Welcome once again True Believers to the Marvel Rundown. Get out your guitars and hit the heaviest riff you can because our main review is the first issue of the latest Hellverine series. We’ll also take a look at the latest issues of Ultimate Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, the debut of a new TVA series,… and a holiday visit from Alligator Loki?!
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Hellverine #1
Hellverine #1Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Raffaele Ineco
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: vc’s Travis Lanham
The first Hellverine mini series that came out earlier this year was one of Marvel’s more pleasant surprises. There were few Marvel books purer than a flaming Wolverine (actually Daken) fighting a bunch of demon cyborgs. A subplot about Logan trying to make up for being a terrible dad gave an appearance of having depth. But let’s be real, you read a book call Hellverine to see a mash up of Wolverine and Ghost Rider cut up demon cyborgs.
The last mini series ended with Daken deciding to head up the Pentagon secret occult unit Pentangle. So one might expect writer Benjamin Percy to continues the story from there. Instead, this issue mostly focuses on Daken pouting that he’s neither dead nor alive at this point. The demon that makes him the Hellverine, Bagra-Ghul, like Ghost Rider mostly shows up to punish evil people. Except Hellverine kills them and then turns them into decorative sculptures.
This follow up drums up more of a plot for a character that has a flaming skull and Wolverine’s claws. That plot is, sigh, another quest to explore the origins of a character. Look there’s probably a rich story behind a fiery demonic figure with fire claws. But honestly, Hellverine is more concept than deep character. Creating an overly complicated mythos for such a simple concept seems like overkill. Even Daken as a character is way more fun as a jerk antihero than a brooding one. Who needs a complex story or a mopey protagonist in a comic called Hellverine?
Artist Raffaele Ineco replaces Julius Ohta for this series. Otha’s work on the previous series was full throttle action. They were pretty relentless. Ineco though tackles things a little more somberly. His work, which seems influenced by British artists like Gary Frank and Steve Dillon, favors quieter moments. When Daken comes across the ghosts and later the bodies of a serial killer’s victims, it’s pretty eerie. It suits the more reflective tone of this issue. It will be interesting to see how they handle the action hinted at the end of this issue.
Still for a comic called Hellverine one kind of craves action and horror violence over quiet introspection. It shouldn’t necessarily repeat the story that preceded it but Hellverine fighting both human and internal evils isn’t necessarily as exciting as demon cyborgs. Likely the next issue will feature more of that but for a debut issue, this reads like embers and not a blazing inferno.
Verdict: BROWSE
Rapid Rundown!
- Ultimate Spider-Man #12
- Since we didn’t talk Ultimate Universe enough last week, this week sees the final issue of the first year of the Universe-launching Spider-Man from writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Marco Checchetto. As I’ve said in this column before, I’ve been slow to fully embrace this title but the last few issues have been giving us the full picture of what makes this version of Peter Parker distinct. It’s really brought home at the end of this issue, which has one of the best fakeout and twist endings I’ve read in a superhero book in a long time. The small-scale domestic drama, Peter’s absence from the larger narrative of his own story, it all builds to a crescendo even as the issue deals primarily with a frantic Mary Jane dealing with holiday stress. Small decisions Hickman and Checchetto make throughout, like Gwen’s constant phone calls, Peter’s silence, and Mary Jane’s nervous energy, seed small moments of tension that leave you waiting for the other shoe to drop. Until it doesn’t, and you get a brief moment of relief, before you’re punched in the gut. Matthew Wilson’s color decisions are as critical to the tone, luring you into a sense of comfort with the rich, warm tones of a cozy Christmas party, and then stripping them all away with one page turn. VC’s Cory Petit’s word balloons dance around the art, working with the artwork without overpowering it despite the heavy, Bendis-like patter. After 12 issues, I’m finally fully bought in on this book, and the final page of issue 11 echoed in my head as I closed out this year 1 finale. Peter Parker may feel like he is sleepwalking through life–but he has more to care for or to lose than just himself. What has mostly been a fun diversion is now dangerously real.- TR
- Fantastic Four #27
- With Fantastic Four #27, we find the Four being preoccupied with the Mad Thinker and as such we are treated to the Fantastic Four’s kids trying to fend off the Moleman attacking their school but more specifically how Nicki, the Skrull daughter of Thing and Alicia, is adjusting to life on earth. Writer Ryan North does an amazing job in this issue. Nicki’s story is one of striving to feel normal and not the villain as she watches classmates and culture in general demonize shapeshifters like her. This can be a real heavy topic given how Skrulls are often presented by Marvel as THE OTHER—a group of often immigrants that try to trick people and blend into society. North threads the needle well here with Nicki. Her story is that of someone who is different than the other kids and doesn’t want to pretend something she is not. She doesn’t want to be viewed as a monster, but she isn’t going to hide herself. North interjects the story with humor with Nicki using her powers for dumb kid things, but there are some real serious heartwarming moments in the issue. The big one being between Nicki and Ben as he struggles to find the best way to explain to her that it isn’t always right to impersonate people while trying to be aware of the cultural importance of shapeshifting. Steve Cummings does a lot of fun things with the issue in how he presents Nicki as the various Fantastic Four members. A lot of subtle facial expressions and body language cues that were fun to read. The only knock I had on the art was from color artist Jesus Aburtov, whose colors I found to be a bid muddy for my personal taste. There was an attempt at giving shape and form using gradients and tone, but it wasn’t as effective as it could have been. It doesn’t ruin the comic, but it does not look as sharp. -JJ
- TVA – Time Variance Authority #1
- The Time Variance Authority or TVA has been around the Marvel Universe for a while and has come to prominence after Loki, What If?, and Deadpool & Wolverine. After those events, the TVA has put together a multiversal team of recruits, variants whose timelines no longer exist. Writer Katharyn Blair and artist Pere Pérez are the creatives helping redefine the TVA’s mission in protecting time and they do a solid job bringing together this team of variant misfits tasked with defending the sacred timeline and beyond. With castoff characters like Captain Carter, Gambit, and Jimmy Hudson, as well as a Spider-Gwen who has a secret backstory about why she’s there. All in all, the TVA is a solid comic with some cool easter eggs and interesting concepts, but I’m sure I’ve written about how IP owners never miss an opportunity to create corporate synergy between any movies, toys, games, and comics, and that is what I feel cheapens the book and detracts from the initial pitch. – GC3
- Alligator Loki Holiday Special
- It’s a new Holiday themed Alligator Loki story alongside a collection of some of the Alligator Loki Infinity Comic in this week in Alligator Loki’s Holiday Special #1. If you aren’t familiar with Alligator Loki’s comic appearances, these were originally published online as an Infinity Comic on Marvel Unlimited as a series of short stories that details the various adventures of Alligator Loki as he gets into mischief. The stories are largely silent with a focus on sight gags and body language. Writer Alyssa Wong and Artist Bob Quinn do a fantastic job in these shorts that are full of humor and hijinks. The new story “Yule Be Upon Ye!” is fun story of a Marvel heroes tree trimming party gone awry thanks to Loki and Alligator Loki’s tricks. The selection of Alligator Loki stories that are included alongside it does stretch the concept of a Holiday Special a bit too far (there’s a Fourth of July or Memorial day cook out in here), but given the nature of comics printing, this may have been one of the better times to print these stories. Minor issues with the naming convention aside, this is a fun comic for kids. I know my sons love the It’s Jeff! Comics and I am sure they would love Alligator Loki as well. -JJ
We’re taking next week off for the holidays but we’ll be back the first week of 2025 with the Rundown’s top 10 Marvel books of 2024!
