Category: Comic review

Batman: Assault on Arkham

220px-Batman_Assault_on_Arkham_cover

So when I talked about Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay  I said it was basically the interpretation I wanted; in Batman: Arkham Origins we got the hint of Waller and the Suicide Squad that sadly never got to go anywhere in the Arkham verse…until now.

The Riddler is on the loose again and the feds are on his trail as well as his nemesis, Batman. He’s apprehended and sent to Arkham Asylum, but Amanda Waller isn’t pleases; Riddler has some vital information she needs. She assembles Task Force X, aka the Suicide Squad, to infiltrate the asylum and get him. Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Killer Frost make there way in but nothing is ever easy. Harley and Joker’s relationship is on the rocks after a messy breakup and she’s out for blood, Batman is on there ass, and Waller has ulterior motives than cost them there lives as a plot is unleashed from inside the asylum.

Much like Hell to Pay, this is exactly what I wanted from a Suicide Squad film, unapologetic badassery from some great bad guys as well as Batman being the stoic badass he is. I love watching the clash between  the Bat and the Squad. Riddler was unexpected cool and welcome part of things as well. The movie feels very much part of the Arkham verse with a lot of game accurate voices and character cameos; what bothered me however was trying to place it in the timeline- I personally want to say it’s between Origins and Asylum but I can’t really be sure. The only little gripe I have is the title feels misleading and I feel like this is a Suicide Squad movie first instead of a Bat movie. In the end, if you love the Arkham games, you will have plenty of fun with this movie. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

5 Characters I want to see in the MCU

mcu_large The Marvel Cinematic Universe has gone above and beyond expectations and not only brought us iconic representations of legends like Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor but also lesser known characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy, Dr Strange, and and Ant-man. With the anticipation growing over Deadpool, the X-men, and Fantastic Four joining the MCU due to the Fox merger with Disney, there is still some characters I can’t wait to see. In no particular order, I’ll start with a pick that many want to forget but are close to my heart…

inhumans 1. The Inhumans-

Black Bolt, Medusa, Crystal, Triton, Gorgon, Karnak, and Lockjaw play a huge role in the Marvel universe as the first family of Attilan. While ABC failed miserably to give us a show, the Inhumans were originally slotted for a MCU spot. Set in a strange land of strange characters with incredible powers, I’d love to see the royal family join the legion of heroes as well as having Maximus become a formidable foe for our heroes to face.

Kamala_Khan 2. Ms. Marvel-

While Carol Danvers, the original Ms Marvel, is more famous as Captain Marvell, Kamala Khan is a cool replacement. Being a teenage Muslim girl turned superhero after being exposed to the Inhuman creating Terrigan Mist, her origin brings a lot of opportunity for diversity and lore building. With the ability to change shape, density, and stretch to marvelous lengths (yes, I went there) her powers are a good mix amongst those around her.

namor  3. Namor aka the Submariner –

Namor may perhaps be the original comic book anti-hero. The hot headed half Atlantean, half mutant prince of Atlantis has been a hero as well as a villain as the rumor of his first appearance in the MCU being the villain of Black Panther 2. His mutant lineage opens the door for X men and his romantic attachment to Invisible Woman makes him a great F4 side character but he also has plenty of ties to the Avengers, Dr Doom, Dr Strange and the Illuminati.

silver surfer  4. Silver Surfer-

I love the cosmic side of Marvel and with the Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvell prominent in the MCU, it would be a great time to introduce the powerful herald of Galactus. Surfer can travel between worlds at light speed and has incredible energy and matter manipulation powers as well as a tragic story, being a sorrowful herald to the doom of countless civilizations that fall to Galactus’s wake.

nova 5. Nova-

In the first Guardians movie, we saw the Nova Corps under attack and Infinity War revealed that Thanos laid waste to them for the power stone. That could open the door for the powerful Nova to rise as a new intergalactic protector. Whether as a cohort of the Guardians or Capt. Marvell , it’d be awesome to see Nova soaring through space.

I hope everyone enjoyed my list and may the gaming gods bring you glory.

Amazing Spider-man: Edge of Spider-verse

spiderverse

Spider-man is well known through comics for having one of the most diverse and fascinating multi-verses with alternate Spiders that hold there own as unique characters. Famous Spider variants include the Scarlet Spider, Miles Morales, and Silk aka Spider-Gwen. Edge of the Spider-verse isn’t really a cohesive story but five short stories featuring Spider-man Noir, Spider-Gwen, SP//dr, a terrifying Man-Spider, and a anime like Spider man from an advanced future. Honestly, I’d love to see more from all these variants except for the futuristic Spider-man, who didn’t really click with me. I really enjoyed the Man-Spider story, which felt like a take on Spider close to Tales from the Crypt or The Fly . I’m tied between wanting more of Noir and SP//dr ; Spider-Gwen I love the set up but some of the execution on her stories irks me. In the end, if you were ever curious of loved Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse and want to learn more, I’d pick this book up for a quick read. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Suicide Squad: Kicked in the Teeth (New 52, vol. 1)

new 52 suicide squad

Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Voltaic, Black Spider, Diablo, and King Shark: these 6 have have 2 things currently in common. All are super criminals, while some do the deeds for money, others, blood-lust or redemption, they are considered extremely dangerous and a threat. The other thing: Amanda Waller has recruited them all to Task Force X, aka the Suicide Squad. After proving themselves, their first mission is a bloody one involving a stadium where a nano-virus was released, turning the hundreds inside into bio-mechanical zombies. After surviving hordes of monsters, bounty hunters and a meta human prison break, the group is divided by possible treachery and Harley going the warpath after finding out her beloved Joker was allegedly skinned alive. Can the squad reel in the former Dr while uncovering the threat of Basilisk?

I have to say, this was my introduction to the concept of Suicide Squad years before the movie and I was instantly hooked. The Suicide Squad movie took some of the vibe this arc had but honestly, it didn’t do it justice. The chemistry between characters is interesting as well as a great line up; King Shark is hands down my favorite with some great gory moments as well as some great dark comedy moments. While I’m not thrilled with the part of Harley’s new origin where she takes the same chemical bath as Joker, her origin was nice to see and the dialogue was convincing.  There are a great many characters I didn’t mention that I love, like Captain Boomerang and Yo-yo that were cool to see. The art fits well and there are plenty of epic and graphic fight scenes to sink your teeth into. Honestly, this is a great read to intro you into the New 52. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

Aquaman: The Drowning ( DC Rebirth, Vol.1)

aquaman rb v1

Things are finally at a turning point for Arthur Curry, the Aquaman, as Atlantis finally establishes an embassy on dry land as an attempt to cool tensions with the surface world and educate the masses of both lands. Before the opening, the US government is weary after a Atlantean extremist group called the Deluge are thwarted by Aquaman before launching a terror attack on the surface. During the embassy unveiling, Black Manta, Arthur’s nemesis returns for blood. Things spiral out of control. The US declares war on Atlantis after the Deluge reemerge; Manta is taken in by a naval tasked organization called N.E.M.O that plans on ruling the world, and he quickly gains control of it; every move Arthur and Mera make is met with hostility and all hell breaks loose, resulting with an altercation with the Man of Steel himself. Can DC’s black sheep stop a war from breaking out?

This is book is hands down the best I’ve read from DC Rebirth so far and honestly, I’m pretty glad it’s Aquaman. The story is well paced and easy to follow for newer readers but has a lot of great character moments from Aquaman to keep you engaged. The book showcases a lot of turmoil and pathos in Aquaman and the position he is put on having the fate of two worlds that mostly hate him on his shoulders. I love the showdown with Manta and the fight with Superman at the end is a badass surprise. The artwork is beautiful and the characters look great. Honestly, if you are curious about what DC Rebirth has to offer, this book is a pretty damn good place to start. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight

batman gaslight

Batman is one of the greatest icons of all time and his legend is timeless, literally in this regard. Gotham by Gaslight asks the question what if Gotham’s greatest hero existed at the turn of the 19th century. Bruce Wayne has returned from years abroad, prepared to face the lamp lit nights of Gotham as the Batman against a legendary foe that drenched the streets of London in blood and has come to Gotham: Jack the Ripper. It isn’t long before the city gets weary of the new comer, and panic that Batman and the Ripper are one in the same settles in; can Batman vanquish this legendary killer and clear his name?

This book joins Superman: Red Son as a what if classic and rightfully so. While short, it doesn’t under deliver or overstay its welcome; the main story about the Ripper is awesome and feels like a classic detective story and the other story about Batman deciding to stay is also really cool. The art adds to the vintage feel and I must say, Gaslight Batman looks badass and is written really well. What I like is is there is a cool twist with Batman and the Ripper than is interesting and I like the steampunk edge to the second story. I definitely recommend the story to a Bat fan or comic lover in general. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Ant-man: Second Chance Man

ant man comic

The Ant-Man movie influenced me a lot more than I want to admit and was much better than anyone really any right to expect so I was really damn curious how reading one of his comics was going to be like. Well, this is around Why I fell out of favor as a Marvel fan. started coming into play, so the question is where does this book lie?

Scott Lange has some of the worst luck. Being an ex con to take up the mantle of a less sorted hero with no job, no home, with a ex wife that hates him isn’t a fun time; Scott’s daughter, Cassy keeps him going. He tries going for security director for Tony Stark, barely getting the job but life intervenes and Lange has to set up shop in Miami. He establishes his own security business with ex super criminal Grisly, starting small and coming up against Taskmaster as well as Darren Cross, the villain who started Lange as Ant-man in the first place. Can Lange get his crap together before the superhero craziness ruins his life?

I’ve read this book twice and I admit I enjoyed it way more the second time around but some of what I dislike about modern Marvel comes out. First, there are some cool action scenes and the fight with Cross at the end is pretty cool. Grisly and Ant-man are a fun pair to follow and honestly, I’d read a series about them. The heartfelt stuff is well written and I like the variety of characters we get in this book. I don’t like how this book feels like it’s trying to imitate the humor and even design of Ant-man from the movie; the humor falls flat in a few places and Lange starts to feel like a dumbass instead of a likable screw up. Darren Cross in the comics is essentially a big pink sumo wrestler looking bastard and I kinda wished for his MCU counterpart. In the end it’s a fine book, but I wouldn’t go far out of my way for it. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

 

Superman: Man of Tomorrow trailer

Superman, the icon and first modern day superhero, is having his origin retold again- this time focusing more on the time before becoming Superman rather than going all the way back to Krypton. I like that we get action from Lobo and Parasite rather than the usual top Sup baddies; Martian Manhunter is always a welcomed presence as well. It looks like a solid origin movie with good animation. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

Deathstroke: Knights and Dragons reveal trailer

I’m glad Slade gets some limelight on his own, rather than being a villain in Teen Titans or Arrow. I’m even more excited that it’s R rated so this epic DC anti-hero can stretch and be himself on screen. I can’t wait to see the final result. May the gaming gods bring you glory.

All New X-Men: Here To Stay (vol 2)

an xmen 2

Awhile back I covered the first volume of All New X Men, All New X- Men: Yesterday’s X Men as covering pieces of there story here and there. I loved seeing the original 5 kids in the limelight, who I feel deserved more respect and went into the backdrop in favor of more popular characters like Wolverine, Storm, and a few others. So how do the story of our young time displaced mutant heroes continue.

Things have been better for the young classic X Men: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Beast and Angel. Cyclops, rebellious and distraught over the future betrayal against the X men, seeks to try setting things right- starting by running away with Logan’s motorcycle. Kitty Pryde tries to comfort Jean as she struggles with her blossoming telepathic abilities as well as trying to discipline the team. Angel, finds his future self, carefree wings a rebellious streak, metal wings, and new powers; Angel discovers his fate at the hands of Apocalypse and freaks out, getting mind swept by Jean in a dark move. If the growing turmoil wasn’t problem enough, Mystique is going on a rampage with Mastermind and Future Cyclops announces a new school for mutants, preparing them for the revolution to come. Is this too much to handle for our disjointed heroes?

I have some mixed feelings on this book but for the most part I enjoyed it. My favorite part was Angel’s part, seeing him fighting alongside Archangel and seeing the trauma he suffers about his fate. Jean Grey also has a really cool arc where you see a darker side of her as she starts using her telepathic capabilities recklessly. The only arc I wasn’t that into was young Cyclops’s; more than a few times I thought he was becoming a brat rather than a sympathetic character. He had the biggest arc which made the beginning seem to crawl a bit but thankfully the cliffhanger ending saved it. The art is solid and the writing is pretty good, making me laugh and keeping me connected. In the end, it’s a solid read if you want to follow the All New X Men series. May the gaming gods bring you glory.