Archive for November, 2007

Nov
28
2007

The Incredible Hercules!?

posted by Matt Knicl at 10:54 pm.

The Incredible Hulkules

The Incredible Hulk #112 Preview Page #2

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
www.marvel.com

I think we are all familiar with the Labours of Hercules:

    1. Slay the Nemean Lion and bring back its hide
    2. Capture the Golden Stag of Artemis
    3. Clean the Augean stables in a single day
    4. Capture the Cretan Bull
    5. Steal the Apples of the Hesperides
    6. Capture Cerberus, the guardian dog of Hades

Of course, you may not be familiar with the rest of his Labours:

    7. Team up with Ghost Rider, Iceman, and Angel
    8. Battle Godzilla
    9. Join the Avengers
    10. Get sued by a super-villain
    11. Become a wanted felon and enemy combatant
    12. Try to stop the Hulk from destroying Manhattan

Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
26
2007

Stand-up Comics for Nov. 28, 2007

posted by Matt Knicl at 12:00 am.

Hey kids! Due to the holidays and lots of schoolwork, I’m just going to post the info for my top comics from the publisher’s websites! Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
23
2007

Angel: After the Fall (Angel Season 6)

posted by Matt Knicl at 10:35 pm.

A Fallen Angel

Angel: After the Fall #1 Variant

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
idwpublishing.com

When Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended on its Seventh Season, it was planned to end that way. When Angel , the spin-off from Buffy, ended, it was in its Fifth Season and it was far from planned.

Angel was canceled, low numbers the final nail in this vampire’s coffin.

And it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Angel is a show about a good vampire detective in L.A. (no, Moonlight copied it). Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
21
2007

Batman To Be Replaced!?

posted by Matt Knicl at 10:58 am.

A Bat Idea

Batman #673

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
www.dccomics.com

I have nightmares. My nightmare? That some day soon DC or Marvel will irrevocably alter a hero that I cherish.

Seeing what is happening to comic characters today, like DC’s Atom and Shazam, as well as Marvel’s Captain America, I keep feeling like there is nothing left that is sacred.

The characters don’t matter. The legacy doesn’t matter. Decades of stories made irreverent. This is not the next stage in the Batman mythology, this is tired writers and a marketing ploy.

Only the name and a slight variation of the costume is all that is needed for a comic these days. Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
19
2007

Stand-up Comics for Nov. 21, 2007

posted by Matt Knicl at 1:00 am.

Angel: After the Fall #1

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
idwpublishing.com

“Well personally, I want to slay the dragon.”

Angel the vampire returns after a brief hiatus, Victorian era Batman meets the Challengers of the Unknown, Marvel’s space epic concludes, My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way’s steam punk series continues, and “Speedball” fights Wolverine. Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
17
2007

Marvel’s The Order

posted by Matt Knicl at 8:00 pm.

Not What The Doctor Ordered.

The Order #1

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
www.marvel.com

Marvel’s new 12-issue maxi-series The Order by Matt Fraction (The Immortal Iron Fist, Punisher War Journal) represents several things that are wrong with comics today.

Part of the post-Civil War Initiative, The Order focuses on California’s super hero team. The purpose of the Initiative was to station one super team of registered super humans in each of the 50 states.

The team was originally supposed to be modeled after the short-lived Champions series of the 70’s. A west coast version of the Avengers, the team was made up of Hercules, Ghost Rider, Black Widow, X-Men Ice Man and Angel. But, due to copyright issues, the Champions name was under claim by Heroic Publishing, so the team was changed to The Order.

The team is made up of twelve individuals with super powers who will be on the team for one year and then have their powers deactivated.

The series represents the worst trends in modern day comics, and DC and Marvel fall into this trap. Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
15
2007

News: Marvel to release comic libraries online

posted by Matt Knicl at 11:00 pm.

Back To The Basics

According to an article on British news website Guardian Unlimited, Marvel will soon allow users to, for a small monthly fee, have access to hundreds of issues of their most popular titles.

The article can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
15
2007

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier

posted by Matt Knicl at 1:28 pm.

A League of Their Own

The Black Dossier

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
www.dccomics.com

Thank God! Thank the Academy! Thank the Roman snake god Glycon! The third installment of LoEG has arrived!

Originally scheduled for release May 2006, this graphic novel (as it was published straight to hardback) was constantly delayed. Writer Alan Moore’s withdrawal from mainstream comic books (again) due to the butchering of his comic V For Vendetta and the League movie as well. Also, the use of several copyrighted characters, though in passing or with modified names, has led to DC deciding not to publish the work outside of America so as not to violate international copyright law. Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
12
2007

Stand-up Comics for Nov. 14, 2007

posted by Matt Knicl at 1:00 pm.

Top 5 Comic Book Recommendations for Nov. 14

It was hard to pick just five titles this week. But, when push came to shove, the following were a cut above the rest. Read the rest of this entry »

Nov
10
2007

Review: The All-New Atom

posted by Matt Knicl at 2:30 pm.

When Small Things Come In Big Packages

The Atom Vol. 1

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
www.dccomics.com

So Ray Palmer, the Atom, has had a rough life the past few months. His wife killed his friend’s wife so he would fall back in love with her. Twisted logic aside, she was then taken over by an evil entity and her body is now the vessel to a dark evil that is threatening to destroy Earth. It’s understandable how good old Ray would need to take a break, use his shrinking powers to become sub-atomic, and travel the dimensions. Read the rest of this entry »