V for Vendetta: 5th November bandwagon

That's right, its bonfire night and that means two things, one, I'm going to be grouchy tomorrow because I'll have been kept up all night long by silly people letting of fireworks, one of the most useless things in the world, its just light and sound people, you see and hear it all day and everyday, why must you see more of it?! WHY?!

 Oh, right, the second thing, I will be re-reading the classic, fantastic and all round awesome V for Vendetta graphic novel, the masterwork from Alan Moore, and of course David Lloyd. A story that is continually relevant  and has stood the test of time, this is a story that will be with us forever, and continually told in one form or another. I would suggest you learn of the story through the graphic novel, but there is also the very well made film. Though it could just be that anything Hugo Weaving does becomes instantly amazing.

Anyway, yes, read V for Vendetta, enjoy the stupendously well written plot, and enjoy the superb subtle finely crafted images. I would also urge any fans of the film that haven't read the comic to do so, it adds so much more to the story, it is in a way a completely different story, so please, for the sake of my sanity read it. It truly is one the best examples of the genre there is, it is a novel in all meaning of the word, that just so happens to be accompanied with beautiful artwork, its what some may call a win-win.

What Would Doom Do? 

He would curl up in bed with his copy of V for Vendetta, because lets face it, we know he has one, and carefully read through it enjoying every moment, then he would carefully place it back on his shelf and drift of to sleep with dreams of revolution dancing through his mind.

Marvel NOW! Point One: A collection of my thinky things

Well, its been bought, its been read, its been mulled over and thoroughly thought through.
So here are my rash and entirely irrational thoughts on Point one and the teasers contained within.

The framing sequence (or the stuff with Fury and Coulson) is good, solid art work with decent writing and lots of questions raised. Plus we get to see a badass Coulson, fantastic. Looking forward to more of Fury and Coulson and their crazy, frolicking fun.

Next up is the Star Lord introduction, yes, I will definitely be picking this up. I've been a long time fan of Peter Quill and I'm very interested in seeing how this develops and seeing Bendis' and McNiven's handling of the character, considering the last time they worked together we got the Sentry, I'm excited to see what happens. Plus the artwork is pretty, always a plus, thank you Mr McNiven. I think we have a top selling run here, I'm very excited to see how the Guardians of the Galaxy turn out, I was a fan of them before, and I hope to be a fan of them again, with a start like this, I think I will be. Over to you Bendis

Nova, no, sorry but no. I think it may be that I'm still biased towards Richard Rider, I don't seem able to move on from DnA's Nova and the Annihilation wave and War of Kings and all that cosmic awesomeness  I cant see myself picking up this new Nova, I didn't connect with him immediately as I did with Rich. And no Worldmind?! maybe this is still to come, but still.... It also felt like it was pandering to a younger audience, both in terms of writing and artwork. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with that, but its just not for me, though I will still keep an eye on how it develops, maybe it can win me over.

Young Avengers/Miss America, again similar complaints as with Nova, but I will reserve judgement on this one till we see the rest of the team and let things develop a little. Young Avengers have a great selection of characters and relationships and I am a fan of Kieron Gillen ( did you see his work with Uncanny X - Men? Wow), so I'll probably be picking up the next few issues of this to see how things go. And I'm sure my co-contributor will agree, its not Young Avengers till we have Wiccan and Hulkling there.

Ant man, this is an odd one, really not to  sure what to make of it. Did I enjoy it? I think so. Do I love the work of Matt Fraction? Yes I do. Did I like the Artwork of Michael Allred? It's growing on me, it reminds me of the Golden Age, I may grow to love it, or hate it, only time will tell. I think this could be a slow burner, I'll be keeping an eye on it, and I suggest you do the same.

Cable and X-force, this is a definite yes, mostly because I love Forge, but still seems awesome to me. We had Forge fixing his own brain?! How can you not love it already? so far its been very well put together, and I particular like the Cable reveal at the end, thank you Sir Gabriel Hernandez Walta. Really looking forward to seeing the future of this one, very excited to see the introduction of the other characters. And I have no idea the direction the story will take, you never can tell with Cable, so even if its terrible at least it'll be fun finding out.
Gotta love some X-force.







What Would Doom Do?
Why, go read it again of course, then make a note of all the release dates for the titles he is most looking forward to, which just so happen to be the same as my favourites, me and Doom, sitting in a tree....

Uncanny Avengers #1......Meh

So, I've read Uncanny Avengers issue one, and as the title post says, meh. I didn't hate it, but neither did I love it. Did it feel like a brand new series, a paradigm shifting issue? No, it just felt like another issue except with a 1 on the front. Though it is still of course early on, I'm sure that as things continue I'll become far more enthralled by it. Perhaps I had just built it up far too much, after all the line up is fairly interesting, a new combination of heroes that we haven't really seen working together before. Both in terms of power sets and relationships.

Though I don't want to give you the impression that I didn't enjoy it, I did, its worth a read just for the few excellent moments, the last page for example did have me a little speechless, and the image of Captain America flying away with his legs spread? Priceless, an image that will  stay with me for years to come. Yes, the issue itself didn't fill me with joy like others have, but while not in itself the most impressive thing I've read, it has started laying the groundwork for what could be some really fun and captivating stories.

Now, as for the artwork, I like it, I like it a lot. Its clean and clear, not over done or too gritty, we don't have any over muscled steroid pumped heroes, instead we have some true comic artwork that shows people as they might actually be, just the right mix of reality and fantasy. Which I feel is also reflected by the writing, with characters admitting to the reality of their situation  such as Captain America admitting that they didn't do enough to help mutants. What we have here, I feel, is a slightly more grounded Marvel comic book, whether they keep their feet on the ground remains to be seen. But I certainly do like the combination of Remender and Cassaday, if they continue like this then I fear I may be writing angry letters to them if they attempt to split up, its not all about you two, think of the readers! Think of the readers!!

And What Would Doom Do?  He would calmly enjoy it, he would also add it to his pull list as he has seen the future and knows that big things are just around the corner. Big things. Just around the corner. He also has a soft spot for Havok so for that reason alone will be buying every issue.

Antman is awesome.

From the tales of the sea to the microscopic wonders of the earth where we find the compardres of one of the Marvel Earth's Mightest Heroes...but also one of the most forgotten...Ant-Man.

 I'm not talking Eric O'Grady of even the great (not so late anymore) Scott Lang...but the one that started it all. Hank Pym.

As one of the founding members of the Avengers (why do people forget...him and Wasp were pretty much first on the scene!) Pym has always been a massive favourite of mine. This can be considered rather controversial considering his rather bumpy ride through his Marvel career- from the treatment of the his wife Janet Van Dyne, to single handedly creating one of the Avengers greatest foes (with obvious daddy issues) Ultron.

But on the plus side, you could say there has been some method to his madness. Ultron = Vision = loving up Wanda = William & Thomas = Billy (Wiccan) and Tommy (Speed) from the Young Avengers (can always loop everything together)

Every genius has his pitfalls, and Pym is no exception to this

So what makes Hank Pym so awesome?

Despite his obvious multiple personality disorder and complete and utter lack of self worth (displayed by his stints as Giant-Man, Yellow Jacket, Goliath and to an extent Wasp 2), he has remained consistent in his loyalty towards his team.

Pym has always tried to do what he thought was best for humanity. His choice to side with Stark and Richards during the Civil War (yeh I still live in the past and consider this his greatest offense. oops) came from a good place. He was determined to make amends for his wrongs but also save society from the 'monsters' that he knew superheroism could create. And who can forget his attempt to help young mutants and superheroes become the best they can be without veering into villainy through the Avengers Academy.

So FINALLY Pym could be making it to the big screen! An Ant-Man film has been in talks for years, and earlier this year, Edgar Wright finally plucked the sword from the stone when he released an Ant-Man themed teaser. And yesterday the film finally received a release date (yes!)

However, they've always been clear that the film would probably be based around Scott Lang (lets be honest now, it does kinda make for a more interesting sorry...but that also means Cassie and potential for a YA film?! or am I getting ahead of myself?!) But Wright has stated that he would like to pay homage to the great Hank Pym. So we can definitely expect to be seeing him for at least a 3rd of the film. However, it is still unclear as to whether or not my favourite genius will be making an appearance in Avengers 2.

Painting (c) What Would Doom Do

I for one will be a happy hank girl waiting in the ranks for his first Marvel NOW appearance.

So What Would Doom Do? Doom would gather up all the Hank Haterz and send them to work in the cold dark pits of Latveria whilst he sat back chillin with some Pym particles.

Hank Pym, saving lives since 1962

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I hope so

You're all semi intelligent beings so I am just going to assume you've all heard of Philip K. Dick's master work Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, the less well read of you may know it better as the film Blade Runner (though some may argue they are two entirely different stories).

Well, procrastinator that I am have only just got around to picking up Dust to Dust, Boom! Studios prequel to the aforementioned novel brought to us courtesy of Chris Roberson and Robert Adler. Though I also feel Orbital Comics deserves a small mention here since it was thanks to them that I was able to pick up the entire series at once, and a steal at only a £1 per issue, so I thoroughly recommend popping in if your in central London at any time, not only do they have all the current titles they also have an extensive back catalogue which is a pleasure to browse, not to mention the lovely, very friendly, very attractive and never pushy people that work there.

 But anyway, back to dust to dust, as mention it is a prequel to DADOES but you'll find there to be plenty for readers familiar with the work and those who have never heard of it. It works very well as a stand alone series due to the great story and beautifully fitting art work, I've only just started but am already hooked, there are androids, empaths, dust and even a cute little bunny. Its very easy to read, and the artwork just helps pull you along, its not as polished as some of the titles you may be used to, but this works, it works very well. Due in part to the story and world itself, its not a polished place and the artwork really reflects this. Its also refreshing to read a comic that looks like a comic and not a photoshop portfolio.

For those of you familiar with the novel we also get a glimpse at the beginnings of Mercerism, the war the androids fought in and a myriad of other nods and cheeky sidelong glances. It is unmistakeably a precursor to the exploits of Rick Deckard and a rewarding one at that. It also keeps the tradition of being very 'deep', with musings about life and emotion. What we have here is a comic book prequel that, dare I say it, Philip K. Dick himself would have been very proud of, its in keeping with the tone of the original, without just being a copy.

I recommend it, but What Would Doom Do? He would read this so hard it would be obliterated into tiny pieces forcing Doom to travel back in time to stop himself from reading it so hard so he can read it again. 

Who the hell are the Young Avengers?

I've been waiting to do a Young Avengers (The 2005 brainchild of Allan Heinberg and Jimmy Cheung) post for a while, but since the end of Children's Crusade (which is AMAZING by the way...go and read it, like now...whilst you're at it start from Young Avengers #1) it's all gone quiet, and we were all left waiting to know what would be next for our favourite young heroes.
Well today that question was finally answered.

With all the hype around Marvel NOW! starting to build, today Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie broke the silence and have finally brought them back to life! But not as we know it...This is the NEW Young Avengers...and i'm not quite sure how I feel about that to be honest.

The Young Avengers are my favourite characters/team on the Marvel roster, I literally love them, and i've followed their journey pretty much from start to end.

The team (without any spoilers for you YA newbies) of Wiccan (Billy Kaplan), Hulking (Theodore Altman), Iron Lad (Nathaniel), Patriot (Elijah Bradley) and later Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), Vision (Jonas), Stature (Cassie Lang - daughter of Scott Lang, Antman II) and Speed (Thomas Shepherd) are teens aged 15-17, trying to juggle normal, awkward teenage life with the thralls of superherohood. But perhaps the most intriguing bit is that they all have special links to the Avengers of past and present. (dun, dun DUN!)

The amazing artwork of Cheung (whom I had the pleasure of meeting and babbling to at London's Super Comic Convention) and awesome writing of OC guru Heinberg are pretty much perfect. They completely capture the tone of the young teens and manage to balance the humour and trials of teenage-hood with the complications of heroism.

There are tears, tantrums, AWESOME revelations and plenty of sarcasm, making Heinberg's and Cheung's Young Avengers some of the strongest (characterwise), interesting and engaging Marvel characters to date. And I bloody love them. I can't express how strong the story for these guys is, and its definitely something to add to your collection, especially Young Avengers #1-12 and Avengers: Children's Crusade #1-9

Flash forward to 2012 (although only 5 months on from the last issue of the YA) and my favourite squad appear to be making a return...but whilst Wiccan, Hulkling and Hawkeye have remained, Speed, Patriot, Vision and Stature are nowhere to be seen (although readers of YA will know why Vision and Stature are unimportant to this heh). Instead, they are joined by Miss America (basically Patriot with long hair and boobs), Marvel Boy (Nor-Varr...last seen in YA /Runways: Civil War...but basically a Kree version of Speed...even sporting the white hair) and a young Loki.

Now, whilst I am more than excited for the return of the Young Avengers i'm keen to know what this means for the characters that have already been developed...will the same relationships remain? will Patriot be returning and most importantly will Speed play any role in this new line up?! Is there even any room for him now?! He's a personal favourite of mine (and many others) and very integral (kinda) to the story of the YA as well as Wiccan! Only time will tell...and i'm more than willing to give Gillen and McKelvie a chance...but they're really not giving anything away...especially with the reveal of 2 pages from Young Avengers #1...

I felt that this team was strong enough as it was, although the final issue of Childrens Crusade did leave you thinking "what's next...", and with pretty much all the questions answered and mysteries solved (not including obvious plot holes...), was CC #9 the unofficial ending for my favourite team??

So this is the next chapter for the Young Avengers...let's see what you got Gillen and McKelvie...

What Would Doom Do? he'd weep into his pillow ruing the day that he ever crossed the Young Avengers...but maybe he'd give this reboot chance...for a little while atleast.



RIP my Young Avengers?

Digital Vs Print the Eternal Battle

It's that relatively new, age old question, of print vs digital comics, which is better, which will be the future of comics?

If you ask me, its both. But then again newer generations may not even realise books can be bought in print format (and for those of you reading, that means that words are printed on paper) I read comics in both forms, I even read novels in both forms, and of course both have certain advantages and disadvantages. But for both to truly last, they need to work together, certain publishers have taken the first few steps towards this with the ability to scan print copies with a phone/tablet and get extra features, then there is the whole 'free digital copy when you buy print' things going on, and I'm sure there are many other gimmicks being employed elsewhere. But I fear this 'free digital copy' may be doing more harm than good, I can see what its meant to do, win over both crowds, you want digital? Great, you can have it free if you buy print!

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However, some people may be buying digital because they don't want the print version, or perhaps once a buyer gets a taste of digital they find it easier quicker and far more convenient and move on from print. And its true, buying digital is incredibly easy, you click, or tap with a finger on newer magic devices and there it is, ready to be read and you didn't even need to get out of bed. Surely what should be happening is encouraging and pushing print?

What if you got a free hard copy delivered to your door, or ready to pick up from your nearest comic book store when you buy digital, then you would get the ease of buying digital with that special magical feeling of actually holding the book in your hands. Not to mention getting more customers through the door of their local comic book store, and odds are that once there, they will buy something else, and hopefully return. But what do I know, I'm just a customer after all, I am positive that this is a far more complex and challenge issue than my simplistic understanding of it makes it appear. All I do know is that I will continue to buy both digital and print, I will continue to support the industry because I love the outcome and appreciate all the work that goes into producing that end result.

So, What Would Doom Do? He'd go browse his local comic book store and pick up a few issues and thoroughly enjoy his time there, so why don't you pop on down now. Or risk the wrath of Doom, your choice.

Marvel NOW (but not right now)

Off the back of our Previous NOW themed post I would just like to say,What? Huh? But...what?

Yep, I'm still in the process of trying to get up to date on past titles, let alone the new ones, and now (no pun intended) we're going to have a bunch of 'new' titles thrown at us.Why not have a short break, let the slower of the pack catch up with the current/previous titles rather than be left behind and picked off.

Or are all current titles ending with them having no relevance to the new titles, or just being renumbered, or morphed into one giant amorphous comic shaped being that will eat all other comics and spew them out with the word NOW stamped on the front? (To be honest I'm hoping for the latter). Does this mean we are going to be faced with a few months of being told the same origin stories again, but with different pictures, or are things going to be so radically different that we don't even notice?

Though I am of course still going to be buying I them, I may bitch and moan, but let's face it, I'm still weak and easily swayed. And do have a certain fondness for any issue that's numbered 1, I think its the optimistic completionist in me, one that will never be happy since it seems many titles will now be renumbered and never truly end, hence meaning I can never truly feel that I have a full collection.

Whether of course marvel can pull this off remains to be seen, will it just be a hiccup in the numbering, or will it be a significant change? Or will it just be another pointless gimmick? Who knows, but I still believe we will be getting some excellent stories out of it, whether these are in the comics, or about marvel I don't know. But I can't wait to find out.

It's not like we're copying DC or anything...

Since DC announced and has so far (successfully) re-launched with its new 52 series, it was only a matter of time before our good friends at Marvel were hot on its heels. Now I know there have been talks of a 'reboot' for a while now and Marvel NOW has been no secret, but I for one am pretty slow on the uptake, and delays have just made me bored, so to 52 I turned!

But this week theres been a glimmer of hope, and today was no let down..another cheeky teaser



With one word Gillen and McKelvie have managed to throw everyone into such disarray!! And I for one am getting pretty damn excited...January couldn't come soon enough especially if the Young Avengers and Ant-Man (albeit Scott Lang) are going to be a part of this...here's to hoping that it stands the test of time! One man's 52 may be another man's Beano...

Rumours rumours  everywhere and not a drop to drink.

A Girl's Guide to the Sea: Aquaman #0

In my quest to continue playing catch up, I decided to join the ranks of many and finally start my Aquaman journey, and what better place to start than with DC's fresh batch of #0s. And what a journey it was.

Not gonna lie but I was pretty much blown away. This beautiful opening tail of Arthur Curry read like the opening sequence to Disney's 'Little Mermaid' (my ultimate fave).

I don't know what I was expecting when I picked up this issue, but it definitely wasn't this.

The artwork of Ivan Reis and Joe Prado was absolutely flawless and not to forget the colourist Rod Reis. All 3 worked together to produce an absolute stunning issue from start to finish - especially the underwater scenes.

You can literally hear the swell of the orchestra and the splash of the waves. Think I'm joking? then you definitely need to get your hands on this issue to see what I mean (a love of the 1989's Disney classic may also help...)
Even Curry's dramatic return to land is every bit as epic as Ariel mounting the rock on the surface, surrounded by crashing waves as she sings 'Part of Your World'


Let's not forget Geoff John's who kicks off this tale of a young man's reunion with the sea. Whilst the writing is strong, I really feel like this #0 issue is well and truly lead by Reis's and Prado's ability to let the artwork tell this story.

Definitely one for the big screen.

Watch from 2:15 in!

Batman and Robin, Father and Son

The New 52 Batman and Robin, a comic book series that isn't about an awkward relationship between a grown man dressed as a bat and a young orphan in tights, but instead a rather poignant look at the relationship between father and son. A book about the Bat - family as a whole, the relationships between previous robins, the odd quest for respect and approval from the father figure all held together with violence, a murderous 10 year old and a long suffering, ever caring man named Alfred, the true hero of the Batman mythos some might say.

If you haven't picked it up yet you really should, even if its only for the odd moments in which the attempt at being a family is made, which is the true selling point. Watching a group of incredibly driven heroes, trying to function as a family, made even more difficult by the fact that each 'brotherly' fight is deadly since each of them has been trained in hand to hand combat by the Batman himself.  Especially Damien, Bruce's son, a killer, and desperate to gain his fathers approval even if his ideas of how to go about it are flawed.

We also have Bruce himself, learning that being a father is very different from just being a leader. His struggle to connect to his son after being wrapped in the shroud of the Bat for so long mixed with the need to teach him to control his power and refrain from killing, doing what he has been trained to do since birth. It is this new side to the Batman that keeps things fresh, we get a new take on an old story and a chance to relate to the Batman in a new way, to see him as human. The idea that even the Batman still struggles with life, that being a father can be far more difficult than taking on an entire city of crime, both with his fists and through his wallet.

Go read it, then tell me that being a father isn't more terrifying than the Joker holding your hand as you walk towards a fun house.

Read it, and see that Bruce Wayne has a family, that Gotham's orphans  have been drawn together by the symbol of the bat and are slowly becoming a family, with all the issues that entails.

Marvel Mania

Still on my quest to become a Carol Danvers convert (slow and steady), I finally got my hands on Captain Marvel #2 & #3, and it was definitely worth the wait.

#2 doesn't waste any time in throwing you right back into the action. Within 10 pages you witness a moment of sentimentality, a theft, a world record attempt, a failed record attempt and finally some good old fashioned girl power. Did I mention there's a little bit of 'timey wimey' (to quote Dr Who) business in there. Without giving too much away, Danvers finds herself in an unknown place and time (hint hint) fighting alongside an all female pilot squad.

Just when you think things couldn't get any-more confusing and timey-wimey, #3 plummets you right back into the warzone, and Decconick throws in another curve ball in the shape of some serious Kree armada. And once again Soy's artwork is effortless as the fight scenes have your eyes dancing across the pages. I really am enjoying Soy's work, and these issues are made even more explosive because of it.

Captain Marvel #2 / #3 definitely tick all the boxes, and Danvers gets to play both the saved and the savior. Definitely one to watch.

The New 52: Batwoman

When I finally found the time to tear myself away from the wonders of the Marvel women, I took a quick detour to sample the finest wear's of what the DC ladies had to offer. Bought after it came highly recommended Batwoman #12 was the perfect side-track.

#12 see's Kane doing what she does best, kicking some arse and looking mighty good doing it.

I'm definitely WELL behind, but the witty dialogue (J.H. Williams III) and slick art (W. Haden Blackman) work together effortlessly to fill in the gaps that I was so obviously missing.

Without running the risk of any spoilers, Kane finds herself fighting side by side with Werebeast in search of Gotham's missing children. 

After a gothic legend turned reality, an angry girlfriend and still no luck, Kate turns to the best woman in the business for help.

Batwoman #12 is definitely a good little intro to the latest Bat femme-fatale (if you're still pining after Stephanie Brown). And Kane is definitely one to watch.

Time to play catch up

The Hypernaturals follow up as promised.

Right, as mentioned previously, in the post I'm sure you all read, here is the follow up post regarding 'The Hypernaturals' issue one. Which if you haven't read by now then I really don't know why I bother. Though I feel I should also say here that spoilers may possibly occur, so no complaining.

Anyway, back to the point at hand, now, if you did read the previous Hypernaturals themed post then you'll know that I left a clue as to the topic of this discussion which I can now reveal to be, 'the desire to leave a mark on the world'. Something that many people desire, and some even achieve, within The Hypernaturals we can see three different ways of leaving a mark, and three different characters.

For the first, we have Thinkwell exampling leaving a mark by way of intellect.Now this is very wide ranging, from creating a new equation to explain everything to writing a book or creating a painting. The ability to leave a mark on the world by making people think, or changing the way things are done, using creativity, imagination and intellect to be remembered and live on. Not only does Thinkwell use his intellect to fight, he also teaches, leaving a mark by sharing knowledge. He, like some of us wants to be remembered for his intellect, not his ability to fight, his ability to share knowledge to better the world through intelligence

Then we have Bewilder, who shows us the more personal way of leaving a mark, through our direct relationships with others. She builds close personal relationships ensuring she will leave a mark on others and live on in memories. She even goes as far to work in public relations, working with the media and so constantly being seen and heard. We want to be loved, thought about and remembered, which in today's world can be accomplished through appearing in reality TV. Relationships can be created with the masses through which a mark can be left, not always positive, but still left.

There is even the literal,  a mark can physically be left, perhaps through building,creating something that can live on and be seen by people. This could be something as complex as a building to something as simple as a shelf or chair. Then there is also destruction, you may be remembered for destroying something as well as creating it. Just like Sublime, literally leaving his mark on the world, ensuring that he will not be forgotten. Sublime, just as others do, just want to be remembered, they want to be able to point to something and say they did that, they need a mark of their existence to justify their lives.

We can also see what happens when you leave a negative mark, a mark that you didn't want to leave, what happens when you are remembered for something that you just want to forget. A mark that haunts you, that destroys you, a mark that was unintended, such as that left by Hatch Groman, and if you want to know what that mark is start reading 'The Hypernaturals'.

And with that I will leave you to get on with whatever it is you were doing or are meant to be doing. (Hint: Reading The Hypernaturals)

The Hypernaturals

Relatively new in the comics world, but already of great standing (and one of my new personal all time best series) is the new collaboration from the dynamic duo Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett 'The Hypernaturals' with science fiction, inky alien fingers, a smokey mouth and a mystery to say the least.

Which if you haven't picked up the first copy of yet you really should, it has gone to multiple printings. i wont give much away here since the fun is in the reading yourself, especially for the final page. Though what I will give particular mention of how DnA have expanded the universe of 'The Hypernaturals' through the very clever use of adverts, namely by not having any, or at least none that are real. Hopefully something we will see more of. The creativity and imagination of this pair continues to astound me, and whats more is they have the talent to back it up, in terms of both writing and artwork. And not only here, take a look at their run on Guardians of the Galaxy, some of the best Cosmic Marvel I've read in a long time.


And now for some homework for the next post, also regarding The Hypernaturals, read it, and have a think about what it tells us about our selves. I'll give you a hint as to my idea and hence what the post will be about, 'marking'.
I'll see you back here whenever I get round to writing the next post.

A New 'Do & A New Costume: The Not So Marvellous New Captain Marvel?

2 months later and I've finally read one of the most anticipated releases of the year – Captain Marvel #1. Although I've never been a big fan of Danvers, I was very keen to see how she takes to the mantle of the late (may I also add, Great) Mar-Vell.

With a new costume and hair style to boot, Danvers really looks the part, and thanks to some smart writing, strong artwork, and cameos from everyone’s favourite patriot and friendly neighbourhood arachnid; Captain Marvel #1 really does stand up to be a strong comic-book and not just a 'Hey! I'm a new superhero! Hear me roar!' gimmick.

Kelly Sue DeConnick really works hard to take you to the heart of the issue. We see different sides to Danver that stretch further than the hardhitter, 'take no bullshit', leader of the Avengers. DeConnick presents a much more likeable- and what I consider to be- a more 'womanly' Danvers. Not in the sense of all curves and boobs, but rather Danvers as a Friend/Mother type (to her ailing friend), a sister, a companion (to Captain America) and a daughter-figure (to the late Helen Cobb). The script is also juxtaposed with elements of humour and a good supervillian arse-kicking. This all comes together to produce a vision of a modern day woman living all aspects of her life made wise and strong through life experience.

The artwork belongs to Dexter Soy, and although it takes a little while to get used to, it is actually quite beautiful. This is the first time i've seen Dexter Soys work and it was definitely not what I expected. It is a stark contrast to the cover art of Ed McGuiness, as it presents itself as rather dark - evoking memories of Marvel Zombies. However, as the issue continues it really begins to grow on you. The dark 'muddy' tones really compliment the lighter and bolder elements of Danvers' costume, and the Cpt Marvel insignia is always at front of mind. It is strong and consistent throughout the issue, and adds a brilliance and beauty to Danvers' misgivings and later acceptance as the new Cpt. The centre pages which see her “touch the edge of space” are absolutely stunning, and provide a perfect accompaniment to DeConnick's inner monologue.

By the end of the issue Danvers looks strong, more than just your average female heroine, and pretty dame posterific!

DeConnick and Soy work together to create a seriously strong basis for the new Captain Marvel

Although it ticks a lot of boxes, I still can't help but think that there is something is missing. However it is only issue #1, and there's still a lot of ground to cover...but I can safely say that that DeConnick and Soy may make a Carol convert out of me yet.

The Importance of the Trinity

In both DC and Marvel, we have a core trinity, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman on one side, with Iron Man, Thor and Captain America on the other. It is also the case that these six heroes can be distilled into three key aspects.

Technology/Intelligence of the time - Batman and Iron Man.

Strong Morality/Principles - Captain America and Superman.

Mythological/Spiritual - Thor and Wonder Woman.

These can change somewhat depending on your choice of words but are all pretty much consistent with the above. So why do they exist? Why are these three aspects consistent in mainstream comics? Could it possibly be that these three aspects are what we connect most to, are what are a solid basis for a civilization, even person....probably not, I'm sure its just coincidence.....but still... conspiracy? Are these comics really the first stepping stones in a Marvel/DC attempt at social engineering? I feel we may be on the brink of a new civilization designed and modelled on such characters.

So lets take a quick peek behind the curtain of what such a society could be based on these three aspects.

First up we have embracing the technology of the time or intelligence which allows for progress. Through this society would grow, quality of life could improve through the use of technology and all its applications. However, science and technology unchecked could run away from us, with out a system of ethics or a positive moral code it could become monstrous (anyone else thinking of Otto Octavius?). Consider how far Batman and Iron Man would go if they weren't keep in check on occasion, so much like these techy heroes such a society would also need to be kept in check, through strong morals, Captain America and Superman in other words.

So we now have this solid moral basis that keeps us in check, prevents us and technology from going too far.  We keep in mind the ideals of good and evil, right and wrong, but is this enough? No, it could lead to a very cold and calculated society, everything is carefully measured in terms of its moral value, life would be lived according to a strict code. This is why we need the third part of the trinity, Thor and Wonder Woman, the mythological aspect.

This deeper 'spiritual' nature provides us with the realisation of there being something greater be it a god or the universe itself. Thus allowing for a more romantic view of life which prevents things becoming 'cold' or calculated which would be the consequence of having the previous two only.

You can leave now, and read the Justice League/Avengers crossover.