CBR Review: The Unwritten #13

I recently reviewed The Unwritten #13 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Year two of The Unwritten kicks off with the most plot-heavy issue to date as schemes are revealed left and right: Tom Taylor being manipulated and used by his seeming allies, enemies closing in on all sides, and him still just as ignorant and clueless as ever. Taylor works better in this sort of story, where he’s at the center of things, but is off camera most of the time as those around him dominant the book. Though, in this story, it looks like he isn’t necessarily at the center of things with the true focus being his supposedly deceased father, Wilson."

You can read the rest HERE!

The Splash Page Podcast Episode 16

This week, there's only one episode of the Splash Page Podcast since real life stuff forced us to change recording days. Possibly only one episode next week, too. But, still, it's an hour-and-forty-five minutes of good comics talk as Tim and I disagree about almost everything. Especially Siege #4 and New Avengers Finale #1. We do agree about The Sentry: Fallen Sun #1, though. We also discuss Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1, Dark Avengers #16, Punishermax #7, The Unwritten #13, how DC kind of sucks, and a bunch of other things. The episode begins, as always, with "We're Hardcore" by Gord Downie.

You can download and listen to the Splash Page Podcast episode 16 HERE!

CBR Review: Punishermax #7

I recently reviewed Punishermax #7 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Although Bullseye debuted at the end of Punishermax #5 and showed off his skills last issue, this issue gives readers a good look at how the assassin operates as he tracks down Frank Castle, revealing himself as completely crazy. But, his methods seem to be working, so who’s to say if he’s truly crazy -- aside from acts like sleeping atop the grave of Castle’s wife or demanding to see every place in New York where Castle has ever killed someone. Jason Aaron’s interpretation of the character is wonderfully entertaining and just the right amount insane."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: The Marvels Project #8

I recently reviewed The Marvels Project #8 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "The Marvels Project began as a promising look at the early days of superheroes in the Marvel universe, starting before the United States had entered World War II, but, as it continued, the story was less coherent and lacked a central purpose. Issue eight offers that payoff based on the historic day of the Pearl Harbor attack, December 7, 1941, juxtaposing that attack with a fictional one made by the Nazis and Atlanteans in Washington at the same time. While an interesting idea and keeping with the real life elements of the characters, it doesn’t pack the emotional impact that it’s designed to, nor the necessary cohesion to bring the entire series together completely."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Zombies vs. Robots Aventure #4

I recently reviewed Zombies vs. Robots Aventure #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Concluding the latest book in the Zombies vs. Robots series from IDW, the fourth issue of the anthology Zombies vs. Robots Adventure is more an artist showcase than a display of amazing writing. Chris Ryall does some solid work in this issue, but the focus is clearly on the three artists, each tackling one of the stories, and showing off their unique styles and skills. While all are promising and show a lot of potential, the book never coheres completely. Each story in this issue concludes the four-part serialization and each does offer something a little different from the others."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: New Avengers Finale #1

I recently reviewed New Avengers Finale #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Over five years ago, Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch relaunched Avengers as New Avengers and, since then, it’s been a consistent top ten performer for Marvel, often the top-selling ongoing for the company. It ends prior to another relaunch this week with New Avengers Finale #1, a 59-page (60 if you include the recap page) comic that, with Siege over, wraps up two of the consistent elements of the book’s existence from the past three years: the team’s outlaw status, and the Hood."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Dark Avengers #16

I recently reviewed Dark Avengers #16 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "As expected, with 'Dark Reign' over, Dark Avengers comes to an end as well, with most of the members of the team arrested at the end of Siege, including the book’s central character, Norman Osborn. This issue fulfills a dual role of acting as a final issue for this team of villains-posing-as-heroes and as an epilogue of sort to Siege. This is the definitive conclusion to 'Dark Reign.'"

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Siege #4

I recently reviewed Siege #4 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "House of M. Secret Invasion. Siege. Three Marvel event series written by Brian Michael Bendis, three Marvel event series that ended weakly. After the first two events, many doubted that Bendis could end Siege in a satisfying and meaningful way and, so far, his writing on the series was strong enough that it suggested that he would silence those critics. However, the final issue of Siege, while not a failure by any right, isn’t the strong ending that the series or the recent tenor of the Marvel universe needed as it heads into 'The Heroic Age.'"

You can read the rest HERE!

Quickie Reviews (May 12 2010)

If you've ever wondered what my desk set-up is like, wonder no more as I sent in some pics of my trades on shelves and my desk to Robot 6's Shelf Porn. As you can see, space is a little limited, but I dig it still. Also, a cluttered desk is a useful desk. Onto the reviews...

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1: Enjoyable, decent start. I'm less enthralled by the 'Bruce Wayne dresses up like Batman in different time periods' concept, but it worked fairly well here. Chris Sprouse and Karl Story is an art team I always have time for. [***1/2]

Daytripper #6: Man, the craft on this series is just so high. Minimalist writing, lush, gorgeous art... what more can you ask for? [****]

Greek Street #11: The second arc concludes and I'm really enjoying this book. Sticking with it has apparently helped. Eddie by the end is in a different place, same with Dedalus. Menon... well, sucks to be him. Not sure that this is as brilliant as you'd hope, but it's definitely interesting. Not sure where it's heading now. [***1/2]

The Sentry: Fallen Sun #1: I wasn't sure if I'd get this, but I have the rest of the Sentry stuff written by Paul Jenkins, so why not the issue with his funeral/memorial service? Except it's more some superheroes stand around and talk and... it doesn't work. It's the sort of awkward, not-at-all-meaningful talk you'd expect and that's brutal to read. Since the Sentry wasn't too connected to any of these characters recently, their words rang a little hollow. I was left wondering why the Sentry didn't go to Reed Richards instead of Norman Osborn during "Dark Reign." Why did he so easily turn his back on his friends? Tom Raney can do action, but he was ill-suited for this issue. His tortured, overly rendered faces just make the whole thing come off as even more comical and stupid than it is. [*]

Now, back to the longer reviews...

CBR Review: Nemesis: The Imposters #3

I recently reviewed Nemesis: The Imposters #3 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Everything in this comic (and the series) comes back to the idea of an imposter. The Joker wasn’t the real Joker. Tom Tresser isn’t really Tom Tresser. Seemingly legitimate, respected businessmen are criminals. No one is who they appear to be save Wonder Woman, who is, at best, an observer, much like the seemingly real Tom Tresser. The actors in this story are all fakes, imposters, cheap con men, while the real people are on the sidelines. If everyone in the story is an imposter, how real is the story?"

You can read the rest HERE!

The Splash Page Podcast Episode 15.2

We asked, you told us, and, thus, you get another long as fuck episode of the Splash Page Podcast! Even longer than last week's second episode! Naturally, we talk about a lot of things to fill up two hours like writers/artists/filmmakers/genres that have risen or fallen in our opinions over the years, Jack Kirby and Eternals, a bunch of new books, and me e-mailing Augie to ask if it's possible for me to also review Siege #4 in addition to the review Tim is doing (the answer: yes). It's an exciting episode, folks!

You can download and listen to the Splash Page Podcast episode 15.2 HERE!

CBR Review: Sparta, U.S.A. #3

I recently reviewed Sparta, U.S.A. #3 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "One of the most interesting conflicts in this issue comes in the form of Wanda, Godfrey’s wife, who has reentered his life and is not happy about the army of ex-girlfriends (though ‘girlfriend’ may be too strong a word for the sort of relationship Godfrey had with most of them) living in the house. She’s particularly unhappy about Nora, the ex that Godfrey proposed to last issue, completely forgetting that he has a wife and kids until they reappeared. In this issue, he tries to appease both sides, but is clearly uncomfortable, wanting to break free of his past life, while unsure how far to go."

You can read the rest HERE!

CBR Review: Spider-Man: Fever #2

I recently reviewed Spider-Man: Fever #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Spider-Man: Fever #2 doesn’t look like any other book on the shelves this week, presenting a bright, almost garish, vision of Spider-Man and Dr. Strange, both in otherworldly realms where Brendan McCarthy is free to let his imagination run wild, drawing weird buildings and whatever random ideas pop up. It’s fun and poppy, a weird adventure that, at its core, could be just any other Spider-Man/Dr. Strange team-up, but, when presented through McCarthy’s sensibilities, it becomes something decidedly different and unique."

You can read the rest HERE!

The Splash Page Podcast Episode 15.1

Another week, another podcast about comics from Tim Callahan and myself. This week, in our first episode, we stick to specific comics for the most part with Batman and Robin #12, I, Zombie #1, War of the Supermen #0-1, and Spider-Man: Fever #2. Plus, we discuss reality TV, the upcoming Grant Morrison documentary, and Brian Cronin from Comics Should be Good (or, more accurately, the current 'greatest _____ stories' thing he's got going on). And it all begins with "We're Hardcore" by Gord Downie.

You can download and listen to the Splash Page Podcast episode 15.1 HERE!

CBR Review: I, Zombie #1

I recently reviewed I, Zombie #1 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Another $1.00 Vertigo first issue and that’s always a good thing in my world. That the comic in question has Mike and Laura Allred providing the art makes the one dollar price tag seem like a steal and a must buy. Unfortunately, the writing on I, Zombie #1 isn’t the sort to necessarily grab readers right away, which is partly the point of the cheap first issue: bring in readers who may skip the book and hook them. That doesn’t happen with I, Zombie."

You can read the rest HERE!

Quickie Reviews (May 5 2010)

The first Wednesday of the month means a new issue of The Boys. I love that Dynamite has really kept that book on schedule so it always comes out then. Makes the beginning of the month something to look forward to. But, before I get to that, there are a couple of other comics to mention...

Avengers: The Origin #2: Enjoyable, but a little tedious in its dialogue. Everyone talking through what's going on... meh. I like the Phil Noto art, though. [***]

Batman and Robin #12: I had my suspicions regarding the identity of Oberon Sexton, but, then again, I could say that about half a dozen people who were candidates. A good issue. Andy Clarke's art was, obviously, less polished here with Scott Hanna picking up the slack. Even with that reveal at the end and The Return of Bruce Wayne kicking off next week, this felt like the conclusion to this story. I'll say more when I do my post on Morrison's third year of writing Batman. [***1/2]

The Boys #42: Man, the interactions between Auntie Sis and Malchemical just make me feel dirty. But, Butcher continues to have his head up his ass, while Hughie is a decent enough guy, Annie seems like she may end things with Hughie, and Mother's Milk is none too pleased with Butcher. A transition issue. The art is weaker, but that's because Robertson didn't do it all himself. [***]

Demo #4: Definitely reminiscent of "What You Wish For" from the first volume, but different enough. Great use of black and white by Becky Cloonan. I liked this -- Demo is usually at its best when it's walking that line between understandable and totally fucking crazy/wrong. [****]

The Great Ten #7: Appropriately, this issue focuses on the Seven Deadly Brothers. His origin is weird and interesting. Loved the visual allusion to Pei Mai. Also, the Seven Deadly Brothers is a different sort of character than his teammates. Since he's all energy and violence, Scott McDaniel does him well. The death of the God of Death was great, too. Solid book. [***1/2]

Briefer than usual this week it seems. Blame the seasonal allergies, I guess.

CBR Review: Artifacts #0

I recently reviewed Artifacts #0 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "One of the approaches for Free Comic Book Day issues in recent years has been to use the free comic as a launching point for a big event or story. DC did that last year with Blackest Night #0, offering a recap of what led to the event and some new material for fans, and Top Cow does the same thing this year with Artifacts #0. Acting as a recap/launch for the upcoming event, it provides the information necessary for new readers to jump aboard, while offering some new tidbits for hardcore fans. Even with that approach, though, it’s a little light on content and lacks strong art."

You can read the rest HERE!

The Splash Page Podcast Episode 14.2

In the second podcast episode of the week, Tim and I kept on talking and talking and talking for just under two hours. We covered a lot of topics like some of this week's comics, but also returned to older topics like more on JMS and reviewing. There's even a big chunk in the middle where we talk about movies and TV shows. And it's actually this episode where I tell Tim to watch Babylon 5. It's easy to get mixed up when you discuss the same topic in both episodes. Plus, "We're Hardcore" by Gord Downie! If you want us to keep things shorter, just tell us -- or if you love the long episodes, tell us that, too.

You can download and listen to the Splash Page Podcast episode 14.2 HERE!

The Splash Page Podcast Episode 14.1

The first of this week's podcast episodes is up as Tim and I talk about a lot of comics like Detective Comics #864, Captain America #605, and New Avengers #64. We also talk about Free Comic Book Day, Robert Kirkman's output (at the request of a listener), and more about J. Michael Straczynski, beginning with his upcoming run on Superman and going to me, once again, telling Tim to watch Babylon 5. All that plus "We're Hardcore" by Gord Downie.

You can download and listen to the Splash Page Podcast episode 14.1 HERE!

Buy My Book! (or the book I have a story in at least)

In April, Writing Without Direction: Ten and a Half Short Stories by Canadian Authors Under Thirty came out from Clark-Nova Books and I have a short story, "Are Ya Havin' Fun" in it. The title pretty much says it all: eleven short stories by Canadian writers under 30 and I haven't seen the book yet (except in a bookstore yesterday), but I can guarantee at least one great story. If you're interested in giving it a look, you can order copies from Clark-Nova Books directly or from Chapters. Below the cut I'm also including a small part from my story, "Are Ya Havin' Fun." It's kind of an anthology piece in and of itself with a series of short sketches of a Saturday night at a college/university bar... here's one section along with the dividing dialogue piece that I use in between each section.