Uncanny Avengers #9 Teammates Collide

From the first issue Rogue has been very vocal about not wanting Wanda Maximoff on the combined team of X-Men and Avengers. Remender has set Wanda up to be sympathetic while Rogue refuses to show her any sort of compassion which would eventually come to a head. From Comic Book Resources exclusive look at the cover to issue #9 of Uncanny Avengers, the two seem to finally be at the end of their fuse.

UNCANNY AVENGERS #9
RICK REMENDER (W) • DANIEL ACUÑA (A)
Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
Ragnarök Now continues!
• A team divided. The Apocalypse Twins triumphant.
• Wolverine discovers The Midnight City and soon wishes he hadn’t.
• The Horsemen of Death shatter the Avengers body and soul!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Green Lantern #20 Preview

It’s the final battle against the First Lantern and the Guardians in this, the extra-sized finale of Geoff Johns’ historic run on the title! Plus, don’t miss a special retrospective on Geoff’s run on GL!

CBLDF Celebrates Johns' Green Lantern Run

Official Press Release from Comic Book Resources:

On Friday, May 24, come celebrate the creativity of Geoff Johns at Greenest Night: A Celebration of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern benefiting Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!  Join Johns’ at the Avalon Bardot Theater in Hollywood, CA for an intimate look back on his Green Lantern run with a revealing Q&A session kicked off with a keynote appreciation presented by Jeph Loeb.  Geoff will also take center stage at a star-studded VIP opening reception, where all guests will receive special and extremely limited commemorative merchandise created by Graphitti Designs! Only 100 seats are available for this exclusive evening celebrating Geoff's once-in-a-generation accomplishment - get yours now! Visit: http://cbldf.myshopify.com/products/greenest-night-a-celebration-of-geoff-johns-green-lantern

Johns began his iconic Green Lantern run in 2004 with Green Lantern: Rebirth, which reintroduced Hal Jordan to the DC Comics Universe and began a journey that would make the series one of the most exciting and bestselling franchises in the comics industry.  Over the next eight years, Johns recast the Green Lantern mythos, developing a universe of new characters and concepts that would make storylines including “Blackest Night, Brightest Day,” and “The Sinestro Corps War” the most talked about and influential comics events of the decade.  Johns now concludes that run with Green Lantern #20, leaving the franchise with hundreds of new characters and worlds that will be explored for generations to come.

Greenest Night: A Celebration of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern toasts Johns' unique accomplishment with an upscale and intimate celebration at the Avalon Bardot theater in Hollywood, CA.  There are two levels of admission for this limited event:

Regular Admission tickets are available for a $100 donation to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and includes admission to the exclusive Q&A, as well as a gift bag featuring a signed & numbered commemorative print from Graphitti Designs, a signed copy of Green Lantern #20 with a commemorative Certificate of Authenticity, and other gifts.  $80 of this contribution is tax deductible.

VIP Admission tickets are available for a $250 donation to CBLDF, and includes admission to the star-studded VIP opening reception and premiere seating at the exclusive Q&A, a commemorative t-shirt from Graphitti Designs, a copy of Absolute Green Lantern: Rebirth, with a commemorative bookplate, as well as the signed & numbered commemorative print from Graphitti Designs, and signed copy of Green Lantern #20 with a commemorative Certificate of Authenticity, and other gifts.  $126 of this contribution is tax deductible.

Greenest Night: A Celebration of Geoff Johns' Green Lantern is sponsored by DC Entertainment (www.dcentertainment.com) and is produced by Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (www.cbldf.org) and Comic Book Resources (www.comicbookresources.com), with merchandise provided by Graphitti Designs (www.graphittidesigns.com).  The event happens on Friday, May 24 at 8:00 PM, with a VIP opening reception at 7:00.

About Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals.

Fathom #9 Review

Michael Turner’s latest FATHOM volume reaches its thrilling conclusion…

With the sinister inhabitants of the Red Ocean dispatched thanks to her heroic efforts, Aspen Matthews believes that her problems may finally be over. However, upon returning her companions Colin and Judith home safely above the surface, a far more threatening peril awaits them-the vile, parasitic ceratonotus steiningeri!

Brace yourself, because the world-changing epic finale of volume four will alter the future landscape of the FATHOM universe forever!

As the official synopsis states, this is that closing chapter of this current art in Fathom who's main character was used as the actual branding for the title of the comic company. Aspen uses her aquatic powers to end the threat of another girl named Judith, who also has been inhibited by a virus of sorts giving her similar powers of controlling and transforming water. The final battle is quite short lived and the story ends with Aspen gazing off into the sunset wondering where she'll pick up next.

It's always a tough task when a story comes up on it's final chapter, especially one that's been this long running. The writer has to bring a lot of weight to a close and often times it can leave a dissatisfying ending. I wouldn't say that David Wohl failed in creating a ending worth reading at all because this was a very well written book. The main problem here is that it feels more like an epilogue than a true climactic finale and this may have been purposely done so I'm not faulting him for that. He lets Aspen save the day and cut ties with a place she's been for a long time in search of a new beginning which leaves a perfect opening for the adventures ahead.

Alex Konat seems to be channeling all the right things that made Michael Turner such a popular artist before his untimely death. This is not a carbon copy of the amazing work associated with Turner in any way, but you get the feeling Konat wanted to flow along the same path that brought the story a huge following in the first place. Beth Sotelo shouldn't be over looked either because the colors are vibrant and bright and pop off the page in each panel. The clean lines and slender build of the women are eye catching and while it's not a style I've always been a fan of, I can definitely see why it became so popular and where the audience loves coming back to it.

This was a solid effort from a creative team that seemed to enjoy their run on the book a lot. The writing flowed well and the art never seemed to faulter at any point and looked great even in the quieter scenes.

Superman Unchained #1 75 Years Of Superman Variants

Bruce Timm, Dave Johnson, Neal Adams

"Superman Unchained" #1 by Scott Snyder and Jim Lee hits stores June 12, and DC Comics is planning a number of variant covers to celebrate the hero's 75th anniversary. In an interview with DC co-publisher Dan DiDio, IGN has posted eight new variant covers by fan-favorite and critically acclaimed artists Bruce Timm, Dave Johnson, Neal Adams, Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, Lee Bermejo, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez and Brett Booth that each represent a different era for the Man of Steel.

"We really wanted to go after the artists that captured the flavor and the spirit of the times that we were going for -- everything from Superman’s inception through the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, Modern Age, through to capturing the time of Superman Reborn. Also, we’re looking at Superman versus his greatest nemesis, Lex Luthor," DiDio told IGN of the variant covers. "So we really wanted to capture the things that just resonated with the people throughout the years, because ultimately it just shows the life and longevity of this character. And the fact that we’re able to launch this book, 'Superman Unchained,' in the way we have just shows that he’s just as vibrant and vital now as he was 75 years ago."

Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, Lee Bermejo

Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, Brett Booth, Jim Lee

Review: Legend of the Shadow Clan #4

Now that Morgan Himura and her family have learned that they’re descendants of a long line of ninja warriors called the Shadow Clan, one would think that their lives would vastly improve. Especially since the Himura siblings seem to be gaining a better understanding of their unique abilities and talents–especially Morgan, who has always excelled at anything she’s put her mind to. But, there’s a reason why the Shadow Clan had been in hiding for centuries–and now that the Himuras are out in the open, their ancient enemy, the Ghost Clan, has wasted no time in tracking them down. Ready or not, today is the day the Ghost Clan takes the fight to the Shadow Clan!

From the creators of "Executive Assistant: Assassins". "Legend of the Shadow Clan" is an exciting read that's part family drama and part badass ninja throwdown.

It's hard to make ninjas work in contemporary times; but "Legend of the Shadow Clan" makes it work, fusing elements of G.I. Joe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into an interesting family dynamic that is both parts funny and well written.

The action is fun; but where Aspen excels in it's many different series is that each has a new and interesting take on things. You would think all of Aspen's comics are the same, because they're all fantasy or action; but each plot and cast is different than the other. Here we have a family coping with their mysterious and bloody past, and a rivalry with another ninja-clan that has spilled over into the future.

Legend of the Shadow Clan is a series that is well written and fun for about all-ages. There's something in this for everyone; much like "Shrugged". Aspe has proven that with their talented writers and artists (see the pencil and color work in Shadow Clan, the club scene is gorgeous) that they're an up and coming powerhouse for the comic-book medium .

Review: Executive Assistant: ASSASSINS #10

The latest from Aspen Comics "Executive Assistant: Assassins" is the final installment in the Executive Extinction arc, and it's an action-packed ride with a promising ending.
The story so far:

Mazutsu’s ex-lover Ivy and Rose, his Executive

Assistant, were forced to part ways under the threat

of a helicopter attack. Yet, not before Ivy left a tracking

device on Rose in order to find and kill the sinister

mastermind. Meanwhile, she was able to track down

Lily, Orchid and Aster at their warehouse safe-house,

and explain her active part in recent events. However,

Orchid’s hidden motives proved to be far removed

from her allies--as she betrayed the group by giving

away their location to Mazutsu--who has arrived to

exterminate all of them once and for all...

Mazutsu’s ex-lover Ivy and Rose, his ExecutiveAssistant, were forced to part ways under the threatof a helicopter attack. Yet, not before Ivy left a trackingdevice on Rose in order to find and kill the sinistermastermind. Meanwhile, she was able to track downLily, Orchid and Aster at their warehouse safe-house,and explain her active part in recent events. However,Orchid’s hidden motives proved to be far removedfrom her allies--as she betrayed the group by givingaway their location to Mazutsu--who has arrived toexterminate all of them once and for all...

First off let me say the artwork really brings the piece together, and accompanying that is the story, while coming in new is somewhat confusing, the prelude does a good job of setting up the stakes and characters for this installment.

The writing is pretty adult, making this the most mature Aspen title I have read, and it fits the tone. While there are hot girls shooting guns and kicking ass, these are still real people and death is a big part of their lives, thee flow is nice, and the action is well colored and drawn so there isn't a lot of visual clutter. 

To long-time readers I can feel this issue was probably really intense, given a major death in it; but I was not too involved- which isn't a bad thing because now I almost want to read the back issues to find out what's going on and who's who.

All in all the ass-kicking and art give this issue an "action movie" appeal that plays out both on page and in motion in your head, and it is advised you go and read the previous issues to get a grasp on what's happening. The ending also gets you hyped for what's to come, and I can't wait to read more.

Age Of Ultron #8 Adi Granov Variant

Marvel has released the Adi Granov variant cover for Age of Ultron #8. It shows Ultron with an even further adapted body with some sort of intense energy spewing out of the machinery. Granov might best be known in recent memory from the well received Iron Man: Extremis storyline written by Warren Ellis. The popular Iron Man tale has even been loosely adapted into the upcoming Iron Man 3 film. 

Fans enjoyed Granov's extremely clean work, almost computer generated to an extent which resembled a lot of video game cut screens and high end amateur made cgi. It will be interesting to see how they continue to evolve Ultron through each of these covers as events that happened in Issue 7 leading into #8 could end up with major questions.

Variants often seem like a way to get the value of a comic to become more than the $3.99 price tag as some even boast anywhere from $60 to $100 just for a different cover. These evolving Ultron images by Adi Granov have been too awesome to pass up for me though and staying around $6 to $9 each doesn't really deflate your wallet much.

You can view Ultron's subtle beginnings as he grows into the ultra-machine from Granov's variants #1-7 below, excluding #6 which can be seen here.

Johns & Lemire Shed Light On Trinity War

Last year DC used it's Free Comic Book Day issue to tease what looked to be a huge event for the company and now a year later some big things are getting ready to erupt leading into the story. A the center of the relaunch in 2011 a mysterious woman known as Pandora was seen lurking in the background of at least one page in every #1 issue which eventually lead to a quick glimpse at something called the Trinity of Sin which left even more questions on the minds of fans.

DC has kept most of it's crossover stories confined to a specific line of books like Death of the Family being exclusive to only bat-titles, and Wrath of the First Lantern staying within only the Green Lantern corner of the universe. It's be promised that Trinity War is a much larger event even though the focus centers around the three Justice League titles currently ongoing each month. IGN had a great Q&A with Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire giving insight on what to expect from the first "big event" in the New 52.

IGN: A lot of the speculation so far has involved what trinity the title is actually referring to. You've got the Trinity of Sin, the three different Justice Leagues, and this dynamic between Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Can you talk a little about how these various trinities factor into the conflict?

Johns: I think what trinity it's referring to is a bit of a mystery tied to the whole thing, and it'll definitely be explored within the book. Is it about the Trinity of Sin? The trinity of Leagues? Is it about Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman? What does "trinity" mean? What is it all about? That's something that the story explores. The cover is beautiful and really sells the action of the story, but at its heart it's a mystery. It's a mystery that's very character-driven. And that Trinity War and what that is is at the heart of the story.

Also, what really kicks off this story is an unexpected death and the circumstances surrounding it, and I don't think anyone's going to be to be expecting it. And it's not necessarily about the death, but the circumstances around it. When Part 1 comes out, I think it'll become very clear what kind of story this is. This is not just a "Let's put our heroes up against each other and have them fight like action figures." This is a mystery that's going to affect the teams from here on out. And the ending is going to change just about everything.

Infinity #1 Variant Goes Film Style

Marvel has released this epic looking movie poster style variant for their upcoming huge event Infinity. This is done by artist Marko Djurdjevic who is generally known for his beautiful painted cover work for the company. It's definitely an eye catching piece and would have worked for the regular cover as well, but variants seem to flood the market for good now.

This Saturday welcomes Free Comic Book Day to comic stores around the nation and Marvel's big free book will be a opening teaser for the huge event coming out in August. It seems like they are building up Infinity to be a much wider spanning event than the current Age of Ultron crossover which is looking at a grim future ruled by the Hank Pym created robot.