THE Read Pile - 7/02/08

Huge week my wallet  mourns.

#1 ALL NEW ATOM #25 - This book is ending and it's a shame because this character is great. I hope he gets a JLA roster spot. 

#2 BLUE BEETLE #28 - I hope this book does not go the way the Atom does this character is gold if someone who reads this blog isn't reading this comic you should be a shamed and you're really missing out.

#3 DYNAMO 5 #14 - I love this book. It's original and fun. I highly recommend it for all readers.

#4 AVENGERS INVADERS #3(OF 12) - I like the premise of this issue and can't wait to see which Namor wins my money os on the young one. 

#5 WAR THAT TIME FORGOT #3(OF 12) - I like this book it has me a little confused but it feels like lost but more sci-fi.

#6 TRINITY #5 - They're not disappointing.

#7 BATMAN #678 RIP - I don't understand what's happening. 

#8 STAR TREK YEAR FOUR ENTERPRISE EXPERIMENT #3 - I like this comic the art is great and the story is solid. 

#9 JOKER'S ASYLUM THE JOKER #1 - I have recently been in a Batman mood reading all his villains wikipedia entries and watching every bit of dark knight footage that is out there I am happy this book is coming out. 

#10 JSA CLASSIFIED #39 - Meh.

#11 HELLBOY THE CROOKED MAN#1 (OF 3) - I like Hellboy stories don't love them but they pass the time well enough. I'm hyped for the Hellboy flick though. 

#12 STAR TREK MIRROR IMAGES #1 - Don't know what tot expect  but I'll buy it on name alone. 

#13 HOUSE OF MYSTERY #3 - This book is weird but I'll give it six issues before I make a call to keep or drop. 

#14  HUNTRESS YEAR ONE #4 (OF 6) - I like this book it's really good and under the radar one of the best Year One's they've done. Way better that the Green Arrow at least. 

#15 JONAH HEX #33 - Darwyn Cooke's story. I am happy. 

#16 TOR #3 (OF 6) - I'm not up to date on this mini I'm picking it up and we'll blow through it when I have them all.

#17 SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #4 (OF 6) - I am behond on this to but I'm not happy with the books quality or wordy title. 

#18 DC UNIVERSE SPECIAL REIGN IN HELL 80 PAGE GIANT - Let's give this the old college try. 

moment of weakness

I found this on the youtubes on my quest for info on The Dark Knight. This would totally work and I'd totally buy it and dig it. These are pics of what Harley could look like as a counterpart to Nolan's Joker. I love the Diamond tattoo and multicolored hair.  Also this fan vid of the Battle of the Batmen is genius and really well done, although I wish they would've thrown in a little Adam West.

erislaughs and stephen watches: chapter 3

So erislaughs was missing for a while. The only word she left was this. 

Which is cute and all, but with the Hulk out I got to know what erislaughs thinks. 

You know what I think.

She has comic book reviews up also but I'll get to those later. 

Nice to have you back erislaughs. 

tagged

I got tagged by NICK. So let's talk Zombies. 

You are in a mall when zombies attack. You have

1.) One weapon
2.) One song blasting on the speakers
3.) One famous person to fight along side you (Historical or Fictional)

What are you choices?

1.) Crowbar It's not cool or slick, but I've read the Zombie Survival Guide and this is the weapon you want. It's got good reach, it's silent, never runs out of ammo, and is a good all purpose tool. 

2.)  Nick has the right idea suggesting AC/DC my first impulse is to pick TNT by AC/DC.However, I'll kick it ironic and pick Simon and Garfunkel The Sound of Silence.

3.) My dad.… People seem to like to pick people with experience. I will go against the grain and not pick, ash, or Shaun or another zombie killer. I'm tempted to go Termniator as he would be the perfect body guard against the undead, but I'll keep this real and say My dad. He's tuff and I trust him to watch my back.

SOO…..tag people I must. Alex C, Dr. Retro, Rokk, Nerdy Bird, AND SallyP 

You know the rules, post your answers in your blog and tag some others.

weekend watcher

I didn't want to write full posts since these movies aren't comic book related. 

I saw Get Smart. I didn't like it. I didn't laugh. I'm not familiar with the TV show and the plot was dumb.

I saw Don't mess with the Zohan. It was hilarious. I highly recommend it. It's one of Snadler's funniest comedies. It deals with political issues slightly. It's like Kung-fu Hustle only with sex and haircuts. I liked it. 

 

y-the movie lines. 4

Y-movie lines goes on. 

Who do we have this week? Dr. Mann talkin bout Ampersand.

If you have your own favorite Y-moment you want me to put up I will take requests. 

THE READ PILE - 6/11/08 in REVIEW

Sorry I wasn't around last week but I was working like mad. Also, Venture Bros is amazing. Long, live the venchman. Since their was no read pile last week I'm going to give you reviews. Anything I don't have much to say on will get either a GO SPPEED GO!! (which is a recommendation) or a NO SPEED NO!!(which is an anti-recommendation) 

GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #9 Go!

ACTION COMICS #866 Go! Pick this up its starting off a cool arch and Johns is fantastic. The art by Gary Frank is beautiful and perfect.

HUNTRESS YEAR ONE #3 (OF 6) Go!

 

SALVATION RUN #7 (OF 7) This series got progressively worse.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #25 Go!

TITANS #3 Go! I love this cover it reminds me of Star Wars and I like how winick is playing with the characters it's interesting watching them juggle.

TRINITY #2 Go! This series is starting off strong. 

BOOSTER GOLD #10  Go!

IRON MAN LEGACY OF DOOM #3 (OF 4) No! The totally out of character writing of Doom is frustrating. Writers nowadays right Doom like he's a pleb or pedestrian and not the monarch, aristocrat that he is. 

LAST DEFENDERS #4 (OF 6) No! 

SECRET INVASION WHO DO YOU TRUST Go! This is what regualr Secret Invasion should be. Pick this book up the Wonderman Beast story is worth the cover price alone.

 

SKAAR SON OF HULK #1 No! This didn't blow me awys but there is potential. 

TWELVE #6 (OF 12) Go! The Phantom Reporter is back!!

TINY TITANS #5 No! I enjoy it but I don't know if this book is worth what I spend on it.

Relevant Issues

Chris Schweizer has a great rundown of the Marvel Universe's biggest smokers.

My favorites that he lists are in no particular order.

GAMBIT - for obvious reasons.

REED RICHARDS - It's as if the pipe were invented for his nerdy stretchy face.

J. JONAH JAMESON - No type of smoking goes better with screaming growling menace like a fat stubby cigar and J.J. owns it.

BANSHEE - The cigarrette enhances his European-ness. It also shows of his pubby beer drinking side. Is Banshee dead?

ELECTRO & BULLSEYE - Smoking enhances their villainy and menace. It takes them from costumed clowns to realistic seedy criminals. You can easily imagine them in prison bartering for smokes or smoking a cigarette after a bank heist to relax.

Why bring this up?

Because some groups have taken offense to how William Hurts character in The Incredible Hulk was smoking. That is ridiculous the type of props and vices a character has enhances the character. It delivers quickly and clearly the type of person the character is with out to much work. This is a free speech issue. I understand not wanting to tell kids smoking is cool, but it's not the hero smoking it's the villain.

Come on?

Who are your favorite Comic book smokers?

HELL'S YEAH! I like GAMBIT.

Recently, Swinebread, who holds some what anti-Gambit beliefs, asked me why I enjoyed the character?

Also tomorrow X-men Legacy is going to feature him prominently so here's a Gambit post. 

I began my comics life with the 1990's x-men cartoon. Gambit was featured prominently on the show. He was attracted to Rogue, so was I.

 

The fact that he's a smoker is one of the reasons I like him. Not many superheroes smoke cigarettes, he's almost a villain and a bit of a cowboy. He has a unique sense of honor. H e has a wierd costume that I'm not sure serves a purpose but it does look pretty cool. 

He's like the Han Solo or Sawyer of the X-men team. He's not a boy scout he's a bad boy. He's maybe the second most bad-ass character on the X-team after Wolverine. 

He's a thief and he has skills beyond his mutation. He has so much destructive power but doesn't use it. He uses playing cards! 

He is in total control of his ability. You never hear about gambit accidentally blowing some one up. Gambit is pure Bad ass incarnate.

 

How do you feel about Gambit?

thE READ PILE - 6/25/08

#1 FINAL CRISIS #2(OF 7) - I'm excited but I feel like I'm missing panels when I read a Morrison book.

#2 GREEN LANTERN #32 - This is the best story line of the summer.

#3 MIGHTY AVENGERS #15 - Pym's abduction can't wait to see what they pull out of their ass.

#4 NEW AVENGERS #42 - So they're taking the wayback machine to New Avengers #1. I wonder how the Spiderman One More Day retcon will be addressed. 

#5 MARVEL 1985 #2(OF 6) - This is a cool book but it would have been better with real photography or if it was drawn by Alex Ross.

#6 TEEN TITANS #60 - Clock King is pretty cool but I don't like the way that this is tying into Final Crisis.

#7 TRINITY #4 - This is actually good and I love the way they're doing triple covers.

#8 X-MEN LEGACY #213 - Gambit is my favorite X- character. If this book is going to give me him than it's on my pull list.

#9 WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #4 - Don't no if I like all this Wundagore stuff but I like the art, 

#10 SECRET INVASION RUNAWAYS YOUNG AVENGERS #1(OF 3) - Let's see how the kids are gonna fair in New York fighting and army of Super Skrulls.

#11 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS #4(OF 7) - This series feels like its moving at a snails pace and there is no villain as far as I can tell.

#12 IMMORTAL IRON FIST #16 - Meh.

#13 MS MARVEL #28 - Double meh.

#14 SUPERMAN #677 - I don't usually like Robinson but I'm ready to change my mind. 

#15 MYTHOS CAPTAIN AMERICA - I picked up a couple of these mythos books before and I like them. They are repetitive but I like to see new artists take on the origin. Also this cover just looks neat for some reason.

#16 THE MAN WITH NO NAME #2 - Didn't like the first issue. This is it's last chance to impress me before I drop it. 

moment of weakness

This weeks moment is more sad than geeky. A comedy legend has died as I'm sure you've heard. George Carlin and his comedy means alot to me. Some of my favorite memories with my family are watching his stand up on tv and laughing together. Carlin was a god. He never grew old or stale and his observations on american culture were always spot on provocative and insightful. Carlin in my book is the greatest philosopher of the 20th century. I send my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and fans. His comedy really meant alot to me. Usually when old celebrities die I'm not affected, but this time I am. Carlin is the gold standard of smart comedy and no one will ever replace him and there will never be another. Thank you Mr. Carlin for affecting my life and making me smile.

y-the movie lines. 3

The Y-movie lines train keeps on rolling.

This time with clever word play.

If you have your own favorite Y-moment you want me to put up I will take requests. 

6 reasons to love The Happening

Despite the many negative reviews I had to make up my own mind on the Happening and I loved it. I'm in the minority but I'm proud of that.

MINOR SPOILERS AHOY MATES!!!

The Happening!!!

6. Mark Wahlberg - Me and Wahlberg have a weird relationship. I hated him thefirst time I saw him in the Planet of the Apes remake and wrote him off as a piece of crap actor. Eventually he weasled his way into my heart with his performance in I Heart Huckabees, We Own the Night, The Departed, and Four Brothers. In this film he does both his best and worst work. At times he is scared and his voice gets all squeaky and it is unintentionally funny. However in romantic scenes he shines and when he talks to kids he seems to speak so honestly. Its a very interesting and sketchy performance. Wahlberg's character is a scientist as such his character thinks about the situation scientifically in trying to solve it. 

5. The Scenery - I love movies that show off the American landscape. This movie makes me want to take a drive through the North East. The movie is lush green and it's color palette is subtle,  selective, and effective.  

4. B-movie Style - This movie could have been made for 10,000 and been a direct to dvd flick easily. It's not though, people spent serious bank to make this b-movie premise real and gruesome. It was money well spent the gore is perfect and has a Dawn of the Dead vibe. People running from wind is genius. 

3. Character Actors - This movie is full of great small parts. Night's cast is monster good. There is the perfect scary old lady who seems like Norman Bates is mom. There is the weird famer who loves hotdogs and plants. The scared sniveling army private who is trying to stay cool. There is the calm collected astute principal. The youth who tries to be a hero. My personal favorite, the guy who drives a jeep.  I loved looking at the faces of the extras. 

2. M. Night Shyamalan - I love Shyamalan's work I know I'm in the minority and think that after the Sixth Sense and Signs all he's made is turds. I disagree. I think Unbreakable is his best flick and this movie reminds me of it if only for the train scene and the idea of surviving a disaster. Night is a polarizing figure in the movie world people love to hate on him and rag on him for putting multiple twists in his films. The fact is Night gets me to go to the movies and support him. His films are always thoughtful and have some sort of minute message which is what movies should have a little of. 

1. John Leguizamo - I know how highly unlikely it is but Leguizamo should win an oscar for his performance in this flick. His character is instantly likable and he really rips your heart out. I love Leguizamo's work both in acting and comedy. He is a great b-movie actor but in this flick he gives a performance that would make Daniel Day Lewis look like Harrison Ford. It's worth the admission for Leguizamo alone. 

Speed VS. Shyamalan

Speed wins because its more fun and this movie doesn't have ninjas.

THE READ PILE - 6/18/08

#1 GEMINI #2 (OF 5) - I love Faerber and the design work on this book is impressive. I recommend looking for the first issue and jumping aboard this mini.

#2 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #22 - I want to give Red Tornado a shot, he gets called a second rate Vision alot. 

#3 TRINITY # 3 - The guys at Pulp Secret summed it up the best. This is the first of DC's weekly series that actually feels like a comic and not a slapped together stunt. 

#4 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #14 - Green Arrow and Deadman! I am happy.

#5 SECRET INVASION FANTASTIC FOUR #2(OF 3) - Meh. 

#6 DC SPECIAL CYBORG #2(OF 5) - I like this book thus far it is nothing spectacular but it's decent and has potential. It's also a good book for people unfamiliar with the character track down issue one and jump on it.

#7 TANGENT SUPERMAN'S REIGN #4(OF 12) - This book feels like it meandering, I might drop it.

#8 DC WILDSTORM DREAM WAR #3(OF 6) - More meandering and I still don't know what a Dream War is.

MOMENT OF WEAKNESS

Since I was awol you guys get a multiple moments of weakness.

1. Slashfilm reports that the new harry potter island in islands of adventure orlando will have an original mini movie filmed with the cast of the films. That is freaking sweet I cant wait till this park opens.

2. Scipio wrote a lovely post celebrating Trinity and breaking down the big three very thought fully.

3.  Ragtime has a post in response where he votes the Trinity should be four and it should include of all people Guy Gardner. I'm with him and I'm sure SallyP is too. 

6 reasons to like The Incredible Hulk

So I make my triumphant return to blogging rejuvenated and ready to review ass and blog names. 

SPOILERS AHOY, MATES!!!!

The Incredible Hulk!!!

6. Edward Norton - Has made me edit Best Incarnations. He was perfect. He put the Hulk in real life situations like trying to have sex, and on the run believably. I am also really into the idea that Banner is trying to master his rage through meditation it gives him a more global and batman vibe. 

5. The Leader - I'm not a big Hulk fan and I really know very little about the character, his rogues, and his history. However, I do have rudimentary knowledge on the finer points of his rogues and the Leader I always thought was the lamest, but had the most potential. I am hyped at the prospect of the Leader actually being committed to film. Tim Blake Nelson is brilliant, he is way underused and should've gotten an oscar for his performance in O' borther where art thou. He is really going to shine with a bulbous head. 

4. Tim Roth - I love Tarantino and I love Roth through those films. He is one of the best villainous actors of our generation. He was dynamite in the planet of the apes remake and is by far one of the best ape actors in that film. In this movie he carries a sense of cool and dread that is unique. He feels like he came off a comic book page.

3. Captain America preview - Blonsky gets injected with a mild version of the super soldier serum. He has a bad ass fight with Hulk which I hope is the look and style of Captain America's movement, it was smooth fluid and matrix-y. 

2. Strong Sense of Universe - Iron Man felt free and fresh. This movie felt like it lived in the same universe which is quite the accomplishment. It also was able to convey a great sense of visual scope. The King Kong-ish scene of Betty and Hulk in the cave was cute and helped to develop both characters. This movie also continued the themes in marvel comics on how to deal with great power. 

1. Hulk Smash! -"HULK SMASH!" is probably the single best delivered line ever. It sounded sweet, innocent, angry, honest, fun, and cool. I wish that the Hulk would've said more one liners. The dialogue in this film was superb. The technobabble was clear and kept to a minimum. I loved Blonsky he had the right sense of cool and menace. Blonsky kicking off the third act by saying it's "Ready for round 3" was gold.   

Hulk Vs. Incredible Hulk

I think it's necessary to compare this film to the 2003 hulk, simple because it's the same franchise and changes were made that weren't necessarily great. Story wise things have improved the plot is simple clear and moves fairly quickly delivering a lot of Hulk fighting action. However I have to say Ang Lee made a better edited film the comic book panel flow of the previous movie was very cool and I wish that the Incredible Hulk would've emulated it. Everybody was recast but Sam Elliott shouldn't have been. Sam Elliot is the perfect Thunderbolt Ross. I like William Hurt in his other movies but his performance in the Hulk felt dry and passionless. Thunderbolt is hunting his white whale he is Ahab he needs to be passionate about it. In the beginning of the movie Blonsky lets the Hulk escape and Thunderbolts like "no problem good work dude." Sam Elliot had the right voice and style to play Thunderbolt. 

As far as hulks go the only improvement was the hair cut. Other than that the cg looked of the sam quality if perhaps a little less realistic in the Incredible Hulk.

Hulk Vs. Speed 

Speed Racer is still king of my summer. No movie has thrilled me the way it has and I have now seen it three times in theaters and it only gets better. Go out and see it. 

Side Notes.

My friends if you could answer some Hulk questions for me I'd greatly appreciate it. 

1. Why is Sam Sterns alias Mr. Blue? (i have a feeling thats a nod to something)

2.. Also was I the only one hoping Mr. Blue would be beast?

3. Isn't the leader originally a janitor or an idiot or something?

4. What is the Abomination currently up to in the Marvel U?