Living Up to Expectations: Avengers Initiative #19 and Dark Reign New Nation # One-Shot

*Editor’s Note: Due to the fact that Rob talks about Avengers Initiative a lot he will keep his review brief. Also, due to the fact that Scotty decided to have a competition, that Rob will not be participating in, by writing a wonderful post on Hellblazer you will not find any words about John. Check this out, Scott literally slapped Rob in the face and said, “I demand satisfaction!” True story, it was crazy. Lastly, we all know Rob is going to pick Birds of Prey for the show; therefore, Rob will write on a book he was not anticipating.

Avengers Initiative
# 19 “V-S Day”

Writers –Dan Slott and Christos N. Gage

Artists – Harvey Tolibao and Bong Dazo


This is a book I talk about often and with good reason. This book kicks ass! Issue # 19 was a perfect follow up to Secret Invasion. Right now you are thinking, “What about Dark Reign… dumbass?” Now hold on, hear me out. Where were the Skrulls? What are the Skrulls doing? Well, my friends, if you read Avengers Initiative # 19 you saw their side of the fight. As well as what the other Initiative teams were doing. Not to mention an excellent evolution of a great character. No, it is not Tippy-Toe, but Tippy-Toe is glorious all the same. Obviously, I still recommend this book to everyone who cares about great Marvel titles. How Dum Dum can a Dum Dum be?



Dark Reign: New Nation One-Shot (I refuse to put a #1 here but I guess I just did. Damn you DD! That’s a joke; I hope it’s funny.)

“Secret Warriors”

Writers –Brian Michael Bendis and Jonathan Hickman

Artist – Stefano Caselli


“Agents of Atlas”

Writer – Jeff Parker

Penciler –Carlo Pagulayan


“War Machine”

Writer – Greg Pak

Artist – Leonardo Manco

“Skrull Kill Krew”

Writer -Adam Felber

Penciler – Paulo Siqueira

“New Avengers: The Reunion”

Writer – Jim McCann (hope that 2nd ‘c’ is sposed to be small)

Penciler – David Lopez


Reminiscent of a book DC released, titled Brave New World, a while ago (You guys read that… I hope.), Dark Reign: New Nation was a perfect introduction into the world left in the wake of the Skrull invasion. This issue consisted of short stories, if you will, of what we can look forward to in the future of the Marvel Universe. I gotta say I’m a little excited to see what will become of my subtotals in the near future. (Why can’t you leave the poor man alone?)

This issue kicks off with a heart warming Warriors story. You saw the team, creative and heroic. What do you expect? I’ll tell you. Some more kick ass comic book reading… bye and bye. Two words with one ‘I’ … Nick Fury! Then, we get a glimpse of the Agents of Atlas. How perfect does that sound rolling off the tongue? Agents of Atlas… I shiver. Next it is War Machine, which is the only one I have not got to yet but I will. Yeah, I skip around… so what? Following the prior is a heart-warming story called Skrull Kill Krew. I assure you this story will be in my mind for many mooooooons! Lastly but not leastly, it’s New Avengers: The Reunion. (I add a ‘?’) This story was very intriguing and left me saying, “WHAT… THE… FUCK?” in a good way, of course. Overall, this was a well-packaged comic worth the raising rate of our issues as of late. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.

I do believe we will see our Marvel Universe in a whole new fashion with what lies ahead. I’m starting to see that last Secret Invasion issue as the beginning rather than a conclusion. Which raises the question, when was the last time Marvel actually concluded a big event? It doesn’t really matter anyway because after reading Dark Reign: New Nation, I know that there will be fun o'plenty to be had along this never ending journey that is The Marvel Big Event.
-Rob

ComicDorksCast Episode 045

ComicDorkscastEp045.mp3
(Download Directly: Right Click and choose "Save As..." and save locally on your computer)

Another Long Episode!

Running Time: 01:33:14

• Secret Six #4 brought all the ice cream we could eat and so much more.
• Darren's Pick of the Week: Final Crisis #5
• Titans #8 proves that this book is well worth the price of admission.
• Rob's Pick of the Week: Secret Invasion: Dark Reign One Shot.
• Punisher: War Zone #1 puts the fun back in dysfunctional.
• Scott's Pick of the Week: Detective Comics #851.
• The Best Trade Paperbacks of November!
• Brief Mentions
• Anticipated Books

If you have any questions or comments drop us a line at: Comicdorkscast@gmail.com

Go to www.FantasyShopOnline.com and check out the growing community on the Message Boards.

Check out our website at ComicDorksCast.Blogspot.com.

The Music at the opening and closing of the show was: "Obstacle 1" by Interpol.

What Do You Mean They're Not Superheroes?: Sneak Peek Reviews 12/09/2008

Secret Invasion: Dark Reign
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: Alex Maleev

Brian Bendis loves the threatening shadowy figure. A whole lot. His Dark Illuminati ... or ... Illumi-naughty (I still giggle a little bit every time I say that) is not exactly what I expected. What pretty much everyone and his brother expected this coalition to be is not what it is. I think I might actually be a little excited about Dark Reign. Bendis pens an issue that is very much the dark mirror of his New Avengers: Illuminati one shot that preceded Civil War. Alex Maleev manages to make this rather interesting cast of characters look even more menacing than one might expect (though his Namor looks a whole lot like Ben Kingsley ... which kind of made me giggle). This is the beginning of what is to come for quite a while in the Marvel Universe, and I have started to think that while the initial invasion might have been by the Skrulls that the real Secret Invasion might have just begun.




Green Arrow/Black Canary #15
Written by: Andrew Kreisberg
Art by: Mike Norton

For 5 years Judd Winick has been the man behind Ollie Queen, to have someone else penning the Emerald Archer seems a little odd. When Andy Diggle wrote Green Arrow: Year One it took a little bit to wrap my head around but I still managed to really enjoy the story he had to tell, but that was just a mini-series. Now Andrew Kreisberg, a man who has one mini-series and the beginnings of a story arc on Batman: Confidential under his belt, is now writing the ongoing Star City Robin Hood. And I have a secret to tell you ... it was good. Kreisberg doesn't jump right in to a whole new arc, first he has to show that he knows what Ollie and his family are all about, and this first issue proves that he does. He also has to show that he knows his history, this issue proves he does. And finally he has to show that he knows how to create a memorable new villain, and he proves that he does ... I'll give you a hint ... it doesn't happen until the last page. So, if you've been reading Green Arrow/Black Canary and were thinking that the end of Winick's run would be a good time to leave, you were wrong. And if you were thinking that you might like to start reading Green Arrow/Black Canary ... Now is the time.

Wonder Wizard of Oz #1
Written by: Eric Shanower
Art by: Skottie Young

Frank L. Baum was a really weird guy. But I'll be damned if he didn't write an incredibly memorable story. Eric Shanower isn't a household name with most comic fans but for fans of indie comics or fans of historical fiction comic fans he's well known as the writer and artist of Age of Bronze, the totally amazing Trojan War comic that is published by Image and far too few people are aware of. Skottie Young is an artist who over the last few years has done more to hone his craft and his acceptance among fans than almost any other artist in the industry. This is perhaps one of the best projects for both of these creators to work on in order to instantly raise their stock value in the industry. This comic is phenomenally well done. Anyone who is at all familiar with the book or the movie is going to instantly identify with and enjoy this series. I don't know if there is a book on the shelves this week that I suggest more highly that everyone, every comic fan, serious or casual, check out.