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AICN COMICS REVIEWS KING KIRBY! X-MEN! AMBUSH BUG! DAN DARE! AND MUCH MORE!

X-Men by Rupee88	Jul 30th, 2008 05:11:42 AM
cool cover by Ross. I gave up on Marvel after the last secret war type summer crossover...just stupid now.
Same with me Rupee88 by mrfan	Jul 30th, 2008 05:12:55 AM

I hear ya Rup by optimous_douche	Jul 30th, 2008 05:46:23 AM
Aside from the X-titles I have pretty much abandoned Marvel as well (although I did like the latest She-Hulk that crossed X-Factor – Peter David, go figure). The problem is I have collected every damn issue of Uncanny and I just can't let go. I live every other facet of my life with scrutinizing pessimism, but for some reason I keep living under the delusion that the next issue of Uncanny will be the one to make the angels sing and rain Twisted Tea from the heavens. The thing is, they haven’t been awful, they’re just not great. I guess not everything can be.
after ennis is done with the Punisher in #60 by palewook	Jul 30th, 2008 05:51:25 AM
what does Marvel have left that's worth spending cash on monthly? not much.
Uncanny by Mr_Sinister	Jul 30th, 2008 05:59:24 AM
It was a weird issue. The dialogue was really odd too. Cyclops actually said 'Suck it' before attacking Magneto... Mike Carey's X-Men Legacy has been very consistent though. The end of the latest issue was surprising. I'm not sure if my favourite villain is really gone or not.
Mr Sinister by optimous_douche	Jul 30th, 2008 06:24:06 AM
While I can understand the loss of a penis would signify the end of life it self for most men (OK all). Mr Sinister semed alive, well and content with his shiny new vagina and itty bitty titties. Or did I miss something?
Optimus by Mr_Sinister	Jul 30th, 2008 06:55:50 AM
Haha, that was great!
Bug, it's Sugar and SPIKE. by rev_skarekroe	Jul 30th, 2008 07:45:48 AM
But that's semantics. Year None was indeed a fine comic. I like that the Bug isn't a sad sack like he was for his last few appearances (save 52), even if he's not quite the zany prankster he was in his early days. He's somewhere in between ("As usual, I lower Batman's swivel chair 6 inches. Don't tell him it was me"), which is just fine. It is very DC Universe in-jokey, so I don't think he's going to pull in many new readers, but you never know. My only other gripe is that I didn't understand until halfway through that this issue takes place shortly before Identity Crisis - I was all confused for a minute when he's talking to Jean Loring on the phone.
"what does Marvel have left that's worth spending cash on monthl by rev_skarekroe	Jul 30th, 2008 07:47:20 AM
I have high hopes for Guardians of the Galaxy.
How do you... by Dax_Bladerunner	Jul 30th, 2008 08:11:21 AM
know whether or not Marvels comics are any good if your not reading or buying them? Just saying.
return of the bug... by blackthought	Jul 30th, 2008 08:19:53 AM
all hail. giffen is still sharp thankfully.
X-Men by Bluejack	Jul 30th, 2008 08:27:26 AM
The X-Men have become tired. Wolverine in particular. 500 is like a giant reset button. Kitty Pryde=Armor. Just unoriginal and boring.
Ambush Bug is supposed to be funny? by Funketeer	Jul 30th, 2008 08:39:45 AM
I mean the comic sure is but the reviewer?
fuck X-Men by kungfuhustler84	Jul 30th, 2008 09:39:32 AM
Whedon's Astonishing is over, so who the hell needs it? Captain America and Iron Fist are all I really need. and fuck Secret Invasion too. no more crossovers for me thanks
Firestorm in JLA? by FatRat	Jul 30th, 2008 09:39:45 AM

Firestorm in JLA? by FatRat	Jul 30th, 2008 09:40:56 AM
Which version of Firestorm is it? The original Ronnie Raymond or the new (can't remember his name) version. Either way, as long as he is back!
Marvel = Nova by FatRat	Jul 30th, 2008 09:44:03 AM
Right now the only Marvel comic I pick up on a regular basis is Nova. That's it. Used to love X-Men, Ghost Rider, Moon Night, Avengers, but lately the only one I can pick up is Nova.
Fake Stan Lee's review of Kirby: King of Comics by Irving_Forbush	Jul 30th, 2008 09:45:49 AM
...from four and a half months ago, you know, like when the book came out? http://tinyurl.com/6g8mgm And his assessment of the who created Spider-Man controversy discussed in the same book: http://tinyurl.com/6jz672
Comic book artwork rant by Snookeroo	Jul 30th, 2008 10:50:32 AM
I think the AICN intro about the $5.99 embossed, die-cut, double bagged issue touches on something that the current stable of comic artists seem to miss entirely: simplicity. Less is more. The covers for X-Men, Thunderbolts, Justice League, GL Corps and Avengers are so over-done, so over-worked that you have to stare at them for 10 minutes just to figure out what's supposed to be happening. Certainly the use of gradients, textures, etc. are a great step forward in the medium; but like CGI in a movie it has it's place. When every effect is used full throttle, when every detail is rendered in minutia, the end result is a lot of visual noise. Speaking of Kirby -- he understood this better than most of the artists of his time. His panels were full, but never at the expense of not telling the story. Comic book artists have sacrificed the art of telling a story visually for the sake of technique alone. None of these covers are intriguing -- none of them make you want to buy the book. They are uber-rendered snapshots of characters posing. At it's heart, comic book artwork is a graphic depiction of a story; these artists are sacrificing the story for the sake of being too literal. Ok -- rant over. We now return you to your regularly scheduled talkback.
Why do any of you guys even buy new comics? by Joenathan	Jul 30th, 2008 10:54:34 AM
You don't like any of them. Why not just build a massive fort out of all your dusty old long boxes, crouch down and spend the rest of your days wacking it over the way they were? None of you, none, were willing to like SI before it came out, that much was obvious before the first issue hit and god forbid you have to review a Millar penned comic... Tell me, what exactly would Marvel have to do to satisfy you lot, since a cohesive, continuous, linked universe is obviously not what you want? I bet the answer is a return to the braindead, Norman Rockwell esqe story telling of the silver age, isn't it? People, people, everyone has to grow up sometime and that includes comics, so you should too.
I didn't think Dan Dare was an obscure character by O_Goncho	Jul 30th, 2008 11:24:17 AM
Never read a Dan Dare comic in my life, mind you, but I can say the same for Captain America, Thor, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Flash, etc and I've still known about them (and him) as long as I can remember.
FUnniest line I've heard this year: "that Jack Kirby could draw by Cletus Van Damme	Jul 30th, 2008 11:36:46 AM
Kirby could draw like epileptics breakdance.
New Comics by Bluejack	Jul 30th, 2008 12:02:47 PM
I love plenty of new comics. Just not the X-Men. My current Buy Pile: Iron Fist, Iron Man, Captain America, Daredevil, Invincible, GL, GLC, Walking Dead, Dynamo Five, Avengers (both), Powers, NOVA!!! and Guardians of the Galaxy. I just think the X-Men are stale.
Kirby by Bluejack	Jul 30th, 2008 12:08:57 PM
whether or not you actually like Kirby, it's nigh blasphemous to suggest he was not tremendously influencial. Snookeroo said he was ranting BTW. I personally find Kirby's work thick and heavy handed, but his page composition was great and he was a wonderful pictorial storyteller. One reason I like Invincible is the clean lines of the art, and that fits with that book (return to silver age as a veneer with more modern undertones). Daredevil and Cap are a lot less clean these days, which suits the in depth, gritty stories. When you look at X-Men 500, the art is VERY heavy, and I think that choice is not the best for the title.
X by Homer Sexual	Jul 30th, 2008 12:17:30 PM
Ok, first I want to say that I enjoy many comics, and have been trying to quit buying comics I no longer enjoy. But the purpose of reviews is not just to say how great something is. There are publicity sites if that is what one is looking for. So, anyway, X-Men 500....whatever. As an off-and-on reader of X-Men. I picked up 500 to see if it was worth following, and I won't be picking up 501. 500 was just not especially interesting. It was ok, but I am not looking for more "ok" comics to spend my $$$. Ambush Bug was good. Not great, but good. Some of it fell flat, even for long-time readers, and some of it was stale. But some of it was very amusing. I appreciate pointing out the misogynistic streak of killing the DC women. Marvel, meanwhile, is making nearly all the prominent Skrulls female as well. Maybe this is a back-to-basics move on the part of both companies to make comics more male again. Speaking of dropping books that are "ok," New Warriors is about to meet that fate. I actually enjoy the storyline, but 14 issues in and only like two of them have personalities. I've read 14 issues of a book and still can't keep the team members straight? That is a problem.
I'm Not Quite Sure I Get Jaenathan's Rant by optimous_douche	Jul 30th, 2008 12:21:36 PM
Isn't this site all about new comics? No medium is perfect, nor will everyone love every aspect of it. I thought we all converge here in an attempt to voice our concerns about facets of comics; if we truly hated them, we would not be here. I did give SI a chance, but it was not to my liking. If my LCS orders are any indicator I'm in the minority. I just don't care any more. They shouldn't be fixing continuity after the fact, it should always be front of mind. Marvel is not alone DC makes similar gaffs. I wonder what editorial does all day??????
Anyone read War Heroes? by BangoSkank	Jul 30th, 2008 12:30:05 PM
That was the new Millar book last week, right? What did people think?
PAD Supergirl - want to know what happened? by Squashua	Jul 30th, 2008 12:34:58 PM
Read "Reign in Hell"!
JLA Vixen subplot deemed boring by guy creaming jeans over Ambus by MrSensitive	Jul 30th, 2008 12:53:07 PM
...the line between pass and fail gets weirder and weirder by the week.
You got the touch, Optimous, you got the power by Joenathan	Jul 30th, 2008 02:10:34 PM
All I'm saying is that, it seems to me that I could write each of your opinions before you do. Now, you, yourself, Optimous, you're not as bad as some of the others here (although definately guilty of the pre-SI release hate... admit it), but it seems to me that many of the rest here are driven not by a love for comics or the stories and art they contain but by a deeply rooted batch of hurt feelings over the fact that despite having read comics for 40ish years, they're still largely ignored by the industry. So that percieved slight and the feeling of this World leaving them behind, seems to make them generally kind of bitter. This is what I read every week. Wah, wah, comics are as good as they used to be, wah, wah, remember how awesome the old avengers were, wah, wah, I pooed myself. I postulate that perhaps the natural and nesecary evolution comics are currently undergoing just makes some here feel older and more and more marginalized each week. I don't want a site of promotional material and I don't want a site of bitter old weiners whining all the live long day, I just want the personal issues left at home. Also... Did anyone read the latest Iron Fist? Hows the new creative team?
Also by Joenathan	Jul 30th, 2008 02:12:23 PM
Homer... what do you mean "trying" to quit buying comics you don't like? "trying?" Dude...
Iron Fist by Jinxo	Jul 30th, 2008 02:41:23 PM
I almost wrote up something on Iron Fist but I thought someone else was snagging it. I actually like the new team so far. The art is good and the writing moves the story forward without missing a beat. Where the new Thunderbolts team took an obvious beat to reestablish everything going on in the book, Iron Fist just kept running seamlessly. And starting off with a plot involving Iron Fist being in danger of death from... something that has killed almost every other Iron Fist in history? Pretty good material for a first story if you ask me.
And btw, Blake Bell's Ditko book... by Irving_Forbush	Jul 30th, 2008 03:14:01 PM
... kicks Evanier's Kirby book's ass. But the Ditko book just came out a couple of weeks ago, so we should be seeing an AICN review of it sometime in November!
Yeah,the AICN reviewers are largely ignored by the industry. by rev_skarekroe	Jul 30th, 2008 03:19:58 PM
That's why there's review quotes all over half the trades I pick up.
Golly, you're right, Joenathan. by SleazyG.	Jul 30th, 2008 03:40:41 PM
I mean, it's not like there were four positive reviews of Marvel books, one or two for DC, and several indie reviews of new books. And a manga review. And a review of an actual, y'know, book without pictures. Oh, and the webcomics. Yep, just one big ol' bitch section over here. Or, y'know, alternately, we read whatever we want (cuz we bought it with our own money) and then tell people what we think, giving both the old and the new and the mainstream and the indie a try. Naaah, that can't be it. We're just crotchety old haters. Yeah. Suuure.
KIRBY Explanation by stones_throw	Jul 30th, 2008 03:42:39 PM
Not that I have anything to explain, since I actually wrote a review, but... I'm AICN Comics UK-based @r$ehole. KING OF COMICS was only released here about a month or so ago. Factor in time to get around to reading it and writing a review into my, uh...busy schedule... and you get the review you just read right about now. So apologies, fuck you etc.
Bacci40 by stones_throw	Jul 30th, 2008 03:51:34 PM
Yeah, I heard that. But I still think that KING OF COMICS was the best way to do a biography. Like, I was reading a review of it in the Guardian newspaper which criticized Evanier's text for not being detailed enough. What do you want him to do? Describe a picture or show it? And let's be realistic here, this is a guy who spent most of his life at a desk in his basement or an office. Kirby's life was thrilling by comic book standards, I'm sure, but he's hardly Muhammad Ali or Bob Dylan. But I'm sure I'd still read another Evanier biography.
Sorry Rev, Sleazy by Joenathan	Jul 30th, 2008 04:16:12 PM
All I heard was Wah, wah, wah. Thanks for the response Jinxo. I heard bad things about the writer's Cable run so I was a little worried and hadn't picked it up yet.
The Hatin' of SECRET INVASION by stones_throw	Jul 30th, 2008 04:17:12 PM
Christ, I thought this was buried months ago. But if Marvel are gonna market a book that aggressively, with a total of five (FIVE!) variant covers and months of hype all over the internet, then I have a right, nay, a moral duty to address that in a review. Sure, you could make an argument for focusing only on the content of a comic, but let’s be honest—SECRET INVASION #1 had nothing to do with content. It’s all about the pre-release buzz, the hyperbolic promises in press releases, making Marvel’s and Bendis’ loyal followers feel like they’re a part of something. That’s why my review was a page-by-page breakdown of what actually happened in the book. Not so spectacular when taken on its own, right? But it comes from a good place, folks. We @$$holes Marvel and DC to improve, to put out event comics that actually make sense and are exciting. That’s why we’ve got to be tough on ‘em sometimes. But you’re right, I do hate that damn Secret Invasion. Skrulls really mess up my routine. Luckily, I hear Skrull Queen candidate Barack Skrullama has plans for a 16-month withdrawal of all pointy-eared forces.
On the other hand... by Snookeroo	Jul 30th, 2008 04:20:13 PM
There are contemporary artists like Adam Hughes who have taken comic art to a whole new level. His work is just phenomenal -- unbelievable use of color, pattern and textures -- but all used to enhance the visual story, not just complicate the image. The same goes for Alex Ross (he just needs to find some different models). To me, these guys are Neal Adams -- the Next Generation. And that's a good thing!
Ha! The guy posts a whiny, baseless rant... by stones_throw	Jul 30th, 2008 04:21:59 PM
...and then calls the two guys with actual counter-arguments babies! Ha!
Kirby's Street Code was published by ProfHeff	Jul 30th, 2008 04:37:07 PM
Just a by-the-by: Kirby's Street Code was published in Argosy Magazine - Volume 3 Number 2 around 1990 - had one of those nice Steranko covers of Philip Wylie's The Savage Gentleman which is supposed to be the forerunner of Doc Savage. They pop up every so often for sale. See ya'!
Hey, Cletus... by stones_throw	Jul 30th, 2008 04:38:24 PM
Do epileptics breakdance badly or well? I'm not sure. Either way, the line was meant ironically. So if you're complimenting me, thanks. If you're not, well, shove it, buddy.
X-Men's SF Mayor by xsi kal	Jul 30th, 2008 06:11:10 PM
"The only portion of this lead-in that bothered me was the mayor of San Francisco. Being an uptight cynical bastard raised in New Jersey, I just don’t get the California laid-back vibe. There is no way a flibbertigibbet like this would ever hold a public office in the North East corridor. Maybe it’s a left coast thing, but I’m just not buying this woman as an elected official. I only hope she fades into the background in future issues." I live on the West Coast, and it's not that far off. Heck, we had a runoff in San Diego's last mayoral election where a write-in candidate, ex-alcoholic, surfer environmentalist almost won, (and should have, if all the ballots were allowed).
All of these assumptions, Joenathan...tsk, tsk, tsk... by Ambush Bug	Jul 30th, 2008 06:15:35 PM
Here's a shocker for you, Kreskin, I actually like SECRET INVASION. It's one of the few major events that is actually kind of working. I know it's hard to understand, but we really don't have a secret agenda here at AICN Comics. If we read something and like it, we say so. Same goes for if we don't. No conspiracy. No sitting around in a circle in a darkly lit room devising how we are going to hurt the feelings of whoever it is Wizard told you to idolize this month. It's just our opinions. Guess what, you have them too. And I'm totally cool with that. Why go on the attack because ours don't match up? Seeing you get this worked up over a siple opinion is pretty funny. Now, is SECRET INVASION perfect. No. Nothing is. And as critics, we try to point out concrete reasons why we like or dislike something. That usually means we point out both the flaws and the perfect bits too. I like SECRET INVASION for having a scope that can effect the entirity of the Marvel U. It doesn't seem forced. This is something that warrants a company wide crossover, unlike WORLD WAR HULK, which would have functioned just fine and dandy as a story within HULK and maybe a few other titles like SHE-HULK and IRON MAN. But I'm objective enough to see that the recent Ka-Zar and Elektra issues of Avengers was pushing it since...well...they're not really Avengers, now, are they? See what I did there, Joe-Nat. I gave a criticism of a story and still liked it. It's possible. It really is. There are ten active reviewers here at AICN Comics and a few inactives and trainees lurking around here as well. I'm sure there will be one person here that you may agree with. We have discussions all the time about this between the Holes. Some like a certain artist or book. Others have strong feelings to the contrary. Do I threaten Jinxo's grandmother with a hammer every time he disagrees with me about the right way to do an Aquaman story? Well, come to think of it, I do, but it's all done on good fun and with loads of respect. We've got opinions. So do you. They won't always be the same. Try to understand that and you and everyone else around you will have a bit more to enjoy in life. In the mean time, let's work on that assumption problem and those paranoid delusions that everyone is out to get Millar and Bendis, mmmkay?
GRAMMA NOOO!!! by Jinxo	Jul 30th, 2008 07:00:29 PM
Threaten Granny with a hammer all ya want. I got me Mephisto on speed dial so, hey, she's just coming back anyway. I've already traded away my wife, my dog, a neighbor... at least I think I have. I don't really remember but there is this small part of me that screams out in sadness for losses I can't quite remember. Then again, could just be gas. But it is worth it to make Granny death proof.
Trying to Quit by Homer Sexual	Jul 30th, 2008 07:35:20 PM
Look, I would be willing to bet that I am far from the only person who has bought comics for months out of habit. I got bored of X Men long before I dropped it, because I'd been reading it for so long, and wanted it to get better. Lucky for Marvel and DC that tons of readers do the exact same thing, or lots of books would no longer be getting published. This same phenomenon applies to TV as well. I was reading a Smallview TB here (never seen the show) and a lot of people have clearly kept watching a show they apparently haven't liked for three seasons. TPTB certainly prefer people to watch/read their product, then bitch, rather than just not reading it.
King of Comics? Shiiiit, Kirby was practically a God by Stalkeye	Jul 30th, 2008 07:37:11 PM
his fucking splash pages just leaped out at ya.And it takes a unique imagination to conjure up some of the craziest but cool concepts and designs back when most comics were bland.The man was influentual anyone that doesn't acknowledge his works, don't know shit about Comics.Nuff Said!
Hey stones_throw by Irving_Forbush	Jul 30th, 2008 07:56:25 PM
I stand properly chastised and apologize, my British brother. Hopefully the Bell Ditko book will get across the ocean faster than the Kirby book. I thought Blake Bell delivered a much more complete and entirely satisfying book on Ditko than Evanier did with the Kirby book. I suppose in holding back stuff for the larger biography he shot himself in the foot. Evanier's book was Iron Man movie good (7.5-8/10) and Bell's Ditko book was Dark Knight good (rock solid 10/10).
Bug to Forbush...now there's a team up I'd like to see happen... by Ambush Bug	Jul 30th, 2008 08:25:12 PM
I just got that Ditko book and I'm going to try to digest it in a timely manner to review. It looks phenomenal and very comprehensive though.
Kirby is the true King...Lee was a mere thief by PervOmatic	Jul 30th, 2008 09:13:48 PM
The Marvel Method that Lee is renowned for was this: Toss your artist a few loose ideas and then have them do the bulk of the work where they probably ditched half of your crap ideas which you stole from old comics anyway Stan because you weren't as talented as the staff you surrounded yourself with. Kirby, Ditko, Heck, Colan Steranko, Stern, Thomas, etc, etc, etc, etc...those guys really built the Marvel Universe that we know. Lee just took all the credit. That Kirby book is fantastic though and I relished every page. The art really pops out at you. Great stuff. Now why hasn't there been a big boffo book of Lee's work....because others did it for him.
Ambush Bug's return by BizarroJerry	Jul 30th, 2008 09:44:35 PM
I never read AB in the old days, but I knew it was a parody comic. I read this one and really enjoyed it, especially since the Infinity Crisis, Inc or whatever left me less than thrilled. My favorite little bit in this was the photo of the grinning, "thumbs up" Vertigo Sandman. And I like that we learned what REALLY set Jean Loring off...
"what does Marvel have left that's worth spending cash on" by Alex Wilder	Jul 30th, 2008 09:58:25 PM
Jason Aaron. Ghost Rider and Punisher Max (I think).
AMBUSH BUG reviewing AMBUSH BUG... by RickSlamu2	Jul 31st, 2008 02:46:06 AM
Does anyone else smell a greenhouse nearby??? Well at least he has the manure for his plants!
You don't need to slam Stan Lee to boost Jack Kirby. by rev_skarekroe	Jul 31st, 2008 07:06:43 AM
They needed each other, really. Jack's stuff without Stan scripting tends to be silly. Really silly.
RickSlamu2 by rev_skarekroe	Jul 31st, 2008 07:07:10 AM
Was that supposed to be an ironic comment or are you actually retarded?
Iron Fist. by Bluejack	Jul 31st, 2008 07:27:05 AM
I'm not as pleased with the current artist, but I agree that the death by age 33 mystery is interesting. Overall Iron Fist has been given much more depth as a character.
Iron Fist by rock-me Amodeo	Jul 31st, 2008 09:36:05 AM
Anyone else here jonesing for a "seven warriors of heaven" spin-off book?
Kamandi by steverodgers	Jul 31st, 2008 10:37:02 AM
Kirby + Talking Apes = Comic Book Heaven.
Kirby and Lee by Homer Sexual	Jul 31st, 2008 10:37:45 AM
Good points by Jeff, and to add to it: Did you ever see "Who wants to be a Super Hero?" That was some awful, awful crap. Lee was all over it, and if you liked it, then, yes, Lee is the bomb. I give credit where credit is due, but Kirby pwns Lee.
I'm sorry, man. by rev_skarekroe	Jul 31st, 2008 10:46:02 AM
Death as a guy on snow-skis? Captain America's great-great-great-Grandad also happened to be a Captain America? It's comics, sure, but Lee made all this stuff seem strangely plausible. I know it's fashionable lately to dump all over Stan Lee, but I guarantee you we wouldn't be discussing this stuff today if it weren't for him.
Jeff by stones_throw	Jul 31st, 2008 11:12:11 AM
How is which order I put Coipel and Kirby in a strike, exactly? Man, if I were playing baseball I'd be pissed. So, fair play (is that a suitable sports metaphor?) I was wrong about STREET CODE, but it really seems to me like you're nitpicking and ignoring the 600+ other words or so of pure gold in there. I mean, I'm not sure you make the best referee, dude. You've got to let the game play. But thanks, I suppose. And I'm with the Rev on Lee/Kirby. It was a partnership in every sense of the word. Sure, you can debate who was the most important, and that may well be Kirby, since he was plotting and drawing most of his books. But he didn't come up with characters like the Fantastic Four, the Incredile Hulk and the X-Men on his own, and Lee's dialogue as well as Kirby and Ditko's rule-breaking art is a lot of what shines about early Marvel. Like Buzz said a while back, SAVAGE SHE-HULK is nor INCREDIBLE HULK, but the New Gods aren't the FF either.
Unlikely that Lee screwed Kirby Out of Spider-Man. by Smerdyakov	Jul 31st, 2008 11:21:29 AM
Steve Dikto was every bit the star that Kirby was and the project was so right for him. I mean, can you imagine Kirby's Spider-Man with bulging muscles and swaggering stride? I can't.
Ooooooh, you guys LIKE Secret Invasion... by Joenathan	Jul 31st, 2008 12:01:06 PM
I must have missed that with all the whining about how it was marketed and what not, because that is OBVIOUSLY a very important facet when considering the story... The best example I can remember is the near constant queefy-dirges that go on here over decompression and blah-blah-blah and how nothing ever happens in comics (especially ones by Millar and Bendis) and then when SI #1 hits and when a whole bunch of shit happens, every man-child one of you was like; "Wah, too much happened, there was no mention of motivation, why weren't we told the ending in the first few pages, we didn't get enough time to breath." The proof is in the pudding, boys. Look, I'll tell you what. Why don't you guys tell me what you're planning on reviewing next week and I'll guess what you'll say. Here's a preview: (too be read in a the style of a haughty nerd) "Old Man Logan by Mark Millar would have been good if it had been written by someone else except maybe Bendis and had been done in half the space with less focus on character and more focus on pointless fisticuffs without consequence. Perhaps with some fan service, as well. Also, I am a vagina." I'm paraphrasing, of course. All kidding and inflammatory statements aside (God love them), I don't fault anyone for having their own opinions, however I do fault someone who claims to be a reviewer and yet, has very obviously had their mind made up WAY BEFORE reviewing the product, thus... my rant. But I digress.... So.... anyone read War Heroes?
My review of Joenathan's anticipatory review: by SleazyG.	Jul 31st, 2008 12:29:26 PM
"blah, blah, LOOK AT ME, blah."
What Kirby and Lee did apart by rock-me Amodeo	Jul 31st, 2008 01:11:33 PM
No, sorry, gotta call bulshit on this one. They needed each other like Martin and Lewis. Though Kirby went on and did MORE things than Lee, and better things than Lee, he never did anything that matched the heights of what he and Lee did together. Together, they did the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, The Avengerss, the original X-Men, the Silver Surfer, Doctor Doom, Galactus, The Watcher, Magneto...and on and on. Separately, Kirby did "The Fourth World, The Demon, Kamandi, The Eternals, Devil Dinosaur..." Only Kamandi ran for more than a few years (5). Most ran for a year or less, and many for less than that. (I remember buying them right off the spinner, and I really WANTED to like them, but...) Of all those concepts, none were such that anyone could run with, despite effort after effort after effort...mostly done out of respect for the great creator he was. But He and Stan did their best work together, period, and they needed each other. You want to argue that, and you're creating a whole new orifice to pull that out of.
And don't give me any crap about how great the Fourth Wall is... by rock-me Amodeo	Jul 31st, 2008 01:15:19 PM
Sure, they get used year after year. But nine out of ten time, its a snooze-fest. We read to see how the established characters deal with them. No one cares about Scott Free or Orion or Black Racer. Barda and Oberon are the only ones who are half-way interesting. Even Darkseid is predictable, and try saying Granny Goodness without snickering.
rock-me Amodeo by toadkillerdog	Jul 31st, 2008 01:38:22 PM
I absolutely agree. Lee/Kirby or Kirby/Lee, were far greater as a team, than at any other point of their amazing, incredible, uncanny, stupendifirous careers. I, too bought Kirby off the newstand after he left Marvel, because it was Kirby! But, it is quite evident from reading his early 1970's DC works, that as great a storyteller, and artist as he was. As unparalled as he was at conceptualizing new ideas, and transferring them onto paper. He absolutley needed someone like Lee or possibly even Simon (though who was not in the same class as Lee), to control his excesses. And without a doubt, he could not write dialogue. Separately, neither achieved the greatness of their Marvel collaboration. That in indisputable. Together, they were they greatest comics team that ever lived.
Bwah-hah-hah! Fourth WORLD, not Fourth Wall by rock-me Amodeo	Jul 31st, 2008 01:47:11 PM
Though, admittedly, I"m no fan of that, either. I must have been thinking She-Hulk when I wrote that.
My review of Sleazy's review of my review by Joenathan	Jul 31st, 2008 02:12:27 PM
Doooooooooooooooooooooouche.
Great Moments In Judgement Calls - Summer 1968 by Snookeroo	Jul 31st, 2008 02:23:28 PM
I remember taking Silver Surfer #1 off the spinner rack in a grocery store. I walked towards the cash register, issue #1 in hand, changed my mind, turned around, put the issue back on the rack, and bought something stupid like a Supergirl 80 Page Giant instead. Just wanted to share that Kodak Moment.
But in your defense, Snookeroo... by rock-me Amodeo	Jul 31st, 2008 02:27:41 PM
It was 80 PAGES! At that age, we bought comics like we now shop for groceries...it's not just a function of quality, it's how much I can get per ounce. you made the best decision you could with the only information available. I walked away from Conan #1 for a similar reason.
Rock-me Amodeo by Snookeroo	Jul 31st, 2008 03:13:17 PM
That's very true. Additionally, I was more of a DC fan at the time -- especially anything that had to do with Superman. For my .25 allowance, I could get TWO .12 issues (and still have enough to cover sales tax!) So spending a whole quarter for a less desireable character was a big decision.
Well, Jeff... by stones_throw	Jul 31st, 2008 03:54:26 PM
Seeing as how I actually noted in the review that Kirby drew the proposals in 1968, I admit I'm hard pushed to see how someone could be confused by which came first--since the current THOR book is being published in this year (2008, FYI). So, no, Kirby not ripping off Coipel. Just making that clear to anyone else who was confused. But thanks for being my elementary school teacher. I'll work on those semantics. To get back to the interesting part of the discussion, no, I'm not saying Kirby's solo work was better or worse. I agree, in many ways it is more impressive. But it's pretty close to fact that nothing he created on his own after Marvel was as iconic or immediate as his work with Stan. Draw your own conclusions from that.
What a coincidence by Homer Sexual	Jul 31st, 2008 07:55:37 PM
I like to read Wolverine. But I didn't like that stupid story Chaykin drew about Logan fighting the Angel of Death. I read it, though, and then came "Get Mystique" which rocked and made me glad I was buying Wolverine. Currently, I guess I am the old guy hating on Millar because Old Man Logan sucks ass, and not in a good way. Should I drop it? Tell me what to do Joenathan. PS: I like Secret Invasion, although I am starting to like it not as much as I did the first 3 issues. And Millar is good sometimes (like on Authority) and bad sometimes (like Logan). pps: I am not a vagina. A dick, sure.
Last! by Snookeroo	Jul 31st, 2008 11:16:04 PM

NEXT ISSUE.... by buster00	Jul 31st, 2008 11:32:38 PM
DARKSEID!!
Ignored By the Industry by Buzz Maverik	Aug 1st, 2008 12:04:42 AM
I used to write reviews here when I was just an insomniac instead of a freakishly busy insomiac. The crew is a little more professional than we were at first, but I think some of the same punkishness is still alive and thrashing, so I'm sure the @$$holes would say: We don't review comics for the industry. We review 'em for ourselves. Who'd possibly care if they were ignored by the comic book industry?
I used to have a difficult client... by rock-me Amodeo	Aug 1st, 2008 09:14:30 AM
...back in the days when I owned my mom-n-pop computer shops. Mr. Mather. Whenever he called, it was always with a complaint of something that needed fixing, which I usually did personally (rather than passing the buck to one of my techs.) People would ask me, "Why do you keep him as a client? He can be such a pain!" And I replied,"He's not a pain as much as he's simply uncompromising. If the crap always worked the way it was supposed to, he would be fine." Then I would pause and say,"The other reason I keep him is for the endorsement. See, other people might say we're good, but they might say that about ALOT of things. When MR. MATHER tells people we're good, people LISTEN! To have a curmudgeon like that endorsing us is worth ten ordinary endorsements." And Mr. Mather was my client for years, even AFTER I sold my shops. He was a good guy, really. And that's us, at AICN. The fact is, we really DON'T get ignored by the comic-book industry, its just that we ruffle as many feathers as we smooth. An endorsement from us MEANS something, and everyone in the industry who reads this column knows that. Our praise is ALWAYS sincere, even if it's more infrequent than other columns. As Bug likes to say, we're not "assholes," we're "@$$holes."
Amodeo, you are very, very cute, by Joenathan	Aug 1st, 2008 09:44:04 AM
but oh so deluded... ANYWAY, Homer Sexual, YOU must buy me ice cream. DO AS I SAY! And don't drop Old Man Logan, even if you don't like it, a Judd Winick lovin' comic reader such as yourself needs a bit of good karma. Myself, I'm loving Old Man Logan, if its Post Apocalypty, then its for me, thats what I always say. Didn't you read the latest one? Blind Hawkeye Zatoichi-ing a biker gang to death? Good stuff. How can you not like it? Oh, wait... were you the one that was hung up on the xbox mention and the town called Pym Cross? Look, the Xbox is supposed to show you that even though he doesn't fight anymore, that Logan is still a fighter. Yes, it is a lame, out of date toy that his kids don't even care about, but he's drawn a line and damn i, he'll stand on it and that line is: no matter how low he gets, he's not going to take anything away from his children. He's a man and he would rather take a brutal beating than make his children give up even the littlest of things that he has provided them. He won't sink that low. He has honor. That moment is to highlight that Logan is as strong as ever. As for Pym Cross, obviously when we get there, we're going to see a giant Hank Pym skleton hanging off a cross. Whats not to love about that? Maybe I'm just an old fan of the classic X-men and What if dystopia of days gone by, but this one is hitting all the marks for me so far and I can't wait for more. Plus, I love the declaration of SI love, I don't believe it since it always comes with a caveat, but I do find it funny. Not funny ha-ha, more like funny peculiar, suspect, some might say...
Well by Homer Sexual	Aug 1st, 2008 10:10:13 AM
I actually passed on Old Man Logan because I just thought the characterization of Wolverine was too ridiculous, and like I said,I'm trying to avoid buying comics I don't like. So I skipped it, but not because of Pym Cross or whatever, that wasn't me...I am not a nitpicker, but I found softy old Logan laughable in the first issue, stood there having a mental debate with myself in the LCS and then took a pass. But your explanation of Pym Cross is pretty good...might have to pick the next issue up just for that, if your theory is correct. I don't know why you'd say it's suspect that I like Secret Invasion. (not love, but like) Why would I say I like it if I didn't? To establish cred? Whatever....old guys like me don't really need to prove ourselves online. The new Mighty Avengers was pretty good. So what if I have a caveat? I will even add another....the only big reveals have been Spider-Woman and Hank Pym, so I am doubting there will be any skrulls posing as real major characters. It's still good though.
In Fact by Homer Sexual	Aug 1st, 2008 10:15:11 AM
Old Man Logan points out one of my more salient points in a recent talkback. People were complaining about the characterization of Batman or Wolverine or someone, and I said that the big icons are in so many books by so many writers, that if you don't like the way one writer portrays them, don't read that writer. There are plenty of other versions out there to choose from. Old Man Logan is not a version I care for. I am still on the fence because like I said, I tend to keep buying several issues before finally dropping a book, but I figure this is a one-story arc from Millar, and so I think I'll wait till it's over and give the next story another chance. If this story gets better,I can always pick up the back issues.
I meant the Royal You, Homer, not just you by Joenathan	Aug 1st, 2008 12:15:43 PM
butm yes, I believe you only say that for cred, so ha! I think the "well guess what I liked SI" are all just limp attempts to say "take that, Joenathan", well guess what, I won't be taking it, no sir. Cred: denied! Ahem... Softy Logan? Look, it takes more strength of will to NOT fight and thus, protect his family from the veritable army of super villians that would desend upon them all, than to react blindly (and may I say: lamely, as in silver age consequence free fisticuffs). Logan could have gutted all three of the Hulk gang and then what? Run? With his family? His children? Where? He knows where that road would lead. This is not a soft Logan, this is hard Logan times 10, this is a man that is not only willing to make very hard choices, but a man willing to destroy himself in order to stand by them. This is a man who took a vow for a reason and he has the strength of will to uphold it. This is a man who refuses to give into the beast, a man who knows responsibility, a man of honor and frankly, of all the versions we've seen of Wolverine, after seeing him get pummeled by the Hulk gang and knowing just what he is capable of, I'd say this is the strongest Logan we've seen. Soft Logan... HA! YOU'RE soft!
I think I get it, Jeff... by stones_throw	Aug 1st, 2008 05:54:53 PM
It looks like you're being overly literal-minded, boring, pedantic and repetitve, but in fact all those other overly literal-minded, boring, pedantic and repetitve posters are simply following you! Since this is such a big point for you, I'll say it again: Kirby 1968, Coipel 2008. And since you really have proven what Sleazy said about not understanding even the most simple tone, humor or snarkiness: yes, I know you know that. The sad thing is I think you think you really are being helpful and/or intelligent by making up some mysterious mistake and harping on about it. How about you go play grammar police at some other website you hate?
Oh dear, Jeff's sarcasm detector is still broken by stones_throw	Aug 2nd, 2008 08:39:00 AM
Put as plainly as possible, buddy: I don’t care. I don’t write my reviews for some random grammar fascist with a red pen. If you want reviews where every word is in the order you want ‘em and it goes along exactly with your thoughts, I’d suggest writing your own. Cause I refuse to hold your hand through every thought I had about the book, and so if you’re gonna be so damn literal you’re gonna have to look elsewhere. I hate talking down to people but you just aren’t getting it. See, when I say “it looks like Coipel’s current take on the character”, that is me IMPLYING (writing on more than one level) that Kirby was way ahead of his time. The reader is left to infer that conclusion, since I specifically state in the frickin’ review Kirby was drawing in 1968. Or, you know, not. You seem to realize what I’m saying, even if you’re taking it overwhelmingly at face value, so why get so hung up on the exact wording of a clause in a review that is incredibly positive and pro-Kirby? I couldn’t say, but I could probably hazard a guess.
by Arkhangelsk	Aug 3rd, 2008 10:30:15 AM
Regarding the Uncanny X-Men 500, although I will admit that the artistic jam took away a lot of the steam the story was trying to build (and I did wonder why White Queen and Cyclops kept smiling at me like I was a magazine photographer), I think the problem of why the issue was very good but just that short of great, is the addition of Fraction on the scripting end. What I've read of Fraction writing alone, I didn't quite like. Although it wasn't awful, it just didn't grab me. On the other hand, I'm a huge Ed Brubaker fan. Been following him since Prez: Smells Like Teen President, but I know he isn't infallible. His work on X-Men is very hit or miss. Deadly Genesis was passable, loved his Rise And Fall of the Shiar Empire, couldn't stand the few issues that came after it, Messiah Complex was ok and the few issues after that were absolute great fun. Point is, the dude just doesn't seem to really get how to tell a story about a group of characters (see his work on The Authority versus, say, his stupendous Captain America). When Fraction was announced as coming on board, I wasn't too worried. While The Immortal Iron Fist was written by Brubaker/Fraction, I consider it a modern masterpiece. But I think maybe having the two of them working on a team book is gonna turn out to be a mistake, but let's see. UXM 500 was still very good, though. Oh and everyone who thinks that Garth Ennis is a one-trick pony (well, really, a 3-trick pony as his work can admittedly be seperated in three categories which sometimes cross over, ie gross humour/extreme violence, anti-superhero and war stories) better check out his Dan Dare. Ennis has now proven himself as being an excellent science-fiction writer as well.
Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future) by Snookeroo	Aug 3rd, 2008 03:44:49 PM
Can you tell me how old Dan might have done it If he'd been here now, holy cow My stars might have been read on the planet Mars Because I don't have foresight to see If we still be together in the twenty first In the twenty first century He's our flying ace, pilot of the future In an endless space, holy cow My eyes never saw a rocket that was quite that size Because I don't have the energy To be cat and mouse for the champions For the champions of destiny So long captain Dan I fail to see what motivates your hands Goodbye restless night You know I loved Dan Dare, but I couldn't make his flight So long, so long Dan Dare doesn't know it He doesn't know it He doesn't know it But I liked the Mekon Elton John/Rock of the Westies/circa 1975
test by Snookeroo	Aug 7th, 2008 09:21:59 PM
This is just a test.

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