Category Archives: Comics
The Exiles Are Back…Sort of!
One of the biggest stories out of Wondercon this weekend was the creation of the new series Xtreme X-Men, which appears to be a spiritual successor to an old favorite of mine, Exiles. The basic concept is that a team of alternate reality X-Men and superheroes band together to save the multiverse. Exiles ran for more than 100 issues and featured fantastic writing, amazing characters and downright brilliant alternate takes on familiar faces.
Well it’s been a few years since Exiles was cancelled, I guess Marvel has decided to give it another go!
That's 'Xtreme' without the 'E', because the X-Men are just that much more EXTREEEEEEM!! Mountain Dew! Snowboarding!
The problem is I don’t give two flying fudges about any of the characters announced. The only reason I started getting Exiles, and subsequently fell in love with the series, was because one of the main characters was an alternate version of the Mimic, one of my all-time favorite comic book characters. This new series, Xtreme X-Men? Not so much.
The book will be written by writer Greg Pak, and it will spin out of the series Astonishing X-Men, which I consider to be the most extraneous X-Men title now on the stands. Pak recently wrote a story in which normal Cyclops traveled to an alternate reality and met a bunch of alternate versions of the X-Men. Pak really loved writing those characters, so he said in a recent interview that he talked to his editor and somehow someone greenlit a new series starring some of those alternate characters.
And because ‘X-Men’ is far more marketable than ‘Exiles’ – no matter what adjective is in the front – Pak was given the reigns to Xtreme X-Men.
The three characters in that image, from left to right, are Emmaline Frost, a steampunk Emma Frost who appeared in a different Astonishing X-Men story written by Warren Ellis; Governor General James Howlett of the Dominion of Canada, a pulp-adventurist Wolverine; and Kid Nightcrawler, who is basically just a young, hyperactive Nightcrawler.
They will be joined from the normal Marvel Universe by, of all people, Dazzler!
I just don’t have any interest in any of the characters so far. None of them sound too exciting, and I wasn’t about to read that Astonishing X-Men story. I haven’t been interested in Astonishing X-Men since Joss Whedon left. But for all you non-comics fans, hear me out here. I know the X-Men are a popular comic book franchise, but the number of books is getting out of control.
The two main books are Uncanny X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men, both of which are good (the latter being great!). Then as auxiliary titles, we have X-Men, X-Men: Legacy, Astonishing X-Men, X-Factor, Uncanny X-Force and finally Generation Hope, which has been cancelled.
Is adding a new book called Xtreme X-Men really a good idea? I guess marketing thinks so. I realize its a unique idea compared to those other X-books, but there are only so many X-Men titles that the fans can be expected to buy. Trim the fat, Marvel! Trim the fat!
Review: Punisher #9
Holy crap this is a terrible comic book. What a difference an artist makes. And what a difference crappy storytelling makes. Sheesh. All of the mood, all the badassery, all the sensible storytelling goes right out the window with this lackluster and downright pathetic issue of Punisher. What the hell happened? I remember last issue ending on a very cool cliffhanger. But this issue just drops that cliffhanger flat. I half expected a sad trombone to play. The rest of the issue does not make up for it. We have a dull fight scene, a downright bizarre interruption and when we finally get to the moment the entire series has been buildings towards, it lacks energy and excitement because writer Greg Rucka has created a Punisher that just doesn’t interact well with people.
Punisher #9
And he looks freakin’ ridiculous!
Comic rating: 1/5: Terrible.
Rucka’s Punisher build up has come home to roost as we finally reach several confrontations that have been building all series. Punisher faces off against one of the leaders of the Exchange, and Punisher has a conversation with the Bride. But both encounters are absolutely botched. Punisher comes off as a pathetic lightweight against a villain who has not earned even an ounce of villainous cred, and then the fight ends in a ludicrously convoluted way that just flies in the face of the entire series up to this point. I could barely believe what I was reading. I know it all has to do with the crossover coming up with Daredevil next month, but couldn’t they have found a better way to introduce this idea?
Then when we finally get to the momentous meet-up between the Punisher and the Bride, it falls completely flat because Greg Rucka’s Punisher is very short on words, thoughts, emotions or anything else. There’s no chemistry between these two characters, but frankly that’s not surprising.
Join me for a full synopsis, with spoilers, and more analysis after the jump.
The Top 6 Irish Comic Book Characters
Top o’th’mornin’ to ya, me bloggies! Or the afternoon. Or even Sunday, depending on when you’re reading this. Throw back a pint in the name of your favorite geek Internet blogger! I’ve got a little bit of Irish in me, and that sure comes in handy on this, the holiest of the green holidays! It’s St. Patrick’s Day!
Kiss him, he's an Irish superhero
And like all things, whether it be holidays or the judicial system, I like to attach superheroes to it! So here’s my list of the Top 6 comic book characters who also have a little Irish in them. Oddly enough, I couldn’t find any superhero named ‘Leprechaun’. Somebody get Marvel Comics on the phone! Have I got an idea for them!
Review: Scarlet Spider #3
Scarlet Spider continues to make me happy. I was worried about a third issue slump of some kind, but I’m pleased to say it did not happen. The quick introduction is over, and Scarlet Spider does not disappointed now that we’re into the meat of the series. It looks like it will stand on its own two legs now. After this issue, I have a lot more faith in writer Christopher Yost to give us a great series.
Scarlet Spider #3
It helps that Scarlet Spider is pretty damn badass in this issue.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
Oddly though, he still doesn’t have his ‘name’. Nobody calls him Scarlet Spider, especially not himself. That’s not a problem, just a little weird. But then ‘Scarlet Spider’ is definitely a more marketable comic book title than ‘Kaine’. Yost has a lot of fun building up the supporting cast this issue, and giving Kaine a new sort of spin on being a superhero – he’s not hiding his identity. All the friends he’s made so far know where he lives, know his name and know that he’s the Scarlet Spider. It’s kind of neat, actually, and used to great effect.
How exciting is it that the Scarlet Spider comic book is actually really good?
Much Robining to Come
In a move sure to please, well, me, the June issue of Batman and Robin is going to feature something called ‘a meeting of the Robins’! Solicitations came out today for Batman and Robin #10, and they’re quite giddy. All of the former Robins – Dick, Jason, Tim and Damien – will be coming together for…some mysterious reason! And it looks like Tim Drake is going to get into a fight with Damien Wayne, the current Robin. So woot!
A 'fighting' of the Robins seems more accurate
BATMAN AND ROBIN #10
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
On sale JUNE 13 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
• Someone calls a meeting of the ROBINS, but who and why? And will the exiled and egotistical RED HOOD answer the call?
• RED ROBIN learns of DAMIAN’S betrayal – but how long will the youngest ROBIN’S lack of discipline stand?
• Many of Gotham City’s villains blame BATMAN for their downfall, but what happens when they stand together in a pact to bring the DARK KNIGHT down?
Henchman-4-Hire 