Hey faithful readers, it’s time for some reviews from my personal pull list! This time around I’ve got three Siege one-shots and a Second Coming tie-in as well, so strap in for a wild ride!
***Spoilers Ahead***
First up is…New Mutants #12 (Second Coming Chapter 3).
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Ibraim Roberson (cover by Adi Granov)
I must admit that Second Coming is already shaping up to be better than Marvel’s last few crossovers. In this issue we see Sam’s team going up against Cameron Hodge and his army of manned robots. We also get to see Wolverine’s team fighting Stryker’s team of Purifiers. Stryker seems to have the edge at first, but he ends up getting sliced in half by Archangel. Then Sam and his team seem to be cruising to an easy win, but Hodge has a surprise for them that nobody was expecting! He uses some form of technology to graft a scorpion-like apparatus to himself and starts to lay a whoopin on Sam’s team. Meanwhile, Cable and Hope run away from the other fight because Cable thinks someone on the X-Men has been compromised. We also get to see an interlude that shows some kind of psychic link between Hope and Rogue. Great story and art! 4/5
Next up is…Siege: Captain America #1 (one-shot).
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Federico Dallochio (cover by Marko Djurdjevic)
I was a little skeptical about these one-shots, but after reading a few of them, I’m glad I picked them up. The basis of these stories is what else is going on during Siege that you don’t see in the main book. In this issue, we see Cap and Bucky doing what they do best. That is saving some dumb hillbillies that stray too close to Asgard and get caught in the rubble. Bucky and Cap save them, but then one of them is held hostage by Razor-Fist (a member of the Hood’s gang). Well, they pretty much kick the crap out of him, but the dialogue between the two is what really shines through. If you didn’t realize it by now, Bucky is going to be “Captain America” going forward in the Marvel U. Good stuff by Gage, and the artist does a fine job as well. 3.5/5
Thirdly I have…Siege: Loki #1 (one-shot).
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Jamie McKelvie (cover by Marko Djurdjevic)
In this book, we see Loki push Norman over the edge and lead him into starting the war on Asgard. Then we get to witness Loki talking to the spirits of the turncoats that were killed by Balder (back in Thor: Giant Size Finale November 2009). Loki then makes a deal with the Disir ( a group of zombie like dudes that feed on the souls of the departed). Loki makes a deal with them, and then in turn with Hela as well. He then travels to Mephisto’s realm to show off his new gang of zombie thugs. He tells Mephisto that he can have these zombie dudes only if he gives Hela some of his fiery space down below. Mephisto agrees out of curiosity, and we find out in the end that Loki made all these things happen just so he can be stricken from Hela’s books if he ever dies. Really cool book in my opinion. 3.5/5
Last but not least, I have…Siege: Young Avengers #1 (one-shot).
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Sean McKeever
Artist: Mahmud A. Asrar (cover by Marko Djurdjevic)
This was another really awesome part of this series. It showcased on one front, Hulkling, Wiccan, and Speed trying to do their best to help the big guns in the fight against Osborn’s troops. All is going well until they run into the Wrecking Crew. On the other front, we have Hawkeye (a young chick) and Patriot trying to claw their way out from underneath a pile of rubble. We see just how powerful Wiccan can be (hey don’t laugh, the guy was rubbing elbows with Dr. Strange a short time ago when he was searching for the new Sorcerer Supreme) when he unleashes a blast that drops the entire Wrecking Crew. Patriot and Hawkeye finally blast their way out of the hole they’re trapped in, but not before Patriot puts a lip-lock on Hawkeye. Again, great stuff and can’t wait for the next few. 4/5
Well, that’s all for this time, but I’ll certainly be back here again with more great action! See you next time!
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net
I honestly skipped the Young Avengers issue because I figured that it would just be a throw away story…good to hear that I was wrong since I like some of the characters on the team. The New Mutants issue was just great and Granov needs to get a book collecting all of his covers some time real soon!
@Speech- Granov is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite cover guys of all-time! Young Avengers was the best Siege one-shot I’ve read so far.