Blackest Night 6

The hordes of undead continue to lay seige to the DC universe in Blackest Night issue six.  Six issues in and for me its official: Blackest Night rules!  Unlike a lot of the “event books” to come out of the big two over the past couple of years this one has actually been an awesome read thus far.

If you don’t like action and great art then this book isn’t for you.  At this point in the series the proverbial “poop” has already hit the fan. Nekron’s quest to destroy all life is in full swing as his Black Lanterns swarm to Earth for the massacre.  Ganthet makes a surprise move that is sure to raise more than a few eyebrows and in the story buy time for the forces of light to gather.

This has been an incredible story and I think that it is going to be remembered alongside the greatest stories and events that DC comics has put out over the past 75+ years.

RATING: 9 out of 10

Iron Man Gets A new Look in 2010

Marvel recently unveiled the new design for Iron Man:

I think it’s way past time for a sleeker Iron Man. I’m looking forward to seeing this new look in action this April when Iron Man dones the new suit in Invincible Iron Man #25.  What do you guys think of Shellhead’s new “do”?

A Quick Threeview

I decided to take a break from the “best of” stuff to write up 3 short reviews of Thor #604, New Avengers # 59 and Justice League of America #39:

Thor #604:

The Asgardians now aware of Doom’s macabre experiments launch an assault on Castle Doom. Doom unleashes his “god” doombots and Thor arrives and promises to teach Dr. Doom a lesson. I am looking forward to that “lesson” next month. Solid art, good pacing, lots of action.  I give it a 7 out of 10.

New Avengers #59:

The New Avengers with a little help from some other friends attempt to rescue Luke Cage from the clutches of Norman Osbourne and H.A.M.M.E.R. It was nice seeing the Avengers kicking butt for a change.  The overarching Dark Reign status drags on though. I’m glad Marvel is finally ending it next year.  I give this issue 6 out of 10.

Justice League Of America #39:

The League battles Black Lanterns in this Blackest Night tie in.  As with anything Blackest Night related it is a fun and creepy ride.  Not to mention we get to see Black Lantern Dr. Light in this issue. I thought he was despicable when he was alive…. 8 out of 10.

Best of 09 Part 2

Ongoing Comic Book of the Year: Ultimate Comics Avengers

This book reads more like a crazy action film than a traditional comic book.  In the aftermath of Ultimatum Cap goes rogue to try and stop his son “the Red Skull”. SHIELD authorizes Nick Fury to form a black ops team to capture Captian America and deal with the Red Skull. The main reason I picked this book as the best ongoing is becuase it is the one title I can’t wait to get every month. No other book that I am following right now grabs me like Ultimate Avengers.

Kudos to Mark Millar for writing such an intriguing title that truly could only fit in Marvel’s Ultimate Universe.

Best Animated Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

I have loved Star Wars ever since my parents took me to see Epsode IV when I was six weeks old. I seem to be one of the few die hard Star Wars fans that I know that enjoyed Episodes 1-3. Yes folks I just admitted that I enjoyed Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.

The Clone Wars Animated series has everything that made me fall in love with Star Wars to begin with: Lightsabers! Lasers! Epic battles in space! And then more lightsabers!

This show introduces new characters like Ahsoka and helps you get to know some of the Jedi and other characters from the Prequil trillogy a little bit better.

The animation, art and storytelling is top notch. Perhaps if the Prequil trilogy had been more like the Clone Wars cartoon than it would have made more fans happy. Regardless, This show is awesome and if you dig Star Wars than I highly recomend it.

Best of 09 Part 1

For the next couple of weeks I am going to do a series of posts highlighting what I thought were some of the best and worse TV shows, Comics, and music that was put out this past year. I thought I would start off on a positive note with the Best Event Comic series and the Best Sci-Fi show of 2009:

BEST EVENT COMIC SERIES: Blackest Night:

Heaaarrrts..Heaaarrrrts!

The DC universe is under siege by the  macabre Black Lantern corps. Dead heroes and villains reanimated and on a mission to destroy the other Lantern corps and snuff out all life in the universe. It has been a wild ride from the start. This is the only event I have read where the main book and the tie ins have been quality reads.  These books also offer a creative twist on the zombie genre that could only come from the brilliant mind of Geoff Johns.

BEST SCI-FI TV SHOW:

I extolled the sheer awesomeness of this show in a previous post. I don’t have much more to add except to say that this show gets more and more intense with each episode!

Check back later this week or next for Part 2 of the “best of 09”.

HeroClix Return

After what seems like an eternity in legal buyout hell heroclix are making a comeback! In case you don’t know Hero clix is a collectible miniatures game where you can pit your collection of heroes and villains against your friend’s collection. I’ve had a lot of fun collecting and playing this game over the years and i’m ecstatic to see it returning with a new booster set.

Hammer of Thor is smashing store shelves this November! Wow..I should work for their marketing department!

Hammer of Thor Booster

Superman and Batman Vs. Vampires and Werewolves Graphic Novel

Over the past couple of days I have been sitting around wondering what sort of “Halloweeney” post I could put up here. Then I remembered that a couple of weeks ago I picked up the Superman and Batman vs. Vampires and Werewolves graphic novel.

Now if you pick this up expecting this to be the next “killing Joke” or “V for Vendetta” than you will be sorely disappointed. This will most likely not go down in the history of comics as an incredible story that changed or added to the ongoing stories of Batman, Superman or the DC universe.  If you pick this up because you want to see Batman and Superman beat on Vampires and Werewolves than you most certainly will not disappointed. I’ll confess that is exactly why I picked this up.

The art is gritty and the story moves along at the pace of an action packed horror movie. The writer manages to spin a yarn that combines gothic horror with Super heroics which end up being just plain old fashioned good fun.

Of course as the book progresses the World’s Finest ends up with more to worry about than just Vampires and Werewolves.  They have to worry about a crazy mad scientist and at one point a giant lovecraftian demon. As I said before it is all good fun.

What I liked most about this book was that it made use of several guest stars. Wonder Women gets into a fist fight with a vampire and Nightwing tangles with a werewolf. Also making an appearence are the Demon and Green Arrow. The latters wooden arrows are paticularly handy when dispatching Vampire hordes.

By the way the majority of the Vampires in this book are viscious creatures. None of that twilight sparkly gaynes!

I’ll give this a solid 7 out of 10.

I’m Taking The Plunge

I decided to subscribe to Justice League of America. I know that this book has been critically panned for a long while now but I couldn’t resist. A new creative team just took over JLA and I want in on their run. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the writer James Robinson and I am hoping that he pulls the Justice League book out of critical and creative hell. I love what artist Mark Bagley drew for Trinity. So as far as i’m concerned this is a win-win team.

What truly sold me on this book was the new team roster that was announced. The team has four of my favorite DCU heroes: Cyborg, Green Arrow, Green Lantern(Hal Jordon) and Richard Grayson as Batman.( I prefer Richard as Nightwing but I will save that rant for another day). My inner fan boy is doing the “happy dance”.

Here’s a glimpse of the 2010 Justice League of America:

Ultimate Avengers is Awesomeness

A while back I posted a blog about what Comics coming out in the later half of 09 I thought were going to be awesome. I thought i’d do a little follow up and “gush” about one of my favorite books “Ultimate Comics Avengers”. I had predicted that this was going to be an incredible book but I had no idea that every issue would be 32 pages of awesomeness. Mark Millar one of the original architects of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe is writing this book and pencils are currently being handled by Carlos Pacheco.

Each one of these issues makes me salivate for the next one. Fear not though as I did not allow any saliva to hit my actual comic. This comic reads like a good action movie with loads of butt kicking and a well thought out plot line to keep the momentum going.  Another thing I like about this book is that the “Avengers” roster is going to change every six issues. They are the “Ultimates” black ops team that Nick Fury assembles for specific missions. The current mission is to bring in a fugitive Captain America who wasn’t very happy when he discovered the origin of the Red Skull. Did I mention how creepy the Ultimate universe’s Red Skull is? Here’s a look-

He is far more creepy than the main Marvelverse’s  Red Skull.  This is  an excellent example of how the Ultimate marvel universe takes older concepts and refreshes them and in the end makes them more interesting (most of the time).

The artwork has been incredible as well. Even if this comic had no words or story it would be worth picking up for the excellent art.

Be warned my fellow comics enthusiasts if you pick up an issue of this you will probably get hooked!

New Avengers Issue #55

New Avengers 55

This issue begins a new story arc as the Avengers debate what  to do about Norman and H.A.M.M.E.R  while a group of  baddies come across a broken piece of Stark Tech that Tony designed to disrupt super powers.  The cabal of villains repair it and needless to say things don’t end well for the Avengers.

Writer Brian Michael Bendis always does a superb job with dialogue and characterization which is evident in this issue in particular. During a meeting Ronin decides that Norman must be killed which doesn’t sit well with Spidey. My favorite Spider-Man line in this issue is “uh, Am I the only one here who wants to you know, ACT heroic in the face of adversity?”  This is also artist Stuart Immonen’s first issue of New Avengers and I must say he does a wonderful job on the pencils.  His art alone breathes new life into this book for me as I couldn’t stand the last art team on this book.  Of course Stuart and Bendis have a long history of working together on Ultimate Spider-Man and their amazing synergy can be seen in the pages of this issue.

If you’re hungering for some action, great characters, and a few humorous moments than I think that this issue of The New Avengers will sate your  appetite.

Rating: 7 out of 10