Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 2 - Return to Weapon X

After Colonel Nick Fury goes missing during a S.H.I.E.L.D. assignment, the secretive Weapon X program kidnaps the X-Men and forces them to help in the rescue mission. They are tortured by the sadistic renegade John Wraith and the unscrupulous Abraham Cornelius in order to ensure their continued submission. Having earlier evaded Weapon X, Wolverine is the X-Men’s only hope for escape.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 2: Return to Weapon X collects Ultimate X-Men #7-12, written by Mark Millar and illustrated primarily by Adam Kubert.

In Return to Weapon X, writer Mark Millar re-imagines the shady government-sponsored program that turned Wolverine into the iconic Adamantium-wielding assassin. In the Ultimate Universe, Weapon X is employed by the United States government as an off-the-books organization that enslaves mutants for the purpose of performing black ops missions. It’s run by the extraordinarily cruel John Wraith, who is responsible for giving the orders to capture the X-Men and turn them into his personal kill squad. He fulfills a role similar to that of William Stryker in X2, though admittedly much more unhinged and aggressive. Scientist Abraham Cornelius acts as Wraith’s righthand and plays a crucial role in turning Beast blue in this storyline, which is an interesting  twist seeing as most other versions depict Beast’s transformation as self-inflicted. Nightcrawler, Juggernaut, Sabretooth and Rogue also make appearances as Weapon X subjects. There’s little depth to their characters, especially when it comes to Juggernaut and Rogue, but Nightcrawler is a standout for his continued reluctance to do as he’s told. We’re shown that he’s attempted to escape before and that he still has a clear sense of right and wrong, even though Weapon X’s scientists have attempted to weed that out of them.

Morality is one of the central themes in Return to Weapon X. Professor Xavier has taught the X-Men to never take a life in battle, but they’re clearly shaken after apparently seeing their mentor do just that to Magneto. Jean Grey is especially rattled and her feelings are exacerbated when Wraith makes it clear that he intends to use the X-Men as his personal assassins. Being involved with Weapon X also begins to change Jean’s perception of Wolverine as she begins to understand his actions and is humbled by the fact that he chose to embrace Xavier’s dream in spite of all of Wraith’s programming. Millar adds layers to Jean in this respect and she becomes the emotional nucleus of Ultimate X-Men through her insight and ability to forgive. Jean is also sharply contrasted by Storm’s reactions to the events of this narrative. Where Jean’s resolve and dedication to Xavier’s dream is strengthened by Weapon X’s evils, Storm questions the X-Men’s passivity and seeks retribution for what has been done to them through Wraith and Cornelius’ schemes. This leads to a bit of a schism within the X-Men and helps to illustrate that not everyone reacts the same when faced with traumatic events.

Return to Weapon X is an excellent follow-up to The Tomorrow People. Millar and Kubert continue to show their synergy as a creative team by delivering an action-packed storyline that has both depth and poignancy. The narrative feels like an organic progression of the events that preceded it and helps to build on the personalities and motivations of the X-Men, with a great deal of work spent on further developing Jean Grey and the relationship between Storm and Beast. The inclusion of the Brotherhood in the fight against Weapon X is also a nice nod to their involvement in the previous arc and it also helps to illustrate how badass Scarlet Witch can be. Millar continues to reinvent characters as well, which works rather well with both Wraith and Nightcrawler. He’s a little bit less effective with Juggernaut and Rogue, the former though receives a nifty redesign. His dialogue is iffy at some points too. The filler artists are also subpar in comparison to Kubert’s pencils, which creates a bit of a visual inconsistency to this collection. Nevertheless, Return to Weapon X is a creative and entertaining storyline with a clear set of themes.  The action continues to be explosive and many of the characters are relatable three-dimensional heroes. In this way, Millar and Kubert deliver the goods in Ultimate X-Men.

RATING: B+

Review: Ultimate X-Men Volume 1 - The Tomorrow People

With the mutant hunting Sentinels and the extremist agenda of mutant supremacist Magneto threatening to ignite a world war, Professor Xavier enlists the help of six young mutants to keep the peace and promote his integrationist beliefs. Though the world may fear and hate them, the X-Men must overcome this and learn to use their unique abilities as a team in order to save the world from total destruction.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 1: The Tomorrow People collects Ultimate X-Men #1-6, written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Adam Kubert.

From its very first few panels, Ultimate X-Men paints a far darker and direr picture of the world than Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley’s Ultimate Spider-Man. Mark Millar and artist Adam Kubert mine the darker impulses of 21^st century America by examining the increasingly relevant themes of discrimination and extremism. They focus on the allegory of mutants as minorities with unrelenting precision, exposing how very little we’ve come in terms of acceptance of those who are different from the accepted norm. The Tomorrow People introduces the X-Men as young, inexperienced mutants who are thrust into the roles of heroes without much training. They’re disenfranchised outcasts who society has cast aside. In this respect, it makes it easy to relate to and root for these characters.

The X-Men face the dual threat of the Sentinels and the Brotherhood of Mutants. Their first assignment as a team requires them to retrieve a mutant in the heart of New York City before he can be incinerated by the Sentinels. Naturally, the mission goes sideways and the X-Men are forced into a direct conflict with the Sentinels. It’s an exciting high octane way to initiate the team and showcase their individual abilities, as well as their shortcomings. Millar and Kubert also smartly include a scene in which the X-Men are jeered at after saving innocents from the mayhem, which helps to further emphasize the senseless discrimination mutants (i.e. people of colour and the LGBTQ+) face in this world. However, perceptions towards them shift after they save the President’s daughter from the clutches of the Brotherhood of Mutants and when they successfully defeat Magneto in an all-out fight to the finish in Washington, D.C.

The Tomorrow People is probably the strongest introductory storylines the X-Men have had across any comic book incarnation or adaptation. Millar introduces his cast with ease and establishes the central themes to the X-Men mythos in a way that feels modern and relevant. He excels at pacing and plotting, as he forges a very cohesive and evenly paced storyline that ticks all the necessary boxes to make this a good X-Men story. His very literal portrayal of Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants is chilling (but necessary) due to how closely it mirrors modern day terrorists. What is especially eerie about this is that The Tomorrow People feels very much like a Post-9/11 text, but much of it was written and published prior to those events. Where he’s less successful is in his characterizations of the X-Men themselves. Without question, Jean Grey is his most well-written character here. She’s kind and sympathetic, but also sassy and strong-willed. Jean is also a force to be reckoned with on the field and really shows off her skills as a field leader. I’m far less impressed with Millar’s portrayal of Storm. The decisions he makes with her character are problematic as she feels like an entirely different person in comparison to every other version we’ve ever seen. She lacks the confidence and willpower that is a trademark of the character, as well as her warmth and wisdom. Millar instead portrays Storm as a hot mess and a bit of a brat who is quite possibly the team’s biggest liability in the field. There’s also some awkwardness regarding Millar’s decision to have Wolverine (whose age is undisclosed, but we can only imagine is much older than the rest of the X-Men) seduce and sleep with Jean Grey (who is only 19). Additionally, Professor Xavier is nowhere close to being the pacifist we would expect him to be. He uses his powers without discretion and permission of others, while his dialogue skews less towards wise teacher and more towards stern disciplinarian.

Just as Bagley helped set the tone for Bendis in Ultimate Spider-Man, Kubert does the same for Millar in Ultimate X-Men. Kubert pairs well with Millar’s style. It’s very expressive and vibrant, but also has an edge to it. His aesthetic takes on a more real world approach, especially when it comes to costuming. The redesigns Kubert gave the X-Men are among some of my favourites. He updates the classic black and gold costumes for the 21^st century, giving us really cool and chic individual looks that act cohesively when viewed together. While Iceman and Wolverine’s costumes are a little lackluster, the remaining X-Men look pretty snazzy. I especially appreciate the risks he took while designing Jean Grey, who is given a short pixie cut, as she is visually portrayed much differently from what we’d expect of her. Kubert is to further be commended for his composition skills, as he creates some awe-inspiring splash pages and epic action sequences. He’s additionally quite adept at inserting little quirks here and there particularly when it comes to reactions.

In terms of plot and artwork, The Tomorrow People comes pretty darn close to being a homerun. Millar and Kubert create what very well could have been the perfect basis for an introductory X-Men film. The combined threat of the Sentinels and Magneto gives the narrative that essential feeling, but it also pays homage to some of the earliest adventures the X-Men had and really modernizes them for today’s audiences. Where The Tomorrow People loses points is in its finer details. When it comes to characterization, Millar portrays certain characters in ways that makes them unlikeable and almost unrecognizable. It’s not a glaring problem (yet), but it does shift which characters I like and relate to.

RATING: A-

Review: Avengers - The Private War of Doctor Doom

Following their recent victories against Kang and the Squadron Supreme, the Avengers return home and are faced with the task of settling on a new roster. No sooner do they announce their line-up than the once-dead Wonder Man returns to the fold. Then, they must face off against Atlantean menace Attuma in his latest plot to best Namor the Sub-Mariner.

Avengers: The Private War of Doctor Doom collects Avengers #150-156 and Annual #6, and Super-Villain Team-up #9, written by Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway and Bill Mantlo with art by George Perez and John Buscema.

This collection follows the events of The Serpent Crown and almost immediately sees the departure of Hellcat and Moondragon (boo!), as well as Avengers mainstay Thor. With their new roster, the Avengers must investigate the circumstances behind the resurrection of Wonder Man. At the same time the Living Laser is busy plotting his revenge on the Avengers and intends to use the unstable Nuklo to do so. After that, the Avengers are captured by Attuma and are forced to attack Namor’s Hydrobase. When they arrive, however, they discover the base is being run by Doctor Doom and they are swiftly bested by the Fantastic Four foe. In order to defeat Attuma, they must form an uneasy alliance with Doctor Doom.

As a trade, The Private War of Doctor Doom is densely plotted and is continuity heavy with plenty of references to past events. It lacks excitement and depth, as it falls into the rather generic box of “supervillains trying to take over the world using some kind of experimental device.” The collection begins with a tedious re-telling of the Avengers’ rosters’ various origins and then transitions into the re-introduction of Wonder Man. Understandably, his return creates conflict between Scarlet Witch and the Vision since the latter’s brain patterns were based off of Wonder Man’s. While there may be a smidgen of tension between the newlyweds throughout this trade, that’s about it for character development. The dialogue for the Beast is strong and we get some really great action scenes involving Scarlet Witch on a solo mission, but everyone else feels depressingly generic and they all fade into the background over the course of the collected issues. It also feels dated, given the fact that these stories occur during a time period when Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were canonically viewed as the children of the Whizzer and Miss America.

The highlight of this collection is the art done by George Perez and the late John Buscema. Perez delivers dynamic work that features an active expressiveness, while also showing off his skill at drawing the male form (we get a rather strong panel of Namor flying through the air towards the end). Buscema, meanwhile, has a distinctive moodiness to his style that emphasizes some of the more emotional aspects to these characters. Notably, there’s a series of panels in which the Scarlet Witch is distraught and turns for comfort from the Wasp when she’s given the cold shoulder by her husband.

Avengers: The Private War of Doctor Doom isn’t the most impressive collection of stories featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. It’s an awkwardly plotted series of stories that follow on the heels of Steve Englehart’s remarkable run on The Avengers. Where his stories often included social commentary and soapy interpersonal drama, The Private War of Doctor Doom restores the status quo of paint-by-numbers supervillain conflicts. Attuma and Doctor Doom make for great opponents for the Avengers, but the narrative never attempts to do something new with them. It’s also mildly irritating that Hellcat and Moondragon were written out, since both had been standouts in the preceding trade Avengers: The Serpent Crown. Though we get some notable art from Perez and Buscema, The Private War of Doctor Doom is skippable.

RATING: C-

Review: Avengers - The Serpent Crown

When Hawkeye goes missing, Thor and new Avenger Moondragon must travel into the past in order to recover their arrow-slinging ally. There, they must confront the villainous Kang as he schemes yet again to conquer Earth. Back in the present, the remaining Avengers duke it out with the Squadron Supreme after uncovering a plot by the corrupt Roxxon Oil Corporation.

Avengers: The Serpent Crown collects Avengers #141-144 and #147-149, written by Steve Englehart and illustrated by George Perez.

With the superstar talent of Englehart and Perez behind it, The Serpent Crown stands as one of the most notable collection of stories from the early Bronze Age Avengers. Set during the Beast’s probationary period with the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, this trade collects two concurrent storylines involving the Avengers’ conflicts with Kang the Conqueror and the Squadron Supreme (AKA Marvel’s “tribute” to the Justice League). It’s a tightly written, dynamically drawn seven issue arc that is packed with character development and incredible action. Englehart’s scripting sets the tone by creating an electric chemistry between the characters and sticking to a set theme of corporate corruption, while Perez’s pencil work fills each panel with expressiveness to match.

There are a lot of developments in The Serpent Crown, which is perhaps what has marked it for collection purposes above many other story arcs for the Avengers from the 1970s. Notably – Captain America re-joins the team after a lengthy leave of absence, Hawkeye departs from the Avengers to pursue a (mostly) solo career out west, and Patsy Walker makes her debut as the superheroine Hellcat. As mentioned previously, it’s also set during the Beast’s early days adventuring with the Avengers, which itself is important as it’s shortly after he turned his iconic blue hue. In fact, it is the interplay between Hellcat and Beast that makes this arc as interesting as it is. The habitually bickering duo is at odds with one another, which adds a layer of humour to their dynamic. Beyond all of that, Englehart and Perez seem to be setting new precedents for the portrayal of women in comic books.

Aside from a questionable line in which Hellcat declares that she’s no “women’s libber,” The Serpent Crown seems to be concerned with the pursuit and control of power when wielded by women. Newcomer Moondragon is unashamed and confident in her incredible psychic gifts. She employs them with a mastery that was often unseen amongst female characters in comic books. In fact, she seems to consider herself an equal to Thor and even questions why he (and by extension her) is “slumming” it with the mortal Avengers. Similarly, Scarlet Witch is seen embracing her status as a true witch and her power set seems to have grown exponentially as a result of this. A key scene in this collection involves Wanda becoming the caretaker for the Serpent Crown and must use her formidable willpower to free herself from its evil influence. Though Vision tries to intervene and “rescue” her, it’s clear that Wanda needs no one but herself to save the day. It’s an internal battle that is portrayed earnestly through Perez’s art and is a moment that is not to be overlooked, though it might be easy to do so given the incredible physical feats accomplished by the men in this book.

As much as we see Moondragon and Scarlet Witch embracing their fierceness, the slightly dippy Patsy Walker still has a ways to go. In fact, The Serpent Crown is very much her story and focuses on her rapid maturation from silly romance heroine to sassy superheroine. Much is made early on about how burdensome Patsy is as she accompanies the Avengers, with some members laying blame on her for their predicament when they are captured by the Squadron Supreme (namely, Vision). Through flashbacks, we see that Patsy lived a relatively unfulfilling life in a small town and that her marriage was disastrous. We learn that she’s always dreamed of being a hero and that she’ll do anything it takes to be one. By the time she finally dons the Cat costume, she’s adamant about dedicating her life to heroism. It’s admirable and her spunk is infectious, though the disdain from her male cohorts (and concern – on Captain America’s part) looms heavily over her. Thankfully, she does appear to prove herself and she’s shown to be quite fearsome in battle (though it’s implied that the suit may be doing most of the work for her).

The Serpent Crown is an enjoyable – albeit dated – read. Englehart and Perez make for a great team, one which suits the tone and aesthetic of the Avengers. As with his previous work on the title, Englehart always adds an angle of social relevance to the book and taps into themes that can be related to even today. His dialogue is satisfactory, though verbose at times, and he has a good grasp on the characters involved. I’m also rather impressed by how he handles the many women present in this collection. It also goes without saying that Perez’s pencils are gorgeous to look at. Given that this represents some of his earlier work, the art is not quite as defined or detailed as it would be later in New Teen Titans or Wonder Woman. There are minor issues with proportions and perspective every now and then. If anything, The Serpent Crown represents a strong showing from an era oft forgotten by comic book fans. Plus – it’s got Hellcat and Moondragon in key roles!

RATING: B

Review: Avengers - Age of Ultron

As the sequel to the 2012 record-smashing film The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron features the return of its all-star cast as the titular heroes battle the threat of extinction at the hands of Ultron. While Marvel Studios and writer-director Joss Whedon were aiming for a The Godfather Part II epic, what they delivered instead was more comparable to X-Men: The Last Stand. Despite its heart and focus on character-driven drama, Age of Ultron is buried beneath its bloated running time and overstuffed cast.

James Spader stars as the titular villain Ultron. The film’s conflict hinges upon Ultron’s disillusionment with humanity and his subsequent desire to eradicate the human race in order to start the world anew. As one of the Avengers’ most dangerous foes in the comics, Ultron is known for his ruthlessness and his relentless mission to destroy Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Sadly, that doesn’t get translated all that well to the big screen. Part of what made the villain so effective in the comics was his apparent lack of emotion, but here he’s all emotion. Rather than give us a menacing comic book villain, Whedon pulled a Whedon and gave us a sassy take on the classic Avengers foe. Ultron’s humorous and playful dialogue makes the character seem like he stepped right out of an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It cuts through the tension to the point where it’s impossible to even consider Ultron a credible threat. This is further emphasized by the goofy CGI work done on Ultron, particularly due to those moving lips.

Ultron is but a symptom of Marvel Studios’ obsession with comedy and humour within the superhero genre. There is a lot of destruction in Age of Ultron. Hell, the Hulk and Iron Man seemingly destroy an entire African city during their hero on hero battle mid-film. When Warner Brothers featured a similar level of destruction in Man of Steel, they were heavily criticized for it. Yet, here’s some hypocrisy here, not much has been said about the mayhem that the Avengers and their foes have been responsible for. What is especially distressing here is that the two studios approach this chaos in different ways. Man of Steel was sobering in its deadpan seriousness, whereas Age of Ultron sees our heroes flinging out one-liners like they’re going out of style while buildings are collapsing. This glib kind of attitude seems inappropriate and creates tonal discord within the film. It would be easy to blame Whedon for Buffy-izing Marvel’s characters, but it’s all too common a trend throughout the rest of their cinematic universe. After all, wasn’t Guardians of the Galaxy just stand-up set in space?

Clocking in at nearly two-and-a-half hours, Age of Ultron is a potentially torturous watch for anyone with short attention spans. Much like its predecessor, it is dialogue-heavy and features many scenes that focus on character development outside of battle. The best example of this occurs midway through the film where the Avengers retreat to Hawkeye’s secret farmhouse to recuperate after a devastating fight against Ultron. It’s a long sequence that introduces us to Hawkeye’s family life, features a tried-and-true battle of ideologies between Captain America and Iron Man, and sees Black Widow and Bruce Banner sharing an intimate moment together (but not that intimate!). It’s painfully slow and completely deflates all of the tension that had been building up until that point. It seems to be there to remind us what our heroes are fighting for, to give them some development and to inject some personality into the most useless Avenger of the bunch (Hawkeye). It was also there to provide some false foreshadowing of a death that never came. At the end of the day, the sequence was mostly boring and did nothing to endear me personally to Hawkeye.

The farm house section drew quite a bit of attention for its controversial scene in which Black Widow refers to herself as a “monster” after revealing to Bruce Banner that she’d been sterilized as part of her training as a spy. It was interpreted by many as an attack on womanhood, suggesting that Widow viewing herself as a monster was due to her being unable to have children. I’d argue that what she was referring to was the fact that she’d been conditioned and trained into becoming an emotionless killer. Ultimately, the dialogue could have been handled better and the sterilization bit could have been omitted. It’s a harrowing experience, but one which seems inappropriately nasty for one of the few female badasses in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The implication there does seem to be that in order to be badass you can’t be a mother, so both Whedon and Disney should have been a little more judicious so as not to upset a largely ignored fanbase for the films. It certainly doesn’t help that she spends a good chunk of time leading up to the climax stuck in a cell waiting for her (all male) teammates to rescue her. I mean come on, this woman is the world’s greatest spy, surely she can pick a lock. Nevertheless, Black Widow continues her streak of being the most interesting and captivating character of the bunch.  Of course, much of this has to do with the fact that she’s surrounded by a bunch of immature frat boys. She kicks lots of ass and anchors much of the story through her budding relationship with Bruce Banner.

As stated before, Age of Ultron seems to collapse under the weight of its large cast. If there was a lesson to be learned from Fox’s X-Men films, it’s that ensemble casts are tricky to handle and that each character introduced needs to be there for a reason. While all films typically need both lead and supporting roles, Age of Ultron struggles to find the right balance. None of the characters quite feel like they’re in the lead, though the central roles do seem to be those of Ultron, Iron Man, Bruce Banner and Black Widow. Everyone else is shuffled into supporting or cameo spots. This is unfortunate since it seems like Captain America and Thor get downgraded, while characters like Falcon and War Machine are given cameos if only because Disney is well aware of the fact that they’ve already been heavily criticized for having a disproportionate number of white heroes in their films. The good thing is that each character serves a purpose in the story, but the bad thing is that there’s just too much going on. As such, the narrative ends up being incredibly imbalanced and leaves the viewer feeling disconnected.

The casualty in this imbalance is the development of the twins Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. Of all of the characters in the film, these are the two that Whedon seems to “get” best. Their dynamic is on point, their powers are visually stunning and even their goofy accents are kind of endearing. Elizabeth Olsen is captivating as the Scarlet Witch and her costume at the end is everything. Meanwhile Aaron Taylor-Johnson proves himself to be a much more compelling Quicksilver than Evan Peters. The problem is that the pair have limited screentime and development, since they’re forced to share the screen with a dozen other characters. They spend much of the film being Ultron’s lackeys, which does nothing to actually develop them and endear us to them. Above all of the characters in the film, these were the two that needed to be developed. Not simply because they’re great characters in the comics, but because (spoiler alert) Quicksilver sacrifices his life to protect Hawkeye. The impact of this death is lessened due to fact that he wasn’t all that important to the story. It wasn’t like Agent Coulsen’s death in the first film, where we’d grown to love him, instead it felt random and unnecessary. Yes, there are casualties in war, but it is completely unrealistic to have the speedster die due to being shot. Whether Quicksilver was killed to give the finger to Fox or to surprise the audience, it wasn’t earned. While Olsen gives it her all during her breakdown over her brother’s death, the audience needed to be right there with her. Truthfully, Whedon should have just gotten rid of Hawkeye. He’s dead weight and at least it would have prevented Jeremy Renner from saying more sexist crap about Black Widow during press junkets.

Ambitious is a great word to describe Age of Ultron. It’s clear that there was so much that Whedon wanted to do and say with the sequel to his beloved 2012 film. Unfortunately, it seems like he was completely overwhelmed by the enormity of the project and studio meddling certainly didn’t help to alleviate that either. If the summer of 2015 showed us anything, it’s that dinosaurs kicked the superhero genre’s ass. While Jurassic World has its fair share of flaws, it is never derailed by issues with tone or by having simply too many characters. With critical acclaim waning for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and potential audience fatigue setting in, all eyes will be on Captain America: Civil War to see if Marvel Studios has learned from its missteps with Age of Ultron.

Rating: C

Top 10: Greatest Women of Marvel Comics

When it comes to strong heroines, Marvel has some of the most diverse leading ladies in the superhero genre. These women have graced the small screen, big screen and, of course, the pages of countless comic books. While they don't always get as much love as their male counterparts (or even their rivals at DC Comics), there's no denying that Marvel's superheroines are fierce and fabulous.

Having previously counted down the Top 10 Greatest Women of the X-Men and the Top 10 Greatest Women of DC Comics, this entry focuses on the women from Marvel proper. To encourage fairness and a little more objectivity, this list has been compiled using the votes from The Women of Marvel Poll.

10. Firestar

REAL NAME: Angelica Jones

FIRST APPEARANCE: Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1 #193 (1985)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Microwave Radiation Manipulation, Flight

When she was thirteen years old, Angelica Jones was recruited and trained by the former villain Emma Frost to become an assassin for the Hellfire Club. Upon learning of her mentor's true intentions, Angelica emancipated herself and transformed herself into the heroine known as Firestar. After a lengthy tenure with a group of teen heroes called the New Warriors, Firestar became a member of the Avengers and later served as a mentor for the next generation of superheroes.

Originally created for the seminal Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends cartoon as a replacement for the Human Torch, Firestar's popularity guaranteed her transition into the comic book canon. Though she's most well-known for her appearances in the aforementioned series, her stints with the New Warriors, Avengers, Marvel Divas and, most recently, the X-Men have cemented her place in the Marvel Universe as a beloved icon.

09. Elektra

REAL NAME: Elektra Natchios

FIRST APPEARANCE: Daredevil Vol. 1 #168 (1981)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Master Martial Artist

When Elektra Natchios was still in college, her father was gunned down by terrorists. The embittered Elektra then trained to become a martial artist in order to avenge her father's death. After completing her training in China, she returned to America where she was employed by New York City's Kingpin as his chief assassin. Though she would later meet her end at the hands of the villain known as Bullseye, Elektra was resurrected and dedicated her life to repenting for her past sins.

As one of the deadliest women in the Marvel Universe, Elektra is as beautiful as she is dangerous. She has been a key player in both Daredevil and Wolverine's comics, as well as headlining several of her own mini-series and ongoing series. If her illustrious comic book career weren't enough, Elektra has also been adapted into numerous video games and even appeared in two live-action films portrayed by Jennifer Garner.

08. Scarlet Witch

REAL NAME: Wanda Maximoff

FIRST APPEARANCE: X-Men Vol. 1 #4 (1964)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Probability Manipulation

Raised as a gypsy, Wanda Maximoff and her brother Pietro became indebted to the mutant terrorist Magneto after he saved them from a lynch mob. Taking on the codename Scarlet Witch, Wanda used her unique gifts to further Magneto's agenda. However, she gave up her life of crime and instead became one of the longest running members of the Avengers.

With just over five decades of comic book appearances under her crimson-hued belt, there's no denying that Scarlet Witch is an icon. Equally reviled and loved for her cooky history, this probability-altering mutant has been a member of the Avengers for longer than most of her contemporaries. She's powerful, beautiful and a little bit batty. Still, fans can't get enough. Thanks to appearances in X-Men: Evolution, Avengers: United They Stand and her upcoming appearance in Avengers: Age of Ultron, she's become one of the most recognizable heroines in Marvel's stable.

07. Wasp

REAL NAME: Janet van Dyne

FIRST APPEARANCE: Tales to Astonish Vol. 1 #44 (1963)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Size Manipulation, Flight, Bio-Electric Energy Blasts

Once a flighty socialite, Janet van Dyne was transformed into the winsome Wasp thanks to her then-boyfriend Hank Pym's experiments. She was a founding member of the Avengers and went on to become one of the longest running leaders for the team. Over the years Janet would endure her fair share of drama in her personal life, but her zest for life and resourcefulness have made her an incredible superhero.

While she may have once been the weakest link on the Avengers, Wasp's evolution into one of the team's chairpersons has mirrored that of Storm from the X-Men. She's smart, she's sassy and she's got a wardrobe so huge that it would put Carrie Bradshaw to shame. With her appearances in cartoons like Avengers: United They Stand and Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, she has ruled the small screen and her legacy will no doubt be felt later this year in Ant-Man.

06. Spider-Woman

REAL NAME: Jessica Drew

FIRST APPEARANCE: Marvel Spotlight Vol. 1 #32 (1977)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Superhuman Strength, Speed, Stamina, Agility, Reflexes and Senses, Flight, Bio-Electric Energy Blasts, Resistance to Poison and Radiation, Ability to Adhere to Walls

At a young age, a sickly Jessica Drew was injected with an irradiated spider serum that cured her and subsequently gave her superhuman abilities. After the death of her mother, Jessica was captured by the terrorists known as HYDRA and was brainwashed into becoming an assassin for them. Upon regaining control of her memories, she took on the codename Spider-Woman and sought to make up for her past sins as a superhero. Though she would work professionally as both a private investigator and bounty hunter, her most famous job title would be that of an Avenger.

As one of the heroines responsible for ushering in the wave of female-led titles in the late-1970s, Spider-Woman's self-titled series became one of the longest-running comics starring a woman published by Marvel. Though she would spend years in publication limbo, she was later brought back into the fold by Brian Michael Bendis as a member of the Avengers. With a snazzy new costume and her first ongoing series in years, Spider-Woman's stock couldn't be higher.

05. Captain Marvel

REAL NAME: Carol Danvers

FIRST APPEARANCE: Marvel Super-Heroes Vol. 1 #3 (1968)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Superhuman Strength, Speed, Stamina and Durability, Flight, Energy Absorption and Projection

While working for NASA, Carol Danvers was caught in an explosion that turned her into an alien-human hybrid. With a bevy of superpowers at her disposal, she became the costumed heroine known as Ms. Marvel. After fighting solo for several years, Carol became a key member of the Avengers and even joined the X-Men for a time. Now going by the codename Captain Marvel, Carol continues to pursue her goal of being the best superhero in the universe.

As one of Marvel's very first attempts at making a female counterpart to a well known hero à la Supergirl, Carol Danvers' popularity as Ms. Marvel exceeded that of her predecessor. Her original series posited her as Marvel's premiere feminist heroine, thus establishing her as the company's potential equivalent to DC Comics' Wonder Woman. She's been a favourite in video games and has appeared in adaptations such as The Super Hero Squad Show and Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. She also holds the distinction of being the very first heroine to headline her own Marvel Studios film, with her movie tentatively scheduled for a 2018 release.

04. Black Cat

REAL NAME: Felicia Hardy

FIRST APPEARANCE: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #194 (1979)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Probability Manipulation, Expert Martial Artist, Master Thief

Following in the footsteps of her father, platinum-haired Felicia Hardy became the master thief known as Black Cat to break her father out of prison. An occasional thorn in Spider-Man's side, she found the web-slinger irresistible and maintained a flirtatious relationship with him despite her criminal pursuits. Black Cat would eventually give up her wayward ways, thus becoming Spider-Man's ally and part-time lover.

Often inaccurately cited as Marvel's answer to Catwoman, Black Cat was actually originally created as a nemesis for Spider-Woman but debuted as a Spider-Man antagonist instead. As one of Spider-Man's most famous enemies and allies, Black Cat's legacy has spanned over three decades' worth of comic appearances. Her roles in cartoons such as Spider-Man: The Animated Series and The Spectacular Spider-Man have further helped to make her a fan-favourite.

03. Black Widow

REAL NAME: Natalia Romanova

FIRST APPEARANCE: Tales of Suspense Vol. 1 #52 (1964)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Expert Martial Artist and Marksman

Natalia Romanova was recruited into a special project developed by the KGB when she was still a child. She was trained in deception, martial arts and was brainwashed into becoming a spy for the Russian government. Under the moniker of Black Widow, she faced off against heroes like Iron Man and Spider-Man while forging a partnership with then-villain Hawkeye. Since then Natalia has switched sides and has gone on to become one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents, as well as one of the most recognizable members of the Avengers.

Originally debuting as a villain, Black Widow successfully made the transition to hero following her tenure as Daredevil's partner in his self-titled ongoing series. She would go on to become a member of the Avengers, a team which she would lead for a short time during the 1990s, and would even headline several books of her own. Despite this, she operated on the fringes of the Marvel Universe and never quite found a following until she appeared in the movie Iron Man 2. Her subsequent roles in The Avengers and Captain America: The Winter Soldier have cemented her place on the A-list, making her Marvel's premiere filmic heroine.

02. Invisible Woman

REAL NAME: Susan Storm-Richards

FIRST APPEARANCE: Fantastic Four Vol. 1 #1 (1961)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Invisibility, Force Field Generation

When Reed Richards and his best friend Ben Grimm planned a trip into space, his girlfriend Susan Storm and her brother Johnny tagged along with them. This mission into the stars would forever change their lives, as they would be bombarded by cosmic rays that transformed them into the superheroes known as the Fantastic Four. Originally adopting the codename Invisible Girl, Susan would use her abilities to battle despotic sorcerers, alien invaders and subterranean monsters. Since then, she's honed her abilities to become one of the most powerful heroes in the universe.

As Marvel's First Lady, Invisible Woman was the first ever female superhero created during Marvel's Silver Age. Often cited as the glue that holds the group together, this legendary heroine has braved countless missions as a member of the Fantastic Four and weathered unimaginable setbacks in her personal life. She is a survivor and a proud mama bear that will do whatever it takes to protect her family. On top of that, she has appeared in all four of the Fantastic Four's television adaptations and was featured in the big screen adaptation Fantastic Four, as well as its sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. While the reception of these adaptations have varied over the years, Invisible Woman's status as an icon has not.

01. She-Hulk

REAL NAME: Jennifer Walters

FIRST APPEARANCE: Savage She-Hulk Vol. 1 #1 (1980)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Superhuman Strength, Speed, Agility, Stamina and Durability, Enhanced Healing Factor

After being shot by enemies of her father, criminal defence lawyer Jennifer Walters received a blood transfusion from her cousin Bruce Banner in order to save her life. Unbeknownst to Jennifer, her cousin was the Hulk and his irradiated blood resulted into her transformation into the green-skinned Amazon known as She-Hulk. Unlike her famous cousin, She-Hulk embraced her newfound abilities. She would go on to become a member of the Avengers and temporarily served as the Thing's replacement on the Fantastic Four.

Much like Spider-Woman before her, She-Hulk was created by Marvel to maintain a copyright over a female version of an existing male hero. As a solo heroine, She-Hulk holds the unique distinction of having two of the longest-running female-led ongoing series at Marvel. Her lengthy memberships with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four have also helped to establish her as an icon. This fan-favourite is beloved for her humorous qualities, with her ability to break the fourth wall and apparent inability to make any of her comics last becoming recurring jokes for the Jade Giantess. While she may not be as much of a household name as some of the other women on this list, she has a devoted fanbase and a legacy that proves she deserves to be number one.

Review: Uncanny Avengers Volume 1, The Red Shadow

In the wake of Professor Charles Xavier's death at the hands of the X-Man Cyclops, mutants are once again public enemy number one. With tensions between humans and mutants so high, the Avengers and the X-Men band together to create a new team of heroes dedicated towards improving the state of affairs between these two groups. Before they can even have their first meeting, they plunge head first into a battle against the deadly Red Skull.

Uncanny Avengers: The Red Shadow collects the first five issues of Uncanny Avengers, written by Rick Remender and illustrated by John Cassaday and Oliver Coipel.

Over the years, the Avengers have had a few mutants join their ranks. Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Firestar, Wolverine, and Storm have all been Avengers. However, there's never been a team that pulls members equally from both the Avengers and the X-Men. Remender's initial line-up here consists of Havok, Captain America, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Rogue, and Wolverine. It's a pleasantly well-rounded roster of A-listers (and Havok) with strong personalities and great abilities. He later expands the team to include Wasp, Wonder Man, and Sunfire. Sadly, with a roster of nine superheroes Remender failed to deliver diversity. Sunfire is the only non-white character present and the Uncanny Avengers come across as the White-Washed Avengers.

Lack of diversity aside, Remender delivers an incredibly thrilling story. Red Skull is a dangerous foe for this untested team to come up against and his hate-mongering motives make him a perfect fit to be an adversary for these heroes. The pace is on point and the action is unrelenting. On top of that, he manages to create plenty of great moments of character interaction. The conflict between Rogue and Scarlet Witch is catty, but is rooted in very real problems. Unsurprisingly, Rogue manages to be the standout character in these issues. Even though Remender is building Havok up to be the next Captain America, it is Rogue's signature sass that steals the spotlight. After playing the role of school marm for so long in the pages of X-Men Legacy, it's nice to see that bit of bad girl finally coming back in Rogue.

This is a great start to a promising series. Rick Remender is a very capable writer and is adept at creating fantastic character interaction. John Cassaday's art can be clunky and his women are more handsome than beautiful, but there is so much personality in what he draws. Oliver Coipel pencils the final issue in this collection which, sorry Cassaday, is a vast improvement over the first four issues. The expressiveness of his characters is so effective and his women are drop dead gorgeous. The only negative thing worth noting aside from the lack of diversity in Uncanny Avengers is that this trade ends on a cliffhanger! 

Rating: A-

Review: Avengers vs. X-Men

With the cosmic entity known as the Phoenix Force hurtling towards the Earth, the world's most powerful superheroes find themselves at odds. Captain America and the Avengers seek to eradicate the Phoenix, while Cyclops and the X-Men welcome its arrival. Tempers flare as these superheroes do battle against one another, but which side will win?

Avengers vs. X-Men collects Avengers vs. X-Men #0-12, written by Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and Jonathan Hickman, with illustrations by John Romita Jr., Oliver Coipel, and Adam Kubert. This all-star cast promises to bring one of Marvel's most epic events to date. 

Much like Marvel's Civil War, Avengers vs. X-Men pits hero against hero. This time around, Marvel's two biggest franchise duke it out for supremacy. The source of this conflict comes in the form of the Avengers' and the X-Men's differing opinions on the Phoenix Force. The premise is promising as the Phoenix Force is ambiguous enough to create a schism between the two factions. The problem, however, is in the execution. For the most part, the majority of the characters come across as unlikable due to their Kanye West-sized egos. The Avengers especially come across as pig-headed and are in fact the instigators of the war between Earth's Mighest Heroes and Marvel's Merry Mutants. It's quite clear that they have limited experience with the Phoenix Force and, to make matters worse, they have shown a history of not getting involved with so-called "mutant issues." This makes them seem like they should step aside and allow the X-Men to handle the situation.

Despite the fact that each issue is attributed to a different writer, there is a remarkable consistency between each issue and it would be difficult to discern which writer wrote each issue. That said, the issues written by Brian Michael Bendis and Jason Aaron do tend to have a surplus of jokes in them. This creates an uneven tone that contrasts with the serious nature of the subject matter. 

Additionally, the combined efforts of these writers was not enough to save them from continuity errors. For long-time X-Men fans, this event is sure to make your blood boil with a rather glaring plot flaw. The entire conflict hinges upon the Phoenix Force and the fact that the Avengers believe it to be evil due to Jean Grey's supposed inability to control it. The Dark Phoenix Saga is referenced as an example of this. However, the real Jean Grey was NOT present during the Dark Phoenix Saga. That was a replica of the character and the real Jean was elsewhere at the time. As such, she did not commit suicide trying to save the world from the Phoenix Force. That was her replica. On top of that, Jean was able to control the Phoenix flawlessly in her later appearances. Did any of you guys read Grant Morrison's New X-Men run?!

Another issue Avengers vs. X-Men faces is in its art. The first handful of issues are taken care of by John Romita Jr. While his art works fantastically in non-event comics, the epic scale of this collection isn't suited to his talents. Similarly, Adam Kubert's art is plain and lazily drawn. It's especially frustrating since his art closes the collection. In this middle of all of this is Oliver Coipel's art. Coipel is honestly one of the greatest artists currently working in the industry and it would have been wise to have him draw the entire series. His pencils are crisp and expressive, and he knows how to set a scene in a way that is creative and dynamic.

In general, Avengers vs. X-Men is an admirable event title that features some of the best writers Marvel has to offer. The overall plot is strong, Coipel's art is gorgeous, and the action is thrilling. If that weren't enough, Jim Cheung's covers are breathtakingly beautiful. That said, the conflict is fairly superficial and the Avengers come across uniformly as a bunch of jerks. Essentially, the Avengers are the popular kids at school who are bullying the outcasts. Overall, not a good look for the Avengers. Lastly, there are a lot of characters present in this event and many go underused. Bendis and company would have done well to focus on the characters who have connections between the two teams. For example, rather than do an issue from Spider-Man's perspective it would have been more interesting to explore the story from Storm, Black Panther or Scarlet Witch's perspective. As one of Marvel's more divisive events, both X-Men and Avengers fans alike will find issues with this collection. Thankfully, the pulse-pounding action and colourful art should be enough to sway your opinion.

Rating: B+