Another example of how lousy Tony Stark is with keeping his secret identity.

Written by: Warren Elis
Art by: Adi Granov

What Happened:

Tony and his long-lost-military-biologist-with-a-problem Maya are en route to get the dude who killed a whole building full of people using Maya's Extremis project (that's her problem I just mentioned!). Extremis is a military grade medicine which makes people stronger, faster, and able to breath fire.” When Tony asks the question: “How can a medicine make a guy breath fire?” Maya answers: “It's a comic book/Extremis alters how the mind repairs the body”.

Tony goes to an empty hanger where the Iron Man suit has been delivered. One clever pilot has realized the Iron Man-sized box probably doesn't have Tony's car in it. Tony admits that Iron Man is inside and that the dude who pilots the thing loves being inside a box. Plausible story! Secret identity remains safe!

Mallen, the fellow who used the Extremis project and is now killing willy-nilly has a flash back to his extremist, militant family who are killed by federal agents. Seeing his crazy mom, angry dad and plain dumb brothers unjustly shot after trying to shoot the agents first with their stolen guns is what drives Mallen's noble cause of killing building security workers.

Well, Iron Man just has to be the bad guy and put a stop to Mallen. Tony finds the terrorists with Mallen in tow on the highway. He manages to handle the first two guys, who are not laser-proof, with his hand that shoots lasers. But when Mallen, who can take his lasers like a man, shows up Iron Man gets his butt handed to him.

Thoughts: Maybe Iron Man should have waited till they were off the highway to attack.

The Iron Man suit is upgraded with a flashlight.

Written by: Warren Elis
Art by: Adi Granov

What Happened:

Tony visits his friend Maya who's having one of those days. One of those days where her boss killed himself after selling her experimental “Extremis Project” to some no-good-nicks. Tony's also having a lousy day where his employees don't want to go out of business but Tony really doesn't feel like showing up to work. They are both feeling pretty blue. Well, Tony knows what can make them both feel better, a visit to their crazy druggie friend Sal who lives in the woods. This is also my method for feeling better. Or feeling anything at all.

While visiting Sal who lives in San Francisco, loves raw food diets, listens to The Grateful Dead and is in no way a cliché, the no-good-nicks attack an office building. One of them has gotten really good at punching people into two pieces thanks to the Extremis. He takes this opportunity to show this talent off. Everyone is impressed/dead.

After talking about drugs for three pages, Tony and Maya watch news footage of the attack. Maya can tell it's the work of the people who have the Extremis. Secretly, Tony calls for his Iron Man suit to be flown to him. The Iron Man suit is notoriously difficult to punch into two pieces.

Thoughts: Warren Ellis knows a lot about drugs.

Part one of another story where Iron Man builds a better Iron Man suit.

Written by: Warren Ellis
Art by: Adi Granov

What Happened:

Some fellas are up to no good because they put some chemical in their buddy's neck and he started flipping out. Seriously. He did not like that stuff in his neck.

Meanwhile, Tony Stark is living in his garage. His secretary nags him to get out of there since he hasn't left it in weeks. He doesn't want to go but then she reminds him that he has to be interviewed for a documentary about how horrible he is. So Tony bathes, has an imaginary boyfriend/girlfriend fight with himself in the mirror, and goes to the interview.

Tony wins the interview by letting the director know he's worthless and by giving a bunch of neat facts about why the weapons he made are pretty good for everyone if you stop and think about it. Go ahead and stop and think about it. No. No, not like that. No, you have to stop and think about it Tony's way.

Tony gets a call from an old friend from back when he was a jerk. Her boss killed himself because he let “extremis” get out. He also believed he has never loved and no one has ever loved him, which will be even harder now since he shot his face off with a gun.

Meanwhile, that dude with the stuff in his neck is starting to come around to the stuff. It's an aquired taste like coffee.

Thoughts: Tony Stark hates people looking at his car.

There is a high speed/stop motion photography look to Hardman's action scenes. This scene in particular jumped out at me. Rocks flying everwhere as Red Hulk busts through a wall in the background. Like it's not big enough of a deal to put front and center in the panel. "Aw yeah, he destroys walls like that all the time. No big whoop."

Next up, well, Frazer Irving filled Batman and Robin #15 with tons of great, stand out images but they are all way too spoiler-y for me to put up here. Thankfully, Joker dances with a skeleton for three pages of this book.

See, I never really learned how to dance. So, I'm really impressed when I see it done well.

Joker finally found love. But with how decomposed she is already, how long can it truly last? Sigh.

That girl is taking that Halloween costume a step too far.

Yo.

Remember 'dat show from a while back? You know, the one everyone cared about and had that awesome mystery going on among old technology, super science, historical intrigue, magic, and religion? The show about the island and the dog and the flashbacks. You know, Lost.

Morning Glories is like Lost. If you've ever spoken with me about Lost you might think this is a stab at the comic by writer Nick Spencer and artist Joe Eisma, but that ain't the truth. I compare Lost to Morning Glories like one might compare their lover's eyes to the brightest skies. Unless the lover has a color of eye other than blue, then we're out of luck. Unless you don't like blue eyes. Then you're in luck. Actually? You know what? You focus on looks too much anyway. Have a conversation with the person before you decide whether or not you like them!

The nerve of some people...

Take the best parts of Lost, the best parts of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the best parts of Marvel's The Runaways, and the second best parts of Lost and you got Morning Glories.

Its got mystery. Everything is so dang mysterious. The characters, the locales, even what these people in the background walking around are doing. Man, what ARE they doing? It's all mysterious and I want to know everything. But Morning Glories has decided to instead let me know nothing. Nothing at all. It'll just keep being mysterious and I'll love it.

It blends the genres it borrows from well. Morning Glories #3 opens with people from Spain in the year 1490 held in a dungeon. It ends with a school girl and a prophecy. Somewhere in the middle, secret agents chase a girl so an evil nurse can drill a hole into her head but are then killed by a mysterious bald woman in an insane asylum. This all makes total sense in the comic. At any point in Morning Glories the gears can shift and what was a cheesy high school horror story rumbles into a psychological thriller.

The issues are serialized enough that someone could pick up this issue and not feel totally lost. Efforts are taken to keep the characters from referencing past issues. It makes the comic feel more like a serialized television show written with each week's new viewers in mind.

Art is cinematic and eye-poppingly comprehensible. I get a real sense of direction and editing with these panels. And my eyes just glided across the pages, smoothly and without hubbub. I hate comic book page hubbub! To be fair, Joe Eisma's art isn't on display here as much as last issue. This is because the plot of Morning Glories #3 does not include a classroom filling it water as the kids struggle to escape. Repeat, it does NOT include that. So there is a little less razzle-dazzle from Eisma here, but he still makes a complicated story a pleasure to read.

I like Morning Glories a lot. There was a huge amount of hype behind this book before it showed up, and it seems like that hype was very justified. Morning Glories is proving to be a wild ride with each issue. In a world where readers are increasing “waiting for the trade” Morning Glories is worth picking up each month.

But seriously Morning Glories. Stay Lost Seasons 1-2. Don't become Lost Seasons 3-5.

Before that though, hey, Matt Fraction? Why don't you tell us how you feel while writing a big action scene in Casanova Luxura #4? (Art by Gabriel Ba.)

This is how you write captions in the big leagues.

Noooow... Strange Tales II #1, here we go. An entire issue jam packed with awesome pro-wrestling redesigns of Marvel's Mutants, Kraven hunting for a prom date, a fat Wolverine and an awkward Sentinel, and what do I pick? Jeff Lemire's stuff, natch'.

Jeff Lemire, can you draw things killing bears all the time? Or at least draw Man Thing all the time. (Asking for both would be selfish.)

If I ever get the change to ask Jeff Lemire for a sketch, I'm definitely asking for more Man Thing. This dude looks great through Lemire's art.

Thor's first day as a waiter, and he accidently brings calimari to the wrong dude.

Man, what a misleading cover.

I mean, I took one look at this cover and thought “Namor battles another hero because of some form of miss-communication? I've read this story before a hundred times!” And well, I have. Getting into big stupid fights with other heroes just to make their tales a little more epic is Namor's whole M.O. He's got a quota to reach after all. If Namor doesn't get into at least a dozen fights with Captain America or Iron Man for no reason, the chief will have his badge!!

Anyway, like I was saying Namor's usually a jerk. But in this issue he isn't. In Thor The Mighty Avenger #5, Namor is a pretty cool dude.

Which helps even things out because with Thor and I could take or leave 'em. Roger Langridge writes an arrogant but likeable Thor in this series. He's portrayed as a man (God, actually) anchored to reality by those he surrounds himself with. Whether it be the Warriors Three as in last issue or Jane Foster as in Thor The Mighty Avenger #5, the people in his life keep him centered. But, when those people aren't constantly whispering a calming “don't freak out” into Thor's ear, he freaks out.

Naturally, there are freak outs a'plenty. Thor The Mighty Avenger is an out of continuity story, retelling Thor's origins in a manner closer to that of his upcoming film. Each issue involves Thor encountering a new Marvel hero and he does he best to learn from the experience. The “experience” being his “freak out”.

The art by Chris Samnee comes dangerously close to childish in these pages. Its this brush with deathly immaturity which creates some of this issue's best moments, thankfully. The images of a soaking wet Thor holding onto the rim of a flying chariot or of an insulted Loki mocking his furious Norse brother would not work under a pen of an artist who took himself too seriously. With them steering the lines, these scenes would seem overly comical and out of place. Samnee's subtle silliness make these moments breathe life into the story.

There's nice quite moments in this issue, a bit of a rarity in the super-hero genre. Sometimes the comic just doesn't have any more conflict to throw at its heroes so they just sorta hang out. It's nice. I don't think I've ever seen Namor loaf around. But he must sometimes! Who doesn't enjoy a good loaf?

The relationship between Loki and Thor in Thor The Mighty Avenger is different from that of the main Marvel books. Although it is hard to trust Loki, the God of Lies does appear to be genuinely attempting to help his brother return home. The idea that Loki is more than just a force of constant evil and mischief, that he may at times have loyalties to his family, humanizes him.

That's really what makes his issue so great. The humanizing of usually one-sided characters like Thor and Namor. Thor has always been boastful, but now he is flawed and kind of a stubborn jerk. Namor has always been sure of himself, but now he's humbled by the trials of ruling his kingdom. Loki has always lied for his own benefit, but now he's lying for his brother's.

I'm a little late to the party with Thor The Mighty Avenger, I just started reading it at issue #4. But if every issue is as easy to jump into the world of and explore as Thor The Mighty Avenger #5, I give it my industrial sized stamp of approval. You know, the one the size of a car tire.

Wolverine Origins (2006) #11 - [Marvel app for iPhone and iPad]
Wolverine's met his jerk son and realized the kid's a jerk! Then we get to see how much of a jerk. Author Daniel Way can writes Wolverine a little too overdramtically for my tastes but his portrayal of Daken is great. A villain you really enjoy to loathe. Steve Dillon art looks great on the iPhone's screen, even if it is a little stiff at times.

Young Avengers (2005) #1 - [Marvel app for iPhone and iPad]
Allan Heinberg writes the teen book the world has been waiting for. Smart, fun, modern, and full of action and drama. Jim Cheung's art tend to make everyone look 14, including Captain America, but he can draw a super hero battle with the best of them. A great first issue and the beginning of a great series.

Supertron #1 - [ComiXology app for iPhone and iPad, Comic Reader for PS3 and PSP]
Sheldon Vella, artist and writer of Supertron has created something so weird and poppy and kinetic it has to be noticed. Not always the most sensical of stories, Supertron is at the VERY least always a blast to look at. Robots getting into school yard brawls and fearing the wraith of their war machine mothers tend to produce interesting visuals (or so I've noticed in my journeys).

Answer to first question: No. But Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern of avarice is still making a Christmas list, just in case.

I guess Larfleeze never noticed that Santa Claus had the same handwriting as his parents.

Answer to second question: Yes. Very yes. In a related note, as a public service to you Four Panel Folly and TWiP would like you to become familiar with what a Viking on 'shrooms looks like so you may avoid them in the future.

Stay vigilant.

The Flash finally gets pulled over for speeding.

Visuals! At the end of the day, comics are a medium made up from visuals. Symbols, text, pictures, etc. etc., it's all visually delivered to the reader. The stuff is pretty dang important.

Shamefully, I more often than not focus on the writing side of comic books with my articles. But, hey, talking about stories is easy and natural. Talking about pictures is just clammy and rarely does the image or the description justice.

Well, heck with justice. I'm a criminaaaaal! Let's talk about Francis Manapul's artwork. Let's talk about Brian Buccellato's colors. Let's. Talk. Visuals.

Author Geoff Johns' (CRAP!) reboot of The Flash has been one I've had mixed feelings about. I'll admit I miss Wally as the Flash as well as the blue collar sensibility Johns was writing him with but with Barry Allen having returned as the Flash things are much brighter. Both figurative and literally. LET'S FOCUS ON THE LITERAL... which... is ironically the visual...

The painted colors of Buccellato are gorgeous. Not only are they a bright visual treat but they evoke a sense of pulp comic book covers and Norman Rockwell americana.

The dude also does a good job handling the speed of this comic. This is fortunate since the Flash is often going very, very fast. Colorists sometimes have trouble with this aspect of super powered pigmentation but Buccellato's got it covered.

As for Manapul's line work, it's really great stuff. The two page spread of the Flash running across a helicopter's rotor blade is worth The Flash #4's issue price alone.

Manapul juggles a large cast of characters and never lets things get visually confusing. You always know exactly what going on in these pages. That's even more a feat when you consider the fact that half of the cast is wearing nearly identical outfits to the other half.

Now, to get to the lame stuff... you know what I'm talking about. The writing... Psh! Who even BOTHERS talking about that stuff... Oh well, here I go...

Geoff Johns writing for The Flash is still solid. Right after the starting gunshot of Barry Allen's marathon, he's got to deal with a time traveling plot. Traditionally, I don't care much for Flash time travel stories but this one by Johns has enough twists and turns to keep me interested. Also, I'm still in love with the idea of the old Mirror Master leaving behind a Doomsday Device/Pane of Glass with the words “In Case The Flash Returns Break Glass” etched across them. Plus, let's not forget all the pretty pictures Johns made for this issue-- oh wait that's right. HE DIDN'T DO THEM.

Nyeh! Take that, you... you... writer!

Now, if you don't mind, I'm about to go off and be a founder of Image Comics.