Hey y’all. Welcome to the fun quarantine
edition of my comic reviews. Its been quite a week. I’ve moved work to my house
(As have my roommates). Which means more writing time! That begins with these
here reviews and will continue for the foreseeable future. I also launched my
brand new Patreon! Check it out, have a look around. If you like what you see,
please consider donating. If you don’t, I won’t be mad. I’m just here to have
fun with all of you and share my opinions. Speaking of, I decided not to review
Young Justice or Superman this week because I don’ have anything
to say about them. You can check out my previous looks at them and my feeling
haven’t changed. But the reviews we do have are quite fun and I’m excited to
share them with you. So, let’s stop wasting time and jump in!
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| She's not wrong |
As always, I will be using a
three-tiered grading system. Buy means I think you should go buy this comic;
it’s very good and worth your money and time. Borrow means that I think this
issue is worth reading, if you can borrow it from someone; it may be worth the
money for you but I’m not confident in telling you to purchase it. Pass means
you should pass on the issue; I don’t recommend you buy the comic and generally
don’t think it’s worth your time to read. Pass is bad.
Spoilers for: X-Men #8, Cable #1, The Flash #751
X-Men #8
Writer: Jonathon Hickman
Artist: Mahmud Asrar
Colors: Sunny Gho
Letters: VC's Clayton Cowles
Designer: Tom Muller
Cover: Leinil Francis Yu and Gho
This is a strange comic series.
The first six issues were one shots that each set up a different threat to Krakoa
and the mutants. The seventh was a one shot that questioned Nightcrawler’s
religious beliefs and explained, in graphic detail, how the mutants that were
depowered in House of M regained their powers. Now this issue continues
a plot thread from Hickman’s story over in New Mutants. And it ends on a
cliffhanger, like the previous issues, and I’m not sure if it will continue. I
think it will, but the structure of this comic has made me uncertain.
For this issue, though, there is
much fun to go around. The primary focus here is on the New Mutants and the
Brood. You see, the New Mutants took a trip to space in their comic and
returned with this cool egg-looking thing. Turns out it is an actual egg. The
King Egg too. Which means all the various Brood Queens will unite to track it
down. And they can smell it from across the galaxy. What remains unclear is why
the queens want the egg. Its implied that they will fight each other to get it
so I assume this a mating thing. But what do the Brood gain from mating with a “king”?
I guess the future of this story will explain that.
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| Brothers, y'know |
The other big focus is on
Gabriel Summers, Vulcan. In X-Men #1, Vulcan was just there living with
his brothers on the moon being a weirdo. I had assumed that he had died 10 or
so years prior in War of Kings, a comic I have not read, and he got
priority resurrection on account of being a Summers and original X-Man. This
issue reveals he never perished and his experiences while in limbo (But not
Limbo) have left him traumatized. This hints at a bigger role for Vulcan going
forward as whatever he experienced will surely be related to the larger story
Hickman is telling. His experiences will also presumably have an effect on his
brothers, especially Cyclops as he has a habit of blaming himself for things he
can’t control.
Asrar is the third artist to
grace this series and my favorite one so far. His style strikes a fantastic
balance between being very detailed while remaining somewhat stylized.
Everything is communicated clearly and the amount of Brood that land on Krakoa
is portrayed in suitably epic fashion. The facial expressions characters make
are the true highlight though. Vulcan and Cyclops share a quick exchange at one
point and their faces may be the highpoint of the issue.
Verdict: Buy
Cable #1
Writer: Gerry Duggan
Artist: Phil Noto
Design: Tom Muller
Letters: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover: Noto
Wolverine is, traditionally, the
X-Man that sells the best on solo adventures. Second place? Cable. Well, Wolvie
already got his series so here is Cable’s and its quite enjoyable. Duggan is
also writing Marauders, maybe the best X-Men book going, so this is not
a surprise. I’ll never forgive him for the travesty that was Infinity Wars
but I’m willing to accept that was not emblematic of him as a creator.
This series opens with Cable
beating Wolverine in Krakoa’s hot new hangout: The Quarry. It’s a sparring
arena with official records. Also, Silver Samurai gets to dunk on Logan and
that’s quite enjoyable. Later, he goes on a double date, as he phrases it. Its
really more of a triple date or three-way date since its him, Pixie, and Armor.
As a side note, I would like to say how much I love the new, openly horny
X-Men. It’s a blast to see the change in dynamics between characters when they
are all just allowed to be free and express themselves however they want. Back,
on topic, the three are approached by a young mutant whose friend is lost on a
forbidden part of the island, so the trio go to find them.
They find the mutant, Fauna,
quickly but are attacked by a big… Bear lion… thing. Eventually, they figure
out it is lashing out in pain because there is a sword in its paw. So, being
the brash young man this new Cable is, he pulls the sword out. Cable is blasted
by a psychic vision in which he learns the blade belonged to a Space Knight (As
in Rom, The…) that arrived on “a primordial Earth” long ago and was killed by
the bear lion thing. He was able to cause it centuries of pain by stabbing its
foot, though, so who really won?
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| Now is not the time, my guy. |
When Cable awakens, he and the
crew are scolded by Cyclops, Cable’s father and commander. It’s a rough life
for my guy. Cable gets to keep the sword in what I believe is the first direct
step towards the upcoming X of Swords (Pronounced Ten of Swords) event.
We know little of what event will feature but swords seem to be the focus. And
this appears to be a very important sword as it reactivates old Space Knight
armor in a galaxy far away. The issue ends with a cryptic teaser of Old Cable
that seems to imply he invaded the Space Knights land long ago. Or at least I
think that’s what it means. That would mean the Space Knights will not be happy
Cable has one of their swords.
I would like to take this moment
to recognize Phil Noto, who sells every moment of this book. Fourth wall
breaks? Perfect. Cable flirting? Perfect. Everyone almost being eaten by a
giant bear lion thing? Perfect. Space Knights looking super cool? Perfect. The watercolor
style also makes it stand out from anything I read and most other comics I have
ever seen. It’s a great start for this series.
Verdict: Buy
The Flash #751
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Christian Duce
Color: Luis Guerrero and Hi-Fi
Letters: Steve Wands
Cover: Howard Porter and Hi-Fi
Paradox is right. That’s really
all I have to say about this issue… Ok, maybe there’s a little bit more. Continuing
where the prior issue left off, this one is a fine issue with maybe the best
moment of Williamson’s lengthy run. The biggest strength here is Christian Duce,
Luis Guerrero, and Hi-Fi. Everything here is depicted beautifully. Guerrero and
Hi-Fi have slightly different styles but are able to mesh them together well
enough that the difference is barely noticeable. The images are crisp, clean,
and tell the story clearly.
Its too bad that story does go
much of anywhere. It does explain why Godspeed has been helping Paradox for the
past 40(ish) issues: It was a ploy. This issue begins with a flashback to his
time as a cop when he was too aggressive and almost got himself and his team
killed by rushing in during an undercover bust. Seems he didn’t learn any
lessons from that; instead of waiting to discover how Paradox plans to
accomplish his goals, August just outs himself as a mole as soon as Godspeed
declares he was to be God of the Multiverse. That information doesn’t actually
help anyone, especially since he says it to Barry’s face so why not wait a
minute? As soon as the reveal happens, Paradox eviscerates Godspeed.
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| There's also some setup for next issue |
Paradox himself mostly stands
around for this issue, waiting to execute his plan. Couldn’t tell you what that
is though. Whenever the timeline changes, crisis energy (Whatever that is) is
released and that energy fuels Paradox. By “[erasing] the Flash legacy” he will
release enough to become a god. He does this by… Disintegrating Barry? I’m not
sure how any of that makes sense. The pinnacle of this issue, and maybe
Williamson’s entire time on the series, is when Paradox tosses Barry as if
their Hulk and Loki in the first Avengers film and roasts him. The entire
monologue, for your pleasure:
“Why are you a legend, Barry
Allen? I’ve spent centuries pondering that question. You’re not the first Flash
and you’re far from the last. But you are the one who is written about the
most. The one who shapes the Flash legacy. Why are you the one worthy of
the myth? Oh, I know… Because you died. You’re the great savior. The hero of
the multiverse. The martyr. But you came back and did… What? What good have
you done since your return that is greater than your own death? You know what I
think, Flash? You should have stayed dead.”
Turns out, I am the villain of
this story. I have finally been given a voice and it feels great. Everything in
this monologue is incredibly meta, as if written by a twitter bot, and exactly right.
It’s an incredible moment and something that Williamson has clearly thought
about. Let him stay on this book forever.
Verdict: Buy
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