Oh HELLS yah!
This clip reminds me of the impression our ten year old ring bearer would do of Christian Bale in The Dark Knight.
Spot. On.
Showing posts with label Batman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Batman. Show all posts
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Pull List: 1 October 2008
Batman #680
Doktor Sleepless #9
No Hero #1
Invincible #25
Justice League of America #25
Trinity #18
Doktor Sleepless #9
No Hero #1
Invincible #25
Justice League of America #25
Trinity #18
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Six sentence comic book reviews
It’s a well known fact that the Internet produces 67 pounds of unadulterated crap daily.
Which, when you think about it, is actually a lot less than you’d expect.
Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls of all ages….I bring you, six sentence comic book reviews.
Let’s do this.
Trinity #5
Walking Dead #50
Batman #678
Rann\Thanagar: Holy War #3
Astonishing X-Men #25
Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #5
Rann\Thanagar: Holy War #3
Droppity, drop, drop-drop, drop-drop-drop. Sorry but this title just isn’t doing it for me anymore. I only started reading it because it combined many of the more interesting spaced-based series and miniseries (Adam Strange, Mystery in Space, 52) from the past few years. But after realizing it was a chore to have to sit down and actually read this issue I knew it was time to cut the cord. Jim Starlin’s story is so-so and Ron Lim’s art is…passable. But reading the space adventures of DC’s C-list heroes just shouldn’t be this dull.
Batman #678
I’m loving Morrison’s Batman because it’s so against formula. I generally wouldn’t touch a solo Bat-title for love or money. He’s grim, gritty and solves crime, I get it already. But Morrison’s Silver Age labyrinthine mind games and disjointed storytelling techniques are so different from standard spandex superhero stories that they force me to raise my game as a reader and I dig that. In this issue the Club of Villains continue their assault on Bats and company by shooting him up with weapons grade crystal meth and dumping him on the streets. It’s an interesting little story that is regrettably hamstrung by the lack of a big name artist.
Astonishing X-Men #25
Where Morrison tends to enslave characters to the needs of his ‘big story idea’ Ellis takes a different tack, placing the ‘big story idea’ firmly in the background and focusing on how the threat impacts a story’s characters and their relationships. That’s what this issue of CSI: San Francisco is all about. The X-Men are asked to consult on the death of a suspected mutant. But all that really happens is that Ellis spends the entire issue introducing his version of the X-men lineup and (re)establishing their relationships with each other. Simone Bianchi’s art isn’t really my thing. I think he makes an interesting cover artist but his interior work is flat and generally unappealing to me.
Walking Dead #50
A fantastically well written epic character piece set in the background of a zombie apocalypse, what’s not to like? This issue was a fantastic coda, dealing with Carl’s repressed emotions and inner turmoil stemming from recent WD events. For a young boy living in a world where death is an everyday fact of life we’re shown that almost anything can become commonplace, even zombies. Robert Kirkman has done an excellent job giving readers a chance to adjust to the new status quo and allow his characters a similar opportunity to mature and grow. I strongly suspect that with the next issue we’ll see the titles remaining disparate characters, and possibly some new faces, begin to reappear. I can’t wait.
Now go away and leave an old man in peace. You’ve got what you wanted from me you dirty bastards.
Which, when you think about it, is actually a lot less than you’d expect.
Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls of all ages….I bring you, six sentence comic book reviews.
Let’s do this.
Trinity #5
Walking Dead #50
Batman #678
Rann\Thanagar: Holy War #3
Astonishing X-Men #25
Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #5
Rann\Thanagar: Holy War #3
Droppity, drop, drop-drop, drop-drop-drop. Sorry but this title just isn’t doing it for me anymore. I only started reading it because it combined many of the more interesting spaced-based series and miniseries (Adam Strange, Mystery in Space, 52) from the past few years. But after realizing it was a chore to have to sit down and actually read this issue I knew it was time to cut the cord. Jim Starlin’s story is so-so and Ron Lim’s art is…passable. But reading the space adventures of DC’s C-list heroes just shouldn’t be this dull.
Batman #678
I’m loving Morrison’s Batman because it’s so against formula. I generally wouldn’t touch a solo Bat-title for love or money. He’s grim, gritty and solves crime, I get it already. But Morrison’s Silver Age labyrinthine mind games and disjointed storytelling techniques are so different from standard spandex superhero stories that they force me to raise my game as a reader and I dig that. In this issue the Club of Villains continue their assault on Bats and company by shooting him up with weapons grade crystal meth and dumping him on the streets. It’s an interesting little story that is regrettably hamstrung by the lack of a big name artist.
Astonishing X-Men #25
Where Morrison tends to enslave characters to the needs of his ‘big story idea’ Ellis takes a different tack, placing the ‘big story idea’ firmly in the background and focusing on how the threat impacts a story’s characters and their relationships. That’s what this issue of CSI: San Francisco is all about. The X-Men are asked to consult on the death of a suspected mutant. But all that really happens is that Ellis spends the entire issue introducing his version of the X-men lineup and (re)establishing their relationships with each other. Simone Bianchi’s art isn’t really my thing. I think he makes an interesting cover artist but his interior work is flat and generally unappealing to me.
Walking Dead #50
A fantastically well written epic character piece set in the background of a zombie apocalypse, what’s not to like? This issue was a fantastic coda, dealing with Carl’s repressed emotions and inner turmoil stemming from recent WD events. For a young boy living in a world where death is an everyday fact of life we’re shown that almost anything can become commonplace, even zombies. Robert Kirkman has done an excellent job giving readers a chance to adjust to the new status quo and allow his characters a similar opportunity to mature and grow. I strongly suspect that with the next issue we’ll see the titles remaining disparate characters, and possibly some new faces, begin to reappear. I can’t wait.
Now go away and leave an old man in peace. You’ve got what you wanted from me you dirty bastards.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
NCD #8: When will Final Crisis get here?
Booster Gold #9
Geoff Johns continues to do what he does best, mine DC’s past for continuity errors to smooth over. This week’s victim of nostalgia is the Justice League International. In Booster Gold #9 Johns makes an attempt to explain away how Maxwell Lord showed up in the pages of Countdown to Infinite Crisis with a flesh body instead of the cyborg chassis we last saw him sporting.
It wasn’t a great explanation, apparently he’s one massive skin graft, but it’s more than anybody else could be bothered to do. John’s time on this title is coming to a close so at this point he’s really not really advancing the plot much, just tying up loose ends. (I suspect the next issue won’t extend much beyond a generic fight scene and a long villain exposition about why they’re doing this)
But the biggest question I have about this issue is; Does Batman wear his entire costume under every disguise, bat ears and all?
Green Lantern Corps #24
Patrick Gleason, you’ve done it again, Oh and kuds to everyone else who helped out with this issue. I’m glad to see that the Green Lanterns have officially swiped Mongul from Superman for their own Rogue’s Gallery. It just makes sense to have an intergalactic dictator match up against the space cops, as opposed to the guy who could be almost anywhere in the blink of an eyelash but rarely leaves downtown Metropolis.
In this issue writer Peter Tomasi tries a different take on the Black Mercy by making it show victims their greatest fear rather than deepest desire. Considering Mongul is now the leader of the Sinestro Corps it’s a neat little twist that pays homage to Mongul the first’s most recognizable story while acknowledging his son’s new role in the GL mythos.
I approve.
Batman #676
This is the first part of Batman R.I.P. which promises to change everything in Batman’s life…again. Here we’re introduced to the Black Glove group who may, or may not, know Batman’s secret identity. Tony Daniels art and layout is much more palatable this time out than it was in the previous issue. Unfortunately readers are still getting stuck with serviceable art when they should be getting someone a little more A-list. I understand if Kubert is off that list for perpetually blowing deadlines but surely there is someone a step up from Daniels.
I’m a little bitter because I was hoping for something really visually different for the new batmobile and what I got was a generic re-tread of the first bat-car, only with red headlights. I wonder if Batman’s throwaway line about the car ‘not being what he expected’ is part of the story or Morrison’s opinion on the limitations of the artist he’s been saddled with.
Green Arrow \ Black Canary #8
I read this title because I like the character of Green Arrow.
I’m clearly not reading it because I enjoy the writing or the art.
I hate myself.
Walking Dead #49
However, I am reading this title because I enjoy both the art and the writing. Robert Kirkman has significantly pared down the group of survivors who were previously residing at ye olde prison complex. And despite the perception the reader is left with after the bloodbath of the last issue, the original group of survivors isn’t quite as decimated as they seem, especially when you take into account those who left in the RV with Dale and Andrea.
In this issue, with the exception of a brief cameo by Michonne, we follow Rick and Carl as they attempt to find food and shelter after escaping from the Governor’s deathsquad. It’s a nice simple break from the all out action this title usually provides. It feels like everyone, writer and readers alike, are taking a nice deep breath before plunging into the next chapter of a post-apocalyptic zombie world.
I can’t wait.
Geoff Johns continues to do what he does best, mine DC’s past for continuity errors to smooth over. This week’s victim of nostalgia is the Justice League International. In Booster Gold #9 Johns makes an attempt to explain away how Maxwell Lord showed up in the pages of Countdown to Infinite Crisis with a flesh body instead of the cyborg chassis we last saw him sporting.
It wasn’t a great explanation, apparently he’s one massive skin graft, but it’s more than anybody else could be bothered to do. John’s time on this title is coming to a close so at this point he’s really not really advancing the plot much, just tying up loose ends. (I suspect the next issue won’t extend much beyond a generic fight scene and a long villain exposition about why they’re doing this)
But the biggest question I have about this issue is; Does Batman wear his entire costume under every disguise, bat ears and all?
Green Lantern Corps #24
Patrick Gleason, you’ve done it again, Oh and kuds to everyone else who helped out with this issue. I’m glad to see that the Green Lanterns have officially swiped Mongul from Superman for their own Rogue’s Gallery. It just makes sense to have an intergalactic dictator match up against the space cops, as opposed to the guy who could be almost anywhere in the blink of an eyelash but rarely leaves downtown Metropolis.
In this issue writer Peter Tomasi tries a different take on the Black Mercy by making it show victims their greatest fear rather than deepest desire. Considering Mongul is now the leader of the Sinestro Corps it’s a neat little twist that pays homage to Mongul the first’s most recognizable story while acknowledging his son’s new role in the GL mythos.
I approve.
Batman #676
This is the first part of Batman R.I.P. which promises to change everything in Batman’s life…again. Here we’re introduced to the Black Glove group who may, or may not, know Batman’s secret identity. Tony Daniels art and layout is much more palatable this time out than it was in the previous issue. Unfortunately readers are still getting stuck with serviceable art when they should be getting someone a little more A-list. I understand if Kubert is off that list for perpetually blowing deadlines but surely there is someone a step up from Daniels.
I’m a little bitter because I was hoping for something really visually different for the new batmobile and what I got was a generic re-tread of the first bat-car, only with red headlights. I wonder if Batman’s throwaway line about the car ‘not being what he expected’ is part of the story or Morrison’s opinion on the limitations of the artist he’s been saddled with.
Green Arrow \ Black Canary #8
I read this title because I like the character of Green Arrow.
I’m clearly not reading it because I enjoy the writing or the art.
I hate myself.
Walking Dead #49
However, I am reading this title because I enjoy both the art and the writing. Robert Kirkman has significantly pared down the group of survivors who were previously residing at ye olde prison complex. And despite the perception the reader is left with after the bloodbath of the last issue, the original group of survivors isn’t quite as decimated as they seem, especially when you take into account those who left in the RV with Dale and Andrea.
In this issue, with the exception of a brief cameo by Michonne, we follow Rick and Carl as they attempt to find food and shelter after escaping from the Governor’s deathsquad. It’s a nice simple break from the all out action this title usually provides. It feels like everyone, writer and readers alike, are taking a nice deep breath before plunging into the next chapter of a post-apocalyptic zombie world.
I can’t wait.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
NCD #4: Where I talk about stuff I bough this week, again
Batman #675
Oh Grant Morrison, even your run-of-the-mill stories are anything but. You’re one of the three or four writers that my gf actually recognizes because a) I have so much of your stuff lying around the house and b) I get a little weak in the brain every time something you write comes out. Final Crisis just might kill me.
Anyway, Batman. A fairly straightforward story here. Bruce Wayne is having dinner with Vicki Va…Jezebel Jet who is in the process of breaking up him because she doesn’t feel that he opens up to her enough. During dinner bad guys come in and kidnap her and Bruce is forced to take them down without his batsuit. We’ve all heard this plot before right? Bruce Wayne forced to fight crime in street clothes because he can’t change into his tights in time. This motif is a fairly regular staple in Bat-comics.
Only this time supermodel, politician and international activist Jezebel Jet sees through the thousand dollar suit to the crimefighter beneath and pegs him as Bats. It feels like Morrison is using this issue as a lead-in to Batman R.I.P. It’s good for what it is, but it doesn’t show us anything we haven’t seen before.
The art was a little weak. Repeated readings of the dinner scene didn’t make it any clearer as to who some characters were supposed to be, where they came from and what side they were fighting on.
I was also a little mystified by the appearance of Merlyn, alongside Talia and Damian, in the B story. I know Merlyn as primarily a Green Arrow villain, although I hear he spent some time with the League of Assassins. With some of the dialogue being kicked around I couldn’t be sure if Merlyn was aware of Bruce’s double life or not. Given some of his history in the DCU I’m not sure that this makes sense. Merlyn strikes me as the type of character that if he knew about Bruce’s alter-ego he’d either try to profit from it or start spreading it around the underworld.
Am I the only one who thinks this?
Death of the New Gods #8
A fitting, if albeit temporary, end to the New Gods saga. I was surprised at how melancholy I was after finishing this issue. It felt to me that I wasn’t saying goodbye to the New Gods, rather I was saying goodbye to Jack Kirby himself. With this title almost all of Kirby’s ongoing DC characters have been taken off the board. I know that with FC the role of the New Gods will be substantially revamped but I’m not sure what that ‘Fifth World’ will look like yet.
This issue hits the stands a week after Countdown #2 and answers some of the questions that issue left us with, such as how Orion came back from the dead and why Superman was content to let him stagger off, alone and dying, after killing his father (because he was already dead apparently) Unfortunately it also highlighted some fairly notable discrepancies as well, like where did Dark Side’s Celestial power go to, why can Orion speak now and a host of others mysteries.
However, overall this series has been pretty consistent throughout. I’m not a huge fan of Starlin’s art or his writing, but there was nothing overly offensive about either that was going to drive me away from this book. It’s a little unfortunate that so many characters had off-screen or unseen deaths. In a perfect world we’d have seen more of their personal stories before they were shuffled off into parts unknown. But DNG touched on enough of the really prolific characters to make reading the story worthwhile.
Next stop, Final Crisis.
Justice League of America #20
Hey, who’s that? It’s the Queen Bee. Last seen, by me anyway, in the now defunct title, JLA, durign it’s World War III arc. Apparently she’s no longer slurring her words by adding z’s onto everything but is still trying her level best to take over the world.
This is one of the steadier League stories in a long time. I’m one of the rare few who don’t foam at the mouth when you bring up Meltzer’s run on this title. I freely admit some of his decisions on the title were downright crap. But I think Meltzer gets a bad rap for being, well, Meltzer. It almost feels like there’s a prejudice against him because he doesn’t believe writing comic books is the holy grail of his career. I notice the same scorn whenever someone talks about a television writer trying to cross mediums as well.
Anyway, this story is a done-in-one, team-up style tale where the Flash and Wonder Woman join forces to kick ass and take names. Wally lays some science on us as he’s putting out fires and Wonder Woman tries to talk him into making the League more of a priority. And somewhere in there they find the time to foil the Queen Bee’s plans.
I enjoy how McDuffie writes Wonder Woman. I find that he was able to make her sound like the warrior diplomat that she’s supposed to be. Van Sciver’s art was highly enjoyable, much more engaging than I usually find it. I guess he just needed a break from drawing the entire rogue’s gallery of the Green Lantern Corp.
Checkmate #25
So long Greg Rucka. And with your departure I’m officially dropping this title. I first started reading this book a year ago on a lark because I had a light week in comics and was looking for something else to read. I was hooked on the series pretty quickly. Enough so that I even trolled through some back issue bins to see what I’d missed.
Rucka’s final issue reveals the identity of the rooks, Checkmate’s heavy hitters in emergency scenarios. In order to function as a team, the rooks inject alien DNA from Starro the Conqueror in order to maintain a telepathic link and improve their efficiency.
What I like about this series is that it’s part of DC continuity yet outside it as well. This is a comic where soldiers do all the things traditional spandex heroes aren’t supposed to do. They kill, shoot guns and hurt people badly. Yet Rucka never shied away from bringing in name heroes on occasion and doing so in a way that was seamless, suited the story and didn’t seem like a callous sop to boost sales. That’s never an easy thing to do.
Rucka is in his element with this title. He’s always paid meticulous attention to detail, working hard to bring us the flavour and terminology of a world wide para-military counter-intelligence unit. Nowhere was this more evident than in this issue. I really enjoyed the little dialogue bubbles that he created to show how the rooks were in constant three-way communication with each other. It was a neat little extra that showed a willingness to think outside the box a little.
From some of his recent statements it sounds like Rucka is not all that happy with life at DC. He recently let his exclusive contract with the company expire without resigning. Best of luck on your future projects Greg, I look forward to reading them.
Oh Grant Morrison, even your run-of-the-mill stories are anything but. You’re one of the three or four writers that my gf actually recognizes because a) I have so much of your stuff lying around the house and b) I get a little weak in the brain every time something you write comes out. Final Crisis just might kill me.
Anyway, Batman. A fairly straightforward story here. Bruce Wayne is having dinner with Vicki Va…Jezebel Jet who is in the process of breaking up him because she doesn’t feel that he opens up to her enough. During dinner bad guys come in and kidnap her and Bruce is forced to take them down without his batsuit. We’ve all heard this plot before right? Bruce Wayne forced to fight crime in street clothes because he can’t change into his tights in time. This motif is a fairly regular staple in Bat-comics.
Only this time supermodel, politician and international activist Jezebel Jet sees through the thousand dollar suit to the crimefighter beneath and pegs him as Bats. It feels like Morrison is using this issue as a lead-in to Batman R.I.P. It’s good for what it is, but it doesn’t show us anything we haven’t seen before.
The art was a little weak. Repeated readings of the dinner scene didn’t make it any clearer as to who some characters were supposed to be, where they came from and what side they were fighting on.
I was also a little mystified by the appearance of Merlyn, alongside Talia and Damian, in the B story. I know Merlyn as primarily a Green Arrow villain, although I hear he spent some time with the League of Assassins. With some of the dialogue being kicked around I couldn’t be sure if Merlyn was aware of Bruce’s double life or not. Given some of his history in the DCU I’m not sure that this makes sense. Merlyn strikes me as the type of character that if he knew about Bruce’s alter-ego he’d either try to profit from it or start spreading it around the underworld.
Am I the only one who thinks this?
Death of the New Gods #8
A fitting, if albeit temporary, end to the New Gods saga. I was surprised at how melancholy I was after finishing this issue. It felt to me that I wasn’t saying goodbye to the New Gods, rather I was saying goodbye to Jack Kirby himself. With this title almost all of Kirby’s ongoing DC characters have been taken off the board. I know that with FC the role of the New Gods will be substantially revamped but I’m not sure what that ‘Fifth World’ will look like yet.
This issue hits the stands a week after Countdown #2 and answers some of the questions that issue left us with, such as how Orion came back from the dead and why Superman was content to let him stagger off, alone and dying, after killing his father (because he was already dead apparently) Unfortunately it also highlighted some fairly notable discrepancies as well, like where did Dark Side’s Celestial power go to, why can Orion speak now and a host of others mysteries.
However, overall this series has been pretty consistent throughout. I’m not a huge fan of Starlin’s art or his writing, but there was nothing overly offensive about either that was going to drive me away from this book. It’s a little unfortunate that so many characters had off-screen or unseen deaths. In a perfect world we’d have seen more of their personal stories before they were shuffled off into parts unknown. But DNG touched on enough of the really prolific characters to make reading the story worthwhile.
Next stop, Final Crisis.
Justice League of America #20
Hey, who’s that? It’s the Queen Bee. Last seen, by me anyway, in the now defunct title, JLA, durign it’s World War III arc. Apparently she’s no longer slurring her words by adding z’s onto everything but is still trying her level best to take over the world.
This is one of the steadier League stories in a long time. I’m one of the rare few who don’t foam at the mouth when you bring up Meltzer’s run on this title. I freely admit some of his decisions on the title were downright crap. But I think Meltzer gets a bad rap for being, well, Meltzer. It almost feels like there’s a prejudice against him because he doesn’t believe writing comic books is the holy grail of his career. I notice the same scorn whenever someone talks about a television writer trying to cross mediums as well.
Anyway, this story is a done-in-one, team-up style tale where the Flash and Wonder Woman join forces to kick ass and take names. Wally lays some science on us as he’s putting out fires and Wonder Woman tries to talk him into making the League more of a priority. And somewhere in there they find the time to foil the Queen Bee’s plans.
I enjoy how McDuffie writes Wonder Woman. I find that he was able to make her sound like the warrior diplomat that she’s supposed to be. Van Sciver’s art was highly enjoyable, much more engaging than I usually find it. I guess he just needed a break from drawing the entire rogue’s gallery of the Green Lantern Corp.
Checkmate #25
So long Greg Rucka. And with your departure I’m officially dropping this title. I first started reading this book a year ago on a lark because I had a light week in comics and was looking for something else to read. I was hooked on the series pretty quickly. Enough so that I even trolled through some back issue bins to see what I’d missed.
Rucka’s final issue reveals the identity of the rooks, Checkmate’s heavy hitters in emergency scenarios. In order to function as a team, the rooks inject alien DNA from Starro the Conqueror in order to maintain a telepathic link and improve their efficiency.
What I like about this series is that it’s part of DC continuity yet outside it as well. This is a comic where soldiers do all the things traditional spandex heroes aren’t supposed to do. They kill, shoot guns and hurt people badly. Yet Rucka never shied away from bringing in name heroes on occasion and doing so in a way that was seamless, suited the story and didn’t seem like a callous sop to boost sales. That’s never an easy thing to do.
Rucka is in his element with this title. He’s always paid meticulous attention to detail, working hard to bring us the flavour and terminology of a world wide para-military counter-intelligence unit. Nowhere was this more evident than in this issue. I really enjoyed the little dialogue bubbles that he created to show how the rooks were in constant three-way communication with each other. It was a neat little extra that showed a willingness to think outside the box a little.
From some of his recent statements it sounds like Rucka is not all that happy with life at DC. He recently let his exclusive contract with the company expire without resigning. Best of luck on your future projects Greg, I look forward to reading them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
