Better late than never.
Hey gang. Some random comic thoughts for you to ponder.
-BLACKEST NIGHT was terrific. Geoff Johns created a masterpiece that will go down in the annals of DC comics as one of the best mini-series ever. Was self contained, had a beginning, middle and end, some real surprises, and most of all, established Ivan Reis as an artist to watch in the coming years. His work on this was consistent from start to finish. This elevated him to George Perez-like territory.
-Marvel has ended an era that, myself as well as others (right Jim and Rusty?) went on far too long. It ended OK, withe the SIEGE mini being a period on the long plan of Bendis. I don't know if he had this whole thing thought out from the beginning, as Johns did over at DC, and I'm not sure if this whole HEROIC AGE thing will last.
- I think that I am suffering with something called "event fatigue". I just want to enjoy the books I have and not have them constantly interrupted with some sort of tie-in to something else. It is really frustrating to have good storytelling stopped dead in it's tracks by some sort of editorial mandate. Plot threads left dangling for months at a time with little or no resolution just to satisfy sales tends to make hardcore readers of those titles angry and feel like they are being taken advantage of by the companies. Why can't these guys just keep their hands off a book when it's going good? Do they feel they have to justify their existence by meddling? I mean, how many people rolled their eyes when they saw the solicit for that Spider-Man mini being written by Quesada? Considering he's responsible for the mess the books became, is this his way of atoning? Probably not. And I love how these guys can't leave something alone, either a character (Deadpool is this generation's Wolverine) or a line of books that they consolidate only to expand in a few months. Cancelling a title only to pick it back up with a new number is just lazy to me. It smacks of desperation and makes me wonder if the "creative" minds at the top are really creative at all. If you want to restart a book, fine. But for God's sakes, at least let it have been gone for a minimum of a year. I wish there was a governing body that could oversee these companies and say "no, that can't happen. You must abide by these rules." Yes, we can always vote with our wallets. In this economy, now more than ever we can do that. But still it seems to be happening. One shots that replace ongoings, "specials" instead of the more traditional "annuals" and so forth are clogging the racks these days.
OK, that's enough for now. Have more to get off my chest, such as Buffy and Batman, but that will come later.
Be good!
Showing posts with label comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comics. Show all posts
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Pop Culture thoughts..
or ramblings as it were (see? and you thought the blog title made no sense).
-First off, the party was great as usual Jim. You really know how to throw a shindig. (OK, that wasn't really pop culture, but it's my blog dang it!)
-The Harry Potter movie. Man, there is a big divide between those who have read the book (a lot apparently) and those who haven't (myself included). Those who didn't read the book seem to enjoy the movie for the most part. Nice story, good character development, and the story seemed to move forward organically. To those who read the book, opinions vary from an OK movie to an outright travesty that J.K. Rowling herself should rise up and slay Warner Bros. for putting this out. All I can say to those die hard Potterheads is the same thing I have said to the comic fans who are highly offended at certain changes in their favorite stories or characters: LIGHTEN THE HELL UP!!!! Cripes, if they included everything you wanted in the movie, we would have been sitting there for close to 6 hours. Changes have to be made in order to put a good coherent story on the screen. There was this same hue and cry from the comic world over the Watchmen movie over the epic disaster at the end. It worked in the movie and made sense. End of story. If it doesn't work as a movie, it would flop epically and only the fans, large and vocal you may be, would be the only ones enjoying the movie and the studios would not make another. From what I gather, the overall story and major plot points (who is the prince, what the deuce is a horcrux) did not suffer nor did the death of Dumbledore seem diminished. At least to me they didn't.
-I must pass along condolences to the family and fans of Steve McNair. I am a huge Ravens fan, and while I hated them playing against him, I respected his talent and desire. I remember being stoked when they signed him, thinking he was the final piece to the puzzle. For the 2 years he was here, he did not disappoint. He was a leader that the team needed on that side of the ball and commanded respect from his peers. It was truly shocking how he died, and I guess that we always seem to be that when someone we put on a pedestal so high becomes human after all. On a side note, there seems to be a lot of teeth gnashing about the fact the Derrick Mason announced his retirement suddenly last week, but not from me. He was very close to McNair, and the fact that his friend was taken so suddenly and relatively young had to play a part in it. All I can say is, for the fans and the team, give him some room. Let him grieve, and for God's sake, don't badger the man. I would think that we would want him to remember his time here fondly, not that we wouldn't let up on him.
-On to some comics. Everyone seems to be geeking on the new weekly by DC called Wednesday Comics. It's been a different take on comics and while I am enjoying it, I am also enjoying the fact that it's only 13 weeks long. The weekly comics have been a steadily progression downhill for DC. 52 was fantastic for the most part; Countdown was OK, but started to weaken to the end; and Trinity was a waste of Mark Bagley's talent, in my opinion.
The Blackest Night debuted this week and has just blown everything else away. Geoff Johns has become a masterful storyteller in my book, laying the foundation for this some 3 years before it was even announced. Ivan Reis' art looks tremendous and hopefully he can keep that standard up for the coming months.
Is it me, or is DC doing a much better job in handling it's universe than Marvel? The Batman universe relaunch has been really, really good and the Superman universe has some interesting things headed down the pike. What I find fascinating is that The Blackest Night will impact these characters, but in a mini-series, not in the core books. This is great. Not only will we not have to have an interruption of a story for a 2 issue "event" that may or may not have an impact on the book down the road, it will be up to the reader of those books if they want to pick up said minis. I have also heard that you don't have to pick up any of these in order to enjoy the main event, but I have heard that before. However, as long as it's Johns at the helm, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. As for Marvel, this "Dark Reign" has taken over a ton of books but also has left some, like Thor and Captain America, alone for the most part. I personally am not happy reading about "Dark Wolverine". He was already dark in my book, they just lightened him up too much for the movie. Not all that comes out of Marvel is bad; Greg Pak is returning to Hulk as of issue 601. This got me back on the book, since I loved his work on "Planet Hulk" and dropped it as soon as he left it in Jeph Loeb's hands(ugh). The bad news is that with JMS (you know who he is) going over to DC, Thor will probably start to suffer. He did a terrific job on the relaunch and crafted stories that were really fun to read. I can only hope that he will return in time to this character he so carefully and artfully rebooted.
Well, that's about it for now. Please feel free to comment, good or bad on anything stated here. I promise to read any and all. Be good and take care of each other.
Later!
-First off, the party was great as usual Jim. You really know how to throw a shindig. (OK, that wasn't really pop culture, but it's my blog dang it!)
-The Harry Potter movie. Man, there is a big divide between those who have read the book (a lot apparently) and those who haven't (myself included). Those who didn't read the book seem to enjoy the movie for the most part. Nice story, good character development, and the story seemed to move forward organically. To those who read the book, opinions vary from an OK movie to an outright travesty that J.K. Rowling herself should rise up and slay Warner Bros. for putting this out. All I can say to those die hard Potterheads is the same thing I have said to the comic fans who are highly offended at certain changes in their favorite stories or characters: LIGHTEN THE HELL UP!!!! Cripes, if they included everything you wanted in the movie, we would have been sitting there for close to 6 hours. Changes have to be made in order to put a good coherent story on the screen. There was this same hue and cry from the comic world over the Watchmen movie over the epic disaster at the end. It worked in the movie and made sense. End of story. If it doesn't work as a movie, it would flop epically and only the fans, large and vocal you may be, would be the only ones enjoying the movie and the studios would not make another. From what I gather, the overall story and major plot points (who is the prince, what the deuce is a horcrux) did not suffer nor did the death of Dumbledore seem diminished. At least to me they didn't.
-I must pass along condolences to the family and fans of Steve McNair. I am a huge Ravens fan, and while I hated them playing against him, I respected his talent and desire. I remember being stoked when they signed him, thinking he was the final piece to the puzzle. For the 2 years he was here, he did not disappoint. He was a leader that the team needed on that side of the ball and commanded respect from his peers. It was truly shocking how he died, and I guess that we always seem to be that when someone we put on a pedestal so high becomes human after all. On a side note, there seems to be a lot of teeth gnashing about the fact the Derrick Mason announced his retirement suddenly last week, but not from me. He was very close to McNair, and the fact that his friend was taken so suddenly and relatively young had to play a part in it. All I can say is, for the fans and the team, give him some room. Let him grieve, and for God's sake, don't badger the man. I would think that we would want him to remember his time here fondly, not that we wouldn't let up on him.
-On to some comics. Everyone seems to be geeking on the new weekly by DC called Wednesday Comics. It's been a different take on comics and while I am enjoying it, I am also enjoying the fact that it's only 13 weeks long. The weekly comics have been a steadily progression downhill for DC. 52 was fantastic for the most part; Countdown was OK, but started to weaken to the end; and Trinity was a waste of Mark Bagley's talent, in my opinion.
The Blackest Night debuted this week and has just blown everything else away. Geoff Johns has become a masterful storyteller in my book, laying the foundation for this some 3 years before it was even announced. Ivan Reis' art looks tremendous and hopefully he can keep that standard up for the coming months.
Is it me, or is DC doing a much better job in handling it's universe than Marvel? The Batman universe relaunch has been really, really good and the Superman universe has some interesting things headed down the pike. What I find fascinating is that The Blackest Night will impact these characters, but in a mini-series, not in the core books. This is great. Not only will we not have to have an interruption of a story for a 2 issue "event" that may or may not have an impact on the book down the road, it will be up to the reader of those books if they want to pick up said minis. I have also heard that you don't have to pick up any of these in order to enjoy the main event, but I have heard that before. However, as long as it's Johns at the helm, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. As for Marvel, this "Dark Reign" has taken over a ton of books but also has left some, like Thor and Captain America, alone for the most part. I personally am not happy reading about "Dark Wolverine". He was already dark in my book, they just lightened him up too much for the movie. Not all that comes out of Marvel is bad; Greg Pak is returning to Hulk as of issue 601. This got me back on the book, since I loved his work on "Planet Hulk" and dropped it as soon as he left it in Jeph Loeb's hands(ugh). The bad news is that with JMS (you know who he is) going over to DC, Thor will probably start to suffer. He did a terrific job on the relaunch and crafted stories that were really fun to read. I can only hope that he will return in time to this character he so carefully and artfully rebooted.
Well, that's about it for now. Please feel free to comment, good or bad on anything stated here. I promise to read any and all. Be good and take care of each other.
Later!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Future of Comics?
Hey gang.
Got involved in an interesting conversation at the comic shop yesterday. Marc Nathan, the man who runs the Baltimore Comic-Con came into the shop to talk to the owner Rusty (most of you know that, duh) and was discussing a meeting he attended in Memphis. The subject turned to the price point of comics, which I'm sure most of you have seen or heard about. For those who haven't, it seems that the price of comics has moved from 2.99 to 3.99. This is not done for every comic, just among the big 2 (Marvel and DC).
At the meeting, the Marvel president said the the price change was "something they were testing the waters on to see if there was a market for it" if memory serves. DC said the price change would affect those books that added more story, so you'll get more bang for the buck (in theory). In the course of this discussion, a motive for Marvel seemingly arbitrary price increase is to try and kill the market was posed. To drive the price so that people wouldn't want the books, I guess. There appears to be some facts behind this theory. Recently there was an announcement at a con about SPIDER-WOMAN preview or #1 being released only online for a period before heading to the comic shops. The only way to see this comic is to be a subscriber to Marvel's digital comics line, which costs an amount per month. You'll have to forgive me if I'm not completely and totally factual. I remember a time about a year or so ago that Marvel announced this and at the time, I was financially unavailable to do this. It sounded like a great idea at the time. You would eventually have access to the entire back catalogue of Marvel comics, stretching back now 70 years.
Now, I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, but the idea that Marvel would eventually go totally digital and no longer have current material at the brick and mortar stores sounds....suicidal to me. I am old enough to remember when Marvel tried to make a power play to have their own distribution (breaking away from behemoth Diamond) in the early '90s. It was a disaster and left customers and retailers confused and angry. They abandoned it in a short period of time and returned to Diamond's fold. This doesn't sound like that, but in a roundabout way, could be just as disastrous. Most of us comic fans read our books in other places, like the bedroom, in a comfortable chair in the living room, or even the bathroom. We don't sit for hours on end staring at a computer screen catching up on the events in Spider-Man or Batman's lives. We like being comfortable when we are transported to another world, not hogging the computer at home (work would be another matter). I think that Marvel underestimates comic fans (no big surprise here). There would be a large section of fans who would follow them into the internet. That's why they're called Marvel Zombies. However, I think a large section of fans would head somewhere else. They would give IDW or BOOM a try. They would pick up something from DC, Image or Dark Horse instead.
What I'm trying to say is that while there is a demand and marketplace for comics on the internet, to totally remove yourself from what made you who you are is to cut your off at the knees for no good reason. I say this while also being sad that a few months ago, Scott Kurtz announced that he was cancelling his brilliant PvP book at #50. But, in fairness to Scott, he did start out as a webcomic and is still continuing to do a 5 day a week strip. They just wont be collected in true comic form. Sad, yes, but I'm sure that there will be trades from time to time.
So, what is your opinion? Think Marvel's idea is brilliant or sucks on ice? Drop me a comment and if I should get enough of them (more than 1) I'll post with either a comment or a polite rebuttal. Thanks!
Got involved in an interesting conversation at the comic shop yesterday. Marc Nathan, the man who runs the Baltimore Comic-Con came into the shop to talk to the owner Rusty (most of you know that, duh) and was discussing a meeting he attended in Memphis. The subject turned to the price point of comics, which I'm sure most of you have seen or heard about. For those who haven't, it seems that the price of comics has moved from 2.99 to 3.99. This is not done for every comic, just among the big 2 (Marvel and DC).
At the meeting, the Marvel president said the the price change was "something they were testing the waters on to see if there was a market for it" if memory serves. DC said the price change would affect those books that added more story, so you'll get more bang for the buck (in theory). In the course of this discussion, a motive for Marvel seemingly arbitrary price increase is to try and kill the market was posed. To drive the price so that people wouldn't want the books, I guess. There appears to be some facts behind this theory. Recently there was an announcement at a con about SPIDER-WOMAN preview or #1 being released only online for a period before heading to the comic shops. The only way to see this comic is to be a subscriber to Marvel's digital comics line, which costs an amount per month. You'll have to forgive me if I'm not completely and totally factual. I remember a time about a year or so ago that Marvel announced this and at the time, I was financially unavailable to do this. It sounded like a great idea at the time. You would eventually have access to the entire back catalogue of Marvel comics, stretching back now 70 years.
Now, I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, but the idea that Marvel would eventually go totally digital and no longer have current material at the brick and mortar stores sounds....suicidal to me. I am old enough to remember when Marvel tried to make a power play to have their own distribution (breaking away from behemoth Diamond) in the early '90s. It was a disaster and left customers and retailers confused and angry. They abandoned it in a short period of time and returned to Diamond's fold. This doesn't sound like that, but in a roundabout way, could be just as disastrous. Most of us comic fans read our books in other places, like the bedroom, in a comfortable chair in the living room, or even the bathroom. We don't sit for hours on end staring at a computer screen catching up on the events in Spider-Man or Batman's lives. We like being comfortable when we are transported to another world, not hogging the computer at home (work would be another matter). I think that Marvel underestimates comic fans (no big surprise here). There would be a large section of fans who would follow them into the internet. That's why they're called Marvel Zombies. However, I think a large section of fans would head somewhere else. They would give IDW or BOOM a try. They would pick up something from DC, Image or Dark Horse instead.
What I'm trying to say is that while there is a demand and marketplace for comics on the internet, to totally remove yourself from what made you who you are is to cut your off at the knees for no good reason. I say this while also being sad that a few months ago, Scott Kurtz announced that he was cancelling his brilliant PvP book at #50. But, in fairness to Scott, he did start out as a webcomic and is still continuing to do a 5 day a week strip. They just wont be collected in true comic form. Sad, yes, but I'm sure that there will be trades from time to time.
So, what is your opinion? Think Marvel's idea is brilliant or sucks on ice? Drop me a comment and if I should get enough of them (more than 1) I'll post with either a comment or a polite rebuttal. Thanks!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Some Random (or Randumb) Thoughts
Thought I would throw some things at the internet and see what sticks.
-Saw WATCHMEN last night, finally. I had read some of the reviews and thought Shawn was closest to the mark. I liked it, but found myself feeling "meh" after it was over. Maybe it was because I was in a small theater with sound for a larger theater that at times pinned my head to the back wall. Couldn't get out fast enough. My wife, who never read the book, enjoyed it and thought that Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan were excellently done. I agree, and thought that at times it was a spectacularly done thing. But something I haven't seen a lot of; the fascination that Snyder has with slo-mo. Man that was totally overdone at times and seemed to almost stop the movie for me. Will be interested in seeing the director's cut when it's released on DVD.
-on the comics front, I found that my choices of books has been dwindling down without really noticing it. I stopped reading Spider-Man, Punisher, Titans (old not Teen) and the Hulk books. It hit me the other day that these were my entrance back into reading way back in the early '90s, but they have lost me. I have picked up Spawn again (sorry Shawn, I'm an addict) and have been enjoying that. I am giving Iron Man a chance again. I have kept my mainstays in the DCU, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash but they are being changed again. Other than the GL event due in the summer, what is happening in these other books has me sort of apprehensive about my continued patronage. Buffy is still a good read and I like where things are starting to go there. It really does feel like the series. They will get off the main story arc from time to time, but those detours are interesting and add to the color of the characters.
-on the WoW front, I finally hit 80 with my char. Now I look forward to doing some of the other ancillary things that make that game so freaking addictive. Like killing and maiming. Those are always fun.
See ya! =)
-Saw WATCHMEN last night, finally. I had read some of the reviews and thought Shawn was closest to the mark. I liked it, but found myself feeling "meh" after it was over. Maybe it was because I was in a small theater with sound for a larger theater that at times pinned my head to the back wall. Couldn't get out fast enough. My wife, who never read the book, enjoyed it and thought that Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan were excellently done. I agree, and thought that at times it was a spectacularly done thing. But something I haven't seen a lot of; the fascination that Snyder has with slo-mo. Man that was totally overdone at times and seemed to almost stop the movie for me. Will be interested in seeing the director's cut when it's released on DVD.
-on the comics front, I found that my choices of books has been dwindling down without really noticing it. I stopped reading Spider-Man, Punisher, Titans (old not Teen) and the Hulk books. It hit me the other day that these were my entrance back into reading way back in the early '90s, but they have lost me. I have picked up Spawn again (sorry Shawn, I'm an addict) and have been enjoying that. I am giving Iron Man a chance again. I have kept my mainstays in the DCU, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash but they are being changed again. Other than the GL event due in the summer, what is happening in these other books has me sort of apprehensive about my continued patronage. Buffy is still a good read and I like where things are starting to go there. It really does feel like the series. They will get off the main story arc from time to time, but those detours are interesting and add to the color of the characters.
-on the WoW front, I finally hit 80 with my char. Now I look forward to doing some of the other ancillary things that make that game so freaking addictive. Like killing and maiming. Those are always fun.
See ya! =)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Your patience has been rewarded!
Yes, FINALLY some comic reviews!
Rather than focus on a particular week (last week was a small one for me), I want to pull some from recent weeks that caught my eye for good and bad.
Spawn 185- Beginning of "Endgame" by McFarlane and Portacio. The line from Godfather 3 kept repeating in my head as I walked out of the store with this issue; "every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in.". Spawn was my foray back into comics after many years and I stayed with it through good and bad times like a battered girlfriend. Finally I get the courage to say "enough" and walk away only to get sucked right back in. Todd hasn't written or drawn for I don't know how long and Whice has been in and out of things as well.
All that being said, this has both good and bad points. If you haven't read SPAWN in years, you're not going to know who this patient 47 is and why it's such a bad thing that he's awake from his coma. If someone knows, please leave me a posting. It also looks like Al (Spawn) has killed himself. Or at least it appears that way. The body is found by the Clown (Violator), sort of Joker to Spawn's Batman. The artwork is typical Portacio, for better and worse. A very dark tone in terms of shading to the book, more to make the words and actions pop. Given that it's the first part of a story arc, it's not that bad. But if they don't go about giving the backstory to this at some point, all of what has happened will be for nothing.
Ultimate Origins- I picked this up with great trepidation. I have loved ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN for the most part and read both FF and X-MEN for a while before both lost me. This is supposed to be a telling of how everything is connected within the Ultimate universe.
OK, now that the official line is out of the way let me say, WTF? Black Panther was part of Weapon X and saved by Nick Fury? Seriously?? Rick Jones is going to be the Silver Surfer? That's it? That's the "big thing"? Man. I know that Black Panther did not have the sexiest origin in the MCU, but it was organic and made sense for the character and it worked. To take it and totally screw it up is pitiful. Speaking of pitiful.....
Ultimate Spider-Man Annual 3- In this economy, I feel that we as fans should march on Marvel's offices and demand our money back from either Bendis or Quesada for this abomination. The artwork on this was sporadic at best, and the tagline about Peter and MJ was misleading. So they get back together, so what? That's supposed to cost me 4 bucks for something they could have put in the regular series? I do have to say that the introduction of Mysterio was nice, and if they had sold the issue as his intro, maybe I wouldn't have as much issue with things. Just a total bait and switch for my money.
Rage of the Red Lanterns- I loved this! Man I was looking forward to this issue and not only did it not let me down, it deepened the mysteries that will go on toward the BLACKEST NIGHT story next year. I also feel that I should throw something out there. Hal Jordan has been the model Green Lantern for the last 40+ years, but I don't think he'll be one at the end of the story next year. I think that he'll become a Blue Lantern to join Ganthet in that particular corps. One question I do have though; what did this have to do with FINAL CRISIS? It had it labelled on the cover and said it took place between 1 and 2,but in my opinion, had nothing do to with it. This was a great mix of action and talking. Having a cat as a Red Lantern? Brilliant! It sneaks up on a Yellow Lantern as they are trying to break Sinestro out of his cell and kills him. He was being transported to his home world for execution by the Green Lanterns when the Yellow Lanterns ambushed them. They appeared to have been tipped off by the Guardian who can see the other colors. The Red Lanterns appear and lay waste to all to get to Sinestro, who had imprisoned the leader Atrocitus.
The Red Lanterns don't care who is in front of them, they kill everything. The one Guardian (a chick?) who was wounded during the SINESTRO CORPS WAR seems to have to ability to either communicate or manipulate the other color Lanterns, including the Black Lanterns. Did not see the red logo or the orange logos in her eyes, but we'll see. She also can communicate without the other guardians knowledge, something that will be telling in the months to come. I look forward to the series next year and if the buildup to it is as good as this, it will totally blow FINAL CRISIS and SECRET INVASION away.
Crossed 1- I have never been a big horror fan, but I've liked most of what Warren Ellis has written. This book totally unnerved me. And not in a good way. It seemed almost like shock just for shock's sake. I know it supposed to be a look at what we would be like if all our inhibitions went away, but some of this, especially with the kid was disturbing on a level that if you heard someone talking about this, you'd have him locked up. I don't know if I'll buy another issue, I may read it in the store to see where this goes. Unlike THE WALKING DEAD, this seems to have nowhere to go, so I'm guessing that it's a mini series.
Superman/Batman 53- Part 1 of the "Super/Bat" arc. This is another book that I jumped off a while back but was sucked back into. So far though, this has been a consistently good book. Michael Green has done a nice job constructing out of continuity stories that while different, don't look too out of place. His "mini-heroes" are was short and sweet (pardon the pun) and a whole lot of fun. Had some great moments of humor in them.
Now he gets to play with Rags Morales on art with swapping the powers for the two. Okay, there are no real powers for Bats to give to Supes, but you get my drift. It appears that Silver Banshee may have caused the switch, at least on the surface it looks that way. The inner dialogue that happens is spot on and captures both heroes flaws, including some pity and jealously. This has the making for a great arc and hopefully a continuation for Green of a great run of stories.
That's it for the moment. Will return (I promise!) in a day or so to throw some more your way.
Rather than focus on a particular week (last week was a small one for me), I want to pull some from recent weeks that caught my eye for good and bad.
Spawn 185- Beginning of "Endgame" by McFarlane and Portacio. The line from Godfather 3 kept repeating in my head as I walked out of the store with this issue; "every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in.". Spawn was my foray back into comics after many years and I stayed with it through good and bad times like a battered girlfriend. Finally I get the courage to say "enough" and walk away only to get sucked right back in. Todd hasn't written or drawn for I don't know how long and Whice has been in and out of things as well.
All that being said, this has both good and bad points. If you haven't read SPAWN in years, you're not going to know who this patient 47 is and why it's such a bad thing that he's awake from his coma. If someone knows, please leave me a posting. It also looks like Al (Spawn) has killed himself. Or at least it appears that way. The body is found by the Clown (Violator), sort of Joker to Spawn's Batman. The artwork is typical Portacio, for better and worse. A very dark tone in terms of shading to the book, more to make the words and actions pop. Given that it's the first part of a story arc, it's not that bad. But if they don't go about giving the backstory to this at some point, all of what has happened will be for nothing.
Ultimate Origins- I picked this up with great trepidation. I have loved ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN for the most part and read both FF and X-MEN for a while before both lost me. This is supposed to be a telling of how everything is connected within the Ultimate universe.
OK, now that the official line is out of the way let me say, WTF? Black Panther was part of Weapon X and saved by Nick Fury? Seriously?? Rick Jones is going to be the Silver Surfer? That's it? That's the "big thing"? Man. I know that Black Panther did not have the sexiest origin in the MCU, but it was organic and made sense for the character and it worked. To take it and totally screw it up is pitiful. Speaking of pitiful.....
Ultimate Spider-Man Annual 3- In this economy, I feel that we as fans should march on Marvel's offices and demand our money back from either Bendis or Quesada for this abomination. The artwork on this was sporadic at best, and the tagline about Peter and MJ was misleading. So they get back together, so what? That's supposed to cost me 4 bucks for something they could have put in the regular series? I do have to say that the introduction of Mysterio was nice, and if they had sold the issue as his intro, maybe I wouldn't have as much issue with things. Just a total bait and switch for my money.
Rage of the Red Lanterns- I loved this! Man I was looking forward to this issue and not only did it not let me down, it deepened the mysteries that will go on toward the BLACKEST NIGHT story next year. I also feel that I should throw something out there. Hal Jordan has been the model Green Lantern for the last 40+ years, but I don't think he'll be one at the end of the story next year. I think that he'll become a Blue Lantern to join Ganthet in that particular corps. One question I do have though; what did this have to do with FINAL CRISIS? It had it labelled on the cover and said it took place between 1 and 2,but in my opinion, had nothing do to with it. This was a great mix of action and talking. Having a cat as a Red Lantern? Brilliant! It sneaks up on a Yellow Lantern as they are trying to break Sinestro out of his cell and kills him. He was being transported to his home world for execution by the Green Lanterns when the Yellow Lanterns ambushed them. They appeared to have been tipped off by the Guardian who can see the other colors. The Red Lanterns appear and lay waste to all to get to Sinestro, who had imprisoned the leader Atrocitus.
The Red Lanterns don't care who is in front of them, they kill everything. The one Guardian (a chick?) who was wounded during the SINESTRO CORPS WAR seems to have to ability to either communicate or manipulate the other color Lanterns, including the Black Lanterns. Did not see the red logo or the orange logos in her eyes, but we'll see. She also can communicate without the other guardians knowledge, something that will be telling in the months to come. I look forward to the series next year and if the buildup to it is as good as this, it will totally blow FINAL CRISIS and SECRET INVASION away.
Crossed 1- I have never been a big horror fan, but I've liked most of what Warren Ellis has written. This book totally unnerved me. And not in a good way. It seemed almost like shock just for shock's sake. I know it supposed to be a look at what we would be like if all our inhibitions went away, but some of this, especially with the kid was disturbing on a level that if you heard someone talking about this, you'd have him locked up. I don't know if I'll buy another issue, I may read it in the store to see where this goes. Unlike THE WALKING DEAD, this seems to have nowhere to go, so I'm guessing that it's a mini series.
Superman/Batman 53- Part 1 of the "Super/Bat" arc. This is another book that I jumped off a while back but was sucked back into. So far though, this has been a consistently good book. Michael Green has done a nice job constructing out of continuity stories that while different, don't look too out of place. His "mini-heroes" are was short and sweet (pardon the pun) and a whole lot of fun. Had some great moments of humor in them.
Now he gets to play with Rags Morales on art with swapping the powers for the two. Okay, there are no real powers for Bats to give to Supes, but you get my drift. It appears that Silver Banshee may have caused the switch, at least on the surface it looks that way. The inner dialogue that happens is spot on and captures both heroes flaws, including some pity and jealously. This has the making for a great arc and hopefully a continuation for Green of a great run of stories.
That's it for the moment. Will return (I promise!) in a day or so to throw some more your way.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Quick hits....
I am behind in both getting and reading the books, and that will be rectified this weekend.
But I did get some of the event books so here are some thoughts;
-OK I did not see that Turpin was actually going to become Darkseid in FINAL CRISIS. A nice surprise using a pretty good supporting character.
-I feel a little like Jim and I just want SECRET INVASION to end. I also sort of understand Rusty's long help belief that issue long fight issues can really suck. It wasn't all that bad, but should have ended somewhat earlier.
-The Lady Bulleseye run in DAREDEVIL has been.....OK. I am really not getting why there are rehashing the secret ID again with Matt. He is also becoming a little too angsty about his wife. I mean, he should feel bad about the situation, but he has to move on.
-I gotta tell you, I did not like the NIGHTWING part of R.I.P. It never even felt like it was a part of the overall story. The OUTSIDERS did a better part of conveying what the DCU was seeing of this. Now to hear DiDio tell it, the next big arc ("the battle for the cowl") is becoming not who inherits it, but who will actually wear it. Hell, I'll throw my hat in the ring for it if that's the case.
-On a related Batman note, November will see the premiere of THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD on Cartoon Network. From what I've seen and heard, I am excited for it. It is steering away from the dark and brooding Bats we've had and is looks to have more of a silver age feel, but using modern characters such as Blue Beetle. Keep your eyes and ears open and give it a chance. After all, it seems that cartoons involving superheroes are going the way of the dinosaur.
That's it for now. I promise that as soon as I immerse myself in the books, I'll come up for air and barf up an opinion.
Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! Everyone be safe and watch out for the kiddies!
But I did get some of the event books so here are some thoughts;
-OK I did not see that Turpin was actually going to become Darkseid in FINAL CRISIS. A nice surprise using a pretty good supporting character.
-I feel a little like Jim and I just want SECRET INVASION to end. I also sort of understand Rusty's long help belief that issue long fight issues can really suck. It wasn't all that bad, but should have ended somewhat earlier.
-The Lady Bulleseye run in DAREDEVIL has been.....OK. I am really not getting why there are rehashing the secret ID again with Matt. He is also becoming a little too angsty about his wife. I mean, he should feel bad about the situation, but he has to move on.
-I gotta tell you, I did not like the NIGHTWING part of R.I.P. It never even felt like it was a part of the overall story. The OUTSIDERS did a better part of conveying what the DCU was seeing of this. Now to hear DiDio tell it, the next big arc ("the battle for the cowl") is becoming not who inherits it, but who will actually wear it. Hell, I'll throw my hat in the ring for it if that's the case.
-On a related Batman note, November will see the premiere of THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD on Cartoon Network. From what I've seen and heard, I am excited for it. It is steering away from the dark and brooding Bats we've had and is looks to have more of a silver age feel, but using modern characters such as Blue Beetle. Keep your eyes and ears open and give it a chance. After all, it seems that cartoons involving superheroes are going the way of the dinosaur.
That's it for now. I promise that as soon as I immerse myself in the books, I'll come up for air and barf up an opinion.
Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! Everyone be safe and watch out for the kiddies!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Some thoughts and musings
I'm awake so it's time to put some things down.
-Why are the "event" books this summer feel like they are just spinning their wheels? I know this may seem like heresy, but the 3 I am following (RIP,SI,FC) feel like maybe a too slow a burn. But it's probably me.
-The news that THE DARK KNIGHT is about to overtake that piece of crap TITANIC fills me with both elation and dread. I can finally stop hearing from my wife every time she pops that piece of dung in the DVD player that, "well, it is the highest grossing movie ever." If she stopped after grossing I would have agreed with her. My dread is that this is it. We have it hit the pinnacle of movies as comic fans. After living through DAREDEVIL and and the first HULK film, we have climbed the mountain to achieve our little piece of success. We saw the fantasy genre hit the high water mark with the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, and they have not been able to top that since. Mind you, it was the BATMAN franchise that sort of killed us before (thanks Joel Scheumacher) and we have been slowly climbing back from the rubble since. The X-Men and Spider-Man franchises were big components to letting us shine our geek and comic lights. Now with both IRON MAN,HELLBOY and TDK earning both critical and commercial success, we stand proud in the light and say "Yes, I do read comics! And you know what? 300 and so on are based on comics! HA HA! We WIN!" But as we all know, once you've hit the top, there is only one way to go: down.
There is hope that the inevitable fall will not be so dramatic as last time. The WATCHMEN movie has people giddy and non comic fans asking about it. But, even there some of my fears are being realized. It's almost a year before it is due for release, and it's on the cover of Entertainment Weekly? Most of us were worried about the hype surrounding TDK killing it. WATCHMEN may outdo that, if that's possible. Some of the other ones that have been announced (Ant-Man?!?!?) leave me scratching my head. But for now, I will enjoy my walk in the sun as a proud unabashed fan of comics and will never let my flag hang low. I will, however, enjoy bashing the hell out of the posers who claim they "know" the comics of which they try to speak of. Let's try to keep them from eating us from within, shall we?
-On a final note, I read my friend Jim Martin's blog about the Image previews. Jim, I used to read SPAWN for many years, much to Shawn's dismay. The solicit for not only McFarlane but Portacio to come back to it on a regular basis has me somewhat geeked. I might (stress the word MIGHT) be tempted to pick an issue and see what happens. SPAWN was the comic that brought me back to comics (much to my wife's eternal frustration) so I feel like a first love or girlfriend has asked me to try again. I've been burned before, but you can't say no to that first love.
-Why are the "event" books this summer feel like they are just spinning their wheels? I know this may seem like heresy, but the 3 I am following (RIP,SI,FC) feel like maybe a too slow a burn. But it's probably me.
-The news that THE DARK KNIGHT is about to overtake that piece of crap TITANIC fills me with both elation and dread. I can finally stop hearing from my wife every time she pops that piece of dung in the DVD player that, "well, it is the highest grossing movie ever." If she stopped after grossing I would have agreed with her. My dread is that this is it. We have it hit the pinnacle of movies as comic fans. After living through DAREDEVIL and and the first HULK film, we have climbed the mountain to achieve our little piece of success. We saw the fantasy genre hit the high water mark with the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, and they have not been able to top that since. Mind you, it was the BATMAN franchise that sort of killed us before (thanks Joel Scheumacher) and we have been slowly climbing back from the rubble since. The X-Men and Spider-Man franchises were big components to letting us shine our geek and comic lights. Now with both IRON MAN,HELLBOY and TDK earning both critical and commercial success, we stand proud in the light and say "Yes, I do read comics! And you know what? 300 and so on are based on comics! HA HA! We WIN!" But as we all know, once you've hit the top, there is only one way to go: down.
There is hope that the inevitable fall will not be so dramatic as last time. The WATCHMEN movie has people giddy and non comic fans asking about it. But, even there some of my fears are being realized. It's almost a year before it is due for release, and it's on the cover of Entertainment Weekly? Most of us were worried about the hype surrounding TDK killing it. WATCHMEN may outdo that, if that's possible. Some of the other ones that have been announced (Ant-Man?!?!?) leave me scratching my head. But for now, I will enjoy my walk in the sun as a proud unabashed fan of comics and will never let my flag hang low. I will, however, enjoy bashing the hell out of the posers who claim they "know" the comics of which they try to speak of. Let's try to keep them from eating us from within, shall we?
-On a final note, I read my friend Jim Martin's blog about the Image previews. Jim, I used to read SPAWN for many years, much to Shawn's dismay. The solicit for not only McFarlane but Portacio to come back to it on a regular basis has me somewhat geeked. I might (stress the word MIGHT) be tempted to pick an issue and see what happens. SPAWN was the comic that brought me back to comics (much to my wife's eternal frustration) so I feel like a first love or girlfriend has asked me to try again. I've been burned before, but you can't say no to that first love.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Some news and notes
Sorry I haven't put anything up in a while but I've been directing my energies elsewhere.
So where to begin???
-How about this: I finally, FINALLY have a job!!!!
Yeah, yours truly has gotten off his rear and entered the working force. Actually, I caught a major break. A friend I bowl with in a league told me that his store was looking for overnight help. Seeing as I'm a bit of a nightowl myself, I went and applied. After a couple of nervous weeks, it came through. Someone finally is willing to take a chance on me (I know that you guys would as well, but I'm speaking of a workplace). It's not a full time (32 hrs.), and it is weekend nights, but shoot, I'm happy to be working anywhere. I know that one or two of you may say "well, I would have tried to get him something if he asked". I know that, but I could not bring myself to use my friends and family like that. It's just how I'm wired. This was something that fell into my lap, and for once went my way. There has been much rejoicing in the house. Actually it's more like a sense of relief.
-The Mrs. and I are going to catch IRON MAN tonight as a way of celebrating. That, and next week is our anniversary. 15 years, holy crap. We have been through the ringer at times and hope that the next 15 are slightly less uneventful than this 15. Less hospital visits, less bill collectors, and more of you guys and the fun that is out there in life.
-On a comic note, I am slightly perplexed by the DC Zero issue. One the one hand, it's really nothing more than an ad for the other upcoming events. But it was only 50 cents. I know that there as been a slight hue and cry about why they released the book on the week of Free Comic Book Day and that it should have been given out then. But I don't fault them. Their choice of FCBD is a great one (All-Star Superman #1). If you haven't read it, go to your local comic store on Saturday and pick one up. In fact, pick up a bunch of books that interest you and give them a try. Maybe you'll find a diamond in the rough.
OK, that's about it for now. See ya!
So where to begin???
-How about this: I finally, FINALLY have a job!!!!
Yeah, yours truly has gotten off his rear and entered the working force. Actually, I caught a major break. A friend I bowl with in a league told me that his store was looking for overnight help. Seeing as I'm a bit of a nightowl myself, I went and applied. After a couple of nervous weeks, it came through. Someone finally is willing to take a chance on me (I know that you guys would as well, but I'm speaking of a workplace). It's not a full time (32 hrs.), and it is weekend nights, but shoot, I'm happy to be working anywhere. I know that one or two of you may say "well, I would have tried to get him something if he asked". I know that, but I could not bring myself to use my friends and family like that. It's just how I'm wired. This was something that fell into my lap, and for once went my way. There has been much rejoicing in the house. Actually it's more like a sense of relief.
-The Mrs. and I are going to catch IRON MAN tonight as a way of celebrating. That, and next week is our anniversary. 15 years, holy crap. We have been through the ringer at times and hope that the next 15 are slightly less uneventful than this 15. Less hospital visits, less bill collectors, and more of you guys and the fun that is out there in life.
-On a comic note, I am slightly perplexed by the DC Zero issue. One the one hand, it's really nothing more than an ad for the other upcoming events. But it was only 50 cents. I know that there as been a slight hue and cry about why they released the book on the week of Free Comic Book Day and that it should have been given out then. But I don't fault them. Their choice of FCBD is a great one (All-Star Superman #1). If you haven't read it, go to your local comic store on Saturday and pick one up. In fact, pick up a bunch of books that interest you and give them a try. Maybe you'll find a diamond in the rough.
OK, that's about it for now. See ya!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Reason You're Here
Hope everyone remember to jump ahead this week. There will be something of an announcement at the end of this post. Nothing large or life changing.
Onto the comics!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 12- Beginning of the "Wolves at the Gate" are penned by Buffy writer Drew Goddard. A terrific start to the arc. It's clear that Goddard has not lost his voice for these characters, Andrew in particular. I have been remiss in crediting Georges Jeanty as the artist in this series. He has done exceptional work without resorting to some sort of photo shopping and drawing over it. He has made the stories jump and crackle with a nice energy. There is a controversial part to this story. Buffy is shown in bed with another slayer. The one who woke her from her "sleeping beauty" curse during the first arc. I thought that it was handled well, and even had some of the typical Whedon humor at the end to break the tension. No, Buffy is not a lesbian. She was lonely for some companionship and the slayer, Satsu, confessed her feelings for Buffy last issue while on patrol. The issue ends with a "holy sh!t" moment that leaves you wanting to read the next issue NOW. I won't spoil that for you, go read it and see for yourself.
Thor 6- A bunch of people have been critical of the writer (JMS) for his pacing of this book. Not me. This has been a really fun read every issue. The town meeting involving the Asgardians was hysterical. I loved the conversation between Blake and Thor in the diner, like it was so matter of fact to be conversing with your alter ego in public. Also, the townspeople relating their stories of the interactions with the Asgardians was cool, especially the one with Hogun, who walked from Asgard (which is located above Oklahoma) to Texas for a wild boar. Olivier Copiel again does a magnificent job, conveying the scope and spectrum of the Gods and the task that Thor has undertaken. I understand he will be taking a few issues off, but will return. I eagerly await his return.
Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder 9- Here again there has been a real diversity of opinions on this book. Some love it, some think it's a parody, others hate it. For me this has been an OK read. I must admit to not really being in love with the way that Frank Miller has written Bats. Some have suggested that if I read him like a "Sin City" character, I would enjoy it more. But this issue has saved the book in my opinion. The beginning of the issue, not so much. Have to go get my eyes checked after seeing all that yellow. Man, DC must have had a vat of that stuff left over to use since "Sinestro Corps"ended. What made me turn the corner was the last 4 pages. After realizing that he has rushed Robin into action and almost cost another hero (Green Lantern) his life, Batman cracks. He knows now that he has had the advantage of time and people like Alfred to hone his skills and crusade. Dick has had maybe a couple of weeks, and Bruce has been exceptionally tough on him. In fact, it wasn't until this issue that Robin finds out that Bruce is Batman. He takes Dick to the graveyard where is parents are buried to let him mourn properly. This is a great jumping on point for anyone who either hasn't read this yet, or gave up on it. I hope that going forward this will be seen as a great turning point.
Green Lantern 28- The first appearance of a red Lantern. A disgraced Green lantern who killed Amon Sur, Laira's hatred is the beacon for the first ring. This was a great issue and shows that even though Geoff Johns isn't doing the next major crossover until 2009, he is introducing plot threads a little at a time to entice us. The Guardians enacting their 2nd law leads Hal to talk to Sinestro. You get the feeling that even though he is in jail, Sinestro got exactly what he wanted in the end. The conversation leaves us with a lot of questions, including one I have; will Hal stay with the Green Lanterns, or will he join another corps before the next major event?
Captain America 35- Bucky enters Washington D.C. to discover that the public is on edge and that just about every level of government has been corrupted by Kronas. Ed Brubaker does a nice job building the tension of a mob on the edge and ready to be ignited. You can feel that Bucky is still dealing with the emotions of taking up the mantle from Steve. Next issue looks to be a big battle between Cap and the Serpent Squad, who have invaded Congress.
Batman 674- I know I am in the minority, but Grant Morrison's run on this has left me wanting. At least he tied up the string of where the 3 Batmen came from. Turns out they were police officers developed by a character named Simon Hurt, who managed to convince Batman to take part in an experiment. I know, your eyes are probably rolling and you're feeling drowsy, but hang in there. They were designed to take Batman's place if something should ever happen, but the experiment got out of hand. Bats escapes from them and is left to wonder who activated them. There are as many questions as answers at the end of this, so I am reserving total judgement until all is revealed. I'm guessing this will be great in trade format.
Detective Comics 842- Peter Milligan fills in for Paul Dini on a one and done. A suit of armor is given to Bruce by Talia (his on and off again lover) and gives him the feeling of invincibility. He begins to realize that the suit is causing irrational behavior from him and he sets out to discover where the suit originated from. It's a long and complicated story, so I won't bore you with details. Turns out is was a gift originally from Ra's Ah Gaul passed to Talia. While this is going on, Bats is tracking a killer in Gotham. As the chase for him ends, he passes a test of the suit and realizes that he should never wear it again. A nice one and done, but I look forward to Dini's return to give the rogue's gallery a work over.
Teen Titans Year One 3- The end of the first arc. Nice work of teaming up to take their mentors down, although Aqualad still seems to be useless. Batman is still something of a hardass, expecting alot for Robin. This is a 6 issue mini, so the two arc should work well in unison.
Amazing Spider-Man 552- This is a pivotal issue. Not for them, but for me. I am really close to dropping this forever. The fact that they introduce one of the grossest looking villians is not helping matters. I would have hoped that with this reboot, they would have tried to introduce some of the classic rogue's gallery. After all, Spidey had the best one in the Marvel universe. But alas, it looks like my dreams will turn to dust.
Nightwing 142- I am thinking that this will move up to tnear the top of the pile. Peter Tomasi and Rags Morales are a great team, in my opinion. Tomasi is crafting a great story on various levels, and Rags art gives a nice sense of action. The scene in the Batcave with Tim and Alfred felt...organic to me. Especially Alfred's reaction to the note. I am also digging two other factors at play here; Dick's involvement in other areas of the DCU, specifically the JSA; and the relating of a story that took place in the BATMAN book by Tim. It gives you a sense that all of these are connected, which it should be.
That's about it for now. There were other comics out there that were good, like ACTION, or surprising good, like UNCANNY X-MEN. But I've decided that maybe later on, if anyone cares, I'll post some reactions.
Oh and the announcement? Two really. First, I will be doing this week to week instead of waiting 2 weeks. It tends to drag. The other is the books that I am cancelling. Wolverine:Origins, Ultimates, Amazing Spider-Man, Ghost Rider are all biting the dust. This hurts more than it freaking should (well maybe only for ASM) but I just cannot see myself spending good money for stuff I just am not into. On a quick side note; I would have bought the NEW FRONTIER SPECIAL, but there was no way on God's green earth I was spending 5 bucks on a comic that, with the exception of the first story, felt like a straight money grab.
Later.
Onto the comics!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 12- Beginning of the "Wolves at the Gate" are penned by Buffy writer Drew Goddard. A terrific start to the arc. It's clear that Goddard has not lost his voice for these characters, Andrew in particular. I have been remiss in crediting Georges Jeanty as the artist in this series. He has done exceptional work without resorting to some sort of photo shopping and drawing over it. He has made the stories jump and crackle with a nice energy. There is a controversial part to this story. Buffy is shown in bed with another slayer. The one who woke her from her "sleeping beauty" curse during the first arc. I thought that it was handled well, and even had some of the typical Whedon humor at the end to break the tension. No, Buffy is not a lesbian. She was lonely for some companionship and the slayer, Satsu, confessed her feelings for Buffy last issue while on patrol. The issue ends with a "holy sh!t" moment that leaves you wanting to read the next issue NOW. I won't spoil that for you, go read it and see for yourself.
Thor 6- A bunch of people have been critical of the writer (JMS) for his pacing of this book. Not me. This has been a really fun read every issue. The town meeting involving the Asgardians was hysterical. I loved the conversation between Blake and Thor in the diner, like it was so matter of fact to be conversing with your alter ego in public. Also, the townspeople relating their stories of the interactions with the Asgardians was cool, especially the one with Hogun, who walked from Asgard (which is located above Oklahoma) to Texas for a wild boar. Olivier Copiel again does a magnificent job, conveying the scope and spectrum of the Gods and the task that Thor has undertaken. I understand he will be taking a few issues off, but will return. I eagerly await his return.
Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder 9- Here again there has been a real diversity of opinions on this book. Some love it, some think it's a parody, others hate it. For me this has been an OK read. I must admit to not really being in love with the way that Frank Miller has written Bats. Some have suggested that if I read him like a "Sin City" character, I would enjoy it more. But this issue has saved the book in my opinion. The beginning of the issue, not so much. Have to go get my eyes checked after seeing all that yellow. Man, DC must have had a vat of that stuff left over to use since "Sinestro Corps"ended. What made me turn the corner was the last 4 pages. After realizing that he has rushed Robin into action and almost cost another hero (Green Lantern) his life, Batman cracks. He knows now that he has had the advantage of time and people like Alfred to hone his skills and crusade. Dick has had maybe a couple of weeks, and Bruce has been exceptionally tough on him. In fact, it wasn't until this issue that Robin finds out that Bruce is Batman. He takes Dick to the graveyard where is parents are buried to let him mourn properly. This is a great jumping on point for anyone who either hasn't read this yet, or gave up on it. I hope that going forward this will be seen as a great turning point.
Green Lantern 28- The first appearance of a red Lantern. A disgraced Green lantern who killed Amon Sur, Laira's hatred is the beacon for the first ring. This was a great issue and shows that even though Geoff Johns isn't doing the next major crossover until 2009, he is introducing plot threads a little at a time to entice us. The Guardians enacting their 2nd law leads Hal to talk to Sinestro. You get the feeling that even though he is in jail, Sinestro got exactly what he wanted in the end. The conversation leaves us with a lot of questions, including one I have; will Hal stay with the Green Lanterns, or will he join another corps before the next major event?
Captain America 35- Bucky enters Washington D.C. to discover that the public is on edge and that just about every level of government has been corrupted by Kronas. Ed Brubaker does a nice job building the tension of a mob on the edge and ready to be ignited. You can feel that Bucky is still dealing with the emotions of taking up the mantle from Steve. Next issue looks to be a big battle between Cap and the Serpent Squad, who have invaded Congress.
Batman 674- I know I am in the minority, but Grant Morrison's run on this has left me wanting. At least he tied up the string of where the 3 Batmen came from. Turns out they were police officers developed by a character named Simon Hurt, who managed to convince Batman to take part in an experiment. I know, your eyes are probably rolling and you're feeling drowsy, but hang in there. They were designed to take Batman's place if something should ever happen, but the experiment got out of hand. Bats escapes from them and is left to wonder who activated them. There are as many questions as answers at the end of this, so I am reserving total judgement until all is revealed. I'm guessing this will be great in trade format.
Detective Comics 842- Peter Milligan fills in for Paul Dini on a one and done. A suit of armor is given to Bruce by Talia (his on and off again lover) and gives him the feeling of invincibility. He begins to realize that the suit is causing irrational behavior from him and he sets out to discover where the suit originated from. It's a long and complicated story, so I won't bore you with details. Turns out is was a gift originally from Ra's Ah Gaul passed to Talia. While this is going on, Bats is tracking a killer in Gotham. As the chase for him ends, he passes a test of the suit and realizes that he should never wear it again. A nice one and done, but I look forward to Dini's return to give the rogue's gallery a work over.
Teen Titans Year One 3- The end of the first arc. Nice work of teaming up to take their mentors down, although Aqualad still seems to be useless. Batman is still something of a hardass, expecting alot for Robin. This is a 6 issue mini, so the two arc should work well in unison.
Amazing Spider-Man 552- This is a pivotal issue. Not for them, but for me. I am really close to dropping this forever. The fact that they introduce one of the grossest looking villians is not helping matters. I would have hoped that with this reboot, they would have tried to introduce some of the classic rogue's gallery. After all, Spidey had the best one in the Marvel universe. But alas, it looks like my dreams will turn to dust.
Nightwing 142- I am thinking that this will move up to tnear the top of the pile. Peter Tomasi and Rags Morales are a great team, in my opinion. Tomasi is crafting a great story on various levels, and Rags art gives a nice sense of action. The scene in the Batcave with Tim and Alfred felt...organic to me. Especially Alfred's reaction to the note. I am also digging two other factors at play here; Dick's involvement in other areas of the DCU, specifically the JSA; and the relating of a story that took place in the BATMAN book by Tim. It gives you a sense that all of these are connected, which it should be.
That's about it for now. There were other comics out there that were good, like ACTION, or surprising good, like UNCANNY X-MEN. But I've decided that maybe later on, if anyone cares, I'll post some reactions.
Oh and the announcement? Two really. First, I will be doing this week to week instead of waiting 2 weeks. It tends to drag. The other is the books that I am cancelling. Wolverine:Origins, Ultimates, Amazing Spider-Man, Ghost Rider are all biting the dust. This hurts more than it freaking should (well maybe only for ASM) but I just cannot see myself spending good money for stuff I just am not into. On a quick side note; I would have bought the NEW FRONTIER SPECIAL, but there was no way on God's green earth I was spending 5 bucks on a comic that, with the exception of the first story, felt like a straight money grab.
Later.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Ramblings of a Sick Man....
Hey gang. Thanks for wandering over to look in on me. Time to throw some reviews at you and see what sticks.
Before I begin, a note on change in format. Ever since I started this thing, I have reviewed comics by company. Starting with this post, I will be reviewing "top to bottom". That is, from stuff that sits at the top of my meager pile to the bottom.
Lets begin, shall we?
Robin 171- Begins with what has to be the stupidest villain ever since the TV series days. But from there Chuck Dixon continues a stellar run. The interaction between Batman and Robin, while brief, is great. Conveys a real sense of family. Love the new "redbird" car. Dixon looks intent on bringing back everything interesting from his run. Speaking of that, the mystery of Ives gets a little deeper and more interesting. Having Tim without a girlfriend in his civilian life means that we will probably see Spoiler in an issue or two. Oh, and falling asleep on a roller coaster? Funny as all hell, and something that a guy who jumps from rooftop to rooftop would do.
World of Warcraft 4- Well, some of you must be reading this since #1 went into a second print. Our heroes escape and meet up with some resistance fighters in Ashenvale. During the conflict, we see the awesome powers that Broll can inflict. Talk about an epic fighter! I had been wondering how Walter Simonson would handle a "raid" like battle, and he did a terrific job. In most "raids", there are no clear cut winner or losers, just a show of strength. This portrayed that perfectly, counters and moves that mirror the game. The story elements get some side coverage and look to show more and more of the Kingdoms. Can't wait.
Fantastic Four 554- First part of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's run. This has been debated about on the forums and there seems to be a mixed reception. For me, this was a great jumping on point. You don't have to have read the last 500+ issues to get up to speed with this. A nice starting point to (hopefully) a defining run. Hitch handled the art with feeling, even giving the Thing great expressions. I look forward to the next issue to hear more about how the earth is going to die. Knowing Millar, probably something gruesome. Sweet.
Wolverine 62- This shot to the top of my pile after looking at one page. I am so freaking happy that Ron Garney got rid of the style he was using on SHAZAM and got back to pencils. And wow are they good! Not sure about Jason Aaron's story, but I like where this is going. I am so freaking tired of him chasing crap, this looks like a start to a chase that could be intriguing. The fact the Mystique can become anyone must be driving Wolvie nuts. Also, I liked the interaction between Cyclops and Wolvie. Sanction without really saying that? That's Logan's bread and butter. And the fact that he's going it alone instead of one of the other tired books? Yep, there's going to be a decent bodycount here.
Invincible 48- I admit to coming late to the party on this book, but man it rises to the top of my pile everytime it comes out. The in jokes about the other heroes? Funny as all get out. Loved the interaction between the mom and the director. The battle between Mark and the underground dwellers was beautifully rendered. The fact that Doc Seismic looked surprised for half a beat before proclaiming victory was kinda funny, sort of the look you would see on the Joker or Dr. Doom's face if they actually succeeded. Should be a great next issue.
Superman/Batman 46- I must admit that I dropped this a long time ago when budgets over ran my love for comics. But after hearing the promo for this, I had to pick it up. Our intrepid heroes are travelling the world looking for all the remaining Kryptonite. Turns out there is a new color, silver Kryptonite, which causes Clark to revert to teenage attitudes. This was a really fun issue and may, just may, convince me to put it back on my list. Michael Green did a wonderful story full of fun and humor, and if you don't like it "ssik ym ttub." If you read the story, you get the joke.
Green Arrow/Black Canary 5- Telling the backstory of Connor, we see Ollie at various stages in his life. Turns out he knew all along about him and was (I think) ashamed of his actions. Dinah proposes to him and an intimate wedding occurs. However, someone has taken Connor and the chase is on. I know that people either love or hate Judd Winick's work, but I must cop to falling somewhere in the middle. This is an example of good Judd, nice characterizations, a plot that moves ahead even if it's not the main thrust of the issue. Hopefully, the good Judd will stick around for a while.
PvP 38- What, you think I would let this slip by? Oh hell no! The only reason it falls where it does is that after all the fighting and exposition and posturing, it's great to read an issue that can make you laugh. Sometimes so hard you show your teeth. The guys from "PvP" get a new officemate who seems reluctant to share who and what they are, so they break in. Mayhem and hilarity ensue. Kurtz brings in a guest artist for a brief story that has an ending, while gross, could make even the sourest puss smile.
Countdown 11 & 10- The battle begins in earnest on Apokolips. All the storylines seem to be converging there for the Great Disaster, which I hear will be shown in COUNTDOWN before the next mini. Mary Marvel gets her power, her true power back, while Harley and Holly get granted powers by the gods as well. Una becomes infected by Brother Eye, don't really know what will happen there. I am wondering who killed Granny. I don't think it was Darkseid since he didn't use his Omega-beams. OMAC assimilates Apokolips and looks to be the beginning of the end. Two great issues that really ratchet up the action.
Flash 237- A one and done to fill in between Mark Waid and Tom Peyer. A nice issue dealing with the kids. They are given the task of stealing Superman's cape and watching them interact with each other and how they handle villains was nice. Also liked the interaction between Supes and Wally. Looks like the kids have the values we want all out kids to have; Jai by an unconscious Superman with his cape hanging in the breeze: "No. Stealing is wrong." I am willing to give Peyer a chance simply because he's bringing Freddie Williams back do to the art. I have loved his stuff and look forward to see his take on the Flash.
Amazing Spider-Man 550 &551- I have been taking a beating on why I am still buying this from some. I know I hated OMD, and I am not really all that thrilled with how they have handled the FUBAR reboot so far. But if I am willing to stick for some (FF), then I should be for others. I wanted to give each writer and artist team their first arc to see if they could do something interesting with a (supposed) clean slate. So far, a mixed bag. Nice humor, some good action, but just not a lot there to hold people. I have been collecting ASM for a long time and it's tough to give up something you love, something that got you into reading comics. Unfortunately, it may be time. OMA, or "one more arc", then I'll decide.
New Avengers 38- Jessica and Luke end their marriage. Yawn. This would have been better done in CIVIL WAR as opposed to this stuff. Man, it looks like Bendis has been watching daytime soaps to come up with this dialogue. Only redeeming part? That Lentil Yu was not the artist. The fact that he is doing the SECRET INVASION may put me off of it.
OK, that's it for now. Go savage or praise me, but at least give me credit for having an opinion!
Before I begin, a note on change in format. Ever since I started this thing, I have reviewed comics by company. Starting with this post, I will be reviewing "top to bottom". That is, from stuff that sits at the top of my meager pile to the bottom.
Lets begin, shall we?
Robin 171- Begins with what has to be the stupidest villain ever since the TV series days. But from there Chuck Dixon continues a stellar run. The interaction between Batman and Robin, while brief, is great. Conveys a real sense of family. Love the new "redbird" car. Dixon looks intent on bringing back everything interesting from his run. Speaking of that, the mystery of Ives gets a little deeper and more interesting. Having Tim without a girlfriend in his civilian life means that we will probably see Spoiler in an issue or two. Oh, and falling asleep on a roller coaster? Funny as all hell, and something that a guy who jumps from rooftop to rooftop would do.
World of Warcraft 4- Well, some of you must be reading this since #1 went into a second print. Our heroes escape and meet up with some resistance fighters in Ashenvale. During the conflict, we see the awesome powers that Broll can inflict. Talk about an epic fighter! I had been wondering how Walter Simonson would handle a "raid" like battle, and he did a terrific job. In most "raids", there are no clear cut winner or losers, just a show of strength. This portrayed that perfectly, counters and moves that mirror the game. The story elements get some side coverage and look to show more and more of the Kingdoms. Can't wait.
Fantastic Four 554- First part of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's run. This has been debated about on the forums and there seems to be a mixed reception. For me, this was a great jumping on point. You don't have to have read the last 500+ issues to get up to speed with this. A nice starting point to (hopefully) a defining run. Hitch handled the art with feeling, even giving the Thing great expressions. I look forward to the next issue to hear more about how the earth is going to die. Knowing Millar, probably something gruesome. Sweet.
Wolverine 62- This shot to the top of my pile after looking at one page. I am so freaking happy that Ron Garney got rid of the style he was using on SHAZAM and got back to pencils. And wow are they good! Not sure about Jason Aaron's story, but I like where this is going. I am so freaking tired of him chasing crap, this looks like a start to a chase that could be intriguing. The fact the Mystique can become anyone must be driving Wolvie nuts. Also, I liked the interaction between Cyclops and Wolvie. Sanction without really saying that? That's Logan's bread and butter. And the fact that he's going it alone instead of one of the other tired books? Yep, there's going to be a decent bodycount here.
Invincible 48- I admit to coming late to the party on this book, but man it rises to the top of my pile everytime it comes out. The in jokes about the other heroes? Funny as all get out. Loved the interaction between the mom and the director. The battle between Mark and the underground dwellers was beautifully rendered. The fact that Doc Seismic looked surprised for half a beat before proclaiming victory was kinda funny, sort of the look you would see on the Joker or Dr. Doom's face if they actually succeeded. Should be a great next issue.
Superman/Batman 46- I must admit that I dropped this a long time ago when budgets over ran my love for comics. But after hearing the promo for this, I had to pick it up. Our intrepid heroes are travelling the world looking for all the remaining Kryptonite. Turns out there is a new color, silver Kryptonite, which causes Clark to revert to teenage attitudes. This was a really fun issue and may, just may, convince me to put it back on my list. Michael Green did a wonderful story full of fun and humor, and if you don't like it "ssik ym ttub." If you read the story, you get the joke.
Green Arrow/Black Canary 5- Telling the backstory of Connor, we see Ollie at various stages in his life. Turns out he knew all along about him and was (I think) ashamed of his actions. Dinah proposes to him and an intimate wedding occurs. However, someone has taken Connor and the chase is on. I know that people either love or hate Judd Winick's work, but I must cop to falling somewhere in the middle. This is an example of good Judd, nice characterizations, a plot that moves ahead even if it's not the main thrust of the issue. Hopefully, the good Judd will stick around for a while.
PvP 38- What, you think I would let this slip by? Oh hell no! The only reason it falls where it does is that after all the fighting and exposition and posturing, it's great to read an issue that can make you laugh. Sometimes so hard you show your teeth. The guys from "PvP" get a new officemate who seems reluctant to share who and what they are, so they break in. Mayhem and hilarity ensue. Kurtz brings in a guest artist for a brief story that has an ending, while gross, could make even the sourest puss smile.
Countdown 11 & 10- The battle begins in earnest on Apokolips. All the storylines seem to be converging there for the Great Disaster, which I hear will be shown in COUNTDOWN before the next mini. Mary Marvel gets her power, her true power back, while Harley and Holly get granted powers by the gods as well. Una becomes infected by Brother Eye, don't really know what will happen there. I am wondering who killed Granny. I don't think it was Darkseid since he didn't use his Omega-beams. OMAC assimilates Apokolips and looks to be the beginning of the end. Two great issues that really ratchet up the action.
Flash 237- A one and done to fill in between Mark Waid and Tom Peyer. A nice issue dealing with the kids. They are given the task of stealing Superman's cape and watching them interact with each other and how they handle villains was nice. Also liked the interaction between Supes and Wally. Looks like the kids have the values we want all out kids to have; Jai by an unconscious Superman with his cape hanging in the breeze: "No. Stealing is wrong." I am willing to give Peyer a chance simply because he's bringing Freddie Williams back do to the art. I have loved his stuff and look forward to see his take on the Flash.
Amazing Spider-Man 550 &551- I have been taking a beating on why I am still buying this from some. I know I hated OMD, and I am not really all that thrilled with how they have handled the FUBAR reboot so far. But if I am willing to stick for some (FF), then I should be for others. I wanted to give each writer and artist team their first arc to see if they could do something interesting with a (supposed) clean slate. So far, a mixed bag. Nice humor, some good action, but just not a lot there to hold people. I have been collecting ASM for a long time and it's tough to give up something you love, something that got you into reading comics. Unfortunately, it may be time. OMA, or "one more arc", then I'll decide.
New Avengers 38- Jessica and Luke end their marriage. Yawn. This would have been better done in CIVIL WAR as opposed to this stuff. Man, it looks like Bendis has been watching daytime soaps to come up with this dialogue. Only redeeming part? That Lentil Yu was not the artist. The fact that he is doing the SECRET INVASION may put me off of it.
OK, that's it for now. Go savage or praise me, but at least give me credit for having an opinion!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Odds and Ends....
Hey there gang. just thought I would take some time and throw a few things out of my brain and into your face. I've included a couple of comic reviews to wake you up so my noodlings don't totally make you sleepy.
-I was estatic over the Super Bowl. Not just the fact that the Giants won, but that it was an entertaining game. Even my wife, who had no rooting interest and was basically reading in the same room, put her book down once the game hit the 4th quarter. She puts up with me as a diehard Ravens fan, and enjoyed the fact that she could sit in a room with me and not have me totally mental over the game.
-On a side note, is it me, or are the commercials they aired just trying too hard? The trailer for the IRON MAN movie was awesome, and I admit to liking the screaming animals tire one and the Budweiser "Rocky" one, but other than that, they were forgettable at best. I think the hype over the commercials is getting bigger than the hype over the game, if that's possible. They have been slowly going downhill.
-Jim put up a nice posting of a few books that you should be reading. If I may be so bold, one I would like to pimp (other than PvP, but you guys know my love for that book) is World Of Warcraft. Issue 3 came out a week or so ago, and I would reccommend it to anyone who likes the sword and sorcerer type. Walter Simonson does a terrific job balancing telling a story and making sure to be faithful to the game and it's environments. You can tell that the artist, Ludo Lullabi, studied early Joe Madueria, and gives the characters an distinctive feel based on their races and classes. I know that Wildstorm has had some hiccups in doing some things, but so far this one has been done well. Give it a shot.
-I also started to read Dynamite's Superpowers, but found myself dozing off. For a buck, it's a great intro, but man is there a heavy cost. You know how sometimes you can breeze through a book in about 10-15 minutes? Not here, brother. I love Alex Ross, his stuff runs the gamut from pedestrian to breathtaking. But his protege, Jim Krueger, must have studied under Bendis. Still, for a buck, it did have some pretty pictures.
-I have a question....who did Leinil Yu service at Marvel to get the cherry crossover of the Skrull Invasion? Other than Bendis , I mean. Have they looked at this guy's art lately? Marvel does not seem stacked with as great a lineup of artists that DC has, but they certainly could have given it to someone better. Paul Pelletier comes to mind. They are pulling him off of Fantastic Four after a pretty good run, why not give it to him? That's a team book, right? He's worked with some great writers, don't they think he could handle Bendis? OK, spleen vented.
- I am ending this on a serious note. We have had a major health scare in my wife's family this past week. Her sister, who is 45, suffered a major heart attack. She had a blockage of the Left Anterior Decending artery, or LAD, which is called "the widowmaker" for a reason. It appears that they got to her in time, but there is some damage. I bring this up for a reason. She has been taking Plavix for clot breakage for a while, but stopped for a week or 2. While I am upset that she did that, I use this to make a point. PLEASE, if you are taking any type of meds, anything for an ongoing condition, DON'T STOP! There is usually a reason for you having to take it in the first place, like me with my diabetes.
I just don't want to see any of my family and good friends check out needlessly. I love all you guys!
Be good.
-I was estatic over the Super Bowl. Not just the fact that the Giants won, but that it was an entertaining game. Even my wife, who had no rooting interest and was basically reading in the same room, put her book down once the game hit the 4th quarter. She puts up with me as a diehard Ravens fan, and enjoyed the fact that she could sit in a room with me and not have me totally mental over the game.
-On a side note, is it me, or are the commercials they aired just trying too hard? The trailer for the IRON MAN movie was awesome, and I admit to liking the screaming animals tire one and the Budweiser "Rocky" one, but other than that, they were forgettable at best. I think the hype over the commercials is getting bigger than the hype over the game, if that's possible. They have been slowly going downhill.
-Jim put up a nice posting of a few books that you should be reading. If I may be so bold, one I would like to pimp (other than PvP, but you guys know my love for that book) is World Of Warcraft. Issue 3 came out a week or so ago, and I would reccommend it to anyone who likes the sword and sorcerer type. Walter Simonson does a terrific job balancing telling a story and making sure to be faithful to the game and it's environments. You can tell that the artist, Ludo Lullabi, studied early Joe Madueria, and gives the characters an distinctive feel based on their races and classes. I know that Wildstorm has had some hiccups in doing some things, but so far this one has been done well. Give it a shot.
-I also started to read Dynamite's Superpowers, but found myself dozing off. For a buck, it's a great intro, but man is there a heavy cost. You know how sometimes you can breeze through a book in about 10-15 minutes? Not here, brother. I love Alex Ross, his stuff runs the gamut from pedestrian to breathtaking. But his protege, Jim Krueger, must have studied under Bendis. Still, for a buck, it did have some pretty pictures.
-I have a question....who did Leinil Yu service at Marvel to get the cherry crossover of the Skrull Invasion? Other than Bendis , I mean. Have they looked at this guy's art lately? Marvel does not seem stacked with as great a lineup of artists that DC has, but they certainly could have given it to someone better. Paul Pelletier comes to mind. They are pulling him off of Fantastic Four after a pretty good run, why not give it to him? That's a team book, right? He's worked with some great writers, don't they think he could handle Bendis? OK, spleen vented.
- I am ending this on a serious note. We have had a major health scare in my wife's family this past week. Her sister, who is 45, suffered a major heart attack. She had a blockage of the Left Anterior Decending artery, or LAD, which is called "the widowmaker" for a reason. It appears that they got to her in time, but there is some damage. I bring this up for a reason. She has been taking Plavix for clot breakage for a while, but stopped for a week or 2. While I am upset that she did that, I use this to make a point. PLEASE, if you are taking any type of meds, anything for an ongoing condition, DON'T STOP! There is usually a reason for you having to take it in the first place, like me with my diabetes.
I just don't want to see any of my family and good friends check out needlessly. I love all you guys!
Be good.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Finally! Ta Da!
I am sure that you all waited with bated breath for this moment, but things were sort of out of whack for me. So here we go with at least 3 weeks worth of books!
Dark Horse-
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #10- Master Joss returns for a one and done to give us a pause between arcs. The last one, "Faith" by Brian K. Vaughn was very good. The main thrust of this is Buffy and Willow going to see a demon about the future. Instead he gives them both a peek into dark secrets in the past. Buffy committed some bank robberies overseas to finance the slayer operation. Turns out that Willow blames Buffy for her lover Tara's murder. To top all of this off, Buffy finds out that someone close to her will betray her. This is a great example of why I love this comic. It advances the overall arc somewhat and give clues to things both in the past and future. Can't wait for the next issue.
DC Comics-
Action 860- Part 3 of the "Legion" arc. The remaining Legionnaires and Supes head to an interment camp to find Brainiac. However, he has gone to his home planet and become something of a despot. The leader of the JLE is absorbing all of the captured Legion powers and using them to find the others. Pretty good story, but I am still not really all that thrilled with Gary Frank's art. It's not all that bad just.....sketchy. I've seen his more polished work and liked it more. Still, it does sort of fit the gritty world that Earth has become under the red sun.
Batman 672- This is example 1 in my "why crossovers can suck" case. Grant Morrison is a terrific writer, and Tony Daniel is doing a fine job, but I was seriously lost on the first read. I had to go back to find out what the deal was with the other Batmen and the affair between Bruce and Jezebel. Now that I've done that, the story makes some sense. A terrific cliffhanger as Batman is suffering a heart attack and Bat-Mite may be on the way to help (summoned?). Again, I love Grant Morrison, and he does things here that either haven't been done or tried in a long time.
Countdown 18-16- OK a lot of stuff happening here, so I will give the condensed version. The Challengers finally find Ray Palmer, only to have "Bob" go rogue on them. Turns out Ray is the modern Ray, not the Ray of the Earth the find them on. Monarch makes his move after drawing the Monitors out of hiding. Superman-Prime is going to use the rogue Monitor to help him find the perfect Earth. Jimmy Olsen is a soul-catcher. Jason gets captured by a Batman and is staring down the barrel of a gun. WHEW! This book has really picked up in intensity and looks to be (hopefully) headed for a great finish. I've heard that Morrison will pick up some of the threads from this to use in Final Crisis. Maybe he should just let his story stand on it's own, but that's just my opinion.
Detective 840- So let me get this straight; we had a major crossover with all the Batman books to bring back Ra's ah Gaul as a player in the rogue's gallery, and they leave him in Arkham? Are you freaking kidding me!?!?! Man, they are swerving dangerously close to Spidey's "one more day" crap. It was a great crossover, with lots of action and battles, and the best resolution they can come up with is to drug his ass and take him off to the insane asylum? BOO!!!
Green Arrow/ Black Canary 4- I am not sure how long I will stick with this book, but man did it take a major turn for me. I did not see that ending coming. I thought for sure they were going to kill Conner, thus sending Shawn into a spiral about killing his favorite characters. I loved the way Ollie called for Clark, just repeating his name over and over, building in intensity until he's screaming at the top of his lungs. And the scene with Batman in the stairway? Nicely done. I do have one question about this great issue; when did GL become a surgeon? That was so out of left field and really unneeded. Could have used Dr. Midnight, but they go with the fighter pilot? Final thought: Cliff Chang will become a major player in the field. His artwork is beautiful, capturing the right tones to the characters. DC would be wise to lock him up for a while.
Nightwing 140- Beginning of a new arc and a new team. Rags Morales jumps on with art that, while different from his work on "Identity Crisis", still is a classy look. Peter Tomasi climbs on to write, and it looks like he has a handle on who both Nightwing and Dick Grayson are. This takes place before Detective (since the crew is talking about Ra's and Talia) and leads to an encounter between Dick and Talia. Great dialogue there. There has been a rash of grave robberies and Nightwing goes to investigate. He sets up a new base of operation in New York and gets a visitor; Superman. Can't begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to seeing the next issue. Dick and Clark have always had a good repore, with Clark even contributing the codename (Nightwing was a hero in Kandor).
Teen Titans 54- The end of the "Titans of tomorrow, today" arc. They stop Starro from taking over and Wonder Girl realizes that Bart and Superboy are clones. That sets in motion events taking the future heroes out of the time stream. This was an OK ending, with the epilogue giving the appearance that things are not really going to change. Also that the Martian Manhunter (Girlhunter?) is going to be the one to cause the events to happen. An OK arc, but not one that left me feeling really satisfied, an odd sensation since Sean McKeever usually has done a great job.
Teen Titans-Year One #1- This issue looked for me like I was going to be not going to continue onward, but it took some steps that made me curious. I did not like the characterization of Aqualad, either in look or feel. He's afraid of fish? Seriously? The look and feel of Robin and Kid Flash on the other hand were dead on and those, along with what's the deal with Batman, has me interested enough to try a second issue.
MARVEL-
Amazing Spider-Man 545 and 546- End of the "One more Day" arc and beginning of the "Brand new day". I should have known something was up by the way they made Mephisto look a retard on the cover of 545. Could almost hear him saying "duhhhhh, are you sure you want this Joe?". In the interest of fairness, I will yield to other, more intelligent people such as Jim, Shawn and Matthew to comment on these two issues. As for me? Well, having Aunt May call Peter "tiger" almost made me throw up in my mouth. So we'll leave it at that.
Captain America 33- Continuing the tradition of telegraphing their moves 6 months before actually doing it, we get to see the beginning of Bucky's transformation into the new Cap. I mean, did anyone really expect it to be anyone else when they announced it? I feel bad for Ed Brubaker, because I have a feeling that if he had his way, he would have picked someone else. I don't know this for sure, just a gut feeling.
Daredevil 103- Matt is battling on several fronts and not really doing well. He is worried about Milla and the upcoming trial. She is still dealing with the effects of the fear gas she was exposed to. Not to mention the fact that Mr. Fear is running the streets causing chaos and panic. That he can do something about. He captures Fear's main henchman, the Ox, and has him chained up with a blowtorch ready to get info as to the whereabouts of his boss. The last page reminded me of the classic Frank Miller cover with DD holding a gun saying "no more mister nice guy!". Again, Brubaker is doing a slow build-up to the inevitable confrontation. And it's working.
Hulk 1- Pretty pictures by Ed McGuinness. Other than that? Are you kidding me? They gave it all away again in the first issue. I am starting to wonder. Long ago, in one of the early issues of Thunderbolts, they gave away the plot twist that the good guys were actually bad guys in disguise. But that only helped to enrich the stories as the series went forward. Lately, Marvel just doesn't seem to care if the reader is entertained or not. I would have been better served if we would have some suspense as to who actually was the Hulk. Is it his son? Some genetic clone from Tony Stark? Instead we get this, and I really don't care how he ( I won't spoil it for you) got to become the Hulk. I think I may stick for another issue or two, then I'm out. And yes they have effectively killed the buzz that "Planet Hulk" and "World War Hulk" had.
Iron Man 24- Really don't have much to say here. An OK issue. Looks like we might be getting more Mandarin soon, which can only be a good thing.
Punisher 53- Looks like my fears from my posting a while back were unfounded, but it was a great cliffhanger. Man, the stuff that Frank does to Barracuda once he captures him is brutal. But how the Barracuda uses the kid against Frank is just as brutal and frightening. The dude is the Energizer Bunny of comics. No matter how much you beat, shoot, torture or main him, Barracuda just keeps on coming. Next issue should be one big beat-em-up, which will be great.
Thunderbolts 118- Part 3 of the "Caged Angels" arc. Man does a lot of stuff hit the fan in this issue. Norman is just about over the edge (sitting in the bathroom with the Goblin mask on? Priceless.), Venom is on a rampage and the Swordsman makes his move with troops loyal to him. I have really loved this stuff by Warren Ellis, but I agree with Jim. Sometimes the lateness of these books take you right out of the story and you have to go back and re-read to find out what is really going on. But nevertheless, a relentless story that if you read this and don't want to pick up the next issue, has me feeling sorry for you.
Ultimate Spider-Man 117- End of the "Goblin"arc. And what an ending it was! Really, did not see what happened coming and was totally enthralled by it. The dialogue between the principals, especially Peter and Harry, were engrossing. Stuart Immonen's art was fantastic. This is the book any fan of Spider-Man SHOULD be reading. I only hope that someone has the smarts there to keep Joe Quesada from getting his grubby little fingers on it and destroying what is a consistently good to great read.
Well, that's about it. There are some others, like Wolverine (next time he dies, it's for good), the X-Men crossover (yawn) and Superman (insects? meh.) that really don't warrant my time or a second (or third, in some cases) read through. Hope you enjoyed my reviews and as always, feel free to throw me a comment or two. Promise to respond to any and all!
Later!
Dark Horse-
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #10- Master Joss returns for a one and done to give us a pause between arcs. The last one, "Faith" by Brian K. Vaughn was very good. The main thrust of this is Buffy and Willow going to see a demon about the future. Instead he gives them both a peek into dark secrets in the past. Buffy committed some bank robberies overseas to finance the slayer operation. Turns out that Willow blames Buffy for her lover Tara's murder. To top all of this off, Buffy finds out that someone close to her will betray her. This is a great example of why I love this comic. It advances the overall arc somewhat and give clues to things both in the past and future. Can't wait for the next issue.
DC Comics-
Action 860- Part 3 of the "Legion" arc. The remaining Legionnaires and Supes head to an interment camp to find Brainiac. However, he has gone to his home planet and become something of a despot. The leader of the JLE is absorbing all of the captured Legion powers and using them to find the others. Pretty good story, but I am still not really all that thrilled with Gary Frank's art. It's not all that bad just.....sketchy. I've seen his more polished work and liked it more. Still, it does sort of fit the gritty world that Earth has become under the red sun.
Batman 672- This is example 1 in my "why crossovers can suck" case. Grant Morrison is a terrific writer, and Tony Daniel is doing a fine job, but I was seriously lost on the first read. I had to go back to find out what the deal was with the other Batmen and the affair between Bruce and Jezebel. Now that I've done that, the story makes some sense. A terrific cliffhanger as Batman is suffering a heart attack and Bat-Mite may be on the way to help (summoned?). Again, I love Grant Morrison, and he does things here that either haven't been done or tried in a long time.
Countdown 18-16- OK a lot of stuff happening here, so I will give the condensed version. The Challengers finally find Ray Palmer, only to have "Bob" go rogue on them. Turns out Ray is the modern Ray, not the Ray of the Earth the find them on. Monarch makes his move after drawing the Monitors out of hiding. Superman-Prime is going to use the rogue Monitor to help him find the perfect Earth. Jimmy Olsen is a soul-catcher. Jason gets captured by a Batman and is staring down the barrel of a gun. WHEW! This book has really picked up in intensity and looks to be (hopefully) headed for a great finish. I've heard that Morrison will pick up some of the threads from this to use in Final Crisis. Maybe he should just let his story stand on it's own, but that's just my opinion.
Detective 840- So let me get this straight; we had a major crossover with all the Batman books to bring back Ra's ah Gaul as a player in the rogue's gallery, and they leave him in Arkham? Are you freaking kidding me!?!?! Man, they are swerving dangerously close to Spidey's "one more day" crap. It was a great crossover, with lots of action and battles, and the best resolution they can come up with is to drug his ass and take him off to the insane asylum? BOO!!!
Green Arrow/ Black Canary 4- I am not sure how long I will stick with this book, but man did it take a major turn for me. I did not see that ending coming. I thought for sure they were going to kill Conner, thus sending Shawn into a spiral about killing his favorite characters. I loved the way Ollie called for Clark, just repeating his name over and over, building in intensity until he's screaming at the top of his lungs. And the scene with Batman in the stairway? Nicely done. I do have one question about this great issue; when did GL become a surgeon? That was so out of left field and really unneeded. Could have used Dr. Midnight, but they go with the fighter pilot? Final thought: Cliff Chang will become a major player in the field. His artwork is beautiful, capturing the right tones to the characters. DC would be wise to lock him up for a while.
Nightwing 140- Beginning of a new arc and a new team. Rags Morales jumps on with art that, while different from his work on "Identity Crisis", still is a classy look. Peter Tomasi climbs on to write, and it looks like he has a handle on who both Nightwing and Dick Grayson are. This takes place before Detective (since the crew is talking about Ra's and Talia) and leads to an encounter between Dick and Talia. Great dialogue there. There has been a rash of grave robberies and Nightwing goes to investigate. He sets up a new base of operation in New York and gets a visitor; Superman. Can't begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to seeing the next issue. Dick and Clark have always had a good repore, with Clark even contributing the codename (Nightwing was a hero in Kandor).
Teen Titans 54- The end of the "Titans of tomorrow, today" arc. They stop Starro from taking over and Wonder Girl realizes that Bart and Superboy are clones. That sets in motion events taking the future heroes out of the time stream. This was an OK ending, with the epilogue giving the appearance that things are not really going to change. Also that the Martian Manhunter (Girlhunter?) is going to be the one to cause the events to happen. An OK arc, but not one that left me feeling really satisfied, an odd sensation since Sean McKeever usually has done a great job.
Teen Titans-Year One #1- This issue looked for me like I was going to be not going to continue onward, but it took some steps that made me curious. I did not like the characterization of Aqualad, either in look or feel. He's afraid of fish? Seriously? The look and feel of Robin and Kid Flash on the other hand were dead on and those, along with what's the deal with Batman, has me interested enough to try a second issue.
MARVEL-
Amazing Spider-Man 545 and 546- End of the "One more Day" arc and beginning of the "Brand new day". I should have known something was up by the way they made Mephisto look a retard on the cover of 545. Could almost hear him saying "duhhhhh, are you sure you want this Joe?". In the interest of fairness, I will yield to other, more intelligent people such as Jim, Shawn and Matthew to comment on these two issues. As for me? Well, having Aunt May call Peter "tiger" almost made me throw up in my mouth. So we'll leave it at that.
Captain America 33- Continuing the tradition of telegraphing their moves 6 months before actually doing it, we get to see the beginning of Bucky's transformation into the new Cap. I mean, did anyone really expect it to be anyone else when they announced it? I feel bad for Ed Brubaker, because I have a feeling that if he had his way, he would have picked someone else. I don't know this for sure, just a gut feeling.
Daredevil 103- Matt is battling on several fronts and not really doing well. He is worried about Milla and the upcoming trial. She is still dealing with the effects of the fear gas she was exposed to. Not to mention the fact that Mr. Fear is running the streets causing chaos and panic. That he can do something about. He captures Fear's main henchman, the Ox, and has him chained up with a blowtorch ready to get info as to the whereabouts of his boss. The last page reminded me of the classic Frank Miller cover with DD holding a gun saying "no more mister nice guy!". Again, Brubaker is doing a slow build-up to the inevitable confrontation. And it's working.
Hulk 1- Pretty pictures by Ed McGuinness. Other than that? Are you kidding me? They gave it all away again in the first issue. I am starting to wonder. Long ago, in one of the early issues of Thunderbolts, they gave away the plot twist that the good guys were actually bad guys in disguise. But that only helped to enrich the stories as the series went forward. Lately, Marvel just doesn't seem to care if the reader is entertained or not. I would have been better served if we would have some suspense as to who actually was the Hulk. Is it his son? Some genetic clone from Tony Stark? Instead we get this, and I really don't care how he ( I won't spoil it for you) got to become the Hulk. I think I may stick for another issue or two, then I'm out. And yes they have effectively killed the buzz that "Planet Hulk" and "World War Hulk" had.
Iron Man 24- Really don't have much to say here. An OK issue. Looks like we might be getting more Mandarin soon, which can only be a good thing.
Punisher 53- Looks like my fears from my posting a while back were unfounded, but it was a great cliffhanger. Man, the stuff that Frank does to Barracuda once he captures him is brutal. But how the Barracuda uses the kid against Frank is just as brutal and frightening. The dude is the Energizer Bunny of comics. No matter how much you beat, shoot, torture or main him, Barracuda just keeps on coming. Next issue should be one big beat-em-up, which will be great.
Thunderbolts 118- Part 3 of the "Caged Angels" arc. Man does a lot of stuff hit the fan in this issue. Norman is just about over the edge (sitting in the bathroom with the Goblin mask on? Priceless.), Venom is on a rampage and the Swordsman makes his move with troops loyal to him. I have really loved this stuff by Warren Ellis, but I agree with Jim. Sometimes the lateness of these books take you right out of the story and you have to go back and re-read to find out what is really going on. But nevertheless, a relentless story that if you read this and don't want to pick up the next issue, has me feeling sorry for you.
Ultimate Spider-Man 117- End of the "Goblin"arc. And what an ending it was! Really, did not see what happened coming and was totally enthralled by it. The dialogue between the principals, especially Peter and Harry, were engrossing. Stuart Immonen's art was fantastic. This is the book any fan of Spider-Man SHOULD be reading. I only hope that someone has the smarts there to keep Joe Quesada from getting his grubby little fingers on it and destroying what is a consistently good to great read.
Well, that's about it. There are some others, like Wolverine (next time he dies, it's for good), the X-Men crossover (yawn) and Superman (insects? meh.) that really don't warrant my time or a second (or third, in some cases) read through. Hope you enjoyed my reviews and as always, feel free to throw me a comment or two. Promise to respond to any and all!
Later!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Happy Holidays, part 2!
I know that I said I was done posting for the year, and essentially I am. But I made it through the holidays and wanted to share some more comic cards with you. I hope you don't mind.
First up is one from my favorite "Sin City" one shot, "Silent Night". It's the only words spoken and I believe it's on the last page. Makes a great card:
Not exactly one for the kiddies to see, I know. But hopefully they have been distracted with toys and other things that they received for Christmas. I also hope that you had a safe Christmas and more importantly,will have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
First up is one from my favorite "Sin City" one shot, "Silent Night". It's the only words spoken and I believe it's on the last page. Makes a great card:
Next is one from my favorite comic PvP and the great character Skull :
This last one is sort of a downer to end it on, but the instant I saw it, I thought of my best bud Shawn. He had to work on Christmas day and was really bummed about it, no matter how much I tried to cheer him up. Shawn, this is for you hoss!
Not exactly one for the kiddies to see, I know. But hopefully they have been distracted with toys and other things that they received for Christmas. I also hope that you had a safe Christmas and more importantly,will have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Monday, December 17, 2007
The "Muttleys" part 2
Thanks for coming back to see what Matthew and I have come up with for some of the year end awards. We hit the big ones last time (comic, writer, artist,etc.) and now we go after some of the smaller, but no less important, categories.
On with the show!
Best Idea:
Matthew:
The Booster Gold series. Every issue has been great and the concept of him being a hero, by pretending he’s a jerk and a goof-off is brilliant.
The Booster Gold series. Every issue has been great and the concept of him being a hero, by pretending he’s a jerk and a goof-off is brilliant.
Ron: I have two, but they kind of dove tail together. First off, the reuniting of characters and creators. Teaming creators like Marv Wolfman and Chuck Dixon with Nightwing and Robin are great things. Yes, Chuck did not actually create Robin, but he did make him a great solo character. The other teaming of Joss Whedon and Buffy leads to my second best idea. That of giving the rabid fans of a cult classic a chance to see things played out. This idea has been taken with shows like Angel and Star Trek, with varying degrees of success. It would have been nice if something like this was done when Gene Roddenberry was still alive. I wonder how he would have ended the original series.
Best Character:
Matthew:
It’s so hard not to just go with one of my favorite heroes…Oh, I can’t resist, I’ve got to pick May "Mayday" Parker a.k.a. the Amazing Spider-girl!!! For villain, I’m going with Baron Zemo, even though he’s kinda trying to reform a bit.
It’s so hard not to just go with one of my favorite heroes…Oh, I can’t resist, I’ve got to pick May "Mayday" Parker a.k.a. the Amazing Spider-girl!!! For villain, I’m going with Baron Zemo, even though he’s kinda trying to reform a bit.
Ron: This one is also a tough one for me. But I think I am going off the page and say Frank Castle. Not the watered down "War Journal" guy, the "I will kill you seven different ways and enjoy them all" guy. His tussels with the Russian mob, the Barracuda, and his own inner demons made the MAX book a great read. Garth Ennis has been nothing if not consistent in dealing Frank both inner and outer pain.
Most Consistent Book (either good or bad):
Matthew:
This goes to Action Comics, with delays, fill-in’s, sub-par Zod storyline, the annoying Chris Kent, but now we have the excellent Legion storyline – this book has been all over the map. Superman has similarly suffered as well, which I blame on DC’s countdown/crisis mega-event disease. Really, Busiek’s run on Superman should be one of the best ever, but it is mired in all the ever-changing continuity madness that’s going on at DC right now.
This goes to Action Comics, with delays, fill-in’s, sub-par Zod storyline, the annoying Chris Kent, but now we have the excellent Legion storyline – this book has been all over the map. Superman has similarly suffered as well, which I blame on DC’s countdown/crisis mega-event disease. Really, Busiek’s run on Superman should be one of the best ever, but it is mired in all the ever-changing continuity madness that’s going on at DC right now.
Ron: My most consistently confusing book goes to Countdown. Talk about all over the place. Everything that went right in 52 has gone wrong in Countdown. Storylines took forever to get moving, and if you didn't read an ancillary title from time to time, you would not know who some of the characters were. I had not idea at the outset that Holly Robinson was Catwoman. Nothing was given, and it's never mentioned. The book has started to gain some momentum, but it may be too little too late.
Most underrated Book:
Matthew:
Amazing Spider-girl. All you have to do is read issue 15 that came out this week to see what I love about this book. That issue also celebrated her 10th anniversary as a character and it was the best of the relaunch so far. This is another story that I would like to write a detailed review for one day. Now, you may think I can only say good things about this series, not true. There was a somewhat miserable Carnage storyline this year, where her baby brother Ben gets his hearing damaged. I was not pleased, but it really ended the year on a strong note. Plus, you get to see Peter and MJ happily married!
Amazing Spider-girl. All you have to do is read issue 15 that came out this week to see what I love about this book. That issue also celebrated her 10th anniversary as a character and it was the best of the relaunch so far. This is another story that I would like to write a detailed review for one day. Now, you may think I can only say good things about this series, not true. There was a somewhat miserable Carnage storyline this year, where her baby brother Ben gets his hearing damaged. I was not pleased, but it really ended the year on a strong note. Plus, you get to see Peter and MJ happily married!
Ron: Invincible. This book has been a fun read for me from the moment I heard about it on the show. Robert Kirkman does a great job weaving a story that draws you in and makes you want to read the next issue to see what happens. Even his placeholding stories are infused with both witty banter and great action. I admit that I came late to this party, but I picked up a couple of the trades and I'm happy to say that I'm in until the bitter end.
Most underrated Character:
Matthew:
Bart Allen. In the span of one issue, the writer totally turned his series around with one of the greatest splash pages of the year – Bart revealing his identity to his police bosses. This character was finally going some place, taking over the legacy and they KILL HIM OFF!!! What a waste. I only hope he ended up in that lightning saga lightning that the Legion captured in…well…the "Lightning Saga".
Bart Allen. In the span of one issue, the writer totally turned his series around with one of the greatest splash pages of the year – Bart revealing his identity to his police bosses. This character was finally going some place, taking over the legacy and they KILL HIM OFF!!! What a waste. I only hope he ended up in that lightning saga lightning that the Legion captured in…well…the "Lightning Saga".
Ron: You know what? Matthew makes a really good point. So I will just say Bart Allen and that I totally agree with my comrade.
Most Overrated Book:
Matthew:
Picking up from my previous response, I’m going with The Flash. I have not been pleased with the return of Wally West under Waid. Maybe it’s the decompressed storytelling, because I really loved his kids’ characterization in the recent Brave and the Bold series also penned by Waid. Just isn’t working for me, I dropped the book for now…
Picking up from my previous response, I’m going with The Flash. I have not been pleased with the return of Wally West under Waid. Maybe it’s the decompressed storytelling, because I really loved his kids’ characterization in the recent Brave and the Bold series also penned by Waid. Just isn’t working for me, I dropped the book for now…
Ron: Wolverine. This book went from being so good with Mark Millar to being so awful. Iron Wolverine? Please. And Jeph Loeb? All we got was the same old battle between Wolvie and Sabertooth. The latest run with Marc Guggenheim hasn't been the best either.
Most Overrated Character:
Matthew:
Iron Fist. No, just kidding. Superman wins this one or is that loses? I love Superman, but he’s been the victim of editorial mismanagement this year and I find All-Star a little too quirky for me, but I’ve still got to read those issues I won from Jim earlier this year.
Iron Fist. No, just kidding. Superman wins this one or is that loses? I love Superman, but he’s been the victim of editorial mismanagement this year and I find All-Star a little too quirky for me, but I’ve still got to read those issues I won from Jim earlier this year.
Ron: Spider-Woman. She became a part of the Avengers, got a convoluted backstory on who she's working for, and other than looking really hot, did not do much else to warrant being in an A-list group like the Avengers.
Worst idea or problem:
Matthew:
JMS Spider-man, culminating with One More Day. I don’t know if JMS is responsible for Peter’s unmasking, but I did really like Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man #23, where Peter and Jonah have their verbal and physical fight. I didn’t like the concept, but that was an excellent issue.
JMS Spider-man, culminating with One More Day. I don’t know if JMS is responsible for Peter’s unmasking, but I did really like Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man #23, where Peter and Jonah have their verbal and physical fight. I didn’t like the concept, but that was an excellent issue.
Ron: I agree that the Outing of Peter Parker as Spider-Man wins hands down. To do this as a stunt only to try and act like it never really happened (One More Day) is absurd. Yes I know that the OMD is supposed to wipe out the marriage of MJ and Peter, but don't you think that it is also designed to wipe out the unmasking as well?
Hall of Fame:
Matthew:
Easy, Mike Weiringo. He was a great artist and he will be missed.
Easy, Mike Weiringo. He was a great artist and he will be missed.
Ron: Yep, a no-brainer on that.
Hall of Shame:
Matthew:
JMS. Really, his Gwen Stacy/Osborn affair ruined Spider-man for me years ago and all the "Other" junk, including the unmasking, OMD, etc. He deserves this one or the editors that encouraged or let him do some of these things deserve it.
JMS. Really, his Gwen Stacy/Osborn affair ruined Spider-man for me years ago and all the "Other" junk, including the unmasking, OMD, etc. He deserves this one or the editors that encouraged or let him do some of these things deserve it.
Ron: To that point, Joe Quesada gets my nod. He had made no secret of his hatred of the marriage of Peter to MJ. But to go about it in such a sleazy way sucks. Yeah JMS' run has not been the greatest, but even he saw the venom that would be unleashed by fans everywhere who had come to accept the marriage. The rumor that he tried to take his name off of the last two issues of OMD was just proof that this is a Quesada-run story. Shame on you for inflicting your prejudices on a good couple.
Well, thats it for me. But Matthew has some categories he would like to add, so I'm going to step aside and let him take over. Matthew?
Matthew:
Best comic industry magazine or internet site: Well, I do go to Newsarama quite a bit, but I really love Two Morrow’s Back Issue bi-monthly publication. It focuses on books from the 70’s and 80’s (my favorite era) and provides in-depth interviews, analysis and rare art from these series. This year we got an issue focusing on the Warlord, Micheline/Layton’s Iron Man and a spot light on Isis. Which leads me to my next category…
Best super-hero/comic character movie/DVD or Boxset: The Secret of Isis. I used to watch this series as a kid on Saturday mornings and am now watching it with my children on DVD. It is really an excellent live-action show with cool special effects, great characters and an "after school special" moral (like don’t hitchhike, don’t give up, etc.). If you’ve never seen it, seek it out – only $23 on Amazon. Isis is quite beautiful too. I may have had a crush on her as a kid, I know I did with Penny Robinson.
Best super-hero/comic toy series: One of the reasons I’ve been cutting back on some of my books is to buy toys. I get Mego style Marvel Legends signature series figures to collect (and Mego reproductions of Star Trek figures – plus they’ll be doing Planet of the Apes this year too!), but I get JLU and Marvel Super-hero squad figures to collect and play with on the floor with my children. So, the winner goes to Super Hero Squad. They’re inexpensive (two figures for $6), already have a lot of characters, are readily available (not too hard to find) and they’re soooo cute! I can rearrange them into almost any group: Avengers, Defenders, Fantastic Four. If I ever get a digital camera, I’ll take some pictures. This year we’ll get some cool Iron Man figures, including a giant Fin Fang Foom – so much fun.
Best super-hero/comic toy figure: Tough decision, but it’s a tie between the San Diego comic con exclusive JLU maskless Hawkgirl (it was a gift J ) and the Target exclusive, Gorilla Grodd figure – he’s huge.
Best HC: Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus. I know it’s gotten flak for the paper, but it does have the feel of an old comic. Plus, ordering the series in the publishing sequence was inspired. As much as I love the Marvel Omnibuses (another reason I’m cutting back on monthlies), I’m actively reading these books. I read the B/W trades a few years ago, but it’s like reading it for the first time.
Best Fanboy moment: It has to be meeting the legendary Herb Trimpe at the Baltimore Comic-con and getting him to draw a Godzilla sketch celebrating my 30th anniversary or collecting comics. Ron: That's the photo at the top of the posting. Sorry still trying to work out the bugs.
Best comic industry magazine or internet site: Well, I do go to Newsarama quite a bit, but I really love Two Morrow’s Back Issue bi-monthly publication. It focuses on books from the 70’s and 80’s (my favorite era) and provides in-depth interviews, analysis and rare art from these series. This year we got an issue focusing on the Warlord, Micheline/Layton’s Iron Man and a spot light on Isis. Which leads me to my next category…
Best super-hero/comic character movie/DVD or Boxset: The Secret of Isis. I used to watch this series as a kid on Saturday mornings and am now watching it with my children on DVD. It is really an excellent live-action show with cool special effects, great characters and an "after school special" moral (like don’t hitchhike, don’t give up, etc.). If you’ve never seen it, seek it out – only $23 on Amazon. Isis is quite beautiful too. I may have had a crush on her as a kid, I know I did with Penny Robinson.
Best super-hero/comic toy series: One of the reasons I’ve been cutting back on some of my books is to buy toys. I get Mego style Marvel Legends signature series figures to collect (and Mego reproductions of Star Trek figures – plus they’ll be doing Planet of the Apes this year too!), but I get JLU and Marvel Super-hero squad figures to collect and play with on the floor with my children. So, the winner goes to Super Hero Squad. They’re inexpensive (two figures for $6), already have a lot of characters, are readily available (not too hard to find) and they’re soooo cute! I can rearrange them into almost any group: Avengers, Defenders, Fantastic Four. If I ever get a digital camera, I’ll take some pictures. This year we’ll get some cool Iron Man figures, including a giant Fin Fang Foom – so much fun.
Best super-hero/comic toy figure: Tough decision, but it’s a tie between the San Diego comic con exclusive JLU maskless Hawkgirl (it was a gift J ) and the Target exclusive, Gorilla Grodd figure – he’s huge.
Best HC: Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Omnibus. I know it’s gotten flak for the paper, but it does have the feel of an old comic. Plus, ordering the series in the publishing sequence was inspired. As much as I love the Marvel Omnibuses (another reason I’m cutting back on monthlies), I’m actively reading these books. I read the B/W trades a few years ago, but it’s like reading it for the first time.
Best Fanboy moment: It has to be meeting the legendary Herb Trimpe at the Baltimore Comic-con and getting him to draw a Godzilla sketch celebrating my 30th anniversary or collecting comics. Ron: That's the photo at the top of the posting. Sorry still trying to work out the bugs.
All right, that's it. We hope you've enjoyed our little compilation of the past year. Maybe it's not to your liking, but you can always leave a reply giving your best or worst. Everyone take care and have a HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! =)
Time for the "Muttleys" Part 1
Well, I threatened to do this and now it's here. My year end awards. But I did not come alone. Oh no true believers, I've brought company. My friend Matthew from the "conversations" crew has been kind enough to join me in this endeavor. So before we get to the awards, I'd like Matthew to say a few words. Matthew?
Matthew:
Fantastic Four: This was the fun surprise hit out of Marvel for me this year. I used to be a regular FF reader, but had dropped the title quite a while ago. I really had no intention of picking this book up, but Paul Pelletier’s old style art was irresistible and McDuffie’s scripts were great. I totally embraced the Black Panther and Storm’s addition to the team. The smartest thing McDuffie did was immediately get the team out into space away from all the Civil War mess, while not disregarding what happened in Civil War either. It sure made it easier for new readers to jump on board. One of the most memorable issues was where the Invisible Women really showed off her power level. I know some laughed at BP riding the Surfer’s surf board, but I still thought it was cool – he was holding on to the front edge you know. I think we have only one issue left with this team and I’m already jumping ship with them. I’m not saying the Ultimates team won’t make a great FF story, but I’ll wait for the HC if it’s really good. I just saw today that Pelletier’s has been assigned the art chores for Nova. I love the Nova character and I may have to pick the book up, even though I HATE his new costume (the original is so iconic for me from my 7-11 spinner rack days – did I mention that I own my own spinner rack).
Ron: Captain America. Ed Brubaker did a great job with this book pre- and post Civil War. I mean, how many times can you take the main character out of the book and still have a great story? He handled the death of Cap with the deftness needed. He made Bucky and the Falcon relavent again. The art by Steve Epting has been great and struck the right tone of darkness as the book moved forward without Cap. My only regret is that Cap is being brought back, but if anyone can handle it, my money is on Brubaker.
DC Book of the Year:
Matthew:
Brave and the Bold: This was a no-brainer for me. I love Perez’s art and this book is perfectly suited to his strengths. Waid has also been masterful with characterizations, where you get to know the character (like the new Blue Beetle) by his actions and dialog, not by some lengthy exposition or internal narration. This book represents everything I love about comics, it’s also a very dense read and it amazes me that people complain about that – I mean really, I actually want to get my $3 worth. I feel a bit cheated when I can finish a book is less than 5 minutes. I know "best of the year" isn’t one of our categories but this was the my number one book!!!
Ron: I had a tough choice to make, so I'm splitting it between Robin and Detective. Both of these books have been great since the "one year later" reboot. Paul Dini did a great job with one and dones on the rogues gallery, giving each their own time to shine. He turned Batman into the title; a detective. As for Robin, my love for this book is well known. Adam Beechen and Freddie Williams were as good a tandem as there is in comics today. They handled the triumphs and massive tragedies deftly. They infused it with topics that strike a chord with teenagers of all ages (suicide, first date). This was a great couple of books that had you wanting more.
Best Other publisher book:
Matthew:
Owly 4: A time to be brave: I was going to suggest a "best OGN" category and pick Simpson’s Super Spectacular for this one, but I reread it today to my youngest daughter, Faith, and this book is superb. It took Andy (Runton) some extra time to get this book completed, but it was worth the wait. As always there is a lot of real emotion in the story. There is also some really clever storytelling sequences like the "ball incident". Owly 2: Just a little blue will always be my favorite, but this one is a close second. Maybe I’ll offer up a detailed review for someone to post while I’m off on Christmas vacation.
Ron: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8: Again, if you're a regular reader of this blog you know this was a no-brainer. To bring back Joss Whedon and other writers of the show to this character was great. I know there are those who did not like his first arc and are more enamored with Brian K. Vaughn's arc, but not me. Picking up that first issue and reading thru it was like a homecoming to me. The dialog and wit that ran through the series is reflected here, as well as his passion for giving tidbits to the overall arc. Vaughn's run has been great as well, and it shows that he has a love for the characters as well. This book will only get better in the coming year.
Best Mini series:
Matthew:
Baron Zemo: Born Better: This was an easy pick for me. Following the end of the "real" Thunderbolt’s series, Zemo is traveling through time, meeting his ancestors and growing in the process. I could have stood to have this series continue for a whole year. I really wanted to learn more about these fascinating characters. There was also a very important continuity scene where Professor Erskine (the super soldier serum creator) and the original Zemo are talking with Hitler. The series kept me guessing as to the murderous motivations behind the researcher too. I would love to see another mini-series of Zemo by this team (Niceza and Grummett). DC’s Justice was good too.
Ron: In what will be called a major upset I'm NOT picking Justice. No, I'm going with World War Hulk. This was a great mini, despite there being some issues with the artwork (see Jim? I can criticize Romita JR). For the longest time, Hulk readers have been wanting to see the angst ridden hero become the raging monster. Well, this did it. Hulk smash everything, and with a purpose. We had the rage and the brains in this. The ending was great, and the twist that one of the warbound was responsible for the event that drove him into the rage was unforeseen. As for the fallout, I'm seeing RED (get it?) over what is happening. They struck gold once with Cap, but don't count on Herc holding me for very long.
Best story arc:
Matthew: Marvel-
I’m going with "Death of Captain America". While I still think Steve Rogers will return someday, the actual "death" issue took me totally by surprise. When I went to the store that day, I didn’t understand why I could only get the variant cover (none of the others were available). Plus, people kept asking for it. I’ve tried to develop the habit of not looking thru a comic before I read it and this time it paid off. I’m going along and "BAM" (literally) – it was such a shock. Then I went online and it was national news, it was for "real" – at least for now anyway. I experienced dejavue: This was how I felt when watching that Magnum P.I. episode where he gets shot and is having an "out-of-body" experience, but instead of returning to his body at the end – he turns his back on the viewer and walks thru the clouds with John Denver playing in the background. The next day I discovered it was the last episode of the series. Of course they did bring him back for one more season, but the impact of losing such an important character to me was very real. And while, there have been some slower issues since the death one, the on-going story with Bucky, Falcon, Black Widow and Sharon Carter has been very good.
DC-
Well, I could pick "Lords of Luck", but I’m trying really hard not to repeat myself (too often), so I’m going to go with "Death of the New Gods". We’re not even halfway thru yet, but this series seems to really matter. I love the New Gods characters and I HATE that they are being killed off, but it is being told so well. It’s also a natural progression of the story – there needs to be an end someday. I wonder what the "Fifth World" will be like?
Ron: I'm going to forego publishers to just say 3 words; Sinestro Corps War. This was a terrific story that really held your interest. Even the lateness of the last issue and the price all felt worth it. Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis did a great job on this. I must confess that I did not read GL Corps, but this was so well done you didn't have to. This took all that you know about the Lanterns and the Guardians and flipped them on their head. The hook that there are now 7 types of Lanterns in the universe was mind blowing. The final pages that actually set up an event in 2009 was just the icing on the cake. This should read very well in trade.
Best Writer:
Matthew:
Ed Bruebaker. I didn’t read his Uncanny X-men series and I’ve heard really great things about Iron Fist, but it’s his continuing consistent excellence on Captain America and Daredevil that earns him this title from me. I recently dropped Daredevil to save costs and because it may eventually be Omnibused like his Cap run was…and I really like Omnibuses and I hate paying for stuff twice...
Ron: Dwayne McDuffie. This guy has had a nice year taking an A-list team and a seminal character to new heights. His run on "The Spirit", endorsed by Will Eisner himself before his passing, was great taking the character in the modern age without losing the sensibilities that Eisner infused him with. And then to take on "Justice League of America"? His opening arc contained more action than in the first dozen issues. He was a great writer for the series "Justice League Unlimited" and his affection for the characters, both heroes and villains, shows here. He strikes all the right tones on the characters and make you want to read the next issue now. Can't ask any more of a writer than that. Also feel that Geoff Johns and Greg Pak deserve some consideration as well.
Best artist:
Matthew:
Tom Grummett. In the interest of not giving away my best artist, I didn’t praise his work on Baron Zemo above, but it was his finest work. I love his classic super-hero storytelling style (which I fell in love with on the Power Company series) and his detail has only increased. He also did a masterful job on the Mystic Arcana: Black Knight one-shot, which was one of my favorite single issues of the year.
Ron: I must admit that I have really struggled with this one. I have to say that Ed Benes has done a nice job on "Justice League", going from Metzler to McDuffie without missing a beat. And of course, John Cassady did stellar work on "Astonishing". But I hand the award over to an underdog, Olivier Coipel. His art on "Thor" was some of the best I've seen since John Romita Jr's run. He gave the Thunder God a stature deserving of him. His battle between Thor and Iron Man was one of the best of the year. Straczynski has been moving at a snail's pace at times, but it does not seem to affect the art of Coipel. He gives Asgard the depth and grandeur needed for a home of the gods.
Matthew:
First off, I’d like to thank Ron for letting me participate in his end of the year review. As I commented once on a post, "It’s funny how reading comics, which is a solitary activity, is more enjoyable when shared with others". And, that is certainly true and I have really enjoyed continuing the camaraderie begun on the radio show, through various blogs. 2007 was my 30th year of collecting comics and it was a memorable one as you’ll see in my comments below (Please forgive me in advance for butchering the spelling of names):
Thanks Matthew. Now on the the awards!
Best Marvel book:Matthew:
Fantastic Four: This was the fun surprise hit out of Marvel for me this year. I used to be a regular FF reader, but had dropped the title quite a while ago. I really had no intention of picking this book up, but Paul Pelletier’s old style art was irresistible and McDuffie’s scripts were great. I totally embraced the Black Panther and Storm’s addition to the team. The smartest thing McDuffie did was immediately get the team out into space away from all the Civil War mess, while not disregarding what happened in Civil War either. It sure made it easier for new readers to jump on board. One of the most memorable issues was where the Invisible Women really showed off her power level. I know some laughed at BP riding the Surfer’s surf board, but I still thought it was cool – he was holding on to the front edge you know. I think we have only one issue left with this team and I’m already jumping ship with them. I’m not saying the Ultimates team won’t make a great FF story, but I’ll wait for the HC if it’s really good. I just saw today that Pelletier’s has been assigned the art chores for Nova. I love the Nova character and I may have to pick the book up, even though I HATE his new costume (the original is so iconic for me from my 7-11 spinner rack days – did I mention that I own my own spinner rack).
Ron: Captain America. Ed Brubaker did a great job with this book pre- and post Civil War. I mean, how many times can you take the main character out of the book and still have a great story? He handled the death of Cap with the deftness needed. He made Bucky and the Falcon relavent again. The art by Steve Epting has been great and struck the right tone of darkness as the book moved forward without Cap. My only regret is that Cap is being brought back, but if anyone can handle it, my money is on Brubaker.
DC Book of the Year:
Matthew:
Brave and the Bold: This was a no-brainer for me. I love Perez’s art and this book is perfectly suited to his strengths. Waid has also been masterful with characterizations, where you get to know the character (like the new Blue Beetle) by his actions and dialog, not by some lengthy exposition or internal narration. This book represents everything I love about comics, it’s also a very dense read and it amazes me that people complain about that – I mean really, I actually want to get my $3 worth. I feel a bit cheated when I can finish a book is less than 5 minutes. I know "best of the year" isn’t one of our categories but this was the my number one book!!!
Ron: I had a tough choice to make, so I'm splitting it between Robin and Detective. Both of these books have been great since the "one year later" reboot. Paul Dini did a great job with one and dones on the rogues gallery, giving each their own time to shine. He turned Batman into the title; a detective. As for Robin, my love for this book is well known. Adam Beechen and Freddie Williams were as good a tandem as there is in comics today. They handled the triumphs and massive tragedies deftly. They infused it with topics that strike a chord with teenagers of all ages (suicide, first date). This was a great couple of books that had you wanting more.
Best Other publisher book:
Matthew:
Owly 4: A time to be brave: I was going to suggest a "best OGN" category and pick Simpson’s Super Spectacular for this one, but I reread it today to my youngest daughter, Faith, and this book is superb. It took Andy (Runton) some extra time to get this book completed, but it was worth the wait. As always there is a lot of real emotion in the story. There is also some really clever storytelling sequences like the "ball incident". Owly 2: Just a little blue will always be my favorite, but this one is a close second. Maybe I’ll offer up a detailed review for someone to post while I’m off on Christmas vacation.
Ron: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8: Again, if you're a regular reader of this blog you know this was a no-brainer. To bring back Joss Whedon and other writers of the show to this character was great. I know there are those who did not like his first arc and are more enamored with Brian K. Vaughn's arc, but not me. Picking up that first issue and reading thru it was like a homecoming to me. The dialog and wit that ran through the series is reflected here, as well as his passion for giving tidbits to the overall arc. Vaughn's run has been great as well, and it shows that he has a love for the characters as well. This book will only get better in the coming year.
Best Mini series:
Matthew:
Baron Zemo: Born Better: This was an easy pick for me. Following the end of the "real" Thunderbolt’s series, Zemo is traveling through time, meeting his ancestors and growing in the process. I could have stood to have this series continue for a whole year. I really wanted to learn more about these fascinating characters. There was also a very important continuity scene where Professor Erskine (the super soldier serum creator) and the original Zemo are talking with Hitler. The series kept me guessing as to the murderous motivations behind the researcher too. I would love to see another mini-series of Zemo by this team (Niceza and Grummett). DC’s Justice was good too.
Ron: In what will be called a major upset I'm NOT picking Justice. No, I'm going with World War Hulk. This was a great mini, despite there being some issues with the artwork (see Jim? I can criticize Romita JR). For the longest time, Hulk readers have been wanting to see the angst ridden hero become the raging monster. Well, this did it. Hulk smash everything, and with a purpose. We had the rage and the brains in this. The ending was great, and the twist that one of the warbound was responsible for the event that drove him into the rage was unforeseen. As for the fallout, I'm seeing RED (get it?) over what is happening. They struck gold once with Cap, but don't count on Herc holding me for very long.
Best story arc:
Matthew: Marvel-
I’m going with "Death of Captain America". While I still think Steve Rogers will return someday, the actual "death" issue took me totally by surprise. When I went to the store that day, I didn’t understand why I could only get the variant cover (none of the others were available). Plus, people kept asking for it. I’ve tried to develop the habit of not looking thru a comic before I read it and this time it paid off. I’m going along and "BAM" (literally) – it was such a shock. Then I went online and it was national news, it was for "real" – at least for now anyway. I experienced dejavue: This was how I felt when watching that Magnum P.I. episode where he gets shot and is having an "out-of-body" experience, but instead of returning to his body at the end – he turns his back on the viewer and walks thru the clouds with John Denver playing in the background. The next day I discovered it was the last episode of the series. Of course they did bring him back for one more season, but the impact of losing such an important character to me was very real. And while, there have been some slower issues since the death one, the on-going story with Bucky, Falcon, Black Widow and Sharon Carter has been very good.
DC-
Well, I could pick "Lords of Luck", but I’m trying really hard not to repeat myself (too often), so I’m going to go with "Death of the New Gods". We’re not even halfway thru yet, but this series seems to really matter. I love the New Gods characters and I HATE that they are being killed off, but it is being told so well. It’s also a natural progression of the story – there needs to be an end someday. I wonder what the "Fifth World" will be like?
Ron: I'm going to forego publishers to just say 3 words; Sinestro Corps War. This was a terrific story that really held your interest. Even the lateness of the last issue and the price all felt worth it. Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis did a great job on this. I must confess that I did not read GL Corps, but this was so well done you didn't have to. This took all that you know about the Lanterns and the Guardians and flipped them on their head. The hook that there are now 7 types of Lanterns in the universe was mind blowing. The final pages that actually set up an event in 2009 was just the icing on the cake. This should read very well in trade.
Best Writer:
Matthew:
Ed Bruebaker. I didn’t read his Uncanny X-men series and I’ve heard really great things about Iron Fist, but it’s his continuing consistent excellence on Captain America and Daredevil that earns him this title from me. I recently dropped Daredevil to save costs and because it may eventually be Omnibused like his Cap run was…and I really like Omnibuses and I hate paying for stuff twice...
Ron: Dwayne McDuffie. This guy has had a nice year taking an A-list team and a seminal character to new heights. His run on "The Spirit", endorsed by Will Eisner himself before his passing, was great taking the character in the modern age without losing the sensibilities that Eisner infused him with. And then to take on "Justice League of America"? His opening arc contained more action than in the first dozen issues. He was a great writer for the series "Justice League Unlimited" and his affection for the characters, both heroes and villains, shows here. He strikes all the right tones on the characters and make you want to read the next issue now. Can't ask any more of a writer than that. Also feel that Geoff Johns and Greg Pak deserve some consideration as well.
Best artist:
Matthew:
Tom Grummett. In the interest of not giving away my best artist, I didn’t praise his work on Baron Zemo above, but it was his finest work. I love his classic super-hero storytelling style (which I fell in love with on the Power Company series) and his detail has only increased. He also did a masterful job on the Mystic Arcana: Black Knight one-shot, which was one of my favorite single issues of the year.
Ron: I must admit that I have really struggled with this one. I have to say that Ed Benes has done a nice job on "Justice League", going from Metzler to McDuffie without missing a beat. And of course, John Cassady did stellar work on "Astonishing". But I hand the award over to an underdog, Olivier Coipel. His art on "Thor" was some of the best I've seen since John Romita Jr's run. He gave the Thunder God a stature deserving of him. His battle between Thor and Iron Man was one of the best of the year. Straczynski has been moving at a snail's pace at times, but it does not seem to affect the art of Coipel. He gives Asgard the depth and grandeur needed for a home of the gods.
OK thats it for now. We'll be back in a few to reveal best idea, overrated and underrated characters and so much more. Stay Tuned!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Coming attractions....
OK, if everything falls right, I will be posting my awards over the weekend. If you would like to have some say in this, let me know and I promise I will post your comments somewhere in the blog.
My Categories:
Best Marvel book
Best DC book
Best other book
Best mini series
Best story arc (may do that by publisher)
Best writer
Best artist
Best idea
Best character (hero or villain)
Most consistent comic (either good or bad)
Most underrated book
Most underrated character
Most overrated book (I know some of you are licking your chops at this one!)
Most overrated character
Worst overall book (either ongoing or mini)
Worst idea or problem (gee I wonder what could go here?)
I am thinking of creating my own "hall of fame or shame" as well. If you would like to submit a nominee, I'm all ears.
Think that's about it. If you can either contribute or give a category that makes sense, I'll be glad to take all submissions into account. By the way, when you post, please try to give some logical reasoning for why you want this. Not just "Bendis sucks" or "Iron Fist is cool". Thanks!
My Categories:
Best Marvel book
Best DC book
Best other book
Best mini series
Best story arc (may do that by publisher)
Best writer
Best artist
Best idea
Best character (hero or villain)
Most consistent comic (either good or bad)
Most underrated book
Most underrated character
Most overrated book (I know some of you are licking your chops at this one!)
Most overrated character
Worst overall book (either ongoing or mini)
Worst idea or problem (gee I wonder what could go here?)
I am thinking of creating my own "hall of fame or shame" as well. If you would like to submit a nominee, I'm all ears.
Think that's about it. If you can either contribute or give a category that makes sense, I'll be glad to take all submissions into account. By the way, when you post, please try to give some logical reasoning for why you want this. Not just "Bendis sucks" or "Iron Fist is cool". Thanks!
Monday, December 3, 2007
Screwing the Spider
Well gang, it's official. They have not only jumped a shark, they virtually cleared the entire ocean. I'm referring to Joe Quesada and the yokels at Marvel. You see, this wad Quesada never liked the fact that Peter and Mary Jane were married. So once he got into the power seat at Marvel, he planned to kill this off. And how did he go about this? By making it an "event" book and raping any respectable Spider fan of 4 bucks a throw. A few months ago I sang the praises of a Spider-man book that had him ratchet up the pain on the Kingpin, basically telling him, "if anything happens to Aunt May, you will never be safe anywhere you are." I liked that Peter had gone from be reactive to proactive. Well, I'm guessing this will be wiped out soon.
When "One More Day" started, I received and email from one of my buds, I think it was Jim. He basically laid out how it was all going to go and at the time I read this I said "nah, they're not that stupid". Guess what? They are! I want to ask a question at this point. Is there any of you guys and gals who read the Spider books with ANY degree of regularity who has not accepted the fact that Peter is married? Anyone?
The last show I did for Cosmic Comix we praised the fact that Marvel had their characters based in some real world theory. And in that theory, things move forward, they are constantly in motion. They don't stand still, no matter how hard we try. It seems that the characters were fine, its the creators who are lost in fantasy. These morons have just (or are about to unless there is a HUGE curveball somewhere) undone the last 15+ years of continuity. And this is not the first time, either.
For some reason known only to Marvel, they feel a need to redo the legend and backstory of Spider-man, who is only their most identifiable character (sorry, Brandon. Wolverine? Please.).
The Spider clone saga? The death of Gwen Stacy? The affair of Gwen and Norman Osborn (yech on sooo many levels)? No wonder Ultimate Spider-man sells so well. They don't screw with their character over and over so you can't tell what in continuity or not.
I recently have had to make cuts in my budget and it has affected what books I get. I had kept a couple of the Spider books since I like the character and his issues sometimes speak to me. But this? Destroy a marriage to a great girl who will love you forever, or let some old lady or raised you and will not last another 10 years die? This has caused me to start to rethink things. I will stick with it (I'm an idiot, I know) and probably check out the first month or so of "brand new day" the sequel. But so help me, they are on a very short leash.
When "One More Day" started, I received and email from one of my buds, I think it was Jim. He basically laid out how it was all going to go and at the time I read this I said "nah, they're not that stupid". Guess what? They are! I want to ask a question at this point. Is there any of you guys and gals who read the Spider books with ANY degree of regularity who has not accepted the fact that Peter is married? Anyone?
The last show I did for Cosmic Comix we praised the fact that Marvel had their characters based in some real world theory. And in that theory, things move forward, they are constantly in motion. They don't stand still, no matter how hard we try. It seems that the characters were fine, its the creators who are lost in fantasy. These morons have just (or are about to unless there is a HUGE curveball somewhere) undone the last 15+ years of continuity. And this is not the first time, either.
For some reason known only to Marvel, they feel a need to redo the legend and backstory of Spider-man, who is only their most identifiable character (sorry, Brandon. Wolverine? Please.).
The Spider clone saga? The death of Gwen Stacy? The affair of Gwen and Norman Osborn (yech on sooo many levels)? No wonder Ultimate Spider-man sells so well. They don't screw with their character over and over so you can't tell what in continuity or not.
I recently have had to make cuts in my budget and it has affected what books I get. I had kept a couple of the Spider books since I like the character and his issues sometimes speak to me. But this? Destroy a marriage to a great girl who will love you forever, or let some old lady or raised you and will not last another 10 years die? This has caused me to start to rethink things. I will stick with it (I'm an idiot, I know) and probably check out the first month or so of "brand new day" the sequel. But so help me, they are on a very short leash.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
