Welcome back to the MC2, Multiversity’s panel of noted Marvel experts. The three of us (MC3 sounded weird) are covering Marvel’s straight up CALVACADE of “Secret Wars” tie-ins! This week, we tackle “Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde”, “Weirdworld”, and more whilst giving up our own thoughts on the event as a whole! Feel free to join in the conversation in the comments and let us know what you think about Marvel’s latest crossover. Spoilers below!
Micro-Reviews
Star-Lord And Kitty Pride #1
Written by Sam Humphries
Illustrated by Alti Firmansyah
Reviewed by Jess Camacho
One of the bigger romantic developments in the Marvel Universe has been the engagement of Peter Quill and Kitty Pryde. These two met across the Bendis written “All New X-Men” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”, eventually becoming engaged at the end of the “Black Vortex” storyline. “Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde” is overall a fun read but is one of those things that’s only going to appeal to those who care a lot about these characters.
“Star – Lord and Kitty Pryde” picks up on a major “Secret Wars” plot point. Peter Quill was one of the few characters on the life raft Reed Richards built and has been revealed as someone who remembers the pre-Battleworld Marvel universe. Peter is now working as a lounge singer at The Quiet Room, the club we’ve seen pop up in “Inhumans: Attilan Rising”. He remembers his life before Battleworld and he’s struggling with the loss of his friends but mostly he misses Kitty. Elsewhere in the The Quiet Room, a different version of Kitty Pryde is meeting with Gambit (now under the mantle of The Collector) to make a trade. As you can probably guess, some shenanigans take place and Kitty and Peter end up face to face.
“Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde” #1 is silly and doesn’t hide the fact that it is. This works for the issue because most of the “Secret Wars” tie-ins have really fell on the more dramatic side than the fun side. It’s also one of the few tie-ins that feels like a natural extension of the stuff that was happening before “Secret Wars”. Humphries starts things off right away with Peter Quill using a different name working as a lounge singer but the humor comes from the fact that the songs he sings are from Disney movies. Yup, when God Doom made his new world he didn’t include Disney movies proving once and for all that he hates fun. The story moves very nicely and Humphries avoids some bad tropes by having Kitty Pryde characterized as a very capable hero. The version of Drax we get here is amusing given his characterization in the previous volume of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and in the movie.
Alti Firmansyah’s artwork is very pretty and the character designs are probably the first thing you’ll notice. You can immediately recognize who characters are but are also able to appreciate the twist Firmanshya adds to them. Drax is like a mix between Elvis and rockabilly performers and every character is full of life. In a not too overt way, the Disney influence is felt in the way things move and the level at which characters react. Jessica Kholinne’s colors really pop with lots of depth and add a lot of excitement to the pencils.
Final Verdict: 7.7 – “Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde” #1 is silly, fun and should appeal to fans of these characters.
E Is For Extinction #2
Written by Chris Burnham
Illustrated by Ramon Villalobos
Reviewed by Alice W. Castle
I can’t tell if “E Is For Extinction” is a continuation of Grant Morrison’s run writing “New X-Men” or a parody of it. At times, it seems a little of both. Burnham and Villalobos are clearly fans of the material as all of the characters feel like a logical progression of who they might be if Marvel had continued down the path set by Morrison instead of the swerve into Whedon and Cassady’s “Astonishing X-Men”. While the last issue was a lot of set-up in showing the characters and where they are now, this issue is almost pure action. It feels like an issue that would take place near the end of a story arc, not the second issue of the series. Granted, there’s a whole run’s worth of material it’s building off of, but the breakneck pace at which this story has taken off is quite the surprise.
Continued belowWhat isn’t a surprise, though, is just how good Ramon Villalobos is. His style is perfect for the story as his figurework seems to derive from a similar European-style influence as Frank Quietly does while keeping it feeling unique. This doesn’t feel like Burnham and Villalobos are out to copy what Morrison and Quitely (and Igor Kordley, Ethan Van Sciver, and the other artists on that run) did way back when, but that they want to embody the style and feeling that that run capture. And they do so largely by creating a story that marries soap opera-esque dysfunction and in-fighting with grand superheroic fights and cosmic eggs.
While it’s pretty early in its run, I would have to say that “E Is For Extinction” is one of the better books to come out of “Secret Wars”. It’s clear that the creators have an affinity for the work they are continuing and aren’t attempting to simply copy what made that work great or just use the name for the sake of it. Not only is “E Is For Extinction” a fantastic X-Men comic, it reminds us all of a time when the X-Men ruled the world.
Final Verdict 8.6 – One of the most fun issues I’ve read as part of this column, definitely recommend.
Old Man Logan #3
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino
Reviewed by James Johnston
After the first few issues made me kind of shrug and made confused noises, I think “Old Man Logan” has found its groove. At first, it seemed like a continuation of the original mini-series where Logan got super mad at Doom instead of Hulk. Now, after a rushed fight with Apocalypse and a Thor, Logan is being sent through Battleworld. On one hand, there are some cool moments in the book. Logan finding himself dumped in the Deadlands or even in Technopolis made for interesting game changers. In fact, it’s the type of book I’d rather we had two issues ago. Now, the wandering around a desert and raising Baby Hulk seems to have been brushed to the side so Logan can kick ass around the best parts of Battleworld. Well, the best parts and Technopolis.
I probably would have been more critical of the book’s dismissal of its past two issues if it weren’t for Sorrentino’s art. Because seriously, the entire conflict with the Thor and Apocalypse, standing off in a huge thunderstorm, is probably one of the most striking moments from this whole crossover deal. If anything, this series is proving that the eventual “Old Man Logan” series is going to be great when Lemire takes over.
Final Verdict: 6.4 – If you love Sorrentino’s work, this comic is definitely worth a look. Otherwise, just wait for the relaunch in a couple months
Future Imperfect #3
Written by Peter David
Illustrated by Greg Land, Jay Leisten and Nolan Woodard
Reviewed by Jess Camacho
I’ll be honest right off the bat here, “Future Imperfect” is one of my least favorite tie-ins of “Secret Wars”. I’ve never been a huge fan of The Hulk and with Greg Land on art, I’ve almost been entirely turned off. What hasn’t made me check out entirely is the Maestro. Peter David is doing a very nice job with his characterization and his ambitions and it’s forced me into a place where I can’t totally drop the series.
“Future Imperfect” #3 is basically a big extended raid. Ruby and the rest of the rebels have decided to take the fight straight to the Maestro himself in order to save The Thing. They don’t know that the two of them have begun talking about a possible alliance and so the bulk of the issue is them fighting their way into the Maestro’s castle. From a writing standpoint, it isn’t completely awful because each character has a distinct voice with Layla being the breakout star. She’s tough and fearless throughout the issue and ends up stealing the show from everyone else.
This is shocking, I know, but Greg Land is not an artist who’s work I enjoy. The first couple of issues of this series haven’t featured some of the things that Land is known for but with this issue, it all comes out. The faces are so overdone and don’t always fit what’s happening in the scene and in some panels, there’s a shadowing over the characters that doesn’t really make a lot of sense. The action heavy scenes have a nice level of movement but when characters are talking, everything is too static and motionless. Some of the female characters feature poses we’ve seen Land do so many times before and even within this issue things are repeated in a noticeable way. The Thing looks less rock like and more like a squishy blob and his face is completely dead in every scene. Woodard’s colors are fine but they can’t really save this issue artistically.
Continued belowFinal Verdict: 5.0 – “Future Imperfect” #3 is weighed down by bad art and the story suffers for it.
Weirdworld #2
Written by Jason Aaron
Illustrated by Michael Del Mundo
Reviewed by Alice W. Castle
I kind of don’t want to tell you what happens in “Weirdworld” #2 if you haven’t read it. Not because there’s much to spoil (not a whole lot actually happens in this issue, sadly), but because the beauty of “Weirdworld” is experiencing every new twist and turn that Aaron and Del Mundo take Akron on. The grand, sweeping story isn’t what we’re here for, but more the journey of travelling through this strange land with Akron and seeing what ridiculous thing is over the next horizon. While that does mean that issues don’t feel exactly deep, Jason Aaron adds just enough here and there through narration to keep Akron feeling like a character and not a glorified tour guide through the weirdest amusement park ride in Battleworld.
The highlight of this issue, as should be no surprise, is Mike Del Mundo’s art. Del Mundo took the comic industry by storm with inventive design in his cover work, mixing a beautiful painted style with an abstract sensibility. He brings that same style to “Weirdworld”, but what’s refreshing to see is that he’s just as good a storyteller in interiors as with cover work. His panel layouts keep the flow of the story clear on the page, never allowing the painted style to muddy the story. This makes the action scenes, of which there are plenty this issue, to be awe-inspiring in their scope and design on the page, but it’s still easy to tell what’s actually going on. That’s a hard feat to manage as sometimes clear storytelling can be lost on the way to a beautifully rendered page.
It should be no surprise that a joint venture between Jason Aaron and Mike Del Mundo results in a good comic. Del Mundo’s artwork remains stellar as he blends the beautiful style that made his cover work so amazing with crisp storytelling and an inventive location. Jason Aaron, meanwhile, continues to be one of the best writers at Marvel. While the actual plot of this issue is a little light and is largely just moving from setpiece to setpiece, Aaron still manages to delve into Akron as a character just a little more and wrap it all up in a payoff that makes you want to come back for more.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Some will find this issue pretty light on content, but it’s saved by the deftness of the writing and the beauty of the artwork.
Marvel Zombies #2
Written by Simon Spurrier
Illustrated by Kev Walker
Reviewed by James Johnston
How is Elsa Bloodstone not one of Marvel’s most popular heroes?
“Marvel Zombies” #2 focuses on Elsa as she traverses the Deadlands protecting a small child she found there. And at the same time, flashbacks to her father training her to be the world’s best monster hunter parallel her own handling of this mysterious kid. “Marvel Zombies” really strikes a nice balance between a personal story about Elsa and exciting zombie action. Throw in some neat concepts, and a heck of a cameo, and you’ve got a very solid comic book.
And what makes it really solid is the sense of flow and action. Kev Walker is really great at building a sense of momentum in his fight scenes that elevates the book as a whole. Plus, his depiction of the denizens of the Deadlands as grotesque horrors helps sell the idea that each Marvel zombie is a tough fight, not just useless cannon fodder.
Overall, I’ve got nothing bad to say about “Marvel Zombies”. It does what crossovers should do in the whole “exciting fun comic department” and also helps elevate Elsa Bloodstone to the star she should be for Marvel.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – Definitely worth a look.
Final Thoughts
Jess: The last few weeks have left me so disinterested. I was grateful for a small week but nothing aside from “E Is For Extinction” really stuck out and made me say wow. I want to read that kind of X-Men story forever and ever. “Marvel Zombies” continues to not be the disaster I thought it would be and “Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde” #1 was fun but I still don’t care about “Old Man Logan”. “Weirdworld” is something everyone loves and while the art is beautiful, it’s just not a story I can really get into. Next week is another small week and I hope that it can leave me with more to be excited about.
Continued belowAlice:This was a surprisingly fun week for me. I don’t if it had to do with the lack of books that came out (only having to do two micro-reviews this week was an amazing relief, though) or the quality of the ones that did, but I had a good time with most of the books. The highlight for me this week was “Star-Lord And Kitty Pryde”, which was a surprise to me. I wasn’t paying particular attention to what those two were up to prior to “Secret Wars”, but I think Sam Humphries and Alti Firmansyah found a very interesting dynamic with the story in using the Quill that remembers life prior to Battleworld. It also helps that I though the artwork was gorgeous. There were a couple of duds this week, like a disappointing “Future Imperfect” that fell into all the Greg Land traps that I was glad the first two issues didn’t feature and “Old Man Logan” continues to just not spark with me at all.
That’s a much better ratio of stuff I liked to stuff I didn’t than the last couple of weeks, though, and this week was so short I managed to catch up with books I had to miss the last couple of weeks. All in all, not the best week, but the respite was well appreciated.
James: Like everyone else, I felt a little rejuvenated this week, if only because I didn’t have to write about so many darn comics. Stuff like “Future Imperfect” and “Old Man Logan” left me cold, but I’m still enjoying books like “E Is For Extinction” and “Marvel Zombies.” When books find their purpose or mission statement and stay in their lane, then I think that’s when they turn out to be really solid. It’s why “Marvel Zombies” (which with a few tweaks could be a stand alone series) is great because it does’t try to be bigger than it needs to be. Others like “Old Man Logan” stretch for the whole Battleworld gimmick when they don’t need to and suffer as a result.
Still, this as a pretty great week compared to some others. I think Marvel’s still a bit oversaturated but at least there’s some fun stuff coming out of this crossover.
