Game and Movie Reviews
from Christian Dudes

Well, now things are just really messed up. Wolverine and Sue Richards were able to change the past, they stopped Ultron from wiping out humanity, but did they make the right choice? Well, that’s the question, because it would seem that the new future…or present…or whatever it’s supposed to be, isn’t really all that much better from what it was in the past. Sure, most of their friends are still alive, but then, they aren’t really their friends anymore. In fact, they aren’t even close to being the same people they once knew, so did their actions really make a difference? They’ve still lost everyone they once knew. It’s those types of tough questions and quandaries that, at least for me, has really made this Age of Ultron story so enjoyable. In fact, here in Age of Ultron #8 there’s another great conversation. As the alternate Tony Stark interrogates regular timeline Wolverine about his choice to kill Hank Pym, he asks Logan if ever tried to just talk Pym out of building Ultron. Logan says that it wouldn’t have mattered because that whole scientific discovery, the whole if it’s something that can’t be done they have to do it anyway, is a religion for Pym and Stark. Their genius, their devotion to science would compel them to do things no matter the consequences. Logan goes on to say that he may have killed Pym, but it’s just what he does. It’s his religion. Yeah, religion often isn’t pretty. Most people know that, but there’s something very interesting highlighted here; this conversation is all about their religion. And that’s pretty much what religion always comes down to; what we want. Religion is about our desires, what makes us feel good, what satisfies our own needs. Now, many lump Christianity into the category of religion, so once it doesn’t meet their needs, they abandon it and go find something that suits them better. However, the difference between Christianity and religion is that it isn’t... read

So I think that Jupiter’s Legacy is being a bit oversold; and within its own pages (which I find rather interesting). There are statements in here like “The comic event of 2013”, or “The superhero epic that all future comics will be measured by.” Well, after one issue, I can’t really say whether or not it truly lives up to those lofty expectations, but I will say that what we have here is some nice art work coupled with a pretty introspective and timely storyline that’s willing to dive into some pretty deep and relevant issues, all wrapped in a modern superhero epic. It’s an interesting mix, and it’s well done, and it is definitely worth checking out. Whether or not it lives up to the lofty expectations of its own self-proclamations remains to be seen, which is interesting in and of itself as this story is all about expectations. The story starts off with shades of Lost, as a man is drawn to a mysterious island that “wants” him to come because it “wants” to “give” him something to help America in the wake of the 1929 Stock Market Crash and the ensuing Great Depression. What happens there isn’t revealed, but those who journey to the island come away with super powers, which they use to help their nation arise from the dark period its in. Fast-forward to today, and the world is in similar shape. The problem is there are some that feel the way to deal with them is the same as they did in the last century, while others feel that perhaps more intervention is needed. Should the politicians be left to do their thing, or should someone step in and help? (Sound familiar…like a debate that’s raged the last few years here in reality?) Meanwhile, the next generation of heroes, the children of the ones who found the island, are finding it hard to live up to the lofty heights of their parents. The ideal was set so high by them that some feel incapable of achieving it while others feel the means for doing so no longer... read

If there’s one thing Grant Morrison can never be accused of, it’s being a simplistic writer. His stories typically have layers upon layers with a plot structure that can be best described as dense. The death of Damien was about as straight forward as Morrison ever is, but the fallout of that event have returned to his typical layers upon layers type of story. Batman Incorporated #10 has many layers, and throughout the issue you jump from one to the other which can make it confusing to follow. However, the important thing here is that events are coming to a climax, and Batman is about to have the showdown he’s been wanting with the murderer of his son; who just so happens to have been his son’s mother. There are a lot of threads in this book to follow, and in truth if you haven’t been following Batman Inc., you’ll probably get lost in the tangle. Events have been building for awhile in this storyline, and the death of Damien was not where it was all leading to, but rather just one more milestone along the way. The real question has been what will Damien’s death push Batman into doing. Well, in this issue we find out, and I have to say it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I kind of felt that Talia’s response, when she saw what lengths Batman was willing to go to in order to avenge his son’s death was pretty much summed up the proper reaction; “No. He wouldn’t…” To be honest, I’ve often felt that the art has been one of the weak links for this series, and it doesn’t help that, as it seems with so many DC issues these days, that a couple of artists switch of back and forth throughout the issue. It’s not quite as jarring hear as it has been in some issues, but it’s still noticeable and therefore distracting. Batman Inc. #10 feels like a bridge; an issue that helps us get from one major plot point to another. It doesn’t really have any major point of its own, but without it, Morrison couldn’t get to... read

Well, I missed a couple of books there, but uh…yeah, this is pretty intense stuff. The future is gone, which makes some feel like going further in the future will help restore the past…or…at least the future past. Others, meanwhile, want to go back in the past past and change the future by changing the past. One path leads to almost certain death, and the other least to a certain death. In the midst of all of that, what is “right” is weighed against what one is willing to do to in order to make things “right”. Age of Ultron #6 is just straight-up, good ol’ fashion, super hero, sci-fi fun. Wolverine has decided the only way to fix the future is to go back in the past and kill the one who made the current future what it is. If Hank Pym is killed, Ultron is never created and everything will be all honky-dory, right? Man, what a can of worms that opens up. Why stop there? If you really want to fix the future by fixing things in the past, why not go back and kill Hilter, or Stalin? When you come right down to it, why not just go all the way back to the Garden and kill the serpent before he got to Adam and Eve? That would really fix everything, right? If the question is whether or not it’s right to take one life in the past in order to preserve billions of lives in the future, why stop at just the guy who created Ultron? This is heady, existential stuff that makes for great sci-fi, and I’m glad this series is at least giving a bit of attention to the whole moral quandary of all of this, including whether out and out murder is justified just because it will save lives? Sue Storm, for a moment, that even it means saving lives in the future, perhaps there are some lines that just shouldn’t be crossed. Good science fiction isn’t just exciting, but it should be thought provoking, and I’m pleased that we’re getting some of that here in the Age of Ultron. Another question pondered is; what would one do in order to save... read

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…” (John 11:25) And so we finally get to it. We finally begin to see exactly how Batman is dealing with the tragic death of his son and partner, Damien Wayne a.k.a. Robin. Much of Requiem up to this point has been fairly poignant but also kind of bland. This is far more interesting, and even a bit disturbing. Best of all, it’s unexpected, which is exactly how someone reacting to such a tragic death would most likely behave; in unexpected ways. Oddly enough, despite the deep, emotional core of this issue, there are points that also feel almost like light-hearted, commercialized fan service. In the midst of a powerful storyline such as this, what’s the point of that? This month Batman and Robin #19 is titled Batman and Red Robin. I hope DC doesn’t turn the aftermath of Damien’s death into some sort of “Battle for the Cowl” type event leading up to who will be Batman’s next partner. That just seems like it would cheapen what is otherwise a very dramatic moment in the personal history of Batman. Then again, comic books are a business, so each month having the title reflect the possibility of some “new Robin” appearing in the pages as the potential replacement partner probably makes some sort of publishing sense. Along those lines is the surprise guest star in this issue. I won’t spoil it in case, like me, you had no idea they were ever going to do this. I find it interesting that the title of the issue is Batman and Red Robin yet it’s this other character who shares the special fold-out cover. I’m pretty sure I would have remembered this character showing up before now, so doing it in this way not only makes it feel shoe-horned in, but is the main reason some of this issue really feels just like commercialized fan service. Getting this character in the actual costume felt particularly contrived. Most of that... read

Batman #19, while giving a few moments to further reflect on the passing of Damien and the effect that’s had, is also one of the best types of Batman stories; it’s a detective story. It starts with bizarre circumstances and then backtracks to give you the opportunity to unravel the mystery along side the World’s Greatest Detective. It’s one of the aspects of Batman that makes him unique, that detective side, so it’s nice to see that come to the forefront every now and then. Even better, this is a mystery that you want to get to the bottom of just as much as Batman; or at least I did. It’s all paced perfectly so that it grabs your attention, keeps you guessing, and then when it gets to the big reveal, it actually opens up some bigger questions than when you started. In short, the perfect type of detective story for Batman, and it brings back one of my favorites in Batman’s rogue gallery. Interestingly enough, the short back-up feature is just as good. Short though it may be, it established a mood very quickly, and also highlights the unique friendship between Batman and Superman in a short amount of space. Finally, it also gives some unique insights into Superman’s susceptibility to supernatural phenomenon. All in all, Batman #19 is a nice change of pace that highlights one of the main aspects of Batman that rarely gets enough time to shine. After all of the big events of late, this feels like a smaller story, but appropriately so. Even without “events” going on, Scott Snyder makes this one of the better books in the DCU. Score: 6 of 7A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com. read

In general, villains are more interesting when we don't know what they're backstory is. The fact of the matter is every villain doesn't have to be a sympathetic one. Sure, some are more compelling that way, such as the classic origins of Mr. Freeze, but others are just more interesting when we don't know why they are the way they are, such as with the Joker. I mean, just looked at what happened with Darth Vader when all was revealed about his childhood and fall to the dark side. I mean, he didn't exactly increase with coolness once we knew all of that, did he? Thanos Rising #1 takes one of the imposing villains of the Marvel U and tells where he came from. I don't know if this has been done before, but I can tell you that I'm already worried that it's going to make him seem a little less imposing once I know the full story. Now, with Thanos apparently getting ready for his big-screen debut with Avengers 2 here in the near future, it certainly makes sense to give him a little prominence in the comics once again. However, the tale of how he became to be ala Darth Vader's Star Wars prequel stories may not be the best way to do that. Still, this is just the first issue, so we will see. I think the reason I'm a bit concerned is because thus far it's all so familiar when it comes to the typical “bad guy's tragic backstory” set up. Inattentive father? Check. Unavailable mother? Check. Misunderstood childhood? Check. Contrived circumstances that bring out the latent darkness within? Check. Yeah, all the basics are here. Sure, they have some slightly different features, but it follows a rather familiar template. So the question is do stories like this suggest that there's goodness in even the most evil of villains, or that even the best of us harbor the full potential of evil? I would have to say it's a mixture of the two. The Bible is very clear in explaining that we were made for great good, but we did subcumb to great evil. When we... read

With Superior Spider-Man #7, I must reiterate that we all knew this was coming, I just didn't think it would happen so soon. Nevertheless, here we are with Doc Ock/Peter Parker at a crossroads, and the real Peter Parker - or at least his essence, consciousness or spirit or whatever – is reasserting his control over his purloined body. It was bound to happen, I'm still struggling with it all happening so soon. Oh, and don't let the cover fool you, the Avengers really don't make much of an appearance here, but when they do, that's when things get really interesting. I like that a few things are finally addressed in this issue, like how no one's noticed the difference in Spidey's behavior until he killed someone. Once again “spirit” Peter states what we've all been thinking; have the Avengers been taking stupid-pills? Well, they seem to have finally caught on, and where that leads should be pretty fun...but that's not until next issue, I guess. This issue is mostly a build-up to that point where someone finally does decide to call-out Spidey's odd behavior. Then there's “spirit” Spidey starting to have some direct impact on ol' Doc Ock Spidey. He makes himself heard for a brief moment, and he even briefly regains control of at least a part of his body. Again, all stuff that we knew would have to take place in some manner eventually, but it's still fun to see it start to emerge and how it's starting to come about. As for Cardiac, he and his quest is really just a tool to help along these other elements of the story. The fallout from Massacre's death seemed a bit slight, so to have these events be the catalyst for people finally calling Spidey into question seems a bit off; I'd have thought these types of questions and actions would have been raised immediately after that rather shocking action. Superior Spider-Man is a fun book, but it's biggest problem is that it's tipped its hand too soon. We sort of know what's coming.... read

DC may really be on to something here in reviving some of their weaker books. They've already taken Green Arrow from being easily dismissed to a must read, and now they're trying to do something similar with Superman in Action Comics. I'm not convinced this is a total turn around in quality akin to what's happened with Green Arrow, but with Action Comics #19, things definitely look promising. I get the whole “Superman is tough to write” stuff because he's “too powerful” and “unrelatable”, but turning him into an arrogant, snot-nosed jerk of a kid wasn't really the solution; at least, it didn't work for me. Like it or not, Superman is the standard by which all other heroes are measured; he is and should be a cut above the rest in everything he says and does in and out of costume. Yeah, that can make compelling stories tough, but this is Superman; he just isn't like everyone else. Well, Action Comics may be about to break that code. I'm not saying this is the greatest Superman story ever told, but it definitely holds promise. I mean, what's not to like about Superman fighting giant robots and acting selflessly heroic? I will say there is one nit to pick here. Uh, so if DC went through such lengths to dissolve the marriage between Lois and Clark, and then set things up for Superman and Wonder Woman to be an item, why on earth are they even teasing the remote possibility of the classic Lois and Clark relationship here? Why? Why do that? They made such a big deal about abolishing, why go there? Yeah, it bugs me to no end that they'd even suggest it in a minor way. There's big things in store for Superman this year. He has a movie coming out that we're all hoping will actually be really good. He's a got a new series debuting later this year that may be the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed of Superman stories in Superman Unchained, and he's got some new creative teams working on his ongoing titles. At least from what I've seen... read

Batman Incorporated #9 feels a little disjointed. It jumps from the immediate aftermath of Damien’s death to the present where the fallout from that event is still unraveling. Adding to the disjointed feeling is a jump in artistic styles at several points throughout the books, as well as some time spent with Knight and Squire, which is confusing because I’m not clear on what the connection is there. Still, in spite of all of that, this issue does a good job of filling out a dark event in the life of the Dark Knight, and the final page leaves little doubt as to what sort of emotional toll it’s taking on him. Now I have to confess the much of my confusion and feelings of a disjointed nature probably stem from the fact that I haven’t followed this series at all until picking up last issue. Then again, some of it probably comes from the fact that Morrison is just that kind of writer, but regardless, the emotional core of the store is very suitable for having the “Requiem” label on the front, more so then some other titles. The last issue ended so abruptly, so I’m glad this one is willing to fill in what happened next, and I also like that it takes the time to show Damien’s funeral and some reactions of the other members of the Bat family. Nightwing’s reactions immediately following Damien’s death is particularly poignant, but the one scene with the most emotional punch comes at the very end. Despite it’s flaws, Batman #9 helps give scope to this momentous event, and helps us understand the emotional impact it’s having. It even, perhaps, hints as to whether or not we’ll be seeing more of Damien? Well, in comics, that’s probably a given. Score: 5 of 7A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com. read

On the classic show Super Friends, Aquaman was a pretty simple character. He was the one who swam in the water and got some fish to help out whenever there was a need for fish to help out the super heroes (why that would make a difference and how they made it seem so necessary so often is a mystery lost in the wonders of childhood). What Geoff Johns has done with Aquaman is take a character who had become a simplistic punchline and turned him into one of the more complex and compelling characters in DC’s New 52. If you want proof of that, just take a look at Aquaman #18, which is one of those rare books that is actually a good place to start if you haven’t already been following this series. If you haven’t followed the series, this issue does a good job of sketching out what’s happened while at the same time pushing things forward. Aquaman has a very complex life. He’s trying to balance his loyalties to Atlantis with his loyalties to the surface world. He’s trying to help regain the trust of the surface world after Atlantis was manipulated into attacking it while at the same time trying to protect the interests of his own people. He’s trying to help humanity and help his own family and kin. Finally, he’s trying to come to terms with being the king that he never wanted to be and also the king that Atlantis so desperately needs while being the hero the Justice League needs him to be. Yeah, it’s one, big, complicated mess. And the fact that not everyone is wholly on his side doesn’t really help either. Oh, and there’s a new baddie out there who feels they rightfully belong on the throne of Atlantis. So if you thought Aquaman was still that simplistic joke of a guy from Super Friends, well, you obviously haven’t been keeping up. Odd as it may sound, but right now, he’s one of the most interesting and coolest characters around. One of his biggest challenges is trying to convince his own people that those who dwell... read

Well, the JLA is done with roll call and moving on to other things, but over in Justice League #18, they’ve decided to do a little roll call of their own. Specifically, the founding members have decided that unlike Captain America, who apparently has plenty of time to be on at least 13 different teams on a full-time basis, Superman and co. don’t have the time to even commit to one team full-time. Therefore, they’ve decided to open up the ranks of the Justice League so the team can continue to function even as various heroes take care of business in their home cities. Which means this is the very definition of a filler issue between story arcs. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s necessary to go from one story arc right into another, so I actually don’t mind “filler” issues. Sometimes they can be entertaining one-offs that offer some good character development. This is a little more slight than that. We meet a bunch of new characters, there’s a small problem with one of them, it’s handled, it’s decided who makes the cut, and an ominous message is left that will lead the League into it’s next adventure. It’s all pretty straight-forward stuff. Now, it wouldn’t have been necessary for it to be so brief if it wasn’t for the Shazam back-up feature. Given more space, the whole “recruitment day” for the Justice League could have been a really fun, character building little story. As it is, it’s too short to do a whole lot. And, as has been the case from the beginning, so is the Shazam story. I still fail to see why it needs to take up so much space here. Just give Shazam his own title to tell this story and leave room for Justice League to tell better stories. Now, I don’t know if you’ve tried to make the team in any sort of sport, but it’s a pretty nerve-wracking thing. It’s exciting when you make the cut, and a bummer when you get cut. I can only imagine that would be amplified like twenty... read

So, I’ve always heard that the best part of the Batwoman series was the artwork. However, when I picked up Batwoman #18, I found the art to be a little underwhelming; I certainly didn’t understand why everyone was raving about it. Then I discovered that it’s a new team doing the art for this book, and suddenly I felt like I missed out. As for the rest of the book, it was mildly interesting, but seeing as I’m just now coming on board, I didn’t have much context for some of the things being discussed, and again I felt like I was missing out. What did catch my attention in this book was the idea of super hero not being able to do things on their own terms. It would seem that Batwoman isn’t working for herself, but for someone else, someone who has a way of manipulating her into doing their bidding…more or less. It all seems rather complex, but it’s clear that Batwoman isn’t operating on her own; and of course one of the great fears in the DCU is what happens when heroes go rogue. I don’t get the impression that’s the case with Batwoman yet, but it seems like she’s not exactly on the side of heroes either. Personally, I thought this book was best when Batman showed up. I was kind of hoping for a super hero throw down, but that didn’t happen. I’m not clear on what affiliation, if any, there is between these two, but it’s clear they’re not exactly friend. And as usual, it would seem Batman knows a lot more about her than Batwoman knows about him. He knows what’s going on with her and wants to help, but she doesn’t want his help. For a moment, it seems like we’ll get the classic “heroes meet, have misunderstanding, fight, and then decide to work together” comic book moment, but it doesn’t quite turn out that way. Too bad, that would have been cool. Batwoman #18 may be the start of a new story arc, but I still felt sufficiently lost that it didn’t exactly feel like a great starting point for... read

So now that roll call is done in Justice League America, issue two presents the team with its first challenge. I’m gratified that, at least thus far, it looks as though that challenge is exactly what was hinted at in the first issue. I’m also pleased that although this book is moving steadily forward, it’s not in such a hurry that it doesn’t have time for us to start to get to know some of these heroes who, eventually, will be responsible for stopping the regular Justice League should they ever go rogue. Okay, one little pet peeve here. I can’t understand why Catwoman would be upset that someone has trouble looking her in the eyes when she wears skintight leather that’s unzipped down to her belly button. Really lady, you’re going to demand some teenage boy not to notice? Right, whatever. That moment aside, the rest of them are pretty fun as we see this team assemble for the first time. There’s a particularly fun one between Vibe and Hawkman as they meet for the first time. It also seems as though Stargirl is sort of being set up as the Captain America of this team. I guess that works, they both have big stars on their uniforms. Of course, the most interesting thing about this team is that although most of them think they’re there to play the hero, the fact is they’re there because Waller has something on all of them and she believes this is a Justice League that can be controlled. It’s a simmering undercurrent that could make this book really interesting to follow. The second feature is a little less compelling. I’m still not quite sure what the point of it is. I’m not sure if what’s being talked about is how the JLA were able to get the official endorsement of the president, or if they stopped a real threat. It’s not clear who’s narrating the story or why these events are even taking place or why the reader needs to know about them. So, essentially it’s a bunch of filler, which is a shame because the... read

Well, that wasn’t really what I was expecting from Wolverine #1. In truth, I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting. I know Marvel Now! isn’t exactly a reboot, but they are sort of “reintroducing” characters with all of these first issue relaunches. The problem with Wolverine is that he’s such a familiar character that, if you aren’t really “refreshing” continuity or anything, how do you “reintroduce” him without going back to the beginning? Well, I guess this is one way of doing it. We learn the basics about Wolverine in this issue; stuff like he’s an Avenger, a mutant who heals fast and has metal bones, and has a good sense of smell. So for those few readers who don’t know much about the character, all the basics are covered and it shouldn’t take long for one to get a feel for who this guy is. However, as someone who does know who this guy is, I had the strange feeling like I didn’t really know who this guy is (I guess that might sound confusing, but stay with me). The Wolverine introduced here seems…well, friendly. He smiles, makes quips, and seems rather compassionate. He’s even sociable. I’m sorry, not quite the Wolverine I remember, and slightly different from the scary pose on the cover. Aside from Hawkeye and Thor, I really can’t think of a Marvel Now! first issue that really blew me away (well, Superior Spider-Man was also pretty good). Most have been below average; not bad, but just not all that great, either. Wolverine #1 continues that trend, which is a rather disappointing one. Score: 4 of 7A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com. read

Age of Ultron Book 2 doesn’t do quite what I expected – flashback to how all of this got started and show us things from the beginning. Instead, it takes us to San Francisco where Moonknight and Black Widow are working to survive, as far as they know, as the last heroes left. It’s an interesting detour, but one that takes a little too long. Still, thus far I’ve really enjoyed the pacing of this series. The whole bit in San Francisco, at least thus far, doesn’t seem to do much beyond establishing that Ultron has successfully taken over the world. It adds scope to this event, but again, takes a bit too long in doing that. While it’s nice to see what’s happening outside of New York, it’s in New York where we’re learning about what’s going on. We do get a few flashbacks as Peter relates what happened to him (and I still say this is sounding like the real Peter, not Doc Okc/Peter). It’s not enough to piece together what happened, but it gives us some nice teases. However, there is one thing I’m not quite clear on. The Ultrons keep saying “Submit or perish,” but they seem pretty content with making people perish rather than submit. And if the prologue is any indication, Ultron really isn’t interested in human slaves so much as eradicating the imperfection of humanity; in which case, why bother telling people to submit? Just a thought. So the situation is bleak, the ranks of heroes have been decimated, and civilized society has completely fallen apart. The first two issues of Age of Ultron have done a great job establishing setting and tone, but not it’s time to see something happen. Fortunately, with Captain America’s proclamation at the end of this issue, it looks like that me be exactly what’s about to happen. Score: 5 of 7A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com. read

To be honest, at first I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Batman #18. As it started out, it didn’t seem to have much to do at all with the recent death of Robin over in Batman Incorporated, despite the Requiem tag on the front. Then, however, it seemed a little too familiar to a past event that had to do with the death of a Robin, but in the end, it settled down to be a nice chapter in the aftermath of a major death in Batman’s life, even if Batman seemed to be swayed rather easily. This issue spends a lot of time establishing one character as jerk; far too much time considering they don’t really have much to do with anything that follows other than the fact that we need to know he’s a jerk. Once we get past that, things get more interesting, if a bit familiar. Batman appears to be going off the deep end. He’s a ragged mess who never sleeps and always seems to be working. He’s getting sloppy and allowing average street thugs to get in cheap shots on him. And no matter who he’s fighting, he fights with an almost animalistic ferocity. So, he’s pretty much reacting the same way when Jason Todd was killed as Robin. That’d all be fine if it wasn’t for the fact that there’s one kid that notices and who wants to do something about it. We’ve met Harper only a couple times in this series, but Batman has had a huge impact on her life; and she on his (that’ll happen when you save the Batman’s life with your own unique ingenuity). Apparently Harper has been tracking and watching Batman for the past few months, and she’s been training in the meantime. When she starts to notice Batman going nuts, she decides to intervene. Again, that’s all fine, but it just rings a little too similar to the path Tim Drake took in becoming Robin. I’m not going to lie, if Harper ends up being the next Robin, I’m going to be more than a little disappointed. Plus, the whole “I recognize that look because it’s the look I’ve seen... read

Superior Spider-Man #5, now that’s more like it. This is a dramatic issue that brings to the forefront Doc Ock’s unique personality as he struggles to be the hero, or at least his idea of what the hero should be. Fortunately, this time around Peter’s commentary is kept to a minimum, and it occasionally provides some useful insights. I’m still not entirely sold on this device. Again, it was inevitable that he should come back somehow, but I’m not convinced this is the way, or that it couldn’t have waited a few issues. For the most part, I just don’t think it contributes much and far too often is used to spoon feed the reader information and insight. Still, it is fun when Peter realizes that some of the ways Doc Ock is going about being Spider-Man is actually superior; like when Peter realizes that he never bothered to call the police or fire department for backup in certain situations. Other fun moments include how Doc Ock is able to analyze a situation better than Peter and takes care of a villains contingency plan before arriving at the main scene of a crime; something else Peter never bothered doing. Then there’s the good Doctor reflecting on how it wasn’t all that long ago that he was trying to destroy every life on the planet, and new he spends his time just saving a few here and there all while wondering if it’s worth it. I also liked the little nod to The Dark Knight in here when Spidey uses some tech to help track down Massacre and it’s mentioned that it’s too much power for any one person to have; however this is Dock Ock we’re talking about, not a regular hero, so the morality of it all isn’t quite as much of a quandary for him. However, it’s the big dramatic pay-off of this issue that really delivers. Is this new, Superior Spider-Man really better than the old one? Is the fact that he’s willing to do things that Peter wasn’t part of what makes him superior? With the pull of a trigger,... read

I was telling a friend of mine that with Green Arrow #17, the series had taken a turn for the dramatically better. He didn’t believe. Maybe you don’t either, but I’m telling you, I had completely written this series off, and all of sudden I’m finding it one of the more interesting and compelling titles in the New 52. Issue #18 continues to successfully push Green Arrow in a new direction, and it’s definitely one for the better and one that has my full attention. Ollie is still dealing with having everything in his life turned upside down. His enemy has taken him apart piece-by-piece, but there’s one bit of advice Ollie received from his dad that’s helping him move forward; never give up. You know, that’s pretty tough when everything you do seems wrong and the entire world seems to be against you, but somehow, Ollie finds a way to keep going forward. I came across an interesting verse the other day that reflects that same sentiment and gives a more substantial reason for not giving up. Psalm 43:5 “Why are you down cast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” When life is at its bleakest and most desperate, know this; there is a God who loves you. He’s there to comfort you, to help you, to strengthen you, to encourage you, and yes, to save you. He is the ultimate reason we have to never give up, no matter what may happen in life. As Green Arrow tries to find a direction to go in to help starting sorting out the mess his life has become (which he doesn’t find much success in, just more questions), we also get a glimpse into the life of the one who is destroying Ollie. It should come as no surprise that he’s a shadow of Oliver Queen; a business man and a survivor, and of course an expert marksman. While his connection to Ollie is only alluded to in this issue, we learn enough about this villain to know he’s truly formidable and absolutely... read

Age of Ultron #1 does what any good first issue in an event should do; it grabs your attention (and not just with the shiny, foil cover) and makes you wonder just what the heck is going on. In short, it completely draws you in and makes you want to know more. The situation found in this first issue is bleak and dismal, leaving one not only wondering how things came to be this way, but what exactly can be done about it. I haven’t been this intrigued by the first issue of an event since…well, the first issue of Death of the Family, but somehow, this feels much, much bigger. Now, one of the interesting things in this issue, and I’m just throwing this out there to stir up the pot; but which Spider-Man do you think this is in this issue? The quips, the self-depreciating humor, the humility, the lack of pretense: I’m thinking this may not be the Superior Spider-Man…any other thoughts on that? It’s an intriguing one; no? Then again, maybe I’m just reading the wrong stuff into this. That issue aside, I love how things start off with utter and total defeat. The Avengers are beaten, soundly. The world they now live in is a world the heroes have lost; they have completely and totally failed. New York is destroyed, they’re hiding underground and more importantly, seem afraid to do anything out in the open. They’re even afraid to help rescue one of their own. Barton takes that entirely upon himself with his usual stubborn determination and complete lack of disregard for authority. As he puts it, he refuses to let what’s happened change the value of his life; or, it would seem, how he values the lives of others. It’s an interesting thought; what is the value of a life, and can circumstances change that value? Apparently in the Age of Ultron, there those that will come down on both sides of that particular issue, but the God of the Bible would without fail come down on the side that there’s nothing that will ever change... read

Injustice: Gods Among Us #2 continues the rare trend of a comic book tie-in to a video game actually being good. In fact, at this point, I’m wondering whether or not the game will be able to live up to it’s comic book prologue. The path to the type of world where Superman would be at odds with Batman and heroes would fight is turning out to be a very interesting and compelling one. In truth, I’m starting to wish the game was more than a mere fighting game, but perhaps something like the Arkham games where it tells a compelling story along with the action; perhaps the story of how all of this is resolved. Ah well, I’m still just amazed that this book is any good. One of the highlights of this issue is the Joker explaining to Batman why he decided to mess with Superman. Apparently, the Joker was tired of always losing to Batman and decided to do something “easier”. Now, at first, the thought of Joker taking on Superman being “easy” sounds pretty silly, but the fact is; it was. Joker had no trouble pulling of his scheme against Superman, and he was quite delighted with the results. I also enjoyed the conversation about how this event would change Superman. Batman believed that some things are entirely incorruptible; the goodness of Superman being chief among them. Joker thought otherwise, and perhaps the fact that he proved himself right in this case will go down as one of the all-time great Joker triumphs. Tragedy helped shape the life of the Batman; how will it shape Superman’s life? Will he still be the same? This issue begins to reveal the answer to that. The story thus far is really the strength of this book (again, can’t believe I’m saying that about a book that’s a prologue to a fighting game). Other areas aren’t quite so great. There are some fun moments with Harley and Oliver Queen that are actually quite funny, but I think Harley’s almost too manic and wacko here. Then again, she’s a tough character... read

I’m telling you, Hawkeye is just one of the best books out there. It never ceases to entertain and yet somehow remain enthralling as well. When Fraction his done, this run he’s had on the Hawkeye solo series will be a revered classic in comics lore. Okay, maybe that’s waxing a little too poetic, but this is good stuff. If you’ve been missing out, well…you’ve been missing out. Barton is once again in hot water in Hawkeye #8, and once again it’s all because of a girl. It’s interesting; over in Batman Inc. #8 we see one hero finally embrace their noble side while turning their back on their baser instincts in order to do something truly heroic, and here we see Clint unable to overcome his baser instincts, unable to exercise better judgment, and he ends up in a whole lot of trouble because of it. When we let that side of nature take over, it always ends up in trouble. The Bible talks about the pleasures of sin for a season. That’s because there’s no denying that sin is fun…for a time. However, in the end there’s a price to be paid, and it’s one that we just can’t afford. I love how what began as annoyance has become an almost endearing character quirk with those tracksuit guys saying “bro” all the time. I really hated that at the beginning, but it’s become pretty funny, bro. I also love the style of this book; why does everyone suddenly look like it’s the ‘70s? I don’t know, but it looks pretty slick. This issue also has some fun artwork by interspersing some “bonus” comic covers throughout, covers which help provide some exposition for the story. It’s a well-done and clever gimmick that actually helps the story instead of distracts from it. I think I’ve said this about every time we’ve reviewed Hawkeye, but it is seriously one of my favorite books out there; and this is coming from a Batman/DC fanboy. Just pick it up and check it out already. Score: 6 of 7A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies... read

Aquaman #17 is a epilogue for the recently completed Throne of Atlantis event. What impressed most about that event is it was short, to the point, and concise; how often does that happen with comic book events these days? What’s more, this one actually has an epilogue. What’s more, that epilogue does a good job of exploring the fallout and the new status quo that’s resulted from said event, and like the event itself; it’s concisely sums things up without feeling too brief. Aquaman never wanted to be king of Atlantis, but the recent events have forced him to become just that. Now he struggles to find a balance between his responsibilities to his kingdom and his sympathies with the surface world. Somehow he wants to forge unity between the two, but that’s going to be a difficult task. The world is now aware of Atlantis, and they aren’t exactly fans of it. Can’t blame them after Gotham, Metropolis and Boston were almost dragged to the bottom of the sea causing countless deaths. It’s an interesting situation because both sides have very good reason for the animosity. Arthur knows the only way to forge peace is to set those animosities aside, but as we all know, that’s not easily, especially when we’re justified in our feelings. That’s where forgiveness comes into play. It’s funny, many think forgiveness is what happens when someone comes to us and says they’re sorry, but that isn’t the case. Forgiveness can, and should, happen regardless of whether not anyone apologizes to us. We have the choice to forgive, even if the other party isn’t sorry. No, it’s not easy, but the Right thing isn’t always easy, is it? Aquaman #17 does a solid job of showing us life after Throne of Atlantis, the new situation Arthur finds himself in, the new state of world politics, especially when it comes to how everyone feels about Atlantis, some insight to the struggles Arthur is having even inside his own kingdom, and it even... read

[SPOILER ALERT: THIS REVIEW DISCUSSES IN DETAIL THE SHOCKING EVENTS OF BATMAN INC. #8. READ THE ISSUE FIRST BEFORE DELVING INTO THE REVIEW]       So there I am, looking through Fox News when I read that Robin is going to die this week. WHAT! I didn’t see that coming, and I certainly didn’t think I’d hear about it on Fox News. Did anyone know this was going to happen? Well, in any event, it has. Batman Incorporated #8 is the death of Damien Wayne, the death of Robin. Now, I must admit that I haven’t been following Batman Incoporated, and there are those who say trying to follow what Grant Morrison is doing in the first place is pretty much a lost cause. Still, I had little to no context for the nature of the events that have led up to this point. I gathered it was some sort of world-threatening circumstance, and that Damien lived up to his father’s legacy in the finest form. In the end, Damien chooses to be exactly the type of hero and son and person that Bruce had always hoped he would be. In the end, Damien choose to turn his back on the darkness of his past and embrace all that his father and the Batman had taught him about being a true hero. More context probably would have given this moment more impact, but it was still pretty epic. The ending is abrupt, but I’m sure this is one of those events that will ripple outwards into other books, and hopefully will be given some context in the aftermath of Death of the Family as well. Batman’s world has really been rocked like never before, and hopefully the bat-books won’t skip on exploring the impact that will have on the entire bat-family. I have to admit, see Batman once again holding a broken and bloodied Robin, and knowing that this time it was truly his son, is a heart-rending scene. I couldn’t decide if I like how the way it was dawn echoes the last time a Robin died or not, but there was no denying that it was a powerful image. Damien has... read

Superior Spider-Man continues to be a rather frustrating series. It’s not a bad one by any means, but there’s always this sense that it could have been something much better than it is, something truly special. Issue #4 feels sort of like a lull; not that there isn’t any action, but nothing really happens that significantly pushes any meaningful story thread forward. With so much potential, it feels a shame for this series to be settling into a routine already. In this issue, Doc Ock/Peter Parker discovers that the real Parker never finished his doctorate, so Peter isn’t a doctor like Otto was. This, of course, infuriates him because such a title, as a representation of his superior intellect, is very important to him. So he sets off to finish what Peter never did because he was always so busy being Spider-Man. This issue also sees Massacre get free and start killing again, and while the last time they faced Spider-Man was determined not to let anyone, anyone at all, die while he could prevent it, that was a different Spider-Man. Doc Ock/Spider-Man sees that as a mistake, and he seems determined to rectify that mistake by any means necessary; even lethal ones. Most likely lethal ones. Finally, the issue ends with a  fun reveal that hopefully means better things are on the horizon. I liked how this issue opened, with Doc Ock/Spider-Man reflecting on how much more efficient, how superior he is to the previous Spider-Man. He’s taking a great amount of pride in the heroic work that he’s doing, but it’s clear his heart isn’t really in it. To him, it’s just another duty, something to check off his list. He believes that volume of actions he performs makes him a hero, so he only has to do his far share and that’s good enough. And since he’s doing more than his fair share, than he has every right to decide when to ignore someone’s need. It’s a rather pragmatic, self-determined way of being a hero, and it’s exactly... read

Reading Justice League of America #1 is like reading a bunch of personnel files. I suppose that’s because that’s pretty much all that happens in this issue. We’re introduced to the team pretty much the same way Steve Trevor is; through personnel files. We get little snippets on each member and what makes them unique or what sort of powers they have, but none of the team members have met thus far, and the team hasn’t even been assembled. Okay, so there’s a little more than just introductions taking place. There’s also the beginnings of the first mission the team will take on. Green Arrow’s discovered something, and that discovery may cost him his life. Anyone familiar with Professor Ivo, or who can put two and two together should have no problem figuring out what the first challenge of the JLA will be. Should it go in that direction, and I see no reason why it shouldn’t, it will be an interesting way of showing whether or not the JLA can serve it’s primary purpose; to be a deterrent to and if necessary a response to a rogue Justice League. In the course of making his discovery, Green Arrow finds himself in some dire straits. I find it interesting that in the midst of that situation he does what just about everyone else does and fires off a quick prayer. However, when he doesn’t receive his “streak of lightning or…some kind of divine intervention…”, he decides to “tell God to go screw himself.” Why is it that those who never profess any belief or reliance on God are so annoyed when he doesn’t magically fix some situation they’d like to have instantly fixed? I’ve always found this dichotomy confusing. Without any previous connection or relationship or any profession of belief, and in fact sometimes the exact opposite, people still somehow think that God should instantly, miraculously intervene and rescue them from whatever trouble they’ve gotten themselves into, and when he doesn’t, they’re... read

You know, considering the event was called Throne of Atlantis, I guess it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise that it was all about…well, the throne of Atlantis. As things wrap up in Justice League #17, Aquaman has claimed his right to once again be king of Atlantis after defeating his brother, revealing the plans of Vulko, and saving the surface world from the trench. However, the cost may be high. The Justice League isn’t the team they used to be, the surface world no longer trusts him (I especially like where one police officer says he never thought that he would ever think of Aquaman as being dangerous), and placing Orm in prison on the surface may do more to make him a true villain and enemy of Arthur than anything that’s previously happened. For a rather brief event, it’s done what longer ones often fail to do; tell a grand story with long lasting implications. After the rather intriguing twist that it was Arthur’s friend Vulko who had been manipulating circumstances at the end of the last chapter, it was rather surprising to find that his real plan now was…to do nothing. That’s right, no grand schemes of world domination, or plans to rob banks. No plans to destroy his enemies, wreak havoc, or even get revenge. No, his plan after setting all of this in motion, a war between Atlantis and the surface, was to force Arthur to reclaim his right to the throne; to depose his brother and claim his rule once again. That’s all he wanted, that was the entire point of it all. Granted, three cities were almost destroyed along with countless loss of life on both sides, but all in the days work of making a king, apparently. Other little tidbits to come out of this issue; Superman actually says “up, up and away.” That was fun. We see a need for the greater super hero community to get a bit more organized as Orm rightly points out any lack of discipline or training for the large number of non-Justice League members.... read

Batgirl #17 ostensibly takes place after the events of Batman #17, so it more or less deals with the fallout of Joker’s latest rampage; this time a very personal one against the Bat-family. Or at least, that’s what I was expecting. Joker whispered things to the Bat-family, things in the darkness designed to kill that family. At the end of Batman #17, we get the sense that his words may have sunk deeper than expected and wounded more grievously than suspected. Unfortunately, Batgirl #17 doesn’t really deal with any of that. It’s simply rushes into the next thing with a few acknowledgements that Joker had been around and done things. On that merit alone, this issue is kind of a disappointment. Of all the Bat-family, Joker’s recent rampage probably had more of a personal affect on Barbara than anyone, so the fact this issue isn’t willing to take the time to somehow reflect on that and show us how it’s impacted her is a huge missed opportunity. After all, what’s the point of big events like Death of the Family if it isn’t going to leave any sort of permanent mark or change on things? I understand that not every event can deliver on the “this changes everything” promise, but going back so quickly to the status quo of chasing down bad guys and solving riddles, in essence going back to “normal”, right after everything that’s happened seems superficial at best. Plus, Barbara’s brother doesn’t make much of a compelling villain after what the Joker did, but then anyone would come off as a light weight following the Joker, so I guess someone had to do it. If you’re looking for some insightful examination to the consequences and fallout of Death of the Family, Batgirl #17 just simply doesn’t provide that. It simply moves on to the next story arc. Again, I just can’t help but feel that’s a huge missed opportunity. Death of the Family was supposed to be very personal tragedy for everyone involved, but here... read

Secret Avengers #1 is a fun book with intrigue, spy shenanigans, and plenty of fun. It’s less of a super hero book and more of a spy novel, and that’s always refreshing. If this will remain the tone of the series going forward, this may just stand out as the most unique of the many, many Avengers books out there. And with so many of them, standing out from the crowd is definitely a good thing. This first issue deals mostly with the induction of Hawkeye and Black Widow into the fold of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Man that takes forever to type!) There’s some fun dialogue here, and we even get to see Agent Coulson; nice to see him showing up in the comic’s world. One of my favorite moments is when this issue has some fun at the expense of trying to explain why Nick Fury in the comic books suddenly looks a lot more like Sam Jackson from the movies, plus it uses a great little James Bond reference to do it. Good stuff. Still, the best part of this book is how it ends, giving one the feeling that S.H.I.E.L.D. may not be all that trustworthy, regardless of whether or not the mission proves successful. The ends justifies the means, or at least that seems to be their operating guideline, but that can be such a slippery slope. Hopefully, this moral quandary is one of the things that will be explored more deeply as the series moves on. While Marvel Now! hasn’t always done all that great with their “non-relaunches” of some of their bigger names, some of the other titles that break away from just traditional super hero stuff have fared much better. Secret Avengers is up there with books like Hawkeye, books that aren’t must more of the same old, same old. They’re doing things slightly different. Hard to tell if that’s really the case for this series after just one issue, but if it remains on its current trajectory, it could definitely be a good one. Score: 5 of 7A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn... read

One of the better things to come out of the AvX event was Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops, became a much more interesting character. Now, I haven’t really kept up with the fallout after AvX ended, so I’m not entirely sure how Cyclops got out of prison, let alone was able to set up another mutant school and become some sort of symbol for the mutant race, but that’s where Uncanny X-Men #1 starts us off, so if you haven’t been following along, you’ll feel like you’ve missed some stuff. Still, I knew enough to fill in the blanks of what I missed and was able to jump right into this new status quo without too many gaps. And what a status quo it is. A mysterious insider has come to shield offering them the help they need to take Scott down. Not kill him, but publically expose him. For whatever reason, mutants still see him as some kind of savior, but the truth is his encounter with The Phoenix Force left him broken and not all who he pretends to be. His powers are broken, and out of control, which means he’s capable of anything due to that lack of control. And while some mutants are rallying to his cause, still believing in all he claimed about mutant-kind during AvX, there are those who think he’s still taking his agenda too far, and that he hasn’t fully revealed what is full agenda is. In short, he’s a real threat. He’s become the new Magneto, or what Magneto used to be when he was the arch foe of the now deceased Professor X. Yeah, it’s a topsy-turvy world right now in the world of the X-Men, which makes it kind of cool. And the reveal at the end as to who the mysterious insider actually is makes it all the cooler. Uncanny X-Men #1 is a solid first issue. It introduces the characters, the stakes, and does so in a compelling manner. If the purpose of the whole uneven AvX events was to shake-up the status quo, well it’s certainly done that. The new landscape of the mutant world is quite intriguing, making it quite... read

Happy Valentine’s Day. Of course, when that involves the Joker, you may not want to here those three sweet little words. Batman #17 brings The Death of the Family event to a close, and while it’s appropriately creepy and disturbing, some may feel that it isn’t quite as definitive as it could have been. I’ve gone back and forth between deciding whether or not this was a worthy conclusion or something of a letdown, but regardless, it’s a ominous, moody, dark conclusion that leaves one wondering…why? Now, seeing as this event was called “Death of the Family”, one might appropriately be expecting someone rather significant to die. I won’t say whether or not that will happen, but I will say that Joker does indeed achieve his goal of “Death of the Family”, but perhaps not quite in the way were expecting. This wasn’t so much a physical attack, he didn’t really need a crowbar this time around, this was a psychological attack, and an attack at the very heart of the Batman and his extended family. This attack wasn’t so much about physical harm as it was breaking the bonds that ties a family together. And while it seems that once again Batman defeats the Joker and foils his plan, one of the masterful strokes of this story is how the final few pages leave that view in doubt. Perhaps, this time, Joker actually won. Time will tell. There’s a lot of talk about love in this issue, which makes it a very twisted Valentine’s indeed. Joker talks a lot about the love there is between the Batman and the Joker, and as we have throughout this event, we get some more great insights into what ties these two icons together and what fuels their twisted, deadly dance of death to continue on and on. Scott Snyder wisely gives us some answers that have lingered throughout this event, such as whether or not Joker really did know all the secrets of the Bat-family. Fortunately, he doesn’t do this through trite exposition, so it may not... read

Now, the last time I checked in with Green Arrow, he was a bratty, punk kid, brash and arrogant and indulging in orgies and just, well, really not likable and not at all like the Oliver Queen of old; much to his detriment. Well, much to my surprise, a lot has changed since then. In Green Arrow #17, Ollie is being methodically taken down a few notches. In fact, he’s being completely deconstructed and destroyed. Gone is the arrogance and brashness, and in it’s place is desperation and, dare I even say it, a little humility. What all this makes for is a much better book. “When you have it all, you never think you’re going to be without.” Well, Ollie’s learning the hard way that just isn’t the case. Everything he’s ever had, indeed, everything he’s ever known is being taken away from him; ruthlessly, methodically. Yet, there is at least one person who realizes there is a silver lining in this dark cloud; this may be just the thing, the catalyst, to help Ollie became the truly great man he is capable of being. It’s certainly making this book, one I had written off a long time ago, suddenly very interesting again, so that definitely counts for something. No one likes to go through hard times, and in fact, we often ask God why hard times come. I’m going to let you in on a little secret; being a Christian, believing in Jesus, doesn’t mean life is suddenly a bed of roses. Well…actually it is, but those roses come with some sharp thorns, thorns that will make one more than a bit uncomfortable. I don’t know why certain things happen, I don’t know why good things happen to bad people, but I do know this; God helps us take those events and make something out of them. Something that will helps us grow, helps us get stronger, and yes, help become everything we’re capable of being. There’s a certain song that I really enjoy, and in it’s chorus it says that if it weren’t for those days of struggle, we’d never be able... read

I think The Fearless Defenders #1 is supposed to be one of those “girl power” type of books. You know, the kind where the main characters are “empowered” women who dress sexy, act sexy, but can kick all kinds of butt. Oh, they can also have sex on their terms, and no one else’s. Why this type of stuff supposedly represents “girl power”, I have no idea. Whatever the intention of the book, it does one of the worst things any book can do regardless of what its intent may be; it’s uninteresting. So we have a girl who talks like Thor, a girl who’s like a combination of Witch Blade and Joanna Dark from Perfect Dark and a girl who watches too much Indiana Jones (we know this because that’s the way she’s described. Oh, and she also likes girls. We’re told this, just in case the picture of her smooching another chick didn’t make it clear enough). The writing tries to light and breezy, but instead comes off as flat and simplistic. The artwork is decent, but certainly no stand-out, and the characters are painted in such broad strokes as to almost be cliché. It’s shame really, because the first page starts our rather well, with more gravity and a feeling of foreboding before the rest of the book ends up reading like some weird version of a Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle spin-off. If the point of this book is to reach a larger female audience, I don’t really see it succeeding. Personally, I’d feel rather insulted that this is the type of book Marvel would think would appeal to female readers. Beyond that, I’m not sure what other reason there is for this book to exist, but perhaps it’ll get better over time. Score: 3 of 7 A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com. read

Superior Spider-Man is an idea that has been squandered. What would happen if one of Spider-Man’s arch enemies, Otto Octavius, switched bodies with him and began to live his life? Not only that, but he had access to Peter’s memories so he understood why with great power comes with great responsibility; would he then become an even better Spider-Man, a superior one, or would his old super-villain tendencies win out an take over? It was an intriguing concept, and one that was quickly dashed when Obi-Wan-Peter Parker showed up at the end of the first issue. While the second issue tried to explore that great concept, it also had to deal with Peter’s…ghost or whatever being around, and as a result felt a bit unbalanced. Superior Spider-Man #3 finds a better balance between its various elements, but it would still be a stronger book had it taken the time to focus on its original conceit. Fortunately, this time we don’t have Peter’s Obi-Wan consciousness commenting on everything going on for us, and instead provides some insights of his own. This time, he’s taken into one of Otto’s memories and gets a peek at the events that helped shaped Otto into who he is today. It’s a scene where Otto’s father is abusing him, and Peter, the ever concerned hero, wants to jump in and do something about it. But this is a memory; is there anything he can do? He wonders whether or not he can change the past to help Otto. The past can be pretty tough. I don’t know about you, but there’s plenty of stuff in my past that I’d just rather not dig up or remember. There are things that have shaped me, and mistakes that have cost me. The truth is, the past can’t be changed; but it can be forgiven. What’s done is done, but it doesn’t have to linger in our lives. No matter what we’ve done or experienced, when Jesus Christ died on the cross, his blood became the means by which the past could be wiped clean, forgiven, healed, and restored.... read

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 So, I’ve never been much of a Watchmen fan. Shocking, I know, but I just never enjoyed it, mainly because the worldview outlook of it was so bleak, so beyond hope, so…not what the Bible tells us that I just couldn’t enjoy it. So the whole Before Watchmen event never held much appeal to me, but the guys down at Astro Zombies suggested I take a look at the latest release in that series, Dollar Bill #1. I figured, sure, I’ll give it another try. Well, if this is supposed to draw in new fans to the series, I just don’t think it’s going to work. The main problem is the story just isn’t that interesting. In fact, I can honestly say this is the first book I’ve read in quite some time where I was skipping over exposition and narration because I just wanted to get it over with. Dollar Bill’s importance and impact on the larger Watchmen universe seems to be minimal at best, so it’s hard to understand how he could carry his own title. Plus he dies in the first issue. The only thing of interest to me here was how this could be issue #1 when the hero seems pretty definitively dead and their story pretty well concluded. What more is there tell? More importantly, would it be any more interesting that what’s already been told? Actually, there was another interesting aspect to the story; the fact that the Minutemen and these so-called heroes were really a bunch of frauds. It was all a show, for the most part, and there really wasn’t much heroic about them at all. Dollar Bill knows he’s just a guy putting on a show, but he also wants to be more than that, and tries to do so over the course of his career. Hypocrites, frauds, fakes; that’s what we call people like that who only put on the show, and the fact of the matter is the Church is full of them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say... read

Let’s be honest here, comic book tie-ins with video games have about as good of a reputation as video game tie-ins with movies. It’s fairly rare that you come across one that’s worthwhile. Well, I’m not sure if Injustice: Gods Among Us is worthwhile as of yet, but it certainly grabbed my attention. I guess what makes this work is that I wasn’t thinking about a video game while I was reading it, but rather one of those great Elseworld tales that DC used put out; one of those “what if” scenarios that take place in an alternate reality. In order to make those work, you don’t just need different costumes or slightly different versions of characters, you need a compelling story. Again, the jury’s still out on this one, but at least the first issue holds your attention. It only makes sense for The Joker to be the catalyst for what’s to come; he’s the only one truly twisted, crazy and evil enough to bring about the proper amount of chaos that would lead to the Justice League fighting each other (which is what they do in the upcoming game, and I’m assuming, they’ll find some way of working that into this story as well). I don’t want to say too much about how he accomplishes this because it is rather surprising and heart rending, so all I’ll say is it’s an excellent start. On the downside, this issue was penciled and inked by three separate teams; that can causing some jarring transitions. By the end, you may have this sneaky suspicion that you aren’t still reading the same book because it looks so different from where you started, which is a distraction. Still, Injustice doesn’t entirely suck, which in itself is quite an accomplishment for a video game tie-in comic book, and I actually want to see where this story will lead, which is also something. I really can’t think of a better endorsement than that. Score: 5 of 7A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more... read

Superior Spider-Man had a very interesting conceit; what would happen if Doc Ock took over Peter Parker’s body and life? Would he be able to be the hero he’s supposed to be, and maybe even a better one? Or would he just be a wolf in sheep’s clothing; would he revert to his normal, super villain nature and irresponsible misuse the great power of Spider-Man? The tension and balance, the back and forth between those two possibilities held a lot of promise. Or at least I thought, apparently Marvel didn’t. Now don’t get me wrong, we all new that it was inevitable for Peter Parker to once again be apart of the equation. That was bound to happen. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon, nor do I think it’s a good thing that it happened so soon. Let some of the intriguing possibilities and great drama that could come from Doc Ock being in Spider-Man’s body and trying to be and understand the hero that Peter was play out a bit. There’s some great stuff in that set-up. But here we are, issue two, and already we have Peter’s Ben Kenobi-like ghost hovering around. Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because it is an interesting twist. I just think it’s something that could have been brought in later. Plus, at least thus far, it doesn’t seem like there’s much point to Peter being around. I mean, it is a bit entertaining to see his awkwardness at watching Doc Ock try to live his life. But for the most part, it’s like watching a movie with the commentary on. That’s all he does, is comment on stuff. Occasionally it’s kind of funny, but for the most point it’s, well, annoying. He’s talking to himself about what everybody else is saying as they’re saying it. Tedious. The problem is Superior Spider-Man is exploring the whole “super-villain trying to be a super-hero” idea at the same time as cramming in the return of Peter Parker and the effect his consciousness has on Doc Ock’s actions and, just... read

The Throne of Atlantis event has been a pretty good one thus far. It’s been full of great action, character development and drama; and that’s just not something that can be said for most events, big or small. In Aquaman #16, we get another great installment that tosses in a pretty good twist. I admit, I’ve been duped pretty well thus far, and I felt kind of silly for falling for it all when the big reveal in this issue hits. It’s fun to see the world of the Justice League expand as “backups” are called in to deal with the situation on the surface while Aquaman and his cohorts struggle below the sea. It’s also nice that while the tensions between Arthur’s two loyalties are still there, at least that issue has been dealt with allowing the rest of this story to move forward. It’s always a good sign when a book leaves you wanting more, and I definitely wanted more from every aspect of this chapter. I wanted more of the Justice League and their struggles and adventures under the water, I wanted more of the surface happenings with the “backups” filling in for the Justice League, and I wanted more of Cyborg’s development. I especially liked the back and forth between Vulko and Dr. Shin. While talking about how Dr. Shin had betrayed Aquaman in the past, Vulko states, “Even after everything you’ve done, he still protects you. That is true heroism. True valor.” A keen observation. The Bible states it this way, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) You see, God didn’t wait for us to like him, or acknowledge him, or even believe in him before he sent his son to save us. Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead long before any of us gave him any regard. He loved us long before any us loved him, or had done anything to even be worthy of his love. He loves us just the way we are, and he loves us so much he doesn’t want to leave us the way... read

What happens when Batman and Robin are forced to fight to the death for the amusement of Joker? Well, in Batman and Robin #16 we find out, and as is often the case with the Joker, things aren't always what they seem. Truth is, the startling reveal in this book really isn't all that startling; in fact it was kind of expected. And seeing as how this big return of the Joker was supposed to be full of the unexpected, that makes the turnout of this story a bit disappointing. On the plus side, we don't have any more recaps or monologues about the Joker's plan; this time it's all about the execution. In fact, that's quite literally what it's all about; the execution of Robin by Batman's hand, or the execution of Batman by Robin's hand. Now, seeing as Joker's endgame was revealed as the removal of all of Batman's allies and by Batman's own hand, at first the way Joker toys with Robin seems a bit out of place. However, it quickly becomes clear this really wasn't the execution phase of his plan after all, but more of his psychological warfare. He wants to bring out the worst in Robin, but instead he brings out the best. Satan wants to do that very same thing with all of us. He wants us to believe the very worst about ourselves. He wants us to grovel in the disgusting pit of our own depravity, and make us believe we can never rise above it. God, however, knows otherwise. He knows that while we can't rise above the worst on our own, we can rise above it because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. He died for our depravity, washed away our worst with his own blood, conquered our darkness through his death and resurrection; and offers us the light and perfection of his nature in exchange. We can rise above not because of what's within us, but because of who He is, and what He does in our lives when He's within us. Joker tips his hand when he states the "bad" Robin was supposed to kill Batman; what he didn't realize is that the "bad" Robin has shifted... read

The best part about the Batgirl tie-in with Death of the Family is seeing Barbara Gordon face her many demons when it comes to the Joker. It's probably the most emotionally charged story thread of them all in this event. The downside, and maybe this shouldn't be too much of a surprise when it comes to the Joker, is I'm just not quite sure what all of this was supposed to accomplish. Between Robin's misadventures and Batgirl's strange "wedding", I'm not clear on what any of it has to do with Joker's plan of removing Batman's family aside from the fact that perhaps he likes to toy with his victims first. The intriguing thing is Batgirl #16 ends with pretty much the same imagery as Batman and Robin #16, and in both cases, they say they'll be concluded in Batman #17. Well here's hoping that's one epic conclusion. During the battle with Joker and his goons, as Batgirl reflects on all the evil the Joker has brought into her life, she says something very revealing. She says that the Joker makes her believe there is a Satan. Interesting statement. The fact is anytime we see great evil, such as what took place not so long ago at Sandy Hook Elementary, we are inclined to agree, regardless of our beliefs, that there must be a Devil; that Satan must be real because there is no other way to explain the existence of such great evil. The interesting thing is that despite the fact that we are so ready to accept that possibility, many remain opposed to the possibility that if Satan can be real, than so can God. If anything, we seem to think that evil makes Satan more real and God less so. However, wouldn't it stand to reason that the great goodness of God should stand out all the more clearly in contrast to extreme evil? Shouldn't it be easier to acknowledge that if such an evil being exists, a great and good One likely exists as well? After all, we only recognize what is evil in contrast to what we recognize is good; with out the comparison, terms such... read

As interesting (at times) some of the tie-ins have been, the main event in Death of the Family over in Batman has always been the best. The tension between Joker and Batman has never been higher, nor have the stakes. Scott Snyder wanted to set out to write one of the definitive Joker/Batman stories, and if things conclude as strongly has they started and continued, he may just succeed in that. The great irony is this story is all about how Batman's allies drag him down and how he's better without them. Well, this whole event just might have been better without all the tie-ins in the bat-family books which mostly served to dilute the intensity and tension of this story overall; the very thing the Joker is out to prevent from happening. Granted, they've served a purpose to some extent, but Batman #16 once again shows that this event, even though it's about the bat-family, is really just about Batman and his true nemesis; the Joker. It's a personal story; one that, in a twisted way, is very much about family. It's hard to think of a time when Joker has been more menacing or fiercesome. He puts his full depravity and sickness on full display in this issue. It's not easy to look at, it is very disturbing, and with your gut in a knot you urge Batman to hurry and put the madness to an end. Snyder continues to capture the very unique, and twisted, relationship between Batman and the Joker and has crafted a fascinating story centered on what makes the bond between these two iconic characters so unique. Of course, any event of this magnitude is only as good as its ending, so again, here's hoping it all ends strongly. Beyond the main story, we also get another fascinating back-up feature that offers a few more insights into Joker's plan. This time, his conversation is with Harvey/Two-Face, who he's cast in the role of judge for Batman's "royal" court. Of course, in Joker's twisted mind, Harvey is the perfect man for that job; one who used to throw... read

So, is Superior Spider-Man truly superior? It's hard to say at this time. It's certainly different, and it is a bit different from what Spider-Man is usually like; this is not the same-ol' friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. However, I also think there are some missed opportunities here; like the series isn't entirely sure what direction to go. The not so surprising ending just reinforces that by taking the safest and most predictable set-up for the course of this book. The whole idea of a bad guy learning how to be a good guy is certainly an intriguing idea. The moments where we see Otto Octavius/Peter Parker trying to come to terms with what the other Spider-Man used to do and why is pretty fascinating to watch, however, he doesn't seem quite as determined to follow in those "great power, great responsibility" footsteps as he did at the end of ASM #700. I say that because much of the rest of the time he sounds like a bad guy in a good guy's body who isn't interested so much as being a good guy, but more in taking advantage of the current situation to serve his purposes. This also an intriguing idea, but it kind of clashes with the previous one, which leads to that whole I'm not sure what direction this book wants to go in, and I don't think this book really knows either. Still, it's fun to see a haughty Peter Parker, to see a prideful and brutal Spider-Man who talks more like a super villain than your friendly web-head, and I was just getting into the idea of how fun this book might be until the ending kind of ruined it. So, no one's probably surprised to learn that Peter Parker isn't entirely dead and gone. In fact, he's going to be around to make sure ol' Otto/Peter doesn't totally go off the edge into full-on villain mode. That seems kind of cop-out to me. The struggle of Otto trying to be something that isn't in his nature, and doing that all on his own would have been far more interesting. Then again, in order for anyone's nature... read

... read

You know, I have to say, with some of these Avengers, I can't help but wonder how they don't pass out from exhaustion. Captain America seems like he shows up on just about every Avengers team ever conceived. I know he's a super soldier and all, but he still needs rest. I know, that's not a question one's supposed to ask about comic books because, well, they're comic books. In any event, New Avengers #1 starts off by focusing mainly on just one character, Black Panther. It's a good way to start things off...I just wish I had a better understanding of what was going on. Panther felt was foreboding enough to call in his Avenger friends, but I'm not exactly clear on why beyond the fact this is a book about the New Avengers, so obviously they must have a threat to face. Now, I admit I'm a little confused here. The cover says New Avengers #1, yet the very first page says "Previous in New Avengers." So right off the bat, despite this being issue #1, I already know I've missed out on some stuff; not exactly the way I pictured the start of a #1 issue beginning. Now, I understand that Marvel Now! isn't a complete reboot ala DC's New 52, but I fail to see the point of renumbering something with ongoing story arcs and plot threads. The second page didn't help my confusion as Reed Richards talks about how everything dies, that's just the way it is and he's totally fine with it. It's a rather resigned, fatalistic outlook for a super hero. Sure, everything dies, but not everything stays dead. He's been around the galaxy enough to know that, to know that there's always hope. Death does seem rather final, which is probably why so many are frightened by it, but the simple fact is life is more like a comic book than we might think. Yes everything dies, but not everything stays dead. Jesus Christ demonstrated this with his own death and resurrection. That's no comic book story, it really happened; it was a historical event. No really, go look it up. What's... read

So the Joker has this plan to attack Batman by going after those closest to him. By removing his family, Joker believes Batman will be stronger and therefore, a more enjoyable playmate. All fine and good; it's a rather chilling idea that's resulted in some scary moments as he's gone after the bat family one-by-one. However, in Teen Titans #15 some of that creepy sense of dread is dissipated because Jokers plan of attack on Red Robin is...to go after his teammates. So, to get to Batman he's going after his friends, and order to get to his friend Red Robin, he's going after those friends and...this idea seems a little played out now. Tim Drake has always been my favorite Robin. I'm not a super fan of how they've handled him in the New 52, but I still think he's cool. It's been suggested in the past that Tim Drake, of all the previous Robins, has the most potential to exceed even Batman in skill as a detective. Here in Teen Titans #15, however, we're basically getting the whole Death of the Family plotline played out all over again, except this time with Tim Drake in the role of Batman. There's a certain sense of symmetry to that, I suppose, but somehow I was expecting something...different, I suppose. That's not the only problem here, however. Batgirl makes a special appearance to help out the Teen Titans as they search for their missing leader. She keeps alluding to the fact that she doesn't really have the time to help out because she has pressing matters of her own to attend with. No kidding. Joker has her mom and wants Batgirl to be his wife. Now, I'm not entirely sure where all of that ties-in in timeline wise with what's going on in this book, but as I've said with some of the Death of the Family tie-ins, it's starting to feel a bit implausible as Joker is everywhere, doing everything to everyone almost at once. Maybe if some his appearances were via remote somehow, it would make a bit more sense, but here's personally there to... read

[It's pretty much impossible to really discuss Amazing Spider-Man #700 without talking about spoilers. So if you haven't read it yet, read it before delving into this review. If you have, read on. But once more, there be SPOILERs here. Ye been warned.] It's the end of an era, in more ways than one. After 50 years, Amazing Spider-Man #700 marks the end of one of Spidey's main series. More than that, however, it also marks the end of the life of Peter Parker, and a new beginning for Spider-Man with someone else under the mask. Yes, Peter Parker is dead...again. He was already killed off in the Ultimate universe, and now he's dead here. Why is Marvel out to get Peter; just more of his Parker luck, I suppose. This also marks the end of Spider-Man as we know him. The new man under the mask is an entirely different person from Peter Parker, and that has caused just as much fiery controversy as killing off Peter. Sparking controversy, fan out-rage, and causing the twitter-verse to explore is all fine and good for sales, but what about the story. Is Amazing Spider-Man #700 a worthy story of all the attention it's been receiving. Actually, yeah, I think it is. First, let me say I'm not a huge fan of the artwork. There are plenty of panels that look great, but for some reason, close-ups of Mary Jane are pretty off-putting. Maybe it's because she has such severe lines and nary a soft-feature on her face anywhere. Seriously, she has the type of chiseled jaw any super hero would be proud to have. Then there's the whole MJ and Peter Parker (who isn't really Peter Parker) getting back together again. So this is how Marvel is going to try and undo of the biggest mistakes they ever made - splitting up Peter and MJ? By having them get back together, but since it's not really Peter Parker, it's not really like Peter and MJ are getting back together, which allows Marvel to save-face and not have to admit they made a mistake? Whatever. Not buying it.... read

Aquaman #15 picks up right after Justice League #15, and further reinforces the belief that this Throne of Atlantis event may be a really good one. Instead of barreling ahead, we get a few nice moments to let the scope and gravity of the situation sink in (no pun intended...mostly). We also get a greater sense of Aquaman's role in this event, and it's clear this isn't going to be an easy one for him. We get a much greater sense of Arthur's torn loyalties in this issue. We come to understand how he wants what's best for both Atlantis and the surface world. He understands how Atlantis feels it has every right to attack, and how the League feels they have every right to retaliate, and how both sides are equally right in their thinking, but also wrong. Yeah, it's a complicated situation, and I'm glad this issue takes the time to set-up just how complicated it's likely going to be. It's also rather intriguing that it's Arthur's plan that Atlantis is following in their war against the surface, which is yet another complication in a story full of them, all of which will hopefully lead to a pretty good epic event when all is said and done. I'm still confused as to why covers continue to convey in their imagery Orm, Aquaman's brother, as an out and out villain while inside the story works so hard to convince that he isn't such a bad guy, but rather someone who's just doing what he feels is right for his people. If there's a big "twist" later on that he's orchestrated all of this, it won't be much of a surprise due to the way he's looked on these covers. Aquaman #15 is fast-paced and tightly scripted, giving us a good sense of the gravity of the situation, how much is at stake, and the complicated position Arthur has stuck between the surface world and Atlantis. The Throne of Atlantis event is off to a very strong start, so here's hoping it maintains its momentum in the New Year. Score: 6 of 7 read

Justice League #15 starts off the Throne of Atlantis cross-over event in fine fashion. It takes a moment to get us caught up with various members of the league, introduces the new threat that faces them all, and sets a nice tone for the book going into the New Year. This series has always been a great spectacle, but it's lacked a bit in substance. With the start of this new arc, it looks as though that issue will be addressed, which could make this one of the better DC books of 2013. Maybe. First, I like the way the relationship between Clark and Dianna is being handled. It doesn't feel like just another "hook-up", but like these characters are actually developing a committed relationship with each other. That's so refreshing considering the early focus on "sex is a relationship" in the early months of the New 52. I also like how Clark and Dianna go out on a normal date, in their civilian disguises, and take a moment to talk about why a pair of glasses and some different clothes would make for such an effective disguise. In short, no one would really expect god-like figures to want to blend with average, every-day humans. And because they don't expect it, they don't look for it, which makes a pair of glasses an easy way for a Superman or Wonder Woman to be overlooked. There's always been a lot of talk about how Clark's disguise is so stupid that anyone would see through it, but I think it makes perfect sense. No one would ever suspect that Superman would want to be "normal", so of course they wouldn't recognize him. Don't think that'd be the case in real life? Well, we just celebrated Christmas, the day when God came to earth in human form. However, he didn't come to blend in, he came to reveal his secret identity; yet there are many still today who still don't recognize him. It's like if Clark suddenly said, "I'm Superman!" There are some who would surely say, "Yeah right!" Jesus was God in the flesh, and he didn't try to hide it, but... read

Hawkeye continues to be one of the best, most entertaining series in comics right now. It doesn't have big bombastic moments, it's not a part of a major cross-over event, and it doesn't even have a whole lot of what's normally considered super heroics in it. Yet, it's just a whole lot of fun. Hawkeye #6 takes it winning formula and sets it during the holidays, which just makes for one of the most enjoyable books you'll find this week, or any week for that matter. Hawkeye decides to take some time for the holidays, but as we've seen, in his life things don't go quite as planned. What should be a simple few days catching up on his favorite TV show while enjoying the Christmas season turns into a nightmare; which is always the case when trying to figure out the wiring of any home entertainment system. Clint even has mechanical genius Tony Stark stop by to help him; wouldn't it be nice to have a friend like that to help you out with your electronics issues? Oh, Clint also has a run with his local satellite TV consultant, who proves to not be very helpful at all. And then there's that one other minor issue of the thugs in jumpsuits threatening to kill everyone in Clint's apartment building unless he moves out and disappears. Not quite the way he planned on spending the holidays, but when does this season ever go as planned? (Still, I'm glad I don't have to deal with some of that same stuff during my stressful holiday moments, especially those guys in jumpsuits who say "bro" all the time. Man, that'd be the worst.) This is another issue that handles jumps in time really well. It's never hard to follow where the story is time-wise, whether it's a flashback or in the present or somewhere in between, or how the events of the past several days that it covers flowed. However, what makes this issue stand-out, as has been the case for this entire series, is the spot-on writing coupled with perfect artwork. The character's expressions paired... read

I have to say, I'm rather intrigued with the current run in Thor: God of Thunder. It's tale of immortals who are mortal, gods who pray (without saying whom they pray to), and just the whole theology/philosophy that's underpinning a fun tale of mystery has been a lot fun. It's also an interesting reflection of our culture's view of God, religion, and theology in general. Thor #3 continues with this high-quality tale, and deftly corrects a slight misstep from the last issue. Thor #2 did what I wanted, and suddenly I realized it wasn't quite what I wanted. I thought I wanted to know more about the mysterious god-slayer Thor was about to face. Well, he showed up last issue, and suddenly I remembered why sometimes things are best left in the shadows. Yes, it was nice to finally know more about this fascinating foe, but perhaps having him fully reveal himself wasn't the best move. In doing so, he lost some of his menace, his intrigue and mystery. This issue corrects that mistake by having the god-butcher retreat to the shadows once again. We learn about him by secondary means, but seeing his handy-work and following his trail of slain immortals from throughout the centuries. It all ends with Thor returning to a place where he last confronted this villain, and there he's told all that has transpired is his fault, because of what he did in his bashful youth. This rings a little hollow seeing as how the god-butcher was slaying immortals long before he encountered Thor, so I fail to see how their confrontation altered things at all, but perhaps that will be revealed later. I also like how after the first issue, this series has done a fine job of juggling the various timelines. It focuses on the time in which the story needs, yet has little hints and flashes from the other periods to help reinforce or add an ominous tone to what's going on. It's a delicate balance, and one that could easily become quite confusing, yet here it's done extremely... read