Blood Hunt: Red Band #5 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 5, September 2024

Despite comprising of more tie-in issues and spin-off limited series than your average Marvelite can shake a pointy stick at, this final instalment of “Blood Hunt” probably still felt somewhat rushed to many of its readers in July 2024. True, the super-sized thirty-three page periodical does manage to pull many of its numerous plot-threads together for a sort of satisfying resolution. But, having an infected Miles Morales prove to be the improbable hero of the day, when the likes of the mighty Thor, invincible Iron Man and Captain Marvel appear disconcertingly impotent, is arguably a bit of a head scratcher; “I had only one weakness, Avengers. The girl. The bloodline. And she’s not here.”

Furthermore, it’s not entirely clear whether Stephen Strange’s “dread bargain” with Doctor Doom actually has any impact upon the final result. Having successfully stabbed a possessed Blade through the chest with a sword, many a bibliophile probably felt the battle was already won, and that once the Daywalker was free of Varnae’s malign influence the Darkforce surrounding our planet would return to its own dimension. However, before such an event can occur Victor casts his pre-fall Atlantean spell, supposedly brings sunlight back to the half the world, and diabolically solidifies his stance as” Earth’s new, Superior Sorcerer Supreme” – which somewhat cynically leads into another “Marvel Worldwide” major event “coming in November…”

For those onlookers able to ignore these quibbles though, Jed MacKay’s penmanship certainly still delivers a pulse-pounding experience, with much of this comic focusing upon the Avengers' fisticuffs against the dread Bloodcoven. These toe-to-toe confrontations between some of the publisher’s most popular protagonists is genuinely enthralling, especially when the God of Thunder manages to finally summon Mjolnir whilst battling the first of all vampires.

Equally up to the task of pencilling all this adrenalin-charged action is Pepe Larraz, who should genuinely cause a few painful gasps from those witnessing poor Vision losing a limb in a truly horrific manner to Bloodstorm One. In addition, ably supported by color artists Marte Gracia and Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, the Spanish illustrator impressively manages to imbue the scenes featuring Doctor Strange with a noticeably different, though far from off-putting, ambience, which speaks of the ancient and powerful magic being depicted in the panels.

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #5 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Civil War: The Confession #1 - Marvel Comics

CIVIL WAR: THE CONFESSION No. 1, May 2007

Considering that this twenty-two page periodical essentially just consists of some conversations between Iron Man and Captain America, it is arguably somewhat impressive that Issue One of “Civil War: The Confession” was the eighth best-selling comic book in March 2007 – at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”. Indeed, in principle Brian Bendis’ notion of two characters simply talking to one another about their motivations and beliefs for the entirety of a “Rated T+” one-shot debatably sounds rather uninspiringly dull, and certainly not the sort of publication which would sell a staggering 112,416 copies.

Happily however, such is the penmanship of this title that it succeeds in providing both a genuinely intriguing insight into what made Tony Stark battle against his long-time comrade-in-arms, and that the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. seemingly now regrets so zealous a stance following the Sentinel of Liberty’s subsequent assassination. These nagging doubts really are convincingly delivered, as Shell-head initially appears to be trying to once again justify himself to his ‘old friend’, before finally succumbing to the dread realisation that his support of the Superhuman Registration Act and all the horrendous sacrifices he made wasn’t in any way “worth it.”

With such a high bar set, the American author then deep-dives into the psyche of Steve Rogers, and presents a morally-right super-hero, who appears to pity his opponent when he realises Iron Man arrogantly believes he’s won simply because the First Avenger surrendered to the authorities. This contrast in perceptions is particularly well demonstrated when Captain America is first brought to his prison cell and a soldier instinctively still salutes him – as opposed to the reception Stan Lee’s victorious co-creation receives upon arriving on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier; “Can you feel it out there? They don’t like me here and they don’t want me here.”

Adding a gritty realism to all these sedentary, yet still pretty intense proceedings, is Alex Maleev, who quite wonderfully shows the weight of Tony’s new world bearing down upon his ultimately unworthy shoulders. The leader of the United Nations Peacekeeping Task Force really looks like the one who has been defeated, whilst ‘Cap’ is pencilled with an evident and energetic chip still upon his broad shoulders. In fact, the World War Two veteran is shown to be the far more dynamic and physical of the two men, with Stark appearing soberingly crestfallen in his treacherous triumph.

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis, Artist: Alex Maleev, and Color Artist: Jose Villarrubia

Captain America: Living Legend #4 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 4, February 2014

Managing to shift 20,938 copies in December 2013, Andy Diggle and Eddie Robson’s narrative for Issue Four of “Captain America: Living Legend” probably wrong-footed a fair few of its readers, courtesy of the central alien antagonist surprisingly wanting to actually keep the titular character safe from his deadly mechanical minions so that the Sentinel of Liberty can shockingly kill him. In fact, the entire notion that Joe Simon and Jack Kirby’s creation would willingly gun down an adversary straight through the head, when his motionless target is simply sat alone in a derelict scientific facility, is pretty much unthinkable until it startlingly occurs; “Nghh -- They -- They say old soldiers never die, Volkov --!”

So disconcerting an action however, genuinely appears to be the only logical step the super-hero can take if he is going to save the entire planet from becoming completely possessed by a dark energy entity, with the build up to the First Avenger regretfully blasting a hole in his adversary’s head being extremely well-penned by this twenty-two page periodical’s partnership. Furthermore, even though the bewitched Soviet astronaut has horribly mutilated and murdered numerous hapless scientists and duty-bound socialist troopers, Steve Rogers repeatedly shows the colossal weight his deadly deed has brought to bear upon his conflicted scruples.

Equally as enthralling to this conundrum of the conscience though are the much more dynamic and action-packed exploits of Colonel Gridenko, who almost single-handedly battles a never-ending army of twisted metal monstrosities. Despite the Russian officer’s evident loyalty to the Kremlin, “the only soldier to escape Volkov’s quarantine alive” definitely provides this comic with some much-needed energy whenever the plot appears to be about to get bogged down in Captain American’s inner ethical dilemma. Indeed, quite possibly one of this book’s best moments comes towards its end, when the military man abruptly clocks his corrupt communist superior on the head with the butt of a welding laser, and seeks political asylum with the star spangled war veteran beside him.

Helping to keep ‘the fate of humanity hanging in the balance’ right up until this publication’s truly satisfying conclusion are the layouts of Agustin Alessio, which do a terrific job of mixing up the heightened drama of Roger’s aforementioned confrontation with the extra-terrestrial intelligence at the centre of the long abandoned Siberian facility, and Doctor Lauren Fox’s high octane exploits to destroy the wreckage of her D.E.U.S. Project.

Script: Andy Diggle & Eddie Robson, Illustration: Agustin Alessio, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

Blood Hunt: Red Band #3 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 3, August 2024

Disconcertingly containing barely a punch in anger, Jed MacKay’s dialogue-driven and somewhat sedentary storyline for Issue Three of “Blood Hunt” probably didn’t live up to the expectations of an audience whose desire to read more about Blade’s vampire uprising made the title the “top advance-reordered comic book” in early May 2024 (at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”). True, the twenty-one page periodical does contain a savage attack upon the Avengers by a brainwashed Miles Morales inside the supposedly safe Sanctum Sanctorum. But this ferocious ambush is quickly quelled once Clea Strange traps the fanged fiend within the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, and her deceased husband rids Spider-man of his devilish influence via the Eye of Agamotto.

Instead, the reader is subjected to several grand speeches throughout the Canadian writer’s script, with Sam Wilson’s twelve-panel tour-de-force as Captain America being the longest and most memorable of them. This repetitious rhetoric certainly has its place within the narrative, most notably poor Brielle Brooks’ reaction to discovering that her own father is at the heart of the planetary problem and discovering that Count Dracula plans for the young girl to assassinate her parent. However, to simply plonk one word-heavy discussion after another into a single edition completely saps any pace out of this publication’s plot, and quite literally leaves any bibliophile desperately wanting events to considerably move on just so both opposing forces can once again battle one another; “Do not presume to lecture me, Spider-Man, I will not let my one hope of victory just run away --”

Desperately trying to inject some energy into this lack-lustre lethargy is Pepe Larraz, who pencils some excellent shots of the chaos being caused by Blade's minions whilst Wilson waxes lyrical about the Avengers saying “No” to the vampires' demands. These pulse-pounding pictures cover a variety of locations, from Halifax and Manhattan through to the Sahara Desert and Mexico City, so resultantly do a good job of depicting the violence stretching right across the world. Yet, any momentum which they generate is then swiftly scotched by Carol Danvers spending what seems like an eternity singing Sam’s praises, and Eric Brooks unconvincingly having a major hissy fit because he feels the super-group should “lie down and die.”

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #3 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Captain America: Living Legend #3 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 3, January 2014

It probably came as no surprise to editor in chief Axel Alonso that this mini-series' audience only slightly fell to 23,537 readers in November 2013, at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”, as Andy Diggle and Eddie Robson’s script for Issue Three of “Captain America: Living Legend” surely provided its audience with an incredibly engrossing experience. Indeed, whilst the comic’s opening simply consists of a hapless bespectacled scientist talking to a seated Soviet cosmonaut, the gripping nature of the scene’s increasingly dramatic dialogue and spine-chilling atmosphere is extremely well-penned, and resolves itself in one of the most traumatic ways imaginable; “I don’t know how to make it stop. But perhaps… Please, I just need more time…”

Equally as enthralling though is the introduction of Colonel Gridenko, who somehow survived the extra-terrestrial based slaughter in Siberia during the early Seventies, and returns to the freezing cold wilderness for an ill-advised rematch. It’s quite clear that the veteran soldier fully understands his orders are little more than a death sentence for him and his troops. Yet somewhat honourably, if not stupidly, the military officer plans to follow them through as best he can - even if it means attempting to arrest the Sentinel of Liberty for “trespassing in a restricted military facility on Russian soil.”

The co-authors also appear perfectly able to provide Captain America with a somewhat disagreeable partner, in the guise of Doctor Fox, who despite repeatedly owing her life to the titular character, continues to question her protector’s patronisation. It’s highly probable that the clearly ‘out-of-her-depth’ astronaut means well. But when compared to even the politely spoken though deadly serious Gridenko, she appears particularly sharp-tongued, and even seems to chide Steve Rogers for throwing his shield at Layland’s mechanically-infused corpse when it results in the Avenger losing his weapon. 

Packing this twenty-two periodical with plenty of prodigiously-pencilled panels is Agustin Alessio, whose ability to turn even a semi-abandoned scientific research facility into a truly disturbing centre-piece of nail-biting terror without resorting to buckets of gore, speaks volumes. In addition, the physical merging of the alien intelligence with both the poor Soviet troopers and their vehicles is incredibly well envisaged, with Cap’s own disconcerting transformation at the book’s conclusion debatably being worth the publication’s cover price alone.

Script: Andy Diggle & Eddie Robson, Illustration: Agustin Alessio, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

Captain America: Living Legend #2 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 2, December 2013

Flitting between modern-day events in Siberia and a doomed Soviet space mission to the moon during March 1968, Andy Diggle’s narrative for Issue Two of “Captain America: Living Legend” surely kept the vast majority of its 25,546 readers utterly engrossed. True, the titular character never actually encounters any of the numerous Russian troops sent into the snow-covered secure zone to recover any remaining traces of the downed D.E.U.S. station. But the deeply dark atmosphere which almost relentlessly presses down upon every event within this twenty-two page periodical should have kept even the most causal of bibliophiles absolutely hooked on its Cold War-based contents.

Furthermore, Steve Rogers encounters far more than his fair share of sinister shenanigans in this comic, and whilst his meeting with the sole-surviving Doctor Fox in the middle of a desolate wintry wasteland undeniably proves to be incredibly convenient, there can be no doubt that the super-soldier still demonstrates all the fighting prowess and wisdom which has caused the character to become “the most popular and enduring of the many patriotic American superheroes created during World War Two"; “The fact is we’re hunted and alone in hostile territory and we need to move. Now.”

Indeed, one of this comic’s most interesting aspects is the strong contrast between the courageous Sentinel of Liberty and the far less likeable scientist he’s busy rescuing. Having already saved the disagreeable technologist from freezing to death just outside her escape pod, many in the audience will doubtless look very harshly upon Fox when she then chides the First Avenger for receiving the serum which gave him his powers, rather than it being used for various medical purposes, and dismissing the fact that Captain America’s creation during a global conflict saved numerous lives as just a pitiful excuse.

Also adding plenty of shadows to the dark recesses of this bitingly cold adventure is Agustin Alessio, whose pencilling really helps add plenty of atmosphere to the proceedings. Of particular note is the artist’s ability to suggest just how expansive and bleak the local landscape actually is, as well as imbue comrade Commander Volkov with all the extra-terrestrial menace expected of an astronaut who has become possessed by some diabolical alien killer virus.

Script: Andy Diggle, Illustration: Agustin Alessio, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

Captain America: Living Legend #1 - Marvel Comics

CAPTAIN AMERICA: LIVING LEGEND No. 1, December 2013

Initially pairing up the colourfully-costumed veteran of the Second World War with a group of fanatically-lead Soviet soldiers in the Bavarian Alps during the last days of the Third Reich, many readers of Andy Diggle’s script for Issue One of “Captain America: Living Legend” were probably a bit disappointed that the entire comic didn’t focus on the anxious troops' exploration of a secret German scientific bunker in the snow. Indeed, it’s difficult not to hear a palpable sigh of regret from this book’s 32,495 strong audience when Sergeant Volkov is treacherously shot in the chest by a supposedly surrendering Nazi, and the narrative suddenly leaps forward in time some decades later; “That incident was edited out of your official wartime record…”

Enjoyably though, all the barely contained distrust and politics which made the opening such a spell-binding and atmospheric experience does partially return at this twenty-two page periodical’s conclusion, courtesy of Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter witnessing “a top-secret orbital research station” crash-land in deepest, darkest modern-day Russian. This dialogue-driven sequence is admittedly rather simplistic in setting up the mini-series’ subsequent race against time between the United States’ super-hero and the U.S.S.R. But such a no-nonsense approach does mean that it’s pretty clear just what sort of dangers the Sentinel of Liberty is likely to be facing, and how incredibly high the stakes for success are going to be.

Unfortunately, what debatably does let this comic down is therefore it’s middle segment, which focuses upon the aforementioned space facility’s unwise attempt to tap “right into the Dark Energy Field” for limitless energy. Just how the D.E.U.S. reactor works, or what causes the catastrophic power spike isn’t explained, whilst artist Adi Granov’s disconcertingly sterile environment, all bright white and aqua blue, isn’t arguably all that convincing either – most notably his establishing shot of the station in low Earth orbit with a blurry (possibly photographic) background.

Of course, the same cannot be said of the Bosnian-American illustrator’s work at the start of this story, which immediately grabs any perusing bibliophile and conveys them straight back to 1945. There’s a genuine look of sadness in the dying Russian Captain’s eyes as he realises the futility of their mission, and then a final spark of anger when he realises the over-zealous Volkov sees his fatalism as weakness.

Script: Andy Diggle, Illustration: Adi Granov, and Lettering: VC's Joe Caramagna

Blood Hunt: Red Band #2 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 2, July 2024

Pitching the surviving Avengers alongside Count Dracula himself in a highly unlikely team-up against a planetwide invasion of vampires, Jed MacKay’s script for Issue Two of “Blood Hunt” certainly seems to strike a much brighter note as to the Earth’s future fate than this summer event’s deeply dark preceding instalment. In fact, the absolute beating the likes of Bloodstorm One and Megrim take at the hands of Captain Marvel, the Vision and Captain America probably caused the odd reader to leap to their feet in order to cheer the protagonists on; “Here’s our philosophy: We have a lot to avenge.”

Enjoyably however, this twenty-one page periodical’s plot doesn’t simply rely upon an insane action sequence packed full of face-pummelling fisticuffs to entertain either, as the Canadian author also pens some intriguing plot progressions into the comic too – most notably the fact that Doctor Strange is still alive as a wandering spirit despite being disembowelled by Blade. These ‘quieter’ moments are especially impressive as they both provide the writer with an opportunity to bring any bibliophiles unwilling or unable to peruse the almost overwhelming number of tie-in titles bang up to speed with the overarching narrative, as well as provide a modicum of spotlight upon some of the Marvel Universe’s lesser known characters, such as Hunter’s Moon and the Daywalker’s daughter, Brielle Brooks.

Of course, it’s the aforementioned rematch between the “broken” Earth’s mightiest heroes and the Bloodcoven which most Marvelites will probably enjoy though. Having previously defeated the “all-star” supergroup, the vampiric villains are quick to forget that they had a distinct advantage over their opponents in their first fight, courtesy of a thorough briefing and the element of surprise. This time round the creatures of the night have no such benefits, and resultantly their arrogance is quickly silenced by the Vision’s ability to harness the power of solar energy.

Equally as intrinsic to this mini-series’ storytelling as MacKay’s contribution are the lavish layouts provided throughout by Spanish illustrator Pepe Larraz and Mexican colorist Marte Gracia. Together, the two artists genuinely depict a visual feast for the eyes, with perhaps Carol Danver’s socking Vlad Dracula’s gigantic clone squarely on the jaw being this apocalyptic publication’s most noteworthy smackdown.

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #2 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Blood Hunt: Red Band #1 - Marvel Comics

BLOOD HUNT: RED BAND No. 1, July 2024

Touted by its New York City-based publisher as “the bloodiest Marvel event ever”, Jed MacKay’s storyline for Issue One of “Blood Hunt” definitely lives up to its promise of vampires slaughtering nearly everyone that they can get their sinisterly sharp claws on. Indeed, whilst many a bibliophile might feel the comic’s ‘explicit content’ sealed polythene bag and repeated ‘mature reader only’ warnings are rather gimmicky, this thirty-two page extravaganza soon causes its audience to be up to their necks in severed limbs, torn-off heads, spilling intestines and literal rivers of icky human ichor.

Furthermore, for those onlookers able to withstand such a stomach-churning assault upon their senses, the Canadian author arguably leaves the best until almost last, by pitching the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes against the “mysterious and deadly vampire faction” known as the Bloodcoven. This battle is as brutal as it is (perhaps somewhat) disappointingly one-sided, with the likes of Iron Man, Vision, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, Thor and Captain America all getting their proverbial clocks cleaned by a strike force specifically designed to exploit each hero’s unique set of vulnerabilities; “Or was a match, I guess. This isn’t conjecture. The Avengers are down.”

However, it isn’t arguably the notion that Stan Lee’s co-creations are soundly defeated which comes as such a surprise. But rather the truly gruesome manner in which it all occurs. Whether it be as a result of a thousand cuts, a crystalline shaft straight through the brain, or a hand tunnelling its way through the stomach, these close combat conclusions are shockingly savage, and jam-packed full of gore-drenched innards. In fact, it’s probably difficult for long-term Marvelites to recall so much physical mutilation being on show this side of a “MAX Comics” imprint – at least until the attention shifts to Doctor Stephen Strange’s horrific evisceration at the publication’s conclusion.

Also presumably being constantly peppered by MacKay to add extra buckets of blood into his prodigious pencilling is Pepe Larraz, who does a stellar job of depicting the sheer scale of the voracious blood-drinkers’ assault across the world. Of particular note is the Spanish artist’s design work on the super-vampires, with Jed himself going on record to state it was the illustrator “who really brought these characters to (un)life, creating an extremely gnarly set of predators!”

The regular cover art to "BLOOD HUNT" #1 by Pepe Larraz & Marte Gracia

Avengers: War Across Time #5 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 5, July 2023

Despite undeniably supplying this twenty-page periodical’s audience with an exhilarating “showdown in the future”, it is difficult to imagine that many of this comic’s older fans will be quite so filled with nostalgia as some were with the mini-series’ previous instalments. Indeed, some bibliophiles may well feel that Paul Levitz’s plot rather disappointingly runs out of steam halfway through the book and resultantly has to purely rely upon the prodigious pencilling of Alan Davis to help pad it out to the required length; “Focus -- I think to get out of this timestream, we have to stay together -- stay in touch with our own reality.”

To begin with however, the American author’s narrative proves pretty compelling with an over-confident Kang the Conqueror transporting “the original Avengers” to his formidable headquarters in the Thirty-First Century for a final reckoning. This confrontation smacks of the hubris which has helped make the obnoxious time-traveling entity the second-best Avengers villain of all time according to “Newsarama”, and initially appears to bode ill for the likes of Janet Van Dyne when she is forced to go one-on-one with the technologically advanced descendant of Reed Richards' father.

True, some readers might feel somewhat let-down by the supposedly genius-level intellect unexpectedly allowing Iron Man to suddenly fly off into his domain without giving a moment’s thought as to the damage Shell-head could (and ultimately does) cause to the “rare silicon isotopes” Kang uses to power his solar tower. But others will doubtless chalk up this massive oversight to the aforementioned arrogance which the former Pharaoh Rama-Tut displays throughout this tome. Furthermore, the future-based felon is already depicted as being on ‘the back foot’ by this point, having found himself on the wrong end of the Wasp’s sting.

Much more disappointing is arguably the subsequent sequence of panels showing this book’s titular characters falling through various multiverses. This series of sketches just goes on and on and on for a third of the publication, and even at the end never convincingly explains just how Captain America’s belief in knowing just “who I am” helps the Earth’s mightiest heroes escape “through the swirls of time!” In fact, the more cynical student of the Silver Age may well believe this stage of the story was solely an excuse for the comic’s British artist to once again demonstrate his penchant for reimagining many of Marvel Worldwide's more recognisable creations.

Writer: Paul Levitz, Artist: Alan Davis, and Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg

Avengers: War Across Time #4 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 4, June 2023

If Paul Levitz’s intention with his script for Issue Four of “Avengers: War Across Time” was to make the King of the Dwarfs one of the most hated opponents the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have ever faced, then he arguably succeeds. For whilst Sindri isn’t depicted as actually being evil, the self-righteous, holier than thou monarch is so sickeningly sanctimonious in his incorrect belief that he’s been terribly wronged by Thor, that it’s difficult to imagine any reader of this comic feeling anything but contempt for him, even after the Thunder God smacks Mjolnir’s thief into next Saturday.

Indeed, this entire twenty-page periodical’s plot seems entirely intent upon depicting Stan Lee’s co-creation from the Sixties as nothing more than a petty-minded ruler, who only thinks of manipulating the Lava Men into helping his planet-destroying revenge rather than searching for the actual truth behind his present predicament on Midgard. Sure, this book also portrays Kang the Conqueror as a leveller of civilisations and cold-hearted killer of his own subjects. But the time-travelling entity is in many ways simply a power-seeking super-villain who callously guns down one man for speaking to him with “impunity”. Whereas Sindri is willing to unjustly sentence an entire population to a "fiery doom" just because he mistakenly assumes Odinson has transported him from Nidavellir against his will.

Enjoyably, the American author also appears very good at showing his considerable cast of protagonists outthinking their foe as opposed to simply beating him around the head. This becomes particularly important once “the most powerful Avenger” departs before his vulnerable alter-ego is disastrously revealed, and the team must rely far more upon brains than brawn – most intriguingly Janet van Dyne’s; “Do you have some thermal-scanning doohickey in there? Follow the heat -- I’ll bet that leads us to Sindri and the hammer!”

Adding plenty pf “Thooom”, “Whoosh” and “Zzoooom” to this publication’s proceedings is Alan Davis, who provides all his well-drawn figures with plenty of dynamic life and beguiling emotion. In fact, alongside Thor’s evident concern at losing Mjolnir, the British artist also adds considerable weight to Giant-Man as Hank Pym visibly takes pride in both his lover’s intelligent reasoning, and then the Wasp’s physical help during their subsequent battle against an innumerable horde of relentless Lava Men.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #4 by Alan Davis & Carlos Lopez

Monica Rambeau: Photon #3 - Marvel Comics

MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON No. 3, April 2023

Leaping all over the place from Monica Rambeau’s supposed home with ‘husband’ Doctor Voodoo, through to the Sorcerer Supreme’s Sanctum Sanctorum and then on into deep space, Eve L. Ewing’s narrative for this comic probably infuriated its audience as much as the Avengers did Photon by wrongly insisting that the superheroine’s mother had died “a while ago now.” True, all this “topsy-turvy” nonsense is eventually revealed to be as a result of “the universe… folding in on itself.” But that arguably doesn’t explain what is actually happening to the former Captain Marvel, nor why her apparently deceased parent is able to simply call her up on the mobile phone; “Mama?! How totally not surprised I am to hear from you.”

Similarly as frustrating as the gobbledegook plot though, is the American author’s heavy reliance upon sheer blind luck helping the titular character find, and then later aid, a mysteriously 'invisible' race of green-skinned aliens who also just happen to be able to decipher the Stone of Hala. This incredible journey across the stars alone debatably contains more contrivances than most comic books contain, especially when it's made clear that the human mutate just happens to be the only person who can connect with the ancient relic’s energy signature in the first place. However, once Rambeau has arrived from her “self-discovery journey” the protagonist discovers that she is handily able to transform into yet another form of energy so her eyes can properly see all the “stellar nurseries full of embryonic stars” and spot the Guardian Hall of the Charos veiled “deep inside a forgotten corner of the cosmos.”

Such manufactured moments must surely have increasingly grated upon the audience’s nerves, and only get worse when it turns out that the one resident from amongst the “group of wanderers” who might help Monica is dying from a chest tumour. Once again Roger Stern’s co-creation just happens to be able to perform the necessary x-ray scan required to locate the life-threatening growth and replicate the low-level radiation therapy treatment necessary to immediately cure them. Indeed, literally within seconds of Photon blasting her terminally ill patient with her super-powers, artists Ivan Fiorelli & Luca Maresca are proficiently pencilling the diminutively sized extra-terrestrial miraculously back up on its feet ready to “refer to some notes from the Grandmothers” as to how the Stone of Hala works.

The regular cover art of "MONICA RAMBEAU" #3 by Lucas Werneck

Monica Rambeau: Photon #2 - Marvel Comics

MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON No. 2, March 2023

Despite Eve L. Ewing desperately attempting to tap into the success of the much-lauded Stern-Buscema-Palmer years on “The Avengers”, her script for Issue Two of “Monica Rambeau: Photon” most likely landed with a disappointing thud when it first hit the spinner-racks in January 2023. In fact, this twenty-page periodical’s “topsy-turvy” storyline is debatably so unfollowable as it sucks the audience “across the infinite cosmos into the wrong corner of fragmented space-time", that many a perusing bibliophile probably popped it straight back into its empty pocket once they realised that at best this book’s guest stars were just the creations of the ever obtrusive Beyonder.

Foremost of these frustrations is arguably the way in which the “associate professor” attempts to create an aura of mystery within this comic by simply not explaining why anything is happening, and randomly throwing the titular character into one bizarre situation after another. True, this technique does initially work when the former Captain Marvel attempts to stop a flaming meteor from exploding into New Orleans and strangely finds herself unable to detonate the deadly satellite with her formidable super-powers. However, by the time Photon is depicted inexplicably battling a giant-sized crocodile in the Bayous of Lousiana whilst the rest of the Earth’s mightiest heroes idly stand by watching from the deck of a land-stranded yacht, the audiences’ heads are probably spinning as badly as Rambeau’s purportedly is.

Indeed, so little of the plot actually makes sense by this stage, including the gobbledegook dialogue of an entirely reimagined Beyonder, that many a Marvelite doubtless needed a rest and moved on to something else before soldiering on through this comic’s final few scenes; “Imagine my surprise in discovering that the one with the great power was also one enshrouded in a tremendous yearning. A being at the nexus of cosmic ability and tumbling, cacophonous wants.”

Disappointingly, artists Ivan Fiorelli and Luca Maresca don’t seem able to do much with the narrative either, even though the pair do a reasonable job in replicating the look of the Avengers from the mid-Eighties. The illustrators’ doe-eyed, gossamer-wearing central antagonist is especially disconcerting, appearing far too cartoony amongst some of the more ‘realistic’ figures. Whilst Monica appears to wear nothing but a bedazzled, open mouthed expression across her face for the entirely of the book.

Writer: Eve L. Ewing, Artists: Ivan Fiorelli & Luca Maresca, and Color Artist: Carlos Lopez

Avengers: War Across Time #3 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 3, May 2023

Containing two pulse-pounding battles between this mini-series’ titular characters and the king of the dwarfs, as well as an intriguing look at the underground world of the Lava Men, it’s arguably easy to see just why this comic’s letters page is filled full of compliments congratulating Paul Levitz on capturing “the magic of the Silver Age.” Indeed, such is the sense of Sixties nostalgia generated by Issue Three of “Avengers: War Across Time”, that it’s quite clear the American author “learned much of my writing craft from The Avengers” and clearly wrote the storyline to “pay homage to my old friends Stan [Lee], Jack [Kirby] and Don [Heck].”

Quite possibly this comic’s biggest success though actually lies in the personality of the highly disagreeable and self-righteous Sindri, who despite all his claims of royalty is still perfectly happy to sink his teeth into Thor Odinson’s wrist when the diminutive miscreant wants to get his unworthy hands on Mjolnir. Astonishingly powerful, and clearly capable of causing the entire Earth to sink into “a fiery doom”, the Dwarf of Nidavellir grabs the attention in every panel in which he appears, even during the somewhat more dialogue-driven sequences whilst he energetically explores the caverns beneath New York City’s paved surface.

Furthermore, the former editor of “DC Comics” is able to remind this twenty-page-periodical’s audience that the true villain of the piece, Kang the Conqueror, is still very much a threat by occasionally visiting the time-obsessed tyrant in his future-housed headquarters. These brief interludes help establish just why Sindri’s accidental presence on the planet is so integral to the title’s overall plot, and actually helps keep the reader momentarily guessing as to just where the superheroes’ next threat will come from; “We barely stopped Kang’s robot Hulk -- Who knows what he’ll send to attack us next..?”

Helping smash the look and feel of Marvel Comics’ early era are Alan Davis’ layouts, which quite justifiably are acknowledged as calling back “to its roots in Kirby, Heck and [Dick] Ayers.” One particular success is debatably the initial battle between the God of Thunder and his lesser-sized adversary, with the British artist imbuing Thor’s opponent with all the feisty mannerisms of a scrapper who is facing a much more physically impressive antagonist.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #3 by Alan Davis

Avengers: War Across Time #2 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 2, April 2023

If capturing the almost adolescent simplicity of some of Stan Lee’s Silver Age storylines was Paul Levitz’s plan for Issue Two of "Avengers: War Across Time", then this twenty-page-periodical certainly does the job. But for those True Believers who like far fewer contrivances and (un)happy accidents in their comic books, such manufactured moments as the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes deciding to burgle the Baxter Building and an age-addled Postman accidentally activating Doctor Doom’s time machine might prove a bit too much; “Stark will have to square up with Richards for the damage. But I’m betting I can switch this off without our ripping it all apart.”

Happily however, any Marvelites willing to forgive such quibbles and simply enjoy the Eisner Hall of Famer’s channelling of the classic heroes’ adventures, should arguably still find that there’s plenty of sense-shattering shenanigans to enjoy once Willie Lumpkin has inadvertently teleported an irate Sindri into the heart of New York City. Indeed, the subsequent battle between the likes of Iron Man, Thor and Captain America against the angry king of the Dwarves of Nidavellir proves tremendously intriguing, especially as the diminutive forger of Mjolnir is able to resculpt Tony Stark’s armour like it was clay with the simple touch of his hand.

Furthermore, there’s plenty of pulse-pounding proceedings to be found beforehand following Shell-head’s ill-advised decision to pick the lock of the Fantastic Four’s residence and enter the skyscraper’s lift. The Golden Avenger demonstrates all the holier-than thou arrogance his character has become famous for, so many a reader will doubtless enjoy his discomfort at being manhandled by Reed Richard’s steel security tentacles and inability to manipulate Victor Von Doom’s machinery – at least without revealing his (then) secret identity to his team-mates.

Definitely helping the Avengers “break the barriers between worlds” are Alan Davis’ layouts, which seem to capture all the nuances of this narrative’s earlier era when the Wasp was wearing one of her more wildly wonderful costumes, and you could still see the rivets running around Iron Man’s face-plate. In addition, the “legendary X-artist” does an excellent job of imbuing Sindri with all the formidable physical power and fighting prowess a bibliophile might expect from an adversary who “once sent Thor as a prisoner to the Rock Trolls to be their slave.”

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #2 by Alan Davis

Avengers: War Across Time #1 - Marvel Comics

AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME No. 1, March 2023

Essentially consisting of a forty-page long punch-up between “the classic Avengers” and the incredible Hulk, there’s surely plenty for fans of pulse-pounding pugilism to enjoy with Paul Levitz’s “Marvel debut”. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a connoisseur of the Silver Age of Comics being able to resist this super-sized publication once they’ve seen Alan Davis’ sensational opening splash page depicting Thor, Captain America, Giant-Man and the Wasp falling to the ground through a wind vortex; “The rage of the storm is mine to command. A power beyond your mortal reckoning.”

Furthermore, the “Eisner Hall of Famer” still manages to enjoyably imbue each of this comic’s considerable cast with a little bit of personality in between them trading blows with Bruce Banner’s alter-ego, even when some of that spotlight does focus upon Janet van Dyne’s disconcerting crush upon “the Norse god of good looks!” Such moments really help break-up an otherwise potentially monotonous carousel of veiled threats and punches, whilst also helping establish the legitimate aura surrounding Steve Roger’s World War Two heroics and the super-team’s genuine concern for those innocent lives around them as they try to minimise any collateral damage caused by their actions.

Of course, this book’s biggest hook is witnessing the world’s mightiest heroes stoically strike against a creature who simply gets stronger the angrier he gets. This epic confrontation is quite nicely lengthened by fate compelling each Avenger to face-off against the Hulk single-handedly, and as a result there are some interesting duels involving Captain America, Thor, Giant-Man and an ultra-brave Wasp. In fact, one of this publication’s finest moments is debatably when Iron Man dons his infamous roller skates to repeatedly outfox an increasingly irate “Green Goliath” on a deserted public ice rink.

Issue One of “Avengers: War Across Time” also owes a lot of its success to its acclaimed British-born artist, whose prodigiously pencilled panels capture all the sense-shattering shenanigans this mini-series’ audience would expect from a comic attempting to capture the look and feel of the Sixties. Davis definitely attains some impressive images whilst drawing the various combatants slugging away at one another. But impressively, his layouts also contain a couple of notable nods to some of the other inhabitants of New York City, such as Betty Brant and Aunt May.

The regular cover art of "AVENGERS: WAR ACROSS TIME" #1 by Alan Davis

Shang-Chi [2021] #6 - Marvel Comics

SHANG-CHI No. 6, January 2022

As finale’s go, Gene Luen Yang arguably still leaves a lot ‘hanging in the air’ with his final instalment to “Shang-Chi Verses The Marvel Universe”. But whilst a truly despisable Tony Stark and Reed Richards disconcertingly depart the Master of Kung Fu’s partially destroyed headquarters still arrogantly believing that they were right to attack their former friend because of an evidently ill-placed hunch, the California-born writer’s storyline still provides its audience with plenty of high-octane, action-packed entertainment.

Foremost of this twenty-one page periodical’s hooks has to be the titanic tussle between Commander Hand and the mighty Thor, which momentarily threatens to level the entire House of the Deadly Sabre with the truly phenomenal forces on display. Admittedly, it soon becomes apparent that Shang-Chi isn’t actually fighting with “the power of Takemikazuchi, the God of Blades and Thunder”, but rather a disguised Cosmic Cube. However, such a deception at least momentarily manages to wipe the infuriatingly smug smile off of Odinson’s face, when he’s shockingly cut on the cheek by the seemingly rapier-sharp magical sword, and resultantly realises he might not actually be as undefeatable as his overconfident team-mates all believe.

Likewise, the elite martial artist’s ability to persistently hold off the best efforts of Iron Man are incredibly satisfying. The American author really does a first-rate job of penning the Golden Avenger as an incredibly dislikeable bully, whose contemptible self-importance supposedly fully justifies him being able to threaten a group of non-super-powered onlookers with death and destruction. So when the titular character stoically holds his own against Stark’s ‘trump card’, it’s not hard to imagine many within this publication’s audience cheering aloud at the billionaire industrialist's obvious discomfort; “Shang-Chi’s holding his own!”

Injecting this comic with all the sense-shattering sketches needed to make such a frenzied fracas followable is Dike Ruan and colorist Triona Farrell. The Chinese artist does a fantastic job of imbuing the Master of Kung Fu with all the blinding speed a reader might expect from a close combat expert occasionally referred to as “the Chi-Meister”, and later does an equally fine job in depicting all the electrical energy resonating from the mortal being’s intense battle against the living God of Thunder.

The regular cover art of "SHANG-CHI" #6 by Leinil Frances Yu & Sunny Gho

Shang-Chi [2021] #2 - Marvel Comics

SHANG-CHI No. 2, August 2021

Offering a thoroughly different perspective on this ongoing series’ titular character as he sets about changing his father’s cult-like organisation’s evil ways, Gene Luen Yang’s narrative for this second instalment to “Shang-Chi Verses The Marvel Universe” surely must have enthralled its audience with a great mixture of tongue-in-cheek humour, some serious super-hero antics and a disconcertingly dangerous sub-plot full of treacherous intrigue. In fact, possibly this twenty-page periodical’s sole disappointment is that Captain America doesn’t make his highly-publicised entrance at the Iron Eighty-Eight’s auction for a Cosmic Cube until the comic is already half-way over; “You called Cap here, didn’t you?! I knew you couldn’t be trusted!”

Minor quibble aside however, this book is debatably packed full of highlights, with the opening uncomfortableness of A.I.M., HYDRA, The Hand, the Inner Demons and The Five Weapons Society trying to be politely civilised with one another at the private sale being just the first. Shang-Chi’s lack of social etiquette whilst in the company of his former foes, such as when he almost drinks the poisoned complimentary champagne being offered, genuinely provides a few chuckles. Albeit not to the extent of M.O.D.O.K.’s major hissy fit with a fellow bidder who tries to high five the “mutagenic medical experimentation” and abruptly has his left arm blasted right off for the implied insult.

Steve Rogers’ aforementioned arrival also certainly produces the goods as he initially appears to be opposing the Supreme Commander’s central aim and momentarily has to take on the entire auction house’s occupants with his famous shield-arm. Perhaps somewhat unsurprisingly, this precarious predicament is actually a ruse, so as to allow the Sentinel of Liberty to supposedly take the Cube into custody “for the sake of the Greater Good!” But that still doesn’t stop artist Dike Rulan from pencilling some pulse-pounding scenes of Lady Iron Fan taking on both the First Avenger and the Master of Kung Fu in a scintillating fight scene.

Lastly, this publication finishes upon a serious note as to the loyalty of Brother Sabre. It is clear straight from this book’s beginning that the bearded Takeshi has some very strong feelings for their shade-wearing female host, especially when it is revealed he has fussing over a necklace she gave him. Yet even so, the highly trained assassin’s decision to use the “wish-granting” power of the Cosmic Cube to fool Captain America into letting his beloved leader of the Iron Eighty-Eights escape is significantly unsettling.

The regular cover art of "SHANG-CHI" #2 by Leinil Frances Yu & Sunny Gho

What If? Civil War #1 - Marvel Comics

WHAT IF? CIVIL WAR No. 1, February 2008

Utilising a brief tale by Ed Brubaker entitled "The Stranger" as “a framing device around which the other two stories revolve”, Issue One of “What If? Civil War” probably helped the vast amount of its 58,909 readers in December 2007 appreciate just how wrong Tony Stark was to persecute his fellow heroes for not voluntarily submitting to the Superhuman Registration Act, as well as just how highly (and wrongly) Steve Rogers thought of his long-time friend before their differences arose. Indeed, Christos Gage’s plot for “What If Iron Man Lost The Civil War” lays the entire blame of the “Marvel Comics Event In Seven Parts” squarely upon Iron Man’s armoured shoulders for blatantly lying to the Sentinel of Liberty regarding his “plans for my twenty-first century overhaul.”

Admittedly, this particular eighteen-page epic undoubtedly lacks a lot of the emotional response Mark Millar’s mini-series generated, courtesy of a sugary-sweet plot which sees Cap team-up with an “honest” Shellhead so as to overcome a homicidal Thor cybernetic clone. But what it does provide is perhaps the only sensible solution to the super-powered pairs’ dilemma of just one government or person ultimately being responsible for both the training and secret identities of every costumed crime-fighter in the United States; “It’s not enough to be against something. You have to be for something better.”

Slightly more action-packed is “What If Captain America Led All The Heroes Against Registration?” by Kevin Grevioux, which manages to recreate much of the anger and resentment generated by the original 2006 crossover storyline. With Stark already dead following an Extremis injection, this marvellous reimagining unashamedly pits Steve Rogers and most of the Marvel Universe directly against the Senate and S.H.I.E.L.D. in a battle which somewhat resembles that seen in the “X-Men” comic book narrative "Days of Future Past".

Crammed full of pulse-pounding punch-ups against the impassive Sentinels, and the death of the spectacular Spider-Man, this dynamically pencilled fight-fest sets up Henry Gyrich and Maria Hill as two of the most despicably treacherous characters to inhabit a publication, with the deputy director’s cold-blooded murder of Jim Rhodes and subsequent framing of a dead Captain America proving particularly unforgivable. Indeed, such is the utter loathing engendered by Gyrich in his journey to become President and the despicable Hill’s ambition to be carried along on his coat-tails, that in many ways it is a shame this well-penned conspiracy from an alternative universe wasn’t awarded a limited series or ongoing title of its own.

Written by: Ed Brubaker, Kevin Grevioux & Christos Gage, and Art by: Marko Djurdjevic, Gustavo and Harvey Tolibao

Civil War #7 - Marvel Comics

CIVIL WAR No. 7, January 2007

Having read Mark Millar’s narrative for Issue Seven of “Civil War” it is arguably easy to see just why this comic book mini-series “polarized critics but… was a commercial success.” For whilst some within this publication’s 265,886-strong audience were undoubtedly rooting for Tony Stark’s mishmash of government sanctioned superheroes and supposedly reformed members of the Masters of Evil, those applauding Captain America’s defiance of the Superhuman Registration Act were probably left utterly disillusioned as to just what the Sentinel of Liberty was trying to achieve with his defiance.

True, Steve Rogers’ apparent obsession to knock the seven bells out of his armoured former friend for imprisoning so many of their team-mates inside the Negative Zone does cause the First Avenger to inadvertently wage an incredibly destructive war upon the very civilian population which he thought he was protecting. Yet, it’s difficult to imagine being bundled to the ground by a handful of emergency service operatives would shake the World War Two veteran so badly that he’d instantly remove his famous winged cowl and allow the authorities to place him in handcuffs; “Oh my god. They’re right. We’re not fighting for the people anymore, Falcon… Look at us. We’re just fighting.”

Similarly as disconcerting is this twenty-eight page periodical’s aftermath, which somehow tries to sweep all the damage and death caused by the Pro-Registration faction’s determination to incarcerate anyone who disagreed with their viewpoint, right under the rug simply because the likes of Mister Fantastic “cried for a full ninety-three minutes” upon seeing his estranged wife using her invisible powers to help with the clean-up. Reed Richards was so convinced that he was 'fighting the good fight' that he became partially responsible for the cold-blooded murder of Bill Foster. However, rather than be held accountable for such dishonourable actions, his experiments “on the whole” are apparently deemed “an enormous success” and Sue incredibly returns to her husband's side within the space of just a fortnight.

Tony Stark too seems to suffer no ill-consequences for his disappointingly dark actions, and is actually rewarded by the President of the United States with the directorship of S.H.I.E.L.D. Such pay-offs for unforgivably allying themselves with the likes of Radioactive Man, Venom and a seriously-deranged Thor clone really are quite baffling, and although the so-called “radicalised” likes of Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Power Man form an Underground Movement to continue their opposition, Millar’s extreme lack of consequences for so many of this event’s main players probably left something of a bad taste in many bibliophiles’ mouths.

Writer: Mark Millar, Penciler: Steve McNiven, and Inker: Dexter Vines