Series review - Amazing Spider-man: Renew Your Vows

It's been a while since I did a review. In that time Secret Wars has been delayed and extended while the tie-in minis are coming to their natural ends. Like Amazing Spider-man: Renew Your Vows. So let's take a look at the entire series to see if it's any good or not.

Trailer talk: The Jungle Book Official teaser

Well.

That was fucking awesome.

Yeah, this isn't really comic book related. But that trailer is just too awesome.

News: Rachel McAdams confirms role in "Doctor Strange" movie.

Another casting choice has been, sort of, announced for one of the many upcoming super hero films set to premiere next year.

Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls, Wedding Crashers, Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and more but those are the ones I remember her from) has been confirmed to play the female lead in the Marvel Studios and Disney movie Doctor Strange opposite leading man Benedict Cumberbatch.

Secret Wars #3

After the destruction of the world in issue one and the introduction of the new world in issue two, the third issue of Secret Wars takes things a bit slower but still manages to move the plot forward.

Beware of spoilers in this review.

The Amazing Spider-man: Renew your vows #1

The Spider-man story One More Day is one of the most controversial mainstream comic book stories ever published since it took away the marriage between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, a pairing that remains popular to this day. The Spider-man fans who are pro-marriage have been hoping for the undoing of the marriage to be undone in a follow up story and they're hoping that this Secret Wars tie in is going to be that story.

If that hope will be fulfilled remains to be seen. But so far Renew your vows has given us an intersting story with a married Spider-man at the center of it.

Secret Wars #1 - 2

Like the unrelenting hordes of the apocalypse summer is at our door and that means it is time for the big comic book companies to publish their massive mega crossover events, whether we like it or not, with a main series, mini-series a plenty that supposedly tie in to the main series and a fair number of the regular monthly series' halt their own storylines (or rushed them in previous issues) in order to tie in to the event and hopefully get more readers interested in their series. It's quite a lot to take in really, but that's the current nature of the industry.

I haven't paid much attention to Marvel's last two event series but since their latest magnum opus is supposed to reboot/reshuffle/reimagine/redecorate the whole of the Marvel universe I felt that it was probably necessary for me to get into it. So here's my, delayed because I'm lazy, review of the first two issues of Marvel's Secret Wars.

Batch Review #2: Endings, epic action and what it means to be the best you

Time again for me to actually do something and go through a bunch of comics I've read since the last time I did this. Let's jump right in.

Batch Review #1: Crossovers, 50 shades of rage & fantasy sass

So it's been a while since the last entry and I've read quite a lot of comics since then. So instead of making longer individual posts for each of them I'll make one big for all of them. So here goes.

Seven Deadly Sins volume 6

As the contest ends, a life and death battle begins. Emotions fly as foes and friends from the past appears and a shocking revelation turns the whole situation on its head.

Flugornas Ö

This is one of those comics that most people will have very different opinions about after reading it. One sure thing about it is that as a whole it's an interesting little comic.

Loki: Agent of Asgard #10

When reading comics there are often, if not always, certain issues of a series that you're just constantly looking forward to. Overall they tend to be hit or miss depending on your expectations. This issue is definately a hit.

Oh, that's is deliciously great comic book art.

Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Lee Garbett
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Summary: After the crushing events of AXIS Loki, the god of lies, finds himself unable to say anything of the truth. He can't even stom himself from revealing who he really is.

My thoughts: There are so very many things that I love about this comic. It has more drama and emotion packed into it than most series can pull off in their entire runs. It paves the way forward for a whole new set of storylines. And it includes just the right type of continuity that I love.

So a few years ago, real time, Loki got himself killed since he felt that he was stagnating, a death sin for a god of chaos. He made sure to be reincarnated into a completely new youngster who had no knowledge of his prior self's evil deeds. Though scorned by many of his fellow gods and mistrusted by all but Thor this young Loki proved to be a true, but unconventional hero. Then what remained of the old Loki murdered his reincarnation and took over his body, completely missing that he's kinda going against the change he was after but that's another discussion. Up until this issue Thor had believed that the Loki's who's running around has been the reincarnation, young Loki all grown up.

In this issue Loki revealed the truth and Thor unleashes his full wrath upon him. It is glorious and tragic and just and horrible and everything.

The full complexity of Loki's situation and how the reader can view him is brought out in full force here. On the one hand it would be right to loath him. He murdered a kid, a brave, funny and smart kid with infinite potential, and he did it for his own selfish ends and then he steals the kid's identity. That's horrible, it's much more in line with a supervillain that Loki probably wants to admit, but he's fully aware of it.

At the same time he does feel true guilt over what he's done and he's been trying to do good things ever since then, though most if not all of them would directly benefit him in ways other than gratitude, mainly erasing his past records all over the universe so that he can pretend that he's got a real fresh start. The point is that he's trying to do good, he's just pretty crap at it, another interesting parallel that one can make regarding the two Loki's and their methods and motives, but that's for another time.

These two views are represented in the comic via Thor, who loved the young reincarnation and hates the old version of Loki, and Verity, a human who can see through all lies and only knows of Loki in his current heroic form. Their reactions are really well handled as neither approaches it all that well. Verity is too confused and uncertain to really know what to do or say. A stark contrast to Thor, who pounds the snot out of Loki.

It's a confrontation that is full of raw emotion that just draws you in. Thor's rage is terrifying and largely just and Loki's actions when confronted with it can be seen as him achiving the change he always wanted, but too late. The old Loki would never feel this kind of guilt or be so repentent but in this moment it is meaningless.

This emotionally and narratively complex master piece of scene rightfully takes up most of the scene but there's this underlying sense of continuity between this series and the other Thor-related comics that Marvel is publishing, and I like it. It's not much, just a few mentions here and about events in Angela: Asgard's Assassin and Thor: God of Thunder. It's simple and we're shown how said events have affected the characters and it puts the story in a neat little time frame. That's the kind of continuity that I like between my Marvel comics. It makes the titles feel connected and the stories in them relevant to the larger picture. I find that to be the  best method of using continuity and an inter-connected universe since it feels natural.

An emotionally and narratively complex issue that manages to capture all the various facets of Loki's grand crime and delivers on the major consequences of said crime. On its own the issue is a powerful tale about sins, redemption, family and consequences. But viewed as part of this ongoing narrative of Loki's, which really has been going on since 2010, this is the next pivotal step for the character and we, the readers, are fortunate that Loki and his story is in the hands of a wonderfully skilled creative team.

Grade: 5 - ...DAMN!

Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #4

A compotent and likeable cast, an intimidating villain and an optimistic outlook. This is a great issue that reminds me why like super hero comics.

My only problem is that the Sherlock Holmes hat isn't actually featured in the story.

X-Force volume 1: Angels & Demons

Dark, gritty and violent. I was expecting that, but it's a bit too much of it all.

Astro City #19

The spotlight still shines on background character Quarrel as we're told a story you won't find in Marvel or DC. That of a super heroine who's starting to get old.

My Little Pony: Friends Forever #13

Unexpected team up, in lack of a better term and because I love the term team up, yields lots of funny, heartwarming and cute moments. Just what I expected.

Guardians 3000 #4

The plot moves forward at a natural pace and another play is properly introduced. The writing is good and the characters are likeable but it overall feels like a pretty standard issue.

I will punch anybody who brings up the "explosions wouldn't be firey in space"-thing.

Larfleeze volume 2: The Face of Greed

The orange light is stronger than ever in agent Orange. Sadly this is not reflected in his series as it flickers out

Captain America and the Mighty Avengers #3

It's a fight issue. Most people know what they'll get with those. Action and minor plot progress, and in this case it's of the good variety.

"Can't we just get along? Nobody ever asked during a super hero team rumble.

Angela: Asgard's Assassin #2

Divine family disbutes, mood setting and oddly placed exposition make up this issue. Make sure an angel never picks up your ball kids.

X-men #23

I do like the focus on general super heroics. But I would very much like it if one writer could stick to the book.

I wonder how good super heroes in general are at spelunking.

Loki: Agent of Axis #9

A climactic end to the series' patchy involvement in Marvel's latest humdrum event wherein the titular mischief maker once again fails to attain his goal like the villain he doesn't want to be but is.

I miss funny covers like this one.

The Order of the Stick: Blood Runs in the Family

The stuff on the front page don't actually happen quite like that.

The principles upon which I shall judge all funny books!

Right, let's talk about grades for a moment.