and Charles in another and Storm, Beast or Wolverine leading the rest. Norman Osborn and his Dark Reign have come for the X-Men… and Hell is coming with them…
Captain America #600 – Ummm, do ya think we mighta made a mistake killing Steve Rogers? Duh. The way Marvel brought back Bucky rocked. The Winter Soldier is easily one of the cooler characters created in the last 10 years at the “House of Ideas.” I think they “killed” Steve Rogers because they had wrote themselves into a corner with Civil War and decided to sweep him under the rug until the Marvel U needed him again. The 600th Anniversary issue contains 4 new short stories, 2 reprints and a cover gallery of all 600. Bottom line, Cap-Bucky is not and never will be up to the task of Captain America. Dick Grayson has a better chance at pulling off Batman. Sharon Carter is slowly regaining her memory and finds the guy that took the gun from her after she “killed” Steve. After examining the weapon, she breaks down in tears… now I just have to wait the 2 to 3 weeks for Reborn #1…
Executive Assistant Iris #1 – One of the three “post-Turner” titles from Aspen Comics. I’ve never really been a follower of Fathom, but this series looked different that most of the stuff coming out of Aspen, so I gave it a shot. E.A. Iris tells the tale of a hot Asian bodyguard for a Japanese business man. When he needs someone eliminated or secrets stolen, it falls to Iris. Think Lucy Liu’s character of O-Ren Ishii in Kill Bill vol.1 – only she isn’t the one in charge. Lots of good fight sequences and the hint that she doesn’t like her job and only performs out of some sense of duty or honor. Written and co-created by David Wohl (Witchblade), E.A. Iris features art from newcomer Eduardo Francisco. The art is good and you can tell he spends a little more time on Iris and other females that he does the men; but, it’s worked for Adam Hughes so far…
Invincible Iron Man #14 – Tony Stark is on the run and has become the “World’s Most Wanted.” Having shaved his face and head; Tony is wearing outdated armor as he flies from safehouse to safehouse, deleting the info he had downloaded into his noggin. This has somehow brought him to Russia and the Crimson Dynamo for help. Meanwhile Pepper Potts has adjusted to the armor that Tony let her and is now calling herself “Rescue” (mark it, we’ve officially run out of cool superhero names). The saving grace for this book is the incredible art by Salvador Larroca and Frank D’Armata. Yeah, I’ll stick around to see how Tony reacts to Pepper in her armor and the return of Steve Rogers, but I see this book going the way of most of the other Iron Man books…
Save Your Money…
Power Girl #2 – Sorry Amanda Conner, I love your art and have everything you’ve ever done, but this book is boring. I had to go and re-read The Pro to feel better. Jimmy Palmiotti is co-writing with Justin Gray and I’m hoping Jimmy is only doing the plots, because this is a serious step down for him. The story so far has the Ultra-Humanite capturing PG to transfer his brain into her body. Ugh. I’ll get off at the next stop please…
All New Savage She-Hulk #3 – Speaking of “Ugh” – this book is horrible. Lyra, the daughter of the Hulk and future girl, Thundra – has come back in time for the era’s greatest hero: Norman Osborn?!? No, wait. It gets better: the angrier she gets, the WEAKER she gets! Osborn believes that she has come back in time to kill him, but she only wants to have his crazy little babies?!? NEXT!
Cable #15 – Messiah War Part 6. I have to admit that as much as I was looking forward to this story since the end of Messiah CompleX; I’m sorry to say: It sucks. Seeing Deadpool 1000 years in the future was very cool and funny and the team dynamic from the X-Force book has been carried over, but the story seems so frickin’s trite. And while Ariel Olivetti’s art is great for covers or even graphic novels, but it’s just too d@mn “stiff” for an action oriented comic series. Pass.
