Comic Books

Must. Not. Giggle.These are a bit like Cheese Zombies. I wouldn't mind giving this a try.XKCD's "Time" cartoon is still going.Wouldn't it be nice if this panned out? But we've dreamed of cheap, environmentally safe fuel forever. I don't see it happening.I love history. How filing was done in the seventeenth century.Oooh, the One Ring actually exists!Around the Corner, a nine and a half minute video that explains how differential gears work.Carole Ann Ford looks back at Doctor Who.Shedding Light on the Black Death... a re-examination of the plague that killed millions based on a new graveyard discovery.Now that it's well past, I find it easier to read this first-person account of the Boston Marathon bombing.

The GoodI have long been of the opinion that Art and Franco are incapable of writing a bad book, and GREEN TEAM #1 absolutely reinforces that notion. The Eisner-winning kings of the all-ages scene show off their versatility in DC's newest ongoing series, and I'm wondering if there's anything they can't do.GREEN TEAM is clever and fun right out of the gate. There's a lot to communicate right away, so it's a little bit heavy on both dialogue and voiceover, but the scripting is tight and easy to follow. Art and Franco keep things incredibly grounded (especially considering the subject), and fluidly reference tech, pop culture, and the nexus at which they meet. Ironically -- considering that it's a revamp of a one-shot from the 1970s -- this may be one of the most zeitgeist-y books coming out of DC right now. Where else will you find portmanteaus like "poxpo," hashtags used casually in conversation, or pure passion for bleeding-edge tech and entrepreneurship?And, for a set of characters that could, by all accounts, be completely unrelatable (unless you're a Rich Kid of Instagram), the teen trillionaires are charming and interesting. Sure, they have exotic pets and jet off to France for lunch, but a little bit of imaginative wish-fulfillment is both acceptable for the medium and appropriate to the premise of the book. Plus, they're future-minded and care about innovation; not entirely the worst way to prioritize their investments.Ig Guara is off to an excellent start with character designs that fit in with the New 52 palette (Commodore's suit is sleek but structured, and has a Green-Lantern-meets-Cyborg feel to it) yet capture the book's own class warfare motif (the aforementioned suit is sophisticated and shiny, in contrast to Riot's homemade costumes).The BadThe book's premise (at least the one it's marketed under) begs for criticism, but it's so well executed that fault is hard to find. The threat posed by Riot is perhaps the only weak spot -- even with strength in numbers, a bunch of guys in handmade costumes with handguns aren't much of a match for high-powered tech and a private security team -- but they might be stronger than they appear. I am anxious to see more of the Green Team's superpowered tech; it's such a tease to reveal Commodore's suit and leave the rest of the team unarmed until at least issue #2.The VerdictDespite being presented as the less-sympathetic 1% to the underdog 99%ers of THE MOVEMENT, I found GREEN TEAM to be unabashedly fun. The teen trillionaires aren't flawless, but they're likable, and it's hard to hate a team of motivated kids who want to invest in innovation (especially when said innovation is clearly going to morph them into superheroes!). It's refreshingly light, it's culturally relevant, and it doesn't take itself too seriously.

Posted On Today at 09:27:11 pm EDT by Comp [Reply] [Quote] [New] I wouldn't wish the film to do poorly, as unenthusiastic as I am about the particular screenwriters chosen. But I would so love to see what Marvel would do with this. -Comp

We interviewed King of the Nerds' Curtis Armstrong at Motor City Comic Con for this week's episode.

I never did own a copy of this although I did have a full set of the UK editions of the Spanish mag this was culled from. Some absolutely lovely illustrations from Esteban Maroto and more but the "stories" were, for the most part, negligible. Oh, and for the record, Dracula never appears.

The GoodJust when you think you know what Dan Slott is up to, he shakes things up. We've seen the growing struggle between the 'essence' of Peter Parker and Doc Ock taking place within Spider-Man's body. Peter had been getting closer and closer to gaining control. It now appears that the struggle has ended with the Superior Spider-Man the reigning champion.Octavius continues to show how he feels he can be a better Spider-Man. There are things he's doing more efficiently but it's clear his arrogance will get the better of him. His new take on crimefighting, with a more violent nature, is starting to make some people suspicious. This all can be seen as a big science experiment. You would always hear those that craved a more violent Spider-Man and that is what we're getting. This may not be our Spider-Man but Dan Slott is taking the idea further and further. People have to understand there will be an inevitable downfall. Some of that is becoming apparent in this issue as well. There is just that feeling of not being sure what or when the next crazy event will take place.There is also the fact that Slott is finally coming back to the Norman Osborn plot thread seen in the issues before the big battle between Spidey and Ock took place. No one has seemed to really notice Osborn's disappearance at the hospital and seeing the what happens here is raising the excitement level.Ryan Stegman continues to do a superb job on the art. This issue isn't heavy on the action but there is plenty to see. Even just looking at the detail in the backgrounds is nice. When Spidey is in action, it is a little hard to look at due to his more violent approach but Stegman makes it all look so dang good.The BadThere's a tiny feeling that issue is just building up what's coming up next. That's not a bad thing but you can't help but want immediate action. We are seeing more people notice Spider-Man's change in behavior. Except Otto doesn't seem concerned about this. Is it his arrogance taking over or is he just oblivious that changing Spider-Man's M.O. would arouse suspicion?The VerdictOtto Octavius may have won his recent battle against 'Peter Parker' but it looks like there's some big trouble brewing. Dan Slott continues to develop the direction Otto is taking Spider-Man and as hard as it is to think about, you can't help but want to see how it's all going to play out. You can see that Otto's arrogance will get the better of him. There's no way the battle with Peter is over. Ryan Stegman makes it all look so good. You'll find yourself pausing to look at everything in the panels. With the return of a certain Spider-Man threat, it's going to be great to see how prepared Otto will be. This may not be the Spider-Man you grew up with but, man oh man, there's just no telling what Slott is going to do next. That's what makes it all so interesting.

The GoodCall me crazy, but this is easily my favorite Deadpool issue in quite some time (apologies, Suicide Kings). It's relentlessly funny, is sporting phenomenal artwork and is massively entertaining. It doesn't take any major strides with the plot, but who really cares when everything going down is so ridiculously fun?So many laughs were had while reading this one. So many. From the strip club being called "Amazing Fantasy" to the countless one-liners, I found myself grinning or laughing out loud with just about every page. Trapster's remark? The Dark Knight References? The Donald Trump parody? It's consistently sharp and without question one of the funniest books on the market right now. That said, DEADPOOL always manages to have one moment that's super lowbrow and makes you wonder for a moment if you should cringe at the raw immaturity or have a good laugh. In this case, let's just say it involves falling and... well, a remark about poo, and I settled on laughing like a fool at that one. Then there's Michael's situation. I don't even know what to make of that yet, but it's wildly amusing for now.Speaking of Michael, I was relieved to see there was a legitimate reason behind Wade's drastic action in the last issue. It was obvious Wade wanted to send him to Hell to see if it could benefit them, but it's great to see it wasn't a totally random and dark decision he made in the moment and on his own. Also, did anyone else think the remark about "characters who sell their soul to the devil deserve to die" was a little jab at Peter Parker?Mike Hawthorne + Val Staples = one terrific looking Deadpool book. It's a style that manages to deliver perfectly on both the comedic and serious moments the title has to offer. Deadpool's so lovable as you can see his silly grin under his mask and the entire issue just has a very fluid and animated feel to it. But when matters get dark, Hawthorne proves he's more than capable of delivering a stunning and badass version of Deadpool. I'm seriously impressed with the visuals in this one.Oh, and no joke, I think I'm quite possibly the only person who cheered when Chance appeared. He's such an obscure character and, despite popular belief, he's actually a little bit of a boss. That said, he's been reduced to jobber status over his last few appearances, so it's understandable he's treated as a total chump when trying to take on both Spider-Man and Deadpool. The BadI'm probably one of the very few people out there who will be slightly disappointed by Taskmaster and Batroc's handling. I suppose it's cool for Taskmaster to be a bit pathetic since Wade has often served as his kryptonite, though it would have been neat to see Tasky fight Superior for longer. Despite being the victim of many jokes, Batroc's a dude with some serious skill -- he's given Steve Rogers excellent fights. While part of me is letdown with how Batroc's handled, I'd be a total liar if I said the rest of me wasn't saying, "YEAH! DEADPOOL'S SHOWING OFF HOW GOOD HE IS!" Yes, I've been craving more skill feats from Wade, but I also wish it didn't come at the expense of another character. Wade's interacting with the likes of Captain America, Wolverine and Daredevil in the future, so my fingers are crossed he'll have a superb battle with at least one of them!I'm also left wondering about the organs plot, but I'm perfectly fine with writers Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn holding off on that element because what's currently going on is such a good time! The VerdictIn case you couldn't tell by now, I freaking LOVED this issue. It doesn't move the plot forward all that much, but it's a virtually flawless piece of popcorn entertainment. It delivers and then some when it comes to the art, ginormous laughs and cheer-worthy action. I spent $2.99 for a digital copy of this issue on ComiXology and you bet I am absolutely going to spend another $2.99 to get a physical copy.

The GoodI've mentioned it before, we are seeing the next chapter of JUSTICE LEAGUE. Now that the team is established and we have an idea where they stand with each other and the world in general, they've decided to open their ranks. This comes at the best and worst time. With other problems to deal with, we've seen Batman's secret Batcave in the Batcave get infiltrated which lead to someone stealing the Kryptonite Ring and giving it to Despero.The attack on the Watchtower allows us to see the new recruits in action. Can they act as a team? Can they survive against Despero? The issue also delivers more on the team's past, including the temporary membership of another certain character along with more on who the traitor is, or at least one of the traitors.The action gets pretty crazy and is spread over different locations. We're definitely moving towards a different direction as you get the feeling some dark times are coming up for the team. We are also nearing the end of Billy Batson and Black Adam's story in the back up by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. You might think you know the whole story on them but you'll find some interesting developments.We also find out Big Belly Burgers still exists in the New 52.The BadEven though the action is heating up, there's a couple minor points that are questionable. Besides the motive behind Despero's attack (more so in who helped him), it's a little unclear why no one was at the Watchtower to meet the new recruits for their 'induction ceremony.' Batman might be busy with Cyborg in talking to Superman and Wonder Woman but you would think they wouldn't want the new recruits up there alone this early in their membership. And where was Aquaman during most of this time? The art gets a little inconsistent at times. Zander Cannon does the layouts but we also have Gene Ha, Andres Guinaldo and Joe Prado doing the pencils. That's what adds to the feeling.There's no way Element Woman's $54.82 order at Big Belly Burger (including nine shakes) would fit in two bags.The VerdictGeoff Johns is evolving the JUSTICE LEAGUE comic. We're seeing new members, secrets, attacks and developments among the members. While there was something about seeing the core seven members keep a tight nit group, we now have more opportunities that can be fleshed out. The main problem is there were moments the art felt inconsistent. We had a few different pencilers so that adds to the art being a little hectic. We're approaching the end of the Billy Batson/Shazam! story which is great but also sad (that it's coming to an end). You will want to see the revelations that come out of this issue. You can feel Johns has big plans for the title and they are just beginning.

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-man v2 #50, 1981 - This well-designed cover places multiple figures in just the right places to convey depth. The duality of Peter Parker and Spider-man is a technique Frank Miller (and others) used often and works well in this case. For a commemoration of Spectacular Spider-man's 50th issue, one could do far worse. Other artists in this issue include John

Posted On Today at 07:10:36 pm EDT by Jay23 [Reply] [Quote] [New] Sony (due to their long-standing financial troubles) are considering selling their Spider-Man movie rights back to Marvel Studios. Sony has said that it will consider a proposal from activist investor Daniel Loeb that the group should sell off parts of its music and movies business, which includes popular franchises Spider-Man and Resident Evil and the weepy ballads of Brit crooner Adele. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05/22/sony_debates_movie_spinoff/ Would you wish that the next Spidey movie do poorly to increase their chances of selling it back to Marvel/ Disney ?