Comics

Uncanny X-Men #3

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Uncanny X-Men #3Tipped off by Magneto, the Avengers arrive to arrest Cyclops for the murder of Charles Xavier when the new X-Men show up at the family home of Tempus, one of Cyclops’ new recruits. Although we don’t get the battle we expect, writer Brian Michael Bendis continually ramps up the tension as Cyclops and Emma Frost do a pretty damn good job of defending their recent actions, turning the blame back on Tony Stark and the Avengers, and making a pretty persuasive argument why Scott Summers’ team is necessary in the current Marvel Universe.

Thanks to the time-altering powers of Tempus, the X-Men are able to leave without bloodshed and allow Cyclops and his team to make it home and confront Magneto over his betrayal. Here again, Bendis goes for a far more layered option as Magneto defends his actions and how they helped the X-Men claim an impressive victory of the Avengers.

When all is said and done Cyclops takes Magik‘s advice to take advantage of the Avengers frozen in time to make a little recruitment visit to the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. Next month should be very interesting. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Star Wars #3

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Star Wars #3Tensions start to fray in Star Wars #3 as Princess Leia becomes increasingly frustrated with Luke‘s inability to follow orders and his flirtateous relationship with Prithi, another member of Leia’s secret squadron. Things aren’t going much better for Han and Chewie whose rendezvous with a contact on Coruscant ends with Solo shooting the traitor in the back and a shoot out with Imperial agents.

Unable to get Luke to follow orders, and stung by his words and reminder what he’s accomplished for the Rebellion so far, Leia benches her best pilot, but, as Mon Mothma suggests, she most consider whether her jealousy over Luke’s relationship with Prithi is clouding her judgement.

Darth Vader arrives at his new assignment, overseeing the Empire’s new secret battle station high above the forest moon of Endor: the second Death Star whose construction appears to have been well under way before the Rebellion’s destruction of the original Death Star. Worth a look.

[Dark Horse, $2.99]

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Threshold #3

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Threshold #3While I wasn’t looking DC Comics launched their only thinly-veiled rip-off of Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy as part of the New 52. Now I love the Guardians (both original and newer versions), so the concept of a rag-tag DC version of space explorers told by the extremely talented Keith Giffen doesn’t sound like that bad of an idea to me (even if the comic really isn’t all that interesting or well-told). At worst it would just be another New 52 mistake I could blissfully ignore. And then this happened.

Threshold #3 introduces the beloved character of Captain Carrot, created by Roy Thomas and Scott Shaw in 1982,  to a new generation of readers. Normally something like that would get standing applause from me. However, given the character gets his own 90’s Image Comics Exteme makeover (which seems to now be a prerequisite for any and all classic DC characters) I’m far less pleased.

I love Captain Carrot. I’m also extremely fond of Rocket Raccoon. You know what I’m so pleased with? Captain Carrot redesigned as a more extreme version of Rocket Raccoon.

…

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Batman and Robin #18

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Batman and Robin #18Following the events of Batman Incorporated #8, writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Patrick Gleason offer us this silent issue of the Dark Knight quietly dealing with the death of his son Damian. Even without a single word spoken (or even showing up in an old fashioned thought balloon) Batman and Robin #18 is the first of the “Requiem” crossovers to focus on the fallout of Robin’s death (and not just stick it in as a B-story).

Although Gleason offers several strong splash pages, some of the smaller individual panels of Batman out and about in Gotham aren’t quite as strong. This is certainly a comic that would have been better off to showcase more than one artist to carry so much of the weight of the storytelling.

On one hand, the issue puts Damian’s loss at the forefront and showcases the toll it’s taking on Batman. On the other hand it’s still a bit of a cheat as the hard but necessary conversations after such an event have still yet to take place. However, the set-up certainly makes the only words we do see, Damian’s final message to his father, certainly have a greater impact. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Fairest #13

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Fairest #13“The Hidden Kingdom” concludes with Rapunzel in full control of her bezoars and a war brewing on the streets of Tokyo between two sets of Fables. Not only does Fairest #13 resolve the dispute between the two groups, it also allows Rapunzel to keep a promise to her old lover Tomoko and return her Foxfire (despite Tomko’s attempts to control and kill Rapunzel in this very arc).

We still don’t know what happened to Rapunzel’s actual children, although we do learn that Frau Totenkinder does indeed know their fate (but, despite what her daughter believes, may not actually be responsible for their kidnapping). And I’ll admit I would have liked to see Rapunzel stay with Tomoko rather than return to Fabletown with Joel Crow, but as the saying goes you can’t go home again.

I enjoyed Rapunzel’s story, and hope to see more of her in the future, but I’m glad to see this story arc wrapped up here and move on to something new. The tone of the last couple issues took a darker turn than I was expecting, and, although it works, I’m hoping for a little more wacky fun with Bill Willingham‘s return next issue. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

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