Review: X-Men Volume 5 - The Burning World

During a Burning Man-like festival, an unexpected supercell storm wipes out dozens of revelers and leaves even more injured. Naturally, Storm and her team of X-Men are called in to investigate this unusual weather occurrence. At the same time at the Jean Grey School, Krakoa falls ill, leaving Beast and Jubilee to root out the cause of his mysterious sickness.

X-Men Volume 5: The Burning World collects issues #23-26 of X-Men, written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Roland Boschi.

From its very first issue, X-Men has been plagued by spotty writing and has struggled with finding its identity among a sea of X-Men related titles. After its first three lackluster story arcs and an improved fourth, fan-favourite writer G. Willow Wilson was brought in to write the series’ finale. Like Marc Guggenheim before her, Wilson excels at dialogue and giving each character her own unique tone. This creates a compelling dynamic that provides each character with a distinctive role within the team. Storm is the stoic leader, Psylocke is the relentless warrior, Monet is the snarky tank, Rachel is the empathic psychic powerhouse, and Jubilee is the comedic everyman. These distinguishing characteristics help to give the team an identity and enable the reader to relate to the characters involved. Finally, after just over 20 issues the book has the tone it’s desperately needed since issue #1.

The story presented in this volume owes much to the 2005 British horror film The Descent, as it involves its heroines becoming trapped underground where they must then fight off otherworldly monsters. It’s nowhere near as brutal as the film or as harrowing, but it does allow its characters room to develop and gives readers a glimpse of their inner psyche. For example, we are able to see Storm grieve the then-recent loss of Wolverine and Monet reflects on the influence her mother had on her as a child. Though the character development is superior to what most other writers do month-to-month, the story as a whole fails to provide the thrills and chills necessary for leaving a lasting impact on the reader. In truth, it feels like a filler arc that’s meant to re-establish the team’s trust in one another and lead into something greater. The fact that there wasn’t anything beyond these issues is a rather depressing letdown.

The quality of this book is further diminished by the muddy pencils of Roland Boschi. Very seldom are the characters attractive and his anatomy is off at several points, which gives them look like blobs with jagged edges for fingers. This is made worse by the seemingly lazy details of each character’s face, which is rather frustrating since it seems like he put no effort into making each girl distinctive beyond their hairstyles.

By issue #26 of X-Men, it’s clear that it never lived up to its full potential. Wilson and her predecessor Guggenheim both showed how incredibly layered and compelling these characters are, but the narratives never managed to match that depth. Instead of being a great all-female alternative to Uncanny X-Men, X-Men was more like a character-driven book that focused on a team’s lack of cohesion until the last couple of arcs. There were a ton of great ideas (like Deathstrike’s Sisterhood from Muertas), but ultimately none of the creators left a lasting impression with this book. Wilson did an admirable job in The Burning World in terms of showing off her impeccable skill at writing dialogue and of understanding the characters she writes. This book should be recommended to those who are fans of these five characters since it’s so character-centric. For anyone looking for something on a more epic, Earth-shattering scale, you might want to stick to the event titles Marvel seems to push out every other month.

RATING: B

Review: Forever Evil

In the wake of a war that nearly tore the Justice Leagues apart, Earth’s greatest heroes have disappeared and have been replaced by their evil counterparts from another world. With no good guys around to stop this anti-Justice League, it’s up to Lex Luthor and his fellow villains to ensure that Earth does not succumb to the dictatorial reign of the Crime Syndicate.

Forever Evil collects the six issue mini-series of the same name, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by David Finch.

Forever Evil reads like the antithesis to its predecessor Trinity War. Where the latter was a multi-book crossover involving a large internal conflict between dozens of characters, Forever Evil is a rather intimate self-contained six issue story with a small cast and traditional good vs evil style narrative. The twist here, of course, is that the good guys are actually our Earth’s villains. Though this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a villain-centric mini-series from DC Comics and while this series owes much to Grant Morrison’s JLA: Earth 2, Geoff Johns manages to keep things fresh and exciting by focusing with pinpoint-like precision on his characters and driving the plot forward.

I’ve never been much of a fan of Lex Luthor as a character or even as a villain. Most writers depict him within this caricature-like lens of him being a maniacal and obsessive genius whose entire raison d’être is to destroy Superman. With Lex as the lead protagonist in Forever Evil, I was prepared to find myself glazing over much of the series with vague disinterest. Instead, I was surprised to find that Geoff Johns had made Lex a multi-dimensional character that was likeable and relatable. Much of this obviously had to do with the fact that there was no Superman around for him to obsess over, but it was also due to Johns allowing Lex to embrace his humanity and to show a wider spectrum of emotions. For example, Lex’s parental affection for Bizarro was touching and created an interesting dimension to both characters.

Another standout character from Forever Evil is Catwoman. Johns’ tone for the Feline Fatale is absolutely purrfection. He captures her voice in all of her dialogue, nailing the dynamic chemistry between her and Batman. She’s sassy, funny, but also loyal and smart. In a story where Batman is the only legitimate good guy, Catwoman proves to be an interesting partner for him and is the support system that he’s desperately in need of. As a Catwoman fan, I couldn’t be more pleased with how well she was treated throughout Forever Evil. She was consistently zipped up and was never used as a device to emotionally torture Batman, plus she got all the funny punchlines.

Still, Forever Evil had its share of issues. Besides Catwoman, there aren’t really many women in this story who are all that noteworthy. Atomica and Superwoman come close, but both are tragically overshadowed by their male colleagues in the Crime Syndicate. Similarly, Lex Luthor’s rebellion against the Syndicate lacks any female representation. Surely, Cheetah or Killer Frost could have been added to the roster instead of Captain Cold or even Black Manta (though that would mean sacrificing a few rather badass panels of both inflicting serious damage against Syndicate members). Furthermore, David Finch’s art looks disappointingly unfinished and his baby-faced characters lack expressiveness that’s required in the comic book medium.

Forever Evil is proof as to why DC Comics’ villains are so popular. Johns does an amazing job fleshing out his cast, allowing them to grow in their atypical roles as protagonists here. The focused narrative helps lock the reader into the story and keep them invested in the characters. Though not quite as epic in scale as most of Johns’ other events, this proves to be a nice change of pace.

RATING: B+

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy - The Complete Collection Volume 1

With the galaxy torn apart by interstellar conflicts, Star-Lord assembles hastily assembles a ragtag group of heroes to proactively prevent any future wars. Dubbed the Guardians of the Galaxy, this dysfunctional team must face off against an intergalactic religious cult, Skrulls and the warlord Blastaar. Their greatest enemy, however, appears to be coming from within.

Guardians of the Galaxy by Abnett & Lanning: The Complete Collection Volume 1 collects the first year of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s landmark Guardians of the Galaxy series.

As seemingly one of the few people who found James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy extremely underwhelming, I was eager to see if the film’s source text could shift my perception of these characters. Happily, it did. Abnett and Lanning’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an expansive book that delivers moments of enthralling action, snicker-worthy humour, and compelling character development. The series’ greatest strength is in its colourful cast of cosmic heroes. From the stoic Drax to the sarcastic Star-Lord, Abnett and Lanning provide a wide variety of personalities for their readers to latch onto.

Guardians of the Galaxy has a very large cast. This can be rather difficult to manage, particularly since not everyone is going to get equal panel time. Abnett and Lanning utilize the usage of confessional videos throughout the first few issues to really establish the personalities of those on the team and it really flavours the book well. Even still, in this particular collection the emphasis is placed mostly on Star-Lord, Major Victory, Quasar and Drax. Quasar specifically stands out amongst her co-stars as one of the more captivating characters. She’s contrasted against the more sardonic Gamora and maintains an unique bond with Drax, while she is further motivated by a desire to do good and to gain closure over the death of her lover Moondragon. The aforementioned Gamora has her own moments of brilliance and has a tendency to hog the spotlight once she opens her mouth (or swings a blade). There’s one particular scene in which she displays incredible selflessness and courage that serves as an endearing reminder of how well she can be written. Unfortunately, fan-favourites like Groot and Rocket Raccoon don’t fare as well. They’re fixed in roles as supporting characters and show up mostly for comedic relief.

While character development is clearly at the forefront of the series, it’s worth mentioning that the narrative flow of Guardians of the Galaxy is done seamlessly from arc to arc. While the title lacks any clearly defined conflicts that skews on a more epic scale (though the Universal Church of Truth come pretty damn close as far as antagonists are concerned), it’s a really enjoyable read. My only complaint is that it’s not as accessible as it can be due to its dependence on existing plot points from previous series – which is to be expected since this book was spun out of a miniseries. Nevertheless, it helps to have a working knowledge of past events and you may have to Google a few things here or there to fully understand the context of what’s going on.

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Complete Collection Volume 1 is a riotously good read with plenty of action and a pinpointed focus on character development. For those who loved the movie, this trade is sure to impress. It’s pricier than your average trade (I got it used for under $10), but will be worth it for fans of these characters. The writing is on point and the art, particularly by Paul Pelletier, is stunning. Consider me excited to read volume two.

RATING: A-

Review: The Movement Volume 1 - Class Warfare

After a pair of dirty cops are caught harassing an underage girl, an underground group known as the Movement kidnap them in order to hold them responsible for their actions. Simultaneously, a deranged murderer has been preying on the homeless of Coral City and is threatening the very people the Movement has sworn to protect. To curb corruption and stop the serial killer, the Movement must team up with one of the only good cops in the city and a powerful weather witch.

The Movement Volume 1: Class Warfare collects The Movement #1-6, written by Gail Simone and illustrated by Freddie Williams II.

As one of the more original concepts introduced in DC Comics’ New 52, The Movement promised to be a book that focused on the lives of those on the fringes of society. Much like the X-Men or even Doom Patrol, this ragtag group of heroes is diverse and quite unique in their overall formation. As I’ve previously commented, Gail Simone frequently does a bang-up job of creating new characters and utilizing obscure ones. The cast here is no exception. Our protagonists are memorable and easy to relate to, which works great considering none of them have the benefit of having built-in fanbases. Virtue, Tremor and former Batgirl antagonist Katharsis are standouts. They’re layered and incredibly flawed, which makes them seem that much more realistic. Katharsis in particular steals the show due to her compelling backstory and aggressive stance on the punishment of the guilty.

The Movement is very modern. At a time when Millennials are finding it hard to land full-time employment and where social media has changed the landscape of how we interact with one another, this title speaks to the world we live in today. We have authorities that take advantage of younger generations, disenfranchised youths looking for an outlet to express themselves, and a distinct imbalance in the power structure between the haves and have nots. Simone grabs onto all of these narratives and themes, weaving them together to pose a lot of important questions regarding today’s society. It’s smart and it’s funny, but also poignant and relatable. The Movement also knows how to deftly handle these themes without being too heavy-handed, which is great. The book never preaches or talks down to its readers.

Simone’s partner-in-crime, Freddie Williams II, provides some pretty colourful art for this collection. Generally speaking, it’s expressive and suits the tone of the book. There’s something very youthful about his work, which matches the characters perfectly. Unfortunately, Williams II’s art is also rough and has a tendency to look unfinished. This gives The Movement an inconsistent quality that is less than impressive. This is made all the more obvious due to its gorgeous covers by Amanda Conner.

Despite being compared to the Teen Titans and the X-Men, The Movement seems more like DC’s answer to Runaways. It’s young, fresh and speaks to what is going on in the world today. Tonally, it skews younger. This means it’s likely to be appreciated most by Millennials. Older audiences will surely find it difficult to relate to and invest in the main cast, which could account for some of The Movement’s mixed reviews or its abbreviated run. Nevertheless, Class Warfare is a great jumping off point and further solidifies my opinion of Gail Simone as a stellar character creator.

RATING: B+

Review: Captain Marvel Volume 1 - Higher, Further, Faster, More

When a young alien crash lands on Earth, Captain Marvel volunteers to take her back home. She soon discovers that the girl comes from a planet whose people are dying of an unknown sickness. Never one to turn away from those in need, Captain Marvel sets about uncovering a political conspiracy that is at the root of the planet’s diseased population.

Captain Marvel Volume 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More collects issues #1-6 of Kelly Sue DeConnick’s second Captain Marvel series, with art by David Lopez.

Much like the preceding DeConnick-penned Captain Marvel series, this trade proves itself to be an enjoyable and accessible read that showcases its titular heroine as capable, funny and multidimensional. As far as Avengers go, Captain Marvel is one of the more likeable in large part due to DeConnick’s efforts here. She continues to explore Carol’s desire for independence and her need to find an identity through adventuring.

Higher, Further, Faster, More is funny. Really funny. This is perhaps the book’s greatest strength, since the storyline itself is fairly straightforward and lacks gravitas. These light-hearted moments punctuate the otherwise paint-by-numbers storyline of ‘hero helps a doomed planet,’ creating many standout scenes. A particularly zany exchange occurs when special guest star Rocket Raccoon insists on killing Captain Marvel’s cat due to mistaking it for an insidious alien species.

Besides the humour, DeConnick is able to craft relationships between her characters that help readers to invest in the narrative and ups the stakes. Her dialogue continues to impress, particularly due to her level of wit and cleverness, but also because she’s not afraid to point out the hypocrisies of her characters either.

David Lopez’s art is also to be praised. Generally speaking, I’m not the biggest fan of his work. I find his characters often all look the same and his women tend to seem very stocky. Here, however, it seems like he’s put more effort into distinguishing his characters and the colours help to add more dimension as well. Beyond that, I’m most impressed by the expressiveness of his art in this collection. The way the characters react, particularly Captain Marvel herself, has an anime-like quality that really works with the overall tone of the book.

Higher, Further, Faster, More is cute and it’s fun. It’s a breezy kind of read that showcases DeConnick’s punchy dialogue and impeccable character work, as well as Lopez’s ability to illustrate within a campier style. This collection doesn’t have the same kind of sense of importance or as high of stakes as DeConnick’s previous series, but it’s free of the baggage Captain Marvel has carried with her and serves as a prime example of just how cool and funny she is.

RATING: B+