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AICN COMICS REVIEWS CROSSED! ALIENS! WOLVERINE! GREEN LANTERN! DOCTOR WHO! VAMPIRE HUNTER D! & MORE!
| #3 | 5/27/09 | #8 |
(Click title to go directly to the review)
Ye Olde @$$ from the Past presents RISING STARS #18
WOLVERINE #72
CROSSED #0-5
GREEN LANTERN #41
RUNAWAYS Vol.3 #10
ALIENS #1
DOCTOR WHO: THE TIME MACHINATION One-Shot
NORTHLANDERS #17
NEW AVENGERS #53
STARCRAFT #1
WAR MACHINE #6
Raiders of the Long Box presents THE TICK
Big Eyes for the Cape Guy presents VAMPIRE HUNTER D Vol. 3
dot.comics presents…
CHEAP SHOTS!
Hey folks, Ambush Bug here again with another trip to the past…more specifically, a trip back to our very first official column at AICN. And this week, Ye Olde @$$ from the Past focuses on my very first review for AICN Comics. This time, the focus is one of the most critically acclaimed series in the last ten years: RISING STARS. Much like JMS’ current M.I.A. super hero mystery series THE TWELVE, RISING STARS suffered from tons of delays back in the day. This was the focus of my review, which, although wordy, shows that no matter how long ago it was, some things stay the same. It’s also fun to note that the guy who’s been putting together the Indie Jones/dot.comics sections of this column for the last five years once categorized himself as a “DC/Marvel collector.” Hope you enjoy this blast from the past…
RISING STARS #18
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Brent Anderson
Publisher: Joe’s Comics/Top Cow
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
First posted on May 3, 2002
I consider myself a DC/Marvel collector. Sure there are various other titles that I pick up that are not published by the big two, but I have found that, for the most part, collecting independent comics is just plain frustrating. Either the title in question mysteriously stops publishing in the middle of the run or the creators quickly get bored with the series at hand and move on to other half assed projects. The biggest reason I collect so few independent comics is the fact that time schedules are often thrown out the window and you never know when the next issue will appear. Monthly books turn into bi-monthly books, which evolve into quarterly books. By the time I get the next issue, I have totally forgotten the premise, the characters, and why the hell I gave a fig about the book in the first place. Say what you will about Marvel and DC, but aside from a few exceptions (*ahem*DK2*ahem*), you can follow a title and not have to wait until your next dental appointment to read the next one.
Which brings me to the dental appointment book called RISING STARS. This series was the stuff that coolness is made of when it first hit the stands. BABYLON 5’s writer J. Michael Straczynski has been weaving an intricate and engaging tale of real world super heroes. The premise was simple (and not all too original since it is basically a rip off of Marvel’s failed NEW UNIVERSE endeavor from the mid-eighties): A meteor strikes the town of Peterson, IL in the late sixties and gave all 113 of the unborn children of the town super powers. Since then, the children have grown up, fought and killed each other, whittled their number down to under 60, and banded together to use their powers to help change the world and make it a better place.
So how do I know this? I read it in the Previously… blurb on the inside cover of issue #18. I honestly do not remember when the last issue of RISING STARS came out, but I believe it was sometime late last year. Well, it’s April now and I have read a lot of comics since then. I appreciate the blurb on the inside cover explaining the basic premise, but when I saw this comic on the racks at my local comic establishment, I debated whether I should buy it or not. I can’t recite one character’s name from this title and I have collected it from the beginning. Sure I know that one character’s name is Poet and another’s is Ravenshadow, but the characters in this book call each other by their real names and don’t wear costumes, so this knowledge is usually useless.
RISING STARS is released as a Trade Paperback about every four or five issues. This is a good way, for those of us who may have missed an issue, to catch up with what is going on and enjoy an entire story. That’s great. That’s hunky dory. I am glad that the stories are available, but why not just cut out the middle man and publish a yearly Trade Paperback size graphic novel depicting an entire story arc of the regular series? The damn book comes out tri-annually anyway. Those of us who have been collecting what was supposed to be a two year series have been left hanging for over three years now.
I wouldn’t be ranting about this if RISING STARS was a crap comic. It is not. I love the way JMS can tell an intricate and personal tale and still tie it into the flow of the larger storyline. Each issue is building upon itself and revealing just enough to snag the reader for the next installment. JMS is doing the same thing over in his other dental appointment book, MIDNIGHT NATION. Both of these books are building to an explosive climax and I can’t wait to read them. I just hope I am still alive and kicking when the final issues hit the stands.
This issue deals with Jerry Montrose, AKA Pyre. He basically has the powers of the Human Torch, but none of the confidence. Fulfilling his duty to change the world with his powers, Jerry destroys all of the drug fields in South America and returns to his job at a Vegas casino. After meeting with his boss, Jerry finds out that he has missed a rival mob boss’ drug field and is sent back to South America on a clean up mission.
The dialog is right on. Not clichéd or over the top. At one point in the story, Jerry tries his hand at witty banter, but it just doesn’t work for him and that reveals a lot about the evolution this character has gone through. Jerry’s lack of confidence has been prominent throughout the series, but his recent success in destroying the drug trade has given him a little backbone. The result is an ominous look at things to come. Bad things are on the horizon and I can’t wait to see it unfold.
Brent Anderson scratches out some wonderful images for this issue. His style might be described as the bastard son of Barry Windsor Smith and Gil Kane with a little DNA from Klaus Janson thrown in for good measure. The images are powerful and fitting for the real world type of storyline that is unfolding.
If you don’t regularly collect this series, wait for the trade paperback. If you are impatient like me and do get this series, pick this issue up. RISING STARS #18 tells an extremely strong, yet simple story and cleverly expands an already fleshed out world that these heroes are trying to survive in. I hope JMS gets this series back out on a regular basis and tries to make it at least bi-monthly again. The extended spaces between issues really hamper one’s ability to appreciate the clever intricacies and delicate threads JMS takes the time to add to this series. My teeth are thanking Mr. Straczynski for keeping them sparkly fresh because every issue reminds me of my next cleaning, but at the same time they are chomping at the bit in anticipation for a regularly distributed next issue.
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, reviewer and co-editor of AICN Comics for over eight years. Check out his short comic book fiction here and here published in MUSCLES & FIGHTS 3 and MUSCLES & FRIGHTS on his ComicSpace page. Bug was interviewed here and here at Cream City Comics. Look for more comics from Bug in 2009 from Bluewater Productions, including the just-announced sequel to THE TINGLER for their VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS ongoing series in stores October 2009.
WOLVERINE #72
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: David McNiven
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Optimous Douche
Millar has not only conceived a glorious future imperfect with the series “Old Man Logan”, but in a stroke of juxtapositioning ingenuity chose this dystopian backdrop to traverse the as yet unexplored possibility of a pacifist Wolverine. Fuck FINAL CRISIS, you want to see the day the evil won, this IS it!
The most awe inspiring element of this story is the fact that Millar leaves you in a perpetual state of anticipation and bombards you with sucker punch surprises that resonate to the core of our comic fandom. Every time I felt the sun was about to shine and the good guys would prevail, Millar twisted my literary testicles and said, “Fuck you, go get your happy endings at an Asian massage parlor because you won’t find any here.”
Are there spoilers ahead? You bet your ass there are Bub.
Set some fifty years after all of the villains of the world banded together to kill the super heroes, the world lives in the shadow of oppression. America is no longer one nation, but four kingdoms each ruled by one of today’s super villains or their progeny. I applaud Millar for not devising some overly complex takeover scheme to destroy the world’s heroes, but rather relied on simple math and the fact that villains have no reservations in delivering the final solution. It makes sense when you think about it. The only thing stopping villains from truly flourishing is their own megalomania.
Wolverine…excuse me, Logan as he now insists on being called, is a husk of the man he once was. Despite finding domestic bliss in the wastelands of the Western United States with his wife and two little wolvlings, times are tough and the rent is now due to the overlords of this territory, the hillbilly grand-spawn of the Hulk. Beaten by some untold atrocity (well, untold until part 6), he has vowed to never again raise his fists or SNIKT his claws in anger, even when Hulklings are pounding his face into the dirt. This was the first of many times during this series where I was screaming at the book in my hands for Logan to stop playing possum and tear the guts out of his adversaries. Faced with the same pummeling next month and the threat of his family sharing in the pain, Logan looks to a cataract ridden Hawkeye for some form of work to keep the “Deliverance” Hulkies at bay. Hawkeye, now a drug runner by trade, promises Logan enough money to keep his family afloat for the future if he simply acts as a navigator on a cross-country trek to deliver goods to New Babylon the former site of Washington D.C.
There were three distinct facets of story-telling brilliance that cascaded throughout this journey. Exposition has never been handled more tightly than the simple GPS map on the front page of each issue, letting you know exactly “Where’s Wolverine” this week. Despite my repeated screaming at the inanimate books in my hands, there is nary an adamantium skewer to be found until the very last page of the series. By not giving Logan his traditional defense mechanism, Millar relies on ingenuity and clever escape mechanisms to get the dynamic duo out of harrowing situations like the Ghost Riders of San Francisco, the city devouring mole men and rescuing Hawkeye’s daughter from the confines of the New Kingpin. Probably the sweetest gift of this series though, was the macabre new map markings of this haunted landscape including Hank Pym’s corpse acting as a ghoulish version of the St. Louis Arch, Hammer Fall where America flocks to see Thor’s shattered hammer as the town center piece, and Mt. Rushmore with a new face to let you know who was the chief architect in the fall of the heroes.
McNiven deserves a two handed reach around for crafting each panel with the care, and making even the non-action oriented sequences a sight to behold. The ability to craft dramatic tension with mere facial expressions is a rare gift indeed.
If you want me to give away the ending of this amazing run, well, too bad. Suffice to say that even in the “final” battle (final in quotes because the dénouement will be happening in a giant-size special) Logan keeps his claws inside his meaty fists and finishes off his adversary with gorgeous poetic justice. And the reason behind Logan’s vow to keep peace will finally put an end to the non-stop debates of which X-man is the most powerful of all.
When Optimous Douche isn’t reading comics and misspelling the names of 80’s icons, he “transforms” into a corporate communications guru. "What if the whole world had superpowers? Find out in the pages of Optimous’ original book AVERAGE JOE. Read the first full issue on Optimous’ New Blog and see original sketches by fellow @$$hole Bottleimp. If you are a publisher or can help these guys get AVERAGE JOE up, up, and on the shelves in any way, drop Optimous a line."
CROSSED #0-5
Story by: Garth Ennis
Art by: Jacen Burrows
Published by: Avatar Press
Review by: Baytor
CROSSED is the Bataan Death March of comics.
That, in a nutshell is its greatest strength and greatest weakness. Garth Ennis has joined the fray of “survivalist fiction” and has stripped away all the easy outs. No one is coming save them. There are no scientists working on a miracle cure. There is no handy Navy Seal to protect you. The Crossed are of human level intelligence and won’t die off of starvation…at least not until well after you do. Fighting the Crossed is next to useless because they will do anything to kill or infect you. And you can hide, but if they find you, you’re fucked.Forget about lighting fires to stay warm; they will see the smoke and find you. Forget about hunting for food; they will hear the shots and find you. Forget about ransacking the local grocery store for canned food; they already took it all. You will never find out what caused the outbreak. You will never know the full impact of the outbreak. You will not dare hope for the future, because there is only surviving today.
In essence, Garth Ennis has crafted a narrative black hole at the heart of his story. Unless he backs down and embracing one of those easy outs, this book is about the slow-motion extinction of humanity, and it’s disturbing and fucked-up to watch someone do this in such a prolonged fashion. Craft-wise, I cannot fault the book. Jacen Burrows was born to draw stuff like this and Ennis is playing the concept completely straight. There are some scenes that don’t really work (such as the Biscuit Game and the Kindergarten Kids), but overall Ennis seems to be accomplishing what he set out to do with this book, which is tell the story of long-term survival in an unsurvivable situation without pulling any punches.
It’s nearly impossible to read CROSSED without thinking of that other story about cannibalistic, rapist pseudo-zombies: BLACKGAS. Warren Ellis’ tale is, by far, the more entertaining of the two, but I think it’s because it’s also much less ambitious, following the tried-and-true formula of zombie fiction. While he introduces a couple of new (and fairly disturbing) concepts into the mix, it isn’t functionally different from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, 28 DAYS LATER, or even SHAUN OF THE DEAD. It exists firmly inside of our comfort zone 95% of the time.That’s because most zombie stories are a laugh. It’s about mindless slaughter and bloody mayhem, which is why they usually start off slow, introducing us to the main cast, then set the brain-eaters loose. Once the action starts, anyone introduced is just meat to the slaughter and there are usually only one or two deaths that have any impact.
CROSSED inverts this formula, starting off by showing us how deranged and twisted the Crossed are in graphic detail, then deliberately slowing the pace down, introducing us to the main characters, and dwelling on the hopelessness of their situation.What’s somewhat surprising is that CROSSED is not nearly as violent as it first appears. Yes, the prologue and first issue are pretty much a goreophile’s wet dream, but since then, the level of violence has fallen dramatically. There have been three panels of flesh-eating and no on-panel depiction of rape since the first issue. The latest issue features no violence at all. But that first issue and a half did its job by showing us how far Ennis & Burrows are willing to go and suggesting in dialogue that the Crossed have become even more depraved since then.
Ultimately, the problem with the book is that it’s not an adrenaline high about fighting zombies. CROSSED is about being so fucking afraid of fighting zombies that you’ll attempt to cross the Rockies in winter without proper clothing and no food, knowing that if you die in the attempt, you’re still better off than if you had tried to fight them. The Crossed are basically a McGuffin to push a bunch of decent folks into a situation where they can’t win just to watch them circle the drain. If we gauged the success of horror by its ability to disturb, then CROSSED would be a notable success; but such judgments are more complex than that. We expect to be entertained at some primal level by our horror stories and Ennis seems determined to deny us this. It makes the work more powerful and I respect it for its effort, but I’m not sure that I like it.
GREEN LANTERN #41
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Philip Tan and Eddy Barrows
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Liam ‘The Kid’
Note: ‘The Kid’ is 8 years old and has been doing reviews on his own site since August of 2008. And you can now follow the kid’s daily ‘adventures’ on Twitter.
The main Green Lantern, Hal, still has two rings: a blue one and a green one. Him and the other Green Lanterns went to the home planet of the Orange Lanterns and they’ve been battling all of them. The Orange Lanterns are special because there is really only one Orange Lantern who is in control and the other ones are just ghosts of people he kills and become under his control.
Instead of fighting the Orange Lantern, Hal tells him that he’ll give him the blue ring that he wants so bad if he just tells him the story of how he became an Orange Lantern. I liked the whole story about how Larfleeze and his friends were searching for this special box and that they made the deal with the little blue Guardians to keep the Orange Lantern. I don’t like the blue Guardians at all. They’re always up to something and they make all of these rules and keep secrets from the good guys. All of the Orange Lanterns are kind of funny in a way. They’re mean and tough but they’re so greedy and that’s what the Orange Lantern’s power is. It makes everyone greedy. So all of the ghosts and creatures that find it keep saying, ‘mine, mine, mine’. Even when they find out that Hal has a blue ring they surround him and go ‘mine, mine, mine’. It’s supposed to be scary because he is up against all of these Orange Lantern ghosts but it’s still kind of funny when you read it like that.
There wasn’t a lot of action in this issue. Most of the action is in the story that Larfleeze tells about how he got the power and the battle with the blue Guardians. The Green Lanterns don’t do much in this issue and Hal is pretty much just captured and talking the entire time. I like how the artist draws all of the Orange Lantern ghosts. They look very cool and different from the other teams and they’re all these weird types of aliens. What I don’t like is that the art was very dark. It all takes place in Larfleeze’s cave but a lot of the backgrounds and stuff was hard to see because the colors were really dark. Even people like Hal were colored darker than other comics.
The end of the issue is really good. I like when Larfleeze tries to take the blue ring from Hal after the story. I was really surprised by what he did. I don’t know what’s going to happen to Hal in the next issue or if his green ring will make things better but it was a cool move that Larfleeze did on Hal. I like the Orange Lanterns and the way they act all crazy but so far they haven’t really done a whole lot in the story. The Blue Lanterns are cool because they are the most powerful but so far I like the story with the Red Lanterns the best because they did a lot more and the battles were bigger with them. I hope that in the next issue we finally get to see a huge battle between the Orange Lanterns and someone else.
Rating: 7 out of 10
RUNAWAYS #10
Writer: Christopher Yost
Artist : Sara Pichelli
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: steverodgers
Marvel stops the bleeding on Terry Moore’s RUNAWAYS with a picture perfect one-shot by Christopher Yost and soon-to-be full-time artist Sara Pichelli. In issue #10, the Runaways head to San Francisco so Molly can check out going to school with the X-Men (note to Marvel parents: if your kids are mutants, just home school them, social skills be damned). While at school, Molly manages to irritate every X-Men in the building, including her charge and mentor to precocious girls everywhere, old man Wolverine. Beyond Molly being Molly, the other kids banter like they used to, hang out with some B-List X-Kids (they might be A-List, they look pretty D-List) and have a good time in the city by the bay.
What makes me love this issue is it’s the RUNAWAYS I remember; it’s the easy humor, fun, adventure and emotional realness that used to pop from every page while BKV was running the show (and to a lesser extent with Whedon’s too-short stewardship). Yost pulls off this trick by putting Molly through the emotional wringer and having her confront the reality that her folks were more than “super villains” in the abstract, but in fact two very real, sadistic killers who took pleasure in hurting other people, including the guy looking for revenge by seeking out to kill Molly. The capture, battle and rescue are fun—and funny—but there is a sense of real danger that makes it thrilling.
There is one great panel that encapsulates everything that makes RUNAWAYS such a (potentially) great book, and where Wolverine once again proves his mentorship chops (let’s face it, Kitty Pryde turned out to be a terrific adult) and says just the right thing to a distraught Princess Power, sobbing with the weight of her parents’ crimes barreling down on her. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a new parent and am a tad more sensitive than I used to be, or maybe it was just the perfect writing and illustration, but I have to say I got a little dusty. Totally embarrassing.
The next issue kicks off a new arc, with Kathryn Immonen writing; I can only hope they keep the momentum going, because when RUNAWAYS is done right, it is one of Marvel’s best and most unique books.
ALIENS #1
Writer: John Arcudi
Art: Zach Howard
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Reviewer: Mr. Pasty
Ripley, believe it or not, the Aliens are back! In a licensed comic no less, where they’re faced with a fate far worse than Hudson’s incessant whining. They must now survive the opinions of cynical comic book fans worldwide.
Dark Horse has boldly gone where most men have gone before, but since they were able to find a fair amount of success in their STAR WARS and CONAN books, I welcomed their interpretation of the ALIEN franchise.
I won’t give you any of Carter Burke’s double-talk so here it is: ALIENS is comic books done right. Trying to build a compelling story around a one-dimensional antagonist that is basically death with fangs can be a daunting task. Fortunately John Arcudi’s script instead focuses on the impact the Alien existence has on the human elements in his story. I also like that fans of the movies will get their share of easter eggs without finding a complete retread of existing material. Set sometime after the events in the original “Alien”, Arcudi uses slow and deliberate pacing that establishes his characters and gives readers an investment in their fate.
A lesser writer would have likely bathed his opening panels in Alien carnage and probably could have made it work, but the restraint demonstrated here makes this book’s payoff that much sweeter. And when I say payoff, I mean one of those moments where you’re in cruise control and suddenly BAM! You got served.
Some of the initial reviews I’ve seen have been critical of Zach Howard’s art and expressed disappointment that his visuals don’t faithfully adhere to the dark and foreboding tone applied in the movies and perhaps earlier books. It’s a fair point, but after digesting the material I’m confident his color scheme works. The dichotomy between the security of rich and colorful environments versus the jarring effect of violence and sudden death surfaces one of the many underlying themes in this book: We should fear the Aliens, but we should fear ourselves even more. There are no safe zones.
ALIENS #1 is a success. It’s a daring departure from the precedent already set by the movie franchise and fans of good comics, regardless of genre, will appreciate the fine job Dark Horse has done, yet again.
My rating: 5 short, controlled bursts out of 5.
DOCTOR WHO: THE TIME MACHINATION One-Shot
Tony Lee: Writer
Paul Grist: Artist
IDW Publishing: Publisher
Reviewer: Jinxo
I enjoyed this comic but I have a feeling it would annoy the crap out of many readers.
First off, I love the simplified comic art look. Today everything is just so intensely detailed I just enjoy once in awhile finding a book where they go for more of a more minimal almost doodly look.
I also like the general flow of the book's story. We have the current Doctor back in the past running around adventuring with H.G. Wells. One of the plots that the revamp of Doctor Who put into play was the creation of the British organization Torchwood by Queen Victoria. This is a group meant to defend Britain from the paranormal, but it is also tasked with capturing The Doctor. The show has never really shown Torchwood of the past really gunning for The Doctor. This issue does. It also has other people gunning for The Doctor as well.
Part of the fun of the issue is also what could be part of the annoyance for some readers. The issue touches on and references several of The Doctor's previous TV adventures. In most cases this is handled in a way where those unfamiliar with the adventures in question can still follow along. But there is one major one that is not clearly explained up front. It's explained after the fact. The result is the story can come off at points as really confusing. You have to be able to say to yourself, "The writers have to know this is baffling and be doing it on purpose," and then go with it. THEN when the explanation does come, it gets into some confusing time travely logic which, again, will annoy some. For me though, I enjoy a story that is a bit of a challenge and strains the brain cells. To a point. Go too far and my head will explode. But this story still fell within the area where I could enjoy it. Just a bit of logic dizzying fun. But if confusing timey-wimey isn't your cup of tea, steer clear.
Jinxo is Thom Holbrook, lifelong comic book reader, and the evil genius behind poobala.com. He may appear cute and cuddly but if encountered avoid eye contact and DO NOT attempt to feed.
NORTHLANDERS #17
Writer: Brian Wood
Artist: Vasilis Lolos
Publisher: Vertigo/DC Comics
Reviewed by Humphrey Lee
Despite having no reason to believe so, I always felt ever since this title started up about a year and a half ago, that we'd be experiencing an issue like this stand-alone jaunt right here. Once I got a little taste of the book and the perspective and narrative that it played with about the "Viking lifestyle" and just sort of the generalized romancing of the era, I just knew that there'd be something where we got some really down and dirty dissection of the brutality of it all, don't ask me how. There's such a sweet science to the art of armed combat, it just seemed such a natural idea that we'd get into the nitty gritty of it, though I would have assumed it would have been maybe something in the form of a first person narrative of whomever was the main character of a particular arc or what have you. And here it is! The main event! Two big burly men of somewhat lesser class or demeanor ready to smack the shit out of each other and hack the man in front of him into kibble if need be, all because, well, that's what they do. Ah, the old school life...
The true glory of this issue liesin the presentation and narrative, like it always has throughout the series so far. It starts off with a brief and somewhat humorous set up of a tale of two feuding lords using declared champions of theirs to fight for the settlement of their squabbles, which have gone on for generations because of blatant stubbornness, of course. And really, going off to talk about the direction of this issue, what it felt to me as I read it, was that it was almost like the Viking version of "Why We Fight". This issue isn't exactly all about the technical, though Wood does go through a great deal of effort to talk about things like the make and pure numbers of their weaponry - length, weight, etc - or to talk about the philosophy of stuff like going armorless to emphasize speed and ferocity against an opponent weighed down a bit by his coat and shield, watching for a hidden dagger that might find its way into your thigh and so on. What it really is though, is more of that romance I was talking about, the idea of the Viking as a conqueror or as a warrior, or really just as a mindless thug who likes to bludgeon people to paste and take their shit, and then live in mortal fear that some day once they have their own family and household to worry about whether the same fate will eventually come to them.
The art by Vasilis Lolos, the (I think) fourth artist to be showcased on this book, matches up very well with this one-and-done tale. It's not exactly my favorite on the series, but that's like saying the SuperBowl XL win by my Steelers isn't my favorite. It might not have been pretty, but it still was a win. And that's the point here, this issue should be a little ugly and Lolos’ art style puts all the emphasis where it should be. When you have a story like this, where it's presented in kind of a voice-over documentary style you need to call the right flow of how the action will work around the captions, and then you need to give those pristine moments of mannequin like posing for the camera as you start your next train of thought, or to just show off these terrible figures. And Lolos’ art is perfect for this. The lines are dirty but very detailed, and these look like the rough and tumble fuckers that you'd expect those now ancient warrior figures to look like. There's lots of great action lines, and some really great and over-emphasized expressions to really drive home the feeling of the struggle between these two men. Really cool stuff; I hope he gets another tale to draw in the rotation on this book.
If there ever was an issue to show just what a book is about, this is it for THE NORTHLANDERS. It's just so brutal and direct, yet a little playful and definitely a love letter to the era it's showcasing. I've loved how Wood has given us several motivations for each of his main characters in each arc to be doing what they do, but at the end of the day it's always the same reason - to carve out your own little piece of the world and then to hold onto it with every ounce of strength and will in your body. And really, despite the obvious differences in savagery and aggression (and really, that sometimes doesn't seem to be the case either) is it all that different a philosophy than what we live by today? I'll leave you to read this issue and decide; in the meantime I'll be sharpening my axe in case we decide, as a society, to get in touch with our more savage sides. My neighbor has a pretty shiny new Shelby GT I wouldn't mind claiming…
Humphrey Lee has been an avid comic book reader going on fifteen years now and a contributor to Ain't It Cool comics for quite a few as well. In fact, reading comics is about all he does in his free time and where all the money from his day job wages goes to - funding his comic book habit so he can talk about them to you, our loyal readers (lucky you). He's a bit of a social networking whore, so you can find him all over the Interwebs on sites like Twitter, The MySpaces, Facebookand a Blogger Account where he also mostly talks about comics with his free time because he hasn't the slightest semblance of a life. Sad but true, and he gladly encourages you to add, read, and comment as you will.
NEW AVENGERS #53
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Billy Tan
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Liam ‘The Kid’
Note: ‘The Kid’ is 8 years old and has been doing reviews on his own site since August of 2008. And you can now follow the kid’s daily ‘adventures’ on Twitter.
I think Spider-Man and Luke Cage should have their own comic book. They are so hilarious together. The first couple pages of the comic just take place in the Avengers jet plane and that could be very boring for a comic but the Spider-Man and Cage parts are really funny. Spider-Man is apologizing to Cage because they found out that Cage’s wife used to love Spider-Man when they were all in school together and the more Spider-Man keeps talking the more Cage is getting angry. The best part is when Spider-Man jokes that since Cage and Iron Fist broke up he wants a shot at Iron Fist and Cage screams for them to hurry up and land the plane.
I don’t really like all of the magic stuff. I don’t think Doctor Strange is that cool and if he’s supposed to be an expert he really doesn’t know what’s going on because he’s been looking for that magic eye for a couple issues and he still has no idea who is going to have it. The only part of the magic story that was kind of interesting was when Hood broke into the devil guy’s house and started to battle him. I like that Hood thinks he’s so tough with that huge monster inside him but the devil guy pretty much just kicked his butt. Doctor Strange and Hood are kind of the same because they both stink as characters and can’t do anything right.
The action in the comic was really good. I liked how Wolverine jumped out of the plane and the woman with the gold mask started shooting at him and he wasn’t getting hurt by it but Spider-Man still tried to save him. And then there was a really cool fight with Spider-Woman and the girl with the mask where they do karate with smoke covering them. The best part of the battle was when the bad girl takes a woman hostage and Captain America saves the hostage.
There was a lot of good action and a lot of funny parts in the book. Even Captain America was funny when he was yelling at Spider-Man for calling him Bucky Cap all the time. I like that Spider-Man annoys a lot of the people on the team but he’s a great hero so they let him stay on. The art was really good and I like how Captain America is drawn with the shiny suit and the guns and shield. The fight with the Hood and the devil guy has a lot of cool art, too. I like how the flames are all over the place and how creepy the artist makes the Hood in monster form. I just wish the magic stuff was more interesting.
In the end it was a pretty good comic all around. Luke Cage, Spider-Man and Captain America are all awesome. I wish that Ronin did more. He’s the leader and he’s not really in the comic but maybe next issue. I am glad that the eye found a new magician so maybe the magic story will be over soon but I have no idea who the guy is that has the new powers except that he looks kind of strange. I want to see the Avengers team up and go on more battles, especially Norman Osborn’s team, instead of chasing magic people around.
Rating: 9 out of 10
STARCRAFT #1
Writer: Simon Furman
Art: Federico Dallocchio
Publisher: DC Wildstorm
Reviewer: Mr. Pasty
Transmit coordinates…coordinates received…
STARCRAFT is finally here in all its graphic glory and I’m not lost on the irony that this book drops the same week as Dark Horse’s ALIENS #1. The original Starcraft RTS game borrowed heavily from the ALIEN movie franchise with a great deal of success. Unfortunately it falls just shy of duplicating that success in its transition to comics.
The story begins with much promise, as Simon Furman opens STARCRAFT in the midst of battle. The opening panels are haphazard and muddled together (likely by design) and the confusing, often disjointed narrative effectively mimics the chaos and disorientation of real war.
Federico Dallocchio compliments the tone by expanding and contracting his art in unison with the script. Battle scenes are messy and bleed together. Corporate offices are one-dimensional and sterile.
What helps this book is the strength of the source material. The STARCRAFT universe is rich with unexplored storylines and populated by complex characters spread out across three separate races. Having said that, there is a STEEP learning curve for even the most loyal fan. I think Furman may have tried to be a bit too faithful here, as I spent a lot of time backtracking to recollect which of the innumerable characters he was referencing from earlier panels, even on the second and third read. His introductions are so brief that any exposition reads like a military roll call.
STARCRAFT #1 is a serviceable albeit impatient entry into the saga of the Blizzard space wars. As it is in war, the decision makers often consider their troops expendable. Furman may have adopted that philosophy for STARCRAFT, which in the end overwhelmed me with so many disposable characters that I found it difficult to attach myself to any of them.
My Rating: 3 Zerg-impregnated Kerrigans out of 5.
WAR MACHINE #6
Writer: Greg Pak
Art: Allan Jefferson & Mahmud Asrar (pencils), Nelson Pereira & Jeffrey Huet (inks)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Conflicted: Ambush Bug
Picture a reviewer torn.
That’s how I feel about this latest issue of WAR MACHINE. I don’t hear too many rumblings in the TBs about WAR MACHINE, but I’ve been enjoying this series so far mostly due to the amazingly gritty art by Leonard Manco. Manco’s art on this series so far looks as if it were made from military photographs from a war zone from a long ago conflict. They’re dirty little panels, filled with sizzling bullets, blood, and all forms of wartime grit that you’d expect from a comic called WAR MACHINE. Aside from my dislike for the initial direction this series took off from since Rhodey looks way too much like DC’s Cyborg character for my tastes, it was the art that kept me involved, kept me invested, kept me spending my money every month despite the story and direction.
Well, Manco didn’t draw this issue and part of me wants to take this opportunity to take my leave and give my hard earned shekels to another comic. And just as I was about to leave…they pull me back in.
No, it’s not the art this time. The art in this issue is ok, I guess. Pretty straight forward and strong, but lacking the bone-crunching post-apolcalyptic grime that permeated in all of Manco’s panels. Here the art is crisp and clean and all together, just ok. Not the reason why I plan on keeping on keeping on with this book.
And James Rhodey Rhodes is still all Cyborg/Robocop-ed up here. I understand making Rhodey an actual War Machine in body as well as armor and spirit was an ok decision, but to literally make him look exactly like Cyborg under the suit reeks of unoriginality. If anything, the longer Rhodes is in that DC character’s body, the more reasons I can think of to leave.
Nope. The reason why I’m sticking around can be summed up in two words and as soon as I say them I’m sure some of you will be kicking yourself for missing this issue and will make it a point of searching for this one next time you go to your LCS.American.
Eagle.
Yep, Ellis’ THUNDERBOLTS bad@$$ makes an appearance and looks to be around for a while in this comic. And all of the things that made you love the character in Ellis’ first few arcs of THUNDERBOLTS are presented here by writer Greg Pak in the same fashion. See American Eagle sip tea with War Machine’s mother. See him kick the @$$es of all of Rhodey’s pit crew. See him strut his stuff like he’s king o’ the world in all his glory in this issue.
Side Note: I know everyone loves American Eagle and I do too, but I have to boo the decision to Bendis him up and make him lose his costume. Sure Ellis made it a point to try to make it ridiculous, but I think his costume (pictured over there) is pretty bad@SS and not something out of the Village People’s laundry bin. Even before Ellis’ relaunch of the character, I loved me some American Eagle. The MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE ANNUAL he premiered in was one of my favorites (mostly because there was a scene where American Eagle rips a giant tree out of the ground with his bare hands!) and worth checking out for newly dubbed American Eagle fans everywhere. Hopefully with old school continuity lovers (like Slott, Pak, Van Lente, Wells, and Parker) on the rise at Marvel, we’ll be seeing the return of that awesome headdress and costume sometime soon. End Side Note.
I have no idea if American Eagle will be around for a while or if Leonard Manco is taking a break from the series or never returning, but as long as one of them is in this book, I’ll be there to check it out.
Every comic shop has them…battered long boxes jam-packed with dog-eared titles ranging from forgotten heroes of the 1970s to multiple copies of chromium-covered “collector’s item” comics from the Big Bust of the 1990s. But if you are patient, and dig deep enough, you just may find something special…
Let’s face it, when you strip the comic book superhero of all its quasi-intellectual trappings of modern mythology or iconic symbolism, all you’re left with is a guy wearing his underwear on the outside of his pants running around and beating up bad guys. Pretty goofy. I’ve noticed that comic book creators tend to deal with the absurdity in one of three ways. One: Do not acknowledge the fact that superheroes are intrinsically ridiculous, and focus on telling serious stories as seriously as possible, with little or no irony—this pretty much covers the majority of adventure comics. Two: Explore the reasons why someone would put on tights and a cape and smack around purse-snatchers—in other words, superhero deconstruction, WATCHMEN, DKR, yadda yadda yadda. Three (the rarest of them all): Embrace the goofiness.
THE TICK ongoing series #1-12
Writer and Penciler: Ben Edlund
Inkers: Max Banks, Dave Garcia, Jeff Whiting
Published by: New England Comics Press
Reviewed by: BottleImp, who traded a picture of Alexander Hamilton for ‘em.
First off, it must be said that the first few issues of THE TICK are pretty amateurish, art-wise, especially in #1 (wherein Edlund inked as well as penciled). Settings tend to be vague, some of the action moments don’t really read as such, and while the Tick himself is always carefully rendered, supporting players and background characters appear flat and hastily scribbled. However, the page designs and pacing of the story are working well, and the gags hit all the right beats. The artwork gets lots better over subsequent issues (there’s a definite Eisner influence that pops up around the third issue, right down to a set piece bearing the title of the issue), probably due to Edlund’s increasing skill and/or competence as well as having others ink over his pencils. But though the art wasn’t quite there from the get-go, the tone of this series is firmly in place right from the first page. THE TICK is that rarest of comic books that revels in the absurdities of the superhero comic, and in doing so, jumpstarted a whole new genre of humorous adventure.
Humorous comics were nothing new—Harvey Kurtzman and Co. were poking fun at their own medium back in the 1950s with MAD. And like MAD, THE TICK began with a more satirical bent. Specifically, the first five issues involve a tangled plotline involving ninjas, samurai, and a dagger-wielding, bandana-wearing woman named Oedipus. Drama geeks and Literature majors, now’s your time to show off. But after this playful knock at Frank Miller and the late ‘80s ninja explosion, THE TICK morphed into something new. It still mocked superhero conventions, but in a broader manner. The characters of the Tick and Arthur evolved, and so too did Edlund’s storytelling skill develop. As the series progressed THE TICK became a marvelous mash-up of superheroes, Python-esque surreal humor, and a healthy helping of kitsch. The Tick himself transcended the basic comic book parody to become more of an archetype: the good-hearted simpleton (such as can be found throughout Grimm’s fairy tales) who perseveres because of his innocence (although in the Tick’s case, being nigh-invulnerable certainly helps).
But forget that stuff—what it all comes down to is that THE TICK is a hell of a lot of fun.I came to THE TICK through its Saturday-morning-cartoon incarnation, but had never read the original comics—the curse of living in a small town, reliant on the grab-bag availability of convenience store comics. So I was stoked to find these in the cheap box at my local comic shop. Surprisingly (to me, at least), a good amount of the cartoon was taken almost verbatim from the source material. Of course, there are a few differences in the more adult-geared comic, such as a spattering of curse words throughout and, possibly my favorite moment from #6, the Tick’s slightly homophobic reaction to Arthur’s non-“Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends”-style apartment. Classic.
If you can’t find the original comics anywhere, NEC has also published reprint collections of the various Tick series—check your local comic store.
When released from his Bottle, the Imp takes the form of Stephen Andrade, an artist/illustrator/pirate monkey painter from the Northeast. You can see some of his artwork athere. He’s given up comics more times than he can remember. But every time he thinks he's out, they pull him back in.
VAMPIRE HUNTER D Vol. 3
Story by Hideyuki Kikuchi
Adapted by Saiko Takaki
Released DMP
Reviewer: Scott Green
The third volume of VAMPIRE HUNTER D presents a bull rush through a worn out post-post apocalyptic gothic western world. Its volume long, written for graphic novel race kicks off with a spaghetti standoff as vampire hunting half vampire D charges his mechanical horse after undead lord Mayerling as the pure blood absconds with a young woman, only to find the notorious mercenaries of the Marcus clan also slaughtering their way towards the lord. The messy situation gets nastier when Barbarois mutants dog pile in, ostensibly on behalf of the vampire lord.
On May 26, 2009, the sad news came that Sumiyo Imaoka lost her battle to cancer at age 56. Under the pen name Kaoru Kurimoto, she wrote 126 fantasy books concerning a leopard headed warrior in the GUIIN SAGA series, in addition to her novel cycle “Makai Sui Koten” (“Hell's Water Margin”) - a cross between Chinese wuxia tradition and Cthulhu mythos. Kaoru Kurimoto, along with Hideyuki Kikuchi were primary creative forces who set the template for what's now known as "light novels." GUIN SAGA, Hideyuki Kikuchi's similarly seminal VAMPIRE HUNTER D and their descendants are brisk pop-lit books that are generally for a teenage/young adult audience. And like Kurimoto and Kikuchi's work, light novels trended towards genre and often concerned themselves with inventing a world.
A key quality of light novels is that they're quick reads. In several reviews, I made the point that Guin Saga is fantasy for an adult audience who no longer has the time for a Tolkien-esque doorstop. You can get through most of a light novel in a sitting or two. I brought Kikuchi's DARK WARS: THE TALE OF MEIJI DRACULA to the gym recently, and by the time I completed exercise cycle and working my legs I'd finished a bit more than a third.
The third VAMPIRE HUNTER D novel, "Demon Deathchase" was the source material for Ninja Scroll director Yoshiaki Kawajiri's movie VAMPIRE HUNTER D: BLOODLUST. That movie's location bound final act and Elizabeth Báthory stand-in Carmilla aren't be to found in the novel. Without that in place confrontation, the novel is constant, frantic motion.
Saiko Takaki's manga adaption clings closely to the novel and as such, inherits that breathless dash through Kikuchi's world. This volume of VAMPIRE HUNTER D bolts from one dark tableau to the next. It's a bumpy ride on a wheel who's spokes consist of cursed paragon D, gothic Mayerling - a vampire painted as an honorable figured doomed by his love of a human woman, a Marcus clan willing to stop at nothing, including fratricide, to see their obsession through to the end, and a wildcard Barbarois ready to forward their own agendas. It's a concept driven affair. You get D crossing his sword with a giant man wielding a spiked pylon, D versus dark inverses of himself from the Barbarois, a militarized dirt buggy versus a vampire super-coffin, and all sorts of other genre chimera.
The evident intension has very little to do with a smooth, coherent narrative. It's the storytelling equivalent of the "Itano circus" - the Macross publicized sequence in which a swarm of missiles are launched, with their exhaust vectors painting the sky in ant trails. The target direction is obvious, but the participants are spectacularly screaming all over the map to get there.
Saiko Takaki effectively evokes the feel of the novels. The manga neither ignores nor stumbles over the contradictory notion an dusty wanderings of a man in an elegant cape. It has improved on its ability to suggest the style of the novels' illustrator Yoshitaka Amano (probably best known in North America for his work on the FINAL FANTASY games.) And, without aping Amano, Saiko Takaki touches on his trademark willowy forms and credibly puts them into action.
Essentially VAMPIRE HUNTER D is the novel as manga, faithful down to how many arrows are put into a bow. The problem is that this limits the derivative work. There are observations that make the novel involving that don't translate to manga... that the shadow of a man with a spear slung on his back looks like a person impaled... how the great technology once produced by vampire lords has worn down to the point where it's literally missing screws. The manga is not well suited for that style of commentary and doesn't really replace it with its own spin, other than it’s the story in sequential art rather than prose. It's a well executed adaptation of VAMPIRE HUNTER D into manga, but if that's not something that interests you, the manga isn't going to persuade you otherwise.
Scott Green has been writing for AICN ANIME for over seven years. If you like what you see here and love anime & manga, be sure to check out his latest AICN ANIME column here.
Hey folks, Ambush Bug here with another hard drive full of webcomics for you to digest. This week’s assortment is made up of various genres and styles, proof positive that some of the most interesting comic book stories can be read for free and are just a mouseclick away. Click on the links below to start enjoying these outstanding webcomics.
BAYOU VOL.1
DC Zuda
This collection of the popular DC Zuda webcomic is one of the best comics I’ve read in a long time. Volume one introduces us to an all too real and ugly world of 1933 Mississippi and all the hardships you could imagine for our star, a young African American girl, Lee, who through a series of unfortunate events leaps through the swamp-like version of the Looking Glass into a world of horrible monsters and wonderful mysteries. This is a beautifully written fable that doesn’t pull punches when it comes to depicting real world ugliness. The pain and heartache felt by the main character oozes off the page and will touch even the coldest of hearts. The art is altogether unique in its slightly caricaturistic yet realistic versions of real life characters. Writer/artist Jeremy Love is a true find and proof positive that true talent lies in DC’s Zuda online comics zone. Although the paper the book is printed on was a little disappointing (felt like old and flimsy newsprint to me, but maybe I got a bad copy), the quality of the content within BAYOU VOL.1 is something that must be seen to be believed. Please check out this collection and give it your love. I want to see more BAYOU on Zuda soon!
GOLDILOCK
Speaking of ZUDA, creator Adam Lucas contacted me to give me a heads up on a new webseries he’s submitting for DC’s online comics branch. It’s called GOLDILOCK and it looks to be a pretty amazing sci fi tale. The art looks fantastic and full of imaginative creatures and landscapes. ZUDA should give GOLDILOCK a chance from what I see here. Check out the trailer for Adam Lucas’ GOLDILOCK here to see what I mean. Best of luck, Adam.
CAPTAIN SPECTRE AND THE LIGHTNING LEGION
This is one of those throwback stories that is so in love with the reference material that inspired it, it’s infectious. A celebration of old radio serials of the past, CAPTAIN SPECTRE AND THE LIGHTNING LEGION takes the reader back to a simpler time, when people hung out in malt shops and it was ok for the hero to kill a bad guy and everyone was pretty much ok with that. Things start out pretty normal with your typical boy running down a typical street in a typical neighborhood, but soon events spiral into the realm of adventure--hard core adventure where the stakes are dire, the pulp action is high, and the heroes and villains collide. Tom Floyd has done his research and added all the right elements to make this an all new adventure that reminds you of adventures of old. Four chapters are done so far, and the website looks like an old radio, which I think is pretty keen too.
TUNA CARPACCIO P.I.
Speaking of throwbacks, here’s another look at a noir yarn that takes all expectations and gives them a goofy spin. TUNA CARPACCIO P.I. embraces all of the qualities of your best detective stories and then casts the title character in a world where sense is completely out to lunch. Tuna faces egg menaces, shark bartenders, a snide secretary called Pamcakes, villains who like to run over old people, twisted bowling champs, cooking robots, minotaurs, and all sorts of kook-tastic creations with even kookier names. My personal favorite is Chunky Salsa. I love how loony this cartoo
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So when will the Crossed trade be released?
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I thought there was a new Rising Stars I missed.
Will teach me to use the link index instead of just scrolling. -
This is the forum where you bitch about Liam "The Kid," not the one where you bitch about Scriptgirl.
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IMPETUOUS BOOOOY!!!
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If I ever find myself screaming at a comic book, you can call those nice young men in their clean white coats, 'cuz they're coming to take me away. Seriously, that's like cartoon Mickey Rooney yelling at mice.
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I'm lost!
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She wrote all of the above right?
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I thought Midnight Nation wrapped up years ago?? They continued it?
And Rising Stars? THAT title is still being printed? Where the hell have I been? -
Well the truth is out. We all know the reason the title has been lacklustre these last few months. On the one hand I do feel sorry for McDuff and the shitty hand he's been dealt, on the other I just wonder if a more talented writer could have still pulled off something decent. When you look at a character like Vixen she's pretty cool. Smokin' hot, got the ethnicity angle covered and with a power set that can handle any situation... but McDuffie brought his own problems into the book with the whole "spider-god being the manifestation of the frustration I was feeling as a writer" and Vix is reduced to rhino style charging the bad guy. I mean c'mon, you've got Milestone characters, a cowboy Batman (whch opens up so many cool doors it practically writes itself) and the return of a 70's villain that should illicit a strong nostalgic response. And yet nothing major happens. Members of the JLA act out of character, everyone double crosses each other and the action happens off panel. Maybe a new creative team is for the best. B-list heroes doesn't have to mean B-list comic, we've read enough over the years to know that.
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when I saw he was reviewing Green Lantern I felt a little miffed. The title is cool enough to get a more experienced reviewer surely. But bravo, hats off and all that, excellent job. Kid you're a joy to read sometimes, pointing out the faults in an obvious but charming way and not spoiling the ending too much. In a few years, if you stick with writing and comics, your site will be very rewarding.
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Just read issue 72 and its fucking amazing! The best comic out there..its a pity its only a mini series, i hope Miller keeps on writing Wolverine when its over
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Confused about a reference to a past episode? Just look it up online if you want. As long as knowledge of said reference doesn't prevent you from comprehending the current story, just treat it as some potential bonus entertainment. Or does everything need to be explained?
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I agree with our reviewer. I'm a HUGE Who fan and I dug the hell out of this issue! But I GOT all the asides to other episodes - some going back quite a ways... but to the uninititated I can understand it being a bit confusing. I have a great idea! With a series that's drenched in DECADES of continuity, when a writer references a past adventure why not post a weblink to a plot synopsis from that episode. That will educate the casual reader and fill in the blanks as well as maybe giving a shout out to some of the awesome fan sites who spend so much time sharing their love for the show. There are MANY! Just an idea. And while I was a bit leery of the art in this issue for the first few pages I ended up TOTALLY diggin' it by the end. It was a refreshing change from the typical comic book fare. With 'The Forgotten' and now this I'm totally loving my comic book Doctor Who right now. A must read for any fan! .... And Liam? Nice job on the Green Lantern review buddy! I enjoy your stuff.
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Looks like you and I had the same idea about the interweb. There's lots of Who knowledge to be found all over it. And as for the other Doctor, the Strange mini with The Night Nurse was one hell of a fun read! With the right creative team our Master Of The Mystic Arts CAN be cool!
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I think there's one more double sized Old Man Logan. A special or something. I read in a couple of places that this one is the second to last issue.
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I don't think it was a Bendising so much as maybe the head-dress thing might be a little culturally insensitive... maybe.
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there's a special double sized Old Man Logan from Millar then Jason Aaron takes over, I believe.
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Had a good New Avengers review. I'm with you, Kid, Strange is not fun. I want someone to do something interesting with him, he should be awesome.
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On two fronts:
Joe, honestly, how is a Native American wering a headdress culturally insensitive? Now if it was John Walker sporting a headdress and calling himself Injun Joe, I'd understand, but to me I thought it was about tradition.
And really? Guys, that was a clearly labeled review from eight years ago. It says it was orginally posted in 2002. It's under the title YE OLDE @$$ FROM THE PAST. Couldn't be more clearer that it's an early review as it says in the intro at the beginning. Is this section of the column going to cause that type of reaction everytime we run it?
Really? -
Headresses like that are often used in religious ceremonies. It has a cultural and spiritual signifigance. Its not just a fancy hat.
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I just think it looks damn cool. Especially when he's punching the Thing in the face and ripping a tree out by its roots.
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check out dr. strange: the oath by BKV if u want to see a dr. strange story done right
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They are also quite often used as War Bonnets. Know a subject before you comment I'd suggest.
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Would be a mix of 60's hippie and occult adventures, love-ins and LSD fueled mystery. Strange should be a guru, surrounded by sitars and Cthulhu worshiping villains. Sure, sure it's all been done before with other characters but he now seems like a man out of time, a series flashing back to the 60's glory days while having this goofy, tantric sex obsessed magician stuck in 2009 would be awesome, give Morrison a call.
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Denoument is a fancy word for the end is coming guys.
C'mon please read the whole review before you post.
Suffice to say that even in the “final” battle (final in quotes because the dénouement will be happening in a giant-size special) -
When I realize that it's the Kid and I'm wasting my time.
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Was a double splash page of just text really necessary? I know it was a key moment in the story, so why not show it? I'm also wondering where gooseud is? I expected him to be on here spewing his hatred for Old Man Logan by now.
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I agree, I'm not personally offended by it, but I can see where others might be. It does look cool though, it also looked cool when he was ripping up that tree, BUT... what can you do?
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war bonnets also had a spiritual and cultural signifgance, like the Ghost Dance, for instance... duh.
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Is that he's being written by dipshits with no understanding of the concept. They think magic is all some "Abrakadabra! Now there's a bunny in this hat!" When in fact Magic (or MagicK if you prefer) is about channelling universal energies for a desired outcome, the vast majority of which genuinely requires a verbal, somatic, and material component.Bendis should not be allowed to write ANY magic based character EVER. He's a fucking idiot when it comes to anything that doesn't fit within his personal geek genre staple. Magic is as often about the subtle approach as it is anything flashy. Bendis (like Quesada)has no grasp of the fucking word it seems.
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Drlektor? Drlektor? Drlektor? Drlektor? I agree
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Read the whole review? ...Crazy talk.
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Yet again you spout off ignorantly and then try to spin it when people bust you. Keep trying though, it's gotten funny watching you try to act like anyone besides you could care what you think.
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perception of the artist goes a long way towards perception of the art. I might be more willing to cut Crossed a bit more slack (or for that matter Herogasm which lets face it, WAS mildly amusing) if I hadnt seen Ennis's bag of tricks a million times. Likewise, I wou;ld cut Old Man Logan more slack if I hadnt seen Millar's "lets kill off the heroes! thats the ticket" schtick and lazy contempt for his audience a million times before. Taken on their own merits, all three stories I mentioned might have merit (Crossed maybe not), but viewed through the prism of their creator, they dont work for me. I know Joe will be on momentarily to say the art doesnt know where it comes from (kinda like the confiscated drug money in a million crime movies), and thats cool, but for me personally, creator and creation go hand in hand.
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how Psynapse considers himself an expert of "Magick", as if it weren't completely made up bullshit. Please, Psynapse, tell me more how stage magicians daily spit in the face of REAL Sorcerors.
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... he always seems to unfortunately get paired with the hackiest writers imaginable. Guy should have been a huge fave, but sadly he's the guy who always gets the "This book really blows, but who's this artist? He's pretty good. Oh well." (And yes, as a matter of fact, I DO include Brad Meltzer in that "hacky writer" category. Jean Loring going all Froot Loop and killing Sue Dibney using a purloined Atom suit, indeed. Lame.)
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at one end is the Spider man comic reviewed above, which is the single best idea for a comic of all time. At the other end is matter eater lad.
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I don't know what you're talking about, except that yes, Crossed is awful. Simply awful.
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I bet he would, that guy would eat anything!
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YOUR perception is that it's 'made up bullshit'. I guess the millions of practioners world-wide are as deluded as you try to paint me.And yet again, you try to insert your own words as some else's in an attempt to belittle them. You, not I, bring up stage magicians in comparison to actual sorcerers (Like Alan Moore for example). Y'know what I love? That you continue to try to delude yourself (and anyone reading the TB) that A) you know jack shit about anything and B) are something other than the weak-egoed homophobic poseur dipshit who actually paid to see Twilight but wasn't even sufficiently lame enough to do it to get laid. (and No, it never gets old bringing that back up.)
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about my opinions, as I'd hate to be turned into a frog.
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What type of matter doesn't matter to him...
Here all week, folks! -
His Hellblazer arc "All His Engines" is the best Hellblazer story ever.
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If you knew a single fucking thing about the Indian Cultures that you tried to comment on earlier you'd know that Martial and Spiritual headdresses are never used in the other's instance. But hey, talking out your ass then scrambling to make the sophistry work is part of your 'charm' (such as it were)I suppose.
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Then one must suppose he'd gobble up Joenathan's opinions.
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I feel bad for you.
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And he needs a storyline where he kicks all sorts of bloody uber-killing machine mess in another dimension. Oh yeah, and bring back Clea, she was hot.
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a hell of a lot better than the way its handled elsewhere. Magic without rules is shit writing. Look at JLA. Asian Dr. Light gets sucked into a black hole made by Starbreaker and Shadow Thief. And how does Zatanna combat this? Instead of trying to hone in on the energy used to make that hole and possibly reopen the rift, she simply says "Dnif rD thgiL." When that doesn't work, they're stumped.
And even that's not's what's annoying about Bendis' handling of Strange. He's made him out to be completely ineffectual since New Avengers #1. I remember one time when the New Avengers were about to crash their Quinjet and someone asks Strange, can't you whip up a spell or something. Strange simply says "No, I can't." That's it. Really, Dr. Strange? Is that a cloak of levitation you're wearing there or a snuggie? Awful, awful stuff. Shouldn't someone be required to read the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe or something before writing a character at the very least? -
I don't see the problem.As for Strange, I've always felt like they've included him because people were like: "Where's Dr. Strange?" and they never had any idea what to do with him. I wish they'd remove him from the everyday stuff, maybe have him saving the world from the big threats that most heroes never even find out about.
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Indian culture.
Fuck me isn't there a board at the Smithsonian for this? -
Or Indian?
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Was handled well was in Seven Soldiers.
Other than that she's just a dyslexic failsafe for when Superman can't handle the situation.
Seriously, and strife in the DCU could just be handled with her and her garbled talk. -
I simply don't suffer fools (that would be you Joenathan) gladly.
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!- I always loved him. I never saw him in an issue, per say, save for Contest of Champions, but I remember him vividly in the Marvel Handbook where they show him pulling up the tree. When I first saw him in that I thought he looked so bad-ass he must be a villain, but then I read his name and knew no villain would have the name American Eagle.
But as much as I like his appearance, I can actually understand why Native Americans would consider it offensive. It is just reducing an ethnic group to a stereotypical appearance and seeing them in only by their ethnicity. It is not as bad as the Super Friends treatment of Apache Chief, Samurai, El Dorado or Black Vulcan (all black heroes have to have "Black" in their name you know), but it is close. It is Affirmative Action in comics at its worse - token diversity instead of seeing the other person as being anything other than his ethnicity. -
thats why I feel bad for you.
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Am I reading it right, Psynapse thinks magic is real?
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That was the first place I saw American Eagle too. I love that tree hot. Anyway, he was so cool in Thunderbolts, to me, it just shows that the headdress and the baggage it brings with is not nessecary, so its easy to leave behind. It shows that he can be JUST a superhero, that he doesn't have to be the INDIAN superhero.
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I'd be okay with her bakwards talk if it was at least hard for her, like if they showed her puzzling out the backwords version of her spell, just a little pause would be okay. Not to mention, how do you say a word like "pause" backwards.I loved Seven Soldiers
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I wonder why stories about non-white characters are so few and far between. Is it because people write what they know and since the majority of mainstream writers out there are white guys, they simply don't know how to write characters of other ethnicities and cultures? Or is it because of fear of backlash and over-sensitivity if a white guy writes a black character and the fear of offending some one or getting it all wrong? Could it be that an awesome character like American Eagle has been left in limbo since the eighties because Marvel was afraid that using a Native American wearing a war headdress would somehow spark some kind of protest?
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It's bad because its characters aren't really characters at all. If you want us to feel bad about a man, his wife and his daughter getting savaged by human zombies, it'll probably help if you could write them memorably enough that the reader remembers their names afterwards.
Jacen Burrows' artwork is too good for Ennis' forgettable script. -
Are in place for a reason.
Does it apply to all members of that ethnicity/ religion
...whatever...no, that would be short sighted and obtuse.
But there sure as shit is a reason they propogate. What about pride in a cultural heritage? Why does James Proudstar wear the funny little feather? Pride from where his people once came.
This annoys me as much as people who say they won't ever use cliches. Why? There's a reason it became a cliche, it was a damn good turn of phrase.
Perhaps we're the ones at fault for not seeing beyond the ceremonial headress. -
I agree that magic in the Marvel Universe has rules, but I don't want the Marvel Universe to follow your rules for magic. That isn't meant as an insult but the simple observation that you are talking about magick like it is described by Aleister Crowley and in the Golden Bough, but that isn't the same as Marvel Universe's magic. Both Crowley and the Golden Bough describes rules and rituals for harnessing magical energies for paranormal effect, but those are not the same rules as Marvel's magic system. They already have very well defined rules and it's own laws if writers would just go back and read the old comics or even look at the old Marvel Handbooks. It might not be "accurate" in the sense it follows religious or occult beliefs, but it does fit the super-hero genre better than anything else.
I'm not saying you can't make reference to magick in the Marvel Universe, I just don't want to see it throw out it's old Ditko influenced magic system in place of something more realistic.
Otherwise, may the Vishanti watch over you. -
I think you've covered most of the reasons, yeah. But then there are characters like Luke Cage, he is a A level character now and seen as a character and not just "Harlem's Protector" out of his neighborhood. Sincerity is the important part an I think thats why we all responded to American Eagle, he's kickass and he wasn't portrayed as like calling on the spirit of the great bear or any shit like that. Its not about ignoring the culture of a character's origin, its about realizing that they are people first, not sports team mascots.
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I'd say it's more likey that A) the currently existing comics mainstays just don't have that many example as much of what we read is just continuations of ideas from a much less enlightened time and B) it's still a bunch of old white guys at the very top of the major publishers still. Quesada and Didio still have to report to the board after all.
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but its a thin line, right?
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...but they do apply to all members of a group when that group is ALWAYS shown that way.
I love Marvel's Silver and Bronze Age, but I will be the first to point out there is not one Native American character save for Forge who was not shown stereotypically. All American Indian characters are good with a bow, have spiritual powers and are mystics (even Mirage fought the Demon Bar and she's a mutant). Even Forge, the least stereotypical of them, had to be a shaman.
So I could see someone say "Hey, maybe he shouldn't be just another American Indian stereotype." -
Well said.
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But I don't feel bad for you in the slightest.
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Now that is an intriguing cover. Red Skull wearing Cap's uniform?? And whereas I could give a flip about the Wolverine character, Optimus' review has me jazzed about the issue -- I think I'll check it out.Green Lantern #41Like most of the Green Lantern artwork, it's such a mess that you can't decipher what's supposed to be going on -- and frankly, from the issues I've read, it's not worth the effort. I know there's a lot of Green Lantern groupies that would strongly disagree, but I just don't get all the love for this series. Which is unfortunate, since I really like the character.CrossedPlease. It's been done to death (pun intended). Let it go.Amazing Spider-Man One ShotEverything under the Spider-Man titles seem to be kicking ass right now. Looks like another must-read.Justice League of America #33Yet another overworked mess of a cover. I've been picking up an occasional issue, just because I have a special place in my geek heart for the League, but damn -- what patronizing dreck. There's no real story here -- just red meat thrown out to the fanboys.ChewIt sounds like an original idea, coupled with a cool art style. Too bad the covers don't reflect that with the same old bloody-mess-body-count junk we've seen all too often.New Avengers #53I keep thinking about jumping aboard this title again after a very long hiatas, I'm just not sure there's anything here to merit that move. The cover certainly lends no clue -- yet another "characters posing" concept. From "the Kid's" review, it sounds like a filler issue. Probably going to wait on this one.My two cents, anyways.
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Ok i have Kept my mouth shut for awhile, but enough is enough, stop putting this kids reviews on AICN, leave them on his own site, he minuses points on books because they don't have enough action:P
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totally. Thats what is wrong with Ennis's books, crossed in particular (although maybe not Wee Hughie...) is that his books are written for the gag, the characters are interchangeable in order to facilitat that gag.
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I do. You have my pity.
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seriously, forget about the Kid. He's ine and whining is just going to make Bug want to givve you the finger more. And while I don't normally read his reviews, this week he was not bad at all.
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I think it has to do a lot with the history of established characters that are still the forefront of comics. All of the definitive superhero archetypes are white and there hasn't been a real difinitive non-white character that has joined those ranks.
When the foundation of comics was laid down there wasn't equality or diversity like there is today. There are no far reaching roots for any non-white hero like Superman, Batman, Spider-man, the X-Men. There just aren't any non-white icons that stand up next to the giants.
When comics do try and utilize non-white characters I think they get stuck in a damned if the do damned if they don't. If they don'y it's questioned as why in a slight racist conotation but when they do they are often dismissed as pandering.
I think it would take the break out of a difinitive and iconic original character that just hasn't come to be yet. -
I was exactly where you were at with Wolverine, oversaturated and every story has bene the same for umpteen years. But I had a light pull week and my shop still had all seven issues of the story.
Please pick up all seven and not just 72. It would be like only watching the last five minutes of the God Father.
Red Skull even makes reference to the absurdity of wearing the costume and it is darkly funny. -
It wouldn't be the first worthless thing someone has given me.
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Let's face it, most comics come from either America or the UK.
The simple fact is that these countries are still predominately white. Now depending on where you live it might skew your perception. Like I live in the NE corridor outside Philly so we have a lot more diversity than the national average, but look at the last US census. Fact is 70%+ of the country is still anglo.
Is the ratio really that far off in the comic universe? -
What do you call the cop with his brains falling out on page #8?
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This has been a surprisingly good comic. I haven't been to the LCS for a week or two, so I'm looking forward to the next one.
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Damn it. I was going to wait for the trade, but all the love it's getting here, I'm gonna see if I can just get the whole thing today. Get some fat kid chips, some fat kid coke and just do it up right.
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you might have a particular sensitivity to the last chapter
;-) -
Jun 03, 2009 1:05:43 PM CDT
optimous, the issue isn't that there needs to be more...
by continentalop
...minority super-heroes, the issue is if the ones who do exist only exist as racial and ethnic stereotypes. And unfortunately, I think the majority of them do - they are only there because they are black or Native Americans and not because they are real people or characters.
However, I do think that Power Man and the Falcon do transcend being just token representatives of their race. Their dialogue, attitudes and backgrounds might have been very cliched but I think the writers had an idea for a character that happened to be black, instead of coming up with a the idea they needed a black character and than coming up with an idea. -
Wasn't that Buckycap?
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I completely agree, although I would argue that both those characters were completely intended to be black. Sam Wilson as the "new" face of America for a World War Two Cap to maybe distance him from the prevalent feelings of his time. And Power Man as a response to the whole 70's era, urban crimefighter, blacksploitation/kung fu (Iron Fist) thing.That being said, I believe both characters have grown well past those beginnings.
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My knowledge of Cap is pretty thin. Just never my bag.
Last time I'll try being saucy. -
Go get Old Man Logan. Give in. Surrender yourself to the Millar-side.
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I was asking, because I've only glanced at the preview and thought maybe they said definatively later on.
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X-men forever, anyone?Suuuuuuuuuuuucky!
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in comic characters and in writers and behind the scenes talent. Bug do you really think they backed off American Eagle because they were afraid of the backlash? I doubt it.
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but I'm sure cultural sensitivity was discussed on the editorial level.
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don't have a clue man, you hooked me with that as a definitive statement.
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sickened me. I knew it was going to be terribly violent. I didn't expect to see a tiny little girl hacked in half with a kitchen cleaver while both her parents were raped from behind - dad while his intestines spilled onto the ground and mom with her brain exposed. It's just too much. It's showing off, only to turn on the sickos and turn off those who don't have the stomach. It's Garth Ennis at the worst of his basic instincts. Or maybe I'm just a big weakling.
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I think a lot of major companies just don't want to go there and write stories about certain groups because it causes the least amount of trouble for them. If you had to work hard to write a story then run it by a panel of lawyers or civil rights groups to make sure that it won't be deemed offensive to a particular race or culture, I'm thinking that the easiest way to get around that is just to not write stories about that culture. I'd love to see a Native American team book set on the Res. Refugees of the Registration Act finding their way around Osborn's reign. And there are tons of cool Native American characters in the Marvel U; Puma, Black Crow, American Eagle, Red Wolf, Dani Moonstar, James Proudstar, Shaman, Talisman. All amazing characters with cool powers and distinct personalities that I would love to read about, but would a comic like that ever happen? Doubtful? Is it because writing the book would mean you'd be under the watchful eye of Native American rights folks? Maybe. Maybe writing under those constraits is too much pressure for writers. Just hypothesizin' here, but if I knew that I had to be extra cautious every time I wrote a story in fear of offending someone or some other kind of backlash, I'd shy away from writing that type of story.
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And Scalped takes place on the Rez. The point is, they don't all need to be wearing Mocassins while smoking peace pipes, which I think Marvel is actually pretty good at, but I also think that explains the missing headdress. Awareness.
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..Have you turned into a Frog Yet?
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No, I agree. I think they were intended to be black from the beginning, but I also think they were intended to be more than just "black."
Luke Cage actually came out before the entire blackpoitation movement - hell, he came out before Shaft. So I don't think the creators intent was to make a blackpoitation hero but instead make a hard boiled hero from the streets, and if you are making al hero from the streets at that time it would only make sense that he would be black man.
The same with the Falcon. Yes, I think Kirby said he wanted Cap to team up with somebody he never would have teamed up in the Golden Age, but I don't think he just said I will make him an arbitrary black man. I think he thought of a good character who life has been shaped because he is black. Personal Note: I hate that Englehart added the back story that he was once 'Snap' Wilson - pimp. Instead of being a virtuous American who was black, he had to be an ex-pimp and drug dealer whose personality is changed by the Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube. That is just stereotyping at it's worse. -
That was a really dumb idea. Reminds me of how Stalker from G.I. Joe was a gangbanger before he joined the army. Couldn't he have just been kid who enlisted? I guess originally he was in Vietnam, so he would probably have been drafted, but you get the point.
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Once again I don't think the dilemma is that you can't have Native American characters who are based or have ties to there culture, I just think that when every Indian character is like that it is a little bit annoying. I mean, I am from Minnesota originally and while we are far from an oppressed group, if every Minnesota character in a movie, book, TV show or comic book character talked like a refuge from Fargo and was just a Swede who liked to ice fish, than I could see were it could get annoying.
By the way, why isn't there a super-hero in Minnesota? Damn it I want the Golden Gopher and Captain You Betcha defending the damn Twin Cities. -
I guess because he fits the old army legend about people coming to the army and bettering themselves. It also reminds me a little bit of Ben Grimm leaving the Yancy Street Gang for college football and than the Marines.
Plus, they revealed he was an ex-gang leader on his first bio if I remember right, so it isn't like it came out of the blue. And he is the one who made the choice to change his life - he didn't need a magic box to alter reality to make him change. -
I think it was on purpose, but yeah, I'm with you. I didn't know Luke Cage came first, though. Huh, thats cool. Not what I expected. As for Snap... yeah... terrible, but then, I think that is a great illustration of why great characters like American Eagle sit on the shelf so long, new creators look at them and have trouble seeing the good stuff past the gross (albiet unintentional and a product of its time) insensitvity, so they go... pass. I mean, I wonder how many Frenchman would want to use Batroc the Leaper?
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OOOOOOh, Jeez! (punch)
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Is some of the best if not THEE best shit they are doing with Wolverine nowadays. Its a shame you will NEVER see this story turned into a movie.
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...that Psynapse told me to sayHow about now? Are you a Frog now?
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The shop only had the last two issues, so I had to order the rest. So I have to wait till next Friday to mainline Millar and find out what OD was hinting at. Next Friday is going to be awesome.
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Although, I think I can jump higher... but... no. No, I'm not
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Its a lot of fun and McNiven is fantastic.
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..This Sorcery shit is really hard...Must purchase more eye of newt...
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Because that book is brilliant.
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The current Wolverine storyline starts with issue #65? Just verifying before I visit the comic shop.Thanks for the heads up.
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For the Batān Shi no Kōshin reference. Nothing opens a review like a Japanese war crime. Kudos! My only gripe is that I had vaulted a Trail of Tears reference for future use -- that I must now abandon due to the similarities...
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#66, but you can tell pretty easy by the look.
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Thanks -- I'll give it a shot.
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even though Millar has done some decent shit like WANTED...but his superhero comics suck donkeycock. But Optimus is right that at least it's better than FC---fuck Morrison in his hack ass! I'm not buying dc comics again until Didio fires that druggy wierdo. I just stood in the store and read the new B&R by Morrison this morning and FUCK that shit because Quietly's art sucks too. How could anybody possibly like that stupid looking BULLSHIT?!?! Bruce Wayne is the ONLY Batman and Morrison killed him. Nobody wants to see kiddie bullshit like the silver age amd thats all Morrison can do because the guy has never had an orignial idea. Batman is a dark avenger of the night and he dosn't need a villain with a frog head he needs real threats like the joker in TDK. Early in his career Batman used guns and he still should just ask Frank Miller(the greatest writer ever) because he wrote some of those issues. All Star Batman is the only good Batman comic that I can remember reading since the last time Frank Miller wrote Batman in the classic Dark Knight Returns. Also who cares about indians and what they think about comics anyway their better as the bad guys in movies where THE DUKE fills them full of lead. I blame all of this PC BULLSHIT in comics on Obama and the way this country is going down the shitter. Stop watching MSNBC and talking about how comics should be PC and all that bullshit because comics are for adults now not stupid little kids like the one thats writing about comics here... get rid of him because nobody cares what a little kid thinks. Sorry if that seems harsh but I got to keep it real. BRING BACK REAL BATMAN!!!!
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an alternate reality thing? Imaginary tale? Or is it just the way things shake out for real? -- at least "comic book" real, that is.
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Yeah, real stupid.
(Apologies to Chris Rock) -
As a long time Illinois Fighting Illini Fan, and person of scottish descent, Id like to weigh in on the whiny sensitive crowd here about oh my gosh an indian character-. I love the CHIEF ILLINIWEK, however, the PC crowd, the handout crowd and the I'm offended crowd made it so lousy to have to deal with the bitching and whining about a proud image that glorified Indians, and was in fact given to the U of I by the Indian Tribes in the formative days of the University (that tribe no longer exists- the Illini, so who is offended? etc.). The CHIEF was a great way for people to see and learn about a great people with a wonderful tradition, he in no way demeaned or disrespected Native Americans, and if I was a NA, I would be excited to see an image of my people looking as cool and loved as much as the CHIEF. However, now- thanks to the above mentioned PC crowds, he is gone, relegated to history, and you know what, GOOD RIDDANCE. Now all of the parasites have to go away, and there is a little bit less exposure for the NA people, thanks to their constant whining, a positive image for that group is gone. Frankly at this point it was a relief to stop hearing the endless whining, please- go away. So I had to laugh when a Native American Comic character automatically offends- are native americans embarrassed by the mere image of a native american, wearing a native american style of historic clothes? Im scottish so should I be offended by the image of a man in a kilt? It's absurd, and tiring, and like the one poster said above, who would want to do a cool native american super hero team, good lord the whining would be THROUGH THE ROOF. Please make an IRISH AND SCOTTISH TEAM OF HEROS, kilts, drunk leprechauns and all, the Scotts and Irish may be able to not be offended and have fun seeing their cultures in action. If this offends you, too bad, you probably offend me. WAH!!!
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Like a retard blitzkrieg or something.
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I think its a classic X-men "possible" future or just a big "what if". I believe the Hooded Man in Millar's FF is Old Man Logan years later.
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....f you think that Morrison and Quietly's silver age bullshit is better than real Batman. Its idiots like you that get those stupid comics published since you will just buy anything they put out.
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Is just saying you are upset you can't say nigger and wetback any longer.
By the way, when people say the PC crowd are a bunch of whiners, aren't they whining about them? Just a thought. -
Jun 03, 2009 3:24:49 PM CDT
Yeah, I know it was a conscious decision for Stalker...
by rev_skarekroe
...to better himself. That's cool. I think my problem is just that he's the first black Joe, and he's also an ex-criminal. Couldn't they have made the rhyming, body-massage loving chef be the first black Joe?
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Jun 03, 2009 3:25:27 PM CDT
I'd like to think we were just hit by a coupla clever trolls.
by sleazyg.
But deep down, I know the truth is we were just hit by a coupla guys so dirt stupid their moms have to remind them to breathe.
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If you wrote "YOU'RE the stupid one." But since I have typos and grammar errors all the time as well, I can't mock you there. |
But any man you says ASBAR is the epitome of Batman doesn't really have a leg to stand on. -
Jun 03, 2009 3:27:51 PM CDT
rhyming, body-massage loving chef be the first black Joe
by continentalop
I don't know why, but the image of a Joe singing "My Chocolate Balls" just makes me laugh.
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you PC fucks are all a bunch of crybabys and nobody cares.
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And the only one who seems to be a crybaby seems to be you VD_Furnier. Last I looked, the debate about this was pretty rational and polite. That was until you and Dekard showed up to cry and whine.
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"You're"Call Alanis
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is the best because Miller cares about writing a more real Batman and not just silver age, silver age,silver age bullshit over and over that nobody can even understand or gives a shit about. THE SILVER AGE IS OVER GET OVER IT! So FUCK YOU GENIUS. You tell me my grammers wrong but you now I'm right about Batman. After TDK nobody wants to see bullshit old fashion stuff for little kids. Why dont you watch a little kid cartoon on cartoon network than and leave reading to the adults? You're so smart that you should be friends with little Liam because I'm sure you agree with him about how all comics should be stupid and for kids.
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because they're two different people...
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I'm just saying that you're a PC idiot and you dont know about Batman. Yeah joenathan I know I made a grammer mistake I guess you think that means you got me but if you think that GM's Batman is any good than you're as dumb as the people who like Final Crisis.
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Where they sit in their apartment in the Midwest and throw water balloons out the windows at all the "different" people, and don't get invited to anyone's birthday party.Nobody's being a crybaby about being PC either. There are just certain abhorred trends from the past that have always stemmed from the ignorance of certain parties, and the false assumptions they make about things they lack the ability to understand.
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thats what he told me, at least
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If you haven't already, check these out, not exactly ryhming g.i. Joe chef, but pretty close and they are hilarious:http://tinyurl.com/2lgqgr
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Taste is not an indication of intelligence. One can be bright and love absolute shit. You appear to be not unintelligent, in spite of your horrible grammAr (not mEr) and spelling. However, if you think ASBAR is any good at all, you clearly have little taste. You do realize it's a parody, don't you? That Miller has gone so far over the top that he's just having fun with the memes and tropes he helped develop 25+ years ago? That he doesn't really consider it canon with "Year One"? Or maybe that he does, but he is a total coke-head freak, as many claim?
I guess what I'm saying is that you look like the Marvel fans who screamed 20 years ago when Groo moved to Epic, because it spoiled their oh-so-serious Marvel line. Take a breath, fella, before your lungs implode. They're comic books, and silly ones.
So it's clear, I didn't like Morrison's Batman work, but I will give "Batman and Robin" a look. -
How the fuck does that work? I dont read LOSH, whats his deal? Can he possibly be as lame as he sounds?
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How is a man adopting an orphan from the circus and taking him in his underwater car to a giant cave realistic? You sir, are a clown of the highest caliber.And it's "know" not "now." If you're going to berate people the least you could do is present yourself in a manner that at least suggest intelligence. You're getting nowhere fast ranting at people. And what exactly do you mean by Silver Age? Is there a certain style or tone you are referring to? Basically, your whole argument lacks clarity and your writing is atrocious.Please do not procreate.
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Let me dispel a commonly held myth about the Batman beginnings. While it's true that Batman was originally conceived as a dark, brooding character (Detective #27, May 1939), he only stayed that way for 11 issues -- less than a year.In April, 1940, Robin the Butt Buddy was introduced and the whole character of Batman changed into the Silver Age-ish smiling mentor that fanboys deride so much. And -- he stayed that way until 1970 when Denny O'Neill took the character back to his roots.So most of the formative years of Batman were NOT as the vengeful psychopath he's written as today. To say that Batman was envisioned as a dark character is being fairly selective and ignoring about three decades of development that run counter to that idea.
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though he probably doesn't realize it. He thinks Arabs and Muslims are by nature, backwards and prone to violence. That's pretty clear in "Martha Washington Dies," though he carefully avoids any trigger words.
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Never said it wasnt a fun story, for the record, just that it was retarded and you need to shut off your brain to enjoy it. Having said that, I'll be hitting up my spot by the Barnes and Noble comic rack reading the last chapter of the story. Hypocrisy, thy name is Goose.
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you show how stupid you are when you say stuff like that. Everbody agrees that Final Crisis sucked and didnt make any sense and that Morrison has ruined the dc universe. Shows what you know PC smart guy! Like somebody as great as Frank Miller would ever talk to an idiot like you your such a liar.
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but he still makes Frank Miller look like dogshit. Miller is the definitive, architypical one trick pony, the alpha and omega of one-trick-ism. Morrison actually has a million tricks, thats his only flaw. He has so many tricks he cant contain them all sometimes.
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you arent a big weakling, its Ennis drained of all his sense of humor and fun, leaving only his freakshow Arseface base instincts.
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are you guys really playing into feeding the troll? Didnt you learn from the Sector debacle a few months back?
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Well, lets say he's hungry, right? Well, Matter Eater Lad can go: "You gonna eat that tire?" and when everybody goes: "No." Its Dinner time! And then, his super powered intestines can digest it! DA-DA-DAH! SUPER-HERO!
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but that was another time, before he believed his own hype. He's not dogshit, by any means. He's played out. If he'd try something different, like the Jesus project he's talked about for years, maybe his work would rise to the level it once reached.
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but Frank is a close friend of mine (see how I call him Frank?) and he wrote me in a private e-mail about how much he envies Morrison. Next tim know what you are talking about before you speak.
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So like, lets say some guy is robbing a bank. Couldnt he just pull out his gun and shoot Matter Eater Lad? Would MEL eat the bullet? Or try to eat the gun? Where does the matter go when he eats it? Does he drop a deuce of pure energy? More importantly, how does DC editorial allow these ideas to survive?
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Maybe to you because you're a PC idiot but real people want a real Batman not kiddie bullshit. TDK made more money than anything else so you're obviously wrong and thats the most real Batman and Joker ever. People want Batman to exist in the real world not fighting a guy with a frog head. You think you're smart because you're PC but really it makes you a stupid robot following his liberal media programming. Have fun reading your shitty Morrison kiddie comics you idiot.
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No really. The guy can eat anything. He is like the high school geek who would eat his pencil times a 1000. He is hours and hours of entertainment for the other Legionnaires
Plus, think how many times the heroes are fighting a villain or some robots or are in a death trap and you think "To bad they can't just eat their way out." Well, problem solved. -
Dark Knight Returns is indeed awesome, Im not denying it. In fact, tis TOO awesome, Miller poured every cool idea and theme he had into that story. He had nothing left after that, unfortunately hes kept writing for another 25 years.
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I think I can remember him eating bullets once, it was a cover of an old LoSH.
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Sorry hatas, but the Kid is on a streak of at least one rock solid review a week for a few weeks now.
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If he can, as touted, eat anything.
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Plus, TDK's Batman didn't kill, so he isn't that "dark". And Chris Nolan is obviously a PC kind of guy, hence a mob council that is conveniently composed of one member of each race.
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you can point out typos too but you will always be wrong about Batman. Like it or not most people agree with me not you. LOL joenathan "Next tim"...see I can point out typos too but you're still wrong and you're still a liar.
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Laughing at his repeated inaccurate jibes, then moving on.
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How do you discover that you have that power? Man... I could really go for some tin foil right bout now... And seriously, I don't remember, does he do anything else or does he seriously just eat weird shit. the LEgion will let anyone have a flight ring.
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my earlier point was this: I cant separate DKR from the fact that every story Miller has written SINCE that day has been simply that story regurgitated. You seem to have a better ablity then me to peel off the story from its creator. You can get past the last page of Wanted and enjoy Kickass independently of the fact that Millar is writing it, I have a tougher time with that. Just clarifying my earlier post, not a diss, just a difference of outlook.
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I remember one issue of the LSH where he eat through a futuristic light pole or something so it would fall and land on someone. So it is not completely useless, just kind of - well, just kind of useless.
Hey , if the Imperial Guard was a LSH spoof, did they ever make a Matter-Eater Lad counterpart? -
yes, Goose, that is true. I do the same thing with actors. I don't want to hear them talk or anything, just shut up and dance for me. Its like Vigo Mortenson. While I mostly agree with his views, I don't need fucking Aragorn telling me anything... however, I can usually let that stuff slide in order to enjoy their work. This is why I can read Miller (Frank). Honestly, though, Millar doesn't bother me that much... well, War Heroes did, but that was because of its terrible execution and inability to stay on schedule... and it was bad.
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you think I'm a troll because I don't agree that Batman should be a PC pussy that dresses in bright colors like hes gay or something. Whatever I win anyway because most people agree with me and not you're stupid Morrison loveing ass.
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power is genetic. His people settled a world with little (no?) conventional foodstuffs and developed the ability to ingest (including masticating) and digest any substance. These people came from the planet ... Bismoll. Don't blame me; blame Jerry Siegel for creating him.
His power has come in very handy. Once he stopped a massive crisis (not Crisis) by eating the Miracle Machine. It drove him insane, but he stopped the crisis! -
"If... I... can... just (munch, munch) eat through this...(munch, munch) lightpole in time!... (munch, munch) Yes! Oh shit, he left..."
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Jun 03, 2009 4:18:20 PM CDT
Actually, TDK is based on Denny O'Neil's interpretation of Batma
by continentalop
As well as Leob's, but I see little influence of Miller in it save for the ending at the bridge.
Does Batman have hard boiled VO like The Dark Knight Returns or Batman Year One? No.
Is he a dark, grim, humorless man like in ASBAR? No.
Is he willing to kill? No.
Does he enjoy inflicting pain and hurting people? No
Does he have no personal life outside of being Batman? No (Miller's Batman is that he is only Batman, here Bruce Wayne is an actual persona and not just a mask - just ask Rachel).
Does he actually have any sort of romantic feelings for someone else and have any sort of relationships outside of people he knows as Batman? Yes, Rachel.
Is he troubled and bothered by his actions, constantly debating the merits of what he is doing? Yes - like O'Neil's and Leob;s version
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have to criticize that and call me a troll because you know I'm right about Batman and how Morrison is ruining him and dc. He wont be working in comics much longer because most people dont want to read old fashion bullshit and you know I'm right. Can anybody actually defend Quietlys art? At least the art in All Star Batman looks more real and not cartoony. If you dont like All Star Batman then you dont even like Batman very much so go jerk off to cartoon network!
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It is time for Morrison's decades old reign of terror to come to an end! Go jerk off, you jerk offs!
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To me if you can handle Matter-Eater Lad you've got to be a pretty laid back person. Anyone who gets to worked up about how useless he is on the LSH should take a step back and think - here is a team of super-heroes in the future who have a rule that when you turn 20 you are kicked out. It isn't something that should be taken seriously.
Plus, when Jim Shooter was writing it in the past he actually wrote down these little character profiles and basically said that a couple of members were only on the team because sex, like Dream Girl ("Everyone knows her powers are useless, but she is good in the sack") and Triplicate Girl ("Instant foursome" or some shit like that). -
I've been reading Batman comics since 1970, when a friend shared a big pile of beat-up books he had. Through the '70s I saw great reprints of Golden and Silver Age stories that portrayed Batman in light-hearted and darker ways, depending upon the needs of the story. I saw the Super Sons, with Bats as a doting father but still the avenger of crime. I read the stories of the Haneyverse in "The Brave and The Bold," which often bore little relationship to other concurrent versions. And you know what? They could ALL be good, in different ways, just as Adam West is good in his way, Michael Keaton is good in his way, and even George Clooney can be good if you want a laugh and play along. Batman is a character with vast possibilities. It's fun to see creators play with them.
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LOL!!! yeah Morrison makes Miller look like dogshit...you really know what you're talking about have you ever read any comics by them? Morrison makes Miller look like Shakespere. Are you trying to say that Final Crisis is better than The Dark Knight Returns because thats really really stupid and most people would agree with me not you.
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No, I remembered my last dose of the antipsychotics. Maybe it's the ranting by someone who seems to have skipped his.
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George Clooney?!?! See I always knew you were stupid and now you proved it. You just like kiddie bullshit. No wonder you defend a hack like Morrison!!
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I'm the same way as you - I've basically bought or gone back and got a bunch of Batman comics through out the different eras. So I can see where it is similar and when it is radically different.
And I am not knocking Miller - he obviously had a huge impact on the direction of Batman in the last 20-some years, just like Moore did with the Joker. But I think people forget that it was O'Neil who brought back the crime/detective element to Batman, just like it was Englehart who really made the Joker back into a psychotic villain (of course, O'Neil started the trend back).
As for Morrison, I actually appreciate more what he tried to do than what he actually accomplished. It is hard to bring many of those Silver Age elements back into a modern comic book, but he did somehow manage to bring the Club of Heroes/Batmen of Many Nations into the modern Batman Universe and make them work (now if somebody could do that with the "Green Arrows of Many Nations"). -
For them to make the Penguin into a great villain again. Please, someone make a Penguin who can give Joker a run-for-his-money as Batman's deadliest foe!
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So, seriously though, he just eats stuff, he doesn't turn it into explosive gas or anything?
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You got it. And his teeth can bite through anything. And he can do it at hyper-speed.
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It is Matter Eater Lad, not Matter Eater Turn It Into Explosive Gas Lad!
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I know I do.
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There is a guy on a webcomics forum that I frequent that is always going on about how great ASSBAR is. He could be one in the same I'm thinking.
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Bismollians don't fart.
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He is the most accurate and faithful Batman, representing the Batman of 1955 to 1967 perfectly. Everyone loves to mock West, but really the character at that time was a joke - fighting aliens, wearing rainbow-colored costumes, teaming up with cheesy Batman clones, mites and hounds, and trading puns with all of his villains.
Without Adam West pushing the camp level of Batman in the sixties as far as you could, DC probably never would have decided to go back to his Golden Age roots, and if that happened we probably would be talking about how in Chris Nolan's Batman the joker & his partner King Tut flung a giant pie at the city but luckily the Dynamic Dou and Bat-Mite stopped him.
Actually, if the Adam West show hadn't sparked Batman's popularity again they were going to cancel the comic, and maybe Batman would be in the same boat as Plastic Man and Captain Marvel are in now. -
what a hoot. People who attack the Adam West program seem to forget that beneath the camp there was more than a little sinister material. Those villains weren't just interested in knocking out the Dynamic Duo so the Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder were out of the way. No, those colorful criminals wanted to *kill* Batman and Robin as much as many contemporary characters do. Bright colors couldn't disguise the darkness behind the glitter in other areas, either. Bruce Wayne's personal life was empty, because he couldn't be involved with someone who might be a target of criminals. Dick sometimes bemoaned the difficulty of a double life. And the Joker's mustache was plain scary.
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That just shows how dumb and wrong you are. You are in the minority and the sequal to TDK will continue to show the cool real Batman that most people want to see. Morrison will be out of a job soon because there is a HUGE outcry from real fans about his comics being too stupid and confusing for adult readers. The reviewers here agree with me too because this whole thing started because I agreed with Optimus about how Final Crisis sucked and how Morrison is a hack. You can say as much stupid gay shit as you want about Adam West but most adult readers dont want to see a campy Batman that tells jokes for kids. Sorry but you're just wrong. Maybe go talk about comics with Liam and share your little kid opinions with him because he'll agree.
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The thing I love about it is that they had this great formula which they used every time. And part of the formula was they always put the Dynamic Dou is some sort of horrible death trap, because you know shooting them just isn't as flashy as putting them in a giant hour glass or having them mauled by lions and tigers. The villains were basically serial killers who had to kill people with their signature or else they couldn't get off on it!
Next movie Batman better be in a death trap. -
goes Trollnir, the mighty banhammer!
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You can't just shoot them!
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is that our posts now look as if we're talking to people who don't exist. LOL
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Agreed, except the campy character can actually be traced back to 1940, less than a year after his inception (see my Batman Myth post above).
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Not Continentaltop. Can we have an edit function in this joint, please?
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The introduction of Robin didn't take away all the dark elements, but it is a valid place at which to argue the introduction of the easy-going Batman. However, I think I agree with ConOp; the Silver Age moved beyond lighthearted into WEIRD, with aliens and other dimensions. That weirdness, in a toned-down version, was on display in the Adam West TV program.
On the other hand, the Golden Age brought us "The Color Crimes of Crazy Quilt!", so you have a point. Any time B&R take on a villain the Boy Commandos can handle, we're talking lightweight. -
but he was the first person i've read (Sin City) who knew how to use grenades properly as a weapon. grenades are a really effective weapon that just don't get used properly enough in comics and movies.
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If not caring about (or even knowing the name of) a victim in a horror comic is bad writing, then LIVING DEAD (which I've just started reading)is a giant piece of shit... only it's not. It's quite good, but in the first four volumes, there's only a few well-developed characters, a couple of notable personalities/looks (guy with hat, bitching wife, etc.), and lots of folks who get whacked whose major bit of characterization is "the farmer's other daughters". In CROSSED, the scene at the end of #1 is there to show you what the Crossed do (underscoring what the text already has told you) and how far the book will go. This the fate that awaits the other, better developed characters if they fail. The movie BOUND did the same thing, showing a guy (whom we don't care about or remember his name) getting his finger cut off, which is there to demonstrate what happens to people who cross the villain and how far the film makers are willing to go. CROSSED has some major problems, but whacking a few no-names in the first issue isn't it.
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Yeah, I have to agree with you snook that Batman really hadn't been this Dark Knight everyone says he was for long. But like Dennis says, the addition to Robin didn't really completely get rid of the dark elements. I mean, Robin was his sidekick the first time he met the Joker and went he met the original Clayface (crazed psycho basically), and Robin's origin itself is pretty dark (parents murdered, gets revenge by causing the death of the gangster responsible). For me, the Golden Age Batman was at least one character, but in 1954 after the Seduction of Innocence he became a completely different character. That was when they introduced Batwoman, Batgirl, Ace the Bat Hound, Clayface II, Dr. Double X, Mr. Zero (later Mr. Freeze), and had issues where we see Batman, Robin and Superman on a bicycle built for three.
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The problem isn't killing those characters. It's how they were killed and the general tone of the book. For me, it's a waste of paper and ink. YMMV, of course.
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We were having in another TB where you can see this strange dichotomy between Batman and Captain America: Captain America will kill but he would never torture like using waterboarding; Batman, however would never kill no matter what but he would be willing to torture and even waterboard someone if he thought it necessary - in the Dark Knight he throws Eric Roberts off a building to get him to talk, but he could never kill him or the Joker (despite the rumors, he did not throw him off because he is Eric Roberts).
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I think that final image could have been better handled... hearing that zombies are raping people proves to be a bit more effective than showing it, which ends up coming across a bit comic... especially if you have one character calling the other an asshole at the same time. But since then, there's only been one panel that goes half that far... the rest of the violence is pretty much what you'd expect from a zombie book, with the text conveying the most disturbing images.
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Batman will never be as cool as Cap, IMHO. Continental just summed it up in one sentence.
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a 2 year old, that final image went pretty fuckin far enough. Lou Reed in 1975 made "Metal MAchine Music", a double album (DOUBLE, mind you) of nothing but feedback squeals and industrial noise. It sucks as bad as it sounds like it would, and despite an artsy pretentious minority who at the time called it some kind of artistic statement, over time it has come to be seen as the worst album ever made. The point is, because you CAN do something doesnt mean you SHOULD, and it damn sure dont make it art.
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a 2 year old, that final image went pretty fuckin far enough. Lou Reed in 1975 made "Metal MAchine Music", a double album (DOUBLE, mind you) of nothing but feedback squeals and industrial noise. It sucks as bad as it sounds like it would, and despite an artsy pretentious minority who at the time called it some kind of artistic statement, over time it has come to be seen as the worst album ever made. The point is, because you CAN do something doesnt mean you SHOULD, and it damn sure dont make it art.
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Good observations -- I'd agree that the Silver Age Batman probably started about 1950; my point, moreso, I think, was that there seems to be this common misconception in fandom that Batman was a dark, gritty character up until the Adam West series, and it just ain't so.The 1950's Batman was indeed pretty weird -- alien Batman and so forth. Wasn't Jack Schiff a science fiction buff at heart? Or was that Mort Weisinger? Or both? Combine that with the fact that the 50's was a science fiction decade, and there you go.
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is not himself, but his rogues gallery, unquestionably the deepest, most notorious, and best in comics. Cap is a far cooler and all around better character, but his rogues gallery sucks balls. The Red Skull, thats pretty much it.
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Are often worse than anything in the book. I keep waiting to read somebody bitching about the book because they bought it because of the cool cover and turns out it's just a bunch of people talking for 22 pages.
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how GL has pretty much ceased to exist as a relevant character on these boards? We get a Green Lantern review, and literally not a single person even mentions it. That says to me that every is pretty burned out on the Rainbow Brite theme.....or maybe just doesnt feel like talking about it? (shrugs)
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I don't know if I have a problem with the whole "token" thing anyway. I think it's better to have some tokens than total homogeniety. I mean, Northstar is a token gay, but at least it gives homo me a homo superhero. Ultimate Colossus is the best gay comic character, though.
It's like Reality TV. Mostly white
but various reps: old person, hottie, jock, homo, and an increasing number of non-whites. Because, well, I think many comic readers are non-white, certainly on the coasts, but most writers are still white, and writers write what they know.
Not gonna buy Old Man Logan until it is completely finished and still getting a lot of love.
Noooo, Psynapse, don't make me defend Joe, but he's not homophobic. I loved Seven Soldiers, and I generally love Zatanna. Also, even more, Scarlet Witch. I like Wiccan, Nico Minoru and Dr. Strange and Hellblazer, so I guess I am fond of the magic users. -
Arnim Zola and MODOK. A guy with a head on his chest and a giant head on a flying chair will always, always be cool.
I would also say Baron Blood, because vampires are evil, and Nazis are evil, but a vampire Nazi? Whoaaa daddy.... -
I guess I am becoming a prude in my old age. The idea of raping zombies just doesn't send me.
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has also been interpreted as a giant "fuck you" to Reed's record label, to which he owned a couple of albums but with whom he had terrible relations and off which he desperately wanted, from reports. Or it was all a joke. Or he was so stoned his ears didn't work. Pick your version. But I read your point exactly, gooseud. I found that image wholly gratuitous and shocking. Perhaps it was meant to drive off people like me, for whom "Preacher" and "Punisher" were a walk in the park.
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Doesn't it bother anyone else that SMALL WONDER totally copied the Terminator movie? A year hadn't even gone by and suddenly Tiffany Brissette is talking like Arnold. And she cut her teeth on Webster, which is the rip-off to end all rip-offs! Back-to-back hack! Conspiracy!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Or at least I like quite a few of the industrial bands it inspired. I'll still play the record every now and then. At least, FAR more often than I'll play production line crap like Sally Can't Dance. I even remember giving it a few spins a few years back when I was revising, and it worked as surprisingly good background music.
I remember reading Lou Reed saying in a Lester Bangs interview how he fit in tons of classical riffs in there, but that sounds like the kind of bogus statement a speed freak might shoot off. However, I do think he has a soft spot for the LP.
/end of hijack. -
I'm with you 100%........Nothing in Preacher bothered me, I always felt Ennis was either making a statement, having some fun, or using shock value towards advancing the story, take your pick of any of the above 3 choices, or all of the above. You can argue if it worked, I suppose, for me it certainly did, I'm one of the bigger PReacher defenders on this board. There was a reason for the madness, 50% of which was Ennis having fun saying "can you believe I'm getting away with this??" (which was a blast the first time, now in The Boys etc, not so much). Crossed, on the other hand, all I can say is this: to what end?
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that no one ever uses nearly enough(FYI I'm trying to turn the discussion another way here, if I can): the villain swap. Who WOULDNT want to see the Riddler take on Supes? All of Superman's powers are useless unless he can figure out Riddler's twisted mind. Or Penguin vs. Flash? Or Captain Cold vs. Batman? or Red Skull vs the X-Men? Or Loki vs. Hulk? Or Mysterio vs. Wolverine (oh wait, that sucked balls). Would anyone NOT read any of the above-listed titled?
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Considering 73 came out a few weeks before 72 (for shame...someone), I think it's safe to say Old Man Logan is merely what could have been.
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The guy's name is (American) Eagle, of course he is going to be wearing feathers. If his name was African Swallow, then he'd be wearing a coconut instead. (Not sure what the Tasmanian Devil would look like.)
Someone force these Dr. Strange writers to read what Roger Stern did back in the 80s. He made Stephen Strange interesting, and then added the magic (with limits) to make him kick-ass. -
That should good for at LEAST 4 issues.
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When it is a really weak hero taking on a powerful villain. Punisher vs. Dr. Doom should last, like, half a page. The exception to this is always fighting big powerhouses (Cap vs Dragon Man and Spider-Man vs. Juggernaut).
But when Daredevil took on Dr. Octopus was always one of my favorite. Same with Sasquatch taking on Super-Skrull. -
Doubt I coulda wrote something that nice at 8.
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Can't find a single Brand New Day era Spidey comic that I loved more than Short Halloween. I love one-off throaways, esp. if they're executed with such perfection like this one. "I'm Spider-Man?" "I hate Halloween." "Me too."
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Someone upthread mentioned Martha Washington and I just realized I'd never pictured that as a movie before, but goddamn would that make one hell of a movie. Let the Wachowskis direct and you are in fucking business! Not to mention it's also basically a trilogy. Would be awesome to see another Dave Gibbons designed world be made real, especially since I'm all for a Martha Washington movie, while I was before and remain now opposed to the very concept of a Watchmen movie (like Alan Moore says, just let it be a fucking comic).
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Jun 03, 2009 7:55:45 PM CDT
Although the best Spider-Man bit Hader did was on SNL this year
by tall_boy66
It was the James Franco episode when he did William Dafoe. http://snltranscripts.jt.org/08/08bdafoe.phtml
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This is hardly Dark Horse's first foray into the Aliens franchise, but that write up sure makes it sound that way.
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Does that make White Swallow the gay hero?*budda-bum*
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Beautiful illustrations. I'm worried that the story will be very similar to the upcoming AVATAR film though.
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with Acts Of Vengeance some 20 years ago. The best story was Ann Nocenti's Daredevil (with the Inhumans) fighting Ultron, and DD only won because Ultron was having philosophical delusions about perfection and God and tried ripping his own head off, so DD just finished the job. Nocenti and Romita Jr's entire run on DD is pure comic goodness. They also did the best Inferno tie-in.
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The Nocenti DD run with JRJR is one of the most underrated/underappreciated runs in all of comics history. I wish they would omnibus that thing. The Inferno story where Daredevil rides the subway train into hell? That's good comic booking. All the Inferno stuff was mindboggling crazy good, and JRJR got better with every issue. I get happy just thinking about it, those issues got delivered in a (sometimes ) flat brown paper-wrapping right to my house, along with G.I. Joe and Cap – life was good.
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Daredevil was really good for a few years in the late eighties and early nineties. There were other good periods but that is the stuff that was current when I got into comics hardcore in high school.
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I seem to remember an Avengers story arc that had the government take over the Avengers and forced the Falcon to join. I thought that was one of the most racist things I've read in a comic.
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someone thinks Magic is real?
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I think its hilarious how marvel stick their neck out with a book by chucking in a few great old skool characters like Son of Satan only to have the book reviewed by an 8 yr old who has no idea who they are on one of the world most popular websites. Win.
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I don't blame the Kid for not liking him, though. I didn't like him much when I was a kid, except in the DEFENDERS. And before my time, STRANGE TALES was divided into two sections and two camps. As I understand it, half the kids bought it for the Nick Fury story and half bought it for Dr. Strange.I'd like to see Dr. Strange protecting the Marvel Earth from mystic threats. I don't see his powers having much effect on the physical world, although they've often been portrayed that way. I also see him as being useless in a fight and Wong useless as well. That's why he occasionally needs the Defenders. Remember the Oath by BKV. He takes Wong to Night Nurse and runs into Iron Fist and Arachnae (or whomever the character was). I was thinking: Defenders line up right there.I don't really care for the idea of Strange as an Avenger. The Avengers are the Popular Kids. The Defenders are the Outcasts. The mystics, the monsters, the loose ends, the thugs. They get together when they have to, then they split and others come in when they have to.But I'm not a big advocate of Dr. Strange as Alan Moore/Warren Ellis/real magic (yeah, I really think it's real, too, guys). As a reader, with it being something to read, I don't find it too much fun.Like most concepts, if you take it back to the original premise, you get the best starting point. Ditko, bay-bee, Ditko.I would never do fan fiction. I've always said that if you're going to spend the precious, failing seconds of your life doing that, you might as well take a shot at doing it pro. And I've always felt that comic book writing takes a particular kind of writing talent(which doesn't seem to stop a lot of current writers or the editors who hire them) but I have a vague Defenders story floating around somewhere in case Marvel ever calls (because I ain't calling them, bay-bee). I use my three of my four favorite Marvel characters as they core of the team (sorry, nothing for Johnny Human Torch to do) with Nighthawk also in the mix. Dr. Strange battles a Japanese fox spirit summoned by the Hand, while the Black Widow fends off Hand ninja who would otherwise kill Doc, and the Hulk rips apart a giant plant monster made physical by Hand sorcery in a perversion of the Shintu religion. Doc doesn't cross his own line by bringing magic into the physical world (he lets the Hulk take out a good section of mid-town, instead). Most of the time, only the reader should ever know what Dr. Strange is doing ... I guess that's my point. I dunno.
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It's no less unrealistic than any other version. The character dresses up as a bat. Let's go nuts. Actually, something with Bat-Mite and Ace the Bat Hound, that knows it's goofy is far less goofy than TDK. "Good, soldier." Yeah, like that's not goofy dialog once you've paid your taxes. Goofier than "Holy Jumping Crawdads" by far.
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CA was traditionally a book that made excellent use of the shared Marvel Universe. I've seen Cap cross paths with the Scorpion, Stilt Man, the Living Laser, the Whirlwind, the Hellfire Club, the Kingpin, Bullseye and the Rhino, etc.Mark Gruenwald introduced the concept of the Skull's Skeleton Crew. Crossbones, Mother Night, the Sleeper and that cyborg scientist I can't remember (or was he a robot? What does it matter what religion someone is?).Who can forget the Serpent Society, either in their consistent eighties incarnation or the seventies original, lead by Sub Mariner villain Warlord Krang and smashed by the Nomad?I like Cap against organizations like HYDRA, AIM, the Secret Empire, etc. Dr. Faustus (supervillain shrink) was always a fascinating concept. Also, Baron Zemo, Batroc and his Brigade (particuarily the version with Machete and that MASTER O' KUNG FU villain).
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I picked up Morrison's new Batman and Robin book; which hinges largely on Batman's "death" (soon to be revived as a Black Lantern no doubt), and though the Batman and Robin book was good, the fact that Batman's death was TOTALLY FUCKING RETARDED AND NONSENSICAL almost completely torpedoes any weight his death may have had. Same thing with this new Justice League series thats coming out - something about them trying to reassemble after the Final Crisis? The only problem being that Final Crisis, again, made almost no sense whatsoever; there was no weight to anything that was going on, and the whole WE ARE ALL DARKSEID just fell flat; at no time during reading that book did I feel any sense of urgency or danger; it just felt like random digressions about cooler stuff that we never actually get to see. Really it was an EPIC FAIL on every conceivable level -- an excellent premise COMPLETELY RUINED by Morrison's apparent mushroom binge he was on whilst writing it. Not that theres anything wrong with mushrooms or mushroom binges (lord knows I've done TONS of psychedelics), BUT theres something to be said for mixing the surreal with a coherent, engaging narrative. Final Crisis may go down in comics history as the WORST "Epic Event" ever.All that said, I loved Superman: Beyond. God Armor Superman versus the Vampire God was super friggin' cool.
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Faults and all. Bad Morrison is still better than Bendis at the top of his game, and SI wasn't the top of anyone's game.
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I don't know about the 'racist' stuff (I doubt he's any more of a racist than most human beings), but I'd been thinking recently about all the fucked up ideas he must have about women (I rented The Spirit, too-- worst film ever). In Daredevil, Sin City, ASBAR, DKR, hell, everything-- all his "strong" women are whores, prostitutes, S&M mistresses, etc., and the other women are just shrews. I think of Matt Murdock or Dwight or ASB kissing their woman in whichever comic and Miller's internal dialogue goes something like, "She's my fierce warrior. My Valkyrie. I can taste five different cocks on her breath. My warrior. My Valkyrie."Somebody wrote it before, but I think 'The Spirit' is so bad, and such a naked revelation of Miller's extreme shortcomings and fetishes, that it requires a retroactive reevaluation of all his work, even those previously regarded as 'good.'
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Congratulations, you fucking assholes.
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Feels like this is some kind of first. Probably not, though.Alright, back to doing something useful.
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"5 Different cocks on her breath" was awesome, especially because it really sounds like cliched noir Miller bullshit.
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is the simplest problem in all of comics. Doc Strange should be awesome. He isnt. Why? Because Grant Morrison isnt writing him. That was the character Morrison was BORN to write. There, problem solved. I'll be here all week.
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was one of my all time formative runs as a comic reader. Crossbones, intro of USAgent, Cap giving up the mask, all the Serpent Society stuff and the fact that Diamondback gave me a special feeling in my pants, one of the original Cap/Iron Man battles (even then Tony couldnt take him)......I'm not sure if it holds up today as I havent revisited it in a while, but back then it was gold
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tend to be written morally ambiguously or weird, because writers cant deal with their powers. Zatanna, for example (FYI the hottest character in comics, forget Power Girl), why wouldnt she just say "Pots emirc lla"? I mean, thats her powers, right? They simply are nearly impossible for writers to use, because there is no upper milit or definition. So you end up with the Spectres of the world who have outside limits placed on them. Bottom line, if you arent a JMS/Ellis/Morrison level talent, your going to have a tough time of it.
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Lex Luthor vs. Bats in a multi issue, multi arc death match.
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Was the Cap of my youth. I loved every page. Even Cap-Wolf. Even Cap-Wolf.
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Sometimes, it's just FUN to get drunk...
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...to capitalize on the whole Harry Potter craze a few years back. It's a little late now. Doc training young sorcerers could have had a magic X-Men vibe. But I don't think the Marvels That Be look too far outside of comics for inspiration or think about expanding the audience.I know if I published comics right now, I'd have a book that featured a girl with a vampire boyfriend, but that's just me liking money and popularity and knowing I could cancel the thing at any second...
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That was the Skull's robot techie in CAPTAIN AMERICA. Was driving me crazy...
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That's the way comics used to be, and should be, sure you would get some crap, but sometimes you get Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Throw some new writers and artists at any new craze that comes down the pike and see what sticks.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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But you don't have to defend me from Psynapse, I am not worried about his perception or opinion of me. Thanks for the stand-up though.
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Dude, the villian swap is the BASIS of Old Man Logan... look, just admit that the book is awesome. You know it is. ADMIT IT!
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It was because of the movie. It was Corporate mandate.
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That was how my X-men subcription showed up, waaaaaay back before Fall of the Mutants... Also, my New Warriors subscription... Do you think the skateboard was a last minute add on to Night Thrasher. I remember the New Warriors vs. Gideon where Night Thrasher used it as a snomboard, so... where did he keep his trucks and wheels? Not to mention, that shit took forever to take off.
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Nice Miller dialogue. I've been saying it for awhile now. Miller has gotten so bad, so one note, that I actively avoid him just in case his current output taints my feelings toward DKR.
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I like Sleazy's "Only the reader should know what Strange is doing" and that the Defenders actully defend Strange from the Physical world. Thats a good take. Basically, I'd like some old Hellboy plots dumped into some Strange an the Defenders world.I kind of fear Morrison on Strange though, now. Yeah, it seems like a perfect fit, but lately I've been thinking of Morrison the way I do David Lynch. Lynch built up this "visionary weird-o" rep, right? And then what happened. He started doing hings ONLY to see how weird an "out there" he could be and his narratives suffered BIg Time. And I'm afraid that if Morrison is cut loose on a comic where he is supposed to b weird, he'll spend too much time trying to be weird and all the reality, the nessecary human character of Strange needed in order to ground the reader in an alien world, would get buried.
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I'm with you. That whole Cap becoming the Captain/D-Man/Diamondback/Serpent Society/John Walker fucking flipping out and murdering bad guys/PLUS Iron Man and the Armor Wars time period was great. That was a time in my life when my only comic source was the Hallmark store near my Grandmother's house who seemed to have a grab-bag approach to the comics they received each month, but they got an entire rack of them. For like a year, that place was my Mecca. The rack was way in the back and I'd walk down there with $10 and gorge myself on comics (now a days$10 would get me two...) and despite the fact that they usually just got random titles, I somehow managed to snag the whole Captain/Serpeant Society/John Walker/Red Skull clone and the Iron War arc... That was some good shit.
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Not a bad comparison. Both started mainstream and then did more "out there" work. And the weird stuff is less popular than the more accesible.
But I think Lynch is way better with his weird stuff. Dune sucked, while Mulholland Drive is actually one of my all-time favorite movies, even though I don't really understand it. Seven Soldiers is my favorite Morrison, but Animal Man and AS Superman are also awesome, and all relatively mainstream. -
Not only was that whole time period great, but how awesome was it when Cap was infiltrating the wrestling ring where all the wrestlers were getting juiced by the Power Broker, and he meets D-Man, and they team up, and D-Man sews up an old daredevil costume knock-off with a Wolverine hat? So much good stuff. Battle Star! The Bloodstone hunt? Cap as Indiana Jones. All to be found at your local drug store with a can coke and some cool ranch Doritos, or delivered right to your door in brown paper sleeves! Huzzah!
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Anybody?
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They've been screwing him up for years! And it is possible to do good stories with him- I've picked up some old stories featuring Dr. Strange from the 70's and he was cool. He was banging hot chicks (practicing tantra with them no less),defending the earth from threats from other dimensions, dealing with demons, etc. It's not hard to make him cool. Just takes some across the board consistency to limit and definite his abilities. They need to make a "Dr. Strange bible" for the Marvel office, discussing his abilities, because he surely needs one. Because magic is so... you can do anything with it... its even more important to have some viable restrictions.
And Bendis... he doesn't know magic. He just doesn't. You need to have someone who is into fictional magic, maybe with a dash of "real world" occult knowledege to give it the added kick, to make Dr. Strange work. -
Steven Grant has a really cogent, intelligent analysis of magic and Dr. Strange in the latest Permanent Damage column. I'd offer my opinions, but he says it better.
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In which after being give weapons-grade meth his mind shuts down and reboots as 'Cane Dos V.2.0' and he dons Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and finds out he's really fighting Satan himself, or maybe just some guy. In the end he falls into a lake.
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A rope around his neck and balls? In Thailand? Discovered by a maid? Shurely shome mishtake?
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Morrison needs Quitely. The man is like Morrison's patronus of sanity.
Finally Grant has dialed back the Wierdometer from bat shit crazy back to 11. -
And man, that sucks about David Carradine. I have an upcoming miniseries that will be released at the end of the year that I can't talk about that honors him...
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Jun 04, 2009 9:50:36 AM CDT
The "reader should know what Strange is doing wasn't mine...
by sleazyg.
...it was Buzz's. Just wanna give the right guy credit, especially when it's Buzz.
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I generally can't friggin' stand Bendis, and I generally love Morrison, but SI was a more satisfying story, and Final Crisis was an Epic Fail.
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Or, you know, a massive coke binge with whores.
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I really liked it, and I generally HATE Robin as a character, but I think Morrison/Quitly (sp?) hit it out of the park. They make a great team.
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I've only been able to read the reviews so far, but Professor Pyg and his doll-faced murdergirls are featured in Morrison's Batman #666, which is becoming the Rosetta Stone for his entire run, it seems like.(Pyg gets crucified upside down in the issue)So I hope Morrison's not just waiting to kill Dick and give the mantle to Damien.
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I can't really get into BAtman: The Brave and the Bold, it's a decent kid's show but there is just someting about the 60's smiles and good times Batman that doesn't work for me. It's like watching those episodes of Scooby-Doo where Batman and Robin were the special guests. I'm not saying there shouldn't be a light hearted Batman or a more kid friendly Batman because when I was a kid I loved those episodes of Scooby-Doo with Batman and Robin. It's just a shame that Warners won't let moe than one Batman show exist at a time. When I watched Brave and the Bold I was like was lost The Batman for this? Why couldn't we have both?
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Rest In Peace...damn!
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Dune sucked!?!?! What the fuck, man? what the fuck?
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I wish he had stuck around more. It was nice to see him Civil War. The whole Bucky debacle is a great example of why they might be a little more pro-active with things like American Eagle now.
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Dune is easily the best thing Lynch ever did.
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was kiled for exposing the secrets of Kung fu.
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I loved that costume. The unpainted shield was so cool. That was when Iron man was silver and red too. Later one, I remember an issue of... something.... that was Cap, Iron Man and Thor vs. USAgent, War Machine and Thunderstrike. The issue kind of sucked, but the representations of the legacies all together was great. I wish USAgent was A. cooler and B. used more often because of that costume. But those issues where Walker lost it and flat out murdered Watchdogs and that Mutant group? I read those in shock and I can clearly remember thinking: "Ooooohh... Cap is gonna kick your ass for tainting his name...."
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Did EVERYONE just avoid it like the plague. Is it out? I saw previews all over for it.
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But it was awesome. I totally love it. That said, Mullholland Drive, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, The Straight Story, Elephant Man, and Eraserhead are all better. Dune IS better than Inland Empire, though.
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A decent firs issue, but not much happened realy. It was mostly setting up the scenario and who the big players are. Great art though. Next issue should be much cooler.
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Dune is way better than Mulholland Drive.
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No offense, but NO FRIGGIN' WAY is Dune better than Mullholland Drive. I love them both, but, M Drive is WAY better IMHO. The scene of Naomi Watts grief-rage-masturbating alone makes it an All Time Classic. Lest we forget the crazy hot lesbian scene.
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somehwere in the first half hour or so I thought, "you know, the only thing that would make this move better would be if those wo made out..." and then it happened and you know what? Even that didn't make the movie better.
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I would be willing to grant your every desire, simply because you give me the pleasure of reading DC's best book every month. Yes, SECRET SIX is DC's best book. Sorry GL fans.
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The skittle-kids are gonna get you.
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To me, Morrison isnt some delicate china doll who needs to be managed, DC has clearly taken that approach with disasterous results (although not on All Star Supes). Put him on Strange, give him some tough love, and watch the results soar. If he is half the writer he thinks he is, he can discipline himself to write that series. If he cant, maybe he isnt the writer he thinks he is.
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IS he still around? IF so, how has Bru NOT managed to work him in? John Walker was a bad ass, and gave Cap a real run for his money in the long awaited showdown, if I remember correctly.
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Once and for all, lemme say this: Old Man Logan has its moments. However, its like the Star Wars prequels, if you dont buy Anakin and his reasons for falling to the Dark Side, the whole story falls apart no matter how cool some moments are. I dont buy Logan's reasons for pacifism. In fact, those 15 pages are some of the worst comics writing I've ever read in my 34 years on Earth, and I'm beng literal there, and I was around for 10 years of X-men before I finally canned it, so you know I've seen some wretched fuckin writing. The motivation doesnt work for me, and it was lazy ass writing by Millar, which he specializes in. Having said that, old Black Bolt was rad.
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Ann was my favorite DD writer. Miller was probably the BEST, but I enjoyed Nocenti more. Number 9, Karnak and Gorgon, Captain America--all super awesome. The Captain America issue is still my favorite Cap story ever.
People, I am shocked. Not kidding. Dune was an incredible flop, got horrible reviews (Ebert picked it as the #1 worst movie of the year) and I have never actually heard anyone say they liked it before.
Everyone loves Blue Velvet, so that's his major triumph. Twin Peaks also was great at the beginning and end. But Mulholland Drive is by far my favorite. I don't need to fully understand, I understand enough and it's the only Lynch movie I felt emotionally involved with.
Due to an emergency, I was away last week. Yesterday's two-week comics total? $68. No wonder they court the adults. Who can afford that? And Marvel randomly makes some issues of the same comics $2.99 or $3.99 so if you don't look at the price....
From that huge stack, so far I've read Exiles (good, not great, art too cartoony for the story), Ms. Marvel (actually very good. But I love the Karla Sofen character. First issue of MM I've read since Carol Danvers joined Iron Man in Civil War) and New Mutants (which is actually just awesome, total geeky joy for me).
As an oldie, why in the world would I buy X-Men Forever? It's a reprint of comics I already have. Terribly overwrought comics I already have, actually. -
He was in Omega Flight, last I saw and he's back to wearing the old, cool costume but with a different shield and he has like a cop's utlity belt with a nightstick and gun and shit. It actually looks pretty cool. I don't know why nobody is using him, why wouldn't you want a really mean Captain America. Shit, sick him on the Unregistered heroes.
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I think he kind of faltered at the end though. Kind of faltered? No, he faltered now that I think about it at the end, but he did do good stuff.
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This is a pointless argument.
They both sucked. -
You're just wrong, ok? Remember the issue of Uncanny where Scott and Jean and Psylocke went to Hawaii? Way worse.Also, I still don't get what you don't understand. Here: SPOILER!Mysterio teamed up with some other villians and had his illusion power amped up to incredible levels and he was then let loose on the X-men. The end result was that Wolverine killed everyone in the mansion because he wasn't holding back and the rest were (possibly due, at times, to being hampered by their consious or by Mysterio) and as a result, became lunchmeat. Mysterios illusions play havoc within the whole scenario. How much was real, how much was Logan? Honestly though, it doesn't really matter since this is basically a What if comic and the point is to put Wolverine into the situation he was in at the start of the story. The tale is about Logan and Hawkeye's journey, NOT about how the end of the X-men. So while, sure, maybe the X-men would have been able to stop him in regular continuity, MAYBE, it doesn't matter because that isn't the point, this was just a story telling tool.Either way, end result, the X-men in the mansion were neutralized and Wolverine, having realized his worst fear, that of losing control and hurting/killing those he loved, hits rock bottom and tried to kill himself, but... it doesn't work, and by then, of course, it was all over, the Villians had won. So, with the weight of his friend's deaths on his back, he vowed never to fight again.So...Is the part you have trouble with JUST Mysterio? I don't understand.
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Thats a stack.I don't think X-men forever is a re-print, but I agree that its overwrought.
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It is, however, literally a continuation of Claremont's run on X-MEN with what he intended from issue #4 on. Since he's been writing the same stories for 30 years, it might as well be a reprint. I've never understood why Marvel continues to give the guy work when he hasn't done a single thing anybody's given a shit about in two decades, but apparently somebody out there was convinced that what the public really wanted was Claremont picking up where he left off in 1992 or whatever. You buy it, you got nobody but yourself to blame.
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Ambush Bug and the rest of you....You all rule. I cannot thank you enough.
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I was shocked at the reminder of how bad comics used to be written. The massive amount of exposition, the refusal to allow the art to show us that a character is conflicted, opting instead to have them say it. I was dumbfounded. X-men Forever made me wonder how I ever made it in comics this long. It made me questions why didn't I quit in the 90s? What was I reading that wasn't so terrible?
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And came back sometime around 2001, when there were all these Alan Moore ABC trades and the Planetary and Authority trades to draw me back in.
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So many Marvel comics were bad in the 90's, but the X-books epitomize the badness and that's why Marvel fell into ruin and had to rebuild. I am sure I could go through my stacks at home and find good Marvel from the 90's, but I can't think of any offhand.
Vertigo ruled in the 90's. Currently, I buy exactly zero Vertigo titles, but in the 90's there were the obvious-Sandman, Hellblazer, Preacher, Swamp Thing-as well as Sandman Mystery Theater, Kid Eternity, the Dreaming, Shade the Changing Man, even Black Orchid wasn't bad.
Some of the mainstream DC was pretty good as well. I believe that is the time when Kinetix et al, aka the Zero Hour Legion, existed, my all-time favorite version of the Legion. Also loved the Justice League by Chuck Wojniwicz (something like that) with Diana, Obsidian and Albert/Nuklon, whatever he called himself, Power Girl, etc. Though many people hate that JLA. Also, this was one of the best times for Wonder Woman, for what it's worth. -
I think I was more DC at the time, thinking about it, I was reading Morriosn's Invisibles and JLA. I was reading Preacher (you son of a bitch, Ennis). I was reading Wildstorm alot, Alan Moore's Wildcats run, Gen13 when it was all fetish wear, all the time. Spawn, although I'm still not sure why. I used to really like Shadowhawk, remember when he had AIDS? Age of Apocalypse was good. Remember Force Works? P.U.!
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I was all about that book back then. I think that was one of those books, that and Invisibles and JLA and Alan Moore on Wildcats that saved comics for me in the 90s. And Kingdom Come, although that doesn't really hold up as much now.
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I quit too. Because of the quality, but also because of rambling about and general lack of money. Once I stopped moving, and had a workaday job, it was ULTIMATES and Y that really just sucked me back into comics again and actually now that I think about it, finding and reading this column/talkbacks pushed me right back into the shop (thanks everyone). I’m glad too, because while those other suckers were putting their money into 401K’s and real estate, this guy was happily buying comic books and high-life, the worlds best no-return, no-risk, investment.
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Monetarily I mean, because Ultimate Cap beating down on some aliens is priceless, you just can't cash in and buy a steak with it.
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Although you do usually get a return on it in fairly short order...
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I just rent it.
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I also loved that book. Of couse, any book with violence, swearing and titties usually gets a thumbs up from me, but this one was extra special. Also Ellis on Stormwatch = good.
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I'll admit...I got a little worried when I read up on Avatar. Thankfully it seems the only similarities are in the set up...humans on newly discovered alien planet.
Not to worry though I think I take a different direction than what I've seen so far from Avatar. Maybe even more consciously now.
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I forgot about Gen13, which I always liked although the more recent version was much better. DV8 was awesome, I loved that series. Also Crimson, which may have been this decade but seems very 90's.
I have come up with one good 90's Marvel: X-Factor during the original David/Stroman run. I recall really liking that.
I have just realized that my all-time #1 favorite series is from the 90's: the original Suicide Squad.
Whose gimmicks were worse? Marvel had Northstar come out, DC killed Superman. Which series were worse? Superman or X-Men? Who sums up 90's terribleness better? McFarlane or Liefeld? So many questions. -
It was Ellis being Ennis-ized. Just being in-your-face and repetititous. So I read it for a while, then dropped it.
While I was a Preacher fan, I just threw away the very last issue and pretend that the second-to-last issue was the end. Much, much better that way. -
Obviously I am not working very hard today, but do want to mention that I just finished the Starman Omnibus 1, and it was very 90's, very good, but didn't make me really want to run pick up omnibus 2.
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I meant I kind of thinK the clone saga, and it's never-ending wave of shitty stories in chromium covers, was where the nineties broke-- the moment the wave crashed back on itself.
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is awesome, I've preached its virtues many times. Not sure about 90s-ish, although to each his own. The Shade is probably top 3 in my all time list of favorite characters in comics history, Robinson wrote that guy to perfection in my opinion. I'm currently re-reading omnibus 2 as we speak. As far as 90's quality, that one is right near the top of the list. I DID quit in the 90's actually, hence my complete lack of knowledge of Age of Apocalypse, the Clone Saga, anything DC from that era (Zero Hour, etc). I quit cold turkey. Starman and Preacher drew me back in, but only after the initial draw-back, which was Kingdom Come. That book was single handedly responsible for drawing me back into comics, and the Supes/Capt. Marvel confrontation in that book is still amongst my most treasured comics moments, possibly THE most.
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I read bits and pieces at the time, and I've since read that story in hindsight from .25 bins and such. Man, talk about horrible. That story sucked balls from start to finish, begining to end, in every aspect. Doomsday sucked, the dialogue sucked, Supes coming back to life by "going towards the bright light" sucked. Shitty in all aspects.
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They took, what, eight different X-men titles, rejuggled them with all different casts into a world with a fully realized history, and unique designs and told stories that were pretty much all isolated to each particular title and yet all came together into one big story at the end. There was only like 2 book end issues and four issues per title. Plus there was another title that told the story of the rest of the Marvel U that was awesome. The whole thing should be used as a model for big events. It was so good, in fact, that when they went back to the same old crap the very next issue back to the "Real" world, I dropped X-men until Grant Morrison came on board.Totally worth hunting down.
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It wasn't Ellis being Ennis, Homer, it wa Ellis doing his cheap Hunter S. Thompson impression... that being said, there were some really good arcs in there.
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Everyone is tired of my ranting on this, so this will be the capper of my opinions on this. It doesnt suck because its a scene for scene, nearly line for line remake of Eastwood's Unforgiven, although it is. Or because its entire "Villians Win!!" premise is ripped off from Wanted in all aspects, although it is. Or that it falls apart when subjected to the slightest scrutiny or logic, although it does (The villians won because....they decided they felt like winning? And beat the greatest minds and military leaders of the day, who had beaten them soundly a million times before, by merely deciding to gang up on them? Gee, how would Reed Rchards EVER come up with a counter to such an ingenious plan? And Thor was in Colorado randomly whilt Pym was fighting in Ohio or whatever? Huh. Ok then.). IT doesnt suck because of any of those reasons. Actually, it sucks because Millar had 5,000 cool ways to turn Wolvy. Years of torture. A betrayal by Emma Frost. A puppet master style villian controlling him and making him watch himself kll his friends. Wolvy gongi berserk and killing hundreds of villians. A hostage family member. ANYTHING. Instead, we get what we got, a rehash of a HYDRA storyline they ONLY DID 2 YEARS AGO!!! L-A-Z-Y. And sorry, Millar gets no slack from me the way BKV might. You write that last panel of Wanted, you get what you paid for. He used up any slack with me when he wrote that shit, fuck em as far as I'm concerned.
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God, that was Ramos's big title. I wanted to like that book, but just couldn't. DV8 was Ellis, too. Weird. Ah... Gen13, so sexy, so vacuous.
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Ill give it a look, I've heard good things. However, is the phony "future slang" too distracting though?
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"It doesnt suck because its a scene for scene, nearly line for line remake of Eastwood's Unforgiven, although it is"Invalid, stated as intent at on-set of project. Unofrgiven meets Mad Max. And he can't steal from himself. Wanted is his book. See, you're focusing on the back story too much, its not the point. It happened, accept it, now move onto the story. You're blaming the comic for not being the book you want, which is the final battle between good and evil. Old Man Logan is the story of the Day after...
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ITs not future. Its an alternate world. I don't remember any slang. The premise is that Legion (remember him, Prof X's other son... me either) he went back in time meaning to kill Magneto and accidently got his Dad... Oops!
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Seriously, Age of Apocalypse is probably my all time favorite crossover epic. I still re-read various parts of it. There isn't much future-slang at all, it's cohesive, imaginative, fast-moving. And it introduced Blink, FWIW.
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was beyond my cortical capacity. And the big ending, to me, seemed like just an attempt to make that damned TV pilot long enough for a feature. It has some great moments, but it doesn't make much sense, which is my usual complaint about Lynch. "Dune" is a mess, but it's a fun mess. The expanded TV edition actually is better than the theatrical version, though, because the TV editors forced it to make some sense. Yes, I'm a heretic
I didn't care for the Nocenti DD stories because, in spite of her talent as a plotter, she undid so much of what Miller accomplished in only seven (eight?) issues of "Born Again." I didn't want to see Murdoch back in the same old storefront lawyer situations. I LIKED him as a supposedly sighted fry cook! -
His best work to this date IMO.
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Let me think of something I'm good at...OK..typing fucking profanity.
Now, if each time I typed, shit, cock, fuck, balls and assplay someone close to me died. You can bet your ass that would be the last time I typed a dirty.
Same thing with Wolverine in Old Man Logan. Personally, I bought it hook, line and sinker.
One of my favorite future stories, although it went through multiple titles -- Armageddon 2001.
Did the whole thing get bastardized afterward, you betcha, but for a few precious moments that summer (remember when annuals always came out in the summer)I was in alternate reality heaven. -
Wanted to make sure AoA wouldnt be riddled with the usual "Dast his Fraggin Carcass, Space That frakkin (insert gibberish)!!" type future-speak, with phony curse words inserted to replace the ones they cant actually use. Highly annoying.
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Is building a pretty nice alternate tomorrow with X-FACTOR.
I love that book just a little too much. -
About the guys who act as super heroes?
http://tinyurl.com/r2pxuo
I might have to move back to Minnesota so I can become Captain You Betcha. -
for me, never regained the momentum it lost from the crossovers and Stroman periods. I want to love it. I really do, but anything non-Madrox related at this point is just horrible. The Val Cooper stuff with Longshot, Siryn, etc is so boring I can feel minutes of my life slipping away as I read it that I wont ever get back. Peter David so clearly only cares about Madrox at this point. Marvel editorial should be taken out into the public square and beaten for allowing such an awesome book to hit the rocks and sink.
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Pick it up with issue #39 and go onward, it's once again kicking ass. Yes, Madrox has the most screentime but, godddamnit, he's the main character.
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Great one-off issue and ties in directly to the current storyline.
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Siryn has actually become quite interesting since the baby absorption and Monet is delicious and never written better.
Yeah, LongShot still sucks, but he's way more interesting than he's been in nay other title. -
Siryn has actually become quite interesting since the baby absorption and Monet is delicious and never written better.
Yeah, LongShot still sucks, but he's way more interesting than he's been in nay other title. -
Siryn has actually become quite interesting since the baby absorption and Monet is delicious and never written better.
Yeah, LongShot still sucks, but he's way more interesting than he's been in nay other title. -
I had the same reaction to Age of Apocalypse when it came out-- when the series ended after four or five months and the regular titles came back, I found I didn't give a shit about the regular versions of the characters and dropped the X-books.And I completely agree with goose about Old Man Logan. It's just so damn stupid, all the time.
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Wow! That was almost like typing, "Do you have something to share with the rest of us, Amazing Larry?"Private Hudson was a realistic, human, kick ass Marine who was scared by a scary situation but did his job and came through. Great character by Cameron, great performance by Paxton.
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I always imagine the lost Lynch that never happened. RONNIE ROCKET. ONE SALIVA BUBBLE. RETURN OF THE JEDI.
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There was an article in ROLLING STONE about them a few months ago. I remember Matt Groening writing about BARTMAN several years ago, saying that superhero comics were so outrageous (he meant it as a compliment) that none of the kids who'd been warped by them over the last century had ever actually tried it...Now, we all know supervillains are real...
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He could have got another director when Lynch dropped out. And then he could have given us those prequels he promised.
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...freaky character. I like the Marvel mutant characters and books best when the creative teams aren't afraid to shy away from the freak factor (and with comics, the freak factor often works more as a character issue than physical freakdom for some reason). This was from a Bill Sienwitcz-Sizenwitch-Syzonfrutz NEW MUTANTS story. Bill Sassafrass never shyed away from the freak factor in his art.
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The most quotable character in movies? Possibly......."Why don't you put her in charge?!?!!"......"Its game over man!! GAME OVER!!!!"......"One way express elevator to hell, goin DOWN!!!"...."Yeah I have a question, how do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?"..... LOL Hudson was awesome
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or whatever his name was, was great too....what happened to him anyway?
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been awesome, its the rest of the cast that fell off for me. Ill give it another shot though. FYI, my LCS guy and myself both agree that the Madrox mini from a few years ago was one of our fave minis of the last 5 years.
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That MAdrox special was some damn good stuff.
I love giving him the role of DC's Batman, something the Marvel U has desperately needed. -
From Keith Giffen's 'Unfortunate Confluence of Words' column today. The main topic was "WHY I'M GRATEFUL TO (STILL) BE DOING COMICBOOKS"47. The Assholes (that's what they call themselves so back off!) at aintitcool.com are still the high bar for fan critiques IMHO. Yes, even when they're dumping on me.Hellz Yeah!
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and see the previous post as to why. :)
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I saw that. No one seemed to mention that these people were neither 'super' nor 'heroes', as they didn't actually do anything heroic.Can't wait till one of those clowns actually gets in a fight. That'll bring the reality train home.
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It would have been a MASTERPIECE.
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I read an article about them awhile back and there was one guy riding around in his corvette wearing a silver unitard and a flight helmet and carrying a shotgun and the police had straighten his dumb ass out. I think the day one of these morons ends up dead will be an amazing day. It'll be like a Powers Issue come to life. I think thats when it will start for real. The first dead one will inspire the others to come out of the woodwork... Then Galactus will show up and me and my fancy zippo will be waiting...
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I also wish Lucas had continued making Star wars. I've always wanted to see more of them.
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If all these real life 'super-heroes' get together for bbq's in costume? They must... that's just the way real super-heroes do it. That’s just west coast.
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Then they agonize: "How can I drink this beer without removing my helmet and thus revealing my secret identity..."Steve, did you see in Avengers Reunion, those damn dirty skrulls set up a fake Avenger's BBQ! Man, Hawkeye was right... kill 'em all!
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this is pretty much THE place for comics critique, as far as I'm concerned. And not just because I'm here, although thats a big part of it.
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Yes I did! Do you think your posts influenced that? I bet it did. Also, the only good Skrull is a dead one.
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Its because I'm here, right? Thats what you think, I know it.
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I was hoping, because of all the previews, that it was read here and put in for us. Of course, WCA BBQs were only about one of the best things ever as far as Avengers stuff was concerned, second only to Giant Man's complete disdain for Jarvis, so maybe the creators were naturally just fans as well.
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That's how we've always drank beer without taking masks off at Halloween or theme parties. Just sayin'....
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Iron Man can't look tough while sipping a beer through a straw!
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I'm sure their fans, but I think you brought that moment back to the collective consciousness of all Avengers fans. Your posts on the WCA BBQ were the tipping point, soon every book is going to have heroes in full kit, enjoying burgers and the fellowship that only comes when barbecuing on a summer afternoon sweating through your tights while trying to sip high life through a straw. Let’s not even get started on Giant Man's tea cup. Do they even have a Hobart at the mansion, or is Jarvis cleaning everything by hand? He probably had to use a mop and a stool. A dirty mop at that that. Take that Giant Man, have a little dirty mop water with your Bigelow non-caffeinated teas.
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You just know he's back there, mutterin bitterly while brewing gallons of tea: "Can't just shrink down and have normal tea... Oh, no, look at me, I'm Giant-man, bring me the Giant tea cup, because I'm Giant Man... wife beating son of a bitch..."
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Sucks. It's very bad.
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...saga we'd have found out how Han Solo got out of the carbonite. I'll bet Jabba the Hutt's headquarters was awesome. And I'll bet Boba Fett was destroyed in an awesome way. Some fan fiction guy wrote about Luke temporarily turning to the dark side, then bringing a dying Vader back to the light with him in some sort of act that would redeem his father from destroying an entire planet. No way would George fluff all that stuff off.
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Pasty faced clown commits monstrous acts at a place called Neverland Ranch and uses his wealth to escape punishment. Man, if some guy in a snake suit or something would have come crashing in...
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in RS, the writer treated the guys respectfully, which is nice since making fun of them is our job here on the ol' internet.And I don't think it ever once mentioned comic books, which was weird because you know these guys had to have read one too many...
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As Laser Head said, they are not "real" nor do anything "super." But still, it is like these guys read the first issue of "Kick Ass" and looked at it as a How to Manual.
The sad thing is they are destroying every criticism JoeNathan has ever had. BBQ while in costume and guys never taking off their costumes, that is how these guys act. Shit, they probably sit around the house watching TV in their tights and cape.
I don't like to judge others, but this is just sad... -
Just read something where he says if he knew that Boba Fett was so popular he never would have killed him in such a ridiculous fashion.
How the hell didn't he know he was so popular?!? He was only the biggest selling figure they ever had!!! -
I want to see Luke sitting behind Han in the Millennium Falcon, telling him what a Lightsaber can do to a woman's pussy.
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Haters can suck my axe (or read their superhero comics all over again)!
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Thanks for this glowing review Ambush Bug! You make it sound like we know what we're doing.. ha
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