Category Archives: Comics
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/8/14
The new Marvel #1 issues keep pouring in! This week we’ve got Magneto, Moon Knight and the new relaunch of Wolverine and the X-Men. Personally, I have been super satisfied with the All-New Marvel NOW! campaign. It has produced some wonderful books – and some real stinkers. Fortunately, the releases this week are all mostly good.
I was very tempted to give Uncanny X-Men the gold star this week. I’ve ranted and raved before about how much I’m loving Cyclops these days, and the new issue is all about Cyclops! But then I got to thinking…we’re 18 issues into Uncanny X-Men, but has Brian Michael Bendis even gotten around to starting this ‘Mutant Revolution’ of his? The Uncanny X-Men have mostly just swirled around themselves this whole time, accomplishing little. And that kind of bummed me out. Fortunately, a new issue of She-Hulk came along to warm my heart and win Comic Book of the Week!
I hope there are some Patsy Walker fans in the audience!
Not only is Charles Soule going to be writing about legal logic, but he’s a master of drunk logic as well!
Comic Reviews: Forever Evil #6, Green Lantern #29, Magneto #1, Moon Knight #1, New Warriors #2, She-Hulk #2, Uncanny X-Men #18 and Wolverine and the X-Men #1.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/1/14
This week, Aquaman attends his high school reunion. And no, that’s not the set up for a joke. It sounds like one though, when I write it out like that, doesn’t it? But seriously, it’s a legitimate story, and it’s utterly fantastic! I seriously wish more DC comics these days were like Aquaman. Do you hear that, DC superheroes? Be more like Aquaman!
As for Marvel heroes, you need to be more like Hawkeye. Even more seriously, how did we not see Hawkeye coming? I am going to gush about this comic every week that it comes out, because I think Hawkeye is not only the best comic book on the stands today, but it’s also the wave of the future, baby! And it’s just so weird, considering Hawkeye the comic probably got greenlit because of Hawkeye in The Avengers movie, and the two characters couldn’t be more dissimilar!
Hawkeye #15, the epic team-up of the Barton Brothers, easily wins Comic Book of the Week.
And that is why Barney Barton is not a superhero.
Comic Reviews: Aquaman #28, Fantastic Four #1, Hawkeye #15, Superior Spider-Man #28, and Wolverine and the X-Men #42.
Review: Teen Titans #28
If I’m being completely honest, I don’t think writer Scott Lobdell did such a bad job creating pathos in Bar Torr’s rebellion against the Functionary. There is real emotion in his fight to free his people from a corrupt and evil government. So it’s a shame this comic is actually about a club of colorful, teenage heroes who wouldn’t know real emotion if it was beat into them with a crowbar. The Teen Titans are caught in the middle of a war that doesn’t belong to them, and they’re stuck flailing around in an embarrassingly desperate attempt to be useful.
Teen Titans #28
But in the end, the Empire wins. The Rebel Alliance loses. And Teen Titans has apparently decided to just cut its loses when it comes to the new and unique characters created for the soon-to-be-cancelled series.
Comic Rating: 3/10 – Bad.
If I could keep this honest streak going, I was mildly entertained reading this issue, because it’s largely just a bunch of action scenes. The art is actually pretty good, and the pacing is pretty OK, at least when characters aren’t having lengthy thought bubble monologues, and Lobdell engages in his favorite pastime: painfully blunt exposition. The new Evil Superboy has appeared in how many issues now? And in each one, he apparently has to mentally remind himself of his own motivations and personal storyline. It’s maddening!
But at least Evil Superboy gets to actually impact this issue, or stand out as a character. Red Robin, Wonder Girl and Raven are absolutely lost in this story. But they don’t just fade into the background, oh no. Instead, they insist on trying to stick their big noses into this war that has nothing to do with them, and likewise insist that everyone involved should adhere to their limited understanding of 21st century standards. It’s like the Titans are incapable of understanding the context of where they find themselves. It’s a war for independence from a murderous government, but the Titans seem to think they can just get everybody to play nice and negotiate – and this is coming from teenagers who have dedicated their lives to vigilante violence.
But at least those three don’t get character assassinated. If you thought Lobdell was burning Kid Flash’s character to the ground, just wait and see what he has in store for Solstice. I hope you hadn’t grown too attached to her.
Join me after the jump to find out why killing in a war for freedom is wrong, but murder in the name of love is righteous!
My 6 Favorite Aliens
We’re one week removed from the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer, and it’s still all everybody’s talking about. Even when FOX tried to score some headlines by revealing their Fantastic Four cast, or Sony released that new Amazing Spider-Man 2 trailer, it’s still Guardians of the Galaxy that has people jonesing. Have you seen the Parks and Recreation version? Classic Internet!
But there’s a problem: I already did a Guardians of the Galaxy list! So what the heck am I supposed to do now? How about a list of all of my favorite aliens?
Miniature American flags for all!
Do aliens exist for real? Maybe. I’m of the mind that they’re probably out there somewhere, evolved in ways we can’t even fathom. But I doubt they’ve visited to Earth to abduct cows and rednecks. Aliens have always been big in pop culture. There are probably more made-up aliens and alien races than there are stars in the universe at this point. And here are my personal favorites!
A Planet’s Cry – My Friend Made an Awesome Comic!
Dreams really do come true, folks. Not my dreams. Not yet at least. But my friend Kristi McDowell is living, breathing, ass-kicking proof that if you put your mind to it and actually focus on your dreams, they can come true. Kristi and her pal/partner Jay Mooers are producing her very own comic, A Planet’s Cry! And seeing as how I have an in with the writer, she let me check out the first issue!
I love being able to share all the creative wonderments that are out there in the world on my blog. The Internet has made so many things possible, from producing our own wacky comedy videos to publishing and advertising our own comic books. It’s a marvelous thing to be able to make your dreams come true without needing to sign an impossible record deal or publishing contract with some big corporation – though those would be lovely. But Kristi has got the nerve, the courage and the skill to start with her own creative ideas. A Planet’s Cry is dashing fantasy story about heroes and adventure and all manner of badassery. It’s about a group of heroes from different walks of life and time periods – from the tough-as-nails cowboy lass to the heroic, sword-fighting pirate captain to a futuristic Japanese school boy – teaming up to follow a series of prophetic dreams that might just lead them to saving the world.
Where are they going? I have no idea! But I’m dying to get those comics in my hand. This first issue is a gathering of heroes, as Jarvis the pirate captain and Kay the sharpshooter battle a crew of plundering vikings to save a village and rescue the next member of their fellowship. It’s got action, violence and my favorite part, true heroes!
The art by Jay Mooers is also unlike anything you’ve ever seen in a comic before. And I’m not just whistling Dixie!
Mooers has got a nice, ethereal style, and he says ‘sayonara’ to the normally rigid structure of comic book panels. This is fantasy like you’ve never read it before.
If you’re interested in learning more, and perhaps snagging a copy for yourself, feel free to visit Kristi and Mooers at Eden Park Tales. Mooers has got his own series coming out too.
I also think the two of them are going to be hitting up some conventions around the New England area over the next year. I know I’m going to be in line for at least one of them. Kristi has promised to autograph my copy of her first issue, and I plan on holding her to it! And then maybe someday, I can ride her successful coattails to making my own dreams come true! A Henchman-4-Hire comic…that’ll be the day…
Henchman-4-Hire