"The Devil's Cut," is a Strong Start for DSTLRY

DSTLRY is a new publisher with plans to release a variety of creator-owned comics, as well as collectibles. They've done some weird stuff with digital scarcity that are not NFTs, but still strange (you can only buy a digital copy of stuff to a certain date then it is gone or something unless you resell a digital copy to someone else) and have hyped up how their first one-shot, "The Devil's Cut," will never be reprinted but all that silly buzz aside I was curious about the aforementioned debut one-shot they released this past Wednesday. It's an anthology of short stories and previews and having read it, my interest is piqued in DSTLRY's possible future offerings.

"The Devil's Cut," is itself an impressive comic. It looks like an oversized magazine with an eye-catching cover by Jock (other covers look neat too) that just begs a reader to open it up and check it out. Then you dive in and see it is an anthology book with shorter stories, that can inspire some worries. Anthology comics are practically by law a mixed bag. You get a mix of good and bad, with the hope being that there is enough great stuff you can forgive the yarns that are lacking. From reading, "The Devil's Cut," I can say no stories were atrocious and certain ones were quite cool. 

I'm down with the first part, okay with the second, a bit befuddled by the third.

When it comes to what I dug in, "The Devil's Cut," certain shorts stick out. A futuristic thief story by Jock titled, "The Stowaway," looked gorgeous as anything by Jock is wont to do. "What Happens Next," by Jamie McKelvie (writer and artist) and Aditya Bidikar as the letterer is a snazzy sci-fi yarn. The best of the bunch in my opinion, however, was, "White Boat," by Scott Snyder and Francesco Fancavilla with Andworld Design as the letterer and Tyler Jennes as a story assistant. It's a creepy horror tale that feels right out of a good episode of, "The Twilight Zone," and hits the reader hard. Those stories were quite fun.

"The Devil's Cut," is an impressive first release from DSTLRY. I'm not big on the whole digital scarcity thing they are hyping but I'm totally down for big, well-written, and gorgeous comics done by fantastic creators who own the rights to their creations and see a profit from them as opposed to being mistreated by a publisher. Should you be in the mood for some wild narratives I'd recommend picking up, "The Devil's Cut," from your local comic shop.

5 out of 5 stars.

"Snow Angels," Sounds Like a Cool Collaboration Between Jeff Lemire and Jock

I often love Jeff Lemire's writing. I always adore Jock's artwork. Hence, the first issue of their digital comic, "Snow Angels," has my attention. It will be on Amazon's Comixology and released in 10 parts. It follows people living in a mysterious trench surrounded by ice who follow the rules of never leaving it for their entire lives. Then a mysterious defender of the trench is awoken--The Snowman--and all Hell apparently breaks loose. 

The plot sounds interestingly sci-fi (it is actually based on a short prose story by Lemire) and with Jock doing the art it is doubtlessly going to be gorgeous. The first issue drops February 16th for $2.99 or free if you have that special Kindle Unlimited subscription or ComiXology Unlimited subscription. Looks worth a read!

2019 in Review Mega-Post

2019 in Review

Instead of a bunch of posts discussing this year in review, there will be one big post for looking-back at everything. Shall we begin?

Best Comic to End Its Run This Year:

Deathstroke
Christopher Priest wrote all 50 issues of, "Deathstroke," and was involved in some issues where it crossed-over with, "Teen Titans." It was an amazing run that began with the start of DC's latest re-launch, this time called, "Rebirth," and it concluded on its own terms. It had the character of Slade Wilson grow in fascinating ways yet also left him perfectly suited and arguably somewhat reset for whoever wants to take over the character next. An assortment of artists did a fantastic job illustrating the series as Priest delivered yet another masterclass in making comics--he's given us countless masterpieces in his amazing career and this run on, "Deathstroke," shall be another feather in his hat/trophy on his shelf.


Comic Writers of the Year:

Bryan Edward Hill for, "American Carnage."
Bryan Edward Hill has written a lot of stellar stuff this year, but his nine-issue series, "American Carnage," is what stuck with me the most. I address why further down as it is recognized below, but if Hill had written nothing else besides, "American Carnage," this year (and he did a lot of stellar work), he would still be on this list for how amazing a book it was.

Olivia Jaimes for, "Nancy."
Whether you read it online or can find it in the funny pages section of your newspaper, "Nancy," went from a perfectly fine and at times humorous strip to a phenomenal blend of quirky, clever, and outright hilarious under the writing (and art) of Olivia Jaimes. I mean, it's 2019 and people are raving about, "Nancy," that tells you a lot.

Jonathan Hickman for, "House of X/Powers of X."
The X-Men franchise had been stagnant for good long while. It had been mostly ignored as Marvel desperately tried--and failed--to make people care about the, "Inhumans," with the X-Men withering on the vine in a series of mostly-ignored books. Then Marvel called-up/begged Jonathan Hickman to come back to the company and work his writing-magic to revitalize the brand. He gave us the two symbioticly-linked mini-series, "House of X, " and, "Powers of X," which threw a whole lot of stuff out the window, brought in a bunch of old goodness too, and otherwise finally gave us something to get excited about with the X-franchise. All the books since have been closely-linked and while they lack some of the mad-glee from the initial spark that is HOX/POX, they've still been a Hell of a lot better than what we were getting for years before.

Colorist of the Year:

Brad Simpson for, "Coffinbound."
I and others have remarked how colorists often seem to be ignored unless they are doing a bad job, then people notice the colors. Brad Simpson is one exception to this as he is a man whose colors you notice because he's doing such a damn fine job. He can take a comic that otherwise I find perfectly decent-but-unremarkable like, "Coffinbound," and astound me with his ability to give us everything from lush and vibrant scenes to purposely dull and dreary landscapes of desolation. The man has skills, in other words.

Ongoing Series of the Year:

Immortal Hulk
It started out as a terrifying piece of body-horror and has shifted into discussing the scariest thing of all--corporate America. Through all of its shifts in focus and tone, "Immortal Hulk," has been a stellar read that is as able to frighten readers as it is to make them think about philosophy and the World.

Original Graphic Novel of the Year:

Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead
Bill Griffith (of, "Zippy the Pinhead," fame), presents a biographical account of famous circus performer Schiltizie and his strange life. Griffith makes even the wildest and fantastical elements come off as grounded and doesn't avoid the more heartbreaking aspects of Schiltizie's life either.

Mini/Maxi-series of the Year:

American Carnage
No comic better served as an illustration of everything going on in America right now this year than, "American Carnage." It was not only topical, but it also made us care deeply about the characters or fear how dangerous they were in this tale of a biracial former FBI agent infiltrating a white supremacist group (that happens to be led by a charismatic businessman running for congress). An intense nine-issue series that never lets-up, this should be required reading for anyone wanting to both understand the World today and take-in a great story.

Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt
A comic-book about comic-books can sound a bit too navel-gazey, but Kireon Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard make it work phenomenally well, riffing on everything from, "Watchmen," to modern cinematic-styled comics, indie-books, and the complicated publishing history of the character Peter Cannon himself. The book flirts with getting almost too meta at times, but always manages to land in the sweet spot of being perfectly self-aware whilst also telling an amazing story.

Comic Artists of the Year

Jock for, "The Batman Who Laughs."
I'll be honest and say I'm already pretty worn-out on this whole, "Batman Who Laughs," character. That said, having Jock do the art for an eight-issue mini-series focused on Bruce Wayne fighting this evil-version resulted in an absolutely gorgeous book I could not wait to read thanks to Jock's incredible talent.

Ian Bertram for, "Little Bird."
Being blunt, "Little Bird," at first reads like the usual, "Dark future for America," yarn before it grows into something a bit more interesting. One thing about the comic that keeps your attention from the first panel however is just how damn amazing Ian Bertram is as an artist. With absurdly intricate details every page feels like stepping into a magnificent scene that breathes with possibility. It is all just frankly awesome.

Funniest Comics this Year

Wyrd
"Wyrd," by  Curt Pires riffs on everything from rumors of real-life Prime Ministers having sex with livestock to satirizing depressing tales set in the future, paying homage to Hunter S. Thompson, and having some fun with the, "Evil Superman as a kid," trope. It sounds incredibly disjointed, and maybe at some times it was (just a little bit), but that doesn't take away from how outright hilarious and insightful it was over its four issues.

Savage Avengers
I had said the comic looked, "Cheerfully insane," when it was first announced and it exceeded my expectations. Any comics that has Conan the Barbarian flailing-around a passed-out Wolverine by his feet so his claws slice a bunch of evil wizards is a comic with a heaping dose of gall and humor. A book full of Marvel's potentially deadliest heroes could have been a grim and dreary affair, but thankfully, "Savage Avengers," is savagely funny.

Comic Relaunch of the Year

All the X-Men Comics
I already heaped praise on Jonathan Hickman for his key role in bringing the X-Men back to prominence, but, "House of X/Powers of X," was simply the beginning of some incredible stuff. After it wrapped we spent the rest of 2019 having a number of closely related X-books all releasing on time and playing-off each other in quite an impressive fashion. This has created an overall mega-story that slowly is getting filled-in while each individual book has been allowed to have its own vibe and plot. Something so complicated could easily have collapsed, but it didn't, it just kept rolling along impressively through the end of 2019. Now to see if this momentum can be kept-up into 2020.

New Series of the Year

Money Shot
Not a porn comic, but a comic about scientists who make porn to fund their exploration into outer space. It sounds quite off-the-wall, and it frankly is. Only three issues have been released so far, but, "Money Shot," already was announced as being upgraded from a mini-series to an ongoing, so clearly there are many adventures in store!

Television shows of the Year

Single Parents
The first season was phenomenal and the second has only gotten better. This show comes on after the now long-past-its-prime-and-thankfully-ending, "Modern Family," and while it also has an ensemble cast, it is quite different thanks to some delightfully sharp and cutting humor mixed with a bit of heart.

Bob's Burgers
Not many shows can get to a tenth season and still be this consistently great. Seriously, besides maybe one or two clunkers in its history, "Bob's Burgers," is almost always hilarious. It is saying something when even a weaker episode of, "Bob's Burgers," is still better than most of what is on television.

Video-Game of the Year

The Outer Wilds
Not to be confused with the similarly-titled and fun but quite different, "The Outer Worlds," this game features flying in space and exploring a small little Universe as time keeps restarting every 20-ish minutes. There is no combat, no need to collect a bunch of useless objects, just exploration, learning, and the beauty of the Universe. I have not finished, "The Outer Wilds," and I'm not sure I want to, it is just that magical.

Album-ish of the Year

Random Spotify playlists
Remember that year I didn't really have a favorite album? Yeah, it kind of happened again. This time I found myself making Spotify playlists of various songs I liked which served as strange little anthology albums of sorts. I really do still like the idea of buying an album, sitting down, and enjoying it all the way through, but that era seems to be moving further and further away. Perhaps sometime in the future, we'll have something miraculous happen like finally getting a new OutKast album. That would almost surely win album of the year. Till then, I guess I'll just make my little Spotify playlists.

Movies of the Year That I Didn't See

Too Many to List
When I do this as its own post it is a long and sprawling list of all the movies I did not see this year that came out anywhere from January to the last weeks of December. I'm not going to break them all down this year, but just know my list of flicks I need to catch-up on is incredibly lengthy. It encompasses everything from big stuff like, "Spider-Man: Far From Home," to box office bombs like, "Ugly Dolls," and smaller hits such as, "Dolemite is my Name," or, "Honey Boy." I did manage to see, "Stuber," though. That was pretty funny.

Food of the Year

Potato Skins
In 2019 I often found myself craving, for reasons I do not understand, potato skins. Something about a chunk of potato filled with cheese and bits of bacon just sounded delicious to me for much of 2019. Sour cream pairs well with them too. No little green onions on them though, that stuff is nasty.

People of the Year

All our Friends and Family
Throughout 2019 I wrote about a lot of personal things in addition to my usual witty and clever (in my opinion) thoughts on popular culture. I really appreciate how much love and support was provided by everyone Samii, Clarkson, and myself both know personally and via the internet (or both). You all are wonderful.

Comic-Con International/San Diego Comic-Con 2018 is Done. Here is Some News From It

As a Con Ends, I Have Mixed Emotions
Comic-Con International AKA San Diego Comic-Con is, "In the books." As happens whenever a huge comic-con concludes, I have mixed emotions. I am both exhausted from the deluge of news, toys, trailers, cosplay, and general stuff that occurs during a con but also enjoy how something that might be big news any other day is just a drop in the bucket of all the mayhem that occurs during something like San Diego Comic-Con (there was a lot of news). Plus, it can be exciting how busy I get between reading all the announcements, trying to get exclusive toys (I was busy every morning on the Funko Pop Up Shop website) and living everyday life too. That said, it is quiet and calm now, we can rest and reflect, and that is a good thing too. I get as excited for big cons (whether I attend them or just follow news about them) as I do about kicking-back once they are done, so yeah, its a mixture of emotions. Let's discuss some of the big news to come out of CCI/SDCC though, shall we?

News of the (Pop-Culture) World

Out of everything at the show, the most buzz seems to be dedicated to the unveiling of the trailers for two upcoming DC films, "Aquaman," and, "Shazam!," with folk surprised at the flicks look like they might actually have a solid dose of humor, something mostly unheard of in DC flicks unless you hire Joss Whedon to finish your movie. I myself am all for an action-packed production starring Aquaman, and have zero issues with Captain Marvel/Shazam being a heroic comedy. Also, the new, "Godzilla: King of Monsters," seems promising, speaking of other big trailers, albeit one without super-heroes.

Funko had yet another fantastic year at the show, selling tons of products both there and online. They also had their, "Fundays," event where fans who manage to get an exclusive ticket are treated to announcements, food, and of course free Funko-goodies!

Marvel is bringing back their, "Uncanny X-Men," comic which is fine news that doesn't really get my blood pumping, but hearing that Chelsea Cain will be writing a new mini-series focused on The Vision perks me right up!

"Black Lightning," had a panel at the show, and I for one can't wait for season 2.

Grant Morrison will be writing and Liam Sharp will be illustrating a new, "Green Lantern," series, and have it be like a procedural as mysteries are investigated. The creative team alone piques my interest enough I'll be reading it for sure!

As I talked about in a post dedicated to the subject yesterday, one of the biggest news stories that occurred about CCI/SDCC didn't directly involve it, with James Gunn getting fired for some decades old jokes he tweeted that an alt-right foe of his dug-up.

I'm fond of local publisher Lion Forge, and hearing that the talented Gail Simone will be spearheading a bunch of comic-books for the company is stellar news for sure!

One of the main actors on the television adaptation of, "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln (who plays Rick) confirmed that the rumors were true and he is leaving the show. How it will work without him shall be seen.

There was new footage of the, "Venom," movie and it was confirmed the bad-guy was a lesser-known character named Riot. I like Tom Hardy despite all the hate he gets, so I hope this movie is good.

"The Batman Who Laughs," will be getting a mini-series written by Scott Snyder, which is something I normally would not care about as I feel, "Meh," about this character. However, the amazing artist known as Jock is illustrating it so now I feel like I have to read it and observe his brilliant illustrations.

The next season of, "American Horror Story," seems to be a bit of a crossover concerning the first and third season...so one of the best and one of the worst, I guess?

The cult-favorite show set in the Star Wars-universe known as, "The Clone Wars," will be back for a surprise new season. I never watched it, but know some fans who are screaming with glee.

Rant-Reviews: Horror is Hard

Terror is Subjective
Just like the title says, horror is a hard thing to do well. Whether that means creating a story that is sufficiently, "Scary," exciting, or capable of making the viewer/reader think, horror just is tricky business. It doesn't help that a sense of terror is subjective to each person, with something that scares me possibly not making you fearful in the least. These comics below illustrate how sometimes attempts at horror can make for great results, and other times...well, as I said, it's a hard thing to do well.

Shivering in Your Seat Versus Laughing in the Lounger
Dark Gods #4
I'd been reading this Avatar Press title, hoping it would an enjoyable take on deities in the modern age (perhaps a bit like "God is Dead") but after a decent first issue have found myself incredibly bored by this title. The idea that our modern technology could help open a portal to evil Gods is clever, but I've see that sort of concept before. This issue we have more revealed about just what kind of evil a corporation has been up to, but really this is just a comic full of dull conversation and some decent artwork. I love a lot of Avatar publications, but I'm afraid I shall be quitting this one.
1 out of 5 stars.

Crossed +100 #2
Ah, now this is more like it. Written by the incredibly-famous Alan Moore, this comic takes place a hundred years since the initial, "Crossed," outbreak and while taking being in the same sort of continuity as the other many titles, really stands alone. This is a comic that at first blush sounds more science-fiction than anything else, and it is indeed sci-fi, but don't get it twisted--some horrifying things occur.  Gabriel Andrade supplies some miraculous art to accompany a story full of beautifully eerie abandoned buildings and the occasional burst of violence too, but possibly the most fascinating aspect of this book is actually how Alan Moore takes the English language and changes it. The meanings of words have shifted since the world ended, and while people still speak a language we find familiar, much has altered (it is kind of hilarious to see how our overuse today of the word, "Fuck," could result in the word basically just being a normal inoffensive verb/noun/whatever in the future).

Alan Moore is a fascinating man who sometimes runs of the risk of letting his own mystique and occasional press-statements on the comic-book industry get more attention than his capabilities as a writer. Titles such as these illustrate that even if Moore never makes another "Watchmen" or "The Killing Joke" he still is undoubtedly one of the most creative voices to formerly and currently pen comic-book yarns.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

Nameless #1
I love so much of Grant Morrison's work, and some of my favorite titles by him are books which I at first had some trouble understanding but knew if I stuck with them would reward my patience (and they often did).  This though, this I just don't get. There seems to be something with aliens, dreams, rich men on the other side of the moon, and all kinds of random nonsense. I didn't find this especially horror-styled, or anything other than a confusing mess, frankly. The one saving grace is Chris Burnham with his flat-out gorgeous art that looks somewhere between being a mixture of Frank Quitely's style and the doodles in gritty 1980's 'zines. Besides the skill of Burnham though, this is just one big disappointment. At least some other stuff Morrison is putting out continues to impress ("Annihilator" is cool for sure).
2 out of 5 stars.

Wytches #4
Yes, sometimes certain plot elements will seem hokey, the whole, "Everything you know about [Insert Blank] is wrong!" trope has been played out, and perhaps writer Scott Snyder took his time getting to the point of explaining just how the Wytches work, but I don't mind any of that because this book is just so damn terrifying. Whether exploring everyday fears such as failing as a parent, or delving into the gruesome way the Wytches like to eat those whom are, "Pledged," to them, this comic continues to be a read that both fascinates me and makes me wriggle with discomfort--but in a good way.

The way Jock illustrates the comic creates an atmosphere that is foreboding and unpleasant, capable of taking things we normally associate with joy (such as a carnival) and making them another image to shiver at the thought of. Through Jock's masterful artwork and Snyder digging deep into the kinds of things we hide under the covers from, a true piece of horror perfection is presented to us in this issue, and with the next marking the end of the first arc I can only hope things turn out okay for all the characters--although I kind of doubt they will. This is just a really, really, scary comic. That's probably why I like it so much.
5 out of 5 stars.

Fearful, or Just Fun?
As is evident from my reviews, we all have our own interpretations of horror--writers and artists included. That said, when it comes to horror something doesn't just have to be about monsters or witches (although it can be), but can cover all the kinds of fears we may face--be they as simple as surviving another day of high school, or as outlandish as living through the end of the world. At the end of the day, it is about what scares you, and how eager you are to be impacted by it.

Rant-Reviews of some Newer Releases That Just Started or Concluded

New-Comic Smell
Earlier today I did some rant-reviews of comics that have been out for a bit and either just started or
ended. Now, I would like to talk about some more comics that are beginning or ending, but these ones are slightly newer releases. Shall We?

The Reviews Themselves (Again)
Wytches #1
With Scott Snyder writing a horror-story (and I always think he is at his best when getting a bit horror-styled, even on his "Batman work) and Jock turning in his amazing art, would you really expect this comic to be any less than at least impressive? In all seriousness though, this is a great piece of work, even if the true premise isn't quite clear until some back-matter in the book where Snyder shares his inspiration for the story and how it will deal with the need for people to "pledge" others in order to get wishes they have granted. This issue itself is more of a way to set-up how a family, and their daughter (named Sail) in particular will be suffering due to the Wytches, an ancient evil force that Sail's parents seem to know a bit more about then they are letting on, but future issues will probably reveal more of that.

As always, Jock's art is amazing, with its somewhat scratchy-style complimenting the creepy and at times violent presentation of the story expertly. The Wytches are a somewhat hard-to-picture force, with Jock's hints of their immense scale and power allowing us to see just enough to be intimidated, and hiding just enough to have our imaginations concoct all kinds of horrors. Between Jock's stellar art and Snyder's scary writing this is quite the good first issue, although it was a bit annoying  that to understand the true "concept" of the book I had to read the additional back-matter instead of the story itself explaining things in this debut issue. I imagine future ones will clarify the concept of "Wytches" further however, so I'm not overly concerned.
4 out of 5 stars.

Sabrina #1
Another new series dealing with wytches, but in this case spelled the normal way (witches) and with the twist that this isn't just a normal scary witchcraft yarn, this is with someone who is possibly the most famous witch of all--Sabrina. With the immense success of the "Afterlife with Archie" comics that took the Archie characters and put them into something much darker and violent than usual, it was thought it made sense to do the same thing with Sabrina, although this comic takes place in its own world separate from any of the other Archie-comics.

As with "Afterlife with Archie" part of the thrill of this comic is seeing a character we are used to behaving one way and having it morphed into something quite different. Taking place in the 1960's this comic has a strong horror vibe but does work in some humor so as to keep things a tad fun. Sabrina is of course a teenage witch, but this isn't a light-and-happy witchcraft, it is dark and a bit brutal. Sabrina's cousin Ambrose (a warlock) is an interesting character too as his flippant attitude toward the rules of witchcraft is a good counter to Sabrina's desire to be well-behaved despite having her own selfish desires (such as making a boy at the high-school be attracted to her). The whole thing works quite well between the art and eerie-yet-not-too-dark tone, and I look forward to the next issue.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

The Standard #5
I've discussed my fondness for this comic before, and this fifth and final double-sized issue (with it even having a break in the middle as if to lead into a sixth) is a solid piece of entertainment. While not as meta as the third issue (something I loved), it brings things to a satisfying conclusion and has overall been a great tale about what happens when a Golden-Age hero ends up having to face the modern world and all its evils. Even though this is the conclusion to the story, certain sub-plots seem unresolved (who was "The Corpse"?) and I could see how this comic could come back in the future if desired by the creators. As it stands now though, this was a delightful mini-series.
4 out of 5 stars.

Punks: The Comic #1
I actually am familiar with the "Punks" comics. I somehow have a little digest containing some stories about the titular "Punks" that I remember enjoying, and am not quite certain how it came into my possession, although I am glad it did because that faint memory of enjoying the other "Punks" works I read helped me know I wanted to get this new release and enjoy it. As I was expecting weird abstract humor with a dash of the absurd I was happy when that was what I got. "Punks" is the sort of comic that makes no sense, but that actually is what makes it most enjoyable. As it takes place in a fiction with no rules, it can do whatever it wants, be that having a joke about pants that can withstand any punch to the groin (Wunderpants!) or suddenly becoming an activity-sheet like you see in restaurants on kids' menus, but of course with a much more twisted sense of humor (it may be juvenile, but the word-search having nothing but, "Poop," as an option made me grin).

One fascinating thing about "Punks" is how it isn't just the writer, Joshua Hale Fialkov, who makes it enjoyable, but in fact the art by Kody Chamberlain that, "Seals the deal," as it were. The artwork is a mish-mash of images that look pasted together almost as a sort of grade-school collage but with hints of well-done illustration. The strangeness of the imagery compliments the story well, with the surreal smiling faces of some murderous garden gnomes that appear early in the story working well to impart just how bizarre all the proceedings in the comic truly are. That said, comedy is a hard thing to do, and while this issue did give me some chuckles, it didn't crack me up as much as I would have hoped to give it a truly stellar rating. Still, for the masterful artwork and some solid gags I still think I can give this...
3.5 out of 5 stars.

Memetic #1
A new BOOM! comic, "Memetic" is a three-issue limited series that was initially promoted  through BOOM! and a bunch of its affiliated creators randomly posting a meme of a smiling sloth. Little did we as the populace know that the sloth himself would end up being a meme that destroys society--in the fiction of the comic only, thankfully. Regardless of if a meme really could destroy the world, this comic makes it seem quite possible and is amazingly good.

When I first heard about how the concept for the comic would how the sudden appearance of a "Good Times Sloth," causes society to fall apart I wasn't sure how writer James Tynion IV would make that work. Well, he makes it work exceptionally well, starting us on day 3 after the appearance of the meme and then rewinding back to the start. An immense feeling of dread built in me as I read the issue, seeing everyone around the world quickly become obsessed with this new meme (not unlike how real society can suddenly care a lot about some random fun image), and wondering when things would go wrong. Well, toward the end of the issue it becomes clear that the meme is not just a cute image, with it in fact causing grisly results 12 hours after once someone is exposed to it--with some exceptions such as one of our main characters, Aaron, being color-blind and therefore unable to be harmed by the meme.

When people start going mad the comic reminds me a bit of a zombie-story but mixed with the fast-moving insane-people of the "28 Days/Weeks" later series or "Crossed". The aspect of the comic that sets it apart from being just a re-hash of those stories however is how it uses the concept of our highly inter-connected society and riffs on the idea that such an easy way to connect with others could easily bring about our world's downfall. Also, the fact that it isn't until towards the end of the comic that all Hell breaks loose allows the comic to have a pace that isn't slow, but also knows better than to rush in to all the madness. By teasing us with a fear of what the "Good Times Sloth" may cause but not revealing it until we are already somewhat emotionally invested in the characters it makes the shock of sudden violence all that more scary. This was a really, really great comic, and I am surprised I loved this as much as I did, considering I expected something just decent. You should check this out for sure, just look out for that meme!
5 out of 5 stars.

Great Fun Was Had
There you go, a bunch of quality-stuff that is a bit newer. Go give them a read!

Links and Commentary, From Me, To You, Because That's What the People Need

Hey, you. Yeah, you right there. 
You know what you need? What, cheaper car insurance? Guess again. A healthier diet? Maybe, but that's not it either. Give up guessing, because I'm just gonna tell you, you need some links! Why do you need various internet stories that aren't written by me but which I feel are worth looking at? Um...is, "Because I said so," a valid answer? If it is, then that's why. Now enjoy these articles with my bit of commentary attached to them!

Here are the Links!
Awesome artist Jock is going to do a Wolverine story in one of the character's comics with a really strange future-plot that is out of continuity (thereby allowing him to do whatever he wants)? I'm in, I'm so in.

I've already expressed disappointment with the Xbox One, but to be fair I was negative when all that bad stuff happened to be little more than rumors. Well, now its been confirmed what is true, and I can say with 99% certainty I have no plans of ever getting an Xbox One. Why? Perhaps because as this article says, it is one big gift to video-game publishers. I have to connect to the internet at least every 24 hours, with my occasionally-spotty internet? Plus, publishers can make it so I can't resell a game (and you know most of them probably will do that)? Yeah, I'm not down with that at all, and that's just two problems, although at least the new Kinect turned out to not be as creepy as was initially feared (watching, always watching). As I've said, assuming Sony doesn't royally screw things up too, I'll be getting a PlayStation 4--of course, not right away, I'll probably give it a year to get the bugs worked out and for a price drop to occur, I'm thrifty like that.

Apparently our US Government could be spying on us. I mean, this wasn't exactly news when we learned Bush was doing it, but seeing as how Obama criticized him for domestic-surveillance of this sort isn't it a tad hypocritical he now is just saying, "Hey, don't worry about it, I promise this is just to stop terrorists!" Yeah, I feel reaaalllll safe.

After  something as depressing as the Xbox One and the Government potentially spying on us I think we need something cute to help us feel better. Here is a picture of a turtle with a crocheted outfit that makes him look like Bowser.

An Avengers team led by Luke Cage (which has sort of happened before) and with a majority of characters who aren't white males but in fact people of color or women? That sounds quite awesome. The only problem is the horrendous Greg Land is doing the art, but I guess nothing can be perfect. Now if Marvel just actually had any black folk writing for them maybe we could be even more positive.

It's interesting to think how less than two decades ago the idea of Sega having their games on any console other than their own was outlandish. Now you've got a temple-run styled Sonic game for i-devices and the indie-gaming darling Ouya will have the blue hedgehog's adventures too. I still remember the joy I felt playing my Dreamcast and all its superb games. God, I feel old now.

Paul Jenkins does not have very good things to say about DC and their treatment of creators. Plus he has some problems with Marvel, but he seems not as upset with them as he is understanding. I've enjoyed some of his past stuff and am liking "Deathmatch" so I wish him well in his new exclusivity contract with BOOM.

I think I should be embarrassed that I've started watching "The Real Housewives of Orange County"  recently (nothing else was on TV except for a marathon of it and now I'm intrguied). However, I felt it was better to admit it in public rather than hide it with shame as I did back when I occasionally would watch, "The Real Housewives of Atlanta". I mean, its not as bad as "Princesses: Long Island" which just had its series premiere Sunday...and which I also plan to continue watching. Yeah, you probably think I'm a terrible person for loving trashy television, I know.

I've been playing "State of Decay" a lot since it came out Wednesday, and enjoy it quite a bit. I hadn't turned my Xbox 360 on in awhile so it was good to see it still runs  I should post a review perhaps, but until then this review by Joystiq summarizes both the good and bad in the game pretty well, even if I think they rate it a bit harsher than needed. By the way, the game is download-only so if you have one of those aforementioned folk with spotty internet service be warned. On the plus side, it is just 20 dollars so give the limited-time trial a go and if you like it I'd say its worth the purchase.

Oh, and lastly, DC announced how they apparently are doing something called "Villains Month (which is sorely lacking in a needed apostrophe)" where their comics will be "taken over" by various bad-guys in the DC universe. This is all being done as what appear to be one-shots that will relate to some mini-series called, "Forever Evil". I'll probably formulate a response to the whole thing when there is more information about it from DC besides, "Look at all these books with villains, isn't that cool?"

Those Were the Links!
You should feel quite inundated with news about politics, video-games, comics, and  junk-T.V. Oh, plus I had that cute picture of a turtle all dressed-up. My point basically is that there is a lot going on in the world, and it can be hard to keep up with it. The key is to just try to read as much as possible so you can be at least moderately informed on the planet's going-ons. After all, ignorance may be bliss, but knowledge is power...or something like that.

Rant-Reviews--3 Amazingly Good Books and 1 Mostly Shoddy One

Let's talk about Daredevil #19, Hawkeye #3, Batman #13, and Marvel NOW Point One...because I suppose we have to acknowledge the one great bit in that otherwise mostly-lame comic.

Daredevil #19
Mark Waid has been writing comics for quite some time now, and like a fine wine he seems to just keep getting better with age. This issue of Daredevil answers the question of if Daredevil truly is going insane, looks great thanks to Chris Samnee, and otherwise is a great time. Besides that lousy, "Omega Drive," cross-over business this comic had some time ago, this has been the newer Marvel series to read without question. Well, with the next comic I'm going to review this is still one to definitely read, just not the newest. It's still pretty awesome though (and yes I'm being vague about the plot on purpose to avoid spoiling anything in this comic).
4.5 out of 5 stars.

Hawkeye #3
Matt Fraction found that spark that made some of his stuff amazing (Casanova) and left behind the piece of him that made horrible stuff (Fear Itself) to give us this new series. It is like mana from the heavens, and even if this 3rd issue isn't as utterly amazing as that 1st one, this is still just as awesome as the 2nd. Between Fraction's amazing writing and David Aja's seemingly effortlessly-done art which is so beautiful it makes my eyes gasp in joy, this is some superb stuff. Seriously, it is really hard to draw car-chases well in comics, but Aja illustrates the Hell out of it whilst Fraction spins a really clever yarn (which I'm being vague about again so you get maximum enjoyment from this comic).

As long as this series stays as amazing as it has been so far I will do whatever it takes to keep it coming out (because you know a comic about Hawkeye probably doesn't have the best odds). Do I need to do a bikini car-wash fundraiser to make sure you get enough funds for this comic, Marvel? Tell me if I do, because I will put on that bikini and make it work, baby.
5 out of 5 stars.

Batman #13
This thing was promoted more than the upcoming Presidential Election (woo, topical!) but somehow actually delivered--unlike a candidate's promises (oh snap, I did it again!). Scott Snyder writes a Joker that is genuinely terrifying--something that the character isn't always. Yes, the Joker can be intimidating or a bit spooky, but its been awhile since the character has truly made me feel some fear. From the way he knows where Jim Gordon's last secret stash of cigarettes is to having Batman go to the very place where he was possibly "born" (there are multiple origins for the Joker but this is going by the "Killing Joke" one), the least-scary thing about the Joker may be how he cut off his face and has done a poor job reattaching it--and even that's pretty damn eerie.

Greg Capullo turns in some quality art as he has been doing on this series since its launch, but the back-up with Harely Quinn which is illustrated by the always-amazing Jock is a buffet of beauty--I say its a buffet because you keep coming back for more/to look at it. The only thing that really bugs me about this whole Joker-reappearing business is how its become some big cross-over event for all the books with the slightest relation to Batman. I don't plan to pick up anything else than what I usually do, but as long as the story is contained enough that I can enjoy it in, "Batman," by itself this looks like it will be one amazing story.
5 out of 5 stars.

Marvel NOW Point One #001
I'm going to celebrate how good my new comics are. I mean, even this mostly-bad book had one amazing part in it--the, "Young Avengers," scene. Kieron Gillen is almost always a great writer, and Jaime Mckelvie is a talented artist. When they work together, such as on, "Phonogram," something wonderful is created. When I heard they were teaming up for a Marvel book about some Young Avengers (and were going to use my horribly-mishandled-by-Bendis-in-Avengers Marvel Boy) I was just thrilled. Within this slightly over-sized and quite over-priced comic ($5.99) there is at least some good stuff--yes, we get a hint of the magic we are in store for, and boy I could not be more excited.

What about the rest of the comic though? It was mostly sucky. We have Nick Fury's son who everyone now calls Nick Fury (because even though he spent his whole life as Marcus Johnson, upon finding out his absentee father was Nick Fury, and that was apparently his "real name" too he just switched it up) and Agent Coulson--a less charming Coulson than the one in the movies, if I may say so--talking to some guy from the future who is warning them about impending doom really vaguely while also saying that even if he spoke clearly they wouldn't listen. Well, give it a shot, old man, because you aren't making a tiny lick 'o sense with your babbling.

There are other scenes that are book-ended by that dull Nick Fury Jr. bit, and other than the, "Young Avengers," one I can't say I was impressed. There was something that I only realized was for, "Guardians of The Galaxy," once the title of it clued me in, a weird scene with a crazy man in the future--don't confuse him with the one from the future in the other scenes--named Forge (he's a machine-knowledgeable mutant, for you kids who don't know of him) who bumps into Cable. Both of these bits are entirely forgettable with the only other thing in here approaching an entertainment level even slightly near Young Avengers is an Ant-Man segment (to promote, "FF,") illustrated by Michael Allred which has a cute closing-joke.

Other than the great, "Young Avengers," piece and a somewhat-entertaining bit with Ant-Man this was a pretty poor comic--and one that I had to pay $5.99 to be disappointed by. If you see this at your comic shop, flip to the, "Young Avengers," pages, read them, and then put the book back, that's all you really need to do in order to get maximum enjoyment out of this.
1.5 stars (although that "Young Avengers" piece by itself is 5 out of 5).

Even when you get a bunch of superb comics it seems there has to be some bad with the good. I'm just thankful even the bad thing had something great in it.

UPDATE: I realized I forgot to mention the, "Nova," bit in, "Marvel Now Point One," a couple of minutes after I posted the article. That should tell you all you need to know about the Jeph Loeb-written segment.

Batman And Black Mirrors, Johnny Boo, and Modern Warfare 3 Goes "Boom"

I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Is Gone
Today we shall discuss a great collection of Scott Snyder's run on Detective Comics with Jock and Francesco Francavailla as artists that was collected as, "Batman: the Black Mirror." We will also discuss a fun children's book by intriguing author James Kochalka titled Johnny Boo: Twinkle Power. Lastly, the game, "Modern Warfare 3," will be looked at and reviewed even though by now it has sold a ba-jillion copies and can't sell much more without people buying a second copy to play. Let's make this weasel go pop!

The Last Hurrah Of Dick Grayson As Batman, And What A Hurrah Indeed--Batman: The Black Mirror

The title is a bit of a misnomer, as this actually is a collection of the late/now re-launched Detective Comics. this is a heavy book collecting issues #871-881, and do keep in mind some of the material started as back-up strips back before DC cut those out of their comics. The intriguing thing is that all the story-lines end up coming together. From the seemingly unrelated tale of Jim Gordon's son coming back to Gotham that starts out as said back-up strip to Batman investigating a new mob-boss or two. Scott Snyder expertly works it out so things have a bit of a synergy and feed into one another. Plus, he's got two killer artists illustrating various bits to make sure things go well.

Whether it is Jock providing art or Francisco Francavilla, things look beautiful. Both can do ominous and haunting, and both can do frenetic action scenes quite well too. Between a well-told story and some masterful art this is a quality package. The only downside is it seems the whole mystery of if James Gordon is a psycho killer or just a misunderstood person who has reformed gets a rushed conclusion--probably as DC told Snyder with the re-launch coming he had to wrap things up. Still, before we find out what the answer is, you find a fair bit of evidence pointing either way, and boy is James Gordon just plain creepy.

This was a great yarn, and it wasn't completely removed from continuity because as far as I know Dick Grayson still acknowledges how he was Batman for a time (so if you're one of those "it has to count" people you can maybe read this and be okay). Regardless of where this stands in the new DC Universe, it is a great story with some solid art, so you ought to give it read and not let the large size and slightly larger price tag to go with it scare you away--or you could wait for the trade paperback if you're having some funds issues. Lord knows I need to spend my money better and go out to eat less.
4.5 out of 5 stars

The Ghost With The....What Was It Again?--Johnny Boo: Twinkle Power

Johnny Boo is a fun little ghost. He has a some friends and they have a pretty good time in this book illustrated by comic artist Jame Kochalka. Kochalka has done a variety of comic work, ranging from kid-friendly stuff to things that surely aren't (he had a comic called, "Superfuckers"). No matter what he's done though, he always has an adorable art style. Johnny Boo is a cute book that both the grown folk and kids should be able to enjoy as it has good humor, good art, and Kochalka's fun style.
3.5 out of 5 stars.


A Fitting End To The Trilogy--Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

The first, "Modern Warfare," had some decent action scenes but the plot was actually kind of neat and fun. the second had some incredible scenes but the plot sort of went off-the-rails at certain points and just confused the hell out of me. Therefore, I've got some good news in that, "Modern Warfare 3," packs in amazing set pieces and the plot actually has some semblance of coherence even if it is pretty far-fetched with the whole Russia-invading-the-US thing that carries over for the 2nd game.

I won't spoil all the awesome things that happen, as I myself purposely went out of my way to not read press that would tell me some of the cool things you got to do. Seriously though, you must be having a hard time avoiding spoilers, as this game has some incredible moments of action. True, unlike open-world games where you can make your own  neat moment, everything here is scripted to a "T" but its okay because you really are sort of in your own interactive movie.

The action is good, the characters you've grown to care about somewhat continue to impress and have their own forms of plot resolution--be it happy for some and not as much for others, and lots of things explode gloriously. It's Modern Warfare 3 and its a grand time. I should note I didn't bother with the multi-player because I have Battlefield 3 for my multi-player hi-jinks (I need vehicles to be happy), but for those of you who love the multi-player aspect you'll be even more pleased with this game, I imagine. Based on single-player alone, however, I had a pretty great time. The thing is though, once its over, you are done. You can replay the game, but you know all the action that will occur now, so your 8-hour action movie is essentially pointless if you just wanted the single-player. Hence, you might want to just rent this and beat it.
4 out of 5 stars (based on single-player alone)

I'm Having More Trouble Seeing In The Storm Now
A really great comic, a fun children's book, and a game that was a lot of fun. Seems things aren't always so bad, eh? Then again, this is a world where it now costs $10.50 at some movie theaters for an evening ticket, so I guess not all is right with the universe. Seriously, 10 bucks to sit in your supposedly, "stadium seating" and then be told I...I mean you...have to pay a ton more for water, soda, or popcorn? No wonder I'd...er...you...would rather spend the cash on above items most of the time unless the movie is really good.

Rant Reviews--Failing At Seducing You By Cape Comics

Girl, I'm going to seduce you. I'll kick things off with a review of the good Flashpoint #4 before discussing the even better Flashpoint: Batman, Knight of Vengeance #3. Then I'll get your engine really humming with my thoughts on Marvel Universe VS Wolverine #2. Then we're gonna drink a bit, with my man Tony Stark. That's right, we've got a drunk Iron Man in Invincible Iron Man #506. What else have I got planned? Well I know you like a little bit of pain, so I brought Batman: The Dark Knight #4, which is so bad it hurts, but I know you like that, girl. Don't worry though, I'll make you feel real good with Detective Comics #880, the penultimate issue of the series before the big upcoming relaunch, yeah, its the issue right before the climax. Let's get started, girl, because I know the anticipation is driving you crazy.

Nicely Crafted--Detective Comics #878

Detective Comics #878
We have here a well-designed issue that wraps up the "Hungry City" story business whist keeping the over-arching plot of James Gordon going. Does this continue a trend of excellence on the comic? Let's find out...

Rant-Reviews--Four DC Comics With Three Good and One Being Surprisingly Terrible

It's an all-DC extravaganza, with T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #7 doing an great job telling two stories that unite, Detective Comics #877 working quite well, DC Universe Online Legends impressing, and Action Comics #901 doing the quickest dive in quality from a previous issue that I have ever seen. Well, they can't all be winners.

Whatever Happened To Batman: Europa?

Remember back in November 2010 when DC Comics had a new Batman mini-series on the cover of Previews magazine called "Batman: Europa"? Well not even the first issue has come out and despite others asking about it awhile ago when it missed the first ship date, it now seems to have fallen completely off the radar. This is disappointing because it sounded neat. It had Jim Lee doing painted art in an issue, Jock doing art for another, and Brian Azzarello writing a tale about Batman having to team up with the Joker to find the cure for a virus that has infected the ol' Batman.

I honestly haven't heard a peep about this series since March-ish and can only figure that work is progressing on it very slowly with DC planning to re-solicit it when they actually have enough of a complete product that they can release the darn thing.I mean, it is in-continuity--I'm pretty sure--but it isn't too important to the current comics story-wise so they can pretty much just release it whenever they finally get this thing done.

This Is An Awesome Comic Cover--Detective Comics #877

That is a really cool cover by Jock for the current Detective Comics run Scott Snyder has been writing the hell out of and which Jock has been doing killer art on when Francisco Francavilla isn't also doing great stuff. I saw it when I picked it up Wednesday and my jaw dropped. Now we get what is just one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen, with the outline of a body and Batman inside it...just wow. You know what, let's get a focus on that main image:

Damn, that is super-cool, you have a sexuality-and-death sort of thing going on, light-and-dark...just, incredible stuff.

Rant Reviews--Action Comics, Detective Comics, Osborn, and A Comic Named Rasl.

We've got the Action Comics #900 where all kinds of things happen--some controversial if you've been following the news, Detective Comics #876 which is snazzy as always, the final issue of the stellar Osborn mini-series, and the independent comic Rasl.

A Thrill Ride: Detective Comics #873

Detective Comics #873
 Let's be honest, was there ever any doubt that teaming up Scott Synder and Jock for this book would not result in some incredible stuff?

Rant-Reviews--Dark Wolverine, Lex Luthor, and Two Batmen.

 More comic book reviews; overall some quality books in this review bunch, at least more-so than yesterday's terrible-to-good mixture of funny-books.

Rant-Reviews--damn, Batman got skillz.

2 books about evil super-beings and one about a man who dresses as a bat.