tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73748741333772201332024-03-13T00:06:12.662-04:00The Comic Book Revue"it's easy to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you can fly."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.comBlogger464125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-40297284950810678922017-09-01T15:12:00.002-04:002017-09-01T15:12:47.553-04:00In Defense of Secret Empire (and Marvel Legacy)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*** SPOILERS AHEAD! for <i>Secret Empire, Avengers Standoff, Civil War II, Captain America: Sam Wilson, </i>and <i>Captain America: Steve Rogers</i> ***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> was
more than just another crossover event. Unlike the desperately chaotic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avenges & X-Men: AXIS</i>, the
clinically frustrating and underwhelming <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Original
Sin</i>, or even the inarticulately dull <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fear
Itself</i>, Nick Spencer’s socio-political opus is more than the sum of its
parts. And while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> has
its flaws – and they are many – it came at a tenuous time for Marvel Comics
fans, a crossroads between the current US political climate and a general
resentment of cash-grab, line-wide crossovers that rarely deliver as much as
they promise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t believe <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Empire</i> will go down as one of Marvel’s greatest crossovers, but I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> believe that given distance, more
readers will come to realize just how much went into this epic storyline. Read
aside from the tumultuous debate during its publishing run, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> will be seen as a poignant
and thorough examination of Marvel storytelling tropes through the lens of
socio-political tension and moral dissonance. To understand the breadth of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>, one must look back at
least a full year before the event officially kicked off; so, let’s start
there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkNJqFi2lJ6m9CoLoklUOMjTI_PjTS2flHbhTujCUkRXg0sIgyy2unCZrAz_jHLgF6UqgJyjyRfwSNnRoD8apmqGJiXRapNZDLCT8tctP2Z-LF11EI9DxBHVC0kMAP15aWpHorkb4Xoc/s1600/Avengers+Standoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1008" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkNJqFi2lJ6m9CoLoklUOMjTI_PjTS2flHbhTujCUkRXg0sIgyy2unCZrAz_jHLgF6UqgJyjyRfwSNnRoD8apmqGJiXRapNZDLCT8tctP2Z-LF11EI9DxBHVC0kMAP15aWpHorkb4Xoc/s400/Avengers+Standoff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Standoff Against What?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When it was published in early 2016, I hated <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers Standoff. </i>Given the premise and
the players involved, Spencer’s narrative was a disappointment that pushed me
to ask why it needed to be told in the first place, as all it seemed to do was
twist Maria Hill from an effective leader into a megalomaniacal monster who
actively ignores the consequences of her actions. On Hill’s orders,
S.H.I.E.L.D. manipulates a Cosmic Cube – a sentient, reality-altering energy
source personified as a young girl named Kobik – to imprison super-villains by
literally rewriting their very reality and transforming them into complacent,
content citizens of Pleasant Hill, Connecticut. As a stand-alone story, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers Standoff </i>is a poor facsimile of
DC’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Identity Crisis</i> that simply doesn’t
carry as much emotional weight; the stakes are presented as being high, but in
reality, the various Avengers teams only get pulled into the fray to further a
plot that would have worked far better as a self-contained S.H.I.E.L.D. drama.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Standoff</i>,
the incarcerated villains have escaped with a righteous new level of loathing
for S.H.I.E.L.D., Kobik is on the run with Bucky Barnes and a host of her
super-villain ‘friends’ from Pleasant Hill, Maria Hill’s position as Director
of S.H.I.E.L.D. is under scrutiny, and Kobik has renewed Steve Rogers’ youth
and super-soldier power. These are all solvent shifts to the status quo, but
nothing truly groundbreaking or worthy of such pomp and circumstance. And while
I still believe <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Standoff</i> is a poor
story by itself, the themes presented throughout the interconnecting Avengers
titles offer a blueprint to Marvel’s line-wide narratives moving through 2016
and into 2017: abuse of power, distrust of authority, self-fulfilling
prophecies, and fear of what we can’t control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Captains America<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second major piece in the overarching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> saga runs through Spencer’s
laterally-published <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Sam
Wilson</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Steve
Rogers</i>, each of which starred a Sentinel of Liberty carrying a shield and
fighting against injustice, only with major differences concerning what
injustice actually means. In the former, Sam Wilson is caught between his
convictions as a black man in America and how his words and actions are twisted
by opposing voices. The latter kicks things into gear right out the gate when the
Steve kicks fellow American-themed hero Jack Flag to his supposed death to the
tune of “Hail Hydra” at the end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain
America: Steve Rogers #1</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By the second issue, Spencer reveals that Kobik was
influenced by the Red Skull during her time in Pleasant Hill – he convinces her
that the world is wrong, and that Hydra is what’s right. In renewing him, Kobik
also rewrites Steve Rogers’ entire history, shuffles through his life and
inserts new narratives and characters who point him down the road that will
take him from scrawny Brooklyn kid to becoming the most powerful Hydra agent of
all time hiding behind the face of America’s greatest symbol of hope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even with a somewhat-cogent explanation, the ‘Nazi Cap’
controversy swept across the internet and into mainstream media when opposing
viewpoints clashed over the imagery and what it meant for the character. Some
saw Hydra as a clear stand-in for the Nazis, and thus Cap’s declaration was an
obscene perversion of a character created by Jewish writers as the antithesis to
Hitler’s fascist, racist ideals. Others saw the ‘shocking twist’ as just that, simply
comic book flair that would either a.) be revealed as an alternate timeline,
b.) turn out to be a clone., or c.) be mind-control/psychic influence. The most
fascinating part of that entire debate is that neither side was happy and
nearly everyone saw the move as a bad decision in the broader context of the
character. The next 14 issues of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain
America: Steve Rogers</i> did little to dissuade those who were against the concept,
as it detailed his new history as a sleeper Hydra agent, the rewritten
backstory that now informs every decision he makes, every nefarious alliance he
strikes, and every turn he takes toward the inevitable empire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAeizjh1EeHeEK74veXYwOAwZA9DgN7RF5cS20_i3l4Av86kCPzx5SgtQicZgmvMaW7PLMM2xsmbOAmxyiUZBg2tmj51VaFnaWiVdyDFtdouV-G6M5RLHfjvO68slCguKRAun-Szy7g8/s1600/Cap+America+-+Sam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="970" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEAeizjh1EeHeEK74veXYwOAwZA9DgN7RF5cS20_i3l4Av86kCPzx5SgtQicZgmvMaW7PLMM2xsmbOAmxyiUZBg2tmj51VaFnaWiVdyDFtdouV-G6M5RLHfjvO68slCguKRAun-Szy7g8/s320/Cap+America+-+Sam.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Over in </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Captain
America: Sam Wilson</i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">, the overall effect is less straightforward which makes
the series far more enjoyable as a stand-alone enterprise. By itself, </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sam Wilson</i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is about the struggle a man
of color undergoes wearing the uniform and carrying the shield of one of the
most recognizable faces in American history that’s always been white-skinned,
blonde-haired, and blue-eyed. For the first time, a population of people in the
United States is forced to look at Captain America and not necessarily see
themselves, but rather a different part of the population that makes this
country great. From allegories to white supremacists and police brutality to
media coverage being ingrained throughout the entire series, </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sam Wilson</i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> succeeds as a character study
</span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">and</i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> a commentary on how real change
in the United States of America can cause deep-rooted fears and prejudices to
bubble up and explode.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When examined in the context of what the series means to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Sam Wilson</i> is about the loss of innocence, the
erosion of confidence in the name ‘Captain America’ whether deserved or not.
Nick Spencer doesn’t write Sam Wilson as a weak or worse Captain, but the story
is about parts of the country rooted so deeply in their archaic convictions
that they cannot accept a black man with an expanded definition of injustice as
their symbol of hope and patriotism (see Barack Obama, birtherism). Sam as
Captain America divides the country, and that societal tension is the ticking
time bomb that makes Hydra’s takeover of the United States just that much
easier: anger, resentment, and paranoia begin to take grip as a symbol that
once united the nation now divides it more than ever before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War, Too</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will spend no time defending Brian Michael Bendis’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> – it was poorly written, terribly
paced, and offered no context for justifications by either side for their
various cruelties and crimes against one another. I can respect Bendis’ past
works and still hold a grudge for how he shoved his “let’s imprison people <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i> they commit crimes!”
ridiculousness into one of my favorite heroes of all time, Carol Danvers, just
as she was reaching Wonder Woman-levels of critical acclaim. And while she’s
currently a member of the Ultimates and carries her own ongoing title, it all
feels like wheel-spinning because Bendis destroyed any goodwill Carol had,
erased the convictions of teamwork and transparency she’s always championed
then somehow forgot when she gained a little power, and turned her into a
stubborn totalitarian hell-bent on being right above all else. But I digress… Setting
aside all the horrid aspects of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War
II</i>, three major ideas resonate that fuel the fires leading into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first theme that continues from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers Standoff</i> and runs through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Sam Wilson</i> into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II </i>is distrust of heroes. Yet again, Earth’s Mightiest
find themselves involved in a circle-jerk of infighting and personal squabbles
to the detriment of the innocent people they claim to protect and serve. Demigods
punch and blast each other in the sky while ordinary citizens shoulder
collateral damage, emotional trauma, and infringement on civil liberties. Aside
from staging their massive super-fights in the middle of some of the most
densely-populated cities in the country, the most solvent example of superhero
overreaching comes from Carol Danvers incarcerating an innocent woman based on
a flawed vision of the future, then not even having the dignity to apologize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKqrNNuNyiceX9lERUwm5auBMmkTBWnTa6JCBKin4pVnRjKK3ROWNV8-h3wJml0P8aYNEHUn3AYWecXfUZVy7hBNTaxcgPTDyiOjyOoYHtVSsWfbuJvC2WRfVfpuW03us_eSyTw0rdjs/s1600/Civil+War+II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKqrNNuNyiceX9lERUwm5auBMmkTBWnTa6JCBKin4pVnRjKK3ROWNV8-h3wJml0P8aYNEHUn3AYWecXfUZVy7hBNTaxcgPTDyiOjyOoYHtVSsWfbuJvC2WRfVfpuW03us_eSyTw0rdjs/s400/Civil+War+II.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, thank you.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second major theme concerns Inhumans and their place in
the Marvel Universe. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>
hinges on a single nu-human whose powers influence an entire superhero war,
draws the extended Inhuman cast into the fray, and gives arguable credence to
rising fears surrounding a new, growing population of super-powered
individuals. I’m not saying the hate and fear and resentment are good or
warranted, only that in context, ordinary people in the Marvel Universe live in
daily fear that the next Magneto or Doctor Doom or Red Skull will come out of
an Inhuman Terrigenesis pod, and that there will come a day when the world’s
best simply won’t be enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, the epilogue issue <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II: The Oath</i> is the culmination of humanity’s worst
tendencies under fear and panic when Steve Rogers is sworn in as the new
Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.: make it someone else’s responsibility. After Maria
Hill is convicted of war crimes a in light of Pleasant Hill and the second
superhero civil war, consolidating power under the one consistent symbol of
American hope and honor seems like the only option. That valuing of security
over freedom is the real reason <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Oath</i>
is so important: this is the first real step towards Hydra’s occupation and the
fall of the Avengers. At the time of release, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> had been teased and previewed for some time, which
meant the notion of Captain America leading S.H.I.E.L.D. (again) didn’t offer
the calm before the storm it should have, but instead fell flat because readers
already knew that Steve’s rise to power was inevitable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Empire Strikes<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Standoff</i> started
the ball rolling by discrediting S.H.I.E.L.D. via Maria Hill’s questionable
ethics, giving an entire legion of super-villains a real reason to hate the
government, and rewriting Steve Rogers’ history. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Sam Wilson </i>exacerbates the themes of distrust and division
slowly growing throughout the United States, while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Steve Rogers</i> fills in the narrative gaps of
Rogers’ new Hydra-influenced backstory to inform the coming rise of his new
order. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> begins a trend of
dueling political ideologies concerning strength and security vs. freedom and
democracy, more clearly frames Inhumans as a persecuted minority group in the
Marvel universe, and places Steve Rogers in the highest position of power
possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are, of course, a number of other minor factors/ideas
that could be added into the overall mix, like the vision of the younger
Spider-Man gripping the corpse of a dead Steve Rogers in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>, the formation of the U.S.Avengers as a practice in
patriotic propaganda, or even most of the third volume of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncanny Avengers</i> that focuses on the Red Skull’s machinations
leading up to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers Standoff</i> – but
none of those are truly necessary to the greater understanding of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, it’s those smaller aspects added to the effect of the
major beats leading up to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>
that set the event apart from many of its predecessors. Through an ‘opening
salvo’ mini-crossover, two parallel-running solo series, and even weaving
through a disparate event, Nick Spencer seeds and nurtures the themes and
concepts that eventually converge in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Empire #0</i>, when Steve Rogers reveals himself as Hydra Supreme and the true
invasion of the nation begins.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqG6YZ-XGvEJlDNXEauI2vuRhnba_xR00harxCCk1nTs8gBfo84G5AQS03rMVL9sRiIpAdcSTXtSMiZOrGywPtUnTw0_tQBwnAlms4vPhUVx7kLYL9RGdWDzZ4pyjQ1ZL76GvWXIE3rE/s1600/Cap+America+-+Stevil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqG6YZ-XGvEJlDNXEauI2vuRhnba_xR00harxCCk1nTs8gBfo84G5AQS03rMVL9sRiIpAdcSTXtSMiZOrGywPtUnTw0_tQBwnAlms4vPhUVx7kLYL9RGdWDzZ4pyjQ1ZL76GvWXIE3rE/s400/Cap+America+-+Stevil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The image of America’s greatest champion under a new flag is
powerful, but in context, it makes sense. S.H.I.E.L.D. lost any moral high
ground after the Pleasant Hill incident, the superheroes discredited themselves
with their petty civil war, and the Inhumans are feared and hated more than
ever before. There is an elegance to the forest, a flow from one narrative to
the next that offers clarity to the temperature of the United States when
Captain America addresses the nation to finally say what no one else will: the
system is broken, the heroes do not care, and the only fight fear is with strength.
I consider myself a hyper-liberal in real life, yet when considering how I
would feel if I lived in the Marvel Universe, I can’t say how I would react to
Hydra. Would I see it as the fascist, totalitarian regime the reader in me
knows it to be? Or would my own insecurities and fear for the future of the
planet overwhelm my sense of goodwill and acceptance? I’d like to believe the
former to be true, but the truth is that in an extraordinary world that sees
constant conflict between self-absorbed demigods, I simply don’t know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though Hydra is obviously a nefarious, evil regime designed
to instill fear and subjugate people, it’s a metaphor for the consequences of
ignorance, a warning that abuse of power is a real threat and can come from
what we feel is most secure and unwavering. Spencer’s aim was never to present
the Hydra Empire as a reasonable option (like how Bendis attempted to give
Carol’s dictator-esque behavior equal credence to Tony Stark’s dedication to
freedom of thought), only that in the exaggerated universe of men and women in
capes and masks who punch and kick one another for vague or obtuse reasons, the
fall of the ‘American Empire’ would indeed be at the hands of an organization
that promises to not only root out corruption from a maligned and overwrought
bureaucracy, but also end the threat of constant super-on-super violence that
ravages cities and claims hundreds of lives each year, then create a new system
that ensures total safety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Does It Mean?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often, artistic works take time to gain appreciation.
Vincent Van Gogh was not recognized for his genius until he had already passed
away, and now he is considered one of the best painters of all time. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wet Hot American Summer </i>was initially
panned by critics across the board but gained a cult following that eventually
grew so large it warranted two follow-up television series. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> will always carry its
inherent narrative flaws – fractured pacing, artistic dissonance, too many
tie-ins, character digressions, and bloated plot strands – but I truly believe
that given time and distance, this event will be seen in a more positive light.
By itself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> offers a
solid story that missteps from time to time but comes back in the end to offer
a positive message about resilience and perseverance against injustice. As a
broader story, Nick Spencer’s socio-political opus that begins with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers Standoff, </i>runs through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Sam Wilson</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Steve Rogers</i>, is fueled
by the events of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>, and
finally culminate with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> is
a fantastic narrative about what it means to be a hero, the cost of peace, and
the things that divide us when we forget that everyone struggles with something
whether we can empathize or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Hydra Empire is a direct response to serial
irresponsibility, a calculated solution to the various problems beguiling a
shared superhero universe. In this sense, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Empire</i> is analogous to Marvel’s recent publishing strategy: since 2012,
there have been no less than seven major crossover events that interrupt
normally scheduled programming and disrupt organic narrative flow, with more
diminished commercial and critical returns each time. Much like Steve Rogers’
focus on literal strength and flagrant shows of force, Marvel’s reliance on
short-term gains neglect long-term issues that drag the entire line down.
Forced to buy into a never-ending cycle of Earth-shattering threats with little
to no substantial consequences, it’s no wonder readers are exhausted with event
comics and misleading hype.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thus, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>
is a meta culmination of event exhaustion as well as a clever allegory for the
same thing. Speaking to the prior, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Empire</i> was unfairly saddled with building animosity from years of
unsatisfying crossovers, and though it deserves most of the criticism levied
against the actual story, much of the vitriol and outright hate was rooted in a
general distaste for events, especially after 2016’s erratic and divisive <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>. To the latter, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>’s in-universe narrative
mirrors these real-world frustrations with constant superhero infighting and meaningless
devastation that claims lives and ruins others. This isn’t the first story to
approach superhero accountability in the Marvel universe (see the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War </i>event), but it is the boldest;
the individual pieces might struggle to stand on their own, but taken as an
overarching saga, Nick Spencer’s exploration of the corruption of the American
Dream at the hands of its most celebrated hero begs reconsideration outside its
politically-charged publishing timeframe and aside from the emotional baggage
it was forced to carry. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AXIS </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> will always be poorly
structured, hopelessly misleading events that won’t get better with age. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>, on the other hand, has
the potential to go down as a watershed moment for Marvel superheroes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What Comes Next?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Much frustration has been expressed over Marvel’s next
publishing initiative, “Legacy”, which reestablishes legacy issue numbering
from pre-2012, and will most likely bring back classic versions of heroes who
had new faces filling their roles over the past five years. This bitterness
comes from the apparent lack of real change, yet again; aside from the new
issue numbers and potential for old faces showing back up, there doesn’t seem
to be anything new or interesting to make “Legacy” feel necessary, let alone
exciting. Unlike ‘Marvel NOW!’, there aren’t creative team shifts; unlike
‘All-New Marvel NOW!’, there isn’t a solid lineup of intriguing new #1 issues;
and unlike ‘All-New, All-Different Marvel’ or ‘Marvel NOW! 2.0’, there don’t
seem to be any fun new characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers vs.
X-Men</i> eclipsed most of 2012 only to give way to a twice-per-year crossover
release strategy, constant events followed by soft relaunches have been harshly
criticized as ineffective, transparently greedy, and generally confusing to new
and old readers alike (try figuring out how to read Captain Marvel’s adventures
in the correct order when there are three Volume 1 graphic novels on the shelf,
all of which were published between 2012 and 2017.) Each time Marvel pulls this
stunt, fans and critics alike express disdain and frustration for a publisher
more interested in churning out high-selling #1 issues than telling good
stories. Thus, I find myself wondering exactly why there is so much public
outrage over “Legacy”.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYPpo7pBpe2RiPc38ELJFkU0Ez6OBgkmmCVhZlTqOmqfgFeTZqHc9xDyD1ILz4fJjhVTQBXZrPRGtFuXjWgpB67jMoRmer5z_hUQwIfZ0QLPOJP4c65UXRmmVn89PyfPgYVPFZJUNhYI/s1600/Marvel+Legacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYPpo7pBpe2RiPc38ELJFkU0Ez6OBgkmmCVhZlTqOmqfgFeTZqHc9xDyD1ILz4fJjhVTQBXZrPRGtFuXjWgpB67jMoRmer5z_hUQwIfZ0QLPOJP4c65UXRmmVn89PyfPgYVPFZJUNhYI/s400/Marvel+Legacy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marvel makes it clear with “Legacy” that even though there
will be fallout from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>
with consequences that reach into storylines going forward, they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">have</i> actually listened to fan sentiment
and are acting accordingly. Instead of ending current series and reformatting
the entire line post-<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i>,
Marvel ongoings will continue without further interruption, only now with their
classic numberings – no major creative team changes, no massive shake-ups in
titles not directly connected to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Empire</i> (like, say, the new <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain
America </i>title starring Steve Rogers), and no massive onslaught of #1
issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With a (reasonably doubted) promise of no major crossover
events for 18 months, “Legacy”, in fact, feels like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly</i> what fans have been asking for – less unnecessary marketing
gimmicks, less events weighing down organic narratives in established series,
and less overall insistence that ‘everything has changed!’. Far be it from me
to tell comic book fans how to feel about what they read, but it seems to me
that (completely understandable) compounding resentment for a publisher that
has eroded its own goodwill over the last half-decade is now skewing how
“Legacy” is being perceived. Yes, it was probably a mistake to push the
lenticular variant covers so hard at such high ordering thresholds, but beyond
that, this new initiative feels like the House of Ideas trying to get itself
back on track by offering a very different post-event landscape than Marvel
readers have seen recently by keeping things the same. Fans asked for a more
digestible, less frantic Marvel universe filled with the heroes that made it
great, and that’s exactly what “Legacy” will do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In Conclusion</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I didn’t really know where I was going with this piece when
I started. For some reason, I found myself stepping back and looking at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> not as a die-hard comic
book fan, but as a critic considering a story on its own merits. I opted to
spend little time discussing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Empire</i>’s flaws because those have been extensively covered across the
internet. I also chose not to praise the series beyond its due because nothing
is perfect, and despite being an enjoyable read overall, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> does have glaring issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the outline of the piece came together, I nearly missed
the metaphor hiding in the name of the event: ‘Secret Empire’. An empire is
often valued by its size and duration, with the most well-known being the
largest and longest-lasting. Nick Spencer’s narrative began nearly two years
ago and wove three events and two ongoing series into a single, contextual saga
right under our noses – in secret, if you will. Sure, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Steve Rogers</i> was a direct line to the endgame, but
every other part large or small added to the mystique and tension that built
throughout a divisive 2016 and into an even more bombastic 2017. In truth, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> isn’t even in my top five
Marvel events (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M, Secret Wars
(2015), Secret Invasion, Civil War, Infinity</i>), but I felt compelled to give
this event the credit it deserves with a bit more consideration than most
critics or fans are willing give to at this point. Perhaps one day, more fans
will see this event as I do, and then again perhaps not. Either way, I do not
believe <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Empire</i> will always
carry the burden of a half-decade’s worth of frustration and resentment, but
will in fact rise up as and persist as an eloquent take on the Marvel Universe
in 2017.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-5301454509402436342017-02-23T17:46:00.000-05:002017-02-23T17:47:45.111-05:00Who is the New Geoff Johns?<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCmaYUK2vgP6J8Z1tCq5OaQvVVWBD1zzPIw6YF4z3ODl9-1jS1xIaheX_HjrC1i5o6QgOjs2y1FZe0OGeZSv-vtNhXxQpe0yyzMW5-tPsO5JMYbeof38prXFJ-kaXe2deSg-ibajLMfw/s1600/GJ1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCmaYUK2vgP6J8Z1tCq5OaQvVVWBD1zzPIw6YF4z3ODl9-1jS1xIaheX_HjrC1i5o6QgOjs2y1FZe0OGeZSv-vtNhXxQpe0yyzMW5-tPsO5JMYbeof38prXFJ-kaXe2deSg-ibajLMfw/s320/GJ1.jpg" width="223" /></a>With DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns stepping
away from comics to fulfill a more comprehensive role for DC Entertainment’s
film and television franchises, the role of ‘World Builder’ for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i> universe – DC’s soft-relaunched
‘classic’ universe that kicked off last June – has gone largely unfilled. While
it’s true that Johns himself designed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i>
and the mysteries surrounding the multiversal crisis, he’s yet to write a book
since it began. Even the first major crossover event, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League vs. Suicide Squad</i>, was handled by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Flash</i> writer Joshua Williamson.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Generally speaking, things have been going well – many
titles are enjoying an uptick in sales, some due to a twice-monthly publishing
schedule, and the DC Universe feels like it once did as creators bring more and
more elements from the past to the present.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
</i>There’s incredible talent at DC, and it’s to the publisher’s credit that
there are so many different voices contributing to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i>’s impressive output thus far. That said, this initiative
has felt like a ship without a captain onboard, a huge new sandbox filled with
awesome toys and no adult supervision.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i> is great
in no small part to the engenderment of nostalgia; familiar names that seemed
alien or mischaracterized during the ‘New 52’ suddenly felt right again, like
DC <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">finally</i> grasped what made these
characters work and just let it happen instead of trying to control every
single detail. Unfortunately, the high quality of individual <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i> series belies the absent
cohesion, mainly the aforementioned playground metaphor concerning the lack of
a ‘brand leader’ to direct the general flow of DC shared universe narrative.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not advocating for a World Builder in the way Johns was
or Grant Morrison before him – mainly, there needs to be at least one or two
creators whose titles affect other titles outside crossover issues or events, a
writer helming a book that speaks to the wider DC shared superhero universe
while also telling a cogent story. Marvel’s toyed around the concept over the
decades, most recently with Brian Michael Bendis then Jonathan Hickman before the
directionless-ness the House of Ideas is currently experiencing (although an
argument could also be made for Al Ewing or Nick Spencer at the time of this
writing.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a few good options for ‘universal affecter’.
Joshua Williamson is killing it on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flash</i>
and wrote an exciting, interesting crossover event that didn’t get too big or
cave in on its own conceit. Scott Snyder is arguably DC’s most well-known
creator, but he’s almost too comfortable in the Batman corner to effectively
impact much outside Gotham’s shadow. Dan Abnett writes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aquaman</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Titans</i>, Peter
J. Tomasi has <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Superman</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Sons</i>, Ben Percy is on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Teen Titans</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Green Arrow</i> – any of these three would be a good choice. But
honestly, it comes down to the Justice League, and I don’t say that lightly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the 1990s, Grant Morrison wrote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JLA</i> and directed the course of DC Comics for years. He followed
that up with a giant multiversal saga that spanned three events and a new
Superman origin story over a decade (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seven
Soldiers of Victory, Final Crisis, Action Comics: Superman at the End of Days,
The Multiversity</i>). Similarly, Johns held the reins at DC with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League</i> throughout the five years
of the ‘New 52’, even going so far as to blatantly ignore the status quo to
finish “The Darkseid War”. For the DCYou initiative (the death throes of the
‘New 52’ that started in Spring 2015), Bryan Hitch was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">also </i>given the freedom to ignore continuity for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League of America</i> (an expressed
‘side story’) before he scored the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i>
volume of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League</i>
eponymous title to all-around negative reception because it’s terrible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A certain level of authority comes with writing the Justice
League, the power to change the direction of any one of these incredibly
important characters. Whether it’s the effects of a battle or the development
of interpersonal relationships, what happens in the League is significant across
DC titles and always has been.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ru0GPCmwYJ-c2cx1TfZGjAMVO1gbRMUhOmjMlxtsmjRzksOGqGxCfTJPsCTSwr2PgOQO2ZZwltcJcK_OwY4Oks9AHaV1I3gVTWhOO762sM9cYWswZHfvPsC-4hpo7uxElu35GZypoUk/s1600/SO1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ru0GPCmwYJ-c2cx1TfZGjAMVO1gbRMUhOmjMlxtsmjRzksOGqGxCfTJPsCTSwr2PgOQO2ZZwltcJcK_OwY4Oks9AHaV1I3gVTWhOO762sM9cYWswZHfvPsC-4hpo7uxElu35GZypoUk/s320/SO1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With all this said, the clear decision for the ‘New Geoff
Johns’ is Steve Orlando.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Orlando began his career at DC Comics with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Midnighter</i> during the DCYou initiative,
celebrated for its engaging and well-characterized take on StormWatch’s
resident badass as well as his tactful representation of Midnighter’s
sexuality. He then scripted issues of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman
and Robin Eternal</i> and wrote the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice
League – The Darkseid War: Shazam!</i> one-shot. For <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i>, Orlando hit the ground running with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Midnighter and Apollo</i> (the sequel series to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Midnighter</i>) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supergirl</i>,
then co-wrote “Night of the Monster Men” with Tom King through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman, Nightwing</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Detective Comics</i> in October 2016. What
seals the deal for Orlando as ‘DC Showrunner’ is his most recent project: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League of America</i>.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
** SPOILERS FOR <i>JUSTICE LEAGUE vs. SUICIDE SQUAD </i>AHEAD! **</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League vs.
Suicide Squad</i> changed how ordinary citizens see superheroes after Maxwell
Lord uses his Eclipso powers to possess the League (except Batman) and turns
them into soldiers to take control of the entire planet in less than fifteen
minutes. More often than not the ends don’t justify the means, and no manner of
excuse can shake the distrust and fear ordinary civilians begin to feel in the
wake of their protectors turning on them. With Hitch’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League</i> floundering out of the gate, Orlando’s quirky JLA
roster is the superhero team we need, and also the one we totally deserve after
having to read “The Extinction Machine” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice
League #1-5</i>.) Batman understands that powerless need to feel empowered,
that living in a world with gods watching over them doesn’t mean they can’t
themselves be heroes. This is the reason for Bruce’s Justice League <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of America</i>, a purposely named team with
purposely chosen individuals to carry out a purposely designed mission
statement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgrG-_2uNjRoxuAA2GxjL8WtEyJuFgkKEszn5vnTuSWuRFt25rpN4DbbZNkHdUEXew5hbPIBMLgUyPNWQhmH3GfDJnHl6lb1R4K_XUcXbVX3Hs_yOS95osYggz_K26lveiIoq2_MMeSk/s1600/JLARs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgrG-_2uNjRoxuAA2GxjL8WtEyJuFgkKEszn5vnTuSWuRFt25rpN4DbbZNkHdUEXew5hbPIBMLgUyPNWQhmH3GfDJnHl6lb1R4K_XUcXbVX3Hs_yOS95osYggz_K26lveiIoq2_MMeSk/s400/JLARs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mari McCabe (Vixen) brings a level of celebrity to the team,
a model and animal activist turned heroine whose take-no-crap attitude is
necessary to keep conflicting personalities in line and ready to act. Ryan Choi
takes up the mantle of the Atom when Ray Palmer goes missing in the Microverse
and Batman comes knocking with an offer to be in the…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a</i> Justice League. After she saves the world in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JL vs. SS</i>, all Caitlin Snow (Killer Frost) wants is a chance for
redemption, so that’s what Batman offers; he secures her release from the
Suicide Squad and vouches for her membership. Ray Terrill (The Ray) thought he
was allergic to light and lived inside until he couldn’t take it anymore and
discovered he was living light – after four years of learning how to become and
manipulate light, Ray’s first instinct is to help those in need with his
abilities. Dinah Drake (Black Canary) is there to keep the team in check and be
the moral center that stays their hand when it harms instead of helps, a role
Batman insists any team needs. And then there’s Lobo, a galactic bounty hunter
who would probably love Donald Trump, can’t die, and happens to owe Batman a
debt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Each of these individuals brings something different to the
table in terms of power sets, personalities, and culture. Orlando recognizes
the necessity for relatable characters with diverse backgrounds working
together for the greater good, less manifest destiny like the world’s most
powerful heroes banding together as planetary defense force and more a
collective of people with powers trying to be better. And this is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly</i> why Orlando’s writing is
engaging – he tells stories about heroes striving to improve themselves and
find closure in a world where the impossible happens every day. All of Orlando’s
work exhibits this theme on some level, and it’s the tone DC needs right now
even as it enjoys the financial success of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i>,
et al.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy1d8EoKaoX7u3E-P3z_USwKJ6n_KVWzRFOCBaI33N_lxMIEZGX3lLovhPdeqW4EYeua7SIugj6VEI622_0z8vhhyphenhyphenBuW-apoWUqr8BDhN2ANhMcSOV_tpQR9skbDKe-1Mex1jzqthb80/s1600/JLA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy1d8EoKaoX7u3E-P3z_USwKJ6n_KVWzRFOCBaI33N_lxMIEZGX3lLovhPdeqW4EYeua7SIugj6VEI622_0z8vhhyphenhyphenBuW-apoWUqr8BDhN2ANhMcSOV_tpQR9skbDKe-1Mex1jzqthb80/s400/JLA.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Allowing Orlando to bring his cunning, organic,
character-driven style to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League
of America</i> shows DC has faith in the man’s ability. The astonishing lead-up
to the series included four character-specific one-shot <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i> issues – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vixen, The
Ray, Killer Frost, The Atom</i> – and a collective <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League of America: Rebirth</i> one-shot all before the first
proper #1 issue; this points to DC’s investment in Orlando and this series in
general. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With DC Entertainment’s film universe in flux and Bryan
Hitch’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League</i> in the toilet,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League of America</i> is poised
as the publisher’s new flagship title that reflects a more comprehensive theme
for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i> moving forward, one that
focuses on characters and finds common ground through relatable situations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Geoff Johns did an admirable job directing the ‘New 52’
despite its many and varied flaws. His parting gift to DC Comics was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebirth</i> initiative that fused the old
with the new by bringing elements from the classic DC universe into the
standardized ‘New 52’ timeline, a move that could have been disastrous but as
proven to be exactly what the company needed. This healthy balance of new ideas
and tradition is a perfect landscape for Steve Orlando to helm a new era of DC
Comics that values diversity and inclusion and honors the past while working
for a better future.</div>
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</style>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-91247516710400991632016-09-22T19:58:00.003-04:002016-09-22T19:58:43.458-04:00What the F#%k, Civil War II #5?!?!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>** YES, there are spoilers for </i>Civil War II #5<i> and previous issues ahead **</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59HLHECvsgw3l9U3tEay8XE-4GQX5t_NHx4GAxr_X2N-CdKCTX2jlhXGZt5hc_9SG7Ln_qL-uWrscUNcNKLn4mNFpr7cNduBA6EZmqt7ZHGlJp6gBlBp5jalNXrU5r9SDZlMsbPrvTPY/s1600/marvel-civil-war-II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg59HLHECvsgw3l9U3tEay8XE-4GQX5t_NHx4GAxr_X2N-CdKCTX2jlhXGZt5hc_9SG7Ln_qL-uWrscUNcNKLn4mNFpr7cNduBA6EZmqt7ZHGlJp6gBlBp5jalNXrU5r9SDZlMsbPrvTPY/s400/marvel-civil-war-II.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried to be optimistic; truly, I did. Because more often
than not, I find myself forgiving egregious mistakes in my head if it means
telling a better story. How can Batman have a nuanced, tactical conversation
with his undead brother in on the wing of an airborne passenger plane next to
an ear-splitting engine turbine? Because comic books, that’s how. Why did
Wolverine show up in every freaking Marvel title every month until they had to
kill him in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Death of Wolverine</i>? I
figured his healing factor might mean he doesn’t need to sleep, thus he gets
bored and says why not?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Brian Michael Bendis’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II #5</i> is just plain bad. I can’t sugar-coat it or find
any silver lining – it’s simply a disjointed, unconvincing, deeply unaware
issue of an already-conflicted series presented as a keystone issue yet failing
to even come across as necessary. And while David Marquez has been carrying the
series more than I wanted to admit, his artwork in this issue is similarly
underwhelming to the point of frustration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDovYMmnZPE6mi5ahOiPUAjI2TIEYCX70MKUGhwyXIbz5R2dzgRsGmj-5827eDdr0megXkTqxCSv9yEv75Koke4m4vVv39jIyLCy4Ypkiy5fNmKGX6e_5sd5z06uBDpVKKQiMCx710Qjs/s1600/Civil_War_II_Vol_1_5_Textless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDovYMmnZPE6mi5ahOiPUAjI2TIEYCX70MKUGhwyXIbz5R2dzgRsGmj-5827eDdr0megXkTqxCSv9yEv75Koke4m4vVv39jIyLCy4Ypkiy5fNmKGX6e_5sd5z06uBDpVKKQiMCx710Qjs/s320/Civil_War_II_Vol_1_5_Textless.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And as much as I try to separate the content of what I read
from press and other outside aspects (e.g. – love me some <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Watchmen</i>, but Moore is a crazy nutjob), knowing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> was expanded to eight
issues on top of further delays for the previously-scheduled issues is
downright infuriating. The one concrete excuse is the birth of Marquez’s child
which slowed down the art process. Life happens and I wish Marquez and his
family the best, but beyond this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i>
aspect, Bendis added another issue and Marvel expanded the publication
timeframe so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> will end
after new #1 issues for ‘Marvel NOW!’ 2.0 have already started shipping. This
whole situation is basically <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Wars</i>
all over again except this time no one cares. An ‘extra’ issue with “The Final
Vision”? Really? Get the eff outta here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which brings me back to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil
War II #5</i>, an issue that simultaneously acts as the turning point of the
series and the absolute worst chapter so far. Anticipation for this issue was
high after the staring contest at the end of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II #4</i>, and seeing all the various heroes siding with
their Captain or Shell Head respectively was beautiful because it meant the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actually fighting would start!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marquez spent a lot of time on the initial fight splash at
the beginning of this issue, and while that’s super cool, it belies the fact
that Bendis decided to throw a ton of characters into the fray without giving
them proper context. Why does Flash Thompson, a.k.a. Agent Venom side with
Captain Marvel just because they’re friends? I’m not saying it’s not possible
for Flash to agree with Carol, but to just pigeonhole him in the “Change the
Future” camp without asking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i>
becomes distracting. Similarly, the older X-Men seem to have just given up and
decided the Inhumans will be their salvation. How this makes sense, I do not
know – the T-mist clouds and the arrogance of the Inhumans when it comes to
mutants cannot bode well for that inter-species relationship (see the upcoming <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death of X </i>which leads into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inhumans vs. X-Men</i> then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inhumans/X-Men: ResurrXion…</i>not even
kidding about that last one), yet Storm and Magick are out there rearing to let
Ulysses solve all their problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a ton of vignettes in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II #5</i>, a string of ‘moments’ that don’t really add up to
anything of substance of consequence. This was one of the most poignant
criticisms of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman v Superman: Dawn of
Justice</i>, that Zack Snyder cared more about epic, explosive, awe-inspiring
snippets than he did plot or character development. Here, Bendis throws in a
handful of hero-fighting-hero moments to drive home the fact that these are
friends fighting one another…<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this time,
it’s PERSONAL!</i> Except it isn’t because again, there’s no context for why
any of these heroes agree with Carol Danvers at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yes, I’m ‘choosing a side’ because there’s only one that
makes sense. Carol’s manipulation of Ulysses’ ability is astoundingly stupid,
especially given the knowledge that the boy’s power is just a hyper-advanced
form of biological algorithms based on ambient environmental awareness – how
does Carol not see that her mission affects Ulysses’ visions? How can she be so
obtuse as to not recognize that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she is in
his immediate environment and affects his powers quite literally every day</i>!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrM9EmOXTcBjmZaOrfRdKtBtTK1r30SBJmKaHYnBoLOtbbtrfj3lcotQDFPnqPW6V-knl2EG47LF9wNhysnLiuYO9_zYUbwj6IedmMOUjrBywhE2rbcIN_sdhL79KDuWFg8Tvw6IWptA/s1600/Civil-War-II-no-5-Game-On.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrM9EmOXTcBjmZaOrfRdKtBtTK1r30SBJmKaHYnBoLOtbbtrfj3lcotQDFPnqPW6V-knl2EG47LF9wNhysnLiuYO9_zYUbwj6IedmMOUjrBywhE2rbcIN_sdhL79KDuWFg8Tvw6IWptA/s400/Civil-War-II-no-5-Game-On.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even with only basic knowledge of the heroes on Tony Stark’s
team, it’s rather easy to understand why they fight against profiling and
pre-crime jurisdiction. I mean seriously – Tony has both Captain Americas,
heroes displaced from the past <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and </i>the
future (they’re not likely to want to mess with time, I assume),
Luke-freaking-Cage, and even a sorcerer that interprets and understands the
fabric of reality on a larger scale than anyone else there. Carol’s team is
full of massive egos (Black Panther, Gamora, Angela, Star Lord, Magick) and
people who work for her (Puck, Sasquatch, Aurora, Blue Marvel, Spectrum).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s not forget how Bendis needed to seed his upcoming
final <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guardians of the Galaxy </i>run by
having Vision destroy the team’s ship and spend half a page doing so, or that
he effectively turns Carol Danvers into a child when she screams “MINE” and
attacks Tony Stark when he’s already down. This sequence shows how immature
Carol is under Bendis’ hand, that she would rather beat Tony herself than see
him taken in by Black Panther and the fighting de-escalated. She cares more
about beating Tony than ethics or compassion, and that is a huge, giant,
massive problem not only for the series as a whole, but also for Carol Danvers
going forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II </i>began
and I still had some semblance of hope it could be interesting and provocative
(in a good way), I actually defended Carol’s stance in this debate. Carol was
military and has years of experience both good and bad to inform her decisions.
It actually makes sense that she would use her power as a member of the
Ultimates and the leader of Alpha Flight to protect humanity to the best of her
ability with whatever tools she can. What <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doesn’t</i>
make sense is how dogmatic she’s become, how she gets completely defensive when
the evidence shows how Ulysses’ power is flawed. Carol Danvers isn’t so petty
as to ignite a full-on crisis between superheroes simply to win an argument she
knows she can’t. Yet that seems to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly</i>
how Bendis positions her in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">#5</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s truly no excuse for a filler issue this terrible in
Marvel’s flagship event. It took a series called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil WAR II</i> nearly seven issues (counting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">#0</i> and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Free Comic Book
Day 2016</i> issue that is so integral to the story it makes me furious when I
think about it being a limited release that isn’t part of the main series) to
get to the actual fighting, and when it did only felt dull and bloated. Yes,
it’s fun to have an entire issue of heroes fighting heroes, but when the reason
is stupid and the characters feel forced or out of place, the whole concept
crumbles. And then there’s the final twist at the end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*** MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD ***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*** SERIOUSLY -- READ THE ISSUE FIRST IF YOU CARE ***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*** LAST WARNING ***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HOLY F#&KING SHIT SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO DIE! DOOM!
GLOOM! EVERYONE BE SHOCKED BECAUSE IT IS SHOCKING! OH AND LOOK! IT IS IMAGERY I
HAVE USED BEFORE ONLY NOW IT’S REAL EXCEPT NOT! EVERYONE WILL LOVE THIS BECAUSE
I LOVE THIS!</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vb9-HGn5mLtmvkSs_pknKEFu2HSREC_aqToFaaxXh3NFU7ywsE4fkQe5JPmNIjMlChgy0b5rMC6uFJIO0FjRgVBzZSHmcWKENjWeelpIMB9zvNLdOjAMwqtzeabG23Ed8LdyfPDmPgU/s1600/Image_98.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vb9-HGn5mLtmvkSs_pknKEFu2HSREC_aqToFaaxXh3NFU7ywsE4fkQe5JPmNIjMlChgy0b5rMC6uFJIO0FjRgVBzZSHmcWKENjWeelpIMB9zvNLdOjAMwqtzeabG23Ed8LdyfPDmPgU/s320/Image_98.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I assume this is how Bendis reacted to the idea when he
first had it. When Ulysses’ weird snake fingers start grabbing everyone for a
new vision like a parasitic drumroll, it just so happens to be a character
Brian Michael Bendis created standing triumphantly over a dead Steve Rogers. Oh
how could it be?!?!? Perhaps because Bendis has been pushing for Miles Morales
to have a larger profile for years and now he gets his chance. Or maybe because
this is all inconsequential in the long run based on ‘Marvel NOW!’
solicitations. Because the vision will not come to pass, and when it doesn’t,
this whole sequence will be devoid of narrative purpose; it’s retroactively made
itself meaningless, which is a horribly astounding feat for chronological
storytelling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War</i>,
it was quite obvious Mark Millar wanted audiences to sympathize with Captain
America and his rogue Secret Avengers fighting against the federal tyranny of
Iron Man and the Superhero Registration Act (SRA). Sure, the conceit was
“Choose Your Side”, and there were compelling arguments for Tony’s system of
accountability in an increasingly paranoid world often informed by emotion over
logic, but the fact remained that Cap represented freedom over Tony’s ‘big
brother’ approach.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>
demonstrates none of the socio-political nuance the original did, however
flawed Millar and Steve McNiven’s narrative may have been. At least the
Superhero Registration Act represented a concrete focal point – Ulysses is a
character being treated like a prop brought in when Bendis feels things are
lagging. Why did the Inhumans bring Ulysses to the Triskelion in the middle of
a huge battle right after Medusa said he would stay in New Attilan? Because the
story demanded it. Why does Venom give two craps about someone else wearing a
spider-themed costume when there are at least three others running around doing
the same thing? Because Bendis wanted to see Venom fight Miles Morales. Why
does any of this fighting matter? It doesn’t because this isn’t a fight that
can be fought with fists or steel or bullets or lasers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s say Carol <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i>
beat Tony into the ground at the end and ‘wins’ the war: so what? Is that going
to change Tony’s mind about the ethics of arresting people for crimes they
haven’t committed? Is one team beating up another going to make the losers
rethink their values or amend their personal morality to fall in line with
Carol’s own? Readers often forget that in the Marvel universe, the Superhero
Registration Act was wildly popular and sped through the House and Senate to
become law. From the reader's perspective, Steve Rogers and his Avengers are ‘rebels’,
but in the eyes of ordinary American citizens on Earth-616, they’re domestic
terrorists actively fighting against something the majority of people wanted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> is
about ideology, which helps drive a story but can’t necessarily be the focus. The
Superhero Registration Act represented accountability for the superhero
community, but it also carried with it lasting consequences when heroes became
criminals for doing their jobs. In the Ulysses situation, Iron Man is no more a
criminal or any less accountable because he disagrees with Carol Danvers’ security-first
approach. Conversely, Captain Marvel has routinely and unabashedly arrested and
imprisoned dozens of individuals based on one factor that flies in the face of “innocent
until proven guilty.” There’s no way to cheat justice, yet Carol seems to
believe her opinion matters more than anyone else because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i> can decide how to change the future because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i> knows the best path to take because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she </i>has the experience that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">she</i> deems necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II #5</i> is
the worst issue of the series so far, one that reinforces every reason why this
event is so frustrating. Brian Michael Bendis is completely out of sorts
relying on a subjective narrative tool to drive an entire superhero conflict
that routinely uses shock value as a crutch to actual story progression.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-57901229249664514602016-09-07T15:43:00.000-04:002016-09-07T15:43:25.100-04:00We Are Gotham: Tom King's Batman, "I Am Gotham"<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>As </i>Batman #6<i> hits stands today, I took a look at Tom King's first full arc on DC's </i>Batman<i>, a series that garnered huge critical and commercial success under Scott Snyder's hand over the past five years. Now, King has the opportunity to apply his unique brand of narrative aesthetic to the Dark Knight of Gotham City.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIla7NBMgwvJkg-Awuv-7lry5aQ9k440u3-katfMXywEVNBe3WhpWvhEgFQQNPlCbux9fTMH7T3PRXqfvUU9ylBN8BJd-XtueuxB-rQaFmIIBXJANiPgO0risw5l_LGmznQKkPZxc-QPU/s1600/BATMAN+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIla7NBMgwvJkg-Awuv-7lry5aQ9k440u3-katfMXywEVNBe3WhpWvhEgFQQNPlCbux9fTMH7T3PRXqfvUU9ylBN8BJd-XtueuxB-rQaFmIIBXJANiPgO0risw5l_LGmznQKkPZxc-QPU/s400/BATMAN+-+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tom King is a superstar and he’s only seriously been in the
game for 26 months. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grayson, The Omega
Men, The Vision</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sheriff of
Babylon</i> all led to DC’s confidence in the man they gave <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman</i>. King’s operatic style lends
itself to the Dark Knight, ironically juxtaposed to Scott Snyder’s more
visceral run during the ‘New 52’. King’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman</i>
and Batman both bear a subtler tone emphasizing ethical dilemma and conflicting
morality. In this first arc, “I Am Gotham”, Batman wants so badly to believe
new superhumans Gotham and Gotham Girl represent everything he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can’t</i> be, everything he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wishes</i> he could be that he missteps and
makes crucial mistakes. These siblings are a symbol of what Bruce hopes the future
can become, and he doesn’t really know what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Batman’s perfectionism works as a mentoring tool when
recipients already possesses confidence in themselves; Superman knows where he
stands and thus applies Batman’s logic to his own circumstance without going
full-on Dark Man of Steel of the Night. Similarly, Batman’s various allies
survive Bruce’s nigh-impossible training regimen because they’ve dedicated
themselves to the cause and have the drive to maintain their own selves through
the process. Hank and Claire Clover are fledgling heroes still discovering
themselves and their powers while trying to earn Batman’s trust <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> protect their city; cognitive
dissonance is real and only exacerbated by the presence of superpowers and
stranger-than-fiction happenstance. It’s no wonder Gotham goes insane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlMMEV45qa_pq8MtoswATdJB00tu-h968e8mamZXVM2vN7QV5P66OphDibSFe88j_ML_0_E5Z1vkZ0-UAN4F49fmu27-1y97f4pK7D8JWJOSlEtFiudntR_FIVKlkYj4yPalX7MPa_RQ/s1600/BATMAN+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlMMEV45qa_pq8MtoswATdJB00tu-h968e8mamZXVM2vN7QV5P66OphDibSFe88j_ML_0_E5Z1vkZ0-UAN4F49fmu27-1y97f4pK7D8JWJOSlEtFiudntR_FIVKlkYj4yPalX7MPa_RQ/s320/BATMAN+-+2.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And this is the entire conceit of “I Am Gotham”, insight on
the relationship between good and evil and what it means to be part of
something bigger than yourself. To Batman, that means sacrificing desire, emotion,
and sympathy to become better. To Gotham Girl, that means following her big
brother who she knows is benevolent and well-meaning because they made a pact.
For Gotham, it means sacrificing his soul to fix what it broken because there’s
no other way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman #3</i> brings
this theme to the forefront with the origin of Gotham that bears a striking
resemblance to Batman’s own – and he knows it. As Matches Malone (a fantastic
return of Bruce’s scummy alter-ego), Bruce interviews the Mr. and Mrs. Clover
and learns about their children’s commitment to doing good and helping those
less fortunate, and as much as they don’t know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i>, they do know their kids are superheroes now. Henry Clover’s
description of Gotham City finds hope in the darkness and sees light between
shadowy dealings, not unlike Bruce’s own father. It’s this sympathy that
compels Batman to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to believe in
Gotham and Gotham Girl because he sees in them what could have been and lets
his emotions guide his actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the first few chapters, David Finch’s hyper-detailed DC
house style feels at-odds with King’s more elegant and nuanced script, but as
the story continues it becomes clear that Finch was purposely chosen for his
style to accentuate the corrosion of good. Hank’s purpose-driven life is to see
Gotham City lifted up from the putrid darkness and rise to glory. When he
discovers that even with seemingly unlimited power he cannot be the savior
Gotham City needs, Hank’s world shatters and no one can pick up the pieces.
Batman inspired a young Hank to be a better person, but he also inspired
tunnel-vision dedication to an impossible task that breaks a young man’s mind.
And a god proven wrong can be disastrous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Claire wasn’t there when Hank and their parents were mugged,
so her connection to the mission is tangential; she can see the cracks forming
in her brother’s psyche, but she doesn’t really know any other way besides her
faith in Hank. Trauma inspired Hank which inspired Claire, yet when Gotham’s
existential dread becomes overwhelming, she can’t empathize, confused by her
brother’s erratic actions. Hank’s own breakdown indirectly breaks his sister,
and the whole thing falls apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mXu-sUziUumR9wl9QzejD1kdpmVmH-QAg81pA7Z0X0YOxuLnHTMVBw2lBBl-oESM4yXlPuzkXCZTa8oVtpFGhAx36kCsgjeiNoClCO67Nk7alH-TGfV-padtBb52KSHBRWBIFYv77iQ/s1600/BATMAN+-+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mXu-sUziUumR9wl9QzejD1kdpmVmH-QAg81pA7Z0X0YOxuLnHTMVBw2lBBl-oESM4yXlPuzkXCZTa8oVtpFGhAx36kCsgjeiNoClCO67Nk7alH-TGfV-padtBb52KSHBRWBIFYv77iQ/s320/BATMAN+-+3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Batman doesn’t really overwhelm or over-burden these young
heroes; he simply presents them with the reality of their cause, the truth of
their dedication to a city that will not be tamed or made calm. In recent
years, Gotham City has been slowly molded into a sort-of tertiary character in
the DC universe in the way the European countryside and ruined cityscapes
becomes integral to World War II films. Hank and Claire spent so much time
looking for the good in their city they failed to expose themselves to the bad,
and when it becomes clear the darkness has no end, Hank loses his faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">True evil is often committed by those who believe they are
right and altruistic, by individuals jaded enough by the world to believe the
ends justify their horrific means. “I Am Gotham” extrapolates this classic
trope to give Hank Clover more clarity as a character: this isn’t just another
looney, brightly-themed villain, but rather a set of distinct and unwavering ethics
distilled into a relatable hero who falls from grace. Gotham is all of us
because the weight of our own lives is sometimes too much, so how could we ever
hope to carry an entire city? Even in a fantastical, mystical, hyper-advanced
world of heroes and villains and aliens and monsters, nihilism is one hell of a
drug.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-47378935554831118912016-08-30T12:30:00.000-04:002016-08-30T12:30:08.523-04:00The Rise of Curated Albums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">After years focusing my public efforts solely on the comic book industry, I found I missed writing about my first love: music. What follows is the second piece of a new series called “Hip-Hop Revue”, analyzing recent Hip-Hop/R&B topics, albums, and personalities.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">---</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 2016, there have been four major Hip-Hop/R&B
releases: Kanye West’s </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Life of Pablo</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">,
Beyoncé’s </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lemonade</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, Drake’s </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Views</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, and Frank Ocean’s </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blonde</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. With </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Views</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> being the exception, each of these releases was accompanied
by outside elements ranging from fashion shows and visual albums to Twitter
controversies and rumor mills working overtime. It feels like the biggest
releases of the year are not </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">JUST</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
albums, but rather comprehensive experiences that pull listeners in based on
external factors then offer a reward for diligent interest.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKMRHk4pZn67H7LGYRiFF5-oFucw-ldlp-CgYKL5-mJ0tstwLE4hILol6Us20kr-V-CfZ40_k2h60pZafaNMCCSXCQqz5r_BhzcFuOMt5avjLzmRfCVjvIQhbIw79t280oGpAIE5en8M/s1600/Lemonade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKMRHk4pZn67H7LGYRiFF5-oFucw-ldlp-CgYKL5-mJ0tstwLE4hILol6Us20kr-V-CfZ40_k2h60pZafaNMCCSXCQqz5r_BhzcFuOMt5avjLzmRfCVjvIQhbIw79t280oGpAIE5en8M/s320/Lemonade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beyoncé’s release of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lemonade</i>
sparked wide discussion about the level of truth behind such an unsubtle
narrative about Jay-Z’s infidelity. Kanye’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Life of Pablo</i> came out under duress last February when even Ye himself
didn’t seem to know how he wanted everything to go down – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TLOP</i> was updated four times since that initial release, keeping
interest in West’s ambitious album up even into the beginning of the summer.
Frank Ocean one-upped himself by releasing a visual album called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Endless</i> only to drop <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blonde</i>, a much better collection of
tracks, just 24 hours later. And these are just the big ones – Drake’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Views</i> changed names at the last minute,
and Young Thug’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JEFFERY </i>features
Thugger in a skirt and parasol hat on the cover.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each of these instances points to the rise of
experimentation and, more notably, curated releases in the world of hip-hop and
R&B, more effort put into making an album worth celebrating beyond just the
music. And while this might sound nihilistic, remember that Kanye’s been doing
this since day one – every Yeezy album is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">motherf#cking
event</i>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">College Dropout</i>
was a hit before it dropped because Ye understood pop technique and how to
draft a catchy tune before blowing us all away with his devastating lyrics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Late Registration</i>
was about Kanye proving he wasn’t a fad, that he was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">going to be</i> the greatest someday, and this album was simply another
achievement of genre-bent hooks and catalyzed melodies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Graduation</i> found
Ye reaching father outside hip-hop to influence his sound while maintaining his
underdog persona even as he was showing signs of going full-on narcissist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the death of his mother, Kanye’s ‘blue period’ is
marked by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">808s & Heartbreak</i>, a personal
reflection he undergoes that would eventually lead to the ego-maniacal,
celebrity-obsessed, culturally influential artist we know today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Beautiful Dark
Twisted Fantasy</i> (my personal favorite) is a maelstrom of innovation and
pageantry for the sake of it, musings on hip-hop and himself that give credence
to his own introspection on “Monster” yet feels energetic and genre-defining
even six years later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yeezus</i> is chaos –
beautiful, awkward, eccentric chaos that everyone <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knew</i> was going to be chaotic before it was released.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LjLlhe9QdjXRPkREt5RQm2gNl2qmWnlC-YsCXN8tkdKZhUN-tc0kdCApnfTZkZpKiAnMbRrPpDQQ-mkkAd4sg1OmyxtY7BIyWtvrhraixLsWL_MN4sBnpc9GFBWOgHrxqy_i3msZ9kU/s1600/kanye-west-the-life-of-pablo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LjLlhe9QdjXRPkREt5RQm2gNl2qmWnlC-YsCXN8tkdKZhUN-tc0kdCApnfTZkZpKiAnMbRrPpDQQ-mkkAd4sg1OmyxtY7BIyWtvrhraixLsWL_MN4sBnpc9GFBWOgHrxqy_i3msZ9kU/s320/kanye-west-the-life-of-pablo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which brings us back to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Life of Pablo</i> and my entire conceit, that curated albums are nothing new,
only that their prominence is growing and artists putting effort into
developing a larger narrative around their work is becoming more acceptable and
attractive, not only to the industry, but also to larger mainstream audiences.
Kanye used his own brand recognition to push <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TLOP</i> when it was only available via Tidal for the first few months of
its release, a brand that is known for creating impulsive, erratic,
controversial pieces of art – why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wouldn’t
</i>you sign up for the free month and listen?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similarly, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lemonade</i>
succeeded not only on the merit of its music (which is incredibly, of course),
but also because of the rumors about Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship which
were exacerbated by the accompanying visual version of the album (think Lana
Del Rey’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tropico</i>) and the distinct
lack of comment from either Beyoncé <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or</i>
Jay-Z. In this case, I still believe that the Queen B simply wrote a concept
album not unlike The Who’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tommy</i>,
Pink Floyd’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wall</i>, or The Mars
Volta’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Frances the Mute</i>, but I don’t
discount the possibility that everything Beyoncé expresses on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lemonade</i> could be true. That said, from
both business <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and </i>artistic
standpoints, it makes sense for the album to be conceptual instead of a literal
extension of the artist’s feelings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Curated albums really only share this weird label I’ve made
up for them because I don’t know how else to express the concept, and also the
fact that they’ve all made headlines that have nothing to do with the actual
music. And that’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly</i> why each
album has been so successful. Yes – Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Frank Ocean (to a
lesser degree) are huge names in hip-hop and R&B spheres, but there’s a
tension in 2016 that’s pushed these big names to try new things, to experiment
and play around with the tired, traditional album release and turn it into
something wholly unique.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-1429857516614906912016-08-29T16:44:00.000-04:002016-08-29T16:44:31.506-04:00Ranking Marvel's Modern Events<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since the Avengers disassembled in 2004, Marvel has published over 20 major crossover events including line-wide events, franchise events (cosmic, Avengers, etc.), and family mini-events (X-Men, most usually). That said, there are 12 major line-wide events that define the overall tone of the Marvel universe beginning with <i>House of M</i> through the current <i>Civil War II</i>. I've ranked each event from worst to best, (SO SPOILERS!) starting with the practice in self-loathing called...</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers & X-Men: AXIS<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCUxoAoTc6bSfXuGIsvz61YcKQt4cBKpAs23OkRo9Dkvn-XF-IuciAVjLKBU8_SIYlRoF0v_kBAoB4SepYRR9kIRIpYEgs413pWyY6ys03Um5kod_q0n1KeAi_in2SIEXuP-Z1Yr-83g/s1600/AXIS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCUxoAoTc6bSfXuGIsvz61YcKQt4cBKpAs23OkRo9Dkvn-XF-IuciAVjLKBU8_SIYlRoF0v_kBAoB4SepYRR9kIRIpYEgs413pWyY6ys03Um5kod_q0n1KeAi_in2SIEXuP-Z1Yr-83g/s400/AXIS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word:</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Unreadable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Simply put, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AXIS</i> is a train wreck from beginning to end, a story originally meant for the pages of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncanny Avengers</i> that Marvel more-or-less forced Rick Remender to expand into a crossover event that was neither wanted, necessary, or well-liked. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AXIS</i> is a prime example of event fatigue, not only for the consumer, but also for the publisher who only wrapped up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Original Sin</i> one month before the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">March to AXIS</i> branded-titles began. The entire premise was ridiculous – the Red Skull becomes Onslaught and a plan to defeat him backfires which inverts all the heroes and villains – and the expounding plotlines about the X-Men and Apocalypse, Sabertooth’s redemption, and an alliance of villains all very much fell flat. It’s not fun.</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fear Itself</i></span></span></b></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Frustrating</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Writer Matt Fraction relies far too much on contemporary motivations to inform <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fear Itself</i>, a narrative about the civil unrest in America post-economic collapse that turned into Occupy Wall Street and other similar movements. While it’s admirable of Fraction to want to incorporate real life situations in a comic book universe, connecting a nihilistic America to the rise of a Nordic god of fear is a flimsy premise at best, and the whole bit about evil hammers possessing Marvel heroes is just stupid. We get it: Thor has a hammer and this is about Asgard, so there are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i> hammers! <i>Fear Itself </i>begins with a bang and no context, then expects readers to know far more than they would unless they've followed <i>Thor</i> for quite some time. The entire event feels convoluted and disjointed, like there’s so much story yet no cohesive way to tie it all together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Boring</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Honestly, Jason Aaron’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Original Sin</i> isn’t all that bad – I just happen to think it’s rather boring. The main, eight-issue series is a murder mystery featuring various weird team-ups between Marvel heroes as they investigate the murder of the Watcher. Early in the series, Z-list villain the Orb ‘detonates’ (I guess?) one of the Watchers’ eyes removed post-mortem, which results in various secrets of the Marvel U being revealed to the affected parties. The corresponding mini-series and tie-in issues are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WAY</i> more enjoyable than the main series because those tie-ins delve into the animosity between various heroes and how they deal with these new revelations. Unfortunately, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AXIS</i> came about soon after, so much of the status quo set by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Original Sin</i> was either ignored or replaced rather quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEV0-tqYkJe9msRVYvyX8eK__ybbwdxZGl9uxegJB-lTY-56ShursCNjqFV_URYLNta-DibF60IqZQJr8601ShyphenhyphenkL_1PB86NnpdyB_4Do2TNupZuSxA8bBVu2k9NyvDvgNAVVYCiMHBJI/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEV0-tqYkJe9msRVYvyX8eK__ybbwdxZGl9uxegJB-lTY-56ShursCNjqFV_URYLNta-DibF60IqZQJr8601ShyphenhyphenkL_1PB86NnpdyB_4Do2TNupZuSxA8bBVu2k9NyvDvgNAVVYCiMHBJI/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Disjointed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alright, I know it’s not the greatest and there’s a lot more<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> talking</i> than there is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">war-ing</i> in the pages of the main series, but given all its flaws, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> has actually been more enjoyable than I imagined it would be. The premise is still shaky because Iron Man is obviously in the right while Captain Marvel sounds more and more like a fascist every issue, the dynamics of future crime prevention are being presented in different ways by different writers which has allowed the concept to breathe outside Brian Michael Bendis’ rather rudimentary explanation in the main series. Could it be better? Of course. Is it necessary? Probably not in the long run. Am I having fun with it while it’s happening? Definitely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Age of Ultron</i></span></span></b></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Misunderstood</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The misunderstood little event that didn’t have a home. This crossover was seeded in 2011 with a Free Comic Book Day issue, yet the event itself didn’t appear until 2013. Originally, writer Brian Michael Bendis had it planned to come out much sooner, but the development of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AvX</i> and the succeeding ‘Marvel NOW!’ initiative meant too many different plans were in play, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Age of Ultron </i>was pushed to the side until it just felt awkward. That said, this crazy time-travel story that starts with Ultron having already won comes with a fun <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M</i> style alternate timeline and finishes with a major shake-up that ties into Jonathan Hickman’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers</i> saga that eventually led to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Wars</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chaotic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, it feels disjointed sometimes because five different writer scripted issues round robin-style, and yes, twelve issues was way too long for what could have been done in eight, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers vs. X-Men</i> is still an explosive, engaging crossover that comes close to lampooning itself with the tie-in mini-series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AvX: VS</i>. As a natural conclusion to a number of plotlines as well as an organic evolution of the tensions between the Avengers and the endangered mutant species, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avenger vs. X-Men</i> succeeded in bringing about real and lasting change to the Marvel universe (Charles Xavier is still dead, Cyclops is/was? still a radical revolutionary, the Unity Squad is still a thing) and doing so with an air of fun and whimsy that doesn’t detract from the nature of the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctunOJjEyPm-Gs2aF-AGhad5VD-5R_EX4Iv47HQqCf7Ndwps9NIRq6tXbeuM5Hd0ydzgOx7MPOjDazSZAwGQMqnkQU65JUSgw2BEjy_KkT6ok73_xdpiSYbpLD-HlQKJU4q2oQL2SmAI/s1600/Civil-War-Comic-Wallpapers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctunOJjEyPm-Gs2aF-AGhad5VD-5R_EX4Iv47HQqCf7Ndwps9NIRq6tXbeuM5Hd0ydzgOx7MPOjDazSZAwGQMqnkQU65JUSgw2BEjy_KkT6ok73_xdpiSYbpLD-HlQKJU4q2oQL2SmAI/s320/Civil-War-Comic-Wallpapers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dramatic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I like Mark Millar and Steve McNiven’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War</i>. I know it’s not a complete story in seven issues, but I also recognize that almost no event tells the entire story in just the main series. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Wars</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Age of Ultron</i> aside, every event on this list either benefits from tie-ins and mini-series, or requires them for a full understanding of the event. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War</i> pits Captain America against Iron Man over their political ideologies concerning the Superhero Registration Act meant to unmask superheroes and make them accountable by becoming agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Iron Man represents the US government in supporting the bill, while Captain America believes it infringes on personal liberties. Each Avenger rallies other heroes to his respective cause, then they all fight a lot. It’s not perfect, but it’s a damn fun story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shocking</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This reads a lot better if you’ve read J. Michael Straczynski’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thor</i> run because it sets up the entire “Asgard floating over Oklahoma” angle that makes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Siege</i> such an emotionally-impactful tale. The Asgardian gods have taken refuge in the floating city of Asgardia over Broxton, Oklahoma, and current head of international security and peacekeeping, Norman “Green Goblin” Osborn needs a major win to make his job and his various machinations more legitimate. He stages an attack that mirrors the catastrophe from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War</i> that catalyzes the SRA and pits the death of hundreds on the Asgardians. Osborn lays siege upon Asgard and uses the full might of his army of villains masked as heroes to rain destruction upon the benevolent gods. It’s a short read at four issues, but the effects are many and the “Dark Reign” of the Marvel universe comes to an end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Epic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Infinity</i> doesn’t get nearly as much love as it deserves. Granted, no one much sh!ts on Jonathan Hickman’s cosmic event, but no one much talks about it either, which I think is a shame. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Infinity</i> presents a war on two fronts: The Avengers take to space to assist a coalition of galactic empires to stave off the threat of the Universal Builders, while the remaining heroes on Earth must contend with an invasion force led by the Mad Titan Thanos. This is a crossover that lives up to that name, as Hickman’s corresponding <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Avengers</i> tie-in issues are essential to getting the full story. And what a story it is: what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Infinity </i>lacks in character development, it more than makes up for in all-out epic space battles, an insane Thanos/Inhumans story, and a huge conclusion that sets the stage for…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everything</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jonathan Hickman’s insane, over-the-top, game-changing mega-series is a testament not only to his, Esad Ribic, and Ive Svorcina’s skill as storytellers, but also to Marvel’s overall gambit with a year-long event that ended the Marvel universe that had stayed in-tact since 1961. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Wars</i> was an endgame literally years in the making (and for real; not like, say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Siege</i>, which was really only in the making for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">two </i>years) and paid off quite handsomely with a series that received critical and commercial success even under duress of heavy delays and a pre-empted ‘All-New, All-Different’ Marvel universe. This is how a crossover event is done – a phenomenal story, incredible art by a consistent team, and real consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>2. </b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Secret Invasion</b></i></span></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word: </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Explosive</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For some reason, I just love <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Invasion</i>. I wasn’t actively reading comics in 2008 when this event was being published, so I didn’t get the experience of reading it as it came out. That said, I read all the pertinent tie-in issues in the order they were published because a friend explained that was the best way. Boy was he right – getting the secret history behind the Skrull invasion <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">while</i> I read a story about the Skrulls making their final gambit and taking the world hostage before the planet’s heroes have time to react. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Invasion</i> is non-stop action and one of the few crossover events not directly tied to any one Marvel hero or team, a rarity in this day and age. The distrust and paranoia already deeply ingrained after <i>Civil War</i> was exacerbated by Skrulls revealing they had been acting as some of the most recognizable heroes in the Marvel universe for years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>1. House of M</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">In One Word:</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Fun</span></div>
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UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
QFormat="true" Name="header"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
QFormat="true" Name="footer"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="List Number"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There’s something about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M</i> that stands the test of time. Yes, it’s a plot-heavy book, but it also takes place over the course of just a single day in the House of M reality, so most of the heroes are reacting and not “growing” in the traditional sense. Logistics aside, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M</i> was amazing because it worked as both a stand-alone main series and as a gateway into this new world the Scarlet Witch conjured into existence – while Bendis didn’t spend much time exploring the world controlled by Magneto, the bannered mini-series and tie-in issues brought a resonance to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M</i> that still makes the main series by itself feel much bigger than it is even though none of it was required reading. Marvel took this concept to its natural conclusion with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Wars</i> in 2015 where the dozens of mini-series set on Battleworld had literally no influence on the main series (outside a few off-hand remarks and one conversation in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Siege</i> mini). But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M</i> did it first and is still my favorite modern Marvel crossover event.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-63762187548702677942016-08-28T16:33:00.003-04:002016-08-29T17:08:08.684-04:00Young Thug - JEFFERY (2016)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">After years focusing
my public efforts solely on the comic book industry, I found I missed writing
about my first love: music. What follows is the first piece of a new series called “Hip-Hop
Revue”, analyzing recent Hip-Hop/R&B topics, albums, and personalities.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>(Updated to reflect correction in name change from JEFFREY to JEFFERY</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Young Thug’s newest mixtape has caused a lot of commotion,
but not necessarily for the tracks (which are amazing) or the album concept
(which is great), but rather the cover featuring Thugger in an Asian-inspired
outfit complete with a ruffled skirt, white blouse, and Raiden-style parasol
hat. I’ve only recently started listening to Young Thug, and while I thought <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slime Season 3</i> was fine, it wasn’t the
genre-bending collection of songs I was expecting. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JEFFERY </i>(or, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No, My Name Is
Jeffery</i> depending on where you look) feels like the fledgling MC is growing
into his own conceptualism more than ever before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgDuuUacO7jUBbyK2xiE8UVZyLRGdyKtftZjFGvz4EEQiKHaAnfHruvVOisxMNXDJJDiju6YQ32G6iWrGL7PM6VfNu6H55x7eYkBtVaSRWcoNJoMgIbDtWv_ZM-LBWKmgCivd_V6EsTg/s1600/young-thug-jeffery-cover-art_tyn9on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgDuuUacO7jUBbyK2xiE8UVZyLRGdyKtftZjFGvz4EEQiKHaAnfHruvVOisxMNXDJJDiju6YQ32G6iWrGL7PM6VfNu6H55x7eYkBtVaSRWcoNJoMgIbDtWv_ZM-LBWKmgCivd_V6EsTg/s400/young-thug-jeffery-cover-art_tyn9on.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every song on this mixtape sounds different, from the
reggae-inspired “Wyclef Jean” to the robotically methodical “Future Swag” and the
calypso-infused “Pick Up the Phone (feat. Quavo)”, and nearly every track is a
winner. With the exception of “Harambe” – a track that relies on incoherency to
a fault – </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">JEFFERY</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is an
accomplishment. Thugger has found a comfortable balance between more
traditional hip-hop values (drugs, money, women, etc.) and genre innovation
akin to Death Grips, Shabazz Palaces, and Vince Staples. Each of those acts has
a unique sound, and Thug is no different – he simply slips his cleverness between
catchy beats and contemporary pop techniques.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lyrically, Thugger can’t touch the likes of Sahtyre or Talib
Kweli, but that’s not what he’s aiming to achieve. As important as the vocals
on a hip-hop track are, Thug is part of a niche in that
treats beats with equal import – his vocal cadence often prioritizes framing
the effervescent beats and saturated melodies flowing through every song on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JEFFERY</i> (yes, even “Harambe”). “Play
with my money, I’ma let these niggas do you” isn’t going to win Young Thug any
awards (nor is “Middle finger, stick it up / If you ain’t never gave no fucks”
on “Pop Man”), but the different elements of “Wyclef Jean” belie the complete
package and how incredible the track is as an album opener. And as weird as the
above mentioned “Pop Man” lyric sounds, knowing the song is about Kanye West
gives context to the narrative Thug is building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">JEFFERY</i> pushes
Young Thug into his own future that eschews the hard-lined “rules” of hip-hop
through genre experimentation and continued dedication to curating meaningful
beats. Like I said – I haven’t been listening to Young Thug for that long, yet
what I see in him is the same drive for innovation that pushes Eric Andre to flaunt
his sometimes-disturbing weirdness, a desire to experiment not unlike Georgia’s
of Montreal or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of Leaves</i> author
Mark Z. Danielewski. Perhaps I’m over-postulating due to how quickly I’ve
listened to most of his mixtapes, but the evolution of sound and style I’ve
heard in Thugger’s library is astonishing.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-50590936440301957752016-08-21T21:02:00.001-04:002016-08-21T21:03:00.356-04:00Defending Brian Michael Bendis (or How to Alienate Yourself from Comic Book Fans)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJcGyo64bVPgUFPD8UaBgmOAGNfnetjD11KC-zPFuApp0WWwkWk40GO7BJHYedQyX16ETs5Wxs7_dAuzG3IlOVZoaO9cRVpnSOeUrFXsb4lUvbIpqcEEvMqYqGnwoiMZ2Rov9sWzRb_U/s1600/4338641-deck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJcGyo64bVPgUFPD8UaBgmOAGNfnetjD11KC-zPFuApp0WWwkWk40GO7BJHYedQyX16ETs5Wxs7_dAuzG3IlOVZoaO9cRVpnSOeUrFXsb4lUvbIpqcEEvMqYqGnwoiMZ2Rov9sWzRb_U/s400/4338641-deck.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm simultaneously terrified and excited.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was recently on Reddit in r/comicbooks when I found a thread
about Brian Michael Bendis, a rather divisive writer in comics fandom. Some
readers love Bendis’ down-to-earth approach while others find his narrative
decisions to be lacking more often than not. To me, Bendis is one of the
greatest comic book writers of all time. He’s up there with Grant Morrison, Stan Lee, Mark Waid, Jerry Siegel, Dennis O’Neil, Bill Finger, and other luminaries who
have unquestionably changed the medium. And we’ll get into exactly why in a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the relevant subreddit thread, one user claimed he didn’t
like Bendis as a person. Another user asked, “Are you sure that you don’t like
him or do you hate his writing?”, a valid question. The original user’s
response was, “Well his writing is an extension of himself…and his writing is
poor in my opinion because of the lack of effort and work that he puts into
things that are given to him. So I’d have to say that I don’t like him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let’s unpack this opinion piece by piece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Gerald” (the fake name I’ve chosen for this random Reddit
user) doesn’t see a distinction between the writing and the writer. To Gerald,
the two are inseparable – Bendis writes “bad” comic books so he must be a bad
person. This is a rather simplistic take on the complex topic of separating the
artist from his/her art, an old debate that dates back for centuries because as
long as there has been art, critique of the artist by way of the work has
always been divisive. Just because I understand that Kanye West is often a
narcissistic jackass doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy his albums, which I do. I don’t
like Eminem’s music, but I respect that he stood up for himself against the
media’s assumption that he advocated for murder, domestic abuse, homophobia,
and general violence simply because he created a fictional narrative (complete
with an alter ego in Slim Shady) through a popular art form.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This isn’t to say that artists and their art are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> mutually exclusive, because they
aren’t – some musicians, writers, artists, and producers absolutely present a
facsimile of themselves in their work – but pigeonholing storytellers' ability seems narrow-minded and stubborn. The assumption that a writer’s work is
inherently an extension of the writer’s character or personality is a fallacy,
especially with a genre of comics that has been around for over 75 years,
includes literally thousands of diverse characters living in shared universes, and includes
innovation a central tenet. Which leads me to the second part of Gerald’s
opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMr6Amvv6C0rtK74L4qdin1-jVRjyZrOQz31GidT5E4Dqq5GPnI-hfntAvFZp8djx0eez15ePC593MQeRUpihlc8YYhFl596_hNW6dpKapIfgXUbhyphenhyphenOWqlqaO3c753FKCkb17y4FnLd_8/s1600/alias-banner-2-1024x827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMr6Amvv6C0rtK74L4qdin1-jVRjyZrOQz31GidT5E4Dqq5GPnI-hfntAvFZp8djx0eez15ePC593MQeRUpihlc8YYhFl596_hNW6dpKapIfgXUbhyphenhyphenOWqlqaO3c753FKCkb17y4FnLd_8/s320/alias-banner-2-1024x827.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“…[His] writing is poor in my opinion because of the lack of
effort and work…” There’s no substance to this part of Gerald’s explanation
because it doesn’t give any examples of exactly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why</i> he believes Bendis doesn’t work as hard or put in as much
effort as other writers. What Gerald fails to take into account (subconsciously
or purposefully) is that Bendis has produced some of the most
critically-acclaimed comic books of the Modern Age. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ultimate Spider-Man, Alias, House of M, The New Avengers, Powers, </i>and
his run on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daredevil</i> are all seen as
high water marks of the superhero genre, and all for different reasons. For
years, Bendis was head writer for the entire Avengers line,
directing the narrative flow for Earth’s Mightiest while the Marvel Cinematic
Universe was making these heroes more recognizable than ever before. Bendis created Miles Morales, a character who – in less than five years – has
grown into one of Marvel’s most popular heroes. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M </i>fundamentally changed the mutant paradigm in the Marvel
universe for nearly six years that led to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers
vs. X-Men</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bendis isn’t perfect, however, and his duds have been many.
While he greatly affected mutant storylines with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M</i>, Bendis’ time on the X-franchise writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncanny X-Men</i> is plagued by mediocrity and a fundamental
misunderstanding of many key X-Men. But even in this case, it’s hard to argue
that Bendis didn’t work hard or put in the effort to make his mark on these
characters – he brought the original five X-Men from the 1960s into the modern
day, turned Cyclops from an idealist into a radical revolutionary, delved into
sins passed to affect current goings-on, and retconned Bobby Drake as a gay
man. Whether you love or hate what Bendis has done with the X-Men, the fact
remains that the man absolutely went to great lengths to develop the specific
story he wanted to tell. Pair that with his
similarly-mediocre-yet-also-totally-Bendis <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guardians
of the Galaxy</i> and its multiple crossovers with his X-titles and it’s nearly
impossible to deny the creative lengths Bendis takes to achieve his vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The last bit of the sentence, “[His] writing is poor in my
opinion because of the lack of effort and work <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that he puts into things that are
given to him</i></b>.” conveys a sense of animosity towards the high-profile
titles Bendis writes, as if he hasn’t been a mainstay in the industry for over
two decades, like he didn’t writer over one hundred issues straight of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ultimate Spider-Man</i>, as though he’s
produced nothing but crap and somehow keeps being gifted top shelf franchises
just because. It’s rather insulting to insinuate that a writer doesn’t deserve
to tackle a certain project based on subjective factors. Now, I get having a
bias against a specific writer, as I have a rather deep dislike for comics by
Scott Lobdell. That said, I don’t disparage the man or his career because I personally
don’t enjoy his style. Obviously some do, and the same can be said for Bendis
who has affected the Marvel universe more than nearly any other modern writer
aside from maybe Jonathan Hickman, and even then Hickman is definitely in
second place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of M</i> wasn’t
even the beginning; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers:
Disassembled</i> rewrote the rules for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in 2004 and
ushered in a new age for Marvel Comics. Though Mark Millar and Steve
McNiven are responsible for 2007’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil
War</i>, Bendis wrote 2008’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Invasion</i>, 2010’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Siege</i>, 2012’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers vs. X-Men </i>(as co-writer),
2013’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Age of Ultron</i>, and currently <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>. All but two of those
events are great, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Age of Ultron</i>
is a lot better in retrospect because it can fit in almost anywhere between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AvX</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Infinity</i>. And these are just the events. Implying that Bendis somehow
hasn’t earned his place at Marvel is ridiculous. To be sure: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II </i>is kind of a train wreck,
but you can’t win them all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOoySBTHKVDuokLvSvFStpcjJuFNC04ND-OusYWuUtVpcAp4LiuJIYLXf9qJ0-GAN8QfO-d15vRSLcmr5WVaJ6EAG2MhqavqYx09pqKxmr_E7hxNE4YLQPwEe7JzF9i8wxmaSLcDThHc/s1600/Civil-War-II-Amazing-Spider-Man-1-Cover-Khary-Randolphsocial_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOoySBTHKVDuokLvSvFStpcjJuFNC04ND-OusYWuUtVpcAp4LiuJIYLXf9qJ0-GAN8QfO-d15vRSLcmr5WVaJ6EAG2MhqavqYx09pqKxmr_E7hxNE4YLQPwEe7JzF9i8wxmaSLcDThHc/s400/Civil-War-II-Amazing-Spider-Man-1-Cover-Khary-Randolphsocial_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spider-Man's reaction is indicative of Marvel fans right now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’ll never advocate for censoring criticism of a writer’s
work. I’ll also never agree that art is inherently an extension of the artist’s
self. To be clear, art is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> an
extension of the artist, but as to the inextricable connection to an artist’s
person and character – that’s simply ludicrous. Scott Lobdell might be an
incredible person that I’d at least have something to talk about with given we
both love comic books and superheroes. That doesn’t mean I’m going to change my
opinion on his work. Alan Moore is totally nihilistic, obtusely negative, and
needlessly critical of a medium he helped mold, but I can still enjoy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Watchmen </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">V for Vendetta</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Beautiful
Dark Twisted Fantasy</i> is one of the best albums of the past decade, but
Kanye West is a glamor-mongering, ego-fueled mess of an individual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assuming the art is an extension of an unworthy artist is a
self-fulfilling prophecy just waiting to rear its head: if you believe Bendis
is a just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i>, you’ll likely find his
work to be bad and vice-versa in a weirdly cyclical pattern of hate for hate’s
sake. If you don’t enjoy a comic book, don’t read it. If you don’t like a
person but like his or her work, take the art at face value and let it speak
for itself. Or don’t listen to me at all – I’m not your mom or your boss or any
figure of authority. What I am, however, is a person who gets frustrated over
this needless negativity and can’t not say something, even if it’s just online
posted to my own blog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There’s a culture of negativity in comic book fandom, and
while I can usually ignore and/or at least tolerate the constant bickering and judgmental reactions to pushes for diversity and inclusion, finding such a glaringly
uninformed comment like I did on Reddit made me pause and take account of where
the industry is heading and how the fans have morphed into both the benefit and
the detriment of the medium, a group of people who continue to read comics yet
perpetually complain about how everything’s going to shit. In most spheres of
fandom – cinema, television, literature, etc. – this kind of mindset is the
fringe, the overly-dramatic few that make up the pompous, elitist margin. In
the world of comic books, pessimism and self-righteousness are the norm, which
is scary and disappointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The angry few shout louder and more often than the content
majority, and logically I know that on a larger scale, the comic book industry is heading
in the right direction with fans more willing to accept change. The holdouts
seem to be the “old guard” still clinging to traditions and antiquated concepts
of mob mentality. “BENDIS BAD!” has been the rallying cry for “hardcore” fans
for a long time to the point where admitting to this crowd that you like Bendis’ work is basically
a statement on your lack of intelligence – and that’s kind of embarrassing. No one
should be made to feel bad about the art they enjoy (except for Scott Lobdell –
if you like his comics, you’re dead to me), and no artist should feel
personally attacked based on the quality of his or her work. It’s not an exact
analogy, but sending death threats to Nick Spencer over Captain America decreeing “Hail Hydra!” isn’t far from claiming you don’t like Brian Michael
Bendis as a person simply because you don’t like his comic book writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Final Note</i>: I know
that on some level, I might be making a mountain out of a single comment
molehill, but the principle of the issue comes down to respect and human
decency in my eyes. Outside of “The Comic Book Revue”, I also write creatively,
and while I get nervous when I email bits of my work to friends for critique, I
know they’re not going to judge me as a person based on how much or how little they
enjoy my book. I know I don’t have a personal relationship with Brian Michael
Bendis, but that doesn’t matter – being kind isn’t hard, and everyone
knows what happens when you assume: it makes an ass out of you…not me, though;
I have nothing to do with it.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-57149786500277996342016-08-19T11:28:00.002-04:002016-08-19T11:39:25.962-04:00The Duality of Khalid Nassour, Doctor Fate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzhQ23vZajmt_1wifk6e_WEA9yFJbE2vR0mWPmQ9KSF3yjKT7ntk9sq3QJAiAANwW-8tC2U91K27IDVQKGvnesb0PGeKhK907JQwDoc7cnhT7btMp0FyEPwoX2rFJiQt6SGYt2c2bZXw/s1600/4552128-screen%252Bshot%252B2015-05-08%252Bat%252B11.41.23%252Bpm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzhQ23vZajmt_1wifk6e_WEA9yFJbE2vR0mWPmQ9KSF3yjKT7ntk9sq3QJAiAANwW-8tC2U91K27IDVQKGvnesb0PGeKhK907JQwDoc7cnhT7btMp0FyEPwoX2rFJiQt6SGYt2c2bZXw/s400/4552128-screen%252Bshot%252B2015-05-08%252Bat%252B11.41.23%252Bpm.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Fate </i>isn’t
a game-changing, must-read monthly title (like DC positions a number of its ongoings),
the name ‘Doctor Fate’ isn’t incredibly well-known, and the boy under the
helmet is all-new character Khalid Nassour. All that said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Fate </i>is a fun series that presents the superhero paradigm in
a refreshing way. Last spring’s DCYou initiative aimed to rebrand or re-haul
existing IPs to promote diversity, innovation, and experimentation – Superman
was de-powered and put back in his jeans and t-shirt, Jim Gordon donned the
cowl when Batman died fighting the Joker, Hal Jordan went on the run from the
Green Lantern Corps, while Wonder Woman sported updated armor and new villain Donna
Troy. Aside from re-working major heroes, DC also looked at lesser-known characters,
which is how this new volume of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor
Fate</i> came to be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>** </i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>General spoilers for </i>Doctor Fate<i> follow</i> **</span><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While others found themselves frustrated with early issues,
I see Paul Levitz and Sonny Liew’s take on this classic franchise as a welcome breath
of fresh air in a modern superhero aesthetic that often promotes story over
character development (see most of Scott Lobdell’s post-2010 DC work), <strike>which
makes it all the more disappointing that the series is set to end next month
with </strike><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><strike>Doctor Fate #16</strike> </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>(UPDATE: </b><i>Doctor Fate #17</i> is out in October and is <i>not</i> solicited as the final issue)</span>. Levitz’s heavy
decompression through this series is both to its credit and detriment; on a
month-to-month basis <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Fate</i>
feels long in the tooth, like Levitz is searching for a definitive direction
through Khalid’s own crippling indecision and self-doubt. Without considering
who Khalid Nassour is as a person, reading an ongoing series that takes at
least ten issues for the protagonist to get onboard with the whole ‘hero thing’
can be mildly annoying at best and unacceptably boring at worst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEI7HgOTH4VmXtC8dkxjU4fM74TVZyeHVp5TSCxYNoQvkTz7K4dA-qI_OVRl0_MhcEH0i9o5LRlT4jE-ZvVJZC-x5NG8Qb73wSAb1rXiXfmjIPTTdn4Xd7Vj9ASWVHuK3McWi09p2T7w/s1600/2015-06-19-19.08.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEI7HgOTH4VmXtC8dkxjU4fM74TVZyeHVp5TSCxYNoQvkTz7K4dA-qI_OVRl0_MhcEH0i9o5LRlT4jE-ZvVJZC-x5NG8Qb73wSAb1rXiXfmjIPTTdn4Xd7Vj9ASWVHuK3McWi09p2T7w/s400/2015-06-19-19.08.51.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Khalid doesn’t know what he wants – Levitz and Liew have
made that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i> clear throughout these
fifteen issues – and his journey reflects this indecisiveness. Here, Khalid has
a life plan that doesn’t necessarily meld with his new status as Doctor Fate. University
is an investment, and Khalid’s academic track means his classes are all the
more important for eventually enrolling in med school. He also feels compelled
to learn the mystical arts and grow into the hero he is supposed to be, to take
what’s been given to him and rise to the occasion even though he resists the
pull of Fate at nearly every turn, juxtaposing his earnest desire to help
people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In effect, Khalid wants to graduate from university, have a
meaningful relationship with his beautiful girlfriend, honor his parents and
their sacrifices, and use the power he’s been gifted as Doctor Fate to be a
superhero and help save the world – Khalid wants everything to go as planned
even though he believes it will all fall apart. In his overly-analytical mind (a
plus for a future doctor), Khalid shouldn’t possibly be able to stretch himself
so thin and thus he can’t; it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy that only begins to
wane in later issues of the series when the reality of his situation begins to
truly set in, and more noticeably when Khalid’s great-uncle Kent Nelson arrives
to share some wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With the re-introduction of Kent Nelson into the ‘prime’ mythos
(after he was absent in the ‘New 52’), Levitz and Liew made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Fate</i> a more integral part of DC’s
lineup, a title that goes beyond the purview of “shaking things up” and finds a
way to reconcile the present with the past in a purposeful way without
rewriting history. Kent comes onto the scene when Khalid is at a crossroads –
the young student wants to take responsibility for the power he now wields, but
still doesn’t think he can or should even after saving the world once already.
Call it emotional dysfunction, self-absorbed egoism, or existential dread –
whatever it is, Khalid can’t get over a sense of self-loathing that translates
into reserved behavior that only results in more indecision and doubt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There’s nothing wrong with wanting good things for yourself,
and Khalid’s inability to justify his own life goals against his new fate
become overwhelming. This seems to be part of Levitz and Liew’s underlying
message, that perhaps “fate” isn’t locked in stone the way we typically
perceive it to be. In the real world, “fate” and “destiny” are concepts created
to explain talent or industriousness or passion – nothing is certain, and to
say some things are absolute belies the inherent chaos of the universe we
humans try so diligently to force into order. Khalid is no more shackled to the
helmet of Fate as I am to my job or my life as it is right now – I can leave
and disappear and start all over if I so desire. The effects of my actions are,
of course, reliant on how much effort I put into making them a reality, and this
is where Khalid struggles. Khalid wants to put all of himself into whatever he
does because he doesn’t want to fail, but nothing is that simple and Khalid
learns that he almost has to disconnect his two lives and approach each with a
different perspective even though they constantly intertwine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Fate</i>
represents a more realistic approach to the genre in which the protagonist isn’t
an archetypal hero and mitigating factors have real consequences because the
duality of being a superhero bears difficult costs. Paul Levitz and Sonny
Liew’s decompressed narrative style is admirable in turning Khalid Nassour into
one of the most relatable and introspective characters in DC’s roster. It’s fun
having a pre-<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flashpoint</i> Superman back
in the mix, and I love the buddy cop take on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Green Lanterns</i>, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor
Fate </i>has a tenacity and subtlety rarely seen in modern superhero comics, an
almost Chekhovian take on what it means to be a hero and the trials it takes to
get there. The present makes way for the past to define a new future for Khalid
Nassour <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> Doctor Fate. Here’s
hoping DC doesn’t let Khalid disappear into the aether after this series wraps
up.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-42818681522642656822016-08-12T11:45:00.003-04:002016-08-12T11:45:52.846-04:00The Flintstones: Crap and Morp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1hsQxRUtWSu2dRSOhhcRJh6z1lZnOonv7puz6Ml8hvOJDLbRDtbnFGWT6674nf5X3763QXZXsgmm6iQej6h3MB28FhmPPdhk64pcCSOH-vyIHntcmdkmIDdqoJ2ET39eUnuIEcx9NTw/s1600/FLINT_2_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1hsQxRUtWSu2dRSOhhcRJh6z1lZnOonv7puz6Ml8hvOJDLbRDtbnFGWT6674nf5X3763QXZXsgmm6iQej6h3MB28FhmPPdhk64pcCSOH-vyIHntcmdkmIDdqoJ2ET39eUnuIEcx9NTw/s320/FLINT_2_5.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And with a single issue, Powergoat is my favorite new character of 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't suspect this weed-eating goat with an aggression complex will appear again anytime soon, but this fun little nugget of humor acts as a stylized metaphor for Mark Russell's observations on American culture. Much like with <i>Prez</i>, Russell digs deep into the socio-economic framework of colonial capitalism and finds the inherent comedy within: it's funny because it's true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Powergoat is an allegory for aggressive sales tactics and the supposed strength they are trying to sell; it's literally just a goat (albeit, with a hyper-masculine attitude) tied to a stick and Fred has no idea what "weeds" are, but the perception of wealth through material possessions becomes too much, and poor Fred caves in and buys one anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Russell doesn't sugar-coat his intentions in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Flintstones #2</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. "In other news, people are buying stuff they don't need. It's called 'crap', and it's taking Bedrock by storm!" I cannot think of a more perfect or eloquent way to explain the root of American capitalism.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The First Church of Animism reveres their savior, Morp, until the bird plays a record and everyone is a bit disappointed, at which point their faith wains. The following mass, the clergy introduce Peaches, a pink elephant who's to be the <i>new</i> god that just wants everyone to have a good time, a pretty solid gospel.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-Ov5Sy00cmqiaEVXLj3nFPUDzMbqjF_3nxXL2UoN6DTJap88NttzeTvctrg2DxznV8IC71TEF_KW7cvEvX6dPGhiU3yarjj7SwaCUIj0YmFnkyxp2jdAJbMsjvA0mdF2vBfd-HRsn6k/s1600/FLINT-2-2-8c5a9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-Ov5Sy00cmqiaEVXLj3nFPUDzMbqjF_3nxXL2UoN6DTJap88NttzeTvctrg2DxznV8IC71TEF_KW7cvEvX6dPGhiU3yarjj7SwaCUIj0YmFnkyxp2jdAJbMsjvA0mdF2vBfd-HRsn6k/s320/FLINT-2-2-8c5a9.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When Wilma discovers Peaches is just a vacuum cleaner the clergy have masqueraded as a deity, the whole charade begins to crumble. In a poignant call to reason by the presiding pastor, he asks "...isn't the important thing that the god makes you feel like your life has meaning? Does it really matter what form a god takes?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fred's immediate skepticism is a mirror to Evangelical religious dogma: adherence to an <i>idea</i> instead of the <i>ideals</i> religion is intended to teach. "C'mon, we've done good work in this church. Just because some god didn't pan out, you're not going to go back to smashing people with clubs are you?" At least one gentleman disagrees. Everyone walks out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, are these the seeds of atheism in <i>The Flintstones</i>, or the earliest days of the religiously devout, the ones who need a more concrete concept of god to feel fulfilled? Either way, Russell plays with the ideas of spirituality and commercialism throughout <i>The Flintstones #2</i>, reaching a fever pitch when Fred feels the familiar sense of failure -- after only selling one bottle of vitamins in a pyramid scheme -- many Americans suffer through every day, the feeling that he's doesn't deserve the good things in his life. As Wilma is apt to do, she helps Fred see reason and gives him perspective on the difference between real and borrowed happiness. She posits that connections with other humans is what matters, and that all this crap around them doesn't bring anything but regret.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't believe Wilma simply meant the material "crap" infesting Bedrock, but also the vitamin-selling scam and the Church of Animism shenanigans -- as long as Fred loves Wilma and Wilma loves Fred, they're going to be okay. Everything else is just crap. So long, Powergoat: Lucky the Dog of 2016.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-39065843404562336642016-07-12T20:57:00.000-04:002016-07-12T20:57:48.839-04:00The Young Avengers: A Juxtaposition of Legacy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW490S3DFjV_V1lzQkkQxuqwPUSlmf7dw6XT_90ANDxD7nItAOKBCFS57zcmQvJLsf3Wwo6sVZvCsMvCuANJc3_GeXkss8RWomlapdQT2MRNE0YtY4OBDdm-FMXDbi52zOlgwWwD_-A9Q/s1600/YA+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW490S3DFjV_V1lzQkkQxuqwPUSlmf7dw6XT_90ANDxD7nItAOKBCFS57zcmQvJLsf3Wwo6sVZvCsMvCuANJc3_GeXkss8RWomlapdQT2MRNE0YtY4OBDdm-FMXDbi52zOlgwWwD_-A9Q/s400/YA+-+1.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I <a href="http://theendlessreel.blogspot.com/2016/07/what-fk-comic-book-fans-response-to.html" target="_blank">wrote a piece</a> on the Internet’s negativity towards new
Marvel character Riri Williams and it got me to thinking about legacy
characters, a trope DC Comics has been pulling off to varying degrees of
success since the 1950s (for the sake of generality – it could be argued that
Robin has always been a legacy character, and he’s been around since the 40s)
yet Marvel has often shied away from, even when the components necessary are
sitting right there in front of them. The House of Ideas has a long history of
introducing new characters, though mostly through the X-Men franchise’s Xavier
School, a perfect mechanism to allow new generations of characters to develop.
That said, a handful of new mutants every few years is different than the
concept of ‘legacy’ characters; younger heroes that answer the call when the
original either steps down, dies, or is no longer able.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Young Avengers</i> was a deconstruction of the legacy trope – a team of
teenage heroes with relevant connections to preexisting Marvel heroes but who
were also fervent Avengers fanboys and girls (think Kamala Khan, only ten years
earlier). Elijah Bradley was retconned as the grandson of the original,
African-American Captain America who suffered brain trauma. Billy Kaplan and
Tommy Shephard – though born thousands of miles away to different parents – are
the lost twins of the Scarlet Witch when she had a nervous breakdown and
inadvertently created children. Cassie Lang is the daughter of the second
Ant-Man, Scott Lang. The new Vision (at the time) was based partly from the
remains of the original. Teddy Altman is a half-Kree/half-Skrull prince of both
worlds. And then there was Kate Bishop, a brand new character with no ingrained
connection to the standing shared universe. All of these young heroes were
created as a legacy characters, yet their journeys have all diverged in
interesting ways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CH3V397GEFqyDCRygrSJc3NEiWqNZVXpnVGiyHtjNX809694-9nGo7jdD8hFlx6MH-Iq4srjMJzu50Rpeiwoj1K_9Zckar7DOnZmYateLQ-CDqrozEWUcSAixf1Nm4CzY8i0xZRSqVE/s1600/YA+-+W%2526H.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CH3V397GEFqyDCRygrSJc3NEiWqNZVXpnVGiyHtjNX809694-9nGo7jdD8hFlx6MH-Iq4srjMJzu50Rpeiwoj1K_9Zckar7DOnZmYateLQ-CDqrozEWUcSAixf1Nm4CzY8i0xZRSqVE/s1600/YA+-+W%2526H.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wiccan and Hulkling</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Billy and Teddy’s romantic relationship developed into a
core tenet of their respective characterizations. Kieron Gillen and Jaime
McKelvie understood this dynamic and nearly broke the couple up in their second
volume of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Young Avengers</i>, a watershed
moment in their commitment to each other. Even now, Billy and Teddy are members
of the New Avengers, still together through thick and thin. Though they started
out as homages to Thor and the Hulk, Billy and Teddy have been thoroughly
established as their own characters whose ‘legacy’ components have been
relegated to secondary traits. Yes, Billy is Scarlet Witch’s son, but his road
to becoming the fated Demiurge is all his own as he arguably symbolizes
“ordered” magic as juxtaposed to Wanda Maximoff’s “chaos” magic. Teddy – whose
Hulk connection is the thinnest fiber to an established hero of any Young
Avenger – had the most wiggle room, and though he is absolutely royalty of both
the Kree and Skrull empires, both cosmic civilizations have had larger problems
than melodramatic monarchy disputes for many years now, allowing Teddy to
develop aside from his heritage into a truly realized character. Even during
the insidious Skrull occupation during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Invasion</i>, Teddy’s background is less prominent than his dedication to his
planet and his team.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKL91wGcrP6mnr9qvcrvLlzO_1Fgq7gsTE9tJYjNugzmG90nbPt3QXOrtU_szKLXyp7HA-MnBzL4pTDGUWI2UV1W_vjhEBjLD57AcipVQTr1Gs8jn-DDBVbGhWzf-92H5P2xdTRX7tHec/s1600/YA+-+Pat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKL91wGcrP6mnr9qvcrvLlzO_1Fgq7gsTE9tJYjNugzmG90nbPt3QXOrtU_szKLXyp7HA-MnBzL4pTDGUWI2UV1W_vjhEBjLD57AcipVQTr1Gs8jn-DDBVbGhWzf-92H5P2xdTRX7tHec/s1600/YA+-+Pat.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Patriot</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the most unfortunate moves in Marvel’s recent history
was to completely shelf Eli Bradley, A.K.A. Patriot. Heinberg and Cheung’s
incredible characterization was rarely matched by other writers who handled the
team for event tie-in mini-series, yet Eli represented a perspective not often
seen in superheroes let alone younger ones: moral relativism. Eli was an
original character deeply rooted in Marvel mythos whose relatable development
offered a unique take on the challenges of being a superhero in a world full of
living legends. Eli is incredibly stubborn and passionate about his
convictions, an aggressive pragmatist that wants nothing more than to live up
to his grandfather’s legacy, and that sometimes causes him to falter when his
sense of responsibility overtakes his moral compass. In Heinberg and Cheung’s
second, two-issue arc of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Young Avengers</i>,
Eli’s “Speedy moment” comes when the team finds him shooting up MGH (mutant
growth hormone) to maintain his Super Soldier-esque strength and agility. Eli
lied to the team about inheriting his grandfather’s powers and struggles with
an addiction that leads him to commit crimes in order to maintain the charade;
that’s a supervillain in the making if I’ve ever seen it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet, Heinberg and Cheung deftly navigate the situation,
reminding readers that Eli is a 16 years old kid, and that the combined
pressure of his sense of duty to honor the past and the drive to succeed in his
position as the spiritual leader of his team becomes overwhelming. Eli is a
complex character with real issues that walk the line between heroism and
obsession, a perfectionist that struggles with intense self-doubt and anxiety
about his role in the world. When Eli all but disappeared from the Marvel
universe, there didn’t seem to be a reason until it was announced that Sam Wilson
would take the shield as the all-new Captain America when Steve Rogers was
de-aged and stripped of the Super Soldier formula in Rick Remender’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America</i> run. The “Black Captain
America” angle wouldn’t be as shocking and exciting if Eli Bradley – and by
extension, his grandfather’s place in history as the actual first Black Captain
America – was there poised to step into that role. I’m not saying Sam didn’t
deserve the promotion, only that Marvel had a phenomenal character already
positioned to become the next Captain America, and he was a Black teenager with
relatable issues, established connections to Marvel lore, and years of organic
development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFlbjj1oH5nb_eVRJVcdnuJfq_tveyYZ7ajv_AyM-JK4xMkMeWUpOpDLB9zOHpUztJoQfAwfSfilPWO2gzhrHO0GkAHS__lZ5FCf6xE6fAlcfMsojpZOskEC9jbBqK-32aO_npSYvvEk/s1600/YA+-+Stat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFlbjj1oH5nb_eVRJVcdnuJfq_tveyYZ7ajv_AyM-JK4xMkMeWUpOpDLB9zOHpUztJoQfAwfSfilPWO2gzhrHO0GkAHS__lZ5FCf6xE6fAlcfMsojpZOskEC9jbBqK-32aO_npSYvvEk/s400/YA+-+Stat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stature</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cassie Lang grew into her own after she sided with Tony
Stark and his Superhero Registration Act during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War</i>. Most of the Young Avengers agreed with Steve Rogers, the
face of the anti-registration Secret Avengers unconvinced more governmental
oversight would benefit the superhero community. It made sense, especially
considering the team’s previous run-ins the with the adult Avengers concerning
their right to be active superheroes in the first place. That said, Cassie is a
realist that sees the necessity of training and staying accountable in a world
full of chaos and uncertainty. Much like Eli, Cassie’s sense of responsibility
along with her uncertainty and doubt concerning her own ability to do more good
than harm puts her in a position to respect authority and the sense of
structure it brings. Cassie just wants to be a better, more effective hero, and
that means obeying the law by working <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">within</i>
the system to make the world a safer place. Eventually, Cassie rejoins the
Young Avengers before her death in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Children’s Crusade</i>, the same story in which she earlier successfully goes
back in time and saves her father from being murdered by the Scarlet Witch in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Disassembled</i>. Five years
later, during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers & X-Men: AXIS</i>,
an inverted Doctor Doom looks to make amends for his past misdeeds and
successfully brings Cassie back to life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cassie’s tenure as Stature was not a legacy to the ideals Hank
Pym and Scott Lang had spent years developing, but rather a redefining of the
Ant-Man/Giant-Man trope. Yes, Cassie has the exact same powers of size
manipulation as her father and Hank Pym, but the name Stature has no solvent
connection to ants or bees or insects or anything else like that – Cassie made
her own identity and made her own decisions based on her personal ethics and
motivations, even if that put her at odds with her team. Since her resurrection,
Cassie has been a supporting player in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Astonishing Ant-Man</i> where her early retirement from superhero-ing, a
disconnect from her father, and a suffocating sense of duty leads her to get
back in the game, even if that means defying everyone around her and breaking
bad. When the devious Power Broker re-gifts Cassie with her size-changing
powers and a brand new outfit, she becomes the criminal Stinger, a reference to
her alternate universe MC2 counterpart, but also a direct connection to the
Ant-Man franchise, further removing her from the Stature moniker and her days
as a Young Avenger. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cassie Lang was Ant-Man’s daughter for years, Stature of the
Young Avengers and the Initiative for years more, dead then resurrected (a
very, very common comic book trope), and is now stepping into a more concrete
legacy role as Stinger. Unlike most of the other Young Avengers, Cassie’s is an
evolution of </span><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">character</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, not superhero
title. Even the name she pioneered, Stature, is no longer hers, and that was by
choice.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZHugA_7clnUkgi1yVTBQQo9BvzUY9ZGQFMLjWa-K2aNg9MsQvK06n8Ey6NlG5LlJEMcG3DncJZdQ9nNIWjinMkwiOKD1NsX2Ks6S7viFWFnZmp0TfQd_bJDd6s9G8IYnDB-9Sur4dWg/s1600/YA+-+Hawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZHugA_7clnUkgi1yVTBQQo9BvzUY9ZGQFMLjWa-K2aNg9MsQvK06n8Ey6NlG5LlJEMcG3DncJZdQ9nNIWjinMkwiOKD1NsX2Ks6S7viFWFnZmp0TfQd_bJDd6s9G8IYnDB-9Sur4dWg/s400/YA+-+Hawk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hawkeye</span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Arguably the most interesting and fun growth of any Young
Avenger was in Kate Bishop, a creation of Heinberg and Cheung’s for their
original team in 2005. Kate’s father is a prominent member of New York’s
criminal underworld, but when the original Young Avengers attempts to stop a
hostage situation at her sister’s wedding, Kate steps into action when they
can’t get the job done themselves. The Bishop family’s lavish lifestyle affords
Kate the opportunity to train and study with the best, and she handles a bow
with grace and elegance not seen since Clint Barton, who at the time was dead
at the same hands that took Cassie’s father during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Disassembled.</i> Kate becomes a Young Avenger and eventually
meets a resurrected Clint Barton (now calling himself Ronin) who offers her the
name Hawkeye. That potential was not mined until years later in Matt Fraction,
David Aja, and Annie Wu’s incredible <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawkeyes</i>
run, a series that began about Clint Barton’s street-level, non-Avenger trials
and tribulations, but evolved into a character study of Clint and Kate, two
Hawkeyes who depend on one another yet have wholly different worldviews and
perspectives on what it means to be a hero.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kate was a member of Gillen and McKelvie’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Young Avengers</i> along with fellow
founding members Wiccan and Hulkling where she faced relationship issues with
Noh-Varr (Marvel Boy) and his literally-alien concepts of sex, love, and
passion. Kate has her heart broken when the boy chooses his ex, but she doesn’t
relent when Noh comes back begging for forgiveness because her defining moment
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Young Avengers (Vol. 2)</i> is the
realization that she has trust issues based on very real circumstances, but
that she won’t let those issues define her. Kate’s time with Kid Loki’s Young
Avengers is an excellent segue into her adventures with Clint in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawkeye </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New Hawkeye</i>, the subsequent follow-up series by Jeff Lemire and
Ramon Perez that goes even deeper into Kate’s character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The dichotomy between these Hawkeyes isn’t subtle; Clint is
an aloof, flippant, impulsive social warrior while Kate is a centered, emotionally-stable,
pragmatic hero and they each bring something different to the table. Clint’s
longtime stake to the name and his eagerness to mete out justice – even if he’s
ill-suited for the task, in over his head, or impulsive to the point of
overzealousness – makes him a truly active voice of the people, while Kate’s
family history and nuanced perspective on good vs. evil gives her a defiance
and perseverance that reins in Clint’s hurried behavior and offers strategy and
elegance in its place. Kate Bishop has grown into an incredible character that
whose personality is defined by her actions instead of clever connections or
retconned statuses. Kate was a wholly original creation that multiple creators
have built into a character absolutely worthy of the Hawkeye title. Yes, Clint
Barton will always be synonymous with the name (especially with his place in
the ever-popular Marvel Cinematic Universe), but Kate Bishop is as much Hawkeye
as Clint, and Marvel was incredibly wise to put her in the starring role of
this fall’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawkeye</i> ongoing.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfYXiYs38uG4Oap8GPrM_VF8VwymFBGI_Uy0yWyh9HMqKtIdN04jMohoDF4E8sFeK8NGkgCs8uEl3ghyX111YhYPFelepldWYo_Pk2q0TO10EUD5eMhXlnn9_wSqpm0ozsZa4F5vBD1M/s1600/YA+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfYXiYs38uG4Oap8GPrM_VF8VwymFBGI_Uy0yWyh9HMqKtIdN04jMohoDF4E8sFeK8NGkgCs8uEl3ghyX111YhYPFelepldWYo_Pk2q0TO10EUD5eMhXlnn9_wSqpm0ozsZa4F5vBD1M/s400/YA+-+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, legacy characters have become more commonplace in the
Marvel universe. Sam Alexander stepped into the role of Nova in 2013, and
though he did so in a rather roundabout way (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Wars</i> and all that), Miles Morales is an exemplary legacy to
Peter Parker’s Spider-Man. Kamala Khan is the new Ms. Marvel, and Moon Boy has
a legacy in Lunella Lafayette, the Moon Girl with her Devil Dinosaur.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Young Avengers began as possibly legacies to
the Avengers, a group of teenagers wrestling with the struggles of growing up
while protecting New York City as members of a superhero team. Each of Allan
Heinberg and Jim Cheung’s Young Avengers has gone through trials and
tribulations that have helped them grow into roles beyond their original purview,
to evolve into fully-developed heroes in their own right without the shadows of
their supposed predecessors hanging over their heads. With Patriot being the
only (egregious) exception, the Young Avengers paid homage to the ideals of the
legacy character trope while simultaneously deconstructing the concept for a
new era.</span></span><!--EndFragment-->
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-82774471748249750602016-07-08T15:59:00.002-04:002016-07-08T16:02:11.021-04:00What the F%#k, Comic Book Fans?: A Response to the Reaction Over Riri Williams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9hYf_T3kN3TUqJST630CsT44bkMOvLNsMqrBGxF2T45un45eX646SXxYrtigsJZfJT_R5hHPySg13DOki5rn7aCG9qd-091nYIb4euxU5YEnJrGWmqCoNMAKYwafvCaEUxzsiFHyMaw/s1600/Riri+-+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9hYf_T3kN3TUqJST630CsT44bkMOvLNsMqrBGxF2T45un45eX646SXxYrtigsJZfJT_R5hHPySg13DOki5rn7aCG9qd-091nYIb4euxU5YEnJrGWmqCoNMAKYwafvCaEUxzsiFHyMaw/s400/Riri+-+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reading reactions to TIME magazine’s recent article on Riri
Williams taking the mantle of Iron Man from Tony Stark made me incredibly sad.
I’m not going to pretend that hardcore fandom doesn’t exist in other media
because it does, but experience has proven to me that comic book fans are some
of the most vitriolic in entertainment culture today, the kind ready to find
any excuse to not like something, the kind with a narrow perspective on change,
the kind that gives the entire medium a bad name.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Obviously, not every single comic book fan in the world is a
negative jackass, and I understand that the loudest and most vocal of us are
usually the most perturbed and disappointed, so I don’t want to sound like I’m
pigeonholing the entirety of comic book fandom in one fell swoop. I’m also not
advocating for censorship of opinion or constant optimism – I’m still smarting
over how DC’s handled Kyle Rayner since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flashpoint
</i>(sans Tom King’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Omega Men</i>),
so I believe me when I say that I understand feeling disconnected from beloved
characters due to editorial decisions. What I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am</i> saying is that change is inevitable, change is necessary, and
change is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, the new Iron Man will be a Black female teenager named
Riri Williams. And unlike other changes to traditional characters in recent
years (Sam Wilson as Captain America, Jane Foster as Thor, Amadeus Cho as the
Hulk, etc.), creator Brian Michael Bendis has huge influence at Marvel which
means Riri will most likely be sticking around for the foreseeable future. Does
this mean Tony Stark is going away? Probably not. Does this mean Tony will
never don his armor again? Not a chance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the House
of Ideas has the opportunity to play around with the comic books in a sandbox
they just renovated with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Wars</i>.
This is the perfect time to introduce new legacy characters, and while I don’t
understand why established younger characters like the Young Avengers, the
Runaways, or any number of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: The
Initiative</i> students haven’t been used, I can still give Riri Williams a
chance because why not?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The prevailing argument against Riri Williams is that Tony
Stark is synonymous with the Iron Man name, and that replacing him with brand
new character so drastically different is obviously just diversity for its own
sake, which is bad. There are so many flaws in this argument that it would be
futile to try and cover them all, so I’ll stick to the big ones. Here are some
of the more prevalent points made when this basic stance is brought up:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TOZU-q_tWWf49UL8GuQy2skStdPJixPVVDMw2SCxLxNhKu-F_smD7W2YotBrD3rBn0oF6fkh9JzVPT6uFzeNIyDsobVgIHBE-iRnIJf-aoZv9hvQStECiPRVjkUmFquUd0GVXiauT3M/s1600/Riri+-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TOZU-q_tWWf49UL8GuQy2skStdPJixPVVDMw2SCxLxNhKu-F_smD7W2YotBrD3rBn0oF6fkh9JzVPT6uFzeNIyDsobVgIHBE-iRnIJf-aoZv9hvQStECiPRVjkUmFquUd0GVXiauT3M/s400/Riri+-2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why does Marvel keep replacing established characters with new faces
instead of creating and encouraging brand new characters?</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are two incredibly obvious answers to this question.
First, legacy characters are nothing new, as DC has been doing it for literally
decades; the title of Green Lantern has been worn by no fewer than eight
characters (most of which carried the ongoing series), the Barry Allen died in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Crisis on Infinite Earths </i>and was
replaced by former Kid Flash, who then disappeared only to be replaced by a
time-displaced Bart Allen, Dick Grayson wore the mantle of Batman when Bruce
Wayne was presumed dead, and there have been five Robins since the 1930s.
Second, new characters rarely sell well let alone last long enough to become
fan favorites. Less than 40 original characters in the Marvel universe since
the mid-80s (that’s a rough, if liberal guess, so correct me if I’m wrong) lead
ongoing series. Why replace existing heroes with new characters from time to
time? Because it’s part of superhero tradition and it’s not going to stop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marvel pandering to SJWs with diversity-grabs</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A desire to promote diversity and bring more relatable
characters into the mix to reflect a growing audience both in size and cultural
variety is not bad – it’s commendable. Just because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you personally </i>do not want anyone but Tony Stark to wear the Iron
Man armor doesn’t mean no one else will. Very obvious analogies can be drawn
between Riri Williams and Kyle Rayner, a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">brand
new character</i> in 1994 who took over a decades-old franchise from a
character synonymous with the Green Lantern name: Hal Jordan. Even less so than
Riri (who’s at least had some quick sequences in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Invincible Iron Man</i> issues recently), readers had no idea who Kyle
was even though he was had become the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i>
Green Lantern in the entire universe. Oh, and Kyle is part Mexican – was that
an SJW diversity play, too? We could even go back to John Stewart replacing Hal
Jordan in the 1970s. This is nothing new, and it’s really a shame that in 2016,
a fanbase that is primarily white males (though that is steadily changing) gets
so bent out of shape over their perceived entitlement to specific characters
with little more than “That’s not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my </i>[insert
whatever superhero]”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tony Stark is the ONLY Iron Man</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First of all, not true. James Rhodes was Iron Man in the
80s. So that argument caves in immediately. But we can go deeper. The new Ms.
Marvel, Kamala Khan, has been used as a prime example of how to introduce a
new, diverse character in an iconic role that speaks to new readers without
offending longtime fans. And while I agree that Kamala’s popularity across the
aisle has been inspiring, it’s also not that straightforward. Carol Danvers was
never incredibly popular as Ms. Marvel; she was largely absent from the Marvel
comic book universe for years, showing up sporadically from the late 80s
through the mid-2000s until she got her own ongoing series again in 2006. That
series ended in 2010 and Carol’s debut as Captain Marvel didn’t come until
2012. Kamala Khan made her first appearance in 2013, but her series didn’t
begin until 2014 – that’s a full four years between Carol’s tenure as Ms.
Marvel and Kamala’s start. The title ‘Ms. Marvel’ had already gone somewhat
defunct, and Marvel simply allowed a new character the room the breath that led
her to becoming so popular. Kamala Khan as the new Ms. Marvel is very different
than Riri Williams as the new Iron Man. Yes, they are both young, non-white
characters taking over established titles from longtime heroes, but Kamala had
the space and time to grow into the beloved character she is today, despite
fans spouting off the same crap about diversity pandering when she was first
announced. Riri will be Iron Man this fall and Tony Stark’s status quo is still
a mystery until the end of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>.
There’s no context yet for why Riri takes the mantle, and it’s foolish to
dismiss her so quickly without giving her a chance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brian Michael Bendis just does whatever he wants regardless of
continuity or how it affects longtime characters.</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yes, both of these statements are absolutely true. But get
this: SO F*CKING WHAT??!?! Brian Michael Bendis has affected Marvel comics
unlike any other modern writer. He disassembled the original Avengers at issue
500 (I’m sure to the chagrin of some fans still holding onto <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> grudge), re-established Earth’s
Mightiest Heroes for a new generation, fundamentally altered the mutant status
quo in the Marvel universe with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House of
M</i>, built on the paranoia and resentment established by the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War</i> while simultaneously
constructing a retconned dream of secret Skrull insurgency for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret Invasion</i>, wrote one of Marvel’s
most critically acclaimed series in the modern age (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ultimate Spider-Man</i>)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>created
fan-favorite characters<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Miles Morales
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> Jessica Jones,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>and<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
</i>wrote one of the definitive runs of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daredevil</i>
amongst many, many other accomplishments in and out of the comic book world.
His recent track record hasn’t been the best – his time on the X-Men titles was
a total drag, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Age of Ultron </i>was
underwhelming, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guardians of the Galaxy</i>
still hasn’t found its footing under his pen, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i> is just inane – but what I am saying is that Marvel
puts a lot of faith in Bendis that he can pull out another win with Riri even
after a stint of misses because he’s earned that faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitosEZHHgK_xcwvhjgIHuriBOUWHi9cypARdY2oz2rS8W2Gu33P-kxoD_J9AtNlApo1N1Tf6OOyxArQIuMAwW4nhAIAZVvXCfNOlTIVmyeF8NLm7Oe6RwqHoky5XfeD4QwaSVJacqqg74/s1600/Riri+Armor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitosEZHHgK_xcwvhjgIHuriBOUWHi9cypARdY2oz2rS8W2Gu33P-kxoD_J9AtNlApo1N1Tf6OOyxArQIuMAwW4nhAIAZVvXCfNOlTIVmyeF8NLm7Oe6RwqHoky5XfeD4QwaSVJacqqg74/s400/Riri+Armor.jpg" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from Comic Book Resources</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I know what I’m saying is going to piss off a large portion
of the comic book fanbase. I understand that I stand at odds with the
prevailing opinion on Riri Williams as Iron Man. I get that people are hurt and
offended and upset because change can be scary. What I can’t wrap my head
around is how opinions so quickly become hard-lined beliefs, how a first
impression with little context can set off such malicious fervor. I get
incredibly frustrated seeing a medium I love so much getting weighed down by
the doubt and insecurity over losing something that was never ours to begin
with. All superhero fans have a special connection to the characters they love,
but we are not owed anything, nor are we entitled to our favorite heroes remaining
static for our entire lifetimes – that viewpoint is so incredibly self-absorbed
and egotistical that I have trouble even sympathizing, let alone empathizing.
Thor Odinson will always be the God of Thunder in Norse mythology, but the
Marvel universe isn’t stone-carved legend from ancient times – Thor can be a
different character than a blue-eyed, blonde-haired image of masculinity
because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it’s comic books</i> and comics
are all about change. Change is a core tenet of how the industry has grown and
evolved. Without change there would never have been a Silver Age that I’m sure
resulted in longtime readers of Golden Age DC Comics swearing off the company
for good because THEY CHANGED MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS, WTF?!?!? (Okay, they
definitely didn’t say ‘wtf’ in 1956, but the sentiment remains).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It’s quite telling that a fanbase who ran to defend and
shield (pun intended) Captain America over the “Hail Hydra” controversy when
perceived outsiders claimed the move was anti-Semitic and/or disrespectful to
Cap’s creators is the same one that time and time again gets butt-hurt by
young, diverse characters stepping into roles held by white males (usually with
blue eyes and blonde hair) since at least the 1950s, if not earlier. When Steve
Rogers stated “Hail Hydra”, comic fans were at the ready to justify the move
with “This is comics; it’ll be retconned or changed back at some point. Why are
you getting so angry?”, yet won’t shut the f*ck up about how they can’t accept
Riri Williams as Iron Man because it’s disrespectful to Tony Stark (a fiction
character who has no bearing on the real world outside whatever meaning we give
him, let’s remember) or some devious, spiteful, nefarious plan by Marvel to destroy everyone’s
childhood by reflecting the modern world to a more accurate degree. HOW DARE
THEY??!?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I will never argue
otherwise. Every comic book fan is free to complain or bitch or rant or <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>spew nonsense about diversity as a
negative or tradition being more important than inclusion, able to take to the
Internet and write or record any level of diatribe that compounds
already-pessimistic attitudes and makes plain the ignorance of knee-jerk
reactions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are also free to be optimistic, to wait and form opinions
based on the material written instead of the press material designed to shock
and awe. Of course Marvel is going to promote Riri Williams and the diversity
she represents because that’s important to the company for social <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> financial reasons; these two factors
don’t have to be mutually exclusive, and it’s painful to see comic book fans so
intent on believing they must. Give Riri Williams a chance because there’s no
reason not to, enjoy Jane Foster as Thor (if that’s your thing) while it lasts
because it won’t be forever, keep in mind that tradition is personal, don’t let
your opinions be unmovable, and remember to appreciate that change is an
inevitability so spending your time holding a grudge against an entertainment
corporation for taking liberties with characters you’ve enjoyed is only going
to affect you because Marvel is moving forward with Riri Williams as Iron Man
whether you like it or not.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-14811800486244805052016-03-23T17:39:00.002-04:002016-05-09T20:11:18.541-04:00Batman #50 Review: Superheaviest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">** SPOILERS, BUT I FEEL LIKE IF YOU'RE READING A REVIEW YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT, RIGHT? **</i><br />
<i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></i>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5VHq2hfYT8hSeLDb4VdPr5McywlbOwbKWBs1kuGKswqMx6QX1vktw8dUTzrSfNKEvPf7SJrJUuwmvMm_gNyJrdoWufVvrMYWp4SVd-zVKOhLYYjx5Bho3v_xz4U2c6ajuZhvLWjhQcg/s1600/Batman+50+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5VHq2hfYT8hSeLDb4VdPr5McywlbOwbKWBs1kuGKswqMx6QX1vktw8dUTzrSfNKEvPf7SJrJUuwmvMm_gNyJrdoWufVvrMYWp4SVd-zVKOhLYYjx5Bho3v_xz4U2c6ajuZhvLWjhQcg/s320/Batman+50+-+2.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's start with the new costume: less a refresh and more of a polish, right? There's not </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">much to say about an outfit that looks more or less the same just with yellow trim, making Batman...less stealthy? I'm ambivalent towards it even knowing that this is one costume update that will very much stick around. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">On to the story itself. The tenth and final part of "Superheavy" is stuffed with narrative almost to it's own detriment. </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">ALMOST</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">. Scott Snyder deftly handles three plots that all intertwine, leading to the eventual takedown of Mr. Bloom: Bruce Wayne's return to the cowl, Jim Gordon's final act of heroism as the Dark Knight of Gotham, and Duke Thomas' confrontation with the </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">real</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Mr. Bloom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Where other issues may have collapsed under the pressure of so many interlocking narratives, Snyder has a talent for bringing together ideas in the end, only it's often not in the fashion readers expect. That said, "Superheavy" might be Snyder's least oddball ending since his run on <i>Batman</i> began -- though it's steeped in a sci-fi quagmire of cosmic jargon, the return of the original Batman and the final battle with Mr. Bloom play out rather predictably, though the specifics are rather interesting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No one presumed that Jim Gordon would die at the end of <i>Batman #50</i>, so the constant reminders that Jim needs to get to a hospital before he keels over from his wounds get very old very quick. Sure -- that kind of build-up works in certain situations, but again; no one reading this issue thought Jim was going to actually die, so the whole practice becomes moot. This hollow tension makes Jim's monologue near the issue's end a bit stale and concocted. I know Jim was always waiting for Batman to return, but he didn't need to go all diva and recite the speech he'd <i>obviously</i> been practicing in the mirror for some time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Batman -- the one and only -- is also a rather divisive narrative line in <i>Batman #50. </i>Last month saw Bruce Wayne stand up and accept who he is and what he means to Gotham City, yet none of that passion and/or drive seems present this month. As soon as Bruce jumps back into the thick of battle, Penny-One delivers some rather clunky exposition instead of Bruce's actions speaking for themselves. As much as I like Greg Capullo's artwork, and as fantastic as he's been for most of this series, <i>Batman #50</i>'s fight sequences don't convey the same thrill they once did like in "The Court of Owls" or "Death of the Family". Perhaps it's my own bias coming into play having read every issue Capullo has pencilled for this run, but the whole "Batman is actually <i>better</i> than he was before!" angle works <i>against</i> the emotional nuance this issue could have had.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6TNPxp8ef8xuXBjoIaSAgWSxxjEhrPdH2f2CXFeZhqnN7TDfUNJAdUwqzOiAYra9f1G8N5BFevBsBkCcYHIQmTyQAy1tnCWnUa06WUNBxT6Ygs72aHMZS4jrAsuyRMP3LOi3sIVdQv8/s1600/Batman+50+-+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6TNPxp8ef8xuXBjoIaSAgWSxxjEhrPdH2f2CXFeZhqnN7TDfUNJAdUwqzOiAYra9f1G8N5BFevBsBkCcYHIQmTyQAy1tnCWnUa06WUNBxT6Ygs72aHMZS4jrAsuyRMP3LOi3sIVdQv8/s1600/Batman+50+-+2.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By transforming Bruce Wayne into a more perfect version of himself, Snyder has inadvertently ripped away part of what makes Batman <i>Batman</i>. Some people wear their scars like badges of honor, and while I don't believe Bruce Wayne sees them as such, he does appreciate that they represent <i>something</i>, and taking away the physical scars but not the mental ones simply means DC basically pulled a Marvel and de-aged Bruce Wayne. The difference, of course, being that Snyder is making it a narrative element, which only makes sense on a very basic level. Seriously -- what does this actually mean for Batman? He was already the most impressive human being on the planet (arguably), with a fascinating blend of a litany of martial arts talent, tactically-honed strategic subterfuge, and alarmingly adaptive mental dexterity. So, he's just <i>more</i> of these things now? That's it? I don't see the point other than Snyder fulfilling some dream to outdo Grant Morrison's colloquially-known "Bat God" by literally making Batman <i>BETTER THAN EVER BEEEFFFFOOOOOORE!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />All this said, <i>Batman #50</i> is still a great issue that makes good use of the elements introduced since the finale of "Endgame". Jim Gordon's supporting cast -- Julia Pennyworth, Daryl, and Gerri Powers -- are all present and accounted for, while Duke Thomas plants himself even more firmly into Snyder's Batman mythos. Bloom himself is not really the point because, as Batman even points out, "anyone could be Bloom..." His or her identity isn't important. Very much like how, as we grow older, we come to recognize that much of what is actually <i>said</i> is of little consequence, and that how our words make others <i>feel</i> is what truly matters in the end. Bloom represents the paranoia and anger borne from tragedy and terror, the loss of hope that comes from watching your family, friends, and home burn again and again and again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jim Gordon did not solve the mystery of Mr. Bloom. We will never know if Bruce Wayne could have. But that's not the point. Snyder approached BatJim the same way he did Bruce Wayne; the Batman is for Gotham is for Batman, and so on. To Snyder, the two entities are mutually exclusive, and when Jim takes the mantle of Batman, the city doesn't respond well. Bloom is a metaphorical symptom for the militarization, privatization, and corporatization of the Batman ideals. As good a man as Jim Gordon is, even he cannot stop the gears of industry, finances, politics, and traditions from grinding through the wrench thrown into the machine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">SCORE: 8/10</span></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-25322048179372053892016-03-22T17:15:00.000-04:002016-03-22T21:09:28.567-04:00What the F#&k, Civil War II? (Part 2)<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In Part 1, I delved into </i>Avengers Standoff<i>, the currently-running Avengers crossover event that totally misses the point and turns Maria Hill into a demented monster. You can check it out <a href="http://theendlessreel.blogspot.com/2016/03/what-f-avengers-standoff-part-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e2QDjwI9Vf4CbYburloBCyFMkrbCGkDu94ncElw2vw5dM5tYVNHuUIpKPUnH9SdslfSTLMRuhu6GaCCB4DC8HN83DrJlMmry1SpLZpqEqxa-CHsVad4FEhjLv89coUAzeTiAhsuoQI4/s1600/Civil+War+II+-+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e2QDjwI9Vf4CbYburloBCyFMkrbCGkDu94ncElw2vw5dM5tYVNHuUIpKPUnH9SdslfSTLMRuhu6GaCCB4DC8HN83DrJlMmry1SpLZpqEqxa-CHsVad4FEhjLv89coUAzeTiAhsuoQI4/s640/Civil+War+II+-+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Marvel recently released two posters depicting which heroes
stand on either side of the moral conundrum at the heart of this summer’s </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Civil War II</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> by Brian Michael Bendis and
David Marquez. It was a big moment for fans waiting to see which way their
favorite heroes lean on the matter of using an Inhuman child with a high
precognitive success rate to stop crimes before they happen. It’s a rip on </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minority Report</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> with no real qualms
about being so, and the team rosters choices are really quite puzzling.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TEAM IRON MAN</b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (Like,
whoa dudes, let’s not f#&k over random peoples’ lives before they even do
anything wrong; for serious, this is a terrible idea.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2qf3yUZjeGRz605O9pq_v2KEY2kVP-JUiZDWfpcc5qEz37AtMZLh3mUiahfWk8Oi_9uQ8z1YXhXXSExwU58jnfTXkrADQBW9m_sgq4jpPDJpEuuLfLcNOK-kYJzBkxkFdupHPxm7Akg/s1600/Civil+War+II+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2qf3yUZjeGRz605O9pq_v2KEY2kVP-JUiZDWfpcc5qEz37AtMZLh3mUiahfWk8Oi_9uQ8z1YXhXXSExwU58jnfTXkrADQBW9m_sgq4jpPDJpEuuLfLcNOK-kYJzBkxkFdupHPxm7Akg/s320/Civil+War+II+-+2.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Deadpool</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Black Widow</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Totally Awesome Hulk</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Hercules</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Luke Cage</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Miss America</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Thor</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Daredevil</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Black Panther</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Star-Lord</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Captain America, Sam Wilson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before I look at Team Captain Marvel, let’s examine Team
Iron Man, the roster that makes sense in context. Sam Wilson has been against
Project Kobik and using the cosmic cubes for national defense since the first
few issues of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: Sam Wilson</i>,
so no surprise there. Luke Cage and Star-Lord both have less-than-stellar
pasts, so the thought of being incarcerated for something they haven’t yet done
is obviously a bit offensive; the same goes for Black Widow and Deadpool,
really, as they both started as criminals and have taken steps to reconcile who
they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">were</i> with who they have become.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Miss America’s universe is a magical realm made possible by
the Demiurge, an older version of Billy Kaplan (formerly of the Young Avengers,
currently of the New), and her adventures with younger Billy made it obvious to
her that fate, destiny, and the future are never set in stone; NEVER. The
current Hulk, Amadeus Cho, is the eighth smartest person on the planet, and
he’s sided with the third smartest (I think) person, Stark, as well as
T’Challa; two other incredibly intelligent, super-genius intellects who
understand how bad an idea precognitive crime prevention would be. Black
Panther’s time with the Illuminati and their hand in the end of the multiverse
has made his stance of playing god very, very clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hercules has been around long enough to probably have seen
this before and know it won’t end well. Thor is the ‘wild card’ here, as there
doesn’t seem to be a discernable reason why she’d choose Iron Man’s team, but
the idea that she needs a reason beyond having <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">common f#&king sense</i> about the situation is absurd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now onto Team Captain Marvel, the craziest hodge-podge of
mischaracterizations I’ve ever seen banded together for a very silly and very
unethical movement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TEAM CAPTAIN MARVEL</b>
(Guys, how can we not use this Inhuman kid to predict and stop future crimes;
what’s the worst that could happen from f#&king with reality like that???)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAhbYCw7UYWsWvwZkWkmTWawuSs3gUI4lP_gZBts1mprHJ15g_k8P1AOL4_n1hzKq1OpzmPzfQkd_SYSNdgHeTAmYeIq8MRrdu_qhfV11cQOgKLuZ-ptBfzrmUslDRivsedT80H2aeoE/s1600/Civil+War+II+-+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAhbYCw7UYWsWvwZkWkmTWawuSs3gUI4lP_gZBts1mprHJ15g_k8P1AOL4_n1hzKq1OpzmPzfQkd_SYSNdgHeTAmYeIq8MRrdu_qhfV11cQOgKLuZ-ptBfzrmUslDRivsedT80H2aeoE/s320/Civil+War+II+-+3.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winter Soldier</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- She-Hulk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Spectrum</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Ant-Man</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Blue Marvel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Medusa</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- The Vision</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- War Machine</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Hawkeye</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Spider-Man</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- CAPTAIN AMERICA, STEVE ROGERS?!?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Carol Danvers is a conservative military type, so it makes sense
that she’d support a program that most effectively curtailed crime and harm to
civilians. Same goes for James “Rhodey” Rhodes in the War Machine armor; he’s a
soldier of the US military, Carol’s boyfriend, and holds similar views on
security. As queen of an entire species, Medusa has more credence to want a way
to protect Inhumans as they face prejudice and fear and danger from the world
at-large, a system to make sure she could keep her subjects safe and alive.
Beyond these three, though, the picks get incredibly ridiculous.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She-Hulk is an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">attorney</i>;
she obviously understands innocent until proven guilty, and that there needs to
be a crime from which to charge someone. Ant-Man and Hawkeye were both
incarcerated before they became heroes (like Luke Cage!) so it makes no sense
that they’d support a system that punishes people preemptively. Spectrum and
Blue Marvel are both on the Ultimates (now, it seems, at odds with their
teammates Miss America and Black Panther) and both incredibly intelligent
scientists who should know that even a 99.9% accuracy means a margin of error
big enough to argue against the project, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AND</i>
they should know better than to screw with time like this, even passively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Vision makes no sense on this team; he was a major
proponent for civil rights of artificial intelligence when faced with fear,
prejudice, and possible genocide of all non-organic sentience based on what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">could</i> come of technology that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">might</i> evolve to stand against humanity.
Similarly, Winter Soldier’s reputation has followed him since he was freed of
his dogmatic brainwashing and became a hero (even taking the mantle of Captain
America for a while), and he takes an aggressive stance against S.H.I.E.L.D.
during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Standoff</i> for
screwing with reality in the name of safety, actions that would absolutely have
resulted in his incarceration had this Inhuman child predicted Bucky would be a
threat to S.H.I.E.L.D.s operations. I’m not saying S.H.I.E.L.D. will be in
control of the Inhuman precog, only that future crimes aren’t necessarily black
or white, and Bucky should know this more than most as someone who was a hero,
then a brainwashed villain, then a hero again, and eventually a super spy who
had to make incredibly difficult ethical decisions to keep Earth spinning. Spider-Man
is an outlying variable, as there doesn’t seem to be an obvious reason why he’d
throw his support behind Captain Marvel, except...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">STEVE ROGERS. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i>
wild card of this team because HOW IN THE HOLY H%LL DOES STEVE ROGERS SUPPORT THIS
AT ALL!?!?!? It’s ludicrous to believe that the man who once shed his title
based on his principles, became a fugitive over the Superhero Registration Act,
who harshly judged the Illuminati for preemptively destroying whole worlds to
stave off the decaying multiverse, and who is currently pissed the h%ll off at
Maria Hill for using Project Kobik to rewrite reality would in any way, shape,
or form support Captain Marvel’s ludicrous plan to hope that this precog gets
it right most of the time, to allow heroes to play god and decide who is right
and wrong based on one person’s predilections.</span></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDcF3Y0KlxKLDIxcsg35Xsu3MVQdh1nX1SWmgpNPqwsHeyjLPRblWl76Ut_HVZavdee3c01pv9S4-uqGoUhjapOTaY4wyG9RA9iGXQN4uLXytIhtQb6M_x2nRceLPSVkQztEDLd0KSZw/s1600/Civil+War+II+-+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDcF3Y0KlxKLDIxcsg35Xsu3MVQdh1nX1SWmgpNPqwsHeyjLPRblWl76Ut_HVZavdee3c01pv9S4-uqGoUhjapOTaY4wyG9RA9iGXQN4uLXytIhtQb6M_x2nRceLPSVkQztEDLd0KSZw/s400/Civil+War+II+-+4.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I assume that's our Inhuman in the middle?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which leads to the real question behind this entire
crossover event: Who is this Inhuman?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leaks from 4Chan some weeks back pin the character as an
Inhuman child named Homer (who knows if that name will be in the final version
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CWII</i>) who possesses the ability to
predict future events with 99.9% accuracy. With just this information, ‘Homer’
is simply a plot device and nothing more. But he/she/it can’t be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just</i> that; there needs to be more to the
character. How does Homer feel about using his powers in such a way? Where does
Homer come from and what influences his decisions to seek out the Avengers
and/or agree to help when they find him? Will there be outside influences that
attempt to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shape</i> the future using
Homer’s ability to deceive heroes and villains alike? Which character from
which side of the debate will eventually attempt to manipulate Homer into
giving false readings to either A.) Tarnish Captain Marvel’s name, or B.) Prove
Iron Man’s stance naïve? What if Homer has his own personal agenda that none of
us know about yet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As fun as it is to posture about the team rosters for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II</i>, they don’t really make a
difference one way or another – the ethical implications behind each side of
the debate are the most important factor of his story. I’m a Carol Danvers for
nearly ten years now and I understand that she’s more conservative and militant
than most characters in the Marvel universe, so it doesn’t upset me that Carol wants
to ‘Change the Future’ now, or that she supported the Superhero Registration
Act during the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War</i>, or
even when she hunted down her friends for committing multiversal genocide in
“Time Runs Out” – in fact, I actually love Carol even more now because <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CWII</i> shows how her views haven’t
changed, that her characterization has stayed consistent over the years. All
that said, my personal politics concerning the issue of preemptive crime
prevention has me already rooting for Team Iron Man, the team with actual sense
and responsible ethics at the core.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, none of what I’ve written means much; there’s
still too little information concerning <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil
War II</i> to make accurate or informed decisions on how the story will go. The
lack of info about the Inhuman kid, the reasons each character choose their
respective sides, and how this conflict will affect the world population,
S.H.I.E.L.D., and other heroes is yet to be known. And that’s a real problem,
because right now, it feels like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil
War II</i> is about a select group of characters unilaterally deciding what to
do with a great and terrible power they may or may not be able to control.
Sound familiar? It was the premise for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">House
of M, Age of Ultron</i> (the comic, not the film), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers vs. X-Men, </i>and basically Jonathan Hickman’s entire <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Avengers</i> run. In fact, a major
aspect of Hickman’s Avengers was commentary on the nature of the Illuminati, a
group of ultra-intelligent heroes working toward a clandestine future without
accountability or oversight, and how they fell from grace and undermined all
their principles in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have we learned nothing? Do the heroes of the Marvel
universe not remember these events? I know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Secret
Wars</i> rewrote a lot of history and the new ‘Prime Earth’ isn’t exactly set
in stone, but to offer readers yet another narrative based in personal opinions
extrapolated into territory dangerously close to worldwide oligarchy is simply
ridiculous. There’s so much precedent for not f#&king around with forces we
don’t understand – Brian Michael Bendis’ own X-Men saga was one long, arduous, bloated
ode to the dangers of messing with time and space and the future and the past.
So why does <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civil War II </i>yet again try
to make readers think this is something new or noteworthy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don’t get me wrong; I’ll read </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Civil War II</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and probably all of the tie-ins because I’m a sadistic
completionist with crossovers, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be critical about
a rehash of a rehash of a archetypal narrative trope.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-55489016433600332392016-03-20T15:55:00.001-04:002016-03-21T15:43:24.750-04:00What the F#&k, Avengers Standoff? (Part 1)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(SPOILERS AHEAD! TREAD CAREFULLY!)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Standoff</i>
is a pointless, silly, ridiculous charade of an event that defeats its own
purpose from the very beginning. On top of a rushed and seemingly slipshod
narrative flow, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Standoff</i> uses the
cosmic cubes (more-or-less new to the comic book universe) in about the least
interesting way possible: to subdue villains. With shards of the cube,
S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill has created a system to overwrite physical
reality and reshape supervillains into upstanding members of her new
Connecticut community, Pleasant Hill. Garish pun aside, Pleasant Hill is
obviously an analogy for mistrust in the government and superheroes, a symbol
of federal overreach and horrifying levels of invasion of privacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxbcGqxOR7cdnle8Ybl63zUusVF9sI1B34S93_qz5TRBquBDpHqcIJMwjjRvztb5Bt4G-aYLX-7fwC8RrZ8VRYRzAU0n0RQxWQhndN7bWUVd8OE3DwGJl-gRRCMWEydO0NQV2wM6XOuo/s1600/Avengers+Standoff+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxbcGqxOR7cdnle8Ybl63zUusVF9sI1B34S93_qz5TRBquBDpHqcIJMwjjRvztb5Bt4G-aYLX-7fwC8RrZ8VRYRzAU0n0RQxWQhndN7bWUVd8OE3DwGJl-gRRCMWEydO0NQV2wM6XOuo/s400/Avengers+Standoff+-+1.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This image makes NO sense.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The wasted potential of </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Avengers:
Standoff</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is upsetting. The cosmic cubes have the power to rewrite reality,
to literally change something into something else – it’s cosmic alchemy, one
step below godhead – and Marvel decides to have a spy agency use them to
existentially jail villains in a quaint Connecticut hamlet. The worst part is
that reality-warping powers have been used in major Marvel stories before, and
to better degrees. </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">House of M</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> saw a
psychologically broken Scarlet Witch murder former teammates, rewrite reality
into one where mutants were the dominant species and Magneto ruled the world,
then decree “No more mutants” and erase the x-gene from hundreds of thousands of individuals.
In Jonathan Hickman’s </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Secret Wars</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">,
Doctor Doom uses the Molecule Man to become a literal god at the end of all
realities and fuse the fading remnants of the dying multiverse together to
create Battleworld, a patchwork existence Doom controls absolutely. These are
just two examples; two </span><i style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">recent</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
examples (one in 2015) from a bevy of similar stories over decades of comics.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet here, in 2016, cosmic cubes are reduced to unsubtle
political allegories. It’s a failure of imagination, and whatever ethical core <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Standoff</i> might have is
completely overshadowed by the cumbersome approach to Maria Hill’s atrocious
characterization. The comic book version of Maria Hill is an authoritative
hard-@$$, an obsessed perfectionist, and a stubborn militant; she embodies what
the director of the world’s foremost security, intelligence, and espionage
agency (that, ironically, is incredibly transparent to the public) should be:
the personification of tactics and strategy. Hill took over S.H.I.E.L.D. after
Nick Fury (and Daisy Johnson, a.k.a. Quake for a short stint, true believers!),
and her entire stay as director is marked by unrest and subversion. From
superhero civil war, to the secret invasion of shapeshifting Skrulls implanted
for years as heroes and agents, to the de-commissioning of S.H.I.E.L.D. during the
dark reign of Norman Osborn and H.A.M.M.E.R. (an evil S.H.I.E.L.D. whose
acronym is still meaningless), to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">re</i>-commissioning
of S.H.I.E.L.D. and then on to more superheroes-at-war shenanigans and a
full-on alien invasion/end of the universe. Needless to say, Hill’s tenure has
been absolutely unbelievable and completely terrifying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hill has worked with the Avengers on and off again more
times than I can count, and though her reputation with the superhuman community
isn’t the best – S.H.I.E.L.D. relations with mutants became far worse over the
course of Hill’s career, but that’s more to do with Brian Michael Bendis’ X-Men
saga needing a ‘big bad’ that eventually helps the mutants when the going gets
rough – she’s retained a relatively peaceful coexistence/working relationship
between this spy organization and the Avengers as well as other random heroes
around the world. She’s worked with other spy agencies, like China’s S.P.E.A.R., and S.W.O.R.D.; the ‘S.H.I.E.L.D. in Space’ for lack of caring to think of a
better term. The point is that Hill has a long history of working well with
others and finding solutions to impossible problems. Maria Hill is an
incredibly strong character that </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXB73gbudqHDamZbCC78fGcSZ3wF4VSE0v2akHqNs7ZeHM1ixm_fdEef4g93vZRjbj8xZTHuMIFWyYUZK_GrAjPjtb4S0pBJ9O5t9qWKqPnX3gbxosA4UnnCdMH784zQ8rx5-jWZVKGE/s1600/Avengers+Standoff+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXB73gbudqHDamZbCC78fGcSZ3wF4VSE0v2akHqNs7ZeHM1ixm_fdEef4g93vZRjbj8xZTHuMIFWyYUZK_GrAjPjtb4S0pBJ9O5t9qWKqPnX3gbxosA4UnnCdMH784zQ8rx5-jWZVKGE/s400/Avengers+Standoff+-+2.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">has grown and evolved over the years. Playing her against the Avengers for the sake of surreally lobotomizing supervillains
undermines that growth, and turns Hill from a hard-lined, cranky-yet-lovable,
“mean ol’ boss” type into a complete monster who sincerely believes the ends
justify these means. That’s not Maria Hill. There’s no way she would give up
and stoop this low.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The more believable and digestible version of this story
would have been one where Hill is replaced as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Whoever
this new Director might be is inconsequential; his or her purpose is to reject
the olive branch Hill extended so frequently in favor of the metaphorical stick
in the form of the cosmic cubes. Even if the cubes were still only used to make
Project Kobik’s Pleasant Hill scenario play out, it would work much better
under a less superhero-friendly S.H.I.E.L.D. director. This scenario also puts
Hill in a renegade position that collates with her character history, one in
which she is confident in her authority and knows Project Kobik would be the
political, ethical, and moral destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My own delusions of narrative grandeur aside, Maria Hill
deserves better than this. Writer Nick Spencer is quick to root Hill the role
of demented, power-hungry fascist that spews propaganda about ‘real’ security and ‘true’
peace, which makes her a scapegoat for the entire story. The criminals aren’t
the enemy, nor the Avengers, or even the hundreds of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who’re
told they’re making the world a better place. Spencer has placed all the blame
firmly on Hill’s shoulders and that’s not only unfair, it’s a bit obtuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even in the Marvel comic book universe, a world
where green monsters and mythological gods are commonplace, government agencies, including S.H.I.E.L.D, have oversight. The way Spencer has presented Hill’s
influence basically makes her almighty god of international security, and
that’s simply preposterous; no one has that much power over an entity so big…NO
ONE. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a multinational, borderless agency that deals with
worldwide crises on a daily basis and I’m supposed to believe that a <i>single person</i>, even the director, is
able to bypass any accountability and proceed with a program that is not only
overwhelmingly ethically dubious, but also incredibly unpopular with the public
after being leaked by hackers and denounced by the one of the most well-known
heroes in the world? Balderdash.</span></span><!--EndFragment-->
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-37103725667089382432016-03-18T16:00:00.000-04:002016-03-18T16:00:26.708-04:00Seven Comics You Probably Aren't Reading But Should<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What? You <i>are</i> reading these comics? Then you don't need to be here -- thanks A LOT! for just scrolling down and ignoring all those pesky words in between the picks! Anyway, below are some pretty amazing suggestions for comics you could read that you might not think would be good and/or something you might be into. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6Qud1zrvCnU_rqM9OEJxfx_KCG6xFH01g_-4terejTGwe8vEXOKnTzMuR1681nRk7DjMVKY82EtrjTyL2ZLq3Rf9V6Rb5r7pMQNyiMjgsCPK5s6vmRghaE2Obr4aa-xlTEvzXVgJFqg/s1600/Star%2526Night+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6Qud1zrvCnU_rqM9OEJxfx_KCG6xFH01g_-4terejTGwe8vEXOKnTzMuR1681nRk7DjMVKY82EtrjTyL2ZLq3Rf9V6Rb5r7pMQNyiMjgsCPK5s6vmRghaE2Obr4aa-xlTEvzXVgJFqg/s200/Star%2526Night+-+1.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Starbrand and Nightmask</i> (Marvel Comics)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I won’t go on and on about how I pretty much had this same idea for a comic book series <i>years ago</i> (I did, I promise, and it was so good), but I will say that Greg Weisman and Domo Stanton’s <i>Starbrand and Nightmask</i> is more or less what I had envisioned: two friends attending college and also being superheroes. The specifics of Adam and Kevin’s journey to enrollment might be different than what I had in mind (the next generation after heroes were outlawed in the 60s), but the emotional core is what makes the series so enjoyable. Yes, there are space baddies and cool fight scenes, but the awkwardness of real life often makes the cosmic stuff seem easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hercules</i>
(Marvel Comics)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dan Abnett and Luke Ross take a more-or-less defunct
character, admit his recent flaws, and do a damn good job rebuilding him from a
drunken ass into the hero he’s supposed to be. The current (and maybe only)
storyline concerns the rise of new gods based on modern societal vices like
social media technology and extreme narcissism. Herc must rise to the occasion
against this new pantheon intent on culling all the old gods from existence.
The plot is interesting, but it’s truly Abnett’s character work that sells this
title.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR01deosqbzQ_pzDtBv4zTm5MCWPWCXVoPr1NoOUDrC8Yhpu4LbUFvi_Hdg8Ybab5M246RcO3X1qhTG3Jq8O931pwRsfBNvcju29HVtftlBQguuhFQRa3pivSj6Z9ITlYnpWDYVspiT8w/s1600/The+Spire+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR01deosqbzQ_pzDtBv4zTm5MCWPWCXVoPr1NoOUDrC8Yhpu4LbUFvi_Hdg8Ybab5M246RcO3X1qhTG3Jq8O931pwRsfBNvcju29HVtftlBQguuhFQRa3pivSj6Z9ITlYnpWDYVspiT8w/s200/The+Spire+-+1.jpg" width="131" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>The Spire</i>
(BOOM! Studios)</b></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’re a fan of BOOM! Studios, Simon Spurrier, or Jeff
Stokely, you probably already know how incredible <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Spire</i> has been, otherwise it might not be on your radar. As
beautifully as Spurrier has spun this mysterious mythos around an enigmatic
plot, Stokely’s intuitive artwork is simply magnificent, a fitting blend of
comic nuances and minimalist techniques that highlight emotion and give the
entire series a storybook feel without coming across as childish or unfinished.
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Spire</i> is only an eight issue
mini-series, so catch up now then pick up the final two issues as they come out
because they are going to be amazing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Canary </i>(DC
Comics)</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the black sheep (no pun intended) of even the most
experimental of DC’s titles to come of last June’s DC You initiative, one that
focused primarily on spreading outside the traditional superhero comic tropes a
la Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr’s successful refresh of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batgirl</i>. Even by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batgirl</i> metrics, Fletcher and artist Annie Wu’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Canary</i> seems like a stretch; Dinah
Drake (nee Lance nee Drake) is the lead singer for a rock band called Black
Canary, and when Dinah’s past catches up with her, it spells disaster and
supernatural shenanigans for her bandmates and any innocent civilians who might
happen to be attending a concert by a super-popular rock band. And to be fair,
it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a very silly premise for a
number of issues, but more recent events have elevated the once-flimsy story
into something more substantial and interesting. Fletcher is playing a long
game with short bursts of energy, so the pacing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">feels</i> erratic when it’s actually quite purposeful. Definitely a
sleeper hit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIWXM2V1VDgGIt3iw3B9ldhwJh-N3iPAa3_Y3NgJYVxzYo4xybz7RgpKJs9ycr9OSO9rqXSB7wT7GjqiiZev80FkKX4Dz3iZ9dMTkWjKP-InqemF1l3-PHKWsLNlum46-i9w-5n_b5XM/s1600/Saints+-+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIWXM2V1VDgGIt3iw3B9ldhwJh-N3iPAa3_Y3NgJYVxzYo4xybz7RgpKJs9ycr9OSO9rqXSB7wT7GjqiiZev80FkKX4Dz3iZ9dMTkWjKP-InqemF1l3-PHKWsLNlum46-i9w-5n_b5XM/s200/Saints+-+1.png" width="129" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saints </i>(Image
Comics)</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t even remember there being much marketing for this series
before it debuted, and I certainly haven’t seen much press for it since, and
that’s a damn shame. Sean Lewis and Benjamin Mackey are unraveling a crazy fun
narrative about saints suddenly reincarnated to fight in some upcoming war. The
premise isn’t terribly innovative or fresh, but Mackey’s stylized artwork with
Lewis’ humorously colloquial dialogue make for a fantastic tale about misfits
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i> band together even if they
might hate one another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>Past the Last Mountain</i> (Comics Experience)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a war between men and magic, mythical beasts are subjugated in a number of ways, but mostly they’re confined to work camps to help make human lives easier. The series follows a motherly dragon, a warrior fawn, and an orphaned young goblin on the run from their human captors. Connected by an oath to the goblin’s murdered mother, the dragon and fawn pledge to keep their friend’s son safe and out of human hands. Writer and letterer Paul Allor brings a sense of emotional intuition with his narrative, one that helps the reader see the tragedy of the magical creatures but also the difficult position in which human find themselves. Louie Joyce and Gannon Beck provide incredible visuals that feels like a mosaic of styles, with each character given distinct features and detailing that others don’t and vice versa. The young goblin’s aesthetic is minimal, the fawn’s physical prowess makes her body the main focus, and the dragon’s emotions are directly connected to her bevy of facial expressions. It all works together fantastically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pencil Head</i>
(Image Comics)</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ted McKeever is bold. With this series, he is exposing the
underbelly of the corporate comic book machine without outright calling out big
publishers like DC and Marvel. The character depictions of sleezy corporate
big-wigs is commentary enough on how McKeever perceives the powers-that-be. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pencil Head</i> is paced crazy, but is
incredibly easy to read, somehow. More than any other series on this list, I
find it difficult to explain what makes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pencil
Head</i> so engaging – it’s part James Robinson’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Airboy</i>, part Grant Morrison’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Animal
Man #26</i>, and part Christopher Burns’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black
Hole</i>. If that’s not enough to confuse you to all hell, just go read the two
available issues and see what I mean.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-33007703985606022092016-03-16T20:38:00.000-04:002016-03-16T20:38:38.567-04:00Redefining Superheroes: All-New X-Men / The Astonishing Ant-Man<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since 2012, the
definition of ‘superhero comic’ has changed dramatically with a surge of
all-audiences books like Ms. Marvel, Batgirl, We Are…Robin!, The Unbeatable
Squirrel Girl, and a host of others from the Big Two: DC and Marvel. While most
of these titles do indeed feature young female protagonists designed to speak
to young female readers, they’re all incredibly well-written books that many
outside the target demographic enjoy immensely. There will always be a place
for more traditional-leaning superhero comic books on the shelves, but the
inclusivity presented by these quirky titles is helping make the entire genre
more relatable and emotionally engrossing in an industry fast becoming a
creator-owned market.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two current Marvel Comics series are helping
redefine the superhero genre using emotional relatability as a core conceit: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Astonishing Ant-Man</i> by Nick Spencer
and Ramon Rosanas, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men</i>
by Dennis Hopeless and Mark Bagley. Of course, these aren’t the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> series that are using emotional
character development to cement Marvel’s solo ongoing game, but they’re the
titles I want to talk about right now. Both titles are continuations of
previous volumes, though in different respects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas helmed last year’s five-issue
<i>Ant-Man</i> series that led up to the
release of the summer blockbuster of the same name. After an Annual and <i>The Last Days of Ant-Man</i> leading into
the massive <i>Secret Wars</i>, Spencer and
Rosanas’ ongoing narrative featuring Scott Lang relocated to Miami, Florida to
run a security firm with two ex-villains continues in the re-named <i>The Astonishing Ant-Man</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conversely, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New
X-Men</i> didn’t undergo a name change, but the cast, mission statement, and
creative team changed. After Brian Michael Bendis wrapped up his years-long
X-Men saga (spanning <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men [Vol.
1]</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncanny X-Men [Vol. 3]</i>
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncanny X-Men #600</i>, Dennis
Hopeless and Mark Bagley were tapped as the new creative team with a slightly
new roster and endless possibilities after the original time-displaced X-Men
were freed from Bendis’ X-mythos saga.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All-New X-Men</span></i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeOV8vVxVkL7-zvAfwV8jRJN6i4_orYm33D2SBEu1Z7cU-7tV7FEBWwKmoJkVpIeIyoyhKGhtaWmZj2HWtFEArx3MN48U6_h6mmJ4NAn-teDCAXzUNX5Y7ZuOVG9e1nEQRip-Tt7kjHc/s1600/ANXM+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeOV8vVxVkL7-zvAfwV8jRJN6i4_orYm33D2SBEu1Z7cU-7tV7FEBWwKmoJkVpIeIyoyhKGhtaWmZj2HWtFEArx3MN48U6_h6mmJ4NAn-teDCAXzUNX5Y7ZuOVG9e1nEQRip-Tt7kjHc/s320/ANXM+-+1.jpg" width="208" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hopeless and Bagley take the X-Men back to their roots in
their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men</i>, a series focused
on teenage mutants helping anyone and any way they can while learning to control
their powers and maturing both physically and mentally. More than any other
X-title in the past decade, Hopeless and Bagley’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men</i> has already reset the bar for X-Men stories. Instead
of beating the crap out of each other like the adults are so keen on constantly
doing, the younger generation is focused on real-world crises and actually
doing good for good’s sake, not to make mutants look better or to work towards
some agenda. This is the basic difference between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men</i> and the concurrent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Extraordinary X-Men</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uncanny
X-Men</i>, that Hopeless and Bagley have taken the X-Men back to basics and it
works while the other two titles continue the recycled the doom-and-gloom
X-titles have been stuck on for so very long. Just the past two issues – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men #4-5</i> – prove how well
Hopeless and Bagley handle these characters and the very concept of the X-Men.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In two issues, Hopeless pens an extended montage sequence
that takes the the team from Tokyo to the Ko Phi Phi Islands of Thailand, then
to Paris where an overly-aggressive encounter with between Wolverine and the
All-New Blob (with a more sophisticated taste palate and wardrobe to match)
snowballs into a full-scale battle that eventually involves the entire team.
Much like how TV sitcoms sometimes split the cast into A, B, and C stories that
pair up different characters to see how they interact in more intimate
settings, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-New X-Men #4-5</i> zones in
on some lingering issues between various members of the “roadtripping throwback
X-Men.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angel and Wolverine’s relationship – and its issues – is the
most relatable and authentic comic book romance I’ve read in a long time.
Hopeless does an excellent job clearly defining both Warren and Laura for the
readers while also making their romance believable in the context of
passionate, teenage love; these are teenagers with superpowers who have
traveled into space, fought future and/or past versions of themselves, and
regularly throw down with supervillains and natural disasters around the world,
and they’ve somehow found an attraction in the midst of total chaos. That said,
this doesn’t preclude them from normal relationship issues. Though Warren and
Laura are the same age and both vetted X-Men, Warren – for all intents and
purposes based on when he was plucked from his earlier timeline – hasn’t been a
superhero as long as Laura considering her time as X-23 and serving on various
X-Men and X-Force teams. Warren’s stomach for Laura’s role as the new Wolverine
(basically, the bull in a china shop that can’t die) is tender, and his
discomfort and dissatisfaction with their relationship begins to weight on him
more and more. Conversely, Laura can’t wrap her head around Warren’s stance
when he got with her knowing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">full well</i>
who she is – the new Wolverine, the best at what she does. Put the superheroics
to the side and you have a justifiably over-concerned Warren at odds with Laura
being asked to be something she’s not. So normal fare, right?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3eOJvX3xFejJueg4fgYunJSV6-SDNwYHiA3_grl2okbYINwN4ddlZiB8QobYUQS14aPOyhXuumPj_3JDYk9QUT9gzS9Lz3ajQl23iSLPvZh_F9m9pDsS1MA200VKCRlSjrHCWQAWAEg/s1600/ANXM+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3eOJvX3xFejJueg4fgYunJSV6-SDNwYHiA3_grl2okbYINwN4ddlZiB8QobYUQS14aPOyhXuumPj_3JDYk9QUT9gzS9Lz3ajQl23iSLPvZh_F9m9pDsS1MA200VKCRlSjrHCWQAWAEg/s320/ANXM+-+2.jpg" width="211" /></span></a><o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The conversation between Iceman and Kid Genesis gives
incredible context for Bobby Drake’s paradoxical feelings about his own
sexuality. A cute French boy offers his number to Bobby, who initially seems
interested only to balk at the suggestion before walking away altogether. Evan
astutely feels as though Bobby felt judged, and asks why he thinks Evan – the
kid clone of an obsessively genocidal mutant demigod at war with his own nature
– would ever judge him? This leads to a powerful revelation that as much as
society has grown to accept homosexuality, Bobby was plucked from a time when
it hadn’t yet, and that affects Bobby’s feelings toward his situation, not to
mention seeing how angry and disenfranchised the older Iceman who suppressed
those feelings for decades has become. Bobby feels judged because he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">believes</i> people will judge him, not
because he genuinely thinks Evan is judgmental or bigoted. It’s a stark moment
that Hopeless deftly handles without getting too heavy, and it gives greater
depth and insight to young Bobby Drake than Bendis did in his entire run with
the character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As much as I enjoyed reading the above stories play out, my
favorite might be Idie Okonkwo’s confrontation with her creator. In Paris, Idie
visits the Notre Dame cathedral to have words with God. Idie has witnessed more
horrors in her short life than any should have to in a lifetime. She’s watched
her friends die and has taken lives herself. She grew up with a debilitating
self-hatred of her own mutation borne of Christian ideology turned
psychologically scarring. Inside and out, Idie has battled demons her entire
life and she has every right to be angry at the God she wants to love but
cannot excuse. Hopeless could have totally fumbled here and gone high-concept
with flowery language and vague euphemisms. Instead, he chooses to take the
blunt, critical path and presents an angry Idie yelling at the Christian God, a
powerful sequence made better by Bagley’s emotional nuance and subtle body
language. Idie’s monologue is an impressive moment for the character that
proves how well Hopeless can handle these characters. Other writers may have
chosen to be less direct in approaching an issue like religious discord, yet
Hopeless tackles it head-on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All three of these plotlines very much show how Dennis
Hopeless and Mark Bagley are simultaneously moving the X-Men forward and taking
them back to basics with a series that integrates insightful character
development with fun X-Men superhero action without sacrificing quality in
either regard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Astonishing Ant-Man</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXKyPv6DIXdlOhQ5WXa8eEcb7NTUyRnuOtF8rDLxNKDiHNw_y8ZPovNdWdvqDMDu18bgcKywJn7VpEtGkIgoaX60qbMMsNoA6BnWIgb-bGWu1I6N2EgcEi5iZw8_TO_AONH_3IFsgydM/s1600/Ant-Man+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXKyPv6DIXdlOhQ5WXa8eEcb7NTUyRnuOtF8rDLxNKDiHNw_y8ZPovNdWdvqDMDu18bgcKywJn7VpEtGkIgoaX60qbMMsNoA6BnWIgb-bGWu1I6N2EgcEi5iZw8_TO_AONH_3IFsgydM/s320/Ant-Man+-+1.jpg" width="209" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXKyPv6DIXdlOhQ5WXa8eEcb7NTUyRnuOtF8rDLxNKDiHNw_y8ZPovNdWdvqDMDu18bgcKywJn7VpEtGkIgoaX60qbMMsNoA6BnWIgb-bGWu1I6N2EgcEi5iZw8_TO_AONH_3IFsgydM/s1600/Ant-Man+-+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year, Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas brought Ant-Man
back in style with the plainly-titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i>
that led up to last summer’s big-screen blockbuster of the same name. Spencer
and Rosanas aptly took Matt Fraction’s updated Scott Lang (from the incredible
‘Marvel NOW!’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FF</i> series) and gave him
a new thesis: the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">actual</i> everyman
superhero. Though Fraction’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawkeye</i>
grounded Clint Barton more than ever before, Spencer and Rosanas’ Scott Lang is
a charming, lovable klutz who can’t do anything right. The best and worst part
about Scott’s situation is that he knows he’s a major screw-up, and every way
he tries to make it better blows up in his face because he either (a) Didn’t
think it through, or (b) DIDN’T THINK IT THROUGH!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scott is perpetually stuck in scan mode, unsure of himself
in most regards and unwilling to settle on any one thing for too long. To be
fair, he was killed back in 2004 during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers:
Disassembled</i> only to be reborn during <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers:
The Children’s Crusade</i>, the final chapter of Allan Heinberg and Jim
Cheung’s Young Avengers saga and watch his daughter, Cassie, die at Doctor
Doom’s hand. He then accepted Reed Richard’s request to watch over the Future
Foundation with the Fantastic Four went on an interdimensional family road
trip. During his time in the Earthbound Fantastic Four, Scott learned some
responsibility, but ultimately gambled it on a plan of revenge against Doctor
Doom that put the Future Foundation kids in grave danger, an unacceptable
action by any length. So yeah, Scott’s been through some stuff. Way before he
was ever murdered, he was a con man who stole the Ant-Man helmet only to get
Hank Pym’s blessing after the fact. Scott isn’t a bad guy, really, he just
makes terrible decisions and keeps getting lucky when everyone forgives him.
Spencer doesn’t shy away from giving Scott moments of self-reflection,
sequences where he actually looks within and sees his inadequacies and flaws.
What’s better, even, is that Scott is growing as a person and learning actual
responsibility, like when he finally fesses up to Cassie and tells her he’s
been coming to every basketball game and major life event, only miniaturized so
he can bypass his no-custody status; yes, he’s caught as Ant-Man when he didn’t
want Cassie to know then just admits his actions because he’s on the spot, but
he does it all the same and that’s something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXu1R4YARUX0a2IhjIFbovXTVMFoCzQypd6fvgFWlnkcUzWYnFe2jV43gt-30aD-Z58DkBgBH9qgaIYdsiNYVyZzdXlkzZDqlSvPmOjQKitcl7ty7FGRaS7GDhAD-34pmY8LgDpQNmGac/s1600/Ant-Man+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXu1R4YARUX0a2IhjIFbovXTVMFoCzQypd6fvgFWlnkcUzWYnFe2jV43gt-30aD-Z58DkBgBH9qgaIYdsiNYVyZzdXlkzZDqlSvPmOjQKitcl7ty7FGRaS7GDhAD-34pmY8LgDpQNmGac/s320/Ant-Man+-+2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXu1R4YARUX0a2IhjIFbovXTVMFoCzQypd6fvgFWlnkcUzWYnFe2jV43gt-30aD-Z58DkBgBH9qgaIYdsiNYVyZzdXlkzZDqlSvPmOjQKitcl7ty7FGRaS7GDhAD-34pmY8LgDpQNmGac/s1600/Ant-Man+-+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Spencer and Rosanas didn’t just give their main star a
facelift; they also filled Scott’s Miami with a great cast of supporting
characters, including two ex-villains-turned-coworkers, an ex-girlfriend in
need of Scott’s security services, his ex-wife and daughter, and most recently
the all-new Giant-Man, Raz Malhotra. There’s an astonishing (no pun intended)
level of depth to every one of these characters that Spencer retains from issue
to issue flawlessly. Grizzly and Machinesmith (they just call him Smith) are
the odd couple ex-villains Scott hires to work for his new security firm, and
their decision to become part of a legitimate organization is humorously
documented when they fumble and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">almost</i>
sell out their boss in a pinch. Darla Deering makes her return to the Marvel
universe after her tenure as Ms. Thing in Fraction’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FF</i>, though she’s back to being a superstar singing sensation who
decides to enlist Scott’s security services for her time in Miami. But are her
motives pure? Probably not. Scott’s ex-wife has every reason to hate her
ex-con, ex-dead, ex-Avenger, ex-husband, and that sour attitude shines through
every time she appears on-page. Similarly, Cassie’s disenfranchisement with her
deadbeat dad is palpable, and even though she’s been a superhero herself
understands that there are better ways to achieve your goals than the ways
Scott chooses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Raz Malhotra might be the best new addition to the Marvel
universe since Kamala Khan because he has a healthy dose of self-doubt, a level
of acceptance that he might not know what he’s doing and might be putting
people in danger because he doesn’t know what he’s doing. And when Scott admits
to the Wasp that he chose Raz to be the new Giant-Man because, “He seemed
cool?” it makes the whole situation all the better because it wasn’t
pre-ordained or a legacy pick or even a fanboy – this is just some guy that
Scott see potential in, a guy who stood up to a supervillain (the D-list
Egghead) after being brainwashed and didn’t flinch, a guy who actually put on
the superhero suit sent to him by some other guy he barely knows and tried to
do good regardless. Raz represents an optimistic contrast to the typical
millennial, a young man ready to answer the call to action, learn from his
mistakes, and become a better person through the whole it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Astonishing
Ant-Man</i> is thematically about taking responsibility for your actions and
holding yourself accountable to you. Scott is trying to please everyone else,
so he makes poor decisions as a means to an end instead of accepting that he –
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> he – is responsible for the
state of his life, that he has to learn to do what is right and not cut corners
to achieve his goals quicker. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-24290360601753174542013-06-26T21:27:00.000-04:002013-06-26T21:27:37.171-04:00Age of Ultron #10AI Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzX63YvXeiT-L_9jYz0CuVrr1VcK1Y_FCxIOT8UY2uU9oUUi5CgD5czbePCub0pt4LjkT-RSrsrjghCvGGAMq1bKAU-alMqWNfXZ-F4hFj922dTQ0VLaP0Vk5xgsKLQ_TXQt3-3kA3AMk/s1600/ageofultron_10ai_cover6001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzX63YvXeiT-L_9jYz0CuVrr1VcK1Y_FCxIOT8UY2uU9oUUi5CgD5czbePCub0pt4LjkT-RSrsrjghCvGGAMq1bKAU-alMqWNfXZ-F4hFj922dTQ0VLaP0Vk5xgsKLQ_TXQt3-3kA3AMk/s640/ageofultron_10ai_cover6001.jpg" width="416" /></a><span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Mark Waid</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Andre Araujo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><i>Age of Ultron #10AI</i> is less about being an epilogue to <i>Age of Ultron</i> as it is about being a requiem of Hank Pym's life. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it just feels out of place as a bookend of a series about time travel, warlord robots, and the breaking of the multiverse. Yes, the documented time is technically after all of that happens, thus it sits at the end, but nothing about this issue screams cohesive. Not even Mark Waid's stellar writing can make it feel right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Now, Waid's writing is spot-on here. I've nothing to complain about on that front. If this was a one-shot called <i>Pym</i> or even <i>Avengers A.I. #0.1</i>, I'd be satisfied, but none of what happens fits into the themes of <i>Age of Ultron</i>. Brian Michael Bendis' opus to the dangers of time travel was about taking responsibility for damaging the fabric of space and time and, eventually, suffering the consequences. <i>Age of Ultron #10AI</i> is about Hank Pym freeing himself from responsibility to do whatever he wanted, which led to Ultron in the first place. In many ways, this issue feels regressive, like Pym didn't learn anything from this horrific event.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">I want to stress that Waid writes a good issue here, it's just the context in which Marvel decided it should go just doesn't make sense. Most of the Avengers have seen an alternate timeline or two, including Hank Pym who has always been at the forefront of science. Why now, after all these years, are the visions of a destitute future haunting him? The easy answer is that the "Age of Ultron" was his fault. But the better answer is that there isn't a sensible answer because it's not logical. (Again) Pym is man of science who understands the nature of the multiverse and that, in the end, he prevented the nightmares of Ultron from ever actualizing in the first place. Certainly a man dedicated to science could understand and reconcile the non-happening of something bad?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Apparently not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Mark Waid's look into Hank Pym's history is intriguing and gives a lot of context for the character's decisions and actions over the years. Pym feels like a more fleshed out hero now, and that's always a good thing. If Marvel had published this in a better fashion, it would have been a home run. As a final send-off for <i>Age of Ultron</i>, if feels cheap and overbearing, preachy and depressing. In the end, it's worth reading for Waid's writing alone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b>GRADE</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: x-large;"><b>7/10</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-75526027944694647962013-06-26T20:00:00.000-04:002013-06-26T20:00:24.902-04:00Spotlight: Batman/Superman #1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrNNNezWzmoxGOcLSGHmjPLnkahZiSLKc06pk3nyJaWXS8cyphW04INf15WkFlsvktcPsL5xHLruixEuVGmPWRIzwGP0zLL4nBK8sIY9Wtbpmv7L5vAF-knMLwMHCHhJE0Kxi_4hJS9A/s1600/BM_SM_Cv1_52flzomr7u_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrNNNezWzmoxGOcLSGHmjPLnkahZiSLKc06pk3nyJaWXS8cyphW04INf15WkFlsvktcPsL5xHLruixEuVGmPWRIzwGP0zLL4nBK8sIY9Wtbpmv7L5vAF-knMLwMHCHhJE0Kxi_4hJS9A/s640/BM_SM_Cv1_52flzomr7u_.jpg" width="428" /></a><span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Greg Pak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Jae Lee and Ben Oliver</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">** SPOILERS ABOUND! **</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><i>Batman/Superman #1</i> is already being touted as the best #1 since the initial 'New 52' relaunch in September 2011. I'm inclined to agree. You'd be hard pressed to find another debut issue in the lineup that has as much grace, style, and readability as <i>Batman/Superman #1</i>. The creative pairing of Greg Pak and Jae Lee is an instant success and is simply stunning to behold. </span><span style="font-family: Futura;">What really makes this issue shine, though, is how </span><i style="font-family: Futura;">new</i><span style="font-family: Futura;"> it actually feels. </span><i style="font-family: Futura;">Batman/Superman</i><span style="font-family: Futura;"> has been marketed as a series chronicling the early days of both the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel, and this initial arc is about the duo's first meeting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">The whole "first meeting" thing has been done on a number of occasions, in various mediums, but there's one major element that connects all these depictions: how each character feels about the other. Batman always just considered Superman an overly optimistic boy scout-type who had the luxury of trusting people because he was a demigod, while Superman saw Batman as a depressed loner who relied too heavily on fear and anger to drive his mission. </span><span style="font-family: Futura;">Pak's</span><i style="font-family: Futura;"> Batman/Superman #1</i><span style="font-family: Futura;"> basically throws out the old handbook and gives these two major players an entirely new relationship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">But a lot is different in the 'New 52', which means Batman and Superman's relationship <i>must</i> be based on something different. In the old universe, both men knew of the other prior to meeting, which gave them to chance to develop preconceived notions about one another. <i>Batman/Superman #1</i> begins in a time when Clark was still sporting the tee shirt and jeans costume, and Batman was still an urban myth. The term 'superhero' hasn't been coined yet because it's not a reality yet. This is the world where Batman and Superman meet for the first time; not with a population that knows and accepts what superheroes are and mean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Both men, interestingly enough, become defensive in the face of the unknown. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">For Batman, Superman represents the culmination of what he cannot learn: superhuman abilities. There is no tactical compensation for super speed and a punch that can crush a semi truck, only quick thinking and dumb luck. Bruce immediately assumes the worst and defends himself against an alien he's sure is intent on destroying him. Batman's response wonderfully conveys the type of paranoia and over-analysis he's known for, but it also reminds us how foreign and frightening a seemingly invulnerable man must seem to a mortal man.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Superman, on the other hand, becomes aggressive when he misinterprets Batman as a criminal attempting to murder a child. He's "fought bullies, mobsters, and neo-Nazis", but Batman is the first <i>real</i> monster, "a murderer dressed up as a bat." Clark's ability to sense heart rates distinguishes Batman's as the most calm, the most collected, the most like a murderer when everyone else is scared out of their minds. The nature of Superman's abilities and his relative inexperience at this stage in his career both lend to his snap judgement about Batman's intentions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Jae Lee's artwork really seals the deal. Few artists can truly depict emotion through body language, yet Lee makes it look easy. The way Batman's body crunches in when Superman slaps him away, Clark's stance as he incinerates a TV set falling directly above him, the way the children in the opening scene interact -- all of these ar examples of how Lee's amazing art lends to the storytelling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><i>Batman/Superman #1</i> is a triumph. This is the right book at the right time with the right creative team. Though Ben Oliver hands the artwork for the last seven pages, Lee's influence on the tone throughout is evident. Greg Pak has such a handle on both characters, their inspirations, their passions, their fears, and their impulses as young men. This is the series that I didn't even know I wanted, and now I would write a strongly worded letter to DC if they said I couldn't have it anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b>GRADE</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: x-large;"><b>10/10</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-15433685995680474842013-06-25T18:06:00.002-04:002013-06-25T18:06:52.821-04:00The Week in Revue (June 26 - July 2, 2013)<div>
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: x-large;">------- <i>Spotlight</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Batman</span><span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">/</span><span style="color: red; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Superman</span><span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"> #1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Greg Pak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Jae Lee</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: x-large;"><i>------- DC Reviews</i></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">The Flash #21</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Francis Manapul</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Justice League #21 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Geoff Johns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Gary Frank</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">CHECK OUT THIS REVIEW ON <a href="http://www.dccomicsnews.com/" target="_blank"><i>DC COMICS NEWS</i>!</a></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Justice League of America #21</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Geoff Johns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) David Finch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">CHECK OUT THIS REVIEW ON </span><a href="http://www.dccomicsnews.com/" target="_blank"><i style="font-family: Futura;">DC COMICS NEWS</i><span style="font-family: Futura;">!</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span><i style="font-family: Futura; font-size: xx-large;">------- Marvel Reviews</i><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Age of Ultron #10A.I.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Mark Waid</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Andre Araujo</span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">X-Men #2</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Brian Wood</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Olivier Coipel</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Young Avengers #6</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Kieron Gillen</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Kate Brown</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-44252328617970231452013-06-20T18:44:00.000-04:002013-06-20T18:44:30.418-04:00Wonder Woman #21 Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKW4pWhA1zXLQeSvn9WDqhZo0mdCEQNu9jG29DtWEll782vu0QUfr-_BIjcNJ7u9ldZNKFsk9X1QWyapK4r7vpN60Wp3uQ7hLEauYIZma0U44UF5a0AggnPZ14Jt1nJIt30Zt6ajcigg/s1600/WW_Cv21_kq5bgcm1ut_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKW4pWhA1zXLQeSvn9WDqhZo0mdCEQNu9jG29DtWEll782vu0QUfr-_BIjcNJ7u9ldZNKFsk9X1QWyapK4r7vpN60Wp3uQ7hLEauYIZma0U44UF5a0AggnPZ14Jt1nJIt30Zt6ajcigg/s640/WW_Cv21_kq5bgcm1ut_.jpg" width="416" /></a><span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Brian Azzarello</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Cliff Chiang</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">** SPOILERS, BECAUSE WHY NOT? **</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">I love Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's <i>Wonder Woman</i>. I could go on and on about how both men have dedicated themselves to this series and how the artwork -- at this point -- is as much of what makes <i>Wonder Woman</i> as great as the writing, but that would be boring and completely theoretical concerning DC's editorial decisions and the company's value on punctuality over quality of product. So we'll skip that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">This series, overall, has been pushing the boundaries of the idea of divinity in the DC universe, giving the Greek gods a less elegant, more pragmatic look and tone. Even down to the fact that they call themselves by their English names -- War instead of Ares, Hell instead of Hades, etc. Deities are as flawed as mortals (just look at most ancient mythology and religious beliefs), and <i>Wonder Woman</i> is very much the natural evolution of that idea, that gods and goddesses walk amongst humans and manipulate their lives on a very personal level.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<i style="font-family: Futura;">Wonder Woman #21</i><span style="font-family: Futura;"> is a transition issue from beginning to end. Azzarello has been creeping up to this moment for months; the epic showdown between Zeus' First Born and Diana's posse. While the fight itself isn't incredibly epic, the repercussions are astounding. The ongoing narrative very much feels like it's reached the end of it's second act. Act I featured Diana facing off against Hell for the fate of Zola's baby. Much like <i>Star Wars: A New Hope</i>, Diana tackles an enemy that seems impossible for a cause that's just and righteous. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Act II has been about the power struggle on Mount Olympus and the coming of Zeus' First Born child. The Unnamed One is all grown up (well, thousands of years old, actually) and mad as hell that he's been locked in the center of the planet for a few millennia. Much like <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>, darkness begins to fall over Diana and her allies with the coming of the New God Orion and his decree that a scion of Zeus would destroy the universe. Oh, and Apollo wrestled control of Olympus from Hera and made her mortal in the process. Things are at an all time low for the gang in <i>Wonder Woman</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Like I said, <i>Wonder Woman #21</i> is the final part of Act II; Diana faces off against the Firs Born, Orion shows up to lay the smackdown at Diana's side, and everything changes with the press of a boomtube button. After Orion smuggles Diana, Zola, Hera, and the baby through an interdimensional portal, back to his home of New Genesis, we are left wondering what becomes of the First Born back on Earth. His power is immense, so, to believe that Lennox's sacrifice to close to boom tube meant the First Born's death would be premature. Unless Diana can go back, evil will defeat good and the First Born will take control of Olympus. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">So I find myself wanting Diana to get back to Earth as quickly as possible to handle her brother. But also NEW GODS!!! Azzarello and Chiang are bringing back Jack Kirby's New Gods, which is phenomenal, and also means major changes for how deities are portrayed in the DC universe, and how the different pantheons correlate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b>GRADE</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">9/10</span></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-32037385534847165832013-06-20T01:06:00.001-04:002013-06-20T01:06:16.311-04:00Uncanny Avengers #9 Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWN3ktQ1rsi8qY3MkegaxXKmM1TwtbCYPs6fs6a7L23h55i4rXeve2r-lGQwsikiblBFAU-rhE1IywrHj9IhnPuVVVR-n8DoyUpKeb6W8Yryc_hw5rIbHaMN_C61Usc-lM5fvkTkDfiSA/s1600/uncanny-avengers-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWN3ktQ1rsi8qY3MkegaxXKmM1TwtbCYPs6fs6a7L23h55i4rXeve2r-lGQwsikiblBFAU-rhE1IywrHj9IhnPuVVVR-n8DoyUpKeb6W8Yryc_hw5rIbHaMN_C61Usc-lM5fvkTkDfiSA/s640/uncanny-avengers-9.jpg" width="420" /></a><span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Rick Remender</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Daniel Acuna</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">It's quite obvious to me that Rogue and Scarlet Witch's argument represented the real-life arguments online after the release of <i>Uncanny Avengers #5</i>. In that issue, Remender intended to convey the idea that people shouldn't be judged by their race, gender, sexual orientation, or mutation. This was misinterpreted by many as advocating for assimilation instead of diversity. Remender's meltdown on Twitter was widely circulated, and he apologized shortly after, but <i>Uncanny Avengers #9</i> is where he really gets to let it all out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">** SPOILERS AHEAD! **</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">At the beginning of the sequence, I assumed Scarlet Witch's argument defending Havok would come out on top. Fortunately, Remender keeps things balanced and allows Rogue to have her own opinion without it sounding condescending. Both women make valid points about what was said by Alex at the press conference, and neither budges from their point of view. If this sounds familiar, it's because this is how most people are, in general. Debate is all well and good, but not often are individuals swayed from their established notions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">As far as the story itself is concerned, <i>Uncanny Avengers #9</i> advances the narrative for the Apocalypse Twins by setting in motion their plan to annihilate all human life on the planet and start fresh on a new mutant world. Remender is doing an excellent job weaving is grand narrative about Apocalypse -- which began with <i>Uncanny X-Force</i> -- into the world of the Avengers. Wolverine's hard choices have come back to haunt him and now threaten to divide the team when they need to be united the most. Insecurities bubble up, bitter truths are spoken, and everything the team stands for begins to break down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><i>Uncanny Avengers #9</i> is an excellent issue. From a long-form perspective, Remender's casting choices have been truly excellent in bringing diversity and balance to the title's tone. It feels like human-mutant relations in the Marvel universe may never be completely peaceful, and the Avengers Unity Team is beginning to internalize this feeling more and more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b>GRADE</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: x-large;"><b>8/10</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-46678341897987924572013-06-19T23:39:00.002-04:002013-06-19T23:39:38.137-04:00Green Lantern: New Guardians #21 Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWGzfZxrLIWD-N8EaOJPmjaE1NWNuBBKmYhS6iN739q9WMQ_OTB3TmSxxnjkFW-c7oud0V44KktcMcehKWtRigJwn7nLV-x2uoNvCL8ntvqeEcqF1M6TtWeRdjGe0MfEef71zD17Vrgg/s1600/Green+lanterns+New+Guardians+%2321+cover+Albuquerque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVWGzfZxrLIWD-N8EaOJPmjaE1NWNuBBKmYhS6iN739q9WMQ_OTB3TmSxxnjkFW-c7oud0V44KktcMcehKWtRigJwn7nLV-x2uoNvCL8ntvqeEcqF1M6TtWeRdjGe0MfEef71zD17Vrgg/s640/Green+lanterns+New+Guardians+%2321+cover+Albuquerque.jpg" width="416" /></a><span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Justin Jordan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(p) Bradley Walker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(i) Andrew Hennessy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Kyle Rayner is my favorite Green Lantern. Well, he's a White Lantern now. But all the same, Kyle is my absolute favorite ring-slinger around. There are a lot of different reasons, but the one that relates to my feelings about <i>Green Lantern: New Guardians #21</i> is Kyle's personality. Not since Ron Marz and Judd Winnick has Kyle sounded so much like himself. The former of those writers created Kyle, and the latter carried the character through some of the most difficult situations in his Lantern career. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Both Marz and Winnick understood just how 'matter of fact' Kyle is, and they conveyed that consistently. Since Geoff Johns took over the GL franchise, Kyle has had a largely reduced role, even in titles like <i>Green Lantern Corps</i>. When the 'New 52' started, <i>GL: New Guardians</i> looked promising, but it soon became evident that it would be just another Lantern book used to bolster the main title.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br />Justin Jordan proves this will not be the case. He has successfully found Kyle's voice again and it's just so awesome. That's really as eloquently as I can put it because I'm just so thrilled that Kyle is <i>back</i>. It saddens me that Kyle has somewhat given up on having a normal life, but that's what the story demands, and the packing sequence in his apartment is so grounded and personal that it almost makes it worth it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">On the subject of the Templar Guardians, it's quite obvious that these new guys were cut from the same, self-righteous cloth. The difference is that the Templars go about their mission with selflessness while the now-dead old Guardians were swept up in their own arrogance. So it's understandable that Kyle -- along with the rest of the universe, it seems -- is skeptical of the Templars' intentions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">Justin Jordan has an amazing hold on any character he gets his hands on. Just look at <i>The Strange Tale of</i> and <i>The Legend of Luther Strode, </i>as well as his recent work on <i>Superboy</i>, a series he saved from the deep pit of darkness it found itself within. <i>Green Lantern: New Guardians #21</i> provides an excellent introduction to the Justin Jordan era of the title, and it's going to be epic. Not to mention that the title 'New Guardians' now finally makes sense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b>GRADE</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: x-large;"><b>9/10</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-23980988761880269072013-06-19T13:00:00.000-04:002013-06-19T13:00:03.606-04:00Spotlight: Age of Ultron #10<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMoh7efcPVDBSOxzfcrc3PFGXjmK0RxJnxcD2Ax1pC3xwLfkHcZqDhVqQ1ks401DoF9m-CWNMfsNf5IQ_IpGe9QQnUajFk9QQjT3jf1jh7QDNcVunCHuRxyyCxXOqtcKEX4MyD1K_7HI/s1600/Age_of_Ultron_Vol_1_10_Textless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMoh7efcPVDBSOxzfcrc3PFGXjmK0RxJnxcD2Ax1pC3xwLfkHcZqDhVqQ1ks401DoF9m-CWNMfsNf5IQ_IpGe9QQnUajFk9QQjT3jf1jh7QDNcVunCHuRxyyCxXOqtcKEX4MyD1K_7HI/s640/Age_of_Ultron_Vol_1_10_Textless.jpg" width="424" /></a><span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Brian Michael Bendis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Alex Maleev; Bryan Hitch & Paul Neary; Butch Guice; Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco & Roger Bonet with Tom Palmer; David Marquez, Joe Quesada</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">This is what disappointment truly feels like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Futura;">I defended <i>Age of Ultron</i> in nearly every review I wrote about the series. And while it has indeed been a fun and generally enjoyable ride, <i>Age of Ultron #10</i> simply fizzles out where it should have been explosive. And one vague, surreal explosion doesn't count after nine issues of build-up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;">** SPOILERS AHEAD. THOUGH, YOU PROBABLY READ A LOT OF THIS ONLINE ALREADY. **</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;">Why do I not like <i>Age of Ultron #10</i>? Let me count the ways. One: there are <i>far</i> too many artists on this issue. Two: introducing Angela in the final pages is such an obvious grab for money that I nearly slammed by laptop's screen shut in frustration. Three: this issue is the epitome of anticlimactic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;">There are <i>ten</i> different artists credited to <i>Age of Ultron #10</i> with no guide as to who has drawn what. Sure, I've got some idea based on what I've seen in other books, but overall, it's extremely jarring to see one issue go through so many different styles. Now, Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson, and Carlos Pacheco were featured throughout issues one through nine, but that was for a reason. Hitch drew the original timeline, Peterson drew the 'Age of Iron Man' segments, and Carlos Pacheco tackled the sequences set in the past of the Marvel universe. There were three distinct styles for three distinct parts of the story, and generally, it worked well. The <i>only</i> reason that I can imagine Marvel had for employing so many artists was the nature of the story's conclusion. And even if they did -- which is highly unlikely -- the experiment was not worth it because it looks bad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;">Angela, Angela, Angela. Everyone is so excited about Angela, and it turns out her presence in the issue amounts to little more than a cameo. Now it makes sense how Bendis was able to "write" a special new part for the character. I phrased it like that not because I believe Bendis can't write, but because it's not a real sequence. Angela's appearance is just her inner monologue with a two-page spread by Joe Quesada as the backdrop. That's not enough. That's just pandering. And I'm sure there are those out there who <i>loved</i> seeing Angela on those final pages. But if you're unfamiliar with the character, this 'epic conclusion' is just confusing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;">Which brings us to the fact that<i> Age of Ultron #10</i> is the most anticlimactic ending to an event Marvel has produced since...well at least before <i>House of M</i>. The biggest revelation we get is that the multiverse is now bleeding into itself, meaning various universes will cross over with relative ease. While this is a big change in status quo, there's only one single splash page that's interesting. The rest is panning images of space and bright lights. It might be menacing and mysterious, yes, but these are the final pages of <i>Age of Ultron</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;">The big battle we get is basically a reprint of <i>Avengers #12.1</i> from two years ago, and though it ends differently here than it did before, it's just a big letdown. Alright, sure; the Avengers defeated Ultron before he ever started his apocalyptic invasion of Earth. But we knew that was going to happen<i>. </i>What we needed here was something bigger to keep the momentum going now that the event is over. Unfortunately, Marvel thought giving us one glimpse of Galactus and a spread of Angela would do the trick. And even though the crossover nerd in me did summersaults when I saw Miles Morales facing down Galactus 616, it was a fleeting emotion because the only real reason it was included was for that specific reaction, not because it had anything to do with <i>Age of Ultron</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;"><i>Age of Ultron </i>wasn't a huge failure. Bryan Hitch's artwork for the first five issues was fantastic, Carlos Pacheco's style fit the 1960s sequences perfectly, and the goal of the entire narrative was achieved by the end of <i>Age of Ultron #10</i>. Brian Michael Bendis set out to create an grand story about the dangers of abusing technology we don't understand. Unfortunately, this sentiment becomes hollow when the lesson isn't learned. Wolverine isn't punished for basically unraveling all of time and space, while Hank Pym believes he can correct the errors in Ultron's programming instead of understanding that creating and manipulating consciousness -- biological or artificial -- isn't right. So what was the point? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;">Bendis threw the biggest players in the Marvel universe through the ringer for no reason. The characters don't truly grow because they haven't learned from their mistakes, which makes it all the more obvious that the true endgame of <i>Age of Ultron</i> was to allow Marvel to dig into it's plethora of fan-favorite characters with far more ease. This might sound harmless at first, but it means the characters were simply props throughout this event. All the tie-ins, all the deaths; none of it technically matters. And that's a problem. </span><span style="font-family: Futura;">As an event, </span><i style="font-family: Futura;">Age of Ultron</i><span style="font-family: Futura;"> was mediocre. As the final issue </span><i style="font-family: Futura;">Age of Ultron #10</i><span style="font-family: Futura;"> was completely lackluster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b>GRADE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Futura;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">5/10</span></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02877819089794634893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7374874133377220133.post-66473957537259970722013-06-18T12:30:00.000-04:002013-06-18T12:30:12.845-04:00The Week in Revue (June 19-25, 2013)<div>
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<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: x-large;"><i>------- Spotlight</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Age of Ultron #10 of 10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Brian Michael Bendis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco, et al.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span><i style="font-family: Futura; font-size: xx-large;">------- DC Reviews</i></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Green Lantern: New Guardians #21</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Justin Jordan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Bradley Walker and Andrew Hennessy</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Wonder Woman #21</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Brian Azzarello</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Cliff Chiang</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Futura; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Futura; font-size: xx-large;">------- Marvel Reviews</i><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Captain Marvel #13</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Kelly Sue DeConnick</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Amanda Conner</span><br />
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Futura; font-size: large;">Uncanny Avengers #9</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(w) Rick Remender</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Futura;">(a) Daniel Acuna</span></div>
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