Comic Book Day: July 10 Comic Book Reviews

I realize that I am a little behind with my reviews for the week. As most of my readers know I have been very busy with working for Vox Magazine and the Columbia Missourian, both of which cause me to spend most of my time during the week working on stories and articles. This week's pull was definitely smaller (since I didn't have to catch up on Hawkeye any more) and I didn't have the funds to get the last few issues of Avengers, Daredevil, or FF. With an extremely small pull this week I felt like I could focus more on what these latest issues of Young Avengers and Hawkeye had to offer than I normally could.

As always, I give readers warning to FULL SPOILERS ahead. Proceed with caution.

Young Avengers Vol. 2 Issue #7 "Breakfast Meat" 

Young Avengers #7 cover by
Jamie McKelvie
Image courtesy of Marvel Wiki

How does Kieron Gillen cover the 3 month jump in time from the end of issue #5 to issue #7? Through the use of social media of course! While the use of social media to cover the missing plot is fantastic, this book has the feeling of being stagnant since the action hasn't moved forward in terms of what happened at the end of issue #7. This book does offer plenty of character goodies that Gillen has proven to be very adept at inserting into the narrative. Particularly with Kate Bishop. In the scene with the diner when Prodigy finally catches up with the Young Avengers, we see Kate fully accept her role as the team leader. She's cautious, strong and dives head first into being there for her team. The nuances between the team members shows a level of comfortableness that they have definitely reached. And with the return of Jamie McKelvie after his brief absence, he fully emphasizes that dynamic between the characters.  McKelvie's art once again knocks it out of the park. The montage of Prodigy tracking down the Young Avengers is definitely my favorite design of a page to date. This book offers so many little details that even I didn't catch until reading Gillen's writer notes that explained his decisions behind the script. If you aren't following Gillen on tumblr for that insight into his mind, then you really are missing out on an excellent look into the details and crafting of a great comic book in the Marvel NOW! line up.

Verdict: 8 out of 10.  The book hasn't moved too far forward in terms of plot, but there is some fantastic character growth and dynamics going on here.

Hawkeye Issue #12

Hawkeye #12 cover by
Francesco Francavilla
Image courtesy of
fuckyeahavengingarcher.tumblr.com

While Francesco Francavilla brings a 180 switch in art style to this issue, Hawkeye #12 is still visually stunning. The lines are less blurry, the coloring is darker and the issue takes a step away from the light hearted, whimsical feel of David Aja's art. Overall, this issue offers an overarching narrative to Hawkeye's life that we haven't fully received in the past issues. We get to see the beginnings of what has made Clint Barton become the Clint Barton we know and love. Even with Clint taking a back seat in this issue, since he is only seen around the end of the book, the story adds another facet to Clint's life. Coming from a broken family with an abusive father, we see the trail that he has walked and how it ties into what he has become. While the issue can feel a bit removed from the rest of the series, we still have the continuity with the tracksuit mafia and even a short appearance from Lucky (AKA Pizza Dog). Without having direct interaction with Hawkeye in the book, these are the best ways that Fraction and Francavilla still keep the feel of the past issues going. I'm excited to see what comes next with Barney Barton and the back story that we are finally seeing on Hawkeye. Fraction keeps these stories coming and he continues to impress.



Verdict: 9 out of 10. I loved getting to see a book dedicated to where Hawkeye came from. As I always say with Matt Fraction... more please?

Comic Book Day: June 26 Comic Book Reviews

My pull for this week was a little smaller in terms of newer issues. But even without new issues lining my comiXology shopping cart, I still managed to spend $25 on comic books in one sitting. Mainly because I decided that I was going to catch up with Matt Fraction's Hawkeye book because I was so freaking excited about the Pizza Dog issue that came out. I still have a few titles that I desperately need to catch up on (Captain Marvel, Avengers and All New X-Men mainly) but I decided to focus on the three newest issues that I deemed most important to me at the moment. So without further ado, my reviews of the latest in Young Avengers, X-Men and Hawkeye! As always there will be SPOILERS.

Young Avengers Vol. 2 Issue #6: The Toll 

Young Avengers #6 cover by
Jamie McKelvie & Matthew Wilson
Courtesy of comicvine.com

The first thing I have to say is that Tommy is back! We finally get to see a little but of what Speed has been up to since the end of Children's Crusade. He and Prodigy, a former mutant, band together to take on the ultimate teenage task: working a boring temp job. With this being the beginning of a new story arc for Young Avengers, Kieron Gillen is setting up a new plot with a new, sinister villain materializing out of Tommy's past to contend with. I was slightly upset that we didn't get the wise-cracking, sarcastic Tommy we had been left with, but the new characterization by Gillen does seem promising. I'm not as familiar with Prodigy, but I did love the opening sequence with him answering phones as a tech assistant. I have no idea where these two actually work, but it seems perfectly suited to their respective abilities. Gillen has done a masterful job at capturing what a day job for a super hero actually could be. This book also featured the artistic talents of Kate Brown. It's definitely not the same art as the first arc, but it embraces the style with its own flair. It looks a little darker, but Brown has done a great job of capturing the dynamics between the characters. The art doesn't pop off the page as much, but it still works to tell the story in a dynamic way. With the exciting and mysterious finish to this book, Gillen and his team seem to be promising exciting things to come in this arc.
Verdict: 9 out of 10. there are definitely exciting things to come with this arc. I feel it in the Force.

X-Men Vol. 4 Issue #2 

X-Men #2 cover by
Olivier Copiel & Frank Martin
Image courtesy of comixology.com

In the last issue there was a lack of action and violent destruction of buildings (which I said was actually a good thing for a first issue). In this second issue, however, we are starting to see more violence, and definitely more teamwork between the new X-team line up. The wonderful thing about Brian Wood, is that he doesn't sacrifice the storyline for a few bits of combat. You can see as Rogue and Kitty fight Arkea in the Jean Grey School, the story continues to move forward. We learn more about the enemy in the fight sequences than we would if they were just explained to us in conversation. Because the action of the panels, and the visual aspects of the book help to drive the story forward. While Rogue is swinging away, we get chilling quips from Arkea coupled with the glare of Karima Shapandar's deadpan eyes. The art once again is stunning, dark and dynamic. Olivier Copiel matches the style of the panels perfectly with the tone of the characters. Not only do we get to read about Jubilee becoming a more stark and grown up character, but we get to see it as well. Copiel brings the care and devotion that Jubilee has for this baby (now known as Shogo) to life on the page. This issue was jam packed full of goodies, with great art and the driving storyline that had a pretty sweet cliff hanger. I honestly can't wait for the next issue to come out in July.

Verdict: 8.5 out of 10. Wood and Copiel are stepping up their game, showing that this book and these ladies are not to be messed with.


Hawkeye Issue #11: Pizza is My Business 

Hawkeye #11 cover by
David Aja
Image courtesy of comixology.com

OK everyone, let's be honest with ourselves. Who wasn't excited as hell for an issue of Hawkeye entirely dedicated to Pizza Dog!? We have gotten comics about super hero pets before, but this is definitely my favorite one to date. I can't help but smile like an idiot while following Pizza Dog's adventures around his home. With very little (understandable) dialogue, the book still allows for the story to move forward. This book couldn't have been as interesting as it was without the amazing art by David Aja. I absolutely adored every single page while reading. The way Aja captured the mundane abilities a dog has, like the heightened sense of smell and hearing, was brilliant. This issue didn't need dialogue to keep the action moving simply because each panel told a story that fit so well together, dialogue would have bogged it down. And the story itself fit neatly into the last issue, with a little bit of closure on Gil, and picking up from the final scene of #10. And Pizza Dog gets his own action scenes as well, which was fun and interesting. During one of the scenes I vowed to never buy another book if they killed him. There is no doubt that Aja and Fraction are delivering an outstanding series right now. Hawkeye has easily moved up to the  top of my reading list due to the fantastic storyline and the beautifully, unique art. No other book I am reading looks like this one and I love it!

Verdict: 9.5 out of 10. Pizza Dog delivers just as much punch and adorableness as Hawkeye does. Can we have another? 

X-Men, or Should I Say X-Women, Getting the Stage they Deserve

Last week Marvel released the new X-Men Vol. 4 featuring writer Brian Wood and artist Olivier Coipel. The new edition to the X-story features an all female cast, with a line up that includes Rachel Grey, Storm, Psylocke, Kitty Pryde and Jubilee. From my understanding this is the first book that features an all female X-Men team, and even in this first issue Wood is showing that these women are not to be messed with (if you didn't know that already).

The story starts off with Jubilee making her way across the globe to get back to the Jean Grey School, towing along a baby boy that she rescued from certain peril. This is the cutest baby ever seen in a comic book, hands down.  While Jubilee is traveling by plane and train, she is being followed not-so-subtly by an old enemy of the X-Men, John Sublime. Sublime goes to seek asylum with the X-Men, and also attempts to warn them of an ancient enemy returning to Earth to sow destruction and despair. 

X-Men Vol. 4 #1 cover by Olivier Coipel.
Image courtesy of Marvel Wiki

Basically, this first book is setting up for some great things to come out of this series. Wood is already promising a plot-dense run that will keep readers wanting more. Already, with the end of the book, I am eagerly awaiting the next issue to come out. Wood is providing excellent story that isn't action driven. The only action scene in this first issue is (SPOILERS) Rogue derailing a train in order to stop a head on collision. The rest of the book sets up what is to come, developing the plot right off the bat with a hidden enemy that already seems to be driving the plot forward. 

The characters in the new X-Men book have been well established by Wood, as well. Wood is setting up for some great dynamics to come along in the future. Especially between Storm and Jubilee, which could definitely come in to play around the new child that Jubilee is toting around. Each of these women are strong and tough, and the characterization of the team and how they work together is one of the things I am most excited to see play out. 

The fact that the entire cast is women also makes this book a great opportunity for Marvel to take on commentary with feminism. Marcel's women have always been strong and capable, but here we have a book that is saying "we are a team of women, and we can save the world without the guys help, bring it on." And Wood is bringing that to the table right away. 

Coipel has some great art in the book as well. I've been a fan of his since House of M and I am excited to follow his work again. He did a great job of bringing the characters to life on the page. In the panel where Storm glares at Jubilee when they are discussing the child, I honestly could feel the anger and suspicion lifting off the page.

All together, I think we have a good pairing of characters, plot and art to continue driving this story. Wood and Coipel are planning some big things for this run, especially in the opening arc. While this entire first issue was just exposition for things to come, it's exciting to see the direction these powerful X-women can take us. The next issue is set to release on June 26, and you can be sure that it will be in my shopping cart. 

Can I Be Pavel Andreievich Chekov?

With the second semester in full swing now, I've found very few opportunities to blog. I'm still working vehemently on the 2013 Reading Challenge, although I did have to switch books due to some changes (just a heads up the next review will be on Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan). Many of my professors in the J-School would find my lack of blogging as being lazy, but I just call it being busy with class, internship, projects and work. This semester has a smaller class load, but way more work outside of the classroom. Maybe. I need to check on that.

Anyway, with the added work hours and the internship that I am participating in, I try to find time to spend with my friends and roommates. Recently we all started watching Breaking Bad together on Netflix, starting from season one. Other activities we do together include cooking dinners together, going to Taco Bell and McDonalds (conveniently placed near our abode) and playing video games together. This last option took on a fun, new form tonight that I felt would be a great way to spring back into the blogosphere.

This turn of events came in the shape of an iPhone app called Spaceteam. The app was realeased Nov. 29, 2012, by Sleeping Beast Games according to this website. It is a cooperative party game where 2 to 4 people sit on their iPhones and scream nonsense words at each other. Each player is randomly assigned a panel with buttons, switches, dials and knobs on them. Each player must follow instructions that are meant to move the team on to the next sector. The instructions are time sensitive, and the best twist of all, the instructions are sent to your teammates so there is quite a bit of shouting out orders. The entire time you're playing the game the ship is falling apart, and space anomalies such as thermal storms, asteroids, and wormholes make it harder to follow the instructions being shouted at you.

Once you think the game is easy it gives you crazy words to shout out.
 Photo courtesy of Apple, via Google Images. 

One of my roommates found out about this app from a Podcast that he listens to regularly and told the rest of us to download it and that we would be playing it later in the evening. We were all curious as to what the game was even about, but we downloaded and waited to get back to our apartment in order to try it out. Right before we started playing we asked what the game was about and he said, "It's like Star Trek. We each get a panel and we have to fly a ship."

I immediately asked if I could be Chekov. Or Scotty. But mainly, I wanted to be Chekov. I mean come on, Chekov is awesome. He's a pretty sweet pilot And who wouldn't want to have that great, Russian accent?

How can you not want to be him?
Courtesy of Wikepedia via Google Images

Anyway, after we worked out the debacles with the Wifi and the Bluetooth, we all joined in on the Spaceteam fun. Our living room was filled with shouts of, "set shiftcrane to 1," "activate zeta-rack," and one of my favorites, "cancel subscriptions." There were also times when iPhones were vigorously shook to avoid asteroids, and even moments where we had to flip upside down so as to not be sucked into a wormhole.

The wormholes make your screen go all wonky so you better flip.
Photo courtesy of the wonderful and amazing Chelsea Kim.

Our team was only able to make it to Sector 8 before our ship burst into flames from the expanding star that we were attempting to outrun. This app was some of the most fun I've had playing a game on my iPhone. Even more so than the "critically acclaimed" Temple Run. The game gets stressful as you move on through the sectors due to the fact that your time grows shorter and the commands start to come in faster. But even with everyone shouting orders and instructions at the same time and no one truly knowing what is going on in the game, we were able to pull it together and get through seven minutes of the game. SEVEN INTENSE MINUTES.

Seven minutes was the longest time we clocked as a team of four tonight.

I would definitely recommend this app for any group of friends looking for a fun way to spend an hour or two, especially on a weekday when movies, Netflix and homework aren't sufficient enough distractions. Not to mention it's free so that's an added bonus. Be ready to scream at your friends and recite crazy, technobabble that will make absolutely no sense!

Just a hint, if you play with two people, it's a lot less intense since you won't have three people barking instructions at you, but it feels more like a dialogue between two pilots in the middle of the Bermuda triangle when the plane is about to go down. But I highly recommend playing in a group of four, since this is way more fun and intense (and slightly stressful when you get to higher sectors) but it's all for a good time.

Enjoy it! And play where you can be loud (my friends and I talked about how funny it would be if a group played during a lecture and were shouting instructions over the professor. Easy way to get kicked out of class) otherwise you may encounter some problems with the flux oscillator.