<\/a><\/div>\nI read a lot of comics, but never get around to reviewing them. This is the first of three posts to talk about some of the titles (in this case from Marvel) that I'm reading and enjoying a lot.<\/p>\n
A few remarks in preface:<\/p>\n
1. I am a long-time and, at times, nearly solely Marvel reader. I never joined the MMMS, but you can consider me a Marvel fanboy.<\/p>\n
2. Marvel has a real problem with too many soft reboots and revamps and universe-changing events. None of those are particularly bad in and of themselves, but run too many of them together and it leads to chaos in the line. I intentionally chose a very<\/i> retro graphic for this post because everything else I ran across as a group Marvel hero shot was already dated. That's a problem.<\/p>\n
3. But the problem isn't necessarily the nature<\/i> of the changes they have made. In particular, the very obvious effort to introduce new versions of old characters — sort of an "Instant Silver Age" but with a high degree of diversity — has, to my mind, been largely successful. It's given us interesting new characters (even if they share a name and powers and some appearance to the old ones), and have often kept the old ones around in a new or different capacity. Overall, I've liked most of it.<\/p>\n
4. Marvel's apparently quite intentional decision to (a) get rid of the Fantastic Four and (b) try to replace "Mutants" with "Inhumans" has been both stupid and counter-productive, and certainly hasn't increased my<\/i> reading of Marvel Comics.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, I'll still reading a lot of them …<\/p>\n
All-New Wolverine<\/i><\/b> – I didn't immediately dive into X-23 because the whole X-verse got just too annoying to me, but since she's gotten her own title and story mostly independent of that other stuff, the new Wolverine has been a regularly good read.<\/p>\n
Black Widow<\/i><\/b> – This isn't quite as good as Waid\/Samnee's Daredevil,<\/i> but it's a solid read, doing all sorts of fun spy stuff in that "you won't know who to trust" vein.<\/p>\n
Captain America: Steve Rogers<\/i><\/b> – So I was as cheesed as anyone else by having Rogers "turn out to be" a sleeper Hydra agent. They came up with a just-edge-of-reasonable (well, deus ex machina)<\/i> explanation, so, since Cap's been jerked around so much the last several years anyway, I decided to stick with it. Good art and an interesting (if too-drawn-out) story (seeing how Steve Rogers' strength of will and even his morality seep through into his being a Hydra agent is probably the most interesting aspect here). I'm still not happy with the idea, but the execution is pretty decent.<\/p>\n
Champions<\/i><\/b> – Two issues in and this new "team of younger heroes \/ versions of classic characters" (Cyclops, Nova, Hulk, Ms Marvel, Vision, Spider-Man) is fun, fresh, and interesting. <\/p>\n
Civil War II<\/i><\/b> – Yes, it has a goofy premise, it's been all over the map in its effects, and it's been dragged out waaaay too long, but … damn, I enjoy reading Bendis' dialog.<\/p>\n
Daredevil<\/i><\/b> Not as good as Waid\/Samnee's run, but an interesting new setup (Matt's working for the DA's office?) and good, gritty entertainment.<\/p>\n
Doctor Strange<\/i><\/b> – The current run has been imaginative, humorous, and dramatic. Great stuff.<\/p>\n
Infamous Iron Man<\/i><\/b> – It's new, but the whole Dr Doom subplot in Iron Man has been fascinating, and watching him (for reasons still not clear) acting as a "hero" is looking like it will be enjoyable.<\/p>\n
Invincible Iron Man<\/i><\/b> – Again, the beginning of a new run, with the new Iron Man. I will be interested in seeing how this goes, but I'm enjoying it so far.<\/p>\n
Jessica Jones<\/i><\/b> – Bendis\/Malyeev revisit the character and I am so happy.<\/p>\n
Ms Marvel<\/i><\/b> – This book is still top of its form in showing how a young person deals with powers, growing up, and the clashes between them. It's a classic Marvel trope, but Wilson is making it fresh again.<\/p>\n
Scarlet Witch<\/i><\/b> – Robinson is going very strong things with this title, touching on both magic in the MU and in weaving a new mythology around Wanda (and Agatha Harkness). Always a good read.<\/p>\n
Spider-Woman<\/i><\/b> – Great layering of private life on top of super-heroics, and the problems of being a single mom while periodically pulling on the spandex and going off into space. Enjoyable.<\/p>\n
Squadron Supreme<\/i><\/b> – I've always enjoyed the various versions of these characters (Marvel's originally-a-joke take on the JLA), and the current run continues to clean up some of the mess of various Marvel events of the past several years.<\/p>\n
Star Wars<\/i><\/b> – Marvel's doing fine things with the franchise. I've been trying to keep the titles I pick under control.<\/p>\n
The Totally Awesome Hulk<\/i><\/b> – I like Amadeus Cho, and the directions they are going with him as the Hulk have been interesting and fun to read.<\/p>\n
The Mighty Thor<\/i><\/b> – I've loved the current run on the title with the female Thor. The art's excellent, the writing solid, and the fact that it drives some fanboys bonkers is icing on the cake.<\/p>\n
The Unworthy Thor<\/i><\/b> – And that "original" Thor (the Odinson) is back in his own title, and it's looking just as good, should assuage those fanboys (but won't).<\/p>\n
Thunderbolts<\/i><\/b> – Another one where I've enjoyed the various incarnations of the team (the only good thing to come from the Onslaught debacle), and the new one — with most of the classic members plus Kobik and (as leader(ish)) the Winter Soldier — is turning out fun as well.<\/p>\n
Anything on the Marvel side I'm missing that I shouldn't be?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n