By Luke Abbott
This week, Gordon goes on trial, provoking some angry feelings inside of Barbara, also known as the Batgirl. Batman begins to see parts of his earlier self inside her, mainly the anger at the injustice of Gotham. He might have to put investigating Gordon’s trial on hold to make sure that she isn’t about to do something stupid. Meanwhile, Bard struggles to stay afloat amidst the corruption of Gotham, Gordon’s troubles appear to only just be beginning and Stephanie, after finding out her father was the Cluemaster last issue, has no idea just how deep the conspiracy goes, and how much danger she is actually in.
Injustice For All is a bit of a poor issue. I picked out two reasons for this. The main point is that there is a little too much to cover. This is a common problem with the Batman universe, as there are so many characters to cover. Having the main focus of your mystery as police corruption is fine in itself, but it means that we have to keep jumping to all of these characters. Bard needs to be checked in on, so the reader knows that he is an essential part to the narrative, but at the same time, we don’t want to forget about Gordon, who is meant to be one of the most important characters in the whole story arc. On top of that, we have Batgirl. While it actually makes sense to explore Barbara Gordon’s reaction to the whole drama, as she is the daughter of the guy being put on trial, I hope that the writers aren’t going to keep doing this with other characters. For example, do we have to cover what every ex-Robin is going through in future issues? It keeps this issue stagnant and before long I can see the actual Batman being pushed out of his own story.
The other annoying factor here is poor writing. I get the elements of the issue’s story, but the comic struggles to get from Point A to Point B. Two moments in this issue severely lost track of logic. There is a scene where Batman breaks into Falcone’s penthouse and learns his side of the story. However, he does very little in this scene. He breaks through, has an obligatory awesome Batman fight scene and then ‘chats’ with the guy who he believes is the mastermind of the whole thing. He literally accuses Falcone and then just walks off into the night, without even trying to get any answers from the supposed big bad guy of the conspiracy. While it covers up the plot hole of ‘can’t Batman just take Falcone out right now?’, it throws up so many other questions and gaps in logic that the scene fell flat. The other terrible piece of writing was when he confronts Batgirl in the Batcave. Yes, she is angry and yes, she should be watched, but she actually uncovers a pretty, big clue. It is probably going to be a red herring, because the writers want to go down the road of Barbara’s judgement being clouded, but at the same time, shouldn’t Batman at least hear her out? She pretty much has figured out something that could crack the case wide open and all he does is lecture her on her understandable anger. Batman is very unBatman-like this issue.
It’s not all bad. The Cluemaster subplot is turning into my favourite part of Batman Eternal, with another neat plot development. The cliffhanger was pretty creepy and promises a good fifth issue. And, while I have already made this point and will make it again several more times, when the next issue comes out in a week’s time, I find myself OK with a substandard story. Hopefully this is nothing but a small wobble on a pretty great story arc.
Quote of the Issue:
Leo: Cops in Blackgate… they don’t tend to last very long. And cops in Blackgate Gen-Pop? Well, they might as well skip the trial and hand you your death.
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on May 4th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batgirl, Batman, Batman Eternal #4 Review, Comic Review, DC Comics, James Tynion IV, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbott, Scott Snyder
By Robin Jones
Welcome back to the Inter-Comics Indie Spotlight, this column aims to make you, the readers, aware of cool indie/crowd funded comic book creators and projects!
This time around, we bring you the newest lord of the strange, master of the weird and Doctor of…something…. Doc Unknown! It’s a pulpy, supernatural action/adventure series about a man chosen by fate to battle the forces of evil during World War II. It’s for fans of Batman: The Animated Series, Hellboy, and Planetary. I’ll be speaking to writer Fabian Rangel Jr. Artist duties are provided by Ryan Cody. If you like art Mignola-esque then this is the tale for you!
Me: Where did the inspiration/idea for Doc Unknown come from?
Fabian: I wanted to do one last comic before giving up on them, and so the basic idea was to do a one that combined everything I love about comics into one series. So I needed a central character that would be the vehicle for showing all of this strange stuff (monsters, ghosts, mobsters, magic, ninjas, vampires etc) and I figured it could take place during WW2. I wanted it to have a Batman:The Animated Series vibe, but with a heavier focus on supernatural stuff. “Doc Unknown” to me, was a name that illustrated that to readers without them even having to read a panel haha
Me: I feel a BRPD vibe to the comic, is that something you’re going for or do you have something different up your sleeve?
Fabian: Oh, yeah, totally. The Mignolaverse is a huge influence. But like I said, I wanted it to feel more like BTAS, or something you would see in Planetary. It’s different for different readers. Some people have compared it to Iron Fist or Indiana Jones, there’s also some Nevermen in there, some Astro City. Lots of influences.
Me: Which comics do you read and which creators have most influenced your work?
Fabian: I read creator owned books from Dark Horse (Mignolaverse, The Goon,) and Image (Five Ghosts, Manhattan Projects, Saga) and a few other pubs. But yeah, all creator-owned. As far as creators, I’m influenced by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Eric Powell, Warren Ellis, Alan Moore, RobertKirkman and BKV.
Me: You seem to be consistently reaching stretch goals, what’s your reaction to all the support you’re receiving for Doc Unknown?
Fabian: It’s flattering, and honestly, a little unbelievable. I’m lucky to have as many supporters and friends as I do. I think we (artist Ryan Cody and I) hit our goal and beyond because we’ve shown ourselves to be a creative team who delivers. I’m beyond happy that we are able to do this comic on our own thanks to ComiXology and Kickstarter.
Me: Doc Unknown is also appearing in Five Ghosts from Image Comics, how did that come about?
Fabian: I had been reading the book and really digging it, I met Frank and we talked about how FG and Doc were in the same frequency, so we just talked about it and it happened. We figured each other’s fans would dig both books. Just seemed like a no-brainer.
Me: Which artists have most heavily influenced the style, tone and feel of the book?
Fabian: You’d have to ask Ryan Cody about that, but on my end I can say I picked Ryan for this project because his art reminded me of Oeming, DarwynCooke and Mignola rolled into one, but with his own spin. I even see some Kirby.
Me: What projects do you have lined up for the future? Can we expect more Doc Unknown stories will we be seeing something different from yourself?
Fabian: Right now the plan is to do a Volume 3 of Doc Unknown, and end it with that. I have some new stories I’m itching to do, I know Ryan and I will be working on one or two of them. I’m going to have some short comics in some upcoming titles, but that stuff hasn’t been announced yet. I will for sure be doing a KS for Volume 3 in the Fall, and plan on doing another Kickstarter for one of the new ideas about a year from now. Planning ahead!
Me: What’s the best aspect about crowd funding your title?
Fabian: Reaching an audience I wouldn’t normally be able to get on my own. And of course, not having to go into debt to make the comics I want to make.
Me: Hypothetical question now, who would win in a poker game, John Constantine or Doc Unknown?
Fabian: Constantine. He knows magic and shit.
Doc Unknown has until April 9th and is already $3000 past it’s goal, so get in there and help it reach some awesome stretch goals! You can follow Fabian on twitter: @FabianRangelJr and Ryan on twitter: @ryancody and Fabian will be at ECCC next week, table P-01! Don’t forget to check out the the link to Doc Volume 2 on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2005492660/doc-unknown-winter-of-the-damned-and-others-graphi?ref=live
See you all next time!
Posted on March 25th, 2014
Category: INDIE SPOTLIGHT, PREVIEWS & UPCOMING RELEASES
Tags: Comic Review, Doc Unknown Review, Fabian Rangel Jr., Indie Comics, Kickstarter comics, Robin Jones, Ryan Cody
Click HERE to watch Matt’s review of Rover Red Charlie #1
Three friends at the end of the world, knowing when it is and when it isn’t the right time to sniff an ass.
Hey I’m Matt, the reviews I do are spoiler free for the most part (except for sequential issues where I might mention what happened previously) but I aim to give you an overview of the story/art and basic quality of the book so you can make an informed decision and not waste those precious £!!
If there’s books you’d like to see reviewed just leave a comment and I will do my very best.
Follow Matt on Twitter! – https://twitter.com/Ass_H4t
Check Matt out on Youtube! – http://www.youtube.com/user/jezzamatic?feature=watch
Posted on December 6th, 2013
Category: MATT ON COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Avatar Press, Comic Review, Garth Ennis, Matt Saviker, Rover Red Charlie review, Youtube comic community, Youtube Comic Reviews
By Robin Jones
The other day, Mr postman brought me an absolutely amazing nugget of brilliance. For the poultry sum of £3.50 I ordered Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s “The Killing Joke” Deluxe Edition, ranked #03 in IGN’s best Batman stories of all time, ever, ever, ever, ever so nerr. Or whatever it was called. It’s pretty, oh so pretty. The Dust jacket is all purple and gilded, then remove that and you have a beautifully embossed hardcover, with that famous final scene on it, and a delightful Joker card on the back. There’s introductions, forewards, afterwords, fore skins, editors notes, sketches and more throughout. It was worth every little penny, and it got me thinking. Dangerous I know, but I wondered, “Alan Moore’s story has been lauded as the definitve Joker/Batman story, eluding to the Joker’s origins, the constant merry-go-round between the pair of them, and the question arises: Which one is the madman?”
Is the Joker, the clown prince of crime, the purple clad comedic nut job, crazier than the Batman, the man who has to have a plan for everything, a man so mistrustful of his best friend, that he keeps the very thing that may kill him in the Batcave, on rings in preparation for him going bad! Heck, in Justice League: Doom! he even has a contingency plan, for himself! Who is that prepared, except someone who is crazy? Also, if Batman could break his high moral code, surely hundreds of people would have not lost their lives every time that The Joker, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Bane, the Scarecrow, Hush etc break free from Arkham Asylum or Blackgate? If he killed the Joker, surely that would save hundreds of lives? A move WB/DC have obviously thought about since Superman killed Zod in Man of Steel, and everyone knows that Superheroes don’t kill, right? Which is why the ambiguous ending to The Killing Joke is perfect. Does the laughter stop because Batman kills the Joker, or does the laughter stop because Batman is equally insane and merely arrests him so the whole process can continue indefinitely.
The online newspaper, the Huffington Post, even reported on a team of Mental Health experts, calling themselves Broadcast Thought, including H. Eric Bender, M.D, Vasilis K. Pozios, M.D. and a bunch of retired F.B.I analyst and the likes coming up with psychological profiles for the majority of Batman’s main villains.
Bender commented on the Joker, saying
“Someone who is ‘psychotic’ is experiencing symptoms of psychosis, a mental disorder, which can include auditory hallucinations, such as hearing voices; visual hallucinations, where they see objects that are not truly there; or have delusional thoughts, despite evidence to show that such beliefs are incorrect — such as believing that one’s movements are being tracked by deep space satellites — or disorganized behavior, in the vast majority of depictions, the Joker is not experiencing such symptoms; rather, the Joker has shown symptoms of psychopathy.”
Bender says psychopathy is a personality construct and not a diagnosis of a mental disorder. Psychopathy reflects interpersonal characteristics and behavior that are often rooted in a lack of empathy,” Bender said. “In the comics, television shows, and films, the Joker is much more akin to a psychopath and is not psychotic.”
But then Pozios has said that while some people have speculated that Batman suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because he witnessed the death of his parents, close analysis of the medical criteria suggests he has some of the symptoms but not the disorder.
“There are actually four categories of criteria for PTSD,” Bender told AOL News. “There has to be some inciting traumatic event, such as the threat of death or serious injury. Then the person has to have re-experiencing of the event, such as through nightmares or flashbacks. “There is also hyper-arousal, such as an ex-soldier being extra sensitive to sudden noises. Finally, the person avoids places and other things associated with the traumatic event.”
Grant Morrison, noted comic book writer, recently revealed his take on things on Kevin Smith’s Fatman on Batman, saying “That’s why it’s called ‘The Killing Joke.’ The Joker tells the ‘Killing Joke’ at the end, Batman reaches out and breaks his neck, and that’s why the laughter stops and the light goes out, ’cause that was the last chance at crossing that bridge. And Alan Moore wrote the ultimate Batman/Joker story — he finished it.
This in itself sent the internet into a tizzy, with a fandom split down the middle! Would Batman actually kill the Joker? Does Batman see the potential for redemption in the Joker’s mad-capped ways? within the book itself, Batman admits that “we’re [himself and Joker] going to kill each other, aren’t we?” and that he just “wanted to know I’d [Batman] made a genuine attempt to talk things over and avert that outcome – just once.” From this alone, it sounds as if Batman is weary, tired of the constant games and struggles with the Joker, which backs Morrison’s point of it being the final Batman/Joker book. Could it really be their final chapter, hence the origin story throughout? The Killing Joke artist Brian Bolland didn’t help with his after thoughts within the book itself, finishing off his section with the quote: “Speaking of which, it’s time I revealed what really happened at the end of The Killing Joke: as our protagonists stood there in the rain laughing at the final joke, the police lights reflecting in the pools of filthy water underfoot, the Batman’s hand reached out and…..”
Again leaving the topic open to interpretation. Personally, I do think Batman killed the Joker. After the devastation he caused in the wake of Barbara Gordon’s shooting, the psychological trauma he would have caused Jim Gordon by parading him through a series of photos of the horrific deed and Batman’s weariness to their whole relationship, I personally feel something inside the Dark Knight snapped.
Alan Moore is also no help on the subject, as he has publicly criticised his own work, stating in one interview “Ultimately, at the end of the day, The Killing Joke is a story about Batman and the Joker; it isn’t about anything that you’re ever going to encounter in real life, because Batman and the Joker are not like any human beings that have ever lived. So there’s no important human information being imparted. Now, that said, I know that I’ve slagged The Killing Joke pretty remorselessly since it first came out. I mean, when I go into a sulk about something, you know, it lasts for decades. On the other hand, I’ve seen some of the other – there’ve been worse Batman books than The Killing Joke. The Killing Joke is probably not as bad as I’ve painted it. There have certainly been worse things done with Batman or with a lot of other superheroes for that matter. So in context, The Killing Joke wasn’t as bad a book as I’ve said it was, probably. That in terms of what I want from a book from my writing. Yeah, it was something that I thought was clumsy, misjudged and had no real human importance. It was just about a couple of licensed DC characters that didn’t really relate to the real world in any way.”
I guess with this one, the answer is in the mind of the reader, rather than laid out in front of you… Moore and Bolland get the last laugh there.
So, onto one of my usual features! I love including you guys in everything I do, therefore, I thought I’d ask the twitterverse, who has written/played/voiced the Joker the best? I love Heath Ledger’s Joker BUT, honestly, my favourite is Mark Hamill’s delightfully devious and downright demented portrayal of Mr J! Anyway, here’s your responses… (In no particular order…like the chaotic clown prince of crime himself hahaHAHAHAhAHahaHAHaHAHAHA… stopit.)
Andy – 42 Level One @damien14273 – Ledger for me he got it spot on, though I think Hamill could too him if he did a live action performance
Scooby-Doom! @TheScoobyDoom – Mark Hamill and Paul Dini are the masters of the Joker Ledger wasn’t Joker, he was purple Riddler.
Graham Day @Burningson – I always thought John DiMaggio gave an unexpectedly powerful performance in Under the Red Hood
The Cult Den. @TheCultDen – The best joker? Probably for me its Morrissons run, which has him as a fluid, ever changing killer (Reece)
Ian Austin @I_A_Austin – Cesar Romero.
Chris Hogan @unlikelynerd – Hammill’s voice acting is always so good. I’ve always liked how Loeb has written him. Snyder did good also. And BTAS writers
Sean Favager @Seanfav1 – Tough to call all amazing in different ways but you have to say for sheer performance Ledger brought it. #Oscar, but my Fav Joker has to be Cesar Romero though. He was nuts funny and he kept his mustache
Shane @pranksterK – Ledger. Gave the performance of a generation
Mr Fibbers @MrFibbers – I couldn’t fault any of them, I loved The childish Nicholson and the psychotic Ledger tho.
PaJi @paulpjames – There are so many, each bringing something different Caesar Romero, Kevin M Richardson, but Hamill for me. No, Nicholson. It’s in the eyes.
William Gordon @2FlashGordon7 – Mark Hamill! each one has nailed certain aspects of the Joker, none have been a PERFECT representation, but they are all still great portrayals. And I’ll get a lot of hate for this… But Snyder wrote him best, perfectly capturing the disturbing romance between bats and him and showing Jokers more horrific nature, and how he can destroy things using only words.
Mikael von Doom @alsoMike – An interesting thing here is that tho Mark Hamill is great, since I grew up with the Swedish version of BTAS, I really don’t have quite the same affinity to the original Joker/Batman voices English speakers have. I do think I prefer how Joker were written/portrayed in BTAS(whether it’s Hammil or whoever the Swedish guy is). I’m a big fan of any portrayal that has him as a comedian first, killer second. Not the other way around.
Steve M @theothersteve_m – To me it’s a tie between Ledger in TDK and Denny O’Neil bringing him back with a more sinister edge with Neal Adams.
Daniel Cole @gizmo151183 – Easy. Mark Hamill is the definitive Joker.
Inter-Comics @InterComics – I’m a Heath Ledger guy myself
Matt Johnson @PanelsAndPixels – Even though it’s recent I adored Joker in Death of the Family. He felt incredibly dangerous and unhinged, even for him.
Harry Ballentyne @CrimsonSquire -Ledger, he managed to capture the Joker’s sadistic version of comedy brilliantly.
random-shane @mprshane – Ledger was the bestest Joker
James M. Clark @JamesMClark87 – It’s a toss up between Hamill and Ledger
lottie @lottiejonesy – It would probably have to be Jack Nicholson, as he just looks like the Joker with those mad eyes!
So, after tallying up the votes, you guys have decided between you, that your favourite representation of the Joker is… Heath Ledgers! He recieved a post-humous Oscar for his turn as the nameless crown prince of crime in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and has given us so many fantastic quotes “Why So Serious!?!”, “How about a magic trick? I’m gonna make this pencil disappear” and the infamous “If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it’s all “part of the plan.” But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds!” which has been memed to death now! My personal favourite was Mark Hamill by the way.
Anyhow, onto the results of last weeks vote. I am diving into the world of the X-Men finally, and I asked you all to choose which X-Men run I should read first. The choices were Astonishing X-Men, Days of Future Past, Broodfall, Tomorrow People and Age of Apocalypse. This one was a bit unfair, since as @sciencepie (Graham, my good friend) told me, everyone goes for Whedon, however…
Therefore, expect my review of Joss Whedon, king of the geeks, ruler of the Whedonverse, creator of Buffy and arch duke of the Avengers’s take on those Astonishing X-Men.
Until next time….
For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985
Posted on October 1st, 2013
Category: NEWS & VIEWS, PAPERCUTS AND INKSTAINS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman, Comic Review, DC Comics, Joker, Killing Joke, Killing Joke Review, Robin Jones
Jupiter’s Legacy #1 is the first installment of Mark Millar and Frank Quitely’s new Image venture.
Jupiter’s Legacy #1 is the first installment of Mark Millar and Frank Quitely’s new Image venture. The covers for the first issue were very well done, with 4 different covers: one by Quitely, one by Phil Noto, one by Dave Johnson, one by J. Scott Campbell, one by Christian Ward and one by Bryan Hitch. I’m a huge fan of Dave Johnson’s stuff – mostly his 100 Bullets, Deadpool and Fury Max covers – so I grabbed the Johnson and Quitely covers. Each cover tells a different part of the story as great covers often do. Quitely’s cover depicts the two main characters in the foreground with a statuesque rendering of their parents in the background and is my favourite of the two I grabbed, though Johnson’s cover is pretty wicked in portraying the decadent nuances enveloped in Millar and Quitely’s story.
Quitely’s cover depicts the two main characters in the foreground with a statuesque rendering of their parents in the background and is my favourite of the two I grabbed.
Perhaps the reason I prefer Quitely’s cover over my coveted tried and true Dave Johnson cover art has to do with what Millar does best in this story: create a multi-generational narrative that starts in 1932, Morocco and continues into 2013, America. This echoes Watchmen’s shifts in time setting as Moore offered glimpses at his character’s past and present over multiple decades, though different from the time periods Jupiter’s Legacy concerns itself with. Being that the story portrays superhumans living in the real world and gives readers a sense of what would occur in our pop-culture if superhumans actually existed; it’s no wonder I see Moore’s influence in the pages of Millar’s comic.
The 1932 pages of the story at the start called to mind that nostalgic feeling of an awesome adventure I just couldn’t wait to dive in to.
The interior art is what has really sold me on this series. Millar is a great writer, sure, but I hadn’t previously encountered much of Quitely’s pencils and inks outside of a few issues of The Invisibles and his symbiosis with Peter Doherty on the interiors is really a spectacle to behold. The 1932 pages of the story at the start called to mind that nostalgic feeling of an awesome adventure I just couldn’t wait to dive in to. Doherty and Quitely then demonstrate their adaptability and transplant us to the glitz and glam of the red carpet in modern day, March 2013. There’s scantily clad super heroines and heroes partying at night clubs, golden-age style superhero fights, psychic dimensions and drug overdoses; everything you’d expect from a Millar comic if you’ve ever read any Millarworld titles.
There’s scantily clad super heroines and heroes partying at night clubs, golden-age style superhero fights, psychic dimensions and drug overdoses; everything you’d expect from a Millar comic if you’ve ever read any Millarworld titles.
All in all, I give this comic a 4/5. The art was quite handsome and the writing was funny, thought-provoking and intelligent. The only reason I’m not giving it a perfect 5/5 score is the fact that it’s been done before by Millar. Millar is a great writer and has done a number of comics I’d place in the upper echelon of modern comics, including Red Son and Wanted. Though I’d like to see him branch out more in his choice of genre. Superheros seem a frequent favourite of Millar’s that may be more of a crutch than an aid to him: he relies on them too heavily even outside of his corporate comics writing. I’m not one of those nothing-impresses-me fanboy assholes Millar is constantly writing about, I’m just saying Millar is a versatile writer capable of writing comics outside the superhero genre, so it would be nice to see something fresh from him.
Click HERE to view Jupiters Legacy comics
Follow James on twitter @JamesMClark87 or check out his website: http://50shadesofbloodandviscera.wordpress.com where he reviews only the most bloody and visceral comics!
Posted on May 30th, 2013
Category: 50 SHADES OF BLOOD AND VISCERA, REVIEWS
Tags: 50 Shades Of Blood and Viscera, Comic Review, comics, Dave Johnson, Frank Quitely, Image Comics, James M. Clark, Jupiters Legacy #1 review, Mark Millar
By Matt Johnson
The first story is written by show creators Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg, perplexingly their story is the weakest. The plot is purely a very quick catch-up of Oliver’s backstory.
Arrow has been quite a success for the CW. It’s been bringing in a respectably sized audience over in the US while doing well oversees too. As the show is an adaptation of the DC character Green Arrow, it wasn’t too surprising to hear that it was getting a comic book tie-in.
Mike Grell provides the art, which is a respectable nod to the man who modernised Green Arrow back in the late eighties.
Arrow issue 1 collects the first three chapters of the previously digital only releases. Each chapter is handled by a different creative team, which gives the issue a very disjointed feel. That wouldn’t be too much of a concern if each story had a sense of consistency but all three are radically different. The first story is written by show creators Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg, perplexingly their story is the weakest. The plot is purely a very quick catch-up of Oliver’s backstory, anyone who has seen the pilot episode will already know everything it has to say. Mike Grell provides the art, which is a respectable nod to the man who modernised Green Arrow back in the late eighties. Unfortunately though this is far from his best work. Character faces differ from shot to shot and the colour work also alternates haphazardly. It’s a bad start to the issue that feels both pointless and rushed.
Thankfully the middle tale is much stronger. Writer Ben Sokolowski keeps things simple with a story that mimics a typical episode.
Thankfully the middle tale is much stronger. Writer Ben Sokolowski keeps things simple with a story that mimics a typical episode. Unlike the first chapter this is a new take on a familiar formula: Oliver goes to confront a corrupt businessman, then some violence happens. It fits the format well and comes across as a nice compact tale that hits upon what would be the highlights were it made for TV. Meanwhile Sergio Sandoval is responsible for the issue’s art, he has a clean solid style that matches the tone. There’s nothing daring about it but it gets the job done well.
Finally the last chapter is an origin tale of Triad mercenary China White, a recurring rival of Oliver’s.
Finally the last chapter is an origin tale of Triad mercenary China White, a recurring rival of Oliver’s. Beth Schwartz tells a story that’s quite stereotypical but remains enjoyable despite the predictability. Jorge Jimenez’s art has a vaguely manga inspired look to it with lots of action lines and some dynamic backgrounds. His rendition of China White is full of life though, he captures her range emotions well but some of the side characters are represented noticeably weaker. As was the case with the first chapter, the limited amount of pages detracts from the quality. A couple of the scenes rapidly whiz by and definitely could have benefited from some more space to play out. That said both Schwartz and Jimenez have still produced an admirable piece of work in the limited room they had.
Jorge Jimenez’s art has a vaguely manga inspired look to it with lots of action lines and some dynamic backgrounds.
Altogether the whole issue is an uneven package. There are some problems present, but enough entertainment within to balance them out. If you’re enjoying the TV series then chances are you’ll enjoy Arrow 1. It’s not terribly deep, but it serves as a nice companion to the show. However, if you’ve already stopped watching Arrow, or never started, there’s little reason to read this as it depends almost purely on pre-established context. Any appreciation of this issue is purely driven by how much desire you have to see more of Arrow. Fans will be able to overlook the flaws while everyone else should pass.
For more comic views follow Matt on Twitter at @PanelsAndPixels and check out his website http://www.panelsandpixels.com/
Posted on April 1st, 2013
Category: POWER PANELS, REVIEWS
Tags: Andrew Kreisberg, Arrow, Ben Sokolowski, Beth Schwartz, Comic Review, DC Comics, Green Arrow, Jorge Jimenez, Marc Guggenheim, Matt Johnson, Oliver Queen, Power Panels, Sergio Sandoval
Last Thanksgiving, Marvel announced the first event of 2013 would be the Age of Ultron.
Last Thanksgiving, Marvel announced the first event of 2013 would be the Age of Ultron. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson and Carlos Pacheco will help tell us the story of Ultron (an Android created by Hank Pym) taking over the world as what’s left of the world’s heroes tries to form a resistance to stop him.
Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Bryan Hitch, Brandon Peterson and Carlos Pacheco will help tell us the story of Ultron (an Android created by Hank Pym) taking over the world as what’s left of the world’s heroes tries to form a resistance to stop him.
Now, I haven’t been into comics for long but I’ve read a bit about Ultron from Avenger runs so I know a little about the guy (or girl in one case) that being said, this is just a guide to what to read and offers some predictions as to what will be the fallout of this event. So, here we go!
Here’s a small guide of what you should pick up to get to know Ultron.
Mighty Avengers – The Ultron Initiative
A great start for any new Marvel fan in regards to Ultron’s origin. We get a fantastic story where Ultron takes over the body of Tony Stark, as the rest of the Avengers try to save the day.
A great start for any new Marvel fan in regards to Ultron’s origin.
The Avengers – Volume 1 Bendis
Splitting up the Avenger team into two (one team time traveling into the future, while the other stays to protect New York) Iron Man learns of a dark future and what awaits him and his friends if they fail to stop Ultron. What makes this story arc so interesting is that the event shows future events before they happened (Fear Itself) and that both Captain America and Iron Man saw futures where all hope was lost.
These are just some suggestions to further understand Ultron and his motives, or you can be like me and just jump straight into Age of Ultron (with ties ins!) Now, let’s get to those predictions. My predictions will become crazier as the list goes up, so bear with me.
This one may be the most obvious of all choices, but I know how much Marvel loves to break apart happy couples so I’m going with this one first.
The solicits talk about Wolverine making a controversial decision that will effect the entire Marvel Universe, so why not have him kill the man that created Ultron.
What if Hope Summers is the one to defeat Ultron?
SUBMIT OR PERISH!
For more comic views and reviews follow Ruben on Twitter at @Ruben_Mendoza and check out his YouTube channel over at http://youtube.com/rubenm33
Click here to view Age Of Ultron comics
Posted on March 2nd, 2013
Category: NEWS & VIEWS, REVIEWS, THE BURRITO BANDITO
Tags: Age Of Ultron, Age Of Ultron Preview, avengers, Brandon Peterson, brian michael bendis, Bryan Hitch, Burrito Bandito, Carlos Pacheco, Comic Review, marvel comics, Ruben Mendoza
By Flodo Span
Wednesday 23rd January 2013 was unofficially branded Green Lantern Day.
Wednesday 23rd January 2013 was unofficially branded Green Lantern Day. Due to last minute changes in their publishing schedule DC Comics released Green Lantern #16, Green Lantern Corps #16 and Green Lantern: New Guardians #16 all on the same day. The excitement amongst Lantern fans was high and, given the recent disappointment of all three titles, I am pleased to report our excitement was suitably matched by great improvements in quality and storytelling.
Green Lantern #16 marks Simon Baz’s first real introduction to the Corps.
For the first time since ‘Rise of the Third Army’ began 13 issues previously we finally got two books where the story lead naturally from one title to the next in a way that fans would traditionally expect of a crossover. While GL:NG continues to tell its own story with Kyle Rayner, Green Lantern and GLC form a two part story in which our heroes begin to turn the tide on the Guardians’ mindless forces. I suspect the event was produced with the specific goal of making each book able to stand on its own so that readers weren’t put off by feeling obliged to pick all four participating titles. For me, however, this diminished the appeal. I was getting all of the books because they shared the ‘Rise…’ banner and the fact that they lacked cohesion was ultimately a factor that detracted from my overall satisfaction.
Veteran Lantern B’dg has arrived on the scene looking for Hal Jordan and is surprised to find Baz wearing a power ring that had been shared by Hal and Sinestro.
Thankfully I can put all of that bad feeling behind me now. Green Lantern #16 marks Simon Baz’s first real introduction to the Corps. Veteran Lantern B’dg has arrived on the scene looking for Hal Jordan and is surprised to find Baz wearing a power ring that had been shared by Hal and Sinestro. He is even more surprised to discover it depowered and on the finger of Earth’s newest recruit. And so begins Green Lantern ring slinging 101 – class is in session.
One of the main focuses in the issue is building Baz’s reputation and proving he is worthy to be a member of the Corps. Rather than go with FBI agent Fed to prove his innocence of the terrorist charges that have been levelled at him, he puts his GL mission first and follows B’dg in the search for Jordan. In the meantime Fed places a call to Amanda Waller. Cue introduction to JLA, the newest offering from DC Comics coming out in February.
Luckily squirrels from across the universe all speak the same language!
In a novel twist the lantern itself takes over the master class and says the sacred words for him.
As with most geeks, I’m a bit of a stickler for accuracy in my comics so correct me in the comments for this post if you think I’ve got the next bit wrong. We see B’dg returning the lantern to the pocket dimension it was removed from. Now we know from the first arc of the current Green Lantern Corps run that GLs no longer use a pocket dimension for storing power battery (Hal kept his in his locker at Ferris Air). So does this mean that B’dg has just sent Baz’s lantern back to Sinestro’s ‘Batcave’ hideout?
In any case, he unravels the message that we saw stored in the ring in GL #12 which basically gives us a recap of what happened to Hal and Sinestro in the annual. He pockets the Book of Black and then makes the mistake of telling Simon he cannot keep the ring, that it must be returned to Hal Jordan. As you would expect of any wielder of willpower Baz takes this as a challenge and sets off on his own mission which will test the ring’s powers to the limit. Along the way he effortlessly conjures up a phone construct and calls his sister to meet him at the hospital.
Simon Baz’s plan is to do the impossible. To use the ring to wake his brother-in-law from a coma.
Simon Baz’s plan is to do the impossible. To use the ring to wake his brother-in-law from a coma. B’dg tells him the ring can’t be used to raise the dead or cure any ill. We’re not living in the silver age any more where the Green Lantern Power ring changed at the whim of a writer from one week to the next and all things were possible. Nevertheless Simon summons up all of his determination to force the green energy it into his best friend’s motionless body. The writing and the art complement each other brilliantly here. Geoff Johns doesn’t rush the pace, giving time for Doug Mahnke to depict a true effort of will. Sparks crackle of both men and tears stream down the Lantern’s grimaced face. Just when all seems fruitless Nazir rises from his hospital bed, much to the astonishment of B’dg and the watching doctors.
In the meantime Johns brings us back to the Dead Zone for the big reveal of the hooded character who has been leading Hal and Sinestro through the zone. And the mysterious figure is… (drumroll… trumpets…) Tomar-Re! In the original silver age origin Tomar-Re was the first Green Lantern Hal Jordan came into contact with after the death of Abin Sur. He met his death at the hands of long-time GL villain Goldface during the time of ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’. In all my wildest speculation it never once crossed my mind that Tomar-Re would be the man behind the hood and let me tell you now, my little fanboy heart leaped in my chest and I couldn’t possibly be happier.
In all my wildest speculation it never once crossed my mind that Tomar-Re would be the man behind the hood.
The deceased hero warns that the First Lantern must be stopped before reality unravels and “changes lantern history as we know it.” The cynic in me says, “Oh, Green Lantern’s very own Flashpoint. How convenient”.
The news that the recently resigned GL has been jailed on Earth is again received via the device of a corny TV newsflash.
Putting all that aside I continued in my Green Lantern Day celebrations by immediately turning to Green Lantern Corps #16 where the Guardians of the universe continue to show little of the emotionless balance they profess to hold so dear. Instead they submit to downright pettiness as they turn the Third Army’s attention towards Guy Gardner. The news that the recently resigned GL has been jailed on Earth is again received via the device of a corny TV newsflash, only this time it is transmitted a billion miles telepathically via the eyes of a Thirdite on the rampage in Atlanta Georgia.
The Third Army assimilate everyone around them.
If there was ever any doubt that Guy is as hard as the proverbial nails this issue quells it. He knocks out his huge cell mate with a single below without so much as raising his head from its melancholic stupor. Playing successfully off the rebooted origin featured in Green Lantern Corps #0 Guy’s brother and sister visit him in prison only to wind up standing shoulder to shoulder with him as the Third Army assimilate everyone around them. The Gardner family are made of sterner stuff than your average Joe.
The Gardner family are made of sterner stuff than your average Joe.
The action briefly hops several sectors away to where John Stewart and Fatality have encountered a giant spaceship threatening a defenceless world. The ship’s weapon is powered by fragments of the GL fan favourite Mogo, a former sentient planet destroyed by Stewart himself. One thing I love about Green Lantern is the scale of the world they operate in. With 7,000 Corps members policing an entire universe rescuing a planet single-handedly is basically a pre-requisite for the job. And teamed with a Star Sapphire? Let’s just say those terrorists really didn’t stand a chance. Peter J. Tomasi has been teasing Mogo’s revival for several issues now we are hanging on a knife edge of ‘is he or isn’t he?”. The answer must surely be just around the corner.
John Stewart and Fatality have encountered a giant spaceship threatening a defenceless world.
Back on Earth the heroics continue as Baz and B’dg join the fray. Again, in GLC #16 the new Lantern’s portrayal is the epitome of of a comic book stalwart. He is brave and ferocious. He is self-assured but his priority is protecting the people around him from becoming victim to the Third Army. He shares many of these traits with Guy Gardner and I loved when the veteran showed his admiration saying, “Kids got a little outlaw in his eyes”. A very Guy kind of compliment.
I did wonder how the Green Lantern rings have suddenly become so effective on the Thirdites? The green energy can blast great chunks out of the creatures now whereas previously in this event they are shown to be impervious to its attack. However, I am entirely prepared to let it pass. The battle scene was tremendous. Tomasi has a knack for writing Green Lantern Corps like the very best war movies. The heroes hold their own against impossible odds and finally secure victory by containing their enemy in a construct and detonating two dozen army missiles on them. Fernando Pasarin matches the tempo with his art. Every panel is packed with action. Exploding weapons and exploding guts. Bodies flying in all directions. I have heard criticism of some comic art as visually static. Completely contrary to that description, GLC #16 is powered along by characters in constant motion.
GLC #16 is powered along by characters in constant motion.
The story ends on the moon with Guy learning Hal’s and Sinestro’s garbled message. Before that we confirm a response to the question that has persistently followed Simon Baz since DC released the first images of him last summer. Unusually for a Green Lantern he carries a gun. He has been caught out by the ring running out of charge once already and he is not about to get left without a weapon again.
Unusually for a Green Lantern he carries a gun.
Without a shadow of a doubt I can say that these were two great issues. The Green Lantern team is firing on all cylinders again. Our Emerald Crusaders show their willpower in abundance, courageously overcome fear and shed their unflinching light over evil. The conclusion of ‘Rise of the Third Army’ in Green Lantern Corps Annual #1 promises to be a hell of a showdown between the Guardians and their Corps.
Our Emerald Crusaders show their willpower in abundance, courageously overcome fear and shed their unflinching light over evil.
For more Green Lantern reviews, news and thoughts you can follow Flodo on his website flodospage.blogspot.co.uk or on Twitter at @GL875
Posted on March 1st, 2013
Category: FLODO'S TALE, REVIEWS
Tags: B'dg, Book of Black, Comic Review, DC Comics, Flodo Span, Flodo's Tale, FLODO’S TALE #007 – HEROES & FRIENDS – GREEN LANTERN #16 & GREEN LANTERN CORPS #16, Green lantern, Guardians of the Universe, Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan, Simon Baz, Sinestro, Third Army
By Matt Johnson
Deathmatch is one of those books where I knew it was coming but I didn’t know what I was going to get. All I knew was the premise: a group of super heroes and villains fight it out to the death.
One of the best experiences being a comic book reader is picking up something you know practically nothing about. If it’s good then you’ve just found a brand new series to follow and if it sucks then hey, at least you only spent a couple of pounds on it! Deathmatch is one of those books where I knew it was coming but I didn’t know what I was going to get. All I knew was the premise: a group of super heroes and villains fight it out to the death. I know, sounds a little brainless. But I decided I wanted to take a chance on it, mainly since Paul Jenkins wrote it. I was a big fan of his Sentry mini-series a few years back so I was hoping for some good character work, despite the apparent simple setup. I was not disappointed.
This issue has a lot of interesting dialogue and brief introductions to some truly compelling characters.
For a comic book all about fighting this issue actually doesn’t have a whole lot of fighting in it. Instead the issue has a lot of interesting dialogue and brief introductions to some truly compelling characters. I was reminded of Mark Waid’s Irredeemable in that we’re introduced to a lot of new super powered characters at once, they all look fascinating and leave you guessing just what’s the story with each one. The crazy thing here is that any of them could die at any minute. The fact that I want to know the background of every character really shows how strongly written and designed these characters are. If the book was made up of a weak disposable cast then the whole premise would fall flat. Who cares if Mr. Bland and Dr. Boring beat each other to death in a fight? But when it’s two characters who you’re pining to learn more about then you’re on the edge of your seat hoping someone doesn’t get torn in half.
Who cares if Mr. Bland and Dr. Boring beat each other to death in a fight? But when it’s two characters who you’re pining to learn more about then you’re on the edge of your seat hoping someone doesn’t get torn in half.
On top of the fights themselves there’s extra tension in the fact that nobody knows just who has assembled them all to fight in the first place. Although it seems the core of the series will deal with the one-on-one arena battles the mystery of who’s behind it should provide some good content in between and, hopefully, beyond.
I’ve already mentioned how the characters’ designs are great visually so I have to hand it to artist Carlos Magno for doing a great job on making everybody look unique. Even though everyone here is a fresh creation you won’t struggle to tell them apart because they’re all so strikingly different. Another nice touch is that his artwork makes everything look a little dirtied and dark, it fits the grim tone of the book perfectly.
Even though everyone here is a fresh creation you won’t struggle to tell them apart because they’re all so strikingly different.
All around this is a great book. I have no idea what’s going to happen next or who’s going to survive another issue but I’m dying to know. Do yourself a favour and check Deathmatch out.
For more comic views follow Matt on Twitter at @PanelsAndPixels and check out his website http://www.panelsandpixels.com/
Click here to view Deathmatch comics
Posted on January 9th, 2013
Category: POWER PANELS, REVIEWS
Tags: Boom Studios, Carlos Magno, Comic Review, Deathmatch #1, Matt Johnson, Paul Jenkins, Power Panels #01 Deathmatch review
By Kulbir Mann
The women in his life do cause him a lot of stress, but lets face facts; his partners suffer significantly more.
The answer to this question is, of course, an unequivocal no. However the women in his life do cause him a lot of stress, but lets face facts; his partners suffer significantly more. He is one of the few characters that I can think of that has had a succession of women in his life, and they do play an important part in his development. This leads onto the commonly held aphorism, women in refrigerators, which essentially means that female characters are only used to progress the plot and character of the male protagonist. It is based upon Alexandra DeWitt who was found dead in the above kitchen appliance for Kyle Rayner to find on the day he received his powers. Is this plot device used in Daredevil? Is Matt Murdock a horrendous secret misogynist? Why do his women all seem to die?
Before Matt became Daredevil there was Elektra Natchios, who he met at Columbia university as a student. She was amazing, intelligent, strong, confident and daughter to a wealthy Greek ambassador. They had a sweet romance that appeared to blossom through their time together. As with most superhero romances it led to disaster. She was kidnapped together with her father, as part of a terrorist ploy. This was part of the evolution of Daredevil, as he donned the mask and attempted the rescue. Unfortunately this led to the death of her father and the end to their relationship. She left the United States in order to learn martial arts, empowered by her lust for revenge. Matt tried his best to stop her but they would not meet again until she returned an assassin. Their reconciliation was not as Matt would have hoped, as she was part of the ninja organisation known as the Hand; enemies of Daredevil. They had a difficult relationship and often fought together but never as one. Until the day Bullseye ended her life on a rooftop, using one of her own sai. It is one of the most horrific deaths in comic lore, and the image is recollected with ease to every avid reader. Matt would wreak vengeance for her death but it would not be the first lover Bullseye would kill. Elektra was the ideal woman and in her death, we saw Daredevil’s first great tragedy. In her resurrection we can see that she was not just a character device for Matt but continued to many a story as a loved deadly assassin.
Until the day Bullseye ended her life on a rooftop, using one of her own sai. It is one of the most horrific deaths in comic lore, and the image is recollected with ease to every avid reader.
Karen Page was as tragic as they come. Her relationship began as an infatuation for Daredevil, whilst being Matt’s secretary. After her father becomes a super villain and tries to kill Daredevil, he reveals himself to her and they begin a difficult romance. She struggles with his alter ego and the risk he puts on himself night in night out. She eventually leaves him unable to take the stress, and is lured by the bright lights of Hollywood.
Those lights turned out to be red and shady as she ends up working as a pornographic actress. Her jones for heroin leads her to sell the most precious of commodities: Daredevils secret identity. This leads to a very clever play by Kingpin to ruin Murdock’s existence. Slowly but surely he targets all aspects of his life and pulls the thread, leaving Matt a whimpering wreck. He falls into the hands of the church and his mother, a nun. Religion and redemption run thick through the born again storyline, as a resurrected Matt forgives Karen, and stitches his life back together.
They begin anew but Karen is forever in his debt. As strong as their love is, she struggles with her sordid past, even as Matt holds her tight. She leaves him again but only to return with…wait for it…AIDS!
Karen is a character used in a religious Daredevil book to represent the power of forgiveness. Unfortunately for her, the sins are too big to forgive as she becomes involved with Daredevil’s hallucinations, and caught in a massive church crossfire. A billyclub to the heart courtesy of Bullseye takes her from this world, and hopefully to a better place for her. I genuinely feel for Karen and her story is one of plight. Daredevil is distraught after she dies, as she was his most long-term and loved of companions.
Religion seems to leave Daredevil for the foreseeable future as he enters a world of low mood, depression and extreme social unrest. Bendis and Brubaker take him through a dark period, where he is sombre and only takes solace in Foggy. He meets Milla Donovan, who helps him through to the light; she is blind too. Milla was a lovely lady who liked Matt for whom he was and accepted his blindness in a way no one else could. In Milla, he found someone who was normal. She had a regular life, no traumas or strains but had to deal with her blindness, which she did very well. Her story takes her through many difficult Daredevil situations, revolving around his long drawn out struggle with his identity, and old enemies/girlfriends attacking at any time. She remained strong enough to actually marry Murdock but this was soon annulled, as she succumbs to the mental torture inflicted by hallucinogenics and Mr Fear. She was left hospitalised in a mental institution with no hope of recovery, leaving Matt alone once more. Milla was a true innocent who made no bad decisions, and had no major turmoil in her life except the day she met Matt Murdock. With all the damage inflicted to these three women, it is easy to envisage why Matt was a continuous grey cloud over a graveyard of ex-girlfriends.
Milla remained strong enough to actually marry Murdock but this was soon annulled, as she succumbs to the mental torture inflicted by hallucinogenics and Mr Fear.
Not all his relationships were troublesome, some women survived unscathed. He dated Black widow for a time and they parted without disaster or death, leaving a healthy friendship behind. He also had a brief romance with a girl called Echo who was deaf. She had the ability to copy any action and replicate it to perfection. Their jousting was beautiful and the relationship ended too soon. His latest romance was with Dakota North who was hired as an investigator with the law firm. That ended through circumstance more than genuine personal strife. His new optimistic attitude, that Mark Waid has provided, even saw a brief fling with Black Cat. However that was more a strategic position on behalf of Black Cat but Matt seemed relatively cheerful. So it is not all doom and gloom but the damage done from having two deaths and one mental breakdown is immeasurable.
With his new optimistic attitude that Mark Waid has provided, Matt even had a brief fling with the Black Cat.
If we look at the women in refrigerators argument, some of his relationships do apply. I feel Karen Page was a feasible character to begin with, as she spent a long period of time with Matt before embarking on a film career. It was then she became the turning point for Matt’s despair and then their resolution from religion. This was unfair on her, especially with the revelation of AIDS. Milla’s story was tragic and played a similar role, but without a religious theme. How did he move on from his guilt? He did technically date Dakota whilst still being married. His relationship with Elektra was different and she was not a plot developer, and this is not just because she returned from the dead. Her death was part of her own story and not just Matt’s. So there are clearly cases from Daredevil’s history of the use of women to develop his character.
Daredevil is not a character with many friends. He has Foggy Nelson who is his bungling dedicated law partner and companion. He had Stick who was his trainer and mentor for many a year, long gone. There is the odd character that does enter and leave his life but Matt is a solitary character. Recently he has joined the Avengers but this is in keeping with his new persona. With all the love interests in his life, are they key to his character? This may have been true of the past Murdock, and they certainly have been key to his happiness but at present this does not run true. After the Daredevil reborn series we saw a change in him, what this was, outside of a change in mindset, is unknown. It was much needed and welcomed but does this mean he is not interested in women? Can Waid Murdock have a relationship in Marvel Now, which is different to his previous ones? Is his character now independent of a romantic angle, and if this is true then what are we insinuating about the role of his female love interests? He may be less dependent and be able date someone on a more equal level, but there are few relationships that last in comics. Even Lois and Clark are not together in current continuity, and the biggest relationship disaster occurred in Identity Crisis many years ago. I think we are done with these storylines, and I think it is unfair on women that they are often bear the brunt in the aftermath. I would like to think the same fate would await the male love interests of female heroes but this has rarely been touched upon.
Daredevil and his “best friend” Foggy Nelson
I wonder whether a modern day big superhero can manage a decent relationship storyline with anyone. I can only think of Luke Cage and his family in recent times, which was an interesting reflection of a family man in the Avengers. Ultimately he left the helm and I wonder if this is the ultimate end to all superhero relationships. Someone dies, becomes maimed, kidnapped, mentally tortured or they both leave the hero world altogether, to keep themselves alive and in love. I feel that Daredevil is reflective of the issues involved in romantic love interests and their consequences in the comic world as a whole. I do not believe it is his character, or Daredevil persona, that is the reason for the ill fate begetting his girlfriends, outside the fact that they will always be targeted by enemies of Daredevil. It is a systemic problem in comics and I would welcome someone writing a new angle on these often depressing and sad stories.
For more comic views and reviews follow Kulbir on Twitter at @Kooliebear and check out his website over at houseofflyingscalpels.com
Click here to view Daredevil Vol. 2 comics
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Posted on December 31st, 2012
Category: DEVIL IN THE DETAIL, NEWS & VIEWS
Tags: Black Cat, Black Widow, Comic Review, Daredevil, DEVIL IN THE DETAIL #003 – “IS DAREDEVIL HAPPY BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?", Elektra, Karen Page, Kulbir Mann, marvel comics, Matt Murdock
By Keil Hopwood
Written and Art by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccelato
The Zero month promised origins, so what is Barry’s in the New 52? How did he become the Flash? Why did he join the police force as a forensic scientist? Why does he wear bow ties?
As we are all well aware, September was DC Comic’s Zero Month. It makes sense to me, therefore, that the beginning of my reviews here should be the start (chronologically speaking) of one of my favourite New 52 titles, The Flash.
The Flash #0 opens with a question; “Why are you here, Barry?”. It’s a good question, both in context of the story being told, and in a wider sense. The Zero month promised origins, so what is Barry’s in the New 52? How did he become the Flash? Why did he join the police force as a forensic scientist? Why does he wear bow ties? Why is he here?
The Flash #0 opens with a question; “Why are you here, Barry?”.
Flash #0 does a better job than most of the zero month issues in answering these questions, pinning down which aspects of pre-52 Flash have been retained, and which have been changed.
In essence, his origin is the one we all know and love, struck by lightning whilst holding chemicals. Now, I have no idea what crazy volatile chemicals they use in crime labs that result in super speed when electricity passes through them, but hey, I’m no sciencetician. And, like before, his mother meets an untimely end by unknown hands, and Papa Allen gets the blame. Barry needs him to be innocent, and goes in to the police force to prove this (again, what police force would allow someone to investigate their mother’s murder when their father is the prime suspect is beyond me). There are minor differences, Captain Frye seems more of a father figure to young Barry (implied to be because he and Barry’s mother were intimate), but overall its pretty similar.
Like before, his mother meets an untimely end by unknown hands, and Papa Allen gets the blame.
The storytelling and art are, as ever, exceptionally well done, with wordless panels often expressing more than the exposition. This level of interaction is often overlooked in comics, with many feeling like illustrated stories, as opposed to stories told through words and art. Also well done is that the Flash’s origin tale is interwoven with flashbacks to his childhood. not only does catharsis feature in both, but the colouring does a great job of showing where each panel is set, even ignoring the fact Barry is a child in one time frame. Further, Manapul and Buccelato seem to have found a good voice for Barry, and made him a guy you’d like to be buddies with. And, as ever, every page is worthy of framing and pinning up on a wall somewhere.
I’d be remiss if I ignored the fact “Daniel West” makes an appearance (confirmed to be Iris’ brother in issue #14), as a villain busted by the Flash early in his career. One can only assume that this is a potential “in” for a de-aged Wally; son of a jailbird, looking for a strong male role model, finds one in The Flash, but this is, of course, speculation.
I’d be remiss if I ignored the fact “Daniel West” makes an appearance (confirmed to be Iris’ brother in issue #14), as a villain busted by the Flash early in his career.
Overall, I continue to enjoy the Flash series. Some may say that it is a “villain of the week” book, and whilst it maybe doesn’t do anything as bold as Batman’s Court of Owls, it’s a fun superhero book, begining to re-establish an icon. And, judging it on those merits, you really can’t fault it.
For more comic views and reviews follow Keil on Twitter at @Keilimanjaro
Posted on November 21st, 2012
Category: REVIEWS, THE SLOPES OF KEILIMANJARO
Tags: Barry Allen, Brian Buccelato, Comic Review, Daniel West, DC Comics, Flash #0 Review, Flash Vol. 4 #0, Francis Manapul, Keil Hopwood, SLOPES OF KEILIMANJARO
Crossed Badlands #12 opens with a hilarious page of “Yellow-Belly” aka Edmund dreaming of umm… well, some big round butt as he floats into it somewhere in the dreamy cosmos.
Crossed Badlands #12 opens with a hilarious page of “Yellow-Belly” aka Edmund dreaming of umm…
We can see the progression of our protagonist from yellow-bellied grade-A pussy to the burgeoning possibilities of Edmund being a hero (this is the same dude that hid in a barrel as his mom, dad and brother were violently raped by Crossed geeks). Edmund puts his foot down in this issue – the crossed geeks will no longer violently fuck and kill their way across his community – when he decides he is going to do what he should have done from the hop; warn everyone that the geeks are coming!
We can see the progression of our protagonist from yellow-bellied grade-A pussy to the burgeoning possibilities of Edmund being a hero
Lapham’s hilarious characterization of a whipping boy turned hero can’t help but win the hearts of his readers as we cheer for him to kick some Crossed ass.
Lo and behold! Nobody believes the starry-eyed teen as he runs around a small town telling everyone that the geeks who raped and pillaged a local carnival are coming to spread their madness and pandemonium to the neighbouring communities. But wait! Our hero discovers a biker bar and as he so aptly puts it: “Biker’s kick ass”.
You’re gonna cheer so hard when you see who Edmund has to go toe to toe with!
The biker’s aren’t nearly as stupid as the local townies and ask Edmund to take them to the carnival so they can witness firsthand where the infection began. This leads to another brilliant Jacen Burrows 2-page spread of the Crossed rampantly dismembering circus animals as the bikers and Edmund stumble upon ground zero.
As the bikers and Edmund prepare themselves for a no-holds bar, knock-down, drag-out brimming to the tits with violence war everybody takes a night to relax: Biker-style. Edmund partakes in the festivities enjoying beers, cigarettes that don’t smell like cigarettes and the warm embrace of a biker babe whose “Butt was really nice and a bit jiggly”. If you had of told me the cowardly loser introduced in Crossed: Badlands #10 would be sliding up inside some biker tail not 2 issues later; I would’ve called you a moron.
If you had of told me the cowardly loser introduced in Crossed: Badlands #10 would be sliding up inside some biker tail not 2 issues later; I would’ve called you a moron.
Edmund gets some war paint tattooed on his arm before him and his biker comrade’s head out to kick some sadistic zombified ass! Another beautiful Jacen Burrows 2 page spread of the biker’s gunning down Crossed with some kick-ass Uzi’s and biker babes. This issue comes with a reappearance of a character from Edmund’s quiet high-school days; you’re gonna cheer so hard when you see who Edmund has to go toe to toe with!
The latter pages of the story are gripping as we witness just exactly how far Edmund has progressed from pussy to cold-blooded killer and the events of Crossed: Badlands #12 definitely take their toll on the psyche of an otherwise harmless young man. This issue is one not to be missed! A brilliant cliff-hanger ending to be concluded next issue in Crossed: Badlands #13 before the beginning of The Darkness writer David Hines’ arc.
Follow James on twitter @JamesMClark87 or check out his website: http://50shadesofbloodandviscera.wordpress.com where he reviews only the most bloody and visceral comics!
Posted on September 8th, 2012
Category: 50 SHADES OF BLOOD AND VISCERA, REVIEWS
Tags: 50 Shades Of Blood and Viscera, Avatar Comics, Avatar Press, Comic Review, comics, Crossed Badlands #12 Review, David Lapham, Jacen Burrows, James M. Clark
As the Crossed descend on the town, the townies start to realize perhaps Edmund has a good reason to be such a cowardly bitch!
Part two of David Lapham’s “Yellow-Belly” arc continues in Crossed Badlands #11 written by David Lapham with art by Jacen Burrows
The issue opens with Edmund having returned home from the carnival and confessing to his mother and a police officer the brutality he witnessed while at the carnival with his father and brother (both now dead; having fallen victim to the Crossed in issue 10).
The issue opens with Edmund having returned home from the carnival and confessing to his mother and a police officer the brutality he witnessed.
Edmund’s yellow-bellied cowardice begins to show even more in this latest issue with a series of events that would test any man’s mettle. However, Edmund’s pant-peeing cowardice isn’t just yellow… it’s downright ‘yella’. As the Crossed descend on the town, the townies start to realize perhaps Edmund has a good reason to be the cowardly bitch that he is and perhaps they could all do with taking a page from his book. One of the guys that gave Edmund such a hard time at school even commends Edmund for this and thanks him for warning them about the plagued legions of Crossed wreaking havoc on the town.
Edmund’s pant-peeing cowardice isn’t just yellow… it’s downright ‘yella’.
We’re introduced to some more characters from the school Edmund attends and are given their backstory. The events of this issue lead to an epic few final pages with more great art by Burrows and as much pandemonium as readers can handle!
The events of this issue lead to an epic few final pages with more great art by Burrows and as much pandemonium as readers can handle!
Having a go at a series after Jamie Delano is a tough task for any writer but Lapham has taken the reigns with fervour and delivers some really high-octane story. Jacen Burrows shows more and more that he was meant for the series and I’m really hoping Avatar Press pairs these two again in other Crossed arcs.
Follow James on twitter @JamesMClark87 or check out his website: http://50shadesofbloodandviscera.wordpress.com where he reviews only the most bloody and visceral comics!
Posted on September 8th, 2012
Category: 50 SHADES OF BLOOD AND VISCERA, REVIEWS
Tags: 50 Shades Of Blood and Viscera, Avatar Comics, Avatar Press, Comic Review, comics, Crossed Badlands #11 Review, David Lapham, Jacen Burrows, James M. Clark
Extermination has proved to be one of the most intriguing comics in my monthly list.
I’ll start off by honestly saying I came across Extermination more through luck than by any form of in-depth research. Whilst enjoying an afternoon off work last week, I was strolling through London’s West End and decided upon a visit to a nearby geek shop. One of this shop’s benefits is their collection of grab-bags, inclusive of four comics, for a measly £1. So amongst one of the four bags I bought was Extermination #1.
As it only really cost me 25p, I held out no major hope for it and was ready to file it in my ‘Miscellaneous’ comic folder however, after reading the first two issues, it has proved to be one of the most intriguing comics in my monthly list.
As #1 starts, the only two characters introduced are superhero, Nox, and supervillain, The Red Reaper.
I was at something of a disadvantage as I didn’t know too much about Extermination, other than a brief mention somewhere online a few months ago, so it wasn’t until finishing #2 that I had managed to get a fairly accurate idea as to what hell was going on.
To summarise the plot, Earth has been left on the brink of destruction after coming under attack from an alien force. As #1 starts, the only two characters introduced are superhero, Nox, and supervillain, The Red Reaper. Previously enemies before the attack, they are forced to work together, despite their differences, staying on the run from the alien horde, on their nuclear-powered ‘bladecycle’. Nox, a Batman-wannabe in appearance and character, tries to uphold integrity and decency in the face of mass extinction by refusing to kill and even as far as banning the use of bad language. The Reaper is a wonderfully over-the-top ‘pseudo-camp’ evil scientist who takes as much pleasure in ridiculing Nox as he does in killing the alien creatures.
Where Extermination truly sets itself apart is in the dialogue between the two main characters.
The basic premise of the series, outlined in #1, is nothing we haven’t seen before, however where Extermination truly sets itself apart is in the dialogue between the two main characters. Whilst it may be easy to quickly dismiss their arguments as light-hearted good vs. evil debates, it highlights also a clash of ideologies in a new world. Whilst Nox clings on to the values and ethics of society before the attack, Red Reaper declares them irrelevant as he likens the attack to a teenage boy hitting puberty, the world now needing to man up and concentrate on the most basic instinct, survival. To illustrate a certain level of credibility to Reaper’s argument, it is Nox that is seen with the first signs of conflict as the series begins.
Interspersed throughout the comic are short flashbacks that provide an important backdrop to how life was on Earth before the attack and also highlights Nox and Reaper in their previous roles as enemies.
One of my concerns over the first issue was the limited amount of characters, however this is thankfully rectified in #2 as more survivors are introduced.
One of my concerns over the first issue was the limited amount of characters, however this is thankfully rectified in #2 as more survivors are introduced, in addition to ‘powereds’ such as Promethean, a superhero who is used by the survivors to an extent possibly never before seen in comics! #2 also expands upon the initial plot by revealing society’s complacency and level of dependency on their superheroes and later, their feelings of betrayal towards them as they are alleged to have abandoned them in their hour of need.
As for the artwork, it is extremely detailed and imaginative, especially during the battle scenes involving the various forms of aliens. One slight criticism would be that it suffers from trying to have too much occur in each still, resulting in the main characters appearing far too small when being swarmed by aliens. Whilst this serves the purpose to highlight their plight, it can make it hard for the reader.
As for the artwork, it is extremely detailed and imaginative, especially during the battle scenes involving the various forms of aliens.
To conclude, despite exhibiting a range of factors seen many times before, Extermination still manages to pull it off with a quirky-but-at-times-serious take on the alien invasion genre with two main characters whose constant bitching make this a recommendation for those looking for something new.
Rating: 3/5
Follow Stuart on twitter @Martel_79 or check out his website theonlywayisgeek.blogspot.co.uk/
Posted on September 8th, 2012
Category: REVIEWS, THE ONLY WAY IS GEEK
Tags: Boom Studios, Comic Review, comics, Extermination #1 Review, Extermination #2 Review, Stuart Ingram, The Only Way Is Geek
This is a special anniversary point issue (a stand alone story) that follows Peter Parker as he does a favor for an old friend
Spider-Man looks pretty good for fifty years old! This is a special anniversary point issue (a stand alone story) that follows Peter Parker as he does a favor for an old friend that takes him back to the warehouse where the burglar hid after he killed Uncle Ben (spoiler)
Artwork is fantastic here too, we get a little more darker colored Spider-Man here that really fits well with the overall tone of the story.
The Positive
This is a pretty different kind of Spider-Man story, we are not getting a big villain but we do get a notorious crime syndicate from Spider-Man’s past who return to cause more trouble. I actually enjoyed this concept a lot, we actually got a chance to see Peter reflect on his life as Spider-Man a little more and not have to worry about a huge baddie at the end. We all know Spider-Man is going to save the day, but that doesn’t make the ride any less exciting. Artwork is fantastic here too, we get a little more darker colored Spider-Man here that really fits well with the overall tone of the story.
We all know Spider-Man is going to save the day, but that doesn’t make the ride any less exciting.
The Negative
The only negative thing I can really say about this comic is that it’s a point one to a series that’s not even in publication anymore.
The Verdict
Not a whole lot to say about this one, if you are a fan of Spider-Man this is a great little story that explores the character with a simply told story. Some readers may be disappointed with the fact that their isn’t a famous Spider baddie here but for me but it still doesn’t take away from a great story
3 out of 5 stars
For more comic views and reviews follow Ruben on Twitter at @Ruben_Mendoza
Posted on August 16th, 2012
Category: REVIEWS, THE BURRITO BANDITO
Tags: Burrito Bandito, Comic Review, marvel comics, Peter Parker Spider-Man #156.1 Review, Ruben Mendoza, spider-man
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