Review: X-Men #15.1

It's been a while since my last Point One review! I missed a couple issues that I will go back and review, but I am back on task! This past week, we got a Point One taste of X-Men. 

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

In this issue, the X-Men are stopped in a small village to fulfill the last wish of an old woman. She wanted to be sealed away by magic before her death, and the X-Men's Dani Moonstar wanted to help her friend. The old woman, Awanata, had protected her village by trapping demons within her soul. Since Gambit and Cyclops were both unsure of this plan, they raised doubts. As the conversation continues, Ghost Rider appears. He says he was summoned by a sin in the village and of course the moment he says it, the demons escape. Make sure you pick it up for the big finish!

First off, I am really disappointed with the cover art. The cover just looks so messy and crude. If I felt that the art matched the story, I could forgive it but it just feels out of place. The story art is wonderfully done in comparison. The panels work well with the story and include a lot of detail work. Some of the fight scenes seem a bit busy but overall, the art worked really well.

This story was an easy-to-read one-shot. It gave a good glimpse of the characters in the book, while featuring heavily on Dani. My only complaint is that they went with a story that feels very removed from the current arc. In the end, this serves as a X-Men morality tale, not a traditional X-Men battle.

I'll admit, I'm not reading X-Men, but the appearance of Ghost Rider really surprised me. I just don't think of those characters or worlds mixing.  However, that is what makes it an interesting story. For lapsed or new readers, they know they are getting a special guest to add to the story. This is definitely great for lapsed readers but may confuse new readers who want more time spent on the core team.

This is a good story for lapsed or early X-Men readers because it gives them a small taste of what they have been missing. It may be a so-so choice for complete n00bs since it's not the standard storyline for X-Men.

X-Men #15.1

Story by Victor Gischler
Art by Will Conrad
Colors by Brian Reber
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Jason Pearson

My Point One Journey so far: 
* Review: Daken
* Review: Alpha Flight
* Point One Update
* Review: Secret Avengers
* Review: The Avengers

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

 

 Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: Daken #9.1

The next Point One in the bunch is Daken: Dark Wolverine #9.1. I have to admit, this is one I was very unsure of because I have never been a fan of this character.

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

Daken is a character with some serious daddy issues. As the story begins, we watch as Daken takes down a crime boss in Madripoor. The boss, right before he dies, points out that Daken is following in his father's footsteps. This seems to haunt Daken tremendously, so the story moves to the Avengers Tower and some father/son bonding.  As the battle commences, we find out that Daken just wanted to tell his father that he is going to walk his own path now and goodbye.   Next stop for conquer: LA!  (I wonder if he is going to run into Moon Knight?)

I was surprised that I enjoyed this Point One. To be honest, this character just doesn't appeal to me. However, this issue serves as a great reboot for Daken's direction, even though he is still a criminal. As the series shifts directions and locations, it will be a brand new start for Daken and fans.

This was also a good issue for a look at the Avengers, even better than their Point One issue. I liked the bit of interaction between Daken and Wolverine. They have a difficult relationship, but you can see that they both care about each other.

This issue was a great one for jumping into this series. With Daken deciding to put his past behind him and take on his own challenges, this will be a great time to start reading.

Daken: Dark Wolverine #9.1

Written by Rob Williams
Art by Ron Garney

My Point One Journey so far: 
* Review: Alpha Flight
* Point One Update
* Review: Secret Avengers
* Review: The Avengers

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

 

 Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

 

Review: Alpha Flight #0.1

Alpha Flight is an odd Point One issue because it is not a jumping on point for an ongoing series. Alpha Flight is a series that is being resurrected, so I looked at this more as a primer. 

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

In this issue, we get to meet Alpha Flight, a team of Canadian superheroes. They were brought back to life during the Chaos War and now they continue to protect Canada. The country is thrown into chaos because of the upcoming election and poor economy.  As we see each Alpha Flight member get called to help stop the damage, we learn about each member and the past that still haunts them.  Ultimately, it is their past that put Canada in the danger they are fighting.

I didn't love or hate this issue but I left it feeling intrigued. I felt like I had questions but not anything that hurts the story for me. The story did a great job introducing the characters and a bit about their different personalities.  They also set the stage for ongoing political unrest, including in the ranks of the superheroes too.  As the story unfolds, I am sure we will see what problems Northstar and Guardian have with the government.  I wonder how long it will take Northstar to rejoin the team. 

Finally, it was a nice change to read a superhero comic not set in America.  It does have a different feel, although it is hard to explain.  I think that overall, this is a good introduction to this team and I am intrigued to see what happens next.

Alpha Flight #0.1

Written by Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak

Art by Ben Oliver with Dan Green

My Point One Journey so far: 
* Point One Update
* Review: Secret Avengers
* Review: The Avengers

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

 

 Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

 

Point One Update

Well, we have reached the end of the original release of Point One issues. I just want to take a second and look back on this experience. 

Let's take a look at the numbers. So far, I read 11 Point One issues. The direct impact of series I started reading is 1 Point One series (Uncanny X-Men). However, I began reading 2 other series loosely related to a Point One issue (Venom and Moon Knight) and 1 that was not related to a Point One (FF).   In addition, I read a few one-shots that have come out over the past few months.  I think that Marvel would call that a win. 

Lovingly borrowed from Marvel.com

In the end, I'm glad I reviewed all of them. I have a much clearer vision of the Marvel Universe, which helps a lot. I am also more invested in these characters, which makes the movies all the more interesting.

Additionally, reading these encouraged me to take a chance on trying other comics I might have avoided. This includes trying ongoing series from DC that interested me but seemed overwhelming like Marvel had. If you are looking for more jumping on points in comics, The Weekly Crisis has a great feature where they highlight the jumping on points for the week. If you are looking to expand your reading, you should check them out.

Despite my woohoos for the initiative, I have a few constructive criticisms. In regards to these criticisms, I do understand that certain things work for some characters and not for others.

1- Have a more consistent vision for what a Point One should include.

My original understanding was that the Point One issue was supposed to provide some background of the character(s) and a entry to the next arc. Not every issue had both or in some cases, it had none of this. For someone reading all of them, I never knew what quality product I was going to get.

2- Be more aware of how you follow up a Point One Issue.

In some cases, the Point One issue came in the middle of a story arc rather than at the beginning of a new one. It makes it hard as a new reader to really enjoy an issue only to have the next one make no sense.

3- Name the characters, especially if they are on the cover/splash page.

I know that it can be hard to give a tremendous amount of background in 22 pages but for a project designed to welcome new readers, failing to name characters is counter-productive. This is especially true in an issue where characters are on the cover, please name them in the book.

4- Have the Point One issue be about the title character(s).

As a new reader, picking up a introductory issue expecting one thing and getting another felt like a Bait and Switch. There were three Point One issues that failed to truly introduce the title character(s). The Amazing Spider-Man featured Venom rather than Spider-Man, who only made a short appearance. The Avengers failed to include Hawkeye, who was only pictured in two panels with no dialogue despite being on the cover and splash page. Finally, Hulk only featured the Red Hulk despite the title indicating Bruce Banner/Hulk's presence and mentioning Bruce Banner on the splash page. I did have a commentator say that this is a Red Hulk series but Mark Paniccia, Senior Editor of Hulk, said that this series does cover both Hulks' stories and that he understands my frustration.

No matter what, I did get a lot out of the Initiative and I plan to keep reading them. Marvel has announced a few more upcoming Point One titles: Venom, Alpha Flight and Daken. At the Marvel: Meet the Publishers, I even learned that more titles were on the way. No word yet on which series, but I'm leaning towards FF and New Avengers.

What do you think about the Point One Initiative so far?

My Point One Journey so far: 
* Review: Secret Avengers
* Review: The Avengers

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

 

 Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: Secret Avengers #12.1

The last Point One issue from the original group is Secret Avengers #12.1. 

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

A huge information leak (caused by Captain America, you bastard!) endangers every person who ever gave info to the government. The Secret Avengers can't protect all of the people at risk but they are going to try and save one. The scientist they are going to save gave information freely, which means that he has compassion and guilt about his evil ways. A small twist later shocks the Secret Avengers and brings a really strong moment to Steve Rogers.

My first thought about this issue is that I don't like the cover art at all. The faded orange background just looked like it had been sitting in the sun too long. Despite the cover, I thought that the art inside looked good. The characters seemed on point with how I had seen them in other books.

The story had a good flow and left room to continue as an ongoing arc. I thought that there was good connection to each character, especially since it was easy to figure out who was who. Steve Rogers was the focal point of this issue, and they really showed how he grew as a leader. His speech at the end is very touching and makes this story a great introduction.

I also loved the small insanities coming out of Moon Knight's mouth. There were only a few but with the new reboot of the character, it was really enjoyable and a good sell of the character to new readers. Because of the small taste I got here, I picked up Moon Knight #1.

It covered the bases for a Point One, which is good in my book. It even sold me on trying a series, albeit not Secret Avengers. This is still a good intro for new and lapsed readers.

My Point One Journey so far: 
* Review: The Avengers

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

 

 Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: The Avengers #12.1

The Point One Initiative marches on with The Avengers #12.1. This book, like many Point Ones, has a lot riding on it because of the movie property. Can writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Bryan Hitch make me an Avengers reader?

WARNING:

This post contains face-melting spoilers.

Read at your face’s risk.

If symptoms continue for more than 4 hours, contact [insertgeekhere].

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this story. Some of them are minor but none of them are positive.  In the beginning of the book, they list the main Avengers for the new readers.   When the team goes to rescue Spider-Woman, they don't even have half of them there! Hawkeye is in one panel with no lines, so it's a good thing he made it on the cover.  I could excuse that but some of the rescue team don't even get introduced. A lot of characters are involved with The Avengers, how am I supposed to know who is who?  New readers may be totally lost by this, while Marvel readers will probably be able to follow this. 

And when did Wolverine get a beak?

The story really dragged the entire time. We watch the Avengers bicker for a while, get really angry, beat up some idiots, and then find out that a really bad villain is back. I felt so bored the whole time, and when a fight scene finally showed up, it took two panels. Even with all of that time for talking, I never felt like I was connecting with the story or the characters. None of the characters were focused on for more than a line except Spider-Woman, and can anyone explain why she had to be naked?  I just don't understand why that was necessary. I have no idea what in that story was supposed to make me keep reading. I imagine the hook was supposed to be that Ultron was back but by the time he showed up, I was just happy the issue was almost over.

This is where I start showing what I have learned about Marvel U from Point Ones and step out of my n00b shell a bit. In the scene where The Avengers assemble, we see a lot of characters, almost the whole hero roster of the Marvel Universe. Now, here is where Marvel lost any potential readers from reading Avengers. Why is Ben Grimm in a Fantastic Four uniform? It could be a continuity thing, or just for old time's sake. In the end, I could really forgive it. It's just that Marvel went out of their way to publicize Johnny Storm's death and the end of the Fantastic Four. Major news outlets covered it for the masses. Any potential new readers brought in may be confused and any lapsed readers may just get irritated. I would have kept continuity in Point Ones, especially any issue where a movie is coming out. No matter how different the movie plot is, it does help bring in new readers.

I just don't think this would have worked for either new or lapsed readers.  New readers were not given enough background about characters (like their names) and lapsed readers would have been irritated with the lack of continuity, not to mention the boring story.  I would not recommend this for any readers.

My Point One Journey so far: 

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: Uncanny X-Men #534.1

April kicks off with the Uncanny X-Men #534.1! I have to admit, I was getting more and more excited for this issue. I kept hearing great things from previews and it sounded like this was going to be a great book to bring back lapsed readers.

Uncanny X-Men #534.1 is being promoted as the Magneto issue because in this issue, we see how the X-Men are trying to get ready to let the world know that Magneto is now a good guy. Magneto sits and talks with their PR person about how to let the world know, while the rest of the X-Men try to stop an A.I.M. manufactured earthquake. As we see the minutes tick by between the two stories, we get to see Magneto admit his true feelings about his past and that he really does like to be feared. Despite the fact he didn't destroy New York, he knows that he could have without a second thought. But as the seconds tick by and the earthquake becomes inevitable, Magento steps up and saves San Francisco, and all of those humans, from destruction.


Kieron Gillen really put a lot of thought into his first issue. As the start of a new story / jumping on point, it was incredibly laid out. This issue had two storylines going on, with Magneto covering past info for newbies like me, while the rest of the X-Men built up a new storyline. I also really appreciated the place, person and time updates when the panels changed. It helped bring cohesion to the two stories.


This was a fantastic Point One issue that really captured my interest from the start. There was a good amount of background info that wasn't delivered obviously, and the story has a definite path to continue on. I definitely did not do this justice in summary; you need to go buy it now! I would recommend this to new and lapsed readers because I think that Gillen will bring a great story to the Uncanny X-Men.


My Point One Journey so far:
* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force
* Review: Hulk
* Review: Deadpool
* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine
* Review: The Invincible Iron Man
* My Point One Plan
* The info about the Point One Initiative


Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: Thor #620.1

This week there were two Point One issues. I already covered Captain America, so here is my review of Thor. like I said before, it seems like Marvel is trying to bring in new readers who may be trying to get some more background before the movies come out.

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

Thor 620.1 starts out hysterically at a feast in honor of Thor. Who would have thought that Norse Gods celebrate with pepperoni pizza?! As they wait for Thor to arrive, they start the celebration with the gods praising Thor for protecting earth and then providing Asgard with a home there. They even have received a gift of a perfect stone statue of Thor. Then someone attacks, turning everyone to stone. OMG! Of course, the statue of Thor is the real Thor, and he unfreezes just in time to save everyone by getting turned into stone again, while he is holding what the bad guy wants.

I have a few complaints about Thor's Point One. This issue read like I was reading a kids' issue. The story seemed overly simplified. I know that this character has got to be more than getting turned to stone to save the day. I also wasn't a fan of how the gods spoke, which I get is how it is for this character. The combo of the simple plotline and the simplistic dialogue just wore me down. Even though I didn't care for the story, I did enjoy the artwork. It was the only thing helping the story move along, plus it provided great background for Thor.


Thor 620.1 felt like a one-shot. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it just felt like a step away from the series. However, they did provide a good amount of Thor background, which is what they promised. All in all, this was a good Point One issue for the younger crowd, but I felt like it was a little dull and simple for me. It also didn't excite me for the film; I was hoping it would. Next week, we get a Point One Break, then its April with two Avenger books and Uncanny X-Men!

My Point One Journey so far:
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force
* Review: Hulk
* Review: Deadpool
* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine
* Review: The Invincible Iron Man
* My Point One Plan
* The info about the Point One Initiative


Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: Captain America #615.1

This week there are two Point One issues, Captain America and Thor. Seems to me like Marvel is trying to bring in new readers who may be trying to get some more background before the movies come out.

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

Captain America #615.1 starts off with a new Captain America, and Steve Rogers ain't happy about it. At the same time, we see Rogers burnt out and missing his glory days. When the new Cap gets captured on his first day by A.I.M., Rogers jumps into action to save him, then tells him to get lost and leave the shield behind. At the close of the issue, we see Nick Fury and Sharon talking about how Fury set up the new Cap to manipulate Rodgers into being Captain America again.


This issue really drew me into the story, even with the gaps in background. Brubaker created a story that touches on the struggles of Steve Rogers not being Captain America. Additionally, with Fury trying manipulate Rogers back to the mask and shield, I can feel where the story is heading, and I am curious to see how they get there.


For a Point One issue, it felt like the start of a new story, even though there wasn't as much background as I would have liked. It also got me invested in the character, which is what will keep me reading. If Marvel wanted me to get excited for the comic and the movie, they succeeded.

My Point One Journey so far:
* Review: Uncanny X-Force
* Review: Hulk
* Review: Deadpool
* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

* Review: Wolverine
* Review: The Invincible Iron Man
* My Point One Plan
* The info about the Point One Initiative


Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: Uncanny X-Force #5.1

I'm sorry that the Uncanny X-Force #5.1 review is late but this was the hardest Point One review I have had to write.

The story is the continuation of the current storyline from the first few issues. This is a team of asassians made up of former X-Men characters; some I know and some I don't. In this issue, they appear to be getting revenge on those that attacked them first. There is also a side story of killing a child clone of Apocalypse. Needless to say, this was a very dark issue, in both story and art.

This issue did nothing for me. Didn't invoke any emotions, with the exception of being confused. Unlike the other Point One issues I read, I had no background on this issue. I do feel it may have been better if I knew the entire team. Since I have had very little exposure to mutants outside of the more popular ones, I had to rely on the story to drag me in. It referenced way too much without giving any detail. At the same time, it failed to make me invest in the characters. If the story had spent a little more time on the characters, it may have pulled me in rather than push me away.

This is a hard book to jump into when you just don't have any background. When reading this issue, I did feel like it would better suit a current Marvel reader who had read other X-Men books. The Point One initiative is supposed to reach not just in the dark readers like me but also consistent comic readers who just haven't read a certain title. In the latter, this fulfills their goal. However, since it is so low in the issue count, if you like this issue it won't be hard to catch up.

Coming up this week, we have another Point One double duty of Captain America #615.1 and Thor #620.1. Hopefully I will get even more excited for the movies!! Hopefully....

My Point One Journey so far:
* Review: Hulk
* Review: Deadpool
* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

* Review: Wolverine
* Review: The Invincible Iron Man
* My Point One Plan
* The info about the Point One Initiative


Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Review: Hulk #30.1

This week we are treated with two Point One titles, Hulk and Uncanny X-Force. My Uncanny X-Force review will be out soon, but here is how I feel about Hulk.

Hulk #30.1 actually follows the Red Hulk, Former General Thunderbolt Ross. Right off the bat, we learn that Ross had a few issues with the Hulk and misused his power in an effort to destroy him. He faked his own death and ended up storming the White House. But now he is a good guy, working for Steve Rodgers and Bruce Banner, the Original Hulk. His crazy monster hating apparently spread to an officer that replaced him when he "died." Now he is being hunted just like he hunted Banner, by his friend, General Reggie Fortean, who doesn't know that his old friend is who he is trying to kill.

The Hulk Point One issue provided a great background for the Red Hulk character, while starting a new story. Ross is a compelling character that truly seems torn about what he has done in the past and what he is today. Not to mention, he has got a little attitude, which I love. However, wasn't this supposed to be about the Hulk? Bruce Banner never makes an appearance. I feel like I did for Amazing Spider-Man, they promised me one thing and gave me another. Marvel bait and switch! I know that this is supposed to bring in new readers and introduce them to characters but let's be honest for a second. These new readers have to want to read comics, so they already have some geek background and probably know something about these characters.

Yes, I know that Red Hulk is on the cover like Venom was on the cover of ASM. However, as a potential new fan, I have the right to expect the title character to be in their own introduction story. If I wanted to be introduced to Red Hulk, I would buy a Red Hulk book!

As a introduction to a character, this was a good story. It was ruined for me by the fact that I feel like Marvel is using the classics to sell me the second string cast.

My Point One Journey so far:
* Review: Deadpool
* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

* Review: Wolverine
* Review: The Invincible Iron Man
* My Point One Plan
* The info about the Point One Initiative