The Comics Quickie #2

Last week (Feb 10th) was not a huge week for comics (at least for my comics) so I mostly skipped over that week. This week was much bigger so lemme get started with my reviews.
DISCLAMOR: The quotes I’ve taken from the comics are not exact. I’m typing this up at work and pulling all my info from memory. I’ll correct it later if I have time when I get home tonight.

Ultimate Comics Spiderman #7
*SPOILERS*
Over a year later, we finally get to see the return of Ultimate Rick Jones. I thought it was kinda cool how Aunt May ordered the three teenage superheroes to go visit Rick Jones like a mother would order her kids to go outside and play with the kid who’s new in the neighborhood. I thought it was cool how Johnny Storm (arguably the dumbest one in the bunch) was the one who pieced it together and figured out where Rick Jones powers came from. Another thing I liked is that Bobby has a little more personality in this issue, however I wasn’t a big fan of his spiky hair while in his ice form (it may grow on me though). Rick Jones powers remind me of Jack-Jack from the Incredibles, and I’m not sure if I like it. My favorite part though is the part in the previews where Peter and MJ discuss Aunt May. MJ calls to attention something I didn’t think about—has Aunt May lost her mind? I’ll be keeping a sharp eye on that woman in the next few months to see if she’s been replaced or drugged or doing drugs or gone completely nuts or something.

Captain America #603
This issue felt mostly like filler. I really enjoyed the Falcon and Bucky’s team up in this one (he’s not Cap Bucky is not a derogatory name anymore). I like how Bucky’s the one calling the shots and how Falcon makes fun of him for his plan of “get captured and rescued” plan of infiltration. You can feel Bucky stepping out of Steve’s shadow in this one with comments like “[Steve] better not have said that.” Though there were no real big revelations or action sequences, I really like the feel of this book (props to Luke Ross). It’s kind of refreshing that this story isn’t connected with any of the other major Marvel events unfolding right now. This book doesn’t have me on the edge of my seat they way Sieg and Fall of the Hulks do, but it’s a solid read. I wonder if the reason I like Bucky over Steve is that Bucky has much more of a normal build that a normal guy can relate too as opposed to Steve’s hulking body-builder figure with his pretty blond hair and blue eyes. The Nomad story is a pretty fun kiddie comic. I like how it’s a girl antagonist who does not have ginormous titties and I like how the story seems to take place outside the MU. These factors make it feel a little more fresh but still familiar.

Dark Avengers #14
This issue did not kick quite as much ass as #13 did, but it’s still pretty awesome (especially for filler). Here we Maria Hill lecturing Norman on how he needs to take time for psychiatric counseling or he will become the Green Goblin. Apart from the hinting at the Green Goblin’s return, what made this scene cool was how Maria Hill was yelling and screaming at Norman (the most powerful man in the world) and he just sat there and took it. I like how it is also hinted that Moonstone is acting out just to piss off Norman as if they have had some kind of previous “relationship.” I know Norman’s got a thing for blonds (Gwen Stacy and Harry’s new girlfriend/Menace), but I haven’t been keeping up with Thunderbolts and Dark Avengers long enough to know exactly what the history is between Norman and Moonstone. It was pretty bad ass how Maria puts Moonstone back in her place. I also really liked how Norman got Sentry to calm down and submit to his authority as well as Sentry’s newly revealed god-like powers (I thought he was just really really really strong and could fly in the air and space). The art is great in this issue. I almost shed a tear when I think about how Norman will soon be dethroned very soon. I felt bad for him dealing with the weight of the world on his shoulders and having to manage all his psychopath Avengers in order to keep America safe.

Hulk #20
I’ve really grown to like Red Hulk (wait did I just write that)? He’s a big arrogant bully who tries to rationalize his impulsive actions with “That was a carefully planned war tactic. I am the greatest war strategist the world has ever known.” He is a big red duche-bag, but I’m kinda starting to like him. His exchange with Banner at the beginning of the issue is hilarious. Throughout the issue Rulk’s inner monologue about how Rulk is a smarter man than Banner with a lot more character, class, and stronger morals is kinda funny when you finally look back at it. For the first time I’m starting to think that Rulk’s unknown alter ego has a HUGE inferiority complex and feels very insecure and inferior to Banner—not just the Hulk. Obviously Rulk’s alter ego loved Betty and had his heart broken when she chose Bruce. I don’t think I’m familiar enough with the Hulk to be able to recognize Rulk’s alter ego when he is finally revealed. Rulk is still an intriguing character. I didn’t like how Cyclops was drawn in this issue. His visor a little too Hulk-sized and looks ridiculous. It was refreshing to have an X-Men team that did not feature Wolverine or Deadpool. I was a little surprised at how easily Red Ghost carried out his plan with the X-Men there and how Rulk couldn’t/didn’t stop him. I’m really excited to find out what Rulk’s motivation is, what his intentions are, how much contrast there is between Rulk and his alter ego, what his roll is in all of this, and how he is killed/contained/neutralized in the end.

The Incredible Hulk #607
Good read. Pym is great in this one. He shows a lot of confidence in his grand entrance and in his leadership over/with the Avengers. This issue seems to be post-Siege because Bucky/Cap is on the Avengers with Pym, but then it could be pre-Siege because MODOK states that Stark is comatose and therefore not a threat. I liked the big disaster senerio which Banner, Skaar, and the Avengers found themselves and how Pym only made it worse. I may need to reread this one because I don’t really remember how they got out of that predicament or if it was explained at all. It just seems to transition right to Banner forming his team to assault the Intelligencia. I was a little underwhelmed and disappointed by Banner’s revealed plan. There’s gotta be something else up his sleeve. I kind of wish the issue could shine more light on Skaar and Banner’s relationship like the last several issues did. At the end, we get to see how She-Rulk got the drop on Domino and Electra. That mini story destroyed my theory that She-Rulk is really Domino, so now I have no idea who it is. They hint that She-Rulk has some kind of deep relationship with She-Hulk like they used to be good friends or She-Rulk used to really admire She-Hulk. Jazinda maybe?

Uncanny X-Men #521
Seemed kinda slow and dragged out, BUT it seems to offer hints and set the table for Second Coming… so read it!

*SPOILERS*
In New York, Fantomex saves the X-Men from a group of mutant powered scientists who are stealing the X-Men’s powers as well as creating a virus that’s specifically targeted at all the 132 known mutants living on earth. The X-Club finds a bunch of people underwater who look like they’re trying to rebuild Atlantis under Namor’s supervision. These water-dwellers are also wearing black outfits with a big yellow “X” on the front and back which looks a lot like an X-Men uniform. Meanwhile Cyclops and Emma find Magneto up on a mountain trying hard to use his powers to bring back Kitty Pryde in her intergalactic giant-metal-bullet prison. Makes me wonder if Magneto is doing this to gain the X-Men’s trust and ultimately take leadership over them.

Predictions:
Hulk:
It looks like somewhere at the end of Fall of the Hulks, the Inteligencia somehow turn a bunch of different superheroes into Hulk-versions of themselves (check out the covers for April). The question is, why would anyone want a few dozen Hulks running around tearing up the world? I really just can’t wait to see how Rulk ends up getting humiliated by Banner and/or Hulk.

Sieg:
We will find out that Norman used the Sentry to retrieve both Mystique and Odin from death/Suture-purgatory. Norman will have Bullseye kill Sentry’s wife and replace her with Mystique who will have nowhere else to go after the end of Dark X-Men. Sentry will turn good by the end of Siege, and if he does die it will be through sacrificing himself to save the heroes.

Second Coming:
Namor strikes a deal with Bastion to betray the X-Men in exchange for the power to rebuild Atlantis.

Deadpool:
As long as the Deadpool movie remains in preproduction Marvel will continue to publish WAY TOO MANY stray Deadpool comics as well as comics featuring Deadpool. Hopefully this will change when the Deadpool movie finds a direction which will transpire boundaries to the Deadpool character in the comics. Until then, we will have a Deadpool Corps, an X-Men Deadpool, a Deadpool who teams up with random heroes, a Deadpool who makes frequent appearances in ASM, a