Comics

Justice League International #2 – Review

After a solid if not immensely entertaining first issue, the second issue of Justice League International is where the real action starts and the characters have to work together. Almost all the characters are memorable, mostly in positive ways but there are some issues. The artwork is great and the story has good pacing. The series is no where near the best issue of the New 52 but is definitely in the running for one of the most promising new series thanks to this issue.

Unlucky 13: Thirteen of the Creepiest Comic Characters

In celebration of the upcoming holiday I wanted to write some spooky features this month.  This time we’ll be spotlighting some of the creepiest characters in all of comics. Some of these unlucky thirteen have faces only a mother could love, while others have minds no one could love – and there are some puns only I find funny.

Batman Detective Comics #2 – Review

So the New 52 is slowly becoming not as new, as the second
issues are beginning to emerge.  I’ll
start this the way I’ve started every DC relaunch review so far. For those that
were worried your favorite character would be ruined due to the New 52, stop
worrying. The fear of first issue flukes can be put to rest. Clearly these
writers know what they’re doing, and Tony Daniel gives us another example in
the form of Detective Comics #2.

Cartoons That Would Make Great Comics

There have been tons of comic book adaptations of all sorts of media, just as there have been adaptations of comics in different media. When there is more story to tell and a low budget method of putting it out is needed, comics to the rescue. However, no media, to my mind, makes a more effective transition than cartoons. I grew up reading comics based on The Simpsons and Ren & Stimpy. Comics allow a transition from cartoons that carry the same art and the same personality, offering fans more of what they love or a new perspective on their favorites. Of course, not everything is going to translate as well as others, but here are some cartoons that I genuinely think would make great comics.

Swamp Thing #2 – Review

Swamp Thing continues to impress, but may be on weak branches.  After a promising first issue this second issue lays out the score and reveals some surprising things about our hero.  With great artwork and a fascinatingly entertaining story, Swamp Thing has the potential of becoming one of the best series of the New 52, but still has some issues to work out in order to get there.

In this issue, Alec Holland comes face to face with the Swamp Thing, a former fighter pilot during the second world war.  The monster tells him of a great evil coming to kill him and shape the world into its own creation with the help of some mind control.

Severed #3 – Review

It’s hard to completely speak my mind about a single issue of Severed. Scott Snyder and Tuft’s new horror series is clearly showing that the value is much greater than the sum of its parts. Damn, these guys sure know how to tell a story. With Severed #3, Snyder and Tuft don’t let up as they continue weaving their masterful tale of Hitchockian suspense and horror, and Futaki keeps the reader enveloped with his exquisite artwork in an issue that is sure to have people getting chills by the last page.

As our story continues unraveling, Jack and Sam decide to make some money off of Jack’s fiddle-playing skills in order to pay for their tickets to go down South and meet Jack’s father. Little do they know, the psychotic, identity-stealing, child-eating murderer has his eyes set on Jack and Sam. In this issue, the psycho, who goes by Alan Fisher for the time being, manages to act like he is interested in Jack’s act and invites them over to his apartment (which, in case you didn’t know, is a very bad thing).

Penguin: Pain and Prejudice #1 – Review

Oswald Cobblepot has always been one of those villains I never gave much thought. He was always just sort of there. Clearly the Penguin is one of the iconic villains in Batman’s rogues gallery, though I never bought much stock in the character. Maybe it’s because I always think about Danny DeVito portraying the character in Batman Returns. If not the main reason, that memory certainly doesn’t help. Whatever the cause of my disinterest, apparently I was wrong. In Penguin: Pain and Prejudice, Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski have presented a side of the crime lord I had never seen before. Sympathetic, loving, tortured, heartless – Oswald is all of these things at once, and Hurwitz balances these aspects perfectly.