Category Contributors

Jan 4 2016

Chewbacca 5

chewbacca 5

Today, Taylor and Patrick are discussing Chewbacca 5, originally released December 30th, 2015.

Taylor: In the new Star Wars movie, it’s apparent that director J.J. Abrams wanted to make Chewbacca a more rounded character. The need for doing this is plain – Chewbacca is one of the main characters in the Star Wars movies, but he’s little more than Han Solo’s charismatic shadow. Abrams rounds out Chewbacca by having him interact with more characters than just Han and by also giving him more heroic things to do like blasting stormtroopers. For the most part I find this to be a fairly successful venture into Chewbacca’s character. He’s portrayed as being important but not to the point that his language barrier interferes with things at all. The Chewbacca comic series similarly attempts to flesh out this character, but as issue 5 highlights, it is not nearly as successful as Episode 7.

Continue reading →

Jan 4 2016

Batman: Europa 3

Batman europa 3

Today, Drew and Michael are discussing Batman: Europa 3 originally released December 30th, 2015.

Joel: There is another character that was just as important as the two of us: New York City.
Karen: So New York City is like another character?
Molly: Yeah.

They Came Together

Drew: Everyone has heard the old “setting as a character” cliche from some exhausted press tour interview, but filmmakers rarely acknowledge that cities aren’t fully fictional. That is, calling Chicago a character in The Fugitive is a bit like calling John F. Kennedy a character in Forrest Gump — these are real things (albeit fictionalized versions of them) that our fictional characters just happen to be interacting with. Moreover, if we accept the “setting as a character” cliche, it only ever reveals the setting to be a supremely boring character, undergoing no change over the course of the story. Indeed, because stories that tend to feature “settings as a character” tend to stay in just one city (I’m looking at you, New York), it’s impossible to separate the “character” of the setting from the general tone and mood of the narrative. Batman: Europa sets out to do the opposite, a kind of city character study — or perhaps “travel guide” is more accurate — by way of a superhero adventure. Continue reading →

Jan 4 2016

Superman: Lois & Clark 3

superman lois and clark 3

Today, Spencer and Mark are discussing Superman: Lois & Clark 3, originally released December 30th, 2015.

Spencer: In any comic storyline lasting more than two or three issues, it’s the middle chapters that are usually the weakest. Openings can rely on the excitement of starting a new story, penultimate chapters generally benefit from a big twist, and conclusions, of course, seem to matter the most simply because they’re the end of the story. Those middle chapters, though — third and fourth issues specifically, if it’s a six-issue arc — tend to blend together, existing only to “move the story forward” without really gaining an identity or having a complete, satisfying narrative of their own. Issue 3 of Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks’ Superman: Lois and Clark fits this description to a “t,” and is a weaker installment because of it. Continue reading →

Dec 31 2015

Weekly Round-Up: Comics Released 12/23/15

round up

Look, 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, we discuss Darth Vader 14, Jupiter’s Circle Volume 2 2, Nameless 6, Outcast 14, and Saga 32.
Continue reading →

Dec 30 2015

Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! 1

Today, Ryan M. and and Spencer are discussing Patsy Walker: A.K.A. Hellcat! 1, originally released December 23rd, 2015.

Ryan M.: A first issue in a series is sort of like a first date. You don’t need the full origin treatment. It’s really a matter of figuring out if you enjoy each other’s company. It provides a sample that hopefully indicates what’s to come, but cannot necessarily lay all of that out. After Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! 1, I am ready to invite this series to my place for a home-cooked meal.

Continue reading →

Dec 30 2015

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 53

tmnt 53

Today, Taylor and Drew are discussing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 53, originally released December 23rd, 2015.

Taylor: One of the quintessential experiences of growing up is undergoing the trial of being picked for a team. Often times this happens on the playground at recess or even in gym class. Two captains (usually the biggest kids in class) are chosen to head teams and tasked with choosing which classmates they want to join their side. The captains take turns choosing from the class, each taking his or her turn and selecting the students who are best at sports first and the kids who are worst last. Being the last kid chosen for a team was a special sort of shame. You are branded in front of everyone as being inferior and essentially a cast-off. Almost everyone has experienced this minor trauma at some point, and for that reason, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 53  resonates with me. It explores what it means to be a cast-off, and in the process also asks what it means to be accepted by others. Continue reading →

Dec 29 2015

Marvel Round-Up: Comics Released 12/23/15

 

marvel roundup11We try to stay up on what’s going on at Marvel, but we can’t always dig deep into every issue. The solution? Our weekly round-up of titles coming out of Marvel Comics. Today, we’re discussing Amazing Spider-Man 5, Sam Wilson: Captain America 4, Daredevil 2, Deadpool 4, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 2, New Avengers 4, Spider-Woman 2, and Venom: Space Knight 2.

slim-banner4 Continue reading →

Dec 28 2015

Gotham By Midnight 12

gotham by midnight 12

Today, Michael and Patrick are discussing Gotham By Midnight 12 , originally released December 16th, 2015.

Michael: The finale: the final act of a story, the climax and conclusion, the final word that creators have with a set of characters that they have been working with. There are countless variations on the classic finale recipe (a different kind of examination for another day), but Gotham By Midnight 12 is a very specific finale: the publisher-induced cancellation finale. Ray Fawkes and Juan E. Ferreyra are saddled with the task of punctuating the tale of Gotham City’s resident ghost chasers. Continue reading →

Dec 28 2015

DC Round-Up Comics Released 12/23/15

dc roundup23

How many Batman books is too many Batman books? Depending on who you ask there ain’t no such thing! We try to stay up on what’s going on at DC, but we can’t always dig deep into every issue. The solution? Our weekly round-up of titles coming out of DC Comics. Today, we’re discussing Batman and Robin Eternal 12, DK III: The Master Race 2, Justice League of America 6, Robin: Son of Batman 7, and Teen Titans 15.

slim-banner4 Continue reading →

Dec 24 2015

Weekly Round-Up: Comics Released 12/16/15

round up

Look, 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, we discuss Darth Vader Annual 1, Lumberjanes 21, Klaus 2, Autumnlands Tooth and Claw 8, The Goddamned 2, Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl 5, Tokyo Ghost 4 and The Wicked + The Divine 17.
Continue reading →