My goal for 2016 is...

The New Year is almost upon us. What is the favorite pastime around this time of year? I'm not going to do a year in review. I considered writing what I learned; however,  that could be addressed with one remaining favorite activity this time of year. That's New Year's resolutions!


I hate New Year's resolutions. They are easily broken. I may have kept one once... But like Charlie Brown often says, 'This time will be different! This time I will...' Okay, I am not talking about kicking a football. Looking back, my one regret with this blog is that I didn't blog as much as I wanted to.


There were many movies over the summer that I wanted to write about yet didn't. Really wanted to have involvement in reviewing DC You and ANAD Marvel. The gaming commentary is rather anemic. Was planning on writing a Christmas entry about a couple Christmas comics but like many promised entries that didn't happen. Alright, that's more because I waited until Christmas itself to attempt to read those comics. Moral of the story: Read Christmas comics, more than one anyway,  before Christmas. Not saying I won't review those Christmas comics at a later date.


So without further ado, my New Year's resolution is to blog more because I am reading comics more frequently, squeezing more gaming in, and in general providing my two cents more often. Should be doable. Shouldn't it?

Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Maybe Minor Spoilers?)

First things first, I absolutely loved Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens. The Force Awakens impressed me so much that I may very well watch it a second time. Rarely do I see a movie twice within the cinema. Heck, nowadays I seldom view a movie again after it leaves theaters. Furthermore, the latest Star Wars is the first movie that I have seen in a while that I feel compelled to write a review of the itself and not in conjunction with other movies and television shows. So with that ringing endorsement out the way let's get to the review shall we?


Spoilers. Spoilers - that nasty thing. How much does one reveal particularly for a hotly anticipated film such the newest installment in the Star Wars Saga? I found the consensus not to spoil the movie refreshing in today's day and age. Although what constitutes a spoiler? Is it specific detail or a generic event? By the time I saw The Force Awakens I already knew there would be some mimicry of the original trilogy. Social media proudly proclaimed how bad-ass the female character Rei is. So those type of spoilers I won't shy from. Since I saw the movie social media has started to reveal more details like Kylo Ren's face. If that's not a spoiler, I don't know what is. Those are they type of spoilers I will endeavor not to reveal.


As a Star Wars fan, I have a confession. I am one of those rare Star Wars fans who grew up with the original trilogy that liked the prequels. Granted, I had my problems but for the most part I could find something enjoyable in all of them. That said, I don't think I would have enjoyed Episode VII without the prequels. Not because the movie borrowed from the prequels. It didn't. Rather The Force Awakens painstakingly avoids every pitfall that prequels made. Excessive CGI? Nope. Mary sue characters? No, more than Luke Skywalker or Han Solo in the originals. Overwhelming cuteness? Yes, there's a bit of cuteness but the latest filmmakers realized that Star Wars isn't a kids movie but a movie that appeals to kids. Signs of an inexperienced, out-of-practice director? Nope. Everyone involved has been active in the movie business for quite some time. I suppose one reason I give Lucas a pass on the prequels is because he not only hadn't been a director since 1977 but the number was so small in total. In game terms, people were expecting a level 20 director. Instead they got a level 5.


One thing that the prequels did right Episode 7 does not is that there was an attempt to break new ground. The prequels greatly expanded special effects with the involvement of CGI albeit they did overdo the CGI. Episode 7 doesn't do that at all. As part of a franchise known for its ground-breaking special effects, there's nothing visually new that one hasn't seen within the last decade. Furthermore, there's no experimentation whatsoever. The Force Awakens plays it safe with the exception that the film is done with modern 21st century sensibilities. It has a strong, diverse cast. Which leads to the next point, Episode 7 borrows heavily from Episode 4: A New Hope. So much that they really should have given George Lucas a writing credit. For as sub-par as they were the prequels were original stories. I guessThe Force Awakens biggest accomplishment was the realization that that is what I wanted. So in a nutshell Bryan Singer should have waited until after Man of Steel before doing Superman Returns...


My other two quibbles were: how easy it was use a lightsaber. The West End version of the Star Wars RPG cries at the relative ease a lightsaber was used. So much for the base difficult difficulty setting... I was also irked by how quickly and how powerful a novice Force user was...


Before one doubts how much I loved Star Wars Episode 7 The Force Awakens:

• Loved the legendary actor Max Von Sydow's appearance! I probably was one of the few that gasped...
• Han Solo/Harrison Ford stole the show. Every scene that Han was in made that scene better than it otherwise would have been. Found myself anticipating further shenanigans in Episode 8.
• Rei - spoilers.
• The intermingling of the original cast and the new generation.
• Kylo Ren - the actor did a terrific job. A worthy heir to Darth Vader in more ways than one.
• Poe and Flinn - some excellent one-liners. Enjoyable battles.
• There's more but that involves delving too much into spoiler territory.

I think the biggest accomplishment is that I am excited for Star Wars again and that although Anakin Skywalker isn't a principal character that the Saga lives once more. After I saw Revenge of the Sith, I felt that the Star Wars story was completed. Sure, I watched The Clone Wars and read Death Troopers but I consider the former as redemption for some of ills of the prequels while the latter was more of a novel concept. My interest in the comics was because of the original cast involvement. Episode 7 as much as borrows familiar elements breathes new life into the Saga. Star Wars will endure; and my excitement re-energized.

At Last, the High Hrothgar Frost Troll Has Been Defeated!

Any gamer would tell you that nothing is more fearsome than when you first encounter the Frost Troll en route to High Hrothgar in Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. If you're like me, your character is way to weak to even put up a fight against the beast. Must've died several times before I managed to run past it. Even when I created a second character to spice things up, I relied on guile to sneak/run past it. One feature of sandbox games is that not everything a PC encounters matches that character's level. Some are too weak. Others like the Frost Troll serve as reminders that the PC is not too big for its britches. A quirk of Skyrim is that dragons become manageable foes far sooner than the Frost Troll. I remember my excitement when I finally downed it. My PC was at range while summoned creatures and follower fought it up close. Very satisfying indeed!


Still whenever my main character would return to High Hrothgar, such as to learn a location of another Shout, I'd just take advantage of Fast Travel to travel there. Much, much to perilous to face the dreaded Frost Troll. After a six month sabbatical from playing Skyrim and an even longer sabbatical from playing the main quest, I decided it was time for the Nord Thorson to pursue the quest to defeat Alduin once more. Upon learning that High Hrothgar was the destination, I decided that I wouldn't use Fast Travel at all. Thorson travelled from Sky Haven Temple all the way to High Hrothgar on foot. A big change as its been years since a character of mine travelled such a long distance on foot. My second character a Nord name Hragi frequently uses Fast Travel to get places; and Thorson hadn't travelled that path since first reaching High Hrothgar the first time.  So I decided it was time that the Nord Thorson walk that path from long ago and finally face that Frost Troll.


Up the slope of High Hrothgar, Thorson traversed until he encountered a Frost Troll. The quick work that his follower and summoned Flame Atronach made of the Frost Troll felt... anticlimactic. Barely got a hit in! Plus it didn't seem right. I admit its been a year or three since I last made the trek so I couldn't rule anything out with any confidence. Onwards I went. Finally, I reached the familiar (and dreaded!) encounter. Sure, the follower and Conjured Flame Atronach fought it. However, I wasted no time having my character engage it. Nothing more satisfying than the cinematic display of the very character that had been savagely trounced repeatedly by that very Frost Troll dispatching said beast. The troll being absorbed into a Soul Gem was icing on the cake. Then the mighty hero Thorson continued his merry way up to High Hrothgar.

New ANAD Marvels trickle in February

Not sure what's more surprising, the light number of new number ones or my disappointment at that low number. February marks the month when Marvel dramatically slows down the deluge of brand-new #1's as part of its All-New, All-Different initiative (ANAD). Only three new titles debut during the month of February as part of ANAD. Quite frankly, I am surprised at my disappointment at such a low number of new debuts as months ago I expressed skepticism at the large number of new titles. Perhaps, ANAD has brought back my love of Marvel that lay dormant since Civil War a decade ago. Probably helps that every month I discussed my views on each new title's solicitation, eh?


Spider-Man #1 - Not another Peter Parker title. For the first time in a long, long time, a new Spider-Man title where Peter Parker is not the main character under suit. Brian Michael Bendis ushers his creation, Miles Morales, into the mainstream Marvel Universe with this issue.  Quite the noteworthy event! The solicitation implies that Miles will be the primary Spider-Man operating in New York City (suppose its because Peter Parker is too busy globe-trotting). Not sure if I'll buy this or not.


Avenger Standoff: Welcome to Pleasant Hill #1 - A one-shot about an ominous town where everyone keeps tabs on each other. Apparently, Pleasant Hill plays a major role in Spring's big Avengers event. Maybe


Power Man and Iron Fist #1 - Luke Cage and Danny Rand are back together as the Heroes for Hire! Not a big fan of the cover artist but I'm in the mood for classic street-level Power Man & Iron Fist action. Probably will check it out.


Deadpool & the Mercs for Money #1 (of 5) - Don't normally buy min-series and wouldn't count this as a brand-new number one; however I'm excited by this motley band of mercenaries led by Deadpool. Okay, I am also surprised by how many Deadpool-starring titles that elicit interest in me. Points for ANAD.  Believe it or not, its not because of the upcoming film. In any case,  the 90's were my golden age of comic book collecting as I controlled the majority of the purchasing decisions. I became aware of characters such as Foolkiller, Terror, Solo, and Stingray during that time. So a book starring them excites me. The Parental Advisory leads me to believe all sorts of carnage will occur. I'm leaning towards yes.

Thanksgiving 2015

Since I did a series of Halloween posts, its only fitting that I blog about Thanksgiving. Unlike my ode to Halloween, this will be only commentary on several Thanksgiving-related shows. Helps that there were no Thanksgiving comics that I was aware of. Fret not, I did have some RPG-related ideas!


Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Ever since I was a child, I'd watch the Macy's parade keeping an eye out for the Spider-Man balloon or any other comics-related float. Didn't see Spidey in this year's parade. Did see a Pikachu balloon though. That was rather neat. There was the obligatory Snoopy balloon although this particular balloon depicted Snoopy flying through the air Superman style. Absolutely loved the 50 year anniversary homage float to A Charlie Brown Christmas!


SNL Thanksgiving - a collection of Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving skits. While I found many of skits to be a chuckle at best there were a few gems. Loved Eddie Murphy in Mister Robinson's Neighborhood. Don Cheadle's (War Machine in the MCU) Ladies Man was a hoot. Akroyd-Belushi-Murray were amusing in an absurd manner. While I was familiar with Martin Short's character solely from a Saturday Morning cartoon from years ago, that was hilarious. In contrast, The Bears fans and crystal clear gravy invoked nostalgia chuckles - as did the Jordon Gordon-Levitt (third installment of the Nolan Batman trilogy and hopefully producer of the Sandman film) skit.


In contrast I found the Scream Queens Thanksgiving episode an absolute laugh riot. Watched a recording on Thanksgiving Day; and I was thankful for the smile it brought to my face. Scream Queens was a casualty of comic book show Tuesday; however, I found this episode to be fairly accessible despite not having watched in quite some time. An excellent Thanksgiving-oriented episode. A shame that shows rarely do Thanksgiving episode much nowadays - that I am aware of.  Hope they do release Screams Queens on DVD some day. Not everyone has Netflix.


Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - don't recall why I didn't watch Its the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown but I took advantage of the lax television schedule to watch this gem. Charlie Brown Thanksgiving still has its magical charm after all these years. Finally occurred to me how disturbing it is seeing Woodstock eating turkey. Woodstock must be a big fan of bush meat... The subsequent telling of the pilgrim story albeit Peanuts-style is a nice attempt. Probably the major achievement is that it includes Lucy in a Thanksgiving special and uses her fairly well. Gets the Miles Standish bit wrong which anyone who has seen the following show will know...


The Pilgrims: American Experience - Miles Standish was the hired muscle. The requisite fighter-type in almost any RPG. Miles Standish aside, The Pilgrims: American Experience is an outstanding documentary! I learned more about the Pilgrims than I ever did in any history class. Some interesting tidbits were the pilgrims digging through Indian graves, propping the dying up on trees with musket in hand to fool the nearby Indians, and planting corn atop the recent dead - although the latter two are more historical conjecture. I heartily recommend this documentary for any GM that runs either a historical campaign or campaign influenced heavily by history. Vampire, Wraith, Werewolf, and Call of the Cthulhu gamers may find this of particular interest. Heck, I can imagine players of the Solomon Kane setting for Savage Worlds could get some mileage out of the history of the pilgrims. On a more somber note: this was among Roger Rees's last roles. He played the Sheriff in Mel Brook's Robin Hood: Men In Tights. Rees does an excellent job portraying William Bradford's various soliloquy - based on Bradford's writings.


Secrets of the Dead: Jamestown's Dark Winter - Another excellent documentary. Whereas the Pilgrims were a success story, Jamestown was a place where one hoped they survived the experience. It became more of a charnel house during its dark winter when the surrounding Indians laid siege to the colonialist trapping them inside the walls of the fort as disease and famine runs rampant. That's just the background to the documentary! What it the documentary examines is the fate of a young girl and why her remains were found in the state they were. Quite simply, it was like a reverse zombie-ism! Instead of the dead rising to eat the living, the living grave dug to feast. Yep, a confirmed case, albeit one or three, of a cannibalism at Jamestown. I can imagine quite the RPG scenarios that a GM can devise from this! Certainly, New World of Darkness Gamers could use this an example of Morality rules. Various games such as Call of the Cthulhu could use this an example of insanity caused by more mortal hands. The old World of Darkness fan in me envisions hordes of wraiths and banes swirling around the area where the fort once stood.

Vacation Dungeons & Dragons

Way back during my younger years, I would take advantage of summer, winter, and spring break to play some role-playing games. As the years rolled on, those vacation/break gaming became fewer and fewer until within recent years not at all. That wasn't the case at all this year as I took advantage of some vacation time in order to play some fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons via the Adventurer's League at the local gaming store. For the most part it was great time.


Some tidbits:

• We all know that while gaming can be quite exhilarating at times, it can have some less than stellar moments. Those less than stellar moments are magnified when one's devoting one's vacation to that particular moment.
• I hate the con type atmosphere. Too much distraction. Fortunately, the one time my gaming experience was like that a con was the final vacation session.
• While I can accept some rules modifications when I play a game, do so upfront. Not mid-session and certainly within an episodic framework like the Adventurer's League. DMs can modify PCs abilities but that requires trust. Save that for your home game or the next session that you run with that player and PC.
• Fire resistance can mean the difference between a PC surviving or dying. My dragonborn paladin survived two encounters largely because he took half damage from a fireball.
• Adventurer's League loves using Fireball in modules designed for 1st thru 4th level characters.
• A new 5E D&D character can be made within five or ten minutes. Whether or not you understand everything about your character is another matter.
• Its is awesome when a character's background, flaws, and bond creep up during a mod.
• Automatic wild magic effects instead of relying on rolls is rather neat.
• So is describing how one's character dispatches a foe.
• I witnessed one-size-fits-all DMing while playing Living Greyhawk and Living Forgotten Realms. So its nice to see some variety allowed in Adventurer's League.
• At least at my local game store, I have witnessed quite a bit of role-playing. Nice change of pace from other living campaigns that I have played.

Overall, I had an enjoyable time spending some of my vacation playing fifth edition D&D. Perhaps, I'll do so again next year?

The Final Halloween 2015 Post - Television Edition

If you've been following my blog for last month or so, then you know that instead of writing one gigantic blog post concerning Halloween and the week leading up to it, I decided to break it down into several smaller entries. Finally, almost a month after of the fact here's my final Halloween 2015 post. The television shows that I watched either on Halloween or that I felt were Halloween-related during the week prior.


iZombie - On Halloween, I managed to catch up on two episodes that had been pending, ie the first two episodes of the second season. The second season gathers the strands left over from the ending of the first and hits the ground running. Its rather surreal seeing Blaine as a mortal.


Grimm - Halloween eve marked the season premiere of the fourth season of Grimm. Very good. Nick gets pushed through the mental rollercoaster in this episode as not only does he have to deal with the loss of two important women in his life but he has to contend with the fact that those losses have been covered up. We're also introduced to the season's big bad. I expect another major status quo change by season's end.


Sleepy Hollow - If not for the crossover with Bones, I would not consider this a Halloween episode as the supernatural is a regular occurrence. Loved the interplay between the respective leads. The draugr were a nice touch. Coincidentally, I read an article on the draugr on Halloween itself. Thus raising the importance of this episode in my mind and amazed by how much Sleepy Hollow got right about the draugr. Plus being an avid Skyrim fan and player contributed to my enjoyment immensely.


The Player - The Player doesn't deal with the macabre all that much so a serial killer that made sacrifices to Odin on Halloween is a more than a tad out of the ordinary. The coincidence that two Norse-related episodes from to two different television series would air concurrently tickles my fancy. Not sure how accurate to the myths or historical accuracy the sacrifices were... Watching Wesley Snipes's character defeat the killer at episode's end was a hoot.

Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 (1st ANAD review and Halloween Part 4)

Yep, its time for the promised and much belated fourth Halloween installment. A very special installment as its my very first review of Marvel's All-New, All-Different (ANAD) line. Which title am I reviewing? Why, Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. issue one! Read it on Halloween while watching a couple episodes of iZombie. Before we begin I will refer to S.H.I.E.L.D. as simply SHIELD as typing the acronym is simply tedious.


Art: Brent Schoonover and Nick Filardi comprise the art team on this inaugural issue. They do a bang-up job. Storytelling is top-notch as one can easily follow the story without resorting to reading the dialogue (although the dialogue does help...). The colorist, Nick Filardi, colors enhance the pencil and ink art of Schoonover without drowning it out with murky backgrounds. I was rarely confused by an of the art. While the art wasn't superbly detailed, it wasn't simplistic. Just enough detail that does not overwhelm. But wait, its a monster book, correct? While the art is not horrific in tone, it does an adequate job of portraying 70's era Code-approved monsters.


Story: The inaugural issue of Howling Commandos of Shield is exactly that. We meet the cast and learn what their mission is. The Howling Commandos then undertake their mission and... don't achieve the mission that SHIELD gave them. So a rag-tag team of monsters being whipped into shape by the legendary (and former Howler) Dum Dum Dugan will be a focus of the series as Dugan and Marie Hill discuss later in the book. Absolutely loved how Man-Thing was as the heavy artillery. Was a bit disappointed that the werewolf character isn't Werewolf by Night but a character named Warwolf. Overall, I felt it was a fun romp that combined classic Howling Commandos action with 70's Marvel monsters. In fact, its a rather neat touch that there's analogs for the classic Universal Horror Monsters (Frakenstein, Werewolf, Creature from the Lagoon, Dracula, and Zombies). Not to mention the historical touch of classic 50's and 70's monsters in Man-Thing and Orrgo.


The Verdict: As a run-of-the-mill first issue I give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars. That said, I consider Howling Commandos of SHIELD a guilty pleasure. If you want to read about classic movie monsters done in the Mighty Marvel Manner along with Man-Thing, Hit Monkey, Orrgo engaging supernatural threats in military fashion this is your book. By the way, yes, I am referring to Dum Dum Dugan as one of those classic movie monster analogs.

The Last Witch Hunter (Halloween 2015 Part 3)

Here's my belated review, and third installment of Halloween-related stuff that I watched during the week of Halloween, of The Last Witch Hunter. The Last Witch Hunter also marks another pop culture entry for Dungeons & Dragons as the Witch Hunter is based on Vin Diesel's D&D character.


How was The Last Witch Hunter you may ask? I felt it was superb film destined for cult classic stardom. Vin Diesel and Co. turn in an excellent genre film that methodically develops a new setting while providing a decent dose of excitement. The film's approach to a flaming sword was fairly plausible as was its more fantastic elements. We learn how witches operate and the rules of magic in The Last Witch Hunter setting. No small feat for a two-hour production. Loved how dream walkers were handled. Wheel of Time and Sword of Truth fans should be pleased by how effective the dream walkers are. For what I assumed was a modern-day sword and sorcery story, the plot contained more cloak and dagger elements than I would have expected. I'd elaborate more but that would ruin major plot points. The film ends with a set-up for future witch hunter adventures. I know I look forward to any sequels be they movies or TV. D&D fans should be pleased.

So a Dwarven Battlerager Tries to Suplex a Viking...

All the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons that I have played up until this pont has been connected to the Adventurer's League. For the uninitiated, the Adventurer's League is latest incarnation of the RPGA's living campaign for current iteration of D&D, ie 5E. Being a sanctioned play environment, the Adventurer's League incorporates a vetting process even to published rules. Recently, the new Sword Coast book became legal. Today, the local organization set aside time to answer questions and make modifications. That didn't take much time at all. Being gamers we wanted to, well, game. Given the decision between playing an officially sanctioned module or playing a wahoo created-on-fly session complete with new character, everyone decided to go with the latter.


Decided to roll my characters stats and follow a slightly more traditional route of letting the stats determine the class. Rather than switching ability scores to fit the class, I recorded them in order. Not quite old-school, mind you, as I rolled 4d6 and dropped the lowest die. Nothing to brag about; however the Con of 8 and Int of 6 were the most eyebrow-raising stats. Since the characters Strength was the highest ability score I decided to go with a fighter type. Brief digression here: R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt books were a huge influence on me. One character type that he portrayed that I never played was a dwarven battle-rager. The new Sword Coast book introduces the dwarven battle-rage option for the barbarian class. So long story short, I made a mountain dwarf barbarian battle-rager.  So a very stupid barbarian that has a Con that's a tad low for a barbarian but it makes for an unorthodox character. Certainly a character that I would be reluctant to play in an actual RPGA game. Since the DM said our characters could be third or fourth level, I chose fourth level. Fourth level characters in 5e receive either an ability score increase or, if the DM allows, a feat. Figured that the Grappler feat made an excellent choice for a battle-rager.


Like many stereotypical RPG sessions, this one began in a bar. Of course, what happens in the bar? A fight breaks out. Now, our characters are on an island where there's a hefty punishment for using a weapon. When a Viking advanced upon a sailor with a battle-axe, my battle-rager decided he would grapple said Viking around the waist. I should point out that I had misread the rules of spiked armor and mistakenly believed the spikes only do damage on a grapple while the character is raging. So no damage was taken by the spikes. The hazards of on-the-fly character creation. To the amusement of the entire table, I decided that the next round my character would try to belly-to-back suplex the Viking. He failed. Another character tried clotheslining the Viking. That character failed. I'm quite certain more characters would have tried wrestling maneuvers of their own but a rogue fire elemental setting things in the bar on fire diverted their attention. Remember, my dwarf has an Intelligence of 6. On the next round, he tries to belly-to-back suplex the Viking again. Again he fails. The Viking punches him. In response the battle-rager rages and attempts another suplex. Fails. His opponent having thwarted the suplex attempts tries to break the grapple. Failure. Both Viking and Battle-rager attempt suplexes and breaking the grapple for the next couple rounds. Yep, nothing. Everyone at the table chuckles. Finally, my dwarf realizes that he should probably leave what appears to be a burning bar. The grapple is released; and he does so.


Been a long, long time since I played any RPG that wasn't RPGA. An immense pleasure it was. I greatly enjoyed throwing some pro wrestling moves into a gaming session. Something I seldom do. Furthermore,  I can cross playing a dwarven battle-rager off my gamer bucket list. An excellent session indeed.

ANAD Marvel New January #1's

Well, I have lost a bit of blogging momentum as I several entries that I have yet to complete. What better way than to break that logjam than an old stand-by via my blogging my thoughts on the new slate of #1's that debut in January (solicited during November) as part of Marvel's All-New, All-Different (ANAD) initiative? Probably should check my astonishment at the sheer size of the new volumes debuting during January; however, Marvel did say that they were releasing sixty new series as part of ANAD. Marvel does deserve praise for the timed-releases as more obscure titles have a greater chance of surviving. Something DC should realize... Since its the month of November, my buy/impulse/pass rating should be taken with a grain of salt. By now, I am still figuring which of October's releases I'll retain. Generally takes me a couple months to decide - provided I keep up. Furthermore, I want my commentary on ANAD to extend beyond solicitations so I may try titles that I would avoid otherwise.


Here they are:

• Old Man Logan - I never read the original Old Man Logan story. Quite frankly, I'm still burned out on reading Wolverine regularly. However, the concept of an elderly Logan trying to prevent his bleak future from happening combined with the sample art provided is enough to pique my interest. Never say never.
• Captain Marvel - Nitpick aside I could do without them co-opting Alpha Flight to be the name of the space program that protects Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Otherwise, if there was a time read the adventures of Carol Danvers I think now would be the time as she leads that particular erstwhile organization. The fact that two of the creators behind the show Agent Carter, ie Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, helps greatly.
• Rocket Raccoon & Groot - Why they had solo series for both Rocket and Groot boggles my mind as much of their appeal stems from their buddy relationship. Since I collected both, sign me up for this one.
• Spider-Man/Deadpool - Once upon a time, Deadpool was but a mere, minor character. Shocking, right? Then during the late 90's there was a cult comic starring the Merc with the Mouth that comic fans raved about. Many compared it to the glory of early Spider-Man. Sadly, I never had the pleasure of reading that Deadpool run. Fast-forward to January and that very creative team returns to Deadpool. Not only that but a certain aforementioned web-slinger will be co-starring as well. This may actually be my first non-team Deadpool comic...
• Silver Surfer - Wait, isn't this the same creative team...? Absolutely hate forced re-numberings if nothing changes. Silver Surfer showing someone the unknown aspects of Earth could be neat and I like the creative team of Slott and Allred. Maybe.
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - I like the television series that's inspired by this series. The notion of more regular Deathlok appearances appeals to me. Frankly, the comic may be closer to what people expected of the show during its first season. Another we'll see title.

Solicitations were much, much vaguer and shorter than last month's. You either love the concept and creative team or you don't.

Arrow is Constantine! (And Why I am Glad I Started Watching Again)

*yep, pro-wrestler Chris Jericho's catchphrase "Raw is Jericho!" was an inspiration for the title.


Last night's episode of Arrow would have been a perfect Halloween episode. Alas, it came out one week too late. In any case, "Haunted" marks an historic point. Not only does "Haunted" serve as an occasion for Matt Ryan to reprise the role of John Constantine but, honestly, its the primary reason I started watching Arrow again.


Now, I didn't stop watching Arrow because I disliked the show. Not all. Rather, I fell behind. As of today, the remaining five episodes of the show's freshman season have yet to be seen by my eyes. By the time that the second season aired, I decided that I would watch those remaining episodes along with any future ones via DVD. Even as I watched the Flash last year, my growing renewed interest in regularly following the adventures of Team Arrow stayed noncommittal.


That ended with premiere of Arrow's fourth season. I am quite glad that I started watching again. Don't have Netflix and as much as I like Gotham its still no substitute for four-color street vigilante heroics. Arrow still holds its appeal when beloved shows such as The X-Files no longer held that must-see feeling after a long hiatus. While I loved the gritty, realistic take and sequential nature of the flashbacks from the first season, I find I like the optimism of the more four-color super-heroics just as much if not more. Arrow has ditched the romantic staples of the typical CW show. Otherwise, Oliver and Laurel would still have a 'will they or won't they' vibe to them. Doesn't hurt that Arrow's fourth season is fairly accessible to a guy who hasn't seen any of the second and third season. Another plus is the gradual origin and development of Mr. Terrific. Looking forward to him officially joining Team Arrow. Furthermore, the interconnectedness of Arrow and Flash exemplifies what a shared comic-based universe should be on television.


All said, it was the arrival of one John Constantine that brought me back to Arrow. Absolutely loved the short-lived show on NBC along with actor Matt Ryan's portrayal of the character. So when I heard that the actor would reprise the role of the character on an episode of Arrow, I had to see it. And it was good. "Haunted" did an excellent job of tying John Constantine into what previously had been a more street-level show. We learn how Oliver and John met along with the draw that brought Constantine to Star City. In regular DC proper, Constantine is more the guest character that comes in and offers his mystic advice pertaining to things supernatural. That was his appearance in "Haunted" to a 'T'. Not only that but Matt Ryan's portrayal loses none of its swagger; and my fandom is pleased. Hopefully, John Constantine's appearance on Arrow was not a one-shot deal and is more of a harbinger of future appearances in CWDC.

Vertigo 2015 Preview (Halloween Part Two)

I know I stated that my next Halloween post was going to be a massive blog post. In hindsight that was more out of desire to get the whole thing out of the way. Instead, I'm splitting them into several entries. Think of it as a post-celebration of Halloween into several, more manageable, portions.


Vertigo has long been associated with horror comics in my mind regardless of whether or not such a distinction fit. So on Halloween, I finally read the 2015 Preview pamphlet that DC put out to advertise Vertigo's twelve brand-new #1's that roll out over the course of three months beginning in October. Yeah, I am a little late reading said previews haha! Anyway, the Preview contained sample pages from The Twilight Children, Unfollow, and Lucifer. There's lengthy boiler-plates that go beyond mere solicitation copy for the remaining nine titles.


The Twilight Children - written by Gilbert Hernandez (of Love & Rockets fame) and Darwyn Cooke (DC's The New Frontier among other projects) as artist is set in a Latin American village where a group of children find a strange orb. The sample pages included introduce a handful of characters and ends when the children discover the strange orb inside a cave. The ad copy states afterwards a strange woman appears and all sort of shenanigans happens. Okay, everything after the word 'and' is not exactly what the ad copy describes. That said, in perfect world where retailers stock every single comic in more than adequate copies, I'd buy issue one. The preview intrigues me, the storytelling is impeccable, and the art top-notch. However, I read the preview after the first issue had already hit the stands. I could order it but since its a mini-series I'm more inclined towards the trade paperback.


While The Twilight Children doesn't fit a Halloween-motif well, Unfollow and Lucifer practically scream Halloween. Unfollow is about a social media mogul who writes 140 people into his will. Whomever survives, as tracked by an app, when the mogul dies inherits his fortune. As the preview demonstrates, things get rather sinister as the designer of app is bumped off after adding himself to the list by a mysterious masked man. Scattered throughout are various postings by a couple people as they express various ideas using a social media app. Art passes muster and fits the Vertigo style. If I see a copy, I'll pick it up. It starts in November. Lucifer is about, well, Lucifer. Can't get more Halloween than that. The preview contains the new set-up. Lucifer's new status quo, and flicks to his now-mortal brother, Gabriel, where he's offered his wings back. From the preview, I have enough of impression on the writing and art style that I am heavily-inclined to pick up the title. Lucifer comes out in December.


There weren't preview pages for the following titles.
Survivors' Club and Clean Room - have already hit the stands. I'll provide reviews as soon as I get around to them. The former is about survivors of classic '80s horror stories and the latter is about a room that subjects one against one's innermost secrets.
Art Opus - is about art that comes to life and an agency tasked to protect and track down said rogue artwork. It came out already...
Red Thorn - A Scottish demigod is released into modern times and encounters relics of Scottish myth. Another book that may check out, which debuts in November.
Jacked - a smart pill, think Limitless, that not only does that but it gives a neurotic, middle-aged family man super strength and powers. Intriguing. However, I rarely buy 6-issue mini-series in pamphlet form nowadays except on impulse. Jacked starts in November.
The Sheriff of Babylon - written by a former CIA analyst who uses his experience from the Iraq War to write about a police officer from Florida who arrives in Iraq to help train its police force. An 8-issue mini-series that begins December. Not sure if I want to buy it as it comes out or wait for the trade.
The Last Gang in Town - a 7-issue series that hits the stands in December concerns a gang that is about to commit its last heist.
New Romancer - a 12-issue series launching in December is about a romance app that accidentally brings some of history's most notorious lovers back to life. Quirky.
Slash & Burn - debuts in November. A drama about a recovering pyromaniac whose penance is that she's trying to become a firefighter. Sounds like an F/X drama too edgy for F/X. Impulse buy.

OneBookShelf Jack O' Lantern Haul 2015 (Halloween 2015 Part One)

Every Halloween OneBookShelf (OBS) publishing has a trick or treat jack o' lantern search where one hunts down images of jack o' lanterns throughout the participating sites. A jack o' lantern signifies either a trick or a treat. The treat is a free ebook whereas a trick is a gag item. While OBS did have a trick for a number of years, they have stopped the practice the last couple years. Although I don't recall if I have participated in every annual jack o' lantern hunt, it has been a Halloween tradition for me. The sites that I have scoured through are DriveThru RPG, DriveThru Comics, and DriveThru Fiction. Don't know how long the treats last; but here's a rundown of this year's treats.


DriveThru RPG
Wolfsheim for the Scion RPG
Better Angels - a rather unique rpg where one plays a villain who struggles with a demon within that grants powers to the villain. A different player controls the demon.
The Book of Archetypes - for All-Flesh Must be Eaten RPG, quick characters for when the zombies are too effective at killing the PC's.
King Arthur Pendragon, 1st edition - Pendragon is an RPG that has long been on my must list. The RPG archivist/historian in me is excited to read the very first iteration.
Van Richten's Guide to Fiends - a classic Ravenloft (AD&D 2E). Fits the Halloween theme perfectly.
Laboratory of the Forsaken
Encyclopaedia Arcane: Demonology


An excellent haul if I do say so myself.


DriveThru Comics
The Necromancer Volume 1 Trade - a Top Cow book that has piqued my interest. Plus, free trade!
Jirni #1
Deadworld - Frozen Over #1
Vincent Price Presents: Gallery Omnibus - basically, pictures of Vincent Price.
Dragonstorm #1
The Lexian Chronicles #1
Monster Candy


Mostly unknowns but a great price. Free.


DriveThru Fiction
Dark Ages Clan Novel #1: Nosferatu - As long-time fan of the Old World of Darkness and Dark Ages in particular, I'm excited.
Apex Magazine October 2011 (Issue 29)
Deadlands Dime Novel 01: Perdition's Daughter - Deadlands is a weird western RPG that I would have liked to play but either never got a chance or was too apathetic when I did. I like weird westerns.
The Raven - Don't think this is Poe poem...
Courting the King in Yellow (The Parted Veil Series: Book One) - A modern King in Yellow story.
Awesome!
Obsessed


Another excellent haul even if I have no idea what the three other books are as the other three more than compensate for them.


RPGNow - While not part of the Trick or Treat promotion, Troll Lord Games offered a free pdf of the Demon Hunter class for Amazing Adventures to celebrate Halloween. Never had the privilege to sample Amazing Adventures but a demon hunter character in a setting of pulp adventure is too good to pass up!


Tomorrow, I plan (okay, hope) to post about how I celebrated the week of Halloween. My thoughts and reviews of: The Last Witch Hunter, Vertigo 2015 Preview, iZombie season 2, draugr, what I consider Halloween episodes of The Player and Sleepy Hollow, Grimm Season 4 premiere, and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1.

Guess, My Character Wasn't as Cool as I Thought...

Every gamer experiences those moments where their PC accomplishes great things. The rush one feels when any given game's challenge-resolution mechanic (CRM) enables a character to perform far better than one expected. Heck, some game's CRM have in-built eureka moments such as Dungeons & Dragons critical successes. Critical successes help create the excitement that stem from an RPG session. However, much of that excitement relies on the purity of that eureka moment.


Now I have been slinging dice, along with other forms of CRM, for around twenty years. Over the years, my appreciation for that visceral feeling that one experiences when the CRM works in one's favor has grown. Not only when it pertains to my experience but the experience of the GM and other players. After all, table-top and live-action role-playing games are communal so one's fortune or misfortune may impact how others enjoy the game. In a roundabout fashion I have come to appreciate the sentiment expressed in forums such as Knights of the Dinner Table of limited natural 20s! Watching the videos of Vin Diesel playing Dungeons & Dragons circulating the internet and palpable excitement whenever a critical occurred certainly help foster my new appreciation.


While playing a session of the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons, I had a chance to play the new iteration of the Barbarian class. Before play, I only briefly perused the class so I had a shaky grasp of the new Barbarian. Heck, I created my character on the fly within ten or twenty minutes! So while I was playing my character, I was pleased with his performance in combat as he downed his foes. Even had a critical hit! Here is where we reach the title of this particular entry. After the gaming session, in which the character leveled, I read the next level's abilities. Turns out I had misinterpreted the Rage mechanic and was using a souped-up version of a second level ability. In short, my character was far cooler than he should have been.


Years ago, accidental coolness would not have bothered me. I would have shrugged it off. Others would bring it to my attention. We'd argue and then refinements would be made. In a fashion, I'm glad to realize that I have matured as gamer. That I can accept an 'oops' moment when I play and realize its potential to disrupt that further games and adjust appropriately. Fortunately, role-playing games are just games and communal ones at that. As long as I am honest about my eureka moments, and work to maintain such honesty, its okay. Its just one's ego as it pertains to a fictional construct in a game. Besides, misreading rules is part of the game!

The New Television Season So Far

Today marks the start of what I consider to be week 3 of the Fall 2015 television season. Some shows I am week or two behind. Been able to play Dungeons & Dragons on Monday nights and that's a whole slew of shows to catch up on! Thank goodness for television recording devices.


Gotham - I have a confession: still have yet to watch the second episode of the season. Not because I hated the premiere. Loved it in fact. Airs on Monday night and thus played D&D instead. So geek card saved? Back to the show. As I said I loved the premiere. Rise of the Villains is off to a rollicking good start. The passcode for Thomas Wayne's secret cave office was a delicious surprise that should not have been a surprise. Penguin as criminal boss is promising but I hope more rivals emerge. Not a fan of how Gordon was reinstated. Matches the shows tone and should lead to intriguing developments but it does not seem true to the character. Felt more like the plot dictating the character rather the other way around. The main plot was beginning the Rise of the Villains arc where several Arkham inmates including Jerome (Joker?) and Barbara Keen are broken out of Arkham.


Minority Report - Never watched the movie starring Tom Cruise nor read Philip K Dick's story that inspired it. Only discovered after watching the pilot that show happens after the events of the movie. Only have seen the first episode so far but Minority Report promises to be an excellent sci-fi thriller although I tire of the police procedural of which serves as the shows frame. The cybernetic eye implant that enable the cop to see how a murder was committed in order to deduce the 'why' was a nice touch.


Castle - Castle is one of those regular shows that I watch sporadically but when I do I watch it as it airs. Ergo I have only seen the premiere 'XY' which tells a story from Castle's perspective as Beckett mysteriously disappears and undergoes a secret mission. Loved the action thriller break from the usual crime detective story.


Blindspot - Jamie Alexander, Lady Sif in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stars as the central protagonist whose an amnesiac covered in 'prophetic' tattoos and some... interesting skills. Due to D&D, the premiere is the only episode that I have seen. The pilot strained my suspension of disbelief a couple times; but Blindspot fits the action-thriller with an arcane tone that I crave.


The Muppets - The Muppet Show trades in the variety show for a late-night show hosted by Miss Piggy, while switching from G-rated content to PG with humor that veers into PG-13 territory. Its hilarious! Loved the Jay Leno - Fozzy Bear segments in the second episode.


Scream Queens - Technically, I have seen the first two episodes as they were aired concurrently. The creators that brought us American Horror Story have created a comedy that acts a serious horror story in the slasher genre. Fittingly, Scream Queens begins in 1995 as its more like a serious parody of slasher films of that era. Plus you can't go wrong with Jamie Lee Curtis - who may very well be in cahoots with the Red Devil serial killer plaguing the sorority, which is at the center of this season's story. Hilariously good fun in a cult movie fashion I am glad that Fox re-airs it later in the week as otherwise it would become trumped by comic book Tuesday programming such as...


Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. - Finally, Agents of SHIELD is the show that fans wanted it be when it debuted a couple years ago as super-spies are now fully integrated with super-powered individuals. An excellent premiere where we are introduced to the show's Little Bad and possibly Big Bad. In delightful espionage fashion, its unclear which of the two new characters is which let alone whether they are.


Limitless - Much like Minority Report, never saw the movie. While I found the pilot episode lukewarm at times, I'm glad I stuck around for the second episode. The lead is quirky enough and the light sci-fi (virus that targets a specific genetic mutation in the second episode) that I find myself drawn to the show.


Heroes Reborn - Yatta! Heroes is back. The original Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. show has returned. While conceptually Heroes Reborn is what if Heroes was never cancelled, Heroes Reborn is very much a product of said cancellation as I doubt Heroes 10th season would have unfolded like this. Doubt Molly Walker would have made such a surprise appearance otherwise. Another pleasant benefit to HR is that HRG is joined by a mostly brand-new cast that exhibit powers that function uniquely. Its been three episodes and Zachary Levi's character has been quite a surprise, repeatedly.


Sleepy Hollow - after last season's apocalyptic ending, I didn't know what would be next for Sleepy Hollow. Should not have worried as the second (of seven!) tribulations is introduced. Have not seen Sleepy Hollow? The third season is a stellar jumping-on point.


The Player - In a scripted television era of procedurals, The Player is a breath of fresh air. Its an action-suspense thriller where an unknown group gamble on a crime's outcome. Each episode feels like a one-hour action flick. Not going to lie while Wesley Snipes chews the scenery, I am not sure I'd continue to watch if he wasn't on the show.


Blood & Oil - A primetime drama that tells the story of people trying to make it (or continue to) big in the oil boomtowns of North Dakota. Yes, the oil/natural gas boom of the Bakken fields in North Dakota have finally arrived on network television. Blood & Oil is not only evocative of the North Dakota boomtowns but captures the feel of unfettered capitalism. Want to know what capitalism is truly like? Watch Blood & Oil. I'm also pleasantly surprised at how much this captures the feel of role-playing games such as the OSR of Gygaxian D&D or the World of Darkness. I have played in Vampire LARPs that played like this. Well, that is if the characters could come out during the day...


Quantico - A suspense thriller where the protagonist has to deduce which of her fellow recruits were responsible for a terrorist attack that she was framed for before her framer strikes again. Quantico is fairly engaging and everything at the school is not quite as it seems. Very lurid too - for network television anyway.

The Peanut Gallery on Marvel's New December Offerings

Well, Wednesday has passed. New comics day. What's just as much fun as new comics? Perusing solicitations for comics that arrive in stores two months in the future. In fact, October-December solicitations are available. Know what that means? Yep, the new wave in Marvel's All-New, All-Different initiative. Here's my peanut gallery thoughts on those solicitations.

• Invincible Iron Man #4: - Wait this not a new issue one?! Its not. However, Mary Jane Watson joins the cast of Iron Man. Peter Parker's ex is now a cast member in an Iron Man book. Tony Stark, who unlike in the movies, is still one of the Marvel Universe's biggest philanderers. Ever. Right now every fan who relished the Secret Wars mini "Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows" and/or fans of the Peter/MJ marriage are crying out 'E tu Marvel?!' If I was on the fence before now, this solidifies it. Thank goodness for Marvel Digital Unlimited or cheap trades. Not supporting this book. Ever. Well, for the immediate future anyway.
• A-Force #1: Marvel's all-female Avengers team officially enters the non-Secret Wars Marvel U. Singularity, a new hero from Battleworld, assembles the team of: She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Dazzler, Medusa, and Nico Minoru (formerly of the Runaways) to face multiversal threats. Has potential. Whether or not pick this up depends on how many titles that I have winnowed by then.
• The Totally Awesome Hulk #1: The I-forgot-how-smart sidekick, Amadeus Cho, is now the Hulk. How many exclamation points can one solicitation have? Many. Is it enough to make me buy it? No, but its discouraged me from doing so!
• Guardians of Infinity #1: Another Guardians of the Galaxy book! Who would have thought... If Dan Abnett was not a co-writer and if not for the Guardians 3000 (the original Guardians, fuzzy wuzzy timey-wimey stuff), I'd say this is one Guardians book too many. Groot, Drax, and Rocket Raccoon further help alleviate such apathy. The prospect of a mysteries Guardians group from the 1000 - 1999 millennium will appear. Loved the Demon Knights - Stormwatch connection in DC New 52 so a unknown predecessor group intrigues. The back-up story featuring Ben Grimm the Thing and Rocket on a planet based on pro-wrestling seals the deal. Pro-wrestling comics are a big draw for me. Plus, it'll be a hoot seeing if the Thing becomes a champion on this world too. Buy.
• Daredevil #1&2: Daredevil has a protégé and is now prosecutor as opposed to a defense attorney. New writer too.  How many Daredevil restarts have their been? I'd buy the trades if anything.
• All-New Inhumans #1&2: A fourth Inhumans book. Second one that has 'Inhumans' in the title! Clearly, Marvel/Disney is attempting some synergy here. Crystal leads a team that seeks to aid the newly-Inhumanized population cope with the changes wrought by Terrigen Clouds. Definitely, synergy all right. Say isn't Crystal's former flame, Johnny Storm, pardon the pun, starring in Uncanny Inhumans? Uncanny Inhumans where the Human Torch has relationship with her sister? The inevitable crossover ought to be... awkward. Maybe off the rack. Maybe I'll let Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. scratch the 'waves of new-Inhumanized' itch.
• Uncanny X-Men #1 & 2: The most ruthless killers among the X-men and X-villians comprise this incredibly deadly team. Admittedly, I lost track with X-Factor and Monet so I don't know how she fits. But I will go with that. Another 'if I am not reading too much' book.
• Red Wolf #1: Red Wolf is one of Marvel's Native American characters. This book takes up right where the Secret Wars mini left off in 1872. Didn't read that mini. My enthusiasm wanes because of that.
• Spidey #1:  Much like the Untold Tales of Spider-Man that ran way back during the 90's, Spidey is set during Peter Parker's teenage years. Love that era. If Spidey remains a monthly book, it very well could become my Spider-Man book.
• Squadron Supreme #1 & 2: Absolutely love the Squadron Supreme. A Squadron comprised of analogs from different multiverses including Blur from DP7 (huge, huge fan of DP7) excites me. James Robinson is the writer. Namor is there target? Intriguing. Decisions. Decisions.
• Starbrand and Nightmask #1: Starband and Nightmask were concepts from Marvel's New Universe as was DP7. Which I loved. However, I have not read any of the Avengers comics that include the new Starbrand and Nightmask. Don't even know how similar they are. Roommates in college? Maybe off the rack?
• Weirdworld #1: A girl named Becca is trapped in land of sword and sorcery drawn by the same art team as the Secret Wars mini of the same name. Another promising title.
• Scarlet Witch #1: The prolific James Robinson writes the solo stories of the Scarlet Witch. Wanda traverses the globe solving magical crimes while trying fix and solve the mystery of who broke witchcraft. Other than confusion over what they mean by breaking witchcraft, seems a promising title.
• Patsy Walker, Aka Hellcat #1: Gleaning from the solicitation it seems Hellcat will be a comedy/super-hero book that will also incorporate Patsy Walker's history as a romance character into the book. Its not my type of comic yet I want to read it anyway...

Third time's the charm! At last, Marvel has learned how to write compelling solicitations. Only took the third month of its "All-New, All-Different" initiative to do so. First month where I found myself taking mental stock on whether or not I could afford to add another title to my list, comic after comic. 

There's a New Batman in Town

I'm sucker a big new publishing initiatives. Take DC You for example. Not only did I sample many of the new titles; but I gave older titles a try as well. Alas, I have not kept up with them much at all. Since DC decided to make September 26th, Batman Day, in addition to watching some episodes of the old Adam West show, I finally read Batman 41, Batman 42, and Detective Comics 41. Yeah, I am a tad late; but I have much better feel for the new Batman.


Jim Gordon as Batman appeals to me. Hope DC maintains the new status quo for a couple years at least. One thing that struck me after watching those old Adam West episodes of the old television series then following them with the initial issues of Gordon Batman is how much of mirror of the West-era Batman the new Batman is. Like Batman '66, the new Batman is a legalized deputy who works alongside the law and is a public figure. The enemies are big and colorful facing off against a Batman that is big and colorful in a manner of speaking. There's even a role reversal of which I'll spoil among the reviews below. Since all three issues came out two to three months ago, I am not as hesitant to include spoilers as I usually am.


Detective Comics 41
When I first saw the cover, it did not grab me at all. Upon closer inspection, I loved the faint detail of a map of Gotham in the background. Detective Comics 41 is a first issue of sorts albeit with one following forty previous issues. Harvey Bullock is the primary point-of-view character as a flashback tells the story of how Renee Montoya recruits him to join the Batman Task Force. In between the flashbacks, the story tells of a confrontation between Robo-Bat and a heavily-armed street gang. The issue ends on a pair of cliffhangers as the Task Force joins the fray and in the flashback Bullock finds out Gordon is new Batman, while we find out that his partner may very well not be on the side of the angels.
The Verdict: This is probably closest to a Gotham comic and a Gotham-starring an actual Batman that we'll get for the foreseeable future. I give this initial issue 3.5 out of 5 stars. A solid beginning.


Batman 41
Bigger Batman. Bigger villains. Batman 41 kicks off on a high note. Not only does the new Batman face his first major villain - someone whom can project an avatar composed of energy- but there's a flashback showing the process that led to Jim Gordon deciding to become the new Batman. Loved the fact that Gordon made the wisecrack of how the suit looks like a giant bunny. Cause it does. Capullo and Miki do a solid job on art. As I stated when I reviewed the FCBD comic, I loved their work on Spawn. They do not disappoint. The issue ends with twin revelations. One, there's actually two Bat-suits. One is the armor. Meanwhile the other suit is a more traditional Bat-suit. The second revelation is that Bruce Wayne is still alive. Okay, that's should not surprise anyone. However, I am glad DC is admitting that right away.
Verdict: I wish had actually placed this title on pull instead of buying it off the rack. Snyder/Capullo/Miki deserve all the hype. Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.


Batman 42
Reading this issue reminds me how I sometimes miss the days when I did not read the monthly solicitations. The Mr. Bloom mystery/storyline officially starts here and being in the 'dark' would have been a treat. Should be interesting to discover how Mr. Bloom relates to Jim Gordon as the mystery as to who is bestowing powers (with a fatal fail-safe) upon Gordon's former collars. Gordon demonstrating is knowledge of both the city and its criminals based on his years of experience is a nice touch. We learn one of his new associates had prior experience with the old Batman. Since I have not read much of the current Batman comics, it ought to be interesting what that connection was. Batman 42 introduces one of many Batmobiles of which the one that makes its appearance is a Bat-Truck. More like Bat-Semi... Anyway Jim Gordon learns an important lesson that his perception of how he should be Batman and what it means to be Bat-man may differ as he confronts a super-powered individual who can manipulate anything containing silicate. Can we say Bat-Golem? Oh yeah, the issue ends with Gordon meeting with Bruce Wayne. Yep, this is the suspected role reversal that I mentioned earlier.
Verdict: Another excellent issue. Only a slight downgrade from the previous issue. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

My Thoughts on Marvel's Wave Two

For me writing is a curious thing. I have so many ideas except every time I try to write them they evaporate. Timing is another matter as more I delay the less likely I write. We are in the middle of September so you know what that means? September Previews orders will be due soon at one's local comics shop. So its now or never that I provide my thoughts on Marvel's September solicitations or what I refer to as Wave Two of its "All-New, All-Different" initiative.

• All-New, All-Different Avengers #1 & 2: Hmm, still haven't written a review of its FCBD offering. Thank goodness there's still time between now and November. I like the line-up. I like the creative team. However, if ANADA ships twice a month sometimes, I don't know I'll collect the pamphlet. I don't keep up with my monthlies. Haven't even read many of the first issues of DC You yet...
• Nova #1: A father-son dynamic in the hero business strikes my fancy. Collected the first twelve or was it eighteen (?) issues of Batman and Robin for that very reason. With that in mind, much of my interest stemmed from the assumption that Richard Ryder was back - as out-of-whack as that may seem. He's not. Pass.
• All-New X-men #1 &2: I am a fan of the original X-men. This isn't that. Don't get me wrong. Four out of five isn't bad. Would be neat seeing Kid Apocalypse, X-23 er All-New Wolverine, and Oya (?) among that mix. Seeing a bunch of mutant teenagers dealing with rabid anti-mutant hysteria could be refreshing. Can't believe I just wrote that. That said, I have no idea what Marvel plans on doing with the series; and a twice-a-month does not appeal. Pass.
• Spider-Woman #1: Spider-Woman is pregnant and engaging in super-heroics. I am not the target audience for this book.
• Web Warriors #1: A collection of spider-heroes from across the Spider-Verse united as team? Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Man India, Spider-UK, and Spider-Ham comprise the team Electro is the big bad? I am intrigued. May buy off the rack.
• Star-Lord #1: Haven't read any of Star-Lord's early stories so I do not if there ever was an origin story. So I don't know if this will be a modern origin story if its actually more significant as the first time his origin was ever told. Since I already buy practically every GotG title I'll probably buy this.
• Venom: Space Knight #1: Even if this wasn't another GotG title, the idea of Flash Thompson engaging swashbuckling action across the space-ways as Venom is too much for me to resist. Probably the closest I'd come to picking up a Flash Gordon title...
• Drax #1: As C.M. Punk's first on-going title, I was going to buy this regardless.
• Illuminati #1: The Hood's group of villains trying to survive in a world of heroes. Titania, Mad Thinker, Thunderball, Black Ant, and Enchantress round out the cast. Its a maybe.
• Deadpool #1&2: I like Deadpool. I just don't read Deadpool comics.
• Hercules #1: Marvel placed a far more informative teaser on its website, which does a far better job than any solicitation. A mythic hero - dubbed the first super-hero- in a modern hero. Written by Dan Abnett. Yes, please.
• All-New, All-Different Wolverine #1 &2: I loathe this idea. No.
• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #1: Kirby's Devil Dinosaur is back. A girl and her dinosaur is a quirky idea that appeals to me. Maybe if my comic shop has it on the rack.
• Carnage #1&2: Okay, this title is more along the lines of a horror movie where the monster is the titular character. Gerry Conway writing, Eddie Brock/Toxin and John Jameson are in the book, and the FBI are actually armed for the threat. The action takes place in an abandoned coal mine. Cue spooky music. Screams mini-series. Maybe trade.
• Silk#1: I have no idea who this is. So the character coming across as a villain isn't as much of a hook for me. I buy enough titles.
• Ms Marvel, Vision, All-New Hawkeye, and The Mighty Thor #1's: I am including these titles just to create awareness. If buy any of them it'll be as trades.
• Black Knight #1: Dane Whitman in an on-going title? The Ebony Blade where rear its ugly head in Stormbringer fashion? The Black Knight is in Weirdworld, which is sword-and-sorcery setting? Yes!
• The Ultimates #1: Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Ms America Chavez, Spectrum, and Blue Marvel uniting to eliminate Galactus. Intriguing. Impulse buy.
• Howard The Duck #1: I absolutely love the sarcasm dripping in the solicitation because this is restart of book that started six months. Since it was on my pull list, I believe I should be getting this already...

That's it. Many more 'absolutes' among this months crop. Many more 'I may impulse buy'. So a much, much better wave. However, that's regardless of solicitation quality. Marvel's awfully lucky that its Marvel cause there solicitations are not much at all.

Finally, finally, I have played D&D 5E!

Its been a long, long time since I have any table-top rpgs at all. Not quite long ago as my last D&D-related post but at least a couple years. Those missing years are the subject of another blog post. Well, once I get around to writing it. I have more blog ideas than time warrants! But, as one comic book writer is noted for stating, I digress. Recently, my years-long role-playing drought ended. As the subject line states, and to paraphrase a famous actor/wrestler, finally, finally, I have D&D 5E!


Unlike the previous two editions, I approached the latest edition of Dungeons & Dragons with some trepidation. Table-top gaming had become nothing more than a memory. Furthermore, I had grown weary of yet another new edition of the most famous role-playing game. The concept of freely available Basic Rules intrigued me and acted as an olive branch. I liked what I saw. However, the quality of the Basic Rules were not enough to overcome my skepticism. While I have bought a copy of the Player's Handbook, my purchase was an impulse buy and have yet purchase any further books. What little I have read of fifth edition, I like. In hindsight, its everything I wished fourth edition to be. Now if I have learned over the years is that its best to judge a game after several sessions. To refer back to subject line, I finally played my first session of Dungeons & Dragons 5E!


I am not going to bore you with the details. Long story short, it was a rousing success! D&D 5E felt like Dungeons & Dragons. Despite my passing familiarity with the new rules, those that pertained to the situations that arose, were simple to grasp. While combat was slow at times, it was no where near as slow as 4E crawl. Swingy-ness was back. Characters, albeit those at the table, felt different. There was no number creep. I admit there was a bit of panic as my first-level PC almost died! If it wasn't for the fact that he was a Dragonborn with Gold Dragon heritage, Ser Rhogar would surely have perished from the one-two combo of a Cloudkill-Fireball. Yes, Fireball and Cloudkill. Fortunately, the DM rolled low for damage. Not to mention a cleric used a healing spell while my PC was making death saves...


Still my first 5E session was enough to foster my excitement. Enough to stir my imagination. Enough that I eagerly await the next time that I can game again. Enough that I perused my copy of the Player's Handbook more than the entire time that I owned. From my first session, I acquired a greater understanding of the system than I had before. Most important, after years of not playing table-top rpg, I felt (much like the aforementioned actor/wrestler and a certain hobbit returning from his long journey) that I had come back to my (gamer) home.

Oh look, Marvel's October MU #1's!

The August - October 2015 edition of Marvel Previews is out. Know what that means? October marks the first month of its sixty first issues initiative. I question the wisdom of doing so when Secret Wars approaches its conclusion and mini-What If? event; but I am not Marvel so I have no idea what they are thinking. In any case, here's my thoughts on each solicitation. Only will cover Marvel Universe titles so no Star Wars or non-continuity titles.

• Invincible Iron-Man #1 & 2: New purpose? That could be intriguing. New supporting cast? Sounds good. Who are  his biological parents? On second thought, this is a pass for me. I hate the revelation that his parents aren't his actual parents. Actual colored interior pages are included and they do look purdy. Madame Masque being back is rather cool.
• All-New, All-Different Marvel Point One #1: One of those titles that leads me to question Marvel's publishing wisdom. Why publish this title when the new initiative has begun? Why not before? Short stories are provided for six titles, two of which are 'classified'. Impulse buy.
• Avengers #0: See previous rant. New stories for all six Avengers titles plus what seems to the beginning to next Avengers meta-plot. Probably a must-read for Avengers fans.
• Amazing Spider-man #1 & 2: The first issue is a double issue for double the price! I like the 'Tony Stark'-ified Peter. The Zodiac is a fun group of villains. Its a direction that we have never seen before. First issue also provides stories for the rest of the Spider-line. If it wasn't for the implied twice a month publishing, I would buy this. I dropped Amazing because I could not keep up with the two or three times a month schedule. Impulse buy.
• Angela: Queen of Hel #1: Angela (of Spawn fame) is now in Asgard's Hel because her companion is there. She is now its queen. Al Simmons and her should compare notes.
• Blade #1: A female Blade! That's all Marvel provided. Pass!
• Astonishing Ant-Man #1: If you saw the free Marvel previews magazine that Marvel provided, there's nothing new here. A maybe.
• Contest of Champions #1: Appears to be bridging series between Secret Wars and the ANAD Marvel U. Maestro, Gamora, Devil Dinosaur. An extra dollar for an extra 8 to 18 pages. Would have been nice if Marvel listed how long the title will last...
• Doctor Strange #1: Apparently Doctor Strange will be paying price for each act of magic. Probably explains why he wields a battle axe now. Wonder if the title will touch upon the nerve damage in his hand or whether the Vishanti are upset with him. Has possibilities. As an aside, it does provide fodder for a character concept for 5E D&D. Hmm, future blog post.
• Exraordinary X-Men #1& 2 - Guess, Storm is leading this team. Yep, do you like the roster?
• Guardians of the Galaxy #1 - I have been collecting GotG so... the solicitation has not changed my mind... Ben Grimm & Kitty Pryde (Star-Lady ?!)
• Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1: Marvel actually included interior art from the issue that not only do I appreciate that they did but I appreciate the art. The solicitation says that the division S.T.A.K.E. (very pun-y) comprises of aliens, mythical beasts, and extra-normal entities. My kind of title. So I give it 12 to 24 issues. Sadly...
• Karnak #1: Warren Ellis's new book about the inhuman Karnak. Turns out it sees the flaws in everything. So Karnak might be more philosophical than at first glance. Plus an Agent Caulson appearance! Could be good although with Ellis's current track record either he or the book will last 6 or 12 issues.
• New Avengers #1 &2: Oh that's Sunspot in the lead. Sunspot's a cool character. Except I don't see how he fits the idea of Avengers Idea Mechanics. I'm not sure how any of the characters on the first issue's cover fits that idea. Pass.
• Captain America: Sam Wilson#1 & 2: Nothing new revealed. At least the title is no longer call 'All-New...' anymore and could easily be changed...
• Spider-Gwen #1: The spider-powered Gwen Stacy has her very own title. Not going to lie this development arose after I dropped Amazing so I do not have much to go on. So solicitation it is. The Lizard is involved. Plus apparently Marvel's multiverse is back too.
• Spider-Man 2099 #1 &2: Peter David writes it.
• The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Unless she's on the GLA written by Dan Slott, pass.
• Uncanny Avengers #1: Another title where the roster will make the difference. Deadpool is Avenger seems the major selling point.
• Uncanny Inhumans #1: Hey lists the full team of Medusa, Black Bolt, Triton, Reader, Human Torch, and Beast! Surprisingly, its a first... sadly. Whoa, they are taking on Kang the Conqueror! Marvel provided a sample in this year's FCBD of which I mean to comment on but they may actually have sold me on it based on the solicitation.

There you have it. Marvel's October launch. Five dollar comics concern me especially if they are followed by another issue that month. Such a flooding of the market does not help any retailer or reader choose which titles to read. The opaque solicitations and lack of samples does not help the matter. Of the twenty titles or one-shots debuting in October, only ten stir any interest whatsoever. If the rest of the roll out follows suit, there's not much to bring this former Marvel zombie back into the fold. Maybe the actual content will change my mind but $4 and $5 dollar comics act as a barrier.

All-New, All-Different (Free) Marvel Previews Thoughts

Much like DC, Marvel will soon start a new publishing initiative in which it releases sixty new issue ones to serve as jumping on points for its entire line. Whereas DC offered eight-page stories highlighting the new directions and creative teams, Marvel chose to release a magazine that mirrors a solicitation but contains less information. Such an information void is frustrating to say the least. Hopefully, the release's solicitations are more revealing. I'm going to provide stream-of-conscious commentary on many of the titles. If I don't comment on a given title its because either I have nothing nice to say or whatever snippet that Marvel provided offered nothing.

 

• Invincible Iron Man - The only title that includes actual interior artwork.
• A-Force - The all-female Avengers title from Secret Wars makes the line-up. A decent roster of characters.
• All-New, All-Different Avengers - Should also state 'All-Diverse' as well. If there was any title that demonstrates Marvel's push for diversity its this one. Its also the only title that Marvel has actually provided a sample for as it was the publisher's FCBD offering this year. I'll provide further commentary in a separate post but short answer is I'd buy it.
• Uncanny Avengers - I like the roster! With characters such as elderly Steve Rogers, Spider-Man, Rogue, Brother Vodoo, Quicksilver, and Deadpool this should be a fun book.
• New Avengers - Avengers Idea Mechanics. The quirky Avengers title.
• Ultimates - Is Galactus on the team? 'Nuff said!
• Doctor Strange - Doctor Strange with an axe? Not sure if do or do not want to buy the title to find out why. I was a fan of Bachalo's art on Generation X. Not so much on some his later work. Should be a good fit for Strange though.
• Captain Marvel - The fleet of ships behind her caught my eye. Maybe she'll be the leader of an Earth Defense Force?
• Sam Wilson, Captain America - Like how they are distinguishing this title from previous volumes with putting 'Sam Wilson' in the title. The rift between Steve and Sam is interesting.
• The Mighty Thor - looks like the 'new' Thor's other identity will be explored now.
• Illuminati - An all-villain book. Marvel's answer to Suicide Squad?
• Ant-Man - Seems like a cross between Ant-Man and Superior Foes of Spider-Man (with the new Beetle as the only returning character). Betting its a heist book.
• Amazing Spider-Man - Probably has the best cover and tagline combination that explains the new volume perfectly. A globe-trotting Peter Parker replete with fancy gizmos? Yes, please! Now if it wasn't a twice-a-month book...
• Carnage - I'm glad Gerry Conway is writing for Marvel. I'm surprised that he's writing Carnage.
• Web Warriors - A team of various Spider-Men plus Spider-Gwen and the second Spider-Woman should be a rather quirky team book.
• Daredevil - Hey another Daredevil restart! At least this time DD has a new creative team, costume, and direction (as evidenced by an apprentice).
• Guardians of the Galaxy - New line-up! Rocket Raccoon leading the team should lead to plenty of hijinks. The Thing and Kitty Pryde (in Star-Lord outfit) bring a new dynamic to the team.
• Drax - CM Punk's first ongoing title! Love how the tagline says 'Best in the Galaxy'.
• Howard The Duck - most humorous entry as it satirizes the fact that the title is being restarted after only five issues.
• Nova - Father/Son dynamic. Potentially the return of Richard Ryder. I may actually check this title out!
• Venom: Spaceknight - Venom as a cosmic space hero is such an outlandish concept it may just work.
• Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Speaking of outlandish concepts... A S.H.I.E.L.D. team that includes monster characters such as Werewolf by Night and Man-Thing sounds awesome.
• Karnak - Warren Ellis.
• Angela: Asgard's Assassin - Angela as the new Hel?
• Squadron Supreme - Love how the various characters from different realities make up the roster. I'll keep an out for this title.
• Extraordinary X-Men - My interest stems from the inclusion of Storm, Colossus, and Nightcrawler on the roster.
• Uncanny X-Men - Magneto, Mystique, and Sabertooth on an X-Men team. Expect a high body-count.
• Deadpool - yep, didn't believe that the 'Death of Deadpool' story would stick.

 More commentary will follow once the solicitations start appearing in Previews.

Of Zim and Waid

Recently, I picked up three shiny new #1s from three "independent" publishers. Mark Waid was creator involved in two of the titles, Archie and Strange Fruit. The third title was the return of Invader Zim written by his creator Jhonen Vasquez. All in all, I enjoyed all three of them.


Archie #1
Creators: Mark Waid and Fiona Staples
After seventy-some years, Archie comics has decided to revamp its flagship titles and characters. While I am not an avid Archie reader, I do have a nostalgic fondness for the character and the house style that has defined the character for decades. So when I found out that they were revamping the character and radically changing the design, it raised my fanboy hackles. That said, I decided to give the revamp a try. As an all-ages teenage humor comic, Archie has always had a cartoonish look. Staples's work is a more modern, realistic approach. At first, the art was far radical but as I read the issue the stylistic changes stopped distracting. In fact, its quite good and captures "modern" teenagers fairly well. As for the writing Waid does a stellar job. These are the same familiar Archie characters maintaining the all-ages nature of the material but modernized. Archie, himself, is the issue's narrator as frequently breaks the fourth wall to inform the reader as to what-is-what. The story concerns the school gossiping about the break-up of Archie and Betty, while some conspire to bring the two back together. As an added bonus, the 6-page story that introduced Archie in Pep Comics #22 is included along with introduction to that story from Mark Waid. If there's one major quibble that I have the main story is that I read it almost as fast as I read Archie's first appearance.


Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars. The revamp starts out strong. I may very well sample the second issue. However, I have not decided if I am onboard it yet.


Strange Fruit #1 (of 4)
Creators: J.G. Jones (story/art) and Mark Waid (story)
Warning: due to the nature of the comic book industry this story probably was completed well before the Confederate battle flag controversy erupted. This story takes a strong stance for one side.


The second Waid collaboration is a much more literary story compared Archie. Strange Fruit #1 is the beginning of a period piece set in the Deep South during 1927 in the time segregation and which that entails. Jones provides fully-painted art that's both beautiful and realistic. Likewise, the writing is evocative and captures the time period faithfully. The first issue concerns the racial tension of the time along environmental threat of the levees threatening to burst from the flooding of the Mississippi River. The issue ends with African-American being chased a posse only to rescued by the surprise appearance of a visitor from an another world... who just happens to look African-American. The last page is sure to cause quite the controversy and kick the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund into overdrive within the Deep South.


Rating: 4/5 stars (0/5 stars if one holds the Confederate battle flag in reverence) - easily the most literary comic I have read all year. Probably one of the more controversial comics too in light of recent events. I'll probably pick up the next issue.


Invader Zim #1
Creators: Jhonen Vasquez and Aaron Alexovich


I am Zim! Finally, finally, Invader Zim has returned... to comics? That's right, an old(?) Nick favorite, Invader Zim, has come back except instead of animation to comics. Ushering Zim into his first foray into comics with his shiny first issue is his creator Jhonen Vasquez. Joining him is Aaron Alexovich, whom despite a lack of involvement in the original animated series, provides art that captures the animated look perfectly and does an excellent job telling the story. Only had one quibble with one sole panel. Fortunately, I was able decipher said panel utilizing what fragments of Invader Zim lore that I retained. What's that? You are unfamiliar with Invader Zim or your memory is hazy? Fear not. The first issue opens with a two-page primer of Zim and his world. Invader Zim #1 easily makes the transition from a twenty minute episode to a twenty page comic. Jhonen Vasquez retains his superhuman grasp of all-ages wit and bizarre creativity. We learn what happened to Zim. We learn what happened to Dib. Eww! We learn what cunningly, evil Zim has planned. Well, sort of. The issue ends with Zim and Gir heading out into space with Dib ready to pursue.


Rating 4.5/5 stars - only because I reserve the right to give a future issue/story a 5/5. Invader Zim is off to superb start. I look forward to the next issue.

Review: iZombie Season Finale (Spoilers)

The CW’s iZombie wrapped up its first season in a satisfactory manner. I greatly enjoyed iZombie’s freshman season. Even though I missed a couple episodes, the show was still accessible. I am not all that familiar with Vertigo series so I do not know how faithful the show was to the comic. In any case, here’s my review of the season finale. Beware spoilers at your own peril.

 Blaine’s brain delivery service plot came to an end as Major had his vengeance in glorious action movie fashion. Well, Liv helped. In doing so, Major’s two major arcs of being in the dark about Liv and the zombies and his quest to help the missing children came to an end.  Of all the characters on iZombie, Major undergoes the most character development over the course the series. He goes from unknowing ex-fiance helpless to help those around him to knowing about zombies, gaining independence from Liv, and being the catalyst for Blaine’s downfall.  Meanwhile, Blaine escapes apparently ‘cured’.

In addition to ending Blaine’s stint as the Big Bad of the show, the first season ends with several subplots and major plotlines on the horizon.  What will Blaine do next? Major most likely will be a person of interest as far as police are concerned. What will Max Rager do next and is it safe to say that company will be next season’s Big Bad? There’s the status of the cure and how it will affect those cured. What will happen to Liv’s brother? Oh, let us not forget all zombies out there that Blaine’s little enterprise was helping to keep under control. Will show still be a quirky supernatural police procedural with a touch of Dollhouse thrown.

All in all, iZombie’s first season ended on a high-note. If you have not seen the show, I heartily recommend it.

Review: FCBD Divergence

In advance of DC’s June publishing initiative, DC released original 8-page stories highlighting what they have in store for readers. Among those stories was this year’s Free Comic Book Day offering, Divergence. Divergence contains stories from the creative teams of Batman, Superman, and Justice League.  So what follows is not only a review but also whether the 8-page story fulfilled its intended purpose to convince to read/buy that title. Note: I currently do not read Batman, Superman, and Justice League.

I have not read a single issue of the acclaimed run of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, and Danny Miki on Batman. So the story ‘The Rookie’ was a pleasant treat. The art was detailed and told the story well while bringing back memories of the pair’s work on Spawn years ago. The Rookie debuts the new Batman and the set-up reminds me of the original Robocop in tone except instead of a cyborg the new Batman wears a suit of armor reminiscent of Iron Man. While I enjoyed the story, I am still on the fence on whether or not I would add Batman to my list of titles. I am weary of what seems to be a recent trend of replacing Bruce in the cowl. Furthermore, the new Batman goes beyond Azrael’s version in my eyes. Maybe I’ll pick up the trades.

Meanwhile, I loved the new direction and creative team of Superman. John Romita Jr’s art shines. While I have never read Gene Luan Yang’s work before there’s promise. The story itself, Exposed,  does a great job of exploring in mere eight pages Superman’s new status quo. I’m a big fan of Golden Age Superman so Supes operating at that power level will be a treat.  A depowered Superman whose identity is public knowledge and is on the run in the world of social media, which Exposed illustrates wonderfully, makes for exciting comics.  That said, solicitations state that Superman titles will kick off with the ‘Truth’ arc. I don’t want to follow every Superman title so whether or not I buy the title Superman depends on how independent the individual titles are. The trades are a definite.

Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s Justice League story, The Darkseid War Prologue Two: The Other Amazon is an origin story full of myth and prophecy while building towards the comics equivalent of summer blockbuster in the Darkseid War. While I felt the art was a tad muddled at times, The Other Amazon serves as an example of how to do an eight-pager right.  Yep, eight-page stories do not get better than this! The Darkseid War should be an epic for the ages. When John’s Justice League came out I decided that I would read it in trade paperback form.  Whether or not I change my mind depends on whether any copies of the single issue are available at my local comics shop.