Film review: Iron Man 3 (2013)

I am openly conflicted about “Iron Man 3.” On one hand, I am desperately trying to achieve objectivism in my review. I enjoyed it. It had a solid plot, it tied wonderfully to Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers,” and a majority of its special effects are a technical marvel. I thought that the casting was superb, and personally the inclusion of Sir Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce always make a filmbetter. All-in-all, the quality of the film sits snugly between the first and the second Iron Man films.

However, on the other hand, I was incredibly dismayed to learn that, “Iron Man 3” would be Robert Downey, Jr’s last standalone Iron Man film. In this context, “Iron Man 3” disappoints. It doesn’t invoke the same sense of finality that I experienced when watching Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Rises.” “Iron Man 3” felt like a strong mid-entry to the series, but not the epic conclusion that should be expected from the franchise. However, it has been pointed out to me that Robert Downey Jr. will reprising his role for “The Avengers 2,” so maybe a more adequate ‘conclusion’ to Iron Man will present itself within the confines of an Avengers film.

Personal reservations aside, “Iron Man 3” is a topnotch Marvel film. It dives into the character by making Iron Man fallible, resulting in a two-hour character exploration--One of both his weaknesses and strengths. The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley) and the founder of A.I.M. (Aldrich Killian played by Guy Pearce) are excellent villains and far superior than “Iron Man 2’s” subpar Whiplash (Mickey Rourke). I also enjoyed Marvel Studios’ deviation from the more-famous Iron Man comic book plots. It held true to the character (for the most part), but was removed enough to surprise comic book and films fans alike.

I thought that the special effects were top notch, save for the fire effects used for the A.I.M. henchmen. The were starkly different from the other special effect heavy scenes, which made them appear dated and cheap. The end sequence was gorgeously rendered and nearly all of the scenes involving the Iron Man armor were meticulously dazzling; they were fluid and excellently scripted.

My only complaint, besides the shoddy A.I.M. fire effects, is that Stark seems to break character towards the end of the movie. The script alters the very core of the character’s personality, and it as-if the exploratory elements of the film override the source of Iron Man. I am curious to see if Joss Whedon carries this new ‘Tony Stark’ into “The Avengers 2,” or decides to follow a more comic book-like rendition of the character that was presented to audiences in the first two Iron Man films. Whedon will be struggling between cohesion and character integrity, but with his directing and writing chops I am sure a happy median exists.

Overall, “Iron Man 3” is a good film. It is better than the last and is on par with the other Marvel Universe films. Besides my own comic book snobbiness and reluctance to see Robert Downey, Jr. leave the mantle, “Iron Man 3” is more than worth the price of a couple of movie stubs.

I give “Iron Man 3” four-stars-out-of-five.

(SOURCE: Film review: Iron Man 3 (2013))

Read more »

WATCH Film review: Iron Man 3 (2013) FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (2013)

Before the Marvel NOW! relaunch news of it was spreading through the newswires like crazy. The buzz was there, and the marketing gurus hired by Marvel were doing their job--and doing it well. In particular, the stories pertaining to Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy intrigued me the most. I am a Star Wars and Science Fiction nerd-a-holic, and the idea of Marvel rebooting their space opera series with some their most underrated and coolest characters was tantalizing to say the least.

Rocket Raccoon and Nova are some of the best comic book characters ever created, yet in modern times they have fallen from the mainstream. However, sometimes a lull in characters is a good thing. It allows for a generation to forget narrative mistakes and embrace a reboot by allowing the time necessary to solely remember and focus upon the more interesting aspects of ill-fated characters.

The central theme to Nova, Iron Man, and the Guardians of the Galaxy is Guardians of the Galaxy. For those uninitiated, theGuardians of the Galaxy are a motley crew of superheroes that protect the galaxy. Their roster has changed a couple times over the decades, but the current line-up includes:Gamora the assassin, Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord), Groot, Drax the Destroyer, andRocket Raccoon (supposedly Iron Man will be a temporary member of the Guardians of the Galaxy as he meanders about the galaxy in search for something grander than himself).

Nevertheless, the characters are superb and it is an excellent ensemble script. Star-Lord is the leader of the group and stems from galactic royalty. His father is leader of the galaxy, while his mother was human. Created from a seemingly arrogant, uncaring alien father, Peter is the product of a tortured childhood and immense power. He vows to thwart his ambivalent father, while following a strict code of ethics. This willpower and charisma attracts the aforementioned characters to his side and thus the Guardians of the Galaxy were born. The group has always had close ties to Nova and the Nova Corps (a space cop agency of sorts), so with the relaunch of Marvel the titles of Nova, Iron Man, and Guardians of the Galaxy have all become increasingly intertwined in an effort to cross promote and explore characters that have either hit a wall or need a refresher.

The first issue of Guardians of the Galaxy starts off as an introduction to Peter Quill (Star-Lord) and his tumultuous relationship with his father. Brian Bendis starts small and then expands as the issue wanes to encompass the rest of theGuardians as well as setting up for the much larger issue at hand-- the protection of Earth.

Personally, I am not a huge Bendis fan, but my only exposure to him was his pre-Marvel NOW!work with the Avengers. However, his narrative here is exceptional and from a technical aspect incredibly polished and logically outlined. Steve McNiven’s artwork doesn’t draw that same nostalgic Science Fiction feel like Ed McGuinness does in Nova, but its scope is amazing the panels hit when they need to. I particularly liked the splash page featuring the Guardiansentrenched in a space battle with an alien ship. I am not a huge fan of the new Iron Man armor that Stark has been using since his journey into space, but I am not entirely sure who is responsible for the design. I am guessing that Iron Man artist Greg Land was instrumental in the design, and that other, follow-up artists are just following suit for continuity’s sake, but I have no hard evidence for that conclusion. However, I did enjoy McNiven’s character model for Peter Quill. I loved the first couple pages of the issue because it setup Star-Lord perfectly. He was unshaven and gritty, and having him introduced in a shady bar at the end of the galaxy harkened to Han Solo in the Catina in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Bendis and McNiven provide respect to those that deserve respect, while also creating a world of their own.

Overall, the issue is solid. The plot builds appropriately, and the art hits where it is suppose to. Thus far, I prefer Jeph Loeb’s technique in Nova over Bendis’ in Guardians of the Galaxy, but only by a hair. Ed McGuinness seems to focus more on Science Fiction nostalgia in Nova, whileSteve McNiven is driven by the moment. Both of which I appreciate, so as for favorites goes it is difficult to definitively decide. I would recommend giving both a whirl--you can’t go wrong.

Guardians of the Galaxy gets four-and-a-half stars out of five.

(SOURCE: Review: Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (2013))

Read more »

WATCH Review: Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (2013) FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

Review: New Avengers #1 (2013)

Jonathan Hickman is a genius--plain and simple. Never before have I read a comic book riddled with comic universe defying discontinuities that baffle me, but simultaneously entrance me. I always crave more at the end of a Hickman comic! -Like a drug fiend pleading for more, but eventually forgetting the “Why?” of it all- It is a truly curious affect that I attribute to quality writing. Like aforementioned, “plain and simple,” Hickman does it right. Pre-Marvel NOW! Hickman gave fans a remarkable Fantastic Four run, that inevitably spawned the equally spectacular series, Future Foundation. And, as much as I enjoyed these endeavors I always found something to be missing--as-if Hickman was merely scratching the surface of greatness, but never truly embracing it.

With the New Avengers, Hickman now has the opportunity. He is developing the most rich characters of the Marvel Universe with the same sort of reckless disregard for continuity that Grant Morrison does with Batman & Robin in Batman, Inc. They are both creating compelling tales on their terms and their respective companies allow them creative freedom because they sell comics.

New Avengers #1 sets the stage by breaking character a bit. It takes Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Namor, and Captain America into a dark place. Specifically, into a secret organization called the Illuminati. Their sole purpose being: to rule society in secret in the best way possible. This organization is of course self-appointed and perfectly ‘qualified’ to do so. At the onset, the Illuminati sought to recruit the Black Panther into their midst, but due to the self-evident flaws in a secret society ruling humanity, T’Challa refused.

Primarily Hickman’s first issue focuses on the Black Panther, which is something that I have long-looked forward to. T’challa’s status within the Marvel Universe has grown these past few years to include large-scale Marvel events. The New Avengers takes bold steps in a good, ‘new’ direction. It may change how we view certain characters (even at times defying them), but it does not do so idly. It all has a purpose--you just have to trust Hickman.

The New Avengers headlines the top tier of Marvel NOW!--five-out-of-five stars. While you're at it, checkout Hickman’s Fantastic Four graphic novels and complete Future Foundation collection at Merlyn’s Sci-fi and Fantasy Shop in downtown Spokane.

(SOURCE: Review: New Avengers #1 (2013))

Read more »

WATCH Review: New Avengers #1 (2013) FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

Magazine review: The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine #1

It’s rich, it’s original, it’s decomposing-ly fresh.

“The Walking Dead” is fantastic. It is a sales juggernaut, a creative spin on the undead, and is fast becoming a cultural icon. As a comic book series “The Walking Dead” is probably the only property outside of DC and Marvel to put ‘em on their heels, and as a television show their viewership and ratings has knocked AMC into a whole new stratosphere. With a toy line blossoming under the banner and two video games in utero it can be a bit difficult to keep the mythos and the news straight.

That is where “The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine” comes in.

Titan Magazines and Skybound are producing one of its more ambitious projects, “The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine,” and it aims to streamline all of the most update “Walking Dead” info into one slick, reasonably priced package. This ongoing magazine will feature all manner of materials relating to “The Walking Dead” universe, whether it be interviews from AMC’s “The Walking Dead” cast and crew, the latest news from the creators of the comic series, original artwork (fan or otherwise), the latest toy and video game announcements, or (as in included in the first issue) a short story bridging “The Walking Dead” novels together. Whatever little nuggets of information “The Walking Dead” has to offer one thing will be certain: it will be available courtesy of “The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine.”

Here is Robert Kirkman’s take on the magazine:

This magazine will be your one stop destination for all the news pertaining to the comic, TV show, video game, toys, games, and whatever else exists in the ever-expanding Walking Dead universe! If it's happening, you'll find out all about it right here!

Issue #1 of “The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine” is currently available in the U.S., and will be available in the U.K. November 8th and in Australia & New Zealand December 8th! You can buy all 100-pages of the magazine for $9.99 online or wherever magazines are sold. Released alongside the U.S. print version of the magazine was the digital edition, which can be downloaded anywhere in the world for your iPad, Nook, or Kindle--just search for ‘The Walking Dead Magazine’ in the app store or newsstand.

Also, as a special promotion and homage to the comic book industry “The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine” will come in a myriad of variants. Here is a list of participating stores and their very own alternate covers (attached to this article is a slideshow, which includes all of the variant covers listed below):

Comickaze Comics, San Diego, CA - www.comickazeonline.webs.com

Forbidden Planet, London, U.K. - www.forbiddenplanet.com

Midtown Comics, New York, NY - www.midtowncomics.com

Redd Skull Comics, Calgary, Canada - www.reddskull.com

Ultimate Comics, Durham, NC - www.ultimatecomics.com

Ultimate Treasures, 11240 Village Lane Clinton, MI 49236-9595

Wade's Comic Madness, Levittown, PA - www.comicmadness.com

Titan Magazines is also offering up a snazzy subscription offer through their online store. If you subscribe to the print edition of “The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine” fans of the series will receive a FREE “Walking Dead” T-shirt! Head on over to Titan Magazines to subscribe now or view more information on their incentive.

You can also keep tabs on “The Walking Dead” magazine and their latest offers and news by following them on either Facebook or Twitter.

(SOURCE: Magazine review: The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine #1)

Read more »

WATCH Magazine review: The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine #1 FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #6 of 12 (2012)

Avengers vs. X-Men has been a chaotic mess of inconsistencies, and a mish mash of Marvel Architects. Thus far, there have been few glimmers of hope, but overall Marvel has continually lowered the bar. However, after reading issue six of Avengers vs. X-Men, the glimmer seems to be sparkling a bit brighter now. Jonathan Hickman dives into the narrative with this issue, and manages to piece together the odd turn of events from last issue’s finale. He pushes the plot forward with a wonderful bit of finesse, while straddling the line between the old and the new. Also, this issue marks the passing of the art baton as Romita, Jr. hands it over to Olivier Coipel, resulting in some slick splash pages and magnificent panels.

Avengers vs. X-Men #5 concluded with the Phoenix Force being splintered and siphoned into five prominent X-Men characters due to a failed attempt to stop the Phoenix Force by Tony Stark’s wannabe Transformer. Hickmanpicks up from Fraction’s awkward ending and begins the issue by finally formerly introducing Xavier to the events of Marvel’s Avengers vs. X-Men. Hickman cleverly uses Magneto to bridge the gap between the story arc and the inclusion of Xavier.The rest of the issue unfolds in two parts like prior issues. One half showcases the Phoenix Five as they transform the world in their image. Some spectacular panels and splash pages penciled by Coipel detail the Phoenix possessed X-Men as they transverse the globe in a dash of reformation and peace. The other half depicts the Avengers and Iron Fist as they desperately try to piece together legend with prophecy in a last ditch effort to stop the Phoenix Five from world domination disguised as peace.

I found Jonathan Hickman’s writing to be in fine form here, and it was as-if I were reading one of his stellar Fantastic Four/Future Foundation arcs. The Iron Fist lore is incredibly appropriate and timely; I was glad to see a little more Iron Fist, especially in such a large-scale comic book event.

Olivier Coipel’s art is a welcome relief. Normally I applaud John Romita’s work, but I was disappointed with his pencilings in the first couple issues of the series. In particular, I loved Coipel’s Iron Fist pencilings. Coipelcaptured the essence of Iron Fist perfectly. Along with his excellent character models Coipel also created some brilliant splash pages for the issue—two pages specifically come to mind: one focusing on Magneto when he first greets Xavier, and another depicting Colossus standing atop a freefalling missile amongst dozens of other falling missiles. Olivier Coipel has definitely started off with a bang, and I am incredibly excited to see where he takes his artwork next.

I give Avengers vs. X-Men #6 four-and-a-half stars out of five. This has been the best issue by far, and I am incredibly hopeful that the rest of the run will finish off phenomenally. 

(SOURCE: Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #6 of 12 (2012))

Read more »

WATCH Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #6 of 12 (2012) FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #5 of 12 (2012)

Avengers vs. X-Men #5 is by far the worst issue to be released in the series. It tries to be edgy and on the cusp, but unfortunately it dives into the weird and starts to bend continuity to the breaking point.

I thought that the opening was just as stellar as the prior issue, but it was all down from there. It was definitely a great throwback to X-Men: Schism and seeing Wolverine burnt to a crisp (yet alive) is both wrenching and a testament toLogan’s awesomeness.

Continuing with last issue’s moon battle the (now standard) duels have carried over while the Phoenix Force speeds towards them. In traditional Stark fashion Tony has ‘hopefully’ devised a way to stop the Phoenix Force via a technological innovation. As a writer, this avenue is logical and fits fairly well into Stark’soverall character.

However, Stark’s invention looks incredibly like an early Transformers' Autobot. I found it an unusual path to take considering that within the world of science there were so many other possibilities that would have been more viable. Also, this precludes another contention: Where is Reed Richards during all of this? He would be the perfect asset to assist Tony Stark and would have been more than willing to help evade a world-destroying event, yet he is mysteriously absent. His expertise and knowledge are practically unrivaled, and it is disappointing to see him omitted from the plot line.

As the Phoenix Force appears, key individuals are depicted throughout the globe being affected by the God-like energy. Interestingly enough Charles Xavier (Professor X) and his son are shown within a single panel. It was out of place, and I hope that he has a larger role in the issues to come; otherwise he’ll become just another plot inconsistency.

SPOILERS

The issue concludes with Tony Stark’s Transformer splintering the Phoenix Force into five separate energies, resulting in the force possessing Cyclops, Emma Frost, Namor, Colossus, and Magik. I am curious as to why the Colossus and Magik were chosen to be apart of the ‘Phoenix Five,’ when considering that there are other more prominent members of Cyclops’ X-Men such as Magneto. Overall, this plot twist is grossly unexpected and (yet again) redefines the entity known as the “Phoenix Force.”

END OF SPOILERS

Matt Fraction’s dialogue was acceptable, but the plot points are muddled, and the general direction of the series is blatantly disregarding the Marvel Universe’s continuity.

Even with all of the narrative splices, John Romita’s artwork takes the leap in, and represents some of the best work that he has produced for the series. The cover is also incredibly apropos and appropriately sums up the intrigue of the issue. Jim Cheung and Justin Ponsor have really outdone themselves and created some spectacular covers for the series, and I am excited to see what they have to offer for future issues.

Avengers vs. X-Men #5 receives a flat three-out-of-five stars.

(SOURCE: Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #5 of 12 (2012))

Read more »

WATCH Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #5 of 12 (2012) FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

Review - Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #2 of 6 (2012)

 *This review DOES contain spoilers in so far as revealing the winners of each match-up in Marvel’s Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus limited series.

Issue #2 of Marvel’s Avengers vs. X-Men brawl series pits Gambit against Captain America, and Colossus against Spider-Man.  It’s not as awe-inspiring as the first issue, but it still packs a punch, and gives readers a couple of curve balls and twists for good measure. 

Round 3

Gambit vs. Captain America

I would have been surprised if Cap didn’t win this one, andMarvel appeased fans through-and-through having Gambitbattle America’s super soldier.  Gambit begins by tossing several of his trademark kinetically charged playing cards leaving Captain America to dodge the sudden explosions.  He quickly bounces back and follows up with his trademark move: the shield toss.  However, mid-flight Gambit snags the shield, charges it, and hurls it back at Cap in an even more devastating explosion. 

Now, the two can battle one-on-one.  Cap with his superior training gains the upper hand, snapping Gambit’s staff in half with his palm, but even pinned to the tree Gambit has one last trick up his sleeve.  In a move that would have felled most men Gambit charges Cap’s suit creating a fiery explosion, which rockets Captain America backwards in tatters.  At the end of the day, however, Cap wins in a shield rush and a knockout punch to the jaw that leaves Gambitunconscious. 

At the end of the day…

Captain America Wins

Round 4

Colossus vs. Spider-Man

Spider-Man and Avenger compatriots hit the streets of Latveria looking for Hope when a portion of the X-Menambush them leading to the Colossus and Spider-Man in a battle for keeps.  Spider-Man begins by keeping out ofColossus’ reach and web slinging his way into tripping up the unstoppable mutant, as well blinding him.  However, theColossus thinks quick and claps; this successfully shatters all of the glass in the surrounding area and sends Spider-Mancareening.

Spider-Man then falls into the clutches of the Colossus and is forcibly tossed into one of the many stone corridors ofLatveria.  As Spider-Man tumbles against the walls, Colossusnabs up a Doombot, splits it in half, and throws at Spider-Man to finish him off.  Spidey dodges, grabs the destroyedDoombot with a web and redirects towards Colossus.  Being the Colossus/Juggernaut hybrid that he is though, he merely punches it creating an explosion that leaves the Colossusunscathed, but unfortunately sends Spider-Man backwards (yet, again!).

At the end of the day…

Colossus Wins

This issue of Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus was on par with its series counterpart, but it does fall short of its predecessor.  It doesn’t further the plot like the first, but it has some great action sequences that supplement the core series nicely.  If you get a chance to check it out I would highly recommend it, especially if you’re a fan of the Avengers vs. X-Men series. I give Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #2 three-and-half-stars out of five.

Read more »

WATCH Review - Avengers vs. X-Men: Versus #2 of 6 (2012) FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

The NEW 52: Batman Incorporated #1

One of DC’s most anticipated titles is Grant Morrison’sBatman Incorporated.  Volume 1 of Batman, Inc. predates the DC relaunch, and directly followed the death, search, and return of Bruce Wayne.  During last September’s relaunch of the entire DC Universe Batman Incorporated was mysteriously absent from their new lineup, until December which heralded the release of the Batman, Inc one-shot,Leviathan; Leviathan served to wrap-up the loose ends from the first volume’s story arc.  With DC canceling six of its titles room for a second volume of Batman, Inc opened up, and continues exactly where the Leviathan one-shot left off.   

Grant Morrison takes the interesting concept of Batmanbuilding a global, Wayne-funded corporation to thwart the world’s villains, and furthers it by writing a compelling and believable plot.  Continuing directly from the Leviathan one-shot, Batman, Inc #1 begins with Alfred consoling a downtrodden and humiliated Bruce Wayne due to the events of the Leviathan story arc.  In contrast the issue then transitions by showcasing Chris Burnham’s great (but sometimes gory) artwork by penciling Batman and Robin’sbattle against goat-masked butchers.

Batman and Robin kick some serious butt during this sequence, but by the end of the battle Robin’s life is almost dashed by an incredibly skilled sniper.  Luckily, Batman saves the day and rescues his son in the nick of time.  The rest of the issue unfolds by showing the uneventful exploits of the rest of the members of Batman, Inc. in their West Coast headquarters, the chasing of the sniper, and finally the realization that Damian’s mother Talia al Ghul is the one responsible for the assassination attempts on Robin.

Morrison’s script is fantastically written!  It was humorous, poignant, and continues upon the excellent groundwork thatMorrison laid down in the prior volume.  There is a particularly amusing moment in which Damian proclaims to be renouncing meat due to the actions of the goat killers.  You’ll have to check it out for yourself to get a good laugh (F.Y.I. it's included in the slideshow attached to this article).  I also appreciate the subtle tie-ins to Snyder’s Batmancontinuity, but Morrison is forging new ground and doesn’t fall inline with the ever encompassing Night of the Owls crossover—it’s a nice break from the ‘now’ norm.  I giveBatman, Inc. a five-out-of-five stars and I whole-heartedly recommend it as my comic book of the week.

Read more »

WATCH The NEW 52: Batman Incorporated #1 FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

The NEW 52: World's Finest #1

World’s Finest is a direct spinoff of Earth 2.  Earth 2’sSupergirl and Robin appear to be killed in the opening battle against Darkseid in the introduction of Earth 2, but in all actuality are transported to Earth 1; hence their own title,World’s Finest.  Flash forward five-years, and Supergirl andRobin have now become Power Girl and the Huntress—theHuntress has changed her purpose is to protect their new home, and Supergirl is hell bent on returning back ‘home.’

The title sequence begins with the Huntress and Power Girlenjoying dinner together.  News that Power Girl’s newly purchased R&D center has been set afire precipitates the ‘call to action’ and the two quickly rush off.  In an effort to save the equipment, Power Girl dives headlong into the fire with the Huntress following suit.  Power Girl is horribly dismayed to discover that the facility was purposefully destroyed and that the specialized machinery might have been their only hope in returning to Earth 2.  Throughout the main narrative, pages and panels fill-in the Huntress andPower Girl’s forcible journey to Earth 1 and subsequent adaptation.  The issue then closes out by introducing Hakkou the Irradiated Man, the individual behind the destruction ofPower Girl’s R&D center.

I did enjoy World’s Finest, however, there are some inconsistencies in the continuity.  References toBatman/Bruce Wayne just don’t quite add up.  Also, I would have preferred that DC hold off on blending Earth 2 and 1; with the reboot so fresh and not even a year old I think that it would be more beneficial to create a solid foundation before extrapolating on the DC multiverse.  Otherwise the comic shapes out nicely.  The Huntress and Power Girl have very different personalities and views upon their predicament, which results in a wonderful chemistry between the two.  I give World’s Finest three-and-a-stars out of five stars. 

Read more »

WATCH The NEW 52: World's Finest #1 FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

The NEW 52: G.I. Combat #1

Traditionally DC has blended war comics with their always-expanding universe.  With DC’s NEW 52, Men of War served to fill this niche, but due to poor sales it was subsequently canceled.  As its replacement, G.I. Combat is purposed to blend modern day war scenarios with the fantasy presented in comic books—in this case an amalgamation of dinosaurs and traditional warfare.

G.I. Combat opens with a soldier conversing with his wife/girlfriend and newborn via satellite, while his friend lightheartedly ribs him.  The next scene depicts a debriefing and then the crew takes to the skies to find out why a section of North Korea has suddenly gone ‘silent.’  Not more than a couple of panels later the reason becomes hopelessly apparent as a Pterodactyl attacks the helicopter and lightning repeatedly crackles alongside the air squadron.  An air squirmish commences, the prehistoric creatures pick off several soldiers, and eventually several of the helicopters collapse into the dead zone that the soldiers came to explore.  Not more than a stone throws away the survivors of the crash come into a storm addled clearing to witness the Koreans battling dinosaurs.

Overall, the issue is short, J.T. Krul’s writing is mediocre and cliché at best, and the art was decent--but definitely short of spectacular.  I was already hesitant diving into a Krul penned comic, and after reading G.I. Combat my suspicions were wholly realized.

However, much like the Justice League, G.I. Combatfeatures a short add-on comic at the end of the issue titled,Unknown Soldier.  Unlike G.I. Combat, Justin Gray andJimmy Palmiotti, penciled by Dan Panosian, write Unknown Soldier.  I was very much impressed with Unknown Soldier; it tells the tale of a bandage wrapped soldier being interviewed about his heroics, and essentially ‘origin story.’  The narration is tight, and the artwork was gritty and war torn, which is exactly how I picture the artwork of a war comic.

G.I. Combat receives a three-out-of-five stars and Unknown Soldier a four-out-of-five—hopefully DC will continue on withUnknown Soldier and bump J.T. Krul from G.I. Combat post-haste.

Read more »

WATCH The NEW 52: G.I. Combat #1 FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING

Magazine review: CLiNT #2.1

CLiNT magazine is created and edited by Mark Millar, and in a revamp beginning in issue #2.1 the team behind CLiNTaims to provide even more swashbuckling content in the form of a contemporarily designed magazine that gives readers a wonderful glimpse into the world of avant garde comics and films.

The issue’s cover is wonderfully rendered by Leinil Yu with inks by Gerry Alanguilan and colors by Sunny Gho, and showcases the heist-themed caper, Supercrooks.  Mark Millar provides an amusing introduction before the issue segues into a pair of interviews featuring Millar’s thoughts upon the origins of Supercrooks and its film adaptation, as well as “a project close to his heart,” American Jesus.

CLiNT does an amazing job of transitioning between traditional editorials and interviews to comics, creating a seamless package that provides a ton of interesting material for low consumer cost.  After discussing the ins-and-outs of the Supercrooks film several pages are devoted to the comic itself.

Created by Mark Millar and penciler Leinil Yu Supercrooks is an enjoyable ride through-and-through.  It blends the best parts of the Italian Job with comic books, and any comic that takes to amalgamating a heist film with the awesomeness of comic books is A-ok in my book.  And, besides extrapolating on a stellar premise, the execution is amazing.  Supercrooksbegins like any good bank robbery movie by introducing most of the team members and bringing them ‘back’ together to fight for a joint cause; the twist though: they’re all supervillains.  The art was excellent and the plot grabbed me immediately—I can’t wait for more!

Next up Rex Royd!

Frankie Boyle first recaps Rex’s crazy universe before handing the baton off to Mike Dowling to discuss his work on penciling Rex’s life and world.  In all honestly I’m not sure I quite understood Rex Royd, his Rexcorp, and enemy, Proteoman; however, that being said, I did enjoy the surrealism of the comic, and the artwork was fluid, diverse, and situationally realistic.

CLiNT then pays homage to 20-years of Lenore by providing a brief expose and a Lenore strip.  Described by the Los Angeles Times as “an unholy union between Tim Burton and Dr. Seuss,” Lenore is a jaunt into the bizarre—but of course, laced with humor.

CLiNT #2.1 begins to close out by introducing readers toSecret Service (Mark Millar, Dave Gibbons, Matthew Vaughn), a quirky James Bond-esque comic that had me almost in tears due to its hilarious opening.  Mark Hamil being kidnapped in some sort of mass science fiction, pop culture abduction is just the tip of the wonderful plot offered within the pages of Secret Service.

Rounding out the issue is Death Sentence (Monty Nero, Mike Dowling), which is an interesting take on the anti-hero genre.  Basically, a tortured pop-artist becomes infected with a virus dubbed the G+ Virus.  The virus provides a ‘death sentence’ for the victim, but grants him superpowers as he slowly dies.  Intriguing indeed, and definitely a great way to wrap CLiNT’sstellar reboot!

CLiNT #2.1 is my first foray into the spectacularity of theCLiNT-a-verse, but based upon first impressions I will most definitely be picking up a subscription. $6.99 (£4.25) for a 100-pages of innovative content, that delves into upcoming films, indie comics, and one-on-one chats with some of the movers and shakers of the industry—how could you go wrong?  Arguably the best comic book magazine out there.

You can also help support CLiNT by clicking here to ‘Vote CLiNT’ viral on YouTube (video also attached to the left-hand side this article), or subscribe to any one of their social networking channels via Facebook and/or Twitter.

I would highly recommend subscribing to CLiNT through theirwebsite or special offer, which is featured below; it is a tremendous value for the content and they are currently running a special promotion if you sign up today, so hop onboard today—you will not be disappointed.

Special Offer: Subscribe to CLiNT and Save 20%, plus get a FREE signed Dave Gibbons 'The Secret Service' Art Card! Act now, only 200 available! To find out more visit - http://titanmagazines.com/t/clint/local-subscribe/

(SOURCE: Magazine review: CLiNT #2.1)

Read more »

WATCH Magazine review: CLiNT #2.1 FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING