Issue #2 picks up almost directly after the first one in the immediate aftermath of the (I shit you not) robo-ninja attack on Danny Rand's apartment. As I mentioned in the last review for this title, readers who are used to a slightly more jovial Iron Fist might feel a little disoriented by this battle-worn, disengaged take on the character. A lot of the issue is centered around giving us a look at the magical city of K'un Lun where Danny Rand had to kill a dragon barehanded to acquire his kung-fu powers and become the Iron Fist (Did you hear me? I want to take a second and harp on that fact that HE HAD TO KILL A DRAGON to become a superhero!!!!). Sadly, Kung Fu Heaven's festivities are about to be interrupted by uninvited guests. We also get to see an equal amount of spotlight lent to the moments in Danny's childhood that inevitably lead to him becoming the Iron Fist. Kaare Andrews is clearly influenced by old martial arts films and brings several of those elements to the script with shrieking women, strong familial bonds and grand speeches driving the narrative. Visually, the book has yet to lose a step. There are certain panels that look like they could be stories from an old scroll. Andrews makes Danny's abilities really seem like something you'd have to kill an ancient dragon to obtain.
Bottom Line: Another strong offering from Kaare Andrews that'll keep new readers sated for next month. 8.5 out of 10
Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man #1-With all the Amazing Spider-Man 2 in theaters, Peter Parker returned to former glory in his own relaunched title, a Spider-Man 2099 title on the horizon....it's only appropriate that Miles Morales get a fresh coat of paint. Also, Marvel's Ultimate Universe is a lot like a 90's boy band. There's mostly B and C students talentwise and then there's one breakout star that makes it all profitable. So far, New Ultimates is the Joey Fatone (the "who the fuck is that" guy), Ultimate FF is JC Chasez (the "close but not really" one) and Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man is Justin Timberlake, the profitable one.
Despite the new title, there's not much particularly new about this book, really. However, that's not actually a bad thing. This has been the standout property of the Ultimate line for as long as its been around, so if there's nothing broken, there's no need to fix it. And Brian Michael Bendis sticks closely to this old adage. Things pretty much pick up where Ultimate Spider-Man #200 left off. Miles is still coping in the aftermath of Galactus' attack on Earth as well as his father's disappearance. Bendis handles this with his usual perfect blend of humor and real pathos. While most of the dialogue is as good as you would expect from a Bendis book, the interactions with his best friend, Ganke, are easily the strongest in this issue with a Mary Jane Watson run-in at a close second. The book really goes out of its way to hammer home that just because Ultimate Peter Parker is dead, that doesn't mean the problems and villains he left behind are all taken care of. Miles really struggles with the "What Would Peter Do?" predicament and it makes for a layered plot that doesn't chase away Parker fans, but still attracts new readers. And it's always nice that Marvel can manage to write a person of color without constantly hitting you over the head with the fact that he's a person of color (I'm looking at You, EveryoneAtDCWhoEverWroteCyborg).
Keeping David Marquez drawing this book is probably the best decision Marvel's made this year. This issue is probably some of the tightest work I've seen from him on this franchise. There's a clear sense of what's happening in every panel and you're never confused during action beats. And the way he conveys emotion is second to none.
Bottom Line: This is still the best Ultimate book without question. 9 out of 10
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