Heroes for Hire #15 - Marvel

From the cover, I guess, it's pretty obvious that someone is going to die this issue. Personally, I don't think it's to much of a leap to figure out who it's going to be. Our group of would be heroes have escaped the ship, but the feel they have to go back for their captured team-mates, Colleen and Tarantula. They find them locked in a room with some nerve maggots. Their first question is "How many years have we been in here?". When, in actuality, they've only been stuck in there for a few hours. But this really pisses of Shang-Chi. Especially because of the pain and agony that they've inflicted upon Tarantula. Remember . . they kind of have a thing going. So anyways, without regard for his own safety, Shang-Chi jumps back in to the ship to go after the person he feels is responsible . . . Humbug. When he finds him though, Humbug is in so much agony that he begging for a release. He gave himself, body and soul, to the Queen, thinking that being inside the enclave that he may be able to do something to spare his friends. The problem is, his psyche was already so close to the insect world that once transformed there was no turning back. He's even become an incubator for the Queen's eggs. I really don't think he was planning on getting that deep undercover. But now, the human body isn't made for this kind of transformation, and Humbug is just in complete physical and mental agony. Add to that the fact that he's just now realized that he was being used by the alien insect race the whole time . . . and he's done with it. We don't actually see Shang-Chi kill him, but as the issue finishes, we get flashbacks that show their conversation . . . . and eventually Shang-Chi snapping his neck. At the end, Colleen asks Misty, "Why did he have to be Heroes for Hire? Why couldn't we just have been heroes?" It was a decent story by Zeb Wells. And this would be the perfect place to end the series. Unfortunately though, I don't think this is the end. This issues art was done by a stable of talent, Alvin Lee, Leonard Kirk, Ale Garze and James Cordeiro. Overall, I have to say, I really didn't like the look of it. I'm glad that we've wrapped up this alien insect story-line. And I'm glad that we don't have to deal with Humbug anymore. Now, if they would just put this series out of it's agony, all would be good in the world again. Sorry! Just my opinion.

Heroes for Hire #14 - Marvel

I'm sorry, but this book just gets weirder and weirder. Humbug has basically just sold out his team-mates. Well not all of them. But he definitely put Colleen and Maria in immediate danger. This issue, he's also agreed to be the host for the Queen's eggs. Their earth-born incubator. Is that even possible? Anyways, they dump the rest of the team, since Humbug said that Maria was the one who killed their hive-ling, but then Colleen stepped up to take the blame. Those two . . . they're keeping to torture. So the rest of the team goes to SHIELD to try to get some help. They do know that they're being held in the "catacombs", but they don't know where that's at. But Khanata, their contact, won't tell them anything. However, when leaving, they run in to Palladin. But I thought he was dead? Well, it turns out that he was just sent to test the Scorpion. To see if she had what it takes to deliver the killing blow. Turns out . . . she did. But they already injected him with an anti-toxin, so he just appeared dead for a little while. Well he knows where the "catacombs" are . . . under Madison Square Garden . . . and offers to helps. Actually he's coerced into it. But . . . apples and oranges. Anyways, they get in to free them, but when they come across Humbug, they knock his helmet off, only to discover that he's undergone some drastic biological changes. And now they're in the "catacombs" surrounded. It's not a bad story, by Zeb Wells, but it's a little . . . . convoluted. Hopefully that'll clear up by the end of this storyline. Alvin Lee and Clay Mann do the pencils. It's also not really my style, but it is interesting. Personally, I don't think this book is going to be around that much longer. But . . . we'll see.

Heroes for Hire #13 - Marvel

The whole Hulk war thing has made this book more interesting. But . . . not great. The best part of this particular issue is the cover. It's by Sana Takeda. It's pretty sweet actually. It seems that Humbug has sunken deep in to the hive mind mentality. We all knew that he could tap in to it. We just never expected him to be overwhelmed by it. But with his help, the aliens have captured the rest of our team. They're planning on killing them all, but finally Humbug talks them in to just killing the one that harmed their hiveling, and letting the rest go. To that end, he rat outs Tarantula as the culprit. Maybe he thinks she can handle her own against the insects. I'm not sure. But before they can take her away, Colleen offers her self up as the culprit. But that goes against Humbug's plan because he actually has a secret crush on Colleen. But not so secret that Colleen didn't suspect it. But rather than fight the decision he just turns and walks away with the queen. Is he truly, completely, engulfed by his acceptance into their hive? Or is he up to something that maybe even he's not aware of? Whatever it is, we won't find out this issue. Like I said, in my mind, the book is just mediocre. The story is . . . ok. The art work is . . . decent. The problem is, the whole thing falls in to the "who cares?" category. I could speculate on what will happen after the whole Hulk war thing . . . but as I said . . . who cares.

Heroes for Hire #12 - Marvel

I know we're dealing with the whole Hulk War thing, but this book is getting a little strange for me. Last issue Humbug took one of the little Gremlin thingy guys, after Shang-Chi killed it, and splattered it's green blood all over the rest of the team. He said it was because the hivelings, I think they're called, didn't see in the traditional sense. But recognized the other's in the group by their smell. So if he put that smell on all of them, essentially they would be invisible to them. The reason they have to go through all this? Well, when the Hulk returned to Earth it brought some kind of alien insect with it. So the hivelings are actually looking for a home for the Queen to lay her egg-sac. The problem is that if the eggs hatch, the insects will overrun the earth, wiping out all human life. So our team has to sneak on board their ship, find the Queen, and stop her. Of course it's never going to be that easy. The Queen is in charge of the hive, but she still has a King in charge of the army. And he's not as easily fooled as the hivelings. Plus they're not very happy when they figure out that, " . . these humanoids murdered one of our brethren in cold blood." And they have their own humanoid-type warriors. Very powerful and efficient ones actually. So while the rest of the team is battle these guys, Humbug has snuck off to find the Queen. Which she has, but from the final page of the story it looks like she's seduced him in to coming over to their side, since he's kneeling before her. Like I said, kind of a strange story. And they still have the monkey-boy thingy with them too. I just think this team needs to find some direction. They've been pulled in every which way since issue #1. But they aren't really like the Avengers or Defenders or anything. So some of the things they've done seem improbable for the type of group they are. The only one who's actually stayed in character, consistently, is Palladin. I don't know. The whole concept seems a bit . . . aimless to me right now. Maybe something will become more clear after this whole Hulk War thing. At least I hope so.

Heroes for Hire #11 - Marvel

As compared to Ghost Rider, this book actually does cross over with the World War Hulk. Well . . . not specifically. But . . . Humbug comes in to contact with some of the indigenous life that has come along with the Hulk to our Earth. The team starts out this issue by returning from their mission in the Savage Land, with Moon Boy. But when they get back to SHIELD base, they find that it's basically under marshall law. And that's when Humbug starts to get the chattering in his head. So the rest of the team follows him. Except for Paladin. He's interested in what the Scorpion's got going on. He ends up following her. She leads him, as she's following orders from SHIELD, to a NYPD long term evidence storage facility. She's looking for a weapon. I assume to deal with the Hulk. But Paladin interrupts her, so we never really do find out what that's all about. But Humbug has found some little yellow alien creatures. One of them comes in to contact with our group, then starts to run back to the others. Before he can though, Humbug rips it's little head off and sprays down everyone with the yellow bug juice flowing out of it. "The hiveling took your scent with his antennae. Smelt you were human. Smelt you were the enemy. Now when they check us, they will smell themselves. We may walk among them now . . . come, we must follow them home." Zeb Wells seems to be doing better with the stories. I really was about to give up on this one. And I'm not thrilled with Clay Mann's pencils. But, at least now we know what to expect every month. They aren't bad. They just have a kind of Lee Weeks style to them. At least to me they do. So I'll probably stick with this one for a little while longer to see what happens.

Heroes for Hire #10 - Marvel

This issue was actually pretty decent. I was getting discouraged for a while there. But . . . they've switched writers, and artists. Both on the inside and on the cover. Michael Golden is the cover artist. But it really barely looks like his style. I don't know either of the guys inside. Zeb Wells in the new writer. And Clay Mann is the new artist. I like Clay's art. It's not flashy. And it's not overly detailed. But it has a nice style to it. My guess is that he's pretty new to this business. But he shows a ton of potential. I also liked Zeb's story. There seemed to be a lot more character development in this issue, than in previous ones. Lots of interaction. It played out nicely. They're still in the Savage Land. They've been hired to capture Moon Boy. He hangs with a big red dinosaur. Kind of like the Savage Land's Clifford. Because of their affinity they're afraid that they may have to return with the dinosaur also. But luckily, it's nursing some eggs. So although it doesn't want to see Moon Boy go, it's instincts towards it's nest is greater. But now Misty and Colleen are in a predicament, because they don't know if they're doing the right thing, extracting him from his home. But Palladin keeps reminding them of their million dollar payoff. Also Humbug has made a connection to the insects of the island. Whether he wanted to or not. So he's changed a bit. And the insects have warned him of some impending disaster back in their world. So he's in kind of a hurry to get home. Oh . . . . also Shang-Chi and Tarantula hooked up. But he doesn't want to talk about it, because he's afraid his Chi's been thrown off. I have to say, it's probably a better story than I've seen in the previous 9 issues. It looks like we're back on a roll again.

Heroes for Hire #9 - Marvel

I have to admit this issue was a little better than the last few. We have a new writer on board now, Zeb Wells. Never heard of him myself, but he seems to be trying some new stuff, and going in a little different direction with the team. Also Clay Mann is the penciller this issue. Again, someone I've never heard of, but he's got some style. It's not the best stuff I've ever seen, but it shows a lot of potential. There's some frames in here that I really like the feel of, but it's not consistent. I assume that he's relatively new and just needs some more experience. But like I said he does show a lot of potential. This issue our team has been hired by Palladin to take on a job in the Savage Land. They're looking for Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy. Actually their specific instructions are to apprehend Moon Boy, but they'll take the Dinosaur too, should that option become available to them. Of course things never go as easy as they planned, and they soon find out the the Savage Land is a whole 'nother world than what they're used to. Literally! I like the interactions that Zeb scripts between these characters. They seem natural and consistent with their personalities. And I like the way that they each seem to have to adapt to this new environment that's been forced upon them. Of course some of their adaptations are out of necessity. And it seems like the Savage Land has brought out the savage lust of Shang-Chi and Tarantula. But then it could just be the adrenaline or the wild surroundings that they're in. The cover, I think, is a little weak. But overall I'd have to say this is the best issue in the last 5 or 6. Maybe I can look forward to reading this again.

Heroes for Hire #8 - Marvel

I put off reading this one for a little while, because this book is really not thrilling me lately. The covers have remained awesome. The interiors though, both scripts and pencils, just seem weak. This issue wraps up the storyline about the Doom-bot. Oh, and the Headmen. I think that's what they're called. They really are a lame bunch of bad guys. If it wasn't for the Doom-bot, the Heroes would've wipe up these guys right off the bat. As it is, the Doom-bot shoots and kills Orka. Which really upsets Shang-Chi. So much so, that after a few minutes of meditation, Shang-Chi takes out the whole group, including the Doom-bot, all by himself. And he doesn't exhibit a whole lot of restraint when doing so. He beats up on the Doom-bot so bad, that he's broken both his hands. Meanwhile the girls have been trying to foil a diamond heist, as they were hired by the diamond cartel to do. They did stop the bomb, saving the Statue of Liberty. And they did return with the Grim Reaper, who seems to be the muscle behind this whole operation. But, they didn't return with the diamond or the information of their whereabouts. So overall that operation was a bust. And so they didn't get paid. But the Palladin has been offered $10million to take on an operation for the government, and he's decided that he's going to offer the job to the Heroes. Paying them a million each. I don't know . . . the whole issue just wasn't really my cup of tea. I mean, they even had to reattach Humbug's head to his body in this issue. And that particular feat was very anti-climatic. Maybe it's just me, but at this rate, I really don't feel this book has long to live.

Heroes for Hire #7 - Marvel

Like I said last issue, I think I may have to drop this one before to long. It's got a great cover. But that's really the best thing about the whole issue. It's actually getting kind of hinky now. The picture of Humbug on the cover, is actually how he looks in this issue. The Headmen, or whatever they call themselves, decide, after capturing Humbug when he's trying to gather some intel on them, that they want to use his body. Well since they seem to have an abundance of heads, they don't need his. But, they do decide to keep him alive. Why? Who the hell knows. I mean, you're going to go to all the trouble to steal a superhero's head, or . . . half a superhero, but then you're going to keep the head alive? Like that's not going to come back and bite you in the ass. Anyways, Humbug uses his power over the bugs to alert the girls. Kind of looked like an image from Joe's Apartment. They come to where he's at and find him in his current predicament. Whether they'll be successful or not, who knows. But it looks like Orca is getting filleted by a Doom-bot. Yes there's a Doom-bot in this issue also. As if it weren't hoky enough. Anyways, I just don't dig it anymore. I did at first. And I actually looked forward to it's printing for the first couple of months. But now? I could care less. I'll probably just stick around to see where this story goes, and then that's it. It's just not keeping my interest.

Heroes for Hire #6 - Marvel

I still like this book, but it's starting to get boring for me. It started off with a bang, but then it's slowly gotten less interesting. Just 5 issues later, and now Tucci is doing nothing but the covers. That probably won't last much longer. I want to like this book, I really do. I think Misty and Coleen are hot. And of course the Black Cat is. But, unfortunately, I don't know if that enough to carry the book. And the new artists, this time Al Rio, definitely don't draw them as hot as Tucci did. I thought this was going to be one of those bad girl comics, but I guess not. Right now, actually, I think it's kind of struggling to find it's identity. Is it a team book? Yes. Is it a bad girl book? Sort of yes, sort of no. Is it like the Exiles, where it can change at any time? New members in, old members out. We'll see. Are they super-heroes, or just super-opportunists? I . . . . can't call it. All I know is, I couldn't wait to read the first couple of issue, and this one I almost fell asleep during. Not really what I want to spend my hard earned money on. I'll give it a couple more issues, and then we'll see what we see.

Heroes for Hire #5 - Marvel

I don't really know what to say about this book, other than . . . . it was all right. I don't know. It just felt . . . . . different to me. I like the cover by Bill Tucci. The interior art was . . . . ok. The story just didn't flow very well for me. Last issue, one of Misty's adversaries, Ricodonna, broke out of jail. Before they realized that had happened, Ricodonna had sent some associates to to different members of the Heroes for Hire families. Because of this Tarantula's father got killed. They very quickly discovered that Ricodonna was behind it, and that she was trying to keep them busy, while she amassed an army of shape changing criminals. She's been harvesting Skrull organs, and transplanting them into humans. Gives them powers, and the ability to shape-shift. So they decided they were going to shut down her operation. Which is where we come in this issue. The six of them, Paladin's off the team and Tarantula is mourning her father, go in and take the place down pretty easy. I mean, all she's got there is scientists and robots. The scientists run off, and the robots, no matter how well armed they are, are really no match for Shang-chi, Colleen and Misty. I mean, really. Of course Ricodonna puts up a fight, and shows us some of her new powers, but in the end, they still blow up the place. They think that they've taken down Ricodonna, but of course she escapes and we find out that she made it out alive. We then get a little tour of their new headquarters, courtesy of Tony Stark. And . . . . that's about it. Next issue will obviously start a new story arc, and we'll have to see where we go from there. Kind of disappointed in this issue, but . . . . I guess they can't all be great.

Heroes for Hire #4 - Marvel

What a cool book, and what a bunch of cool characters. Justin Grey and Jimmy Palmiotti are writing this, and they are doing a bang up job. We're only on issue four, but I feel like there's been a ton of action already. Then you have Billy Tucci doing the pencils and covers, and I think we got a hit on our hands. This issue they find out that Ricadonna has broken out of prison, and she's making it her personal business to give this group all of her attention. And not in a good way either. She has an operative come after each one of them individually. Humbug has has his little buddies out looking for her, and they find her in the same place that they're doing all the experimenting with humans and Krull organs. It gives them shape shifting powers, and usually some other perks to go along with it. At the end of the issue it looks like Ricadonna has gone in for a little nip & tuck herself. "Call Misty and Colleen quick. . . . .we got big problems! Ricadonna's gone from glam mafia queen to super-powered freak!!" Great start for the series. I hope they can keep up the pace.

Heroes for Hire #3 - Marvel

Last issue the HFH team captured Captain America. Say it isn't so! It isn't. It seems in the melee, Shang-Chi helped Steve switch places with Paladin. Since Paladin double crossed them, he knew that Misty and Colleen were going to have to bring him down, once they woke up. And he knew that Tony's team was going to show up soon to escort CA to confinement. So he switched costumes on them hoping that once the dust settled, CA would have time to talk to Misty and Colleen and on then be on his way, un-absconded. Shang-Chi's plan worked out perfectly. A couple of things going on in the background, Veil and the Corporation, are transplanting Skrull organs into superhuman bad guys, so they can obtain some of their shapeshifting abilites, and thereby be harder to catch by Tony's goose-steppers who are capturing people for not registering. But the HFH team has started to figure out this little shuffle, and has brought some alien organs back to Reed Richards so he can help investigate what they think is happening. Also to help with Tarantula's idea for some gene-scanning goggles. Plus, they need to contribute to the effort a little to help make up for the fact that they let Steve slip through the cracks. It seems that the team that was assembled by Veil, was payed for and hired by Ricadonna to break her out of jail, and then to help her rebuild her empire. Oh, and someone has blown up the HFH headquarters. Not bad for a third issue. Palmiotti and Gray are doing a fantastic job with the scripts and Billy Tucci is a great talent to have on board for pencils. This is another series I expect great things from. By the way, once again I had to borrow a cover from www.milehighcomics.com, truly a great comic book resource.

Heroes for Hire #2 - Marvel

I'm just guessing here, but I think it's safe to say that the main characters of this book are Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. There's always going to be other characters in their group, but, these 2 will be the mainstay. These first 2 issues have dealt alot with the Civil War crossover. Tony Stark is the one who put this team together, to help get the ones who won't register. So essentially he is Misty's boss. They seem to have a pretty good understanding of each other also. So he's not overly suprised when she says that she wants to go try to talk Cap down. Through some means, that Tony probably wouldn't use, she finds him. She goes there and trys to talk to him. But, they are betrayed by the Palladin. He has a signal device to let SHIELD know where they're at. But I can't imagaine Palladin coming up with this on his own. So my guess is that Tony approached him to do so. And if so, how is Misty going to feel about that? At the end of this book, it appears that Palladin has everyone subdued. He then calls SHIELD to come and pick 'em up. But is that really how this is going to end? We'll have to wait until the next issue to find out. The first 2 issues are intriguing. We'll just have to see where they go from here.

Heroes for Hire #1 - Marvel

Ok, this is a neat concept. It's not original, but it's neat. Especially with the whole "Civil War" thing. Basically, everyone is a hero for hire. But not all of them belong to this specific team. First of all the creative team is phenomenal. We go Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti on scribes, and William Tucci and pencils. This spells "H-I-T" already. Now, the lineup of characters, Misty Knight, Colleen Wing, Humbug, Shang-Chi, Tarantula and the Black Cat. But it appears that they have many more counterparts available. Basically, Misty is recruited by Iron Man, to start up a new team to round up the people that refuse to register. The first target the get is a new identity ring, run by one of Misty's old nemesis' Vienna. However, after a big tussle, and all the heroes/villians are rounded up, it turns out is was just a big sting operation. Vienna is actually on their side, along with Palladin and Orca, who show up before the ultimate capture, to aid in the clean up. This book was basically just an introduction. It's explains how and why the team is being put together, and it introduces you to each of the characters, with a little background history on each. There's a little bit of action with the sting, but it's mostly groundwork. I liked to first issue, but I'll wait until we get farther into the story before I attempt a legitimate opinion. I have high hopes though.