Yearly Archives: 2013

Feb 27 2013

Sword of Sorcery 5

sword of sorcery 5a
Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Sword of Sorcery 5, originally released February 20th, 2012.

Drew: Let’s talk motivation. It’s an important thing for characters (both good and evil) to have, but what is it? In the most abstract terms, it’s simply what the character wants, be it an object, a result, or a status (or avoiding any of those things). Morally, we can set up a continuum of motivation from altruism to greed, with most daily motivation falling somewhere in between. Comics, being a medium of contrasts, tend to focus on the extreme ends, with heroes often acting selflessly, with villains serving only their own ends. It’s an arrangement so ubiquitous, it can start to feel trite (which is why writers are so keen on subverting those expectations), but when it’s done well, as it is in Sword of Sorcery 5, it can remind us why we value those traits the way we do.

Continue reading →

Feb 26 2013

Daredevil 23

daredevil 23Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Daredevil 23, originally released February 20th, 2013.

Patrick: We write a lot of these Alternating Currents — enough that I am often writing one of these things when I should be doing something else. I can’t count the number of times my girlfriend has asked me when we’re going to be able to leave to do something, only to have me respond that I need another 15 minutes. Decoded, I need like half an hour, maybe more — it always takes more time than I think it’s going to. It’s shitty to keep someone waiting — and it’s even shittier when you know they need you. Foggy Nelson legitimately needs Matt Murdock, but Daredevil is always one step away from solving the case. As the clock on the page tells later and later times, I found myself  saying “oh, I can see how this is frustrating.” Continue reading →

Feb 26 2013

Batwoman 17

batwoman 17

Today, Patrick and guest-writer Suzanne are discussing Batwoman 17, originally released February 20th, 2013.

Patrick: We’re posting this two days after the Academy Awards, but I’m writing this at 9:25PM, Pacific Standard Time, the Thursday before the ceremony. I’m being so specific because I want to make a prediction: Lincoln will not win Best Picture (editors note: called it!). For everything Lincoln does well, it does not earn the sentiment expressed in its many soaring speeches. Endings are so naturally powerful, and it’s a shame how frequently Spielberg employs John Williams’ moving score and the impassioned performances of some of the best living Hollywood actors to approximate the feeling of catharsis. It’s a shortcut, it’s phony, and it stinks. J.H. Williams III and Hayden Blackman employ no such tricks as they wrap things up in Batwoman 17 and every single moving moment — and there are many — is earned.

Continue reading →

Feb 26 2013

Supergirl 17

supergirl 17 Hel

Today, Patrick and guest writer Zach are discussing Supergirl 17, originally released February 20th, 2013. This issue is part of the H’el on Earth crossover event. Click here for complete H’el on Earth coverage.

Patrick: I likes me a good anti-hero. There’s nothing quite like cheering for a character’s success and failure at the same time. Let’s take Walter White as a perfect example of this in modern fiction. He is a terrible husband and father, and an even worse friend, who makes dangerous decisions in the name of greed, power and desperation. And yet, I cheer every single one of his personal victories, no matter how immoral they might be. So much of Breaking Bad is about that character finding a way to feel powerful in the face of illness and poverty, and about how that need to feel powerful never goes away. The ride is exhilarating because there’s nothing more satisfying than a character with agency. Say what you will about Walter White — he has goals and he takes the steps necessary to achieve those goals. Supergirl has no such agency. She spends the majority of issue 17, fighting Wonder Woman just because, and then stops fighting her for equally arbitrary reasons. Neither a hero, nor an anti-hero, Supergirl ends up the clueless victim of her own series. 

Continue reading →

Feb 26 2013

Captain America 4

captain america 4

Today, Shelby and Drew are discussing Captain America 4, originally released February 20th, 2013.

Shelby: I’m a big fan of juxtaposition of conflicting styles. Heavy metal guitar paired with female vocals? Yes please, Nightwish! Ice cream with sweet chocolate and salty peanuts and pretzel bites? I’ve got two pints of Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby in my freezer right now. The old adage may be that “opposites attract,” but I prefer to think of it as “opposites compliment.” That is definitely the rule of Rick Remender’s take on Captain America, as straight-laced Cap is paired with sci-fi weirdness and the problems of being a dad are compounded by having your nemesis implanted in your chest, talking to you all day and all night. And yes, if you were wondering, I did have to get up and get one of those pints of Chubby Hubby out of the freezer.  Continue reading →

Feb 25 2013

Wonder Woman 17

wonder woman 17

Today, Scott and Taylor are discussing Wonder Woman 16, originally released February 20th, 2013.

Scott: Early on in Wonder Woman 17, Lennox calls Diana out for the ever-expanding “motley crew” she surrounds herself with. It’s a moment of self-awareness on the part of Brian Azzarello, who gets a lot of attention for his habit of constantly incorporating new characters into the Wonder Woman universe. It’s something that can be off-putting for readers who are not immersed in the universe, and it’s a daring move in a medium that published monthly. I’m sure some casual readers flipped through this issue and found it thoroughly confusing and, save for the giant shark attack, kind of boring. But for readers who have kept up with the series, this issue did not have a dull moment.

Continue reading →

Feb 25 2013

The Superior Spider-Man 4

superior spider-man 4

Today, Mikyzptlk and Shelby are discussing Superior Spider-Man 4, originally released February 20th, 2013.

Mikyzptlk: We are now four issues into Dan Slott’s Superior version of Spider-Man. The first three issues brought into question the ideas of identity, nature vs. nurture and just how creepy it is for Dr. Octopus to date Mary Jane Watson while wearing a Parker suit (Answer: VERY CREEPY). Fortunately, that last question has already been laid to rest allowing Slott to continue his examination of identity in issue 4. We also get a reintroduction to Spidey’s biggest villain of all time. That’s right, The Big Wheel! Ok. No. But, seriously, I’ll get to him in a minute.   Continue reading →

Feb 25 2013

Indestructible Hulk 4

hulk 4

Today, Shelby and Ethan are discussing Indestructible Hulk 4, originally released February 20th, 2013.

Shelby: There’s a certain peace that comes with accepting yourself for who you are. It can be hard to acknowledge your faults, especially the ones you know you can’t really change, but once you learn to celebrate your awesomeness and manage your un-awesomeness, you’ll sleep like a god-damn baby. I know “learn to love yourself” can come off as trite and overly sentimental, but it is both true and relevant. In the hands of Mark Waid, Bruce Banner has finally come to accept his terrifyingly dangerous faults, and through that acceptance has learned to love pretending to get mad to freak people out. That sort of behavior is what makes this title so great.

Continue reading →

Feb 25 2013

Green Lantern Corps 17

Alternating Currents: Green Lantern Corps 17, Drew and Patrick

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Green Lantern 17, originally released February 20th, 2013. This issue is part of the Wrath of the First Lantern crossover event. Click here for our First Lantern coverage. 

Drew: Retcons. Love ’em or hate ’em, they’re sure to be a part of the kinds of never-ending narratives comics take part in. Our own relationship with reality predisposes us to being suspicious of revisions as cheap or unrealistic, but in a world where everything is made up anyway, what’s really the difference? Conversely, in a superhero comic world, where even the very laws of physics can be defied, continuity may serve as the only “reality,” offering the only sense of what is and is not possible. It’s a touchy subject (which is why so many fans are still so upset by DC’s relaunch), but one that the Wrath of the First Lantern event seems poised to address directly. Indeed, with Green Lantern Corps 17, Peter Tomasi has tackled the very notion of retcons with surprising thoroughness and maturity, seemingly reflecting the audience’s own reactions to its events.

Continue reading →

Feb 22 2013

The Vault – Gender Through Comic Books

The Retcon Punchers spend an awful lot of time looking for ways to celebrate our nerdy obsessions. This means a lot of time sunk into scouring Etsy, Deviant Art, Think Geek or whatever. Sometimes we see things so great we just have to share them… and then clutch them fiercely to our collective chest. Throw it in The Vault.

Website: Canvas.net

Who Would Love This: Those who want to dive deeper into the rabbit hole of comic books.

Price: FREE.

First of all, yes that was Stan Lee! Alright, so this isn’t exactly a geeky product you’d find on Think Geek or Etsy, but it certainly does help us celebrate and even explore our nerdy obsessions. Mark Waid (of Daredevil fame) has introduced the first comics specific Massive Open Online Course, or M.O.O.C. for short. That means this is FREE and available to EVERYONE! All you need is the internet and a geeky appreciation of comics. That also means you get special access to interviews with some of the biggest names in comics. Names like Brian Bendis, Scott Snyder, Brian K. Vaughn, Gail Simone,  Jonathan Hickman, and MORE. Class begins on April 2nd and you can register right NOW! To get all the details check out Mr. Waid’s blog. Lastly, if you’re as excited about this as we are here at Retcon Punch then help spread the word!