Elsewhere And X-Men: Gold Headline This Week's Comic Review Roundup August 2nd Edition

Comic book racks are filled to the brim these days with wonderful content, so much so that any one person would have a hard time keeping track of them all.

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With so many publishers putting out amazing comics, it can sometimes take a bit to get through them all. That is certainly the case for these books, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set aside some time for them.

In fact, it is the opposite, and some of the books on this list are more than deserving of your time.

Generations: Banner Hulk & The Totally Awesome Hulk #1

Generations: Hulk #1 finds itself in an odd place, though some of that is undoubtedly the fault of Secret Empire.

For those who aren’t aware, Generations features team-ups between the current era heroes and their classic counterparts, so Amadeus Cho Hulk is therefore teamed up with Bruce Banner. Now Banner is dead in the normal universe of course, but that’s where the Vanishing comes in.

The only issue is that the Vanishing hasn’t really been explained yet in Secret Empire, so it leaves this book feeling like a one-off rather than the first of a series. That could possibly change in future issues, but as it stands it feels extremely isolated.

Now that’s not to say the issue is bad though, as Greg Pak uncovers some hidden character gems between Cho and Banner. Their approaches to handling the Hulk is miles apart, and that is the central difference between them. Seeing how Banner lives his days to keep the Hulk surprised is, well, depressing, but that feeds into his overall outlook towards the Hulk.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Hulk book without a throw down or two, and artist Matteo Buffagni renders those battles quite stylishly. There’s a classic bombastic flair to his Hulk’s with an equally sullen Bruce Banner to compare them against, again furthering the weight of the power these two hold.

There’s plenty to like here, especially for fans of the original Hulk. That said, it doesn’t feel connected to an overarching story, and it still feels as if the reader is missing some crucial information, whether they truly are or not.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars.

Generations: Banner Hulk & The Totally Awesome Hulk #1 is written by Greg Pak with art by Matteo Buffagni. The official description can be found below.

BRUCE BANNER. AMADEUS CHO. Both have carried the curse of the Hulk. Now they come face-to-face at last – but will they meet as friends or foes? Fan-favorite Hulk scribe GREG PAK is joined by red-hot artist MATTEO BUFFAGNI (X-MEN BLUE) for a time-bending tale that will finally answer the question on everyone’s minds: WHO IS THE STRONGEST ONE THERE IS?

Generations: Banner Hulk & The Totally Awesome Hulk #1 is in stores now.

X-Men: Gold

X-Men: Gold has consistently delivered since its launch, in part because of how it captures the voices of classic X-Men. You’ll be thrilled to know then that X-Men: Gold #9 is no different, though the method in which that is delivered is different from the norm.

Dealing directly with the fallout from the last issue, Kitty Pryde and Colossus have to venture to Washington D.C. to speak before congress to denounce the mutant deportation law. If you ever wanted a President Josiah Bartlett or Lt. Daniel Kaffee moment in comic book form, Marc Guggenheim’s Kitty Pryde is as close as you’re going to get.

Guggenheim continues to deliver a Pryde that is level-headed and practical without giving up tenacity. She’s every bit (if not more) the leader that Ororo and Scott have been in the past, and this issue continues her upward evolution.

If you’ve ever wanted to put Congress in its place, you can now live vicariously through Kitty Pryde.

It wouldn’t be an X-Men book though without subplots, and there are some interesting interpersonal threads here as well. Nightcrawler, Colossus, Rachel Grey, and even a surprising villain all get some time to shine, and the book’s big tease will please longtime fans.

As for the art, Ken Lashley’s visuals hit more than they miss here, especially when the action picks up. The fight scenes steal the show here, but Lashley is also quite adept at displaying the chemistry between Peter and Kitty. Aside from some jarring close-ups throughout the issue, the art complements the characters well.

All in all issue #9 continues a hot streak for X-Men: Gold, which continues to put characters and development before convoluted plots and epic throwdowns. So far the process is working, and hopefully, it doesn’t stop anytime soon.

Rating 4 out of 5 Stars.

X-Men: Gold #9 is written by Marc Guggenheim with art by Ken Lashley. The official description is listed below.

Kitty Pryde has sworn off men named “Peter.” But when she and her first love – Peter “Colossus” Rasputin – are caught in dire straits, will she find herself going back on her word?

X-Men: Gold #9 is in stores now.

Elsewhere #1

History is often pretty fascinating on its own, but when you throw flying beasts, alien cultures, and angry warlords into the mix, you’re guaranteed an entertaining ride.

You can say all of the above for Image Comics’ new series Elsewhere, which mines some of history’s most compelling disappearances and funnels them through a fantastical prism. The book happens to include one of the most prolific members of that club, Amelia Earhart, who disappeared in 1937 over the Pacific.

But what if she didn’t just crash into the ocean? That’s what Elsewhere theorizes, introducing fans to a stranded Earhart who quickly comes in contact with the natives of this odd world. Writer Jay Faerber keeps the story focused, introducing only a few characters before the final pages, and even then the book doesn’t overload you with people to meet.

In fact, that’s one of the book’s biggest strengths. While the historical characters are clearly the stars of the book, you quickly learn to love these new ones thanks to the increased page count they get. The mystery of what exactly this place is and how others got here is slow building, but that allows people like Earhart to become more than just recognizable names, but truly characters unto themselves.

The visual stylings of Sumeyye Kesgin serve the story well. The leads all have distinctive looks while the world feels downtrodden but remains visually vibrant and interesting. Essentially it looks pretty despite the fact that you probably don’t want to live there.

A surprise meeting at issue’s end plants an effective hook for next issue, though the overall premise is enough to do so anyway. Elsewhere was a pleasant surprise this week, and could be the start of something great.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars.

Elsewhere #1 is written by Jay Faerber with art by Ron Riley and Sumeyye Kesgin. The official description is listed below.

COPPERHEAD WRITER JAY FAERBER TEAMS WITH RISING STAR SUMEYYE KESGIN TO UNVEIL ELSEWHERE: THE FANTASTIC STORY OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO AMELIA EARHART! Mysteriously transported to a strange new world filled with flying beasts and alien civilizations, Amelia desperately struggles to return home. Along the way, she forges alliances and makes enemies as she goes from aviator to freedom fighter in a rebellion against a merciless warlord!

Elsewhere #1 is in stores now.

Nightwing #26

Nightwing’s world is always more interesting when another Gotham denizen is alongside him. That formula continues in Nightwing #26, which brings Helena Bertinelli to town.

While it hasn’t received as much attention as its Gotham brethren like Detective, Birds of Prey, Batman proper, Nightwing has carved out an interesting supporting cast for its hero since Rebirth began. While she’s the star in another series, that does actually include Huntress, as the two starred together in the Spyral ongoing series.

The chemistry the two display is palpable, and writer Tim Seeley brings out the best in both characters. Dick Grayson’s guilt ridden shtick is much more tolerable when someone else can temper it, and Huntress is able to temper it just enough here. Grayson is great as a superhero, but the spy elements Seeley introduces make the narrative far more interesting, and the two approaches to crime fighting also make for some memorable sequences in the heat of the moment.

Artist Javier Fernandez provides some stellar pencils here, emphasizing Grayson and Helena’s acrobatic gifts as they make their way across the city. Chris Sotomayor’s colors compliment Fernandez’s style quite well, though the colorful panel backgrounds took some getting used to. At first, they seemed jarring, but after awhile it all comes together swimmingly and would seem odd without them to break up the dark city-scapes.

Nightwing #26 starts off as a tale of revenge, but quickly transforms into a spy laced whodunit, delivering a satisfying hook for next issue to boot. If you haven’t given Nightwing a chance, now’s the perfect time to change your mind.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Nightwing #26 is written by Tim Seeley with art by Javier Fernandez. The official description is listed below.

“SPYRAL” part one! Huntress comes back into Nightwing’s life at his lowest moment. But is she here to help him find the man who killed one of Dick’s closest allies? Or is she here to carry out a mission of her own?

Nightwing #26 is in stores now.