Category Spencer Irwin

Apr 1 2014

Hawkeye 18

hawkeye 18Today, Shelby and Spencer are discussing Hawkeye 18, originally released March 26th, 2014.

Shelby: Everyone needs a reality check every now and again. It’s that moment at the end of a vacation when you first check your work email, when the fantasy you’d been living is revealed to be just that, and it’s time to get back to reality. It’s not a fun feeling, discovering something seemed too good to be true because it was, that the “happily ever after” you thought you had was just a story and now the story’s over. Kate Bishop has been trying to build herself a new reality away from a certain, “needy abusive black hole of crippled emotions,” and it was finally beginning to look like she’d succeeded. Unfortunately, she’s got a massive dose of reality headed her way, and it’s not going to be pretty.

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Mar 27 2014

Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion 6

rogues rebellion 6Today, Spencer and Patrick are discussing Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion 6, originally released March 26th, 2014.

Spencer: Villains aren’t exactly known for their teamwork. Sure, they team up all the time, but it rarely lasts and never ends well; egos get wounded, agendas clash, and varying levels of morality get in the way. Just look at the Crime Syndicate over in Forever Evil proper; they’ve been keeping secrets and plotting against each other from the moment they reached our Earth, likely even longer. The only group of villains who have stuck it out for the long haul are the Rogues of Central City. What makes them different? Brian Buccellato and Scott Hepburn’s Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion 6 implies that it may just be because the Rogues understand the way the world works better than most villains.

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Mar 26 2014

Weekly Round-Up: Comics Released 3/19/14

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, Patrick, and Spencer discuss Batwoman 29, Batman and Aquaman 29, Thunderbolts 23, Avengers World 4, New Avengers 15, Nova 15, Uncanny X-Men 19, Wolverine and the X-Men 2, Superior Spider-Man Annual 2, Superior Foes of Spider-Man 10, Harley Quinn 4, Unwritten Apocalypse 3, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Utrom Empire 3.

slim-banner4Drew: I’ve never seen a writing credit on it, but I’ve always been a big fan of this quasi-famous example script from UPenn’s linguistics department. I know I’ve seen the joke used elsewhere, but there’s something so simple and satisfying about seeing a story where the feeling is expressed at the expense of any other meaning. Or, perhaps I should say: it’s funny because it defies all of our expectations of stories. Unfortunately, Batwoman 29 illustrates exactly why that kind of steamrolling of details doesn’t work in practice.

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Mar 25 2014

Thor: God of Thunder 20

thor 20Today, Spencer and Shelby are discussing Thor: God of Thunder 20, originally released March 19th, 2014.

Spencer: As its name would suggest, Thor: God of Thunder is a book concerned with the more theistic side of Thor’s existence. Although at first glance this current storyline seems more interested in environmentalism than examining godhood, that doesn’t mean this element is missing completely; it just means that Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic are making us work a little harder to find it. After all, this issue features two different versions of the thunder god, a cosmic force so powerful that he makes gods tremble, and an evil CEO with the ego of a god. What’s the one thing they all have in common? They all do whatever they want, no matter what the consequences may be.

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Mar 24 2014

Ms. Marvel 2

ms marvel 2Today, (guest writer) Suzanne and Spencer are discussing Ms. Marvel 2, originally released March 19th, 2014. 

slim-banner“If everyone were cast in the same mold, there would be no such thing as beauty.”

Charles Darwin

Suzanne: For all of the rhetoric about body image and positivity, it’s easy to forget how confusing and filled with insecurity the teenage years can be. I can remember those years of acne breakouts, bad haircuts and trying to fit in with the “cool kids” at school. Being a teenager is hard enough when you look, talk and dress exactly like everyone else. Did you wear the same North Face jacket or UGG shoes as five of your friends? Did you want to be ten pounds thinner because all of your friends were slim and “beautiful”? Now imagine being from a different ethnicity, culture or religion than most of your peers and struggling with your identity. It’s easy to see how insecurity can morph into internalized racism or self-hate. Skin-lightening creams are a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide and sold over 200 tons in India alone last year. So how does the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, respond to the pressure of society’s expectations? Continue reading →

Mar 21 2014

Daredevil 1

daredevil 1Today, Spencer and Shelby are discussing Daredevil 1, originally released March 19th, 2014. 

Spencer: While we often refer to the articles we write here at Retcon Punch as “reviews”, that isn’t necessarily the most accurate term for them. We aren’t here just to tell you whether an issue is good or bad, or to rate it from one to ten; we like to talk about the book itself, about themes and characterization and the craft that goes into making a book great (or bad, for that matter). In fact, as Patrick recently mentioned, we usually try to avoid broad statements of quality about the books we write. Why am I bringing this up? Well, I wanted to give you guys this context so that you’d realize how significant the following statement actually is: Daredevil 1 may just be a perfect comic book. Or, if it’s not, then it’s certainly a perfect first issue. Continue reading →

Mar 19 2014

Nightwing 29

nightwing 29Today, Spencer and Shelby are discussing Nightwing 29, originally released March 12th, 2014.

Spencer: It’s hard to talk about Nightwing 29 without talking about the circumstances surrounding it. Forever Evil revealed Nightwing’s identity to the world and may possibly be killing him off; even if Dick survives, his life is going to be drastically different, as indicated by the cancellation of his title and the premature end of writer Kyle Higgins’ run. I admit that I’m a little bitter; Nightwing’s move to Chicago had rejuvenated the title, and I’m disappointed not to see the story of the Chicago Mask Killer resolved. I certainly can’t claim to know how Higgins feels about the decision, but if he’s upset, he’s not letting it show. Instead, he uses his final issue to create a highlight reel of his run, show us how it’s changed Nightwing, and ultimately, remind us why Dick Grayson is such an important, beloved character in the first place. Continue reading →

Mar 17 2014

Black Widow 4

black Widow 4Today, Shelby and Spencer are discussing Black Widow 4, originally released March 12th, 2014. 

slim-bannerShelby: I have a friend who’s having a frustrating time at work. Her department and position is currently transitioning to something different, so until everything is finalized she’s working two different positions. I can see how, from a management perspective, that would be the perceived best way to transition someone into a new job. For her, though, it just means she’s two jobs to do instead of one, and instead of focusing on one or the other she has to half-ass both. I think one of the toughest things about managing a company is avoiding situations like my friend’s. You have to be able to manage your people in such a way that they are able to do their tasks to the best of their abilities. It’s important to diversify and grow the skills of your employees, but not at the cost of prohibiting them from doing their actual job, especially if that job is being one of the world’s greatest spies.

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Mar 14 2014

Hawkeye 17

hawkeye 17Today, Spencer and Patrick are discussing Hawkeye 17, originally released March 12th, 2014.

Spencer: Hawkeye is consistently one of the most daring comic books on the shelf. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always making the biggest, most shocking moves, but it does mean that anything’s fair game when it comes to this book. An issue told from the point of view of the dog? Sure! Killing off a beloved supporting character then spending months and months revisiting the event from every conceivable angle? Why not?! Separating the main characters then dividing up the narrative between them? Seems do-able! Matt Fraction doesn’t shy away from taking risks with Hawkeye, no matter how strange or mundane, and Hawkeye 17 is one of the strangest of all. Fortunately, it’s charming as all get out. Maybe that’s the true legacy of Hawkeye: the risks always pay off. Continue reading →

Mar 12 2014

Green Lantern 29

Alternating Currents: Green Lantern 29, Drew and SpencerToday, Drew and Spencer are discussing Green Lantern 29, originally released March 5th, 2014.

Drew: We often talk about “close readings” in our discussions, but the most rewarding works of art are interesting from far away, too. When zoomed out, you can appreciate the broader form and plotting, while when zoomed in, you can appreciate the moment-to-moment mechanics that make those larger parts work. Indeed, it’s this scalability that allows stories to remain interesting in spite of our familiarity with Joseph Campbell’s monomyth — at some scales, the non-essential details don’t matter at all, but at other scales, they’re the only thing that matters. Any halfway decent discussion of a work of art needs to focus on multiple scales, but certain works of art strongly suggest one scale over the other. More formulaic stories — an episode of Law & Order, for example — tend to offer more rewards for those looking at the details (and certain boredom for anyone looking at form). I’d argue that the controversy of LOST‘s finale stems largely from confusion over the suggested scale — is this a show about a weird island, or about the people who encounter it? — which may have changed from episode to episode. I’d argue that that ever-shifting scale is part of what made that show so great, but there’s no denying that abruptly changing gears can bring discomfort, even if it reaps the kinds of rewards we see in Green Lantern 29. Continue reading →