Brave New Worlds

New Mutants: Return of Legion TP

Collects New Mutants #1-5

Writer Zeb Wells

Artists Diogenes Neves, Zachary Baldwin

What’s It About Original New Mutants squad from the 1980s brought back together by Cyclops with Cannonball in the lead.  Shan and Dani go missing and the new reformed team is sent to investigate.

Why It’s Fun Magik is back and is just having loads of fun messing with everyone’s minds, especially Magma.

Everything Old is New Again Legion also makes his return to the Marvel Universe in this five-issue reintroduction of the New Mutants and their greatest nemesis.

Space-Time Continuum Story opens with Magik jumping from the past to forewarn everyone of the impending incident.  She also references it many times with Magma, but you can’t tell if she is still messing with her or not.

Who’s Missing Warlock does not appear until the final issue and Cypher does not return, but his return is only an issue away.

Astonishing X-Men Moment Early in Issue #1 when Cannonball, Sunspot, Magma and Magik get ready to board the blackbird, they have a suit-up and hangar-walk through homage that was similar to Astonishing X-Men #1.

Oh No He Didn’t Upon rescuing Dani in jail, Cannonball faces a difficult decision on whether to let her out to help, or keep her behind bars to try and protect her from an omega-level threat.  His decision definitely backfires.

Creative Team Skinny Wells seems to have a handle on writing the team, while Neves pictures are strong and consistent.

Best Cover Bob McLeod’s Issue #1 Variant

Final Word Definitely for fans of the New Mutants from back in their heyday, but also a great introduction to Marvel’s second mutant family.

Brave New Worlds Stock Both stores have the hardcover and trade paperback (released this past week in stock), plus select issues including #1 (@ Willow Grove).

Click to see why this one is special…

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Last week I blew it with keeping up the regularly scheduled A Character To Learn More About column…post…update…whatever. Here’s this weeks to be followed very shortly by a Special Edition to make up for the slacking!

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After back-to-back weeks of reviewing some quality titles by the newest addition to the Mouse Empire, this week proves the third time is not always the charm.  Not that I am looking to be too critical, but Invincible Iron Man Volume 3, #37 by Frank Tieri, Alitha Martinez and Rob Hunter just did absolutely nothing for me.

This story takes place about three years after Heroes Reborn. Tieri told the story through a Tony Stark narration, which for me was very clunky.  The dialogue felt like it was out of a 1960s or 70s issue.  So if Tieri wanted to channel his inner Stan Lee, mission accomplished.

There were some interesting moments in this issue, including Tony Stark working on a teleportation device for his Iron Man armor.  However, the story actually dropped or forgot its opening hook as it opens with Stark in the middle of a gunfight.  It’s at this moment he finds his inner monologue and decided to explain how he found himself in his present predicament.  Thing is, it is never referred to again.

The issue introduces an old friend of Tony’s that comes back to the roost and it is so obvious that the problems with his current girlfriend are going to come back to his old buddy.  Speaking of girlfriends, Pepper and Happy have a nice tender moment, although Martinez draws her in a very un-Pepper like way.

Overall I found the issue very lacking and it reminded me of why I stopped reading comics for a little bit in the mid-90s.  The surprising thing is, there was some good stuff in my opinion that came out of the Heroes Return titles, including Fantastic Four (granted I do look at the world through Reed Richards glasses).  Until next time …

Chapter five of X-Men Second Coming (X-Force #26) hit the shelves this week and it was Craig Kyle and Chris Yost’s turn to write a part of the story that returns Cable and Hope to the Marvel Universe.

First, prepare yourself for the ultimate sacrifice on the part of a longtime member of the X-Men, who gives their life to protect Hope from Bastion’s forces.  This issue of Second Coming was just as entertaining as the previous four chapters, and continues to push the story forward towards it ultimate endgame.

Mike Choi provides the art for a story that jumps between Utopia, Bastion’s base of operations, Indianapolis (where Wolverine and his squad provide a diversion), the New Mutants and of course Hope.  If you have not given Second Coming a chance yet, jump on the bandwagon now, you will not be disappointed.

Matt Fraction’s Invincible Iron Man #25 dropped this week and was one I was looking forward to after the end of Stark Disassembled.  It is really interesting to see how Tony Stark is handling everything with the huge blank spots in his memory and how he plans to build back his empire and his suit.  I was not disappointed as Fraction has really found a nuanced approach to such a bombastic character.

Salvador Larroca’s pencils are top notch once again in an issue which ultimately is a great jumping on point for anyone who is looking to see what all the buzz is about on Fraction’s run, or just caught Iron Man 2 and is “hooked.”

Last but not least this week is Dark Horse Comics The Guild #2 be Felicia Day.  If you are a fan of her web-episodes on her website, this comic is for you as it provides a nice backstory on mainly her character of Syd, but of how her entire Guild came to be, and why she is absorbed in this virtual world.

While we know Day knows how to tell a tale, its nice to see those skills translate to the funny pages.  If you have yet to check out her online series, which is free, now is a great time to jump on board.

Last week I just gave you a list of what I thought looked awesome. This week I return to formula and have chosen 2 Books I Wanna Read Tomorrow

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From time to time someone at Marvel loses their mind and gives us the opportunity to give you great deals on some kick-ass trades and hardcovers (sorry guys not THE KICK-ASS hardcover)! Hit the jump to see what we’ve got to offer now! Read the rest of this entry »

Once again DC Comics has decided to relaunch Will Eisner’s The Spirit and the comic-reading world is a little better off for it, especially if Mark Schultz continues to write issues like his debut in the First Wave title – The Spirit #1 this week.

Not a typical tights and flight comic book, The Spirit takes place yesterday in another era.  Denny Colt’s Central City is murky and dirty and looks a lot like today’s Gotham City.  Colt is The Spirit and thwarts the crime in the evening like a certain caped crusader we all know.  If you are thinking The Spirit was modeled after Batman, turn it around.

Schultz does an excellent job reintroducing the character to hopefully what will be a new audience.  He writes the character with an irreverent charm and makes Colt fun and hard not to like.

Now when a writer is on touch with the character, all you need is an artist who gets him too for the perfect combination of Spirit presentation.  Luckily issue one accomplished this goal with Moritat supplying some awesome pictures.  His pictures are dark and murky when need be, but come to life even more when we first see Ellen Dolan and Denny Colt in the daylight.  Gabriel Bautista’s colors are the icing on the cake.

The best compliment I can pay Schultz and Moritat on this book is that it reminded me a  lot of Darwyn Cooke’s Spirit run in that I had a lot of fun reading it, and can not wait until the next issue comes out.

For my second selection this week, it is a shame that DC’s advance solicits for Brave and the Bold #33 did not do the book justice.  I feel like J. Michael Straczynski (who has that uncanny ability to turn every character into literary gold) is finally hitting his stride at DC (and just at the best time since he is about to take over two of the companies three flagship characters).

Billed as a ladies night out, Brave and the Bold #33 is a poignant tale of possibly messing with fate as Zatanna grabs Wonder Woman and Batgirl for a night on the town.  Straczynski writes the story in such a way that you really don’t appreciate what the story is really about until the end, which makes it all the more awesome.

Cliff Chiang’s art is a nice compliment for the issue, and does true justice to Straczynski’s words.  Not an easy task considering its the duo first-ever team-up.

So, if you are looking for a nice change of pace and a glimpse into these super characters when they are just acting like you and I (except with model hot looks), then give Brave and the Bold #33 a look.  I highly recommend reading this week’s edition especially if you are fans of Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke as this issue supplies a nice little coda to that story.

After reading a classic X-tale last week in Uncanny X-Men #132 it seemed only fitting that this week’s blind pick was a new X-era story in New Mutants #6 (Volume 2) from 2003.  This title was the launching point for New X-Men Academy (and subsequently New X-Men), which had great promise but unfortunately was shelved at the conclusion of Messiah Complex a few years back.

It is interesting to note that this title also gave birth to the latest run of the original New Mutants (after a failed attempt with a Young X-Men book that ran just 12 issues).

But back to this week’s pick – New Mutants #6.  Written by Nunzio DeFelippis and Christina Weis, New Mutants #6 concludes the opening arc that introduces us to Laurie Collins, Sofia Mantega, Kevin Ford, David Alleyne and Josh Foley.

This issue has a lot of heart and I felt neatly ties up the opening arc up while leaving a few threads dangling for future stories.  DeFelippis and Weir definitely showed they could handle multiple characters and plots in each issue.

Issue six was a satisfying ending to the story that saw the team lose one member, and gain a new one.  It also set the table for Danielle Moonstar’s ongoing story arc with the next generation of mutant heroes as she struggle with the impact she believes she is having with the youngsters.  She sees herself as more of a warrior than a teacher, but Xavier has a way of showing his students the true impact they have – and thus at issue’s end everyone is living happily ever after (at least until next issue).

Mark Robinson supplied the pencils on this issue while Pat Davidson and Scott Ellmer ink the layouts.  Robinson’s style reminds me of the angular world of Rick Leonardi and works for this book.  The action sequences are strong and the page layouts are not just a simple panel-to-panel straight-on view but more of an angular (my new word today) look at this world.

Josh Middleton was on the covers to the first six issues spotlighting one of the original group of New Mutants, although only two appear in the actual issue.  Wolfsbane was the subject for number six and it was a beautifully done piece of work.

This week I will admit to being a slacker when it comes to this little addition to the blog. There’s just too much to wanna read that I’m having trouble picking. Also it’s been a long day. Read the rest of this entry »