Age of Ultron #10

An end of an era; an end of an age if that’s not too on the nose.  Age of Ultron #10 was a bit late on delivery, but we’ve been anticipating it since issue #1, what’s one more day?  A thick issue, and for the amount of pages I have to admit to being a little underwhelmed.  However, I think the issue is important not as a climactic end to a story arc, but a dramatic change to the Marvel Universe.  As always reader, beware the spoilers that abound within.

How many of you though had read the leaked pages before it was sent out this Wednesday?  I admittedly strived not to read it, even though it kept showing up on my Tumblr dashboard.  Brian Michael Bendis posted on tumblr saying how many of the pages were missing, and those that were leaked were out of order.  And while I hate spoilers to begin with, I wanted to wait and get the whole issue to enjoy it.

The issue starts off with present Henry Pym getting a mysterious package from past Pym, with the key to stopping Ultron.  Now if I were Pym, I would be freaked out.  I don’t know about you, but a moment of my life was suddenly revealed to me that I couldn’t remember.  I might be hyperventilating, or at least calling someone!  But I guess it’s just another event in the day of a superhero.

What I hadn’t realized, going into the series, was the turmoil and resurgence of Ultron came from Secret Avengers.  At least that is the fraction of Avengers I assume goes to fight Intelligencia and save Jessica Drew.  Of course, if you’ve read my previous posts you know I don’t really care for Drew.  I say leave her be, and maybe Ultron would never have been released!

My favorite part of Ultron’s awakening, Tony Stark cannot just follow simple instructions.  No matter what is going on, he still tries to belittle Pym.  One of the most dangerous foes the Avengers have ever faced, and his ego is making small talk. “Did you write this code?  These are highly evolved calculations, my friend.”  Stop trying to sound smart Tony and just stop Ultron!

The fight scene with Ultron, panel to panel between the fight and Pym getting his code uploaded into the android was pretty thrilling.  I have the bad habit of gliding over panels sometimes, getting to the big moment.  I actually felt the suspense looking at each panel in turn, as it built up, wondering if they were gonna be able to stop Ultron.  It’s the Avengers though, of course they stop him!  But as always Tony doesn’t like not knowing, “Has something happened I’m not privy to?”  You’re not always in the know Stark.

Then just as no-longer-the-future Sue Storm and Logan feel at ease, as they have prevented the oncoming genocide, the universe shatters.  Here’s the thing I didn’t necessarily get, with the six panels depicting the universe breaking apart.  The first two, we see Wolverine and Iron Man in different variations of universal possibility.  There’s old man Logan, a barbaric Logan, what looks like a Steve Rogers/Logan mashup, and Iron Man in old and odd types of suits.  But the other four panels show some alternate versions of Pym, and Spider-Man but also other characters.  Then do the Guardians of the Galaxy remain the same in all dimensions, and who is the pirate?  Evidently he’s connected to the X-Men, but I have no idea who that is at all.   He looks like the Thing with a beard and eye-patch.

After the universe is almost destroyed, blown to pieces, and seems to slightly implode bringing everything together we cut to the brains at Avengers Tower.  Evidently Wolverine broke the space-time continuum, yet Beat mentions a great point.  Why now?  They’ve been flying back and forth in time for ages, and now something breaks?  Pym gives the weakest explanation I’ve ever heard,” But this–this has been on time too many.”  Really?! And if Wolverine’s meddling is what caused the shattered continuum, why did it take so long?  Surely it should have happened the minute he altered time the third time, not hours later.

As I said, the end of the issue wasn’t necessarily what I’ve been waiting for in the past nine issues.  But I admit that the issue itself has merit for what it will now cause in the Marvel Universe.  The last few pages, Ultimate Spider-Man meets Galactus of Earth 616.  Pym has some sort of major realization, which I am really interested to find out.  But I think what causes it to be a slight let down for me, is Angela appearing in the Marvel Universe.  I had no idea who she was as I read it.  I apologize for my comic book ignorance for those readers now yelling at how stupid I am (I hear you).  I’ve since looked her up, but it just didn’t have the impact that it probably did for you who knew the character.  I am definitely looking forward to Avengers A.I., if only because I’m surprised to see Doctor Doom on the roster.

Reader’s Review: Age of Ultron #6-7

Let’s just get into the thick of things shall we reader?  Issue #6 of AoU, wow.  Just, insane.  Brian Michael Bendis out did himself in this issue for the series.  So much going on, and so much I don’t want to spoil for you guys who haven’t checked it out yet.  First off, I want to just make a small comment…young(er) Nick Fury, kind of cute.  But Wolverine in the past, Fury’s squad in the future.  There is a lot that happens in just one small issue.  I love the call back with past Nick Fury’s flying car.  Such a thing of the past, yet even today the car looks cool with wheels turned down to keep it flying.

Was it just me, or does Wolverine look a lot older in this issue?  Maybe I didn’t notice it in the back issues, and I’ll have to look at them again.  But mainly with his hair, it just seemed to be a grayer hue.  He looked almost like old man Logan (well not that old).  And when those in the future reached New York, I thought it before Tony said it.  No matter how insane Ultron is, that place was beautiful.  And I don’t want to give too much away for issue #6 so I will just leave you with: Sue.  Logan.  Hank.  Captain.

Issue #7 starts off with, for me, one of the biggest realizations I am quite unhappy with.  Logan’s actions have now made it impossible for Billy Kaplan to have been born.  Not liking Wolverine right now!  Besides that though, 7 was a pretty good issue.  Trying to figure out who all the variations of heroes were was somewhat annoying.  Until you get to the back of the book you aren’t sure.  But I like that the Defenders are back!  Dr. Strange really does not get enough credit, I feel.

I liked the call backs Bendis is giving to the normal time continuum and the repercussions that have changed the new continuum.  The Skrull-Kree War, the Secret Invasion, and I’m guessing that the Civil War probably went a little different too.  But compared to #6, the cliff-hanger wasn’t as nearly as big of a surprise.  He pretty much gave it away when Sue and Logan first found saw the Starkguards.  Still cannot wait until the next issue, of course!  I’m already impatient and I just finished the issue.  But Bendis really hit it out of the park with #6.  Go and read these, reader.  That’s all I’m saying.

Reader’s Review #1: Age of Ultron

I have talked before about wanting to catch up to the current series, rather than being a year behind with collected editions.  It’s finally happened reader!  Drove about twenty minutes away to one of the better comic book stores near me, and went and bought a ton of comic books.  So in response to the change of format for my reading, my writing this blog shall reflect it.

I’m going to start a new series of posts, as you can see above.  Each week at least once, maybe more (don’t want to promise you too much), I will give you my opinions and reviews of what I am reading that week.  And what a perfect time to get started with comic books!  Marvel made this especially easy for me (I’m sure they had me firmly in their minds) with revamping all of their series.  Taking the cue from DC’s New 52 relaunch, all the series have started back at #1.

And with this new age of blog posts, let’s start off looking at Marvel’s newest age.  Everyone’s been talking about it (running with the crowd here)!  Age of Ultron.  What do you think reader?  Liking it so far?  I have to say, I am sort of getting tired of Marvel continually jumping from era to era, age to age.  With that in mind, I am liking what I’m reading so far!

Age of Ultron #1-2 only in this post (my local stores were out of 3&4).  I like the post-apocalyptic world.  I love it more because we’re dropped right inside of it.  It’s a different plot dynamic that comic book series don’t really use very often.  I appreciate the change of pace a lot, rather than the usual everything-is-going-great-until… motif.  Especially in the light of a very familiar Avenger’s bad guy, who many times has shown up, almost destroyed the world, then at the last second is beaten back.  It’s refreshing to turn the tables, show the heroes at their lowest point, and the reader is left with only hope they might rise up.

One of my favorite aspects of the series so far are Brian Michael Bendis’ use of the characters.  I like that, in the face of the Ultron-apocalypse, it is Hawkeye that is stepping up and pushing for what’s right.  Especially when some of the powerhouses have obviously given up.  It also amuses me that, even at the end of humanity’s reign, Tony Stark is able to build himself a newer looking suit.  The dude cannot help himself with his toys!

I don’t really have much bad to say in the way of the story (gasp! a first).  It’s starting off to be a really promising mini-series.  And even better I was finally able to use the Marvel AR app!  If you read my earlier post about it, I could not get it to work for the AvX collected edition.  I’m guessing that it’s easier with the comic books.  So as many of you probably already know, it’s just an added bit of awesomeness to the comic book.