#402: Fantastic Four: The New Fantastic Four

This is either a late post or an early one depending which week I feel it relates to (and whether I have anything more to talk about in the rest of this week). Regardless of which though, the reason for it being between the two is the same.

I've been having a bit of a bad time of it since the last time I posted anything. A combination of work and home life ended up knocking for six a little bit and, as a result I reached a point where I had completely lost the enthusiasm to read comics. This was evidenced by my attempting to read two Green Arrow omnibus' but finding myself giving up after barely an issue raised.

Fortunately, Matt Garvey seemingly came to my rescue when he suggested that instead of trying to read something new, I simply go back and read something I knew I would enjoy. Luckily (for me), I just happened to have a trade on my Comixology account which I already owned a print copy of (well the single issues) and so I had been putting off while I focus my attention elsewhere.

The New Fantastic Four (as the subtitle states) is the trade containing the middle six issues of Dwayne McDuffie and Paul Pelletier's (in my opinion) awesomely short run on the comic series, containing issues 544 to 550. Taking place just after Civil War (thus receiving the 'Initiative' banner), the series sees Black Panther and Storm join the team while Reed and Sue take a second honeymoon to work on their marriage. However, it is far from a quiet time as the team end up squaring off against two heralds of Galactus while searching for a lost hero and then coming into contact with the Frightful Four while attempting to save a civilisation from Invasion.

After reading this, I must confess, I'm kicking myself for forgetting how great this run was. I really liked Dwayne McDuffie's middle arc on this series (because he took over at the tail end of Civil War) as it just felt like a story full of uncomplicated, fun escapades in the far reaches of the universe from the eyes of a dysfunctional family. So, basically, everything I think best exemplifies the Fantastic Four (and the parts I certainly enjoy).

Of course, it isn't exactly like the FF stories of old as the Black Panther and Storm (back when they were married) tag in to make up the numbers with Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman's temporary exit. However, I really thought that these new members really worked well at filling in the gaps on the roster and even offering us something fresh. The Panther in particular was a character I really loved here as he is written as a more direct and forward thinking tactician than Reed while also his fun dynamic with his wife seems to make him much more likeable. It now seems a shame that McDuffie never had a chance to write him in his own title (unless there are issues somewhere that I don't know about).

Now, I make it sound like this book was elevated by the inclusion of Black Panther and Storm and, while they are great additions, this is further from the truth. Much like the King and Queen of Wakanda, I thought that Mr and Mrs Fantastic were also really well depicted, with Reed coming across exactly as I always think of him. However, I found that I really enjoyed the depiction of The Invisible Woman. This is because she seems to go through a bit of an arc. Starting in her stereotypical wife bit as Reed goes about sciencing and becoming the damsel in distress as seen in her early appearances. However, I really thought the arc was almost representative of her overall story as her later scenes with the Frightful made her seem very strong and empowered (and maybe a little malicious).

Unfortunately, I didn't think the last two members of the Four got as good a deal as Johnny seemed to get sidelined and feels like he has nothing to do (barring a recap of the connecting BP story). Meanwhile, though Ben has a little more to do, he feels more like the comic relief, although maybe to a more subtle degree. That said, the Thing and the Human Torch's push to the back was made up by the other four's focus, as well as the appearances of the Silver Surfer (depicted as Post-Annihilation), who felt very on point with my Silver Surfer: Requiem barometer of the character, and ever-fun Frightful Four (I'm a big fan of this team).

Otherwise, there were some other moments in this trade that I enjoyed. This included some of the gags like the using of the Frogs and Storm's hair, which I loved as funny little throwaway gags. Then there was the connection to the Black Panther series proper where Johnny discusses those events with one of the Dora Milaje. Now, even though it is just telling a story, I thought it was a nice way to show the larger universe, especially between two series that are not written by the same writer. Finally, there was the appearance of Hank Pym, which felt like a degree of foreshadowing for Secret Invasion as his dialogue implied a lack of information that the character proper would surely know (at least that's how I read it).

Then there is the art and, much like the book in general, reading this reminds me of how much I love Paul Pelletier's art. It always makes me think of that late 90's house style as well as Wiernigo's work on the book prior to this. In truth this is the reason Paul Pelletier is always a draw for me whenever I see his name on any book because, quite frankly I think is work is gorgeously vibrant. I think this is no better exemplified than with the invisible woman's fight with the Frightful Four which was equal parts brutal and gorgeous. There is also the Covers for this entire arc by (I believe, based on the tag in the images) Michael Turner, which all look fantastic (pardon the pun)!!

By the end I realised that while I've always respected Matt's opinion on things, with this suggestion he most definitely hit the nail on the head. The New Fantastic Four was a fun, colourful and excitingly charming use of my time and while it hasn't refilled the tank in terms of getting my mojo back, has certainly given me enough juice to have me wanting to get going again.

In fact, it makes me VERY tempted to re-read the Beginning of the End, the story which takes place directly after this one.

#401: My thoughts on Comics piracy.

This is something I've been thinking about all week and, in honesty, I should really just walk on by, like I'm rubbernecking a traffic accident on the motorway before going about my day.

However, I'm not actually that smart.

So, during the last week, I saw some tweets posted by David Pepose (the writer of Spencer and Locke, Going to the Chapel, the O.Z. and Scout's Honor) talk about piracy in comics. This tweet was met with responses that ranged from support but mostly 'disagreement' (and I use that word mildly) with the whole 'piracy is wrong' stance.

Anyway, the conversation has mostly faded away by now (well, until next time) but it continues to prey on my mind and I guess I just wanted to get my two cents out of my head for no other reason than to move on.

So I'm going to cut to the chase: piracy is wrong. Not 'wrong unless you can't afford it', just wrong.

I've been reading comics for nearly 20 years as I write this and it's taken me a long time to get to the understanding of the medium to I now possess. However, what I do know is that these are visual stories created by people, people who are attempting to make a living (which isn't exactly easy in comics to begin with).

Therefore, why would anyone think it's right to effectively steal what someone creates? It would be like stealing the car you rebuilt, squatting in the house you renovated or kidnapping the child you sired.

Also, it isn't like you can't get comics for pretty cheap anyway. Comixology and Marvel have their respective unlimited platforms where you can read as much as you like for a flat rate. Then there is 'the Netflix of Comics' Comichaus and other similar services which offer plenty of independent and small press comics for their own monthly subscription.

And in case that wasn't enough, Comixology often have sales going, including 90% off deals on occasion where you a 12 issue deluxe trade for £1.59.

But even then, there are still hundreds of quality webcomics which ask nothing for you to read them.

Now, I can't lie, i feel like a bit of a hypocrite when I say all of this. As a comic reviewer for Pipedream Comics, I'm blessed with the opportunity to read the equivalent of hundreds of comics for free anyway. That said, i guess there is some cost to it as I am expected to write about these comics and my thoughts on them. That said, the very fact that I get to read then without costing me anything does feel a bit two faced.

That said, I learned a thing from Tony Ezmond from the Awesome Comics Podcast, who once said that, as a way he could give back for all the free comics he got to review, he would always go and actively buy the comics he reviewed which he really liked. This is certainly something I've tried to copy as there are so many comics that I've really loved after reviewing them and, I've worked hard to make my feelings known with my wallet. Alex + Ada, Copperhead, Chunks, Black Magick, Future, Porcelain, Breaks and Future are all (to name a few) comics which I've bought either digitally or in print after reading their review copy because I enjoyed them so much that I felt the creators deserved the money they should have gotten from me in the first place.

Sadly, this isn't a perfect system as it leaves a lot of comics which didn't do it for me out in the cold. It's also difficult because I don't have the money to buy every great comic I read, but they go on my wish list so that one day I finally can.

However, because I don't have the money to read everything, it means I miss out on a lot as well. Tom King's run on Batman? Never read it. Zdarsky's Daredevil? Currently out of my reach. I can't afford them at present and so, for the moment, I cannot read them. To think that just because I can't afford them, what right do I think I have to just take them from some site which doesn't help these creators put food on the table.

I remember hearing about Crowded by Christopher Sebula, which was cancelled after 12 issues because of the lack of sales. However, it turned out to be a highly pirated book and upon its cancellation I heard stories that those who had pirated were asking why such a great series had been cancelled.

Of course, as I write this I know that it is madness because doubtful things will change. This is like using a bucket to turn away a tsunami. The sites will always be there and as long as people think they deserve to read this stuff for free then they will still use them.

That said, I guess the point of me writing this, whether rightly or wrongly, is to remind myself that for me, this method of reading comics just isn't an option.

#400: Resonant #6 - 10

So, we're finally here!! After nine and a half years, I finally reached my 400th blog post. As it reached a bit of a milestone, I thought that maybe I'd start placing a number in the title, just to help me find old posts in the future.

I'll have to be honest, I didn't actually think ì would have anything to write about this week. As was laid put at the end of last week's post, my plan for this week was to focus on a quantitatively BIG review, the fruits of which probably wouldn't have been seen until next week.

However, very little ever goes according to plan in life and, for me, that turned out to be a huge benefit not only for having something to write about but also being able to finish one of my favourite series in recent years with the release of its 10th and final issue.

Resonant #6 - 10 picks up from where the first volume left of, as Paxton and his allies attempt to escape their island based servitude and return to his children, Bec, Ty and Stef find themselves under siege from the church of Maw and must make a stand in order to protect their home until their father's return.

Now I went into these issues with a great deal of enthusiasm and maybe a mild touch of trepidation: I truly loved the first arc and had been eager and anticipating. However, could David Andry, Skylar Patridge, Jason Wordie and Deron Bennett really stick the landing for a comic which had, to me, been so good?

Thankfully, I found the answer to this being 'yes'. I absolutely loved all five issues of Resonant's second half. I found a truly gripping read and ended up burning through at a rate of knots, so eager was I to know what happened next (to the point that I even after going to bed I got back up to read the final issue, such was its pull on me).

I felt that David Andry wrote yet another fantastic arc, one where the focus was less on the waves which had damaged this world and more on the people let behind in it. As Paxton continued his journey back to his kids and those kids continue their mission to survive for his return, it really felt like their was a concerted effort to show us what kind of people could properly survive in this world. I found it curious how everyone we met who could survive the waves were almost sociopathic in their actions, refusing to conform to societal norms. This left me with a theory that maybe the waves were a natural evolution by the planet to handle a growing sense of repression in society whereby people's frustrations with life were too locked up due to how they were expected to act. Therefore, their combined vibe somehow triggered the world to produce an effort to release this tension.

But that's just my theory of course (if it actually makes sense).

Anyway, I loved the characters even more in this volume than the last as so many more of them came into their own. Paxton continued to be a great character and a real bad ass a couple of times over (I'm intrigued about how he learned these particular set of skills) but then many of the other leads stepped up to show chops comparable to him. Both Bec and Ty really came into their own here as both showed that they were more than capable of holding their own in this big, bad world. Meanwhile, Claire became a more intriguing character as her journey took an unexpected detour. I truly thought that this story and the characters within were so complex that I was nothing if not compelled to stay with them until the end in a single night.

Meanwhile I thought Skylar Patridge's art is breathtakingly gorgeous through these issues, as she takes over from Alejandro Aragon without missing a beat. There is something different about her style but I can't put my finger what and even if I could I wouldn't mark as better or worse than what came before. As I think about it, the only thing I can hazard a guess about is that her lines are smoother and Devon Wordie's colours are more grounded, giving the visuals a distinct comparison than with fights or other events of intense emotion which, like the wave scenes, are a lot more erratic in look and colour. However, when all is said and done, it's so subtle a difference with the prior work and still makes this series look insanely beautiful.

Of course, I do have a lot of questions about this world that I'd still love to have answers to. How did the church of Maw come to be, what is the purpose of the 'other' people of the spiral, what becomes of Honcho, how are the congregation seemingly immune? I do feel as if this series could go on and on answering my questions about its wider world.

That said, I tell myself that this series is not about the world but about the Lake family (the name of which is only discovered late in the day and that story is over. Of course, just because one story ends doesn't mean that another set within this world cannot come about.

For now though, while it pains me to say it, Resonant is over but 'wow', what an ending!! If this series does or doesn't continue, I think it has definitely earned its place as a comic that i would recommend people to read.

Hopefully though, we'll see more of Paxton, the kids and this world one day, which that last panel certainly gave me the impression might happen ... one day.

Oh, and before I forget ...

I didn't get any reviews completed as the 'big one' was still being read through (when I said 'big one' I certainly meant it in a quantity sense). However, I did manage to squirrel away 15 minutes to get through Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #3.

Again, I found this to be a good read. Quieter than the prior issues I thought but that's always the downside of these penultimate instalments (in my opinion) as they are there to set up the finale. That said it was a fine read which continued to look gorgeous and totally defied my expectation that we would still see the symbiote find it's way to Eddie Brock.

I still plan to re-read the entire series when the finale comes out and really break it down but, for now, I'm eager to see the resolution after the cliffhanger from this issue piqued my interest. Hopefully it'll follow through on what's come so far and show these multi-part what ifs are worth my time on future.

I also read Marvel Action: Black Panther #1 - 4 with my son over the course of the week. This IDW licenced Marvel title followed the adventures of the King of Wakanda as he faced off against numerous environmental disasters as an unseen enemy attempts to use them to take over the throne during the first three issues as well as combating greedy workers in the 4th.

Now, much like with Thor and Loki which I read a couple of weeks back, I found this to be a surprisingly good read. I can claim that it was a series with a truly captivating plot, but it was fun and entertaining and had some gorgeously vibrant art and colours. Also, all i could hear was the voice of Lego Black Panther as I read his lines.

I'm really starting to think that these Marvel Action and all-ages Comics are severely underestimated by people. Hopefully I won't make that mistake again as I'll be getting my oldest an upcoming Avengers series.

And that's this past week done. Not much else has filled my time (besides that ongoing review), although I have been working on a new idea which was placed in my head by a tweet from Emma Vieceli. I've put together a basic plot and started to outline it and, hopefully, I can make some headway next week.

As well as finish that review.

And maybe read some other comics.

Re-reading Black Hammer Library Edition Vol. 1

This week has been a bit of a down and up week in that order. It all started with my being hit with a bug, taking me out for an extended weekend (and not in the dinner and a movie manner).

Fortunately, the only way was up from that point forward and my comic reading certainly followed that trend as I somehow managed to follow through with the challenge i had set myself just as last week ended.

Black Hammer Library Edition Vol. 1 is the collection of the first 13 issues and the Giant-Sized annual of Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormiston's Black Hammer series, about an eclectic group of superheroes who find themselves trapped on a farm near a small town after they hold the last line of defence for Earth against an all-powerful Anti-Monitor like being. Now though, they've been trapped here for ten years and while some have accepted their fate, others wish to leave and more still seek to find them.

I've come to realise in my long years of reading that a comic's quality is subjective (i know, stop the presses!!). Over time I have found both comics which i originally didn't enjoy turn me around (see Vanguard for that one) as well as give me great enjoyment first time round that no longer do it for me (I have no examples here, although Secret Warriors may be the best that comes to my mind). The point is, like Ted Mosby's weird looking shirt (or was it his cowboy boots?), tastes change over time.

A part of me always hoped that would be the case with Black Hammer. Having read this collection last year between the beginning and end of my COVID related break (I.e. when the first lock down occurred in the UK), I recall not being terribly fond of this series. This is another reason for the down and up week because at the beginning, because I really wasn't enthused to re-read this series if it turned out to read exactly the same.

However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by how much better this collection read second time around. Even as I think back on it now, I struggle to figure out why I've had a complete one eighty on this series because I don't feel that it has changed anything since the first read. However, the only reason I can think of is that the series' slow burn pacing put me off (as I obviously expected it to get right to the point at break neck speed like it is a Michael Bay film).

Not that it reads any faster now compared to then. Black Hammer is first and foremost a mystery as we follow its cast of characters stuck in a place aftr 10 years and their (generally) continued difficulty of how to live with it. As we do this, one or two of the characters continue to investigate how the group ended up on this quiant little farm and how they can escape. Based on this, Black Hammer's pacing is nothing if not relaxed. There are no car chases, no fist fights (save for the flashbacks to the cast's past life, but even they seem few and far between), simply a group of people playing the hand of cards that they've been dealt.

However, it is this slow burn, almost leisurely, trip through the world of Rockford (the name of the nearby town) which I found most compelling this time around. Sure, the first two issues were still far too slow for my tastes, but this time the remainder of the book was far more intriguing as I found myself wondering how and why these six heroes had ended up here and (for some) in the form they were in.

About halfway through the series, a conversation crops up about the nature of this place with Bardalien referring to it as 'Purgatory.' Now the more I thought of it, the more this made sense because it felt like some sort of punishment for many of the characters due to their defeatist attitudes within their respective superhero careers prior to the encounter with the Anti-God. As a result, this made me think of Lost (although maybe a lot less convoluted), as the characters may be on a journey to find themselves again in order to come together to leave this place.

Of course, I had an alternate theory as I reached the end and it was related to the Marvel series, WandaVision. I say this because I began to notice story points which looked very similar to that recent TV series; a sleepy town, an inability to leave, Superheroes in hiding, and some other moments which I won't spoil. The point is, I found myself wondering if this is less purgatory than it is a dream for one character hoping to discard their personal pain at the expense of the Hell the other characters must face. 

I've probably gone on a bit with wild theories but the point of it is that the series has really hooked me with the mystery surrounding it, not to mention the torment the characters face. I find myself shocked that I missed it all the first time but better late than never I suppose.

The art too looks really creepy and unsettling and works perfectly for this slightly 'off' world. Dean Ormiston's art on this series reminds me so much of Dave Gibbons' Watchmen with its very traditional design and page layout (e.g. the nine panel grid). The only difference of course being the style itself, although while Watchmen always seemed harsh to me as well as traditionally silver-age in its style due to the era in that it was created and released. Black Hammer feels like the same kind of thing, with its style and even it's colouring being very reminiscent of Watchmen, it comes across as a deconstruction of Superheroes but from less of a 'Marvel Knights' look and more through the lens of a horror comic.

I've rambled for a bit here now, so I'll probably just sum up. A year ago, I read Black Hammer and didn't think it was my thing, but now I wonder if it simply struggled to live up to the hype I continued to hear about it. Now, a year later, this collection only has to match or beat my initial impression of it and I think it has certainly managed it in spades. Black Hammer's first collection was a good read and I'm now very eager to get the second and see where the story ends.

And if that isn't an example of how tastes change then I don't know what is.

Oh, and before I forget...

While I read Black Hammer over the last week, I also got the chance to review Ryan K. Lindsay and Sebastian Piriz's Black Beacon #1 from Magma Comix for Pipedream Comics. Now I'm a big fan of Ryan's work in the past and have loved many of his comics but, I have to admit, I did find this to be a bit of a struggle to get through. I think the problem was that, much like with his other recent release,  Everfrost, Black Beacon felt like it was trying to be overly philosophical.

Of course, it could always be that I just didn't 'get it' and besides, I thought this was Black Beacon's only real flaw. Otherwise, Ryan had seemed to produce a really interesting concept and had presented it as a truly compelling mystery. It also had some seriously gorgeous art from Sebastian Piriz which was just a joy to look at. Unfortunately, the 'flaw' weihai heavy on me, making this just an OK title in my eyes. I'm still seriously intrigued about where Black Beacon goes, and RKL has earned himself enough goodwill with me from his entire bibliography that i will want to see how it ends. However, I might just wait for the trade with this one.

So that's another week over and, given how it started, 15 issues of two comics being read is a good effort in my opinion. That said, I was able to make a bit of time on some of my own projects as I went back to refine some of the initial outlines for my ideas (as well as put together a new one). All being well I can make more time to do more refinements next week, and maybe even plot this new idea.

That said, next week is a big week for me as a BIG review finally reaches the top of my tray. With all my attention and free time going to be focused on that, it's unlikely I'll do or read anything else, leaving little to ramble about here. But we'll see about that.

For now though, with my own thoughts on Black Hammer out of the way, I'm going to go listen to the Wednesday Pull List's episode on the subject!!

Men without Fear: Daredevil: Cage Match & Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury

This week has been a bit of weird one for me. After the last few weeks of burning through comic after comic, this one was a bit of a lull after I struggled to find either the time of inclination to read.

To be honest, even this blog post very nearly suffered from the tiredness and exhaustion of this past week as my mental health circled the drain a bit, resulting in me not wanting to do anything.

So, it was fortunate for my need to ramble that i happened to find the desire to write right at the last minute. It was also fortunate that I found it in myself the enthusiasm to read a couple of one-shots I had, both of which contained one of the two Characters who were previously entitled 'Man Without Fear.'

My first read was Daredevil: Cage Match, a one-shot which had come out sometime around the release of the Shadowland event. While that event saw Cage vs Daredevil, this one-shot took the same approach but with different stakes as Harlem's Hero for Hire and Hell's Kitchen's Man without Fear challenged each other to a fight after the pair take down a pair of thugs, and compare their fighting style in the process.

Being a comic I've had for nearly six years, I have to confess that it annoys me that I forget how much I really like this issue. The writer, Anthony Johnston (whose DD issues during Shadowland I always liked) has created a fun one and done which builds nice relationship between the two Characters, as it attempts to show their rapport and mutual respect for each other. I thought it was interesting how the respect thing came down to Luke's view of Matt on both sides and how not the other way round, which kinda gave me a view of their respective backgrounds. Besides this, I loved Foggy's almost constant eye rolling in the issue, as he laments the lunacy that Matt is obviously putting himself through. It's also great to see his smarts on display as well as get in on the action. Foggy doesn't get enough praise.

The Art, meanwhile, had this very brave and bold look from the JMS and Jesus Saiz run, which I thought looked awesome and quite old fashioned (I'd almost say Bronze Age-like). Given the time when it was released, I suspect that this was done to show a contrast to their (at the time) current relationship. So, while the Shadowland era had this very dark gritty look (given he was coming off of the Bendis/Mack/Brubaker/Lark era, this makes sense), this issue gives it this more innocent, and rose-tinted vibe.

Thinking back, I don't recall Shadowland bring so Cage/Daredevil centric. If it had then it's a shame this wasn't tied in because I think this is a really great issue and might have made that event better. Still, whether on its own or accompanying the Shadowland series, it's still a wonderful read to showcase the dynamic of two great characters.

After that came Black Panther: the Sound and the Fury, which saw the King of Wakanda (and one-time Man Without Fear), journey to Dubai for trade negotiations regarding the uses of Vibranium. However, his trip couldn't come at worse time for some when his arch enemy Klaw reigns terror demanding a ransom to cease. Now, the King of Wakanda must protect the people of the city while defeating the master of sound.

Unfortunately, I really struggled with this one-shot as the story did nothing for me, feeling very generic and forgettable. This issue also contained a back up story which was a reprint of Black Panther and Klaw's first combined appearance in Fantastic Four and I found this to be a slightly better read. However, this too failed to impress me as it it came off as too wordy and I struggled to get into it.

For me, only the art was the one saving grave as I found it very enjoyable with its very Olivier Coipel looking style. Also, the back ups Jack Kirby pages still look terrific. Unfortunately, they couldn't help me get over how little I enjoyed the story.

Therefore, the Sound and the Fury really was not my thing which upsets me because I had expected good things from it. Still, not everything can be to my liking and better it beca one-shot than a full on series.

And there is my week! Sadly no reviews (although Longpig from last week was put up on Pipedream comics) and no progress made on my own projects. Like I said though, it's just been a bit of a downer week for me.

Hopefully, the next week will be an improvement. I'm going to try and force myself to read Black Hammer's first library volume and I have some good stuff on my review list which I need to get back to. So, all being well, normal service will resume.