REVIEW: BotA: Part 8: Uncanny X-Men #13

Let's do the Time Warp again!

Copyright Marvel

We're at number eight. I've literally only just got my hands on my copy, being at University means I can only get my pull list twice a month when I go home, so this one was eagerly anticipated after the previous lot. 

It opens as you'd expect with the Uncanny X-Men and the real X-Men of the future alongside Beast and Iceman (the young'uns). Cyclops being the man that he is (I also don't really like Cyclops - he can be a douche), tries to formulate a plan to get into the school. Before they can start Y. Beast and Iceman are kidnapped. 

Xavier and Ice Hulk start to attack the Uncanny X-Men and future X-Men in an attempt to stop them taking the school. Ok, seriously, Ice Hulk is definitely Bobby but come on Bendis! Explain yourself! I really hope that gets explained before the end of Battle of the Atom, because it's a really interesting plot point in my opinion. 

A fight breaks out almost everywhere, and Older Beast tries to send the O5 X-Men back to the past in attempt to save themselves from the future they don't want. I'm assuming it's to save Dazzler and make sure that she never gets assassinated in the brutal fashion. 

Old Handlebar himself gets up close and personal with Xavier, I would love to know what happens with Colossus too, from working with the X-Force to becoming a prominent part of the X-Men is a big change. Especially since he regards himself as a fugitive that should be locked away. But heh, I guess that's all in the future!

When the O5 are gathered around the Time Cube Older Beast tries to send them back. But can't. Which complicates things further, this means that the O5 can't go back at all surely? This is a strange turn of events, and will cause more time travel related questions since Bendis wrote Age of Ultron. 

That's pretty much where it ends. What an intriguing storyline! Seriously, it's just got better and better, I cannot wait for parts nine and ten. 

My rating: 

9/10: AWESOME! Seriously! Cannot wait for the series to resolve itself, it's funny because I seem to enjoy Bendis' books more than the others. Which is a strange turn of events I must say. Congrats Bendis, you've won me over.

REVIEW: Battle of the Atom: Part 3: X-Men #5

Part 3 of 10! 

Copyright Marvel

So Part 3 continues straight off from Part 2, as you might expect. The present X-Men seem to trust the future X-Men, which I guess is good! The Hanks happen to have been building a new jet underneath the hangar containing the old jet (because Jean and Y. Cyclops took the older one) - gotta love conveniently placed plot devices.

Xavier takes a pill essentially containing Cerebro... Wait what? I want one of these pills, and to be a telepath, that would be so cool... Anyway... Review, Beast tries to flirt with Molly Hayes - what a guy. With Jean and Y. Cyclops on the run, they head out almost straight away, with Xavier on their tale. Seriously though, I'd love to know how the Cerebro Spike works. It seems far too weird to be true.

Other parts of the story go back to Westchester where the other X-Men are lazing around, I thought that place was meant to be a school? It's pretty interesting to see how the Young X-Men are getting on in the 21st Century. Oh, and the baby Shogo gets another appearance!

The rest of the issue is mostly chatting about how Jean and Y. Cyclops got away. Something about Xavier creeps me out, he's a weird feller. But the ending really sets up for Uncanny X-Men #12 (Part 4).

Ok, so overall conclusion/review-y thing.

The story was nice, there was a real sense of chase and urgency in there. Still, the whole Cerebro thing confuses me, how does a bloody pill do that to you? But again, there isn't much progression. Which I'm beginning to like, across a ten issue run it's actually quite a nice pace. Considering this took place in a matter of minutes you get a decent amount of information and detail.

The art in this series has been great so far, Part 3 hasn't changed. Lopez and co do a really great job with the Art in this issue. I love this sort of style, very human features and great colours.

My rating:

6/10: So, I'm in two minds about this. I love the amount of detail within the story, and I love the way it's headed. But there isn't enough story progression for me. But maybe that's what Bendis is going for overall? Enough detail to keep it moving at a similar rate per issue, but little enough so people will continue to be intrigued in the series and want to really get hold of the next issue as soon as possible.

RAMBLINGS: The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron - My Thoughts

Avengers: Age of Ultron © Marvel

So my most anticipated movie of 2015 has to be Avengers: Age of Ultron. It isn't based upon the comicbook series of the same name (thank goodness) but will create Ultron for the Cinematic universe.

Joss Whedon has already said that Ultron will be different to the comicbook version in terms of origin and powers, so I've been thinking about how he will actually be coming into being, especially since the Ant-Man film won't be released until after Avengers 2.

Here is my idea for the Cinematic Universe Ultron, I imagine he's going to be developed in a couple of probable ways. The first way, is through Stark developing him (maybe with Banner, maybe not), since Stark is able to develop Jarvis who is essentially a self thinking AI system I think that he will either develop Ultron as some sort of self acting AI/Superhero droid that goes rogue although that last bit is debatable.

The other alternative is that Ultron is an AI developed through S.H.E.I.L.D to do something that will "benefit humanity" according to them (similar to Phase 2).

Either way I really do hope that Ultron gives the Avengers hell, because that will make a great movie I think, something that will test the Avengers to the limits. I enjoyed the first Avengers movie (and the rest of the Cinematic universe) hugely, so I do hope that Avengers 2 keeps the momentum, especially as the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are going to be introduced!

What do you guys think?

REVIEW: Age of Ultron

So, Age of Ultron...

Age of Ultron #1 Copyright Marvel

Age of Ultron was one of Marvels most anticipated series of comicbooks in years, what with the menace that is Ultron razing Earth only a handful of heroes remain to stop him. However, since release, it hasn't been heralded as the most fantastic series.

The seeds to this series were sown back in 2011 in the Avengers (issue #12.1) meaning that the probably release date for the series was meant to be before the launch of Marvel now, which personally seems more likely because of the amount of "hints" to the consequences of this series. 

The series starts in a modern day New York in a Terminator Judgement Day style setting, the world destroyed and a handful of heroes trying to figure this mess out. The initial book in the series isn't the typical "event set-up" that usually happens. However #1 throws up something many people will consider a continuity issue, I'll go ahead and say it, noone is sure if Spidey is Ock, or Peter. The general consensus is that Age of Ultron is written to have been released prior to Marvel Now and possibly before AvX as well.

Issue #2, in my opinion doesn't add a massive amount to the plot, it's more of the same as issue #1 introducing more characters and adding some more "how do they survive" plot points. Then culminating in the "plan" that Captain America claims he has.

The next few issues are the "plan" being played out, I'm going to be honest, many of the middle issues aren't great, they are very slow paced and don't add a massive amount to the plot very quickly. This is where my biggest gripe arrived whilst reading - why did it have to be a 10-issue story (ex. tie ins)? Much of the plot could have been shrunk down into two issues at most (reducing the story to 8 issues). 

The story heats up at issue #6, with lots of fight scenes and a surprising team up between Wolvie and Sue Storm our favourite Superhero mum. Another hint towards this series having meant to have been released in 2012 is the white Nick Fury, as many books have represented him in the Black Samuel L. Jackson version from The Avengers movie. 

Time Travel is used a fair amount in #6, causing some troubles for Sue and Wolvie in issue #7 and #8, causing Wolverine to develop another plan, because he fucked up. #9 deals with that too, essentially culminating the story, with #10 revisiting the #12.1 story from the previous volume of The Avengers. #10 I think is really only there to announce the arrival of a character with a completely different set of skills...

My Opinion:

It's a difficult one, there are some parts of the series that I enjoy and some parts that I felt could have been amalgamated into a single issue (#1 and #2 for instance), which meant that some parts of the series could have been shortened and the series made to be a 6-issue or 8-issue series. 

Infinity, for instance, is a 6-issue series. With the initial book and the final book to be oversized books they are essentially shortening an 8 issue series. Bendis/Marvel should have done that instead with Age of Ultron, the plot may have seemed a little quicker. 

Finally, I think the story was a little poor. It seems to me that it's another of those events that are in the "cause and effect" genre, the effect of which is yet to be seen. Although, some effects are seen in Hunger but in the regular 616 universe we are still seeing signs that things are happening, or are going to happen. But all we know is that there is something wrong with time. 

What makes me wonder further is that in Battle of the Atom there were mutants from the future using time travel - will that also cause damage?

But anyway, my rating. I think I'm going to give it:

6/10

Not the greatest of series, there are some gems in it but the length and story just let it down. It's too much of a leapfrog to the next event, whatever that may be.

REVIEW: Battle of the Atom #1

Well, it arrived!

I decided to get the Deadpool Cover because they're always quite cool and like this one, occasionally funny. 

Initially I was a bit dubious about this event, I'm not the biggest fan of Bendis' events as I've mentioned in previous posts and the fact that the art is done between three different artists also put me off a little. Although saying that, ANXM is done by Immonen and Von Grawbadger. I think personally the addition of Cho is what might make me dubious, because I'm not sure if I'd like to see a very curvaceous 16-Year old Jean Grey...

Ok, so I'm not going to give away anything from the plot because it's the start of a 10-part series, but it opens really well featuring Illyana Rasputin aka Magik. The next page I had a "is that Deadpool?" moment, it made me laugh actually.

But I have to say, the story in this book really moves quickly and straight to it. Miles from Age of Ultron where if I'm honest it took some issues to get to the main plot points, this just goes to the point. There is a fair bit of action as well as seeing what happens to a time displaced dead guy (sorry if that spoils anything). We see a bit of Cyclops and the Uncanny X-Men in there as well, working together with Prof. Kitty and the All-New X-Men - I'd imagine Wolverine will have something to say. But the team up is a great Sentinel killing moment, it's really enjoyable. It's also nice that Cyclops isn't being represented as the "bad guy" for the time being. 

But in general this book surprised me, I'm used to Bendis' events dragging out but this one really gives me high hopes for the next few issues. I'm getting all 10 parts and really cannot wait for All-New X-Men to come in the post, and then all the rest. The art, I know I was dubious at first, but it's fine, I personally can't even tell which parts are Cho and what parts are Immonen (pretty sure Grawbadger is the inker/colourer). 

So my rating?

8.5/10

Really solid start, it made me eager for the next few issues, definitely a good read.
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