lister's Recent Comments
RUNAWAYS #30 - Jul 17, 2008 - 12:21am
Unlike Kurt, I think Whedon's work on Astonishing was even better than what he did here, even though I also give this an A-rating. Some of the greatest unexpected surprises I have had from Marvel these past few years includes all three arcs of Runaways and everything that the Young Avengers have been in, including the Runaways/YA team up(s). Amazingly, the quality on all of these series has been excellent across the board (shockingly so for Young Avengers Presents as those were six standalone series). I can't wait for more adventures from these two teams.

Comicscape: Delving into Dead Souls - Jul 17, 2008 - 12:12am
Congratulations on your comic, Kurt. I mean, I doubt it's in the same league as "Skaar: Son of Hulk", but I am sure your parents are kinda proud. :)

DVD Shopping Bag: Marvel vs. DC - Jul 17, 2008 - 12:10am
I agree that "Birds of Prey" was cancelled far before its time, just as it was really heating up. But then again, so were "Special Unit 2" and "Dead Last". The "Terminator: TSCC" series was fortunate enough to escape such a fate. Who'da thunk I'd be thankful for Brian Austin Green?!

Ellsworth Writing Remake of RED DAWN - Jul 10, 2008 - 01:00pm
Granted, the original wasn't a very good movie. But why remake it? What will this new version bring to the table? Watching Gen Y learning to live in a world without Crackberries? Snooze...

McKellen and Caviezel Leads AMC's PRISONER - Jul 02, 2008 - 01:17am
The ending was brilliant. Only bizarre ambiguity worked as a satisfactory ending.

Cohen and Ferrell Lead SHERLOCK HOLMES - Jul 02, 2008 - 01:15am
Gag.

McKellen and Caviezel Leads AMC's PRISONER - Jul 01, 2008 - 08:48pm
No, no, no, no, no. This project was supposed to die like the ill-fated movie of The Persuaders. I won't be a goldfish in a bowl!

Hulk's Louis Leterrier Leading TITANS Remake - Jun 27, 2008 - 09:45pm
As long as the look fits the subject (like "300"), I see no reason for the audience to tire of the green screen filming. Unless it all looks really fake and unreal (I am looking at you, "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith").

Hulk's Louis Leterrier Leading TITANS Remake - Jun 27, 2008 - 03:17pm
Remake? There's no need for a remake because the original is great as it is. Go with a sequel instead. That's something I could support. But not this...

Mean and Green: Comicscape Reviews The Incredible Hulk - Jun 18, 2008 - 11:51am
What? No Hulk dogs? Forget about it...

Zetumer Ready to Pen Herbert's DUNE - Jun 06, 2008 - 07:02pm
Can't we just ask Lynch to make a sequel to his excellent first movie? I know he doesn't much like it, but I love it!

New CASTLEVANIA Hitting the Wii? - Jun 05, 2008 - 10:57am
SotN and Dawn of Sorrow are the two best games. Unfortunately, my DS got stolen and now I have a PSP. So while I was able to pick up Dracula X Chronicles for PSP, the main game just sucks (sorry... NOT a Rondo fan... I don't get the adoration). It does let you unlock SotN, so it was worth the price so that I could play it again. Castlevania is my favorite game series... Now it looks like I may have to pick up a new DS... AND a Wii!! ARGHH! I hope my local sperm bank is still paying for donations...

Guy Ritchie Leading SHERLOCK Mystery - Jun 04, 2008 - 08:59pm
let's take advantage of all his "skills"... Make him a cokehead swordsman who's strung out on morphine.

Comicscape: What is Owed? Continuity for New and Old Readers - May 22, 2008 - 05:09pm
Just don't buy the titles you don't like... suck as Brand New Day. Buy the ones you do like. If sales drop onn Spidey but stay stable for, say, Thor... they will notice and re-retcon their Demon ex Machina.

Comicscape: What is Owed? Continuity for New and Old Readers - May 22, 2008 - 12:09am
Well, it might just be Vance Astro. We shall see. Groot!

Comicscape: What is Owed? Continuity for New and Old Readers - May 21, 2008 - 12:47pm
The only DC title I am really in love with is Booster Gold, and right now it seems to have nothing to do with continuity. On the other hand, the main reason I love Marvel is the long-standing web of stories. (LoSH is a-right too, but it's continuity is way F'd up) Secret Invasion seems to be taking a while to get going. But if the majority of the components are as good as Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1, this might be their best mega-event yet. I really enjoyed that one. As for the good captain... I count four of them (not including Winter Soldier). (*spoliers* may abound) 1) The corpse of the Captain America that Sharon Carter shot, possilby soon to be reanimated by the Red Skull (if I remember the last issue correctly). 2) The Captain in the shuttle that crashes in the Savage Land. 3) Cap who traveled forward with The Invaders (vs. The Avengers). 4) The body buried in the ice at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy #1. That's a whole lotta Cappy for a guy who's supposed to be dead!

Comicscape: Sucking Life with Gabe Soria - May 16, 2008 - 06:15pm
Kurt, I certainly didn't think the hippie comment was such a major offense (even if I found it offensive... well, more like cloying exclusionary posturing than offensiveness but whatever!). I think vowing to leave the site because of it is a bit much... What is sad, however, is your very limited and unfair description of "hippies". There are so many things wrong with it, I don't think it's worth my time trying to re-educate you on the concept and the variety of "species". Your description is about as accurate as a Parker and Stone stereotype where the gloss is all that is projected and the depth is never explored. "Then again, you know what they say about arguing on the Internet." You Nazi!! :)

5 Almost-Great Sci-Fi Films Worth a Second Look - May 15, 2008 - 09:12pm
Time Bandits and Lifeforce aren't "almost great". They ARE great. But Runaway really, really sucks. Saw it again recently. Bad.

Comicscape: Sucking Life with Gabe Soria - May 14, 2008 - 07:21pm
Hippie here. Deal!

Comicscape: Ben Johnson Counts Out Countdown - May 01, 2008 - 08:52am
bernini: This article seems to need some paragraph separations. I can see them in other articles so I think the proper formatting was not applied to the text on this page. Some simple extra returns after each paragraph (or comic book listing) would help a lot.

TV Wasteland: Sweeps is Here, Can You Do Anything About It? - Apr 30, 2008 - 09:19am
So for this Simpson's epsiode, director Jim Jarmusch makes a voice appearance as himself? Great choice, 'cause everyone recognizes *his* voice.

Original WITCH Stars Returning to Mountain - Apr 29, 2008 - 09:39am
Well, telekinesis, telepathy and being able to talk with animals are kind of "magical powers" since no one can actually do them.

Ratner Set for Incredible SHRINKING Man - Apr 18, 2008 - 05:27pm
Well, can't say I like the prospects of this project. Even though I have no Ratner issues, I'd rather see a serious interpretation of the material, not a comedy. We already have Lily Tomlin's version, and I thought it was great. Don't need another spoof. Eddie: just go make Beverly Hills Cop 4.

Secret Invasion: Implications and Musings - Apr 11, 2008 - 08:40am
The original Annihilation was a set of two or three limited series (and a couple of one-shots). It dealt with an "Annihilation Wave" of insects led by Annihilus. The sequel, Annihilation: Conquest, is a second set of limited series (and a few issues of Nova) that deals with the takeover of the Kree by the Phalanx. It's getting near to wrapping up, but it does feature Rocket Raccoon and Captain Universe as members of a covert team of agents. They are not as prominent as, say, Nova or the new Quasar, but they get a lot of play. Good stuff. RR will soon be in the new Guardians of the Galaxy series that spins out of all this.

Secret Invasion: Implications and Musings - Apr 10, 2008 - 09:37am
Merin: How fair do you think that assessment of Bendis is when you give his quote as "if he hasn't pissed off half his readers then he isn't doing his job"? The way I read that, as it is out of context, he is trying to say he wants to push the story in unexpected ways. Yeah, I know my description doesn't sound very novel and may be giving him too much credit. But what I think he's trying to get at is the sort of heartbreak that Whedon evokes when he, for examples, kills off Tara. As Joss puts it, he gives the audience what they don't want, but they need (Joss, of course, is the one who suggested that the Civil War have a decisive winning side). I am not comparing the two. But I don't read that snippet of a quote as meaning he *wants* to piss people off just to piss them off. I see it as meaning he wants to go beyond the standard "safe" story where nothing ever changes and the status quo is continually maintained. That said, I am no big Bendis fan. Those thought balloons... ugh!

Secret Invasion: Implications and Musings - Apr 09, 2008 - 03:44pm
Sorry (not really) but the premise of Secret Invasion is pretty cool. I like the idea of years of infiltration, even if it wasn't planned. If they can make things work logically, I am ready for the adventure. After taking a long break from comics in the 90s (thank you Rob Liefeld), the years of history that I consider 616 Canon are like a separate entity to me. I can move forward with the idea that it's a history that exists unto itself. And that it's OK to muck with it in new ways as a "New Universe". Who knows? Maybe I will like what they do enough to merge the two into one in my mind. But I think I will go more than one issue deep before bemoaning it as garbage. This is not OMD rewinding. That was a bad idea. This? This is intriguing. If it sucks, it sucks. But I'm gonna reserve judgment until there is something substantial to judge.

ROBOSAPIEN Begins Production in NO - Apr 08, 2008 - 08:53am
It's nice to see they are trying to distinguish their plot from the "Iron Giant". In that movie, the story centers around a boy who befriends a robot on the run from malevolent *military* interests. This is soooo much different.

Cartoon Network Upfronts Look Promising - Apr 07, 2008 - 12:04pm
intentional? The Brave and the Bold comic started in 1955 and run until the early 1980s (the first series, that is). The Bold and the Beautiful didn't hit television until the late 1980s. So they aren't related in any way.

CW Announces New SMALLVILLE Leaders - Apr 04, 2008 - 08:05pm
Hobbs: Well said? Even the "hebrew" part?

WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #1 - Apr 04, 2008 - 08:26am
Then, since it's seemingly canonical even without the retcon, it will be worth my time as it's one of my favorite team-ups. Thanks for the assist!

McConaughey Is the New MAGNUM P.I? - Apr 03, 2008 - 09:49am
Who wears short shorts?

Millar and Gough Exit SMALLVILLE - Apr 03, 2008 - 09:48am
So what you're telling me is that the show might not suck anymore?

WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #1 - Apr 02, 2008 - 08:58am
Thanks for the clarifications WG562. Sooooo... X-M-FC sounds kinda like a retcon (sorta like different Gospels of the Bible) while this sounds like it slips into the "real" or the retconned continuity. Is that a fair assessment?

WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #1 - Apr 01, 2008 - 11:49am
I thought that "X-Men: First Class" was outside regular continuity, so I would have assumed the same for this. But the review makes it sound 616-ish.

WOLVERINE: FIRST CLASS #1 - Apr 01, 2008 - 08:54am
Is it 616-compliant?

Fear Itself on NBC and Fearnet - Mar 31, 2008 - 05:20pm
I would be as disappointed as I was in seeing the awful, awful Hayden showing up! Which doesn't really make sense as Darth was much older when he died and would have been about the same age as Sebastian, and far older than Haydeedoo. Whatever. I don't consider those retrovirus Special Editions to be canon anyway. But it's Georgie-Boy's "art" so I have no say in the matter.

Fear Itself on NBC and Fearnet - Mar 31, 2008 - 10:52am
Re: The Prequels "are these films really that bad?" I watched 2 & 3 recently. Yeah. They are that bad, IMO. Somewhere in those three movies, there's enough content to make one potentially good flick. But basically, they're one big digital smear of overwrought effects, lackluster characterizations and ill-conceived merchandizing opportunities. The sole bright spot, for me, was Ewan McGregor. He nailed the Obi Wan role and made me believe he was the same character as Alec Guinness. I am glad I got to see what he did, but not at all happy with the rest of the movies.

ENCHANTED - Mar 28, 2008 - 07:30pm
Yes I am a douche. BUT I am a douche who doesn't perpetually try to denigrate another person with allegations that I misrepresent as being true when they haven't been truly substantiated just to try and gain some cred with the fanboy set because I miss my mommy.

RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING - Mar 28, 2008 - 12:34am
An "A" rating I think is a bit much. I love seeing Sarah Douglas in anything. Same for Louis Jourdan. And the special effects are a bit stronger than the first. But the sense of danger and the surreal just isn't well evoked in the sequel. I'd have to give it a whole letter grade lower than the first. It's just not Wynorski's strongest work, IMNSHO (the fault's most likely in the script tho). If I were to recommend 5 movies from him, this would not be one of them. OK, thinking about it, neither would "House on Hooter Hill" or "The Witches of Breastwick 2"... so maybe it would be in his top 5... can I stop at "Chopping Mall"?

ENCHANTED - Mar 27, 2008 - 11:01pm
If by "dick" you mean "unimpressed" by vainglorious rumor-mongers (like the one you are defending), then no, I won't. I will call them on the carpet every time. Deal.

ENCHANTED - Mar 27, 2008 - 05:15pm
He's not a "notorious" (your word) anti-semite. Understand the definition of the words you choose. Few people have even heard the unsubstantiated rumors. Even fewer believe them. While it may be true, you, again, present it as fact because you are desperate for attention, as usual. You want to portray yourself as having some sort of cutting-edge opinion. But it's pretty transparent... and sad. Walt, while a businessman and even, perhaps, a Jew-hater, actually contributed to the world, which is more than you are ever likely to do beyond spurious postings in a blog. So you invoke his name while posing as the arbiter of fanboy cool. Good luck with that. God bless. (P.S. How's your mommy?)

ENCHANTED - Mar 27, 2008 - 04:13pm
Spreading more unsubstantiated "facts" again, I see. Waaah! I need attention...

No More FANTASTIC FOUR?? - Mar 26, 2008 - 08:50am
Reboot.

Mainstream Readers and Future Formats - Mar 21, 2008 - 12:19am
"Donkey balls" isn't much to go on... so this is much more helpful. Am I totally hallucinating or didn't you lament the entire "X-men who kill" concept just a few weeks ago? And, as you mention again now, rail against the idea that Cyclops would even set up a team? If so, I would consider that "disdain", at least in part. I am surprised you were willing to even read it... knowing all this, I am shocked you ordered the first three issues! Glutton for punishment, eh? I saw a lot more going on here than you. I saw Laura making questionable choices on a new "prime time" team. Warpath's self doubt and vows for revenge. Quite reasonable as a step back for the "younger brother" who just suffered a personal loss. Rahne get closer to resolving her Catholic guilt. A victim? In part, but that's who she *always* was. Her choices seem to be almost deliberate on her part to find some resolution to the past. Wolverine kind of f-ing up (yay!) and trying to lead a group of people he doesn't want to see become the killers he knows he is. So yes, the voice of restraint! I like that. And the carnage that was promised worked out fine for my taste. But I totally understand how all of that wouldn't resonate with a person. I had no problem whatsoever following the flow of the story. I flew through the story without problems. Again, my only gripe is that I think the two issues would have worked better as a giant-size because the second half gave the first part a little more import. So, looks like I'll be continuing with this book and, I hope, you can cancel your order for issue #3!

Harold Writing Miller's RONIN and BLOOM - Mar 20, 2008 - 01:23pm
Love Ronin as much as his best work. But not so happy it's being "adapted". Just film it as is! No changes necessary and you have the storyboards to boot...

Mainstream Readers and Future Formats - Mar 20, 2008 - 08:58am
Welllll, I expected more from FvJ as well! Most people did. Just rolling over complacently and saying "It's Not That Bad" or "I Didn't Expect Better" doesn't exactly endear me to the property! And I like X-Force because of the mix of characters, the story line, the art and the potential. So no, I don't think that it "sucks donkey balls" (how charming). I still don't know what you hate about it. I know you have had disdain for the project from the start. I don't know that there's much they could have done with this book as envisioned that would have pleased you. I am sure you will let me know!

Mainstream Readers and Future Formats - Mar 19, 2008 - 08:53am
Funny how people can have such opposite reactions. I have found "Freddy vs Jason vs Ash" to be just to the right of "horrible". The art, the plot, the characterizations... all off. If this was based on the proposed script, I can see why it never got off the ground. X-Force is much better than I expected. If you're able to handle to "X-men don't kill" turnaround (a separate debate), then the characterizations are spot on, the action is good and the final revelation of the last issue intriguing (although I thought self was Warlock at first but he's in the far superior Nova series right now). The only thing they should have done was an expanded issue #1 that combines the first two chapters. Otherwise, it's just below X-Factor as the best X-Book right now (can't include Astonishing as Joss is pretty much done now).

Paramount Prepping New HEAVY METAL - Mar 14, 2008 - 03:41pm
No. It was The Fifth Element that was a smeary digital mess. Heavy Metal 1 rock-ed!

Paramount Prepping New HEAVY METAL - Mar 14, 2008 - 10:17am
The first one is so excellent (OK, not every segment is strong, but on the whole). Going with the anthology theme is the right choice. I wouldn't mind seeing another chapter in the life of Taarna. DEFINITELY has to have the Loc-Nar!

Watching the Watchmen - Mar 12, 2008 - 02:30pm
Kurt's mantra seems to be "cautious optimism", be it comic book movies, Skrulls, countdowns or anything else. And that's cool and all. I just find it kind of funny to see him continually espouse that philosophy on a site called "Mania" and frequented by so many slavishly devoted fanboys. But, hey, I support his efforts! Go, go Sisyphus!

Purefoy Ready to be the SAINT - Mar 10, 2008 - 10:23am
The movie was horrible. Ponderous. I want something like the Moore TV show or books. And I want that theme from the Moore series. B&W version preferred.

Don't Believe the Hype - Mar 07, 2008 - 11:26am
Color me unjaded. Call me uncool. I think the Skrull Invastion crossover sounds like fun. I do have problems with retconning away years of history. I don't think they should allow 30+ years of Inhuman history to go down the drain, for instance. Those types of complications could hurt the "realness" of the situation. But, look, they're gonna do this no matter what we say in this little blog. So I'm just gonna strap myself in and judge it after I read it. I *hope* it's fun (yeah, I know... comic book readers are supposed to have "expectations", not "hope"... I was just raised wrong).

DARK OZ Trilogy in the Works - Mar 03, 2008 - 08:59am
90’s era twenty-somethings? They're my FAVORITE!

SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES: The Demon Hand - Feb 27, 2008 - 08:55am
This was almost as good as last week's episode, which was the best so far. "I expected the agent to stay on the fence leaning towards thinking Sarah is crazy for the rest of this season" Um, this *is* the end of the season. Next week is the season finale. It's a *good* thing they moved the agent's story line forward, instead of sticking him in some perpetual "Jack McGee one step behind the Hulk" role.

New Victims Ready for FINAL DESTINATION 4 - Feb 22, 2008 - 08:18am
Parts 1 & 2 were so fun and 3 was so suck. I hope this one gets it back on track.

Good-Bye, American Virgin - Feb 20, 2008 - 08:59am
Whereas in the Republican primaries, you didn't have to choose between sexist or racist. You got two birds in one bush, so to speak!

Strike Victims - Feb 18, 2008 - 09:49pm
Merin: Your post #47 'twas perfectly put. RaithManan: I am hoping for Manimal vs. Misfits of Science vs. Automan... vs. Holmes and Yo-Yo... vs. Pink Lady and Jeff.

Strike Victims - Feb 18, 2008 - 05:15pm
Sure, Heroes is a little crappy. But it's not bad. It's not Misfits of Science crappy. It was kinda fun that first season (I'm just pretending Season 2 doesn't exist). But Bionic Woman was bad. Just plain bad. Even Miguel was phoning it in. Bitches, leave.

Strike Victims - Feb 18, 2008 - 03:39pm
RaithManan: Not all those writers are living the high life. That's why people like Stever Gerber worked hard to attain decent compensation for all writers. And don't devalue your creations! They can take just as much effort as any physical labor, albeit mental rather than physical (it doesn't make one more righteous than the other.) Get what you think you're worth. People like Harlan Ellison worked hard to get their due compensation and rights to their creation (and he's probably going to be among the 10% or so who reject the new contract).

Strike Victims - Feb 18, 2008 - 02:41pm
If you don't like your working conditions, change the terms, change jobs or change yourself. "Blue collar" union workers are perfectly free to go on strike to improve their benefits and their wages. I applaud the writers just like I will applaud anyone who deserves more and strives to get it.

SAW IV - Feb 18, 2008 - 02:37pm
Ugh. Backstory? It's devolved into this? Rob Zombie couldn't have devised a less compelling backstory.

X-FORCE #1 - Feb 18, 2008 - 01:07pm
axia, you missed out on Astonishing. Look for a collection.

FANTASTIC FOUR #554 - Feb 18, 2008 - 09:08am
A "B+"? Were we reading different books? I thought this was really bad. From the hokey time travel with Ben in costume to the ridiculous idea that Mr. F is "hot". And from Johnny's "cameo" appearance to the arrival of... whatever that was at the end. Yes, the FF has done time travel before. But here it's kind of contrived. I'd rather see them actually in the time travel mission that this. I was enjoying the book more with Black Panther and Storm on the team! That had a sense of wonder to it. This? This was too much soap. Not enough opera.

X-FORCE #1 - Feb 18, 2008 - 09:05am
It wasn't great. But I enjoyed it well enough to come back. It was a lot of setup (should have been double-sized) so we'll see how things evolve/devolve in the next couple of issues. At least there is no Liefeld! Woo-hoo!

Scribes Pegged for HELLRAISER Remake - Feb 18, 2008 - 09:01am
Jesus wept.

Uncanny X-Men #495 - Feb 15, 2008 - 08:34am
I'd rather look at real porn than cartoon porn.

Uncanny X-Men #495 - Feb 14, 2008 - 09:09am
Kinda with Merin on this. Liked (but not loved) the story (I am spoiled by Astonishing, I think). Did not care for the art. As to the story, perhaps, as Kurt says, it was a bit too much introduction, not enough throughput.

Comics After Katrina II: Tedd Walley and Mathilda - Feb 13, 2008 - 10:50am
Jeez dude, accessorize much?

Eisner Remaking Romero's CRAZIES - Feb 13, 2008 - 08:55am
Why are they remaking a good movie like "The Crazies" when they could remake and improve a crap movie like "Sahara"?

Make This a Better World for Maniacs - Feb 11, 2008 - 08:52am
I still prefer to type "www.cinescape.com" as the URL. BANG!

First Trailer for M.Night's HAPPENING - Feb 05, 2008 - 09:12am
That trailer looks better than any of his complete movies.

Sanctuary Finally Coming to TV - Feb 04, 2008 - 12:37pm
mckracken, the "Oceanic Six" might not be the only ones who get off the island. It might have some other meaning.

Jimmy Bennett is Young Kirk in STAR TREK - Jan 30, 2008 - 09:04pm
You're right. Everyone seems so negative.

Jimmy Bennett is Young Kirk in STAR TREK - Jan 30, 2008 - 11:14am
If the genre community gets into a "tastes great"/"less filling" debate about whether or not this movie is going to "suck" every time a minor tidbit about it comes out, then it's going to be a loooooooong year.

Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers--2 Disc Ed - Jan 30, 2008 - 11:10am
Sometimes, budget constraints can be a good thing. This particular tale is better in stark B&W.

Rise Up and Hear the Bells: The Return of Captain America - Jan 30, 2008 - 11:09am
Kurt says: "My only real qualms lie with the tone of the series, which sometimes feels like an uneven mixture of a modern espionage thriller and the comparably cartoonish Marvel Universe." Me says: for me, that's probably best thing about this book since Cap died. I really like that tone. A lot. I thought the Captain America book would suck without Captain America in it (!!), but I've really been enjoying it. It's the best parts of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and The Avengers (TV show) without the outlandish camp aspects that they devolved into. With a little Patrick McGoohan spyness thrown in. I like it! And I can't complain too much when the Falcon gets so much "screen time". But if they ever kill him OR Redwing, then there will be blood!!

RAMBO - Jan 28, 2008 - 01:52pm
It's OK to be old and in an action movie. But in his vain attempt to hide his age, Sly actually looks unreal. And that makes it hard to buy him in such a role.

30 Rock Rocks! - Jan 28, 2008 - 10:24am
The Matrix 1 was great. Always fun to watch. The Matrix 2 had two good action sequences. The rest was bo-ring. Thank god for DVD scene selection. The Matrix 3 has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. And yes, it actually taints the original. It makes me pine for the rave scene in Part 2! So I just pretend it doesn't exist and I can re-enjoy the original.

RAMBO - Jan 28, 2008 - 09:20am
I wonder where Rambo shops for his hair dye while he's living in the jungle.

Running up the Hill with Brandon Thomas - Jan 24, 2008 - 09:56am
Well, Astonishing X-Men Whedon Almost-Finale. At least I get one more issue. And giant sized. Just hope it doesn't take three months to show up.

Running up the Hill with Brandon Thomas - Jan 23, 2008 - 12:28pm
What looks good: Astonishing X-Men Whedon Finale Extinction Agenda Finale Young Avengers return The Order was always boring. Kinda glad it's ending. What looks not-so-good: The first issue of Young Avengers looks like a solo adventure. I'd rather see a team story than six issues of solo tales. But I will take what I can get. And She-Hulk just ain't the book it used to be.

HD-DVD Backers Switching to Blu-Ray? - Jan 10, 2008 - 05:18pm
Ah, that's just because the earlier HD-DVD release forced Blu-Ray out too soon. In short order, the interactive features will be no less that what you find on HD-DVD.

The Next Big Bust - Jan 10, 2008 - 01:50pm
Shadow: The newbies can choose from Marvel Adventures, the Ultimates books, reprints and archives. How many more options do they need?

The Next Big Bust - Jan 10, 2008 - 12:17pm
Shadow: Yes, Batman is still Batman if he gets married and settles down... as long as we *see* the character growing in that direction. If you opened the book one day and he was suddenly mowing the lawn one issue after the Knightfall ordeal, it would seem entirely wrong and out of character. Same with Spidey. But here we *did* see the character grow and change. He matured and fell in love and we saw it happen. Then he got married (about 20 years ago! wow, time flies) and we saw his character in a new situation that was a natural progression of his story arc. But now we open the book and *PRESTO*, he's regressed---instantly! There is nothing natural about it. There is nothing "real" (you know what I mean) about it. It's something that was forced on the character to make him appeal to a particular demographic. He's become plastic. The worst for me was some Marvel schlub/hack on Howard the other day saying that marrying Peter to MJ was a "mistake". A "mistake" that worked for 20 years and that the majority of Spidey fans supported. This whole plan is so ill-conceived, especially with the Ultimate books available. It's just... dumb and frustrating.

The Next Big Bust - Jan 09, 2008 - 12:00pm
Ben: All that "filler" material you mentioned is why exactly why I am (so far) quite pleased with Messiah Complex and wrote in favor of it's "main-throughline" approach in last week's comments. I am glad you gave the story a shot and are enjoying it. I just hope the payoff (if there is one!) is memorable.

The Next Big Bust - Jan 09, 2008 - 10:49am
thorin02: Your Buffy analogy just doesn't ring true. Joss didn't writer every episode of that show. He produced it. A whole gaggle of writers took turns writing the individual episodes. It's very rare to find one person who can write 20+ episodes of an hour-long drama in about a half of a year and keep the quality as high as it was on Buffy!

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 06, 2008 - 10:04am
I for one hope that BP and Storm stay together. Reed and Sue are still together which pretty much matches the two examples you gave from DC. Even if she dies soon. I think you'd make a more solid argument that the Marvel soap opera is more likely to kill one of the couple rather than break them apart for relationship reasons. *Always* having the good guy hook up with the good girl is not very exciting. Scott and Emma being together is working for me if for no other reason that it breaks the mold. But more importantly, it sets the stage for big problems when Jean comes back. There is no law that a character has to always make the same decisions. They just need to say in character while doing so. Scott being with Emma works as long as he still acts like Scott (willing to sacrifice for her, jealous of others, desolate when she dies, etc.). That doesn't mean he has no free will (for a comic book character) and is locked into a repetitive decision making process.

Routh is Still SUPERMAN for WB - Jan 05, 2008 - 10:38pm
TayDor: Thanks for turning me onto those Che movies. I look forward to seeing them! Soderbergh and del Toro will do a great job, I am sure.

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 05, 2008 - 10:30pm
But wouldn't having Scott always hooking up with the good girl be just as much of a cliche? It would for me. So this is a nice change for him as I see it. Besides, it's small potatoes compares to the other X-mistakes you've mentioned. And Xavier is gay? Humpf... who knew? :)

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 05, 2008 - 08:21pm
Going for the bad girl isn't a "Scott" thing. It's a "guy" thing!

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 05, 2008 - 02:01pm
It would be odd to make X-Force into a team of assassins. I will be able to swallow it more easily if they are a team that is willing to kill to complete their objectives. That seems plausible. And maybe this change and the romance with Emma are all manipulations on her part. Could be. But if it's not, why would he get it on with such an evil woman? Easy: Talking about the bad girls, yeah Toot toot, hey, beep beep

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 04, 2008 - 10:41pm
Merin, please, I think Deadly Genesis is *just* as ri-donk-u-lous as One More Day. But I do diverge from you in that I always liked Havok and, as long as Jean is dead, I'm cool with Scott and Emma hooking up. Also, I could see Scott sending the team off to get the baby at any cost, which, IIRC, is their goal... not just offing Cable (which we know won't be happening). But Vulcan is a stupid character. Really stupid. Does anyone like him enough for Marvel to keep him around? Are people clamoring for more Vulcan? God I hope not.

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 04, 2008 - 01:42pm
It did change FOREVER, see, cause Spidey revealed his identity so Aunt May got shot so Peter and MJ had to make a bargain with Mephisto who for some reason finds it necessary to... ah, hell with it... Dear Master Zombie Quesada, Please just come bite me so I don't care anymore. Love and Hugs, Lister

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 04, 2008 - 12:41pm
Well in terms of crossover events, I think this is way better than the traditional model. In the past, you'd have several books stopping their story lines to force in connections to the main event. It would takes months to complete and you'd have four or five simultaneous (often weak or poorly connected) threads to follow... all of them moving at an incremental and seemingly glacial pace. This way, there is one much more tightly plotted and stronger (so far anyway) event that comes out (so far anyway) on a weekly basis. I can understand your waiting for the trade paperback, but in the earlier model, you'd have to do the same to see the whole story anyway. And if you didn't, you'd find your particular favorite title hijacked for a plot line that wouldn't have any major ramifications for its characters and that you probably wouldn't care about anyway.

Routh Out of SUPERMAN Sequel? - Jan 04, 2008 - 12:34pm
And the conversation thuds to a halt.

Routh Out of SUPERMAN Sequel? - Jan 04, 2008 - 11:51am
Sanexotica: If Routh is free from blame for the story, then he shouldn't take a story credit!

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 04, 2008 - 11:10am
Kurt: Why do you think Messiah Complex is lame?

2007: The Year in Review, Part Two - Jan 04, 2008 - 10:28am
So Quesada says that my emotions during the Peter and MJ wooing, wedding and marriage were a mistake. Thanks Joe! Let me add you to my Christmas card list. What *were* Stan Lee and John Romita thinking when he hooked those two up? They don't know anything about how to create comics, apparently... Merin, I have not seen Persepolis but I heard a radio interview with one of the directors and it sounds wonderful. Looks cool too. I think we'd both like it.

Routh Out of SUPERMAN Sequel? - Jan 04, 2008 - 08:29am
Keep Spacey. Dump everyone else. Especially the writers.

Top 5 Genre Films of 2007, Top 5 Anticipated Films of 2008 - Jan 03, 2008 - 09:01am
TKay42one: Because even Jack said he was letting the costume do the acting for him. He wasn't putting work into creating the role. He was being the same old Jack Nicholson character that he devolved into back in the 80's with only the trappings of the Joker. I think Heath will actually create a real character. Or at least try to. And I am not part of some *movement* to bash his performance. That's ridiculous. I didn't like it much then (saw it in the theater, not on video) and it hasn't grown on me. Maybe on the small screen it worked better if that's where you first encountered it.