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?

Unplug This Cable

When I first heard about the new monthly Cable and X-Force series, I thought: Good.  There's one title I don't have to worry about picking up.  Why?  Because Cable is a product of the awful 90s when comic books took a downward turn.  As are Domino and Dr. Nemesis.  Forge was interesting when he first came on the scene in the 1980s and romanced Storm, but then he, too, jumped on the 90s bandwagon.  No longer was it about storylines, character development, superpowers, or quality art.  It was all about misshapen, disproportionate men and women carrying weaponry.  It was about multiple issue covers, holograms, and foil-embossed covers.  In other words, anything to generate additional sales and not giving quality in return. 

However, (and you knew there had to be a "however"), when I heard that Salvador Larroca would be doing the artwork, I had to give it a shot.  He was amazing on Iron Man.  The detail that he puts into his art is astounding.  The characters look so real...and attractive.  To top it off, one of my favorite under-utilized characters -- Colossus -- was going to be on the team.  Colossus mixed with the Juggernaut = BAD.  Colossus mixed with Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat (or whatever name she goes by today) = GOOD.  Even though Kitty wasn't going to be a part of the team and they're not "together," I still wanted to see what was going to be done with Piotr Rasputin.  

Sadly, after reading the first four issues of the series, I'm disappointed.  The writer, Dennis Hopeless, provides no character development.  Instead, we're treated to some ridiculous storyline about aliens at a company.  Worse, Larroca's art doesn't seem up to par.  The art doesn't jump off the page like it did in Iron Man.  It lies there flat.  The cover art by Larroca is fantastic, but the interior art is disappointing.  

I think Cable and X-Force will soon be pulled from my Pull List.

We Will Be...Invincible

When Iron Man 2 came out in theaters last spring, I decided to flip through the Iron Man comic(s) currently published to see what was going on in the world of Iron Man.  I've never been a huge fan of the character, so I never read Iron Man regularly.  However, I did appreciate the fact that he was "real" and had personal problems such as alcohol abuse.  The closest I ever got to reading Iron Man regularly was when I was reading the Avengers and West Coast Avengers back in the 1980s. 

When I picked up the most current issue of Invincible Iron Man, I immediately noticed the impressive art.  It was incredibly lifelike.  I had never before heard of the artist, Salvador Larroca, but I was amazed at the realism on the pages.  Never had Tony Stark looked so three-dimensional to me.  He didn't have that creepy, mustached, middle-aged man look to him anymore.  He was younger, handsome, and sporting a goatee.  Even his blue eyes stood out against his dark hair.  

Invincible Iron Man #30

I bought issue #25 and brought it home to read.  Not only was the artwork something to behold, but the story (written by Matt Fraction) was fantastic, too.  It involved human interaction and personality clashes.  Fraction seems to be all about character development -- traits, flaws, strengths -- which is why I've stuck around for the past year now.  There's very little superheroing and a lot of character interaction.  In issue #30, Tony and Sasha Hammer play a game of cat and mouse with all kinds of sexual innuendos.  I've learned more about Tony Stark and his supporting cast in the past year than I would have if I had read Iron Man throughout the entire 1980s.  

As long as Fraction and Larroca are onboard for The Invincible Iron Man, so am I.