Just in time for the unveiling of Multiversity's look at the decade in comic movies, the poster to Jon Favreau's Iron Man 2 was revealed today by Yahoo Movies. Simple, badass, and sharply designed, it amps up the excitement level to even higher levels, not to mention it reveals War Machine for the first time. Adding Scarlett Johannson (in a cat suit...mrrrrrow!), Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, and Don Cheadle (to replace Terrence Howard) to the already great duo of Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow is exciting, and it is likely to be the biggest fanboy fest of the summer of 2010. I can't wait personally.

For the first day of our The Decade According to Multiversity project, we're going to look at the best comic book movies of the decade. The ascension of comic book movies as not only a viable genre but an incredibly profitable one not only was a major news story for the decade in comics, but movies overall. The decade saw a hugely diverse list of titles being adapted, from works as unknown as A History of Violence or Ghost World to ones as well known as Sin City or Watchmen. It also saw a wide variety of quality, bringing us some good (Spider-Man 1 and 2) and some truly horrendous (Spider-Man 3) films, but perpetually giving us as comic fans something to talk about.

Without further ado, our list of the best comic book movies of the decade. Make sure to leave a comment with your favorites as well.

1. The Dark Knight

David: The Dark Knight, in my mind, is the only choice possible for best comic film of the decade. To me, comic movies should not be slaves to their source material, but take all of the best elements from the decades of their existence and build a new universe around those concepts. Basically, a good comic movie in my mind would do essentially what Marvel did with the Ultimate universe originally – a streamlined reimagining of their existing universe.

The Dark Knight did that incredibly well, as it followed up Christopher Nolan’s (also) excellent Batman Begins and improved on almost every facet. You had Christian Bale giving us the best Batman ever, a cast loaded with strong actors in almost every role (come on now, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and Michael Caine as Lucius Fox, Jim Gordon, and Alfred respectively? Absurd.), and Heath Ledger giving one of the most impressive performances of the decade as The Joker, embodying the chaotic essence of the Clown Prince to the point you really could not see any of Ledger in there. It was just The Joker maniacally traipsing around Gotham, smiling as the city burned.

All this would not have been possible without the steady hand of Christopher Nolan, a man who realized that at its core Batman’s story is one of justice and of those who strive to rob the world of peace. That realization and the creation of Gotham City as a living, breathing organism, rife with criminal elements and seedy corners, were paramount in making this as not just the best comic movie of the decade, but of all time.

Matt: Yes, the number one comic movie of the decade is the Dark Knight. Surprised? I didn’t think so. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who believes this isn’t the single greatest comic movie of all time, at least from a logistical standpoint. Many times with comic book films that are adaptations of a character (versus a set story or graphic novel) you either have something that is over the top or underwhelming. You do not often have a movie that hits a perfect balance between the preconceived notions of a “comic book movie” as well as a generally “good” film. Sure, you can make a movie that is 100% faithful to the comic book (i.e. Sin City), but if people don’t like the story from when it was a comic, chances are they won’t like the story as a movie either. It is hard to find create a film adapted from comic books that hits the right notes with everyone, both fan of the book and casual film-goer alike.

This is where you have the Dark Knight. Not only is it a fairly successful adaptation (give or take some nerd criticisms I have with characterization and plot elements), you have a very compelling thriller picture featuring an all-star cast and an incredible director/writer. Take out all the super heroics and you have a crime movie that could be just as compelling if Batman were simply a normal police detective. That’s why the Dark Knight is so incredibly successful as a film. Forget the clown make up and the pointy ears and the growling (honestly, Bale’s voice work alone should have gotten an Oscar nod), and you have a Grade-A thriller by a master storyteller.

I will be 100% up-front about something though: before the film came out, I was an avid trash talker of it. The Dark Knight is by far and large the second most hyped up superhero film of the decade, the previous of which was Spider-Man 3, and we all remember how that turned out. I had the feeling that it could not be even remotely half as good as people assumed it would be, and furthermore I was not impressed by any of the trailers. Everyone was discussing how epic the Joker seemed like he would be, but having read a lot of Batman comics as a kid and having a very set image in my mind of who the character was (even beyond Morrison’s explanation in Arkham Asylum), and I did not find any element of Ledger’s Joker appealing.

Here’s another shocker for you: to be perfectly honest, I’m not a very big fan of Batman. The reason for this is a bit silly, but Batman is to me the single most overrated character in all of comics, besides maybe Gambit. Everyone “loves” Batman, especially people who have never actually read a comic book, and the amount of Batfans I have met who don’t know anything about Batman (the whole “gun” issue is the worst thing I’ve had to discuss) upsets me. So I have a predisposition to be more critical towards anything Bat-related Of course, as soon as I left the theater (saw it in IMAX too!), I turned to my friend, who knew all my previous complaints about the trailer and my low expectations, and I flat out said, “Well, I think we need to go find me a plate of crow, because I’ve got some eating to do.” A ridiculous statement and reference, I realize, but the point remains the same. A copy of the Dark Knight on blu-ray in the limited edition Batpod case now firmly rests in front of my TV at all times, and I’m a believer in the Dark Knight.

Gil: It’s very easy to see why The Dark Knight is the top movie of the decade. No other movie this decade (comic book or otherwise) captured the imagination of the public at large. The viral marketing was pulled off beautifully, and it helped bring in massive numbers for The Caped Crusader. Fact: The Dark Knight’s gross sales in theatres were worth roughly a third of the overall gross of all six Batman movies put together.

Brandon: What is there to say about this movie that hasn’t already been said?

The haunting performance of Heath Ledger is something that can never be duplicated when it comes to the silver screen version of the Joker. I was one of many who felt that this was a terrible casting choice and was expecting a giant fail. When the first pictures and trailers hit I knew I was wrong. When he died I knew we were in for something otherworldly and maybe even awkward to view.

It was all as expected and more. The moment that sold it in the end though for me was when Joker pulls his magic trick in the beginning. I knew the movie was going to live up to its hype. Frankly, this is one movie that has too many great parts from one star to list. The cocktail party invasion, the nurse outfit, and so much more made this the most enjoyable and riveting comic movie of the decade.

2. Iron Man

David: Iron Man is the best type of summer blockbuster. It’s brainy, it’s fun, and it’s respectful to its source material. Best of all, it features one thing that every other comic movie adaptation lacks: a pitch perfect performance as the titular hero by Robert Downey, Jr. For all intents and purposes, Downey, Jr. was Tony Stark. He was the living, breathing embodiment of the Marvel Universe’s resident genius playboy with a penchant for private planes and Patron Platinum, and his ability to effortlessly bring that character to life is the crux of the entire film.

That the rest of it was a stunning looking, well acted (credit to Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges in particular), and often quite funny is the icing on the cake. While it didn’t have the transcendent power of The Dark Knight, it belongs up on the Mount Rushmore of comic book movies if only for how well it brought the main character and his world to life.

Matt: Can you think of a single movie that took us all by surprise as much as Iron Man? Yeah. I don’t think so. Iron Man is such an odd shining star of a movie because absolutely no one thought anything of it. In fact, when I went to see it, I was only doing it because I’ll see any comic book movie ever, regardless of what I think of it (saw Ghost Rider opening night). The cards were definitely stacked against it: you had Robert Downey Jr as the star, who everyone had thoughts on due to his whole “controversy” (despite the overwhelming amount of not just good but GREAT movies he’s been in); you had Jon Favreau directing, who had previously starred in movies like Swingers and directed movies like Elf; and did I mention the main character in the movie was Iron Man? Yeah, he makes a cool Avenger, and his solo title is pretty good if you’re into comics, but I’d be hard pressed to find a comic fan who didn’t have a bit of bad taste in their mouth towards Iron Man after the events of Civil War (I actually talked to someone who refused to watch the movie despite it’s good reviews just because of Civil War). I repeat: the cards were stacked against it.

Yet, here we are. We’ve all seen Iron Man, we all LOVED Iron Man, and we all can’t wait for Iron Man 2! I would say that, aside from the Dark Knight, Iron Man is the only upcoming film that absolutely no one has any stigma towards. We know the cast and director work, and we’ve put utmost faith in them off one single movie. Iron Man is very much the sleeper hit of all comic-dom, because even people who didn’t know who Iron Man was would come out of the theater talking about how good the character was. Of course, we now live in a post-Dark Knight world where comic movies are judged in a completely new light, and even though Iron Man came out BEFORE the Dark Knight, it already had a certain stigma due to it’s fantastical origins. However, Jon Favreau managed to take the character, update him into a believable modern setting without alienating comic fans too much, and essentially concocted the most believable superhero film that wasn’t called The Dark Knight! That’s an incredible feat, if you ask me.

The best part about the Iron Man film, however, was that it is the only comic book movie in the history of comic book movies to actually pay tribute to the intense universe that it stems from. See, as great as a movie like Dark Knight may be, there is no way you’re ever going to see that movie have a guest appearance by Superman for a heart to heart between the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. And as much as I enjoy the Spider-Man films for what they are, he somehow NEVER manages to swing by the Baxter Building. Yet in Iron Man, not only do you have constant references to SHIELD, but the post-credits section has a fan favorite appearance from Ultimate Nick Fury himself, Samuel Jackson, which gets us prepared for the single biggest movie cross over event in the history of films – The Avengers. Throw in RDJ’s appearance as Stark at the end of Incredible Hulk, the return of Jackson as a main character, and the introduction of the Black Widow (another big member of the Avengers, at least in the Ultimate sense which it looks like the Avengers film will be based on), and you’re primed for a step in the greatest direction a comic book movie could ever take. Comic book films should have been up to the idea of crossing over since they were first being made, but Iron Man is the first movie to take the initiative and try it out.

So in the discussion of best comic films of the decade, if Iron Man isn’t on your list, then you’re just nuts. I’m sorry, but there’s no ways about it – Iron Man is simply one of the greatest super hero films ever made.

Gil: My personal favorite on the list, as this is a well deserved ranking. It didn’t have the brute numbers that TDK had, but I would consider this one of the most faithful adaptations ever made, this side of Superman: The Motion Picture. Robert Downey, Jr. shines in a role seemingly tailor-made for his life. Tony Stark could be played by no one else. What could have been a lame villain in Obadiah Stane was pulled off very well, and brought a new sense of dread to an otherwise forgotten character. Jon Favreau certainly knew what he was doing, and now I can’t wait for Iron Man 2.

Brandon: This was another movie where some questioned the casting. I knew the choice of Robert Downey Jr. was perfect. In his real life Downey Jr. had battled his fair share of addictions and had done so while being a rich playboy. I mean the man IS Tony Stark. The armor was spot on as well. The gorgeously done armor in this movie has got to be the closest costume from page to screen. Its movement
and the way it was built up in the movie were all perfectly done and amazing to view.
Lastly, let’s not forget that appearance by Nick Fury at the end of the movie. Talk about game changer. That one scene changed the way people viewed superhero flicks. No more one and done. Now it’s time for the superhero universe to form on screen as it has done on the age.

3. Spider-Man 2

David: In many ways, Spider-Man 2 was the point in the history of comic book movies when filmmakers realized that those that belong to this genre could make movies that do not fall into the pitfalls of banality of those that existed before it. While the Singer X-Men movies and the first Raimi Spider-Man film were great in their own regards, they each had their own issues that kept them from being good movies instead of good comic book movies.

What Raimi did was take everything that worked from the first movie so well and built on it and everything that didn’t work and took it out. Arguably the greatest divide between the two films exists in the villains. Gone are the histrionics and insanity of Willem Dafoe’s Norman Osborn (while I love Dafoe, he was often a bit much), replaced by Alfred Molina’s frequently restrained and well drawn performance as Dr. Otto Octavius, or as well know him, Doctor Octopus. The creation of this villain and his reasoning for doing what he does feels entirely organic, which allows the plot as a whole to shine because of it.

It of course helps quite a bit that Molina is such an exceptional actor, and overall this movie is filled with fully capable actors. It’s also directed in full Sam Raimi style, bringing the awkward and the ridiculous as well as giving us stellar action and tense drama. It’s as great of a move in the right direction for the future of comic movies as Spider-Man 3 was a move in the wrong direction.

And that’s saying something.

Matt: To be perfectly frank, Spider-Man 2 is my favorite superhero film. It always has been and always will be, no matter what comes out (note: Green Lantern could easily beat it… sorry Spidey). While I think the first and third installments in the Spider-Man movies both need some tweaks to better, when it came out Spider-Man 2 was very much the perfect comic book movie. See, I am of the firm belief that my superhero flicks do not need to be based in reality. I’m very much willing to accept them as unbelievable feats with pushes in the direction of non-believability. I don’t care about realistic heroes. What I want from a comic book movie is a film that takes a storyline I am familiar with and I enjoy and re-imagines it in a way that is enjoyable. Spider-Man 2 took one of my favorite Spider-Man storylines, in which Parker gives it up, and weaves it into the film mythos rather seamlessly. I’m all for superhero films creating their own stories with the characters, because heck, with every new character title that comes out, we have a new story. But for a movie to try and adapt an established storyline and do it poorly? That’s what grinds my gears with superhero films. Spider-Man 2 is the first film that comes to mind when I think of a properly adapted storyline.

It is also the only one of the films that really hits Spider-Man as a character. Spidey is my favorite character and has been for a long time, and he has a very specific way to him. What is universally the first thing that comes to people’s mind who know Spider-Man when you ask about him? The banter. Spidey always trash talks his opponents and makes humorous anecdotes. It’s pretty much the best part about reading the Spider-Man books, really. And what did the Spider-Man movies very much lack? The banter. Except for the second one, that is. The second one featured the trade mark humor of the Spider-Man comic books without all of the over dramatic events that take place in the third movie and all the just plain ridiculous things that take place in the first. Spider-Man 2 actually hit a perfect chord for the character, and if you’ve seen the extended cut of the film you would be hard pressed not to agree, especially after watching the extended elevator sequence after Spider-Man first “loses” his powers.

Now, everyone has a bad taste in their mouth and an awkward look at Spidey after the last film. It’s understandable. We all expected one thing and were treated with another. But Spider-Man 2? This is still a very great film and a wonderful entry into the world of comic book adaptations. You’ve got a relatively faithful storyline adaptation, great new villains (Alfred Molina as Doc Ock, despite the lack of his foreign ancestry playing into the role, was a stroke of genius), a main character that matched the comic books, awesome fight scenes/special effects (the train sequence? Still amazing), and an all around great story with amazing replay ability for home viewing. I think that a lot of superhero movies can be a bit too dense to just put on when you’re home, but Spider-Man 2 is light hearted enough despite it’s overall serious nature due to the dramatic undertakings that befall our hero to put on anytime, and always be entertaining.

Gil: If there’s one thing comic book movies excel at, it’s sequels. Sequels generally outshine their predecessors, due to not having to set the status quo, it’s already there. Spider-Man 2 is one of the best examples, because while in the already excellent first move, they had to tell his origin. Origins can be cumbersome, especially on-screen. Well, there’s no origin here, save for the appearance of Dr. Octopus and his evil tentacles of doom. The movie does work really well if you watch it like you’re reading a comic book, where the fantastic happen on a daily basis it seems.

Brandon: Spider-Man 2 is by far the best of the Spider-Man movies that have come out to date. It didn’t have the slowed down pace of the first due to the origin but also didn’t have the factors of the third movie that made it too much for one movie. The Spider-Man film franchised peaked with this movie. Until Iron Man this was probably the best Marvel movie of the modern era.

4 (tie). X-Men 2

4 (tie). Sin City

6. Batman Begins

7. Spider-Man

8. 300

9. V for Vendetta

10. Justice League: The New Frontier

Individual Lists

David

1. The Dark Knight
2. Batman Begins
3. Spider-Man 2
4. Iron Man
5. Spider-Man
6. X-Men 2
7. Road to Perdition
8. V for Vendetta
9. Sin City
10. Superman Returns

Matt

1. Sin City
2. Spider-Man 2
3. X-Men 2
4. The Dark Knight
5. Iron Man
6. Justice League: The New Frontier
7. Ultimate Avengers
8. 300
9. V for Vendetta
10. Wolverine

Gil

1. Iron Man
2. The Dark Knight
3. Batman Begins
4. Sin City
5. Spider-Man 2
6. X-Men 2
7. Spider-Man
8. 300
9. Superman Returns
10. V for Vendetta

Brandon

1. The Dark Knight
2. Iron Man
3. Spider-Man 2
4. X-Men 2
5. Sin City
6. Batman Begins
7. 300
8. Watchmen
9. Spider-Man
10. Superman Returns


What do you think is the best Comic Book Movie of the Decade? Let us know in this poll! If you select other, leave a comment as to what movie it is!

This weeks Multiversity Comics Presents features David Gallaher. He is best known for his work on the Harvey Award winning digital comic series High Moon. He is a digital comics pioneer and rising star of the comic industry in general. Mr. Gallaher agreed to stop on by and answer some questions about his past, present and future. So if you aren't familiar with Gallaher you will be and if you are familiar than you'll love this! Questions range from High Moon action figures to possible future franchise work with the big two. So without further ado let's get it going.

Yesterday, on Entertainment Weekly's website, EW contributor Michael Ausiello posted two stills from the upcoming Smallville event. I think they're looking pretty sweet, and up there with some of the theatrical costumes from Batman and Watchmen and the like:



What say you? How do you think the costumes look?

Starting this Monday, November 30th, we will be posting our choices for Multiversity's favorite comics of the decade. Gil, Matt, Brandon and myself voted for our top 10 favorite of eleven different categories and then combined those votes to come up with our comprehensive list of best titles. Those categories and when they will be posted are:

• Monday, November 30th - Best Comic Movie
• Tuesday, December 1st - Best Villain
• Wednesday, December 2nd - Best Hero
• Thursday, December 3rd - Best Event
• Friday, December 4th - Best Issue
• Saturday, December 5th - Saturday Showdown: DC vs. Marvel for Best Publisher of the Decade
• Monday, December 7th - Best OGN
• Tuesday, December 8th - Best Mini-Series
• Wednesday, December 9th - Best Artist
• Thursday, December 10th - Best Writer
• Friday, December 11th - Best Ongoing Series

That's that. There will be much to discuss about our choices, so please make comments about our lists and vote in our daily polls to go along with these posts.

When I originally was considering what to write about for my Friday Recommendation this week, as per usual many, many ideas popped into my head. However, I decided to go with the most unlikely option - Karl Kerschl's brilliant (and Eisner nominated) web comic The Abominable Charles Christopher. I had not heard of it until recently when a regular member of a music forum I frequent posted about it, and I was immediately hooked. In one sitting, I poured through all two plus years of this (mostly) weekly comic and I think if you checked it out you would find it almost impossible to not do the same.

The Abominable Charles Christopher follows a yeti-like creature named Charles Christopher in his adventures across a forested land. Charles never speaks, is seemingly perpetually confused or scared, and mostly gets himself into bizarre situations in which the other forest animals are forced to react to his odd and innocent behavior. There is an overarching story about a grand destiny for Charles that involves various animal gods, encroaching human cities, and a Moon Bear, but Kerschl is revealing these bits very slowly.

It works quite well however, as he interweaves the more serious plot heavy moments with truly hysterical ones featuring the incredibly talkative creatures in the forest (particulary anything involving small birds, bees, or skunks). It allows him to progress the story without bogging it down with pure seriousness and also gives him the ability to develop the forest almost as a living, breathing organism in its own right. The supporting cast, particularly Charles' early partner-in-crime, the wolf named Townsend, are superb and frequently genuinely funny. Kerschl's writing is simple but powerful and each edition exists as standalone comics as well as they do within the overarching stories. It makes the comic remarkably easy to pick up from any point, but I highly recommend to start with the beginning (obviously).

Kerschl's art is the real tour de force here though, giving us a monochrome art style that is cartoony without being overtly so, imbuing the animals with life without anthropomorphizing them, and creating truly funny, original, and touching editions sometimes without even having a single word of dialogue. His style is incredibly expressive, and his ability to render characters emotions without words is uncanny. I've always known him to be a good artist, but reading this comic really makes me realize how exceptional he truly is.

Right now this comic only exists in web form, but Kerschl has suggested in the past that he will likely release this in graphic novel form once he develops enough material to make a release of that sort a worthwhile venture. What isn't in doubt, however, is whether or not experiencing this title is one. Wholly recommended by yours truly, and while you're visiting him make sure to support with donations. Free comics should not be this good, so show your love by supporting this venture. You likely won't find a single comic as joyful as this one anywhere (as you can tell by the second image linked to in this post).

This Thanksgiving, you're probably sitting around a dinner table with relatives you really don't see all that often, a nice warm Turkey filled with your dad's own recipe of stuffing, and perhaps a small dog running under the table yapping and begging for scraps. Maybe even a cat who keeps hopping on the table despite everyone picking her up and putting her back on the floor (they don't learn lessons as easily). You'll eat, you'll fill up, and then what? Sit around and watch TV? Don't you know TV rots your brain?! How about you curl up next to a warm fire and read a book! How about you make that book a comic book, or rather, a graphic novel? Does that sound good to you? Yes? Alright, good! Because I have the perfect graphic novel for you! It's called JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice, by David S Goyer and Geoff Johns, and it makes a wonderful read for any Thanksgiving. Allow me to present my short and sweet review of your new accidental holiday classic, after the cut!

JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice is about the Justice League and the Justice Society getting together in the Watchtower to celebrate Thanksgiving. Perfect timing, right? Everyone's talking and sharing stories, Batman's sitting in the corner being grumpy. You know. The usual. But as the evening continues, President Luthor (yes, it was written during those days) is attacked by one of the New Gods of Apokalips, and of course the JLA and JSA come to the rescue. As our heroes come to the rescue, they find the God is too easily defeated, and soon afterwards several of the members begin to act quite strangely. Captain Marvel takes away Black Adams powers, Power Girl is feeling rather ... open, we'll say, and Kyle Rayner is being rather jealous of people mentioning Hal Jordan. Heck, even Batman is angrier than usual. With the flash of an eye, our heroes are seperated into different dimensions, and the wayward out-of-their-mind heroes are rampaging through the streets of the city. So what are we left to do? Well, let's call some of the reserve members that don't get enough screen time and solve this mystery! So we've got heroes like Green Arrow, Black Canary, Zatanna and Elastic Man doing their best to solve the case. And believe it or not, but you ain't seen nothin' yet! (And by that I mean that the main antagonist(s) are quite a surprise).

The book is written in a joint team effort of David S Goyer and Geoff Johns, both of whom were in charge of the respective titles around the time that this was written (2005). However, neither writers miss a beat. Often times with collaborations you can tell who wrote what, but this book has both the writers in a unique form of sync not often seen in comic books. The story alone is well worth the read, and each characterization done by the authors is perfect for any of the given characters. No one seems too over the top - they all seem just right. It might sound odd to say, but often times creators just don't understand a character (like a reader wrote to us in regards to my bashing of Gambit), and this can be true. However, this definitely isn't the case for Goyer and Johns. I also absolutely love the concept of the story. There is something inside this book that I feel is a big give away as to what is going on, and I'd rather not spoil it for you - but in a nutshell, the mythology of a character I greatly enjoy who is painfully underused (and recently had his powers taken away and transferred to someone else by Judd Winnick and Geoff Johns) is elaborated upon, and it makes for a high class read. Plus, who doesn't love an ANGRIER Batman? Guilty until proven innocent and then some.

Then we've got the astounding artwork of the title. The art is done by Carlos Pacheco, who I'm most familiar with due to his current run on Ultimate Comics Avengers. What's amazing is the style shift that is so clear between his current work and the art of this one, and I mean that in the most complimentary way. Avengers features Pacheco doing an emulation of the Hitch artwork from the original two volumes of Ultimates, whereas this book feels much more organic and to his own personal style. Then you've got Jesus Merino on the inks, doing a fantastic job with shading and color throughout. The two make for an excellent pairing for a book full of artwork that is just cartoony enough to get a certain vibe through with the book. The story itself is great, but it is very much the type of story you'd expect from old Saturday Morning Cartoons of the '90s with the Batman and Superman animated shows. Remember when they had their crossover? I imagine JLA and JSA kind of like - everyone eating Thanksgiving, villains appear to swap everyone around, and there is the eventual resolution by the end of the morning so you can make soccer practice. That vibe is only existant because of the artwork done in it. The story itself could very easily be read either as definingly serious or the "SMC-vibe", and thanks to their artwork we get SMC, which translates to an INCREDIBLY fun read that makes JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice a story that can be read time and time again each holiday.

JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice is, of course, a short read, and very much a blast from the past considering all that is going on in comic books today. However, the book reads today as fresh and fun as it did back in '05. I mean, all it is is a crossover that they decided to make outside of their books, but it works none the less. In fact I'd go so far as to say that it works better being a story not contained to anyones story restrictions but their own. The story feels very free flowing, and I love the creative thinking behind it, as well as the explanation for everything. There aren't very many "accidental holiday classics," but due to this taking place during Thanksgiving, I'm calling it as a Thanksgiving read. And for the low low price that this costs, you could stand to pick it up. It's well worth the read.

You didn't think we'd forget about you this Turkey Day, did you? Pfft. Comics outrank Thanksgiving in order of importance. So this Thanksgiving when thinking about what we're thankful for, we came up this week:

Matt is thankful for time traveling physicians, the fourth wall, and meteors not landing on his house.

David is thankful for links, verbose lists and corrections, and OGNs.

David's note: I also want to say I'm thankful for Jonathan Hickman's ascent into the higher tiers of comic writers, JH Williams III blowing my mind, Fables and The Walking Dead giving us years of uniform excellence, Matt giving me the opportunity to write here, and most importantly, the continued recovery of one of my best friends from Leukemia. Go get 'em Sobo!

Gil is thankful for Gary Frank, 2-hour movie events, and the final issue of World of New Krypton.

Brandon is thankful for pretty pictures, Gail Simone, and this gig.

What are you thankful for this holiday? Oh wait. We know. Our reviews! Well, then don't delay. Stuff yourself with turkey and plop on down. We've got a great set of reviews this week. Positively HUGE. Seriously. A lot happened. So check it out!

Book of the Week: Invincible Iron Man #20



Matt's Thoughts: Mmm, Invincible Iron Man. This book has been great to me. I absolutely loved everything about the last arc and the last page got me so excited. It was the first beginning of the reuniting of the Holy Trinity! This is essentially Iron Man: Reborn. However, just like Cap: Reborn, it's got a slow start. It's an interesting read with great artwork, but it's a very slow start. In fact, most of this issue consists of a soliloquy recorded by Stark before his lobotomy. This is then followed by a very curious move by Pepper in which she does what I expected everyone else to do. It's an interesting turn of events none the less.

Regardless of this, though, the book still reads well. The writing by Fraction is great. He's arguably the second best Iron Man writer I've ever read (with the number one spot going to techno-freak fan favorite Warren Ellis). I also totally have a love for Salvador Larocca on the art. He's been with this book since the beginning of this volume and he's been repeatedly knocking it out of the park. I love his depictions of the characters. His Tony Stark looks amazing. His only poor characters are the Hood (what's up with that hair?) and Osborn not in the suit (what's up with that hair?). But all that is redeemed in the end when we meet the main antagonist for this arc.

So we've got a really great concept with good execution and great art, but ultimately a slow start. There are a lot of places the story can move from here. A LOT. I'm not worried about if this will be another great arc for this book at all. Just be warned before going out that this isn't same pace as all the previous issues (which I suppose makes perfect sense all things considering).

David's Thoughts: This week’s Invincible Iron Man stays par for the course, bringing remarkably intelligent scripting from Matt Fraction and stunning pencils from Salvador Larocca. This title is one of the most consistently inventive ones on the market, as from a structure standpoint and from a conceptual stance Fraction is incredible. This title has maintained the feel of one core narrative, never really losing the flow from arc to arc like so many titles.

My one complaint about this issue, which finds Tony Stark in a coma and those closest to him (Thor, Captain America/Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanova, Maria Hill and Pepper Potts) being given an audience to a holographic form of Stark and being left with a decision as to whether or not they should revive Stark. That complaint is Pepper Potts reaction to reviving Stark, which rings horribly untrue. If it weren’t for that, this issue would be an unequivocal success. As is, it still is a resounding one.

Gil's Thoughts: In the first chapter of Iron Man: Disassembled, we get a sort of mea culpa of sorts from Tony Stark. He apologizes and comes clean about the different sins he’s committed against his own peers in Thor and Captain America. It’s a really heartfelt and emotionally captivating, so it’s understandable why there isn’t much in the way of acting. This is writing at its finest, no matter what genre you prefer.

The book is worth it just for the sight of Cap and Thor (well, Donald Blake) coming together to save the man who “betrayed” them. There really isn’t much to say other than it’s up there with the top books in the business today. Read it if you aren’t already.

Brandon's Thoughts: First thing I noticed about this book is the brilliant cover. While I have seen the image for months now I was still in awe of the new trade dress for this title. It’s very simple and gorgeous. I am happy with the new look and I hope it sticks around for some time to come.

The issue itself looked good as usual and read even better. The idea of Stark digging in his own head while his body lies in a vegetative state is presented here as Stark literally digging. Matt Fraction continues to show why he’s the best Iron Man writer around at this point in time. His grasp of this character really shines during Stark’s speech to those gathered around his hospital bed. He lays out Stark’s thoughts on recent years events in away that continues his path of redemption without compromising Stark’s beliefs and actions that backed them since Civil War.

The issue also does a great job of placing the Iron Man Saga in the back so that this great jumping on point of an issue becomes an even better one. For new readers its years of reading condensed to under ten pages. While I am a long time reader of comics I still find the Sagas interesting and informative.

Go out there and read this title. You won’t be sorry I promise.

MATT'S REVIEWS

Powers #1
Oh, the return of Powers. How glorious. Ever since I finished the first volume I had been highly anticipating the return of this title. I believe I shared most of my excitement with you this past Friday with my recommendation! And boy, you guys have no ideas what kind of trouble I went through to find this first issue. It was odd. None the less, I immediately ran home and devoured the issue.

I gotta say - in comparison to the other openings, this was a bit slow. We began with our new character (the replacement to Deena) Enki Sunrise chasing down a Powers Junkie, and we're shown exactly how the time has shifted between then and now. There's a cure for the Powers virus and all cops get it mandatorily. While it still exists, it's no longer the threat it was, so it's not just an open ended mystery. What we do have, however, is a brand new murder for a character related to Walker's past. The past openings to volumes have been really action packed, so it was a surprise to see an opening so held back. What we do have however is a further exploration to the wild and mysterious past of Christian Walker, and this is very unexpected. I mean, we all have our assumptions of the man, but this paints him in a much more negative light than we've had in the past. Needless to say, with this look into Walker's past coupled with the ending? This is once again a great start to Bendis' best title.

Of course Bendis is right at home with the characters here. As different as Walker here is, it doesn't seem so incredibly out of place, mainly because Bendis has such a great grip on the character. Through out the entire book in fact, Walker is back to his old brooding self we saw in the earliest issues of Powers. Plus, Sunrise (who we'd had no real interaction with before) has now brought herself more into the picture, and we're beginning to get more an idea of who she is. I look forward to seeing her character fleshed out in further issues, and while she's no Deena it is still a rather interesting point.

Oh, and how about that artwork from Oeming? If that isn't an amazing step up I don't know what else is. We've constantly seen him evolving and becoming a better artist, but this book is just phenomenal. Every character is so amazingly well shaped, and all of his backgrounds are incredibly lush. In fact, the tonality of this book is even better than the artwork of the previous sects. I believe this is the most spot on he's been in doing this book, if only because I think now he truly understands his characters and their shapes. Walker has certainly slimmed down a bit to say the least, but it looks wonderful.

So what you have is a slow but exciting first issue to a wonderful series now returned. I am very excited to see where the book is going to go from here, and I'd highly recommend checking it out. Granted, it would be best to read volume 1 and 2 before you get into volume 3, but who am I to judge? It is better to buy a first issue now rather than to have missed out on this great book in the future. And it's worth it for the letter column in the back alone, really.

Final Verdict: Buy it

(For those wondering, my Powers story is: went to my comic book store as usual but they didn't have any copies. I was shocked. When I asked if they had already sold out, I was told that Diamond screwed up and wouldn't be shipping Powers until Friday. I was upset. I decided to call a different branch of this store that was somewhat equidistant from me, with the point to ask them to hold a copy for Friday. I was asked if I was trying to punk the show, because they had plenty of copies. So I ran to the store, and Brian Michael Bendis approved.)

New Mutants #7
The last time I bought New Mutants, I was blown away. I've been quietly enjoying the book since it first came back, and I've chosen to read it because I like to read almost everything that comes out. I did note that I did not read New Mutants when they first existed though, so the characters did not hold sentimental value to me as they did others. I just thought it was well written and I enjoyed the series. The last issue of the book blew me away with it's characterization and it's ability to show to new readers like myself the relationship between current characters and situations. So I decided that New Mutants was definitely still a book to follow up.

Well, while this week was not as good or as mind blowing as the last, it still is very much a highly entertaining read. Necrosha is no Blackest Night, but the way it's been handling it's dead certainly is interesting, as this week's issue features the return of the Hellions in a shocking move. It also included a visit from the Devil. So how about that? While this week didn't hit the same notes as the last week, I really loved the action sequences of the story. They felt well plotted out to me and flowed very well, especially when the Hellions attacked and kidnaped Doug. While the story is taking a bit of an odd turn, I'm excited to see the following conclusion next week, because while the book has been good so far, these two issues have made for a really great arc, and have proven to be a really good tie-in with Necrosha. I think that was my biggest fear - that I'd be following Necrosha in X-Force and I'd hate it everywhere else. So far, though, the whole thing has been well wroth the individual follows, although I am a tad bit confused as to where it's all going.

What I really loved about this book, though, was the art. I am not familiar with the work of Diogenes Neves, but I've gotta say that coupled with the inks of Edgar Tadeo, this is really great. It's that sort of... Ottley-esque style I've been growing to love so much lately. The art combination of Neves and the original inker didn't flow as well as these two issues have, but Tadeo has made Neves' artwork come to life so much better. The entire book really melts in my hand as far as art, and despite what I did not get for not being a permanent New Mutants fan, the scene of Colossus and the New Mutants briefly teaming up in a two-page spread was worth the price of admission.

That being said, I'm not fully sure I can 100% endorse the purchase of the issue. I'd say if you got the last one, definitely get this. But if you didn't, and you haven't been following Necrosha all that closely, it's skippable. It's an enjoyable and well written/well drawn book, but it doesn't match the amazingness of the last issue.

Final Verdict: At least browse it

Image United #1
The first ever Image crossover. Wow. I'd be remiss as a comic book fan if I didn't at least check it out. The odd part is that the only Image title of these that I read on any sort of regular basis is Spawn. I liked Spawn when I was younger, dropped out around issue 100, and then came back during Endgame. Endgame began with the most confusing element I thought I could see, and that was Al Simmons killing himself and giving up his position as Spawn, thus leading to our new hero. Or really, our new "hero". Who knew that that would lead to the current Image United crossover? Curious.

Either way, put all of the creators together with Kirkman at the wheel, and what could go wrong, right?

Well, it's odd. I love Kirkman as a writer, and aside from his Ultimate X-Men run I've loved everything he's done. This gets added to the Ultimate X-Men run in my mind. Perhaps that's a bit harsh of a statement due to this being the one and only issue of a six part series, but it felt really lacking. This is a crossover event, yet nothing really happens. We meet our villain, Omega Spawn, but it's in a disjointed two page scene that doesn't fit in with the rest of the tale. On top of that, the rest of the story seems oddly and barely connected. We don't even get an actual appearance from Witchblade. It's mostly just Youngblood through the whole thing. Well, them and Fortress, who is our new hero (unless I really just don't know Image comics as well as I thought I did). The whole story just feels... lacking. And then we get to the last page, and everyone is staring off into the distance with "Oh my God..." faces... and we get nothing? Maybe I'm spoiled on events from other books, but isn't something supposed to.. happen?

The genius of this title is that all the original creators will be back to draw their original creations. This is a great idea - in theory. In actuality? Well, it's interesting. On the one hand, we've got great renderings of Spawn (briefly) by Macfarlane. On the other hand, there's a bit too much Liefeld for my liking. And when you put Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon over it (which I do enjoy), it just looks... well, odd. They don't mix well to say the least. So I essentially bought my first Liefeld comic in at least a decade (excluding Deadpool #900), and while I try not to be as hateful to him as other people I know, I just really dislike his art style, so the book didn't end up panning out for me at all.

So the first issue of the first big Image crossover felt like a dud to me. However, I still 100% stand behind the idea of the book. I think that in theory the whole books premise is absolutely brilliant. And I love Spawn. Al Simmons is a classic character in my book, and I just HAVE to see how the story pans out. So I would give Image United at least a browse. While it's a slow first issue, I feel like further down the line the book has potential for it's brief six issues.

Final Verdict: At least browse it

Teen Titans #77
Wow. This has to have been my favorite Teen Titans issue in forever. I've been following the book for quite some time now, but this is without a doubt my favorite issue (except for my signed issue 1, of course!). You know why this is my favorite issue? Easy. The book stars DEATHSTROKE. Yeah, you heard me! When I grabbed it, I figured we'd see the new Teen Titans side of the Blackest Night story. It didn't make sense to me because aren't they supposed to be with everyone else fighting off the Nekron horde right now? Well, good thing the writers of the book knew that. So what did they do? They gave the book to DEATHSTROKE! YES!

Deathstroke has been my favorite Teen Titans villain. I know his premise and his story for hating the Teen Titans is a bit hokey and suspect (finishing his son's work? His son who he killed? Ok...), but you gotta love Deathstroke regardless. He's such a bad ass. And this book is no different. We've got Deathstroke fighting Rose fighting his dead Black Lantern family. It works out amazingly. And best part? They're all ninjas, so it's pure action packed goodness from beginning to end. JT Krull does an excellent job at characterizing Deathstroke and his family, and Joe Bennett's art is almost movie like. I could literally see this being played out a big screen as Deathstroke stares out his window before the lightning crashes and Rose is there. It's very cinematic. This is probably my favorite Blackest Night tie-in so far.

I will admit - Teen Titans is a lower book on my tier. I don't want to read it before others often. But I'm very glad I picked this book this week. I had no idea Deathstroke was the central character and I found the whole book rewarding. It's a short read and an action packed one at that, and definitely not one you have to take too seriously. However, the characters included are great and it makes for one helluva read. If you get at least one Blackest Night tie-in, I'd recommend this for sheer bad-assery alone.

Final Verdict: Buy it

DAVID'S REVIEWS

Thor Giant-Size Finale
This issue marks the end of J. Michael Straczynski’s run on this title, which has been an exceptional one, as well as a much delayed one. Interestingly enough, this issue finds the story beginning with Bill (aka William the Warrior) from Asgard’s former home in Kansas squaring off against three Asgardian turncoats with Balder. The rest of the story deals with the ramifications of that and Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three squaring off against Doombots. For such an epic occasion and the conclusion of such an esteemed run, it felt as if not enough happens and JMS doesn’t wrap it up as well as he’d hoped.

Of course, he does have time with my favorite story point from his Thor run: the love between the mortal Bill and the Asgardian Kelda. It was always an entertaining story beat, and their fates being so intertwined and tragically loving was perhaps the only thing JMS was able to wrap up. This issue brings no resolution to Loki’s attempts to take over Asgard, as it focused more so on Doom than the trickster god. All in all, it felt like an incomplete issue and it made me wish JMS had more time to wrap it up.

I am an army of one when I say this probably, but I do not particularly love Marko Djurdjevic’s interiors. I much prefer Oliver Coipel’s work, and every time I look at this title without him I think that we’re seeing a poor man’s version. Not that his work isn’t kinetic and well drawn, it just never seems to pack the exhaustive power that his covers do. Alas, we can always get what we want, but it’s another reason why I liked, not loved this issue, which is a disappointment.

Final Verdict: Browse

Fantastic Four #573
Jonathan Hickman is the man. At this point, it’s fairly difficult to argue that I’m a borderline fanboy of his work. It’s just so damn good, and this issue finds Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, and Reed and Sue’s kids and stowaways Franklin and Valeria as they venture to Nu-Earth (from Millar and Hitch’s run) for an impromptu vacation. Given that it is the Fantastic Four it turned out to be a complete mess of a vacation as the star near Nu Earth had turned into a black hole and time had started to move faster than it was on Earth. Now the characters from Hitch and Millar’s run have taken over the planet and Ted Castle (the creator of Nu-Earth) was a freedom fighter trying to save the dwindling population.

This leads to a lot of exciting action and some pretty awesome moments. Part of Hickman’s gift is his ability to handle character moments as well as the deeply scientific and action packed ones. Inarguably my favorite page in the entire issue is this soft moment as Ted Castle sits down at a table next to Franklin after talking to the hyper intelligent Valeria about how to fix the portal to Earth and after fighting to stay alive for decades; he looks at Franklin who is eating a sandwich. Franklin casually turns to him and says “you want a sandwich?” in his innocence, to which Castle nearly breaks down and says a meek “thank you.” It’s a wonderfully touching moment and something completely unexpected to myself.

This month we have Neil Edwards penciling in the stead of Dale Eaglesham (returning the month after next), and at first glance (as I said to my comic shop’s employees) it looks as if he’s the child of Bryan Hitch and Alan Davis. It’s a wonderfully classic look and one that maintains the widescreen power Hitch would bring to the table, and as much as I love Eaglesham it was nice to see Edwards as I really enjoyed his art.

Another excellent issue from one of the most vastly improved titles of the year, and one that will be permanently entrenched towards the top of my reading title as long as it says Hickman on the cover.

Final Verdict: Buy

The Goon #33
Given that this is an issue that features exactly zero words, I’m going to keep this review brief. If you like the Goon, this issue will be greatly enjoyable. Eric Powell (creator/artist/writer of the title) does a great job of telling the tale of a troublesome new duo to Lonely Street with simply art and illustrated thought bubbles. It’s a fun romp and after the overt seriousness lately it is a welcome change. Powell’s illustrations are mostly black and white which combines very well with his new painterly style that works so well with the deep, cartoon noir look of the book.

As for everyone else, this is a terrible issue to join in on. Don’t even bother if you don’t read it.

Final Verdict: Buy if you read, pass if you don’t

Criminal: The Sinners #2
The new arc of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips exceptional noir title Criminal, called The Sinners, is shaping up to possibly be the best yet. The reason why is the nature of who main character Tracy Lawless is searching for, whose revelation at the end of the issue brings the arc to a point where we’ll inevitably see a clash of Lawless’ personal ethics and his duty as a temporary heavy for the infamous Mr. Hyde. The ambiguity of the antagonist and the reasoning behind doing what he does is going to assuredly be the crux of the rest of the arc, and I honestly cannot wait for the remainder of it if only for that moment.

The rest of the issue is of course brilliantly rendered, pitch black noir by Bru, one of the best in the business and at home as per usual within the confines of this title. His Lawless is one of his greatest creations, a fiercely intelligent brute with a checkered past that is rapidly coming back to haunt him. This arc also finds Brubaker filling the supporting cast with more well drawn characters than in the past, replacing standard noir archetypes with truly three dimensional ones that feel far more organic.

Sean Phillips is an exceptional artist and a long time favorite, but I must bring this up again: since Incognito, Phillips colorist Val Staples has been bringing down his art. Pages are layered with the neon hues of the city throughout, but these never really feel natural. The dark still screams to life on the page, but something just feels off in the coloration of their collaborations lately. I really cannot put my finger on it, but something has changed.

Regardless, this is one of the best titles on the market. If you enjoy noir, crime stories or good comics, you hopefully haven’t been missing this. If you have been, I’m envious of your ability to read this series for the first time. This issue is another stellar example, and it is part of what I hope to be the best arc of the series yet.

Final Verdict: Buy

GIL'S REVIEWS

Incredible Hercules #138
In the fledgling Incredible Hercules crossover Assault on New Olympus, we are presented with an event that seems to be running concurrently with the Siege upon Asgard. I’m wondering, is this a coincidence? Are we seeing attacks on the various gods’ homes at the same time? It’s certainly an interesting thought.

Anyway, where were we? Oh yes, the arc itself. Well, I do say it has a lot of promise (with Athena predicting Herc’s death, and Cho’s rise to take his role as the Prince of Power in the new, science-based era) and Van Lente wastes no time getting to the action. While most events lately would still be putting together set up for the upcoming battle, Hercules and company get right to it, using ancient myth to trick the Greek Gods. I for one thought it was a stroke of genius to use one of their own tricks against them, and I stand behind it. There are also some fascinating theories on just how the heroes came to be, in a similar way that Van Lente revealed why death seems to be such a revolving door in the Marvel Universe. I’m actually thinking that these two theories go hand in hand.

Speaking of these heroes, can I just say I love USAgent? The man is such a jerk, and everything Cap isn’t, but is just as good a hero as Steve Rogers. I’ve even say he had some of the best lines in the entire issue, if it weren’t for Cho.

If you couldn’t tell, I really love this book, and have ever since Herc took over during World War Hulk. It’s probably at the best it has been, because everything brought up in previous books is paying off in a serious way it seems.

Final Verdict: Buy!

New Avengers #59
If there’s one thing I REALLY love about Bendis, it’s his respect for continuity. One complaint I have for Marvel is the Oversaturation of the X-Man Wolverine. He currently stars in at least 6 books that I can count, and that’s not counting the other stuff I’m missing. Anyway, Bendis has the idea that while he’s in San Francisco dealing with Utopia X; he can’t be in New York. It’s a breath of fresh air that he’s absent. As for Immonen’s art, there’s not much I can say except that it’s really clean and pops off the page. It’s really great.

But getting on the story, I’m still not sold on the whole premise for all the issues Luke Cage has had, but it looks like it’s now a convenient plot device to get the entirety of the outlaw Avengers captured by the Dark Avengers. Which I guess is the set up for this whole Siege business. If that’s the case, it does seem like a convenient shortcut, but one I guess I can accept for now.

It’s also great to see other heroes helping out the Street Avengers when they’re in the most need. We have guest spots from everyone from Dr. Strange to Dr. Voodoo. Iron Fist to Hellcat to Daredevil. It’s a really cool visual seeing them team up like this, even if it was awkward seeing Hellcat all over Dr. strange like she was.

I’d give it a browse, at the very least, if you’re not reading, you should at least check the arc out from the beginning.

Final Verdict: Browse

Superman: Secret Origin #3
Three issues in, and there’s really not much bad I can say about it, other than it moved a little on the slow side. Each issue elaborates on a specific part of Clark’s history, and this entry is no different. While the first issue dealt with Clark as a child coming into his powers, and the second issue explored his becoming Superboy and palling around with the Legion of Super-Heroes; this issue is very similar to the beginning of the original Superman movie starring Christopher Reeve and the animated Superman cartoon from the 90’s. While it is reminiscent, it still does feel like a new telling.

Geoff Johns, who was voted the Writer of the Year according to the Spike TV SCREAM Awards (and DC will not hesitate to tell you that, as many times as possible. Ugh) is penning a book that seems to be getting the step child treatment from DC while Geoff’s other baby Blackest Night gets a majority of the buzz. I can totally understand that Blackest Night is a universe-spanning huge event, but this is every bit as good, and it’s insular, so you don’t need to read a thousand different books to “get” what’s going on.

And if anyone knows about my obsession with Gary Frank’s art, I don’t have to say that it’s fantastic, and super detailed. One page was such a powerful moment, and all it showed was Clark pulling apart his shirt to reveal the iconic “S,” indicating that Superman was indeed here in Metropolis.

In short, you should be reading this. There’s no reason you shouldn’t.

Final Verdict: Buy


Uncanny X-Men #517
And now we’re onto the other Marvel Matt Fraction book on the market, Uncanny X-Men. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the book, but I’m starting to see a bit of the problems David sees in it.

Land’s art, while really nice to look at, is also really pose-y, and the women, while beautiful, fall victim to some odd poses for every day conversations, or even discussions about strategizing battle scenarios. It can throw off the events going on.

And while we’re talking about events, there are so many things going on in this book, you end up with a sort of vertigo. Off the top of my head, there is not one; but FIVE Predators X. And this results in split second battles between these monstrous behemoths and the likes of Magneto, Namor, Rogue (who all take one on by themselves, mind you.), and then the rest of X-Men. Storm appears out of nowhere, The Phoenix Force leaves The Stepford Cuckoos in an almost non-event.

In short, it’s a real mess of events. But it all happens to quickly, my head was spinning. Check it out, but only if you’re a huge X-Men fan, like me. And even then, you might be confused.

Verdict: Browse

BRANDON'S REVIEWS

Green Lantern #48
This issue sets up Blackest Night #5 and does a great job of letting you know right away, via a text box, that it is a must read before. Unfortunately, no such box appears to notify the reader in Blackest Night. This was another great issue in a long string of great issues that compose Geoff Johns run on this title and this and the characters involved.

This issue has less action and more plot development. This is something I was glad to see. I have felt that this event has been good but not greet because of its slow movement in regards to the plot. Here we finally see the Fellowship of the Rings assemble and what an assemblage it is. I am interested to see where they all go and who survives post Blackest Night. I am almost inclined to believe that we are looking at the new Guardians. The figure heads for their individual light. Now it’s a matter of seeing what this white light deal is all about.

Larfleeze gets some time to shine or annoy depending on which camp you fall into. I personally found Larfleeze to be enjoyable and just Golem enough to not be Golem this time around. While not the best part of this issue he did add a sort of comedic touch to an otherwise dark story.

Sinestro and Hal Jordan’s interactions are of high caliber here. Sinestro makes more than a few points that are hard to argue with. Sinestro has grown into an amazingly deeper character in the last few years than he has ever been in his entire history. His and Hal’s battles should only become more epic as the years pass now that he is less of a mustache twirling baddie and more of a character with beliefs and motivations.

This is an integral issue to the Blackest Night event and really establishes the plot as it is going into Blackest Night #5. If you’re reading that I assume you’re reading this but if for some reason you aren’t you should be as it is the largest part of the Green Lantern side of this event which has been at times hijacked by the other parts of the DCU.

Final Verdict: Buy this if you love life.

Blackest Night #5
Best issue yet of the five issues released so far besides maybe the first issue. You really get to see the plot moving along. It also becomes a Green Lantern title again and less a Flash title. The focus of the issues belongs predominantly to the Black Lanterns and the color spectrum Lanterns trying to get a defensive stop as the Black Lanterns progress steadily in their nefarious plans.

My only complaint and it isn’t a big one is that there was no text box letting you know that you should read Green Lantern first in this like there was in Blackest Night. While it isn’t a big deal it would leave one wondering where they missed a fairly important part of the story. Why not put the box in both titles instead of just one? Seems lazy to me.

The various Lanterns in the various double page spreads look incredible thanks to Ivan Reis’ gorgeous artwork. Everything here looks shiny yet gritty. It’s the perfect mix for a horror movie superhero event. The last few pages with a certain guy whose name rhymes with Hatman looks incredible as well under the pencil of Reis.

The ending of this issue is the kind that leaves you wanting more in a real bad way. It makes good on a promise that all the resurrections of various DC characters would make sense coming out of this. It actually leaves a foundation to halt the revolving door of death at least in the DC neck of the woods.

This title is now picking up steam and despite it’s slow start continues to be an excellent must read. If you aren’t picking this title up you must hate yourself.

Final Verdict: Buy! Buy! Buy!

Amazing Spider-Man #612
The reinvention of Electro continues here and it is pretty sweet. His new costume is better than the old one but still not the greatest but the evolution of his powers makes him a legitimate threat and helps to reestablish the strength of Spider-Man’s rogue gallery. This is just the beginning of the Gauntlet that has been said to be the revisiting of the greatest rogues in Spidey’s gallery and establishing them all as super threats where some had become jokes in previous years. Electro and more importantly the fans walk away benefiting from this issue. If a stronger villain makes a better hero than Spidey is about to take it up a notch.

I really enjoy the art here from Paul Azaceta. I’m not familiar with his work but he has shined the last two issues and in particular this issue. The shot of Electro hooked up to the electric machine that is amping him up is a great iconic shot for the character that wouldn’t work as well under a different artist. I sincerely hope to see more of Azaceta’s art on Spidey and maybe even X-Factor where I think he would be a great fit.

If Electro gets this kind of increase in power and stature imagine what the team behind Amazing will do with other characters like Mysterio and Rhino. This is a great start for the Gauntlet story that I hope can run the distance all the way to the end.

Final Verdict: Buy

Justice Society Of America #33
This is both the end of a storyline and the beginning of something big for the JSA. After this issue the JSA splits into two books and the way we get there is fluid and welcomed. The division of the team is something that began back in the Geoff Johns run and now at the end of this issue reaches the only logical conclusion.

The spilt of the teams results in two drastically different teams but yet both stay very strong. Are you a fan of the younger legacy characters of the JSA? There’s a title for you. Are you a fan of the older characters? There’s a title for you as well. Both teams include enough great characters to warrant picking up two different titles.

This issue itself though provides high action and the destruction of an iconic landmark. It also gives us the return of an evil character that was there the whole arc. Fans of the character may not be a huge group but there will be enough like myself that smack themselves in the head and think they should have figured it out. It’s a great twist that is left open to be built upon. People who aren’t clear on who the character is probably wont appreciate it as much. If you’re one of those people trust me it’s pretty cool and may I suggest Salvation Run as a great place to fall in love with the character.

Final Verdict: Buy it!

From us, to you!

Except you.

Earlier in November, I thought it was curious that Jonathan Hickman had posted the following tweet given the current nature of the Marvel Universe.

At this point, I simply refuse to type S.H.I.E.L.D. in my scripts. I'm not doing it any longer. Forget it.

It was interesting in that SHIELD does not exist in the current set up, and even with Siege coming it didn't seem likely to come back over night. We now know why he made that tweet, as yesterday Blair Butler announced on her Fresh Ink feature on G4's Attack of the Show that Hickman will be taking us on an adventure into the secret history of SHIELD (meaning well before Nick Fury) and the Marvel Universe in April 2010's SHIELD mini. What does that mean for us? Historical figures, fighting Galactus and Celestials, high concepts, and assuredly sumptuous art from Dustin Weaver (not to mention that stunning cover from Gerald Parel at the top).

Hickman has been quoted as saying that this "feels like the best thing I've done," which from the illustrious scribe of The Nightly News, Fantastic Four, and Secret Warriors says a lot. All of us at Multiversity (or at least I assume so) are very, very excited for the release of this project.

Watch the clip from Attack of the Show after the jump, as there are shots of stunning artwork from Weaver in the video.

Game Reviews - E3 2010 - Fresh Ink