Comics Archives - Page 19 of 28

Quick Hits (Not a Review!) on DC Comics New 52

I picked up six issues of DC Comics’ “New 52” universe-wide reboot. I enjoyed the initial kick-off, Justice League #1, and was anxious to see what other changes would be made to the DCU. The six books I picked up on my iPad 2 (via the outstanding Comixology) were Action Comics #1, Animal Man #1, Batgirl #1, Detective Comics #1, Green Arrow #1, and Justice League International #1. Here are some random thoughts (not a review) on these six comic books. Light spoilers ahead!

Action Comics #1: I’m more of a story guy than an art guy, but I was totally captivated by Rags Morales’ artwork in this book. Grant Morrison’s writing is really hit or miss for me. He can be brilliant (New X-Men, Justice League) and he can be all over the place (Final Crisis, Batman R.I.P.). Action Comics is definitely the “good” Morrison. It’s a fresh take on a young Superman that’s just starting out. While Superman’s character development is going to take a few issues, the new Lex Luthor came off as a bad-ass through a handful of pages. There have been some awesome portrayals of Luthor over the years and I have a feeling that Morrison’s new Luthor will be one of the best ever.

Animal Man #1: This was one of my two favorite updates from this week’s batch. I absolutely love what Jeff Lemire is doing with this character. Animal Man is a reluctant, semi-retired superhero that’s trying to balance marriage, raising kids, being a superhero, and being a celebrity. Making AM a hero to liberals is a fresh and modern twist given the political climate in America today. I can totally see him being interviewed on The Rachel Maddow Show or being a frequent commentator on Morning Joe. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Animal Man juggles all of his responsibilities with his wants. Hmmmm, perhaps I’m projecting.

Batgirl #1: Gail Simone is one of my favorite writers (very underrated) and Adam Hughes is one of the best cover artists of all time. Also, redheads that can beat you up are sexy as hell. With that in mind, I knew I’d enjoy the new Batgirl. I’m completely lost as to how Barbara Gordon went from the wheelchair-bound Oracle back to the dynamic Batgirl, but I can’t wait to find out. I really enjoyed Babs’ inner monologue — her self doubt and flashbacks to getting shot in the spine by the Joker gave her an endearing sense of vulnerability. Plus…red hair and spandex!

Detective Comics #1: This was a good, but not great, start for the new Detective Comics. That said, I can see the first issue setting up a great arc. I loved the gritty feel of this book. Even though he’s the hero, I felt a little bit scared of Batman. The Joker felt revoltingly evil. It was cool seeing Batman’s relationship with the Gotham P.D. and how Jim Gordon seems to be coy about their one-on-one dealings (despite his giant Bat Signal). This single issue didn’t blow me away, but I’m pretty sure the entire arc will.

Green Arrow #1: Similar to Animal Man, I love this modernization of Green Arrow. Imagine a young Steve Jobs that uses his technological prowess and connections to fight crime — that’s Green Arrow! He’s definitely similar to Marvel’s Tony Stark/Iron Man, but writer J.T. Krul is making the character and tech easier for real people to identify with. For example, Green Arrow’s alter ego Oliver Queen is the founder of Queen Industries, makers of the hugely popular Q-Phone and Q-Pad. *snicker* I’m really digging this fresh, modern, and relevant take on Green Arrow. I’m also pleased that the new version is not sporting that ridiculous Errol Flynn mustache.

Justice League International #1: This was the only book that disappointed me. It was definitely fun and entertaining, but I was expecting more. The original JLI is my favorite series of all time. While I knew this book wasn’t going to be all “Bwahahahaha!!!” and Martian Manhunter addicted to Oreos, I just wanted…something better. This is more of a straightforward action book featuring B- and C-listers. It’s fun and I dig the international aspect of JLI (it’s great watching Russia’s Rocket Red and China’s August General in Iron interact). I’m also intrigued by the horny nature of Britain’s Lady Godiva. I’m definitely going to keep reading this series and I’m sure that I’ll enjoy it in the long run, but I sincerely doubt I’ll love it as much as the original JLI.

Random Thoughts (Not a Review!) on Justice League #1

I’ve read Justice League #1 about a dozen times since I downloaded it earlier in the week. As some of you know, this comic book kicks off the DC Universe reboot. Characters are getting modernized, costumes are being updated, origins are getting revamped…and it all starts here (Goonies?). While I’m still not sure about the entire reboot, I can say for sure that I enjoyed Justice League #1. Here are some random thoughts on the issue (with minor spoilers).

– The image above is one of my favorite panels in the book. I love how it shows off Hal Jordan’s brashness. I also love the slight smirk on Batman’s face. And really, this is what’s cool about the reboot and Justice League in particular. Seeing how superheroes react when they meet each other for the first time is cool.

– You can tell that this comic book was made with tablets in mind. A lot of the older books I’ve downloaded have some awkward panels that make scrolling on a tablet feel awkward. Obviously the artists and editors didn’t think about tablets when they were making these books a decade ago (or more). Justice League #1 was completely smooth on my iPad 2. While I miss some of the creative things artists can do with odd-sized panels, the new style works much better on tablet computers.

– The new costumes are pretty cool so far. The Green Lantern one isn’t too different, but Jim Lee’s take on Batman and Superman is fresh and modern. A lot of the little details, such as Batman’s lobster-like gauntlet, look cool and make sense. Superman’s costume, with its built-in cape, is definitely interesting. He only had a splash page and I can’t wait to see more of the new outfit. Wonder Woman didn’t appear in the first issue, but I’m pleased to see that the revamped Wonder Woman knows that it’s easier to fight evil in pants than in a bikini.

– I’m probably in the minority here, but I love where Geoff Johns is going with Victor Stone. As some of you know, I’m fascinated by tweener superheroes and I can’t wait to see how they revamp Stone’s origin as Cyborg.

– Justice League #1 did what it was supposed to do — get me interested in the new DC Universe. I like the direction this book is going in and I’m curious to see how the rest of DC shapes up. I’ll definitely pick up a few other books — definitely Justice League International — and will probably buy more than I planned on simply because this issue was so intriguing.

Superman Costume Revealed on Facebook

The Facebook page for Superman: Man of Steel has been updated with several pictures of Henry Cavill wearing the updated Superman costume. It’s definitely a departure from the traditional costume. However, I’m going to withhold judgement for now because of Thor; the costumes from that movie looked stupid in still shots, but totally worked in the movie.

Having said that, I’m not going to stop you from judging! What do you think of the new Superman costume?

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Is This Anne Hathaway as Catwoman??? (I Hope Not!)

[Updated with second picture at 7:53 PT] RPadholic tokz tweeted me a picture of Anne Hathaway from the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises. People are divided on whether this is Hathaway in a Catwoman costume or if she’s portraying Selina Kyle in civilian garb. I think the latter argument is wishful thinking because the costume looks like crap. It certainly doesn’t look like anything a real human (that’s not headed to an S&M club) would wear. I think Anne is the hotness, but this costume makes her look like Trinity’s understudy from The Matrix.

What do you think? Is it Catwoman? Or is it Selina? What do you think of the outfit? What the hell’s up with goggles?!?

[Update: New picture below!]

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Stephen Colbert Addresses Miles Morales Spider-Man

www.colbertnation.com

After our interesting discussion on Miles Morales, the multiracial Spider-Man in the Ultimate Marvel Universe, it was great watching Stephen Colbert attack the issue with faux indignation. Colbert was his typically hilarious self, but especially funny to comic-book nerds. I was thinking about one of our other discussion when he brought up the fact that Superman is an illegal alien. It’s fantastic stuff, but what else do you expect from Colbert?

Thanks to my bud Parisi for posting this!

Coffee Talk #379: Mixed Race Spider-Man and You

In case you didn’t know, the Ultimate Marvel Universe version of Peter Park is dead (for now) and a young hero has stepped up to take his place. His name is Miles Morales and he’s multiracial. People are…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, whether Randy Moss is really retiring, CM Punk using his old and awesome Ring of Honor music, or naughty dreams about Margaret Hoover, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Man, this is even better than Superman renouncing his American citizenship! I’m talking about the new Ultimate Spider-Man of course. In case you didn’t know, the Ultimate Marvel Universe version of Peter Park is dead (for now) and a young hero has stepped up to take his place. His name is Miles Morales and he’s multiracial. People are freaking out over a Spider-Man that’s half African-American and half Latino-American (check out this comments section). They’re angry and disturbed. Never mind that most of them haven’t read the comic book yet.

The “anger” over Miles Morales is seriously some of the stupidest sh*t I’ve read in the last decade. People are accusing Marvel and writer Brian Michael Bendis of being liberal tools. Some are saying that this is a pathetic example of being politically correct in 2011. Some even think that Miles Morales is a result of Barack Obama’s presidency. Again, keep in mind that I was reading all of these garbage reactions yesterday and the comic book revealing Morales’ race wasn’t available yet.

I really have no problem with this whatsoever. First of all, it’s fiction. Secondly, this isn’t Peter Parker. It’s an entirely new character in a series that’s known for modernizing the Spider-Man universe. I seriously don’t understand why Miles Morales’ race is even an issue.

Of course I want to hear your thoughts on all of this. Do you have an issue with Miles Morales Spider-Man? Or do you think he’s fine? Will people freak out over Laurence Fishburne playing Perry White in the Superman reboot? Please share your feelings (like a Care Bear) and don’t judge others with different opinions (also like a Care Bear)!

Comic Con Giveaway #2: Activision Superhero Windbreakers

For my second Comic Con 2011 giveaway, I have two windbreakers courtesy of Activision. One is for Spider-Man: Edge of Time and the other is for X-Men: Destiny. Both windbreakers are size-L and feature removable earbuds…because you need music when you’re breaking wind.

All you have to do is leave a comment saying why you want one of these windbreakers for a chance to win. Please note that this contest is only open to people with a U.S. mailing address. Good luck!

Random Thoughts (Not a Review!) on Captain America

I finally caught Captain America last night. It’s funny that Comic Con 2011 was the reason I wasn’t able to attend a screening or catch it on opening night. My initial feeling was that it’s a fantastic movie — up there with the recent Iron Man and Batman films. Certainly it’s better than Thor, which I enjoyed earlier this year. However, I can’t help but wonder if I’m being overly enthusiastic about Captain America because I was traumatized by the last superhero movie I saw (the amazingly crappy Green Lantern). Perhaps writing down random thoughts will help me figure it out. Prepare for musings and spoilers!!!

– Chris Evans was a fantastic Steve Rogers. I enjoyed him goofing it up in The Fantastic Four and being a Hollywood parody in Scott Pilgrim, but I wasn’t sure if he could pull off Captain America. He totally did. I was impressed by how he flipped between sincere and commanding throughout the movie. He showed range and depth, unlike Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern.

– The way the movie was written, Cap didn’t have any training. He went from receiving the Super Soldier Serum to hocking war bonds to becoming an amazingly skilled combatant with a tactical mind and the ability to fly airplanes. Yes, the Super Soldier Serum granted Cap increased strength, durability, and stamina, but where did the new skills come from?!? Perhaps I missed the part where Dr. Erskine injected him with Tactical Genius Serum and How to Fly a Plane Serum.

– I really enjoyed the tone of the movie. It was innocent, positive, and uplifting. Most of the scenes took place during a time when America was rapidly on its way to becoming the most amazing country in the world. It’s such a stark contrast to the tone of America today. The country has problems and ridiculous politicians — on both sides — are making maters worse. America is in a lull at best or in an irreversible decline at worst. Captain America gave me a feel-good vibe that made me miss my idea of America as a teenager.

– Hugo Weaving was great as Red Skull. On paper, this character should be completely ridiculous. Weaving made him fearsome and believable. More importantly, I stopped thinking of him as Agent Smith from The Matrix. One of my fears going into the movie was that I’d constantly expect Red Skull to say (in Agent Smith’s voice), “Mr. Rogers…we’ve been expecting you.” That only happened once (maybe twice).

– Hayley Atwell was brilliant as Cap’s love interest, Peggy Carter. She was strong, capable, and sexy-as-hell. I wish more Hollywood love interests were like her. I’m so tired of damsels in distress (in movies anyway). The writers made her look silly for a few minutes by including a completely unnecessary jealousy scene that added nothing to the movie. Aside from that, she rocked it.

– I was pleasantly surprised by Tommy Lee Jones. He’s mostly bugged the crap out of me for the last decade. He also made a pathetic Two-Face in Batman Forever. Jones deftly portrayed an intimidating colonel that delivered fantastic comedic lines. It would have been easy to make this character completely silly, but Jones did a great job at portraying a believable military leader with surprising humor.

– The shield usage was powerful, but never ridiculous. The fight choreographer did a great job at making the shield a natural part of Cap’s fighting style. The shield also made a satisfying “thunk” when it hit Nazis. I was worried that the director would go nuts with crazy shield ricochets, but that never happened.

– At the end of the day, I enjoyed Captain America for being a great superhero movie with an unusually positive tone. Most superhero movies strive for a gritty realism that attracts hardcore fans and adults or excessive comedy that attracts kids and general viewers. Captain America, being the (Western) paragon of the Marvel Universe, is way different from the X-Men, Batman, Iron Man, etc. He’s supposed to stand for something bigger than himself. He’s supposed to inspire. This movie reflects all that. The cast and crew did a wonderful job at crafting an uplifting superhero film.

Coffee Talk #377: Comic Con 2011 Thoughts

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the rolling camera bag of your dreams, Amir Khan’s drubbing of Zab Judah, or the passing of Amy Winehouse, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I had a great time at Comic Con 2011. It was lots of fun freelancing for secret company. It’s always enjoyable watching fellow geeks celebrate geek culture. There was lots of celebrity watching to do. And it was awesome hanging out with new and old friends from the videogame business. Unfortunately, my hotel was far away from the convention and it would have been difficult lugging my laptop around, so I didn’t get a chance to “hang out” with y’all. I missed you! Now onto some random thoughts on Comic Con 2011.

– The videogame panels I attended were fantastic. I loved watching hundreds — sometimes thousands — of fans cheer for games and game creators. Unlike DICE, GDC, and E3, Comic Con is open to the public. Watching “real people” mark out over seeing Altair in the Assassin’s Creed: Revelations trailer or geeking out over seeing Cliff Bleszinski was a treat for me. I’m hardly one of those “jaded videogame journalists”, but it was still refreshing, invigorating, and charming watching fans be fans.

– All that said, some of the Q&A sessions were painful. Some people asked moronic questions. Some people didn’t listen to the moderator’s instructions for the Q&A portion of the panel. Some people asked questions as if they were stoned, saying…one…word…every…five…seconds. Yeah, I realize that some people get nervous speaking in public and others are so excited to meet game creators, but there were times when I wanted to bash my head in with my monopod during Q&A.

– The kids loved the new footage from the upcoming Beavis & Butthead. I am so completely down for this. It will crack me up and transport me to a simpler time. Remind me to tell you about the “Summer of Beavis” some time.

– The buzz on comic-book movies was similar to the thoughts here. Most of the people I chatted with were amped for The Dark Knight Rises. Opinions were split on The Avengers trailer. The Spider-Man reboot received a ton of flak. Most of it was because a lot of people feel that it’s too soon for a reboot, but part of it was because some fans hate the new costume.

– During the Star Wars: Kinect panel, most of my friends in the videogame business had the same reaction: “Crap! Now I have to buy another Xbox 360.” It’s completely awesome and the noises it makes are giggle inducing. The Gears of War 3 limited edition looks cool, but isn’t nearly as charming as the R2D2 Xbox 360.

– A lot of my friends were dogging on the DC Universe reboot. I’m mostly looking forward to it. The biggest bummer for me is that Red Robin will not have his own book. I suppose the manly answer would have been being upset that Wonder Woman will no longer be showing off her legs in every panel.

– My party highlight was actually between parties. After Ignition’s fine shindig for El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron, I bumped into a bunch of pals from Future. Among them was the super sexy, super fun, and super cool Annette Cardwell. I drunkenly latched onto her for 11 minutes. Sorry Annette! (bsukenyan, I saw Carolyn too! It’s always great to see her…especially when there’s drinking involved.)

– My only party faux pas (that I remember) was spitting up a bunch of my Jack & Coke when a PR lady asked me, “Are you still dating Zoe Flower?” A text message to Canada was sent immediately after the incident.

– During the Street Fighter X Tekken panel, the kid behind me said, “LOL,” “GG,” and “IDK.” I wanted to slap him. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I wanted to slap his mother for letting her son speak in such an idiotic manner. Kids these days….

Coffee Talk #376: Comic Con 2011 and You

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Kona Mountain Coffee’s peaberry dark roast, Samsung finally confirming the Galaxy S II for an August release in America, or Shaq kicking off his NBA TV career by dissing Chris Bosh, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Deepak Chopra is going to talk about Batman at Comic Con 2011. How awesome is that?!? I suddenly find myself scheduled to attend Comic Con…and I couldn’t be happier! This year’s show looks awesome. Check out the amazing panel content slated for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Whether it’s the latest videogames, comic books, movies, or TV shows, Comic Con has it covered.

What Comic Con 2011 content or information are you looking forward to? Are you jazzed for the Halo Universe panel? Psyched for more information on The Avengers, Batman, and Spider-Man movies? Looking forward to George R.R. Martin talking about Game of Thrones season two and what’s next in A Song of Ice and Fire? Let me know what you’re into and I’ll try to dig up more 411 for you while I’m at the show. Please keep in mind that I’m attending a show for another publication (I’ll tell you later) and have to serve them first.

Hey…maybe Deepak Chopra is Batman!