Episode 193: Looking For Trouble

Episode 193: Looking For Trouble

We were late recording this week, thanks to Vince’s crazy work schedule and my flu. That said, we did want to still get this episode out as we had so many great titles to discuss. We’ve got some movie and TV news, some Guardians of the Galaxy solo titles, Spider-Verse, Death of Wolvie, some more Wayward love and lots more. Enjoy. News Movie casting Arrow vs The Flash Discussion Rocket Raccoon Legendary Star-Lord What We’re Reading Vince: Guardians of the Galaxy, Godzilla Cataclysm Roger: Spider-Verse, Death of Wolverine, Batman, Black Widow, Borderlands, Cyclops, Gotham by Midnight, Magneto, Scarlet Spiders, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Woman, Superior Iron Man, TMNT/Ghostbusters, Wayward, Wolvie and his Peeps, Insufferable, The House in the Wall New Releases Marvel: Angela: Asgard’s Assassin #1 Deadpool #38 Guardians 3000 #3 Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #7 Legendary Star-Lord #6 DC: Batman Eternal #35 Gotham Academy #3 Justice League 3000 #12 Secret Six #1 Swamp Thing #37 Image: Chew #45 Low #5 Nailbiter #8 Tooth & Claw #2 Dark Horse: Alien vs Predator Fire & Stone #3 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 187: Time’s Running Out

Episode 187: Time’s Running Out

This week, Vince decided to force a bunch of either nonsensical or bad comics on me. With the Avengers’ “Time Runs Out” event shifting gears, he figured it would make a good jumping on point for someone like me who hasn’t been keeping up with it. Turns out, as usual, that he was wrong. And of course, given the opportunity, he tried to get me to read Thor. Interesting discussion in the What We’re Reading segment, as we also covered a lot of the new comic book shows on television. Enjoy listening to the duck that got loose in my recording office when we started discussing Gotham. Discussion Avengers & New Avengers: “Time Runs Out” Thor What We’re Reading Vince: Injustice, Captain America, Winter Soldier, Guardians 3000, TMNT Roger: Chew, Magneto, Flash (TV), Gotham (TV), Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. New Releases Marvel: Amazing Spider-Man #7 Avengers #36 Axis #1 Captain Marvel #8 Nightcrawler #7 Rocket Raccoon #4 X-Force #10 DC: Batgirl #35 Batman #35 Batman Eternal #27 Earth 2 #27 Earth 2: World’s End #1 Superman/Wonder Woman #12 Image: Birthright #1 Manhattan Projects #24 Sex Criminals #8 Wytches #1 Dark Horse: Alien vs Predator: Fire and Stone #1 IDW: Ragnarok #2 Valiant: Death-Defying Dr. Mirage #2 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 185: Motorcycle Samurai

Episode 185: Motorcycle Samurai

This week, Vince and I tackle Motorcycle Samurai, a fantastic series recently added to Thrillbent. If you’re not a Thrillbent subscriber, you can get the comic through several other distributors. And we highly suggest you do so. Because it’s damn good. We also covered a lot of other comics this week. Lots of Spider-Man, Wolverine, Magneto, Deadpool and more. Referenced this week: – Vince’s new co-workers – Chris Sheridan’s art Discussion Motorcycle Samurai What We’re Reading Vince: Arcanum, Deadpool Roger: Big Trouble in Little China, Black Widow, Spider-Man 2099, Invincible, Amazing Spider-Man, Edge of the Spider-Verse, Death of Wolvie, Nightcrawler, Magneto New Releases Marvel: All-New X-Men #32 Edge Of Spider-Verse #2 (Of 5) Hulk Annual #1, $4.99 Miles Morales The Ultimate Spider-Man #5 Nova #21 Superior Spider-Man #33 Thor God Of Thunder #25 Wolverine And The X-Men #9 DC: Batman And Robin Futures End #1 Batman Eternal #24 Batman Superman Futures End #1 Batwoman Futures End #1 Green Lantern New Guardians Futures End #1 Justice League Futures End #1 Multiversity The Society Of Super-Heroes Conquerors Of The Counter-World #1 Red Hood And The Outlaws Futures End #1 Supergirl Futures End #1 Superman Wonder Woman Futures End #1 Teen Titans Futures End #1 Trinity Of Sin Pandora Futures End #1 Wonder Woman Futures End #1 Image: Deadly Class #7 Oddly Normal #1 Other: Jim Henson’s The Storyteller Witches #1 (Of 4) (Boom! Studios) Godzilla Cataclysm #2 (Of 5) (IDW) Cartoon Network Super Secret Crisis War Fosters Home For Imaginary Friends #1 (IDW) Transformers More Than Meets The Eye #33 (IDW) iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 182: Valiant Delinquents

Episode 182: Valiant Delinquents

This week, we tackle some Valiant comics. Vince has been praising Archer and Armstrong for quite some time now, so he decided it was time for me to start reading it as well. He also tossed in some Quantum and Woody and The Delinquents for good measure. In our What We’re Reading segment, we touched on some great stuff from Nova, Magneto, and of course, Skull-Kickers. Enjoy. News Liefeld App Discussion Archer and Armstrong Quantum and Woody The Delinquents What We’re Reading Vince: New Avengers, Magneto, Nova, Ms Marvel, Ghost Rider Roger: All-New X-Men, Saga, Injustice, Wolverine, Skull-Kickers New Releases Marvel: All-New X-Men #31 Avengers #34 Cyclops #4 Guardians of the Galaxy #18 Thunderbolts #30 Uncanny Avengers #23 Wolverine #12 DC: Batman Beyond Universe #13 Batman Eternal #21 Injustice: Year Two #10 New 52: Future’s End #17 Superman #34 Image: Low #2 Manhattan Projects #23 Saga #22 Wayward #1 IDW: Borderlands: Fall of Fyrestone #2 Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #15 Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #32 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 174: Original Sin

Episode 174: Original Sin

This week, Vince and I tackle the first half of the Original Sin event. As becomes apparent immediately, I am not a fan, although Vince is enjoying it. I’m going to guess that a number of folks probably think it’s fantastic, however for it, it feels forced… in nearly every single way. Let us know what you think of the event so far. We also covered some very exciting comics in What We’re Reading, and I finally broke the DC ban by discussing Injustice and Batman Beyond. Because, well, they’re friggin’ awesome. Lastly, The Endling is written by Jonathan Larsen. Thrillbent, please tweak your iOS app some more to improve the user interface and customer experience. I love ya, but you still have some quirks that need smoothing out. Discussion Original Sin #1-4 What We’re Reading Vince: All-New Ultimates, Thor: God of Thunder, Sex Criminals, The Wicked + The Divine Roger: Wolverine, Magneto, Injustice, Batman Beyond, The Endling New Releases Marvel: All-New Ghost Rider #4 Amazing Spider-Man #3 Guardians of the Galaxy #16 Ms Marvel #5 New Avengers #20 X-Force #6 Image: Chew #42 Deadly Class #6 Invincible #112 Saga #20 Skullkickers #28 Dark Horse: Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #6 IDW: Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #13 Transformers; More than Meets the Eye #30 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 169: Ultimate Reboot

Episode 169: Ultimate Reboot

This week, Vince and I discuss the rebooted Ultimates universe. Specifically, we tackle All-New Ultimates, Ultimate FF and Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man. As we’ve stated many, many times, Marvel really needs to work on their naming conventions, because this continues to border on utter stupidity. That said, we did enjoy several of these new series. We also discussed a lot of comics in What We’re Reading. I read a fantastic Shang-Chi issue which I honestly thought was brand new… which just goes to prove, any issue that you haven’t read is brand new. Being old and medicated doesn’t hurt this theory either. Enjoy. Discussion All-New Ultimates #1 & 2 Ultimate FF #1 Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 What We’re Reading Vince: Original Sin, Moon Knight, Magneto Roger: Chew, Nightcrawler, The United States of Murder Inc., Amazing Spider-Man, Amazing X-Men, Wolvie and his Peeps, Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu New Releases Marvel: Amazing Spider-Man #2 Elektra #2 Magneto #4 Nova #17 Original Sin #2 Uncanny X-Men #21 Image: East of West #12 Invincible #111 Saga #19 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 161: Goblins and Teens

Episode 161: Goblins and Teens

Due to mix of real life events, the detailed length of which would exceed the average grocery list, both Vince and I were unable to record for a few weeks. For those who thought the podcast was dying a quiet death, nothing could be further from the truth. Should this podcast ever die, I assure you, it will go down screaming… drunkenly. That said, things have settled back into a routine again, which means you’ll be getting your weekly fix of me every week. And Vince, if you care about that bastard. Enjoy the episode. Discussion TRAILERS (newest) Amazing Spider-Man X-Men: Days of Future Past Superior Spider-Man #29 Superior Spider-Man Annual #2 Wolverine and his Peeps v2 #1-2 What We’re Reading Vince: Thunderbolts, Superman/Wonder Woman, Nova Roger: Magneto, Sovereign, Daredevil, Batman Beyond New Releases Marvel: All-New Ghost Rider #1 Amazing X-Men #5 Silver Surfer #1 Superior Spider-Man #30 DC: Batman The Dark Knight #29 Injustice Year Two #3 Image: Manhattan Projects #19 Skullkickers #25 Other: Serenity Leaves On The Wind #3 (Dark Horse Comics) iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Uncanny X-Men Issue 534.1

Uncanny X-Men Issue 534.1

Despite being the flagship title for the franchise, Uncanny X-Men has been a bit inconsistent over the past few years. It’s not that Matt Fraction is a bad writer; I’m a fan of his work on Immortal Iron Fist and Invincible Iron Man. There’s just something about this title that doesn’t quite click with his style of writing. Perhaps it’s the ensemble cast or the position the story was in when he took over, but the whole San Francisco era of the X-Men just hasn’t worked for me so far. There have been some highlights, but there have also been some weak stories. With Issue 531, Kieron Gillen (Generation Hope, Thor) joined Fraction as co-writer for the “Quarantine” storyline. The core story was fun and interesting, but overall the issues were bogged down with having to tie up some of Fraction’s outstanding storylines. Still, there was a noticeable shift in tone once Gillen joined the writing staff. With “Quarantine” done, Fraction has moved off the title to focus on his other work, such as the big Fear Itself miniseries, leaving Gillen as the sole writer for Uncanny. Gillen’s first solo issue is one of Marvel’s “Point One” issues; stand-alone stories taking place in between the normal numbered issues intended to be “jumping on points” for new readers. Overall, the whole initiative has been a bit of a flop. Of the few issues I’ve read, some of them have been quite good, but didn’t satisfy the “jumping on point” criteria. As great as Invincible Iron Man 500.1 was, a new reader would have no idea what’s going on in issue 501. The only total success I’ve seen so far is Hulk 30.1. It was a damn good issue, and set up the direction of the comic for some time to come. Uncanny X-Men 534.1 falls somewhere in the middle. It’s a strong issue and, while it may not set anything up for the next story arc, it establishes a solid idea for how Gillen will be writing the title in the future. The story revolves around the X-Men’s Public Relations specialist, Kate Kildare, and her attempt to make the public feel safe around the mutants when Magneto, a known terrorist, is revealed to be part of the team. I loved it when Fraction brought Magneto to Utopia, especially when he recognized Cyclops as the leader of the mutant race. It was a strong story element, but Magneto has been a bit lost since. Mike Carey is doing great work with him in X-Men Legacy, but I’m glad to see Gillen picking him up for some more development here. The problem with Magneto is he’s still very much the same person he was before. Though his extremist methods and ideology may have shifted some, he still has the same unforgiving personality. Magneto and public relations go together as well as Wolverine and metal detectors. He would much rather be feared than loved, but fear from normal people is the last thing the X-Men need right now. Meanwhile, Cyclops, Wolverine and the team are called away on a mission by the mayor of San Francisco. Crooks posing as AIM scientists have been causing small earthquakes to extort money from local companies wishing to protect their interests. However, it turns out they were merely predicting the earthquakes and San Francisco is due for a major jolt, endangering countless lives. At the last minute, the Master of Magnetism steps in to protect the citizens in a stunning display of power. In one motion, Magneto started down the path of earning the trust of San Francisco’s populace. Slowly, their fear of what he’s capable of will become respect for his power. Nothing will change overnight, but I thought it was a great way to make Magneto more acceptable without compromising his character, something Fraction was never able to do. Art for this issue is fantastic, with Carlos Pacheo filling in on pencils, since Uncanny‘s regular artist can’t draw two issues in one month. The coloring makes the characters seem a bit too “plastic” at times, but Pacheo nails the character designs and action scenes. Unfortunately, that’s also the worst part of this issue. Pacheo’s art is so nice, it’s a stark contrast to regular artist Greg Land’s normal style of tracing and recycling. Still, Uncanny X-Men‘s writing looks to be in good hands with Gillen and he’s got some interesting stories on the way. Uncanny X-Men Issue 534.1 Marvel Comics Story: Kieron Gillen Art: Carlos Pacheo, Cam Smith, Cam D’Armata...

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade Issue 2 of 9

Avengers: The Children’s Crusade Issue 2 of 9

This issue turns out to be even more fun than the first. It picks up right where Issue 1 leaves off, with Magneto finding his “grandsons.” He tries to take off with Wiccan and Speed, and chaos ensues. The other Young Avengers aren’t about to let a known terrorist take off with their friends, and the actual Avengers aren’t letting the kids go anywhere, with or without Magneto. After some fighting and pulling the kids back and forth, Wiccan magics the kids and Magento to Wundagore, the Scarlet witch’s birthplace. Walking through the countryside, Heinberg takes the opportunity for some character development. We see some nice moments between Patriot and Hawkeye, as well as Stature and Vision. Of course, the big focus is between the twins and Magneto, but it’s nice to see them not dominating the story. All of the Young Avengers are well-developed characters, and they each get a little bit of love. While we do get more romantic developments, none of the problems I had with the first issue in that regard are present here; it’s just good, solid character development. Of course, if the Scarlet Witch is a feature of the story, it’s not long before Magento’s other offspring shows up. Quicksilver makes a dramatic entrance, completing the family reunion. There are some great scenes with him and Speed until his attention turns to his father. Considering Magneto tried to kill him the last time they met, the two do not get along. Everything builds to a stunning resolution, nicely setting up the next issue. Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #2 features great writing, great character development, a solid plot and truly phenomenal art. That being said, there are too many negative aspects of this comic that I can’t overlook. Due to contractual obligations to DC, Heinberg’s work on Young Avengers has been sporadic over the years. As I mentioned in my review of the first issue, some of the anachronisms are very noticeable. Reading this now, it’s clear to me this story was intended to occur before the Civil War. That’s four years ago. The result is a story conceptualized in 2006 being shoehorned into the continuity of 2010. Some things just don’t match up. I can overlook some of the inconsistencies with the Avengers, since they’re a minor part of the story. However, the characterizations of Magneto and Quicksilver are just off, completely contrasting recent developments in comics like Uncanny X-Men and Mighty Avengers. As good as it is, I just have trouble connecting with this comic. Additionally, I made a mistake in my first review; I said this title would be publishing every two weeks. Instead, it’s publishing every two MONTHS. At nine issues, it will take a year and a half for this miniseries to finish. That is more of a time investment than I’m willing to give a “miniseries.” As such, I will likely not be reading any future issues. Avengers: The Children’s Crusade Issue 2 of 9 Marvel Comics Story: Allan Heinberg Art: Jim Cheung, Mark Morales, Justin Ponsor...