Angel & Faith #24, by Christos Gage (writer), Rebekah Isaacs (artist), Dan Jackson (colorist), Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt (letterers) - So the magic orb didn't burst at the end of last issue. Its magic is so potent, it alters people merely by being in proximity to it, unless they're protected by runes, like our heroes. So there's a scrum for, which presents characters with the opportunity to confront quandaries in their lives. Giles and Alasdir muse on their current status as very young and very old, dithering about long enough for Nash to take back the orb. Sophie and Lavinia opt out of the fight, and decide to help the affected regain control. It's a little self-serving (since they don't risk harm), but it's also an excellent recognition of where their expertise lies, and shows a willingness to do so. Pearl & Nash are ecstatic that the moment their mother dreamed of is at hand, until Nadira claws herself up to continue her quest for vengeance and stabs Nash. It doesn't kill him, but it presents Faith with an opening, so that's one baddie down.Meanwhile, Angel's trying to convince Whistler his plan is wrong, by pointing out all the innocents who will suffer for it. It doesn't quite work, because Whistler has already calculated the losses, and justified them to himself. This doesn't present a lovely scene where Angel tries to play the sanctimonious badass (and Isaacs gives him the cool guy slouch, complete with hands stuffed into coat pockets), only to have Whistler throttle him and throw him through a wall, pointing out he was in Hiroshima, so he knows suffering in the name of greater good. Angel's look of surprise when Whistler grabs him was classic. Not the silver-tongued devil he thought he was.
One thing the Buffy TV shows always disappointed me about was their portrayal of werewolves. Oz looked like some giant diseased rat, rather than a sleek killing monster. Fortunately, Isaacs draws a very nice lycan, pretty much how I always picture them. And that poor fellow who was merging with his guitar? That was creepy. The strings were growing through out through his face like giant hairs. Yeesh.
Captain Marvel #14, by Kelly Sue Deconnick (writer), Scott Hepburn (artist), Gerardo Sandoval (artist, pgs. 2, 12, 13, 18), Andy Troy (color artist), Joe Caramagna (letterer) - Quinones does a good job mimicking other artist on that cover. His Carol has a bit more prominent cheeks than Cockrum's (I think) did in the original image the upper right was referencing, but it's a good likeness. I do wish they'd use some image's from later in her career. Maybe Binary, or her time as Warbird, something from her Avengers stint.
Yon-Rogg's using Carol (or the lesion in her brain) to power his matter creation abilities. His goal is to make a new Kree-Lar and set it on top of NYC. He still has sufficient power to create plenty of Kree war machines to keep the Avengers busy. And Carol's not doing too hot. I'm not sure if that's because Rogg is stealing her energy, or if she's just too messed up from the lesion. Her weakened state means she must listen to his villainous diatribe. You know, he is great, she is terrible, this is payback for how she wronged him in the past, blah, blah. Maybe it was hearing all that blather, but Carol gets her dander up, and takes to the sky. Which causes a brain hemorrhage, which means no more lesion, so no more power for Rogg. The day is saved, but it leaves Carol floating unconscious in the upper atmosphere. The Avengers might want to do something about that.
I've been thinking of Hepburn's art as kind of a mix of Andrade's and Matteo Scalera. He doesn't have Andrade's skill at panel composition, at least with fight scenes, but is a lot better at consistent faces, and he doesn't have the same exaggerated anatomy Scalera was prone to. Unfortunately, he does make Hawkeye's lousy current costume look worse by drawing the sunglasses as goggles. I understand the shades would be impractical, but the elastic band under and over the ear looks dorky. Probably something to avoid if you're going to waste our time with realistic costumes.
As for the story itself, it's a mixed bag. I didn't care much about Rogg as a threat, and the whole story felt like it could have been handled in an issue, rather than five. I didn't buy any of the Avengers Assemble parts, but I don't feel I missed much. So that's bad. The good is I'm curious to see what DeConnick does with a Carol minus her memories. Will she have some innate sense of who she is as a person anyway? Will her behavior alter as she learns things about herself? What if those things clash with who she thinks she is as a person? Will she reject that story, and possibly the person who presents it? Say she decides Frank Gianelli is really annoying, and someone says they're actually good friends? Would she accept that and hang out with him, expecting those feelings to reemerge? Or would she decide it was a load of bull, and cut off contact with him? I hope I don't have to wait two months for the end of the Infinity tie-in to see how it plays out.
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