October | 2011 | Heretical Jargon

Archive for October, 2011

The Flash #2 Review

Posted: October 31, 2011 in Brian Buccellato, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Francis Manapul, The Flash

Written By: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Art By: Francis Manapul
Colors By: Brian Buccellato
Letters By: Sal Cipriano
Cover By: Francis Manapul

You know, when I was reading the flash run prior to the reboot, one question did pop into my head once that made me wonder about the realism within the world of the fastest man on Earth…Is Flash’s brain able to keep up with the physical speed, or will a story arc come along to show how Barry’s mind is deteriorating from taping into the speed force? Now, at long last, Manapul brings us a plot to dive into this very concept…but I wonder how well it’s going to work in the long run?

It’s a little confusing to think that Barry’s mind wasn’t thinking fast enough to do the kinds of things he did here in issue #2. If he wasn’t able to think faster than he runs, how is his mind and body able to work together? It could be that Barry’s speed became more of an instinct, as we all have acted on instinct and/or without thinking at the snap of a finger at some point in our lives. Could it be that Barry’s speed became such a conditioned part of himself that his mind didn’t NEED to keep up with his body? It’s a farfetched concept, but that’s why comics are great! Who needs reality right?

The explanation by Dr. Elias was interesting and clever; and while I stand by my above statement about mind and body needing to be at one with each other in order to work, this whole notion that his brain has to think faster in order for him to BE faster is interesting. However, with such a great piece of plot setting, I felt a little jipped…how is it that all of the sudden, Barry figured out how to “think faster.” Just like that, without any prior personal training. Is there something about being on top of a building with a gorgeous city-view and the comfort of a gorgeous hot blonde with glasses standing next to you enough to get your brain going to hit the gas pedal? What exactly is your muse Barry? Couldn’t Manapul have stretched out the “learning process” for Barry in taping into the speed force, learning how to speed up his thinking process? I feel like something that could have been REALLY cool was ripped away from me.

Of course, where the story fails slightly, the artwork makes up for it, period! I have a feeling I’m going to be following this series more for Manapul’s art rather than his writing. The way Barry saw the world differently; the slower parts of what he saw in a gorgeous purple and white montage, and the faster parts of what he was seeing in the regular, full color awesomeness we’re used to. It was such a creative way to display the differences in Barry’s new found sight…even if it’s basis for existing doesn’t really make sense to me.

The bulk of the issue is the Flash running around town, saving every woman and child he can with his new found ability. We do learn a little more about his friend Manuel, but not a whole lot. But so far, I’m not too terribly impressed with the story. It’s all about the art for me at this point, and that’s definitely Manapul’s strong point.

6 out of 10

Happy Halloween!

Posted: October 31, 2011 in DC Comics, Justice League Of America

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Wonder Woman Day 2011

Posted: October 30, 2011 in DC Comics, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman Day

Today is Wonder Woman Day, or as it is now called , Women of Wonder Day! If you’re in the Portland area, go to Excalibur Comics and support this yearly event that is helping raise money and spreading the word about domestic violence. More information can be found at Women of Wonder Day.

Wonder Woman Day – Portland
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Noon – 6PM
FREE!!!
Excalibur Comics, 2444 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland OR
A part of national Domestic Violence Awareness Month
ALL AGES benefit for Domestic Violence programs at Bradley Angle

Voodoo #2 Review

Posted: October 29, 2011 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Hendry Prasetya, Jessica Kholinne, Ron Marz, Sami Basri, Voodoo

Written By: Ron Marz
Art By: Sami Basri & Hendry Prasetya
Colors By: Jessica Kholinne
Letters By: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover By: John Tyler Christopher

Well I Feel Sheepish…
Ok, so last month in my review of Voodoo #1, I stated that, at the end of the book, Tyler survived Voodoo’s “slicing-and-dicing” of his innards. I’m now sitting here slapping myself in the face for not figuring out what REALLY happened! But, of course, having never read the Wildcats series, much less anything from Wildstorm, I had no clue as to what Voodoo’s abilities were…so I just made an incorrect assumption based on my ignorance. But it still made things a little awkward for Jess in the beginning, wouldn’t you agree?

But this is great! It means I’m coming into this title with a clean slate! I don’t have any past knowledge of any of the characters, so the “newness” of it all is certainly exciting me to no end! Voodoo’s motives are being realized while still maintaining a good amount of mystery. Marz is certainly not revealing whether or not Voodoo is one of the bad guys, but it’s clear that Voodoo’s conflicted with her mission on Earth. Why does she fear the humans and what they might do to her people? It’ll not only be interesting and fun to see what the heck is going on with Voodoo, but how the humans are involved, and to what extent.

Of course, the question of how long the formula of this plot will continue to work lingers in my mind. She’s slowly showing us, the readers, that she has multiple abilities and will most likely show more as the series progresses, but eventually the mystery has to be solved and a new focus will need to be developed in order to keep the title’s longevity intact. There’s also the possibility of future issues becoming cliché and predictable with the revelation of Voodoo’s other powers. In any case, however, Voodoo is one of the more exciting and dark titles in DC’s new line-up.

Now, for you complainers out there who feel DC’s barking up the overly sexual tree, you’ll be happy to know that Voodoo’s sex appeal was greatly diminished for #2. Last month our eyeballs gazed on a lot of skin, stripping, and lightshowy wonder, which went right along with reader complaints. However, #2 focuses more on the hunting down of Voodoo. She’s still an attractive woman and definitely drawn for that sex appeal, but Marz and Basri were more concerned with the storyline rather than the sex. So rest assured you worriers of “too much sex in your comics,” this issue shouldn’t piss you off TOO much.

Sami Basri, as always, delivers excellent work. As stated, this issue is focused greatly on the story and not the sex, but everything Basri does in this issue is attractive and colorful. At times I feel the characters are a tad too “wooden,” but not enough for me to say it doesn’t deserve a ten star rating.

Speaking of art, that cover by John Tyler Christopher blew me away!

I’m really surprised by how much I’m enjoying this series. I wasn’t too keen on most of the horror titles post reboot, but decided to give the new books a chance. So far, Voodoo and I, Vampire rank up there as some of the best horror fiction I’ve ever read…and there’s only been two issues of each!

10 out of 10 stars

Batman: The Dark Knight #2 Review

Posted: October 28, 2011 in Alex Sinclair, Batman: The Dark Knight, Comic Book Review, David Finch, DC Comics, Paul Jenkins

Written By: Paul Jenkins
Art By: David Finch
Inked By: Richard Friend
Colors By: Alex Sinclair
Letters By: Sal Cipriano
Cover By: Finch, Friend, Sinclair

Clue, Clues, Clues, Clues!!!!
So remember last month when there was an exceptionally sexy and erotic female running around, illusively in a Playboy Bunny outfit? Do you also remember how, for years, people have been saying that Batman is the greatest detective known to man? Well, this issue definitely made me question Batman’s ability to make simple deductions from verbal clues. But that was a minor “irk” I had. You’d think Bats could pick up on Gordan’s White Rabbit clue, but I’ll give Finch a break…I just hope the fans don’t cringe and die due to that minor characteristic defect.

As far as leaving clues, we honestly learn nothing new in issue #2 except that some unknown perpetrator snuck into Arkham and “juiced-up” all of its inmates. My money’s on Bane…or at least someone who is associated with Bane. We’ll see.

It’s All About The Chaos…
This book is geared mostly for the testosterone, violence loving comic fans. Each Bat title has its own hitch; Detective Comics is terrifying, Batman is mysterious and bringing back the detective aspect of Bats, Batman and Robin is focusing on the Bat family and developing it, etc etc. I think I’ve found The Dark Knight’s grabbing point…it’s all about the chaos!

There’s not a lot of substance in this issue, it’s mostly one big free-for-all, with Batman and the rest of the Batman team taking the hits; two-Face, the Clock King, even the Ventriloquist are pumped up to the point of insanity. If it wasn’t for Finch bringing some semblance of a plot, this issue would be completely meaningless. But I must say, the Ventriloquist blasting his hand through the back of the dead police officer’s head, turning him into a blood spitting puppet corps was a stroke a horrific genius!

Confusion At It’s Best…
Here’s my biggest beef with the issue…if DC is trying to make their comics MORE accessible to new and old readers, why would you have Batman involved with different events in multiple titles? In Batman, the Joker is missing…but in the Dark Knight, not only is the Joker NOT missing, but he’s also juiced up with a sexy little bunny hovering over his lap. Maybe it was the intent of DC to keep each Bat book separate from each other, but to me, it’s no different from how things WERE done when I was younger.

But enough with the negativity! With all of this said…I still enjoyed #2. It doesn’t have much of a deep storyline going throughout it, but It’s still a fun read…you just don’t really need your brain turned on to enjoy it. If Finch wants this title to be more of a testosterone-filled title, more power to him! I’ll keep picking it up! But don’t expect anyone to think more of it than an action filled comic with very little substance. (prove us wrong next month?)

I would certainly like to know more about this little White Rabbit. Sure, she’s mostly eye candy, but there’s certainly more to her than simply being something to gawk at. It would certainly make sense if the Mad Hatter had a hand in what’s going on…we’ll see. I was also very happy to see Alfred acting as a normal human being who sleeps, eats, gets upset with Bruce Wayne when asking him to work on his off hours, and still has a desire for the erotic.

David Finch is a great artist, but I found myself wondering what was going on a lot of the time. If a train is moving forward at a high speed, and you have people on it about to get creamed by on oncoming pillar…it should look like you’re moving with the train right?…

Is the train moving?

It’s ok, really, I simply found myself having to go back and re-look at certain pages to make sure I understood the visual rhetoric.

This IS a fun issue, no doubts there; great art, good writing, and a gothic motif permeating all throughout the book, but its substance is very minimal. It’s a lot like James Cameron’s hit movie, Avatar; it has a lot of great stuff to look at, and overall is well executed, but the story is lacking…well… everything! The difference with the Dark Knight is…I’m looking forward to the continuation of the story.

6.5 out of 10 stars

Aquaman #2 Review

Posted: October 27, 2011 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Rod Reis

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis
Inker: Joe Prado
Colorist: Rod Reis
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Cover Art: Ivan & Rod Reis

A King And Queen To Respect…
How DOES it feel to be a superhero that no one takes very seriously…except then it comes to supernatural disasters? I have NO IDEA, But it seems Aquaman is taking it quite well and maintains his composure as a man of honor. Amongst all of the unintentional jokes and belittling from innocent bystanders and public officials, Aquaman’s self-worth isn’t lowered in the least. It’s a fantastic display of super-royalty and shows why Aquaman is not a superhero to be laughed at.

At that same token, where Aquaman is fierce and intimidating, Mera is brutal…and scares the crap out of me! She doesn’t care that she’s using the same amount of brutality that “the Trench” uses against them, all she cares about is riding the world of evil. But it was also nice to be reminded of her loving spirit and how the water follows her commands with such grace. In so many ways, she reminds me of Wonder Woman; her spirit, love, and willpower equals that of the amazon princess…and it’s perfectly displayed here in #2.

Gore Can Be Beautiful, Can’t it
John’s had created, to put it simply, a colony of some of the creepiest and downright most evil creatures ever conceived in DC’s history. But what makes it even creepier is the Reis Brother’s visual depiction of the underwater devils; the consumption of flesh and blood, even from their own peers, is a terrifying aspect that will make your skin crawl! The Trench might just be the most accurate depiction of what animal instincts are really like…all we’re missing is the reproductive craziness that under water seas creatures embark on.

I had to do a triple take, however, on page two, when the fisherman said, in terror, “my God”…but backwards…

Give him a break...If I was about to be eaten alive, I might not be coherent either.

But other than that little glitch, the art is fantastic, filled with so many gothic colors and perfect expressionful faces. (yes, I made up a word…my blog, my rules!) But one thing I’ve never been able to get my hands around is the ability artists have to illustrate water and movement THROUGH the water. Disney amazed me with the Little Mermaid, and Pixar WOWED me with Finding Nemo…now Rod Reis takes me for an amazing ride with every splash and spoolsh he could throw my way.

When All Is Said And Done
Now, RIGHT when I thought I had a handle on the Trench’s motives…which I thought was to eat, eat, and eat some more…the assumed “leader” of the Trench provides the twist! Now the mystery begins it’s path into the meat of the arc, showing the possibility that the Trench has a deeper, more hidden agenda that’s more than simply eating non-stop. What it is, however, could turn out to be simply more eating…but with Aquaman as the main course!

9 Out Of 10 Stars

Wonder Woman Wednesday – 10/26/2011

Posted: October 26, 2011 in Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman Wednesday

Nothing special today….except for this AWESOME war-like Wonder Woman drawing! I was lucky enough to find this over at Kris Anka’s blogspot. He does some really great work!

By Kris Anka - Click to enlarge

Justice League #2 Review

Posted: October 22, 2011 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Justice League Of America

Written By: Geoff Johns
Penciled By: Jim Lee
Inked By: Scott Williams
Colors By: Alex Sinclair
Letters By: Patrick Brosseau
Cover By: Lee, Williams, & Sinclair

It’s Not Easy Being In The League…
The Justice League has undergone so many incarnations that I can’t keep track of them all. They typically consist of three key players, (And I’m sure you can guess who those three are) but almost always, every member of every version of the League knew each other prior to joining. Now, with the reboot, issue #2 emphasizes an already known fact that the League is undergoing one of the most challenging and dangerous tasks they’ve ever faced…not knowing each other.

We pick up where we left off last month, with Superman duking it out with Bats and Green Lantern: Hal Jordan. Realizing they were fighting a losing battle, Green Lantern calls in his buddy Flash to even the odds. The fighting continues until the four of them discover they all share a common enemy, and then there’s a pause in the fighting while the hostility still lingered. Then Darkseid’s forces burst in via Boom Tube and turn an already tense situation into a cataclysmic event from Hell.

So What’s New About This?
Maybe I’m being too anal about the reboot providing something new and fresh for me in every title I pick up, but I find there isn’t a whole lot of “newness” going on with the League right now. Sure, the new personalities and characterizations of each hero is being brought into the League, but nothing about how the League is forming is particularly new. I think Brad Meltzer’s run on the JLA would have been a more appropriate starting point rather than what Johns is giving us.

On the other hand, Johns IS DOING a good job at expanding on each hero’s personalities and mixing them in with one another. The future Cyborg definitely got a bigger spotlight in this issue than last month, diving into the somewhat distant relationship Vic has with his father…not that Vic hasn’t tried. But the Flash and GL are certainly going to be bound at the hips, with Supes and Bats keeping to their own “I work alone” zone. This group of heroes certainly has a lot of work to do if they want to work as a team, and I’m intrigued as to what will happen next…and Wonder Woman and Aquaman haven’t even entered into the story yet!

Jim Lee, as great as he is, really hasn’t changed much in the last few years. I love his style and how define his characters are, but it’s hard to continually enjoy something as much as you did when there isn’t anything new occurring in the style. Jim Lee will always be the master of his craft, but it seems that Lee has reached his peak of greatness…I hope he never loses it.

The story is quite predictable as we already know what the outcome of this arc will be…don’t make us wait Darkseid, get your butt out here! I’m still enjoying the series thus far, but I can definitely see a predictable pattern emerging out of the plot from only two issues, which is kind of disappointing. I would love to see something come out of this arc that really makes it stick out, even if it’s a small deviation from the regular storyline. The emergence of Swamp Thing was all that Brightest Day needed to get that miniseries off its feet and into an exciting light.

I’m not trying to say Johns and Lee are awful, I love their work, but I feel their styles haven’t really gotten into the “new” feel of the rebooted DC Universe. Johns’ writing is “safe,” but not spectacular, with Jim Lee’s style lingering in that “safe” zone with Johns. Maybe things will pick up once my favorite hero of all time, Wonder Woman, joins the fun.

6 out of 10

Catwoman #2 Review

Posted: October 20, 2011 in Catwoman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Guillem March, Judd Winink

Written By: Judd Winick
Art By: Guillem March
Colors By: Tomeu Morey
Letters By: Sal Cipriano
Cover By: Guillem March

A Fresh Look At Catwoman
Last month Winick provided us with one of the most sexually controversial moments in the history of DC…a shockingly visual and provocative sex scene, a la carte style! This issue opens up with the breaking of furniture and some violent sex-tossing. Was Winick compelled to tone down the sexual nature of the rebooted Catwoman? Not in the least; taking full advantage of March’s unequaled ability to draw the sexiest men and women in the superhero genre.

But as I stated lasted month, this title isn’t JUST about sex and seeing how often March can show off Catwoman’s breasts and legs, there is a tension in Selina that’s released through theft, danger, and sex. In the same degree that Tony Daniel is bringing the detective side of Batman back to the pages of DC, Judd Winick is giving Catwoman back her kleptomaniac persona that has been sorely lacking in the last few years. Not only do we find her stealing from the wealthy after the wealthy, we also see a bit of an emotional attachment to her thievery. It’s as if her life as a criminal is more than just an aphrodisiac, it’s an extension of her emotions…love, hate, despair, envy, vengeance, and everything the Sandman series represented…I’ll bet the kind of dreams and his family are having a field day with Cats! She isn’t just a thief because she needs to make ends meet, she’s a thief because stealing is the fifth limb of her body.

From what I can see, Winick is also diving into Bruce Wayne’s character development within the rebooted DC Universe. Mr. Wayne is back to his old playboy self…or at least it’s a lot more visible this go ‘round. For the last decade, Bruce Wayne hasn’t really had a chance to show off his “smooth-talking” self, but now we’re reminded that while Batman is one of the most serious heroes in comic books, his playful, womanizing characteristics are still well intact.

I HATED seeing Lola die this way! She had such potential as a side character! What a way to throw in a monkey wrench Winick! While I loved this issue and consider it to be top notch, I don’t think I can forgive you for killing off Lola so early. Ugh! But, her death was a visually captivating and devastating at the same time…mission accomplished Guillem!

Speaking of Guillem March, the artistic level was uped about ten notches with the terrifyingly sad and gruesome image of Lola, duct taped to a chair, beaten, bruised, and shot through the forehead…with Catwoman’s bewildered shadow hovering in front of her. March tightens up the art even more with Catwoman’s scared and teary face as she looks at her dead friend’s mangled body. It’s one of the more emotionally devastating moments I’ve seen in any superhero comic in a long time.

It doesn’t stop there as Catwoman is quickly thrown around like a rag doll, with blood splattering and bits of her costume flying everywhere. March wasn’t holding anything back and made sure to let Selina “have it” with every violent trick in the book. Truly, this might be one of the most excruciating and painful fight scenes I’ve ever seen in a comic book…and it only lasted three pages. It’s amazing how good art work is effective no matter how many pages it is.

There is so much going on with this title right now, and it’s only been two issues. THIS is the Catwoman DC Comics NEEDS to have in its repertoire. The one from the Sirens was good, but the rebooted Catwoman has so much more life and energy to her. Keep up the good work Judd and Guillem, you’re doing one Hell of a job!

10 out of 10

What Was Going Through William Moulton Marston’s Head?

Posted: October 19, 2011 in Where Monsters Dwell, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman Wednesday

Ok, to start off, It’s Wednesday, and my favorite program will be on tonight, 7:00 sharp! If you you have time, go to Where Monsters Dwell and enjoy the geekdom and nerdiness! And secondly, it’s new comic day! And while I have a few comics that will come to me in the mail, I have three titles to pick up at my local comic shop…Catwoman #2, Green Lantern Corps#2, and the over delayed second issue of Justice League. It’s a good day for new comics.

In the meantime, enjoy a few photos from classic Wonder Woman and her days of bondage. Any of you want to take a guess at what the heck was going through William Moulton Marston’s head?

Er....um....uh....what?!?!?

That's right guys, don't throw off a woman's vanity...it will screw up their entire day...LOL

Tie 'em up Wondy! Bondage it is!!!

Banned Bugs Bunny Cartoon…Holy Balls!!!

Posted: October 18, 2011 in Bugs Bunny, Looney Tunes, Warner Bros., Warner Brothers

This is DEFINITELY new to me! Has anyone else in my age bracket ever seen this before? I certainly haven’t. I love finding stuff like this.

Zombie Survival – Lesson 3, Holiday Survival

Posted: October 18, 2011 in Zombie Survival, Zombies

Just because Halloween will pass by, it doesn’t mean the zombies are done feasting. Keep in mind, after you survive the worst of it, sneaks attacks are bound to happen. Don’t let your holiday spirit be ruined by mutating into a brain-eating monster. Be prepared WHILE enjoying your milk and cookies.

Zombie Survival – Lesson 2, By Max Brooks

Posted: October 17, 2011 in Max Brooks, Zombie Survival, Zombies

What better way to prepare for a zombie attack than by hearing it from the master of zombie defensive strategies himself…Max Brooks. He literally wrote the book on how to survive a zombie apocalypse, and he travels the country teaching his survival tactics to students across America. I don’t think you could ask for a better lesson in Zombie Survival….

Batgirl #2 Review

Posted: October 17, 2011 in Adam Huges, Ardian Syaf, Batgirl, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Gail Simone

Written By: Gail Simone
Penciled By: Ardian Syaf
Inked By: Vicente Cifuentes
Colors By: Ulises Arreola
Letters By: Dave Sharpe
Cover By: Adam Hughes

I’m Still Not Buying It…
Ok, so I’m still a little “iffy” about this whole miraculous recovery Barbara had from being paralyzed, waist down. Something’s brewing though, I can feel it. The terrifying feeling that comes over Barbara every time she has a gun pointed at her, or while overexerting her legs seems to be foreshadowing something revolving around this unnatural recovery from the wheelchair. Will we ever get SEE the moment Barbara found her legs mobile again? I don’t know…but certainly there’s a hidden agenda within Simone’s writing that leads me to believe there’s more to this Hobbit than meets the eye! (Sorry, just got done watching Lord of the Rings.)

It could be that Barbara’s timidness to her past predicament is merely a story telling device that will help her break into the rebooted DCU. She’s definitely showing herself a little less professional as Batgirl than she did as Oracle though; perhaps she’s simply trying to get back into the swing of things? I know I’d be a little weary if I all of the sudden woke up one morning swinging across Gotham as if nothing ever happened.

Of course, last month I was led to believe that this was a confident Batgirl, one that moved past her inner demons and could take on the whole world, one that could be a leader amongst her friends and an example for all who surround her. Now, here she is, acting the fool and listening to a lecture from her new roommate about lying and allowing herself to get beaten to a pulp by not going into things prepared. It seems that Barbara’s motto is the old saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

The new villain is strange to me; his name is the mirror, which would indicate a dark and menacing persona with a shocking twist. And after all of the teasers of what the Mirror’s power had done to people, you’d think revealing himself (no sexual innuendo intended) to Batgirl would be much more climactic. Instead, we get a very artistic panel showing Batgirl’s horrified face reflected off of Mirror’s inner cape for only a moment, only for her to respond, “Fine, Mirror it is then I guess,” without being shaken in the least. What are the Mirror’s powers again and how has he been terrorizing innocents for so long? I echo Batgirl’s sentiments with this villain that he is nothing more than a walking disco ball.

Ardian Syaf always puts a smile on my face. His shadowy faces are some of the CREEPIEST in comics. There’s something about dark and gothic art that has always appealed to me, and that graveyard fight scene was a joy to behold. The rain seemed to bounce right off of Batgirl’s armor, as well as giving the entire graveyard scenery an appropriate mushy sensation.

All in all, while I was disappointed with the story components, Gail Simone certainly knows how to write intelligent dialog. I’m simply having trouble wrapping my brain around the sudden recovery and how amateurish Barbara is behaving. Maybe I’m expecting too much, but this issue was still entertaining if nothing else.

6 out of 10 stars

Breast Cancer Awareness Month With Power Girl

Posted: October 17, 2011 in Breast Cancer Awareness Month, DC Comics, Power Girl

Seriously, what would we do if PG got breast cancer? Think about it!

Do Comic Fans A Favor...Save These Breasts!

But seriously, let’s all do our part and be aware of this very devastating and serious condition that affect both men and women. Every day people are having to suffer through this often life threatening condition. Be aware of this and do what you can to support the medical research needed to save lives.

Zombie Survival – Lesson 1

Posted: October 16, 2011 in Zombie Survival, Zombies

It’s true, Halloween is approaching! Stock up on your canned goods and get ready for the zombie apocalypse!

To help better prepare you in case of an emergency, here is the first in a three part lesson in zombie survival. Please note, you need to take extra care in following these steps…because there are NO SECOND CHANCES when it comes to zombies…

Monster High Youtube Show

Posted: October 16, 2011 in Uncategorized

I just found one of the weirdest, awesomest shows ever! take a gander and enjoy!

Batwoman #2 Review

Posted: October 15, 2011 in Batwoman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, J.H. Williams, W. Haden Blackman

Written By: J.H. Williams III with Haden Blackman
Art By: J.H. Williams III
Colors By: Dave Stewart
Letters By: Todd Klein
Cover By: J.H. Williams

It’s A Woman’s World…
Gail Simone certainly did comics a favor with her reign of a feminist take of the genre; she created storylines that empowered women not through sex, but through the sheer power of a woman’s will. The DC reboot is in good hands now with writers emulating that Simone standard. Batwoman is on the verge of being just as powerful and meaningful as Wonder Woman was.

The weeping woman is continually kidnapping children in both their homes and religious establishments, with Batwoman on her trail. I remember even before the reboot, plans were put in place to bring Batwoman back to life, with little teasers being sent out in each issue asking us who this “weeping woman” is. Now almost a year has gone by and I’m still unsure of what’s going on, but I’m still drawn into this character and her role within the Bat-verse. Who is she and why is she kidnapping children? I’m dying to know!!!

The current run on Birds of Prey is doing a fine job with bringing women into a strong position in comics again, but Batwoman, surprisingly has them all beat. Of course we have the red-haired protagonist herself, but in addition to that is Bette Kane, Cameron Chase, and Detective Sawyer, all of whom show a respectable amount of power and womanly integrity. But the best part is…only one of this quartet of women is an actual superhero; Sawyer is a detective, Bette Kane is now a normal human being, and Chase takes down criminals as her job. Clearly the role and power of women is being jettisoned into a new, unequaled, and undiscovered quadrant of the universe.

Paint With All The Colors Of Haden’s Mind…
One thing we have to recognize is that, while this title is exceptionally well written, its focus is on the artistic…an “artsy-fartsy” book if you will. Haden’s work here resembles so much of the work he did on Promethea with writer, Alan Moore. The entire issue is flowing with a mystic aura that is both terrifying and gorgeous at the same time. And while I’m not sure how Batwoman hides in the shadows with that beautiful bright red hair of hers, the way Haden makes the red and black coloring work within the context of the story is phenomenal.

Dave Stewart does an interesting job with the colors as well; one moment I’m looking at your typical comic book coloring job, and then, all of the sudden, find myself gazing upon a much more PAINTED and ABSTRACT look. If I didn’t have the credits to prove me wrong, I’d swear this book had two separate colorists working on it. This is telling of a good artist…when he or she is able to get outside of themselves and CHANGE their style when necessary.

Every page seems to be different from the next, holding onto different color schemes on each one its 20 pages. It goes from bright and exciting colors, to faded and dull color schemes, all of which are appropriate for the mood Williams wants to set for specific scenes. All of this combined with the mysterious and spooky storyline has me wondering if this title will become one of my favorites in DC’s new line of titles….

10 out of 10 Stars

The only thing I’m wondering about now is….What happened to Amy Reeder?

Batman And Robin #2 Review

Posted: October 14, 2011 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Pat Brosseau, Patrick Gleeson, Peter J. Tomasi

Written By: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciled By: Patrick Gleeson
Inked By: Mick Gray
Colors By: John Kalisz
Letters By: Patrick Brosseau
Cover By: Gleeson, Gray, & Kalisz

Fatherhood At Its Best…
Damian is an annoyingly giant brat that’s pissed me off ever since he took over as Robin. I’ve been hoping and praying that some writer would kick Damian out of the red, green, and yellow outfit and turn him into Bat’s next villain. However, Peter J. Tomasi has more faith in the innocence of youth and is doing all he can to provide Damian with some semblance of likeability.

Each Bat title is acting appropriately, giving us a different theme to help each comic stick out and stand on its own. #1 of Batman and Robin started us off well, but #2 is where the juiciness of the meat really starts to flow. Batman is going to be tested, more so than ever, with this version of Robin…it’s his son. Bruce Wayne has never truly LIKED kids, but now that his own flesh and blood is under his wing, he’s going to have to do some major work in the fatherhood department.

There’s a lot of angst driving this issue forward; we see Bruce Wayne trying his best (or so he thinks) to show Damian he loves him, Alfred getting frustrated with Bruce’s best “fatherly” attempts, and Damian crushing a Bat’s skull. Three degrees of plot and I’m still not sure where this will all go.

This is the story Damian needed in order to become a character I can look forward to reading about in the future. Even though the dialog is coming out of Bruce Wayne’s mouth, we get a back story from the perspective of Damian, and I’m both excited and afraid for what may come in the future. Will Bruce’s fatherly attempts be successful in “fixing” Damian, or is Damian so far gone that a father-son/hero-villain rumble is certain to happen?

Gleeson amazes me every time. He’s as much of a story teller as any writer in comics today. Pages 15 & 16 give us all we need to know about Damian’s state of mind, almost as if his value of the life of others is meaningless. This title is definitely going to prove to be one of the more emotionally dark comics in DC’s repertoire, and Gleeson is the man for the job.

The last segment of this issue had me a bit confused…but maybe that’s the point. I found myself having to read this section a few times before coming to terms with the fact that the unknown killer is this guy who looks incredibly like Morpheus. This reveal felt very lack luster and without impact. I just sat back and thought… “oh, this is him.” I certainly hope this isn’t a sign of what’s to come to future issues.

The ending shouldn’t dictate the quality of the issue, overall. B&R #2 is a joy to read and a proud addition to the new 52.

8 out of 10 Stars

Suicide Squad #2 Review

Posted: October 13, 2011 in Adam Glass, Andrei Bressan, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Federico Dallocchio, Ryan Benjamin

Written By: Adam Glass
Art By: Federico Dallocchio & Andrei Bressan
Colors By: Val Staples, Allen Passalaqua & Hi-Fi
Letters By: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover By: Ryan Benjamin

It’s All Zombies And Chaos From Here…
Last month Adam Glass gave us a cliffhanger to die for with the introduction of the new Squad and how it all began. Not giving the Squad inductees anytime to recover from there “trial by fire,” the slender Amanda Waller sends her new team out into the heat of battle. Of course, who knew that issue #2 would send the team flying right into the middle of a football stadium sized zombie jamboree? (Thanks Rockapella!) Issue #2 provides us with the same amount of humor #1 did, but carries along with it some zombie lovin’ chaos as well!

It isn’t clear how the Hell this whole brain eating mess started, but we do know that it has to do with a women by the name of Caley Burns, who we find later infected with the zombie contagion. Glass puts a little twist on the whole zombie mythos though, making every bite victim a combination of flesh and mechanical wiring. However, it doesn’t explain why Caley turned into a giant “Jaba The Hut” type squid now does it. My guess? Some unknown mad scientist out there decided to go all “world domination” on us and created some type of bug that turns people into brain eating cyborgs, only to start fresh in his world-wide repopulation project. Farfetched you say? So are zombie cyborgs and a man with a hammer-head shark face.

It’s Funny…Laugh Please!!!
One of the reasons why Gail Simone’s Secret Six was so good, amongst all the dark and incredibly moving prose and character development, was the amount of humor she stuck in her scripts. This newly revitalized Suicide Squad proves to be just as twistedly funny, while integrating some dark and gothic undertones. Black Spider delivers my favorite line directed at Harley right before the fight begins…

Click To Enlarge

But while Harley enjoys her role as the crazy physcho clown girl, Glass sticks in some meaningful development of Harley, as brief as it is. As her an El Diablo whomp on a room full of zombie football fans, Harley lets her red lettered word ballooned friend know that she was once a doctor…that she isn’t dumb. And for a moment, you begin to feel sympathy for the Joker’s lovely booty-call-to-be. Of course, the moment is gone quickly as Harley swings her hammer around, knocking a few heads off! I look forward to what Glass has in store for Harley in the future.

Back And Forth With The Artists Again Huh?
You know, I didn’t mind the artist toggling so much. There’s an obvious difference in style, but it’s an appropriate match-up as one artist takes on the stand-offish and more dramatic moments, while the other takes charge of the bloody, more chaotic fight scenes. I did enjoy the art for the most part, but at times I felt like I was looking at quality art work, while other moments felt like it came straight out of Mad Magazine. I can get over something like that, but deep down inside I wanted consistency.

But get a load of that cover!!! Ryan Benjamin brings out the right kind of life with the Suicide trifecta of Harley, Deadshot, and King Shark. I wouldn’t mind seeing Benjamin take over as artist for one issue and see how awesome each page is.

And Here Comes The Mystery…
The issue closes out with a bloodied field of mecha and blood, with Dead shot taking out one of their electrified teammates to throw suspicion away from the Squad. We already have Static Shock, why waste time with another electrified super? (Good thing he wasn’t black though, otherwise shit would hit the fan on the politically correct boards!)

Now we have a baby born from the womb of a zombie…what could this mean for the future? What does Amanda Waller have up her sleeve and how is it going to affect the Squad as a whole? Can Deadshot save himself before his brain blows up? There’s so many tense moments here that I might just have to come back in 30 days and pick up issue #3!

9 out of 10 stars.

Heretical Jargon

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