Renaldo's Reviews - New Avengers, Uncanny X-Force, Battle Scars, Point One

New Avengers 18 - 

After the fall known as FEAR ITSELF, it's nice to dive back into a book that dabbles on the intricate realm of Bendis/Deodato's DARK AVENGERS. The unit with the likes of Moonstone, Daken and Bullseye caused a welcomed mayhem and as the title went away, I wondered why as there were less entertaining titles alive. Nonetheless, Bendis reconstructs more Osborn and more machinations in a well-formulated cohesive manner. While the recruiting of his new Dark Avengers and the people chosen are still a bit shoddy, it's a sigh of relief to get something self-contained to an Avenger world where the likes of AIM, HYDRA and the Hand want to exact some revenge. The new roster, bar a certain clone, isn't to my high standard but Bendis writes such a conniving and succinct iteration of Osborn, it's powerful to see the differentiation from the Ult Osborn he did. Bendis scripts a nice, brooding exchange here and the team looks ready to pummel. Skaar is one I'll reveal here as Bendis also scraped the dregs from other corners of the MU, but with Deodato/Beredo still looking like they need an extra sheen to polish the book off, you can't deny Bendis has something new here, which still beckons old, but with changes coming the Rogers' team...it's a new ball game...and where is Nicky Fury? Well...read on as I think we have huge surprises ahead. Bendis does such a manipulative Osborn...it makes for lovely schemes...and bloodshed. Osborn isn't playing for USA anymore...and he doesn't have to hold back...so I expect more gruesome things than Siege. 

Uncanny X-Force 14-18:

Caught up with the issues again after a lag...and while Ribic, Brooks took backseat...Opena knocked it out the park again. His art is pretty spot on as the arc gets as gruesome as the DARK ANGEL saga implies. Remender delivers a solid Archangel as successor to Apocalypse, and the plot he weaves for world domination is immaculate as he and Opena scribe some brutal atmospheres and rigid fight scenes. Rick is robust with such a large cast as he manages to find their voices well and he keeps a riveting momentum. It doesn't shock to see he's given Secret Avengers as he really has a nice take on a separate story that threatens life to extinction, while not alerting the rest of the MU. He makes this book an XMEN book without a lot of XMEN and this is no easy feat. His dialogue and the overall AoA links are really brilliantly done, and making Fantomex and Deadpool actually funny is one helluva job. He nails a dyastopian element here and fills it with anguish and impending tragedy. What I like is that this titles doesn't hold back at all...and if Avenger titles ran like this, it'd be a surefire win. Betsy and Warren are as complex as can be without any romantic notions thrown in...and add Fantomex in...you have a recipe for disaster. It's nice to see Wolverine not the focal point here as all the ensemble cast gets their proper time in the spotlight! Kudos



Battle Scars #1 - 

Marcus Johnson is supposed to be made interesting...yet this issue does nothing but tease. It explains nothing and as iffy as Eaton's pencils surprisingly look, the fact that Marvel is hinging a lot on this limited series really boggles me because nothing was revealed here at all. It's a prologue of a prologue and such a drawn out intro. There's nothing grasping anc begging you to come back for a second issue bar a few one liners from Steve Rogers. They offered no meat...and such a tease is unwelcome in a limited series. It's basically an ass kicking and a bailout. There is no substance and no style here to what seems like a future Black Captain America? Who knows? But if they wanted to hype the title up, it's a poor first issue to do so with. There's nothing that draws you in except the initial mystery we know - WHO IS THIS GUY? Nothing gets answered or changed...an issue that could have been skipped..is this one!

Point One -
No...just hell no. Except for Bryan Hitch's art...well, no...just HELL NO! I feel sorry for those who paid money for that!