Gone for 2 Days, Back for More
Hey everybody! You may have noticed my blog basically shutting down over the past two days. Well that was because I’m on vacation! Or holiday, for my overseas readers. And I spent Sunday and Monday traveling home to see my parents and some old friends. Had some nice picnics over Labor Day weekend, though I lost every lawn game I played. I guess I just wasn’t built for lawn games.
So I had a great time and now I’m back to continue posting silly stuff I find on the Internet and write the occasional rant or review. I saw the first episode of the new Doctor Who, so I’m thinking of doing a review of that. I don’t think I’ve done a TV show review for my blog yet. That’ll be fun! I also read that actor Michael Clarke Duncan died, which is pretty sad. That was one rad dude.
Well anyway, before I ramble too much, I leave you with the teaser trailer for the not Inspector Spacetime movie!
My question is: where’s Reggie?
I Would Gladly Call Any of These Geeks…Maybe
Getting cosplayers at comic book conventions to lip-sync songs is quickly becoming a trend that I very much enjoy. This one was put together at the recent Wizard World Chicago. It’s not as professionally made as this one or this one, but it’s still a quality number. They even got a Bruce Campbell cameo! That alone is worth all the Nerd Dollars in China.
Review: Phantom Lady and Doll Man #1
The best thing about this comic is the cover by artist Amanda Conner. It’s all downhill from there. I picked up Phantom Lady and Doll Man #1 on a whim, because none of my usual review titles came out this week, and I also bought and reviewed the first issue of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti’s The Ray comic back in the Winter. I thought The Ray was generic and simple, though not without some heart and warmth. So I thought I’d give Phantom Lady a shot to see what these two guys could do with a relatively blank slate character, reinventing her and her partner for the New 52. I especially liked her new costume.
PH & DM #1
Boy was this a mistake. Phantom Lady and Doll Man #1 is a dull comic featuring lazy storytelling, idiotic and uninteresting heroes and villains and a moment so sexist that I can’t quite be sure if I’m overreacting or underreacting to it.
Comic rating: 2/5: Bad!
With something as big and grand as DC’s New 52 reboot, why would anybody write something so mediocre? I know Gray and Palmiotti are capable of good comics, but this isn’t one of them. There is nothing remarkable or interesting about this comic, no hook to get us excited. It’s a by-the-numbers superhero story, but stars two bone-headed, paper thin lead characters and a villain who is so over-the-top evil as to be more ridiculous than menacing. Not to mention a poor use of superheroics, a few silly stretches of credibility and art that is serviceable at best. Amanda Conner was only tapped to draw the cover, the rest of the comic is left up to Cat Staggs. And while the art is OK, it doesn’t have nearly the character or charisma of Conner’s pencils. The greatness of that cover compared to what follows is like a cruel bait-and-switch.
Phantom Lady and Doll Man is a 4-part series designed to bring these two old-timey characters into the new, modern world of the New 52. If the rest of this series is anything like this first issue, DC has completely wasted any potential that could have been had. If you like your superheroes to be boring, lifeless and generic, then this is the book for you.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and a bit more explanation on why I thought this issue was so bad.
Old School vs New. When classic videogames attack, who can defend us?
Another instant classic from Freddie Wong. Enjoy!
Inglourious Plummers
What is it about Mario parodies that they remain wonderfully awesome no matter how many new ones you see? This is a trailer for Mario Warfare, a potentially longer movie. I say ‘potentially’ because even the creators at Beat Down Boogie don’t seem to know when the full movie will be made. Still, it’s an awesome trailer!
