Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… This is the second and final review that I missed. So here is ‘Astonishing X-Men’.  Hope you enjoy it.

Astonishing X-Men #32 (preview)
Writer: Warren Ellis
Penciler: Phil Jimenez

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with Emma facing off against the organic Sentinel. She initially believes it will not hurt her but still manages to go to diamond form before it hits her. Scott blasts one of its hands and Wolverine attacks as well but is quickly blasted away. Beast and Agent Brand go to their ship as the Sentinel fires out Brood missiles from its fingers.

Storm quickly blasts one of the Sleazoids and attacks the others. Beast fires the grapple from the X-Jet through the Sentinel’s head and begins to drag it out to sea. The others are fighting the remaining Brood. Armor manages to smash one of their heads and Wolverine slices up another one.

Beast and Brand get in trouble when the Sentinel fights back and starts to overload the ship’s engines. Beast applies a bit of science with some rockets and is able to destroy the Sentinel’s head. He has some of Warren’s people, Mutants Sans Frontieres, haul the body back to the X-Men’s headquarters to study it.

Taking their ease in the Med-Lab, Scott refuses pain killers for a wound he took during the fight. Instead the X-Men press Agent Brand about the Sentinel and what she is hiding. Eventually she divulges that there are still a lot of people looking to finish the mutant population and that both the Sentinel and the Brood missiles were based on Henry McCoy’s own theoretical work.

MY TAKE: This was another oddly mixed issue with science fiction and action scenes mixed in with the super hero elements. While it works for the most part, there are definite problems with the focus. The issue reads well enough and is still entertaining but it is just not quite sure exactly what type of story it wants to be.

The plot is not bad and pretty well done. While we have seen a lot of plots recently about destroying all of the remaining mutants, having them use Beast’s ideas is a nice touch. The alien element, while a bit out of place, does serve to incorporate Agent Brand. The timing of bringing back old mutants from the dead, is unfortunate due to the sheer number of resurrections that are occurring as part of Necrosha.

The tone shifts from humorous moments to intensity and back and it does not always work. Some of the dialogue sounds corny and the reactions are a bit overdone. Especially with Hank and Brand’s relationship. Still most of the characterizations are done well and the X-Men, outside of Beast, feel more natural then they have in other arcs. Although I have not been a big fan of Armor and Wolverine’s relationship, I actually enjoyed their interactions here.

The weakest point is some of the absurd and unexplained plot points. The biggest example is Beast telling Brand that there are no weapons on board the jet and then a few panels later firing what appear to be missiles at the Sentinel. They never seem to explain exactly what happens to that bio-robot either. Perhaps it was mentioned last issue but I do not remember and would have liked an explanation on what exactly destroyed it. The Brood missiles confused me at first also. Although they are mentioned later, it just seemed very out of place.

In the end this was a good issue and a fun read but there were too many questions and tonal issues for it to qualify as great. I am glad to see the Brood back and even the new Sentinel makes an interesting villain but so far the story has not used them very well. Still the potential is definitely there and if plot can be shored up and made to be more even and logical, I think the rest of the arc could be very good.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… Starting to play catch up now that I am back. Starting with ‘New Mutants’.  Hope you enjoy it.

New Mutants #6 (preview)
Writer: Zeb Wells
Penciler: Diogenes Neves

NOTE: Wolverine does not appear in this issue.

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with Professor Xavier talking to Danger. He wants to take a hand in helping out his son, David Haller, but Danger forbids it until Legion’s treatment is finished. The Professor is feeling depressed but perks up when the New Mutants come to visit. He embraces his not so young students as we see Doug watching from the window.

Ramsey reads the nice scene a bit differently with his ability to read languages now working on body language. On the surface, however, it is a touching reunion between the one time students and their teacher. While Doug is watching he is contacted by Warlock, which disturbs the techno-organic mutant, but he resolves to finish his mission and kill Amara.

The New Mutants return to their quarters and Magma goes to her room to change out of her uniform. Ramsey appears and distracts her long enough to beat Amara down with a club. He hauls the severely wounded woman out to the common area to confront the rest of his former teammates.

Although they are surprised at his return to life, the group wastes no time in attacking. Unfortunately, his ability to read their body languages allows Doug the advantage and he manages to avoid all the attacks and take down Magik. Another round of attacks proves to be useless until Karma possesses her friends and makes them unpredictable.

Their strikes begin to land and Sam is able to knock Doug out of the window. Roberto goes to help Amara but is unable to call for medical assistance. Warlock appears cradling Ramsey and demands answers. Warlock tries to access and correct Doug’s code but is infected himself. In the end Ramsey tears off Warlock’s head and shows it to the rest of them.

MY TAKE: While I am not completely sold on the Necrosha crossover, or the New Mutants role in it, I did still enjoy the issue. There was some very good character interaction, especially towards the beginning, and it was nice to finally see Xavier and the New Mutants getting together again. Xavier did form the team and it has been a long time since we have seen them interacting. The almost parental tone was a nice touch as well. The Professor was definitely like a father to the young mutants.

Doug was the glue for the issue, however. He was never a character that I really cared for during the initial run but this new take has a great deal of potential. Increasing his ability in combat helps, especially since it is a nice logical extension of his powers. But more then that, his ability to see beyond the surface adds a whole new layer to the character interactions and has some great story possibilities. The conversation between Xavier and his students was enough to illustrate that.

Most of the rest of the characters had a moment or two but did not get as much time to shine. I did like they way they used Karma’s power to foil Doug, that was both smart and original. Warlock’s return was done well and, aside from the unlikely timing, it felt pretty organic. Having him as a foil to the Techno-Organic virus should provide a believable way to save mutants from Selene’s control and it is definitely nice to have him back in the group. I am more excited about his return then Ramsey’s.

The plot is pretty simple and comes straight from the Necrosha one shot that came out at the same time. While you do not have to read Necrosha to understand what is happening here, it definitely does not make as much sense without that issue. I never like having to have knowledge of one issue to follow another especially when they are not part of the same series. This is even worse when they come out in the same week.

In the end this was another strong issue with amazing writing but is not without some flaws. It seems to be a bit confined by the requirement to fit inside a larger story. It also suffered from having Doug be both the antagonist and the narrator. While his return does merit some extra attention, seeing parts the story through his eyes limits the rest of the team’s involvement. Even with the limitations, it is well written and effective with some great character moments and true drama. I would prefer that this title stay on its own rather then try and cross over but this is still an excellent start to a new story arc.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… Due to a vacation, wedding and plenty of comics without much time, I am going to be doing shorter reviews for Wolverine’s appearances this week with no recaps. Next week, I will be out of the country but as soon as I get back, I will do full reviews of ‘Astonishing X-Men’ and ‘New Mutants’.

X-Force #20 (preview)
Writers: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Art: Mike Choi & Sonia Oback

SPOILERS BELOW…

JRPBSP’S TAKE: This was a concluding issue for Laura’s plot about her capture and escape from the Facility and it does a decent job at that. We see Laura finally getting to cut lose a bit thanks to a smart idea of lacing the water in the sprinklers with trigger scent. She is very tough here, almost beyond belief, even before her own personal berserker rage. The scene with her pulling out her admantium claws and burning her severed arm demonstrated that well.

The best scenes, however, are given to Wolverine in the beginning. We can finally see how he really feels about X-23 and their situation. It is only a page but we get a better feel for their relationship in a few panels then we have been shown before.

I was disappointed to see that Laura never really lets her guard down much in the arc. I was hoping to see a bit more of her human side, but instead she shows how tough she is. We get a few glimpses at the end when she discusses friendship and going home, but I did want to see more of that. I would have liked a more permanent end to the Facility and Kimura too.

Still, in the end it was well-written and a fitting end to the story. Laura finally got her chance in the spotlight and she was able to carry the story well. Agent Morales was a nice addition, a very human foil to give us a real understanding on how horrible the whole situation is. I hope we see her again in a later story.

X-Necrosha (preview)
Writers: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost; Zeb Wells; Mike Carey
Artists: Clayton Crain; Ibraim Roberson; Laurence Campbell

SPOILERS BELOW…

JRPBSP’S TAKE: This is an interesting set up for the Necrosha event where we get the beginnings of three separate stories to tie into the arcs for ‘X-Force’, ‘New Mutants’ and ‘X-Men: Legacy’. Each tale is done by the writers for those books which is smart but does lead to some confusion and disjunction in the issue.

The first story, which leads into Necrosha proper, does a very nice job of giving Selene’s history and goals while setting up a full-scale assault on the X-Men. The resurrections are fast and furious although few are unexpected. It does set things up for a massive event though with the X-Men being besieged by a hoard of former friends and enemies.

Of course, this is all a delay tactic meant to keep the mutant heroes away from the true threat. I was glad to see Selene finally arrive on Genosha island to begin her preparations for her ascension. Though I am not sure why she is spending so much time trying to take down the people that wronged her before becoming a god. I would have thought she would wait to become all powerful to indulge in petty vengeance.

The biggest problem with the story is that you have to have read the ‘X-Force’ issue that came out the same week in order to be able to follow everything. I do like making things tie together but since this is supposed to introduce the new story to people that might not have been reading ‘X-Force’, it would have been better to separate the plot a little. As it is, this could easily be titled ‘X-Force’ # 20.5.

The ‘New Mutants’ arc, “Binary”, was focused on Doug Ramsey who is instructed to take down his former friend Amara for Selene. It was nice to see Doug again although I am not sure why he is shown to be so inhuman when the rest of the Hellions seem to be pretty normal. I know we do not see their thoughts, but they do not read as robotic.

Once again, however, this story leads directly into the ‘New Mutants’ story that is released this week. Since this is a precursor to that issue, neither has to be read in order to make sense of the other. Still it felt rather extraneous to give a short introduction to a story you can read at the same time. It would have been smarter to have the first ‘New Mutants’ issue of Necrosha be next month.

It is nice to see the Hellions and Doug back in any form. They are good characters and I hope they get to stick around. There is not much to this story, but Doug’s power upgrade is impressive. He can now read and translate any sort of language including non spoken ones. It will make him much more effective if he sticks around after this story is over.

The final story, “The Foretelling”, is about Destiny working for Selene but trying to pass a message on to the X-Men via Blindfold. It is a simple tale but has potential as a setup to ‘X-Men Legacy’. Blindfold has been missing for a while and I am glad she will seemingly be the focus for the arc. I would have liked an explanation of when she got back however just as a tie in.

However, I am not certain about what the true purpose of this story is going to be. It reads like a backup plot, and since the ‘X-Men Legacy’ story does not start for a couple more months, I am afraid that there will be a lot of confusion. I would have rather seen the story set up a more in depth plot so it feels more relevant to over all story.

In the end this is an interesting start to Necrosha which does look to be an entertaining crossover. I am eagerly awaiting all of the stories, especially the main plot in ‘X-Force’. Hopefully it will pay off and have some real impact by keeping some of the revived mutants around in the future.

However, the different writers and time lines made things kind of muddled. While you can easily put “Binary” before the Necrosha story, it takes place later in the actual comic. “The Foretelling” is supposed to happen at the same time but we see Selene and her crew in her headquarters rather then where they were previously shown to be hopping all over the place. It makes it hard to see this as an single united story. While I know it has separate plot lines, when you put them in one issue they should not contradict each other.

Wolverine: Weapon X #6 (preview)
Writer: Jason Aaron
Penciller: Yannick Paquette
Inker: Michel Lacombe

SPOILERS BELOW…

MY TAKE This is the first truly original Wolverine story I have read in a long time. While it has some elements we have seen before, the idea of Logan in an insane asylum is very different and interesting. It is also such a natural fit that is a wonder why no one has done it before. Although this is little more then a setup issue, it succeeds in capturing my interest immediately. I especially like the Lovecraftian overtones in the issue.

Aaron continues to impress with his depiction of Wolverine’s personality and actions. It is nice to have at least one series that really feels like the Logan I am familiar with. The rest of the characters here are a bit too over the top to be really interesting yet. Doctor Rottwell certainly has potential but is too insane to be much more then a caricature so far.

There are definite problems with the details of the story, however. For example, having Logan write his message to himself on the outside of the door where he will not be able to see it makes no sense. Also, why would a man that is obsessed with removing and playing with human brains want a patient who has a skull you can not cut through?

I also hope that is is explained how they manage to drug and control Logan with his healing factor. Even extremely well-funded and technologically superior groups have had trouble with that, much less be able to put him to sleep with a push of a button. Since Wolverine now has all his memories, I would expect it is even more difficult to control him than before. I know this is just the first issue but since they spent a while on his so-called drugs I would have liked a hint.

In the end, this is a very interesting and original story with strong characterization of Logan. There are some details and questions that detract from the plot but only in a minor way. There is a great deal of potential here for this to be a truly memorable story. I hope it can deliver on the promise.

Wolverine: First Class #20 (preview)
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Dennis Calero

SPOILERS BELOW…

MY TAKE This issue wraps up the two-part Skrull, pre-Secret Invasion story with Captain Marvel. The Kree takes center stage and has most of the big fight scenes. While I know he was a powerful force, it does not leave Wolverine and Kitty much to do. They spend the majority of the issue running away injured or helpless and that distracts from the entertainment of the issue for me.

Kitty does have a couple of good moments but Wolverine’s one fight happens almost entirely off panel. Which also leads people to wonder, as I expect is intended, whether or not the real Logan won at all or if he was a Skrull all along. That simply serves to muddy the already confusing and overdone Secret Invasion plot even more. While that story was decent enough, I do not see the point of having it be revisited.

The plot is merely an escape story without much else going on. I do not know much about Captain Marvel but I did like him in this. He has a good balance of power and compassion. Kitty gets a few good lines and Wolverine and Kitty’s return to the mansion is amusing. But there simply were not enough of these moments to really make this anything more then an average issue.

I hope we get the focus switched back to Logan since his name is on the cover. I have no problem with Kitty having center stage either but if I wanted to read a Captain Marvel and Skrull story, I would go through the back issues. I actually like the retro feel but this was trying too hard to be relevant to current Marvel stories. At least Colossus is the next guest star so all the players will remain in the X-Men family.

Dark Reign: The List – Wolverine (preview)
Writer: Jason Aaron
Penciler: Esad Ribic
Inker: Tom Palmer

SPOILERS BELOW…

MY TAKE I have not read most of the List comics but seeing this I have to question why they were bothering to make it a series. The story is not really bad, it has some good moments and it was nice to see Logan’s faith being addressed, but it did not seem to be any different then any other one shot. Basically a throwaway story that featured Wolverine and others.

I am not personally a fan of any of the Weapon Plus elements and so I found it hard to get into the issue. It did not help that Wolverine spent most of the comic as a mindless fanatical beast. Therefore the bulk to the story fell onto Marvel Boy and Fantomex. Although they are written well and have some good lines, neither of them is interesting enough to me to carry the story and make it enjoyable. I found myself scanning ahead to see when Logan would be regaining his senses.

The plot, such as it is, was simply about keeping Osborn from getting his hands on the Weapon Plus facility, the World. It is good to have some kind of resolution to that storyline rather then leaving the place up and running for anyone to access. I did not quite get how Noh-Varr suddenly knew that Osborn was sending his agents right then to attack the place considering he left the Dark Avengers weeks ago.

Still for as much as I did not really care for the principles or the plot the writing was still very solid. Aaron has a flair for Wolverine and does a great job with dialogue and adding little touches of humor and characterization. I really liked the nod to Deathlok at the end. I just could not get over the rest of it to really enjoy the story. At best it was a decent read but one that will soon be forgotten.

X-Men Forever #10 (preview)
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Paul Smith
Inks: Terry Austin

SPOILERS BELOW…

MY TAKE This is the funeral issue for Wolverine and I have to say it is about time. While I know that the team has been busy, Logan died before issue one so it has taken ten issues for everyone to gather and pay their respects. Usually you see the mourning issue immediately after a death or no more then an issue or two later. This feels almost tacked on due to its lateness.

Still it was great to see everyone gathering together and remembering Wolverine and Scott’s eulogy was particularly well done. I am also impressed that with so many guest stars it never feels overdone and many of them get their own special moments. Some of these characters are ones that Claremont invented and yet has not written in decades. They do feel a bit dated but still have their own unique voice and style and that is great to see. It makes me wish that Claremont would include some of them as regular cast members, especially the New Mutants and Excalibur.

The plot was merely about the funeral, with guests arriving and reflecting on Wolverine and on what they have lost. But it was an important enough event that it pretty much required a full issue. I was glad that the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and even the Hulk stopped by to pay their respects. It was a good way to show just how important Wolverine truly is to the Marvel Universe as a whole.

One thing did really bother me though and that was the ending with Nathan. While I never really agreed with the whole Nathan and Cable plot, by this point Scott’s child had most definitely been sent into the future and we have seen plenty of Cable as well. Even if you ignore that story, Nathan should be no more then a toddler at the oldest. But here we see him as a young boy living with Cyclop’s grandparents. It was one of those moments that completely takes you out of the entire story.

But the issue was still good, it is just annoying that they are still calling this series the continuation of the original X-Men run when pretty much nothing of continuity is being honored. I am, however, still enjoying the series for the most part and am looking forward to the next issue with Colossus. They just need to remove all references to the past events and start fresh otherwise it is too jarring.

DiG here. With jrpbsp writing so many reviews this week in abbreviated format, I’ve decided to tack on my Week-in-Review at the end of his massive post. I actually enjoy this version better, so let us know if you prefer that we bypass the recaps in the future.

Hulk #16 (preview)
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Pencils: Ian Churchill
Inks: Mark Farmer

DIG’S TAKE: Jeph Loeb is a big name in the comic book industry. Unfortunately that renown has not translated into any quality stories in the Marvel Universe the past few years.

Just look at ‘Ultimates’ 3, ‘Wolverine’ #50-55, and ‘Ultimatum’ if you doubt my assertions.

So it should come as no surprise that ‘Hulk’ #16 continues this trend.

All of the classic Loeb ingredients are there: trite dialogue, grade-school parables and plotting that would shame Jerry Bruckheimer.

The good news? The X-Force crossover seems to be at an end.

New Avengers #58 (preview)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Stuart Immonen
Inks: Wade von Grawbadger

DIG’S TAKE:: Brian Michael Bendis can be extremely frustrating.

On the one hand, he has made ‘New Avengers’ a must-read book for close to five years, picking his way through three major Marvel Universe-wide events, sometime nimbly, sometimes laboriously.

This particular issue is quite strong (though I would argue that ‘Dark Avengers’ is better), but every time he touches the Norman Osborn-media angle, the believability just fades away, at least for this reader.

The Wolverine connection? Daken gets his ass handed to him again.

How did this guy ever hold his own against the X-Men?

Marvel Holiday Spectacular (preview)
“If the Fates Allow”
Writer: Jim McCann
Artist: Todd Nauck

DIG’S TAKE: This year’s ‘Marvel Holiday Spectacular’ offers an X-Men holiday story with tender thoughts of the missing Kitty Pryde, whose sacrifice has, unfortunately, largely gone ignored in Marvel continuity. So while this tale is most appreciated, its sincerity does ring rather hollow…

And last but not least, don’t forget the ‘Wolverine Art Appreciation’ collection that does a very nice job of reprinting all the Wolverine Art covers from earlier in the year sans logos and featuring background on each artist and art style.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… Only one review this week so here we go with ‘X-Men: Legacy’.  Hope you enjoy it.

X-Men Legacy #228 (preview)
Writer: Mike Carey
Penciler: Daniel Acuna

NOTE: Wolverine appears only in the background in this issue.

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with Roxy in Emplate’s lighthouse. The young mutant attacks him and DOA with her diamond shards but does not hurt Marius. Emplate then chases her down and feeds on her marrow.

Back on Utopia, Cyclops confronts the others about Roxy’s whereabouts. They quickly ascertain that Emplate took her, but they do not have a way to follow Bling! through the dimensional breech. Hope comes forward and says she can see the door and would be able to travel through in her Trance form. Cyclops refuses to let her go since she does not have the training. Rogue volunteers to take Trance’s power and go instead.

Since it would take a couple of hours to be able to force open the dimensional barrier, Scott agrees as long as Rogue stays in contact with the Cuckoos. She takes Hope’s hand and drains off her powers.

Roxy awakes in Emplate’s dungeon alive but feeling awful. It appears to be the same room where Penance was long imprisoned. DOA asks for time off now that Emplate has a new food source and is nearly killed for the request. It is revealed that Marius once has other servants but ate them.

Back with the X-Men, Rogue has Trance’s power and separates herself. She is able to find the doorway and slip through to Emplate’s dimension. The place is chaotic and she is attacked quickly but the creatures cannot touch her. Although at first she gets disoriented, Rogue quickly sights Emplate’s home and heads for it.

Marius goes to Roxy’s cell and explains her situation. She is trapped there and the X-Men cannot reach her. He tells her that he was exiled to that place and is limited on his movements. Before Bling! can pry too deeply, Emplate feeds on her again. He then makes his way to another chamber where he is feasted on and tormented in turn.

Rogue makes it to Emplate’s home and loses contact with the Cuckoos. She quickly finds the twisted chamber that is his bedroom. Curiosity overwhelms her and she turns on an old movie projector which shows a current scene of Scott talking to Nemesis. They are not having much luck breaking through and Cyclops wants a plan B. DOA interrupts before she can see any more.

Rogue learns that Trance’s sting cannot harm the creature but neither can he touch her directly. Unfortunately, he summons a group of extra dimensional monsters that feed on ghosts. They quickly prove that they can hurt Rogue even in Trance form.

MY TAKE: This is another well-written issue that focuses on the characters as much as the plot. Continuing directly from the Annual, we are given more on the story about Emplate and Roxy. While I am not a fan of either of these characters, they are written well and you can actually feel sympathy for them. Even Marius, who has never been shown to have much in the way of an actual personality before.

Rogue takes center stage again which is to be expected. I do like the way she is being portrayed as a smart, courageous and capable young woman. Not sure if she is going to be interesting enough to effectively drive the series, but I am enjoying reading about her so far.

The plot is pretty straightforward but it does serve to move the story along. We are given a smart and simple reason for Rogue’s involvement, and one that allows Trance to remain in the picture as well. I also enjoyed getting to see Emplate’s dimension and some of his house. It is something that is long overdue.

I am still not completely sold on this new direction for the series, however. While I do think we need a title that is focused on the younger mutants, I am not sure this really qualifies. Although Rogue has certainly changed and matured in recent months I do not really see her being someone that kids will look up to. It seems like a stretch, but at least they are taking it slow and giving the idea some time to develop. I would just rather just have a title where the youngsters are the stars.

In the end this was a solid issue and fun to read despite my not really being a fan of any of the characters. That takes very good writing and a well-developed story. I always thought Bling! was too silly to be redeemable, based on the code name alone, but she is shown to be smart, tough and resourceful here. I only hope the trend will continue and see more characters being helped through the title.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… For my final review this week we have ‘Uncanny X-Men: First Class’.  Hope you enjoy it.

Uncanny X-Men: First Class #4 (preview)
Writer: Scott Gray
Penciler: David Williams

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with Storm being shot at by a flying squad of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. She dives quickly and is able to knock them into the Hudson River and disable them without hurting anyone seriously.

We flash back to her arrival at Jean’s apartment two hours prior. She is met by her former teammate and her friends Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. They all go out to dinner and are having a good time until the drugged food kicks in and knocks them all unconscious.

They wake up as prisoners of a woman named Nightshade. They are wearing collars that will kill the mutants should they use their powers, and Nightshade has hacked into Misty’s bionic arm and taken control of it. She has Misty grab Colleen’s throat and uses her to compel Storm to run an errand for her.

Nightshade sends Storm to the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier and Ororo uses her rogue skills and mutant powers to get inside. Storm is forced to disable a couple of guards as she makes her way to the Cybernetics Lab. She retrieves the item but sets off an alarm triggering the pursuit from the opening scene. She returns to Nightshade’s lair with the item.

Jean then uses it to transfer Misty and Colleen’s fighting skills to a new batch of  Nightshade’s Cybernauts. The villain releases control of Misty’s arm to give her creations a trial run. Unfortunately, Storm had created a thunder storm over the warehouse when she returned and it blasts through the ceiling. Knowing it will lead S.H.I.E.L.D. to them, Nightshade bolts with Ororo in hot pursuit. The others engage her robots.

Jean also got the other ladies’ fighting skills and the trio give a good accounting of themselves. Storm, meanwhile, confronts Nightshade on the docks and is able to defeat her without using her powers due to the training she had received from the Black Panther as a young woman.

Inside, the girls are losing the fight. Colleen is knocked for a loop, and Misty and Jean prepare for the final attack. Jean decides she will sacrifice herself to destroy the Cybernauts just as Storm returns with her full powers having picked the lock on her collar. She quickly ends the fight. Storm decides it would risk the X-Men and Jean’s identity to explain why she invaded the helicarrier and allows herself to take the blame.

On the Starcore One satellite, Peter Corbeau is trying to send a desperate message to Xavier using a modified Cerebro. The station has been invaded and conquered by aliens from the sun calling themselves the Knights of Hykon. The rest of the X-Men are in the Danger Room training when Charles gets the message and tells them there is a crisis.

MY TAKE: This was a fairly weak entry into the ‘First Class’ series in my opinion. While the base plot is not bad, it is simplistic and the situation is overdone. I like Storm and using her as a focus for the issue was a good idea but she definitely needed a stronger story and situation to back her up.

My biggest problem with the issue was the dated and stilted dialogue and the one note 70s-era villain. While I never really read much with the Sisters of the Dragon, this read like a bad rip off of the stereotypical ‘sister’ speech patterns. I know this is meant to be set in the past but making a comic so obviously dated is just painful to read.

They had some real problems with the keeping the script and the art together as well. There were several scenes where Colleen’s dialogue was given to Jean and vice-versa. You can figure out what was going on through the speech balloons but it is distracting and confusing on a first read through. I kept wondering if the ladies mysteriously changed clothes and hair colors somewhere halfway through the issue.

It also did not sit well with me to see Ororo referencing her time with the Black Panther as a child. I know it was retconned to have happened but it was never referenced during the time when the comic was set. It felt like pandering a bit. Plus Jean was never shown to have much in the way of hand-to-hand skills and yet here she becomes a powerful fighter. You have to be careful in these comics not to alter the established history of the comics. I do not remember S.H.I.E.L.D. having any particular problem with Storm during this time either.

In the end this was an issue plagued with dated speech and characters and filled with mistakes both in continuity and with the actual plot and art. Luckily the next story, that has been running through all of the issues to date, looks promising. The Knights of Hykon have definite potential and I have been waiting for an issue with the full team since the beginning. Hopefully it will avoid the miss steps from this story.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… For my second review this week we have ‘X-Men Forever’.  Hope you enjoy it.

X-Men Forever#9 (preview)
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Steve Scott and Peter Vale
Inker: Al Vey and Gary Martin

NOTE: Wolverine appears only in a one-panel flashback in this issue

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with ten Sentinels attacking a village in South America. They quickly detect the X-Men and change to their primary targets. Being out numbered ten to five, the X-Men pull out all the stops. Rogue quickly destroys one as do Jean and Kitty. Kurt teleports to help those on the ground and Beast goes to join him.

Meanwhile back at the factory, Zigfried Trask is confronting Fury at gun point over her grandfather’s death. Nick tries to talk her down but she shoots him instead.

The X-Men’s fight has taken a bad turn with both Beast and Kitty nearly being killed. Jean decides to end it and takes out the rest of the Sentinels with a Phoenix-like telekinetic attack. The rest of the team is either impressed or scared, or both.

Ziggy Trask starts to tell a wounded Fury about what happened to her family after he and Logan killed her grandfather. How they tried to regain honor to their family name.

Back with the X-Men, they are cleaning up after the battle. Kitty has phased inside one of the robots and seen that they were mostly hollow with construction capabilities. But whatever they were making is long gone.

S.H.I.E.L.D. arrives in the nick of time to save Fury. Daisy repels down from a S.H.I.E.L.D. transport and disarms the doctor. Before they can question her, the transport is blown up and she uses the distraction to escape. Fury prevents Daisy from going after her. The X-Men return triumphant even though they do not have a prisoner. But they have stopped the immediate threat and are prepared for the next round.

Zigfried Trask has made it to the jungle where she is being chased. She falls and flashes back to her childhood. She was mostly raised by her mother while her father worked. She remembers a trip to see him in the factory where they made the Sentinels. Of course it was the X-Men that ruined her happy childhood and she never forgave them. She gets back to her feet in time to hear a robotic voice.

We get a brief glimpse into the Consortium as they lament their loss. The two men want to take action but the woman is urging caution. She stands and we see it is Mrs. Trask, Zigfried’s mother.

Back in the jungle the doctor is surrounded by robots but they turn out to be the end result of her Sentinel project and loyal to her. She now has a army to present to her mother and use against the X-Men.

MY TAKE: This issue read like it was two separate and unrelated comics. One was an issue of the classic X-Men complete with Claremont dialogue and giant Sentinels and the other was an issue of Fury and the Howling Commandos. I have been somewhat leery of the idea of putting Nick on the squad and this issue points out, pretty plainly, that he does not really fit.

Do not get me wrong, I like Nick Fury as a character and I think he can be very interesting, but he just sticks out here too much. I can not think of a single X-Men that would need to be rescued from, or even be threatened by, a scientist with a revolver. He is also saved by some of his troops most of whom immediately die. It is almost like having X-Men’s version of the Red Shirts.

The mutant band did not have a whole lot to do in this issue. They defeated the Sentinels but that whole scene seemed to run out of steam. It read like Claremont got lazy and did not want to have to figure out how to beat the rest of the robots and just had Jean do it all at once. While the implications on her power are interesting, we have already seen the Phoenix enough that it is overdone.

I did not really see a need for all the back story on Zigfried either. I do like to have a well-rounded villain but most of her information was merely a recap for those not familiar with the Trasks. Since the audience for the book is people that want to revisit X-Men history it seemed extraneous. The revelation that Mrs. Trask is a member of the Consortium is the most interesting bit of information we get.

Once again, while this is not a bad issue, it just does not feel like a complete or well-put-together story. What screen time the X-Men get is handled well, although I am still not sold on Kitty. However, if Claremont wanted to write a Nick Fury series I am sure he could have. Since this is a X-title the mutants should be the focus and driving force of the stories with everyone and everything else taking a back seat. Hopefully, Fury has learned his lesson on field work and will be back at base in the next issue.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey everyone, jrpbsp here… Things are hectic this week and will be next week too, leading up to my wedding and honeymoon. But I am going to try to get through the three reviews for the week starting with ‘Uncanny X-Men’.  Hope you enjoy.

Uncanny X-Men #516 (preview)
Writer: Matt Fraction
Penciler: Greg Land
Inker: Jay Leisten

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with Scalphunter waking up in the dark as a captive. He is suspended over a pit filled with Predator Xs. His captors offer Greycrow a choice; do a job for them or be eaten. His answer is obvious.

On Utopia, Magneto’s appearance has caused quite a stir. He is confronted by Xavier but he addresses Scott. Magneto takes off his helmet as a show of faith. Xavier takes him up  on the lack of mental protection and attacks his mind. Magneto begins to fight back but is quickly overwhelmed. Scott steps in and orders Charles to stand down and the Professor backs off.

Back with Scalphunter we learn that his task is to deliver the Predator X creatures. Magneto reacts to the confrontation by falling to his knees and offering praise to Scott.

We then see Scalphunter is given a C-17 plane that has the monsters loaded on board. He is ordered to deliver the Predator Xs to Utopia and he is told that he was chosen because he is a mutant. The leader says that they do not want to kill mutants but rather save mutantkind.

Scott orders Betsy to keep a watch on Magneto’s thoughts and gives the man a chance to talk. He relates his events with the High Evolutionary and getting his powers back due to a machine built from the Sleeping Celestrial. But the process was a dead end and the equipment was destroyed in the process.

Magneto returned to Earth since Scott had united the remaining mutants and Magneto wanted to make sure they can go out with dignity. Scott relates the story of the first mutant birth, Hope. They are interrupted by Wolverine reporting a problem.

They have detected Scalphunter’s plane and he is requesting an emergency landing and sanctuary. Scott does not trust the former Marauder and orders the Kurt to check out the plane while the others get the noncombatants to safety. Kurt sees the Predators and immediately returns telling Scott to shoot the plane down. The issue ends with Cyclops ordering everyone to battle stations.

MY TAKE: This was a decent if underwhelming issue that dealt with two interlocking, but separate, stories. Magneto’s return is interesting but not a very engaging plot. The character development is logical but  a little bit surprising. He has always been a proud and arrogant man and seeing him on his knees and surrendering so easily just did not work very well.

The plot was basic and a kind of boring in fact. We have Scalphunter being given his mission and Magneto returning and seemingly joining the fold. But that is very little action for an entire issue. Most of the space was taken up by dialogue but not much was said that was important. Several pages were simply recaps of recent developments and many others had few panels.

I am also not sure about the sudden change in Xavier’s personality. He has always been a voice of reason and friendship and yet here he attacks first and without any true provocation. I understand that the bullet to his head changed him, but he and Magneto have always been able to talk. To see Charles refuse to believe anything but the worse of his old friend was jarring.

I am glad that Magneto has returned however. He is a very complex and original character and there are some great stories that can come from his involvement in the new status quo. If nothing else it gives the X-Men another power player and someone that can compel loyalty and obedience from some of the more radical remaining mutants. Still I would have preferred his return be a bit more in tune with his established personality.

The side plot with the new group and the Predator Xs has potential although I am not sure how much a threat five creatures will be to an island of mutants. Still it will likely lead to a more action-oriented issue next month and hopefully an bit more information on team that captured Scalphunter and set the plot into motion.

In the end this was a pretty well-written issue but one where not much happened. After I finished reading it my reaction was more in the line of ‘Is that all?’ then anything else. While it is nice to give Magneto’s return proper respect, more needed to occur in the story for it to be good. Hopefully with this setup out of the way we can get back into some more complex stories.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… My store did not get X-Men vs Agents of Atlas so only one review this week. Without further adieu, here’s ‘Astonishing X-Men’.  Hope you enjoy it.

Astonishing X-Men #31 (preview | thread)
Writer: Warren Ellis
Penciler: Phil Jimenez
Inker: Andy Lanning

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with Agent Brand and a S.W.O.R.D. team infiltrating one of the Brood’s living ships. Unfortunately, they were expected and the aliens had already destroyed their lab and immediately attack the invaders. The S.W.O.R.D. agents are forced to make a retreat back to their ships. Brand is the last one to leave and her vehicle gets blasted as she flies away.

Brand attempts to repair the damage but cannot get the ship to slow down and eventually has to eject. The escape pod is still going extremely fast as it hits the atmosphere. U.S. Space Command attempts to shoot it down but cannot get a lock due to the speed and erratic flight pattern. They are forced to call the X-Men since the projected landing is in San Francisco.

Cyclops takes the message and pulls the team together including Beast, Wolverine, Storm and Armor. They take a brand-new rescue plane that is untested. They do not have time to put a plan together but Emma is able to reach Abby and see that she is unhurt. Once they are close enough, Storm hops out and does what she can to slow and straighten the pod but the thin air limits her.

Beast mans a grapple gun and manages to snag the vehicle on the second try. Wolverine jumps out but gets thrown by a broken piece of the pod. Armor catches him and tosses him back and this time he successfully opens the cockpit and grabs Brand. Beast detaches the line and reels them in with Armor, Logan and Abby matching a human chain.

Storm is then able to redirect the crashing vehicle to a safe landing site. On the ground Emma spots one of the dead students from Xavier’s, Laurie. But when she goes to confront the girl, ‘Laurie’ turns into a huge, organic Sentinel.

MY TAKE: This was a good and fast-paced issue with some strong action and tense situations. There is little enough plot but that is to be expected considering the compressed time frame for the story. While Agent Brand is not a personal favorite, she is strong here with some good dialogue and smart characterization. Unfortunately, it was also filled with some very convenient happenings and several very unlikely or impossible scenarios.

I think this is a strong beginning to the next arc with the dual enemies of the Brood and some sort of bio-Sentinel. Although ironically we have seen both of these recently, it is a nice blending of different science fiction genres. I do hope we get some explanation about how the new Sentinel is formed though.

I also enjoyed the general tension of the issue. Giving such a small time to react makes actually conveys a sense of urgency to the reader. I know I was flipping pages quickly, something only helped by the generally fast-paced dialogue. But pretty much every character still gets a moment to shine and a line of very witty dialogue. Wolverine’s comment to Brand was one of the best.

I am glad this is taking place prior to Utopia and is not being set on the island. It is unlikely that in the current settings that the U.S. Government would ever be willing to work with the mutant team. Of course that brings up an interesting point about how the new status quo actually limits stories, which is supposed to be against Marvel’s direction, but no need to go into that.

However, there are a number of other problems with the issue as well. The odds of a random object falling to the West Coast of America has to be a million to one and to hit San Francisco? That is so coincidental as to boggle the mind. There has to be a better way to bring Agent Brand into the issue. Not to mention the arrival of a vehicle that can save her just a couple of days prior. A jet that we have not seen before.

The rescue itself is more or less impossible. At the speeds they are supposedly traveling you can not simply open a door on a jet and step outside. The wind would be like hitting a brick wall at a hundred miles an hour. Storm and Armor might be able to protect themselves but Wolverine would be blown away. He would not be able to hold himself in place let alone grab Abby. Not to mention the suction when the cabin was breached in the first place.

There is also no way you can get six people from different locations into a jet and take off  securely in six minutes and still have time to in act a rescue operation. It took a full minute to make the initial phone call after all. It would have made more sense to say sixteen but even that would be pushing it. I understand and even applaud the use for short time for tension but it should be done realistically.

In the end this was an entertaining and fast-paced set up for the next story arc. It looks to be fun and action-packed run. I just hope a little more effort is put into making it believable. If you have to invent or shoe horn the situation for a story then the plot should be changed or at least reworked a bit. Still the next issue looks to be good and I hope that Wallflower might actually return in some form.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… It has been a very long couple of weeks but nearly done. For my final review for the week we have ‘New Mutants’.  Hope you enjoy it.

New Mutants #5 (details)
Writer: Zeb Wells
Penciler: Zachary Baldus

NOTE: Wolverine does not appear in this issue.

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP: The issue opens with H.A.M.M.E.R. sending some missiles to take out an unidentified E.T. Unfortunately it is Warlock who infects them with the Techno-organic virus and they refuse to detonate.

We cut to a scene with Scott and Dani in Brightwind’s new stable. Cyclops commends Moonstar on taking out Ares and offers to help if Hela demands payment. He then requests her to go back to teaching. Dani wants to stay with Sam’s new team but Scott has to tell her that Cannonball did not put her on the roster.

Illyana has just gotten done with her debriefing by Dr. Kavita Rao of the Science Team who calls Shan in next. She tells Karma that Magik’s destroying five personalities of Haller’s will resulted in consequences and asks for Shan’s take on what happened. Karma is worried about Marci, the child personality trapped in Legion’s mind. Roa tells her that they are terra-forming Haller’s mind to try and fix him.

A jump to the lab shows the Science Team mapping Legion’s mind and locking up all the personalities. Rogue is using her power to siphon off excess energy and keep him contained. The Science Team explains the gist of the mechanics to Amara, Sam and Roberto though Sunspot is only interested in hitting on Rogue. Magma pulls him out before he embarrasses himself throughly and Sam gets called to the Danger Room by Dani.

Returning to the interview, Shan relates how she figured out that Marci was killed by Legion. It was the only way she could have gotten into Haller’s mind without Karma’s powers acting as a link.

In the training center Moonstar hits Sam again but he refuses to fight back. She argues that she saved his life but Sam counters with her disobeying orders. She plays the friendship card and asks if he would die for her. When he says yes then she argues she should have the same choice. They shake and she hits him again. But this time he fights back and punches her straight in the face. He takes her feather and offers to buy her a couple of beers as a peace-making gesture.

Back to the debrief and we have gotten to the heart of the matter. Kavita asks about finding the personality that killed Marci, and Shan agrees that they confronted it. Rao says Illyana confessed to killing that personality in anger but we see from Shan’s memory that she did it herself with Illyana’s Soulsword. But Karma does not admit it allowing Magik’s statement to stand.

In the end we see Warlock arriving at the destroyed mansion and finding a picture of the old New Mutants. He drops it in shock when he sees Doug Ramsey’s grave is empty.

MY TAKE: I want to start out by saying I am still loving this series. This is a cleanup and transition issue so there is not much story but what it loses in plot it more then makes up in characterization and interactions.

The best part of the issue was Sam and Dani working out their differences. Moonstar’s use of emotion and tough love are well done but I had to applaud when Sam fought back. His nice guy personality gets overused sometimes and it was good to see him reach the point where he would not take it any more.

Another highlight was Shan’s interview. She is an interesting character that does not get enough screen time or development and it was nice to see her taking the forefront. Even though she was barely there, Illyana’s presence was felt throughout the sequence. I enjoyed seeing her influence as both a good friend and as a corrupting bad girl. Her amoral personality tends to be glossed over but glad we are not seeing that here.

The weakest scene was the Science Team and Haller. Although Wells does very well with the New Mutants he seems to be a bit off with some of the other characters in this issue. Also, Roberto’s flirting was very heavy handed and not like the smooth approach he normally has. He is not a bad choice for comedic relief but this scene did not quite click.

Also I was not a big fan of the art change. This style made everything look faded and in some cases features had to be over exaggerated to make up for the lack of inking. The overall effect made me think of a child’s crayon drawing.

In the end this was another spectacular issue of a amazing series with a few minor nitpicks. I am definitely looking forward to the next issue when we see Warlock returning to the fold and possibly Doug Ramsey as well. I am just glad that this was apparently a one-issue fill in for the artist since I do not feel it was a very good fit for a super hero title.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.

Hey, everyone, jrpbsp here… Almost done this for this week, next up is ‘X-Men Forever’.  Hope you enjoy it.

X-Men Forever #8 (details | thread)
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Steve Scott
Inker: Al Vey

NOTE: Wolverine does not appear in this issue.

SPOILERS BELOW…

RECAP (previous issue’s review): The issue opens with an enormous Sentinel attacking the X-Men field team who leap into action. Kitty protects Fury while the rest evade the initial barrage. Then they begin to counterattack while Kitty goes for the Sentinel’s foot. Jean tosses Beast at the robot’s head and he puts out the Sentinel’s eyes. Rogue then finishes it off with a super punch.

Fury is able to briefly talk to Scott and get some telemetry from the battle. But due to the interference they would not be in a position to help for long. We also get a brief look into the headquarters of the mysterious organization that is controlling the robots, but they are not having any more luck communicating with their people on site.

Beast and Nightcrawler go and scout ahead and Jean sends Rogue to keep an eye on Hank. Kitty is pushing herself using her claw to clear the brush for Fury and Jean. She is obviously on edge and nearly attacks Kurt when he comes back to report that they had found a hidden facility.

Meanwhile ‘lil Ororo and Lockheed are wandering around the mansion and run into Gambit. She is feeling out of place but Remy helps to make her see she belongs with the X-Men.

The field team gets inside the facility and finds the place destroyed and evidence of a fight but no bodies. Eventually they stumble on a loan survivor. She is disoriented and claims to know nothing about what happened or anything outside of her genetic research area. Beast finds the same logo on some equipment  that was worn by the people that helped the fake Storm. Rogue does not trust the woman and Jean and Fury seem to agree but Kurt and Beast accept her story.

We briefly see another confrontation between Scott, Xavier and Sabretooth over the latter’s being forced to wear a bracelet so they can locate him. The talk is cut short by renewed contact with the field team. They have located a massive attack at a nearby village and everyone but Fury goes to check it out.

Fury gets jumped by the female survivor who points a gun at him and says her name is Doctor Zigfried Trask, Bolivar’s daughter. The X-Men have trouble of their own as the arrive at the village and find a whole hoard of the massive new Sentinels.

MY TAKE: This was a decent if unimpressive issue. While there was nothing wrong with the story or characterizations specifically, it just did not have much of a flare. We have seen the Sentinels so many times that it is hard to give them much credit as a villain even if they are bigger and more powerful then before. There was really no sense of threat from them.

There are some interesting side plots mostly with the mystery organization but having a new child of Trask has definite possibilities as well. I liked how it tied into the retro story from last month. But the main plot never felt very immersible to me. It is a tale that we have seen too many times before, the hidden base with the killer robots and the survivor who is not what she seems. I reacted more with a shrug then anything else.

I am also still getting used to some of the personality changes. While these are Claremont’s characters in a sense, it can be hard to let go some of the later developments. Even more than that, Kitty is so different that I wonder why she was included at all. It seemed like Claremont wanted to make her like his recent Exiles’ Kitty and that does not work very well. The same goes for Sabretooth, who is probably the most well rounded and grounded of any of them, but he is nothing like what was established. And Beast should not let a simple flattery turn his suspicion into trust. It is just not logical.

My biggest complaint is including Nick Fury on this mission at all. He just does not mesh well with the group and their constant need to protect him hurts their ability to function as a team. I would be all right with having him liaison between the X-Men and S.H.I.E.L.D. but I do not see the point of a human on a mutant combat team. He seems to only be carrying a pistol against giant robots and he does not even manage to get a shot off with it.

In the end this was not a bad issue but it was slow and failed to really engage my interest. The series has been running a bit hot and cold lately but then not every issue can be brilliant. So far there has not been a really bad story so I am happy enough with it over all. I just hope next issue picks up the pace a little bit and we get some bigger plot advances. I know Claremont loves his dialogue but here it seems to come at the expense of the story and that is never a good thing.

Thanks for reading my review for Wolverine Files. I will be keeping to this format for the most part but please keep the comments coming and I will see everyone again next time.