Persona 5, the Return of Spider-Man, and Underwhelming Comics

Almost back to back, I got two bits of wonderful news that has me very excited for things coming up. Which is good, because I've needed something to look forward to!

Persona 5

First, a gameplay trailer for Persona 5 launched. IT WAS AMAZING. This is already my GOTY (game of the year), and I won't be playing until at least 2016 (Japanese release date is sometime 2015, so I'm HOPING we're sometime 2016). I love the red colors, the cat burgler-esque themes, the grittier characters, the more dynamic dungeons, persona enemies instead of shadows, etc etc... The only thing I'm not seeing in the trailer is a cast that exceeds for playable characters. It's not determined by the trailer, obviously, but I wouldn't even be mad if that was the case.

Oh, and it's coming to PS4 (and PS3), which 100% justifies my purchase of the system. Perfection. Watch it below, the Elder Gods know I have...

Spidey's Return

Next up, we have the "return" of Spider-Man to Marvel, in regards to film rights. Marvel has brokered a deal that allows them to use a new (not Andrew Garfield/ASM series) Spider-Man in their films (which is already impacting upcoming releases -- like May's Captain America: Civil War!). Sony will choose the actor and have final say in regards to character development, but I'm hoping they see reason and more or less follow Marvel's lead.

Doubt they'll go this route, but an important Civil War moment...

Then Sony will continue to produce solo Spider-Man films, which may now see inclusion of MCU characters. While I no longer trust Sony with anything related to my favorite super hero, I'm hoping the cross-pollination with Marvel will produce quality results. And having two studios pumping out related MCU films sounds like a perfect setup to me (though I would prefer Marvel having ownership of all rights back, just to allay the shakes and mental anguish ASM2 still causes).

Apparently the agreement was reached without Marvel actually paying anything, either -- they won't be getting any money from Sony Spidey-films, and Sony won't be getting any money from MCU group films. Honestly, it sounds like Sony got the lesser half of this deal, unless they're expecting the MCU marketing to be worthwhile... Or maybe there's something else there going on.


Now, on to actual comics...

Guardians of the Galaxy

Because... Venom.

I was excited that Guardians of the Galaxy was finally going to the home planet of the symbiotes. We've seen a "Planet of the Symbiotes" in a 90's crossover, featuring Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, and Venom titles, but never the actual point of origin for the species.

Guardians promised to take us there, and they did... but they didn't exactly deliver anything worthwhile. The arc is mostly taken up by the Venom symbiote jumping from Guardian to Guardian (as if we EVER expected anything else), eventually taking over the ship and directing the group to its home. Upon arrival... well, there's a very short, very anti-climactic stay. I won't even bother spoiling things for you, but the reveal of the species as a whole is unfortunate, white-washes a potentially interesting story, and retcons information offered in the "Planet of the Symbiotes" arc (Planet of the Big Fat Liars is more like it).

All in all, after reading decades of Venom, Carnage, and their extended family, it comes as a real let down that this is the direction Marvel went. I wanted a potential inter-galactic threat, or something menacing in some way that explains all the bullshit abilities and costs the symbiotes seem to offer or impose. Instead... blah. Going back to NOT reading GotG.

Spider-verse

As a whole, Spider-verse hasn't been as inclusive or as interesting as I hoped. "Every Spider-Man ever" isn't actually pulled off, and it's a giant chase scene between an arbitrarily super-powered family hunting Spiders, with limited-to-no logic applied. The Spiders could just as easily get help from the other super powers in their multitude of dimensions, but instead they wait and allow some of my favorite Spiders to get killed off.

GUESS WHO'S AT THE END?!

On that note, I won't even start on how annoyed I am with the "Scarlet Spiders" run ended. The bastards did it again. They. Did. It. Again.



For now... Well, wish me luck in netting a Majora's Mask Edition New 3DS XL. I, like anyone who wasn't a filthy scalper, missed the tiny pre-order window (less than 20 minutes, I believe), and have had to resort to sending The Wife out to flirt with associates of certain stores, in an effort to secure us a copy come Friday. The Wife seems confidant of her success... You'll be seeing a review of the system next week, if she's correct!

The Nerd Reviews EVERYTHING!

Ok, that's a bit over dramatic. But there was a lot I wanted to talk about, and I don't ever seem to be able to set aside them time. Or, when I do, I fall asleep.

... 4 months of fatherhood will do that to you.

So I'm going to give a quick comment on things I've been meaning to touch base on, with the promise of a longer review for the super mysterious last item, that I won't reveal until... well, you've scrolled down the bottom of the page, I guess.

Saga #24

This issue was full of win. It's a story about making The Will better. We learn some things about him, his sister meets up with Lying Cat and Co., and the final panel, featuring Marko and Prince Robot IV, is freaking perfect.

Spider-Verse Event

The event has been going strong. I'm liking it, for the most part. I dislike the villains being stupid strong for no apparent reason, and there are a lot of deus ex machina moments, but the writing is decent and some of the alternate Spiders are really interesting. They have killed off some Spiders that I'd rather they didn't, the pacing in general is so-so, and the fights really inconsistent, but it's entertaining enough on the surface. All the artists have been solid as well, and I'm getting a Ben Reilly kicking around for awhile.

Until they invariably kill him, too :/

New Star Wars Trailer

I dislike the name of the movie, the new lightsaber is dumb, everything else looks pretty damn good. Really hoping Finn's story (the guy in stormtrooper armor in the opening shot) is awesome and actually stormtrooper related -- I'd like to see one of the movies follow characters on both sides of the fence.

TV

I don't have time to watch TV, what is this?

But I have rewatched Firefly... twice... in the past week. Dammit Fox.

Speaking of Firefly...

 

Firefly the Game

I picked this up and was able to play a solo game and a three player game. I've picked up a couple expansions and am looking forward to playing again. When I do, I'll do a full review on the game, with it's own post and everything. Shiny.

Review preview: I'm loving it!

Current Events with Spider-Man

The "Spider-verse" prelude began last Wednesday, in Superior Spider-Man 32.

Wait. Wasn't Superior Spider-Man finished, and Amazing Spider-Man (with the real Peter Parker returned) already started?

Yes, yes it was.

Superior Spider-Man takes place while Doc Ock (as Peter Parker and Spider-Man) was displaced in time at the Horizon Labs explosion (in Superior Spider-Man #19, I believe). Apparently it wasn't just a quick jaunt through time -- he wound up in the year 2099, and we're finally seeing what happened.

When he attempted to make his way back home, he kept encountering alternate universe... all of which featured recently murdered Spider-Men, all of which were killed by the same dual-forked weapon. It's not clear if these are all Spider-Men we've met in different dimensions (we see the Armored Spider-Man, which was an alternate costume to 616 Peter and ALSO an alternate dimension where Peter was wealthy instead of poor. It could have been another altogether, however...)

You know, this guy.

In this rather expansive issue, Doc Ock decides that the menace must be faced and that the best way to do so would be to recruit as big an army of Spider-Men as possible, from across all the dimensions. Not, you know, an army of Hulks or something. But whatever. The end of the issues shows him having already begun his army, which will prove to be interesting...

I'm excited for this event, though this one issues seems to have covered a ton of ground, and it's only a prelude! It was a good read, though, and I like the idea that Superior Spider-Man may meet the revived 616 Amazing Spider-Man due to this time/dimension hopping. It may even give more insight as to why Ock makes the sacrifice in the "last" issue of Superior.

Also, as a side note on why I love the issue, I've recently been getting into the Skottie Young Variant covers, which depict marvel characters as babies. I have a few already, though mostly by accident, but now that I have a little girl, it's a great way to bring nerd-dom into her room. I grabbed two copies of this variant, which is only half of the Skottie Young Spider-verse spread, the second of which will come with Amazing Spider-Man #9. I want one set for my daughter's wall and one for my basement!

Love this!

Now, back in the current Amazing Spider-Man issues, I'm not liking the story much at all. I dislike that Black Cat will be a villain (I've said this before), and I really don't enjoy the backstory they're giving Silk, the new female spider-character (this one having been bit at the same spider that bit Peter). It was a bit too easy and includes her actively being locked away for years and years, the secret of her location only being found due to a story element from the Original Sin event.

... Also, the... relationship between Silk and Spider-Man doesn't really have any background for where they immediately go with it, but I suppose this isn't the first time Spidey's run on instinct. The issue itself seemed poorly written, however, where elements were repeated so much that I pictured the writer speaking to a two year old when actually planning this issue. Meh. I've really not been impressed with the return of Amazing Spider-Man, yet managed to love the most recent issue of Superior. Wonder if they're purposefully trying to tank the main title and character.

Oh well.

Still looking forward to seeing "every Spider-Man ever" during the Spider-verse event! It's yet another opportunity where they could, possibly, bring back Ben Reilly! ...I've said this before, haven't I?

Bring Ben Back!

Phase III: The New Pull List Review

It's been awhile since I've done a Pull List Review. Since moving to MA, my Pull List has reduced in size pretty dramatically. Most of the series I dropped were simply because I preferred something more and was trying to limit the amount of books I'm getting.

Now I hope to get to my local comic shop (back at Rubber Chicken Comics in MA, though I will miss Joker's Child in NJ) once every week or two, and I'll do Pull List Reviews quicker due to having less items to read.

For now, here is where I am with the issues that made the cut:

Saga #13

The Writer and our Narrator.

The writing/art break is over and the series has started up again! As much as I dislike having to wait so long for my favorite series currently on the shelves, I am very happy that they can keep the same artist and writer by giving them the necessary time.

Quote of the issue: "No one makes worse first impressions than writers." This issue picks up Marko depressed at the death of his father while on the hunt for the author of the book that brought him and Alana together. They eventually find him on a planet covered in death and, well, it's really not the greatest first impression. Elsewhere, The Will and his crew are trying to get back on track, though he seems to be a bit out of touch with reality, having visions of The Wisp. Two new characters, journalists of some kind, are shown early in the issue; no doubt we'll see more of them soon.

Nothing super exciting in this issue, but the writing and art are still top notch and I'm looking forward to what comes next. 8/10.

Superior Spider-Man #15 and #16
In these issues, Spidey-Ock has it out for the Hobgoblin, who has been able to avoid his Spider-Bots due to the programming edit the Green Goblin (who still hasn't been revealed) did several issues back. The Green Goblin doesn't want Spider-Man too suspicious of the Spider-Bot error, Spidey does manage to get enough tracers on  Hobby to learn that his identity is Phil Urich, which he then broadcasts to all of New York City in the hopes of apprehending him quickly. This culminates in a tense showdown at the Daily Bugle, which brings to a head Phil's status at the newspaper and his relationship with Nora Winters, as well as putting a small rift between Robbie and Spidey.

The issue ends with Phil arrested and then freed by Menace, who is working for the new Green Goblin (or the old one, I guess, though I don't expect it to actually be Norman). Gobby gives Phil his own Green Goblin attire, calling him the Goblin Knight, which will be interesting when the current trio of Goblins throw down with Spider-Man. Next issue, though will see the return of Spider-Man 2099, for which I'm super excited
about!

Yeah, this could work.

These issues were a 9/10. Still want Peter back, but as it stands, the story is interesting enough.

Scarlet Spider #21

Sigh.

If you listen to the most recent The Podcast is a Lie episode (whenever we actually publish it...), you'll here me rant a bit on this issue.

The cover shows the original Scarlet Spider fighting Kaine. The cover reads, "Because you demanded it, Ben Reilly the original...". Fairly early on the fight starts between the two Scarlet Spiders. The original says it's Ben, Kaine confirms this when the original is unmasked, and there's a quick-but-acceptable background given as to why he isn't dead (well, I would have bought it).

Then, at the end of the issue (and this is potentially a spoiler if you weren't expecting it), it is revealed to actually be Kraven the Hunter. Kaine is seeing Ben due to the poison injected into his system (which we see in the beginning of the issue in an airport.

BAH HUMBUG. Issue isn't bad in and of itself, but this playing with my heart results in a 1/10. Maybe, if I was being impartial, I could see it landing a 7/10, but I think this was a cruel move on Marvel's part. :(

Thor: God of Thunder #12
If you don't like the character of Thor, I strongly suggest picking up this issue. It is a downtime issue, where Thor simply visits with his friends and does good deeds around the planet, but it has some really wonderful character brush strokes and makes me feel very confidant that, even with the God Butcher arc closed, this title will still continue to be awesome.

Also, the final panel showing Future Thor standing on a future-wasteland Earth is pretty promising too.

Cover isn't that bad, sans Marvel graphics.

This issue is a solid 10/10 for me, I really connected with it. I'd love a better cover though, this one just didn't pop enough compared to how much I enjoyed the content.

Superior Carnage #2

The plan.

The Wizard is still at it, now having Cletus in his grasp. Alongside them is Klaw, whom we get more insight to in relation to his employer, the Wizard, and a new face, a wheelchair-bound  scientist named Dr. Malus. Malus quickly recognized that the Wizard is insane, which we are shown pretty clearly during this issue (at one point, Klaws points out that the Wizard has labeled and image of the Tarantula as "Agent Venom"). Klaw defends the Wizard as he considers him family due to their extended and colored history, which involves a few resurrections of Klaw by the Wizard.

Due to Cletus being lobotomized, the Wizard can't control his mind, though he tries multiple times while almost dying in the process. It also doesn't work on the Carnage symbiote. Then he gets the idea to transfer the symbiote to someone he can actually control, and settles on Dr. Malus, mostly due to the fact that his is crippled in a similar fashion to Flash Thompson, Agent Venom. We'll see how that goes next time.

I actually enjoyed the Wizard losing his mind and the dynamic between him and Klaw, but I find the Carnage aspect to be really minimal and I'm upset that we were promised a more lethal Carnage with its host lobotomized, but now we're going to get a new, randomly introduced guy as the host. Meh. I would have been more interested if they tried it on a face we knew.

Overall, issue is a 6/10, but I'm still holding out hope that they'll surprise me.

---

For the rest of the list, I still have to read Star Wars Legacy #6 and the last issue of Five Ghosts, but I'll add them to the next review.

The only series I actively dropped in disgust was Red Hood and the Outlaws. The art has changed dramatically and is inconsistent from panel to panel, much less issue to issue. The story is also boring and, for a title with his name in it, the Red Hood has been side-lined for months. Sad, because that was my last DC pull.

Keep an eye out for future PLRs and I'll be supplementing them with Trade Paperback Reviews as well.

Characters in Literature

You thought I forgot, didn't ya?! Well I didn't, here's part one of three for Character Week.

I'm going back to my old Top Five style, where the order doesn't matter except for the last slot meaning best of the best.

---

Scarlet Spider/Ben Reilly 

(Several comic books series)

Hopefully making a comeback!

If you didn't except to see some Scarlet Spider love here, you're new. I love Spider-Man. I love that Peter Parker is a relatable guy who just happens to be able to do whatever a spider can. He has girl problems, money problems, and bad guy problems.

Ben Reilly, if you didn't know, is his clone. During the '90s, when Marvel was trying to retire Peter Parker (the first time, anyway), they brought in Ben. He has a tormented past and, due to more plot twists than you can shake a stick at, identity issues. Marvel played around with him being the real Peter Parker, just replaced years prior.

I espeically enjoyed Ben because he was everything Peter was, but with a darker tint. When he fought characters like Venom or Carnage, he had his own reasons for doing so and his own approach. He was a damaged character that did his damnedest to do right.

Also, I loved his Scarlet Spider AND Spider-Man costumes.

Corwin of Amber 

(The Amber Chronicles)
If you have no idea who this is, I forgive you. The Amber Chronicles are a series of books written by Roger Zelazny. One of his other characters, Jack of Shadows, almost took this spot, but Corwin pulled ahead by having one of the most interesting introductions ever.

Gotta love that cover art.

Well. Most interesting cliche introduction, anyway, because we meet Corwin when he's waking up in a hospital bed with amnesia. The thing is, amnesia doesn't stop our boy from being suspicious of everything, and we follow him along as he breaks out of the hospital and, using proto-Jason Bourne skills, slowly discovers the truth about who he is.

And THAT'S when shit really hits the fan. Corwin is a Prince of Amber, one of the two "real" worlds. Everywhere else, including our Earth, is a "shadow," a twisted, shaped reflection or refraction of the two real worlds. And we learnt his all through Corwin as he stumbles blindly into a fantastical world of literally infinite possibility.

When Corwin does get his memories back, we find out that he actually blows Jason Bourne out of the water in regards to awesomeness. His character continues to evolve in the five novels that follow him (and the others he appears in) and, while it does get pretty weird, it still makes for an engaging character you support the entire journey, even when he's a revenge-seeking tyrany-wannabe. Or a blind prisoner, confined for years. Or when he... Well... I don't want to spoil anything more. Read the books, they're amazing, and 90% of that awesomeness is pure Corwin.

David Rice 

(Jumper)

David as I know him, sorry Hayden.

While the movie ruined the character, it still didn't tarnish my love for the literary David Rice. This is another example of a damaged boy getting great powers, but the novel follows David in such a way that it feels completely new.

David's father is abusive. This and David's attempt at running away cause him to "jump" for the first time. Then we get to follow a broken boy on a journey by himself to discover himself and a world where he can, maybe, be happy. It's not always easy, but it is always interesting.

Teleportation is my power of choice, and this novel sets up a character that will explore this ability, his past, and the future with a wonderful sense of reality.

And, in the two books of the series that I've read (have yet to read the recently released third), there are no Paladins, no Samuel L. Jackson character, and there IS an engaging romance.

The novel, mainly due to David, is also an easy read targeted to young adults. I'd suggest this for anyone at any age, however.

Lazarus Long 

(Multiple novels by Robert A. Heinlein)
Lazarus is a strange character. He has an excessively long lifespan that allows him to go on many adventures (and create enough progeny that he's almost related to everyone). I wouldn't want to pin him down in one novel, simply because his story is so widespread, but Time Enough for Love is a good sample of the strange character and the even stranger settings he's put in.

Yeah, they're probably related.

The biggest draw to Lazarus is his completely unapologetic outlook on life. He does what he wants, when he wants to and, as long as it fits with his arbitrarily defined morals, it's all kosher. His life, lasting over thousands of years, has had lots of impacts, and the best part about the character is watching him as he bounces along the universe like a stone across water, leaving spreading ripples in his wake.

If you want an unusual character involved in time travel, parallel dimensions, and the undying pursuit of free love, look no further, you've found your man. And many of his children. And possibly a clone or two. Oh, and his mother who he... oh. Well. Let's leave that at that.

Julian "Bean" Delphiki 

(Ender's series)
I've mentioned this before, but I read Ender's Shadow BEFORE reading Ender's Game. Because of this, I was slightly disappointed by Bean's portrayal in the actual origin novel, and I'm concerned with how my favorite character of all time will be shown on the big screen.

You wish they'd stay this small...

Bean is my favorite character simply because of his precocious personality. His bizarre back story helps, but we get to follow Bean as he grows up (and up and up) and watch his personality shaped by the people and
events around him, even as he knows that he is easily smarter than them all. His intelligence his unparalleled due to a genetic manipulation that also puts him on a quick path to a very young death. We see him in the beginning of the Ender saga, but then he heads back to earth and an entire series follows him, his friends, and his family.

I think I enjoyed Bean so much because I actually felt smarter while reading his thoughts, seeing the way he inferred large amounts of detail with very little evidence and, even more so, catching on to things slightly before this massive intellect given body did, simply due to an almost-unseen naivete.

One other thing that made Bean especially great, even when compared to Ender, was his arch-nemesis, Achilles. Their relation far outshines many rivalries I've come to enjoy, and I voraciously read any scene that promised the two going head to head.

---

Well, there you have it. I know I'm leaving out plenty of characters, but I'm very happy with this selection for the first Character Week on the Arbitrary Nerd.


Special shout out to (pretty much) the entire cast of Saga. It's still early in the series life, but I love Marko, Alana, the in-laws, The Will, Lying Cat, and many others. There isn't a single character I dislike popping up across the panels.

Pull!

Alright, we're going to get quick and dirty with this Pull List Review -- I made the mistake of picking up another round of books before finishing my last one and I'm afraid, if I don't make a stand now, I'll never catch up.

The best of the best in this selection will get a small highlight section. The rest will be given their 'arbitrary' rating. If you'd like some more input on a given title, you have but to ask.

Highlight Reel

Hawkeye #1-10 - I spent my mini-pull list hiatus catching up on the current Hawkeye series. They were a bit difficult to find (even though they've been reprinted about 4 times), but I'm glad I did. The stories are all Hawkeye (Clint Barton) and usually Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) when they're not being super heroes/Avengers. That's not to say they don't get into trouble. Issues 9 and 10 are showing the same time span from each of the Hawkeye's perspectives and it culminates in some of Clint's recent adventures coming back to haunt him in a horrifying way.

I've never been a Hawkeye fan, but the art on this book could carry it alone. Seriously, do yourself a favor and pick up a few issues just to look at. The engaging stories are just a nice addition, at this point. 10/10

This totally happened.

Star Wars: Legacy #1-2 - This series is a highlight just for showing up! The original Legacy series ended with Cade Skywalker winning his final battle, supposedly ending the series forever. Fortunately, we've got this interesting revival which follows an as-of-yet unseen family name: Solo. Ania Solo is a young girl and apparent wiz kid with machines. She's also, like any good Solo, poor and living as a scavenger. There are bigger events picking up, though -- the new government is going to have a wrench thrown in its plans as we see a new Sith infiltrating a Republic mission and causing trouble. 7/10

Proof that reading is cool.

Five Ghosts #1-2 - A new series with a new setting. Fabian Gray has been possessed by five literary spirits and is trying to use them to find a way to save his sister. He's possessed by Robin Hood, Merlin, Musashi Miyamato, Sherlock Holmes, and Count Dracula. This means that Fabian, a treasure hunter, can tap into their (normally fictional) abilities to, in general, be freaking awesome.

The issues are a bit broad and unfocused at the moment, but the art is fresh and the quirks of Fabian's gifts keep me reading more than the overarching story, at this point. A highlight for being something new and done well. 9/10

Uncanny Avengers #4-7 - This series has a relatively interesting team coming together and dealing with the political and social issues plaguing human-mutant relations. Oh, and then they have to fight some pretty awesome villains in the meantime. First they went up against Red Skull, who had just happened to exhume Xavier and take his brain, somehow tapping into the dead mutant's psychic powers. Then we saw Thor go toe to toe with Apocalypse back in the day, and now we've seen the Apocalypse Twins kill a Celestial. You heard me -- they killed a goddamn Celestial.

I don't know that enough attention is paid to the characters on the team at the moment, but if they keep an interesting rogue's gallery going, I'm down! 8/10

Superior Spider-Man #6 AU - I'm highlighting this issue in particular because of the art. It's like manga drawn in an american style and I am loving the look. Unfortunately, it seems to be a one time thing with the Age of Ultron tie-in, but I strongly suggest you pick it up, even if you don't normally get behind these comic events. The change in art style is beyond refreshing.

I really can't...

... get enough of this art style!

Speed Rating 

Thor: God of Thunder #7 - Enjoying today's Thor with future Thor, but not too much motion here. 8/10
Superior Spider-Man # 5-9 - I'm not liking the current direction, but it's at least keeping me engaged. 7/10
Cable and X-Force #5-6 - These characters are a mess. Keep 'em coming. 7/10
Star Wars #3 - Spy vs Spy gets really old for me, but there's still hope. 7/10
All New X-Men #8-11 - Things might have just taken an interesting turn again, maybe. 7/10

AoU lacks substance.

Guardians of the Galaxy #.1-2 - Not super familiar with this cast. Nothing amazing, but I'll stick it for a bit. 6/10
Age of Ultron #1-7 - Not as good as Age of Apocalypse. Artist can't differentiate between people of color. 6/10
Scarlet Spider #15-16 - Kaine dies. Again. And comes back. Again. Uglier. Potential on the horizon, though. 6/10
Venom #32-33 - Venom meets a new, slightly interesting enemy. Eddie is wearing Toxin. Don't like Eddie's dialogue  though. Mixing him up with Carnage/Kletus too much. 6/10
Ultimate Spider-Man #21 - I think I just want more from this series, especially when they re-intro Venom. 6/10
Avenging Spider-Man #17-18 - I both kind of like seeing Doc Ock interacting with other characters and hate the way he's changing opinions. 6/10
Red Hood and the Outlaws #18 - Bruce and Jason tenderness, but this series is wallowing. 6/10
Age of Apocalypse #13-14 - A poorly done crossover with titles no one reads. Incoherent without other pieces, which is always a bad choice. 3/10
Constantine #1 - Didn't catch my fancy, but decided I'll be hunting down old Hellblazer stuff instead. 5/10
Nova #1-2 - Somewhat interesting, but I'm going to focus on Guardians for my space stuff. 8/10
A+X #5 - Dropping this, shorts are never really my thing, though these can be funny. 6/10


I've recently picked up some volume 1 trade paperbacks that you can expect me to drool over soon as well: Saga, Fables, and Y the Last Man. Also, I still have some left over Pull List to mull over and two exciting announcements coming right around the corner!

Pull List Review: Gotta Catch 'Em All

This post is going to be a whirlwind storm of back issues that I've yet to review for a PLR. These will be short and sweet -- if you see something you want me to expand upon, let me know in the comments section below:

Err... I have some catching up to do...

Favorites (Best of the best)

All-New X-Men #4 - #7: This series is still going strong, though it has slowed down a bit. My favorite parts are Angel meeting Angel, young Cyke blasting Wolverine, and Jean working with Kitty. I really can't get enough and wish these would come out faster! 10/10
Star Wars #1 and #2: The rebels have to find a new base after Yavin 4 and the destruction of the Death Star while rooting out a spy. The spy bit is WAY overdone in Star Wars Extended Universe, but I'm liking the classic characters and the new roles Leia is being put in. Nice to have a strong leading lady who isn't falling for men left and right. Also, loving the art. 10/10, this is a good book.

Staying Strong (Nothing special, good or bad)

Ultimate Spider-Man #17 - #20: An Ultimate Venom is back and attacking Miles (and his dad). Interesting, Venom looks especially monstrous, and I'm looking forward to seeing where this is going. 7/10
Venom #29 - #31 - Nothing super special, but Venom is now in Philly and dating Valkyrie. Oh, and being stalked. I do NOT like how Flash is having possessed blackouts, but I guess they won't leave well enough alone. 7/10
Age of Apocalypse #11 and #12: The series is coming to a close. Maybe? Weapon X is deposed, things have been shaken up, but there seem to be more changes on the horizon. An 8/10 for finally getting interesting.
Cable and X-Force #2 - #4: I don't know any of these characters particularly well, but so far seeing their connections and an X-team screwing up royally is always nice. Not sure about the series, but I'll stick with it for some more, I'm enjoying the Cable exposure. 7/10
Avenging Spider-Man #15.1 and #16: Doc Ock being in the shoes of Spidey and teaming up with all of Peter's old pals? Avenging may have just gotten interesting. It loses a point for having a Spidey/Wolverine (my favorite pairing) fight that made me sad :( 7/10
Uncanny Avengers #2 and #3: I'm liking the Red Skull action, the possession shtick is ok, and Wolverine just got his ass kicked by Thor. Yeah, that's pretty solid, and looks like Apocalypse is coming up soon! 8/10
Nova #1: This was a random grab. I know nothing of Nova so am a bit in the dark, but though it was interesting. Reminded me of The Last Starfighter a bit, netting it an 8/10 in my book, and added to the pull list.

Missteps (Series with recent issues being sub-par)

Scarlet Spider #12.1 - #14: Mexican werewolves. Kaine dies again. Kaine comes back all spidery again. This series is too new to already be repeating itself with a death and pointless reincarnation. Also, Spider-Kaine looks really, really stupid. Hoping this picks up soon. 4/10
Red Hood and the Outlaws #15 - #17: The issues aren't particularly bad, but as a tie in to the Death of the Family tie in, they are especially weak in regards to events happening, aren't coherent at all, and don't advance the Outlaws at all, other than apparently Jason getting some face melting at the last page. Hopefully, with the event having wrapped up, we'll see some interesting stories again. 3/10

Dropped Series (Series I've dropped from my Pull List)

Deadpool #1 - #3: The story is funny, but the writers have completely given up on any interesting plot to fill it with camp. That's fine for some, but for me, I don't like sacrificing interesting for funny. 2/10 because I did laugh some.

Thunderbolts #1 - #4: I only got to issue 4 because they came out so fast. Honestly, this would get a low score on the art alone (I HATE THIS ARTIST! Everyone looks the exact same, why does Marvel still employ him!? Every book he touches leaving me feeling dirty after), but compound that with the cliche story and lackluster character choice, and mark this as a 0/10 and the official death of the Thunderbolts for me.

This is a sad day because the Thunderbolts are what prompted the creation for this blog :(

A+X #2 - #4: I don't remember if I actually dropped this yet or not, but it's only being dropped because I've grown tired of the too-quick stories that really won't amount to anything in the end. Still, not a bad series, so it's getting an 8/10 because I DID enjoy them.

Avengers Arena #1 - #4: Marvel's Hunger Games with maybe 3 characters I actually enjoy. Not an awful premise, but drags along too slow to keep my interest. 4/10


Ok, I know this is a really compacted version, but that's just because I've been too lazy to do a PLR on time. This format is what future PLRs will look like, though I would like to go into a bit more issue specifics.

If you have any thoughts or comments to add on the above issues, please post them, I'd love to hear them!

UPDATE: Sorry this post took a bit longer to go up... My PC has died (NOOOOOOO!), and I'm not sure when I'll be able to fix it. I still have a laptop I can use, so the Nerd is down but not out!

Coming up next: First Impressions of Bioshock Infinite. Sometime after that, I'll finally take a look at the Thor: God of Thunder series.

Seriously. It will happen.

Pull List Review: Minimum Carnage Finale

Hi all,

Sorry for the absence, I've been enjoying my holiday and not doing anything that looks remotely like work. I've occupied my time with Star Wars: The Old Republic, comic books, spending time with the Wife, Supernatural, and Star Wars Blu Ray (expect to see a continuation of Machete Order soon!). Good times.

Before I get to the first post for the current Pull List Review (I'll try to follow up with the next few shortly), I want to explain a minor change I'll be making to the blog. The three buttons you see up top (with difficulty on mobile browsers, sorry about that -- I don't know how to make them automatically resize for mobile) will be getting a couple more additions, featuring my more popular post tags. In additional, I'm moving away from the three days a week schedule and going to a minimum of two posts a week, preferable at the beginning and end of the week.

If you like/dislike the changes, let me know. Otherwise, enjoy my review of the final issues of Minimum Carnage (and the following Scarlet Spider/Venom issues):

Scarlet Spider 11 (Minimum Carnage Part 4) This issue starts with a nice fight scene between Carnage and Scarlet Spider as well as Venom going crazy against the Enigma Force (group, not power). Venom gets calmed down and then captured along with his friends, while Scarlet gets the upper hand on Carnage, only to give it up in an effort to save the Redeemer. We finally meet Radu, learn the history of symbiotes in the macroverse and Radu's plan with them, which is the build an army out of Carnage and Venom's suits. It's an action packed issue with strong art and a decent enough storyline. Issue gets an 8/10.
Venom 27 (Minimum Carnage Part 5) An army is created by cloning and combining Venom and Carnage's symbiotes with mindless Macroverse clones Radu had been growing. Venom and Carnage fight it out, but Carnage has the upper hand because he can control the symbiotes due to not being nuetered (also, Carnage has been shown having the ability to manipulate many hosts via his symbiote before, so this isn't much of a stretch. Venom realizes he has to release the beast, so to speak, and fights viciously, beheading Carnage. Pause. This doesn't make sense to me because Carnage continues to live -- Cletus Kasady, the host, should be dead. The symbiote shouldn't have anything to do with him surviving that, but that gets ignored. Scarlet comes to aid in the fight, while the Enigma Force are busy escaping with Venom's reported friend. Radu is seen fighting the uncontrollable symbiotes and then teleporting away before the Enigma Force can attack. Venom once again goes all out, unleashing the symbiote more and more in his fight against Carnage, finally using a psychic shriek to defeat the clones and Carnage (which happened with Eddie Brock in Planet of the Symbiotes, way back when). Carnage, however, sinks into the floor, disappearing. Why the symbiote can break down and rearrange its host, I'll never know. Seems like a new thing to me. Either way, we next see some microscopic carnages wreaking havoc back in the real world, while our heroes remain behind. The art is awful for most of the issue, the Carnage inconsistoncies bother me, and the whole trip through the Macroverse doesn't seem to accomplish too much, leaving this a 6/10 for me.
Minimum Carnage Omega This issue ooens with Carnage killing random folks while growing bigger and bigger, both due to time spent in the real world and his absorption of the clones that traveled with him. Our heroes get sent back to Earth by the Enigma Force and go toe to toe with Carnage -- literally, because they're still no bigger than his toe. The heroes get their ass kicked for a bit before reverting to their original size, at which point they begin to turn the tables. Venom finished the fight by force feeding Carnage a sonic grenade given to them by the Enigma Force. One of the major turning points for the whole arc comes when Scarlet Spider, realizing (FINALLY!) that the heroes are responsible for every time a killer escapes and kills again, lobotomizes Cletus Kasady with one of his spikes. Venom doesn't agree with this tactic and tries to get Cletus medical help. We learn that, while Cletus may be gone, the Carnage symbiote is now in 100% full control, making him more dangerous than ever. This is a bit unfortunate because Cletus was already suffering from a painfully repetitive personality, but we'll see how it goes from here. For now, however, this issue gets a 9/10 because of the lovely art, the acceptable conclusion to the story line, and someone not completely insane (ie, Punisher) realizing that imprisoning some of these super-villains isn't enough.
Scarlet Spider 12 How does Scarlet feel after this big revelation? Upset that he was, is, and always will be a murderer. He gets hammered and attempts to leave Houston and his friends behind. Fortunately, a heist occurring in the hotel Kaine is living in spurs his friends into action, which eventually gets him into the action. It's definitely a filler issue, but shows that Kaine is a bit deeper than some other characters and really shows some interesting relationships he's building. I'll rate it an 8/10 and am looking forward to seeing where the series is going.
Venom 27.1 This is a bit of a strange issue. Per usual, Flash is depressed and thinking about all the shitty things that have been going on. When he sleeps, however, the demon/symbiote setup seems to take him over and terrorize both criminals and Flash's mother, with Flash waking up none the wiser. The big issue looked at here is Flash coping with how much of a bully he was in high school. He meets up with someone he bullied terribly for being gay and then talks to Peter about their rocky history. After Peter is painfully honest, Flash announces that he's officially leaving New York, forever. This issue was nothing special but not terrible either, so it gets a 7/10 and we'll see Venom in Philadelphia next time.

Next post (coming after the weekend) will feature the rest of the Spider titles I've read this month. Until then, I hope you have a Happy New Year!

Extra! Extra! Pull List Review

Hi all! Sorry for another missed Friday, my schedule has been very crazy these past few weeks. I'm on call all week this week, so, barring any major incidents, Friday should come out on schedule this week. We'll see.

This is late... because I was playing Halo 4. More on that Wednesday (more like Wednesday-ish).

For now, this week's Extra! Extra! will take a look at my most recent Pull List!

Scarlet Spider # 10 (Minimum Carnage Part 2) In this issue, Venom and Carnage meet after Carnage disappeared into the Microverse last issue. At first, things seem to go well, until the Venom symbiote goes batshit insane (my favorite because it reverts to the Eddie Brock style suit) and lashes out at Kaine (probably recognizing him). This fight ends pretty quickly (though is still pretty awesome). It does show that Kaine is willing to do anything to survive, which I'm sure will come in to play soon. After they make up, they jump into the portal to the Microverse, getting separated. Venom finds allies, Scarlet finds a giant monster. Carnage, meanwhile, is being prepped for an assassination, though has some plans of his own... The art, while not as good as Alpha, is still pretty awesome. This issue gets a 9/10.
Venom #26 (Minimum Carnage Part 3) In this issue, Venom finds out that his allies don't like him very much because the symbiote seems to infect/eat the Microverse simply by being there. He joins with them, however, to help get to their leader, the Redeemer, who just happens to be Carnage's target. Scarlet fights a giant monster while the Redeemer watches. Carnage... Well, does what Carnage does. He kills the villains that freed him and decides to hunt down the Redeemer anyway. At the end of the issue, Venom goes even more batshit insane during a fight against a bunch of random enemies, while Carnage runs into Scarlet and the Redeemer. Next issue should be awesome! I love the issue, but didn't care as much for the art, especially the depiction of Carnage. Issue was definately a solid 8/10 for me, though.
Amazing Spider-Man #696 As I guessed it, Peter Parker is held hostage to be used as bait for Spidey. The go between is Max Modell, who manages to give Peter the opportunity to escape without revealing his identity, though Max should really be catching on by now. The main event in this issue, however, is the fight between the original Hobgoblin and the New Hobgoblin. They go at it while Kingpin shouts and waves his arms. The end of the issue has them coming to an agreement, however, to recapture the escaped Parker and Modell -- they managed to steal the "Goblin Key" that Spidey stole from the New Hobby last issue. A decent issue overall, and I don't mind a regression to the old using Parker as bait to catch Spidey shtick from times past. I'd give it an 8/10, with a note that at least one point is for the awesome cover. Oh, and if Superior Spider-Man turns out to be in anyway a Doctor Octopus controlled character or the Doc himself, I will be very, very displeased. In this issue, we see one of Ock's bots crawl out of the water, and this one is special because it's a golden snitch gold.
Avenging Spider-Man #13 This issue is pretty much just a long fight between Spidey and the Hypno Hustler's mind control, with a little bit of Deadpool thrown in on both sides. The only notable thing is the way Spidey and Deadpool choose to team up... A 6/10. It wasn't aweful, I just didn't care for the HH and I don't care for issues in which Spidey is made out to be a bad guy. THAT shtick was done to death.
Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1 This is another Spidey team-up in which minds are altered. This time, it's due to an alien artifiact a couple of chumps dig up in Central Park. It makes everyone hate eachother and become violent. They try to sell it to a gangster-type while NYC tries to kill itself. Spidey and the Thing also throw down. Of course, Spidey is mostly able to shrug off the effects and finds the source. When the device is damage, everyone begins to love each other... physically. The issue ends in a neat, tidy bow. A relatively fun issue. I didn't care for it, so a 6/10 -- at least the art style and writing kept it interesting.
Ultimate Spider-Man #16 Miles narrowly avoids getting arrested by Cap when Hydra attacks the base. Miles teams up with Cap and SHIELD to repel the invaders, impression Cap enough to accept his request to join the Ultimates. ... Little sick of Cap needing to be impressed every other issue. The end of the issue reflects the major (and quite startling) major change that comes from the Divided We Fall event -- Captain America becomes President of the United States. Issue is a 7/10. I still don't care for Ult. Cap, but it was good to see Miles in action some more.
Ultimate Spider-Man 16.1 This issue takes place directly after the death of the Prowler, in which Betty Brant, who is a huge douche in the Utlimate universe, tries to uncover dirt on Spider-Man and find his identity. She mistakenly comes to believe that Miles' father is the masked vigilante, and goes to Jameson with her "proof." Unlike 616 JJJ, the Ultimate version is against A) slamming Spider-Man and B) ruining a family's life just to sell a story. I LOVE Ultimate Jameson. Betty decides to take her story elsewhere, though is killed before she can do so... by Venom! Finally! This issue gets a 6/10, and that only because I liked JJJ and am looking forward to Venom. I dislike Marvel's confusing "Point One" system -- it was launched as a way for new readers to jump in mid-series, and is now a lazy way to say "Hey, we're writing about a story we probably should have done earlier, hope you don't mind! Also, nuts to future collectors who expect whole numbered issues!" I mind.
Red Hood and the Outlaws # 13 First, the covers of this run have been VERY misleading. It's an old school technique that I don't particularly care for; a cover should have SOMETHING to do with what's going on in the story. Instead of fighting (as most fans might have expected), Starfire and her sister team up (along with the other Outlaws) to take back Tameran. Blackfire gets seriously wounded, but the good guys pull through and the Outlaws decide to head on home. The end shows that Blackfire is aware of the Thirteen and knows they must be stopped, even if she doesn't share that info with anyone. Also, the Joker is shown back on Earth at Starfire's old, crashed ship. He's pulling the original Red Hood's (Joker's first alias) helmet out of a box and laughing... Issue is a 9/10 for me. Really enoying this series, and it's the only DC item still on my pull list.

Because the Wife picked up the Pull List, she ended up picking a few other issues she thought I might like. Thus, we have the Pull List BONUS ROUND!

Uncanny Avengers #1 I was NOT going to pick this title up. I've never really cared for a team book, especially the Avengers. That being said, I enjoyed this issue! It's just the recruitment issue, showing how Cap, Thor, Rogue, Scarlet Witch, Wolverine, and Havok all wind up on one team, but it shows some interesting character dynamics (especially between Rogue and Scarlet Witch) and has me interested for the next few issues. That being said, I'd rate it an optimistic 8/10. The art on some characters is terrible (what the HELL did they do to Wolverine?), but mostly it was decent and there was a nice scene between the Summers brothers (thought I hate what they've done to Cyclops). We'll see how long this stays on the Pull.

A+X #1 This is another surprise. I normally dislike team-up titles as a rule and ESPECIALLY hate comics that tell more than one story -- there's not enough room to really flesh out two full stories, and comics don't do short stories well as far as I'm concerned. That being said, I liked both the stories here. The first has Cap and Bucky during WWII teaming up with Cable to stop Sentinels being produced before their time. The enemy, notably enough, is a Trask descendant from the year 2099. Here's hoping we see more of that!! The second story has Wolverine and the Hulk going toe to toe with... Wolverine and the Hulk? Future Wolverine and Future Hulk (called Maestro) fight it out in Avengers tower when the future pair randomly teleports in, hunting for "a Hulk." They don't find who they're looking for and leave quickly. They return to their time (I didn't recognize it, honestly. I'd say NOT 2099, but could be wrong) and wind up in what appears to be the Oval Office, being told that the Red Hulk MUST die by none other than... the Red Hulk himself? What the... So, a pretty interesting issue. As long as the team up pairs are interesting, I'll keep it on the Pull List.

That's all for this time, though keep an eye out for the following Marvel NOW! titles I've added to my Pull List:

Brand New X-Men (can't wait to see the interactions)
Deadpool (just a test run)
Superior Spider-Man (this won't be out for a bit)
Avengers Arena (has some interesting characters)
Thunderbolts (these might not be added to my reviews until I catch up with the past volumes)
Uncanny X-Force (because the current run has gone so well)

Alright, that's all for tonight! Sorry for the late and long post, I'll see you Wednesday with some Halo and CoD talk!

Extra! Extra! Pull List Review (Part 1: Spider-Books)

Hi all! This week's Monday post is going to focus on the Spider-titles from this month's Pull List. Throughout the course of this week, I'll post the rest. Keep an eye out to see who got cut, who might get added, and other fun things that popped up for me this month in comics.

So far, it's been a pretty good month!

Oh, and, in case you missed it, here's my review of Minimum Carnage, which I picked up with this Pull List but loved so much I gave it its own post.

Amazing Spider-Man #693 This issue has us seeing some more of the obnoxious Alpha! He becomes even more of a super-douche and then manages to get kidnapped by Jackal and his new Spider-Queen-Clones or whatever. Spidey saves the day, because Alpha is still his responsibility, and gets to watch Alpha obliterate the "Alpha Clones" Jackal cooked up (at which point Spidey reminds himself to never tell Kaine about the incident, which is a perfect line). The end result has Alpha completely striking out on his own, attempting to out douche his douchiness. And Spidey says "Alpha: No More." Because that isn't overdone. I'm... liking things. I like the slow reintroduction of MJ we're getting, I don't hate Alpha (any more than I'm supposed to), and I'm never really sure where things are going. This gets an 8/10 and is a solid read.
Amazing Spider-Man #694 Peter works on his plan to de-power Alpha while Alpha lives it up like a celebrity Alpha gets called in to defeat an invasion of the Earth, but almost kills civilians (including Jay and Aunt May) in the crossfire. Alpha's powers are obviously growing, but so is his recklessness. Spidey stops a plane crash (by acting as a replacement strut), gets thanked by JJJ (what!?), and then manages to trick Alpha into having his powers majorly regressed. Spidey couldn't remove them without killing Alpha, so he did the next best thing and made it so they'd need to grow back on their own. It's actually kind of sad for the kid. Unfortunately, there was never really any personal back story for the kid, so we can't be too attached. We just know that he hated his unimportant self, which is what he's more or less back to. Issues a bit of a cop out with Alpha, but I like the airplane scene especially... So let's give it a 7/10. Then we're told that next issue features some Hobgoblin action, and I have to say, this excited me!
Amazing Spider-Man #695 First, anyone thing the recent covers have been going back to old-school awesome quality? I've been liking them a lot. As for the issue itself, we see the New Hobgoblin and the Old Hobgoblin moving in circles, the Old hunting the New, setting up what will hopefully be a decent confrontation. We also see the Spider-Sense Jammers back-firing and boosting Spidey's Spidey-Sense, which is awesome... Until we realize that it becomes a problem the second time... Peter can't handle the over-drive of his Spidey-Sense because EVERYTHING is dangerous (and gets humorously labled throughout the issue). While Peter is losing it, he's abducted by the New Hobgob. The issue tries to make it seem that Urich figured out Pete is Spidey, but I'm sure next issue will show that Urich is only capturing Pete because of the recent Bugle article explaining Pete is Spidey's tech-guy. Pretty sure this shtick was pulled when Pete was Spidey's photographer... but oh well! I don't care for characters who can see into the future, so Julia Carpenter's storyline throughout this doesn't interest me, though she's apparently foreseeing her own doom, which may or may not have come due to the Spider-Sense Jammers (or Enhancers, if you will) that are giving Pete such a hard time too. Despite not caring about Carpenter, I really enjoyed this issue and can't wait for Kingsly to show Urich the what-for. Or for Urich (whom I've been enjoying) to pull a fast one over the pro. Whatever works, and that's why it will be good. This issue pulls in as a 9/10 for me, and I'm enjoying the current art style we've been seeing with ASM, this issue especially. I really appreciate it when attention to detail is paid to characters out of costume.
Avenging Spider-Man #12 A Spider-Man and Deadpool team-up would usually be up my alley, but I really didn't like this issue. It starts with us out of sorts and not really knowing what's going on, which is an over-used gimmick. Deadpool is, for some reason, helping Spidey fight through his dreams because someone is trying to control Spidey through them. They go through a lot of goofy lines and scenes and eventually succeed. Turns out, Deadpool was hustling Spider-Man to help free the Hypno-Hustler (why, just why?). We'll see the result of this next issue. I get that any team-up with Deadpool has to be on the goofy side, but I really dislike overly goofy villains. This issue is a 4/10 for me, though I really enjoy the cover.
Scarlet Spider #9 This issue is the finale to the recent arc featuring Scarlet and the Rangers going up against Roxxon. It's mostly just action, with Kaine using some smarts to defeat the energy monster Roxxon dug up. It's a decently pulled off heroic issue for the Scarlet Spider. Then he punches out the leader of the Rangers for offering him a position. The issue was enjoyable enough, just nothing spectacular. I'd give it a 6/10. I enjoyed the art and the writing, and I'm looking forward to seeing Scarlet's involvement in the Minimum Carnage crossover we'll be seeing next month.
Venom #24 The symbiote got possessed last issue, and looked corny as hell. This issue made it look a bit more badass and is really playing up the supernatural stint with Venom, which is kind of unusual. The demon in the symbiote wants out because it isn't kosher to inhabit someone "marked," but for some reason it can't pull away. Towards this end, Flash hunts down and ambushes Hellstrom (thanks to some info via Flash's new female reporter/informant). That's when Venom is forcefully introduced to the rest of the cornily named "Monsters of Evil," which are giant possessed animals... and things. I... don't care for the supernatural twists. I've never really cared for the supernatural side of Marvel, so I don't even have enough background to really apply to the Hellstrom character. However, the writing wasn't bad, the art was strong, and they're going in a different direction. So I'll give this issue a 7/10.
Venom #25 This issue is the close of the Monsters of Evil run. Venom has some interesting fight scenes with the more-interesting-than-I-thought possessed menagerie, and then pulls a new trick that he's discovered -- for some reason, he can tell the demons what to do. We learn that this is due to him being marked, which apparently means he's been chosen (as the hellish legend goes) to participate in something called "the Descent." This supernatural bit might get interesting after all! The legend says that, "one of the Hell-Lords will fall farther tahn the others... and in so doing will become the true devil." Venom (along with Rulk, X-23, and the new Ghost Rider) has been marked as one of Mephisto's potential heirs as he tries become the actual Devil. The other Hell-Lords are supposedly also gathering their forces... Hopefully they don't drag this one out too much and it comes after Minimum Carnage, but we'll see. This issue is an 8/10 because it was interesting, had gruesome fights, and has a cover I enjoy (something the Venom titles have been seriously lacking).
Spider-Men #5 It's the finale to Spider-Men and... And it's actually quite boring. For the length of it, barely anything actually happens. The good guys catch Mysterio. He kind of breaks free and then is quickly apprehended again. Miles sees 616 NY for a moment and Pete gives him some Spider-Advice before going home. Other than the lackluster finish, I also have a gripe that this Quentin Beck is NOTHING like the past few times we've seen him (I'm thinking mainly during the Gauntlet run), where he's actually managed to be mildly interesting. Now he's just a crazy, ineffectual nut who is obsessed with hating Spider-Man (wait, didn't we just work on getting RID of Doc Ock?). The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Peter decides to Google Miles Morales to see what he's going in 616 and... has a really shocked expression. The end. For a run that I've been mostly enjoying, I really hated this issue. It gets a 3/10 from me for having almost no motion at all and an annoying cliff-hanger. The mini-series itself was decent, maybe a 7-8/10, but this issue really brought it down from what it could have been.
Ultimate Spider-Man #14 This cover is terrible, simply for Cap's face. The issue, on the other hand, is pretty good. Cap gets told off by Gwen Stacey and Aunt May (and MJ shows up too -- I really hope we see more from her Ultimate character), who then give Miles Peter's Web-Shooters (called it!). Despite being told he can't be Spider-Man, Miles swings in to help Cap in a fight against Rhino (after some obligatory web-swinging). The fight scene is awesome, we see some uncertainty on Miles' part when he remembers his uncle (which I think is important), and Cap finally recognizes that Miles needs training, not rejection. I... like it. 8/10, I hope they can keep up the interesting stories with Ultimate. That being said, not much is touched upon in regards to the state of the United States in this issue, which you'd think is kind of a bid deal...
Ultimate Spider-Man #15 This is a Miles issue, not a Spidey issue, and that's something Ultimate Spidey needs. We get some interesting scenes between him and his best friend, Ganke (whom I enjoy), and then we see some tension when Miles visits home to find the police waiting for him. Maria Hill, as a detective (and Ex-Shield Agent) has questions about Miles' Uncle, the Prowler. Miles is happy to learn he didn't kill his uncle, though still haunted by his death and the last words he spoke: "You are... just... ...like me." Back at school, things switch up -- the school is closing down until it is safe for students to return (due to the nation being in turmoil and all of that). Miles decides it's time to try and help out the Ultimates. The issue ends with him making a fool out of himself in front of Cap and informing the super soldier that Spider-Man is reporting for duty. 9/10 simply because we need more character driven super heroes, and Ultimate seems to be doing it right. I'm hoping next issue we get to see some more of the over-arching issues going on in the Ultimate-verse, but we'll just have to wait and see.

That's it for the Spider-Titles, check back soon when I post the rest of my pull list. This month some issues didn't make the cut, and a couple new ones will be added on, so keep an eye out for the next Pull List Review!