The List #23 part 1

Before I begin, I have to apologize for being a full week late with all these reviews, but I've been ill since last Tuesday and still am a little.

Dark Avengers #14
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Mike Deodato
Those of you who hate the Sentry with all your heart will probably be disappointed by this issue because yet again it is dominated by He-who-won't-die. Luckily there are some other developments this issue that are absolutely Bendis Awesome (which is a top-tier level of awesome). And Deodato continues to be top-f#@%ing-notch.

This issue opens with Victoria Hand confronting Osborn, demanding he get psychiatric help or she will leave. She also alerts him to Moonstone and Bullseye f@%$ing in the conference room. In front of H.A.M.M.E.R. agents.






Here's an awesome Bendis moment because anyone can claim a villain is crazy. People have claimed Emma Frost was crazy, but her 'crazy' was tame enough, she was still civilized and mostly obeying social norms when she wasn't being villainous. Moonstone and Bullseye are screwing in public. Thank you Bendis for showing rather than saying.

Also, Hand notes that Moonstone is working her way through the team. Do know that this isn't a new development, in Ellis' Thunderbolts Moonstone's ultimate plan was to run the Thunderbolts (and again, in there she had been Osborn's right hand). And I can only imagine what her plan will be in Luke Cage's Thunderbolts considering she's the only female team member and will likely be submitted to sexist crap.

Anyway, Hand decides to go break up the party. And when Moonstone gets in her face she pulls out a gun and zaps her. Pretty hxc of Hand.

But then everything is cut short by The Sentry. Who's tantruming, destroying New York as villains do. At least it's done by the Void this time, who is loads more entertaining and just a more likable character. And he's also aware of Osborn's manipulations. Apparently the Void wants to create a world where Robert Reynolds and Lindy can't live in, but can't actually kill Lindy himself. Osborn and him finally come to an agreement which later is specified to be Osborn ordering Bullseye to kill Lindy. Which is wonderful because I feel like Bullseye has lost a lot of his 'cool' factor that he had in Ellis' Thunderbolts. Conclusion: I'd seriously consider buying this issue unless you absolutely cannot stand The Sentry.

Spider-Woman #6
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev
This issue starts and ends with two awkward double spread pages. The first is awkward because a large part of the double spread is Spider-Woman's ass. Basically this issue is about Spider-Woman fighting off Osborn's new Thunderbolts. So yes, it's basically an extended fight scene, but it's not like a Fraction fight scene (with a beginning, a conclusion but no meat). It's actually probably one of the better issues of this series.

I have to say I found Maleev a little off this issue, especially when it came to when Jessica sent a venom blast that exploded near the Thunderbolts. It was just very static seeming and Black Widow in particular, who's in the center, looked more like she was just taking a lazy jump rather than trying to jump out of the way of an explosion. The rest of them generally just look similarly unphased by the explosion, static, or paralyzed.

Jessica ends up beating up half of them with her cleverness. And at one point she hides in a dumpster. Which I found to be the perfect opportunity to make what is hopefully the world's first LOLSpider-Woman.

In the end of the issue, Jessica just blows up the Thunderbolts' ship and calls it a day. And here's where the awkward ending double-spread comes in. It's just Jessica flying in the air with her fists out. No real transition to this. No panels on the page. Just her. Her fists. And a city background. Conclusion: Despite the awkward sandwich, I'd definitely recommend buying this issue.

Psylocke #4
Writer: Chris Yost
Artist: Harvey Tolibao
Welcome to the last issue review for Yost's angst-ridden Psylocke mini-series. Unfortunately we're ending off this series with Wolverine overexposure in the form of an 'epic' fight scene spanning most of the issue.

The issue begins with Wolverine and Psylocke exchanging the traditional "You don't have to do this, back away now!" and many other cliched comic book phrases. But Psylocke predictably does not back down, and her hair and sashes find themselves in agreement on this as they all take the poised form of the letter s!

Anyway, they fight and it's predictably not that dangerous because both of them are popular characters so no damage is going to stick to either of them. Psylocke ends up jamming the totality of her telekinesis/telepathy/Phoenix Force powers into Wolverine's noggin and causes him to release THE INNER BEAST!! OH NOES!!! Luckily, Rage Man (I honestly can't even remember his real name now) interrupts by throwing Logan out of the way. And he does this...naked. Don't remember why he's naked either:

Oh and he forgives Betsy now apparently and they cool. Which...I never saw coming! Yes! This is completely new to me! In order to end the fighting, Betsy pulls the ultimate angsty move of this series and decides to end the fight by offering to Logan to kill her. He refuses, but says they're going to talk about her death wish. Which makes her sounds a lot like Jessica Drew. Again, Psylocke is the X-Man's version of Spider-Woman.

In the end, Psylocke mercy kills Matsu'o. Then comes the best scene of this entire series:

I cannot believe she just told one of the students she killed someone. Seriously, Xavier's School for Child Abuse! Starts off with Colossus beating up half the student body, followed by a chunk of the team constantly covered in blood, and ending with even the sane-ish mentor figures going around being like, "I killed a man today, do your fucking homework or you'll be the next!" I'm just waiting for the day that Emma comes out of the bathroom, just glances down at Trance and is like, "I just did three lines of blow in the bathroom. Know where I can score some hallucinogenic Pixie dust?"

Conclusion: This issue is mostly mediocre and honestly, most of the series isn't all that amazing. But I would recommend buying issue one to all Psylocke fans.