The following images are part of Mattel's Comic-Con Exclusive sets. Included are Hawgirl, Ray, Green Lantern 3-pack, Itachi, White Manbat, and Dark Sasuke (although I'm not fond of the playset, that Dark Sasuke is badass!) :
Haven't bitched in a while, been busy with work and happy for the most parts with comics. So I had to find something to bitch about right? Well, Thanks to the greedy fucks at Aspen and Marvel comics, this shit could just post itself up.
To your right is an image of the new Aspen World War Hulk variant only available here . To your right you will notice that every fucking Marvel character borrowed the Legion rings and can now fly. To your right you can see how one of the most overrated artist in comics today makes a monthly house payment with one piece of artwork. To your right you can count 23 characters and only one fucking foot (for God sake's I can't even see the Wasp's little feet)!!!! To your right all the women look like they can float without having to flex their bulging muscles unlike all the guys in the picture. To your right you can see that Michael Turner really doesn't have a clue what these characters are currently supposed to look like. Is it me or does it look like Hulk is yawning all the characters out of his back? Why the hell isn't Rob Liefield doing Variant covers? He's just as good and uses the same damn techniques for all his covers. Rant Over.
It's finally here! Dan's gone for this episode, what will Omar, Nick and Ben talk about in his absence? I'm still listening myself, so I don't know!
The kind folks at Mattel sent us these images of their new DC Superheroes line-up. These figures come out in late June and they consist of: KnightShadow Batman, Camo-Bane, Batgirl, and Two Face. I'm a little surprised to see Black Panther and Tommy Lee Jones get figures from DC.
Hey everyone. Finally we get a chance to see what Heath's Joker is gonna look like aaaaand.....it's fucking crazy.
He reminds me of Kakihara from Ichi the Killer...
It's time to look at 52 - what worked, what didn't, and was it worth it? Also, we talk about Countdown and a few other new books. Join us on New Earth!
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artists: Tony Daniel, Art Thibert, & Jonathan Glapion
All Hail Marc Guggenheim! Hail! Hail! Guggenheim is the new master of the Flash, and as I've said before, is bringing this book back from the grave. Flash goes off to face his Rogues and this issue is an all-out race and battle, and ends with a cool cliff-hanger. Guggenheim has a cool handle on the Rogues, and an even better one on Bart. I hated Bart before, but I love him now. He's super-determined and motivated and has accepted that he is the Flash, and so must take on those responsibilities. Tony Daniel is coming into his own here, after an awkward first issue. This may be because his inker on Titans, Jonathan Glapion, joins him on the last half of the issue, but the Thibert inking on Daniel just doesn't work. It still looks like Daniel, but it lacks the flair that comes in the last half of the book and what Daniel had on Titans. This is a short review, because I've said everything before on this book, but everyone definately needs to be checking out the Flash now. Next issue promises to be a big one, with the big push DC is giving it, so definately get this issue before it dissapears in a "flash" next month. A
Writer: Frank Miller
Artists: Jim Lee & Scott Williams
Okay okay okay, let's get the late jokes out. A year after number four, we get number five. All because Jim Lee couldn't stop playing poker, playing videogames, running Wildstorm, or whatever he was doing during this "missing year." Does it show? Suprisingly, no. Jim Lee didn't lose any of his talent, and Frank Miller still writes like Frank Miller. Having just read Hush in the Absolute Edition (Thanks Nick!), looking at this book it's easy to see that Jim is doing a lot of things differently, or at least doing what Miller tells him to do. And it's cool to see that the storytelling does change with artists as they move from writer to writer, but on to what really matters, the story. We start out with a mad as hell Frank Miller Wonder Woman. I call her Frank Miller Wonder Woman, because she thinks like Frank Miller thinks, Noir-ish and angry. Wonder Woman goes to meet the Justice League, still new and consisting of Superman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, and Plastic Man? Sure Frank, whatever. The JLA wants to take down Batman because he is making them look bad with his hell-bent ways and attitude. Wonder Woman wants to kill Batman and parade his head around on a pike, obviously this is one Amazon still fresh off the island. Superman won't let that happen and kisses Wonder Woman to change her mind. Wierd. Well, in Frank Miller's mind, Supes has always had a hard-on for Diana, see DK2 for more on that, if you want... Batman goes out on patrol and Miller uses this opportunity to show us how wild, crazy, and brutal he is without a Robin. He loves being the "Goddamn Batman" and rains pain on thugs like, well, a bat out of hell. Batman here, is scary as hell. It's like he has a death wish, swinging through the city using his bat-rope only when he has to. Miller also shows us the strongest Alfred ever, taking his frustrations out on a punching bag and regretting that "Master Bruce" has grown up to become a demon. Some might say that Miller is doing Batman wrong, but I think he's setting us up to realize why Batman needs a Robin. During the Bruce Wayne: Murderer and Fugitive storylines, Bruce isolated himself and became a brutal jerk, and it was only until after Infinite Crisis that he got back under control. So here, Miller is trying to show us what the unrestrained Batman is like, how he's out of control and actually might do less for the city than when he has a Robin at his side. Is this the Batman who is going to be taking tips from Jim Gordon? Hell no. What we might be seeing here is the evolution of the Batman, and I think when it's all said and done the rest of you might agree with me and like this story like I am. We'll see, just like we'll see if this book comes out on its all new bi-monthly schedule. See you in two months for #6? We'll see... B+
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Artist: Ed Benes
Well, after a great first two parts, this issue falls a little flat. Focusing on a team of Wildcat (2 or 3), Flash, Vixen, and Hal Jordan in Gorillla city fetching another Legion member while Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Power-Girl, and Red Arrow are on Thanagar fetching yet another member. Most of this issue is character interactions, no real battles here, I guess those come in the JSA issues? We do see the plot move forward a little, some villains are revealed and the motives of the Legion members come into question. The best parts of the book happen with Red Arrow and Power Girl as they talk about relationships. Power Girl tells Roy to be careful chasing Hawkgirl, as there is a relationship so weird between the Hawks that even she can't tempt Hawkman. Wha-Huh? That's right Hawkman and Power Girl bumped uglies while on Thanagar, at this rate JLA, JSA, and Mighty Avengers are going to be porno-books before issue 12. These moments make up for the fact that Meltzer sent this team to Thanagar for no reason, since Dawnstar is not there and has already left for Earth. Couldn't they have had these conversations back on Earth anyway instead of in a space-ship? So far, this cross-over is engaging, but isn't blowing anyone out of the water, but that may change in the final 2 issues. Ed Benes returns to his own book doing the very capable job he has been doing on this book. The characters look great, each has their own distinct feel, and the girls are hot, really, what other reason do we have Benes on this book? Here's hoping that we have a great final 2 issues, otherwise people will wonder why this crossover was even needed. C+
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artists: John Romita Jr & Klaus Janson
After the abysmal Avengers issue, Fallen Son gets a little better, but not much. This issue's theme is "Bargaining" and features Iron Man, Clint Barton, and Captain America? Can you guess where this is going? Yup, you guessed it! Tony wants Clint, formerly Hawkeye, to be the new Cap. Clint even puts on "the flag" and goes out with Tony to try and capture Patriot and Hawkeye (the girl one, confused yet?). Clint lets them get away, and takes off "the flag," basically undoing whatever this issue tried to do. All this issue proved is that Steve Rogers is the only Captain America there can ever be. We all knew that to begin with. What am I missing here that makes this story one that needs to be told? Each of these issues seems to be missing a point, or even their theme. Like last issue, bargaining only came up once in the issue, the rest was focusing on the future of Captain America. This issue was a okay read, but in the end I still feel like I could have saved my $2.99 for another book next week. I feel like this book is an excuse for Marvel to print money, and ugly Michael Turner Variant Covers. In the end, since nothing really happened in this issue that "changed the landscape of the Marvel Universe" you could skip it and not miss anything.
Even the John Romita Jr. art is not enough for me to compel you to buy this book. JRJR is a master artist, one of the best when he's on Spider-Man, and maybe that's the problem here. For me JRJR is best on Spider-man. I liked his Eternals stuff but it just doesn't fit here. And the coloring by Morry Hollowell makes JRJR look like Steve McNiven in one panel. So if you are a McNiven clone, have Morry Hollowell color you, and if you're Steve McNiven, don't lose Morry, because you are not that good without him. I'll keep reading this series for the next two issues, only to tell you that you can skip it. Well, maybe the David Finch Spider-Man art might make me tell you to buy the book, but we'll see. C-
Wow! I just saw this on Newsarama and had to share! Archie comics was loooking for a way to boost sales, and in addition to getting a new artist w/ new art style after decades of the same old same old, they looked to Marvel Comics for inspiration. There's a new Archie limited Series coming out, and you've got the exclusive preview right here! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the sneak preview of.....
ARCHIE: THE END.
This Review was submitted by Bluejohn:
It’s Superman!
Where do we place superman in our minds? I for one, and I don’t believe myself to be alone in this, always picture Superman growing up in my life, watching his choices as a young Clark Kent as a foil to my own, stating that if I was a better man, I would have done what Superman would have done. I when a rare occasion I feel as though my deeds would honor the man of steel, I feel as my pride could stop bullets. He’s the icon, the image, the man who came not from our world yet exemplifies all that it is to be human. He is a man not afraid to shine, and give his all to the world around him.
To be honest, however, Superman didn’t start in our times. He was not raised in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s like so many of us are who frequent this website were. He was raised in a darker time, a desperate time, a time when a hero was needed not to be a mold for others, but as a hopeful ideal, that in the world there was still a chance for powerful people to do good things. A young boy, however, is not born into this role. Doing the right thing when living a life of good, strong parents, a financially secure house, and friends supporting you is a task any man can have. To be denied those things, becoming a hero becomes an epic journey of learning. This is the story that “It’s Superman” tells.
The time is the depression. Clark Kent is a young man in Smallville. He loves science fiction films. He has an ailing mother. He loves the farm he lives on, which is threatened by the economical decline. He has a secret. A secret he does not know. A secret that he really doesn’t understand. And he has no idea what to do with it. Lois Lane is a starting reporter. She plays with love, and loves to work. She wants her name on the byline, and will do anything to have it on the front page. Lex Luthor is an alderman. He is a socialite. The city loves him. He’s also a crime lord. He’s the city’s worst nightmare, and might possibly the world. That is the setting. The actors are in place. The epic begins.
I won’t lie, this book is a bit stale to the average reader. You can’t pick it up wishing Superman to be the unstoppable juggernaut that he in the comics we read the today. It’s one part Superboy, one part The Outsiders, and one part Grapes of Wraith. The concept of the world that Clark grows up in is more of the focal point than his powers, the villains, or future that is destined to him. In fact, many of the known facts we have in the Superman mythos is absent. In this book, Metroplis is replaced by New York. Superboy is never seen in Smallville. Jimmy Olsen is never seen.
That fact, however, does not diminish the story. It expands even more however, on the principles of becoming a man in the world that you and I live in, one that is a bit harsher than the DC universe. In this book, you earn what you work for, shortcuts will only cost you if you stop in the middle of them, and death is the final stop. If you are a friend of the Elseworlds series, I would say you have a chance at liking this book. If you a fan of just diverse literature, then I will guarantee that while the book might seem stale, you won’t ever put it down for good.
Well, here’s what happened. After 2 hours of sleep, I dragged my ass out of bed, picked up my friend down the street, and found the line of people waiting and then stood there for a little over an hour, and they finally started letting people in. Turns out the part about the advanced screening was true. I am now officially on the list to be notified of the when and where (I was told it would be mid to late June) and then I got my actual ticket (Good for two, I’d invite one of the AH home-crew if you didn’t all live in Kentucky or on another continent), and then got in line to watch the exclusive content.
Here’s where it gets weird. They take 20 people at a time and bring them into a the back of a semi truck, keep them inside for about 5 minutes, and then let them go. The thing that concerned me is that everyone walking out of the truck looked really…..dull. What I’m trying to say here is that everyone had this look of “Welllll……alright then. I’m gonna go home now. Maybe take a shower.” This isn’t what I was hoping to see from the people who were leaving. I wanted to see excitement and wonder on their faces and this was falling short. Then it hit me. OH PLEASE GOD LET THIS NOT BE ANOTHER SPIDER-MAN 3. I COULDN’T TAKE IT!!!!!!! I immediately started breathing in the McDonald’s bag that had just been recently vacated of an egg-mcmuffin to control my hyperventilation, because even though I know nothing about Transformers and never was a ‘Fan’ (I never disliked transformers, I just never really got into them), but I’m still stoked for this movie. Freaking Giant Transforming Robots Fighting each other and killing stuff. It just HAS TO BE awesome. So I waited nervously and prayed I wouldn’t come out of there having had a huge red flag waved in my face. Ok, enough of the establishing of tension, let’s skip ahead shall we?
I finally entered the truck, and find that the inside of the trailer had been decorated to look like a mobile government ops unit with gear and computers here and there. Then the “Sector 7 Agents” came out and started hamming it up SOOOO HARRRD I practically sneezed bacon bits after I got out. They did the whole “We’re government agents and we’re here to tell you that all these sightings of “Transformers” are false and that aliens don’t exist and blah blah blah, we’re tools.” Suddenly, a video-message comes through of a similarly dressed man saying a bunch of “Sir, we’re getting reports of another attack…you should really see this!” And our agents yelling back at the blatant dvd “NO YOU FOOL!!! DON’T PATCH THAT THROUGH!!! WE HAVE CIVILLIANS PRESENT.” And being the dumbass that we love our government lackeys to be, he patches it through anyway. Here’s where the preview comes in. Before I tell you about the preview, lemme just finish the whole story of these “Sector 7” Douchebags. After the video ends, they all kinda look at us in a demeaning way and say “We want to thank you in advance for keeping this matter private and not discussing it with your family or friends. We know where you live. Just keep in mind, sometimes…..THERE”S MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE.” Upon this, we exit the truck, and I understand just why everyone had that look of disappointment on their face. That was a lot of unnecessary, awkward schtick we had to sit through just to watch what will probably be an online preview within a month, and I honestly just felt awkward being in the same room as these poor grown men who had to do this every 20 minutes just so that we can watch a video clip. It was pretty haggard. On top of this, i found that the toys were only being given out to the first 50 people, and i was literally like #54, and the big "Unveiling" was of the footage itself. I was hoping for an autobot. Oh wells, I suppose I got what I monetarily paid for. Ok, so how was the preview?
The preview was pretty cool. It takes place outside of Qurak (I think) apparently taking place a bit after an initial Decepticon attack on some military base. We pick up with about 7 soldiers (including Tyrese) walking along, when holy crap, this Scorpion Robot pops up from out of the sand and just starts tearing them apart. I’m gonna guess it was Scorponok (spelling? I dunno, I saw a few episodes of beast wars). Anyway, it was cool, there was a funny bit where one of the main characters (I don’t know his name) is trying to call the pentagon and has to deal with a Middle-Eastern man trying to sell him phone plans while he’s trying to not get killed by Scorponok (OR WHATEVER) and shooting guns and whatnot. Finally he gets through and air-support comes and suppresses the robot bitch and shoots the tip of it’s tail off and it finally retreats into the sand.
The special effects here are just amazing. It really looked like a giant robot scorpion was diving around like a dolphin in the sand shooting lasers at people through his pincers and such. There was no transforming, but the scene didn’t really call for it. There were actually a few shots where the special effects weren’t done yet and it really made you respect all the work people put into these things, because it showed how they literally concoct all this stuff from absolutely nothing. Well, that’s pretty much it for now, but in about a month, you can expect me to give you another advanced nerd-movie screening, and it looks like this one won’t be full of angst and emo-dancing!
Your Nerd in Hollywood,
-Joshiebear
I know the Spidey 3 Podcast is right around the corner, and I saw this comic just now over at Passfail Studios and just had to show you all. I freakin love it.
It's well deserved, what with calling the glider a goddamned 'sky-stick'. Ugh.
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Stefano Caselli
Since New Avengers and Mighty Avengers seem to not come out very often, and are so wrapped up in each other's storylines, this seems like the only real Avengers book out there. Who knew that we really did need another Avengers book? I guess Dan Slott. Slott writes a good book here, as the new kid recruits feel young and inexperienced and all have distinct charcteristics. They may be a little cliche (there is a naive one, a hothead, an emo kid, and the jock), but at least they are there. Last issue it seemed like this book was going to be about these kids, but this issue proves its also about the staff. Dr. Hank Pym has an emotional breakdown, the Nazi doctor and Henry Gyrich are up to no good, and The Gauntlet has no other purpose other than to be a dick to these kids. Hydra attacks the President's Ranch in Texas from the air and these "New Avengers" are dispatched to stop them. They travel from Connecticut, through the negative zone, to Texas. Some of the recruits show that they will make excellent Avengers, while others start to realize that its not the same in the field as it is in the video games. Stefano Caselli's art is good, it has the young feel that this book needs, and he can also do action scequenced very well. But I've said all this before. If you're tired of New and Mighty Avengers going nowhere 2 or 3 issues in a row, give this book a try as your real Avengers title, you might be suprised. B
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artists: Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino
Finally, a return to form on this title. After about 3 months of fill in artists and stories we finally get back to the "Camelot Falls" arc that Busiek has been weaving since he jumped on the book. There is a lot to like in this book. Superman is investigating Arion's prophecy that because of him, humanity will die. After the vision of the future, Superman goes and seeks out some of the people he saw in the vision to find out if they trully exist, as he doesn't want to trust Arion blindly. He's also investigating the third Kryptonian that was mentioned by the Auctioneer in Busiek's Action Comics run before Johns, Donner, and Kubert plagued it with delays. Busiek writes a very human Superman, as Clark is constantly thinking and narrating, and he doesn't sound alien at all, and he shouldn't since he was raised on earth. Also, Busiek is referencing Johns' Action Comics arc by including the Phantom Zone kid, Chris (still apparently in Lois and Clark's care) and how Bizarro attacked Superman in Action Comics. This is good because it shows that the Superman titles are connected to themselves, they don't exist outside of one another like multiple titles sometimes do (see Batman and Spider-Man's books). These mentions of other runs in different books give the Superman world a cohesive feeling, which only strengthens the storytelling. There are no fights here in this book, but there is a lot of connectivity and character moments to keep you reading from page to page and even come back to the next issue.
Carlos Pacheco is doing a great job on this book, delays aside. Other than Jim Lee, I think Pacheco is my favorite modern Superman artist. He can display the power and strength of Superman, but also his introspective side, as well as a nerdy Clark Kent. His supporting characters are just as well drawn and emotive. If this book had less side stories and fill in artists I would give it a higher rating, but since it's so inconsistent I just can't do it. If Busiek let the fill in artists do the main Camelot Falls storyline, and we had these great stories instead of the silly Prankster comics or last issue's weird Amazon-like lady, then I would be praising this book, it has the potential to be that good. But we're not getting all of that thus, the C+/B- rating that I'm giving it.
Incredible Hulk #106
Writer: Greg Pak
Artists: Gary Frank & Jion Sibal
World War Hulk Prologue
Writers: Peter David, Chris Giarrusso
Artists: Al Rio, Sean Phillips, Chris Giarrusso, & Takeshi Miyazawa
Marvel's next event launches this week, and it's starting out strong. Two issues came out this week, Incredible Hulk #106 and the World War Hulk Prologue. Having not read Planet Hulk, I'm coming into this event fresh and was hoping that these issues would give me enough information to understand the plot of the event other than "Hulk Smash Marvel U," and I was pleasantly suprised. Both manage to tell a cohesive story leading into the main World War Hulk mini-series. Incredible Hulk starts out with She-Hulk meeting Amadeus Cho, Hulk's biggest fan, and talking to him about the Hulk and how Hulk is not the hero Amadeus thinks it to be. Doc Samson shows up at Mr. Fantastic's request to try to take Cho in, or stop him from what he is planning to do, whatever that is. A fight breaks out and Jen winds up smashin Samson into the next state. Pak writes some good dialogue between the three, summarizing the arguments for both sides without sounding tired like some of the registration arguments did. Gary Frank does the art here, and does a great job. This book has set me up for World War Hulk, and I think that I'm going to be getting the Incredible Hulk issues along with the main series. B
The World War Hulk Prologue picks up where Incredible Hulk 106 left off with more conversation between She-Hulk and Doc Samson, so pick up both and read Incredible Hulk first. It also focuses on the Hulk and his "warbound" as they travel towards Earth in thier stone spaceship. The Hulk has to stop some aliens from taking over his ship and goes beserk on them, and when his allies come to help, he sees them as the Illuminati, and not his allies. This causes concern amoung the "warbound," because they worry that Hulk's rage will consume him and even they will not be safe. One of the warbound takes Hulk aside and helps Hulk meditate and focus his rage. Hulk tells him about the Illuminati, what they did to him over the years, and what their weaknesses are. What we're seeing here is an actual plot devoloping rather than Hulk just going down a checklist. I thought that this book would tell the Planet Hulk saga in 32 pages so I would not have to read it. Rather, it summarized it in a few sentences and set up these warbound characters from it so well that I now want to go back and read the Planet Hulk arc as well as the World War Hulk mini. That says a lot about this comic. Along with the main story, the comic contains a mini-marvels short by Chris Giarrusso which is hilariously funny. The 6 pages alone are worth the $3.99. Also included are is the Amadeus Cho short story from Amazing Fantasy #15, also written by Greg Pak. This is the story of how Amadeus Cho met the Hulk that was recounted in Incredible Hulk #106. Overall, this was a good comic, and really was not what I expected. B
I think Spidey's getting a little too loose with this new wave of popularity. He's been seen tooling around Vegas hitting all the hot-spots, Shmoozing, Boozing, Gambling, and even getting a Prince Albert! This has led to the photo displayed below. Apparently after a few drinks at Venetian, he went outside to get some fresh air and got 'hooked' on a ledge.
A Closer Look:
Everyone just keeps taking pictures! Isn't anyone gonna help this guy?
Iron Man's movie armor has been revealed! This obvioiusly just a pre-preduction image, but it's apparently the final design. Click Here for the Entertainment Weekly article that debuted it today.
This is looking to be awesome. Iron Man arrives May 2008.
Well, it's 3:00 AM here in Hollywood, and my insomnia is just running circles around me. Seems like as good a time as any to post the pic of the week.
Wanna know who's better than superman?
OLD PEOPLE. THAT'S WHO.
***if this isn't humorous to you, joshiebear / aboutheroes.com is not liable and all lack of humor should be blamed on lack of sleep and too much soda.***
This image, from USA Today, is a few days old, but it's so awesome I just have to post it here (and I mentioned I would in the podcast).
I am so jonesing for this movie. May 2, 2008, you know where I'll be.
This week, we interview artist/writer Skottie Young, and Omar asks him inappropriate questions!
It's finally here! Dan's gone for this episode, what will Omar, Nick and Ben talk about in his absence? I'm still listening myself, so I don't know!
Listen to About Heroes, Episode 56
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