The geek world shuddered when Marvel ditched Uncanny X-Men’s numbering and relaunched with a brand new one after the Schism event. If you’ve been reading Kieron Gillen’s new Uncanny you know why – it’s a very different book because of Cyclops’ mission – to create an Extinction team to maintain peace and protect mutants through a show of power. Captain America demonstrates his own show of force when he arrives on Utopia in Avengers Vs. X-Men #1.
“I’ll be entirely candid here: my entire run has been conceived in order to build towards AvX. I knew that was coming, and I wanted to do everything I could to increase its importance for it. You get people saying how they hate their favorite books derailed for a crossover, and I wanted to avoid that. AvX is the logical endpoint of huge chunks of what I’m doing. I sort of call the process “Steering into a crossover.” I’ve done it with most of my Marvel work — in that if you know something enormous is on the horizon, your story best veer in its direction otherwise it ends up feeling false when you do a story which does tie in. If you’re writing a shared universe book, you want it to help the book rather than hurt it. ” Gillen told Comics Newsarama in their exclusive interview.
Uncanny X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel
“So, yes, it’s no accident that final arc is a team-up to defeat a string of world-level threats. It’s about seeing them together one final time before it all goes bad. It’s also about delineating the fundamental difference between the two groups. And part of me is always trying to at assume some people are only reading my book. I even try to assume that people have only read my book ever, so may not even be aware who the Avengers are. In that case, if they’re going to go to war shortly, I want to introduce them into the narrative before it happens.”
One of my good friends (not a comic book reader) heard about Batwoman so I wanted to share what you need to know about the new Batwoman – for beginnners or if you’re already a fan.
Batwoman was recently nominated by the GLAAD Media Awards for outstanding comic series. Kate had a tragic childhood. Her mother and twin sister were killed in a hostage standoff. Kate’s father is Colonel Jacob Kane. Inspired by an encounter with Batman, Kate took military technology and body armor to create her costume and launch her own crimefighting career. Kate Kane is now a Gotham City socialite by night and costumed crimefighter later in the night. Kate was romantically linked to Detective Renee Montoya.
Kate must discover who is stealing children in Gotham City, decide if she’ll train her niece to be her new sidekick, and cope with revelations about her father.
One of the best Batwoman arcs is Elegy by Greg Rucka. Kate must stop a madwoman inspired by Alice in Wonderland from poisoning Gotham City.
This week’s Batwoman #6 kicks off a new story arc. Batwoman, Detective Maggie Sawyer, D.A. Cameron Chase and the new villain Maro are headed for a clash in Gotham City.
Kids of the Marvel Universe will be forced to choose sides in the upcoming Avengers Vs. X-Men. The war comes to Avengers Academy in issues 29 and 30. Today Marvel revealed preview art and a new interview with writer Christos Gage. The writer recently brought X-23 to the Academy with more mutants on the way and don’t expect the bonds of friendship to build.
“Avengers Academy is where the Avengers want to put the young mutants of Utopia when hostilities break out,” explains Gage. “They take them into custody and house them at the one facility they know that can handle an infusion of super-powered kids. It’s a bit like Child Protective Services: ‘You’re not under arrest, you haven’t done anything wrong, this if for your own good—but you can’t leave.’
“Needless to say, there are plenty of folks who are none too happy with this turn of events. And if bringing them to Avengers Academy is intended to keep them out of trouble, it doesn’t quite work out that way.”
Expect Wolverine’s “daughter” to be in the spotlight. “She has a foot in each camp, so the war between the Avengers and the X-Men is naturally going to affect her more than anyone. She joined Avengers Academy in part because she wanted [nothing] of the Wolverine/Cyclops Schism. Now she’s caught directly in the middle of another war, and there is no avoiding making the choice this time around.”
Gage adds the members of the X-Club, Sebastian Shaw and Hercules will be visiting Avengers Academy. You may have already seen the preview art of the Olympian naked on campus – seriously.
Secret Avengers #22 preview art by Gabriel Hardman courtesy Marvel.com
Rick Remender and Gabriel Hardman take control of Secret Avengers with issue 22. this week. Hawkeye takes control of the covert team and puts Captain Britain in his place.
When acts of terror erupt in the world’s trouble spots the covert team races into action. Remender previewed the seeds for this conspiracy with this Father Files. The final panel is a shocker that makes me think Hawkeye and company are way in over their heads.
My two favorite things about this issue: 1. Gabriel Hardman’s art is gritty and propels the story. The work reminds of Butch Guice. Hardman’s still is perfect for Hawkeye and Black Widow – not exactly what you would think of for a super hero like Captain Britain but it’s excellent. 2. Hawkeye’s ego busting of Brian Braddock. Both guys are brash. Both think they’re the new team leader until Clint takes down the Protector of the Omniverse. I really look forward to the interaction between these guy moving forward.
Secret Avengers #22 cover Gabriel Hardman courtesy Marvel.com
I definitely recommend Secret Avengers #22. The new team delivers. And Venom joins the action next issue. You should read Remender’s The Father Files on this site or Marvel.com to see how he’s building a whole new evil based on Marvel’s most famous and infamous robots.
When you think Iron First you think of dragons but the martial arts master may have a connection to the fiery Phoenix too!
Marvel gave Comics Newsarama this exclusive first look preview of New Avengers # 26. Iron Fist appears to be shielding Hope Summers (from Avengers who want to seize her?)
This is a new piece of the Iron Fist/Phoenix puzzle. Here’s the link to see New Avengers #25 featuring Danny Rand bursting with a Phoenix energy signature.
The preview includes this: “The secret history of the Phoenix is revealed in K’un Lun’s book of the dead Iron Fists. One of the most important chapters in the AVX story.”
DC’s Big Three but from Earth Two! The Source revealed cover to the upcoming DC Comics New 52 Second Wave title Earth 2. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are in heated battle (with Darkseid’s warriors?) in this variant cover by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado.
Zanadu Comics Seattle First Round Table Group 1/11/12
A diverse group of comic book fans with different tastes came together to share our love of the medium, discuss books and trends. The second monthly Comic Book Discussion Group at Seattle’s Zanadu Comics saw new fans join the long table.
The gang regrouped to discuss Prophet #21 – our book of the month chosen at the previous gathering. Opinions from around the table included “no redeeming social value” to “didn’t live up to expectations” to “cool concept but not a succesful execution.” One of my favorite quotes was “it was like you’re on a British safari.”
The Prophet #21 opinions lead to a discussion about how in U.S. mainstream comics characters and action dominate panels. This issue was an excellent example of a creator giving the reader a sense of atmosphere, a sense of place. Fans offered the original Solaris film and Akira and European comics as examples of creative work that give you a sense of the world the characters are experiencing.
“Alright, Watchmen prequels, are we gonna go there?” Jason said to the group. Alan Moore’s Watchmen is the holy grail to some comics readers. The 1980’s series was groundbreaking and influential masterpiece to many fans and should not be touched. DC fired up fanboys on both sides by announcing a new series of prequels starring characters from the Watchmen.
I think the consensus was that DC’s Before Watchmen was commercially driven but they have such great writers on the titles, it would be hard to resist trying a first issue. Darwyn Cooke and Brian Azzerello will get some of us to give the prequels a try. One fan said it best: “at least they didn’t try to do a sequel.”
Two big discoveries for me courtesy of Howard our host:
courtesy Fantagraphics
Young Romance by Fantagraphics.Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created Captain America but they literally created the romance comic genre. The pages were packed with dialogue and dramatic art as women fought for love.
Berlin by Jason Lutes. A former Seattle resident tells the story of life in Germany before the rise of the Nazi party. This graphic novel actually started in Seattle’s alternative newspaper, The Stranger.
Our moderator and Zanadu staffer Casey picked some of this week’s new releases to spur on more discussion.
Dicks by Garth Ennis is one of the most offensive and funny books you’ll read according to Casey. My response after one particularly shocking panel, “oh this is very dirty.” It’s shocking to think Ennis is about to release a children’s book.
Conan the Barbarian #1 sparked excitement given this new series is based on a favorite Robert E. Howard tale featuring Conan as a pirate on the high seas.
courtesy Marvel.com
Wolverine and the X-Men #5 I’m biased I love Kitty Pryde and I’m crazy for Jason Aaron’s take on Wolverine as Headmaster of this new mutant school. Broo is a big hit and any book that has little Nightcrawlers stealing Logan’s whisky has to be checked out.
Murky World by the legendary Richard Corben of Heavy Metal and Creepy fame. The black and white art was stark and beautiful. This is sci-fi fantasy horror with monsters, necromancers and a warrior on a quest.
Susan chose our book to read for next month. Rachel Rising by Terry Moore featuring a girl haunted by what she can’t remember after waking up in a riverbed.
Teen Titans #3 from DC Comics. Art by Brett Booth.
One last thing that I want to mention – Sidekicks that never get to grow up. As we discussed the latest version of Teen Titans, return of The Winter Soldier and Nightwing, a theme emerged: why is there never a succession in comic books?
DC Comics has done a better job having their sidekicks evolve and grow up to be new heroes. Dick Grayson graduated from Robin to Nightwing to even serving as Batman for a time.
The Captain America mantle had been succesfully passed to Bucky. Fans had embraced a new role for Steve Rogers and Bucky as Cap but the role went back to Steve for the sake of marketing with the new Captain America and Avengers movies.
The latest gathering proved that no matter how different we are, no matter how varied our tastes, fans can find a mutual connection in our love for comics. See you next month!
And someone – I will protect his name for his own safety – said Dick Grayson under Grant Morrison was a better Batman than Bruce Wayne. That’s a BOLD statement!
What I enjoy about our gatherings is diversity. Fans from very different backgrounds finding common ground in our love for comic books and learning from a fellow fan and from their comic book experience.
World’s Finest stars Power Girl and the Huntress from Earth 2. They duo are trapped in our world and the DC Comics New 52 Second Wave series follows their quest to return home.
The Source revealed the George Perez cover today and you’ll notice Power Girl is covered up! The blonde heroine is known for her costume sporting a big o in her chest displaying her cleavage and the suit is a one piece bathing suit with bare legs but covered up arms. Helena’s Huntress costume looks the same.
Guess this new Power Girl is a little more reserved compared to her pre-New 52 version.
