Welcome back to the Marvel Rundown! This week we have a special Marvel Two-in-Onedown (where two reviewers talk one comic) with Rundown veterans D. Morris and Jordan Jennings discussing Imperial War: Exiles. This one shot by Jonathan Hickman, Steve Foxe, Francesco Manna, and Erick Arciniega explores how Imperial impacts the Shi’ar Empire while also following up on last year’s X-Manhunt. There’s MINOR SPOILERS, so skip to the end if you want to see our thoughts on the book. Additionally, this week’s Rapid Rundown looks at Magik #9, Amazing Spider-Man #11, Wolverine #13 and Spider-Man ’94 #1.
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Imperial War: Exiles
Writers: Jonathan Hickman & Steve Foxe
Artists: Francesco Manna & Davide Tinto
Colorist: Erick Arciniega
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
D. Morris: So the reason that I wanted to talk with you about Imperial War: Exiles is that it ties directly into a book we both covered here, the dreaded X-Manhunt. That was an event we were both critical on and we knew would eventually connect with Imperial. So my first question to you is; do you think this redeemed X-Manhunt in any way?
Jordan Jennings: No. IF anything it made X-Manhunt even more pointless as an event since the opening of the issue didn’t even line up with X-Manhunt.
We suffered for nothing!
DM: I had expectations I may enjoy this with how much I’ve enjoyed the rest of Imperial and with Jonathan Hickman’s name on the book. I had some hope reading maybe reading X-Manhunt would payoff. And yet like everything X-Manhunt related, except the one issue of Exceptional, this let me down.
I can’t believe once again X-Manhunt taunts us.
JJ: It was a fine enough issue on its own but it felt like the 50th time we watched the Shi’ar empire fall. X-manhunt will forever taunt us with its false promise of change.
DM: Yeah, that’s what frustrated me. As creative as Imperial has been in other areas updating Cosmic Marvel, the Shi’ar stuff has been of little consequence in the story. This is what the third or fourth Shi’ar civil war?
JJ: See, Phoenix saga, Imperial in New X-men, Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire, and I’m sure there was another one in the 2010s. I had high hopes for this issue but it felt pointless and the story structure just confused me.
Art by Francesco Manna and Davide Tinto
DM: I agree that that the script co-written by Steve Foxe read as needlessly complicated in parts. I thought Xandra might be hopping around/experiencing time differently than other people. Then it went in a less exciting direction.
JJ: Yeah I was expecting to be in premonitions or something but nope. Just convoluted and it had me flipping back and forth to see if I missed something.
JJ: What did you think of the idea of the bastard son of De’Ken? Felt like a rehash of Vulcan to me. “Shouldn’t the Shi’ar have a contingency against De’Ken’s bastards?” is a valid question.
DM: Yeah, it was another retread and one would think Lilandra, after Vulcan, might not want bastard nephews and/or nieces running around.
JJ: At least Deathbird.
DM: Can we agree this comic made Deathbird awesome?
JJ: Oh she was fantastic in this issue and while objectively a bad person she is by default the best of the Shi’ar royal family. I know the bar is low but this issue solidifies her GoAT status.
Their dynamic is so damn compelling and for it to be squandered by “worst dad” Xavier and his recently revived bird wife just irked me.
Art by Francesco Manna and Davide Tinto
DM: She honestly has more of a connection to the kid than her absentee parents. At least, Lilandra has an excuse for not being present. Frankly, I wish that this story followed Deathbird and Xandra around as mentor and student on the run like the classic Grendel arc Warchild. That would have fit in more with the vibe of Imperial than dysfunctional family becomes Space X-Men.
JJ: Seriously the “epilogue” with Xavier doing the Kevin James shrug was killing me for the wrong reasons.
I expected Chuck to be all pulls up a chair and turns it around “so you failed at being a ruler of a nation? Welcome to the family business, sport”.
DM: God, that would have been more entertaining. “So you ruined an empire…”
Art by Francesco Manna and Davide Tinto
DM: Both Black Panther and Planet She-Hulk were “backdoor pilots” for series. Exiles though was very much issue #0 for an ongoing. How compelled by this issue are we for an ongoing Exiles, especially with the promised cast?
JJ: I liked the exiles cast. Danger coming back for a team up with Chuck is fantastic idea. Also Kid Gladiator! The name makes some Sense because they are exiles but this is a Starjammers ass team, I’m sorry.
DM: I almost spoke ill about this upcoming book but then you reminded me Danger has to interact Chuck. That actually intrigues me. I agree though this would be more appropriate as a Starjammers book.
Alas, Exiles is the more recognizable brand name.
JJ: Yep and they need to keep the trademark.
DM: Lilandra saying “TO ME MY EXILES” at least gave me a chuckle.
JJ: Where has Danger been since the start of Krakoa?
DM: That’s what I wondered. I never read any of the S.W.O.R.D. stuff so I wondered why they were still in space. I’m surprised Orchis never tried to recruit them.
JJ: I didn’t read much of SWORD but I read all of X-men Red and she was never brought up. I know she clashed a lot with the whole Nimrod stuff. My guess is they just put her in a stasis pod on the Star Jammer or something.
The art by Francesco Manna in this issue was fairly solid but the way Charles and Llandra was rendered in the end was not helping the book. It felt like a bad sitcom.
DM: Oh god, those last pages did come across as Charles and Lilandra trying to give the lesson of the week to poor Xandra.
JJ: “Sometimes you got to let the empire fall, champ” “listen to your dad dear. He knows a lot about failing at leadership, heck I’m no spring space chicken either. Let him tell you about the time his evil spirit twin killed our empire”
DM: Yeah, the art was fine. I don’t blame the artist for some of the poor storytelling choices here. Honestly, I think the reasons those last few pages become a bad sitcom is because the relationship between the three characters is so non existent
JJ: That’s fair to the artist. The book was well done otherwise. I loved the designs of the various Imperial guards
DM: You can’t go wrong with an Imperial Guard design
JJ: It’s where you can let your failed Legion of Superhero pitches go!
Art by Francesco Manna and Davide Tinto
DM: So what’s our final verdict on this issue?
JJ: Final verdict is BROWSE. I didn’t hate it, but unless you are really interested in Shi’ar dynamics this book isn’t going to tickle your fancy. I am a sicko who loves this stuff so I’ll be reading Exiles.
DM: I hate to say it but even with the fun designs of the Imperial Guard and the Deathbird/Xandra stuff, I was really let down. It barely connected to Imperial especially since Gladiator really seems to be speaking for the Empire in that. This is a SKIP for me. If you’re like Jordan though and do like the Shi’ar, then it’s at least a weak browse.
Rapid Rundown
Magik #9
Ashley Allen and German Peralta‘s Magik has been a delight, fleshing out the complicated character of Illyana Rasputin and giving her a mission statement–protecting innocents from forces beyond their control. In the penultimate issue, Allen and Peralta amp up Magik’s conflict with the secret society of magicians that threaten her young, possessed-by-a-demon-friend Cal. Joining in on the fun here is aritst Matt Horak with a flashback story that fleshes out the history of the society’s leader, The Embodiment. It’s nice to see Horak included as the series reaches its too-soon conclusion. This issue is not the strongest of the series, the flashback is little more than a shoe-horned in exposition dump, but it looks great and Peralta draws some fantastic action. Allen’s script keeps Illyana and her passion, kindness, and tactical smarts at the forefront. The inclusion of old friend Dani Moonstar in the back half of the series to root Magik in her childhood and give her someone who knows her intimately and that can challenge her with love was a brilliant decision. Ashley Allen and German Peralta’s Magik is a complex character who deals with complex emotions. In the last few years, Magik has often been used as a generic “tough” character, a simple-minded enforcer. Here, we’ve gotten almost a year’s worth of stories to remind us that the violence and the sass are a hard outer shell to protect the sensitive and complicated person underneath. The action in this issue looks great, as always, and Peralta focuses on making Magik look cool-as-hell rather than posing and preening as is often the case with lesser artists. The big setpiece here is a fight with a dragon and it does not disappoint. Arthur Hesli‘s colors give Magik a warm glow that radiates out from her, turning her trademark hellfire into something confident and reassuring to those she protects. VC’s Ariana Maher integrates the lettering and SFX to great effect. The SFX and even magical incantations fit right alongside the art to enhance the mystical feel. I’m sad to see this series go, but at least it appears to be heading out on a high note. This is Ashley Allen’s first big mainstream comics title, and I hope we get a whole lot more of her work–especially if Magik is involved. – TR
Amazing Spider-Man #11
Amazing Spider-Man #11 is here, and it’s definitely a read of all time. Not to say much of the ASM run has been fun to read, but this issue takes a big swing and misses the ball completely. Written by Joe Kelly and with art by both John Romita Jr and Pepe Larraz, Amazing Spider-Man #11 has a confusing start, a nonsensical middle, and an even more middling end. Kelly and Romita Jr. do their best with what they have, but unfortunately, it’s not very interesting or well-executed. The question of “Who is the fake Spider-Man?” has an answer that’s more annoying than it is shocking, and the fake Peter Parker is no different. It all just leaves me wondering, why? Why are we going through all of this? What’s the end goal? Will any of this matter in the long run, considering the team will reset these characters to their Spider-Man staples to keep the story moving? Who knows. It all just reads like one big engagement-bait rather than anything interesting with the story.And that’s just one half of it; the other half of the story reveals where Peter Parker actually is, and that, too, isn’t anything interesting. Many Spider-Man fans will likely see one panel trending and dismiss this issue, which isn’t entirely fair to the creative team’s work. However, there’s really nothing in this issue that warrants anyone actually reading it. If someone hasn’t been engaging with Amazing Spider-Man for the past few months, this issue isn’t going to change your mind. Maybe next month Spidey, or the month after, or the month after that. – LM
Wolverine #13
If you haven’t been reading Wolverine, especially the last two issues, DO NOT READ THIS ISSUE UNTIL YOU DO because writer Saladin Ahmed has been putting Logan through it. The major plot point from the past two issues has Wolverine traumatized and searching for peace in a bottle when a promise from his past comes calling. Now, Logan travels to Chicago to help a local mafia family create peace among the mobsters, and to accomplish this, Logan must become a Made Man in the Andiamo Family and assume the mantle of Don. Artist Martín Cóccolo and color artist Bryan Valenza have been doing some amazing work. Cóccolo’s linework and Valenza’s texturing have been mesmerizing in their technique, and with this issue, they dance the edge of a red band comic as Logan fights his way through a house full of mobsters to achieve his task. It was already a bit over the top, but I would love for them to be given a chance to let loose with the violence and let Logan do what he does best. Except for the plot point that will not be spoiled, this issue is a solid standalone story that touches on all the things we like about our favorite Canadian, very grey heroing with a touch of self-introspection that is his moral compass. – GC3
Spider-Man ’94
Following the success of the X-Men ’97 revival, Marvel has launched a continuation of their other big 90’s animated series with Spider-Man ’94 #1. Long time comics writer JM DeMatteis is a perfect fit for the comic. It should come as no surprise considering DeMatteis wrote for the Spider-Man animated series. He captures the overly soap operatic tones of the cartoon perfectly. The issue picks up some time after the end of the show but purposefully skips the explanation of what happened to Mary Jane. That mildly irked this old fan of the show but that’s not the point of this series. Much like the various X-men TAS comic revivals, Spider-Man ’94 opts to adapt comic continuity into the animated series namely Morlun from the JMS run. Yet, it’s explicitly stated that, much like Spider-man TAS, the series will be doing their own thing when it comes to adapting existing storylines into the comic. Artist Jim Towe does a solid job of capturing the action and energy of the moment, but his facial expressions aren’t at the level of the action sequences. The designs of Morlun and Kaine are well translated to the art style and it was great to the cast in their familiar clothes. Overall, as a fan of Spider-Man TAS, this is a fun comic and a joy to read. It takes some big swings with pulling in Morlun and Kaine but still keeps the melodramatic tone of the source material. I recommend checking this one out —JJ
Can’t wait for next week’s books? Catch up with past iterations of the Rundown!
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