Monthly Archives: December 2014

Dec 29 2014

All-New X-Men Annual 1

Alternating Currents: All-New X-Men Annual 1, Drew and PatrickToday, Drew and Patrick are discussing All-New X-Men Annual 1, originally released December 24th, 2014.

Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

Emma Coates,  “Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling”

Drew: This is a pretty well-worn axiom of fiction writing, and while I don’t have any qualms with the assertion that good coincidences are bad, I think it’s important to acknowledge that bad coincidences aren’t necessarily good. We’re all familiar with how deflating a Deus ex Machina resolution can be, but I firmly believe that an arbitrary, unlikely problem — a Diabolus ex Machina, if you will — can be just as bad. Actually, it might be worse; while we might understand a writer painting himself into a corner (thus requiring a miracle to get out of it), there’s no such justification for a coincidence up front. The arbitrary rules of sci-fi technology has always been a pet peeve of mine, but as the laws governing time-travel take center stage in All-New X-Men Annual 1, the conflict became a full-on Diabolus ex Machina, derailing what could have been a thrilling, emotional journey. Continue reading →

Dec 24 2014

Weekly Round-Up: Comics Released 12/17/14

round upLook, there are a lot of comics out there. Too many. We can never hope to have in-depth conversations about all of them. But, we sure can round up some of the more noteworthy titles we didn’t get around to from the week. Today, Drew and Spencer discuss Catwoman 37, Batman Eternal 37, Justice League 37, Batman/Superman 17, Bob’s Burgers 5, All-New Captain America 2, Guardians of the Galaxy 22, Spider-Woman 2, Scarlet Spiders 2, Black Widow 13, Elektra 9, Captain Marvel 10, Fables 147, and Wytches 3.
slim-banner4Drew: What kind of a person is Selina Kyle? It’s a question DC failed to answer for the first three years of the New 52, but one that writer Genevive Valentine seems particularly interested in. Stripping away the catsuit and the kleptomania, Valentine has allowed us to focus on Selina, all while putting her in increasingly uncomfortable positions. Catwoman 37 finds her confronted by her mole problem, as her cousin, Nick, is very publicly outed by Black Mask as a police informant. Black Mask is banking on Selina’s sense of mercy to spare Nick, in turn costing her the trust of the families, but Selina doesn’t blink, ordering Nick’s death before making another power play at the GCPD. Continue reading →

Dec 24 2014

The Wicked + The Divine 6

wicked and divine 6
Today, Suzanne and Spencer Spencer and Drew are discussing The Wicked + The Divine 6, originally released December 17th, 2014.Spencer: I’ve gone to a lot of shows by myself over the last couple of years, but it’s rare that I’m ever lonely. I am not a bold or outgoing person, but there’s something about knowing that the majority of the people in that building all love the same band I do that makes it easier to reach out and make new friends. That’s what I love about fan culture, how shared love of a show or book or band can bring strangers together, be it in person or online. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to fan culture, be it pretentious elitists who believe their way of loving a piece of media is the only “right” way or gatekeepers who want to push out anybody they don’t want in their fandom, often resorting to violent or illegal means. The Wicked + The Divine 6 marks the beginning of a new storyline, one which Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie already seem eager on using to explore the darker side of fan culture. See, it turns out that not all of the Pantheon’s fans are as loyal or level-headed as our Laura… Continue reading →

Dec 24 2014

Ms. Marvel 10

ms marvel 10Today, Spencer and Taylor are discussing Ms. Marvel 10, originally released December 17th, 2014.
slim-bannerSpencer: Ms. Marvel is a revolutionary book in many ways. A title starring a Muslim young woman — and written by a Muslim woman as well — is remarkable enough in its own right, but it’s also notable how writer G. Willow Wilson has used the book, and the character of Kamala Khan, to address issues of identity in a way that any reader could relate to. That said, over the past few issues we here at Retcon Punch have often felt like Kamala’s primary foe, the Inventor, has been strangely unrelated to the themes that seem most important to the book. Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona fix that minor problem in Ms. Marvel 10 by positioning the Inventor as a stand-in for adults who prey on children or make them feel worthless, giving Kamala a new role as a defender of youth culture in the process. Continue reading →

Dec 23 2014

The Multiversity: Thunderworld Adventures 1

multiversity thunderworld 1Today, Mark and Drew are discussing The Multiversity: Thunderworld Adventures 1, originally released December 17th, 2014.
Mark: The Multiversity: Thunderworld Adventures 1 is a story out of time. On Earth-5, Billy Batson and friends exist in a pre-New 52 (and pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths?) continuity. Shazam is the name of a wizard, not the name of our superhero. The Rock of Eternity is attacked and the wizard Shazam taken prisoner by the evil Dr. Sivana. Working in tandem with the Sivanas across the multiverse, Dr. Sivana has mined enough Suspendium to build his own Rock of Eternity and create his own day on the cosmic calendar: Sivanaday, a day where everything goes his way. Continue reading →

Dec 22 2014

Batman 37

Alternating Currents: Batman 37, Drew and RyanToday, Drew and Ryan are discussing Batman 36 originally released on December 17th, 2014.

Second verse, same as the first! A little bit louder and a little bit worse!

Traditional

Drew: Repetition is everywhere in art, from the themes of symphonies to the expectation that the hero will prevail, but do you ever wonder why we like repetition so much? Doesn’t it also make art tired and predictable? I suppose some material is more conducive to repetition than others — star-crossed lovers is a more versatile premise than, say, a hot tub time machine — but I would argue that everything can overstay its welcome. Comics are particularly prone to repetition (who will Superman save the day from this week?), but Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo have taken that repetition a step further, regularly weaving recreations of iconic Batman moments into their run (even as recently as last issue). Their love and respect for Batman’s mythology is beyond reproach, but that very emphasis they give every moment may have hit the point of diminishing returns in Batman 36, as Snyder struggles to make Joker even worse than he was the last time he showed up. Continue reading →

Dec 19 2014

All-New X-Men 34

all new x men 34Today, Taylor and Drew are discussing All-New X-Men 34, originally released December 17th, 2014.
Taylor: It’s a thing that happens in most time and dimensional travel stories. The inevitable meeting (or in some cases near meeting) between a character and a different versions of themselves. It’s interesting to think about why this trope even exists. One possible explanation could be that since we enjoy reading about our heroes, it would be even better to have a double dose. However, seeing our beloved characters act in different ways or in different situations also is entertaining. And then there is the thought that we all wish we could meet different versions of ourselves, to see what we would be like if x happened instead of y. Whatever the reason, All-New X-Men 34 once again finds our heroes meeting different versions of themselves, but is there anything new left to say about this situation? Continue reading →

Dec 19 2014

Batman and Robin 37

batman and robin 37Today, Patrick and Spencer are discussing Batman and Robin 37, originally released December 17th, 2014.

…for us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake, He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died and was buried. On the third day He rose again, in fulfillment of the scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

-The Nicene Creed

Patrick: Growing up in the Catholic church, I always had a little bit of a problem with this part of the Nicene Creed. On the one hand, it’s very clear: Jesus sacrificed everything — including his life — in order to save the whole world from sin. But on the other hand, death didn’t share any of the long-lasting consequences it does for anyone else. Jesus died, but then he returned, three days later. What’s more is that he transcends his human flesh and embraces his fully divine nature by hanging out with God in heaven. While the drama of death and resurrection is enough to stir a body to faith, it betrays a fundamental truth about death. What’s hard about death isn’t that someone dies, it’s that they stay dead. And yet, this narrative — of death and rebirth — is so powerful it’s one of the stops on Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey. Batman and Robin has allowed Bruce Wayne to deal with Damian’s death in grounded, real ways for almost two years, but now that “resurrection” is in play, subtlety goes right out the window. This is Damian, the bat-Christ-figure to beat the band, and he only marches back on the field to fireworks. Continue reading →

Dec 18 2014

Zero 13

Alternating Currents: Zero 13, Drew and PatrickToday, Drew and Patrick are discussing Zero 13, originally released December 17th, 2014.

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9

Drew: It’s easy for the neophile to be frustrated with art. As much as our society claims to value innovation, our art tends to rely heavily on the comforts of the known. That’s not to say the majority of art is devoid of surprise, just that the forms that those surprises take are so prescribed as to be relatively predictable. Whether it’s the hero returning home or the melody returning to the home key, our most tried-and-true structures leave only the smaller details to truly distinguish themselves. Zero 13 contains a masterful example of this kind of small surprise, but this issue’s biggest surprise might lie in what it reveals about the larger form of the series. Continue reading →

Dec 17 2014

Weekly Round-Up: Comics Released 12/10/14

round upLook, there are a lot of comics out there. Too many. We can never hope to have in-depth conversations about all of them. But, we sure can round up some of the more noteworthy titles we didn’t get around to from the week. Today, Spencer, Drew, and Patrick discuss Justice League United 7, Batman Eternal 36, Harley Quinn Holiday Special 1, East of West: The World, Guardians of the Galaxy Annual 1, Spider-Verse Team-Up 2, Rocket Raccoon 6, Uncanny X-Men Annual 1, Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1, and Avengers World 16.
slim-banner4Spencer: Jeff Lemire’s Justice League United has always been a rather straightforward title, and that often proves to be both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. Issue 7 finds the various League and Legion groups fully assembled and focused on stopping Byth from using Ultra to bring about the end of the universe — there’s a no-nonsense urgency to their meeting that’s refreshing, and Stargirl’s quick smack-down of anyone looking to mercy-kill Ultra (“We do what the Justice League does and find a better way”) is again refreshing both for its bluntness and its unyielding sense of morality. That said, that same straightforwardness robs the story of any real surprises or complexity — for better or for worse, things play out exactly as you’d expect them to. Much of the fun comes from the various interactions between these disparate characters that Lemire packs into practically every panel, but outside of a few established relationships (J’onn and Equinox’s connection to Ultra, Ollie and Buddy’s pseudo-rivalry) none of those moments have any lasting impact on the characters. Ultimately, Justice League United is a book that’s a lot of fun in the moment, but doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression on the reader. Continue reading →