What I Bought 4/13/09

Well look at that. The comics had been sitting at the post office since the middle of last week. I am now convinced someone at the housing lost the notice. Accursed housemates. Wait, hang on a sec. *dons blue coat with hood, opens window to let in the breeze, causing coat to flap/billow, adds large metal glove* ACCURSED HOUSEMATES! *shakes metal fist* Much better. So, comics now, War of Kings-related stuff tomorrow, non-War of Kings stuff today. Forward!

Agents of Atlas #3 - So the mysterious gun-toting guys in the '50s are connected to portals leading to another world, one that's pretty desolate. And they're after Jimmy's fair lady, Suwan. Norman Osborn likes what he sees of Atlas' weapons production, the Winter Captain (I think Len coined that term) does not. So, Agents/Captain America throwdown next month?

The part I was most interested in was what I assume was the explanation for Namora's violent outburst last issue, and it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Assuming this is the explanation. The reason I was most interested in this part was it dealt with the fact Namorita was Namora's daughter, and that Nita died right before Namora came back, and that would probably make Namora kind of sad. And angry, since we're talking about an Atlantean, and damn near everything makes them angry. So I really liked that sequence, even if I still wish Millar hadn't gone and blown Namorita up. Seriously, a mother/daughter Atlantean ass-kicking squad would have been pretty cool, right?

I still really like the art in both parts, though I'm surprised how similar Clayton Henry's art seems to Carlos Pagulayan's. I think it must be Jana Schirmer (the colors seem to soften the linework somehow, or maybe they just don't ink over the pencils?), or maybe Henry's trying to stay close to Pagulayan's style, to keep things consistent? Either way, both Henry and Gabriel Hardman's work is fine with me.

Amazing Spider-Man #589 - Hey, it's my first Amazing Spider-Man issue of the year! It's all because of the Spot. Here, the Spot attempts to kill a Russian gangster for reasons not readily apparent. Well, maybe they were if you'd been reading the title regularly, but my guess was it was a money hit, and it's not. Anyway, Spidey is trying to get the dirt on Ivankov, while the Spot just seems to want to kill Ivankov, and Spidey's having a bit of trouble with Spot, plus the fact Ivankov won't admit to his wrong-doing because he's not afraid of Spider-Man, a trait not shared by the non-criminals in the Marvel Universe. Proving once again, your average person in the Marvel Universe is a putz.

Three things I liked from the issue: One, Spot's confession and explanation note. Two, Spot causing Spidey to punch himself in the face. Three, Spider-Man's "Christian Bale as Batman" voice attempts. I guess that one is contingent on you having seen the last two Bat-movies, or at least knowing about them to work, since you have to auditorialize (like vizualize, but with your ears) it yourself, but I have seen the flicks, so it works for me.

I couldn't quite get into Paulo Siqueira's art. There's nothing bad about it, per se, it kind of reminds me of Phil Jimenez, but it feels like there are too many tiny, thin lines on faces, which just kind of didn't work for me for some reason. Again, not bad art, just my preferred style, I suppose.

Thunderbolts #130 - We're stepping out of alphabetical order, since this lead into Deadpool #9. Deadpool works to elude the Thunderbolts, gets himself a teleporter, gets ambushed by the T'Bolts, oops I mean, ambushes the T'Bolts, and hits on Black Widow, version 2.0.

OK, there's some switching back and forth that I don't totally follow. The Deadpool issue explains some of it, but I'm still not clear on everything. Still, it was amusing, if not laugh out loud funny. I'm impressed that Deadpool's white exposition boxes know so much about ants. Must have been watching Animal Planet, unless Discovery started an "Ant Week" tradition I don't know about.

I like some of the postures Bong Dazo has Deadpool assume through the issue, like when he sees the grenade landing right in front of him, or the last page where he asks Yelena out. They're kind of goofy, and I can't decide whether that works against the story arc or not, but it's kind of cute.

Deadpool #9 - OK, part 3 of Magnum Opus.Wade has another fight with the T'Bolts. We find out who his partner is, though I'm still not clear on when his partner was in Avengers Tower. Was it the partner the whole time? Were they ducking around corners and switching off? I don't know. Deadpool draws out the Thunderbolts and attacks them, while simultaneously trying to woo Yelena, which I guess if Wade can have three-way conversations in his head, he can handle that. Personally, two-voice conversations in are the limit in my noggin. Regardless, Deadpool's partner gets captured, though I'm also unlcear on whether the Thunderbolts realize that isn't actually Deadpool or not.

I am a bad person, because I found the 'Dude, she wants to flank us! That's not a good thing!' internal exchange hilarious. Or maybe I'm not a bad person, I just have a poorly developed sense of humor. Yes, let's go with that. I was also entertained by the partner's attempt to imitate Deadpool. It's harder than you might think, though if you've seen my clumsy attempts, maybe you know how hard it is. Mostly liked Paco Medina's pencils, the panel of Wade trying to fly a plane while shooting and talking on a cellphone was amusing. Still, I don't feel like he really incorporates the surroundings into the action very often. Paladin gets the drop on 'Pool, but I can't tell whether he dropped from the sky, or hopped up over a ledge, or what, 'cause there's no background. It kind of bugs me. And, there was a panel where it looks like Yelena has a bead on Wade's head, but she apparently missed with the shot, but it's kind of hard to tell. I really like Medina's work at times, but other times it feels like he could be doing better. But maybe not on a monthly schedule.

Immortal Iron Fist #24 - I'm not sure I'm ready for an Iron Fist who believes the way to a better world doesn't involve kicking people in the head. I mean, that's blasphemy isn't it? Still, that's what we get with Li Park, the pacifist Iron Fist, who fought Shou-Lao the Undying because there was nobody else. And then tried to protect the people his way, only to have to protect them the way most Iron Fists do. Which could be kind of a bummer, though I guess it wasn't so much that he despised fighting, as he simply didn't think it solved any problems. So it's not a absolute refutation of his world view, just one in this particular circumstance. And ultimately, he plays Moses for the villagers he saved (though he makes it to the Promsied Land along with them).

They just keep coming up with new uses for the Iron Fist, don't they? Though I guess this is just the hypnosis trick Orson taught Danny, on a large scale. Kind of interesting to see how the Iron Fist expresses itself through the user's personality. Or I think that's what it does. I need to look into that more, perhaps, before I'm sure of that. It's been awhile since Kano drew Immortal Iron Fist (back during the Tournament of the Heavens, Kano handled the flashbacks to Wendell and Davos' friendship). The art looks a little different. Smoother, maybe with fewer lines, and the lines that are there don't seem as dark, don't seem to stand out as much. It makes things calmer, reflecting the pacifist dreamer the story focuses on?

War of Kings stuff tomorrow!