Kevin Smith on Superman Returns and Star Trek

 I love Kevin Smith.

Movie News: Sandman film Possibility, New Star Wars Film, and The Hobbit

Sam Liu on "The Sandman" Film Possibility
Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths director Sam Liu mentioned he would love to make an animated feature film of The Sandman.

"I'd love to do Sandman from the Vertigo line. I don't know what kind of story that would be, but I'd love to work with Neil Gaiman because I really loved those comics." 

Sam Liu, who worked on animated films such as Green Lantern: First Flight, Wonder Woman, Batman/Superman: Public Enemies, any many more as director and as animator, (shuffling back and forth as each) seems to show great enthusiasm for said animated project.


I've enjoyed most of the films Liu has been a part of, even the poorly written animated film "Superman/Batman: Public enemies, and highly respect his urge to bring the Sandman to life on the animated realm.  However, I wonder how daunting of a task this would be as an animated feature.


First off, as all fans know, Sandman is not for the squeamish or who have weak constitutions.  It's an incredibly violent and intelligently written series of graphic novels.  By making in animated, would the story have to be dumbed down for a younger audience, or would Liu keep it exactly like it is to please the adult crowds and make it as accurate as possible?  I personally think it could work as an animated film, but I wouldn't want it to be done by the Japanese animation studios or by the Warner Bros. animation studios.  Yeah they put out good work, but Sandman needs to be handled by a different group of people.  Yeah, Warner Bros. wont let it go, but I hope they could hire a different studio to take care of the animation quality.  And of course, I would hope Neil Gaiman would be consulted, like Liu said, in creating a GOOD Sandman film.

New Star Wars Films

According to comicbookmovie.com, some certain people have been leaking out the possibility of a new Star Wars film in the making...

"..My host is friend and former collaborator Paul Sebastien, who over the years has worked for Xbox, Playstation, and now LucasArts. Last night he was telling me a little about the forthcoming Star Wars-related TV show, movie and online games—very cool indeed.
...it sounds like Mr Lucas has got his head into a good place. I met him several times when I was working on a movie in the 80s called [name suppressed to protect credibility!] and he’s a decent chap, but I could have done without the last three SW movies."

 Now who knows how reliable this source is seeing as how the quot comes from a personal blog of someone who knows the people high up on the food chain, and some fan who writes blog on comicbookmovie.com just embedded it into his section of the site, but there is potential.  The animated film was a success and cartoon series is doing quite well.  Maybe Lucas has changed his mind about making more films.  I personally would love to see another film as long as it is a step away from the crappy last three films.

More News on The Hobbit

Casting for The Hobbit will begin his coming Monday (12/14) and it looks as if Andy Serkis will be getting ready to return as the famed Gollum.  Del Torro, who is directing the film, has stated he can't see anyone else returning as Gollum.  If you wish to audition as a mainline actor or an extra for the film, the following information will help you...

Principal Actor Casting:
Liz Mullane Casting
17 Taipakupaku Road
Karaka Bay
Wellington, New Zealand 6022

Extras Casting:
Miranda Rivers
PO Box 6479
Marion Square
Wellington, New Zealand 6022

Yes, Casting is in New Zealand, so you'll have to do some traveling.

The film is planned in coming out in two installments, much like the LOTR trilogy was done, where all three movies were filmed at the same time but distributed to theaters in a three year time span.

To find out more on what Director Guillermo del Toro says on the latest development of the film, go to theonering.net and read his blub.

Comic Book Review: Justice League of America #39

Written by James Robinson

Art and cover by Mark Bagley

Plot

The Justice League enter the Hall of Justice only to find their villain graveyard has been infiltrated by black rings.  The League desperately looks for these Zombie Lanterns in the dark hoping they wont run into anyone too powerful and difficult to send back to the grave.  Sadly, this is not the case as they are approached by some of their most dreaded villains and heroes from their past.

My Thoughts

As much of a disappointment and poorly written title that the Justice League: Detroit was, bringing Vibe back from the dead was a pretty nice move on Robinson’s part.  He might have been a fairly insignificant hero, but he sure does pack a punch.  This issue was a perfect example of nostalgia at its most terrifying level; a team that was obviously a failure is being wished back by someone who truly wanted it to work and will see to it that it does.  Now granted, these risen Lanterns are obviously NOT the people who were alive prior, but the memories and feelings are the same, which means there is the possibility that everything being described by each zombie of what they want to do has a hint of truth, which makes everything that much more terrifying. 

I loved how strong Zatanna stayed when confronted by her father as a Black Lantern.  And the same goes for Dr. Light when she also finds her predecessor.  Both women showed strength beyond expectations at the same degree that Wonder Woman showed when faced with Maxwell Lord.  Perhaps having Dr. Light in the upcoming League will be a much more positive thing than I previously thought.

Mark Bagely does good work with this issue.  The fight scenes between Zatanna and Zatara were so incredible beautiful (however terrifying) along with the grotesque image of the former Dr. Light licking the salty head of Firestorms girlfriend.  The use of light and dark could not have been better.  I would argue this is some of Bagely’s best work in his entire career.  However, I did find it strange and awkward for about 2 seconds when Zatara looked as if he was grabbing his Zatanna’s boobs.  Don’t worry, I know that he was going for her heart, and to rip someone’s heart out with their bare hands you have to plunge right into the center of the breast.  But my first reaction was “wait a second, daddy is gabbing his daughters boobs.  Something is wrong here.”  But then I got over myself and forgot about it.

Overall

Fantastic!  Best issue in the JLA title in about a year.  James Robinson finally delivers with something good, and completely outdoes the evil reign of McDuffie.

7.5 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming December 16, 2009

The JLA can't escape the BLACKEST NIGHT! Faced with the continuing threat of the Black Lanterns, Zatanna, Vixen and the rest of the team confront their pasts when fallen friends and foes return for blood!

Comic Book Review: Secret Six #16

Written by Gail Simone

Art by Peter Nguyen and Doug Hazlewood

Cover by Daniel LuVisi

Plot

Black Alice finds herself back to the pages of the DC Universe, this time with an interest in joining the Secret Six.  And seeing as how there is a spot to fill, it just might work out!  However, some of the Six have some severe misgivings in allowing this teenaged, power stealing girl into their ranks.  Black Alice, on the other hand will do all she can to get in on the murderous action if it means earning good money, and she’s prepared to do all that is necessary to get what she wants.

My Thoughts

People call me crazy, weird and downright twisted when it comes to the literature I read.  Like always, my favorite stories are the ones where people do not get a happy ending.  And this issue certainly falls in that category.  Pedophilia has never been displayed in such a disgusting form.  But what makes this 16^th installment of the Six so terribly good is how maliciously evil it shows Catman to be.  I’m not sure I will ever need another lesson on how to effectively torture and kill someone in my life…and I’m not sure I want too. 

The first half of the book is one of the darkest and twisted scenes I’ve ever read in a single comic book.  The uncaring nature portrayed by the pedophile as he described his lust for underage girls was revolting, which (in turn) made me feel almost relieved that the father of one of the criminals victims was about to take his (the father’s) knife and do unspeakable, murderous things to his dead daughters rapist.  But again, I go back to how Catman brutally described to the father effective torture methods to kill this man in order to satisfy the father’s lust for revenge.

Black Alice was an interesting addition to the story.  I’m not entirely sure I approve of Scandal Savage being replaced with such an unestablished character in the DCU.  But I’m sure we all know that Scandal is not permanently out of the Six, it’s just a great story telling tool.  So with that in mind, Black Alice could be an outstanding temporary character, which I’m perfectly sure Simone will use effectively and creatively.

As much as I love Nicola Scott, Peter Nguyen completely rocked the house with his stunningly dark and sadistic art style.  The use of color by Mr. Jason Wright was genius; he gave a full range of emotion to every character in every panel.  This is one of the few issues out there in comic book history that I completely understand people purchasing strictly for the art.  However, as good as it was, I will continue to keep my fingers crossed in hope that Nicola Scott will return to this title after Blackest Night: Wonder Woman is done.

Overall

Lust can be an interesting topic of discussion.  This issue shows lust over women, revenge, money, and power.    It was twisted and evil…just how I like them.  But it was one of the stronger stories I’ve read this year as well.  I’m very conflicted if this should be a top ten issue for 2009.  What do you think?

8.5 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming January 13, 2010

John Ostrander and Gail Simone continue their epic team-up that begins in SUICIDE SQUAD #67! Suicide Squad has taken capture of Deadshot, forcing him to rejoin their ranks. But the Secret Six doesn't see that happening any time soon!

Comic Book Review: Wonder Woman #38

Written by Gail Simone

Art by Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan

Cover by Aaron Lopresti

Plot

Alkyone has taken things beyond everyone’s expectations, even Achilles.  Wonder Woman is in prison and has threatened to kill her mother if she tries to escape.  Now as Wonder Woman awaits her death sentence, the rest of the village, who is against this unjust action, must decide where their loyalties lie and if that loyalty is worth the price.

My Thoughts

I read this issue twice.  The first time I wasn’t sold on it.  There seemed to be something lacking with this story but I couldn’t pin point it.  I then decided to give it a second read through, and to my surprise, the second reading was a huge difference.  I found different aspects of the story very appealing and motivating; a more profound message was there that I didn’t see when reading it the first time.

This issue was much more character driven than anything else, and I think that’s what threw me off in the first reading.  I was expecting something different and not reading the issue for what it actually was.  This issue gives a clear voice and motivation to every character.  Diana has a very passive approach to life and accepts it for what it is, but does not allow that to keep her from fighting.  And with the help of Artemis, who is an even more determined individual than Wonder Woman, she reminds her of who she is and why it’s important to fight for what is right.  Achilles, however misguided and unworthy he is to take over as ruler of Paradise Island and the Amazons, portrays a certain amount of dignity in which the readers can respect and support.  I was very surprised in how unsupportive he was of Alkyone’s decision to put Wonder Woman to death.  It showed me that really does want justice and does care for the people he rules over.  And even with Alkyone going all “looney tuney” on us, there is still motivation that is clearly defined and illustrated.  To a certain extent you can respect and sympathize with her; maybe even understand WHY she is taking the actions she is.

Again, Aaron Lopresti brings an unmatched level of artistic ability that puts him among the best comic book artists to have ever lived.  Every page gives us superbly sculpted characters that show incredible emotions and meaningful expressions.  Yet, even with Lopresti personifying each person so perfectly, there is a level of planned imperfection that melds with Simone’s writing style perfectly.  The team of Simone and Lopresti is perfect in every way and can never be matched or bettered.

Overall

One of the best for the month of November.  This Story is building up so much that I can’t figure out if it’s going to beat out the last story arc or not.  Two Thumbs Up!

9.5 out of 10 stars.

Next Issue Coming December 23, 2009

This is it! The secret behind Wonder Woman's new power and the true meaning of the Olympian are revealed right here!

It's an all-out action issue as Diana faces an old foe with a hideous new face!

Comic Book Review: Green Lantern #48

Written by Geoff Johns

Art and cover by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy

Variant cover by Rags Morales

Plot

The moment Geoff Johns has been promising us for so long has finally arrived, the formation of the “All Lantern Corps.”  Larfleeze takes on a horde of Black Lanterns, whose souls he consumed into his ring long ago, and fights for his life with the aid of the other representatives of different Lantern Corps’.  After the threat has been neutralized, Atrocitus is forced to relive a memory, which causes his uncontrollable rage to subside momentarily.

My Thoughts

If I were to ask myself what makes this title so good, my response would be two words…Geoff Johns.  Now I don’t think this issue was his best work, but I found it incredibly captivating and moving on every page.  He has turned this title into something that transcends science fiction, fantasy, and horror all jam-packed into one incredible piece of literature.

Each character had his or her own unique voice that held up on it’s own.  Johns has done a stellar job at characterizing each newly introduced Lantern Corps member, which now leads us to this very spot of the “All Lantern Corps formation.”  However, even with this new pact made by these Lanterns, Sinestro, Larfleeze and Atrocitus have plans to destroy the Green Lantern Corps, which means, of course, that this pact will only end in chaos. 

I have absolutely no respect for Larfleeze.  Even though Sinestro and Atrocitus are just as evil and sinister as the Orange Lantern, Larfleeze shows no sign of pain or anguish.  There is nothing compelling him to be like this other than his own selfish nature.  At least Atrocitus and Sinestro have something compelling them to lead a life of evil, Larfleeze just wants more stuff.  I’m wondering how this is going to play out in the end.  First off, we have a guardian pledging himself to the Muppet-like villain, and secondly, Larfleeze seems to continually get more airtime as we get closer and closer to the climactic ending.  Will Larfleeze have some mysterious role in the ending of Blackest Night?  I’m starting to think this to be a good possibility.

Doug Mahnke shows off his stuff again by giving each character their own distinctive look.  Hal being very confident, Saint showing a great sense of religious fervor, Atrocitus completely angry looking and without remorse, Sinestro…well…Sinister, and so on and so forth. 

Overall

Above average and definitely entertaining.  I’m looking forward to seeing the end of Blackest Night, but also dreading it because I know I’m going to be pissed off and happy all at the same time.  But maybe I should hold off on making a preconceived judgment on the series until the end.

7 out of 10 stars

Next Issue Coming December 23, 2009

BLACKEST NIGHT continues! John Stewart comes face to face with his greatest failures, the planet Xanshi and his wife and fellow Green Lantern, Katma Tui. Plus, what does Fatality truly want with John?

Comic Book Review: Superman #694

Written By James Robinson

Art By Javier Pina

Plot

Mon-El has escaped captivity from General Lane and is back in the crime fighting life style.  Everything is new for Mon-El as he attempts to change his voice and receives a new costume that resembles the Man of Steel’s in every way, but reversed.  Mon-El wants to be the symbol of hope that Superman was and become a worthy “replacement” in Superman’s absence.  But can Mon-El be the “carbon copy” of Superman he hopes to be, or should he find his own direction?  Should he be the Superman Metropolis never had?

My Thoughts

I can’t figure out where to take this review.  The current storylines that have been bestowed onto the Superman title are drastically wearing me down.  I would have dropped this title a while ago and gone strictly with World of New Krypton except that I subscribed to the title, so I get it no matter what.  Robinson is continually beating down the title with a rubber mallet desperately trying to make the stories relatable to his reader’s.   However with every issue, sadly, Robinson goes beyond what is necessary and fails to give Mon-El the humanity that I’m sure he’s attempting to achieve.

Now I do like the new costume, despite the “S” symbol attached to his suits left pectoral.  It is new and creative, yet resembles the suit worn by the Man of Steel enough to be more than acceptable.  But the means behind the new costume is less than appealing.  According to Mon-El, General Lane has corrupted the Superman legacy and it needs to be put back into a positive light among the people.  So Mon-El decides to revamp himself, change his voice and be something that can help remind the people of Metropolis that Superman is, and will always be, the savior of the city.  But this was explained in a very long, drawn out, boring bit of dialectical jargon between him and Superboy in a flash back, consisting of the two of them sitting in a poorly drawn kitchen while eating breakfast.  It was unnecessary and bored me to tears.

Speaking of art, how much worse can it get?  I feel like one of the kids at the middle school I work could have drawn and inked this garbage.  The only really good artistic expression in this book was Mitch carrying a small child out of a fiery mess, and it was really good!  But every other page did not help me engage the story in the least, and having good art is necessary to help boost a story up from it’s repulsiveness.

Overall

The worst comic of the month.  I’ll be so happy to see Superman come back from New Krypton and save this title from humiliation and low sales.  But I think the only way to really fix this is to exile James Robinson from ever writing for Superman again and arrest Javier Pina for creating such awful artwork.

0 out of 5 stars

Next Issue Coming December 23, 2009

Part 2 of Man of Valor! Metropolis gets a chance to see the new Mon-El in action. But now the stakes are raised even higher and the action escalates as Mon finally goes mano-a-mano against the Parasite! This is a battle that's been brewing since Mon's emergence on Earth and now it explodes into the streets and skies of the city.

Plus, with Mon-El's secret identity publicly known, how will the Science Police react to him now that they know he's been living among them all this time? All this plus the return of Natasha Irons and the fate of Steel!

Bobby Bowden, A Superbowl Lantern?

hmmmm, so this is recently retired ead Football Coach Bobby Bowden.  For all you Green Lantern fans out there, who does this remind you of?  (This shouldn't be too hard right?)  Comic Book Review for Superman #684 comig later today!

Tom Waits Casted In The Hobbit (rumored)

Tom Waits , best known for his music, has acted in quite a few movies. He was in Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mystery Men among others. Most recently he played Satan in Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium Of Dr Parnassus .


Cinematical are reporting that an AICN source has word that Waits could be playing an unknown role in Guillermo Del Toro's The Hobbit:

"As much as I'd like to say he's a lock (certainty), I'm told he's simply someone the production is talking about -- but they seem to be talking about him pretty seriously."

Waits steals the show in everything he does, and that unmistakable voice would fit perfectly as the menacing, gravelly voice of Smaug. That’s the character I can see Waits voicing. But I try to pre judge. Hopefully Waits gets the part!

Toy Story 3 Movie Trailor

Not until June????  Oh man, I can't wait that long!!!

Alyson Hannigan Expreses Her Opinion Of The Buffy Reboot

At long last, a Buffy cast member speaks out at the news of making a Buffy film without creator Joss Weadon. Alyson Hannigan, who played Willow in the show since season one, verbalizes her disgust with even entertaining the idea.

"Yeah, and that's a very big mistake in my opinion. I mean if Joss isn't involved, it's only the title. Joss is the only reason that we would go back. I mean, it's just ridiculous to think of that TV show without Joss. That's just silly to me… And all the fans know that, too, so I don't know what they're thinking."

Typically, I always thought a reboot was to help a show, movie to allow fans to forget about what came before it. They did that with the Hulk movie, they are doing it with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and they are currently working on a reboot for the latest Superman film. But what gets me is that Buffy did so well on its own, why is a reboot needed?

Now if it was being announced that a Buffy film was in the works, and its base is founded off of what Joss Weadon has already put in place, I could accept that a lot more and would probably get excited about it. But from what I’m hearing, they want to REBOOT the whole thing, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why they feel it’s necessary since the show was a smashing success!

It’s like Fox is stomping on the foot, hand, face, and genitalia of Creator Joss Weadon, as if they were saying, “You know all those shows you did of Buffy? You know, the incredibly successful show that fans all loved? Well, we think we can make even better! So we are going to redo everything you’ve done. Oh! And we won’t need your assistance either. Bye!”

And just like in the Harry Potter films, I honestly can’t see anyone else playing Buffy accept Sarah Michelle Geller, she IS Buffy. And to even think that anyone BUT Alyson Hannigan might be playing Willow…no sir!! It just won’t fly. If you want to do this film project, get Joss Weadon in on it, and bring back the original cast. Simple! Thank you Alyson Hannigan for being completely and utterly the coolest person in the world by speaking up about this issue! No wonder all the nerdy males in the world love you!

Comic Book Review: Superman World Of New Krypton #10 (of 12)

Written by Greg Rucka and James Robinson
Art by Pete Woods; Cover by Gary Frank
Variant cover by Dustin Nguyen

Plot
In issue #9, we are left with a council member, dead on the floor and Adam Strange, standing above him, as the most likely suspect. As Kryptonian authorities immediately throw guilt upon Strange, Superman utilizes his commanding status to keep Strange from being tried and wrongfully convicted. But the questions still remains, “whodunit?” Clues lead Superman and his band of officers to believe the culprit to be one of the labor guild and immediately start their search within their company.

As Superman and Adam Strange come closer to solving the case, another wrench is thrown into the mix and Superman rattles his brain desperately trying to solve this case. But while Superman thinks, things are already being set into motion which could endanger the life of one member of New Krypton’s elite…time is of the essence!

My Thoughts

Issue #10 brings us back to what made #8 so good, the classic way of writing mystery tale! Adam Strange is an amazing character who brings so much life to this suffering title. The book needed something to help it get out of the dull drums and into some thought provoking story telling. We get not so much of the political struggles and troubles within the different social classes and more dialogue and story which analyze the mystery of the murdered council member. This was a much needed change and I’m glad to see Rucka is helping James Robinson finally focus this title into something understandable and tangible.

I find it interesting that, even though Superman swore to leave his home world of earth and everything he took from it behind and embrace New Krypton’s way of doing things, he was unable to bow down to the Council’s need to pass immediate judgment. Whether this was the writers intention or not I don’t know, but the sociological comments found in this scene are tremendous. It made me ask myself “Can one truly leave their upbringing behind to embrace the exact opposite?” It’s a hard thing to do, as shown that even Superman can’t escape his learned behavior.

The double paged layout formats of each and every issue has been slowly bugging me as we get closer and closer to the final issue. I’ve tried to keep quiet about it, hoping that it was just me getting used to it, but I honestly believe this format and the way they use it is incredibly confusing and distracting. I would be reading one page, confused as hell, then realized what I did. My wish? That the ones organizing this would think a little harder about how they place panels on the pages, it would make my reading experience much more enjoyable.

Now I’m still confused at where this miniseries is going even though we are two issues away from being done with the story. I can see where the focus is going to be, but I can’t figure out why this is all happening and what its significance is in the DC universe. There aren’t even that many clues given to us as to why all the chaos is going on.

Overall

While this particular issue is good in and of itself, I’m starting to think the ending to this mini will be a huge let down, and I will have wasted $36 on a 12 issue series. James Robinson is not getting high points from me for this series, which is a double whammy seeing as how he’s doing an even worse job with Justice League: A Cry for Justice.

4 out of 5 stars

Next Issue Coming January 6, 2010

"Mystery in Space" Part 2! As the murder mystery on New Krypton deepens, Superman and Adam Strange's investigation leads them to uncover a conspiracy involving all five Kryptonian guilds that threatens to devastate the entire planet. This chain of events will touch everyone – Alura, Zod, even General Lane – and will lead directly into next month's explosive finale!

Comic Book Review: JSA All-Stars #1

Written by Matthew Sturges
Art and cover by Freddie Williams II
Variant cover by Ryan Sook

Plot
The JSA splinters off into two groups, and “All-Stars #1” brings us the younger, more attack happy group of heroes. Under the leadership of Magog, the team now goes under some serious new tactical and hand to hand combat training. However, what seems to be missing from the team is confidence in Magog as a leader. Can the new JSA All-Stars come together as a team to fight injustice without killing each other first?

Meanwhile, the mystery of Stargirl unfolds as the perpetrator makes his presence know!

My Thoughts
To start off, I wasn’t too thrilled to learn that the JSA was splitting up into two separate teams. But I understand the necessity of it seeing as how Geoff Johns made the team way too big for most writers to handle. But much to my dismay, I picked up this new first issue curious as too what changes will be made under the leadership of Magog. And I must say, I still haven’t made up my mind yet.

One thing to keep in mind is that this is a new chapter in the world of the JSA and it may take some time to build up momentum. But along with that comes the possibility where it ends up flopping on its face. What I did enjoy in the story however was the tension between Power Girl and Magog. PeeGee came out of the JSA as a leader, and now she has submitted to following someone else, and she hasn’t figured out how to let the team leader take charge. But of course, the directions from Magog to his team weren’t all that brilliant either. If PeeGee hadn’t intervened in the way she did, the team may not have succeeded in defeating the android army. (Wow, Power Girl’s been doing a lot of busting up androids lately hasn’t she?)

But of course, my favorite scene was with Power Girl and Star Girl with their heart to heart on the roof of their New York City headquarters. Here’s Power Girl, a defining feature of the DC universe sitting down expressing her need for this teenaged wonder being on the new team. How many adults in the world will admit to a child that they are necessary for a collective group to survive on a journey? It seems we only find this type of phenomenon in fiction and fantasy. It happened with Frodo in Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter in his self-named series of books, Richard Tyler in The Pagemaster, and with Bod in The Graveyard Book. Now here, Star Girl finds herself chatting with one of her Icons about how she (Star Girl) is necessary for the team to survive. And with the unexplained mystery of villains not laying a finger on her, there will probably be more divine providence to come with Star Girl.

Freddie Williams II has some interesting ways of expressing his art work. But I begin to wonder how much of his creativity is coming from his brain, and how much of it is coming from his penis. I realize there are some pretty “ris-kay” comics out there with virtually naked women in them, but Williams certainly pushes the envelope. Here are a few examples….

And that’s just the tip of the ice berg! The issue ends with Power Girl, after stopping a huge explosion, ends up with almost nothing to cloth her. I know Power Girl is a hottie, but geez, keep it in your pants buddy!

Overall
This is a fun issue, but not exceptional. I’ll probably be giving this title another two issue trial before deciding if it’s worth it, especially if it continually runs at $4 an issue. Wow!

3 out of 5 stars

Next Issue Coming January 6, 2010

In "Constellations," part 1, The All-Stars have survived their first major battle, but in the aftermath, one team member is missing without a trace. The mysterious Strike Force has that member captive, but there's someone else who wants the missing All-Star even worse than Strike Force does. Plus, the rift between Power Girl and Magog widens.

And in the first chapter of a new co-feature, Liberty Belle and Hourman embark on a worldwide hunt for a mysterious book – and the killer who may be after the secrets held within it! Icicle and Tigress aren't responsible for the murder, but they just might hold some keys to solving the mystery!

Superman Wedding Reception......MUST WATCH!!

So first off, I think this is hilarious.  Secondly....WOW!  I'm not sure I could have done this a my wedding, but I sure wish I could have!  And thirdly....um.....yeah, I got nothing.  In-fuckin-credible

Comic Book Review: Blackest Night Wonder Woman #1 (of 3)

Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Nicola Scott
Cover by Greg Horn
Variant cover by Ryan Sook

Plot
Maxwell Lord returns from the grave, which causes mixed emotions to course through Wonder Woman’s veins. In a graveyard, where risen Maxwell Lord sits atop on a memorial honoring fallen war veterans, he waits Diana’s eventual arrival prepared to take his vengeance upon her for snapping his neck. As her emotions heighten with the memories of death and despair, so does her confidence and strength. But is it enough to fight off her old friend turned foe? And can she overpower the oncoming threat of the Black Lantern horde led by the former manager of the Justice League? One thing is for certain, the battle is far from over…

My Thoughts
So far, the two “Blackest Night” tie-ins (Superman, Batman) have been less than satisfactory. The Batman tie-in seemed unnecessary, and the Superman tie-in, with exception the 3rd and final issue, felt like a waste of time and ridiculous. So I was reluctant to pick up this Wonder Woman tie-in for fear I might be disappointed in wasting money. But now that I have did purchase it, I have no regrets!

In the same storytelling manor of Gail Simone, Greg Rucka (a former Wonder Woman writer) brings the Amazon princess to a graveyard to face her demons. And who better to face off with than Maxwell Lord! And what a terrifying sight to see Mr. Lord perched on top of that memorial, head twisted 90 degrees as a way of reminding Wonder Woman what she did to him. But even more so horrific, within the first ten pages of this issue, Wonder Woman thinks back to her experience with death and the murder of old friends, portrayed in a faded, sepia toned two paged spread. And how, even after Maxwell Lord’s head is sliced off by Diana’s gleaming golden axe, he still taunts her with his creepy little side remarks. (What? No ‘hello?’ No ‘How ya been?’) This is a horror story that not even the mastermind Geoff Johns, the one behind the Blackest Night phenomenon, could bring to comic book readers!

Nicola Scott, who currently is working on the masterful title “Secret Six,” comes in to doodle away in this three part series. Scott shows how good she really is by giving Wonder Woman a very contemplative, yet prepared look on every paged. You can sense how trying this whole ordeal is for Wonder Woman. It’s almost as if, because of what she did to Maxwell Lord, Wonder Woman believes this is a deserving judgment upon her. Maxwell Lord, who is angered beyond compared at Wonder Woman, definitely brings in all the stops in causing Diana to truly reminisce on the decision to kill him the way she did. As I read this issue, and looked at every panel of Wonder Woman’s almost expressionless face, I was honestly pained myself and felt sorry for her. I know how it feels to make a decision that you may not necessarily regret doing, but stills pains you to have done it in the first place.

What I appreciated about this first issue is it all takes place in one location. Greg Rucka, whom I am a huge fan of, knows how to create spine-tingling and griping stories without having to go from place to place. 22 pages and the entire confrontation takes place all within 30 feet of the memorial, and I didn’t want it to end. But this is a very significant place to have a battle for Wonder Woman. One of Wonder Woman’s greatest weaknesses is her respect for fallen warriors and soldiers. Maxwell Lord, whether he planned this or not, was strategically placed to take full advantage of Diana’s vulnerability. But what Maxwell Lord fails to realize however, is that Wonder Woman shows her greatest strength in the midst of her greatest weakness and uses that to achieve victory against the zombie Lanterns…however temporary it may be.

Overall

This issue is so emotional and causes those emotions to pop out of the paged and smack you dead in the face. Wonder Woman finds herself in another situation where her Amazonian upbringing comes in handy. This is an amazing issue and is a contender for making my top ten comics list for 2009, as well as making best cover.

5 ot of 5 stars

Next Issue Coming January 6, 2010

Following closely the events of BLACKEST NIGHT, Diana faces her greatest challenge. Death has always walked with her, but who will guide her into the light – her mother, her sister or her lover? Don't miss this mind-blowing tie-in as Wonder Woman's life changes forever!

Delay in Comics, Yet Again!

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but comics are delay yet again because of the Thanksgiving holidays.  So don't go traveling to your comic book store until tomorrow.

It still makes me mad because I want my comics TODAY!  But I have to wait because stupid writers think they can take a day off.  grrrr....  (wink)

I am excited for The new JSA All-Stars and the newest Blackest night editions.  Should be good fun.

Comic Book Review: Batman and Robin #6

Written by Grant Morrison

Art by Philip Tan and Jonathan Glapion

Cover by Frank Quitely

Variant cover by Philip Tan

Plot

Batman and Robin have been caught and trapped in an unknown warehouse by the villainous Red Hood and his newly inducted sidekick, Scarlett.  They have been placed in front of a webcam, unmasked, for the world to see once one million votes are sent in by the world that The Red Hood and Scarlett are doing a better job that the dynamic duo at cleaning up the city.

However, things are not looking well for the Red Hood and his Scarlett sidekick as a new villain has entered into the playing field calling himself “Flamingo” who does not share Jason Todd’s vision of justice.  Now Red Hood faces his archenemy in a battle for his life, while Batman and Robin are seemingly trapped waiting for the camera to click on, exposing the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder.

My Thoughts

Honestly, I was worried last issue if #6 would be able to carry through with the great story Morrison gave us in issue #5.  But what I do respect of Mr. Morrison is his ability to create dark and terrifying stories.  And as this third and final chapter of “Revenge of the Red Hood” comes to a close, I’m reminded of how horrifying Morrison’s stories can become.

The Flamingo character is not one I’m completely familiar with, but this issue certainly gave me an epic introduction to him.  It seems nothing hurts him, and I highly doubt that a pile of rubble from a construction sight is going to stop our red and pink friend. 

Now it looks as if Blackest Night will be taking over the pages of Batman and Robin for a while, understandably.  But this El Penitente phantom has me intrigued, and what does he know about Oberon Sexton? Will he be apart of next issue or is that whole thing going to wait until after Blackest Night is said and done with?

Philip Tan did a fantastic job with this issue.  Every panel was horrifying and met the standards that I’m sure Morrison would come to expect for this particular book.  The actions seemed a little too fast-paced, but it didn’t detract me from enjoying it either.

Of course, like always, I’m partial towards the story lines that appeal to the “human” side of the characters.  And how much more human could Morrison get with Jason’s speech to Batman?  It was such a conflicting piece of oratory that I wasn’t sure if I should sympathize with Jason, or hate him!  Of course we all have moments where, when we find ourselves in a moment of absolute triumph, we verbally pounce on those who always seemed to be better than us.  And the interesting thing here is, Dick seems to take offense!  It looks like Mr. Grayson still has a lot to live up to and fears that.

Overall

Above average.  A lot of action and suspense.  I’m excited to see what happens with this El Penitente character and how he will influence the lives of Gotham in future story lines.  But right now, we must focus on Blackest Night!

3 out of 5 stars

Next Issue Coming January 27^th, 2010

Knight, Squire and DETECTIVE COMICS' Batwoman guest-star alongside The Dynamic Duo in "Blackest Knight," a 3-part story illustrated by Cameron Stewart (SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICT0RY: MANHATTAN GUARDIAN). Readers who enjoyed BATMAN R.I.P. and FINAL CRISIS won't want to miss this captivating new storyline packed with additional clues on the Domino Killer and the details surrounding the "death" of Bruce Wayne!

Iron Man 2 Poster....War Machine is Coming

Iron man sucks, it really does. But this poster is pretty cool. I wonder how much idiocy will be put into this second installment of the Iron man franchise. Will Tony Stark have a lot of dumb one liners? Will we know who the bad guy is right off the bat? Will the script be a huge piece of random jargon hoping to make some semblance of an intelligently written plot? Will more time be spent on making things look pretty rather than making sure the entertainment value is more than just blowing things up and showing off how “second-rate” their animation skills are?

Yes, it probably will. And the rest of the world will accept it as a good movie and continue to be ignorant and foolish and walk away from the theaters unable to express how in “awe” they were of Robert Downey Jr.’s good looks.

Ugh! Please Nolan, bring us a third Batman film!

Do You Remember Bravestar? I Remember Bravestar...

Yes, I was on Netflix adding movies to my queue, when a recomendation popped out in front of me....Bravestar, vol. 1 and 2!!!  I had forgotten about that cartoon!  It's my child hood coming back!  So I totally put them in my queue along with the first season of Thundercats!  I'm totally going to be geeking out on the biggest nostalgia high in the history of the world!  Here's the theme song.....

Comic Book Review: Justice Society of America #33

Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges

Art and cover by Jesus Merino

Plot

Everything is falling to pieces around the Justice Society, both literally and figuratively!  The JSA Brownstone has crumble due to a massive attack by a various assortment of villains.  But even with Mr. Terrific’s mysterious attacker finally revealed, the team has decided to do the unthinkable…to split up into two teams to keep one another from killing each other!

My Thoughts

Geoff John’s work on the JSA was an unmatchable phenomenon.  Incredible storylines strung along with wonderful character developments is what made the current run of this title so miraculous.  One could argue that Geoff John’s work on the JSA was some of the best writing on any book to date.  However, Johns made one crucial error, something I don’t think anyone could have seen coming…he made the team too big.  So naturally the way to rectify the situation is to split the team up! 

We have two sides of the JSA now, a militant side and a much more peaceful side.  Now I personally tilt my head wondering how well this is going to be taken by fans, firstly because this monthly title is now two books!  One which will be the regular title that has been coming out monthly, and now a second which is titled “JSA All-Stars” and starts the first week in December.  I understand the need to split the team up, but it hurts me to see DC going the route of making two separate books for the same team.  Oh well, I’ll give it a shot for 3 issues and see if it’s worth it.

I was very disappointed in discovering that it actually WAS All American Boy who attacked Mr. Terrific and not some phantom player controlling the kid’s mind.  It was almost too cheap and predictable to be accepted as a good ending to a great arc.

Merino pulls out some good artwork, even though this issue seemed to be slacking from what he brought us the past four issues.  Never the less, I was still impressed with the full-page pose for Dr. Fate moments before his coup de grace. 

One thing I am missing in contrast to John’s time on this title are the personal moments that every character seemed to get.  Willingham seems to be spending more time on pointless dialogue rather than getting at the heart of the heroes.  Even with a team this size, Johns managed to utilize every single heroe effectively and emotionally, and I’m not getting that with Willingham and Struges on board.

Overall

A good issue, but very flawed.  I’m very conflicted with the team splitting up and how permanent this segregation will be.  One thing’s for sure, we’ll definitely see which viewpoint on effective crime fighting will last and which will die out, wont we?

3.5 out of 5 stars

Next Issue Coming December 23, 2009

The Justice Society struggles to pick up the pieces after the team's devastating break up! Regrouping at a new, temporary home base, the smaller team reflects on the recent infiltration of their ranks and how they can protect themselves from another such attack in the future! And why is the new Dr. Fate acting so weird?

Comic Book Review: Superman Secret Origin #3 (of 6)

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Gary Frank and Jon Sibal

Covers by Gary Frank

Plot

Superman now enters into adulthood and begins his new life in the big city of Metropolis as the latest edition to the Daily Planet.  There he is introduced to many familiar characters, which have helped define the world of Superman. 

As we descend upon a very new a different Metropolis that we all have come to know, Clark Kent arrives for his first day of work at the Daily Planet and he already has his hands full with sneaking Lois Lane into the new Lex Corps Robotics demonstration.  However, things take a turn for the worst, and Superman must now make a decision to save the one person who we all know will eventually come to love the Man of Steel.

My Thoughts

Geoff Johns, who seemingly has been hired to remap the DC universe, brings to us another fantastic installment of the secret origin series for Superman.  Within this third issue, Johns revamps the Man of Steel in ways that help us understand the point of view from the boy raised on a farm who moves to the big city.

I enjoyed how Johns portrays the persona of Clark Kent as an ACTUAL bumbling idiot.  We’ve all grown to know and love the popular guise, which Superman used to help distinguish himself from Superman, of a nerdy man who can’t see well and seems like a lost child in the big city streets…that it was all an act.  But this issue Shows Clark Kent as a real farm boy who isn’t used to the big city lifestyle and actually does have trouble standing on two feet longer than a couple of seconds at a time.  And the popular catch phrases like “gee” or “golly” or “aw shucks” are not part of any rouse, this is a Man of Steel actually trying to figure out Metropolis.

What stuck out to me the most however is how Johns and Frank are really working together in making this series new and innovative; yet still reflect the Superman world we know today.  Apart from giving Superman the Christopher Reeves look, there is a lot reminiscent of the 1978 film of the busy, fast paced Metropolis where it’s inhabitants are rude and loud and the streets are dirty with minor cases of graffiti.  This is the type of Metropolis I’m sure most people aren’t used too, seeing as how Metropolis now has a Man of Steel to look up to and not a lot of crime to worry about.  No, this is a city down in the dumps with heavy crime and a less than appealing economic status.

But of course we are reminded of the great forceful, in-your-face attitude that Lois Lane has always brought to the table; how she shuns Clark Kent right away as a small town farm boy, and the buddy-buddy relationship that Clark and Jimmy Olsen share instantaneously.  These things and much more brought me back home and reminded me of how much fun the origin of Superman is to read.

Gary Frank is blowing my mind on the originality of his work.  I keep hearing over and over again that fans aren’t particularly happy with the look Frank and Johns are going for, but I’m loving every panel of it.  In my humble opinion, Gary Frank has established himself as the ONLY man who rightfully deserves to bring Superman from pencil to paper.

Now, the big question I probably minor, but important to me!  As I read the last page of this book, I began to wonder what Superman’s take would be on the whole situation.  And I know the quote Superman says on the final panel of the last page is probably a joke, “I think I’ve made a mistake” but what if it isn’t?  I can’t help but wonder, after seeing that dark and frightened look Superman has on his face after remembering what his pa told him, (“Once you let the cat out of the proverbial bag, you wont be able to put it back”) if Johns is going to show us a new side to Superman that no one could have expected.  What if, after this mini is over with, we discover that Superman regrets becoming the savior of Metropolis and only continues to do what he does today for some other reason than to protect the innocent?  Maybe I’m over analyzing the book, but this is what I do!

Overall

This is not an issue with huge action scenes; rather it’s more concerned with establishing the relationships in which Superman will have down the road.  But what is brought to light are the new and interesting twists which help the readers understand someone who has never experienced big city life and that even the Mightiest of humans have to learn and adapt to their surroundings.

5 out of 5 stars

Next Issue Coming January 20, 2010

While everyone wants something from Metropolis' first Super Hero, Superman must fight his first Super-Villain – someone who wants everything – the Parasite! Meanwhile, Lex Luthor turns his attention toward The Man of Steel...

Geoff Johns and Gary Frank continue their bold reinterpretation of the origin of The Man of Steel for the 21st Century!