New Beginnings - Powers #1

by Matt Puddy

There is something special about getting a comic to review that you know very little, or even nothing, about before picking it up. Okay, you might recognise the writer or artist which certainly does alleviate some of the casual awkwardness when your editor hands over a shiny copy for you to thumb through, but outside of that the contents are still a (hopefully) pretty mystery.

So this is the position I was in when my editor handed me over a copy of Powers by Brian Bendis and Michael Oeming. All I’ve got to go on is the cover image and the thoughts that you can’t really go too far wrong with Bendis at the helm.

Now my first mistake was that I did, for once, judge a book by its cover. In my day job I travel around a fair bit and find myself on a train heading for London while reading the issue and writing this review. BIG mistake as after reading it I realise that there is an almighty 15 year history behind this title which has culminated presently in this series launch, as well as a new live action series being launched on the Playstation Network in the near future.

Not only has this made me realise how big this is now but also how powerless (pun intended) I feel when it comes to writing about this a fun and engaging title.

Powers is set in a dark crime noir city in a time when new and almost random powers are emerging daily. Whilst this may seem like a good thing in some people’s eyes, this isn’t necessarily the case and the upshot is that there is more trouble than good from it all and that there is a requirement for a special type of person to police it all. So here we meet Deena Pilgrim, a cop with a specific knack of taking down Powers and making the streets safer in an evolving time.

Pilgrim - aside from being a strong detective - is in a period of change herself as she becomes a media icon from the launch of her book. This - along with her skills - put her and her partner firmly in the limelight when it comes to investigating a multiple murder case on a boat. A well known politician and all of his clientele (similarly wealthy figures) makes for a very high profile case and even more so when it comes to light that they all apparently died because their genetics seemed to have just “stopped”. With powers being the mainly contended weapon of choice it’s up to Pilgrim to solve the case.

Across town in a dimly lit room we receive the humbled argument of a Police Captain imploring an, at first, unknown man to help in the growing situation. Finally we are presented with Christian Walker, Pilgrim’s former partner and the other part of this winning combination – even if he does have to be found in a super-themed strip club.

Walker, by the way, has a fantastic back story leading up to this point and although he is a non-powered cop now he most certainly wasn’t in his incredibly long (think dawn of time!) past.

As a new reader I found this issue one for scene setting and introductions. As I said I had no previous knowledge of the comic but I felt very comfortable reading it and how it moved and flowed. Without spoonfeeding the reader, you get a good sense of characters and that there are broken or flawed elements behind them giving them depth. You can imagine my pleasant surprise when I then read up on the history of this title and now as a result want to get my paws on the full back catalogue. I’m also slightly envious of those on the Playstation Network who will see Sharlto Copley take up one of the lead roles in the new series. From this comic alone I’m looking at investigating this when I get a chance.

The artwork from Oeming is very much in feeling with the comic. Playing heavily on the noir aspects as well as bold characters, it captures an almost Sin City meets Scott Pilgrim feel to it all. Clearly time has been taken to develop the sense and feeling of the look of it all along with the story. Sadly this is something I feel could be lost with the TV series, but that is yet to be seen.

The characters have an exaggerated yet archetypal feeling to them, but that doesn’t mean that there are some occasional nods or jokes snuck in there too. Currently on Marvel's Icon imprint there is a sneaky wink at Spider-Man in one of the images, as well as keeping a fairly adult feel to it all as well (which has also been carried into the TV series).

This has been a fun comic to read and certainly grabbed my interest. I would suggest that people jump on board with it now and also, from what I’ve read, try to get hold of the trade paperbacks while they can too!

Matt Puddy hopes the Powers release date is simultaneous worldwide like Netflix...

The Mane Event - Age Of Ultron #1

Event fatigue. It's a term I hear banded about more and more. Comic readers moaning that they are sick of the annual crossover events from the Big Two and claiming that they need a rest.

Personally I'm in two minds on this matter. On the one hand, it's big business for everyone in the comic trade - including myself as a retailer. An exciting event will often pull lapsed readers back in and may even entice the odd new reader into the fold. It creates a surge in sales, which inevitable tells the publishers that they need to do more of these events. It creates a boost in revenue for small shops like mine, which is invaluable during these tough times. So in many ways, I feel that big comic crossover events are a good thing and fans need to stop whining and accept that comic books aren't free, most people involved still need to make money!

However, the flipside of this is I am also a comic fan. I love comics. I'm not just in this business for the money; trust me I could make a lot more money for a lot less hassle working in an office somewhere, Like most comickers - be it creators or retailers - I'm in it because I'm passionate about the unique alignment of story and artwork! Comics are a diverse creative medium that covers more than just the superhero genre, so when a crossover event from Marvel or DC swamps my shelves in tie-in issues, drown out other exciting new prospects from other genres. It eventually becomes frustrating to me as well - no matter how exciting said event seemed at the start.

Marvel's biggest ever event was Secret Invasion, spanning an eight issue miniseries and over a hundred additional tie-in comics. In recent years, they have calmed down a bit, but both Fear Itself and Avengers Vs X-Men had over fifty tie-ins as well.

Thankfully, this year Marvel appear to have decided to do two, much smaller events. The second one will be Infinity by Jonathan Hickman and will debut on Free Comic Book Day. This brings us back to the current one, Age Of Ultron by Bendis. First teased in his Heroic Age run on Avengers, it was my understanding that this story was originally meant to be an arc of that title. Instead it has since grown into a separate miniseries, which was a bit of a concern. Mercifully, the publishing schedule is a gratifyingly tight affair though, ten issues in four months plus an epilogue and only a handful of tie-ins. And I mean only a handful - eight in total. To my mind, it shows Marvel may be beginning to understand that event fatigue isn't just fanboys whining! Here's hoping.

The danger of this first issue is that it could have felt like a rehash of House Of M, except with robots. We're in a seemingly alternate timeline - it's certainly different from the Marvel Now setting - where Ultron has conquered the Earth and humans survive in the ruins. Rather than starting in the normal continuity and then pushing us into the new status quo as House Of M did, here Bendis thrusts us straight into this milieu with a massive sprawling domed city sat atop the ruins of Manhattan. The tattered remnants of humanity scrabble for survival. It's all very Terminator-esque but also slightly reminiscent of Annihilation Conquest.

In the midst of this, we find Hawkeye launching a one-man rescue mission to extract a captured Spider-Man from a gang lead by Hammerhead and the Owl. It's very telling that none of these individuals are particularly powerful in the grand scheme of things. The villains seek to turn Spidey over to Ultron in exchange for some free passes. No one is living well here, the Age of Ultron is not a safe environment by any stretch of the imagination.

This fact is reiterated when the fleeing heroes make it to a crashed and ruined Helicarrier in Central Park, the refuge of some other surviving heroes - mostly Avengers. They're basically sat on their hands, doing nothing. Even Tony Stark is hamstrung and armour-less, fearful of using technology in this world ruled by a dangerous machine. The final page reveals a beaten and demoralised Steve Rogers, curled up and seemingly broken. The others hold onto the hope that he is working on a plan, though it's very clear Hawkeye is the only Avenger currently taking any action and is losing faith in Cap.

It's a compelling first issue and further evidence that Bendis is back on form, especially when considered alongside his work on two Marvel Now X-Men titles and Guardians Of The Galaxy. The artwork from Bryan Hitch is the same superstar work we saw on two volumes of Ultimates - with epic scope and beautiful details when it counts. Every normal issue #1 comes with a chromium wrap cover at no extra cost as well - this comic should practically leap of the shelf into your hands!

One final note on the big crossover events. If you hate them, by all means don't buy them. But please, don't stop there. Promote the comics you do like do your friends and indeed on the internet. Money talks and by encouraging others to buy the comics that you prefer, you stand a chance of helping our industry breakout of the reliance on big superhero summer events. You have the power to affect change, never forget that.

Ben Fardon needs more hours in the day.

New Beginnings - Guardians Of The Galaxy #0.1

Way back at the end of October last year I had the chance to review the Marvel Now Point One issue and whilst it was a mixed bag, it did contain a few interesting stories. One of those was Guardians of the Galaxy brought to us by the team of Brian Bendis and Steve McNiven.

I think it's only fair to make it clear that this is a #0.1 issue and feels rather strange. All of the other point one issues were used as jump-on points for new readers from within existing storylines using the established characters. However in this instance, Star-Lord is not someone who already has their own current comic. In fact, despite the Abnett and Lanning cosmic Marvel events and ongoing series from 2006-2011, it's probably fair to say that Star-Lord isn't that well known to the average Marvel reader.

So is a spotlight issue on this man the right way to start?

The story begins 30 years ago when a crashed starship brings a member of the Spartaxian Royal family to Earth. It’s a frantic initial meeting with the woman whose land he crashes on, but in time it obviously turns into something far more. When it’s finally time for J’Son to leave - against his own wishes and desires but instead for duty - it’s clear that he has left a legacy behind. His son.

Moving forward to only 20 years ago, a young Peter Quill is being a typical boy wanting to read comics and not do homework. Not having a father figure for the start of his life has had an effect, but not in all of the stereotypical ways. Despite having a temper and unresolved anger towards his upbringing, he also has a distinctly strong moral compass which gets him in just as much trouble.

It’s at this point that I felt a little let down, as this is where the Marvel Now Point One issue from October steps back in and takes over. If you have read that comic then the next eight pages (almost half the comic) are old news. The upside is that it fits perfectly in for continuity and as a reader you have been given. The remainder of childhood is a little glossed over as the camera takes a step back to reveal that this was essentially narrated by Star-Lord in the present day. Here we meet the new interation of the Guardians Of The Galaxy - Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora and finally Iron Man! So the team has at least one well known and heavy hitting face.

In a self-proclaimed team mission, Star-Lord is out to make sure that the war that is spanning the galaxy does not make it’s way to Earth.

It’s not a bad premise to a story but there isn’t anything else around it. As a reader there is a very loose outline presented to you and then an extra bonus is the addition of Stark (which does kind of fit in with his current storyline but not fully) but as a #0.1 issue it is still very noncommittal.

Steve McNiven's artwork is something I have mentioned before as liking. His art is something that I would happily cast my eyes over every time, as I find his work detailed and refined. This issue is no different in that respect too. Some of the faces may seem a little off, but there is plenty of emotion and feeling conveyed in them all. It was in this respect too that I was glad that Tony Stark was there as I did become a little worried that McNiven could only draw negative images as you can count on one hand the truly happy or smug faces seen inside the pages.

It's obvious Marvel has gone back to basics with these characters, in an attempt to reintroduce them and build a fanbase before the upcoming film. As a first issue though, I wasn’t completely overwhelmed but I think it has set the scene for the proper beginning in issue #1. You have all the personal motivation and back story you need. I will certainly be looking forward to the full launch of this title to get some meat on it’s well rounded bones.

Despite being an international jetset playboy man of mystery, Matt Puddy is not responsible for this latest review being late.

New Beginnings - Uncanny X-Men #1 (Marvel Now)

In Bendis we trust... but do we? Or should we? Well it’s certainly a question that I asked myself when I saw his name on the cover of this week’s issue for review. I’m not saying that I don’t like his work but he is definitely a mainstay over at the House Of Ideas these days and his Avengers run had certainly started to feel like it was drying out by the end.

So with the most open mind I could muster I opened the cover on Uncanny X-Men #1.

Now from the word go there are a couple of things worth mentioning. Firstly if you have missed out on the whole AvX arc Marvel gave us, but know of the X-Men before this, then things could get a little confusing as there are more changes than just the physical image of Cyclops. Both the political and emotional stance he now takes and represents are different. Gone is the blue suit, with yellow stripe and the red visor. Instead there is a far darker, more sinister black and red suit very much in the forefront. It’s edge is slightly taken away by the Ben 10 Omnitrix style watch but you can overlook that. Conversely we see Magneto now presented in a saintly white costume and Emma Frost has also turned to the dark side of the wardrobe.

If, on the other hand, you are a completely new reader then you will have missed out on all of the back

story and personal change that has occurred to bring us to this point. However the changes were mostly completed before this issue begins, so you could come into it all fresh and learn as you go, I just fear it might not have the same resonance.

Now I know it seems that I have spent a disproportionate time talking already about Scott but this is because he is the total centre of attention in this issue, and quite rightly so too. The story is told almost from a narrative point of view by a mostly unknown character (although you can figure it out quite quickly) who has descended upon S.H.I.E.L.D. in an effort to provide intel over the biggest threat that they have known for and against mutantkind - Scott Summers himself.

Through the retelling of a recent mutant emergence incident we learn why as well. His involvement with the Pheonix Force has left him broken in more ways than one including his grasp on his own mutant abilities.

Aside from unveiling the new Cyclops the story is very much about introducing the new team. Many will know Magik, Emma and Magnus but they have all changed and have their own new flaws. For those who have read the preceding issues of All New X-Men you will recognise Tempus but maybe not so much the new unnamed healer on the crew.

This all also leads up to the *shock* reveal that the new source for S.H.I.E.L.D. is none other than Magneto himself, whose concern and belief in his original motives have lead him down this path. I was left wondering if Bendis has left a snake in the new team to mix things up, and what Magneto's motivation will lead him to do next. Personally it looks as though there is a very large precipice that Scott is heading towards, but only time will tell.

Chris Bachalo has been handed the pencils to this issue, including the cover art for consistency, although there are numerous variant covers from the usual suspects like Skottie Young, Joe Quesada and Stuart Immonen. I’ve liked the art in the issue. It’s got a good mix of detail but also soft line work in there as well. That said there is a lot conveyed in the faces of the characters, which adds yet another level to the story too. It seems to me that judging by the faces there is more to the team than is let on in this first issue.

I have to admit some of the personal re-imagining has caught me off guard a little but that is always to be expected with something new.

It’s fairly well known from my previous reviews that X-Men isn’t really a title I tend to follow but as this is breaking from the norm and reinventing the scenario I have to admit that I’ve liked it and this is a title that I could happily follow. My one regret is that I now feel I don’t know enough having missed all of the AvX event. That said it shouldn’t stop new and old fans jumping on board.

Matt Puddy is surprisingly informed regarding Ben 10.

New Beginnings - All New X-Men #1 (MARVEL NOW)

This week, as part of Marvel Now, we finally have the new X-Men comic that has been advertised for quite a while with a new campaign built around the retro image on the front cover.

Whilst on that subject it is worth mentioning that the cover, brought by Grawbadger, Immonen and Gracia together may not look totally enticing but give it a shot as it’s a double spread opening up with the back page too making it a whole world better! Although I have to admit that my favourite is the back page.

Here's the wrap cover from issue #1, plus the start of the cover for issue #2...

The story is a continuation from the AvX arc but starts with a very different scene. Beast is struggling, his mutation on the verge of changing once again. Will this be once too many? Even he doesn’t know. It’s a tense double page spread which leaves the reader hanging for the rest of the issue (and beyond) meaning all the time there is a cliffhanger waiting to drop.

Bendis then radically changes the scene to another new mutation, where following on from the Phoenix force’s reawakening of the X-gene, another new mutant emerges in the midst bustling nightlife. For her it’s confusing and new - she can’t even believe it in herself - but for the fugitive Cyclops he knows exactly what is going on and in his mind he believes he knows how to handle it.

Although this comic is essentially about finding new mutants and the repercussions it is creating, there’s also a significant amount of “evolution” tying in with the Join the Revolution theme of Marvel Now. As mentioned before there is Beast, followed by the new kids but perhaps even more sinister is Scott’s evolution. Here we have the man who has finally stepped out of Charles Xavier’s shadow not to fulfil his dream but now resembling the political stance and actions of Magneto more than ever.

But it is for these actions that the second act of the comic is created. In an attempt to fix things, and undoubtedly himself too in the process, Beast breaks the time continuum to visit the first X-Men to bring them back in an attempt to stop Scott’s radical stance.

The dilemma it poses is layered in multiple ways so that it will be a hard thing to refuse.

The visuals are brought to us by Stuart Immonen and inked by the fabulously named Wade Von Grawbadger. It’s vibrant and capturing but often also has a colour wash running through an entire double page spread to hold it all together. I especially liked the pages where Eva’s mutant ability manifests. I just like how it looks and I can’t quite put my finger on why! One thing that can be said is that Immonen is very good at conveying emotion through facial expressions and takes care to involve everyone in the frame. It doesn’t always have all of the detail in the world but then again I don’t feel it needs it either.

I’ll be the first to admit that in my comic world bubble the X-Men are not my first choice of comic to read, however, I was really surprised by the content of this new start. There is definitely a new feel to it and the story has matured, coming a long way in its time so I found it personally enjoyable to read.

As a new start for a completely blank reader it would work, although there would be a great deal of questions posed. This has been restarted from where things were left so there is no quirky reworks or story alterations to make things fit. As a way of jumping into the pool, it's a welcoming dive into the deep end.

Matt Puddy is off to another continent and will return in two weeks.

New Beginnings - Daredevil: End of Days #1

There’s a certain irony to writing a piece for New Beginnings which has the end of the main character within the first few pages, but this is exactly what this new eight part miniseries is about.

The series - a writing collaboration between Brian Bendis and David Mack - has been on the cards for a while now and was originally due to be out last year. Now we finally get to see the fruits of their labour.

Marvel have had other titles which have depicted the potential end of different heroes throughout the universe but Bendis has gone on record saying that this is going to be a little different and bigger.

The story opens in the middle of an arduous and brutal fight with Daredevil not handling things well at all. Amongst the awestruck and voyeuristic public standing by watching, the fatal beating occurs for all of the media to see. Many would think that at this moment the story would wind back an amount of time to see the preceding events - a trail that lead to the end - but this is not the tack that is taken. For those who read the issue and have a keen eye, you will realise that the narration is in the third person and in a reportage style, which leads us to our real storymaster, Ben Urich.

Struggling to come to terms with what has happened to his friend, in a print media news room that is closing and dying itself, Ben can’t bring himself to write the column that Jonah is demanding. He knows Hell’s Kitchen and exactly what the locals will say and do, until he meets one resident who opens his eyes to the mystery behind his last word.

The development of the issue then follows Matt Murdock’s rise through the Kitchen as he becomes Daredevil and then through Bendis and Alex Maleev's celebrated storyarc as DD eventually names himself the Kingpin of Hell’s Kitchen. Of course, this rise lead to the death of the previous Kingpin, Wilson Fisk.

So what becomes of the man who has lost the yin to his yang?

As Urich walks off into the rain through the dark night, a horned figure watches over him leaving even more questions.

Although this isn’t the style Bendis has been using on titles like the Avengers (which I'm used to), it has worked really well and gives a fantastically strong opening. The T+ rating is justified and there is an adult air to the whole thing.

The artwork, by Klaus Janson and Bill Sienkiewicz, is a tricky one for me. Whilst I really appreciate the tone it establishes and continues throughout the whole issue, it’s not a style I like. Janson is known well for his inking - and whilst his pencil work is also recognised throughout both Marvel and DC catalogues - in this instance I found it a little too heavy and dark, though so may argue that this story demands it.

Daredevil has certainly been a favourite of mine but it can really depend on the writer and artwork as to whether I would follow a particular arc or run on the comic. That said, even with my lack of fondness for the artwork this is still a really good opening to a relatively short running series.

It’s also done in a way that if you wanted to pick up the comic with minimal backstory knowledge you really could. For fans I would definitely say that this is one to follow and for those who are interested I would tell you to give it a read too.

Matt Puddy was frustrated that Wolverine Max was delayed.

New Beginnings: Spider-Men Issues #1 & 2

Peter Parker is a name synonymous with the name Spider-Man, and now there's a new kid on the block - and one alternate universe over  - with links to the same monicker: Miles Morales.

Due to the walls of reality that have separated them in the past their paths would never have crossed but now, thanks to Brian Bendis, we can see in this five-part series what happens when all that changes.

Issue #1 opens with a standard web-slinging evening with Spider-Man tidying up petty crime and generally keeping New York a safer and more respectable Big Apple. Admittedly, he’s not the most loved and even the police are wary of him. It’s a hard night’s work in a city that is almost fighting back against him, oblivious to the knowledge that under the mask is a normal person, Peter Parker.

Although he enjoys his life, it isn’t the easiest and is always moving and changing around him. So it’s not surprising that when a weird light in a sinister warehouse he has to investigate it...

Although not as criminally intent as previous situations, Spidey is forced face to fishbowl with an old foe. As with previous fracas his fight is short lived and one-sided except for the unexpected twist of throwing him into an alternate universe complete with an alternate Spider-Man and a city who loved and mourned that world's Peter Parker.

Sara Pichelli has drawn the series and although she is known for her work on the Ultimate Spider-Man universe I was quite pleased to see that she adopted the more familiar Spidey style - in turn aided by a similar style of lettering. It’s a nice touch considering that it follows the universe that it is currently set in. It would have been very easy to run it all in one style but the effort, for me, has been appreciated. When the universe changes, so does the artwork, which I felt was a good touch in helping the reader to transfer across too.

This all continues into the second issue as well. Different universes get attention to the different styles.

Whereas Bendis spent the first issue mainly on Peter and him being thrust into a completely alien yet totally familiar setting, the second issue is him trying, or at least fighting, to come to terms with it. There’s a lot for him to take in, especially as the Spider-Man he is confronted with is clearly younger and inexperienced, with slightly different powers too. What’s more is that the reactions he receives point to something untimely for his respective self in this universe.

It’s only when he comes to meet a sort of familiar face in Nick Fury that things start to fall into place. It’s also an insight into what could have been had his life gone a slightly different way in his universe too. To try and soften the blow Miles is tasked with bringing Peter up to speed on everything and the pair set off in a SHIELD helicopter only to be shot down setting up the second issue's cliffhanger.

Both issues are well presented, as mentioned before the artwork has particular attention to detail not only in the actually drawing but also the thought and consideration behind it.

The story so far is fairly straight forward, and if honest, I maybe expected more over two issues especially from Bendis. We are 40% through the limited series and I’ve not really felt any real tension or something to really get my teeth into as it’s all working to establish itself. I can’t help wonder what it’s leading to or where it will be taken, but then I equally have to think what can really be done in three issues? That said, the revelation the Earth-616 Mysterio is also the Ultimate Mysterio will have lasting repercussions and is a great twist for fans of either universe.

I would say take a light hearted approach to this one, regardless of if you’re into the Ultimate universe or not. I’m sure there is plenty more to this than meets the eye but so far it hasn’t grabbed me completely.

Matt Puddy should mention that he doesn't really read anything from the Ultimate Universe himself, despite repeatedly being advised that he is missing out on some fine, fine stories...

The Lion's Share - the road to Avengers Vs X-Men

Marvel need a win. Blackest Night trumped Siege in 2010 and the New 52 has crushed Marvel this past winter. All eyes are on the potentially epic knockdown, drag out, battle royale the House of Ideas is about to unleash upon us: Avengers Vs X-Men.

Some of the top creators on Marvel's roster come together to craft a story that will have potentially massive ramifications. Many years in the making, Avengers Vs X-Men sees the return of the Phoenix force, an entity that first appeared in the late Seventies and is synonymous to many comic fans with the character Jean Grey. An incredibly powerful energy being, the Phoenix often bonds with a host as it did with Jean and later her daughter Rachel Summers. The seminal work in this instance is certainly the Dark Phoenix Saga, now available in hardback.

The Phoenix itself has been a lingering influence throughout the X-Men comics in recent years, but hasn't been an overt presence per se. Then during last year's Point One one shot, there was a chapter featuring a Nova centurion (possibly Richard Rider, although could it be his brother Robbie?) fleeing ahead of the returning Phoenix Force - as it destroyed whole worlds in its path. The Phoenix is heading for Earth and has already chosen its new host. The so-called mutant messiah, Hope Summers. Solicitations for Avengers Vs X-Men suggest that the mutant superheroes believe this will be a good thing, despite past negative experiences with the Phoenix Force entity. The Avengers believe it will mean the end of all life on Earth and all evidence seems to support this!

So who is Hope Summers, the young woman at the heart of this coming maelstrom? To answer that question, we need to wind back to 2004 and Avengers Disassembled, the beginning of the modern Marvel Universe metaplot. In this book - the first Avengers story arc by Brian Michael Bendis - the heroes are torn apart by shocking tragedies. In the final act we discover that mutant Avenger the Scarlet Witch was responsible for these horrors. Driven insane by grief, Wanda's unstable mind has begun to blame her fellow Avengers for the loss of her children and so she lashed out with her reality altering chaos powers. She is taken away by her father Magneto and the Avengers were forced to disband, reuniting later as the New Avengers, adding fan favourites Spider-Man and Wolverine to the roster.

The story of Wanda picks up with House Of M, as the X-Men and the Avengers come together to confront Magneto and Professor X, who have been sheltering the Scarlet Witch following the events of Disassembled. Killing her is discussed as the only viable option, leaving her brother Quicksilver distraught, and in desperation he convinces the emotional vulnerable Wanda to remake the world nto one which could make everyone happy. The House Of M world is one ruled by mutants - in particular Magneto. Over time - and with the help of a strange girl called Layla Miller - the heroes regain their real memories, once more assembling to challenge Master of Magnetism and his children. Realising that Magneto's dream of mutant supremacy has always been more important than his love for his children, Wanda puts the world back to normal, but with one startling difference. No more mutants.

Overnight, the world population of mutants totalled only 198. All the others had lost their powers, an event that became known as Decimation. To make matters worse, the mutant birth rate fell to zero. The Beast went to incredible and frantic lengths to verify the extent of Wanda's actions in a story collected as X-Men Endangered Species. Then, just as the mutant race seemed to facing total extinction, the mutant detecting computer Cerebro exploded - overloaded by the birth of a powerful new mutant in Alaska. Scrambling to investigate the X-Men find themselves embroiled in a battle with the Purifiers and the Marauders for the life of the baby.

This was complicated by the arrival of the future mutant cop Bishop, who has once traveled back in time to try to prevent his dystopian world. Bishop had sought various potential culprits but now felt that this baby would become the monster responsible. X-Men Messiah Complex is a bloody, brutal read and well worth your time. Finally the time travelling paramilitary son of Scott Summers, Cable, took the baby and disappeared into the future intending to raise her as his daughter, naming her Hope.

Over the course of five volumes (Messiah War, Waiting For The End Of The World, X-Force/Cable Messiah War, Stranded and Homecoming), Cable and Hope move further forward in time, constantly pursued by a determined and deadly Bishop. In a clever narrative conceit, each volume seems Hope growing older and becoming more experienced - getting ready to embrace her destiny. Finally, she and Cable return to the present day in an incredible story called X-Men Second Coming, a story which ended with the seeming death of Cable and the acceptance of Hope Summers into the X-Men.

Since then, Hope has struggled to find her place in the world. Her arrival was followed by the detection of five new mutants - the first since her birth. She can also seemingly activate emerging mutants though so far she has been unable to help those who lost their powers during the Decimation. Perhaps because of this there are those who see her as a destroyer and not a potential saviour, especially after numerous ominous signs and portents. And now the Phoenix Force is coming for her.

If that wasn't enough, the Scarlet Witch is back. Her first appearance after she disappeared at the end of House Of M was in New Avengers 26 - the Ballad of Clint Barton & Wanda Maximoff (collected in New Avengers Vol 6: Revolution) - as a seemingly innocent young woman, stripped of her tortured memories and devastating powers. Since then she has been seen in Avengers The Childrens Crusade with some fairly interesting revelations and unsettling ramifications.

Finally as a precursor to the Avengers Vs X-Men storyline, Avengers X-Sanction is currently on the shelves - a four part miniseries showing us the true fate of Cable. Ravaged by the techno-organic virus that has plagued him since birth, Cable's intended final act was to save Hope by sending her back to the present day. He then disappeared into the timestream expecting to die. Awakening in the future, Cable found his old mentor Blaquesmith with an ominous prediction about Hope's future fate at the hands of the Avengers. With less than 24 hours left to live, Cable has made one last timeslide, intending to neutralise the Avengers before they can harm his daughter. Wonderful foreshadowing for the coming events of AvX.

This brings us up-to-date and ready for Avengers Vs X-Men. Two mutant powerhouses are on a collision course as it is - and throwing in the Phoenix Force will have dire consequences for the Earth's population. No wonder the Avengers feel required to intervene!

Explore the Marvel history of the past decade and get ready to choose your side, or simple dive in with your gut feeling! Either way, this year looks set to be something special for Marvel.

Ben Fardon suspects that the epilogue to Avengers Vs X-Men will lead to a reboot for the whole Marvel Universe. What's good for the goose might be seen as good for the gander after all. Mixed feelings about that possibility.

New Beginnings - Brilliant #1

After what must have felt like an overwhelming amount of DC comics coming to the spotlight and being put under review, we get a sniff of something different. Now that all of the issue #1’s have filtered through and DC’s reboot has been done the scope opens up a little more.

This week Bendis and Bagley have given us the new comic Brilliant.

Stepping away from the normal conventions of superpowers being accidental, mutations or unexplained, Bendis looks to forge a path in a lesser used direction.

The story opens with an unusual bank robbery where the only weapon would be described as malicious suggestion. We are introduced to Amadeus.

In a very quick shift, we move to a very different scene of a more subtle home coming. As the story develops we are introduced to more of the characters in what is essentially an issue designed to open up the cast without going in too deep as well, letting you consider who the players are.

The evening rolls on with an obvious group of friends showing themselves and then the bombshell is dropped... what if you could create superpowers?

It’s a big proposition as it enforces the idea that this is a world set outside of the normal “hero” idea and that the surrounding environment is not used to this concept.

I really liked this as it meant that the preconceptions that we all assume for a super based comic are gone and a blank slate is there to be used.

Visually, it’s fair to say that Bagley has done what he does best. Given that this comic is meant to have a strong real-world feel to it, the artwork certainly supports this. With the exception of a slightly over the top party complete with a very similar looking Robot in Disguise, you certainly can relate to the “normality” of it all.

It does lose some definition in some of the frames but then again this is what we’re used to when it comes to his artwork. It’s not crisp sharp edges and angles, it’s a softer approach with the extra use of shadow and shade that supports it more.

One of the other things that I liked was when I took it out of the plastic cover it was weighty and felt substantial. My frustration came when I found out that the comic finished approximately three quarters of the way through and the remainder of the issue felt like a semi-narcissistic self-promotion from Bendis. Far too many articles and to be honest I only felt like scanning it. It just felt like a waste of space that could have been used on a perfectly good comic.

I love the whole premise and production of the comic and the storyline is a new take on things set in a real world scenario. I’m interested to see where this goes but I wouldn’t say that this was the best of the more indie titles by other authors such as Mark Millar. I will be following this title as there are some very subtle hooks there as you’ve been left with some bigger questions.

For something fresh and different it’s well worth taking off the shelf and taking home. But is it Brilliant? The verdict is still not in.

Matt Puddy will be taking some time to study his Icon-ography.

Scarlet - Preview

Phew, Marvel are squeezing out some shiny titles from their Icon imprint aren't they?

Conceived as a new home for creator-owned stuff by writers and artists with whom Marvel have a strong relationship, Icon initially started with a new volume of Powers and new issues of Kabuki, of sorts.

Then came some nice stuff from J. Michael Straczynski (Dream Police and The Book Of Lost Souls) and Ed Brubaker's Criminal and Incognito series.

Icon made a huge splash with Kick-Ass and, of course, now we have Nemesis (issue #2 is now due June 10th). Matt Fraction is also bringing Casanova back for a new series under Icon.

Well, there's a new title joining the stable - Scarlet!

From Powers creator (and Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil and Avengers legend) Brian Michael Bendis. Illustrated by Spider-Woman and Daredevil artist, Alex Maleev, here is the solicitation text plus the covers for issue #1.

SCARLET #1

COVER BY: Alex Maleev

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis

PENCILS: Alex Maleev

THE STORY: THE AWARD WINNING, BEST SELLING, POWERHOUSE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND DAREDEVIL, HALO, AND THE AVENGERS UNLEASH THIR BOLDEST PROJECT YET! SCARLET! This is the comic experience of the year! The first creator owned series by one of the most successful teams in all of modern comics. Scarlet is the story of a woman pushed to the edge by all that is wrong with the world…A woman who decides to stand up and fight back…A woman who will not back down…A woman who discovers within herself the power to start a modern American revolution!! In the vein of Alias, Powers, and Jinx, Scarlet debuts a fascinating new comics character that, with every issue, reveals new things about herself against a completely original backdrop of intrigue and drama. Get in on the ground floor of the first creator owned series by Bendis since Powers, and the first creator owned series by Maleev…ever. (and, yes, the trademark obnoxious Bendis letter column will be here too)

Here's a link to an interview Bendis did with Marvel.com.

If you want it, drop me a line and place an order with Proud Lion today.

Ben Fardon is thinking this bio piece at the end is too long. So here's a shorter one.