Author Archive
 Here we are, at the Dark Reign saga’s finale and the post-Civil War Marvel Universe’s culmination. What’s Norman Osborn’s fate? Where do our heroes stand in the new world order? Is the comic any good? Find answers to these questions and more within!
SIEGE #4
“The Siege of Asgard – The Fallen”
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILER: Olivier Coipel
INKER: Mark Morales
COLORIST: Laura Martin
LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos (more…)
11 Comments »
Apr
17
2010
Posted by: CrazyChris in Reviews
 Kick-Ass is a movie based on characters created by former Spider-Man writer Mark Millar and definitive Spider-Man artist John Romita Jr. Millar is known for a well-liked run on Marvel Knights: Spider-Man, for writing Spider-Man’s shocking (but temporary) unmasking in Civil War, and for generally bringing a sociopathic interpretation to a variety of Marvel’s heroes. Romita Jr., of course, has been a legendary Spider-Man artist for three decades, especially noted for his acclaimed stint with Roger Stern and for bringing Spider-Man into the 21st Century with J. Michael Straczyski. The result of this meeting of the minds is the depraved creator-owned comic Kick-Ass, now a film by Matthew Vaughn. I caught a midnight showing and now I share my impressions with you. Does Kick-Ass kick butt? Find out! (more…)
7 Comments »
 The heroes unite, the reign of Norman Osborn meets its end, and a lot of very big things fall apart. It’s all in yet another chapter of Marvel’s latest event. Is Siege worth your attention? Read the review to find out!
SIEGE #3
“The Siege of Asgard – Intercepted”
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILER: Olivier Coipel
INKER: Mark Morales
COLORIST: Laura Martin
LETTERER Chris Eliopoulos
PLOT:
Norman Osborn’s unsanctioned attack on Asgard catches the White House’s attention, and the President orders Norman arrested for treason. At the battlefield, a large team of heroes led by Steve Rogers attacks (more…)
7 Comments »
 Siege the day!
SIEGE #2
“The Siege of Asgard – Phase Two”
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILER: Olivier Coipel
INKER: Mark Morales
COLORIST: Laura Martin
LETTERER Chris Eliopoulos
PLOT:
Balder and Heimball inform Ares that Osborn lied about Loki controlling Asgard, Maria Hill helps Thor escape from Iron Patriot, Moonstone and the U-Foes, and Steve Rogers rallies the New Avengers, the Young Avengers, and the Secret Warriors to join the battle. Ares turns on the (more…)
11 Comments »
 I can Siege clearly now the Reign is gone!
SIEGE #1
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILER: Olivier Coipel
INKER: Mark Morales
COLORIST: Laura Martin
LETTERER Chris Eliopoulos
PLOT:
With Norman Osborn’s political clout waning and his Cabal torn apart, the HAMMER leader and former Green Goblin takes drastic measures to retain his power and fulfill his promise to Loki, the removal of Asgard from Earth. Inspired by the Stamford explosion’s bolster of support for the Superhuman Registration Act, Osborn and Loki engineer a clash between the Asgardian god Volstagg and the U-Foes that ends up (more…)
13 Comments »
Dec
25
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in Uncategorized
 Our resident artist Spidertour02 has created a great fan-made Spider-Man story for the holidays! This guy definitely belongs on Marvel’s radar. Read the rest of this entry to see the pages and enjoy! (more…)
14 Comments »
Nov
09
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in News
 Citing “reliable sources,” Mania.com claims to reveal that Rachel McAdams of Wedding Crashers fame is a top contender to play Felicia Hardy in Spider-Man 4. They also mention that the studio is looking for someone to play an as-of-yet unnamed villain.
http://www.mania.com/spiderman-4-villain-revealed_article_118760.html
If the McAdams rumor is true, what do you all think of that? Would she make a good Black Cat? And can anyone attest to the reliability of Mania.com?
18 Comments »
Sep
12
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in New Avengers, Reviews
 Blast! The “Dark Reign” logo has left the cover, meaning I’ll never get to use my “I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen reign” pun. Way to reign on my parade, Marvel. I had a whole list of puns, but now I’ll have to reign them in. I think I’ll listen to “Reigning Blood” by Slayer to vent my rage.
THE NEW AVENGERS #55
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: Stuart Immonen
INKS: Wade Von Grawbadger
COLORS: Dave Mccaig
(more…)
3 Comments »
 
REVIEW DOUBLE FEATURE!
After losing the first draft in a computer glitch weeks ago, I considered skipping Uncanny X-Men #514 and resuming my coverage of Marvel’s crossover with Dark Avengers #8. However, since understanding Dark Avengers requires having read X-Men, and since I know some of you only follow this plot through the reviews, I went ahead and combined both reviews into one mega-post. Lean back, put the kids to sleep, and enjoy. Remember to leave a comment!
Uncanny X-Men #514
“Utopia” Part 4
WRITER: Matt Fraction
PENCILER: Terry Dodson
INKER: Rachel Dodson
COLORIST: Justin Ponsor
LETTERER: Joe Caramagna
PLOT:
Cyclops gathers a team of agents selected solely on the basis of their Dodson-drawn bust sizes, assigning them each critical missions. Mindee of the Stepford Cuckoos needs to get arrested. Mirage meets someone mysterious in Las Vegas. Domino gathers X-Force and Magik for a rendezvous with Wolverine. Psylocke has to do something in a halfway zipped-up wetsuit.
Emma Frost leads the Dark X-Men against (more…)
3 Comments »
Aug
03
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in New Avengers, Reviews
 Reign drops keep falling on my head.
THE NEW AVENGERS #55
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: Stuart Immonen
INKS: Wade Von Grawbadger
COLORS: Dave Mccaig
(more…)
11 Comments »
Jul
31
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in Reviews, Thunderbolts
 Ho-lee crap. Properly discussing this issue requires spoiling a plot twist that flips the entire run into a new light, so proceed with ample forewarning. Please leave a comment.
THUNDERBOLTS #134
“Songbird VS. the Thunderbolts”
WRITER: Andy Diggle
ARTIST: Miguel Sepulveda
COLORIST: Frank Martin
LETTERER: Albert Deschesne
(more…)
9 Comments »
 Drink your Fruitopia, here comes Utopia. It gives you so much hope-pia to read Utopia.
My reviewing skills are even better than my Adam Sandler impression, so read and comment!
DARK AVENGERS #7
“Utopia” Part 3
WRITER: Matt Fraction
PENCILER: Luke Ross
INKER: Rick Magyar, Mark Pennington & Luke Ross
COLORIST: Rain Beredo
LETTERER: Cory Petit
7 Comments »
 Comic fans know a hero when we see one. Some are strong, others cunning. Some wear spandex, others leather. Some spend their summer on the beach, others hole up in the spare room of their mother’s apartment to review comic books that cross over with the real book they’re supposed to be reviewing, even though they start law school in a month and have a hell of a lot more critical things to get squared away than extra reviews for website about a man in nylon with sticky hands. Should you encounter such a true hero today, thank him with the only thing for which he lives: comments!
UNCANNY X-MEN #513
"Utopia" Part 2
WRITER: Matt Fraction
PENCILER: Terry Dodson
INKER: Rachel Dodson
COLORIST: Justin Ponsor
LETTERER: Joe Caramagna (more…)
4 Comments »
Welcome to review coverage of Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia, Marvel’s so-called “crossover event of the summer” for 2009. This six-parter runs through two one-shot specials and two issues each of Dark Avengers and Uncanny X-Men. With a Dark Avengers reviewer on the job who hates half-assing it, you can expect full reviews of the whole crossover! That raises my monthly review quota to insane heights, so make sure you express your appreciation (or whatever sentiment you feel) through the site’s comment feature.
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN: UTOPIA #1
“Utopia” Part 1
WRITER: Matt Fraction
PENCILER: MARC SILVESTRI
PENCIL ASSISTS: Michael Broussard, Eric Basaldua, Tyler Kirkham & Sheldon Mitchell
INKERS: Joe Weems with Marco Galli, Eric Basaldua, Rick Basaldua, Jason Gorder, Jay Leisten, Sal Regla, Jon Sibal and Ryan Winn
COLORIST: Frank D’Armata
LETTERER: Chris Eliopoulos
4 Comments »
It’s Reigning men!
DARK AVENGERS #6
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Mike Deodato & Will Conrad
COLOR ART: Raine Beredo
LETTERER: Cory Petit
PLOT:
At a Cabal gathering, a flustered Norman Osborn asks Namor to publicly denounce the Atlantean terrorist cell and lead a retaliatory extermination. Namor indignantly refuses, egos clash, tempers flair, and the meeting dissolves. Norman then asks the Sentry to let his Void personality take over and destroy the Atlanteans in their underwater base, despite having previously convinced him that there is no Void. Norman orders that one Atlantean be spared and paraded through the streets to symbolize the populace’s safety. The press release claims that this individual, the lone survivor of a “suicide bomb,” will receive due process and questioning. The reality? Munches and crunches for Venom.
Back at base, Norman snaps at Moonstone over Marvel Boy’s apparent departure, and retreats to the armory, where he collapses into gobliny madness.
THOUGHTS:
Critics label Dark Avengers as a rehash of Warren Ellis’ Thunderbolts on a larger scale, as if any part of that statement suggests something other than damn incredible comics. Ellis struck gold with this formula and it’d be criminal to kill it after a paltry twelve issues. The concept of a government-sanctioned team of morally ambiguous and not-so-ambiguous bastards and psychos exacting brutal order under the command of a mentally slipping Tommy Lee Jones flat out works. It’s genius. And with issue #6, Brian Michael Bendis finally perfects the flavor.
Not that the writer merely mimics his inspiration without adding anything new. For one, we get twisted interaction between (more…)
13 Comments »
Jun
29
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in New Avengers, Reviews
 New Avengers is a comic book. This is a review of it. You are to read the review and leave a comment.
THE NEW AVENGERS #54
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: Billy Tan
INKS: Batt and Billy Tan
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERING: Albert Deschesne
PLOT:
Brother Voodoo accepts the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme and joins the fight against the demoned-out Hood. Strange weakens the Hood, Hellstorm contains him, and the newly-christened “Doctor Voodoo” finishes him off with an exorcism. Ronin makes a bystander promise to promulgate footage of the battle before Norman Osborn can smear the facts.
Loki, seeking a pawn for the time of Osborn’s fall, offers the hospitalized and depowered Hood a second chance.
Ronin and Mockingbird watch Osborn’s televised interview from Dark Avengers #5. Disheartened by the media’s lack of backbone, Ronin declares that they have to kill Mr. Cornrows.
THOUGHTS:
The Avengers linger on the sidelines of their own book, making it seem like Brian Bendis wants to shape the whole Marvel Universe through this series more than tell stories in which his roster has a stake. Sure, our heroes each score a token blow on the amped-up Hood, who all but stands still and eats it, but the magical guest stars ultimately do the heavy lifting. Had the Avengers simply dropped Strange off in New Orleans and flown back home, the outcome would have been identical.
Forget whose title this is suppose to be, and the issue entertains fairly well. Bendis did good to (more…)
6 Comments »
Jun
27
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in Reviews, Thunderbolts
 Feel the magic, hear the roar–THUNDERBOLTS are loose!
THUNDERBOLTS #133
WRITER: Andy Diggle
ARTIST: Miguel Sepulveda
COLORS: Frank Martin
LETTERING: Albert Deschense
6 Comments »
 Singin’ in the Reign!
DARK AVENGERS #5
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Mike Deodato
COLOR ART: Rain Beredo
LETTERER: Cory Petit
(more…)
13 Comments »
Jun
01
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in New Avengers, Reviews
 On August 19th, 2009, Marvel will release an original graphic novel titled “NEW AVENGERS VOL. 11: SEARCH FOR THE SORCERER SUPREME.” In an unprecedented promotional move, the company is releasing short sections of the upcoming project over the course of four months, almost as if they were single issues of a monthly comic book series. These installments cost about a dollar more than your typical comic book, but such is a small expense for a preview of the complete work, months ahead of its release.
Read the review of this month’s sample and comment!
THE NEW AVENGERS #53
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: Billy Tan
INKS: Matt Banning
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERING: Albert Deschense & Jimmy Betancourt
(more…)
13 Comments »
May
27
2009
Posted by: CrazyChris in Reviews, Thunderbolts
 This comic mentions the Green Goblin by name (and has him on the cover!), and one main character debuted in Untold Tales of Spider-Man … so the review is on topic. Stop looking at me like that!
Comment to win points! Ten points per comment!
THUNDERBOLTS #132
WRITER: Andy Diggle
ARTIST: Roberto De La Torre
COLORISTS: Frank Martin
LETTERER: Albert Deschense
(more…)
11 Comments »
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Here we are, at the Dark Reign saga’s finale and the post-Civil War Marvel Universe’s culmination. What’s Norman Osborn’s fate? Where do our heroes stand in the new world order? Is the comic any good? Find answers to these questions and more within!
