The Avengers

The Avengers

Join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers, in their ongoing fight to save the world from cosmic threats, alien invasions, and powerful villains. Explore articles featuring the team’s iconic members like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Black Widow. From the MCU’s biggest moments to classic comic book arcs, dive into the latest Avengers news, movie reviews, character profiles, and more. Whether you love their cinematic battles or comic origins, this is your destination for all things Avengers.

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Comic Book News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for 2/27/2013

The Top Of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

This is a “quick pick” look at the Top 5 comics that EVERYONE should be reading this week! Whether it’s rife with characterization, filled with emotional strife, has a bevy of high octane battle sequences or is just a plain ol’ great read — these books belong at the “Top Of The Pile!”

 

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1. Teen Titans #17 (DC): In the aftermath of “The Death of the Family” storyline, these young heroes try to see the silver lining of everyday life. Unfortunately, the “Bat” family may not be the only one that is left broken. Things become more difficult as something is amiss with the Titans, plus, we see the return of the New 52 version of Raven — straight from the pages of Phantom Stranger! Great art and a solid read

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3. The Answer #2 (Dark Horse): This quirky, smart and original story will leave you asking more questions with every passing page! It is a book that doesn’t fall into the trappings of the “superhero” genre but expands upon it exponentially through fantastic ideas and whirlwind action. Just when you think you know what lies before you, you are spun into another direction entirely. If you are looking for something that is overtly fun and intriguing — The Answer is your answer!

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4. Uncanny Avengers #4 (Marvel): Rick Remender knows how to write on hell of an engaging story. From hostile social climates and intense political views, all the way down to classic fisticuffs that rock the page — this book is THE pinnacle of “superhero” books. Remender has such a deep knowledge of X-Men history that literally, every issue has some sort of nostalgic nuance to it. But Avenger fans need not fear, there are plenty of Cap shield wielding, Thor hammering and Scarlett Witch chaos magic to make you all happy! This is the best Avengers book on the shelves and you have Rick Remender to thank for it!

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5. Batman Incorporated #8 (DC): Yes, this issue is the death of Robin issue that everyone has been talking about! It deserves a place on your pull list, not only for the death of a great character but because of the general story as well. Full of “little” moments between the “Bat” characters, this issue builds up the emotional dial to eleven before the grand finale! Morrison may be wrapping things up for poor Damian Wayne, but he won’t let him go down without a fight! Cheers to one of the best characters created in the past decade, we’re gonna miss ya!

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Movie News Reviews

2013 Oscars: Results, Opinions & Fallout

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Oscar Fallout 2013

What the hell just happened?

By: Lawrence Napoli

 

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What can I say?  Oscar night is a magical night.  It’s my Super Bowl night and I was really anticipating the results of this evening because the films up for contention were much more interesting from top to bottom than last year.  I was also intrigued to see how Seth MacFarlane would host such a gala event and his selection makes a lot of sense, right?  He’s been celebrated for being the ring master behind Family Guy that has delivered countless laughs that poke fun at anything and everything, but particularly, the “ridiculousness” of American pop culture.  In a way, his selection is quite ironic because The Academy Awards represent a hallmark in Americana that he wouldn’t mind completely ripping into for its elitism, shallowness, and plasticized prima facie.  However, this stage represents an opportunity for his irreverent comedy to keep this show fresh and significant to the movie patrons of the future.  Considering the extra attention this evening is receiving for the political films that are the frontrunners this evening, I fully expect a Brian Griffin moment from Seth where he makes an observation that is neither too hilarious, nor too poignant and everyone pauses for consideration.  That being said, Seth will either soar with the eagles or crash and burn and melt and leave a really bad smell afterwards.  How did it turn out?  Read on Cosmic Book News faithful, read on.

[Red carpet observation: What was the deal with all the white girls getting the memo regarding the requirement to show up with equally white dresses?  Noteworthy exceptions to this were Jennifer Anniston, Catherine Zeta Jones and Nicole Kidman.]

 

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Opening Ceremony

I really appreciated Seth’s rip on The Artist right off the bat.  It also didn’t take long for Seth to get a few “ooo” moments for the jokes he made: Chris Brown/Rhianna.  And then Captain Kirk appears?  Ok so, it led into Seth’s first musical number (pre-recorded, but pretty funny about all the women we saw the boobs of), but the little dance number between Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron was unexpected, but completely adorable.  Then Daniel Radcliffe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth perform a short rendition of “High Hopes.”  Obviously Harry Potter has Broadway skills, but who knew Robin could sing, too?  This led to a skit of MacFarlane hitting on Sally Field in a “Flying Nun” costume.  Meh.

 

Octavia Spencer presents Best Supporting Actor – Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained

Big surprise #1.  I really was not expecting this and I’m pretty sure no one else did either, but I guess someone has to continue feeding the Taratino machine that sweet sustenance of credibility.  Shame on me, I didn’t see Django Unchained yet, but I’ve heard nothing but mixed reviews concerning it.  That’s not a knock on Christoph Waltz who is deserving of such recognition based on the excellence he displayed in Inglorious Basterds.  Still, this may be a sign to come that Lincoln the pre-show favorite to win it all, might be snubbed all together.   

 

Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy present Best Animated Short Film – Paperman (John Kahrs).

What is it with comedians being earmarked for animated presentations?  What is it with them totally flubbing what they have to say in the process?  Rudd and McCarthy should have just played it straight because Paperman was one of the best animated shorts I’ve ever seen because it was quite touching in its simplicity and inspiring in its fantasy.

 

Best Animated Feature Film – Brave

What a surprise.  Disney Pixar takes the category made for Disney Pixar films.  Yawn.  Moving on.

 

The Avengers Assemble!  And they present Best Cinematography – Life of Pi (Claudio Miranda)

Please do take a box office bow, gentlemen.  But where are the mighty Thor and the seductive Black Widow?  Excellent live chemistry was displayed by the group in attendance led by Tony Stark himself.  I just wished they could have been given more time to do their thing.  Guess I’ll just have to wait for The Avengers 2.  Good for Life of Pi, but the cinematography had better look great when the whole film is practically CGI.

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They also present Best Visual Effects – Life of Pi (Bill Westenhofer and co.)

I’m sure glad they brought The Avengers on the stage to be completely ignored by The Academy.  I get the distinct impression that something very weird is happening and that weirdness could be Life of Pi winning a heck of a lot more than it was projected.  Cue the orchestra for its first awkward play-off for a long running acceptance speech.  The Jaws theme completely drowned out Westenhofer just in time for the camera to cut to Nicole Kidman who frowned in disapproval for the classless move.  Still, everyone should have a go to “wrap up” comment to avoid being cut off.

 

Jennifer Aniston and Channing Tatum present Best Costume Design – Anna Karenina (Jacqueline Durran)   

Jen welcomes Chan to the waxed actors club.  Didn’t really need to know that one, but I’m glad a period piece won this award because they’re made to do exactly that.

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling – Les Misérables (Lisa Westcot and Julie Dartnell)

Production value was big, big, business for Les Miz.  Costumes in that film were very well done and I expect Oscar gold in production design for this film as well.

 

Halle Berry presents the 50th Anniversary of James Bond

A nice little video montage of Bond’s greatest moments on film was nice, but nothing a freshman in college couldn’t compile on Final Cut Pro.  But then Shirley Bassey comes out of the floor to sing the Goldfinger theme quite masterfully; so much so that her rendition surpasses the original in every, single way.  You go girl!  Standing O: deserved!  Hopefully we get more of this with Adele waiting in the wings to do the Skyfall theme.

 

Kerry Washington and Jaime Fox present Best Live Action Short Film – Curfew (Shawn Christensen). 

I understand the need to thank The Academy for supporting the more obscure categories such as this, but it would be better if The Academy showed some real love to this category by making some comprehensive programs for those interested to actually see these little nuggets of gold.

 

Best Documentary Short – Inocente (Sean and Andrea Fine). 

So, the subject of this documentary was homeless last week and so shame on Hollywood for not getting artists like her seen and heard?  How about shame on humanity for allowing atrocity like hunger and homelessness to exist anywhere!  Look, I’m happy they won, but let’s have some solutions before pointing fingers.

 

Ben Affleck thanks Seth for the constant ribbing and presents Best Documentary Feature – Searching for Sugar Man (Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chin).

I’m glad that the one documentary that didn’t cover absolutely depressing material won, but I really hate the Jaws theme being used (AGAIN) to play people off their speeches.  It’s starting to get annoying.

[Best MacFarlane joke of the night so far: “The cast of Prometheus tells us, what the hell was going on there?”]

 

Jennifer Garner and Jessica Chastain present Best Foreign Language Film – Amour (Austria).

Yay Austria, but then Seth MacFarlane thanks the orchestra and there’s a moment where everyone thought he was joking about it as they played behind his presentation.  One word: awkward.

 

Catherine Zeta Jones performs All That Jazz

If her singing was, in fact, live singing, then color me impressed.  If she was just lip syncing it, oh well, everyone’s doing it and I’m less impressed.  Still, she had to record it at some point.

 

Jennifer Hudson sings a number from Dream Girls

This number certainly sounded live because we could all hear her breaths as she swung the mic dramatically away from her mouth.  Jennifer’s a professional singer and she won an Academy Award for acting as a singer in this movie, so it better be live because it certainly kicked all sorts of ass.

 

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The cast of Les Misérables performs together.

I really enjoyed the staging of this musical number which incorporated everyone’s entrance (and I mean EVERYONE) as they rallied around One Day More.  Yeah, yeah, Russell Crowe still did his thing, but they sounded great as a collective.  Screw you Adam Lambert.  If you thought they were so terrible, get all your friends together and make your own musical adaptation. 

 

Mark Walhberg and Ted present Best Sound Mixing – Les Misérables (Andy Nelson and co.). 

I guess Ted had to do all the comic heavy lifting because Marky Mark was having none of it.  It makes all the sense in the world that a film requiring the balance between sound, dialogue, sound effects and background music would win this award.  No other film had such a heavy sound mixing burden.

 

Best Sound Editing – WTF?  (No BS, but a tie?)  Zero Dark Thirty and Skyfall.

I can’t remember a tie for an Oscar in recent memory and it only ever happened twice before: once in 1932 for the best actor and a second time in 1968 for best actress.  And now it’s a third . . . for best sound editing? 

 

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Christopher Plummer presents Best Supporting Actress – Anne Hathaway

Sitting next to her Les Miz costar, Hugh Jackman, Anne makes a nice gesture acknowledging every other nominee as well as the Wolverine himself.  She got so much hype for winning this award, but it was hype well deserved because it was an amazing performance. 

 

Sandra Bullock presents Best Film Editing – Argo (William Goldenberg)

It took a while for Argo to make any kind of splash but here it is.  And speaking of firsts, people winning their first awards seems to be the theme of the evening.  This doesn’t look good for the likes of Daniel Day Lewis.

 

Adele performs Skyfall

So we all know this song will win the Oscar later on in the evening right?  I’d just like to make note of the fact that Adele sings so well in that voice when she’s as British as the day is long.  Regardless, it was another inspired performance by a “true” singer which is actually better than the recorded version for the film.

 

Daniel Radcliffe and Kristen Stewart present Best Production Design – Lincoln (Rick Carter and Jim Erikson).

Another Oscar frontrunner picks up its first award and although this film did not involve any fantastic settings or highly stylize set pieces, the effectiveness of the production design was no less impactful.  By the way, if Stewart injured herself some way, why is she determined to hobble around like the walking dead (pun intended)?  Her constant grimacing was kind of annoying, so let’s get her some assistance and I don’t just mean from the Actor’s Studio. 

 

George Clooney presents In Memoriam

The obvious somber moment of the evening plays out like normal, but then opens up to Barbara Streisand singing Memories as only she can.  All that can be said is that she gave us all a beautiful and heartfelt performance.  Streisand is the epitome of dignity and class.

 

Some of the cast of Chicago present Best Musical Score – Life of Pi (Mychael Danna).

Chalk up another for the Ang Lee’s production, but it is unfortunate that no one on his cast or crew can pronounce his name correctly.  Pi is seems unstoppable at this point.

 

Best Original Song – Adele’s Skyfall

Good for Adele, but once again, no surprise here.  Anyone else signing this song, however, doesn’t bring the attention required to take home the victory. 

 

Charlize Theron and Dustin Hoffman present Best Adapted Screenplay – Argo (Chris Terrio).

Argo’s writer makes the first political statement of the evening giving a nod to nonviolent means of solving international problems.  Perhaps that message will get across to the US government, but it is not this day.

 

Best Original Screenplay – Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino).

Nice leather tie Q.  It was an interesting move to thank the power of his characters for his writing.  Although I will say that this year’s films were certainly better overall than last year’s, but I’m not necessarily thinking that this year was, in fact, the year for the writers.  Battleship and John Carter still happened this past year.  What about them?

 

Michael Douglas and Jane Fonda present Best Director – Ang Lee (Life of Pi).

Yes!  More redemption for the terrible Hulk.  With so many awards going Pi’s way, this really wasn’t a surprise.  Thanking Taiwan is interesting in that it’s dangerously close to thanking our good buddies in China who are having a blast hacking our databases for industrial espionage, crushing our economy with slave labor and probably prepping for WW III.  How much money do you think Lee’s production paid his two crews in India and Taiwan?

 

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Jean Dujardin presents Best Actress – Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook).

Holy *ucking sh*t!  Don’t get me wrong, I love Jennifer, but wow.  She had the hype, she had The Hunger Games and she has the whole of Hollywood eating out of the palm of her hand.  She is talented, she is capable, but she better not screw up the good fortune she’s found early on in her career.  Many actors have long careers with zero recognition and honorary Oscars do not count.  Christopher Plummer taught me that.  Good for you Jennifer, but you still have two more Hunger Games to muddle through.

 

Meryl Streep presents Best Actor – Daniel Day Lewis.

About damn time!  The most deserving winner for the most perfect category: this man became Abraham Lincoln.  No one else can claim this level of immersion.  Daniel offered up the best acceptance speech of the evening with a good dose of comedy.  Cheers Daniel!  Keep making and taking incredible roles.  

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Jack Nicholson presents Michele Obama who both present Best Picture – Argo (Ben Affleck and co.).

Ben’s co-producers took a specific time out to thank and re-thank Ben Affleck for his directing contributions to the film as a final “stick it” to The Academy.  Argo is deserving of this victory because of the story.  Please refer to my review concerning the historical accuracy of the actual event, but I don’t care if it was or wasn’t.  I want to be entertained and if the story is compelling enough, I will do research to find the “real” real story.   

 

The Host?

Let’s make this quick.  Seth did not sink or swim.  He did not exactly impress, but he did a respectable job.  All of his jokes simply took jabs at anyone in attendance and I was expecting some evolution of that strategy during the show.  It wasn’t terrible, but it got boring at times.  He did not succumb to the temptation of breaking into Family Guy voices at all.  That’s saying something, I guess.

 

The Big Loser

Zero Dark Thirty.  This movie should have gone home with absolutely nothing because sharing a tie for best sound editing, of all categories, seems like a door prize.  James Bond took home more Oscars than Kathryn Bigelow’s production this year.

 

The Big Winner

This was a little more difficult to arbitrarily designate, but it has to be Argo.  Certainly Life of Pi won a lot and for a while, it looked like it could go all the way.  But, the controversy of Argo as a production makes for a better story, right?  If it were nominated for more categories, it probably would have taken home more gold.  I’m just glad Affleck didn’t bust into his kegger acceptance speech from Good Will Hunting.  He came close, but pulled it back.

 

The Wrap Up

There were some twists and turns, some surprises and “no duh’s,” but overall I think this was a successful Academy Awards.  It’s still too long and there’s no way to address this issue without seriously thinking about cutting categories that get live presentations during the show or perhaps losing the musical performances.  I’d prefer the former because the performances really do add quality entertainment value.  At the same time, I really hate the orchestra playing people off with Jaws.  How about adding an “enhanced experience” for people to follow at home on their computers, tablets or smart phones to experience some of the trimmed fat in future shows?  

Did your favorites win?  Does The Academy have a clue?  Do you just want Jennifer Lawrence’s phone number?  Hollywood can still make amazing films when it wants to, so hopefully we can see better films at the theatres and when that happens, I hope to see you at the movies.

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Marvel Movie News

The DOC’s A Year In Review: 2012

“In My Rearview Mirror”

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

It’s late, my wife and daughter are snuggled up in their beds as visions of super heroes dance in their heads. Well, possibly my daughter’s but my wife is probably having visions of Channing Tatum! I cannot believe another year has passed us by and I ponder all the things that have occurred in one of the most tumultuous years comic fans have ever seen. There were the seething fans from the The Dark Knight Rises vs. The Avengers debate, the uproar over The New 52 Alan Scott’s sexuality, the shock over the brutal death of Glenn in The Walking Dead #100, the return of the Joker, Indie comics creating a big buzz with fans, Second Waves, Third Armies and Kirkman becoming the king of the world! 2012 was truly THE year to be a comic fan and my list is only the tip of the iceberg of all the things that occurred last year. So, take a look. Agree, disagree, it’s all in good fun. And remember, my list only contains things that I have personally seen or read so, if your favorite book or movie doesn’t appear here — make your own list in the comments below to share with us!

 

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BEST MOVIE: The Avengers: This summer blockbuster was so full of those classic, fun comic moments that you just couldn’t catch your breath. It was everything that Marvel had been painstakingly building up to for years — and it completely blew me away! The original Superman may have made us believe a man could fly, but The Avengers made me believe that gods live among us!

WORST MOVIE: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance: Everyone forgot about this Valentine’s Day weekend blockbuster, didn’t they? Apparently, Ghost Rider did so well that they NEEDED to make this steaming pile of a sequel for the six fans that enjoyed it! I will sum this movie up in two words: Flame Urine! ’nuff said! 

BEST “NON COMIC” SUPER HERO MOVIE: Chronicle: This “found” video film about teenagers that acquire super abilities had amazing scope and even better special effects. Though, by the final battle scene, I was finding it hard not to scream out, “Tetsuo!” at the top of my lungs!

BEST MOVIE CAMEO: Sam J. Jones a.k.a. Flash Gordon, Ted: When I first saw this movie, I nearly went into convulsions as “Flash” appeared on camera! Flash Gordon is one of my favorite childhood movies and all those scenes in Ted hit me with a wave of nostalgia. Fantastic!

THE MOVIE WTF!? MOMENT OF THE YEAR: John Blake knowing Bruce Wayne is Batman in five seconds: The Dark Knight Rises was a good movie, but it was riddled with WTF!? moments that I just couldn’t shake off. After three movies, Commissioner Gordon can’t figure out who Batman is but an orphan turned cop can the first time he meets Bruce Wayne as a adult? Crazy!

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BEST “NEW” COMIC COMPANY: Valiant Entertainment: The nineties are alive and well again and you can thank Valiant for that! But these aren’t your daddy’s comics anymore, each series has been laced with some of the industry’s top talents and are making a race for a top spot on your pull list each week! Smart and engaging, each book has it’s own niche in the grand scheme of the Valiant Universe, and if you didn’t get caught up in the “Summer of Valiant,” you still have a chance to catch up with the newly released $10 trades before the Harbinger War begins! Great stuff!

BEST ONGOING COMIC SERIES: Batman: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have taken the character of the Batman and completely remade him for a new generation without losing any of the nostalgia that older fans love so much. Not only have they perfected Bats himself, but the entire supporting cast and the rogues gallery as well. Not to mention, creating new villains such as the Court of Owls and their assassin Talons to further cement their names in the Batman mythos for all time. Oh yeah, and they created the scariest version of the Joker I have ever seen!

BEST NEW COMIC SERIES: Archer & Armstrong: Well, if you want to get technical, A&A was around in the 90’s but this “new”version surpasses it’s predecessor by leaps and bounds! Andy Diggle has created an amalgam of Lethal Weapon, National Treasure and part Animal House that will keep you enthralled and amused! There is nothing better than a drunk immortal and a virgin ninja fighting off assassin nuns!

BEST “NON SUPER HERO” COMIC SERIES: Mind MGMT: Matt Kindt stunned fans with his espionage, secret society, psychic warfare book! It is eloquent and atmospheric, creating a world that may or may not be reality but hooks you just the same. Don’t wait for the trades on this one, folks, Kindt has said that the single issues hold clues that WILL NOT be in trade form! GET IT NOW!

BOOK MOST IN NEED OF A MEPHISTO DEAL: Amazing Spider-Man #700: Okay, so everyone has been complaining about this book enough already so I’ll make it short and sweet. How can a villain who has wanted to kill you since issue #3 suddenly change his mind in the last five pages of issue #700 because he saw your memories? Yeah, I thought so! 

WORST CROSSOVER: Avengers Vs. X-Men: With another shameless money grab by Marvel, the fans lapped up this horrible series that promised everything and gave nothing! Well, Professor X died, but besides that everything else went back to the same ‘ol same ‘ol. The Avengers are the world’s favorite again and mutants are hated more than ever! Too bad it cost fans almost forty dollars to get right back to where they started from!

BEST COMIC WRITER: Scott Snyder: Between Batman, Swamp Thing, American Vampire, American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares and Severed, Scott Snyder has created some of the most disturbing and fascinating books in 2012. Every issue is done with a true passion for the characters and an eye for detail that is missing in a lot of books today. He may not be Rob Liefeld’s first choice, but he’s alright by me.

BEST INTERIOR ARTIST: Esad Ribic: Some of the most stunning images have come from the hands of Esad Ribic. Whether it be variant covers for various Marvel books or the interior pages of Uncanny X-Force and Thor: God Of Thunder, Ribic is at the top of the art field. Quiet and reserved, this man let’s his images speak for him!

RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL ARTIST: Mike Mignola: Although Mr. Mignola has never stopped writing both B.P.R.D. and Hellboy, he hasn’t drawn any in quite some time. So, with one month left in the year, Mike Mignola sent the comic world into a frenzy when he returned to art chores on Hellboy: In Hell #1 in December 2012. It was utterly outstanding and made all our Christmas wishes come true!

BEST COVER ARTIST: Joao Ruas, Fables: Joao Ruas creates the most haunting and visually stunning covers you will see on the racks today. Mired in folklore and whimsy, these somewhat disturbing images are the perfect match to the stories found inside his astonishing covers. They are true works of art that everyone should behold.

FAVORITE VARIANT COVERS: Scottie Young’s “baby” covers: Scottie Young, the artist on Marvel’s OZ books, has been churning out very rare “baby”covers for all the Marvel Now! books and they are amazing! Well, maybe I’m biased because my daughter and I have read the OZ books and have a few of Scottie’s posters, but they are very cool collector covers. So, make sure you ask your local retailer if they get any in, you won’t regret it!

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BEST COMIC CHARACTER: The Joker: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have created the most sadistic, cunning and scary Joker character I have ever read! They have taken a character that has sometimes been used as a veritable joke in the DCU and made him someone that they should all be afraid of, especially since he seems to be always two steps ahead of everyone! Completely creepy!

TOUGHEST CHARACTER TO FOLLOW: Superboy: So, he has his own comic, he has been in Legion Lost, he has been in Teen Titans and he has been in The Ravagers. He is supposedly on the Teen Titans and the Ravagers teams but he is only there for an issue or two and then he vanishes! No explanation is given, he is just gone and no one knows where the hell he goes! Here’s a tip: put him on one team or none, but please make a decision! It is beyond annoying and he’s not that great a character to begin with — so just decide already!

MOST BRUTAL COMIC DEATH: Glenn, The Walking Dead (Image): TWD #100 was one of the most horrific books I have ever read. The utter disregard for human life that Neegan portrays is alarming and what he does to one of the most beloved characters in the TWD universe — completely sadistic. Kirkman knows how to pull on the ‘ol heart strings and that’s why The Walking Dead is no longer the little book that could, but a money making machine!

MOST POINTLESS COMIC CAMEO: Nova, Avengers Vs. X-Men: Okay, so he crashes to earth, mumbles and then falls into a coma. Twelve issues later, he flies out of nowhere punches a Phoenix charged Cyclops and then gets beaten to a pulp. Then Thor asks him is if he wants to join the Avengers? So, if I put on a football helmet, jump off the roof and fall into a coma — I could possibly become an Avenger too? Why didn’t anyone tell me it was so simple?!

THE COMIC WTF!? MOMENT OF THE YEAR: Peter Poctopus/Dr. Octavpider-Man: Oh, you know what I mean! 

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WORST TOY OF THE YEAR: DC two packs of Squinkies: Okay, I know Squinkies have been around for years, but 2012 had some exclusive stocking stuffer two packs hit the shelves at local retailers. Now, can anyone tell me what these squishy miniature versions of The New 52 heroes are good for? They can’t fit as a pencil topper, they’re too light to use as a paper weight. Mostly, I scream Shazam at the top of my lungs and throw them at my intern, D-ROX’s head! If anyone has a better idea, let me know!

COOLEST TOY OF THE YEAR: The Walking Dead Minimates: Now we all know Minimates are AWESOME, but 2012 saw them become even better! With the launch of TWD Minimates, you can now control the fates of little versions of Rick, Glenn and Shane against a horde of four zombies! My desk has never looked better than strewn with “Lego-style” zombie parts!

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BEST TELEVISION SERIES: The Walking Dead(AMC): This series has been top notch since it’s inception and, as a fan on the comic as well, I couldn’t ask for anything more! Human drama mixed with a zombie backdrop, TWD has taken the world by storm and it goes to prove that comics are not just for “geeks” anymore! Plus, any show I can watch with my wife that doesn’t contain a judge’s chambers or cheating senators is a definite win!

BEST REALITY TELEVISION SERIES: SyFy’s Face Off: One of the most creative shows I have ever seen, Face Off, brings make-up and visual effects artists from around the country to compete against each other in a series of challenges. I am astonished by how creative the artist get with minimal time and equipment. Plus, there is always a bevy of quest stars to help judge their work, such as, Kevin Smith and LeVar Burton!

BEST CARTOON SERIES: Ultimate Spider-Man: This series is what I wish the Spider-Man cartoons of my day would have been like! Spidey’s witty banter, great looking art and friends that couldn’t negate each other’s powers! Now, I know Sam Alexander Nova is in there and that might not sit well with some of you, but it really is a great show! And anything I can watch with my daughter is well worth a fake bucket head any day!

BIGGEST MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Cartoon Network’s DC Nation: DC Nation is actually my favorite block of comic cartoon gold, but since Cartoon Network pulled both Green Lantern and Young Justice(my personal favorite cartoon) for no definitive reason, fans couldn’t enjoy their favorite shows! So, without there being any DC cartoons on Saturday, we all moved onto Marvel ones on Sunday, hence my pick for Spider-Man over Young Justice! Horrible idea by Cartoon Network!

MAN OF THE YEAR: Richard Corben: This living legend artist has churned out more books in 2012 than most of the “hot” young talent that the “Big Two” clamor over and he’s 72 years old! Well known for his work in the horror genre, Mr. Corben has seen quite a demand for his talents lately, especially from Dark Horse. He has worked with Mike Mignola on Hellboy, Jan Strnad on Ragemoor and has translated Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Conqueror Worm” into comic form. Mr. Croben was also inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2012 for his continued artistic prowess over the years!

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THE MOMENT THAT SET THE WORLD ON FIRE: Disney buys Star Wars: This was one of those events that takes you by surprise and you’re not actually sure if it’s true or not! I remember continually telling EIC Matt McGloin to, “Shut up!,” on the phone because I was so floored! Though fan reaction has been mixed, I personally cannot wait to see what will eventually come of this. At least it can’t be any worse than the “prequels” right?

If you made it this far — Thank You! I hope you all had a great year and we hope to see your ideas in the comments! Now, I have to go find my Squinkies for Monday morning — SHAZAM! 

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Comic Book News Marvel

Review: New Avengers #1

The shuffling of creative teams and the renumbering of almost all of their books, has been very profitable for Marvel. Where once they had been taking a beating by DC in the sales department, now, they have regained the top spots and harnessed a new found energy in the comics community with their Marvel NOW! line of books. There has been an overall sense of nostalgia melded with a new found excitement in these books, so when Marvel announced it’s first “big” Marvel NOW! book of the new year would be New Avengers by Jonathan Hickman, fans sat with anticipation for the new series. Unfortunately, New Avengers is but a shadow of the other Marvel NOW! titles.

Jonathan Hickman gives us a good book that warrants attention but it pales in comparison with all the other Marvel NOW! releases of the past year. Hickman delves into a tale that is heavily formulated around the concept of the sacrifices the present must make in order to preserve it’s future. A feeling that hits home in such a trying economic and political climate that we see ourselves in currently. It shows how one man must put aside his own personal feelings and reservations about others in order to find a way to save everything else he holds dear. It is an enlightening segue into a broader story awaiting us on the horizon, but it is merely not enough to captivate you with with a sense of awe we were all expecting.

Not that this story is bad in any way, it is unfortunately — mediocre. And mediocrity is not a word synonymous with Jonathan Hickman. The suspense, shock, drama and overall fascination that we are usually treated to in a Hickman tale, is just not there in this issue. There is no emotional pull for the reader to feel vested in the tale, and even with the inclusion of the Illuminati as it’s sales driver, it still falls short as a “must read” book.

With issue two looming just two weeks away, I can only hope that the story can overcome it’s lackluster debut issue any bring a tale that can excite and tantalize the readers as much as the rest of the Marvel NOW! books have. With Hickman at the reigns, I have no doubt that this series can become something worthy of your four dollars! 

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Comic Book News Marvel

Review: Avengers Arena #1

Let’s not pull any punches about this book. This series is Marvel’s answer to all the tween hype given to The Hunger Games, and the much more brutal, Battle Royale. They even mention – as a rather funny quote from Arcade – that the inspiration for the entire event came from “a couple kids’ books!” Mimicry is NOT always the highest compliment, but in the case of Avengers Arena, it’s not truly mimicry either. This book is much more than copying the motions of another tale, it has a heart all its own, and for me, is Marvel’s best book of the week!

Yes, this is a tale of teenage, and one not so teenage, heroes thrown together in a battle to the death. It has been done before and most certainly will be done again, but it is the tale that lies beneath the broader strokes that compels you to push through this tale of brutality to it’s destructive finale. It is the connections that are made, the loves threatened and the ravings of a girl who never truly enjoyed living until her own life was at stake, that draws you emotionally into the tale. Dennis Hopeless has crafted something that far exceeds the parameters this style of story was based on, and has given us a deeply compelling look into the hearts and minds of some exceptional characters that never truly got the chance to shine on their own. Ironically, this tale will also be the final chance we get to see of these characters, at least we got to know them better in their final days!

Not only does Dennis Hopeless give us an emotionally charged, action packed tale of mortality, but he also gives us a different look at one of the oldest X-Men villains. Arcade has taken center stage as the “big bad” in this series, but most fans will not recognize him in his fresh incarnation. He has become a veritable “god” in this tale, one who is near omnipotent in power and cunning and is not afraid to get his hands dirty. He has evolved far beyond the sneering, freckle faced heckler that let his mechanical murder machines do all the work. Hopeless has built him up as a truly terrifying rogue that not only demands respect but obedience as well, pushing him to the top of the list of most intriguing characters to watch. It is the character of Arcade that brings a sense of intrigue to a tale rife with action, diversifying it even more so than the emotional duress we receive from our “heroes.” It is these factors that lift this tale above the mere some of it’s parts, making it a wondrous read from cover to cover.

Dennis Hopeless and the amazingly talented Kev Walker have crafted a book that may be misconstrued as a mere money grab by Marvel -a blank check to capture the tween readership – and I truly hope it does bring them in. This is the book that will get new readership talking about how amazing comics can be regardless of movie tie-ins and big budget marketing. This is the book that will draw readers in with an idea they all ready know and will blow them away with how rich and emotionally charged the comics genre is.

This is the book that all fans, new or old, should be reading. Don’t let the concept fool you, you will be underestimating how great this book really is!

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Comic Book News Marvel

The Triumphant Return Of An Avenger! Avengers #32 Spoilers

(Editor’s Note: Avengers #32 Spoiler Alert!)

 

We all know that the “death span” of a hero in modern comics is quite short, but for this hero, Bendis took his sweet time returning her to the land of the living. 

First seen in the pages of Avengers #31, our returned hero seems to have gotten herself into quite a jam with some alien races and is on the run for her life. Again! Trapped in inner space, she holds her own in a fighting frenzy against those who threaten her. But, eventually, the ever constant horde of combatants proves to be too much and the last we see of her wrapped visage is her pulling out an Avengers comm-card and sends out a distress signal.

Since that issue, the rumors have been flying as to who this “mystery” Avenger is and exactly what has happened to her. Most fans agree upon who this stunning character could be and with the release of Avengers #32 this week — it looks as though they have been right!

So, without further ado let’s welcome back…Janet Van Dyne a.k.a.. The Wasp! 

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But, with her return comes some controversy and intrigue. Not only is Janet alive, but it seems she may have never actually “died” in the first place! It seems she somehow was diminished in size and sent into inner space this entire time! How? Why? Who knows? (Editor’s note: Seeissues “Avengers Academy” possibly for more!) But Bendis wouldn’t bring back such a fan favorite character just on whimsy!

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We all know how deep rooted Marvel Comics has been as of late with the Marvel movie and television franchises. Will it really be that long before they incorporate one of the founding Avengers somewhere into their fold? We know that the Ant-Man movie is being formulated, even though the focus is on Scott Lang, could there be a spot for Janet Van Dyne in there as well? Personally, I am wondering if Joss Whedon might use her in his S.H.I.E.L.D. television show. Janet Van Dyne, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. — sounds pretty good to me!

Regardless of the speculation, it is great to have such a great female character back again!

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Comic Book News Marvel

Advanced Review: Uncanny Avengers #1

Welcome to the most pre-ordered book of all time! The “Revolution” has begun and Marvel Now! is officially underway! 

Fan favorites, Rick Remender and John Cassady, have laid the groundwork for the future of the Marvel U. with a book that changes the status quo! Former heroes are behind bars, a classic X villain re-emerges with more than a little angst and a mass murderer gives a eulogy! Cyclops’ Extinction team is on the run and the mutant race is more hated than ever! Wait, how is this different? Because “big blue,” Captain America, has a plan to introduce the world to how heroic the X -Men have been over the years.

Everything tastes better when Cap’s got your back!

But seriously, Remender brings a voice to these characters – X-Men especially – that is just not found in their regular books. He brings a depth to them, a richness seldom found and it makes the debut issue of this series that much better. This book will sell no matter what, but it is the pitch perfect characterization by Remender that will keep the fans returning. From Xavier’s eulogy to the completely off-the-wall ending, you will be enthralled by every page. If this is the type of tales we can expect from the rest of the Marvel Now! books, we are in for a resurgence of the Marvel books of old!

Smart and intriguing with just a hint of Remender’s patented craziness — this one’s a solid read that will leave fans wanting more!

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Movie News

Just What the “DOC” Ordered: The October Storm!

 

(Editor’s Note: Our latest column to hit Cosmic Book News comes from Chris “DOC” Bushley who will be taking a look at the less “cosmic” characters in comic books with his “Just What The Doc Ordered”  OPED column!)

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

“Dueling Banjos”

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With the NYCC 2012 just around the corner, the “Big Two” are not pulling any punches to get you excited about their October releases. Even though the competition for your hard earned dollar is more fierce than it has ever been, the companies have two completely different visions on how to get the edge over the other! Let’s take a look at what Marvel and DC have in store for us and why it’s being dubbed — the “October Storm!”

Marvel Comics has wrapped up their most successful- and controversial- crossover yet, scoring the biggest sales and profit share in the first week of October with Avengers Vs. X-Men #12. But the masters at Marvel are not letting the intensity subside for a moment! October week two, showcases the end of Brian Bendis’ ten year run on Avengers with issue #31! Dubbed, “End Times”, it is a story that will cross between both Bendis written books, Avengers and New Avengers, and will not only change the status quo of the teams heroes, but also feature Dr. Strange in a larger role! Supposedly, his actions will lead directly into the future of Marvel NOW! Just enough push to lead into the movie hype!

As exciting as that sounds, next week also offers up the highest selling pre-ordered book of all time — Uncanny Avengers #1! This book not only begins the future of Marvel, but it also will have the mutant race becoming a more prominent fixture in all aspects of the universe! No longer will there be the distinct division between all things X and the rest of the heroes. Marvel Comics E.I.C., Axel Alonso, had this to say about the future involvement of the X-Men during an interview with CBR:

“ X-Men stories will continue to provide a unique reading experience that mines certain themes, but they won’t be so off to the side. In 2013, Mutants will continue to defend themselves from threats to their existence, but they’ll also be out there solving problems in the Marvel U, and “A+X” and “Uncanny Avengers” are your first glimpses of that.” 

Not to be outdone by their competitors, DC Entertainment, has some pretty large news of their own! Though they will not be ending their highest selling franchises and beginning with new number ones (again!), they will however, be focusing on the return of one of the greatest villains of all time! Finally, the Joker will be introduced to the New 52! Batman #13, Batman and Robin #13 and Batgirl #13, all are released on October 10th; kicking off the “Death of the Family” storyline that is said to “rock” the Bat-books! A “new” take on Batman’s biggest thorn, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have spent tireless moments perfecting the most menacing Joker they could think of. Though he is known for his devilish and demented antics, Scott Snyder is promising an even more horrific version of the “clown prince of crime.” Snyder goes on to share these thoughts about his Joker tale in an interview with IGN:

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:3415:]]“He’s intimidating because there are so many seminal stories from years before that really are some of the greatest Batman stories ever… in Death in the Family, he uses Jason [Todd] to get at Batman in as many ways as he’s hurting Jason too. In that way, Joker would make the argument that, “I’ve never faced off with you guys, but now I’m looking you in the eye and I’m coming for you. I will tear down and kill and burn anything in your life to break you.” They’ve never faced a nightmare like the Joker is the idea, and he’s coming for each one of those characters individually.”

Although this storyline will sweep through all the “Bat-books”, Snyder goes on to say that you do not need to read every book in order to follow the story:

“What’s going to happen in Batman is a thousand percent self-contained; it’s going to be my big Joker story with Greg Capullo in Batman. You will not have to read another book to follow it whatsoever to follow it, I promise you that. It’s from #13-17, with a big, huge finale in 17 with an annual-sized issue – and we’ll be in the back-ups too, so it’ll just be a giant story that’s the equivalent of almost seven issues packed into five. Even though that will be completely self-contained in Batman, you will see Joker in the other series in self-contained ways similar to Night of the Owls, where he goes after those Bat-family members in ways that will give him a chance to completely unleash the most terrifying things you’ve seen in those series up to this point.”

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:3417:]]Also, this month, DC Entertainment will be releasing their “Third Wave” for the New 52! Beginning with Phantom Stranger #1 by Dan Didio, Brent Anderson and Scott Hanna! This book will focus on the “Trinity of Evil” and why they were cursed to walk the earth for all eternity. Hopefully we will get some answers as to the events of Phantom Stranger #0, where we saw the creation of The Spectre, a glimpse of Pandora and the possible return of the Question! After the initial start week, we will see more “Third Wave” books that will focus on the history of the New 52 universe with: Sword of Sorcery #1 by Christy Marx and Aaron Lopresti and Team 7 #1 by CBN favorite – Justin Jordan and Jesus Merino! And let’s not forget another Scott Snyder book, stemming from the page of the “Court of Owls” storyline – Talon #1! 

All in all, October is going to be an explosive month for comics in general! With so many books coming out in the first two weeks alone and so few dollars to be spent, where does your money lie? Hit us up in the comments below and let us know what will get you through this comic book “storm” of greatness! I, personally cannot wait to see the Joker! But, no matter what your choices are, it’s a great time to be a fan!

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Movie News Reviews

The Future of Hollywood Entertainment through The Avengers’ Eyes

Guess What?  It’s Still Good and Still Worth Your Money

A Meta-Review of The Avengers

By: Lawrence Napoli

 

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Here we are, CosmicBookNews.com faithful, three weeks removed from the release of The Avengers and (hopefully) you have all subjected yourselves to the unmitigated joy and undeniable fun that can be found within.  Our three part podcast discussion covers the major bullet points of what generally worked and what may have fallen short, so please refer to that for any specifics (spoiler free, of course!).  This article seeks to solidify my opinions, observe this film’s affects despite its short history and project what it all means for Hollywood, adaptations, the comic book industry and the future of entertaining us all: the nameless, faceless consumers.

The Avengers is a text book lesson in summer blockbuster movie production and a helpful refresher course in “Making IP adaptations work on celluloid.”  The likes of Paul Thomas Anderson and Uwe Boll should take note.  This film’s hype rivaled the coming of a new Star Wars trilogy, thus the margin for error was fairly small as the shrieks of fanboys are not easily silenced thanks to the internet.  The Avengers is a film that is equal to the task by incorporating a hefty amount of character development with a fairly simple (some would argue as “cookie-cutter”) plot while using an intimidating amount of CG to make the impossible look and feel real.  It is true that every director doesn’t have access to Mickey Mouse’s wallet, but it really wasn’t the massive set pieces, explosions, CG aliens, and wowing visual effects that made this film great.  It was really about the characters themselves and the performances that conveyed a natural chemistry, camaraderie and oft overlooked believability of such iconic personalities in close proximity to each other.  Every Avenger is connected and relevant.  Every Avenger has screen time.  Although some were overused (Hawkeye) and some may have been underused (Captain America), no Avenger was left behind as balance was clearly on Joss Whedon’s mind at every stage of this film’s production.  The action constantly escalates, the comedy eases the pace, and the dénouement combined with the final reveal not only satisfies the viewer, it compels him or her to maintain a vested interest in the future fiction of this franchise. 

Sounds like a pretty good time right?  Unfortunately, the other constant in life besides death and taxes are haters, and even a film like The Avengers has a couple of curious instances of marquee level criticism that caught my attention.  The first has to be the rather tepid review this film received in Entertainment Weekly.  I am not so self indulgent as to criticize another film review (I won’t even acknowledge the writer’s name), but the references and plot synopsis within said article are inaccurate to the extent that I question whether the writer actually saw the film as opposed to forming an opinion out of rough cuts and press releases.  Entertaining opinion is what we do ladies and gentlemen, but realizing that everyone on the Internet, reading magazines and watching TV are having their opinions formed by these featured observations is a fact that ought to demand a level of professionalism beyond flippant whimsy.  Please everyone, express your opinions, but for those in the media I must add that we must get beyond the “what” and express the “why.”  This is what allows even a negative review or opinion for a film to be valuable to the reader beyond turning them off to the film entirely.  For instance, I do feel that Joss Whedon went to the CG well once too often for the effects and action sequences in The Avengers which added to its plastic visual style and overall absurdity of what was actually happening onscreen.  That was the “what” and by itself represents a basic, but negative observation that might turn readers off to CG heavy films.  However, the scale of danger to the planet within the story demands an equally epic nature to the grandiosity of the effects that simply cannot be expressed practically with wire work and pyro.  That was the “why” which seeks to justify a necessary evil in the final product because fireworks for explosions just aren’t going to cut it.  Thus, any viewers who may prefer a little less CG in their films are tipped off, but if they are drawn to plots that are dangerously planetary, their interests may be peaked.

The next was the well publicized feud Samuel L. Jackson had with a certain film reviewer from the New York Times for producing an unimpressed opinion of The Avengers.  Once Sam started firing his displeasure over the article via Twitter, many were quick to defend the reviewer for simply expressing an opinion.  At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which side you personally agree with because both were expressing their feelings in an industry where doing so gets you paid.  I found it odd and somewhat refreshing to see a major media entity to not simply get down on its knees for the summer juggernaut that is The Avengers because the unwritten rule is: the larger the media conglomerate, the higher the probability for it to acquiesce to anything resembling positive reception so as to maximize profit by conforming to the mainstream.  The remarkable thing about this entire confrontation is that in this day and age, with the technology Americans have at our disposal, an actual dialogue can result once something is written, recorded or filmed and then distributed by the media machine.  Social media generates intrigue because it is an active way to digest information by giving the consumer an opportunity to respond.

Let’s take a look at some of the cold, hard facts in regards to The Avengers and in Hollywood land, the only facts that matter are dollars.  With an initial budget of $220 million dollars, this film is the kind of production that is looking to print its own money, but if it misses, jobs will be lost, careers will be tarnished and stock prices could take a dip.  The Avengers proceeded to set the all time record in money made in its (domestic) debut weekend to the tune of just over $207 million dollars, effectively making back its budget in less than a week.  Globally, the film has already made over $1 billion dollars and it’s only been out for 3 weeks in this country.  Even at this early point, one can say in full confidence that this film is an absolute commercial success.  Some are even making claims that it could challenge the all time cinematic money king: Avatar, but it appears even these super heroes are not immune to the law of 50% diminishing returns at the box office.  Weekend #2 yielded a gross of $103 million while weekend #3 generated $55 million.  Sure, this film is still raking in the cash and is still number one at the box office, but its rate of intake is sputtering worse than a Dodge Neon, and it’s a long road to the $3 billion dollar mark.  Still, it doesn’t take an MBA to interpret these kind of numbers as a globally positive reception for this product, and it doesn’t require the reanimation of Nostradamus to predict that the Disney/Marvel alliance will continue to expand its roster of superhero films knowing full well that regardless of their individual performances, the true pay day exists years later when even more characters are drawn into the super film Avengers 2 or whatever they wind up calling it.  This film will continue to be profitable for as long as theatres decide to keep screening it.  If they are smart, they’ll have at least 1 screen reserved for it for the whole summer.

So what does this all mean for the future of cinematic entertainment?  Well, the immediate future sees a record setting run for The Avengers which proves that people sincerely enjoy this type of entertainment regardless of their familiarity with the source material.  It also means that the only other film that has a realistic shot at challenging this phenomenon, The Dark Knight Rises, has a very difficult task ahead of it with no Heath Ledger incident to artificially boost its exposure.  There are a number of reasons why TDKR WILL NOT match, let alone exceed, The Avengers at the box office, and some involve Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Joseph-Gordon Levitt as NOT Robin, NOT Nightwing or NOT Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael.  However, the big reasons why we should crown The Avengers as the box office king of 2012 right now are far more obvious.  TDKR gets released awfully late in the summer season on July 20th, it cuts right in the middle of The Amazing Spider-Man’s run (released on July 4th’s weekend) and last, but not least, involves the end of the trilogy, franchise and gathering of all the fine actors attached to Chris Nolan’s reinvention of DC’s most valued asset.  We’ve seen so many Easter Eggs at the end of these types of films that suggest the possibility of more around the corner that we’ve taken them for granted.  How can Chris Nolan possibly satisfy the audience when we know that no matter what happens onscreen, the story is done?  Whether additional sequels are green-lit for these kinds of productions is not important.  It is the hope (false or otherwise) of the possibility for a further evolution of the story that adds that extra level of interest to it.  Of course, this only works if the movie was actually good and has little to no affect for the ones that we’d like to forget.  Did anyone really care that it looked like “Africa wouldn’t allow” Alan Quartermain to remain deceased at the end of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)?  

The long term future of Hollywood entertainment is somewhat alarming in that certain industry trends will have an impact on the quality of its product without reducing the cost to the audience.  The telling of stories involves the construction and application of ideas, and the only way to get those thoughts out of people’s minds is through good writing.  You’ve all seen a significant downturn in the quality of this element in Hollywood films, so should it be to no one’s surprise that Hollywood has all but deferred to the comic book industry to be the engine for nearly 100% of its action/adventure/sci-fi films?  It was smart and mutually beneficial for Buena Vista to acquire Marvel, but how smart is it to simply own the rights to an established success without being thorough in the proper adaptation of said license? 

Geoff Johns rose to the top of DC’s food chain by reinvigorating the Green Lantern comic books with fresh and edgy writing.  He all but single-handedly made that character second to Batman in terms of popularity.  He also was a co-producer for the Green Lantern film adaptation and so he shares a direct responsibility for that extremely poor production.  How on Earth could such a successful alpha male in the comic book industry allow his “adoptive baby” to be kidnapped like that?  At last year’s New York City Comicon, I was waiting in line to meet Amanda Conner and a few of her associates were discussing comic adaptations in general and her husband’s experience with the atrociously made Jonah Hex adaptation in particular.  To which Amanda Conner stated, “You don’t handle Hollywood.  Hollywood handles you,” which sums up the problem quite perfectly.  Studios only care about the name of whatever license they’ve purchased.  They don’t care about story, character and the boundaries established by both as evidenced by the fact that Hollywood productions rarely involve comic book creators during actual productions beyond the role of “consultants” which really shouldn’t apply because they are being ignored.  If Hollywood is too lazy to produce the next Die Hard, Terminator, or Alien (all of which originated from Hollywood during the 80s and early 90s) then they should subcontract entire productions to the comic book industry all together because clearly, Hollywood directors, writers and producers haven’t a clue despite thinking they have some unquestionable authority over anything that requires pointing a camera at.  This industry trend is only going to get worse because Hollywood doesn’t care about “doing it right.”  Even deplorable films like Green Lantern, Jonah Hex and LXG make enough profits in rental, retail and global ticket sales for the concept of “quality” to be completely null and void. 

The other troubling trend I see in Hollywood is how globalization has seeped into its bloodstream like malaria and is causing the outsourcing of the last great American industry.  Twenty or so years ago American studios couldn’t care less about global ticket sales at the box office because a film’s performance in the domestic market was the benchmark for all the deals that get made on the studio’s behalf in terms of distribution and licensing.  Today, the international market is more important, and we have the economic rise of China to thank for that.  Business is a numbers game, and like any other business, Hollywood seeks to constantly increase profits.  There are more non-Americans than there are Americans in the world so why should Hollywood seek to limit its audience?  It is an economic model that is eerily similar to Nintendo’s marketing and production of the Wii (a game system that clearly caters to non-gamers as opposed to gamers).  We see shades of Hollywood’s preference for the international market in the fact that Europe got to see The Avengers on April 26th of this year (more than a week before the US).  We see hints of Hollywood’s desire to exploit the international market in the fact that Disney is making Iron Man 3 as a 50% co-production with DMG Entertainment, a Chinese production company.   It remains to be seen how the shifting focus to the international market will affect the quality of Hollywood films here at home, but if we take every other American business that has done so to maximize profits, the future doesn’t seem pleasant.  For example, it practically took the entire American economy to melt down before our auto industry started making cars that we actually wanted to buy.  Iron Man 3 is going to be the next significant step in this process and will greatly determine the extent to which China influences Hollywood for the foreseeable future. (Editor’s Note: China recently purchased AMC Theaters – American Made Matt).

The Avengers is a movie that is an experiment in super-filmmaking that has its sights set on profits much larger than even the most gullible American markets can provide.  It’s the kind of fanboy adaptation that has me excited to see more characters and larger crossovers, but it also makes me wonder that in the interest of maximum economic efficiency if I will ever see an adaptation of Superman through the eyes of an entirely Chinese production company.  How far removed is Iron Man from Superman to non-comic book industry professionals and fans?  Something about that last thought seems all too wrong, not because Superman himself is considered an American (he’s not, he’s Kryptonian), but the idea of Superman, truth, justice, so on and so forth IS American and the possibility of selling that idea out to China, on top of everything else, is stomach turning.  I constantly lobby for higher quality in the production of Hollywood films in my reviews, but never once did it occur to me with the ever decreasing sales in the domestic market that Hollywood could give America the finger and relocate overseas, until this moment.  Sure, a lot of doomsday scenarios would have to play out in the business world for that to happen, but the paranoid conspiracy theorist in me gravitates to the extreme negative.  The future seems bright for Hollywood, but its potential to “flame on” is equaled by its potential to flameout here in the US of A, leaving the rest of us out in the cold.

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Movie News Reviews

Movie Review: The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Everything You Think This Movie Is; It Isn’t and Thank God For That!

A Film Review of The Cabin in the Woods

By: Lawrence Napoli

 

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Where the hell has Joss Whedon been since his glory days of Buffy and Firefly?  Whatever he’s been doing, he’s also been soaking in a hot tub of liquefied creativity.  If the audience can take The Cabin in the Woods as ANY indicator as to the quality of The Avengers, rest assured that the inevitable excitement and satisfaction will cause some in the audience to spontaneously combust on May 4th.  Until then, I cannot help but unequivocally demand anyone reading this right now to see this film at your earliest convenience.  Everything you know about horror, sci-fi and fantasy gets flipped on its head and delivered in a manner you never saw coming.  Remember what the boys did to that printer in Office Space (1999)?  Joss Whedon did that to “the formula” of Hollywood filmmakin,g and when he was done eviscerating it — he gave it the finger as he jumped on his magical stead made of lightning-fire and flew off to conquer the next galaxy adjacent to The Milky Way.  Ok, so I over exaggerated a tad on that last comment, but my desire for originality, creativity and quality from Hollywood has left me drowning in the limitless depths of its abysmal mediocrity that only the few gems produced by Christopher Nolan have been able to hold me over with life inspiring essence.  All right, I over exaggerated on that one too, but the point is that everyone will see the trailers for The Cabin in the Woods and expect the same old slasher drivel.  After seeing this film, many may try to classify it, but it certainly is NOT the same old anything. 

Let’s get the least spectacular part of the review out of the way by discussing the performances.  Did anyone else know that Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth was leading this cast of unknowns into the seldom tread waters of Hollywood innovation?  I sure didn’t, and when I saw his name flash up on the marquee, I knew something way different was about to transpire.  Hemsworth doesn’t come close to reinventing the wheel with his acting, but that’s a very conscious thought process at work because this film is constantly setting the audience up.  Hemsworth, along with costars Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison, Jesse Williams and Fran Kranz are all playing very specific teen stereotypes in order to lure the audience down the path of common expectations.  Every performance from each protagonist stays within said expectations all the way to the end of the film even when circumstances would justify a stark departure.  The same can be said of the rest of the supporting cast consisting of Richard Jenkins (The Rum Diary), Bradley Whitford (The West Wing), Brian White (Stomp the Yard) and Amy Acker (various Whedon TV shows); none of whom seem to belong in some run of the mill horror film.   Everyone plays their part in a leveled fashion one would expect from the environments each character populates.  It is the fact that these different worlds coalesce into the same which makes every performance satisfactory because in a fictional world where the rule book was left in Charlie Sheen’s respectable attire closet, any actor would be compelled to break character and do whatever the heck they wanted.

Selling this world to an audience requires the kind of effects and imagery that work hard to maintain authenticity while pushing the audience’s limits for absurdity.  As such, the use of extensive CG visuals is rationed quite well until the last third of the film’s duration in order to deflect as much attention from the reality bending aspects of the story as possible.  As much as I loved the look and feel of the “force field” effect, I questioned if it was necessary for the audience to see this as early as we did presuming that keeping plot elements as cryptic as possible was, in fact, the order of the day.  Thankfully, this served a specific purpose near the film’s end, and not simply because there was an unforeseen surplus in the budget that needed to be spent.  The core of this film’s effects remain anchored to the realm of practical horror tricks which means plenty of masks to be gored, prosthetics to be punctured and fake blood to be spread.  What causes practical effects to come off as “too fake” for the audience is if the script and tone of the film calls for violence that is over the top.  That means no geyser bursting slashed veins or arteries.  The audience will be spared the disgusting shock value of Hostel which is, again, all about making the audience buy into this film being another Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street.  Much effort was made into making this duck look, sound and feel like a duck.

But what’s going to blow your mind is that it isn’t even a duck.  It’s not even an animal, mineral or vegetable.  What you see is and isn’t what you get in so many ways that will not become clear until that one moment during this film where the curtain is lifted on the reality of this fictional world.  It had me dropping my jaw, laughing out loud, forming a question mark above my head and simply being awe-stricken by the randomness that was unleashed at said point which continued to stampede until the final credits rolled.  To co-writers Joss Whedon and (director) Drew Goddard: I salute you both for proving that everything hasn’t been thought of in Hollywood land, and showing that more effort made in writing distinguishes the trailblazers from the canon-fodder.  This isn’t the kind of story that will only require attentiveness to register, but it will also require a small leap of faith to allow it to make sense.  I have praised this film for its ability to setup the audience for an eventual brain explosion, but that doesn’t extend to the plot’s details into explaining why every character is where they are, does what they do and behaves the way they behave.  Therein lies said faith leaping.  Being more forthcoming in the script (even with well written dialogue discovery as opposed to blatant exposition scenes) would ruin the twist and lessen the impact of the climax.  As with “big reveal” films, the surprise makes everything that was seen and heard appreciated at a completely different level, thus protecting that surprise until the opportune moment is paramount.  I felt that the culmination of this story was inspired (in some way) by James Cameron’s Avatar (2009) because Whedon truly begs, borrows and steals from so many aspects of horror, sci-fi and fantasy.  It is because no one thought of the common links among these worlds in the manner as presented in The Cabin in the Woods which demands respect from the viewer.  There is no question that the audience will find familiarity with this story, but only to a point.  At that point, the concept of perspective allows the action onscreen to evoke thought and adrenaline to surge surprise and satisfaction in the viewer.

The best part about this film is that hidden away beneath the effects, the circumstances, the twists and the turns lays a very unique social commentary in regards to humanity’s conceptualization of good versus evil.  It is an idea that leads an individual to question humanity’s existence in the first place.  Are we here because it’s good or are we here to placate evil?  People of faith, those without it and those simply convinced of life never extending beyond that which can be seen, felt and heard all have unique perspectives on this issue.  The Cabin in the Woods takes a very risky (and grim) interpretation of existence by presenting a what-if scenario that would cause even the most level-headed bloke to say “WTF?!?”  Seeing this movie did not inspire me devote myself to anarchy and go on a killing spree, but it did make me think about the decisions that make me who I am, and if that sense of self would maintain amidst the warmth of serenity, the horror of evil or the desolation of the void. 

The number one reason why the next film you see should is The Cabin in the Woods is because it is oh so very different and “different” in movies can evoke emotions on par with “great filmmaking.”  I am not expecting $3 billion dollars in global ticket sales or multiple Academy Award nominations because it simply is not that kind of film.  But it sure as heck will make a splash!  This movie’s rebellious nature makes it stand out, and the fact that it was released prior to the summer blockbuster rush – and not during the horror season of October/November – is extremely appropriate because it is so much more than a horror or a thriller.  I haven’t seen anything quite like this before, and it made me feel refreshed as I walked out of the movie theatre.  There is a whole new world of fiction out there, waiting to be discovered.  All we need is for those who control the means of production to have greater confidence in taking the kind of risks to deliver that which is truly new and not regurgitated mish mash.

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Movie News

Super Hero Squad Online: Update For April 11th, 2012

Squaddies Assemble!

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1373:]]Today, in conjunction of the red carpet premiere of The Avengers, Super Hero Squad Online has updated itself to reflect all the movie goodness!

First up is a new loading screen that features the “movie” versions of Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk and Captain America facing off against Loki!

Not only that, Loki has taken over Asgard and his diabolical hands have corrupted the entire realm! Denizens are frozen in the streets, all the Thor and Valkyrie statues have transformed into versions of Loki and Nick Fury himself, tells you that the Avengers and the S.H.S. will need to team up in order to take Loki down! You can then access a Loki mission that will test your mental and physical prowess, and if you defeat Loki at his own game — you win The Cosmic Cube! Awesome!

Plus, today introduces the last classic Avenger from the previous load screen — Ant Man! He will cost you 600 gold but with all his Pym particle goodness, it’s well worth it! And he’s not the only character you can pick up for sale today in the shop. Now, only 300 gold each, you can acquire the X-Men’s own star-crossed lovers — Gambit and Rogue! The Rajun‘ Cajun and the Southern Belle can really give your squad a merry mutant boost just in time to fend off all those Avengers! I really love these dual half price sales and it looks like they will continue to churn them out as long as we pick them up!

Well, enough talk! Get out there and save the world from that dastardly Loki before the movie hits on May 4th! I’ve got my ticket, did you get yours?

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Movie News

Advanced Review: The New Avengers #24 (AvX)

After last month’s riveting tale of a last ditch effort to thwart the evil of Norman Osborn, fans were more than ready for another astounding tale of heroism from Bendis and crew. With a tagline boasting issue twenty-four as an A vs. X tie-in, and a cover revealing Wolverine stuck in the middle of Cap and Cyclops — fans were salivating more than a pack of Pavlov’s dogs!

But, as they say, never judge a book by its cover!

This issue begins with a thunderous blast, mere seconds after the events of A vs. X #1, but by page three we are subjected to Bendis‘ patented “talking heads” scenario! He invites us to peruse the events a day prior to the “eye beam blast heard around the world.,” and the cheesy soap opera music begins pumping into your head as you read about Jessica Jones and Luke Cage’s marital problems concerning the baby. I love character pieces that build a foundation for a book; they are needed to keep fans interested and vested in characters throughout the years. Bendis is a great writer, and truly knows the motivations of the characters he breathes life into, but this book is not the time nor the place for one of these character pieces. This issue is the first to carry the A vs. X tagline for a continuing series — but we see none of it! Literally, by the last page you are still at the same spot that the story began! Besides marital tension — NOTHING HAPPENS!

Plus, I know Bendis hasn’t written many X characters before, but his take on Storm is ridiculous! You have one of the most affluent, powerful and strong willed characters that has lead the X-Men through many hardships, and at the mere mention of the Phoenix Force she utters, “Goddess” and flies away? She is the Queen of Wakanda, and she doesn’t even try to talk about the ramifications of a battle between the X-Men and Avengers? Are you kidding me?

If you are looking for and A vs. X tie-in that will give you something more than a Lifetime movie — you won’t find it here! If you are looking for an Avengers tale that will get your testosterone flowing — pick up Avengers Assemble #2 instead! If you are just getting this to jump on The Avengers bandwagon, save your four bucks and upgrade to IMAX tickets — I wish I had!

“New Avengers” #24 provided by friend of Cosmic Book News.

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Movie News

Review: The New Avengers #23

Bendis‘ “The New Dark Avengers” storyline wraps up here in all its brutal glory! Just when you thought it was safe to assume who the bad guys are – SMASH – Skaar strikes a thunderous blow for the cause of right! The excitement seems to escalate from page one, spreading like wildfire through the entire book!

Say what you will about Mr. Bendis, Marvel’s genius scapegoat sure knows how to amp up the thrill level in any book! Though I do wish the current storyline would have been more of slow burn than a blitzkreig – we just got Norman Osborn back in action people – I am more than happy with its blockbuster conclusion! Bendis gets to placate to every fan by giving each New Avenger a solo battle to showcase their skills. Well, almost a solo battle; my favorite horn head, Daredevil, gets into a couple tag team scuffles! But who am I to complain, at least he gets to grace the cover!

This was all action all the time, and I couldn’t imagine a better ending to the storyline. Though there is a thread of intrigue at the end, this was a pure unadulterated thrill ride of a book. A.I.M. agents getting thrown around, criminals in tights getting trounced, and a secret reveal that we all saw coming, but still cheered all the same! Adrenaline junkies take note — Bendis is the man you seek for action!

As good as the action was, it is the voice that Bendis brings to these characters that I will miss the most when he leaves. Spidey’s wit, the team joking about the Thing’s catchphrase and even the banter of the Dark Avengers, it all makes the characters seem more alive whenever Bendis puts pen to paper. Anyone can write action, but not all can write so we actually care about the characters. Fortunately, for now, we have someone who truly cares about these characters.

So, stop reading this and get the book before it’s gone like a Norman Osborn agenda! 

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Movie News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for March 28th, 2012

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

(A weekly quick pick of the five titles that should reside at the top your pull list. In no particular order!)

 

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, make sure to add these books to your list of goodies. Forget that apple a day nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription for good health begins with these top five titles of the week!

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:1110:]]1.  The New Avengers #23:  Bendis may be going off of the Avengers books he has steered for so many years, but this is the way it should be done! Intrigue, crazy villains and above all else — fighting! Only two words are needed to get you hyped about this book — Skaar Smash!

2.  American Vampire #25:  Scott Snyder’s blast from the past storyline continues here with Travis and Skinner going head to head to the death! Travis might be ready for Skinner but not for the revelation that awaits him. Good thing he’s “cool” enough to get over it! 

3.  Teen Titans #7:  Lobdell and Booth have created the teencentric book on the stands every month. Cool battles, cooler costumes, excitement abounds every page and the villains are just plain crazy! This is the embodiment of excitement!

4.  The New Deadwardians #1:  Okay, vampires and zombies have been way over used in the past decade. But Dan Abnett brings a dimension to the horror genre that is rarely seen — Victorian crime mystery! Great read for that little something different in your diet!

5.  The Mighty Thor #12:  THE RETURN OF THOR! Norse gods against an army of trolls with Thor and Ulik slamming each other sonless! You want action? You got it! Plus, a long awaited reunion of two lost warriors.

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Movie News

Review: Avengers Assemble #1

(Reader Warning: You MUST read Avengers #24 BEFORE you read this book! Unless, you haven’t been reading the Avengers books before this one!) 

 

The Marvel machine has began rolling yet again, and with The Avengers movie looming in the distance, did anyone believe they were not going to try to milk it for all its worth? We will be continually berated with Avengers-centric books for the next few months, and this book is just the tip of the iceberg! Since Bendis will be leaving his other two Avengers books after A vs. X, I guess Marvel couldn’t trust anyone else with their most precious baby, and gave him an all new series to forge into the future. But was it really worth creating a whole new series just to revolve around the characters in The Avengers movie? That’s debatable.

Was the story good? Sure. It was a very, “We love the Avengers and everything they do!” story. The publicly ostracized team from The Avengers and New Avengers no longer exists. They are media darlings yet again, the public loves them and the camaraderie between team members is at its highest. The team ups are fun and witty with an overwhelming feeling of classic Avengers stories, and you can’t help but feel the excitement come right off the page! The battle scenes are explosive and Bagley’s art is at the pinnacle of his talent! And together, Bendis and Bagley, have actually made the Zodiac come off as total bad asses! That is no small feet, my friends!

But does the great art and fun story really warrant a whole new series? No! Especially since this story has nothing to do with the current stories that are going on in any of the Avengers books or their off-shoots! “Dead” Thor is back in all his glory, the public outrage against the team has been squashed and everything seems to be as right as rain. This book should have come out in two weeks! At least that way the solo books and the other Avengers titles could have wrapped up their current storylines and this one would have made more sense. But we all know “time is money,” and Disney needs to see a little more green on the table from their acquisition!

All in all, this book is fun! And if you have never read an Avengers story before but wanted to check them out — this is the perfect book to do so! You will get all the excitement you have been waiting for wrapped up in a nice little package! But if you have been a long time Avengers fan, shelling out another four bucks to see a story that is a complete deviation from the current storylines — it might not be worth it. I, personally, thought it was a nice change of pace from the darker stories currently going on, but the break from continuity was quite irksome! Especially since I read this issue before Avengers #24! But let’s face it folks, this is just another money grab by Marvel and it doesn’t really matter what us fans think! They will give us what we want as long as they tell us what we want! Nuff‘ said!

For another take, read M.E. Byron Brewer’s review of “Avengers Assemble” #1!

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Movie News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for March 14th, 2012

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

 

( A weekly quick pick of the five titles that should reside at the top of your pull list. In no particular order!)

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, be sure to add these five titles to your list of goodies. Forget that apple a day nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription for good health starts with these top five books of the week!

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:869:]]1. Saga #1:  Brian K. Vaughan makes a triumphant return to comics with a book that is epic in scope and execution! Think Star Wars meets Romeo and Juliet within the world of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman! Told you it was epic!

2. Suicide Squad #7:  We get to see Harley Quinn’s full “New 52” origin in this one and it ain’t pretty, kids! Adam Glass pulls no punches and that’s perfectly fine by me!

3. Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #3 (of 5):  Our pulp hero has to confront the diabolical Black Flame! But Lobster may have been overconfident in his abilities as he watches an ally fall! Great book! 

4. Avengers #24:  This might have been a little too fast paced but it is still pretty damn good! Bendis finally reveals just how good ol’ Norman Osborn can take on the Avengers all on his own! Can anyone say, “Corn roll Hulk”?

5. Wolverine and the X-Men #7: Jason Aaron is insane! This book has a little bit of everything that no one would have ever put together! Plus, a new student will have to become something they have fought so hard to never become — a killer!

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Movie News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile for February 15, 2012

The DOC’s Top of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

(A weekly “quick pick” of the five titles that should reside at the top of your pull list. In no particular order!)

 

I do the research, you reap the reward! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, be sure to add these five books to your list of goodies. Forget that apple a day nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription for good health starts with these top five titles of the week!

 

fables #1141. Batman #6:  Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are creating DC’s best book today! The Court of Owls has broken Bruce Wayne like they did to his ancestors before. Can he emerge from the horror unscathed or will he be changed forever? Check out my review for more details!

2. Green Lantern Corps #6:  It’s the Keepers against Guy Gardner’s band of warriors. All hell breaks loose, but did Guy bring enough bullets to save his fellow Lanterns? Find out more in my full review!

3. The New Avengers #21:  Norman Osborn has been two steps ahead of the Avengers the whole time. But when his new Dark Avengers unleash Ragnarok on them, will there be anyone left to outwit? Bendis gives us one awesome battle book way before A vs. X!

4. B.P.R.D.: Hell On Earth – The Long Death #1:  The end is coming and wheels that have been set in motion years ago, begin to spin out of control! Mignola promises that, “we are breaking things that cannot be fixed!” Jump aboard now before it all goes to hell!

5. Fables #114:  As the cubs find out their foretold roles for the future, on of them maybe inviting in something demonic. Check out one of the most underrated books out there! You will never look at your childhood fairytales the same again!

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Movie News

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Comic Book Pile For January 25th, 2012

The “DOC’s” Top Of The Pile

By: Chris “DOC” Bushley

(A weekly quick pick of the five books that should reside at the top of your pull list! In no particular order!)

 

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:507:]]

I do the research, you reap the rewards! Before you head out to your favorite shop today, make sure you add these titles to your list of goodies. Forget the apple a day nonsense, this “DOC’s” prescription to good health starts with these top five books! 

1.  Justice League #5 : Johns and Lee are on fire with this book, creating some awesome moments and hokey catch phrases to boot! One word sells this book — Darkseid!!! For more, read my review.

2.  Secret Avengers #21.1 : Uncanny X-Force scribe and CBN favorite, Rick Remender, breaks his way into the Bendis Fort Knox world of the Avengers! It’s a Hawkeye run team but all we care about is Venom!

3.  Teen Titans #5 : Scott Lobdell pits his teenage team against Superboy with disastrous results. His re-imaginings of these characters are outstanding and so is Brett Booth’s pencils! Now check out my review!

4.  American Vampire #23 : DC’s golden child, Scott Snyder, has made vampires cool again! But they’re not as cool as the kid hunting them down! Take a trip back to the fifties and hold on as the book careens out of control! Here’s my review for that.

5.  The Walking Dead #93 : “Jesus” has come to save Rick and his crew, but do they really want saving from the guy who just kicked their ass? Kirkman’s next big arc starts here and Rick is more pissed than ever!

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Movie News

Review: Avengers X-Sanction #2

Falcon has been taken down from above and Captain America has been beaten into submission. Next on Cable’s hit list? Iron Man!

Issue one ended with Cap and Cable fighting each other, with Cap losing at gunpoint. The final panel has a resounding “BLAM!” across it and you are left pondering the fate of America’s star spangled hero. Issue two tells us that Cap has been stun gunned and harnessed into a chair that can scramble his neurological system. Cable doesn’t want him dead –yet! Then he decides to take on Iron Man, and every other Avenger, until they can tell him why the alternate future he just left didn’t have Hope there to save it. Oh yeah, Cable is also dying from his techno virus and only has twenty-four hours to accomplish his task!

I have to say, this one is just not working for me!

I’m sorry, but there is nothing in the first two issues, of this four issue mini, that has made me want to see where the story is going. It has no heart or emotion, save the continual moaning from Cable that he needs to save his “daughter.” There is nothing that grips the reader and makes you care about any of it. The fight scenes, though rendered well by McGuiness, are quick and bland — it is only four issues mind you. And the battle set-ups are continually the same. Cap sees Red Wing flying toward a freighter with no Falcon in sight, lets follow him and get captured. Iron Man sees Red Wing flying toward a freighter with no Falcon around, lets follow him and get captured. At this point, one has to wonder if Cable is paying Red Wing off with small rodents in order to betray his human cohorts! The story is just not there, and to have Cable come back from the “dead” after such a great send off in X-Men for this — it tarnishes the great ending of Second Coming.

I know this mini-series is just a set up for Avengers vs. X-Men, but I really expected more from the amazing talent of Jeph Loeb. Only the absolute collecting purists need to buy this book. Otherwise, spend your four dollars on lunch while you read something better!

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Comic Book News Marvel

Advanced Review: Avengers: X-Sanction #1

The crossover event of the year is finally upon us! The solicits have been out, the press has been geared up for months, even the NYCC was all a buzz about the ramifications Avengers: X-Sanction will bring to the future of the Marvel Universe. Loeb and McGuiness have brought Cable back from Marvel's ever expanding

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Comic Book News Marvel

Review: The New Avengers #18

Bendis is up to his old tricks again, dipping into the well of past ideas and spinning them in a new way. But this time, it was done precisely, with a keen eye for detail and made perfect sense! I am overjoyed at the return of The Dark Avengers, and felt pure excitement by the

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Comic Book News Marvel

Review: Fear Itself #4 (of 7)

*Warning: Spoilers*   The first hero has fallen; Bucky Barnes gave his all to strike a blow at the heart of fear, only to be struck down himself. Now they must rise together, Marvel’s holy trinity – Iron Man, Thor and Steve Rogers. They have not stood united like this before, never with so many

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Comic Book News

Review: Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #6 (of 9)

It has taken, quite literally, FOREVER for this issue to come out! A normal book would not be able to survive the fickle market and a readership that demands constant monthly gratification. But this is no normal book, and the talent that drives it – the best of the best! Plus, this issue will be

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Comic Book News Marvel

Review: Avengers #14

(Note: I know I’m not your regularly scheduled “Avengers” reviewer but Managing Editor Byron Brewer, is getting his own version of The Odin Sleep right now. When the Fates see fit, he will emerge once more to reclaim his rightful domain. Until then, hang in there big guy, we’re all rooting for you!)   Let

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Comic Book News

Review: Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #5 (of 9)

It has been a long wait for the latest installment of what, I think, is the best Avengers title out there. But as the old cliche' goes — it was well worth it! The quest to find the Scarlet Witch is over — but is it really? Wanda Maximoff, whom is betrothed to a certain

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Comic Book News Marvel

Guardians of the Galaxy #19 Review

[[wysiwyg_imageupload:2946:]]

Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning

Artist: Wesley Craig

Colorist: Nathan Fairbairn

Cover Artist: Alex Garner

Warning: Contains Spoilers

 

One of the many strengths of Guardians of the Galaxy is that it is never predictable. The cynical point of view as expressed by a reviewer at another website is that Marvel allows DnA to take chances with GotG characters because nobody is going to buy action figures or other merchandise in their likenesses. In other words, the cynical point of view is that Marvel doesn’t really care about this book or these characters. I disagree. I think Marvel knows they have a hot property here and they are encouraging DnA to push the boundaries. Issue #19 certainly takes big chances with the characters and with the future of the series. It remains to be seen if the big chances will result in a big payoff or a big bust. That’s just the nature of gambling.

I must say that when I first read #19 I had a lot of mixed feelings about the direction of the story line. I read it a second time; then a third time just before I sat down to write this review. The third reading was the charm in the sense that by then I could move beyond the purely visceral emotional reaction of anger at seeing so many of my favorite characters from one of my favorite books so brutally and needlessly slaughtered – and focus on the actual story being told. The story DnA have woven involves the (seeming) resolution of several plot threads stretching as far back as Conquest; and incorporates the classic heroic themes of courage and self-sacrifice in the face of apparently insurmountable odds. Through the use of the time paradox plot device, they also ask the questions: If you could go back in time to a specific pivotal moment in your life and change things – would you? Would it even make a real difference and would the unintended consequences be acceptable? Would it be worth it – especially if it involved sacrificing the lives of your friends? Would you sacrifice your friends and yourself to save the universe? DnA then explore the often crushing responsibilities of leadership via Starlord’s terrible and fateful dilemma at the end of the story. Would you have wanted to be the trigger man in that situation? That wasn’t really Magus he shot. That was Warlock. It’s kind of like the old question: “If you could go back in time and shoot Hitler when he was a child, would you do it?”

So, the good news is that the chances taken with the characters “worked” on a purely dramatic level. That’s the upside of the gamble. Now, what about the downside?

Well, on the downside, a whole bunch of fan favorite characters are (apparently) dead – and this in a book with sales numbers such that it can’t afford to be losing readers (many of whom are angry about the deaths and threatening to drop the book). Now, if you read the blogs you’re already seeing predictions about how long these characters will stay dead because after all, we’ve all seen Warlock and Gamora (doesn’t she have a healing factor anyway?) killed before – only to be resurrected – though I would point out that it was often years later before they were brought back to life.

Others have pointed out that it’s unlikely that, as death’s avatar, Phyla will stay dead. Likewise we’ve seen Mantis brought back to life as recently as the Conquest mini-series. We’ve also seen Captain Victory’s demise from containment suit breach before – only to have him come back to life.

I think the most jarring death for me and for most of the fans was that of Cosmo. I know I certainly had a dismayed WTF moment when that happened akin to what I might have experienced, if while watching classic TV, I witnessed Timmy suddenly whip out a gun and shoot Lassie in the head. From reading the blogs, I don’t think I was alone in that reaction. I mean – people really like dogs – especially Labradors – and especially anthropomorphized dogs (as just about every dog owner anthropomorphizes their beloved pet). Also, lots of people (mistakenly IMO) believe the true strength of Guardians of the Galaxy rests on the anthropomorphic characters of Rocket, Groot, and Cosmo – and those folks are really pissed right about now at having lost one of the triumvirate of anthropomorphics. I’ve seen some bloggers and dog lovers threatening to drop the book because of Cosmo’s death.

Giving everything above due consideration, I have to wonder if making a dramatic point by killing half the cast was really worth it if a substantial number of paying customers were alienated or offended to the point that they drop the book. Couldn’t everyone have just been knocked out or wounded? For that matter, why didn’t Starlord just use the cosmic cube to resurrect everyone and erase the Magus from Warlock’s reality? If the issue is paring down a cast of characters that has become too large and unwieldy, couldn’t some members have just been rotated off for awhile like they do in the ever changing roster of any of the Avengers titles? If someone absolutely had to die to give the story gravitas; couldn’t DnA have just killed Warlock? After all, there’s (apparently) another Warlock waiting in a cocoon; so the Warlock fans wouldn’t have been too upset.

Speaking of gravitas, let’s talk about Craig’s much debated art. From the blogosphere, it appears to me that about half of the fans like Craig’s art and about half of the fans don’t like Craig’s art for Guardians of the Galaxy. In contrast, the Guardians of the Galaxy oriented renderings of Walker, Pelltier, and Alves are consistently liked by the majority of the fans. The issue is not about Craig’s talent as an artist. He clearly is a talented artist. The issue is whether or not his cartoonish style serves the story well or detracts from the story. The general consensus for at least half the fans seems to be that Craig’s art detracts from the gravity of the subject matter. I ask the question: Can this book afford to be displeasing half the fans with art that they don’t like? I think the answer is no. Personally, I prefer the more photo-realistic take of some of the other artists listed above for books that are addressing more mature subject matter. If I’m paying $2.99 or more for a comic book that I’m done reading in five minutes; I expect to open the book and see beautiful people depicted. If I want to see ugly cartoonish people, I don’t have to pay. I can drive 5 blocks down the street to the Super-Wal-Mart, walk through the store, and see as many ugly cartoonish people as I like free of cost.

Turning to some art I did like, Garner’s cover art for #19 was very well done. I think it is among the best of the series thus far.

Back to the writing for a moment, did anyone else feel like the story got too rushed toward the end? I would have liked to have seen the destruction of the Universal Church of Truth rather than just read about it. Also, where are the bodies of the lost comrades and where are their weapons (Gamora’s Sword, Phyla’s Sword, Major Victory’s shield)? Left behind? For that matter, where is the cosmic cube? Too much was crammed into those last panels and I didn’t like the seeming finality of the end of the storyline. It felt like I was reading the last issue of a series rather than the most recent issue of an ongoing. I fear that this approach has given some of the wavering fans a convenient jumping off point.

In the final analysis, Guardians of the Galaxy #19 had its good points and its questionable points. #19’s storyline is a huge gamble on the part of DnA; and the stakes are the book’s survivability in an increasingly competitive market. Of course it remains to be seen if the gamble paid off in terms of improving sales and garnering new readership; or if it drove established readers away. I’m hoping the gamble paid off because I want to see Guardians of the Galaxy have a long, bright future. I’m staying onboard for the duration of this book and I urge all the other fans to be patient and let DnA work more of their magic.

Innovative, exhilarating, unpredictable, and just downright fun; Guardians of the Galaxy gives us a rollercoaster ride through the cosmos each month. I can’t wait to see what happens in issue #20.

Article by: Bill Meneese

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