Iron Man 3 Review

Hey, I can actually see the other armors!

In some cases, better late than never does not apply.

I’ll start with the good stuff. Robert Downey Jr. was great as always, and I really liked Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts getting a little bit of time in the suit. We didn’t get Rescue, but at least Potts got to be heroic. I actually liked a lot of the banter in Shane Black’s version of a super-hero film. The small asides, the depth of character given to throwaway thugs, I appreciated those small touches.

But that brings me to my first complaint. The level of bad guy didn’t increase enough! We had tons of small-time gun-toting crooks hanging around in Miami, with no backup from their hot compadres. Why not put a couple melting dudes in the compound too, doesn’t that make sense? Why leave them all at the oil rig?

And why, oh why, with the width and depth of the Marvel Universe available to you, would you have an army of guys WITH THE SAME UNDEFINABLE POWERS? Can they all breathe fire, or was Killian special? Why in the world would they give Pepper Potts the Extremis upgrade but not give it to Maya Hansen; she freaking invented it! How did they actually kill Killian? Didn’t they just blow him up repeatedly? He kept coming back until his lines in the script ran out, I guess.

Pepper's armor as it should be

Why have Killian form Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM) if not one yellow beekeeper suit is even hinted at? Why use it at all? Roxxon got thrown in here too, but just as fan service.

And the Extremis powers. What the heck do they even do? Regeneration, obviously, but why are people blowing up? Was that on purpose? It seemed like the explosions were caused by people not handling their Extremis upgrades correctly, so how could the “Mandarin” be predicting certain numbers of attacks? Why did Rhodey mention that there were more attacks than what the public knew about? Is the “Mandarin” only announcing some of them on TV?

The Iron Patriot. UGH. The armor looked great, and the banter about the War Machine vs. Iron Patriot branding was consistently amusing. But the Iron Patriot never got to do anything. Don Cheadle spent the film flying to the wrong place or retreating. Why even put him in the movie? When you’ve got a character with an auto-cannon on his shoulders, I want to see it shoot! I want to see Don Cheadle rip into some bad guys as a SUPER HERO! Not as a generic action movie hero. This complaint applies to RDJr too, but he at least spends some time in the Mark 42 armor. (Too bad he doesn’t carry a cell phone, though.)

Iron Man, is that you?

The armor. Why bother to create an army of toyetic Iron Man armors with great names if you aren’t even going to show them? I’d say there were only three sets of armor that got screen time where you could clearly see the suit. I saw the Mark 42 silly flying armor, the Avengers armor, and the Igor suit that held up the collapsing building at the oil rig. Don’t put all those suits in, tease us with how cool they could be, then BLOW THEM UP.

In a world that clearly, clearly needs Iron Man, I think it is a bit selfish of Tony Stark to blow up all his suits. Hell, you know Happy Hogan would wear one (he was another bright spot in this film). Pepper Potts shouldn’t have been riding him either. That fireworks display made both characters seem petulant and self-indulgent.

Now that is the Mandarin!

Now it is time for the biggie. The moment where the movie crashed from a B down to my final grade of a D (it did continue to get worse, though). The Mandarin. How the heck do you take a historied, awesome character with a fantastic look and power set, and turn him into a silly actor? Listen, I understand Mandarin has some confusing history and origins, but clearly Black could have chosen one or made up his own. Now I’m heartbroken that he actually wore his rings in the commercial, because it means that really was Marvel’s attempt to bring the character to the screen. Ben Kingsley could have had a great take on him, but instead we get a mockery of the classic villain. The Batman Begins Ra’s Al Ghul trick is one thing, this is just insulting.

So yeah, this is the first time since Thomas Jane’s Punisher that I was considering walking out of the theater. I actually thought my time would be better going to sleep. I shouldn’t have stayed for the bonus scene, either. I want to be excited about the next movie, not just given a throwaway scene.

Iron Man 3 is proof that Comics are EVIL. 

Marvel Solicits for August 2013

Nope, not even Art Adams can save that
Cap costume!

Marvel is getting all my money these days, and August seems likely to keep the streak alive. Here is what caught my eye! 

INFINITY #1 (of 6)
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • JIM CHEUNG (A)
Cover by ADAM KUBERT
Blank Variant Also Available
Design Variant by JEROME OPEÑA
Generals Variant by IN-HYUK LEE
Hero Variant by ARTHUR ADAMS
Hero Sketch Variant by ARTHUR ADAMS
Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant by SKOTTIE YOUNG
The oversized kickoff to the year’s most anticipate Blockbuster summer event, changing the way you view the Marvel Universe!
• The outbreak of war on two fronts: Earth and Space, with our heroes torn between them.
• The world-shattering return of Thanos!
• Includes material from FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: INFINITY
56 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
Retailers: Check the Marvel Mailer for news on Infinity Launch Parties!

Geez, I want to like this, but Hickman’s work is almost always too complicated for me. Hearing that this will be a huge, sprawling crossover like Fear Itself doesn’t make me think this concept will be any simpler. 

AVENGERS #17
JONATHAN HICKMAN (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A)
Cover by LEINIL YU
“ALL QUIET”
The Avengers recruit more members to deal with the soon-arriving threat to Earth.
The Builders enter the Marvel Universe.
The Finale of the Prelude to INFINITY: Part Four.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

17 issues in, and we’re just finishing the PRELUDE? Seriously? That’s insane, right? And the worst part is, I have no idea what the current story is even about!  

AVENGERS ARENA #13 & 14
CHRISTOS GAGE & DENNIS HOPELESS (W)
KARL MOLINE & KEV WALKER (A)
#13 COVER BY KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
#14 COVER BY MIKE DEODATO JR.
#14 8-bit Variant by MATTHEW WAITE
TWO KEY ISSUES: THE HUNT FOR THE MISSING TEENS! PLUS: THE START OF OUR NEXT BIG ARC “BOSS LEVEL!”
• Issue #13: Hank Pym searches for the kidnapped Avengers Academy students…by the special guest creative team of AVENGERS ACADEMY’s Christos Gage and Karl Moline!
• Issue #14: It begins here, the last story arc of Season One! The contestants have fought one another, now can they put aside their feuds and battle Arcade?
32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$2.99 (EACH)

Sold! Christos Gage gets to come in and clean up after Avengers Academy, plus it stars Hank Pym! This has me even more certain that Avengers Arena is going to end up being a virtual reality deal. No way would they kill off all these characters. 

AVENGERS A.I. #2
SAM HUMPHRIES (W) • ANDRE LIMA ARAUJO (A)
Cover by DAVE MARQUEZ
ARTIST VARIANT BY ED MCGUINNESS
• The return of the Sentient Iron Man armor!
• Dimitrios -- a powerful super-intelligence with an axe to grind against humanity -- strikes...!
• What secrets does the powerful Alexis hold for the Marvel Universe? Is it your bank account balance, your email password, your secret journal entries?
• There’s nothing about your life that artificial intelligence cannot use against you! BEWARE!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

I like the concept and the team, but I’m not sold on Sam Humphries yet. Is his stuff any good? Too bad that sweet Sean Chen-designed Iron Man armor is evil now! And why the heck is Jocasta not on this team? 

HUNGER #2 (of 4)
JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV (W) • LEONARD KIRK (A)
Cover by ADI GRANOV
• The fallout from AGE OF ULTRON rips open a dangerous rift in the universe!
• Prepare for a hunger so strong, that no universe is safe.
• Is this the beginning of the end?
• All the details will be revealed when Age of Ultron #10 hits stands everywhere!
• PREVIOUSLY SOLICITED UNDER THE CLASSIFIED NAME OF AGE OF ULTRON #10 UC
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Galactus, is that you? I mean, “Hunger” in purple, who else could it be? Is Fialkov a big enough name to get a Galactus story this soon, though? 

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #2
CHRISTOPHER YOST (W) • MARCO CHECCETTO (A)
Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
SIBLING RIVALRY BEGINS HERE!
• Because you demanded it! Parker versus Parker! The Superior Spider-Man Versus Scarlet Spider!
• Kaine has come to New York to check on Peter’s ‘superior’ behavior, not realizing Doc Ock has taken over Peter’s life. But Ock sure knows who Kaine is...Kaine, the man who once KILLED Doctor Octopus. And now it’s payback time.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99

I’ve said it many times; this book is Marvel Team-Up. I’m legally obligated to support team-up books. Plus, look at that cover! I’m not happy I have to follow the story over to Scarlet Spider, though. I don't think I'm going to do it. I’ve been ignoring Kaine for a long time; I’m not going to stop now!

ROCKET RACCOON: TALES FROM HALF-WORLD
BILL MANTLO (W) • MIKE MIGNOLA (A)
Cover by Steve McNiven
• Relive the early adventures of the furry, feisty breakout star of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY!
• Captain of the starship Rack ’n’ Ruin, chief ranger of Halfworld, Rocket protects the Keystone Quadrant!
• When the Toy War erupts, Rocket and his first mate Wal Russ must team with Bucky O’Hare!
• Can they triumph over killer clowns, defeat Lord Dyvyne and Judson Jakes, and cure Halfworld’s insane population, the Loonies?
• Oh, and Rocket’s a talking raccoon from outer space. We mentioned that, right?
• Collecting ROCKET RACCOON #1-4.
104 PGS./Rated T …$7.99

Just make sure Bill Mantlo makes money off this, OK Marvel?

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #6
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & NEIL GAIMAN (W) • SARA PICHELLI (A/C)
VARIANT Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
• The blockbuster new series hits hard as Marvel’s newest superstar Angela comes right for the Guardians!
• Round one is Gamora versus Angela…with an entire universe at stake!
• All that and comics legend Neil Gaiman joins the award-winning Ultimate Spider-Man team of Bendis and Pichelli in this one-of-a-kind comic book event!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I like the design, and I’m intrigued by Angela joining the Marvel U. But aren’t her powers pretty close to Gamorra? Two sword-gals on the same team seems to be above quota, doesn’t it?

IRON MAN #14
KIERON GILLEN (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)
MORE MIND-BLOWING REVELATIONS AS “THE SECRET ORIGIN OF TONY STARK” CONTINUES!
• Free at last, all IRON MAN has to do is fight a robot who can take over his armor at any time and avoid one of the universe’s greatest bounty-hunters...DEATH’S HEAD.
• An impossible choice at the edge of space will decide the fate of two worlds. Who lives? Who dies?
• And can TONY STARK somehow find a way to avoid his destiny...
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

What is it about Iron Man? I absolutely love any cover where he’s in a tight spot. Even Greg Land can knock it out of the park! 

FEARLESS DEFENDERS #8
CULLEN BUNN (W)
WILLIAM SLINEY (A)
Cover by MARK BROOKS
• New costume! New arc! New status quo I still won’t tell you about!
• Misty kicked ass in Valkyrie’s world, now it’s time to see how Valkyrie fairs in Misty’s.
• Guest staring Elsa Bloodstone!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This book has not been as good as I’d hoped, but man, the covers are wonderful. Love the new costume for Valkyrie too.

 DAREDEVIL #30

MARK WAID (W) • CHRIS SAMNEE (A/C)
• When soars the Silver Surfer!
• What weird menace unites Daredevil with the Cosmic Rider of the Spaceways?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

If that cover doesn’t get you excited about comic books, we can’t be friends anymore. 

WOLVERINE #8
PAUL CORNELL (W) • ALAN DAVIS (A/C)
Artist Variant by TBD
8-bit VARIANT Cover by MATTHEW WAITE
PART ONE OF KILLABLE!
• It all starts here, the biggest Wolverine event in years!
• Wolverine thinks a cure has been found…but it’s in Wakanda, where he’s not exactly a welcome guest!
• Meanwhile, Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. are working on even bigger problems that Wolverine might have caused.
• Guest-starring Storm and Black Panther!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

Same as above. This is what comic books are all about!  Black Panther fighting Wolverine drawn by Alan Davis is a gift to the world! That’s a lot of pressure for Paul Cornell!

AVENGERS: ENDLESS WARTIME OGN-HC
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Penciled by MIKE MCKONE
Cover by MIKE MCKONE
The first in a series of all-new original graphic novels! An abomination, long thought buried, has resurfaced in a war-torn land. But now it wears an American flag. Faced with another nightmare reborn, Captain America will not stand for yet more death at the hands of a ghost from his past. Haunted by his greatest shame, Thor must renew the hunt for a familiar beast. At their side, an assemblage of allies united to end the threats no one of them could face alone. They are soldiers. Warriors. Comrades-in-arms. Mighty heroes led by a living legend, stronger together than apart. They are the Avengers.
120 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-8467-6
Trim size: oversized

I’m tempted to pick this up in hardcover, but Ellis is a real love-or-hate writer for me. I might need to see how snarky the tone is before I buy this one.

Obviously, I’m much more interested in Marvel’s books than DC these days. They seem to be leveraging their characters in a much more effective manner. (Seriously, Two Gun Kid and Iron Man’s sentient armor in the same month? The Impossible Man in FF?) Most of their artists are longtime favorites, and while the core Infinity story hasn’t intrigued me so far, the X-universe and the 2nd tier titles are rocking. I will be buying a ton of Marvel books in August. Clearly, these solicitations are GOOD.

(But let me leave you with one word of advice. DO NOT BUY THE AGE OF ULTRON COLLECTION. You will regret it!)

DC Solicits for August 2013

Is Pandora breaking the nu52?

With the New 52 chugging right along, I’m down to collecting just a handful of DC books. I buy Batman Inc. on Comixology, and I have a subscription to Batman and Green Lantern. (I’m not doing so well keeping up with GL, though.)

I am trying to keep up with DC books through my local library. The price is right, and if I can’t finish a collection, I can pop it right back on the shelf.

Now let’s look at the August 2013 Solicits and see if there is anything I need to put a hold on…

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7
Written by GEOFF JOHNS and JEFF LEMIRE
Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY
Cover by DOUG MAHNKE
1:25 Variant cover by MIKEL JANIN
1:00 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
“We Can Be Heroes” Blank variant cover available
On sale AUGUST 14 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with five covers. Please see the order form for more information.
TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 4! The hunt for a murder suspect leads Superman and his new teammates to the secret behind the Secret Society, while Batman finds the key to the crime—and one of the Leaguers will be forever changed by it. Plus, who is the Secret Society of Super-Villains and what are their plans for Pandora?
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #23
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by MIKEL JANIN
Cover by DOUG MANHKE
1:25 Variant cover by MIKAL JANIN
1:100 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale AUGUST 21 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 5! The Justice Leagues continues to fracture as the murder of a hero is solved—and the line between justice and vengeance blurs as they head off to find those responsible! TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 5! The Justice Leagues continues to fracture as the murder of a hero is solved—and the line between justice and vengeance blurs as they head off to find those responsible!

JUSTICE LEAGUE #23
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
Cover by DOUG MAHNKE
1:25 Variant cover by MIKAL JANIN
1:00 B&W Variant cover by DOUG MAHNKE
On sale AUGUST 28 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with four covers. Please see the order form for more information.
TRINITY WAR CHAPTER 6! Trinity War concludes! But that doesn’t mean all ends well for our heroes. The secret behind Pandora’s Box is revealed and it means the end of the Justice Leagues!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

There was a time I would have been all wound up about the phrase “murder of a hero” as I worried about my B-tier favorites in the DCU. Now I’m just curious. Even killing Martian Manhunter would be enough to get me riled up now! 

CONSTANTINE #6
Written by RAY FAWKES
Art by RENATO GUEDES
Cover by EDDY BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
On sale AUGUST 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
On the verge of death, John Constantine fights for his very soul against his own former protégé!

Hellblazer is one of those books that I always meant to read, but never got around to picking up. But I feel like I have a pretty good feel for the character from a litany of covers over the years. This just doesn’t look like Constantine, does it? 

THE FLASH #23
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art and cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
1:25 B&W Variant cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL
On sale AUGUST 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
The Flash makes a desperate play to save Iris from Reverse-Flash—and you can’t be sure who will be left standing by this issue’s end!

Wow! That is not what I picture when I think of the Reverse Flash. Weird! 

EARTH 2 #15
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by NICOLA SCOTT and TREVOR SCOTT
Cover by JUAN DOE
1:25 B&W Variant cover by JUAN DOE
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Dr. Fate, Red Arrow, The Flash, Green Lantern and The Atom all fall victim to the Hunger Dogs of Apokolips as the war against the forces of Steppenwolf continues!

All this Kirby talk has me interested. Does this book really stand-alone in the new 52? Does it have that Kirby flair? Which James Robinson writes the book these days?

BATMAN, INCORPORATED SPECIAL #1
Written by CHRIS BURNHAM, JOE KEATINGE, DAN DIDIO and others
Art by CHRIS BURNHAM, ETHAN VAN SCIVER, JASON MASTERS and others
Cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
1:25 Variant cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
On sale AUGUST 28 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
An all-star special featuring the various members of Batman Incorporated—Man-of-Bats, Red Raven, El Gaucho, Dark Ranger, Knight, Batman himself and more! In the wake of their epic struggle with Talia al Ghul, the Heretic and Leviathan see what’s next for the members of Batman’s army. Featuring stories written and drawn by a collection of industry greats! Plus: Bat-Cow makes her solo debut in a tale by writer Dan DiDio and artist Ethan Van Sciver!

Hey, I love what Chris Burnham has brought to this title. But I can’t help but notice that one big name is missing. Can anyone figure out who it is? 

BATMAN #23
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and DANNY MIKI
Backup story art by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
Cover by GREG CAPULLO
1:25 Variant cover by GARY FRANK
1:100 B&W Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
On sale AUGUST 14 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with four covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Witness the moment Bruce Wayne becomes Batman as “Zero Year” makes history! And in the backup story, a young Bruce Wayne fights for his life in a death match in Russia!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

As long as Snyder stays clear of the Year One content, I don’t see a problem with the Year Zero concept. It sure looks like it will read pretty close to Batman Begins’ origin. Synergy! 

TALON #11
Written by JAMES TYNION IV
Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
On sale AUGUST 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The clash between Talon and Bane’s forces comes to an epic finale on Santa Prisca as Casey Washington desperately seeks Batman to help him eliminate the Court of Owls once and for all.

Please tell me that’s not Bane. I don't think I'll be able to sleep if this is an "improved" redesign. 

BATWING #23
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by EDUARDO PANSICA and JULIO FERREIRA
Cover by KEN LASHLEY
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Luke Fox’s personal life is already in turmoil, but as Batwing he must confront a dangerous new threat in the form of assassin for hire Lady Vic as she makes her first appearance in The New 52!

I like the look of the new Batwing suit, and… wait! I actually still recognize Lady Vic! Cool!

GREEN LANTERN #23
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art and cover by BILLY TAN and RICHARD FRIEND
1:25 Variant cover by RAGS MORALES
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Hal struggles with his new role as leader of the Green Lantern Corps while he tries to solve the mystery of why the universe is atrophying! And an escaped prisoner has gotten hold of a power that makes her nearly unstoppable! The stage is set for the ultimate test against Relic!
This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

Have we ever seen Hal as the big boss of the whole Corps? I can’t remember seeing it. A neat idea. 

THRESHOLD #8

DIAL H #15

DEMON KNIGHTS #23

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #23

Demon Knights was the only one of these books that I had planned on checking out from the library. Is the 23 issue run worth looking in to? And the big question, can I hold out hope that some of these vacancies in the “52” could be filled by Multiversity books set outside the nu52?

STORMWATCH #23
Written by JIM STARLIN
Art by YVEL GUICHET and LeBEAU UNDERWOOD
Cover by JIM STARLIN and ROB HUNTER
On sale AUGUST 7 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
The true nature of the Kollective is revealed, and the mystery surrounding past Stormwatch teams grows!

C’mon, doesn’t this look like a solicit from 1998?

SUICIDE SQUAD #23
Written by ALES KOT
Art by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Cover by JASON PEARSON
On sale AUGUST 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+
Suicide Squad is sent on a mission to take down a dictator who is planning to create his own metahuman army. But what the Squad doesn’t know is that he already has a batch of super-powered soldiers ready to defend him—cue the mayhem! Plus, the true nature of Waller’s new deal with the team is revealed!

Ooh! Fantastic Jason Pearson cover, and Patrick Zircher on interiors. Is this book worth checking out? Does it feel like Ostrander’s old Squad? Who is this Ales Kot?

DC UNIVERSE VS. THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #1
Written by KEITH GIFFEN
Art by DEXTER SOY
Covers by ED BENES
On sale AUGUST 28 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 6, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
After narrowly escaping his last battle with He-Man, Skeletor has fled to the most unexpected realm to recover: EARTH! Once there, he sets a plan in motion to siphon off Earth’s core magic. Forging an unlikely hunting party, He-Man and company go in search of Skeletor. Finding themselves at odds with the heroes of the DC Universe, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe must find a way to stop Skeletor and his mysterious new master!
This debut issue features two covers by Ed Benes, both available for ordering: one featuring the heroes of the DC Universe, and the other featuring The Masters of the Universe!

Oh man. As a fan of the G.I. Joe and Transformer comics, I shouldn’t laugh… but c’mon! He-Man in the DCU???? The only problem with mocking this book is that I'm a tad intrigued!

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #4
Written by DAN ABNETT, ANDY LANNING, TOM DeFALCO and ROB WILLIAMS
Art by WES CRAIG, PETE WOODS and CHRIS WESTON
Cover by BRUCE TIMM
On sale AUGUST 28 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Join comics’ finest talents as they celebrate The Man of Steel himself: Superman! This issue features The Last Son of Krypton in timeless tales of truth and justice, featuring appearances by Lex Luthor and Brainiac! Plus: A meteor that’s headed straight for Earth!

This is a pretty great creative line-up. This is the book that still has Superman Classic, right? Is it cheaper to buy these online?

BATMAN ‘66 #2
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art by RUBEN PROCOPIO and DEAN HASPIEL
Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
1:25 Variant cover by CULLY HAMNER
On sale AUGUST 21 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
From the sands of time and halls of higher learning comes one of Batman’s deadliest foes: King Tut! Tut returns to assert his royal status and challenge the Dynamic Duo with his most far-reaching plan yet to rule the modern Thebes, Gotham City! Also in this issue, doors smash in and jaws crack from the fists of the newest tough in town: introducing the 1966 incarnation of that reptilian rogue Killer Croc! How can Batman battle this brawny brute?

As a stand-alone title, I’m mighty tempted by this book. The creative team is strong, and as far as I can tell, everyone looks recognizable. I might subscribe to this one!

All in all, I think there are probably four or five books I'm tempted to pick up. That's actually an upswing for the DCU!  

That said, with so many awful costumes and my lack of interest in any of the event storylines like Superman and Justice League, I'm afraid the Energy Analyzer has declared these solicits: EVIL

Comics: Good or Evil?

This guy wrote daily reviews too. 

Hopefully you are all still here! I’ve heard from some of you about the end of the daily reviews, and I appreciate the kind words. But man, a review a day eventually wears a guy down!

So with my format switch, I’ll be relying on ROM’s Energy Analyzer to help me determine whether my current subject is something that proves comics good or evil.

In moving away from daily reviews, I’ll instead be focusing on regular features. I wrote of a few of these in the past for other websites, so hopefully people still enjoy them. 

Here’s a few of the features I’m planning to write:

• Cold Case Files – I’ll profile obscure or underused characters that I think have potential. The Grand Comics Database will need to help me with this one!
• Dollar Bin Reviews – This will be an in-depth look at comics that are probably languishing in cheap bins at local cons or are available for cheap on Comixology.
• Comics on the Bubble – With over 70 long boxes of comics, I can’t take up any more space. Since I’m still buying new books, something has got to go. Which runs or series will I dump? This feature will tell us.
• The Laws of Comics – With 30 years of comic-reading under my belt, I have discovered certain truths in comic books.
• Kid Reviews – I’m hoping to get my daughters to start helping me with reviews again. Expect a lot of Spider-Girl.
• Solicitation Previews – I’ll point out great covers and intriguing stories, make predictions, and make fun of the monthly solicits. 

Plus I’m sure I’ll occasionally have a normal review or two, too!

So as long as the Dire Wraiths don’t steal the Analyzer, we should be able to get started!

Comic-Per-Day No More!

I will still be reading a comic per day… but I’m not going to go on and on about it.

As glamorous as the last few years have been, I think it’s time to step away from the daily reviews. I’m pretty happy that I never missed a daily deadline, but I’ve noticed that just a few day delay in posting a review drastically lowers peoples’ interest in what I’m reviewing.

And let’s face it, with this many reviews up and posted, it is not hard to figure out how I’m going to feel about most books coming out.

• If Mark Waid, Christos Gage, Kieron Gillen, Rick Remender, Dan Slott, or Jason Aaron wrote it, I probably thought it was pretty darn good.
• If it is a new 52 comic or trade, I probably didn’t like it very much. That’s if I could make myself read it! 
• If it featured Hellboy, the B.P.R.D., G.I. Joe, Transformers, or Ed Brubaker crime comics? Well, I probably loved it. 
• Really, the only question that still comes up regularly is if a comic is written by Good Bendis (Guardians, All-New X-Men) or Bad Bendis (Age of Ultron).

If you are one of the millions (and millions) of folks who checked out the blog regularly, please follow me on Twitter (@MrTimbotron). I will have some football, movie, and wrestling talk there, but comics will dominate the conversation.

For anyone interested, my original art collection is posted on Comic Art Fans here.
I post on some of the comic message boards (CBR, Outhouse) as I am MODOK.

And I do plan to update this page with content, it just won't be daily reviews. It might be more commentary on industry trends and things like that.

Hopefully I’ll see you on Twitter! (Again, that’s @MrTimbotron!)

Scene of the Crime TPB

Now, I’m going to clue you guys in on a little something. Ed Brubaker is a pretty good crime writer. I know, shocking that the guy who wrote Captain America for all those years would be so good at this, but I’m serious. His crime books are actually better than his super-hero comics.

Seriously though, reading this trade made me quite happy. I know how good Brubaker is at crime, and I know that’s where his passion lies. I’m actually OK with him bowing out of the Marvel U for awhile if it means we get more books like this, Incognito, and Criminal.

This star of this one is Jack Herriman, a surprisingly straight-up protagonist. He certainly meets many of the expected noir stereotypes; upsetting past, ladies man, and many connections to the local police. But unlike most private detectives, Jack has family living downstairs, and multiple friends who actually come when they’re needed. I don’t think it is spoiling anything to say that everyone doesn’t end up being “in it” or betraying our lead. Sure, the story is tragic and upsetting, but only the villains are actually trying to ignore it.

A standard missing person case leads to old crimes, hippies, drug dealers, and routine beatings, just like any good detective story should. This is definitely an adult story, although that’s mostly expressed through dialogue rather than through Michael Lark’s perfect artwork.

Lark is a joy to behold as he creates and populates Jack’s world. There are keys on the wall of the hotel, there is salt on the plate with the fries. I never realized quite how important those little details are until I started paying attention to how real this world felt. Lark’s work brings this to light. Like much of Vertigo’s finer collections, this thing is begging to be made into a movie.

Excellent

Fantastic Four by Matt Fraction TPB 1

I’ve never been a huge Fantastic Four fan. It is one of those comics that is made or broken by the storyline, guest-stars, and villains. So really, Matt Fraction’s take was sort of doomed for me from the start. By limiting the cast to only the core team (and Franklin and Valeria), my interest always had a ceiling. Bouncing the team around space in time from one mad situation to another is certainly in keeping with the tone of the FF, but again, there isn’t anything to maintain my interest.

The only unifying plot is a big one; something is wrong with Mr. Fantastic, and his stretching abilities are breaking down, possibly killing him in the process. That’s a strong motivation, but I’m not exactly worried that the FF are going to die. I hate to be one of those people that need violence and angst to maintain my interest, but when I don’t love the characters, I do need a bit more drama than what this book is currently delivering.

Fraction has a great take on the whole team, including the kids. There are numerous moments that as a parent, just feels recognizable and real. Franklin and Val’s need for their Mom after a nightmare in particular looked like a glimpse into the Fraction/DeConnick household. It’s quite telling that the Thing and Human Torch come off wonderfully too. The Torch is perhaps a bit more stupid than he’s been in recent years, but there is no debating how funny he is. And the Thing’s tough guy dialogue is cranked to 11, even while he maintains that sadness that is so central to the Thing’s character.

But Reed Richards and Sue Storm. I just don’t care about them. How telling is it that my favorite scenes between the two of them are the flashbacks of their college days? The secret-keeping, the drama, I’ve seen it between the two of them before. It just isn’t compelling enough.

The art is perfect. Mark Bagley was born to draw the FF. His take on the power sets, the alternate uniforms, and the Kirby-esque science of the settings is fantastic. There is a scene where the Thing catches on fire where he looks awesome, and Bagley’s depiction of the FF tech is fun. But thinking back, I’m trying to remember how often we’ve seen the whole team involved in fisticuffs. It has been at least two months since the whole team had to get involved and get their hands dirty.

I’m reading this book with my daughter, but she now routinely asks for X-Men instead of this one. (That said, she loves FF!)

Fair