Sucks to be a N00b: Marvel Floppies pt 3

Was there every a time when Marvel books weren’t at the top of my weekly to-read stack? I can’t seem to remember that dark, almost 20 year chunk of my life before All-New X-Men was a thing, if it indeed even occurred. In other words,  my decent into the Marvel Universe is going simply swimmingly. I finally read all of AvX and got caught up with All-New, a book so fecking awesomely produced by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen that its existence has tamed the hearts of many perpetually angry comic book men I’ve spoken with to the point where they almost don’t chew off my head for being staunchly team-Scott. Almost. And Thor, such Thor must never have existed in Midgard or any gard before Marvel Now and, if it has, then I’ve been seriously wasting my life by not stalking 50 years of the Thunder God’s adventures.

In fact, between Marvel Now, Saga, and Death of the Family, I’m in comic heaven. Nerd whining simply bounces off my force shield which is powerfully constructed of panels and panels of good stories and art that have been hitting it out of the atmosphere each month. I give no shits. None. It’s a good time to be a comic fan and everything is good, happy, and shiny….

But now that my blissful delirium is dimming (and if you stuck with me to the end of the nauseatingly gushing praise), let’s get to the truth: there’s always a few sour apples that ruin everyone’s picnic and if you keep them around, you’re just going to have a bad time. For the sake of good times rolling everywhere, I present the n00b-suckage of this week:

In which Deadrabbit drops her first few Marvel Titles:

I reviewed Iron Man #1 way back when, and was not really pleased with it. The art was plastic-y and strangely colored and while the story started out okay, I didn’t find myself caring all that much for beginning of a new adventure for Tony. Apparently, that apathy took much stronger root than I had thought because, while I picked up the title for its second issue, I can honestly recall nothing about it. Since I’m a very habitual person, I picked up #3 as well but never bothered to read it. All these post-script reflections add up to money spent on something I’m apparently not enjoying. Fuck them biscuits. Iron Man: Dropped.

Also on the chopping block this week was Cable and X-Force. This book walked around the store with me yesterday and even made it to the cash register queue before I put it back with a huff. It’s not that it’s a bad title, because it’s really not. I liked the art, I like the team, and the story, based on the first two issues, is going no place unreadable. However, it did highlight for me big difference between picking up DC titles as opposed to Marvel. Monthly, the only books that run me $3.99 are Detective Comics and Batman, the first at which I think I may have passively dropped and the second which can go right ahead and shut up and take my money. In comparison, my Marvel titles are some bougie-ass publications. It’s only an extra buck, but I’m not sure why X-Force has earned that. Sorry, Cable, but I’m just not about that life right now.

*wanted: but only at a reduced price

Dropped.

In which Deadrabbit quickly reviews some Marvel:

Thor God of Thunder

It’s fucking fantastic. I’m just going to be so sad when this arc is over in two months, plus the artist, Esad Ribic, just sounds like he could be mad Norse. Buy it.

All-New X-Men

Original team is brought to the present to slap some sense into Scott Summers (not that I think he needs it, but whatever)? Magic. Who knew Marvel could deliver a new spin on time travel that feels fresh? Even more interesting, though, is how the book has managed to shatter panel arrangement conventions (not that it’s the first comic to do this, but it’s still fun). This title gives me faith that there will always be new stories to tell for the X-Men as well as new ways to tell them, and that’s no small gift.

Avenger’s Arena

Whether an homage or rip-off of Battle Royale/Hunger Games, this book has proved to only be so/so. In true hero fashion, most participants don’t seem to really be in to killing each other which is a tad dull. I will say that the covers, first Battle Royal-inspired and the second classic Lord of the Flies, have been grabbing, but only in the way you pick up some shitty magazine when standing in line in the supermarket. My real motivations for picking up the book, Runaways representatives Nico and Chase, have yet to be prominently featured in the title, so yes I’ll be picking it up until that happens and then torching every issue if one of them dies. Issues #1-3 have  each followed one of the players and given some background that I didn’t much care about. Next issue, however, promises to be Dark Hawk vs X-23, which sounds promising and I’m looking forward to it.

Next book Inspired Cover: Rugrats X First Blood?

Morbius: The Living Vampire

This is a to-read. I bought it and will get around to it at some point, but I heard it was good. At the very least, at $2.99, Morbius knows his place and I respect that.

Kaitlyn
Staff- Writer
@deadrabbit92all