Punisher Max

Ever notice how artistic some comic covers can be? Punshier MAX issue number 22 is no exception:

Noticing right off the bat the RIP and Punisher symbol in the tree (not to mention the Aaron/Dillon across the top), I am guessing this is Aaron's last issue on the Punisher MAX story line that I have been hearing about. Garth Ennis had written on it for a long time, which I have never personally read but knowing the author it is a perfect title for him. Then Jason Aaron picked it up and has been writing the last 22 issues with artist Steve Dillon. I love Steve Dillon; have ever since Preacher. Once you let his art style grow on you, you are hooked for life.

I looked up a Jason Aaron picture--I am half loving him, half terrified of him. If he is smiling, he is just lovably adorable. If he is not, well....

So! To the issue.

Is it just me or does dead Frank Castle remind you just a little of a young Sylvester Stallone?? Ah, probably just me--if you tossed an eye patch on him, I would have sworn he was Jesse; pair of sunglasses, he'd be a ringer for Cass :P

Love classic Nick Fury. I didn't catch on at first though I probably should have because of the eye patch. But the way he speaks of Frank...it is nice. You don't usually hear even the good guys have too much positive to say about the old guy, even if they are doing the same thing--fighting for what they think is right with whatever abilities they had.

I know it's not the 616--it's MAX--but people keep questioning Fury and suspiciously going without roundhouse kick to the face.

Wow, that was a powerful scene with Elektra.

I liked that issue. Nothing spectacular, not particularly emotional, but I think it was fitting in it's way. Frank died as he lived, fighting till the last breath. Felt a little short, but I don't know if I would have kept at it had it been too too long.

Probably done for a while. Need both hands to do other things. But I will try to read and write more today or tomorrow, maybe.

--andie--

Justice League

Justice League, issue 5

I am less familiar with DC than I am Marvel, obviously. I mean, when your husband gets you into comics, you naturally jump on to titles that he is all ready interested in, and Michael tends to favor Marvel story lines and characters. Despite this, I do know--Geoff Johns is one of the big shots, one of the really good writers comics have today. One of my favorite comics ever was written by him (it was a retelling of Hal Jordan's origin story, which I enjoyed immensely).

While the wind rages something fierce outside, I am going to dive back in.

First, I gotta ask...who is the black guy with the metal arm?

No, no--not him; the other guy....

Okay, I am evidently going to have to be clearer.

This guy. He is prominently featured on the cover, in front of some of the more recognizable characters, so I am intrigued. Even more so as I do not recognize him.

Right quick: who are Flash and Superman fighting? It looks like he took out the rest of the team, and my first thought was that he looked like a baby sentinel from the Marvel X-Men universe.

(note right here: there is apparently a lymph node called the sentinel so you should exercise extreme caution when typing "sentinel" into google with no elaboration).

Okay, it is Darkseid? Somehow I missed that memo, along with the recap page. Are they not doing that any more? Now that I know it is him, I am surprised that my mind jumped to sentinel when skrull, Thanos, or Apocalypse might have been more of a natural assumption. Maybe it was because of the unusual coloring.

Hal Jordan is either incredibly brave and badass, or else suicidal. One thing is for certain, he is not a good team player yet--he is overly confident, doesn't work well with others, rushes in haphazardly and without plan...makes for an interesting character.

I do like the idea of Green Lantern/Hal Jordan and Batman/Bruce Wayne becoming close friends. I don't know how their relationship was prior to the new 52, but Bruce wouldn't normally unmask in the middle of a fight, wouldn't give people pep talks to motivate them, would probably be the one struggling the hardest not to try and take on the world by himself...

Great issue. I actually really enjoyed myself. It feels freeing to read a story that is not bogged down by more history than you could ever comprehend or ever conquer, especially with several new stories being churned out every month...that actually is neither here nor there; my point being: it is nice not having to stop every couple of panels to go "what the fuck? When did that happen? Weren't you dead?"..you get the idea.

I may take this series from the beginning. Certainly seems interesting enough. Do wish they had stuck with their original intent of giving Wonder Woman pants; at least that way she would have been noteworthy enough for me to mention before the very end.

--Andie--

oh! And the guy....? Cyborg. So now I know.

Avengers Academy 25

Apparently just to fuck with my "alphabetical order", Michael sent me "Avengers Academy" issue 25 right after I did "Avengers: X-Sanction". Yeesh :p

Can I just say: I love that Hazmat and Mettle are together. I have a huge soft spot for Mettle, and I like that he found love; it reinforces the idea that there is someone for everyone.

Awwwww.

These issues always feel chaotic at first, but accessible--if you keep going, everything will start to make more sense, whether you have been following the series or not. I like that.

Great issue, great ending. Couldn't even write about it because I was so engrossed.

Notes: Reptil is a pretty neat character in the future; my thought was that he was going to turn evil in order to protect Finesse, but he was a daddy and a hero, and totally adorable.

I don't recognize a ton of characters but it didn't feel like I had to to read the issue. It must have sucked for Pym to lose Wanda and then lose Jocasta; it was cruel of her to fake her own death, and arrogant of her to try and disassemble something that does not belong to her. Whatever else she is, Pym is much more intelligent and wise than she; as being a member of the Avengers, of course he knows that gathering many powered beings in one place is going to attract danger. It is the very nature of the job. And if he has paid attention to any of the x-men news over the years, he knows the risks it would pose to teenagers--I think that he took all of these considerations before starting this initiative.

All that being said: these characters were at particular danger for becoming villains. Just like Pym, like Quicksilver...like so many of those who have powers or abilities or intelligence, but improper guidance and lack of support system. On their own, not only were they more vulnerable than they would be in a group, they were also susceptible to negative influences. Leaving them to their own devices, or causing them to cast in with other teams that were unprepared or unaware of their particular tendencies would not make their powers or their back stories change at all; it would just make them feel alone in a crowd.

He positively influenced all of those kids' lives, and gave them all what they so desperately needed--someone to believe that they are the good guys; someone to guide them and believe in them, and to constantly work toward giving them a better life.

Jocasta is cold, heartless, and--let's face it--a fucking robot made by the killing machine Ultron. I don't think that she has the capacity to understand this on any conceivable depth except for the shallow interpretation she offered in the issue: gifted individuals together are going to cause some drama.

Anyways, I am hoping this is not the end of a very good series. I wish I had followed it with more regularity, but my ability to read anything of late seems to be limited to eBooks free and available on my phone (one handed, after all). Hank Pym is one of the more interesting characters Marvel has ever boasted, and to see him finally coming into his own badassery out of the shadow of the "big shots" like Cap and Iron Man and Thor was really nice. He is like so many of us--good, but maybe not good enough when compared to...fill in the blank there.

Maybe I will get the whole series. Anyone know of any TPB's currently out?

Crumbs! It's time to make lunch. Hope to write more after I eat!!

--Andie!--

Avengers: X-Sanction 3

Yay, new comics!!

Going in alphabetical order, I am going to start with "Avengers: X-Santion" issue 3 of 4.

This one is written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Ed McGuinness; I read the first in the series and even wrote a post about it, but I have not read the second. Probably don't really need to have read it--the recap pages are usually adequate.

The cover makes me giggle because it looks like Cable is Rulk's teddy bear/lovey--it doesn't look like fighting so much as cuddling. It could also look dirty, if it weren't for the ferocious look on Red Hulk's face.

No offense to the character, but I think red hulk has lost all novelty for me. I am just tired of seeing him, and I am certainly tired of writing his name.

Recap page raises mixed emotions: I would have liked to have seen the fight between Iron Man and Cable, but on the same token, I assume that it was handled about as delicately as anything Loeb does. He probably creamed Iron Man with little to no fight, which I would have hurt to see.

Why does Cable call Red Hulk "Talbot"? Everyone knows that Rulk is General Ross; which brings to mind that Cable did a half-assed job of tracking down the Avengers. If Talbot is transformed into Rulk at some point and he is the reason that Hope cannot save the world (-sigh-) then maybe Cable needn't have come back. Talbot's dead; good show, old boy.

Should I have been impressed by Blaquesmith showing up? Because as far as neat guest appearances, not that titillating. Also, since when is gunning someone down "the old-fashioned way"? I guess Cable is from the future so maybe psyonic attacks are more common in that era, but he also uses very high tech machinery...ehhhh, anyways.

Who is Tyler?

Hope has an ugly drawn heiny. It is weird to conceive of Scott being Cable's father when it feels like Nathan is considerably older....

Wolverine is acting weird. I can guess that because of the way his lettering is done.

I gotta be honest: the whole series has felt like a cluster fuck. I mean, they wanted to get from point A (X-Men and Avengers are on amicable terms) to point B (X-Men and Avengers fighting), so they are just going to confuse and anger key players and toss them in a room together? Feels weak, doesn't it? Four issues is not enough to completely demolish alliances and start a huge battle between friends. You need some sort of powder keg that is building for a while, then explode in a huge event--Stamford, Connecticut for example.

It feels like this whole story line could have been completely done without. It is possible I am allowing my apathy with everything Loeb does taint what is a decent story arc, but like everything else I have read written by him in the last few years, it feels like we are not accomplishing anything--that from the start of the issue to the end, we established little to nothing of consequence, it is just a distraction to keep you interested until they do something else.

I dunno. Not my favorite.

--Andie--