Posted by
Sean Hamilton
- Saturday, November 29, 2014
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| Magneto 11 cover by David Yardin |
It's been some time since we looked at the Master of Magnetism, so a combined review of Magneto #11 and #12 seemed more appropriate. To catch us up to speed, let's recap some events from AXIS, as both issues tie in to this Marvel event.
Magneto has been busy since issue #10. While trying to kill the Red Skull and finally put a stop to his genocidal tendenciesc, Magneto unwittingly unleashed Red Onslaught and his worldwide reign of hate. The battle ensued on Genosha, the island formerly ruled by Magneto, that drew in so many Marvel heroes. It was dire, the heroes were outgunned, as a pair of Tony Stark–designed hero hunting sentinels quickly decimated their ranks. In a final act of despair, with the MGH effect wearing off, and desperate against such overwhelming failure to counter the Red Onslaught, Magneto fled the harrowing battle.
As the grisly scene is recounted in the first few pages of Magneto #11 we have some overlap with the events in AXIS, but this is necessary. At this point we continue to see why Cullen Bunn deserves so much praise for his work in Magneto. Bunn explores the deep sense of guilt and responsibility Magneto feels not only the Red Onslaught but also for the havoc he has wrought upon his fellow mutants. This psychological examination is superlative for the tone and edge to this series, which simply cannot be given page space in an event like AXIS.
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| Magneto's haunting past spurs him on... |
The art in Magneto 11 by Garbriel Hernandez Walta is just as gripping and crucial to the dark toned narrative as Bunn's script. Walta encapsulates the dramatic nuances that cannot be drawn out from the dialogue, such as the cruel emotional tension of Briar Raleigh and Magneto as the latter is convinced why he needs to keep fighting on. The way that Walta draws the characters' facial expressions, with particular focus on their eyes, makes for some very fine art. This pivotal scene carries the whole of issue #11.
While the traumatic scares of the indiscretions and fatal mistake from the past will always haunt Magneto, Bunn delivers a great twist as he sets Raleigh to bringing Magneto out of his funk and back to the proactive master manipulator we know. Ultimately Magneto #11 shows us how the "villains/anti-heroes" come to arrive on Genosha at the pivotal moment to help stop the Red Onslaught.
Magneto #12 dives straight into a more action-packed issue. Having gathered his group of non-do-gooders, Magneto proceeds to lead them back to battle Red Onslaught. This issue of Magneto coincides with the events of AXIS 3.
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| Magneto 12 cover by David Yardin |
Once again it is the character exposition that is what makes Magneto #12 a good read. It has more depth than AXIS 3 and draws in the reader much more as a result. While the first half of the issue complements the story of AXIS, it is the second half of the book that is more interesting. Here Bunn examines the effects of the inversion spell on Magneto, who is confronted by a ghostly reminder of Charles Xavier. As the pair try to find renewed meaning for Magneto's role in all these events, a twist in the final two pages certainly is intriguing enough to want the next issue now.
Magneto #12 brings in artist Roland Boschi and colorist Lee Loughridge. Both are very capable and try to emulate the existing style and tone of the series. Given that Magneto has a very distinct approach, a change in artists is noticeable, yet it is not jarring here. Loughridge uses a suitable palette of colors but the doesn't have the same harsh quality Jordie Bellaire provided in issue #11. This could also be as a result of Boschi's pencils and inks, which aren't as gritty as Walta's. By no means does this bring down the art, it is simply a slightly different approach. A nice sense of continuity between the issues is provided by Cory Petit's lettering.
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| Magneto strikes back. |
While the events of AXIS have probably thrown-out Bunn's plan for Magneto, there are great opportunities here to explore the titular character's role in the larger Marvel universe and how he has evolved since the death of Charles Xavier. We are seeing the next steps of Magneto as a leader in the mutant community, the actions of which are spilling over into other series such as Uncanny X-Men.
As an X-Men solo series, Magneto has a great sense of stick-ability about it. Bunn has provided a great run so far on this series and seems to have some long-reaching plans to build around Magneto, the top of which is uncovering the role of Raleigh.
Let us know what you have enjoyed so far from the series. What are the highs and lows? What do you hope to see next from Bunn? Make sure you leave your mark below, or follow us on Facebook and post a comment there.
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
Wow, it's been a long time coming, hasn't it? I haven't reviewed a Guardians of the Galaxy trade collection in 7 months, and for good reason: it wasn't until recently that Marvel finalized which comics were being collected for volume 3 (4, if you count the previous volume—Guardians of the Galaxy/All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey) and only released it just last week. If you've been following my reviews, you'll know that I collect the issues individually and not in trade collections, so I have to wait until the next trade collection's collected comics list is finalized before I can accurately review it. So now that my explanation for the 7-month delay is out of the way, how about we get on with the show?
Previously in Guardians of the Galaxy…
Shortly after Tony Stark's departure and Angela's arrival as a new member of the team during the galactic war of Infinity, the Guardians met up with the All-New X-Men—younger versions of the current timeline's X-Men brought into the present—and teamed up with the space buccaneers, the Starjammers, to save a young Jean Grey, who had been kidnapped by the Shi'ar Empire to face a trial for her future self's crimes of genocide as the Dark Phoenix. They successfully rescue her, and in the end Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, hooks up with the X-Men's Kitty Pride.
Now, before we can get to what happened afterward, there are two non-Guardians comics that are included in the volume 3 trade that need to be addressed: Captain Marvel #1 (2012), written by Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Dexter Soy; and Amazing Spider-Man #654's B-story, "Rebirth," written by Dan Slott with art by Paulo Siqueira, Ronan Cliquet, Roland Paris, Greg Adams, and Fabio D'Auria. Both of these issues are essentially "origin stories" of the Guardian's two new recruits. In Captain Marvel #1, readers are introduced to Carol Danvers, an Avenger formerly known as Ms. Marvel, and explores how she came to be called Captain Marvel—a title originally claimed by the late Mar-Vell, a Kree warrior and a friend of the Avengers. (On a side note, Carol Danvers will be getting her own solo Marvel Studios film, Captain Marvel, in theaters July 6, 2018.) "Rebirth" is a back-up story featuring the debut of Eugene "Flash" Thompson, Spider-Man's childhood bully-turned-disabled war hero, as Agent Venom, a super soldier imbued with the alien symbiote that was once bonded to Spider-Man.
Agent Venom joins the Guardians first in the Guardians of the Galaxy Free Comic Book Day 2014 issue—written by Guardians of the Galaxy's (main series) Brian Michael Bendis with art by Nick Bradshaw—as an ambassador and Avenger from Earth at the request of Tony Stark, who believes that Earth should have a representative on the team that guards the planet without compensation. This is inherently a strange match-up considering Agent Venom's expertise and team themes; Flash's element is rather terrestrial and urban in contrast to the galactic opera the Guardians operate in, and his former teams—the Circle of Four (almost as comparably strange of a match-up), the Secret Avengers, and the Thunderbolts—reflected his skills and theme much more accurately. I'm not one to complain too much, though, considering that this is the only monthly ongoing series he gets to guest star in right now. (We won't talk about the Original Sin tie-in's lack of Agent Venom until the next review.)
Not long after his arrival, though, the Guardians are separated and captured by their enemies as a part of a plan concocted by King J'son of Spartax, Peter's father, to end the Guardian nuisance. Peter is taken to Spartax to face his father's ultimatum—abandon the Guardians and take his place as Star-Lord, the prince of Spartax, or be executed as an enemy of the empire. Gamora is forcefully questioned by the Brotherhood of the Badoon about the whereabouts of her father, Thanos. Drax the Destroyer faces a tribunal lead by Gladiator of the Shi'ar for interfering with their Trial of Jean Grey. Rocket Raccoon is abducted for experimentation by the Kree. Groot is abandoned on a deserted planet by the Brood. Agent Venom's symbiote is taken for the Skrull's use, and Angela is nowhere to be found. All seems dire for the Guardians until the timely arrival of their second newest member, Captain Marvel, which sets into motion a revolution three volumes in the making.
Now, my review of this volume is more than slightly influenced by my love for all things symbiotes and Agent Venom as a character—it comes with the territory, I guess. As an introduction arc for Agent Venom's inclusion into the series (and his subsequent absence during the Original Sin tie-in), this did not make a great first impression. Sure, he got a cool new look for the team that appeals to the avid original Venom fans, and seeds of the just-begun "Planet of the Symbiotes" storyline were planted in a couple of issues, but new readers arguably didn't get a good feel for the character for how little page space he was given overall.
That said, this story arc in general was a bit slow and really only paid off for avid readers in the end. I'm one of a very rare breed of comic geeks (it seems) to give praise to Bendis for his work on Guardians; I absolutely loved the last three volumes, and will continue following the series as long as Agent Venom is on the team, if not longer afterward so long as the book keeps me happy. This volume, though? It was pretty weak, to be honest. Perhaps it was the fragmentation of the story as the Guardians were disassembled, but in any case this volume didn't appease me like the last ones did, and Bendis' rocky track record and dubious respect for symbiotes and symbiote fans will play against him in the coming months with "Planet of the Symbiotes." (Not to jump ahead, but the first issue definitely made an impression with me.)
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| An Angela and Gamora team-up always brightens any situation. |
On the art side of things, Guardians was quite enjoyable up until the mid-issue change-up from Nick Bradshaw to Michael Avon Oeming in the final issue jarred my reading experience. Oeming's art was passable enough, but the transition from one style to a completely different one didn't win the volume any more points to make up for its flaws. If anything, the art overall in this volume won me over more than the main Guardians story.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3: "Guardians Disassembled" gets 3 stars out of 5 for the writing with most of the credit due to Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dan Slott, and 4 stars out of 5 for the art. This volume was a bit of a disappointment for myself as a symbiote fan, and possibly for Captain Marvel fans as well, since she didn't show up until the third of four issues.
What were your thoughts on this volume? Let us know in the comments section below, and follow Fanboys Anonymous for more Guardians of the Galaxy comic book reviews. Also, check out The Venom Site if you're a symbiote fan, and its blog, A Dose of Venom, especially for their Symbiotic Holiday Giveaway, in which you can test your symbiote trivia knowledge for a chance to win a Marvel Legends Agent Venom action figure!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Friday, November 28, 2014
On a special podcast for Fanboys Anonymous, the panel breaks down their initial reaction and their overall thoughts about the first trailer for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens released earlier today.
Do we have a bad feeling about this or has it pumped us up and made us believe that they've restored balance to the franchise?
Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Chris Dace, Eddie Siqueira and Larry Deuber
Some topics we address:
- Who is this new Sith lord and what's up with his cool new lightsaber design?
- Is John Boyega a real Stormtrooper or a double agent?
- That's totally Benedict Cumberbatch doing the voice over, right?
- Daisy Ridley just has to be the daughter of Han Solo and Leia Organa
- The beauty of the visual effects
- and more!
You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Thursday, November 27, 2014
Our first look at Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens has been released today with teaser trailer #1!
You can check it out right now on iTunes or watching the embedded YouTube video below:
My initial reaction: the visuals are BEAUTIFUL. I'm still really worried that we're going to get a film that's going to play too much to the Original Trilogy fan base and won't have any of the positives of the Prequel Trilogy (ie, the Jedi Order). My least favorite aspect of the Star Wars franchise is when the fun depends on you being a fan or astounded by the concept of alien cultures and spaceships and blasters, so if this focuses on Storm Troopers and the Millennium Falcon and we don't see a reformed Jedi Order, I'll be disappointed. That being said, we do get to see a brand new form of lightsaber that resembles a normal sword, so that's very interesting. I'm also still hoping that Domhnall Gleeson is playing Ben Skywalker.
We recorded a special podcast where a few of us elaborated on our thoughts. You can listen to it on iTunes, Stitcher or watch the YouTube video embedded below:
What do you think? Are you pumped?! Does this look awesome or are you starting to get even more anxious? Tell us what your thoughts are in the comments below!
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens will be released in theaters December 18, 2015.
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Written by: J.J. Abrams (screenplay), Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay), George Lucas (characters)
Starring: Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Leia), Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong'o, Max von Sydow, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2)
Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Monday, November 24, 2014
Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the fanboys out there.
MOVIES
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer to Hit Theatres.
My take: This weekend, the teaser trailer for next December's movie that will break the internet will hit theatres. Even as a fanboy, I'm trying to avoid spoilers for this film but this might be unavoidable due to temptation levels being off the charts. However, I recall the trailer for The Phantom Menace giving me goosebumps, only to punch me in the gut several months later. I'll have to play this one very carefully.
Jurassic World Dino Revealed.
My take: Speaking of spoilers, if you don't want any, skip this paragraph. An image from LEGO has revealed a white dinosaur that is featured in the film. It's clearly intended for evil purposes, considering it's name is the Diabolus Rex.
Interstellar "Unlimited Ticket" Offered Through AMC.
My take: All AMC stubs can be upgraded to see the movie as many times as you want. The justification being that people love it so much that they want to see it over and over again. I saw this movie a couple weeks ago and I have to call bullcrap on that.
TELEVISION
Brace Yourself. Winter Break is Coming.
My take: With many shows going on hiatus, expect some action packed cliffhangers in the next few weeks. The Flash and Arrow are set to cross over ands should give booths shows a huge boost.
Constantine in Danger?
My take: If you're watching Gotham but not Constantine, you may want to make the jump. It's lacking in the ratings and a second season is debatable. In my opinion, it's a far superior show and deserves some love! You can also support online. use #SaveConstantine, tweet to @NBCConstantine.
COMIC BOOKS
Spider-Verse a Blood Bath.
My take: A fun idea is slowly turning into a gruesome experiment both for writer Dan Slott and his fans and haters alike. Seeing Peter Parker murdered multiple times is unsettling on a number of levels. I thought I'd ride this out stress-free but my anxiety and blood pressure rise with every issue. I guess something's working…?
I Finished Batman: Zero Year Finally.
My take: A little late but it's new to me. I heard this was an epic story that cemented several things in Batman, Jim Gordon and The Riddler's backstory. I didn't really get that impression at all and found this story, yes this comic book story, completely unrealistic.
Howard The Duck New Ongoing.
My take: Howard feels like the character people miss when he isn't around but don't care when he is. If this book is fun and quirky and well written, I would look forward to picking it up. If it's just offbeat and nonsensical, I don't see his aging fan base sticking around for long. Best case scenario, this leads to a new movie that's actually awesome (even though I did like the first one a lot when I was a kid).
Watch out for this segment each and every weekend. We'll see you next week!
Did we miss something? What are your thoughts on these topics?
Leave us a comment below!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Sunday, November 23, 2014
On episode 9 of the Fanboys Anonymous FanTracks podcast, the panel provides commentary for the Thanksgiving season by watching several turkey day-themed episodes of television shows. The latest edition in this series is:
Community
Season 4 - Episode 5 - "Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations"
(original air date March 7, 2013)
Hosted by Tony Mango including Chris Dace.
After a short introduction, you will be told when to sync up your copy of the episode so you can follow along with our commentary. Follow the links below to listen to the podcast on either YouTube, iTunes, or Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!
Posted by
Unknown
- Saturday, November 22, 2014
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| The 1999 collected edition. |
Just a few days ago, the FX network has confirmed to be developing a new drama series based on Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's groundbreaking graphic novel From Hell.
Considered to be one of the top ten graphic novels of all time, From Hell, which was originally published in serial form from 1989 to 1996 and finally turned into a 572-page collected edition in 1999, is based on the now debunked theory the Jack the Ripper murders were committed to cover up the birth of an illegitimate child by Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. In order to silence possible witnesses and gossipers, Queen Victoria enlists the help of the royal physician, Sir William Gull, a high-ranking Freemason who murders them and becomes the infamous serial killer.
With a plot-line involving multiple characters and over 40 pages of actual historic documents and references, the novel is a guttural study of Gull's genius mind slowly descending into madness:
While he justifies the murders by claiming they are a Masonic warning to an apparent Illuminati threat to the throne, the killings are, in Gull's mind, part of an elaborate mystical ritual to ensure male societal dominance over women. As the killings progress, Gull becomes more and more psychologically unhinged, culminating in a full psychic vision of the future during his murder of Mary Kelly.
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| Gull's mind starts to break. |
Though is it yet to be seen how faithful to the graphic novel the FX adaptation will be, executive producer Don Murphy, who produced the From Hell movie (don't watch it. It is really bad), believes a TV series "would be a great way to handle the material properly, giving the story time to play out and doing it justice."
David Arata (Children Of Men) will write the adaptation.
There is still no word on casting or even if the show will be as a one-and-done event series or if it will tell the book’s story over the course of multiple seasons. However, there is no doubt Alan Moore will not be involved in any way and will probably bash the show with all his might, as he hates any movie or TV adaptation of his work.
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| Alan Moore is not impressed. |
Let's cross our fingers, pray to the moon, squeeze our stress balls, and send some creative vibes to the folks at FX. If done right, the show can be as intense and gritty as Cinemax's period drama The Knick.
One can only hope.
Do you think the TV series From Hell has potential?
Is it going to be a hit or miss?
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
Every once in a while I'll take a chance on a comic book that catches my attention even if I've heard nothing about it before. I did this with Image Comics' Revival once; I'd never heard anything about that amazing supernatural crime thriller before seeing the cover to issue #1 at my local comic book shop, and I decided, "What the heck? It's only five issues in, so let's give it a shot." I've since been following the series (and you should, too). Another series I did the same with is from an even smaller and largely unknown publisher: Unlikely Heroes Studios, whose sole comic book series, Super!, really impressed me in an unlikely fashion.
Just recently, the publisher released the very first five-issue volume of their digital-only series (available only on comiXology) by creators Zack Dolan, Justin Piatt, Everado Orozco, and a handful of inkers including mainstay Laurie Foster as a printed hardcover trade collection. Fans of superheroes, I urge you to pick this book up. You won't be disappointed.
The series follows a ragtag team of amateur superheroes and their struggle to make a name for themselves in Cosmopolis, a city filled to the brim with superheroes and villains, against the immense popularity of the legacy supergroup, the People's Champions. Each issue explores a different member of the underdog group, which includes the no-shit-taken power woman, Blitz; the quip-tacular and hot-headed Furious Fire Ant; the mysterious and short-tempered Silhouette; the megalomaniacal and genius Professor Max Archer; the über-patriotic and gun-toting Blood Death; the Hulk-like, lightweight Unquenchable Lush; the nude speedster Streak; and the size-changing Super Sentai lovechild, Adventure Man Zero.
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Ah, this reminds me of taking on Nemesis in
City of Heroes…everything is a Nemesis plot! |
The team, though they all have the best (and sometimes selfish) intentions, always ends up fleeing the scene of a big battle whenever the law comes around or an angry casino owner demands repayment for the damage they cause. Whenever things seem to be finally going their way, though, their thunder is unavoidably undermined by the People's Champions. On top of all of that, they make themselves their own archenemies out of the supervillain cabal, the Fearsome Fivesome—another group of underdogs trying to make a name for themselves and lead by the Black Atom, who secretly has a close connection with Blitz.
What really turned me onto this series from issue #1 was something that took me a few moments to put my finger on. At first glance, the series looks like just another ambitious superhero comedy book that would just drown in the sea of other greater titles like The Amazing Spider-Man or Batman. However, there is a very special kind of love woven into every word and panel that turns Super! into a superhero genre love letter. It also reminds me a lot of the late and great City of Heroes, the superhero MMORPG from Paragon Studios and NCSOFT. Much in the way of the fan-created video game projects City of Titans (formerly The Phoenix Project), Valiance Online, and others, this comic was created in part by a CoH veteran (Dolan, who even once played as Blitz and Fire Ant and was a huge fan of the game's character creator) and possesses many similar themes to the game's canon, including a Paragon City in the form of Cosmopolis and a legacy group like the Freedom Phalanx.
I can't say enough how much I enjoy Super!, and I get the feeling that the series and its creators can go very far with enough support. The studio originally launched two Kickstarters—the first for producing the series' first issue and the second to fund their merchandising department and for creating the volume one hardcover—and will be starting up a Patreon campaign in the near future to continue funding more issues beyond their first volume. Follow Unlikely Heroes Studios at their website, on Twitter, on Facebook, or on their YouTube channel for updates and to learn how to contribute to the success of this truly deserving comic book series. Visit their website to order your copy of volume one or read the first five issues digitally on comiXology, which you can find here.
Now I can't properly close out one of my infamous comic book reviews without a rating, right? Super! Volume 1 gets 5 stars out of 5 for both the writing and art and a big "Good luck and Godspeed!" from me. What are you waiting for? Read more comics and discover new stories and creators! If you've read Super! before, what were your thoughts? Are you a CoH refugee such as myself, and did you get the same Paragon City vibe I did? Let us know in the comments section below!
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
Phew, what an issue! Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself here. Welcome back to my review series of the increasingly superb Marvel comic book series, Moon Knight. What started out as seemingly disconnected microecosystems made into comic book issues has—as you can now tell if you've been following the series or my reviews—started to show their integrated skeletal system of a larger plot. The biggest lure for fans of the series when it started out was Warren Ellis and company's masterful weaving of the one-shot story, but after his and Declan Shalvey's departure from the book, writer Brian Wood and artists Greg Smallwood and Jordie Bellaire have kicked it into high gear as they steer the series into a different, albeit equally satisfying mode of storytelling.
Moon Knight #9 unveils a little bit more of the new creative team's master plan by revisiting the mystery of Marc Spector's psychiatrist—now given a name: Dr. Wahalla. In issue #7, the Silver Avenger discovered an assassination plot against foreign General Aliman Lor—a former despot of the small African nation of Akima—headed by none other than Dr. Wahalla. Then in issue #8, Dr. Wahalla knowingly sabotaged Moon Knight's heroism during the Freedom Tower hostage situation by informing the police of Marc's psychological imbalance, which subsequently landed Moon Knight on the police's most wanted list. In this issue, Marc confronts Dr. Walhalla during a hypnotherapy session by exploring her past history with General Lor and her motivations with betraying Moon Knight. The good doctor is not what she seems, though, and Marc's own tactics quickly backfire on him, leading to a shocking twist in Moon Knight history.
Wood played an interesting game with this issue as it mostly took part during the hypnotherapy session, which opened up a fun dynamic between Marc and Dr. Walhalla. Marc begins the dialogue in the issue by turning the tables on his psychiatrist so that throughout the entire issue both Marc and Dr. Walhalla are psychoanalyzing each other. It turns into a real cat-and-cat game (much like the intellectual games Light and L play with one another in Death Note, if I may make the comparison) that intrigues until the very end when Wood throws a curve ball into the mix that leaves the reader's mouth agape in awe.
On the art side, this issue feels very much like what we got when Shalvey and Bellaire were tangoing across the pages. I feel as if Smallwood's style for this series has evolved since his series debut in issue #7, and it seems as though he is quickly finding his groove with Bellaire as they begin to dish out a thematically similar style to the previous team's. When comparing the artworks of issue #1, #7, and #9 side-by-side-by-side, you can definitely tell that Smallwood is starting to shape up into the next Shalvey in this series. This is great news, since Shalvey and Bellaire's synchronicity helped to sell the book just as much as Ellis' writing and stardom did. This may be the closest thing Marvel has ever done to catching lightning in a bottle twice, and hopefully we'll get another six—or even more, ideally—issues to this ceaselessly impressive series.
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| This was one of the most important and powerful panels in the issue. |
Moon Knight #9 receives five stars out of five for both the writing and art. What more can I say? I was not disappointed with this issue or any other beforehand. How would you rate this issue, and how would you compare the new team's run to the old one's? Do you think Wood, Smallwood, and Bellaire have a chance at securing this series' staying power? Let us know in the comments section below, and continue following Fanboys Anonymous for more Moon Knight reviews!
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
It's Carnage Hour once more, featuring the bloody, the macabre, the Carnage-Man! Ah, you gotta love the dark humor of this series. Welcome back to my review series on Marvel AXIS tie-in miniseries, AXIS: Carnage. Today I'll be reviewing the second of three issues, so sit back in your desk chair, turn off the world, and turn on the chaos!
In the last issue, Carnage began his solo career as a hero by saving a hooker from her abusive pimp and opportunistic news anchor Alice Gleeson from the new and supernatural serial killer, the Sin Eater. It's been a tough road for the former symbiotic serial killer known as Cletus Kasady since Doctor Doom and Scarlet Witch's inversion spell changed his morality; he's had to learn restraint and cull his bloodlust in an insane effort to become a superhero to make amends for his multitude of past sins. To help him learn to become the hero he's driven to be, Carnage kidnapped Alice in the last issue, convinced that a reputable news anchor such as herself could help him become good.
In this issue, writer Rick Spears and artists Germán Peralta and Rain Beredo give us a glimpse of an altered version of Cletus' past which shaped him into the serial killer he became while trying to give it a heroic spin to explain Cletus' new motivation. What's interesting to note is that Carnage has subconsciously inserted Alice into his memories as a sort of muse that inspires key moments in his history. The way the creative team works her into his history leads me to believe that Cletus' impression of Alice is beyond inspirational—perhaps he's harboring deeper feelings for his kidnappee? This would be an intriguing development especially when considering that the only other person Carnage has ever been extremely close with was Shriek, his frequent partner-in-crime.
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| Now, now, Carnage. We don't need a relapse of your Superior days. |
Another interesting development that is revealed in this issue is the Sin Eater's connection to Emil Gregg, the serial confessor who was linked to the first Sin Eater and Venom's origin. We find out what Emil has been doing during the Sin Eater's recent inquisition, which creates even more questions regarding the new Sin Eater's identity. As for the rest of the issue, we're given yet another joyride of Carnage attempting and partially failing at being a hero as Alice uses her kidnapping as an opportunity to advance her career.
Spears' writing is just downright fantastic for Carnage and this series. Not many can pull of a true Carnage comic, but he's definitely one of my favorite Carnage writers now—and that's saying something coming from an avid symbiote fan! Both Peralta and Beredo's art synergy is very reminiscent of one of my favorite artistic pairs, Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire (Moon Knight), which gains them bonus points for appealing to my own taste in modern superhero comic art. There isn't much more that can be said that I've already covered in my last review.
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| That's not how it works! That's not how any of this works! |
AXIS: Carnage #2 gets 5 stars out of 5 for the writing and 4.5 stars out of 5 for the art (a half point down because of the same gripes I had with the last issue). What did you think of this issue? Who do you think the new Sin Eater is? Can Carnage really pull off being a hero? Let us know in the comments section below, and continue following Fanboys Anonymous for more comic reviews by yours truly. Also, check out The Venom Site for all of your symbiote news, reviews, and point-of-views, plus its blog, A Dose of Venom, for a chance to win a Marvel Legends Agent Venom action figure during its Symbiotic Holiday Giveaway!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Friday, November 21, 2014
On episode 7 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, the panel reviews the latest installment of the Katniss Everdeen story by discussing The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1.
The panel breaks down what worked in the film (Hit) as well as what didn't (Miss).
Hosted by Tony Mango along with Chris Dace, Johnna Wago and Stephen Wago
You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!
