Reviews

Reviews of books, comics, movies, and other random stuff.

A guillotine, a Sister of Battle, and a scrapbook picture from the 2001 National Poetry Slam.

Comment: The Comics Blogiverse

The myriad comic book-related blogs that have sprung up over the past couple of years run the gamut from unpretentious reviews and commentary by enthusiastic fans to jaded bile and snark by agenda-driven wannabes looking to break into the industry. The Comic Weblog Linkatron 5000 links to them all without prejudice so I thought I'd offer up quick takes on some of my favorites, all linked (and newly updated) in the left-hand column under Comic Blogs.The BeatHeidi MacDonald is the real deal, an industry veteran covering the news of the day with an occasional dose of intelligent snark. Only downside…

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A guillotine, a Sister of Battle, and a scrapbook picture from the 2001 National Poetry Slam.

Batman Begins vs. Fantastic Four: Different Paths to Success

The friendly rivalry between Marvel and DC knows no boundaries. What started decades ago in print has now spilled over onto celluloid. About a month apart in their release dates, the iconic figures of Batman in DC's Batman Begins, and Marvel's Fantastic Four battle it out for comic book supremacy on film. Two different paths, two different beginnings, but ultimately, both will win.Batman Begins got off on the right foot from the start by signing its director, Chris Nolan. The film was the beneficiary of a lot of buzz before its release, followed by positive reviews from critics and fanboys…

Continue ReadingBatman Begins vs. Fantastic Four: Different Paths to Success
A guillotine, a Sister of Battle, and a scrapbook picture from the 2001 National Poetry Slam.

Indie Hype: Bumperboy

In my never-ending quest for great independent comics, I've come across some real gems and promoted the hell out of them. 100 Girls, Fade From Grace, Western Tales of Terror, Elk's Run and Skyscrapers of the Midwest are all great reads that not nearly enough people know about. The latest inductee to that stellar group is...{drum roll, please} Debbie Huey's Bumperboy!I reviewed it this week for Buzzscope, but wanted to give it an extra special shout-out because it's THAT kind of good. Check out bumperboy.net if you want to really get sucked in like I've been. There's the great "Meet…

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A guillotine, a Sister of Battle, and a scrapbook picture from the 2001 National Poetry Slam.

Buzzscope Reviews: 7/7/05

[NOTE: A light week last week led to only three reviews, and my 7th wedding anniversary and a trip to New Orleans means I probably won't get any done this week.]Bumperboy Loses His MarblesYou show me someone who wouldn't enjoy the adventures of Bumperboy, and I'll show you someone who needs a good punch in the face! Marvel Team-Up #10Between the over-arching Titannus storyline that started back in the first issue, and the over-extended setups that stretch each arc to trade length while adding little of importance to the story itself, this version of Marvel Team-Up comes off as a…

Continue ReadingBuzzscope Reviews: 7/7/05
A guillotine, a Sister of Battle, and a scrapbook picture from the 2001 National Poetry Slam.

Buzzscope Reviews: 6/29/05

Forgotten Realms: Dark Elf Trilogy - Homeland #1An amazing addition to the four-color fantasy genre that has little going for it these days beyond Conan and Mu. As a D&D fan, it's the next best thing to playing the game. PLUS, interview with writer Andrew Dabb. Blacklight #1What would you do if you had super-powers? Scott Wherle offers a pair of intriguing polar opposites as an answer - plus a new Latina heroine! - while delivering an accessible and entertaining story.Elk's Run #2A compelling combination of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and Stephen King's "The Body," with a healthy dose of…

Continue ReadingBuzzscope Reviews: 6/29/05
A guillotine, a Sister of Battle, and a scrapbook picture from the 2001 National Poetry Slam.

Buzzscope Reviews: 6/22/05

APComics 2005 PreviewCharging full-price for marketing promotions isn't cool. If this were a Free Comic Book Day offering, or even a $0.99 promo, it might have earned an A.Catwoman #44New creative teams are always a good time to peek in on a title you've never read before, or dropped a while back, and Pfeiffer and Woods get off to an entertaining start that's relatively accessible to new readers. Deal with the Devil #2Schwartzrock's art is solid, blue collar work that complements the real-world feel of the story. Unfortunately, it's more plot-driven than character-driven, and while sporting an interesting premise, its…

Continue ReadingBuzzscope Reviews: 6/22/05
A guillotine, a Sister of Battle, and a scrapbook picture from the 2001 National Poetry Slam.

Comment: Handicapping Batman Begins

As of Tuesday, June 21, Batman Begins has made $84,928,817 at the domestic box office, already ranking it as the 20th highest-grossing comic book adaptation ever. The Top 5 on that list are:Spider-Man: $403,706,375Spider-Man 2: $373,585,825Batman: $251,188,924Men in Black: $250,690,539X2: X-Men United: $214,949,694Assuming a typical 50% dropoff this weekend, I'm guessing it'll leapfrog into the 13th spot, just behind The Hulk at #12 with $132,177,234. From there, though, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out, especially with the Fourth of July holiday next weekend which should boost its take despite War of the Worlds opening that weekend.My prediction?…

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