Siege is discussed (at length) and the group is surprised to have genuine, earnest and well merited positive feelings towards Marvel! Mark your calendars, kiddies, this is one of the first times the West Coast Crew has unanimously agreed on something (we haven't fact-checked that). Also discussed: The State of the Ultimate Universe, Jeph Loeb (getting better!?), John Romita Jr., Blackest Night, Batman and Robin, Spider-Woman (and cross-dressing as her), Captain America (and his stream of justice), New Krypton, and your humble servant, yours truly, get's spit on and taken for granted. Woo! Take a listen, NERD!
West
Coast About Heroes - Episode 22
We have a twitter account! For more frequent comic-oriented updates, follow us: TWEET. Also, feel free to email us: aboutheroes 'AT' gmail.com. And as promised...Tobey is ugly.
- American Son,
- batman,
- black lantern,
- blackest night,
- captain america,
- dc,
- green lantern,
- green lantern corp,
- green lantern corps,
- jeph loeb,
- john romita jr,
- Marvel,
- robin,
- Siege,
- ultimate
In this episode, we discuss all things comic oriented (or at least the stuff we care about). Deadpool, Punisher, Batman & Robin, War of Light, Green Lantern, Iron Man, and debate the stupidity of Knife-Guns. Also, 10 black super heroes are named. Who'd we miss?
West
Coast About Heroes - Episode 9
This review was submitted by Chaz M:
I've been waiting for a fully articulated version of Tim Drake's Robin (one of my favorite characters) in his post-Infinite Crisis costume for a while. It was excited to see that Mattel's DC Universe Classics, the successor to their DC Superheroes line, released him along with other DC regulars in their third wave of action figures.
Packaging
These figures look great on the pegs. The bubble is a large square that spans the entire blister card with "DC Univers" written on the top. The front of the card is an orange and black collage of comic panels featuring the characters in the series. The back shows actual images of the other figures of course and gives character stats like Marvel Legends. The annoying part of the packaging is when you're ready to open it. Because the bubble is as big as the blister card, I found it hard to seperate them without ripping the card, which bothered me since I have a habit of saving the blister cards of my figures. Also, Robin is pretty difficult to remove; I found myself using a smal pair of sissors to cut the plastic around his cape so that I wouldn't damage it.
Sculpt
This Robin figure is very nicely sculpted. He definately resembeles Tim Drake and there's a good amount of detail in his hair. His utility belt is nice and bulky like the Batman figures from this lineup. The "R" symbol is sculpted on rather than painted which is always a plus. The cape is made of soft plastic rather than cloth which is definately the right choice since it's longer than that of his previous costume. It's molded in ridges to look almost like a robin's wings like in the comics. My two complaints on the superb sculpt of this toy would be the hands which aren't molded quite well enough to hold the accessories sturdy and the leg stance which is a bit too wide for my taste, like the DCSH Superman. Theres also a little nich in the cape. All around, the sculpt is the highlite of the figure.
Paints
The color choices are fantastic: a dark shade of red with blacks and yellows on different areas of the costume with consistant shades and gloss levels. My figure has some bad application in certain areas; a white speck on his cheak and black splattering off of his right glove and outside-underwear.
Articulation
This figure is for the most part fully articulated: arms with a ball joint for the biscep and shoulder, legs and hips, and a stomach joint that we've come to expect from DCSH/Classics and Marvel Legends. Although there is no articulation in his neck or wrists.
Accessories
Robin has a nice arscinal of accesories, a silver staff and three batarangs. He also comes with the left arm of the Solomon Grundy "Collect & Connect" figure. The arm is detailed and heavy, I'd say that the assembled Grundy is a nice figure worth building.
Final Thoughts
I was interested in this figure the most from this wave and he did not dissapoint. He's a step above the previously released DCSH Robin which did not have enough articulation and was too tall (making the two not look that good together). I reccomend this figure and based on this I'd say that the others from the wave are just as good. There's a good line up of characters in DCU Classics series 3, so get em' while they're hot on the pegs. B+.
Author: Sean Mckeever
Penciler: Carlos Rodriguez
Inkers: Bit, Rebecca Buchman, & Jimmy Palmiotti
One by one the Titans have been taken out by the Terror Titans. It’s Miss Martian’s turn and holy shit is that an editor’s note? I love these things; I really wish there were more editors’ notes in books nowadays. But I really don’t think that they needed to tell us that this issue takes place before and during the last two issues.
It seems that Miss Martian is still having internal conflict against her darker/possible future side. It seems to be getting worst with each issue and now M’gann is passing out. Meanwhile the Clock King puts his novelty clock glasses back on after banging Disruptor and we learn how he planned to have Terry take advantage of Kid Devil’s party to infiltrate Titans Tower. It also seems like Clock King is the one that gave the Terror Titans their suits that happen to be the source of their power. M’gann starts going to school and attempts at being a normal high school girl when her classroom is attacked by Disruptor. For some reason Disruptor’s powers seem to affect Miss Martian different and for a minute her and her possible future self become two separate entities.
One Titan per issue is getting repetitive. Other than the insight to the Terror Titans and Miss Martian’s struggle with becoming normal there is nothing new here and unfortunately much of what was shown has already happen in the previous two issues. The placement of this issue is a little awkward as well, not sure why they couldn’t have told this sequence in a flashback. This happens to be a team book and these solo stories seem to lose the momentum of the story. Hold the fucking phone here. Since when has Robin not been able to help out a friend with a little forgery? Damn, what a dickhead. But I did like the way that Mckeever is handling Miss Martian. This issue really made me like her even more with the whole puppies scene.
Fill in pencils for this issue is Carlos Rodriguez and judging from upcoming solicitations, he will be helping regular artist Eddy Barrows keep the book on schedule. To be honest I really didn’t notice that Barrows was not drawing this issue until I went back and read the credits page. His art matches up pretty nicely with Barrows', and he is a welcome addition to a book that suffered for a long time from being late every month. I just wish the editors would pick an artist that makes these Titans look like teens. What really makes me want to read the last issue is that cliffhanger with Eddie. C+
In this episode, we open an Iron Man movie figure, read e-mails from Sanna and Ray, and discuss Justice League of America 19, Captain America 36, Iron Fist 13, Countdown 6, Amazing Spider-Man 554, Iron Man 27 (which leads into the discussion about the Mandarin's rings), Death of the New Gods 7, Robin 172, Checkmate 24 and FX 1. We close with a bit of movie discussion, regarding the upcoming Hulk and Iron Man films, Justice League: The New Frontier and the upcoming Batman animated film, and the finally upcoming Evangelion movies.
So the sheet on which I wrote the show notes is at home, and I'm at work, but I want to go ahead and get the episode up, so I'll update this post later with the notes. I can tell you that 1) the audio on this one is much better and 2) we spend a lot of time talking about the Mandarin's rings.
Episode 96 - Silly Ring, Activate!
- captain america,
- checkmate,
- countdown,
- death of the new gods,
- evangelion,
- fx,
- hulk,
- iron fist,
- iron man,
- justice league of america,
- mandarin,
- podcast,
- rings,
- robin,
- spider-man
In this trouble-free podcast, we start out reading a few e-mails, then we talk about the new Knight Rider show and Speed Racer film. From there we start into comics, reviewing Hulk 2, Ultimates 3, Amazing Spider-Man 551, Cable & Deadpool 50, Transformers Spotlight - Arcee and Justice League of America 18. Then we talk briefly about the rumor that DC Comics is cracking down on late art, and about the toy news (or lack thereof) from the New York Toyfair. Then it's back to comics, with Mighty Avengers 9, Death of the New Gods 6, Countdown 10, Robin 171, Umbrella Academy 6 and Runaways 29 rounding out the discussion.
Episode 92 - No, We're Watching the Watcher
- arcee,
- cable deadpool,
- countdown,
- dc comics,
- death of the new gods,
- hasbro,
- hulk,
- justice league of america,
- knight rider,
- mattel,
- mighty avengers,
- podcast,
- robin,
- runaways,
- speed racer,
- spider-man,
- toyfair,
- transformers,
- ultimates,
- umbrella academy
Writer: Amy Wolfram
Artists: Karl Kerschel & Serge LaPonte
After drooling over the cover for months, this issue was a major dissapointment. The best part of the issue is very beginning with Robin and Kid Flash instant messaging over AIM. Kid Flash is so bored between replies that he goes to get a snack in France, and even has time to play a little Nintendo DS. Funny, I didn't know they had AIM or DS 10-15 years ago. Wonder Girl is wandering around the city looking for Wonder Woman, and Aqualad is afraid of fish. The rest of the issue has Batman and Robin chasing after a cat burglar, and Batman beats the crap out of every person that gets in his way, including Robin. The issue ends with Batman smacking Robin with the back of his hand in broad daylight inside a jewlery store that's just been robbed. Apparently the only Bat-Book Amy Wolfram reads is All Star Batman and no one told her that Frank Miller does what Frank Miller wants and that is has no bearing on how Batman is portrayed in the regular DCU. This book was just abysmal, it did nothing to get me interested in the characters or show me how this team is needed other than that Batman is abusive. Oh, and the last four pages? Instead of showing me something about the characters, we get some Finding Nemo of talking fish. A fish says "something's coming" and I'm suposed to be scared and read the next issue? I might as well go buy the last 20 years of Spider-Man comics and read them all because they still matter. Riiight. Karl Kerschel, go get a regular pencilling gig, you're too talented to be wasted on trash like this issue. Don't pick this issue up, wait for the trade, and read that in the store. D
A lot of books were released last week, but there were a few that stood above the others. In this episode, we hit Uncanny X-Men 492, Astonishing X-Men 23, Robin 168, Supergirl 23, Buffy 8, Umbrella Academy 2, New Avengers Illuminati 5, and Annihilation Conquest 1. There's a wonderful few e-mails in the middle there, too.
UPDATE: Sorry for the iTunes delay, I'm a dummy and forgot to correctly categorize this entry. It should be there now.
About Heroes, Episode 78
Writer: Frank Tieri
Artists: J. Calafiore & Jack Purcell
This is the first issue of a nine-issue limited series about the Gotham Underworld after the death of Black Mask and with the villains dissapearing into Salvation Run. In other words, it ties into stuff in Countdown, or at least this issue does. Like any first issue, this one is all setup. Batman is undercover as Matches Malone, infiltrating the iceberg lounge as Penguin schmoozes with Two-face, wearing a really ugly suit. More villains show up, as does the suicide squad to cart them off to "Salvation." Robin talks to Jim Gordon, who judges Robin's entrances and exits as "passable at best", while Nightwing breaks up an illegal gambling bar, while Tobias Whale makes his move on the Gotham gangs. Frank Tieri doesn't really write anything here to make me praise or hate him, and J. Calafiore does the art with enough flair to make me pay attention to the panels. His art is certainly different than anything else in the Bat-books now, but there's nothing here to say that he's the definitive Bat-artist for this year (to me that's still Don Kramer). I'll try the next couple of issues to get a better feel of the story that Tieri is trying to tell, but I can't say that I'll definitely be sticking on for all 9 issues after reading just this one. So, to sum up and quote Commissioner Gordon, this issue is "passable at best." C
Ok, let's face it folks, this just ain't the pic of the week column anymore cuz I update far less frequently as of late. Just have too much on my plate, but I update every now and then, so I'll just have to think up a more clever name. Anyway, here's a couple pics I've found that I like.
See, I think this is funny simply because of the sheer irony, what with Dick looking so damned stupid in that costume.
This is from some educational thing that DC put out a long time ago, but goddamn, it just paints such a funny picture of Batman being freaking retarded...
Toyfare is priceless.
Heh heh....horrible things happened after this panel.
This seems pretty innocent, but here's the funny part. The last part of what good old Remy is spouting translates to a phrase equating to "Death to the pigs!" or rather, 'Fuck da Po-lice'.
Ok kiddies! See you...um...urr...next time (whenever that is).
Hey guys, sorry I haven't posted anything for awhile, but here's a slew of fun stuff for you to try and make up for it. Haven't forgotten about you and still love you all and the site, just busy busy busy. Anyway...BEHOLD.
We've all seen the "Quiet or Papa spank!" Batman, but does he ever make good on this threat?
Yes.
This wouldn't fly now, but throwing Godzilla into the Planet Hulk mix couldn't really hurt. I'd go for it.
Lol, Jay actually makes a shark cry for it's momma. Only in the Golden Age.
Terrifying...with or without context.
Hahahaha, c'mon. That's funny. That's 'Malibu's Most Wanted' funny.
Everything I know about women I learned from comics....
......
oh robin, when will you learn...
Gayest Looking Superhero fight EVER.
again........i'm speechless.......
HAH!
Can't remember if I've posted this one in the past, but it's worth a second look anyway. What a bum.
Don't we all wish we had that?
And now I say g'bye for who knows how long, but trust that I'm out there grabbing funny pics, and someday, they'll make it up to the site. :-D ta-ta
This week's pic comes from the awesome minds over at applegeeks.com...
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+
