What?

What is this?

 I don't know.  But I think I want it.

Uncanny Avengers #5

Story by Rick Remender
Art by Olivier Coipel & Mark Morales
Colors by Laura Martin
Cover by John Cassaday, Laura Martin, & Olivier Coipel
Price: 3.99

When I was a kid, I loved that MTV show “The Real World”. Watching a group of quirky, often dysfunctional kids from different walks of life trying to live harmoniously under one roof always implied the promise of an impending, horribly beautiful train-wreck. I’m not saying that I enjoy watching the suffering of others, but conflict always provides the best & most entertaining character defining moments.
This issue of Uncanny Avengers was like “The Real World: 616″, and I mean that in every good way possible. There was no filler or padding here. Each character interaction was riveting, and pissing contests were held by both male and female characters alike.
There was a surprising amount of character complexity here as well. There were some great moments that made me appreciate Alex Summers as a peacemaker and a leader, as well as one scene that left me thinking, “Damn. That is one sorry-assed Uncle-Tom.”

SPOILERS:  I'm talking about this scene:

From day-one, the X-Men have been an allegory for disenfranchised groups in the world. In the Marvel Universe, the word “Mutant” is a non-derogatory descriptor, like “Black”, “White”, or “Polka-dotted”. Havok calling the word “Mutant” the “M-Word” is an obvious nod to the use of the “N-Word” in today’s society. He’s basically stating that he finds the word “Mutant” offensive.

As an African American, I find this line of thought as ridiculous as the idea of finding the word “Black” or the term “African American” offensive”. Fortunately, I do not. And I feel safe in saying that neither does society. After all, how often do you hear someone say “The B-Word” in place of “Black”? You don’t, because black is just a descriptor.

It is NOT an insult.

Havok says “Don’t call us Mutants. The ‘M-Word’ represents everything I hate.” This is where his speech went off the rails.

Imagine a Catholic saying “Don’t use the ‘C-Word’. It represents everything I hate.”
Imagine a gay person saying “Don’t use the ‘G-Word’. It represents everything I hate.”
Imagine a woman saying “Don’t use the ‘W-Word’. It represents everything I hate.”
Imagine a white person saying “Don’t use the ‘W-word’. It represents everything I hate.”
Imagine a black person saying “Don’t use the ‘B-word’. It represents everything I hate.”

As depicted by Remender, Havok is a textbook example of a self-hating Mutant. That flies in the face of what the X-Men stand for in the comics, and for what the X-Men comics have stood for for many readers. The X-Men are about inclusion and equality, but they are NOT about rejecting or hating any aspect of themselves. They are about accepting and celebrating difference, NOT about rejecting or denying it.

Rick Remender is a great writer. He’s one of my favorites in fact. I applaud him for trying to tackle the subject of identity politics. But unless he meant to portray Havok as a self-hating Mutant with self-identity & self-esteem issues, he seriously dropped the ball here.

Despite how I feel about Remender's portrayal of the character Havok, I loved this issue.  The characterizations felt real; blemishes and all.  The issue was well-paced and enjoyable from cover to cover.  And  Coipel's art is incredible.

Icing on the cake: A brutally shocking cliffhanger ending.

Saga #11 Review

                                                            

Story by: 

Brian K. Vaughan

Art By: 

Fiona Staples

Price: $2.99

The story thus far:  

Marko and Alana are like Romeo & Juliette in outer space.  Each is a former soldier from opposing sides in an intergalactic race-war.  On one side: The winged, science-minded inhabitants of the planet Landfall.  On the other: The horned, magic-using residents of the moon called Wreath.  The pair meet and decide to Make Love, Not War, making them fugitives from both sides in the conflict.  The couple have a baby, and suddenly find themselves on the run from assorted bounty hunters and government agents determined to end their relationship/family with extreme prejudice.

Since its launch, each issue of Saga has been incredible.  Brian K. Vaughan has a gift for capturing the essence of a character with just a few well-turned phrases, and writes dialogue that is sharp & fresh while still feeling believable and genuine.  His characters speak like real people speak, rather than using stilted, melodramatic comic-speak. 

What Vaughan does with words, Fiona Staples does with art.  She's a master of facial expressions. When Vaughan passes her the story-telling baton, she grabs it like a pro, conveying a staggering amount of emotional complexity with a single panel.  More often than not, she's able to take what would be pages of exposition and express it with the set of a character's shoulders and the arch of an eyebrow.

The magic that Vaughan and Staples are creating continues with issue #11.  It is, quite simply, a beautiful book.

 Not just the art (which is incredible eye-candy), but the story itself.  From the moment I flipped open the cover to the moment I hit the letters page, this issue had me laughing, cheering, and on the brink of tears. This issue drives home the fact that Saga is a book about what it means to be human, even though it’s filled with robots, talking cats, and a bizarre collection of aliens.

If you like space opera, fantasy, or just plain old good story and art, this series is definitely worth checking out.

Bandai X ThreeZero

 

 Famed Hong Kong toy designer Kim Fung Wong (aka ThreeZero) is teaming up with Japanese mega-company Bandai to produce an incredibly kick-ass Mecha figure!  According to ThreeZero, this figure is 1:12 scale, and

 "the robot will contain a 1/12, 6” action figure designed by Kenny Wong."

 

Designer-Toy collectors will undoubtedly recognize ThreeZero as the "3" behind the toy-designing duo known as ThreeA (The "A" stands for Australian artist Ashley Wood).  Designer vinyl fans might also recognize the name Kenny Wong.  

 

 Copperhead Squadt, co-designed by Kenny Wong

 

 To round out the project, Bandai has enlisted the aid of Mr. Kunio Okawara, famous for his mecha design contributions to Bandai's powerhouse franchise: GUNDAM.

  

What do you get when you combine the unique, ground-breaking design style of one of today's top talents with a company who's infrastructure and dedication to quality have made them a toy-creating giant?  I don't know, but I can't wait to find out! 

Stay tuned for more details as they develop... 

Avengers #7

Here comes the New Universe.  Same as the old New Universe.  But different.  And that's a good thing.

Secret Avengers (re-launch)

Years ago, Marvel launched a series called Secret Avengers.  The book was one of many comics wearing the Avengers logo, and I assumed it was just another attempt to ride the Avengers gravy-train.   Apparently, I wasn't alone.  The series was canceled.

I had absolutely ZERO interest in the old book., so I didn't expect much from this new incarnation of the series. I picked up issue one on the spur of the moment, and I am glad that I did. This book is actually pretty awesome. The series has come up with a surprisingly dark plot-device to bring this cast of characters together, giving us a team that bridges the gap between the "Movie Avengers" and the "Comic Avengers".

The art isn't especially spectacular, but it does a decent job of helping to tell the story. And that story is a very pleasant surprise. The story starts off with a bang, and keeps the reader engaged right up to the very last page.

Bonus: Those familiar with the Avengers movie will be pleased to see plenty of stage-time given to  fan-favorite character Phil Coulson.

 

Regardless of whether you're a long-time Avengers comic fan, or a neophyte more familiar with the movie than the comics, this series is a joy.  Action, humor, and machavelian plot-twists come together to create a book that promises to be a fun ride.


Secret Avengers #1
Story by Nick Spencer
Art by Luke Ross

Starting out...