On the red carpet for the premiere of Iron Man 3, The Avengers director Joss Whedon let slip a couple of interesting tidbits concerning the introduction of new characters in The Avengers 2 (a “brother and sister act” presumably referring to Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch) as well as stating that the now completed pilot for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will explain how Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) is still part of the Marvel Universe.
After uncovering the identity of the “Electric Ghost” a pissed off Winter Soldier realizes why Nick Fury wanted him on this assignment as the last time Bucky saw the woman responsible for terrorist attacks around the world he was still brainwashed and working for the Russians and she was a young girl whose parents he had just murdered in front of her.
Once Fury fills him in on how bad things have gotten thanks to this Russian-bred madwoman enhanced by the same Cosmic Rays which gave the Fantastic Four their powers, Bucky and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Joe Robards have no choice but to risk their lives by heading into space, sneaking aboard the woman’s cloaked satellite and eliminating the threat once and for all.
After the heavy set-up, questionable plot choices, and goofy island of assassins, writer Jason LaTour finally seems to be settling down with the character. Winter Soldier #17 has a Bond-like quality (even if that Bond is Moonraker), that fans of the character may enjoy. For fans.
[Marvel, $2.99]
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After saving the life of rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Joe Robards, the Winter Soldier and his new friend search for leads by heading to an isolated island in the middle of nowhere where the former head of the Red Room has set up a school for young assassins known as The Orphanage.
Although the story is pretty straightforward the reason behind the team-up of Robards and Bucky is less so (even if Bucky keeps the fact that he murdered the man’s handler years ago to himself), as is their final objective. A short conversation between Maria Hill and the retired, but very much still active, Nick Fury suggests the “Electric Ghost” at the end of Bucky’s journey will be another ghost from his past.
The island of misfit assassins is more goofy than frightening and the objectives of Bucky’s new mission are murky at best. Two issues in new writer Jason LaTour has done little to help sell me on the comic’s new direction. It’s not a bad issue, but there’s not much offered here to make me pick up next month’s comic. Hit-and-Miss.
[Marvel, $2.99]
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The new volume of Uncanny X-Men quickly gets readers up to speed on the fallout of AvX and the current state of Cyclops and his team of renegade X-Men. Told entirely from the perspective of a member of Cyclops’ team to S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s Maria Hill, writer Brian Michael Bendis gives us an inside look at Scott’s new role and growing popularity to those outside the United States Government.
Cyclops has been busy rebuilding a new group of soldiers which already includes a healer, a sorcerer, and a woman who is learning to control time to go along with Emma Frost and Magneto. We also learn that the Phoenix was rather unkind to those who it took over. Cyclops has lost the ability to control his optic blast and Magneto’s powers are diminished.
Although I think most of the art of Chris Bachalo is fine, my only real complaint is with the redesign of so many classic characters’ costumes. Magneto’s is my least favorite. In terms of story Uncanny X-Men is all that you could hope in giving readers a new story, setting up the players, and then (in a relatively easy to figure out twist) see where Bendis plans to take the story. Best of the week.
[Marvel, $3.99]
The first issue launching a new creative team and direction for the characters of the Winter Soldier is a little disappointing. Writer Jason LaTour takes over for Ed Brubaker whose overseen nearly all of Bucky Barnes best moments since his return to comics (at Brubaker’s hands) in 2005.
LaTour has to deal with the fallout of a broken-hearted Bucky whose lost the love of his life due to the mad plans of a Soviet sleeper agent. Without the Black Widow, however, an even more morose than usual Bucky is a far less interesting character.
The comic does include an appearance by the Nick Fury (a rarity in Marvel Comics these days) and a new assignment that ties back into his road to redemption involving saving a longtime undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agent inside HYDRA.
While Winter Soldier #15 isn’t all that good neither is it a bad comic. However, it doesn’t do nearly enough the sell me on the new direction for the title or the character. Pass.
[Marvel, $2.99]
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