Tag Archives: Jonathan Hickman

Jun 26 2013

New Avengers 7

new avengers 7

Today, Spencer and Patrick are discussing New Avengers 7, originally released June 19th, 2013. 

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Spencer: The more responsibility you have, the harder it is to find time to yourself. I consider myself fortunate to have a job that I can ignore completely on my days off, but if I was, say, a CEO or the president, I just wouldn’t have that luxury; there are no days off when you’re that important. As the self-appointed protectors of our universe, the Illuminati fall firmly into that camp. Even as the threat of the Incursions recedes for the moment, they’ve still got more than their fair share of life-or-death, morally gray decisions to make.

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Jun 21 2013

Avengers 14

avengers 14

Today, Mikyzptlk and Spencer are discussing Avengers 14 , originally released June 19th, 2013. 

Mikyzptlk: We are now 14 issues into Avengers and its been one hell of an…interesting ride. There’s been plenty of highs and a few lows, but throughout the series there has been the promise of the Infinity event. This event has kept my interest quite high for this series, but I might be nearing my limit as truth be told, I’m itching to get to the big event already. Fortunately, this issue does enough to keep me sated as they use the cast of the Avengers in some pretty creative ways while presenting some more intriguing mysteries. Continue reading →

Jun 18 2013

Manhattan Projects 12

Alternating Currents: Manhattan Projects 12, Drew and Patrick

Today, Drew and Patrick are discussing Manhattan Projects 12, originally released June 12th, 2013.

Oh my God. Oh my God! Oh my God! The whole time? The whole time, you were – THE WHOLE TIME?!

-Sally Field as Miranda Hillard
Mrs. Doubtfire

Drew: I love a good twist. Nothing is better than being surprised by a narrative — especially with something that fundamentally shifts the paradigm of the story. Of course, it’s possible to go too big with a twist — if you change the foundation too much, you run the risk of invalidating the emotional connections based on that foundation. Obviously, it’s difficult to bring up examples without spoiling some big twists, which hopefully explains the epigraph — by the climax of Mrs. Doubtfire Sally Field’s character is basically the only person that doesn’t know Robin Williams is her nanny, but that doesn’t negate her growing sense of betrayal as she realizes that this was the case THE WHOLE TIME. I had a similar reaction as Manhattan Projects 12 reveals that Fermi isn’t the character we think he is. When Harry reveals that he knows Fermi is an alien at the end of Manhattan Projects 11, Patrick and I were touched — we saw their friendship as the sweet story of two outsiders who found each other. In issue 12, Jonathan Hickman rips that still-beating heart out through our eye-holes, and lets us know that it was all a lie, anyway. Continue reading →

Jun 11 2013

Avengers 13

Alternating Currents: Avengers 13, Drew and SpencerToday, Drew and Spencer are discussing Avengers 13, originally released June 5th, 2013. 

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In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!

— Homer Simpson

Drew: Conservation of both matter and energy are such fundamental concepts, we sometimes take them for granted. Or misunderstand them completely. Folks may choose to ignore the water cycle or how they keep gaining weight, but we’re generally pretty keen to the notion that systems have inputs and outputs. Of course, fiction allows us to break these rules, leading to notions of perpetual motion and unlimited energy — but what if we took those for granted, too? What if the boundless energy of an alien race of children distracted us from the fact that they don’t eat? What do you do when your kids start violating the laws of thermodynamics? In Avengers 13, Jonathan Hickman and Nick Spencer explore this idea, throwing in a bad guy for good measure. Continue reading →

Jun 4 2013

New Avengers 6

new avengers 6

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing New Avengers 6, originally released May 29th, 2013. 

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Patrick: My favorite game in the Resident Evil series is the 2002 Game Cube remake of the original. There were a lot of ways that it improved on the quality of the first game, while finding inventive new ways to escalate that feeling that everything could fall apart at a moment’s notice. The most startling addition to the game was that any zombie that hadn’t been properly decapitated (or burned) could re-rise from the dead and attack you as some kind of super-zombie. The in-game written materials speak of this in vagaries, but you’re largely left to discover this new gameplay mechanic by experiencing it first hand — usually while screaming that you hadn’t saved in over an hour. But that moment when you’re walking through a room you cleared out 20 minutes earlier and you’re set upon by an enemy you can’t easily defeat is one of the most effective expressions of horror in video games. Just when the Illuminati seem to have figured out how to defend themselves against a collision of parallel Earths, the threat is immediately revealed to be well beyond what any of them understand, so why do they all look so relieved?

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May 27 2013

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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May 15 2013

Avengers 11

avengers 11

Today, Drew and Spencer are discussing Avengers 11, originally released May 8th, 2013. 

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Drew: Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers run has been all about mystery. Issue 10 found the Avengers vowing to keep some mysterious secret, but all along, there have been more questions than answers. Ancient alien races, disturbing, otherworldly biotech, and other insane sci-fi concepts have given Hickman full control over just what we understand, and when. It’s thrilling if you’re along for the ride, but can be incredibly frustrating — even off-puting — if you don’t have faith in Hickman to explain everything. In issue 11, Hickman offers proof that he can do answers as well as questions, turning his meticulously cultivated confusion into straight-up intrigue, as the Avengers go into spy movie mode (with a little Kung Fu thrown in, for good measure). The result is a breezy, fun story, that any fans can point to as proof positive that Hickman can handle character-based stories as well as his sci-fi weirdness. Continue reading →

Apr 29 2013

Manhattan Projects 11

manhattan projects 11

Today, Patrick and Drew are discussing Manhattan Projects 11, originally released April 24th, 2013.

Patrick: We take the term of “science fiction” for granted. It’s a genre and an aesthetic that has become ironically formulaic over the years. Just as “fantasy” increasing means a cookie-cutter world of elves and goblins and dragons, “science fiction” means spaceships and lasers and aliens (or robots, so say we all). Jonathan Hickman’s Manhattan Projects returns to the source of the phrase and delivers a series both surprisingly scientific and excitingly fictional. I’m still tinkering with the punctuation, but I think “science/fiction” is the most appropriate. Continue reading →

Feb 22 2013

The Vault – Gender Through Comic Books

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: Canvas.net

Who Would Love This: Those who want to dive deeper into the rabbit hole of comic books.

Price: FREE.

First of all, yes that was Stan Lee! Alright, so this isn’t exactly a geeky product you’d find on Think Geek or Etsy, but it certainly does help us celebrate and even explore our nerdy obsessions. Mark Waid (of Daredevil fame) has introduced the first comics specific Massive Open Online Course, or M.O.O.C. for short. That means this is FREE and available to EVERYONE! All you need is the internet and a geeky appreciation of comics. That also means you get special access to interviews with some of the biggest names in comics. Names like Brian Bendis, Scott Snyder, Brian K. Vaughn, Gail Simone,  Jonathan Hickman, and MORE. Class begins on April 2nd and you can register right NOW! To get all the details check out Mr. Waid’s blog. Lastly, if you’re as excited about this as we are here at Retcon Punch then help spread the word!

Apr 11 2012

Chat Cave: Monthlies vs. Trades

In May, DC will begin releasing the first (and in some cases, only) arcs of each of the New 52 titles compiled as graphic novels. Trade paperback collections have a short but venerable history, and often act as gateways for curious newcomers. Monthlies have a much longer and equally venerable history, and the cost of entry is in most cases only $2.99. Fans have their own (occasionally adamant) opinions on the “Monthlies vs. Trades” debate, but how do the Retcon Punchers feel? Welcome to the Chat Cave.

Drew: I must admit, part of what got me thinking about this was a recent piece I read by the AV Club’s Todd VanDerWerff decrying the habit of watching entire seasons of TV in marathon viewing sessions. His main argument centers on allowing yourself time to savor episodes on their own, a philosophy that is easily  applied to this topic. This idea has been resonating with me, as I’ve burned through Brian K Vaughan’s Y: the Last Man at a clip of about two trades a week. That series is particularly good at ending with teasing cliffhangers, which makes demonstrating self-control particularly difficult. Continue reading →