Category Archives: Robin
Review: Teen Titans #5
Writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brett Booth team up to deliver what could be the very best issue so far of the new Teen Titans series. The problem is that I only say that because this issue is wall-to-wall action and fight scene, meaning there isn’t time to focus on the various problems I’ve had with this series. Still, great fight scene! The Titans take on Superboy in this issue, marking their first real superhero brawl as a team.
Teen Titans #5
Do they win? Well, you’ll just have to keep reading to find out.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
I’m going to try, from now on, to get over the various hang-ups I’ve had with this series. I can’t keep repeating them over and over again in every review. The dialogue feels forced, N.O.W.H.E.R.E. is a terrible villain and this team of Titans feels like they were picked out of a hat and just thrown together. These aren’t going to be fixed because one random guy is whining on the Internet. So I’m just going to start incorporating them into the basic fabric of the book. If they get better, I’ll let you know. They’re all still evident in this issue, but they don’t drag down what is an otherwise awesome fight scene.
Every character that appears in this issue gets their moment to shine, highlighting new aspects of their personalities while building towards a better story overall. Definitely an issue I would recommend.
Story and synopsis after the jump!
Fun Notes from April Comic Book Solicitations
For lack of anything better to write about today, let’s take a look at the recently released Marvel and DC comic book solicitations for April. Comic book companies release cover pictures and brief blurbs about upcoming comics months in advance so that retailers can know what they want to order. It also gives us comic book fans a chance to see what’s coming down the pike. I rather enjoy looking at all the colorful titles and read about upcoming stories, especially in my favorite titles.
There will be some spoilers, so watch out!
Marvel Comics
First up, let’s take a look at the potentially exciting summary of X-Factor #234.
X-Factor #234
X-Factor #234
Peter David 
Leonard Kirk (A)
Covers by David Yardin
• Catfight! Monet Calls Layla Out…And It’s Gonna Get Ugly.
• A Departed Member Of X-Factor Returns.
• And Introducing Seattle’s Newest Heroes: The Insignia And Shutterbug! (One Of Whom May Not Make It Through The Issue.)
A departed cast member returning!? Could that be the highly anticipated return of Jamie Madrox the Multiple Man to the land of the living? Madrox’s ‘death’ is supposed to play out over the next few months, will he be ready to return to the team in April? The cover is clearly more interested in the Monet vs. Layla fight, but I’m definitely curious who the blurb is talking about. I know that Peter David and Marvel marketing are protective of their secrets, so they wouldn’t spoil the end of the current Madrox ‘death’ storyline in a solicitation. But it’s enough to hope.
The only other character it could be is Darwin, who left the series many issues ago for parts unknown. It could very well be Darwin and I’m just getting my hopes up. But they will stay up until proven otherwise that Multiple Man isn’t coming back for good.
Next is X-Men Legacy #265 and the fabled appearance of Mimic!
X-Men Legacy #265
X-Men Legacy #265
Christos Gage (W)Rafa Sandoval (A)
Cover by Mark Brooks
• Time Is Running Out For Weapon Omega, The Mutant Time Bomb. How Will The X-Men Disarm Him Before He Implodes And Takes The School With Him?
• A Recently-Returned Mutant Becomes A Full-Fledged Member Of Wolverine’s X-Men.
I’ve known for months now that Mimic would be making a cameo appearance in this title, and it’s exciting to see him there on the cover. It’s rumored that either Mimic or Omega will join the cast, and I hope it’s Mimic…but it’ll probably be Omega. He has much more story potential as a student at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. The blurb there mentions someone joining, and I’m just going to assume that it’s going to be Omega.
But I can dream, can’t I?
Mentioned by one of the commenters in my last Ultimate Spider-Man review, when is regular artist Sarah Pichelli coming back? Well according to the solicitation for Ultimate Comics: All-New Spider-Man #9, she’s not coming back in April.
Ultimate Spider-Man #9
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #9
Brian Michael Bendis • David Marquez (A)
• The Police Have Miles Squarely In Their Sights!
• Prowler Versus The Scorpion!
• Is The Secret Of The New Spider-Man Out?!
So I guess we will continue to be denied Pichelli’s stellar art from the first 6 issues of the series. Shame. It’s cool to see more Ultimate Prowler action, but is that not a hideous cover? It looks computer rendered and it looks like colorforms plastered on a cardboard backdrop.
You can read the rest of the Marvel Comics solicitations for April here.
DC Comics
There’s only one comic in April from DC that I think has something worth note, and that’s Red Hood and the Outlaws #8.
Red Hood and the Outlaws #8
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL; Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT
Suzie Su is back, and she’s betting a hospital full of hostages will get Red Hood’s attention! If that isn’t enough to keep him and the Outlaws busy, there’s someone waiting in the wings! It’s Tim Drake knocking on Red Hood’s door with a very special package for his estranged “brother.” Don’t miss Red Robin’s cameo this issue, as it ties directly into next month’s “Night of the Owls” Batman event!
A guess appearance by Red Robin!? Sweet! Tim Drake appears to be crossing back into the Bat-family of books in preparation for Night of the Owls. I only wish it was a more Batman-oriented book instead of the red-headed step-child of the family. Night of the Owls is going to encompass all of the Bat-books, including Red Hood, but Tim Drake and the Teen Titans are considered part of the teen-family of DC Comics. So he wasn’t guaranteed to appear in the crossover.
This solicitation is a good sign that Tim has not been forgotten.
You can read the rest of DC Comics solicitations for April here.
I Need to Post More Batman Fan Films
And to rectify that, here is one called Batman: Death Wish. It’s pretty OK. The acting isn’t all that great, the dialogue is simple and the guy playing Batman is terrible. But it’s very well made, with fantastic costumes, at least. They use Batman movie costumes, which is an interesting choice. It definitely works. I’m definitely excited about the major use of Robin and Nightwing. If you’ve got 12 minutes, it’s a fun little film to watch.
Henchman-4-Hire’s New Year’s Resolutions
Hi everybody! Sean here, your Henchman-4-Hire! I’ve been having a blast writing this blog, and I’d like to think I’ve gathered a small group of friends and fans. Or maybe just people who accidentally set their homepage to my blog and don’t know how to fix it. All are welcome. I know I’m one of a jillion pop culture blogs on the Internet, but it’s still fun writing about topics that interest me like comics, video games and all that geeky stuff.
And Arkham City. That article on The 6 Best Easter Eggs of Batman: Arkham City was a gift that keeps on giving!
Clearly Batman is looking out for me.
Somebody's got to do it
So for my first post of the New Year, I thought I’d let you all in on some ideas and projects that I hope to start in the new year. Some site resolutions, if you will. First of all though, I was hoping to get some feedback from my readers. What do you guys and gals like about my blog? What do you hate? How are my reviews? Do you like the long form with full synopsis? Should I shorten them up? Am I just a blithering idiot in general?
Let me know in the comments so I can make some changes and improvements.
Here are my Henchman-4-Hire New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Get a New Logo: I don’t own the grinning guy in the green and yellow at the top of my blog, the one I’m sort of using as a logo. That’s a Marvel Comics character, named Bob: Agent of Hydra. It just so happens that he’s a henchman and that picture just looks perfect for the tone and scope of my blog. So I’m using it under the Fair Use rules of coypright law. I’m not making any money off the image or this blog. So I’m safe, I think.
Come at me, bro!
Hopefully sometime this year I’ll be able to work with an artist or anyone really to design my own original Henchman-4-Hire character to use in place of Bob. I have some ideas, but I’m a terrible artist. If any of my readers would like to help me out in designing a new character and a new logo, contact me via e-mail. Or if you know someone who can do that sort of thing. Please get in touch with me. This site needs its own unique look!
2. Henchman Spotlight: This was a project I’ve wanted to do since the very beginning, a sort of detailed look at specific Henchmen from pop culture. It would include a biography, trivia, appearances, and other just fun stuff about each character. Sort of like the list of the 6 Greatest Henchmen of All Time, but more specific. I’d planned on doing it as a Henchman-of-the-Month, but that’s probably not going to happen. And I have no one to blame but procrastination. So hopefully soon I’ll put up the first one of these.
First up: Bebop and Rocksteady!
3. Guide to Henching: Another Henchman-related project. If you follow me on Twitter or have liked my Facebook page, then you’ve already seen me starting to roll out this idea. I’ve been writing up little Henchmen rules/trivia. It’s just a little game for now, but I hope to get a little more elaborate. Maybe write some ‘Official Rules of Henching’ or something. Like a guide book. Maybe even write enough to attract a publisher and get it published something. So those little factoids will continue, but on my blog itself I hope to write something more in depth and grand.
4. The Robin Manifesto: Frequent readers of my blog will know that I absolutely love Robin, The Boy Wonder. He’s one of my all-time favorite comic book characters. Unfortunately, he’s also the most maligned mainstream comic book character in the world! Everybody hates Robin! Nobody wants to see him in the movies. They mock him, they scoff at him. The guy gets no respect, I’m tellin’ ya.
Well that’s going to change. I have a lot of article ideas in mind to tell the world about the awesomeness of Robin. I’m going to make it a project, with new articles published as often as I can write them. Why do I think Robin is so cool. Why would Robin be a perfect fit in the Christopher Nolan movies. Why does Batman not understand the importance of Robin. Why do some Robins succeed and some Robins fail. Those are just a couple of ideas. Maybe then I’ll be able to make the world understand!
Cooler than anybody gives him credit for
5. Stop Drinking Soda: This is actually my personal New Year’s Resolution. Usually my resolution is to lose weight, but that’s never worked. This one might be a little easier to accomplish. Plus it will lead into losing weight. So wish me luck!
Review: Teen Titans #4
While showing a definite and more grounded improvement over the last issue, Teen Titans #4 still feels off when it comes to teen dialogue and interaction. A lot happens in this issue – from the team getting together and getting a name, to finally confronting Superboy – but it’s not all gelling as well as I’d like. Or ‘gellin’ like Magellan’ if that’s how you roll. At any rate, I can definitely appreciate what writer Scott Lobdell does in this issue because I definitely want to see a lot more of these teens just hanging out and getting to know one another. But I can’t really put my finger on why that doesn’t quite work.
Teen Titans #4
Maybe it’s because everything feels so rushed and kind of sloppy.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
Or maybe everything just feels forced. The same issues that have plagued this series continue here, but the specific actions and story points make up for that flakiness. N.O.W.H.E.R.E. continues to be a silly concept. The setting always seems very erratic. And this group of characters has yet to fully blend together, or feel anything other than forced together. I don’t think Lobdell found a very organic way to bring the team together. I don’t know if he came up with the members of the team, or if they were decided in some New 52 committee, but it’s like he had a list of characters he had to bring together and he just checked them off the list to ensure they were together by issue #4.
I just don’t get the feeling that this team is the team that belongs together, that this will be the Teen Titans of the new generation. But there’s still time to change my mind. The art, at least, remains phenomenal. Brett Booth is drawing beautiful, distinctive characters with great facial expressions and energetic movements. So at least good.
Spoilers after the jump.
Henchman-4-Hire 