Avengers vs. X-Men #4

In round four of Avengers vs X-Men, the pursuit of Hope Summers continues with more hero appearances you can shake a stick at. The story picks up in Antarctica as Wolverine catches up with the world’s most sought after mutant, only to find she needs his help to confront her destiny.

The rest of the issue gives readers quite the snapshot of the various X-Men and Avengers fighting across and off the planet. You get a good picture from both sides of the conflict, including a nice hint on what measures the Avengers will take to solve this issue. This is definitely the story that will deliver for those who were complaining about not enough fighting in previous issues. It’s not often you get to see Thor with a look of sheer defeat on his face.

The ending has a typical cliffhanger which will naturally leave readers wanting more and looking forward to the battle to come in the next issue.

Dancer #1.

Retired assassin Alan Fisher finds his past catching up with him in Image’s Dancer #1. The story by Natahan Edmondson sets the tone right away in the first few panels, stating without any dialogue that Fisher’s enemy is playing for keeps. As the story progresses, the former killer flees with a date as the bullets start to fly. His female companion is quickly learning that the man she loves has a deadly hidden past as bodies start falling around them.

Set in Italy, the artist Nic Klein, does a great job with spacious panels giving readers a great sense of location and danger. Much of the issue does not have dialogue and it really adds a sense of tension as the couple flee for their lives. Fisher feels like a rugged older James Bond that still knows how to handle himself and is not afraid to kill again to save his own life. The reactions from his date are just what you would think someone would have if thrown into this kind of situation.

For a debut issue it kicked off quite well. Readers get a taste of how dangerous this ex-assassin can be and an interesting glimpse into what is to come. There are hints about his past, but not too many – you’ll still be hungry for more by the issue’s end.

The New Avengers #25

With all of the hype surrounding the return of the Phoenix Force, I decided to check out one of the tie-ins, The New Avengers #25 by Marvel. I have always been a fan when two superhero groups either team up or battling, whether it was Marvel versus DC or the Teen Titans versus the X-Men. With the new Avengers versus X-Men story arc underway, I thought I would give this a try.

The cover features a nice shot of Iron Fist being consumed by the Phoenix force. The book, written by Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man), is very much setup story, focusing on a heavily robed Iron Fist preparing for the coming of the fiery bird from space and a meeting with Hope Summers. The visuals in the comic are quite stunning showing the Phoenix travelling through space, and the panels carry a good feeling of menace and dread. Is it just me or is Iron Fist looking a little like Cobra Commander in that outfit?

Although the title page has some nice hero portraits along the side that reminded me of the old classic JSA and JLA team ups, it is a little deceiving in that none of the characters appear other than Iron Fist. For an issue 25 (traditionally bigger issues) it seemed a little on the short side. If the next issue preview image is a hint of what is to come maybe they should have saved that for 25 instead of just using this issue as a setup for something bigger. Overall  The New Avengers #25 serves as a nice interlude in the action with some great visuals, but it ultimately left me with a feeling that there should have been more.

Vampirella: The Red Room #1

For my indie comic review I decided to check out a character which I have known about for ages but one who still may not have hit the mainstream: Vampirella: The Red Room #1 from Dynamite Comics. The Vampirella character has been around since 1969, and the  vampire super-heroine has been sporting the same revealing red outfit just as long.

The story, written by Dan Brereton (The Nocturnals), finds the sexy vamp on the trail of Hector, a rogue vampire. Along the way she meets up with Shooter, an Arkansas cop who is after Hector for reasons on his own. This leads the pair to the titular Red Room, an arena where monsters fight to the death in cage matches. Starting the book off in a black trenchcoat, it does not take Vampirella long to get into her more traditional gear to battle. The story is exactly what you would expect out of the character and the clean and sexy the artwork by Jean Diaz suits it perfectly, even if it is a bit on the gory side. It is great to see that the character still going strong after all these years. The ending has a nice twist to it that will definitely make you interested in reading more. Fight on Vampirella, fight on.

While technically a step up in quality from the first film in terms of storytelling, the second entry in the somewhat unnecessary Ghost Rider franchise still manages to feel like a bit of a missed opportunity given the talent both in front of and behind the camera. A film starring Nicolas Cage and directed by the duo of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank, Gamer) should be balls to the wall, action-packed insanity. Instead, what we get is a film that feels curiously neutered in terms of content and budget.

Shifting the action from the U.S. to Eastern Europe, Spirit of Vengeance finds anti-hero Johnny Blaze (Cage) trying to literally outrun the demon inside of him that forces him to turn into a flaming skulled spectre whenever he’s in the face of sin. The unstable Blaze finds himself recruited by an alcoholic French priest (Idris Elba) who wants him to protect a young boy (Fergus Riordan), who just so happens to be the son of the devil (even though in the first film, the devil had a son that needed to be stopped). If Satan’s human incarnatation (Ciarán Hinds, filling in for an absent Peter Fonda) gets his hands on him, he will pass along his essence to the boy allowing him another full life on Earth walking amongst the humans and committing atrocities. In exchange for protecting the boy, the priest agrees to absolve Johnny of his sins and rid him of the rider’s curse forever.

At its best moments, Neveldine and Taylor’s film feels like what a Ghost Rider film should be like. It’s assembled and shot in such a way that it resembles a full story arc from a run of the comics. The use of fade outs might seem amateurish, but they come at logical points to denote the beginning and end of a particular “issue.” The use of animation and creative visuals also hark back to their earlier work in trying to create on-screen video games. The duo’s knack to find a great shot and to establish a kinetic visual pace are also firmly on display here.

It also doesn’t hurt that their leading man clearly still has a deep love for the character that translates much better to the screen this time around. While the first film was filled with idiosyncratic touches that often seemed to make no sense, Cage instead tries for a more soulful performance here amid all the silliness. Sure, he still pisses fire, drinks entire pitchers of water, and has four pretty great “Cagey” moments, but the kookiness is dialed back considerably. For some people it might be a good thing, for others it could be seen as a demerit.

Still, it’s kind of a shame that the rest of the cast is all over the map. Elba sports a spotty French accent that really does nothing for his character, but he’s not bad. Hinds might be a step down from the hammy Fonda played Satan in the first film since he just seems sleepy here. Riordan and Johnny Whitworth (playing an arms dealer tasked with kidnapping the boy, who later becomes an undead supervillain) hold their own quite well against Cage. Violante Placido stands out as the weakest link as the boy’s mother because she doesn’t have much to do except screaming and shooting, but she still fares better than a nearly unrecognizable Christopher Lambert who shows up for two scenes and doesn’t do anything memorable.

The biggest problem here though has to be the obvious setting and budgeting restrictions placed on the project. Kudos to the production team for acknowledging that the film was made in Eastern Europe and not trying to dress it up, but the film fails on one very big level. All of the set pieces of the film have no bystanders around to witness them and the characters are too ill-defined to generate any tension on their own. Every shootout, chase, and fight happens along abandoned roads, wide open spaces, or empty castles. It’s well shot and the staging occasionally rises above the blandness, but it lacks the sense of grandeur that a film like this needs to succeed. It looks and feels like a quick and dirty production that was made while no one was looking.

Finally and probably least surprising given the film’s PG-13 rating in the States, the story comes across as obviously edited from a much nastier form. The dark wit of Neveldine and Taylor rarely gets a chance to shine through the by-the-numbers plotting (credited to David S. Goyer and two other writers). The choice of directors seems inspired on paper since Ghost Rider was always one of the darkest and nastiest comics in the Marvel universe, but to take the sandbox away from these guys and then telling them to play nicely in the middle of the street seems a bit disingenuous. Neveldine, Taylor, and Cage came to play, making the film probably better than it really is, but someone should’ve shelled out for better toys for these boys.

Apple.com has the first concrete look at Joss Whedon’s Marvel ensemble, The Avengers. Fans no longer have to grasp at 30 second preview snippets or shaky phone cam location footage. The trailer hits audiences with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and finally the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in action, being led by S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). The trailer also contains some serious scenes of destruction along with shots of Thor’s villainous brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) wreaking havoc on New York City.

Nothing more to say about the reveal other than that I believe it justifies my anticipation. Whedon looks to have done a commendable job so far.

The Avengers hits theaters May 4, 2012.

If a man in a giant bat costume can be rationalized – intensely and dramatically – then so too can a man named Captain America. The name alone makes my skin crawl; it’s filled with so much camp and pomp. When I imagined what such a film would feel like I thought of Independence Day, a movie so USA-centric that it ends with the president declaring that American Independence Day is now a holiday the whole world celebrates. I guess you can do that when you’re the president and a jet fighter pilot. Swoon! With that as my prejudice, this movie had some challenges to overcome in the battle of authenticity versus believability. However, I am happy to report that Captain America nailed it.

You’ve probably heard a rumour that some part of the movie takes place in present day. Those are just bookends and are only there to position the Captain for next year’s super hero buffet The Avengers. The meat of the movie takes place in 1943 when we find a short, thin, sickly Steve Rogers attempting to enlist in the army for the fifth time. The justification for his passion is not found in the passing reference to his parents serving/dying in the Great War and is mostly attributed to his physical feebleness. In the first act, every character who is any character will made a snide remark about getting that boy a sandwich or telling a story about Rogers getting beat up. He is so picked on – yet so determined – that you can’t wait for him to become Captain America. And, of course, that’s the whole point; he was chosen to become a super soldier because he understands the value of power.

Once Steve Rogers is transformed, he kicks Red Skull’s ass and takes home the girl, right? No, he does not! What happens next is a brilliant sequence that makes the movie work. Immediately after becoming the most powerful man on Earth, Rogers is ordered to tour with a USO variety show, performing as cheesy, cartoonish hero named Captain America. His job is to make patriotic speeches, ask for donations to the army, and fake-punch fake-Hitler for cheering fans. This sequence is interesting because Rogers is physically powerful but not mentally powerful. We are reminded that Steve Rogers was fallible as a boy and continues to be as a man, still unable to take control of his life. This sequence is also a fantastic script choice because it recognizes the cheesiness of the character. From there, his image evolves but uses those origins as explanation for why Rogers maintains the suit and shield.

He eventually manages to wrangle his way back into the army and kick some ass. Oh yes, so much ass is kicked. He’s just badass! He’s a bit of a brawler, booting Nazis out of the way, and cracking skulls with his shield. He is eventually accompanied by a team of hand picked soldiers whose brief appearances are fun and well moustachioed. There are also some great supporting performances, such as Dominic Cooper’s Howard Stark, Iron Man’s father. An army technologist, Cooper’s Stark is perfectly Downey Jr. inspired. Of course, we can’t forget Chris Evans who does a really nice job. He’s subtle, he’s vulnerable, he’s powerful. He’s acting!

Technically, the movie is great. There are several great set pieces to enjoy which are well paced. The 3D doesn’t make too much of itself and the CGI somehow comes across as minimal except when necessary. The Red Skull costume is excellently monstrous, yet simple.

This is a comic movie done right. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely took the Batman Begins approach and took the time to construct a believable Steve Rogers before transforming him. Director Joe Johnston makes the whole thing shine, doing a nice job with the colours and action.

Overall, it’s one of the best comic book adaptations I’ve seen and makes me excited for The Avengers. Make sure you stay after the credits for a teaser. But if you don’t like intense giggling and slappy fights with your friends, you should probably skip it.

When I was younger, I remember receiving a back issue of Giant Sized X-Men #1. Originally printed in 1975, it was the first appearance of now longtime favourites Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler among others. More importantly, it brought Wolverine (who was mildly known for battling the Hulk) into the mainstream. The issue was a comic version of a reboot — a kick in the ass, if you will — to a franchise, that while only twelve years old, was battling stale stories and lukewarm reviews.

The jump start was a huge success, with the X-Men titles (and there were a shload of ‘em) hopping off the shelves. The franchise never looked back, eventually spawning multiple television shows, action figures, and four feature length films. It was a big rush when X-Men (2000) and X2: X-Men United (2003) finally hit the screen, all my most beloved characters expanding from the page to the screen. Then X-Men: The Last Stand came along and not only did the shit hit the fan, but it was set to high, and it splattered back in our faces many times over.

I’m not sure most American comic readers noticed or cared when Alpha Flight was wiped out during one of the early volumes of New Avengers, but they have recently returned to the land of the living, and the true north strong and free. That said, I’m not sure most Canadian readers noticed their national super-teams change in fates either time. The fact is, Alpha Flight, while enjoying a high-mark of storytelling and sales in the late 80’s, has never recovered from the comics crash of the 1990s.

After their destruction at the hands of the Collective, the few surviving members have cropped up in other Marvel titles. There was Omega Flight mini-series during Tony Stark’s Initiative program, which while a decent enough read, didn’t really have any meaningful impact on the Marvel Universe. Otherwise, the best use of the surviving team members has been with Aurora in the X-title books during Dark Reign. Or with Snowbird in during the Secret Invasion.

The best and hardest part of a great Alpha Flight storyline is trying to balance the Canadian-referencing content while still being interesting and engaging for all readers. This is to say, the Canadian market is too small for a series to pander to it alone. Good thing then that Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, and Dale Eaglesham make Alpha Flight #0.1 a great comic read first and a fun Canadian-set series second. Hopefully this means the seven part mini-series will be the launching pad for even more Alpha Flight storylines to follow!

To help new readers get up to speed quickly, the inside cover features a concise recap of the team’s past and recent rebirth. Having missed out on the Chaos War event myself, I too had only heard of the team’s return, and found this material to be helpful.

On another level though, this issue works without knowing or referencing any of that material. Rather, you can just pick it up and enjoy, as the storyline subtly starts weaving the rich backstory of these characters, promising a wealth of subplots to come. A good start to what I hope will be a title that returns Alpha Flight to greater prominence in the Marvel Universe.

Prior to the X-Men movie of 2000, Marvel had been battling with bankruptcy, and their once flagship X-Men series was struggling to capture fans’ interest. The debut and success of the film changed that, but the premier mutant super-team still felt out-dated and plodding when it came to their original format – the comic book. In stepped Grant Morrison and, now big name artists, Leinil Francis Yu, Frank Quitely, and Ethan Van Sciver.

Starting with modernizing the costumes, Morrison also shook up the X-Men legacy by tarnishing the once pristine ‘reputation’ of Professor X. Mix in a new generation of characters, secondary mutations, Emma Frost joining the team, and New X-Men was soon one of the best reads on the market. While developed further in later volumes, Morrison’s run also introduced the romantic relationship between Cyclops and Emma Frost, making both characters vastly more interesting than they had ever been before.

Only encountering his acclaimed run years later, this new printing breaks apart the Ultimate Collection (UC) editions, returning to the less expensive, but more “books-required” volume numbering. And while the first two volumes of the UC were phenomenal reads, the last one was just too wild and Morrison-bizarre even for me. Still, the first six books of this latest printing stand as some of the best X-series writing and art; their plot lines are still being developed and shaping current story arcs.

This is Grant Morrison at his best. Wacky and wild, fresh from his acclaimed Vertigo titles, and given carte blanche to reignite the X-Men series, he pulls out all the stops, and delivers an epic read that has few rivals. Morrison is definitely writing for a more adult audience, and refuses to spoon feed even the simplest plot beats. This just makes New X-Men Vol. 1 that much more rewarding to read.

I should preface this review with one caveat: I’ve never read or watched — or heard of Thor at all, really — before seeing the film. As you can probably guess from the preceding sentence, I don’t even know what format of text or media from which its story originates. Was Thor a comic book? Was it a television show? Cartoon? Movie from the 1980s? Colour me uneducated and largely incurious. Instead of attempting to hide this gaping hole in my nerd credentials, I’m sure that highlighting my lack of Thor knowledge will make for a pretty interesting review.

Spoilers ahead.

After watching Shakespearean-stalwart Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptation, I have come to understand that the character of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a “God of Thunder” who lives in the “Realm Eternal”, otherwise known as Asgard. The people who live there — Asgardians? — are unimportant in the long-run, assuming importance correlates with the amount of screen-time the average Asgardian citizen is provided. There are maybe three or four scenes with larger groups or crowds and almost all of them are scenes of war. I’m sure these scenes were filmed during those short moments when Branagh remembered he wasn’t directing a play and could have more people in a scene than just the essential cast.

Thor, the aforementioned God of Thunder, has a father named Odin (Anthony Hopkins) who appears to be dying, despite the Asgardian’s apparent claim to immortality. Because of this — never quite explained — confusion about supposed immortality, Thor’s father decides to abdicate the throne of Asgard, naturally choosing to give his crown to his smug first-born, Thor. Thor’s younger brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), is rebuffed by this decision but appears to accept being overlooked by his father well enough. However, Thor has blonde hair and wears red; Loki has dark hair and wears green. Any costume designer (or reader of any fantasy novel series) could tell you that, yeah, Loki is probably the villain of this piece.

Rounding off the Asgardians that you actually get to see in the movie are the all-seeing, all-hearing sentry Heimdall, Thor’s mother and his gang of ruffian warriors. These warriors include “the female one”, “the Asian one”, “the one who looks like Thor but isn’t Thor — wait, no, he’s just blonde” and “the fat one” (Ray Stevenson, in a role that made me weep for this wasted Rome talent). They fight and are loyal to their friend Thor. That’s basically it.

Because Thor isn’t content with the universal admiration of his people, his chiseled abs, (questionable) immortality, upcoming coronation and overall blondness, he decides to confront Asgard’s greatest enemies, the Frost Giants, defying both his father and logic in the process. Unsurprisingly, these Frost Giants are very large people who wield ice powers. They are a very literal people, apparently, and they live their lives on a planet of ice, spending most of their time being blue — both in colour and temperament — while hating on Asgard and its king.

The aftermath of Thor’s decision doesn’t go so well and, after some hammer-throwing and war-provoking, Thor’s father banishes him from Asgard. Thor is then teleported from their planet — and ends up on ours. Branagh, much to the audience’s probable content, decided to spend as little screen-time as possible on Earth. The film’s greatest moments — from its fantastical origins to its inevitable fight to the death — are set on Asgard. While on Earth, the banished Thor meets astrophysicist Jane (Natalie Portman) and the members of her research team, played by the horrifically underused Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings. With the exception of some “stanger in a strange land” physical humour, most of the Earth scenes are largely forgettable. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy some of the Earth scenes, but after a battle with insanely-blue, gigantic aliens, immortal gods and rainbow bridges, it’s more than a little funny to see see Thor incapacitated by an undergraduate with a taser. There is also a very memorable barbecue featuring a cameo appearance from the father of Marvel comics, Stan Lee.

Halfway through the film, Thor’s brother Loki discovers something about himself that reshapes his worldview, adding numerous layers to a character already overshadowing everyone else in regard to development and personality. This new development should have been the lynchpin of the entire narrative arc of the film, but the screenwriters pass on this opportunity. Instead, they revert the character of Loki into a caricature of the jealous usurper, depriving the audience of more screen-time with the stellar Tom Hiddleston in order to add more Natalie Portman. Sad to say it, but Hemsworth and Portman have absolutely no chemistry and share only a handful of scenes together. Thus, it appears that Thor and Jane fell in love after a trip to the hospital, a cup of coffee and a rooftop conversation about constellations. If you’re sensitive to this underdeveloped relationship, you’ll be questioning Thor’s behaviour at the end of the film much like I did.

Overall, I felt that Thor was an enjoyable and much better film than expected. It benefited from an ambitious depiction of Asgard, both in terms of scope and visuals. Unfortunately, Natalie Portman’s character and the use of 3D are largely superfluous. The film also suffers from a bland, unforgettable protagonist, Thor; as well as a deformed development of its antagonist, Loki.

For those unfamiliar with the Thor universe — like me — there will be a few moments which will pull you out of the film, as the script does a poor job establishing the rules of the universe. Examples of this include:

• How can you be immortal and potentially die?
• How can Loki duplicate himself?
• How can Loki teleport to Earth and appear suddenly invisible?
• Wait, Thor can fly?

Despite these flaws and questions, Thor is an admirable installment in the Marvel universe of films, and I would be ecstatic to see Tom Hiddleston return as Loki. Also, the bonus scene at the end of Thor with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is worth the excruciating wait through the very, very poor end-credit song choice.

I didn’t know it until I saw it, but I have been waiting for a summer movie like Thor for a long time. It is fun, far more fun than any comic adaptation I have seen in years. Admittedly, I say that as someone who does not read a lot of comics and is not familiar with the source material. And to me, that is the beauty of this film. This movie knows its material is not as invested in a legion of fans such as follow Batman or Superman, and its British director brings to it a distantiation that allows for investment in the fun of it all: the outrageous narration, exaggerated and impossible action sequences, and actors who can just let go and enjoy the ride without any pressure while still maintaining their integrity and talent. This, my friends, is what a summer movie should be: exciting, clever, comedic, and a joyride.

Kenneth Branagh has been much maligned in the press in recent years, to my mind unfairly. Yes, he has had some duds (Frankenstein comes immediately to mind), but his good films (Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Dead Again, Sleuth) far outweigh the bad, And even with their faults, Branagh is willing to take risks where very few other (i.e. Hollywood) directors are not; sometimes it doesn’t work, but more often than not it does. At first he might have seemed like an odd choice for this film, but actually he is perfect. Thor is not Batman; he does not have the following or the pressure. So it takes a director from outside the genre to make this kind of film, who can look at the source material with a less interested eye and find the key, transferable elements.

Thor is the son of Odin, King of Asgard, central of the nine worlds (of which Earth is one.) Odin has managed to maintain peace with the Frost Giants after a great battle many years ago, but Thor feels the kingdom is threatened. In a fit of youthful egoism, he and his band of followers, including his brother Loki, go to the Frost Giant’s kingdom and almost start a war. As punishment, Odin casts Thor down to earth until he can prove he is worthy of being King. And as write this, it sounds laugh-out-loud absurd, but you have to get into the rhythm of the film.

There are two worlds the film inhabits: Earth and Asgard. Asgard is gorgeously rendered in golds and reds, exactly what one would expect of such a kingdom in the sky, where everything is taller, brighter, and more formal. Earth (in the setting of New Mexico) is dirty, dusty, and laid-back. In the opening scenes of the film, the two worlds and their characters are separated. The collision that takes place once Thor falls to earth is nothing short of brilliant; classic fish-out-of-water comedy that borders slightly on predictability and yet is just clever enough to elicit great laughter. The action sequences, through both real acting and CGI, are exciting and not drawn out as too many film try to do these days.

Branagh’s directorial strengths lie in two areas: text and actors. The man knows words. And it is through the dialogue that Asgard and Earth are differentiated. Asgard is the Shakespearean side: everyone speaks in rather lofty tones, which a first seems a little strange, but again, just get into the rhythm and it seems perfectly natural. Earth is, well, Earth, and colloquial. The trailer gives away some of the jokes in Thor’s first encounters with earthly communication, and yet this did not stop me from laughing when I saw the film. The Asgardian characters never seem untrue in their dialogue, nor do they waver in its delivery. I have a feeling that this dialogue, in script form, might be a little less than impressive, but the actors pull it off. They know this is not actual Shakespeare, nor is it meant to be delivered as such; but they do understand how to say the words without making them seem trivial or incomprehensible or silly.

Of course, if you’re going to have a king of Asgard, you’d do no better than Anthony Hopkins. I was also surprised to discover that Canadian actor Colm Feore was the King of the Frost Giants (though his performance is vocal, as it is a computer generated character; not that that is a problem with Feore.) The film needs strong older actors such as these, as well as Stellan Skarsgård as an Earth scientist, to helm the film for the younger actors. Chris Hemsworth is perfect as Thor (and he certainly isn’t hard on the eyes either.) I never once failed to take him seriously or believe anything coming out of his mouth. His transformation from arrogant boy to wise adult doesn’t happen in one fell swoop, it happens with every smashed cup and every kick of a bodyguard. Tom Hiddleston is the perfect foil as Loki, and it is a credit to him that, although one knows that in Norse mythology he is the trickster, I was still surprised by each further trick he pulled. And will someone please give Kat Dennings more films roles! She is horribly underused in this one, providing most of the earthly comic relief, and I wonder why she wasn’t cast as the lead female, Jane Foster. I continue to be baffled by the popularity of Natalie Portman. I’m sorry to be harsh, but she is as dull as dishwater, and I could see no reason why Thor would have any interest in Jane. And for those very few racists out there who insisted that a black man shouldn’t play Heimdall, all I can say is just watch the damn movie. Idris Elba is a force of gravity, and in his scenes he draws everyone into him.

In other hands, this film would have been terrible. With Branagh at the helm, I have no doubt it’s going to be one of my top films this summer, and likely the year. He picked the right actors (well, mostly), he directed them well, and he paced the movie perfectly, weaving together its strange and frenetic generic, geographical, and linguistic distinctions seamlessly. My only regret is that due to the few locations where 2D viewing was available, I had to watch it in 3D. It is not necessary, and in fact I would have enjoyed it more in 2D. It looks glorious, it sounds glorious, and I haven’t had so much fun at a film in a long, long time. Bravo, Branagh.

Nick Spencer – super hot writer of indie titles Morning Glories, Infinite Vacation, and DC’s T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents – takes over from Ed Brubaker with this issue. As a huge Brubaker fan, whose Captain America run is responsible for me exploring the crime-noir genre for the first time, I was worried about the change-up. I have always liked Nick Spencer’s work, but Brubaker is one of my Top 5 favourites. My concerns were unjustified as Nick Spencer hits it out of the park with this stand-alone storyline that had me cheering for its willingness to tackle of ‘shady’ morality of a “Secret” Avengers team, while still delivering fast paced action befitting a fun superhero read.

Scott Eaton produces a fantastically illustrated comic, and while an artist can easily make or break a series (why I am so glad to see John Romita Jr. leaving Avengers…sorry, but his style leaves me cold), I tend to follow writers. Spencer’s career has been stellar so far, but I had a few hesitations with him coming on board such a key issue of a high-profile title (also read: personal fave). The Point One issue is meant to succinctly sum up the character’s past, and also forge the title’s coming plot-trajectory. Spencer’s use of a terrorist donning the old Captain/U.S. Agent costume, all in the name of protecting the country, is brilliant. It brings to light Steve Rogers’ long road to the Secret Avengers and his “Top Cop” role. It also gives the character (writer) a chance to explain a logic and morality that is exists within a system of contradictions. It is the recognition of this constant tension and always struggling to find the right answers in our “not-simply-comic-book-black-and-white-world” that make this title such a great read!

This comic has consistently been my favourite Avengers title, and after this defining Point One issue, which is perfect for new readers to start with and also very rewarding for long time fans, I am excited for what the future has in store for Steve Rogers and his deniable, black op, Secret Avengers!

Uncanny X-Men

New writer Kieron Gillen has been working on the Uncanny title for awhile now; teaming up with Fraction, much like Matt did with Brubaker before taking on solo scripting duties. Gillen became the sole writer last issue – Uncanny X-Men #535 Point One – but its stand alone plot didn’t allay my concerns that the Uncanny X-Men series would drop in quality because of this creative change up. After issue #535 though, I can confidently say that all is good with the best X-Men title on the comic shelves.

The new story arc begins with the return of the Breakworld characters that were introduced during Joss Whedon’s run on Astonishing X-Men. A lot of this issue points to a return to threads introduced by Whedon, which were expertly followed through on by Fraction. I am very excited to see what Kieron Gillen will do with these plots.

Terry Dodson, who is one of my top five favourite artists, keeps on producing some of the best sequential pages in the industry today. Dodson’s style of illustration is so rich and beautiful that looking at these pages is akin to an all-you-can-eat of your favourite deserts. His comics are always worth reading a second and third time, if only because his curvaceous women (and squared jawed men) keep you from fully appreciating the great dialogue and character development occurring. Not the worst problem to have though.

Uncanny X-Men #535 is definitely worth reading, and if you aren’t already following the series, this issue as a total must have, as it is the perfect jumping on point for new readers.