#5: 11th June 2014

Here we go, on Monday I got new issues from 11th and 18th June. Today I finally post a first set of reviews. The next one and the one from 25th June should be on the blog this week (or at least I hope so).

11th June's week wasn't special. Three outstanding issues, that I read and some other, which were rather boring. But let's move to reviews.

All-New X-Men #28

Oh. My. God. Is this series good! Brian Michael Bendis serves us another fantastic issue. When Marvel released #1, I was worried about the whole idea of bringing X-Men's classic team from their early ages to the present. This kind of time travel would literally destroy actual reality and, oh boy, it happened. There's such a mess nowadays in Marvel universe I have no idea what is and what isn't canonical (but I suppose it doesn't really matter now). Dead Watcher, almost dead Logan without healing factor, space invasions, Age of Ultron, X-Men from the past and... future... Last months has been intense and almost everything is only getting better and better.

Issue 28 of All-New continues the fight between our-reality-characters and future-Xavier's team. Charles was and probably still is my favourite comic book hero and I can't find words, which could describe my excitement while seeing his "legacy" on the panels. BMB knows how to write action-packed books. When you start reading #28, it's impossible to put it down. His writing is so clever and intelligent.

Moreover, in #28 we saw a plot background to probably next maaany issues - Xavier planning an attack from the future to the present. I'm sure that when it finally happens, we all will be stunned. Can't wait to read it.

All-New X-Men is awesome and if anyone is saying something else, he's wrong. Trust me here and buy a bunch of trades, which are probably now a little bit cheaper than before. Single issues also recommended.

Savage Wolverine #20

Three days ago I was still stuck on he fourth issue of Savage Logan. I heard loads of good stuff about this series, so decided to pick up the rest of issues and keep reading till he new #20. It was one of the best choices I made recently. Being a fan of long ongoing and one-writer&artist-series, I surprisingly enjoyed very much these frequent changes of creative teams after each arc. Last two issues were quite bad, I admit it, but #20 is a terrific come back of greatness to Savage Wolverine.

This standalone story is about Valentine's Day, love, rather unsuccesful, faith, revenge and anger. This mixture is stunning, you will read this issue without a pause from the first to the last page.

What I love about this title? Wolverine being savage. Yes, savage. This character needs to be showed that way, with claws snikted out and anger all over his face. But the special thing about this series is that Logan never does it without reason. He's such a great person with ideals - a killer loving animals, an animal loving woman, a men helping his friend, a friend having revenge. Wolverine FINALLY is not banal. He's intelligent and cares for other people. All Wolverine Vol. Blahblah series recently were boring, Logan was shallow, but now it changed. Thanks to Marvel Now.

We can not forget about gorgeous artwork made done by Felix Ruiz. It's so original and breathtaking,  I could print this issue in larger format and hang all panels on my room's walls. This guy's amazing.

To sum up, Savage Wolverine is a must read for all comic book fans. After two rather dull issues, #20 is a special piece of art. Plot is quite deep, it touches some themes, that aren't common in Wolverine stories. This series is savagely good. And savagely in this case means awesomely.

The Walking Dead #128

It's the only Image title this week I picked up. Robert Kirkman proves again to be one of the greatest long story writers of all time. It's amazing how for over 10 years he has been leading Rick Grimes to new obstacles, calamities, deaths and opportunities. Each issue feels like it's a part of something big, I can feel all other events that took place before newest book.

In #128 Alexandria is prospering, everything seams to be perfect, new bread, loads  of food, new people joining survivor's community. But here is always Negan. An imprisoned badass trying to manipulate Carl, but young Grimes looks to be also playing with Glenn's murderer.

During the whole issue I had a strange feeling. A feeling of something enormous coming. Peace can not last long in this reality. Roamers, or walkers, if you prefer, are there, waiting to kill all living beings. Kirkman builds a background to a new epic story arc. Action soon will start to get intense and I feel it that Negan will always be somewhere there, waiting for a perfect moment to push a knife into Rick's throat. But that's only my speculation.

One thing in Walking Dead hasn't changed. Beutiful black&white artwork by Charlie Adlard (not counting first 6 issues by Tony Moore). I love his minimalistic touches to character's facial expressions. They look so real. A lack of colours even helps this book. We can enjoy Adlard's work in its pure form - without colorful distractions.

If you want to read Walking Dead, buy first 2 Compendiums containing almost 100 issues. This series isn't that much new reader friendly, if you do not read from #1. You should read the whole run to fully enjoy newest issues. Overall, it's a solid series, one of the best from Image, if not the best in the history of this publisher.

Wolverine #8

I noticed I write only reviews about those good books. Decided to change it a little bit and from time to time you will see my opinions on worse books. This time our "star" is the newest issue of the main Wolverine series. It's so dull and mediocre. I read it only because of this whole 3 Months to Die stuff and latter Death of Wolverine miniseries, which I recently preordered.

The only positive thing about this issue is an appearance of Iron Fist and Shang-Chi. I love these characters, but even they couldn't save this issue. I have no idea what was the motivation and idea of Paul Cornell, while writing Wolverine. His previous series was terrible. Marvel renumbered it and it may be even worse now.

Plot focuses on two main strands: Wolverine's going with Daniel Rand and Shang-Chi to the Temple of Death on Holiday (at the beginning I found it interesting, but than, thanks to crappy dialogues, it was just another Cornell's failure) and Sabretooth's negotiating with Offer (yesterday evening I have almost fallen asleep reading it and I think it perfectly describes this part of plot).

Artwork isn't better, but there were some nice panels (one above). Overall, everything looks unrealistic in this book, crooked faces, unbalanced proportions and colours, which look extremly unnatural.

Summing up, I read this book only to know what's going on i Logan's world, when Death of the Wolverine begins. After #4 of that miniseries, I will drop this title from my pull list. Not recommended.