2.83 (448) West Coast Avengers vol 1 #13 ... Marvel ...

With this cover, the final fourth  element of natural forces and the true mastermind behind the last issue's assault is revealed as none other than Graviton. While Graviton has always proven himself to be a tough customer, I guess at this point, the writers @ Marvel are trying to establish a few villains who will be recurring nemesis for the West Coasters (Wackos as is their name in the letters pages)

So we have Master Pandemonium who actually debuted in this series first and Graviton who was the main driving force in their first limited series. So naturally, after a year in the regular ongoing series, we see the return of the Gravity Lord and here ... he got smart. Not just to always engage heroes in nonsensical fight but he came prepared

He drafted the 3 crazies from the earlier issue to assault the Wackoes and distract/ weaken them so that by the time he is ready for his master stroke, they are all caught so unawares. You need to read this to see what we mean. It is a stroke of genius and something that is actually replicated albeit in a slightly different manner in the second Avengers movie

Awesome action!

Ratings: 7/10

334. Ultimates #8 ... Marvel ...

I cannot believe that almost one year in of reviews and I have not touched on this title. This is easily one of the best comic series I have ever read and this is the series that made me a fan of artist Bryan Hitch and writer Mark Millar. Honestly. Before this, I don't even know Hitch's work even though I have seen it like the Thing and She-Hulk one off

Anyway, the Ultimates is basically the Ultimate Universe's version of the Avengers before this verse go too messy and by messy I meant that after several years' in, there came an Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Ultimates. Yes, see what I mean? Hehehe!

Now covers aside, the highlight of this issue is certainly not Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. In fact, until the end of this volume, these two are merely on the fringes of the book and gets cameo appearances and occasional dialogue. Whatever they do, it is always off panel

So what's the highlight here then, you ask? It is the awesomeness that is Hitch's artwork. Hehehe! Basically the focus is on Hawkeye and Widow as they infiltrate a seemingly normal building to uncover that the workers here, from drone to managers are all decades old aliens. And what a firefight it was. This is worthy of a movie framing sequence - reminds one of Matrix lobby scene where Neo walks in, gets checked and whips out the guns! I kid you not. Check it out and you will be glad you did

Of course the ending is equally good promising us a sure kick ass next issue as Cap takes it upon himself to track down loser, Pym in a bar after he has finished (Pym not Cap) assaulting the Wasp until she has to be hospitalized! Talk about wife abuse!

Ratings: 10/10

325. Avengers: Children's Crusade #1 ... Marvel ...

Some mini series or limited series are so densely tied to continuity that it is simply not enjoyable for the uninitiated and this is one of them. But there's nothing wrong, okay? After all, for those who have been following Avengers for the past 15 years, hey, they deserve the occasional reward, eh?

A quick recap: this limited series relies on primarily two things:

1. When Scarlet Witch went batty, she destroyed the Avengers and gave the world an alternate reality called Avengers Disassembled and World of M

2. When there were no Avengers, a group of youngsters with abilities similar to some of the Avengers somehow met each other and ended up calling themselves Young Avengers. Some have direct ties to the original Avengers, while others do not

If you got that, then let's go

In this series, it deals, as the title puts it, with primarily two of the Young Avengers: Wiccan and his twin brother, the Speedster as it seems that one is tied to Witch and the other Quicksilver. As they are orphans while the Witch supposedly lost her kids as they were created by her willpower and Hex power (since her husband at that time was the Vision who is not biological in nature and hence has no ... you know what!) ...

So ... the plot in this first issue is that the Young Avengers are out doing their good bit with the Sons of the Serpent when along comes Avengers Senior ... and BOOM the world goes white and when it comes back to normal, it seems as if Wiccan is responsible. Naturally like all boring old men, the Avengers dragged the kids back to headquarters and do all they can to get the kids to stay - friendly, through parents or force!

But once things start rolling, Wiccan decides that for him at least he needs to find out if he is indeed the Witch's son even if no one else were to help him ... but they are kids and you know kids ... one for all and all that rubbish ... and it reads swimmingly well because hey we got Cheung on art and that always means awesome!

And that last page?

You know you are coming back for issue 2

Ratings: 7/10

302. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars vol 1 #1 ... Marvel (naturally) ...

Well, with the impending arrival of this year's main Marvel event where Marvel will ape DC by having a company wide event that will obliterate all their existing titles (more or less) and restart everything else, including using the title and concept of a limited series from their past (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, eh?) ... so it is only timely that we review the first volume (of which there are 3)

And basically, in this first issue, we are shown that all those heroes who encountered that huge alien device on Earth only to disappear upon walking through its entrance have reappeared in a planet far, far, far away from home

And they are not alone

We have the FF, Avengers, XMen and a ton of villains and to top it all off, even Galactus is brought forth. And while everyone is puzzled and fearful, a voice boomed forth from out of nowhere ... asking them to defeat their foes ... and this said voice will grant them whatever their wish is

Naturally, immediately sides are drawn as parties try to see who will compromise and work with whom best ... will Magneto join the villains or the X-Men? Will the X-Men join the Avengers? Will Spider who at this point in time is still a loner join anyone? And what about Galactus?

With that to lead us off, Marvel knows that we are going to look forward to the future issues as the potential for huge slam-bang action scenes are outlined even though the premise is kind of weak ...

Ratings: 7/10

277. Ultimate Avengers vol 3 #1 ... Marvel ...

Okay - we know we skipped the second volume but heck it was with more gun-toting people and that artist. Yes, sometimes that artist produces awesome work but usually very rush work. That's why we do not want to mention names here but volume 3 has Steve Dillon on interiors and Steve about rocks it even though his work is clean lines and almost cartoonish style with nearly one angle view

Right

Volume 3 is all about the vampires. So we start off with Daywalker Blade whose sole mission in life is to track down and kill vampires and what an opening sequence we have. He is in a hotel room shagging while being attacked by vampires. Naturally he goes all ninja/ samurai blade on them chop-chopping everyone to pieces while learning that there is a new vampire boss in town

Similarly switch to the other guy on the cover. We find a new young blind teen taken under the wing of Stick to be the next DD as apparently the original died (say what?!?!?!?) ... however, instead of getting more into this new DD, well, he lost it before he even got a whole issue out. We kid you not. Like we said earlier, this is the  Ultimate - verse where nothing is sacred and people who die generally do not make a comeback

So where do the Avengers come in? Well they take a backseat in this issue except with them being assembled to investigate what the fuck is going on and to see Cap now working with Fury and team ... now for me that's stretching it especially after what happened in vol 1 eh?

Ratings: 7/10

272. West Coast Avengers vol 1 #7 ... Marvel ...

Well with the next upcoming movie for the Avenger 2 ... focus on Ultron as baddie ... then it's only right timing that we review this issue ... as it gives probably one of the most unique interpretation/ tale on Ultron ever in the history of Avengers comics

For those of you who have tried the first few issues of this particular run of the WCA, you will have noticed a subplot involving Ultron where something doesn't seem quite right. Well, here is where it gets full blown treatment and guess what? It finishes in one issue. Yup. Ultron = 1 full issue

Anyway, Hank Pym once more gets suckered into the nonsense that is Ultron except that this time, the Ultron he met has once more evolved and explained that he is like a child growing through his teenage rebellious period (fighting against the Avengers) but is now matured (like an old man) and wants to instead get to know his father (Hank his creator) better!

And so a ray of hope glimmers into the sad pathetic life of Hank Pym aka Ant Man, Goliath, Yellowjacket and what-ever else

However, as this is comics, all is not meant to be as Hank is then sucker punch/ attacked by Ultron. SPOILER ALERT. Because as fate would have it, there is yet another version of Ultron around (like the cover says it all) and this Ultron is back for more of the same. Hence it's Ultron v Ultron - one to love and one to kill and right smack in the middle is Hank and Wonderman (obligatory muscle)

A most interesting read ... and a touching ending ...

Ratings: 8/10