Wednesday, December 31, 2014

DEXTER HAS PASSED

I don't usually do the death reporting on this blog, but this one hit pretty close to home. Dexter's Laboratory, Rugrats, Darkwing Duck are cartoons that I watched with my children as they grew up. Christine Cavanaugh was the voice of Gosalyn, Chuckie and Dexter. At the too young age of 51 she has passed away and the world is a little darker for it.
I think after work I'm going to need to watch some Dexter's Lab.
Bleh!




Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Comic Review Round Up 12/30/14

Last one for the year. Keeping it positive which is pretty easy with what I'm buying. Let's go ahead and get started.



SENSATION COMICS FEATURING WONDER WOMAN #4
I like that these issues are one and done multiple stories. In this one there is a great Gilbert Hernandez story with Supergirl and Mary Marvel along for the ride. Then, we get a team up with The Atom and Hawkman and Hawkgirl ending with a really cool team up with Deadman. In a sea of multiple, interconnected, multi issue storylines, this is a breath of fresh air. I do find it funny that there are all these comics with covers that seem to be upsetting the feminists, but this issue gives us an Adam Hughes epic portrait of Wonder Woman and not a single word. I worry that they are going to end this comic soon and leave me back to a world a little less bright by its absence. I hope I'm wrong.



SENSATION COMICS FEATURING WONDER WOMAN  #5
And then the next issue because I hadn't been in a while. While I liked the story where Wonder Woman has to infiltrate Apokolips and save two Amazon warriors that have an agenda that sickens her once it is revealed, it was the whole issue! Gabriel Hardman's art was cool and different, but the whole issue? Also, why is Superman on the cover? He's not in the issue at all. He's not even mentioned in the issue. Seems tacky. Last issue I was worried they were going to cancel the book. Now, I'm worried it might become something I don't like. Here's to hoping that doesn't happen anytime soon.



TRINITY OF SIN #3
I just found out this book is only making it to issue 6. While that is a bummer I do hope it will give J.M. DeMatteis a chance to finish what is a wild and bizarre tale. Nimraa's ritual is nearly complete and a new world of darkness is being born from the powers of The Phantom Stranger, The Question and Pandora. I did think it was wild that whne Phantom Stranger realized that they were responsible for the new world he had no compunctions about killing himself to stop it from happening. This is a different Stranger and I like that he has passion in his voice and in his actions. And they can still reverse Nimraa's plan.
If there is time.
I read none of the entire Trinity of Sin story line involving Pandora and while I am wondering why The Question is wielding The Spear of Destiny, you can understand and follow the story with little effort and it is quite entertaining. DeMatteis is doing what he does best DC Supernatural. Add fantastic artwork by penciller Yvel Guichet and inker Jason Gorder and all we can hope for is that these three artists are allowed to create again. It will be magnificent.



GRINDHOUSE: SLAYRIDE PART TWO
I caught a preview of this and I am a fan of all things Grindhouse so I bought Part One. Well, I came to Part Two thinking this would be a much longer tale. It was interesting and needed to be longer. It felt thin and not in a goodn way like old, fast moving Grindhouse flicks. I want this to stay positive so I will mention R.M Guera's artwork did give it a gritty, film like quality. I do doubt that I will buy anything else in Dark Horse's Grindhouse imprint though. Sorry.



JOHN CARTER WARLORD OF MARS #2
I read all the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. All the comics by Marvel. I even had The Barsoomian Battle Manual. The new movie was awesome and deserved better. You knew I was going to buy this, didn't you?
Barsoom is under attack by an alien force led by another man from Earth. A man who knows John Carter and will crush all of Mars under his heel to get at The Warlord of Mars. Ron Marz is melding the actual writings of Edgar Rice Burroughs with the comic books that Marvel produced back in the 70's. The artwork  by Abishek Malsuni heralds back to that time and he makes it his own in the process. Only two issues in and the book remains amazing with every panel.



AVENGERS WORLD #16
I bought the first few issues of this book and it just felt unwieldy. I do find it amazing that there is not an Avengers book on my buy list. A little sad as well. But, with the AXIS event where heroes become villains and visa versa the concept of Dr. Doom leading a band of Avengers was too good to resist. He needs them to complete a  heroic and needs the power of the now evil Scarlet Witch to complete it. The team? US Agent, Stingray, Valkyrie, Elsa Bloodstone, Phil Coulson, 3-D Man and Valeria Richards. This is the second of two issues and it plays like old school Avengers where a group of whoever was closest got together to fight a menace and get some results. It also corrects a wrong that has irritated me for years so I like that. With all of that being said, Stingray needs his own series. Yeah, you heard me. I said Stingray. Make it happen Marvel!

Okay, this has been pretty good. I kept it as positive as I could. Not a lot of negative just a learning curve when trying out new books. I may keep up with Avengers World after this. Not sure. It would be nice to have an Avengers book to read again.
Tune in in two weeks for more reviews kiddies. Tell your friends.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

A New Direction For Penguin Comics

http://animationresources.org/pics/funamim00-big.jpg




I have a couple of websites that I go to on a regular basis; Comics Alliance and Comic Book Resources. Of the two I like Comic Book Resources more. Comics Alliance just seems like the drama queen of comic book sites, but they both like to get that negative news out there.
That's not why I read comic books.
I have read them for five decades for entertainment and some of the best story telling in the world.
When I decided to do this blog it was for my friend, Larry Stanley, who passed away and his website fell by the wayside.
Larry loved comic books.
I think that from now on we will just focus on that. Sure, there are things that make me mad about comic books (Rick Remender, anyone?), but there are plenty of other sites that deal in that particular currency and we won't be doing that here.
Stick around, this is gonna be fun.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

What is up with the mesh???

So, these guys;




Can someone explain the mesh fetish? This is three different companies with three different characters and they all have the same damned mesh fabric in their damned costumes. Are they afraid we are going to be bored with normal costumes? It's Spider-Man, Superman and The Vision for crying out loud! IF we're bored you did something horribly wrong!
Sheesh!
Why am I the one that always has to point this stupid stuff out?
Oooo! Maybe they all hired the same sucky design team who suck really bad?
Yeah, that's got to be it.
Any other reason would be terribly stupid.
Right?