Blog

Welcome back to The Uncanny X-Piles, where each week X-junkies Andy and Jeff review the latest X-books! This week was kind of weird because there weren’t any real X-books, but the guys have still managed to find a bunch of titles that feature a merry mutant or two! So check back each week as J & A romp around in the Danger Room!

Deadpool #1000
Writer: Various
Artist: Various

This week, I had no Marvel books on my pull list, but Andy pleaded for me to do some reviews (because either I’m a great reviewer or because he’s a wuss), so I chose Deadpool #1000. Oi! The worst part about this book was that it was $5.00! My achin’ wallet! However, it was jam-packed with stuff, some of which was garbage, and some of which was not half bad. I’ve not been a big collector of Deadpool in the past, although I almost picked up the ongoing because of Paco Medina. In case you don’t know, I love Paco Medina! So I was delighted to see that the first story in this tome was drawn by him, with Adam Glass providing a pretty decent story. Here’s what works about Deadpool: you have to have the humor, but you also have to couple that humor with Deadpool killing people. That’s what makes Deadpool awesome. The first story did that brilliantly. The rest tried too hard to play up the funny, and ended up not being funny at all. The only other story I kinda liked was the Cullen Bunn/Matteo Scalera which was a not-so-subtle parody of Twilight. But I think the Deadpool-fatigue of most comic readers would disappear if someone wrote a book that held the balance of humor and action well. Overall, this book showed us the spectrum of Deadpool and what works and what doesn’t. Let’s stick with what does work, Marvel. -JJ

Deadpool: Wade Wilson’s War #3
Writer: Duane Swierczynski
Artist: Jason Pearson

Hey! I only made Jeff read Deadpool #1000 because I got stuck with this ‘Pool book. So here we have the second to last installment of the Marvel Knights Deadpool series, and it was an ok issue. I’ll admit, I chuckled aloud when the Deadpool Corps dog pooped out a bomb, and the ridiculously big-boobed chick popped out of the van, but other then that it was a typical Deadpool book. This mini in general has been a pretty good read, but that being said, I think it falls a bit short when compared to other Marvel Knights titles. It ain’t no Silver Surfer: Requiem, that’s for sure. It’s a fun read though, and entertaining throughout; however non ‘Pool fans probably won’t dig it that much. There are moments of confusion as Deadpool, being his usual “full of it” self, makes it difficult to decipher fact from fiction. Plus it’s impossible to tell where, if at all, this mini fits into continuity, so you kind of just have to read it as its own thing…if you aren’t sick of Deadpool Mania by now. -AL

DoomWar #6
Writer: Jonathan Maberry
Artist: Scot Eaton

I’ve been reading this mini-series from the beginning and its been solid the whole way through. The story is original, the story-telling is very well done, and the art is detailed and beautifully colored. But, I’d be willing to bet that since this event ran simultaneously with Second Coming and Siege not many people checked it out. If you’re amongst that crowd, shame on you my friend! The basic gist is that Dr. Doom sticks it to Wakanda by taking advantage of the civil unrest inside the country in order to gain control of the nation’s strongholds of Vibranium- the metal that’s more powerful than Adamantium, and can only be found in the African nation. Naturally, Black Panther and Storm won’t allow this to happen and they call on the help of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and even Deadpool! …and he’s actually not obnoxious in this book. The ending of this issue will have a monumental impact on Wakanda, and certain elements of the Marvel U without a doubt (unless Marvel retcons it next month or something), and I won’t spoil it for you here…but it’s crazy to be sure. As for our X-characters in this book, there’s Deadpool and he takes Doom on mano-a-mano and gets a few licks in (but what was up with ‘Pools steroid arms? That was kinda weird…), Beast makes a brief speaking cameo, plus Cyclops, Namor, and Emma Frost can all be seen on the final page. Of course, Storm is there too, and while her appearances are brief, she’s kicking all sorts of ass in them. The first time we see her she’s ripping apart this monster with a tornado, and then later she destroys a small army of Doombots with chain lightning. Man I miss Storm in the regular X-books. So be sure to check out the TPB if you didn’t read this series! Oh, and if you missed our interview with Jonathan Maberry earlier this week, click here to give it a read! -AL

The New Mutants Forever #1
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: Al Rio

I need to start this review with one sentence: Damn you Jeff. I tried, oh so hard, to get Jeff to cover this issue but he refused. After reviewing X-Men Forever and X-Factor Forever last week, I did not want to choke down this monstrosity…but for the betterment of mutankind everywhere, I bit the bullet. As expected, it’s bad. The story picks up with Chris Claremont’s run on The New Mutants way back when, and it’s revisiting a time in X-history that we’ve all moved well away from; Magneto as headmaster of the X-Men, Emma Frost as a figurehead at the Hellfire Club, and Dani Moonstar still has mutant powers. I mean, why read this dribble when you could be reading the current New Mutants series by Zeb Wells which is absolutely awesome. Seriously it is- especially when considering in 15 issues he’s had to tie the title into three huge Marvel crossovers in Necrosha, Siege, and Second Coming. Yet, somehow, the book has still managed to find its own voice and be a damn good read. The New Mutants Forever on the other hand? Not so much. It’s bad. Like, really bad. Again, even though I met the man two weeks ago at San Diego Comic Con, I cannot get behind this work by Chris Claremont. His older stuff is comics gold, but when fans are forced to pay $4 for comics like this one, well, maybe it’s time to throw in the towel dude. -AL

Young Allies #3
Writer: Sean McKeever
Artist: David Baldeon

In the ’90s, the only non-X-Men book I collected regularly was New Warriors. I loved the teen heroes, the randomness of the group, and fantastic art with guys like Mark Bagley and Darick Robertson.  Of course, New Warriors ran its course, and the latest version crashed and burned pretty badly (after Paco Medina left the book, I might add). That said, I’m thinking Sean McKeever has channelled what I loved about the New Warriors of old and is calling it Young Allies. This was not a bad book at all, and I didn’t even get the first two issues! First, you have a seemingly random group of young heroes: the new Nomad (Bucky of Heroes Reborn), Arana, Toro (not the flaming one), Gravity, and ex-Warrior & Avenger, Firestar. I love Firestar and wish she was on the X-Men, but even still, she’s here, and I like it. Second, much like the old New Warriors, this book has a great group of villains, the Bastards of Evil, who happen to be the children of super-villains. It’s like if the Runaways wore costumes and assumed the identities of their parents. I don’t know everything that’s going on in this book, but from what I can see, it’s worth picking up if you like teenage heroes fighting teenage villains. The art is harmless, too, with Baldeon drawing a bit like David LaFuente (who subsequently did the cover). So check this book out if you miss the New Warriors. I may have to go pick up the first two issues now….damn you, Andy!!!! -JJ

For more X-Men, click here!

Andy Liegl
andy@comicattack.net

Jeff Jackson
jeff@comicattack.net