Too soon?

October was a fantastic month, for the most part. I mean, it has to be a DAMN Good month if the final issue of Planetary didn’t even make RUNNER UP. So what did I think of the month? Read on to find out. You might be surprised, but then again, you might not be. Check it.

Best Book of the Month: Invincible Iron Man #19



Last week, I was an ass. I was the only one who wasn’t reading Invincible Iron Man, so we went with one we could all easily read, which happened to be Spider-Woman. But after Wednesday came and went, I heard how absolutely amazing Iron Man was, so I picked up the entire series and read it. And I have to say…WOW. This is the book to read in Marvel right now. Hercules may still be my favorite, but Tony is gunning for him like his last name was Kennedy.

Too soon?

Runner up: Superman: Secret Origin #2 (of 6)

Worst Book of the Month: Deadpool franchise



Awful, terrible, abysmal. This franchise is just the epitome of cashing in on a character’s rising popularity. If that’s not enough to prove how bad it is, consider this: it’s SO BAD, it knocked Hulk out of the bottom spot (to be fair, Blackest Night Batman did too). THINK ABOUT THAT. Is it so much to ask for ONE good book starring Wade Wilson rather than two crappy ones?

Runner up: Blackest Night: Batman

Best Scene of the Month: Paging Dr. Blake



This scene sent chills up my spine. The tease that Marvel’s Holy Trinity is reuniting soon was enough to send my nerd senses a tinglin’. When you couple that with the sheer emotion of Tony being on his last legs, so to speak, it’s hard not to award this Scene of the Month. But I do have to say, this was probably the hardest to pick. The runners up were oh SO close. Nekron almost made the collective us poo our pants, and Thor getting a *nurp* frickin’ hilarious.

Runner Up: Nekron Rises/Thor gets a purple nurple/the end of Planetary

Worst Scene of the Month: The A.I.M. leader waxes on about kites. Really. How scandalous. ( Merc with a Mouth)



There’s nothing else to say other than it is nonsensical, which wouldn’t be so bad if it were funny. At which it fails, miserably. I could go on, but I just feel like a bully.

Runner up: Deadpool makes over 100,000 pancakes for no other reason than as a simple plot device.

Best Writer of the Month: Matt Fraction



Yup, he went from worst to best in a mere 30 days. I don’t happen to think Uncanny could ever be so bad that it could negate TWO issues of IIM. That just blows my mind. And with the ending of this arc, Fraction definitely deserves the all the accolades he can get for it.

Runner up: Fred Van Lente, Jonathan Hickman

Worst Writer of the Month: Victor Gischler



Yeah, Deadpool is ruling the negatives. I’m really running out of things to say other than Deadpool deserves better than this.

Runner up: Daniel Way

Best Artist of the Month: Gary Frank



Was there ever any doubt? I’m a certified Gary Frank fanboy, and this month was no exception. I loved every minute of Secret Origin this month, due in no small part to Frank’s always impressive visuals. The only person who I think can even hold a candle to him in Frank Quitely on All-Star Superman. I don’t think anyone else comes close. I can’t think of anyone else.

Runner Up: John Cassaday (Planetary…no, I didn’t forget), Francis Manupal, Ivan Reis

Worst Artist of the Month: Bong Dazo



Ugh. I mean…UGH. Can you tell how much I hate Deadpool right now? It’s ridiculous. It’s not even good on a novelty level, or even despite itself, It’s just really bad. Like…really bad. And actually, the above scene is probably the most well drawn page in the book. The rest is muddled and not very clear. It's actually not that he's terrible, it's just that I feel it's a bad fit for Deadpool. Some characters had teeth like Cletus the Slack Jawed Yokel. But I do like the artist's name, Bong Dazo. I giggle just thinking it.

Runner up: Philip Tan (I’m just not feeling him on Batman & Robin)

Most Overlooked book of the Month: Chew



You guys may read it, but I’m the only one on this site that currently does* (or is at least caught up!), and that’s a damn shame! Chew is easily the most inventive crime noir series I’ve read. A guy who can read the history of things he eats? How gloriously foul. It really should be read. Anchor is another book that I had a hard time even finding.

Runner Up: Anchor

*Edit: I just found out Matt does read it, but never told me he did. I apologize Matt. It ain't libel if you think it's true!

For the second edition of our Saturday Showdown series, Matt and I discuss one of the hottest topics in comics today: should Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes be Captain America after Captain America: Reborn. Matt felt very passionately that Steve is the one and only Captain America, while I took a slightly different approach. Which one is right to you as a reader? Who do you think should be Cap? Please share in the comments and join the debate!

Matt - For Steve Rogers: When it comes to the question of “Who should be Captain America?”, I feel that it’s an absolute no brainer that the answer is Steve Rogers. Cap getting shot down after the events of Civil War was one of the most tragic deaths in comic history, but leave it to Brubaker to resurrect him only two years later and make the reason why not suck. How much of that was changed in the events of Dark Reign is up in the air, of course, but even so. Now that Cap is back, I believe it’s 100% obvious that he deserves his ol’ shield and cowl back. But since David doesn’t necessarily agree with me, let’s get down to why.

1. Captain America is Steve Rogers

Without Steve Rogers, we wouldn’t have the mythos of Captain America either. Captain America is more than just a man in a suit, it’s a suit and a symbol. The only reason Bucky was made Cap after Cap died was to keep his legacy going, but now he’s back. He can continue his own legacy! If we look at the origin and history of Cap, what do we have? Skinny little Steve Rogers who wants nothing more than to join the army and serve his country. We have a man who inspired others to be all that they could be. We have a symbol so important that when he died, even the news covered it. By my recollection, the news has only covered three stories: Superman’s death, Archie’s marriage, and Captain America’s death.

And when we look at Bucky, what do we have? We have a petulant boy who should be dead (and was one of the “classic three” of characters who wouldn’t return from the dead), a man who most of the other super heroes looked down on as he took over Cap’s role, and a guy who just doesn’t really know how to fill these shoes.

2. Captain America IS STEVE ROGERS

Look, heroes change their colors all the time. Look at Clint Barton! Died as Hawkeye, came back to life and took over the role of Ronin (although he was offered the shield by Stark after Cap died). But as heroes constantly give themselves makeovers, comics tend to get a bit wishy washy over details and, in the end, everyone is just pining for the old days. Can you name one person who actively doesn’t want Barton to return to his old role as Hawkeye? I can’t. And now that Steve Rogers is coming back to life, is there any real reason why he shouldn’t take his old suit back? Not really! Plus, with promises of a status quo fix after the events of Siege, I believe it’s time to get the original Avengers back together, and that means giving Cap back his shield.

Besides, what character would Steve Rogers be if he couldn’t be Cap? It’s not like he’ll sit on the sidelines of superherodom and let everyone else run around while we sits at home watching the game. Steve needs to get out there and do his duty, and that involves getting the suit he’s had since the 40’s.

3. Did I mention Captain America is, and always has been, Steve Rogers? (Minus recently)

We have years and years and years worth of continuity in regards to Steve Rogers being Captain America. The stories, the adventures, the laughs and the tears – they’ve been here almost the entirety of Marvel’s history. As I grew up, it was a staple, and all my favorite Avengers stories involve Steve Rogers under the mask. He symbolizes so much outside of comics that is impossible to ignore. Even the news covered his death! When you replace a character with such stature like this you’re bound to rock a few boats the wrong way, and while I believe the replacement of Cap inside the book by Brubaker has been handled well enough (since it was his story to begin with), it’s pretty impossible to ignore that not every writer has a good idea of how to write for Bucky Cap, and often times he just appears awkward and out of place (like in most of New Avengers these days). Bringing back authoritative Steve, who was a natural leader, will restore a natural set of order to the Marvel U that the writers, as well as the fans, desperately need.

4. Bucky sucks at this job

Everyone hated Bucky as Cap right away, and I’m not talking about fans. I’m talking about people in the Marvel U. Remember how much of a dick Clint Barton was to him? It was pretty deserved. It’s not that Bucky doesn’t have the skill, but Bucky has a checkered past that taints the role of Captain America, most specifically, ALL THE WINTER SOLDIER CRAP. Yeah, ok, let’s let a communist be Captain AMERICA indefinitely! That makes sense. He doesn’t even really wear a Captain America outfit either, he has jeans on and straps a gun. That’s not very Captain America-n, even if it is fairly American in general.

So do we want the guy the suit was made for in the suit, or do we want a dirty Communist in the suit? You tell me, America. You. Tell. Me.

5. At the end of the day, Captain America is Steve Rogers

Walk into any coffee shop anywhere (preferably not near a comic book store, though), and ask them about Captain America. They’ll know who you’re talking about – Steve Rogers. However, mention that the man behind the mask is different? They’ll be confused. They won’t understand what you’re talking about. Now, go walk into any comic book store, and ask who you prefer as Cap, and the majority will all say that they prefer Steve (although then they might rant about how Marvel is bringing him back too soon and blah blah blah, not the point). We as a community want Steve back. The casual comic reader, the die hard comic reader, all want Steve. There’s a reason Captain America: Reborn keeps selling out, and it’s not because we aren’t excited for his return. We all want our status quo to be returned, and part of that involves Steve stepping back into his old suit and leaving Bucky to figure out his own place.
It’s time to stop playing games and for heroes to stop pretending who they aren’t. Steve? It’s great to have you back.

David - For Bucky Barnes: I want to start this with one simple fact: I love Steve Rogers. I grew up reading him and his battles against the Red Skull, against Crossbones, and for everything that is right in America. He was the living embodiment of patriotism in comics, and he was the heart and soul of the Avengers. In short, he was pretty much the bee’s knees.

One note to make though: the usage of past tense there.

I’m going to have a pretty basic argument here, and it won’t really be supported with anything like “Steve is a bad character” or “Steve shouldn’t be Captain America now that he’s alive.” My central argument is quite simple: Steve shouldn’t be alive.
I’m a huge fan of Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America, as it reinvigorated the character and the mythos that surrounds him. But the thing his run has done is worked as a nearly flawless rendition of progressive transitory storytelling. To me, when you read his run starting with issue one and culminating on issue thirty four, it reads as if Brubaker’s story from the very beginning was one that transitioned Steve Rogers out of the role of Captain America and into Bucky Barnes cybernetic hands. Often in the series, I wonder if Steve is the protagonist or Bucky is, as every single action that takes place is spent saving Bucky from his fate as the Winter Soldier, helping him get de-brainwashed, and then when Steve dies, helping him become the new Captain America.

And it works. It works perfectly. By the time Bucky puts on the new uniform for the first time in issue thirty four, as a reader you are totally signed up as a Bucky Barnes supporter. His first couple arcs are spent wrapping up the whole “Death of Captain America” arc, and once that ends the series sort of stalls a little bit. Why? To me, it reads like editorial interference, as it seems like Brubaker has to spin on a dime and transition Steve back into the story somehow slowly but surely. But the problem with it is, like all returns from the dead in comics, this simply reads untrue to me.

My theory: Ed Brubaker always wanted Bucky Barnes to be Captain America, and never wanted Steve Rogers to come back. If you think about it, Bucky has so many new stories to tell, so many new relationships to build, and so many things that haunt him. He’s absolutely ripe for another lengthy run on Captain America, as he is a blank slate who is more of a Captain America for today. Less idealistic, less entangled with archaic morals, and far more in line with the current street level feel to the world of Marvel heroes. Bru and the Marvel crew gave Steve Rogers a memorable death, and it was now time for the new kid to take over.

Yet, as per usual, because we are reading comics and they can do what they want, Marvel could not allow Steve to die his death and Bucky to become the hero Brubaker always meant him to be. Because no good hero can stay dead, they pigeonholed him back in with a Slaughterhouse 5 esque move that simply seems ridiculous, and we’re already transitioning Bucky out from the budding hero for tomorrow he was into sidekick mode.

So when you get down to it, my problem with the return of Steve Rogers is based around problems with the industry as a whole less than it has to do with problems with Rogers. We’re never allowed to have characters die, writers are never allowed to tell the exact story they want, and we’re never allowed to get the new version of a character for the next generation of readers.

But the good news is Steve Rogers will be back as Captain America with plenty of time to reacquaint themselves with him before The First Avenger: Captain America comes out in movie theaters nationwide in 2011. Ultimately, that’s what matters to Marvel – not telling the best story possible, but telling the story that best helps them sell their movies. It kind of reminds me of what Costco was like in Mike Judge’s movie Idiocracy. “Welcome to Marvel Comics. Fuck you.” No thanks Marvel, no thanks.

The more freedom Marvel gives their talented stable of writers (and let’s face it, this is the best it has been possibly ever), the more we’re going to get from them. The more original stories, the more headline stories about comics, the more legendary runs. The reason why Marvel ran into so many problems in the 90’s is because Marvel editorial altered the role of their writers from being one of a storyteller into one of a caretaker. A caretaker of multi-decade legacies of characters that do not age and always sell.

For once, I wish Marvel had taken a chance and given us time with this exciting new Captain America, who could be the Cap of a new generation. Of course, given Marvel’s aging audience (the average age of comic readers has moved from being late teens, early 20’s in the Golden Age to around 30 now) and their inability to onboard readers, why would they want to interest readers with a restart to a character with a convoluted history and start fresh whose continuity isn’t so dense that they could actually understand what is going on. God forbid something so reasonable as bringing new readers to a title would happen.

Oh my God! Matt reviewing ANOTHER obscure Grant Morrison title? No! Unheard of! He never does that!

Seriously though, folks. A while back I was doing research on Morrison for a (as of yet to be released) Author Retrospective on the man. I mean, I did pull the title for the website out of his "I'm going to make this one day" bin. When I did that, I found about a million books I'd never heard of that he'd written, all of which I then wanted to read. I've slowly been releasing my reviews for all of these books as I hunt them down and read them, and now I own books like Sebastian O, Kid Eternity, Kill Your Boyfriend, Vimanarama, and of course, Seaguy. However, one book I could never find no matter how hard I looked was The Mystery Play. I didn't know much about it other than it was an original graphic novel from Morrison released in 1994 on Vertigo, but that was enough to pull me in, and the hunt was on. Eventually, as much as I hate to do this, I ordered it online from Amazon, with no forseeable mail date. And then, one random day last month, The Mystery Play was sitting on my door step.

So what is The Mystery Play? Well, I'd say it was one of the most dense things by him I'd ever read, but that's not true (the winner goes to Kid Eternity, which was so crazy I had to put it back on the shelf to come back to at a later date when I knew I could focus). The Mystery Play is simply another completely allagorical and somewhat hard to follow but ultimately genius books that we come to expect from Morrison, and this pre-dates a lot of the work I'm most familiar with him. Without checking the dates on all the other books I've read by him, I'd say this is the earliest (maybe beaten by Kill Your Boyfriend. It's also one of the most complex, despite it's seemingly easy to follow nature. You have to look at it with two hands. The first hand is a straight forward murder mystery tale. The second hand? This is the hand that Morrison writes with.

The Mystery Play, at it's most basic, is a murder mystery. A small town is putting on a play (entitled The Mystery Play) that tells the tale of creation. It opens with God casting Satan down into the pits of Hell, moves forward into Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and then goes so far as to the crucifixtion of Jesus Christ. Of course, it's never that simple. As Adam and Eve eat the apple and gain awareness of their nudity, they call out for God, but there is no response. As it turns out, the actor playing God has been murdered, and now? Now God is dead. A detective from out of town comes in to solve the case, and the local reporter, looking for her big story, follows him in the hopes that this story will be her big break. As the detective investigates the prime suspects (such as the man who played Satan, the local Reverend, the Mayor), we learn that not all is right even with the detective himself, and something about the whole situation doesn't seem right. As the reporter discovers the shocking truth, everything comes crashing down in an explosive and existential finale that left me saying, "...oh?"

Now, often times when I don't "get" something, I'll hop onto Google. That is why it was invented, right? And as I found out after a quick Google search, Grant Morrison has never revealed what the ending of The Mystery Play means. Similar to how Brian K Vaughn insists that the truth behind the plague in Y: The Last Man is in the book, Morrison says that the explanation is there, you just need to read between the lines, and he's not going to help you. Apparently, him giving you the answer would take away from the ultimate meaning of the book, and believe me, the book is FULL of commentary. Did I mention that the book opens with God being murdered? Not to mention the dialogue for the entire book is incredibly reminiscent of Chaos Theory and ideas that Neitzsche would read and say, "Good point." Essentially? It's classic Morrison. And considering the release date of 1994, I'd say that classic is an all too appropriate word, considering the man's output.

As far as I'm concerned, the mystery of the ending isn't all too big of a deal. Yes, it's obtuse and confusing, but it still makes sense in it's own odd way (you'll have to read it to understand what I'm saying). It's not so obscure that you can't read the ending and take nothing away from the book? The ending is highly enjoyable, how everything literally comes crashing down furiously around you and the book dives into a brand new path. The detective, as it turns out, is solving two mysteries at once: both the murder, and a mystery surrounding his own past, and at least one is revealed with frightening results. The story itself is very much a wonderful and demonic little tale that sticks with you and haunts you for the rest of the day as you contemplate the actions that you have just read. A good book will do that to you, and Grant Morrison writes the best.

I should also point out that the artwork of this book by Jon J Muth is FANTASTIC. I remember the first time I read Kingdom Come and was floored by Alex Ross' paintings inside, and this is somewhat similar to that (especially thematically). Jon J Muth goes for gritty photorealism using watercolors, and if you've ever played the game Max Payne then you have an idea of what the visual style is already. The people look very much real, and the darkness of the surroundings doubly so. In fact, the story would not survive without Jon J Muth's clever use of art in several scenes, such as his dark renderings as the detective interviews the actor who played Satan. This both very much reveals truths later told in the book as well as continues the religious allegory held by the book throughout, and all done with a wickedly devious fashion. My favorite thing, however, is how the book opens with all the actors in the play appearing as the characters they represent, with Satan in full demonic mode, and once God is murdered they all appear in costume. This is a queue you can assume Morrison wrote for Muth, but Muth presents it with such a fashion that I was really hit in the head when the panel arrived. I knew that the story was being presented as a play, but just seeing the play from such different perspectives was an amazing touch.

Suffice it to say, the Mystery Play is a Morrison title that belongs in any readers home. It is a short but well written original graphic novel that really shows talent in two amazing men. Morrison's high profile writing coupled with Muth's photorealistic artwork left me captivated, and I didn't put this down until I finished it. I look forward to many more read throughs as I try to figure out the truth behind the mysterious ending that Morrison swears is there, and I highly recommend you searching the book out. It'll be a bit difficult so you might just need to go hit up Amazon, but even so, this is the best "obscure" Morrison title I've procured so far.

Highly recommended.

Been wondering when you'd get to try out those characters we've been announcing? Well, Marvel has the info for you: a DLC pack featuring Cable, Psylocke, and Carnage, as well as new simulator discs and boosts, will be released on November 5th for the low low price of $9.99 on the PS3 and 800 Microsoft Points for the XBOX 360.

But wait! There's more!

Didn't pre-order Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2? Want to play as the Juggernaut, bitch? WELL NOW YOU CAN! Pre-order exclusivity be damned! For $1.99/160 Microsoft Points, you can download yourself the Juggernaut and run around smashing the heck out of everything and keeping Charles out of your damned mind.

Exciting! And still two characters to go! We'll keep you posted, don't worry.

If the fact he's packing massive heat wasn't enough badassery for you, he's also a bloodsucker.
I think this is befitting as my first recommendation, as well as my first post in general. I've always been a huge fan of this franchise, and it IS October after all. >:D Bear in mind I think all the scans included in this article are fan-translated from Japanese, so the font/dialouge will differ from the Dark Horse releases.

After the start of this whole Twilight (which I refuse to read and/or watch. I don't care how often you tell me the book was better than the movie, Twatlight is still Twatlight [pardon my French, readers.) epidemic hit, I've been reminded of just how much ass this series kicks. It isn't just some useless display of blood and gore (though there is definitely plenty of that in these pages), and it's not some angsty story aimed soley at teenagers.

"Om nom nom"
Like I said, it still has its fair share of gore, but at least it's... tasteful?

Unfortunately these seem to be prominant factors in any novel or movie that has vampires as their main focus in the past few years. Hellsing is a series with interesting and likable (or not, depending on the character in question) characters, with a pretty good amount of depth considering this is a somewhat short series (I've read up to volume 5 of 9). There ard making too many subplots along the way.

The manga was written and illustrated by Kouta Hirano in 1997, and has been released up to the 10th and final volume in Japan. The U.S. copies are liscensed and released by Dark Horse Comics with 9 volumes released so far. A 10th is supposed to be on the way, but I've read mixed opinions on when the final release will make it to U.S. shores. I'm going to assume it won't be much longer.

Basic plot:

Hellsing's overall plot revolves around the Hellsing Organization, a secret order in England led by Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing (who is pretty much the epitome of an iron willed woman). Their duty: to dispose of the undead and any other creatures that threaten queen and country. They seem to mostly deal with a breed of faux vampires that people refer to as Freaks as the story begins, as opposed to actual vampires as they had in the past. Freak vampires are not nearly close to having the abilities and power of that of a true vampire, but they've become more active and are causing a lot of trouble for Hellsing regardless. Volume one focuses on introducing three of the main protagonists (of whom I will be giving small character summaries for below), training fresh meat (Seras Victoria) to be a bad ass, some insight to Integra and Alucard's pasts, as well as the first big battle in the series.

Meet the main characters:


Alucard is a bit of an elitist when it comes to Freaks.

Hellsing's ace in the hole is Alucard, a true vampire who serves Integra and hunts his own kind (Freaks or otherwise) as the Hellsing Organization's secret weapon. Despite what his giant and silly-looking red hat might say about him (Alucard, are you secretly a pimp?), this guy means business. He's scary enough without gigantic handguns that a human could never even hope to hold (let alone fire), but guess what? He has those too. Now you're in trouble, posers. The second chapter of Volume 1 gives some insight as to why he is serving Integra in the first place. Do you think he'd really refer to a human as "Master" without a reason? I don't think so.


"Hello, my name is Seras and I will be your eye candy for this series."

In the beginning of the series Alucard turns a young police girl named Seras Victoria into a vampire since she was in the way of his target, and she didn't want to die yet. Too bad she didn't take into consideration the fact that now she'd still be dead, just not dead-dead. Say hello to one of the other main characters. She's not all that keen on the thought of being a member of the undead, but she really has no choice does she? Alucard trains her for combat, and she gets REALLY big guns. Ah, vampiric steroids. Seras also has a tendency to go into a berserker mode and will utterly OWN any and all ghouls (A type of zombie servant. When you're unchaste, this is what happens when a vampire noms your neck) in her path. It's pretty frickin' sweet. Oh, and for those who somehow couldn't tell, she also has a pretty epic pair of gozongas.


Remember kids, save yourself for marriage. You never know if you'll get bitten by a vampire and become a zombie like these guys. Then Seras will have to shoot you in the face.


I personally think with the amount of balls she has, Integra needs a ween to go with them. Yowza.

Sir Integra Wingates Hellsing has spent her life needing to wear the pants in the Hellsing Organization... so she does. One thing I personally love about Integra's character is she is a strong woman, who despite having pretty much an army at her disposal, she is still independent and does as much as she can on her own, even if it means intercepting a batshit insane Vatican assassin. Integra had a pretty messed up experience after her father's passing when she was younger, which is covered in Volume 1. Because of that whole ordeal, she had to grow up in pretty much a day.

As for the interaction between Integra and Alucard, they seem to have a love/hate relationship. However despite the countless fanfictions that portray them as romantically involved, I just don't see it. I DO know that Alucard respects Integra's strong will and that is one of the reasons he dedicates himself to serving her every command, and taking pride and pleasure out of doing so. Granted Alucard is a pretty twisted guy and enjoys killing (more specifically battling an opponent who can actually put up a fight) anyway, it says something when he actually wants to help a human because he has respect for said person.

Art style:

One of the things that drew me to Hellsing was the artwork. It's not too dark, and it's not a style that you look at and automatically associate with the stereotypical Victorian-esque gothic style of some of the other vampire manga series on the market. The details in the clothing and hair are pretty sweet. Sometimes these days I'll come across a series that looks like it'd be alright, but the artwork is so lax in detail that I'm automatically turned away and would rather find the show, if anything.

An example being another series called Elfen Lied. I've heard many good things about the anime, and the story seems pretty plot-twisty and involved, and the show has some nice animation. So I thought I'd give the manga a shot. The art was so lazy that I couldn't get past the first few pages. But I digress. The thing that gets me the most about the art in the series is the facial expressions and emotions in general. Hirano has a knack for being able to capture a psychotic smiles and movements (if you see how limbs move in this series, you'll get it), sadness, disgust, cockiness, fright, happiness, hell ALL of them, in a way that almost gives you an emotional connection with the particular scene (at least for me). Example: Seras goes berserk and just mows down ghouls, most of which used to stand beside her in combat. She's unable to control herself, and has this look on her face as if she's getting a sort of sadistic pleasure out of mindlessly mutilating her fallen comrades. You want her to stop, to regain her humanity and come to her senses. As soon as she does, you have just as many mixed emotions of what just happened as she does herself in the story, even if it is just a bunch of panels on a piece of paper. I see the expressions and body language as being that powerful in this manga.

In closing:

Whilst I admittedly still need to finish the rest of the manga, I've been into this series since probably about 2003-2004. I started with the old anime (which was very lax compared to the new series, Hellsing Ultimate, which totally follows the manga's plot and style. I will vouch for the old anime having an awesome soundtrack, and I recommend giving it a try if you like jazzy/rock stuff) and was hooked. From there I started the manga, and fell in love all over again. It was refreshingly different, but still the same Hellsing that got me started at the same time. if you like big guns, chicks who can kick some major ass, war plots, vampires (of course) with a bit of comedy and science thrown into the mix (as well as some awesome art), I say you should give Hellsing a shot. It'd hurt a lot less than getting shot by them.

He'll do it too.

We are not a big site about news, but when something amazing happens in the news, we break it. Something that REALLY excites us. Something along the lines of one of the coolest actors being cast in one what is sure to be an epic film.

Something like Sir Anthony "Hannibal Lecter" Hopkins being cast as the father of the Mighty Thor, Odin. Awesome. Hopkins has played a "similar" role in the feature film Beowulf, but this time one can hope that the movie will actually be good! I also always imagined Odin a bit taller, but when you have an actor like this, a knighted Oscar winning actor, I feel like little things like height don't matter.

Now, Marvel's latest initiative is to get high profile directors in on their properties, men like Gavin Hood, Ang Lee, and Jon Favreau. With Kenneth Branagh at the helm of Thor, we knew that this is going to shape up to be something insanely great and quite epic on scale, and now with the news of Hopkins as Odin? You could count me in already, but now you can count me in to the midnight IMAX screening as soon as tickets go on sale.

We already have a great cast lined up, as well. Robert DeNiro, Jude Law, Dominic Cooper and Stellan Skarsgard are all rumored to have roles in the film, as well as Chris Hemsworth (Kirk's dad in the last Star Trek film) as Thor and Tom Hiddleston (who has worked with Branagh in the past) as Loki. Throw in a little Natalie Portman as Jane Foster and Jaimie Alexander as Lady Sif, and we're looking at a very exciting round up for a feature film here.

So get excited, kids. Thor is set to hit theaters in 2011 as part of Marvel's Avengers filmset.

Source

I apologize. Normally I provide a humorous New Comic Book Day image for you to enjoy, but this week I was swamped. So enjoy this thing I got off Google, courtesy of necessarycool.com.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Blackest Night #4



Matt's Thoughts: I feel like everyone else will give you long explanations about this issue. I mean, it is book of the week. That means we all picked it because we assumed we'd love it. And guess what? I did. So for my review, I will choose to say one word: NEKRON!

David's Thoughts: I have two main problems with Blackest Night, regardless of the fact that it’s an excellently told story that features pitch perfect characterization of some of DC’s best and brightest (never have Barry Allen or The Atom ever shined brighter), excitement at every turn, stunning deaths (the death in this issue strangely really hit me), and Ivan Reis bringing some of the best art ever in the history of superhero comics. Those facts are all true even if I do have two big complaints, and it’s still a superb issue.

My main two complaints are simple: no current Green Lantern (not counting Alan Scott) appears within these pages and the big bad villain reveal amounts to a fat load of nothing. While I know Blackest Night is an all DC encompassing event, I miss the structure of Sinestro Corps War, in which the story was kept to just Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. While the story is excellent, it just seems like this Lantern-centric story doesn’t have a lot of Lanterns in it (besides dead ones). As for the reveal, it features brilliant build up and incredible intensity to reveal…Nekron. It’s like Johns saw this complaint coming, which is why the story ends with “Next: What is Nekron?” as if he knew everyone would be like…that was great…who the hell is that guy?

Even with those two complaints, it’s still just a damn well written and drawn story. This is A+ storytelling by two great creators; it’s just the expectations of the event itself that have led me to be a bit disappointed.

Gil's Thoughts: We’re officially halfway through the Blackest Night event, and I would be lying if I said I hated it, but I’d also be lying if I said I LOVED it. I like it a lot, but this issue felt liked it dragged, and was VERY heavy on dialogue. Not to say Geoff is a terrible writer, I love him to death, but it almost felt like he doesn’t trust Ivan Reis to tell the story as well, so the book just plods along with the written word telling the story instead of letting Reis help move the story along as well. I counted, and there were a grand total of 6 panels in the whole book that lacked dialogue. I love seeing characters interact, that’s the essence of a book like this, but I feel like I’m being TOLD the story instead of seeing the story unfold. It’s a real shame too, because Reis is absolutely killing it (pun intended).

Aside from that, everything else is stellar, now that Hal is running around trying to band the different Corps’ together to fight the Black Lanterns, Barry Allen stepped up to the plate and is leading the rag tag group of lesser known heroes (including Geoff johns’ admitted new favorite, Mera) in staving off the hordes of dead (Hal & Barry: The Brave & the Bold indeed). And just when the night doesn’t look like it can get any blacker, in one of the best scenes all month, NEKRON RISES. It just got real for Earth; Scary real.

Despite my reservation, singular, the book definitely deserves to be read, and is still the best event since Sinestro Corps War.

Brandon's Thoughts: I want to start this by saying I am a huge Green Lantern fan. I have the GL logo tattooed on my forearm where all can see. I also am a Geoff Johns whore. If it writes it I’ll read it and then whine like a puppy when he leaves the title (JSA). I also want to say I really enjoyed the first two issues. Yep, that’s right here it comes. But…

When the hell did Blackest Night become about Earth and the heroes of the DC universe? This is supposed to be a Lantern story. This is supposed to be the culmination of so much of Geoff Johns GL run but instead smacks of 90’s overly spread out to profit nonsense crossover. I mean Sinestro War worked so well because it was so contained. It was easy to pick it all up and not break the bank as well as feel overwhelmed by the sheer margin of comics involved. Now instead of DC following that outline they have blown this thing up.

I saw somewhere someone had written that they felt that Blackest Night felt like a supplemental title to the real thing in GL and GL Corps. I would have to agree whole-heartedly. The only GL we even see in this issue is Alan Scott and he isn’t a GL in the sense that the others are. He’s magical!

We do get to see Azrael though... So I guess there’s that... Oh and Nekron which we already knew because Diamond Comics already spoiled that.

MATT'S REVIEWS

Fantastic Four #572
Once again, Hickman comes in with the latest issue of Fantastic Four and he just kicks ass. In just three issues (not including the Dark Reign mini/segue), Jonathan Hickman has taken what has been a very Reed-centric book (as he calls it) and closed that door. While this arc has been very clearly all about Reed Richards, it does an excellent job of closing the left over doors from the previous arc as well as establishing the way he will be approaching the book in high form. The back of the issue comes with a write-up of how he ended up as the writer and what to expect, and it gives us a very clear explanation of why Hickman is choosing to write as he does, and it helps to illuminate the direction he is taking on the book.

In this week's issue, we have a battle with Celestials, and it's epic. What makes it so epic is the artist on this book, Dale Eaglesham (best last name ever?). I'm not used to his work at all previously to this book, but his work in Fantastic Four is absolutely captivating. His pencils and shading are very clear and sharp, and he makes Reed Richards look a lot less like a dorky scientist who stretches and more like a complete badass. I've never seen Reed Richards look so... cool. And all of his extra Richards' all around the universe look great too. It's quite a sight.

I'm absolutely amazed about how much I've grown to love FF with this run (now including the mini) and Millar's run. It takes great writers to pull me in to a franchise that I've never been too hot on and have me truly gain a deep appreciation for it. Millar got me on the book because I follow his work regularly, but Hickman has truly gotten me to highly anticipate each issue with bated breath. His work has been so inventive and creative, while primarily sticking to a more classic set up, that I just can't wait to see who else he brings back from the Fantastic Four's elaborate and extensive past. More Celestials! More attacks from the Wizard! And, as much as I never thought I'd say it, hopefully no Doom!

Hickman has great ideas. This is just more proof in case Secret Invasion didn't convince you of his greatness at Marvel.

P.S. Tune in this coming Monday when we present a very verbose and interesting interview with Hickman! YEAH!

Final Verdict: Buy

Dark Reign: Young Avengers #5
Thanks to this mini (and, I hate to say it, Fallen Son by ... ugh... Jeph Loeb), I've become quite an avid fan of the Young Avengers. I ran out and purchased the entire series in hardcover as well as a trade of the extra little Presents series they had, and I love it all. I love the writing and the art direction, and outside of the Civil War tie-in, I've got it all. However, as much as I love them and want to see more of them, the ending of this issue didn't really do it for me. The Young Avengers kick ass, and this issue proved it, but when it was all said and done with? Eh.

Here's the skinny. Norman and Hawkeye and Wolvie show up to bust the party. The Young Avengers show that they aren't going to take no sass from nobody and proceed to kick the ass of the New Young Avengers as well as the Iron Patriot. Now, outside of this being just a tad bit improbable, when all is said and done, it just kind of... ends. The action sequences are GREAT, and the dialogue continues to be top notch and full of worthwhile slogans, especially when Patriot lectures Norman about stealing names and then bashes him in the face with his shield. But the last page? As funny as it was, can I get a resounding "LOLWUT." And Norman just leaving? Norman has been essentially killing left and right and dominating the universe with fear, yet after getting his ass kicked by the Young Avengers he decides, "Eff it. Kids, this didn't happen. I'm out." Uhm. Ok?

On the other hand, like I said, it helps reinforce the bad-assery and total awesomeness of the Young Avengers. I really hadn't been greatly exposed to them (except Patriot and Hawkeye), but the first few issues of this made me fall in love with them (I don't think reading Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers counts), and everything I've read afterwards helped me grow even more appreciative of the characters. I firmly believe that the Young Avengers need their own full time (as much as there are enough Avengers titles at the moments), and I hope that in the future they become a bigger part of the Marvel U. And as much as the overall ending of this was pretty meh, it still is another great addition to the Young Avengers storyline.

Final Verdict: Grab the trade, because I'm assuming you haven't bought it all as it's been coming out, which is unfortunate

New Mutants #6
I'll be frank with you: I didn't read New Mutants before the current volume. New Mutants was "before my X-time" in a manner of speaking, as in it was before I really started reading the X-Books again as I considered it way too crazy and convoluted (and I believe my fellow nerds here at MC will agree (in the comments of the Psylocke article)). Regardless, I've been reading the new New Mutants volume and enjoying it a lot. However, this issue? This issue left me floored.

I'll be honest again - I read this BEFORE I read Necrosha. I knew I had to review this, so I said I'd read it. I'm not that familiar with Doug Ramsey, but I did the quick research on Wikipedia. However, no matter how I prepared, I could never prepare for how AWESOME this issue was. A lot of people feared at first that Necrosha would be Marvel's Blackest Night, but I believe this alone proves how far it is. While yes, the dead rise, the capacity in which they do is much different. Doug Ramsey's return is nothing like I would have expected it to be, and the whole book narrated from his perspective was PURE genius. Absolutely, it was one of the best things I read this week. I had been casually enjoying the book up to this point, but I absolutely fell in love with this issue and am so excited to see where the book continues from the end, especially after the last panel. It was very exciting for me.

Suffice it to say, I am gushing over this book a bit. It really caught me off guard. My original interest in the book came from it being a part of Necrosha and me being a big fan of crossovers and tie-ins, but it has definitely surpassed my expectations. I also gotta say that Zeb Wells, an artist I am casually familiar with (the name is familiar but I couldn't place the book off the top of my head) knocks it out of the park. His action sequences with Ramsey are great, and the inking and lettering by everyone involved is just great. Everything about this book just flows so damn well and makes me very excited for the short, albeit dark and exciting, Necrosha crossover.

Final Verdict: Buy the crap out of it!

X-Factor #50
Tackling monumental issues is often a daunting task. What makes it even more difficult is when that monumental issues belongs in a series that absolutely defines greatness in comics today. It is without a doubt in my mind that you can ask an avid reader what the best X title is and he'll tell you X-Factor. And if he doesn't? He clearly doesn't read enough. X-Factor is so much a hidden gem that it actually isn't a hidden gem at all. It's passed over due to not being one of the "main" X books, and it in fact isn't even included in the upcoming X-event "Second Coming," but even so. X-Factor is by far the best book in the X-Genre.

Here's the thing though - for a while now, we've been steadily building towards a monumental change in equilibrium for the books. In fact, before going into the book myself, I knew something about it that is very important: Layla Miller is "explained." For 49, a special, and House of M, we've been wondering who this girl was. Originally designed as a fail safe to the Scarlet Witches reality altering fiasco, Layla Miller showed up at the X-Factor doorstep one day claiming she "knew" things, and from there we all grew to love the character quite much. Of course, now we know the dark truth to the whole situation. We also see the direct cause and effect of knowing why she knows things and understanding what she really does (in an ironic sort of way). It's kind of a game changer in that aspect of the book, and I know it has left fans of the book a bit torn. It's hard to discuss in a review without spoiling too much, but I will say this: it definitely leaves you with an opinion.

This is not to say that the book still isn't phenomenal. Throughout all the intense actions and events, David manages to make the same great noir references as well as a good Douglas Adams quote, and the art by Valentine De Landro is still, in my humble opinion, some of the most underrated artworks in main stream comic books. The comic looks great, reads great, and all in all, is great, and that is ultimately not a surprise for this title at all. X-Factor is always a champ of a read.

The future is murky for our heroes, however. There is a brief epilogue/preview of the next issue that shows exactly how the book has changed from the end of this issue into the next, and I have to say that it is incredibly intriguing. What amazes me so much about the book is that David will put his characters through great trials and essentially pull an intense black curtain over their lives... and yet his writing never loses his fresh flavor. It reads just as funny and gripping as any other issue. And that's the best thing about X-Factor. No matter how bleak it is over all, it's still just one hell of an amazing title.

Final Verdict: Buy it

DAVID'S REVIEWS

Green Lantern #47
Now this is a kick ass Lantern story that really sells Blackest Night. You have Sinestro, Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan and Indigo-1 versus Abin Sur and his sister, Atrocitus and a bevy of (Red and Green) Lanterns versus the four other Inversions reborn, Saint Walker and the blue boys versus Larfleeze, Larfleeze running for his life, and John Stewart walking into the world’s most obvious trap. Whew! Now that is a ton of things happening in one comic book, but it never feels rushed because of Johns flawless pacing. Put this story in almost any other writer’s hand and you’d have a far inferior comic that simply couldn’t contain the sheer plot here, but Johns handles it like the ace he is.

The only real complaint is about Doug Mahnke. I’m one of the guys biggest proponents and think he’s one of the most talented and underrated artists in the industry (not to mention perfect for this book), but there are some moments where he obviously begins to falter under the workload that is put upon him. Example, top right panel on page 13, Hal’s face really looks like a rush job seemingly channeling constipation as much as any emotion (what color would that be on the emotional spectrum?). Throw in the fact that spatially speaking, the whole scene plays out in an odd fashion (how did the two Black Lanterns line up in such a nice and easy way for the Lantern firing squad coming their way?), and you have an occasionally awkward issue for a super talented artist.

It’s okay though, because Johns throws in such a storytelling gem that it’s impossible to deny this book. The showdown at the end between Sinestro and Hal (verbal, not physical) is worth the price of admission, as we once and for all see why Hal has more willpower than anyone else, which is why he’s the greatest Green Lantern (although Kyle Rayner is still the coolest).

Final Verdict: Buy (like you didn’t anyways)

Secret Warriors #9
I just need to stop reviewing this book. It’s so uniformly good and I so rarely find flaws in the story or art or any aspect of the issue that there is essentially no purpose in me reviewing it. Jonathan Hickman (look for our interview with Hickman coming up on Monday) and Alessandro Vitti bring another exceptional issue to us, as we find Eden, Hellfire and Phobos desperately trying to escape the Norman Osborn’s grasp and Fury working further and further into the depths of the greater conspiracy involving Hydra and Zodiac.

Whether setting up an exciting action set piece or giving us a showdown of wits between a corrupt government agent and an ex-SHIELD agent, Hickman perfectly paces the story from the very beginning, allowing the little moments to build to dazzling crescendos. Throw in one liners like “Dad’s not so good at math” and “I think I’m gonna take you home with me” and we’re provided another romp on par with any other issue of the series.

Vitti gives us another issue filled with a slightly grittier and denser version of Stefano Caselli’s pencils from earlier in this series, sacrificing a little in terms of overall draftsmanship but earning it back with raw power. While I do miss some of Caselli’s stunning character work and his superior abilities in terms of laying out an action scene, it’s hard to say anything besides this: Vitti has been a superb find, and an exciting talent that I will follow when he inevitably moves onto other books when Caselli returns in the next arc.

Final Verdict: Buy

Wolverine: Weapon X #6
Okay, so I had no idea what this issue was going to be about. In fact, this issue was unlike anything I could have even expected even if I bought the Adam Kubert cover. Proving once again that Jason Aaron is absolutely willing to do anything he can to tell a compelling story, this issue finds Wolverine locked in an insane asylum and mentally decimated to the point where he no longer has his identity. In incredibly ingenious fashion, Aaron starts the story out with Logan taking an unknown physician named Dr. Rottwell through his entire life story while he sits docile in a padded room wearing a strait jacket. I wouldn’t expect this from anyone else besides Jason Aaron, who effectively questions the absurdity of his convoluted past and deconstructs the character on two incredible pages.

The rest of the story is Logan getting acclimated to his new surroundings as effectively a neutered and childish version of himself, unable to sustain any real grip on sanity and effectively an entirely different person. Aaron sets this new villain up wonderfully, often verging on demented, especially at the end as one of their cured patients returns with a special present for the “doctor.”

Yanick Paquette at first seemed like an interesting choice. The former Young X-Men artist brings cartoonish character work to a very gritty book, but then I realized I had forgotten his work on Uncanny’s Science Team arc, in which he altered his style enough to fit perfectly for the book. He does the same on this, rendering Logan, his companions and the location in an appropriately dirty and demented fashion, upping the horror where necessary.

This is a real trip, and not what anyone would expect from a Wolverine story. Such is the gift that Jason Aaron provides us on this book – the Wolverine stories we never knew we always wanted.

Final Verdict: Buy

Wolverine: First Class #20
This has been one of the most underrated titles of the past few years, as the very first time I picked this title up and was taken on what effectively is a “Logan and Kitty Pryde: The Golden Years” ride by Fred Van Lente, telling stories we’d never heard before but would have greatly enjoyed to hear if we did. It’s all about Logan teaching Kitty to be the best X-Man she can be and about how Kitty helped lighten Logan up, and the relationship they built throughout their interweaving history. After a while, Peter David took over and it dipped a bit in quality but was still a fun romp.

However, I’d be lying if I didn’t say this arc was a bit of a disappointment. This issue wraps up an arc in which David tries tying Wolverine and Kitty into the Secret Invasion plans (but you know, back in the day), as the two of them have to struggle to escape from Kl’rt (the Super Skrull) with the help of Captain Marvel (Mar-vell classic!). While it’s an entertaining enough story, there really isn’t any of the funny camaraderie bits that perpetually make this series such a joy until the very end (with a particularly funny bit involving the other X-Men trying to figure out what exactly happened to Wolverine and Kitty. David ups the serious quotient here, and comes up short as this is just not a serious book.

Dennis Calero is a very talented artist, but his work just does not fit on this title. While Andrea Di Vito started the work on this title with a run filled with realistic and fun art, Calero’s art is just too serious and winds up being ill fitting to the look and feel that’s been established for this title.

This title is still very underrated and will still be earning my money next month, but I’m looking forward to a step in a more fun and original direction. If David just sticks to what Kitty and Logan do best, he’ll be just fine. Skrulls are not what they do best.

Final Verdict: Pass (for this month)

GIL'S REVIEWS

Superman: Secret Origin #2
Here we go. MY book of the week. It’s a shame this book comes out concurrently with Blackest Night, because any other week I feel like this would get the coveted BotW title. It’s the author of Blackest Night teaming with the best Superman artist in the business to tell the definitive origin of The Man of Steel. I would even say that they’re the best Superman team since the reboot after Crisis. Bold words, I know. I also think they agree, because any of the perceived mistrust I feel in the pages of BN is not there in Secret Origin. Johns lets Frank tell the story without any dialogue in some parts, and it feels like it flows a lot smoother, and a lot more fun.

In many ways, this book is like the antithesis of Blackest Night. While BN is doom and gloom, the origin of Superman is so filled with light and hope, that you almost can’t take it. Johns really knows the characterization of Clark and even Lex, and it shows the schism between the two as early as their teens. Lex is a real bastard, even as a child. That’s evidenced by his actions later in the book, which answers questions raised in the first few pages.

Speaking of, this truly is a companion piece to the Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes arc from some time ago. Anti-Alien sentiment is running wild all over Earth, and The Legion (along with Clark) is trying to right the wrongs of prejudice against extra-terrestrials. It also spills the beans on some killer upcoming storylines. Think of it like this; remember when Johns kept teasing us with regards to the Sinestro Corps War? Think of it like that, but with about five or six upcoming wars. Oh that Geoff, such a tease!

Finally, and one of my favorite parts was the cameo from everyone’s favorite Super Dog, Krypto. You never actually see him in any of the panels, but it’s a highly enjoyable set up for the beginning of their relationship. I can’t wait.

If you can’t tell, I loved it to pieces. I even bought two versions of the issue just because they were two different covers by Gary Frank. Pick it up. You won’t be sorry.

Final Verdict: Buy

New Avengers #58
This arc still confuses the hell out of me.

I mean, the action is well done, it’s nicely paced, and the emotional moments really do have quite the punch that you should have when the leader of a team’s life is in jeopardy. It even made Jessica Jones use her powers again, which is understandable, if not expected. I’m just not sold on his life actually being capable of being in jeopardy.

Sure, Luke Cage can get hurt. He’s been hurt in battle before, and I’m not saying he’s invulnerable. But when the Power Drainer powered up, his heart basically went off the rails. Even when it powered down, his heart problem exacerbated, and now he’s in deep doodoo. I just don’t buy it. Shouldn’t his heart have gone away once the power drainer was deactivated? It seems like it should have. And why he’s being operated on in the nude for heart surgery is freaking beyond me.

The cover is also confusing because Parker Robbins is the subplot going on behind the scenes, and he’s on the cover. I realize he’s going to kick some ass sooner rather than later, but should he REALLY be on the cover? I don’t really think so.

That being said, the book is worth it just for Immonen’s art. It’s absolutely stunning. He’s so talented at telling the story that even the dialogue heavy Bendis just lets him go to do his thing; so good. And the things he can do with action. One of the best scenes in the book is (and Burpee will agree with me) when a certain projectile weapon by a certain patriotic themed hero hits Daken-Wolverine square in the nose. It was really well done, and is immensely satisfying because of its execution.

Overall, I feel that unless you’re heavily invested in the characters like I am, it’s not an “omg run out and buy this now!” book. It’s at least worse a perusal at your LCS though.

Final Verdict: Browse

X-Force #20
Man, Yost and Kyle know how to tell a story. This book was probably the quickest read of my week so far (I haven’t read anything not on my list yet) and there was solid progression in the story. X-23 is here for two things, to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and she’s all out of bubblegum. Even with one arm, she’s tearing through fools like there’s no tomorrow. She even tears her own claws out of her severed arm to protect them from the evil program that made her. How this makes a difference I’m not sure, and how she’ll get them back in, especially after torching her severed arm. One of the more interesting things this week was the subplot with Warpath and Archangel. They run into Wolfsbane’s paramour who happens to be carrying an unconscious Renee in his arms. She’s clearly in trouble. Do I know where this is going, not really, but I do think that it may tie into Necrosha.

The art is frenetic and well told too. A lot of the book is told mid battle, and it couldn’t go by more swiftly and satisfyingly, in my opinion. And the gore could not be more visceral if it tried. The emotional moments are also really well done, and really convey how the team are reacting to the overwhelming s***storm going on around them. However, there was an Archangel facial expression that had me laughing for all the wrong reasons.

After all that, the arc finally concludes, only to start up again with the prologue for the Marvel stab and Blackest Night, Necrosha. It’s just a familiar face (if you know New Mutants) seeing he’s back from the dead. It’s not much, but it’s enough to whet your appetite for the upcoming crossover. I’m actually looking forward to it.

This is honestly one of the best X-Books on the market, and it should be read. It’s the only X-Book where Wolverine can be Wolverine, and rip people to shreds (Even if he didn’t do that much in this book). Check it out.

Final Verdict: Buy

Amazing Spider-Man Presents Anti-Venom #2
I think this book might be in trouble. It’s only a 3 issue mini-series, but it feels like there needs to be so much told in the final issue, that it will either have to have a breakneck pace, or there will be a lot of plot holes, or it will be so rushed it won’t be satisfying one bit.

The issue is basically three scenes. Frank shoots Eddie. Eddie can’t die. Eddie and Frank go to Mexico; Frank tries again to kill Eddie. They reach Mexico, short fight with drug dealers, Eddie wins with no help. That’s the entire jist of the book. It really felt like nothing happened. I don’t know what they were thinking when they green-lit this issue, except to bleed money from John Q. Public. Like me.

I think the most entertaining thing in the book is the relationship between Eddie Brock and The Punisher. They’re like a murderous Odd Couple, always at each other’s throats, but will work for a common goal. There are a couple really funny moments involving the two, and it’s damn sure the highlight of the book.

Another highlight is the art. I really like it. I just want to make that clear, but I almost feel like it’s too good for this book. It’s so polished, and pretty to look at, it’s almost jarring to see something so good in a book so mediocre. But at best I can only say leaf through it to see how good it is. That’s the best I can do .

Final Verdict: Browse

BRANDON'S REVIEWS

X-Force/New Mutants: Necrosha
I’m going to be honest with you. I am really not sure what to think of this title. I think that it is incredibly similar to Blackest Night. I was all about waiting to see the product before I judged it but I gotta say there are far more similarities than differences here. Having said that it does a better job of bringing back the characters that are brought back. It has a little more emotional strain to seeing them alive. Characters like Doug Ramsey, Destiny, Pyro and even the 616 Blink are fun to see again and far more interesting in my opinion than Donna Troy’s dead husband and baby.

It being the first issue means a lot can change and what we have now is surely not going to be what we have come the end. Blackest Night #1 was much better than this though. I know I shouldn’t be comparing this against Blackest Night for review purposes but I mean come on, seriously, this is like Blackest Night X.

So I guess that is what I should have just said all along. My review is that this is Blackest Night without Lanterns and emotional spectrums. This is Blackest Necrosha with phalanx zombie dead mutants and action. Take that for what you will.


Final Verdict: Do you like Blackest Night?

Detective Comics #858
Honestly what can I say about the run of Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III on this title that hasn’t already been said? If you aren’t picking this title up you boggle my mind. This title has by far the most inventive, unique and beautiful art of any comic on the stands monthly. William’s style on this title has been amazing in that at any point an issue might have as many as three distinct styles from him. This is an amazing thing, as many artists in the main stream will spend most of their career only doing one or two styles in their career. Williams is doing that and more in an issue! His inventive panels are something to behold. Where some artists fudge with panels and make a mess Williams is able to turn panels into flying bats and make it work so well as to be scenery in the background panel. The man is an artist who understands the genre of comics and is utilizing it in unique and interesting ways that many should take note of.

Not to say that Rucka’s writing has been anything to sneeze at either. The origin of Batwoman begins in this title and it is a story filled with heartbreak and tragedy that is potentially more horrifying than Bruce Wayne’s to be honest with you. It is an origin that is poignant and relevant to current events in the world today. It is something a reader can see and grasp as it is on the news and in our faces every time we turn on the news. Rucka since 52 has given Batwoman an amazing chance at becoming a staple of the Bat books for a long time.

I’m telling you fanpeeps, pick this title up or you’ll regret it. After this arc Williams moves on and who knows what will happen to this title as Batman takes back over. One can only hope that these two creators are allowed to move her adventures to her own title. Please DC! Please!


Final Verdict: Buy It Now!

Ultimate Comics Avengers #3
Mark Millar is the king of the Ultimate Universe. I know Bendis has done amazing thins with Ultimate Spider-Man (ha) but Millar has brought us Ultimates, the initial run on Ultimate X-Men and now he has brought us the gem that is Ultimate Avengers. It is a return to everything that he had done with Ultimates but in less of a political soldier story and more of a fast paced superhero fashion.

While the focus of the first two issues was on Captain America and his son the Red Skull (yes, for those of you who aren’t reading this title you read that correctly) this issue brings the focus over to a new black ops team being assembled by Nick Fury and Tony Stark’s pompous jerk off of a brother who is highly enjoyable. The team is then set upon Captain America. Or so they think as it turns around and Cap gets the jump on them instead.

The art from Carlos Pacheco has been a great fit and his action sequences have been stellar. While not Bryan Hitch Pacheco’s art fits much more with the more traditional superhero vibe Millar provides with Ultimate Avengers. No one will confuse this title for Ultimates but honestly I don’t think that is a bad thing at all as Millar has created an exciting title out of the disaster of Ultimatum.


Final Verdict: Buy It!


Arkham Reborn #1
One of the shining moments, for me, during Battle for the Cowl was David Hine’s single issue focused on Arkham Asylum and it’s future redesign and new leadership. Once the issue had passed I wondered if Arkham would be dealt with in one of the ongoing titles or somewhere else. Well I was pleased to see it get it’s own 3 part mini!

So now here it is in my hands and it lives up to the one shots promises like I had hoped it would. Sporting easily my favorite cover of the week this issue was pure dark fun and wonder. The first issue does a fantastic job of establishing exactly who has a part in Arkham and how it’s run. From the man running it to the security head with a grudge. Each character’s motives and personality are on display from the get go which is a credit to Hine’s fantastic writing.

Jeremiah Arkham is now in charge and plans to run things in a more rehabilitative way than the grossly outdated form of prison Arkham was in the past. While some don’t believe in it Bruce Wayne is completely sold on the idea. While we all know Bruce Wayne is actually Hush the other characters don’t and that made for a great chuckle or two as Hush/Wayne gets a chance to tour Arkham and see its security features and such. This bit I believe will be fun later down the line if future writers desire to use it.

The inmates of Arkham also get a chance to see some spotlight this issue. As those who have read the one-shot know Arkham has taken on three inmates that her personally cares for and no one else deals with. These characters are interesting and I’m excited to see what is in store for them. Does Arkham have an ulterior motive other than their safety? I’m sure he does and I’ll be there when it’s revealed.

The redesign of Arkham is something that truly was appreciated by me as a fan. I believe that much like Gotham is it’s own character in the Batman stories Arkham fits this same category. So to see it get a facelift and some personnel that we can associate with it is a great step in reinvigorating a place that had become more of a joke than a serious story piece. I mean how many inmates have escaped after the place has been blown up over the years? They never once tried to rebuild and enhance. Now they have and it’s a great read.


Final Verdict: Buy It!

In last the premiere Saturday Showdown between Matt and David, something was brought up that hurt me to my very core. David dissed my girl Psylocke. Everyone who's a regular reader knows she's my favorite X-Man. and well, I think it calls for a Character Spotlight.

The woman known has Elisabeth "Betsy" Braddock has a very storied, if not complex, history. She introduced first as a supporting character in Marvel UK's Captain Britain and stood in for her brother Brian Braddock for a short time in what is admittedly one of the ugliest costumes I’ve ever seen. I guess it wasn’t the costume so much as it was the hair! It looks like one of those “4th of July” popsicles. But I digress.

She was born in England, the second child of three. Younger than her brother Jamie and older than her twin brother Brian, in her early days she trained to be a charter pilot. She later learned her younger brother, Brian, was Captain Britain and developed precognitive and telepathic abilities after being kidnapped by The Red Skull. She later spent time as a model but left the profession for a job working as a spy, putting her newly discovered psychic to work. Later, as I mentioned before, took up the mantle of Captain Britain in that unfortunately designed suit. But in true Women in Refrigerators fashion, was subsequently blinded by the supervillain The Slaymaster.

After that, her creator, Chris Claremont, integrated her into the X-Men universe by having her abducted by the master of the TV driven “Mojoverse.” Here, Mojo fitted her with bionic eyes and a brainwashing. She was rescued by the New Mutants and lived with them while not being an official member until the Mutant Massacre, when she gained vital information from Sabretooth’s mind. She was officially invited to the team and adopted the name “Psylocke,” which she had been given while in the Mojoverse.

Later, her story gets weird. She’s originally just a pure telepath in the vein on Professor X or Emma Frost, but is later kidnapped, brainwash her (again) and switch bodies with a Japanese assassin named Kwannon. She also gains her trademark Psychic Knife.

When the team splits into the Blue and Gold teams, she joins Cyclops’ Blue team with the new Adjective-less X-Men Volume 2. Smitten with Cyclops, she attempts to seduce him. Here, Kwannon returns and claims our Betsy is a fraud, but Kwannon was the fraud, but Betsy’s flirtations with the leader of the X-Men were part of the plot in which Kwannon was created, and were not of Psylocke’s own accord.

Free of the influence of the mind splicing, she entered into a romance with another original X-Man, Warren Worthington, III, better known and Angel or Archangel. During this relationship, she is nearly killed by the X-Baddie Sabretooth but is saved by using the mystic artifact The Crimson Dawn. It gives her a telepathic power boost and allows her to move through the shadows, but it started to change her entire personality. This power boost also enabled her to trap The Shadow King on the Astral Plane, at the cost of never using it again without releasing him again (now that I think about it, that sounds rather similar to a plot point used in the current Matt Fraction run on Uncanny with regards to Emma Frost and The Void). But she instead develops telekinesis. Soon after this, she is killed by the villain Vargas, while searching for the diaries of the psychic Destiny.

Her death lasts for 4 years, which is an eternity in comic book years. She is later revived in the pages of Uncanny X-Men, by the very man who killed her, her creator, Chris Claremont. After this, she spent a great deal of time with the reality hopping team The Exiles. This brought her face to face with the Slaymaster of the Earth-1720, a version of the man that blinded her. She eventually defeated this alternate Slaymaster, and joined the Exiles for a time.

She recently returned in the pages of Fraction’s Uncanny X-Men, While transversing the Omniverse, she was kidnapped by Madelyne Pryor and the Sisterhood of Mutants, brainwashed (yet again, how does she even HAVE a brain anymore). They had also stolen Betsy’s original body, and switched her back. Her personality and soul were restored to her Asian body by Dazzler. This caused her telepathy to emerge and also let her rejoin the X-Men.

I know that’s a lot to digest, I’ve been a fan since I was a kid and it’s still hard to process. I’ve always loved her enigmatic personality and unique manifestation of telepathy. And who doesn’t like a hot ninja of death with issues? She might be “One Note,” I think that with her being handled by the Multiversity Comics Approved Christopher Yost in a mini-series devoted to her burying her original body and dealing with her multitudes of issues (called, appropriately enough, X-Men: Psylocke), she’ll be expanded much in the way Maria Hill has been in Fraction’s other title Invincible Iron Man. I also think it might remind certain people why she was so awesome, just...mishandled. I’m still looking forward to it, and it starts up next month.

Another week anothe-

Oh, you know the gist of it. It's episode six. Just go behind the cut and read my thoughts.

OK, now ever since the premiere, I've been talking about how the show is steadily getting worse. State clear lack of interest in characters, bland new characters, and a generally aimless plot. I was thinking about it a bit more in depth, and I figured rather than review Heroes in the normal capacity that I do, I would make note of what it actually is that I feel makes the show poor this season. In fact, I just stated it - it's a lack of plot.

Let's think about it for a minute. I'd say it's fair enough to say that this show is pretty much on the same level as shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Lost, or perhaps even Battlestar Galactica, at least in PREMISE (not actual quality). What do those shows have that this show doesn't? A very clear "big bad", as coined from Buffy. What is a big bad? A big bad is a termed used to define an over-arcing threat, something that links the first episode of a season to the last. In Buffy, every season would have one big bad, and then many little big bads in between to help facilitate the chaos. Big bad can also used as a term in which to reference a big over arcing mystery, such as "What is the Island?" from Lost, or "Where is Earth?" in Battlestar Galactica. These bigger elements are what help to drive a show forward.

Heroes no longer has a big bad.

In the first season, we had many different little threats all encompassed by one big one - a bomb is going to go off in New York City and kill millions of people. What is the bomb? Who planted? We didn't know. Over time, we had other little elements bringing us about, such as "Save the cheerleader, save the world," "Are you on the list?", and "How would you like to save the world?" We had many intriguing elements that would repeatedly call us to keep watching as the mystery of what made the Heroes into who they were as well as who was hunting them. In the second season, we had this on a smaller scale, yet it was still present. There were many open ended mysteries to be expanded upon. The third season tried to bring the bomb back, and at the halfway point it switched and created the big bad of the hero hunters. It was a non-stop source of threat that always kept our characters on the edge of their toes.

The thing about this season is is that there is nothing driving the plot. We have an over arcing mystery, but as time goes on it pulls you in less and less, and that is the carnival. The reason I've lost interest in the carnival is because it went back to a plot device I'm sick of at this point, and that is Sylar (who was ever so present in this episode again). Outside of the Carnival, the characters are moving in their own absent minded directions with very little interconnectivity at all, and this is where the show suffers most, mainly because this is what the show was based upon at first. The idea of six degrees of separation, and all these characters being oddly connected, did lead to one of the shows biggest pitfalls (as it started to try to reach too hard for connections), but now there is nothing there anymore. It's just a character show, and while this of course is possible to have, this show just doesn't have strong characters anymore.

On top of that, all of the big over arcing mysteries are gone. The company? Yeah, we learned about all that. Hell, the company doesn't even exist anymore. Do we have any mysteries from previous seasons? Uhm, we know about Sylar's dad, we know about the Petrelli's dad, did I mention we know the Company's origin too? Yeah. There's not a lot left to really explore. All the old stuff has just about been discussed, at least without going back and making stuff up to put the illusion that was something was tehre from the beginning that really wasn't.

Of course, then this happened:



This is what I call "the second Magneto scene" (the first being when Sylar flipped the truck in Season 1). In this scene, Samuel, distraught at the events partaken against another meta-human (can we call them meta-humans in this show?) levels an entire building full of people as an act of revenge, thus causing the show to the end. This is the first scene in the entire season since the first episode that has really entertained me. I am not saying that this at all redeems the past episodes, but what I am saying is that this is a mild fluctuation in the overall "good" factor of the show. I've noted that Samuel is the strongest character on the show right now due to his mystery, charm, and presence. I've question his intentions and if he is or is not a villain. While I'm not ready to call him our big bad yet, I will say that this scene was particularly bad ass, raising my over all interest in the show.

I will say this - if the show maintains this scene (in essence), it could very well raise itself back up from the ashes. Since we no longer have any kind big bad to REALLY keep the show along, we need to bring one in. Sylar can not be this character anymore. Samuel? Samuel could be. Samuel needs to be. Samuel is a good actor in a great role that really needs to be fleshed out, and in all honesty, I'm tired of dumping on Heroes every week. I want the show to be good. This show used to be my favorite show on television. I wouldn't miss an episode. Now, I don't watch the show when it airs, and that doesn't bother me.

So that's my Heroes centric rant of the week. As you can see, I really didn't cover the episode. You know why? Because it wasn't too good. Just like last week's, and the one from the week before that. However, I loved that ending, and that's what got me thinking about big bads and all that. Heroes still has a chance - I'm sure of it. It just has to figure out where it's going.