Cover detail from Wolverine #1, art by Alan Davis. Marvel Comics. — Cover detail from *Wolverine* #1, art by Alan Davis. Marvel Comics.

I Want My Marvel NOW: Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, and Wolverine

This one's been a long time coming. Long enough, in fact, that both Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy have already seen second issues (and we'll get to those). Soon I'll be running a sort-of Marvel NOW report card, revealing which titles I gave up on, which ones I went back and re-visited, which ones are really great underdogs, and which ones actually improved over time (hint: Superior Spider-Man). I didn't expect Marvel to keep up the new title announcements for Marvel NOW, but they're doing ongoings for Spider-Man's villains and the robot members of the Avengers, so maybe this column will keep going for all-time. Maybe not. Anyway, onward and upward...

Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1

This issue is constructed to introduce readers to the captain of the Guardians team, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord. It's a simple story, and you don't get a good feel for Quill's personality - only where he came from. In this case, where he came from is a deadbeat dad who also happens to be intergalactic royalty, making a pit stop on Earth and bedding an Earthling against his better judgment. Quill grows up aware of his heritage, but raised longing to know more about his father and the stars.

Frankly, I don't remember this being Star-Lord's origin. I have vague recollections of a cocky astronaut who manipulated his way into receiving the mantle of a Star-Lord, but maybe that was from a reprint of one of Marvel's old magazines. I don't know if those are in-continuity anyway.

Writer Brian Michael Bendis is carrying a lot of the Marvel Universe on his shoulders (Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, All-New X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, and this year's big event Age of Ultron), and this series feels a little like he's giving himself a bit of a break. It doesn't hint at the long-term planning of the X-books, nor does it get as particular with characterization as Ultimate Spidey does. It's lighter, and the lightness continues into the first official issue, one which sees Quill as a grown man, caught between defending the Earth and honoring the requests of his scheming dad. Steve McNiven complements Bendis's plotting with clean, effectively modern art that's pleasing to look at and accessible to all.

Will I Be Back for More? After two issues, I'm on the fence. I want to keep reading, because I'm interested in the team and how important they are to Marvel's cinematic plan, but this doesn't quite feel like a team book (yet?). It feels like a Peter Quill book with his Very Special Guest Stars Iron Man and Rocket Raccoon. I'll give this one a few more before I decide. Bendis doesn't seem to be swinging for the fences, and I think I expected him to, considering how all eyes are on this book right now.

Nova #1

Didn't I just get done describing an origin issue in which a kid grows up without a decent father figure because Dad has ties to some larger cosmic adventure? In this one, it's not Peter Quill; it's Sam Alexander - an all-new character created by Jeph Loeb, replacing fan favorite and former New Warriors stalwart Richard Ryder as Nova. The set-up has Sam wondering just how much truth is in his father's stories of exclusive membership in a space-faring group known as the Nova Corp (Marvel's answer to DC's Green Lanterns, no doubt about it). There's a lot of Teen Superhero 101 in here, with Sam getting picked on by bullies, riding a skateboard, and drawing the attention of the school's alt-girl outcast (which comic books almost always predictably depict as a sassy bookworm with funky colored hair and fishnet stockings).

Loeb's real hit and miss as a writer. Other fans really have it out for the guy, but I've missed some of his real stinkers (Ultimatum) and enjoyed a lot of his stuff over the years (Spider-Man: Blue comes to mind, as does Superman: For All Seasons). At his worst, when his comics aim for "fun," they sometimes feel as if they're talking down to the reader, and I think some fans react negatively to that. That kind of thing is more evident in Nova #2, a comic that's so decompressed it's basically just Sam putting on the Nova helmet and discovering he can fly. It's a bit like slapping a $2.99 price tag on the montage scene in any given superhero origin film where the hero tests his powers. That's not really a story.

I realize Loeb is aiming a little younger here, and I appreciate Marvel NOW having something that's aimed at that audience, but a kid should get a full story for his dollars, not just a part of a story. Loeb is off the book after this set-up arc (due to a full plate with Marvel's TV properties), so maybe the next writer, Zeb Wells, will squeeze in more bang for the buck. Even Ed McGuinness, so good at drawing oversized heroes, feels restrained here. Not that the art is bad (it isn't), but that it's a minimal effort artistically. It doesn't wow in the way that McGuiness can wow. I'd chalk it up to him trying to work in a style that he can actually consistently produce on a monthly basis, but he's leaving the book as well soon, with Paco Medina batting clean-up.

Will I Be Back for More? I'll give it another go when Wells and Medina take a crack at Sam. He's a likable hero with a cool costume, but this isn't a must-read right now. Again, if you're a parent, this is one of Marvel's more "safe" books while still not being too kiddie, so keep that in mind if you've got a little one around who digs the superheroes.

Wolverine #1

Wolverine is an odd duck. I don't think Wolverine's solo book has ever felt quite like a straight-forward superhero book; it's always had its own specifically Wolverine flavor. It's a little dirtier, a little meaner, and it typically feels slightly removed from the Marvel U. Paul Cornell and Alan Davis saddle Wolverine with an unusually clean-cut superheroic vibe, with the title character assisting police and flashing his Avengers badge when necessary.

I gripe a lot about books where nothing much seems to happen, and Wolverine is one of those, but...there's something at work here. I was intrigued, even while I was disappointed that the first issue isn't a tale with a beginning, middle, and end. It's a set-up where not even all of the pieces of the set-up are fully fleshed-out. The story begins with Wolverine's healing factor allowing him to take down a mass-murderer at a shopping mall (told you it's a more mundane Wolvie - what's he doing shopping at the mall?) and then getting mixed up in uncovering the motivations for the killings (the killer was using a very high-tech, sci-fi weapon, not your standard assault rifle).

Will I Be Back for More? I'm going to give this one another issue, but I can't strongly recommend it at this point. Wolverine #1 isn't going to appease the more bloodthirsty Wolverine fans, and it's probably too far removed from the X-Men to rope in the X-fans. I've been pretty good about pinpointing where certain comics' appeal lies with me, and honestly can't get a decent grasp on what it was I liked about Wolverine #1 other than the overall New York City superhero vibe. That's a terrible recommendation, but I can't muster up anything stronger than that.

Into the Pit: 'G.I. Joe Special Missions' #2 Disappoints with Undersea Romance

Tyler Mager has written for CollegeMovieReview.com and the Scorecard Review and is a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and covers IDW's Joe comics right here in his regular feature "Into the Pit."

Chuck Dixon's new G.I. Joe Special Missions series started strong with a first issue showing a scheming Baroness hellbent on retrieving sunken COBRA treasure and a covert team lead by Scarlett eager to get there first. Throw in some Serpentor-meddling and you've got an intriguing story ripe with promise as both a stand-alone series and a sister series to the main G.I. Joe series. The second issue slams on the brakes, effectively ruining any sort of momentum the first issue had by focusing on an out-of-nowhere romance between Mainframe and Scarlett. Dixon's knack for writing believable banter between the Joes is still solid, and Gulacy's art appears to be a little more complete this time around but the complete disregard for interesting plot development in favor of unrelated, silly situations makes issue #2 a wasted opportunity.

Apparently Special Missions isn't quite the fresh start I had hoped for, since the romance between Mainframe and Scarlett isn't even hinted at by the time Mainframe puts on the moves, deep underwater in a flooded container. Some sort of recap or reminder would have been nice, as is it feels completely out of place and random to new readers. The two of them going on the dive mission to investigate the wreckage doesn't make a whole lot of sense to begin with seeing as water-based Joes Torpedo and Deep Six are available. With Scarlett worried about being found out, Mainframe reveals himself as a horndog only interested in getting laid, despite the precarious situation. It all builds to a laughable cliffhanger where the couple is surrounded by Baroness's crew and a group of hungry sharks. Really? Sharks? It's a odd choice that basically zaps any excitement created in the first issue.

Serpentor's search for the Baroness continues with the first of what seems to be a series of sabotages putting him one step closer to finding her. Baroness has secured oceanic resources by kidnapping the children of a wealthy ship owner, Serpentor offers to rescue the children in exchange for information on the devious Baroness. The rescue mission is really the only bit of exhilarating action in the issue. It's well-drawn and somewhat surprising, with a series of quick twists that shows that most plans don't go off without a hitch.

Overall, the title still feels rushed with Gulacy's art being wildly inconsistent from beginning to end. His art is better than the first issue but still a long ways off from where it should be. The plot needs to kick back into high gear and abandon the romance under the sea subplot. The set up of an impending collision between the Joes, Baroness' mercenaries, and Serpentor is a neat idea that could provide some incredible entertainment and action, but Dixon shouldn't get distracted by silly subplots with no bearing on the main narrative. G.I. Joe: Special Missions #2 is a disappointing continuation of a promising title, hurt by distracting subplots and seemingly rushed art. It's much too early to give up on Special Missions entirely but this is one issue you shouldn't worry about missing.

Variant cover detail to Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter, art by Livio Ramondelli. Hasbro/IDW Publishing. — Variant cover detail to *Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter*, art by Livio Ramondelli. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

Transformer Roll-Out: A "Reluctant Specialist" Gets His Due in 'Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter'

Julian Titus is a writer/editor for PixlBit.com and the host of the Nerds Without Pants podcast. He's also the biggest Transformers fan I've ever met and will be covering IDW's Transformers comics right here on a regular basis. This week, he's reviewing the latest book from IDW...

Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter, “The Reluctant Specialist”

Cover to Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter, art by Matt Frank. Hasbro/IDW Publishing. — Cover to *Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter*, art by Matt Frank. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

When I reviewed the recent Transformers Spotlight one-shot for Bumblebee, I complained that the story contained within held no weight because it was so far removed from the current storyline that it was no longer relevant. The same could be said for this story about Autobot Trailcutter, since it takes place between More Than Meets the Eye issues 5 and 6, but this story feels timeless. James Roberts has written a comic book that feels more like one of the older cartoons and can be enjoyed outside of continuity just as well as if you’re reading it right alongside the companion book.

The premise really is like something out of a cartoon - Trailbreaker is tired of being overlooked as the Autobot that generates forcefields and spends the first part of the book moping around Swerve’s bar. Whirl tries to bring the “specialist” out of his funk but only succeeds in bringing some incredible laughs to an already lighthearted story. Things go awry when Trailbreaker (now calling himself Trailcutter at Whirl’s suggestion) finds himself as the only functional Autobot on the Lost Light during a Deception attack.

This is a hilarious comic that is enhanced by the art of Matt Frank, who brings some wonderful emotion to the characters in this book. Trailcutter’s sour frown is priceless, and while this artist hasn’t done a lot of work on the IDW Transformers books, I’d love to see him do more with the MTMTE cast. There’s a great cameo by Lockdown from the Transformers: Animated series, and the book has a perfect ending. Wonderfully entertaining, perfectly stand alone, this is how a Spotlight book should be done.

(Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter arrives in stores and online on Wednesday, April 3, from IDW Publishing.)

WTF? According to DC, Superman Is Batman's Brother?

I was alerted to this bit of weirdness by Michael Nixon on Twitter. This is from DC's official page for Superman...

Superman has super-everything—strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, X-ray, heat vision…and a world-famous brother. What the world doesn’t know is that Clark’s mother, Martha, once changed her name from Wayne to Kent. Martha was the real target for the mob hit the night that her husband Thomas Wayne was murdered. While in the ambulance it was discovered that she was still alive, and the doctors were able to save her. She signed over guardianship of their son Bruce to the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, in hopes that Bruce would be protected, and she was put into the Witness Protection Program and sent to Smallville, Kansas—a quiet town where nothing ever happens.

There Martha met and married the local farmer Jonathan Kent. With a new inability to carry a child due to the bullet wound, Martha and Jonathan were unable to have the baby they so longed for. However, their prayers were answered when out of the sky, a rocket landed in a nearby field as the couple was driving by. There was a small baby in the rocket who they adopted and gave the name Clark, and who would grow up to be Superman!

This new information is backed up on Batman's page as well...

Millionaire Bruce Wayne was just a kid when he watched his parents get gunned down during a mugging in Gotham City. The crime would define his life, as he dedicated himself to becoming the world’s greatest weapon against crime—the Batman. What the world doesn’t know is that Bruce’s mother, Martha Wayne, was the real target for the mob hit the night that Bruce’s parents were murdered. While in the ambulance it was discovered that she was still alive, and the doctors were able to save her. She signed over guardianship of Bruce to the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, in hopes that the young boy would be protected, and she was put into the Witness Protection Program and sent to Smallville, Kansas—a quiet town where nothing ever happens.

There Martha met and married a nice young man named Jonathan Kent. With a new inability to carry a child due to the bullet wound, Martha and Jonathan were unable to have the baby they so longed for. However, their prayers were answered when out of the sky, a rocket landed in a nearby field as the couple was driving by. There was a small baby in the rocket who they adopted and gave the name Clark Kent, and who would grow up to be Superman!

Um...WHAT? Is this an April Fool's joke that DC forgot to take down or is this New 52 canon? If it's a joke, and DC takes it down (ED NOTE: They did - the very same day this made the rounds), I've saved the screens for posterity below...

Panel detail from The Massive Vol. 1, art by Kristian Donaldson. Brian Wood/Dark Horse Comics. — Panel detail from *The Massive* Vol. 1, art by Kristian Donaldson. Brian Wood/Dark Horse Comics.

Review: Brian Wood's 'The Massive' Vol. 1 Is Epic and Original

Tyler Mager has written for CollegeMovieReview.com and the Scorecard Review and is a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also covers IDW's Joe comics right here in his regular feature "Into the Pit." Now he's taking a look at the first collection of Brian Wood's sci-fi series 'The Massive' from Dark Horse Comics...

Cover art for The Massive Vol. 1. Brian Wood/Dark Horse Comics.

The events in The Massive aren't world ending so much as world changing. Mother Nature turned her back on humankind and the result is a fractured, split world which struggles to survive among the ruins of civilization. The backdrop is epic in scope but the focus is on the small crew aboard a conservationist ship called the Kapital, who refuse to abandon their mission of finding their long lost sister ship, the Massive. Somewhat similar to a modern television show there's a big mysterious goal guiding the larger arc but with these first few issues it's more about survival and exploration. Writer Brian Wood really wants us to get to know this world and the people that inhabit it before overloading us with too much plot too quickly. The result is a wonderfully grounded what-if scenario built on realism and rich characters that are as fractured and complicated as the new world.

The storytelling takes an approach similar to Lost in that much of the initial character development is told through flashbacks, usually informing and building upon what's taking place in the present. Slowly and methodically we learn what makes each of these characters tick, shedding the obvious and cliché classifications in an effort for something more relatable. The goal isn't to transport you to a different world but instead make you feel as at home as possible so that when the big moments happen, you are right there beside these characters. Wood has the rare ability to take something so familiar and skew it just enough so that it continues to engage while never making you feel like you've seen everything. He gives you just enough to be satisfied, but you're always wanting more.

The book is really broken up into two smaller 3-issue arcs, each with a different situation the crew was deal with and as a result different artists split the duties between the halves. The first entitled “Landfall” deals mostly with a sea-based cat and mouse game between the Kapital and pirates through dense fog while tracing a signal they think is from the Massive. It's a slow burn thriller with more emphasis on backstory and past events than any sort of real narrative beyond finding the Massive. It's nonetheless exciting with Kristian Donaldson's art cleverly displaying the sea excursion as above water submarine warfare, the moments of silence and tension accentuated with Dave Stewart's grim grays and deep blues.

The second half entitled “Black Pacific” is land and survival based dealing with the crew's need for supplies and the unorthodox ways they go about getting them. Like “Landfall” there isn't a big narrative arc to the second half. Instead it's about the individual situations the crew find themselves in and the moral implications of the choices they make. The world isn't nice and tough decisions must be made. What happens when nice, decent people are saddled with those tough decisions? Garry Brown's art for “Black Pacific” contrasts Donaldson's with a more rough, pressured approach that heightens the more intense, action specific sequences. He sacrifices detail for energy and the result is a perfect match for the writing style.

If there are any weak spots in The Massive's hull, they are all minor dents and more than made up for by the excellent art and Wood's dedication to deep characters and engaging plotting. The only disappointment might come in how the story ends. Will it all be worth it in the end? It's a slow build on a mysterious narrative and as of right now appears to be well worth the investment. The Massive is one of the most promising original titles in recent memory offering a beautiful union of world building, concept, and characters that I can't recommend enough.

Cover detail to G.I. Joe Special Missions #1. Hasbro/IDW Publishing. — Cover detail to *G.I. Joe Special Missions* #1. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

Into the Pit: 'G.I. Joe' #2 and 'Special Missions' #1 Reviewed

G.I. Joe #2

I was left wondering if the newly relaunched G.I. Joe series from writer Fred Van Lente could deliver the goods after a surprisingly solid first issue that hinted at more sociopolitical and satirical undertones than the more light hearted identity overhaul seemed to initially suggest. The Joes are in dire straits with Cobra not just invading the United States but spreading chaos and influence by turning entire cities against the government. Even though G.I. Joe #2 does little to move the plot along, a chilling opening and some good character development make for an interesting continuation of a story with great potential.

Duke is still being interrogated by the Baroness, whose intentions become a little more clear with gruesome guest appearances from fellow Cobra staples such as Firefly and Croc Master. Meanwhile, Cover Girl, Doc, and the embedded journalist - unfortunately code named Hashtag - are trapped in a building while Roadblock and his unit are still trying to save the “girls” and the recently wounded Shipwreck. Although there are a few key character moments, Van Lente does very little to actually move the story forward in a meaningful way. What works is very promising but what doesn't, fails pretty hard.

Looks like the out of place pop culture references are here to stay as we see the ruthless Baroness tell a “Gangnam Style” joke while rookie member Hashtag gives away the Joes location via checking in on Facebook. It's possible that these references are supposed to be ridiculous but they mostly just come across as lazy, practically yelling at the reader, “We need to rope in the younger crowd!” and “See! We're hip!” It's unfortunate too, since many of these moments undermine otherwise interesting scenes, particularly with Hashtag. She's a terrible character, a representation of nearly everything wrong with the current generation. She blows their cover, complains, and continuously proves to be worthless in the field. That is, until Van Lente pulls a fast one and forces Hashtag to face the harsh, violent reality she's stuck in. The situation feels forced and rushed but I have to admire the willingness to go there.

Cover Girl gets some time to shine by kicking some butt throughout an escape attempt, but I'm worried about Roadblock's constant degradation of the all female group by exclusively referring to them as “the girls." Because the intention and tone of the title is so unclear, it's hard to take what is happening seriously unless it's supposed to be some sort of subversive satire. It's a tough call when COBRA is cleverly turning the country against itself while making tired pop culture jokes at the same time. I love that there's a chance that this era of Joe might deal with more sociopolitical issues while still being entertaining but the tone needs to be nailed down before I'm completely sold. Despite my grievances and a lack of narrative momentum, G.I. Joe still has just enough going on to keep me interested.

G.I. Joe: Special Missions #1

After an excellent run focused on Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, longtime Joe writer Chuck Dixon is back with a sister title to Fred Ven Lente's main series. The idea is that after being publicly outed in G.I. Joe, there still needs to be a team that does the dirty covert missions that no one else wants to do. G.I. Joe: Special Missions follows Scarlett and a team of Joes trying to prevent former COBRA operative Baroness from retrieving a large cache of sunken COBRA valuables. In addition to highlighting these covert missions, we're likely going to see how Baroness gets back into COBRA's good graces, eventually leading into Van Lente's main series.

The first issue wastes no time getting right into setting up a huge showdown between Baroness's mercenaries and Scarlett's team. Dixon wisely keeps a majority of the focus on the plot, with most of the action taking place in an unconnected Libya mission that, while exciting, feels tacked on simply to accommodate fans of this Joe team. Although the two stories might fit together through various plot threads, Dixon clearly has a better handle on the more militaristic sensibilities of the title with banter better suited to the situation and style of the franchise, whereas Van Lente is actively trying to force the series toward a more super-heroic route. That's not to say one way is better than the other but instead it spotlights the major differences between the two titles. I won't be surprised if fans end up declaring their allegiances between the two books simply because they both feel so different.

The art from Paul Gulacy is serviceable but feels rushed with faces that end up looking like disjointed robots at times. He's at his best with action sequences set at a wider angle when more focus can be placed on the environment. It's absolutely gorgeous while still being easy to follow from moment to moment. Special Missions is a fairly decent companion piece to the main series with plenty of espionage and action to satisfy old school fans but new readers might find themselves a little lost by being thrown into ongoing plot threads with no real context to go off of. I'd prefer a bit more time devoted to more consistent art but Dixon's plot has me intrigued enough to see how everything comes together.