Marvelous Adventures
Marvel Adventures: Super Heroes #5
Obviously, our focus in this issue is on Dr. Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. He’s cruising the various interdimensional realms of magic (lugging a cup of Starbucks coffee. Niiiice.) when he discovers that something has been eating the fabric of reality. Bad news. Who’s his perfect ally to solve this cosmic problem? Apparently, it’s your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. After helping Spidey take down the Vulture (Who knew magical crimefighting involved stripping the Vulture down to his underwear? And how will I ever erase that particular image from my brain?), Strange recounts his origin for the Webslinger, magically enhances his webs to allow them to seal the holes in reality, then it’s off to a bunch of floaty magical dimensions, where they tangle with a bunch of monsters called the Zakimiya — newborns, actually, starving for the raw energy of the universe and spawned from an adult monster of incalculable power. And when they finally meet up with that impossibly powerful monster and his awful, awful haircut, can Spidey’s ability to monologue like Dr. Doom save the day?
Verdict: Thumbs up. Lots of fun bits of characterization here. I love Dr. Strange’s morning mug of mocha, as well as his very personable optimism. And Spidey’s over-the-top arrogant monologues at the end of the story (“How DARE you awaken ME, the completely awesomely cool SPIDER-MAN from my SLUMBER OF EONS. I am TEMPTED to release more than this MERE MOTE of my TRUE POWER!”) really are completely awesomely cool.
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #30
Tigra has been hired by a mysterious stranger to tail the Avengers and find out all she can about them. She trails Bruce Banner through a grocery store, Storm and Giant-Girl to a sidewalk cafe, Captain America to an assembly at a local elementary school, and the whole team to a knock-down, drag-out battle against the Griffin. Will Tigra finally step out of the shadows to help? And who was the mysterious figure who hired her?
Verdict: Another thumbs up. Marvel’s kid-friendly comics are some of the best out there, and they make great reading for anyone, either adults or kids. Tigra comes across as an incredibly appealing character, part investigator, part wide-eyed fangirl.