It’s frustrating how difficult it is to buy comics online. I don’t own an iPad yet, as the main reason I will be buying one will be to purchase comics. Every week when I walk through the rows at my LCS, I come across new books that I want to try but cannot afford. In this economy, my comic dollar is maxed out, and I am having to pass up series that I know I will enjoy were I able to purchase them cheaply.

ENTER: digital comics. Even though I personally feel $2 is too much to pay for a digital issue, I’m willing to spend it since hey- it’s cheaper than $4. I’ll even sit at my desk and read the thing on my computer. Simply put, I’d like to read more books. Here are the reasons why this isn’t happening for me.

#1. The purchasing methods suck. Graphic.ly, Longbox, Comixology. They all use some type of crappy Flash-based interface to function. Us Macintosh users are well aware that Flash doesn’t play well with our toys of choice. I just finished attempting to buy a book through Comixology’s store on three different browsers. I was first forced to upgrade my version of Flash (the old version worked perfectly, why do I need to upgrade, Adobe?). Now, the store doesn’t work.

#2. The model sucks. Comics that I purchase using Longbox can’t be read using Graphic.ly, and vice versa (at least there is no easily visible solution). MP3s purchased from the Apple store can be played with Winamp or other programs. There is no option to right-click the comics in my library and reveal their location on my hard drive. If I’m migrating to a new machine, where is the folder containing my “comics” that I need to drag to the new hard drive? If the Apocalypse comes and all the Internet servers are destroyed, can I still read my comics from my hard drive (this doesn’t seem to be the case with the free samples they give- maybe it’s different when you actually drop cash on a book)?

#3. Nothing new is online. Ok, maybe I should say that very little new content is online. If there are new books being released, I’m not aware of them. In the past month, I’ve wanted to buy Wonder Woman #600 & #601, Velocity #1, Morning Glories #1, and a hand full of other one-shots and books whose names I can’t remember. None of these are available online, and I’m can’t afford the full price of a hard copy. True, there is the logic that if I can’t afford something, I should not own it. Yet, from a business model, there is a potential customer right now. I’m willing to pay for something that I know how to obtain for free. I can’t be the only one who feels the same way.

Can you tell that I’m frustrated right now . I do feel better after venting.

I love comic books and I believe that the people who make them deserve to be compensated for what they do. However, with regard to bootlegging, I am going to quote Chris Rock: “I ain’t sayin’ it’s right… but I understand.” And really, it’s so damn EASY to find a bootlegged copy of all the popular titles.

The question that is posed is: How elaborate of a system do we need to create for distributing these books? Because that seems to be the main obstacle hindering easy online distribution. Is DMR necessary? The books are so easy to get as it is, will having a DMR make a difference? If it doesn’t, then digital distributors should start password protecting PDFs and selling the passwords asap, because they’re losing sales every week that goes by. Apple got rid of their DMR a while ago and as far as I have heard they plan to keep it that way.

But maybe digital comics without DMR will only increase the number of illegal copies on the Internet. Who is to say. What do people think?

This is just a test to see how well Oovoo will work over the web. It’s a little creepy to communicate with strangers, but seeing as how there is no personal identification I don’t think it can hurt.

So if you want to try a random web cam chat (similar to Skype), use the link below. You shouldn’t have to download anything.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

When Apple first released the original iPod, many mp3 players were on the market. I’m not even sure what it was about the iPod that was so attractive and set it apart from other devices in the field. Maybe it was the design? It wasn’t too revolutionary: it was rather large, and featured a moving wheel interface that the user used to navigate through menus. It wasn’t a “touch” device, as most people associate with all versions of the iPod and iPhone: the wheel actually had a flat disc that the user rotated. It wasn’t until the second version that a touch sensor recognized a hand. I wonder if it was the size of the iPod that make it stand out. The original iPod had an actual hard drive, unlike the solid state drives that were used in the other mp3 players at the time. This allowed the user to store a whooping 5 gigs (I believe) of songs. At the time, this was a massive amount of storage. Maybe it was the system of syncing the iPod with the Macintosh (the original didn’t work with Windows), iTunes, and the iTunes Music Store. Whatever it was, I remember that there was a lot of media surrounding the release. Hey, it’s Apple: that’s what they do. They presented that thing as if they invented mp3 players. It was a minor hit, until Apple made their infant savior available to the Windows crowd, after which it became a major success.

Many people are comparing the iPad to the iPhone. The iPhone was revolutionary: it was a new concept used to complete age old tasks (making a phone call, mobile web, etc.). The iPad isn’t this: we’ve had portable digital media readers before (Kindle), we’ve had tablet PCs, we’ve have computer monitors with touch screen (Wacom even developed a horizontal monitor that you could draw on with a stylus), and we’ve had a device that an entirely graphical interface with soft buttons (the iPhone). Just like the iPod, the iPad is taking a bunch of pre-existing technologies and melding them into one concept. It’s not a new product, but it is a new way of making the product. Also like the iPod, Apple is introducing a secondary product delivery function: the iBook Store. If the iPad is successful, it is the combination of these functions that will set it apart from the competition. Assuming that Apple has a far enough head start.

And that leads to the topic of competition. Many Apple supporters, fans, and critics alike are skeptical of the success and usefulness of the iPad. Many consumers are saying that they are going to wait and see before buying. Many, probably current iPhone and iPod touch owners, are saying that they don’t have a use for the iPad. So why is it that Apple’s competitors are working so quickly to bring rival products to the market? I read weekly news articles about other tablet PCs that are supposed to challenge and de-thrown the iPad. This product doesn’t even technically exists, yet somehow Apple was able to create a market for it.

The only solid reason that I can think of for the rush to own the tablet market is simple because the alternative is too risky to take. Companies like Napster and Amazon are still trying to make a dent in the downloadable music market, because Apple had that much of a head start. The iTunes Music Store put a huge dent (supposedly) in traditional CD sales. The mp3 player market is dominated by the iPod and not including the business market (which is dominated by RIM’s Blackberry), the iPhone is the most popular cell phone available. Before Apple can hack away at the sales of Brick and Mortar establishments such as Barnes & Noble and Borders AND online retailers like Amazon, other players are trying to get into the game to get a piece of the first-mover’s-advantage-pie. Apple has proven so successful in the past, that electronics companies are willing to risk the R&D investment to create tablet computers to compete against a product that they probably don’t even think will sell. They have too much to lose if they are wrong.

These are the types of things that have been on my mind recently. I’m throwing them out there as suggestions to help people get a feel for what I have been into lately.

-Comic collection management software

-A frame for my Coachella poster

-Ticketmaster gift card

-Ice Skates (hockey- cheap, generic ones)

-A Palm Pre (Amazon.com has reasonable a reasonable price)

-Nintendo Wii stuff/games

-Vibram running shoes

-Graphic Novels

-Stuff for my office (We’re getting a fish tank for it…)

-Tupperware

-Cooking supplies

-Digital Camera

-Swimming equipment (waist size 28-30)

-Running shorts/clothing

So I can’t say that I haven’t been affected by Michael Jackson’s passing. Anyone who knows me well knows that I love to bust out MJ styled dance moves and have been doing so since I was a child. I know the lyrics to most of the song’s that he’s penned and own all of his major albums (including the 1st run gold edition of HIStory, which is already a collectors item).

But at the same time, I’m troubled because I know that the man’s life was rife with controversy. Why should I be sad because of his passing? I didn’t know Michael Jackson the man, and quite frankly I’m glad that I didn’t. His upbringing was tragic, he was a terrific liar, and he may have been guilty of everything he was accused of. I am sad because of the passing of Michael Jackson the public icon. It is the performer that people loved, and ultimately it is the performer that will be missed.

People talk about what the best Michael Jackson album/period of music was. My dad claims that it was Off the Wall, right when he found his independence but did music that was still mainstream. My co-worker claims that it was during Bad, because of how fun the music was. Dangerous has personal appeal to me, because I was too young to know any of the previous albums as “new”. I got to watch reruns of The Way You Make Me Feel video, but I didn’t get to see it when the was the premier video of the week. I got to listen to Beat It by watching old VHS tapes, but I didn’t get to hear it tear up the radio charts. Rap was the hot ticket in 1992 when Dangerous was released, and my fun poppy MJ music was somewhat of a relic in the world of a kid. I remember the exact moment, on my bed in our house in Antioch, while listening to my first radio ever when Mark S. Allen (of 102.5 KSFM, my favorite radio station back then) announced that he was going to play a NEW Michael Jackson song. When Slash’s guitar sang out from behind those thin wire speakers, and Michael sang, “I took my baby on a Saturday bang….” I remember my cheeks hurting because I was smiling so hard. It sounded like a traditional MJ song, yet… it was modern! And when the rap began, I began bouncing on my bed because I knew it was going to be a smash. Soon after, the video was released on prime time television after the Simpsons (the most popular show of the day). If I’m not mistaken, all of the major stations were premiering it. He had two or three major video debuts that all aired on prime time television, and the day after each, no one talked about anything else. Even Mrs. Fitz (may she rest in peace), our teacher gave us lessons on the new computer technology behind the special effects. And then the first trial happened and nothing was the same. Sad.

And while I do agree that his older music was the most fun and is the stuff people will always listen to most frequently, it was his newer music that truly was his best work. HIStory was an angry album full of depression. Michael even swore, using “damn” and “fuck” as well as featuring the Notorious B.I.G. rapping about being a “killing n*gga”. Of course, this truly artist work was his most personal, and when it became personal it became “ick”, for lack of a better word. The magic was gone, and none of us wanted to know MJ and his issues- we wanted our icon back. We wanted someone who resembled us, not a King who couldn’t stand to dress, much less look, like one of use. When Invincible came in the early 2000′s, the public liked his two hits but quickly forgot about them when the second trial hit. Yet soon after, in the clubs during the mid to late 2000′s, the public was rediscovering his older, fun music and his public image was recovering. But then Yesterday happened before either his new concert nor his new back-burner album was released.

I consider myself lucky to be born in the era that I was, because I had the fortune of being a child during the period when Michael Jackson was most popular and a universally accepted icon. It seems like at every major milestone in my youth, I was discovering a new MJ album. More than the music itself were the memories associated with it. I remember watching the old Moonwalker video with my cousins, imitating the moves, marveling at the dancing bunny, and flying around pretending to be the giant robot. My brothers, cousins and I played the Moonwalker videogame religiously, and even knew how to catch the shooting start and turn into the robot! I used to sneak behind my parent’s back to watch the video for Thriller, and then run off to bed scared and crying because of the zombies. Yet, that didn’t stop me from watching it again. I remember the crushes of my youth, and how each girl was associated with a Michael Jackson song. At junior high dances I first tried to spin and kick, only to be laughed at. I wouldn’t master it until a few years later, when I got to show off at high school dances. I would sing Man in the Mirror (I still do, at times) in the shower, inspired, wanting to make a change in the world. Michael Jackson as a performer helped inspired two important aspects of the adult person I am becoming (fyi, I don’t believe we every truly stop developing).

First, he had an amazing stage presence and I decided back then as a kid that I was going to perform. While it was quickly apparent that I was not going to become a singer or dancer, I found other spotlights to hold, such as track races in a pack stadium, teaching, and in public speaking. Of course, I still make the occasional weekend trips to the local Karaoke spot, where it’s fun to live out childhood fantasies three minutes at a time =P.

Second, I picked up the idea that each of us had a responsibility to the world community. In church they told us that we were to look out after our neighbor and they modeled how we were stewards of our community. Yet as a kid, Michael Jackson was the only person in the real world (and certainly the celebrity world) whom I ever saw doing real charity work and putting out the message out that we all need to contribute. Regardless of what his motivations for charity were or the fact that lots of celebrities were doing charity work in less conspicuous fashions, Michael was the one I saw and who inspired me. At one time (he still may, I don’t know), he held the world record for the most money given away to charity. I wanted to be rich so that I could give it all away.

It was strange. When I first heard about Michael’s passing, I didn’t feel sad, nor did I hope or wish that he were alive, as I have when learning about the passing of other people. I was able to accept immediately that he was no longer here. Maybe part of me was glad that Michael’s fallible human presence was no longer around to taint the memory of the pop icon who represented the better part of human nature. Or maybe as I get older I am learning not to fear death, but to accept it’s inevitability. Regardless, he is gone, and his passing is a reminder of my youth that passed long before he did. May it rest in peace.

Writer: Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

Art: Giovanni Rigano (p)(i), Paolo Lamanna (c)

Pros: A complete story, set up into chapters, with complex characters and enough depth to establish a series of stories.

Cons: Fantastic artwork and storytelling techniques like this should have been applied to an original story.

Overall Rating: ●●●●●●●◦◦

I don’t have time at the moment to write a complete review. However, I just finished reading this book and I enjoyed it so much that I had to write a quick piece on it. The graphic novel that I read is an adaptation of a book.

For people that don’t know, Artemis Fowl is one of the fantasy book series written for young adults that followed the popularity wake that Harry Potter sent through the industry. While the books may share the same genre, the similarities end there. In this series, the protagonist is a villain from a family of corporate criminals. The family has fallen from financial grace, and fourteen-year-old Artemis is a genius who has taken it upon himself to restore his family’s wealth. His plan involves the exploitation of fairies and their age-old culture.

The story is incredibly visual, and it moves fast and frequently. I can understand the appeal of the book (which I have not read), as it must allow the reader plenty of opportunity to apply their imagination to the visual creation of a host of fantasy creatures and their underground world. Fowl’s mansion as well resembles Bruce Wayne and Uncle Scrooge’s residences. Creating a graphic novel of this story is a challenge, as Rigano and Lamanna have the task of at least matching, if not besting, the world created by the readers’ imaginations. The job they do an excellent job of this- the world they create is rich and fanciful, while believable at the same time. Rigano choses to do most of his work within the panels, not utilizing the panels themselves much to express mood and pacing. Even so, the angles within each frame vary significantly, and are detailed enough that they give the reader a cinematic experience. I particularly enjoyed the character designs- I felt as if I was reading a Don Bluth movie. The characters are very consistent- even when wearing different outfits. This was of particular importance when drawing Butler, a key character of the story, as he switches clothing several time during the story.

Lamanna does some amazing work with his colors. Each setting has it’s own pallet, which is particularly effective during the scene shifts and flashbacks used intermittently by Colfer/Donkin. Softer colors are used to flesh out the fairy creatures, and the pages light up like an Anime film. The colors are so smooth, in fact, that many panels look as if they are screen shots taken from an animated feature film. I particularly like the scene where Holly leaves on a magma flare- it is epic in scope.

In adapting the story from a graphic novel, Donkin and Colfer’s biggest challenge was the pacing. In a book, chapters can alter between dialogue heavy scenes and action based sequences- particularly with a book from the fantasy genre. When translated to a visual sequence, those same action sequences which took many pages to describe in the book can be illustrated with a few panels in the graphic novel. Dialogue, on the other hand, requires a lot of tedious panels which often depict little action. Artemis Fowl successfully moves through various settings at a quick, satisfying pace. The action does not move too fast, and allows the reader enough time to familiarize themselves with the places and characters. My favorite storytelling technique is the visual flashback, used a couple of times early on in the story. While it is possible to describe a sequence with words, the simplicity of a single illustrated panel is far more effective. I suspect that this was an addition to the story used exclusively in the GN adaptation.

Each chapter of the story is concluded with a mock “file” of a place or setting from the story, usually featured prominently in the preceding chapter. It is a creative technique of building up character and event history without wasting space in the story itself. Such information can easily be thrown in between chapters using a narrative. However, it greatly slows the pace when telling the story visually.

Overall, Artemis Fowl does an excellent job placing the reader in the middle of events and building the setting and mood. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun story told with solid graphic fundamentals. Even though the story is just an adaption of a book, the story stands on its own and the reader does not need any knowledge of the book series (or even that there is a book). This is an example of what can be achieved with sequential art when creating a true graphic novel.

The Quick and Dirty

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artists: Billy Tan(p), Danny Miki/ Allen Martinez (i), Frank D’Armata (c)

Pros: An important protagonist is revealed; Marauders (!); good dialogue and the phrase “damn it” is not even muttered; the stage is set for the final Cyclops vs. Xavier showdown; Proudstar is awesome.

Cons: Bishop forgets how to use his power

Who should buy it: Bishop fans; readers following M.C.

Overall Rating: ●●● ●●● ◦◦◦ (6/9)

The Details

The Art:

Billy Tan’s art is hit or miss. D’Armata works well with him to create depth, and their styles definitely blend well- that is all fine and dandy. My biggest issue is Tan’s facial expressions. On page 7 panel 1, Bishop is cooly giving Gambit dirty looks while Remy flicks a deck of exploding cards at him (a sweet maneuver, by the way). I know cards can be quicker than a person’s feet and hands, but not faster than a shoulder flinch or even a surprised/worried facial expression. Two panels later he’s mugging for the camera like its the cover of a rap album. Yet one panel later Tan draws a fantastic howl of agony. Like I said- hit or miss.

Despite the funny faces, there are some real winning panels in this issue. I love Bishop’s boots page 3 panel 1 (nice work done by D’Armata). The exact same can be said of the 4th panel on the next page. The vertigo panel on page 5 is the second best scene in the issue! From here on out in any comic book, whenever Vertigo uses her power it should look like this. Bishop’s shooting pose on the last panel and Vertigo’s reception of the bullet make for a fantastic and dynamic scene.

The concentration camp scenes from the future look great and are consistent with the ones done in the other books. Tan may be my favorite artist to draw Layla- too bad she has that hideous tat on her face. The contrast between kid Bishop and his adult self was very nicely done as well.

Cable on the bottom of page 20 looks great, and I almost suspect that it was drawn by an uncredited artist (much like Rob Liefeld, Erik Larsen, and even Joe Maduria used to do on X-Force, X-Factor and Youngblood in the 90′s).

My favorite scene in the issue, hands down, is the group shot of X-Force and the remaining X-Men at Eagle Plaza. Wolverine looks fantastic, like a Cassiday drawing. I love Guido, probably the best he’s been drawn this decade since Ryan Sook. Best of all is the three point perspective- it must have been a lot of work to do that with so many characters in the drawing. Tan always uses a lot of real perspective in his drawing, which must be why his pages always have so much depth.

It really bothers me that Bishop’s costume is colored and drawn like he’s an Alcolyte. The costume he is wearing is supposed to be the one designed by Joe Maduria back in the 90′s. He doesn’t have an “M” on his chest, just the top half of a rectangle (like one of the hoops of a Crochet game). And its not red, its orange.

I don’t care much for Miki and Martinez’s inks, but that’s probably because they are following Tan’s pencils very closely. I would, however, like to see Martinez’s inks over regular X-Factor artist Pablo Ramandi’s pencils. They would give his work a sharper edge that is needed.

The Story (possible spoilers):

I’m beginning to wonder if the difference between a good issue of Messiah Complex and a bad one depends not on the creative team, but on the events that are scheduled to occur in each chapter. I say this because typically I have not enjoyed the Uncanny chapters as much as the other chapters. Yet, issue 494 (chapter 10) has been one of my favorites thus far! We get some action, some great character interaction, great dialogue, solid art (as discussed above), and some twists. Either Brubaker stepped up his game on this one, or else he was finally given something interesting to write about.

So far, the main characters of the story have been Cyclops and Cable. With this newest issue, we can add Bishop to that list. Such a revelation is possible this late in the game because his involvement has been cleverly masked: the Marauders were unable to find and silence him, he undoubtedly was the mystery assailant who turned the sentinels on the X-mansion, and a chronal anomaly occurred during his childhood. If the rumors are true, that another X-Man dies during this crossover, my money now rests on a Bishop. He’s been an ignored character for a decade now, and he lost his popularity in the mid 90′s. Making him not only the star of Messiah Complex, but one of the antagonists, is a fit way to groom him for death. And now, with 494, he finally stars in an issue of the story.

Brubaker does a great job with Bishop’s dialogue both before and during his fight with the Marauders. “Gambit– NO! It has to die!” Awesome stuff. I wonder if Bru reads message boards and saw the complains about him using “damn it” every third voice balloon (It seems that he goes out of he way to not use the phrase: Bishop later says “blast it”)?It is also great to hear Gambit once again calling out Bishop as a traitor (an appreciated nod to the 90′s)- except this time he is right. Of course, Bishop is a kettle and Gambit’s just as black, rollin’ with the Marauders and all. The only thing that bothers me about this battle is that Bishop didn’t use his power once: he could have absorbed Gambit’s energy or Sunfire’s in addition to the little bit of charge that he usually saves up for emergencies. I am going to overlook this, and assume there was a reason for this other than Brubaker not knowing what his power is.

When Malice/Omega Sentinel is holding the baby, she mention’s their “mutant tracker”. Is this just a mechanical device the Marauders have, or is she talking about a specific person? Hmmm….

I have to hand it to Jamie and Layla- both seem pretty spunky and upbeat after undergoing such a humiliating, dehumanizing, torturous ordeal. Of course, Layla’s behavior can be interpreted as spooky and emotionally incongruent, which is very much in character. It just breaks my heart to see her disfigured like that.

One of my favorite moments in the issue is the transition between young Bishop in the future and adult Bishop in the present. It really drives home the point that he has been a major player in this event all along. Both he and Angel were brought back from non-X-men-limbo for this story, so it makes me wonder if there are any surprises in store for Warren. Maybe the Angel was brought back to prepare him for a post-Messiah complex team, or else he could be a red herring for the x-traitor guessing game.

It is nice to see Jamie Prime again back at Forge’s place. Emma is standing in the same room in which Bishop reads an entire laundry list of lies- either she wasn’t playing attention, or Lucas is very skilled at deception. It was great to see Bishop’s expression after hearing about Caliban’s death. It seems that he did not plan for anyone to die in his attempt to kill the baby, and that he still cares for the X-Men. It makes the betrayal seem just that more real. I’m liking the continued tension between James and Logan (wasn’t Wolverine’s real first name supposed to be James?). X-Force sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun. The only thing bad about the time spent at Eagle Plaza in this issue is that we are reminded that Guido, Theresa (who was missing from the group illustration) and Monet spent yet another issue doing nothing. At least they are with the group now.

I was hoping that the final showdown of the cross-over was going to take place on two fronts: one at the Mansion and the other at Eagle Plaza in Texas, bringing us full circle. After this scene, that hope is gone. It looks like the final showdown will take place at the Marauder’s H.Q. and/or the Mansion. Who knows, Cooper’s Town may even be a significant location for the Marauders’ plan. Except that we’ve already been there twice, so it is not likely.

My favorite part of the issue is end. Cable doesn’t even trust his own son- he turns to Xavier instead. Somehow he must have known that there was fighting between the two, and that Xavier wouldn’t immediately turn him in. I am assuming that Charles is out in New York City, as that seems to be the Empire State Building we can see of his terrace. Yet another of Cyclops’s mistakes comes to bite him in the ass, as now we are going to have a showdown: Scott Summers and the X-teams vs. his ‘father’ and son. I’m with the latter on this one, as Nathan has a true game plan and seems to know what he’s doing.

I am going to close with some random, last minute thoughts.

The artists have made it a point to showing that the baby has red hair and green eyes. Doesn’t Jean have green eyes (I honestly don’t know)?

Cable must have a mechanical psi-shield located on his shoulder- pretty frickin’ cool. However, he better have a damn good reason for not trusting the X-men- Caliban’s life was the cost of his secrecy.

The Quick and Dirty

Writer: Mike Carey

Art: Chris Bachalo (p),Tim Townsend/Jon Sibal (i), Brian Reber (c)

Pros: A very scary depiction of the future; we finally begin to understand what Cable is doing; terrific art.

Cons: The cover ruins the payoff of this issue’s main plotline; poor Layla!

Who should buy this issue: Any and every fan of the Multiple Man; anyone following the crossover thus far.

Overall Rating: ●●● ●●● ◦◦◦ (6/9)

The Details

The Art:

Bachalo and Reber do an amazing job on the future scenes. I love Reber’s use of reds- with a story that switches settings so frequently, it paints the emotional preparation that the reader needs before stepping back into the concentration camp. Doing so allows us to prepare ourselves for something uncomfortable. Jamie’s face frequently sits in shadow, a device that both hides his marking until the critical reveal at the end of the issue, and also calls the readers to use their imaginations draw in Jamie’s anguish. His and Layla’s situation is draw so brilliantly desolate that we are actually glad when other prisoners arrive on the yard, as their presence staves off some of the lonliness.

The other pages worth mentioning are the roadside pages featuring Cable. There’s a powerful effect to Bachalo’s layout here. He uses it again on the opening two pages of the issue, and in a couple other places. It is so effective because it greets you with an open, scene setting shot, and then brings us in tight to see the characters in detail. In general, Bachalo chooses one particular panel per page to focus on, and the other panels work on the periphery. As this is such a visual story, this technique works very well for Carey’s writing.

Townsend used to be one of my favorite inkers on the title when he layed down Maduria’s pencils. Because Bachelo’s pencils are tight and clunky, it makes it difficult for the inker to express any individuality. Of course, in an issue where the inking chores are split, it is probably a testament to Sibal and Townsend’s skill that it is difficult to tell the difference.

The Story (possible spoilers):

This issue read more like a great issue of X-Factor than Carey’s typically action packed X-Men book, which is 100% okay with me. After last issue’s thrilling knock down, a little breathing room was needed. Of course, this is assuming one can breathing while sitting anxiously on the edge of their seat.

Jamie Madrox is the star of this issue, making this the chapter that I have been waiting for since Messiah Complex began. Unfortunately for Jamie, it’s not a pretty issue. Things look very bleak in the future, and the reader is given a front row seat to the dehumanization that greets new prisoners of the mutant concentration camp. As difficult as it is to watch Jamie stripped of his hair, clothing, identity, and basically his di. gnity- it is far worse watching Layla stripped of hers. At least Madrox is a grown man. And as easy as it is to forget, we also need to remember that he is just a duplicate. As soon as he is killed, his memories will rejoin Jamie Prime, and life in the current timeline will resume.

This isn’t the case for Layla. With even the memory of mutants erased in this future terror, there is little hope that one of the world’s future metahumans will break her out of her cell. Some dampening device must be in effect to keep the current prisoners from using their powers. In short, things look extremely helpless. And Jamie seems to be aware of it all, as his thoughts are always of Layla and not of himself. He protests, fights, and inquires about her wellbeing, and never complains when he gets beat down for it. Carey’s done an excellent job of being able to show both sides of the man over the course of the crossover. I would like to see him write Jamie again, post Messiah Complex. Maybe he’ll get a chance for an issue or two in X-Men: Legacy.

Out on the yard, at the end of the issue we finally get to see the result of the Jamie’s marking: a big “M” tattoo just like the one that Bishop, Shard, and the other X.S.E. members wear. Maybe this could be a sign of hope, as Shard and company may exist in this alternate future. They could save Layla, bring her back to the present time, and then Shard could once again join X-Factor! As amazing as the cover of the issue is, it does spoil what seems to be set up as a surprise at the end of this issue. I for one would have been shocked to learn of Jamie’s marking had it been revealed at the second to last page of the issue. Of course, had it been revealed then, it would have lessened the impact of the shock on the next page (which I will discuss in a moment). And while this dupe’s presence in the future is only temporary, we know from Marker Whitman’s dialogue that the ink is bonded to DNA which I’m sure is supposed to mean that Jamie Prime will have the tat as well when he reunites with his dupe.

Back in the present time, Caliban’s death is dealt with in a way that is almost not sad. I mean, its sad that we won’t ever get to see more of him in action, and I feel bad for Proudstar, but the X-Men really seem to have respect for him. He earned himself a place amongst their ranks the hard way, but as Hepzibah pointed out, what a way to go. Glory blazing and all that. After a great funeral, I think readers will be able to let him rest. I just hope the character is done justice and kept under ground. The one aspect of Caliban’s passing that does bother me is Proudstar’s reaction outside in the snow. He seems caught up in petty return-the-favor feelings rather than sadness and mourning. Of course later in the Blackbird, he’s switched to feelings of revenge, which is more of what I’d expect from him. I wonder who he’s going to take it out on? The Reavers and Deathstrike are dead- I wonder if he thinks he can actually kill Cable? Or maybe he’s mad at Cyclops for sending them on the mission. We’ll have to see.

Notice, that on page 7 panel 2, the image is very pixelated. This means that there was a picture of cyclops that was zoomed in on, and something originally in the background of the panel was edited out. I wonder what was edited out?

The New X-Men’s role in this story seems to be finished. Basically, they whined about not being able to do anything, rebelled, got put in their place and almost got the rest of the X-Men killed, then fixed Cerebra. The main showdown will probably occur without them (with the exception being X-23). Tough rocks for the NXM fans. At least a few of ‘em got to throw down with the Sentinels.

Cable is the other star of this issue, finally reaching his mystery destination. I like that we are returning full circle and heading back to Forge’s place. I was honestly under the impression that Forge’s role in the story was over- kudos to the extremely capable writing squad on this one. As it is, this story-line stands to be the best X-over in history. Of course, all five writers have failed to deliver on the climax at one point or another in their recent careers, so I won’t make any claims yet. However, they have been able to surprise and excite us readers even while telling us in advance what will happen: we all knew an X-Man would die, we all knew a baby was being born, we all knew about the new X-Force, we all knew the Sentinel subplot was being resolved, and we all knew someone would turn traitor. Many Internet fans even believed (correctly) that the traitor would be Bishop.

And with Bishop’s reveal, some may still have been surprised. I was. I thought that the traitor would be Layla, as she has had mysterious motives since day one, has no real loyalty to the X-Men or X-Factor, and keeps many secrets. She even lies about not know things she does know about. While watching Cable run up those steps, I thought it was Mystique holding the gun. She’s To my surprise it was another of Sinister’s operatives: the man from the future. This explains why he was wondering when Bishop would “turn up” many moons ago. Of course, in the last page of the issue, Bish’s eyes are glowing red, leading me to believe that he either is under mind control (Malice), or that he isn’t really Bishop (Sinister or Mystique). If any of these options are true, then Bishop really isn’t a traitor and Layla once again has the opportunity to betray the X-Men. Regardless of her loyalties, in looking at her current state I would have to comment “she better know what she’s doing.”

The Quick and Dirty

Writer: Craig Kyle, Chris Yost

Art: Humberto Ramos (p), Carlos Cuevas (i), Edgar Delgado (c)

Pros: Strong, exciting battle scene; great character interaction; excellent artistic showing; Rahne cutting lose; Warpath showing his true loyalties

Cons: If you haven’t been following the storyline thus far, you unfortunately will not have the opportunity to get the maximum enjoyment from this issue.

Who should buy this issue: Anyone who wants to get a good taste of what the new X-Force book will be like; fans of X-23; fans of Caliban; anyone just looking for a good fight sequence; anyone following the crossover thus far.

Overall Rating: ●●● ●●● ●◦◦ (7/9)

The Details

The Art:

Humberto Ramos came to this show with his A game, let me tell you. I haven’t enjoyed his superhero style this much since Crimson! Edgar Delgado’s colors were amazing. His style is so simple, and clean. He puts down just enough color to give the illusion of depth, and lets your mind do the rest. Many surfaces have an almost edgy texture to them that compliments Carlos Cuevas’ angular inks very nicely. The snowy setting gave the X-Force scene a lot of room to breath, and the negative space was very well used. Many artists who use this much negative space come off as lazy and avoiding detail, but the art team avoids giving off that feels. If this team is the one chosen for X-Force, I would have to pick up the first few issues to give it a chance. I don’t see that happening, however, as Ramos is slated to pencil Runaways next.

I love Ramos’s Rahne! Hands down, this is the best she has ever looked in her current wolf form (I’ve always had a soft spot for her early 90′s form, but I am aware that nostalgia plays a certain role there). I also enjoy his Reavers. Personally I would rather see the cyborg Reavers from the 80′s as opposed to the Body Bags/Clownface wanna be costumes last seen in the early issues of New Mutants (vol. 2), but I like that those little read stories are being acknowledged.

I don’t care for Wolverine’s small Frank Miller styled “ears”, but that is such a minor gripe compared to the rest of such an amazing looking issue.

The Story (possible spoilers):

I was weak with anticipation for chapter 9 after reading this issue. The excitement slowed down for the past two issues, but things have picked up again (at full speed, I might add) in NXM. Two exciting developments occurred in this issue. The most important was the battle between the Reavers and X-Force, which yielded three significant results (X23′s victory, Cable escapes, Caliban). And the second was discovery that Jamie is soon to be branded. One the surface, this seems to be “fun” but inconsequential. However, there may be a deeper implication for the story as a whole.

I’ll talk about Jamie first, since I have a lot to say about X-Force later. This was the sequence that I was hoping to see last issue in X-Factor. We get some wit and fun dialogue between the two. And then in the next issue page, we learn that Jamie is going to get a giant “M” brand on his face like Bishop does. Now, to be fair to PAD, Jamie is a complex character who does more than just exchange wit with his partner in crime. There’s an emotional side to him too, and while the dialogue we got to see last issue in X-Factor was not as fun as the stuff in this issue, it was more necessary to the story. However, the implications of this issues activities are more exciting than all of that. If Jamie is getting an ‘M’ brand like Bishop, Shard, Randal, and all of the other X.S.E. members, then that means that the future timeline that Bishop came from may once again exist! Or at least one similar to it. Seeing as how the writers have left something of a mystery surrounding the B-man in Messiah Complex, this revelation here may be very important for the outcome of these future events.

The three pages that took place at Xavier’s were fun also, because for the first time in this storyline we see Strong Guy and Monet! Also, a strike team is assembled consisting of the remaining non-X-Force characters. Whomever they fight it does not matter, because it is guaranteed to be a rockin’ good time!

Even though I care little the new X-Force as a team, I really enjoyed the battle scene this issue. Maybe it was because I enjoyed the art so much, or maybe it was because of Kyle/Yost (I wonder if they would object to being referred to as “Kyost” or even “Ky-ost”?), but I was very caught up in the action.

The X-23 (I hate that code name) was fun and I liked the way that she won. I didn’t think it was possible, but hey, who’s complaining. I still don’t get the character or know what she’s about, so its hard for me to say anything else about her other than “hey, that was a cool fight. She’s smart.” Ramos took a cue from Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon and had the heroine’s boobs hanging out of her ripped spandex costume. Its a something that I’m sure happens more frequently than artists choose to depict.

I love the Rahne moments- I felt special attention was paid to her this issue, as her reaction to the use of God’s name as justification for hate and violence is very important to her character. Despite mauling a guy, we still see her human side, as she defers final judgement on his life to her Lord. I feel like Kyle/Yost really “get” her, even though they have just begun writing her.

The same can be said for Warpath. I was introduced to this character through the original X-Force, and was underwhelmed. He seemed bland to me, and I assumed he was on the team only because a “strong guy” was needed, and because of the ill ties his brother had to Xavier and friends. However, Brubaker showed me a different James Proudstar over in Uncanny, and ever since, I have been rooting for the guy. This issue was no exception. His reaction to Caliban getting shot was perfect- despite being a soldier trained by Cable to do whatever it takes to get the mission done, James proves that he has not lost his human when his friend gets shot. Now, I never read the issues of X-Force where the two were teammates together, but I was able to gather from Uncanny that the two were close. Wolverine questioned James’s loyalties and his ability to get difficult jobs done, and it became very obvious after this scene that Logan was extremely wise to do so (I guess he really is the best at what he does). Proudstar lets Nathan get away because he cares too deeply for his former teammate. I can’t imagine the guy would hurt Cable. He abandoned Logan once and I expect him to do it again if the situation ever arises.

Which leads into the one of the saddest moments of the entire crossover: Caliban’s death. I couldn’t tell you for exactly how long he has been around, but I am pretty sure he was created over two decades ago. During that time, he was a Morlock (one of the few to survive Sinister’s Massacre, I believe), one of Apocalypse’s Dark Riders, a member of X-Force, and an overall ally of the X-Men. I was honestly shocked and saddened when I turned the page to see him getting gunned down. I felt that helpless feeling; when you want to do something to protect a person, but instead you are stuck watching their agony. The set up for the death shot was excellent- I knew something was about to happen by the way Proudstar had his back facing us in the shadows, but I wasn’t sure. What a noble and fitting way for Caliban to go out: protecting someone he cares about. The part that saddens me most about his passing is that, unlike a major X-character like Banshee, the chances are slim to none that Caliban will ever be brought back. And as much as I would like to see that happen, it is probably for the better that he stay dead. Its just disappointing, as he was my favorite part of the new X-Force, and I think he would have added a lot to the team. I’m suspecting that the launch roster will be Wolfsbane, Warpath, X-23, and Wolverine- which means that it is very likely that Hepzibah will end up in space, missing, injured indefinitely, or dead.