X-MEN “ENDANGERED SPECIES”

X-MEN “ENDANGERED SPECIES” hardcover contains the one-shot Prologue special and the 17 chapter storyline that was presented as back-up pages of X-Men 200-204, Uncanny X-Men 488-491, X-Factor 21-24 and New X-Men 40-42.

Since the House of M event, with Scarlet Witch’s immortal NO MORE MUTANTS words, as well as decimating the mutant population, no new mutants have emerged since.

Fearing extinction for mutantkind, Hank McCoy (aka Beast) travels to various locations, trying to find answers, in order to reverse the Scarlet Witch’s magic, or attempt to kickstart mutation artificially.  This is very much a Hank McCoy story, even though it’s also designed to be prelude to the Messiah CompleX storyline.

I’ve read plenty of X-Men comics over the past several years, with a majority of them hugely disappointing. This does not disappoint. Endangered Species is superb, in fact.

Replacing mindless action and convoluted plot devices with an intelligent script and unique ideas.

Ideas. That is what attracted the X-Men to me when I was a teenager. Ideas. To present a concept that is left-of-field, fourth-wall, and willing to break through it.

This is the kind of X-Men I want to read.

But not recommended to anyone that doesn’t enjoy reading and thinking.

8 out of 10.

SPIDER-MAN “One More Day” hardcover

SPIDER-MAN “One More Day” hardcover contains issues 544-545, FNSM 24, Sensational 41.

Even weeks after reading this rubbish, I still can’t find the right words to express my total disappointment of what Joe Quesada has done to Spider-Man here.

It’s so poorly written, it’s hard to believe it came from J. Michael Straczynski? And I’ve never been a fan of Quesada’s art, anyway.

Peter Parker is faced with the choice, erase his marriage to Mary Jane to save his Aunt May.

It doesn’t make sense.

Adding insult to injury, Marvel priced this hardcover $5 more than the normal “premiere edition hardcover” price. Pricks!

A total disgrace.

2 out of 10.

WANTED “Assassin’s Edition” hardcover

WANTED “Assassin’s Edition” (aka “Director’s Cut”) hardcover contains the 6 issue mini-series and dossier and other bonus material.

Written by Mark Millar and art by JG Jones. The story synopsis is…

“Everyman Wesley Gibson just discovered that his father is dead and that he is in line to take his place in a secret fraternity of super villains. And Wesley’s life will never be the same!“

This is really superb, I love everything about this hardcover. The writing is exciting, the art is explicit and together it’s a wonderful experience.

Storywise, I guessed the “twist” ending quite early on (but I have a habit of doing that), but it didn’t detract anything from my enjoyment of this comic book, anyway.

8 out of 10.

IRON MAN “Doomquest”

IRON MAN “Doomquest” contains issues 149, 150 and 249 and 250 of the original Iron Man comic book series, written by David Micheline. Issues 150 and 250 are double-sized issues, thus makes this premiere hardcover equivalent thickness of 6 standard issues.

Issues 149/150 see Iron Man and Doctor Doom thrown together back in time to Camelot, at the court of King Arthur. It’s a fun adventure, and it was interesting to see how both characters could adapt in a non-technological age. Issue 150 is notable for introducing Morgan Le Fay, an evil sorceress that would maintain a relationship with Doom in the years to come. A classic!

Issues 249/250 see the circumstance of Iron Man and Doctor Doom flung 100 years into the future! I found this story less interesting, mostly because future worlds of this nature always seem to date themselves in a weird way that takes the reader out of the comic book. However, I did find it interesting that Doctor Doom excelled in this environment, able to utilize the surrounding advanced technology to his advantage.

7.5 out of 10.

The MIGHTY AVENGERS volume 1 – The Ultron Initiative

The MIGHTY AVENGERS volume 1 – The Ultron Initiative premiere hardcover contains the first 6 issues of the Marvel series, written by Brian Michael Bendis and art by Frank Cho.

The opening issue is superbly written, and is a lesson for any other writer on how to introduce characters into a team book.  Frank Cho’s art is typically awesome and flawless, so that helps’ plenty!

Just minutes after an A-list team of Mighty Avengers is formed – Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Wonder Man, Sentry, Black Widow, Ares and Wasp – they are thrust into battle, and soon after getting smashed around by Ultron – who’s now in the form of a chick!

The writing is truly excellent, I love Bendis use of thought-balloons, and almost forgotten aspect of the comic book art form over the past decade or so.

An action-packed and fun adventure, that concludes with a teaser towards the upcoming Secret Invasion…

8 out of 10.

NEW AVENGERS volume 2 deluxe hardcover

The second deluxe over-sized hardcover of NEW AVENGERS contains issues 11 to 13, a story from Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1, 14 to 20 and Annual #1.

Issues 11 to 13 is the RONIN storyline, whereby the New Avengers travel to Japan and deal with a heap of ninja stuff. I didn’t enjoy this part of the book much. It seemed very un-Avengers.

Issues 14 and 15 is SECRETS & LIES, in which Jessica Drew, Spider-Woman, comes clean on her returning powers and various affiliations.

Issues 16 to 20 is the massive COLLECTIVE storyline, in which the New Avengers deal with the side-effect of the HOUSE OF M event.

The hardcover concludes with Annual #1, the wedding of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, but not before a delay!

Overall, this was enjoyable, but not totally satisfying. There are plenty of times when the story seemed to be dragging slowly and some parts I found uninteresting.

7 out of 10.

HOUSE OF M

The HOUSE OF M over-sized hardcover contains the 8 issue mini-series plus the Secrets of the House of M #1, all from 2005.

The Scarlet Witch has lost her mind, literally, creating an alternative reality in which mutants are the dominant species of the world, and only a select few can remember the reality of before!

Written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Olivier Coipel, the House of M is a complex drama containing many complication situations. Though some may have been confused about that is real, and what significance the event is for the Marvel Universe, there is little doubting the skillful crafting by Bendis.

The mini-series has many highlights, from issue 3 when Wolverine is the first to suspect this new world isn’t right, until the stunning issue 7, whereby Doctor Strange confronts the Scarlet Witch, with her total mental meltdown changing the course of all realities, without the immortal worlds …. “no more mutants”.

The House of M is at times a poetic piece of work, and if the event sits alone as a story that exists just with itself, then I’m fine with that. It has a lot to say about its world and its characters, yet provides lessons to be learnt for everyone, no matter what reality they like to believe…

8.5 out of 10.