Vince, Author at Comic Book Informer

X-Men Issue 4: “Curse of the Mutants, Part 4”

Things just keep getting worse for the X-Men; Wolverine is now a vampire and the bloodsuckers are running rampant over San Francisco. Historically, the X-Men work best when their backs are against the wall, so the second half of this first story arc for the new title should be entertaining. The comic starts out with the X-Men finally going on the offensive, with the focus being on the team of Blade and Angel. At first, it seems like an awkward pairing and, functionally, it is. However, the banter between the two and the way their personalities go together make for a fun read. Blade gets to kick some vampire ass, so it’s all good in the end. Paco Medina’s artwork is always solid, but really shines when the action starts. A solid amount of time is spent with the vampires this issue. Xarus’s plans are starting to come together, though some of his subordinates are growing impatient. We start to believe that he truly does want as many mutants left alive as possible in the coming battle, though not for any humanitarian reasons; he wants them to grow his ranks. I’ve enjoyed these scenes so far, though the vampire rhetoric from Jubilee and Wolverine is getting a bit tiring. The highlight of this issue is the conversation between Xarus and Cyclops. Xarus tries to sway Cyclops over to his side; again, it’s a fairly convincing argument and I really like the parallel between the mutants and vampires. Whether Xarus is sincere in his statements remains to be seen, but I like the concept. On the other hand, Scott Summers is in full alpha male mode and I love it every time. When Cyclops speaks, you damn well better listen. He never loses his poker face, even when Wolverine is revealed to the X-Men; I think it’s the visor. Anyway, we get some great dialog between Wolverine and Cyclops, bringing back a lot of the old animosity between the two over the years. Just like the previous three, Issue 4 of X-Men is more build-up for the inevitable clash between the mutants and the vampires. There’s been a lot of dialog and story development with only small tastes of action up to this point. I’m all for story development, especially when it’s as interesting as X-Men has been, but eventually you need to get to some action. I think Gischler understands this, which is why we’ve gotten the small bits of action mixed in to hold us over. If the next two issues deliver the big, fun action the X-Men franchise is known for, it will be worth all the build-up. If they don’t, X-Men could go from “promising” to “disappointing” real quick. Personally, I can’t wait to see Medina unleashed on a huge brawl and I’ll be heartbroken if I don’t get it. X-Men Issue 4: “Curse of the Mutants, Part 4” Marvel Comics Story: Victor Gischler Art: Paco Medina, Juan Vlasco, Marte Gracia...

Thor Issue 616

What is where Asgard should be? Well, we’re no closer to answering that question now than we were last issue, but things are slowly moving in the right direction. This issue is divided up into three separate stories. First is a small interlude back to Broxton, Oklahoma, where the local women are trying to cheer the goddess Kelda up after the death of her mortal love, Bill. Unlike some, I don’t mind these scenes with the townspeople. Thor has always had a strong human element, with the focus of so many stories being the bridge between the mortal world and Asgard; the human element keeps the sometimes outrageous stories grounded and relevant to the rest of the Marvel U. That said, I’m sick of this subplot. Bill died over a dozen issues ago and, while that may only be a couple of weeks in comic time, that’s entirely too long in real world time. Kelda is no closer to getting over it now than before; in fact, she seems to be falling further into depression. I understand this is something that got lost in the writing shuffle from Straczynski to Gillen to Fraction, but wrap it up already. Next we have Thor and Balder cleaning up their father Odin’s belongings as part of the rebuilding of Asgard. Volstagg and the scientist interrupt the brothers with the warning about dimensional imbalances that was explained at length last issue. In my review of Issue 615, I defended the lengthy scenes with the scientist; I felt it got a great deal of necessary exposition out of the way in a humorous manner. I would stand by that statement if Fraction hadn’t felt the need to repeat the entire explanation to Thor. The readers really don’t need to go through this again, especially when we’d rather see more interaction between Thor and Balder, because that’s where the most interesting story is. Finally, there’s the “world eaters,” as the recap page names them. If their leader, Thoth, is powerful enough to keep his universe from imploding through sheer force of will, then it’s going to be a damn spectacle when he inevitably clashes with Thor. Over two issues, Fraction has given us small tastes of these new enemies, giving just enough information to keep readers interested, but not so much that the allure is gone. In my last review, I praised Pasqual Ferry’s art, and that remains true for this issue. One thing I didn’t give enough credit to is Matt Hollingsworth’s color work. I think I’m noticing it more now after reading Chaos War. Both titles use watercolor paint-style coloring, but in Chaos War, the colors are marred by the finishing effect used to show lighting. In Thor, the colors are left intact, with a more subtle and realistic flow from light to dark. While I don’t usually enjoy the watercolor style in superhero comics, I find it actually fits Thor, giving the art an almost ethereal quality that works for a story featuring characters from other realms of existence. Every page in this comic is beautiful to look at. I have to admit, Thor is starting to worry me. Character development and story setup is important, but eventually the story has to go somewhere, and I don’t feel this issue did much of anything to move it forward. I’m not saying it’s a lost cause, but judging by Fraction’s other current work, Thor is trending closer to Uncanny X-Men than it is to Invincible Iron Man. Fraction’s a good storyteller, he just has trouble fitting those stories into 22 pages, sometimes. Thor Issue 616 Marvel Comics Story: Matt Fraction Art: Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth...

Superior Issue 1

Mark Millar makes a great point. At the end of this issue, he describes a discussion he had with Stan Lee, where Lee asked, “why I was always playing with his characters when I had a chance to do what he did and create my own?” It’s a great point; many of today’s big writers don’t create anything new. Mark Millar’s done some great work with core Marvel characters in the past, such as the Civil War miniseries and the “Old Man Logan” arc in Wolverine, even creating a new spin on established characters in The Ultimates. In recent years, Millar has been focusing on his own creations like Wanted and Kick-Ass and now Superior. Immediately we’re introduced to the character Superior, in a way. In this world, Superior is a character in a series of movies. Parallels are made between Superior and Superman, portraying him as a relic of a bygone era, a hero too good-natured to succeed in today’s modern world. At the theater, we meet the true main character of the comic, teenager Simon Pooni, a former basketball standout now living with Multiple Sclerosis. His life is a constant struggle, but he makes the most out of it; other kids mock and tease him, but he has a loving mother and the best friend he could ask for. In a couple pages, I feel Millar did a great job relating life with MS to the reader; it’s the little thing that really changed Simon’s life. Then a monkey appears. Yep, a monkey. One night, Simon is visited by… something… in the form of a monkey, saying he has been selected as the most appropriate person on Earth to receive the Magic Wish. It’s an incredibly goofy premise, and we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. The wish itself, however, is pulled off pretty spectacularly. One minute, Simon’s standing there with his crutches, the next he’s Superior. He’s told he has one week to show the monkey what he’s capable of and sent home. It’s the way Simon reacts to the whole ordeal that makes Superior so interesting. He doesn’t fly around and test his strength out, marveling over how amazing this is. No, he freaks the hell out. When he gets home, he finds out he’s been gone for a whole day and his mom called the police. What does a normal kid do in a situation like this? He bails. This is what makes Millar’s writing so fresh; even in crazy circumstances, his characters act the way we expect them to. Lenil Yu’s art is almost a little too sketchy for my tastes. It’s most noticeable in his faces and that poor cop looks like Clayface from Batman. The opening “movie” scene show that Yu is much more accustomed to drawing superheroes and action than normal people standing around talking, so my appreciation of the art will weigh heavily on the direction the story takes. While this first issue may be nothing more than setup, I think Millar may have done it again. Superior walks the fine line between whimsical and realistic, and the end result is something relatable, yet still full of potential for a good superhero story. Superior Issue 1 ICON Comics (Marvel) Story: Mark Millar Art: Lenil Yu...

Shadowland Issue 4 of 5

Hell’s Kitchen is coming apart and the gloves are off. Luke Cage and his allies have realized Matt Murdock is likely beyond their help and the only thing remaining is to take down the Daredevil. At the end of the last issue, it was revealed that Murdock is possessed by the Beast of the Hand, a powerful demon. The Punisher joined the heroes’ side, while Elektra showed up to help her former love resurrect Bullseye, further increasing Daredevil’s ranks. Issue 4 brings Shadowland to its breaking point. Elektra’s true intentions are revealed and Wolverine even shows up. While it’s not uncommon for Wolverine to show up EVERYWHERE, he fits this story nicely; he has a long-running history with the Hand and has worked with Cage many times as a member of the New Avengers. Additionally, he serves as a solid indication that the heroes are serious about taking Daredevil down by any means necessary. Once the fireworks start, it’s quite the spectacle. Cage and crew go in with a battle plan, and it’s a treat watching it play out. Of course, in comics, nothing ever goes according to plan and everything quickly breaks down into an all-out melee. These fight scenes are where Shadowland really shines; the art is a amazing and, more importantly, detailed. The environment, the debris, the fights going on in the background; there’s very little filler to be seen in the fight scenes. The details are where Tann and the rest of the art team really step up. I absolutely love the panels from Daredevil’s perspective, drawn and colored the way he “sees” things. The bottom half of page 6 really caught my eye; it’s a scene with Luke Cage, Master Izo and Iron Fist talking to Wolverine. It’s laid out as a single panel of art, broken up into three separate panels, one for each character and their dialog, with Wolverine in the foreground, overlapping the other panels. It’s a very minor detail, but things like that are what take a good comic and make it a great one. I’ve read other comics with Tann’s art, such as New Avengers and Uncanny X-Men, but his work here will definitely have me looking for his name in the future. Traditionally, the next-to-last issue of an event comic is the weakest, plot-wise. It’s purpose is just to set everything up for the climax, and that holds true for Shadowland. That being said, the “weakest” issue of this miniseries is still better than most anything else I’m reading. For an event that I was initially hardly interested in, I’m eagerly anticipating the finale. Shadowland Issue 4 of 5 Marvel Comics Story: Andy Diggle Art: Billy Tann, Victor Olazaba, Guru eFx...

Chaos War Issue 3 of 5

This really is getting hard to look at; the first panel of the comic features what’s supposed to be Balder, and it’s a total mess. At least the cover looks good this time. It’s also getting a bit hard to read. The first panel of the fight shows why Hercules is the worst leader ever. He basically just tells everyone to use their specific powers, “Thor! Lightning! Sersi! Transmutation! Hellstrom! Fire! Surfer! Power Cosmic!” No shit, Herc. Goofy art and goofier dialog aside, there’s still a solid story going on here. The fallen gods of Hades, Valhalla and the other afterlives are now under the control of the Chaos King; as if the God Squad wasn’t screwed enough. The battle between the living and dead gods is entertaining. Thor, a God of Thunder himself, gets completely owned by Zeus and his lightning; the Skyfather even knocks Galactus around. In this particular sequence, with Hercules, Zeus, Ares and the other Athenians interacting, the simple, almost clichéd, dialog actually seems to work. It makes sense that these beings who have been around for thousands of years would talk like this. Once Herc finally cuts loose and takes down his father, Zeus gives him some advice. In order to take down the Chaos King, Hercules needs more than the God Squad; he needs the power of the heads of all the pantheons. Unfortunately, they have sealed themselves away, protecting their realms from the Chaos King. Hercules uses his newfound power to open the way, falling right into the Chaos King’s trap. The universe is screwed. I’ve criticized the art, I’ve criticized the dialog, and yet I’m still reading. Chaos War has become the equivalent of a summer blockbuster for me; it’s not GOOD, but it’s still entertaining. Pak and Van Lente have backed our heroes so far into a corner, now I have to know how they’re going to get out of it. Chaos War Issue 3 of 5 Marvel Comics Story: Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente Art: Khoi Pham, Tom Palmer...

Chaos War Issue 1 of 5

This one is going to require a bit of backstory. During the “Secret Invasion” event, where the alien Skrulls attempted to conquer Earth, a battle was waged on a higher plane of existence. For the Skrulls, it literally was a holy war, their mission blessed by their deity. In order to combat that higher power, the pantheons of Earth sent a group of representatives to combat the Skrull gods and prevent them from intervening with the battle on Earth. This “God Squad” consisted of Hercules, representing the Greeks; Snowbird, representing the Norse; Amatsu-Mikaboshi, representing the Japanese and several others. This “Sacred Invasion” took place in the pages of Incredible Hercules and saw Earth’s heroes defeating the Skrull gods, as well as the enslaved gods of the Skrull’s conquered enemies. All good, right? Well… one small problem; Amatsu-Mikaboshi is bad news. In the Ares miniseries, he destroyed Olympus and killed Zeus. After the “Sacred Invasion”, he was thought dead and left behind with the remaining enslaved gods. Fast forward a bit, and Hercules is lost in another dimension. In the Prince of Power miniseries, his young friend, the supergenius Amadeus Cho, gained god-like powers of his own through a ritual and brought Herc back. Realizing no mortal can wield such power, Cho bequeathed it to Hercules. With his newfound omniscience, Hercules saw the coming of the Chaos King. It took a crap-ton of continuity to get us here, but that’s the basis of Chaos War. Amatsu-Mikaboshi, the Chaos King, existed in the nothingness before the universe was born; he WAS the nothingness, and now he wants to destroy reality to go back to that time. Backed by all the gods enslaved by the Skrulls, the Chaos King is a force to be reckoned with. We begin “Chaos War” with Hercules wrecking everything he comes in contact with. Never the most composed of heroes, he lacks the self-control to contain his new level of power. He tries his best to warn everyone of the Chaos King, but with him causing more harm than good, even lashing out at the heads of Earth’s pantheons, the warning is ignored. Van Lente and Pak do a nice job giving us a look at the other heroes’ opinions of Hercules; he’s a great hero, but lacks any leadership qualities. So, if none of his fellow heroes will volunteer, Herc will just draft them. He summons all of Earth’s heroes, gives a rousing motivational speech, endows them with a fraction of his own power and leads them into battle. The whole issue moves at a breakneck pace, which is both one of its best and worst qualities. For someone like me, who’s read all the stories leading up to Chaos War, it’s nice to just get to the action. However, someone who hasn’t been reading second-tier titles like Incredible Hercules (as awesome as it was), may be lost if they just want to read Marvel’s latest event title. Pacing aside, it’s good fun. Chaos War features the same larger-than-life characterizations and quick humor as its predecessors, not to mention the hilariously over-the-top sound effects. I think it will be a nice change of pace for this potentially monumental story to be told with a bit of silliness; many event comics take themselves too seriously. I look forward to seeing the story play out. What I don’t particularly look forward to is the art. It’s not bad, the characters are wonderfully detailed. Hercules definitely looks heroic, and there’s a great sense of scale to the characters; you definitely feel the strength Hercules and Thor possess. While there are occasional inconsistencies, Khoi Pham’s basic artwork is overall impressive. My issue lies in the coloring of the comic. I’ve never been a fan of the washed-out watercolor style. As I mentioned in my review of the first issue of Scarlet, in a comic, it just looks like the art was run through one too many PhotoShop filters. I may be in the minority on this, as the art in both titles has been highly praised, but it just isn’t my preference. Unlike Scarlet, I’ll continue to look forward to Chaos War. It’s a huge, fun story featuring two of my favorite characters, Thor and Hercules. It’s big, it’s loud, it’s goofy and it’s fun. That’s enough entertainment to keep me on board. Though, again, the story is deeply dependant on previous storylines, so comic noobs beware. Chaos War Issue 1 of 5 Marvel Comics Story: Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente Art: Khoi Pham, Tom Palmer...

Uncanny X-Force Issue 1: “The Apocalypse Solution, Chapter 1”

X-Force is back with a new team and a new adjective. Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force picks up where Crag Kyle and Chris Yost’s recent X-Force run left off. In the previous version, X-Force was a black-ops team, proactively taking out enemies before they could become true threats to the dwindling mutant population. Due to the extreme nature of X-Force’s tactics, the team was kept secret, known only to Cyclops. Consisting of Wolverine, X-23, Archangel, Domino and several other members, X-Force took down nutjobs, racists, psychic vampires and even traveled to the future to help Cable. Following the “Second Coming” event, Cyclops decided there was no longer a need for X-Force and disbanded the team. Ever the realist, Wolverine decided to keep X-Force alive, this time a secret even from Cyclops. He turned to Archangel as co-leader and recruited a new team; psychic ninja Psylocke, world-class mercenary Deadpool and infiltration specialist Fantomex. It’s an interesting team, full of fan-favorite characters that also fit the theme of the comic. Wolverine is, of course, the best there is at what he does. However, he also tends to go a bit overboard at times, so he’s sharing leadership of the team with Archangel. Warren, though, has his own issues, attempting to sort out the two personalities warring for control of his body. Psylocke fills an obvious role on the team as the lone psychic, but Betsy needs Warren’s support as much as he needs hers. Deadpool… well, he’s Deadpool. The goofball of the Marvel universe, I truly feel Remender will be reining in some of his more outlandish traits, and bringing the character back to his roots as someone who will do whatever is necessary to get the job done, but also have fun doing it. At least in this first issue, none of the bizarre (and honestly, stupid) effects recent writers have been using to turn the character into nothing more than a clown are present. There really is more to the character than we’ve seen since his resurgence a couple years ago. The one character poised to be the breakout star of this series is definitely Fantomex. One of the many intriguing ideas Grant Morrison came up with, but never quite followed through on during his run on New X-Men, I’m glad to see Fantomex get another chance. The character is a product of the Weapon Plus program, itself an offshoot of Weapon X, the same agency responsible for “creating” Wolverine and Deadpool. Essentially, just like Deadpool, he was an attempt to create the next Wolverine; the three characters are tied together. While not a mutant, Fantomex still has powers, most notably his unique nervous system. Technically, Fantomex has more than one brain, giving him slight psychic abilities, as well as several more interesting powers. I thought it was a good call by Remender to have Fantomex narrate the bulk of this issue; it allows newer readers unfamiliar with the character a chance to connect with him. Fantomex is definitely one Marvel character to keep your eyes on next year. As for the issue itself, it’s a solid setup for what’s to come. We start with Deadpool investigating an enemy base, then move on to the rest of the team assembling for a rescue mission. Each character has a moment in the spotlight, and we see how the members of the team are going to interact with each other. There’s some camaraderie, and there’s some tension; all the elements of a good team book are present here. Yes, there’s also some fighting and explosions, giving the book a solid balance of story and action. Everything a fan could want is in this first issue, elevating Uncanny X-Force above other recent first issues. (Wolverine, I’m looking at you.) At this point, it’s not much of a spoiler to say Apocalypse is the first villain X-Force will be facing, though the reveal at the end of the issue is still a great twist. On the art side of things, Opena does a solid job. Wolverine and Archangel are as badass as they should be, but his Deadpool seems a tiny bit off in some aspects, mostly the mask. His interpretation of Psylocke is a bit more “athletic” than traditional portrayals, but the feelings associated with that will vary from reader to reader. There seems to be an overuse of certain color schemes, mostly blue and gray, but I’ll need to see more to decide if it’s a trend or just the way this particular issue worked out. Still, it’s an improvement over the “All BLACK, all the time!” style of the last X-Force. Uncanny X-Force is just a solid comic. It gives fans enough of a taste to feel good about where the title is heading, as well as enough cool stuff to bring some new readers to the franchise. I highly recommend this one to fans of the X-Men, Wolverine, Deadpool or anyone just looking for something new and different. Uncanny X-Force Issue 1: “The Apocalypse Solution, Chapter 1” Marvel Comics Story: Rick Remender Art: Jerome Opena, Dean White...

Fantastic Four Issue 583: “Three, Part 1: In Latveria, the Flowers Bloom in Winter”

It’s been impossible to read a Marvel comic over the past couple months and not know about this storyline. The ads have been everywhere and definitely sparked my interest. You tell me a long-standing fixture of the Marvel Universe is going to die, and I’m there. I’ve heard good things about Jonathan Hickman’s work on Fantastic Four going back to Issue 570, so I figured there was no better time than now to check it out. The issue does a decent job recapping recent events, from the FF’s interactions with the High Evolutionary and an assembly of inter-dimensional Mr. Fantastics, to Doctor Doom’s loss of intellect during the “World War Hulks” event. Part of the issue focuses on the FF battling against the forces of the High Evolutionary, but it’s largely unimportant to the central plot of the issue. The real star here isn’t even a member of the Fantastic Four, but rather Valeria Richards; Reed and Sue’s daughter. Valeria is as smart as her father, but as brash as her Uncle Johnny. She happens across a device in Reed’s lab that lets her in on what her father is up to. She realizes he’s overextending himself and putting everyone at risk. She turns to the most unlikely of allies for help and pays Doctor Doom a visit. The scenes between Valeria and Doom are easily the highlight of the issue. This issue marks the first with Steve Epting as artist. Epting brings an interesting style to Fantastic Four; the visuals look like nothing I’ve seen from the series previously. Much like his work on Captain America, Epting uses heavy shadows for detail and emphasis, and while I personally love the style, long time FF fans may be put off by it. All in all, the issue was fun, but not as spectacular as I was expecting. Then I read the epilogue. Those last two pages, told from the perspective of none other than the Silver Surfer, went a long way to setting up the future of this storyline. Those two pages alone have me eagerly anticipating the next issue of Fantastic Four. Fantastic Four Issue 583: “Three, Part 1: In Latveria, the Flowers Bloom in Winter” Marvel Comics Story: Jonathan Hickman Art: Steve Epting, Paul Mounts...

Thor Issue 615

Thor has long been one of my favorite heroes. His sheer power backed by his sense of honor and duty have told some very entertaining stories over the years. The juxtaposition of ancient myth with the modern world gives the writers a tremendous amount of possibilities. When Thor was relaunched in 2007, J. Michael Straczynski chose to focus mostly on the myth, establishing Thor as the new Lord of Asgard in Odin’s absence. Now, Matt Fraction (current writer of Uncanny X-Men and Invincible Iron Man) has taken over the title, promising a return to Thor’s height of popularity in the 1980s. Back then, Walt Simonson took Thor and all his godly might and added in a sci-fi element, pitting Thor against galactic threats instead of just giants and demons. It was good, larger-than-life fun; everything you would want a comic to be. Fraction’s first issue goes a long way to delivering much of the same. In Straczynski’s run, Thor moved Asgard to Earth, and now some new threat is trying to take Asgard’s place in the order of things. All the specifics are explained by a scientist trying to gain an audience with Asgard’s leaders. It’s possible the scenes involving the scientist went on a little too long, but I thought it was entertaining, giving the reader a sense of the frustration the scientist was feeling trying to explain the concept to the dense Volstagg. In addition to Earth, the issue takes us to Alfheim, the realm of the Elves in Norse mythology. It introduces us to some random elf characters, and gets the reader to care about them just enough to be shocked when they’re all brutally murdered. This also serves as the introduction to an unnamed alien race looking to escape their collapsing realm, and they’re willing to conquer Alfheim, Asgard and any other realms necessary to do so. Each of the realms shown in the comic has a unique visual style; Earth is vibrant and full of life, Asgard’s tones are muted, Alfheim has a blue tint and the unknown dimension is obviously something beyond mortal comprehension. Ferry’s character artwork also conveys great emotion, especially the anguish Thor and Balder are experiencing with the recent losses in their lives. Also, maybe it’s just me, but I swear Thor is starting to look more like Chris Hemsworth. All the various elements come together for an overall enjoyable, if occasionally uneven issue. Fans of the character, like myself, will be excited with this new direction for Thor. Unfortunately, it may not be a good jumping-on point for newer readers, as it assumes an understanding of the characters and events. Thor Issue 615 Marvel Comics Story: Matt Fraction Art: Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth...

X-Men Issue 3: “Curse of the Mutants, Part 3”

Issue 2 of the new X-Men took the story to an interesting place. Jubilee finally gave in to the vampire corruption spreading through her body and left Utopia. Additionally, Cyclops came up with the most insane plan ever; to resurrect Dracula and use him as a weapon against the other vampires. Normally, I don’t like tie-in comics, but this is one of the few occasions where it works. The search and recovery of Dracula’s remains was handled in two completely separate issues; the head in Namor: The First Mutant #1 and the body in the Curse of the Mutants: Storm & Gambit one-shot. The two issues told stories relevant to the central plot, but not vital, so a fan could read them if they want, but not miss out on anything too important if they don’t. Obviously, Dracula is none too happy with his current situation. His son has taken over as Lord of the Vampires and he wants his revenge, but he doesn’t want to help Scott-freaking-Summers to get it. Recently, we’ve seen Scott stand up to Professor Xavier, Magneto and even Norman Osborn like they were nobody. It’s nice that Gischler has finally presented him with someone he can try to stand up to, but is more than happy to put him in his place. I like Badass Cyclops as much as anyone, but if the character’s going to develop any further, he needs to deal with someone he can’t steamroll in a conversation. The rest of the issue features Jubilee diving into her role as a vampire and Wolverine’s efforts to save her. By the conclusion of the issue, they come together and the ending is definitely an unexpected twist. It’s solid writing and pacing, continuing to intertwine the separate plots into one cohesive story. Between that and Medina’s continually fantastic art, X-Men has become one of my most anticipated titles every month. X-Men Issue 3: “Curse of the Mutants, Part 3” Marvel Comics Story: Victor Gischler Art: Paco Medina, Juan Vlasco, Marte Gracia...