Bought/Thoughtfest, June 22, 2011, Rocking the Spoilers All Week Long!

[Texas]

It wasn't defensive at all. Well, defensive of Fraction, maybe, but not me being defensive in the face of some flippant insult. Please stop.

Seriously, all I originally/meant to say was that Fraction (and other writers) tend to write their characters smarter/stronger when in their own books.

 

[JewishHobbit]

Since Phaed asked a little bit ago... I finally saw Green Lantern last night. Despite bad reviews I actually enjoyed the movie quite a lot. It's not one of the best superhero movies I've ever seen but it's not exactly in the "Batman & Robin" category either. I hope it makes enough to warrent a sequel, as I think a sequel without having to cover all the origin stuff for the Green Lantern mythology would be a lot better, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Themanofbat]

In spite of its poor box office, WB claims they are still going to make a GL2... they're about to lose Harry Potter & Batman, so I guess they are looking to make a successful franchise somewhere else...

 

[runawayboulder]

I don't have any intention of seeing Green Lantern. But from what I've heard, the 3-D bubble has popped this summer due to the economy and GL is getting screwed over by it.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I hate 3D.

And I'm glad to hear they plan on making the sequel. Focus the next one on Sinestro and if it does well then the third could evolve into the Sinestro Corps War... though I'm not sure what they'd do after that. I dont' see a "War of Light" doing well on the big screen.

 

[moraldeficiency]

I'm color blind so 3-D just gives me a headache and looks blurry

 

[runawayboulder]

It gives me headaches too. I was constantly taking off the glasses and rubbing my eyes during the movie. That can't be good for you.

 

[Hound55]

Asgardian magic killed him. Maybe Odin just patches him up after all's said and done. "Valkyrie, go to Valhalla and fetch that fellow with the star on his chest. Yes, I know he just died like yesterday, but these mortals seem to like him and they did just save us from the Serpent after I turned tail and ran like a giant, Santa-Claus-bearded *****. Guess I owe 'em something."

I'm all for this providing that this is a direct quote from Odin... spoken into an Asgardian intercom.

"Yes, Mr Odin."

 

[Reikowolf]

like your avatar Hound55.

there's a good reason why 3D fails fundamentally. Walter Murch, a well respected sound editor had something along these lines to say (I'm paraphrasing of course).

Aside from the fact that a film maker should produce something in 3D from its inception if they intend to make it in 3D, as creating a post 3D overlay would result in a poor layer effect, a film maker must also consider shooting in a style that permits 3D.

The first issue is, the overlay, has the same flaw as when hollywood began making B&W movies into Color. If each scene is not specifically reviewed for tone and color, the effect is not consistent and looks like simple paper layers (Paper Mario/ Duke Nukem 3D Sprite style as it were). The reason for this is because when a movie is shot, the camera moves in a 3D environment, the film however will always appear as a 2D image to the viewer.

the second issue is actually shooting (as in operating a camera) for a 3D environment. Say you actually shot in 3D to ensure that your movie doesn't look like a cheap overlay, your audience may still get headaches if you don't consider the 3D effect while filming. This is not just considering what is going to look fancy coming at the viewer; but more the focal length of the footage.

the human eye is trained to focus on the object nearest first. So when you shoot something with a shallow depth of field (sharp focus on a small spot, while everything else is blurry) you have to make sure that the object that is in focus, is at the very front of the viewer, or their eyes get confused and will look at the blurry stuff first. Then, the viewer begins to get headaches because, in an attempt to rectify their vision, they fight their eyes instinctual order of viewing. A good example is in the new Alice in Wonderland (which was shot in 3D), when alice looks down the rabbit hole; she is in the background, in sharp focus, but the tunnel is in the foreground, blurry. The viewer will first look at the tunnel and then Alice.

The long and short of it is simply the fact that 3D is not just about presenting fancy layers; but considering the effect this will have on the human eye.

Oddly enough, it's also why Avatar is considered so good. James Cameron knew this and shot it with the express purpose of ensuring that the 3D met these parameters. Something other 3D productions have failed to consider.

haha. Oh, and I wanted to know what everyone is thinking of the death of spider-man.

specifically the Ultimates Arc with the asian spider-man fighting hulk-nick fury etc.

 

[Phaedrus45]

My oh my! I have neglected this week's bought/thought thread; because, I picked up a new book, "Confessions of a Prairie *****," and couldn't put it down. Anyway, I've caught up on my comic reading, and I'll try and pop out some quickie reviews.

Spider-Man #15

Tobin's Marvel Adventure line continues to go majorly downhill. These books used to be cute, fun reads; but, now they resemble the early years of Marvel Adventures Spider-Man. I wonder if Marvel told him to make it more 'kid friendly' ... which means ridiculous storylines that are done-in-one.

There was a time I was begging this book to never be cancelled. Now, I wouldn't miss it (or Super Heroes) a bit.

X-Men Legacy #251 and New Mutants #26

Another good issue of X-Men Legacy. As the team hunts down Legacy's missing personas, this team is gelling well together. I especially loved the way Susan In Sunshine was defeated. It was so sad ... and cute.

As for New Mutants, I love Abnett and Lanning's concept of taking care of old X-Men unfinished business. It's great to see Nate and Candy Man back in the the pages of an x-title.

Both books easily get a !

Incredible Hulks #631

The Pak era just gets closer to it's conclusion; and, for me, the highlight will always be Planet Hulk. Sadly, that happened years ago. Now, with Amadeus being back in the picture, this title has too much of a comical approach that makes me not take it too seriously. While seeing some of these old villians return might be great, Pak uses them more as a joke than a serious threat.

Sigil #4

I was hoping for great things with these new CrossGen titles. Sigil, sadly, didn't do much for me. I liked the other book, Ruse, much better. I know a third title will be released soon; but, unless the stories get better, I think CrossGen will just go away again.

DMZ #66

A done-in-one story about what Zee's been up to, and filled with flashbacks on her life, specifically with Matty. Well done, and a nice little tale before the next storyarc wraps up this book. I won't say I'm going to miss it, as it went on a bit too long for my tastes. Here's hoping it ends with a bang.

Batman and the Outsiders #40

I dropped this title about six months ago. The Outsiders has always been a book struggling for an identity, and this final issue goes out of it's way to show that. I feel sorry for readers who have stuck through this book; because, as endings go, this book really tanked it. We get 6 double-page spreads (that's over half the book!) of flashbacks of the various versions of the Outsiders that have existed over the years; and, Didio and Tan end the battle of Markovia with having Batman swoop in out of nowhere, giving all 13 members of the Outsiders amnesty, and leave with them. Only Brion remains behind to pick up the pieces of his tattered country.

Flashpoint Kid Flash Lost #1

This week was probably the weakest of all the tie-ins that I've read this month. Each issue held my interest, mainly because I wanted to know what was happening with the various characters. But, they just weren't done anywhere as well as the previous issues I've discussed.

In this issue, Kid Flash is an anomaly sent back to the 31st century, where he teams up with a new version of Hot Pursuit (Patty Spivot from the previous Flash comic), as they take on Braniac. (Boy, am I TIRED of Braniac lately!!!)

A mild .

Flashpoint Reverse Flash #1

If you want to know about Reverse Flash's origin, this is a great book to read. It's pretty much a recap of how he came into existance to the point where he decides to kill Barry's mother. It's a good companion to Flashpoint, too.

Lois Lane and the Resistance #1

Sometimes Abnett and Lanning do some wonderful stuff; and, other times, it feels like they are either phoning it in...or have too big of a work load. This comic tells of how Lois Lane survived the flooding of Europe (yeah, not very believable), how Jimmy Olsen died (ok...I did like seeing that), and what leads her to be a member of the Amazon resistance. Sadly, it has that rushed feel.

Kind of sloppy in its telling; but, it held my interest enough. Like with Kid Flash, a very mild .

The Outsider #1

Again, the comic that will probably get the least sales this week is the best, imo. It links nicely with a scene from the main title (a nice touch), and this rather Lex Luthor-looking villian, The Outsider, has me very interested in what happens next issue.

A strong !

I do have to say that I think Marvel is doing one thing better with their event than DC is doing. I love that some of Marvel's main titles are linking their stories up to the Fear Itself event. DC should have done that, too; as, I find myself a whole lot more interested in the DC tie-ins than DC's regular titles. I just feel that with the change coming in September, current storylines aren't that important. In fact, many of them feel as if they are being rushed to a conclusion, or we're simply getting generic stories to take up the time until the big change up.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Superman #712

Case in point to what I was saying above...this story defines "filler." I'm seriously wondering if it's some lost tale that DC never used, as we get a story with sparse dialogue. It tells of Krypto being upset with the death of Conner. (Oh, yes...from Final Crisis!) Krypto goes around to some locations that Superboy used to visit or fight, feeling very upset. Then, we see him mourning the loss of Superman, when he left for a year to go to New Krypton. It doesn't fit into current storylines in the least!

That said, this Busiek issue was a lot more enjoyable than the crap we've been getting in the last year. No title will benifit from September's DC revival than Superman.

Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search For Swamp Thing #1

Good issue. Making John Constantine as the narrator and main character in this search for the Swamp Thing was a nice touch. By issue's end, we discover that Alec Holland has become a separate entity from the Swamp Thing, and as a result, old Swampy is causing major trouble. About the only problem with this story is that DC has done it before (most recently with The Demon). Still, I felt I got my money's worth ... and, the scene between Constantine and Batman is worth the cover price of this issue.

Mighty Thor #3

So much praise for this title, and, while it's better than the first storyarc, I still absolutely HATE this title. Most glaring is how ridiculous Fraction makes Volstagg behave, which is a sharp contrast to what we're seeing in Journey Into Mystery. That other title makes this one pale HEAVILY in comparison. In fact, after reading the five-issue mini of Silver Surfer that ended this week, which comes right before events in this book, I feel myself sadly missing that more complex, detailed characterization of the Silver Surfer. All this is made so much worse by knowing these events all are happening in the past, and that this story hold ZERO SIGNIFICANCE to current events in Fear Itself. It doesn't matter what happens here, because all these characters survive.

About the only scene that entertained me was between Sif and Loki. That was funny. (And, frankly, it's nice to see Sif getting some page-time.) One scene does not make for a good review, though.

Deadpool #39

As Deadpool stories go nowadays, this one was decent. God knows we've read much, much worse from Way. Hulk versus 'Pool is nice; but, we all know that Wade's wanting to die, just to hook up with Death, will be forgotten by the next storyarc. (Boy, do I miss what Kelly used to do with this title.)

A mild .

Captain America #619

I really liked this storyarc; but, it's greatly hurt by the knowledge that Bucky is currently dead. It's strange, because events in this issue makes it feel like certain storylines are going to be left dangling. What worked really well was the three different storylines all coming together in the end; and, I loved how the different artists got to relay those stories. (I hope we see a lot more of Samnee.)

It's too bad Bucky got killed off. For the first time in a while, I find myself interested in his character, especially since he's lost the mantle of Captain America.

Carnage #5

Good ending to this mini, which is only hampered by Crain's dark artistic style. I didn't even mind the new symbiote, Scorn. (Ok, the name is rather silly.) It's nice to see these old Spidey characters return. Can't wait to see more of them.

Silver Surfer #5

I know some people really didn't get turned on to this title; but, it was a very well told story by a writer who understood the character of Silver Surfer much better than many others. (Ahem, Fraction.) I loved the involvement of Suzi Endo, and even though we've seen the High Evolutionary too recently, this was a much better tale than in Iron Man/Thor. Good appearance by the Fantastic Four, too!

 

[Phaedrus45]

Ultimate Spider-Man #160

The death of Ultimate Spidey. Yep, he's dead in the end. Not a trick, not a ploy! (We'll see if he stays dead for long. Maybe Bendis will pull a Other on us.) While not as well done as that previous issue, this one still packs a punch. Bendis did a decent job, even though this reeks of "please buy my book again."

Ultimate Avengers Vs. New Ultimates #5

Meanwhile, this issue was a hot, steaming pile of crap! OH, my. It jumped around so much. It felt sloppy and rushed, and the tie-in with Death Of Spider-Man happened two issues ago and is over (from what I can tell...we still have one more issue to go).

Secret Avengers #14

I liked this issue. I loved how Spencer gives readers a done-in-one tie-in with Fear Itself, and it's always a pleasure to see Valkyrie get promoted. Sure, it's not what Secret Avengers readers are expecting; but, it's much better than what Brubaker was giving us.

Iron Man 2.0 #6

And, Spencer continues to impress me with his other Marvel title, Iron Man 2.0. War Machine has NEVER been so interesting! And, while JH is only sticking around because of the Immortal Weapons, I find there is much more to love about this book. (Too bad that Fear Itself is taking us away from the original storyline of this title; but, it might help to recruit a few more readers, in the hopes this book lasts longer than War Machine's previous series.)


Ok, it's really late (or, actually, really early). I couldn't get to sleep, and now I've been up far too long doing reviews for the last hour or so.

 

[Reikowolf]

Ultimate Avengers Vs. New Ultimates #5

Meanwhile, this issue was a hot, steaming pile of crap! OH, my. It jumped around so much. It felt sloppy and rushed, and the tie-in with Death Of Spider-Man happened two issues ago and is over (from what I can tell...we still have one more issue to go).

.

I could not agree more. Get ready for HULKED OUT HEROES! lol

what a joke.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Case in point to what I was saying above...this story defines "filler." I'm seriously wondering if it's some lost tale that DC never used, as we get a story with sparse dialogue. It tells of Krypto being upset with the death of Conner. (Oh, yes...from Final Crisis!) Krypto goes around to some locations that Superboy used to visit or fight, feeling very upset. Then, we see him mourning the loss of Superman, when he left for a year to go to New Krypton. It doesn't fit into current storylines in the least!

It actually is a lost tale that DC never used. I remember this issue actually being solicited over four years ago when Kurt Busiek was on the book. It was originally supposed to be released with Superman #659 and then again with Superman #662, but DC pulled the story both times.

Also Superboy died in Infinite Crisis and came back during Final Crisis. And Superman didn't leave for New Krypton, most of all, Connor was back by the time he went to New Krypton. The story was set during the time Superman lost his powers after he flew Superboy Prime through a Kryptonite infested Rao with the Earth-2 Superman at the end of Infinite Crisis. This would make the story set sometime during 52.

 

[Drz]

I could not agree more. Get ready for HULKED OUT HEROES! lol

what a joke.

It makes sense in the Ultimate Marvel with militirized super soldiers, giant men and whatnot. It was only inevitable when the military could get ahold of the Hulk serum and use it for their advantage it.

 

[Dread]

Superman #712

Case in point to what I was saying above...this story defines "filler." I'm seriously wondering if it's some lost tale that DC never used, as we get a story with sparse dialogue. It tells of Krypto being upset with the death of Conner. (Oh, yes...from Final Crisis!) Krypto goes around to some locations that Superboy used to visit or fight, feeling very upset. Then, we see him mourning the loss of Superman, when he left for a year to go to New Krypton. It doesn't fit into current storylines in the least!

That said, this Busiek issue was a lot more enjoyable than the crap we've been getting in the last year. No title will benifit from September's DC revival than Superman.

It actually is a lost tale that DC never used. I remember this issue actually being solicited over four years ago when Kurt Busiek was on the book. It was originally supposed to be released with Superman #659 and then again with Superman #662, but DC pulled the story both times.

Also Superboy died in Infinite Crisis and came back during Final Crisis. And Superman didn't leave for New Krypton, most of all, Connor was back by the time he went to New Krypton. The story was set during the time Superman lost his powers after he flew Superboy Prime through a Kryptonite infested Rao with the Earth-2 Superman at the end of Infinite Crisis. This would make the story set sometime during 52.

This isn't even HALF the story. The original SUPERMAN #712, as originally solicited and advertised even on DC's official website, was to be another Chris Roberson chapter of "GROUNDED" in which Superman was to head to L.A. and run into a young hero named Sharif, who he'd actually met as a boy in the 90's, who was under fire for political reasons. Why? He's a Muslim who has the crescent symbols of his religion on his costume's chest. The issue was originally supposed to come out June 8th, so it was 2 weeks late. DC sent retailers notice barely a day in advance saying that the story had changed. John Cassaday even drew the original cover for #712.

So, why did DC decide at the last minute to shelve the entire story for something from the back of a shelf? There are two theories on this online. The first and more likely theory is that after the unexpected media heat DC got over ACTION COMICS #900 (where Superman renounced his citizenship) mixed with the heat they got over the French-Muslim hero Nightrunner in BATMAN, INC., that the company did not want a 3rd controversy session flaming up Fox News with their major line-wide relaunch only 2 months away. Normally, DC hasn't shied away from such controversies, as the above stories show, but this time perhaps someone up top decided that yet another few weeks of Bill O'Reilly and the NY POST having harsh criticisms of Superman comics as they set to relaunch him, sell a new film next year, AND battle his creators' heirs in court was a battle best not to have. ACTION COMICS #900 sold almost double what typical issues of ACTION COMICS were selling in April and got at least one reprint, but perhaps DC Entertainment felt some more bad PR wasn't worth an extra few thousand comics sold. This was the Comics Alliance theory, mixed with my own.

The other, fringe theory is from Bleeding Cool. Their sources claimed that the REAL reason for the swap was that the original Roberson script had a scene in which Superman saves a cat from a tree, which was considered too "corny" for the "edgy" and "mature" DC that Johns, Harras & DiDio want to promote. This seems a bit nuts because that would have meant DC was willing to scrap an entire issue for about 1-2 pages of a sequence they didn't like. Also, swapping it with a lost Krypto story seems counter-productive. Kurt Busiek himself commented that it was likely an absurd rumor. However, the fact that DC fans across the internet had so little faith in DC that many believed EITHER theory was possible (if not a mix of both) speaks volumes.

DC's official line for the switch was that Roberson's script "didn't work" for their Grounded arc. Take a minute and consider the issues that DC decided did "work" for that arc. And also consider that DC was willing to not only approve the script, but have the issue drawn, inked, and probably lettered before deciding it didn't work at the 11th hour. For a company that has been losing sales dollars for a while and is doing a last ditch desperation relaunch of their entire line, tanking a bought and paid for Superman story for one from the vault has to be seen as a net loss at the Super-office. Especially since Superman's sales are at quite a low. His sales, compared to Green Lantern and Batman, are strictly B-List now.

I covered the story and provided links in my weekly DC Comics News article: http://www.examiner.com/comic-books...w-jl-gl-s-epic-fail-super-controversy-casting

As someone who doesn't read DC comics, I think some of their recent editorial moves and strategies have more drama than their actual comics. Which should have been expected when they hired Bob "Bankruptcy" Harras as EIC, perhaps.