Comic Reviews from 7/16/11

GREEN LANTERN #67

Writer: Geoff Johns

Art: Doug Mahnke

Publisher: DC

Reviewer: The Writing Rambler

           After some delays we reach the finale of the WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS storyline in GREEN LANTERN # 67 and unlike many other final “event” issues this one was actually worth the wait. There was a lot to wrap up in this book and for most part it did a great job, both with payoff for the time the readers have invested, as well as some interesting set up for this September’s re-launch of GREEN LANTERN.

                As I said the story is told well and if you’re a fan of what Geoff Johns has done with the GREEN LANTERN story over the past few years this is yet another of his best moments(I personally think this was much better than BLACKEST NIGHT or BRIGHTEST DAY). You can really see his love for GREEN LANTERN on the pages as it always seems he’s out to top himself with each new issue. I especially like what he has been able to do as far as his management of the several different color lantern corps and despite how easy it would be for all these different corps to get stale very quickly he has been able to keep them an enjoyable part of the overall GREEN LANTERN story.

The artwork in the issue is great; just as it has been for Mahnke’s work overall on GREEN LANTERN. I would assume this may have been the cause of the delays but seeing the final battle take place is such a thing of beauty through his work that it was clearly worth waiting the extra few weeks.

As far as storyline (Spoilers Ahead) in this issue, we get one final battle with Krona and though Hal is obviously the focal point of the book others get their chance to shine as well (I especially enjoyed Kyle getting to use his abilities as an artist to help turn the tide). Each page is action packed and full of the great moments fans have come to expect over the past few years. As the dust settles, were left with several questions to carry us over into the September re-launch. Most notably what is going to become of Sinestro and his newfound “acceptance” back into the GREEN LANTERN corps and how exactly will Hal Jordan fit into the new book(s) now that he has been seemingly stripped of his ring? I honestly have no idea where Geoff Johns and the entire GREEN LANTERN story are headed but I am happily looking forward to whatever next story he has up his sleeve.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #61

Writer: Tony Bedard

Art: Daniel Hdr and Keith Champagne

Publisher: DC

Reviewer: The Writing Rambler

             

                In the same week that we get the battle filled epic finale to the WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS we also get a much smaller tale in GREEN LANTERN CORPS # 61. Much like the latest issue of EMERALD WARRIORS did with Guy Gardner, this issue is pretty much a stand-alone John Stewart tale (though the background is actually connected to the major storyline unlike Guy’s). In many ways it was a perfect complement to the large scale action we saw in GREEN LANTERN # 67 as it shows that even as the battle ends, everyone has to simply “get back to work”.

                Bedard’s storyline is simple enough. The reserve lanterns are turning in their rings due to the events of WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS having completed and one feels she shouldn’t have to, so she heads to John Stewart for advice. From here were given a story of John as a mentor for a rookie lantern and despite John being a military man who will always “take the shot when necessary” he teaches her diplomacy and what it means to truly be a bearer of a green ring. It was a solid story for John Stewart and it showed that despite him being able to make the hard decision of killing Mogo in the last issue, he is fully aware and feels the pain of his decision.

                The artwork in the issue is good and I especially love how John is captured at the end of the issue where you can really see the pain he feels for Mogo. The one thing I do have some issue with is the choice for the cover art where we see an enraged John Stewart with the words “John Stewart killed another Green lantern….and He’d DO IT AGAIN” flying off the page below him. I really did not like this. It just completely contradicts the entire story were given in this issue and John Stewart’s personality as a whole. As were shown in the issue, John is an intelligent and strategic warrior who will only make a hard decision when he must and I wish the cover did a better job telling that as well.

                When all is said and done, this was a good issue that allowed the reader to take a breath after the major events that had just concluded. While nowhere near as large scale and full of surprises as this week’s other GREEN LANTERN entry this was a nice addition to the story and a good starting point for WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH

Comics Reviews from 7/11/11

FLASHPOINT: BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #2

Writer: Brian Azzarello

Art: Eduardo Risso

Publisher: DC

Reviewer: The Writing Rambler

          As we reach what’s around the halfway mark of FLASHPOINT I’m realizing more and more just how much I’m enjoying this “event” and most of its tie ins. This week were given what is becoming arguably the most talked about moment of the whole storyline so far. Funny enough it doesn’t happen in the main FLASHOINT story, but instead, within the pages of the second installment of BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE. This book is dark, gritty and contains a memorable twist that will keep the comic world talking for some time(I contemplated whether or not I would share spoilers for this as it’s such a great story/twist, but there really is no way to not talk about it, so be warned).

                Brian Azzarello does an excellent job continuing the story of Thomas Wayne’s Batman and the darker more violent version of the caped crusader that he represents.  In only two issues (five if you count the main FLASHPOINT books which feature Batman as well) you really get to see the kind of Batman that Thomas is and sub sequentially why Bruce is so unique of a character in the “normal”, non FLASHPOINT world.  You get into the psyche of how this isn’t someone who grew up training to bring evil to justice but instead how this world’s Batman, at his core, is simply a parent angrily out to avenge the murder of his child.

The story itself shines in that it doesn’t try to be overly complex (AGAIN, Some big spoilers lie ahead so be forewarned). This world’s Joker has kidnapped Harvey Dent’s children while Batman and Jim Gordon are franticly trying to find them before it’s too late. Its classic Batman vs. Joker and it’s done very well. The story is dark and we get one of the more menacing versions of Joker we’ve seen in a while.  The scenes that play out between Joker speaking with Dent’s children are especially creepy and it makes you realize early on that this can’t end good. With that said, it doesn’t. In a span of the last few pages you have Joker tricking Chief Gordon into shooting Dent’s daughter while his son is forced to watch and then Joker slicing Gordon’s throat while Dent’s young son yet again watches horrified. I honestly was floored at this point seeing how much had just happen, which is exactly when the book hits you with its strongest sucker punch. While you’re still trying to digest what just happen to Chief Gordon and Dent’s daughter, you flip to the last page where it’s revealed that Batman indeed already knows Joker’s true identity and it is none other than his wife, Martha Wayne.  In a way, as twisted as she is, this Joker has the most grounded origin as the murder of one’s child could clearly drive someone mad. All in all, a great story with a great twist.

Though it’s hard to transition from that story twist to anything else, there has to be some words commending Eduardo Risso for his artwork. The art in the book is a perfect complement to Azzarello’s story. It’s dark and helps covey the brooding nature of the story being told. I especially love the use of shadows as they are almost a character on their own.

With one issue left of BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGENCE to go, I honestly have no idea where this story is headed after the events told here. There was a reveal earlier in the story that this world’s Oracle is Selina Kyle instead of Barbara Gordon so maybe well get a little more explanation on that but I think it was more of a cameo  to show how the FLASHPOINT world is different, than anything else. I know many people are writing off the entire FLASHPOINT “event” as just another ELSEWORLDS story but I think that’s an unfair assessment. The events taking place in this story and other FLASHPOINT titles are leading to the entire re-launch of the DCU, so while more than likely these stories will no longer “exist” come September, they are still the events that will bring about that change (i.e. the horrors of this issue causing Batman to help Flash fix and reset the DCU in the main FLASHPOINT storyline). I for one am enjoying this series and think it’s great to watch a writer and artist tell a fantastic story when they have the freedom of creating their own continuity as they go. To put it simply, this is definitely worth your $2.99.

FLASHPOINT: ABIN SUR THE GREEN LANTERN # 2

Writer: Adam Schlagman

Art: Felipe Massafera, Robson Rocha and Joe Prado

Publisher: DC

Reviewer: The Writing Rambler

          So, I’ll just start out with some honesty here. I can’t fully review FLASHPOINT: ABIN SUR THE GREEN LANTERN # 2 without admitting that I am a little biased. See, the thing is, I love all things Sinestro. I love that despite all of his evil deeds I still want to root for him and still consider him the greatest of the Green Lanterns.  So when I saw him on the cover of this issue looking like he’s preparing to put Abin Sur out of his misery (Old Yeller style), it was a no brainer that I was buying this.  That said, I’ll do the best I can reviewing (WITH SPOILERS) the issue.

                The book starts off much like the first issue did with a flashback scene, except instead of Abin as a child we now see him training Sinestro on Ungara “Many years ago”. From there were rocketed forward to the well-known scene of Abin’s crashed ship being found by Hal Jordan, except in the FLASHPOINT universe Abin doesn’t die and pass the ring to Hal, but instead Cyborg, working on behalf of the U.S. Government shows up, “shoos” Hal away and takes Abin in for questioning/experimentation. As Abin heals, after some coaxing from Cyborg (who seems to be the FLASHPOINT world’s own mixture of Iron Man and Captain America), he joins what is apparently President Obama’s own superhero squad and fly’s off to check Europe for survivors of the Atlantean/Amazonian war that is taking place. While doing all this he is warned again by the guardians that he is not following orders (given to him in the first issue) to retrieve the white entity from earth, before it is destroyed. They also warn him he’s dangerously close to having his ring stripped from him for disobedience, though he ignores them completely upon hearing this. This all leads up to Sinestro arriving to inform Abin that he knows what’s happening in this world (due to an imprisoned Atrocitus informing him…though how he knows is never explained) and is aware of the prior non FLASHPOINT timeline.  Abin doesn’t want to hear what Sinestro’s selling and a huge fight breaks out between the two ending in Sinestro amputating Abin’s ring slinging hand with one of his blade constructs.

                Two things that I don’t quite get about this book is why we’re being given so much backstory about Abin when it seems like he’s about to be murdered by Sinestro at the end of this issue. It feels like Adam Schlagman is trying to explain everything about Abin’s personality to new readers (I assume they were hoping maybe the GREEN LANTERN movie would have some new people picking up comics…though I highly doubt that is the case after seeing the GREEN LANTERN film) as quickly as possible while also trying to balance Sinestro’s role in what’s actually happening to the universe in the main FLASHPOINT storyline. With that in mind, the second thing I don’t get is why this book is even about Abin Sur. I mean, I like Abin and I’m pretty much fine with any GREEN LANTERN story personally, but it seems to me like the most important parts of these first two issues (here goes my bias in full swing) revolve around Sinestro gaining knowledge of the FLASHPOINT prophecy. I just think this book would serve a better purpose if it were more about Sinestro and the FLASHPOINT event as a whole (Though, in the writer’s defense I also think breakfast, lunch and dinner should involve more Sinestro as well, so what do I know).

                As far as the artwork in the issue goes, it is drawn very well, though I think it does suffer a little from having three different artists handling the job. There are a few times that I turned the page and the artwork style completely changed, so much so that it took me out of the story. The other thing I have to mention is the Lantern’s costume designs as well as the design of the guardians both clearly seem to be taken straight from the movie. I don’t have a problem with it I just thought it was interesting that in the FLASHPOINT universe some designs follow the DC movie style exactly (side note: the FLASHPOINT Joker also suspiciously looks like heath ledgers take from THE DARK KNIGHT).

                Overall I still enjoyed the issue, but like I already said, it’s very hard for me to not like a GREEN LANTERN story that involves Sinestro. I’m looking forward to seeing how the final third issue of this pans out and if Sinestro actually has a bigger role to play in the FLASHPOINT finale as a whole.  All in all it’s a good read but if you only have one or 2 DCU books you’re looking to pick up, you may want to skip this in lieu of the 3^rd issue of the main FLASHPOINT title or the fantastic FLASHPOINT: BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGENCE #2.

Comic Review from 7/4/11

GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS # 11

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Art: Bernard Chang

Publisher: DC

Reviewer: The Writing Rambler

                I wasn’t sure what to expect this week when I picked up GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS # 11. My nervous system is still somewhat reeling from the 1,2 punch of having 3 issues of WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS released on the same day about a month ago and then a few weeks later being mentally abused by the GREEN LANTERN film. After hearing of release delays for the WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS finale I wasn’t sure what we would actually be getting in the issue. Originally advertised as the beginning of WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS: AFTERMATH storyline, this book is actually nothing more than a “one shot” Guy Gardner adventure, which in no way is a bad thing.

                The story is pretty basic. Guy is headed for some well-deserved R&R but gets called in on a mission to help a dignitary’s ship, he reluctantly accepts and from there trouble ensues.  It’s as simple as that. The story is quick and even wraps itself up nicely by the end of the issue.  There’s no start of a 10 part arc or a cliffhanger ending to keep you coming back next issue. It’s classic comic book storytelling. For a fan of GREEN LANTERN and Guy Gardner in particular this is exactly the reason you read comics. Guy’s attitude and cocky swagger is on full display and it really reminds you of why this hot tempered, honor guardsman is such a fan favorite.

                The art in the book is much like the story in general, simple and to the point. Bernard Chang does a good job telling the story through the visuals. It’s nothing groundbreaking or something that goes against the grain; it’s just quality artwork that serves its purpose. There is also some solid artwork on the variant cover (which seems to be what they would have gone with had this actually been a WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS tie in).

                While I can fully understand someone feeling duped into buying this book because they were expecting some info/closure on a storyline they’ve already invested themselves in, it still doesn’t justify saying this is a bad issue. The fact is that larger storylines get delayed and sometimes there needs to be filler. That’s exactly what we have here.  There’s no denying that this issue was either an old story that was sitting around waiting to be used or something that was quickly put together to fill a gap, but that in no way means it lacks quality. I’m looking forward to what the future holds for GREEN LANTERN in general and I can’t wait to see how WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS ends, but for now I happily enjoyed this story, as I always think there’s room to see Guy Gardner’s personality on display.

Comic review from 6/27/11

BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING #1

Writer: Jonathan Vankin

Art: Marco Castello & Vincenzo Acunzo

Publisher: DC

Reviewer: The Writing Rambler

          

        When DC’s series BRIGHTEST DAY wrapped up in issue 24 many people, myself included, were left with the burning question of “okay, now what?” There were questions left of what would become of Swamp Thing, the newly resurrected champion of the earth and exactly why John Constantine was appearing in a mainstream DC title. Those questions are pursed though not really expounded on in BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING #1.

                The book itself is an odd read overall. I didn’t hate it, but I also feel like it did nothing to further the story and basically was just 20 pages (I’m not counting the ads, especially the Subway comic where Grodd is defeated by a basketball to the face….I still feel slightly violated after reading that) of letting the non-Vertigo readers know who John Constantine is. The whole story just follows John traveling to the US to find Batman and voice his concerns about Swamp Thing’s return. There’s an appearance by Zatanna as well, but again it almost feels forced, simply to say “See, Constantine knows Batman and Zatanna so he definitely belongs here”. While there’s nothing done particularly wrong, it just feels like a lot of wasted space in a limited series that is only set for 3 issues.

One thing I will commend the book for is its artwork. It does a great job delivering the overall grittiness of Gotham and Constantine’s personality as well.  I also really like the way Swamp Thing is captured. While only appearing on one page of the entire book, you can clearly see the power behind the character represented.

Something else I need to touch on is the cover art, which is probably my biggest complaint of the issue. While the art looks great, this has to be one of the worst “bait and switch” covers I remember seeing in a while. Dead center behind Constantine is Superman himself; glaring forward as though he’s prepping to lobotomize John for smoking on the cover. It looks great but the problem is that Superman never appears in the issue and is never even made reference to. It just seemed like a cheap way to entice buyers by putting the company’s biggest star front and center for no apparent reason. Also, I recall in the ads for this as an upcoming title that Zatanna wasn’t on the cover and Hawkman was. I’m guessing they switched this out being that Hawkman is also never seen or mentioned in the book either. Again, it just seems odd and leads me to believe this limited series is not that well prepped.

With so little time left before the impending “reboot” of all things DC, one has to wonder if this three issue run is really going to be able to flesh anything out. I’m hoping this story gets to be told and is not just serving as filler to get us from point A to B (though after this first issue that’s how I’m starting to feel). Nonetheless, I’ll be checking it out because I’m hoping now that we’ve gotten past a slow start, the last two issues can provide some real “meat” to the Swamp Thing storyline, plus I hate starting things and not finishing them so DC has me on the books for another $5.98 before this is all said and done.

The Summer Drought

Hey there folks.... I realize that I've been severely lacking (as usual) in the updates department and I didnt want anyone to assume I had quit here or anything....with that said, I figured that those of you who may not follow me on twitter ( @Writing_Rambler ) are probably not getting my weekly update of links to my reviews on AICN (www.aintitcool.com ) so I figured ID share here... while you can find fresh new reviews every Wednesday if you'd prefer to read them here Ill probably be posting them the following week.... with that said... hope you enjoy

Thanks for the memories, Harry....

I apologize in advance if I am not my usual disheveled, incoherent self in this blog, but I just felt it necessary to say my proper goodbyes in written form, so here we are. For 10 years now I have had the pleasure of thoroughly enjoying the masterpiece that is the Harry Potter series. Now I know for some, you may already be rolling your eyes at seeing the name above, and while I'd love to argue the reasons why your mistaken on your judgment of a book/movie series you have probably never read or watched, that's not why I'm writing this. I will simply say this blog is sadly not for you. Now on the other hand, for those of you who have read the books and/or watched the films I hope you can appreciate the words that follow.

I wont claim to be one of those people who have followed the series from its humble beginnings in England. I actually went to see the first movie on my own in November of 2001 after it had already been out for a few weeks just because there had been so much positive buzz about it. I liked it but my best description of it at the time was "a really good kid's movie". I thought it was a lot of fun and I looked forward to seeing a sequel. When the second movie came out I missed it while in theaters and just caught it on dvd, again I enjoyed it yet I still don't think I realized how big this series really was. By this point the first 4 books had been released and after some coaxing from others who had read the books and raved about them I figured I'd see what all the buzz was really about. The first two books were, without question, better than the films but I still viewed them as stand alone kids tales and assumed the rest would be the same. As I read the third book I started to notice and enjoy how not only were the characters in the story maturing but also so was J.K Rowling's writing. I noticed little things that she did like how the character of Sirius Black was actually mentioned in the first chapter of the first book. For the first time I realized that instead of stand alone chapters, she was actually crafting one giant story and I was now very curious to see where it was all headed. I burned through the third book and headed into to fourth which was no small feat at 734pgs (almost twice the size of the third book). Again I was met with a story that not only added page numbers but also a real maturity and depth to the tale. As I reached the epic conclusion of "Goblet of Fire" I also reached my realization of how good this series was. I actually remember the moment, it was when Cedric was killed (If this is a spoiler for you still, than you should have in no way been reading this blog entry) and Voldemort actually returns in all his evil glory. I put the book down and mouthed something to the equivalent of "whoa...$*** just got real". Right there I knew there was no turning back, I was completely and utterly hooked. Gone were the thoughts that I was following along with this children's series and in its place was the understanding that I was now reading a future classic while it was happening.

Going forward I was a junkie for all things HP. I was there at midnight when the new books and movies were released and without exaggeration I consumed each new book within about 24hrs of their release (including the massive 870pg Order of the Phoenix). These weren't just normal books anymore, they were an epic tale of good vs evil in the same manner as Lord of The Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. These were something that would be passed on from generation to generation and I could not be happier to have been able to experience it as it occurred. As the books came to an Epic finale I was sad that they were done but I always told myself "At least we still have the movies to look forward too".... with that said, I and many others like me find themselves 24hrs away from the actual end of it all, and though sad to see it all end I can look back with fond memories on the numerous nights at the movies and discussions with friends and family.

In a time where entertainment (and in many ways the world as a whole) has become mostly recycled old ideas or the most horrid forms of dumbed down "reality" programming, The Harry Potter series has always shined in its ability to be a story that teaches just why ideas like morality, honesty, friendship and love are still very relevant and important things. It shows how that despite the horrors evil can bring about, it is simply never a match for the resolve of people who chose to do whats right even if sacrifice is needed for it to happen. These are values that I hold dear and to see them be included in a hugely successful book and movie franchise is something that should be applauded.

To close, I'll say that as far as the movies go, I could nitpick about little nerdy things but overall it is very impressive to see a major film franchise stay well made and keep the same cast for over 8 movies in 10 years. It is likely a feet we will never seen done again. So to all those involved with the books and movie I simply say thanks for the memories and I look forward to one last time tomorrow night......

Ill see ya when I see ya folks

How goes it my old friends?

Hey there intertubes...ohh how I have been neglecting you!....Well, not really the web itself but all of you wonderfully fantastic readers are who I've actually been neglecting .....You have my sincerest apologies.... I think my last rant about the Green Lantern movie took the juice out of me but here I am attempting to make amends for my wrongs....So lets see, whats new you may ask?....Same old same old for the most part, though I have ventured into some more of the literary arts (or maybe it would be considered my defiling of the literary arts...I'll leave that for you to decide)... I recently started the undertaking of writing up some weekly comic book reviews for www.aintitcool.com , one of the best places you can find news about TV,Movies,Books and pretty much all things geek within this horrible filthy place we call the Internet.....so stop by and check out the comic reviews every Wednesday... theres always a ton of great stuff to read.....okay enough shameless self promotion..."But what about us", you say? Don't worry my rambling here will remain my first love...

I have another topic specific blog or 5 coming up but I wanted to just throw out some bullet points for some stuff I may have missed while I was off wandering the abyss (a.k.a asleep on my couch).... so here we go in completely schizophrenic order....

- Saw Transformers 3....not much to say because by now I assume almost all of you have seen it as it made 80 bajillion dollars (actual amount) over the past 2 weeks.... It's a fun, leave your brain at the door movie....Summer needs those type of movies....would I have liked it to be better? Of course I would (I personally would have wanted a shot for shot remake of the old animated movie but clearly that isnt going to happen) but by now I know my expectations for a Michael Bay movie and honestly it was better than I thought it would be.... also it was the first movie since Avatar that didnt make me regret paying to see it in Imax 3D...soo good for them...they have my approval

- Went to the beach one day...hid from the sun....did'nt burst into flames...strange little kid asked me to build a sand castle with him....I chose to walk away because I'm fully aware that the sight of me building a sandcastle with a small child who has no relation to me is a McGruff the crimedog commercial on keeping away from starangers waiting to happen....also got jelly fish goo in my beard that day....all in all a pretty good day if you ask me

- For anyone who watches wrestling...what C.M. Punk is doing on the microphone each week is honestly a gift to fans so enjoy it before one of the writers in the back thouroughly screws up the storyline

- I got to finally go eat at Bobby's Burger Palace.....my Lord is that place good

- Just saw that Rango comes out on dvd/blu ray on 7/15....seriously an awesome animated film that didnt get nearly as much love as it should have....definitely give it a try

- dont take 2 Advil PM's and then remember you need to write your next blogzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzhuh what?.....okay I'm back

With all that said I'm glad to be back here spewing my own brand of word vomit and I'm even gladder (thats clearly not a word) that your here with me.......

P.S. I decided to up my ante with the blog and combine my twitter feed with this same wonderful name so feel free to ramble right back at me on Twitter @Writing_Rambler

See ya when I see ya folks