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Archive for July, 2012

The Flash #11 Review

Posted: July 30, 2012 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, The Flash

Written by: Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato

Variant Cover by: Francis Manapul

One man CAN do it all! Francis Manapul, in the same manner as Tony Daniel, proves that it IS possible for one man to author the writing and artistic duties of one book and make it good!

With the world assuming Barry Allen to be dead, he takes refuge in an unfamiliar city, keeping his eyes and ears open to his enemy’s movements. Desperately trying to learn from the Batman’s playbook, Barry is unclear of where to begin. In need of a drink, he finds a dive bar looking for help, and decides to apply for the job.

Of course, why wouldn’t both Captain Cold and Heatwave make an appearance? What’s a good Flash comic without a little hot and cold pressure right? Apparently Heatwave blames Cap’n Cold for something that happened to the Rouges, and Cold disagrees. Now the Flash has to try and save the city, and more importantly….his job.

The whole brawl takes place in one tiny location – a bar. But it doesn’t stop the super powers within using all their gifts at full force. It’s amazing how epic and exciting a comic can be despite its limited space.

There’s also a nice little chemical knowledge that Barry bestows on Captain Cold’s drink. See, science is important!!

Patty Spivot has a nice little moment of angst as her boss reprimands her for overstepping her bounds on a case. In turn, however, David inserts his foot into his mouth by reminding her he’s “down one man.” OUCH! Nice slap in the face there David! We’ll see if this comes back to haunt the big boss in later issues.

Mr. Elias had a few course words to say about the whole supervigilante epidemic, mostly focusing in on the Flash. Giving the “power back to the people” also came with a very deliberate smile, alluding of terrible things to come. Was this a warning to someone in particular or simply an unknown foreshadowing?

There’s so many new questions coming out of this book without bringing the story down. The books end shows a very familiar face (if you followed the Flash prior to the reboot) which raises the question, is someone rounding up the Rouges? And if so, why?

Manapul, with help from Buccellato, brings everything to the table, and then some. The only issue I have is with Marcus To’s pencils. It’s all very good, but Manapul’s “sketched out” look is much more appealing to my eye. However, I’m not knocking To’s work, simply voicing my opinion of the differences.

This issue is a lot of fun and will make you yearn for more. More to come in 30!

Aquaman #11 Review

Posted: July 29, 2012 in Aquaman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics

Written by: Geoff Johns

Art by: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado

Cover by: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado

Variant Cover by: Ivan Reis

A treasure trove of golden weaponry is revealed in a hidden tomb of the first king of Atlantis. The Others join Aquaman in a series of flashback moments where we learn of Aquaman’s past, with further indication that he’s simply not the man he is now. We also find Mera taking it too Manta, tooth and nail, with Manta making his get away, along with Dr. Shin. All of this and much more, culminated into one extraordinary book!

Of course, we’re still at square one aren’t we?

It’s like an episode of Lost in season six – we can learn so much about the characters and their pasts, but we still don’t understand what the heck is going on. And that’s fine! I loved Lost, but I was always in a constant state of agony because I would continually learned new stuff, which only raised more questions. Granted, Aquaman isn’t quite as unrelenting as that, but I’m still wondering when something new will pop up, furthering the story.

There is some nice character developing moments – Aquaman was once a jerk who cared very little about others, but is now a changed man. At some point in time, he deserted The Others leaving them high and dry. It doesn’t look as if the former team is too upset at Arthur, but their’s definitely some tension within the ranks. However, he’s doing his best to keep the peace, stating that going after Manta alone isn’t for selfish reasons, he simply feels obligated to protect the team he once left for dead.

The brothers Reis, as always, present an exceptional set of visuals for us to behold. However, even the most peaceful of moments in anything they do looks so intense, it’s tiring. I’m not knocking anything they do, but the amount of work they obviously put into their art is so extravagant and always leaves me in a state of fatigue. This issue is no exception, glowing with wonderful colors and lighting, and character definitions that I can only dream of producing.

The book doesn’t stand too well on it’s own, regretfully. It’s wonderfully written, but does require a certain amount of knowledge in order to really know what’s going on. It’s hard for any comic to act as a good jumping-on point as they almost always require a certain amount of following of the storyline. I don’t typically knock a comic for this aspect, but this was a bit much.

This is a fun issue with some great moments. Everyone would do themselves quite well by picking this series up. Start with issue 13 though, and purchase the trades for issues 1-12.

8 out of 10 stars

Wonder Woman #11 Review

Posted: July 28, 2012 in Wonder Woman

Hey gang! Be sure to check out my new Wonder Woman blog title “Bullet And Bracelets” I started just a few weeks ago for anything Wonder Woman related. I just posted my review of Wonder Woman #11, so please go over and take a look, and follow me there as well!

I won’t post as often on that site as I do here, but anything involving Wonder Woman will now be there. More will be added to the site as time goes on, but I certainly hope to make it as successful as I can.

Justice League #11 Review

Posted: July 24, 2012 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Justice League Of America

Written by: Geoff Johns

Art by: Jim Lee, Scott Williams

Backup Art by: Gary Frank

Cover by: Jim Lee, Scott Williams

Variant Cover by: Bryan Hitch, Jim Lee

Don’t worry, Graves will be back. As odd of a villain as he is, I certainly hope to see more of him…I just hope they take the “Jim Lee” out of Graves and give him a less modern monstrously comic book look. I love Jim Lee, but his style is very formulaic and predictable, but it gets less appealing when his style looks as if it came straight out of a Spawn book from the Todd McFarlane days.

I’m also a bit perplexed by the difference between the Justice League Wonder Woman and the Wonder Woman from her own self named title. Azzarello’s Wondy is fantastic, but Geoff John’s Wondy is a bit harsh and quick to whip out her sword. I think Johns simply doesn’t quite know how to implement Wondy’s persona into the League. Sad, but true.

However she’s not entirely lacking, spurting out a few humorous jabs at Hal Jordan’s sexual confidence…

Plus she gives Superman a thumping that I’m certain he’s not accustomed too. It’s with these types of two page spreads where Jim Lee shines.

There’s also a moment where Johns displays how much stronger her will is than one of the greatest Green Lanterns in the Corps members. This is why Wonder Woman is one of the greatest superheroes in comic book history.

The biggest problem is all this fighting makes the League, especially two of its more powerful members, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, look like children. The reason I love Wonder Woman is for her maturity and well balanced manner. The New 52 has treated her well in her own title, but within the League, she seems fickle and ill-mannered.

but enough of Wonder Woman, it’s obvious I’m less than thrilled with her treatment. I can understand her being worried and upset over the potential loss of Steve Trevor, but she’s an Amazon. She’s better than this.

Everyone’s still ignoring Batman. Hal still thinks he’s the leader of the team (if you can call it that) that’s apparently a “vacation” for him, and I continually wonder when he and the rest of the League will start picking up on the ques. Superman’s the only one sticking back and actually listening to the only one making sense.

There are some pretty dark a gruesome parts, utilizing the fear of the unknown as tension building moments. What’s going on with Cyborg? Why can he see things the rest of the League can’t? Sure, there’s something about him being partial dead and all, but I’m certain there’s more to the mystery as well. (Can it be? Did Cyborg finally get interesting???)

With so much negativity I threw at this issue, it’s still entertaining. David Graves has a lot of potential as a villain, I just hope we get more on his back story. There’s also some nice character developing moments For Cyborg and Green Lantern. I wouldn’t call this an issue worth remembering though.

6 out of 10 stars

Rorschach Ain’t Dead!!!

Posted: July 24, 2012 in Comic Book Panels, Watchmen, Winter Soldier

Or at least he’s been reincarnated into someone even MORE awesome than he already was. This came from Winter Soldier #3, and if you know Watchmen, you’ll know why this made me chuckle.

Creating the Comment Monsters

Posted: July 23, 2012 in Uncategorized

Reblogged from justAtad:

I think the biggest story in the online film world this week, outside of the forthcoming release of The Dark Knight Rises, was probably the vitriolic response that a number of critics got from Rotten Tomatoes users to their less than 100% positive reviews of that film. There's been plenty of writing on the subject of Batman fans' reactions to those reviews, and the whole story is wrapped up nicely by Matt Singer over at…

The Dark Knight Rises Movie Review

Posted: July 22, 2012 in Anne Hathaway, Batman, Christian Bale, Christopher Nolan, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, The Dark Knight Rises, Tom Hardy

Release Date: July 20, 2012 (2D theaters and IMAX)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screenwriter: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman
Genre: Action, Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language)
Official Website: TheDarkKnightRises.com

it’s been over 73 years since Bob Kane’s creation of the Batman, and in that time, the caped crusader has been the butt of much negativity; violence, vigilantism, negative viewpoints on homosexuality, and so on and so forth. Fredric Wertham led a movement that tried to minimize the exposure children had to comics in general, with the Bat and bird taking the center stage as examples. Batman endured however and became one of the most recognizable icons in American history, and possibly the world.

Nolan’s third film not only ends his Batman trilogy, but also brings a sense of closure to the Batman legacy that’s lasted for almost 75 years. Within the pantheon of superheroes, Batman has almost always reigned supreme, and now we, as fans, are given the opportunity to see Batman in his finest hour, embracing that cultural symbol he has become within our society.

The Dark Knight Rises attempts spinning the 73 year legacy into a fantastic conclusion using elements established in the first two films. However, there’s also the Wayne’s side of the story. Let’s be honest, we don’t actually SEE Batman (Christian Bale) that often do we? Batman makes an epic entrance onto the streets of Gotham, but then Bruce hangs the cape and cowl up until we pass the half way point in the movie. During Wayne’s lull and fickle attitude towards becoming Batman again, we meet two new villains – Catwoman (Anne Hathaway), and Bane (Tom Hardy), both of which play very significant parts, as well as very different roles in the story.

First you have Catwoman, who isn’t really a bad guy, she’s just a thief. She’s gorgeous, but not overly sexual. She’s confident, but knows her limits. She has some skills and training, but isn’t comically ninja. And while she’s never actually referred to as Catwoman, she retains that sliver of Selena Kyle’s comic book personality that made her so interesting. I love Michelle Pfeiffer, but Hathaway did one hell of a job in making Catwoman a part of the story while not sticking out like a sore thumb.

Bane has always been somewhat of an idiot in the comics, TV, and movies. (Especially the movies. Who can forget that horrendous version of the super soldier from the 1997 Joel Schumacher film?) Nolan has finally given Bane a reason for existing, and Tom Hardy brought him to life. Bane’s presence out shined every other actor on the screen, and just like Catwoman, Bane had a nice character alterations in comparison to the comic. There’s was no super soldier serum being pumped from a pack strapped to his back, but the pain he endured from breaking the pain numbing device strapped to his face left him recognizable but no where near as comical.

But TDKR is more than it’s stellar cast – it’s a fantastic journey into the life of a torn individual masking himself in the guise of Bruce Wayne, only to reveal his true self within a cape and cowl. The Dark Knight was focused on Harvey Dent and the Joker, showing that Gotham truly is just a sick and twisted as Ra’s Al Ghul believed it to be. Filled with plot twists, great action, philosophical and physchological elements, amazing film making techniques, and a few returning surprises from the previous two films, Nolan’s Batman trilogy is arguably one of the best movie sagas in cinema history.

Nolan borrows themes from the first two films and slips them right into his third installment. Eight years after Harvey Dent’s death, Gotham has reached some semblance of peace and order – and the deceased white knight is praised for it. However, Commissioner Gordon is tormented by the lie of Dent’s heroism and Batman’s criminal nature. Enter Bane, who plans to reveal the truth to Gotham, and to continue Ra’s Al Ghul’s “noble” work and make certain he succeeds where the Joker failed.

Thus follows a series of events where Bane threatens all life in Gotham through poetic oratory and intense battle scenes. However, amongst all the action, TDKR takes a surprisingly slower pace in the first 40 minutes, developing a story around Bruce and Alfred’s relationship, which might be some of the more powerful and emotional moments in the film.

Bruce Wayne, eight years after the Two-Face incident, is no longer in his prime – walking around with a bum leg and cane to hold himself up. But his leg isn’t the only thing in a fragile state. Bruce Wayne’s mind has reached a low point – forcibly drawn into exile and suffering the repercussions of his choices while trying to find some way to come back and bring himself together.

I think everyone who’s seen the film would agree that the last 40 minutes are spectacular. Nolan brought back a few villains from the previous two films, which is an aspect of the franchise that resembles the comics better than most comic book films. With the exception Al Ghul and Two – Face, the villains in Nolan’s Batverse don’t die – The Scarecrow has made an appearance in every film for goodness sakes! And I suspect that, had heath Ledger not succumb to drug abuse, the Joker would have made a come back as well.

This film also pushes some boundaries. You may think you’ve seen a city crumble in action movies before, but not like how you’ll see in TDKR. It also brings an anarchist center point in play, making America’s fear of terrorism and the crash of an economy the focus of Bane’s onslaught.

A few minor complaints include Bane’s somewhat hard to understand diction. I could always understand what he said, but I had to really listen. (Hooray for speakers and an overly excited bass amplifier.) And with Bruce Wayne playing hermit in his mansion, crippled and otherwise never seen by the public, why would anyone want to hire a cat-burgler to attach his name (and finger prints) to a few bad investments? I also wondered what the heck happened to Selina Kyle’s girlfriend. She just…vanished!

Of course, I took these tiny flaws lightly as the full 2 hours and 45 minutes of the film kept me locked and loaded, ready for anything! Sure, you’ll find yourself wondering if Batman will ever show up at times, but if you allow yourself to sit back and enjoy a film attempting to try a new approach with the Wayne legacy, the Batman legacy will become that much more enjoyable for you.

Also, I won’t spoil it for you, but if you read the Batman comics, you’ll see one character’s alter-ego coming a mile away, but you may have trouble figuring the other one out. It’s hard to go further than that…just trust me on this one.

The Dark Knight was a better film, but no doubt, TDKR is one of the best comic book films in history.

Batman Movie Massacre – In Memory Of Those Who Died

Posted: July 20, 2012 in The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight Rises Shooting

Heretical Jargon’s thoughts go out towards the victims of the Aurora Colorado Massacre at Century Theaters during the Dark Knight Rises release. May the families of this horrendous event recover quickly, and the victims rest in peace.

Some more information has been released on James Holmes. not a lot, but we have a picture and a confirm statement by officials saying it could take days to get all of the explosives out of Mr. Holmes apartment and clean up any left over mess made by the shooter.

I’m anxiously waiting to hear the motive behind Holmes’ action. I’ll always cringe when I see his face, but it would be nice to know his story and the “why?” He looks harmless enough, and is apparently described by peers as being shy and quiet, yet a friendly person. This whole thing is perplexing.

Holmes is due in court on Monday, but officials are not speaking of any motives as of yet. Hopefully that will come out in the court proceedings.

Already, Google and Google images are flooded with pictures of this young man with bloggers and news networks flooding the internet with reports and opinions. Speculation is going to run rampant until more detailed information is released to the public.

The Dark Knight Rises Shooting At Century 16 Theaters In Aurora Colorado

Posted: July 20, 2012 in The Dark Knight Rises, The Dark Knight Rises Shooting

A text was sent to me two hours before the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises last night from friends who had an extra ticket, inviting me to go. While tempted, I decided to go home and sleep so I could wake up coherent enough to go to work the next day was more important. I was shocked however to wake up this morning and see the flood of Facebook statuses about the shooting that went on inside the movie theater.

According to CNN, 14 people were reported dead, almost 50 were injured, and the rest are being treated for chemical exposure since the shooter dropped a gas bomb on the floor before firing. A 24 year old male by the name of James Holmes walked into the theater wearing a gas mask and pointed a gun at the crowd. Everyone thought it was either part of the show, or simply another cosplaying comic book fan just having some fun. However, once gun fire went off, people began ducking and trying to run out of the theater.

children as young as 6 were shot and killed, but I also read reports of a infant child only a few months old being shot as well. Nothing has been confirmed as far as motive and/or intent of the shooter is concerned, but he is in police custody.

What I am happy to see is everyone (at least on facebook) pouring their hearts out to the victims and their families and not automatically blaming the film’s dark and gothic nature on the reason why James Holmes mysteriously decided to going on a killing spree. While this is a terrible incident that should never have happen, It’s nice to see that people DO care about victims of such an awful event. I just wish Colorado could catch a break – first columbine, now this.

Star Wars And George Lucas

Posted: July 19, 2012 in Star Wars, Uncategorized

It’s an ongoing debate that will linger in time in a state of never ending…Is George Lucas responsible for staying true to a story he’s made, or can he simply do whatever he wants?

There are many people so DEAD SET against him for creating episodes 1, 2, and 3 in addition to the “edits” made in the original trilogy – they claim it “ruined their childhood.” But on the other side of the spectrum there exists a group of loyal fans who’ll never say anything negative about the director. And, as with most nerdy cases, there exists a middle group who sees the validity in both sides of the argument – trying to remain neutral while staying true to their likes and dislikes.

My perspective is taken from an interesting angle as I sit amongst thousands of like-minded fans that grew up watching the original trilogy on the TV - commercials and all! But I also have the experience of having seen the old films re-released on the big screen for generation #2 to enjoy in remastered awesomeness. Not too long after that, Episodes 1 – 3 took center stage. One high school diploma, college degree, a marriage and a move from Iowa to Colorado later, I find myself in the midst of a third theatrical release of Star Wars in the shape of a three dimensional Episode 1.

I hate the new additions and edits George Lucas implemented into his original series – and I hate the episodes 1 – 3 even more! However, I understand that, despite these frustrations, my childhood isn’t tarnished by these changes. I can always go back and watch the Star Wars I grew up loving and pay no attention to, or skip over the “crap” that came with it. (If only I had kept my original Star Wars VHS tapes, I would be a happy man!)

The question still remains, even after 13 years of the release of Episode 1 – What is George Lucas after? What is he trying to do? Why take this kind of approach to a beloved saga? And the answers to these questions are internally answered by each fan, by way of saying “George Lucas is nothing more than a money maker who cares very little for the desires of fans” or “This is George Lucas’ story and he can do what he wants.” Which is the right answer?

Apprentice A presents a solid response to all of the heat fans of blowing at Lucas. He keeps an open mind while subtly expressing his own opinions…

The truth of the matter is, no matter what George Lucas does, he will always have loyal fans and haters…like most creators right? Enjoy what you want, but Apprentice A is right, George Lucas is paying a price.

Top 5 Worst Movies Of 2011

Posted: July 19, 2012 in Worst Movies of 2011

Just for fun, I’ve compiled a top five list of the worst movies from 2011. It’s over half a year past 2011, but why not have some fun…even if it’s past due. These films are ranked from bad to worse. Comments and disagreements are welcome.

5. Green Lantern

When you think back to all the comic book films within the last decade, they all put on the same façade – the difference between good and evil always seems to be questionably unclear, never leaving much room for certainty in who the bad guys and good guys are. That or the notion of good and evil is left in this grey area where only the audience knows the truth, while the movie’s characters stay ignorant.

The problem exists with the lack of substance and the “plotty” nature of the film’s progression. An overabundance of character additions and plot devices make it hard for the editors to give the film a fluid two hour flow, causing the character relationships to feel forced and confusing. It never stood firm on any foundation to allow the story to work. I wondered if it was designed to be more of a bed time story rather than an action movie – I wanted to fall asleep a few times.

Even for a comic book nerd like me, this film did very little in satisfying my fanboyish needs. I can only imagine what it did to everyone else.

4. Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

If you were happy with Guy Ritchie’s first Holmes installment, you probably left the theater with a pleasant taste in your mouth. However, if you weren’t impressed by film #1, Game of Shadows will compel you to stick you pinky finger in a pencil sharpener – because that would be more enjoyable than having to remember you wasted your money Holmes.

There’s also the sense that you’re watching a classic Victorian hero battle it out with baddies in a “Call of Duty” gaming style – complete with bad dialog and second rate story telling – if there was, in fact, a story. Once arriving at the eight or ninth tedious action sequence, I began to wonder if this movie was even MORE aggravating than the George Lucas “edits” and “add-ons” to the Star Wars trilogy. (But of course, that would be wrong.)

Yes, you need to believe the reviews – this movie isn’t worth the price of admission. But, as prefaced above, it’s all based on what you like. And I guess if you like watching something that not only mocks Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s masterful work of literature, but also dumbs down the intellect that made the Holmes stories so good, then by all means, enjoy!

3. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Was I really sitting through 50 minutes of explosions and climatic action sequences that wore out its welcome half way through? There’s gotta be something wrong with that picture! It’s a film that went over two hours, (which is 2 hours too long) giving us a plethora of moral idiocy, lacking in heart and soul. This isn’t a Transformers movie, it’s a typical Michael Bay film.

There’s almost a clinical tone in the way Bay throws about this third installment of the classic cartoon show. Even the allusion to the World Trade Center towers made me wonder if Bay was making a statement about America and it’s honor, or if he was just chuckling at us.

In any case, the film’s meandering around the explosions and sexual innuendos didn’t deter me from knowing that the plot itself could have been summed up in under one hour, much like the previous two films.

2. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1

Why is it, when there are so many GOOD film sagas out there, people continually plague themselves with watching the bad ones? Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Superman, and even the Rocky series are a much better and worthy cinematic excursion to embrace.

Looking as if she’s experienced the worst kind of pain on a daily basis, Twilight gives Kristen Stewart an excuse to act even MORE tortured than she already is. But given the fact that her marriage, honeymoon, and history’s worst natural childbirth experience is all wrapped in a cocoon of the walking dead…sure why not, it makes sense. If only it was written well.

But maybe my opinion of the film is dictated by the fact that thousands of children and adults are eating this up – something so distasteful and mind numbing. I love that Twilight is helping kids to get excited about reading, I simply can’t support a film as bad as this and promote it to our youth. If there’s no hope in a film’s ending, why bother?

1. The Green Hornet

The fun was completely sidelined once Seth Rogen’s script went into high gear…which was about five minutes into the film. One thing is clear though – one one should ever, in their right mind, hand over the screen writing responsibilities of such a classic hero to a bumbling comedic actor like Seth Rogen.

It’s a film filled with Rogenized gags and slapstick that simply didn’t fit the character or story. You’ll actually get bored through most of the film. In fact, the best part was at the end…when the credits rolled. Finally! Something that made sense and was fun to see! But it wasn’t worth the over priced 3D ticket which lent nothing to the story and thrills….if there were any.

I was waiting for that moment when Kato would show up and give us something to be excited about. But no, Kato was just as lacking as every other character. Even the bad guy was a bit of a joke. This film was a relentless piece of trash that persisted in taunting me with its inability to make a coherent thought or plot twist. No doubt, this potentially fun film was anything but.

Tim Drake Was never Robin…

Posted: July 16, 2012 in Batman, Comic Book News, DC Comics

So we already knew that continuity was going to be altered with the New 52, right? In turn, that means much of what we KNEW about the heroes of the DC Universe was going to change…possibly drastically. Just take a look at what they did with Alan Scott.

That being said, I’m not against the reboot. I was, in the beginning when the announcement was made, but the books DC is pushing out are quite good. Overall, I’ve been pleasantly surprised and impressed. However, my understanding of the reboot was to help bring back DC’s continuity to a more tangible level. This is always good if you want to bring in new readers.

Scott Lobdell was quoted saying this at Comic-Con just a few days ago…

“Tim goes straight from being Tim Drake to being Red Robin in that there was no official period of time where he was Robin. We keep most of the origin in tact in that he was one of the few people who could get very close to learning who Bruce is…but it will be a much updated version of his origin.”

So…if Tim was never Batman’s sidekick, then why does Batman #1 show Tim Drake as being apart of the Robin legacy?

Clearly, there’s something that was overlooked in the editing process

I honestly don’t care that DC decided to erase Tim Drake from the line of Robins in the DC Continuity. However, I do ask that they stay consistent with what they have now established. This above image shows that DC is already in the process of screwing with their continuity and everything they hoped to achieve is already on a downward slope.

DC, please pay more attention to things in the future, ok?

Man Of Steel Comic-Con Movie Poster

Posted: July 15, 2012 in DC Movies, Superman, The Man Of Steel

Epic….Just Epic

Batman #11 Review

Posted: July 14, 2012 in Batman, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Greg Capullo, Scott Snyder

Written by: Scott Snyder

Backup Written by: Scott Snyder, James T Tynion IV

Art by: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion

Backup Art by: Rafael Albuquerque

Cover by: Greg Capullo

Variant Cover by: Andrew Clarke, Greg Capullo

If you needed to know what a dialog driven comic would look like, Batman #11 is your ticket! Of course everyone who knows me also knows how much I LOVE dialog driven stories, especially when they appear in the form of comic books! However, what comes out in issue #11 is a little TOO much dialog – distributing more heavy handed, philosophical jargon that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in the beginning.

To start off, this installment of Batsie’s first New 52 storyline finishes off with him duking it out tooth and nail with Lincoln March, who’s now coining himself as Bruce Wayne’s younger brother. Assuming this is the new Owlman, Jr. takes Bruce on an arial tour of the Gotham he grew up seeing and believing in.

The bulk of the issue contains this woe-is-me factor, stemming 100% from Lincoln March’s profound, yet confusing bit of oratory. We were supposed to understand March’s dilemma, and in turn, understand why he became a player in the Court of Owls game as well as understanding his point of view. However, the script became more than Scott Synder could handle – and at $4.99, I would at least expect something a little more readable.

Much of the problems came from within the visuals March used to show Batman the “other side” of Gotham. “What other side?” I ask. There doesn’t seem to be any difference as he flew Batman around the city skyline. It’s hard for me to buy into a concept that shows no evidence of being.

I didn’t understand how the glass building mirror images of a city “Reversed and unnatural” came into play, especially when the reflection was nothing more than an exact replica of the city, but flipped around – like a negative. I understood what he was getting at, but the visual didn’t work for me. Lincoln, to me, felt like a whining child who was simply trying to talk Batman to death with a convoluted interpretation about what Gotham is.

And while I understand that this is a comic book, and realism isn’t necessarily something that plays into the genre, you gotta wonder about things like the above image. Could he have hung on, hovering miles in the air pushing forward at speeds the human body isn’t really equipped to handle , much less having the strength neccesary climb out of the turbine, onto the wing, and falling to Earth? It’s a little too much too believe in, even for a comic book junkie like me.

But the issue FINALLY turns into something I can enjoy in the second half with Bruce and Dick having their meaningful conversation about how important they are to one another. (Bromance? I think so.) It always takes a bit of an epic event for the two to get really mad at each other, and later coming back together and spilling out their deepest feelings.

There’s also the mysterious unknown factor of having Lincoln March’s face covered up by the metal owl mask during the confrontation. It’s hard enough to know what characters are feeling (at times) without the vocal inflections that naturally come with people’s voices, now we have to figure it all out without the aid of a face. This makes the entire conflict awesomely mysterious, and we don’t get the full spectrum of emotions coming from March until the mask is blown off and we see just how angry he is.

I would also like to add how fantastic Capullo’s art work is; Explosions, the force of the jet engine turbine, and the feeling of gravity radiating off each and each page is immense. I wasn’t sure what I thought about March’s Fruit Loop jet pack however, but no real complaints exist.

Go pick it up, quick quick quick! I was lucky enough to have it on my pull list at my local comic book store, because this issue was SOLD OUT on Wednesday. Don’t waste time! Despite its weighty beginning, its still enjoyable and fun.

7 out of 10 stars

Wonder Woman Wednesday – She’s Got A Thing For Bondage

Posted: July 11, 2012 in Wonder Woman Wednesday

Sure, we all know her history with bondage, but I personally thought she’d moved past that. Apparently not. Oh James Marston, what psychological damage have you done to Wondy?

Dora The Explorer The Movie

Posted: July 10, 2012 in Dora The Explorer, Movie News

Coming this summer…no one had better mess with this geogra-facts harpie! WARNING, if your kids love Dora, you might want them to step away from the computer screen and cover their ears, because this could be detrimental to their youth.

The Amazing Spider-Man Movie Review

Posted: July 8, 2012 in Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Martin Sheen, Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios, Movie Review, Rhys Ifans, The Amazing Spider-Man

Release Date: July 3, 2012 (3D/2D theaters and IMAX 3D)
Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony)
Director: Marc Webb
Screenwriter: James Vanderbilt
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, Martin Sheen, Sally Field
Genre: Action, Adventure
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of action and violence)
Official Website: TheAmazingSpiderMan.com

Are we skeptical? Of course we are! Tobey McGuire was last seen swinging amongst the buildings of New York City not five years ago. How many of you are, deep down inside, a little upset about how soon our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was rebooted? Not being a Marvel reader, you’d think I could care less about Spidey and the treatment he gets from the movie studios…I do care.

Even not being a fan of Spider-Man, I was still one of the thousands of little boys who grew up with his presence – whether it be on TV, comics, or costumes, he was there. For me, the greatest presence he’s had in my life was due to the magic of Sam Raimi and Golden Age writing skills of Stan Lee. Sure, I grew up with the terribly animated Hanna-Barbera cartoon, but the films are what made Spider-Man fun for me.

Now we come to a new era, with the trailers of the new web-slinging franchise feeling a but more like Twilight – complete with the messy, greased hair look and emo-like sensibilities, and darker undertones. One might think that this is a cheap move and will only end up in failure.

To be honest, that’s far from the truth, and in many ways, this Spidey film is better than Raimi’s.

Andrew Garfield is about the same age that Tobey Maguire was when he first put on the red and blue suit. Maguire, no doubt, will maintain the label of being Spider-Man, (and one of the best at that) but Garfield might just have him beat in one very significant area. How convincing can someone be as a teenager? When Spider-Man came out in 2002, even then I was laughing (on the inside) at how poorly Maguire played the part of a typical teenager. Once I saw Garfield’s portrayal of such, I relaxed and knew that, finally, Peter Parker was going to be treated right.

This Peter Parker is a skateboarder, and not very good with Science. Which is interesting since athleticism was originally not a defining characteristic of Stan Lee’s Peter Parker who loved science and the inner workings of life. Of course, he’s still somewhat of a techie, knowing how to build contraptions and gadgets, but knows very little about the inner workings of science – all of his ideas come from eavesdropping on his fellow classmates who geek-out during their public displays of nerd talk. He seemed very much like a typical teenager that any one of us could relate to while maintaining some of the geeky characteristics that make him stick out as a protagonist.

Garfield and Emma Stone work exceptionally well together. (I’m sorry Kirsten, but you and Tobey had some issues as a couple.) Of course the script helped with that connectivity, but the two were able to bring that believability to the screen. Stone also stands on her own well and delivers the original love interest of Spidey with such flare and confidence – and not so over acted as Dunst’s MJ.

Mark Webb presents a new cast that we can take much more seriously than the Raimi cast. Sally Fields and Martin Sheen star as Aunt May and Uncle Ben, who give the characters a much more realistic role that doesn’t make you giggle every time you see their faces. Likewise Rhys Ifans delivers a truly convincing Dr. Conners, despite the strange and abrupt development the character makes.

In the film, Dr. Conners, one arm and all, comes off as genuinely good, wanting to do his best at providing humanity with all their hopes and dreams of being more than what they are. But once the Lizard came into play, all of the sudden he changed his viewpoint from loving humanity, to hating it – compelling him to change everyone into a “higher state of evolution” – a world of lizard people! It was a weird transition from nice guy to lunatic, and I didn’t buy into as much as Webb wanted, I’m sure.

There were many dull moments as well that could have been handled differently. The overall color scheme of the film gave it an ever stagnate feel. The film never grew in cinematography – keeping the outside scenes dark and during the night, and the inside scene bright and happy. But maybe that’s what Webb was going for and I need to stop worrying about the small details right?

Spidey fans will love how Webb goes back to the roots of Spider-Man with the web-shooter and Gwen Stacey being Pete’s first love. But some new surprises also come along with this rebooted Spider-Man installment – we get to meet Parker’s parents and discover a new mystery that takes Pete’s family to a whole new level of angst! There’s also an intriguing connection between Parker’s origin as Spider-Man and Dr. Conner’s quest to fuse Human and animal DNA. It was a nice way to open up this origin story as the connections to Oscorp and the science of Parker’s dilemma make for a truly invigorating story.

While it’s never articulated in these exact words, the phrase “with great power comes great responsibility” comes out as strongly as it did with Raimi’s rendition. This film, in many ways, portrays the notion even better with Peter Parker believing in what his uncle taught more and more as the film pushes forward. Even though it’s still annoying that they decided to reboot the series so soon, I can, without a doubt, tell you all that the Amazing Spider-Man is an entertaining film with qualities that surpass the original intent of Spider-Man without bastardizing the character. It’s a wonderful story that’s polished for audiences new and old.

Saturday Morning Funnies #2

Posted: July 7, 2012 in Saturday Morning Funnies

Who here knows why this is funny? If you do, then you’re old enough to be credible!

Superman Family Adventures #2 Review

Posted: July 3, 2012 in Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Superman Family Adventures

Written by: Art Baltazar, Franco

Art by: Art Baltazar

Cover by: Art Baltazar

The comic book that got me into comics in the first place was Justice League – everyone who follows my blog should know that. However, the comic title that will forever remain a favorite from my childhood is the Batman Adventures. It was drawn in a very specific style that mimicked the older, more classic version of the Batman. While Superman Family Adventures verges much more on the silly side of the artistic realm, there still remains a little bit of that older feeling; each issue is fun, adventurous, and I suspect will stand on its own without the need of reading back up issues to understand the story.

The title isn’t kidding when it reads “Super Family Adventures,” bringing in everyone they can that’s apart of the Superman entourage. Bizarro’s come to pay Metropolis a visit, but doesn’t quite understand what’s going on since he’s just woken up from his very long nap – Henceforth, he’s a bit cranky. The Fortress and the artifacts and animals within are scattered…even the multiple, multicolored Kryptonian rocks which are the cause of Superman’s weakness. Why Supes was keeping this around, I have no idea, but it’s of no concerned to me since he has his led lined suit to protect him.

I was a bit confused at first since the story is much more segmented than last issue’s was. However, the main story doesn’t stop, the title logo simply interjects itself at random places where a strip can end. No complaints, just something you might want to be aware of before picking this issue up.

This issue introduce many things for the youngins to help boost their understanding of Superman folklore. Not only is there Kryptonite everywhere, and a few straggling monsters that will most likely wreak havoc in the world, there’s also a few new character additions and a wrist watch specifically designed for Jimmy Olsen to contact Superman if need be. But no matter what the peril, nothing will be as perilous as the ability to get Mr. White his coffee, even on Jimmy’s day off.

It’s a fun issue that will have your kids wanting more. Have fun!

It’s Monday…

Posted: July 2, 2012 in Monday Mornings

I get the feeling everyone’s going to have a hard time this getting up morning. Same here, I don’t want to go to work, I don’t want to get up, I just want to sleep. However, I know we ALL have to do it, so I raise my cup of coffee to all of you hard working men and women out there. Cheers!

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