Marvel’s Avengers gets a new #1
I haven’t really been a Marvel fan since the early 1980s. I used to thrill to John Byrne’s Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight, Frank Miller’s Daredevil, Chris Claremont’s X-Men, Bill Mantlo and Rick Leonardi’s Cloak and Dagger… I even read Secret Wars II and ALL the crossovers.
But in 1986 when DC managed to poach a large amount of Marvel’s talent, I went with them, and found Byrne’s Superman and Miller’s Batman just as thrilling. For the most part I never looked back, a situation helped by the declining quality of most of Marvel’s output throughout the dark ages of the 1990s.
Since then there really hasn’t been much to lure me back to Marvel, with a few exceptions (Ed Brubaker’s incredible work on Daredevil and Captain America being chief among them). My taste for big crossovers has faded sharply since those heady Secret Wars II days, so even though I started reading Brian Michael Bendis’ New Avengers when it started back in 2004, it quickly sank into the fog of whatever summer “event” was going on at the time and lost me.
So it took a little work to convince myself to pick up the newly renumbered Avengers #1, by Bendis and John Romita Jr. I do have to admit that the collector’s nightmare of starting a series over with a new number one issue usually works on me – I’ll at least pick it up and look at it most of the time. And I’ve always found Romita Jr’s artwork to be very appealing, ever since he drew X-Men and Star Brand back in the glory days.
The classic Avengers team of Iron Man, Captain America (albeit the new one), Thor and Hawkeye are joined by Spider-Man, Wolverine and Spider-Woman, all favorites of writer Brian Michael Bendis and mainstays of the team since his New Avengers in 2004. It’s a treat to see Romita Jr draw them: his Thor is larger than life (even for a superhero), towering over the other characters, his Spider-Man is lithe and acrobatic, and he remembers that Wolverine is supposed to be short.
While I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to Wolverine being an Avenger, Spider-Man’s presence rings true and seems particularly important, as I imagine his jokey, carefree voice is closest to Bendis’ own. Bendis is a master of snappy dialogue, and he doesn’t disappoint here, although the sheer amount of witty repartee strains credibility a bit – nearly all the characters, not just Spider-Man, are a little too quick with the jokes. The “menace from the future” plot is extremely tired, but the surprise reveal at the end of the issue made it look like things may not necessarily be what they seem.
It was certainly intriguing enough to make me want to read the next issue, which is the ultimate goal of any monthly comic book.
– Jefferson Powers
Iron Man 2 Thoughts
[edited just to remove references to this being a review]
Here are my thoughts on Iron Man 2:
What I liked:
They beefed up all the secondary characters really well, I thought Nick Fury, Happy Hogan, Agent Coulson, Natasha Romanov, were all well fleshed out and while not the focus of the story, really added to it.
The initial 45 minutes were really exciting, the first action sequence was great, and the story was set up well.
The last 45 minutes were also action packed, and really moved well, better paced and better action than the last film’s conclusion.
All of the action scenes worked great, just like the first film.
Smart villains, I thought both Whiplash and Justin Hammer were good foes for Tony Stark, and I was really surprised that they didn’t have Mickey Rourke playing a simple dumb brute, he was a really smart adversary.
The performances were good all around.
The “after the end credits” scene was totally worth waiting for (I won’t spoil it here).
Good continuation of the story, it’s great to have the origin out of the way, and this really worked to move the story forward.
What wasn’t as good:
The middle 45 minutes dragged a little, I thought they really dragged out the scenes with Hammer and Whiplash, and the discovery of his father’s “discovery” was a little far fetched.
I would like to see more of the action scenes in the daytime, both films had the final battle take place at night, and I think that’s cheating, let us see the fight!
The “final” scene with the senator was a really strange moment to end on, it really just laid there as a scene, not an upbeat moment like ending with “I am Iron Man”, strange choice from Favreau.
I personally didn’t like that Tony and Pepper end up together at the end, it really didn’t seem to be leading that way, it would have made sense that Pepper and Happy had gotten closer in the time that Tony had disappeared, and there were several moments in the film that suggested that (this is what happens in the comics). It would better serve Pepper as a character if she stayed President while not being his girlfriend and he has to respect her that way, it would also grow Tony as a character.
I did think Sam Rockwell’s performance was a little over the top as Justin Hammer, he could have dialed it back a little and it would have meshed with the other performances better, especially in his scenes with Whiplash.
I thought Rhodey’s motivations are very unclear, I was never sure why he chose to do what he chose to do at any given time, he should have been developed better as a character as far as his background to explain betraying Tony.
While I thought her performance was overal pretty good, and above average for a love interest in a Superhero Movie, I got really annoyed with Gwynth Paltrow’s character’s continual response to a dangerous situation to be staring at it. She did the same thing in the first film. How about trying RUN AWAY FROM DANGER INSTEAD OF STARING AT THE THING ABOUT TO FALL ON YOU!
My final negative was the music, the first film really benefited from a very original music score by Ramin Djawadi, it really added to the feel of the film, made it fun, and I think it was a big part of it’s success.
For this film, Favreau turned to a composer he’d used before, John Debney, who is extremely experienced, but I think that was the mistake, the score didn’t add anything to the film, it sounded like any other movie, it had no distinct musical feel.
Just because the negatives outweigh the positives, don’t come away from this thinking I didn’t like Iron Man 2, I loved it, and plan to see it a couple more times. My overall feeling about the movie is positive.
I wouldn’t bother criticizing it this thoroughly if it wasn’t worth it as a movie.
Free Comic Book Day – Saturday, May 1 – support your local shop!
This Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. It is a day when you can walk into participating comic book stores and pick up a comic or two relating to stories/titles you know 
or take a chance on a publisher or title that you don’t know about. Expand your horizons and check out something dangerous. Something you wouldn’t otherwise read.
And just because it’s called “Free Comic Book Day” doesn’t mean that all comics are free. Last year, the first store that I went to had a buy one, get one free TPB sale. What a deal!
So, go out, grab a free comic or two and bring your kids. And, by all means, support your local comic book shop and buy some comics, t-shirts, trades, busts, etc., and let them know that you’ll be back throughout the year and not just one day out of 365. They’ll appreciate it.
Truly it is Up, Up and Away
Via Yahoo:
Superman comic sells for $1.5M, setting record
A copy of the 1938 edition of Action Comics No. 1 sold Monday for $1.5 million on the auction Web site ComicConnect.com. The issue, which features Superman’s debut and originally sold for 10 cents, is widely considered the Holy Grail of comic books.
There are about 100 copies of Action Comics No. 1 believed to be in existence, and only a handful in good condition. The issue that sold Monday was rated slightly higher than the one that sold in February; it had been tucked inside an old movie magazine for years before being discovered.
I don’t know about you, dear Superherocinema.com readers, but if I had 1.5 mil to blow on a comic book, I should probably re-evaluate my life. I love it when comic books get great press like this (nary a Holy Cow to be found in the article) and the article comments on “pent-up demand” for ultra-rare comics, which is very cool that comic collectors like this are still out there in this economy. However, that being said, if anyone wants to spend $1.5M on a book that they will secret away to a vault, I posit this for you. Shouldn’t there be a comic book wing of a museum somewhere so that books like this and the Detective Comics that recently sold for $1,075,000 can be displayed and shared with the public? Rock and Roll has a museum…science fiction has a museum (it’s in Seattle)…why not the pop culture niche and phenomenon comic books?
I’d be happy to donate all my versions of X-Men #1 to help it get started.
Hulk vs. Thor VS Hulk vs. Wolverine
Back in the day when I first started branching out from reading Spider-Man comics, I was drawn in by a little limited series called the Inifinity Gauntlet. I was fascinated by everyday heroes fighting against and amongst cosmic beings. The thought of Captain America making a stand against somebody like Thanos was awesome and awe-inspiring. Now that you know my cosmic leanings, you may have guessed which of the two “movies” on this disc that I preferred.
While Thor clocks in as the longer movie of the two, it is totally worth it and makes quite the smashing punch. I’m not well versed in all the relationships in the Thor corner of the Marvel-verse, but I didn’t feel at a loss as it was easy to pick up on what was happening and who was involved with who, etc. It was amazing to think about how once Bruce Banner was removed from the psyche of Hulk that he might truly have no upper limits to his strength, endurance, and mindlessness for destruction. If Hulk can (Spoiler Alert!) beat the tar out of Thor and take out pretty much everybody in Asgard, how would the writers resolve this plot! Very well and by thinking about the Hulk’s Achilles Heel, that’s how. I am a big fan of cosmic/god-like characters with great action and Hulk vs. Thor delivered.
On the other hand, we have a more down-to-Earth “Hulk” story. I put Hulk in quotation marks because this story seems to focus more on Wolverine and his encounter with the Weapon X project with the Hulk thrown into the mix to stir up the pot. Now I love seeing Lady Deathstrike torn apart as much as the next guy, but I can’t be the only one who found the one scene with her and Hulk screaming at each other pretty funny, right? I appreciated seeing Deadpool getting his ass handed to him…even though he’s funny, it’s good to see him get a good pounding every now and then.
Overall, I like seeing the Hulk in vs. Wolverine, although it definitely felt like he was an ingredient and not the main course as he was in vs. Thor. I give the Thor segment 4 stars out of 5 and the Wolverine one 3 stars. May the Hulk continue to smash for many years to come.
The planet’s not called Hulk, but the movie title is…called Planet Hulk
I grew up loving Spider-Man. (A weird way to start a review of Planet Hulk, but go with me here). I started with issue 248 way back in the day and my mom purchased it for me at a local drug store. She said to go over to the spinny rack and pick one out. Sweet! My 8-year old eyes perused the racks and I had narrowed it down to the one with a bad guy looming over Spider-Man and one with a big green monster on the cover. I chose the webhead because the other one frightened me too much. Yikes!
I don’t have that same fear of the Hulk now that I did then, however, so I was able to really enjoy Planet Hulk. And this one was a great movie. It had an emotional core with the Hulk and Caiera and great fighting scenes in the gladiator-style arena. You can’t beat the ones in the beginning where the Hulk is just trying to get out and doesn’t play well with others, but when he joins the fight, it’s over pretty quick! Hulk does indeed smash.
One of the scenes that has stayed with me weeks after I have watched the movie and is the most heart-wrenching is when Caiera attempts to save a little girl from the second invasion of the spore-things. Truly sad and gives this film weight and makes it not merely a superhero movie, but a film with depth that will have you rooting for the Hulk and enjoying the beauty that is this movie.
Lego superheroes on Flickr – why didn’t they have these when I was a kid?
I found this via SciFi Wire and they are too cool. However, I think that the box of random Legos that I have at home are at least 4 generations before the came up with non-square and non-rectangle Legos. Has Lego technology really changed that much since the 80s when I thought it was too cool that I got a set of Legos that became an airplane when I went through the 30 steps? Yes, yes they have. Now you can put together the Batmobile in 15 and have Doc Ock’s arms twist in all directions as he chases after Aunt May. True love!
Green Lantern in 3-D…sweet. I’d wear those glasses again.
Saw this on Sci-Fi Wire. I guess 3-D is the new “talkie?” It’s going to be cropping up everywhere. I’m not sure if Green Lantern is popular enough and this extra feature will bring in more people, but it certainly will help the bottom line of this movie and superhero movies in general. A good thing.
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If you always wanted to see Green Lantern on the big screen in 3-D instead of that boring old 2-D (’cause we all know how yawn-inducing that would be), you’re in luck, and you can thank Avatar for that, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Warner Brothers has decided to add an extra dimension to DC’s superhero, apparently inspired by all the big bucks Fox pulled in with the James Cameron blockbuster. The studio had already announced plans to convert both Clash of the Titans and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One to 3-D releases.
Warners also announced that Zach Snyder’s action fantasy Punch, set to hit theaters on March 25, 2011, will also make the leap from 2-D to 3-D.
Green Lantern, starring Ryan Reynolds, is set to premiere on June 17, 2011.
[Knock, knock, knock] Stan Lee? [Knock, knock, knock] Stan Lee? [Knock, knock, knock] Stan Lee?
I would consider myself a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to The Big Bang Theory. I caught reruns between seasons two and three and was endeared by the characters, enjoyed the sitcom, punchline timing, and was curious how they could get away with physics humor in prime time. But I was most enthralled with the trips to the local comic book store…especially on new comic book day (which we all know is Tuesday). This last episode of TBBT was a love letter to all fans of Marvel comics, of which I most heartily count myself.
No episode of a TV show or movie starring a Marvel character or featuring a comic book plot is complete without the mandatory Stan Lee cameo. Whether it’s Stan Lee pulling a kid to safety in Spider-Man or being a playboy in Iron Man, he pops ala Steven King.
This episode’s A-plot centered on Stan Lee’s visit to the comic book store. I enjoyed their excitement and the scene where they were flipping through their collections to decide what they would have him sign. Leonard had a tough choice between the first appearance of Dr. Doom or Thor (he definitely should have chosen Thor) for Stan Lee to autograph. But a Batman comic?? That would have been awesome.
This series does a good job of not patronizing nerds/geeks, but making comedy where we are in our element and know the references without being too obscure. Raj’s jokes about Marvel characters’ alliteration names is very true. Poor JJJ. I enjoyed every minute they were in the comic book store as it is a place ripe for good-natured humor and one that all us comic book fans know well.
For the denouement, my wife called it. She didn’t even know who Stan Lee was, but knew that Sheldon would have a signed restraining order that he would frame. Brilliant! She definitely deserves a No-Prize.
-Jonathan
Comics pick of the week: Gutsville #2
One of the many things I love about the world of comic books is its acceptance, both as a publishing industry and a reading audience, of bizarre ideas. This remark may sound strange in reference to an entertainment medium so completely dominated to a single genre, but even within the superhero genre comic book publishers have shown much more willingness to explore unusual themes and ideas, from Alan Moore’s thought-provoking reworking of Swamp Thing to Walter Simonson’s “Frog of Thunder” story in Thor, which saw Marvel’s God of Thunder transformed into a frog for three issues.
Which brings us to Gutsville, a story with a setting so bizarre you will only find it in a comic book.
The premise of Gutsville is that in 1850 the SS Daphne, a British ship bound for Australia, is swallowed whole by a giant sea monster. But instead of being digested, the crew and passengers survive and build a permanent settlement in the beast’s stomach, surviving by fishing for salvage every time the monster swallows. The story opens 157 years later, with the descendents of the Daphne’s original survivors led by a religious sect who believe they must purify their spirits before they will be allowed to return to “the dryplaces of the Earth.” The main character is Albert Oliphant, who has just inherited his recently deceased father’s job of catching the giant mutant rats that prowl the fleshy passageways of Gutsville. The plot thickens when Albert finds that his father has drawn a detailed map of the maze of passageways, which may just show a way out of the beast.
This entirely original set-up is accompanied by some sharp writing and an intricate plot by British novelist Simon Spurrier, and gorgeous, atmospheric painted artwork by Frazer Irving. It is set to be a six issue limited series, but with a setting this rich and complex that hardly seems like enough issues to do the idea justice. It seems like there is a lot of Gutsville to explore, so here’s hoping Albert won’t find his way out too soon…
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