Yearly Archives: 2013
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 8/10/13
Brace yourselves, Phil Urich fans, because the proverbial poop has hit the fan. I can’t be the only Phil fan on the Internet, right? Surely some of you must have read the glorious mid-90s Green Goblin series? Right? Please? Either way, I read it, and this is my blog, so strap in for the start of what will no doubt be a bumpy, two-issue ride. Will Dan Slott kill off one of my favorite characters of all time? Or will Phil Urich somehow do something incredibly amazing that reaffirms my love of all things comic books?
We’ll have to wait and see. This week’s Superior Spider-Man is only Part 1.
And I think that Part 1 deserves Comic Book of the Week, even though it’s up against some stiff competition. The second issue of Superior Foes of Spider-Man is just as good, if not better, than the first, and also features a surprise appearance of one of my other all-time favorite comic book characters. Likewise, we get solid stories from All-New X-Men and Green Lantern. I also decided to try out J. Michael Straciznski’s new series Sidekick, from Image. It’s an alright start, and I’m going to try to keep it in rotation to see where it goes. Even if it represents one of the things I hate most about comic books.
But nothing else this week holds a candle to Boomerang’s imaginary fight with his annoying lawyer.
Lawyers, amiright?
Comic Reviews: All-New X-Men #15, Avengers #17, Green Lantern #23, Sidekick #1, Superior Foes of Spider-Man #2, and Superior Spider-Man #15.
I Like Weird Things, and That Includes ‘Bee and Puppycat’
Oh wow, has the Internet delivered! The second episode of Bee and Puppycat is online, and it’s an utter delight.
So Bee and Puppycat is made by Natasha Allegri, who has worked on Adventure Time, another show I love. And you can clearly see the Adventure Time influence in Bee and Puppycat. My love for these little shorts is hard to explain. Bee and Puppycat is insane…but it’s an adorable kind of insane. And if something is adorable, it can pretty much get away with anything. But there’s another level where Bee, the main character, is also kind of realistic. She may be on this wild adventure, but she’s also awkward and neurotic, adding to the utter cuteness of the whole thing. Plus her voice is just fantastic.
Bee and Puppycat may be my new favorite Internet thing. And you can watch the first episode after the jump.
Review: X-Factor #260
Whoa! Talk about cliffhangers! We’ve only got two issues left before the big finale, and writer Peter David hits us with a doozy of a revelation. I’ll spoil what happens in the synopsis, but just know that this might not actually be the ‘End of X-Factor’. We still don’t know what PAD’s next project at Marvel is going to be…but it looks like he might be dropping hints already. And I’m quite excited. Beyond that, X-Factor #260 is a good issue and a nice exploration of Polaris. Unfortunately, she’s had very little time to make an impression, so her goodbye isn’t that strong. But PAD once again does a respectable job saying goodbye (maybe) to one of his cast members.
X-Factor #260
The guest appearance by Quicksilver is awesome though.
Comic Rating: 7/10 – Good.
I have made my peace with the X-Factor‘s cancellation. And I’ve come to accept that it’s no longer the title I once loved. X-Factor settled into a calm, gentle sort of quality over the past few years. The issues are always entertaining and consistently good, but never great, and rarely do they say or do anything new. PAD writes some great characters, the art has always been quality; it’s just that the premise and the stories have all been kind of mediocre. Especially when compared to some of the other comics out there right now, especially at Marvel. It turns out that Marvel NOW! really did shake things up for my favorite publisher. There are so many great books at Marvel these days that I really have to step back and accept that X-Factor just isn’t one of them. Not anymore. It’s good, but it’s not Marvel NOW! good.
Also, personally, I miss the private investigators angle. That was a great premise for this comic, but hasn’t really been around in forever.
I like Polaris. I was really excited to see what PAD could do with her in the pages of X-Factor, and I’m disappointed that he’s run out of time. He had the beginnings of some good characterization, but never really got around to giving Polaris any storylines. She was kind of just there being gruff and stuff. So when the time comes to say goodbye, it’s basically just Polaris sitting around being gruff and stuff. It works for the character, it works for the issue, and it works as a goodbye. Polaris’ farewell actually even ties in with a goodbye to X-Factor as a whole, so that’s nice. The issue also features a cameo appearance by Quicksilver, and that kind of works to wrap-up his X-Factor appearances from a few years ago. That’s an unexpected plus.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
New Thor: The Dark World Trailer!
Hey gang, it’s a random Wednesday, so how about a new, full-length trailer for Thor: The Dark World?
I think the movie still looks pretty cool. I like the idea of Jane Foster being transported to Asgard, and it looked like Idris Elba gets to do more than just stand at the end of the Rainbow Bridge looking majestic.
And clearly the movie is playing up Loki as much as possible. People love Loki. When I went a panel for The Avengers movie at NYC Comic-Con before it came out, and a bunch of the actors were on stage taking questions, about 90% of the questions were for Tom HIddleston. People love Loki! So here’s hoping he has an awesome role to play in the new film.
No sign yet of Beta Ray Bill.
My 6 Tips for Attending Comic-Con
I love attending comic book conventions. I’ve been to four in the past five years, visiting places like Boston, Baltimore and New York City, and each time has been a blast. I never thought I’d ever get to go to a Con, but thanks to some eager friends and the freedom of being a grown up, I get to dress up and geek out at these big, nerdtacular jamborees!
Always ogling
I wrote about my trip to the Boston Comic-Con yesterday, and I’ve written before on what I love most about comic conventions, so this time I’ve decided to give some advice about attending Comic-Con. First of all, definitely go. They’re relatively inexpensive, and if you’re into comics and pop culture, there’s nothing else like them. Second of all, conventions have reached the point of mainstream appeal. No longer are they ridiculed covens of dorks and weirdos. It is cool to go to Comic-Con. Everybody is going to want to hear about your trip.
So if you’re thinking about going, here is my personal advice about attending a comic book convention.
Henchman-4-Hire 