Director: Rupert Sanders Screenwriter: Evan Daugherty, Evan Spiliotopoulos, Hossein Amini, John Lee Hancock, Jez Butterworth Starring: Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Eddie Izzard, Bob Hoskins, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Stephen Graham, Ray Winstone, Lily Cole, Sam Spruell, Liberty Ross, Noah Huntley Genre: Action, Adventure MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sensuality) Official Website:SnowWhiteandtheHuntsman.com
This weekend, Snow White and the Huntsman is the movie-to-see this weekend. There’s a charm about it that resides in Charlize Theron and….that’s about it. (unless you’re a high school girl who loved Twilight, or an underage boy who only goes to see movies with “hot” actresses in them.) And the web is talking all about this retelling of the classic tale.
However, I haven’t seen Snow White and the Huntsman yet, but I feel like my blog is obligated to have SOMETHING of a review posted about it. So, as a shameless way of “upping” my hits, I’ve embedded a video review of the film from “Beyond The Trailer.”
Personally, I’m actually very shocked by how well received the movie has been this weekend. The reviews are actually much more positive than I expected. Originally I had no desire to see this movie, but now my “no desire” has changed to intrigue and I’ll probably end up seeing the film sometime this week.
There’s still the issue of Kristen Stewart plaguing the film’s protagonist role, but the real reason myself, and anyone else for that matter, wants to see this movie is for the wonderfully beautiful Charlize Theron. While it may very well turn out to have a well written story and be reinterpreted wonderfully, I suspect the positive reaction from the many won’t reflect my own reaction…but Theron in white paint, that’s the true selling point.
And you thought Superman hit rock bottom with Smallville! No no no, the last son of Krypton has taken more media hits than any other superhero in history. It’ll be alright folks, just take it for what it’s worth, and nothing more. Have some fun with it! Try and pick out some of the familiar faces!
Release Date: May 4, 2012 (limited) Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures Director: John Madden Screenwriter: Ol Parker Starring: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith Genre: Comedy, Drama Rated: PG- 13 Official Website:Marigold Hotel
Let’s be honest, where does the intrigued for this film lay? Within it’s properly British cast. And who doesn’t love each and every one of these thespians whose careers have become a universal standard and landmark within the world of cinema? The answer should be “no one!” You either love this ensemble of elderly movie stars, or you’re wrong!
Apart from Masterpiece Theater on the big screen, there’s the setting in India that reminds us of the British upper class who enjoy retirement in the land occupied by those their ancestors oppressed for years. In an eye-opening trip where seven characters, whose financial situations are less than appealing, are outsourced to a Marigold hotel for the elderly and beautiful…titled “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” Of course, as any good story should do, the assumed luxurious vacation became a trip of unexpected surprises, trials and tribulations, all mixed with humor, drama, and culture shocks that give the film a powerful message despite its predictability.
Downton Abbey fans will be swarming to the theaters to see this rare cinematic delicacy with its list of actors and a script which resembles the best of English TV dramas – heavy on dialog and proper humor, with a tad bit of slap stick. But while this film isn’t as self serving as any British drama I remember, or as gorgeous as some Indian fantasy films have been, there’s still an appeal that extends beyond the Oscar award winning cast.
The movie is set up with brief sketches which give us a little information about each character and how their personalities will be served in the film. Setting up the story’s reference of time and place is Elelyn Greenslade (Dench) who’s constant internet blog postings immediately let us know who the narrator will be. Dealing with her recently deceased husband’s money squandering, she’s forced to sell her home and look for other means of paying off his debt. At her age, it’s not going to be easy! Luckily her experience with an unpleasant conversation with an Indian call center lands her a job mentoring the staff of one such organization in properly conversing with customers.
On the other side of things, an old married couple, the Ainslies, is dealing with their daughter’s failed investment plans which they poured the bulk of their retirement money into. However, the frustration with their daughter’s inability to full fill her debt to them is only a fraction of the marital problems the couple’s been facing for years; Jean (Wilton) is a closed minded woman who can’t find the beauty in the new and unfamiliar, while her husband Douglas (Nighy) explores the noise, chaos, and run down parts of India with enthusiasm and excitement. A precursor to a failed marriage me thinks.
Graham Dashwood, (Wilkinson) a gay man, hasn’t been to India since his youth and struggles with the idea of seeing his old lover again. Indian culture, at the time, didn’t look at the homosexual lifestyle very highly, and the two were forcibly torn apart. It’s one of the more tragic stories within the film that ends as happily as it does sad.
Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) and Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) are a youthful pair of elders who disguise themselves as energetic, sex crazed fanatics to cover up the fact that they are two of the loneliest characters on the film’s roster.
And last but not least, we have Muriel Donnelly (Smith) whose phobia and racist attitude towards colored people generate some of the most humorously offensive moments in the film. Of course, where the other stories succeed, Donnelly’s story fails to deliver. No doubt we can all believe that old age, a bad hip, and a feeling of betrayal can dictate how senile and mean one old lady can become, and her feelings towards nonwhites is a learned behavior that’s as offensive and annoying as can be. However, her sudden transition from terrible person to a loving and motherly role was odd and out of place. Not even Maggie Smith can save this confusing character, but she does a bang up job regardless.
For me personally, I’m not one to get overly excited for movies that stay so far on the side of sentimentality that the optimism and hokey script cause my gag reflex to kick into overdrive. However, this acting crew is experienced enough to take a screenplay over run with puke invoking dialog and turn it into something meaningful and heart warming.
Likewise, the streets of Jaipur and its exceptionally busy flee markets, worn down architecture, and warm colored and sunny landscapes is an accurate depiction of a culture that cares more about living life to its fullest instead of worrying about materialistic obsessions. And at the film’s core lies this very idea – no matter how old you get or how much life experience you obtain, your never free from the burden of life’s struggles.
By the story’s end, a subliminal question is asked – are we ever too old to break out of our comfort zone and experience the new? Some are, some aren’t, but the film attempts at invoking understanding of this concept and being open to its possibility.
Release Date: May 25, 2012 (3D/2D theaters and IMAX 3D) Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony) Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Screenwriter: Etan Cohen Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson, Nicole Scherzinger, Alice Eve, Michael Stuhlbarg Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sci-fi action violence, and brief suggestive content) Official Website: MeninBlack.com
Has it seriously been 15 years since the original Sci-Fi comedy hit the big screen? I was there and saw it five times in the theater. I recall “forgetting” when to tell my sister to cover her eyes during the scary or gross parts. As much as an impact that the first film made on audiences everywhere, most of us have tried to forget that the 2002 sequel ever existed. Ten years later, we’re given a third MIB installment that is much more than a sad attempt of saving a tired franchise.
In true Men in Black form, Agent J (Smith) takes it upon himself to preach emotional forthcomingness to Agent K (Jones). The film’s opening sequence shows the two at a much higher stress level, which they take out on each other in their own way. Meanwhile, an intergalactic terrorist named Boris “the Animal” is making a break for it from a moon based jail - K arrested Boris and crippled him back in his prime of 1969. Having escaped, Boris not only vows revenge on K, but intends to rewrite history by going back to 1969 where his race was exterminated before they could go through with their massive attack on Earth.
What does J have to do? You guessed it, go back in time as well to make sure things happen as they’re supposed too. But Jay may discover something that will change his viewpoint of K forever.
Both the 2002 sequel and this third installment feel like two 2 hour long episodes of what could have been part of a Men in Black TV show. (How long do you think that show would last?) However, movie number 3 provides a much more substantial plot with well planed out comedic gimmicks, character developing moments, nostalgic sentimentalities of a movie many of us grew up loving, and a villain that doesn’t annoy the Hell out of us!
In a cinematic undertone that whispers an apology for the last film, Sonnenfeld delivers a time travel story all about restoring the past and making things right again. But even with this trip to 1969, we, as an audience, are exposed to very unfamiliar territory – hefty oversize jetpacks, motorcycles that seemed to have come out of Star Wars Episode 3, Neuralyzers that use a dial up connection, and many other bits of intergalactic technology that look familiar but foreign at the same time.
However, the time jump to my parents childhood bares very little resemblance from what my mom and dad and history class taught me. Ok, sure, there’s one instance where a group of hippies stroll by without a care in the world, with a few shots of mid 60′s automobiles, to let us know what time period we’re in. But 5 minutes later we’re back to that pure, white, and utterly clean science fiction look that has become the MIB trademark. Even J’s run-in with the bigoted police, while hilarious, presents a lacking perspective on a troubling time where race relations have been considered a moot point. This is odd since, right before J leaves, he’s warned that 1969 “wasn’t the best time” for his people. A race reference is prefaced in the beginning, but dismissed just as quickly…come one, give me more than that Sonnenfeld!
This significant flaw doesn’t detract from the overall enjoyment, but for those of us looking for a clear historical setting, it’s hard to swallow. But with every flaw, a bright light is provided in the form of a pleasantly annoying paranoid precog hypochondriac who finds his gift of foretelling the outcome of every possible butterfly effect situation a “pain in the ass.” This provides some of the more humorous and wonderfully hopeful moments in the entire film.
Will Smith is as awesome as ever with his hilarious facial contortions and constant bickering with everyone he deems an idiot, and makes for a perfect match up with MIB new comer, Josh Brolin. By the way, if I had never known of Brolin prior to this film’s release, I would have sworn they took Tommy Lee Jones and used some form digitalized facial grafting to make him look 30 years younger. I love Jones, but if some type of MIB reboot were to ever be in the making, Brolin should be at the top of the “Agent J” casting call.
For me, like many others around my age, Men in Black is most prominently a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I was just finishing middle school and MIB part 1 was my number one VHS to watch after my Saturday morning cartoons were done. Now, 15 years later I still love the franchise that told tales of anonymous intergalactic police officers that were constantly watching out for us. The film may be pointless, more focused on the humor, random one liners and cliche acts of heroism, but it still sends out a tiny message of hope that someone, somewhere, is watching out for us…and that’s a pleasant thought.
Release Date: May 11, 2012 (2D theaters and IMAX) Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Director: Tim Burton Screenwriter: Seth Grahame-Smith Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Eva Green, Chloë Grace Moretz, Bella Heathcote, Gully McGrath Genre: Gothic Comedy MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for comic horror violence, sexual content, some drug use, language and smoking) Official Website:DarkShadowsthemovie.com
Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Danny Elfman seem to be the main ingredients for Burton’s kooky cinematic cauldrons for the last few years. In turn, we can assume that the Burtony trade marks, such as pumpkin heads, pale faces, an overabundance of gothic backdrops that seem to come straight out of a scary bedtime story, and a clever usage of color, makes us wonder if Burton’s style is too much for a modern, 2012 audience, or if he’s just what the doctor ordered.
I have a secret to tell…I’m named after a Dark Shadow’s character. Although my mother’s love of the 1960′s TV show compelled her desire to name me Barnabus, it didn’t go over well with my father, (I guess he’d be afraid I’d be nicknamed “Barney” or “Barn”) and he very quickly shut that idea down. However my middle name, Quentin, (named after the werewolf from the show) stuck and has become a defining feature of my personality – something I take great pride in.
Needless to say, I was VERY excited when I heard in early 2011 that Burton was putting together a Dark Shadows film starring Cap’n Sparrow himself! My expectations were high, hopeful for a film that would produced the gothic angst, drama, cheese, and suspense the Soap Opera was known for. The only legitimate poor choice Burton has ever made was in choosing Michael Keaton to play Batman, so I didn’t have many reservations or fears about how the film would turn out…that is until I finally saw the trailer…
As the trailer hit the viral airwaves, skepticism and fan-boy pissiness ran rampant. Dark Shadows, not being very well known in the 60′s and 70′s, has grown to be a cult classic and gained its popularity after the show was cancelled. Would I be lying if I said I wasn’t included in this worried/hate filled group after seeing the trailer? Indeed I would. However, there was still enough intrigue left in in me to see the film, the number one reason being the Burton acting duo of Depp and Bonham Carter.
The two carry the film quite well despite Carter’s lack of screen time – her role as the twisted Dr. Hoffman is as perverse and dark as any character she’s played in the past, with exception to the Oscar Award winning film, the King’s Speech. And Depp performs to his usual high standards, giving us a Barnabas Collins that is worthy of his name’s sake.
Likewise, the rest of the supporting cast, like Chloë Grace Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley, and Michelle Pfeiffer, all of which are very familiar to to cinematic world of sci-fi/horror/comic book genres, bring life to the screen just as well as their protagonist counterparts. The big surprise for me, however, was Eva Green playing the role of the evil Angelique Bouchard. Images of the old TV show ran through my head as the film rolled on, and I can’t remember Laura Parker (the Angelique of the 1960′s show) being creepier than Ms. Green’s rendition of the witch.
Enough about the actors and actresses however, we already know of Burton’s excellent cast selecting abilities, let’s dive into the meat of the film. It’s a classic tale of time traveling…minus the Tardis. Barnabas Collins is locked away by Angelique in a jealous rage, pitting the town against him, in a coffin deep beneath surface. It isn’t until years later when TV and pop music have become the modern form of entertainment, that a construction crew accidentally opens the coffin…and dies shortly there after. Barnabas finds himself in a world of unfamiliarity, and his family’s name tainted by the unrelenting Angelique whose witchcraft has allowed her to live for so long. Barnabas is now compelled to protect his descendants and rejuvenate the name of Collins in a more positive light amongst the towns folk.
As stated above, the trailer had my fears at an all time high, causing me to wonder if the old Soap Opera would be given a film worthy of its gothic tastes and design. Without given too much away, the trailer presents a tale that is exactly like the film – its gothic prelude helps the film to start off well, peaking early and wonderfully, then falling into a pit of comedic relief and random one liners that are so cheesy and out of place, they’re funny. Grahame-Smith (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) has a blast in channeling his experience with classic literature, weaving it into the eloquently high diction script for Johnny Depp in awkwardly humorous moments of discovering hipsters, TV, automobiles, technology, and tiny songstresses.
The movie does go a bit overboard with the number of climactic scenes that seem out of place, only being there for the sake of shock and alarm. I won’t give anything away, but if you were wondering why Carolyn was such a defiant and awkward teenager, the result will bewilder you. And the off-the-wall sex scene (literally) will make you dip down into your seat in embarrassment and humility…unless you’re like me, you’ll laugh until your sides hurt. But the ending is where the film’s biggest flaws lay, as many of the questions and mysteries were revealed but left me wondering if I missed something or not. But, of course, Burton has set up for a sequel, so who knows what answers and explanations could be revealed in the future.
Dark Shadows, however, is a great representation of what film can, and should be – an extension of one person’s imagination. No doubt, Tim Burton’s style is an acquired taste, but he is also one of the more unique film directors in history. Having grown up watching the Soap, and with his experience in creating wonderfully gothic tales, he was the perfect man to bring Dark Shadows to the big screen, reminding us that one generations interpretation of a story isn’t the universal end-all, but rather an interpretation of something that is ever changing and amalgamated…depending on whose imagination takes hold of it.
Dark Shadows will upset fans, but will also make them laugh in the process. As it turns out, high expectations CAN ruin a film for so many people. It’s a joy to watch despite its confusing plot devices and awkward character developing techniques. This wont go down in history as a great representation of what the Dark Shadows Soap was like, nor will it be a film people remember years down the road, but it is written well and entertaining none-the-less. My recommendation? Go into this movie with your pre-conceived notions and ideas left back at home and enjoy Dark Shadows for what it is, and nothing more.
Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins from the original Dark Shadows soap opera.
Hey guys, I thought I would take a break from my regularly scheduled nerdiness to introduce all of you to MORE of my geeky lifestyle. I’m certain you’ve all seen the hit TV show, The Office, and can recall the episodes where Andy Bernard uses the very unique attempt at making friends by way of recording songs where he sings all four parts…I do the exact same thing! (With exception of doing it SPECIFICALLY to make friends.)
Above, you’ll find my most recent multi-track song, Ave Maria, by Franz Biebel. Ever since 2002 I’ve had this part time job as a part predominant learning track recorder, recording learning CD’s for chorus all over. This latest project has now been created thanks to my sister-in-law getting married and wanting a sacred song to fill the halls of the chapel. She asked me, and I obliged.
And in case you’re all wondering, (which I KNOW you are) I also sing in an internationally ranked Barbershop Chorus called the Sound of the Rockies. I drive an hour and 45 minutes every Thursday to rehearse with the 150 man chorus. I’m also privileged to have sung with the 2010 International Youth Barbershop Chorus Champions, 52Eighty, back when I just barely qualified as a “youth,” coming off that international stage as a 28 year old international chorus champion.
Oh, and if you’re Catholic, sorry for the slight lyric change. Lutherans have difficulty with the whole “worshiping Marry” thing. Let it be known right here…Catholics DON’T WORSHIP MARRY!!!
Ok, tomorrow we’ll be back to comic book nerdity! Thanks for indulging me!
Yes, this is going to be epic!!! Please, could someone hand me a tool, I’m drooling all over the floor. But the question still remains, will Dark Knight Rises Beat out Avengers? (Fingers crossed that it does.)
According to MSN.com, one of the more popular and prominent DC Superheroes will come out of the closet in an upcoming issue…proving once again that homosexuality is still being used a a marketing tool and selling point within the media. Article below…
Your favorite DC Comics character might be gay. In an interview at the Kapow Comics Convention, DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio said that a “prominent” DC Comics character will soon come out of the closet, reversing an earlier statement where he had said DC was more likely to insert a new LGBT character than “out” an existing one. Twitter users have cited Aquaman and Wonder Woman as the most likely candidates. They won’t be the first gay characters in comics, though. “It’s sad when DC is playing catch-up to Archie. And the entire comics industries of Japan and Europe,” tweeted @Joe_Hunter. Once they start catching up, though, it could happen in a Flash.
To be honest, I could care less about ANY of my favorite superhero’s sexual preference. Being gay won’t make them any different to me despite the fact that a lot of people may have a hang up about it, in both positive and negatives ways.
The “coming out” issue will most likely spawn facebook posts and statuses from fellow comic book nerds that will read something like, “Dude, I love the fact that (anonymous superhero name here) is gay!” or “I have so much more respect for DC Comics now!” or “I hate that (anonymous superhero name here) is gay, it ruins the character for me.” or “Whelp, my childhood is ruined now!”
This could very well be a good thing or a bad thing…but does it really matter? I believe every company SHOULD support homosexuality as a civil right. (Hopefully the future will qualify everyone as human beings and not label them with “sexual preference” stickers on their foreheads.) However, I suspect more of an unneeded and over hyped reaction will come from fans and non fans alike, especially if it turns out the “prominent” superhero coming out is a man!
If Wonder Woman or Power Girl turns out to be gay, the guys will love it, with the girls following close by while rolling their eyes, as if to say “typical.” If it turns out to be a man, however, the stories surrounding that character, at least for the first few issues, will be filled with controversy and angst – stories involving men being gay seem to spurn more hot button topics rather than with women.
But, of course, by posting about this I’m only hyping the news up even more. But what do you guys think? Does it matter to you if one of your favorite superheroes turned out to be gay? Comments and disagreements welcome…
“Pull out the stopper! Let’s have a whopper! But get me to the church on time! “ Wonder Woman struts her stuff in a lovely blood red dress, looking her best for the king of death. But as any good story should do, a monkey wrench wriggles its way into the works, and Hades asks Diana to prove her love to him. No noose is good noose I’m afraid!
The only sad part about this book is the very little page time Wondy has – only seven pages! The other side of the story is good though; Hades has invited as many “friends” as he can, but the invitees either don’t want to attend, or can’t. War is propositioned by Strife to attend as her date, but he cares very little for these “meaningless” nuptials, and Aphrodite couldn’t go even if she wanted to…apparently Hell has no room for love in it. Which is proven by Hades’ proclamation of his inability to love anyone or anything. Meanwhile, the Wonder Woman rescue squad, led by Hephaestus, (who’s married to Aphrodite? Lucky oger!) finds their way to the halls of love, constructed out of the souls of the damned.
And I’m pooped!
This issue is weighty with very little opportunity to rest; a plethora of demons and monsters, along with the conglomeration of demi-gods and regular gods, clutter this book up excellently. This is a mythological tale at it’s best! Mosters going at it with a false/misguided sense of religious devotion to a loveless being, and mortals trying to slay the beast! All the while the story’s protagonist attempts at subtly appealing to the villains human side. It seems ludicrous that Wonder Woman would think she could appeal to a creature without a heart, but then again, it’s equally as ludicrous for Hades to even consider the fact that Wonder Woman could indeed TRULY love him. But I guess that’s where the story’s core lies and what will hopefully be revealed by next issue. In other words….is Wonder Woman good at faking it enough to fool even her OWN lasso of truth?
Azzarello continues to remind me why he’s one of my favorites comic book writers. There’s so much meat to his stories that keeps you locked in and unable to walk away. I did feel, however, that, at least twice, the book was trying too hard to get to a punch line rather than continuing to keep the story flowing smoothly. However these are minor set backs that don’t take away from the bigger picture.
This is, no doubt, not your grandparent’s Wonder Woman. While she still remains as honorable and classy as Wonder Woman should be, Azzarello has created a rebooted Amazonian princess that defies all boundaries and dares to be innovative and different. Granted, this was a risky move, but it’s one that’ll stand the test of time. Unlike Thor, Azzarello integrates all of the classic Greek characters into the DC universe without bastardizing the mythology. And in issue #9, we see just how well Wonder Woman works in stories with the Gods of old.
And how creepy is Hades with his boyish face sitting upon his father’s lap, who’s positioned and shackled down to make a throne. Chronos certainly had no idea what he was getting himself into when birthing Hades. Much thanks goes out Tony Akins and Matt Wilson for visualizing such a beautiful display of filth and terror. Persephone was never a character I viewed as being worn down, both mentally and physically, due to her time with hades. However, her conversation with Wonder Woman leaves goose bumps running up and down my spine…oh those eyes, how creepy!!!
This title however, as it is currently, isn’t for everyone. Brian Azzarello has always been a writer who brings in a 50/50 percentage vote…you either like him, or you hate him. I’ve always enjoyed his stories, and his work on Wonder Woman right now is worth it’s weight in blood!
Like I stated in my review of Justice League #9, a bullet to the chest has a bigger emotional impact than a superhero diving into the heart of an exploding planet. Why? Because it’s a much more relatable, and human component to a story. Green Lantern John Stewart has killed many fellow Lanterns – not saying its his thing or whatever, but he always seems to be put in a situation where he has to kill Corps member. Now he’s on trial, and the Alpha Lanterns seem determined to bring Stewart to “justice.”
Even before the reboot, the Corps and the Guardians never got along; the blue guys are always partaking in the questionable, and the Corps follows them blindly with only a few Lanterns (I’m sure you can guess who they are) standing up against them. It’s a familiar tale that’s as prominent as the plethora of comic book films that have come out within the last decade.
What I’d like to know is….when will it end??? Angry Lanterns arguing with their emotionless blue mini bosses? It’s all so familiar that one could argue that’s all this title has going for it, and there are cases where I’d have to agree. Will the Guardians ever just go away? Will the Lanterns ever get it through their thick skulls?
This issue, in and of itself is still fun to read regardless of its connection to a lingering plot device that’s worn out it’s welcome. Some titles transitioned well with the reboot…but the Guardians did not. However the trial of John Stewart and the conflict the Alpha Lantern’s stirred up will grab your attention and have you wondering of what’s to come. Of course John Stewart will live, but certainly this trial will have a profound affect on the future. Something’s boiling up, and I have a sneaking suspicion something is going to change for the better. (Or maybe I want the Guardians gone so bad that I’m seeing things that just aren’t there.)
Tomasi has been doing a splendid job of keeping this title focused. Much like with the Legion of Superheroes, Green Lantern Corps has always been muddled with so many different storylines jumping back and forth and in between each other that it became to cumbersome and weighty to follow. Right now we’ve had the privileged of following one character’s story while not neglecting the rest of the Corps, which definitely makes my reading experience that much more pleasant.
Pasarin is growing on me. Everything he does rings with clarity and power, along with El Taeb who makes everything pop with light and color. I wonder if it’s ok to claim that any artist working on a Green Lantern book, whether it be the solo book, GL Corps, or any of the books featuring wielders of a Lantern ring are some of the best artists in the field. Pasarin and El Taeb have so much going on they do perfectly that I’d say to any new artist looking to model themselves after someone would do themselves a service by analyzing the work in GL Corps.
Hold on a sec…the Weapon’s Master is back??? I guess the DC reboot hasn’t forgotten everything that made the Dan Jurgens run of the Justice League so good! In fact, it was issue #61 of the Justice League that featured the Weapon’s Master from April of 1992 that birthed my love of comic books.
Much to my dismay however, the Weapon’s Master is neglected the spotlight and used more as a comic relief, along with Flash and Green Lantern’s bantering over who plays who in the old “good cop-bad cop” routine. But Wonder Woman never misses a beat with her ever-so-subtle entrances to help calm the storm.
Meanwhile, Supes, Bats, and Cyborg take on a riot at Arkham Asylum, seemingly started by the notorious villain, “The Key.” Apart from Bruce Wayne’s text to Clark Kent about his dinner plans, this a much more angst driven fight, filled with the kind of gothic sensibilities that follow Batman like a plague.
However, hovering in the shadows is the crippled author, David Graves who mysteriously disappeared and now walks with a super powered metal suit (so it would seem) attacking Colonel Steve Trevor and forcing him to reveal the secrets of the JL Satellite base. From author to potential arch villain? From respected JL fan to revenge driven old man? This I gotta see!!!
There’s an interesting juxtapose coming out of #9; Graves is shown being an expert on the Justice League, having written multiple books on them and other super-powered phenomenons, and the book continually (and randomly) flashes back to each League member’s past, showing very stressful times in their lives that directly connected to their current situation as superheroes. Unlike last month’s installment, this issue is working on almost every level, providing us with some very cool story building elements. I’m going to make the educated guess that these flashbacks are both memories which haunt the League but also have to do with the knowledge Grave’s has in which he will use against the League within an issue or two. I wonder why Aquaman wasn’t included in the festivities though? Hhhhmmmmm…
One of the most terrifying moments in the book is when Graves shoots his doctor. It doesn’t matter that superheroes and villains have died of much more devastating causes due to supernatural, explosive, or cataclysmic events, the visual of a bullet to the chest and blood flowing out on the carpet seems to have a different and much more emotional impact. Would you agree?
I love Jim Lee, but am I the only one who sees his work as…unchanging? Comic books, especially the much more main stream ones, have gotten to a point where even their BEST artists follow a similar format when it comes to penciling. With Jim Lee, so many of the poses and stances each character has in THIS issue can be found in almost every issue Jim Lee has ever drawn. I love his work, don’t get me wrong, but due to its unevolving nature, I find myself enjoying the artwork of Amanda Conner, Francis Manapul, and others that tend to keep their style fresh and unique.
And of course, a secondary storyline involving Billy Batson and company comes to us right after Steve Trevor ends the Justice League section of the book, being forced to do something that Wondy will, most likely, whoop his butt for! Billy is having to endure being apart of a family he never wanted in the first place, a school that seems to be against him, and anger issues he should probably seek therapy for. But it’s all part of the plan for the upcoming change destined for little Batson. I’m enjoying the slow pace, I just wish it wasn’t in the Justice League book! I appriciate not feeling compelled to buy another title, but unless there’s an eventual connection Captain Marvel will have with the League, (Possibly replacing the uninteresting Cyborg???? pleaseohpleasohpleaseohplease…) I’d really like the Cap to have his own solo book.
And there we have it, issue #9! It’s a great read and an undeniably fantastic improvement on an already fun title. Three more issue to go before we hit the one year mark, and things are just starting to boil!
The Avengers continues to be a hit at the box office, but now it’s becoming a popular fan film viral sensation, but not in the way you’d think. Apparently the Avengers is appealing as a boy band! I know that doesn’t make complete sense since there’s a female on the team, but let’s not get into specifics.
IGN came out with there Avengers boy band video a few days ago, but while it’s great in video quality and graphics, the lesser known, lower quality video from ScreenTeamShowis the better of the two in my opinion…
And here’s IGN’s Avenger’s music video. Still fun, just no where NEAR as cool as the above. Just Syain’…
Yeah, this is a student film that’s becoming a quick viral sensation, and rightly so! There’s a lot of heart going into this piece, and it should bring you to tears in only a few minutes. Enjoy…
Story by Peter J. Tomasi Art by Lee Garbett, Andy Clarke, Ray McCarthy, & Keith Champagne Colors by John Kalisz Letters by Dezi Sienty Cover by Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, & John Kalisz
We’ve now reached the point where the boy wonder shows off just how good he is; facing off with a Talon on course to kill a General with a connection, unbeknownst to him, to the Gotham City elite of influential families. Robin flies in, forced to trouble shoot against a seemingly invincible foe, saves the general and walks away with nothing more than a scratch. Life is good!
The Talons are everywhere, and Robin has to be on his toes! Fighting enemies with regenerative capabilities isn’t a walk in the park – not even a small band of military novices were able to bring down this one man! Some might say it’s due to the fact that the battle was being led by a kid, but we all know that Damian isn’t your average, American public school educated adolescent. I’m not even sure I know what a Q-Box is!!! If Damian survives to adulthood, he’s going to be one Hell of a crime fighting mastermind.
I had to take a step back for a moment as the General made an attempt at Hulking it up. One moment we see a very gentle, yet assertive looking man…
ZOINKS!!!!
Then we’re shoved a big whopin’ pile of this…
HULK SMASH!!!!
The fill in artist does a fine job, and I would argue that it’s an above average style that I could get into quite easily; the dramatic moments with Robin flying out at us, the Talon in attack formation on the cover, and even the faded flash back sequence all pop out with above average artistry. However, there’s nothing mind blowing about it – it’s simply good, no more.
The Talon himself was like a one man Indiana Jones movie – he just kept coming and coming and coming despite all the bullets to the body and grappling hooks to the eye socket. One slice from Robin’s sword and finally the Talon is stopped in his tracks. It’s funny how, in just nine issues, Robin has killed two people already because he couldn’t see any other alternative. Bruce had better watch out after this youngin’, otherwise another arch enemy could be in Bat’s future!
This was a fun issue with a lot of creepy moments, one of the better issues in this run so far. No doubt, this a filler issue as a way to kill time before the big event starts up…but it’s a goodie!
What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than by a wonderfully wholesome song about how much time and effort our moms put into raising us. Nothing can describe our love our moms better than music. So, without further delay…TAKE IT AWAY MR. T!!!
Who knew the Batcave could host such an awesome nocturnal brawl?
Batman is locked in the closet, with a horde of talon’s clawing at the door. But don’t worry, Bruce Wayne’s money spared no expense in financing the super ultra crime fighting suit that’ll take many of us back a few generations.
Much to the dismay of the Talons, Batman was the last person on their minds when when breaking into Wayne Manner. Nothing to do about it, the Talons are unfazed by this discovery and continue on mission: Kill Bruce Wayne.
Scott Snyder is having a blast with the Court of Owls, and I’m loving every minute of it. Of course, reading every tie-in issue isn’t the neccesary evil that DC’s making it out to be. I can understand this story just as well without reading B&R, Dark Knight, etc etc. Snyder makes it a point to call back to everyone involved, tying everything together to make issue #9 a success.
Night of the Owls has been anticipated almost since the reboot, having been fully realized with the spectacular issue #8 from last month. It’s an unknown history of Gotham where a predator hunts its prey and has been doing so for as long as Gotham is old. But thanks to the saw-it-comin’ death of a character that will go nameless, (don’t worry, you’ll figure it out) Batman now finds it within himself to become the predator and tear down the Court in the same way they did to him. The mad hunt begins! Just when I think it can’t get any better, Snyder delivers!
I can’t complain about Greg Capullo’s pencil work. Magic is in the air when Snyder and Capullo combine their talents, and the art makes the script even better than Snyder was hoping for.
And if you’re someone who enjoys robots, dinosaurs, and Godzilla, you’ll love how resourceful Batman is in squashing our bird-brained villains – one small step for dinos, one giant scaly pounce for dinotopia!
It’s a great story, probably the best Bats story yet! If this arc was my jumping on point for Batman, I KNOW I’d be hooked from that point on. Keep ‘em comin’ Snyder, looking forward to more.
And interesting thing occured last night that gave me the strangest sense of Déjà vu. Maybe I’m just slow and didn’t figure this out where everyone else had. (which is quite possibly the case) Regardless, this is still very interesting.
I was organizing my collection of Superman comics last night, trying to put all of the titles (Superman, Action, Adventures, Man of Steel, Man of Tomorrow) in sequence. Since the arcs overlap into each title, you have to own each issue from each run in order to follow the storyline. (Yes, that did take a long time!) But as I organized, I ran across this…
Snap shot I took from a page of Superman #658
This is a page is a snapshot I took last night. It comes the last page from of issue #658, telling us about next month’s issue…a story about Krypto the superdog!!! For me, this was a very, VERY strange thing.
Why is this strange you ask? Two reason. First off, it’s because #659 not only had a completely different cover, but ALSO had a completely different story. Take a look…
Issue #659
I guess I had completely forgotten about it as the years rolled on, no biggie! However, here’s where the plot thickens. I have every issue of the Superman run that started back in 1987, and rummaging through every single issue, I found the intended cover for issue #659 slapped on issue #712, which was a perplexing situation that made cock my head to the side…
Issue #712
There’s even more to the story. The above cover and story was never solicited in issue #711. The original solicited story and cover for this issue involved an Israeli who had super powers. Apparently there were concerns from fans about the implications of such a story due to Islam and the issues with terrorism.
So what does DC do? They revert to a story that was originally supposed to be used back in February of 2007. This makes me wonder how many MORE back up stories DC has in its vault in case of emergencies.
The early90′s brought on a horde of advertisements promoting sex education and drug abuse education. It may have been cheesy, but it was all well intentioned. Free Comic Book Day reminded me of some of those ads from my childhood that, even as an eleven year old kid, thought were the coolest things ever. Here, take a look at a few…
WARNING!You are about to be served a platter full of cheese, corn, and other hokey dialoging…
To start off, let’s just come to an agreement that Nightwing’s 90′s costume is HORRID! Let’s also come to terms with the fact that Beastboy is kind of a jerk face kid who’s all about facing intergalactic terrors, but can’t get over his homophobia. (I think it’s true even now!)
It’s nice to see Dick Grayson not acting the fool and providing some very thoughtful insight concerning Beastboy’s ignorance. But, as usual, the woman knows all and puts her foot down when boys are dumb. Way to go Donna Troy! (I’m assuming it’s Donna Troy.)
“Don’t be a stupid boy” is the moral of this PSA. DC does a good job integrating some sympathy for Bea as she explains her experience with friends who have died from aids or are suffering from the HIV virus.
Booster and Blue Beetle are known for their crazy antics and silly banter, not too mention their clueless behavior to the feelings of others. So it’s nice to see Booster taking something as terrifying as AIDS seriously.
Then again, Bea does leave the room with a tease, asking the two of them to know the facts and dangers of AIDS…especially for her. (Does she want them?)
And then, the one I remember the best – Green Lantern, John Stewart fighting prejudice…does it seem a bit cliche that a black man is the one chosen to fight the biggots?
John Stewart, being the fantastic steward of goodness and justice that he is, fights the prejudice with the power of WORDS rather than by the power of his ring. By the end of the ad, John Stewart flies off, and everyone stands together in a harmonious stance of brotherhood. Ugh so Cheesey! But still a good message.
But wait! There’s more! Take a lookie here…
Yeah, that’s right, Hal Jordan did the same exact thing in an earlier issue! Isn’t it wonderful that DC can use two superheroes, both having different colored skin, interchangeably to promote the same message! Gee whiz, can’t that mob ever learn their lesson? And when will that couple learn to stay away from the haters???
Free Comic Book Day brought back a lot of cheesy memories for me, and I still have a ton of back issues to go through in order to reminisce on the days of old.
Oh, and if any of you would like to try and see if those hotlines are still active, give all three a call…you might be surprised!
As I was cruising the net to find more cool, unknown artists, I ran acrossIan Schofield’s website where he posts his fantasy and comic book artwork. I was immediately blown away by how detailed and gorgeous every piece of art on his site is!
Apparently Ian has been painting digitally for two years…not a long time! His website doesn’t have much and I can only imagine what he’s done that isn’t included there. But he seems to have a love for Batman’s villains, evidence shown here.
The digital side of art has been fascinating me more and more. I think I’ll always been a grafite pencil type of artist, but this is something I think I could really get into. Maybe down the road sometime I can give digital painting a shot.
Look at that lighting!!
As far as I know, he doesn’t seem to be working for any comic book company, which is a shame! his work would become an instant fan favorite! I suspect he’d become somewhat of a “special” artist for extravagant mini series like Alex Ross or Mauro Cascioli. If he were to do something for DC, I wouldn’t care if the story was worthless and poorly written, just give me MORE Schofield!
If you like what you see here, well, there’s only a TAD bit more at his website. So Ian, if you have more art that hasn’t been seen yet, shoot me an email! I’d love to see more!
What do you fear? The freaking Scarecrow, that’s who!
Yes, that’s right folks, it seems The Avengers franchise will continue to grow beyond it’s three movie contract. Mark Ruffalo has set himself up as the undeniable Hulkster signing on for a six movie journey as the green machine. With two actors having already tried out the muscle bound monster, it look as if Ruffalo will be in it for the long haul. Let’s just hope the Hulk doesn’t suffer the six actor toggle that Batman has.
Likewise, Chris Hemsworth has put his name on paper for a six movie deal as the master of lightning and thunder, two of those films being Avengers sequels, and a potential of two more solo films. Iron Man is already going strong with it’s third film underway, but no word on anything for the Cap’n.
Even as a little kid, I was never a fan of the Avenger’s big three. (Thor, Iron Man, Captain America) But the Incredible Hulk has always been the hero I got excited about from the Marvel Universe. Besides the X-Men, Hulk was one of the only Marvel titles that was appealing to me; a story about a man who’s accidentally exposed to radiation which altered his genetic make up, causing him to change into a mindless beast beyond his control calls to my dark and gothic sensibilities. I’m thrilled to see the Hulk get a serious treatment other than as a senseless promotion for the Avengers. There’s even talk of a Hulk TV show in the works!
I can only hope for the best, and if the Avengers is any indication of what’s to come, three cheers for the efforts of Marvel!
Director: Rupert Sanders 
