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Bill Gladman on the issue

I guess I should start apologizing now. I'm sorry. There... that wasn't that hard. Unfortunately there are a lot of things I need to say I'm sorry about this week so let's get ALL of that out of the way right here. Right now.

I'm sorry...I picked another Siege book for Hot Shot of the Week. That was never my intention. I quite honestly wanted to pick Realm of Kings Son of the Hulk #1 as the Hot Shot this week. I mean after all it had the first appearance of Commander Rann and Princess Mari from the Micronauts in years. And everybody knows how much I love the Micronauts...so I thought this week's pick would more or less be a no-brainer. It just didn't work out that way.

I'm sorry...for the fact that all those people out there hating on Marvel right now and down playing the importance of this series have to read me praise how good this series has been so far.

I'm sorry...I cannot for the life of me agree in any way, shape, or form with other reviews I have seen about this book. I read a review on another website (which remains nameless) early Thursday morning where the guy doing the review said that Siege was "nothing more than the first Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, but with less words. Or a better looking version of Secret Invasion...or even a shorter version of House of M."

I'm sorry...that I'll never get the chance to smack this same guy in the back of the head with all twelve issues of Marvel's Super Heroes Secret Wars, all eight issues of Secret Invasion, and all eight issues of House of M.

I'm sorry...that a lot of Blackest Night fans are going to be upset with my opinion that this series has the "potential" to be the best event book I have ever read...even better than Annihilation and that's high praise indeed. One of the reasons for that is with the exception of Annihilation and the follow up series Annihilation Conquest, most event books slowly run out of steam and end with a thud. Because they are too long. And yes I believe that Blackest Night (although still the best event book DC has done in years) has slowly been running out of steam since issue #2. I'm hoping that Siege can dodge that pitfall seeing how it is only four issues long.

I'm done being sorry now. And there's a couple of things I'm very much NOT SORRY about.

I'm not sorry that I bought this book, which sold out in less than an hour at our store. And I'm not sorry about spoiling the book for those who have yet to read it. I'm not going to do that. True there is a death in the book. One that caught me by surprise but I'm not going to ruin that.

So...whenever I talk about the character that get's killed in Siege #2 I'm just going to call him "Skippy" and whenever I talk about the character that kills "Skippy" I'm just going to call him....oh the Hell with it. I'll just call him "Bob".

Onto to the book itself. The Skrull that has been impersonating Brian Michael Bendis writes another great story with this book. The characters stay in character (that's how I know this isn't really Bendis...I may have been born at night but I wasn't born last night). The art work by Oliver Coipel is just stunning. There have been people that claim they only buy this book for the art...that's cool. But if you read it too...it's twice as good. Honest.

Page three was incredible...the look on "Skippy's" face when he learns that he's been duped by Osborn was just priceless. Maria Hill kicks some butt as the Iron Patriot takes it on the chin and starts to have a really bad day. Steve Rogers assembles Captain America and the New Avengers along with Nick Fury's Secret Warriors and the Young Avengers giving the "we're going to kick the snot out of Norman Osborn" speech that we all knew was coming since Steve was "Re-Born".

Meanwhile Norman is already getting the snot kicked out of him by "Skippy".

Until "Bob" shows up...then things go bad...and I mean really bad for "Skippy". I mean like "Skippy" is kind killed off big time. And I was just beginning to like "Skippy". Not too long ago Marvel released a three issue limited series that featured "Skippy" and I thought it was great. And now just a few weeks later..."Skippy's" dead! And "Bob" killedhim!!! There are some people out there who believe that "Skippy" will back. But I disagree. I really buy into the whole "Marvel is trying to change things" hype with Siege and really feel that any characters killed in this event will remain dead...for some time. Hopefully forever. And that this event will bring about an end to the crossover madness and big event insanity. At least I hope so.

There has been mention made that there will be three "major deaths" that occur during Siege...well "Skippy" is already dead...and I think "Bob's" days are now numbered. And I think that I know who the third one is. It wouldn't be the first time Marvel has killed this guy off...but it falls into a series of events that I believe lead to a very new role for Steve Rogers when all this is said and done.

And speaking of Steve Rogers, take a close look at the reflection on Iron Patriot's face plate on the last page of this book. Yeah...poor Norman is having a bad day and I think it's going to get a lot worse. Also liked Thor giving Daken a little of what he deserves. Good Stuff!

Just want to mention to make sure you read the added the material at the end of the book. I like this touch and it really adds a lot to the story. This time Marvel didn't leave any pages out and actually included the page they forgot to insert in issue #1.

Siege #2...pick it up if you can still find a copy.

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Oliver Coipel
Inks: Mark Morales
Colors: Laura Martin
Letters: VC's Chris Eliopoulos
Cover: Oliver Coipel, Mark Morales & Laura Martin
Variant Cover: Gabriele Dell'Otto
Variant Cover: Joe Quesada, Danny Miki & Richard Isanove
Variant Sketch Cover: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Marvel Comics

The blockbuster Marvel event of the year goes full-blown carnage and madness as the biggest and most brutal battle in Marvel's history brings together heroes from all sides. Lines have been drawn, and an unlikely hero will save one Avenger, but they can't save them all. The Siege has begun and it claims its first victim as AN AVENGER WILL DIE!! Cardstock Cover/Rated T

PRICE: $3.99
IN STORES: February 3, 2010