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. 

My Blog is Powered by Teenage Delusions & Other Thoughts From Young Avengers #5

 Young Avengers Vol. 2 issue 5 was released yesterday, May 22. This issue was the end of the first story arc written by Kieron Gillen and featuring the artistic talents of Jamie McKelvie. This arc consisted mainly of the attempts of Kid Loki to assemble the complete team of the Young Avengers and defeat the inter-dimensional parasite brought into the world by Wiccan. With the first story arc completed and the next issue set to be released June 26, it's time to talk about the relaunch of Young Avengers. 

Young Avengers #1 with cover art by Jamie McKelvie.
Photo courtesy of The Guardian.com

Like many of the comic book fans that I know (both on tumblr and IRL) the original series of Young Avengers, written by Allan Heinberg, was one of the reasons I got into the comic book world. I was incredibly happy when Marvel announced the relaunch of the series with a new creative team. I didn't know much about Gillen's other work but I decided that I would go into the experience with an open mind and ready to embrace the possibility that it wouldn't live up to my expectations.

Overall, I have enjoyed Gillen's opening arc. I felt that each character had a distinct voice and that it was an interesting shadow of how the original Avengers were indirectly formed by Loki. Although, this time Loki is right there in the middle of everything, directly affecting the rest of the team. McKelvie's art is wonderful to look at as well. Each panel is engaging, and dynamic. I absolutely love the design of when Marvel Boy bursts into the night club and takes down the guards around the rest of the team. Coupled with Gillen's story and character voice, the two make a great pair.

Gillen does a great thing in picking up where Children's Crusade left off. Which was to be expected, but I love the way he does it. At the end of that miniseries, we have a team of teenagers who are otherwise broken. They've lost a member of their team, sworn to never put on the costumes again, and for the most part gone their separate ways. Gillen took those characters and showed where they had come from and how they were healing. Nowhere is this seen more, than in Billy (Wiccan). In the beginning we see the Wiccan we were left with, hurting and blaming himself for Cassie's death. He even screams at Teddy when he finds out that Teddy was sneaking out on patrol without telling him. But as the parasite takes over, and they are under a greater threat, Billy accepts his role, and steps back into the costume. We are reminded that Billy and the rest of the team are teenagers, and that by accepting his role, he is accepting the responsibility to work for something grander than any normal teenager would be able to. Gillen does a fantastic job of pulling these characters up, and causing them to rise to the potential they have always had, but have shied away from because of the rocky road that led to that place. This growth of character, not just in Billy but in the whole cast, is how Gillen is proving himself as the writer for Young Avengers.

Not only the characters, and the story itself are refreshing, but Gillen does a great thing in using the comic as a comment on society as a whole. It's nice to be able to see Billy and Teddy (Wiccan and Hulkling) express their love for each other in a more conventional way. In the original series, it felt as if there was a space that couldn't be crossed between the two. While it was an intimate space that was finally crossed with the big kiss at the end of Children's Crusade, it still left me wanting for more between the two, romantically. In the new run, we see more intimacy passing between the two of them, and Gillen approaching their relationship as something that doesn't need to baulked at.

Kate Bishop (Hawkeye, not the Hawkguy) also plays into the comment on society in a small way. Gillen even mentioned this in one of his questions that he answered in the back of one of the issues. Kate and Noh-Varr (Marvel Boy) are first seen after hooking up. But Kate doesn't let her hook up with Noh-Varr phase her. She shrugs it off, and continues on with her day. In an age where women are told to feel ashamed of sexual encounters of any kind, Kate owns her sexuality and let's it go. In Kate (and Miss America but I'm trying not to write a novel), we find a strong female character that exudes more than just the conventional strength seen in comic books. She's not afraid to stand up for what she believes in, and goes head first in fighting for feminism.

I've heard a lot of fans of YA saying that they have been disappointed with Gillen and that the run isn't the same as before. In all honesty, this is quite a different beginning than the original YA story. That world was darker, more draconian. In the new volume we see a lighter side of the Young Avengers story, with the same conflict as before. Gillen has brought a new light to YA, one with jokes, witticisms, and music. Yes, it changes the tone and the direction of the books, but so far that direction has been excellent. It's not the same book as before, that's for sure. We may never have that original feel to Young Avengers. But Gillen is definitely bringing something new to the YA-verse, and I'm excited to see where that goes.

Also, I can't wait for Tommy to come back in issue 6.

Instant Streaming My Life: Arrested Development

The other day, as I was discussing with friends about the state of the economy and American Imperialism, normal conversations for any college student, we started talking about blogging. Being part of a journalism school most of us are required by our professors to blog regularly. And I began saying how I try to blog as regularly as possible (which is a bald faced lie if I ever did tell one). But we began talking about ideas for blogs and cool themes that people could do and I, being as incredulous and ironic as is humanly possible, said that I should start blogging about my favorite past time, Netflix.

That's when I got the idea. To actually blog about Netflix.

As you all know, or should know after reading this post, I have an addiction to this particular online streaming site, Netflix. So I have decided to incorporate one of my past times into blogging, like I started to incorporate the reading list (which is still going strong, I just lost track of Penumbra's 24 Hour Book Store and had to start another book). This is also great, because blogging will give me motivation to actually watch the series on my "Netflix Watch List" and watching Netflix will give me an excuse to blog! Win-Win-Win!

The general idea of this post series is to watch a TV series on Netflix, and share what information I have found out about said series. As you can tell this post is about the television show, Arrested Development. So without further blathering on my part, TO THE ACTUAL POST!

Series: Arrested Development

Photo courtesy of theverge.com

Netflix Synopsis: "It's the story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together. It's 'Arrested Development,' the Emmy Award and Golden Globe-winning series starring on of the funniest ensembles in TV comedy."

Began watching series on: April 16, 2013

Finished watching series on: May 7, 2013

Total amount of time watching series (start to finish): 22 days

Number of Seasons/Episodes: 3 seasons, 53 episodes

Average Length of Episodes: 21 minutes

Average Number of Episodes watched in a day: 3 episodes per day

Most episodes watched in one day: 9 episodes on April 20, 2013

Favorite Episode: "S.O.B.s" (Season 3/Episode 9)

Best snack for instant streaming: Homemade popcorn, with butter and salt.

Thoughts: "Arrested Development" has definitely stood up to its reputation. I had only ever heard people on tumblr discussing the show, as well as the accompanying .gif sets and stills that would go along with any tumblr post. The show, as a whole, had great continuity and felt whole, unlike many shows where there are plot holes or plot points that don't really hold up within the universe of the show. Thankfully, this show didn't have much of that, at least, not that I noticed. Things also moved along in a manner that was very easy to follow, or as easy as it can for the Bluth family. This was extremely nice for a comedy show, which can sometimes feel disjointed and as if the writers are trying to find the next joke. That rarely came across in "Arrested Development."

And the jokes were well crafted; I definitely had laugh-out-loud moments in a room full of people. Needless to say, the weird looks I got were worth it. The wit and attitude behind the writing was very refreshing, and something that I thoroughly enjoyed. The long standing jokes have been some of the best. I now know how to accurately do every Bluth family member's chicken dance, and I will never be able to look at the Blue Man Group the same again. The writing definitely stood out amongst some of the other shows that I have instant streamed on Netflix.

This was definitely apparent in my favorite episode listed above, "S.O.B.s" (which actually means Save Our Bluths) where the writers were taking a facetious approach to saving the show that was obviously going to be taken off the air. As the narrator blatantly begs people to watch the show, such lines like "HBO will never take us" and "I guess it's ShoTime then," were other great, not-so-subtle ways to make comments on the situation the writers and producers were facing.

The cast of the show did a great job portraying their characters as well. Lucille Bluth is now my favorite fictional mother, and I aspire to achieve her greatness one day. But that never would have been without Jessica Walter's fabulous performance as the alcoholic, uncaring Lucille. I had only really ever seen Jason Bateman in "Juno" so I was completely unprepared for the performance he gave as Michael Bluth. In his performance we found a father that was completely dedicated to keeping his family afloat, but ignored the family member that needed him the most, despite his best attempts. Speaking of which, it was nice to see where Michael Cera got his start, but as his usual, George Michael Bluth was probably what led him to playing the same character in every movie he would subsequently appear in. Which, consequently, have all been an older version of George Michael.

The show as a whole has been great to watch. Not only does the show provide a wonderful look into this whacky family that we have all fallen in love with, it also provides a deeper look at family ties and corporate corruption, which as everyone knows is what the entire show is about. Good job, I won the prize. The obligation of Michael to save not only the dying business but also his failing family, is the overarching theme of "Arrested Development". But it's obvious that Michael needs his family just as much, if not more, as they need him.

If you haven't watched this show, then you should. It's funny and witty, and will have some guaranteed laugh-out-louds. You should definitely catch up now because there will be a new season premiering on Netflix on May, 26. The new series, if you've been living in a cave and haven't heard, will be a Netflix only series, that will ultimately culminate in an "Arrested Development" movie.

Enjoy and hurry! You'll only have a couple of weeks before the newest episode premieres.