Bill's Beta Ray Blog

Beta Ray Blog has moved!

2011-02-12T14:58:00.002-07:00

That's right! After 3 years on Blogger, I have accepted an offer from the Vault Master over at bmoviefilmvault.com to become a part of his ever expanding network of blogs.

Not much will change, but NOTHING WILL BE THE SAME AGAIN!

The new address is betarayblog.bmoviefimvault.com

This new blog will be pretty cool. Expect even more of Stormbreaker level comic beat downs on the new blog.

See you there!

Will Rick Remender Ruin Venom?

2010-12-19T22:12:00.007-07:00

I read this interview with Rick Remender a few weeks ago on Newsarama and I've been letting it stew in my head for awhile. Writer Remender and artist Tony Moore are bringing back Venom in an ongoing series in March. This will involve a new host for the symbiote, as Mac Gargan is going back to the old Scorpion look. The new hook will be Venom as a military black-ops specialist. I have mixed feelings about this announcement. I don't really have a problem with the idea itself, I had a similar idea a few years ago I never did anything with, but knowing the controversy surrounding Remender's run on Punisher I'm just not sure what to expect.

I've decided to break down the interview and hit the points of interest one at a time.

RR: I immediately started having all this imagery — there isn’t really a globetrotting character in the Marvel Universe right now. In terms of a character who could 007 it up...As soon as you hear the idea, you’re like, “That’s actually great. That’s a really great idea.” For this character, those guys nailed it, in terms of the way to deal with making him fresh and new and exciting, and still stay true to who the character is.

Like I said, I actually like the idea overall. The scary thing is "fresh and new and exciting" in Remender-speak may mean, oh, I don't know, turning the Punisher into a Frankenstein monster. I'm still cautiously optimistic.

Nrama: And obviously the identity of Venom’s new host is still a closely guarded secret at this point, but it is a character who is familiar to readers, right?
Remender: Yep. Familiar to readers, but somebody who's been prowling around the Spidey-verse for years and makes a lot of sense for the job.

I honestly have no idea who it could be. Does Spidey know any globe-trotting 007 types? I actually hope it is somebody we don't really know very well, or some random D-lister.

RR: "...Wow. I guess I have to sit down and remember what excited me about the character.”
I did the same thing with the Punisher. That first Punisher miniseries, the one Mike Zeck drew with [Steven] Grant, was such a big deal to me, I loved it so much when I was a kid, that when I took on the Punisher job, I had to sit down to remember, “Why? What did you love about it?” So I did that a lot with Venom.

Uh-oh. Now I get the red flags going up in my brain. I wonder how much of this is just interview BS, because if you have to sit and remember what it is that got you excited about characters you supposedly loved as a kid, maybe you shouldn't be writing them. And please, don't do the same thing as you did with the Punisher.

RR: I love monsters to begin with, and there’s sort of a Jekyl and Hyde aspect to Venom, and a number of other very interesting angles to the character.

No, the Eddie Brock Venom was not Jekyl and Hyde. The Hulk is Jekyl and Hyde. Venom is the story of Faust; the symbiote can give you great power, but will corrupt you over time. All the themes of temptation and revenge are there. Jekyl and Hyde is about the monster that's inside us, Venom is about making a deal with the devil. This is a big difference. Bonding with the symbiote is the deal you make, and eventually leads to being consumed by the symbiote. There is a definite outside force in the story of Venom.

RR: In the book that we’re doing, the military won’t let our host wear the suit for more than two days in a row. There’s all kinds of rules, because that thing bonds with you so quickly.

Why would these rules work? The symbiote is not dumb. Lest we forget Angelo Fortunato, who was abandoned mid-swing by the symbiote, and fell to his death. If the symbiote doesn't like the 'rules', wouldn't it just leave mid-mission?

You get the idea. Plus, Remender says early in the interview that Venom hadn't changed, then says he was always on board with the changes to the character, then says he wants to stay true to the character, then says he is going to do something unique, blah, blah, blah...

Let's face it, I'm going to read this. I like the overall concept and it doesn't seem as stupid as turning the Punisher into a Frankenstein monster. I want it to be good, but I'm also sad Marvel is giving up on the arc they had going with Gargan being absolutely terrified by the symbiote. I thought that still had potential.

I don't want to be That Guy. But I know what happened with Punisher, so just prove me wrong, Remender. I beg you.

Dr. Jeff Parker (Or How I Learned to Stop Hatin' and Love the Rulk)

2010-10-11T21:35:00.008-06:00

What can I say? He did it. Jeff Parker, you magnificent bastard, I READ YOUR BOOK! (and liked it, too!)

A few months ago, Jeff Parker announced that he would be taking over the writing duties on Hulk, and he literally begged jaded Hulk fans to come back and read one issue, #25, and see if he couldn't change their minds. He even resorted to bribery. I bit. I like free stuff, and I love Parker's writing as of late (Atlas, Thunderbolts). I said to no one but myself, "You have ONE issue, Parker, to change my mind on Red Hulk!" If you know my short and sordid history with Rulky, you know that this was nigh an impossible task. The one character I hated in the Marvel U more than any other was Rulk. Jeph Loeb pranced him around like a four-year-old bully kicking down sandcastles.

I imagine that Parker got this. He seemed to understand the transgressions committed by this character and his creator. There was a checklist in my mind I was unaware of until I read Hulk #25, a checklist that subconsciously stored every sin I felt had been perpetrated by Red Hulk and Loeb. While reading the book, the items on list began to get checked off.

Rulk had an a-hole attitude, he was allowed (by Loeb) to run roughshod over Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and others and they could barely put up a fight. It reminded me of two kids playing, one saying "A-ha! I got you!" and the other responding annoyingly, "Nuh-uh, I'm invincible!" Nobody likes that kid. And that is what Loeb was doing.

In one issue, Jeff Parker redeemed the sins of Red Hulk and Loeb by recognizing this subliminal checklist and hitting it item by item. And in return I added Hulk to my pull list to ride this out and see where Parker can take this character, now that he is no longer a spoiled brat, and is being to forced to clean up the mess he made. It is just too bad that Parker has to be the one cleaning up, as if Loeb was a bad dog who messed on Marvel's carpet.

The promise of Thor teeing off on Rulk's head doesn't hurt either.

Seriously, if you are a Hulk fan, and hated the Red Hulk stuff, give this book a try. I was surprised how much I liked it. Even the back-up story with A-bomb was fun.

Thank you, Jeff Parker! You get it.

Star Wars chalk mural, Walking Dead, Calvin and Hobbes

2010-08-26T20:13:00.007-06:00

Just some cool things I thought I would link to for you all to see.

Chalk mural artist, former co-worker of mine, and all around cool guy Eric Maruscak did another great piece for the Star Wars Celebration. Check out a time lapse video right here:

and go to his website for more cool stuff.

The trailer for The Walking Dead TV show coming to AMC was officially released, and it looks awesome. If you like zombies, this show is gonna be sweet. The comic is great, and this adaptation looks to be quite faithful to the source material. CHECK IT!

Also saw this sweet comic by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo which is Lex Luthor and the Joker done in the style of a Sunday Calvin & Hobbes strip. So cool!

Doesn't it make you miss Bill Watterson's masterpiece?

Sad but True: Scott Pilgrim a Bob-omb

2010-08-23T22:37:00.003-06:00

This article about Scott Pilgrim vs. The World as 'box office bob-omb' should be labeled sad but true. I truly loved this movie, I thought it was fantastically original and creative. But ultimately it seems to have failed to find an audience.

I went to see it on the Saturday night the weekend it opened, and even though I live in tragically un-hip Casper, Wyoming, there were only seven other people in the theater with me. I was shocked. After seeing the movie and reading about its poor opening weekend, I became dismayed.

I was able to convince a co-worker to go see it the following weekend, and he loved it as well. I was shocked again when another co-worker (who usually is pretty savvy on cool movies) expressed no interest in seeing it. These are guys that make appointments to see good cinema, and it was registering zero on their radar. The term 'word-of-mouth' doesn't go far enough, this is more of a case of 'evangelism'. Mere recommendations are falling short, no less than total conversion of the uninitiated is required.

The article from cinemablend.com linked to above explains in detail how Scott Pilgrim's audience is hard to pin down. It's true, I can't fathom my parents liking this movie. I am most likely right in the wheelhouse of the intended demographic (late twenty early thirty-somethings that like music and classic videogames) and maybe that is skewing my view of it.

Ultimately, I think if given the chance, this movie will appeal to a wider range of audience than it has so far in the theater. Look for this to be a big time seller when it hits DVD and Blu-ray.

Could Scott Pilgrim be this generation's Rocky Horror Picture Show? This is Spinal Tap? Shawshank Redemption?

Marvel's Chaos War event sure to get a rise out of you

2010-08-20T22:35:00.003-06:00

The promos I'm seeing for Marvel's upcoming Chaos War have perked up my little ears and are making me take notice. The talent and the titles that are coming forth for this event are really exciting. Of course, Hulk, Thor, and others will be tied into this event, but its the resurrected characters that are making me sit up.

Ares is coming back in a one shot. Hercules will make a return. The Dead Avengers looks cool, especially with what looks like the original Vision, Swordsman, and Captain Marvel. And, the coup de grace in my opinion, flippin' ALPHA FLIGHT! Woot!

Is this a cheap knock-off of DC's Blackest Night event? I guess time will tell, but Blackest Night didn't have Vision and Alpha Flight.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a great movie

2010-08-15T12:32:00.005-06:00

I saw Scott Pilgrim vs. The World last night, and I have to say it is one of the most original and entertaining movies I've seen in a long time. Coming into the movie I had only read the first volume of the comic (a problem I 'll soon rectify for sure) and I felt it adapted the comic to film better than any movie save perhaps Sin City.

I couldn't help but be reminded of Sin City while watching Scott Pilgrim, even though they are, thematically at least, completely different movies. Having only read Vol. 1 of Scott Pilgrim and The Hard Goodbye from Sin City, my references may be limited, but I think enough that I can make this comparison.

If you remember back to Sin City, the graphic novel(s) of hard boiled crime-noir, the movie took that premise and ran with it, Robert Rodriguez fully embraced the genre of both noir and comic adaptation, fusing the two into a visually stunning piece that felt like a living breathing comic book by Frank Miller. Groundbreaking at the time and copied to varying degrees of success (300, Watchmen). Scott Pilgrim has a similar formula, a graphic novel of comedy/romance and video game tropes, the movie also fully embraces the source material and fuses them into what a romantic comedy video game might be, brought to life on screen deftly and with a total comprehension by Edgar Wright.

Neither movie pulls back for a second to either pander to a common denominator, or explain ham-fistedly why you are seeing these things in a type of hyper-realism. They both know exactly what they are and what they hope to accomplish, and they both expect the viewer to keep up.

This was the one criticism I had of Inception, my other favorite movie of the year and also an excellent film, was that it seemed to not trust the audience enough to keep up, and thus endless explanations of where the characters were and what was happening throughout kept me somewhat disengaged from the movie at times. Sin City and Scott Pilgrim put you into their unique worlds and keep you there as a citizen under their own rules of reality.

One beef I have after seeing Scott Pilgrim that actually has nothing to do with the movie itself, was Brandon Routh appeared in the movie for a total of about ten minutes and engages in more action than in the entirety of Superman Returns, and shame on you Brian Singer for wasting that opportunity.

Avengers teaser trailer

2010-08-05T09:09:00.001-06:00

Not terribly exciting, as we all know how to spell "Avengers" but here it is anyway.

http://io9.com/5604936/comic-cons-avengers-teaser-trailer-assembles

Hulk-mania! Jeff Parker is cool and so is Hulkington Post

2010-08-04T23:02:00.006-06:00

Just some updates I wanted to share:

Cool new site for fans of the Hulk, The Hulkington Post. You should check them out, if only because they have a cool name. You can (and should) also follow them on Twitter @HulkingtonPost. It looks like they are just getting started, so help 'em out!

In other Hulk news, Jeff Parker will be taking over writing duties on Hulk with number 25. Perhaps you recall (probably not) my infuriation at the direction the title took, dragging on and on with the Red Hulk crap. I dropped the title around #8 or so in disgust. Well, Parker, the writer of some great and current ongoing series at Marvel, announced on his blog that the first 75 people who emailed him promising to try Hulk #25 he would send a signed comic. He wanted a chance to convince people to read Hulk again and what can I say, I like free stuff. I especially like Parker's work on Thunderbolts and Atlas. I received a signed copy of World War Hulks: Classified #1 and true to my word, I ordered up a copy of Hulk #25.

The word must have gotten out that Loeb's run on Hulk and the whole Red Hulk thing were not that popular. Parker has one issue to convince me, and if anyone can do it, it's him.

Batman Beyond!

2010-06-24T18:31:00.004-06:00

I just finished reading Superman/Batman Annual #4. This story takes place in the Batman Beyond universe and picks up right where the animated series left off.

It is a superbly written comic by Paul Levitz that explores what happened to Superman and Metropolis after he was released from Starro's control. If you were a fan of the animated series, this comic cranks it up a notch. The story is as dark as the show was, and hits all the right notes to expand on that established universe.
It is really more a story about the Superman of that world, and after being under the control of Starro for so long, and then disappearing, what effect his absence has had on Metropolis. This issue leads into the Batman Beyond mini-series that is coming out soon.

As a fan myself, I am very encouraged by this issue. I want to see more of the Batman Beyond world in comics. It really works here, and I'm excited for more.

Best panel of the comic:

Avengers movie line-up?

2010-06-05T12:02:00.003-06:00

Over at i09, this poster made a movie poster depicting what we already know about the upcoming Avengers movie. Could this be our Avengers line-up?

Here is the link.

And here is the picture:
There are also rumors of casting Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, but if the comments of the rumored actor are true, I want no part of the Ultimate Hawkeye. I demand purple tights and a bow and arrow!!!

Here are links to the concept art for Captain America's movie costume and Thor's full costume. I hope they are planning a little more variety on Thor from the waist down, and a winged helmet. PLEASE let there be a winged helmet!

Spoiler-ific Capsule Reviews

2010-05-20T22:34:00.010-06:00

This week I got some comics, B.P.R.D. : King of Fear #5, Hellboy in Mexico one-shot, Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis #1, Dark Avengers #16, Siege #4, The Return of Bruce Wayne #1, and Thor and the Warriors Four #2. I will warn you, I am going to review each one with no regard for spoilering them, so proceed with caution!
Here we go!

Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis #1When I saw the solicit for this mini-series, I thought, "Written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Kaare Andrews!? SOLD!" After I read it, I was left scratching my head and turning up my lip...egh. I thought Andrews work on Spider-Man: Reign was fantastic, but I'm not sure what happened here. Emma Frost looks like a blonde sack of potatoes. And the fact that the X-Men spend half the book arguing about African politics just doesn't interest me. I don't usually drop a book after one issue, but in this case I'll make an exception.

B.P.R.D. : King of Fear #5
This series was advertised as the end of the so called "War on Frogs" and it ends with a bang. I have to admit that I am not completely caught up on the Hellboy universe, and I only started this series because Lobster Johnson was in the beginning, but this issue brings some big changes to the world and the nature of the B.P.R.D., who are now under the control of the U.N. And I'm not sure what is going on with Abe, but I hope the next mini Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plane sheds some light on his new direction. Good stuff, but I wouldn't recommend reading it with out being somewhat up to speed. Oh, and I don't know who the tea drinking robot in the Jules Verne style submarine is, but I heartily approve!

Dark Avengers #16 & Seige #4

I'm gonna hit these both together. Let me say that I was on board after "Secret Invasion" wrapped up with the Dark Avengers (though I wished they had just stayed Thunderbolts, I thought that was working great) and I was interested to see where it was all headed. Now, I'll say that I am SO GLAD this CRAP IS FINALLY OVER! About halfway through this arc I became completely fed up with Norman Osborn. And joy of joys, Sentry is dead! This character has held the Marvel universe hostage for far too long, and except for the truly awesome Age of The Sentry, I hope we can all just pretend he never existed. Steve Rodgers in back, basically as the new Nick Fury, and Thor has a big mess to clean up. Lets move on and be glad this little episode is behind us.

Thor and The Warriors Four #2
I am digging this series. It is fun and awesome. I don't care what you think about Power Pack. Beta Ray Bill shows up for this one, which is great, and has to continually assert that he is NOT a horse, or a 'Thorse' for that matter (half Thor, half horse!). Sure it is silly, but I recommend it. And the cover is hilarious!

The Return of Bruce Wayne #1

One word: Awesome!

Hellboy in Mexico

Two words: Totally awesome!

Robot 13: The best comic you aren't reading

2010-05-14T22:04:00.007-06:00

I don't remember specifically how I stumbled upon Robot 13, but I am sure glad that I did. I took a chance on this quirky looking series and was richly rewarded.

In three issues, creators Thomas Hall (writer) and Daniel Bradford (art) of Blacklist Studios have managed to introduce one of the most unique and interesting characters in comics since Hellboy. The comparisons to Hellboy don't stop stop there either, (and that isn't a bad thing) but while the art and feel can seem Mignola-esque, this isn't a one note rip-off.
Book 1, Colossus!, which is comprised of three issues, has managed to set up an intriguing world that blends myth and reality. The true genius of the book is that the world, while still mysterious in it's true nature, is already rich with details that set it apart from any other setting we've seen. And that all of this has been done with epic fight scenes and relatively sparse dialogue is truly astounding. This is visual storytelling at its best.
When we first meet our hero, Robot 13, he is introduced by immediately leaping into battle worthy of Clash of the Titans (the original). We soon find out he is suffering from amnesia, and being a skull in a robot suit doesn't really lend itself to easy explanations.

The series has successfully combined big time action, mystery, humor, science fiction and Greek mythology to weave quite a tapestry of an epic tale. Robot 13 is what a good comic should be, and you should stop reading my review of it go out and read it.

Namor comes back an X-Man

2010-05-13T23:42:00.005-06:00

Good news, everybody! Namor is coming back in his own series! Yay! And it will be closely tied to the X-Men and their battle against underwater vampires...wait, what? Marvel announced the new Namor: The First Mutant #1, and the description is just plain stupid if you ask me.

First off, I don't care that Namor helped out the X-Men in Dark X-Men, Namor is not an X-Man. Technically, he isn't the first mutant either, but I guess calling the book Namor: A Really Old Mutant #1 doesn't have that catchy ring to it. Secondly, what happened to :The Sub-Mariner? And third, since when do the X-Men fight vampires? (oh, right, since Twilight ruined everything)

Bad form, Joe Q. This could have been cool. At least we know it will be cancelled after 6-12 issues anyway.

Sif one-shot is good, not great

2010-05-11T20:09:00.006-06:00

Read the Sif one-shot this week. Good solid effort on both writing and art by Kelly Sue Deconnick and Ryan Stegman respectively. It is completely ok, not mind blowing. Honestly, with an appearance by Beta Ray Bill and the title being Sif, I expected much more butt-kicking. And there is some, but I was expecting full bore face-kicking action. Then there is the situation where Sif gets to meet Bill's new squeeze, which could have been much more awkward, interesting, character developing, but instead is quickly brushed aside to get to the plot. In fact, having Sif say the word 'awkward', doesn't make it so.
And then there is the stock plot, interesting but underdeveloped villain, and basically a lack of epic-ness. And really, that is what I was expecting, and maybe that is my fault for demanding so much from this one-shot.

Wow! This blog is still on!? - Hellboy thoughts.

2010-04-20T18:56:00.002-06:00

Hello again! I'll dispense with the usual excuses as to why I haven't posted in, like, forever. Just know that I got a new job and that's taking up most of my time that isn't also filled with baseball and Netflix.

Anyway, here we go.

I am slowly catching up on Hellboy via the trades. Most recently I finished Book 6, "Strange Places" and I was reminded once again just how good Hellboy is.

Let's compare Hellboy to a standard story by the Big Two. There is almost no comparison. As I was reading somewhere (I think in an interview with Mignola) the Big Two offer the illusion of change. It happens every month. Plastered on the cover of Brightest Seige: Frontlines: The Return (or whatever) are scrawled the words "Nothing will ever be same again!" Except it always is the same again. Batman or Captain America 'die' for awhile, but then they get better.

In Hellboy, as far as I have read (no spoilers please) Professor Bruttenholm dies, and stays dead. Roger the Homunculus sacrifices himself and it actually means something. It haunts the characters years later. Hellboy discovers more and more about who he is on his journey, and we feel that it has weight, that it is all leading to something. Real change and growth in characters as the status quo is allowed to shift.

This may mean that at some point the story may come to an end, but I'm ok with that. Ultimately, at the end, I think it will all feel more rewarding.

icon

2010-03-18T17:56:00.003-06:00

Why, Marvel, why?

2010-03-04T09:07:00.003-07:00

With all the news coming out about the Avengers relaunch, I assumed we would get one new consolidated Avengers title, and for that matter, one team. Then Marvel announced Secret Avengers, and they have yet to name the team members. OK, I get it. I guess. Get your mainstream team and then have a quirky "B-team" to play with and explore the darker or stranger corners of the Marvel Universe. But now, you've gone too far.
Marvel is also releasing a New Avengers title, which so far contains all the old "New Avengers", or as I like to call it, "everything that is wrong about the Avengers, Avengers." Why? Do people really want Spider-man and Wolverine on an Avengers team? I sure don't. Here I thought finally, we can return to some normalcy in the Avengers world. And what is the point of relaunching New Avengers with a new #1?
I say forget this. I'm still going to read Avengers #1. But I am officially fed up with Brian Michael Bendis now. Give me one, unified Avengers team and call it a day. WOLVERINE IS NOT AN AVENGER!

Thor is Officially an Avenger, Plus Secret Avengers and New Thunderbolts

2010-02-09T18:21:00.007-07:00

Thor was announced as a member of the upcoming Avengers team ( I am avoiding calling them the New Avengers, since we've been there, done that...) which means this is looking more and more like a classic line-up. I am very glad they are going this direction, as the multiple iterations of the Avengers (each with their own Wolverine, it seems) were wearing thin on me.

Marvel is also coming out with a second Avengers title, Secret Avengers, written by Ed Brubaker, but so far no official word on who will be on that team. The teaser images suggests Gorilla-man and maybe Doctor Strange, and if that is case, count me in.
I am also optimistic about the post-Siege Thunderbolts line-up as written by Jeff Parker. The new team is led by Luke Cage, and includes Juggernaut, Ghost (my favorite from the current crappy line-up), Moonstone, Crossbones, and the coup de grace: Man-Thing. The title will go back to the series roots and be more about the reformation of villains under Cage's leadership. This story starts in issue #144 and is the first issue I am actually looking forward to since Warren Ellis left the book.

A Heroclix Named Desire

2010-02-04T16:39:00.003-07:00

It is OK to want:

Heroclix announced their new Blackest Night starter set for 2010. Other figures in the set are Hal Jordan Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, Mera, The Flash, Wonder Woman, and The Atom, all in their appropriate lantern colors.

The NEW Old (New?) Avengers!

2010-02-04T16:20:00.007-07:00

As you may or may not know, after the events of Siege wrap up the current myriad of Avengers titles will axed. Dark, New, Mighty, Initiative; they will all be finished to make way for an Avengers reboot, as well as a new attitude in the major titles at Marvel dubbed "The Heroic Age." Marvel has slowly been revealing the Avengers line-up for the relaunch, and so far I like it. Here is the link to Newsarama detailing the roster so far.

Tony Stark: Iron Man!

Finally, Clint Barton back in the purple Hawkeye costume.
Looks like the Bucky Cap. I am ok with this, I'm just wondering what is going to happen to Steve Rogers.
Spider-Woman.
So far, so good. Rumor has it that Thor is also going to be on this team. I am looking forward to the new #1 issue.

What Could Have Been

2010-01-30T20:47:00.002-07:00

If you needed more proof that we indeed are not living in the best possible of worlds, animation director and storyboard artist Steven E. Gordon told Marvel Animation Age (as reported by MTV's Splash Page), that there was maybe going to be, but now definitely won't be a Beta Ray Bill animated movie:

“The DVD was going to be done like they did the 'Hulk Vs.' DVD where half would be devoted to the ‘Ultimate War’and the other half was planned to be a ‘Thor’ story,” continued Gordon. “At one point the ‘Thor’ story they intended on adapting was Beta Ray Bill, but I believe they dropped that after some exploration. We never got too far on finding a look for the Thor adventure.”

Argh! So close. This news begs the question: is it better to know the miserable truth, or live in ignorant bliss? I blame Steven E. Gordon for not fighting hard enough to get us a Beta Ray Bill animated feature. And there is your non-news of the day.

Beta Ray Bill appears in Planet Hulk movie!

2010-01-27T11:38:00.005-07:00

According to reviews I have read, Beta Ray Bill makes an appearance in the new Planet Hulk movie due out on DVD on Feb. 2! Apparently, Bill is replacing Silver Surfer's role from the original story, which isn't a large role, but an important one. And it is always nice to get some more animated Beta Ray Bill, since all we have up to this point is an episode of the 90's Silver Surfer cartoon, in which the Korbinites are depicted as weaklings trapped in an illusion of gladiatorial combat. (with Scottish accents?) I am now more excited about this release than I was, and I was pretty excited before.

A Cheery February

2010-01-22T21:02:00.004-07:00

There is some cool stuff coming down the pipe, and frankly, I can't wait! Those long, excruciating weeks between the Super Bowl and the beginning of the baseball season needs to be filled with something, lest you are driven into the depths of depression and despair by winter's icy grip, and this year we are extra lucky. In February we get the Winter Olympics, complete with hockey and curling, two of my personal favorites, as well as the animated feature Planet Hulk on DVD Feb. 2.

Plus, on Feb. 23, we get Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths DVD from Bruce Timm, which looks fantastic.

(By the way, Mark Harmon of NCIS fame will be voicing Superman in that one!)

These bits of animated goodness should be able to get me through the winter, and tide me over until the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament starts in March.

So rejoice, for this is a rare February that won't feel like it is actually longer than its total 28 days suggest. Just try not to get stuck in a loop on Groundhog's Day to make up for your life's moral failings and everything will work out just fine.

Sif mini-series to contain Beta Ray Bill, awesomeness

2010-01-21T19:41:00.004-07:00

That's right, there is a Sif mini-series due out in March from writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Ryan Stegman. Thor's Asgardian girlfriend gets to go on her own head-busting solo adventure, and the best part is that none other than Beta Ray Bill makes a showing as well. I can't wait for this series, as Sif will have a serious chip on her shoulder for Loki who had been hijacking her body for quite awhile leading up to the current Siege event. If you don't know, Sif and Beta Ray Bill have a bit of romantic history as well, from way back during Walter Simonson's epic run on Thor, and I'm guessing that issue will be dealt with as well. I wonder if Bill's new Korbinite girlfriend will play a part in this saga? I can't wait to find out!

S.W.O.R.D. over in five

2010-01-19T20:55:00.004-07:00

Straight from the blog of Kieron Gillen himself, Marvel has officially canceled S.W.O.R.D. after 5 issues. I am, of course, saddened by this news, as I was enjoying the title very much. This news is made worse by the timing, basically cutting off the series before it even has a chance to get going. Perhaps there wasn't enough Wolverine in the series...

It is a shame, as there aren't enough really unique comics like this one out there (at least not at the Big Two) I hope in the future, Marvel can at least bring these characters back for another round, be it mini-series or some other format.

Excuses, excuses...

2010-01-07T23:09:00.002-07:00

So far the New Year is not looking promising for the Beta Ray Blog. Came back from a trip back east to see the family for the holidays, and returned to NO comics. Then the hard drive on my main machine turned itself into a poorly shaped hockey puck. So, no comic reviews for the foreseeable future. Once I get some comics in hand, I'll do a big multi-title story arc review of the past few months, as there have been some interesting events leading up to the coming Seige, as well as my enjoyment of Gotham City Sirens for the most part.

So there will be reviews and content in the future, but right now all I can offer you is empty promises and excuses, so take that as you will. In the meantime, look at this cool picture of the Spider-man lamp I got for my birthday:Cool.

Ultimate DC!

2009-12-07T18:17:00.004-07:00

Newsarama and DC's own blog The Source have announced a new project from DC that is essentially Marvel's Ultimate imprint done right. The upcoming Earth One series will start off with retelling the origins of Superman and Batman free of existing continuity. Of course, DC tried this once before with their All-Star titles, with differing results, (Superman = great, Batman = not so great) but the difference this time is that they will be done in graphic novel format. I think this is perfect.
The whole point of these reboots is to tell stories with recognizable characters, but make them accessible to new readers or casual readers by jettisoning the 70 plus years of mind bending continuity loops. The problem has always been the actual physical accessibility of doing them in the monthly floppy issue format: casual readers don't want to read it in monthly installments, nor do they want to get shafted on, say, issue 3 when Diamond decides to not ship that month's issue. With the graphic novel format, you can entice new readers with the single contained story anyone can read without knowing the results of any of the myriad of crisisi.
I think its a great idea, and if executed properly, could be a new dawn for the comic book industry. JMS and Geoff Johns are slated to write the first two, so here is hoping it will be a success. Now, lets take bets on how long it takes for Dan Didio to get greedy and start the Earth One MEGA CROSS-OVER EVENT! NOTHING BE THE SAME AGAIN!

Thor the Movie: Update!

2009-11-25T00:18:00.004-07:00

Kat Dennings, who played Norah in something called Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has just been added to the cast of Thor, according to Marvel.com. No word yet on who she is going to play, but if I had to make a guess based on looks alone, I would say Hela.

Do you see a resemblance?
That's just my guess.

More Thor Movie News!

2009-11-21T14:08:00.005-07:00

Another Asgardian has been cast! Heimdall, the guardian of the Bifrost bridge, will be played by Idris Elba. Known for his work on "The Wire" and as Jim's nemesis Charles Miner on "The Office". A great actor and another great addition to what I believe is shaping up to be a fantastic cast.

Why I Stopped Watching Smallville in Season 3

2009-11-18T23:52:00.003-07:00

I'll let Topless Robot provide the commentary on this ridiculousness:
Wow.

Thor Movie update!

2009-11-18T09:52:00.003-07:00

The Warriors Three have been cast for the upcoming Kenneth Branagh Thor film. This is great for two reasons: 1) the got some great actors to play 'The Three' and 2) 'The Three' will be in the movie!
Fandral: The dashing fellow in green will be played by Stuart Townsend, perhaps best known as Dorian Gray from League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Hogun: The grim guy with the horns will be played by Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano. He has been in primarily Japanese films, but he looks the part.

Volstagg: The big fellow in pink will be played by Ray Stevenson, a.k.a. The Punisher from Punisher: War Zone! This should be quite a turn for him, playing the giant, jolly fellow. I wonder if they will use a fat suit, or put Stevenson on the diet of his life?

This news gives me hope for this movie, because casting these characters suggests a good amount of attention will be focused on Asgard. So far, from only looking at the casting, I think that Branagh really gets it. I will keep you updated as I hear more.

Cool Sketch

2009-11-15T20:09:00.002-07:00

Stumbled across this awesome sketch of Beta Ray Bill by John Lang. Very cool! Check out the link to see more of his stuff.

Not Good Eats...?

2009-11-12T18:42:00.003-07:00

Is it just me, or does the guy on the cover of MERC #1 look like a cyberpunk Alton Brown?

This is also the last time I will be mentioning MERC on my blog.

RoboCop!

2009-11-09T14:54:00.004-07:00

Check out the story on Newsarama.com to get the full scoop on the January return of RoboCop. Heck yes!
Dynamite Comics brings the part man, part machine, all cop back to comics.

In other news, I have begun organizing my comic collection which had been sadly neglected recently, so look for more news on that as I go through the horrors of the longboxes. As I find interesting titles and tid-bits I had forgotten about, I'll share them here with you lucky people. I started collecting when I was about 11, so I find myself wondering what the hell I was thinking when I bought some of these gems throughout the 90's.

Thor movie gets an AllFather!

2009-10-31T00:37:00.004-06:00

Odin's beard! None other than Sir Anthony Hopkins has been cast as Odin, father of Thor and stepfather to Loki.
Just slap a beard on him!
I can't wait to see how this movie works out. I will keep you updated!

The Fates: They Laugh at Me

2009-10-07T13:41:00.003-06:00

In a maddening twist of fate, the Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter TPB hits today and I STILL HAVEN'T READ ISSUE #3! Moving 2000 miles the month it comes out to a state with zero comic book stores will do that to you, as I am about 3 months behind on my comics. As you may guess, it is pretty difficult to maintain a comics blog with no new comics to read. I am currently taking steps to rectify this multitude of problems. So, if you haven't read Godhunter (like myself, to some extent) go get this trade and let the awesome wash over you.

News Links

2009-10-03T20:14:00.005-06:00

It's good to see Mike Mignola, creator of Hellboy, getting back to comics full time. Very excited for the Amazing Screw-on Head collection!

Never read Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead? You can read the first issue here for free, but be warned, once you do you'll want to go out and buy the rest. AMC is looking to make it into a series, which would be awesome.

Purchased Superman/Batman: Public Enemies DVD. It was quite good. Once again Bruce Timm and legendary voice director Andrea Romano deliver a great animated movie. It doesn't hurt that Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly reprise their roles as Batman and Superman respectively, which fans of the DCAU should be psyched about. (Which I am.) I cheaped out and bought the non-special edition DVD, and it really is bare of special features. Some very interesting cameo appearances, as well as Levarr Burton as Black Lightning, which is awesome.

Dark Princesses and December Solicits

2009-09-24T11:15:00.005-06:00

I found this gem over at Comic Alliance, its sort of a What If?: Dark Reign met Disney Princesses. My favorite by far is the "Savage Pocahontas." That movie would have way better than the original.

BRB favorite Kieron Gillen has posted Marvel's December solicits in which he is the author of THREE titles that month! It's like my birthday! (Wow, my birthday IS in December!) December's titles will include the finale of the Ares mini-series, S.W.O.R.D. #2 and Thor # 605.
December is gonna be awesome!

Thor Movie Update

2009-09-23T11:41:00.005-06:00

Fresh from Newsarama.com, more news on the upcoming Thor movie. Two more actors have been cast, Jaimie Alexander will be playing Sif and Colm Feore will be playing a mysterious
villain.

I think they have nailed the look.

I am not sure what villain he will be playing, but I am sure he will be a villain most foul!

Free Time and Photoshop

2009-09-22T13:53:00.006-06:00

This is what happens:
SPACE!

FOOD!
GAUGE!
TUNE IT IN!

Beta Ray Blog's First Anniversary!

2009-09-07T15:10:00.008-06:00

That's right! Beta Ray Blog just celebrated it's first anniversary of cosmic blogging! It was actually about a week ago, but I was a little busy moving across the country. So, as I eagerly await my copy of Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #3 to arrive, I will bide my time (and yours, lucky reader!) with a review of Power Pack #19, guest-starring Beta Ray Bill!

In this fabulously unexciting issue, The kids are worried about their mother, who is in the hospital after being injured during a fight with Kurse. Katie, a.k.a. Energizer decides to invite everyone she knows over for a surprise Thanksgiving Day party. But the other siblings of Power Pack find out about the party and are none too happy, especially Alex, a.k.a. Gee.

After a bunch of balloon related mishaps during the parade, including Katie and Franklin Richards commandeering and navigating a giant Mighty Mouse balloon towards her mother's hospital room across town, everyone eventually ends up at the party. Which turns out to be the saddest, most depressing party ever thrown since Chevy Chase's celebrity roast on Comedy Central.
Yeah, wow, let's be miserable together...thanks for inviting us Katie...uhh...
...Sooo, I guess it's too bad that Alex wont let you have that party after all, guess we'll be going...
Oh! Well. As long as it's a misery party, let's boogie down!

I was mostly disappointed that Beta Ray Bill gets put front and center on the cover, and ends up getting to be in about five panels and serves mostly as Franklin Richards's mode of transportation. But at least he got to learn the true meaning of Thanksgiving...SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE!

New Location

2009-08-30T13:55:00.002-06:00

The International Beta Ray Blog Headquarters has officially relocated to Wyoming! I am now blogging to you live from a castle floating eight feet above the prairie. I am still getting settled in the western land of wide open spaces, so stay tuned for more updates in the near future. The move has caused me to miss out on Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #3 for the moment, but that review will be upcoming, and much much more.

Gillen to write Thor!

2009-08-18T22:33:00.004-06:00

BRB favorite Kieron Gillen announced that he will be taking over the writing duties for Thor starting with issue #604! He will be replacing J. Michael Straczynski after his sudden departure from the title. I am very excited about this change, as I have not only been immensely enjoying Gillen's work on Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter, but also enjoying the JMS story arc. I will be very interested to see how the story plays out under Gillen's pen.

Congratulations, sir, you deserve it!

News Bits

2009-08-12T19:07:00.005-06:00

Iron Man 2:

Concept art of War Machine from Iron Man 2! So cool!

Confirmed on Kieron Gillen's own blog, he will be writing a S.W.O.R.D. ongoing for Marvel Comics, starring both Agent Brand and Beast. I thought this was a cool concept when it was established by Joss Whedon during his awesome run on Astonishing X-men. I also want to see more interaction between Brand and Beast. Should be pretty sweet, and being "the boundary between the two great spheres of the Marvel Universe," as Gillen puts it, maybe we'll get to see some special guest stars...(*cough* *cough* Beta Ray Bill *cough*) Fingers crossed!

How do you solve problem like the Rulk?

2009-07-31T19:54:00.004-06:00

Attention True Believers! This is a call to action. As may already know, the Marvel Universe is under siege by a horrible blight known as the Red Hulk, or 'Rulk.' This monument to stupidity has destroyed any goodwill that Greg Pak created within the Hulk titles after the fantastic Planet Hulk and World War Hulk. Incredible Hulk #600 came and went, and we are none the wiser as to who the Red abomination to comic-dom is. And now, in an effrontery to common sense and good taste, the Rulk family is being expanded with the edition of the Red She-Hulk. (wait for face twitching to subside...)

We, the offended comic buying fans, need to do something to bring this horrendous nightmare to an end. This is an open call to all who are put off by the ridiuclousness of the Rulk, and to those of you who have subsequently dropped the title, to post in the comments of this very blog entry your feelings, protests, or detailed descriptions of solutions to the 'Rulk Problem.' Have fun with it. Maybe Jeph Loeb or Joe Quesada himself will wake up and smell the gamma rays and give us back the old Green Goliath! Let your voice be heard!
If the response to this is good enough, I'll repost the best ideas later. Make 'em good!

F&$%#&!

2009-07-29T20:45:00.002-06:00

There are no words to describe this, only rage...

Dark Avengers: Ares #1 solicit

2009-07-23T22:16:00.002-06:00

Click the pic to see the solicit for this and the Godhunter TPB on Kieron Gillen's site.

New BONE, Hulk 600, Wyoming

2009-07-23T20:43:00.007-06:00

Pretty excited about this Newsarama report from SDCC, Jeff Smith has new Bone stuff coming out. I've read all of the trades and my sister is a huge fan. Smith never fails to entertain, and his work on Bone is always some of his best.

In other news, I borrowed a copy of Incredible Hulk #600 to read, (and according to my humble poll, most of you will either buy a copy or borrow one) I was fairly unimpressed overall, considering the hype. Sure it had a little bit of everything -- Spider-Man, M.O.D.O.K. is always fun, She-Hulk, Ben Urich, a requisite Stan Lee nonsensical story complete with Galactus cameo-- but ultimately I was just disappointed with the whole package. Way too short on new, relevant material. On top of all that, it doesn't help that Red Hulk appearances generally make my skin itch.

Lastly, an update on the status of this blog and its blogger. Much like when Thor relocated Asgard to the middle of Oklahoma, so too the Beta Ray Blog will be relocating its headquarters to the Equality State (Wyoming). As a result of this, new content here on the BRB will be sporadic at best until sometime in September, when I will return with renewed vigor. Thanks to everyone who visits and reads this blog. Don't worry, I will live again!

Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #2

2009-07-16T17:53:00.006-06:00

Kieron Gillen better be careful. If issue #3 of this series gets as exponentially more awesome as #2 did from the first issue, it will collapse in on itself and comic book shops around the globe will be consumed in the blinding flash of an awesomeness-singularity. But enough hyperbole.

In all seriousness, this story is pushing the character of Beta Ray Bill into new territory. It is a very welcome development to have an arguably second (or even third) string character, who for many years sat on the sidelines and was only included as a back-up to Thor or to add flair to a cosmic story, become fleshed out in such shocking and awe-inspiring ways. This story is more than just pushing the cosmic peices around the board, it is adding layers of personality to them. Stardust is a zealot. Silver Surfer seems to be resigned to the fact that he is a pawn of Galactus. And Bill himself may be losing his grip on reality.

I found the events of this issue to be shocking, but in a good way. Gillen is taking a big risk with this story, and so far it is paying off. Also, some of Bill's comments throw into question the events of the end of the Stormbreaker saga. I think these are important story elements that need to be addressed and have been igored for a long time. I know I am being extremely vague on the details, but I do not want to spoil this issue. Go read it yourself and be amazed.

I also really liked the reappearance of the I'than aliens that Bill saved last issue. They provided a very interesting twist, and I would like to see more of them in the future.

Kano's art has improved in this installment as well, the copious amounts of action depicted in a very dynamic way, and the serious parts represented with the visual weight they deserved. Not to mention a two page spread of Galactus in full beat-down mode!

All in all, another great issue. I can't wait to see how this ends. And I hope Marvel taps Gillen's talents again for further adventures of everyone's favorite horse-faced Norse god-like Scion of the Korbanites. (a.k.a. Beta Ray Bill)

Movie Updates - Thor and Green Lantern

2009-07-13T20:29:00.004-06:00

Newsarama reports that Natalie Portman has been cast as Jane Foster in the upcoming Thor movie. This is obviously a good choice, good actors are good actors period. I wonder how they will handle this character, though. I was most surprised that they bothered to include her in the first place.

In other news, Ryan Reynolds has been cast as Hal Jordan in the Green Lantern movie set for 2011. Not sure how this will play out, though I do believe he has the acting chops to play Hal. I just hope everything else falls into place for this movie. I can easily see this movie being fumbled in the wrong hands.

Time Waaaarp!

2009-07-09T19:05:00.003-06:00

Apparently, Marvel thinks its 1993! That's what the people want, gimmick covers! Hey, it totally worked for them in the 90's, right? Here is the preview of Marvel's replacement for their Ultimate line on Newsarama. Yep, you guessed it, a whole slew of new #1 issues with totally collectible 'foilogram' covers. First the return of the Clone Saga and now this? Have we learned nothing?

Next month: Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #600 with bagged holo-chromium-gram die-cut gatefold cover! Buy three!

OK, I'm not really that mad about it. I would just like to see a little more innovation from the House of Ideas. We've been down this road before. It's all just a little strange. And then there are quotes like this:

“This is Marvel doing the nineties right,” explained David Gabriel, Marvel Comics Senior Vice President of Sales & Circulation. “We’re taking two of the most popular cover treatments of all time—foil and holograms—to create an all new kind of cover, as a ‘thank-you’ to fans who’ve been demanding this kind of variant!"

I don't know anybody who is demanding these types of covers. Plus, "doing the nineties right" didn't happen in the nineties, why try again? Talk about out of touch. Most comic fans want good comics, not trick covers. Wake up, guys.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-03T13:52:00.002-06:00

Creepy Captain America Kid Salutes America!

Hulk #600 poll

2009-06-28T20:36:00.003-06:00

I have been getting a lot of traffic recently due to people searching for Incredible Hulk #600 due out July 22. So, I was curious to know some of the opinions surrounding this controversial issue. Check out my poll to the right and vote. I'll post the results. I'm curious as to how people feel about this book, so I'll probably do a few poll questions until the issue comes out, so keep watching this space and vote!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

2009-06-25T17:07:00.004-06:00

Just when you thought The Clone Saga was a distant memory...Marvel says: Send in the Clones!
Todd Nauck on art. Tons of unnecessary ret-conning, dead ahead!

I feel for you, Spidey fans, I really do.

There is a god! Ares mini-series news

2009-06-22T16:20:00.006-06:00

I recently read the new Thor one-shot The Trial of Thor, and while I found the story fairly straightforward and generally uninteresting, the issue was saved by the magnificent artwork by one Cary Nord. It is just too bad the plot and some of the characterizations are just not that good, beacuse I can't say enough how beautiful that book is. The action sequences are exceptionally brutal, as a Thor comic is wont to be.

So, imagine my delight when I see that a new Ares mini-series is in the works, with art by Cary Nord, and written by Kieron Gillen! If you have been to this blog in the past few weeks, you may have noticed that I was supremely impressed with Gillen's work on Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #1, so I think this project is in very capable hands.

Newsarama has an interview with Gillen, as well as some preview art. This looks amazing. It will be done as a tie in to Dark Reign, and I cannot wait for this series.

In other news, co-worker of mine Eric Maruscak was at Wizard World East this year and made an awesome chalk rendering of the cover for the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man #600. Courtesy of Kibbles n' Bitch.
Check out more of his work at Pepperink.com.

Booster Gold Fan Club

2009-06-14T19:12:00.002-06:00

I'm not saying I want this on the back of a bomber jacket or anything...
...ok, maybe I am saying that.

From the DC Universe blog.

Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #1 - Bringing The Awesome!

2009-06-12T16:02:00.008-06:00

Obviously, the gauntlet has been thrown down. Now, I may be a little biased in my opinion of Beta Ray Bill, Marvel's horse-faced Scion of the Korbanites. The Thunder-god powered, Odin-enchanted-hammer wielding alien is one of my favorites. (See the title of this very blog) But what Kieron Gillen has done with Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #1 is challenge the very art form of comics itself in the realm of balls out awesome. This is what a comic should be: pure entertainment on a ridiculous level. Stopping tidal waves with brute force? Done. Bisection by the use of two black holes? Happens. (Well, almost happens.) Our title hero pounding the snot out of a Herald of Galactus like it ain't no thing? Of course, just a normal day at the office.
The story itself is a pretty good idea, though I'm sure the concept has been covered before. Galactus is a force of nature, not an evil entity. But Beta Ray Bill disagrees, and so do all the Korbanites that were allegedly killed in the Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill mini. So Bill sets off to get some revenge and put an end to Galactus' planet eating ways once and for all. Despite warnings from Thor that going after Galactus is a bad idea, Bill will not be swayed, and sets off with Scuttlebutt. After doing Agent Brand of S.W.O.R.D. a favor and taking out Voidian, Bill apparently takes all his planet destroying equipment, and instead of destroying it, uses it to his own ends.

The art in this book by Kano is pretty good, and though his style is not my favorite, it is servicable. One of my favorite panels is the full page arrival of Galactus which shockingly puts his sheer size into perspective.

This story arc is moving Bill along a path that may take him into uncharted territory: mainly, will his need for revenge push him over the edge, and if it does, who could stop him? I am very interested in seeing where this story goes, and so far it looks like we are in for a heck of a ride.

Bonus: Mjolnir Update!
Mjolnir is still in a state of disrepair, and Thor mentions he is not 100%. Though apparently he is still able to switch places with Dr. Don Blake. I haven't been keeping up with Thor on a monthly basis, so I'm guessing this has been covered in that book already.

Pulp Cover Sunday

2009-06-07T12:57:00.007-06:00

Just because I feel like it, here are some cool classic Pulp Magazine/Novel covers I came across.

Movies update: Outlander and Jonah Hex

2009-06-06T20:51:00.005-06:00

Watched Outlander this evening. Very entertaining movie. I mean, what more can you ask for: Vikings, Alien Dragons, Space ships, Conanesque swords...yeah. Add in some Jim Caviezel, Ron Perlman, John Hurt, AND a dash of James Preston Rogers, and you have yourself a great little flick. Do yourself a favor and Netflix it or go buy it. Vikings vs alien dragons, 'nuff said!

In other news, pictures of Josh Brolin in costume have surfaced for the upcoming Jonah Hex movie. Looks fantastic.
Click on the photo for more pics of Brolin in costume.

I'm Back!

2009-06-02T22:39:00.001-06:00

Just got back from a trip out to Portland, Oregon. Check back later this week for more updates! New comics tomorrow!

HEROCLIX!

2009-05-22T14:31:00.001-06:00

If you like HeroClix, check out this link!

http://www.chargingstarcomics.com/?q=node/161

People out there are pleading for HeroClix to return, let your voice be heard!

Incredible Hulk #600 - Numbers are hard

2009-05-21T21:54:00.003-06:00

There is controversy over the numbering of The Incredible Hulk #600. Let's break it down:

Incredible Hulk Vol. 1 and 2 - 474 issues
Incredible Hulk Vol. 3 - 112 issues
Hulk (by Jeph Loeb currently) 12 issues

Equals = 598 - meaning it should be #599

However: Incredible Hulk was taken over by Hercules at issue #112, meaning we are one more short, so #598.

However: I also dispute the notion that the 12 issues of Hulk should count, considering the original title changed to Hercules but kept going, so #586

OR: count all of the issues of Incredible Hercules to #135, then we get #621.

Whichever way you want to look at it, Incredible Hulk #600 is not #600, and its crap that this seems to be the Year of 600 over at Marvel, despite what the issue numbers may imply. Now i'm going to take an Advil and lie down, my head hurts.

Greg Pak Returns to Incredible Hulk

2009-05-19T17:49:00.004-06:00

Joe Quesada ruins the concept of numbering forever!

Rejoice, Hulk fans! Pak goes back to Incredible Hulk with #601. Incredible Hercules continues on its own, and Son of Hulk soldiers on as well. Unfortunately, Hulk gets to live on as well. Don't try to figure out what happened with the numbering, since Incredible Hulk became Incredible Herc, and then returned with 600, even though it was one off, if you do the math...ow, my brain. I need a Bruce Banner level intelligence to figure this all out...

Captain Kirk is Thor!

2009-05-18T15:19:00.009-06:00

Well, Captain George Kirk. Chris Hemsworth, who recently played James T. Kirk's father in the recent Star Trek film, is slated to play Thor in Marvel's upcoming movie. Check out the story from Newsarama.

He's gonna have to bulk up, but at least we know two things:
1)He is a good actor (he was quite memorable in his few minutes of screen time in Star Trek)
2) He doesn't look completely un-like the Norse God of Thunder. Just squint a little.

I am a little disappointed we didn't get James Preston Rogers, but as of now, Bill's Beta Ray Blog gives the selection an Official Seal of Approval.

UPDATE: According to IMDb.com, Tom Hiddleston has been cast as Loki for the Thor movie. Moving right along! Dude looks like a trickster...

Bat-news

2009-05-16T08:57:00.003-06:00

DC's blog, The Source, has some preview art from the new family of Bat-books that are soon underway. Still not a fan of Batwoman heading up Detective...

The final part of Battle for the Cowl hits next week, setting the stage for this post Bruce Wayne era. The best we can hope for is that the stories are good. I imagine it is just a matter of time until Bruce returns a regains his spot in Detective Comics. Yeah, I might be a little bitter...

Hot Links: The Revenge

2009-05-12T19:32:00.006-06:00

Holy Crap! Pitt makes his triumphant return to comics in August in a crossover mini-series with The Darkness! I collected a lot of Pitt back in the day. Man, it feels like 1995 again!

This ain't your daddy's Starro! Another look at the Starro redesign. looks like Starro and Conan the Barbarian.

A look at the new upcoming Doom Patrol series by Kieth Giffen. Couldn't be more excited about this. I hope we get to see Robotman soon!

Star Trek was fantastic, by the way. Loved it. Here is an article nit-picking the science in the movie, quite favorably though.

What have we done?

2009-05-06T21:03:00.004-06:00

Wolverine's opening weekend take was enough to immediately spawn TWO sequels, a second dose of Wolverine and a Deadpool spin-off. I have to admit that I am not exactly excited about this prospect. If we could somehow get Marvel to produce these movies instead of FOX, it would be much better for everyone. How much will Deadpool be screwed up this time around? Any Deadpool movie needs to be rated R and be a parody of itself, that is the essence of Deadpool, anything else would not work. DP played as a straight action movie with "jokes" is just plain wrong. Are you listening, FOX?
Perhaps the Wolverine sequel will be closer to my script idea for a movie based on everyone's favorite runty Canadian; one hour and 45 minutes of Wolvie fighting ninjas in Japan. We already have the set-up, let's see if we can follow through.
And that brings me to this: hilarious and awesome.

Hot Links - May

2009-05-04T18:25:00.009-06:00

I saw Wolverine. It wasn't great by any means, especially in this post Iron Man and The Dark Knight world we currently live in. Mark Engblom over at Comic Coverage keeps it in perspective with his review. I tend to agree, let's not go off the deep end slamming this movie. I would add that the story does fall apart at the end, which does not work for me.

One of my biggest problems with the movie was the treatment they gave Deadpool. (Am I right, DP fans?) Check out the pic someone made of what could have been. Oh, how sweet it is!

What is this? My guess is someone asked Frank Frazetta to draw Starro, and he had only a passing idea of who Starro is...

What?...

First, Herc takes over Hulk's book, now this? Where does it end? Maybe with The Amazing, Incredible, Fantastic, Immortal Spider-Four-Thorcules Fist? It might be cool, and it is being written by Fred Van Lente AND Greg Pak, so it's got that going for it.

The new artist for Thunderbolts, starting with issue #133, is Miguel Sepulvida. Newsarama has a preview, and it looks super sweet so far.

Star Trek on Friday!

Free Comic Book Day!

2009-04-30T21:32:00.009-06:00

This Saturday at your local comic book store, go get a free comic book or three! Did I mention they are free? It looks like there are some good selections this year; Avengers, a Blackest Night preview, and that's just from the Big Two. I'll be hanging out for most of the day at Charging Star Comics in Conklin, NY. If you are in the area, stop in, its like Christmas Part 2!

As you may know, X-men Origins: Wolverine opens this Friday. I am planning to see it, though I am not expecting much more than a big-budget, over-blown, Hollywood fight-fest. No doubt it will look and sound amazing, while the story will be a ridiculously contrived mangling of the Wolverine mythos in order to cram as many claw inspired fights into two hours as humanly (or mutantly?) possible.

In my experience, there are two types of X-men fans: the comic book reading fans who know the stories and don't like Gambit, and the fans who only saw the cartoon of the 90's and think Gambit is the greatest thing to come out of Louisiana since the Utah Jazz. Let's be clear, this movie is for the second set of fans. I only hope there are enough redeeming qualities for the fanboys to at least enjoy the movie and not be sick in their popcorn.

Newsrama has a concise retelling of Wolverine's origin story here, so print it out, take it to the movie with you, and then crumple it up about 3 seconds in when they screw everything up.
Actually, the Newsrama article has inspired me to further distill Wolverine into a haiku:

Dead wives, surrogate daughters,
No memory, claws,
Adamantium, SNIKT!, bub.

Comics I bought this week:

Batman: Battle for the Cowl - The Underground

Dark Avengers #4

Thunderbolts #131
This one is the conclusion of the 4 part crossover with Deadpool, and it was a hoot! If you missed out on it, watch for the trade. Deadpool is one of the most entertaining comics out there, though I'm still on the fence about the new 'Bolts team. The boost from DP certainly helped, I'm just afraid the current cast of nobodys will fail to hold my attention for very long. The old team (the current Dark Avengers) is much more interesting.

Megan Fox in Jonah Hex movie

2009-04-28T19:57:00.003-06:00

First, the genius casting of Josh Brolin as Jonah Hex, and now this photo on Newsrama of Megan Fox in her, um, historically accurate outfit...yes, I will be seeing this film.

Mjolnir Watch '09

2009-04-23T21:16:00.009-06:00

The watch continues!

Thor #601 hit this week, with a gorgeous cover by Marko Djurdjevic I might add. So let's investigate the current state of the mightiest weapon of all, Mjolnir!

If you remember, we last left Thor after he unwittingly killed his grandfather in battle which left Mjolnir in a sad, broken state:

This issue opens with Thor and Dr. Don Blake dealing with this fact. I appreciate that Straczynski takes the time to deal with this properly, and right out in the front of the story. Considering some of the chicanery with Mjolnir that has taken place in the recent past by other, shall we say, less concerned writers, ( I'm looking at you, Mr. Loeb) this is quite refreshing.

I'd say it is pretty bad, pal. Thor explains to Blake that this has happened before, but by the work of some kind of magic that was subsequently reversed. In this case, the hammer was broken by killing a god, which is unprecedented. How do you fix an enchanted hammer that was forged in the center of a star? Luckily for Blake, Mjolnir still works so that he and Thor can trade places, and Blake is careful to bring the pieces of his also broken stick (the mortal analog to Mjolnir) along with him.

Also in this issue, Loki's plan to move all of the inhabitants of Asgard to Latveria under the watchful eye of Doctor Doom come to fruition. I'm not sure where this is leading, but nowhere good, I'm sure of that.

Also, Doom admits he Wiki'd winkles.
All in all, a great read and a good direction for this story. I admit I have not been reading Straczynski's run on Thor until issue #600, but after this issue, I am going to go back and catch up with the trades. As Thor would say:

*cue AC/DC music*

Two Similar and Equally Awesome Things

2009-04-20T16:51:00.004-06:00

First Awesome Thing:
Secret Invasion: Aftermath: Beta Ray Bill: Green of Eden

Yes, the title contains many awesome colons, and once you get past the cover, one finds the insides to contain even more awesomeness. Very good story by Keiron Gillen that moves Beta Ray Bill's story forward and gives him something to think about on the way to his upcoming showdown with Galactus. Plus, a simple equation for you: The Warriors Three + Super-Skrull Technology = ?

If you answered "Awesome," congrats, you are paying attention.

Second Awesome Thing:

This may be the greatest movie ever made. Once it comes out on DVD, this hypothesis will be confirmed.

Now consider the similarities of The Two Awesome Things:

Beta Ray Bill is an alien who gets his power from an ancient Norse god.

Outlander is about an alien that lands in ancient Norse times and fights other aliens that look like Dragons.

They are practically identitical!

Survival Guide: Zombies

2009-04-14T15:13:00.003-06:00

Here is a link with some helpful hints at surviving the Zombie Apocalypse if you happen to find yourself in Washington, D.C. That's what I strive for with this blog, presenting helpful information everyone should know.

Wants and Needs

2009-04-10T16:43:00.004-06:00

This may qualify as both:

Batman approved.

More great stuff

2009-04-09T22:27:00.004-06:00

New trailer for Green Lantern: First Light animated movie. It looks awesome.

And this from the Fail Blog:

These should be required safety equipment for all public buildings.

Also, go check out Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin for his thoughts on Barry Allen coming back as The Flash. I agree, that of all characters, Barry Allen seems the least appropriate to bring back from the dead.

The debate on whether e-comics will replace print comics continues over at Newsrama, with news from Apple concerning subscriptions and the like. I don't really like the idea of paying Apple to read the latest issue of Thunderbolts, and the whole question about the electronic future of print media makes me feel old. We'll have to keep an eye on this.

Hot Links

2009-04-06T17:01:00.002-06:00

Thor VS. Hippies!

Penny Arcade is funny.

Man shoots himself during Watchmen.

Marvel is letting us vote on their best covers ever as part of their 70th Anniversary. Go vote now and keep Amazing Spider-Man #583 off the list! (hint: Thor #337)

I didn't even know Aquaman was dead!

Pure, distilled awesome:

As seen in Previews...

2009-04-05T15:08:00.004-06:00

All you need to know is the title...

WEREWOLVES VS. VAMPIRES ON THE MOON

Radness Alert!

Best enjoyed whilst listening to metal:

Secret Identities

2009-03-31T17:06:00.004-06:00

Check out the website for Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, which looks cool. It is coming out on April 15th, so call your comic store and demand one. Greg Pak is one of the creators featured in this anthology, and if you've never read his work on Planet Hulk or World War Hulk, do it! Here is a link to his interview with Newsrama about his creation for Secret Identities, "The Citizen". Also, link-fellow Jerry Ma has supplied some groovy inside cover Bruce Lee art for a charity auction here. This Anthology looks like it is going to be sweet, especially The Citizen.

In other great news, I have completed my collection of Venom: Lethal Protector from 16 years ago, at long last. This was one of the first comic books I ever owned, and was always one of my favorite series, if only for sentimental reasons. Issue #3 was my long-time missing piece, and I finally stumbled across one this past weekend.

The discovery of this issue led me to re-read the series, which I haven't done for years. This was Venom's first of many solo mini-series from the Nineties and it is about what you might expect. The first three issues were drawn expertly by Mark Bagley, though the coloring had some strange foibles. They didn't seem to know where the drool from Venom's toothy maw was supposed to begin and end in some panels, though Bagley's pencils were fantastic for it being what it was. The final three issues were drawn by Ron Lim, not that they were bad, but they weren't exactly my style. Also, the coloring issues seemed to be fixed in the final three. The story was so-so, relying on Spider-Man guest appearances that really served no purpose. And the fight with 'The Jury', indeed 'The Jury' themselves, was totally 90's in a radical way.

*slammin' guitar solo here*

Thanks again to Ryan at Charging Star Comics for helping me relive my childhood!

Bonus cover: Trial By Jury!

New Batman book in June

2009-03-19T21:37:00.004-06:00

Just saw this on Newsrama:

This is the cover for the new Batman & Robin #1 coming out in June. Written by Grant Morrison, art by Frank Quietly. If Bruce truly is dead, who do you think these two are? Vote on their identities in my poll, or leave a comment.

MINI-series MINI-reviews

2009-03-19T19:55:00.007-06:00

Three mini-series from Marvel have recently ended, so I am going to quickly review each of them. So here we go.

Spiderman: Noir - 4 issues

This series is part of the Noir universe of books currently being released by Marvel. They took current characters and put them in a 1930's Depression-era setting. The gritty setting tends to rub off on the characters, and in my opinion makes for some interesting reads. In Spiderman, Peter Parker is a very angry young man, who gets swept up into New York's underworld. There are a lot of familiar names in this series, including Ben Urich. Overall, I thought this was a great series with an engaging twist on a familiar character.

Pros: Dynamic art, action and intrigue, and interesting plot twists. Peter's development as a character is handeled very well. Also, the method used to give Spiderman his powers is very cool in a pulp comic way.

Cons: Only four issues long. (Secret Invasion is 8 issues of not much, this is 4 issues of not enough...) Not enough action, and it felt rushed, but I attribute this to it being limited to 4 issues. I demand a sequel!

Buy the trade? Yes.

X-men: Noir - 4 issues

This series was also well written, though as compared to Spiderman, the story was deeper and more complex. Unfortunately it suffered the same problem of having to be squeezed into four issues; should have been 5. The art in this one was good, but a bit murky. It was used to good effect though I found I had to look closely at some pages to decipher what was happening. I admire the attempt of the art in this book to create a dark mood, and the neat thing was that it seemed that each issue got 'lighter' as more details of the mystery were revealed.

Pros: Good story, good use of characters from the X-men mythos, kudos for using the old Timely Comics Angel character. Iceman "don't call me Bobby!" Drake.

Cons: Art O.K. but a bit unclear at times. Should have been longer.

Buy the trade? Yep.

Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel - 5 issues

Oh, where to start. This series started with a lot of promise. Another retro character a la The Sentry with a cool back-story, drawn-up well, but executed poorly. I felt that this series fumbled at the goal line. The script was alternately brilliant and hopelessly hokey and cliche. The art was the same. Issue #5 looked like a collaboration of about 5 separate art students. This is a shame because the character is very cool and well conceived. I hope we see more of the character in a better series.

Pros: Good idea, cool character and costume design, sweet cover art.

Cons: Sketchy art, ham-fisted writing moments, poor execution.

Buy the trade? No,borrow it.

Ask The Batman...(back by popular demand!)

2009-03-13T17:48:00.002-06:00

Dear Batman,

Recently, at work, I've been constantly harassed by a superior. He is always berating me with his smug "holier-than-thou" attitude; it just makes me sick! I feel that if I fight back, it may have harsh consequences for my career. How can I face another day with this guy breathing down my neck? I feel like I should just quit and move on, but in this economy there is no guarantee I could even find another job. What should I do?

Signed,
Harassed and Un-happy

Harassed,

When faced with a stronger opponent, a solid plan of attack is the key. Think through all the ins and outs and prepare zealously. Have back-up plans. Know their weaknesses. Backing down will get you nowhere, so fight back and fight to win. In a situation like this, only a complete victory will do. You must make sure your opponent knows he has been beaten and humiliated. Use all of your surroundings to your advantage, and when all else fails...

...a punch to the face works wonders.

Sincerely,
The Batman

...What?...

2009-03-12T17:28:00.003-06:00

Apparently,

Rob Liefeld...
...and Erik Larsen...

...think that Obama is a Republican.

Im just sayin'.

Slightly Disturbing..

2009-03-11T18:17:00.003-06:00

As seen on Failblog:
innocence: lost

Watchmen Links

2009-03-10T18:49:00.003-06:00

Newsrama has a good article on the amazing special effects of Watchmen

Here is an article about Watchmen's lower-than-expected weekend take of $55.7 million

A review of Watchmen

Another review of Watchmen

And now, a special first look sneak preview of the upcoming Watchmen sequel....

...or not.

Crazy Detective Comics Covers Week, pt 5 & 6

2009-03-07T08:18:00.005-07:00

Its a two-fer! And two of my favorites as well!Let's finish Robin's sentence, "Batman has become a menace..."

a) "...to fashion!"

b) "...to sighted people!"

c) "...to actual zebras' self respect!"

And finally we have this:
...

Oh, the Sixties!!!

Crazy Detective Comics Covers Week, pt 4

2009-03-05T16:42:00.003-07:00

Crazy Cover week continues! In honor of the bone-headed hiatus imposed by DC's Dan Didio on the longest running, never-before-this-month uninterrupted Detective Comics, I present to you the craziest covers I could find.
At first glance, this installment might not seem all that crazy. But if you look close, you'll notice that Batman is being kicked in the face by a guy wearing flip-flops! Its crazy that Batman would take such a shot as to almost fall off the helicopter from a guy in beach clothes. If the dude was wearing a combat boot, I might believe it.

...OK, maybe I'm stretching a little on this one, but I have to save the really good ones for the weekend...

Crazy Detective Comics Covers Week, pt 3

2009-03-04T16:56:00.002-07:00

This cover raises many important questions. Is Bruce Wayne wearing Bat-undies under his kilt? Where did Robin learn to play the bagpipes? I don't think they teach that to circus acrobats, do they? Are they even in Scotland? Insert your own "Bat-haggis" joke here. I might also be interested in the back-up story advertised at the top of the cover, "A new mystery featuring Pow-Wow Smith, Indian Lawman." Apparently, you can make this stuff up!

Replacement Thor

2009-03-04T16:46:00.002-07:00

Here is a link to an article on Newsrama about some of the characters that have replaced Thor in the past. It mentions Frog Thor who will be in the upcoming Pet Avengers which I will comment on very soon.

Crazy Detective Comics Covers Week, pt 2

2009-03-03T17:49:00.003-07:00

I consider our next cover a salute to late night television.
Holy tobacco, Batman! We're about to be smoked by David Letterman!!

Crazy Detective Comics Covers Week!

2009-03-02T18:21:00.003-07:00

In honor of DC Comics being stupid and placing Detective Comics on hiatus for the first time in 70 plus years, I have decided to devote this week to some of the craziest covers Detective had to offer throughout its amazing run. And believe me, when a comic survives the Golden and Silver ages of comics, you get a lot to choose from.

And you thought Hush was a recent character! Ha! So, does this guy put his Batman and Robin Halloween masks over his bandages? I can see how that would be completely convincing. My favorite thing about this cover is the cigarette hanging between the loops of bandage. "I can't see very well through this mask, but that won't prevent me from enjoying this tasty Lucky Strike!"

Action Comics #1 Goes To Auction, AP Shoddily Reports

2009-02-26T15:38:00.003-07:00

Maybe I am the only one who cares, but after I read this story from the Associated Press, I got a little pissed off at the lack of professional journalism. To me, this is a microcosm of the bigger problem in American journalism today. You can tell whoever wrote this has no idea what he or she is talking about. That's fine, I'm sure there aren't that many comic book collectors working at the AP, but if you are going to write the story at least do the research and find out. The AP could have called me, I would have lent my expertise for a very nominal fee.

I'm not going to go into everything wrong with the article, but the first sentence should tip you off.
"A rare copy of the Action comic book that launched Superman..." Yes, it is not just a comic book, it is an 'Action' comic book. It doesn't just lie there waiting for you to read it, it gets all up in your face! Maybe you think I'm flying off the handle a little, but I have to draw the line somewhere.

Tell you what, AP, if you would like my help with any comic book related stories in the future, feel free to contact me at this blog. The first time will be free. Anything I can do to help the press pull themselves out of the horrendous mire they've been sinking into over the past decade.

By the way, the comic for sale has been graded, and the auction starts Friday.
"Action!"

The Longest Running Monthly Comic Series...

2009-02-25T16:01:00.003-07:00

..according to Wikipedia is Detective Comics. Uninterrupted since 1937. This in response to a discussion today at Charging Star Comics. Now, and interesting wrinkle. You may be saying to yourself, "But Action Comics is at a higher number than Detective." According to Wikipedia:

Action Comics is the second-longest running DC Comics series after Detective Comics; however, it cannot claim to have had an uninterrupted run, due in large part to two separate occasions on which the title was put on a three-month hiatus.
...

In 1988, DC Comics tried unsuccessfully to return the format of the comic to an anthology and publish it on a weekly basis. After May, 1988's landmark issue #600, issues #601-605 all bore August cover dates.^[5] The Action Comics Weekly experiment lasted only until the beginning of March 1989, however, and after a short break, July's issue #643 brought the title back onto a monthly schedule.^[5] (However, the temporarily increased frequency of issues allowed Action to further surpass the older Detective Comics in the number of individual issues published. It originally passed Detective Comics in the 1970s when that series was bi-monthly for a number of years.)

Unfortunately, this magnificent 72 year unbroken run will come to a end next month:

In 2008, DC announced that Detective Comics will be going "on hiatus" in 2009 as part of a planned reorganization of the Batman universe.^[2] The title will return in June and will feature the new Batwoman.

Thus, there is no longer an unbroken monthly comic. Thanks a lot Dan Didio. My prediction: Batman will be back starring in Detective Comics in 6 months, Batwoman will not last due to lack of sales. And all this hoopla will have been for nothing.

Cool Stuff

2009-02-22T13:14:00.002-07:00

There is a new link to the website epic proportions. They have some cool stuff you should check out. The t-shirts are quite rad, my favorites are the Urban Ninja and Last Samurai. If you want to distance yourself from poseurs, and stand out from the crowd, get some of these t-shirts. They also have buttons and other cool things. Support the little guy!

Thor movie casting call

2009-02-17T23:52:00.003-07:00

Watch this. The part of Thor is a shoe-in. My vote is for James Preston Rogers! Go home, Brad Pitt!
T.G.I.F.

Odin's blood...

2009-02-16T16:04:00.003-07:00

The 'Watch Instantly' feature on Netflix has eaten much of my brain. Between The Office, 30 Rock, and Sliders, (yes, Sliders...) well, let's just say it's like a time machine that sucks away years of your life. Kind of like in The Princess Bride, but without the screaming.

And now...COMICS!

Thor #600:

I always hate it when they start renumbering a series and then reset the numbering, especially when they do it right as a milestone issue comes out. Do I cry foul? A little. It seems like cheating, or at least short-sightedness. You really didn't know that in 10 issues it would be #600? I doubt that. You all just wanted a new #1 First Collector's Issue! It all starts here! Again! And then a few months later...#600 Milestone! OMG!
All that numbering crap aside, I hadn't been following the new Thor series at all, but #600 seems like a good jumping on point. The action is awesome and the deviousness of Loki is particularly cruel in this instance. Tricking someone into killing their grandfather is hardcore evil. Plus, it all ties into the Dark Reign arc, and isn't forced or unnatural. The backup story was pretty lame, and the reprints are just there, take them or leave them, but the Mini Marvels feature was hilarious, I always like those.

Mjolnir Watch: Apparently, in order to defeat the father of Odin, you got to break a few eggs, or Enchanted Hammers. Yikes!This...cannot be good.

NYCC '09 and Batman

2009-02-11T09:22:00.002-07:00

A friend of mine met the man, the myth, the legend, Mr. Walt Simonson at the New York Comic-Con. Check it out here. If you don't already know, Mr. Simonson had a legendary run on Thor, during which he created none other than Beta Ray Bill.

In other news, I am going to be preparing a presentation on The Dark Knight Returns, so if anyone has any advice, I'd be glad to hear it. I haven't done anything like this in awhile, so I am a little nervous about it, but also excited.

New comics today, I have decided to dive into the Battle for the Cowl mini since we will all be otherwise Batman-less until June sometime. This week is the first of the Neil Gaiman 2 part story, a sort of farewell to Batman, I guess. Plus, the final issues of Robin and Nightwing. I am already tired of this crossover and it hasn't even started yet. I can only hope the resulting new status quo isn't a total cock-up.

Joe Quesada and Continuity

2009-02-02T20:59:00.002-07:00

Here is the link to the whole story on Newsrama.

Update: Amazing Spider-Man #583 is now in its fifth printing...

Now, read this from the Newsrama article:

"The new printing of the commemorative issue comes after Marvel has now insisted that the character who appears as the President in recent issues of Thunderbolts (a tall, thin, African American male) is in fact not President Obama, but rather a representation of the President in the Marvel Universe. This after Thunderbolts writer Andy Diggle had referred to the character as Barack Obama, and Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada had stated about the Spider-Man meeting: "When we heard that [President] Obama is a collector of Spider-Man comics, we knew that these two historic figures had to meet in our comics' Marvel Universe. Historic moments such as this one can be refelcted in our comics because the Marvel Universe is set in the real world."

Alright, Joe Q., so who is the President in the Marvel universe, if that wasn't Obama in Thunderbolts? Let's check my commemorative edition of The Daily Bugle, shall we?

I think this shows that Obama won the election in the Marvel universe. This leaves us with three possible explanations as to who it really is that everyone calls "Mister President" in Thunderbolts #128

1. Obama won the election, but died and was replaced with another guy who looks an awful lot like him.

2. It is Obama and Joe Q. is lying so he doesn't get sued.

3. Obama is a Skrull!!!

QUESADA CONTINUITY FAIL

Back to the Future: 2099 Returns!

2009-02-01T13:41:00.003-07:00

If you don't remember Marvel's 2099 universe from the early 90's, that is ok. I remember liking Spider-Man and Punisher 2099, and there were some cool ideas, but X-Men and some of the other titles (Ravage 2099, anyone?) kinda sucked. This article on Newsrama interviews the creator of the upcoming Timestorm 2099 mini-series. I have to admit, I am kind of excited about this.

So, remember how Obama appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man #583 (now in its fourth printing!) caused that book to be huge and sell out and cause all kinds of problems? Nobody even mentioned the fact that Obama appears in Thunderbolts #128! And I have a copy of the first printing!! I'll gladly sell it for the low, low one time collector's price of $49.99 to anyone who wants it!
You tell 'em, Ant-Man!

Keep your politics outta my comics!

2009-01-15T15:39:00.005-07:00

Obama appears in Amazing Spider-Man #583 (Now in its third printing!!!), with little to no warning from Marvel to the poor comic stores, and people lose their minds.

Obama appears in Youngblood #8....(crickets chirp)..."Hi, I'm Rob Liefeld. You may remember me from many poorly drawn comics from the 90's, as well as Heroes Reborn and other crap that sucked. I've noticed that not many of you out there are reading Youngblood, perhaps you don't remember how X-TREME it was back in the day. But, that is all going to change once everyone floods their local comic stores to get their hands on the highly collectible and totally RAD Obama issue! Try to guess how many pouches will be drawn on Obama, the winner gets some original artwork of Cable without ankles or proportion!"

Yeesh. Come on, people."Are you feelin' ok, Cap?"