Category Contributors

May 10 2012

Batman 9

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Batman 9 originally released May 9th, 2012. This issue is part of the Night of the Owls crossover event. Click here for complete NotO coverage. Not caught up on Batman? No problem! Get up to speed with our video Cram Session.

Patrick: In the margins of this whole kerfuffle with the Court of Owls, there have been literal manifestations of the battle between Bats and Owls. And the bats have been getting this asses handed to them. The symbolic defeat has always been the more devastating side of the equation for Bruce — yeah it sucked that he took a knife through the back, but that’s a back that’s been bent over Bane’s knee. Last month saw Bruce stepping up to defend his home, an empowering scene, for sure, but this issue saw him standing up for his legacy. And that’s a different animal all together. Continue reading →

May 9 2012

The Vault – Wonder Woman Stained Glass

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: Etsy

Who Would Love This: Little old ladies with big picture windows facing their flower gardens, regular people with regular windows

Price: $45

I like the idea of proclaiming my nerdy allegiance to the world. Not just by hanging things up in my living room, no no. I mean the WHOLE world, including the part of the world that doesn’t see the inside of my house. That’s where this bright little piece comes in. Hang this lovely stained glass in your window, and suddenly, you have a shining beacon of your love for Wonder Woman, and all she stands for. Not only will this brighten your day, but it will let everyone else know that dammit, you like Wonder Woman, and you don’t care who knows it!

May 9 2012

The New 52 1 (FCBD issue)

Today, Patrick, Drew, Peter and Shelby are discussing The New 52 1, originally released on Free Comic Book Day, May 5th, 2012.

Patrick: Now that the dust has settled and we’re all able to calm down after a thrilling Free Comic Book Day, it’s time to get down to brass tacks. The issue that DC released was anything but an easy entry-point, packing in more characters and mythology than we’ve seen in any single issue since the relaunch. This book makes a lot of intriguing promises for long-time fans, but I doubt new readers were all that excited to spend 11 pages following a character they’ve never heard of.

Continue reading →

May 9 2012

Op-Ed: In Defense of Pickiness

As an upstart comics review site, one of our primary methods of publicity is tweeting our reviews at creators and hoping for a retweet. This process is made much more complicated (or at least uncomfortable) when the review is openly negative, and impossible when the creators aren’t on twitter in the first place. For last month’s review of Detective Comics, I just started tweeting at randos who had posted positive things about #DetectiveComics, asking them to defend their position. One such rando was game enough to actually engage us, offering several arguments to both why DetCom 8 wasn’t so bad, as well as why our attitude may actually be detrimental to comics in general. As I sat down to write this month’s review of DetCom, I realized that I was much more interested those arguments than in anything going on in the issue. I’d like to use this space to respond to those very arguments. Continue reading →

May 9 2012

Cram Session: Batman 1-8

It can be hard to keep up with all the comics you love. But it’s damn near impossible to keep up with all the comics you’re interested in.

Retcon Punch got you covered.

Scott Snyder’s current run on Batman in both character- and author-defining work. It also manages to rope every other superhero in Gotham into its orbit, and the Night of the Owls sweeps through 11 different series this month. Batman is the hub. It’s also the strongest title in the bunch. Read every issue twice, then read them all again six more times, then watch our video recap.

May 8 2012

The Vault – DC Character Flash Drives

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: Mimoco

Who Would Love This: Computer people who don’t already have better solution for this

Price: $9.92 – $22.95

We all need data storage, right? SURE YOU DO! Yeah cloud storage and Drop Boxes and web-based email account may render the need for physical data storage totally obsolete, but in the meantime, let’s make sure our flash drives look like DC superheros. Look how big their heads are! That implies so much storage potential. Also, hilariously, there isn’t one for The Flash. Whu?

May 8 2012

Cram Session: Batgirl 1-8

It can be hard to keep up with all the comics you love. But it’s damn near impossible to keep up with all the comics you’re interested in.

Retcon Punch got you covered.

Gail Simone’s excellent Batgirl series will be crossing through the Night of the Owls on Wednesday. If you missed Barbara Gordon struggling against Mirror, Gretel, Grotesque and her mother, you can check out our video recap.

May 8 2012

Swamp Thing 9

Today, Shelby and Patrick are discussing Swamp Thing 9, originally released May 2nd, 2012.

Shelby: I love non-traditional stories. While there is definitely comfort to be found in stories that go exactly as you imagine, it’s those twists that can turn a story on its ass that make things really interesting. And when those twists give the finger to time-honored and traditional story-telling tropes, that’s when I sit up and take notice. Swamp Thing is an awesome embodiment of the non-traditional. Our hero is a monster (unless you compare him to the villain), and in this issue after he rescues the damsel, she turns right around and rescues him back.

Continue reading →

May 8 2012

Cram Session: Batman and Robin 1-8

It can be hard to keep up with all the comics you love. But it’s damn near impossible to keep up with all the comics you’re interested in.

Retcon Punch got you covered.

The story of Batman and Robin coming to terms with Damian’s darkness is more heartbreaking than any title featuring Robin has any right to be. This one is one of the good Batman titles, but if you missed out on it, dig our video recap.

May 8 2012

Worlds’ Finest 1

Today, Drew and Peter are discussing Worlds’ Finest 1, originally released May 2nd, 2012.

Drew: Superhero comics are well-known for their entertainment value. We turn to them for wild plotting or impossible feats or insane action. When handled well, they can also be home to themes that resonate even with their non-powered readers. Our favorite titles home in on the themes that resonate most with their characters, offering pointed, deliberate examinations of the human condition. With World’s Finest 1,  writer Paul Levitz offers a compelling case for counting it among those titles, as it explores how two very different characters cope with moving on from the loss of their very way of life. Continue reading →