Marvel Noise

I haven’t really been following this title, and now I’m very, very sorry. I also haven’t been following every tie-in with this event, but I’ve been following some of them and this is one of the few issues that has been entirely in the present. This is what I’ve been looking for in the narrative. Battles against overwhelming odds, chase scenes, and a surprise on the last page to get you ready for the next issue. What more can you ask for?

Brian Reed tells the tale of what happens to Ms. Marvel as one of the only heroes fighting the Skrulls in New York. I don’t know where all the other heroes in the Marvel U are, but I can tell you where the Skrulls are. Well, actually I can’t because they seem to be popping up everywhere, but there are a boatload of them in this issue and Mr. Reed makes it clear that they don’t like Ms. Marvel, or her resistance to their invasion, very much.

Doing a fine job on art, we’ve got Adriana Melo on pencils, Mariah Benes on inks, and Paulo Siqueira on pages 11 – 16. They convey the scale of the invasion and the overwhelming forces the heroes face beautifully. Now, I generally try to keep my reviews on the positive side but I have to interject here that while the art is well done, it doesn’t really do anything for me. These are professional comic book artists who have achieved mastery of their art form, so I don’t want to take away from that, but I didn’t feel that this was the best this book could have or should have looked. That said, the story does move along well and is one of the best tie-ins I’ve read so far.

Recommended for anyone following Secret Invasion.

COVER: GREG HORN
WRITER: BRIAN REED
PENCILS: ADRIANA MELO and PAULO SIQUEIRA
INKS: MARIAH BENES and PAULO SIQUEIRA
COLORS: CHRIS SOTOMAYOR
LETERS: DAVE SHARPE
EDITOR: STEPHEN WACKER
Rated T+ …$2.99

When Reed Richards can no longer find solace in the theatrical version of “Josie and the Pussycats”, you know something very serious must be going on! But when the whole world seems to lose it’s love for fiction, some villian must definitely be behind it! Now it’s up to the Fantastic Four, with the help of their old friend Willie Lumpkin, to get to the bottom of the problem. Get ready to take a journey through classic literature with the Fantastic Four as your guides in this all new four part miniseries!

Writer Paul Cornell (Captain Britain and MI:13, Wisdom, TV’s Dr. Who) and artist Horacio Domingues seem to have something really special going on with this series. This book was just a really fun, off the wall experience from start to finish. This is probably unlike any other Fantastic Four book you’ve read before! The story literally finds the FF using their imaginations to get to the bottom of the worlds sudden missing love for fiction. Along the way, the team encounters classic characters throughout literature including Dante (not the one from Clerks) and the Dashwood sisters from Sense and Sensibility. You really feel that Cornell has a great love for the classics with this story. Horacio Domingues’ art is just a blast to look at! His playful style is really a wonderful fit for this book. Just wait till you get a look at the Fictocraft! I would love to see what he could do with Spider-Man. This was just an all around great read that I truly had a blast with and can’t recommend enough!

COVER BY: NIKO HENRICHON

WRITER: PAUL CORNELL

PENCILS: HORACIO DOMINGUES

INKS: HORACIO DOMINGUES
COLORED BY: HORACIO DOMINGUES

LETTERER: DAVE LANPHEAR
EDITOR: TOM BREVOORT
Rated A …$2.99

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook

The Skrulls think an invasion of Wakanda will be a walk in the park. But King T’Challa, the Black Panther, and the citizens of Wakanda have other plans! It’s non-stop Secret Invasion excitement as the Skrulls bring the fight to Wakanda’s front door! Black Panther #39 features the new creative team of writer Jason Aaron and artist Jefte Palo. Story wise, I thought this issue was a really good read. I loved the back and forth between the Skrull battleship and the Wakandan command center leading up to a final confrontation at the gates of Wakanda. I really appreciated the insight we get into the motivation of the Skrull Commander leading the Wakandan invasion. For me, it really helped make the battle feel more than just another Skrull attack. You knew the Skrull leading this mission was fighting for a purpose and I felt that really added to the story. Really great writing on Jason Aaron’s part. The art from Jefte Palo was kinda hit or miss for me. There were a couple of splash pages that I thought looked really good, especially some of the battle scenes. But than there were other spots that just didn’t really do anything for me. Overall, this was a really good issue and an excellent tie-in to the Secret Invasion event. There were some really well done battle sequences and the story was well written. This book is definitely worth picking up!

COVER: JASON PEARSON
WRITER: JASON AARON
ARTIST: JEFTE PALO
COLORIST: LEE LOUGHRIDGE
LETTERER: VC’S CORY PETIT
EDITOR: AXEL ALONSO
Rated T+ …$2.99

The heroes of the Marvel Universe better look out! There’s a new team in town, and their not completely into the whole hero scene. In fact, if your a hero in the Marvel U., you better make sure all those dirty little secrets you don’t want the public to know are well guarded or you may end of like… You’ll just have to check out True Believers #1 to find out!

Written by Cary Bates (Flash, Star Brand, Superman) and illustrated by Paul Gulacy (Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu, Six From Sirius, Batman, Catwoman) issue one introduces us to the True Believers, a team of four computer hacking superheroes who use their powers and abilities to run a popular tabloid style blog that covers the slimier side of the Marvel Universe as well as the latest superhero gossip and dirt. The team’s leader, Mavis Trent who goes by the name Payback, also doubles as an adviser for S.H.I.E.L.D. I really, really dug the hell out of this first issue! The story is told from the view point of Mavis, who I found to be a really fun character to read. Bates’ dialog is very believable and has a great flow about it. This is the first time I have read any of Bates’ work, and so far I am thoroughly impressed. The story was very entertaining, and the cliff hanger at the end really leaves you wondering: did this really happen?

The art from Paul Gulacy is absolutely phenomenal! Once again, Gulacy is an artist I am not familiar with, but I thought the stuff he did in this issue was outstanding. Each panel was incredibly detailed and he draws some absolutely stunning women! I am really curious to see where this book goes. Based on the end of this issue, I’m wondering what kind of dirt we will be getting on some of our other favorite heroes? Definitely give this book a try, I can’t recommend it enough!

COVER BY: PAUL GULACY
WRITER: CARY BATES
PENCILS: PAUL GULACY
INKS: PAUL GULACY
COLORS: RAIN BEREDO
LETTERS: ARTMONKEY’S DAVE LANPHEAR
EDITOR: MOLLY LAZER & BILL ROSEMANN
Rated T+ …$2.99