It's No Secret: the Latest Event Series is Lame

Back in the 80s, I read the Secret Wars limited series and freakin' loved it.  It was so exciting and so many exciting things came out of it:  Spider-Man got his black symbiote costume, The Thing stayed behind on Battleworld and got his own series, She-Hulk joined the Fantastic Four, etc.  Not only was the series unique and interesting, but Secret Wars action figures came out of it.  There were characters I had never had or seen before to play with!  Yes, they were pretty cheaply made with no points of articulation, but still it felt revolutionary.

A couple of years later came Secret Wars II, which was just plain farcical with the Beyonder in his white Miami Vice leisure suit. 

After the most recent shitty Marvel event series, AXIS, I was really looking forward to the new Secret Wars series.  I finally read Secret Wars #1 (2015) and all I have to say is, "Huh?"  What the fuck was that?  Seriously.  What the fuck was that?  I don't even know what the hell happened.  It felt like I was picked up and plopped down in the middle of something going on -- a battle of some sorts on Earth -- and I'm supposed to enjoy that and follow along?   Did I miss the introduction?  This was the first issue, correct?  

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  It was written by Jonathan Hickman after all, who has previously turned me away from his storytelling on Fantastic Four and the Avengers.  There's no character development.  No character interaction.  No enjoyable/followable plot.  It's just battle after battle after pointless battle, like watching Man of Steel on repeat.  And while his comics always have more word balloons than most comics, they don't really say anything.  The dialogue doesn't feel real or seem to come naturally to the characters speaking it.  The characters are always telling what is happening, when the pages should naturally just "show" it without explanation and the extraneous wording. 

After reading the latest Secret Wars #1, I can only guess that the rest of the series will be equally boring and pointless, much like every Marvel event series that has recently preceded it.  Wake me when the Marvel Universe is over. 

Marvel Sins Again

So, I just finally finished reading Marvel's latest "big crossover event," Original Sin.  When I first heard about the series, I was grateful that it didn't involve the word "secret," "infinity," or a play on the letters "A" and "X."  The concept fascinated me, too, as I was curious what secrets the Watcher held and how these would play out and affect the various regular series.   I again foolishly thought, "This one will be better!" 


While there were some interesting consequences that bled into Marvel's regular series (such as Charles Xavier's last will and testament and the Fantastic Four's inner drama), I honestly could have done without reading the entire Original Sin limited series.  As has been the case with most of Marvel's "big events" over the years, it was quite dull and lifeless (no pun intended) from the start.

By the time I reached the double-sized final issue, I was just grateful that this latest moneymaking disaster was over.  The outcome was just...meh.  The answer to all of the questions above was, "Frankly, who cares?"  I was just grateful that I didn't buy invest any more of my time and money with the various tie-in limited series. 

That being said, I look forward to wasting my money on Marvel's new AXIS limited series and next year's Secret Wars redux. 

All the Single Ladies

I just finished reading a few of Marvel's new #1 comics, specifically Fantastic Four #1, Ms. Marvel #1, and She-Hulk #1.  

Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk were both sensationally crafted stories, which is too rare from DC and Marvel NOWadays.  What made these two first issues so great was that they were both character-driven.  They didn't rely on fighting villains and battle sequences.  They gave the reader insight into the main characters as actual characters, people who just happen to be (or will become) superheroes.  Ms. Marvel tells the story of Kamala Khan, a teenage Pakistani-American.  She lives in a house where her parents have old-fashioned values.  Because she's somewhat of a nerd, a good kid, and physically and religiously different from others at school, she's not popular.  She does have her friends, though, and we're introduced to them as well.  She reminded me a lot of a female teenage Peter Parker when he was new at being Spider-Man.  The entire issue served as an introduction to Kamala the person.  Only at the end of the issue do events begin that will (we assume) lead to her becoming the new Ms. Marvel.  The artwork seemed well-suited for this particular comic, too.  It reminded me of an independent comic.    

Because of the cover, I wasn't sure if the new adjective-less She-Hulk comic was going to "break the fourth wall" like John Byrne's Sensational She-Hulk did back in the 80s.  The nostalgic part of me was hoping it would, but the sensible part of me thought it might seem redundant and not be pulled off as successfully.  Spoiler alert: it doesn't.  The first issue is about Jennifer Walters, Esq., who just happens to be big and green.  The writer, Charles Soule, focused first on Jen as a person, not as a superhero.  We see her in her everyday life as a lawyer, doing some heroic things on the side, including a visit to Tony Stark (aka Iron Man), but it's not the main focus of the book.  It was an interesting story about Jen acting as an attorney for a woman in need, as well as figuring out her own future.  I'm not as crazy about the artwork for She-Hulk as I am for Ms. Marvel, though.  It seems almost too basic and cartoon-like, and doesn't portray Jen as the beautiful (but green) woman she is.  I think I'll get used to it, though, and appreciate it for what it is.

Both Ms. Marvel #1 and She-Hulk #1 were steps in the right direction content-wise, and they've quickly jumped to the top of my must-read list on a monthly basis.  I'm already looking forward to (and can't wait to read) the second issues of each. 

Sadly, as expected, Fantastic Four #1 was pretty humdrum.  I think it's about time they lose the "World's Greatest Comic Magazine" title until they've really earned it again.  And what was up with those new red costumes?  There was no explanation given to the reader.  And why in the roster did they list "Susan Storm" instead of Susan Richards?  She hasn't used "Storm" as her singular last name since she married Reed in the 1960s.  Other than marketing purposes and sales, I'm not sure what constituted another #1 issue of the Fantastic Four after they just had one last year.  The only interesting turn of events that happened was that Ben went back to Alicia and told her he wanted to see her again.  Where's the banter between Ben and Johnny?  Where's Johnny, the ladies man?  I'm really trying to love the Fantastic Four comic again like I did in the 1980s, but every resurrection since I started reading them again in 2008 doesn't measure up.  The story and dialogue are average at best.  Should we begin looking for a new #1 in 2015?

Pulling Strings

Nightwing #27 and #28 were two of the most interesting comics I've read in quite some time.  Why?  Both of these comics provided a healthy balance of Richard Grayson's personal life and his nightlife as crimefighting alter ego Nightwing.  That's something that's been pretty lacking in DC Comics ever since the invention of the "New 52."  It seems like they're trying to be grittier and more (dare I say it?) Marvelesque, focusing on battle scenes rather than the personal interaction between characters.  

I miss the insights into the lives of superheroes' "secret identities."  For me, that was always the heart of comic books and the reason why I kept reading them from month to month.  They were their own type of soap opera.  Battling villains was just something they did on the side.  

Remember when Dick Grayson left his Robin costume behind and said hello to Nightwing in New Teen Titans back in the 80s?  When Wonder Woman had to deal with a teenager's suicide?  When the Invisible Woman suffered a miscarriage?  That was great storytelling!  It made the characters feel real, making them more believably human. 

Comics from DC and Marvel no longer seem to be content-driven.  They're more focused on battle after battle and producing six-issue stories that feel overly drawn out just so they can collect them and re-sell them in the graphic novel format.  They've lost focus (and probably readers) because of it.  In fact, I've dropped a lot of comics of late because they've become so...boring.  Sometimes I can't even tell any of the characters or series apart anymore.  That's how bland and formulaic they've become.  

I appreciate that Kyle Higgins, the writer on the current (but soon to be cancelled) Nightwing series, provided some great storytelling, weaving Dick's roommate problems with his challenges with new villainess, the Marionette. 

WTF, FF?

Fantastic Four #611

Just announced:  the Fantastic Four's final issue will be #611.  What's that you say?  You thought #588 was the final issue?  What about those of you who said #416?  Well, you'd all be wrong...and right!  

This is just like Cher's Farewell Tour all over again.  Speaking of, I've gotta go check TicketMaster for the next stop on her latest Farewell Tour...

Fantastic Four: NOT The World's Greatest Comic Magazine

Last night, I got caught up on the adventures of the Fantastic Four.  I read four new FFs and the recently revived Fantastic Four #600 and 601.  It's really no surprise that Marvel came back with the long-running Fantastic Four comic.  By "ending" with #588 last year, I figured Marvel would run the title FF for a year (12 issues) and then come back with #600.  It was just too coincidental.  I assume Marvel didn't think about FF doing so well, though, and so now they've decided to keep both Fantastic Four and FF.  And, to my knowledge, this is the first time that the Fantastic Four has had two ongoing monthlies at one time (with the exception of The Thing comic back in the 1980s (which I really enjoyed!)).

Fantastic Four #236 (1981)

The Fantastic Four was the first comic to get me hooked on comics.  I picked up several issues at my local comic book store in the early 80s and got hooked when John Byrne was writing and drawing "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine."  His amazing illustration lured me, but it was his character portrayal that kept me around.  I loved the realism he put into each story and his development of Sue Storm from weakest member of the team to the strongest.  He showed her getting pregnant, having a miscarriage, and taking on the dark Malice personality, etc.  He not only showed Sue as powerful, but he made use of Reed and Sue's son, Franklin, as well, by making the future Franklin Richards into a person to be feared.  

Fantastic Four #275

I also loved the romance between Johnny Storm and Frankie Raye, as well as the love triangle(!!) between Johnny, Ben Grimm, and Ben's long-time blind girlfriend Alicia Masters.  Byrne was all about developing relationships, and that really made the comic stand out.  And when The Thing stayed behind on the Secret Wars planet, Byrne added She-Hulk to the mix, thereby adding a lot of "fun" to the book and equaling out the gender ratio of the team. 

Fantastic Four #554 (2008)

After quitting comics in the mid 1990s, I began reading the Fantastic Four again with issue #554 in 2008 when Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch came onboard as the new creative team. Unfortunately, the series has been "meh," even with the change in writers and artists over the past few years.  And none of the team members look attractive.  Johnny looks like he's got a receding hairline and couldn't possibly be the ladies' man he's made out to be. 

Amazing Spider-Man #657

Even the story "Three," in which Johnny Storm dies, wasn't (pardon the pun) fantastic.  In fact, Amazing Spider-Man #657 did a better job of handling grief and showing emotion than the Fantastic Four's own comic(s).  

After the "final issue" of the Fantastic Four, the new comic (and team) FF came out.  It was slightly better than the original, but still lacked the "oomph" of Byrne's Fantastic Four.  Only when Barry Kitson is illustrating do the characters really stand out and look attractive again.  That was what I first thought upon reading FF #10 last night.  The colors throughout each panel were so vibrant, too.  

From FF #10, but I'm unclear as to why Sue and Reed
are wearing around their costumes to water their plants.
Don't they have any sweatpants or anything?

Sadly, with FF #12, Kitson is gone again, and the art by Juan Bobillo flounders in comparison.  And, with the team returning to the reinstated Fantastic Four comic, is the Future Foundation (FF) team now just a larger version of Power Pack, made up of just the random children (human and non) living in the Baxter Building with Sue and Reed's kids?  This version of FF probably won't last. 

So I'm not sure what the future holds for Fantastic Four or FF.  Can they ever return to true greatness?  At least Barry Kitson is returning for Fantastic Four #602.  Let's hope Marvel wises up and keeps him around.  The Fantastic Four really deserve to be more visually appealing to their readers.  Now, how about that character development so they can actually be deserving of "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" title?

Fantastic Three

Marvel Comics announced today (on the day of the release of issue #587, the finale to the story "Three") which member of the Fantastic Four gets bumped off.  Even USA Today ran an article on the story. 

SPOILER ALERT!   It's Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. 

Now, I'm all for killing off a character if it makes a good story and makes sense in the long run, but you know it's not the last we've seen of Johnny Storm.  He'll come back -- eventually -- from the Negative Zone, where he "died." 

I haven't read the final chapter in the story, but I'm a bit disappointed to learn that it was Johnny Storm that bites the dust.  I was kind of hoping it was going to be Reed Richards, as he seems to be the dullest character of the bunch.  Plus, it would give the writers an opportunity to explore additional romantic relationships for Susan Storm/Richards.  She married an older man when she was very young.  She hasn't had the opportunity to explore "what could have been." 

I used to read the Fantastic Four in the 1980s with an avid interest.  In addition to The New Teen Titans, it was the comic I most looked forward to reading every month, mostly due to John Byrne's creativity and the ability to make the characters real people.  Each one had their own distinctive personality, their own highs and lows.  I also liked that the team was pretty much confined to their own book.  Their stories were self-contained; you could read them monthly without having to get all these other crossover books in order to fully understand their adventures (unlike certain titles that begin with the letter "X" which shall remain nameless). 

Since picking up the Fantastic Four again a couple of years ago (after a 15+ year absence), all of the issues I've read have been pretty unremarkable.  I can't even recall a single storyline that stands out as memorable.  Furthermore, the characters have all been portrayed pretty two-dimensional.  Gone are the days of John Byrne's Fantastic Four.  Even the current "Three" storyline has been pretty uneventful and -- dare I say -- dull for me.  Maybe the alleged death of the Human Torch will liven up the team...but I doubt it. 

Sadly, the best representation of the Fantastic Four that I've read recently wasn't in their own series.  It was in Daken #4.  They were real people, expressing real emotions.  There was a bond/connection/friendship between Johnny Storm and Daken.  It was even bordering on a possible romance.  

Fantastic Four #588 will be the "final" issue of the series as the team supposedly goes forth in a new direction with FF #1.  In the days of both DC and Marvel renumbering its comic books (e.g., Wonder Woman and Iron Man) to establish longevity, It's ironic that Marvel has chosen to end the Fantastic Four series and begin anew with new numbering so close to what would be issue #600 and the team's 50th anniversary.

I hope the new FF series is more interesting than the Fantastic Four has been in quite some time, but with the same creative team working on it, I doubt it.  Jonathan Hickman's stories have been mediocre at best, and Steve Epting draws the characters with little attractiveness, aging them dramatically.  You question why any woman (or man) would be attracted to the "ladykiller" Johnny Storm with his wrinkles, bad haircut, and receding hairline. 

I'll continue to read FF for the time being, with the hopes that a new creative team will soon come onboard that can -- pun intended -- breathe some life back into the team.   

The New Black Panther is the Cat's Pajamas

Marvel Comics' new Black Panther comic is fascinating and enjoyable on many levels. First and foremost, it's intelligent. The original Black Panther, T'Challa, is seriously wounded, but his country of Wakanda needs a replacement. In steps...a female version of the Black Panther. Unlike DC Comics' new Batgirl series, Marvel let the mystery of the new Black Panther's identity drag out a few issues to add some suspense.

What's intelligent is that not only is the series about the adventures of the Black Panther as a superhero, but it's about the story of Wakanda, its people, the royal family (including the X-Men's Storm), and people who are trying to cause political upheaval. Perfectly written between scenes of the Black Panther's adventures, a political, biased commentator interviews people on his show, trying to make the people of Wakanda turn against their new ruler, Shuri, T'Challa's sister.

Another positive aspect about the series is that it's mostly separated from the rest of the Marvel Universe, allowing readers to enjoy it for its own merit. Black Panther hasn't been involved with all the crossovers that get readers bogged down with buying multiple titles that sometimes leave them confused about the sequence of events and key story points (case in point, Marvel's Dark Reign mishap). I'm a little worried about the upcoming Doomwar crossover involving the Black Panther, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Deadpool, though. I hope Marvel doesn't f*** up the quality of the Black Panther for the sake of another ploy to sell more comics. Thankfully, the mini-series Doomwar will be written by Jonathan Maberry, the current scribe of the Black Panther, so there's still hope.