The Bill April 13, 2011

I have to warn you all, this week I'm going to sound like a big, whiny comic fan. I realize in my head that I shouldn't buy those books that don't interest me any more, but my heart just keeps going back for more. That and at this point, all the books are almost over anyway and like hell am I going to have a hole in my collection like that. Right? So, what am I bitching about this week? Let's go find out.




I Really Ought To Know Better:

Secret Warriors #26
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Alessandro Vitti


If you've been reading my reviews for any amount of time, you know by now that I have some serious issues with this book. It's murky, there are too many characters, there's very little development, and on and on. But even with all the shitty things about this book, it's still fairly intriguing and being this close to the end, I just can't stop now.

This issue picks up immediately after last month's flashback-a-palooza with Nick Fury and Baron Von Strucker tied up in a room with their impending death on it's way. In a thematic sense, I really like this idea, unfortunately it didn't do anything for me because I didn't feel emotion for either character. At this point, I don't care if Nick or the Baron die, I'll just be happy when it's over.

Now, lest you think I'm wasting your time yabbering on about a book y'all know I don't like, there was a reason why I wanted to write about it tonight. Of course, to do so requires some spoilers. So, those of you (both of you) who enjoy this book and haven't read this issue, please skip down to the next section.

As for the rest of you... So the big hook of this series was the issue one reveal of SHIELD being a subsidiary of Hydra, complete with crazy diagrams and whatnot to sell the idea. Further, throughout the whole series we've been watching Fury as he wages his last big war against those green-suited goons. Then, in this issue, it's revealed that Hydra has actually been working for Nick Fury and it was just fucking stupid. I can almost see the nugget of an idea there, but it's blocked by what appears to be a huge reversal of what the series was supposed to be about. It just felt... cheap instead of the epic 'Oh shit, I never saw that coming but it totally makes sense' reveal it should have been.

Secret Warriors, I am disappoint. And yes, I'll be back next issue.



Frustratingly Lacking:

Hawkeye Blindspot # 3
Writer: Jim McCann
Artist: Paco Diaz


Not for nothing, Jim McCann has been putting together quite the run on Marvel's most famous purple archer. It's just too bad it's not as gripping as it should be.

Nominally the story of Hawkeye facing his past so he can move forward with his life, I kept feeling that the story was lacking something. Maybe it was the 40 year old continuity maneuvering, or just the strange Baron Zemo (lots of Barons this week) characterization, but I had a hard time finding the motivation to care about the proceedings. Then again, maybe it was just a rough week on my part. I'm less forgiving with continuity wrangling after reading Secret Warriors; must be a side effect from all the intrigue.

It'll be interesting to see where things go after next month's finale, but I'll tell you right now if the followup is anything like this (or Widowmaker, for that matter), this will probably be my last Hawkeye mini for a good long while.

Until I can find them in the dollar bin, of course.




Bitching complete. I promise be more positive next week. See you then!