And Finally...

It took a long time but I achieved what I set out to do, which is to record my thoughts on Volumes 1-60 of Marvel's Ultimate Graphic Novels Collection. There's nothing more to add. I'll leave the blog open and visible for archive purposes. Maybe it'll be of some use to someone, somewhere, someday, but I'm not planning to make any more posts. Farewell, all.

Volume 60: Siege

Siege

Author: Brian Michael Bendis | Illustrator: Olivier Coipel

"...[T]his is the kind of crap we should be avoiding."

The quote I used above echoes what I was thinking while reading through Siege. I could end this post right now, leave it at that, job done, but I've come this far, sixty volumes, so I'm going to finish.

Asgard is on Midgard. Okay, it's not technically 'on' Midgard, it's hovering twelve feet above Oklahoma, but still, WTF? Norman Osborn is still in charge of H.A.M.M.E.R. and the Avengers, such as they are. It was a stupid idea before and it's still a stupid idea now.

Looked at optimistically I could say that I feel the purpose of the story was to get the true Avengers back in place, or, if you prefer to put it another way, to undo all the convoluted, idiotic shit that they did previously. It's a semantic difference only. The result is the same.

Things were changing behind the scenes, too. The story was first published at a time when the live action superhero films were netting new fans for the publisher and Disney had just bought the company for a whopping $4,000,000,000. I don't know if the success of the early films had any influence on the planned direction, but it probably wouldn't have hurt matters. Siege put an end to the (then) current sate of affairs. It reset the nonsense, making things easier for the many new fans and beginning the new Heroic Age initiative.

I've drifted off topic a little. It's because I realised that I actually had said in the opening paragraph all that needed to be said about the book. It's garbage, the kind of crap we really should be avoiding.

The book collects together Siege: The Cabal and Siege #1-4.

Verdict:

Volume 59: Captain Britain and MI13: Vampire State

Captain Britain and MI13: Vampire State

Author: Paul Cornell  |  Illustrator: Leonard Kirk

"Is that where she is now? With someone? Being a different person for them?"

I'd like to say that Vampire State is a great book, because I enjoy championing the underdog, which Captain Britain probably qualifies as in comparison to the majority of the other heroes featured in TUGNC Collection, but the confusing prologue is followed up by more of the same head-scratching and by the end I was sick of wondering who the hell anyone was and why they were there.

I attempted to factor in that perhaps I was simply lacking essential knowledge from previous Captain Britain and MI13 issues. But while that's no doubt true to an extent, I don't believe it's solely to blame, because the people I did recognise (from being a Marvel UK reader back in the day) were thrown into the narrative with no proper explanation and in some cases without even a legitimate reason why they'd be there in the first place. It was a mess in more ways than one. Characters randomly appear and disappear once their usefulness is used up (or is wasted), and then some other mad shit happens, before the finale magically pulls new levels of bullshit out of nothing but air. Why? What? Did no one question it at the production stage?

The 'story' has actual Dracula. The legendary vampire desires a nation of his own, so he builds a castle on the moon (because hah, fuck you, logic) from which to organise his forces. In response, Captain Britain, MI13, and a number of other mostly UK-specific heroes attempt to stop the ancient, bitey villain from executing his evil plan.

The most interesting thing about the book is that the Captain's powers are based on his confidence level, so self-doubt is potentially both emotionally and physically destructive to him. It's an idea that could've been put to many poignant uses, in isolation or sequentially, but it never is - or rather, never any worthy of the idea itself.

I felt some relief when I actually recognised things, such as the House of Lords, of all places (or was it the Commons?), but now I can't remember why it was featured. A brain-fart, perhaps, but just as likely a coping mechanism: my brain expunging the mess.

The book collects together Captain Britain and MI13 #10-15; and Annual #1.

Verdict:

Volume 58: Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion

Author: Brian Michael Bendis  |  Illustrator: Leinil Francis Yu

"[Y]ou all really need your asses kicked!"

I mentioned previously (in Volume 20: Ultimate Spider-Man: Power and Responsibility) that I believe Brian Michael Bendis can do good work when he sets his mind to it. I still believe that to be the case.

But it must also be said that his CV contains a fair amount of work that's the opposite of good - lazily plotted and clichéd stuff that still makes money because some fans will buy any crap with a Marvel logo; e.g. Secret Invasion, one of the worst books in the Collection.

It's a story about the shape-shifting Skrull, revealing how they've been masquerading as heroes for a long time, both A-listers and B-listers, destroying the costumed community from within in preparation for an all out Skrull attack (aka big yawnsome fight).

It kicks off with a huge battle in the Savage Land, followed by a huge battle in the city. During both conflicts we're repeatedly reminded that we don't know who to trust. It's a solid basis upon which to lay an evolving story of paranoia and misplaced loyalties—because the team need to know if the person next to them is going to protect their back or embed a traitorous knife in it—but the 'evolving' part of the equation is absent. Even five issues into the arc very little has changed, we're still wondering who is Skrull (or still not caring, in my case), still turning page after page of fight scene after fight scene.

The book's script rarely rises above tenth grade fan-fiction levels of accomplishment. It's an almost complete waste of precious time.

The final chapter drops a bombshell that'll once more throw the natural order into chaos. But frankly, the stupidity attached to the decision means the people involved deserve all they get.

The book collects together Secret Invasion #1-8.

Verdict:

Volume 57: Wolverine: Old Man Logan

Wolverine: Old Man Logan

Author: Mark Millar | Illustrator: Steve McNiven

"The past only hurts if we let it catch up with us."

Wolverine has survived multiple horrific injuries over the years, but he's not immortal. A bullet might not kill him but old age likely will because the passing of time is more deadly than lead from a gun.

Time is also a great pacifier. Old Man Logan begins fifty years after a cataclysmic battle saw the heroes lose their fight against evil. With no one left to oppose the tyranny, the world changed. Wolverine changed. He's bub'd but he hasn't snikt'd in almost half a century. The combative Wolverine is gone; only Logan remains.

The detritus of the past is a constant reminder that he failed, so he removes himself from the larger arena, partially easing the numb pain he feels. But nothing lasts forever (he knows that better than anyone), so when an old 'friend' offers an opportunity that'll enable Logan to extend his current situation, he has to take it seriously.

Millar loves movies. If you've read his work before, then you'll know that already. The book is a road trip that's influenced by the American Western movie; specifically Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (1992). Like Unforgiven's William Munny, Logan retains the practical attitude he's always had but his focus has shifted to more personal concerns.

Millar also loves action scenes, so there's no shortage of those either. Amazingly, up until the final chapter he finds an almost perfect balance between the two things. The absurd nature of the post-hero world helps the more fantastical aspects of the story seem less at odds with the more introspective, quiet moments. The battle within the titular anti-hero remains of primary importance.

I'm not going to reveal who Logan's companion on the journey is, but will say he has a chequered past, so we're never quite sure of his real agenda. All we know for certain is that both men have very different personalities and that sooner or later the animalistic presence inside of Logan will be called upon to decide if his contentedness is more valuable to him than his morality.

The last chapter goes OTT, it's the kind of thing I normally associate with Millar, but everything prior to that is him restrained and his work is all the better for it.

A great story deserves a great artist. Steve McNiven's depiction of the old, hardened ex-heroes is fantastic. He's equally as good at evoking serenity as he is at framing explosive drama.

The book collects together Wolverine #66-72; and Wolverine: Giant-Size Old Man Logan.

Verdict:

Volume 56: Thunderbolts: Faith in Monsters

Thunderbolts: Faith in Monsters

Author: Warren Ellis  |  Illustrator: Mike Deodato Jr.

"Maybe killing as fast as he creates makes me God's only friend."

I expected Thunderbolts to be just as bland as most of the other team-based crossovers, perhaps even more so because of the gimmicky nature of it, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

They're a super-villain strike force employed by the government to apprehend the remaining post-Civil War unregistered superheroes.

Each of the members is forced into the contract, but each will also eventually profit from inclusion; they're getting what they want, just not straight away. Until then, taking down rogue superheroes and getting paid for it is something they enjoy. So right from the start we have a situation that's a double-edged sword for everyone involved, the desperate employers and the dastardly employees.

The highlight of the book is Bullseye, the long-time thorn in Daredevil's side. Killing is an art form for Bullseye, one that he takes great pride in – but only if the subject deserves his special attentions; he'll commit multiple civilian murders but they don't sate him the same way. It would've been easy to have him always upfront, to have him lead the strikes, but instead Ellis keeps him in the background, and in so doing keeps him deadly and secretive, serving the narrative much better than he probably would otherwise.

Like Bullseye, the remainder of the team have no real loyalty to the cause or to each other. They have personal agendas that they indulge when the situations allow, and most recognise that discrediting the public's heroes is as important as capturing them.

Because we're on the darker side of the fence, the content is more adult in tone. Mistrust, selfish actions, violence for its own sake, and even references to casual sex are all treated as everyday occurrences.

There are times when it has to forego interesting character work in order to satisfy fans of explosive action, but the biggest flaw in the book isn't in its compromises, it's that the page count ends before the story does - what we get is just half a story.

The book collects together Thunderbolts #110-115; and Civil War: Choosing Sides (one-shot).

Verdict:

Volume 55: World War Hulk

World War Hulk

Author: Greg Pak  |  Illustrator: John Romita Jr.

"[H]e is the green scar. The Worldbreaker. The Eye of Anger... The Hulk."

We read previously about how Hulk was exiled from Earth by his "friends" (Vols 45+46: Planet Hulk), about his landing on an alien planet and his struggles whilst there. And then, without warning, something tragic happened, tearing apart his chance at inner peace.

The green giant is now as mad as hell—madder than he's ever been, which means he's more powerful than he's ever been—and he's returning to Earth to make the people he holds responsible for his loss pay for their crimes. He's not alone, either, the friends he made on planet Sakaar, the Warbound, are by his side and ready to kill.

Events prior to and during the World War Hulk mini-series were explored across multiple titles. I've not read them, but I'm wondering now if they manged to do any better with the premise than WWH did, because, while the thing that put Hulk on his rampage of revenge was emotionally affecting, the result is little more than page after page of the titular (anti)hero smashing superheroes and levelling buildings.

Considering that WWH was written by the same author that gave us the enjoyable Planet Hulk, I'd hoped it would at least equal it. And while there are a couple of interesting scenes, most of which involve Doctor Strange, overall it's a SMASSSH! and BRAKKKOOOM! and THOOOM! bore-fest that isn't a worthy sequel of its predecessor.

The Hulk's story was continued in the subsequent Planet Skaar story arc, which was also written by Greg Pak, but I've not read it and it's not even included in the initial 60 volumes of The Ultimate Graphic Novels Collection, so I can't comment on whether or not it manages to scrape back some dignity for all involved.

The Book collects together World War Hulk #1-5.

Verdict:

Volume 54: Captain America: The Chosen

Captain America: The Chosen

Author: David Morrell |  Illustrator: Mitch Breitweiser

"I'm no hero. All I want is to get out of here. To go home. To hold my family. To sleep without nightmares."

We're told in the introduction to The Chosen that David Morrell, the author of the work, is the same David Morrell that wrote First Blood (1972), which most of us will probably know better as the first Rambo film starring Sly Stallone. I mention that because First Blood was Morrell's début novel, and The Chosen is his début comic book. If you do the maths, there's 35 years between the two, and it's clear while reading the Captain America story that it sprung from the mind of someone who had little experience with the comic medium.

Please don't take that as a purely negative comment, having a comic that doesn't read like a comic is a refreshing change from the norm. The novelist's mindset that Morrell had meant he was more used to building characters from the ground up, whereas with Capt. he had to work within an existing, established framework. Perhaps that's why he chose to focus on what Steve Rogers in costume represents; i.e. the hero as inspirational, totemic symbol for the common man.

The man in question is a US soldier stationed in Afghanistan, a Corporal by the name of James Newman. Morell gets deep inside Newman's head, exploring his emotional state and the affect conflict has on him. I got the feeling that the author was more comfortable with the blank slate soldier than he was the super-soldier.

Besides the 'USA = Freedom' stuff that many new writers of Capt. America default to, the human parts of the story are well-told. But there's a bizarre element upon which everything else is built that I was less involved with. It wouldn't be out of place in an X-Men story, but in Steve's own world it was all a bit too left field to be believable.

As such, while I enjoyed the book, especially that it wasn't all set in boring New York, a part of it was also off-putting to me. But the partial ambivalence made me curious about how Morell might structure something with characters that are 100% of his own making, something that's completely non-superhero. Maybe someday I'll take the plunge into one of his novels.

The book collects together Captain America: The Chosen #1-6.

Verdict:

Volume 53: Eternals

Eternals

Author: Neil Gaiman  |  Illustrator: John Romita Jr.

"Tell me, is it the slime of the tentacles that upsets you or the way they twine bonelessly, the faceless snaking of them..."

Taking place in an era and location far removed from his previous work for Marvel (see Vol 32: Marvel 1602), Gaiman's second book for the House is much better than his first, in my opinion. I've not read the original Eternals stories from yesteryear, so the heroes were mostly all new to me, but, as far as that goes, Gaiman's version of the group is a fascinating one that occasionally bears a strong resemblance to some of his previous works for other publishers.

It doesn’t even feel like a Marvel title for a long time. Building a world around a creation myth that isn't actually a myth is the kind of thing that Gaiman's really good at. When coupled with a peculiar state of affairs in which something that has existed for a very long time but until now has remained unnoticed by almost everyone, the created world feels like it has life – it's the fantastical made convincing.

The story references the super-human registration act that was happening within the Marvel universe at the time, but it doesn't dwell on it, which is a good thing for me because, frankly, I'm sick of it already. Its inclusion was probably an obligatory one, but, happily, if you weren't aware of the act or the many events surrounding it, then you might not even realise how widespread it really was.

Not knowing really wouldn't matter that much because, while the story takes place inside the extended superhero universe and will surely affect it at a later date, the text itself has pleasing borders.

Unfortunately, that doesn't mean finality when the last page turns, because nothing ends for real in Marvel world; even death can be just a temporary setback. The closing chapter leaves a door or three open for subsequent creators to enter through and mess up the sandpit.

The book collects together Eternals #1–7.

Verdict:

Volume 52: Thor: Reborn

Thor: Reborn

Author: J. Michael Straczynski  |  Illustrator: Olivier Coipel

"It is not for the gods to decide whether or not man exists — it is for man to decide whether or not the gods exist."

I read standalone Thor stories for over two years because they were part of a monthly collection I used to buy, but I never really liked the character very much. I always felt he didn't fit in the superhero world; he was a Norse god, not a costumed hero with overpants.

Thor: Reborn, however, I like very much. I'm a fan of much of J. Michael Straczynski's work. His Thor is a rebirth for the character, three years after it was cancelled. It's not a traditional origin story from Day 0, it picks up the threads that Michael Avon Oeming's Ragnarok (2004) arc left for whoever would follow him. I haven't read Ragnarok but it didn't matter too much, JMS gives enough of a recap to help figure out what happened back then.

The best thing about the book is that at times it reminded me of some of the better Superman stories. Not the leap tall buildings version - I mean the inner-vulnerability, weight of the world on his shoulders, lost little child in an adult body version of Superman. Thor's alone in a post-Civil War universe, and he's none too happy about how that turned out. There are obligatory fight scenes but they aren't the main focus. It's a character piece exploring the inner-feelings and the outer actions that a rebirth, both spiritual and physical, can have upon a person. He's forced to reacquaint himself with his humanity and duty.

Olivier Coipel, who illustrated House of M (Volume 40), did great things with his panelling and perspectives. His art is fantastic, alternating between close-ups and large open vistas as needed. His poses help humanise the man behind the musculature.

There are hints of where the story would eventually go, and I'd be excited to find out if JMS managed to keep the fragility of the character as a focus when the shit hits the fan... as I'm sure it did.

The book collects together Thor (V3) issues 1 – 6.

Verdict:

Volume 51: Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America

Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America

Capt America #25: Author: Ed Brubaker / Illustrator: Steven Epting
Fallen Son Miniseries: Author: Jeph Loeb (from a premise by J. Michael Straczynski) / Illustrators: Leinil Yu (#1) / Ed McGuinness (#2) / John Romita Jr. (#3) / David Finch (#4) / John Cassaday (#5)

"...[A]nd one day, it'll be different. The load won't feel as heavy. 'Course, then you'll hear a song or somebody will laugh or the wind will blow the wrong way...and the hole will tear wide open again."

A number of heroes died during the Civil War arc (Volume 50), and while every human life should be equal in value, it's a fact that those closest to us leave the biggest vacuum in the world, an absence that's immeasurable in size. For many of the superhero community the death of Captain America cuts deeper than any of the others because of how inspirational he was. He's the reason so many of those able to protect the innocent were moved to do so in the first place. Steve Rogers was a man, but his costumed self was an almighty symbol that had the power to speak in place of the person beneath it.

The stories of how the death affected those closest to Steve is structured like the Kübler-Ross model (aka The Five Stages of Grief, as observed by Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross), with each issue exploring one of the stages: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. The particular hero chosen to lead each issue isn't random, there's a method at play whereby the emotion will have a special resonance with that particular character.

Before we get to the Fallen Son issues, we're given the issue of Captain America in which the hero was killed (#25). It's a great issue, with the focus split between Steve's situation and the world around him, but favouring the latter, surprisingly.

Stage 1: Denial: Wolverine. No stranger to loss as one of the X-Men, Wolverine needs confirmation of the death before he can begin to heal. The sketchy lines and dark colours suit the tone.

Stage 2: Anger: the Avengers. The team who lost a friend and leader. While some grieve openly, some choose distraction. Choosing not to vent anger doesn't necessarily make it go away; it still affects but quietly, and can do even more damage in the long term.

Stage 3: Bargaining: Capt. America. It's named for Cap, for reasons that will be obvious upon reading, but it's mostly about Iron Man and one specific other. Without going into detail it was the best issue so far, by quite a margin. I loved how the chill of the rainy night adds to the cold reception.

Stage 4: Depression: Spider-Man. Another good issue. Peter carries the weight of the world on an ordinary day, but when his failures (real and imagined) gang up on him as one, past and present blur and the web-slinger aches like only he can.

Stage 5: Acceptance: Ironman. The acceptance doesn't mean an end to the grief, but allows reflection. The future is changed, but for the superhero community it must go on.

The book collects together Captain America #25; and Fallen Son #1-5 (i.e. Fallen Son: Wolverine; Fallen Son: Avengers; Fallen Son: Captain America; Fallen Son: Spider-Man; Fallen Son: Iron Man).

Verdict:

Volume 50: Civil War

Civil War

Author: Mark Millar  |  Illustrator: Steve McNiven

"What are they trying to do? Turn us into civil servants?"

When a small team of rookie 'heroes' publicly screw up in a very major way, on camera, no less, the people they're supposed to be protecting start to feel nervous, and a large percentage of public opinion regarding all costumed heroes begins to shift.

The argument that police officers undergo years of training and psychological testing before they're allowed to hit the streets, whereas all a superhero has to do to qualify as a defender of public interests is to put on tights and they're good to go, understandably begins to upset a lot of people.

In some ways a mandatory registration of heroes makes a kind of sense, making them accountable for their actions may make them more sympathetic champions, but any kind of mass unmasking will thrust the families of each person into the limelight, making innocents a prime target for evildoers. Hard choices have to be made. Is the comfort of many worth the danger it poses to a select few?

The events in Civil War are some of the most logical reasons Marvel has ever had for a large number of costumed heroes being gathered together in the same place at the same time. And as with any such gathering, there'll be a difference of opinion about the underlying cause. The proposed reforms split the costumed community down the middle. On one side are people who want to go on the government payroll, who want the security and respect that legitimacy brings. On the other are people who value their personal life and feel that it's a grave error to mix their two states of being. They believe that their autonomy and freedom of choice is under threat.

It inevitably ends up in a giant punch-up, but heroes do actually die this time, and Millar manages to at least make the clash serve a dual purpose, one that leads to a devastating result for the community at large and worse for one individual in particular (Volume 51).

I was on board will it all until a single event made it feel forced. The event in question is something that I believe simply wouldn't happen. Maybe the person at the centre of it got swept up in the moment, but considering their painful past it's unlikely such a decision would be made without due consideration. Shortly thereafter people began switching sides and it started feeling silly.

The book collects together Civil War #1–7.

Verdict:

Volume 49: Doctor Strange: The Oath

Doctor Strange: The Oath

Author: Brian K Vaughan | Illustrator: Marcos Martin

"…[H]e stayed at my side right up to the bitter end of my former life."

The best thing about Doctor Stephen Strange is that he resembles Vincent Price in his prime, in a cloak. But the best thing about Brian K Vaughan's Stephen Strange is how well he's written, which is something that applies to the book as a whole.

Vaughan even manages to wrangle a situation that calls for a recap of the Sorcerer Supreme's origin, getting new readers up to speed quickly and effortlessly. He creates further situations that actually call for exposition, and when there's a reason for such it can even mask its use, like it does herein. In terms of enjoyment had, I was grinning like the proverbial cream-covered cat by the halfway mark.

Like it states in the book's introduction, the 'Doctor' side of Strange is often forgotten about, but here it plays a key role in the narrative. He may not be a world-class surgeon any longer, but the Hippocratic Oath is still something that Strange believes in. His desire to heal someone close to him sparks off a kind of supernatural murder mystery that has the Doctor in the Sherlock role - he even has a Watson, and a great addition to the book the person is!

The comparison made between Strange's past and present, a connecting line from his days as an arrogant surgeon to a less arrogant but still brutally direct in speech and tone Master of the Arts, is the anchor that keeps him somewhat relatable, despite his fantastical abilities and seemingly endless store of arcane knowledge; in short, the flawed human side of the self-important Strange is ever present, and even he sometimes leaps before he looks.

At first I felt that Martin's artwork was a little too cartoony for my tastes, but over time the complementary nature of his pictures and Vaughan's text worked their magic on me. And while many of the previous volumes in TUGNC are more hard-hitting and more elaborately illustrated, The Oath is one of my personal favourites so far because of how much fun I had reading it.

The book collects together Doctor Strange: The Oath #1-5.

Verdict:

Volume 48: Marvel Zombies (2006)

Marvel Zombies

Author: Robert Kirkman | Illustrator: Sean Phillips

"Whoever makes the kill gets double rations."

A post-apocalyptic, alternate world spin-off from a story that appeared in Ultimate Fantastic Four (#21-23).

I don't believe that putting zombies into something automatically makes it better; more often than not it makes it worse.

The zombie metaphor has been done to death (no pun intended) and outside of the early George A. Romero films it's mostly been done badly. Marvel Zombies sets a new low, even for Marvel.

It's written by Robert Kirkman, the guy that writes The Walking Dead. I've not read TWD. But it’s been selling well, so I'm assuming it’s a lot better than MZ. And I sincerely hope it's better than TWD TV series.

The plot is as thin as something I'd write. The heroes/villains are hungry. There's some gore. They eat. They get hungry. There's gore. They eat. They get hungry, etc. Yawn.

The book collects together Marvel Zombies #1-5.

Verdict:

Volume 47: Fantastic Four: The End

Fantastic Four: The End

Author + Illustrator: Alan Davis

"No, Victor... please! They're just children!"

I know I'm enjoying a book when it feels like a twenty-minute read. FF's The End felt like a two-hour slog. It started out fine, actually it started out with a lot of potential, but, with the exception of one brief scene, it delivered instead too many cooks and not enough broth.

I don't want to detract from the achievement of Alan Davis, to write and draw a six-issue miniseries alone is an enviable accomplishment, but when the emotional heart of a story is compromised by having characters featured who are there for no reason other than to be seen, if they aren't included for a reason that's unique to them, then it feels like a wasted opportunity. If the books in the collection thus far have taught me anything, it's that I hate crossovers for the sake of crossovers, a feeling that The End compounds.

The highlight of the work comes in issue #1. She-Hulk speaks with Reed about how and why Marvel's first family aren't side by side like they used to be. Drifting apart from friends and family as years go by is something that most people can relate to (if you can't, then consider yourself very lucky). The exchange gives us a brief glimpse into the psyche of the man. How the conversation ends gives us another important glimpse, but we never get a satisfying follow-up, we never see the full picture and the story suffers as a result.

Thereafter we get literally dozens of heroes and villains thrown into the mix, many for no justifiable reason; the Kree, Ulton the asswipe, the Skrull, the Shi'ar, the Avengers, the Inhumans, Utau, and many more, all make an appearance. Even Chekhov would suffer exhaustion while trying to cull the irrelevant elements.

The book collects together Fantastic Four: The End #1-6.

Verdict:

Volumes 45+46: The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk (Parts 1+2)

The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk (Parts 1+2)

Author: Greg Pak  |  Illustrators: Carlo Pagulayan / Aaron Lopresti / Michael Avon Oeming / Alex Nino / Marshall Rogers

"I didn't come here for a whisper. I wanna hear you scream."

The best Hulk stories are the ones that don’t rely on the "Hulk Smash!" clichés as an excuse to litter the page with the detritus of teenage dreams involving explosive violence and bloody carnage.

Planet Hulk avoids that for a while, but eventually crumbles like a cookie in Hulk's hand, and there’s so much "Finally. Hulk knows who to smash," that my brain almost seeped out of my ears trying to get away from what my eyes were forcing it to assimilate. It’s a great shame because the first half of Book I (Vol 45) is bursting with promise, and even delivers upon some of it from time to time.

Prior to the story's beginnings Hulk's world is shaken by the realisation (or confirmation) that his 'friends' each brandish a back-stabbing knife and share a collective fear of his condition. But instead of putting extra effort into helping him cope, they take the cowardly way out and remove him from their space. Stranded now on a world torn apart by a tyrannical ruler, the bulging green menace is forced to rely on his wits and his...er...people skills.

For reasons I won't go into, Hulk is thrust into the role of reluctant leader, which doesn't sit well with him because he's not ever been what your boss at work would call a team player. There's a large cast of characters woven around his situation, and they exist in a world that's well-fleshed out with its own history and culture.

The book's strengths lie in the perspectives, both literal (art direction) and in how to view a hero/villain depending on which side of the fence you happen to lie. In war the enemy is always the villain, but both sides are an enemy. Hulk is a monster but he's our monster. His goals are sympathetic to our goals and they're noble because we are noble. Does that make him more like us or make us more like him?

When those kinds of questions are raised the story excels. Unfortunately, the chaos overshadows them and by Book II (Vol 46), when everything turns to shit for the characters, the story suffers. There's a deeply emotional moment that knocked me for six, but overall by the end of the chaos I felt physically drained by the experience when I should've been more emotionally drained.

The book collects together The Incredible Hulk Vol. 2 #92–105; Giant-Size Hulk Vol. 2 #1; and 'Mastermind Excello' from Amazing Fantasy #15.

Verdict:

Volume 44: Captain America: Winter Soldier

Captain America: Winter Soldier

Author: Ed Brubaker  |  Illustrator: Steve Epting

"...[H]e's a Cold War myth that's turnin' out to be true."

Winter Soldier is one of the more well-known Captain America story arcs, but the issues included in the book can only tell a part of the story. If you haven't read the build-up, then you'll just have to accept that prior to the events herein some shit went down that ended with a man named Aleksander Lukin, an ex-General of the KGB, coming into possession of a Cosmic Cube (one of the many, it seems like Marvel create a new one as and when they need it).

Some knowledge of Steve's one-time partner, Bucky Barnes, will also be helpful. Bucky was killed in action during WWII, and Steve never fully got over it. The youth was his partner but also someone he felt responsible for, so alongside the loss of a friend is a feeling of failure to himself, his confidant and his country. When it's suggested that the Winter Soldier might have a connection to the event that killed Bucky, Steve's emotions are put through a wringer.

The book bounces around in time, showing events from yesterday or yesteryear, etc, that when assembled like a four-dimensional jigsaw result in a series of cause and effect scenarios that weigh heavily on Steve's conscience. His feelings are a confused mix of hope, fear, denial and anguish - states of being that artist Steve Epting captures wonderfully in his framing, expressions and lighting. In fact, Brubaker's script allows many of the weighty moments to draw their power from being shown more than told; he must have known Epting was very much up to the task.

A personal favourite moment of mine is when Steve goes for a rooftop run. High above the city, distanced from the everyday bustle, he seeks to clear his head by going through the motions, leaping and rolling as only a superhero (or super-soldier) can do. He seems to be aware that his weakness is party to guilt and loss, to friendship lost, and perhaps even a little nostalgia for a time that only he remembers. He knows that running from the problem isn't going to make it go away, but the feeling of familiarity that accompanies such actions is a kind of comfort in itself.

To get back on track, despite the leaps of faith needed by the reader, the nonsense science (and the damn Cube), Winter Soldier is a human story, a turn of events that prove even heroes aren't so different from the rest of us after all.

The book collects together Captain America (Vol 5) #8-9 and #11-14.

Verdict:

Volume 43: Iron Man: Extremis (2005)

Iron Man: Extremis (2005)

Author: Warren Ellis  |  Illustrator: Adi Granov

"John Pillinger says the Iron Man suit is a military application. I told him he was wrong. I'm trying to decide if I was lying."

Extremis, perhaps more than any other individual Iron Man story, is responsible for the origin and aesthetic of the first Iron Man live action film. Warren Ellis is a good writer, he's not afraid to take bold chances with existing properties and it paid off this time, mostly.

It was a new start for the character, bringing him up to date while remaining faithful to the original team of Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck and Jack Kirby. In approach, it's less superhero and more sci-fi thriller. Iron Man is a weapon, not a flying hero in metallic tights.

In an abandoned slaughterhouse a test subject is injected with a secret serum; it transforms him into something more than human. Iron Man is called in by an old friend to fix the situation but he's carrying around more baggage than just a heavy suit of armour.

It places Tony temporarily out of the convoluted continuity of the extended Marvel universe and focuses on the man; it humanises him, exposes his flaws and shows that being a high-profile millionaire isn't always just necking champagne and bedding bunny girls. When it works it's fantastic, and he still finds time to have the obligatory fight scene with people lifting cars over their heads, etc.

The real star, however, is Adi Granov's amazing art. He sketches in pencil and colours with watercolour, inks, gouache, etc. He takes that into Photoshop and renders there. It's a mix of the traditional and the new (like the story) and the result is emotionally-charged and dramatically staged panels that often tell a story without the need for words. It needs to be seen to be understood properly. It's a slow process, it took him a year and a half to complete the work, but the finished product is definitely worth the wait.

The book collects together Iron Man (Vol.4) #1-6.

Verdict:

Volume 42: New Avengers: Break Out

New Avengers: Break Out

Author: Brian Michael Bendis  |  Illustrator: David Finch

"No more politics. Just us. No U.N. No governments. Just us helping people that need help. The big problems."

The events in Break Out take place six months after Volume 34: Avengers: Disassembled. The team as they existed at the end of that book is no more, disbanded, the dead are still dead, Stark isn't as filthy rich as he used to be, etc. When the Ryker's Island maximum-maximum security installation (yes, double maximums) has an Arkham Asylum-esque security failure a huge number of crackpots and supervillains are let loose upon the world, necessitating a dedicated team of heroes to do what heroes do: yadda, yadda, assemble.

It makes a kind of sense that the arc be included in the Collection, in part because it continues the Disassembled story line, telling of the evolution and change that's inherent in such teams, and it's really not a bad story, per se, but I don't feel that it's an essential read unless you're a devoted Avengers fan. On the plus side, it spends an admirable amount of time setting up the new team, as opposed to throwing them together without rhyme or reason and asking that we accept it without question, like good sheeple.

Bendis engineers a scenario wherein the heroes see the benefits of teaming up, but he leaves a window open through which tragedy may later creep, bringing with it bags filled with vicissitude and hubris.

The addition of Spider-Man (the loner) and Wolverine (the loose cannon) allows for their more series-specific villains to possibly feature in future, if the need should arise. I get the feeling that it will because neither of the two men are what I'd call team-players, so it seems natural to assume that they'll feature heavily in the works to come, creating conflict on multiple levels. Otherwise, why add them?

The book collects together New Avengers # 1-6.

Verdict:

Volume 41: Son of M

Son of M

Author: David Hine  |  Illustrator: Roy Allen Martinez

"There's something dark inside you. It's spreading all over. Can't you feel it? Doesn't it hurt you?"

The aftermath of the momentous event that ended House of M (see Volume 40) is far-reaching, and therefore explored across a number of different Marvel titles. Son of M focuses on Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver. I can't talk about Son without going into what happened in House, so there'll be spoilers ahead for the latter title. If you haven't yet read House and, like me, hate spoilers, then it'd be best not to read past this paragraph because I will be referring to it.

Pietro's conscience is troubled by his role in the 'Decimation' that ended House, but what's really eating him is the loss of his powers. A life lived at normal (human) speed is a kind of living hell for the speedster. He spends his days like an addict forced to live without his drug of choice. Haunted by memories, he's a shell of man. His self-interest drives him to the point where he'll do almost anything to get his fix, even if it means screwing over those who care for him most.

Son of M is a smaller, more personal story than the one that birthed it, but it's every bit as good. In fact, I liked it more than House. It explores the moral depths that a damaged individual will sink to in order to fill a void in their life. It understands that rock bottom isn't always the starting point to recovery that opportunistic people think it is. Sometimes a victim will choose to exist there for a long period of time, until escape becomes so all-consuming that their sense of reason is suppressed. Scars don't heal well when they're hidden under the covers. (To err is human... to super-err is superhuman?)

Pietro's sister, the Scarlet Witch, is an interesting character, but I'd personally never found Quicksilver to be that exciting, but Author David Hine changed that, at least for a time.

I loved Roy Martinez's art. Faces are occasionally a little off, but when he gets it right, which is most of the time, he gets it VERY right! His thin lines retain the human touch that I adore, and his ability to communicate the fragility of the human condition through them gives the book a special quality, one to which the carefully chosen colouring is fully respectful.

The book collects together Son of M #1-6.

Verdict:

Volume 40: House of M

House of M

Author: Brian Michael Bendis  |  Illustrator: Olivier Coipel

"What would you have me do?"

If you read the books in numerical order (as printed on the spine, not the sticker on the front of each issue) then you'll be aware of what happened in Volume 34: Avengers: Disassembled and of what was left unresolved. House of M addresses that particular situation.

The opening four pages are top class stuff, setting the stage for what follows. The location is far from grand; the state of the buildings echo feelings felt not just by the heroes but also the antagonists of the piece, a post-traumatic landscape of loss and decay. The remainder of the story isn't perfect, but it has more highs than lows, and often with Marvel crossovers that's the best you can hope for.

The pre-battle gathering of heroes is the kind of thing that usually makes me cringe, but the weight that assails each one on a personal level gives it an edge that's often lacking. They aren't debating how best to take down a megalomaniacal supervillain in need of reeducation. They're seeking comfort, assurances, wondering if what they need to do can even be done, and if not by them, then by who?

That 'edge' is the product of a feeling that extends beyond the page. Without going into spoiler territory, the situation, as wildly fantastical as it is, has at its core a fragility that every person who reads it will be able to relate to. Everyone wants to be happy in their own way, but dig beneath the surface and you'll discover a wealth of clauses and provisos that must also be met lest the happiness be in name only.

The end might leave you with more questions than when you started, and Marvel retconned some stuff at a later date, but as a book in its own right House of M goes to some remarkably fragile places.

The book collects together House of M #1-8.

Verdict:

Volume 39: Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation

Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation

Author: Garth Ennis  |  Illustrator: Clayton Crain

"Let us be done with this."

When the numbering of an ongoing series is reset to issue one it's generally considered a good time for new readers to jump in. Road to Damnation, however, is a terrible issue one in that respect, and in many others. It introduces Ghost Rider in a dramatic enough fashion but quickly shifts focus to someone else, and overall GR isn't even in the arc very much. When he is featured he's something of a weak link.

A guy with a flaming skull for a head should be lighting up the pages at least half of the time, but GR is bland and there wasn't a single moment in which I felt that putting the book down unfinished would be something that I'd ever regret doing.

Typically for Ennis there's some very black humour that hits without warning - and I do mean VERY black; for some folks it'll be a step over their line. That's all I have to say about the story.

The artwork is something else that left me unmoved. Crain is a great artist, there's absolutely no denying that—I couldn't match his ability even if I practiced every day for a decade— but the digital techniques are simply not something that pleases my eye. (Subjectivity, yo!)

The backgrounds are too busy, resulting in nothing in the foreground grabbing the attention like it should. It's as if the addition of extra detail at the edges has flattened the overall composition.

It's also too dark to discern what the hell (or what in hell) is going on. I don't know if it's a problem unique to the TUGNC edition or if it's meant to look like it does. I know that it would be less of an issue on Crain's screen, but paper pages aren't backlit. The contrasts between light and dark are there, but when it's dark it's too damn dark.

There's a significant use of background blurring. It adds a touch or realism but, strangely, also artificiality, as if we're viewing events through a fixed camera lens. I dislike the technique. Cinematic/photographic processes can be used well in comics, I've commented favourably on just such a thing in previous posts, but I don't want my comics to be in direct competition with movies. I want comics to celebrate what they are and play to the unique strengths of their own medium, not strive to mimic the forms of another.

The book collects together Ghost Rider (Vol. 4) #1-6.

Verdict:

Volume 38: Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?

Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?

Author: Reginald Hudlin  |   Illustrator: John Romita Jr

"Emotional? I'm happy. All my enemies in one place."

The Panther's superpower seems to be that he serves as the religious, political and military head of a warrior clan but is unable to see the inherent conflict of interests that's present in his situation. Reg Hudlin, filmmaker turned comic book writer, fills the story with ridiculous schoolyard ideals and real world prejudices cranked to maximum level. What should've been a poignant subtext is instead a sledgehammer that forces the reader to either agree or disagree with what appears to be a skewed and discriminatory point of view.

The one-dimensional stereotypes are taken to ill-conceived extremes, so will be offensive to people sensitive to that kind of thing. I'm generally not, but I dislike bigots. We're constantly reminded that everyone who isn't black or Wakandan (the Panther's place of origin) is a selfish villain. Hudlin's selective misanthropy gets directed at his fellow Americans (for wanting to exploit natural resources), the British (for their slave trade), the Russians (for simply being Russian), and the French (for not dying needlessly in WWII). Some of those are justifiable. Some DEFINITELY aren't.

I'm aware that I maybe misunderstood Hudlin's intention, but if that's the case then there's the flip side of the argument: he wasn't being an ass, but by making almost everyone racist he was being unclear and damaging his cause, so either way the end result is the same.

I got the impression that he thought he was creating some kind of laudable political statement that was also high art designed to facilitate a colonial and/or post-colonial reading, but his primary concern swamped the narrative needlessly, creating something unbalanced and unreliable. I had to ask myself repeatedly, 'Is this just political commentary, or is there a large dollop of misdirected satire included?' I believe it was intended as both, but in my experience satire ceases to be just that when the speaker succumbs to the same thing that they're supposed to be satirising.

The Wakandans consider themselves morally superior to other nations, but will happily indulge in some murderous revenge when the opportunity arises. Oh, and they have a cure for cancer but withhold it from the rest of the world for judgemental reasons; it's okay if the children die, because they aren't our children. Someone ought to introduce them to the 'teach by example' method.

Art is by John Romita Jr, so I don't even need to go into any depth there. We should all know by now how good he is at his job.

The book collects together Black Panther (Vol IV) #1-6.

Verdict:

Volume 37: Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous

Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous

Author: Joss Whedon  |  Illustrator: John Cassaday

"I want this thing off my lawn."

Dangerous picks up from where Volume 36: Gifted left off. I was hoping for more of the same quality as before, but it's different and not always the good kind of different. The story hits the ground running. Bang! Straight in. No foreplay! From then on it's a roller coaster ride of semi-exciting highs and face-palm lows.

The danger level is cranked to maximum. There's the feeling that we're getting something that could do some real and lasting harm for a change, but it shits the bed and delivers something that isn't very dangerous at all.

Five minutes after the initial battle everyone is fully recovered and ready for more. You were dead but you're okay now. Let's get snacks.

Whedon has proved over time that he gets it right more often than he gets it wrong, but he wrote himself into a hole this time. Either he got lazy or was busy with a hundred other projects and forgot how to 'astonish' with the X-Men. He even forgot that Professor X is paraplegic, or did I miss something prior to this story?

The plot's ridiculous. The ending feels like it was pulled from a hat. If Wolverine had started doing card tricks it wouldn't have felt out of place. What held my attention was the continued character development, particularly between Kitty and Peter.

I like Joss' ability to balance characterisation and action in the same instance; he doesn't need to stop one to focus on the other.

I also liked the role given to Beast and how artist John Cassaday translated that role to the page. Needs. More. Beast.

Volume I left me very eager for more. Volume II left me asking myself do I even want Volume III? If it’s on sale... maybe.

The book collects together Astonishing X-Men (Vol 3) #7–12.

Verdict:

Volume 36: Astonishing X-Men: Gifted

Astonishing X-Men: Gifted

Author: Joss Whedon  |  Illustrator: John Cassaday

"Maybe Scott and Logan could fight on the lawn again. The kids love that."

Astonishing X-Men is a continuation of Grant Morrison's New X-Men title, although it makes some big changes, not least in the costume department. Joss Whedon assumes writing duties. He's something of a comic nerd. He probably earned his hundred-metre nerd dash badge in high school. But such folks often write the best comics because they care about the material; it's not just a job, it's a passion.

For me, Joss' clever puns actually work better in written form. When Wolverine delivers a Whedon put-down it makes me grin insanely, but in live action they more often than not seem forced and immature.

The author's greatest strength as a writer, however, is the group dynamic. He strips away all the unnecessary action scenes that can plague a title like this and finds the real heart of the story by focussing almost completely on the character relationships.

Scott leads the team but is struggling to make his authority felt. With Jean gone he's lost in a kind of limbo. He tries not to show it for both personal and professional reasons. He needs the support of his friends but they're busy squabbling amongst themselves.

Furthermore, the discovery of a mutant "cure" puts the team on alert. The story studies the effect it has on the mutant population as a whole, and the tightly knit X-Men team as individuals. Yes, it's the story they took the idea from for the third film, but don't hold that against it; it shits all over the film from a very great height.

There's a purity and focus evident herein that team-based comics often struggle with. It's not bogged down by a convoluted continuity or filled with excessive characters that have no real agenda.

The book collects together Astonishing X-Men (Vol 3) #1–6.

Verdict: