Comic Reviews: The Guild and The Cape!

COMIC REVIEWS!!!

The Guild: Zaboo(one-shot)

The last The Guild one-shot is the best. Simply put, Felica Day's latest (and final) installment of one-shots focusing on different members of the Knights Of Good is one of the most fun comics of the year, and I regret already writing my "Top Comics of 2011" before reading this. Focusing on Zaboo, this issue serves as a prequel to the entire series, and chronicles Zaboo trying to get to Codex, the event that kicks off the phenomenal Guild series.

Co-written by Day and Sandeep Parikh, the actor who plays Zaboo, the issue contains numerous hilarious asides that tie into different RPG style games and other video games. Many of these jokes had me laughing uncontrollably, and it makes this book extremely unique when compared with other books on the shelf. Hell, it even separates this issue from the other one-shots in this series.  We also get some great backstory about Zaboo's time in grade school (it doesn't end well), and the depiction of his mother's Terminator-like ability to come to her son's aid is hilarious.

This book is only made sweeter with the inclusion of Becky Cloonan's art.  The artist for the new upcoming Conan book for Dark Horse, Cloonan's art is so amazingly awesome in this issue that it's hard to describe. Her panel layouts add to the jokes peppered throughout the book, and her splash page of Zaboo escaping his house is one of the greatest pages I've seen all year. There is more action and energy in that splash page then in some runs from the big two this past year. In fact, the big two could probably stand to take notice of Cloonan's art in this book and take notes.

The Guild: Zaboo is an incredible, awesome, hilarious, and beautiful book. I can't throw more positive comments at this book. This is the last of the Guild  one-shots, but I hope this isn't the last we see from Felicia Day in comic books. This book (and this series) has shown how great the comic medium can work with already established properties, and I hope to god we get more. Buy this. Watch The Guild, buy the books, and enjoy the fact that your life is better for it.

Joe Hill's The Cape #3 (of 4)

Ho. Lee. Shit. The latest issue of The Cape has one of the most bugnuts things I've ever seen in a comic book. Adapted from Joe Hill's short story, the third issue finds Eric going after his mother, and the things he's done so far pale in comparison to what happens in this issue. Jason Ciaramella script goes places that even I was surprised with, and Zach Howard's art is insane. I can't wait for the next issue. If you like seeing bad people do bad things, then you can't go wrong with The Cape. 

The Best Comics of 2011!!!

The year is winding down, and with it comes a time to do one of my favorite things: rattling off a list of some of the greatest (and worst) things of the year. Since this column is associated with the mighty Jetpack Comics, let’s take a look at some of the best comics that came out this past year. Of course, these are just my opinion; so feel free to yell at me if you disagree next time you’re in the store.

Uncanny X-Force
Let’s get this right out of the way: this is best thing Marvel is publishing. Period. It may even be the best thing being published by ANY company.  Rick Remender has taken characters that are way too over exposed (Wolverine, Deadpool) and characters that need more time in the spotlight, (Fantomex) and created a compelling team that operates outside of the current X-goings on.  From the opening “Apocalypse Suite” arc to the just recently wrapped “Dark Angel Saga”, Uncanny X-Force has been firing on all cylinders, and from the sounds of it, it’s only just beginning. 









Batman

When the DC relaunch was first announced, there was a lot of speculation about the creative teams for the 52 new series. Many fears were alleviated once Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo were announced for the (once again Bruce Wayne) Dark Knight’s book. Branching off his other Bat-tales from last year, while also being completely new reader friendly, Snyder’s ongoing tale has introduced fans to The Court Of Owls, a mysterious society that has been working in secret in Gotham for centuries. Bruce’s refusal to believe that they even exist is quickly starting to be his downfall. Snyder’s excellent portrayal of Bruce Wayne’s personality coupled with Capullo’s jaw-dropping visuals makes this one of the best titles to come out of the DC relaunch. 

Rocketeer Adventures
I love The Rocketeer. It was one of the first movies that my parents had bought a replacement copy because I watched it so much. So naturally, when I learned that IDW was planning on doing an anthology series with some of the best creators in the business, I was extremely excited, and the series exceeded my expectations. From John Cassady’s gorgeous story in the opening issue to the amazing pin ups that were spaced out throughout the four issue run, every issue of Rocketeer Adventures filled me with joy and made me feel like I was five years old again, watching Cliff Secord soar over the skies and punching out Nazis.  









Demon Knights

This book came out of nowhere, and is probably still on the fringe of the DC “new 52”.  Focusing on Etrigan The Demon and his random band of medieval heroes, Demon Knights gives writer Paul Cornell freedom to go crazy with the medieval DC universe, and his knack for solid character work is in full force here. This is a book that I look forward to every time it’s released, and wish that each issue was twice as long as it really is. 

The Strange Talent Of Luther Strode
A mix between Kick-Ass and the Hulk, Image Comics’ The Strange Talent of Luther Strode is extremely bloody, but also extremely entertaining. Creators Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore came out of nowhere, and deserve every accolade they get with this series.  The book tells the tale of Luther Strode, a nerdy comic fan who mails away for a Charles Atlas type workout plan and gains extreme level super strength. This is a book FOR the dweeby comic nerd who was picked on his high school (so, a majority of us), and secretly wished that they could gain superpowers. As of right now it’s a six-issue mini, but hopefully this will give it the push it needs to become an ongoing. 







These five aren’t the only books worth your time though.  IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles relaunch rules, Action Comics got Grant Morrison back after Final Crisis, Wonder Woman is surprisingly good, Amazing Spider-man has been rock solid this year, and yes, I still like Mark Waid’s Daredevil.  Even the impossible, a great Aquaman comic book, happened in 2011.  But not everything that happened in comics was great this year. So stay tuned for next week’s column, where I’ll look at the flip side of things, and give you my opinion on what I thought were the WORST books of the year…

Comic Reviews: Batman: Leviathan Strikes! and Venom!

COMIC REVIEWS!!!

Batman: Leviathan Strikes! (One-shot)

When DC launched the "New 52" a lot of people were wondering what would happen with Grant Morrison's Batman epic Batman, Inc., the controversial new series that saw Bruce Wayne "franchising" out Batman, creating a literal army for the entire world.  Despite some of my criticisms of to how "in character" this move was, Batman, Inc. was for the most part enjoyable, and with this one-shot we finally get some closure on the first part of the bigger "Leviathan" story.

Leviathan Strikes is essentially the final two issues of Morrison's Batman, Inc. storyline, which is apparent from the fact that both stories included in this beefy one-shot aren't connected much at all. The first story, which feature art from the great Cameron Stewart,  features the Stephanie Brown Batgirl's investigation of a British all-girl prep school. If you haven't guessed already, the events in these two stories take place pre-"New 52", and while we don't get any details about what's happened to Stephanie, the story is still very entertaining, and presented the character in a great way. This was my first time reading anything featuring Stephanie, and I was really impressed with her as a character. Stewart's art is phenomenal in this story. It has just enough detail, but still has a cartoon-like quality to it. To say I'm a fan of his art is an understatement to be honest. Morrison's script is pretty straight forward as well. I like Morrison, but I hate when he gets too "out there", as I feel like he's someone who comes up with great ideas, but sometimes has trouble reigning them in for the average comic book reader. Thankfully this first story if easily digestable.

The second part of the one shot hones in on the "Leviathan" storyline more directly, and is a great example of Morrison working with grand ideas and accessibility for the reader. Batman's fight against Leviathan is mind-bending, and you'll probably have to read it at least twice to get it. Thankfully this isn't a bad thing (strange, I know), because you'll get to see more of Chris Burnham's artwork, which is great in it's own right. Like a mix of Eric Powell and Paul Pope, Burnham's art is great during the rugged fight scenes, and Morrison's script fires on all cylinders, especially when we get the big reveal as to who is really behind Leviathan. Hint: it's not who you think.

Batman: Leviathan Strikes! was well worth the wait, and while I may have had some problems with Morrison's Batman, Inc. in the past, I'm actually looking forward to it in the upcoming year. I wish we had some more explanations as to how this ties into the "New 52" universe, but I'm sure someone will fill us in at some point.

Venom #11

Holy crap. Rick Remender is a sick, sick man. With Flash Thompson on the run and working for Crime Master, he's forced to team up with the one person he hates the most: Jack O'Lantern. Remender reveals plenty about this new incarnation of the Spider-man C-level villain, and holy shit, is it dark. This is not for the faint of heart, and Lan Medina's final page will haunt me for a while now. If you're looking for a superhero book with a very sinister dark side, Venom is the one for you. 

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)
Starring: Robert Downy, Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace
Directed By: Guy Ritchie

The holiday season is quickly becoming the new blockbuster are for studios, and this season is no exception. With the releases of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and newest Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes movie, entitled A Game of Shadows. If the latest Holmes adventure is any indication, we've going to have a lot of fun this month at the multiplex.

The newest adventure for Holmes and Watson (Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law, respectively) involves the duo matching wits with the infamous Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), all while Holmes deals with the fact that his brother from another mother Watson is a newlywed. Holmes, in the midst of trying to solve the evil Professor's latest scheme, is also at a loss dealing with the fact that his BFF Watson is moving on with his life. He's no longer rooming with him on Baker Street, and is not an active participant in his cases. Thankfully though, the two still have great chemistry together on screen, and in many ways, the scenes between RDJ and Jude Law are the highlights of the film, which is saying a lot since there are some spectacular action sequences in this film. 

Harris as Moriarty

In many ways, this is a sequel that improves on the original. The action is better, the characters are stronger since we know them already, and the villain is a lot stronger. I had no problem with Mark Strong in the previous film, but Jared Harris' Moriarty is awesome.  I always pictured Moriarty as a lot bigger than Holmes (probably cause I watched The Great Mouse Detective a lot as a kid), but within minutes I was sold on Harris. Moriarty is extremely intelligent (like Holmes), but also has a very imposing and intimidating look, all without really doing much. Guy Ritchie really nailed home the fact the Moriarty is a dark mirror of Holmes, a fact that I really appreciate as a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories. There are also some great nods to the original story that Moriarty appears in, "The Final Problem", and Holmes even refers to him as "The Napoleon Of Crime", just like in said story.

Rounding out the cast is Noomi Rapace as Simza Heron, a gypsy who's brother has ties to Moriarty, and Stephen Fry as Sherlock's older brother Mycroft. Both are great additions to the cast, and I was really impressed by Rapace, as this was my first exposure to her work (I know, I know, I still haven't seen the Swedish Dragon Tattoo films).  She may not have had a lot to do with the action scenes, but she was still a good macguffin to get Holmes and Watson to go after Moriarty.

There are a lot of people that cried foul when Sherlock Holmes came out over the fact that Sherlock Holmes was a "brawler". This really bothered me, because Doyle states in many of his Holmes' tales that he can fight, and even enjoys a good scrap or two. Needless to say, if you were one of those people who didn't enjoy seeing Holmes take out some goons by analyzing their weak points in slow-mo, then you probably won't like this one any better. I for one, enjoy it, mainly because Holmes SHOULD know how to defend himself when working on crimes, and the fighting style presented in these films (Holmes observing his enemies quickly and predicting their strikes) is EXACTLY how someone who thinks like him would fight, and I really enjoy watching him kick ass. The "fight" between Holmes and Moriarty towards the end of the film is awesome, and I love how it showed that they both can not only fight, but are also equals in terms of intelligence.

BFFS

Robert Downey, Jr. is once again extremely entertaining as Holmes, and Jude Law's Watson is the ultimate straight man to his antics. If you're a fan of the original, you owe it to yourself to see this one, it blows the other out of the water.

3 1/2 pipes out of 4

Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises PROLOGUE!!!!

The Dark Knight Rises prologue (2011)

 Starring: Tom Hardy

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

I saw it. Thanks to one amazing friend of Jetpack, I was lucky enough to catch a free screening of the first 6 minutes of The Dark Knight Rises. So how was it?

Stunning.

I’ll try to keep this spoiler-free for those who want to try and see it in IMAX before Mission Impossible 4 (or online), but I will say that Nolan has really outdone himself with this. Much like the prologue for The Dark Knight, which introduced audiences to Heath Ledger’s Joker, the newest footage from Christopher Nolan’s third film introduces Bane, played by Tom Hardy. Hardy is definitely an intimidating figure, and his portrayal is very, very creepy. He’s extremely imposing, and the mask is very awesome and disturbing, even if it does make it nearly impossible to hear what he’s saying.

Essentially the prologue shows Bane attacking a CIA plane and kidnapping a doctor under their protection. We learn that Bane had offered to hire this doctor, and wants to ensure that he didn't reveal his plans to anyone. We also get hints and clues that this is the beginning of a much bigger overall plot. While previous villains in the Nolan Bat-films had their sites on Gotham, one gets the feeling that Bane’s plans, while including Gotham, also stretch far beyond the city’s borders. From what little information gathered from the footage, it’s obvious that Bane is a very powerful figure to his men, so much so that he has an almost fanatical following.

There’s an incredible feeling of tension in the prologue, even though it’s only six minutes long. A large part of this is Nolan’s decision to film the sequence with IMAX cameras, and my god; he is a master with this format.  For everything that James Cameron did (for better or worse) for 3D with Avatar, Christopher Nolan has done for IMAX. This is truly the ultimate way to see the prologue, which is really unfortunate since there are only 100 screens that fit Nolan’s specifications for viewing the prologue.  Nolan has stated that he’s a huge James Bond fan, and this footage solidifies my hopes that he gets the chance to direct one of that franchise’s future installments.

There has been a lot of talk around the Internet that Bane’s dialogue was completely incomprehensible. While he was a little hard to understand in some of the more action heavy parts of the footage, I didn’t have nearly has hard of a time understanding him as others did. That might have been because I had heard of the problems beforehand, or maybe I just have better hearing than most.  I’m fairly certain that Nolan will address this issue for the actual film, he’s way too smart to not listen to the public on this, or allow something that can affect the narrative of his film.

You think you know, but you have no idea

Despite this quibble, the footage is spectacular. Everything about it is incredible and ensures that the film starts out with something that you have never seen before in an action movie.  The sizzle reel of some quick scenes afterwards sent chills down my spine, especially the final shot we see before the now famous bat symbol logo. The strange thing is that this sizzle reel actually featured many scenes that we’ve seen from set photos that were leaked online. However, even though we’ve seen these scenes being shot, we still have no idea what they are in the context of the film, which is probably the reason why Nolan included them.  There are definitely more questions than answers now after seeing the prologue, and it makes the wait for July 20^th that much harder…..

Comic Reviews: Avengers X-Santion and Batman & Robin!

COMIC REVIEWS!!!!

Avengers: X-Sanction #1 (of 4)

The lead up to Marvel's next event begins here with Avengers: X-Sanction. Under the helm of the creative team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness, the first installment of the four-issue mini finds the return of Cable to the Marvel universe, and he's got the Avengers in his sites. Apparently he is under the assumption that The Avengers will bring about the death of his adoptive daughter Hope, whom he most recently "sacrificed" himself for.

This issue is technically fine, although we don't get too many answers as to how Cable is back, or why he believes the Avengers are responsible for the "death" of Hope. All we get are some sequences in a strange time dimension with Blaquesmith, some sort of alien time dude (to be completely honest, I know next to nothing about Cable), who tells Cable that The Avengers are the reason for Hope's death in the past. Cable, whose return is also a little questionable. The fact that his techno-virus is currently ravaging his body is pretty cool though.

Even if Loeb's script is a little hard to follow, Ed McGuinness' pencils are fantastic as always.  I'm a big fan of his over-the-top style, and this issue is no exception. If you aren't a fan of his art before, this probably won't change your opinion on him, but if you are a fan, this is a treat. The opening battle sequence between the Avengers and a group of villains is very cool to see, and McGuinness' depiction of Cable is pretty grizzled (so awesome).

If you're looking for answers about the upcoming Avengers vs. X-Men mega-event,  you're probably going to be disappointed with X-Sanction. It's a tease for what's to come, and even though I would've liked some more answers than I got, I'm still going to pick up the next issue.

Batman & Robin #4

Peter J. Thomasi and Patrick Gleason continue their intriguing look at the relationship between Bruce Wayne and his son Damien, and the cracks are starting to show. It's really cool to see Bruce Wayne, who is known to be a character that is almost over-prepared be completely clueless when it comes to being a father to his son.  Throw in the new villain Nobody, and you have a whole new dynamic to the Batman and Robin team. While it may not be at the level of Scott Snyder's Batman series, it's damn close, and well worth your $2.99.

The Scarlet Spider

As a lifelong fan of Marvel’s wall-crawler, I of course have very strong feelings towards the infamous “Clone Saga” event that dominated the ongoing Spider-man titles in the mid to late 90’s.  Granted, I was nine when Ben Reilly made his debut as the Scarlet Spider, but it doesn’t mean that my preadolescent mind wasn’t aware of the bait and switch coming around the corner. There was no way Marvel was going to completely change their flagship character in such a major way, and even though I may not have a blind love of Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider, I can see where some fans are coming from when they say they love the character. I’m a child of 90’s comics too. I love Carnage, Venom, Azrael, The Age Of Apocalypse and many other events and creations that older readers look at with disgust. But it’s what I grew up with, so I have a soft spot for them. 

 

For those who don’t know, Ben Reilly was an attempt by Marvel to “de-age” Peter Parker. In many ways, it was the original “One More Day” (and handled the issue better than OMD did).  Tying back to a Jackal story from the 70’s, which saw the villain successfully clone Peter. The storyline introduced Ben Reilly, a man who looks stunningly similar to Peter. He also claimed to be the real Peter Parker, and that the Peter we had been reading for he past twenty or so years was in fact, the clone. Yep, the Peter Parker who gained an alien costume and fought it, married Mary-Jane Watson, and was expecting a child (don’t worry, Marvel forgot about this too), was suspected of being a clone. Of course the fan outcry was expected, but somehow, the fans welcomed Ben Reilly, and there has been a growing show of support for the Scarlet Spider, even if he didn’t have the best fashion sense.

That’s really my gripe with Scarlet Spidey: the costume. A hoodie? Really? That’s what you choose to place over your spandex costume? Does it get chilly swinging so high up, cause it looks like Spider-man’s doing just fine without one.  I know it’s a little nit-picky, but then again, I wouldn’t be a fan of comics if I didn’t obsess over something as dumb as a superhero wearing a hoodie.

Ugh....just....ugh

At least the Scarlet Spider in the upcoming relaunch won’t be rocking the homeless look. Yes, that’s right, starting in January; Marvel is giving the Scarlet Spider his own series. “But wait”, you say, “didn’t he melt into a pile of goop at the end of the “Revelations” storyline?” Why yes, he did. See, this clone isn’t Mr. Reilly. It’s actually SPOILER Kaine, the other, failed clone of Peter Parker. Yes, he survived “Grim Hunt” (and subsequently has the powers that Peter got after “The Other”-remember those, cause Marvel doesn’t), and after being turned into a giant Tarantula in “Spider-Island” (which was pretty cool), is now back and cured of his cloning degeneration. He’s also moving to Houston, Texas, for some reason.

I applaud Marvel for giving the fans of Scarlet Spider what they want, even if it’s not exactly what they want. Even though I’m not the biggest fan of the character, it will be cool to have a different flavor out there for the Spider-man line of books, and I’ll definitely be checking out at least the first issue.  But the second there’s even a hint of a hoodie in the book, I’m out.

Comic Reviews: Deadpool and Detective Comics

COMIC REVIEWS!!!!

Deadpool #47

Oh Deadpool. I've been with you from the beginning, even though the rest of the comic-reading world gave up on you a long time ago. Yet, for some reason, I can drop you. Oh, I tried, and actually got a few issues away from you. Until the introduction of "Evil Deadpool", that is, then I promptly picked up the issues I'd missed and here we are, on our way to the "DEAD" story-arc. I may hate most of the people who are fans of you, but for some reason, I can't drop you Wade.

This issue continues Deadpool's fight with his evil doppelganger, a bizzarro Deadpool constructed out of body parts that had been lopped off of the Merc With A Mouth. Since Deadpool can regenerate, there's no need for him to hold onto these parts, so of course, someone took them and made themselves and evil Deadpool. Last issue ended with Captain America showing up to kick Deadpool's ass, mistakingly believing that the REAL Deadpool was responsible for all of the chaos his evil twin as caused.  Issue #47 picks up right where we left off, and opens with a pretty entertaining fight between Deadpool and Cap. I personally enjoy it more when Deadpool acts stupider than he is (as opposed to just throwing out one-liners), so this fight was a welcome addition to the issue. Deadpool escapes, and upon learning what his doppelganger has planned, he decides to do the same thing and steal his rival's thunder, believing that in doing so, he'll just do something else.

Deadpool's plan is pretty surprising, and I'm impressed that writer Daniel Way decided to go in such a dark direction for the series. Of course, it's Deadpool, and is presented in a very light-hearted way, but still, Deadpool kidnaps a kid. Not exactly Saturday morning cartoon stuff. Artist Salva Espin keeps the same art style that has become the standard "Deadpool look".  To be honest though, I'd really like to see someone new take over art duties. At the very least, it would shake up the series enough so that each issue doesn't look exactly the same.

Detective Comics #4

Well, looks like it took Tony Daniel four issues to fall back into the same old traps that he fell into with his previous Batman run. This means that the writing is, well, not up to snuff. This issue wraps up the story of new villain Dollmaker, and it pretty much happens as you would expect it to: Batman fights Dollmaker's goons, another bad-guy's henchman shows up, Batman escapes the death trap, Gordon is rescued, and Dollmaker escapes. Blah, blah, blah. Oh, there's also an ending with Bruce and his new girlfriend (seriously, how many does he have at this point?) that is kind of random. To be honest, I had completely forgotten about this girl. Even Batman diehards like me are having a hard time finding positives with this issue. 

“The Walking Dead Season Two Mid-Season Review”

SPOILERS FULL STEAM AHEAD!

Bernthal, pre-"murder haircut"

The Walking Dead has shambled its way to the mid-season mark, and is taking a break from lumbering about our Sunday nights until February.  So far we’ve made it to Hershel’s Farm, Carl got shot, Maggie and Glenn (and Andrea and Shane) got it on, and Rick learned that not only was his wife knocked up, but also that she slept with Shane when she believed he was dead. Quite a lot for a six-episode run. So when we compare this half waypoint to the previous season, how does it stack up?

Not too bad. I had some problems with this batch of episodes, which I’ll get to soon, but as a whole the season has had some great moments and awesome zombie action. Not only that, but there has been some pretty big character moments, with the best being the slow, gradual disintegration of Shane’s mental state.  Jon Bernthal has done a phenomenal job this season showcasing the absolute bug nuts levels of crazy that Shane has gotten to, yet for all of his actions, you still kind of feel bad for the guy. Here’s someone who yes, lost friends and family in the zombie outbreak, but he also gained a new family in Lorie and Carl. Then his best friend comes back, and all of that is gone. In all honestly, I’m starting to feel like the show shouldn’t follow the comic when it comes to Shane, as he’s become such a linchpin for some of the big moments that it will be hard to imagine the show without him.

"You can park your RV right next to the zombie barn. I mean..."

Bernthal’s not the only one with the acting chops this season though. Andrew Lincoln’s turn as Rick continues to impress me, even if he sometimes struggles keeping his southern accent. His scenes with Shane are exceptionally well done, especially when the two have their disagreements with how to handle the search for Sophie, and the revelation of what exactly is in Hershel’s barn. Speaking of Hershel, holy crap does Scott Wilson creep me out. Even though I knew what Rick and company were in for on his farm, I was still invested in his character, and Wilson made him a very quiet and terrifying individual, like someone who presents a warm (but stern) exterior but contains something about them that is very unnerving.  Glenn and Dale continue to be my favorites on the show. There are moments where it feels like they literally walked off the pages of the book. Oh, and Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon continues to be a badass.

"YOU IN THE BACK! STOP CRYING!"

Speaking of Daryl, his personal quest to find Sophie, who was the driving narrative of these six episodes, was dragged on way too long ( not to mention how annoying her mother, Crying McCryerson was). Saying this is a double-edged sword, as the payoff of the last ten minutes of the mid-season finale wouldn’t be half as effective as it was if it happened two or three episodes earlier. That being said, there were at least two episodes that could’ve been cut into one, which in turn wouldn’t have made this season drag as much as it felt like it did.

Another minor quibble I have is with the commercial break cliffhangers. Sure, they’re bound to happen, and are a necessity to ensure that you don’t flip the channel once that GEICO commercial hits, but in the “Chupacabra” episode I honestly felt like there was one every single commercial break. It gets very old very quick when done this way. Not to mention that episode featured Andrea shooting Daryl, a move that goes to show just how far the TV version of the character needs to go in order to be half as badass as the she is in the comic book.

Despite these quibbles, I still found the first half of Walking Dead’s second season to be very enjoyable. The character work was well done, and acting was, for the most part, very good. Hopefully the next batch of episodes in February are a little tighter in the plot department, but, this show is still a lot better than 90% of television out there. 

What’s The Grade?:

So far, a B+. It’s good, but we’ve got a little more to go to get that A.

Comic Reviews: Nathan Drake Gets A Comic!

COMIC REVIEWS!!!!

Uncharted #1 (of 6)

Video game comics suck. It's a proven fact in the comic book industry. Thankfully, we finally have an exception to the rule: DC Comic's premiere issue of Uncharted, based on the video game of the same name. Featuring an original story that takes place between the first and second games, the first issue finds Nathan Drake and his pal Sully hashing out their latest treasure hunt. This time, they're going for the Amber Room, a mysterious room that was stolen from the Russians by the Nazis. Thanks to a journal he finds from the gunfight in the opening of the issue, Drake learns that the Russians got the room back, and hired Richard Evelyn Bird (the first man to fly to the North Pole) to hide it again. Apparently Byrd was a believer in the "Hollow Earth Theory", in which there is a whole other civilization underground (oh, we also see how Nathan meets a certain ally for the first time as well). Cue the "Uncharted" theme, and.....GO!

What makes this issue so awesome is that writer Joshua Willaimson is an obvious fan of the characters. The book feels like a lost adventure that could've been one of the games (Uncharted 1.5?). The dialogue that he writes reads like it would be coming from Nathan Drake's mouth, and the macguffin that Drake and Sully are after is something that is generally intriguing. The only thing that would've made this book feel even more like the games is if the theme song started up when you opened the book up, or if you had to press triangle to turn the page rapidly after a two page ad.

Artist Sergio Sandoval does an impeccable job on art duties, simultaneously making the characters recognizable but his own. His facial work is incredible for the many expressions that the characters make, and his action scenes are very fluid.  I cannot recommend Uncharted enough. If you are a fan of the games you NEED to pick this up. With this issue, Nathan Drake has found the true lost treasure: a good comic book based on a video game.

Daredevil #6

Apparently I'm the only person who works at Jetpack Comics that enjoys Mark Waid's run on Daredevil. After years of being Marvel's whipping boy, I actually enjoy seeing Matt Murdock happy. Seriously, if he was a real person he would've stuck his head in an oven a loooooong time ago.
Anyways, this issue finds ol' hornhead going round two with The Bruiser, a C-list Marvel villain who can change his center of gravity. The fight between the two is really cool, and artist Marcos Martin (who is sadly leaving after this issue) draws it wonderfully. His representation of Daredevil's powers is the coolest I have ever seen, and I am a huge fan of his artwork. I honestly believe that Daredevil is one of the best books Marvel is publishing right now. Daredevil is dead. Long live Daredevil!

CANCELLED!

What do these three have in common? THEY'RE ALL CANCELED!

With the many recent press releases last week, no one would blame you for assuming that Marvel is cleaning house with a vast majority of their titles.  However, I don’t think anyone assumed that there would be SO MANY titles being canned. Daken: Dark Wolverine, X-23, Alpha Flight, Black Panther and of course Ghost Rider (which I’m going to take complete credit for) are all getting axe, along with a whole slew of other titles, some of which, like Victor Von Doom, weren’t even published before they got the axe.

While I commend Marvel for making these difficult decisions, I wonder what else goes into their thinking behind these cancellations. A book like Black Panther may not sell extremely well, but I’m sure there are fans of the character who loved that series. Same with Ghost Rider, a series I was picking up until recently, and was planning on starting up again as soon as Johnny Blaze was given the spirit of vengeance again (you all know it was going to happen, he has another movie coming out soon). 

Not even Wolverine with boobs could  escape cancellation

 

These cancellations are long past due for some titles, but some (Von Doom for example) were never even given a chance to sell before they were cancelled. It’s very disappointing, as I was really looking forward to Nick Spencer’s take on the man who would become Dr. Doom. Unfortunately it looks like I was the only one. It’s also disheartening to hear of some of these cancellations so soon after the announcement of yet another Avengers title, to be released in time for the movie this upcoming May. Look, I completely understand why there are so many Avengers titles financially (they make casssshhhhh), but is there really a need for THREE different series, especially when some characters (Spider-man and Wolverine) appear in two different teams? (Remember when Marvel started publishing SEVEN Deadpool books?)  I would much prefer Marvel publishing the regular Avengers and New Avengers together and charging me six bucks a month instead of filling up the shelves with more and more books featuring “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”.

The same can be said for other titles too. Of the 52 new DC books, we have five Batman titles, two Superman books, and four Green Lantern books. Sure, there are reasons for all of them, but seriously, how can one justify the existence of Batman: The Dark Knight or Green Lantern: New Guardians? If anything, it works against DC’s “new reader friendly” stance, as many first time customers will get confused when they see multiple Batman books staring them in the face. We comic fans may know the difference between Detective Comics and Batman, but the average guy coming in off the street  

                                     probably doesn’t. 

Cancellations are the norm for the comic book business. Some books that deserve cancellation get it, and sometimes the ones we want to stick around, don’t. But it’s kind of sad when a book is canned before it’s even given a shot at the comic store. Hopefully Marvel will try and make better decisions when it comes to what kind of books get the axe, and which ones will stick around.

 

 Roided up Ventriloquist, actual panel from Batman: The Dark Knight

Movie Review: The Muppets!!!

Movie Review:

The Muppets (2011)
Starring: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy, Walter
Directed By: James Bobin

The Muppets was one of the films I was most looking forward to this year, and it does not disappoint. This is a love letter to Muppets fans, by Muppets fans, and it is a nostalgia filled blast from the past. The film centers around Gary (Jason Segel, who also wrote the film), and his brother Walter, a muppet. The two are die-hard Muppet fans, and when Gary and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) head off to Los Angeles for their ten-year anniversary, Walter tags along to see the sites. When they visit the famed Muppet Studio, they learn that a shady oil tycoon named Tex Richman (Chris Cooper), is planning on the buying the studio and tearing it down. Heartbroken, the trio determine to find the Muppets, convince them to reunite, and save the studio.

What works best about the film is the fact that you can really see the amount of love and affection that Segel and director James Bobin have for the Muppets of old. There are some great fourth-wall breaking jokes that had me cracking up, and many of the adults in the audience at my theater enjoyed them as well. There was also a good balance of young kid humor (fart jokes) to keep the younger viewers entertained. I really loved seeing what the Muppets had been up to since they all moved on from showbiz, with Miss Piggy's being my personal favorite.

Speaking of Miss Piggy, the cameo in her scene was one of the best of the movie, which is saying something in a film that is nearly jam packed with them. In fact, the lead singer from my favorite band also makes an appearance. I'll save the surprise, but I will say it's very appropriate and hilarious in the context of the film. 

The only downside to the film is Chris Cooper's musical number (yes you read that right), which comes out of nowhere and honestly wasn't that funny. However, it's over fairly quickly and the rest of the musical numbers are fantastic. The new songs for the film are catchy and fit right in with the Muppet songs you already know and love.  In fact, one of them made me tear up a little bit. Strange that felt puppets can get to me emotionally, but most films with human actors barely register a whimper.

The Muppets is a must-see for fans of the characters. Nearly every Muppet is shown in the film (and my favorite, Beaker, gets some pretty great moments), and there are so many great moments that make you genuinely feel good that it's impossible not to recommend this movie to everyone. Watching The Muppets was like running into a good friend that you haven't seen in years. In many ways, it reminds you of what made you fall in love with The Muppets in the first place, and recaptures that feeling you had when you first say them, whether is was on the original show, Sesame Street, or one of their older films. I cannot recommend The Muppets more. Go see it. Twice. And bring your son, daughter, niece, nephew, younger brother or sister, or kids you babysit so they can see what makes these guys so great.

Four 1/2 Beakers out of Five

Comic Reviews: Fantastic Four #600!

COMIC REVIEWS!!!

Fantastic Four #600

Counting the series FF, Marvel's first family hits the 600th issue mark with this issue.  We're also celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the team as well, and man, is this a doozy.  Simultaneously finishing his previous story and starting his next one, Jonathan Hickman's story hits many of the threads he has left throughout his run on FF, and of course includes the surprising (or not) return of a classic ally.

The issue begins with the Future Foundation, Avengers, X-Men, and nearly every other major Marvel hero defending New York from the Kree invasion that we were teased with in FF #11.  The action scenes here are really cool, even if Steve Epting's depictions of some characters is a little wonky. His Red Hulk appeared to me to have an extremely tiny head. However, the issue has so many cool action moments that it's hard not to enjoy it, and there's a great fight between Spider-man and some of the annihulus creatures towards the end that reveals our big "surprise" at the end.

But this is just the first story. There are four more contained in this massive anniversary issue. The second story sheds some insight into what has been going on in the Negative Zone in the past year, and this was absolutely my favorite story of the issue. The art by Carmine Di Giandomenico is fantastic, and really makes me wish that he will get a regular ongoing at some point in the near future (Doctor Strange maybe?).  The other stories focus on Black Bolt and that Inhumans, Franklin Richards, and of course, Galactus, and it's really fun to see Hickman's take on characters that don't always get a chance to have the spotlight. It proves how great of a handle he has on the Fantastic Four world, and how successfully he is with these side characters.

This anniversary issue costs $8, which is a lot for a comic. However, it's worth the cash. There are no reprints of older stories or useless cover galleries to be found within this book. All 100 pages are written by Hickman. This is what anniversary issues should be like.

Invincible #85

Robert Kirkman's other book takes a breather from it's title character's life this issue. It also features the return of original Invincible artist Corey Walker. This issue focuses on Mark's father Omni-man, his wife, and younger brother Oliver on a distant alien planet as they try to deal with the ramifications of the Viltrumite War. The remaining Viltrumites struck a deal with Omni-Man and Invincible to be allowed to remain on Earth, and Allen the Alien (a member of the Coalition of Planets) rightfully thinks this is a bad idea.  Omni-Man believes that being with humans will help rehabilitate the Viltrumite's tendencies for extreme violence.  While this may seem like a filler issue, Kirkman's strong writing makes this issue better than most of the action-packed issues. Walker's busy alien city scapes are really awesome, as is his facial work, which many times had me laughing out loud. Invincible #85 is a prime example of why this is one of the best superhero books around.

Trade Waiting: Avengers Academy Vol. 1 and 2

Trade Waiting: Avengers Academy Vol. 1 and 2

In this latest installment of trade waiting, we’ll be looking at a series that I have heard amazing things about, but had yet to read: Avengers Academy. Written by Christos Gage and drawn by Mike McKone, the series introduces us to a whole new set of characters, all from the “Dark Reign” era of Marvel, as they are ushered into the “Heroic Age” under the tutelage of Dr. Hank Pym, Tigra, Quicksilver, Justice, and Speedball.  Living in the Infinite Avengers Mansion, the team is trained to hone their powers to become the next wave of heroes, when in actuality Pym and Co. are worried that the team may become the next wave of villains. You see, all of the characters in the book have one thing in common: Norman Osborn horrifically tortured them all in order for their powers to manifest and grow.

All of the characters in Avengers Academy are fantastic, and with the exception of one of them, aren’t “younger versions” of a popular characters, which is extremely refreshing, and a testament to Christos Gage’s originality.  The team is naturally diverse, and every member is given his or her moment to shine.  Their origin stories are unique and many times, tragic. The back-stories for Hazmat and Striker are two phenomenal examples, and there are many layers to these characters because of them. It would be impossible to not see the similarities between them and Marvel’s merry mutants. There’s not a bad member of the team, though my personal favorites are Veil, Mettle, and Finesse, the alleged daughter of Taskmaster. 

Christos Gage’s script is able to remind you of the classic Claremont era Uncanny X-Men, but also be something completely original as well. His handle on Marvel history is stunning. Many past Avengers foes, like Korvac, make appearances, but are still presented in a way that is approachable for new readers.  There’s also a great balance of quiet character moments and action, as the team tries to learn how to act in battle, many times out of their leagues and in way over their heads.  This is also another plus for the book, as the characters make mistakes and learn from them, much like actual, real-life teenagers do.  The art by Mike McKone is stunning. His figure work on the characters is fantastic, and he really does a great job of giving each character their own unique way of moving and posturing. He’s no slouch in the action sequences either. Finesse’s sparring match with Taskmaster in the second volume is one of the coolest fight scenes I’ve seen this year, expertly paced and planned so as though you almost get dizzy trying to keep up with these two world class fighters.

The first volume of the arc is a great introduction to the characters and set-up of the book, but the title really picks up steam in the second volume, which includes the previously mentioned Finesse/Taskmaster fight, Korvac’s attack, and even a school dance with guest stars the Young Allies. In fact, that one issue was probably my favorite of the whole collection. It’s the prime example of what the book is about, and how much fun it is.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gage at Free Comic Book Day last year, and up until that point, I had only read his great Spider-man & The X-Men and Spider-man & The Fantastic Four miniseries, but I hope to see him again next year so I can talk about this wonderful book with him. We’ve got both collections at Jetpack, (and if you look reeaaallllll hard you may find volume one on the sale hard covers table) and the series just started a brand new story line with issue 21 that’s perfect for new readers. I know this is one series that I will definitely be sticking with, and is; in all honesty, one of the best books Marvel has produced in th

Comic Reviews: Captain America and Batman!

COMIC REVIEWS!!!

Captain America #4

The long-delayed fourth issue of Ed Brubaker and Steve McNiven's Captain America has finally seen shelves, and it was worth the wait for McNiven's art alone.

Picking up where the last issue left off, Cap is stuck in the strange dream world created by his former WW2 squad mate. This us quite a departure from the Ed Brubaker Cap tails of old, but it's also a very welcome change of pace for the character. Not to mention it allows Steve McNiven to draw the craziest things he can.  A sequence towards the beginning of the issue has Steve walking through a street with a reporter. As he walks he notices a strange crack in a wall, when he walks towards it, pieces of his suit start emerging on his skin, until he has his full Captain America outfit on. This scene was expertly done, and reminded me a lot of Inception, one of my all time favorite movies. The final installment of this storyline is in the next issue, and I cannot wait to see what other crazy concepts Brubaker and McNiven can come up with.

Batman #3

What else is there to say about Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman that I haven't already? This is, simply put, one of the best Batman stories of all time, and will quite possibly end up being a career-defining run for both Snyder and Capullo.  We get more glimpses into the mysterious "Court Of Owls", and my god, are they creepy. Capullo's style on this book is definitely unique, and I personally love it. This is the best of the new DC books. 

Event Fatigue: Fear Itself and Spider-Island

Comic book events are big business. They’re a way for publishers to feature all of their major characters, while also guaranteeing a sure seller, as fans will HAVE to pick up the book in order to know what is happening in their favorite titles.  It’s no surprise that Marvel comics, who has just wrapped up two major event storylines, has been majorly guilty of this, and in this first installment of “Event Fatigue” we’re going to judge both “Spider-Island” and Fear Itself.

The Marvel heroes mimic their fans as the latest issue comes out!

Let’s get the disappointment out of the way first. Fear Itself was, by nearly all accounts, an extreme failure of an event. When the hype began, we were promised something that would not only cause the civilians of the Marvel universe to be frightened, but the heroes as well.  Well, this was never really touched on at all in the story. In fact, Fear Itself fell into a lot of the usual tropes of the event miniseries: a new, “all-powerful” big bad shows up, defeats the heroes (possibly killing one), then the heroes return with new powers and defeat the enemy (with probably another hero sacrifice).  FI followed this blueprint exactly, and all of the emotional moments fell extremely flat.

This awesome image? Never mentioned.

It’s really unfortunate for Fear Itself ‘s writer Matt Fraction, because up until this point he was pretty much unstoppable as the writer behind the phenomenal Invincible Iron Man.  I tend to think that a lot of the series’ faults is because of Marvel editorial forcing Fraction to include certain things, even at the cost of rushing the story. This theory also explains the additional .1, .2, and .3 issues that add some much needed character development to the story (and allow Marvel to pimp the series out one more time).  At least Stuart Immonen’s art was consistent throughout.

On the flip side of the Marvel events is “Spider-Island”, the Spider-man centric summer event. Taking place in the confines of Amazing Spider-man, Venom, and a few other tie-ins, this event saw the entirety of New York City gain spider-powers, leaving your friendly neighborhood Spidey to solve the mystery before they escape the city. It sounds completely dumb, and I’ll admit to groaning out loud when I first heard of the idea for the event, but I have to say, as a life-long Spidey fan I really ended up enjoying the storyline much more than I thought I would. Sure, I wasn’t a fan of some of the events that transpired (the ending seemed little rushed, and I’m not too keen on the return of the Scarlet Spider), but when compared to some of the other Marvel events that were happening at the same time, “Spider-Island” was surprisingly good, even if I’m not entirely sure how The Jackal came back to life.

A big plus for “Spider-island” was its accessibility. For the first time in a while I was able to read an event without any of the major tie-ins and still understand what was going on.  In fact, the only tie-ins I read were in Venom, which was a book I was already reading prior to the event. Dan Slott was able to take an idea that sounded like it was from a Marvel Adventures kid’s comic and make it pretty awesome, and artist Humberto Ramos ended up doing some the best work of his career. There are multiple covers of his from the run that I would love to have as posters, especially the cover to the final installment of the story. “Spider-Island” was able to not only tell an entertaining Spider-man story, but it also moved the character forward and offer some new developments in his life.  I think a lot of people looked at the series and dismissed it, but I have to say, if you are looking for a fun story, you won’t regret picking it up. 

So, after looking at these two events, what’s the VERDICT:

Fear Itself: C

“Spider-Island”: B+