Marvel 85th Anniversary Special Written by: Ryan North and Various Writers Drawn by: Joshua Cassara and Various Artists Colored by: Dean White & Various Artists Lettered by: VC’s Joe Caramagna Published by Marvel Comics
The Skinny: A great little sampler of stories, including a new Alan Davis Excalibur story!
If there is one thing the ‘Big Two’ comics publishers love to do, it is celebrate themselves, and oversized anniversary issues are no exception. This particular entry is a good one though, with a clever connecting story which just so happens to call back to a hugely successful recent blockbuster film. Written by Ryan North with art by Joshua Cassara and Dean White, it’s a fun little story set in a space station museum dedicated to superheroes. Each item in the collection prompts a different twelve page story about a hero, skipping back and forth through Marvel’s timeline, giving a variety of ‘What-if’ stories set in the future or the past, and brining some beloved creators back to tell more stories. I will be honest, the selling point to me for this book was the new Excalibur story written and drawn by Alan Davis, and I was not disappointed. I would’ve paid $8 for that story by itself. With colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, it’s an untold story about the early days of the team, and it features all the hijinks, whimsey, and inter-dimensional shenanigans that make ’80s Excalibur such a joy to read. There’s also Spider-Man story about what happened to the infamous Spider-Buggy that would capture the classic Amazing Spider-Man vibe if everyone in it didn’t have cell phones. There’s also a very strong Ms. Marvel story written by Ms. Marvel actress Iman Vellani and Sabir Pirzada with art by Stephen Byrne. Set in the future, a grown-up Kamala puts on her suit one last time to become a Herald of Galactus!? It’s full of heart and charm, with exceptional art by Byrne. Kalama using her scarf as a version of the Silver Surfer’s board is an incredible visual. There is also a Moon Knight story set in WWII Japan with gorgeous art by Manga-ka Yuji Kaku, and a ‘Contest of Champions’ story set in the far future that I am honestly shocked that Disney let them get away with. The connecting story wraps up in an enjoyable way that feels very classic Marvel. Overall, this is an excellent little collection of comics that doesn’t rely on much comics lore knowledge. There is a lot here for dedicated fans, but if you’re curious about comics this is a fun and entertaining book to pick up for a start. You can find the Marvel 85th Anniversary Special at your local comics shop, or digitally through Amazon or the Marvel App. I give it a big recommendation for new and old fans.
If his long-running webtoon Lavender Jack proved anything, it was that Dan Schkade knows how golden-age comics work, and how to take everything that’s great about them and present them for a modern audience. Long-since relegated to reruns, Schkade brings us into his new take on the classic hero in medias res, as we follow the Earthman on an exciting attack on Ming the Merciless that is equal parts rescue and climactic final battle. But when the smoke clears and Ming is seemingly defeated, what happens next? Following a classic newspaper serial format of six short comics and one full page a week, Schkade’s writing is thrilling without getting bogged down or getting confusing by the format, and his art is kinetic and clear in an incredibly tight space. The launch is only a couple of months old, so if you’ve ever been curious about this classic character but hesitant to pick up the originals, this is a fantastic place to start.
Birds of Prey Written by Kelly Thompson Drawn by Leonardo Romero Colored by Jordie Bellaire Lettered by Clayton Cowles Published by DC Comics
Comics are all about reinvention, and this classic team on DC’s super-heroines is getting the band back together in the wake of 2020’s Birds of Prey feature film. Reinventing the team as less of a group of superheroes and more of a heist is always a compelling choice for me, and it puts classic leader Black Canary in an interesting and fun position. The dynamic for the team is fun and explosive, and the requisite inclusion of DC’s breakout star Harley Quinn is well-handled and feels natural. The rest of the team is made up of fun fan-favorites who rarely get their on spotlights like Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) and Big Barda, which is icing on a cool superhero cake.
Hawkgirl Written by Jadzia Axelrod Drawn by Amancay Nahuelpan Colored by Adriano Lucas Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou Published by DC Comics
This one is a gimme for my list. Hawkgirl isn’t a character I’m very familiar with, aside from a similar character from the early-00’s Justice League cartoon. Rising star Jadzia Axelrod clearly knows her stuff, though, and tells a compelling and satisfying story in six short issues. Accompanied by her own hit creation Galaxy, who debuted in a graphic novel in 2022, this is a showcase of cool high concepts and character-defining moments, delivered with the force of a superhero diving through a skylight. This is how you do legacy right, stitching character around (and sometimes through) established history while making something new and exciting. This was a six-issue mini, but I hope we see more of these characters (and this creative team) in the future. I could’ve read thirty issues, easy!
Fantastic Four Written by Ryan North Drawn by Iban Coello Colored by Jesus Aburtov Lettered by Joe Caramagna Published by Marvel Comics
I will admit that of all of the various Marvel characters and teams, The Fantastic Four has always ranked near the bottom, personally. They have a fun cohesive design, and smarter writers than I have written about how cleanly their debut marks the end of the Golden Age and the rise of the Silver Age. But aside from The Thing, I’ve never really cared much for them. They feel a bit too rooted in their time and place of creation, products of the Cold War, a nuclear family for the nuclear age. They’ve never really caught with me, and Mr. Fantastic in particular has always struck me as being a cliched relic, a Man of Science accompanied by his literally invisible housewife. But Ryan North has managed to find the great in these characters by driving them out of their secure and comfortable Manhattan skyscraper and sending them out on a trip across the country. As an X-Men fan, making your heroes pariahs is always going to be a step in the right direction for me, and giving them some meaty super-science problems to tackle outside of the mad scientist of the week has done wonders. This is going to be a run for the ages, and it’s (hopefully) just getting started. This is North’s Squirrel Girl writing all grown up.
X-Men Red Written by Al Ewing Drawn by Stefano Caselli, Jacopo Camagni, and Yildiray Cinar Colored by Federico Blee Lettered by Ariana Maher
It was difficult to choose just one X-book to put on this list, but X-Men Red takes the edge in terms of drama, scope, and shout out loud superhero moments. X-Men books are all about being outsiders, but what could be more outsider than an ancient civilization of super-powered beings finally trying to learn how to be at peace after milllenia of war? Marvel has a collection of these types of hidden civilizations, most of which came from the Fantastic Four’s rogues gallery, in fact. But the Araki have something a bit extra that groups like the Atlanteans and the Inhumans just don’t have going for them. Ewing knows his stuff and brings it to the table. It helps that we aren’t really supposed to be sure where we stand with the Araki, with their strange powers and alien morality. But where Blackbolt and his kin feel like plantation owners, perpetually ruling over an underclass they don’t view as human, the Araki are Klingons, strange and difficult, but with a refined sense of honor that can be tested. Having characters like Storm and Sunspot to bounce against them, forming rivalries and friendships, helps. That the strange warlords, who felt like they might invade Earth at any moment felt like they were also on their own back foot, from antagonists like Uranos and Genesis helped immensely as well.
Marvel Snap Developed By Second Dinner Published By Nuverse Played on Android OS
The Skinny: Marvel – The Gathering Marvel Snap is a mobile collectable card game based on the Marvel comics, movies, and TV shows. Players build decks of twelve cards of heroes and villains from across the Marvel Universe, and attempt to hold up to three locations, much like the table-top card game Smash Up. Players use either their cards raw strength or tricky abilities to gain the upper hand at each location. There is a surprising amount of strategy and depth involved. Over six rounds, players gain energy points to play cards, increasing from a base of one. One cost cards are weaker but often more versatile than expensive cards that can only be played later. Cards also have other various abilities, and these are clever and tie into the powers of each of the cards. For example, Colossus, being tough and invulnerable, can’t have his power reduced by enemy cards or from location effects. The assassin Electra can remove a one-cost card from the same location. There is a nice big pool of cards to draw from, each with different kinds of effects. The combat took some time to grow on me, but now that I have gotten the hang of it, matches are fast and addictive. Its the sort of game you can easily stay up too late playing just one more round. Marvel Snap also maintains good card balance and combats ‘rich kid syndrome.’ Because the cards are in sets released as the player upgrade their decks, new players are encouraged to try out different combinations, and receive their rewards randomly. While there is a ‘Premium tier’ that grants certain exclusive cards and does feel a bit heavy-handed, players do not buy cards, just variant illustrations and other cosmetic rewards. And part of the fun is chasing that next card you need to make your deck stronger. And the art is the star of the show. Since this is a online only game, the art is upgraded in ways that only a video game can produce, breaking their card boarders and animating. There’s even a nice 3D effect. Every card has unique animations when played as well. Ant-Man shrinks when you place him on the board and Cyclops is laid down with an accompanying optic blast. As cards are ‘upgraded,’ which is the heart of the advancement mechanic, the central illustrations break the borders of their cards, get small animations, and even upgraded logos. A variety of variant cards exist as well for each character. Some recreate iconic designs or character moments, while others are more whimsical, such as pixelated or ‘chili’ variants. Marvel Snap is an intuitive and addictive battling card game available now on IOS and Android app stores.
Sins of Sinister #1 Written by Kieron Gillen Drawn by Various Artists Colored by Bryan Valenza Lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles Published by Marvel Comics
The Skinny: Speed-running into a dark timeline Ever since the X-Men’s soft reboot into the current era with 2019’s House of X/Powers of X, the heroes have had a problem. It was never a question of if evil eugenicist Mister Sinister was going to betray them, but how. While he’s been sitting on the ruling council and biding his time, his plans have accelerated since the start of Gillen’s Imortal X-Men. Sins of Sinister #1 is the wig reveal for the diabolical mastermind’s ten-year plan, serving as a sort of a speed-run start to the event. Sinister isn’t one person, more of a system of clones, and he’s secretly corrupted the Quiet Council in order to bring about his larger goal of turning the entire Earth into a Mister Sinister hive-mind. The result is that this is less of a kick-off and more of a guided tour of ten years of a Marvel Comics history that is likely to be completely undone at the end of the event. Gillen has put all his cards on the table for this event. By leaning into the fact that this won’t be the status quo going forward, he gets to take bigger swings with the story. The event is spaced out in powers of ten, with the first books set ten years after Sinister’s takeover, then one hundred, and finally a thousand years into the future. This unique structure is a lot of fun, and this volume gives us a whole lot of cool splash pages and hypothetical events as the corrupted X-Men help take over the world. Sometimes it’s fun to watch the bad guys win. With a huge number of artists drawing the book, the art varies, but it’s all good, and Bryan Valenza’s colors tie the different sections together. The book has a dark palate, which fits the sci-fi dystopia that Sinister is trying to bring about. Sins of Sinister #1 is less a puzzle box and more of a explainer video of a comic, a wig reveal of machinations that have been threaded through the last four years of comics. It’s a lot of fun, but I’m most looking forward to the individual books, and seeing how the unusual structure for the event plays out. You can pick up a copy for yourself at the usual digital retailers, and from your local Comics Shop.
Marvel’s Squirrel Girl: The Unbeatable Radio Show Written by Ryan North Directed by Giovanna Sardelli Staring Milana Vayntrub & a full voice cast
The Skinny: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is back! In podcast form! While no longer on the monthly shop shelves, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl was one of my favorite comics while it was being produced, and I was sad when the series ended with no further impact, either in the comics, or making its way into the MCU.But Squirrel Girl and her wacky cast of animal-themed fellow heroes by night / NYC college students by day are back as a new scripted podcast! Written by USG series writer Ryan North and staring Milyana Vayntrub, who has voiced the character of Squirrel Girl / Doreen Green in a number of animated Marvel projects, the podcast picks up where the comic ended, with Doreen coming to terms with her carefully protected secret identity being leaked to the public. Now, as a way of integrating the two parts of her life, Doreen and her friends have been given a slot on the ESU college radio station. Doreen is ready to give life advice and expound on her superheroic exploits, but as per usual, she may have leapt before she looked.North’s writing still has the same wit and charm of the comics, and carries forward the delightfully manic comedic tone. North’s unmistakable writing style is on display, and these characters feel much the same as they did on the page. And the college radio trappings felt very familiar. I felt an almost cringey sense of nostalgia for the low budget station of my own college days. The podcast also brings back North’s slightly skewed vision of the Marvel Universe, with a few cameos and even celebrity guests.While the podcast is a jumping on point, and a delight to listen to, I did find myself missing series artist of Erica Henderson. And while it was fun to catch up with these characters, newer listeners who haven’t gone back through fifty issues of their adventures may be a bit lost.Marvel’s Squirrel Girl: The Unbeatable Radio Show is available from Sirius XM but can also be downloaded using the podcastcher of your choice from Apple Podcasts. If you are a fan of fun, classic superheroes, who both happen to eat nuts and kick butts, give it a listen.
Cable Reloaded #1 Written by Al Ewing Drawn by Bob Quinn Colored by Java Tartaglia Lettered by VC’s Joe Sabino Design by Tom Muller Published by Marvel Comics
The Skinny: Maybe the real Time-Traveling Cyborg Super Soldier was Friendship all along.
Cable has never been one of my favorite Marvel characters. In a lot of ways, the cybernetic super-soldier from the future represents a lot of the problems that crept into 90’s Marvel Comics. His backstory is a complicated mess, his design is unpleasant, and his plots center around the hyper-masculine dourness that dominated the comics industry at the time. In short, I think he’s just not a lot of fun. Cable recently returned to his status quo after he was murdered and replaced by a teenage version of himself because Comics and this solo one-shot integrates him back into the Marvel Universe. Since I didn’t read Teen Cable’s solo series, I would’ve given this issue a pass if it weren’t written by one of my favorite writers, Al Ewing. I’m glad I didn’t skip it because it turns out, this is a great single issue. Cable Reloaded is also a tie-in to Al’s Last Annihilation storyline going on right now in Guardians of the Galaxy and S.W.O.R.D. Fortunately, you don’t need to know much about either book to be brought up to speed. Cable’s new mission is to infiltrate the infamous Breakworld, previously seen in Astonishing X-Men. But again, that’s not anything you need to know because this is actually a comic about Cable reestablishing his connections and friendships after being gone. Because he’s a time traveler, it’s been a lifetime for him since he’s been in this era, but only a month in everyone else’s time, including the reader. Cable gets a few nice moments with Cannonball and Boom-Boom, his mentees from when he was leading X-Force, as well as with the staff of S.W.O.R.D, where his younger self was working as Security Chief. We also see a fair bit of Cable’s internal monologue throughout the issue, and it is an interesting peek into the thoughts of a normally taciturn and laconic character. One of the fun things you can do with a character like Cable in the context of a crossover is to use him to build up the importance of an event or put over another character. There’s a fun scene in which Cable meets Guardian of the Galaxy Rocket, and is awed by meeting such a famous and brilliant historical tactician. Rocket is clearly one of Ewing’s favorite characters, but it’s still a nice scene. Bob Quinn’s art is also very good in this issue. He evokes a 90’s aesthetic without falling into the failings of the era, and he is a steady hand at making complex action easily understandable. The issue’s page layouts have a particularly nice flow to them. java Tartaglia’s colors are warm and glossy, also evoking Cable’s origins while remaining easy on the eyes. I picked up this issue not knowing what to expect, but I’m glad that I did. Cable Reloaded #1 is a self-aware and oddly sweet return to form for the character, and I wouldn’t mind seeing more of this creative time and this character in the future. Cable is a character of excess in a lot of ways, but this issue hits all its points without overindulging. If you’re at all curious about Cable, S.W.O.R.D., or The Last Annihilation, do yourself a favor and pick this issue up from Comixology or your Local Comic Shop.
Welcome to Nostalgia Pilots! This week, Hugh, Jason, and Jurd take a break and discuss what we’ve been watching and playing outside of the Gundam franchise. Enjoy!
This year was a rough one for Comics. Covid-19 forced a distribution shutdown, with ramification that were felt throughout the industry. But there were still a plethora of great books that came out this year, and while I don’t have enough space to expound on all the outstanding books I read this year, here are five of my favorites, in alphabetical order. Spoilers abound below!
Empyre Written by Al Ewing and Dan Slott Drawn by Valerio Schiti Colored by Marte Gracia Lettered by VC’s Joe Caramanga Published by Marvel Comics
At first glance, Empyre is just another Marvel Comics alien invasion story. The Earth is pushed to the brink of peril, and then saved at the last minute by Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, etc. etc. But look past the surface, and there is so much more going on.Empyre concludes with a same-sex royal wedding in space, with all the Avengers and Fantastic Four as guests of honor. It reaches to the roots of Marvel Universe history, both in-story and in publication, and embraces that past while stepping into the future. The status quo for superhero comics is typically dark, putting the heroes on a never-ending back foot, with another crisis just around the corner. The end of this book does acknowledge that nothing good lasts forever. But today, the Kree / Skrull War is over, and Comics Are For Everyone. Make Mine Marvel!
Far Sector Written by N. K. Jemisin Drawn and Colored by Jamal Campbell Lettered by Deron Bennett Published by DC Comic Young Animal
This rare gem of a book takes place in a distant corner of the DC Universe, far from the crises of the regular continuity, and also, I suspect, from editorial interference. Given their own canvas to work with, Jemisin and Campbell have built a beautiful, wondrous and troubling world in The City Enduring, a sparkling artificial super-metropolis where three distinct alien cultures live in apparent harmony, until Green Lantern Jo Mullein is called upon to solve their first murder in centuries, and uncovers a chilling web of oppression and dirty politics whose exposure may tear a civilization apart.Jemisin’s writing on this book is consistently amazing. It’s difficult to believe this is her first jump from prose to comics. Propelled by Campbell’s dazzling art, this ongoing title is not to be missed.
Heist Written by Paul Tobin Drawn by Arjuna Susini Colored by Vittorio Astone Lettered by Saida Temofonte Published by Vault Comics
Gritty sci-fi crime dramas seems to be my jam this year, and Heist was another great one. After being set up by an evil executive and thrown in jail, Glaine Breld is out for revenge. There’s just two problems. One, the Dignity Corporation is so powerful it is completely untouchable. And two, everyone on the entire planet wants him dead. No big deal, because he’s got a plan to set everything right. All he has to do is get a crew together and steal the whole planet. Full of twist, dark humor, and the blackest of cyberpunk high concepts, Heist is a hell of a ride.
The Ludocrats Written by Kieron Gillen and Jim Rossignol Drawn by Jeff Stokely Colored by Tamra Bonvillain Lettered by Clayton Cowles Published by Image Comics
This book is weird, and also weirdly horny, for the sake of weird. Delightful and strange, Gillen and Rossignol don’t merely break the fourth wall, but stomp up and down and pee on it for good measure. Stokely’s art is intricate and full of clever sight gags, and the nonsensical plot, which follows a pair of Aristocrats on the case to stop the Hyper-pope from turning the world boring, is a mad-cap romp. This comic is chock-full full of axe-wielding maniacs, nefarious betrayers, and cannibalistic gastronauts, and those are the good guys! The funniest book I read this year!
Slaughterhouse-Five Adapted from Kurt Vonnegut’s novel by Ryan North Art by Albert Monteys Published by Archaia Faithfully based on Kurt Vonnegut’s novel of the same name, North and Monteys bring us along on Billy Pilgrim’s unstuck journey through time, from his capture in World War II and the battle of Dresden to his abduction to the alien planet Tralfamador and back. North’s script does justice to the story, capturing all the comedy and tragedy it evokes. Montey’s art is cartoonish and subtly colored, and is evocative and resonant. I knew going in this would be a book that I would either love or hate, and I’m glad it pulled off so ambitious an adaptation.
And click HERE to watch the cartoon along with us! It’s also available streaming on Disney+!
Chrononaut Cinema Reviews is presented by http://skinner.fm and http://hughjodonnell.com, and is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Chrononaut Cinema Reviews is presented by http://skinner.fm and http://hughjodonnell.com, and is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Hugh J. O'Donnell 
Podcast: CCRC61 – Spider-Woman S1E1
March 3, 2020
hughjodonnell CCR Commentary, Podcast, Uncategorized Commentary Track, hugh, Jurd, Marvel, Opopinax, Podcast, Saturday Morning TV Leave a comment
Tonight your hosts, Hugh, Opop, and Jurd, watch a ’70s spy cartoon that’s not related to Peter Parker
Click HERE to listen to the commentary track!
And click HERE to watch the cartoon along with us! It’s also available streaming on Disney+!
Chrononaut Cinema Reviews is presented by http://skinner.fm and http://hughjodonnell.com, and is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Support Me on Ko-fi