Archive for March, 2011

Wonder Woman Wednesday: Hot…But Creepy

Posted: March 30, 2011 in DC Comics, DC Direct, Uncategorized, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman Wednesday
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So I’m sure we all saw the very well done Wonder Woman animated movie released a couple of years ago.  Apparently there was a statuette made via DC Direct that was based off of the animated movie’s characterization.  However, I saw this set of photos through a google images search, which was quite daunting to say the least.  This set of photos was shown in a one by one experience, meaning I had to click the “next” button to view the next. Let me walk you through my visual experience.  Be warned, you may like what you see, but be ready for a twisted ending…

Ok, this first pose is actually quite awesome; very dramatic and intense

This second pose is perfect for your computer wallpaper

Seriously, everything about this statuette screams awesome doesn't it?

They took great care in getting the details just right didn't they?

And then, after viewing a number of great photos, I told myself I was going to purchase this statuette because of how cool it would would among my collections.

 

until I saw this…….

HOLY SHIT!!  Her face is freaky!!!  I think I might have nightmares later!  Nevermind, I’ll refrain from buying this one!

To be honest, it’s a pretty awesome statuette; it’s pretty darned detailed and in the right positions, it’s really epic.  If you don’t get freaked out easily, I recommend adding this gem to your collection.

Movie Review: Sucker Punch

Posted: March 29, 2011 in Abbie Cornish, Animated Movies, Campy Movies, Carla Gugino, Emily Browning, Jaime Chung, Jena Malone, Movie News, Movie Review, Oscar Isaac, Sci-Fi, Scott Glen, Sucker Punch, Uncategorized, Vanessa Hudgens, Warner Bros., Warner Brothers, Zack Snyder
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Release Date: March 25, 2011 (conventional theaters and IMAX)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Zack Snyder
Screenwriter: Steve Shibuya, Zack Snyder
Starring: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm, Oscar Isaac, Scott Glenn
Genre: Action, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for thematic material involving sexuality, violence and combat sequences, and for language)
Official Website: SuckerPunchmovie.com

The “Biff”, “Bam”, and “Booming” Plot

Babydoll becomes the victim of her abusive stepfather now that her mother has passed away.  The father, whose name is never revealed, finds a way to lock Babydoll up in a mental institution after she accidentally shoots her sister, with the original intent of drilling the bullet right into the skull of her adoptive parent.

The story then fades away from the family trauma and becomes a darkmorality tale of survival by way of escaping into the world of imagination.  Babydoll leads her team of inmates into a series of imaginative wars that all tie into the institutional world around her.  Battles range from unrealistic duels  with giant Samurai’s to dog fights with World War II fighter jets, all of which maintain this theme of escaping one’s life by delving into a world of make believe.

But before all is said and done, this band of women must make a sacrificial decision and choose between doing what’s right and what is easy.  Despite the virtual arsenal at their disposal, their toughest battle will wield no guns, swords, or fighter jets…just the simple power of will and the drive to be set free.

My “Blam”, “Kick” and “Ka-Plowing” Thoughts

This newest Zach Synder cinematic installment instills debate as much as it does entertainment; when should visual effects become the acceptable predominant storytelling force, and when should it be the supporter of the storyline? As someone who prefers the written script to be the heart of any film, my artistic side cannot be denied either.  The film has a point!  As predictable and campy as it is, the story fuels the film enough to give room for the more important aspect of Sucker Punch, which remains within the visual rhetoric.

Zach Synder is making a real name for himself within the film industry, having made two successful films (300 & Watchmen) which have now defined that unique signature style which comes off in Sucker Punch.  The film, however, brings a new direction to life with Snyder’s multiple sets of visual prose that, most times, seem chaotic and without purpose.  The fact that Babydoll’s imagination seems to also have an imagination of its own will be confusing enough for any audience member.  She goes from being in the mental institution, to imagining herself in a classy-style dance brothel, and then (while still in her whore-house imagination) to dreaming up a world where she leads her fellow inmates into intense & destructive wars which seem out of this world.  Babydoll fights zombies, Orcs, over-sized Samurai, and many more adversaries, all of which have its foundation in folklore and fantasy.  Too much to take in?  Who cares?!?

There is a very blurred sense of reality which permeates all throughout the film.  At one point, I actually forgot about the mental institution as I was so enthralled by Babydoll’s world in her mind.  Snyder is certainly ahead of the rest of the film-world in his visual approach with every movie he makes; the animation is realistic enough to be believable, yet maintains enough cartoonish fervor where it still feels like it could have come out of a comic book and/or a gothic video game.  I’m excited to see what he does with the next Superman film!

Sucker Punch takes everything that isn’t normal within mainstream movie making and slaps it on this film’s central part of the stage. when it comes to carrying around guns and swords, women rarely are the heavy hitting protagonists in most movies today; most of the time that role is given to the men with the women carrying on the role of the supporting cast member.  Here we have women not only shooting everyone down and slicing all the badie’s heads off, but we also see a strong sense of confidence within each female character.  Yeah sure, two of the women are timid about a few things, but in the end, they all could kick major ass without breaking too much of a sweat.

Now of course most hardcore feminists (both male AND female) will challengeany who approach the film with that positive angle and ask “Why is it that even in the imaginary world of a female, the women are still dressed in revealing and seductive outfits?”  The answer to that question is simply this…the film is still made by a male majority.  The movie does not represent a feminist viewpoint as well as one might hope, so don’t expect Sucker Punch to meet all of the feminist demands for representation.  Sucker Punch is not meant to be an accurate depiction of a victory cry for female rights, but more so as a representation of what every comic book geek, video game nerd, and…well, let’s be honest…every male’s secret fantasy of watching hot girls star in a Kung-Fu and bullet-blasting movie.

Members of the Babydoll Resistance Brigade play their parts nicely; Abbie Cornish, AKA Sweet Pea, plays a wise, yet reluctant big sister to the action-hungry, sexy red-haired tough girl, Rocket, played by Jenna Malone.  Vanessa Hudgens and Jaime Chung do well at bringing the vivacious attitudes to their heavy machine operating and fist pumping roles to the screen which compliments Emily Browning’s leading role as Babydoll perfectly.  But kudos needs to go to our two great supporting actors, Oscar Isaac and Carla Gugino.  Gugino presents a very confident and proud Russian woman who obviously cares for her girl’s safety, but doesn’t allow any man to walk all over her.  Likewise, Isaac fantastically supports the stereotypical male standard within films that all men want sex (which in turn supports the conservative Christian attitude that all sex is bad) quite well with his role as the seedy zoot-suit, fedora-wearing sex offender named Blue.

The “jab”, “jolt”, and “Ker-Plunking” Conclusion

While I found Sucker Punch quite entertaining, a little more support within the story would have greatly improved its confusing nature.  The few thematic driving points, such as sexual leverage and the inner workings of revenge, felt much more like a fleeting after thought which didn’t lend itself to the story as well as I’m sure Snyder hoped for.  But the film’s visuals are more than enough to keep my interest firm and never wavering for its two hour duration.  And besides, the film’s title should suggest to you that “Sucker Punch” is going to hit you with very little preparation.  Don’t take it too seriously and you should be fine.

8 out of 10 stars

Lorna: Relic Wrangler [One-Shot] Review

Posted: March 28, 2011 in Comic Book Review, Darwyn Cooke, DC Comics, Image Comics, Lorna: Relic Wrangler, Micah S. Harris
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Written By: Micah S. Harris

Artist: Loston Wallace, Michael Youngblood, Olli Hihnala

Cover Artist: Darwyn Cooke

The Sexy & Temptascious Plot

In its creator-owned tradition, Image gives room for another new superhero slot within their ranks.  Lorna: Relic Wrangler spoofs some of the more popular fan-boy icons of today.  (cough..Laura Croft…cough) In this one shot adenture, Lorna is tasked with capturing an entity which has manifested in this relic which sits atop a temple of wisdom in some exotic region of the world.  Little does she know that her old high school nemesis, Posh Meow, is also trying to get her paws on the relic.  It’s a race to see if Lorna will finally beat her arch enemy, or if history will repeat itself.

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

In an attempt to support the independent writers a little more consistently, I decided to give this one-shot a try.  As I left the store with my merchandise, one of the owners of the store told me “don’t take it too seriously.  If you do, you won’t enjoy it.” I’m not entirely certain I could ever take a comic book with a title like “Relic Wrangler” seriously no matter how hard I try, but I took his advice anyway.  An honestly, I was pleasantly surprised!

I read this issue shortly after seeing the film “Sucker Punch” and came to the conclusion that women who kick has and look good while doing it have become the popular trend these days.  But not only that, Lorna has this “bratz” look but with a mature stature to her.  This is the made-up girlfriend everyone fan-boy wants to date at some point in their life.

Lorna is constantly monitored by a group of perverted secret-agent men who want more than to simply monitor the blonde bombshell.  But even with her sexiness, charm, and cute demeanor, she doesn’t allow any man to walk all over her just because she wears exceptionally tight fighting apparel.

Everyone who reads this book should expect a large amount corny dialog stringed with hokey storytelling devices and plot progressions.  So if the story is to cheesy to go along with your wine, then move on to the next best thing, but no doubt this comic is worth it’s $3.99 price mark.  (Yes, Image is not drawing any lines.)

If anything, you should pick up this comic for the incredibly awesome Darwyn Cooke cover.  Cooke, whose work has been portrayed in titles such as the Spirit and numerous other DC titles, embodies everything this book is about; demons, guns, sex appeal, and old abandoned tombs.  Clearly, Cooke was the right man for the job.

Lorna: Relic Wrangler spilts off into three separate storylines, with one main story and two minor ones following.  While all three stories are well written (as they are all written by the same person) the artwork in the second two stories doesn’t live up to the first.  This is an odd statement to make because each style is great in and of itself, but for this particular comic, the art from the first story fits Lorna’s kick-ass motif a lot better.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Overall, I’m glad I picked up this book; it’s nice to read a comic that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  And even though you’ll be paying $4 bucks for this issue, I would recommend stopping after the first story because the artwork for the nest two will bring the story telling down a few notches.

And as way of giving you a taste of the sexy nature of the book, enjoy the following picture parade.  Click on each image to enlarge…

Yes Lorna, because you lost, you're just not that pretty

Yes, sexy legs accompanied by a school girl outfit are all that matters

Excuse, I'd like to ASS you a few questions

American Gods Film Project Underway!

Posted: March 28, 2011 in American Gods, DC Comics, Movie News, Neil Gaiman
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The Article Below Comes From Comingsoon.net….

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American Gods, Neil Gaiman’s epic fantasy tome, is now set for development as a feature film, the author confirmed in an interview with Digital Spy (via Bleeding Cool).

The book, released in 2001 to many accolades, tells the story of a ex-convict, Shadow, and his navigation through a present-day America secretly filled with all the mythological gods and monsters of ancient history, long since immigrated to the United States.

Though no specific details have been announced, Gaiman says that the rights for the project have just been sold and that he will meet shortly with the new director about his own potential involvement in the project. As for who will be helming, Gaiman only offers a tease.

“There is one cinematographer and director on board,” he says, “who has many, many Oscars and is I think a genius. I love the fact that he fell in love with this about six or seven years ago and has not given up and just kept coming back and coming back.”

Gaiman, arguably best known for his comic book series “Sandman”, has seen his work adapted in Hollywood with adaptations of his novels Stardust and Coraline. His most recent book, The Graveyard Book is slated for a film version from Neil Jordan while a “Sandman” television is said to be in development with Gaiman’s involvement.

Check out the original video interview with Gaiman in the player below and check back for details on American Gods as they develop.

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My Thoughts….

You know what…I’m STOKED!!!   American Gods is my favorite novel ever written and ranks (with me) right up there with Watchmen as the best piece of literature ever written in the modern age.  But here’s my issue, I’m going to be super analytical with this film.

American Gods is more or less a thematic extension of Gaiman’s Sandman series, containing various mythological concepts with a mixture of Americana and Fantasy.  But at the book’s core is the idea that American culture has very little value beyond its own technological advances.

Of course there’s more to it than that, but Gaiman wrote it mainly as a reaction to his own experiences of living in the United States.  This is not a biography by any means, but it is somewhat a reflection of Gaiman’s thoughts on America.

Just like with Watchmen, I’m going to be tapping my foot every step of the way until it hits theaters.  And just as like Dan Woodward from It’s a Dan’s World has been doing with his updates on the Hobbit film coming out, I will equally be keeping tabs on the progress of the film adaptation of my favorite novel of all time!  Stay Tuned for more information.

Oh, and if you haven’t read this awesome novel yet….don’t wait any longer!

Sci-Fi Sunday: Robot Monster

Posted: March 27, 2011 in Campy Movies, Movie Review, Robot Monster, Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi Sunday, Uncategorized
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Click To EnlargeIt’s the first installment of Sci-Fi Sunday!  Each Sunday I’ll post an incredibly bad Sci-Fi film in between the 1950′s and 1980′s.  I’ll always try to find one that is streamable on Netflix, or streamable somewhere on the internet and watch it at some point that day.  Then, come back and comment on how bad the movie way to you; how was your experience watching it, did you laugh non-stop, did you get so annoyed you turned it off, did you love how bad it was?  Tell all! I invite everyone to partake in this glorious day each week

This weeks Sci-Fi Sunday film is Robot Monster!

Movie Synopsis: Ro-Man has been sent to Earth in an advance party for an alien invasion. By the time the monster has finished his mission, only one family remains on Earth. Naturally, Ro-Man falls for the daughter. A communicator that generates bubbles, a robot that looks suspiciously like a man in a gorilla suit and stock footage from old dinosaur movies earn this film a place at the top of the list of classic gloriously bad sci-fi movies from the 1950s

Directed by Phil Tucker, the film has an all new, never-before-seen cast of actors and actresses that is bound to be less than appealing.  The film is not rated  and is 62 minutes long!  The actual film by itself is available on Netflix but not streamable.  However, if you search for Robot Monster on Netflix, you’ll see a Mystery Science Theater 3000 take on the movie in your search results.  What better way to enjoy a terrible film than to watch three guys (one man, two robots) make fun it?!?

Movie Trailer: Warning, intense laughter will result in viewing this trailer


Justice League: Generation Lost #22 Review

Posted: March 26, 2011 in Brightest Day, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Fire, Hi-Fi, Ice, Judd Winink, Justice League International, Justice League: Generation Lost, Tora Olafsdotter, Uncategorized, Wonder Woman
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Written By: Judd Winick

Penciller: Joe Bennett

Inker: Jack Jadson & Ruy Jose

Colorist: Hi-Fi

Cover Artist: Dustin Nguyen

Letterer: Swands

Editor: Rex Ogle & Brian Cunningham

The Fiendishly Diabolical Plot

As always, Batman jumps into the mix to provide some much needed advice and leadership in an almost unbeatable dilemma.  With the help of his alien armored suit, Blue Beetle has survived a bullet with Max Lord’s signature on it and was given a glimpse of the evil psychic’s plan.  Apparently not even Max Lord has the ability to leave the past behind and forgive Wonder Woman for snapping his neck so many years ago.  But just as the entire world can’t remember Max Lord, now no one can remember who Wonder Woman is.  It’s all a matter of time!  Who will get to Wonder Woman first, the League or Mr. Lord?

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

It’s the age old tale of heroes and villains rising from the dead; except with this issue, the team turns on their “giddy” switch at the sight of Blue Beetle standing in front of them.  Typically we see heroes receive no more than a stoic smile and a hearty handshake when returning from the afterlife.  Here we see some of the toughest heroes in the DCU turn into crazy-happy “normal” people at the sight of their NOT dead friend.  I wish we could see this side of our favorite heroes more often!  (But then again, I would also like to see DC actually kill off a hero and NOT bring him or her back.  Trends are nice, but they often times become too much.)

Wonder Woman is my favorite super hero in comics, who didn’t know that right?  It’s nice to see her featured in this subsection of the Brightest Day folklore.  I’m not sure if this was purposefully used to explain the changed continuity in her own self-titled book or if it was a last minute detail to help meet the demands of angry screaming fans over the dislike in Wonder Woman’s new found lifestyle.  Whatever the case, it helps me to understand where Michael Straczynski has been going with the Wonder Woman title.

To be honest, I wasn’t the least bit surprised by this series’ purpose.  It’s one evil plot after the next and it all leads up to Maxy’s hatred and bitter attitude towards Wonder Woman.  Amongst all the chaos and mind wiping, it all comes down to one person, and Maxy is bringing in the entire Omac army to take her down!  But I should have seen this coming right?  Comics are always about vendettas and about getting back at the hero that put you away…or in this case, the one who killed you.  With the history both Wonder Woman and Max has, why wouldn’t I have just deduced that Wonder Woman would have some major role to play in Lord’s endgame?  I guess that’s the sign of a good writer – Being able to convince your readers that the obvious ending won’t be the outcome.

But I wonder about the world forgetting about Wonder Woman; is it due to a mistake Max Lord made when wiping the minds everyone on Earth of his existence, or is it due to some higher power that conveniently started as Max fell into his pool of ice?

Side note: Rocket Red makes a pretty darned hot Amazonian princess, am I right?  But the real question is will the males reading this issue who are major homophobes be conflicted in their sexual preference after obviously getting aroused from seeing Rocket Red in Wonder Woman mode?  He’s still a male after all.

Joe Bennett, along with his team of inkers, Jack Jadson and Ruy Jose, leads in with an astounding display of artistic fervorence. (Again, my blog, my rules.  I’ll make up as many words as I want too!!!) Hi-Fi also brings in an amazing light-show as Max Lord sends out his physic message that transforms numerous innocent by standers into the blue-skinned mindless cyborgs.  But as much as I love every artist that’s worked on this miniseries, I certainly hope Lopresti make one last sketching appearance.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

This title is easily the best miniseries of the year!  I know its only March, but good grief, it’s just that good!  Why can’t the regular Brightest Day title be this awesome?  Now all I want to know is what the end result will create within the DCU?  Is this the beginning of a revived Justice League: International title, or will this be the dawning of something new for Max Lord?  What kind of role will he be playing in the future?  I really don’t want to see him die, he’s too good of a bad guy and would be a great addition to Wonder Woman’s list of villains and a great arch-enemy of the JLI.  (hint hint DC, I want to see regularly published JLI title!)

10 out of 10 stars

Life Gets In The Way Of Everything

Posted: March 25, 2011 in DC Comics, Image Comics, Justice League International, Justice League: Generation Lost, Lorna: Relic Wrangler, The Green Hornet, Uncategorized
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I’ve been super busy lately with, well, everything which has kept me from updating and posting this site as frequently as I would like.  But don’t worry, reviews are to come as I picked up three books this week; Lorna: Relic Wrangler, The Green Hornet, and Justice League: Generation Lost. all of which have things that need to be discussed and analyzed.  But in a nut shell, this was a good week for comics.

Also, more will be coming about this later, but set your calendars for next week Saturday, April 2nd.  The Heretical Jargon Podcast is making it’s come back after a year long hiatus due to my co-host resigning.  I still have NO co-host but landed on an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.  The girls from http://www.girls-gone-geek.com have accepted my invitation to be apart of an interview.  But along with the interview of the Newsarama.com hired writers, discussion about the weeks new comics and recent films will also be discussed as well.  come back soon as more information will be posted on the podcast next Saturday!

In the meantime, enjoy the awesome cover by Mr. Cooke from the Image Comics One-shot, Lorna: Relic Wrangler…

Superman vs. Batman

Posted: March 21, 2011 in Superman, Uncategorized, Youtube videos
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One of the many reasons why Superman really does kick major ass!  You might be saying to yourself, “Well, this simply proves that Superman is TOO powerful, which makes him less exciting.”  While I would disagree with that statement completely, If I were to choose which Superman I’d want saving me…I’d choose Superman.

Brightest Day #22 Review

Posted: March 20, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Written By: Geoff Johns & Peter J. Tomasi

Artist: Scott Clark, Ivan Reis & Joe Prado

Inker: David Beaty

Colorist: Aspen MLT’s Peter Steigerwald & Rod Reis

Cover Artist: Gary Frank & Nathan Eyring

Letterer: Rob Clark Jr.

Editor: Eddie Berganza

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Finally, some things are wrapping up! All that’s left is to resolve Captain Boomerang’s mission and figure out who the heck Earth’s new champion will be.  The biggest question in my mind?… How is this entire ordeal is going to be wrapped up in two more issues.

Firestorm discovers that his mission (assigned back in the issues with single digits) was not to stop Deathstorm, but the Anti-Monitor, in which case we (the readers) receive a glimpse of what the Anti-Monitor plans to do.  And I tell you what, Mr. Monitor looks terrifyingly creepy in this issue!

The point of Blackest Night was to initialize a new era in comic books… as I’m sure everyone already knows.  The point of Brightest Day is to revitalize some of the old, fan favored heroes and bring them back into a constant spotlight within the DCU.  Firestorm has been given that shot which fans have been geeking out over for some time.  For me personally, I never enjoyed the conception that became Firestorm.  Now the obvious obstacle for both Ronnie and Jason is to figure out how to coexist together as one Firestorm matrix.  But to be honest, it’s just not that exciting for me.

Have you ever tried watching one of those anime cartoons where to people are about to attack each other…but it takes almost a full 30 minutes for Goku to attack Piccolo?  That’s what it felt like as Ronnie was having his “heart to heart” with Professor Stein.  For three pages, the villains decided to simply sit back and let Ronnie embrace his professor whose salinity levels were rising ever so quickly?  I don’t buy it.  That kind of a moment should be saved for the after thoughts.

I found myself enticed much more with the art than the writing, which is neither a good or bad thing in and of itself.  While a few panels tend to feel out of place, overall the execution of everything sketch is top notch with little inconsistencies.  The Anti-Monitor’s silver and blue motif amongst the blackness surrounding him was a shining moment within the context of the situation.  It’s funny how colors which are typically deemed as “positive” and “uplifting” cool colors can be used to visually describe a gothic scene.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

I think for most people this issue will be a lot of fun.  And in my opinion, this issue is a necessary addition for anyone following Brightest Day…Just don’t expect too much.  I’m ready for the next era in comics to begin.

5 out of 10 stars

 

Alas, Vintage #3 – When Superheroes Make Mistakes

Posted: March 19, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Why is it that DC heroes always tend to show signs of homosexuality and Marvel heroes typically show signs of stupidity?

And Bats and Supes actually look like they are considering it

 

 

Poor Bats, Robin or Green Lantern...tough decisions.

That's right Spidey, get some change and use a pay phone like Superman.

Wonder Woman Wednesday – For Love And Bondage

Posted: March 16, 2011 in DC Comics, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman Wednesday
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William Moulton Marston, the man who created Wonder Woman lives on in history as being…well…one crazy kind of guy.  His comics consisted of Wonder Woman being caught in compromising situations that the typical comic book audience today either laughs at, or causes them to do a double take.

Back in the mid 1900′s, Wonder Woman was known for her lasso of truth, which either bound her enemies to the ground (most of them typically being female) or was used by her enemies to bid her up.  Either way, Wonder Woman is known for her “tied-up” characteristic.

But we can go even further and expect Wonder Woman to not only find herself bound in multiple ways, but also to seem utterly helpless and unable to resist anyone’s torment once bound by the hands.  Below are some images from old comic book covers which gives you just a sample of the number of covers out there showing Wonder Woman bound and utterly helpless.  Click on any image to enlarge it….

Early in the Wonder Woman game, all heroes get tied up once in a while right?

The darling Amazon huh?

Slightly familiar to the above photo

Gone from rope to bandages

ok, whew, I'm much more comfortable with chains

What wonderful inspiration Dr. Strangelove has been for us

Ok, so now she's just gotten used to...she may even like it

Geez that looks like it hurts!

Justice League: Generation Lost #21 Review

Posted: March 15, 2011 in Brightest Day, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Fernando Dagnino, Fire, Hi-Fi, Ice, Justice League: Generation Lost, Tora Olafsdotter, Uncategorized
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Written By: Judd Winick

Pencils: Fernando Dagnino

Inker: Raul Fernandez

Colorist: Hi-Fi

Cover Artist: Dustin Nguyen

Letterer: Swands

Editor: Rex Ogle & Brian Cunningham

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

After shaking myself of the confusion of whether or not DC was still publishing their themed covers, (all white background with the protagonists charging at us with their emblem right behind) I opened up to a disheartening first page with Jaime Reyes lying down as lifeless as can be due with Booster hanging his head over the broken body.

In the tradition of Noah and his ark, this issue brings us a story which comes in pairs.  Booster lets all of his feelings out to fellow winged robot, Atom and Ice have a very hectic “coming to terms” talk with each other, and Rocket Red unintentionally shows Fire that he is the happiest and most positive thinker within the DC Universe.    In comics, writers have to give their team a mission…something that brings drama and action to every page.  But every once in a while, writers need to take a step back from all the chaos and allow the heroes a chance to remind themselves of what’s most important inside and outside of their lives. Each pairing was masterfully written by Winick; reminding us why we love these characters so much while also showing that these heroes have been greatly underused.

It all begins with Ted Kord, the most famous of the three Blue Beetles.  Jaime Reye’s death (cough…not dead…cough) brought back the explosive reminder that Ted Kord truly was a foundational unit within the JLI; verging on having the type of super sleuth skills the Dark Knight has.  (or had, depending on which Batman your thinking of…sheesh!)  The JLI was the comic book title that truly got me hooked on comics, so seeing all of this revolve around Blue Beetle’s memory is an incredible delight.

Why are these characters such underestimated heroes in the DCU?  I haven’t a clue!  They all have increasing potential with incredible stories to follow.  Seeing Ice help Atom boost his confidence in himself reminded me of why no one can justly say anything negative about DC’s sweetheart.  Likewise, Atom has always been portrayed as a stoic piece of metal with no more emotion in him than a toothpick.  But then Winick bursts into a song with the emotional meltdown Atom has with his self-doubt.  And of course Booster has always seemed like a self-absorbed, glory seeking dumb head, but deep down inside he is a true leader and devoted friend…he just needed some encouragement.

Somewhere along the way, Fire lost her flirtatious side and became this lean, mean, green military power house!  I’m sure Rocket Red was just as thrilled as we were (jealousy!!!) to see the spark light back up in her personality.

Is that not the best "Come Hither" look you've ever seen???

Wonder Woman may be my dark horse, with Power Girl being my mistress…but Fire has them all beat in being my hidden fantasy.  Gavril, you’d better treat her like a Queen!  Cause if you don’t…she’ll burn you.

Dagnino and Fernandez along with Hi-Fi (I still want to know who names their kid Hi-Fi!!) helped bring this stories dark beginning to an uplifting and meaningful end.  The shading verges on being an overdone aspect…yet the artistic team makes it work in ways I never thought possible.  The triumphant Blue Beetle rising up from his hospital-type bed is a shimmering example of how black power suits can still shine as much as Booster’s blue and gold tights.

Each scene’s color contrasting and merging seem to blend in well together.  It’s almost as if the artists planned how to make each scene work.  Ice and Atom perfectly filled the room up with silver and blue surroundings that gleamed and blended in together so well, while Fire and Rocket Red’s contrasting red and green auras came together in an amalgamated perfection.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

I was one of the many stragglers who hopped on board with this series towards its conclusion.  Only a few issues to go and I’m thankful I didn’t wait until the Brightest Day mess was finished up…otherwise this series wouldn’t have the same impact for me.  To be honest I haven’t read a bad issue of Generation Lost yet, and #21 is one of the best.

9 out of 10 stars


Star Trek Girl

Posted: March 14, 2011 in Meekakitty, Star Trek, Star Trek Girl, Youtube videos
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Ran into this video on Youtube.  I’m a fan!  She took an already existing song and made of music video to it.  I hope she doesn’t get in trouble for using the song on here.  Oh well, this girl rocks anyway…subscribed to meekakitty’s youtube channel as she talks about anything and everything geeky!

Movie Review: Rango

Posted: March 14, 2011 in Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Animated Movies, Bill Nighy, Catoons, Gore Verbinski, Isla Fischer, Johnny Depp, Movie Review, Ned Beatty, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Rango
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Release Date: March 4, 2011
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Gore Verbinski
Screenwriter: Gore Verbinski, John Logan, James Byrkit
Starring: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, Stephen Root, Ray Winstone, Beth Grant, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton, Alfred Molina
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation
MPAA Rating: PG (for rude humor, language, action and smoking)
Official Website: Rangomovie.com

It’s hard to imagine any director throwing an original animated film idea out there in a world that’s being overrun by animated features.  So what does Director Gore Verbinski do?  He decides to take the classic way of telling a Western tale and make fun of it.  And while the film is an overall joy to watch, I wonder about how good of a Western Rango actually is.

The Routinest-Tootinest Plot

Rango, who’s been cooped up for a good majority of his life in a tank, embraces a life of make believe, acting his way through scenario after scenario, dreaming of fame and glory.  But one little bump on the road throws his dreams and fantasies into a horrid reality right smack dab in the middle of a desert nowhere…until he finds a small town called “Dirt” filled with  plethora of varmits ranging from armadillos, to groundhogs, to rattlesnakes.

The town of Dirt is in the middle of a drought and no one seems to know why.  Looking to fulfill his glorified fantasies Rango fills the town with false tales involving death defying and heroic acts.  Convinced Rango can save the town and bring the water back, he is dubbed Sheriff.  Rango relishes every moment of his new found fame…until he discovers a mysterious evil that may be more than he can handle.

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Personally, I’m up and down in my opinion of the film overall.  Rango definitely has more good than bad aspects about it, which should beg to wonder why I’m soambivalent.  Verbinski is certainly no stranger to talented actors with his work on the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, so enlisting the voice talents of Jonny Depp, Isla Fischer, and Bill Nighy came with no trouble at all.  But my cinematic snobbery can’t get past the indecisive nature of the story.  Was this a film about putting aside one’s own self-interests to achieve the greater good, or was it a story about the evils of leaving the smaller communities in the dust just to obtain a profit?

The Good

Industrial Light and Magic is certainly making a name for itself in the animation world isn’t it?  ILM has had major successes with the animation standard it’s imprinted in Moviedom with their work on films such as Transformers, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Avatar.  (That’s right, don’t thank James Cameron…thank George Lucas!) But now, within Rango we see a new development in animation quality that rivals the excellence that Pixar has set for so many years.  The attention to detail of the different physical characteristics of the many different desert creatures defies the expectations of most film goers.  Every move, twitch, and stagger made by each character was obviously analyzed in great detail to make sure the appropriate impact came across to the viewers.  The critters were so real, at times I wondered if, within certain scenes, they actually used real animals in which the animators simply imposed an animated “critter cover” just to be sure they got it right.

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Voice talents, as stated above, are spot on perfect.  Depp and Fischer dominate the screen with the flawless performances, Especially with Depp showing off his ability to portray a wanna-be actor. (Let’s face it, Rango is in fact a chameleon which personifies the need to hide oneself in another light perfectly.) But the film’s success and richness is due to the entire ensemble of voice actors and how seamless the performances came across.  Abigail Breslin who plays Priscilla, the pesky mouse always getting in Rango’s beady little eyes, took control of the screen every time she appeared.  Ned Beatty plays a terrifically diabolical mayor in a half shell and Alfred Molina, with his wise-man, armadillo demeanor, gives the voice performance of a life-time.  But of course, hats must come off to the upcoming face of Hollywood, Bill Nighy as the voice of Rattlesnake Jake.  Unless you looked it up online, you’ll never realize it was him voicing the slithering outlaw.

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Old school Westerns have always maintained this hokey, yet poetic persona.  The Mariachi Band of birds who acted as the film’s narrators were a delight to listen to and watch as they sang about Rango, the “hero who has yet to enter into his own story.”  And, the high point of the film’s mystical power was all culminated in this single character known as the Spirit of the West.  This, more or less, reminded me of a much younger Clint Eastwood.  Rango pokes fun at the typical Western by throwing every nook and cranny at us with little time to think about what films it’s referencing.

Speaking of Mariachi music, Hans Zimmer can do no wrong when composing film music.  However, I had no idea he could create Western music that was so reminiscent of the classic film genre and still be so vibrant and dramatic.

The Bad

I wasn’t quite sure what the film was trying to be.  The film’s focus seemed to joggle around from this to that never allowing the audience to figure out what exactly the purpose was supposed to be.  Maybe there were multiple themes that the film makers were hoping to convey by the film’s end.  If that’s the case, I’m not sure I like it.

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How many main bad guys can one film have?  We started off by being introduced to the gang of bullies who Rango accidentally beat off with a series of trips and fumblings.  Next we end up figuring out that it’s the mayor who seemed to have a hand in the evil plot; while the wheel chaired tortoise still ends up being the mainline villain, enter Rattlesnake Jake who takes the focus off the mayor for a good chunk of the film.  We then are given a glimpse of the REAL evil, encompassed in a civilization filled with buildings, freshly mowed green grass, playgrounds, and (dun dun duh) sprinklers spewing water out of its spout which is siphoned from the surrounding desert towns.  Four main villains = too many plotlines which also = an indecisive storyline.

The Ugly

For you parents out there don’t be fooled by the fact that this is an animated film or by the Nickelodeon banner plastered on the screen before the movie actually starts. This film, while still being fun and humorous, has a number of frightening scenes which mostly stem from the realistic physical attributes of the animals.  But also be warned about the seldom swearing and implied crude humor.  If your child can handle that kind of thing, bring them to see the movie, it’ll be fun.  But if they can’t handle it…bring them anyway.  They’re going to have to deal with it at some point right?  Might as well get it done and over with sooner rather than later.

Wrapping It Up

I’d say, overall, this was a good movie.  I’m never going to buy it once released on DVD, but it did embody Western folklore almost to a “T.”  For me, personally, I would have preferred to see a little more consistency and les complexity within the plot itself.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars

Herman’s Sunday Funnies 3-13-11

Posted: March 13, 2011 in Herman, Herman Sunday Funnies, Jim Unger, Sunday Comics, Uncategorized
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When I was little, my dad gave me three volumes of Jim Unger’s famous comic strip series, Herman.  Herman was never specifically anyone.  He was merely a descriptor which embodied the typically American male, female, boy, girl, dog, etc., etc.  I laughed so hard at them when I was little simply because I loved how it made fun of your average american.  Thus begins my weekly installment of the Herman Sunday Funnies.

JSA All-Stars #16 Review

Posted: March 12, 2011 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Freddie Williams II, JSA All-Stars, Matthew Sturges, Uncategorized
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Written By: Matthew Sturges

Artist: Freddie Williams II

Colorist: Richard & Tanya Horie

Cover Artist: Freddie Williams II

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Editor: Joey Cavalieri

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Arthur Pemberton reveals all in this 3rd and final issue of the Puzzlemen story arc.  Although it’s hard to imagine anything as rough and tough as the rock hard Puzzlemen being able to out punch Citizen Steel.  With the All-Stars doing all they can to bring down Pemberton and his band of rock soldiers, something rather unexpected, and kind of morbid, lurks it’s into the path of the unsuspecting villain…you’ll be horrified and chuckle at the same time.

Honestly, I was clueless as to how this story was going to end, but I knew it was going to rock my world. (No pun intended) Sturges didn’t disappoint as he presented an all-out brawl against Pemberton’s Puzzlemen and the All-Stars that kept me glued to the action.  If I were to pick Sturges’ strongest literary aspect, it would be his ability to write incredibly riveting action stories.

I had to do a quadruple-take at the end however.  “What do violins have to do with any of this?” I asked myself.  It wasn’t until I decided to go back to last month’s issue when was reminded of the fleeting interest Roxy had in human emotions and playing the violin.  So logic would also tell you the very first page threw me for a loop as well.  Thus lies the daunting dilemma with comics published on a monthly basis; if you forget to go back and look to remind yourself of what happened in the previous issues (unless you have a friggin’ awesome memory) the latest issue will be lost to you.  But it tied in really well and gave Roxy an incredibly glorious moment to shine as the hero.

Just a side note – Maybe it’s just me and my ability to find the utmost morbidity in the smallest things but isn’t it kinda creepy that Roxy’s consciousness is swarming around in a dead body?  We can take it even further though (can’t we?) since Roxy decided to keep that body for centuries following the battle with the Puzzlemen.

As much as I enjoyed this issue, it almost seemed TOO easy of a fight for the All-Stars.  Almost immediately the heroes had an arsenal of weapons at their hand, with Pemberton left holding his stick yelling at everyone with an uncertain demeanor about him.  And just when you thought Citizen Steel was about to be taken out, we’re shown just how powerful and relentless he truly is!  This was the All-Stars moment of glory that showed the rest of the DCU that they are a superhero team not to be underestimated!

Freddie Williams II…what can I say?  I hated him in the beginning, thought he was a lot more tolerable somewhere in the middle of the run, and now I think he’s awesome!  The body structures he draws are still a bit too pruney for my tastes, but the art has an explosive approach too it which I really like.  Not to exclude the coloring team of Horie who bring me the closest to understanding what the fire and brimstone might look like.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

It’s a real shame DC decided to pull the plug on the JSA All-Stars.  This title had finally reached a point that makes me believe it could stand the test of time.  Oh well, I guess the bright side will be that I’ll spend $2.99 less than what I had been spending on a monthly basis.

7 out of 10

Superboy #5 Review

Posted: March 11, 2011 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Jaime Grant, Jeff Lemire, Legion of Super-Heroes, Pier Gallo, Superboy, Teen Titans
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Written By: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Pier Gallo

Colorist: Jaime Grant

Cover Artist: Eddy Barrows, J.P. Mayer & Jaime Grant

Letterer: John J. Hill

Editor: Matt Idelson

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

And here we are, in the midst of the up and coming leaders of the superhero world.  This issue of Superboy begins the slow rise in the super-youth as they will one day take away the hero mantle from the mainline superheroes of today.  But don’t take this as a “throw-away” issue meant only to delay an upcoming event – Superboy #5 presents a few new mysteries that Boy of Steel will have to solve if he wants to maintain peace and prosperity in Smallville.

Wait…who am I kidding…this is comics Jimmy, will peace ever exist?

It’s a hokey gimmick to say the least, but seeing both Superboy and Kid Flash in a charity race is fun nonetheless.  Right from the get-go the two speedsters shoot playful insult after playful insult at each other, which was a delight to see while not being as humorous as I’m sure it could have been.

Bart was always a bit of a ham and an egotistical jerkface in his days as Impulse, was I was unsurprised by his attitude throughout this issue.  But it was nice to see him move past his self-absorbed manner and be a real friend to Conner in his time of need.  It’s obvious that these two care for each other in ways not too many people know about.  If only there were more bromances like this one.

Teen love dramas have never sat well with me; they typically enforce a sociological behavior among teen love (‘cough..lust…cough’) and the stereotypical gender roles which I don’t fully support.  I almost gaged in disgust at how often Lori Luthor admittedly waits outside every night, hoping the love of her life will swoop by in the night sky and take her to a place in the stars.  And Superboy’s indecisive attitude towards, well, everything pisses me off to the point of no return.  (Except that I will be picking up issue #6…so I guess I WILL return.) I guess I’ve moved past all that teenaged love rubbish and find it ineffective and boring as a story telling device.

What DID grab my attention was the mysteries revolving around Lori and the Phantom Stranger!  He was seems to appear at the most peculiar spots…I would love to see him acquire his own title.  Hopefully what lies ahead for Lori and Superboy are worthy of what Lemire prefaced here in issue #5…because this is certainly a great start!

I have absolutely no idea what it is about the Gallo and Grant’s art that irks me so much.  Pier Gallo seems like a confident artist, but it’s simply not coming off here.  I wanted to blame Jaime Grant with yellowish tint and poor coloring choices on every page, but then I look at the cover and a few of the splash pages in #5 and find that she’s fully capable of producing great work.  I’m beginning to think that it’s simply the combination of Grant and Gallo that doesn’t work for me.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

Apart from the horrid teen love story and the artwork, this issue is a pleasant addition to this Superboy Series.  If nothing else, it’s nice to see that the race didn’t end in the predictable tie, allowing one certain super powered K-9 to take all the glory and bragging rights.

6 out of 10 stars

A Superman With Hearing Problems

Posted: March 11, 2011 in Uncategorized
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never would crossed my mind that a bullet could get stuck in Supes’ ear.  Super funny!

Legion of Super-Villains “One-Shot” Review

Posted: March 10, 2011 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Francis Portela, Legion of Super-Heroes, Paul Levitz
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Written By: Paul Levitz

Artist: Francis Portela

Colorist: Javier Mena

Cover Artist: Portela & Mena

Letterer: Sal Cipriano

Editor: Brian Cunningham

The Out Of This World Plot

Basically it boils down to this; Saturn Queen, with her team of “weaklings” (as she so puts it) is on a quest to destroy three worlds inhabited by immortals, each represent three different fields of though, faith, wisdom, and will.  You can already guess that this puts the planet of Oa directly in the queen’s line of sight.

Nothing was made clear as to what the Queen’s “real” intentions are, but we do know that her powers are generated from this mystical blue flame which, she claims, is older than the Guardians themselves.  Who wants to bet that the Queen is going to give the Legion a battle they’ll never forget?

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

I think Paul Levitz has finally nailed this title’s momentum.  The quality of villains has been quite short of hitting the mark…one the major downfall of the Legion of Super-Heroes title.  The villain choices are great as well as how Levitz is treating them within the story.  I think this one-shot’s purpose is establishing what’s to come quite well; the characters are super malicious and show no sympathy for the weak, killing anyone who even LOOKS at Queen Saturn wrong.  No doubt, the Legion of Super-Heroes is going to have one heck of battle on their hands.

I am a little concern about “bad guy team with a similar name as the good guy team” thing happening here.  Too often do the two comic publishing power houses utilize this bad-guy counterpart theme as a way of boosting into a new arc.  We have the Injustice League, the Crime Syndicate, Ultra-man, Professor Zoom, etc., do we really need to continue pumping out more bad-guy doppelgangers?

It’s still a fun issue regardless.  Bad guy books are slowly becoming better than the good guy books.  They’re seemingly a lot more fun to write and put together; there’s no compelling motive to write moralistic tales and the moralistic ambiguity is virtually non-existent.  Writing the bad guy’s stories are fun!

The queen is simply relentless in her quest to destroy and ask question later.  I’m truly excited to find out why she’s trying to destroy these worlds – does she have a hidden agenda that will reinvent her character, or is she just that crazy?  Likewise, this blue flame that seems to hold the very essence of her abilities could very much be a table-turner in the end.  But, of course, an even greater plot twist will be when her minions finally take hold of their own lives, freeing themselves of the Queen’s control to take out all their frustration on her!

Honestly, if DC decides to give Francis Portela the full-time job of drawing the regular Legion title all the time, I will have no complaints.  I absolutely love how expressive each of the character’s faces are and how well the body language of each character is executed.  Seriously, the Queen’s “What the fuck did you just say to me” look is one of the best I’ve ever seen!

Everything is enhanced by the masterful colors of Javier Mena who gives the explosives scenes that much needed “ka-boom” with the different usage of yellows and reds.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

While I wish this book didn’t use he cope-out method of employing a bad guy doppelganger team, this issue was fun from start to finish.  Without a doubt it’s the best Legion title to come out yet.  I can only imagine what amazing storylines are in store for us in upcoming Legion issues!

9 out of 10 Stars

Wonder Woman Wednesday…3-9-2011

Posted: March 9, 2011 in DC Comics, Gail Simone, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman Wednesday
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We can continually ask ourselves the same question, who would win in a fight…Superman or Batman?  However, I think this question has gone on far too long and we need to start focusing our efforts on a even deeper question.  Sure, I think Superman would drop kick Batman in a heart, but could he pummel Wonder Woman to the ground?

Who's tougher, the Man of Steel or the Amazon Princess?

Let’s face it, Superman may be powerful and caring, but he’s not always the brightest star in the cosmos.  Like wise with Batman, he may have the brains, but sometimes his inhumanity gets the better of him.  Wonder Woman has all of Supes and Bats’ good traits and none of their bad ones.  One could make an argument that she’s better than both of them in every way.  It’s a legitimate argument to say the least.

Post your opinion below.  And be honest!  If you really think she couldn’t take Superman, let it be known.  But don’t think for a second I won’t jump on the band wagon and start up a friendly argument.

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