Dark Reign: The Cabal

As is the case with most of my posts on the Cabal, I'm pretty much going to comment mainly on Emma with only a couple things to say on the other stories.

I just looked up what was going on in the Dr. Doom story and I am not pleased. Emma being tied up to Dr. Doom's fucking chair as a sex slave is ridiculous. Please fucking die Doom, your arrogance pissed me off so much throughout this one-shot. Loki being tied up, whatever, she can turn into a man and make his masculinity feel challenged. The story in it self was good besides the Emma sex slave part, but what I want to talk about is the artist: ADI GRANOV! (click here to see). AND he made a fucking amazing costume for her which should be used instead of that shitty edit made to her AWESOME costume.

Continuing on The Hood story had egh art with an egh story up until the end. That part was good. Namor's story was good except the art used was ridiculously unattractive. Namor's a guy who lounges in his speedos ALL day. Give him an artist that will give him a sexy edge. Also, I noticed that Namor and Northstar are very similar creatures in the arrogance sense. Of course, A LOT of Marvel men are full of....themselves. Still, resemblance? I think so at least. Loki story was boring. I've never been a Peter Milligan fan and this just reinforces that. And I'm sick of Doom and his arrogance, I wish for his death at the end of this.

Now to the main event: Emma's story.

The artist was fine in this case even though last time since she was in the Hellfire club in the artist's (Daniel Acuna) pages she just looked like a cheap French whore so it looked terrible. Felt like too much perfume in a small room. Still, not Adi Granov. I liked that even paid attention to minor details like what Emma was wearing when the sentinels attacked since it barely differed from the usual and he even put in layered hair like it was.

Fraction finally wrote Emma like I want! Concerning the morning of the 16 million mutant massacre, Emma discusses how it was just any other Tuesday and says, "I said something dumb and bitchy masquerading as clever and naughty and mean. My first refuge when I've got nothing else to say." YES! Now you're getting it! There are just so many things that are finally correct with Fraction's Emma.

Wonderful!

Revisiting her family sort of undid the damage done by that talentless crap Emma Frost series. We finally see Emma as she was in New X-Men #139: Flat-chested and scrawny. Everything is back as they should be although Christian looks old again which I wish he'd A. Be brought back B. Not as an old man since he can't be more than a few years older than Adrian.

I also love that Emma's motive for teaching was explained. The fact that she teaches to help kids that were in her place is a wonderful reason.

Finally, Emma Frost has been written right by Matt Fraction! I've bitched long and hard and it's like fate's responded. Or Fraction caught my bitching on CBR? One problem: It was all review and not a new story though it did show new insight into her character and was definitely her voice. After my first day of good quality Fraction I am excited to see where Uncanny X-Men #509 goes since I still don't have it.

Secret Invasion: Dark Reign

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Alex Maleev
To start, I read a lot of comic books, but do not have people to converse with about them since other comic book readers do not usually read the ones I do (mainly X-Men). So I have a lot to say with no one to say it too. Part of this blog that will be devoted to comic book criticism which will likely relate a lot to Emma Frost.

Anyway, this week's comic book is the one-shot Secret Invasion: Dark Reign. The only reason why I picked it up will be about the only part I'm critiquing very closely is: Emma Frost.

This issue begins with Emma in dreamland-ish landscape which is basically Emma in the Sentry's mind again meaning just white around her. But poorer art. Good to show that Emma has continued guilt over Kitty's death since certain writers seem to forget just because the guilt is addressed once does not mean it just went away.

She then wakes up and gets a telegram inviting her to Avengers Tower. She has a snipe-y moment, first time in awhile where it feels real since Fraction writes her to basically be a spoiled brat on Uncanny. She flies over to Avengers Tower and meets Doom in a basement meeting room where he acts like he's amazing. His narcissism is tired and this is only the 5th issue I've ever read with him in it. One problem with it is Emma's response to Doom after he says he's too almighty to be mind read is "Yeah. Okay." Emma Frost's way of speaking is very controlled, she glorifies being remarkable, so instead she would say something like "Whatever you say, darling."
A simple 'Yeah. Okay.' just sounds idiotic.

Then she meets Namor. Who's being drawn to look a dirty middle-aged man and apparently has a hearing problem. The Hood appears after, Emma displays that she does not care that people around her want privacy in their own heads and I absolutely love it. Then the dumbass points the gun on her, he seems really boringly over the edge, so she lets him know who's boss, favorite moment in the issue.

Loki appears followed by Norman Osbourne. He explains what's happened since Secret Invasion which is good since I do not give a damn, Secret Invasion was drawn out for way too long and seemed REALLY fucking boring. I promise I will not say boring half as many times next review. Either way, he talks a lot about nothing I cared about. Emma explains she's different, she doesn't have a kingdom she lost, then the endangered issue of mutants is brought up and Osbourne calls her the White Queen. Except that hasn't been for a LONG time now. Osbourne explains her being there keeps the mutants from being in concentration camps and she needs to make 'bold moves' which is vague and not really a reason, she can make bold moves elsewhere.

Then Osbourne continues speechifying. He walks around behind each of them, Emma's specific panel make her seems like she's getting some under the table and is just a really unlikely pose she'd make no matter how sexual she may be. Then everyone leaves. The rest I did not read since I can barely keep interest in the issue without Emma in it, egotistical men=snooze fest. Emma has the dream again and wakes up screaming, Scott does not even wake up. Fin.

Art-wise: Alex Maleev was really unremarkable, a step above the horrible artist that did Wolverine Origins when Emma appeared. In terms of colors, there were mainly light colors which does not go with the villain theme; dark colors or a lot of contrast would have worked better. The pencils seem scratchy and Emma just looks like any other blonde chick. She isn't, she should look very fierce. At least she did not have that horrible white tranny makeup that too many artists think works for her. But the light makeup with pink lips isn't her either, she'd likely had a dark upper lid and eyeliner defined lower one along with a red-pink lipstick.

Overall: Good for the parts with Emma, but the art just made the issue drag on in a really mundane way. I could have lived without owning the issue.