Sunday Splash Page #392

"Exorcist Final Exam," in Nightcrawler (vol. 3) #4, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer), Darick Robertson (penciler), Wayne Faucher (inker), Matt Milla (colorist), Cory Petit (letterer)

Volume 2 was a 4-issue mini-series, part of Marvel's "Icons" subheading. Never read it, don't know if it's any good. Nightcrawler Volume 3 was an actual ongoing series, albeit lasting only 12 issues, where Aguirre-Sacasa and Darick Robertson went a more mystical route for Nightcrawler.

Not entirely out of nowhere; even if the X-Men only occasionally get involved with magic, Kurt Wagner's foster mother is a sorceress, and his foster sister and sometimes girlfriend (but not in this series) Amanda Sefton was apparently ruler of Limbo at this point in time. Plus, there's Kurt's religious beliefs and spiritual nature, and most of the stories in this volume deal with demons or restless souls.

A group of wealthy dicks who, in exchange for the sacrifice of 14 children, get 14 demons in their service. (Which seems like a bad deal on the demons' parts, but I assume they had some loophole planned.) This is after or during Morrison's run, when the X-Men are public and openly doing hero stuff, so the authorities will actually ask for their help with stuff. In this case, the one surviving child appears to be a mutant.

Later on, things loop back to Kurt having killed his foster brother in the past, after said brother appeared to lose his mind and massacre a town. Did he lose his mind though, or was he under outside control? And Aguirre-Sacasa also brings up the fact Illyana's Soulsword was hidden inside Nightcrawler (and I think had been since Ellis' Excalibur run, if not earlier), which is a big part of why this is all happening. Leading to probably the best known moment of this series, Mephisto trying to make a deal with Nightcrawler, and getting punched in the jaw. Proving Kurt Wagner is, at least, smarter than Peter Parker.

Darick Robertson pencils the entire run, which is a nice change from how Marvel typically does things in the 21st Century. His Nightcrawler is fit and attractive, but not to the extent you get when Alan Davis draws the character. Robertson draws Nightcrawler always looking a bit disheveled. Clothes are wrinkled, hair's messy, shoulders a little slumped. Like he's tired or just too out of it to worry about looking nice. Which, since the Soulsword is an invisible weight on him he doesn't even recall being there, would make sense. Aguirre-Sacasa adds Night Nurse as sort of a regular person viewpoint character, though this is before Dr. Strange: The Oath, so she looks nothing like she does there. Robertson definitely leans into "redheaded sexy nurse" for that design.

He's good at drawing monsters - lots of sharp teeth and beady eyes set deep in the sockets - but his work is maybe too clean. A little bit of oppressive shadows that, say, Tom Mandrake would use, wouldn't hurt. Hint at things that can't be fully perceived. Unless the argument would be that Kurt's spiritually in tune with himself enough he can perceive (or he's got greater perception due to the Soulsword's presence inside him.) The art works better when the threats are supernatural, but a little closer to earth. A visit to a circus in Florida where Kurt apparently spent some unpleasant days before joining the X-Men finds the locals possessed by some sort of fly demon. It's running around in whoever is handy, so it's more a matter of making those people look greasy or diseased than otherworldly. Matt Milla's colors help a lot there, too, because he casts everything in a sickly green-brown that you can almost smell just looking at it.

But the book ended at 12 issues and whatever mystical war that was hinted at never came to pass. So it goes when you're writing second or third-tier books.

Sunday Splash Page #332

 

"Diagnosis: Misery," in Marvel Divas #1, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer), Tonci Zonjic (artist), June Chung and Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic (colorists), Cory Petit and Chris Eliopoulos (letterer)

Basically, Hellcat, Firestar, Photon (I forget which codename Monica was using then) and the Black Cat happened to meet at a speed dating event and became friends. So this is some sort of Sex in the City with superheroes, in what was one of Marvel's typical clumsy tries at "appealing to women", or something.

I feel like the oddly proportioned, cheesecake J. Scott Campbell cover for the first issue (and the tpb) works at cross-purposes, but that's why I described it as "clumsy."

The two main threads, which end up tied together, are Firestar's cancer diagnosis, because she stopped wearing the suit Pym designed in the Busiek/Perez Avengers to help her deal with the effects of her powers, and Daimon Hellstrom being an insecure loser about not getting mentioned in Hellcat's latest book about her life. Dr. Strange is, of course, doing one of those "there are things magic can't fix" deals, but Hellstrom's got no such compunctions about promising to help, as long as it gets Patsy on an (almost literal) leash.

It's kind of a weird book, continuity-wise, because Aguirre-Sacasa's clearly referencing either current status quo (Brother Voodoo is now Doctor Voodoo, Sorcerer Supreme, Patsy's time being dead, Firestar's relationship with Vance), but he's either selective in how he does it, or flat-out ignores certain things. I mean, patsy already wrote a book about being dead, she was on a book tour at the start of the Busiek/Larsen Defenders run. It gets framed as Vance ended things with Firestar, which is technically correct, but it was because she didn't really seem to want to get married.

Monica's, whatever she wants to call it with Doctor Voodoo lurks in the background, but briefly steps to the forefront since he's the one who helps the others get into Hell to rescue Patsy. The Black Cat's attempts to get enough money to open an investigation agency, without relying on a gift from then boyfriend Thomas Fireheart (aka, the Puma) remains on its own track, never dovetailing with the other stories. Which isn't really necessary, but it adds to this feeling that Felicia is an awkward piece Aguirre-Sacasa couldn't quite make fit.

And maybe that works with her having operated on both sides of the law. But her subplot concludes with her taking a loan from the freaking Kingpin. Who screwed her over when he gave her bad luck powers, which seems like something she'd remember (see my earlier comments about a selective approach to continuity.) Rather than anything about her friends helping figure something out.

I don't know fashion, especially not women's fashion, and especially especially not women's fashion from the late-2000s, so I don't know if Zonjic does a good job there. It seems like each character has a particular style they favor for civilian clothes, and each is distinct, but hell, I don't know. He does give Hellstrom an look of someone trying real hard for casually sexy, but who just comes off as really sleazy. "Messy" hair that has to be carefully styled, always with the shirt halfway unbuttoned, assuming he's even wearing one, always stretched out over something. Even Gambit think Hellstrom needs to tone it down.

Sunday Splash Page #196

 

"Is that an OSHA-Approved Load Bearing Superhero?" in 4 #1, by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (writer), Steve McNiven (penciller), Mark Morales (inker), Morry Hollowell (colorist), Randy Gentile (letterer)

Fantastic Four is never Marvel's highest selling book, but sometimes Marvel can't help themselves and try to run two titles for the team. 4 ran for 30 issues, from early 2004 until mid-2006, under the Marvel Knights imprint. I'm not sure why. There's nothing in the book I would think couldn't have been in the main title (which was in the last year of the Waid/Wieringo run and then into the JMS/Mike McKone run at this time). Maybe Reed helping a man preparing to commit suicide, or Sue helping one of her employees who was being abused by her husband?

Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, the book was in theory more focused on the cast as a family, and less on dimension-spanning adventures. To that end, the story starts with the team learning their money manager stole a lot of their cash (along with stealing from Tony Stark and Hammerhead, suggesting this man is not very wise), and then having the Mayor evict them from the Baxter Building to pay for the damages they've caused.

So at least initially, it's the Four trying to adjust to finding jobs, a new place to live, the change in their status. Johnny gets yet another arc where he tries to grow up and mature. That part doesn't really last that long, and the book eventually does return to them dealing with unusual problems. Psycho-Man, Rama-Tut's bastard son, Puppet Master abducting women to steal their eyes for Alicia. But there's maybe more focus on the character's thoughts and feelings. The trust they have in one another, how well they know each other. When Reed's captured by aliens along with a couple of guys trying to make a video about the Jersey Devil, Reed very calmly explains that they're fine because Ben no doubt disobeyed Reed and is already getting involved, and Sue will be along soon and so on.

McNiven leaves after 8 issues (right in the middle of a two-part story, no less), replaced by Jim Muniz, who stays on for about a year. Then Valentine de Landro draws most of the last ten issues, which I tend to find some of the weaker ones. Not de Landro's fault, but Aguirre-Sacase drags in the Salem Seven, and does a story about him getting the job as the in-universe writer of the FF and tagging along while they contend with the Impossible Man.

Who Invited the Jerk?

One of the things I hunted down in back issues last year was the Marvel Knights Fantastic Four series (unhelpfully titled "4") Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa wrote in the mid-2000s. It's not going to dislodge the Simonson or McDuffie runs as my personal favorites, but it's mostly solid.

There's one issue in there focused on Sue's birthday, where Reed appears to have forgotten, so she goes out on the town with some lady friends, most of whom make sense. She-Hulk, Alicia Masters, Sharon Ventura (the second Ms. Marvel, later the She-Thing). All old friends and acquaintances.

Emma Frost is also there.

Who in the fuck would think inviting Emma Frost along on your birthday romp is a good idea? She's arrogant, condescending, manipulative and rude. It'd be like inviting Namor or Quicksilver, with the added minus Emma is a telepath with no apparent regard for the sanctity of other people's minds. There's at least two times in that one issue she plucks a thought from Sue's mind and says it out loud to the others in an apparent attempt to embarrass/put her on the spot, and basically dismisses the ethical concerns of what she did with "your mind was practically shouting it, Sue."

Do the X-Men even like her? Respect her, sure. She's been on their side long enough, proven herself enough for that. But I don't know how many of them would consider her a friend, compared to how many would say the same about Nightcrawler or Rogue, for example.

Maybe some of her former students? I know Firestar doesn't care for her, due to the manipulative stuff, but I don't know about the rest of the Hellions (however many are still alive), or the Gen X kids. Again, I think there'd be respect, they might consider her a good mentor or sounding board for their questions (although even that seems doubtful. I could see her doing a lot of damage to a kid with self-esteem issues.) Beyond that, I don't know.

Maybe I Should Just Tear The Cover Off

I haven't done a tpb review in a few months.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Tonci Zonjic's Marvel Divas mini-series was one of those occasional, stuttering steps Marvel makes towards what they think will to get more women to buy their comics. I have no idea if it works or not, they never commit long enough. This particular series was described as like Sex in the City, but with superheroes, which is not typically something I'd be into, but Sacasa and Zonjic have both done work I enjoyed, and it had Felicia Hardy and Patsy Walker in it.

Of course, the trade paperback has that J. Scott Campbell cover that "graced" the first issue. Yeesh. Either the Patch Zircher cover for issue 3 (seen at the left) or the Jelena Djurdjevic cover for issue 2 would have been vast improvements. One step forward, one step back as always, Marvel.

The four of them all happened to try the same speed dating event and decided to start hanging out, and now they do best friends stuff together. Which is nice. In this story, best friend stuff involves a lot of discussing guy problems and dealing with dissatisfaction about how things are going in their lives. Felicia's trying to get an investigative agency up and running, and while she doesn't have the money herself, she's also not going to let her boyfriend pay for it for her. Monica's trying to decide if she wants a relationship with Doctor Voodoo. I feel like Monica got short changed compared to the others in terms of being the focus, but maybe that means she has her act together the most of the four.

Patsy's published a book about her life (it's at least her second, because I know she wrote one when she came back to life), which has brought Daimon Hellstrom back into the picture, because he's miffed he didn't get a mention. Such a dramatic boy. Unfortunately, Firestar's developed cancer, which gives Daimon something to use as leverage against Patsy.

Having never watched Sex in the City, I can't speak to whether this is at all like that, but overall, I enjoyed it. They're an odd quartet, though I was hard pressed to think of another heroine that any of them would consider a friend that was still alive*. But I bought in to the idea they enjoyed just hanging out, shootin' the breeze or watching movies. And this extends to helping each other out with problems, whether it's moral support or charging half-cocked into Hell on a rescue mission. I like friendship stories. There are some decent one-liners, a couple of funny lines I chuckled at. There are a couple of jokes about how Doctor Voodoo tries letting a lady know he's interested, but those work on the basis of Zonjic's art.

Zonjic has a minimalist style, gets a lot done as far as expressions with relatively few lines. Each character has their own distinctive style and body type, which isn't revolutionary, but you and I know a lot of artists who would fail that criteria. I wouldn't say the art is drawn with a female gaze, but Zonjic makes the effort to make the main male characters at least attempt to look attractive. A lot guys walking around with the top button or two of their shirts undone. Except Doctor Voodoo, who rarely bothers wearing a shirt.

The body language Zonjic gives Daimon is outstanding. He keeps popping up around Patsy, obviously obsessing over her, but he's always trying to look casual. Lounging against a bookcase, leaning on a couple of racks of clothes, stretched out across some chairs. But he still looks sleazy, in that way Gambit does, where he's trying for charmingly unkempt, but it doesn't land. Really conveys how for all that he's trying to act cool and in control, he's just barely avoiding a tantrum. Oh Patsy, what the hell were you thinking?

One thing I enjoy with reading these types of mini-series years after they were published is the snapshot they provide of moments in the fictional universe's history. Those glimpses or references to other editorial directions that have since been abandoned or forgotten. Felicia is dating Thomas Fireheart, aka the Puma (which I believe Aguirre-Sacasa started in Sensational Spider-Man), and mentions her stint working for Heroes for Hire. Monica's NextWave stint isn't too far in the rearview mirror, along with the story where she helps the Black Panther fight vampires in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina from Hudlin's Black Panther book. Hank Pym appears briefly, in the costume he wore when he was going with the codename "Wasp" to honor Jan. Doctor Voodoo is Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Strange is not, and Stephen's hanging out with Night Nurse a lot. Patsy's stint as Alaska's only super-hero gets mentioned. All those little stories or changes to the status quo that don't stick, either getting reversed or simply ignored and fading away.

* She-Hulk would be an exception, but I get the impression most people get along with her, like how most people get along with Ben Grimm or Nightcrawler. She's not really anyone's exclusive best pal, you know? I figure one of Patsy's oldest costumed set friends was Valkyrie, and I can't remember if she was alive when this came out. With Firestar I'd figure Namorita, but I'm almost positive she was still dead (or recently alive and still in deep space in the pages of Nova). And I have no idea who Monica was particularly close with. Would she consider Elsa Bloodstone or Boom-Boom "friends"?