This week’s big news of a Daredevil series from Netflix and the first issue of Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe made me think of…Domino?
Hang in with me. Domino has luck power like Longshot. A new X-Force was announced without Neena on the team. All this made me think of when the luckiest mutant teamed up with the Man Without Fear.
In the category of “….and now for something completely different…” X-Men #38 didn’t feel like an X-book but rather a Marvel Team-Up or A+X. Creative team Seth Peck and Paul Azaceta deliver an X-Woman’s detour into a gritty crime caper with an unlikely guest star.
After the intense missions of Brian Wood’s arc involving the Proto-Mutants, Domino took a break from Storm’s team and heads for New York City. What are the odds The Man Without Fear would run into mutant mercenary? Domino and Daredevil find themselves in an underground casino populated by a who’s who of Marvel’s criminal underworld.
Brian Wood and David Lopez’s amazing arc was a huge act to follow. This creative team has made a smart move by going in a completely new direction. Of course Domino’s idea of a vacation is going undercover in a super villain casino! Peck nails Neena’s personality and the Matt Murdock of Mark Waid’s acclaimed run. The action and wit keep building and set the stage for big mystery. I’m in.
Azaceta and Rico Renzi create a perfect palette of gritty realism for this crime time story. The art reminds me of Frank Miller’s Batman Year One and Sean Phillips but with more eye-popping color. David Lopez crafts an iconic pop art cover. This a visual feast from cover to final panel.
The un-X-Men like caper continued in X-Men #39. Domino needed a vacation from her team so she decided to infiltrate an underground casino for criminals. The lucky lady crossed paths with Daredevil and in this issue the duo track down the weapons dealer in an action and humor packed conclusion.
Domino has always been a sidekick – she’s a feisty, sexy chick with guns and luck but not a ton of depth. Neena is lucky that Marvel decided to have Seth Peck write her with a dynamic, funny personality that makes her pop off the page. Neena and Matt’s chemistry sparks in this two-parter. I want to see her guest star in Daredevil now.
Peck deserves accolades for this caper and for how he made me feel about the villain of this two-parter. This secret of Armitage was a big surprise.
All of the art is top-notch! David Lopez’s cover is an in your face pop classic. Paul Azaceta and Matthew Southworth’s bold lines and dark colors really compliment Domino and Daredevil’s underworld adventure.
If this two-parter was an Seth Peck’s audition for Marvel then imagine me giving him a standing ovation! Domino pops and she deserves her own title or team-up book starring Neena! Any hero would be lucky to share an adventure with her!
As the All-New Marvel Now continues I hope we might see a new book with Domino, Peck, Azaceta and Southworth. Bet on Domino – it’s a winner!
By Editor