Category Archives: DC
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/29/14
I’ve come to the realization that I just don’t read a lot of DC Comics anymore. I feel like I was reading a ton of them only a few months ago. But I do have a tendency to drop comics I’m not liking anymore. I haven’t touched an issue of Batman and Robin since they took out the Robin element. I gave up the various Justice Leagues after they all became uninteresting Forever Evil tie-ins. And I’m only reading about half of the Green Lantern franchise books these days It’s just weird. I feel kind of bad. I want to give DC more attention…but nope! The only review it gets this week is Aquaman!
Though I am looking forward to Geoff Johns taking over Superman. Maybe he has the magic touch and can finally give Superman a strong voice in the New 52. Though honestly, Greg Pak has been writing an amazing little story over in Action Comics. I should review one of those issues.
But for now, it’s almost all Marvel this week! We’ve got the first issues of Ghost Rider, Iron Patriot and the highly anticipated Silver Surfer! There’s also a new Hawkeye, and it’s as great as Hawkeye has always been, but everything pales in comparison this week to Superior Spider-Man #30! The biggest chapter so far in Goblin Nation is the Comic Book of the Week and earns my first ever perfect score of 10/10! It’s that damn good!
And we’ve still got one more issue of Superior Spider-Man and Goblin Nation to go!
Comic Reviews: All-New Ghost Rider #1, Aquaman #29, Hawkeye #18, Iron Patriot #1, Silver Surfer #1 and Superior Spider-Man #30.
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.
6 Things I Want to See on Gotham
As hesitant as I may be to embrace the new Gotham TV show on FOX, I can still admit that it could be an amazing show. Gotham will be loosely based on Gotham Central, one of my favorite comic book series of all time, and one I have been praising as a potential TV adaptation from the very beginning. Any true Batman fan will tell you that Batman is only as cool as he is because of the world in which he inhabits, and Gotham City is one of the greatest settings in all of fiction.
The potential for Gotham to be a great show is through the roof!
In theory.
At least they got the logo sort-of right
The producers and writers could still mess it up big time. Weren’t we all giggling with glee at the potential behind Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? That show is only mostly OK more than halfway through it first season, when we all expected it to be Firefly reborn (or at least I did). Gotham could go either way. Brilliant or bupkis. Glorious or garbage. Well if the good people at FOX want Gotham to be a success, they should take my phone calls and listen to the 6 things I want to see in the show!
My Long, Overdue Thoughts on Gotham
I don’t know why I haven’t been covering all of the news and casting coming out of the new TV show Gotham. There have been several times where I’ve sat down prepared to say something about Donal Logue being cast as Harvey Bullock, or meeting the new young Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, but nothing comes to mind to write. It’s especially strange considering I think the comic Gotham Central is perfect for a TV adaptation. This new show should be a dream come true.
But it’s not.
Because it’s different. And I think I’m afraid they’re going to mess it up.
The Batman show without Batman
Hopefully my regular readers will know that I am not picky when it comes to comic book adaptations. I firmly believe that some changes must be made between the page and the screen, and I really don’t mind when those changes are aesthetic, like using Ultimate Nick Fury in the Marvel movies instead of regular Nick Fury, or not having the Hulk get his powers from a Gamma bomb. The only thing I really have a problem with is when TV and network executives (whom I hate on principal) get their grimy mitts on a beloved property and warp it into something hideous and nonsensical, all in a quest for ratings or viral web clicks or whatever repugnant buzz words they’re spouting next.
I can’t stand it when these adaptations have no soul.
And for some reason, I’m kind of afraid that’s what Gotham is going to be. In everything I’ve seen or read about this series, which is currently in production and will definitely reach our TV screens, I just get this overwhelmingly dreadful feeling that all of this is a sham.
Join me after the jump to see why.
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.
Henchman-4-Hire 