Review: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

Adjusting back to "normal" life after the past six months has been a bit refreshing - having the ability to actually rest when I'm sick, as well as avoiding tricky personal and professional politics, has left me with a greater sense of ease. So with that in mind, I went to see an early screening of Captain America: Civil War.

Short form - loved it to bits. Great movie. Well worth seeing.

It's funny - I've avoided seeing Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (at least, until the inevitable three hour mega-cut) because judging by the trailer, it was a dark, murky-looking film. (Plus, the names "Zack Snyder" and "Ben Affleck" don't exactly fill me with confidence). Given its relatively darker themes, Captain America: Civil War is a bright, optimistic film.

(It also helps that, despite being a complicated plot with some gaping inconsistencies, Civil War moves along at a pretty good clip.)

I'll also be frank - I would rather have this Civil War as a comic than the Mark Millar-written over-the-top polemic that we received. Here, the motivations are much clearer, and the stakes are much heavier than in the comic. (Plus, it also helps that this doesn't feel like an immediate post-9/11 cash-in).

Plus, Spider-Man's in it! And he's fun!

Go see this. Now.

Comics I'm Reading: SQUADRON SUPREME # 1

Quite honestly, it's been awhile since I've allowed myself the pleasure of reading comics on the regular basis. (Mostly, budgetary - if I have to choose between comics and Ramen noodles, well...)

But I've been drawing increasingly more towards Marvel's output than DC's. Part of it is that Marvel seems to be doing a better job of DC-style comics than their competitor; much of it though is that there's a stronger sense of diversity....not just in their characters, but in their storytelling approaches.

Squadron Supreme, written by James Robinson and drawn by Leonard Kirk, is my current favorite series, hands-down...and we're only two issues in.

It might be tempting to view this as Robinson's satirical "take" on Geoff Johns' writing - this issue opens with a team of members from parallel worlds banding together to protect their new home. Squadron Supreme # 1 features high-end action, the death of a major character through loss of a key body part, and resulting mixed reactions from the world at large.

What that attitude ignores is that Robinson does a very clever - and subtle - job in world-building....and by 'world-building', I mean on a multiversal level. (So we get alternate takes of "new-ish" characters, but they all have their own history/weight/etc). When the "big moment" happens (and no, I'm not going to spoil - my choice as a blogger), it has definite consequences which begin playing out in issue 2.

Leonard Kirk does a very good job in illustrating - there's a night sense of weight and pace to his work. It also helps that it never feels exaggerated or showy, especially with the way in which this series is proceeding.

No doubt about it - Marvel's Squadron Supreme is being added to the pull list.

And DC - you might want to rethink your creative approach to your comics.

What I've Been Watching: DAREDEVIL on Netflix

I know, I'm very late to the party - with Jessica Jones and Series Two set to debut on Netflix in 2016, reviewing Daredevil now may seem a bit...well, awkward.

But quite honestly, this is some of the best television I have seen in awhile. And the fact that it's available via streaming makes it doubly effective.

If you're looking for the relatively high-stakes drama of Avengers, well...you won't find it. It's very much a smaller scale story, much like Ant Man, but with a decidedly noir-ish sensibility. (Having a wide canvas helps - the first five minutes of Daredevil serves as the origin sequence).

What's remarkable about Daredevil is that it plays both Matt Murdoch (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) as two halves of the same coin. Both are men who have seen - and have been affected - by violence in the streets. Both men have internalized the violence they've experienced, and both men believe they are in the right....but the effect that Murdoch and Fisk's choices have on the people in their lives has as much play in driving the storytelling as the two men's efforts.

And let's be clear - this is a brutal series to watch, in many ways. It's meant for binge watching....but best appreciated 2 - 3 episodes at a time. Watching Daredevil in one solid block of time would be a challenge...and a disappointment, especially since the direction on several episodes is stellar.

Daredevil's first season on Netflix is a must-watch. Plan to spend some time with it this holiday season.

ANT-MAN: From Small Things.....

Let me get this out of the way quickly - I loved Ant-Man.

Oh, sure, it "only" earned $58 million opening weekend....and it's not quite one of Marvel's tentpole films. But you know what? That doesn't matter - Ant-Man is an unexpected delight, and really deserves as much spotlight as its more high-end siblings.

Structurally, Ant-Man is a heist movie, and I'm a sucker for good heist movies. (I've blogged about Leverage and Hustle often enough).  Combining heist tropes with superheroic tropes....well, this could have been really messy in the wrong hands, and thankfully Peyton Reed does a wonderful job, mixing both without making the movie seem overstuffed.

(It also makes me grateful Edgar Wright stayed on as producer and not director. My proof. Two words: Scott Pilgrim - a movie that makes Speed Racer look subdued and modest. And I liked Speed Racer)

The other thing that I loved about Ant-Man was something that it shares with Guardians of the Galaxy, and which the upcoming Batman Vs. Superman seems to lack: a sense of fun. Everything about the movie - from the introductory scene which appears to be the result of time travel to Paul Rudd's supporting "crew" (including Michael Pena) - makes it clear that this is a great, fun ride.

(Hell, now I want one of those suits, and to be able to talk to ants....and I thought this was the dumbest idea for a Marvel movie in a long time).

But more importantly, the movie shows intelligence - yes, there is a reason why Michael Douglas was cast. And why Hank Pym was not one of the "founding" Marvel Cinematic Avengers. And possibly why Scott Lang - a professional thief - is making his debut now. This is just a great popcorn movie that serves as a strong bookend to Avengers: Age of Ultron.

You may be waiting until the DVD or cable to see Ant-Man; don't wait. Catch a matinee, have someone take you, but trust me - this is a great, fun film that is a sheer delight.

Watching the Watcher: ORIGINAL SIN # 1

A murder that catches the attention of a superheroic community. Secrets which are threatened to be exposed. A reluctant investigator who must now ask difficult questions, aware that the answers might be shocking....

...sound familiar?

It would be really easy to mock this as Marvel's effort to create a Watchmen-style book (especially given the refrain of "Who Watches the Watcher?"). But that's a cheap, unnecessary shot, because this is a really good book that shows why - creatively - Marvel is making larger strides than DC.

Jason Aaron's script for this summer's mega-crossover event from Marvel really focuses on a growing story despite starting with the death of a near-omnipotent being. With a sudden jolt to a conversation about steak (don't ask), we see a really sudden reaction to a traumatic death. It's the kind of storytelling that drove previous DC efforts like Watchmen and Identity Crisis, but Marvel takes a decidedly different approach.

Unlike DC, there's no sense of melodrama or appealing to the fanboys. (Marvel's main lesson - they make comics for everybody, not just 45 year olds). It would be easy for me to snark about this book's quality, but it's an engaging tale that builds power as it progresses. Granted, this issue may be primarily setup, but it accomplishes it with efficiency. There simply isn't a bum note in the entire book.

Kudos are especially warranted for Mike Deodato's art - this is a great, moody-looking book that never seems to hit a false note, especially towards the end. Although the ending might have been intended to be shocking....it's meant more as chilling and creepy.

I admit - I began this book with an extremely skeptical view, but reading it convinced me that Original Sin # 1 is a promising start. Although I probably won't be buying every tie-in....I will be following this book more closely.

It's a keeper, folks.

My Newest Favorite Comic - Mark Waid's DAREDEVIL

One of the many reasons I love patronizing my local branch of the Chicago Public Library is that whoever makes decisions about buying graphic novels....has impeccable taste.

Thankfully, they purchased volumes one and two of Marvel's new Daredevil, written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Paolo Manuel Rivera and Marcos Martin....and quite honestly, I am now founding Marvel Comics have become fun to read.

One of my biggest issues with Marvel Comics (and by extension, previous iterations of Daredevil) is that constant drama-without-a-break: Civil War bled into Secret Invasion bled into Siege ad nauseum, without a slight pause. (At least, it felt that way reading these books...) Although parts of The Heroic Age felt great, I really had given up on Marvel, feeling that like DC, it succumbed to the feeling that big events and high drama were the only components of great storytelling.

The genius of Waid's Daredevil is that, finally, a grim-and-gritty hero says, "Screw the angst - I'm just going to commit to having a fun time." And the book reflects that - the first major arc of the first 10 issues (or trade Volumes 1 and 2) is that Daredevil comes across an artifact that everyone wants....and to say more would be telling. But what is a revelation is that this is a sharply written, just-plain-fun book to read, with some great moments of humor.

(Personal favorite - at a Christmas party, Matt Murdoch wears an "I'm Not Daredevil" t-shirt. Although publicly outed previously, Murdoch's attitude is that he's yesterday's news)

I can't praise this book highly enough - I'm having a lot of fun reading Daredevil, which manages to reboot a character without denying what made him good in the first place.

Very highly recommended....scratch that: it's mandatory reading for comics fans.

Another Joe Quesada Brouhaha

I would like to publicly thank Joe Quesada.

Unfortunately, I have been feeling a little creatively spent with the blog - no ideas about potential posts were forthcoming, not even a simple place-a-photo-and-make-up-something wacky.

But then, Joe Quesada of Marvel Comics - who once proclaimed that "magic doesn't need explanations", and who inexplicably keeps hiring Mark Millar to write....spoke out about female Marvel characters and the movies.

And he confirmed my faith that, just when you think the two major comic companies can't do worse, they actually set the bar lower. Far lower.

Now, I'm not going to reiterate my comments about Ms. Johannsen's performance in The Avengers, but I think Quesada totally misses the point.

It's not about "iconic" characters....it's about taking the very material you have, taking one of the possibly underutilized characters, and possibly building a movie around that.

It's about finding an actress who can play the role, a director who can make a pretty darn good film, and investing the time and effort in crafting a good script, putting a great crew together, and making a solid movie.

It's not that hard, Joe. You've done it before - heck, some would argue that Marvel's past few movies have shown that you can do it. Because saying you don't have any "iconic" female characters - and denying that there are any good female actresses to play them - have a slightly patronizing tone to them.

I'm not judging, I'm not accusing, I'm just saying....Joe, you can try harder. Seriously. We have the faith you can surprise us like you did with The Avengers.

Or at the very least, with your recent comments.

Continuing Post-AVENGERS Withdrawal

You're probably wondering....why didn't I post my usual Friday Zone 4 promo and general long-form summary of links from this past week?

Well, I went to a midnight showing of Avengers...and spent most of Friday semi-conscious. Sadly, sleep deprivation and caffeine can really hit a guy hard. (And you'll probably be reading it in Comic Related soon, but short opinion - loved the movie.

Speaking of Comic Related, this week's episode of Zone 4 features young Eric Ratcliffe, who has featured me on his Why I Love Comics podcast in the past. He's a good kid, and well worth listening to....even if he does enjoy the work of Joss Whedon a little too much.

On the work/writing front: my primary freelance gig has ended temporarily, pending further funding (and thankfully, I've been helping with the grant research). In addition, I'm working on a small project for another potential client which fits in very well with my professional interests (and would have been a great follow-up project when I was living in St. Louis). Enjoyed a great dinner last week with a pal who flew in from St. Louis. Other than that, I will need to get back on the job search/freelance train, including networking (and in Job Stalker, I explain why we're networking wrong) and investigating training possibilities. On the networking front, between Monday's Latte of Rassilon (thanks, Geek Girl Chicago, for the mention!) and Tuesday's Net2Chi meeting, I should be covered.

A very special thank-you to Ron Fortier, who took a recent post from Baker Street Blog and featured it his Pulp Fiction Reviews blog.

So until next time, folks - have tons of fun. Seriously.

May Can't Get Here Quickly Enough

Yes, you've seen this elsewhere on the Net, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this in May:

Pulp Fiction Marvel Style: A Review of MYSTERY MEN

Every once in awhile, Marvel does something in its comics that actually surprises me with not only how good it is, but how much I like it.

I had heard multiple praises given to their recent Mystery Men miniseries (which is due out in hardback in July, if Amazon.com is to be believed)...and quite frankly, having gotten my hands on all five issues, I have to say - it's definitely worth the hype.

In the past few years, Marvel seems to have been taking a lead from its Distinguished Competition - while the latter has been working towards distancing itself from its past (to the point of last month's reboot), Marvel seems to be building upon its Golden Age past, creating unique series that take advantage of its characters and recasting them in a slightly different tone.

Mystery Men goes one better, as writer David Liss (whose
work on Black Panther: The Man Without Fear I really enjoy) gives us some new, pulp fiction-inspired Marvel characters, yet sets this series firmly in the Marvel Universe. It's really cool, having had some casual exposure to the pulps, to see the various sources and archetypes that fueled these characters (You say "Surgeon", I say "Spider"; you say "Operative", I say "The Shadow with a healthy side order of Raffles").  It's also a story that really engages and has some great Marvel-style shadings, and Patrick Zircher's art? Simply incredible - solid, driving, and has the same effect that Weston's art had in The Twelve - creating this unique historical context while simultaneously giving the story a sense of realism and groundedness that a story told in this manner needs.

Marvel's also showing a great willingness to take creative chances, but keeping those efforts within its smaller books. Its expansion of its "cosmic" line in recent series like Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy is a great example - yes, Marvel does engage in "Big Events", but their strategy seems to be allowing Big Event sales by driving creativity and expansion in its smaller books. Their willingness to take on a "pulp"-flavored book is surprising. Perhaps in these troubled economic times, there's the feeling that looking back into the past and seeing how pulp fiction provided simple escapism can fuel some great creative efforts. Since this series is also building the Marvel Universe with new characters, there's a great potential for this to "trickle up" into current Marvel continuity.

Although the collection will not be out until January, you might wish to head down to your local comic shop and purchase all five issues. Trust me, you don't want to wait until the collection to enjoy comics that are this well-written, well-drawn, and well-read. Mystery Men, quite simply, is that good.

Buy this. Now.

Daring to Walk Down The Mean Streets of the Marvel Universe

I'll be quite honest...I really had lost a lot of interest in Marvel until their recent Shadowland arc.

Quite frankly, it was the series that DC's Fall of Green Arrow/Rise of Arsenal promised, but failed to deliver: the "corruption" of a hero, a look at the street-level, more "hard boiled" Marvel heroes, and (in my opinion) one of the better arcs of the past year...and has resulted in two rather enjoyable reads, both about men who are "neither tarnished nor afraid" as Raymond Chandler would say. Two men who have lost some of their heroic luster going on quests to rediscover - or even just plain "discover" themselves.

First, there's Daredevil Reborn, which is an Andy Diggle-written series that looks at Matt Murdoch post-Shadowland. Granted, it is using a well-used device (the "wandering hero in exile discovering himself")....but sometimes, it's not the tale - it's how it's told. And Diggle sets the scene marvelously (to use a really bad pun) - a scene involving Murdoch and a young blind boy could have been easily played as overly mawkish or slightly more cliche...and Diggle doesn't. We know the basic premise of the story ("small town with secrets")....but Diggle provides just enough detail - and twists - to make it a really interesting read. The art by Davide Gianfelice and Matt Hollingsworth works well with the script, providing a good level of grit and texture to the proceedings.

However, my personal favorite of these two concerns Murdoch's replacement, Black Panther: The Man Without Fear. David Liss presents T'Challa post "Doomwar" (and quite frankly, I haven't read too much of Marvel to follow all the various goings-on) - quite simply, he's on a voyage of self-discovery: learning who he is without powers, without title, without loved ones.

Although Liss' writing can be a bit dialogue heavy, it actually works as T'Challa establishes himself in Daredevil's home turf. But it's Francesco Francavilla's art which sells it for me - what could have been a simple noir pastiche is really turning out, two issues into the story, to be quite engaging.

It's hard to talk about both books in detail without spoiling further, but both Daredevil Reborn and Black Panther: The Man Without Fear are proving one of my biggest theories - that the Marvel universe books that are worth readings are not the big event books (although, like I said in my podcast, I'm glad there's a Bendis-written Avengers book that I can finally enjoy), but the ones that take place on the sidelines, and in the shadows. Although I'm hoping that the cosmic books like Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy return, I'm also glad for a much more down-to-earth approach and scale.

These are books you should be reading, folks. They're that good.

Ushering In A New Heroic Age

Last week saw the premiere of not one, but two long-standing team books "returning" to comic shelves. Both, of course, have been through various reboots and recastings, and are now out with brand, new shiny # 1 issues for your reading pleasure.

Or more honestly, one's a great read and the other's so-so.

The so-so one, in my opinion, is Avengers # 1 , Brian Bendis' latest attempt to milk the Marvel cash cow, er, I mean, revamp the team post-Siege into the Heroic Age (which, much like BRIAN BLESSED, must always be referred to in bold face. And I agree with Rich in that BRIAN BLESSED must always be capitalized). Admittedly, I liked it...but only because it didn't have most of Bendis' writing weaknesses (the decompressed storytelling, the stylized dialogue), and was actually a really nice lead-off for a potential series. However...there was just something about the book that seemed not to gel. Maybe it's because I've felt burned by Bendis in the past (and look for my new ebook, Burned by Bendis, on Amazon in November!), but although it was a good issue (and I loved John Romita, Jr's art), I am unsure if I'll stick around past issue three.

However, I am totally ecstatic over the new Legion of Super Heroes # 1 - I pretty much grew up on Levitz-era Legion, and so for me, this was a no-brainer. However, I was surprised - and ecstatic - on how Paul Levitz took several of the plot points from Geoff Johns' "Superman and the Legion of Super Heroes" arc and spun them off into potentially different storylines. This book doesn't rest on past laurels (which you could easily accuse previous reboots of doing, should you decide to do so), it builds on them, and really makes me want to read this book further.

(Plus, there's a twist at the end that - without spoiling - I honestly did not see coming).

But what made me love this book was Yildiray Cinar's artwork, which dropped me straight into the 31st century.

Both of these books seemed to be opportunities for long-time writers to revisit and revamp the characters they have been long associated with. If losing an executive position helped kick start Paul Levitz's creativity, then it was well worth it.

But Brian Bendis? I'll be generous and say...he's coasting. And can do better.

Spearheading THE TWELVE

"Did you read the new Twelve one shot?" I was asked Saturday night.

It was my usual comic meetup - in fact, I wasn't aware that the seriously interrupted Marvel series had even been republished.

My response was a simple, "Oh, they finally released issue #9?"

"No,  it's a one shot."

I had given up reading the series before its long "hiatus" - for me, the series seemed to be building up to something...but took way too long to do it. So I went ahead and purchased The Twelve: Spearhead, a "prequel" to the miniseries. At the very least, it would be a way for me to catch the book again, and see if there was the possibility of reengaging with the series.

Admittedly, this book is a one-man show - written and drawn by Chris Weston (the normal series artist), and quite frankly, I really enjoyed it. It's a brisk, done-in-one book that really helps set the tone for the later series, but more importantly, firmly places the group in Marvel's Golden Age. I think it helps that without J. Michael Straczynski's love of building plots and foreshadowing (or "writing for the trade", as the kids say), it easily tells a story that fits as an "introduction" to the main miniseries...but more importantly, helps Marvel better integrate its Golden Age characters into the overall universe.

It's 1945, the end of World War II is approaching, and the Invaders - as well as other heroes - are recruited in a mission to further curtail Nazi efforts. (To say more would be spoiling, suffice it to say, there's an extremely clever twist about the mission). The Twelve are used as part of the overall effort, but in a unique way - the Phantom Reporter is there to write about the efforts for the home front, and the Twelve is there to provide "backup" for the Invaders.

Throughout the book, there are some nice touches - starting off with a reference to a then-popular Spike Jones tune, Weston's story hits upon the same themes of the series, but (quite surprisingly) much more efficiently and simply than Straczynski did. The Phantom Reporter's continuing mantra of "we make them look good" - and his continual commentary about how "the real heroes" are the men on the front lines - remind the reader that, ultimately, these are "forgotten" heroes. Marvel has some serious ground to gain when considering its Golden Age (and especially in comparison to DC), but The Twelve: Spearhead is a great read which makes incredible strides towards rethinking its legacy.

On the final page of the comic is a cover for The Twelve # 9, with both Straczynski's and Weston's names on them. I am being cautiously optimistic over the book's release (after all, Straczynski had a very public falling out with Marvel, and his DC work may prevent him from participating), but I will say this:

Marvel, let Weston make an effort on finishing the story by himself. I think he deserves the chance, based on this one-shot.

Comics I'm Reading - And Liking

You know, it's actually been awhile since I've written about my current favorite funnybooks - oh, sure, there's been the occasional mention of Guardians of the Galaxy/Nova/etc (Marvel doing big, loud space opera); my love of Tony Lee's work on IDW's Doctor Who (he's managing to write himself out of the continuity porn corner), The Mighty A (DC's stealth book), and Blackest Night (or "DC Zombies will mess with your head"). But there are some other books that are really hitting my comics loving sweet spot.

First is Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting's The Marvels Project, which takes Marvel's Golden Age characters and gives them that nice, Tom Clancy-esque sheen (like they did with Captain America). In a way, it's Marvel's attempt to mix the politically charged realism of their distinguished competition's JSA: The Golden Age with the you-are-there spirit of New Frontier . Although it's not an instant classic like either of its precedents, The Marvels Project is looking rather promising.

Speaking of DC, I am really enjoying many of the revamped Batman books (with the exception of Red Robin, which left me cold with the first issue). My unexpected favorite is the new Batgirl series. Without spoiling (and unlike many on the Internet, I don't believe that you should avoid the Internet if you don't want to read spoilers), the book is a really good take on the reluctant hero...or more accurately, when others are reluctant to allow one to be a hero. (Besides, DC can spoil its own books - it doesn't really need my help, now, does it?). At a time when Batman is being redefined, even a second-level book like Batgirl is providing some interesting reading.


(And yes, I do enjoy Rucka and Williams' Batwoman in Detective Comics. It's a great variation on a theme).

Finally, even though I'm not really a big horror comics fan, the clerk at my local comic shop recommended I give Wildstorm's North 40 a chance. It's a unique premise - if I were to give it a high concept pitch, it would be "Lovecraft Meets Jim Thompson", but it's much more than that. It's a supernatural book with great writing, good art, and which three issues in, keeps moving the story forward. It's a nice little book with a creepy vibe. It may not keep you awake at night, but it will keep you reading it again...and again...and again, like a good comic should.

Spidey, Meet Mickey

I couldn't believe the news - I actually heard it via IM from a coworker. Upon checking my Twitter stream, I was actually surprised to hear of Disney's purchase of Marvel for $4 billion.

Of course, many people (including myself) decided to crack jokes at both Disney's and Marvel's expense. In a way, both companies seem much alike - they have both changed from being focused on one media (Disney animation, Marvel comics) to becoming mulitimedia conglomerates, focusing on ancillary content (movies, toys, video games, etc), rather than on their "primary" media of choice.

Nothing wrong with that - for any business, it's good to diversify. On paper, at least, this deal looks good for both parties involved.

On one level, even though it may make good business sense, there is the potential  that Disney could exercise some editorial mandate. I doubt that, say, Brian Bendis or Mark Millar will start writing Winnie the Pooh and the Punisher anytime soon, but Marvel comics in the last 5 - 6 years have not been quite as "family friendly" as one might think. (I have read in various columns that Disney has a "hands-off" policy with other acquisitions like ABC and Pixar, but I'll believe that when both Michael Moore and Insane Clown Posse reassure me about this fact. Or when there aren't so many urban legends about the company)

But ultimate, the thing that is most bothersome about this is that, now, we have two companies - one perceived as ultra-conservative, the other as more anything goes - starting what may be a potentially tumultuous partnership, with the more conservative partner having "veto" power. However, this does place Disney in a unique position - partnering with a major comic player in order to gain a strong foothold in publishing comics. Of course, I doubt we'll be seeing any Mickey Mouse/Spider-Man crossovers, but from a business sense, with Marvel succeeding in the movie and comic business - and Disney succeeding in the animation and marketing to kids....ultimately, this will be a match made seemingly in heaven.

But of course, if things turn out wrong, it may end up like this (link is NSFW)

Of Secret Empires and American Ideals

It's easy to forget that, in this modern post-Civil War/Secret Invasion/current Dark Reign Marvel universe, there once was a time when Marvel comics simply sped along. Instead of the current house "decompressed" style, Marvel comics were chock full of massive exposition, slam-bang action, and...well, attempts to meet current times head-on.

Imagine Captain America being considered a "traitor", with the police hounding him. Imagine a cabal that is working behind the scenes to discredit our hero - so much that the arc ends with the loss of our hero. Much in the same manner that Brubaker and Epting have given Captain America a post-9/11 espionage gloss, Steve Engelhart, Mike Frederich, and Sal Buscema explore similar themes around the time of Watergate in the Captain America & the Falcon: Secret Empire trade. (Which I purchased at ComicCon for $5, and may be more easily found in the discount section).

It's a shame, really, that Marvel did not put enough promotional juice behind this book during the Secret War...but again, the book does read like typical 70s Marvel, which means there may be too much story. In this arc, Englehart hits upon distrust of government, media manipulation through advertising, special interest groups (the main "villian" is a group whose name, when spelled out as an anagram, is CRAP). In addition, not only do we see Cap and Falcon, but we see Iron Man, the X-Men, and a mix of assorted characters. But somehow, even in a jaded 21st century world, we can see how Englehart is attempting to handle then-current events. It's an interesting mix, but well worth reading.

In short, I can see modern comics fans getting really impatient and feeling overloaded....but that was the joy of 1970s Marvel; not that it was over the top, but there was a feeling one got their money's worth.

Well worth checking out.

'Tis a Shakespearean Type of News Review

Since there's quite a bit going on, and much of it doesn't warrant a full page of my blathering...a nice, bullet pointed encapsulation of various and sundry.

• In all honesty, in concept, I love DC's Wednesday Comics - a way to reach newer, non-comic reading audiences (as well as reengaging its current readership). I wish it had been a little less super-heroey, but I quite enjoyed it. (Personal faves - Kubert on Sgt. Rock, Lopez on Metal Men, and Baker on Hawkman).
  
• Marvel's response....foil covers. You know, I kind of think of Marvel as like the kind of guy who was really popular in high school, but who now sells insurance, but throws out some bit of modern slang to make himself seem hip...or the person who keeps repeating the same joke until the humor is drained out of it.
• Current comic enjoyment du jour - North 40 # 1 - it's a horror book that really builds on an interesting premise. Loved the writing, liked the art - it was almost a pitch-perfect # 1 issue. Thanks, clerk at downtown branch of comics store!
• I heart Roger Ebert, especially right now.
• Recently had to unfollow a Doctor Who related tweeter for spoiling Torchwood: Children of Earth. Upon receiving criticism (not from me), the defense was that because the episode aired in the UK, people needed to "stay off Twitter". Just a thought - if the hosts of several Who-related podcasts....as well as the guy who wrote the episode....were willing to play fair (especially on both sides of the pond), telling people to "stay off Twitter" sounds a little disrespectful. Not name calling or judging, just making a point to consider. And yes, I did unfollow this particular Tweeter, why do you ask?
• Dear Radio Free Skaro - I hereby, on the basis of the above bullet point, now claim the title "Pedantor", and appreciate your daily review of classic Who.
  
• In other news, in a conversation with two coworkers about the new Sascha Baron Cohen movie, I made the following statement: "I liked Borat when he was Groucho Marx, making movies in the '30s". I say this because I'd like to put together a group to see this piece of vintage Marxist humor....and would like to see the theatrical version of this movie at the Goodman.
  

That's it for now....and now, back to the blog!

The Rebirth of Captain America

I'm not too upset about Captain America's "death" - not because I dislike the character, but in comics, death is nothing more than an inconvenience. I'm sure there are big plans for Cap to come back in a mega-ultra-crossover, "Captain America: Back from the Dead And Not Happy About It".

When I wrote those words two years ago, I have to be honest...Marvel had lost a lot of its luster. In fact, many of the Marvel books I'm reading now have little to do with the mainstream Marvel universe - mostly, it's cosmic stuff like Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy (Thanks, Rich!), but the new Cap...was getting to me Much like our country, when James Buchanan Barnes took over the role, he was unsure of himself, dealing with his less-than-pleasant past...well, you could make the Bucky-as-America metaphor better than I could. And in fact, if Bucky was one of the few deaths that could never be reversed, in an ironic reversal....Steve Rogers was the hero without a resurrection.

That is, until Captain America # 600 (or #51, if you don't accept Marvel's cynical renumbering), which is....well, it's not bad, just a little overstuffed.

There are appropriate reprints of material at the beginning, explaining Captain America to the one guy who probably doesn't know who Captain America is. (Or even Joe Quesada. Maybe they're both the same person, who knows?). The main story - a series of vignettes about people reminiscing about the first anniversary of Cap's death...well, it has its moments. (Most notably the "Youth of Today" segment) Much of it reads like a cynical marketing ploy to build the buzz over Cap's impending return. (And if you don't believe me, check out this Newsarama story). There's a shockingly bad 1940's Captain America reprint, a nice Roger Stern-written tale, and "The Persistence of Memoriabilia" by Mark Waid and Dale Eaglesham.

A very simple tale about a man selling off his Captain America memorabilia, it stands in direct contrast with the overall tone of the Marvel universe. It's a simply told tale that describes the effect of a hero - and his principles - upon a varied group of individuals. It also seems to contain (at least, in my view) a direct response to the current view of the Marvel Universe.

A very wise friend who works at a very cool comics shop once remarked that DC was based on legacy, whereas Marvel was based on tragedy. The one thing that current Marvel books lack - but which this story helps provide - is a strong sense of hope.

The rest of the book? It ranges from OK to so-so. Maybe worth borrowing from a friend, but buying yourself? It's your call.

The Gambit Question

It's a question that X-Men fans need to ask themselves, and is a question spurred on by a recent discussion with a co-worker.

And that is the Gambit question - Is the character of Gambit incredibly cool, or incredibly lame?

For some, Gambit's style of Cajun cool is a chief benefit to the character. In fact, Mike Sterling once provided a plethora of online resources about the "ragin' mutant Cajun". Alas, I cannot provide any pro-Gambit arguments...

...because he is, well, rather lame. I mean, let's face it - making playing cards glow and explode? Not much of a power, now, is it?

Secondly, Marvel, Justin Wilson called, and he'd like his accent back.

Oh, and the whole Gambit/Rogue thing? Liked it better when it involved Bruce Willis & Cybill Shepard.

But anyway, enough of the (hopefully, obviously phony) snark - in my view, the Gambit question separates the old school fan from the fans who began collecting in the 1990s. Let's face it - if someone said, "Oh, both Wolverine and Gambit are bad, you need to worship Mimic", you know they came of age during the "classic" X-Men run.

(Either that, or they're really reaching, since the character has made appearances since then).

If you dig Wolverine, that means you came of age during the new X-Men run, and Gambit? 90s X-Men.

Or, you've eaten too many Little Debbie's snack cakes, and the preservatives are starting to kick in.

I kid, honestly - but anyway, for you, dear reader, let me ask you - how would you answer...the Gambit question?

Great Moments in Bad Comic Movie Marketing

(Just to reiterate - my opinions are strictly my own, and not that of my employer).

Sometimes, when marketing a comic book movie, some associations - although obviously - might be best ignored. Such as this:



One of offline pals forwarded me this photo from failblog.org (NSFW)

One of my work colleagues (with whom I disagree about Gambit, but agree about Sabretooth) forwarded me this item. It's safe for work...but don't view after eating. Trust me on this.