Spider-Man: The Savage Land Saga!

Reprinting issues #13-15 of Sensational Spider-Man, Peter Parker is sent by the Daily Bugle to report on a joint ecological venture in the Savage Land between SHIELD and ROXXON. To prevent the rapidly melting ice of Antarctica from wiping over the prehistoric microcosm, ROXXON has installed giant freezer units to keep the ice frozen. Only the machines are doing the opposite as ROXXON has plans to flood the land and then secure its vast oil reserves. 

This is one of those stories where in 1997 when it was published it would be considered relevant comics. Today's venomous fan base work would consider this a 'woke comic'. Featuring a memorable cameo from the Incredible Hulk, and of course Ka-Zar in a guest-starring role The Savage Land Saga feels more relevant than ever. The waters off of Florida are hotter than bath water. Sea ice is at its lowest levels ever. And the scenes where SHIELD is trying to evacuate a prehistoric village from a flood of water elicits recent memories of flood rescues in Vermont and the Golden State. 

I consider Todd Dezago and Mike Wieringo's 3-issue saga to be a chance for Marvel to dip it's toes back into Toho Studios territory. The retreating ice awakens both an ancient foe that feels that reptiles were the true rulers of earth and the looming environmental crisis awakens a Godzilla-like protector from it's ageless slumber to save the Savage Land. Don't laugh, but this savior of Earth is a giant prehistoric chicken!

The artwork is absolutely amazing. Mike Wieringo was a genius and the comic book industry has lessened in quality as a whole with his untimely 2007 passing. They just don't draw comics like this anymore, folks.

As for the writing. The dialogue is good. The plot is not. It's too cliched. If it was meant to be silly, then I'd understand. However, there's too much of this story trying to be a story that convinces readers to change their ways of life or there'll never be anymore snow. But it's really hard to take environmentalism seriously when there's a giant chicken trying to save the planet.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #107

A new multi-parter begins in this issue. Jack Russell, the Werewolf by Night teams with Ghost Rider, Danny Ketch, in a tale that has a lot of promise. The Braineaters, a biker gang of carnivorous werewolves return. We last saw the Braineaters in issues #55-59 of MCP. In that story, Jack Russell was by himself against this gang of maniacs as well as having to also take on a demented Catholic priest who thought it was his God ordained duty to kill all creatures of the night. Here, the Werewolf by Night has the Spirit of Vengeance on his side and it looks like only the Braineaters are involved in this story. 

The one-shot story stars the Native American superhero Red Wolf. This story involves the corrupt oil and tech company Roxxon and the drilling on indigenous lands. At first you think this story is going to be nothing but a social relevance story about the evils of big oil and the rights of Native people. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this. I was just surprised how by page 2 or 3 of this 8-pager, the story turned into a whodunit? Okay, more like a Who's-gonna-do-it? 

Threats have been made to both members of the Roxxon board of directors and some of the Native American activists. It's up to Red Wolf, who is working security at an Roxxon gala, to figure out who the gunman or gunmen are! This was a great mystery story in which superpowers were an afterthought. I loved this Batman level detective story!

Crap, Crap, Crap. Both the Wolverine/Nightcrawler and Young Gods story keep on chugging along. When will either mercifully end? 

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Deathlok: The Demolisher

Deathlok is a lot like the DC Comics character The Demon. Stylistically, he's a pretty awesome character with really great abilities. But unlike the Jack Kirby creation, Deathlok has undergone a ton of complex and often confusing retools. He still looks freakin' amazing. But his backstory is about as jumbled as the memories left in his cybernetically enhanced brain.

This Marvel Knights adaptation of Deathlok takes place in the near future. The corrupt corporation Roxxon owns just about everything to the point that squabbles over water rights and borders are fought in televised battles sponsored by the megacorporation. The bravest and most daring of soldiers are used to sell everything from cola to the newest weapons seen on the battlefield. 

An up-and-coming warrior named Travers is about to make squad leader when his CO Luther Manning kills him for disobeying orders. In hopes to still cash in on this profitable character, Roxxon develops a series of clones that just aren't up to par as there's not enough viable tissues remaining. In response, a super solider is created of the remaining Travers stock along what's left of Manning's brain. 

At first it looks like Roxxon has created the ultimate solider known as Deathlok. However, it becomes quickly clear that Deathlok is unwilling to become a pawn of the corporate machine. Desperate to find Manning's wife and son, the combined mental forces of Travers and Manning make kindling of Roxxon's military might while subconsciously the duo fight off viruses and other cybernetic stimuli created to destroy Deathlok's brain.

This book was a mixed bag. I really enjoyed the opening chapter and the ending was really good. There were some kick-ass fight scenes spread throughout. But the scenes involving Roxxon trying to control Deathlok were really confusing and quite dull. There's a lot of techno-babble that went a bit over my head and those scenes really slowed the pace of this story down to a tortoise pace. 

The metaphysical parts of Manning and Travers working together as the hive mind of Deathlok were also some really interesting segments. I could have done with more of that and a lot less of Roxxon's scientists giving their maniacal ubiquitous monologues on how to kill Deathlok.

This story was also a parody of celebrity culture, especially in how the lines of realism in reality television and the news media are often blurred for the sake of ratings. There's definite nods to several other films about the role of sport and violence in dystopian societies such as The Running Man, Rollerball, and Death Race 2000. Plus, I'd be in serious denial if I didn't mention that the Universal Solider films seem to have played a large part in the plot's inspiration as well.

 For the most, writer Charlie Huston's (Moon Knight) vision is quite gritty while border-lining on the absurd. Yet, everyday, I am stunned even more by how much reality television and pro-sports is looking a lot like the Saturday night wars in this book. So maybe it's not too weird after all.

Also, this is a Marvel Knights book, meaning that it's a little more of an adult comic than most things published by Marvel. It's even got a parental advisory on the back. The language in this book is comically X'd out. But the level of gore is quite disturbing. I haven't seen this much graphic representation of the horrors of war since the opening 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Punisher MAX artist Lan Medina must also be a huge fan of the film Scanners as there's quite a few exploding heads in this book as well. 

Definitely not a book for the kiddies. Nor recommended for those with weak stomachs and an aversion to blood and gore, even if it is just illustrations of it.

Rating: 5 out of 10 stars.

Deadpool, Volume 8: All Good Things

 After the tragic ending of Deadpool’s time as Zenpool, the Merc With A Mouth decides to run away from his family and friends and problems. Accepting a gig as a soldier of fortune from the Trapster (AKA Paste Pot Pete) (or Pete, for short), Wade Wilson ends up in the deserts of the Middle East, protecting some Roxxon oil claims from hostiles. But when it is revealed that the hostiles are actually refugees trying to protect their way of life, Deadpool has a change of heart and attempts to save the day.

     Oh, and this volume contains the death of Deadpool!

   What?! That's not a spoiler! The death of Deadpool is listed on the back of the book! Google it!

    Besides, this is Deadpool we're talking about… nothing ever is as it seems- or is it???

    Lot's of insane Wade Wilson fun. That means gross humor, surreal experiences, and lots and lots of death. Gory, funny death…

    Probably the best Deadpool storyline since his encounter with the zombie Presidents in issues 1-6.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Thor, Volume 1: The Goddess of Thunder (Marvel Now!)

 This is it! The most controversial storyline of the second half of 2014! When Super spy Nick Fury whispers a secret into Thor's ear, it causes him to drop the hammer Mjolnir and become unworthy to possess it. As the entire Asgardian populace is also unable to lift the hammer, the hammer rests where it fell on the surface of the Moon. But then a stranger comes along and picks up the hammer and thus begins the reign of Thor- Goddess of Thunder!

   Many fans cried foul when they saw that Thor was going to become a woman. I was one of those voices. But it wasn't sexism against a woman being Thor as that I am in the camp of instead of changing our beloved superheroes, create new characters. Well, after reading the first five issues of this new series, I changed my vote from nay to yea because at least 2 new characters have been created within the scope of this storyline.

   The first new character is Thor, the Goddess of Thunder. Though it's been spoiled within the past couple of months as to who she really is when this book first dropped, there was a list of suspects about as long as this book. (Though the clues are there as to who this Thor really is. Just focus on her internal monologues and you'll figure it out pretty quick.)

   This Thor wears a war mask, so it hides her faces. Also for some reason, the magics of Asgard cannot see who she is when she changes back from being Thor. This Thor can also make Mjolnir sing and do incredible feats. The hammer seems to talk to her and though she must maintain a physical contact with the hammer, the new Thor is not limited to only 60 seconds away from the hammer like her predecessor was.

   Speaking of the old Thor, he too has become a new character- Odinson. His presence is very much felt in this book and thankfully, they didn't kill him off. But now more humble, more determined, and a little weaker, the old Thor still has his birth name but no longer his birthright.

   The combined team of Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman have made the characters of Asgard fresh and even more interesting and that's an impressive feat considering some of these characters are thousands of years old. Sprinkle in some Ice Giants, Malekith the Dark Elf, the mega-corporation Roxxon, and a newly returned Odin and you've got an action-packed set of five issues. However, if you've been just reading the trades and are confused by the return of Odin and Roxxon's discovery of a giant skull, you are not alone.

   Volume 4 of Thor: God of Thunder stopped at issue #24. But there was an issue #25 before that series was cancelled. Why it wasn't included in Volume 4 is beyond me. So, I'm on the hunt for that issue in hopes of bridging some important plot gaps.

    I really enjoyed this volume and though I hope the original Thor will get his hammer back, I look forward to some new adventures with the Goddess of Thunder. The art in a couple of areas is a little rough with the over-sized sound effects. Sometimes, it got so crowded, I couldn't figure out what was going on and who was doing it. But for the story itself, it's fresh, fun, and full of mystery.

   A masterful work by Marvel who got it right for a change.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.