She must REALLY like Meryl Streep!
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Archive for February, 2012
Oscars 2012, Thoughts And Reflections
Posted: February 28, 2012 in Oscar Awards, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Oscars are over and people have had a day to reflect and talk about the popular award show and it’s results. As always, I had my picks ready to go and compare with the actual winners.
Despite people’s obvious disgust for Angelina Jolie’s lack of meat on her bones, I was able to stay focused on the results as they were announced. had my own favorites and picks, but I really wasn’t disappointing with the nominees or the results.
Best Picture
Heretical Winner: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Oscar Winner: The Artist
Best Actor
Heretical Winner: Gary Oldman
Oscar Winner: Jean Dujardin
Best Actress
Heretical Winner: Meryl Streep
Oscar Winner: Merly Streep
Best Supporting Actor
Heretical Winner: Kenneth Branagh
Oscar Winner: Christopher Plummer
Best Supporting Actress
Heretical Winner: Melissa McCarthy
Oscar Winner: Octavia Spencer
Best Animated Feature Film
Heretical Winner: A Cat In PAris
Oscar Winner: Rango
Cinematography
Heretical Winner: The Artist
Oscar Winner: Hugo
Best Director
Heretical Winner: Tomas Alfredson (TTSS)
Oscar Winner: Michel Hazanavicius
Costume Design
Heretical Winner: Mark Bridges (The Artist)
Oscar Winner: Mark Bridges (The Artist)
Art Direction
Heretical Winner: Laurence Bennett & Robert Gould (The Artist)
Oscar Winner: Dante Ferretti & Francesca Lo Schiavo (Hugo)
Film Editing
Heretical Winner: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Oscar Winner: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Music
Heretical Winner: The Adventures of Tintin
Oscar Winner: The Artist
Short Animated Short Film
Heretical Winner: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Oscar Winner: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Visual Effects
Heretical Winner: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II
Oscar Winner: Hugo
Best Adapted Screenplay
Heretical Winner: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Oscar Winner: The Descendants
Best Original Screenplay
Heretical Winner: The Artist
Oscar Winner: Midnight in Paris
Voodoo #6 Review
Posted: February 26, 2012 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Jessica Kholinne, Josh Williamson, Voodoo
Written by JOSH WILLIAMSON
Penciled & Inked by SAMI BASRI
Colored by JESSICA KHOLINNE
Lettered by JARED K. FLETCHER
Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
Edited by KATIE KUBET & BOBBIE CHASE
The New 52 has been awesome, I won’t deny that at all. Every title I pick up I either like or love, and I lean more towards love! However, there has been a major contradiction in its original intent.
According to the hire-ups at DC Entertainment, the reboot was meant to make their comics more accessible to new readers. I always thought that meant each title could stand on its own better and not rely so heavily on the connection it may or may not have with other titles. Boy was I wrong.
Voodoo #6 gives us not one, not two, but THREE references to other books currently being published by DC. The book starts out by connecting to Storm Watch and many of the other super secretive connections it has with the government’s rogue alien police force. But there are also a few bits of crossover information in the Editor’s boxes that refer to both Superman and Grifter’s title. Bobbie Chase made sure to let us know that we have more money to spend on books we may or may not be following…
* Black Razors – A super secret organization that hunts rouge alien technology threatening mankind — Bobbie
* See Superman #7 — Bobbie
* Happened in Grifer #6 — Bobbie
If you’re fine with following a story that requires reading other books, (and spending more money as a result) Voodoo is definitely for you!
Now the story itself isn’t all bad. There’s a lot of tension and angst with some powerful dialog. The direction this title is taking is certainly an iffy one though. Maybe if I had followed Voodoo more on the Vertigo side of things I would have a better understanding of why Williamson is going this route, but it’s not really sitting well with me. I understand clones and comics go together hand in hand, but it’s a little overwhelming at times.
From my perspective, however, I don’t feel as if Priscilla is being given proper character development. The series began with these two cops searching for the rogues, has made multiple turns and changes in protagonist direction, and now has Black Jack leading the charge, leaving Priscilla in this void of uncertainty that readers can’t reach. Hopefully Priscilla’s character will be much more tangible before too long.
Sami Basri always makes me happy. He has a wooden style to his sketches, but nothing he does isn’t worth looking at and admiring. Certain panels, at times, look as if they could have been pulled right off of the screen, acting as a movie still. The colors and composition are fantastic pieces of work that deserve monthly recognition.
Voodoo is still on my pull list, but something’s going to have to change for it to remain there. Fingers crossed.
6 out 10 stars
In Preparation For The Oscars
Posted: February 25, 2012 in Gary Oldman, Movie Review, Oscar Awards, SpyIt’s so true, isn’t it?…..
While I love the Oscars, I understand how incredibly crappy the entire award show is. A lot of the time, the nominees that win do deserve their award. However, there is an underlying force that drives the winning choices by each guild, and its typically political and/or to make some sort of statement to the general public. I always enjoy seeing the winners, and watching the Oscars, but there’s really nothing about the award show that I take TOO seriously.
Tomorrow the Oscars begin and while I won’t get to watch them live on TV, (no cable) I will be keeping tabs on the results as they are announced. Like always, I like to hand out my own personal awards as to who I think deserves the Oscars. I have my opinions for each category, but I don’t list them all here. But if you are interested, below are my picks. Comments and disagreements are welcome in the comments section.
My Picks
Best Picture
While I believe that each film nominated this year is worthy of it’s nomination, There’s a film that should have made it into the category and taken the Oscar home. Hugo is great, The Artist was amazing, and the Descendants was just good fun, but my pick for Oscar winner would have gone to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. It was a blend of good story telling, fantasic cinematic work, wonderful acting, and superb direction. Its slow paced progression did not detract from its intense and angst driven format, keeping me on the edge of my seat without overwhelming me. But alas, it didn’t make the cut, which means Hugo or the Artist will most likely take home the win…Which would be perfectly fine with me. My film rankings for 2011
Best Actor & Actress
Gary Oldman rocked it in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and with my love for that film, my pick for Best Actor would go to him. It’s a tough call however, and all the nominees would be worthy of winning.
There should be no surprise that Meryl Streep is back in the nominated seat, and no doubt everyone will be wondering if she’ll take the Oscar home with her. Having not actually seen any of the films the Best Actress nominations are for, I can’t really speak to whom I think should win, but I’m guessing everyone’s eyes will be on Streep and Glenn Close.
Best Supporting Actor/Actress
Bridesmaids was funny, but not a film worthy of any awards other than best supporting actress…which should go to Melissa McCarthy for her chaotic role as the bumbling, seedy bridesmaid who brought in more laughs then even Kristen Wiig. On a more on a serious note, Kenneth Branagh and Max Von Sydow are gems on the big screen. However, I haven’t seen the two film so I can’t say who I think would win, but I suspect these two actors are at the front lines of acceptance.
Best Animated Film
I’m very partial towards the foreign films. Granted, I’ve only seen two of the nominees, but that’s because I just didn’t have any interest in seeing Puss in Boot, or Kung Fu Panda 2. Chico and Rita looks amazing, but I was in awe of A Cat in Paris. It’s unique and older style of animation was a joy to see. My pick for sure.
Best Animated Short Film
Pixar is great, they’ve never made anything I didn’t immediately fall in love with. Having seen all the nominations a few weeks ago, I was certain that Pixar’s La Luna would take the crown away. But then I saw The Fantastic Flying Book Of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Pixar wasn’t able to secure a spot in the Best Animated Film category, but they could still walk away with an Oscar this year. But my money is going to Mr Morris Lessmore!
To find out who’s nominated, and to make your own predictions, go to the Oscar Nominees website.
The Flash #6 Review
Posted: February 24, 2012 in Brian Buccellato, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Francis Manapul, The Flash
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL & BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Penciled & Inked by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Colored by BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Lettered by WES ABBOTT
Cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Variant cover by MIKE CHOI
B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
Edited by DARREN SHAN & BRIAN CUNNINGHAM
If you were worried about how effective the de-aging process for the new 52′s villains was going to be, fear no more! Not only do they look even younger and more energetic, but they have also developed a keen sense of style! Captain Cold starts off this year this year’s line of villainous costuming with his sleeveless hoodie jacket with just the right amount of blue and white for that frigid feeling. (Sometimes I wonder if the artists actually design the costume changes, or if their hands are forced.)
While my poking fun of Captain Cold’s costume is a bit obvious, it doesn’t truly distract me from the overall story. Geoff Johns is certainly putting in some quality work on his titles, (with exception of Green Lantern) and it’s showing.
Barry still feels like the same old Barry prior to the reboot, but some new and interesting elements have been added in order to make this Flash revamping feel worth the cover price. There’s a lot going on with the technological side of things, as well as tweaking Barry’s speedster abilities – almost making it a burden to bear.
Barry can’t simply run around from crime scene to crime scene without paying attention to the powers levels his speed radiates. Luckily, his handy dandy energy output gauges, in the form of the lighting ear pieces, let him know when he needs to take a trip to the newly refurbished Cosmic Treadmill. Which, in turn, soaks out the dangerous speed levels from the Flash, to hopefully one day, I can only assume, be used as an alternative energy source for the local community.
There’s a brief, yet lovely romantic interlude involving Barry and newly inducted girlfriend, Patty Spivot. I had already assumed they were an item. However, based on Patty’s reaction to Barry’s declaration on the public bus, that relationship is obviously just getting started. There’s a clear pathway being paved here though; Patty doesn’t support the Flash’s vigilantism while Iris believes in what the speedster stands for. Me thinks this could change the future of Barry’s love life, wouldn’t you agree?
While I don’t love Cold’s costume change, the more naturalistic form of Cold’s power is much more appealing than simply wielding an arsenal of freeze guns. (Leave those kinds of villains for Bats to handle I say!) Making it where we sympathize with the Captain is much more appealing too. Before he seemed like some punk middle age man, now he feels more like a man, down on his luck, mad at the world. Even with the costume, this is a Captain Cold I can enjoy reading about.
Give it up for Manapul and Buccellato on the art as well. Just like Tony Daniel, the two are able to balance everything out creating the story and the art without any trouble! The best part of it all is how well both visualize the sheer power in the Flash’s speed; everything from just straight running, duck and diving, to his powerful tornado maneuver. Plus, the paneling on every page is creative and superb.
Off to a good start, this series progressively gets better with every issue. Manapul and Buccellato are not only telling a story of a classic DC hero, but reimagining the entire mythos as a comprehensive and intelligent – giving us a story EXPLAINING what being apart of the Flash family actually means.
10 out of 10 stars
Aquaman #6 Review
Posted: February 23, 2012 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Rod Reis
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Breakdowns by IVAN REIS
Penciled and Inked by JOE PRADO
Colored by ROD REIS
Lettered by NICK J. NAPOLITANO
Edited by SEAN MACKIEWICZ & PAT MCCALLUM
Do any of you remember, prior to the reboot, there was a back story DC fleshed out about Mera and how she was tasked with killing Aquaman? Apparently that side of Mera wasn’t wiped out with the last conglomeration of DC continuity. With their relationship only being as old as four years, Mera still has ill feelings about the land dwellers and their constant and utter underestimation of both her and Aquaman. However, being a woman living in the shadow of Arthur can make things a little more complicated for her…as well as those surrounding her.
It’s interesting to me that the superhero names that both Mera and Arthur inherited, due to their abilities, don’t seem to be aliases that the two like to use. Much like with the majority of Marvel Comic’s superheroes, everyone seems to know the identity of Aquaman, not that he was trying to hide it. The scaly clothing they wear is also not as it appears; everyone (even us readers) seem to have always operated under the assumption that the outfits are some form of costume, when in fact it’s nothing more than regular “everyday” cloths Mera would go shopping in!
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Kind of makes you look at the whole thing from a different perspective doesn’t it? Not only does Aquaman and Mera get no respect, but they act under the delusion that their wardrobe is considered “normal.” Four years of being together and they still haven’t figured out that land dwellers (as I put it) really don’t understand them.
But, of course, that doesn’t stop the seedy store manager from puttin’ the moves on the queen of Atlantis! One thing that this issue does for us is solidify how strong willed Mera is, and show her low tolerance for the surface people’s attitudes. No doubt, however, most women would love to do to the same thing to seedy men that Mera does to her harasser…
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We also see the major difference between Aquaman and Mera. Issue #1 showed us an Aquaman who goes through his daily routine, humoring people and their ignorant attitude towards him…Mera is not as nice. Initially she attempts at being friendly, (Very different from her role s a Red Lantern back in the days of Blackest Night) but one mere incident can bring her back to reality and the realization that she simply doesn’t fit in with “these people.”
Rightfully so too! For six issues, people have done nothing but patronized Aquaman even after performing his superheroic duty. Now, Mera is faced with saving a girl from being shot in the face by her dad, and walking right into the last straw with his unoriginal comment of being a “fish out of water.” She’s almost willing to kill to shut the ignorant and stupid people up. But her frustration with people doesn’t stop with their ignorance; it stems towards their illogical loyalty to those willing to put a bullet through their skull. The sociological implications of this issue are astronomical!
In the end, however, all it took was a brief display of love and kindness for Mera to be at peace with her living situation. There is hope for us after all! Thank you Jennifer for giving Mera the hope she needed.
The brother’s Reis, once again, do no wrong, providing us with beautifully sculpted bodies, incredible movements of water, and wonderful scenery. If you wanted to buy this book for the art and not the story, you wouldn’t be wasting your money. I always buy for the story first, but the art alone is worth the $2.99 price mark.
Aquaman is one of the better titles in DC’s new 52 lineup that is actually doing a good job with rebooting is line. We haven’t actually started over, but Aquaman’s story is definitely just beginning.
10 out of 10 stars
The Art Of Renae De Liz
Posted: February 23, 2012 in Art, Renae De Liz, Rouge Angel, The Last Unicorn
Taken from Renae's Website
In my search for new and interesting artists, I always seem to come across the COOLEST stuff! But you know what the most frustrating thing is for me? I find these artists, their work and realize that, in my trips to the comic book store every Wednesday, I had been seeing their stuff all the time on the shelves but NEVER BOTHERED to pick them up.
Then I see how awesome artists like Renae De Liz are and I hit myself over the head multiple times until I’ve physically scolded myself enough! (which usually only takes one head bang against the wall…than I wake up an hour later.)
Renae’s most recent accomplishment is the Womanthology. She, of course, is not the only one working on it. It’s a compilation of many different writers and artists showcasing their stuff and celebrating woman in comics, both real and made up. I’m not entirely certain if the book is available yet, but if not, it’s certainly close! Hopefully Renae will see this posting say get in contact with me and give me all the details! Go visit her website for more details!
In the meantime, I’ll be going back to my local comic book shop and looking for some of her past works like Rouge Angel, (the comic I constantly saw on the shelves but never picked up…stupid me!) and the last unicorn. I have no idea if the stories are good, but I don’t care! Her artistic prowess is enough for me! If you need inspiration to check her stuff out, take a look at some of these visual gems! (All images are taken from Renae’s Site.)
From Rouge Angel...Geez, talk about EPIC!!!
Now I’m no colorist – all my art is strictly graphite – but I can definitely say her work borders on being some of the BEST work I’ve ever seen in the genre. She reminds me of Amanda Conner’s style, but not as cartoony. Without a doubt I could (and probably already am) get hooked on her stuff!
I can definitely get behind a Supergirl that looks like this!
Another one from Rouge Angel...WHY WASN'T I PICKING THIS UP?!?!?
From the Last Unicorn...that's it, I'm sold!!!
Be sure to stop by Renae’s site, The Art Of Renae De Liz, and check out more of her stuff. Also, GO BUY SOME THING WITH HER ART IN IT! It’ll be great regardless of whether or not the story is good…which I’m sure it will be.
Catwoman #6 Review
Posted: February 22, 2012 in Catwoman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Guillem March, Judd Winink
Written by JUDD WINICK
Penciled by GUILLEM MARCH
Colored by TOMEU MOREY
Lettered by DEZI SIENTY
Edited by RICKEY PURDIN & RACHEL GLUCKSTERN
I can’t be certain, but it seems like #6 marks the end of Catwoman’s first story arc, there was quite a bit left open for that to be determined yet. The thing I CAN be certain of is how controversial Catwoman has been among the entire line of new 52. It’s such a fun and engaging title, yet everyone picking it up month after month has been so preoccupied with all of the sex and violence that they allowed it to dictate their opinions of both the literary and artistic quality of the book in general. As for me, you can say the sex and violence is over the top, but I say Catwoman is one of the more intelligently planned out titles in DC’s entire line.
Ever since issue #1, Guillem March’s art has either been extremely violent, or extremely sexual, and sometimes both at the same time as well. March has done wonders in complementing Winick’s scripts, showing Catwoman as one of the most resilient women in comic’s history. Faced with unbeatable odds, Catwoman is still able to land some killer blows against an enemy far more powerful than her, ripping off the ear of Reach in the process. Despite the abuse that comic women suffer through, both visually and artistically, it’s clear that the characters in Batman’s universe are some of the toughest ever created.
The interrogation sequence is intense enough, but Winick decides he can push the boundaries even further as Batman makes his entrance. The issue is prefaced by its cover, making a non-verbal claim that Batman is bound to show up. Of course he doesn’t make his entrance until half way through the book, and it’s definitely a confrontation between Bats and Cats that’ll rock you to your core!
Unlike the shocking ending to issue #1, this meeting is much more heated with yelling, kicking, and punching…no sex. The question, “Why is Selina always risking her life for thrills and excitement?” is answered. This second meeting between the two proves what I said back in my review of issue #1, that Catwoman does have a death wish, in which case frees up her spirit to enjoy the thrill of almost dying.
As much as I liked how Batman and Catwoman ending their first meeting in that shocking coupling, this meeting was much more satisfactory, doing what a good “noir” story should do. Catwoman was finally forced to show her inner demons, revealing how much she actually hates herself.
Catwoman still remains one of my favorite titles thus far. Winick is blowing it out of the park, and March is continually improving on his already awesome talents. One arc down, success! Looking forward to the next one!
10 out of 10 stars
Nightwing #6 Review
Posted: February 20, 2012 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Eddy Barrows, Kyle Higgins, Nightwing
Written by KYLE HIGGINS
Penciled by EDDY BARROWS & GERALDO BORGES
Inked by EBER FERRERIA & RUY JOSE
Colored by ROD REIS
Lettered by CARLOS M. MANGUAL
Cover by BARROWS & REIS
Edited by KATIE KUBERT & BOBBIE CHASE
Still roaming from town to town with the circus, trapeze artist and circus owner by day, crime fighting vigilante by night! The whole idea of Dick Grayson traveling with the Circus and fighting crime wherever it goes is quite creative and an interesting twist to put on the Nightwing legacy. However, it makes me wonder when Dick Grayson’s employees will ever put two and two together. They WORK with Grayson and he’s traveling everywhere with them! You’d think that seeing Nightwing pop up in every town they come to would flick the light bulbs on in their heads on, showing them the truth.
Let’s face it, Nightwing is continually popping up in the same place that the circus is. Certainly the clowns and acrobats of Haley’s would be able to figure it out right? I guess I have to remember that this is a reality where people are fooled by glasses and masks that only cover the eyeballs. I keep thinking of the episode of Lois and Clark where Tempest shows just how dumb Lois has been all these years for not using her amazing reporter skills to figure out that Clark is, in fact, Superman…
But let’s not bother with little things that we REALIZE are unrealistic ok? Higgins is doing a bang up job at pacing this story appropriately, giving it all the gumption and excitement it needs. However, it’s quite predictable , even when the villain’s identity is revealed. The most predictable of all was how quickly Dick figured out when Saiko was going to strike next, clearly using the detective skills he adopted from his mentor…
Figured it out eh? No surprise there!
But even though it was predictable, it was also a cool moment to see. No doubt, we (the readers of Nightwing) were all thinking the same thing, and to see Dick actually apply what he learned from Batman in preparing for danger was exciting. (aawwww, he’s all grown up now!)
This issue is a pretty nostalgic one for Dick himself, not only reliving the glory days of the Flying Graysons, but also remember his friends of old through his ownership of the Circus. The speech he delivers at the special “Flying Graysons Tribute Show” could certainly be viewed as a tear jerker for anyone who grew up reading Batman when Dick was growing up alongside the Dark Knight. But there’s also the friend that comes back from the dead in the disguise of Saiko, casing any joy Dick might have had to turn into mush. I can’t even imagine how much of an impact this has on the Dick as he wrestles with his new found career, getting back together with his old fling, and the death of Mr. Haley. Sheesh! What a rush!
Eddy Barrows and Rod Reis must have had a blast drawing and coloring this issue. Barrows does such a good job at giving each character enough bulk in their sculpted bodies, but still keeps them proportional. Likewise, Reis makes coloring and lighting look like the easiest job in the world! (Although I’m sure he puts in a lot of time and effort.) The lights shining down on Dick as he gives his speech look like ACTUAL lights and not simply digitalized. If I were to ever get a job penciling a book for DC Comics, Rod Reis would be my main coloring man!
Now we all know how awesome Nightwing is, and we ALSO know how awesome Barrows and Reis are, but the two artists just made Nightwing even cooler with the amazing cover they put together. If you didn’t notice it before, look again! To quote Rorschach, it’s hiding in plain sight…
Are the Marvel heroes gangsters now?
Yes, it’s true, Barrows and Reis believe that Nightwing could totally kick the ass of the Punisher, Captain America, Spider-Man, and Ghost Rider! Ok, Ghost Rider might be a stretch, but there’s seems to be a hidden agenda here on the part of Barrows. Could it be he’s calling Marvel out, challenging them? I certainly hope so! It would also be cool to see Marvel retaliate in the same way and see a friendly artistic dual going back and forth between DC and Marvel, cover to cover!
Overall, this issue is great! But I don’t see this being end of the first arc for Nightwing. There’s still to much left open! How will this end for Nightwing next month? I’m getting chills just thinking about it!
8 out of 10 stars!
Supergirl #6 Review
Posted: February 19, 2012 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Mahmud Asrar, Michael Green, Mike Johnson, Supergirl
Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON
Penciled by MAHMUD ASRAR
Colored by DAVE MCCAIG
Lettered by ROB LEIGH
Cover by ASRAR
Edited by WILL MOSS & MATT IDELSON
This month’s edition of Supergirl gives us two stories within one book; the first half explores Kara’s acceptance of a home world destroyed, and the other which deals with Kara embracing (more or less) the hero she’s destined to become.
The book starts out with Kara in this training session with a very unusual sensai. But the most interesting thing about this opening scene is not the strange floating roboton put in charge of Kara’s training, but the conversation it and Zor-El have after ceasing training…
“But Sir, your wife insists that she–”
“Kara has plenty of REAL studying to do.”
While this issue’s primary focus is to establish her role within the new DCU, there definitely seems to be a hidden agenda behind the writers of both Supergirl and Superman, mainly dealing with lineage and parentals. How curious it seems that Laura, Zor-El’s wife, is the one insisting that Kara complete a defensive and militaristic training while Zor-El seems to be more invested in Kara’s academic training. More to come on this, I’m sure.
Back to the main story…I wasn’t quite sure I understood how Kara was able to call upon her powers without exposure to the yellow sun. Her parents appeared in this green light which, I can only assume, is all in her mind. But how, by seeing her mom and dad in front of her, is she able to conjure up powers she can ONLY use when in an atmosphere with a yellow sun is unclear to me. I’m all about calling upon a person’s inner strength to overcome adversity, but that’s where stories like Harry Potter shine! Harry was able to defeat evil, not by magic, but by the strength and power within his own heart. That would have been the case with Kara, powerless on Argo, but she flew away from the floating island hurling towards the blue sun. I would hope that this little deviation from the Superman folklore will explain itself sometime in the near future.
The Worldkillers are awesome despite their emo-ish look. Reign is definitely someone I can see becoming a regular villain for Supergirl, possibly even an arch nemesis. But Reign reveals something that could quite possibly bleed into the rest of the Super-books…
“But for both you and I, the full truth of what happened to us remains hidden in the wake of Krypton’s destruction. And yet we both sense that this world might play some part. Why else would it be the only place in the universe to find Kryptonian survivors?”
I suspect that Kara was sent to Earth to protect her baby cousin, but it is an interesting idea to put out there. Krypton does seems to have some hidden connection with Earth, every title connected with Superman has made that very clear. I’m excited to see how this mystery, if there is one, will reveal itself in the future.
The art seems surprisingly unbalanced in this issue as compared to the previous five. It’s still good, but definitely not as fantastic as it has been. But good God, the two splash pages are exceptional, especially the one where Supergirl is flying away from the doomed Argo..
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Apart from a few little confusing aspects and artistic flaws, the book is a good read. Supergirl is consistently pumping out good stories and keeping the “new” mysteries exciting and gradual.
8 out of 10 stars
Rorschach is one of my favorite anti-heroes in comics, films, etc, and I’m always looking for interesting pieces of fan art out there on the viral side of life. There’s always some interesting things out there, but then I found this little gem…
I then went on a hunt for more of this artist’s stuff and came upon his deviant art page. Everyone should go check it out, he’s got some great stuff out there, comic book art and non comic book art. But from what I’ve seen there, he’s got some of his own comic book panels he’s made. Peejay, if you’re trying to get a comic book published, good luck to you! You’ve got the talent to do so!
Some other works I found interesting from his page are below. Make sure you go to his Deviant Art page to see more. Enjoy…
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By Greg Capullo
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Penciled by GREG CAPULLO
Inked by JONATHAN GLAPION
Colored by FCO
Lettered by RICHARD STARKINGS
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
Variant cover by GARY FRANK
B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
If you’re looking to see what it’s like to be a drugged up crime fighter, Batman #6 might just give you the perspective you need.
Batman, of course, isn’t shooting up or anything crazy like that. The Court of Owls has beaten Batman to a bloody pulp, with the first page showing a sword driving through Batman’s side. Bats sees the Court of Owls in a much more realistic light – real Owl People ready to devour him down to the bony nubs of his skeleton. This is a story to test Batman’s inner strength and will…that or Scott Snyder secretly hates Batman and wanted to write a story where he almost dies.
This is definitely the kind of Batman storyline I enjoy without all of the Morrisony garbage to muddle it up. It’s about a mysterious rich family that had a major influence on the Wayne family legacy that remains hidden from the rest of the world. Due to the secretive nature of the story, tagged along with it is this dark and gothic undertone which defines the very best batman stories.
Variant Cover By Gary Frank
And like any good gothic tale of death and despair, Batman has to dig deep down inside of himself, examining the darkest part of his history in order to break away from the drugged out hold the Court had on him to ultimately escape. To fight the monsters who were holding him captive, his mind had to imagine himself as something just as grotesque and vile, ultimately turning into the very thing he had hoped never to become. Bats was in control of himself of course, but the imagery was definitely an interesting twist.
Speaking of visuals, Capullo has definitely gone above and beyond with his terrifying imagery of the Court of Owls. In fact, the entire book was scary to behold; Batman’s broken body, the carnivorous attitude and look of the Court, and the creepy fingernails of the “Mother Owl” all added to the overall horrifying look and feel to this book.
There is a similarity between this story and Grant Morrison’s “Batman, R.I.P.” As this arc has progressed, the reviews have been flooded with how Snyder is simply copying what Morrison did with One of DC’s better selling event miniseries. However, Snyder’s take on basically the same story isn’t muddled with confusing dialog, contrived plot lines, and non-existent consistency. Of course, this will be a hard issue to pick up for those of you who haven’t been following Batman since issue #1, but I would recommend that everyone start picking up this series next month because it is a DOOZY! Enjoyable with every page turn! (And don’t forget to pick up the first trade once it’s available!)
10 out of 10 stars
He says “no,” but his eyes say “yes, yes, YES!!!”
The editors really messed up on this one.
Dave Despau Gives New Meaning Towards The Word, “Splash Page!”
Posted: February 14, 2012 in Art, Batman, DC Comics, Superman, Wonder WomanDC Comic’s “trinity” has always been an interesting concept; Superman is the positive thinker who believes in the natural good within people, Batman is the negative force that is convinced everyone is evil by nature, and the two are always at odds. Wonder Woman acts as that buffer between the two, holding equally to both ideals that Supes and Bats does.
Artist Dave Despau has created three “bust” renditions of the three said heroes, giving only a splash of color to represent a little of their own specific personalities. Despau is somewhat unfamiliar to me, but I have seen a few pieces of art in his repertoire, and these three additions of his are my favorites.
Wonder Woman In An All American Light
Superman Splashing Out His Big "S"
Batman Never Looks At His Fans, Ugh!
Dave Rapoza, Half-Shelled Artist Extraordinaire!
Posted: February 13, 2012 in Art, Dave Rapoza, He-Man, Thunder CatsFan art is everywhere around the web, but Dave Rapoza seems to have made a killing off of his TMNT series. His realistic style makes him stand out above the rest of the Saturday morning cartoon art crowd…
Rapoza's TMNT Series, Click To Enlarge
But this isn’t just some fan artist who has a nostalgic need to create his favorite Saturday morning cartoon characters. Rapoza is, no doubt one of the best gothic artists in the field who has a grasped a mastery of lighting and shadows.
Of course, Mr. Rapoza’s artistic talents don’t simply lie in the sewers of New York City. Recently he’s stretch his repertoire out towards Eternia and Thundera, creating his own creepy renditions of each dimension’s characters. There’s something about his realistic and shadowy take that mirrors my own style…only he uses color and I’m strictly grafite.
If you’d like to see more of this amazing artist’s work, go to his Deviant Art page and check out some even COOLER pieces of art that he’s done. Or simply Google his name on Google images, a plethora of images will pop up.
This Is A Skelator That Could Freak Anyone Out!
A Little Bit Of Mufasa And Aslan me thinks?
The perfect disguise! Even a mother can be fooled!
How dumb is Lois Lane? That’s the question so many have asked themselves when it comes Superman’s disguise. How was she able to work with Clark Kent for so long and not recognize the obvious? Do glasses truly make someone look different enough that they become unrecognizable? A man from the future by the name of Tempus demonstrated to Lois how truly obvious this should have been to her…
This has been a jolting question for people all throughout the country. Who IS stupid enough to fall for such a terrible disguise. I wear glasses and people still recognize me with or without them. I will admit, people who wear glasses do have a different look when they take off their specs, but you can still tell who they are right? Especially if you spend everyday WORKING with that person.
In issue #330 of Superman in 1978, DC attempted to address this question to help the whole concept make sense and keep fans from constantly complaining about it. This issue addressed Superman’s inability to comprehend how he’s fooled so many people for so long…
How is it that Lana can't even accept Superman is Clark Kent, even after he admits to that fact?
Here Superman thinks about how ridiculous he's disguise really is
Supes even admits to the fact this idea for a disguise should never have worked.
Later, however, in the very same issue, we are given a logical reasoning for the mild mannered reporter disguise and how it actually does work. Apparently the simple task of changing one’s hair, slouching a bit, and wearing a pair of glasses, in contrast with Superman’s demeanor is enough to change people’s perception of you. The PERFECT disguise! The simpler the disguise, the greater the anonymity…
See? It all makes sense now doesn't it?
So, how does DC explain it all? Well, for those of you who may not have known, Superman has gone through MANY changes in his 70 + year existence. When the infamous graphic novel, Crisis on Infinite Earths was being published in single magazine form, Superman had been drastically altered. Writers were finding it extremely difficult to write stories for a superhero who could basically do anything he wanted and beat anyone to crossed him. After Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superman was significantly DEPOWERED to help him become much more relatable for readers, and easier to write for.
Before the depowering, Superman had one significant ability… hypnotism. And just like with Batman, where every aspect of his costume serves a purpose, Superman’s glasses were also given a purpose, allowing his hypnotic abilities (as well as the other powers that come from his eyeballs) and specs to work simultaneously…
His ship was apart of his costume design.
And there you have it, the justification for Superman’s seemingly terrible disguise. It truly is the best way of making sense of it all. If you had to keep the disguise, how else would you explain it? DC, under the circumstances, did a good job.
Do you buy it? I certainly don’t! As much as I love Superman, it will never make sense to me. But it’s really not something I worry about. It’s comics, the suspension of disbelief is needed in order to enjoy the mystical world of any superhero comic.
The Death And Return Of Superman…Explained?
Posted: February 11, 2012 in Comics, DC Comics, Max Landis, SupermanSo the only real reason why this video is entertaining is because Max Lanids’s ability to make any story sound awful is pretty funny, as well as having guest stars like Mandy Moore, Elijah Wood, and Ron Howard. However, Landis does leave out a lot of details concerning the death and return of Superman. But before I go on, have a looksie….
Nothing he’s says is wrong, the return of Superman is one very complicated mess of a story. Landis, however, decides to leave out some very important details that helped give the entire arc coherency. (Is that a word?)
From Superhero Hype
If you’ve read the comic, you’ll know that it wasn’t this big secret that Superman’s energy was still out there searching for his body, and that these clones weren’t the real Superman. Landis makes it out as if the REAL Superman’s return was this big surprise.
This video has too many gaping holes in it, which leaves very little for readers unfamiliar to the comics to go off of. Landis does a great job at picking and choosing what he wants to talk about so he can rip it apart like it was the worst thing to happen to comics. If only he, himself, actually knew what he was talking about.
True, Superman’s death and return did change how death was utilized in the comic book genre, but that doesn’t make it a bad story arc. Death for superheroes doesn’t necessarily mean DEATH anymore; you can always count on superheroes returning from the grave. But, of course, Geoff Johns help give a deeper meaning to rising superheroes with Blackest Night right?
He’s a pretty shitty writer. Whoever thought Chronicle was a good idea for a movie needs to rethink the trust they put into this joke of a screen writer. It’s clear he has no respect for the Superman stories. Which is fine, he doesn’t have to like them. But for someone who knows the history of Superman quite well, it’s hard to watch this and not think to myself, “you’re an idiot.”
Batwoman #6 Review
Posted: February 10, 2012 in Amy Reeder, Batwoman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, J.H. Williams
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN
Penciled by AMY REEDER
Inked by RICHARD FRIEND & RON HUNTER
Colored by GUY MAJOR
Lettered by TODD KLEIN
Cover by AMY REEDER
Variant cover by AMY REEDER
Edited by RICKEY PURDIN & MIKE MARTS
Well now, things are starting to gel! Just when we thought the mystery of the weeping woman was solved, Williams and Blackman throw in more twists and turns to keep things interesting. And while #6 does a little bit of time traveling and slows things up, it does make you wonder if the weeping woman story is not quite done yet.
Split up into different sections of character stories, Williams dives deeper into the last five issue of Batwoman, revealing more depth and information about how everything took place. Maggie and Maro’s story was the most interesting to say the least; planning out the supernatural, something only a mystically driven title can deliver.
Jumping back and forth in time can be a bit jolting; the book starts off in the present and toggles from back story to back story, going back and forth in time as well. Double takes should be expected if you haven’t this issue yet. Be prepared to wonder if your comprehension skills are up to speed because it’s going to take you a few times until the light bulb clicks on. Of course, however, it’s nice to see that Batwoman really isn’t an idiot and is just as prepared as Batman when it comes to thugs trying their darnedest to pull off the steam punk Captain Hook look.
Giving Williams a break from artistic duties is Amy Reeder. I was wondering when she was going to come back to sketching out Batwoman. J.H. is amazing and I’m glad he isn’t off the visual side of things permanently, but with her work on #0 prior to the reboot, SHE was the reason I was so excited about the Batwoman title.
Reeder is very consistent, but there is a definite difference between her single panel images and her full splash pages. It seems she’s trying her very hardest to maintain the excellence Williams has started by minicking much of his trademarked style…a sign of a good artist I tell ya!
Batwoman is, without a doubt, the most interesting title on DC’s list. If I were forced to choose only one Bat title to read, I drop all of them except for Batwoman…it’s just that good!
9 out of 10 stars
Suicide Squad #6 Review
Posted: February 9, 2012 in Adam Glass, Clayton Henry, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Suicide Squad, Val Staples
Written by ADAM GLASS
Penciled by CLAYTON HENRY
Inked by SCOTT HANNA & CLAYTON HENRY
Colored by VAL STAPLES & HI-FI
Lettered by JARED K. FLETCHER
Cover by PAUL RENAULD
Edited by SEAN MACKIEWICZ & PAT MCCALLUM
YES!!! This is what we need, a well written origin story for Harley! Juxtaposed against the story dealing with the entire squad, we get a nicely balanced plot line trifecta; the Squad’s frustrated search for Harley, a twistedly nostalgic trip down memory lane to revisit Harley’s first encounters with the Joker, and more information to tag along with Mr. J’s skin deep disappearing act. This issue is so weighty and awesomely epic that I had to read it twice, back to back, just so the excitement could truly soak in for me.
Despite the DC’s complaint department receiving tons of hate mail for Harley’s change in wardrobe, she’s still as quirky and demented as ever, maybe even more so! The flashbacks we see in this issue don’t even show her transform into the demented clown princess we all know, yet we do get to see the beginnings of the Joker digging into her mind, converting her ever so slightly with each meeting. It’s enough to tease us for what’s bound to come. But the question still remains, will the revelation of the Joker’s whereabouts come to light in Suicide Squad, or Detective comics?
Now maybe I missed something, but when did Harley put together her own band of transvestite minions? I understand that the Suicide Squad is designed to shock and alarm, but there was nothing to lead us to believe she even hand the time or resources to put something this extravagant and weird together. It was still hilarious, but WOW, that is a mind bender for sure!
It’s clear the only member of the Squad that has his head on straight is Deadshot. I would have also added Diablo in that mix, but he seems to have gone away this issue. Savant shows how little he actually cares about what happens, and the Twitter twins (as Deadshot has named them) really have no clue as to what is going on around them. King Shark, on the other hand is…well…King Shark! What more do you need? It’s still clear that each individual member of the Squad is looking out for their own individual interests, but there also seems to be a semblance of care that the team has for one another. Still no CLEAR indicator of such, but it definitely keeps the interest boiling.
Oh, and I’m glad to see Deadshot hasn’t lost his dry sense of humor either. Watch out for your nether region there Savant!
Val Staples certainly makes everything pop out at us, especially with the Joker’s off white smile! Of course Clayton Henry (I don’t remember this guy from anything, is he a new penciller?) does a wonderful job at making the gory and bloody a gorgeous piece of artwork to gaze upon. However, it’s in those much more subtle moments that, artistically, impact me the most. My favorite scene is when Harley is holding the severed finger, and how the Joker just hovers over her with his devious smile…
Click To Enlarge
Now I DID think Henry did a great job at making sure that Harley had the same look, pre-crazy and post-crazy. However I wondered why post-crazy Harley had a much younger look to her. I honestly felt like she looked like a teenaged adolescent with all of her makeup on, and it felt out of place. The most “adult” she looked was when she was a normal psychiatrist constantly going in for meetings with the Joker. It was daunting, but still enjoyable.
The Squad is consistently surprising me and keeping me on the edge of my seat. I love that Glass is now focusing on the Joker and Harley’s past relationship and what it now means for the rebooted DCU.
9 out of 10 stars
I had a three day weekend and I spent it working on a brand new drawing! This weekend gave inspiration to do yet another Wonder Woman sketch…probably my best one yet. Inspired by Ed Benes, I took his absolutely perfect Wonder Woman drawing and tried to recreate it with my own twist. Many times people ask me if I’m simply tracing…the answer is NO, I never trace! Everything I do is fresh from my pencil to paper, and I do my best to recreate drawings by simply looking at them.
Title: Bound No More
While I’m sure Bene’s rendition had its own purpose and meaning, my sketch was inspired by a friendly Facebook conversation about Wonder Woman. It all started with me posting this exceptionally funny photo that makes fun of Disney Princesses and how Wonder Woman beats them all, being an Amazonian Princess and all…
If Wonder Woman Were A Disney Princess
Well, a friend commenting on this photo and said, “unless she gets tied up by a man,” and referred me to this website which talks about the most ridiculous superhero weaknesses. The first one you run into is titled “Wonder Woman having her hands tied behind her back.” While I respect and acknowledge this fact, it doesn’t represent Wonder Woman’s character in the present, and hasn’t for almost 40 years.
Now this friend wasn’t being malicious, it was a great conversation and he loves Wonder Woman. However, the conversation did inspire me to draw an image of Wonder Woman that represents her breaking away from that ridiculous part of her origin. What better way than to have her chained up, and breaking down the walls that bound her?
The total amount of time it took to finish this drawing was 14 hours, done strictly with grafite pencils and drawing paper. Looking at having this gem framed! Enjoy New Comics Day!!
