What I Bought 11/9/2011 - Part 3

I get sad sometimes, thinking how many Marvel ongoings I used to buy, compared to how few I get now. I think it was 11 at the beginning of 2007, and now it's 2. Course, back in '07, I dropped three of those titles before the end of the year, so I clearly wasn't enjoying them anymore, but I had at some point earlier. I have no real point to this, I'm just struggling with introductory paragraphs as usual.

Avengers Academy #19, 20 - Couldn't Hank make himself only a little bigger than everyone else, rather than gigantic? Then he could stand in the back (behind Pietro and Tigra), and be completely in the picture? I know, it's cute the way he did it, but you think he'd opt for a more practical approach. I'm also surprised Pietro doesn't look more bored, or impatient. And Justice looks really grim for some reason.

In issue 19, the cadets decide they have to cause the Academy to self-destruct before the possessed Absorbing Man enlarges it to their universe, where it'll wipe out a city. To do that, Finesse plans to trigger the destruct, but someone else will have to stay behind to stall the baddies. Two someones, as it turns out. Fortunately, the teachers show up in time to remove the need for sacrifices, though the explosion fails to defeat Titania or Absorbing Man. They leave to go join the big, stupid, fight that wrapped up Fear Itself. So everyone survived, but Veil's had enough of all this nearly dying, so she's leaving. 20 deals with the fallout from that, especially when it's revealed where she's going. Plus, two of the teachers are leaving, and Hank's moved the Academy to the old West Coast Avengers' headquarters, and invited a bunch more students. Oh, and he told Tigra he loved her. Go Hank! Get in touch with your emotions and express them in healthy ways!

I think the reveal of where Veil's going would have worked better if I'd read the Point One issue they did. In my defense, I thought those were for new readers, and I wasn't one at the time. Besides, I was thinking about dropping the book when it was solicited, so I wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to buy more issues. Gage makes it pretty clear why some of the cadets and teachers aren't thrilled with Veil's decision, so I'm not lost, but I the effect was blunted slightly. All I have to go on is hearsay from people, most of whom are clearly biased. I assume this Briggs fellow and whatever he's up to will be a running subplot in the future, so it isn't as though Veil's being written out.

I don't have much to say about Tom Raney's art. His faces are a little inconsistent, so I wouldn't say his art elevates the book, but he's not hurting it, either. There's nothing wrong with solid artwork that does the job, though it suffers in comparison with books where the art is really helping sell the book.

Daredevil #5 - Like this one! Oh Marcos Martin, you're so awesome.

It appears shadowy figures he realized that Mr. Austin Cao wasn't fired for being bad at his job, but as an attempt to protect him, and send armed men after him. Too bad for them Murdock's already there. As he put it, 'Oh no! Six armed mercs wearing night vision goggles! Whatever will I do?' *KLIK* Hee hee, I love slightly smart alecky Matt Murdock.

Having dispatched the mercs, Murdock brings Austin to his apartment and helps him remember what he heard, which tells him why someone would fire a man to protect them. Which sets Daredevil on the trail of Cao's former employer. Too bad he gets there just in time to get whupped by some blocky dork in a terrible costume. He has different criminal organization names and insignias all over the outfit, as if a NASCAR vehicle became human and decided to become a luchador.

Also, Foggy's attempts to convince Assistant D.A. McDuffie Matt isn't Daredevil may have made trouble for Matt. Oh, and she isn't his girlfriend, which is probably good. I used to watch The Practice, and it taught me it isn't necessarily smart for prosecutors and defense attorneys to sleep together. Since Murdock can't really go into court anymore, that shouldn't be a problem.

Let's see, I like that Waid's taking Daredevil out of the strictly street crime and ninjas comfort zone, and I'm curious to see if this and the mysterious figure who tried to help Klaw reconstitute himself will be related. As I said, I also love smartass Matt Murdock. Much better than mopey, grim Murdock. As for Marcos Martin, the man knows how to use sound effects. When Brusier kicks Daredevil, and the "KRAK" fills the entire panel behind them, that gets the point across. Or having the sounds of gunfire cross a panel to represent the path of bullets (which we don't see because Matt doesn't see them, either).

Alright, tomorrow. . . Brisco! Because it's Sunday. Monday, Marvel mini-series stuff!