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REVIEW: ‘Stray Bullets: Killers’ #2

(Image Comics / El Capitan, 2014)

Written, Drawn, & Lettered by David Lapham

David Lapham is one of the most versatile writers working in comicbooks today. His work runs the gamut from super hero stories to extremely poignant human drama but the one element that all of his writing has is common is great character development; perhaps best known for his Stray Bullets series or his substantial contribution to the Avatar schlock horror/porn series Crossed, Lapham has also brought his uniquely human narratives to some of the most iconic super heroes Continue reading

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REVIEW: ‘All-New Doop’ #1

(Marvel Comics, 2014)

Written by Peter Milligan
Art by David Lafuente
Color Art by Laura Allred
Lettering by Clayton Cowles
Cover Art by Michael & Laura Allred
Variant Cover Art by Adi Granov

Throughout the midst of the entire Marvel Universe, there are some very peculiar characters that only surface every so often. One of those is none other than Doop. He is nothing more than a fun, little green floating orb that struggles with communicating and is best friends with Wolverine. The world should love Doop, but he is often misunderstood and unappreciated. Continue reading

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REVIEW: ‘The Crow: Pestilence’ #1

(IDW Publishing, 2014)

Writer: Frank Bill
Artist: Drew Moss
Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce
Editor: Sarah Gaydos

In 1989 I was fully in the thrall of the X-Men and Spider-Man, but there were other books out there, something mysterious called “indie” comics, that would shape my later life. 1994 saw the release of The Crow, the Brandon Lee film, and I was enthralled. It was a superhero movie. We were on the heels of Batman Returns Continue reading

REVIEW: ‘Magneto’ #1

(Marvel Comics, 2014)

Written by Cullen Bunn
Artwork by Gabriel Hernandez Walta
Color Artwork by Jordie Bellaire

Usually the announcement of another X-Men related solo series generates little to no excitement in my sphere of existence.  I much prefer my X-Men in team form.  When I heard that Magneto was going to be the next X-Men team member to get the solo treatment, however, I was more than interested. Continue reading

REVIEW: ‘Fantastic Four’ #1

(Marvel Comics, 2014)

Written by James Robinson
Pencils by Leonard Kirk
Inked by Karl Kesel
Color Artwork by Jesus Aburtov

In the first issue of James Robinson’s Fantastic 4 there is a very obvious shift in tone to darker, somewhat more introspective terrain, particularly in contrast to Matt Fraction’s recently ended run which was much more action/ adventure oriented. The Fantastic Four has a very unique Continue reading

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REVIEW: ‘All New Invaders’ #1

(Marvel Comics, 2014)

Written by James Robinson
Artwork by Steve Pugh
Color Artwork by GURU-eFX
Lettering by Cory Petit

When James Robinson left Earth 2 and effectively severed ties with DC, at least for the foreseeable future, I feared there would be an extended period of time without an on-going title being written by the outspoken and innovative Robinson. So when it was announced that the prolific writer was coming to Marvel I was ecstatic Continue reading

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REVIEW: ‘Harbinger’ #20

(Valiant Entertainment, 2014)

Written by Joshua Dysart
Artwork by Clayton Henry
Color Artwork by Brian Reber

Welcome to “Resistance”.  Leave your secrets at the door.

Over the course of its current run, ‘Harbinger’ has had a very strong ‘Us vs. Them’ vibe.  What began as a simple tale of the possible-hero/maybe-saviour escaping the hard confines of Toyo Harada’a teachings at his Harbinger Foundation has, over time, become so much more.  The vibe remains but it has focused Continue reading

Inhumanity-No1-cover

REVIEW: “Inhumanity” #1

(Marvel Comics, 2013)

Review by Shawn Warner

Written by Matt Fraction
Artwork by Olivier Coipel
Inks by Mark Morales
Color Artwork by Laura Martin ‘DePuy’

With Infinity just wrapping up many of you may be reluctant to jump right back into another event but I caution you, please do not miss out on Inhumanity and the major repercussions that are sure to be felt throughout the Marvel Universe Continue reading

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REVIEW: “X-Men” #1 (2013)

(Marvel Comics, 2013)

Review by Cory Thrall

WRITTEN BY:  Brian Wood
PENCILS BY:  Olivier Coipel
INKS BY:  Mark Morales & Olivier Coipel
COLOR ARTWORK BY:  Laura Martin
LETTERING BY:  VC’s Joe Caramagna

This opening issue to Marvel’s newest X title - just “X-Men” this time around - is an interesting one, to say the least.  What you might normally expect from a first issue, and especially an X title, is a huge opener with a ton of weight and characters to toss around, with huge villains and even larger problems. Continue reading

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REVIEW: “Age of Ultron” #1

(Marvel Comics, 2013)

Review by Chris Ambrosio

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrator: Bryan Hitch
Colors: Paul Mounts
Letters: Cory Petit
Editor: Tom Brevoort

I’m new to Bag and Board so go easy on me now guys, this is also my first review, you can say I’m a nooby. I’ve been looking forward to reading Age of Ultron for quite some time now, ever since I’ve read “Age of Ultron coming soon” in the back of The Avengers, AU free comic in May of 2011 issue #0.1, yeah I’ve been kinda sitting on the edge of my seat waiting or this block buster of a miniseries. Continue reading

VIDEO REVIEW: “Age of Ultron” #1

(Marvel Comics, 2013)

We here at Bag & Bored are more than excited to announce a partnership with the video reviewers over at 2ComicNerds, who have a wonderful YouTube channel where they do regular reviews, so be sure to check that out, as well!  Here we have them reviewing “Age of Ultron” #1, in wait of issue #2, out this coming Wednesday, March 13th.  Here’s what they had to say, and be sure to check out their channel, linked below the video.  We hope you enjoy!

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Their YouTube channel can be found here:  www.youtube.com/user/2ComicNerds?feature=watch

You can reach the team on Twitter:  @2ComicNerds

 

 

REVIEW: “All New X-Men” #8

(Marvel Comics, 2013)   -   Reviewed by Sam LeBas

Writer:  Brian Michael Bendis
Artist:  David Marquez
Color:  Marte Garcia
Letterer:  VC’s Cory Petit

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Issue #8 of All New X-Men delivers humor, action, character development, and the realization that these characters are asking many of the same questions that we readers have been mulling over these last few months.

Bendis’ storytelling remains engaging. He shows his skill at juggling a large cast of characters while simultaneously advancing this high-concept plot. This series makes each character’s motivation clear, and deserves credit for allowing these motivations to matter. Each member of the team has agency and narrative weight, but somehow does not bog down the overall momentum of the story.

In this issue we finally get the opportunity to learn more about Warren as he fights alongside Angel to protect the Avenger’s Mansion from Hydra’s forces. Warren’s anxiety about his future crystallizes as he learns more about this contemporary version of himself. Bendis incorporates character development and action expertly in this stunning sequence. Just as the battle reaches its pinnacle, the Avengers make their appearance.

The realization that Hank McCoy has tampered with the space-time continuum does not sit well with the Avengers. They travel to the Jean Grey School to confront the doctor, with Captain America serving as ambassador. A conversation about ethics and consequences of scientific principles between a genius and a moral straight-arrow should not bring about much laughter. However, Bendis finds a way to diffuse the tension; giving the story a moment of levity as Kitty and Bobby approximate the exchange out of earshot of Cap and McCoy.

Warren’s apprehension about the future, and desire not to know what it holds for him lead him to make an ill-advised attempt to go home. Thankfully, there is a voice of reason to stop him. Despite the high-flying action sequence, the confrontation with the Avengers, and the breakdown of one of the main characters; the most important moment of this issue may be its reminder that Jean Grey is a wild card. What are the implications of such a young version of Jean having access to so much history that has not yet come to pass? If you are not asking yourself that question, you might be missing the point. This foreshadowing casts a long, dark, ominous shadow that plunges the series into a new level of darkness.

Marquez artwork is very well suited for this series. He consistently brings a youthful exuberance to the page, and captures character with a seeming effortless. He gets the outside of the heads so right, that it is easy for the reader to get inside them. His work truly adds to the narrative quality of the book highlighting its themes and nuances, not in an obvious way, but by nudging readers to notice what Bendis has already put into the writing. A two page spread of Warren and Angel fighting Hydra’s goons reveals a great deal of contrast between where this character started, and what he has become. Marquez’s visual representation of this idea brings new clarity to a beautiful moment.

Do not miss an issue of this series. It bubbles with action, fizzes with humor, and beats with the pulse of a phenomenal cast of characters driving the book ever forward.

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Follow Sam on twitter @comicsonice and check out her blog comicsonice.com

REVIEW: Uncanny X-Men #2

(Marvel Comics, 2013)   -   Reviewed by Sam LeBas

UNCANNY-X-MEN-2-Cover-smallThe sister book to one of my favorite Big 2 on-goings, (All New X-men) offered up its second helping this week in the pages of Uncanny X-men #2 by Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo. As of now, I am having a hard time falling in love.

Brian Michael Bendis, master that he is, constructs a lovely, intimate narrative involving the lingering tensions between Scott Summers and Emma Frost. The pair shares a history that would make most Lifetime movies green with envy, and that is apparent in the way they interact here. Emma is not only struggling with the ramifications of a life-altering split with Scott, but also facing the terrifying prospect of living without her mutant abilities. Bendis does an incredible job portraying the storm of emotions raging inside of her.

Facing the age-old dilemma, best defined by The Clash, “should I stay or should I go?” Emma makes the decision to stay.  She decides to serve as a mentor to the world’s newest mutants, whom she, Scott, Magneto, and Magik have been collecting. As the group attempts to explain the mutant way of life to their new recruits, they encounter trepidation from the initiates. Eva, one of the newest mutants, is concerned for the safety of her family. In a display of compassion, Cyclops and his team transport back to her home in Australia. They are unaware that a double agent, Magneto, has called in back up.

So with such a solid storyline, why am I still hesitant to give away my heart? The answer is simple: I cannot embrace the art. Not only does the style of the art seem incongruent to the tone of the book, I question some of the choices made by the artist in a general sense. For instance, I cannot understand why in some when a full figure is shown the proportions of the characters seem altered, while in three-quarter view they retain standard dimensions. I am also leery of the cut and paste style used in some of the ensemble frames. The work looks like a collage of paper dolls pasted on a photo of the sky, because they have a white outline and none of the figures interact. This also makes the figures appear very static. Some pages have large white borders while the panels on the page seem squished. Scott Summers here looks younger (and a whole lot more like John Karsinski) than his younger counterpart featured in All New X-Men.

As you read this be aware that these critiques involve stylistic choices. Bachalo does not do anything wrong, these decisions just does not appeal to my tastes. The art is not bad, and I suppose that for readers who enjoy an Asian-inspired art style, it will seem particularly successful. Two pages in particular did impress me, the full page of Emma Frost in profile and Bachalo’s rendering of the Xavier School.
Another frustrating feature of the book are the layouts. Bendis apparently favors confusing panel distribution in his scripts; I have encountered these snares in his other work. However, if you persevere and find the flow of the panels, you will be rewarded with a great story.

So there you have it, Bendis tells a great story; and I personally can’t get into the slightly manga-inspired art style. The world will eventually recover from the shock I am sure.
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Follow Sam on twitter @comicsonice or check out her blog comicsonice.com

REVIEW: “Uncanny Avengers” #4

(Marvel NOW!, 2013)   -   Reviewed by Feral Fang

Uncanny-Avengers-4I should begin this with saying I am one who really enjoyed last year’s “Avengers Vs. X-Men” crossover event, and honestly think it was one of the most fun events since the whole ‘House of M’ imaginative craziness.  That said, I am very excited and surprised at how Marvel has used the large number of crossovers it has had in the past decade or so and woven so much of them into current continuity.  Titles from all over the Marvel spectrum have been the direct result of these events and major story arcs, like the “New Avengers” focus on the Illuminati, “Civil War” still being mentioned and the ramifications still felt.  This is the kind of Marvel Universe they had always teased at since I was a kid.  Instead of guest starring roles, hero-vs-hero battles, and team-ups to integrate the Universe, it feels to me like they have done a damn good job running the threads from these into the titles they have today.  Which brings us to this title, “Uncanny Avengers”.  This is one I came in a little late on, but since issue #2 I’ve had nothing but excitement for this book.  I really enjoy the ‘casting’ so to speak, and feel they have already become a cohesive team.  I was at first annoyed at Captain America being a member, but when he named Havoc as team leader I felt a bit better about it.  It still bothers me a bit, but - hey! - it’s an “Avengers” related title, so you get what you get.  Mainly, Cap and/or S.H.I.E.L.D.  And that’s fine.

The first arc for “Uncanny Avengers” have been a blast, and that’s both a pun and a truth.  After the events of “A vs. X”, Professor Xavier is dead, and the Red Skull has a plan - take Xavier’s brain, somehow attach it to his own, and gain Professor X’s psychic powers.  The ‘Uncanny Avengers’ team, while being formed as a sort of publicity stunt to show the world mutants and humans can work together in peace, quickly finds themselves in their first adventure - and one that just might kill them.  Red Skull, using the powers of Xavier’s brain as a device for mind control, sets his S-Men and the now-enthralled civilians of the surrounding area against the team, and even mutants as a whole.  As people are given the ability to see the mutant in people who may or may not know it, they become a mob of murder, beatings, and blood.  Heroes are beat to bulging versions of themselves, a God is controlled by Skull - so much goes bad in the first three issues that it left me waiting for this newest one with an almost ‘happy panic’.  So, I got it, and read it.  And, even with some things that stuck out in a bad way, I really, really enjoyed it.

Crafting such a smooth and excitingly told story in only four issues is a feat for any writer, I’d imagine, but Rick Remender once again rises to the occasion.  The characters, while well known already, have found a new space to grow in this title, and Remender has used it to it’s maximum potential.  Rivalries and tempers still flare from “A vs. X”, Havoc’s fear of failure is strongly developed, and given even more depth with a flashback scene of young Alex and Scott, surviving a horrible situation.  In that tiny scene it explains the brother’s constant struggles without needing more (for now), or not being enough.  The writing and script, through all four issues, is just like that, as well.  Not too much or too little, just a well written arc with some very interesting character development and high-end action and drama.  It really hits you as this story unfolds, the scale and scope of what is happening, and by the time you arrive at issue #4 you feel like you’ve been through the same violent and disturbing fight the team themselves had just been through.  The story is rough, takes no prisoners, and is as brutal as it needs to be.  Again, there’s that balance.

I do have one beef with the writing, and that’s in the way Remender handles Cap.  As stated, I know it’s almost always a guarantee that he will be in any “Avengers” oriented book in one fashion or another.  It’s his crew, I get that.  But a lot of times, and especially in this title, he never really feels like more than a cardboard cut-out of Captain America, even when he fights aside or within whichever team.  That’s why it disappoints me so much in this particular comic, because of the great character building that the title is filled with.  Captain America has been around a long time, and his story and character has been explored in more ways than most comic book characters in history, but there *has* to be more, or something else you can add to the legacy.  Really, there has to be growth, which I don’t see at all in “Uncanny Avengers”.  It’s just stereotypical Cap doing what Cap does.  The entire situation around him is becoming worse than a nightmare, and the only character not written like they’re actually in the midst of such a battle is, of course, Cap.  It’s awkward, and makes me wonder why he’s even here in the first place.

My main problem with this title is, no matter how much I love it and enjoy reading it, I can’t get around John Cassaday’s art.  His art is workable, and isn’t exactly horrible or even bad, it’s just boring.  Sadly, as the issues go onward, his work gets a bit worse each issue, until we get the seemingly hyper-rushed mess that is the art in this fourth issue.  Some scenes look pretty good, but then you’ll get a handful of panels that look more like rough sketches that were accidentally inked.  His work is mostly clean and clear, as it tends to usually be, but some of the work in this title has made me even less of a fan of his, and to be honest I wasn’t really one to begin with.

This title is awesome, fun, huge, and deeply character driven in the down-time.  It is one I will be gladly buying as they’re released.  I just wish they’d get somebody else on the artwork.  Sorry, Cassaday, but you and Cap are the weight on this otherwise effortless comic.

WRITING:  8 / 10

ARTWORK:  6 / 10

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:  7.5 / 10

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