More monthlies …
Oh, and, by the way, when the hell did Marvel stop putting the month/year on their covers? Very annoying. It’s still in the indicia, but that’s hardly the same thing.
Avengers: The Initiative #3 (Marvel) w. Dan Slott, a. Stefano Caselli
Yet another Avengers title. This one deals with new Initiative heroes in training, learning how to fight, how to control their powers, and how to keep secrets (from the bad guys or from each other).
Sort of New Mutants with Federal Officers. One trainiee whose death was covered up — is still alive? Huh. Hey, Dani Moonstar, no longer a mutant (is she still a valkyrie) is training the fear-inducing guy. Combat training with the Thing and Justice. Huh, the Feds have developed power-suppressing nano-darts (SPIN tech). Yeah, that always works well. Folks spot Spidey taking down some bad guys, and the first and second stringers trie to take him on; yeah, that’s always a good idea. And who the hell are all the scary Iron Spider figures that seem to be doing away with the bad guys while Spidey fights the good guys?
Avengers: The Initiative #4 (Marvel) w. Dan Slott, a. Stefano Caselli
Someone approaches one of the trainees to steal some SPIN tech. He does so, and it comes back (of course) to bite him when the Hulk returns (see the whole World War Hulk mess) and the SPIN tech darts are used to try to take Hulkie down (and don’t, but it’s not like the one cartridge could be the deciding factor there). The trainees are tasked with crowd control — but of course they end up going toe-to-toe with the Hulk and his gang. Huh. The title has plenty of (ho-hum) conspiracy bits and pieces, and a nice mix of both established Marvel heroes of different calibers, as well as new characters. It’s not great, but it remains readable.
Black Canary #2 of 4 (DC) w. Tony Bedard; a. Paulo Siqueira
BC’s adopted sister, Sin, is enrolled in a school for wealthy-but-potentially-dangerously-violent kids, but that’s seen as a good thing as she was raised to be an assassin. The League of Assassins plan on kidnapping her regardless. Bad move, as she wipes out the ninja assault team — and then the cops that come to investigate. Oops. But Merlyn ends up kidnapping her anyway. Huh. Whatever.
Black Panther #29 (Marvel) w. Reginald Hudlin; a. Francis Portela
The Panther and the other FF are trapped on a Skrull planet on the other end of the universe — which planet is being attacked by cosmically powered zombies if Earth heroes. It turns out this is an alternate unverse that the King Solomon’s Frogs have sent them. Yeah, doesn’t make any sense to me either — not the plot itself, but why we’re going through it. It’s done well enough, it’s just kind of pointless.
Black Summer #1 (Avatar) w. Warren Ellis; a. Juan Jose Ryp
In this particular setting, of a previous generation of “gun-enhanced” heroes, most are out of commission, but one of the ones who isn’t, John Horus, has just killed the president. Now goverment agents are moving to take out the older generation of heroes, including the cripple Tom Noir. Now Tom needs to get away from the cleaning squads, find out what’s going on with his former friends, including assassin John Horus. Um … okay. Kind of ugly art, and the story doesn’t quite gel yet. Judgment withheld.
(listening to: Keating, Ronan, “When You Say Nothing at All” from Notting Hill)
(listening to: Korngold, Erich, “Duel, Victory, and Epilogue” from Adventures of Robin Hood)
(listening to: Riepl, Kevin, “Descension” from Unreal Championship 2: Liandri Conflict)
(listening to: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, “Dr. Bones” from Zoot Suit Riot)
(listening to: Cash, Johnny, “Boy Named Sue” from Johnny Cash 16 Biggest Hits)
Weird, Black Panther’s in the Fantastic Four now?
Post Civil War (where the two found themselves on opposite sides), Reed and Sue decided to take some time off to work on their marriage. They invited in T’challa and Ororo to fill in for them — providing both the genius factor and the kick-ass power factor. It’s been interesting, but this particular story line is, um, not terribly productive.