Today, Peter and Drew are discussing Justice League 9, originally released May 16th, 2012.
Peter: With Free Comic Book Days exciting reveal of the future Trinity War event, I have been incredibly excited for what is going to happen in Justice League. The sheer amount of question that it raised made me excited to see how we get to that point. This new issue is a definite step in the right direction.
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Today, Patrick and Peter are discussing Red Hood and the Outlaws 9 originally released May 16th, 2012. This issue is part of the Night of the Owls crossover event. Click here for complete NotO coverage. Not caught up on Red Hood and the Outlaws? No problem! Get up to speed with our video Cram Session.
Patrick: Being that the Retcon Punchers and obsessive-nerd-completionists, we feel the need to know as much as we can about a subject. The Night of the Owls presents an interesting challenge to us – and to many comic readers: what do you read and what do you ignore? I suppose it’s a question we all face every day, and it applies to a far broader band than “what comic books should I read?” We decide which foods we eat, which concerts we attend, which causes we champion, which people we befriend. There’s literally no way to shake the nagging feeling that (no matter what choices we’re making) we’re missing something. This is compounded by the all-too-frequent experience of discovering something that you had previously blown off is really good. That has been my experience with Red Hood and the Outlaws. Continue reading
Today, Peter and Patrick are discussing Nightwing 9, originally released May 16th, 2012. This issue is part of the Night of the Owls crossover event. Click here for complete NotO coverage.
Peter: Excepting the main Batman title, Nightwing has been involved in the Night of the Owls more than any other book. Dick Grayson plays a huge role in the story, which has been incredibly compelling and just down right cool. Dick’s large role gives a deeper understanding and widens to scope of this event. Which is why it’s safe to say I love this book, and so should you.
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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: Amazon
Who Would Love This: People who haven’t played Arkham City yet because they were too busy with Skyrim, videogamers everywhere
Price: $50
The Batman ‘Arkham’ games have been some of the best superhero videogames I have ever played, bar none. Arkham Asylum was really good. Arkham City is FANTASTIC. If, for whatever reason you haven’t played this game yet, this Game of the Year Edition is totally worth every penny. Not only does it cost the same as the game did new, it comes with everything, and more. The included Catwoman story, while not required to beat the game adds another element to the main story to the point where you would be missing out without it. The GoY Edition also includes the Robin and Nightwing DLC, which has additional challenge maps and you get to plays as your favorite Boy Wonders. Also, for extra fun, you get the Batman Skins pack which lets you change Batman’s costume. Most fun is the Batman Beyond costume, which has no cape, but retractable wings. Continue reading
Today, Peter and Shelby are discussing Deathstroke 9, originally released May 9th, 2012.
Peter: With the release of issue 9, Deathstroke gets both a new writer and artist, who turns out, is the same person. Rob Liefeld takes the reins of the Terminator and sends him on a new adventure. However, I feel that DC should have gone ahead and called this issue #1, since, well, that’s pretty much exactly what it is.
Today, Patrick and Peter are discussing Batman and Robin 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 and Robin? No problem! Get up to speed with our video Cram Session.
Patrick: I’m spending this weekend with my family in Fort Benning, Georgia. My older sister and her family live on post here, and my folks flew in for my little sister’s graduation from the Army’s officer training program. The ceremony is about what you’d expect: a lot of pomp and circumstance, Army pageantry and pride. The rest of the weekend has been spent playing with my niece and nephew. This month’s Batman and Robin is focused so tightly on both children and the military that I feel extra fortunate to have experienced it here, far from my Hollywood world. Continue reading
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.
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
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: ThinkGeek.com
Who Would Love This: People who are afraid of the dark, small children, Commissioner Gordon
Price: $9.99
While this may seem slightly juvenile, this is really kinda cool. And yes, I totally had one that was similar as a child. I cannot think of any other item that could possibly make you feel safe at night than this night light. The guys over at ThinkGeek are always pretty funny, and they even include this light’s ability to summon Batman in the item description. This light can help you combat the Scarecrow and his fear toxin as you drift off the sleep. I would not be surprised if somewhere you can get other character night lights, but really, this is the only one that you will ever need or want. Never be afraid of the dark again.
Today, Patrick and Peter are discussing Dial H, originally released May 2nd, 2012.
Patrick: The first issue of any series has an awful lot of work to do. When Drew and I started these things, we covered the first 3 issues of a series. This was partially because it was November before we got our asses in gear, but there’s also the legitimate benefit of having something to evaluate. Set-up can be tricky, but most of the New 52 titles circumvented the laborious expository process by relying on known entities: Flash, Batman, Green Lantern, whatever. Even those titles that were super new to me – like Batwoman, Batwing and Captain Atom – still had their roots in time-tested franchises. Dial H has to build its world, its premise and its main character from the ground, up.
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