Recent Review
Review by Dario
November 12, 2008
Doctor Who News
The Next Doctor Christmas Special Preview
On November 14th BBC-Children in Need 2008 will have an exclusive preview of the forthcoming Doctor Who Christmas Special. This two-minute clip entitled The Next Doctor will show the Doctor played by David Tennant in Victorian England alongside another “Doctor” played by David Morrissey. Rumor has it that the story takes place in the alternate universe occupied by the Cybermen, not the normal universe. It’s only a few months away until he Christmas Special airs and I can’t wait! Read More >>
Review by Dario
November 12, 2008
Marvel Zombies 3 #1 and #2
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Story: Fred Van Lente
Art: Kev Walker
Cover: Greg Land
Release Date: Oct 8th 2008 (issue one), November 5th 2008 (issue two)
Price: 3.99
Seems like third times the charm with the Marvel Zombies franchise, this time spearheaded by Fred Van Lente, writer of The Incredible Hercules, MODOK’s 11 and the upcoming X-Men Noir. This time around the action takes place not on Zombie World but the mainstream Marvel Universe (Earth 616 for the initiated), deep in the heard of the swamp. Not just any swamp but the Everglades swamp that Man-Thing roams as protector of the Nexus of Realities. Its here that we first meet the Florida based Initiative Team called “The Command” while on swamp patrol after receiving a report of an attack against tourists by a “cape”. Read More >>
Podcast. Ep. 011
Episode 11 the comicjunkies spotlight Brian K Vaughan and discuss Runaways , Y the last Man, Ex Machina and The Pride. We also talk a little about
Next Avengers and a little of this and that.
Review by Dario
September 14, 2008
Next Avengers
Heroes of Tomorrow
DVD
Lions Gate Films
Release Date: 09/02/08
Loosely based on a What If story, Avengers Next is the story of the children of The Avengers as they battle the evil force of Ultron in the last days of humanity stand against the evil artificial intelligence. I was actually surprised at how good this DVD was. The last few Marvel animated DVD’s I’ve watched have been pretty bad. Ultimate Avengers 1 and 2 and Doctor Strange. Only Iron Man and now Avengers Next have been the type of movies that I not only enjoyed but also would recommend to friends to watch. Read More >>
Review by Dario
September 11, 2008
Atomic Robo: Art of War #1 of 5
Red 5 Comics
Price: 2.95 US
Words: Brian Clevinger
Art: Scott Wegener
Colors: Ronda Pattison
Letters: Jeff Powell
This was a fun unexpected find at the comic shop. I don't recall ever reading anything from Red 5 Comics but I'm interested in seeing what other books they offer after reading this. Atomic Robo is a story of a AI robot build by Nikola Tesla in 1923 that the US government granted full American citizenship in exchange for service in the Allied Forces against the advance of Hitler's army in Europe.
The stylistic art of Scott Wegener fits the book giving it a pulp/sci fi feel although he keeps the pages within the standard 4 panel presentation. Read More >>
Review by Phil
September 4, 2008
by Blake Bell
I think back to my early days when I was a Kid what I loved about comics that still remains with me is the one on one experience that a great comic brought with it seemed like magic. I was like many kids a huge Spider-Man fan Marvel Team-Up being my favorite Spidey title (more heroes for the money). I loved that book and I never knew who the artist were most likely Ross Andru or Jim Mooney. I really didn’t care until Mom once again came home with one of those oversized Treasury Edition inside it was a reprint of Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1 I was hypnotized by it I had never seen Spider-Man drawn like this he was a hero but he was a kid not a bulking behemoth but like someone I might see on the street. Read more>
Review by Dario
August 30, 2008
Doctor Who: The Forgotten
IDW Publishing
Release Date: August 13th 2008
Story: Tony Lee
Art: Pia Guerra
Price: 3.99 US
This new series stars the 10th Doctor as played David Tennant and Martha Jones as played by Freema Agyeman, our heroes mysteriously find themselves in a museum dedicated to the Doctor’s adventures and past incarnations without the TARDIS. Shortly after they arrive, the Doctor finds a display room for his past selves, each with one distinct trademark item used at the time, but before they can investigate, a shadowy enemy causes the Doctor to suddenly lose his memory up until his most recent regeneration and also cause one of his two hearts to stop beating. Read More>>
Review by Phil
August 26, 2008
Will Whedon ever grow up?
Since first introduced to the writings of Josh Whedon he’s been filling the mouths of teenage heroes with the campest coolest pop culture dialogue and he’s been at it over ten years. I have to admit I’m one of his biggest fans and being the same age I get ever geek and camp reference he throws at his audience. I’ve been a faithful follower since the Buffy days and I couldn’t have been giddier when I heard he was making his way to comics.
I loved his run on the X-men that clearly harkened back to the Clearmount & Byrne era and his latest Buffy Season Eight just reminds me what genius the show really was. Now Runaways wait a second that’s Brian K Vaughn’s book and “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” I just wanted to see them cancel the title and just leave it as one of those perfect comic runs. READ MORE >>
Review by Dario
August 22, 2008
Doctor Who Classics
Character Options Ltd.
Price: $19.00 US
This 8 figure set from Character Options Ltd spotlights the classic Doctor Who series running from 1963-1996 featuring the 4th, 5th and 6th doctors and their monsters. Included in the set, The Zygon, Sea Devil, Two different robots from the Robots of Death, and Magnus Greel with Mr. Sin along with the aforementioned 3 Doctors. Each of the 8 figures comes packed with a tiny accessory and a piece to the “build a character”, the huge K1 Robot from the first Tom Baker story Robot. Each of these figures meets Character Options Ltd high standards being expertly sculpted and articulated.
Even with the steep price tag, this set stands out and is totally worth the investment.
Review by Dario
August 22, 2008
Alien
NECA
Price: 16.99 US
Well NECA has done it again; they found a way for me to buy ANOTHER alien toy from them. Their past work on the Aliens Vs Predator line was produced to such high standards that when I heard they were doing a sculpt of the Alien from the original movie I had to check it out. This 9” tall movie accurate sculpt features an extendable inner jaw, bendable tail and 20 points of articulation. The head of the Alien, as represented in the first film, is semi transparent and allows for the skull to be semi visible. Also, the general structure of the body is not as dynamic as those from the AvP set but that is entire on purpose to remain true to the original representation of the Alien as possible.
Keep up the fantastic work NECA!
Review by Dario
August 22, 2008
Superman
Showcase Presents Series 1
DC Direct
14.99 US
Taken from the classic tales of Superman as drawn by Curt Swan, DC Direct brings us a superman that represents our hero after being exposed to the random effects of Red Kryptonite. Packed with the figure are 3 exchangeable heads, one Super Brain head, One Ant Head and one Lion Head and Paws. So…I think that’s all that needs to be said about this one, come one now, just how awesome is this. Ant Head Superman! Right one man.
Review by Dario
August 16, 2008
Hawkman Special
Writer: Jim Stalin
Art: Jim Stalin, Al Milgrom
Colors: John Kalisz
Letters: John J Hill
Release Date: 08/16/08
Cover Price: 3.50
Rating: 2 out of 5
Let me start off by saying I am a fan of Hawkman. Being not only a visually impressive character, Hawkman brings along a rich (although complex) history with adventures that can range from the rugged to the epic sci-fi when placed in the correct creative hands. Hawkman’s history has had its rough points, especially since DC rebooted its universe in the 80’s with the first Crisis of Infinite Earths, never really settling in with one coherent origin, Hawkman was a character reinterpreted over and over until finally in the hands of Geoff Johns and James Robinson in the pages of JSA and Hawkmans Solo book Carter Hall was once again reborn to the greatness he deserved. Johns brought back a Hawkman that embodied all the best parts of Hawkmans past along with keeping him true to his origins and actually fitting into the DCU again. Read More >>
Review by Dario.
August 6, 2008
Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition Players Handbook
Let me start by saying that I’ve been a player of Dungeons and Dragons since the 1st edition and seen it go through a LOT of changes over the rich 30 plus history the game has enjoyed. Dungeons and Dragons has single handedly changed the concept of gaming as a dice and board game to a free form story telling game of cooperative efforts of the players and the person running the game. So its safe to say that the announcement last year that Wizards of the Coast would be releasing the newest edition of the game with major overhauls I wasn’t entirely surprised but along with a lot of players we wondered just how they could improve on the well received 3rd edition of the game released 5 years ago.
Read More >>
Review by Dario
August 3, 2008
Superman: Infinite City
Writer: Mike Kennedy
Artist: Carlos Meglia
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Price: 24.99
Ever wonder if Superman’s father Jor-El ever had another plan to save Krypton from destruction? This story explores just that idea as Superman and Lois find a rift to another dimension where both magic and technology coexist and, to Superman’s surprise, the mixed inhabitants speak a form of the language of Krypton.
Carlos Meglia does a fantastic job
Read More >>
Review by Dario
August 3, 2008
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a scifi series from BBC that focuses on the adventures of The Last Time Lord and his travels through Time and Space in his T.A.R.D.I.S (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space), which I may add is shaped like an English police telephone box. Read More >>
Review by Dario
July 24, 2008
DC: New Frontier Series Two
Based on the art of Darwyn Cooke’s New Frontier story, DC Direct has released the second series in this line consisting of Batman, Dr. Fate, Martian Manhunter and Flash.
This stylized set is truly breathtaking, having multiple points of articulation; each figure comes packed with unique accessories and a stylized display base. Each figure retails for about 15 dollars and can be found in any local comic shop. These would make a great addition to anyone’s display shelf!
Review by Dario
July 24, 2008
Captain Carrot and the Final Ark
Trade Paperback
Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew is one of the great treasures of the 80's that collectors can find easily and cheap in any decent comic shop. Yea it may be a superhero funny animal book but hey, it's pretty dam awesome and this trade paperback collects one of my favorite stories in the short-lived series.
This trade sells for 19.99 and collects a number of stories, first the title of the book, The Final Arc was the 3 issue mini series released last year after the rebirth of the multiverse in the DC Universe during Coundown. Included with this is the eight-page prologue originally printed in Teen Titans meant to take a jab at the dark stories printed in the late 80's like Watchman and Dark Knight Returns.
Read More >>
Review by Dario
July 2, 2008
Hancock
Director Peter Berg
Staring Will Smith
Jason Bateman
Charlize Theron
In the summer of superhero movies, Hancock takes a different road then most. Will Smith plays John Hancock, an immortal superhuman capable of flying,
super strong and impervious to damage taken to a very human level. Instead of being the confident, adored hero of LA, Hancock is a foul mouthed,
homeless alcoholic who through his heroic actions often does far more damage in his attempts at good deeds then he may mean too.
Review by Phil.
June 26, 2008
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Greg Ruth
Letters: Richard Starkings
Conan Creator: Robert E Howard
Conan has always been about the comics to me ever since I was first introduced to him when I was eleven when Mom brought home The Treasury Edition of Conan The Barbarian(who the hell is Conan?). I was Hugh fan of the Treasury Edition by Marvel Comics and I would buy everyone I could get my hands on, What I couldn’t believe was that my Mom could be so clueless Conan wasn’t a superhero he was never in Spider-Man or The Fantastic Four I never heard of him before. I took the book and thanked Mom I was steaming on the inside (I know they had the Avengers) but I opened that book and everything changed Conan was the biggest bad ass I’ve ever seen and from then on I couldn’t get enough. Read More >>
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction vs.
The Incredible Hulk XBOX 360
Dead, She Said
from IDW Publishing
Written by Steve Niles, Drawn and Inked by Bernie Wrightson.
Read More >>
SPIDERMAN BRAND NEW DAY VOL 1:
Read More>>
Messiah Complex:
Writers: Ed Brubaker, Peter David, Craig Kyle, Chris Yost, and Mike Carey
Pencilers: Marc Silvesti, Billy Tan, Scott Eaton, Humberto Ramos and Chris Bachalo. Read More >>
Kick Ass #1
Mark Millar – writer, co-creator
John Romita Jr – Penciler, co-creator.
Tom Palmer – Inks
Dean White – colorsChris Eliopoulos – Letters
Published by Marvel Comics Icon Line Read More >>
KIRBY FIVE-OH!
Published by TwoMorrows Press
Designed and Edited by John Morrow
Read More >>
New Gods line from DC Direct
www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/
Read More >>
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line from NECA
www.necaonline.com
Read More >>
Written by Ty Templeton; Art by Juan Bobillo; Inker by Marcelo Sosa. Collecting Howard the Duck #1-4, Plus Howard the Duck #1 (1976) and material from Civil War: Choosing Sides. Read More >>
ACTION COMICS #864
Written by Geoff Johns; Art by Gary Frank and Jonathan Sibal; Cover by Kevin Maguire. Read More >>
PODCAST
Podcast. Ep. 011
the comicjunkies spotlight Brian K Vaughan and discuss Runaways , Y the last Man, Ex Machina and The Pride. We also talk a little about Next Avengers and a little of this and that.
Podcast. Ep. 010
features a spotlight on the Luna Brothers we Discuss Ultra Girls and their latest The Sword. Dario gives us his impressions of the new classic Doctor Who toys. Revo talks about Soul Caliber IV and we chit chat about the first issue of DC’s Legion of Three Worlds.
