Yearly Archives: 2013
Review: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Pilot
This is the world we live in now, and I couldn’t be a happier geek. There is a weekly live action TV drama set in the Marvel Universe, starring (some) characters from the comics, with the potential to show off even more down the line. You just know Disney is going to move Heaven and Earth to get Robert Downey Jr. or Samuel L. Jackson to visit Agents of SHIELD for Sweeps Week. But for the first episode, they’ve got to rely on Joss Whedon, Agent Phil Coulson and a cast of never-before-seen super spies to keep their audience entertained – and I say they succeed.
Agents of SHIELD doesn’t achieve greatness in its pilot, but then which shows ever do? At least this Marvel Universe show is off to a good start, with the right mix of action, humor, cool characters and references to the larger world. What more could a geek like me ask for?
TV Rating: 7/10 – Good!
I was not disappointed with the premiere of Agents of SHIELD, but I also wasn’t overly thrilled. If this was just any other spy procedural, I doubt I’d come back for even the second episode. But this isn’t just any other spy show. This is Agents of SHIELD, starring actual characters from the Marvel Movieverse and flinging comic book references at us left and right. And it’s produced by Joss Whedon, the patron saint of amazing, geeky television. Whedon even wrote and directed the pilot, and his wit and cleverness are on full display. The Whedon shows I’ve seen – Firefly, Dollhouse and a few seasons of Angel – are some of the best TV I have ever watched, and I have nothing but faith in Agents of SHIELD find its feet and produce some amazing television in the long run.
Few shows get their pilot absolutely perfect, and we can probably expect at least a few seasons of Agents of SHIELD.
I liked the pilot episode. The characters all seem pretty cool so far, though it may take some time for them to grow on me. I think I’m a little curmudgeony these days when it comes to new TV shows. Clark Gregg’s return as Agent Phil Coulson is great, though I’m not sold on the idea of him playing anything beyond dryly sardonic. He has one scene where he has to raise his voice to scold/motivate an underling, and I just don’t think he pulled it off. The rest of the cast is good, and I especially liked the science duo of Fitz and Simmons. But everyone else – for now – falls into the category of being too TV beautiful to take seriously quite yet. Everyone other than Gregg is a stunningly handsome or beautiful person filling standard TV roles. So hopefully their personalities and character arcs will expand as the series moves forward.
Join me after the jump for the full review.
New She-Hulk Comic To Fill Our Need of Superhero Lawyering
Marvel announced today a new She-Hulk comic to debut in February, and to once again focus on her legal career. Writer Charles Soule, one of comics’ up and comers, spoke with USA Today about the project. He’ll be teamed with artist Javier Pulido. I’m pleased to hear about this series. I like She-Hulk well enough, and I love the idea of another comic focusing on her misadventures in the legal profession.
I like the first cover, so there’s that
As many of you may know, the last time She-Hulk had a series, it was written by Dan Slott, and it was all about She-Hulk working for a wacky law firm. I really enjoyed that comic, though I stopped reading towards the end. I enjoyed Slott’s humor and some of the artists. I don’t have enough experience with Soule’s work to know how he’ll do. Apparently he’s also a lawyer, like She-Hulk, so maybe his expertise will really up the quality of the stories. And Pulido was the fill-in artist for Hawkeye, so we know he’s got the chops to bring a realistic series like this to the page.
Says Soule in the interview:
“She-Hulk has always been a title where weird, cool things can happen. She is a strong — very strong — female character, and comics absolutely cannot have too many of those. That hypothetically means I get to do interesting things myself. Plus, she’s brainy, which always appeals to me, but she doesn’t always make the best decisions — and that’s a combination that’s ripe for drama.”
So it basically sounds like a run-of-the-mill She-Hulk series, which I’m all for. We’ll see how it goes!
Review: Saga #14
I’m in Heaven. Reading a book like Saga #14 reminds me why I love comics. It reminds me why I want to be a writer. Saga #14 makes me feel good about myself. And it underlines why I will always value creativity and originality over the reality TV/celebrity adoration schlock that fills the world these days. Saga #14, and Saga the series as a whole, is pure, unadulterated narrative joy. If comics were a drug, Saga would be the greatest high possible.
Saga #14
Saga #14 is still in the middle of the current chapter, but all of the relationships and back stories that Brian K. Vaughn built up at the start of the series are paying off in ways I couldn’t have dreamed possible.
Comic Rating: 9/10 – Great!
The only reason Saga #14 doesn’t have a perfect score is just because I’m still figuring out the criteria for a perfect score. Also, this issue is almost entirely transition. We’re still catching up to Saga #12, and nothing too big storywise happens in this issue. I’m singing Saga #14’s praises almost entirely on the strength of its characters, the dialogue and the scenes that put them together. Vaughn and artist Fiona Staples have created an amazing fictional world and a truly magical cast of characters. I love reading Saga.
This issue also contains the best Lying Cat scene of the series so far. And considering all the great Lying Cat scenes, that’s saying a lot. If the scene doesn’t at least put a smile on your face, you’re a robot.
I have no idea where Saga is going. Is there going to be a battle? Are they going to end the war? Based on little Hazel’s narration, the world stretches far into the future, but I’m sure the series will end long before that. None of the characters or plots are permanent. Prince Robot IV could be killed in the very next issue and I would completely buy that as part of the story. Not even Marko and Alana are safe. That’s a scary proposition, but when the issues are this good, it’s also thrilling.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Gotham Central TV Show to Become a Reality
This is exciting news, because it once again means someone out there in TV Land is reading my blog. It seems that FOX has committed to producing Gotham, a series about Commissioner Gordon as a detective on the mean streets of Gotham City. According to Deadline, the show will focus on Gordon and the early lives of Gotham City’s famous super-villains. I’m also just going to assume that the show will include other members of the GCPD, essentially making it Gotham Central the show!
He’s getting to old for this
For those who don’t know, Gotham Central was a short-lived comic book series from DC a few years ago that told the story of the Major Crimes Unit in the GCPD. It focused on the detectives who investigate all the super-crime in Gotham, and the trials and tribulations that come with living in Batman’s shadow and going up against guys like the Joker. According to the article, the show is not going to include Batman, which, of course, is insane. Why would you not include Batman!? What is this ridiculous belief that viewers won’t be able to tell the difference between TV Batman and movie Batman? Or is it a legal thing? Isn’t Batman owned by Warner Bros? Why can’t they rule for themselves that Batman can appear in both movies and TV shows!?
One of the best parts of Gotham Central was that Batman (and Robin) were always out there in the shadows, as if looking over the detectives shoulders. But, of course, that’s not the only draw of Gotham Central. The terror that comes from investigating guys like the Joker and Two-Face was really a major part of the comic. Hopefully they can infuse that into this new show.
All of them are way too old for this
And I would just look to point out that I had Gotham Central at the top of my list for Comic Books that Should Become TV Shows. So once again my blog is at the cutting edge of pop culture ideas. And any studio executives who want to use some of the other suggestions on my list, go right ahead. I don’t mind.
Hopefully, if Gotham is a success and leads to multiple seasons, DC and Warner Bros. will understand the benefit of introducing Batman. And if they did, I wouldn’t really want them to show Batman anyway. Imagine a whole season where Gordon and his people are haunted by some shadowy vigilante and strange claims of a man who looks like a demon bat. Now that would be good television!
6 Best GTA Easter Eggs in Grand Theft Auto V
I love Easter Eggs in video games. They’re fun, friendly and a great way for game developers to wink at their fans. And the good people at Rockstar love Easter Eggs just as much as me, filling their franchise games with Bigfoots, UFOs and – best of all – references to their other games.
Easter has come early
Grand Theft Auto V has been out for a week now, and fans are checking every nook and cranny for the best Easter Eggs. The ones I love the most are the references to previous GTA games. I love the feeling of each game existing in this larger, shared universe. So like the giddy gamer I am, I’ve gathered together the six best crossover cameos in Grand Theft Auto V!
Henchman-4-Hire 