So yeah, disparaging journal header, I know. It'll be the only real negativity. Obtrusive, event driven storytelling, relentless cancellations and relaunching books as new #1 issues, and sensationalist marketing stunts are something I and many, many other comic fans have complained about ad nauseam. Thing is, that's all part of Marvel's marketing plan. This upcoming sales initiative may seem like a bloated mess to me, but dammit, I'm going to play as little into their hand as possible and at the positive side!So lets get just a little last minute negativity out.

Fuck Sam Alexander for getting renewed. I hope he gets cancelled by issue #12. I also do not for the life of me understand this Gwen-Stacy-Mania. Regardless, it feels like such a fad and I hate it because the speculators have been in a tizzy ever since it took off. I hope it just goes away soon.

Okay, all better.

So for those of you who don't know, All-New All-Different is the new marketing/branding gimmick Marvel is doing to try and attract new readers after a bigger than average even people are already sick of. They did something similar with Marvel NOW! about three years ago. It's basically New 52 lite. Anyway, the big thing is over the next several months, Marvel plans to launch 50+ new ongoings. The initial batch was largely underwhelming to me but thankfully a few have really piqued my curiosity and I'm going to share thoughts on said books. Some I'm more on the fence about, but I'll tell you which ones.

Totally Interested

Black Knight
Writer: Frank Tieri
Artist: Luca Pizzari
-Holy shit, they're giving Dane an ongoing?! Sign me up! Black Knight is a character that I've only ever seen as a supporting character in team books, like the older Avengers, but he always seemed like a really cool dude what with being a master swordsman as well as a physicist so getting to see more of him has me intrigued. Having a high/dark fantasy book marvel line-up is also really appealing to me in the absence of a proper fantastical Thor book or the near foreseeable future so it's also filling a niche. I have no real opinion on Tieri and I never heard of Pizarri but, based on a quick google search, his art seems really solid. This book seems promising to me.

Black Panther
Writer: Ta-Nehisi Coates
Artist: Brian Stelfreeze
-T'Challa is fucking awesome and it's about goddamn time he got his own book again! I may be seriously irked that Black Panther's movie debut is going to be in Civil War instead of his own film, but between Marvel finally collecting the Christopher Priest run and now giving T'Challa a new solo book, I'll give it a slide. This writer's name was a total enigma to me so I was really surprised to find out the writer has no real history in comics, rather being a journalist, specifically a national correspondent got The Atlantic. A very odd choice to be sure, but one that could possibly pay dividends, especially if Coates is as big a Marvel nerd as some have said. He said he like's Johnathan Hickman's take on the character and Hickman's Black Panther is stellar so I'm getting good vibes. Never heard of Stelfreeze either but again I went to google and saw some gorgeous painted cover art. With a good colorist this book could be delicious to look at. Probably the book I'm most enthusiastic about.

Daredevil
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Ron Garney
-Daredevil is one of my big faves so I was going to check this out regardless but I have little trepidation. I haven't enjoyed Mark Waid's painfully protracted run, having dropped it early and waiting for what felt far too long for a better creative team. Now I have one and I am pleased. Unlike the previous two books I'm well aware of this book's artist. Ron Ganrey is awesome so I know I'm in for a visual treat, even if I don't like the new costume. Whatever. Small potatoes. Soule writing is where mild concerns lie. On one hand I've been underwhelmed by all his work at Marvel but thoroughly enjoyed his work at DC, particularly Red Lanterns. Maybe he just needs the right kind of character to work with. Either way he's not Mark Waid, so I don't see how I can be too disappointed.

Doctor Strange
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Chris Bachalo
-If you had showed me the previews for this like two years ago I'd be so hype for this but the reality is Jason Aaron's She-Thor shit show has given me some serious doubts going in, but we'll see. I like Doctor Strange and seeing him go on solo adventures involving magic and crazy astral mindscapes would be a dream come true. I'd probably be sold on art alone. I really like Bachalo's work. It's very interesting and has a visual flavor I find highly palatable. Still, I have my eye on Aaron. Until recently he had a solid track record with me and Thor: God of Thunder was an amazing book in most all regards. I hope he brings that sort of A-game to the table rather than some of his recent dribble.

Spider-Man/Deadpool
Writer: Joe Kelly
Artist: Ed McGuiness
-Hey hey, the team is back together! What? No, not Spidey and Deadpool. Kelly and McGuiness silly! I consider myself a big Deadpool fan despite not have regularly read him since about 2008. However, Kelly is the writer that made me a fan. His run in the late 90s is largely considered the definitive Deadpool run and I'm inclined to agree. McGuiness was the artist in a lot of those earlier issues so this just smell of nostalgia all over it. Both guys are talented creators in my mind. Sure, this may suck. Any Deadpool book post 2008 is a serious crap shoot in my opinion, but this has more promise than most.


Curious but Apprehensive

Hercules
Writer:Dan Abnett
Artist: Luke Ross
-I really don't have much attachment to Hercules. It could be because I'm a huge Thor fan. Still I enjoy him when he pops up in other books and there's nobody making this book that absolutely repels me. Hell, Abnett is one half of the team that carried on that stellar cosmic renaissance that started in 2006 with Annihilation.

Karnak
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Gerardo Zaffino
-I'm going to check this out because Warren Ellis is writing it and that's about it. I love the Inhumans but I like them as a team/family story. They're like the fantastic four in that they're most interesting as a unit interacting with each other, at least in my mind. As such, breaking them up is really off-putting to me and if I was going to tier them from most to least favorite, Karnak would be closer to bottom. Also, I just want to say as an aside I am so sick to death of street clothes trying to be passed off as actual costumes, especially hoodies. Jesus tit-fucking Christ i swear, they're like the new millennium equivalent of leather jackets and pouches in the 90s.

New Avengers
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Gerardo Sandoval
-Man, I want to be so excited for this book. It has so much going for it on the surface level. You have sunspot buying AIM and making his own Avengers team comprised of several B-list characters I like Hulkling and especially Songbird. Oh man Songbird, where have you been girl?! I missed you so much! If this were any other creative team I'm be so hyped. Sadly, Ewing is a writer who has consistently underwhelmed me and Sandoval is an artist I've taken to calling Discount Joe Mad and I hate Joe Mad art to begin with. Just look at scans of Guardians 3000. Most of the time everybody looks like they're grunting out the taco shits. Just horrible. I'll look for Songbird but that's it. Seriously, why she hasn't gotten a bigger push is beyond me.

Uncanny Inhumans
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Steve McNiven
-Refer to what I said earlier about Karnak and a lot of that applies here. Only half the present and Soule, who wrote the preceding title called Inhuman, is writing it this one working from the foundation he set. I didn't care for that foundation at all. He took a few too many liberties for my liking, namely Black Bolt trying to kill Maximus and Medusa usurping the throne from Black Bolt. This really seems unfaithful and seriously rubs me the wrong way. Then you have this weird re-positioning of the Inhumans to kind of become proxy mutants, Human Torch and Beast living in Attilan now and even Kang is in the mix. I'm just not sure what the hell is going on and I don't think it's going to have the qualities that make me so fond of the Inhumans to begin with. Still, the #0 issue was good and McNiven is a good artist. My enjoyment will probably hinge mostly on how prominent Black Bolt is. I friggin' love Black Bolt and if he keeps getting the shaft like he did in Inhuman then I likely won't stick with this one long. Thankfully next to none of those obnoxious Newhumans are in this title. They'd be a virtual kiss of death for me.


Share Your Comments!

So true believers, for those of you in the know, what are you looking forward to if anything? Why are you looking forward to it. Or are there other books not listed where you want to know my thoughts? Anything works. Just say in the comments!

It's been an ongoing issue but I'm just going to say right now my patience in this matter is spent. It's been a not uncommon occurrence for drama to occur withing my streams. Some individuals in the past have repeatedly made scenes. I just want to remind everybody that the entire reason I do these streams to begin with is so that people could just leave emotional baggage behind them for a little while and enjoy some good company and entertainment. These streams are not the place for this to happen and as a result several people have flat out told me they don't want to attend because some just can't seem to help but try to be the center of attention in an unpleasant way.

Moving forward I'm going to have a next to zero tolerance for this kind of behavior. If I deem anybody acting out, I'm going to give you a warning. If you keep on going you run the risk of being banned forever from commenting in the streams. It's really simple: Either check the emotional baggage at the door, or just don't enter the conversation. If you feel your urge to make a scene rising, then politely step out without making a scene.

I'd really appreciate people exercising some self awareness and self control in this regard. I just want people to have fun, so having this ultimatum looming overhead isn't ideal, but it's clear this problem won't go away otherwise.

Hey guys. I stumbled upon something and wanted to just get a general sense of things. I suppose the easiest way to explain would just be to show.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231685610384?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I stumbled upon this listing just this afternoon on a random search for giggles. Anybody who knows about my comic likes has a good chance of knowing just how utterly devoted to Nova I am. I've known about this statue but it was made in limited quantities so to see one on ebay at all is an extremely tempting proposition in spite of the price.

Would anybody be willing to pitch in to help me get it? I could hypothetically buy it all by myself but that's a big cost even if I haggle a lower price. Even I need to pause and think about my responsibilities. but if others were willing to pitch in and alleviate the burden, well, having this piece would be a dream come true. It's the single most gorgeous Nova collectible I've seen and just seeing it every morning when I wake up would probably make me tear up a bit.

I know this is selfish and I don't expect anybody to be able and I don't blame anyone at all for that. This is a foolish request, but the opportunity is something to rare to not at least consider a little. I'm honestly kind of hesitant to post this for something so desperate but I just have to put a feeler out at least. The continued shafting and mistreatment of Richard Rider and his fans is something I still can't get over it, pathetic as that is.

I miss Rich...

If at all willing, shoot me a note. Thanks for reading at least.

If your fursona were to dress as a character from Hokuto no Ken/Fist of the North Star, who would you want to dress up as?

This is for an idea in the works so I kinda want to get a rough estimate/head count for the time being. I'd say don't worry so much about aesthetics and think about who your fave fave is if not a character you at least like and wouldn't mind looking like. It should go without saying you should be somewhat familiar with the franchise. It should also be said this is inquiry is just for my friends here. You know who you are. I wish there were a more private way to get this figured out, but this honestly seemed the simplest. X3

The following characters are already called for:

-Falco
-Shuu
-Jagi
-Mr. Heart
-Raoh
-Boss Fang
-Amiba

Does earthbender ninja sound cool to you? It did to me.

https://youtu.be/pjNgi9DHLW0

I was looking forward to him the moment he was announced. He was so obscure and people were saying he was going to be a waste, but I just knew they were going to do something awesome with him. Damn shame he's the only DLC character I think was worth it. Still, seeing as how neither Rain nor Noob are in MKX i can totally see myself maining him up if/when I grab the game. Preferably as a "Komplete" edition. But man, badass. Those fatalities.

It started pretty normal but then shifted to this...

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3AJ2o-uA1mU/m.....resdefault.jpg

Which gave way to this...

https://secure.static.tumblr.com/ea.....o884g8_640.png

Pleasant dreams!!!

https://youtu.be/iIGogaoNLlQ

Okay, still looking forward to the game but now initial hype levels have somewhat diminished from "Must have" to "enthusiastic curiosity". It looks promising enough for what it is, but hearing them confirm that Autobots are the only playable faction and that there are only five playable characters is tremendously disappointing. I'm also having difficulty reconciling the notion of a Transformers action game being primarily a brawler. This is fan bias of course and while Cybertronians do get into melee's quite a bit, firefights have always been the primary mode of engagement. Still, at least there seems to be some shooting though it's clearly not the emphasis.

It looks gorgeous though and hearing they plan to get original cast member back on board is great (Michael Bell fuck yeah!). They definitely seem to be delivering on production qualities and fan service, but that only goes so far. It looks like a fun budget title but this footage has convinced me Fall of Cybertron will still likely be the king of transformers games by year's end.

...

Also, cars peeling out in mid-air is positively idiotic looking.

https://youtu.be/SeujKWimBMU

I won't lie, I have some slight reservations. Making the game a brawler strikes me as odd, especially considering the lukewarm reception Platinum's Korra game got. But goddamn it looks so pretty and Platinum's track record with me personally is pretty good on the whole. Even if it isn't as good as the amazing Fall of Cybertron I'm still choosing to let myself get hype. Dat pretty!!!

Did you guys notice Devastator rocking some sexy, smoochable JoJo lips? <3

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06.....ed-ahead-of-e3
http://www.purexbox.com/news/2015/0....._title_to_xbox
http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product.....e552cf8adden02

Based on what I've heard and seen so far, lets see:
-Gorgeous Cel shading
-Straight up G1
-On 7th and 8th generation consoles
-Made by Platinum games

I'll level with you guys. I just came a double rainbow. I'm just hoping it's not mediocre like the Korra game. All the same...HYPE!

~YOU GOT THE TOUCH! YOU GOT THE POWAAAAAAAAHHHH!~

https://youtu.be/AZKpByV5764

Quick preface, don't buy Secret Wars. Don't buy event comics, period. Stop supporting these bloated narrative train wrecks. They kill momentum in other comics and have way more control over story direction than they have any right to. If they stop being profitable, maybe publishers will get the idea and let creators tell the stories they want, without getting derailed by editorial mandates.

Okay, so Secret Wars #3 revealed Doctor Doom's face. I just wanted to ask, to what end? In what way does this advance plot? Oh, right, it doesn't does it. Just cheap shock value, got it.

Remember in Mass Effect 3 how people seemed really bugged when they showed Tali just looked like a Photoshopped supermodel? Sometimes a mystery is best left a mystery, especially if solving it has no real bearing on anything. The human imagination can come up some remarkable ideas and sometimes, in fiction, imagining the possibilities is far more interesting or fun than knowing the truth.

Doom Unmasked! Thor now a woman! A founding X-man coming out! What is this, fucking TMZ? Marvel nowadays seems positively dead set on marketing through controversy. Tom Brevoort has said as much himself. I know I play into the plan by talking about it here but I want to make other people aware that this is the scheme and I want to discourage them from supporting it. Buy the comics you love, but don't fall for this marketing bullshit. I'm clearly not qualified for marketing because I'd rather my marketing send the message I'm dead set on entertaining you rather than agitating you.

I'm going to lay down a little wisdom because something happened today which has happened before and it pisses me off to no end and I need to vent about it.

If you are ever mailing a comic book anywhere, if you have to ship it in an envelope instead of a box, be absolutely sure to do all three of the following:

1. Make sure it is a bubble padded envelope.
2. Make sure the books is snug inside with very little room to wiggle, even if that means folding over the extra space of the envelope after sealing it.
3. Most importantly, BRACE THE MOTHERFUCKER with something rigid to discourage bending and write "Do not bend" on the outside.

Today I received a paperback to finish my run of John Byrne Fantastic Four. I decided to pick up the 0 volume. well, the numb-nut who sent it didn't do the last two and surprise surprise, the damn envelope was shoved into my mailbox and when I opened it I was horrified to see the thing was so horribly bent that the spine creased in the middle so badly it had literally torn open. I can't blame the mailman because they has no idea what it is. Could be a t-shirt. All they know is it's a floppy bubble envelope so it'll probably be okay if it's bent. I blame the dipshit selling the book. Use fucking common sense you dunce!

Always bear this in mind everybody. If you ever mail something that could be cherished as a collectible, do the right thing and take proper precautions to protect that thing shipping because you have no fucking idea how well that thing will be treated.

My indecisiveness rears its head again and now I am in desperate need of other opinions because if I don't chose just one Ultra Magnus, I may end up double dipping on a Transformers for the first time since the 90s. Allow me to explain.

A few months ago during all the announcements for the current Transformers Combiner Wars toy line, Hasbro showed off images of an upcoming Ultra Magnus toy that looks gorgeous and even has a great little twist for the comic fans. Take a look!

Hasbro Ultra Magnus - Robot
Hasbro Ultra Magnus - Truck
Hasbro Minimus Ambus - Robot
Hasbro Minimus Ambus - Car

Pretty sweet yeah? Well, me being the Magnus fan I am I obviously need to get him. Well, much to my joy/dismay, when I was visiting Hobby Link Japan I stumbled upon the Takara version. Here's Their take.

Takara Ultra Magnus and Alpha Trion - Robot
Takara Ultra Magnus and Alpha Trion - Vehicle

Frankly, this other option has me really torn. I love the greater prominence of the blue on the sides in vehicle mode and the crotch in robot mode. I also dig the white guns and some of that awesome detailing missing from Hasbro's like silver hubcaps and yellow bits on the shoulder stacks, the Autobot logo on the shoulders, etc. On the flip side I'm not a fan of Magnus with red thighs at all, I think Hasbro's shade of blue is slightly better and God-fucking-dammit Takara, why did you replace Minimus with Alpha Trion!? Whyyyyy!? I'm a huge fan of the current comics, so Minimus is actually a significant consideration.

What do you guys think? Because I'm seriously considering buying both so I can just swap guns, thighs, and the mini-robos to have a Magnus I really want, but then I'll have a second one. One I'm willing to give away to a friend who wants it, preferably a friend also into Transformers and I know there's enough of you out there. So lay it on me!

The movie was great. One of the best I've seen in a while. Far superior to Age of Ultron if we're going by summer blockbusters. Anybody who's seen Road Warrior will probably agree the best part of the movie was the awesome chase at the end. Well, Fury Road is like that but for an hour and a half. The bits in between are great too.

See it asap. I seriously doubt you'll regret it.

As an aside, that dude with the flamethrower guitar in the trailers. He almost never stops. Every...fucking...scene he's in, he's shredding that thing. I think he's playing the film's soundtrack. =P

I'm talking about the comic and if you too have read the comic, skip to the last paragraph. I expect you to comment. ;D

I just picked up the paperback of Volume 7 yesterday and and it made me think about how many people I've managed to get hooked on this book. Hell, in the shop I work at I've actually managed to double out number of holds on the title. People just need a little taste and most of the time they're hooked. I've gushed about this book before, but say it again very briefly, I think "More Than Meets the Eye" is a great comic and arguably the best current ongoing at the moment. And I don't just mean a good Transformers comic. I mean a good comic period. These could be any characters and it would still be great. However, as a fan, this series has elevated the history and the lore to a level unparalleled since the 80s run.

But this isn't about my opinion. To those of you who have read this book, whether I got you into it or not, I want you to share your thoughts at the bottom. I'd love to have a handy batch of testimonials and mostly I just love Transformers, so seeing people getting hype is always great. Okay, go!

-Edit-

Oh, and also...

RAVE!!!

I never would have guessed Evil Would continue the Vanquish easter egg tradition of monsters dancing. I'm SO looking for this when I try beating the DLC in Kuruyami mode.

https://youtu.be/0Pl2PXHBnEs

Been a couple months but I'm back with some more comic reviews. Sorry for the little absence but I wasn't too keen on writing a lot at the time for various reasons. All the same, here's some more of my thoughts on what I read that was released in March. As always, comments are appreciated because I do like me some comic discussion.

Marvel

-Avengers #42: God, talk about filler. There's really nothing to talk about in regards to this issue. It's little more than a series of set-pieces showing what various characters are up to at this time in the story. The inclusion of character moments seems folly at this point considering characterization was never this book's strongest element as well as the fact the Secret War event is about to start. The looming shadow of Secret War really puts a new perspective on this series. Has all of this, all the obtuse science fiction and tangents and wheel spinning, been in service of Hickman writing about the end of the world? Again? Call me unimpressed. In 40 plus issues we've been dealing with pretty weak characterization, plot threads with no apparent purpose or relevance and an overall story that only become interesting when it directly intersects with the far better New Avengers title. I can see the finish line and I'm only going to cross it because I might as well at this point. This now feels like a tremendous waste of time. Just another tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

-Moon Knight #13: A new "season" of Moon Knight starts with a new creative team and it's a welcome change up from the rather plodding political drama of the last arc. Cullen Bunn takes over writing this next arc and while I thought his Venom run was atrocious, quite a few acquaintances are enjoying his DC work so I'll try to keep an open mind. I will say he's certainly starting off on the right foot, because Moon Knight is getting back down to good old fashioned, street level crime busting. Interestingly enough he's really playing up the supernatural element established in Ellis' portion. Marc is actually seeing ghosts being wronged by living so now he's apparently doling out vengeance on their behalf too. It's interesting and I can go with it. His patron god Khonshu is being acknowledged, which I find important to the character, and him seeing the dead can be construed as a logical extension of his role as a cleric of vengeance for a god that may or may not exist. That this element is still being kept ambiguous is very much appreciated. Ron Ackins' art is also a delightful step up from the previous arc. Smallwood's minimalist, chalky looking work is good, but I like my Moon Knight with a little more grit and Ackins brings it. This is a good start. I don't know how much longer this ongoing has before cancellation, but if Secret Wars kills it, this issue makes me hopeful it'll end on a high note at least. We'll see.

-New Avengers #31: This is an issue focused almost entirely on Dr. Strange, a welcome change of pace. Stephen is always a cool guy to see in action and boy is there action to see in this issue. A brief traversal through some surreal locations ultimately leads to big ol' arcane throw-down. Cap off the issue with a pretty damn awesome twist I didn't really anticipate and I'd say you have a solid issue here, albeit one that still leaves me wondering what the ultimate point of the Black Priests as well as the Black Swans were. I also should mention Walker's art isn't the best. Some of the character designs just look odd to me. Oh well. I'll just roll with the punches I suppose.

-NewAvengers #32: This is another action packed issue, like the last, however this one is focusing on Thor and Hyperion's team as opposed to Dr. Strange's, and this one left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth. I will say though that Deodato is a far better artist at rendering action and this issue is far more appealing to the eyes than least. He also seems to have scaled back a bit of the sketchy lines you sometimes see him do so the art looks more crisp to me. Very satisfying from a visual sense. My gripes have to do mostly with who the heroes are fighting. Now, mild spoilers, but all this build-up to secret wars has established this multiversal collapse is being engineered by multiple Beyonders, god like entities. How this fight is going to turn out is a foregone conclusion and the issue winds up being a culling. Most of the characters are underdeveloped and I never cared for them personally so this issue again reminds me what the point was for so much of the core Avengers book. Near the end though the issue shifts to the characters I do like and then the action is easier to get invested in, despite knowing how it will end, because now there's an emotional connection. Comic fights with abstract, nigh omnipotent beings are always tricky business because you need to justify how you can feasibly punch a god in the face. I don't think this issue completely got it right, but it did well enough for one issue I could enjoy it.

-Silver Surfer #10: Silver Surfer continues to tell a slightly longer story than usual and it's as good a read as the one-and-done adventures in the beginning. This is the concluding chapter to the Galactus arc and it has a lot of traits I like. Dawn coming to terms with the history of Silver Surfer is conveyed in a believable way, especially in that she hasn't completely accepted it despite his clearly noble actions to do right and everybody on the planet of Galactus survivors being willing to give themselves to save everybody else is a heartwarming moment. You don't get the sense these people are just a mob desperate to live at all costs. They're people who have felt loss, and while they wish to survive, clearly, they want to spare others having to feel that loss all over again. Galactus really steals the show for me though. I love when he's conveyed as an aloof personality, an unstoppable force of nature, and something above morality that is virtually beyond persuasion. His tremendous power is especially demonstrated in this issue as Allred really cuts loose, going crazy with gorgeous energy displays and Kirby Dots everywhere. Silver Surfer continues to be one of Marvel's most consistently good books coming out.

-Thanos vs. Hulk #4: The last issue in this mini-series really drives home the point that calling this title "Thanos vs. Hulk" is a pretty big misnomer. Thanos and Hulk only fought in issue #2 and the Mad Titan was largely absent for the second half. However, "Hulk vs. Thanos then Blaster then Annihilus" probably doesn't sell as well. This issue reaches the climax of Hulk's kidnapping by having him face a Gamma-charged Annihilus. Throughout this entire mini, the story has been pretty thin. If you're looking for some of Starlin's more abstract, surrealist sci-fi material, look elsewhere. This book's story is mostly just an excuse to get Hulk fighting everybody, which isn't a bad thing mind you. Starlin's line work is as great as ever and while he may not write stories as well as he used to, he can still draw a damn good slugfest. His excellent line work may look a little dated by today's standards but not in a bad way. It rather has a retro charm to it. Unfortunately what irks me after all this is that the ending is left open, supposedly to dovetail with the upcoming Infinity Relativity graphic novel. Still, Thanos vs. Hulk, while pretty sparse as a story is mostly harmless entertainment and still a good bit of fun for what it is.

DC

-Multiversity: Ultra Comics: Sound the alarms! We're going Full Morrison! I repeat! We are going Full...Morrison! So anyway, Ultra Comics has been the unifying thread in pretty much all the other Multiversity books. It's the "haunted" comic that seems to be the harbinger of catastrophe in the various Earths and we get to read it now. Hooray! Really, I'm not entirely sure how to approach this book or even evaluate it in regards to its story because like many Morrison stories, it's far more interested in exploring its idea rather than its characters and the idea in Ultra Comics seems determined to be so ridiculously meta so as to destroy the fourth wall with the force of a megaton bomb. Basically the idea, best as I can understand it, is that Ultra Comics is a comic you're reading has a direct effect on its narrative to some extent and it's being used by a malevolent, metaphysical entity is using it as a gateway to directly plant the idea of itself in your mind so it can spread and grow like a plague to some nefarious end. Makes sense?

*Head asplodes*

Normally this sort of flagrant wink-nudge narration tends to put me off, but here I think I enjoyed it if for no other reason than I think it was a daring and highly unique take on the old idea of one place's fiction being another place's reality. Still, despite that intriguing idea, I can't really say for sure if I actually "like" Ultra Comics or not. I still can't discern the ultimate point of the whole issue and there seemed to be a thorough lack of any characterization of arc. That could just be me though. A consistent issue I have with Morrisson is my inability to discern what he's trying to do which ends up eclipsing other things. On the plus side I can wholeheartedly praise the art. Doug Mahnke is one of my favorite artists in the business and he really brought his A-game here. The page where Ultra mad being made with tubes pumping out blue, pink, and yellow ink was particularly gorgeous. The following pages meant to evoke comic aesthetics through the ages form golden to modern really hit the nail on the head too. This is a profoundly good looking book. I'm not sure if I think Ultra Comics is good or not but I would say I was thoroughly engaged. If you know Morrison's tendencies and something ridiculously experimental sounds appealing, this is definitely something to check out. One of the better Multiversity books, but not the best.

-Red Lantern #40: The final issue in a cancelled series is always leaves you with an odd feeling because you so rarely get to see them end on a high note after some climax built up to after a few months. You just cross your fingers and hope it doesn't fart out some half-assed resolution to big issues before rolling over. Thankfully, Red Lanterns avoids that, and while it was kind of mincing around in the aftermath of the Atrocitus invasion, it had the benefit of not having any major plot threads to resolve and what few it did are largely resolved competently. Guy's self loathing comes to a head and while ending feels a bit like deus ex machina but the conflict was a bit contrived to start so I'm not entirely sure I care. All I know is the house is cleaned, loose end are tied for the most part, and Guy finally dropped that godawful goatee and biker hair. All is right in the world.


Other

-Monster Motors: The Curse of Minivan Helsing #1: Technically this is the second issue in the Monster Motors series but I'm not sure I understand what the release schedule of this thing is. Regardless, I checked out the original on a whim because it, like this one, is illustrated by Nick Roche, a dmn fine artist responsible for some excellent Transformers art, including the stellar "Last Stand of the Wreckers". Going into Monster Motors, I had no expectations and ended up being extremely pleasantly surprised. The whole notion of this series is as if couple elementary school kids starting talking about a hypothetical scenario like "What if Frankenstein was a truck and Dracula was a car?". It's unapologetically ridiculous. It relishes in the silliness and godammit is is so much fun as a result. I can see this as a great kids book. Hell it might be and I have no idea. I couldn't tell because while the concept is silly and the action is cartoony, it's clever enough that I can see adults (like myself) just giggling while reading. The story was a surprise but the art is what had me give it a look and Roche impressed me as much if not more in this issue than the last. There's even more Monster Motors we get to see in action and I'm thoroughly impressed by all their designs. They're all highly inventive and Roche managed to instill a lot of personality into each one without having to resort to anthropomorphizing them like in, say, Pixar's Cars or Shining Time Station. The cars have character but they look entirely like pure machines. That's quite a feat to me. Either way, if the first Monster Motors established the story and the protagonists, Minivan Helsing establishes the rivals. It's a fun romp that I thoroughly recommend.

-Ragnarok #4: I love Walt Simonsson and I love this book, but it's hard to talk about much when the issues seem to be coming out as slowly as they are. That's the worst thing I can say about Ragnarok. It's still a great book with unwavering strengths issue to issue. It's still epic in it's tone, Simonsson's art is always delicious, it's still by far the best comic based on Norse myth coming out at the moment. This issue gives us a sense of what the ultimate conflict is going to be. The husband of the dark elf killed by the Stone God is now looking for her and he is a very interesting character. Up until now the plot has felt a tad directionless but the husband's inclusion as well and a troll giving the Stone God a location and a goal to attain gives us some needed direction in the short term until this grows into something bigger. It has to grow bigger I'd imagine. Simonson made the definitive run of Thor. Epic is what he does.

-Saga #26: I seriously wonder if there's a point to reviewing Saga. I't hands down one of the best current ongoings and is so consistent one issue to the next. Major plot revelations don't usually occur until the last issue of an arc and everything up to that point is great interactions between great characters, all of it conveyed through the impeccable art of Fiona Staples. This issue is no different. All I can really say other than that is I'm thoroughly loving the uneasy alliance between Marko and Prince Robot. Prince Robot continues to steal every scene he's in and while I may not find him terribly likable, he is by far the most interesting character to me. Their little Seal buddy is absolutely precious too. They kind of hint to The Stalk having a brother. That will probably end up being interesting. That aside, all I can really say is read Saga. If you aren't, you should be.

-Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye #38: Holy balls what an issue! It's usually a safe bet the conclusion to an arc will be a busy story just because it tends to house the climax and resolution but dear god, I didn't expect Roberts to cover as much ground as he did! We get a resolution to the whole time chase scenario but we also get answers to a few dangling plot threads, a few wink-nudge references to past events, some comedy I literally laughed out loud at and a whole mess of great character moments. Magnus and Preceptor get to be badass, there's a touching moment between Rewind and Chromedome and, probably the best part of the issue, a very solemn moment of reflection by Megatron as he seriously contemplates his legacy and where it all went so wrong. Some of these moments are told with images rather than words, a great example of the strength of comics as a visual storytelling medium and another point of proof that Alex Milne is absolutely killing it on this book. Oh, and the whole thing is ended by the crew watching Back to the Future 2 and Cyclonus trying to get everybody singing Huey Lewis and the News. Awesome.

I feel I should mention I have one niggling little gripe with this issue, and the arc itself really. It has to do with the nature of it being a time travel plot. I'm very leery about such plots in general because the nature of causality and predestination and other theoretical notions are so big and complex that half-assing it can sometimes leave some serious lingering questions. I believe if you're going to do time travel you either need to decide to focus heavily on the themes therein or basically play it fast and loose and make it clear it's just being used as a plot device. This arc sort of walked the line in the middle. It left me scratching my head on a few matters but the book is largely character driven so it's not that big an issue. Still a great comic in a great series.

Getting reminders through work that Free Comic Book Day is coming up. That means Secret War #0 is coming out ergo Secret War starting. And while I may avoid events like the plague, there's a part of me that hopes if anything comes from this big multiversal mash-up, it's that Richard Rider somehow comes back. Then I remember this is Marvel circa 2015 and my hopes are promptly swallowed by despair.

Fuck me...I'm never going to be able to get over this am I?

This came up in my last stream but it came to my surprise that a staggering number of my friends and acquaintances had never heard of Queen, one of the greatest, most fabulous bands to ever exist. Considering how grossly overplayed a handful of their songs are I was floored to say the least. Welp, consider this journal your primer. I'm going to share some of my favorite tracks they made. With any luck this will get you guys curious enough to look into their massive and stellar catalog of music. And don't expect to see "We Will Rock You" or "We Are The Champions" here. Those are, in my opinion, nowhere near the best the band had to offer. Here's a sampling of good stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2ZxV7wul8A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-SMOsXCc0c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNdFeUywHLI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4zmv1IFCOA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmfTE5ryMAU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgmsTJhjWII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE

Go my lovelies! Fly and find more! 8D

Let me start by saying there are only three major event comics I hold in positive esteem.

-Annihilation (and all cosmic aftermath)
-Infinity Gauntlet
-52

The comic book crossover event, in an ideal world, should be a pleasant reminder of how awesome a shared universe of heroes can be. Sadly, their constant presence has rendered them the bane of current comics in my opinion and the sooner they go, the better the medium will be for it. But why exactly do I think they are so horrible? Well, there are several reasons, but there is one that far more significant than the others: continuity.

People who are new to comics and interested in starting very commonly refer to character history and past continuity being a big barrier to entry. I disagree with this notion and find it largely untrue. A good story will organically convey most all the important information you need to know in order to enjoy it so years of back-story aren't terribly relevant. You know what is a barrier to entry though? Current continuity. Major crossovers tend to sweep up several other books for tie-in stories to expand the story even more. This is horrible for the new reader because now it necessitates investing in several books instead of just one. The core event book is mandatory and any number of tie-in issues are necessary to get a rudimentary understanding of the status quo and the overarching narrative. That's a shitty financial burden for somebody just testing the waters.

What's worse is events also manage to shit in the cheerios of people with no interest in events due to the tie-ins. There is a good chance if there is only one character or team you're interested in reading, if they are at all prominent, they will get pulled into the event. Whatever story it was telling at the time will be put on hold for the sake of pushing the event. If you were having a good time, too bad. Long time readers hate this because they just want good coherent stories without stupid interruptions and this again places unnecessary burden of new people because all the sudden they can be lost after having their one book sidetracked by a story they know little about.

Less relevant complaints are the general rule that the stories are idiotic and contrived and characters in them get little to no development, either because there's no time for anything but plot or changes get reversed fairly quickly. That's the other thing. For big universe shattering events where "nothing will ever be the same again", things have a habit of going right back to the way they were before, usually because they were better that way. The frequency of events is making the impact even less relevant. Marvel has had a near constant stream of events for years now and people are unbelievably fed up with the practice because it's become so obstructive to letting artists and writers tell the stories they want.

So why are events happening if so many people are so sick of them? It's because they make money. Enough money anyway. Long time readers always have some sense of obligation to see what's going on so they usually buy the first issue to see what's up. Non readers may look into it too based on marketing piquing interest and the publishers love to market the hell out of these things. It's still a profitable model and so long as it is, they'll keep using it which is why I discourage buying event books and tend to be vocal in my disdain for them. I want the medium to thrive by merit of its creative quality rather than the merit of its marketing for PR stunts.

I bring this up now because I'm going to review my March comics soon and there's an impending sense of dread making it harder to enjoy certain books. That's because Marvel has what sounds to be a tremendous event coming up and I'm not sure how many of the titles I actually enjoy are still going to be around in the wake of it. Many of not all ongoings seem to be ending or being put on hold solely for the event and it's unclear if they'll be coming back afterwards. At the very least it means that come summer I likely won't be reviewing any Marvel books because I will be refusing to buy any. I worry when all this is over I, for the first time in ten years, will not be buying any new Marvel comics at all. That's oddly depressing when you consider yourself a Marvel fan, as I do. Just have to wait and see I suppose.

Support and purchase the comics you enjoy guys. Going to the shop on Wednesday with a sense of enthusiasm is far better then going with some tired feeling of obligation. Comics should be fun, not work. So go out and have fun. =3

And today I bear witness to another thing Marvel has done to piss me off: fucking up the Inhumans. Medusa just usurped Black Bolt for no good goddamn reason after beating the shit out of him. What? Huh? So what else have they been doing wrong in comics? Well...

-They fucked up Nova.
-They continuously fuck up the Guardians of the galaxy.
-They fucked up Thor.
-They set up a She-Hulk solo destined to fail.
-They're ending Fantastic Four.
-Secret Wars is a soft-reboot.
-And now they've completely fucked up the Inhumans.

And this is just the stuff that I care about, to say nothing about current treatment of the X-men. Xome to think of it, the X-men situation is kind of fucking with the Inhumans too. SHIT!!!

There's been a few successes but for now the only ongoing I read that seem to be bastion for general sanity anymore are Silver Surfer, Moon Knight and Deadpool, the last two of which are completely insane. What does that say about the state of things really? At this rate, all my Marvel purchases are going to be collections of runs in the 80s and mid 2000s that were actually good. Is it just me or did the shit start pouring on the fan shortly after Marvel was acquired by Disney?

Fucking hell...

Pokemon question. I need one but none of my friend safari's have them. If you have one and are willing to trade, please let me know. =3

A friend of mine got me all excited and stuff. I read a little of everything but I'm a Marvel fan at heart and now I'm in the mood to gab about it with random people. So feel free to talk about stuff you like, ask about recommendations or clarification of continuity, whatever. I just want to see some Marvel chatter among furries for a bit. =3

Yeah, I'm way late but I've been busy. Anyway, these were the books I read from December. I ended up ignoring Inhuman because my interest just isn't there, especially since it's clearly being tied in with Axis and Medusa is a acting like a super-bitch. Also not going to continue with Superior Iron Man anymore. I've never been a huge Iron Man fan, I historically don't like his solo books and he's such an insufferable prick right now that reading him doesn't entertain me. For the record, moving forward, I avoid events like the plague. I hate them how they screw with other books and the stories they tell are rarely any good. I haven't enjoyed an even since about 2006. Anyway, here we go.

Marvel

-All-New Captain America #2:This was a solid issue, but not for the reasons it should be. Good but not great. Captain Falcon is trapped in a literal city of villains and spends a good chunk of the issue fighting for his life against Crossbones. It's a good fight and Immonen's art is always a feast for the eyes. The reason it's not great is largely because everybody in this issue is better characterized and more interesting than Sam. Outside of the opening flashback, nearly all of Sam's dialogue is internal monologue, describing what we can see happening to him and how he assesses it.that's already pretty bad but what makes it work is a refusal to use proper sentences, opting instead disjointed lines like "Muzzle flash...bad memory...should in pain...hold". It gets really old really fast. I kept thinking back to a line said in MST3K: "Sentence fragments...just phrases!".

Zemo is better characterized and offers the highlight of the issue at the end. Crossbones is better characterized and manages to remind us that for a "mercenary" that he's a tough bastard. Hell, even Misty Knight makes an awesome appearance and upstages Sam in his own damn book. This title could be good but Remender needs to get a handle on Sam's personality and start better defining it fast.

-Avengers #39: Finally something happens! This issue is basically a big smack-down between Captain America's SHIELD and the Illuminati. That's not to say the story is bad though. The fight is laced with past narrative courtesy of Reed Richards talking to his daughter about planning and strategy. Hickman is always on the ball when writing just about anything with strong connections to the Fantastic Four so it's fun to peek into the thought processes of Reed. That aside the fight itself is just a lot of fun and ends on a nice cliffhanger. Rhodes pilots an army of War Machines by himself, which is rad, and there's a phenomenal sequence between Hulk and Captain Marvel. If there's one problem I have it's the art. I'm not a fan of Deodato, be he's not bad. But the colorist in this issue makes it look like it's trying to emulate the appearance of Leinil Yu. It's odd. Still, this seems to mark the point where the two Hickman Avengers titles become inexorably tied together. Good thing. Maybe the some of the high Quality that's been permeating New Avengers will bleed over to this book so I feel like I'm getting my money's worth.

-Moon Knight #10: It was hard for me to get all that invested into this issue since Moon Knight is hardly even in it. Marc's current enemy is planning a major assassination trough a third party they coerce through emotional manipulation and just a dash of supernatural hullabaloo. It's honestly pretty dry. The best Moon Knight stories always revolve either the plurality of his identity and/or his alleged status as an avatar for the god of vengeance and how they pertain to his social life and overall existence in the world. This story is starting to lean more on the side of political thriller which feels like a poor fit for this character. It's okay, but I'm definitely looking forward to the next creative team by this point. Ellis was telling perfectly competent, well rounded stories in one issue. This one by comparison feels a bit slow in comparison.

-New Avengers #28: This is the direct followup to Avengers #39 which I already talked about up there. There's little to say about it other than it's part 2 of this tremendous brawl between SHIELD and the Illuminati, only now AIM is in the mix and a operation of the Avengers who are still on Earth. The big, bombastic fight just gets bigger and more bombastic with little in the way of plot. It's fun popcorn action. That aside, my feelings on the art are the same as before.

-Thanos vs. Hulk #1: You know, I'm really a Jim Starlin fan in spite of myself. He may be responsible for some of my all time favorite comics but I think he's kind of a hack nowadays and hasn't written anything stellar for quite a while, but dammit, he's one of the few guys who can write Thanos worth a damn. That's the main reason for anybody to read this book far as I'm concerned. The first issue of this mini is nothing to write home about. People talk, Thanos schemes as he's wont to do and there's a great cosmic mystery afoot. Instrumentation, actualities, etc. This issue is basically nothing but set up for things to come. A good chunk of it is exposition and in the beginning you have to wade through some truly horrid dialogue between Iron Man and Maria Hill. This is followed in short order by a scene with Pip the troll. I hate Pip and would be happy to never see him again, but this is Starlin. If Starlin writes Marvel, Pip is sure to show up.

Thankfully Starlin's art fares much better. His style looks dated by today's standard but it has a classic feel to it and is, regardless very good work. The whole body of work has a very retro vibe to it which I'd say is true for just about any Starlin story after the year 2000. The novelty of that feel is part of the appeal and what makes this book worth checking out even it is a little mediocre for a first issue. Well, the novelty and Thanos by Starlin.

-Thor #3: Welcome one and all to another issue of "Everybody acts like an idiot". Well, it's not all bad. We get a halfway decent scene of Malekith scheming with frost giants. I liked this scheme because it reminded me of the mythical, epic tone of the God of Thunder ongoing before it got derailed by this nonsense. The action is also well illustrated enough. Dauterman's art is warming to me a little though I'm still pretty lukewarm to it. Other than hating the "grimace face" he does, there's just something about his sense of aesthetics which I'm not too big on. Regardless, the writing still fails to deliver and I'm still dumbfounded by the fact this is the same guy who wrote God of Thunder.

There's still no good reason to care about She-Thor. Malekith still has his personality altered so he can be shoe-horned into the role of token snarky sorcerer, a Loki-Lite if you will. Agger is still so comically over the top evil I'd think he was satire if he wasn't being played so painfully straight. And Thor makes a brief appearance at the end, alluding to a Thor vs. She-Thor next issue. I swear, if Thor is in AXIS, douche-nozzle mode then I'm done. Just what the hell happened?

DC

-Multiversity: Thunderworld: I'm not going to beat around the bush here. Thunderworld is, in no uncertain terms, the best comic book I read in December. Goddamn you Morrison you frustrating, often pretentious, sometimes brilliant genius. Despite my feelings about his writing, the fact he can go from writing something as dense as Pax Americana and immediately turn around something like this is testament to his range and talent. Thunderworld was simply a joy to read. It was Morrison giving the All-Star Superman treatment to Captain Marvel/Shazam. It's a loving tribute to a bygone era of comics in tone and look. It's bright, colorful and whimsical. The heroes act heroic without any sense of irony or cynicism. The plot isn't terribly concerned with being deep or analytical. It's a straightforward tale of a heroes saving the day from evil. That may seem simple but that's exactly the point and it's tremendously fun.

Even so, there's enough cleverness between the lines. The central plot of Sivana, using magic mined from the Rock of Eternity to make and eighth day where he defeats Captain Marvel manages the be something that sounds dated and cheesy while also sounding like something completely in line with Morrison's mental shenanigans. And I can't heap enough praise on the art team. Stewart's line work is evokes simpler, older designs without being too cartoony and the colors are bright and vibrant. Simply put, if you miss a time when comics were lighthearted and fun, this is a must read. Hell, I'd argue it's a must read anyway. Makes me wish to high heaven that the Big Red Cheese would get a proper ongoing not mired in the New 52 continuity. I'll take a maxi series even.

-Red Lanterns #37: The last issue of Red Lantern was nice because Guy was dealing with the aftermath of Atrocitus' invasion of earth and he had some nice interaction with Baz who I wouldn't mind seeing more of. It was part of the whole New Gods event but it didn't feel like the story was hamstrung by being part of the crossover. That, sadly, isn't the case here. While Guy continues to shine and there was some stellar action involving one of the New Gods, this issue felt very much a part of a crossover. There's a little characterization through Guy and Baz's chatter but it's nothing that hasn't already been covered or we didn't already know. A harmless issue, but forgettable and it really doesn't advance the story of the Red Lanterns at all.

Other

-Annihilator #4: Frazier Irving's art continues to make my eyes orgasm. A particular scene in which Max is trying to make a galaxy is particularly gorgeous. It's like he's making a Jackson Pollock painting in mid air with cream. Irving's art is really the selling point of this run and it feels like it's getting better with each issue as he makes moments of beauty, horror, mystery and all sorts of tones in between. The story continues to get closer to a resolution of the great mystery and I'm still invested. A mystery tale can wear thin if too little is shown until too late, but Morrison is drip feeding just the right amount. Only two issues left and I can't wait to see what's next.

-Ragnarok #3: Walt Simonson's Norse epic continues to be a delightful alternative to the mundane idiocy Marvel is offering at the moment. The dead god is Thor. There's no question about it, and this issue shows that even though he's been dead for a very very long time, he's still a force to be reckoned with. It's great to see him trying to come to terms with the world without gods he's awakened to and even better when a horde or undead presume to push him around. Simonson's art as always is a feast or the eyes and while the tale may be coming out infrequently, I always get the sense I've gotten my money's worth. This has all the trappings of telling a legendary tale in the making. It aims for epic and in that regards it succeeds brilliantly, as Simonson often does.

-Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #36: Time travel shenanigans are fully underway in the search for Brainstorm. The issue is fairly light on plot but full of great character moments. Two in particular that stood out to me were Rodimus trying to set the ground rules of not changing the past and messing with the time stream only for that to be the first possibly thing he does when he gets back. Also, and exchange between present Megatron and an Optimus of the past is brilliant. Roberts has given G1 it's very first Megatron that has genuine depth and is all the more interesting for it. The fact he's leading Autobots and it actually works is testament to the skillful writing of this entire run. Alex Milne's art continues to be great on this title. I used to hate his work but after taking a few notes from Nick Roche's style I think it's safe to call him one of the best Transformers artists in recent history. The bright, vibrant colors only serve to set this apart from "dark and brooding" stories which seem to saturate so much of the medium nowadays. The book is just pure fun.

So, I'm turning 28 on Sunday and this may be the first significant time in my life I actually have that sincere "Shit I'm old" kind of sensation. XD

Funny thing is among all the thing that remind me of my age there are a few big things that drive it home for me:

1. I remember when there were just 151 pokemon. Also, I was playing YGO in high school during the Chaos heyday.
2. I remember cartoons my younger cousins never heard of.
3. That whole "Kid's react to..." series on youtube.

I feel like I'm getting to that point I'm a little curmudgeony about things being better when I was youger but I'm honestly not sure if that's nostalgia glasses or if a lot of modern entertainment is crap like I feel it is. Well, regardless I don't think I'm too bad because I still watch shows about ponies and others about grown men wearing bug suits and fighting monsters. Not to mention most of my friends are younger than me but I constantly forget that because I feel like they're almost all more mature than me. Still a doofy kid at heart. That a good local friend of mine is in his 40s and has way more awesome Japanese toys than me is reassuring also. XD

So I recently saw the newest ban-list for YGO. Though I don't play competitively I do like to try and follow the format to somewhat keep up with meta. Well, I run Agents and after May, lovingly embraced the Artifact engine which really gave them a nice boost. Aesthetically I really like the Artifacts too, how they look and play. Regardless, if you know about the new ban-list you know Moralltach got limited which really hurts the engine and now I'm struggling to figure out how to fill the void since no other Artifact is nearly as powerful or adds as much consistency to Agents in my opinion. Either way, I could really use some help brainstorming replacements for two Moralltachs. Scythe, Caduceus, Failnaught and Lancea are the ones I'm looking at. I already run two Beagalltachs. The others don't look terribly impressive to me.

I wholly expect this to fall on deaf ears but hopefully some YGO enthusiasts can pitch in. Hopefully Somebody decides to jump in for a good chat. =3