Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Penciling: Reilly Brown
Just when I was about to leave...they pulled me BACK IN.
The past couple of issues of Cable & Deadpool have been...well lackluster, tell me I'm wrong but, the overall feel was "Meh". This issue everything I loved about Cable & Deadpool is back, the non-stop humor, the bizarre storylines, no more of that Civil War downer stuff, no more of Deadpool torturing himself and generally trying to prove himself. Again, the funny be back.
The issue starts with the still small Wade Wilson being inlisted to save Agent X aka Alex Hayden, (think like Deadpool but more "serious"). Apparently, as Alex was breaking into a Hydra facility, he got caught and captured by some unsavory scientists. Prompt by some lovely ladies, Wade breaks into the Hydra facility, rescuing the now morbidly obese Agent X
Now summing it up right there, it doesn't sound that great....actually it sounds pretty corny and Cable doesn't even show up but, seriously, if you don't laugh at least ONCE while reading this issue, your are an inhuman bastard that is devoid of laughter. The book has regained its funny, from Yoda references, to Hydra's job benefits, there is enough random humor in here to fill an episode of Family Guy and Futurama 2 times over. The pacing of the story only added to the overall humor and enjoyment of this sucker. Believe it or not you even start getting engrossed in the story if only because towards the end it gets....a little weird.
Brown does a good job with the art, though honestly having to draw all of this stuff you just know he probably turns to Nicieza once and awhile and goes "Dude what in the WORLD were you smoking when you wrote this!". The cover done by Skottie Young was pretty pimp too, I must admit.
In closing, if you want to read a hilariously entertaining title this week pick up Cable & Deadpool #38. A+
Writer: C.B. Cebulski
Pencils: Humberto Ramos
New readers, this is a comic for YOU!
The Runaways story has spanned over two hardcovers with a third coming out soon...now if your strapped for cash like I am....constantly....then this 3.99 issue is for you.
Runaways Saga is for all intents and purposes a "Previously on Runaways" type of comic. If you haven't read Runaways and want a primer, this is it. The story starts off with the other Runaways reading Molly's diary, while she is asleep in the Leapfrog. Sorta out of character for them to do this but, whatever. Pretty much Molly's diary entries cover the whole story of Runaways, from the beginnings to the current storyline. Weighing in at about 45+ pages, C.B Cebulski does a pretty damn good job at summing up all of the Runaways storylines....kinda impressive really. Ramos artwork is alright but more serves as an afterthought at times to the writing.
In short, if your looking to read this, to see Molly's side of things, maybe see something different about the Runaways....yeah...your not really gonna get that...BUT, if you don't know jack about Runaways or missed a story arc during the series run, pick this sucker up. It's a good starting off point before Whedon's run, and if it gets you interested in the series more, all the better. B+
PS: First person to respond that has never read Runaways EVER, will get my copy of this title. See, ha ha, it pays to read to the end of a review
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Frank Cho
I'm torn on this issue. I knew the line-up last November thanks to Wizard. I saw preview pages in there, basically showing me the entire fight. What I didn't see was the discussions between Iron Man and Carol Danvers. Tony tells Carol that he wants her to lead and help pick the team, but the entire time I was reading it, it felt like Tony was still leading and picking. Tony picks Sentry, Black Widow, and himself to be on the team. If he's director of S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't he have other things to do other than stepping on Carol's toes? Carol picks Ares, Wasp, and Wonder Man, saying that they were the best Avengers ever. 'Excuse me? Wonder Man one of the best Avengers? Okay, maybe out of "those Avengers still alive and registered," but not ever. She picks Ares because he is "Thore and Wolverine rolled into one." Tony adds Black Widow because of some stupid reason like "In this day and age, you have to have a ninja." Yeah Tony, because ninja's are so in now. Bendis used to write Tony better than this, but this Tony feels like he is drunk while he is talking. I miss the New Avengers Tony, now that was a cool character, not this one. And since when can Black Widow fly? I though she was simply a former russian spy that carries a gun, but Frank Cho makes her fly. Another thing that bugged me about this book was the return of word balloons. Rather than make them neccessary, Bendis puts them in the middle of Carol and Tony's conversation with things like, "Did he just say that?" exclamations of "Man!" "Yes Good" and "Oh my God!" Did we really need these? A lot of these felt really superflous, thrown in there to make the book funny. The only good one was one of Iron Man's where he told himself to let Carol lead the team. I don't know if this is one of the ways to bring comics back to the classic ways, but if it's only used in this capacity, then I will pass on the idea. You don't need thought balloons to express emotions, that is what the artist is for. Put in some useful information and I might welcome the change.
This book is geared for Frank Cho. Wasp, Ms. Marvel and Black Canary all have boobs and butts, and Cho does his usual thing with these. While the other male characters are drawn well, his Iron Man really lacks something. He look's like a posed action figure in every panel. I don't know if it is because of the way Cho draws the suit, but it feels like that is the one character he's not putting the effort into. Take some effort off the asses, and into Iron Man. Please. That said, the action in the book is framed and drawn well. You have a sense of motion and fluidity in between panels whenever Iron Man is not in them. This being the first issue, maybe something is off, as Bendis has written the darker New Avengers for about 3 years and now he has to switch to "happy" Avengers. A lot of the other reviews on the net really enjoyed this book, but I felt it was lacking some real pizazz. It feels like Bendis is reaching for humor here, but without Spider-Man's wisecracks he just can't reach that. Read the book and judge for yourself, it's a better investment than that Initiative one-shot. C+
Writer: Dwane McDuffie, Stan Lee, & Paul Pope
Artists: Mike McKone, Nick Dragotta, & Paul Pope
After all the crap that was the Civil War issues with the Thing in France we finally get a good issue of Fantastic Four. Dwayne McDuffie writes a good story here incorporating the anniversary theme and the fallout from Civil War, which is actually more interesting than the war ever tried to be. Ben and Johnny are watching the kids while Reed and Sue talk about the past events. Sue goes through the "I still love you, you're the best man I've ever known" motions as Reed continually apologizes and manages not to make a science reference. Ben and Johhny are watching a Fantastic Four retrospective on "Lateline" and the interviews of Hank Pym, their Mailman, Doctor Doom, Namor, Spider-Man, She-Hulk, She-Thing (wha huh?), and Black Panther. Despite sounding really boring, this portion of the book is actually entertaining, especially Doctor Doom's words that Reed with ruin the world and Doom "might" help when that time comes. This TV show shows the importance of the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Universe as Reed and Sue debate on what to do. This part of the story was good, but the back-ups were much better.
The first back-up tale is 10 pages by Stan Lee, Nick Dragotta, and Mike Allred on inks, which might be why it looks like Mike Allred art. The story is really fun and witty, Stan Lee has still got it when it comes to these characters. The Mole Man attacks New York and Reed says that after 45 years, he's tired of saving the world. He wants to retire even though the cosmic ray exposure have kept him from aging. Stan Lee walks in and tells the FF that there are other ways than fighting to defeat Mole Man. We get a glimpse of the Marvel offices with Breevort telling a quivering Quesada that the FF will not come out and save the city. It's a really fun and short story that anyone can enjoy. This was the second-best story of the book.
The best story of the book is the one written and drawn by Paul Pope. In 12 pages, Pope focuses on the rivalry between the Human Torch and Spider-Man. Torch is tired of Spider-Man getting all of the press and decides to enter a drag race to get some publicity. Meanwhile J Jonah Jameson is telling Peter Parker to get less pictures of Spider-Man and more of the Human Torch. So Peter goes to the drag race and decides to get Johnny all fired up to start a fight. Pope really captures a fun rivalry between the two characters as well as a dynamic art style. There is a lot of fun, humorous moments, that in any other medium with any other characters would have failed. Rather than spend your money on the Initiative one-shot go pick up this all-around good book. It's 44 pages for 3.99 and well worth your money for the back-up stories alone, along with the main story. B+
