If anyone dropped the ball, superhero, it's you on this review.

Joss Whedon's RUNAWAYS...hasn't done a whole lot for me, still fun and above average but lacking the invention and originality of Vaughan's run. The characters seem a little too one-note in comparison too, and Molly's being overused.

And SPIDER-MAN AND THE FANTASTIC FOUR is the shit.

But I have to disagree that Y has gone downhill in the last year. I have greatly enjoyed it and felt it was tying up storylines in a most satisfactory manner. In fact, I give it a total "A."

Good to hear from ya, JQ!

You're a fucking troll. Not a clever or entertaining or funny one, mind you--just a self-involved one who's completely in love with himself and the little bridge he lives under.

So go right ahead and keep doing what you've been doing, and we'll all do the same: ignoring you and refusing to take you seriously, because you're a waste of fucking time and effort.

I mean, sure, you could always try and contribute something constructive or original or insightful, thereby proving just how smart you really are...oh, wait: no you couldn't. Guess it's back to jerking off over your copy of the SEBASTIAN O trade paperback or Morrison's VAMPIRELLA run for you, eh?

...he knows how to make lots of fancy user IDs so it looks like people are agreeing with him.

...he understood absolutley EVERYTHING in 7 SOLDIERS. Just doesn't fancy explaining it.

To my surprise, I liked Marvel Zombies: Dead Days. No interest at all in the Evil Dead crossover, since I hate that mixed-media stuff. And I dropped Ultimate X-Men because Kirkman's writing on that one is just horrendous. I actually bought Dead Days for my 12-year-old nephew, but surprise....I really enjoyed it. I liked the backstory on the whole zombie plague, and out-of-character behavior doesn't bother me in "alternate" worlds. Perhaps a bit misogynistic, but way above average for Kirkman, a solid "B."

Finally, a question: Should I know already what's going on with Mary Marvel? I see a lot of chatter about "what's being done with her," but I don't really know what that is?

Really finally: Ultimates 2 si finally concluded! YaY! Trade Paperback soon to come. If ever there were a book meant to be read in collected format, it's Ultimates.

I'd be all:"Will you get those fuckin' TVs down here? We need 'em on the floor!"

And Bug would be all,"I'm trying to get the column together! Who threw that?"

While Squashua and Superhero raced forklifts, Sleazy would zip in on a motorized handcart and say, "Man, can you believe the housewives today? Ever since the built that housing development...those boys are doing alright for themselves."

Bug:"The column is fucking short! Buzz, could you please fucking write something?"

And I'd say,"No,man, ever since my promotion, I don't have time."

ALL:"But yer just third-associate-assistant-stoc kroom-manager."

That said, I don't think you need a synopsis with a lot of modern comics because they'd read like this:"People talked a lot and did nothing last issue..."

#1 needed a lot of things it was missing to work: a recap page because it was so incredibly behind schedule (well over half a year, if I remember correctly), subtle reminders of what had happened, more than three pages spent per character, and--most importantly--some heart. Some of the series felt empty and paint-by-numbers, and when you're only giving each one a coupla pages, you need to give the reader a reason to give a damn. For some characters there was, and for some it just lacked resonance. It was an interesting idea, but was lacking a bit in follow through and in emotional grounding. Not unusual for Morrison, really, but disappointing nonetheless.

OK, I must admit that I do not care for the reviews of 2 or 3 of the reviewers, and I may criticize their reviewing skills. I certainly do not expect one of these reviewers to start insulting me or getting all huffy because I didn't agree with the review. If I were vale, I'd be offended by what superhero said. I'd expect it from a talkbacker, but not a reviewer.

OK, Vale... that argument blew. the "joke" would have worked, but with a better set-up.

superhero, no worries! yay for discussion on the TB, tis a great thing. :) As far as this issue of Y went. I still believe it was all about closure for 355. To her, she is finally done with the shenanigans of Mr. Brown, for better and especially for worse. But BKV... I too have serious, serious doubts that he's done with her. Personally, I think it'd rock if she was gone from the book for good, or at least shown to be watching from a distance, but with no in-story character interaction. This past year? Meh, I'll agree that it was so-so. But I will say that I did buy the Dr. Mann's daddy with the monkey poop after the third time I read it. after all, SOMEONE had to handle Ampersand, why not the dude who caused it in the first place? I do have one question though superhero, what DID you like about this issue? after re-reading all your comments, I can't find a single thing you've said that says "yeah, there's some good stuff, stick around 'til the end" nor anything like "drop the book like it's Hasselhoff". It's easier to list the faults of someone/thing, but it's far harder to also list the positives of something you don't agree with. (Wow, I feel like I'm back doing my Student Teaching self-analysis in Senior Year again.)

On a side note, I can't wait til next week's review of the stalemate that was Uncanny X-Men

Hmmm, Does Oscar have a "p-face"

Gentlemen...I salute you.

as far as the recap page or paragraph at the beginning of late books goes, i see it both ways. i think it's a good idea and only fair considering how late some of these books come out and it is nice to get the reader caught up. but part of me understands that most of the writers doing these types of book aren't really pacing the story for individual issues anymore anyway. instead the writters are thinking about how it will read in the trade paper back.

and yes, i agree, that sucks. but it's just part of the reality of the medium at this point so what can you do? in the end it's just an unfortunate side effect of the medium of comics "growing up", so to speak. even with books i get on a monthly basis, i find i get much more out of them when the story arc or crossover ends and i get a chance to go back and re-read the story as a whole.

so just to "recap" that for everyone: yeah, having a paragraph recounting the main events of a long storyline when a book is late is nice and all. but in the end, if i don't remember whats going on in any given title, i can always get off my lazy ass and find the back issues in the longboxes if i really need to, so it's never been a point of contention for me personally.

Fisrt off, I would like to thank Thalya, Psynapse and Stones_throw for their fine props. Dregmobile, cool that you disagreed. I'm not going to start a war with you. Sorry, man. We're just too tight y'know? I'd like to really get into the discussion here, but I don't want to reveal any Y or Ultimates secrets to myself, so I think I'll take a break for a few days. Y'all can spoiler the shit out of 'em.

In an unrelated topic, I was in Seattle two weeks ago and I bought a ton of comics, since there's so few available here. I finally picked up Y Volume 6. (I've had Volume 7 since last July and I was itching to read it.) I think the highlight was the Desolation Jones trade. JH William's art is great and I think you all should read it. I didn't pick up Seven Soldiers, but I did get Seaguy. Seaguy was great. I have no idea what happened, but it was good. I'm rereading it now so I can better figure things out. That was confusing enough, so I think I'll wait a bit before I pick up Seven Soldiers.

Finally, I really love that DC has the balls to put out the next issue of All Star Batman. I honestly think I might read it now.

also (and please don't take this the wrong way) but calling yourselves the "leauge of @$$holes" really dosen't set the tone for "reasoned debate". thats kind of like daffy duck complaining that no-one takes him seriously, regardless of the fact that he named himself "daffy" duck. again i say this not to be a jerk, just saying it might be a factor to consider when questioning the lack of insightful debate in the talkback.

believe me, i get the place where you guys are comming from, "@$$holes" seems like a clever enough twist to make it exactally as you guys intended it to be when you started these reviews. kind of tounge in cheek but with a deep love of comics. i get that i really do. and i really like the comic reviews you guys do, it's great that someone is representing comics BOOKS (and not just comicbook movies) here at AICN.

all i'm screaming is that some words can't shake their negative vibe no matter how you intend for it be be re-interpreted. it's just someting to consider next time you lament the lost concept of healthy debate in these talkback.

and again, i say this with no malice. and i don't mean to imply that you guys deserve the shit you get from people because of the name you picked. all i'm saying is that as far as names of groups goes,"@$$holes" ....well it ain't exactally "the beatles" now is it?

I stole the @$$hole monicker from Kevin Smith. There was a talkback about JAY & SILENT BOB ARE ALL I CAN DO or whatever it was called, and Harry and Kevin were chuckling over the depiction of "talkback assholes". At first, I was irritated that my friends were spelling it @$$hole, but that became funnier somehow, like when Alex Cox edited out all the swear words from REPO MAN and decided it made a much funnier movie. I found it hilarious that a film director would give a shit what someone said about him on a messageboard. I can see Sam Peckinpaugh or Don Siegel getting their feelwings huht, ya know? So I wrote back: "Dear Kevin, Talkback @$$hole Number One Here"...

I was amazed at the e-hate-mail I got from other talkbackers. Like they knew Kevin Smith. Like he was a friend of theirs. He's not their friend. I mean, I like John Boorman's movies but I'm not going to send ya an e-mail because you make fun of Boorman (and before you shit, I like Kevin Smith's persona and all that. I've just had to realize, over the years, that I don't much like his movies or comics).

Also, at the time, there was another comic book review group here at AICN. They were professionals. How the hell can you be a professional comic book reviewer? And why would you want to? Comic books are supposed to be fun. They are Outside. They are Contra, bay-bee. Fuckin' Contra. These guys were professional because they told us so. Also, they weren't allowed to write negative reviews. They didn't appreciate it when we talkbackers pointed out at the time that they weren't really reviewing: they were advertising for free. Also, they weren't allowed to swear. Swearing, the head pro told me, meant you didn't get quoted in ads. "So you are advertising?" I said. In one of our first columns, insane Canuck "Yukon" Jon Quixote started off with a list of swear words. We got a nasty post from the other guy about that. I kind of agreed with him. "Fuck yeah," I said.

The funny thing about developing the @$$hole person was that it soon became apparent that many fans weren't really all that interested in comics. They followed a writer (never an artist any more) and called him a creator, even though he didn't create anything. It was like they thought the writer was their friend and they had to protect him. Maybe he had a messageboard they posted at. It seemed strange to me that people would base their self images on guys who wrote comic books. I mean, I still think Marv Wolfman is the greatest but I don't get my identity from him. @$$holishness seemed like a way to help our fellow fans out by example. Never once worked.

People would bitch about our qualifications, our professionalism, etc. How the hell does someone have qualifications to review a comic book? It's a comic book. Read some comic books and yer qualified to review a comic book.

Taking a cue from Smith (and hip hop), @$$holes always seemed ready to mix it up with the talkbackers. Sometimes, it's just for fun. Sometimes, we forget to be cool (but really how cool can guys who review comic books be?) I still find the idea hilarious of a comic book guy who comes across like surfer defending his breaks. Deluded characters and personas are funny to me.

I think @$$hole is a great name. It's memorable. It's vulgar. It says it all.

again, i'n not suggesting you guys should change the name or that you need to stop being who you are, or that you deserve the shit you get from some people. just suggesting that, all things considered, the occasional person acting like an "asshole" in the talkbacks is just par for the corse, so to speak.

To me, not recapping at all is giving up. Giving up on the idea that you may have new readers. Talk about CHILDREN OF MEN. Next thing you know, I'll be assigned a mission to smuggle the last new comic reader on Earth to a ship sailed by the Nerd Project.

Good exposition is one natural way. All of us probably reflect on the most dramatic events on their lives, especially the recent ones. For example, I'm sure many of you are thinking,"Okay, I didn't score that time, but almost...I will lose this virginity if it kills me!" Shit like that. Hey, it can even make sense:

WOLVERINE:Hey, Summers, what's wrong with Jeannie?

CYCLOPS:What do you think, man? She just stopped Firelord from burning down the state of New York and used up her power to transport us across the universe. She's out cold."

Marvel used to do them in a light hearted way, back when the only humor in comics wasn't snark and in jokes:"See the woman? That's a clone of the heroes girlfriend. The gent in the tarantula suit would be the Tarantula and the other gent in the jackal suit would be the Jackal. But who's the webbed titan in chains that they're kicking off the bridge? If you don't know that, true believer, you've picked up the wrong magazine. Archie is on the other side of the spinner rack."

Superhero responded to Vale by calling him a "pretentious prig" and telling him to get over himself. Is that necessary? Does it add to anything? I'd say not. Should Vale have responded with cursing? Of course not, but he was insulted first, and by a reviewer.

Of course, I love Y, and I really enjoyed the latest issue as well as the past year that seems to have bored many people. I could defend the plot and character development, or I could insult people who don't like it. Being older, I'd prefer option A.

What I do love is getting answers to all my questions here. Thalya clued me in on the Mary Marvel thing, which does indeed sound horrible and like something Quesada would do, but I guess I'll see if the misogynistic treatment of Jean Loring is passed on to Mary Marvel, or if something better will ultimately come out of it. Really sounds awful, but I'll reserve judgment for now.

Electro asking that shapeshifting ho to become Spidey? Well, I must agree with Squashua: That sounds quite interesting. Like Mirror Master becoming a cokehead. While that move was hated here, I quite enjoyed it. Not like MM or Electro have well-defined characteristics to violate, after all. Why not let the villains be kinky?

For further details on just what a lady-boy (or ladyboy, or lady boy--all spellings are used to refer to the same people) is, feel free to check out the below link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L adyboy

I have to admit, though, what I enjoyed responding to were the hate e-mails I'd get. I always begged those guys to post them in the talkbacks so I'd have an audience for the snark fueled horrors I unleashed on 'em but none of 'em would do it. My personal favorite was one guy who told me that he'd never read anything as painfully unfunny as my review since he'd seen GIGLI, which his girlfriend made him see. Of course, I responded in a mature you fashion:"Ha! Ha! You saw GIGLI! And an imaginary chick made you see it. Yer whipped, dude."

Also, no one should call El "pretentious" even though I've done that myself a time or two. In my own defense, I didn't really think he was pretentious but I knew it would get a rise out of him. It's part of the @$$hole strategy of tearing a man down, building him back up part of the way, then delaying the completion of the job until the check clears.

Anyone seen Alan Partridge

guess i just went about trying to say that the wrong way. anywho, i'm glad that got cleared up. here is to hoping that one of you guys/gals reviews "ALL STAR GODAMN BATMAN and ROBIN THEMUTHAFRACKIN' BOY WONDER" next week and we all can have a good giggle together in THAT talkback. cheers up to the @-holes and cogs.