Ultimates vol 5, Issue #1

Here is a brief editorial recap of the Ultimate universe to date:

Mark Miller leads with Ultimates volumes 1 and 2, which were fantastic re-imaginings of classic characters with strong and intriguing story lines. I mean, Thor as a potential mental patient; Hawkeye ripping off his own fingernails to use as projectile discs of death; Quicksilver running someone so fast they disintegrate....this world really had me hooked, maybe even more so than the "616" titles, as I was fairly new to comics and it provided me a fresh start free from decades of back story and character development.

And then came Jeph Loeb.

Great writer, great story-teller who apparently never forgave his parents for lying to him about Santa and now uses his talents to ruin the innocence in the rest of us. Ultimates 3 was really not that bad. I mean, it did introduce the relatively fantastic Clint Barton ass-cape, though I attribute that more to the brilliant Joe Madureira, who did a beautiful job in that series. Thor reverting to traditional Norse vernacular was disappointing, but I could cope. Big twists that led us through issue after issue with disappointing and predictable resolutions (such as Cap being in the Black Panther costume) served more to distract from the uninteresting story lines than anything else.

So, what to do when your run on a great and successful series starts circling the drain?

You blow that shit to hell, that's what you do.

Ultimatium made me completely throw in the towel--it was the last straw, and Ultimates no longer held any interest to me. It can basically be summed up by "Everybody Dies" with the caption "Goddammit, Loeb...". Since that disaster, I have stuck to the mainstream comics which tend to take less drastic gambles and are less of a risk for me.

But for some reason, I am optimistic about this Jonathan Hickman run in Ultimates volume 5. There is something I can't quite put my finger on, but there is just something I like about Hickman.....

Hmmm....

So, after losing all faith in Marvel's Ultimate universe, let's see how this comic goes over for me! =)

Cover is okay--artwork is all right, not my favorite but far from bad. I am intrigued because it brings the big three back together: Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America. No idea who Ribic or White are, though.

I don't know who that guy in Northern Germany is on the first page is, but that helmet is freaking ridiculous. He looks like a leader of a cult, a bunch of people in white and black jumpers that harken to modern 616 FF costumes, but that is no excuse for the cyclops/cone-head look this guy is sporting. You've got to wonder what he's got going on under there.

What is the Triskelion??? And what is this condition business? Green, yellow...very odd.

I got excited when I first saw Nick Fury walk out because that means that he was not subjected to the purging of Loeb, but that kind of dimmed when we fell into the very uninteresting (to me) debriefing of current political climates. Let's be honest--this is probably exactly what Fury would be talking about first thing in the morning. He is the director of SHIELD (is he not?) and has much business to attend to...but I can't help but think "blah blah blah condition red blah blah social climate in Bangkok blah blah can't we move on to some action?!".

The artwork is a little odd. Not bad--far from bad. It's just...it's got such clean lines, and then it is distractingly dark, and....granulated, maybe? I want to turn up the brightness of my laptop, but I sincerely doubt that is the problem--I think the colorist just used a very somber palette for whatever personal reason. Not my favorite; I wish they would brighten it up a bit.

Tony Stark: Fuddy-duddy. That ankle jab was funny; lighten up.

Ha! He does have a sense of humor--refusing to call William (his new butler?) by his name, insisting upon Jarvis...awesome. I miss him too, Tony.

Odin looks odd--I am just not sold on this artist. Asgardians rabble-rousing is always fun to see though.

Who's pregnant? Why am I not following this story at all? Hickman is doing a great job of writing, so I must assume it is the artwork that is throwing me off track. Either that or Emerald's constant chatter right next to me about Christmas plans.

The final picture of wide-eyed Nick Fury is unsettling all the way to my soul. His one eye can get awfully big.

As far as I can tell, this is what happened: everything is going to shit and Nick Fury is ignorant and impotent to stop it. Thor is getting drunk in Asgard but got knocked down to Germany by Excalibur who were attacking him for drunk and disorderly behavior (though that hardly seems their business) where a cult lead by a completely absurd looking leader have set up a giant dome center of worship/home. Tony suited up and was attacked by Stark Technology, possibly relating to nuclear radiation, since I seem to remember them referencing that to some extent. He did vomit all over himself. Steve Rogers is nowhere to be found, possibly because he gave up the mantle after the death of Spider-man and his feelings of remorse and guilt and sense of responsibility revolving around that event. Clint is Fury's go-to fella, but I can't figure out what he was doing or what he was supposed to be doing, but I noticed that he seemed to have failed at it.

So, all in all, little confused. Not so lost that I don't feel I couldn't find my way again. I did notice--suspicious lack of all female characters. All of these revolved around very masculine figures. Not a bad thing, just a note.

Hmmm. I am keeping an open mind. I will give it a few more issues, see how it goes.

--Andie!--

New Comics 8-10

Getting to read some comics this afternoon =)

First one was "Batman Arkham City #4" written by Paul Dini and illustrated by Carlos D'Anda.

I have been following this series pretty regularly--I am so excited about the game coming out that the comics are a perfect way to tide me over until then. This was probably my least favorite of those released so far. It just wasn't as exciting or enlightening or anything as the other three have been; far from a bad issue. I noticed that Poison Ivy is still in that panty get-up from the last game.

I wasn't really feeling it in the last game; not really feeling it in comic form either. I don't like that often female characters are reduced to their sexuality. I know, I know: How much can I really complain when games and comics have long been considered boy territory? But still, creators should know that more and more girls are getting into these mediums, and it would be nice to see SOME characters treated with a little more respect, ya know?

And before you say it--yeah, I know that boys have dealt with bulging codpieces without complaining; but you can hardly say that the rippling muscles and protruding package of Batman really that comparable to Poison Ivy's camel toe or Selina Kyle's pleather outfit that only zips to the navel.

All minor complaints aside, I really did enjoy the issue. Hugo Strange is a great villain for me because I am familiar enough with the name to recognize him, but not enough that I can't learn more, ya know? When you pick the really big names (like Joker) as the main bad guy, you are attracting a more casual audience with the series players, but everyone and their dog has an opinion over the interpretation of the character. Since Arkham Asylum all ready hooked us, I am really excited to see a "lesser known", but not a nobody, bad guy behind the helm.

Also, I would kill for those Batman and Joker converses. Advertising is working fellas; those are badass.

Second comic: "Fear Itself #5" written by the much beloved Matt Fraction, illustrated by Stuart Immonen (whom I am a big fan of--does great action scenes).

Iron Man down there as a blacksmith, pounding the sword...pretty fantastic, visually. ...Pretty fantastic no matter how you slice it. I would love to see a sword-wielding Tony.

Okay, in both this issue and in Arkham City, I am still seeing ads of Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern promoting milk...can we PLEASE move away from these? Heck, you know what I would rather see? Chris Hemsworth shirtless drinking milk.

Want milk? Hells yes.

"You one-eyed bellowing beard you" is what I am going to call my husband from now on. Seriously--that was awesome. Tony should get drunk more--Drunk Tony was fun. Drunk Tony is Drunk Mike. I wondered briefly how proficient he would be at making Asgardian weapons while snockered off his face, but let's be honest here: he was able to pull off being Iron Man all those years that he had brief moments of sobriety. He actually seems to be a little bit better at brilliance when under the influence. I hope he doesn't fall back into the habit though--it would be a weak plot ploy, I think.

I know that Thor is entitled to his own opinion...but I had always hoped that he at least respected Bruce Banner, ya know? Calling Hulk a great pain in the ass is far from unfair, but they used to be teammates. Matters to me, even if it doesn't matter to them.

Super impressed with Ben being able to overcome the spirit thing within him and not attacking the kids. Haven't seen anybody else do it, even when Betty tried to get through to Bruce. Maybe it was just because he was dying...I mean, Mjolnir is everything that is badass.

Not sure how I feel about the Steve Rogers combat helmet look--if it at least coordinated, I would feel much more certain about it. But it is green and the rest of his costume is red, white, and blue...it sticks out uncomfortably. Awesome: "Your dad couldn't. Figure you can't either."

Hasn't Magneto all ready done the floating island "bow before me" thing? Would have been a lot more impressive if Mags hadn't beaten him to it first.

There is someone with the Avengers that I am not recognizing. Male, black and white suit, red disc in the middle of his chest, mirrored on his belt. Seems to have a mohawk on his suit, standing next to Jessica Jones.

Was The Shield just broken?!?! Surely they can make a back-up/replacement, but....but....Cap's Shield!!!!

Cap never gives up, even when the odds are insurmountable. I really respect that about the dude, I really do--it's why everyone never hesitates to follow his lead unquestioningly. But when Spider-Man asked if he could go home and be with his family for what could be the end of the world? Just because everyone you love is dead Steve doesn't mean you can be heartless. My heart goes out to Luke and Jessica since Danielle is with fuckin Squirrel Girl.

And yes--you have to proceed such a ridiculous concept with fuckin. Fuckin Squirrel Girl.

What the tits are Franklin Richards's power? Because it look like Fuck-All.

Damn--when Steve gives up, when Thor is so exhausted he collapses on his feet....we are boned. Like, totally boned.

Those are the two comics I noticed in my Dropbox--I will keep reading later; the kids are getting a little restless. Also, when did Gabriel get naked? I should go dress him.....

Ahh!

--Andie~

Trying to Decide What to Play

I am going to get a little playtime while the kids are sleeping this afternoon, and if I don't start thinking about it now, I will do what I have defaulted to for the last several days--just going to sleep instead of utilizing my limited free time because I honestly can't decide which game to give a go.

So! I figured, rather than trying to reason it out in my head like I normally do, I would talk it out on here and get your (read: Mike's) opinion. Of course his natural opinion is "Anything but Fallout" or "Try something you've never tried before". But maybe with inside information on what I am thinking he will be able to give me more directed advice, since he tends to be the expert.

Unfortunately, he has his work cut out for him today because there are a good number of really great games right now and so I have several that are on my radar.

1. Final Fantasy VII

I started playing this game a while back, and the fact of the matter is--I really actually enjoy it. I thought I would find the combat tedious or repetitive, but I don't; and the characters and story are both strong enough to propel the game forward even on a game that is nearing 15 years old. My biggest draw to keep playing right now is because I think I am close to getting Vincent, which is both a reason for and against playing it--on the one hand, if I don't keep playing, I won't get him. On the other, I don't want to miss him or mess up getting him because Mike isn't here to help me. It is a dilemma.

Final thoughts: while I am really enjoying FFVII, I think I am leaning away from it right now because I am an exhibitionist--I want Mike there to watch everything I play and do so that he can comment on it, praise me, joke about the goofy parts, and generally make it a thousand times more fun.

2. Batman Arkham Asylum

The reason I wouldn't start playing this today: because Mike is currently playing it and I don't want to overlap like that; and because I have all ready played through it and there are other new experiences to be had in other games.

The reason I would start playing this: because it is fucking Batman, dude.

I love this game. On the Xbox version, I have all ready played through it twice (yes, Mike--only twice!) and having it on a different console offers a different playing experience. I neglect the poor ps3 horribly. Plus, I want to play through Arkham Asylum once more before Arkham City comes out; while I am reading the comic series of Arkham City is also a good time to replay.

Final thoughts: Yeah, I would be more than happy to start this one again. I am shying away from it because I don't really want to get into a gaming rut like I am always accused of, but I honestly would enjoy it.

3. Red Dead Redemption

This is the one with the strongest draw for me right now. I tend to be a little uninterested in the story. Not because it is bad--in fact, John Marston is one of the neatest characters I have ever encountered in a video game--but because I just really enjoy running around fucking around, not doing anything of importance. Does that mean I am wasting my game time? I'm not really getting anything accomplished. I break horses, shoot and skin critters, and generally kill time. Should I be playing something more structured?

Final thoughts: I really love playing this game and would enjoy it today, I just feel guilty for playing it wrong.

4. Captain America

Do we still own this game? Because I really enjoy it. I cannot be bothered to get up and see if it is over on the shelf. This is kind of like RDR because I actually much prefer wandering around collecting all that useless shit they have every two feet. You know what it reminds me of? "Oooh, piece of candy!" James Woods from Family Guy. Surprisingly, it's exciting every time I find something to pick up--like Easter all over again, if your parents are lazy and just throw all the eggs out in plain sight in the front yard.

Final thoughts: This would absolutely be my pick if I didn't have to endure all that story and combat between collecting. Also, I wish Cap had a basket to put all the things I pick up in. =D

Let's leave it at that now. There is also Brutal Legend and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Infamous, Portal, -cough Broken Steel cough cough-, Darksector, Dragon Age Origins....we've got a lot of good ones. I just don't know what to settle to.

Suggestions?

Captain America: Super Soldier (Game)

I don't like playing new games.

My husband knows this about me. Other people (like him) live for that new experience feeling, that rush you get when you are trying something you have never tried before. That is what compels them to buy game after game after game, wading through a sea of mediocrity to find the rare gems of "playable" games (and that's not even mentioning how infrequently actual GOOD games come along).

Me, on the other hand...well, I like to stick with what I know. When I pop a Bethesda game into the Xbox, I don't have to worry about whether or not I am going to enjoy myself; if I am going to have difficulty with the control scheme or get too frustrated to continue....I know that I am going to get the most out of my play time, without that annoying learning curve.

But occasionally Mike will fear that I am falling into a gaming rut, which admittedly I am prone to do (I have a default of about six games), so he will bribe, coerce, threaten, or cajole me into giving a new game an honest shot and I can find no good reason to dodge his efforts. The latest of his persuasive interest is "Captain America: Super Soldier".

Before I start talking about it.....No, I have not finished this game yet. As it is, I am trying to put the kids down for nap and they do much better when I have nothing on the TV, with the notable exceptions of Oblivion and Fallout 3--those were the games that I played while enduring long, sleepless nights with them as newborns, and I believe the soundtracks are now soothing for them. Back to my original thought, no--I have not finished; I am in the process of finishing it (or at least, I am currently playing it--not many games get the honor of completion from me), but I am writing prematurely for a purpose:

Impressions of a game change the further you get into them. What may have once been novel combat may become repetitive; engaging storyline may begin to lose steam; or fun side missions could lose their luster. Of course, it goes both ways--some games that start out quite rough (like the tedium of the extended vault tutorial in "Fallout 3") give way to unequivocally enjoyable experiences. That being said, I would like to map my own impressions of the Captain America game as I am going through it so that I can get a tangible overarching opinion instead of a "well, now that THAT'S over..." final parting thoughts.

Once again, I wandered off on my own tangent. It's my blog, I can do what I want--deal with it =P

I all ready know how Mike feels about this game. He has completed it, and written a review of it (which can be found here http://www.mikescomicblog.com/2011/07/captain-america-super-soldier-video.html). Though he is a particular softie when it comes to comic book games, forgiving to the point of stubbornly overlooking their faults, he acknowledged this was not a perfect game. Better than some, absolutely worth the experience, but not an amazing or outstanding game by any stretch of the imagination. Which led me to the thought...why on earth would he be so determined for me to try it?

Admittedly, one of the six staples in my aforementioned cache of games is "Batman Arkham Asylum", and the parallels between that game and this one have been drawn very boldly by every reviewer that I have bothered reading. Logic dictates that if I heartily enjoyed a game that I would probably get some pleasure out of a copycat, even if it is not as much.

What surprised me is that though I concede that Batman: AA is undoubtedly the better of the two games, there are many aspects of Captain America: SS that I actually prefer to AA.

For example: the combat scheme is remarkably similar between the two games, BUT Arkham Asylum plays up the stealthy aspect of the character, while Super Soldier feels no such obligations. Because of this, Cap feels more powerful, more invincible since he can take a much greater beating than Batman and still come up swinging. That is not to say that the combat in SS is better than that of AA; it just provides for a different feel. Batman is able to focus more on the suspenseful, while Cap feels more like a tank.

I also prefer Cap's tactical vision or whatever it was dubbed over that of Batman's detective mode. One of my complaints about AA was that they had such beautiful, carefully crafted environments that rewarded long-term comic fans, but much of it was wasted because having detective vision on was so much more convenient and made gameplay more fluid. The tactical vision is on for a brief moment (maybe a little too brief for my tastes, but not unusably), and then it flashes back to normal vision with glowing directives left behind. With this method, you lose none of the visuals of the game or the direction of the special sight. Granted, the scenery of Cap is much more bland and unexciting than that of the prison island of Batman, but the thought is still there.

Obviously I realize that Sega had a bit of an upper hand and could re-imagine the parts of AA that they did not enjoy when making SS. But they also had less time, so it sort of all evens out in the end.

Moving away from the similarities between the two games now.

Collectibles.

Mike (and probably most gamers) were not impressed with this part of the Captain America game. There are tons of ceramic eggs, film reels, dossier folders, beer steins, Prussian Stahlhelms, statues, and schematics littered throughout the environment, glowing to distract the eye just in case you missed a few. Sure, they offer you additional intel points which you can use to purchase upgrades...but my experience thus far as shown that upgrades are almost entirely worthless, so why artificially extend game play by hunting down hundreds of these baubles?

For me, just because it is one of the most fun elements of the game.

I don't know why--maybe it is the pack rat in me that likes amassing tons of shit I don't need. I had a funny thought of Cap trying to sneak around enemy encampments jangling like a sack full of silverware because he is so weighted down with all these things....but the way I figure it, someone put the extra time and effort into writing Zemo's diary entries and animating the film reel mini stories, so the least I can do is listen. Not surprisingly, they are quite enjoyable to listen to, in my opinion. They give insight into what was going through the developers' minds as they made this game, and it builds suspense for a story that I would otherwise not give a crap about. Not to mention the obvious benefit that it breaks up the combat so that it is not constantly fight after fight, which would have broken the game for me.

The platforming, or what there is of it, sort of frustrates me.

I don't really care for platforming in any game except Sonic (and even my love for Sonic is growing stale of late). Michael will disagree with me, but I just do not see the fun in jumping from place to place like a monkey scurrying along treetops. It doesn't make me feel badass, it makes me feel ridiculous and frustrated; especially when you fall time and time again and this is the only way out of this area.

Luckily, what platforming there is in Super Soldier is very forgiving--it is almost more of a timed button sequence than actual genuine platforming, but as I completely disregard the games prompting to "push A now", I feel it is more in my control than it would have led me to believe. The only truly frustrating part to me is how scripted it feels--you don't direct Cap on the path where he should go; he just simply follows the line drawn for him from point A to point B (no matter how convoluted or curvy that path may be). Because of this unusual design decision, you cannot jump onto the path anywhere except for the one predetermined area, which you are coerced to do if you want to proceed with the game.

The other problem I have with the platforming element is that it restricts your mobility in every part of the game except those places where the extra agility flair could be utilized, which is baffling. For example, why can I vault so gracefully over a short balcony, but later cannot vault over an even lower stair railing? Or why can I clamor up one freight car, but not another one the same size and half an inch away? Mike said that developers don't want to waste time animating something to be interactive when it does not enhance the gameplay or the player's experience in any way, which I can understand and respect, but it really takes me out of the game. I don't like feeling limited, and it is harder for me to immerse myself in a character if the rules aren't consistent.

The other thing that bothers me is another consistency problem--sometimes, a hit will feel solid, feel great. You can believe that you are a super badass when kicking a HYDRA agent hard enough to break ribs. But other moves feel much less impressive, more of a pissy slap fight or half-mast punch than that real strong flesh-to-flesh connection. Maybe it's because I turn the vibration off (it is an unpleasant element in gaming that I wish they would do away with all together), but with Batman (I know, I said I was done harping on about their similarities--I lied) every hit felt as powerful as the last; in Captain America, some of the attacks feel so half-assed.

All in all, I think I am going to keep going with playing the game. There are some minor quibbles I have, but nothing that makes it unplayable or even unenjoyable. Maybe my opinions will change as I get further in, but these are my initial impressions, how it feels to me thus far.

Time for toodle-oo's!!

~Andie~

Batman Year One

Frank Miller--awesome. I've said that before, but you really can't overstate it...Miller is a fantastic writer. Read his stuff; absorb his awesome.

Right off the bat, I love the cover. I don't like red and black together normally because of how douchy emo it comes off:

But since this is so subtle, I think it works well. I like the comic covers that don't try to do too much--interest is in simplicity.

Kind of preferring the alternate cover/title page art though--it wouldn't have worked with the cover since it would have distracted from the title, but I like the yellow and black and the glowing eyes effect. I don't know David Mazzucchelli, who is the illustrator, so I'm excited about seeing how it turns out.

Normally, I hate recap pages that are excessively wordy and I generally skip introductions all together....I am genuinely glad I read this one. Does anyone know if Frank Miller only writes comics, or does he write novels as well? That was beautifully written--the man has a gift for imagery; any work he published, I would read with enthusiasm, even if it was a car manual.

(By the way, could you imagine how badass that manual would be? "Out of the penetrating darkness, whispering silently on a 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive and Driver Shift Control....the new Buick Lacrosse")

That is an interesting and artistic take on a young Bruce Wayne over the fallen bodies of his parents--the black and white with the overlay of red, purple, and brown hands seeking comfort, protection? A little bleak, a little dark, but quite touching in its pain.

I have an immediate dislike of Detective Flass. In one panel, he chokes a well-meaning evangelist (which admittedly I can relate to, but I would never ACT on those urges) and called Commissioner Gordon "Jimmy". It's disrespectful and Gordy should school your ass. :-/

Bruce Wayne is wearing a popped collar. No joke--it looks like a very upper-crust black windbreaker with the collar popped. On the one hand, it's hilarious. On the other, Bruce would be so oblivious to current fashions that Alfred would most likely have to purchase all of his clothes, which means that Alfred most likely intentionally chose this look for him. That makes it doubly hilarious.

The art in the issue definitely has it's own charms. It's very different than most comics I read now, but that's because there is very little going on in the background in most of the panels--they draw what they want you to see and no more. It is kind of refreshing in a way; you don't need to see how many windows there are on the office building down the street when you are supposed to notice the fight in the foreground, you know?

I don't know if this is going to be indicative of the entire series but I am LOVING how Gordon-centric this has been so far. Batman is one of the greatest characters in all of literature and entertainment--no one is denying that....but you have to remember that such a strong figure still needs a stellar cast for the story to continue for nearly 100 years. And Bruce has some really amazing players--Jason Todd, Ra's al Ghul, Oracle (to name a few)....

Anyways, it's really nice to be getting to see more of Commission Gordon when he is just getting started, seeing him as a true badass instead of a tubby old tired policeman that the movies have morphed him into.

Bruce chopping through a miniature brick wall is pretty neat, visually. I like the hoodie look for him too. You don't really see much of Bruce in his downtime, and it is nice to see him as a person outside of the suit, ya know?

The more time they focus on Flass, the more I want to beat him with a stick. Gordy needs to bring the beat down on this jackass.

It is an interesting thought, one that I had never considered before...Bruce has been known as a playboy billionaire, and in some incarnations he even perpetuates this ideal as part of his alter-ego alibi....but with his being by far the biggest name in the city, it would be damned near impossible for him to disappear as frequently as he does. If he quotes travel, there must be pictures of him abroad. If he claims to be at a social/charity event within the city, he must make an appearance and hope nobody notices that he is not present the entire time. How is he able to maintain this illusion so successfully for so long? You can't claim that he just puts money in the right hands because you cannot guarantee silence that way, and you open yourself up to blackmail or tailing. You are going to peak the interest of at least some...how is Bruce able to harbor his secret identity all these years when he is such a public figure?

Downside of the artwork--Bruce is doing something in the car to alter his appearance for a reconnaissance mission....I couldn't tell you what he is doing there if you paid me. My first thought was that he was slicing his face open but that would be the height of jackassery: he would be able to conceal his identity for the night, but when Bruce Wayne appears (again, very publicly) the next day with the same type of injury....doesn't take a genius (or even a retarded monkey) to figure that one out.

Why do guys always hope their offspring is a boy?? Are they just afraid of having little girls, or is it that macho-guy mentality and narcissism of creating a clone of themselves? Just wondering.

What is Gordon's military past?? I have never heard mention of this, though I was curious earlier when he recognized Flass's style as Green Beret training and memorized his style for future reference. I assume they will further touch on it later in the issue/series or they wouldn't have missed it now.

I thought the Commissioner specifically told Flass NOT to send Gordon a "warning"? That means all these officers are out of control. Sucks that Gordon got beat, and I am underwhelmed by Flass and his cronies picking the cliched bat methodology. But once again, that tells us more about the characters--they are unimaginative, greedy, and corrupt, which means that Gordon has an increased chance of taking them off-guard.

The young prostitute makes me sad =( She's just a little girl....

Why would the little girl stab Bruce for standing up for her? I guess it makes sense on some kind of sad level--if he didn't kill the pimp (which, true to Batman tradition, I assume he left the man alive), then the flesh-peddler (a synonym I happened across, lol) will come up furious and is less likely to take it it out on his girls if they are defending him against his attacker.

The prostitute Selina reminds me of Catwoman; I think she is supposed to. If so, I like this origin for her, and I like seeing the dichotomous nature of her--the dominatrix, tough gal prostitute and the nurturing, motherly protectoress of the young Holly.

Okay, it is a very simple thing but I really adored this--from a literary perspective it is absolutely intriguing and fascinating: when he was shot, Bruce assessed the nicked artery rationally before he drifted into unconsciousness. When he came to, he was in the back of the police cruiser, listening to minimum-wage rent-a-cops discussing letting him die or not. He then breaks out of the handcuffs like a boss.

Why I liked this so much: it shows the humanity of Bruce before he does something super badass. Think about how many comics you would read where Batman would pass out. There wouldn't many--people don't like reading about their superhero acting in a way that is less than heroic; and God forbid they actually display their humanity. I can hear the howls of "Batman would NEVER pass out!"

But in those comic issues where from beginning to end, Bruce Wayne is the hero everyone expects him to be, if he had broken through his restraints....well, who cares?

In a situation where he has just acted as any normal human being would...it makes it so much more awesome to see him do something like snapping the chain of handcuffs.

Okay, so I kind of let myself get carried away there, but honestly--this comic is making me remember exactly why I really love Frank Miller.

Gordon impresses me with how much information he has all ready gleaned from his fellow officers in such a short amount of time. Haha, yes!!! The "he's a green beret, a big one...even so he deserves a handicap" page....simply stunning.

The fact that 1) Gordon got the crap kicked out of him earlier by at least four guys with bats and 2) he could have done so much more damage to Flass and he knows it....I am loving this Lt. Gordon. With:

This guy, you wonder why Batman would value him as an ally....but with this interpretation of James, you know why Batman is friends with this guy and damn it all, you wish he was your friend too!!

Why would Alfred all ready be trained in combat medicine? Is that just a precautionary extra that Thomas Wayne liked in a butler, or was there a more secret reason that perhaps Alfred needed this particular knowledge?

It's official--I love David M. (the artist) too. I wasn't sold at first because some of the dress was a bit dated BUT he works so well with Miller.....this was an amazing comic. I don't say that lightly.

I talked waaaaaaaaaay more than I intended and that was just the first chapter. Did I mention that I like that they are writing this in novel form with the chapter fragmenting format? Because I do.

Anyways, expect a post about chapter 2 tomorrow. This first section took me the better part of two hours to read and rave about. Loved it, loved everything about it. I should send Frank Miller a fruit basket or something.

Ack! Time for bath =)

~Andie!~

A Response to "Best Art Ever (This Week)" Selections (CA)

Normally, I don't spend a great deal of time on Comics Alliance's website. They have a great set up there, don't get me wrong--tons of neat articles and very good writers. It's just that I don't spend much time researching comics outside of just reading them and enjoying them for the individual works they are.

But their "Best Art Ever (this week)" articles are my favorite--I love seeing all the new interpretations of classic characters and ideals. So here we are, with me writing comments on selections from that article =)

I would love this Superman by Sebastian Ciaffaglione--and I do--except for that odd headpiece. It makes me wonder how it is being held on to his face. The coloring is gorgeous, and it makes Clark look more alien-esque and foreign than he does in other carnations, which sometimes I like. Beautiful picture.

No joke, I would love to buy this Wonder Woman print by Karen Zachary Wang and put it in my living room. I should research the artist because if she has a whole line in this style, I could decorate my entire house. It would make a bold (but not blunt) statement, and would generate lots of conversation, which good decorative artwork should.

Love this, even if I dislike the sappy look on the face (I have always thought the main character from Portal looked akin to myself, and that is not as flattering, lol). The only thing.....can someone explain the pile of lemons she is sitting on to me? I get the companion cube, the potato GLaDOS....the lemons kind of threw me off.

Commission Gordon is all that is badass. Look at that shit--seriously. Why has mainstream media like the movies and tv show been so committed to the dumpy doughnut-eater Gordon? Cliches for cliche's sake does not make for good characters.

This is someone I would like to see more of--Terry McGinnis. Well, that and the artist Ryan Benjamin if all his stuff is this cool.

I feel like I would adore this picture because it reminds me vaguely (but not excessively) of Tim Burton.....but it's Batman. Come on, Chucky--couldn't we have gone with perhaps Green Lantern or Booster Gold for this one?

The only Jubilee I have seen in a long time where I didn't immediately and instantly hate her =)

The colors are great and she looks like a fun, cool chick you might hang out with.

I can't be the only one that loves Skottie Young--his work is so adorable!!

Maybe it's just because of how much I love Wonder Woman, but this is my favorite of all the artwork from this article. It makes her look proud and strong without losing her femininity--I am so sick of the masculinaization (is that a word?) of Diana because she is a powerful woman. This makes her look beautiful, delicate, formidable--awesome.

Colleen Coover--another girl I think we could be friends, if she wasn't really awesome and I am an awkward duck.

This reminds me of the Wonder Woman up there, and I reiterate--I want this whole line! I would girl the hell out of the living room and just make Mike deal with it!!

There was a ton more of artwork that I was enjoying, but I may have to break it into two posts or just leave the rest because I have things to do this morning -mega super sigh-

-Andie-

Captain America #1

I actually could not find the entire cover picture and since I don't know how to make my own, here we are...

Not gonna lie--I am super excited about reading this issue. The biggest reason is:

Ed Brubaker.

Dude is really a great writer, and he does amazing things with the character of Captain America. He kind of looks cool up there--I was actually expecting someone a bit older than he is. I like the hat and goatee look--a little Frank Miller, but Miller doesn't own that look.

Plus, Steve McNiven is no slouch himself. His artwork is consistently attractive, which I appreciate.

The other reason that I am excited about starting this issue is because I think (and I could be wrong) but this may be Steve Rogers getting back to his calling as Captain America after the death of Bucky and Steve's stint as director of SHIELD but not director of SHIELD.

If I am right about that--which I may be entirely off-base; this may be entirely unrelated to the current Fear Itself storyline, and indeed, all the background images of the front cover harken to WWII--then it is kind of a sad thing too.

For one thing, Bucky finally gets (in the past couple of years) to be resurrected, comes into his own as a character first as Winter Soldier and then as Captain America...and then he gets axed. It's pretty sucky, to be honest, but if we wanted Steve back as Captain America, then Bucky had to be taken out of action in someway, and dying in battle is probably the most dignified way. Better, perhaps, than leaving him too crippled to serve or in a coma or evil. If you leave that door open, then there is a chance he could come back and take over the mantle.

The other reason I would be sad about the return of Steve Rogers as Captain America is because

That costume rocks. I am a big fan of Steve's new "director" look, but if he is returning to an iconic role then he is going to return to the iconic look. This costume will be shelved to be remembered fondly as an alternate skin in Captain America games in the future, which (in my opinion) is a rather bleak future for such a cool idea. Granted, it's not like anyone else can inherit it; the only thing left to do is put it away.

Into the issue I dive.

Ugh, am I the only one that thinks that the "Got Milk" ad with Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern is stupid? There is absolutely no good reason that Hal Jordan would make a good spokesperson for the benefits of milk--it's not like you will drink milk and gain the powers of a Green Lantern, which is undoubtedly what they are trying to get kids to believe. Ridiculous.

The title/recap page is a really hideous shade of salmon in the background. Makes me think of tomato soup, and it's yucky.

I actually read the first few pages of this comic at the end of the Supreme Power that I wrote about last time.

Who is Margaret Carter??? Why are we burying her in Paris?? Curiosity.

Ahhhh, Peggy Carter. Forgot that Peggy was a nickname for Margaret. Which was a weird origin anyway--there were so many Margarets, sometimes multiples per family, so they had to have nicknames to distinguish. First it was Meg, then Peg, then Peggy. Which I guess could make some kind of odd sense, but it is still very bizarre.

I had thought when I saw the coffin that this was referring to Bucky's death, but obviously there are two problems with that--

1) Captain America is in the middle of a war with the rest of the avengers against the Worthy. He would not be able to leave, even for a funeral, until the situation was neutralized.

and 2) One would hope that after how hard he worked to earn the respect and friendship of the Avengers as Captain America that more people would show up (including media) to honor him in death. Not for the least because he died while fighting for the country. But once again, Paris would make little sense to me for a burial plot for Bucky.

Because of this, I am led to believe that this is probably running parallel to the Fear Itself line. It hasn't referenced it in any way, and has not given any indication that this is complimentary to that story line.

I don't like the way that Nick Fury was drawn, but I love Dum Dum Dugan =) That hat is just awesome. Fury looks like their is...too much humanity and compassion left in him in that scene, which may have been what they were going for, but on Nick it just ends up looking sappy and out-of-character.

Not certain who the guy shooting at Dum Dum was, but that explosion was drawn and colored gorgeously. The name didn't mean anything to me either; I do remember that when Cap was talking about the War back at the beginning of the issue that he was fighting someone that I did not recognize, but I figured it was a minor point.

Two things: one, isn't Baron Zemo dead? I seem to remember him joining up with the Thunderbolts, becoming the leader, and then dying as a hero. Is that not the truth, or is that just separate and apart from this story?

The other thing is...is the guy that was shooting at Dum Dum at the funeral just casually standing there, listening to the brief like nothing happened? Because if so--dude, balls.

They are discussing Hydra like it is an unknown entity, so I am thinking this is actually a flashback; which personally, I prefer when they TELL the reader that it's a flashback, but whatever. That would explain why the would-be assassin that shook Steve to the core is standing there--he may have been an ally back then. Maybe Steve saying "someone I haven't seen since 1944" was the lead into the flashback.

Sorry--flipping back, yeah, they did say "Paris, 1944", I just somehow missed it. Blame the cat, since he was laying on my hands when I was writing and reading that.

Codename: Bravo is a neat alias. Where is Bucky?

Doubly confused--Cap mentioned Jimmy when he saw the red goggled fellow; was he referring to the kid driving the bike that he jumped on to???

SHIELD no longer exists, so this has to be somewhere hovering around the mainstream story.

Peggy Carter = bit of a ho. Seriously, Cap can probably still taste Richard on her lips. And she gave that poor guy that "we were just lonely" thing, but pursuing Steve...either she doesn't think Richard can take care of that lonesomeness anymore, or this is incredibly cruel. It's like "Oh, I was just playing with you, but I am totes serious about this other guy". Ouch.

But if Bravo hated Steve, why aim for Dugan?

AHHHHH!!! Baron Zemo!!!!!

Bad. Ass.

Some questions left, but all in all, I am still giddy that Zemo is back. What a classy bastard.

I will note: Bravo said "what kind of Baron Zemo would you be..." last line of the comic. He didn't imply it was THE Baron Zemo, but maybe someone that has taken over the costume and name. Maybe it is me over-analyzing little words, but that would explain why the last one died as a hero and then this one came back as a fucker.

Okay!! Gotta go make clubs =)

~Andie~

Supreme Power (1 of 4)

Okay, before you say it--I know I am taking a risk with this one. I am supposed to be this modern woman that can handle "adult situations", but the fact of the matter is that I have never, ever cared for the grittier entertainment. When "The Princess and the Frog" came out, I actually considered writing to Disney in reproach of Ray utilizing the word "butt" in the film, which I felt was inappropriate. I admit it--I am a total prude.

That being said, looking at this comic:

Which proclaims the "MAX Comics" that is known for subject matter too rough for mainstream comics, and the "explicit content" to reiterate the point...I know that I am probably going to be very out of my element and quite uncomfortable with this issue. But there is a reason to my acting out of character.

This guy.

I am a huge fan of Garth Ennis. Within me is a writer's soul, and so I am drawn to particularly gifted authors. Garth is, in my inexpert opinion, one of the greatest character creators of our time. Seriously--Jesse Custer is one of the best characters to have come out of comics in a long time; The Boys has a brilliantly crafted team; and the rumors I have heard of "Just a Pilgrim" and "Hitman" (among his many other works) have peaked my literary interest...but I have never had the courage to read more than the first trade of Preacher. Because of my proclivities regarding entertainment, I know from experience that Ennis is known for his graphic, sometimes controversial, work which is likely to frighten and offend me.

Don't get me wrong--I respect that he is the author here and I am the reader, and I do not want to impose on his creative expression because I frankly do not feel it is my place. Many will disagree with me when I say this, but I am a firm believer that literature is not for the reader but for the author; what the consumer thinks and wants to happen should have no bearing on what the writer crafts because it impedes the natural writing process. I sincerely do not wish Ennis to change his work because it may cause the loss of what makes his books so great.

That being said, if I cannot overcome my squeamishness and prudishness--if step outside my comfort zone--then I am closing myself off to a great deal of enjoyable experiences.

SO! A lot of talk about a writer that did not even have a hand in this book and about my own preferences; back to "Supreme Power 1".

This is written by Kyle Higgins, whom I am pretty unfamiliar with. Evidently, he is a comic book writer as well as a film director; he has been working on Batman and Supreme Power, but is rumored to be "helming the Nightwing and Deathstroke relaunches in the Fall". All of this speaks highly to him, in my opinion. He isn't on some no-name C-listers; he's actually on some pretty big, awesome titles.

Kind of sexy too. Just saying.....

Anyways, the penciller is Manuel Garcia, which (by the way) is not a good name to try and Google unless you want nine million hits =/ Inkers are Michel Lancome and Mark Pennington.

The cover art of this issue doesn't make overly excited, to be honest. From the whispers I have heard of this issue, it looks like the costumed individual on the cover is a superhero gone crazed...but forgive me if I am a little unimpressed with the premise. The anguish and rage expressed on his face is done well, but frankly, the scene brings to mind a highly-powered hero that recently (and very publicly) lost his marbles.

Remember that guy? He was awesome, albeit a little mishandled by his writers (yes, I said it--they wrote him right into the damned ground, which to me is a travesty; a rant for another post). The image of his Supreme Power character in a rage is neat, sure, but I can't help but compare him to the rampage of the late Robert Reynolds, and it falls short.

The costume is also somewhat uninspired as well, but I feel like that was somewhat their intent--he is supposed to look like the generic super-powered individual. Looks like a Captain America costume redesign from the cutting room floor, though. Which admittedly makes the "standing on a pile of mangled soldiers' bodies" element of the cover even more unnerving.

That is unfair, it really is. I shouldn't compare characters. The jewel in the glove intrigues me though.

Okay! Finally cracking open the issue. This will probably be the longest post I have written yet, as much as I have been wandering off on tangents.

Squadron Supreme?? Where have I heard that name before? Is that the Marvel analog of the Justice League from DC??? Or am I just 100% off-base?

The panel where he is bringing the passenger plane down and his powers are activated is very pretty, but maybe a little TOO pretty for a male character, if you know what I mean. I cannot for the life of me remember which character this brings to mind, but my first two thoughts were Jewel (Jessica Jones) and Emma Frost because of the prismatic color show, but I don't think Jones ever did that....I can't remember exactly.

Hyperion left the team after trying to use his powers in a way that was apparently not condoned by Captain Ledger here....I am confused; this is the first issue of a series, but it still feels like I have missed out on a ton of back story that will inform this issue. That is just not fair, guys--1st issues are meant to be jumping on points for new readers, and I all ready feel left out. My husband (Michael, which is silly to clarify since I am fairly certain you are the only one that reads this blog, lol) would say that I am too impatient--I want to know the story before I read it, I don't like waiting for the answers. His advice would be to just keep reading, so I am going to keep going and hope that it begins to enlighten me.

Malik Haspen looks pretty neat; it's sad that Ledger disintegrated him. At first I was scandalized--Heroes don't kill!!--but then I realized that I have been given no indication that this Doctor Spectrum is opposed to murder. In fact, by his own admission, he is a soldier, and soldiers are protectors, but are also warriors, fighters, killers.

The crystal taking over Ledger's body when he is endangered is kind of a neat concept, especially since he is confused and disoriented when he comes back to. It does make me think--is this alien crystal the only power that he posses, or is he a hero in and of his own right??

I just finished the issue--at the end of the story was a preview written by Ed Brubaker and illustrated by Steve McNiven about Captain America....I don't think that was a good choice, lol. Taking a veteran author like Brubaker, putting him on a title that he has proven to be particularly adept at, and pairing him with a fantastic artist at the end of a comic that made me compare the main character to Steve Rogers every other page? It just makes a stark contrast in which the Supreme Power comic comes off looking very worse for wear. Maybe that is just my own personal interpretation, but...

I mean--look at the awesome.

Anyways, overall, not terribly impressed by the issue overall. Maybe it's because I don't know the characters and because somehow I had gotten it into my head that this was a different comic than it turned out to be, but I was actually pretty bored. Also--not that I am complaining, mind you--but I had been steeling myself to read this comic branded with "explicit content", but I have read Tiny Titans that were rougher than this one.

I don't feel anything was accomplished--there was little to no character development; the only villain defeated in the book was a nobody I had never heard of and I got no indication of his power level before he was disintegrated; and the "big reveal" at the end of the book meant very little to me though I could tell Higgins really wanted me to care because he had the protagonist rhapsodizing about Hyperion throughout the comic. The only thing I noticed was that Mark is now sporting a beard, but since I never learned why he left in the first place, I can only assume that chin-growth WAS his objective.

Also, in light of the issue, the cover art makes NO damned sense. Seriously. I am going back and looking at it, and I have no idea what the fuck they were trying to get across there. I don't get it--he didn't fight many soldiers; he fought one guy for twenty seconds and then an alien crystal on his hand reduced him to a skeleton. How is that depicted on the cover at all?

I don't know. All this pomp and circumstance and so many words to say--dude...huh???

~Andie

All Star Batman and Robin #1

Batman and Robin #1--The Boy Wonder

By Frank Miller and Jim Lee

Right off the bat--I know Frank Miller, and I like him a lot. He has done some amazing stuff with the character of Batman, albeit a little controversial in it's time, so I am assuming this is going to be uncomfortable for me as a Batman-lover, but that it will probably be damned good.

'

But seriously--how can you not trust a guy this cool?

I like Jim Lee's work, though I haven't been overly exposed to it. The cover is really great, so that gives me a lot of hope for the issue. The alternate cover with Robin on the front is really well done too, though I am pretty unhappy with the amount of leg he is showing. It never made sense to me to have so much exposed skin in a fight because it increases your chances of getting injured, but since Robin has always been a bit of an acrobat, maybe they want the more brief costume to allow for more mobility. Though I am fairly certain that Bruce Wayne could bang together a pretty high-tech flexible trouser or leggings or something.

Okay, even as an ACTUAL acrobat in the circus with his family, his costume was cooler. More form fitting, but ditch the tank top and add a cape, and you have a pretty sweet sidekick wear.

Am I the only one that did not really appreciate the 360-oglefest of Vicki Vale? I get it--she's hot and she's in some panties. But do we really have to have a panel to focus on breasts, a panel to focus on ass, a panty panel...? It feels like they are trying to up the sexual interest in the comic and it feels forced--be more confident in the story you are telling and don't resort to cheap attention grabbers.

Or maybe I am just way off base and it's as simple as "Heh, cool--tits".

Vicki Vale keeps saying "I'm having a date with Bruce Wayne" over and over...sorry, sugar--you are not having a date with Bruce Wayne. Alfred just set up a booty call between the two of you. You spend too much time trying to figure out what outfit you are going to crumple up on the floor later.

People everywhere are looking horrified because it looks like a young boy is about to fall to his death in front of everyone, and Bruce looks mildly interested. Granted, Robin did save himself with Bat-tech, but would Bruce have reacted had it looked like Robin couldn't pull it off?? Would he have actually done something or just considered this a failed tryout for position as "sidekick"?

The scene where Dick is looking down at his dead parents--oddly beautiful in it's simplicity, and reminiscent of a young Bruce being orphaned.

All in all, not much characterization--just introducing a story we've all read before, but more political. I was right that I was uncomfortable, but that may have been my own perceptions--Vicki was implying that the cops of Gotham were crooked and prone to violence; but she talked of how every woman in Gotham knew the hands of the cops and who knew what they would do to a young boy...maybe it was my own paranoia, but it felt like they were implying molestation. Which freaked me out a great deal, because even the threat of it is upsetting.

Overall impressions:

I like that Frank Miller doesn't feel the need to do the artists' jobs as well. What I mean is that he relies on the artwork to tell the story, and so he is able to utilize fewer words to get his story across. I LOVE that in a comic--you don't see it much, maybe because the writer doesn't trust the artist, so there feels like there are a lot of superfluous dialouge that bog down the entire issue in so many comics. But what few words that Miller uses are all more impactful, and it blends with the artwork to make a strong story.

Vicki Vale I don't care much for. She seems stupid and reckless and more of a liability than anything else; plus she is SO blinded by her lust for Bruce Wayne that she is making a fool of herself. I don't know where she finds herself so entitled to be rude to Alfred--pushing him out of the way, hijacking his car...strong women are empowering and sexy; rude women are pushy and unlikable. Plus, as far as I can tell, she was going to watch whatever happened to Robin at the hands of the crooked cops and take pictures....I feel like they were trying to make her nurturing and mothering, but she came off more like a "story always comes first" reporter, which I am sick unto death of.

There seems to be a darkness to Bruce's personality that I am just beginning to feel. I could see him projecting himself on the young Grayson because of shared emotional trauma. I am wondering why Bruce was all ready interested in this boy--he doesn't seem like the type that wants a sidekick. Where would Dick have gotten the bat he used to save himself at the circus if not from Bruce directly? Have they all ready been in negotiations, in training? Also, wouldn't it be a bit of a liability to have a young boy use the obviously bat shaped device in such a public place? Those that would want to know Batman's secret identity would most likely target such a boy...would that explain why Dick's parents were murdered? Bruce didn't seem particularly shocked by the death--if he had contacted Dick in some way, he was probably aware that the Graysons would be a target. I would like to think that Batman wouldn't be actively hoping for it--after all, he is against killing, would he condone it if performed by another hand?--but if he was researching and studying this boy, a family would probably be an obstacle to Bruce getting his own little protege.

All dark thoughts, but that is generally what I took away from the issue. Which is impressive--a short issue causing that much thought is a great thing. I like comics that make you think.

Next post should be about the 2nd issue of this series =)

Reflections 35: Goals

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination"--Jimmy Dean

What were your youthful goals and ambitions for life? Which ones have you been able to fulfill??

I am one of those that believe that any goal you make is achievable, but you have to have smaller goals along the way to work towards your end dream. Which is nerdy, but baby steps is the best way to feel your accomplishment and encourage you to keep going when it seems your dream is so far away.

When I was younger, I wanted to find a guy I really loved and marry him and have a family. I wanted to buy a car, and I wanted to have a job where I didn't have to ever worry about insurance. A little nerdy, but practical, and I was very practical. I knew that if money or financial security was my eventual goal, then I would never feel I had achieved it, and so I would never be able to "reach" my goal. One thing that was always important to me wasn't that we had money to buy luxuries, but that if anything ever happened, we were taken care of--be that medical, dental, vision, automobile, or life.

More specifically, I have known since I was a little girl that God had called me to work with special needs individuals. I have always been very drawn to them, finding them fascinating, and having more patience for them than I ever do for "normal" people that I find tedious and dull.

So when I was growing up, my goal was to become a neurologist. That would let me work with the beautiful mind, which works in such a fascinating way. Eventually, I still feel I could reach that goal, but I have also realized over the years that there are other way I can work with special needs without going all out.

I am still on track for achieving my goals. I married a wonderful man that I love very deeply; I have two beautiful children and one on the way. Though I have been enrolled for all of eternity, I am still at school, and I am networking and researching ways that I can utilize my talents and further my career once my babies are safely in school.

Completely confident that I can do whatever I would like in life, as long as I am not afraid to work hard. A house is my next goal--I would like very much to own my own home =)

~Andie!~

Thunderstrike 5 of 5

Thunderstrike, written by Tom DeFalco. Penciller is Ron Frenz, Inker is Sal Buscema.

Okay, so it seems a little strange that I am reading "5 of 5" when I have only read one and I think perhaps part of 2. And I have absolute zero exposure to Eric Masterson, the original Thunderstrike, so for the most part, I am walking in completely blind.

I remember Tom DeFalco from some Spider-Man titles and Mike tells me that he has done a lot of editing work, which sounds familiar, so it should be relatively good, right?

With a short burst of googling, I found that apparently DeFalco, Frenz, and Buscema actually do a good amount of work together. Or at least they have worked together on "Superman Beyond". That cohesiveness usually translates to a great comic--like Pak and Van Lente or Bendis and Romita Jr. They just work well together, and that's why they continue working together.

Right off the bat--there is about zero chance I am reading this entire recap page. You remember those Red Hulk Recap pages from when Jeph Loeb was writing?

They caught you up with just a few words and several pictures. I LOVED that. I just want to jump into a comic when I pick it up, not spending 15 minutes catching myself up to speed. It takes you out of the moment, out of the excitement. And the fed-ex package coloring dominating most of the text just makes me bored and confused.

Quick question: Eric Masterson's mace does not exhibit the same "only he who is worthy" blah blah blah crap that Thor's hammer Mjolnir has going on, does it? Because that wouldn't fully explain why Captain America had it, unless he was worthy...but then it's talking about this Adam Mann trying to steal it...wouldn't it be a pointless endeavor to try and steal an item that you would never be able to pick up?? Just general thoughts.

Also...if Mangog is a Thor villain, why would Thor not show up to help eliminate the threat? Or is he too busy with the "Fear Itself" storyline to be troubled with this? Is this storyline part of the 616 universe, or is it off on it's own??

I love Thunderstrike's new look. I mean, really:

This is cool and all, but how is some jerk high schooler supposed to rock it?

On the first page, the "The Storm and the Sacrifice!" page...I know it is kind of a small quibble, but I have always preferred those deep theological thoughts more like protagonist narration, a la Spider-Man...

...than to actually be very unnatural thought bubbles. Narration doesn't necessarily have to have the tone of the character to make sense; but thoughts usually have to be in voice. See what I'm saying?? Especially since I don't see a kid standing there in front of a huge mystical bad-guy thinking about the moral implications of violence. It would only make sense if he thought he could possibly reason a way to a peaceful solution, but this is obviously not even a consideration here, so why spend the time and energy and effort contemplating whether or not violence is the answer?

Dear god, every one is saying all their thoughts aloud in front of what has all ready proven itself to be a sentient being that is fluent in English. Mark that down as the absolute worst battle strategy ever--announcing your every move takes away the element of surprise, and it gets annoying very quickly.

Am I the only one who is f*cking sick of "I am the best at what I do..." wolverine? The only time I was not annoyed to see the beginning of that phrase was when it ended "and what I do is very pretty!".

HA! If even the villain Mangog is getting ticked off and annoyed with the dialogue, maybe they should rethink their battle plan.

There's Thor. That's good. But--correct me if I am wrong--hasn't Thor handled Mangog all by his little lonesome in the past?? And isn't bringing in the big guy detracting attention from the insufficient main character? In the final issue of a mini series, normally I like to see the flagship character to finally come into his own and start kicking ass and taking names; not playing crowd control so we can see the resident badass steal the thunder. (Sorry--no more puns).

Also, "...the biggest gun of all!" does not sound like Steve Rogers at all. Like...at all. Even a little. He respects Thor, sure, but he doesn't idealize him.

Thor, apparently fresh from ballet, leaps on the scene with a glorious grand jete. Is this a new scare tactic??

Admittedly, a man who is not afraid to rip his nut sack asunder is probably pretty hardcore. That would probably scare the hell out of me.

Once again, forgive me but....Mangog and Thor have met before, yes? Then why do both feel honor bound to remind each other of their shared past? "Mangog is the living hatred of a billion billion beings!". Yeah, thanks--got that from your business card. Also, do you have a stutter? Surely "billion beings" would have been adequate--do you really need "billion billion"?

Thor's spectacular splits were unable to defeat the monster--you have officially thrown everything but the kitchen sink at the guy, as you so kindly called out before the big god showed up....time to hit the showers and call this one a draw.

Do those goggles help Thundestrike see at all? Or is it just to look cool?? I guess it would keep the worst of the debris and blood splatter out of his eyes. Maybe all the heroes should wear some sort of protective eye gear. Also, if I had known that the mouth-guard down there was covering a douchey sixteen year old chin growth, I would have asked him to put it back on. That's just embarrassing, dude.

Also, it seems like Kevin is trying to be quip-y and witty like spider-man generally is...but is failing horribly. It's painful. You're not funny kid. You should stick to your strengths, like.....ummm....

-cough- Anyhoo....

Dammit, now even Thor is saying "a billion billion beings". We do realize that is how children speak, right? "Nuh-uh, because I gots the power of all the power of infinity times a bajillion!" wouldn't have sounded more out of place.

Am I the only one that thinks Kevin has milked his dad's death for all the sympathy he's going to get? Come on kid, get a new gimmick.

Mangog--which is a giant armored monkey everyone in the near vicinity is currently focusing on was able to sneak up on a Thor. How easily can a 3 story monkey sneak ANYWHERE, little less in full body armor?!

Now Mangog is officially stating aloud things he has previously IN THE ISSUE stated aloud. It's like they are petrified we are not listening and may have missed it. How could we have possibly missed this painful back-and-forth?

What is the point of the avengers if they are apparently completely impotent against even a single villain? Steve Roger's entire plan is "stand back and hope someone else saves us! Do nothing!". Sounds like Steve, doesn't it?

If Mangog is the embodiment of hate, then isn't the only way to defeat him with loooooovvve? Should the avengers join hands and stand around Mangog, hurling not arrows and venom blasts, but compliments and flowers??

Which gives me a thought--it's not going to be that hokey, painfully stupid "Mangog's power is being fueled by Kevin's hatred toward Thor over his father's death! Kevin, in order to save us all, you MUST forgive Thor!! Let go of the anger in your -clutches chest- heart!"??? Surely not. That would actually make me vomit, and I don't think they want to make me physically sick, right?

STEVE, GODDAMMIT!!! Drop the damned "Big Gun" stuff!! Nobody says "big guns" that much. You sound like you are on the set of a corny gay porno :-/

Ohhhhh, it's Iron Man coming to the rescue. He's just late as fuck because he apparently decided walking from DC was a better idea than, I don't know...perhaps flying? Utilizing his suit, jumping on a helicarrier, or taking a cab were all apparently not options.

Tony's big plan involves a huge cable which 1) apparently supplies electricity for all of New York and 2) is casually laying on the ground so that any jackass can trip over it and pull it out of it's (what I assume) comically huge outlet. He is going to plug himself in, depriving all of the city--including hospitals and prisons, mind you--of electricity so that he can blast Mangog with a blast that may or may not hurt Mangog. But that Thor can undoubtedly simulate with lightening that won't kill everyone reliant on machines to live. Luckily, Tony mentions that he has probably permanently fried the city's power grid. Neat.

Mangog: "At last! Your plan stands revealed! You seek to entrap me"

Brilliant deduction, if this hadn't happened on the page just before--

Gruenhilda: Our combined magicks will surely banish him!

Seriously?! She literally yelled their plan to everyone for 10 blocks, and Mangog reiterated. That happened.

This issue proves that "throw your hammer at it, Thor" is literally the answer to every question ever. Young hero falls into another dimension and is about to get burned alive in the sun? Throw your hammer at it. Found a nail sticking out of the wall? Throw your hammer at it. Grandma got cancer? ...you get the idea.

Also, wouldn't mjolnir shatter Kevin's spine, and therefore any hope of him walking again? Super depressing way to end a series, and a really shitty way to make up for killing Kevin's father.

Thor's big excuse for never being there for Kevin in some 16 years of life was "well, I was busy....". Kind of weak there, Thor.

Hiding the mace on a necklace is kind of a neat concept. The walking cane that Donald Blake had was cool because he could bang it on the ground and lightening would come and the transformation would take place.....but could you imagine the unimpressive "-ting-" that teeny mace will make when he wants to change?

In civvies, Gruenhilda looks like an older woman skeeving on a teenager.

And so ends a mini-series that reminds me why the superhero registration act was a good idea.

~Andie~