Where pop culture meets geek culture and they make out a little.
Comics (General)
Spawning Passion
1878 days
by Stoker
in Comics (General)
While it was not the first comic book that I ever purchased or read, “Spawn” was the first book that I ever felt the need to purchase every month. Let’s all face facts; the comic book is a form designed in large part to keep outsiders out. Most books are are absolutely mired in continuity so dense that sometimes even true devotees forget storylines. In 1992 the world of comics was turned on its head with the launch of Image, a comic company founded by some of the day’s hottest artists. I was nine at the time and remember the release well, but did not really have much interest. It wasn’t until three years later, at the age of 12, that I became interested in “Spawn.” I remember walking down the new comics wall of my local shop, seeing the cover to an issue of “Spawn,” and thinking “gee this looks pretty cool maybe I should give it a try.”
At the time that I picked up my first issue, Todd McFarlane was no longer on art duties. Pencils were being done by Greg Capullo and the dark art was all I needed to suck me in. There was something about the world of “Spawn” that was both darkly intimidating and greatly exiting. I read through that first issue several times then went on a quest to collect up all of the back issues. I knew I had stumbled on to something special. Granted, the story was not particularly original or complex. The writing was merely serviceable but, when combined with the art of McFarlane and the creators to follow, it was as though some sort of magic had aligned to create something perfect.
Everything about Spawn speaks to the mind of a twelve year old boy. The violence is extreme. The Monsters are horrific. Many a night Malebolgia would haunt my mind, my dark room full of his sharp teeth and pot belly, waiting to gobble me up and swallow my soul. The women were everything sexual. Wanda was a perfect wife with a drop dead perfect body, a woman worthy of trading your soul for. The Angels were even hotter women who could kick anyone’s ass. Angela alone could take down every nerd hating bully in the world, not break a sweat, and look beautiful doing it.
I collected everything Spawn: action figures, comics, shirts, movies, soundtracks, pins. I have every issue of “Curse of the Spawn,” “Hellspawn,” “Angela,” and “Sam and Twitch.” Over the years, the comic has lost some of its luster. Angela and Malebolgia died in issue 100. Al Simmons is no longer the Spawn of continuity; ex comma patient Jim Downing is the new character readers are following. Somehow, even though I know that it isn’t what it once was, (and, honestly, wasn’t much more than a flash to begin with) I still purchase an issue of Spawn every month and, somehow, I am transported, if only for a matter of minutes, to 1995 and the mind of a twelve year old boy who was looking for some danger.
The House of Ideas sold to a Mouse
5883 days
by Stoker
in Comics (General)
I know that this week was supposed to be dedicated to all things back to school and so I am going to make a loose connection between going back to school and what I have to discuss here. Going back to school is very depressing for youngsters, it is the demise of things that are fun and awesome. Well that is how I feel about the purchase of Marvel by Disney there goes my fun down the drain. I know that Disney might not ruin Marvel and I know that it is unlikely there will be a change in the comics after all a simple look at the relationship DC has with Warner Brothers shows that the comic world has essentially been left alone, but oh how I dislike Disney.
Ever since I was a small child and I found out the way that Disney treated Peggy Lee, for those of you who don’t know, they attempted to short her for royalties from the video release of “Lady and the Tramp”, I have thought that Disney epitomized the evil corporate empire. It is not just Peggy Lee who found Disney was treating them poorly. Many celebrities have claimed ill treatment by the company over the years. Whoopie Goldberg for once sent a tape to a roast of Richard Pryor in which she said, “Working for Disney again, I do feel like a nigger… So I just wanted to say I’m sorry I can’t be there… I’m picking cotton for Disney these days.” (her word not mine). My dislike however goes further since I grew up in Orange County everywhere I turn Disney is jammed down my throat.
My major concern is what will happen to the Marvel films. Will all of the characters I love be Disneyfied? Due in large part to Marvels previous $500 million contract with Paramount for production of films, Disney will not fully get its hooks into Marvel studios until 2013 after the release of “Iron Man 2”, “Thor”, “Captain America” and an “Avengers” film (Disney will however receive the money from these films) but it is only a matter of time ladies and gents when will we start seeing cartoons in which Spiderman and Aladdin team up to take down Jafar and the Kingpin. And What is going to happen to the darker marvel characters like the Punisher and Ghost Rider (granted neither of them have had particularly great films although the one with Thomas Jane was getting close) will they be relegated to firing bean bags and fighting fairies. I can’t even imagine.
The purchase of marvel has actually already had ramifications for the film world of the “Fantastic Four”. While the first two films were marginal at best saved only by the work of Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans (I maintain that the Human Torch should actually be played by Mark Paul Gosselaar) it seems that Fox intends to get everything they can out of their properties before the rights are turned over to Disney forcing through a new Four movie by prepare yourselves Akiva “Batman and Robin” Goldsman. The Horror… The Horror. Next thing we know we are going to see Thing nipples Gah.
All I have to left to say is, thank you powers that be for suck fest 2009.
Ness’s Mess
0890 days
by Stoker
in Comics (General)
Anyone familiar with any portion of the life of Eliot Ness most likely knows about his time as the head of The Untouchables. The Untouchables were a group of police officers who made a huge splash during the days of Prohibition. Few people, though, know what became of Ness post Chicago. It is Ness’s time in Cleveland Ohio investigating a series of grizzly murders that Brian Michael Bendis tackles in his award winning graphic novel “Torso.” Bendis is best known for his work on marvel comics superhero books but his true strength lies in the crime tales he told oh so many years ago.
Torso is a roller coaster of a ride as we follow Ness, and two other detectives, trying to solve the killings that have been plaguing Cleveland. Bendis utilizes many unique techniques to tell his story including spiraling panels and news clips from the time. The most shocking and valuable of his techniques, and also the most bloody and terrifying, is the utilization of actual crime scene photos in the pages to the comic. This book is not for the squeamish and I have warned people in the past that if you cannot handle photos of decapitation and decay that this is not the book for you…but if you can stomach it I full recommend this comic.
Torso gives the reader insight into what drives a man like Ness. Torso also gives a unique perspective on the beliefs about homosexuality at the time. The tale deals with corruption like no other book I have ever seen. The reader gets to witness the unraveling of a once powerful man as a killer slips through his fingers over and over again.
It is also important to note that Torso is a graphic novel in black and white so if you are one of those people who needs vibrant colors to read a comic; this isn’t the book for you. If, however, you are the kind of person who is ready to have chills run down your spine, if you are the kind of person who loves police procedurals, if you are the kind of person ready to expand your graphic novel reading prowess, this is the place to begin.
I do not want to give away too much of the plot because it simply would be unfair so I am going to stop here but this is my bloody valentine to all you out there in NR world. Oh, and I hope that the Torso (now called Ness) film comes to fruition soon.
4/5 - Nearly classic!
Crazy Like Lightning….Thunderbolts
4899 days
Can a trainwreck be entertaining and fun? Yes it can!!! I present to you, Thunderbolts, a team headed by a psycho and filled with other psychos.
Let’s start with a little back story on the team. Originally, the team consisted of villians posing as heroes in order to further their nefarious plans. Then they decided the hero bit wasn’t so bad and became a group of reformed villians.
Fast forward to the Civil War mega event. A schism exists between superheroes that agree to register with the government and those that won’t. The government decides to create a team to hunt down unregistered heroes. Now who could you get to do such a questionable job? Enter the new Thunderbolts. Now instead of villians looking for redemption. You have a team of villians working for the government on the promise of money and a one way ticket to anywhere outside of the United States.
Who are these villians?
- Songbird – member of the original team. She has sonic powers and is one of only two members who are not insane. She acts like the heart of the team.
- Radioactive man – also an original member. He is radioactive and is just hoping to get back to his homeland of China. He is the other non-crazy member.
- Moonstone – last of the originals. While not traditionally crazy, highly manipulative and a master of psychology.
At this point you may be asking, “Where’s the crazy? Why should I read this book at all? Not so trainwreck-like.” Well you’d be right if this was all there was to it. So let’s bring on the crazy:
- Venom – not Eddie Brock, but Mac Gargan (orginally, the Scorpion). Regardless of who is wearing the symbiote, Venom is a bloodthirsty monster. Mostly uncontrollable and likes to eat people.
- Swordsman – has powers but can only use them when touching his twin sister. The problem being that his sister is dead so he wields a sword whose hilt is wrapped in the skin of his dead sister. Oh yeah and he was promised a clone of his sister in lieu of payment. Plus it’s inferred that he and his sister are closer than most siblings (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
- Penance – was the mutant who was part of the team that started the whole civil war. Blames himself for all of it. The only way he can access his powers is when he is in physical pain.
- Bullseye – all around homicidal maniac. Can kill anyone with anything and enjoys doing it.
And the cherry on this crazy sundae, their leader is Norman Osborne, aka the Green Goblin. Supposedly cured of his sickness, he is put in control of the team.
The first two arcs of this team were phenomenal train wrecks. You have one of the most dysfunctional teams ever taking on c- and d-list heroes. The team does get the job done but they tended to leave the places they visited a little worse for wear…and Venom was always trying to eat innocent bystanders. Every issue the team would fall a little more apart. In truth, one of the main reasons I continued to read it was to see just how bad it could get. I was never disappointed.
Now a disclaimer, currently, the Thunderbolts are made up of a different group of characters and their mission is slightly altered. I much prefer the crazy team.
The first two arcs by Warren Ellis are collected in 2 volumes: Faith in Monsters and Caged Angels. I highly recommend them if you enjoy a good trainwreck.
4/5 - Nearly classic!
Save Comic-Con
0927 days
by Stoker
in Comics (General)
I have been going to Comic-Con since I was thirteen years old. I remember my first Comic Con very vividly. It was one of the greatest experiences I had ever had at that young age. The San Diego Convention Center was a place where the true comic book fans could go and talk comics, a place to buy, and sell, and trade. A place where one of the most misunderstood mediums was given the reverence it deserved. I have noticed bumper stickers all over the roads in recent years that say things like “Save the Rainforest,” “Save the Polar Bears,” and “Save Trestles.” I think that it is time a new sticker was added to this list, “Save Comic Con.” The one place where comic book fans could go and have fun and speak about their passion for comics without being ridiculed for it, has been turned into nothing more than a place for Hollywood and the media to come try to pimp their new products and point and laugh at the pasty freaks.
The big studios have essentially taken over Comic Con in the past few years; for that they should be ashamed. They have perverted something that was once pure. If the product does not relate to comic books, it should not be at a convention where the first word in the title is Comic. A quick glance at the list of panels for this year reveals tons of things that do not belong at the convention. Let me begin with the slate of films. Those who go to Comic Con this year will be treated to material from the new films “Zombieland,” “Boondock Saints 2”, “2012” and, of course, “Twilight: New Moon”. Not a single one of these films should be at this convention. Don’t get me wrong, I am thoroughly excited to see the first two films, and have no interest what so ever in the second two, but none of them, no matter how I feel about them, should be at the convention
Next up is television. I know for a fact that there are tones of guys lining up to see what Anna Paquin has to say about this season of “True Blood,” (once again not a fan watched some episodes, read “Living Dead in Dallas,” didn’t like any of it). Fox will be there shilling it’s new T.V. show “Glee” which I saw the first episode of and really liked a lot, this may be due in large part to the fact that I was in show choir when I was in High School but the fact of the matter is that it doesn’t have anything to do with comic books and therefore it does not belong at Con.
After leaving the convention last year I was so dejected and so upset that I swore I would never again buy a full pass to the convention. The comics had become tertiary, with retailers forced to the dark fringes of the floor. This week I was reading an article in the new Entertainment Weekly which posed the question has Comic Con alienated its base. To this I say a resounding yes. There is nothing more frustrating then being unable to search for that rare comic book gem while being accosted by a bunch of media crews attempting to get the scoop an the newest fad. The comic book fan has been made to feel like an outcast at our own convention. I hope that this years con will be better but am certain it will not be as for last years convention I give it….
1/5 - Basic shite.
“Chew” on this.
2933 days
by Stoker
in Comics (General)
This week we are talking about epic deaths and “Chew” #1 has one of the most disturbing death moments I think I have ever seen in a comic. Written by John Layman, “Chew” follows the exploits of beat cop Tony Chu. Tony is Cibopathic which means that he can tell the history of anything that he eats. Chu can see the moment an apple is ripped from its tree, taste the second a cow is slaughtered etc. It is this unique skill that makes Chu one of the most valuable members of the P.D.
The comic takes place in a world where the sale of fowl has been outlawed due to an outbreak of avian flu. Tony and his partner, John Colby, are seen staking out a restaurant that makes its money through illegal sales of chicken. After attempting to bust some of the restaurant’s patrons to little avail, F.D.A. agent Mason Savoy, head of the poultry task force, tells Chu and Colby to go inside the restaurant and have something to eat .
Chu sits down to a tasty meal of chicken soup only to find that the man who made the delectable meal is actually a mass murderer. This leads to a chase through the rest of the comic and the chef’s suicide. It is at this point that “Chew” goes from camp fun to dark and grim and wonderful. In order to find out the names of all of the murderer’s victims Chu must do the unthinkable…eat the man’s face. That’s right, Chu eats his face!!!!!!!
Layman has a skill for the slow build, for about the first three pages of this comic book I wasn’t convinced. I mean, yeah, it seemed fun and cute but for three bucks, I wasn’t sure I was going to buy issue two. Then it took a turn I didn’t really see coming and that has convinced me to put this on my mental pull list.
The art by Rob Guillory functions well as a cartoony juxtaposition of the tale. The book could have been filled with dark heavily cross hatched panels and deep colors but instead it is bright and simple. It is this art that makes the dark moments that much more evil, like a monster under the bed invading a child’s room.
In the end “Chew” is a great read with excellent art. I am looking forward to issue 2.
4/5 - Nearly classic!
Top 10 Epic Comic Book Deaths
0933 days
by Stoker
in Comics (General)
Any comic book reader knows that characters die at the drop of a hat. Featured below is a countdown of the 10 most epic comic book deaths. The list below is comprised of deaths that really count, the shockers, the deaths that haunt the reader. So without further ado…
10 Edsel: Mage
Edsel functioned as Kevin Matchstick’s squire in Matt Wagner’s epic comic book “Mage”. She was always ready to serve and protect her leader. Her great downfall came in the line of duty throwing herself on a mystical bullet of sorts to protect Kevin. Edsel’s sacrifice was not in vain however since it allowed Kevin to defeat the malicious Umber sprite.
9) The Joker: The Dark Knight Returns
I know that this is by far one of the most spoken about epic death moments ever, but it sits at the bottom of this list because it is a moment that is outside of standard continuity. The Joker, as all comic fans know, is the epitome of all evil. After being paralyzed by Batman in Frank Miller’s legendary comic, the clown prince of crime forces his broken neck just the few inches more it takes to sever his spinal cord and frame the Dark Knight for murder. Now that’s commitment!
Agent 355: Y: The Last ManIn the most heartbreaking moment in the entire series, Yorick Brown professes his love for protector 355. Everything is right in the world, the concern for saving mankind has been resolved and it is time for 355 to retire. Just as she and Yorick come to terms with their mutual feelings for each other she catches a snipers bullet in the “All Quiet on The Western Front Style” Leaving Yorick Holding the broken limp body of his one true love in his arms.
7) John Hartigan: Sin City: That Yellow Bastard
Hartigan is the hardest of all cops on the beat. After years of solitary and physical rehabilitation he finds himself protecting the one thing he has a soft spot for, Sin City’s own stripper with a heart of gold Nancy Callahan. After protecting Nancy from the evil Jr. Roark the only way that Hartigan can be sure she will be safe is blow his own brains all over the black and white page.
6) All Father D’Aronique: Preacher
We are talking Epic Death here and there are few that are more epic than the fate that befalls All Father D’Aronique. The all father meets his untimely demise at the hands of preacher villain Herr Starr. The massive D’Aronique is dropped from a helicopter to splatter satisfactorily on the cement below. It isn’t just his death though but the death of on a couple of soldiers and the last scion of Jesus Christ that he lands on in the process.
5) Morpheus: The Sandman
We all knew that it was coming. Even though he was one of the Endless, it was made clear on several occasions that they were not immune to death. Yet it is the quite dignified way that Morpheus is taken away that makes the whole thing so sad. As a reader it feels like losing an old friend or mentor and any reader just like the characters Morpheus is survived by would not be human if he or she did not feel the sting of the dream kings replacement by Daniel.
4) Mr. Hyde: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
In the second volume of League, Hyde really came into his own. Shown to be nothing more than a blood thirsty monster in the first arc, Alan Moore gives the reader greater insight into the workings of Hyde’s mind. Hyde sacrifices himself to buy the League time as they try to beat the Martians. The thing that is amazing is that the hulking murder makes note of the fact that he is not concerned with anything other than bloodshed and that he will be mistakenly seen as noble and noble he does appear.
3) Eben Oleamun: 30 Days of NightEben succumbs to a fate worse than death in Steve Nile’s and Ben Templesmith’s vampire story. In order to protect his town and family Eben must become what he is trying to fight. Knowing full well that he will become an out of control blood sucker, Eben chooses instead to watch the sun rise with wife Stella after a month of darkness, as they have so many years before. The chilling last page of Stella sitting alone on a hill after the disintegration of the vampiric Eben is the most shocking of all of the images contained within the comic.
2) Rorschach: Watchmen
His commitment to truth is his undoing. The true hero of Watchmen finds his end at the tip of Dr. Manhattan’s finger. I am almost incapable of saying anything other than heart wrenching. No one who has read this comic will forget the look on Rorschach’s face as he screams at Manhattan to “Do It!”.
1) Jason Todd: Batman: A death in the Family
Jason Todd was, by far, the most hated of Batman’s sidekicks and I know that many will disagree with this as the number one most epic comic book death but there is one thing that makes this death unique. After being beaten close to death with a crowbar by the Joker, Jason is left in a warehouse with a ticking bomb. Batman readers were left to choose the fate of the new Boy Wonder by calling one of two 800 numbers. After the calls were tabulated it was found that Jason was voted dead, the bomb exploded and The Dark Knight’s sidekick went up with it. This was not a murder by a random psychopath, as the comic world would have you believe, no this was a hate crime committed by Batman fans all over this land, and that is why it is the most epic comic book death of all time.