Showing posts with label Alessandro Cappuccio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alessandro Cappuccio. Show all posts

Saturday, December 13, 2025

Unbreakable X-Men #2 Review

 



Writer: Gail Simone

Artists: CF Villa, Mario Santoro, Davide Tinto, David Marquez, AB Silva, Alessandro Cappuccio & Ramon Rosanas

Colorist: Espen Grundetjern

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Lucas Werneck; Ejikure; InHyuk Lee; Marco Checchetto & Edgar Delgado

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Lindsey Cohick, Annalise Bissa, Tom Brevoort & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 19, 2025

 

With Wolverine's help, Rogue and Gambit mentored a group of young mutants nicknamed the Outliers. When the St Juniors invited them to share Haven House, the X-Men also trained their daughter, Dome. The house guarded a graveyard for centuries, a rare resting place for Mutants in a world that hated them. The St Juniors and X-Men also helped Lady Henrietta Benjamin and Man-Thing guard the Dark Artery, an entryway to the Penumbra. There, Shuvahrak torments people who hurt or betray the Mutant members of their families during their lives.

 

When Galactus approached their property, Rogue stopped the Planet Eater at the cost of her life. Years later, Henrietta Benjamin visits the St Juniors’ home. She tells Gambit, Ransom, Temper, Dome, and Spider-Girl that Shuvahrak no longer wishes to torment the dead. Now, she wants to attack the living. Can Gambit and his adopted family prevent the dark god from arising? And how will Shuvahrak treat the inhabitants of Revelation's Territories? Let's grab a pack of playing cards, leap into Unbreakable X-Men #2, and see!

 

Story

After Rogue's death, the St Juniors' home became a house of pain. Gambit thinks of Rogue constantly. He yearns to join her in death. When Shuvahrak raises a zombie army to wipe out the guardians, Gambit pours out his anger and despair over Rogue's loss on his undead attackers. Despite how Ransom and the others care for him, Gambit draws strength by thinking of Nightcrawler, who has prayed for and counseled him.

 

In Unbreakable X-Men #2, Lady Henrietta and the others don’t know how Shuvahrak has gained new powers. But the prospect of the god breaking free to torment the living is a danger they cannot ignore. It frightens Ransom enough to suggest a reunion of the Outliers, something he has resisted all these years. Foremost in his thoughts is Deathdream, who convinced the others to promise that they would fight Shuvahrak if she ever threatened the living.

 

With Miss Henrietta urging them to hurry, Gail Simone’s story sends Gambit and his small cadre of X-Men to gather reinforcements. Years ago, Galactus told Rogue that Dome served no purpose at Haven House, but she could fulfill her promise elsewhere. Given her fierce love of Dome, Rogue didn't let the girl consider becoming the Planet Eater’s herald. Years after one giant's attack brought their lives to a standstill, the threat of another helps Gambit and the others remember their purpose and use their gifts to protect others in Unbreakable X-Men #2.

 


 

 

Art

As Gambit battles near a statue he cannot see, he guards a memorial erected by the city of New Orleans. Afterward, clad in the clothes of his late wife, Lady Henrietta hugs and kisses Gambit outside Haven House. While the X-Men gather in the living room, Shuvahrak arises. Chains adorn a leviathan more beast than Human in appearance. As the rays of light surrounding her echo the shape of Rogue's memorial, worshippers surround her, while a town climbs a nearby hill.

 

While Espen Grundetjern adorns Unbreakable X-Men #2 with brief respites from the encroaching darkness, Ransom strides through photographic negatives. Like Shuvahrak's tail, Sadurang’s glowing orange, red, and blue body appears more serpentine than before. 

 


 

 

Spider-Girl’s red jacket links her with Calico’s red riding coat, while the copper manes of her gray horses glow. Lady Henrietta and Dome prepare to protect Haven House, clad in black and gray. The X on Dome’s shirt echoes the entryway to the realm that can no longer hold its angry god.

 

Clayton Cowles shares dialogue using uppercase black letters in white balloons and boxes or white letters in black balloons. Gambit’s thoughts appear as white letters in pink boxes as he fights off zombies with glowing pink cards. The letters grow bold for intonation and never shrink. While earthshaking sound effects herald the end of an era, enlarged and colored words make for a statement of purpose and unity. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy. 

 


 

 

Final Thoughts

Gambit's love of Rogue helped him build a loving, supportive community for Mutants in Haven House. After his despair made the home a tomb, the Outliers went their separate ways. While survivor's guilt made Gambit want to die, Shuvahrak’s loss drove her to make others feel her pain. Dwelling on her loss fed her anger until that was all she knew. Feeling betrayed by the Mutant community for not protecting her child, Shuvahrak arises in a land created by Revelation’s betrayal of the Mutant community’s ideals in Unbreakable X-Men #2.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch


Tuesday, February 18, 2025

The Spectacular Spider-Men #12 Review


 


Writer: Greg Weisman

Artist: Emilio Laiso

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Production: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: David Baldeón & Edgar Delgado; Alessandro Cappuccio & Mattia Iacono

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 5, 2025

 

Juliet Marcos decides to do more with her powers when the Electros attack. The superpowered community rallies around to train their latest hero. But will Juliet, aka Elementary, follow Peter and Miles’ example? And how will she fare in a rematch with Max Dillon and Francine Frye? Let's grab a "Parker" from Max Vinck, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #12, and find out!

 

Story

Peter and Miles enjoy Wednesdays at the ESU Coffee Bean. While sheltering his superhero career behind a veil of anonymity, Peter Parker exceeds his dream of becoming a regular. His coffee preference becomes a phenomenon. Flavor Fav Peter still isn’t sure how to define his relationship with Shay Marken. But showing her off makes the ladies in the Coffee Bean view the "Parker" creator as a catch.

 

Shay's relationship with Peter in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12 makes an interesting comparison with recent developments in Amazing Spider-Man. Miles and Kamala also tread the same ground differently than in Miles Morales: Spider-Man. While Brooklyn’s Spider-Man struggles post-Arcadium, Juliet Marcos transcends the trauma of losing an illusory lover.

 

Greg Weisman interweaves past and present and tackles drama with humor. While Miles treads emotional water, most who played Mentallo and Arcade's game have swum the shore. Juliet's lover in Arcadium didn’t know her in real life. But like Peter, Juliet’s joy attracts admirers.

 

As Coffee Bean regulars strive for improvement, Turk Barrett continues his decline. We didn’t glimpse his life before Turk called the number on the Coffee Bean's bulletin board. But Turk got so hooked on easy victories that he seeks any opportunity to get something for nothing in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12.

 

Art

Curtis and Martha Connors look as different as night and day. But despite his light flesh and her green skin, they share similar interests. Ben Grimm’s yellow hide aligns with the yellow Coffee Bean logo, suggesting his belonging with the regulars. When Ben teaches Juliet, her muddy skin turns bluish as if echoing her instructor's apparel. He claims Elementary may be one of the most formidable people he ever trained. Johnny Storm's tutelage echoes Ben's assertion when Juliet's eruption evokes a yellow-orange phoenix.

 

Emilio Laiso parcels three story threads into a nine-panel page that tracks individuals vertically. While customers fill the Coffee Bean, this page follows the primary heroes' emotional journey in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12. Edgar Delgado drains Juliet of her color as she winds through the streets with Peter and Miles, suggesting that a Friendly Neighborhood Elementary may not be in Juliet’s future.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase letters into white and colored balloons and narrative boxes while Juliet trains. While dialogue emboldens and italicizes for intonation, balloon shapes change with Juliet’s mentors. Letters swell and change color when Juliet channels her gifts. Words threaten to burst balloons when Electros sizzle. Juliet pops once but doesn’t dissolve when she clutches Anna’s hands. After Elementary scrunches and shatters, an animal’s chittering fills the ESU Coffee Bean. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 


 

 

Final Thoughts

While the Coffee Bean crowd works on their relationships, villains enter the dating game. Max Dillon and Francine Frye find bonding more appealing than battling over branding. Their strategy to sizzle the spiders and complicate Elementary's life could detune their electrifying infatuation in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Friday, November 1, 2024

Chasm: Curse Of Kaine #3 Review


 


Writer: Steve Foxe

Artist: Andrea Broccardo

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Mark Bagley & Dean White; Alessandro Cappuccio & Rachelle Rosenberg

Designer: Carlos Lao

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Recap Art: Mark Bagley

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 30, 2024

 

Kaine heard his clone-brother was walking a darker path. Perhaps he is the Scarlet Spider now, and Ben is Chasm. Still, Kaine wants to help imbue Ben’s life with more meaning than robbing rich kids and frightening the criminally insane. Then Kaine learns Ben is making monsters out of dead people. Worse, his brother isn’t making quips or puns as he emulates Victor Frankenstein. What would Gene Wilder think? More to the point: can Kaine free Ben from Druig's influence and arrest his downward spiral into villainy? Let’s refill our psychoactive goo guns, leap into Chasm: Curse Of Kaine #3, and find out!

 

Story

After Druig halts Janine's psychic ramble through Ben's mind, Mole Man's Moloids carry the unconscious lovers away. Janine awakens in the sewers, and Druig doesn't want to relinquish another prize. So the Eternal sends Ben to reclaim another plaything, but Janine evades his grasp with a ghost mask. When Kaine finds her, Janine assumes the Scarlet Spider is involved with whoever was messing with Ben's mind. Then Ben finds them and launches another psychoactive goofest.

 

Chasm: Curse Of Kaine #3 ponders who is best qualified to help Ben. Both the Goblin Queen and the Queen Goblin promised to ease his troubled mind. Janine can offer Ben nothing more than diversions from his angst. Ben's actions have isolated him from many of the superhero community who could help him. Could a conventional therapist without the words Goblin or Queen in their name help Ben? Or should Chasm be imprisoned in the cell next to Doppelganger?

 

While Kaine ponders if his connection to Ben can help his brother, the Mole Man is grabbing his opportunity to become more than an Eternal's footstool. As Druig plays games with Ben's mind, he inspires Mole Man to rise above his subterranean existence and overthrow the world above. Druig enjoys watching people like the Mole Man pursue their pathetic schemes as much as Rocket Raccoon enjoys seeing Taserface depose Yondu and declare he will help the Ravagers rise again to glory. But in Steve Foxe's story, all these diversions leave Druig as unfulfilled as a life of crime with Janine would leave Ben. Like frightening Doppelganger with a werewolf mask, all this activity is just meaningless fun and doesn't address the fact that Druig has all the time in the world and nothing to fill it with.

 


 

 

Art

As Chasm pursues Hallows' Eve through the sewers, her eyes glow yellow, and Ben's eyes burn white. Hallows' Eve slips on a mask and fades away like Miles Morales. Then she phases through brickwork like Kitty Pryde. As Ben rips off his mask, tears stream down his face, and the building blocks of reality swirl around Druig’s glowing red eyes. Then Druig descends a revolving staircase and walks through an array of spider people like a Psi Corps officer walking through Commander Jeffrey Sinclair's mind. While Taskmaster projects imagery to make Deadpool smile in Deadpool #4, Druig does so to make Ben more miserable in Chasm: Curse Of Kaine #3.

 

Brian Reber lavishes a loaded palette on Andrea Broccardo’s art, coloring sewer scenes in green, purple, and blue. Red dominates Druig’s mental landscape. Yet he wears green, like the Mole Man and the Vermin he views as beneath him. Janine’s red hair and Kane’s red suit link those most concerned with Ben’s mental health, while red drops falling from Kaine’s right arm reveal the lengths he will endure to be his brother’s keeper.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips black uppercase lettering into white dialogue balloons in Chasm: Curse Of Kaine #3. Words grow bold for emphasis, swell or change color for volume, and rarely shrink. The font emulates hand printing, and the balloons get cloudy when Janine decides to change tactics. Colorful and transparent sound effects help us hear Chasm attack, the brothers deploy their webs, and a monstrous attack on the surface world. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

As Kaine attempts to help his brother, Druig empowers people to pursue their greatest desires. Despite his claims about others, the Eternal reveals that he is the pathetic one in Chasm: Curse Of Kaine #3. Not only because Druig lacks fulfillment but also because he attacks people with lesser power instead of pursuing his grievances with his fellow Eternals.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #3 Review


 


Writer: Saladin Ahmed

Artist, Colorist & Cover Artist: Juan Ferreyra

Letterers: Joe Caramagna

Variant Cover Artists: Alessandro Cappuccio & Rachelle Rosenberg

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 20, 2023

 

Stripped of his identity and powers, Peter boarded a train to Hell ruled by a murderous conductor. When the train stopped, Peter escaped and entered a lonely house. He rescued J. Jonah Jameson, Aunt May, and Mary Jane from a torture chamber. They even recognized him! Has Peter Parker's nightmare finally ended? Let's thwip into Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #3 and find out!

 

Story

After Peter frees them, anger consumes their faces. His friends chase him through the mansion. Yet their movements and voices seem wrong. Peter kicks a banister supporting the railing and holds on as the staircase collapses.

 

Watching his friends die doesn’t faze Peter in Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #3. He searches the house, suspecting who he will find. He finds Mysterio bound and tortured like his friends. The master of illusion claims others forced him to create Peter’s nightmare. But this house has not revealed all its terrors. More horrors await outside.

 

Superpowers elevated Peter above his fellows. Superiority allowed him to find amusement in dangerous situations. He reasons differently without his ability to thwip and fly away. His muscles work differently without his super strength. Reduced to the status of mere mortals, what will Peter do to survive? No longer a superhero, is he still bound by the strictures of civilized man? Should he adopt Spidercide's brutality, whom he fought in the first issue, to ensure his survival? Is Peter justified in killing his friends if they turn on him?

 

In Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #3, Saladin Ahmed tests Peter’s humanity. The former web crawler passes some tests and fails others. Peter teams up with villains to escape his nightmare. As often proves the case, Peter's more reactive than proactive. Yet Peter's thinking on his feet. Hopefully, that will give him an edge in the next and final issue.

 


 

Art

Juan Ferreyra imbues Peter’s flight with body terror. Mary Jane, Aunt May, and J. Jonah Jameson evoke zombies. Pins and needles pierce Mysterio’s shaved skull. Spinal columns protrude from walls. Bones form the banisters and railing lining the upper floor landing and stairs. The ring of hair circling Mysterio's head associates him with priests. Creatures in the woods evoke passengers on the death train in issue #1. A priest should help Peter battle demonic foes, shouldn’t he?

 

Yellows, oranges, and reds dominate haunted house scenes, strengthening the body association. Stark shadows and harsh lighting heighten the sense of being trapped. White space gets inked in Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #3, further enclosing panels. Rain pelts the fugitives as they flee through the dark woods nearby. Enemies emerge from the thick gray and blue air. Mysterio’s cape looks more purple than crimson outside. And Peter wears a familiar costume that adds vitality to each panel.

 

We share Peter's thoughts as he navigates these horrors. Joe Caramagna’s black uppercase letters in white balloons and boxes help us follow Peter each step of the way. Sounds inside the house—whether a cry for help or an instrument of death—assume an organic appearance. In the woods, shotguns blast with abrasive force. A brutal chomp accompanies an attack of startling savagery.

 

Final Thoughts

Peter Parker can't trust anyone he meets or anything he sees. Thought-provoking scenes and mesmerizing imagery ensure Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #3 lingers long after the violent, fast-paced story ends.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Monday, September 11, 2023

Marvel Age #1000 Review: Machine Learning


Marvel Age #1000 Review

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $9.99

Release Date: August 30, 2023


 

“Machine Learning”

Story

 

Oxygen ignites Dr. Phineas Horton’s android. Yet flames don’t consume it. Dr. Horton hungers for money and fame, but the android seeks a higher purpose. Discovering that he can fly, he takes inspiration from a public hero. But what happens when he learns that his hero doesn’t exist? Mark Waid’s compelling story in Marvel Age #1000 draws on 1930s pop culture and an enduring children’s story that honors Marvel Comics’ Timely origins.

 

 

Human Torch Action Figure available at Amazon.com

 

 

Art

Artist Alessandro Cappuccio’s shifting viewpoints and period interior furnishings evoke film noir and the pre-television age. Android Jim Hammond gets frustrated by things he doesn’t understand and angered by injustice. Colorist Mattia Iacono makes everything clear and easy to see in this tale that only lightens when understanding dawns.

 

To see the first page of "Machine Learning" and other stories, see Marvel Age #1000 Previews at Comic Book Dispatch.