Blue_Shield
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Blue_Shield's Reviews
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Total Reviews Written 11 Reviews Your Average Review Score
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Reviewed by Blue_Shield
Sept. 22, 2009

X-Men: The 198 follows several mutants after the events of M-Day.  And this story takes place after Decimation: House of M - The Day After. 
    
To me the great thing about this issue (as well as the rest of the series) is that it focuses on lesser known characters.   
 
Magma.  Erg.  Toad.  Lorelei Travis.  Mr. M not what you'd expect, but an interesting story.


Reviewed by Blue_Shield
Aug. 12, 2009
SOME SPOILERS 
 
In House Of  M: Masters Of Evil, the spotlight shines on villians.  The Hood gathers a group of 'sapien' anti-social types in an effort to accomplish something they all have a problem with, winning.  The gathered villians listen to the plan, and Bushwhacker ends up dead when he objects to the Hood's leadership.  The group raids a Sentinel microchip factory, destroying two of the robots in the process.  Afterwards, the group celebrates and, Parker Robbins wonders if this could become more than just a simple heist. 
 
Okay, this story takes palce in an alternate reality, I think.  When reading an alternate reality story, I like to see some changes made.  This is basically the story of the Hood and his 'army' from the Marvel Universe proper (616).  Nearly all are members are in both realities.  They reveal the Hood's problems in his personal life, basically the same.  Other than a couple of costume changes and Bushwhacker getting whacked (cue rimshot) not much going on.  The art was eh...okay with a large amount of the details left to colorist Nathan Fairburn.   
 
Obviously, like most first issues, this was a set up story.  The Hood appears to be rethinking what he wants to accomplish, and that appears to be what the series will revolve around.  
 
Was this worth the $3.99?  No. I haven't been this disappointed after reading an issue in awhile now.  You can probably just skip to issue two and save 20 minutes of your life.  I give it 2 out 5.
 


Reviewed by Blue_Shield
June 10, 2009
Classic X-Men back-up review #2 featuring Colossus.  

The X-Men arrive in the Savage Land, after their encounter Magneto at his Antarctic base.  The heat, playing tricks on his mind, make Peter think he sees Anya.  Anya is a girl from back home, but he is really looking at three females from the Fall People tribe.  The women are attacked by a T-Rex, and Peter comes to their rescue.  One of them is killed by the T-Rex, and to repay him for saving them, the other two want to have a "ceremony"  with Peter.  Peter, suprised that they were not scared by his armored for, embraced the moment.

I think that Claremont and Bolton create an interesting tale from one or two panels from UXM #114.  It reveals part of Colossus' past, and his relationships before Kitty Pryde. 

Notes: This story takes place behind the scenes of  Uncanny X-Men #114, and between Uncanny X-Men #114 and #115.  
              In Uncanny X-Men Annual #12, it is revealed that due to this encounter, Nereel had a son (a named him Peter).
 


Reviewed by Blue_Shield
June 2, 2009
 *** Some Spoilers ***

After a "cleansing" in the waters of the Jersey shore, Hercules Amadeus Cho enter hell...through a casino!?!  Apparently Pluto has a thing for riches and gold.  Athena sends them there to bring back Zues.  As they travel through the casino with their guide the fallen New Warrior Aegis.  Things get hairy when Cho is having too much "luck" counting cards at the Blackjack table.  Hera encounters the Olympus Group after throwing her daughter Hebe from a skyscraper.

I haven't read the last few issues, but the recap page was enough for me to understand what was going on. The story was good and there were some funny moments as well, including Herc using a 'Men In Black' movie quote.  The art team of Ryan Stegman (I haven't seen his work before) & Terry Pallot was solid.

I'm looking forward to the next issue.


Reviewed by Blue_Shield
June 2, 2009
Classic X-Men back-up review #1, featuring Lilandra.

This issue's back-up feature tells the story of Lilandra's psychic connection to Professor X.  The Princess has been acuused of treason by her brother Emperor D'Ken and is aboard a Shi'ar ship, when it is attacked.  During the battle,Lilandra's mind sees the memories of Charles Xavier, even believing herself to be him.  In the battle both her captures and rescuers perish, and regains her own mind, escaping in a shuttle and heading towards Earth to find Xavier.

These events take place prior to Uncanny X-Men #105.

This story revels much about how Lilandra and Xavier first encounter each other and blends well into the estalished storyline in the main story.  John Bolton 's artwork flows nicely, and Lilandra facial expression and body language are perfect.  Overall, I feel this was a good story and not just filler.





Reviewed by Blue_Shield
May 21, 2009
I'll admit I haven't read an issue of Amazing Spider-Man for awhile (though I did read through the 'Barnd New Day' Yearbook) so I know some general stuff.  I really liked this issue! The art was great, well written, Spidey's humor.  And even though I did not read the previous parts to 24/7, the recap at the beginning from Peter's point-of-view set it up nicely.  The new Vulture is badass(can I say that?)  He makes Adrian Toomes look like a pussycat.  Good stuff.


Reviewed by Blue_Shield
May 21, 2009

*SOME SPOILERS*

Planet Skaar Prologue, was just that, a set-up issue for the bigger arc.  Greg Pak has mentioned that his Hulk story is a trilogy, and I expect this may be part three.  Pak brings Skaar to Earth looking for Hulk, and his mere approach causes Bruce Banner and Jennifer Walters to "Hulk-up".  Norman Osborn, pardons the Warbound and then does his best Montgomery Burns, as he finds out about how Skaar's pressence has effected Kate Waynesboro.  I was pleasently surprised with dan Panosian's art, I felt it was so much better than his '90s cross-hatch filled 'Image' style.  I also felt Pak handled Reed Richards very well.  Looking forward to Skaar #11.

And does anyboby else think, that Skaar looks like the love-child of Conan and She-Hulk.



Reviewed by Blue_Shield
May 20, 2009
I just read Girls #1, and while I'm primarily a superhero guy, something drew me to this issue --c'mon it's got a naked lady on the cover :P The story follows small town twenty-something Ethan Daniels sexual frustrated day, that boils into a drunken rant on the women of Pennystown.  The art and color add so much to the tone of a great story, with believable interactions between the characters.  This issue leaves many questions unanswered and I look forward to issue #2.


Reviewed by Blue_Shield
March 8, 2009

 ** Some Spoilers **               

New Avengers: The Reunion #1 returns Mockingbird to action in the Marvel Universe.  In Dark Reign: New Nation Bobbi tells Clint she needs some space, in this issue we start to see what she's doing.  Clint, not being one to let things go, tracks her down, with the help of Captain America.  After battling A.I.M. Agents at a Hospital, Clint finally badgers the purpose of what Mockingbird is doing out of her.  Mockingbird's mission is to find those connected to the 'Secret Invasion' that may still be on Earth.  Bobbi plans to stop them alone, but Clint has other plans.  I liked the issue well enough, the art was okay, but it seemed that it relied heavily on the coloring to provide depth and shade, but maybe they planned it that way. Overall I liked it and want to read issue #2.



Reviewed by Blue_Shield
Feb. 12, 2009
Spoilers...HO!

Jarvis is back, Scarlet Witch is back(how? why? (not explained, not important) The Avengers are back!  I know, the series has been around for a while, but its felt different.  This issue is primarily a set up issue, a gathering of heroes and at the end the threat revealed.  The group appears to be Wasp (Hank Pym), Jocasta, Hercules, Scarlet Witch, USAgent, Hulk, with Cho, Stature and Vision.  The world appears to be in peril(again), and Jiminy Cricket...I mean Cho and Hercules track down Jarvis, saying that for the Avengers to be, he must be there.  Scarlet Witch in the meantime is gathering others as well.  And after Hank and Cho are done comparing test tubes, they head fo Wundagore Mountain, where Modred has Bova chained up and appears to have killed the Knights of Wundegore.  Modred claims to now be the Book of the Darkhold, and Quicksilver is possesed by Chthon?  All in all a good story, and Khoi Pham's art is starting to grow on me.  Looking forward to the next issue.


Reviewed by Blue_Shield
Oct. 13, 2008

SPOILERS!!!

As stated above, I was pleasently surprised by this issue.    Hold on to your hats, but before this issue, I had yet to read any of the previous Marvel Zombies titles.  Despite the rabid reviews by critics and fans alike, I just couldn't bring myself to pick up a copy.  So what compelled me this time around?  Machine Man and Jocasta.  I am a huge fan of obscure characters, of which this issue has plenty.  Right off the bat, we are introduced to The Initiative' Florida based group The Command.  The Command consists of former Deathlok ally/enemy Siege(group leader), sorceress Jennifer Kale, and fellow 70s' cast off Aquarian(sometimes called Wundarr), with new arrival the Conquistador.

The team answers a call of superhuman problems during a local swamp tour, but find no survivors, save one.  Suprise it's a zombie! And before Siege can finish saying that they're going to help her, she's snackin' on his cheek.  The $#!+ really hits the fan, when zombie Deadpool, the merc with half a moiuth shows up.  'Pool showing concern that Kale is a magic user goes right for her.  Aquarian gets bit, with the zombie Deadpool saying "MMMM! October 1973! YUMM!" (note:  Aquarian debuted in Oct. 1973) shortly before 'Pool gets sent into the blade of a swamp boat.  The Conquistador is literally torn limb from limb.  And Siege shuts down after his cyborg parts recognize his biological side dead.

After the the encounter, the survivors are taken to A.R.M.O.R. 's HQ, and we find Morbius and Charles Little Sky(formerly the Darkhawk foe Portal) as the head of the organization.  Machine Man is brought in because they need a pure sample of the zombies from there earth and Machine Man can not be infected.  After he says no, they reveal that Jocasta will be going with or without him.  Aaron decides to go with her, given their history together.  At issues end we find out that the Morbius we see in the issue, is actually a zombie Morbius in disguise.

Bottom line, this was a fun issue.  Fred Van Lente shows his knowledge of the characters in the series, with good mix of action, humor, and twists.  I have never been that taken with Kev Walker's art in the past, but it works extremely well for this series.  I would definitely recommend this issue, and can't wait for the next issue.