First impressions before I start reading--Ed McGuinness is so fabulous. I really love him. Not even Jeph Loeb can ruin it.
They have worked before, I remember. They collaborated on the Red Hulk series....
...in which the artwork shone, but suffered from a severe case of Loeb-asthenia. The series dragged on and on and on and on, even though everyone speculated from the first that it was (shock! Spoiler!!) freaking Thunderbolt Ross. I personally thought it would have been a much neater twist if they had made it Talbot, but ya know--I'm not the writer. The highlight of that Rulk series though was the artwork. You could take just about any page and it was frame-worthy.
Now, say what you want about Jeph Loeb, but his books darn well sell. Maybe we are all just gluttons for punishment and are waiting to see what offense he is going to force down our throats next (Ultamatium), or maybe we are just waiting for him to strike gold again like he did with the Batman: Long Halloween. He is a proficient writer, I will admit. He just too often uses his powers for evil.
So! Before beginning this comic, I am prepared for it to be anything from spectacular to absolutely nonsensical, but I guarantee it is going to do it prettily.
The cover raises some questions. For example: Cable is dead. Has he been resurrected? Is this series the one in which he will be resurrected? Is this -gasp- ZOMBIE CABLE?!!
Oh, I guess that has all ready been done. Darn.
And what is Captain America smelling there that is distracting him from bear-wrestling Cable?
He is definitely making poo-face.
The recap seems to support my either Cable is coming back in this series, or he is making a brief but short lived comeback for some action hero-esque "unfinished business". Why does Rulk say "Lock and unload, Avengers!"? Is he trying out a new catch phrase? Because as far as slogans go, this one is awkward and absolutely nonsensical. Or is he just trying to be pun-ny? That is even worse--it's embarrassing. You try that shit in real life and you're going to get the groans or uncomfortable silence while you wallow in your own idiocy. I like to imagine that is what happened to Ross when he pulled out that shiny gem; my theory seems to be supported by Iron Man blatantly pretending he didn't say anything at all.
Lethal Legion. Is this a preexisting group, or is it a new form of villainy? I am digging the classic-comic style name. Sinister Six, Legion of Doom...it fits in with the crowd.
Cable on the rooftop is somewhat neat, but even with the gigantic gun with the high-tech attached, he still manages to look like this:
And as far as I can tell, Captain America brought Falcon along to observe everyone else's awesomeness. "Falcon! Stay high!" But that'll teach Sam to second guess Cap's orders. He just got stole like...well...
The Nathan Summer's death scene was done quite well. Is he referring to Hope as his adoptive daughter or biological daughter?
What sort of energy projection guns does Cable have there? Cap takes on at some point, but I think it would have been cooler if Steve had his old guns on him--a sort of old soldier with old ways versus the future soldier with futuristic weapons. It would have made a more jarring contrast. Which of course Steve doesn't routinely carry his guns anymore, and people may erroneously conclude that it was Bucky Cap, but I think they could have made it work. Even if he just found a pistol to use.
The time traveler's lines--"The world couldn't be saved...because Hope wasn't there to save it"--felt weak and contrived. Or intentional--if there is one single thing that one could say to Nathan and get him to do what you want him to do (like, say, destroy the Avengers for no discernible reason) it is that they are a threat to Hope. But who could possibly be behind a move like that?
Final impressions: Good first issue. I am definitely intrigued. I don't think the Avengers would take out Hope unless they have darn good reason to do so, but perhaps if they saw her as a threat akin to Scarlet Witch or the Phoenix they would attempt a preemptive strike. I can't see them actually killing her, but then again the time travelling freakazoid didn't say that she died, just that she wasn't there to say it. She could have made the conscious decision to not or be held in a detainment center by the Avengers. Or this could be all a ploy.
Something of note: since the roster of Avengers are forever and constantly changing and they were not ACTUALLY mentioned by name, there is a chance that he has completely the wrong team.
Also, what is it with Loeb writing his main character as this mega-powered guy that can stomp all over the heavy hitters? Have you noticed that, too? First we have Rulk who beats the ever-livin' fuck out of Thor, much to the dismay of comic fans everywhere. And now in this issue, Cable (who is admittedly a powerful soldier in and of his own right) getting the slip on Captain America? Sorry, I am not exactly buying it. While not out of the realm of possibility, it feels like Cap walked into an obvious trap with no precautionary measures, an odd move for someone as judicious as Steve Rogers. I know it is for the sake of story, but it would have made more sense to me if they had taken out a weaker, smaller character first if they are going to pick them off one at a time. Especially since now Cable looks to weak to take down anyone else and he still has Red Hulk, Iron Man, Wolverine, and Spider-Man.
I don't know. I am trying to not let my sense of logic interfere with an entertaining story.
0.O Andie
