Cyberspace Comics market report, reviews and more

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 4
First Issue: June 2003 ($3.50)
Last Issue: September 2003 ($3.50)
Writer: Evan Dorkin
Artist: Dean Haspiel

This mini-series was published under Marvel’s ill-fated Startling Stories banner which allowed indy creators to take on their mainstream super-heroes.

In an out-of-continuity tale set in Marvel’s Bronze Age, the Thing gets in one of his mopey moods and heads down to his old stomping grounds – Yancy Street. He meets a girl there named Hazel Donovan and they strike up a quick friendship with some not-so-subtle romantic undertones. However, Hazel’s got some secrets … not the least of which is a super-villain ex-boyfriend. And, it’s an ex that wants her back.

Unfortunately for the Thing, when her ex does show up, it’s with three other villains. That’s right … he’s a member of the Frightful Four! They kidnap Hazel to force the Thing to bring them the Ultimate Nullifier – a weapon so powerful that even Galactus is wary of it! However, when he finally does get it to them, their team dynamic falls apart as each untrustworthy villain wants the weapon for himself. But, when the dust settles and the villains have been defeated, will the Thing be able to forgive Hazel for her other secrets?

The Bad: Dean Haspiel’s portrayal of these characters is rather ill-fitted. Especially his version of the Wizard.

The Good: Evan Dorkin (known for his brand of wackiness) shows off his emotional side.

The Verdict: Evan Dorkin’s crafted an emotional story starring everyone’s favorite rockpile superhero! While most recent Thing stories focus on his light-hearted and fun nature, this tale calls to mind older FF issues where the Thing was much less-comfortable in his own (mutated) skin. So, if you miss those classic FF stories with a grumpy Thing and big blow-out battles … this one’s for you!

On Ebay: Startling Stories | the Thing | Evan Dorkin | Dean Haspiel

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 3
First Issue: May 2009 ($2.99)
Last Issue: July 2009 ($2.99)
Writer: Frank Tieri
Artist: Mateus Santolouco
Cover Artist: Tommy Lee Edwards

Not all of the super-criminals in the Marvel Universe were happy about Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign over the United States. With that in mind, the Grim Reaper assembled his Lethal Legion (along with Nektra, Tiger Shark, Mr. Hyde, the Absorbing Man, Grey Gargoyle and a surprise hero!) to take down Osborn and indeed, they even managed to capture him! But, a member of the team sold them out by releasing Osborn while they were distracted. The members of this Lethal Legion were then rounded up and imprisoned in the Raft where the Grim Reaper was lethally stabbed in the chest.

Now, a lawyer is investigating the crime … interviewing each of the Lethal Legion members. Analyzing how things went down and who was out to get who. Can you guess which member of the team sold ’em out? I sure couldn’t … but it was a cool reveal!

The Bad: Tommy Lee Edwards moody cover art wasn’t really to my liking.

The Good: This story was a great set up to provide wonderful insight into these characters as each team member got to tell their story.

The Verdict: Frank Tieri created a cool thriller here with very little action. The story was moved along quickly as each member told a different part of the flashback and set up the mystery as to who the sell out was. Lots of neat (and even fun) character moments here – one of which was the Grey Gargoyle proposing (in all seriousness) to be the Thor of the Dark Avengers. And, to top it off, the interior art was better-suited for the story than the covers were.

On Ebay: Lethal Legion | Dark Reign | Frank Tieri

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 4
First Issue: March 2009 ($2.99)
Last Issue: June 2009 ($2.99)
Writer: Paul Tobin
Artist: Patrick Scherberger and others

Doctor Doom‘s got a mission and he’s going to stop at nothing to accomplish it. To begin, he sends the Sinister Six into a Stark Facility against Iron Man and Dr. Strange in an effort to capture some R5-Puddon. The elemet allows Doom to craft a strong, illusion-creating gas. Then he pits the Circus of Crime against the Masters of Evil in a move to gain immortality from a powerful stone. Doom then uses the illusion-gas to distract Blastaar long enough to kidnap an ancient creature named Quinn. Finally, Doom and Magneto travel to Selene’s mansion on the coast of Scotland. Quinn revealed that this spot contains great power created by the Infinity Gems. But, in order to harness that power, Doom must first defeat Selene! Or, at best, outwit her.

Once outwitted, Selene grants Doom access to the power – allowing him to utterly destroy his greatest enemy! Uh oh! Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four better prepare for utter oblivion! Or, should he? Who is Doom’s greatest enemy? And, will he give up his immortality to be able to harness the power to destroy that foe?

The Bad: This story is so cool that I wish it was in-continuity – but, alas, I have the feeling it’s not.

The Good: Great, bright, shiny, dynamic art. Tons of villains thrown into each issue. One of the coolest Dr. Doom stories in terms of characterization.

The Verdict: This series is a great example of the driven nature of Doctor Doom. He stops at nothing to achieve his goals and has everything planned out six steps ahead of everyone else. Everything and everyone is just a stepping stone to his ultimate goal – even other threatening villains like Magneto! Besides all that, the story is a blast. It’s got adventure, exotic locales, powerful villains and fun little scenes/dialogue that keep it interesting. There’s plenty of action in every issue featuring big battles with lots of established villains (and even a few heroes) but, the true highlight here is the writer’s understanding of Doom’s character. If you’re a Doom fan, you’ve gotta read this one.

On Ebay: Doctor Doom | Paul Tobin | Patrick Scherberger

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 5
First Issue: May 2009 ($2.99)
Last Issue: September 2009 ($2.99)
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Sean Chen

Following Marvel’s Secret Invasion, the Fantastic Four return to the Baxter Building and Reed Richards quickly builds himself the Bridge. It allows him to analyze the thousands of alternate realities that exist to see if he could have done anything to prevent the recent events (Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion, Superhuman Registration Act, etc) from occurring. At the same time, Norman Osborn has directed H.A.M.M.E.R. to attack the Baxter Building to submit the Fantastic Four to a review in the hopes of determining if they will be allowed back into the Initiative Program. The resulting power surge causes the Bridge’s Visualizer to send the other three members of the team (the Thing, the Human Torch and the Invisible Woman) on a trip through alternate realities/times: battling Celestials, dinosaurs, WWII soldiers, knights, wild west gunmen and pirates.

Meanwhile, Franklin and Valeria are left to fend off Norman Osborn and Venom (Mac Gargan – formerly the Scorpion) from their intrusion into the Baxter Building. Fortunately, Reed powers down the Bridge after analyzing all the results, freeing the rest of the team from its effects. With the team reunited again, they send Osborn and his agents packing. Upset at the danger the Bridge put her family in, Sue demands that Reed destroy it. But, will our inquisitive scientist hero be able to destroy such a powerful device? You bet he won’t! Especially now that he knows what he needs to do to put things right with the super hero community once again.

The Bad: Hickman uses this mini-series to build up the plot he’s developing in the monthly Fantastic Four title … so it doesn’t have a true stand-alone feeling. And, as far as this relates to Norman’s Dark Reign – nothing happens! He tries to gain access to the Baxter Building and the team sends him away. The End! Rather lacking for a five issue series under the Dark Reign banner, if you ask me.

The Good: The story is able to provide an interesting analysis of why things went wrong in the Marvel Universe and attributes them to specific characters. It’s an interesting look at how Reed’s pure motives got tainted by the ideas of other heroes.

The Verdict: While I found Reed’s thought-processes of what went wrong to be pretty interesting, the adventures of the rest of the team were pretty meaningless. The final showdown between Osborn and the Fantastic Four was ended pretty quickly and then some mystery characters were introduced that weren’t paid off in this story (although, I can only assume they’ll pop up in the ongoing FF title). In the end, it just seems like this series is a lead-in to the (hopefully) more important events going on in the monthly title – so perhaps your reading time would be better spent there.

On Ebay: Fantastic Four | Dark Reign | Jonathan Hickman | Sean Chen

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 36
First Issue: May 2007 ($2.99)
Last Issue: June 2010 ($2.99)
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis (#1-20), Dan Slott (#21-36; with some assists from Christos Gage)
Artist: Frank Cho, Mark Bagley, Alex Maleev, Khoi Pham and others

After the events of Marvel’s Civil War, Iron Man established a new team of Avengers to safeguard the world. It’s led by Ms. Mavel and also includes Iron Man, the Wasp, the Sentry, Wonder Man, the Black Widow and Ares. Their first battle was against the Mole Man, his Moloids and his large monsters. During that battle, Iron Man’s armor/body was taken over by a much more powerful threat: Ultron! Appropriately enough, Hank Pym (the creator of Ultron) devised a “virus” (for lack of a more in-depth explanation) to take down his creation; it was delivered by a shrunken-down Ares invading Ultron’s body.

At Iron Man’s request, Spider-Woman was added to the team, even though Ms. Marvel wasn’t quite confident in this decision. But, regardless of their disagreement, the Avengers were ready to deal with the next upcoming world threat: an invasion by alien (Venom/Carnage-type) symbiotes accidentally set in motion by Doctor Doom’s computer system. After the invasion was eliminated, the team journeyed to Latveria to take Doom to task for his apparent “crimes”. This led to an interesting time-travel story involving Doom, Iron Man and the Sentry.

Issues 12-20 happen concurrently with the Skrulls’ Secret Invasion and are composed mostly of one-and-done stories that are not related to each other. We get solo stories of Elektra, Captain Marvel, Hank Pym and the creation of the Secret Warriors; all set amongst the back-drop of the Secret Invasion (some of them lifting scenes directly from other series).

Following the Secret Invasion, Hercules and Amadeus Cho were determined to start a new group of true Avengers together (they’re not overly fond of Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers) to battle the Chaos Cascade causing … well, “chaotic” events throughout the world. They put together a team with the new Wasp (Hank Pym), U.S. Agent, the new Vision (Jonas), Stature (Scott Lang’s daughter), Jocasta and Jarvis. In order to stop the Chaos Cascade, the team had to battle Modred the Mystic (now calling himself the Darkhold) and Quicksilver (possessed by Cthon). Following their victory, Quicksilver joined the team, as well and they went on to be backed by the Global Reaction Agency for Mysterious Paranormal Activity (aka G.R.A.M.P.A. – 1st appeared in Amazing Fantasy vol. II #15). The team enjoyed much public affection after defeating plenty of threatening villains including A.I.M., Swarm, the Unspoken (a powerful, ancient Inhuman), Zzzax, Terminus and more. Their high approval-rating didn’t sit well with Norman Osborn, though, since he was trying to establish his team of Dark Avengers as the “premiere” super-hero team. This led to a tense meeting as both teams joined forces to defeat the Absorbing Man (powered by a Cosmic Cube).

Soon after the incident with the Dark Avengers (wherein Osborn stripped U.S. Agent of his rank), the Mighty Avengers fell apart after a battle against Loki revealed a darker side of Hank Pym. Finally, Hank Pym was left to take on his most dangerous creation, Ultron, with only the aid of Jocasta and two G.R.A.M.P.A. Agents (Ace and Black Jacquie). However, even Pym was not able to defeat Ultron and was saved by Jocasta who offered herself up to be “married” to Ultron in exchange for his willing banishment. Unwilling to dwell on these events, Pym quickly took off to join his fellow ex-Mighty Avengers in Oklahoma to help out during the events of Marvel’s Siege.

The Bad: This book is extremely disjointed and takes three different “directions” within just three years. Bendis’ original team has plenty of action and great artwork but doesn’t do much to develop much in the way of ongoing plots. The “tie-in” issues that follow are all only relevant to Marvel’s Secret Invasion and their purpose is lost if not read in tangent with (or without working knowledge of) that story. The final direction, involving Pym’s Avengers, is mostly free of interference by Marvel Events). The exception being important events that happen between #34 and #35 that are just briefly mentioned in passing (this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; I just figured I’d round out the explanation of all three ‘directions’).

the Good: The book was off to a decent start with a well-rounded team. It offered some instability with the Sentry’s questionable sanity, the beginnings of some intra-team romance, and a conflict between the team leader (Ms. Marvel) and Iron Man (who seemed to tread upon her leadership by making executive decisions without her consultation). The Secret Invasion “tie-in” books were cool reads, as they developed some important parts of that storyline BUT, when read within the confines of Mighty Avengers, they just don’t work and totally detract from the previous eleven issues. Finally, Dan Slott jumps in as writer with issue 21 and brings this title back to a real, ongoing series. He puts together a new team of heroes and pits them against some powerful foes. But, more importantly, he gives the series a sense of ongoing storyline. It’s clear that things are building towards something. “What?” – we’re not sure … but I really enjoy that sense of ongoing purpose with ongoing comic series. The art started off really strong with Frank Cho and Mark Bagley and ended in the less-flashy but still-capable hands of Khoi Pham.

The Verdict: The only parts of this series that I really enjoyed was Pym’s Avengers (21-36). Finally, after flailing around and being mired down in a one-sided love affair with Secret Invasion, the book was able to stand on its own as a fun Avengers series. The team took on some powerful foes and also developed Hank Pym’s character some more (much to the near non-development of the other characters – aside from U.S. Agent being stripped of his rank). Some of the Pym highlights include: taking on the new codename of Wasp (in memory of his dead ex-wife), developing an all-new Avengers base (that had pocket doorways all over the globe – and off it, too!) and being told by Eternity himself that he is Earth’s Scientist Supreme. Not bad for a guy that you can squish with your shoe! However, as fun as the final story direction was, it’s overshadowed by the previous twenty issues. Bendis used these mostly to develop the Secret Invasion storyline, much to the detriment of this series. So, let it be known that my final judgment is based on the series as a whole and does not reflect accurately on Slott’s later issues.

On Ebay: Avengers | Brian Bendis | Dan Slott | Frank Cho | Mark Bagley | Khoi Pham | Mighty Avengers | Avengers

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 5
First Issue: March 2005 ($2.99)
Last Issue: July 2005 ($2.99)
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Ty Templeton

Over the years, Spider-Man and the Human Torch have been enemies, rivals and friends. This series is a tribute to their ongoing relationship as it’s progressed through the years. Each issue is a one-and-done story that is told in a different Marvel Era and has no affect on the others. In the first issue (which takes place in the Silver Age), Johnny Storm hires Peter Parker to take pictures of him for the newspaper to increase his PR. But, when he gets captured by Doctor Doom, it’s up to Spidey to bail him out. Issue two takes place on the border between the Silver Age and the Bronze Age. Spidey & Torch decide to switch places for a day. Each figures that he can do the other’s job better. So, Spidey gets sucked into an exploration of a new dimension with the Fantastic Four …. meanwhile, the Torch has to stop Kraven the Hunter from releasing a new drug onto the streets.

In the third issue (the Bronze Age story), the Red Ghost tries to steal the Spider-Mobile from Spider-Man and the Human Torch. Years later (in the Copper Age story), the Black Cat lures Johnny Storm on a heist to steal something from the Wakandan history exhibit. Spidey and the Black Panther get involved for some fun hero vs hero action. And finally, in the last issue (the Modern Age story) the Human Torch learns Spider-Man’s true identity. This reveal allows for some cool story-telling to be seen for the first time as both heroes are able to open up completely and compare their lives with each other.

The Bad: This is one of the rare instances where the cover art is worse than the interior art.

The Good: Dan Slott continues to show off his familiarity with Marvel continuity by incorporating great dialogue that references it (much to the delight of long-time Marvel fans, like myself). He includes some fun references to those Hostess fruit pies ads and also adds in a neat cameo by Dan Ketch as a young kid. Templeton’s attention to details was well-researched and pays off in his costume designs for each era (although there’s one shot of Black Panther that looks a little too modern for the story’s point in time).

The Verdict: Wow! What a fun read this was. It reveals the true fondness that Slott (and thousands of fans, with him) has for these characters and the stories that have been created for them over the past four decades. It’s clear that these are comics created by true fans of the characters and that lends an important hand in creating great comics. Each issue wonderfully captures the era it takes place in and can be enjoyed independently of the others but as a whole, it creates a wonderful look at the relationship between Spider-Man and the Human Torch as it’s evolved over the years.

On Ebay: Spider-Man | Human Torch | Dan Slott | Ty Templeton

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Epic Comics
Number of Issues: 4
First Issue: July 1993 ($2.50)
Last Issue: October 1993 ($1.95)
Writer: Mike Baron
Artist: Mark A. Nelson

Feud introduces us to a world inhabited by four races of creatures:

• Stokers – two-legged reptiles; weapons manufacturers
• Kites – flying reptiles; artists; guano-producers
• Skids – amphibians; fishers
• Grunts – four-legged reptiles; slow-moving farmers

 
The manipulative Kites capture the Skids’ royal tadpole and frame the Stokers for the abduction. The Skids retaliate by unleashing a tidal wave against the Stokers’ fortress. As the battle abates, the two races discover the Kites’ subterfuge and their rulers have a meeting to discuss their next move.

An unfortunate turn of events (driven by nature’s primal instinct) leads to the Stoker’s leader eating the Skids’ queen! Meanwhile, the Kites recruit the Grunts in the war against the Stokers. It’s all out war (with some reservations and consideration given to each race’s economy and barter system) in this fun, light-hearted political thriller!

The Bad: n/a

The Good: Baron puts together four distinct races of animals, all with their own personalities and pre-dispositions. Nelson has created some very neat-looking creatures with a great color pallete. It’s got a great mix of politics, humor and action!

The Verdict: The sheer audacity required to create an anthropomorphic political thriller like this is incredible. The very fact that Baron & Nelson even decided to tackle a comic like this should be rewarded. But, the real reward goes to the reader: They pulled it off! Tons of humor and action keep this series moving along as you find yourself actually caring about these imaginary reptilian creatures. And, we haven’t even gotten to the mammals yet. The last page is a great set-up for a sequel … and I want more!

On Ebay: Mike Baron | Feud | Mark Nelson

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Image Comics
Number of Issues: 2 (plus a retailer-exclusive preview)
First Issue: December 2006 ($5.99)
Last Issue: January 2007 ($5.99)
Writer: David B. Schwartz
Artist: Sean Wang

Cal’s heat-powers have destroyed his life. They put an end to a promising career as a major-league baseball pitcher. Since he quit high school to chase his baseball dream, he was left with no other job-worthy skills … so he became a super-hero out of desparation. They’ve rendered him infertile, ending his marriage to the love of his life. Now they’re eating his body from the inside out and he’s only got a few days to live.

In his final days on Earth, Flare (Cal’s super-hero code name) decides to end the threat of his arch-nemesis, Maelstrom, forever. He also intends to patch things up with his ex-wife, Amara. But, perhaps what he didn’t expect was to become the hero he never dreamed about being and leaving behind an inspiration.

The Bad: I wonder if the double-sized issue format may have hindered sales of this book. I can’t help but think it would have sold a bit more had it been four regular-sized issues, instead. It looks like every hero/villain name has been taken already. Flare (the main character) is the name of a well-established, indepenent super-heroine and Maelstorm (the villain) is a villain’s name from the Marvel Universe.

The Good: Schwartz told a touching super-hero story here while flushing out Flare’s characterization and past through a bunch of flashbacks. Wang did a great job of switching up his art-styles between the present action and the past experiences. These switches did a wonderful job of indicating what time period it belonged to. And, even though the character wasn’t too thrilled to be a super-hero, the story made him quite empathetic. Latinos will appreciate the main character’s heritage but, the writer did a nice job of not laying it on too thick (keeping it accessible to all ethnic groups). In addition to a fantastic art/story team, the covers were illustrated by two high-profile (yet diversely different in style) artists: Chris Bachalo and Greg Horn.

The Verdict: It’s rare to see a super-hero story told with so much heart but this series really makes you feel for its main character. This is probably because the story pushes him through so many extreme emotions … allowing the reader to experience his ups and downs. As mentioned before, the artist switches up his style, making it easy to tell when the story is set in the present or when it’s one of the many flashbacks that provide important character development. This book deals with a subject that mainstream super-hero publishers (logically) can’t believably take on and that’s what sets this series apart. It doesn’t pull any punches and allows us to witness the final days of a true hero.

On Ebay: Meltdown

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: New England Comics
Number of Issues: 3 (and a preview)
First Issue: August 1998 ($3.50)
Last Issue: December 1998 ($3.50)
Writer: Eli Stone
Artist: Eli Stone

The Tick is mind-controlled by J.P. Lovecraft into returning to the Evanston Clinic (the place he’d just escaped from prior to his first appearance way back the Tick #1). Incarcerated there, Lovecraft forces the Tick to re-experience his past – involving scenes of him and his wife, Cloris, separating; life at the Clinic, etc

Back in the City, its most nefarious villains, led by Chairface Chippendale, have gone on a crime spree now that they know the Tick is safely locked away and unable to stop them. But, after striking an unholy alliance with Barry Hubris (the original Tick – who has now reclaimed the mantle), they quickly find he can’t be trusted or contained. Meanwhile, it’s up to Arthur and the Mystic Order of Archnid Vigilance to free the Tick from Evanston and thwart Lovecraft’s evil plan to return him to … normalcy?

The Bad: While this series certainly answers some of the questions surrounding the Tick’s past, it doesn’t even come close to satisfying all of them. But, to be fair, all solicitations for this series told us that flat out.

the Good: For starters, the final issue features a cover by the Tick’s creator, Ben Edlund (his first Tick work in years!). This series (which is really just the tail-end of the Tick: Big Blue Destiny) is one of the best Tick tales out there. Maybe even the best (aside from the original, naturally). It’s got some significance to it by revealing why the Tick was at Evanston, how he got there and what Lovecraft’s intentions were. It’s got lots of Tick-style fun and plenty of characters from the Tick-universe. Eli Stone is easily the best writer that has been put in charge of filling Ben Edlund’s Tick-sized shoes!

The Verdict: This is easily the most important and high-quality Tick story since the original series was published. It provides some insight into the Tick’s past and answers some questions while dancing around many others. The artwork is superb and certainly fitting for a Tick comic … and it progresses the Tick story along in ways that other series haven’t (I’m looking at you the Tick: Karma Tornado!) If you’ve read the first Tick series and are looking for more Tick-fun … then this should be your next step.

On Ebay: the Tick | Eli Stone

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 35
First Issue: June 2007 ($2.99)
Last Issue: June 2010 ($2.99)
Writer: Dan Slott, Christos Gage
Artist: Stefano Caselli, Steve Uy and others

Following the events of Marvel’s Civil War, Iron Man (then-current director of S.H.I.E.L.D.) set up the Initiative to supply each state with their very own team of super-heroes. In order to produce fifty super-teams, the government has to find, recruit and train plenty of super-powered individuals. A group of new would-be heroes (Armory, Cloud 9, Hardball, Komodo, MVP, Slapstick, Thor Girl, Trauma, Ultra Girl and many others) make up the first wave of recruits to enter Camp Hammond and get whipped into shape by their drill sergeant, the Gauntlet. The higher-ups at Camp Hammond include Justice (former New Warrior and Avenger), Yellowjacket (Hank Pym), Henry Gyrich (Secretary of the Superhuman Armed Forces) and Baron Werner Von Blitzschlag (former Nazi scientist).

In an unfortunate accident, one of the new recruits gets killed in a training accident and the team sees the not-so-innocent face of the Initiative, as it tries to sweep the incident under the rug. The kids continue to develop their powers as well as their battle skills and quickly get caught up in the Hulk‘s invasion of New York. During this time, we also see the Shadow Initiative in play. This is Gyrich’s “secret” team of more experienced ex-villains including Bengal, the Constrictor and the mysterious Mutant Zero (a red-headed female with fire powers. hmmmm…..) who are available for shady ops. The team also included the Scarlet Spiders, a group of three clones wearing armor previously designed for Spider-Man.

As time progresses, more recruits are added to the Initiative including Ant-Man III, Crusader, Dragon Lord, Diamondback, Batwing, Prodigy, Annex and another experienced instructor … the Taskmaster! And, as much as it seems that they’ve got a few snakes in their grass … the Initiative learns of even more during the Skrulls’ Secret Invasion. In fact, one of the top leaders of the Initiative is a skrull agent and has planted a skrull in every super-team that it’s churned out! With the help of the new 3-D Man‘s glasses, along with the new Skrull Kill Krew, the Initiative is able to pinpoint the skrulls and join in on the final battle to ward off the alien invasion.

After the Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn replaced Iron Man as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He shut down Camp Hammond, cleaned house and renamed it Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. with much the same focus. However, many of the true heroes left (including the Gauntlet and Tigra) to form their own group, the New Warriors – the Avengers Resistance, with the purpose of defying Osborn’s new evil order. Meanwhile, the Shadow Initiative was on a mission in Madripoor to take down a Hydra cell but were left without any assistance when Norman’s Dark Reign took over. Upon their successful return, they and the newest recruits of Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. were sent as cannon fodder to weaken Blastaar and his forces. They had gained control of Prison 42 in the Negative Zone (where all the villains get locked up) and Norman wanted it back in his command. After the initial attack against Blastaar, Osborn sent in his Thunderbolts to secure the situation.

The final story arc of this series followed the Taskmaster as he was promoted within the Initiative. It asked the question: how can a money-hungry mercenary hope to survive amongst the likes of truly evil villains like Doctor Doom and Loki? He, along with many other heroes and villains, was brought along on the Siege against Asgard where he had to make an important decision between his latest job or his life.

The Bad: Each story arc is heavily tied in with the current Marvel Event that was happening at the time. And, there are easily more than 50 characters found within these pages. Readers unfamiliar with the Marvel Universe will likely feel extremely lost.

the Good: For a Marvel Zombie like me, this book is pure sugary goodness. There’s plenty of great characterization of D-list characters to be had and the extremely detailed artwork by Caselli makes it even sweeter! All of the events are used to progress the characters and don’t feel all that forced. The final story arc puts a bright spotlight on Taskmaster and really delves into what makes him tick. In an era where decompression has become a major gripe with many fans, this book shines as a beacon of awesomeness – stuffing TONS of story into each issue. The entire series was filled with fun and wonderment with a great side of secrets, conspiracies, mysteries and paranoia.

The Verdict: As long as you’re a big Marvel Fan, you’re going to love this book. There are so many familiar characters here, as well as plenty of brand-new ones (many of whom have interesting ties to established Marvel characters). Since the book initially follows these new recruits into the world of superheroics, the narrative gives us a great chance to take a look at some of the heroes we’ve come to know so well in an all-new light. Caselli’s art is ultra-detailed and truly a delight to admire. And, while the other artists suffer only by comparison, the second runner-up has got to be Molina (the artist of the last story arc). A book like this, full of D-Listers, is so great because it can actually move the storyline of these characters ahead. Watch for important developments here in the lives of Tigra and the New Warriors (especially Speedball/Penance), as well as some great moments between Diamondback and the Constrictor. The other great part of this series was the characterization. Amidst all the action and adventure, the writers were able to plug so many moments into the series that shined a light on who these characters are and what motivates them. And, with that in mind, the final story arc must not be missed by any Taskmaster fan. This series reminds me of why I enjoy comics so much. The great art, characterization, intrigue, plot developments and references to previous continuity kept me coming back for more. I can only hope that this quality is continued when it’s relaunched as Avengers Academy.

On Ebay: Avengers | Dan Slott | Christos Gage | Stefano Caselli