Category Archives: Comics
Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #5
Now this is more like it! We get some awesome Spider-Man action as Miles Morales finally, officially becomes the new Spider-Man. He’s got to pass through Spider-Woman, Nick Fury and Electro to do it, but Miles kicks ass with flying colors. And he’s funny, too! That’s almost a prerequisite for both Spider-Man and writer Brian Michael Bendis, but here it’s delightful. Miles isn’t Peter Parker, but it’s great to see that Spider-Man will still be witty.
Ultimate Spider-Man #5
If only the Ultimate Universe wasn’t such a crappy place these days.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
If Marvel sticks with the tradition of having 6-issue story arcs, then this was the penultimate chapter of Miles Morales’ origin story. Which means we’ve got one more issue to go to wrap this thing up in a bow. I wonder what’s going to happen. Is Miles going to get his own super-villain? Maybe we’ll finally see his parents again. Or maybe he’ll hang out with Aunt May for some reason. Either way, this was a good issue, it’s good to see Miles in his own costume and I’m definitely ready to see this young man spread his webs and fly.
Though I’d probably still make the better Spider-Man. Spoilers after the jump.
The Most Adorable Web Comic Ever!
Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged and re-tugged in what has to be the most adorable, heart-warming web comic ever captured in the medium. At least if you’re into video games like I am. It’s also Christmas-themed, so that works out perfectly this week. It’s from VGCats, which I don’t read regularly, but is still a well-regarded web comic. You’re going to have to click to enlarge this one, but it’s definitely worth it. It’s called ‘The Perfect Gift’.
Click to enlarge
Or if that comic is not to your liking, here it is in animated form. Though like most things, the original is better.
So maybe you’ll be willing to give VGCats a try this Christmas.
Or she's gonna pound you, I guess
Review: X-Factor #229
The story of the ‘dead’ Jamie Madrox picks back up this issue, and it’s a doozy! We’re into a full-on science fiction story, as Madrox seems to be on some strange, interdimensional adventure. A far cry from the noir roots of this series, but I’ll gladly read any tale starring my favorite superhero. He’s not quite dead just yet, and learning his final fate as this story progresses has got me on the edge of my seat. Writer Peter David is promising new revelations about the nature of Madrox’s duplication powers. And while I’m lukewarm to that idea, I’m excited for a good story.
X-Factor #229
And this one is pretty damn good one so far.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
What we have here is an alternate reality tale to introduce us to the idea of Madrox’s interdimensional adventure. Familiar characters appear, but everything is just so slightly different because it’s an alternate reality. Madrox is lost and confused, but he’s adapting and figuring it out. One great thing about this issue is that writer Peter David is able to focus on just one character, and the narrative really benefits. There are a lot of questions raised, and a lot of strangeness. Somehow Layla might even be involved. Nothing is spelled out clearly quite yet. But I’m confident we’re going to get answers in this story. It’s just going to be a nail-biter going from issue to issue until the end.
I hope Madrox is still alive by the end, and that he hasn’t been changed into an unrecognizable character. Is it so wrong for me to want to keep my favorite comic book character around?
Spoilers after the jump.
The 6 Greatest Comic Book Santas
Let’s get this out of the way first: Santa Claus is real. Totally real. He’s big, he’s jolly, his white beard is legend and he lives on the North Pole making toys for all the good little girls and boys of the world. He uses time zones to his advantage when flying around the world in one night, and his reindeer fly using magick. Boom, mystery solved! If he wasn’t real, why would I, a 28-year-old man, still be getting presents marked ‘From: Santa’ under the Christmas tree? Can’t explain that!
Also not every kid in the world celebrates Christmas, so that cuts down on his time considerably.
It also helps that he's sometimes a vampire
Santa Claus is such a popular guy that he’s one of the biggest celebrities on the planet, and is always appearing in movies, TV shows and more. Whether he’s selling Coca Cola, being put on trial on 34th Street or getting his testicles electrocuted by terrorists in Iraq on South Park, Santa Claus spends a lot of his free time in show business. He’s even made more than a few appearances in comic books. Back in the 40s and 50s, Santa had his own funny books. And Silver Age superheroes like old-timey Batman and Superman were always willing to lend the jolly old elf a hand. But he’s not always portrayed as quite so jolly. Or quite so non-homicidal.
And we’re not talking about stories starring a mall Santa or just a guy in a Santa costume – like the time vampire-slayer Blade had to kill a mall Santa who was possessed by a murderous demon – we’re talking the real deal Kris Kringle himself!
Read on to see the 6 best comic book appearances of Santa Claus!
Review: The Ray #1
I can only assume that The Ray was a rejected idea for the New 52 back in September. Coming so soon after the big reboot, and resigned to just a mini-series, I imagine that some editor somewhere liked the idea enough to give it a lifeline. Which is fine. I’ll never oppose adding more comics to the shelf. But The Ray #1 is so bland, mediocre and generic that I can see why it was rejected. The book lacks a hook, lacks any creative or interesting idea to make it worthwhile.
The Ray #1
So if you like your superheroes ordinary and plain, The Ray is the book for you.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
That’s not to say The Ray is a bad read. It’s a perfectly fine comic book about a brand new superhero and his origin story. Though the concept isn’t new. The character of ‘the Ray’ has been around since 1940, and DC had a C-list character running around with his own series back in the 90s and up until the New 52 reboot. For this story, though, writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti are starting from scratch. The light-based powers are the same, but we’ve got a new hero, a new supporting cast, a new status quo and new villains. Unfortunately, Gray and Palmiotti did little to capture my attention.
I picked up The Ray #1 on a whim. I like the costume, it was a light comics buying week and I thought ‘what the heck?’. While I’m not disappointed that I bought the comic, I don’t know if I’ll buy anymore. The Ray just isn’t a very bright idea.
Spoilers after the jump.
Henchman-4-Hire