Retro Review- Spider-Man: The Gathering of Five - End of an Era (SPOILERS)

Long before the days of The New 52 and Marvel NOW!, there was another time where comic book companies, specifically Marvel, were relaunch happy; it was called the 90's. During the last half of the decade, Marvel began a slow campaign where most of their longest running titles were restarted with a new #1. Fantastic Four, Captain America, Avengers, Daredevil, Hulk, pretty much no one but the X-Men were safe; not even Spider-Man. By 1998, the web-slinger had four monthly titles going, and after "The Gathering of Five" and "The Final Chapter" storylines, all had been cancelled and two of them were relaunched. Now I had only started reading Spider-Man comics sometime after the relaunches, thanks to the Wizard Spider-Man special I had received as a present for my 8th birthday, where I learned so much about the history of Spider-Man. Now in 2013, Marvel finally released a paperback collection of the final issues in that era of Spider-Man that I had missed the first time around.

While comic books in the 90's get a lot of flak, reading these stories today brought back a feeling of nostalgia to me. Reading comics when I was younger, pretty much Spider-Man exclusively, was so much simpler. Heroes were heroes, villains were villains, and I read stories not thinking about the writers' or editors' intentions; not to mention I already missed all the clone stuff beforehand. Ever since the "One More Day" storyline erased Peter and Mary Jane's marriage and rewrote Spider-Man's history, I have found it hard to think of said history as fluid as it used to be. I entered Spider-Man comics when Peter was married to Mary Jane, and going back and reading those stories again, well, like I said, nostalgia takes over.

Nostalgia aside though, there were some things I couldn't really overlook. There were some grammatical errors, which as an English major I would notice, but nothing I couldn't get past. Another thing I seemed to notice was that some comic book stories years before are dragged out just as much as they are today. For example, in "Gathering of Five" Part 3 (Spider-Man #96), Spidey had to stop "some sort of prehistoric dinosaur" that breathed fire while on his way to stop J. Jonah Jameson from killing Norman Osborn. I mean, that just seems completely random. On a positive note though, Peter did make a jab at the 1998 American Godzilla movie during that fight, so that made me laugh. I think it goes along with the nostalgia I was feeling, seeing Peter reference things in the 90's; there was another instance in "Gathering of Five" Part 5 (Sensational Spider-Man #33) where Peter was singing "The Way" by Fastball while scaling a building to catch Override. As for another case of the story being dragged out was watching Peter do random things through New York while Osborn was putting things together for the Gathering of Five ceremony in Part 3 (Spectacular Spider-Man #262). That said, that would be the weakest issue of the collection; Peter didn't really sound like Peter in some parts of that issue.

There was one part of this storyline that is controversial though, and that is the resurrection of Aunt May, who was believed to had died years prior in Amazing Spider-Man #400. Apparently Osborn had had her held captive and replaced her with an actress who he had genetically changed to match May's appearance. Not only is that a ridiculous retcon, but it also diminished the emotional final moments of May's life. Another source on controversy from this was that Peter believed it was his infant daughter May that was being held captive, who was believed to have been stillborn since the end of the Clone Saga. Despite that, I once believed that Norman still had baby May alive and stashed away somewhere, most likely Europe. I mean, he kept his and Gwen Stacy's kids around so there was nothing to say baby May couldn't be alive too. However, due to the continuity changing of "One More Day", the likelihood of May's mortality has greatly diminished. On both counts though, they're things I would work to change if I ever get the chance to work at Marvel and on Spider-Man.

While the storyline isn't exactly perfect, I would say it would be the perfect ending to the original volume of Amazing Spider-Man and the other Spider-books. I mean, if you compared it to Amazing's recent "final" issue with Doc Ock declaring to become a superior Spider-Man, "The Final Chapter" story really seemed like that. Peter practically saved the planet from his archenemy (yes, Ock may have been the one to "kill" Peter, but I still consider Osborn to be THE archenemy) and only a handful of people would ever know it, and when it was all done, he burned his Spider-Man costume to try and live a normal life with his wife and newly returned aunt. If it wasn't for the final scene with the Scriers breaking Norman out of jail, it would have been perfect with no loose ends.

For the sake of completion, I, along with my nostalgia, would say "Spider-Man: The Gathering of Five" is a satisfying read for those who would want to see an in-continuity finale for the web-slinger.

STORY RATING: 6/10
RECOMMENDATION RATING 8/10

The Frustrations of a Marvel Reader Part II

I'm not sure if this will be a recurring segment on my blog, but I felt the need to follow up after the original "Frustrations" post, given that new comic solicitations came out this week. Who knows though, Marvel may do something that pisses me off again next month that warrants another post. But let's focus on this one now.

For those who may recall, I ranted about how Marvel has relaunched series, cancelled them, only to relaunch them again for the littlest reasons. For example, Wolverine's current main book was cancelled after #13, with a new #1 starting a month later with the same writer. Another thing that grinded my gears was Marvel cancelling series before they ever reach #50 nowadays, like with Daredevil, the current volume of which was ending in February with #36. Of course a character like Daredevil wouldn't be without a book for long. So it seems probably a week after my original post, Marvel announced the relaunch of Daredevil under the All-New Marvel NOW! campaign. Here's the kicker though: IT'S THE SAME DAMN CREATIVE TEAM FROM THE LAST VOLUME. The only big change this book has gone through is that Matt is moving to San Francisco. Apparently the team was given the option to relaunch a year earlier for the original Marvel NOW! branding, but they decided not to because they thought it would be too "gimmicky." Really? How is THIS not gimmicky? A lot of Marvel books that were relaunched for NOW! got new creative teams or went through some significant change. I probably wouldn't be so mad about this if Daredevil got a new creative team for this relaunch. Don't get me wrong, Mark Waid's made this book one of my top reads every month, but there's no reason this book could have went past #36 besides a minor sales jump with a new #1. Still, the fact that I'll continue to get this book shows that I'm interested in both character and writer.

Another title that was cancelled was Wolverine and the X-Men, the only X-Men book I had on my pulllist. Of course, here we are a month later, and the book was relaunching with a new #1. Unlike Daredevil though, this book was given a new creative team. Also unlike Daredevil though, I will not be "re-adding" the book to my pulllist. I mentioned before prior to the book's relaunch announcement that I may consider adding Amazing X-Men to my pulllist if it was given a .NOW issue. Well now I've decided that I will trade-wait for that book so I can start reading from the beginning. I've come to this decision for a few reasons:

1. The new Wolverine and the X-Men book will now focus more on the kids. While I've enjoyed reading about the kids before, I would much rather read about Wolverine's actual team of X-Men. Considering much of the same characters like Beast, Storm, and Iceman are in the book, they are the ones I'd like so see in action.
2. Jason Aaron, who is writing the soon-to-end volume of Wolverine and the X-Men, is also writing Amazing X-Men. No disrespect to the book's new writer, Jason Latour, but I have not read any of his work, so I'd rather go with the sure thing. Jason Aaron's writing is what made me enjoy Wolverine's side more than Cyclops' when Regenesis began. That said, I'll stick with an X-Men book written by Aaron.
3. Along with starting from the beginning, trade-waiting on a book will save me money. Compared to buying a new issue every month for $4, I could just buy a trade every few months.

But still, the way Marvel has handled their relaunches has made me wonder how long it will take before they've completely diminished the value of an #1. Then I thought of an idea that I'm not saying should happen, but would probably less likely piss fans off. Just abolish the ongoing series and make continuous limited series. This practice was done with Venom during the 90's. In lieu of giving Venom an ongoing series, Marvel gave Venom a new limited series a month after the previous one ended. For example, after the Lethal Protector series ended, the Funeral Pyre series began a month later, and this was what happened with Venom books for 5 years. I'm just saying that if Marvel loves #1 so much, maybe they should consider bringing this practice back as the standard.

My last "Frustrations" post also talked about how I felt DC was handling their publishing better. My predictions for cancellations out of Forever Evil were proven half-correct. In March, both Batman: The Dark Knight and Talon will be ending, and it's very likely they won't be relaunched. Nightwing may be cancelled in April, but that's just a guess; something will happen with that title though, that is for sure. As for Batman and..., I'm not sure where the title will go, as it's not ending just yet, since March's issue will feature Aquaman. There's still the plotpoint of Ra's al Ghul having Damian's body, so perhaps once that is wrapped up, the book will end, and maybe Damian will come back with his own solo "Robin" book.

Based on March's solicitations for DC and Marvel, it will be the smallest amount of books I've gotten in a long time. Marvel alone only has 8 individual issues I'll be getting; Superior Spider-Man continues to double ship and will have an annual compared to my other books' one issues. With Talon and Dark Knight cancelled as well, that leads to 18 books, 12 DC and 6 Marvel, now on my pulllist heading into April, barring any surprises from either. That works out well for me, since I'm trying to save money now I've bought a new laptop (which I'm using right now). The one thing I wholeheartedly expect will be Superior Spider-Man ending in April with Amazing Spider-Man relaunching in May; I mean, the new movie's coming out and Peter's got to come back sometime. If that doesn't happen, I'll be very surprised.

So will I be back again next month to update on my comics pulllist? I guess we'll see when the April solicitations come out.

Movie Review: "Thor: The Dark World" - Beam Me Up, Heimdall (SPOILERS)

 

Once again, Marvel Studios delivers another entertaining addition to their cinematic universe with Thor's second solo outing. Still, the film has its highs and lows. We'll start with the positive.

It's probably needless to say, but Tom Hiddleston definitely stole the show as Loki. Not only does he bring his trademark wit with him again, but Loki brings a lot of twists and turns that you can't be sure what you saw actually really happened. For example, there's one scene where Loki apparently cuts off Thor's hand. I totally did not see that coming, nor did I see that it was all a ploy. It was tricks like that that made me wary to believe that Kurse actually killed him. But at least I got to make my "Well now he knows how Coulson felt" joke. Of course I was right to be wary by the end though, but it did leave me questioning...what happened to Odin?

Speaking of Odin though, the relationship between him and Thor is just as enjoyable this time around as it was the first, even though it was the roles were reversed in a way. Before, it was the wise Odin and the tempered Thor over the Frost Giants; now it was the grief-stricken revenge-seeking Odin and the calculating Thor over the Dark Elves. It definitely shows great character development for the God of thunder.

It was also nice to see more of Frigga in this film compared to the first, particularly the aspect where we realize where Loki learned his tricks from. I guess whereas Thor learned his head-on fighting approach from his father, Loki learned his deceptive side from his mother; too bad she wasn't able to keep him from trying to kill all of humanity. Despite that, her death did show that Loki has some hint of compassion.

One of the biggest aspect of the film comes from its comedy. Along with Loki (particularly his brief disguise as Captain America), a lot of it comes from Darcy and Erik Selvig, both reprised by Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard, respectively. While Darcy is as snarky as the first film, one may be surprised to hear that Selvig is bring some humor to the film since he's such a serious scientist. Well, it appears that Loki's mind control did a number on his head, even landing him in an insane asylum that also houses a familiar comic book creator. It kind of made me wonder if Hawkeye had any similar problems, though I think Selvig's interaction with the Tesseract also played a part in his breakdown. Nonetheless, Selvig brought the most hilarious moments of the film.

As for the lows, while I was watching the film, I couldn't help but feel like some aspects were lifted from other movies:

• Malekith's ship was primarily dark with red lights and symbols. Felt alot like a Predator ship to me.
• The Dark Elves' attack on Asgard was very reminiscent of something that would probably be seen in the Star Wars prequel films. The fact that Skywalker Sound was used probably had something to do with that. Guess Disney is making good use of the Star Wars license.
• The shield Heimdall attempted to put up was similar to the one put over Hogwarts in the final Harry Potter film, even when it dissipated. Along with that, the lights released from the patrons at Frigga's funeral was like when everyone lit up their wands when Dumbledore died.
• Not a real serious gripe here, but the Dark Elves look like they could pass for Power Rangers villain henchmen. I've thought that ever since the first pics came out and I still think that. I can't be the only one who thought that.

Aside from those similarities, I did have some issues with Malekith in this film that were similar to Whiplash in Iron Man 2. I do feel that Malekith was a credible threat from the start, much more than Whiplash I might add, but like Whiplash, I couldn't help but feel he and the Dark Elves came out of nowhere, like there wasn't any build-up beforehand. When you look at Iron Man 3, there was a lot of subtle build up from the first 2 films that you knew that Mandarin was coming. I started to wonder if Captain America: The Winter Soldier will have similar issues, but then I realized that the Winter Soldier being the villain is automatically a plus (especially when you know the character's background), not to mention there will be ties to Avengers: Age of Ultron, which I can definitely see if the "SHIELD creates Ultron" theory plays out.

Now of course, what's a Marvel film without a mid/post-credits scene to help build up what comes next? Like Avengers, there's a serious scene and a funny scene, and that serious scene plays out similarly to Iron Man 2's post-credits scene that set up the first Thor film. But the serious scene in Thor: The Dark World helps set up not only one but two films, one that's out next year, and the other that's still being built up to. Let's just say that the latter will definitely be worth the wait.

While I still feel the need to see the film again to firmly rank Thor: The Dark World among the rest of the MCU films, here is where I would currently place it:

The Avengers
Iron Man 3
Thor
Captain America: The First Avenger
Iron Man
Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 2
Thor: The Dark World

Just because I place it last though doesn't mean I thought it was bad. I've enjoyed all the MCU films, which is more than I can say for the X-Men film series. Again, it's not a for-sure placement; it's just based on initial feelings. Based on the ending throne room scene, I definitely wouldn't mind another Thor film. Hell, that scene definitely warrants one.
To close out though, Thor: The Dark World brings a lot of what fans have come to love from Marvel Studios in its characters and humor, though it doesn't mean you can't feel a little less than satisfied compared to other outings.

RATING: 6.5/10

The Frustrations of a Marvel Reader

Marvel's February 2014 solicits hit today and I bet some of my blog followers may have been expecting a new edition of my "Inhumanity Incoming!" series, which I share solicits for comics that act as jumping on points for some series. But honestly, I don't really see the point to anymore.

With the "All-New Marvel NOW!" initiative, along with launching new series, Marvel seemed to be making jumping on points for current series simpler by labeling ".NOW" at the end of issue numbers. For example, Avengers #24 would be known as Avengers #24.NOW, indicating that it acts as a #1 in the All-New Marvel NOW! era. During New York Comic Con in October, Marvel unveiled a slew of All-New Marvel NOW! books, new and old. But two of those titles included brand new #1's for Secret Avengers and Fantastic Four, books that were already relaunched during the first Marvel NOW! initiative. With Secret Avengers, I could understand giving that book getting another restart, since it isn't exactly a high seller. But when it comes to Fantastic Four, the news of that book's relaunch was greatly annoying because it's just the latest in a long line of Fantastic Four relaunches. The only reason for the book starting over again is that James Robinson was taking over the book from Matt Fraction. In a way, I can see why Marvel would relaunch the book. Robinson is popular and that could be enough to get people to grab a brand new Fantastic Four book. Still, I believe both books could have just been given .NOW issues like other original Marvel NOW! books.

Then this week came around, and it was announced that Wolverine's solo book, another book that was relaunched with Marvel NOW!, would be once again be going back to #1 as part of All-New Marvel NOW!. Just like Fantastic Four, it's another relaunch in a long line of them for Wolverine's book. Except this time, the same writer from the previous volume, Paul Cornell, would be staying on. The only creative change is that Ryan Stegman would be taking over art duties. I mean, seriously, they couldn't have just kept the current Wolverine series going with a .NOW issue with Stegman joining then? Oh, but Wolverine has a new costume too (as seen above)! That warrants a relaunch, right? Hopefully my sarcasm is coming through here.

I'm not saying Marvel shouldn't relaunch books. I mean, when Marvel NOW! first began, they were obviously doing their own version of DC's New 52 relaunch, and many series were bound to go back to #1. But when it comes to All-New Marvel NOW!, there should be at least a good reason story-wise. For example, the two current X-Force books, Uncanny X-Force and Cable and X-Force, are being cancelled with a new X-Force #1 launching combining members from both teams into one. That works. I guess this creates a whole debate over what qualifies to relaunch a book.

But it isn't just the way Marvel is constantly relaunching books, it's how they're ending them too. To put things into perspective, I had 8 Marvel books on my pulllist during the initial wave of Marvel NOW!: Uncanny Avengers, Avengers, New Avengers, Superior Spider-Man, Avenging Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, Daredevil, and Wolverine and the X-Men. Only the first four books mentioned were launched or relaunched during Marvel NOW! and the last four I was still getting. But then, my Marvel pulllist began to dwindle. In July, Avenging Spider-Man was cancelled in place of Superior Spider-Man Team-Up, which I did not take on. In December, Scarlet Spider was announced to be ending; it was a mid-card book so while I was disappointed, it wasn't all that surprising. Sure enough though, Jonathan Hickman's Avengers World book was announced to take Scarlet Spider's spot on my pulllist. But then it was announced that Mark Waid's consistently entertaining Daredevil series would be ending in February with #36. Now Daredevil's been an ongoing at Marvel since the original volume started in the 60's, so it will probably be relaunched soon; that doesn't mean I won't miss Mark Waid though. Then the February solicits hit today, and I find out that Wolverine and the X-Men, the only X-book I've had on my pulllist since the end of Avengers vs. X-Men, was also ending that month at #42. That just came out of nowhere for me. I mean, maybe a new X-book will launch in its place. Until then, I don't know where I'll get my X-Men fix. I don't care for Cyclops' team books. I'd get Jason Aaron other Wolverine team book, Amazing X-Men, but I'd rather wait and see if All-New Marvel NOW! will give it a .NOW issue.

By February, I'll have only 5 Marvel books, 4 Avengers and 1 Spider-Man, on my pulllist. To put that in perspective, I currently have 14 DC books on my pulllist. Between 19 books, 74% are DC and 26% are Marvel. So while the New 52 has gotten me reading more DC than ever, Marvel NOW! keeps cancelling books I was already reading and enjoying. I may be getting ahead of myself though. With DC's Forever Evil event ending in March, some big changes will probably coming up to their line-up, meaning some of the books I'm getting will probably be cancelled; if I had to speculate though, Batman: The Dark Knight (stories are getting repetitive), Batman and... (losing focus since Damian died), Nightwing (given Dick's situation in Forever Evil, he probably ain't gonna make it out alive), and Talon (just a feeling). Now I'm not saying I support DC cancelling books, but there should at least be some reason. I mean, DC just relaunched their whole publishing line 2 years ago and the series that have remained since that launch haven't been relaunched again. I don't know exactly what the post-Forever Evil DC line-up will be like, but I can bet it'll be handled better than what some of Marvel is doing. I mean, they're already smarter event wise; Forever Evil is the first DC event in 2 years while Marvel's Infinity literally started 2 months after of Age of Ultron.

But still, between cancelling Daredevil and Wolverine and the X-Men, it makes me wonder if Marvel has some policy against letting series reach #50. It seems gone are the days of long running series, and even the tiniest change can lead to a relaunch, even after a previous relaunch not too long before. All this probably makes you wonder why I still read Marvel even with everything I've complained about? Well, even though their whole numbering system is practically a joke, I read for the stories. Even though I'd like their to be some consistency, I'm not abandoning the characters I've invested in. I know Daredevil will be back. I'm sure a new X-Men book will catch my attention. The Avengers books are where the big things happen. As for Spider-Man, despite all the shit his character has been put through, between the demonic divorce of One More Day and the brain swap with Doc Ock, I don't think I'll ever stop reading the wall-crawler I've loved since childhood. To quote Saint Walker, "all will be well."

Yes, I know I ended a primarily Marvel post with a DC quote. Sue me.

Theatricality, Devils, and Cuckolds

In honor of Guy Fawkes Day (November 5), I wanted to share a symbolism paper I wrote for my Literary History class, in which I used Alan Moore's "V for Vendetta" as the basis.

Theatricality, Devils, and Cuckolds

            If anything is certain of V, the titular character of Alan Moore’s acclaimed work, V for Vendetta, it is that the anarchist has a strong sense of theatricality. Throughout the story, V is sometimes speaking quotes from a work of literature or placing his targets in a scenario which he created. Whenever he does though, it is always done with some meaning or to prove a point to someone in regards to the situation at hand. In some instances, V’s allusions show quite a bit of his thought process and how he views himself. For example, V is wearing horns when he encounters Bishop Lilliman in the middle of Book One. Horns can be a symbol of both a devil and a cuckold. In a strange way, these are both ways V feels about himself and what motivates him towards his goals.

            From one standpoint, V wearing the horns is used for a religious theme to his murder of Lilliman (Moore 54). Since Lilliman is a Bishop and viewed as a representative of God, it makes sense for V as the opposition to play a devil. The religious aspect would later lead to V killing Lilliman by feeding him a communion wafer laced with cyanide (Moore 62). This method of murder probably adds more to the non-traditional depictions presented in the scene. Bishop Lilliman is a pedophile and also attempts to rape Evey (Moore 47, 53-54). Lilliman’s actions show that the man is obviously not an all-around good person for the position he holds. Communion is viewed as a way of allowing Christ into one’s body (Brom). V takes the twists even further by making this holy sacrament into something poisonous and forcing death onto Lilliman. The whole scenario also persuades the reader’s point of view, as they are more likely to be cheering on the murderous devil in V rather than the supposed man of God in Lilliman at this point.

            While the horns are one of the physical components of V’s task at hand, what he says also fits into the situation. When V first appears to Lilliman, he states “Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a man of wealth and taste” (Moore 54). V is directly quoting the opening line of “Sympathy for the Devil”, a 1968 song by the Rolling Stones. The general interpretation is that song is from the point of view of the Devil, also known as Satan, Lucifer, or Beelzebub, with the idea that he is not all that bad a guy (Bowie). Since V could be called a devil and has the support of the reader despite the awful things he does, the song’s meaning could connect to many ideas in the book. Perhaps it is the song’s chorus that relates to V the most:

                                    Please to meet you
                                    Hope you guess my name
                                    But what’s puzzling you
                                    Is the nature of my game (Rolling Stones)

The idea of “guess[ing] [his] name” is a mystery concerning V. His usual self-introduction is “I don’t have a name. You can call me ‘V.’” (Moore 26). Not much is given about V’s history other than being a prisoner at Larkhill and he has killed anyone that could identify exactly who he was. As for the “nature of [V’s] game”, there has been a debate among readers about whether or not he really has a stable mindset. According to Alan Moore, that was the idea:

So I made it very, very morally ambiguous. And the central question is, is this guy right? Or is he mad? What do you, the reader, think about this? Which struck me as a properly anarchist solution. I didn't want to tell people what to think, I just wanted to tell people to think, and consider some of these admittedly extreme little elements, which nevertheless do recur fairly regularly throughout human history. (Beat)

It is needless to say that V’s methods are questionable. A good example of this “right or mad” debate is when he tricked Evey into believing she was in prison, torturing her, and delivering Valeries’s letters to her, just as he was at Larkhill to help “free her” and complete her transformation, so to speak (Moore 167-172). His intentions were well, but he put someone he supposedly cared about through hell just to prove a point. Whether or not that was the wrong way to go about enlightening Evey, the charade still shows both the complexity and theatricality of V’s character.

            Wearing horns when he killed Lilliman may not be the only instance of V calling himself a devil. Sometime before that scene, Evey wanted to make a deal with V to help him in return for saving her from Fingermen in their first meeting (Moore 43). In addition, Evey also questioned a quote she saw in the Shadow Gallery, “Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici”, which V translates to “By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe” (Moore 43). V attributes the quote to Dr. John Faust, who V says also made a deal (Moore 44). The story of Faust involves making a deal with the devil, and while the tale has been reinterpreted by different writers over many centuries, that plot point always remains the same (“Faust”). V could be saying Evey herself is making a figurative “deal with the devil” by wanting to cooperate with him. Looking at the heinous acts committed by V along with the innocence of Evey at that point, her willingness to work with such a manipulative man shows the difference in their personalities and just how Faustian their relationship is.

            Horns are not just in relation to the devil, but to a cuckold as well. A cuckold is man whose wife is being unfaithful to him, and just as a horned animal cannot see its own horns, so too is a cuckold oblivious to the adultery happening behind his back (Williams). V was already being theatrical with Lilliman’s death, as he had Evey play a prostitute to lure the Bishop where V would encounter him. If Evey could be viewed as V’s “woman”, then she was committing adultery with Lilliman in her performance, and V supposedly wearing the horns of a cuckold added more to the “scene.”

            V may already consider himself to be a cuckold before this however, as it is displayed in an earlier scene of him having a faux conversation with the Old Bailey monument, which he refers to as “Madam Justice” (Moore 39). V tells Justice that he was in love with her, but her infidelity has driven him into the arms of his new love, Anarchy (Moore 40-41). V describes Justice’s “fling” as a “man in uniform” (Moore 40). What V could be referring to here is how the ideas of justice had been changed in England once Norsefire came into power. To V, she was “no longer [his] justice” but now “[Norsefire’s] justice” (Moore 41). Before destroying the monument, V’s last words to her were that she was “no longer the woman [he] once loved” (Moore 41). Norsefire’s perversion of Justice had left V feeling betrayed, but he had since found more happiness with Anarchy. One could say the cuckold V wants to show just how badly Justice has treated not just him, but the whole population of England, and that Anarchy should be more appreciated by the masses instead.

            While V can be condemned for his actions as a devil, there is no reason to not feel sympathy for him as a kind of cuckold. It is not his fault he was driven to the terrorism he commits; his trust was broken and he was made a fool of. This betrayal by an idea he held dearly left him not just mentally but physically harmed due to the horrors he was put through at Larkhill. V knows what he is, and the theatricality he takes in his actions conveys a deeper look into his self, and he is not afraid to show it to those involved.

Works Cited

Beat. "MILE HIGH COMICS presents THE BEAT at COMICON.com: A FOR ALAN, Pt. 1: The Alan Moore interview." COMICON.com. 15 Mar 2006. Web. 11 Feb 2013.

Bowie, Herb. "Sympathy For The Devil | Reason to Rock." Reason to Rock.Web. 11 Feb 2013.

Brom, Robert. "Who Can Receive Communion? | Catholic Answers." Catholic Answers. 10 Aug 2004. Web. 9 Feb 2013.

Faust. Web. 21 Feb 2013.

Moore, Alan. V for Vendetta. New York: DC Comics, 2005. Print.

Rolling Stones.“Sympathy for the Devil.”Beggars Banquet.Decca Records, 1968.LP.

Williams, Janet. "BBC News - Cuckolds, horns and other explanations." BBC.4 Jul 2009. Web. 11 Feb 2013.

Comics Review: "X-Men: Battle of the Atom" - Overreact Much? (SPOILERS)

It should be fair to start out that I have still only recently become an X-Men reader. When the "Schism" storyline broke the X-Men into two teams led respectively by Cyclops and Wolverine, I was given the perfect opportunity to jump on to the mutant books and get two flavors of X-teams. There was "Wolverine and the X-Men" and Cyclops' team in "Uncanny X-Men." As I continued reading both titles, I found myself enjoying Wolverine's team over Cyclops' dickishness, especially during the "Avengers vs. X-Men" crossover. I made a point to myself to drop Uncanny once AvX ended, though it was helpful that the title was ending anyway as part of Marvel NOW. After that, "Wolverine and the X-Men" became the sole X-book on my pulllist. Though that doesn't mean I wasn't aware of other big things happening for the X-Men, particularly the original five X-Men coming from the past to the present in the "All-New X-Men" book. Since that concept obviously would not last long, I did not see any reason to throw myself into it. Then the announcement came for the X-Men's 50th Anniversary crossover, "Battle of the Atom", where future X-Men come back to send the past X-Men back to avert a disaster. The crossover would span across several X-books, including "Wolverine and the X-Men." So since my main X-book was involved, I got the rest of the crossover.

The first past of the crossover started out strong. The highlight that happened was the past Cyclops almost being killed in battle, nearly creating a huge paradox. It was at that point it was decided to send the past X-Men back, but then the future X-Men, who later turn out to be the future's Brotherhood, arrive and tell the same thing. In the second part, past Jean, like the teenage girl that she, is freaked out when she couldn't read the minds of the future X-Men and runs away, convincing past Scott to go with her like the whipped boyscout he is. At this point, I thought she definitely overreacted. Besides that, at this point, I didn't really understand why there was such debate about sending the past X-Men back. I mean, at some point they're gonna have to go back. The almost death of past Cyclops proved that if they didn't, it's gonna cause major problems with the timeline. So imagine my surprise when one of the future mutants in a Xorn mask turned out to be the future version of the past Jean who never went back. Not exactly sure how that worked out without creating a paradox, but whatever.

For the most part, the story takes awhile to get anywhere, but when stuff happens, like big battles, mental and physical, it seriously goes down. Trust me, all the talking that happens is worth going through to get to those moments, particularly in parts five and ten. That doesn't mean the talking points aren't worth reading. There was one moment when future Deadpool, who had many funny moments in this crossover, makes a speech with the point that the future is so bad, that they let him join the X-Men. He would get complemented for it, but he would then say to himself, "Too bad it was all a lie." At first I thought Deadpool just pulled the speech out of his ass like you'd expect him to do, but then we find out that they're not even the real future X-Men. Aside from that, we see more debates between Cyclops and Wolverine (to which I always find myself agreeing with Wolverine), not to mention how future past Jean's presence is affecting them. Another nice moment between the action comes from Wolverine when he realizes that one of the future Brotherhood that was posing as a future Kitty Pryde turned out to be Raze, a son he will have with Mystique, to which he said "I'm never having sex again." I personally found that line hilarious. In addition, one of the relationships of the storyline was between Jubilee and the future version of her son, Shogo, who grows up to be part of the real future X-Men; they have a nice moment together in one of the story's epilogues.

As the future Brotherhood's plans begin to fall apart by the arrival of the future X-Men to the present, they try to send the past X-Men back but for some reason are unable to, that something is keeping them there. Now the whole reason the future Brotherhood came back in the first place was to send the past X-Men back, even though Wolverine was already planning on sending them back already. I can't help but wonder though that maybe if the Brotherhood didn't come back, the present X-Men would have been able to send the past X-Men back no problem. I mean, with all the time travel happening in the Marvel universe at the moment, the future Brotherhood coming back to make something happen that was already being attempted and Magik bringing the future X-Men to the present probably didn't help things. Hell, maybe the past X-Men could have gone back if all of the future mutants just stayed put. Guess we we'll never know.

While the story goes on for awhile, the final issue definitely wraps things up nicely, paying homage to the past (in the form of the past X-Men fighting future past Jean similarly to their first battle with Magneto), the continuing trials of the present (with future past Jean blaming Wolverine and Cyclops for screwing everything up), and looking toward the future (as future Iceman, who looks like Gandalf for some reason, telling present Iceman to not focus on the bad times that may come but look forward to the good ones, to which I assume he's referring to the upcoming resurrection of Nightcrawler). Now part of me was thinking that one of the results of this crossover would be the unification of Cyclops' and Wolverine's X-teams, but that did not come to pass, especially based on two things:

1.) Future past Jean revealed first-hand that SHIELD had Sentinels at their disposal, though it appears that Commander Hill had no idea about it, to which I question since she runs the damn place. For Cyclops, this helps his revolutionary cause in the way that even SHIELD is ready to attack mutants. For Wolverine, this brings about some sense of betrayal, and based on solicits for "Wolverine and the X-Men", he's going to get to the bottom of this.
2.) Kitty feels betrayed by her team for not trusting her or the past X-Men with their actions, and she feels so betrayed that they all even jump ship to join Cyclops' team. The past team say they don't want to stay where they aren't wanted. All Wolverine's side was trying to do was send them back HOME. You know, the past. Where they belong. What is so wrong with that? And Kitty even hugs Magik, which made me think "when the hell are they so buddy-buddy?" I understand that she felt under-minded, but that doesn't mean you change sides so drastically, especially when the other side is run by a revolutionary who killed the founder of the X-Men. Honestly, it felt kind of forced, just to shake things up, not to mention it gives Marvel an excuse to keep the "All-New X-Men" concept going longer. In the end, Cyclops even gives Wolverine a kind of troll face, knowing that this would piss him off, along with me.

The story may feel like it drags on, but the moments that are led up to definitely pay off. As a stand-alone story, I feel one needs to be familiar with what was happening beforehand to gain a full understanding of the story. For the X-Men's 50th anniversary, it could have been better, but I deem it acceptable.

STORY RATING: 6/10
RECOMMENDATION RATING: 4/10

Comics Review: "Superior Spider-Man: Necessary Evil" - Oh (Future) Shock! (SPOILERS)

Usually I save comic book reviews for big events or miniseries, but when it comes to this particular arc of Superior Spider-Man, I'm making an exception for one reason: the return of Miguel O'Hara, the Spider-Man of the future, 2099 to be exact. While the character's solo series was the cancelled in 1996, his popularity remains, even being a key part in 2 Spider-Man video games, "Shattered Dimensions" and "Edge of Time." Miguel has also been a go-to pick when it comes to new Spider-Man speculation. When Peter Parker died in the Ultimate universe, some thought an Ultimate version of Miguel would take the mantle before the new character of Miles Morales was announced. Miguel was also a popular choice among readers to be the new Superior Spider-Man; Marvel even fueled that fire by putting out some red herrings. But alas, Doc Ock was indeed the self-proclaimed Superior Spider-Man and Miguel was still on the bench. That is, until #17 of the new series.

Due to the space-time continuum shattering events of "Age of Ultron", time anomalies had been occurring in the year 2099, and one of the affects was Tyler Stone, biological father of Miguel and the head of Alchemax, the corporation Spider-Man fights against, fading from existence. Tracing the cause of this anomaly back to 2013, Stone made an uneasy alliance with Spider-Man to send him back and fix what was happening to him, not knowing that Miguel's own existence was at stake as well. As it turns out, Miguel's mission would be to ensure the survival of his grandfather, Tiberius Stone, the founder of Alchemax. Throughout this arc, Miguel juggles with the idea of killing Tiberius himself, ensuring Alchemax and the evil it wreaks never happens, even if it means his own demise.

In that first issue of the story arc, I felt writer Dan Slott did a good job re-establishing the world of 2099 for readers who may be unfamiliar with it, even right down to the slang ("Shock!"). That helps those reading Superior Spider-Man, but with most of the arc, a lot the story relies on plot-points that have been occurring in Spider-Man comics since Dan Slott became the main writer on Amazing Spider-Man at the start of the "Big Time" era in 2010. For Spider-Man 2099 fans reading this arc solely for that character, it may make it hard for them to follow a majority of what's going on, especially the part about Doc Ock's mind in Spider-Man's body. I didn't have any trouble myself, but felt there should be some warning to the 2099 fans wanting to read the character again.

I had seen some conversation among readers over which Spider-Man would be considered the hero of the story, Miguel or Otto. Personally, I thought it was pretty obvious it was Miguel. The story began in his time, so it's only logical to follow the hero from beginning to end. He certainly acted more heroically than Otto, who was constantly losing his temper with everyone throughout this arc, wanting to do things himself. Had Peter still been in control, he certainly would have been more cooperative. It also would have helped since Peter worked with Miguel before in a one-shot, but Otto seemed to have erased those memories during #9's "Parker-ectomy".

One of my worries for the end of this arc was that Miguel would die, especially based on the cover to #19:

 

But my fears were thankfully dashed when Miguel survived, deciding to save his grandfather, fearing what a changed 2099 timeline would do to his loved ones. It doesn't end there though. Once the time anomalies affecting Tyler Stone ended, he destroyed the time door, stranding Miguel in 2013. So what's a time-dispaced web-slinger to do? Get a job at the newly founded Alchemax under an alias as the assistant to his unknowing grandfather, as a way to make sure the corporation that had such a grip in his time doesn't get out of hand. So it seems that Miguel will be sticking around the present day Spider-Man universe for awhile, and hopefully this will lead to his own series again. But if I had to guess what lies ahead for the most part, I would say he'll be involved in the unofficially announced sequel to 2012's miniseries "Spider-Men", in which Peter Parker of the main Marvel universe traveled to the Ultimate universe, where his counterpart died, meeting different versions of friends and family, along with that universe's new Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Based on the upcoming "Cataclysm" event, where the main Marvel universe Galactus attacks the Ultimate universe's Earth (yet another "Age of Ultron" consequence), there's some speculation that this will be the end of Marvel's Ultimate line, but that Miles will survive as a refugee to the main Marvel universe. I wouldn't put it past Brian Michael Bendis to throw Miguel into the mix for a "Spider-Men 2", having 3 web-slingers from different times and worlds in one setting. The only question that I wonder though is whether or not Peter will fully return by then.

Now while the Spider-Man 2099 element was a shining point for this arc, let's not forget that this is still Doc Ock's book as he continues to cause more craziness in Peter's life than even Peter could. For one, he loses his job at Horizon Labs, not to mention that his constant avoidance of Mary Jane has finally caused her to cut ties with Peter. Ock got Peter's life, and it seems he's starting to get the Parker luck with it. Once Superior is over, it's going to be interesting to see how much Peter will have to answer for when he returns.
One of the most interesting parts of this arc though is that Ock is having trouble maintaining his cover as Peter, since he eliminated Peter's memories in order to gain full control of the body, since they appeared to take on a life of their own before. But in trying to remember something from the Parker memories he had already familiarized himself with, there's a "blink-and-you-miss-it" moment that provides an opening to how Peter will come back:

When Ock won the mind battle, he buried Peter under the rubble of the Daily Bugle. But it seems that with the Parker memories Ock has retained, Peter still lives on. Just how Peter will get back and how much of his memories he'll have when he gets control again, I'm unsure, but it's just another part of this roller coaster of a series that keeps me coming back for more.

For fans of both Spider-Man 2099 and the Superior Spider-Man, this is an enjoyable read that gives many reasons to look forward to what happens next for each character.

STORY RATING: 9/10
RECOMMENDATION RATING: 7.5/10

For my next comics review, I'll be looking at the X-Men 50th anniversary event "Battle of the Atom" where the X-Men of the past, present, and future collide. Funny that it's another time travel story isn't it? Stay tuned, readers.

Video Game Review: "Batman: Arkham Origins" - Feels Like the First Time (SPOILERS)

Between the foreboding prophecies from Azrael and experiments found in Scarecrow's hidden lair, the previous game in the Batman: Arkham series, Arkham City, layed down the seeds for third game in the series. So imagine the surprise of some fans of the series when the next Arkham game would be...a prequel. But it wasn't just that the game would be a prequel, but many of the elements that made the first two games in the series great would not be included. Rocksteady would not be developing the game, replaced instead by WB Games Montreal, and Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill would not be returning to voice their respective famous roles, replaced by voice actors who would make Batman and Joker sound younger. Now, all that could make someone wary of the then announced "Batman: Arkham Origins", but the more I saw of the game through trailers and gameplay, the more I felt less worried. Now that the game has been released, does it live up to its predecessors? Well, yes and no.

As expected, the gameplay is very similar to Arkham City, I assume because WB Games Montreal used the same engine Rocksteady did. Not only that, but the same area of Gotham used for the Arkham City area was used once again, but still a main part of the city. So in a way, you won't have to look around too hard to find something when you knew where it was before. Besides that, many of Batman's gadgets are the same, and anything that may seem new is the same thing but only a little different. The disruptor that was handheld in Arkham City has taken on the appearance of the EMP gun also from the previous game. The rope launcher downplays the zipline aspect and has become more weaponized, as you are able to attach enemies to each other, or have fire extinguishers or gas canisters come flying at them to knock them out or disorient them. Finally, the "new" glue grenade is basically the freeze grenade from Arkham City, even with the ability to make a raft. The one new gadget added on that's a joy to use are the shock gloves you get halfway through the main story; they really add up on the combo meter. While being Batman this time around doesn't bring a new experience, it doesn't mean the player can't enjoy, you know, being Batman. I mean, what part of that doesn't get people excited?

In terms of difficulty, I found "Origins" a little harder than "City", but on par with "Asylum". That's an odd statement for me to make though, considering I completed it much quicker than the first two games, but this is the first Arkham game where school hasn't taken away my focus, so there's that. Things were harder to find and so were the boss battles, that aspect I felt has been improved compared to the previous games. Personally, boss battles in the Arkham games have always left me wanting more, as in, more hand-to-hand than strategy. In "Asylum", Bane fought like any other Titan and Poison Ivy had a giant plant you had to bring down; in "City", the fights with powerhouse monsters like Grundy and Clayface were very simplistic and repetitive. But with "Origins", when dealing with the assassins, you get the chance to actually fight villains on more of a level-field. The developers greatly hyped up the fight with Deathstroke, and it delivered. It actually took me an hour to beat him the first time around, as I had to find the groove and try not to get ahead of myself when countering, because I'll tell you, when Deathstroke hits you, he really hits you. My best advice for fighting Deathstroke is that the best offence is a good defense. Though I kind of thought Deathstroke would have a bigger presence in the game based on the hype, but it's forgivable. Even Bane, this time around was more fun to fight compared to the boss battle in "Asylum" since he isn't so huge...yet; besides that, it was nice to actually fight Killer Croc this time around rather than run away. After Deathstroke, my second favorite boss battle was Firefly. While there is a formula to it, this was the first time in an Arkham game where you fight an aerial foe, and that makes for good cineractive moments. Aside from that though, the boss battles aren't that thrilling, at least not to me. The most disappointing battle is with Electrocutioner. Think of the Mysterio fight in the 2004 "Spider-Man 2" movie tie-in game; the villain has a health bar, but all it takes is one punch to win. Not at all satisfying, but what do you expect from a guy who called himself "Electrocutioner"? At least when Joker kills him though, you get to scavenge is shock gloves for your own arsenal, so he did serve some purpose.

When it comes to the tone of the game, while the first two felt felt more like the comics, "Origins" felt more like the Christopher Nolan films in terms of realism. Yes, there are strength enhancing drugs like Venom and a man with bleached white skin and green hair, but there's some science behind them to make it more believable, especially compared to giant plants, zombies, and shape-shifters from before. Given the time in Batman's career where this game is set, this is the turning point in Gotham where the supervillain has become more prominent over the organized crime and corrupt cops that Batman originally set out to fight, and it's this night that eventually leads to the events and construction of Arkham City. Aside from the realism, another aspect I found similar to the Nolan films was Bruce and Alfred's relationship, which we get a lot more of compared to "Arkham City", considering it's just the two of them at this point, i.e., no Oracle or Robin (although Barbara does make an appearance and helps lead you to some of Penguin's weapons caches in one of the side missions). Bruce and Alfred have some good emotional moments, such as when Alfred, worried about Bruce's safety, tries to keep him from going out and or to work with the police. There is also a moment when Bruce is feeling doubt about himself after Bane breaks into theBatcave and almost kills Alfred, feeling he can't protect Gotham when he can't even protect his home, but Alfred is able to pick him back up, convincing to head out to Blackgate to stop the Joker's prison riot. I could definitely see those moments being acted out by Christian Bale and Michael Caine.

Now almost every time I would see a news item for the game, I would see comments of people whining that Conroy and Hamill weren't playing Batman and Joker, who in this game, were voiced by Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker, respectively. First off, I would like to take the time to those so butt-hurt over the recastings to get the fuck over it. Conroy and Hamill were not the first people to voice Batman and Joker, they're not always going to, and they won't be the last; yes, they're the definitive voices of each character, but that doesn't mean no one else can play them or get the chance to. That being said, Troy Baker totally nailed it as the Joker, making himself, along with John DiMaggio, who voiced Joker in the direct-to-video animated film "Batman: Under the Red Hood", a worthy successor to Hamill. Baker's Joker had great moment from his first reveal to the final moments of the story, especially during a small segment largely inspired by the seminal Joker story "The Killing Joke", even giving a variation of the book's speech on memory.
As for Roger Craig Smith, I thought he did well as Batman, but not as well as I thought. Now, I don't want to contradict my earlier statement, but he could have sounded a little more like Conroy. I wouldn't be saying that if it weren't for the fact that this game is a prequel, and honestly, I had a hard time believing that Smith's Batman becomes Conroy's Batman. In comparison, Baker's Joker could definitely pass for Hamill's. Smith's Batman sounded angry all the time and had a lot of screaming moments; again, it's those moments I could see Christian Bale act out. Despite that, if you look at this game on its own, Smith is good as a young Batman, and I like his "all-about-the-mission" attitude. I mean, this Batman is initially all "Fuck the police!". Seriously, he fucks the police up in this game. It's kind of a fun aspect to see in the game, since this is a point in Batman's career where he prefers to get things done himself.

If you enjoyed the Riddler challenges in the first two games, I don't think you'll be disappointed. In this game, he isn't actually Riddler yet, but Batman calls him "Enigma." For his first true outing, Riddler has gathered blackmail on many prominent Gotham citizens that will be released unless Batman finds the datapacks and takes down the relay networks, interrogating dispatchers along the way. That means there's no riddles this time around, but at least that gives your brain a little rest. You do get a little easter egg in the form of the first Riddler trophy once the side mission is complete though.

Once you complete the game, don't just skip the credits. You're in for some treats, including a new Joker song, and a radio broadcast that players of the first two games will see resonate. Not to mention, there's a post-credits scene that's set up for something, but I'm not sure what exactly. Without spoiling too much, let's just say it involves a certain government funded team of villains and their certain handler, with her "Justice League Unlimited" voice actress reprising her.

As a quick note, I'd also like to give this game props for getting Robert Constanzo back to play Harvey Bullock, as he did in "Batman: The Animated Series." That was quite a treat.

As the new entry in this series, it doesn't bring anything overall new, in fact, some may feel it brings a little too much familiarity, but gamers should get be able to enjoy a good story, fighting some new bosses, playing as Batman again, and of course, moments with the Joker.
Now, if you're still upset that we a got a prequel instead of a straight-on "Arkham City" sequel, I don't think you'll have to worry. Kevin Conroy did let it slip that he was working on a new Arkham game. Since it turned out that he wasn't referring to "Arkham Origins", that could only mean he's working on the sequel, and that Rocksteady is presumably behind it. By that logic, one may say "Arkham Origins" is just trying to cash in on the franchise, only being made to keep fans tide over until Rocksteady's next game came out. Does that mean we can't enjoy "Origins" for what it is though? I don't think so. This game has only brought more to the Arkham-verse, showing how relationships between characters formed, and as I said before, the turning point in Gotham's criminal world. And besides, who doesn't love an origin story?

RATING: 8/10

Inhumanity Incoming! (January 2014)

In the second edition of Inhumanity Incoming!, we see brand new series, more .NOW jumping-on points, and less to do with the Inhumanity status quo, but I like the title I came up with for this series, so I'm keeping it. Anyway, if you're wanting to get into Marvel, here are some possible good places to start as the new year begins. Be sure to check out the previous December post for more areas to read.

INHUMAN #1
MATT FRACTION (W) • JOE MADUREIRA (A/C)
Variant cover by Humberto Ramos
Variant Cover by J. Scott Campbell
Variant Cover by Milo Manara
Design variant by TBD
Blank Variant Also Available
“After the Fall”
After the fall of the Inhuman City Attilan and the explosion of the Terrigen Bomb, thousands of people across the globe with no connection to the strange super race have transformed into Inhumans! The transformations have given them powers that are dangerous and terrifying, making them targets. With Inhuman king Black Bolt believed dead, is there anyone for these new Inhumans to turn to?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

 

ALL-NEW INVADERS #1
JAMES ROBINSON (W) • STEVE PUGH (A)
Cover by MUKESH SINGH
Variant Cover by John Cassaday
Sketch Variant by John Cassaday
Design Variant by TBD
Young Variant by Skottie Young
Blank Variant also available
“GODS AND SOLDIERS” PART ONE
• Eisner Award winner James Robinson (STARMAN, EARTH 2) returns to MARVEL, uniting with Steve Pugh (ANIMAL MAN, HOTWIRE, GEN-X) to create a unique, modern day take on the INVADERS.
• The KREE EMPIRE intends to conquer the universe using a weapon that will grant them an army of NORSE GODS.
• It falls to four heroes united by their past—CAPTAIN AMERICA, NAMOR, THE ORIGINAL HUMAN TORCH and the WINTER SOLDIER—who must now face the future and wage war against the Kree to save Earth.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ALL-NEW X-MEN #22.NOW
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W)
STUART IMMONEN (A/C)
Variant Cover by Dale Keown
Sketch Variant by Dale Keown
X-Men 50th Anniversary Polybagged Poster Variant by Various
Animal Variant by TBD
Blank Variant Also Available
“The Trial of Jean Grey”
The arrival of the original X-Men in the present sent shockwaves through the Marvel Universe, but we’ve only seen the effects on Earth. When alien races learn that Jean Grey, host of the destructive Phoenix Force, is back on earth, they do something about it. Now it’s up to the rest of the All-New X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy to save Jean Grey from twisted intergalactic justice! Don’t miss two of Marvel’s biggest franchises crossing over for the first time!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #11.NOW
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • SARA PICHELLI (A/C)
Variant Cover by Dale Keown
Sketch Variant by Dale Keown
Animal variant by Chris Samnee
Movie Variant also Available
Blank Variant also Available
“The Trial of Jean Grey”
The Guardians of the Galaxy get a reminder of Earth when they cross paths with the All-New X-Men during the TRIAL OF JEAN GREY! When an alien race discovers that the original Jean Grey is back on Earth, they decide to hold her accountable for the acts of the Dark Phoenix, and it’s up to the Guardians to help the X-Men save her. You won’t want to miss the first encounter between two of the biggest franchises in the Marvel U!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

AVENGERS WORLD #1
JONATHAN HICKMAN & NICK SPENCER (W)
STEFANO CASELLI (A)
Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
Wraparound Variant by Arthur Adams
Wraparound Sketch Variant by Arthur Adams
Variant Cover by Milo Manara
Young Variant by Skottie Young
Animal Variant by TBD
Deadpool Variant by TBD
Blank Cover also available
“TROUBLE MAP”
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have returned from the stars-- but on the world they left behind, new threats have emerged, and The Avengers will be tested like never before. In one cataclysmic day, the face of the Marvel Universe will change forever-- and the fight for Earth’s future will begin. A globe-spanning epic of empires and armies, and the brave few who stand between them and us.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

BLACK WIDOW #1
NATHAN EDMONDSON (W) • PHIL NOTO (A/C)
Variant Cover by J. Scott Campbell
Sketch variant by J. Scott Campbell
Variant Cover by Milo Manara
Young Variant by Skottie Young
Blank Variant Also Available
“The Finely Woven Thread”
You’ve seen Black Widow as an Avenger and even an Agent of Shield. But on her own time she searches for atonement for her past as a KGB assassin—in ways of which those teams just wouldn’t approve. From the darkest corners of the Marvel Universe, Nathan Edmonson (Who is Jake Ellis?) and Phil Noto (Thunderbolts, X-23) bring you a new ongoing series as gorgeous and mysterious as Nastasha Romanov herself!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THUNDERBOLTS #20.NOW
CHARLES SOULE (W) CARLO BARBERI (A)
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
Variant Cover by Phil Noto
Sketch Variant by Phil Noto
Artist Variant by TBD
Blank Variant Also Available
“NO MERCY” Part 1
GHOST RIDER JOINS THE THUNDERBOLTS! General Ross’s Thunderbolts were brought together to clean up problems no one else could…but what about when the problem is ON the team? The seemingly all-powerful madwoman called Mercy has gone too far, slaughtering innocent people to fulfill her twisted mission of mercy. Who can the team turn to to help take down this powerhouse? How about Johnny Blaze, the original Ghost Rider? Can he save the team before it all goes to hell? Or will he lead them there?
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99

SAVAGE WOLVERINE #14.NOW
RICHARD J. ISANOVE (W/A/C)
Variant Cover by Phil Noto
Sketch Variant by Phil Noto
Animal Variant by TBD
Blank Variant also Available
“THE BOOTLEGGER”
SURVIVING THE BLACK ROLLERS! In the 1930s Dustbowl, Logan is a bootlegger carrying whiskey down from Canada, until he finds himself the accidental caretaker of a group of orphans whose family was targeted by the mob. Now Logan must choose between the anonymous life he’s been meticulously building or stepping out into the spotlight again to defend the innocent. A tale of family, betrayal and revenge all set against the hard-scrabble life of the Great Depression, this is a chapter of Wolverine’s life you won’t want to miss!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

ALL-NEW X-FACTOR #1
PETER DAVID (W) CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO (A)
Cover by JARED FLETCHER
Variant Cover by Salvador Larroca
Sketch Variant by Salvador Larroca
Young Variant by Skottie Young
Blank Cover Also Available
“NOT BRAND X” Part 1
X-FACTOR IS BACK…LIKE NEVER BEFORE! Serval Industries, one of the world’s most trusted names in electronics and leader in cutting-edge internet and weapons technology, has just unveiled their newest contribution to society…the All-New X-Factor. Led by mutant mistress of magnetism, Polaris, the team uses its corporate backing for the betterment of society. With her half-brother Quicksilver, notorious thief, Gambit, and more by her side, can Polaris trust that her corporate masters really have good intentions?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

IRON MAN #20.INH
KIERON GILLEN (W) • JOE BENNET (A)
Cover by PAUL RIVOCHE
INHUMANITY TIE-IN! – IRON METROPOLITAN PART THREE!
• Who will be the next MANDARIN?!
• Will an INHUMAN threaten Tony’s plan to build the city of tomorrow?
• More mysteries of the rings revealed!!!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Theory Revival Time: Phil Coulson Destined to be the Vision?

Since his death in "The Avengers", there was theory among some fans, self included, that SHIELD Agent Phil Coulson would be revived as the android hero, the Vision. But once it was announced Clark Gregg would reprise Coulson in the live action "Agents of SHIELD" series, set AFTER "The Avengers", that theory has died down since. All that was left to ask was how Coulson came back.

Now that the series has premiered, we learn from Coulson that he was revived under normal circumstances and took some time off in Tahiti, with his death being faked to spark the Avengers into working together to stop Loki and the Chitauri. But during a conversation between Agent Hill and a SHIELD doctor once Coulson left the room, there is apparently more to Coulson's "vacation" than even he knows:

SHIELD DOCTOR: Tahiti, huh? He really doesn't know?

 

AGENT HILL: He can never know.

That right there sparks the mystery. What doesn't Coulson know? I thought of a couple theories, but I'll settle on this one: the Phil Coulson we see on "Agent of SHIELD"...is an android. Now why an android of all things? Because Ultron is the main villain in 2015's Avengers sequel.

(fan made image, not official)

Since it has been confirmed that Hank Pym won't be the one to create Ultron as he was in the comics, Ultron's film origin is yet another mystery for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A good theory going around is that Ultron is created by SHIELD, most likely under the direction of the shadowy council that Nick Fury answers to, and without Fury's knowledge, as a way to take care of the Avengers should they need to. But of course, Ultron will go all Skynet and become self-aware and set out to fulfill his objective of destroying the Avengers before taking over Earth for himself.
Now Ultron knows the Avengers inside and out, which makes him their ultimate enemy, and the ultimate enemy of a hero always attacks the hero's emotions. So who's to say that Ultron, with his SHIELD intel, wouldn't take the Coulson android (the "Coul-droid", if you will), remake him into his vision of the future, and force Coulson to fight the team his death helped create? Just imagine the Avengers' shock to see Coulson alive and their reluctance to fight him? I'm sure audiences will feel the emotion of such a scene as well.

Now I realize this is alot to speculate after only one episode of a series, but when you're both a writer and a comic book geek, you can't help but speculate the future, such as I did with my previous post featuring ideas for Fox's Marvel films. But yes, I'm going back to my theory that Phil Coulson will become the Vision in "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Agree? Disagree?

Inhumanity Incoming! (December 2013)

In 2012, Marvel NOW! began with new series launching and some existing series ending and replaced/restarted with new #1 issues. One year later, the company has announced plans to launch the next wave of the initiative they've dubbed "All-New Marvel NOW!", which included more new series and jumping-on points for existing titles. Coinciding this is the post-Infinity status quo branded as "Inhumanity." Titles involved in both will be marked in the issue number with a ".NOW" or ".INH". To help spread the word for such jumping on points, I'll be sharing solicits for the titles involved and hopefully bring some new comic readers in through my blog followers. Marvel has said this will last through April 2014, so expect more posts like this whenever the monthly solicits hit.

MIGHTY AVENGERS #4.INH
AL EWING (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)
Variant Cover by STEVE EPTING
50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT by DANIEL ACUÑA
INHUMANITY TIE-IN!
• In the aftermath of Infinity, Luke Cage brings his Mighty Avengers together! And a certain Superior someone is not happy about it!
• Plus: The birth of the new Ronin!
• This solicit sponsored by CORTEX Incorporated. CORTEX. Tomorrow is in our hands.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

NEW AVENGERS #13.INH
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • SIMONE BIANCHI (A/C)
Variant Cover by MIKE DEODATO
INHUMANITY TIE-IN! – “THE OTHER SIDE”
• With the consequences of Infinity fresh on their minds, tough decisions are made.
• The gathering of a new Illuminati.
• We learn more about the other beings related to the Incursions.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #17.INH
MARK WAID (W)
CLAY MANN (A)
Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
INHUMANITY TIE-IN! “THE HUMANITY BOMB” CHAPTER ONE!
• Humanity has placed its faith in BRUCE BANNER to save Earth!
• Who is working AGAINST Banner as the threat spreads?
• This time, HULK has nothing to punch! Can Banner smash?
32 PGS./ Rated T…$3.99

UNCANNY X-MEN #15.INH
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • KRIS ANKA (A/C)
INHUMANITY TIE-IN!
• The ladies of the UNCANNY X-MEN go out on the town and find themselves face-to-face with the effects of INHUMANITY.
• Wait, is that Kitty Pryde with the UNCANNY X-MEN?!?!
• Rising star KRIS ANKA (covers of UNCANNY X-FORCE, ALL-NEW X-MEN SPECIAL) comes in as guest artist for this special issue!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

AVENGERS A.I. #7.INH
SAM HUMPHRIES (W) andRÉ ARAÚJO (A)
Cover by DAVE MARQUEZ
• HERE COMES INHUMANITY…and ol’ Hornhead himself!
• Cleaning up New York in the wake of INFINITY, the A.I. find themselves at the mercy of…Grandma??!
• Daredevil + Ant-Man = a doctorate in Wisecracks and Hijinkery!
• Doombot finds his inner hero. Sort of.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

AVENGERS #24.NOW
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • ESAD RIBIC (A/C)
Variant cover by Simone Bianchi
Variant cover by Agustin Alessio
MEGA FOLDOUT VARIANT by DANIEL ACUÑA
DEAPOOL VARIANT BY TBA
MARVEL MEOW VARIANT by TBA
BLANK VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
“ROGUE PLANET” - Part 1 of 5
• Captain America and Iron Man plan for the next version of the Avengers.
• A runaway planet is on a collision course with Earth.
• A visitor from the future helps save the day.
• AVENGERS #24.NOW = AVENGERS #1 IN ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

The Mind of a Madman

In my second Joker-related-school-project post of the week, I thought I'd share a paper from my class on memory in which I analyzed the famous graphic novel, Batman: The Killing Joke. Enjoy.

The Mind of a Madman

                        “All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy.”

The Joker, Batman: The Killing Joke.

            In his classic 1988 graphic novel, Batman: The Killing Joke, author Alan Moore analyzed the mindset of the Dark Knight’s psychotic arch nemesis, the Joker. In doing so, Moore created a tragic origin for the super villain, depicting him as a once normal person until a series of unfortunate events led to his clown like disfigurement and a psychotic break, becoming the homicidal maniac people recognize him as today. While the Joker remembers some events throughout the story, he is implied to be an unreliable narrator, and admits his own uncertainty as to how he became the way he is. The only thing certain is that the Joker went through a traumatic experience that drove him insane and forget the life he had before. Such a concept is analyzed by Maria I.  Medved and Jens Brockmeier in their article “Continuity Amid Chaos: Neurotrauma, Loss of Memory, and Sense of Self.” They examine the idea of neurotrauma, which is how the brains of people who experience it become “strange” and their sense of self is changed. While only a fictional character, the Joker, as depicted by Moore, is not only a prime example of how neurotrauma can drastically alter a person’s mind, but that he may deserve the reader’s sympathy, given he did go through something horrific to become what he is now.

            According to Medved and Brockmeier, people who are afflicted with mental illness and disability eventually experience a crisis, a threat not only one’s self and identity, but also their changed view of the world (Medved 469). Some individuals have found that narrative helps them sort out and find meaning within these changes (Medved 469). Narrative can also be seen as instructions of what and what not to do in life as a way to integrate a person back into normal society (Medved 469). Also referred to as “restitution stories”, narratives are believed to help a person restore their former selves at some point (Medved 470). However, others who may have difficulty working retrieving their former self experience in “chaos narratives” and “quest stories”, the latter of which being when a person’s illness creates a new identity for them (Medved 470). This neurotrauma can be the result of some affliction to a certain area of the brain, and in turn diminish one’s ability to remember and narrate, which can radically alter any attempt an identity construction (Medved 470). The brains of such individuals become transmogrified, strange, and acquire new habits (Medved 470). Even then, there could be some sentimental value for the “lost self”, even though they may not know exactly who that was (Medved 470). Essentially, Medved and Brockmeier insinuate that recovery of the mind and sense of self following a traumatic experience can only be done so by the person directly affected, as long as they are actually willing and able to open the door to their past.

            In relation to the Joker, however, it seems he would not care for Medved and Brockmeier’s ideas about recovery. He has his own feelings towards memory and madness:

Remembering’s dangerous. I find the past such a worrying place […] Memories can be vile, repulsive little brutes […] But can we live without them? Memories are what our reason is based upon. If we can’t face them, we deny reason itself! Although, why not? We aren’t contractually tied down to rationality! […] Madness is the emergency exit…you can just step outside and close the door on all those dreadful things that happened.

The Joker, Batman: The Killing Joke.

It is not just that Joker does not want to look back at his past, but that he is unable to remember it correctly. Quite specifically, he cannot recall quite exactly how he became the Joker in the first place: “Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another…If I’m going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!” (Moore). He revels in his inability to remember his exact former self.

            To Medved and Brockmeier, the decreased self-awareness may not because of where there the brain is afflicted, but the “number […] of the lesions” that are associated with it (Medved 470). According to the Joker’s supposed origin, he had “one bad day” that drove him “as crazy as a coot” (Moore). He was once a struggling comedian who joined up with a couple of criminals to pull a heist at the chemical plant he used to work in order to have enough money to provide for his wife and future child (Moore). However, on the night of the heist, he was informed by the police beforehand that an electrical short had killed his wife and unborn child; he tried to pull out of the heist so he could, but stayed in due to threats from the two criminals (Moore). Everything went wrong in the heist though, as both criminals were shot by security, their blood splattering on the comedian, and the appearance of Batman scared him enough to jump into a vat of chemical that would drain outside the plant to escape (Moore). Once outside, he found that the chemicals had bleached his skin white and his hair green, and the shock of his appearance caused him to laugh uncontrollably (Moore). Losing his family, the fear of being killed himself, and his disfigurement could be considered the lesions that caused Joker’s decreased self-awareness, with so much happening to him that he cracked under the pressure. Trying to prove that this could happen to anyone, he attempted to do the same to Commissioner Gordon, by shooting Gordon’s daughter Barbara pointblank, kidnapping him, stripping him down nude, and forcibly showing him pictures he took of the wounded Barbara he also stripped down (Moore). Gordon would be unresponsive to the Joker afterwards, but was revealed to retain his sanity once Batman came to the rescue. If Joker had succeeded in driving Gordon mad though, the events he was put through would have been the lesions responsible for his trauma.

            Of the three types of narrative Medved and Brockmeier go over, the ones that would most relate to the Joker are the “chaos narrative” and the “quest story.” The “chaos narrative” is when an individual has “little discernible narrative order” that “makes it difficult for the sick to reflect on their illness experience” (Medved 470). As the Joker prefers to have a “multiple choice past” and admits to not being sure what happened to him, it shows he has difficulty creating an exact narrative of the traumatic experience that made him who he is. In addition, the “quest story”, as stated before, is described as when “people claim that their illnesses or disabilities have produced new identities” (Medved 470). Comparing the present day Joker to the supposed comedian he was before, one can see there are drastic differences in their characters. The comedian was a timid person only committing a crime to help his family, fearful for his life and of Batman; The Joker, on the other hand, takes joy in his crimes and the people he harms, as well as a fascination with Batman instead of a fear (Moore). The drastic change this man undergoes greatly demonstrates the idea of a radically altered identity and a transmogrified brain.

            While the Joker hates the idea of thinking about his past, his mind does seem to go there, as he has stated to remember it in different ways. This shows that he may have some, as Medved and Brockmeier have described, sentimental value of the life he had before, even if he cannot exactly recall what it was like. Even though the personalities of the Joker and the comedian are radically different, there are small similarities between the two. The man who would be Joker quit his job at the chemical plant to become a comedian, but was not very successful in his endeavors (Moore). Essentially, the man wanted to make people laugh. The Joker would also want to make people laugh, but with more lethal and psychological methods (Moore). To be more precise, Joker wants to make people see the world as a “black awful joke” the way he does and drive them as mad as he is, just as he tried to do with Gordon (Moore). In comparison, the comedian in an upset fit after an unsuccessful job interview thought his wife was accusing him of not being serious and treating their financial and living situation as a “big joke” (Moore). While the comedian saw life as serious and wanted to bring laughter into it, the Joker sees life as a big joke and wants to share the punch line with people by bringing them down to his level. The individual’s mindset may have changed vastly, but his goal remains the same in some way.

            While Medved and Brockmeier believe that narrative can help restore a person’s former self after their mind has an experience of neurotrauma, it is ultimately up to the individual themselves to recover what they lost. By the end of The Killing Joke, once the Joker’s plan is thwarted and has nothing else to play, he surrenders himself to Batman (Moore). In a moment of mercy, Batman pleads with the Joker to end the long war between the two of them that will most likely lead to both their deaths, offering to help the Joker in his rehabilitation and give him a normal life (Moore). In response, a seemingly remorseful Joker feels that it is “too late for that” (Moore). As Medved and Brockmeier point out, an individual may “[feel] uneasy being labeled as ‘brain-damaged,’ because they [believe] that this [would] further [negate] their sense of self” (Medved 471). The Joker may see accepting Batman’s help as an admission that something is wrong with himself, and goes against his claims that an escape from memory into madness brings about enlightenment. He would rather stay in that state of mind than recall the life he had before and whatever tragic event changed him so.

            The ideas of Medved and Brockmeier are certainly applicable to the mindset of the Joker depicted by Moore in The Killing Joke. The one aspect both pieces demonstrate is that the mind can be fragile and certain events can drastically alter who a person is and how their memory works. Despite all the terrible things he does, the Joker does deserve some sympathy, as it is assumed that he did live a normal life until that “one bad day.” While there is hope for a person to put the pieces of their former life back together, the process can only come from within, if they are willing to. For the Joker, he feels he is too far gone. The person he once was, whoever that may have been, cannot be revived.

 

Works Cited

Medved, Maria I., and Jens Brockmeier. "Continuity Amid Chaos: Neurotrauma, Loss of Memory, and Sense of Self." Qualitative Health Research. 18.469 (2008): 469-479. Print.

Moore, Alan. Batman: The Killing Joke. New York: DC Comics, 1988. Print.