Tag Archives: Stuart Immonen

Amazing Spider-Man #797 Review

12 Monday Mar 2018

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Amazing Spicer-Man #797

Review by Paul Bowler

The Green Goblin is back in Marvel Comics Amazing-Spiderman #797, and this time he’s more frightening than ever! It seems Dan Slott has arguably saved one of his most powerful storylines till last as Go Down Swinging Part 1, together with Stuart Immonen’s fantastic artwork, ensnares Spidey’s life in the chilling first chapter of an Amazing-Spider-Man story that’s been ten years in the making. Norman Osbourn is back, crazier than ever, and his latest malevolent plan will soon spell big trouble for Peter Parker and everyone close to him!

Peter’s new job at the Daily Bugle as Science Editor – after the collapse of Parker Industries left him penniless – led to Spider-Man’s recent run-in with the Goblin King, but with the help of Anti-Venom (Flash Thompson) Spidey was able to fend off Goblin King’s attack. This led to Peter reconnecting with former lover and Stark CEO, Mary Jane Watson, but that old Parker luck strikes again in Amazing Spider-Man #797 and their reconciliation doesn’t exactly turn out the way either of them expect.

Along with the ramifications of the Goblin King’s latest actions being keenly felt at the Daily Bugle, Slott deftly punctuates the narrative throughout the rest of the issue with some friendly neighbourhood Spidey action, Peter getting another hilariously ranting phone call from JJJ (now a trail-blazing blogger extraordinaire), there’s further insight into events going in Liz’s and Harry’s lives, and the Goblin King gets more than he bargains for in a particularly brutal showdown, but the main focal point of this issue is Norman Osborn – or more specifically the identity of the person he has kidnapped to learn more about Spider-Man.

It is here that Dan Slott’s writing really excels as we witness just how extreme Osborn has become now that he’s got his crazy back, and it leads to some genuinely unnerving scenes that illustrate just how frightening Norman Osborn can be. You see, ever since Spidey robbed Osborn of his abilities, he’s done everything in his power to become the Green Goblin again. In a last ditch attempt to reclaim his lost power Norman joined with the Carnage Symbiote, and their dark unholy alliance was formed to destroy Spider-Man! Trouble is, Osbourn still hasn’t got all his memories back – including the knowledge that Peter Parker is really Spider-Man – and his terrified captive must now endure Norman’s maniacal; bloodthirsty interrogation or give up their knowledge of Spider-Man and his friends.

As you’d expect Stuart Immonen’s artwork looks as impressive as ever. Every page is awash with vivid detail and finely constructed panel layouts that seamlessly relays the story as we shift between a myriad of different locales and events going on in Parker’s life. The scenes between Peter and MJ are especially moving and emotional. Yet it is Norman Osborn’s dark spiralling plunge into his Carnage Symbiote fuelled mania where Immonen’s art superbly conveys every, creepy, heart-stopping moment – especially when it comes to Norman’s special brand of pest control – and the inks by Wade Von Grawbadger and colors by Marte Gracia also accentuates the scary atmosphere to the max! Add to that the haunting cover by Alex Ross, and this is one issue that positively screams read me!

This issue of Amazing Spider-Man builds to a thrilling climax, one that both reveals the identity of Norman’s hapless captive and sparks a shocking revelation. One thing’s for sure, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin are on a collision course now like no other before or since. Go Down Swinging certainly looks set to be an exciting swansong for Dan Slott’s tenure writing Spider-Man. I’ve only been reading Slott’s work since Superior Spider-Man, but I’ve enjoyed his run from what I’ve read of it for the most part. Amazing Spider-Man #797 is a dark, scary issue, Dan Slott and Stuart Immonen are clearly pulling out all the stops for their final arc, and I can wait to see the inevitable showdown between Spider-Man and Osborn’s Carnage Symbiote infused Goblin!

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Writer: Dan Slott / Artist: Stuart Immonen

Inks: Wade Von Grawbadger / Color Artist: Marte Gracia

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga / Cover Artist: Alex Ross.

 

Amazing Spider-Man #31 Review

14 Monday Aug 2017

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Amazing Spider-Man #31

Review by Paul Bowler

Spider-Man faces the fight of his life in Amazing Spider-Man #31 as the Superior Octopus, under orders from Captain America and backed by Hydra, returns to reclaim the company Otto Octavius believes is rightfully his. Spider-Man mustered a squad of Spider-Mobiles to make a final stand at the Shanghai branch of Parker Industries, but the Superior Ock managed to override their systems and turned the Spider-Mobiles against Spider-Man!

Dan Slott continues to keep the curve balls coming thick and fast with this issues Secret Empire tie-in. Otto may have built what became Parker Industries way back when he was the Superior Spider-Man, but Peter isn’t going to give up that easily, even though the New York, London, and San Francisco offices of his company have fallen and Otto has programmed Spider-Man’s fleet of Spider-Mobiles to attack him. As you’d expect, the web-spinning action comes at a fast, furious, and ingeniously staged pace by Slott as Spidey and his allies rally themselves against Superior Ock’s underhand scheme to wrest back control and prevent him from getting his grubby Hydra funded tentacles on everything stored inside the Parker Industries mainframe.

Yes, I know I said I wasn’t bothering with ANY big comic book events or tie-in issues this year, but as I read Amazing Spider-Man regularly anyway there’s no avoiding this Secret Empire thing for me with this one really. To be honest, I had been considering dropping this title from my pull-list. Recent storylines hadn’t exactly rocked my boat, and the thought of these Secret Empire tie-in issues didn’t garner much enthusiasm from me either. I have to eat my words a bit though, as this issue has certainly rekindled my interests in all things Spider-Man again.

The fact you don’t need to have bothered with Secret Empire or cared one jot about it, was a big plus in my book. Few tie-in’s mange this, and for that I must applaud Dan Slott’s superior scripting of this issue. Otto’s journey from Superior Spider-Man, to disembodied consciousness inside a robot, and eventual rebirth as the Superior Octopus comes full circle with Amazing Spider-Man #31, it also rounds off one of the most compellingly innovative Spider-Man storylines in years, and in many ways Otto’s arc has at times proved more compelling in some ways than Peter’s own resurrection and ongoing success story with Parker Industries.

The pedal to the metal – or perhaps that should that be to side of the building – action is all stylishly brought to life by Stuart Immonen’s impeccably detailed artwork, the inks by Wade von Grawbader complement Immonen’s work perfectly, and together with colorist Marte Gracia this issue of Amazing Spider-Man looks every bit as rich and vibrant as the exciting plot threads Dan Slott has effortlessly spun into a web of high-drama and adventure. From the vertigo inducing clash with the Spider-Mobiles, to the interludes with Aunt May observing events from street level, right up to Peter’s final solution to repel Otto’s hostile takeover, and Spider-Man‘s battle with the Superior Octopus this issue is a dazzling example of a creative team pulling out all the stops to realize the epic scope, scale and implications of the fallout these events will ultimately have on Peter’s life.

Peter Parker has essentially been an everyman’s Tony Stark for a while now, which has been all well and good, but that concept quickly began to feel a bit of a wrong fit for the character. The battle between Spidey and the Superior Ock is the big highlight of the issue, and in many respects – even though the odds are impossibly stacked against him – it almost feels like Peter has finally managed to double down on that old Parker luck of his and come up trumps for once.

It didn’t make me want to check out Secret Empire, but I love how Amazing Spider-Man #31 effectively frees Peter of all that corporate paraphernalia and puts him back in the traditional red and the blue so to speak – stunning cover by Alex Ross this issue as well! I’ve also enjoyed the recent developments between Spidey and Mockingbird in this series, Peter and Bobbi are so good together – lets hope it lasts. Dan Slott is onto a sure fire winner here, the resolution of this issue and no doubt Marvel’s impending Legacy thingymajig is a great opportunity to really get back to the core essence of what makes the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man such a wonderful character. Fingers crossed it gets our Spider-Senses tingling in all the right ways again!

Publisher: Marvel

Writer: Dan Slott / Penciler: Stuart Immonen

Inks: Wade von Grawbadger / Colourist: Marte Gracia

Letters: VC’s Joe Caramanga / Cover: Alex Ross

 

All New XMen #29 Review

15 Tuesday Jul 2014

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All New X-Men #29

Review by Paul Bowler

The Future Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is back, led by the progeny of Charles Xavier and Mystique. The original X-Men, together with new teammate X-23, and their leader, Professor Kitty Pryde, had just returned to Cyclops’ New Xavier School on Earth following their adventure in space with the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Starjammers to rescue Jean Grey from the Shi’ar – afterwards the young Cyclops then decided to leave the X-Men and remain with his father, Corsair. The Brotherhood infiltrated the school and took over the Stepford Sisters Hive Mind to attack the X-Men and the mindscape of Jean Grey. Now, as Jean’s psychic battle with the son of Xavier intensifies, X-23 gets her chance to strike back…

All New X-Men #29 is an astonishingly brilliant issue from Brian Michael Bendis. The return of the Future Brotherhood has made for a really exciting storyline, every element of the time travelling plot that Bendis has weaved into the narrative achieves an uncanny synergy with the sheer audacity of the multiple paradoxes and quandaries it generates. Heaven only knows what all this is doing to the time stream, it certainly makes a great story though, and the way Bendis manages to bring it all together this issue is amazing.

All New X-Men #29 Cover

I really liked how Jean manages to turn the tables on the son of Xavier in this issue. Everything spins out from last issues cliff-hanger, when Jean began to fight back with her new psychic power levels, and gave X-23 her chance to ambush Xavier. X-23’s savage attack on the son of Xavier is enough to break his influences over the X-Men and the Future Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, except for his brother Raze, who quickly rushes in to fight X-23. The stunning art of Stuart Immonen, together with inker Wade Von Grawbadger, and with colorists Marte Gracia and Jason Keith on this issue, make the big action set piece that follows, with its elaborate two-page spreads and big sash pages, about as breathtaking and exciting as anything we’ve ever seen in this title.

There is also a great dynamic forming between the original X-Men and the present day X-Men now, with the adult Cyclops and Emma Frost keeping Jean focused during her mindscape battle with Xavier’s son, while Kitty Pryde and Magik lead the rest of the X-Men into battle. I also thought the fight between X-23 and Raze was really good, it was savage and brutal, and they both seem fairly evenly matched.

We also learn more about the Future Brotherhood, including the full extent of Xavier’s control over them, and there is a rather unsettling discovery about Xorn as well. The psychic confrontation on the mindscape between Xavier and Jean cleverly uses bold colors to define the combatant’s abilities, with icy blue tones highlighting the attacks by Xavier’s son, while Jean’s new power set manifests within vivid hues of pink and violet.

There are some really good scenes for the adult Cyclops and Emma Frost over the course of this issue, especially for Cyclops, as he points out to the value of the lessons the All New X-Men have learned on this day. Brian Michael Bendis manages once more to skilfully address the issue of Original X-Men’s inability to return to their own time, balancing it perfectly with the way the Future Brotherhood has been manipulated by Xavier’s son, effectively forming a time warping coda with the future events witnessed last issue as the Brotherhood plotted the X-Men’s downfall.

All New X-Men #29 is a highly enjoyable and action packed issue. With all its time twisting surprises this issue will be one to read a few times to pick up all the nuances that Bendis has included, and I expect, like me, you’ll probably agree with Iceman when he says that time travel gives him a headache if you think about it too much! Finally, last word goes to that stunning cover by Immonen, Grawbadger, and Gracia, featuring Angel riding a motorbike. Well, it certainly provides a great conclusion to this story with the Future Brotherhood, and if next issues teaser image is anything to go by, it seems that romance could soon be in the air.

 

All New XMen #28 Review

17 Tuesday Jun 2014

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All New X-Men #28

Review by Paul Bowler

Unable to return to their own time, the original X-Men now reside at Cyclops’ new Xavier School, along with new teammate X-23, and their leader, Professor Kitty Pryde. After the All New X-Men teamed up with the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Starjammers to save Jean Grey from the Shi’ar throne world, the teenage Cyclops was reunited with his father, Corsair, and decided to leave the X-Men and join the Starjammers. Now, with the X-Men back on Earth, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants from the future has travelled back in time to the present day. Infiltrating the school, the Brotherhood attacked, X-23 was stabbed, now they control the Stepford Sisters Hive Mind, and they quickly used this advantage to strike at the mindscape of the young Jean Grey…

All New X-Men #28 is another great issue by Brian Michael Bendis, Stuart Immonen, and Wade Von Grawbadger, as numerous plot threads from the current storyline begin to converge, we also gain a new perspective on last years Battle of the Atom crossover event. It’s fascinating to witness how the Evil Brotherhood was formed in the future, while their attack on the Original X-Men unfolds simultaneously in the present day. The way that Bendis manages to balance each branch of this issues time warping narrative is simply superb, there is a hell of a lot of plot crammed into this issue, and the sheer pace and spectacle of it all is breathtaking. All New X-Men #28 ingeniously serves as a prequel of sorts to Battle of the Atom, I really liked the scenes featuring Xavier’s son (the leader of the future Brotherhood) and Raze, where we saw the terrible state that Beast was in when they discovered him and brought him into the fold.

All New X-Men #28 (Cover)

As the X-Men struggle against the future Brotherhoods attack in the present, the plot continues to build on the implications of Jean’s new power set that was revealed in The Trial of Jean Grey, when the X-Men joined forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Starjammers to rescue Jean from the Shi’ar Empire after she was put on trial for the crimes of her older, Phoenix-Possessed, self. Having realized that he should have dealt with Jean first last time, and how dangerous she can be, the young Xavier and his future Brotherhood hijacked the Stepford Sisters Hive Mind to strike at Jean’s mindscape and attack the X-Men. The smooth transition between the psychic plane and the physical reality heightens the tension further, as the issue build towards an exciting, and very surprising conclusion.

Stuart Immonen’s art on All New X-Men #28 is as stunning as ever. Together with Wade Von Grawbadger’s inks and the excellent work of colorist Marte Gracia, this issue looks incredible. There are so many stand out scenes in this issue: from the intricate detail of the scrawled equations on the walls of the future Beast’s lab, through to the spectacular double-page spread featuring a tremendous battle between the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the future X-Men, and watching Jean’s torment in the haunting bleakness of the Hive Mind, the way in which Immonen seamlessly envelopes us within the entwined narratives of present and future events is truly astonishing.

All New X-Men #28 moves along at a cracking pace, and rapidly builds towards its thrilling final moments as the adult Cyclops and Emma Frost attempt to get the young Jean away from the Brotherhood, when a surprise attack catches everyone off guard. That fact that all the characters are so wrapped up in what’s happening, that none of them actually see what’s coming, is also testament to how well Bendis handles these characters, its thrilling stuff, and Immonen’s art on that final page captures the intensity of that moment perfectly.

I was surprised to see the new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants return so soon after Battle of the Atom, but I’m really glad that Bendis has brought them back. They are such a fascinating group of characters, we get to learn a lot more about them, and the reasoning behind their return to the past is really clever. All New X-Men #28 is a thoroughly enjoyable issue, it’s packed with action, and the gripping time-twisting storyline is elevated to a whole new level as we discover more about the future Brotherhood and their plans.

 

All New XMen #22 Review

24 Friday Jan 2014

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All New X-Men #22

Review by Paul Bowler

Having left Wolverine’s Jean Grey School, the Original X-Men and Kitty Pryde decided to move to Cyclops’s New Xavier School. X-23, the genetic clone of Wolverine, has now joined the team after the teenage X-Men helped her escape from the super-powered son of William Stryker and his group of Purifiers. The Shi’ar, having learned Jean Grey is alive on Earth, return to capture Jean and place her on trial for the actions of Dark Phoenix. The All New X-Men must join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy in order to Jean from intergalactic justice.

The Trial of Jean Grey gets off to an exciting start as the Shi’ar sets out to capture Jean Grey and put her on trial again. All New X-Men #22 has some great moments for the Original X-Men as they settle into everyday life at the New Xavier School, followed by some explosive action when the Shi’ar attacks. This crossover event between the All New X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy looks very promising, and is sure to test the young mutants to the limit.

All New X-Men #22 (Cover)

While the rest of the X-Men seem to be adapting well to being at the New Xavier School, tensions are still running high between Jean and Scott, which leads to a brilliant scene where the two of them argue in the cafeteria while Angel is trying to eat his lunch. Brian Michael Bendis pitches this scene perfectly, striking just the right balance between the tension and humour, as Scott tries to ask Jean about how she is coping with her knowledge of the future. Its fun to watch Angel react as, just like the reader, he only gets half of the conversation, because some of it takes place telepathically between Jean and Scott after she inadvertently reads Scott’s mind without his permission again.

The rest of the issue features the Shi’ar’s attack on the New Xavier School, which is the big highlight of this issue. Its also great to see Stuart Immonen back on All New X-Men as well, his gift for capturing the characters emotions and ability to deliver epic action sequences are perfectly suited to this title.

All New X-Men #22 provides an exciting start to The Trial of Jean Grey, I feel there is a lot of potential here, and it will be great to see the original X-Men venturing into space with the Guardians of the Galaxy to rescue their team-mates.

X-Men Battle of the Atom #2 Review

04 Monday Nov 2013

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Battle of the Atom #2

Review by Paul Bowler

XMen Battle of the Atom #2 Cover

The Brotherhood from the future arrived in the present-day and convinced everyone they were the X-Men of the future. They conspired to get the modern-day X-Men to force the original X-Men to return to the past. Although the young X-Men disagreed, Wolverine and most of the X-Men at the Jean Grey School agreed. However, the scheme was foiled when the real future X-Men appeared, and the Brotherhood’s attempt to use the Time Cube to send the original X-Men home hit a snag, when they found it was impossible to send them back. Now the X-Men of the past, present, and future stand united against the Brotherhood, but when a fleet of S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarriers suddenly arrive Xorn and Xavier take control of their weapon systems and launches their missiles at the X-Men…

Faced with an onslaught of missiles launched by the S.H.I.E.L.D helleicarriers, all of the X-Men teams’ work together to fend off the attack, using every ounce of their combined powers to fight back as the Brotherhood version of the Beast urges them to all to join forces with them. But when he is suddenly cut down by blaster fire from some new arrivals – a group of Sentinels that have secretly been constructed by S.H.I.E.L.D – all hell breaks loose and the present day X-Men and future X-Men find themselves fighting a battle on two fronts. The battle is furious, casualties are high, and as the Brotherhood face defeat Jean “Xorn” Grey confronts Cyclops and Wolverine, blaming the Schism they caused that divided the X-Men for subverting the natural order of time, before fighting the original X-Men until her powers finally overload and she explodes!

By the time Mira Hill arrives at the battlefield the Brotherhood has escaped and the X-Men have teleported back to the Jean Grey School. As they mourn their dead the X-Men must also form a response to S.H.I.E.L.D deploying Sentinels against them. Despite everything that has happened, Wolverine and Cyclops are still unable to settle their differences, and their teams remain divided as the future X-Men prepare to return to their own time – though not everyone is going back to the future as Kymera opts to stay and hunt down the Brotherhood.

Heartfelt goodbyes are said before the future X-Men uses the Time Cube to leave, with the future Iceman imparting some words of wisdom to his present day self as they depart. Afterwards the X-Men gather outside the School where Kitty Pryde announces that she is leaving. Kitty explains she can no longer trust them after the way they acted during Battle of the Atom, saying they let her and the original X-Men down when they needed them most. The original X-Men have also decided to leave with Kitty, not wishing to stay where they are not really wanted. Wolverine and  the X-Men are shocked when Cyclops and Magik teleport in to collect Professor Kitty and her students as they set off to join the Uncanny X-Men at the new Xavier School…

Battle of the Atom #2 Preview 1

Battle of the Atom #2 brings this 50th anniversary crossover event for the X-Men to a close, with Jason Aaron tasked with wrapping everything up, with Brian Michael Bendis writing one of the issues four epilogues. After last issues terrific cliff-hanger Battle of the Atom #2 picks up the pace with a huge battle as the various teams of X-Men square off against the Brotherhood. The arrival of S.H.I.E.L.D’s secret supply of Sentinels is not an altogether unexpected twist; however, this is sure to have a significant impact on human-mutant relations in the future.

The climatic battle includes some brilliant action sequences, there are casualties, and I especially liked the part where the original X-Men took on Xorn. There was also a great showdown between Xorn and Phoenix Quentin Quire, where Jean taunts him about how the Phoenix force still whispers her name. While the battle does reach an explosive end, it all seems a little abrupt; giving way to a series of epilogues that shifts the emphasis towards setting up a plethora of future storylines – especially with the Brotherhood still at large.

This somewhat uneven approach to Battle of the Atom #2 is also reflected in the artwork as well, as the main storyline has art by Esad Ribic and Giuseppe Camuncoli, with Andrew Currie and Tom Palmer on finishes. The four epilogues bring more by Camuncoli and Currie, along with Kris Anka, Chris Bachalo, and Stuart Immonen. Sadly the end result is not all that good; it all feels a little cobbled together, and not a patch on previous instalments.

While Kitty’s decision to leave, followed by the original X-Men, in the final Epilogue by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen was a big surprise, I was a little uncomfortable about how smug Cyclops seemed when he arrived with Magik to collect them – it seemed a little out of character. Epilogue two by Brian Wood, on the other hand, contains one of my favourite scenes of this entire crossover, as the adult Shogo prepares to say goodbye to Jubilee. It’s a brilliant moment for the characters, and I thought it was the real highlight of the issue.

On the whole I have thoroughly enjoyed Battle of the Atom. I like how the story developed through each of the X-Titles involved in the crossover, there were some issues with constant recaps, but for the most part the story held together quiet well. Its just a shame that more time and care wasn’t put into making Battle of the Atom #2 more of an epic finale, rather than the last minute dash to the finish line that it turned out to be.

All New X-Men #17 Review

03 Thursday Oct 2013

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All New X-Men #17

Review by Paul Bowler

 All New X-Men #17 (Cover)

A team of X-Men from the future have arrived in the present, claming the original X-Men must return to their own time, or the world will be doomed. Not wanting to go back, the young Jean Grey and Cyclops go on the run. They make their way to Utopia and seek help from the adult Cyclops and the Uncanny X-Men, but the modern-day and future X-Men track them down. However, Magik is suspicious and takes young Beast and Iceman with her to the future, where they discover it is actually a pleasant world and meet a completely different team of X-Men…

The opening moments of All New X-Men #17 offers a tantalising glimpse of future events for the X-men, where one of the most joyous moments imaginable for mutantkind goes tragically, and horribly wrong. Brian Michael Bendis superbly scripted storyline for Battle of the Atom continues to impress, and Stuart Immonen’s art gives these momentous events a cinematic quality that further enhances the scope and scale of these early scenes.

Its clear now that the future X-Men who travelled back in time to get the original X-Men to return home are not quite who they said they were. As we rejoin Magik, Hank, and Bobby, who have arrived in the future only to find themselves standing in front of a pristine looking Jean Grey School guarded by Sentinels and another team of X-Men.

All New X-Men #17 (Preview 1)

So now we have not three, but four teams of X-Men to contend with, and it would seem that the future is not as horrific as the present-day X-Men have been led to believe. These X-Men are apparently the real deal, and claim they have nothing to do with the other X-Men who returned to the past. We get some great interactions between the present X-Men and the new future X-Men, as Illyana is reunited with Colossus, and a hilarious moment where young Iceman meets a wizard Iceman and asks him about the Ice-Hulk running around in the present with the “Evil X-Men”. Bobby’s reaction to everything is always great fun, especially here, and the expression on his face is priceless.

The future X-Men are reluctant to discuss future events when Illyana presses them for more information, and say that Magik, Beast, and Iceman should return to their own time immediately without any knowledge of what is to come.

We are now just over the halfway mark for the crossover event, this sixth instalment of Battle of the Atom is full of inventive twists, and it leaves you wondering exactly what Brian Michael Bendis is going to do next. The time travel element of this storyline makes it a compelling and exciting read, especially after this issues ends with the Uncanny X-Men returning to their secret school only to find they have some unexpected guests.

All New X-Men #17 effectively sets the scene for bringing the various teams from each time period together, presumably leading to a humongous clash between X-Men past, preset, and future as Battle of the Atom builds towards its final chapters.

All New X-Men #16 Review

06 Friday Sep 2013

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All New X-Men #16

Review by Paul Bowler

All New X-Men #16 (Cover)

When the Beast brought the original X-Men back to the present day to try and restore Charles Xavier’s dream and reunite the divisions that had developed between Mutantkind, everyone was surprised when the young mutants decided to stay. Having struggled to adapt to their new life in the present, events are compounded further when the young Cyclops is almost killed in a battle with the Sentinels – causing a paradox that momentarily rewrites history – so the X-Men decide to send the teen heroes back to their own time. However, before they can act, a second team of time travellers suddenly appears: the X-Men of the future…

The second part of Battle of the Atom continues in All New X-Men #16 as Brian Michael Bendis juggles four teams of X-Men, quickly introducing Cyclops and his renegade team of Uncanny X-Men as Magneto assesses events in the field back at their hidden school. The action then switches to the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning, where a team of X-Men from the future have materialised. They claim the original X-Men should never have remained in the present and say they must return to their own time to avert a series of events unfolding in the future.

It is here, as past, present, and future versions of the X-Men collide, that Brian Michael Bendis really excels. Bendis masterfully bridges the time spanning generation gap between the characters as they begin to interact. While the pace may be slowed by the dialogue and heavy exposition in places, it actually brings an added intensity to the scene, especially when the obligatory misunderstanding that always seems to accompany any larger gathering of X-Men ends in a free for all with everyone attempting to punch each others lights out.

Jean and Scott take advantage of the distraction the fight provides to make a break for it. They take the Black Bird and go on the run from their teachers and friends, in a bid to escape a future that Jean so desperately wants to avoid. Jean feels that everyone is trying to manipulate everyone else, she doesn’t trust these future X-Men either as she cant read their minds, and she doesn’t want to go back to her time and give up this second chance at her life.

All New X-Men #16 (Preview 2)

I like the way that Wolverine uses his keen sense of smell to identify some of the X-Men from the future, especially when he realises he is talking to an older Kitty Pryde, who then embraces him. The mystery of the X-Men from the future is one of the best aspects of this storyline: the older Kitty Pryde is accompanied by an “old-as-dirt” Beast, Dead pool (now hooded and without his mask), and former Runaway Molly Hayes. There are also some key moments featuring Charles Xavier’s grandson, and a hilarious reaction to the hulking bruit of an Iceman by his younger self and present day counterpart, but it is the identity of the new Xorn that yields the biggest surprise of all in this issue.

The art by Stuart Immonen,  with inks by Wade Von Grawbadger and colors by Marte Garcia, looks as great as ever, no mean feat considering the number of characters in this issue. Its incredible how Immonen can bring so many characters to life in one scene. Each moment of Bendis’s intricate story and dialogue is perfectly brought to life by Immonen, the vast array of facial expressions together with the range of emotions the characters experience are all deftly handled, brining an added intensity to the this time travelling storyline.

While this issue may be light on action, the interplay between the generations of  X-Men is perfectly managed by Bendis. The surprise reveal at the end of All New X-Men #16 is brilliant, and with Scott Immonen’s spellbinding artwork, this 50th anniversary crossover event is already well on the way to becoming a real epic.

All New XMen #14 Review

18 Thursday Jul 2013

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Al New X-Men #14

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

All New X-Men #14 Cover

Having learned from the Uncanny Avengers that Mystique, Sabertooh, and Lady Mastermind have been using their identities to conduct a number of robberies, the Original X-Men set out to track them down with the help of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde. Meanwhile in a disused warehouse, Mystique and her Brotherhood are meeting with Madame Hydra and her terrorist organization. As the Silver Samurai stands guard by Madame Hydra’s side, Mystique offers all the money that her Brotherhood has stolen so that she can buy the island of Madrpoor from Hydra. But before Mystique can seal the deal, Wolverine, Kitty, and the original X-Men gatecrash the meeting. As the battle rages, Jean Grey is overwhelmed by Lady Mastermind’s illusions, and her powers begin spiralling out of control as the Phoenix Force is apparently unleashed…

Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen have crafted another fine issue of All New X-Men as the sudden appearance of the Phoenix Force throws everyone off balance. All New X-Men #14 has the Original X-Men coming face to face with something they can scarcely begin to understand, while Kitty and Wolverine must face the unimaginable dread of Jean becoming Phoenix at an age where she can hardly even control her original powers.

All New X-Men #14 Preview 1

All New X-Men #14 sees the X-Men, the Brotherhood and Hydra reeling from Jean’s sudden manifestation of the Phoenix Force. By catching Jean off guard with the illusion of  Jason Wyngarde, the original Mastermind and Regan’s father, Lady Mastermind hoped to make Jean suffer for destroying her family, and when Jean appears to be transforming into Phoenix, it looks as if history is about to repeat itself. However, Brian Michael Bendis ingeniously blindsides those of us who thought the Phoenix effect was another one of Lady Mastermind’s illusions, when the X-Men realize that it is Jean who is projecting the Phoenix image to deceive their enemies.

Jean’s inexperience with her powers means that she has inadvertently projected the image into the minds of the Original X-Men, Wolverine, and Kitty Pryde as well. Fortunately for Jean she is able to regain control before Wolverine’s attempt to end the Phoenix menace gets her slashed by his claws, just as Lady Mastermind strikes back with an illusion of Professor Charles Xavier to give the Brotherhood and Hydra a chance to regain their senses.

All New X-Men #14 Preview 2

The warehouse soon becomes a raging battle ground, with the Original X-Men proving to be more than a match for their opponents: as Cyclops, Iceman, and Beast deal with Sabertooth and the Silver Samurai, while Jean gives Lady Mastermind a taste of her own medicine, Kitty takes on Madame Hydra and Wolverine confronts Mystique. The art by Stuart Immonen on All New X-Men #14 is as fantastic as ever, together with Wade Von Grawbadger’s inks, and the welcome return of Marte Gracia’s fantastic colors, this issue looks absolutely stunning. All New X-Men #14 places the Original X-Men right in the thick of the action, it’s great to see them battling the likes of Sabertooth and the Silver Samurai, and Stuart Immonen really captures the youthful sense of exuberance that makes their teamwork and tactics so effective.

There are some really fun moments after Lady Mastermind attempts to cover her escape with an illusion of the Uncanny Avengers, especially once the real Uncanny Avengers turn up at the scene after Kitty has captured Regan, and Iceman throws a snowball at Thor because he thinks that the Uncanny Avengers are still an illusion. The young Iceman continues to say and do all the wrong things at the most inappropriate moments, it’s hilariously funny, and the way the God of Thunder responds to Bobby’s mistake is brilliant.

All New X-Men #14 Cover (No Logo)

Brian Michael Bendis also manages to include a nice little interlude between Alex and Scott, with a Summers brother high five, it’s a great scene, and follows on nicely from their first encounter during the last issue. Mystique is imprisoned in The Cage Extra-Max Prison at the end of the issue, but as Maria Hill quickly discovers, it’s not easy to keep Raven Darkholme under lock and key.  By the end of this issue Bendis’ takes the opportunity to hint at just how profound an effect Jean’s foreknowledge has had on her, as she sits alone on the basketball court pondering over the memories behind of the Phoenix image she projected psychically during the battle.

The cover of All New X-Men #14 by Immonen, Grawbadger, and Gracia depicts the young Jean Grey being led towards us by Jason Wyngarde. This stunning cover is as sinister as it is opulent, with Jean entranced by Mastermind against a lavish backdrop, providing a chilling reminder of how Wyngarde’s influence originally transformed her into the Hellfire Clubs Black Queen – an event that ultimately led to Jean being corrupted by her own power during the Dark Phoenix saga.

All New X-Men #14 is another superb issue by Bendis and Immonen, the Original X-Men get to fight side by side with Wolverine and Kitty, and the foreboding coda as Jean reflects on her actions hints that things might not have been resolved as easily as we thought.

All New XMen #13 Review

28 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in All, Marvel Comics

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All New X-Men #13

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

All New X-Men #13 (Cover)

Jean Grey continues to struggle with her newly awakened telepathic powers and the knowledge she has gained of the future, while her team mates wonder if Angel’s defection to the adult Cyclops’ rival team will be permanent. To complicate matters further Mystique, Sabertooth, and Lady Mastermind have been using the X-Men’s identities to conduct a series of high-profile robberies. The young X-Men later encountered the Uncanny Avengers and Scott met his brother Alex. Together with Wolverine and Kitty, the teenage X-Men set out to find Mystique and clear their name, but first they need to find out exactly what she intends to do with all the money.

All New X-Men #13 opens in spectacular fashion, with a jaw-dropping sneak peak at the issues closing moments, before turning the clock back six hours to show the events leading up to this momentous event. The original X-Men accompany Wolverine and Kitty to Resilient International in Seattle, where Jean uses her psychic powers to hide their presence so they can investigate the scene of the robbery. Wolverine picks ups Sabertooth’s scent just as Jean’s concentration falters, they are discovered, but Iceman shields them with an ice barrier so they can escape.

All New X-Men #13 (Preview 2)

However, it is after they resume their search for Mystique where the young X-Men hear the speech Havok made earlier in the day, along with Kitty’s response to it, and the story she recounts about her first experience of racism that proves to be the real highlight of the issue. Brian Michael Bendis skilfully addresses this issue as the original X-Men discuss Warren’s departure, allowing Jean and Scott to share a quite moment together, before they ask Kitty‘s opinion about Havok’s speech. It a superb piece of writing by Bendis, where Kitty tells a story from her teenage years – about an anti-semitic comment a boy made without knowing she was Jewish – that draws a stark contrast with her own heartbreaking experience and Alex’s statement that the “M” word represents everything he hates. Kitty is proud to be Jewish and proud to be a Mutant, and although Alex Summers speech is a well intentioned attempt to smooth over the damage to human / mutant relations in the wake of what his brother did in AvX, its certainly clear that Kitty doesn’t feel that she, or anyone, should ever have to shy away from telling people who they are in the way that Havok‘s speech implies.

Its moments like this that makes All New X-Men such a rewarding experience. Brian Michael Bendis has such a grasp on these characters, Kitty’s passionate speech not only highlights the differences between what the X-Men and the Uncanny Avengers are trying to achieve, but it also shows the inner strength that Kitty possesses – and makes you realise just how Havok’s speech could actually end up being incredibly counter productive. A page of this speech, which originally took place in Uncanny Avengers #5, is reprinted at the end of this issue – serving to create a synergy between the two books while placing their opposing views into context against the backdrop of these events.

The art by Stuart Immonen really brings this scene to life, he captures the reactions of the Original X-Men to Kitty’s response to Havok’s speech perfectly, and this is probably some of the finest work he has done of the series to date. While the colours might not be quite on par with Marte Gracia’s work, Rain Beredo has still done a great job with this issue, and he manages to maintain the consistency and tone of the previous instalments.

There are some really funny moments involving Iceman this issue, especially after he discovers that Tony Stark is actually Iron Man, and later when he asks Logan if his mutant name is Hound Dog as he attempts to detect Sabertooth’s scent at Resilient International.

All New X-Men #13 (Preview 1)

We also get learn to what Mystique has planned for the all money her new Brotherhood have stolen, when  Madame Hydra and the Silver Samurai arrive for a meeting with Raven, Sabertooth, and Lady Mastermind. It seems that Madame Hydra has control of something that Mystique wants, namely the island called Madrpoor, and Raven offers her the money the Brotherhood have stolen so she can buy this centrepiece of vice and criminality.

All New X-Men #13 races to a dramatic conclusion as the Original X-Men disobey orders to join Wolverine and Kitty in gate crashing Mystique’s meeting with Hydra, offering Lady Mastermind the perfect opportunity to take revenge on Jean Grey for destroying her family and driving her father mad by seemingly reaching into Jean’s mind and triggering her apparent manifestation of the Phoenix Force. Whether this shocking turn of events is actually real, possibly caused by some bizarre time travelling paradox, or just another one of Lady Mastermind’s illusions remains to be seen, but it certainly provides an exciting cliff-hanger.

This is another fantastic issue by Brian Michael Bendis, his writing has made All New X-Men one of the best comics around, and the art by Stuart Immonen is absolutely incredible. I always look forward to reading All New X-Men, and this issue is one of the best ever.