Marvel Now

Avengers #1

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avengers-marvel-now-1-coverWith the launch of Marvel Now!, Marvel Comics gives us yet another rebooting of the Avengers (which was last rebooted only two years ago). The initial team apparently was chosen solely for their big screen appearances, although the issue teases a much bigger (but perhaps not really more interesting) roster.

For our opening issue we’re given a team of Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, the Black Widow, Thor, and the Hulk, of which only Cap and old Shellhead really are given much to do. The threat involves a weird group of aliens terraforming the surface of Mars, led by what appears to be a Jack Kirby villain that even Dynamite Entertainment wouldn’t be interested in, who have now turned their attention to Earth.

First, let me say I hate, hate, hate the obvious amount of influence the Marvel Studios films have had on this title from the get-go. Not only are we stuck with the, somewhat limiting, movie team, but the comic even finds a way to put Captain America into something far closer in style to the character’s movie costumes than I’d like.

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FF #1

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FF #1With the Fantastic Four heading out a time-traveling trip Reed, the Thing, Sue, and Johnny recruit a temporary team which will need to take their place for an undetermined amount of time between four minutes and indefinitely. Matt Fraction, who is also taking over the duties for the new Fantastic Four series, earns some points right away from me by choosing She-Hulk, one of Marvel Comics most criminally underused characters in recent years, as one quarter of the new team.

Honestly, I’m less exited about the rest of the team which includes Medusa, Ms. Thing, and Scott Lang who is reluctant to watch over a group of super-children while still greiving the loss of his own daughter.

There’s not much to this first issue other than gathering the new team and re-introducing the members of the Future Foundation (including Bentley and Dragon Man), but Matt Fraction and artist Mike Allred have fun simply showing off the various characters. I’m not sure how long I’ll stay with the title (I felt the last series grew tiresome rather quickly), but I’m glad I picked it up. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Iron Man #2

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iron-man-marvel-now-2-coverIron Man travels to the tiny nation of Symkaria to stop the spread of Extremis technology by engaging in gladiator-style combat with an Arthurian legend obsessed group known as the Circle.

The comic plays to the strengths of Greg Land as it offers several different types of armor and action without giving the artist too many opportunities to draw in porny women (although he still finds a way). The various armor of the Circle was created by an old enemy of Stark known only as Meredith who blames him for ruining her promising career. Knowing her armor couldn’t stand up to Stark’s one-on-one she put her faith in pilots by choosing gymnasts and marital artists including the talented Russian Alex Draguno.

Although writer Kieron Gillen is pretty heavy-handed with the Arthurian references and let’s Iron Man cheat his way out of a competition he should be able to easily win, the comic introduces a couple of intriguing ideas and a new stable of enemies for our hero. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Captain America #1

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captain-america-marvel-now-1-coverAfter growing disinterested in the end of Ed Brubaker‘s run on the character I was ready for a new writer to breathe life into Captain America. The first issue of the new series written by Rick Remender is a bit of a mixed blessing as Cap contemplates marriage to Sharon Carter and take on an old enemy in Armin Zola.

Yes, Remender takes the character in a new direction, but he also gives us a questionable introduction of Steve Rogers abusive father and a message (hamfistedly delivered at least three times over the course of the issue) that has been Cap’s guiding philosophy since childhood. I understand what Remender’s going for, but to start out a new series with a gross oversimplification of a character’s origins isn’t the best way to begin.

Although I don’t hate the art, I’m not sure John Romita Jr. is the right choice for the comic if, as Remender states in the afterward, the point is to take the series into the weird sci-fi stories the character enjoyed under Jack Kirby‘s run in the 1970’s. Hit-and-Miss.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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Iron Man #1

/ / Comics

iron-man-marvel-now-1-coverReacting to the success (at least in terms of the money raked in) of DC Comics’ New 52, Marvel moves forward with their own soft-reboot of several characters and titles starting with Iron Man. This new version, written by Kieron Gillen, is certainly meant to appeal to the fans of the current Iron Man movie franchise. Not only does it (not so subtley) introduce one of the big pieces to the upcoming movie but it gives us the Tony/Pepper relationship from the first two films that most mainstream fans are familiar and most comfortable with.

As first issues go Iron Man #1 is actually pretty good. I’m not sure it’s good enough to justify multiple issues a month at $41 (issue two hits stores in two weeks), but I’ll admit I did enjoy this issue. Gillen doesn’t quite have Stark’s voice right but the story plays out well even for those jumping on with the character after a long absence from regularly reading his title (like me). I was also pleasantly surprised by the art of Greg Land. Sure, the woman look porny as hell (it is a Greg Land comic), but I actually really like the look of his version of Iron Man’s current armor.

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