Weekly Comics - 03/28/2012

Flash#7 - Francis Manapul, Brian Buccelato/Francis Manapul

This issue wraps up the Flash’s fight with Captain Cold, while swiftly moving into the hero’s next conflict, all of which is tied to his growing problems with the Speed Force. The story flows into its next movement quite naturally, making the fact that the Cold battle wraps up in the middle of the issue less noticeable. The battle scenes are sold on their visuals and sheer energy. Manapul and Buccelato have an endless array of visual and storytelling innovations – Flash rushing to save Patty as the debris forms the “DC Producly Presents” logo, the breakdown of Flash’s actions by the second, the opening splash of Patty falling. The action is frenetic and fun. I also love the colouring – the book has embraced brown and yellow hues, but Buccelato throws in a crisp blue sky to contrast with the red costume and columns of snow, and it looks radiant. The story swiftly moves into Flash trying to get into the Speed Force, as his misdeeds with it caused Iris to disappear during the fight. I like the stakes here – Barry’s making mistakes that innocents pay for. His troubles with the Speed Force aren’t surmountable. In fact, trying to fix them only gets him into more trouble in this issue. Flash’s trip into the Speed Force is a dazzling visual segment, with a series of circular flashbacks and softer colours. This sequence starts off more reflective and takes a turn with a dangerous cliffhanger, and I loved the contrast. I was caught off guard and thought the final page really worked. The only element I’m less convinced of is Patty’s turn against superheroes, after the Flash saved her. I’m willing to see where it goes, but it seems a little fast here. Regardless of that, this is another great issue. Full of energy and exciting on every page.

Justice League Dark#7 - Peter Milligan/Admira Wijaya, Daniel Sampere

I planned on buying I, Vampire#7, the next part of a crossover that starts in this issue, but it was sold out at my store. I’m kind of happy that happened, because I think I’m going to just sit this story out until Jeff Lemire joins with #9. This isn’t a slight on Peter Milligan at all. He has built an interesting world for these characters in the first six issues. This issue just doesn’t fit that vibe though – the team is acting too much like a team and the mission they go on for the purposes of the crossover does feel forced. I think the problem is that I don’t see this group as one that charges off on to missions. The other issues of this title have felt methodical in their pacing, and this one is an action issue with less of that nuance. Guest appearances from Batgirl and Batman in the midst of the action don't really help that feeling. And I can't help but feel that something is lost in the team dynamic this issue. That doesn't mean there aren't strong points - this may be the best issue for John Constantine, who defies the magic used by the other characters, and just goes at the vampires with an axe. This is particularly funny when Zatanna is concerned her magic isn't working, and Constantine just throws an axe at a flying vampire from off-panel. But overall, I just didn't find this issue as compelling as the rest. The vampire conflict wasn't interesting - an army of vampires are attacking Gotham. It just doesn't have the softer quality of the book's other issues. I will say the events of I,Vampire were easy to follow here, even if I'm not as interesting in them. Two artists pitch in for Mikel Janin here, both attempting to ape his style, but not really reaching the heights he does. The book looks good overall, but it lacks the sharpness of Janin’s visuals. There are many times when the figures look good, but they also appear a bit static on the page. I do feel bad laying in to this issue. I have generally really liked this title. But I think I'll wait for this crossover to end before returning to the book.

FF#16 - Jonathan Hickman/Nick Dragotta, Steve Epting

And so this marks the end of my time with Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four. I know he has a handful of issues left, but, for all intents and purposes, the big story he came on to tell is over. It looks like the coming issues will deal with loose ends and some fun side plots. I’m sure they will be enjoyable, but I’m reading enough these days and I do feel like the story I invested in has ended. This issue acts as an epilogue to the concluding chapter, and it’s perfectly good stuff. It dwells on the end of the conflict and lightly teases at the loose ends that remain. It's divided into two chapters, with the bulk of the issue focusing on clean up from the battle, told from Valeria's perspective. It's fitting Hickman focus in on her, as she has been at the centre of many of his stories. Her portrayal here is fun - completely disaffected and cynical about everything going on around her. She hates the future Val, she hates that her room has been destroyed again (and all of her possessions lost), and she is generally bored and annoyed when the family tries to talk to her about all of the trouble she caused. Hickman brings some fun concepts in here, most notably the human toll that having your home destroyed so many times would take. For all that, this opening section is fluff through and through - the team get new uniforms and space hq, and a couple minor subplots are touched on (future Franklin and his Galactus, Johnny and Spider-Man move in together). It feels like things are winding down, and I'm ok leaving here. There is an epilogue showing what happened to Doom, drawn by Steve Epting, that is a bit out of place. I have a feeling it was intended for the previous issue's extra-sized conclusion. Nick Dragotta handles most of the art here, and remains a strong fit for the book. He captures the youthful energy and wonder of the main cast. He really draws on Kirby and Buscema's influences, to great effect. Epting’s pages are up to his usual strengths, full of darkness and grime, even if the tonal disconnect with Dragotta’s pages is high. It's a fun issue. I feel a bit sad to be leaving, but I didn't see a huge hook here to keep going. I feel like Hickman's big story is over. I enjoyed it while it lasted, and this feels like the right time to stop.

X-Men: Legacy#264 - Christos Gage/Rafa Sandoval

If the current story in Uncanny X-Men feels like blatant filler to help lead in to AvX (Avengers and X-Men team up), this story appears to just be plain old filler before that crossover. Mimic crashlands in Westchester with Michael Pointer, who is overloaded with energy and on the verge of death. Rogue’s team proceeds to help. I can’t say I have much interest in this issue’s guest stars, and the repeated references to the dreadful Dark X-Men story doesn’t bring back good memories of them. On the whole, this is a decent issue, and Gage seems to be working out the tonal problems, but it doesn’t exactly excite. Subdued character moments were what Mike Carey brought to this book. Gage is still struggling with that. The opening scene with Cannonball and Rogue has its heart in the right place, but I can't help but prefer a discussion that is a bit more subtle. Gage throws everything on the table. Still, it's better than a later scene where Rogue reaches out to Gambit at the first sign of crisis. The strongest character-based scene is an amusing one of Chamber teaching a class. The rest of the issue is filled with the team dealing with Pointer's crisis, wrapped around a few fight scenes as his powers go out of control. The ideas introduced here are interesting, but I had trouble getting invested in the story. I don't care for Pointer or Mimic and a whole issue devoted to the X-Men struggling to help them wasn't hugely engaging for me. It feels like a two-part filler story before a crossover, because these guest stars come out of nowhere. Still, this is a better issue than Gage's last few. There are no egregious character moments. It's just that the plot needed to be stronger. On the art side, I actually really like Sandoval’s work. There are moments of unevenness, but, on the strongest pages, the figures are crisp and powerful. He is expressive and dynamic on most scenes, and, overall, the book looks sharp. It's a decent issue. I'm still looking for Gage to take this title to the next level, though.

Astonishing X-Men#48 - Marjorie Liu/Mike Perkins

As usual with Astonishing, I give each new creative team at least one issue before deciding if I'm sticking around for their tenure. So far, everyone since Warren Ellis (who didn't exactly do such a great job, but I was more loyal then) has flunked that test. But I saw some promise in this new creative team. Liu has always had good buzz around her, and the cast selected seemed interesting. I still see absolutely no purpose for this book to still exist, particularly at the $3.99 price point, and don’t think so many “core” X-books are needed, but I enjoyed this issue. It didn’t blow me away, and certainly had its problems, but it was also kind of fun. The drawback here is that nothing happens. There are a few fun scenes of very natural character interaction, then a hasty battle scene begins. No big story gets underway (we don't even get a hint as to why the villains are attacking) and it contributes to this title still feeling like an unimportant side project. But Liu gets points for what she tries to do with the characters. She tries to completely remove Northstar, his boyfriend Kyle, Gambit, and Cecilia Reyes from the X-Men world and have them speak about their lives and relationships naturally. The scenes work well, even if they have their annoyances (Gambit and Cecilia, good friends? Cecilia's never-ending griping about the X-Men). The gathering of characters is good - Gambit has been sorely underused lately, Northstar and Kyle's relationship is treated realistically, and Cecilia is a fan-favourite. However fun their scenes are, they do contribute to the book feeling thin, as no story gets started until the very end. Wolverine, Iceman, and Warbird enter into these domestic situations and disrupt them with a battle against helicopters and Chimera. I have no idea what the potential of this story is because nothing resembling a real story gets underway here. Mike Perkins is the artist for this issue, and I'm not really sold on his art. There’s a photorealistic element to the people that he never quite pulls off. As a result, the faces and body language don’t click. In a conversation-heavy issue, the acting doesn't really work. I can't help but think what a simpler style could have accomplished with those scenes. The issue, on the whole, is too dark, as well. To Perkins' credit, he is much better on the action scenes, depicting the destruction and helicopter fights quite well. The big problem with the issue is the number of times Northstar (Jean-Paul Beaubier) is referred to as Jean-Claude. He goes by both names in the issue and it's a big editorial flop. Still, I can overlook that. Liu put enough here to get me to try out the next issue. Don't know if I'm in for the long haul, but I enjoyed her approach to this issue.

The New Deadwardians#1 (of 8) - Dan Abnett/I.N.J. Culbard

I decided to pick up this new Vertigo mini series on a lark, having read a recent interview where the premise sounded quite fun. I’m happy I did. This one moves at its own pace – leisurely, thoughtful, with bits of humour sprinkled through the dialogue. The premise has a great hook to it as well. It's certainly a fresh take on vampires and zombies. Both concepts are squarely set in this world of England in 1910, with rules, societal conventions, and issues of social class tied to their use here. It's a premise that has the potential for depth, but Abnett knows how to play it a bit lighter in this issue. The class issues are touched on here in an intelligent way, never thrown out too blatantly for the reader, making me excited to see how Abnett continues to explore them. There's an array of characters introduced here, from co-workers to domestic servants of our lead character, Detective Suttle. Even in their brief appearances, Abnett sketches each of them out quite well and adds humour to their appearances. Suttle himself is an engaging character, one who is fairly dour in his approach to attacking zombies and solving murders. And I like the hook of the murder case he is investigating - in a world of undead zombies and vampires, how has a conventional murder been committed? On the art side, I.N.J. Culbard is a name I’m completely unfamiliar with, but his sparse, strong style is a great fit for this story’s tone. He has elements of Dave Lapham and even Paul Smith to his minimal lines, but also brings the appropriate grit and supernatural elements to the story. This is a comic depicting a very restrictive culture, one that has become more and more restrained in an effort to protect itself from the looming threat. Culbard creates a very strict, restrictive society for the lead character to navigate through, but brings in more grisly moments and visuals as appropriate. The art reflects the pace and story beats of this world very well. This was a great start for a new mini series - funny, smart, and engaging, while developing a tone and a pace all its own. I'm in.

Weekly Comics - 03/21/2012

Batman#7 – Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo

Batman has finally escaped the clutches of the Court of Owls, and this issue acts as a breather, even as the stakes of the next conflict grow to a fever pitch. The issue opens with an homage to Batman: Year One, albeit one where a giant owl kills a flying bat. Capullo has never been better than this scene - the shadows are placed perfectly, the images are menacing, and the splash page of the kill is a glory to behold. This issue continues the theme of Bruce Wayne learning that his Gotham has indeed been in the control of the Court of Owls all along. The lengthy middle portion of the book presents a Bruce almost unhinged - so frightened by his captors that his reactions are violent. The very image of Talon's costume brings fear to him. His lengthy discussion with Nightwing shows a man who is so determined to overcome his opponents, and so unhinged by what they did to him, that he almost overcompensates with his detective and science skills. He is abrasive and angry with Nightwing, so determined to prove his theories on the Court, that at times he sounds a little crazy. The theories he presents to Dick have scientific logic behind them, but could also have been completely fabricated so that Bruce feels he has control over the situation. Back in the earliest issues, Bruce struggled to accept the existence of the Court. Now, he is creating a narrative of their existence so that he can gain a degree of control over the things. It's a fascinating take on the character that feels completely believable given what he has gone through. Bruce presents a theory, explaining why Dick was targeted in #1, hinting at his ties to the Court. It's interesting stuff, but I like Dick's reactions of angrily not caring, almost to snap Bruce out of his state of mind. It's an exposition-heavy scene, but similar to Swamp Thing, Snyder makes the exposition feel economical and elegant. Capullo does a great job on this talky segment, because he charges it with the feelings behind these two men, a father and son at a tense point in their relationship. The issue is also interspersed with scenes of the Court preparing for their next attack, and finally launching it on the final page. Capullo's art is haunting and dynamic here, but FCO's colours are just as strong, with a reddish hue over Gotham's skyline. I wouldn't expect a Scott Snyder comic to do a full-on breather issue. This is a deep, exciting comic that explores the psyche of a broken man, while ramping up for the next stage of the conflict. Another excellent issue from potentially the best creative team in comics.

Birds of Prey#7 – Duane Swierczynski/Jesus Saiz

Swierczynski somewhat wraps up the title’s first arc, with more questions left unanswered than answered. Granted, the frenetic pace of this title does not lend it to a villain delivering an exposition-filled monologue explaining his plan. And we don’t get that here – some fights lead the Birds to discover Choke’s identity. They confront him, and, in the struggle for answers and team squabbles, Katana chops his head off. If you enjoy the high adventure, black ops feel of this book, you’ll enjoy this route. The story is still open, as later events in the issue hint at, but the book can move on from here as well. The action and intrigue is as fun as ever here – Choke turns his mental thrall on a few of the Birds, and the resulting action is great stuff, played out in dark basements and tunnels. The creative team use Choke’s mental suggestion sound effects to great effect as the action plays out. He feels menacing in the way he has turned the group against each other. There is a lot of great character work here too – Choke reveals whose murder Black Canary is wanted for, Ivy and Katana both see how much faith the others have in them, and Swierczynski does wonders for the Canary and Batgirl relationship. Each of these women are becoming well-rounded characters. Canary, in particular, is great – crumbling as she struggles to hold together this operation and her personal secrets. Her friendship with Batgirl is understated, but poignant. Saiz is back on the art, bringing a rich, rounded look to the characters, with dynamic splash pages and great fluid action. His work has depth to it, but is perfectly suited to the intrigue and action of this series. This series remains a treat for me. This issue glides more on energy than solid plot construction, but that energy is what keeps me coming back.

Wonder Woman#7 – Brian Azzarello/Cliff Chiang

There has been some kerfuffle about this issue and its reworking of the Wonder Woman mythos and I honestly don't understand why. If you're a fan of good storytelling, this is a fantastic comic. I couldn't care less what twists it places on Wonder Woman's origins, because it is so good. The conceit here is that the Amazons, a tribe living on an island full of women, must have given birth to a male child at some point, no? In stark, haunting detail, Azzarello and Chiang present the Amazons method of conceiving children, disposing of the children's fathers, and further disposing of any male offspring born nine months later. It is such a simple, stark portrayal that it is incredible effective. It is also a wildly imaginative and exciting take on the mythos, distilling a mythological concept to its core element and exploring a new avenue of it. Azzarello is taking ancient concepts and running free with them. But everything still feels epic, including the characters' reactions to the drama unfolding. This issue sees Wonder Woman and crew track down Eros and Hephaestus in their quest to rescue Zola from Hell. The creative team's re-imagining of these two is in line with their work thus far – great designs, bold, powerful dialogue, and a strong new take on the character. The interaction between this collection of godly characters is stellar - the dialogue rings with clarity and power and the stakes of each conversation feel high, but there is still room for some levity and playful teasing. The scene in which Diana implores her newfound brothers (the male Amazon offspring) to come with her is heartbreaking - Diana is trying to reach out to the growing family she is learning she has and they do not want to leave Hephaestus, who saved them from death and gave them a home. In having Diana learn about her new family members in each issue, Azzarello has made a godly character seem humble. She is struggling to find the strength and sense of community she had on Paradise Island, and failing at every turn. Her defeated visage on the final page is tragic. Chiang is certainly no slouch in the art department. As mentioned, the new characters look great. A brief action scene in the middle almost evokes Kirby's style, as the bulky Hephaestus jumps into battle. Chiang's lines are clean and bold, so images of Diana's sadness have a real resonance. The flashback to the Amazons’ courting of men is bathed in darkness, and perfectly evokes the dark deeds. This is a wonderful single issue - equal parts imaginative and creative, as well as powerful and resonant. Azzarello and Chiang should be applauded for the bold choices they make here.

Uncanny X-Men#9 – Kieron Gillen/Carlos Pacheco

Some time killing before Avengers vs. X-Men – it’s perfectly passable, but pretty blatant in what it’s trying to do. On the plus side, Gillen seems to realize that he neglected the characters for too long. The issue opens with a number of strong character scenes – Danger analyzing Illyana’s current predicament (since when has Danger contributed anything to the book?), Colossus speaking in defence of his sister, Emma regaining strength after recent injuries. We have yet to get a sense of these characters’ lives on Utopia, and Gillen makes an effort to do that here. He also brings in what have to be pet characters for him – the cast of his short-lived S.W.O.R.D. series. They provide the catalyst for the X-Men current mission, and Gillen has fun with them. He doesn’t write them with the reckless abandon he did in their own series, but it’s fun nonetheless. The mission brings the X-Men alongside the Avengers, cleaning up after escaped aliens from S.W.O.R.D. hq. I’m sorry but this just feels like blatant string-pulling before AvX starts. How often do the Avengers get involved in X-Men conflicts (or vice-versa)? Never? So let’s get them all working together before the big summer crossover where they fight. Snore. I stopped getting excited for such gags at age 8. The moment that proves how forced and contrived this all is happens when Cyclops and Wolverine cross paths in this team-up – a silent panel, not a word said and nothing done to deal with the schism. Proves to me this team-up only exists to serve as tepid ‘lead-in’ to the crossover. They didn’t have the guts to address that here because this is just a filler story before the crossover. The Avengers have no reason to be here and are dull as dishwater throughout. Pacheco is back on art, and it’s still his new, smoothed out style. It’s certainly pleasing on the eye, but the artist I loved is effectively gone. His unique style has been lost. This is a decent issue. The plotting stinks, but the character material is worthwhile.

Weekly Comics - 03/14/2012

Saucer County#1 - Paul Cornell/Ryan Kelly

Saga may have been the big debut of the week, but I was equally looking forward to this new Vertigo title. I think it's long past time Paul Cornell worked on a creator-owned book, and I couldn't have been happier to see Ryan Kelly announced as its artist. So I was looking forward to this, and found it to be a stellar debut. Cornell pulls off an introduction to lead character Arcadia Alvarado, an unsettling tone, and a great conclusion in this issue's twenty pages. The lead character is sharply drawn here, and it's an engaging portrayal. There's a good balance between her political ambitions and relationship troubles, with a her personal strengths and weaknesses shining through both sides of her life strongly. Arcadia has agency as a lead character, even through her professional and personal lives have aspects dictated by others. The political side of the book nicely meshes with her character. There are scenes of political maneuverings and campaign strategy throughout the issue, including a great speech at the end in which Arcadia announces her bid to run for President. Cornell makes these elements of the book feel natural, as Arcadia and her supporting cast have fresh voices and fairly interesting personalities. The issues they discuss, in regards to campaign strategy, are pretty engaging and thoughtful, as well. For as sharp as the writing is, the issue opens with a handful of scenes that are somewhat disjointed, in a good way. Arcadia and her ex-husband Michael awaken in their car, off the beaten path, with minor injuries, and the following scenes maintain this unsettling tone, particularly when introducing a disturbed professor at Harvard and exploring Michael's life. The contrast between these scenes (which persist into Arcadia's later scenes by herself) and the sharp political dialogues really works. All of this leads to a closing page that is no surprise to readers who have read promos for the book, but still manages to announce both this book's premise and Arcadia's resolute, strong personality with force and intensity. It's a simple moment, because the book's premise has been so well-known already, but it feels like Cornell is throwing down the gauntlet and announcing this new title's premise. The art by Ryan Kelly is a real treat. He excels at this collection of people, displaying expressions ranging from soft, emotional, driven, and pained. The book feels grounded, but very emotive and sharp looking. Kelly also does well when the science fiction aspects of the plot creep in, including the glimpses of aliens and Arcadia's nighttime episodes. The colour palette for the book is also quite good, with an emphasis on yellows, browns, and oranges that emphasize the desert setting. I really liked this opening issue - it was bold, intelligent, and also quite tender and thoughtful. A very promising start.

Batgirl#7 - Gail Simone/Adrian Syaf, Alitha Martinez

I have both praised and criticized this title for the busy, jam-packed nature of it's plotting, but I have come around to Simone's eclectic approach to storytelling. And, on the heels of that comes this, the most streamlined, straightforward narrative she has told yet. And it was a great issue. As usual, the issue is held together by Barbara Gordron's narration and portrayal. Simone has a love for the character, and she shines as a vibrant mix of hopes, fears, and insecurities, with a snarky sense of humour. The bulk of this issue is a flashback to Barbara reaching out to Black Canary to help her get out of her funk and back into fighting shape. Their interaction is fresh, natural, and fun. It sounds like two old friends who have slightly lost touch. Simone draws on Barbara's accident in almost every issue, but it isn't getting tired - it feels realistic and painful each time. It is never unnecessarily dwelt on, instead serving as a wonderful starting point for Barbara's character. And Barbara's struggle to move on has been a great character arc. The accident is at the core of the scenes with Black Canary, and they have some strong scripting from Simone. The rest of the issue contains present-day scenes in which Batgirl pursues Grotesque, a foe Black Canary asked her to trail. Grotesque is in the mold of the other quirky villains Simone has brought to the book, and these scenes are a good mix of fun and gravity. Barbara's narration is always laced with her sense of humour, but the fights bring her back to a painful time in her life. Adrian Syaf's present-day scenes are excellent, with very fluid, exciting action scenes. Alitha Martinez handles the flashbacks. They nicely stay within the look Syaf has established for the book, even if there are a couple of wonky facial expressions. That aside, I really liked this issue. Barbara Gordon's character sits front and centre in a fairly unique, brave comic.

Batwoman#7 - J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman/Amy Reeder

This issue grabbed me in the first scene - when Batwoman removed the hand of the man who almost killed Bette in the previous story. The New 52 have been criticized for graphic violence, but this was an arresting scene. I felt Kate's pain and her harsh retaliation against her cousin's attack felt real. This issue continues the series of vignettes, checking in on the cast at various points in their recent history. It's the personal scenes, focusing on character moments, that really excel. Jacob's visit with comatose Bette at the hospital is incredibly touching, as he describes the differences between his two twin daughters and hopes for Bette's recovery. Kate and Maggie's relationship continues to develop nicely. I also like Batwoman's continued servitude under the D.E.O., and her interaction with Cameron Chase. This issue contains a lot of progress on the villain front, and that's where it lost me just a little. Progress is made with Falchion, Medusa, Maro, and Killer Croc. There's a lot of players on the board, and I'm not sure how they all fit together, particularly in relation to the missing children from the first arc. I'm sure the writing team will get to this, but it's a bit jumbled in its presentation here. The art by Amy Reeder is unfortunately not as strong as her debut. The opening scenes employ the creative panel layouts she displayed last issue, displaying both Batwoman in action and Jacob's concern for Bette. After that, the visual storytelling becomes quite conventional. The figures have a rough, angry look to them, which I do like. I like that Reeder isn't aping Williams' style. But the book also doesn't have the distinct visual flair he brings to it. It's a nice looking comic, but not up to this title's usual standards. This new arc is still finding its feet, but some poignant moment prove this title's strengths still remain.

Superboy#7 - Scott Lobdell, Tom DeFalco/R.B. Silva, Iban Coello

If Tom DeFalco is going to keep scripting this title, I may be out soon. I always considered dropping this when it became too intertwined with Teen Titans, as the solitary, laboratory setting was much more interesting to me, and with this issue's cliffhanger and the upcoming crossover, that point is coming soon. But DeFalco's scripting is sucking the life out of this book. Superboy has gone from a thoughtful, nuanced portagonist to a literal, angry, character. The unique, fun aspects of him finding his place in the world have been replaced by some very genertic qualities, and I lay blame on the safe script. That said, the story is moving ahead in this issue, and the action is quite good. Superboy's battle with Rose Wilson is a long time coming, and moves at a great clip through the N.O.W.H.E.R.E. headquarters. It's just that Rose has gone from an intriguing supporting character to a generic angry woman and Superboy's narration, one of Lobdell's strengths, has lost all unique and intriguing qualities. I lay blame for this on DeFalco's script. There is an interesting plot point introduced here regarding Superboy's origin, but DeFalco is so literal in its presentation that it loses its potential mystique. All this said, R.B. Silva's art makes the battle scenes come to life. Superboy and Rose move swiftly and fluidly through a series of blue and grey chambers in the lab, with dizzying speed and energy. The acrobatics and character movements are superb, and Silva is equally strong on page layouts and character designs. The issue looks great. Iban Coello pencils three inserted pages, all of which look fine, but feel like complete intrusions into the story. The second scene in particular, in which Red awakens at a friend of Superboy's apartment (all based on the comment that he spent a lot of time in the library in #4; apparently he met this friend there) is the definition of clunky. So this title is in flux at the moment, as is my devotion to it. A shame, because it had such a strong voice and tone, and the new scripter hasn't been able to maintain them.

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.#7 - Jeff Lemire/Alberto Ponticelli

The plot thickens at S.H.A.D.E City in this latest issue, which continues this series' tradition of wild action and adventure with a fun, cutting group dynamic. This is a full-on action issue, but the cast is also on full display the whole time, which each of them getting more than their moment to shine, and it shows the strength of this series. Lemire has built a fun cast of quirky characters, and established a great group dynamic amongst them. An action issue becomes so much more enjoyable when laced with humourous dialogue from a well-established, fun cast. In this issue, the cast faces down the original Creatures Commandos, escaped from captivity, and renegade Humanids, while a bigger threat is unleashed in the background. The action and character moments are pure fun - Frankenstein's constant groaning and grumbling, Father Time's indignant anger, Lady Frankenstein's detatched boredom, Nina's fear. Ray Palmer finally gets to show off his Atom shrinking powers, adding another layer to the S.H.A.D.E. tapestry and serving as a great moment. There are also solo scenes for the less-developed cast members that are quite fun. And I like how the foes the team face here are internal to the series' machinery and concepts. And the new foe Time hints at further grows out of the cast and their past. The only thing that gave me pause here was the art. I've been a staunch fan of Ponticelli's, but this issue looks different than the first six. At first I thought he may have been rushed, but the general design sense and expressiveness of the layouts, characters, and fight scenes are still there. Whether done by Ponticelli or inker Walden Wong, the art is much cleaner and smooher, losing the ropey, messy look Ponticelli typically brings. It all looks good and is an interesting new take, even if I prefer his other style. However, even with that, this is yet another stellar issue of this consistently great book.

Fantastic Four#604 - Jonathan Hickman/Steve Epting

Jonathan Hickman concludes the mega-story he started back in August 2009 (or, some would say, in the Fantastic Four: Dark Reign mini-series that preceeded that) and it's a fitting conclusion. I will admit it took me a second read-through to really see the light on this. I was satisfied, but a little underwhelmed, at first. This issue takes some of the biggest concepts Hickman played with all of this time - the Council of Reeds, the Mad Celestials, the future Franklin and Val, Nathaniel - and ties a nice, big bow around them in a series of powerful and dramatic scenes. There is true energy and power as the elements of the story come together and the big conclusion is reached. The individual members of the team kind of just stand back and watch here, but isn't that ok? They have played so many roles throughout this mega-story that I didn't feel they were shortchanged. Instead, there was true emotion in them watching the future Franklin and Val reunite with Nathaniel and perform their roles in ending the conflict. I actually really liked how Hickman and Epting played this issue - instead of spelling out the entire conflic for us, opaque narration overlays fantastic visuals of future Franklin fighting the Celestials and ressurecting Galactus. It's much more elegant and powerful than having this play out as a traditional action issue and it's a fitting approach for a big conclusion. The big moment with Franklin ressurecting Galactus is a great twist and climax to the story. The final scene calls back to Hickman's very first issue in a beautiful way, and is a touching coda to the parent-child relationships he has explored throughout his run. I can't help but be struck in this final issue by how much Hickman's mega-story was rooted in the concepts and stories he explored in his earliest stories - it makes me realize how many unnecessary detours (the Kree/Inhumans stuff mostly) were taken along the way.

And with that, this is my final issue of Fantastic Four. I know Hickman is on both this and FF for another six months, but this is the end of the story he came on to tell. I will buy the next issue of FF, an epilogue to this story, then I'm off. There are a lot of loose ends to this story, and from solicits and preview images, it looks like Hickman will explore them, along with other concepts. I'm sure they'll be enjoyable comics, and I may pick them up if reviews are strong enough, but I'm buying too much right now and I basically committed to this big story. To keep Hickman on longer is slight overkill to me and I don't want to read his run potentially peter out after this conclusion. Plus, I'm just buying too much, and this is a natural end point.

Wolverine and the X-Men#7 - Jason Aaron/Nick Bradshaw

The Brood/intergalatic casino story wraps up here, and it's another strong issue, even if, at time,s it feels like so much is happening. The Broo vs. attacking Brood soldier story ends up having a much more interesting premise than it originally seemed it was going too. It turns out Broo has been targeted for death because he is a genetic misstep in the Brood line - a kind, thoughtful alien who won't kill. It's a clever twist, and a compelling hook that I wasn't expecting from what was looking like a route action story. It leads to some exciting chase and battle scenes and a climax that is far more human and unsettling than it has any right to be. Outside of that story, this issue is business as usual, albeit fun stuff. The fight in Kitty's stomach proceeds apace, with fun moments throughout. And Wolverine and Quentin's casino scamming is equally fun, especially watching Quentin's character grow. Aaron jumps between the three story threads to keep the story exciting, but at times it feels like too much is going on. I appreciate the energy and fullness of this book, but it may be helpful to dial it back at times. Bradshaw's art is strong here - the figures and setting remains quirky, fun, and lively - but he too seems to struggle with the boundless pace of the issue. I don't know how much of an action artist he is, and this is a heavy action issue, with tons going on. His depiction of the Brood isn't his strongest quality, so that too is a detriment. I did enjoy this issue, and the wider story. I'm happy to see the back end of it, and the next story in this title (that is, until it gets dragged into a crossover).

X-Men: Legacy#263 - Christos Gage/David Baldeon

The Exodus story wraps up here a bizarre way. The assembled X-Men and X-kids defeat him in the opening half, and the rest of the issue is spent on extended decompressing back at the school. This is typically a great structure for the soap opera-heavy X-Men. We need the decompression scenes. But here, the two halves of the issue are equally problematic, and I'm left concerned about Gage's direction for the book. The strength of the Exodus fight is in the execution of the battle. It has an energy and speed to it, and Baldeon excels at the big action shots. It looks great. Unfortunately, defeating Exodus isn't a suitable ending to this particular story. The fight with him arose because of a view he held of mutant relations that is not resolved, or even touched on in a meangingful way, in the story's conclusion. A big slugfest with him isn't an adequate way to work through the problem he raised. I also have trouble believing this ranting lunatic Exodus would even care about uniting the mutant race. He is such a crazy villain that pacifist views like that seem completely at odds with his behaviour here. I can't help but feel Mike Carey so elegantly introduced a wonderful concept in #225 for Exodus and other followers of Magneto, and Gage has simplified it so much that it lost its teeth in this story. The scenes after the battle verge on painful. I hate to again compare to Carey, but he set up a realistic dynamic where Cyclops mistrusted Rogue for some of her leadership decisions, but trusted in her abilities and qualities, and worked with her to capitalize on her strengths. Gage seems to want the same dynamic between Rogue on Wolverine, but proceeds with it in the most ham-fisted way. Wolverine's anger is so irrational and short-sighted, it seems misplaced. The whole story seems forced for dramatic effect, and it doesn't work. Then Rachel confronts Rogue about her relationship with Magneto, and that they need to resolve it for the sake of the team soon. Reducing Rogue's actions to some lovesick pining seems insulting, and this discussion is again forced and hammy. Gage seems to want Rogue to be a certain person and it's not working. I don't understand this interpretation at all - Wolverine yells at her, and she goes off and sulks, Rachel chastises her and she barely gets a word in. She is coming off as weak and pathetic, and I don't understand the in-story reason. Yes, Carey certainly softened her, sometimes too much, but she was never a pathetic whelp like she is here. I have certainly changed my opinion on Baldeon's art - he is more impressive with every issue - but I have not come onboard with Gage's direction for the book.

And, of course, I loved Saga#1 ...

Weekly Comics - 03/07/2012

Action Comics#7 - Grant Morrison/Rags Morales, Sholly Fisch/Brad Walker

After a flashback story that was equal parts thrilling and confusing, in good measure, Morrison and Morales are back to the story of Braniac's assault on Earth. It's here that the true scope and scale of Morrison's story is starting to emerge, as Brainiac's plan hints at the threats Superman will have to face. It's a great issue, full of the big high concept ideas any good Morrison story needs. In this case, Brainiac's people are here to collect a bottle city of Earth, just as they have of Krypton and many other worlds, because that is what they do when a planet is dying. For each of these worlds, they have gathered knowledge of the planet before attacking. On Earth, they took the form of the internet to do so. And they are desperate for more information on Superman. The concept is wonderfully brought to life. It's so simple and well-thought out, and Morrison parses its details out nicely, so that this still feels like an exciting action issue, wrapped around some great concepts. This is also an issue of the young Superman's heroic efforts and trials being put on full display for the inhabitants of Metropolis. The opening scene is excellent, with Morales bringing a vibrant energy to Superman taking off into space for the first time. The mostly wordless pages are exciting, but retain the book's low-tech vibe - the soles of his shoes rip away, there's a bit of fear on his face, and his oxygen tank is decidely primative. There's a lot of fun had in the bottle city, where Lois, Jimmy, and Lex snipe at each other and Lex slowly realizes he's been conned by the aliens. And the action and pacing build nicely, as Superman is bewildered by what he learns from the aliens, only to have to make an important choice at the story's end. Morales' art is a big part of this issue's momentum and energy. His work on facial expressions and character acting have gotten much better and his young Superman, in tattered jeans and a tshirt, exudes charm and energy, even in a weakened state.

The back-up, by Fisch and Walker, is less ambitious than the main story, or the other back-ups. It's the story of John Henry Irons (Steel) performing rescue work in the devastated Metropolis. It's building his character nicely, from interacting with his niece to watching his bravery grow. It also deals with the practical realities of what has happened nicely - namely, what would happen if a huge chunk of the middle of a city just disappeared. And Walker's art is quite good, with sharply drawn figures and faces, but also a soft, pleasant look to it. But, at the end of the day, it's just a rescue story. A nice little character piece, but not up to the level of previous back-ups. Still, the lead story is a thrilling piece of writing and art, and this is a nice supplement to that.

Stormwatch#7 - Paul Jenkins/Ignaco Calero

Paul Jenkins steps in following Paul Cornell’s departure to pen a two-part guest arc, before Peter Milligan takes over as writer with #9. And, unfortunately, I think I’m going to skip out on #8. That’s not to say this is bad – it’s perfectly competent, it just didn’t set the world on fire. The story follows Stormwatch settling in to their new status quo following Harry Tanner’s departure. Midnighter and Apollo take the lead on a nuclear disaster, one which is tied to Martian Manhunter’s past. The story is fine, it just feels like a placeholder story, and it is. The changes Cornell introduced in his final issue are just only touched on and any forward movement on the big mission Stormwatch undertook at last issue’s conclusion is put on hold (presumably until Milligan takes over). The character dynamics are ok – there’s a good clip to the dialogue, but Jenkins replaces Cornell’s effective coldness with some cutesy moments. Doesn’t quite work. Still, there are good things here – particularly the Engineer settling in as leader and Jack Hawksmoor meeting with the city beneath the nuclear disaster. Calero’s art is a bit too busy for me, both in backgrounds and character depictions, but it does the job. This is an ok issue, but given my comics load, I’m fine taking the next issue off before Milligan comes on with #9.

Animal Man#7 - Jeff Lemire/Travel Foreman, Steve Pugh

After a one issue interlude, Animal Man returns to Buddy Baker's flight from the Rot, in an RV with his family. It's another great issue, and the strength here is Lemire's balancing of the family dynamic with the more gruesome aspects of the Rot's rampage. The focus is put more on Buddy's son Cliff, who feels left out of the superheroic fun Buddy and Maxine have gotten up to. Lemire does a good job balancing Cliff's bratty disdain for everything with his desire to be closer to his dad. There's a lot of fun in their interaction, especially when Cliff later tries to impress two disbelieving girls by bragging that his dad is Animal Man. But Lemire also nails the portrayal of the female characters - everything from Ellen being sick of junk food to the grandmother breaking down over what is happening, to a game of Go Fish with Maxine. There is a playful balance of the horror of the ongoing story with the mundane aspects of family life that works perfectly. Everyone just seems a little weary after their journey, and it feels realistic. And, of course, Socks the cat gets a few jokes in. There's is also a lengthy dream sequence here where Buddy is alerted to the dangers of the Rot that works very well. Lemire again balances the tone here - for as shocking as Maxine's possession by the Rot is, there are humourous appearances from John Constantine and a gun-totting grandmother. Incoming artist Steve Pugh really lets loose here, matching the grotesque creatures and ruined landscapes that Travel Foreman and Swamp Thing's Yannick Paquette have pulled off for the Rot. Pugh also excels at the more human scenes of a tired, scared family interacting. It's another stellar issue of this title. Lemire has crafted something special in this world, and the connections to the events of Swamp Thing help to create a rich tapestry.

Swamp Thing#7 - Scott Snyder/Yanick Paquette

Wow, wow, wow. Another fantastic issue of this title. This is Alec Holland's transformation into Swamp Thing. It is a trial for him to be returned to that state, and it feels like it. This is a gruelling odyssey for the character, facing his own inner conflicts as his enemies grow in strength in the background. It's impossible to discuss why this issue is so impactful without mentioning the art first. Paquette's layouts for this book have always been impressive, with twisted fragments and shards making up the panels. The panels are just as distinctive here, but Paquette outdoes himself, with wild vines and plants shooting across the page, sometimes gracefully, sometimes violently, and setting the panel borders. It feels unruly, and sometimes non-linear, and contributes to the disorienting internal journey Alec is on to become Swamp Thing again. As usual, Alec is depicted as a broken man, struggling to rebuild himself, with Paquette's typical strength. And the creatures of the Rot are as vile and unsettling as ever, particularly Abby, who has now grown into a molusk-style husk, carried around by a group of twisted-neck servants. It's a tragic image. The story here is tied to the visual journey, as Alec must convince the Parliament of the Trees that he is the worthy successor to the Green they pegged him as (before he ran from that fate), in order to have a chance at rescuing Abby. It's the strugle of one man to accept the horrifying things he has seen in the first six issues, and accept that he is the one who can do something about them. Alec must convince the Parliament that his personal qualities make him a worthy candidate to face the Rot. We have taken this journey with Alec, and it's great to see him accept his role and believe in himself. The transformation scene is a marvel, as Paquette's jagged images depicting various body parts and organs being invaded by vines and greenery, in rapid succession. In the end, a winged Swamp Thing takes flight to confront the Rot, confident he can defeat them because, this time, it was his choice to become Swamp Thing. A heroic and inspiring end to an incredible rollercoaster of an issue.

Uncanny X-Men#8 - Kieron Gillen/Greg Land

The Tabula Rasa story finally reaches its end and it's a triumph of character interaction over plotting. The story bores the tears out of me, and I can't believe it was stretched out to four issues. But Gillen seems to finally have found the right balance for this cast, and that side of the issue works nicely. The story of the two warring Apex brothers just kind of ends here before the issue gets started - all of a sudden, the conflict has ended, Tabula Rasa begins rebuilding, and the issue becomes a lot of denouement. Considering the fact that I have no interest in the story, I'm grateful for this turn. It's sloppy and abrupt, yes, but it leaves Gillen more space to do more interesting things with the characters. Hope and Namor's interaction is refined here, and is quite entertaining. Gillen handles her crush on him nicely, mainly because she never falls into fawning over him and keeps her wits about her. Colossus and Magik finally return to the spotlight, and get a nice scene where Illyana shows her support for her brother as he faces changes from the gem of Cyttorak. And Magneto and Psylocke get another good scene, discussing covering up for X-Force. Oh, and all these issues later, we finally learn what happened to Emma and her severed arm! Thank god for that. So it's an odd issue. The story is over by the second page (Cyclops declares the crsis averted at the bottom of the second page), then Gillen deals with the fallout for the rest of the issue. When the fallout deals with Tabula Rasa, I'm snoring, but when the spotlight is put on the characters, the scenes have life to them. This book is still a mess in terms of concept and execution, but definitely has its strengths.

iZombie#23 - Chris Roberson/Mike Allred

I read and enjoy this Vertigo title every month, but don't typically review it (as it can be hard to discuss Vertigo books in single issue format), but I had to bring this one up. All of a sudden, it feels like this title is building to a big climax. Now, given Roberson's style of pacing, this conclusion could go on for another 20 issues, but I definitely am getting a sense of the big conflict coming together here. I think the change from the zombie attack on Eugene (the first big conflict), is that now all (or most) of the players know each other and vaguely understand what is at stake (and this includes the readers). There's a familiarity now. It's not so much random scenes of characters going about their business. Each of the scenes feel like they are contributing to the bigger story of Xitalu's attack. And, with that true sense of what is at stake, there is real tension and excitement built in this issue. Roberson builds to the great final page from pages earlier. I knew something good was coming and couldn't wait. All along, the dialogue remains charming and fun, even with the heightened pace of the issue. Mike and Laura Allred do their typically strong work here. From the humourous cover to the assortment of characters and creatures within, the pages are brimming with personality and charm. Allred nicely balances the serene qualities of life in Eugene, Oregon with the more wild events depicted here. This book has its own tone and it owns it. I'm sure it reads well in trade, but I love getting my monthly installment of the goings-on in Eugene.

Hellblazer - Stations of the Cross

Hellblazer – Stations of the Cross (#194-200 – Mike Carey/Leonardo Manco, Chris Brunner, Marcelo Frusin)

This volume of Hellblazer starts Mike Carey’s next movement on the title. In the previous volume, John Constantine defeated of the creature from the Garden of Eden, a threat that had been building since Carey’s first issue, and lost his memory as a result. This volume picks up with an amnesiac John at the mercy of a number of unsavoury characters who want vengeance on their enemy now that he is such easy pickings. When this volume ends, John has his memory back, and it’s obvious this whole story was a means to get him into his next predicament. But that doesn’t take away from this volume’s strengths – Carey skilfully weaves a new villain through this volume’s issues, amnesiac John is an engaging character, and the chorus of villains dying to get their hands on him is a lot of fun. It’s another rewarding volume from Carey and his collaborators.

The first three issues deal more directly with the effects of John’s memory loss. He’s wandering around London, pursued by a spurned former enemy. Carey achieves a great effect here – for every John moment of peace John gets, that peace is wrenched away as his pursuer launches another violent attack. The story isn’t that compelling. It’s more interesting to watch John try to operate at half-capacity. Losing his memory has made him almost half a man. He has no confidence, we hear true fear in his words, and he genuinely doesn’t know what his next step should be. It’s not until he must come to the defence of Chas and his family that he regains some sense of himself. That issue is harrowing, with an unpleasant confrontation in a hotel room that is brutal to read. Through all of this is weaved John’s encounters with the underworld vixen Rosacarnis, who offers him his memories back in exchange for a day of service to her. Her appearances are seeded through nicely, starting with her disguise as a burnt little girl John finds on the road and culminating in a meeting in her lush, demonic palace. It’s an interesting layer to add to this story. These aren’t the strongest chapters of Carey’s story, but the mix of a violent opponent and John’s condition combine to make the story feel very unsettling.

These opening issues are pencilled by Leonardo Manco and Chris Brunner. I was a bit disappointed in Manco’s work, which has me worried, because I know he soon becomes the regular artist. There are some great images and a good tone, but I prefer the cartoonier influence of Marcelo Frusin’s work. The characters look a bit too real and too rendered and some of the expressions didn’t quite fit the vibe of the book. Brunner’s one issue is surprisingly great, though. He replicates the general feel and layouts of Frusin’s issues, but his depiction of the characters is quite unique. John in particular has a singular look to him that is kept consistent throughout the issue. It’s different than his normal look, which fits, because this amnesiac John himself is different.

The story then continues along, as John is dragged from the streets by two cheerful girls into their church, with the promise of food and shelter. Carey and regular series artist Marcelo Frusin craft an incredibly effective story in these three issues, leading to #200. The church is run by Ghant, the man deceived by Constantine in the Gemma story from the previous volume. Ghant presents John as an anti-Christ to his deranged congregation and eventually holds court with a group of demons who want to get a hold of the amnesiac Constantine. Through a number of gruesome events and the return of some old foes, Carey and Frusin present John’s journey through this labyrinthine church and the tunnels beneath it. These issues are bathed in shadow. Ghant exudes a spurned vengeance and the other characters seem a little unhinged. The imagery is astounding, as Rosecarnis continues to pop up and present John her offer on a number of disturbing pages. The whole story feels like an old fashioned witch hunt, and John must truly prove his mettle. In the end, as he is about to burnt at the stake, he takes Rosacarnis’ offer.

This leads into #200, a story told in three parts, each detailing a possible future domestic life for John. Steve Dillon returns to pencil a tale featuring the love interest from when he drew the book, Kit. This is the most straightforward story, as their young son seems to be at the centre of some violent deaths. Not unlike the amnesiac John’s plight, this John is completely alone. Kit is hardened and unfriendly when he voices his concerns about their son. The story is effectively chilling. Frusin pencils the second story, bringing back Zed, John’s love interest from the earliest issues of the book, when Jamie Delano wrote it. In this one, John’s older son is using the imprisoned body of the Swamp Thing to create a garden paradise for the family home, while nursing a homicidal side. Frusin paces and presents the sharp script like a horror movie and it’s a wonderful little story. Leonardo Manco is back for the third story, where John and current girlfriend Angie deal with a delinquent teenaged daughter who gets together with her friends to kill people. This one further neuters John – the daughter tries to make him feel like an old man out of his depth, and the loss of his swagger certainly seems to indicate that.

It turns out these three sequences were all part of the day of service to Rosecarnis. She reveals herself as the daughter of Nergal, the demon that goes back to the series’ beginnings. She mated with John during his day of service to produce these three offspring, who will torment the world. It’s a great anniversary issue for the book – the structure and the three artists make it feel like a celebration of the book’s history, but the plot itself is urgent and moody, propelling the next story forward. The atmosphere is incredibly strong. John constantly feels like he’s struggling to get his head above water, and being thrown into these three disturbing dream sequences is disorienting and unsettling for the reader.

This volume also marks the end of Marcelo Frusin’s time on this title. It’s some of his strongest work to date. John’s life on the streets feels vivid and terrifying. With large panels, Frusin depicts his confrontation with another homeless man, a cathartic shower, and his wanderings around the church. This John looks thinner, less sharp than normal, and completely out of touch with what is going on around him. Frusin also nails the shots of the demonic creatures coming after John, with some stunning splash pages and images that feel expansive and powerful. The issues set in the church are bathed in darkness, and Frusin depicts a variety of lithe and horrifying creatures ambling around it. Really great stuff on the art front.

The story is equally strong. It feels like Carey is moving through grand movements and testing John all along – first, he was tested to figure out what great evil was coming for him, and assemble forces to combat it. Then, he was tested to find the strength to face his enemies after losing his memory. It’s possible he failed on that, by reaching out to Rosacarnis for help. Now, he’ll face another test, defeating his children.

Counter X - X-Force Part 1

"Games Without Frontiers" (X-Force#102-105) - Warren Ellis, Ian Edginton/Whilce Portacio

Counter X was a last ditch effort to salvage three flagging X-spinoffs in 2000 - X-Force, Generation X, and X-Man. Warren Ellis was pegged as sort of a plotmaster who redefined the concepts behind the three series, leaving the scripting to other individuals (who eventually took over as full writers). This launched in March of 2000, the same month of Chris Claremont's ill-fated return to X-Men and Uncanny X-Men, an event branded "Revolution." All in all, it was a pretty dire time for the mutant books. Outside of Fabian Nicieza's strong work on Gambit, a stellar arc on Wolverine by Steve Skroce, and a well-received run on Cable by Robert Weinberg, Revolution was basically panned. A blight on the X-franchise that required a further creative reshuffle in May 2001.

A few years back, Marvel released the first eight issues of each Counter X title in a series of trades (each book went on to have one further story before concluding). I thought it was an odd decision given their legacy. They’re not seen as Warren Ellis' strongest work. They really struggled to come into their own and do anything interesting with their redefined concepts. The art was of wildly varying quality. Still, I took it as an opportunity to finally read these stories. Prior to this, my collection of these issues was pretty spotty.

So I'm starting off with the first story in the Counter X: X-Force trade. Ellis plots, with a script by Ian Edginton and art by Whilce Portacio. It's worth noting that the second arc of each Counter X title was devoted to filling in the gap as to how the characters changed - the first arc threw us into a new status quo, hinting at what had changed. I had been a fan of X-Force prior to this and thought John Francis Moore did a great job on the book. This new status quo was a complete re-imagining of his approach - it wasn't bright and fun, it didn't have warm, considered characterization, and it was almost deliberately alienating. So how does X-Force's first story hold up?

Well, it wasn't awful, which is what I was expecting. Its heart is actually in the right place, in terms of the new concept. Part of the problem is that you can see where Ellis' concept stops and Edginton's weak attempt to do anything with it starts. Choppy characterization and plotting, weak art, and a fairly bland story are the other problems. Still, some of the ideas here aren't bad.

The story involves a streamlined X-Force roster (Cannonball, Jesse Bedlam, Meltdown, and Proudstar), now led by Warren Ellis creation Pete Wisdom, acting as a covert mutant squad who police scientific groups that have perpetrated crimes against humanity. In this story, Wisdom leads them to dismantle a bioreactor buried beneath San Fransisco that activates the mutant gene in latent mutants, causing their powers to emerge violently as they mutate physically. The reactor is leftover from a decommissioned project called Cuckoo from the 1950s. Meanwhile, as the team do this, Wisdom himself is pursued by a mysterious man, who may be the mutated remnants of Cuckoo's creator, Dr. Niles Roman.

It's a fairly standard story, from the sci-fi tropes at its core to its execution. I do like the high concept Ellis brings to the book. It's not that innovative or unique, but this book needed a concept. Since Age of Apocalypse, the book has been fairly directionless. An often great portrayal of a group of young mutants? Yes, but one without a core concept in sight. I like the idea of paring down the roster and giving them a purpose. The idea that Wisdom has made them test their powers in new ways is also good. The problem is that the cast don't connect to this premise - Pete Wisdom knows everything about the case and the team just listen to his stories and follow his orders. They don't seem particularly motivated to right the wrongs of underground scientific activity. Ellis builds on a tradition that includes Black Air from his run on Excalibur and the Captain Britain Warpies story. That stuff all gets lips service here. The problem is that those stories play into the lengthy Marvel UK traditional and history, and Sam, Jesse, Tabitha, and James have nothing to do with that.

The other problem is that the story presented here is pretty basic stuff. To the creative team's credit, they pull off some wordless scenes, where powers erupt out of people in San Fransisco, which are pretty good. But the story doesn't go anywhere. The final issue is a big fight scene in San Fran that is kind of dreadful in spots - full of the team using their powers in new ways and congratulating each other, as the background visuals get sparser. And there's a weird plot problem here - Wisdom says mutants can't deactivate the bioreactor because going near it will cause their powers to go out of control. Then X-Force go off to deactivate it. Ok. The story also has an utterly bizarre ending. The mysterious man pursuing Wisdom finds him, kills him off panel, and then the team abruptly discover his body in the final panel. It's choppy, arbitrary, and not pulled off effectively. There's no effect from it - it happens and there's no chance to react. So this book, which has no unique qualities outside of the Pete Wisdom character, just lost that character?

At the same time, I think Pete Wisdom is kind of the problem here. Ellis has been allowed to bring in the prototype Ellis character – the chain-smoking, wise-cracking, cynical trouble-maker with a hardened worldview. Hell, Ellis created Wisdom when he was writing Excalibur! That’s all good, but Wisdom completely overshadows the rest of the cast. He has some amusing lines, but it’s almost as if the writing team go out of their way to marginalize the rest of the team. In the first issue, the most they do is exhibit new uses of their powers. Proudstar doesn’t even speak. This continues in the rest of the story, with nary a shred of personality shown by the four X-Force members. Besides a single scene where Sam and Tabitha argue about Sam handing leadership over to Wisdom, the four characters are complete ciphers here.

It feels deliberate. We’re being alienated from the characters we’re comfortable with and thrown into a world where Pete Wisdom has all the answers, gives all the speeches, and sets all the priorities. The old cast do no more then marvel over their powers and gripe at each other. It makes the book feel unwelcoming and unpleasant, and not in an effective way. It’s not like the villain or black ops squad concept is so strongly conveyed that this doesn’t matter. It makes for a hollow product.

Whilce Portacio is a polarizing artist, but I tend to like his work when he is really on. The true energy of his work back in the day is no longer there, but there are some strong set pieces and character expressions. Unfortunately, the rest is pretty weak, with choppy storytelling and dropped backgrounds. I don’t know if he’s the artist for this type of story. His depiction of the battle scenes and underground stuff is so bland that he doesn’t sell it as a strong new direction for the book.

And, at least in this opening story, this Counter X revamp kind of flunks. The concept has legs, but Edginton doesn’t take it anywhere. His attempts to mimic Ellis poking fun at superhero comics (Wisdom constantly calling the team “My X-Men!”) fall flat, and he brings no life to the cast or their mission. Each issue opens with a splash of the team horsing around like kids. Fine, but why didn’t we see any of that in the issues? All we got were four ciphers who stood around waiting to hear Wisdom’s stories and instructions. With Wisdom dead, where exactly can things go from here?