Haven’t done one of these in a while, but X-Factor #202 is out this week, so…
PAD
22 comments on “Stash Wednesday – February 24”
Three other comics of yours also came out this week…
Dark Tower: The Battle of Jericho Hill #4
Iron Man: I am Iron Man! #2
Ben 10 Alien Force: Doom Dimension Vol. 1 (manga)
.
Corey
Well, I got two things yesterday. I finally got Beyond Dishonor and Borders, and then I got rear-ended at the traffic light out front. One thing I’ve been looking for, and one thing that was just annoying. Trouble was, I was on my way to the comic shop and to get two Cajun cheesesteaks. After that, I didn’t want to do either.
.
I wasn’t getting the cheesesteaks at the comic shop, by the way.
Well, I finally did it. I ordered a subscription to X-Factor. I still haven’t received the confirmation e-mail, though. I hope I don’t have to re-order (which happened when I subscribed to New Avengers– I hadn’t signed the check). In any case, it’s too late to get #202, and maybe #203, so I will have to buy it from the store. That won’t be for a least a week, or maybe more..
I really liked the first two issues of this Fantastic Four story. I guess the problems I had with X-Factor before were because I always came in in the middle.
Enjoyed #202 alot. Any chance that Yardin (the cover artist) might do interiors? I was pretty confused at the end until I realized that for three panels Layla was colored like Monet.
Yeah I was really surprised/annoyed at the coloring errors. In addition to Layla having 3 shades of hair (blonde->white->Monet), I think either Layla or Monet was just plain left out of some panels.
Story wise I enjoyed it BUT I must honestly say that it was one of, if not “the”, the hardest to follow comics I’ve read in a while. I had to page back and forth several times. My sense is that it needed at least another 5-10 pages to give adequate space to everything PAD was trying to do.
I liked all the elements – a lot – I just think they needed more room to breath.
Also: Doom is the new Osborn. He is everywhere these last few months: the Thor arc (did Layla help him kill Asgardians?), the Fall of the Hulks stuff, X-Factor, Doomwar & Black Panther stuff… My younger geek self would have tried to sequence these things but my older self can accept that they don’t make a whole lot of sense.
“It’s comictown Jake.”
Although…for old time’s sake… my guess is: Thor->X-Factor (since Asgard appears to be gone)->DoomwarFall of the Hulks. Hard to say until the last 2 resolve though.
PAD –
I was going through my unfiled recent comics, and realized that not one, but two series by you seemed to have stopped dead in the waters. Can you confirm the cancellation, or give us an update on Wolverine First Class (last issue I saw was #21, cancellation rumors strong) and Fallen Angel: Reborn (last issue seen #4)? I’ll miss both of them if they’re gone for good, but it’ll be nice to get them put away properly.
Thanks!
Yes, I’m curious on Wolverine: First Class as well, though I’m pretty sure the word is that it is canceled.
All they told me about W:FC was that I was hired on to write through issue #21. I have absolutely no idea if it was intended to continue beyond that. Based on the evidence, it seems not.
.
“Fallen Angel,” I’m working on the next LS, “Return of the Son.”
.
PAD
Thanks, PAD. Will bag and file as appropriate, and eagerly await the next Fallen Angel mini.
It’s a shame that the colorist does not seem to distinguish Layla from Monet. Even when the pictures and Dialogue are very clear.
Incidentally, directly following discussions of them here, I have picked up THE ADVENTURES OF BARRY WEEN, KID GENIUS and BRING IT ON. Could this be the PAD bump?
Peter,
I really, really, REALLY miss my monthly Fallen Angel. Any indication when we may see it again?
Thanks,
Vikram
The coloring at the end with Layla was really disorienting and confused me because I thought it was Monet. I hope this will be fixed in the collections.
PAD,
Again?? Layla is magically left behind AGAIN? You’re KILLING me, Smalls. The writing and characterization in this issue was exceptionally fun, but effing jeez, man, this team just cannot get it together for more than five pages at a time. One of the things you do best is provide actual resonance and emotional fallout for your characters, instead of the post-crossover/major event glossing-over that a lot of the other books suffer from. I’m waiting with baited breath for Jamie and Layla to get their turn.
Also, Rictor and Longshot crack me up. <3
My stash for this week included Nation X #3 (the art in the Cannonball story was hideous. It gave me a headache reading it.), the latest Dark Wolverine, two Dark Avengers HCs, and of course the latest X-Factor.
I agree with everyone re: the mixed up coloring of Layla and Monet. I hope it gets fixed in the HC version. I do wonder what’s going to happen to Shatterstar now that he’s stuck in Latveria. To think, Rictor & Shatterstar were listed among Marvel’s Power Couples. Can’t have a couple if one is in another country. ;-P
I liked the X-Factor issue a lot (the opening 2 pages were gold, and anything that Doom said, especially his notions of marital propriety, his previously unknown artistic skills, and his “I have simply outgrown you” line which kind of sounded like an old boyfriend/girlfriend who has moved on), but the Layla / Monet mistake kind of bobbled the emotional impact of what happened. I noticed on the art that while Layla had the M over her eye her “neck” was still with Monet’s outfit which may have led to confusion to the colourist. I do like the artist, however, even if he has a tendency to not draw pupils once in awhile.
Over the past 2 weeks I’ve been on a crazy trade paperback binge: Fallen Angel – Reborn, Fantastic Four – World’s Greatest, Captain America – Road to Reborn, Ultimates 3, Ultimatum and Star Trek – Nero. Liked them all of varying degrees, but shows that sometimes when you “wait for trade” you end up getting a huge bunch coming in all at once.
Oh, and to just reply to myself, Fallen Angel was really solid and I quite dug the character of Ilyana even though I’ve never seen Angel or knew who she was. And Star Trek – Nero I think, like Countdown, is practically required reading for any fans of JJ Abrams’ Star Trek. It’s also really good too, which helps… “Live long enough, Spock” is way evil. The Nero story is actually really dark and ends on a bit of a downer but it all turns out okay in the end.
As for X-Factor I wrote “Peter David is such a freakin’ tease, bringing characters in, getting people all exciting, and then throwing them aside. Or, really, sequestering them away to bring back again later. Like I said, a tease.”
My favorite, though, was Transformers #4. It was one of the single best Transformers comics I’ve read. I’m admittedly biased by the fact that this issue is told from Thundercracker’s point a view, a character that has long been a favorite of mine though he has rarely gotten a chance to shine. But Thundercracker has been one of my favorites because he’s got a kind of working class sense of honor and has found himself in a situation that people can identify with – he got in over his head because he followed what his friends were doing. Pretty simple, but it makes for a character that can see things from a perspective quite different from all the rest. His narration may only bookend the issue, but it colors what comes between it in a way that truly deepens it.
I may regret asking this, but where does the “X-Factor Nation-X” one-shot fall in continuity? It can’t have happened as of #202 since Siryn and Layla haven’t rejoined the team yet to accompany them to Utopia. (Shatterstar’s gone for the moment now, too.) And if they haven’t all rejoined the team by the time we get to the “Second Coming” issues (when Everything Changes!), then we’ll probably have missed our window of opportunity where the group visit to Utopia could have happened.
There, see, I regret asking!
Erm, after next issue?
I bought two more reference comics: The Official Handbook of the marvel Universe Update#1 (with stats for Googam, Pinky Pinkerton, etc) and Official Index of the Marvel Universe#14 (last issue of the current one, with lots of Iron man mini-series; looking forward to the return of the series with Captain America – starting with Captain America Comics#1 – Avengers, Thor).
I’m joining in late because I only now got X-Factor #202. I agree with everyone that the colouring on Layla towards the end is annoying, but it wasn’t confusing to me. It was obvious who she was meant to be.
I absolutely loved the line ‘I have simply outgrown you’. That was brilliant! And Sue’s fantasy world was great as well.
• 
Three other comics of yours also came out this week…
Dark Tower: The Battle of Jericho Hill #4
Iron Man: I am Iron Man! #2
Ben 10 Alien Force: Doom Dimension Vol. 1 (manga)
.
Corey
Well, I got two things yesterday. I finally got Beyond Dishonor and Borders, and then I got rear-ended at the traffic light out front. One thing I’ve been looking for, and one thing that was just annoying. Trouble was, I was on my way to the comic shop and to get two Cajun cheesesteaks. After that, I didn’t want to do either.
.
I wasn’t getting the cheesesteaks at the comic shop, by the way.
Well, I finally did it. I ordered a subscription to X-Factor. I still haven’t received the confirmation e-mail, though. I hope I don’t have to re-order (which happened when I subscribed to New Avengers– I hadn’t signed the check). In any case, it’s too late to get #202, and maybe #203, so I will have to buy it from the store. That won’t be for a least a week, or maybe more..
I really liked the first two issues of this Fantastic Four story. I guess the problems I had with X-Factor before were because I always came in in the middle.
Enjoyed #202 alot. Any chance that Yardin (the cover artist) might do interiors? I was pretty confused at the end until I realized that for three panels Layla was colored like Monet.
Yeah I was really surprised/annoyed at the coloring errors. In addition to Layla having 3 shades of hair (blonde->white->Monet), I think either Layla or Monet was just plain left out of some panels.
Story wise I enjoyed it BUT I must honestly say that it was one of, if not “the”, the hardest to follow comics I’ve read in a while. I had to page back and forth several times. My sense is that it needed at least another 5-10 pages to give adequate space to everything PAD was trying to do.
I liked all the elements – a lot – I just think they needed more room to breath.
Also: Doom is the new Osborn. He is everywhere these last few months: the Thor arc (did Layla help him kill Asgardians?), the Fall of the Hulks stuff, X-Factor, Doomwar & Black Panther stuff… My younger geek self would have tried to sequence these things but my older self can accept that they don’t make a whole lot of sense.
“It’s comictown Jake.”
Although…for old time’s sake… my guess is: Thor->X-Factor (since Asgard appears to be gone)->DoomwarFall of the Hulks. Hard to say until the last 2 resolve though.
PAD –
I was going through my unfiled recent comics, and realized that not one, but two series by you seemed to have stopped dead in the waters. Can you confirm the cancellation, or give us an update on Wolverine First Class (last issue I saw was #21, cancellation rumors strong) and Fallen Angel: Reborn (last issue seen #4)? I’ll miss both of them if they’re gone for good, but it’ll be nice to get them put away properly.
Thanks!
Yes, I’m curious on Wolverine: First Class as well, though I’m pretty sure the word is that it is canceled.
All they told me about W:FC was that I was hired on to write through issue #21. I have absolutely no idea if it was intended to continue beyond that. Based on the evidence, it seems not.
.
“Fallen Angel,” I’m working on the next LS, “Return of the Son.”
.
PAD
Thanks, PAD. Will bag and file as appropriate, and eagerly await the next Fallen Angel mini.
It’s a shame that the colorist does not seem to distinguish Layla from Monet. Even when the pictures and Dialogue are very clear.
I hope this is corrected in the HC.
No new comics for me this week, but I did see JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON TWO EARTHS and did a review http://thearmchaircritic.blogspot.com/
Incidentally, directly following discussions of them here, I have picked up THE ADVENTURES OF BARRY WEEN, KID GENIUS and BRING IT ON. Could this be the PAD bump?
Peter,
I really, really, REALLY miss my monthly Fallen Angel. Any indication when we may see it again?
Thanks,
Vikram
The coloring at the end with Layla was really disorienting and confused me because I thought it was Monet. I hope this will be fixed in the collections.
PAD,
Again?? Layla is magically left behind AGAIN? You’re KILLING me, Smalls. The writing and characterization in this issue was exceptionally fun, but effing jeez, man, this team just cannot get it together for more than five pages at a time. One of the things you do best is provide actual resonance and emotional fallout for your characters, instead of the post-crossover/major event glossing-over that a lot of the other books suffer from. I’m waiting with baited breath for Jamie and Layla to get their turn.
Also, Rictor and Longshot crack me up. <3
My stash for this week included Nation X #3 (the art in the Cannonball story was hideous. It gave me a headache reading it.), the latest Dark Wolverine, two Dark Avengers HCs, and of course the latest X-Factor.
I agree with everyone re: the mixed up coloring of Layla and Monet. I hope it gets fixed in the HC version. I do wonder what’s going to happen to Shatterstar now that he’s stuck in Latveria. To think, Rictor & Shatterstar were listed among Marvel’s Power Couples. Can’t have a couple if one is in another country. ;-P
I liked the X-Factor issue a lot (the opening 2 pages were gold, and anything that Doom said, especially his notions of marital propriety, his previously unknown artistic skills, and his “I have simply outgrown you” line which kind of sounded like an old boyfriend/girlfriend who has moved on), but the Layla / Monet mistake kind of bobbled the emotional impact of what happened. I noticed on the art that while Layla had the M over her eye her “neck” was still with Monet’s outfit which may have led to confusion to the colourist. I do like the artist, however, even if he has a tendency to not draw pupils once in awhile.
Over the past 2 weeks I’ve been on a crazy trade paperback binge: Fallen Angel – Reborn, Fantastic Four – World’s Greatest, Captain America – Road to Reborn, Ultimates 3, Ultimatum and Star Trek – Nero. Liked them all of varying degrees, but shows that sometimes when you “wait for trade” you end up getting a huge bunch coming in all at once.
Oh, and to just reply to myself, Fallen Angel was really solid and I quite dug the character of Ilyana even though I’ve never seen Angel or knew who she was. And Star Trek – Nero I think, like Countdown, is practically required reading for any fans of JJ Abrams’ Star Trek. It’s also really good too, which helps… “Live long enough, Spock” is way evil. The Nero story is actually really dark and ends on a bit of a downer but it all turns out okay in the end.
I bought too many things this week to list here, if you want to know what I thought about all 23 check out my journal – http://zodarzone.livejournal.com/215893.html
As for X-Factor I wrote “Peter David is such a freakin’ tease, bringing characters in, getting people all exciting, and then throwing them aside. Or, really, sequestering them away to bring back again later. Like I said, a tease.”
My favorite, though, was Transformers #4. It was one of the single best Transformers comics I’ve read. I’m admittedly biased by the fact that this issue is told from Thundercracker’s point a view, a character that has long been a favorite of mine though he has rarely gotten a chance to shine. But Thundercracker has been one of my favorites because he’s got a kind of working class sense of honor and has found himself in a situation that people can identify with – he got in over his head because he followed what his friends were doing. Pretty simple, but it makes for a character that can see things from a perspective quite different from all the rest. His narration may only bookend the issue, but it colors what comes between it in a way that truly deepens it.
I may regret asking this, but where does the “X-Factor Nation-X” one-shot fall in continuity? It can’t have happened as of #202 since Siryn and Layla haven’t rejoined the team yet to accompany them to Utopia. (Shatterstar’s gone for the moment now, too.) And if they haven’t all rejoined the team by the time we get to the “Second Coming” issues (when Everything Changes!), then we’ll probably have missed our window of opportunity where the group visit to Utopia could have happened.
There, see, I regret asking!
Erm, after next issue?
I bought two more reference comics: The Official Handbook of the marvel Universe Update#1 (with stats for Googam, Pinky Pinkerton, etc) and Official Index of the Marvel Universe#14 (last issue of the current one, with lots of Iron man mini-series; looking forward to the return of the series with Captain America – starting with Captain America Comics#1 – Avengers, Thor).
I’m joining in late because I only now got X-Factor #202. I agree with everyone that the colouring on Layla towards the end is annoying, but it wasn’t confusing to me. It was obvious who she was meant to be.
I absolutely loved the line ‘I have simply outgrown you’. That was brilliant! And Sue’s fantasy world was great as well.