Yearly Archives: 2013
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 9/21/13
I wish I knew the rules for Villains Month when DC started handing out the assignments. There doesn’t seem to be any real point to all these issues, other than just existing to fulfill the marketing gimmick. Some of them have been origin stories. Some of them have been direct tie-ins to Forever Evil #1. And some of them have just be short and sweet villain showcases. Some have been really good, and some have been outright garbage. There doesn’t appear to be any rhyme or reason. And I would have really liked to have known that going in.
Fortunately, this week is mostly good issues – if we don’t count Deathstroke #1. Double fortunately, Marvel Comics is still going very strong. There’s another solid chapter of Battle of the Atom, though I found the issue a little…disconcerting. You’ll see why. I also liked Infinity a bit more than usual. So that’s a plus. But Comic of the Week has to go to Thor: God of Thunder #13, for being its usual awesome self! It even finds a fun way to incorporate an obvious movie-tie-in villain without seeming too gratuitous.
Though if I’m being fair, Moment of the Week has to go to Black Hand #1, when Black Hand’s zombie army faces off against a squadron of police officers.
Comic Reviews: Black Hand #1, Cheetah #1, New Avengers #10, Infinity #3, Penguin #1, The Rogues #1, Thor: God of Thunder #13, and Uncanny X-Men #12.
Conan O’Brien Reviews Grand Theft Auto V
I took the day off from work today so I could stay home and play Grand Theft Auto V. The game is awesome so far, and I think Conan O’Brien agrees!
I love Clueless Gamer! These are hilarious. If you’ve got some time to kill and want to laugh, browse through and watch Conan try to play video games.
Review: Teen Titans #23.2
I have no idea why this issue exists. I especially don’t understand why it’s labeled under the ‘Teen Titans’ banner. And after reading Deathstroke #1, I’m quite convinced that DC really pulled this one out of their butts at the last minute. This is garbage on paper, and as such, I’m not going to give it a full review. It’s just not worth my time. At least Trigon #1 was a stark realization in how much Marv Wolfman likes Demon Rape. Deathstroke #1 is just pointless. If you’ll recall, there already was a Deathstroke #1 back at the start of the New 52. He had his own series! Slade Wilson was a badass mercenary anti-hero, but the book didn’t sell, so it was quickly cancelled. Then DC tried to make due with a Team 7 book starring Deathstroke, which was also cancelled.
Deathstroke #1
So why the hell they gave him a Villains Month issue is beyond me. The guy isn’t a villain. Nor does he have anything to do with the Teen Titans. And if this issue is indicative of what came before, I can see why both previous Deathstroke series were cancelled.
Comic Rating: 2/10 – Very Bad.
Like I said, I never read an issue of Deathstroke or Team 7. I don’t know anything about the New 52 version of Deathstroke – other than the fact that he has nothing to do with the Teen Titans. That part of his history has been completely wiped clean. So forget that he was the main villain for the Teen Titans cartoon show. New 52 Slade has nothing to do with the Teen Titans. And they don’t appear in this issue. Even though this is Teen Titans #23.2, it has nothing to do with the Teen Titans whatsoever. Frankly, this is the worst Villains Month issue I have read so far. I haven’t read all of them, but surely there isn’t anything worse than Deathstroke #1. It’s just not a good comic, let alone an origin story or a character profile. I hated Bizarro, I hated Trigon, and I thought most of the others were pretty pointless. But Deathstroke #1 is just abysmal.
Join me after the jump for a little bit of synopsis and further review. But I’m not giving this issue the full treatment. I have better things to do with my life.
6 Things Disney Needs To Do With Their Marvel and Star Wars Licenses
As you can probably easily surmise, I am not the CEO of any Fortune 500 companies, nor do I have any sort of business acumen whatsoever. So I have no idea what goes into licensing deals, copyright agreements or ownership of beloved companies and franchises. What I am, however, is some schmuck who manages to string words and sentences together into a pop culture blog enjoyed by dozens every day. So if anyone is in a position to tell the overlords at Disney what to do with their Marvel and Star Wars properties, it’s me. Clearly.
Over the past few years, Disney has been on some kind of tirade, gobbling up several famous and beloved franchises to add to their already sizable pop culture family. Disney now owns The Muppets, Marvel Comics and Star Wars, among others. And while I have no idea what this means in the long run, I at least know that these companies and creations will have the support of the world’s largest entertainment empire. That’s got to mean a lot for longevity, right? We also know that Disney hasn’t rushed to dilute the purity and awesomeness of these brands. They don’t seem to want to interfere unless it’s too help. I can definitely get behind that.
But I can also get behind a greater exploitation of these brands. Because I am a man who built his own toy lightsaber at Disney World and have proudly displayed it on my wall. So here are 6 suggestions from little old me about what Disney should and could do with their Marvel and Star Wars properties.
The Fox is the Most Mysterious Creature in the Forest
This is kind of insane, but it’s the perfect day to share such insanity.
If you want to know what the heck you just watched, ask Ylvis. As for me, I’ll be spending the whole rest of the day playing Grand Theft Auto V, like a good human being. Thank you and good day.
Henchman-4-Hire 