I just got back from Medieval Times with the Mrs. and it was awesome! Nothing better than watching a bunch of actors pretend to be knights and fight. If you've never been there it's like 15 minutes from Staten Island and worth the entrance fee.
Now, is everyone happy that the snow is finally gone? I know I am, just in time for the CHOKER TOUR KICKOFF signing on Wednesday. Ben McCool and Ben Templesmith were both really cool guys and I'm really happy I got to meet Templesmith and see McCool again. I got a sweet sketch from Templesmith and my brother and I may have inadvertently given McCool an idea for something in an issue of Choker!
I'm reviewing it this week! FINALLY!
Did you make it down for the Alterna Comics Fourth Anniversary? I did. I got to meet a bunch of the guys I'd never met before and I got a copy of Stephen Lindsay's new book "Massive Awesome", which I'm also reviewing this week.
Speaking of reviewing, this week was HUGE!!! so many books, so little time, hence why this is late. Rest assure it won't happen again.
Marvel dropped some serious "SIEGE" heat along with "FALL OF THE HULKS" and "NECROSHA", while DC blew up the universe with some major "BLACKEST NIGHT" action.
GO!
First up "BLACKEST NIGHT"!
BLACKEST NIGHT #7 (OF 8)
Another reason why I held off this week was because this issue was huge and I really didn't want to spoil it for anyone. No matter what I said about this issue, I'd be giving something away that you'd rather read yourself.
Amidst all the chaos that's going down in Coast City right now between all the Black Lanterns and the heroes, a shock is revealed! Earth is actually the birthplace of life, not OA! The Guardians have been lying to everyone since day one. This sends a big shock to everyone because is everything the Guardians done and said all just been one big lie?
Another thing we learn which I saw hinted at big time in "Green Lantern" last issue was the concept of the Spectral Entities. We already knew about Ion being the entity of Will, Parallax being the entity of Fear and now it's revealed that the entity of the upcoming "White Lantern Corps" is actually called the Entity and is the embodiment of the living light bestowed upon the universe.
Sinestro doesn't take any of this well and forces his way into the living being as it's being attacked by Nekron, empowering himself as the first WHITE LANTERN!
This issue was huge and I really seen why DC is making this an eight issue. I can't wait to see how DC expects to outdo themselves after this.
5 out of 5 "I WANT SOMETHING NEW HUMAN, I WANT YOUR LIFE!"
BLACK LANTERN GREEN ARROW #30
This issue is a special issue so to speak. The reason I say this is because all the other heroes involved in this story have either been in GL, GLC or some tie in of their own such as JSA or Superman. This actually carries the story of Ollie becoming a Black Lantern over into his own title just like "Adventure Comics" did with Superboy. As we've seen in "Adventure Comics", Ollie is trapped within himself and can't stop himself from fighting and potentially killing his friends and family.
This issue really deals with the fact that Ollie and Dinah have gotten back together but at the same time she still holds the grudge of his cheating on her. Case in point, Ollie told her that he only cheated once and the Black Lantern reveals that he's been around the block more than twice. This issue also deals with the fact that Connor Hawke and Speedy have both been his protege's but at the same time he doesn't want to teach them. All this comes out and they're all lost as what to do until they finally come together and take a stand, encasing Ollie in ice and that's where the issue leaves off.
I want the last issue of "Blackest Night" to come out already so we can find out what happens to him!
4 out of 5 Adulterating Archers.
BLACKEST NIGHT: JSA # 3(OF 3)
This being the last tie-in issue dealing with "Blackest Night" and the last issue of the miniseries itself, it had had a lot of weight on it's shoulders.
Our heroes now at the Star Labs in NYC battle the re-animated Black Lantern Superman Earth-2 while Mr. Terrific struggles to create a light weapon to kill them all. In truth this series was almost unnecessary, this story could have been integrated into the core "Blackest Night" book and the outcome of it all really didn't make much of a difference aside from re-killing long dead characters brought back to harass other characters. Mr. Terrific succeeds in his creation of a light bomb but can't reproduce it because the pieces were unique and he can't recreate the process.
This was a let down but it's over so there's no real reason to get annoyed.
2 out of 5 I can't remake it.
Now to the Marvel Universe!
THUNDERBOLTS #141
SIEGE IT UP THUNDERBOLTS!
The team finds themselves again being led by a pre-recorded holographic image of Norman Osborn sending them into another fight without any intel. Quickly and to the point Osborn tells them they are going into The Norse Armory where they are to steal the Spear Of Odin. The spear can be picked up by anyone unlike Thor's hammer.
Ghost shows up and realizes that Osborn is setting the whole thing up and sends out the information to the only person that can do some good with it Amadeus Cho.
The T-Bolts make it onto Asgard and get into the Armory, where they show their true colors as thieves and criminals when they see all the gold and jewels stashed away.
After finding the spear, who shows up to ruin their day but The Mighty Avengers!
I really like what Jeff Parker is doing with this team of Thunderbolts. His creation of dissension among the ranks really makes the team that much interesting because they aren't friends and they're not in this because they wanted to be so when one of them gets out of line it makes for great conflict.
5 out of 5 "Can we get the Zeus over here?"
THOR # 607
The book everyone's been waiting for considering Asgard is/was Thor's home. This issue is actually the total opposite of what I thought it was going to be. I thought it was going to focus more on the Asgardians battling back Osborn's forces and Thor smashing a few heads but it really fills in more blanks from the core book along with adding the surprise element of the aptly named Thor clone "RAGNAROK".
The issue starts off with The Asgardians being warned of the coming of Osborn, then Loki's dissension and betrayal of his people and how he really helped make sure they were unaware of what was coming their way.
We then see two Broxton cops letting Volstagg go after helping him make a YOUTUBE video proclaiming his innocence. This just goes to show that people are starting to see Norman Osborn for what he really is and not what he says he is.
Next issue, Thor vs. his clone Ragnarok!
5 out of 5 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKLAHOMA!
AVENGERS THE INITIATIVE #33
Taskmaster takes center stage yet again and this time doesn't get the reaction he thought he would in doing so. After taking down Thor with Osborn and other, Taskmaster is put down by Osborn that he doesn't belong where he is and that he needs to get back to work. Taskmaster takes this to heart big time and goes on a virtual killing spree back on the floating isle.
Back at Camp HAMMER, the Avengers Underground attack the base and get to fight the Hood head on. Night Thrasher is given the choice of the Hood bringing back his brother the original Night Thrasher if he just kills Tigra.
The lines are really being drawn in the sand and sides are beginning to take shape in some really odd ways. What's next is my question.
5 out of 5 "Norman, you might want to turn around."
NEW AVENGERS #62
This issue is a backup story leading into the first issue of "SIEGE". I'm really unhappy with these "SIEGE" tie-ins regarding this book so far. I understand Bendis is limited for space with the story and wants to get out certain points leading into other things but this just isn't working for me. This issue picks up the battle between The Hood's gang and the New Avengers as well as Steve and Bucky fighting HAMMER troops in the ashes of the Avengers Brooklyn base.
The only real redeeming part of this story was at the end where Nick Fury shows up with the Secret Warriors and The New Avengers all jock Steve Rogers being back for real. Didn't half of them appear in "Captain America: Reborn"? Do people communicate in the Marvel Universe? Wouldn't this wind up on someone's twitter or something?
2 out of 5 get on with it already!
DARK WOLVERINE #83
The fates have use of Daken and whether he knows it or not he's going to help them. Daken is in Broxton hunting down Thor after he kicked ass and headed into the town. Throughout the issue, Daken has visions of the Fates talking to him telling them they need his help to get them back on Asgard and to get Asgard off earth so that Ragnarok can happen like it supposed to. Daken doesn't like being told what to do and refuses to help regardless of what they say can or will happen.
This is a very interesting take on a small part of the bigger story considering all of the Norse mythology there is, to finally see some of it eek it's way into the story is really cool. I'm curious as to what would happen if the Fates are denied and Ragnarok doesn't happen ever again? Is it cataclysmic in nature or does it just prevent the inevitable to happen a little later?
5 out of 5 "I'm no one's puppet!"
Over to the X-men's side of the universe to check in on what going down with "NECROSHA"
X-MEN LEGACY #233
The final battle of Proteus and Magneto, winner takes all.
Another book that I feel really didn't need to be involved in a bigger story. After saving everyone using Psylocke's psy-knife, Rogue and company watch as Magneto takes on Proteus and annihilates him. It's a great progression of Magneto's character and his restored powers but as far as "NECROSHA" is concerned it does nothing for the story. The battle between the seemingly unstoppable Proteus and Magneto was awesome and made turning the page that much more interesting as an issue of X-MEN LEGACY.
2 out of 5 "He's gone for now!"
X-FORCE #24
X-Force is on Necrosha, Warpath faces his death and Selene ascends to Godhood.
Faced with countless numbers of dead mutants all acting on Selene's command, X-Force has their mission cut out for them. They need to find Warpath and to kill Selene and everyone in their way.
With the knife returned to her, Selene begins the ceremony to finish her ascent into Godhood while killing and utilizing all the undead mutants as power batteries.
Released by his brother, Warpath with the aid of Vanisher, gather the other members of the team and the final stage is set.
I'm actually surprised with the way things turned with this crossover. At first I thought it was all just a cheap attempt to bring back dead characters but that was just the surface of an even bigger story. All along they were bound to feed the spell that would make Selene a god. My question is, what happens to the mutants that aren't on Genosha? Do they become a part of her also or are they spared? Do they get returned to "normal" after everything is said and done? all questions to be answered next issue with the last part of "NECROSHA"!
5 out of 5 "I took the tumor out of you in the future, you have syphilis!"
Onto the "FALL OF THE HULKS"
FALL OF THE HULKS: RED HULK #2
This issue really deals with Titania and her "daughter" Lyra, the She-Hulk from the future.
Red Hulk explains that all along she's been on his side and through out everything that's gone down it's all been planned that she would serve a certain purpose. The Intelligencia in their infinite wisdom didn't feel that "a hulk, would rife through their files." and completely missed that during his time with them, Red Hulk was bleeding information from their computers and making plans of his own.
They intended on using Titania in their plans from the beginning and Red Hulk wasn't going to let that happen without giving her his option, which was to fall in line with them and him and play both sides, when in reality she was on his side.
I love this storyline and I can't wait to see what happens next because whenever I think I've got it figured out, someone throws a curve ball.
5 out of 5 "and Doom messes with the occult too.."
NOW, some fresh new NUMBER ONES that came out that you should check out!
MASSIVE AWESOME #1
First off let me say I was pretty stoked to even get this book in my hands when I did. Stephen was driving down from Rochester on Friday for the Alterna signing on Saturday and the weather was being a biznatch. He was texting me asking me how the weather was as he was gearing up for his 5 hour drive down to Staten Island.
He made it and I met up with him and got my AUTOGRAPHED copy. I was so happy I read it on the way to my band's show.
I'll be honest, I love Stephen and his writing but even for a first issue, this really has to be one of his weaker works thus far. The story is about a piece of bacon named Bacon, who busts his buddy who's a pickle named Pickle that thinks he's a zombie out of jail. They head back to Bacon's house, his girlfriend leaves him and they get attacked by ninja's.
Again, I may eat my words, but I'm entitled to my opinion.
This issue lacks the conversational humor that I've grown to love about Stephen's writing. There are a few quips between characters such as when Bacon's girlfriend saying "Don't bother calling me loser" and Bacon replies "Loser!, heh, did you hear that? She said not to call her loser, but I totally called her loser."
It's funny but at the same time it didn't make me laugh like Laz calling Jesus "Jee Joo" in "Jesus Hates Zombies".
The fact that you're thrown into the thick of things without much back story on anyone really doesn't give you much to go on aside from a talking piece of bacon and a pickle that thinks he's a zombie. It's funny but you don't really get what's going on aside from a piece of bacon kicking ninja ass.
3 out of 5 "Haggiss"
CHOKER #1
Finally after waiting two weeks, I got my hands on it and had the privilege of getting both Templesmith and McCool to sign it.
The story takes place in Shotgun City, a twist between a 1930's gangland Chicago and New York in Blade Runner. Johnny Jackson, a private investigator is our main character. He hates his life, his job and everyone around him but he moves on.
There really isn't much else to say about the book because they don't give you anything else. McCool and Templesmith work really well off one another by letting Templesmith's art do most of the talking for you. There's so much going on in the background when Johnny heads out onto the streets of Shotgun City. In most cases the lack of information and plot is annoying and can turn a lot of people off to a book but in this case it makes the book that much better. You get to let your imagination run wild as to what case Johnny is talking about at the beginning or what vile and disgusting things are coming our way next issue.
This is the perfect marriage of two people named Ben on a comic book ever!
Go get your hands on a copy of this if you can because it's sold out at Diamond and that means unless the boys get to do another printing, you'll have to wait for the trade.
5 out of 5 DOUBLE DUMPS!
That's all for me folks!
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