Mini Reviews [38]

X-Force #1 by Benjamin Percy, 

Dustin Weaver & Joshua Cassara (Illustrators)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): THE HIGH PRICE OF A NEW DAWN! X-Force is the CIA of the mutant world—one half intelligence branch, one half special ops. Beast, Jean Grey and Sage on one side, Wolverine, Kid Omega and Domino on the other.

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I really didn't like X-Force. The entire story felt disjointed and bounced from one character to the next without much preamble (and there are a lot of characters in this one). It's also very violent and gory, which isn't my cup of tea. I think the author killed someone for the shock value, and then twisted their death so that it somewhat impacted the rest of the story.

This person! I'm having a hard time believing everything went down the way it did. Running away? Seemingly scared to death? An island full of mutants is overwhelmed by a handful of nobodies? Ugh. I'm sorry, but it simply wasn't plausible. Magneto? Apocalypse? Any of the psychics? The island? No one was able to glimpse or prevent the outcome? (My husband is telling me this is normal for the X-Force comics, and that nobody stays dead for long.)

When you kill a popular character, people are going to want to know why, so you sell more comics. I'm too frustrated with this issue as a whole to even consider continuing the series. If I wouldn't have felt ridiculous, I would have DNFd it after the first few pages. Additionally, the artwork felt sloppy and didn't compliment the story being told. (★★☆☆☆)

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Family Tree #1 by Jeff Lemire, Phil Hester,

Eric Gapstur, Ryan Cody (Illustrators)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): When an eight-year-old girl literally begins to transform into a tree, her single mom, troubled brother, and possibly insane grandfather embark on a bizarre and heart-wrenching odyssey across the back roads of America in a desperate search for a way to cure her horrifying transformation before it’s too late. But the farther they get from home, the more forces threaten to tear the family apart as fanatical cults, mercenaries, and tabloid Paparazzi close in, determined to destroy the girl—or use her for their own ends.

A new genre-defying series written by New York Times bestselling author JEFF LEMIRE (GIDEON FALLS, ASCENDER) and illustrated by acclaimed artist PHIL HESTER (Shipwreck, Green Arrow), FAMILY TREE combines mystery, action, and horror into an epic story about the lengths a mother will go to in order to keep her children safe.

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Family Tree was trippy in the best possible way! Jeff Lemire is an astonishing writer, and this story is incredibly unique. What would you do if your child started transforming into a tree?? I would freak the fuck out! I'm not sure how her mom stayed so calm and clear-headed, and surprised myself by laughing when her brother made a joke (he's a sarcastic teenager). It was definitely not the time or place for humor, which made it even more hilarious.

I also really liked the setup! We get to see a normal day play out before the world falls apart, which provided a nice before-and-after contrast. I honestly have no idea what's going on (was that Lumberjack Santa?), only that I need to know more! The family was dysfunctional but seemed solid, and I particularly loved everything that happened with the son at school -- hah! It felt authentic and totally believable, which is saying something since the girl is turning into a tree. (★★★★☆)

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Spider-Man & Venom: Double Trouble #1

by Mariko Tamaki, Gurihiru (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): You’ve seen ‘em duke it out in the Marvel Universe for years, but prepare to see Spidey and Venom as you never have before: as begrudging… buddies? It’s fun of the freaky variety this time around, as an unexpected mind-swap sets Spidey and Venom in each other’s bodies! But WHO swapped them, and why?! From Mariko Tamaki and Gurihiru comes an all-new take on your favorite arch-Frienemies in the MU – and now they’ve gotta work together to set things right!

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Spider-Man & Venom: Double Trouble was incredibly childish and not at all what I was expecting. It's definitely a series to read with your children, and I struggled to enjoy it on my own. I think my son would've liked it, but that would require me reading it a second time, which I'm not inclined to do. On a more positive note, the artwork was phenomenal and really captured the essence of the story. I think if I had been better prepared, I would've liked this one more. (★★★☆☆)

Final Thoughts [1] Hawkeye (#16) by Kelly Thompson & The Unbelievable Gwenpool (#25) by Christopher Hastings

 

Hawkeye #16 by Kelly Thompson

Leonardo Romero (Illustrator)

Julian Tedesco (Illustrator)

I picked up Hawkeye on a whim when I stumbled across the first few issues at a Half Price Books. They looked interesting, and I've always liked Hawkeye, so... I fell in love. Kate Bishop is an incredible Hawkeye. She's clever, silly, and I frequently found myself laughing at the things she said and did.

Jessica Jones made an appearance for a few issues. Kate is a Private Investigator (or trying to be), and JJ offered to show her the ropes (prior to the comic starting). She pops in for a visit with a little business on the side, and I really enjoyed the banter between the two.

Hawkeye (Clint Barton) shows up at the end, and it's like seeing your brother and best friend for the first time in forever. They have an easy relationship, and they just understand each other. Watching two Hawkeyes fight baddies was so much fun!

I cannot believe this is ending so soon, but the final page said she (Kate Bishop) would return in August, so we'll see! It could mean a lot of things: a new arc, a new writer, etc. This one left something major unresolved (not really a cliffhanger per se...), so there is plenty to build on. I hope they do! I would like to know what happens with a certain something. Read my review of the first few issues here.

♡

Gwenpool #25 by Christopher Hastings

Gurihiru (Illustrator)

When we decided to start getting comics every month, Gwenpool was my first choice. I actually knew very little about her (other than the basics), but thought it would be fun to read. I grabbed the issues I could find, and my LCS helped me find the rest (the comic had been running for awhile, so sometimes it's hard to find the first few issues).

I binge-read the first ten and knew this was the perfect comic for me! Gwen is stabby, insane, and the best friend you could have. She actually tried to teach herself how to fight with swords by searching the internet, and a lot of her battles were only won because some unforeseen accident happened. Luck seemed to play a big part in her comic book experience. 

Gwen has a mysterious past, and she willingly chose to insert herself into the Marvel Universe. She grew up reading comics, and eventually found herself living in one. She knew everything about everyone, which caused problems for her a few times. She didn't always get scared, because she was able to use this "other" knowledge to her advantage. It was like a super power (almost).

The Unbelievable Gwenpool offers a unique perspective to the MCU, and her presence will be sorely missed. Gwenpool always has something else to say, even if you don't want to hear it. She's very in-your-face and constantly surprised me. She could be terrified one second, but giggling about it the next. She didn't rely on her prior knowledge too much, but tried to fend for herself and help her friends.

Another thing I loved about The Unbelievable Gwenpool was the other characters. We get to see so many different superheroes, and a few of them play significant roles in her personal story. Dr. Strange, Deadpool, Thor (Jane Foster), and a lot of others. It was interesting to see how they looked outside of their own comics.

It was so weird to read about a character that knew we were reading about her, and also that this was her final issue. It was twisty, unpredictable, and perfectly Gwenpool. I'm pretty sure every version of Spider-Man made an appearance. Gwenpool wrapped things up with a bittersweet conclusion, but hopefully not a permanent one. Read my review of the first few issues here.

The Unbelievable Gwenpool (#0-5) by Christopher Hastings

The Unbelievable Gwenpool (#0-5) by Christopher Hastings, Irene Strychalski (Illustrator), Gurihiru (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): "Who is Gwenpool, and where did she come from?" Ever since she made a splash in her first cover appearance, those have been the questions on everyone's lips as they lounge about, sipping from a tropical beverage! Now, get all three of the original Gwepool backup stories featuring Ms. Poole's first appearance and her battle alongside our favorite private duck Howard the Duck in one convenient package! Plus: See Gwen's first Xmas in the Marvel Universe, and the guy she killed to mark the occasion! (Collecting the Gwenpool backup stories from HOWARD THE DUCK (2015B) #1-3 and material from Gwenpool Special #1)

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J (my spouse) has always had a few comics around the house, but it wasn't until our son showed an interest in them that we decided to get a little more serious ourselves. I've loved reading my entire life, but it never occurred to me to read comics. It took a three-year old to push us in that direction, and I'm so happy it happened. I LOVE COMICS. It's a book, but it's not. There are so many different stories, a lot of them overlapping, and the illustrations are always beautiful. I'll admit, it can be incredibly confusing at times, but that's what I have J for. He knows everything (or is capable of looking up an answer).

We each decided to choose a comic we would get monthly. J chose Spider-Men II, my son went with the All New Guardians of the Galaxy, and I wanted something feminine so I picked Gwenpool. We quickly realized that just one wasn't going to work for us. We now get 10-15 comics every month. A few of them are just going to be a limited series while others are ongoing. I have been reading Gwenpool and the new Hulk (which will soon be transitioning into She-Hulk), and the boys get things like Venom, Venomverse, Daredevil, Astonishing X-Men, TMNT--it's a long list now. 

Marvel has been introducing a lot of new characters to their universe, and I find most of them to be really interesting. Female versions of Hawkeye, Thor and Iron Man? Yes, please! I've read a few of the Generations comics (which have the traditional character confronted with a newer version), and I've enjoyed seeing how they interact with each other. 

I was trying to adequately describe all of this, and now I'm three paragraph's into this post without discussing the first few issues of Gwenpool. 😅

If you like Deadpool, his knack for the inappropriate, and love of violence, then Gwenpool is probably a comic you'd enjoy. Gwen Poole is from the "real" world, has read comic books her entire life, and then somehow manages to insert herself into the Marvel universe. She is fully aware of who she is and what she's doing, and she's determined to make herself a hero with her very own story. It helps that she knows everyone, their histories, secret identities, etc. She uses that information to survive in the beginning, but after a few comics she tries to learn basic fighting skills. Her only source of information has been the internet, so I'll let you come to your own conclusions. 

I love her snarky personality and the unexpected things that pop out of her mouth. If you're her friend, she will try to keep you safe, but Gwenpool has a borderline scary obsession with violence and killing. She sees people as extras in her story, which means to her they are expendable. Unfortunately, the supporting characters don't see things that way, and they want to fight for the lives they believe themselves to be living. Have I lost you yet? If this sounds even the least bit interesting, I highly recommend that you read it! It will make more sense when you do, but know that with Gwenpool there will always be a little bit of confusion.

Some information can be found on Goodreads, but Comic Vine is slightly more thorough.