Daredevil 26

daredevil 26

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Daredevil 26, originally released May 22nd, 2013.

Patrick: Did you guys see Mad Men last week — “The Crash?” It was a purposefully incoherent mess, all revolving around Don Draper’s drugged-out experience of a long weekend at work. This has come to be something of a Mad Men staple — there’s one just about every year that tests the bounds of what is and is not happening (last season’s “Far Away Places,” season 3’s “The Fog” are both good examples). They’re meandering looks at the characters and their values through the lens of whatever drug they happen to be on, and as such they’re fascinating pieces of television, if difficult to invest in emotionally. “The Crash” sidestepped this problem with a character named Grandma Ida. Grandma Ida is an older black woman who breaks into a bunch of apartments in Don’s building, including his own. Don and Megan are both out for the night, so the kids (Sally, Bobby and Gene) are left to confront the intruder alone. Per her moniker, Grandma Ida claims to be Sally’s grandmother — something Sally knows to be impossible because, well, Sally’s not black. But the charade goes on just a little bit too long and suddenly the invasion feels deeply personal. Sally’s trust — no matter how temporary or misplaced it may be — is violated. And that’s much more horrifying than a simple home robbery: the thought that any time you let someone in, you’re inviting betrayal and danger. Issue 26 of Daredevil hits that same button repeatedly until Matt Murdock and the reader are completely unwound. It’s a heart-in-your-throat masterpiece that finally puts the nickname “The Man Without Fear” to the test.
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Avengers 12

avengers 12

Today, Spencer and Mikyzptlk are discussing Avengers 12, originally released May 22nd, 2013. 

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Spencer: One thing I’ve never really associated with Marvel Comics is sidekicks. While there was once a point in DC’s history where nearly every hero had a young partner at their side, Marvel’s adolescent characters tend to act autonomously or stay out of the fray entirely, and even Peter Parker premiered as a full-fledged Spider-Man. There are upsides to both approaches, but what it boils down to for me is that, while I could write volumes on how Batman or Green Arrow treat their protégés, I really have no idea how most of the Avengers fare as mentors. In Avengers 12, Jonathan Hickman (and new co-writer Nick Spencer, of Morning Glories fame) mine this unexplored territory for both laughs and some insightful character moments.

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Age of Ultron 10 A.I. PREVIEW

age of ultron preview

Age of Ultron 10 A.I. comes out on June 29th, 2013 and is written by Mark Waid with Art by Andre Araujo. Click here for our complete Age of Ultron coverage.

Here’s a fun exercise: let’s all embrace the cognitive dissonance regarding Hank Pym. Wolverine may have gone back in time to murder him in Age of Ultron 6, but this event seems to be concluding with a new emphasis placed on the former Ant-Man. (Also fairly dissonant: he’s appears to be alive and well in the present in Daredevil and Scott Lang is Ant-Man in FF.) So what do these preview pages look like to you? A crusader for tiny things? For technology? For coming back from the dead / never dying in the first place? Maybe he’s just a crusader for brightly colored costumes?

Preview a couple pages after the jump. Continue reading

Uncanny Avengers 8AU

Today, Taylor and Ethan are discussing Uncanny Avengers 8AU, originally released May 22nd 2013. This issue is part of the Age of Ultron crossover event. Click here for complete AU coverage.

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Taylor:  The thing about parties is that they’re only fun if you know the people who are going to be there. Now, this doesn’t apply to everyone, some of the more socially fluid among us have an ability to mix and match with anyone. However, for your average Joe, going to a strange party means having to make conversation with a lot of people you’ve never met before and who you will never meet again. What do you do; who do you know; is that beer good; this song is great – become your most-used phrases for a couple of awkward hours. By the end of the night all the names and faces blend together and you’re more than happy to leave without saying goodbye to any of the people you just met but couldn’t care about less. In just the same way Uncanny Avengers 8AU is not a fun issue to read unless you are steeped in the mythology of the Marvel Universe. Even then, there is little that is appealing about this issue for fans of the series, both old and new. Continue reading

The Superior Spider-Man 10

superior spider-man 10

Today, Mikyzptlk and Patrick are discussing The Superior Spider-Man 10, originally released May 22nd, 2013.

Mikyzptlk: Before Pinocchio was a “real boy” he was marionette imbued with life, but no knowledge of a conscience. So, as an obvious solution, a cricket by the name of Jiminy was tasked to be the boy’s conscience. Even with Jiminy on his side, however, Pinocchio still managed to get into heaps of trouble. Like, way more trouble than is probably appropriate for kids. Eventually though, with the help of Jiminy, Pinocchio learns what it means to listen to one’s conscience, and is rewarded with true flesh and blood life. It’s a classic tale, but what would have happened if Pinocchio kicked Jiminy Cricket to the curb instead? Would he ever have become a real boy, or would he have been fated to become a total jackass? Enter, possibly, the Superior Spider-Man. Continue reading

Nova 4

nova 4

Today, Shelby and Drew are discussing Nova 4, originally released May 15th, 2013.

Shelby: In the pilot episode of Firefly, we meet the ship’s pilot Wash as he is playing with some toy dinosaurs. As the T-Rex and his veggie-saurus friend survey their new home, the Rex turns on his friend, prompting the delightful line, “Curse your sudden, but inevitable betrayal!” In last month’s look at issues 1-3 of Nova, Patrick and Drew discussed Jeff Loeb’s penchant for cliches; they assumed Young Sam would be betrayed by Rocket and Gamorra, but because it seemed so obvious, they also assumed it was a fake-out. They weren’t totally wrong; Loeb gives us our inevitable betrayal this issue, but it comes from a completely unexpected direction.  Continue reading

FF 7

FF 7

Today, Ethan and Shelby are discussing FF 7, originally released May 15th, 2013.

Ethan: Family is the most important thing. The ones closest to us make all the difference, whether that’s helping us reach our goals, being there for us when we’re down, or providing vital sustenance when we kill them and eat them. More on that later. Writer Matt Fraction and artist Michael Allred continue to shepherd FF forward through the latest crisis — the assault by The Wizard — with the all of the quirks and charm we’ve come to expect. Even for an issue that spends more time than usual on its fight scenes, Fraction still finds ample room to pack in both the standard measure of goofball interactions and touching moments.

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Cram Session: Avengers 1-10 – Origin Bombs

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.

Jonathan Hickman has been ramping up to some world-altering shit. We’ll be digging into Infinity with zeal, but it means catching up with both Avengers and New Avengers. We started our coverage of the bi-weekly Avengers with issue 11, and if you want to join us there – here’s a video recap to get you all situated.

Iron Man 10

Alternating Currents: Iron Man 10, Drew and Patrick

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Iron Man 10, originally released May 15th, 2013.

Drew: Steven Soderberg’s Ocean’s 11 had a lot going for it: lavish, exciting locations, an all-star cast playing colorful characters, and a crackerjack heist story that kept the audience guessing until the end, just to name a few. Of course, none of those things were particularly original — the film was a remake, after all — but it was unlike anything that was being made at the time. Two sequels and countless copycats later, those ideas don’t feel nearly as fresh, which unfortunately leaves Iron Man 10 (or should I call it “Stark’s 7”?) dead on arrival. Continue reading

Age of Ultron 8

age of ultron 8 AU

Today, Patrick are discussing Age of Ultron 8, originally released May 15th 2013. This issue is part of the Age of Ultron crossover event. Click here for complete AU coverage.

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Patrick: A few weeks ago, I noted that I wasn’t having very much fun with the whole Age of Ultron concept – issue after issue of pure, relentless destruction and doom was getting to me. But that started to feel like the point: Brian Michael Bendis was taking my comic-book-fan apocalypse-lust and rubbing my nose in it. When the heroes decided they had to take drastic action and travel through time to fight Ultron on his inventor on different chronal fronts, I cheered the initiative. Anything to stop the suffer-slog through devastated cityscapes. But as the series moves further and further away from what’s familiar in the Marvel Universe, the harder it is to get a grasp on the story. Continue reading