Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 3 - World Tour

While on an international press tour for his book, Professor Xavier is forced to confront a dark secret from his past when his homicidal son escapes from his confines on Muir Island. He sends the X-Men into the field to capture him, but it soon becomes clear that their powers may not be enough to stop his wayward son. Then, Jean Grey and Cyclops are tasked with bringing Colossus back into the fold after he leaves the team and heads home to Russia.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 3: World Tour collects Ultimate X-Men #13-20, written by Mark Millar and Chuck Austen with art by Adam Kubert and Chris Bachalo.

World Tour serves as an update of the classic Proteus Saga from X-Men #125-128. In this version, Proteus is reimagined as the twisted son of Professor Xavier and Moira MacTaggert. After years of being confined to Muir Island through sedation, David Xavier awakens from his sleep when he senses Professor Xavier’s presence in Europe and sets about enacting his revenge on the man who abandoned him when he was still a child. It’s a creative modernization of the story and the twist of Proteus being Professor Xavier’s son is actually something I would have liked to have been canon in the main Marvel universe. Millar is to further be commended for the way in which he infuses the theme of parental abandonment into this narrative. David Xavier is a complex villain because he commits unforgiveable acts of murder and yet has an upbringing that begs the reader to empathize with him. His father was neglectful and abandoned him when David needed him the most. This is made worse by the fact that his father has now created a surrogate family for himself with the X-Men, intensifying his feelings of loneliness and rejection. It humanizes both David and Professor Xavier, the latter of which used to seem more like an archetype than an individual who makes mistakes in his pursuit of his dream.

The validity and effectiveness of pacifism is another theme that permeates this story arc. Professor Xavier preaches a non-aggressive approach to the protection of human lives, which is something that doesn’t always seem to work in implementation. Colossus in particular doesn’t share the same views as his mentor and leaves the team because of this, though he has added reasons pertaining to his feelings of underappreciation and the endangerment he faces as a member of the X-Men. Colossus also vehemently disagrees with Professor Xavier’s psychic manipulation of Magneto. Indeed, many important questions are raised here. Are non-violent actions a viable solution when faced with aggressive opponents? Can one really claim they are a pacifist when they’re manipulating the mind of another person without their permission? World Tour doesn’t really provide any answers to either of those questions. Although, Millar comes close as he gives the X-Men an irredeemable foe that must be dealt with in as aggressive a manner as possible. Professor Xavier’s psychic surgery of Magneto’s mind creates a rift in the X-Men as well. There’s a growing distrust towards him, particularly from Beast and Colossus, the former of which suspects that his relationship with Storm may be a lie. These kinds of character explorations are really interesting and help to add depth to this collection.

The main storyline for this collection is really great. Millar pens a really cohesive narrative that is sure to resonate with readers and he continues to flesh out these characters so that they feel like complicated individuals. Kubert and Bachalo’s pencils are noteworthy, with Bachalo especially adding a touch of creepiness to the arc once things start to get topsy-turvy with David’s manipulation of reality. The two issues written by Chuck Austen, which introduce fan-favourite Gambit to the Ultimate Universe, are unfortunately quite weak and feel disjointed when collected in this trade. Regardless, World Tour is more of a hit than a miss and is a really fresh take on an iconic storyline from the X-Men oeuvre. Millar and co also get bonus points for their reimagining of Psylocke (a British S.H.I.E.L.D. agent? Yes please!).

RATING: B

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 4 - Legacy

When Norman Osborn makes a re-appearance after his apparent death, Peter fears the return of the monstrous Green Goblin will not be far off. Cognizant of the fact that Osborn knows his secret identity, Peter realizes the lives of his loved ones in danger. He must act quickly to stop Osborn before anyone can get hurt.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 4: Legacy collects Ultimate Spider-Man #22-27, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Mark Bagley.

Legacy is a remarkably straightforward story that structures itself around an inevitable rematch between Spider-Man and Green Goblin. Harry Osborn returns to school after a lengthy absence, which also prompts the discovery that his father is alive and well. Peter is understandably strung out because he’s certain that Osborn is Green Goblin and that he knows his secret. Sure enough, this proves to be true and Osborn threatens the lives of Peter’s loved ones should he not retire as Spider-Man. Naturally, Peter doesn’t do as he’s told and so Osborn goes after Mary Jane. A whole lot of nothing happens in between these events, which means that there are extended sequences of exposition and dialogue. There’s barely even a glimpse of a subplot in sight. It’s actually reminiscent of the formula used within the Marvel Cinematic Universe – talk, talk, talk, punch, punch, punch and repeat! As such, it seems like what could merely be a three or four issue arc is stretched into six.

For the most part, Legacy seems to allude largely to “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” (The Amazing Spider-Man #121-122). In this version, the Green Goblin lures Spider-Man out to the bridge using Mary Jane as bait. The events play out similarly from there. That said, Bendis and Bagley do inject fresh material into this arc to further distinguish it from its infamous predecessor. Notably, Gwen Stacy (who has not been treated as a love interest thus far) is developed further and we begin to see her imposing herself more into Peter’s personal life. We get a sense that things aren’t so great at home for her and she’s becoming more attached to Peter, as well as Aunt May. There’s an additional implication that this creates a wrinkle in Peter’s relationship with Mary Jane. Gwen is still an enigma, but she’s endearing to the reader. The characters still want to write her off as a freak even though it’s clear that she’s troubled for a reason. Harry is similarly troubled. He first seems to be free from the trauma that occurred during the series’ opening arc, but we soon learn this is merely due to hypnosis at the behest of his father. While I find most versions of Harry Osborn to be annoying, Bendis and Bagley’s take on the character incites empathy from me. It’s evident that he truly cares for his friends and desires a healthy relationship with his father, but Osborn is quite literally a monster. Harry’s arc is subtle in these six issues, but his role in the final conflict adds an impressive dramatic flair to the overall storyline.

Legacy visits a lot of familiar ground, particularly as it dwells on the theme of the responsibility of powers and the bull about how it’s necessary to lie (by omission) to your loved ones since it will supposedly protect them from harm. This combined with yet another “Green Goblin hurls a Spidey girlfriend off a bridge” incident contributes to the overall sense of déjà vu with this storyline. Bendis and Bagley also seem to be treading water as well, since this collection seems almost singularly focused on tying up the loose end of Osborn’s fate during the opening arc. It’s not the most impressive showing from Bendis and Bagley thus far. By its final page, Legacy leaves the reader with some closure as well as some hints towards the direction Peter’s life may take should he continue on as Spider-Man. Thankfully, it also leaves us with a memorable final clash between Spider-Man and Green Goblin as well as questions regarding Gwen’s home life.

RATING: B-

Review: The Ultimates Volume 1 - Super-Human

In the aftermath of Magneto’s attack on Washington, General Nick Fury assembles a team of uniquely qualified individuals to combat any future superhuman threats to humanity. Though the S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored Ultimates become the face of heroism in America without ever having thrown a punch, they are put to the test when they must bring down one of their own while the entire world is watching.

The Ultimates Volume 1: Super-Human collects The Ultimates #1-6, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Bryan Hitch.

Overall, Super-Human is best described as a mixed bag. At its best, it is a cinematic masterpiece that unfolds seamlessly over the course of six issues. At its worst, it seems as if it is written from a frat boy perspective with laughable dialogue and questionable sexist moments. Boiling it down solely to its storyline, this trade gives us an essential reimagining of the Avengers, one which proved so iconic that it served as the primary source material to the early films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It begins with a flashback to World War II, where we see the apparent death of Captain America. It’s atmospheric and captures the tone we associate with that era, which is obviously a testament to Bryan Hitch’s skill as an artist. From there, we’re taken to the present day with Nick Fury assembling a S.H.I.E.L.D.-sponsored superhero squadron. This team – consisting of Iron Man, Giant Man, Wasp, Thor and an unthawed Captain America – become overnight celebrities thanks to the public relations savvy of Betty Ross and a harrowing battle against the Hulk. It’s a truly impressive narrative due to its sheer simplicity and creative reimagining of the Avengers as a government-sponsored military strike force. In fact, some of the most interesting moments occur during downtime when we see the machinations that go into such an operation. Bureaucracy, manipulation of public opinion and (mis)use of science all make for fascinating themes within the mythos of the Avengers. Its pacing is admittedly slow, but once we get to the action in the fifth issue it’s positively explosive.

Bryan Hitch’s art is part of what makes it so easy to describe this collection as filmic. He strives for realness in his work, which is successful a great deal of the time. We see him capable of rendering accurate versions of George W. Bush and Shannon Elizabeth, as well as a Samuel L. Jackson-fied Nick Fury. This also ensures a kind of grittiness to his work and this edge creates a distinctive aesthetic for the world in which the Ultimates operate. Hitch should also be commended for his redesigns of the Ultimates – Giant Man, Wasp and Captain American in particular look really chic and streamlined in the ultra-modern looks Hitch depicts them in. If that weren’t enough, he’s also highly skilled at illustrating action sequences. Devoid of its dialogue, the fifth issue’s Ultimates vs. Hulk battle is a non-stop grudge match that’s tightly choreographed and detailed within every centimeter of the panels.

Where Super-Human loses me at points is the characterization and dialogue crafted by Mark Millar. Millar seems like he’s trying so hard to be irreverent, funny and contemporary with his work here, but instead it comes across as immature and incites more eye rolls than it does laughs. Captain America becomes wholly unlikeable for this very reason. He’s a jerk, plain and simple. He lacks the endearing qualities and quirks that make him so beloved in the main universe. Instead he comes across as a hyper-masculine meathead who is down to sucker punch anyone he deems as an annoyance. Cap is such a DB that he makes Iron Man come across rather favourably, though admittedly Millar doesn’t do much to actually make Tony seem like anything more than an eccentric. Millar’s biggest misstep is issue five. Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk and goes after his one-time girlfriend, prompting the Ultimates to go after him in order to prevent this from happening. Millar depicts Hulk’s motivations as being rather simple – he’s horny and he’s angry. With the former, it’s implied that the Hulk’s reasons for acquiring Betty are sexual. This seems to indicate that what he wants to do is assault her, which is extremely unsettling. What is more disturbing is that this motivation appears to be played off as humorous. The Hulk wanting to sexually assault someone is not funny, neither is the Wasp using her breasts as a distractionary tactic. We also get some weird dialogue with the Hulk expressing his desire to use Giant Man’s skull as a toilet bowl (ew). Millar uses a lot of crude humour that’s very unfunny due to the implications behind them and the level of immaturity that it seems to carry with it. Then there's issue six, which depicts a violent domestic dispute between Hank and Jan. Its sheer level of aggressiveness is really shocking. Millar's dialogue for the event really borders between being exploitative and depicting the realities of abuse. It's difficult to really judge whether the sequence serves to draw focus towards a very important and very prescient issue (i.e. domestic abuse) or whether it's there for shock value. There’s a reason there’s a parental advisory label on the back of this trade. It’s certainly not intended for the same audience that the MCU films are.

I really want to like Super-Human and in many ways I actually do. However, there’s a lot of creative decisions that were made that seem out of place and rather questionable for a series that reimagines the Avengers. Bryan Hitch’s artwork is certainly a reason to celebrate this book. His aesthetic is on point and provides a kind of grit that really draws the reader in. Furthermore, the basic elements of Millar’s conception of the Ultimates are really smart and relevant. His portrayal of this team as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents was really a marvelous idea and the way in which he managed to seamlessly weave Bruce Banner and Hank and Janet Pym into the organization is truly inspired. The pacing and plot are similarly very engaging. It pays homage to the Avengers’ very first issue, while also modernizing and expanding upon it. Sadly, the dialogue and character choices really hinder this collection from an otherwise well-deserved high score. Needless to say, I’m not much of a fan of Millar’s vision of Captain America and the humour he settles on for this series.

RATING: C+

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 5 - Predators and Prey

When the vapid vampire Harmony Kendall lands a popular reality TV show, the world’s slayers are inextricably cast as villains. With Buffy and her allies’ reputations smeared, they must find a way to continue protecting the very people who now fear and hate them. Buffy must also contend with a malicious renegade slayer contingent and finally deal with Dawn’s continued magical transformations.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 5: Predators and Prey collects Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #21-25, written by Jane Espenson, Steven S. DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenberg, Jim Krueger and Doug Petrie. Georges Jeanty and Cliff Richards provide the art.

Thus far, the eighth season has been structured with four issue arcs followed by self-contained one-off issues. Predators and Prey eschews this format in favour of a more episodic form of storytelling, enabling this collection’s writers to tell a series of stories that either build on or wrap up events from this season. These stories vary in quality, with the better ones being those that help progress the overall narrative of the season. Jane Espenson’s “Harmonic Divergence” casts Harmony as a Lauren Conrad-esque reality star whose stumbling efforts to achieve fame accidentally leads to the tarnishing of the slayers’ public perception. It’s an interesting turn of events, especially since the insipid Harmony accomplishes something on a global scale that legitimately hurts the slayers’ operations without even meaning to. It’s a complication that works well to ratchet up the tension and makes things more difficult for Buffy and her allies.

 

Steven S. DeKnight’s “Swell,” Drew Z. Greenberg’s “Predators and Prey” and Doug Petrie’s “Living Doll” provides a different function in that they’re responsible for tying up some of the loose ends introduced during season eight. “Swell” is a Japan-set adventure where Kendall and Satsu team up together in order to fight off the miniature demonic Vampy Cat dolls. Besides getting to see more of Kendall and being able to warm up to her character a little more, this story is notable for featuring Satsu moving on from her romantic pursuit of Buffy. “Predators and Prey” is both hilarious and touching, as we see Andrew and Buffy working together to dismantle the operations of a rogue slayer group. Greenberg more or less closes the book on the renegade slayer Simone, who functioned loosely as a season three Faith kind of a character earlier in the season. Beyond that, he pens a really funny scene in which Buffy and Andrew bond while en route to their assignment and he also adds a bit of genuine emotion as Andrew finally earns the trust and respect of Buffy and her allies. Then “Living Doll” serves the sole purpose of resolving the Dawn subplot, which means this Dawn-heavy issue focuses on Buffy having to save her little sister. It’s not the most interesting of stories, but at least we get a sense from its closing moments that Dawn is maturing as a character.

The weakest story collected is “Safe,” written by Jim Krueger. It’s a filler issue centered on Faith and Giles as they investigate a supposed slayer sanctuary in Eastern Europe. It has a lot of potential, but it progresses far too quickly due to its short length. It’s a treat getting to see Faith and Giles working alongside one another, but it’s done in a manner that feels far too much like skippable filler.

Predators and Prey is a mild step-up from the previous collection of season eight stories. The dialogue is stronger and there does seem to be a conscious effort being paid towards moving the narrative along. Its major flaw is in the stories’ rushed pace, particularly with “Predators and Prey” and “Safe.” With so many cooks in the kitchen, it’s actually remarkable that this collection feels fairly consistent. Of course, Georges Jeanty and Cliff Richards are to be praised for this as their art helps to unify all of the stories collected here.

RATING: B-