Avengers vs. X-Men Book Review

The underlying plot was a good idea in this series I really liked very much. The Phoenix is coming again. It has burnt a fiery path of destruction on its way to Earth. The Avengers and X-Men know where it's heading or rather who it's heading to, Hope Summers. Cyclops believes the Phoenix through Hope will bring back mutant kind from the brink of extinction, but the Avengers fear for the Earth. Cyclops along with the X-Men is adamant that Hope stays with them even if it means war against the Avengers.

I really like the way the Phoenix get tied up with 5 people instead of just the one to make it more interesting. I like how you have Iron Man vs Magneto, Gambit vs Captain America and Black Panther vs Storm very interesting match ups that I think any comic book fan would want to see. The great one liners by spider-man and his banter back and forth with Wolverine adds some humor.

Written by Brian Michael Bendis (Author), Ed Brubaker (Author), Matt Fraction (Author), Jason Aaron (Author), Jonathan Hickman (Author) I think they did a great collaborative job on this almost 600 page series.

There was only one small let down towards the middle of the story nothing bad just seemed like it was there to kill time the story slows a bit then picks backup again. Other than that I was wholly invested. I personally sided with the X-Men. They seemed to be guilty before anything even happened which seemed really odd considering what Cap and the other avengers had been through with the Hulk. All in all though so much fun, a must read!

I would give this a 5 out 5 stars very well written time line was excellent and placement of matchups and character twists were great.

Nightwing Vol. 1: Bludhaven Series Review

What a blessing given to us by DC Comics! I am so happy that DC has decided to reprint every Nightwing volume pre New 52. It’s like a dream come true for me! Nightwing has been my #1 favorite superhero for as long as I can remember. Regardless this has to be one of the best if not the best comic book series I have ever read. Nightwing: Blüdhaven is two graphic novels in one. It includes a solo Dick Grayson mini-series from 1995 and the first eight issues of Nightwing from 1996-1997.

Dick Grayson we all know as the original Robin and decide to go out on his own. He finds his own path as Nightwing and even gets his new costume.. I love how with this miniseries we get to see how Dick became the Nightwing we know and love today.

Dennis O'Neil is a tremendous writer as well. The dialogue was very much alive and you can tell that he had a firm grasp on who Dick Grayson really is as a person. He also takes you on this tremendous action packed thrill ride which discovers the truth behind the murder of Dick's parents.  

Dick then travels to a foreign country to find out about his parent's past. He gets somewhat involved in a struggle between a corrupt but jailed prime minister and an even more corrupt dictator-king. The situation does not go well, and it's even sad. But I liked it - the story really shows Dick's character, and his past, his parents - there are even flashbacks to his parents teaching him how to fly on the trapeze and his mother calling him Robin.

The issues after the first four you read are issues #1-8 of Chuck Dixon's legendary run of Nightwing's solo series. Dixon really takes Nightwing to a whole new level here. Nightwing is on his own in Bludhaven trying to solve a mystery that ties to Gotham of course, but it still manages to make Nightwing independent and truly his own hero in his own right.

Dick returns home, and heads to Blüdhaven . Dick discovers he has a problem - he doesn't "really" exist. He has no birth certificate, no prove of employment, no previous bill paying history, no job history, no credit. Even getting his electrical service turned on in his cheap apartment will cost him $1000.00. Still, he does find a cheap apartment, and even gets a job at a nearby cop's bar so he can pick-up news and gossip. And at night, he goes out on his second job - as Nightwing.

We get to see Nightwing mentor the new Robin Tim Drake in one episode and we get to see Dick really showcase his experience and we get to see Drakes lack thereof experience. Some of the best panels throughout the book show multiple Nightwings, each in a slightly different position, illustrating Dick's remarkable acrobatic and gymnast skills, and I really like how it shows the fluidity of Nightwing's movements. And at the end, Dick meets up with Batman, who actually tells him he thinks he's doing a good job - something Dick desperately needs to hear.

Nightwing investigates the killings in Gotham, and a mob war in Blüdhaven. I also liked the second series, which is part of the new Nightwing series. He has a less definitive end because it's part of an on-going story, but I plan on getting the next volume.

I would give this book 5 stars great story and great illustrations it keeps you wanting more and more.

Jessica Jones The Pulse The Complete Collection Review

I started reading the Jessica Jones series in preparation for the new Netflix series set to debut this year called AKA Jessica Jones. The Pulse the complete collection covers Marvel comics The Pulse number 1-9 then 11-14 and The New Avengers Annual 1.

Jessica Jones is the breakout star of Brian Michael Bendis' hit series Alias. She is an ex-super hero-turned-private investigator and is starting a new chapter in her life working for the Daily Bugle's new super hero section, The Pulse!

Jessica's first assignment is to uncover the identity of a former Bugle reporter's super-powered murderer. We find out that Normal Osborn is involved and we get to see Spiderman hard at work trying to help Jessica with finding the killer. We find out in the first few pages of the series that Jessica is pregnant with Luke’s baby and that carries threw the entire series using the pregnancy as time line marker to show gaps in time this was a good idea by the author.

One thing I did notice is that with Jessica Jones a lot of her stories center around other characters in the Marvel Universe they seem to use her series as a way to tie in different groups like SHEILD and the Fantastic Four. They used Jessica Jones to tie in Wolverine into the Avengers along with Luke Cage and Daredevil.

Yes she is the main character but she has many big name Marvel character star powers in her series. This is just an observation Jessica Jones can handle her own being a former SHEILD agent. We only get to see her use her powers a few times in the entire series.

Nick Fury's Secret War spills over into the streets and it hits Jessica and Luke Cage right where they live and destroys there home. Luke is injured and taken to a secret location where only Fury knows. Jessica is on the hunt for him for quite a while this is where the bulk of the series focus is spent.

While Jessica is looking for Luke we see her take matters into her own hands when she battles Hydra with the help of shield. Then we see her get some help from Wolverine and Spiderman where she fines Luke.

There are some low points in the book after she finds Luke he joins the Avengers and then things pick up again with the birth of Jessica and Luke's baby and that entire ordeal thank goodness Dr. Strange is available to help Jessica with the delivery.

Luke asks Jessica to marry him and of course no wedding can go smooth in a super hero’s life the Black Widow shows up with some extra added super powers that make for some struggles for the Avengers to overcome. But in the end Luke and Jessica get married.

Overall this was a great series I greatly enjoyed. I know the Jessica Jones series was put on the shelf for a while and was brought back in this series The Pulse. This was a good series good story line unfortunately though the series was shelved again in 2006. I would give this 4 out 5 stars. The main reason being the story ends here cause series was shelved they could have done more with it cause of Jessica Jones great tie in with a lot of other super heroes.

I look forward to the Netflix series set to release sometime in 2015.

Buy Now On Amazon Support Paperbacks For Me
Jessica Jones: The Pulse - The Complete Collection