Last Week in Comics

Hawkeye #1
Story by Matt Fraction with art by David Aja

Hawkeye’s new ongoing series deals with what he does outside of the Avengers, so as he falls out of a building, he thinks about the powers the others have that he doesn’t as he crashes into a car from above. He breaks several bones and it takes weeks for him to leave the hospital. I don’t sense any bitterness in the tone of the comic, just matter of fact that this is how things are; acceptance. The story switches between a rainy scene at an animal hospital as the doctors try to save a dog Clint has brought in and him dealing with his landlord, Ivan, who has decided to triple everyone’s rent. Clint struggles to comfort his neighbors, many of whom will be unable to pay the new rent amount and sets out to speak with Ivan.

He tracks down Ivan’s undergound “casino” (really a basement where he plays cards) and dumps a bag full of cash to pay everyone’s rent, but Ivan declines saying that perhaps he wanted an empty building. Clint has been shuffling cards, methodically, carefully, this entire time and as Ivan turns him down for the last time and threatens him, Clint makes his move. It’s not quite poetry in motion, but reading Clint’s thoughts as he hits his targets (or misses) are amusing. Ivan and his little group chase Clint outside and the dog he previously fed pizza to, attacks one of the henchmen who kicks it and throws it into oncoming traffic. Clint goes back to rescue the dog, using a simple toss of the coin to avoid much of the damage that would be dealt. The comic ends with Clint talking to Ivan, revealing that he is a member of the Avengesr. My favorite line has to do with Captain America and the ending is a sweet touch. I looove Aja’s art as you can tell right away that he’s foreign just by the brushes of his pencil. The art is exotic and simple and compliments the story well. Can’t wait for issue #2.

Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe #1
Story by Cullen Bunn with art by Dalibor Talajic

A very theatrical Watcher opens this comic for us, speaking of the end of a world filled with pain. This is an anthologyof mini-stories of sorts where Deadpool gets the last laugh so to speak, with different scenarios on different earths. I wish there was more to say about this comic, but it was terrible. The writing was off, Deadpool’s signature sense of humor was missing, and the art was paltry. There are better Deadpool tales to begin and a hard to follow first issue is the way to begin a new tale. Pass on this completely.

I honestly don’t have anything else to say.

The First X-Men #1
Story by Neal Adams and art by Christos Gage

Artist Neal Adam needs to stick with art.

This is a clumsy attempt at rebooting the first X-Men, but with lackluster results. Wolverine is the feral creature we all know and love, but with FEELINGS. Gag me. I feel much like Sabretooth does and want to gut this mewling quim the moment he speaks. The writing for this issue is so slow and drags with each panel. Poor Gage can only do so much with what he’s given; at least his art is gorgeous as usual. Anyway, this first issue deals with Wolvie tracking down the son of a friend who’s gone missing and his friend seems to think it’s mutie related. He does track him down, but the kid blows up and is quickly carted off by men in black.

Wolverine notes how quickly everything was wrapped up and summons his bro, Sabretooth, pleading for his help to find out who the MIB’s are. Sabretooth tries to slap some fucking sense into Wolvie (they’re fuckin’ mercenaries, not babysitters!!), but off they go. They tear up the lab they find and discover the corpse of the kid with numerous tubes inside him. They’re both disgusted to see all the testing being done and resume tearing apart the lab like animals. Long story short, they take the kid, who is now alive, and has spikes to the young-ish Professor Xavier where the comic ends.

I would pass on this issue.