Episode 204: Lotta Dark

Episode 204: Lotta Dark

This week, Vince and I tackle a, well, a very dark story-arc in Batman: Dark Knight. It revolves around the Riddler, who is much… darker… than usual. Batman has to take part in a number of riddles which are far harsher than any we’ve seen from the Riddler before. We also discuss Uncanny X-Men and our love of Eva, as well as Thor, Bitch Planet, X-Force, the magic mirror, Miles and much more. Oh, and we discuss the possibility of Peter not being white. And to any who oppose that notion, get over it. Whether we see a black or hispanic Peter, or a full-blown Miles Morales Spider-Man, we’re on board. Discussion Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City What We’re Reading Vince: Uncanny X-Men, Iron Fist, Thor, Bitch Planet Roger: X-Force, Invincible, Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw, Justice League 3000, Legendary Star-Lord, Ultimate Spider-Man, Multiversity, Rocket Raccoon, Silk, Wolverines New Releases Marvel: All-New X-Men #38 Amazing Spider-Man #15 Amazing X-Men #17 Darth Vader #2 Deadpool #42 New Avengers #30 S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 Spider-Gwen #1 Spider-Man 2099 #9 Thor Annual #1 DC: Batman #39 Batman Eternal #47 Gotham Academy #5 Gotham by Midnight #4 Image: Chew #46 Low #6 The Wicked + The Divine #8 IDW: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #43 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutanimals #1 Valiant: Quantum and Woody Must Die #2 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 189: Gotham Central

Episode 189: Gotham Central

After bashing Gotham (TV) a while back, Vince decided it’d be a good idea to read how a similar story can be made to work. Gotham Central was a fantastic series which contained award-winning story-arcs. Also discussed this week, X-Force, Baldur’s gate, The Walking Dead, Spidey, Wolvie and more. Enjoy. Discussion Gotham Central #1-10 (2002) What We’re Reading Vince: X-Force, D&D: Legends of Baldur’s Gate, The Walking Dead Roger: Amazing Spider-Man, Axis, Cyclops, The Logan Legacy New Releases Marvel: All-New X-Men #33 Death of Wolverine: Deadpool and Captain America #1 Deathlok #1 Guardians of the Galaxy #20 Nova #22 Thunderbolts #32 DC: Batman Eternal #30 Earth 2: World’s End #3 Swamp Thing Annual #3 Wonder Woman #35 Dark Horse: Aliens: Fire and Stone #2 IDW: Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #34 Image: Black Science #10 Low #4 Saga #24 Southern Bastards #5 Wayward #3 Valiant: Archer and Armstrong #25 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 184: X-Force

Episode 184: X-Force

This week, Vince decided he couldn’t wait for me anymore, and so made me read the new X-Force. Turns out he was right, it is fantastic. Also discussed this week, some Batman, Wolverine, Cyclops and a pesky raccoon. Enjoy. Discussion X-Force #2-7 What We’re Reading Vince: Original Sin, Earth 2, Batman Eternal Roger: Rocket Raccoon, Cyclops, Death of Wolverine, Batman Detective Comics, Uncanny X-Men New Releases Marvel: Amazing Spider-Man #6 Captain Marvel #7 Death of Wolverine #2 Edge of Spider-Verse #1 Hawkguy #20 Magneto #9 Ms Marvel #8 Powers Bureau #11 X-Force #9 DC: Future’s End Week 2 Batman Eternal #23 Injustice Year Two #11 Image: East of West #15 Invincible #114 Lazarus #11 Velvet #7 Dark Horse: Prometheus: Fire and Stone #1 IDW: Rot & Ruin #1 Oni: The Bunker #6 Valiant: Archer and Armstrong #24 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 176: Jonathan Larsen Interview

Episode 176: Jonathan Larsen Interview

This week, we interview the writer of The Endling, Jonathan Larsen. It was a great chat, with lots of insight into what it takes to write a digital comic book. Please note, there are spoilers in this interview. Also, quite likely the most awesome “New Releases” segment ever. Enjoy. Discussion The Endling Interview Writer: Jonathan Larsen What We’re Reading Vince: X-Force, Amazing X-Men Roger: Skullkickers, Rocket Raccoon New Releases Surprise segment! iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 175: Leaves on the Wind

Episode 175: Leaves on the Wind

This week, Vince and I return to Serenity, covering the mini-series “Leaves on the Wind” which just ended. We both absolutely loved it, which is no surprise. It’s not just that we’re massive fans of the IP. The mini-series is fantastic, even for folks new to Firefly. We also discussed a whole lotta comics in the What We’re Reading segment. Ok, I discussed a lotta comics. Vince patiently waited for his turn. Enjoy. Discussion Serenity: Leaves on the Wind What We’re Reading Vince: New Avengers, X-Force Roger: All-New Ultimates, Amazing Spider-Man, Chew, Invincible, Ultimate Spider-Man, Wolvie and his Peeps, Wolverine New Releases Marvel: 100th Anniversary Special Spider-Man #1 All-New X-Men #29 Amazing Spider-Man #1.3 Amazing X-Men #9 Captain Marvel #5 Deadly Hands Of Kung Fu #3 (Of 4) Nightcrawler #4 Original Sin #5.1 Spider-Man 2099 #1 Superior Foes Of Spider-Man #13 United States Of Murder Inc #3 Wolverine #10 Image: Death Vigil #1 (Of 8) Spread #1 iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Episode 160: Punisher Cross-Overs

Episode 160: Punisher Cross-Overs

Over the years, Vince has made me read some truly terrible comics. He’s thrived on it, in fact. When flipping through whatever crap he’s had me read in a given “bad” week, I always imagine him with steepled fingers, cackling lightly… maniacally. I never retaliated though. Until this week. I decided enough was enough. This week, I was going to make him read some truly terrible comics. Revenge would be mine. Plus, it would make for a funny episode. Little did I realize Vince would not actually read the assigned comics, but rather simply leaf through them and infer the story from the pretty pictures. Bastard. Enjoy the episode. Discussion Punisher Cross-Overs What We’re Reading Vince: Batman, Eternal Warrior Roger: All-New X-Men, Justice League 3000, Superior Spider-Man, The Bunker, The Punisher, Wolverine and his Peeps, X-Force, X-Men Legacy New Releases Marvel: A+X #17 Amazing X-Men #4 Avengers World #3 Captain America #17 Daredevil #36 (Final Issue) Dexter Down Under #1 (Of 5) Iron Man Annual #1 Marvel Knights Hulk #3 (Of 4 New Warriors #1 Night Of The Living Deadpool #3 (Of 4) Nova #13.NOW Punisher #2 Savage Wolverine #15 Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #10 Uncanny X-Men #17 X-Men #11 DC: Animal Man #28 Batman And Two-Face #28 Batman Beyond Universe #7 Batwoman #28 Birds Of Prey #28 Green Lantern New Guardians #28 Harley Quinn #3 Justice League #28 Red Hood And The Outlaws #28 Scribblenauts Unmasked A Crisis Of Imagination #2 Supergirl #28 Trinity Of Sin Pandora #8 Wonder Woman #28 Image: Ghosted #7 Protectors Inc #4 Sex Criminals #4 Undertow #1 (Of 6) Other: Star Wars Darth Vader And The Cry Of Shadows #3 (Of 5) (Dark Horse Comics) Star Wars Dawn Of The Jedi Force War #4 (Of 5) (Dark Horse Comics) Terminator Enemy Of My Enemy #1 (Of 6) (Dark Horse Comics) White Suits #1 (Of 4) (Dark Horse Comics) Godzilla Rulers Of Earth #9 (IDW) X-Files Conspiracy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (IDW) iTunes | RSS feed If you enjoy the show, please make certain to stop by iTunes and leave us a review!...

Comic of the Week (4/13/11) – Uncanny X-Force Issue 7

Comic of the Week (4/13/11) – Uncanny X-Force Issue 7

In the conclusion to “Deathlok Nation”, X-Force teams up with Deathlok, a cyborg soldier from the future. Wolverine, Deadpool and Fantomex must confront a part of their past by entering The World, the main laboratory for the Weapon Plus program, which made them all the super-soldiers they are today. Along the way, they must fight cyborg versions of themselves while still dealing with the fallout from “The Apocalypse Solution.” Rick Remender has assembled a team of fan-favorites, but is using them for more than just generating sales. He has a real understanding of what makes each one tick, and that has made Uncanny X-Force one of my favorite current comics. Uncanny X-Force #7: “Deathlok Nation, Conclusion” Marvel Comics Story: Rick Remender Art: Esad Ribic, John Lucas, Matthew Wilson...

Uncanny X-Force Issue 1: “The Apocalypse Solution, Chapter 1”

Uncanny X-Force Issue 1: “The Apocalypse Solution, Chapter 1”

X-Force is back with a new team and a new adjective. Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force picks up where Crag Kyle and Chris Yost’s recent X-Force run left off. In the previous version, X-Force was a black-ops team, proactively taking out enemies before they could become true threats to the dwindling mutant population. Due to the extreme nature of X-Force’s tactics, the team was kept secret, known only to Cyclops. Consisting of Wolverine, X-23, Archangel, Domino and several other members, X-Force took down nutjobs, racists, psychic vampires and even traveled to the future to help Cable. Following the “Second Coming” event, Cyclops decided there was no longer a need for X-Force and disbanded the team. Ever the realist, Wolverine decided to keep X-Force alive, this time a secret even from Cyclops. He turned to Archangel as co-leader and recruited a new team; psychic ninja Psylocke, world-class mercenary Deadpool and infiltration specialist Fantomex. It’s an interesting team, full of fan-favorite characters that also fit the theme of the comic. Wolverine is, of course, the best there is at what he does. However, he also tends to go a bit overboard at times, so he’s sharing leadership of the team with Archangel. Warren, though, has his own issues, attempting to sort out the two personalities warring for control of his body. Psylocke fills an obvious role on the team as the lone psychic, but Betsy needs Warren’s support as much as he needs hers. Deadpool… well, he’s Deadpool. The goofball of the Marvel universe, I truly feel Remender will be reining in some of his more outlandish traits, and bringing the character back to his roots as someone who will do whatever is necessary to get the job done, but also have fun doing it. At least in this first issue, none of the bizarre (and honestly, stupid) effects recent writers have been using to turn the character into nothing more than a clown are present. There really is more to the character than we’ve seen since his resurgence a couple years ago. The one character poised to be the breakout star of this series is definitely Fantomex. One of the many intriguing ideas Grant Morrison came up with, but never quite followed through on during his run on New X-Men, I’m glad to see Fantomex get another chance. The character is a product of the Weapon Plus program, itself an offshoot of Weapon X, the same agency responsible for “creating” Wolverine and Deadpool. Essentially, just like Deadpool, he was an attempt to create the next Wolverine; the three characters are tied together. While not a mutant, Fantomex still has powers, most notably his unique nervous system. Technically, Fantomex has more than one brain, giving him slight psychic abilities, as well as several more interesting powers. I thought it was a good call by Remender to have Fantomex narrate the bulk of this issue; it allows newer readers unfamiliar with the character a chance to connect with him. Fantomex is definitely one Marvel character to keep your eyes on next year. As for the issue itself, it’s a solid setup for what’s to come. We start with Deadpool investigating an enemy base, then move on to the rest of the team assembling for a rescue mission. Each character has a moment in the spotlight, and we see how the members of the team are going to interact with each other. There’s some camaraderie, and there’s some tension; all the elements of a good team book are present here. Yes, there’s also some fighting and explosions, giving the book a solid balance of story and action. Everything a fan could want is in this first issue, elevating Uncanny X-Force above other recent first issues. (Wolverine, I’m looking at you.) At this point, it’s not much of a spoiler to say Apocalypse is the first villain X-Force will be facing, though the reveal at the end of the issue is still a great twist. On the art side of things, Opena does a solid job. Wolverine and Archangel are as badass as they should be, but his Deadpool seems a tiny bit off in some aspects, mostly the mask. His interpretation of Psylocke is a bit more “athletic” than traditional portrayals, but the feelings associated with that will vary from reader to reader. There seems to be an overuse of certain color schemes, mostly blue and gray, but I’ll need to see more to decide if it’s a trend or just the way this particular issue worked out. Still, it’s an improvement over the “All BLACK, all the time!” style of the last X-Force. Uncanny X-Force is just a solid comic. It gives fans enough of a taste to feel good about where the title is heading, as well as enough cool stuff to bring some new readers to the franchise. I highly recommend this one to fans of the X-Men, Wolverine, Deadpool or anyone just looking for something new and different. Uncanny X-Force Issue 1: “The Apocalypse Solution, Chapter 1” Marvel Comics Story: Rick Remender Art: Jerome Opena, Dean White...