New Avengers; Illuminati #3 of 5 (Marvel) w. Brian Bendis, Brian Reed; a. Jim Cheung
So what were the Illuminati doing during, say, the Marvel Secret War? Discovering that the Beyonder was not really an all-powerful near-Godlike uber-critter (as everyone who has failed to blot him from his memory thought until now) but was actually a really powerful Inhuman Mutant. So when he comes back for Secret Wars II, the Illuminati go visit him in the asteroid belt, where they discover that he’s created an artificial Earth with artificial inhabitants, heroes included, who are the actual folks who were in Secret Wars II, evidently. They try to tell him to leave the universe, he offers them a world like they want it. Namor gets all kinglike and chides him on Black Bolt’s behalf. And things get a bit out in the corn fieldy, and that’s the end of the tale. Which, I suppose, makes slightly more sense than Secret Wars II itself, but it’s still a bit irksome. But the dialog is faboo, and the art is very nice. Still … an Inhuman Mutant? Yeesh.
Silver Surfer: Requiem #3 of 4 (Marvel) w. Joe Straczynski; a. Esad Ribic
The Silver Surfer is dying (since he hasn’t been getting regular tune-ups with Galactus). Having spent the last two issues learning this, then chatting with Spider-Man, he chats a bit with Dr Strange, then goes out into the galaxy. He finds two races at war, and resolves it by wiping out their fleets and their war-mongering leaders. It’s actually been a very moving series, and Ribic’s painted art has been a perfect touch. This has been the weakest of the three issues to date (the other two would have gotten five stars).
Streets of Glory Preview (Avatar) w. Garth Ennis; a. Mike Wolfer
Ennis brings his romanticism and violence to the old West. We get beautiful panoramas, callow youths, treacherous horsemen, and lots of head-shattering gunplay, much the hands of an old gunfighter who you know is going to be our protagonist. There are also notes from Ennis on the glory of Westerns. Looks like triffic fun.
Thor #1 (Marvel) w. Straczynski; a. Copiel, Morales
I Short of Walt Simonson returning to the title, there’s nobody besides JMS I would trust with something this big. And he proves his worthiness from the get-go, as the spirit of Thor … or is it Don Blake? … ponders his life before … passing to wherever he is. Thor is summoned from beyond by, yes, Blake, his existence returned once the gods were no more. Blake makes the case for Thor’s returning to the moral world. Thor fights the requisite struggle against the forces that would restrain them, and then … a man walks down a desert highway with a walking stick …. It’s beautiful, it’s understaed, and it’s promising as all get-out. I want the next issue. I want the trade paperback. I want Thor, dagnabbit.
Loved Silver Surfer: Requiem #2 (the chat-with-Spidey issue). Along with the Spider-Man Annuals this year, it was one of the most compelling character-driven stories I’ve read in a long time.
What did you think of the Annuals? I got the feeling that Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Annual was cashing in on the latest movie, especially as they canonized the Really Gigantic Sandman, but it was still a decent fleshing-out of the character.
The Sensational Spider-Man Annual was a nice look at a couple of turning points in the Peter-MJ relationship, and I loved the way Salvador Larocca drew the flashback scenes in the styles of John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru! Having cut my comics teeth in the 70s, their work pretty much defined the Spider-man cast for me (especially Romita). It just felt right seeing the characters drawn that way in those situations.
I agree with your Requiem comment. I don’t recall the Friendly annual, and don’t get Sensational, though that sounds like a clever idea.