Category Archives: Comics
Review: Teen Titans #29
I am as surprised as anybody to declare that Teen Titans #29 ain’t half bad. Actually, maybe that’s going a little too easy on it. Let’s just say that Teen Titans #29 is not the train wreck that most issues have been. It helps that nobody does anything else stupid in this issue. Possibly because the story is about everyone reacting to all the stupid things they did in the last issue – and boy, those were some stupid things. Instead, Teen Titans does what I’ve always wanted it to do: slow down and treat these characters like real people who have real conversations and real lives. That these conversations and lives occur a thousand years in the future in the middle of some weirdly pro-Evil Empire war is just the price one must pay for still reading Teen Titans.
Teen Titans #29
I have little doubt that the latest issue of this unfortunate series is just the calm before the inevitable crapfest that will be the return of Harvest. I do not expect the final two issues to be anything other than painful, but at least writer Scott Lobdell gave us a brief moment of ‘not-so-terrible’-ness.
Comic Rating: 4/10 – Pretty Bad.
The primary reason that Teen Titans #29 isn’t as bad as the other most recent issues is that all of Lobdell’s worst writing traits are gone. There are no insufferable blocks of stilted exposition. The only editor’s note referring to another comic is referring to only the previous issue. There are no random, one page ‘teases’ for some future villain. And if you were in any way upset with his characterizations and bastardizations of beloved heroes, then there’s some bittersweet good news: he wipes them off the table in this issue. Evil Superboy, for example, doesn’t even show up. I have no idea what’s happening in his solo series, but we here in Teen Titans get one throwaway line about his whereabouts and that’s it! We don’t have to deal with his horrible inner monologues about needing to find a cure! Good riddance, I say.
Of course, I still feel bad for any fans of Bart Allen. To think there were Wally West fans who were upset that he didn’t get to appear in the New 52 when it started. Man, you got nothing on Bart Allen fans. I wouldn’t be surprised if we never see him again. There’s no last minute save. No change of fortune. Lobdell kicks him to the curb along with Solstice. I would feel bad for any Solstice fans, but really, are there any? She’s gone too. And yes, she totally killed that judge at the end of last issue.
I wonder if Teen Titan‘s imminent cancellation led to Lobdell’s deck cleaning in this issue, or did he always plan on ditching Kid Flash, Solstice and Superboy as awkwardly and as brutally as possible?
Join me after the jump for the full synopsis and more review.
Spider-Verse is Coming This Fall!
The next big Spider-Man comic book event was revealed today as Spider-Verse! It’s coming this fall by regular Spider-Man writer Dan Slott, and apparently involves every single version of Spider-Man that has ever existed teaming up to take on Morlun, one of Spidey’s more recent and brutal bad guys!
I see you there, Scarlet Spider
That’s a sweet picture. You can click HERE to get an even bigger, better one!
Newsamara had the scoop today as Slott and a few other Marvel honchos talked about the event. It’s going to feature 1,000s of Spideys, including some that Slott’s going to make up for the event – not that there aren’t dozens upon dozens already circling the Multiverse. They’re gonna team up against some great threat, with Morlun first to the plate. I was reading Amazing Spider-Man back when Morlun first showed up, and he was definitely pretty monstrous back then, though I’m pretty sure he’s mellowed a bit since. Perhaps Slott will make him scary again.
All of this sounds reasonably cool, though not exactly something that gets me personally excited. I’ve never been one for big, cosmic Spider-Man stories, though I’m sure it’ll be a blast to see all the various alternate Spideys. That might be worth the price of admission alone.
I definitely see some Slingers in there!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/22/14
What a great week for comics! Seriously, this is one of the best week’s I’ve seen in months! Nearly every comic I read this week was a real gem…except for that one comic. The one that pains me to even mention. The comic that burns a hole into my heart like a red hot poker dipped in demon blood! Why have you forsaken me, Christos Gage?! WHY?!
I talk, of course, about Superior Spider-Man Annual #2, which takes a slight break from Goblin Nation to show what Phil Urich the Goblin Knight is up to on the side. As regular readers know, Phil Urich is one of my all-time favorite comic book characters, having collected his Green Goblin series when I was just getting into comics as a wee lad in the 90s. And for the briefest of possible moments, when I heard about this comic only a few days ago, I allowed myself to believe that writer Christos Gage, who’d been doing such a great job with the Mimic recently, was finally going to tell the story where the good guy Phil shines through in light of his most recent heel turn.
But no. There was no such thing. Instead, the comic reinforced the evil bastard that Phil has become, declaring him all but lost to madness and villainy. Oh the pain to my little comic loving heart…
Fortunately, the rest of the comics this week were great! Especially the second issue of the new Ms. Marvel, which was just as adorable and awesome as the first issue.
This new series is off to a great start. Just like Phil Urich was back in the day, before…before…I’m gonna need a moment here.
Comic Reviews: Batwoman #29, Harley Quinn #4, Ms. Marvel #2, Superior Foes of Spider-Man #10, Thor: God of Thunder #20, Uncanny X-Men #19 and Wonder Woman #29.
Goldballs Got a Costume!
Exciting news, boys and girls! Your new favorite X-Man and mine, Goldballs, finally has a legitimate superhero costume! It debuted in this week’s Uncanny X-Men #19! Check it out!
I like that they incorporated gold balls into his costume
For those of you who don’t know, Goldballs, real name Fabio Medina, is the greatest new X-Man of the 21st century. And I’m being serious, unlike my take on Rush, the real character find of the 21st century. Goldballs is legitimately cool and funny, and I seriously want him to be an X-Man for a long time to come. Who does Brian Michael Bendis have to bribe to make that happen?
Goldballs has the awesome mutant power of launching golden balls out of his body. It’s an insanely weird power, but that is its appeal. Goldballs is weird, fat and dopey, the exact opposite of what’s expected of superheroes. And that’s why Goldballs is so cool! He’s an average guy with a weird power, but he could end up standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Storm or Colossus!
It would be neat!
It was only a few weeks ago that I was lamenting that Goldballs was fighting monsters in jungles in just shorts, sandals and a T-shirt.
Run Fabio!
So I’m glad to see him in a proper X-uniform! It’s not very personalized just yet, but it’s definitely perfect for a would-be X-cadet and trainee. It’s even got a touch of the 90s with that mask.
He might also get something even newer in June.
I prefer the Grant Morrison leather jackets, myself
We’ll see! For now, Goldballs remains generally awesome.
The Top 6 Fatty Fat Fat Comic Book Characters
Not all superheroes are hunky, athletic, Chris Hemsworth-types, you know. Some of them actually reflect the average American body type, which is the nice way of saying that there are fat superheroes out there. They may not get any shirtless scenes in the movies, but they are just as heroic (or villainous) as the Captain Americas or the Jokers of the world. Just because they’re packing on the poundage does not make them any less cool – or maybe that’s just what I keep telling myself while I’m eating a tube of raw cookie dough and watching Fat Albert reruns.
Not the weirdest thing to ever happen to Superman
It’s true, Internet. Your favorite comic book geek/Internet blogger is on the chunky side. But rather than be ashamed of it, today we’re going to celebrate it! Here are the 6 best overweight characters in comics. And when I finally start that diet, maybe I’ll do a list of the 6 best svelte characters in comics.
Henchman-4-Hire