X-Men (2010 Series) #2

August 27, 2010

Title: Curse of the Mutants Part Two

Writer: Victor Gishler
Penciler: Paco Medina
Inker: Juan Vlasco
Colorist: Marte Gracia
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover: Adi Granov
Associate Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Executive Editor: Axel Alonso
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Last issue, the vampires set off a bomb in San Francisco that’s turning people – including former X-Man Jubilee, into vampires. As Wolverine and Colossus set out to find none other than Dracula himself, they find an ally in the Marvel Universe’s most accomplished vampire slayer – Blade.

This is the title that’s supposed to mix in the X-Men with the rest of the Marvel Universe, and so far Victor Gishler is pulling that off with aplomb. Blade’s participation in this issue feels very natural and unforced, and just the fact that the vampire legions are the Big Bad here takes this storyline quite a distance outside of the X-Men’s usual wheelhouse. Gishler also seems to be doing a bit of a Dracula homage, substituting Jubilee for Lucy Westenra (which will probably upset some readers, considering how Lucy’s personal story arc ended up). “X-Men versus Vampires,” just as a concept, sounds kind of hokey, but Gishler is pulling it off.

Paco Medina is working pretty well as the artist here. His style is a perfect fit for the X-Men characters, and although the pages wouldn’t necessarily stand up as a horror comic like you’d usually find the vamps in, he’s still doing a solid job with them. Adi Granov gives us a nice cover of Blade versus – well… blades. It’s a nice piece of art, but it is fairly generic, which is my only complaint about it. I’m liking what Gishler and company are doing here.

Rating: 7/10

The Legion #30

February 23, 2004

Quick Rating: Excellent
Title: Foundations: The Final Chapter

Darkseid has destroyed the universe – and only the Legion of Super-Heroes can bring it back!

Writer: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Chris Batista
Inks: Chip Wallace
Colors: Sno Cone
Letters: Ken Lopez
Editor: Stephen Wacker
Cover Art: Tom Feister & Tony Harris
Publisher: DC Comics

Abnett and Lanning cap off their greatest Legion epic in true style. Darkseid’s true plan stands revealed – he kidnapped some of the most powerful beings of the past and is using them in his scheme to usurp his own youthful, more powerful body, then replace the universe with a new universe where he stands as the sole god. At the end of last chapter, the young Darkseid killed his own older counterpart to take his scheme as his own – but a flaw in that plan will destroy everything unless the Legion and a young, brainwashed Clark Kent can stop him.

This is high-flying science fiction superhero action at its finest. A battle royale across the stars, the stakes as high as they can possibly get and real courage and heroism goes on display. There’s not a lot of talking heads or characterization in this issue, because that has all been dealt with in the last five issues. This is the power-packed, action-charged finale that will please anyone who has ever loved the Legion.

Before his assignment on this title, Chris Batista wasn’t a high-profile artist. The only place I remember seeing his artwork before is on the defunct Steel title. He has made this series his own. He has great costume designs and a suitably cocky smirk on Superboy’s face. He also makes Superboy and the young, time-lost Clark Kent look appreciably different while keeping the resemblance. The writers also work in a particularly good moment between these two characters – the past and the (presumed) future of the world’s greatest hero, amidst the greatest heroes of the far future.

If you haven’t been reading this title, you have been cheating yourself for a very long time. As the last issue in a storyline, this may not be the best place to jump on board, but if you can find the first five issues, read ‘em. Then read this. You won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 10/10

Hulk and Power Pack #2

Hulk and Power Pack #2 (Marvel)
By Marc Sumerak, David Williams, Gary Martin, GuriHiru, Paul Tobin & Chris Giarrusso

Marvel’s continuity-free line of Power Pack comics, teaming them up with bigger guns, has been one of the most entertaining young readers books to come out of any company in recent years, and the new Hulk and Power Pack series is certainly no exception. This issue, after the kids battle Hydra over a mysterious new energy source, David Banner and their father’s experiments accidentally unleash one of the Hulk’s old foes. The Power Pack and the Hulk again have to partner up to stop them. The continuity-free nature of this series really works here — if they were bound to a world where Banner’s dual nature was public knowledge, the story wouldn’t have worked nearly as well. The Hulk is also slightly more articulate here than the “Hulk Smash!” version of the character usually is, another plus. Paul Tobin and Chris Giarrusso follow up the main story with another Mini-Marvels tale, featuring the lil’ Hulk and Power Pack in combat with one of the greatest threats imaginable — a dirty diaper. Silly, funny and a blast. I really want more Mini-Marvels.

Rating: 7/10