Reviewing New Comics 12/28/11

American Vampire #22 - What does a vampire hunter in the 1950s look like? If you said leather glad teenage greaser than you are correct? In this issue we meet Travis Kidd who is part vampire hunter and all around cool rockabilly punk that easily wins you over and escapes the cliche both his appearance and the first few pages of the comic paint him in quickly. He is smart, crafty, and well still quite a punk, but it is so well done I can't fault it. I haven't read much of this series as I'm a bit tired of the umpteenth upswing in vampires in pop culture, but after reading this issue, I am wanting to see more of it. This story takes place in the 50's and seems to have a focus on a single and new character, feels like a perfect jumping on point to me, and for you as well, after the last panel you will be craving the next page like some poorly crafted and horrible joke I can make about vampires and blood. 5/5

Aquaman #4 - Aquaman and Mera fight giant sea monsters deep in the sea, and it is awesome. This issue is fast paced and the art is both gorgeous and perfectly tuned to make you feel like you are under water, also giant sea monsters! Plus we get a new member of the Aqua family who is a bit furrier then you would imagine. What else is there to say? You want to see a super hero fight monsters and be impressive while doing it then read this book! Now if we can drop this whole meta thing where random people in the comic think Aquaman is lame like he is commonly seen in the real world. Sorry if any of us saw someone who could breath water, throw around giant boulders, and command fish we would not make jokes about them to their faces. 5/5

Captain America #5 AND #6 - For whatever reason Marvel is releasing two issues of Captain America this week, adding to that the release of a new Captain America and Bucky and it is definitely Cap's week to end the year. These two books end one story line and then begin another. #5 feels a bit weird and anti-climatic, mostly because I don't know how we got here and just see the resolution, while #6 is building along nicely to a fun and interesting plot as it begins the "Powerless" arc. But both books do work together very well, #5 leads into 6 so eloquently in both plot and character they could easily have been a single, although oddly paced single issue. While 5 wraps up Captain America's fight with Codename Bravo which does seem like it will have deeper ramifications, and has a strong emotional finish for some supporting characters. Issue 6 shows off those ramifications and goes about illustrating how Cap is dealing with the previous story and what is next for him, the cast, and the villains as well. I would say 6 is the stronger of the two, but 5 has more emotion. We will give it a combined score this week, since Marvel had to finish the year with so many issues of Captain America out, which really I won't complain about one bit. 4/5


Scrambled Circuits #3 - This is a mini comic about a robot named Primus who is a stand in for the creator of the book. Primus deals with a variety of things from moving to the desert after the passing of a loved one to feeling awkward to trying to draw the best hand turkey, and each one is told with an honesty I heavily envy. Every story in this comic is compelling and well thought out, some end on a joke, others serious, but each one has a meaning that seems to connect them and as I said before, an honesty to them. The art compliments this perfectly, it is far from an idealized comic style when considering main stream work, but each panel seems to so effortlessly capture the moment and gives a feeling of immersion to the reader it makes me wonder why more books don't work look like this. There is a bit of a plot line going on in this book that seemed to lack in the last issue, one of possible romance that I wish was expanded upon, but just like the life it was based on, sometimes these things take time to properly reveal themselves and only in works of fiction do they all time out perfectly to make for the expected arcs. I highly recommend giving this book a shot, or any of his others, which can all be found here. 5/5

New comics 12/14/11

Batman the Brave and the Bold #14 - A nice heartfelt tale featuring Batman teaming up with the lesser known Ragman who is feeling the poor neighborhood he protects does not get the attention it deserves. What follows is a simple but well written story of crime attacking a small down on its luck neighborhood, a super hero regaining his faith (Ragman), and a quick history in Hanukkah all with Batman! It felt like a lost episode of the sadly cancelled tv show, which suits me fine. 4/5

Demon Knights #4 - We interrupt the invasion of the evil horde army for a long vision quest and mini origin of the Shining Knight, female knight who witnessed firsthand the fall of Camelot. This makes for the best issue of the book so far and makes me wish Cornell would just focus on one character (like the Shining Knight) instead of trying to spread the love around so much and make all of these interesting characters seem less than they need to be. All the characters have their own voices and could make an interesting lead of a book but trying to give everyone screen time is taking away from showing why each character is important and cool. Plot wise little happens in this issue though we get a ton of back story on Shining Knight, Camelot, Merlin, and the Holy Grail which makes up for any plots lacking. The dual reveal of who is going after and has gone after the grail is also well done, that along with the last page makes me want to see what happens next now, always a good sign. 4.5/5

Pigs #4 - Torturing someone for information has become a story telling fall back in the last decade or so, yet in this issue it is used as a back drop to show off characters and makes you quickly care about those involved (excluding the obviously corrupt and sick man who is being tortured). The focus of the issue is Travis a member of a mercenary group (I think) and why he doesn't want to kill and some of his childhood. It makes you connect with him quickly and the others as they interact with him. After all the history is given and the interrogation is over we move to another forceful questioning involving other characters and a reveal that may change everything. Now I have never read this series before this, but with a single issue I feel I have a good grasp on the characters, a general series premise, and I am invested in both what happens next and how it impacts the characters. Otherwise known as, exactly what a single comic should do. 5/5

The Ray #1 - Now this was fun! The preview they ran for this comic do it no justice. Want an interesting reaction to gaining super powers? Want an Asian super hero who isn't a stereotype? Want Spider-Man level quips and alter ego sub plots that are just as interesting as the super hero bits? You can find all that and more here! We quickly meet the new Ray, who was stuck with the title by the media, and see how he got his powers as well as gained control of them thanks to his New Age parents and meditation. Did I mention what the Ray fought in this issue? Giant telepathic jellyfish that fly! Yeah, you read that right. The flaws of the issue lie in the last few pages setting up the next foe, they are disjointed, weird, and I had to read them twice to figure out the reveal, also the giant flying jellyfish were barely part of the issue. Minor complaints in the long run, for such a good issue. 4/5

New Comic Reviews 12/08/11

Action Comics #4 - I am a huge HUGE Grant Morrison fan and have been loving this version of a younger more anti establishment Superman thus far. This issue is a lot of fighting as the evil alien menace that is so interested in Superman has taken over a horde of robots and a recently created cyborg thanks to Lex Luthor thinking he is smarter then everyone else (which is typically true, but there are exceptions like here). This is also the first time we see any authorative figure ask for Superman's help, even though the cops try to arrest him after he takes down a horde or robots. We also get the first appearance of Steel in the new DC52 universe who was always a personal favorite. Now with giant robots running around, Lex Luthor trying to remain in control while freaking out, Steel finally appearing, and Superman being Superman this should be a near perfect score right? Well no, this issue felt flat to me. The fight was cool but the character moments that I have loved in this series thus far just aren't there. We see Clark Kent make his first excuse to go fight evil in front of Lois Lane which was great (he yells "we should be smart and RUN" then runs off) and a few quick snippets of Lois and Jimmy interacting but it is mostly smash boom fight. Which would be fine, if it wasn't for the back up. See this issue boasts a back up featuring Steel, which originally made me excited, except the back up is the fight between Steel and the cyborg from the issue, which should happen in the middle of the issue. Instead in the actual story we see Steel arrive while saving Superman then saying "I got this" and a caption that reads "for the fight of Steel and the cyborg go read the back up" and then we continue on with the story ignoring the fight until then. It took me out of the story completely, the back up was pointless because by then you saw that he won, and what is worse is that the back up is done by a different writer and artist making it not even feel like the same story. Ugh! So taking that into account what would have been a great issue is just an average issue now. 3/5

Defenders #1 - I didn't have much anticipation for this title, especially with how disappointing Fraction's super hero work has been for the last little bit, Iron Man has turned into a mess, Thor is frustrating and illogical, and Fear Itself fell flat very quickly then refused to die. BUT this one issue makes me forget all of that! I don't care that some of the characters are acting a bit off (which may be part of the plot), I don't care that the narration switches point of views several times from an omnipresent view to Dr Strange to Hulk and on through the rest of the team. Why you ask?

Because we have a team of super heroes preparing to fight the EVIL GHOST TWIN OF THE HULK! It is described that way in the book, it is also referred to as the Hulk's very own Hulk. Also we have kung fu performed in zero g's, Silver Surfer really using the power cosmic in interesting ways, and what amounts to the most powerful team in the Marvel Universe that lives on Earth fighting what will be the weird and strange things that exist on the fringes of the super hero community. I am sold after this one issue. It is like Nextwave came back but had slightly more recognizable faces. If you want a fun read, if you want an interesting take on the Marvel Universe, if you want to see who the Incredible Hulk goes to when he needs help, and if you want to see someone finally put some clothes on the Silver Surfer, go read this already! 5/5

X-23 #18 - This takes the set up from the last issue, and more importantly the FUN of last issue and just ran with it. It starts off with X along with the children of the Fantastic Four Franklin and Val flying over New York on a DRAGON and just keeps moving from there. We get another dimension/world, some awesomeness from X (especially while dealing with said dragon) and Hellion and a character making an appearance who I haven't seen since Erik Larsen had a brief stint on Wolverine. Honestly, my only complaint with the issue is Marvel is cancelling the book, but don't let that stop you, pick it up and enjoy the ride, and however many issues are left (I believe two). Who knows, maybe they will change their minds? It worked for Spider-Girl.... 5/5

The Twice Dead Man Part Five

Part 5: Journey Into the Laboratory of Hades

An hour later, the undead man stood outside the secret lab that brought him back to life alongside the Green Lama. The building seemed to be nothing more than an old warehouse, abandoned years before, yet beneath the rust and dust lied a state of the art laboratory that would have made even Dr. Frankenstein salivate.

“Dhargey, I wanted to thank you for your help, I may never get to remember my old life completely, but...” he paused, unsure how a monster like him could possibly express the right emotion.

The Green Lama quickly moved his hand to comfort, “There is no need to thank me my friend, my life's duty is to help lost souls like you. We shall ensure that no such evil shall be caused by those who harmed you.” He lifted the hood on his robe, transforming once more, “And please my friend, while we are inside only refer to me as the Green Lama.”

The undead man smiled and nodded, “Of course, and thank you.”

Green Lama lifted two fingers up and spoke a spell softly, jolts of electricity pulsed from the fingertips all around him. Two sparks landed onto the ground to the left of him and turned into an imprint of his fingers. He then pulled out a piece of white chalk and drew a large rectangle upon the ground and knocked on the ground three times. After taking a few steps back the shape slowly dropped downward and where once stood solid ground now laid a stairwell down to the lab.

The undead man cocked his head to the side and in anticipation Green Lama said, “It is the Chalk of Hades, able to take the user to any destination beneath the Earth as long as they know the right place to draw with it. Down those stairs we shall find where you were brought back and hopefully more about who you were.”

The duo made their way down the stairs, Green Lama leading the way with purpose as the purple hued undead man followed with some hesitation, not fully trusting stairs that appeared from nothing. As he worked down the stairs the area around him went from dark soil to concrete to finally the insides of a laboratory. Upon setting both feet upon the lab floor both the stairs and the opening disappeared as if they never existed.

“Yours is a very interesting life Dhar....Green Lama.”

Green Lama smiled beneath the shadows of his hood and motioned towards the giant computer in front of him, the screen was as tall as a person and three times as wide with a hard drive as large as a car “hopefully we can find some answers on this super computer about who you were before hand, and we can find out who is behind this all as well.”

Just as Green Lama had started fumbling with the huge computer a sinister voice boomed all around them, “Not so fast you meddling marvel, even if you knew what you were looking for it would take you days to find the files you seek in my super computer! It is good to see that our city's very own hero was kind enough to return my test subject and Subject 17, I am so glad to see you are still in one piece.”

“What have you done to me!?!?! Show yourself now!”

Behind the duo a large metal door slid open and a man in a long white lab coat covering blue pants and a shirt with black rubber gloves, over sized protective goggles, and a large metal cylindrical helmet stepped forward. In his gloved hand he held an over sized metal remote with two large red buttons on it.

“I brought you back to life you dolt, you may have been our first real success, but you were not the last! I figured eventually you would either break free of my control or be destroyed, there was so little I knew about controlling the reanimated dead when we made you, but you have served your purpose and now you bring a meddlesome hero in our midsts, so he will be killed with you.”

The mad scientist laughed and lifted up a remote in his hand, clicking the giant button on the front. Eight giant panels in the walls appeared and opened, each revealing four glowing undead monstrous foes. The poor controlled souls surrounded Green Lama and the Purple Zombie as the mad scientist continued to laugh maniacally.

“Each of these monsters are not only more powerful then you, but thanks to the helmet I wear, they are all under my control and will stop at nothing to kill you again! Don't worry though, I will bring you back to life and under my thrall again!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”

Reviewing New Comics 11/30/11

FF #12 - This issue is both a continuation and a king of side quest from Fantastic Four #600 which came out last week (and was awesome even though I didn't review it). We get to find out what is happening with the kids of the Future Foundation as they transported the top floors of the Baxter Building away from the Negative Zone invaders and into Latveria. The kids encounter Doctor Doom, his son, Mister Fantastic's father from the future, and an alternate universe Mister Fantastic who is slightly evil but with good intentions. What follows is back story filling in important gaps in this epic story Hickman is telling, fun character bits on the kids, and a bit of science jibber jabber. It is well done and compelling, if you have been reading this book for a while and focusing on this big war of kingdoms going on right now. It is far from a jumping on point, which is fine comics are serial in nature. My only real complaint with this book is the art, I quite like the style and the texture, but it doesn't work for the story nor does it flow well with the art from the rest of this massive story. It is nit picking though. 4/5

Haunt #19 - This is the start of a new age for Haunt, the creator owned book originally made by Todd McFarlane and Robert Kirkman, there is a new writer in Joe Casey and artist Nathan Fox. Two brothers, one dead and the other alive and kicking team up to be a super powered secret agent. Apparently the dead brother can turn into a symbiotic costume that makes the alive brother all bad ass. Or I guess that is what is going on, none of that is really explained. Nor are the supporting cast members who are referenced but never seen and have mysteriously disappear, which hurts the case for new reader friendly even more. BUT there is some great banter between the two brothers, some very good art, and the final few pages made me go wtf in both a good and bad way. Maybe this wasn't supposed to be a new jumping on point, even though Todd McFarlane states that this is a new direction in an essay in the back. I do know I trust Joe Casey to make good comics, and Fox's art is very good. Now if I could just be a bit more sure about what is going on inside the book, I guess the alive brother is our point of view, because he is as lost as I am. We will see if it starts to make sense come issue 20. 3/5

Herc #10 - This comic is so much fun! Hercules fights alongisde a mortal Zeus against both Elektra and the immortal witch Baba Yaga and along the way we see the Kingpin beat up a very drunk Zeus, Hercules mock both of them, and Hercules continue to hit on Elektra as they confront each other. There is so much greatness in this comic and have been in this series (especially if you count the previous Incredible Hercules run by the same writers) that I just can't find a way to even begin to describe it, and I'm still flabbergasted that this is the last issue of the run, ruthlessly cancelled by Marvel. But despite that, this issue works as a nice cap to another chapter in Hercules story, I hope somehow we get more Herc done by Pak and Ven Lente, but if we don't I will be okay with that too, it has been such an amazing ride. 4.5/5

Skullkickers #12 - Just like Herc before it, Skullkickers is a super fun book! This issue feature 4 short stories with various writers and artists showing off random adventures of the two main characters, nicknamed Shorty (he's a dwarf) and Baldy (he is a bald human) who just rampage and enjoy a bar fight as much as they do killing the next giant monster, as long as they get paid! The best story in here is the first one, but each one is so well done it is hard to settle on that. We have a giant fight with musicians who hide weapons in their instruments, a flashback to Shorty before he met Baldy, a fight with an alluring witch, and just an old fashion monster hunt that is told in the most nontraditional style ever. Do yourself a favor and pick this up if you want fun in your comic. The next issue features the start of the next story arc and the creators take full reign again, this is just a fun diversion issue that fleshes out one of the most wild fantasy worlds around. If you ever played Dungeons and Dragons and spent a night (or several) joking around and just wanting to kill stuff, this book is for you, and this issue is a great start! 5/5

Thunderbolts #166 - First, I love the art for this issue, it is moody, dark, and just well done. Second, I don't recognize half of the characters in this issue, and it makes me want to learn more about them! I haven't read this book since issue 150, so of course a lot has changed, yet I feel like I had a good grasp on what was going on and who the characters were even though I haven't followed the book and have jumped into things mid arc. THIS is how super hero books should be written more often than not, easily accessible even though you don't know all the details. The plot is dealing with time travel, as the team is stuck in the time of Jack the Ripper and maybe Jack was actual a team member who has went back in time with them as Mr Hyde and Santana have gone off the edge and went forth murdering. The team (all former villains themselves) join forces with the detective on the case and try to find the two members who have returned to their evil ways. What follows is interesting character moments that define and shape the team without forcing it, an interesting mystery, and a bit of time travel fun while being a well drawn moody piece. 5/5

Tiny Titans #46 - Probably the best use of the hooded woman from the new DCU yet happens in this book. There is also some great artwork and a perfect few pages involving bats and penguins. Sure it is for kids, but it was a lot of fun, and frequently very funny. 4/5

Uncanny X-Men #2 - How do you fight an uncountable amount of Mister Sinisters? That is the question posed by this issue as the most powerful team of X-Men tries to find out the answer. The actual fight at the start is brief but entertaining, the real meat of the issue lies in Mister Sinister calmly talking to the team in a pursuit to give his evil bastard speech and just be an egotist. It is very well done and at many times, hilarious. The final few pages make it feel like Sinister is unstoppable now, and with a huge army of copies along with Celestials on their way to blindly destroy, the new issue or two should be full of huge dangers to the X-Men, which is how it should be. Another bonus about this issue? There aren't pages discussing the split between Cyclops and Wolverine, which I'm tired of already after only a month. 4/5

new comic reviwes 11/23/11

Astonishing X-Men #44 - Cyclops is a bonafide super hero. In this issue which should be called Cyclops and some X-Men appear for a bit too. Here we see Cyclops be bad ass and do some cool things with his "simple" powers that are awe inspiring including to his own team mates. The plot to this issue is also good but simple with Storm arriving to help show an upset Cyclops get out of his funk from Wolverine leaving to form his own X-Men, why no one questions why she is back to her old mohawked self from the 80s is beyond me but this is at least quickly answered as to why she is that way by the end which leads to an interesting but confusing ending. 4/5

Aquaman #3 - Aquaman and his wife Mera fight giant canibalistic fish men from the deep, and it is awesome! Also we meet a doctor from Aquaman's past who is a bit insane and quirky, some comedy that Aquaman isn't important which is getting a bit tedious when he is doing awesome and bad ass things, and get a gorgeously painted page showing Aquaman as a kid. What more could you want? Issue #4 out now is all I can think of. 5/5

Voodoo #3 - This has quickly become an interesting monster/fugitive story within two issues which is impressive as after a first issue filled with gratuitous T and A I was ready to write this story off completely. In this issue our resident evil alien goes to check in with the higher ups and encounters her first super hero, Green Lanter (Kyle Raynor). Their encounter is so well written and neither Voodoo, Green Lantern or the other Daemonites are seen as weak during it. What happens is true to each character and their strengths and by the end I am wanting all those involved to meet again and soon! We have another excellent ending here making you have to know what is next too. The only thing that sucks about the issue? Knowing the writer Ron Marz will be leaving the title in two months, I don't want this ride to end quite yet. 4.5/5

Mighty Thor #8 - In a post Fear Itself world, Thor is dead and no one remembers he existed except Loki who can't quite remember his name. Who did all the things Thor did so as not to mess up the history of Marvel? Tanarus, the god of thunder of course! This issue is supposed to be setting up the new status quo and quickly leap frogs that and starts to move the plot forward as well which is where some issues come from. The stuff about Asgard on Earth now being full of mythical creatures from all the other 9 realms is interesting stuff and can lead to great srtories, as is the new status quo of the gods with the three in one All Mother being in charge of Asgard since Odin abdicated, and where Thor actually is (still dead though) makes for an awesome and exciting cliffhanger, heck even Tanarus and the revisionist history is interesting. But then it all falls apart.

First, Loki, the god of mischief who has been amazing written by Journey of Mystery writer, Kieron Gillien, is nothing like what Loki should be here written by Fraction. His plan to find out the truth? Fly towards Tanarus and say "you're not right, where is my real brother? I shall destroy you!" What the hell? This is the guy who just played Mephisto and won and yet he his a doofus here. We find out who Tanarus really is (way too soon btw, where is the mystery?) and while it is a good character to have be Tanarus, how did the switch happen? More importantly how does the character and those behind it remember Thor? How does everyone else including the all seeing All Mother not know this? Captain America and Norman Osborn remember! This just feels like shoddy continuity which makes me think this will be resolved in an issue or two at most, making this pointless. Really if you want to read about Asgard in the Marvel Universe, go read the vastly superior Journey to Mystery. 2/5

Captain America and Bucky #624 - This should be called Winter Soldier #0 or I guess #.1 since that is Marvel's thing now. It is a solid story showcasing the history of the Winter Soldier as former sidekick, former Captain America and supposedly dead Bucky Barnes tells about his life to someone dear to him. The history of him and Black Widow finding love while being used as weapons in the Cold War is a good look at a story that couldn't have been published during the years it is supposed to be happening. The drama in this issue isn't too high, you know it is a flashback, but how Bucky rebels from his Russian masters and finds some humanity is well done and touching as is his developing relationship with Black Widow. The final few pages showing who he is talking to is touching as well. The art is simple and stylistic making it a perfect fit for a story set in the past. If this were published in the years of the Cold War it would have had a similar style making it work so well. After reading this I can't wait for the new Winter Soldier series coming out in a few months Bucky and Natasha fighting evil sounds great. 4.5/5

Secret Avengers #19 - Did you ever read Warren Ellis' Global Frequency series? It was a series of one shots of people taking down unique and weird threats. His short stint on Secret Avengers is Global Frequency with super heroes, right down to a new artist on every issue! This one rests on Steve Rogers (at this time former Captain America), Black Widow, SHIELD agent Sharon Carter, and Moon Knight taking down the man who has developed a drug that may be an offshoot of the super soldier serum that created Captain America. What follows is a fun and fast paced tale of infiltration and fighting and includes Moon Knight playing James Bond, Steve Rogers setting someone on fire using alcohol, and the two women being a pair of purely awesome bad asses that they don't always get a chance to be. The twists of the plot and the tiny character moments make this issue work so well and make me happy to enjoy this all too brief run of Ellis. We finally get a sequel to Global Frequency, all it is missing is the Brian Wood covers. Did I mention the whole mission is finished once the issue ends? It is a short and awesome action movie with no commitment to further issues, though I highly recommend you stay on for the whole ride! 5/5

more comic reviews from 11/16

Avengers #19 - I am a bit of a sucker for team forming stories, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I liked this issue which introduces the "new" Avengers team. I say it like that because really they are just out a member or two and replace them with Storm and a former Avenger who is a fan favorite who I did miss. It also seems like Spider-Man and Wolverine are off the team which is good, they are both on two other teams, Avengers will do fine without em. Now though I admit how much of a sucker I am, this issue did have some hitches, like Storm appearing and then being shoved aside mid sentence for the mystery Avenger (which is fine in and of itself but I hope this isn't how she is treated for good), and a few too many random asides and conversations that don't add much to the story, but that is Bendis for you. I do have two fanboyish gripes though, first I thought everyone forgot that Thor ever existed and was replaced perpetually by the new thunder god? If so I don't think Bendis got the message, this is the second Avengers issue post Fear Itself to discuss missing Thor, just seems like he doesn't care about the ideas of others. My other thing is that at the end a villain shows up to make a ruckus and it made me wonder, do the Avengers go out and stop evil anymore? Or does it always come to them? Besides that though, as I said I'm a sucker for these stories. 4/5

Fear Itself #7.3 - With this issue the 7 issue Fear Itself finally ends its 10 issue run. Like 7.1 and 7.2 (I hate the point system by the way) these are really just an issue of the main book of whoever is starring in the given issue (this time Iron Man) and "resolve" something doing with Fear Itself. Thus far by resolve it has meant undoing a major event, like (spoilers)


In 7.1 we find out Bucky Barnes never actually died, Nick Fury and Black Widow replaced him with a fake to force Steve Rogers to return as Cap, which understandably pisses Cap off but at the end he agrees and it ends happy. 7.2 does something similar and finishes with Thor opening his eyes.

Now in 7.3 we get another major event in Fear Itself being nullified by the definition of dues ex machina, and it pulls it off...mostly. It only works because it is built in such a way that you want the villain to pay, want horrible things to happen to them because of all the right heartstrings being pulled by the incident which gets over turned. As far as take backs go it isn't all that badly done and makes you a bit happy about it, until you really think about it. In this comic Iron Man who is the title character of this issue, doesn't do anything. He doesn't solve the problem, he just mopes and wines and contemplates murdering a defenseless man. The latter by the way becomes irrelevant later on and makes Tony seem a bit of a dick. But on first read through the book works, gets the response it wants and only after thinking about it do you find the flaws. 3/5

Walking Dead #91 - At this point in time you either read the Walking Dead or you don't. The art is great as always and the story is still moving along. This issue is a little bit more resolution and build up over the last few issues of big events. It is a breather issue while giving Sophie (who needs to be found in the show already) and Andrea (who could just die already in the show) a few good character moments. If anything my only criticism is as a stand alone issue this doesn't offer much, unlike the more recent ones, but it will work great in the trade. 4/5

Incredible Hulk #2 - I don't know what I think about Bruce Banner being an immoral mad scientist trying to get the Hulk back after seperating them. I also don't know about undoing the excellent ending to Pak's run on Hulk off panel. But it has happened and we must move on when dealing with corporate comics and I shall. The Banner parts of this story just don't jive with me. I can't see him experimenting on anything and everything due to being sad he isn't Hulk anymore, especially what he does at the end, pure evil move; I also don't see Betty/She-Hulk leaving like she does in a flashback outside of editorial mandate so she can be in the Defenders. So that part of the book doesn't work for me. The Hulk part where he fights giant sharks on the other hand, now that works! Why can't the book just be that? The mysterious government woman who keeps flirting with Hulk can die though, don't care one bit. Just give me Hulk fighting giant monsters! The art is a bit of an issue, the issue got a ton of flack for many fill in artists on this the second issue and from an Image founder at that, many jokes flew. But since Silvestri is apparently dealing with a medical problem it is very understandable. The art won't impact the final result which I'm afraid is a bit low due to Banner weirdness. 2/5

Wonder Woman #3 - Did I read a weirdly mixed issue? It felt to me like the first dozen pages were in the wrong order, I should have tried a different copy to find out for sure. Besides that little snafu though, this continues an interesting take on the Amazon. We find out in this issue that Diana wasn't made from clay after all and that her mother actually had an affair with Zeus himself to conceive her. The story of lust and keeping it hidden from bards and Gods alike takes up a bit of the issue as is building to it and resolving it. This issue is sadly a bit of filler and makes me question why did WW ever go to Paradise Island in the first place when she just turns around and leaves. I'm still invested in this story after the first two issues, but this one added nothing beyond giving WW a daddy and showing angry Amazons. Thankfully the art is still wonderfully done and I am invested from before. 3/5

Witch Doctor #4 - what a fun ride this book has been! With this issue our good doctor and his lackeys fight Cthulhu's Deep Ones in only a way a doctor of the occult could. This issue is also the first to start tying things together, showing the greater world outside of the occult medical emergencies and start to thread it all together. This is the final issue of this series, with a one shot coming out shortly and another series to follow shortly. If you haven't been reading this I highly recommend picking up the trade when it is released since odds are your comic shop criminally under ordered this. 5/5

comics review 11/16/11

This is a quick pellet review of superhero comics released world wide today. The review is from the top of my head and written on the train ride to work after reading them before.

Batman #3 - This book should be titled Detective Comics, Batman is in pure detective mode throughout as both he and we discover more and more about the Order of the Owl and its ties to both Gotham and the Wayne family. I can't discuss too much more without breaking down the mystery itself which is well done and building so perfectly. There is little action to the book and I could care less honestly. The artwork is strong and goes from being the right kind of moody to showing the light of Bruce Wayne perfectly. 4/5

Justice League #3 - Now this was a fun and entertaining comic. While Green Lantern keeps acting like a tool with Batman, Superman, and the Flash kicking ass and acting professional during their fight with the Parademons, the bulk of the issue focuses on Wonder Woman and the creation of Cyborg. The Wonder Woman stuff is great and shows off both her compassion and bad assness which is very welcome. When Wonder Woman joins the fight there is some good interactions with the characters which makes up a lot for the decompression feel of the story. The character who appears on the final page, and how they proclaim they should be leader made me smile and want to read the next issue. The art is well, it is Jim Lee, it is well done and dynamic, exactly the quality you expect. 5/5

Nightwing #3 - we continue to dig deeper into Dick's past with the circus while dealing with the death of the owner and apparent life long protector of Dick. Dick seems to be one to run from his past a bit or so is accused as such by former friends. It is a very interesting look at the most under explored side of his life, the circus life outside of just his family. While Nightwing's fight in the middle of an issue with a former circus friend now turned hitman/hitman liaison, was pretty well thought out and artfully done it left me a bit baffled. I take it the guy knew it was Dick in the suit, I mean he grew up with the guy and it isn't hard to tell otherwise with that mask if you know Dick Grayson, but why did they fight? Just because he didn't want to admit he didn't know who it was who killed the circus owner? Seems forced for the sake of needing a fight scene and introduce a (throw away?) character who has ties to the main character's past to add some "depth". The character interactions are what makes this issue worth while, the people of the circus feel like fleshed out characters and the flashbacks work well to strengthen that. The reveal of who hired the killer is a bit out of a procedural cop show, but still works for the purposes of the story. The artwork is well done and capably shows Nightwing flying and fighting while also working well for all the character work being done. 4/5

Red Hood and the Outlaws #3 - This book continues to read as fan fiction gone wrong. We are without random Starfire sleeping with people or her being more scantily clad, but it still is far from a good or compelling issue. Apparently Arsenal has been suicidal for years now, and once tried to use Killer Croc as a means of suicide, what!?!? This kind of stuff made me not care for the character in the first place, so not happy it continues. Also confused how he was Green Arrow's sidekick when it seems like GA is still new to the game in his own book. Really the only thing that was enjoyable in the issue were the last few pages featuring a young Jason Todd as Robin being too sick to go out on patrol, it is heartwarming and the opposite of what I would ever expect from this book. 1.75/5

X-23 #17 - when did this book become so much fun? X-23 (or Laura) is hanging out with Gambit who is back to being a charming and dangerous Cajun once again, she has an odd but flirtatious relationship with Hellion who doesn't come off as a complete tool while still keeping some of his assholish qualities, and she now baby sits for the Future Foundation! The story is pretty simple, discussion of the previous adventure and other issues of the past are discussed, Hellion and Laura have an aggresive and odd flirtatious fight/discussion, Gambit acts all suave and bad ass, and then Laura meets with the Invisible Woman and starts baby sitting for Franklin and Val Richards who just want to use a small nuclear explosive to go back in time to pet a dinosaur. What follows is traditional Adventures in Baby Sitting fair, a boy (Hellion) wants to come over, the kids get into trouble (something big and scaley arrives via Val's messing around with technology) and the parents are currently none the wiser. The cover even is an homage to the movie Adventures in Baby Sitting which is what made me pick up the issue in the first place. Speaking of the art, it is great. The painted style works so well for the book and the characters are crisp and the facial expressions are spot on making the dialogue superfluous at times to read the book. The pure fun and the interesting interactions in the book make me want to read more which is saying a lot of a book about the female clone of Wolverine. 5/5

The Twice Dead Man Part Four

Part 4: Times Gone Past

The man ran down the street, fighting to not stumble as he was too exhausted from the chase. Two men had started herding him through the alleys and streets. He had been out too late, drank too much, and these men were skilled. The man jerked his head back, trying to see if he happened to have lost the men. He hadn't seen them for a few minutes now, so many twists and turns had him so lost, hopefully they were just as confused and lost, the man hoped. The man stopped and pressed against a brick wall, taking a much needed breather. It took a few seconds before he felt the warmth of the blood seeping against his skin, soaking his shirt. He never felt the sharp blade, he thought that very odd.

He awoke sometime later, tied down to a metal table with leather straps pinning down his arms and legs. His chest throbbed in pain, a purple hue shimmered where his chest should have been.

A man in a lab coat peered into view with a smile. “You have awoken finally, don't worry the worst of it is already over. The radioactive compound in your chest succeeded in bringing you back and should give you a nice long second life, 100 years at least. Now this next bit may hurt a bit, I'm not sure if you feel pain anymore,” the man then pulled out a bone saw and his patient passed out before the blade ever touched his skin.

The next time the man woke up he was walking through the streets and wrapped in a trench coat. He lurched forward and was unable to control his extremities. He launched himself into a giant wooden door, turning it into splinters, a man was in the house who jumped to his feet in terror and tried to run away. He didn't make it far before the purple hued man killed him with his bare hands. It wasn't until he left the home before he could feel the warm blood on his fingers. He still couldn't control his movement, heading back towards the lab he was sure, but no clue how he knew where it was.

This continued for several nights, he would be tested upon in the lab and then with no control over himself he would go about wreaking havoc upon some stranger. One night while he was eliminating another stranger, a burst of electricity ran threw him, granting for a few short moments control over his body. He was so disoriented it took him nearly the whole fleeting time to actually take a few steps on his way outside and to freedom. A painful surge went down from the top of his spine on down and control was taken away from him once again.

“I'm afraid I don't know much else Dhargey, the nights out are dream like, I can barely remember any particulars, just my time there in the lab.... Wait I remember something else, behind the smiling man in the lab coat stood someone, standing far behind him. Watching intently and without expression, I only saw his face once, it looked inhuman, like some horrible accident had torn into his face.”

The Green Lama nodded, “it is alright my friend, that is enough. We shall go after these men, and stop the evil they are committing.”

Old NaNoWriMo Steampunk Thing

This is a short thing from a past NaNoWriMo that I thought I would share. Set in a steampunk China, it is the start of the long war between China and Japan in the late 1800s, but you know more steampunky.

We woke before sunrise in preparation. My platoon gathered our weapons and neared the front line in anticipation of the Japanese forces. There ships were seen landing on shore the evening before and an attack was imminent. At dawn we all prayed to the Gods for safety and victory, it was the last time I saw many of my men smile. A little bit after dawn we saw the first enemy banner. Seven large boats that moved across the earth came forward.

One of their soldiers carrying a banner rode a horse close to us. He was obviously unarmed so we allowed him to move but watched the walls closely. Every last gun in our possession was set on this man and the land ships behind him.

The man cried out, “We ask that you put your guns away and surrender peacefully. Give praise to our he Emperor and we will let you live.”

The men were sure it was all a ruse and laughed. The soldier yelled out, “Very well” and then returned to the seven land ships. The ships were out of our range... not that I think it would have mattered, not with what was on them.

The front of the massive land ships opened and huge armored behemoths walked from them. They spewed out steam as they moved, obscuring themselves. These machines were the size of three men and the earth itself shook as they moved toward us. I could hear fearful remarks from my men. I ordered them to hold themselves, do they not remember who they were? Once the first machine was within range we fired a lobby of shots. Heat filled the air as our bolts flew forward. I remember holding my breath, waiting for the steam to clear. Surely 100 shots would reduce the machine to rubble. These things seemed to have no ranged attacks, we would have this whole battle won in minutes.

Then I saw the machine continue to lumber forward. It hesitated for a second then picked up speed. The steam behind it increased as it raced towards my men. We fired shot after shot, our best weapons were fired at this thing and it barely slowed. Cannons made direct contact with the monstrosity, our attacks only succeeded in killing our spirits.

When the machine made it to us my men were already scattering. Many of the platoons were already in chaos. Any that weren't soon were. Their machine ran through several soldiers, leaving puddles of blood where they once stood. The thing's arms would reach out and strike down men with no issue. Steam continued to pour out of it causing even more confusion as men tried to fight or flee. I tried to call for retreat, not that it mattered anymore.

I started to flee, grabbing one of my men who was either too stupid or scared to move. We made our way back towards the camp as another machine appeared from the mass of steam. It had a giant sword in it's arm, it was shaped like a katana and it sliced easily through soldiers. The soldier I was with was decapitated by the blade. I threw my weapons down and tried to show the machine I was no longer armed. The monstrosity looked my way, or at least faced me and then quickly went away from me continuing it's attack.

About ten minutes later I had made it away from that field of death. A handful of our men were there to meet me and a few more staggered in afterwards. Soon the battle field cleared of steam and we saw the amount of death those machines had caused. Hundreds of men were mutilated. As the highest ranking officer left alive and in the area, I was the one who agreed to our defeat. These machines will be the end of us. They are unstoppable.

Signed Sergeant Yao Tsing 4th Platoon of the Silver Army

The Silent Ballad of Doctor Teeth

James is yelling again, I can’t recall why. He is being too loud. If I could build the courage, I would beg him to quiet down. I can’t, I can’t make the slightest of noises. If James continues being so loud, he will come. He is the reason I am so quiet. He demands my silence; or would, if he ever spoke.

His name is Dr Teeth, and he has taken care of me for as long as I can remember. Whenever bad things happened, he would step in. With a big smile, he just came along and fixed it all. My father, who yelled and beat me, the huge dog that lived next door who snarled and bit me, my abusive ex boyfriend... he took care of each one.

James bellows something that makes me look up. A forehead peeks around the door frame behind James; a giant grin slowly follows. The smile is full of yellow teeth, the grin distracts from the rest of his nightmarish face. My gasp rings through my ears, but James ignores me, still screaming in anger. I try to use my eyes to plead with him. Dr Teeth doesn’t like noise; the last thing I want is….

Behind James, Dr Teeth creeps forward. Every movement made is silent, slow and exaggerated. James slams his fist into his hand. His punches are loud, fast, and expressing his anger. He tells me my puppy dog eyes won't be enough this time. My eyes dart between the two moving figures. As Dr Teeth nears James I do the unthinkable, I very meekly say, “please be quiet”.

James reaches back to slap me. Before his hand moves to hit me his whole body is spun around. Dr Teeth quickly, elegantly, quietly, moves his arm in an arc. The sound of blood gurgling from the wound echoes through the room. James falls onto the couch next to me, his throat cut cleanly. The blood spills onto my lap. I try to remain silent. Dr Teeth cleans off his switchblade, his smile reflecting in the shimmer of the metal.

When things in my life get too loud and scary, Dr Teeth comes along to save me. The first time he to my rescue, my father was found hanging in the bedroom, his belt around his neck... the neighbor's dog had his head crushed by a giant rock... my ex boyfriend was..... oh God, not again.

I look up at Dr Teeth through tear soaked eyes, his grin is gone and he's shaking his head at me. His cold finger touches my lips; he wants me to be quiet. I can't take it anymore. I'm tired of controlling myself for him. My crying gets louder, I wail, all the years of silent obedience are released. I scream so loud the apartment shakes. Dr Teeth is taken aback, there seems to be a look of confusion on his face. I stop crying and look up at him. He cocks his head to the side taking an appraisal of me. His grin slowly creeps its way across his face.

Shaking, I stand up. Dr Teeth is still watching me, his ugly grin glowing at me. I open my mouth and scream. The apartment shakes. I fall back onto the couch. I let the tears pour out. I remain loud as possible, releasing my frustrations.

Dr Teeth thrusts his arm out, there should be sound as the switchblade opens. Dr Teeth never makes any noise. He puts a finger to his lips, his other hand swinging down. The sharp blade swoops towards me. He finally makes a noise.

SSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The Twice Dead Man Part Three

Part 3: The Strength of the Green Lama

Two giant hands slammed against the Green Lama's cloaked head, hammering him into the ground. Before he could pull himself together he was slammed into again as the purple hued creature shoved its weight into him sending him flying back again.

While Dhargey had spent most of his life learning the ways of Buddhism and the mystical arts, he still had little experience in physical combat. He usually abhorred the use of violence, and only went to it as an absolute last resort, knowing sometimes he had to make such sacrifices for the greater good. Nonetheless, he had learned that his increased strength whenever his strikes did land stopped fights easily. It also helped that he could fly.

He flew up into the air, above where the inhuman thing could possibly reach him. The Green Lama then quickly turned and flew down into the creature, knocking him hard through the fence and into a wooden pole. The thing quickly jumped up and leapt towards the Green Lama who flew up again and then slammed his feet and body downwards.

The crash to the ground shook everything around where it landed causing the wooden pole behind it to crack and break. The power line it held up fell to the ground, creating giant sparks to fly across the ground. The Green Lama lowered into sight of the creature, electricity streaking behind his cape.

The creature let out a shriek of terror, it took a second for the Green Lama to realize it was the leaping sparks that frightened the beast. Calmly, he spoke to the creature, “I won't let it hurt you anymore, just let me help you...please.”

The purple light seemed to dim around the creature as it visibly shook, “hurt... ” it muttered.

Then a pulse seemed to hit it, knocking its head to the side forcing it to its feet. The creature slowly moved towards the Green Lama, its pace quickened to a mild jog which was easily dodged. The ground moved as the creature and the power line met, electricity surging through the frightened thing. A few seconds later the power line, the creature, and the city around them had gown quiet and still. The Green Lama moved towards the now pale creature he once thought was a revenant with a gloom look on his face.

The creature now looked all too human and laying breathless softly spoke, “Help me, please.”

Green Lama looked down upon the creature with pity and guilt, “Of course my friend, let's get you out of here before the police arrive. You can explain what is going on, and who has been hurting you and forcing you to kill.”

The man like creature slowly nodded, “they killed me and brought me back...forced me to murder for them...they must be stopped.”

The Twice Dead Man Part Two

Part 2: The Glowing Monster of the Streets

Dhargey stood over his small bed and looked over the sprawled out items that covered his sheets. Collected on the meager bed were magical items collected over the many incarnations of his past lives. From the Gauntlets of the Whispering Monk to the Horn of Ajuna, many items had come into the possession of the Protector of Buddhism. Through each life, he strives to help others find enlightenment and protect the innocent from the external evils that threatened them. Tonight that evil was a revenant.

Morris Klaw had been the one to surmise the creature's identity and how to track it. Morris had found Dhargey on his twelfth birthday, the day he found out that he was the reincarnation of the Green Lama, the anonymous defender of the people, so called for the green prayer robe he wore while taking on the various evils that faced Tibet and the world, especially those of the supernatural kind.

Dhargey collected the items he would need, and put them into the pouches on his belt making sure to carefully check each one closed properly. Soft whispers of a long dead language passed his lips, once he finished speaking the words the spell was complete, concealing his face in shadows from any who may wish him harm. He then put on his green cloak and slid the hood over his head. Finally after speaking the prayer, “om mani padme hum,” which grants him the ability to fly and gains superhuman strength, Dhargey had completed his transformation into the Green Lama. Slowly lifting off the ground, the Green Lama flew out Dhargey's apartment window and focused on the locater spell Morris Klaw had cast so the revenant could be found.

There were a few common tactics to stop a revenant, try to reconnect it with its humanity so you can reason with the creature's soul, encircle it with salt and then use the proper rites to release the soul from the revenant, or burn the remains when it is docile. The Green Lama had brought a bag of salt to trap the beast if reason would not work. To help him reach the creature's human soul, he had put on a bracelet composed entirely hairs of a conclave of priests called the Grinning Confiders. While very fragile, the accessory has been known to help calm down anyone who hears the wearer speak.

The creature was wearing a trench coat and a hat as it approached a large, quiet house. Landing between the creature and the gate, the Green Lama spoke gently.
“Listen to me. I know you are a bit confused, and angry, whatever these people did to you was wrong and you have suffered. But, I can't let you hurt anymore people.”
The revenant paused and blinked at the Green Lama, it gazed upon him in a perplexed manner.

The Green Lama gave the revenant a soothing smile and continued, “Just listen to my words. You were a person before, just because you were forced from this life does not mean you must seek vengeance. You can talk to me, and we can make sure whatever evil thing these people did is brought to light. There can still be justice without any more...”

The revenant convulsed until words fought there way from its mouth, “They made me.... into this... help me....”.

The creature grabbed its head and let out a loud scream, knocking the hat from its head. It hunched down in pain, then suddenly it sprung upright and gave a look of pure hate. The revenant lunged forward, the Green Lama quickly leapt backwards knocking against the black iron gate behind him.

The Green Lama grabbed a pouch from his belt and poured salt across the ground in front of him. Since reason seemed to fail, he would just trap the revenant and help its soul gain peace using other means.

The revenant neared the salt and easily stepped over it, shoving its whole entire mass into a single punch that sent the Green Lama right through the iron cast gate.

The Green Lama's cloak was enchanted to protect the wearer from a hit as mighty as a kick of the strongest horse from the Mongolian Steppes, yet he had felt the creature's punch. Desperately trying to catch his breath as he stood up the Green Lama was sure of two things, whatever the creature in front of him was, it wasn't a revenant, and it was about to hit him again...

The Twice Dead Man Part One

Part One: In Which Moris Klaw Awakes to a Bloody Murder

Daniel Tapert grabbed the brandy from the shelf and walked over to his desk. He was positive he was next, they should have left well enough alone. But Samuel was convinced that they could get more money with his plan. Why had he listened? He couldn't go to the police, they were just as likely to throw him in jail as they were to laugh at his insane story. Not that the police could help, not with what the papers were saying had happened to Samuel and Bruce... No, Daniel was doing the right thing running away.

As soon as Thomas arrived with the money, the papers, and the car, he would be leaving California for good. Maybe he would go to Europe, there was that château in France his parents use to take him when he was young, it was long past time he should visit.

The door creaked open behind Daniel, he turned around, relieved that Thomas finally arrived, the brandy glass still in hand.

“It took you long enough Thomas, do you have all the papers I asked for? Thomas?”

Inside the open door stood a large hulking man in a trench coat and a hat, a slight purple hue softly shimmers off his skin. The man methodically lurked towards Daniel.

“I...no, you don't need to be here. I am leaving! You can tell him I am going away. I won't be any trouble at all. It was Samuel who came up with the plan. He and Bruce forced me to do it.... I please, I will give you anything you want....”

The glowing man continued forward, unphased by Daniel's pleading.

“Please! Just.... leave me be!” Daniel drops to his knees, begging for his life.

The man's hands fit around each side of Daniel's head, in one quick motion he twists Daniel's head around, killing him instantly.

****************************************************************************

Moris Klaw's eyes sprung open as the dream ended. His head rested on a small velvet pillow in the library where Daniel Tapert's maimed body had been found. Moris' long gray hair and grayer shaggy beard stuck to his skin from the hot sweat of the dream. Even after having dreamt of thousands of murders, Moris could not keep himself from sweating. The body heat of the victim just rose too much for it to be stopped, especially when the victim was such a coward as Mr. Tapert.

The police officer who stood over him started to question him with impatiance in his voice. “What did you see Mister Klaw? Do you know who has been committing these murders?”

Moris scowled at the young man, “There was once a time that men of justice and power respected the seers, Agias of Sparta was never rushed and he had to deal with a Spartan general. Kindly let an old man reconnect with things before interrogating him. If my daughter were here she would not take kindly to such insults, be glad you only have to deal with an old man like myself.”

Moris lifted his head from the sterilized pillow on the floor and motioned for his black cane. The police officer quickly moved to grab the cane from the desk and handed it to the old man. Moris Klaw slowly stood up, his old bones creaked and cracked until he stood completely upright then moved to a slouching position resting on the cane.

“A purple glow gives away your man. But he is well beyond the care of any police. I will give your case to an old friend of mine who specializes in such matters.”

“Your friend commonly deals with glowing men?” the grinning officer asked.

Moris hit the officer's fingers with the dragon head of his cane. “This is the kind of smart mouth antics that would leave you in terrible pain if my daughter were here, instead she is off on an important errand for me. She is retrieving the... ah what do you care, you don't respect your elders at all. The glowing man is too strange and strong for the police. Which means you will have to employ one of the masked men to take down the threat... You are going to need the Green Lama.”

The Green Lama is coming!

Sometime tomorrow I will be starting a quick little series of serials focusing on the public domain character, the Green Lama. I started working on these after a friend invited a bunch of us to work on stories set in the same universe featuring whatever public domain characters we wished to use, I of course picked the Budhist super hero, and decided to change some things about him to make him work better for me. What followed was a series of flash fiction that I worked on weekly that continued the story and was made up on the day I wrote it. The rules were simple, it had to be between 500 and 1000 words, and unless it was finishing up the arc, it had to end on a cliffhanger/lead in. Due to life happening the group kind of stopped working on their stories and so did I. But I have been wanting to mess around with this more, have fun writing some flash fiction in a pulpy adventure sense, and more importantly, get some stories written. So starting tomorrow and every following Tuesday for the foreseeable time, I present to you the Green Lama in his first adventure (written by me):