Category Archives: Comics
The Worst Thing to Ever Happen in Comics Has Just Happened
I don’t even know if I have the guts to share this with you good people. It has rocked me to my core. I realize that comic books are an always-changing landscape, that the only constant is change. But this new change in the last issue of X-23 is something I cannot abide.
Gabby has changed her name from “Honey Badger” to “Scout”.
Is nothing sacred anymore? Does nothing matter? Have we not souls? Why has Marvel Comics forsaken us like this?
Gabby is a great character, full of fun energy and youthful spirit. And as a clone twice removed from Wolverine, when she was given the name “Honey Badger”, it was like the clouds parted and all was right with the world. It was the most perfectly crafted codename in the history of comic books. It was like we didn’t even know a part of Gabby was missing when we read her adventures in All-New Wolverine, and then the name was revealed and it fit so perfectly that all was right with the world.
But now she’s abandoning that name in favorite of “Scout” and I want to cry out to the uncaring Heavens that we have been forsaken. Scout?! Are you kidding me? What a stupid and boring name! It’s worse than Laura switching from Wolverine back to X-23. Scout?! It doesn’t mean anything!!
What’s even worse is that this change comes at the very end of the very last issue of the current X-23 comic. It’s been a relatively fun comic these past 12 issues, but I assume it’s being cancelled for a reason. So it’s not like “Scout” is going to even use her new name. Can you not just accept cancellation with some dignity? Must you claw and scratch at every good thing on your way out, scarring something beautiful before you go?
This is like graffiti on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. As if someone had knocked the head off the statue of David.
Why don’t we just set the Mona Lisa on fire while we’re at it?
Scout?! What the fuck.
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6 Other Superhero Growers
Once upon a time, I wrote a List of Six about other superhero shrinkers because it fit with the release of the Ant-Man and the Wasp movie. Well this week will see the release of Godzilla: King of the Monsters and I wanted to do something big! So here’s a nice companion piece about other comic book characters who can grow as big as Godzilla!
That’s the money shot
I say ‘other’ because I’m discounting Giant-Man and the Atom, the two most well-known growers in comics. Everybody knows those two, and all the Ant-Man/Yellowjacket/Wasp/Stature equivalents. I wanted to spotlight the other growing comic book characters! It’s also in minor celebration of writer Leah Williams’ Giant-Man comic book series, which sees a new issue this week!
Join me after the jump for the lesser known embiggening superheroes!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 5/25/19
Man, there are a ton of really great, meaningful comics this week. Nothing that really got me on the edge of my seat, more like just a bunch of deeply foundational, character-driven comics that really play up with the deep benches these comics have developed. I love that!
Comic Book of the Week was hard to decide, because both Unstoppable Wasp and Tony Stark – Iron Man had such strong issues. But I’m going to give it to the new issue of Runaways, for a wonderful, character-driven issue with a lot of good drama and humor!
New member already making himself useful!
Meanwhile, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is coming to an end! What a damn shame! Ryan North is ending the comic on his terms because it’s what he wants to do, this isn’t a cancellation. But still. Man. What a total bummer. That comic is brilliant! I’m gonna have to save up and buy all the tpbs just to double own the comic!
Double meanwhile, Tom King is getting kicked off Batman before he can finish his epic story. I’m sorry to hear that! King’s Batman has been my favorite Batman comic in a long time. I think it’s great! I’m always surprised to read online that people don’t like it.
Comic Reviews: Action Comics #1011, Mr & Mrs X #11, Runaways #21, Tony Stark – Iron Man #11 and Unstoppable Wasp #8.
I Love Me Some Robins!
Longtime Henchies know that I’m a big fan of Robin. He’s one of my all-time favorite superheroes. And now animated fun guy Noah Sterling has used his nifty YouTube channel to run through the history of all the Robins. Fun times!
Yeah, the history of the Robins is weird. But fundamentally, Robin is awesome. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Also, since this video was made, I think DC is retconning their retcon and Stephnie Brown did serve as Robin. It’s confusing, but important to note.
Double also, while I’m on the subject, I’m starting to wonder if my disinterest in DC Comics as a whole these days has anything to do with the lack of a fundamental Robin. The team of Batman and Robin hasn’t been a thing for a while now. Damian Wayne is, technically, the current Robin, but he hasn’t been his father’s sidekick for years. He’s off running the Teen Titans and hanging out with Superman’s son. Tim Drake has been retconned back to being Robin, but he’s also been his own man for a while, and now he’s running Young Justice. Duke Thomas became Batman’s new partner, but DC went and gave him super-powers and made him The Signal instead, and now he’s a member of the Outsiders.
So DC simply does not have a Batman and Robin team, which is really disappointing. As much as I love Robin, I mostly love him in the context of being Batman’s partner. So I dunno, I think I’m just griping. Fun video, at least.
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My Favorite Symbiotes Are Coming Back!
There’s a whole bunch of stuff going on with Venom and Carnage in comics these days, and I’m not reading any of it. My interest in these characters only goes so far, and I’m not particularly interested in whatever weird new retcons are being established. Marvel retcons the origin of the symbiotes over and over again and I just don’t care about their origins.
Whatever the case may be, there’s a big Carnage-themed event coming to Marvel this summer, and it’s going to bring back Scream and the Separation Anxiety symbiotes!
Scream needs to fight Medusa
Scream is my favorite of the Marvel symbiotes. Venom and Carnage are great and all, but there was just something about the awesome look of the first female symbiote that stuck with me back in the 90s. I’ve got the action figure, I thought she should have been the villain in the Venom movie; Scream is really cool.
So it was a shame that she was unceremoniously killed a couple years back as part of yet another Venom/symbiote revival.
Apparently she’s going to get better…
Well now she’s coming back for a 3-part tie-in to this Absolute Carnage event, written by Cullen Bunn and drawn by Gerardo Sandoval. That’s pretty neat. Considering how many times Cletus Kasady has come back from the dead, I wonder if they’ll bring Scream’s original host, Donna Diego. I’ll grant you that she’s barely a character, but as a comic book fan, I love what I love.
The twirly face thing is part of the new retcon
Along with Scream, the other four symbiotes from Separation Anxiety are also getting their own one-shot tie-in, from Clay McLeod Chapman and Brian Level. I love these symbiotes as well, though I mostly liked it when they combined to create the totally 90s-inspired Hybrid. Since then, those symbiotes have been part of a military strike team, then they came together again onto a dog, which was part of a Deadpool comic.
Now they’re back on their own again for this event!
Look everybody, it’s the star of the Venom movie: Riot! Which one is Riot? Please, like you even need to ask.
So we’ll see how it goes! I honestly think this is going to be another one of those Big Event comics from Marvel wherein I only read a couple of the tie-ins and not the event itself. I just don’t care what new retcon they’ve given Carnage.
Also, what’s with Marvel constantly resurrecting the 90s these days? Age of Apocalypse becomes Age of X-Man? Maximum Carnage becomes Absolute Carnage? Either that or just straight-up stealing ideas from DC Comics…
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Henchman-4-Hire 