Category Archives: Marvel
The Worst Thing to Ever Happen in Comics Has Just Happened
I don’t even know if I have the guts to share this with you good people. It has rocked me to my core. I realize that comic books are an always-changing landscape, that the only constant is change. But this new change in the last issue of X-23 is something I cannot abide.
Gabby has changed her name from “Honey Badger” to “Scout”.
Is nothing sacred anymore? Does nothing matter? Have we not souls? Why has Marvel Comics forsaken us like this?
Gabby is a great character, full of fun energy and youthful spirit. And as a clone twice removed from Wolverine, when she was given the name “Honey Badger”, it was like the clouds parted and all was right with the world. It was the most perfectly crafted codename in the history of comic books. It was like we didn’t even know a part of Gabby was missing when we read her adventures in All-New Wolverine, and then the name was revealed and it fit so perfectly that all was right with the world.
But now she’s abandoning that name in favorite of “Scout” and I want to cry out to the uncaring Heavens that we have been forsaken. Scout?! Are you kidding me? What a stupid and boring name! It’s worse than Laura switching from Wolverine back to X-23. Scout?! It doesn’t mean anything!!
What’s even worse is that this change comes at the very end of the very last issue of the current X-23 comic. It’s been a relatively fun comic these past 12 issues, but I assume it’s being cancelled for a reason. So it’s not like “Scout” is going to even use her new name. Can you not just accept cancellation with some dignity? Must you claw and scratch at every good thing on your way out, scarring something beautiful before you go?
This is like graffiti on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. As if someone had knocked the head off the statue of David.
Why don’t we just set the Mona Lisa on fire while we’re at it?
Scout?! What the fuck.
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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 5/25/19
Man, there are a ton of really great, meaningful comics this week. Nothing that really got me on the edge of my seat, more like just a bunch of deeply foundational, character-driven comics that really play up with the deep benches these comics have developed. I love that!
Comic Book of the Week was hard to decide, because both Unstoppable Wasp and Tony Stark – Iron Man had such strong issues. But I’m going to give it to the new issue of Runaways, for a wonderful, character-driven issue with a lot of good drama and humor!
New member already making himself useful!
Meanwhile, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl is coming to an end! What a damn shame! Ryan North is ending the comic on his terms because it’s what he wants to do, this isn’t a cancellation. But still. Man. What a total bummer. That comic is brilliant! I’m gonna have to save up and buy all the tpbs just to double own the comic!
Double meanwhile, Tom King is getting kicked off Batman before he can finish his epic story. I’m sorry to hear that! King’s Batman has been my favorite Batman comic in a long time. I think it’s great! I’m always surprised to read online that people don’t like it.
Comic Reviews: Action Comics #1011, Mr & Mrs X #11, Runaways #21, Tony Stark – Iron Man #11 and Unstoppable Wasp #8.
My Favorite Symbiotes Are Coming Back!
There’s a whole bunch of stuff going on with Venom and Carnage in comics these days, and I’m not reading any of it. My interest in these characters only goes so far, and I’m not particularly interested in whatever weird new retcons are being established. Marvel retcons the origin of the symbiotes over and over again and I just don’t care about their origins.
Whatever the case may be, there’s a big Carnage-themed event coming to Marvel this summer, and it’s going to bring back Scream and the Separation Anxiety symbiotes!
Scream needs to fight Medusa
Scream is my favorite of the Marvel symbiotes. Venom and Carnage are great and all, but there was just something about the awesome look of the first female symbiote that stuck with me back in the 90s. I’ve got the action figure, I thought she should have been the villain in the Venom movie; Scream is really cool.
So it was a shame that she was unceremoniously killed a couple years back as part of yet another Venom/symbiote revival.
Apparently she’s going to get better…
Well now she’s coming back for a 3-part tie-in to this Absolute Carnage event, written by Cullen Bunn and drawn by Gerardo Sandoval. That’s pretty neat. Considering how many times Cletus Kasady has come back from the dead, I wonder if they’ll bring Scream’s original host, Donna Diego. I’ll grant you that she’s barely a character, but as a comic book fan, I love what I love.
The twirly face thing is part of the new retcon
Along with Scream, the other four symbiotes from Separation Anxiety are also getting their own one-shot tie-in, from Clay McLeod Chapman and Brian Level. I love these symbiotes as well, though I mostly liked it when they combined to create the totally 90s-inspired Hybrid. Since then, those symbiotes have been part of a military strike team, then they came together again onto a dog, which was part of a Deadpool comic.
Now they’re back on their own again for this event!
Look everybody, it’s the star of the Venom movie: Riot! Which one is Riot? Please, like you even need to ask.
So we’ll see how it goes! I honestly think this is going to be another one of those Big Event comics from Marvel wherein I only read a couple of the tie-ins and not the event itself. I just don’t care what new retcon they’ve given Carnage.
Also, what’s with Marvel constantly resurrecting the 90s these days? Age of Apocalypse becomes Age of X-Man? Maximum Carnage becomes Absolute Carnage? Either that or just straight-up stealing ideas from DC Comics…
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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 5/18/19
I think I’m reading less comics these days. I don’t know if I’ve run out of time or if I keep running out of comics I actually enjoy. I’ve dropped most of the X-Men comics I’ve been reading. I dropped Amazing Spider-Man and didn’t pick up any of the other supplemental Spider-Man comics. I dropped a lot of DC Comics. Am I…am I falling out of love with comics?!
Let’s hope not. I think it’s just the current business practices of the Big Two.
Some solid comics this week, from War of the Realms to Go Go Power Rangers. Comic Book of the Week goes to the new issue of Tom King’s Batman, which I’m finally back to reviewing! I think it’s my favorite Tom King series ever, and he still brings the deep character drama.
New wallpaper
Meanwhile, some big cancellation news this week. We’re losing Unstoppable Wasp again, which is a damn shame. Gonna miss that book. And the entire X-Men comics line is being cancelled to make way for Jonathan Hickman’s plans. I’m more excited about that…though now I fully regret buying all of X-Men: Disassembled and anything they’ve done since. Marvel’s X-Men relaunches get shorter and shorter. And now all those character deaths really were meaningless. Unless it was part of Jonathan Hickman’s grand plan that Strong Guy be dead. If so, I feel personally attacked.
Comic Reviews: Batman #71, Giant-Man #1, Go Go Power Rangers #20, Guardians of the Galaxy #5 and The War of the Realms #4.
6 Things I Want to See in a Nova Movie
The internet being what it is, rumors have started to percolate that Marvel is planning a movie about Nova, the Human Rocket. There is absolutely no confirmation of this. But I think I saw a Nova movie as a possibility mentioned on at least two different websites, so that prompted me to think up a list of everything I’d like to see in a Nova movie! That is how the internet works for me, after all.
It’s not human rocket science
I fell hard for Nova during Annihilation, as I’m sure many people did. I had zero interest in the character during his New Warriors days or anything before Annihilation. But then Marvel turned that teenage nobody into a champion of space! He was a young but grizzled hero trying to hold together an army of cosmic cameos to repel an otherworldly invasion. Nova was just damn cool. And a Nova movie could be a lot of fun, especially with the Nova Corps already established in the MCU.
Join me after the jump for what characters, concepts and stories I’d like to see in a Marvel Nova movie!
Henchman-4-Hire 