Review – What’s the Furthest Place From Here? #1
Review – What’s the Furthest Place From Here? #1. The world has ended. All that remains are gangs of children living among the ruins.
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Review – Avengers Vs X-Men
Review – Avengers Vs X-Men Written by: Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, Jason Aaron, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman Pencils by: John Romita Jr, Olivier Coipel, Adam Kubert Release Date: 2012 Introduction Avengers vs X-Men is the definition of an event book. It gives us an epic crossover and a superstar lineup both on the creative side as well as in the 616 storyline itself. Released in 2012, Avengers vs X-Men features some of the biggest artists and writers of the time tackling the biggest characters in the Marvel Universe dealing with one of the biggest ideas in comics- the Phoenix. The Phoenix is coming and everyone has opinions about it, so begins Avengers vs X-Men. What better device to pivot our beloved heroes against each other than one of the most popular cosmic forces in the 616 universe! Avengers vs X-Men is a culmination of a half dozen events that had been happening in recent years. The biggest influence, being House of M and the actions Scarlet Witch took in that book. You needn’t read those other books to appreciate Avengers vs X-Men though. They do add extra context and appreciations but the writers do their best to fill us in on what happened. Story The story is massive. It delivers on the name, Avengers vs X-Men, by giving you a plot that justifies their conflict as well as an abundance of fights that you expect from a book like this. They do a decent job at giving breathing room to a lot of characters, and even spreading out smaller moments for other characters. It’s very fun to watch new relationships get some play, like Hope and Spider-Man, or to see old dynamics come to a head like Xavier and Cyclops. There are legit great character beats hidden in this book, particularly with folks like Spider-Man, Cyclops, and Nova. Spider-Man has a scene that I won’t likely forget. The Phoenix is one of those things in comics that risks being played out. It’s used and referenced so much that it’s easy to almost cringe in fear when it’s brought up. They tow the line pretty well in using it in Avengers vs X-Men. At some point, after the Phoenix has chosen a host, they do start to lose the thread of why the X-Men are after Hope. There’s a scene where Cyclops is uber-powered and shows up demanding they hand over Hope that made me put down the book and try to remember why. It’s at this point that they’ve transformed the world for better and are only left chasing Avengers. It’s a big event comic though, so I let it go and kept enjoying the ride. I only need so much motivation to watch superheroes beat each other up. Review – Avengers Vs X-Men continues below That said, the story does stretch a bit long. If it weren’t for what I imagine is a publisher’s mandate, I could see this as more of an 8-10 issue story. 12 issues left it feeling a little bloated. At points it felt like we were nearing the climax, only to have a couple more issues. However, the climax was a rare feat for a Marvel event. It didn’t feel rushed or wrapped up too cleanly. Satisfying compared to other events of the era, perhaps a result of the superstar lineup of writers. I couldn’t help but wonder if this story, contained to an X-title instead of a crossover event, might not have been a bit stronger though. It would have had less publisher influence, more focus on the mutant side of the story, and maybe a more organic fit in the history. I wouldn’t have minded a little less defined lines in who chose what sides too, like what we got in Civil War. Less about teams and more about ideology, especially through a 2021 lens, but I guess that would take away from the title of the book. Art The book features gorgeous superhero art. Narrowing the selection down for this review got particularly difficult. There’s constantly action scenes packed full of characters or cool moments across multiple panels. It takes full advantage of the comic format as a visual medium, giving the reader page after page of fantastic art. They utilize the crossover nature of an event book like this to fill in the background with other characters or details that make the world feel real. Having multiple artists with different styles telling the story in chunks could have been distracting but ultimately it flows pretty smoothly and I enjoyed the changes in style. Review – Avengers Vs X-Men continues below Avengers vs X-Men delivers intimate, close up, character moments as well as the giant, action packed splash pages you expect in a bombastic crossover book. The Phoenix storyline itself lends itself to epic, colorful pages full of fire and screaming faces. We even get some new character designs, as a result of the aforementioned Phoenix and they’re mostly great. From covers to layouts to splashes, the art compliments the story and event pretty brilliantly. Overall The biggest disappointment with this book is the same with a lot of big hallmark events… it doesn’t mean anything. It has no consequences, it has no staying power. The status quo returns pretty quickly after. It’s not like Crisis where you felt it’s impact for 20 years. The book happens, it spikes sales, then after a few months they erase the effects. Heck, this very book exists to erase the effects of House of M. The Phoenix will come back or all of the improvements to the world by The Phoenix Five will be gone. Cyclops will be a normal part of the team again, despite murdering someone. That makes it hard to sink your teeth into. So if you want to enjoy this as a fun 12 episode arc of superhero fights, dive in! If you’re hoping for an impactful, important story of why two of the biggest teams in comics would
Review – New Avengers: Breakout
Review – New Avengers: Breakout Publisher: Marvel Comics Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Penciller: David Finch Inker: Danny Miki Colourist: Frank D’Armata Letterer: Albert Deschesne Release Date: August 17th 2005 When I was asked to go back and write a review for New Avengers: Breakout, I was initially excited by the prospect of getting to revisit this book. When I first read the TPB, I really enjoyed what Brian Michael Bendis did with the story and appreciated the way that he gave the Avengers comics a much-needed soft reboot. Seven years down the line from when I first read it, it unfortunately has not aged particularly well. Upon reading it for the first time, my favourite part of the story was the titular breakout sequence that takes place across the first two issues included in the book. This is still the case today upon re-reading the TBP. Whilst it is a fairly contrived situation, with the obvious foreshadowing of Foggy Nelson worrying about a breakout coming across as painfully obvious foreshadowing, the breakout sequence is fun. The action that takes place in this segment of the book is well-written and the rap-sheet style character briefs that are shown alongside the appearance of each major villain are cool. It is also a fascinating situation to see Matt Murdoch to be caught in, as a prison is a very bad place for a prosecuting lawyer to be during a prison break. Unfortunately, this is the only part of the book that I enjoyed re-reading for a second time. After the prison break takes place, the pace of the story grinds to a halt and then crawls very slowly to the end of the sixth issue. It felt so aimless and meandering whilst reading through it and I was constantly checking how much longer I still had to go before the book was done. This is never a good sign for a comic book story. The plot following the straightforward breakout sequence is also far more unnecessarily convoluted than it ever had to be. This is even referenced in the dialogue, when Spiderman quips at one point that he has “no idea what is going on, more so than usual!” Pointing out how overly confusing and messy your story is doesn’t make up for writing a convoluted mess of a plot Bendis. There is also an unfortunate section of the book where the male members of the team gawk at Spider-Woman after she suits up for the first time. It is fairly brief, but in a post me-too era, the panels haven’t aged particularly well at all. The lingering panel on Spider-Woman’s detailed physique in her skin-tight costume feels particularly off-putting and sleazy. In terms of the book’s artwork, I enjoyed David Finch’s pencils for the most part. I thought that the way that Jigsaw was drawn looked awesome, there was a particularly striking splash page of Carnage appearing behind foggy during the breakout sequence that I enjoyed and I thought that the Quinjet looked really cool in this book. That being said, there were certain panels where I was not a huge fan of how Steve Rodgers’ face was drawn. Some of his expressions looked somewhat goofy and even when he wasn’t being overly expressive, I wasn’t into the way that his features were drawn. Some of his poses also bend the laws of what is biologically possible. I also felt that there were some questionable colour choices on Frank D’Armata’s part. I usually enjoy D’Armata’s work, but not so much in this book. There was one page in particular that showed Daredevil in his full red costume standing in front of a red sky that was a very similar shade of red to The Man Without Fear’s costume. This meant that the character didn’t really stand out on the page, as the background colour was so similar to the costume’s colour. Overall, I was fairly disappointed upon revisiting New Avengers: Breakout for review. I wish that this wasn’t the case, but unfortunately this book simply did not stand up to the test of time in my eyes. It felt very dated at points and confusing and boring in others. This is probably my least favourite Brain Michael Bendis story that I’ve revisited recently for review.
Review: House of M (Marvel Comics) – The Day Mutants Died
Review: House of M – A World Without Heroes? Publisher: Marvel Comics Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: Olivier Coipel Release Date: June – November 2005 House of M asks a dangerous question. If you could have your heart’s desire, would you take it? Even if it meant living a lie? In this massive 2005 crossover, Brian Michael Bendis explores this existential dilemma. Following the chaos of Avengers: Disassembled, the Avengers and X-Men must decide the fate of the Scarlet Witch. Her breakdown threatens reality itself. But before they can act, the world changes. A Perfect World? The story drops us into an alternate reality. Mutants are the dominant species. Humans are the minority. Everyone has what they always wanted. Peter Parker is a celebrity married to Gwen Stacy. Wolverine is a high-ranking SHIELD agent. Magneto rules the world. Bendis handles this setup brilliantly. He uses the medium to make the reader question their own desires. Would you accept a fake paradise to escape real pain? This concept is fascinating. We see a world where Magneto has won. Yet, in the early panels, he shows striking regret. He repents for dragging his children into his war. This adds depth to a villain who is usually unwavering. Wanda’s Mental State The emotional core of this book is Wanda Maximoff. The slow build-up of her anguish is heartbreaking. She carries the baggage of losing her children and her husband, Vision. Bendis presents these ideas much better here than in Avengers: Disassembled. The execution is less heavy-handed. The narrative flows naturally toward the inevitable conclusion. We know where it is going, but that knowledge makes the journey more somber. The heroes work hard to fix reality, unaware that they are racing toward a tragedy. The Art of Reality Olivier Coipel’s art is a highlight. His pencils capture a phenomenal level of detail. In a story filled with grief, facial expressions matter. Coipel delivers. I also appreciated the costume design. In this alternate universe, the heroes wear different outfits. The attention to detail in these new designs is impressive. It makes the “House of M” world feel lived-in and distinct from the regular Marvel Universe (Earth-616). However, there is one small issue. The cover art often displays costumes that don’t match the interior panels. This is a common issue in comics, but it is distracting here. For a major event from a company like Marvel, you expect better consistency. Why It Matters This story changed everything. It ends with three simple words: “No More Mutants.” This single moment decimated the mutant population. It changed the dynamic of X-Men comics for nearly a decade. Revisiting it now, the stakes feel just as high. It is also fascinating to view this through the lens of the MCU. With WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we see live-action adaptations tackling similar themes of grief and reality warping. Final Verdict I am glad I revisited House of M. It remains one of Brian Michael Bendis’ best works. The artwork complements the story perfectly. The themes of PTSD and trauma add weight to the superhero action. There is a reason fans remember this book so fondly. It is arguably one of Marvel’s best crossover events. If you want to understand the modern history of the X-Men, you must read this book. Score: 5/5 More Reviews from BGCP Review: Avengers Disassembled Review: Watchmen
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Avengers Disassembled Review: How It Changed Marvel Forever
Review: Avengers Disassembled – The Day the Heroes Fell Publisher: Marvel Comics Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Penciller: David Finch Release Date: August 2004 – January 2005 Avengers Disassembled is infamous. Written by Brian Michael Bendis in 2004, this story arc ended the classic Avengers era. It also paved the way for the modern “New Avengers” line up. The story remains controversial. Bendis treats fan-favourite characters with brutal indifference. At the time, this caused an uproar. The repercussions shook the entire Marvel Universe. But does it hold up today? A Controversial Classic I missed this arc when it first dropped in 2004. I finally read the trade paperback ten years later. Perhaps that delay helped me enjoy it more. Fans took the destruction of their heroes personally at the time. With the benefit of hindsight, we can view it through a historical lens. We know where the characters end up. However, the book is far from perfect. I generally enjoy Brian Michael Bendis’ work. I appreciate his goal here. He wanted to strip down a bloated history. He wanted to clear the crowded roster. This allows characters to have fresh starts. It is similar to DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths, but on a smaller scale. Unfortunately, the execution feels heavy-handed. The intention is rarely subtle. Chaos Erupts I am glad I read the collected edition. If I had waited week-to-week for single issues, I might have quit. The first few chapters offer inexplicable chaos. There is no clear explanation for the madness. However, the main title is “Chaos.” You certainly can’t accuse Marvel of false advertising. Seeing the team thrown into total disarray is fascinating. The Avengers are usually in control. They protect Earth’s citizens with confidence. Seeing them lose that control so quickly is a shock to both the characters and the reader. The problem is the pacing. Crazy events play out consecutively. There is no time to breathe. We never see the heroes process the gravity of their situation. Major characters die, yet the story breezes past them for the next big shock. This makes some of the boldest story beats feel hollow. Not for Beginners A quick word of advice: Do not start here. If you are new to Marvel comics, this is a terrible entry point. I know Marvel’s convoluted continuity well. Even I struggled to follow certain sections of this story. You need a firm grasp of pre-2004 Avengers history to truly understand the impact. The Art: Dark and Gritty I have mixed feelings about the artwork. David Finch’s pencils capture the grand scale of the story brilliantly. He shows the magnitude of destruction perfectly. However, the intimate moments suffer. The way Finch draws faces often feels out of place. It takes away from the emotional gravity of the situation. Frank D’Armata’s colors don’t always help. His style is bright and bold. I think certain scenes needed a muted palette. The garish colours clash with the darker story beats. Issues with Age Revisiting this book in the modern era reveals some flaws. Specifically, the costumes haven’t aged well. This is especially true for the female characters. We have seen shows like The Boys parody the “closet lasciviousness” of comic art. In that light, the impractical leather and spandex designs stick out like a sore thumb. The Highlight The artistic highlight comes in the finale. The surviving Avengers gather to reminisce. We get a beautiful series of two-page spreads. These show a highlight reel of the Avengers’ greatest moments. Different artists draw each flashback. We see Captain America’s revival. We see Wanda and Vision’s wedding. This savvy decision recaptures classic moments for a modern audience. It allows each artist to put their own spin on history. Final Verdict I have given Bendis’ writing a bit of a bashing in this review. Despite that, I still enjoy this book. I can’t fault the unflinching boldness of the writing. It is refreshing to see our favorite heroes out of their depth. This story had to happen. It set up the massive success of New Avengers and House of M. I understand the fan backlash. But I appreciate the guts it took to publish this. If you know your history and want to see the Avengers break, you will enjoy Avengers Disassembled. Score: 4/5
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