Hawkeye, Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction

Hawkeye, Volume 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction

Hawkeye (2012-2016) #1-5, 136 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good.

Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 3: The Realm of the Mind by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 3: The Realm of the Mind by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men (2024) #13-18, 152 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The startling reimagination of mutantkind in the Ultimate Universe enters its second year! Chaos erupts as former Children of the Atom rise up against the society that used and abused them just as tension between Armor and Maystorm comes to a head in an explosive confrontation! And when the Shadow King returns - more powerful than ever - will Armor be the first to fall? Witness how Hisako's journey through her inner darkness wreaks havoc on her fellow mutants - and reality itself! Nico's undercover sleuthing finally yields results! But the Church of the Children of the Atom is ready for a fight. What dangers await our young X-Men in the Astral Plane?

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 4 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 4 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) #16.1, 19-22, 144 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The Daily Bugle is on the hunt to find out everything they can about the new Spider-Man...but what they discover will surprise them, you - and him!
Then: Venom Wars begins! Miles Morales finally has his costume, his web-shooters, and now he has his first A-list Spider-Man villain...there's a new Venom in town, and he's hungry! But who exactly is the new Venom, and what is his terrible connection to Miles' father? All this, plus Miles' new girlfriend, and the return of award-winning artist Sara Pichelli!

Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2: Children of the Atom by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men Vol. 2: Children of the Atom by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men (2024) #7-12, 144 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Meet the mutants' new mentor, Psylocke! After recent climactic events and the surprise new teammate they found, Mei, Hisako, Nico and the mutants need some guidance! Fortunately, the mysterious Kanon is an older student with a surprising amount of expertise! But bigger questions What exactly are mutants? Where do they come from? And how has the Maker's Council been keeping them under control? All these secrets start to unravel as our heroes investigate a murder that, for some reason, the authorities keep covering up! Meanwhile, Shadow King advances his sinister plots! Maystorm and Surge are on a collision course! Viper enters the stage after a mass raid on the cult known as the Children of the Atom! And a seismic confrontation is coming!

Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 1: Fears and Hates by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 1: Fears and Hates by Peach Momoko

Ultimate X-Men (2024) #1-6, 160 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Visionary creator PEACH MOMOKO (DEMON DAYS, STAR WARS) creates a new generation of X-Men for an all-new universe! Hisako Ichiki is a teenage girl who just wants to live a normal life - go to school, hang out with her friends, ignore the political strife broiling over after the events of ULTIMATE INVASION - but life has other plans for her. In Japan, urban legends have sprung to life and brought some unusual new powers with them…Meet Armor, Maystorm and a group of new Ultimate X-Men the likes of which you've never seen before!

Hawkeye: Kate Bishop, Vol. 2: Masks by Kelly Thompson

Hawkeye: Kate Bishop, Vol. 2: Masks by Kelly Thompson

Hawkeye: Kate Bishop #7-12, 136 pages

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Hawkeye finally gets a lead on the top-secret case that brought her to Los Angeles in the first place - but to solve this mystery, Kate Bishop will have to take a good hard look at who she is and where she came from. Is she really ready to face the ghosts of her past? Maybe fixing things for a young client with oddly similar problems will help her fix herself! Probably not, though. At least she'll get to punch through her frustrations courtesy of the Worst. Fight. Club. Ever. But when her friends get in trouble and need a helping hand from Hawkeye, she always comes through - right? So when she doesn't, something must be really off. Who is this fake Kate, and what has she done with the real deal?

Hawkeye: Kate Bishop, Vol. 1: Anchor Points by Kelly Thompson

Hawkeye: Kate Bishop, Vol. 1: Anchor Points by Kelly Thompson

Hawkeye: Kate Bishop #1-6, 136 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Remember Hawkeye? No, not that Hawkeye - your favorite Hawkeye, the former Young Avenger, the butt-kicking hero who had to save that other Hawkguy all the time and basically keep his life in some semblance of order. Yup, you know her, it's the dazzling Kate Bishop - making her solo comics debut! Kate is heading back out west and returning to Los Angeles, with her bow and arrow and P.I. badge in tow. There are crimes to solve and she's the best archer to handle 'em! The City of Angels has a new guardian angel. This is Kate Bishop like you've never seen her before, in a brand-new saga that really hits the mark!

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Vol. 3 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 3 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) #11-18, 120 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Miles Morales, the newly minted Spider-Man, teams up with the Prowler! But wait, isn't the Prowler a bad guy?! Caught in a moral crisis, Miles must choose between battling his uncle-turned-crimelord, or joining him to keep his family safe! What path will the young hero take? And what will be the dramatic consequences? Plus: With the nation at war, Miles Morales decides to become a member of the Ultimates - and he will do absolutely anything it takes to earn that right.

Rogue and Gambit #1, Ring of Fire by Kelly Thompson

Rogue and Gambit #1, Ring of Fire by Kelly Thompson

Rogue and Gambit (2018), 112 pages

⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Everybody's favorite X-couple is reunited! And boy, are they not happy about that… Kitty Pryde must send Rogue and Gambit on an undercover mission to find a group of kidnapped mutants. What they discover on this mission will shock them. But will it also bring them closer together…? It's a high-stakes adventure caper that only the two hottest X-Men can deliver!

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 2 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 2 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011), 120 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

A brand new chapter in the saga of Miles Morales, the all-new Ultimate Spider-Man! The new Ultimate Scorpion is introduced! Still discovering the limits of his skills and powers, Miles must learn how to be a hero from ... Peter Parker?

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011), 136 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

The year's most talked about story! Miles Morales IS the new Spider-Man! What's the secret behind his powers, and how will he master them? What new and familiar enemies will rise to challenge this all-new Spider-Man? And will Miles live up to Peter Parker's legacy?

Review

Miles is my favorite Spider-Man, so I am in real need of this series since the third Spider-Verse movie keeps getting delayed.

New X-Men, Volume 2: Imperial by Grant Morrison

New X-Men, Volume 2: Imperial by Grant Morrison

New X-Men (2001) #2, 224 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

As protesters lay siege to the Xavier Institute, Professor X lies in a coma, trapped within the shattered form of his evil twin, Cassandra Nova.

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson

 Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson-120 pages

Ms. Marvel's adventures in Jersey City continue. A planet/asteroid is headed toward Manhattan and Jersey City and panic ensues in the streets. Ms. Marvel teams up with Captain Marvel (the "original" Ms. Marvel) to get everyone to safety at her high school. Also, Kamala's brother, Aamir is in peril after being kidnapped by Lineage's goon (and Kamala's brief crush) Kamran. Kamran thinks that Aamir might have Inhuman abilities, also, so he intends to blast him with Terrigen gas to awaken his abilities. Will Ms. Marvel rescue her brother? Will she save Jersey City?

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson

 Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson-112 pages

Ms. Marvel's story continues as Valentine's Day approaches in Jersey City and Loki arrives tasked with finding remnants of The Inventor/an infant villain left behind by him. Love is in the air as Bruno is in love with Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. However, he doesn't get the chance to tell her his true feelings. An old friend, Kamran, who recently moved back to Jersey City comes over to visit Kamala and they hit it off. Later that night, he convinces her to sneak out and reveals that he, too, is an Inhuman. Kamala thinks she might be in love with Kamran and they nearly kiss. Is Kamran all he seems to be?

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson

 Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why by G. Willow Wilson-136 pages

Ms. Marvel is still getting acclimated to her new powers and her superhero life. She continues her quest to find and defeat the Inventor. She learns more about her powers and her limits. Kamala/Ms. Marvel learns that it's good to bring friends and be part of a team. She also learns more about the origins of her powers and that it wasn't merely the effects of the Terrigen gas, but also something more. I am enjoying this series so far, but I'm still not sure if I like it as much as the Avengers video game. I look forward to continuing the story in the subsequent volumes.

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson-120 pages

This is the origin story for Ms. Marvel, aka Kamala Khan. She is a 16-year-old Pakistani-American girl in Jersey City. Kamala is still trying to figure out her place in the world and she sneaks out of the house to attend a party her parents told her she couldn't go to. During the party, she is made fun of and she runs off. As she is running away, a green mist fills the air and knocks her out. The green mist is Terrigen gas and it gives her super powers. Kamala saves a girl who was making fun of her at the party from drowning. Kamala trains and learns more about her strengths and weaknesses. She attempts to save a friend's brother from The Inventor. The first time she fails, but she prepares and succeeds on her second attempt. Her parents want her to be a good Muslim young woman. I was inspired to read this comic book series by playing the very recent video game "Marvel's Avengers." Ms. Marvel's origin story is slightly different in the video game, but the game was very enjoyable, so I wanted to read this for the monthly challenge. 

Star Wars: Vader-Dark Visions (Star Wars: Marvel Miniseries) by Dennis Hopeless

Star Wars: Vader-Dark Visions (Star Wars: Marvel Miniseries) by Dennis Hopeless-128 pages

This was a "shelf" read. I saw it on the shelf and was immediately intrigued. It is a collection of 5 short stories about Darth Vader in graphic novel form. In one story he is a savior, while in others he is a feared villain/superior. In one story, a somewhat crazy nurse is infatuated with him. It was intriguing to read about different sides of Vader.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2: Angela, by Brian Michael Bendis, 168 pages

 Guardians of the Galaxy 2: Angela, by Brian Michael Bendis, 168 pages

In this second in the GOTG series, StarLord is still mad at his Dad, the Earth is in some serious danger, and there's been some kind of disruption in the space time continuum (and of course, stupid Earthlings are responsible).  There is also a new character- Angela, from a place called Heven.  This is the stuff I love about comic books- there's a thread of a really interesting philosophical concept in every one of the good ones.  What if you grew up in a place where everyone had wings and flew around, and there was a mythical "other place" called Earth, where the creatures walked around on the ground and did all kinds of interesting things? It's like if we found out Heaven was a real, physical place- it would kind of blow your mind, right?  Yeah.  So, there's that.  Also, Gamora gets some action, which is cool.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis

 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Avengers, by Brian Michael Bendis, 136 pages

I totally read this once before, but when I went to read volume 2, I couldn't remember where we left off.  And the movie's coming out, and I love some Chris Pratt, so- worth a revisit during lunch.  Anyway: Peter Quill is StarLord- but he has rejected his position as next in line to the throne.  Instead, he's teamed up with a ragtag group of toughies, including Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot.  And Iron Man, for some reason.  It's pretty good- there's potential here that I hope goes somewhere.  And Bendis is pretty much a go-to Marvel man, in general- anything he writes is usually good.

Deadpool vol. 1 by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn

Deadpool vol. 1 by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, 280 pages

Deadpool is awesome.  That should be more than enough for people to read this, but I've got more.  This volume contains two story arcs, "Dead Presidents" and "Soul Hunter," which are issues 1-6 and 7-12 respectively of the current running of Deadpool awesomeness.

In "Dead Presidents," a Necromancer summons back the former U.S. Presidents in order to bring about a new age of prosperity for the country.  His plan backfires and it's up to S.H.I.E.L.D. to stop stop them.  However, not being in good taste to send Captain American to take down the former leaders of his namesake, the Merc with the Mouth is sent instead, and hilarity follows.

"Soul Hunter" kinda picks up where "Dead Presidents" left off, starting with a fairly relevant flashback.  Anyway, this time around Deadpool must collect souls for a demon who wishes to challenge Mephisto for power.  Hilarity follows.

Deadpool is great.  Never before have I actually "lol'd" at anything print, let alone a graphic novel, let alone super hero one.  I knew what I was getting into and still had my expectations blown out of the water.  Upon finishing, I had to call a carpenter, because my the fourth wall of my room had been completely torn down (but not really, just my lame attempt at humor).