Category Archives: Reviews
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?
Food Review: Doritos Locos Tacos!
Lordy praise, my eyes have been opened! Biting into the Doritos Locos Tacos is like eating at the cafeteria of God on Taco Mondays. Prometheus once upon a time gave us fire, but it seems he’s returned to this mortal plain to give us tacos wrapped in a Doritos shell as well. It’s the most ludicrously brilliant idea of man. Simple in its genius and devastating in its ingeniousness.
I can only hope the person who created the Doritos Locos Tacos is currently picking out what color cushions he wants for his throne on Mount Olympus.
Zeus, Jesus and Superman can all call it a day, their work in this world is complete
I have been waiting for this day like the coming Apocalypse, ever since I first learned that such a thing existed as the Doritos Locos Tacos. I thought to myself, ‘when Lord, when will my local Taco Bell be graced with your most divine creation?’ And then earlier this week, God (or the guy at my Taco Bell drive through) told me that the answer was soon! Thursday, in fact. But it wasn’t until today that I revisted that most bun-less of all fast food restaurants to order me some tacos.
Put aside your hatred of their ‘meat’-based products, or your fears that Taco Bell mostly served mulched newspaper. This is not a day to rehash those old fears. This is a day to fall to your knees and praise Taco Bell as the greatest of all food sources.
The movie Demolition Man was right: Taco Bell will win the fast food wars. Somehow Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes knew that this day would come.
The Doritos Locos Tacos is the hydrogen bomb of food.
But how does it taste, you ask? Like a dream wrapped in a tickle smothered in joy sauce and delivered by 12 beautiful, bikini-clad women! Crunchy, yet cheesey. The meat softens the underside of the shell, but in a deliciously glorious sort of way. The cheese of the taco combines with the cheese of the nacho shell to create a cheese-splosion of intensity that hasn’t been seen since combining Pop Tarts with s’mores.
Even the name is fun to say. Why else add the word ‘locos’ unless you knew that the mere existence of this marvelous meal would rend sanity asunder. It’s like the window of human creativity has been opened. Taco Bell has revealed to us a new universe of possibilities, and we as human beings have just to climb through that window to discover where else our minds can reach.
Believe my words, dear readers, this is one damn fine taco.
Review: Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #8
Sara Pichelli is back and ain’t life grand! This is it folks, the first perfect grade Ultimate Spider-Man comic since I started reviewing the Miles Morales saga. This issue has everything! Some serious drama for Miles, a fun and funny fight with a super-villain, growing storylines, fantastic art and a random visit with Aunt May and Gwen Stacy! Even the cliffhanger is kind of exciting, even though it’s almost identical to last issue’s cliffhanger.
Ultimate Spider-Man #8
Still, this book is riding high on a plateau of pure awesome!
Comic rating: 5/5: Great!
Last issue’s cliffhanger with the sudden appearance of Uncle Aaron at Miles’ school does not disappoint, and writer Brian Michael Bendis gives us a wonderfully wicked wrinkle in Miles’ new life as a superhero. Not only does Uncle Aaron threaten Spider-Man, but he provides a double whammy with the possibility of shattering Miles’ personal life as well. These are serious stakes facing our hero, which are long overdue in this series. As I said in my last review, so far Miles has mostly just had a few easy fights with a couple of lame super-villains. Kangaroo? Omega Red? Please. Well now the Prowler is going to prove to be a real thorn in our hero’s side.
But that’s just one part of this stellar issue. Miles’ may have a lot on his mind when it comes to Uncle Aaron, but the whole rest of the world seems to be conspiring against him too. Bendis is playing quite the game of chess with this comic. Spoilers and synopsis after the jump!
Review: Justice League: Doom
‘Tower of Babel’ was better. But then the book is always better than the movie adaptation. Still, the latest release from DC Comics’ animated movies is an alright film, with a killer ending. Justice League: Doom features great animation, solid characters and a fun plot. The problem is that it’s kind of boring and run-of-the-mill. This could have been a made-for-TV movie of the Justice League cartoon from a few years ago. There’s just nothing special about it, nothing that warrants its existence in the animated movie library.
But who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth? A Justice League movie is a Justice League movie.
Movie rating: 3/5: Alright!
Unless it’s a stupid Justice League movie. There were a lot of times during this film where I was rolling my eyes at just how stupid some of the ideas and plot points were. The villains, especially, were acting ridiculous, and some of their plans were downright dumb. These are the people Vandal Savage has hired to rid the world of the Justice League? These are the plans they come up with? But all of that foolishness is undercut by some pretty great characterization, especially on the part of the Justice League. They look fantastic, and the animation is top notch.
The ending is spectacular, really getting to the hearts of these characters. The problem, though, is that this is a stand alone movie. These character moments aren’t going to pay off anywhere else. There are aesthetic similarities with previous animated movies, so perhaps this is the same Justice League as those movies. But still, it’s mostly stand alone.
So what was the point?
Review: Teen Titans #6
Here we have a weird little story that misses the chance to have some meaningful downtime and instead introduces and dispatches a weird new super-villain. What could have been a good character-building opportunity as the Titans lick their wounds instead becomes crammed with silliness and nonsense, and only a small trace of what I would have liked. A guest appearance by Static Shock is utterly wasted, and Skittles returns mostly for the hell of it.
Teen Titans #6
Teen Titans #6 is a big missed opportunity, but it’s not a bad comic.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
This issue would have been the perfect opportunity for writer Scott Lobdell to slow down and flesh out his characters. He’s doing an OK job in that regard so far, but I would still prefer a lot more work on who these teenagers are and why they’re willing to hang out with each other. They just got their butts kicked in their first superhero fight, but all of them seem to shrug it off like no big deal. None of them seem to be emotionally effected by Superboy’s ass-kicking attack. They just roll right on to the next plot point involving Kid Flash’s out of control powers.
Instead of an issue focusing entirely on the Titans, we get a several new supporting or guest characters. None of them are very interesting.
Henchman-4-Hire 