February 2012
16 posts
1 tag
Z-Girl: Odyssey #2 - Review
“Z-Girl: The Odyssey #2 is infinitely better than the premier issue. The characters still have development issues and the artwork has some distracting quirks, but the story has gotten much better and the monstrous creations the team comes up with are always enjoyable to see.”
Great issue, but it still could be better…
Read the full review here.
3 tags
Jeff Lemire New Writer for Justice League Dark
“Coming after the Justice League Dark and I, Vampire crossover in issues seven and eight, the ninth issue of Justice League Dark will be the first written by the series new ongoing writer: Jeff Lemire (Animal Man, Sweet Tooth).”
I may start reading this for Lemire alone…
Read the full news story here.
2 tags
Static Shock #6 Review
“After six issues, Static has officially made me stop caring about anything going on in his universe. With a monstrous number of paper-thin characters, boring dialogue attempting with little to no humor, indecipherable artwork and a confusing storyline, Static Shock #6 is one of the worst comic books I have ever reviewed. A shame considering this issue has the best twist out of any of...
2 tags
COMING SOON: Watchmen Comic Book Prequels
DC Comics announced with mixed blessings that there would be seven comic book prequels to the Watchmen series (the highest selling graphic novel ever). Mixed blessings, because, to many a fan’s dismay, neither of the Watchmen’s original creators will be working on the prequels.
Original Watchmen writer Alan Moore (Swamp Thing) and artist Dave Gibbons (2000 AD) will have no input on the...
6 tags
Animal Man Artist Describes His Departure
“Travel Foreman, the acclaimed comic book artist of the popular DC title Animal Man, was recently taken off of the Animal Man title to work on another DC Comics title: Birds of Prey.”
I’m looking forward to seeing how the change pans out in both Animal Man and Birds of Prey.
Read the full news story here.
4 tags
Justice League International #6 Review
“Even after a battle to the death with Galaxus copyright Peraxxus, Justice League International can not even afford to take a minor break in Justice League International #6, the epilogue to the series first story arc Signal Masters. The issue proves not to be the standard epilogue issue with a lot of twists, but the numerous conversations going on combined with out-of-no-where death...
3 tags
Deathstroke #6 Review
“This is one of the better issues of Deathstroke that has some depth and characterization pertinent to the plot. Unfortunately the artwork is still filled with awkwardly designed musclemen and blood-gushing soldiers with only some good partial two-paged spreads.”
A solid issue, but I can’t say I enjoyed it very much…
Read the full review here.
3 tags
DC Gets New Artists for Animal Man and Other New...
“Surprising news this week. It was announced on DC’s blog The Source that there would be a new artist on the popular New 52 horror title Animal Man. Several other artists previously on a New 52 title will be reassigned to another New 52 title.”
I can hear the fanboys raging…
Read the full news story here.
5 tags
Batman: The Dark Knight #5 Review
“After not taking this title seriously last issue, Batman: The Dark Knight #5 has some more clichéd moments that got a little chuckle out of me, but also had moments that created a sense of intensity. But the small amount of laughs and great premise failed to make this title pay off, with the major blemish of the work being it’s poor pacing.”
What a disappointment this week… I...
3 tags
Fatale #2 Review
“I am still enraptured in the detective story of Fatale. Despite an artistic downgrade, confusing moments, and a lack in the stories balance, Fatale is a clichéd classic detective story saved by brilliant narration and characterization that keeps it feeling fresh.”
Great series so far and I look forward to the next issue!
Read the full review here.
2 tags
Top 5 Worst Secret Identities: DC Addition
“Some superheroes keep their identities hidden for their entire lives with no one the wiser, even their loved ones. Most of these readers scratch their heads at this because of how obvious the heroes duel-identity is. But who have the worst kept secrets that everyone in a comic could figure out if they were given a brain cell or weren’t blinded by convenience? Our ‘lucky’...
1 tag
Z-Girl: Odyssey #1 Review
“Z-Girl: Odyssey #1 has many unique and enjoyable elements but has quite a few quirks that keep it from being a great title. The artwork has an interesting style, but not everything is executed well with the story following suit.”
A promising premise with a mediocre execution, I still enjoyed this issue and can see it heading in a good direction. It’s just not there...
2 tags
Comic Book and Movie Reviews Suicide Squad #1
I never got around to reviewing the first issue of Suicide Squad but Comic Book and Movie Reviews did! You can read their take on Suicide Squad #1 here.
2 tags
Comic Maven - A Bloggers Tale
I was recently interviewed about my work reviewing comic books by Comic Book and Movie Reviews (a great site which you can enjoy here - and I’m not just saying that because they interviewed me, they have some really great articles!).
To read the full interview, click here.
1 tag
Prototype Midquel Comic Book
“Comic book and video game publisher Radical Entertainment will be teaming up with Dark Horse Comics to create a three-story comic book series of the Prototype mythos occurring between Prototype and Prototype 2 (one of the most anticipated open-world/action games this year slated for an April 2012 release).”
I may pick up this comic myself… after finishing a Prototype game.
Read...
January 2012
24 posts
2 tags
Catwoman #5 Review
“It’s funny, it’s sexy, it’s extremely flawed, Catwoman #5 could be enjoyed, but does little justice to Selina’s developing character, who should be declared legally idiotic by the end of this issue.”
Catwoman really is going downhill and I hope the next issue improves otherwise the series is pretty much over for me… or at least it would be if I didn’t love Selina.
Read...
2 tags
John Rozum, "Why I Quit Static"
“Back when Static Shock and several other DC titles had their cancellations announced, the obvious reason for all of them to be cancelled was blamed first: their sales rates were too low. But there was also more hinted at behind the cancellations of two specific titles: Mister Terrific and Static Shock. Both series feature African-American protagonists, and this has lead to streams of...
1 tag
Deathstroke #5 Review
“This issue of Deathstroke, overall, leaves much to be desired but has enough action combined with depth to keep readers coming back for more despite the flaws. There is little progress with character development and the artwork is full of disproportioned bodies and environments that are almost hard to look at.”
Disappointing but not bad.
Read the full review here.
2 tags
Liefeld's The Infinite Cancelled
“Liefeld lovers (if you exist), cry, Liefeld haters, rejoice. The Infinite has been cancelled due to both parties of the creative team having issues deciding on how to move forward with the series.”
I never did break down and buy this series so I do not know if it was really such a ‘loss’ to the comic book world (probably not), but hopefully this will allow Liefeld to...
4 tags
Moriarty : The Lazarus Tree #8 Review
“Moriarty leaves me feeling like an incompetent oaf yet again. Our suave and arrogant detective draws confusing conclusions from thin air, the story only slightly progresses, several characters that I did not even know existed say their farewells, and we end this mostly boring but sophisticated issue with a fantastically nightmarish hallucination which almost makes the rest of the issue...
2 tags
Justice League International #5 Review
“Justice League International continues to be boring in their latest installment. The storyline has progressively moved forward, but after suffering through the paper-thin plot the storyline has long overstayed it’s welcome, if it was ever welcome at all. The characters on the JLI continue to be interesting, and the artwork goes from stiff to good, but none of these elements become as...
2 tags
IDW To Publish Popeye
“The sailor with a spinach fetish and burly arms is back! Thanks to IDW Publishers, Popeye will be returning in his own comic series. The series will be written by Roger Langridge.”
If he balances his elements of action and humor well, Langridge could have an award-winning series on his hands.
Read the full news story here.
4 tags
Static Shock #5 Review
“The Static series has always moved rather slowly, and the repercussions for such slowness caught up to the creative team in this issue. Every little minute detail – from character development to story development - are glossed over as quickly as possible to get everything moving. Way too glossed over, with many artistic problems, story confusion and just too much all at once in a title...
5 tags
Rob Liefeld Takes Over SEVERAL New 52 Titles
“Artist Rob Liefeld is not a popular man in the comic book world. Many people hate his artwork and thought the recent news that he will be taking over as artist for three of DC’s New 52 titles was a joke. It’s not. He is. And I am looking forward to it with admittedly wearisome optimism. Liefeld will be writing and doing the artwork for Deathstroke and will be plotting Grifter, and The...
4 tags
Top Ten Worst Covers of 2011
“Continuing last year’s tradition of the Best Covers of 2010, this year I will be picking the Top 10 Best Covers of 2011. Again, this list is limited by one issue per series and is for comics that came out in 2011, including comics labeled 2012 that came out on comic book stands up to December 31st. It doesn’t matter how good an issue is on this list on the inside, the outside is all that...
3 tags
Deathstroke #4 Review
“Deathstroke #4 is a surprisingly impressive issue. It’s not just a slaughterhouse like the previous three issues have been. Despite the disappointing fact that the Blackhawks hardly make much of an appearance (though they do have their name thrown around a lot), the action is well-paced, the story turns interesting in spite of set-up problems and dare I say there is depth?”
I...
5 tags
6 DC Titles Cancelled, 6 Newcomers
“Six of the “New 52” titles (52 titles re-launched recently last year by DC Comics for the benefit of new readers) will be cancelled to make room for six new series. I was very disappointed when I heard about the cancellation of two of my pull titles: Static Shock and Blackhawks.”
I am disappointed at some of the cancellations but some of the news titles like Dial H and Earth 2...
1 tag
New Player Affinity Site Design
Player Affinity has a new site design! Check it out here.
1 tag
Valiant Entertainment Returning to Comics!
“After a long decade hiatus from the comic book world, Valiant Entertainment will be returning to the realm of comics. The company announced they were bringing back several of their popular 90s’ titles including Bloodshot and Harbinger. Valiant will also be taking on a new name: Diamond Book Distributor, it’s global comic book distributor.”
This return should be most interesting. I...
2 tags
Zombie Outlaw #1 Review
“An odd little title, I draw the line at saying Zombie Outlaw is corny. The artwork is sometimes too awkward with little detail, the story has some slight pacing issues and not all of the jokes work. But Zombie Outlaw is a surprisingly creative little gem that stands out from the usually zombie title. It is not only a great addition for horror collectors, but also humorists who enjoy a...
4 tags
Batman: The Dark Knight #4 - Review
“I can not take this issue seriously. Finally, after numerous cameos, artwork focused only on beauty and a needlessly complex storyline, this issue reaches the epitome of punch-lines… and I can’t wait to read more!”
This series really is all over the place, but I can not help but love it!
Read the full review here.
1 tag
Comic Book Awards of 2012
The Comic Awards of 2012 are here and the entire Comic Book Writing Staff pitches in with their selections.
Read the full feature here.
4 tags
Top Ten Best Covers of 2011
“Continuing last year’s tradition of the Best Covers of 2010, this year I will be picking the Top 10 Best Covers of 2011. Again, this list is limited by one issue per series and is for comics that came out in 2011, including comics labeled 2012 that came out on comic book stands up to December 31st. It doesn’t matter how good an issue is on this list on the inside, the outside is all that...
2 tags
Fatale #1 Sells Out Before Even Hitting the...
“Before even hitting the shelves for release on January 4th, Fatale #1 (written by Ed Brubaker and penciled by Sean Phillips) sold out even though it was grossly overprinted.”
I’m glad this comic got plenty of recognition, but before even hitting the stands?
Read the full news story here.
5 tags
Fatale #1 Review
“A thrilling crime-noir with more than a dash of horror, Fatale does nothing revolutionary… except it may prove to be one of the best new titles of 2012. The narration feels like it has come out of a crime novel and the multiple genres combine into a wonderfully grotesque drama filled with crime, the regression and renewal of passion, and some decapitated bodies.”
Surprisingly good,...
6 tags
Catwoman #4 Review
“Catwoman has hit another rough patch with an almost absent-storyline and a Catwoman stuck alternating between two modes: survive and grieve. Even Batman fails to show up and save this comic from being a bit bland, somewhat forgettable but not completely un-enjoyable… just far from the cat-tastic performance I would have expected from Catwoman #4.”
#1 and #4 were rough and #2 and #3...
1 tag
Grant Morrison DJ's
“Grant Morrison, renowned writer of Batman and Robin, All-Star Superman and several other revolutionary titles, has explored another creative facet of himself in the world of music as a guest DJ on the public radio KCRW (89.9 FM and KCRW.com), whose home base is in LA.”
This was a nice little surprise, the man really is multi-talented!
Read the full news story here.
2 tags
The Creator of Captain America Passes
“Only a week after the creator of the Joker, Jerry Robinson, passed away, on December 14th, Joe Simon, co-creator of Captain America and several other characters from the Golden Age of comics, passed away at the age of 98.”
I hate/love writing obituaries - I like to let people know who is gone and what they accomplished while they were alive so they can appreciate them more, but...
December 2011
14 posts
3 tags
Static Shock #4 Review
“We have an abrupt but action-packed start to this vastly superior issue of Static Shock #4. After a boring third issue with villains barely piquing any reader’s interest, this issue of Static introduces a slew of new and interesting villains, moves the story forward in a thrilling new direction and makes previously interesting villains all the more entertaining. There are still some...
5 tags
Swamp Thing #4 Review
“It’s not just the nostalgia talking when I say I am disappointed in Scott Snyder’s run on Swamp Thing. His story has been good, and the new characters he has introduced into the Swamp Thing saga are fantastic and possibly even worthy of their predecessors. But the treatment of the old characters fans know and love, their transformation into hollow shells of their former selves, and the...
2 tags
4 tags
The Creator of The Joker Passes
“The creator of the Clown Prince of Crime - as well as comic book historian and creator’s rights advocate – Jerry Robinson, passed away at the age of 89 on December 7th, 2011. He began working on Batman with creator Bob Kane and not only created Batman’s most famous enemy, but also co-created Robin and influenced the creation of both Harvey “Two-Face” Dent and Alfred Pennyworth, Batman’s...
3 tags
Preview and First Reactions to Whispers #1
“Another supernatural mini-series from Image Comics will be hitting the stands in January, 2012. It will be written by Joshua Luna (Girls), an acclaimed creator who usually collaborates on projects with his brother Jonathan Luna, but Joshua will be working on this series alone as both the artist and writer of Whispers.”
My initial reaction is not extremely positive, but I am looking...
4 tags
Justice League International #4 Review
“As the JLI heads towards the final chapter of The Signal Men, the story is starting to get an epic feel and the dialogue is sometimes witty, but multiple clichés, and a boring storyline make this issue the weakest yet in the Justice League International series.”
The “epicness” may be rising in terms of story, but the characters fail to impress in this issue.
Read the full...
6 tags
New Writer for The Darkness
“In the beginning of March, 2012, The Darkness will be having a new writer: David Hine, who has written for such titles as The Bulletproof Coffin, Detective Comics and The Spirit. He will be joined by artist Jeremy Haun, who is the Detective Comics creative partner and has worked on the Top Cow cross-over event of the decade: Artifacts as well as the DC Comics title Red Hood: The Lost...
4 tags
Moriarty #7 Review
“Moriarty #7 takes a much needed break from the dragging story arc “Lazarus Tree” with a lot of back story on Moriarty and his world travels. The story and artwork are very different from the usual Moriarty story, and the results are not as great as those from the first story arc of Moriarty, but Moriarty #7 still has an interesting story and solid artwork with a few awkward...
3 tags
Image Comics Announces New Zombie Mini-Series
“Image Comics recently announced that they will be publishing, in conjunction with Shadowline Comics, a four-part zombie mini-series called Rebel Blood. The series will be mimicking such great horror classics as The Vault of Horror and Tales from the Crypt, and will be written by a newcomer to the comic book biz, Alex Link, and drawn by Riley Rossmo (Green Wake).”
This honestly...
10 tags
Comics That Should Become Movies
“There are many comics that would be received well in Hollywood, or at least deserve a chance to become the next Dark Knight. These are the series that have the possibility of being transformed into great movies but probably won’t, as Hollywood is busy making Batman 27: Batman meets Jigsaw (now there’s a great fanfic idea).”
There are a ton of other comics that would make great...