Uncanny Avengers #9 Review

(w) Rick Remender
(a) Daniel Acuna

It's quite obvious to me that Rogue and Scarlet Witch's argument represented the real-life arguments online after the release of Uncanny Avengers #5. 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 Uncanny Avengers #9 is where he really gets to let it all out.


** SPOILERS AHEAD! **


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.

As far as the story itself is concerned, Uncanny Avengers #9 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 Uncanny X-Force -- 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.

Uncanny Avengers #9 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.

GRADE

8/10

The Week in Revue (June 19-25, 2013)

------- Spotlight

Age of Ultron #10 of 10
(w) Brian Michael Bendis
(a) Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson, Carlos Pacheco, et al.

------- DC Reviews

Green Lantern: New Guardians #21
(w) Justin Jordan
(a) Bradley Walker and Andrew Hennessy

Wonder Woman #21
(w) Brian Azzarello
(a) Cliff Chiang

------- Marvel Reviews
Captain Marvel #13
(w) Kelly Sue DeConnick
(a) Amanda Conner

Uncanny Avengers #9
(w) Rick Remender
(a) Daniel Acuna

The Week in Revue (May 22-28, 2013)

------- Spotlight

The Green Team #1
(w) Art Baltazar and Franco     (a) Ig Guara
THE FOIL TO GAIL SIMONE'S THE MOVEMENT, THIS SERIES FEATURES THE SUPER-RICH TEENAGERS WHO INHABIT THE DCnU!

------- DC Reviews

Justice League Dark #20
(w) Jeff Lemire     (a) Mikel Janin
HOW DO THE JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK, THE FLASH, AND SWAMP THING ALL CONNECT? ONLY JEFF LEMIRE KNOWS!

Teen Titans #20
(w) Scott Lobdell     (a) Eddy Barrows)
WILL SCOTT LOBDELL ACTUALLY DELIVER A SEMI-COGENT ISSUES THIS MONTH? I'M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH!

------- Marvel Reviews

Uncanny Avengers #8AU
(w) Rick Remender     (a) Andy Kubert
THE "AGE OF ULTRON" TIE-IN FEATURING KANG AND THE APOCALYPSE TWINS!

Young Avengers #5
(w) Kieron Gillen     (a) Jaime McKelvie
THE FINAL ISSUE OF KIERON GILLEN'S FIRST AMAZING ARC!

The Week in Revue (May 8-14, 2013) (update)

------- Spotlight

Batman and Red Hood #20
(w) Peter J. Tomasi     (a) Patrick Gleason

------- DC Reviews

Batman #20
(w) Scott Snyder     (a) Greg Capullo

Justice League of America #3
(w) Geoff Johns     (a) David Finch

Superboy #20
(w) Justin Jordan     (a) Brett Booth

------- Marvel Reviews

Uncanny Avengers #8
(w) Rick Remender     (a) Daniel Acuna

The Week in Revue (Apr 24-31, 2013)

------- DC Reviews

The Flash #19

(w) Brian Buccellato     (a) Marcio Takara

DC'S "WTF" MONTH CONTINUES WITH A BRAND NEW VILLAIN FOR THE FLASH!

Batman Incorporated #10

(w) Grant Morrison     (a) Chris Burnham

MORRISON'S EPIC BATMAN SAGA IS WINDING DOWN!

I, Vampire #19

(w) Joshua Hale Fialkov     (a) Fernando Blanco and Andrea Sorrentino

FINAL ISSUE! AND REALLY, FIALKOV'S FINAL ISSUE FOR DC! DANG.

------- Marvel Reviews

Young Avengers #4

(w) Kieron Gillen     (a) Jaime McKelvie

LOVE ME SOME YOUNG AVENGERS! 

Avengers #10

(w) Jonathan Hickman     (a) Dustin Weaver

HONESTLY, IT'S SUPER HARD TO KNOW WHAT HICKMAN IS GOING TO THROW AT US NEXT WITH THIS SERIES. WHATEVER IT IS, THOUGH, IT'LL BE GREAT.

Uncanny X-Men #5

(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Fraiser Irving

IT'S THE ORIGINAL COMIC BOOK WITH 'UNCANNY' IN THE TITLE, NOW THAT THERE ARE, LIKE, 30.

Uncanny Avengers #6

(w) Rick Remender     (a) Daniel Acuna

This is the first issue of Uncanny Avengers I haven't outright enjoyed from beginning to end. Rick Remender takes readers back in time for a look at the first time Thor met Apocalypse. It's sort of like an interlude prelude chapter to "The Apocalypse Twins" that foreshadows the events in the present day.

Thor-centric tales are difficult to write because, more often than not, they feature some disagreement between Thor and Odin. Remender falls victim to this cliche and once again, Odin finds some reason to be disappointed in Thor. 

As a side note: seriously, does Odin ever even like his son? It feels like the old codger is constantly drunk and looking for someone or something to unload all his anger and frustrations upon. It's one of the reasons I've never been a huge Thor fan, and it's also why Jason Aaron's current run on Thor: God of Thunder is so good. There's only so many times Thor's daddy issues can be exploited, and that quota was hit years go.

Remender is a master of foreshadowing and long-form narratives, so it's kind of a given that all the events in Uncanny Avengers #6 will have some bearing on the present day, but it still removes readers from the current-day story and stops the momentum Remender was building.

GRADE

7/10

Uncanny Avengers #5

(w) Rick Remender     (a) Olivier Coipel

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

On the spectrum on comic book art, it goes from being extremely cartoony/exaggerated on one end, to vividly realistic/lifelike on the other. Rob Liefeld and Humberto Ramos are the first two names that popped into my head when thinking of examples for the former, while David Finch and Ethan Van Sciver represent the latter. While most artists exist somewhere along the spectrum, there are few that find a phenomenal middle ground that represents the comic book format, yet manages to capture dynamic realism. Some of these names include Jim Lee, Jim Cheung, Greg Capullo, John Cassaday, Phil Noto, and Olivier Coipel.

Coipel has been a favorite artist of mine since I read House of M, so when I heard he was doing an issue of Uncanny Avengers with Rick Remender -- a more recent addition to my list of favorite writers -- I was immediately sold. Though, it's not like I wasn't already going to read the issue. Coipel's artwork is an absolute treat for an transition issue that begins to incorporate Remender's storylines from Uncanny X-Force he promised would resurface in this series.

There is a sequence in Uncanny Avengers #5, wherein Alex Summers begins a national dialogue about the use of the word "mutant" as a descriptor of individuals with activated x-genes. For some ridiculous reason, select critics and journalists have chosen to become incensed by the ideas put forth by Havok in his speech. These ideas deal with the perception of mutants as inherently different from humans, which Alex attempts to explain simply isn't true. The controversy surrounds Alex's insistence that the word "mutant" now carries a negative connotation, and that maybe, just maybe, the intelligent peoples of Earth might just possibly be able to think of a better way to interact with those who are different. The point of the speech was that Alex didn't want to be defined by his mutation; a noble belief that ultra-sensitives on the internet have turned into an ugly attempt at casting Rick Remender and his narrative decisions in a bigoted light. It's ridiculous and frankly appalling that a story conveying a hopeful idea for the future of an oppressed people is so viciously attacked because of the wording.

And the funny thing is, Havok's speech is only a small part of the issue. Probably the least technically interesting part about the issue is Alex's speech. It's a sentiment that's been a part of mutant life in the Marvel universe for decades. Remender conveyed that sentiment very well, but it's been done. The speech is important, but in true Remender fashion, the entire issue sets up future stories, not just the big finale at the end. There's the addition of Wonder Man, Wasp, and Sunfire to the team, the romantic tension between Captain America and Scarlet Witch, the attack on the press conference by Grim Reaper, or even the ongoing look at Captain America and Havok's struggle to keep rank.

Uncanny Avengers #5 is a fantastic issue of a fantastic series. Rick Remender knows how to write great comic books and now that we're getting to the point where his storylines from UXF are starting to connect, it's just going to get better and better.

GRADE

8/10

The Week in Revue (Mar 27-Apr 2, 2013)

------- Spotlight

Guardians of the Galaxy #1
(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Steve McNiven
THE GUARDIANS RETURN TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

------- DC Reviews

Batman Incorporated #9

(w) Grant Morrison     (a) Chris Burnham

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MOMENTS AFTER THE DEATH OF DAMIAN WAYNE?

The Flash #18

(w) Brian Buccellato     (a) Marcio Takara

THE TRICKSTER ACCUSED OF MURDER? AND A SPECIAL CROSSOVER WITH...DIAL H!

Justice League Dark #18

(w) Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes     (a) Mikel Janin

THE CONCLUSION TO "THE DEATH OF MAGIC!"


---------- mini reviews
Aquaman #18

(w) Geoff Johns     (a) Paul Pelletier

"DEATH OF A KING" BEGINS HERE! A NEW ARC IN THIS ACCLAIMED SERIES!

Superman #18

(w) Scott Lobdell     (a) Kenneth Rocafort

H.I.V.E. MAKES IT'S NEW 52 DEBUT AS THEY TRY TO TAKE OVER METROPOLIS!

Teen Titans #18

(w) Scott Lobdell     (a) Eddy Barrows

FALLOUT FROM "DEATH OF THE FAMILY" AND THE DEATH OF DAMIAN WAYNE! GUEST STARRING THE SUICIDE SQUAD!

------- Marvel Reviews

Age of Ultron #3 of 10

(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Bryan Hitch

MARVEL'S POST-APOCALYPTIC EVENT CONTINUES!

Uncanny Avengers #5

(w) Rick Remender     (a) Olivier Coipel
WONDER MAN, WASP, AND SUNFIRE JOIN THE UNCANNY AVENGERS!

Young Avengers #3

(w) Kieron Gillen     (a) Jaime McKelvie

MORE AMAZINGNESS FROM GILLEN AND MCKELVIE ON THE LANDMARK SERIES!

---------- mini reviews

Fantastic Four #5AU

(w) Matt Fraction     (a) Andre Araujo

AN "AGE OF ULTRON" TIE-IN ISSUE!

The Superior Spider-Man #6AU

(w) Christos Gage     (a) Dexter Soy

AN "AGE OF ULTRON" TIE-IN ISSUE!

REVIEW: UNCANNY AVENGERS #3

(w) Rick Remender
(a) John Cassaday

Reading Uncanny Avengers is experiencing a modern classic unfold. Much in the same fashion he rendered Uncanny X-Force one of the best comic book series in modern history, Rick Remender is making sure this new series lives up to it's top shelf name. Uncanny Avengers sits comfortably and impeccably between the Avengers and X-Men franchises, in terms of team makeup as well as narrative breadth. Jonathan Hickman is going universal in the pages of Avengers and New Avengers, ratcheting up the scope of the threats facing each team, threats that have universe-sized ramifications. Brian Michael Bendis is bringing his unique brand of interpersonal relationship drama to the X-Men by penning decompressed, character-driven stories. Remender's book and team fall right in the middle, which is kind of the point.

Uncanny Avengers #3 continues "The Red Shadow", an opening salvo that very much reflects Remender's attempt to balance the sheer size of the Avengers with the intimacy of the X-Men. There are a number of different elements that showcase the melding of franchises. Like Red Skull, who is traditionally an Avengers villain, focusing his evil intentions upon the biggest perceived genetic monstrosity of all: the mutant gene. Taking the Nazi ideology to it's extreme conclusion makes Red Skull one of the more foreboding villains in recent history. Or Red's S-Men, a ramshackle team super humans made special externally, through science, magic, or anything other than being a mutant, really. These S-Men (short for Special Men, one would assume) have undergone alterations to become a facsimile of the very perceived threat they stand against. For them, the ends justify the means when the end is the extinction of all mutants. And their backstories reveal the hatred that fuels their endeavors.

It's not often that reading a comic book feels like reading a novel. Remender's narration throughout Uncanny Avengers #3 transforms "The Red Shadow" from a well-written Avengers story into a broad, expansive narrative that's a fantastic allegory for World War II. While Red Skull's general ideology remains the same -- thus does his position in the symbology -- his hatred has shifted from merely one ethnicity to an entire species of mutated humans. Against Red Skull's metaphorical Axis stand the Allied Forces in the Uncanny Avengers, who seek to throttle Red's hypnotic amplification of people's base fears about mutantkind, pushing them to murder those who are different. Captain America vs. Red Skull: sound familiar?

Keeping the gratuitous violence off-panel was a wise choice, artistically, because it gives John Cassaday room to show more with less and to incorporated Remender's narration to give these sequences the cold, bitter tone the story requires. Cassaday's artwork for the entire issue is fantastic, especially his Red Skull, who looks verily insane from beginning to end.

Rick Remender and John Cassaday are creating something truly inspired with Uncanny Avengers. The narrative's underlying symbolism and lasting consequences give it the demeanor of Marvel's flagship 'Marvel NOW!' title. In many ways, Remender has taken the best parts of the Avengers and X-Men franchises and melded them together for stunning results. Uncanny Avengers #3 is the third chapter of "The Red Shadow", but unlike many middle issues, this one doesn't lull or rest on exposition to carry the story into a big conclusion.

GRADE
9/10

THE WEEK (JAN 23-29, 2013)

FEATURED REVIEW
Young Avengers #1
(Gillen, McKelvie)

Ever since Marvel announced that Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie were taking the reigns on a new volume of Young Avengers, I've basically been hoarding any and all info concerning the new series because the Young Avengers is my favorite superhero team ever. I own all the original 12 issues, I've read every crossover and tie-in there's been, and I waited and waited for Avengers: The Children's Crusade to finish up. Now, Gillen and McKelvie are taking Young Avengers in an exciting new direction that -- if it's anything like Phonogram -- is going to be AMAZING.

REVIEWS

Avengers #3
(Hickman, Epting)

Captain America continues his mission to gather his Avengers recruits for an assault on Mars against Ex Nihilo to free their fellow heroes. Jonathan Hickman's concept-saturated Avengers stories already have a lot of readers scratching their heads...in a good way!

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #6 of 6
(Cooke, et al.)

I stopped reviewing all the other Before Watchmen mini-series because, to be honest, none of them had a lot of staying power. While the first few issues of each series were mostly enjoyable (except for Comedian, which has been a train wreck the whole time), they've slipped and fell into 'filler issue' territory. Darwyn Cooke's Minutemen is the exception to the rule, as Cooke's fantastic art style and nuanced writing have made this series immaculate. 

FF #3
(Fraction, Allred)

I love this series. You should love it as well. Matt Fraction and Mike Allred take readers on a journey to discover why a mysterious messenger has brought a message of the Fantastic Four's demise!

Green Lantern #16
(Johns, Mahnke)

Even though none of the "Rise of the Third Army" tie-in issues have featured a whole lot of the eponymous Third Army, Green Lantern has been the most enjoyable series through this GL-crossover, as Geoff Johns' Simon Baz has proved to be one of the most interesting new superheroes in a long time. 

Justice League #16
(Johns, Reis, Prado)

"Throne of Atlantis" continues this week. It's pretty much obvious that Ocean Master is manipulating everything, right? Then again, Johns has a way of making readers believe what he'd like us to see up until the twist.

Uncanny Avengers #3
(Remender, Cassaday)

Finally, finally, we get Uncanny Avengers #3 nearly two months late. It's unfortunate that such a great series -- which is still considered the flagship 'Marvel NOW!' title, I'm assuming -- continues to have such a broken release schedule. To be honest, I nearly forgot it was coming out this week, and I had to go back and reread the first two issues to make sure I knew what was going on. Other than the weird releases, Uncanny Avengers #3 looks like it's going to be a turning point in this first arc.

Extra! Extra!

Green Lantern Corps #16
(Tomasi, Pasarin)

Red Hood and The Outlaws #16
(Lobdell, TBA)

Supergirl #16
(Johnson, Asrar)

Uncanny X-Force #1
(Humphries, Garney)

Wonder Woman #16
(Azzarello, Chiang)

REVIEW: UNCANNY AVENGERS #2

(w) Rick Remender
(p) John Cassaday

Well it's been long enough! Eight weeks after it's debut, Uncanny Avengers is back with it's second issue, and this one's a doozie. Rick Remender and John Cassaday aren't making any compromises with this series, as evidenced by the repeated delays for this issue so Cassaday could make sure the art was up to his high standards. Uncanny Avengers #2 is split into three 'acts' to better convey the large amount of new information being presented. And while this format can feel a tad disjointed from time to time, it all goes toward Remender's bigger picture.

First up are Captain America, Wolverine, and Thor helping with the relief effort in Manhattan after the devastating attack by Avalanche in the first issue. While Avalanche's attack wasn't even close to being the real focal point of UA #1, the ramifications of a mutant attack resulting in hundreds of dead humans are terrifying. Basically, 'Act I' sets the stage for why Uncanny Avengers have come together -- now that Charles Xavier is dead, it seems that his dream of peaceful co-habitation between humans and mutants is slowly dying as well. It's a poignant scene that shows two sides of a desperate situation. Captain America sees this as crucial time frame for the human race to establish a better relationship with the mutant community. For Wolverine, Steve Rogers' "mutant community" doesn't exist and having Havok -- a mutant and brother to international criminal Cyclops -- lead an Avengers response to mutant attacks is a terrible idea. Both perspectives have their merits, but a small, two-panel sequence between a thankful man and Havok himself is enough to prove the Uncanny Avengers are needed now more than ever.

The second part of the issue focuses on Rogue and the Scarlet Witch being held prisoner by the maniacal Red Skull, while 'Act III' brings these two ladies together to close out the issue. While Red Skull did appear at the very end of Uncanny Avengers #1, there wasn't much information regarding his motives or master plan. Here, we get a much more fleshed out Red Skull who explains himself without sounding like he's lecturing 150 bored college freshmen in a beginner's biology class. It's simple, really. Red Skull had his consciousness preserved and downloaded into a cloned body -- circa 1942 -- so he could reawaken 70 years later when "the world had forgotten me and my perceived atrocities." Now, seeing the state of the world with mutants running around, Red Skull has taken the Nazi idealism of purity and strength and applied it to humanity at large which means "mutants are the ultimate invading foreigners." I'm actually surprised no one has ever taken this direction with the Red Skull, but that's kind of what 'Marvel NOW!' is all about, right? Before, most of the dealings of the Avengers stayed relatively separate from the world of the X-Men. But now, classic Avengers villains are getting in on X-Men territory, and the results are bone-chillingly awesome.

In the end, Uncanny Avengers #2 is a more compelling issue than the first, and that's extremely hard to do in the modern comic landscape. Red Skull has always been a rather menacing character, but it's usually at arms length -- he's generally reserved for flashback issues or as a totem for other villains. Fortunately, Rick Remender takes Red Skull to frightening new heights, making him not only one of the most formidable villains in years, but also one of the most powerful in the Marvel Universe. The team itself is slow to actually getting together, but that's what an opening arc is all about, right?

GRADE

9/10

THE WEEK (NOV 28-DEC 4, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW
FF #1
(w) Matt Fraction
(p) Mike Allred
This has got to be my most anticipated 'Marvel NOW!' series besides Young Avengers. It feels like Matt Fraction and Mike Allred are creating a book that's going to be something extremely special in this day and age. Don't miss it.

Reviews

Aquaman #14
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Pete Woods
It's the aftermath of "The Others" and an unofficial prelude to next the upcoming "Throne of Atlantis" crossover with Justice League. The effects of Black Manta and Aquaman's face-off will be covered, I'm sure, and Ocean Master is making his 'New 52' debut!

Justice League Dark #14
(w) Jeff Lemire
(p) Lee Garbett
The conclusion of "War for the Books of Magic" brought Frankenstein and Amethyst into the fold as new members of the JLD. Jeff Lemire will "pick up the pieces" from the encounter with Nick Necro and get the next exciting arc going!


Superman #14
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Kenneth Rocafort
Being a 'Superman' event, technically, I guess I should have assumed we wouldn't get a bulk of the "H'el on Earth" story until an actual issue of Superman. Hopefully, Scott Lobdell can shed some light onto the machinations of H'el...please.

Teen Titans #14
(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Ale Garza
Red Robin is missing -- presumably due to the events of "Death of the Family" -- so the Titans head to Gotham to look for him. Good idea, right? Nope.

Thor: God of Thunder #2
(w) Jason Aaron
(p) Esad Ribic
Jason Aaron continues his absolutely amazing new run with Thor: God of Thunder and the menace of the God Butcher. Esad Ribic's art seriously adds a whole new level of depth to the story, and Aaron's haunting tale of three eras is riveting.


Uncanny Avengers #2
(w) Rick Remender
(p) John Cassaday
It's been eight weeks since Uncanny Avengers #1, which is a little disconcerting. This is Marvel's new flagship series, and it's second issue was nearly a month late. Fortunately, Rick Remender and John Cassaday is a team I -- and many, many other fans -- am willing to wait for. Early reviews are putting this issue on a pedestal, so hopefully it lives up to the hype.

Extra! Extra!

All-New X-Men #2
(w) Brian Michael Bendis
(p) Stuart Immonen

Batman Incorporated #5
(w) Grant Morrison
(p) Chris Burnham

Batman: The Dark Knight #14
(w) Gregg Hurwitz
(p) David Finch

The Flash #14
(w) Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
(p) Francis Manapul

Red Lanterns #14
(w) Peter Milligan
(p) Miguel Sepulveda

THE WEEK (NOV 7-13, 2012)

FEATURED REVIEW

Deadpool #1
(w) Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan
(p) Tony Moore
One of America's funniest comedians takes on Marvel's merc with a mouth: it's Brian Posehn writing Deadpool! And it's going to be awesome! Deadpool vs. resurrected Zombie American Presidents? Sign me up.

Action Comics #14

(w) Grant Morrison
(p) Rags Morales
Superman faces off against the Multitude...on Mars! If I've said it once, I've said it a handful of times; Grant Morrison's stories don't have a lot of previews. His writing's too intricate to offer much in the way of sneak peeks.

Earth 2 #6
(w) James Robinson
(p) Nicola and Trevor Scott
It's the conclusion of the first arc of Earth 2 as Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, and the Atom take on Grundy, the scion of death! James Robinson's parallel Earth series has been fantastic to say the least. To say I'm looking forward to this is a total understatement.

Green Lantern #14
(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Doug Mahnke
Geoff Johns continues this great introduction of Simon Baz that will eventually intersect with "Rise of the Third Army". So far, Baz has been far more interesting than Hal Jordan's been in years. 


Iron Man #1
(w) Kieron Gillen
(p) Greg Land

Extra! Extra!

Animal Man #14
(w) Jeff Lemire
(p) Steve Pugh

Before Watchmen: Moloch #1 of 2
(w) J. Michael Straczynski
(p) John Higgins

Stormwatch #14
(w) Peter Milligan
(p) Will Conrad

Swamp Thing #14
(w) Scott Snyder
(p) Yanick Paquette

Uncanny X-Force #33
(w) Rick Remender
(p) Phil Noto

World's Finest #6
(w) Paul Levitz
(p) Kevin Maguire and George Perez

UNCANNY AVENGERS #1

(W) Rick Remender

(P/I) John Cassaday

Thought I'd throw up one of the 20 variants for this issue.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, than we're all currently holding. Uncanny Avengers #1 is, simply put, an achievement. Rick Remender has taken all the convoluted tension between the Avengers and X-Men and brought it to the surface, making these characters actually talk about it instead of beating the crap out of each other on a whim. That might sound less-than-interesting, but it's actually the one type of confrontation that hasn't been done to death in comic books, and it's absolutely refreshing.

Fittingly, the funeral for Professor Charles Xavier begins the tale of these Uncanny Avengers, with a speech by Wolverine that has enough gruff to make it seem believable, but still conveys the fact that Logan is an intelligent person. This segues into Captain America's meeting with Alex Summers (a.k.a. Havok), the brother of Scott Summers. While not the biggest name in the X-Men roster, Havok has put in his time and paid his dues. Steve Rogers sees that and wants to make Alex the leader of a new Avengers/X-Men hybrid team. In years passed, this book would have been made to take a more natural-sounding path to it's inception. Remember the first arc of The New Avengers, when Brian Michael Bendis wanted so much for the team to feel natural that he set up a massive prison break out that was supposed to be the basis of the series, but was quickly forgotten. Rick Remender isn't beating around the bush, not with his writing style or with these characters' motivations. Steve Rogers comes out and explains his intentions to Alex Summers, explaining that there needs to be something more inclusive.

It may come as a surprise, but many writers like to dumb down their characters and turn them into simple action-and-fight props used to propagate ridiculously complicated plots. It is actually very rare to get a writer who understands that these characters are just like real people when they aren't fighting crime, which means they think like real people and have real people solutions to problems. Instead of using adamantium claws or vibranium shields to solve their problems, these heroes are talking, explaining their feelings to one another and hoping they can work together to make the world a better place. Remender's dialogue comes from a place of unfettered sincerity, and it's what's going to make this series a delight to read.

I can't say enough good things about Uncanny Avengers #1. Rick Remender's plot and scripts are just magnificent - there's no deep connections to continuity, there's no huge revelations about characters we didn't already know (how many issues can depict Cyclops be transported to his cell?) and the characters used are either largely identifiable, or get amazingly organic profiling through character dialogue. All of these elements make Uncanny Avengers one hell of a read. Marvel is really striving to bring in new readers with 'Marvel NOW!', and if this first issue of concept is an example of the quality we'll be getting going forward, then it will be tremendously successful.

GRADE
9/10

THE WEEK (OCT 10-16, 2012)

Before I start, I want to just say how excited I am that Marvel is finally, finally, finally bringing back Young Avengers! Announced early on Tuesday, the second volume of the team's adventures will be written by Kieron Gillen of Uncanny X-Men and Journey Into Mystery. I absolutely loved the original run of YA, written by Alan Heinberg and drawn by Jim Cheung. The Young Avengers is hands-down my favorite superhero team, even when they were handed around Marvel's creative network like a village bicycle before returning to their creators' hands with The Children's Crusade. Seriously, if you haven't read any YA, do yourself a favor and read the original 12-issue run, the Presents series, and The Children's Crusade. You will not be sorry. And check out CBR's exclusive interview with Kieron Gillen and artist Jamie McKelvie about their Young Avengers starting in January 2013.

Reviews
AvX: Consequences #1 of 5
(Gillen, Raney)
The fallout from Avengers vs. X-Men starts here! Even though Uncanny Avengers is also getting started this week, AvX: Consequences will act as a bridge between Marvel's main event this year, and 'Marvel NOW!' I'm ready to see what Kieron Gillen has in store for this first issue of this series, mostly because I want to read as much Kieron Gillen as I can before his Young Avengers run starts next year!

Green Lantern Corps #13
(Tomasi, CAFU)
"Rise of the Third Army" continues this week...there's not much to say about the whole event yet, because this will be only the second of 16 issues dedicated to the story. In Green Lantern #13, the soliders of the Third Army are only featured in a few panels, but that's okay because this even is about the RISE of the army and then the battle with the Green Lantern Corps. Peter J. Tomasi has not been impressing me as of late, so I'm interested to see where his branch of this crossover event will take us.

Superboy #13
(DeFalco, Silva, Lean)
Oh boy; Superboy is crossing over with The Ravagers. That might be the most boring hype-up I've ever seen. Both of these titles are so lacking in their current state, I cannot even begin to imagine the ridiculousness that will come from them crossing over. Wow. At least Kon-El will have to deal with Jocelyn Lure (the detective after Superboy who was instantly forgettable as soon as she was introduced) before heading off to find Caitlin Fairchild, so that might be something...

Team 7 #1
(Jordan, Merino)
I was impressed with last month's Team 7 #0, and I - like many other DC fans - want to know what's happened in the last five years between the emergence of superheroes and the current-day status quo. Team 7 is poised to give us a lot of cool confrontations and team-ups with various superheroes from all over the DCnU.

Dark Was The Knight
Batman #13
(Snyder, Capullo)
"Death of the Family" starts HERE! Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo kick off the five-month long epic return of the Joker to DC's 'New 52' universe. While most of the tie-in titles will get two or three months of crossover issues, Batman is gearing up for a full tale lasting the entirety of the event. Scott Snyder is a genius with Batman, and his "Death of the Family" will probably go down as one of the best Batman stories ever told. "The City of Owls" storyline is high up there, and the Joke is such a fascinating character that Snyder will definitely work wonders with this opportunity.

Batman and Robin #13
(Tomasi, Gleason, Gray)
The last arc of Batman and Robin was a big letdown, and last month's "Issue Zero" was just a rehash of Damian Wayne's life story. Peter J. Tomasi is very much dropping the ball with both of his helmed titles for DC right now, and Batman and Robin still has two months before it's "Death of the Family" crossover, so he's got some time to right the boat before delving into the Joker's madness.

Marvel NOW!

Uncanny Avengers #1

(Remender, Cassaday)

'Marvel NOW!' starts here! After the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, Captain America sets up a new team, evenly populated by Avengers and X-Men. This is going to be the premier title from Marvel for a while, so I'm just glad it's Rick Remender taking the wheel. Plus, Havok is on the team. HAVOK! I know, I know...

Shadowy Happenings
Demon Knights #13
(Cornell, Chang)
The Demon Knights are down in Hell! Literally! Two months ago, Etrigan basically flipped a massive bird to the rest of his compatriots and transported them all down to Hell to answer to Lucifer. Of course, Jason Blood stays in Hell while Etrigan is on the mortal plane, so it will be interesting to see if they'll interact while the team is duking it out against the Devil.

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #13
(Kindt, Ponticelli)
While Buddy Baker and Alec Holland are stuck in the realm of the Rot for a year, Frankenstein is battling the surge of Rot overtaking the planet! Frankenstein: AoS has been fantastic so far, and this crossover with Animal Man and Swamp Thing's "Rotworld" makes it even better. On top of all that, Franky is poised to join the Justice League Dark in upcoming issues.

The Phantom Stranger #1
(Didio, Anderson)
The Phantom Stranger strikes a deal with Demon Lord Trigon! And where there's Trigon, Raven will follow. Yes, it's the long-awaited reintroduction of Raven into the 'New 52' continuity! Recent interviews point to a Raven-centric, Teen Titans spin-off starting sometime next year, and this is where it will all begin!

Extra! Extra!
4-SENTENCE REVIEWS are no more, as they are being replaced by 'Extra! Extra!', the section of titles that don't get standard reviews and also don't fall into an specific category of new columns. This isn't to say that these issues are any less good (or bad, in some cases) than the titles featured under the standard REVIEW header, it just means that I found a way to more eloquently talk about them in four sentences better than I could in four paragraphs. It's lika a haiku - sometimes creativity comes out of restrictions.

Before Watchmen: Doctor Manhattan #2 of 4
(Straczynski, Higgins)

The First X-Men #3 of 5
(Adams, Gage)

The Ravagers #5
(Mackie, Churchill)

NEWS: MARVEL NOW!

On Wednesday, Marvel announced it's plans to 'revamp' it's current line of titles starting in October under the banner 'Marvel NOW!' While stressing this is not a reboot, 'Marvel NOW!' will bring about new series and revamp current series that will reflect the major changes to the Marvel universe as a result of the events of Avengers vs. X-Men. In the few short days since it's announcement, 'Marvel NOW!' has been given a bit more substance through a number of interviews with high-ranking executives at Marvel. 


Instead of mirroring DC and simply launching all it's 'NOW!' titles in the same month, Marvel has opted to launch new or relaunched titles from October through February 2013. An odd move for sure, simply due to the fickle nature of comic book fans who can make a decision on the entirety on 'Marvel NOW!' based on impressions of the first month's worth of content. It seems as though Marvel is taking the safe road, not only in their insistence that 'NOW!' is not reboot, but also in the extended release schedule. DC took a gambit and though it hasn't proved to be the breakout success everyone was hoping for, longtime fans have praised the company for changing damn near everything for the sake of creative freedom and more mass appeal.

New series already announced include Uncanny Avengers, All-New X-Men, and a relaunched Avengers. Confirming what months of rumors have speculated, Marvel is switching up it's creative teams with 'NOW!', giving seasoned writers a chance to explore new franchises. Brian Michael Bendis is leaving his Avengers post that he's held for nearly nine years to pen All-New X-Men, Jonathan Hickman will end his stellar runs on both Fantastic Four and FF to focus on the relaunched, bi-weekly Avengers, and Rick Remender pens the new crossover title, Uncanny Avengers. Of course, these three titles and creative switches are just the tip of the iceberg. Already, it's been leaked that New Avengers will be a part of the 'NOW!' initiative, possibly getting a relaunch and team roster.

Uncanny Avengers features a team of Avengers and X-Men after the fallout of Avengers vs. X-Men as they attempt to operate effectively while learning to get along. So far, the roster includes team leader Havok, Captain America, Wolverine, Thor, Scarlett Witch, and Rogue. Marvel hasn't given any reason behind the choice of characters, and making Havok team leader is a bit of a curveball, but it looks interesting nonetheless, and with art by John Cassaday of Astonishing X-Men fame, you really can't go wrong.

Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley's All-New X-Men is really the most odd of the newly announced series. Featuring the original five X-Men time travelling to the present, Bendis seeks to reintroduce the real, authentic Jean Grey back into the Marvel universe. When announced, the fan feedback focused on a single concern: is this a mini-series or ongoing? With such a specific and fragile set-up, many believed the premise couldn't be sustained for more than, say, six issues or so. Bendis has already come forth to explain that All-New X-Men is indeed an ongoing series and that the time-displaced X-Men are here to stay. Of course, this revelation has sparked the debate over Bendis' 'devil may care' attitude toward continuity and the generally agreed-upon rules of time travel. Then again, he thew Wanda Maximoff's powers to the wind for Avengers: Disassembled, so he may have some trick up his sleeve we don't know about yet.

Finally, the Jonathan Hickman-helmed Avengers will sport a cast of over 18 members and will be released bi-weekly as opposed to the normal monthly schedule. It's a move that I like, if only because a flagship title like Avengers should be more heavily focused on. Without a solid cast of characters yet, it remains to be seen Jonathan Hickman is up to the task of working in Bendis' large shadow. Though, Hickman's Avengers vs. X-Men #6 is the best issue of the series so far, so I'm not too worried.

Starting in October, "The Endless Reel" will be taking a look at each of Marvel's new series associated with it's 'Marvel NOW!' initiative. Only Uncanny Avengers is currently slated for an October launch, but more information will be surfacing in the coming months, so stay tuned to "The Endless Reel" for more information regarding 'Marvel NOW!' and it's coverage on the site. As more info is released, the more I'll endeavor to keep the Monthly Schedule up to date.