Solar Flare: Science Fiction News

Universe 0
Writer: Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns
Artist: Every Artist DC Has
Publisher: DC

I’m really not sure why this issue exists. We had a whole 52 issue series in the form of Countdown to Final Crisis that was supposed to set up… Final Crisis. But apparently it didn’t. So we have Universe 0, which is little more than a teaser. It does at least hint at what Final Crisis might be all about mind you. There’s no clear story here, just a series of fragments that seem connected but don’t really connect.
Image via Wikipedia
I’m not really bothered because this is a 50cent issue, but I have to shake my head at how badly DC seems to have fumbled the lead into what ought to be a huge event.

New Avengers #40
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Jim Cheung
Publisher: Marvel

Another week, another Secret Invasion tie in. So far I’ve been quite impressed by the tie-in books. They haven’t felt like cheap cash-ins. This time we get a lot of back story about why the Skrull invasion is occurring and why. There’s also a pretty major cliffhanger as another Skrull is revealed (or is it?). Secret Invasion is shaping up to be a great cross-over event.

The Immortal Iron Fist #14
Writer: Matt Fraction & Ed Brubaker
Artist: Tonci Zonjic
Publisher: Marvel

This issue effectively concludes a storyline that has been running since the first issue as Iron Fist and the other weapons fight against an attack from Hydra. It also appears to clear the stage and set up the players for the next chapter. Actually this issue seems a little rushed with the amount of things it resolves. But more importantly Fraction and Brubaker seem to have done what they needed to establish the Iron Fist as a unique entity in the Marvel Universe and not some cheap 70s Kung Fu knockoff.

New Warriors #11
Writer: Kevin Grevioux
Artist: Paco Medina
Publisher: Marvel

I really want to like this title. New Warriors Volume 1 #1 was one of the first comics I picked up as a teenager, so I have a great fondness for it. But… this isn’t working. I’m okay with them using a new team under the old name, but after 11 issues this team still has no clear direction.

Even worse after almost a year, it’s still hard to distinguish the characters. They all “sound” the same and the way they’re drawn isn’t very distinctive either.

The Order #10
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Barry Kitson
Publisher: Marvel

Completely contrary to New Warriors, this is a comic that gave us all new superheroes and made each one of them distinctive and also a team with a clear mission. These are people you can actually care about, which makes the ending heart wrenching. It’s a damn shame they’ve canceled this series.