Tag: Brian Michael Bendis

Bendis and Bachalo on Uncanny X-Men in February

It was teased last week by Marvel, and now they have gone ahead and announced the release of Uncanny X-Men #1 in February with the superstar team of Brian Michael Bendis and artist Chris Bachalo. More in the press release, and cover, below:

This February, Cyclops is back in full force in Uncanny X-Men #1, kicking off the all-new ongoing series from the blockbuster creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Chris Bachalo! As part of Marvel NOW!,, Uncanny X-Men joins a number of titles that will take the Marvel Universe in an exciting all-new direction, as the industry’s top creators join the top Super Heroes to deliver all-new ongoing series, great for new and lapsed readers alike!

The true flagship book of the X-Men returns. In the wake of the Phoenix, the world has changed and is torn on exactly what Cyclops and his team of X-Men are – visionary revolutionaries or dangerous terrorists? Whatever the truth, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto, and Magik are out in the world gathering up new mutants and redefining the name Uncanny X-Men.

“What Brian and Chris have planned for Cyclops’ team in the post-‘Avengers VS. X-Men’ landscape is nothing short of its adjective, ‘uncanny’,” said Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief, Marvel Entertainment. “Mutantkind has been going through a reEvolution over the past couple years. The pressing question now is, who will lead them into the future?”

Marvel NOW! is the culmination of Marvel ReEvolution, the groundbreaking new initiative to evolve the comic book experience through innovation. With Fearless Defenders, Marvel NOW! ensures fans will discover an entirely new perspective in the adventures of the Defenders.

“Uncanny X-Men will be the one-stop shop for these very important characters in the mutant [corner of the] Marvel Universe and the Marvel Universe proper,” said writer Brian Michael Bendis in an interview with Marvel.com. “I’m very lucky that I get to write All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men at the same time. I can examine this fascinating part of the Marvel Universe from vastly different angles. I can’t think of a time where the mutant part of the Marvel Universe has been more exciting. Every character is so complex and there are so many characters interacting. Literally anything could happen.”

An all-new direction! An all-new team! All-new threats! This is Uncanny X-Men NOW!

This February, Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo redefine what it means to be a mutant in Uncanny X-Men!

UNCANNY X-MEN #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Art & Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
ON SALE FEBRUARY 2013

November 10, 2012
Marvel Teases “Uncanny” Bendis and Bachalo for February

Marvel continue to tease their new series for 2013, with this vague “Uncanny” logo for February, featuring the talents of Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo. It’s a fairly good bet that this will be for a new Uncanny X-Men series as part of Marvel NOW!, although with Marvel’s penchant for slapping Uncanny in front of any old title now (See: Uncanny Avengers), we could see any number of crazy titles from Uncanny Starjammers to the Uncanny Thunder Frog.

This would mean that Bendis will be on both of the main X-Men titles, alongside the All-New X-Men due out this month, as well as the monthly Guardians of the Galaxy starting in February as well.

Click image to enlarge

November 3, 2012
NYCC: Wrap Up and Highlights

While we sadly couldn’t make the New York Comic Con this year, being all the way on the other side of the world, it certainly didn’t stop us from enjoying the amazing amount of news that came out of the event. NYCC distinguished itself from its big brother San Diego Comic Con by actually focusing on news about comic book releases, the west coast festival having become notorious distracted by film events, gaming and spectacle. There were a few TV announcements and film reels played, but here is some of the stuff that caught our attention over the last few days. Who said there were no surprises left to be had in the comics world?

Joss Whedon confirmed that his S.H.I.E.L.D TV series, spinning out of the events of The Avengers and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will see the return of Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg). Via video, Whedon and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige addressed the crowd. “There was never going to be a ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’ show without Agent Phil Coulson!” said Feige, who apparently appeared behind Whedon in the video, wearing a “COULSON LIVES” shirt. “He’s headlining the S.H.I.E.L.D. show and always was.” said Whedon.

Marvel thrilled fans of their cosmic universe series of comics by announcing that a Guardians of the Galaxy book will re-launch in February 2013 from Brian Michael Bendis and Civil War artist Steve McNiven, alongside a Nova series by Marvel Head of Television Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Not sold yet? Iron Man also joins the Guardians. ‘Nuff said. Full details here.

Another massive title with writers from the world of film and television seems to be David S. Goyer‘s (Batman Begins) return to comics, collaborating with Geoff Johns. Goyer commented to CBR: “I have plans to do something with Geoff Johns that’s been on the drawing books for a while. Basically, [we’re] just looking for the time to plot it out. DC is holding the space for it, it’s an event that we’re going to do, it’s a 13-issue thing. Hopefully, we’ll start plotting it out this fall.”

Andy Diggle (Green Arrow: Year One, Rat Catcher) and artist Tony Daniel (Detective Comics) will take over from Grant Morrison and Rags Morales from Action Comics #18. This will please fans who have been worried about Morrison’s inconsistencies, timeline jumping and insane amount of alien storylines that have graced the flagship book’s pages.

Speaking of Superman, the powerhouse team of writer Scott Snyder (Batman, American Vampire) and artist Jim Lee will launch a new Supes book in 2013. Given that Snyder has given us one of the greatest arc in comic book history in the Court of Owls this year, we’re excited to see what he can do with another iconic character. It’s rumoured to be called Superman: Man of Steel, which makes sense given a film of the same name is due out next year.

Still on Snyder, he won’t be giving up his awesome Vertigo stylings either with The Wake alongside Punk Rock Jesus maestro Sean Murphy. Snyder told CBR that it’s “a blend of science fiction and horror on an epic scale. It has a post-apocalyptic element too, which I’m also really excited about”. It’s also underwater.

Another Vertigo title due out is the intriguing Trillium. It’s a new 10-issue limited series that’s partially set 1,784 years in the future in 3797, and also set 92 years in the past in 1921. This one will be written and illustrated by Jeff Lemire, who is currently doing epic things on Animal Man.

Justice League of America is coming to DC. Another Justice League book, you say? It’s the powerhouse and incredibly busy teams of Geoff Johns and David Finch. The team will consist of Green Arrow, Katana, Martian Manhunter, Baz the Green Lantern, Stargirl, Vibe, Hawkman and Catwoman. This all comes to a head from the decline of Justice League International, with the above team presumably being a more government focused group. Unlike the previous efforts, we have a few heavy-hitters on this team, no least of which is Martian Manhunter and the new Green Lantern. Plus, Green Arrow is on the team, instantly making this the great group ever. We will fight anybody who questions this.

Image will continue its amazing run in 2012 with a new series called Snapshot by the all-star team of Andy Diggle and Jock, where a comic book fan accidentally picks up a hitman’s phone. There’s stack more sci-fi, a genre Image has owned in the last year, with Lost Vegas by Jim McCann and Janet K. Lee, and the one we love the sound of the most, East of West, by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta, western where the four horsemen of the Apocalypse decide to hunt down and kill the President of the United States. Could this possibly sound more brilliant? Hickman has also promised an original graphic novel called Feel Better Now, about some psychiatrists who start messing with their patients for fun. There’s also Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky. Believe.

Finally, Kevin Smith promises a return to the old-school DCU with all but two issues of Batman: The Widening Gyre Part 2 penned. Promised for late 2013, the cliffhanger at the end of the first six issues is too much for us to bear the weight. Can we get a hint now?

October 15, 2012
NYCC: Marvel Announces Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova for 2013

It had been rumoured for a while, especially given their upcoming appearance in the Marvel NOW! Point One #1 comic due out this Wednesday, but Marvel announced at New York Comic Con on Saturday that Marvel Cosmic Universe titles Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova will be getting new ongoing series in 2013. Brian Michael Bendis re-teams with Civil War artist Steve McNiven for Guardians of the Galaxy, while Marvel Head of Television Jeph Loeb will join with Ed McGuinness for Nova. This makes perfect sense given the Guardians of the Galaxy film is due out in 2014.

The Guardians line-up is the classic Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning assemblage of a new-look Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot…and Iron Man? Said to form to tackle “threats too big for the Avengers”, the series will launch in February with a crazy #0.1 issue followed by the full #1 in March. Quick, we want to order them now! Meanwhile, another hint dropped at NYCC is that Avengers Assemble #8 will explain why it is that Star Lord and Thanos have suddenly appeared in the universe again following their departure in The Thanos Imperative. That 2010 story also effectively brought to an end the modern Guardians of the Galaxy storyline, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts ever since.

Which brings us to the new Nova, who recently popped up twice in the recent Avengers Vs. X-Men event. Sam Alexander was first introduced in Marvel Point One, and is a much younger character imbued with Nova Force. You can also see Sam Alexander/Nova in the new With Richard Rider also seemingly meeting his end with Star Lord and Thanos, perhaps their return will signal his as well.

By the way, anybody at NYCC who wants to buy us this Guardians of the Galaxy mug featuring Rocket Raccoon, and save the inevitably inflated price on eBay, will be our new best friends for life.

October 14, 2012
Graphic Bits: AvX, Daredevil End of Days, Doctor Who, Non-Humans, Minimum Carnage and More!

Don’t have time for full reviews of comics? Then check out Graphic Bits: bite sized chunks of comic book goodness designed to get behind the panels and into your hearts.

This week (3 October 2012), a saga comes to a close in Avengers Vs. X-Men #12, but not before opening the door to another one. Marvel kills off Daredevil in Daredevil: End of Days #1, and DC should probably do the same in Green Arrow #13. Amy and Rory live again in Doctor Who #1 from Andy Diggle, Image brings our toys to life in Non-Humans #1 and Minimum Carnage: Alpha #1 recreates the ’90s!

Don’t forget to listen to Behind the Panels, our comic book podcast, as well.

Avengers Vs. X-Men #12 – Marvel, Jason Aaron (script), Adam Kubert (pencils)

So at last it comes to an end, and like Avengers: X-Sanction before it, this was simply a setup for the Uncanny Avengers relaunch and another series in Avengers vs X-Men: Consequences. As was destined from the beginning, this comes down to a big fight between Dark Cyclops and the combined forces of the X-Men and the Avengers. So Avengers/X-Men versus X-Man really. Out of nowhere, the deus ex machina of a Wanda/Hope team-up becomes their only chance for success. Really? Much of it has been dropped in hints before, and Hope finally becoming Phoenix has been signalled for the last year really. Yet the fact that the Phoenix is taken down in a half an issue, when it took the sacrifice of Jean Grey last time around, is a bit of a let down in the grand scheme of things. It’s been a long series of highs and lows, and realistically could have been half as long. That’s not to say it doesn’t have some amazing action moments, including the sudden appearance of the new Nova for a brief save. Even this is forced, as if someone remembered that he turned up in Issue #1, but was subsequently forgotten. What is ultimately disappointing is that this is the kind of stunt event that really only sets up the Marvel NOW! reboot/relaunching/re-evolution/refresh/redux, with the consequences being a group of mutants on the ‘most wanted list’, even though that were seemingly captured or actually aided them in the final fight. It dismisses the power of the Phoenix Force as just another monster of the week, and that undermines all the hard work of writers gone by. Indeed, the last few pages are all about plugging future titles, Wanda even commenting to Hawkeye that Cap’s new Avengers team is “something a bit more…uncanny”. As a single issue, it’s a great grudge-match, but it leaves far too many loose ends to satisfactorily wrap up the series.

Bits Rating: ★★½

Daredevil: End of Days #1 – Marvel, Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack (writers), Klaus Janson, Bill Sienkiewicz (artists)

Daredevil is dead. At least, that’s where a dream team of past DD creators begin their tale. In the tradition of The Dark Knight Returns, and of course Marvel’s own series of ‘The End’ books, Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack start with the final fight between Matt Murdoch and one of his greatest adversaries, Bullseye, and go backwards from there, taking reporter Ben Urich on a journey through Daredevil’s past, present and future. It’s a dark tale, not just because of its subject matter, but because this takes us into aspects of Murdoch’s personality that he’s often flirted with, but resisted until now. Urich’s innermost thoughts are shown in typeface thought boxes, but Bendis and Mack are careful to spell out that this is not his story, but Murdoch’s. Veteran artists Klaus Janson and Bill Sienkiewicz fill the pages with gritty realism, catching us off-guard with unconventional pages in the midst of an amazing run. Witness a spread of 32 individual panels highlighted by Hawkeye‘s colourist Matt Hollingsworth, or classic Sienkiewicz in the first wide panel of the Kingpin. This isn’t elseworlds, it’s an in continuity canonical tale of Daredevil’s last days. It’s also a frightening vision, but impossible to look away from. We can’t wait to see how it all comes together.

Bits Rating: ★★★★½ – PICK OF THE WEEK

Doctor Who #1 – IDW, Andy Diggle (writer), Mark Buckingham, Charlie Kirchoff (artists)

Amy Pond and Rory may have left the TV series with The Angels Take Manhattan, but they live on in more adventures from IDW. Andy Diggle, who has impressed us with Green Arrow: Year One and Rat Catcher, returns to his British roots with the debut issue of this new series of adventures inspired by the Eleventh Doctor (played on the box by Matt Smith). Diggle, as head writer of this “third volume” of comics, completely captures the vibe of the show, and it does feel like you are watching a weekly episode. Yet while the shop-front is the 2012 series, structurally it bears more of a resemblance to a classic 1970s serial format. The two-part “Hypothetical Gentlemen” posits itself in 1851, where a pair of charlatan mystics actually have access to a world beyond their own. Combining classic Victorian horror with the pace of the current series, the book is beautifully illustrated by Buckingham with a wonderfully watercoloured finish from Kirchoff. Fans can miss Amy and Rory no more as this rollicking adventure kicks off in style. If you somehow miss out on picking this up, ensure you find a TARDIS to go back and order it in time. We’re going forward to check out the next chapter!

Bits Rating: ★★★★

Green Arrow #13 – DC Comics, Ann Noncenti (writer), Freddie Williams II (pencils)

Oh, Green Arrow. Wherefore art thou, Green Arrow? Not to sound like a broken record, but the rebooted Oliver Queen is a book without a compass. In a month when DC (via the CW) is launching the new live-action Arrow TV series ostensibly based on the book, the comics division has Ollie fighting undead grandparents in China. Frustratingly, this comes off the glimmer of hope from the first issue of this arc. Noncenti doesn’t have the follow-through of her own ideas, collapsing in a whole slew of new elements in this conclusion to the Chinese arc. The introduction of Suzie Ming is a worthy partnership, and with any luck we’ll see her return in future issues. The artwork is also marked improvement over the odd look of Harvey Talibao, and at least that is a winning factor in this otherwise uneven issue. With Noncenti failing to deliver yet again, we now have over a year’s worth of lacklustre Arrow. The final pages tease next month’s crossover with Savage Hawkman, dragging the Thangarian War into these pages. Mike Grell, during his historic 80+ issue stand on the character, recognised the strengths of Ollie were in his family and in isolation of the DCU. With the story problems still evident after a year, crossovers are just smacking of desperation at this point.

Bits Rating: ★★½

Non-Humans #1 (of 4) – Image Comics, Glen Brunswick (writer), Whilce Portacio (artist)

An intriguing premise, in which a virus has brought inanimate objects to life, throws us into the middle of a world of Brunswick’s creation. Sort of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? by way of Blade Runner, a genre that is poised to sweep the nation, the Non-Humans of the title have become a part of daily life. Like the ‘toons, they have their own area called Plastic Town, and human/Non-Human couplings and interactions function on the illegal and not-so-kosher levels. Detective Oliver Aimes is a badass cop, recuperating from the murder of his partner and now on the hunt for a killer of Non-Humans. He is a bit of a bigot when it comes to the NH population (see, we’re using the slang already), and not helping matters is the relationship his son is having with a former Victoria’s Secret store dummy. While Aimes isn’t completely sold as a convincing character, the world is a holistic one, including the death of entertainment media, a virus-curbing drug and a ‘NH mafia’ that will play out over the next few issues. Portacio’s art is solid, capturing the gritty ‘reality’ of this neo-noir world, albeit nothing spectacular either. We’ll come back to this one next month and see how the world is doing.

Bits Rating: ★★★

Minimum Carnage: Alpha #1 – Marvel, Cullen Bunn, Christopher Yost (writers), Lan Medina (pencils)

If there was ever a doubt that the ’90s were back in force, another Spider-arc kicks off this week. Having been out of the whole symbiote loop for a while, this first issue of the new crossover event is a mixed bag. Updating and playing on the 1990s series “Maximum Carnage”, we see Carnage back on the loose after being sprung from the clink by some very tiny co-conspirators. Agent Venom, now an Avenger, is on the case and it crosses into Peter Parker clone Kaine’s territory in Texas. The first meeting of the two heroes is less than successful, but we suspect some team-ups in the near future. Interestingly, Bunn and Vost split the writing between Venom and Scarlet Spider/Kaine, resulting in very different styles for the very different characters. Medina’s clean art gives this event series an easily accesible shop-front, mirroring a cinematic layout, with enough splash moments to satiate the fanboys and girls. This will ultimately weave through Venom and Scarlet Spider for two issues a piece before returning to Minimum Carnage: Omega (geddit?). Now if only we can get variant foil and holographic covers going, we don’t need Doctor Who to time travel this week.

Bits Rating: ★★★

October 6, 2012
Graphic Bits: Avengers, Debris, Irresistible, X-Treme X-Men and More!

Don’t have time for full reviews of comics? Then check out Graphic Bits: bite sized chunks of comic book goodness designed to get behind the panels and into your hearts.

This week (25 July 2012), the fight continues in The Avengers #28, the controversial Batman Incorporated #3 is released in some places, we search through the Debris #1, Hit-Girl #2 fights back, Zenescope Entertainment is simply Irresistible #1 and X-Treme X-Men #1 does little to push the envelope.

Don’t forget to listen to Behind the Panels, our weekly comic book podcast, as well.

The Avengers #28 [Marvel, Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Walt Simonson (artist), Bits Rating: ★★★½]: In the midst of all this seemingly never-ending Avengers Vs X-Men madness, Bendis delivers a story that is all about character. A single character, in fact. Focusing on Red Hulk, the issue is largely an internal monologue, laid out in a largely dialogue-less format that continues to play with the format, just as Bendis did with the Fear Itself issues last year. He touches on a very simple idea, that the team only trusts him because Captain America tells them to. Ironically, as General Ross he outranks the Cap, and this issue explores not only his years of experience, but the ability to make the life and death decisions that Steve Rogers can’t, or perhaps won’t. It is still somewhat hamstrung by the bigger AvX picture, but who would have thought that Red Hulk would be one of the most intriguing characters of the year? Walter Simonson’s art is naturally distinctive, making this issue a nice island in the stream as this arc continues for another few months.

Batman Incorporated #3 [DC Comics, Grant Morrison (writer), Chris Burnham (artist), Bits Rating: ★★★★]: The recent events in Aurora have given a number of studios pause for thought, and this week’s issue of Batman Incorporated was actually requested to be held by DC for a month out of respect for the tragedy. However, some issues were released while others got out internationally. Either way, the offending panels are below, and you can either judge it for yourself now, or wait a month until it hits stores. Sadly, eBay has taken advantage of this and is selling this for around $30, with the recalled variant upwards of the $100 mark. Madness. Just wait a month people. Anyways, with the return of Batman’s alter ego Matches Malone, a Sherlock Holmesian disguise to infiltrate the underworld, Morrison continues to prove that there is still room for a detective comic at DC. Filled with the same offbeat humour that has characterised his work to date, and with wonderfully vivid art from Burnham, this also marks a turning point for Robin. Nightwing rather flippantly refers to him as “the new dead Robin”, in front of Bruce no less, but that is what makes this book work. It also features, to our great delight, the return of BatCow, who seems to have been tended to by Alfred this whole time. Said Cow also contains a vital clue.

Debris #1 (of 4) [Image Comics, Kurtis J. Weibe (writer), Riley Rossmo (artist), Bits Rating: ★★★★ – PICK OF THE WEEK]: Image are knocking them out of the park this year with new debuts, and the new mini-series Debris is no exception. The Earth is a wasteland and giant creatures called Colossals rise up out of the debris to attack the settlers. Only one woman, Maya, has the gumption to face them as she searches for a source of pure water. Yes, it may be similar to the classic Hayao Miyazaki manga/film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, but such a comparison warrants attention. For such a short series, Weibe does a terrific job of establishing the boundaries of this world, language and its characters, with Maya potentially one of the best female heroes in a long time, exhibiting an uncertain strength in this first outing. Rossmo’s distinctive art compliments Weibe’s scope nicely, from the character close-ups to the massive splash pages of organic-industrial monsters that terrify as much as intrigue. Weibe has set the direction early for this new series, and we want to know more about this world.

When trash attacks – Debris #1 (Image)

Hit-Girl #2 [Icon, Mark Millar (writer), John Romita Jr (artist) – Bits Rating: ★★★½]: “The Best Just Got Better,” proclaims the cover, and for the most part they are right. We were as surprised as anybody to find that not only did Hit-Girl exceed our expectations, it has made us completely forget about Kick-Ass 2. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate, as this series warrants a re-reading of that second volume in light of the character development found in this interstitial series. Indeed, this gap-filler series actually adds new depth and meaning to that series, as Mindy continues to struggle with fitting in at school and training Dave. Some memorable moments of Dave training to swing through windows provides comic levity reminiscent of the first volume, especially as Dave messes up his killer catchphrase. The only problem with this is that we feel as though we’ve already been here before, but the bonding moments between the dynamic duo more than make up for any sense of the familiar. We also start to get a sense of the development of the “Justice Forever” team. Romita’s art is still deliberately gritty, but it comes together as whole with greater clarity here. Definitely worth a look, and a must-read for fans of the series.

Irresistible #1 [Zenoscope Entertainment, Raven Gregory (writer), Derlis Santacruz (artist), Bits Rating: ★★½]: If there was ever a comic book that knew its target market, then it is Irresistible. After successfully sexing up Alice in Wonderland in his Wonderland Trilogy and Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Gregory turns his attention more directly to getting laid. The basic premise revolves around a down-and-out guy getting over a bad break-up 18 months prior, only to find himself on the receiving ending of a gypsy curse/blessing that makes him irresistible (yes, just like the title!) to all women. It’s a “be careful what you wish for” fable, and those who wished for a comic full of soft-core T & A where the protagonist is going to have lots of sex may have just bit off more than they can chew. Sanatzcruz’s art is smooth and sexy, pitched at the lighthearted tone of this book, and Franco Riesco’s colours can be largely attributed to its success. it’s just a shame that this first issue is so dialogue-heavy that is obscures the lovingly rendered art at times. There’s some great one-liners though, and while the first issue may read like a wet-dream, there is the promise of comedic situations to come in future issues. We’ll give this one another look next month.

X-Treme X-Men #1 [Marvel, Greg Pak and Stephen Segovia (writers and art), Bits Rating: ★★½ ]: Chris Claremont’s X-Treme X-Men finished its 46 issue run back in 2004, and we may have been the only people to miss it. This rebooted series comes out of Astonishing X-Men, featuring the parallel Earth characters of Captain Howlett (or Alt.Wolverine if you prefer), Kid Nightcrawler, and Emmeline Frost, the floating head of Professor X and the rock stylings of Dazzler travelling to inter-dimensional places. They have 10 mega-Xaviers to find and destroy before they do something or other. It’s a very cool idea, of course, but it’s all been done before. By DC no less. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Countdown (2007) series in which Donna Troy, Jason Todd and Kyle Rayner toured the Multiverse, this promises all the fun of quantum-leaping through the various versions of the Marvel U with a similarly mismatched group. The artwork is incredibly patchy, and the alternative cover by Salvador Larocca only makes us yearn for the past. Plus, can somebody tell Dazzler the 1990s ended over 20 years ago? The series is careful to not take anybody important out of the Marvel 616, but the potential is here for some incredible fun over the coming months. For now, this is X-tremely disappointing.

July 30, 2012
Graphic Bits: AvX, Captain Marvel, Danger Girl G.I. Joe, Saga and More!

Don’t have time for full reviews of comics? Then check out Graphic Bits: bite sized chunks of comic book goodness designed to get behind the panels and into your hearts.

This week (18 July 2012), the fight continues in Avengers Vs X-Men #8, Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #2 is all sex and drugs, Captain Marvel #1 debuts, plus the rather less feminist Danger Girl G.I. Joe #1. Then it’s old reliables Daredevil #15, Justice League #11, Saga #5 and more!

Don’t forget to listen to Behind the Panels, our weekly comic book podcast, as well.

Avengers Vs X-Men #8 [Marvel, Brian Michael Bendis (script), Adam Kubert (artist) – Bits Rating: ★★★½] – Sigh. The problem with AvX hasn’t been the basic premise, which is kind of cool albeit familiar, but rather in its inconsistent execution. As we mentioned with Issue #7, very little had been lost or gained in what we now know is simply another event leading into Marvel NOW! Once again, a conversation with Cap provides the big question, when he is asked if there is a plan. Like most readers, Captain America doesn’t have the easy answers right now. There is no denying that the names involved in the story are some of the best in the business, but they are hamstrung but what appears to be an imposed length. Bendis makes the most of this issue, peppering the gathered Avengers with the dialogue that those reading his main title are well and truly used to. This is mostly a fight issue, with the Avengers against supersized Namor, but we finally get a lot more humanity injected back into proceedings. The stakes have been raised, and allegiances are starting to crumble, and Bendis knows this. A small victory is also a major setback, and we finally get a sense that this is going somewhere. Kubert’s art is unsurprisingly epic, making this a visual treat at the very least.

Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #2 [DC Comics, Darwyn Cooke (writer), Amanda Conner (artist) – Bits Rating: ★★★½] – Drugs are bad, mkay? At least, that seems to be the surface story of Cooke’s second outing with this character. Prima facie, Silk Spectre #2 is as clunky an anti-drugs story as anything Stan Lee did in the 1960s. Yet this is actually a story about awakening, both mental and physical, for the young Laurie Juspeczyk. Separated from her family and making her way in the big city, just as the peace and love movement is taking over San Francisco, the almost Saturday morning cartoon antics of the first issue make sense when contrasted against the sexually liberated Laurie of the second outing. In terms of pacing, this comes closest now to mirroring the complex narrative of Moore’s original work, with Cooke also succeeding in Minutemen, although this is still essentially an origin story. Conner’s art is pitch-perfect in this issue, capturing box the intimacy of Laurie’s development and the old-fashioned freak-out of the hippie scene. The final few pages, as various characters succumb to a mysterious narcotic, truly showcase why comics are a medium that can do things no other format can. Alan Moore may have rejected this series, and perhaps rightfully so, but his ideals remain intact in this issue.

Captain Marvel #1 [Marvel Comics, Kelly Sue DeConnick (writer), Dexter Soy (artist) – Bits Rating: ★★★★] – Now that DC no longer have a use for the Captain Marvel name, the former Ms. Marvel (who we saw last week in Avenging Spider-man #9) has a new costume and a new attitude. DeConnick does a terrific job of (re)introducing this character to the Marvel Universe, and providing a comfortable jumping-on point for readers unfamiliar with Ms. Marvel or Sue Danvers. Drawing on her own experience of growing up on military bases, there is a comfortable dialogue between other like characters, especially Captain America, as Sue Danvers struggles with the idea of taking on the mantle. Soy’s distinctive artwork is bold and consistent, equally eye-catching in the splash pages as it is in the smaller character pieces. By the very nature of comics, Soy’s rendering of Marvel is sexy without being sexualised, never undermining DeConnick’s attempts to paint her as a modern woman of many hats. Setting up just enough story elements to carry this series through several arcs to come, it is a strong start for a new direction.

Danger Girl G.I. Joe #1 [IDW, Andy Hartnell (writer), John Royle (pencils) – Bits Rating: ★★½]: How could we not look at this one? J. Scott Campbell’s Danger Girl has the union we’ve all been waiting for, as she enters the world of G.I. Joe. With the latter’s film delayed for 9 months to add some 3D and a larger dose of Channing Tatum, fans can still enjoy the antics of the Joes and Cobra in sequential art form. This is all a bit of fun, of course, with nothing too serious going on here. It’s all international adventure, planes, explosions, jungles, double-crossing agents and super-spies, and of course, large doses of fan-service. You’ll believe that J. Scott Campbell is actually doing the art on this one too, as Royle does a pretty good approximation of his style. Yet for the uninitiated, there will be a lot of head-scratching as people wandering in and out, Hartnell assuming that we will know what their significance is in the universe. For fans only.

Daredevil #15 [Marvel, Mark Waid (writer), Chris Samnee (artist) – Bits Rating: ★★★★]: Last week, Mark Waid and his team won Best Continuing Series at the 2012 Eisner Awards, and justifiably so. In all of mainstream comics, only Daredevil and Scott Snyder’s Batman have been consistently this good. The ongoing strength has been in Waid breaking down exactly what is intriguing about the character and playing to its strengths. Simple as that. This month, Waid ponders what would happen if all of that was taken away, and that which makes Matt Murdock special – that is, his radar sense – was suddenly taken away. Working symbiotically with artist Chris Samnee, who has been doing some terrific Wolverine covers of late, the pair create a sense of what it would be like to suddenly have that taken away, all in static panels. Word balloons are simply colours, indicating the emotion behind the speech, and this contrasts spectacular against the already interesting choices from colourist Javier Rodriguez. Trapped in Latveria, Murdoch is also taken out of his native New York, keeping the reader off-balance, and it allows for one of the biggest saves of the year when an old friend drops in for a rescue.

Justice League #11 [DC Comics, Geoff Johns (writer), Jim Lee (artist) – Bits Rating: ★★★] – The tent-pole of the DCU has always been one to keep going back to, simply because it is the book that has helped us better understand the world of the New 52. Now that we are well into this new arc, Johns has fallen back on the familiar, rediscovering the problem of putting all of the world’s major heroes in a single book. So this month it’s a whole lot of being confronted with demons from the past, which raises tensions and leads to a superhero smackdown between the allies. That old chestnut. Indeed, the confrontation of ghosts is a trick so nice, he uses it twice. Wonder Woman is painted as a bit of a dick too, initiating a fight with Green Lantern, although the direction of team conflict is generally a good one. Jim Lee’s art is less than consistent, looking great in the big splash pages, but a little rushed in the character moments. Conversely, Johns is building a great backup story in Shazam – Chapter 5, with wonderful artwork from Gary Frank. The appearance of Black Adam is terrific for those missing him, and some forward momentum has finally been made in Billy Batson’s steps towards becoming the superhero he is destined to be.

Saga #5 [Image, Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Fiona Staples (artist) – Bits Rating: ★★★★½ – PICK OF THE WEEK!] – If there is a better new book this year (other than Fatale), we want to know what it is. A turning point was reached in Issue #4, as Marko chose to break his self-imposed code and use violence for the protection of his newborn daughter and wife Alana. One of the strength’s of Vaughan’s storytelling has been his world-building in this title, and the disparate elements begin to come together in this issue. Weaving no less than four complex stories at play here, Vaughan manages to humanise even the most inhuman of characters. Case in point is the little surprise he has for Prince Robot IV, who in a single scene is given a ton of emotion to burden. Similarly, the appearance of the spider-like Stalk may elicit some sorrow, especially when balanced against the moral struggle that bounty hunter The Will engages in this issue. The nature of Alana and Marko’s relationship shifts slightly, with the realisation that Alana may actually be protecting Marko from becoming something he doesn’t wish to return to. Staples once again impresses with a consistent style over the most diverse group of characters in a comic book, also imbuing human qualities in the weird and wonderful. This is essential reading.

July 22, 2012
Podcast: Behind the Panels – Issue 34: Fire

Hosted By: Richard Gray & David McVay

In this issue, it’s Marvel NOW! and we pay later. DC back on top andDinosaurs Vs. Aliens. THEN Spidey gets a trilogy, Marvel delays Cinematic Universe and Hellboy goes to hospital. All our latest reads PLUS our kick-ass pick of the week: Fire by Brian Michael Bendis.

Our next reading assignment: Batman: Knightfall.

Behind the Panels is a continual work in progress, help us craft this show (via email and feedback) into the finest comic book podcast on the market. Make sure you subscribe to Behind the Panels on the link below.

Your Show Notes Follow:

Vintage Clip of the Week

Marvel Super Heroes – Namor the Submariner – Dr. Doom’s Day (1966)

Latest in Comic Releases

Graphic Bits
https://www.thereelbits.com/2012/07/08/graphic-bits-avx-batman-earth-one-before-watchmen-green-arrow-and-more/

Comic News

Marvel NOW! Relaunches Line with Uncanny Avengers, New Titles Every Week Until February.
https://www.thereelbits.com/2012/07/06/marvel-now-relaunches-universe-with-uncanny-avengers-from-october/

DC Retakes Market Share from Marvel.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/06/dc-retakes-unit-market-share-from-marvel-thanks-to-before-watchmen/

Sonnenfeld and Morrison reveal Dinosaurs Vs. Aliens Trailer.
http://screen.yahoo.com/dinosaurs-vs-aliens-trailer-29893027.html

Movie News

Our thoughts on The Amazing Spider-man film.

The Amazing Spider-Man to be a trilogy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jul/06/the-amazing-spider-man-trilogy?newsfeed=true

Marvel’s second 2014 film pushed back to August.
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=92199

Ron Perlman visits child in hospital…as Hellboy!
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/ron-perlman-make-wish-hellboy-346196

Competition

All this and a The Walking Dead Season 2 Giveaway.
https://www.thereelbits.com/2012/06/25/win-hopscotch-the-walking-dead-season-2-dvd-and-blu-ray-giveaway/

The Rest…

Have you got something to say? We want to hear from you, send email to comics@geekactually.com or drop us a voicemail at 02 8011 3167 (Skype ID: geek actually) and we’ll play it on the show.

If you are an iTunes user, subscribe for free here and please leave us feedback. The next two or three issues will also come out on the Geek Actually and Film Actually feeds to get things started.

Make sure you check out our other fine podcasts Film Actually and Film Actually News for the latest in cinema reviews and news.

Join us on our new Facebook Fan Page, follow Geek Actually on Twitter @geekactually and follow David on Twitter @davidmcvay Find more by Richard Gray by visiting TheReelBits.com or follow him on Twitter @DVDBits

Make sure you check out our new range of Geek Actually swag at cafepress.com.au/geekactually

Nicholas’ Lego animated films can be found at youtube.com/nickymcvay

The music used for this episode is “Fire” by Jimi Hendrix and “Light My Fire” by The Doors.

July 10, 2012
Graphic Bits: AvX, Batman Earth One, Before Watchmen, Green Arrow and More!

Don’t have time for full reviews of comics? Then check out Graphic Bits: bite sized chunks of comic book goodness designed to get behind the panels and into your hearts.

This week (4 July 2012), we look at the still ongoing Avengers Vs. X-Men #7, revisit Batman’s origin in the original graphic novel Batman: Earth One, more Before Watchmen, see if Green Arrow #11 has improved at all and pop into the Ultimate Marvel Universe with Ultimate Comics: Spider-man #12.

Don’t forget to listen to Behind the Panels, our weekly comic book podcast, as well.

Avengers Vs X-Men #7 [Marvel, Matt Fraction (writer), Olivier Coipel (pencils) – Bits Rating: ★★]: Enough already. Seven issues and countless asides and tie-ins later, we’re just over the halfway point in Marvel’s most overblown event of the year. At this point, half of the remaining X-Men have been possessed by the Phoenix force and are remaking the world in their own image, facing off against the “fascist” Avengers. Things get a little more interesting with the re-introduction of Wanda Maximoff (aka Scarlet Witch), who neither side have any reason to trust. Yet at this point, the series is just treading water, milking the novelty for all it is worth. There is nothing major gained or lost in this issue, with the possible exception of the actions of Namor in the final pages. Fraction directly acknowledges this when Captain America remarks “So we’re going back out into the field and playing rope-a-dope with these guys a while longer”. The art is a mixed page as well, Coipel soaring on the big splash pages, but drawing Tony Stark as an emaciated Wolverine in other panels. The toughest thing about this issue is the knowledge that there are another five to go, and with Marvel NOW! coming in October, this is all simply a prelude to another event.

The Avengers stall for time in Avengers Vs. X-Men #7

Batman: Earth One [DC Comics, Geoff Johns (writer), Gary Frank (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★]: Prior to DC’s line-wide reboot, J. Michael Straczynski’s Superman: Earth One provided the perfect sandbox to re-imagine the world’s finest without fear of breaking precious continuity. The DC went and did it for real with almost all of its characters, making this Batman something of a curiosity. While the “real” Batman is off fighting the Court of Owls, his timeline seemingly unchanged after Flashpoint, this is a Bruce Wayne at the start of his career, less assured and more prone to seeking revenge. Alfred is recast as a much younger confidant, ex-military, with a close-cropped haircut and little goatee to prove it. Frank’s artwork is iconic, beautifully realised and showing Batman’s eyes through the cowl is actually revelatory. However, John’s script seems rushed in this first volume, cramming the origins of Wayne, Lucius Fox, Jim Gordon and hints of Batgirl and a major villain in with a storyline about a child-killer called The Birthday Boy. Ultimately, this first volume doesn’t do enough to distinguish itself from the 12 other Bat books on the market right now, making this less than essential reading.

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 [DC Comics, Len Wein (writer), Jae Lee (art) – Bits Rating: ★★½]: Undoubtedly one of the most beautifully illustrated books of the event to date, Len Wein effectively retells and expands upon Alan Moore’s Watchmen #11, which succinctly told the background of the character in a few pages. Here it is the first chapter in a planned six-issue expansion of the origin of the character, once again highlighting the problem that this series presents from the outset. Crammed in sideways is a love affair with a particularly frisky redhead, seemingly an excuse for frequent nudity on both of their parts. Adrian Veidt is quite fit, and he knows it, but the incongruous narrative asks us to believe that Ozymandias suffered an early setback when he didn’t know what he had lost until it was gone. This is Batman by way of psychosis, and serves as an interesting parallel with Batman: Earth One (above). Neither Wein nor Johns achieve anything beyond the superficial in their first volume of an origin rehash, and the only questions left are ones that were barely worth asking in the first place. The artwork is the reason to pick this one up, and is the only point at which Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1 can truly be called daring in any way.

Lessons this week: Ozymandias is a dick

Green Arrow #11 [DC Comics, Ann Nocenti (writer), Harvey Tolibao (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★½]: Prior to Flashpoint, Green Arrow was one of the essential reads of the DCU, yet J.T. Krul’s storytelling ability failed to translate into the new and younger vision of Oliver Queen. Nocenti’s arrival barely helped matters, failing to recognise that going full throttle around the world is no substitute for character development, something Arrow’s writers (especially Krul, Mike Grell and Judd Winick) had always been in tune with. Suddenly Queen has to face the consequences of his globe-trotting with the arrival of two other “Robin Hoods” in his city, and is faced with a kid asking him “What the hell are you doing for the people of this city?”. It’s a panel that won’t be lost on Green Arrow fans, who will remember an older Arrow and some citizens asking Green Lantern the same thing back at the start of the famous Hard Travelling Heroes arc of the 1970s. Yet after Jax and Naomi, the Birds of Prey like support crew who have been absent since the first arc, pop up to remind us they exist, Queen is off on another intercontinental adventure. The seeds have now been sewn for the man Arrow will become, and hopefully the comic that this is destined to be as well. We’re personally looking forward to Winick’s take on this Arrow’s origins in September’s Issue #0.

Ultimate Spider-man #12 [Marvel, Brian Michael Bendis (writer), David Marquez (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★★]: Like many folk, we had long abandoned the Ultimate line of comics in favour of mainstream Marvel. When the sandbox line becomes tied to as many events as the main line (if that’s ever possible), perhaps it is time to run away. Yet it is in the Ultimate line that Bendis has been really shaking it up, killing off Peter Parker and finally tackling an all-new Spider-man in Miles Morales. The excellence of Spider-Men has sent us scurrying over to check out the Ultimate Marvel Universe once again. Bendis has crafted something wholly original from a familiar origin, with the very young Miles having to balance the same issues that the original Peter Parker was faced with. Marquez’s art, following on from Sarah Picelli’s, makes Miles look every bit the baby-faced boy he is, forced to step into a “big boy” world this week against his Uncle Aaron, the super-criminal Prowler. The action-packed issue shows that Miles is every bit as conscientious as Parker, and as the crowd of onlookers comment that they are glad he isn’t dead, so are we.

Also Reading This Week…

Action Comics #11 (★★★★) – Grant Morrison gives Superman a whole new cover story, having seemingly killed off “Clark Kent”. Kal-El is already asking the big questions about identity and whether he needs an alter-ego. The Batman cameo is priceless. Backup story by Snolly Fisch is cute.

The Amazing Spider-man #689 (★★½): Dan Slott’s book this week is purely a cash-grab for the Lizard-Spidey smack down happening in The Amazing Spider-man, now in cinemas. This story seems to be straight out of the 1970s, with both Morbius and The Lizard once again battling Spider-man in a sewer. Indeed, an editorial note references ASM #101. Pass.

Animal Man #11 (★★★½) – Jeff Lemire’s bigger rot-red-green storyline continues to intrigue, birthing an “all-new” Animal Man. However, this arc has been going for almost a year now, and we don’t seem to be getting any closer to anybody realising their full potential. See also: Swamp Thing.

July 8, 2012
Graphic Bits: Batman Incorporated, Fatale, Hit-Girl, Before Watchmen and Spider-men!

Don’t have time for full reviews of comics? Then check out Graphic Bits: bite sized chunks of comic book goodness designed to get behind the panels and into your hearts.

This week, we look at DC’s Batman Incorporated #2, the slight improvement of Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1, the must-read Fatale #6, curiosity Hit-Girl #1 and the surprisingly compelling Spider-Men #2.

Don’t forget to listen to Behind the Panels, our weekly comic book podcast, as well.

Batman Incorporated #2 [DC Comics, Grant Morrison (writer), Chris Burnham (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★★]: The series that brought us a literal slaughterhouse of fun last month, not to mention the almighty Bat-Cow, gets a little bit more personal this month as Grant Morrison gives us a coming of age story for Talia Al Ghul. What is amazing about this issue is that in rapid-fire panels, jumping through various points in Bat-history that Morrison has covered elsewhere, he manages to get to the heart of what makes Talia a compelling villain, love interest and here, an empathetic character as well. Moments of dark humour, including Talia’s delight over getting to try out her deadly martial arts in her own secret underground lair, are offset by Morrison’s mastery of these characters. He recognises that elements of this character are laughable, but never makes the characters a joke. Burnham’s art suits the delightfully batty (!) pacing of the series, making this one of the must-read books every month. Who would have thought that with 11 Bat-books in the New 52, we really did need another one?

Before Watchmen: Nite Owl #1 [DC Comics, J. Michael Straczynski, (writer), Andy and Joe Kubert (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★]: An awful lot happens in the first issue of the Nite Owl leg of the Before Watchmen saga, and one has to wonder why Straczynski is in such a rush. While Minutemen tells the origins of Hollis Mason, Straczynski is interested in the formative years of Dan Dreiberg, the man who would succeed Mason as the crime-fighting costume hero. After a far too brief explanation of the parental abuse he suffered at the hands of his rich father, Dreiberg’s effective Blue Beetle stand-in tracks down and convinces Mason to train him in the ways of owling. The no-frills story has the promise of more, but before we know it, Dreiberg is in the costume, kitted out with all of his toys and partnered up with Rorschach. From here they rapidly begin to meet with the other folks who will eventually be their team members, including a moment where Dreiberg feels a connection to Silk Spectre. The Kuberts’ art is retro and nostalgic, the closest so far to evoking the same feel as Dave Gibbons original artwork. Yet with three issues to go, Straczynski has already brought us to a place that could readily segue into to Alan Moore’s masterpiece. It will be interesting to see if anything that happens from here is anything other that perfunctory.

Fatale #6 [Image Comics, Ed Brubaker (writer), Sean Phillips (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★★½]: Without a doubt, Fatale is the best debuts of 2012, and very little has come along to challenge it in the last few months. Its curious mixture of Lovecraftian horror and noir captivated in the first five-issue arc, also out this week as a trade paperback, and with this sixth outing Brubaker starts in on a new arc. We return briefly to the modern-day story of Nicolas Lash, who searches for clues about the mysterious and seemingly ageless Josephine. Meanwhile, in 1970s Los Angeles, Jo begins a new life in the wake of what has come before, although the darkness of her past continues to follow her. From cover to cover, this is another outstanding piece of fiction from Brubaker, seeped in his literary influences, but creating something entirely new at the same time. Phillip’s art mirrors this approach, from the pulp-inspired covers to the sinister contents of the interiors. If you aren’t reading this book, take the week as an opportunity to catch up. It will be the best comic-related decision you’ll make this year.

Hit-Girl #1 [Icon, Mark Millar (writer), John Romita Jr (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★½]: After the disappointment of Kick-Ass 2, which did very little to distinguish itself from the crowd Millar typically leads, expectations were somewhat low on this new outing. While we never quite get a sense of how much time has passed since the open-door ending to Kick-Ass 2, Millar concentrates on Mindy Macready’s life after the events of that mini-series. Rather than going balls-deep into more splatter territory, which we expect is ahead in this R-rated comic, Millar concentrates on Mindy’s life at school, including her fears and inability to deal with schoolyard taunts, despite her lethal training. This makes for a far more engaging story, and by rights should have been the immediate sequel to the original Kick-Ass. Romita’s art is always polarising, and his rough lines look even rougher around the edges here. That’s always been the charm of this universe, after all. The introduction of the Red Mist might have been one element too many, but for the first time in a while, we are interested in what comes next.

Spider-Men #2 [Marvel, Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Sarah Pichelli (art) – Bits Rating: ★★★★]: The idea of crossing over the Ultimate and original Marvel 616 universes has been floating around since the standalone line began, but it was always dismissed by many. The very point of the Ultimate line was to have a sandbox that never impacted on the rest of the Marvel U. Yet Spider-Men is showing us that it can be done, and if you are going to do it, get Brian Michael Bendis. Without knowing anything about Ultimate Spider-man or the fate of that universe’s Peter Parker, this provides a great jumping on point for new readers. With the “mainstream” Peter Parker acting as our eyes, the plot thickens when it comes to Mysterio’s involvement. A terrific scene between Parker and the Ultimate Nick Fury, who mostly accepts what Peter is saying at face value, and more words in a single bubble we’ve seen outside of a Grant Morrison book. Pichelli, who is the regular series artist on Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, brings her vibrant style to the book, free to play with a new character within the world she has created. At the end of the day, we love a good crossover, and this has all the markings of being a memorable one.

June 29, 2012