Cover To Cover

Well this is a first!This book came out LAST WEEK.This cover just speaks to my 10 year old self.Usually I only pick books that have been around for a few years,but dammit,this will remain a favorite of mine.I know it's a photo,and usually I find photo covers awful,but it's Snake vs Storm!Dig it.

30 Second Movie Review:Fast Five

Another turn in the Fast series,and quite possibly the most enjoyable.The first was Point Break with cars,and the next few were sans Vin Diesel,and seemed to focus more on racing.This one takes characters from all of the previous four films and drops them into a heist film,with some spectacular chase/action sequences.Dwayne Johnson is introduced to the series as the Long Arm,after Diesel and Paul Walker's fugitives.There is a great heist scene that takes place on a train and culminates in a incredible stunt scene involving a car going off a bridge,and the final scene featuring two Dodge Chargers strapped to a bank vault being chased thru Rio is totally cool and entertaining.This film runs a little over 2 hrs,and at points you can see where maybe trimming 20 minutes could have tightened the whole thing up,but another fun ride in the series that won't let up.4 stars.

30 Second Movie Review:Zookeeper

I try to review all the films I see.I occasionally miss.I could have easily missed this one,but I saw it,so fair is fair.

Kevin James plays a Zookeeper who can understand and talk to animals.The animals are all voiced by stars such as Adam Sandler,Jon Favreau and Sylvester Stallone.I like James,being a big fan of "The King Of Queens",so I have a soft spot I guess.This is no worse than any other formulaic comedy,and I laughed in parts.

3 stars.

Next!

Trailer of a Sequel to a Remake

I was totally surprised at how much I liked the remake.This looks like tons of fun.I'm in.

Bruce

Ok,I can wait,but it won't be easy.

My 10 Year Old Self Would Faint...

If I saw this poster in 1985 or 6,I would have passed out.In 2011 it's still badassed.

Blaze

So they seem to have gotten the tone a bit closer this time.I enjoyed the first,but it wasn't dark enough.

Norris!Van Damme!God Damn!

Loved the first one,psyched for this one.They lose Mickey Rourke but get Chuck Norris?Nice!

Pete

The trailer was lame,but this poster is pretty cool.

Broken Bat?

Cannot Wait for July

Alright,Let's See

Interesting trailer for G.I.Joe 2.I liked the first just enough to give this a shot,and the added star power helps a bit.I couldn't tell but I really hope Snake Eyes doesn't have lips on his mask again.

Stream of Random Stuff

Random Thoughts

-I'm tired of being a Dallas Cowboys fan.I don't expect Super Bowls every year,but I am getting sick of disapointment.It would be easier to be a fan of a constantly mediocre to bad team like the Browns,expectations are never high,if they do anything good it's a nice surprise.Dallas is consistently loaded talent wise and are usually expected to perform well,and then they play just good enough not to suck,but never good enough to move ahead.Tiring.

-Was it easy for Dave Matthews to suggest to his band that they go by the name The Dave Matthews Band  without sounding like a complete dickhead?At least Tom Petty let his band have a name while still tossing his name in front.

-Everyone I ever met with a tongue or other exotic piercing claims it didn't hurt.Bullshit,I bite my tongue and it hurts.I think when you go to these piercing places they make you sign a release that says if you ever admit it hurt Satan gets to dryhump your soul for eternity.

-I listen to Pandora radio on my phone while showering,I think it's where Sugar Ray and Third Eye Blind died and went to.Oh and if you were looking for Toad The Wet Sprocket,I can help.

-So what your saying is that Greenland is arctic and harsh,and Iceland is actually lush and habitable?Fuck you.

That covers it for now...

December 8th 1980

This video was my first exposure to John Lennon.I wasn't truly aware of the Beatles,and had no clue who this guy was let alone the fact that he had been murdered several years before this was on heavy rotation on MTV in the early 80's.I liked the song,and still do.I didn't truly become a fan of the Beatles until a little after high school,and in all my life I have heard the word genius bandied about for alot of musicians,John was truly that.He helped invent and refine a style of music and his influence will never die.He died 31 years ago today.

Interesting

This is a strange little film called "Lock-Out".It looks like a standard roguish antihero on the run from badguys film,oh except it's set in outer space?OK,Guy Pearce and Peter Stormare?I'm in.

Anthrax and Alex Ross

My wife got me the new Anthrax album,"Worship Music"for my birthday a few months ago,and after loading it onto computer and IPOD I never really looked at the packaging.I was cleaning up last night and took a look at the cover and felt it was quite familiar to me.I opened up the case to see album art credited to Alex Ross.Ross for those that don't know is a top level comic artist specializing in painted work and has a very discernable style.After looking into this he also did their last album back in 03.I know Scott Ian is a huge comic fan,so he must have gotten Ross to do these covers.It's not the first time a famous comic artist worked in music,but it was cool and unexpected to see.

What A Shame

I got home from work today and zoned out in front of the TV for a while before dinner.I caught the last 10 minutes of "Last Crusade",and marveled at how such a perfect ending(heroic ride into the sunset!)could be deep sixed by such a shitty next installment.Then suddenly SyFy channel informed me that the aforementioned "Crystal Skull"was next.Decisions...

I watched the first 35 to 40 minutes.I haven't seen the film since the theatre,and rightfully so,it doesn't deserve my damn time.Something I did notice this time out though,and it is a direct comparison to Lucas'own terrible Star Wars prequels.All of those films started bad and just went nowhere fast.There was no steep drop in caliber of story or action at any point,just consistent crappiness.Not here though.I said it when it came out and I'll stand by it,Crystal Skull starts off pretty good.It quickly reintroduces Indy and the basis of the adventure he is in for(mysterious artifact sought by Soviets).We follow Indy as he has a fistfight on a rocket sled and gets nuked while hiding in a (lead lined)refrigerator.I never had a problem with that by the way.We catch up with what his life became in the ensuing two decades since "Last Crusade",and see him at his dayjob as a Proffesor of Archaeology.He meets the character we eventually learn to be his son,and they go on the quest to find .....

And that's where this thing shits the bed...HARD.This is the point in the classic Indy film where we see his plane travelling by map(greatly parodied in the new Muppet film,by the way),and he starts to punch and think his way through the journey.It just falls apart here,totally.Instead we get-

-John Hurt giving a terrible or great performance as Indy's old colleague gone bonkers
-Karen Allen 30 years past her prime
-CGI jungle,followed by CGI ants that would have sucked in one of the Brendan Fraser Mummy films
-Shia Lebeouf,King of CGI monkeys
-Indy's old partner turning on him and rejoining 19 times
-Oh and the whole thing is about aliens(I don't truly mind that either,it was just done poorly)

Steven Spielberg recently said that they have a concept for the next Indy movie ready.Please stop,my childhood can't take no more!

It's A Festivus Miracle!

I do like Xmas,and I love when the house is decorated and has that feel to it.I'm not ready to abandon Xmas ,but I feel that another holiday deserves my attention this time of year.Frank Costanza invented Festivus,for the people sick of the Xmas experience.As much as I have grown to enjoy the day,I understand the pressures of the holiday.So this year I went out and bought the necessary items to have the 1st annual Amenta Festivus aluminum pole,unadorned as it should be.I am even going to eventually paint the base black so it doesn't pop so much.Remember if Xmas has got you down,on December 23rd,we can air our grievences and have feats of strength to help get through the end of the year.

Musical Interlude:Phish

Love this song.Enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best scene from Dexter ever?And quite appropriate for the day.

Why Twilight Can Be A Positive Thing

All you read and hear about lately is "Breaking Dawn"the newest film in the "Twilight"series.It has made a ton of money in it's first weekend,everywhere you turn it's being reviewed and promoted,etc.This Twilight phenomenon may be the most polarizing of any popular fiction series(book,or film),ever.It's supporters LOVE it,and everyone else hates it.I personally only having seen the first film,tend to side with the haters,I felt it was a weak story filled with boring characters and Vampires that sparkle when hit with light,as opposed to,oh I don't know...exploding in agony?

So why am I wasting time on this?Heres why."Twilight"can be a good thing,a gateway drug of sorts.If you haven't noticed,it seems in my experience that only women seem to enjoy this series.And yes,it mainly hinges on the romantic elements of the story,but this is also deeply rooted in the Fantasy/Horror genre.Maybe,the interest can lead to trying new things that these same women who never would have read a book about werewolves can move onto.There are plenty of females who are into SciFi,comics,etc,but overall it's a sausage party.Whats wrong with letting them enjoy this series,maybe it would lead that same woman into buying a comic.If Stephanie Meyer wrote a "Twilight"series for comics,I guarantee  you would see comic shops suddenly inundated with females who would have never stepped foot into one.It doesn't mean they would buy anything else,but the door has been opened.

I guess in the end I'm trying to see a positive in this craze.I don't understand it,but I don't have to,it's not for me.I don't know Team Edward from Team Jacob,but what I do know is when a series can cause this amount of passion in fans and get people reading it is nonetheless a good thing.I would like to meet one fan who is a male though.

Who For Xmas

After last year's phenomenal reimagination of "A Xmas carol",the Who Xmas special this year looks to channel some Narnia.I still have to watch the second half of season 6....

Chopping Block

It's Over Frank!

Mavel has cancelled a few titles,including Black Panther,Iron Man 2.0,X23 and Ghost Rider.PunisherMax was not cancelled but is ending with issue 22.I love PunisherMax,it truly is one of my favorite books on the market.Ghost Rider has been interesting butthe cancellation is not surprising,although I figured they would leave it alone until at least after the movie sequel comes out in February.Black Panther essentially took Daredevil's spot in the old DD series,and that so far has been extremely hit or miss.Out of all the books to garner a relaunch,this one will probably be first,reestablishing T'Challa as king of Wakanda,and not a street level vigilante.

Also given the slip were Alpha Flight and the Victor Von Doom series before it even came out.Take that Doom.

Assemble!

Looks like the gangs all here.....May 4th 2012

30 Second Movie Review:Red State

Kevin Smith.Sounds like George Lucas if you say it fast enough.Both started off with instant smash success stories(of differing magnatude),both had trouble venturing out of their comfort zones and both have done much more to piss off the common fanboy in the last few years than to build on their early work.

I do think Kevin Smith has a good ear for a certain kind of dialogue,and I count some of his films as very good.I was very curious about "Red State" when I first heard about it,because it was originally billed as Smith as his attempt at straight up horror.Coming from a guy who barely ever ventures past the genre of stoner buddy film,I was not sure what to expect.

"Red State"is better than I expected,and builds some real tension in the first half.The story follows an extreme fundamentalist preacher and his flock,the kind who go to a gay kids funeral with "Burn In Hell"signs.We meet a trio of high school kids who get entagled in the Church of the Five Points path and spend a horrifying night fighting for their lives.Michael Parks who plays the preacher spits his dialogue with a serpent's tongue and slimes up the screen whenever on.About halfway through John Goodman is introduced as an ATF agent sent to the Church's compound,and we are then plotted along to a Waco style raid and firefight.Goodman seems a bit lost in the role,and his character is written as a man who wants to do the right thing,but has his own interests to worry about.It gives him a sense of conflict,but he wavers easily back and forth.

The last fifteen minutes nearly takes a supernatural right turn,and to Smith's credit,he dodged a bullet with the choices he does make in the end.The film spends too much time at the end trying to shove down our throats that the U.S. Government and it's tactics are as bad as,if not worse than homosexual murdering zealots,and that gets old quick.Not because I don't believe that Government isn't corrupt,but Smith almost seems like he spends so much time setting up the Church members as truly evil,and then wants us to almost sympathize with them.Sure they are not evil in their minds,but they surely are.

I give this film 3 stars and Kevin Smith gets some credit for trying something new.

Appetite For Continuation

I am listening to "Appetite For Destruction",the debut album from Guns N Roses and it just hit me...Imagine if THIS band on THIS album had managed to keep the momentum.I know most of the same guys stayed through the mediocre "Illusion" follow up albums,but they definetly lost the magic by then.

This record is ground breaking and helped change the face of music as we know it.Here we are 25 plus years later and it still sounds like a punch to the gut,true Rock and Roll.Meanwhile the band imploded and exploded and although there is a current version still plugging along,we all know its just Axl's solo project,and it pales in comparison.

Every once in a while a band comes along and does something incredible.This album is one of those.Imagine a world where these guys could have kept it together and kept putting records like this out.At least we still have this one reminder of a better time in music to keep us going.

Musical Interlude:The Mars Volta

I can listen to this song all day long,too bad the album version is 13 minutes long,I would'nt accomplish much else.

Conventioneering

Last weekend was the second Albany Comic Con of the year,and it was a good time.Here is some of the odds and ends of stuff picked up.

JM Dematteis was there,and I got a chance to talk to him,very nice guy.I told him how much I loved his early 2000s "Spectre"series and he was appreciative,saying how much he loved doing that series.I bought the first 50 cent comic he wrote that I could find in the bins for his autograph,and this is the first one I found.

I don't generally buy Cap back issues as I am currently not trying to fill a run,but this cover jumped out at me,and for a buck I could'nt say no.

Bat #450,great Joker cover.all for a quarter.

I have been slowly working on filling the old '70s and early '80s GR series,got about five issues in Albany.

Still looking for the elusive Silent issue of Joe,had it as a kid and lost it.Here is #18 to help fill some more lost treasures.

April of next year for the next Albany show,already looking forward to it.

30 Second Movie Review:Real Steel

You ever feel like a movie snob?You know,where you can't imagine watching what you would consider brain rotting dreck,just because it looks like it only appeals to 11 year olds?When films like "Inception"and other high concept,well made films are out there,who has time for the films crafted by lesser talents and aimed towards kids?

Well "Real Steel"made me feel that way.I promised to take my friend's son to see it,and I kind of dreaded it.I like Hugh Jackman,but the idea of Rock em Sock em robots in the future seemed lame to me.Then the film started and it did something I didn't expect.It had characters I cared for,it had a simple yet driving plot and it hit all the right emotional cues.Jackman plays a washed up boxer in a future where the sport is now played with giant robots.His 11 year old son ends up in his custody for the summer and they work the boxing circuit together,while both their relationship strengthens and their 'bot rises in the ranks.Dakota Goyo plays the son and is a fine young actor,look out for this kid.

The lesson learned is that sometimes a trailer to a film can fool you,I would easily give this film 4 stars,partially due to the quality,and partially due to the surprise factor.

30 Second Movie Review:Scream 4

Hey it's Scream again.10 years after the shitty third film,we get the next installment of Wes Craven's slasher franchise.

Scream was a hit 15 years ago,due to the fact that it took all of the plot devices and rules of a  standard slasher flick and made the characters fans of these films,so they knew what was happening ahead of time in a sense.The first film had pretty strong characters,eschewing the normal blonde,black guy,etc..for people we felt a connection with.David Arquette will always be Dewey to me,and the cast was quite good for a horror film.The twist as to who the killer was also added to the originality of the movie.

So in Scream 4 we get the rules changed again.The film follows a generation after the first film,where the kids are obsessed with cell phones and video cameras and social media.The killer in this film has motives different then the revenge fueled ones we saw in prior installments...this time it's about 15 minutes of fame,which is the world we live in now.Whats a faster way to become famous than to go on a filmed murder spree,while using the visage of Ghostface on the anniversery of the original murders?In the YouTube generation,none.

Anyways what do you expect from this film?Some good scares here and there,most of the original cast and some humor thrown in.Scream 4 is exactly what I expected and no more or less.3 stars.

Single Issue Standout

So instead of catching up on the tons of new reading that I'm always behind on,the other night I pulled out Wolverine #41,from the 2nd volume of the solo series.I had covered it as a Cover to Cover on here and that issue has stuck with me since the one time I read it in '06 when it came out,so I reread it.

Mission accomplished,further behind on new reading but this issues' excellence was confirmed.Written by Stuart Moore and drawn by C.P.Smith,this story finds Wolverine being recruited for a Black Ops mission by Black Panther.A small African country is torn between a President who is trying to make it a better place,and the rival faction of warlords who have genocide on the brain.Wakanda has a strict no messing with the neighbor's policy,so BP decides to do something about it on the downlow.Wolverine gets dropped into this country and is told to collect a package from the deposed President and get out as fast as possible.

From that point the book feels exactly as it should, like a race against time,and to add to the delicacy of the situation the package is the recently murdered President's infant daughter,whom Panther sees as the countries last chance.Get her out,let her grow up and go back to lead the people who followed her father.Wolverine has to get through dire situation after dire situation with a baby strapped to his back.The art by Smith and his colorist match the characters to the ruddy African country tones of reds oranges and browns very well.The danger level is high as Wolverine races to get the baby out of the country,and the pacing is excellent.

In the end we see why the Panther picked Wolverine over other Avengers to do this,and it has little to do with his physical abilities to take alot of punishment and recover.It has to do with what Wolverine does at the end  of the book when faced with the new Warlord President.I won't ruin it,but Cap or Iron Man would have taken a less absolute approach,and you can feel that Panther was looking for a solution.Go to your local comic shop and pick this puppy up,it's worth falling behind other stuff for.

Give Batwing A Chance

After reading the second issue of DC's "Batwing",I have to say this is the surprise book of the New 52 launch in my eyes.

Take a new character that is culled from a failed plotline("Batman,INC.",and a writer(Judd Winick)who at best can be called inconsistent,and more often not so good,and you have the makings of a piss poor book.

Now add the super clean art of Ben Oliver,and give the character the Bat tech and capability,but center the action in war torn Africa,and get the right mix of development and action,and we may have a good book setting up.

Remember it's only two issues in,this thing may be a turd in the long run,but I suggest picking up the first two books..at the very least it is some of the best art in a book right now.

Just Wrong

The Not So Human Centipede

Just What Most People Want For The Car

Love Gun means what?Pull 'em off the shelves!

My company started selling various Rock band seat covers this week.So if your '75 van with the barbarian and unicorn painted on the side isn't cool enough come see me.

It makes me laugh to think that I stress out over my job,yet my company is paying a buyer more money than I'll ever make to purchase this stuff,that no one will want,high price point or not.

Don't take this as ragging on my company,I'm not that kind,I just find it humorous that a few years ago we sold the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and were forced to pull it from the shelf the same day because it was deemed offensive.Yet a seat cover adorned with the title of a song about Paul Stanley's dick is Ok.

Yeesh.

Cover To Cover

Scott McDaniel on Batman.The Bruce Wayne:Murderer?storyline was good in the respect that it showed how far Bruce Wayne had become Batman's alter ego and not the other way around.When threatened with going to jail,Bats was willing to escape and live life sans Bruce.

This cover works well because you can clearly see that it's Bruce in the cell,but the darkened face emits only Batman.Good stuff.

Graphic Language:Pale Horse

From Boom Studios,"Pale Horse"is a 4 issue mini,released earlier this year.Written from a story by Andrew Cosby,and drawn by Christian DiBari.I picked this up at NYCC,from Dibari himself,who talked the book up and won me over with his enthusiasm for his creation,so I purchased.

The story follows black bounty hunter Cole in the Old West,circa the Civil War.Cole finds his wife raped and murdered,only able to save his baby son,whom the wife hid away.Cole gets his revenge,and in the process becomes a wanted man himself.

We pick up several years later,as Cole and his son have been picking up bounties as he teaches the boy how to survive in a dog eat dog world.Most of the book follows Cole as he moves from troubled situation to troubled situation.Eventually we are introduced to a Union General who wants Cole dead,and may be more than he seems.John Wilkes Boothe shows up in quite the interesting role,as we learn more of Cole's history with the General and the War.

The story is good,yet a little sparse to start and then packed with a bit too much in it's final chapter especially.Uneven is probably the right word.DiBari is quite talented,and has a scratchy murky style,assited greatly by his colorist who drenches everything in an earthy pallet.

3 stars,enjoyable read.

You Declared You Would Be Three Inches Taller

The 2CD set gives a unique insight into the creation of this landmark album and will feature a re-master of the original double album, alongside 8 of Pete Townshend's previously unheard demos including songs that didn't make it onto the original album. The Deluxe Edition also includes two books with unreleased photos and new essays by Pete.

"Tommy"gets all the attention for being the great concept album that it is,but did you know The Who recorded a better one several years later?"Quadrophenia"is getting the deluxe remaster treatment and I cannot wait to hear it.The story of a lonely English lad stuck between the Mods and the Rockers during the early 60's,and the four aspects of his personality.This thing goes on sale in November,otherwise pick up the regular version anywhere that sells great music.

30 Second Movie Review:The Thing

The Thing,2011 model is a prequel to the outstanding 1982 film by john Carpenter,which is also a remake of a 50's film.You would normally expect a prequel to a remake be terrible,but I am happy to report good results.

As a fan of the '82 version,I was really pleased with the amount of detail and continuity that the filmmakers used in stringing this story directly into the Carpenter version.In that film we are made aware that there was another scientific base(manned by mostly Norwegians)that had run afoul of the alien terror found deep beneath the Antartic ice.This is the story of what happens to those characters and how the events lead to the '82 film.Despite knowing the fate of these characters can't really be good,there is still tension built,and hope that survival is an option.

The cast is solid,the effects are a good mix of CG and practical,and the film is a credit to it's predecessor.Stay thru the credits to see the definitive bridging scene between this film and the Carpenter version.4 Stars.

What Was Wrong With Me?

I watched alot of Sci Fi TV as a kid,the original BSG,Star Trek,V,and Buck Rogers,which as a kid was probably my favorite.There was one episode in particular that terrified my young brain,and that was "Space Vampire".Long story short,Buck and his posse end up on a space station inhabited by a ,well a space vampire.

This creature put the fear of god into my probably 6 or 7 year old self.I could'nt sleep at night,I was convinced this motherfucker wanted to drain me of my lifeforce just as badly as he wanted poor Wilma's on the episode.I was also at the time terrified of Bela Lugosi's Dracula,as I had seen him battle Abbott and Costello in what I'm sure amounts to the least scary film ever.Vampires just freaked me out man.

Oh,the reason I posted this is because I recently saw a pic of the space vamp and would like to punch my young self for being such a puss.

Here it is!

Indiana

This is my dog Indiana.We named her after Indiana Jones.She was a rescue dog from Georgia,abandoned with several of her sisters by a real fine person who left her and 4 other dogs underfed and full of ticks and fleas to die in the middle of a field(in a crate sized for one dog).They were found,nursed to health and when she was about 5 months old we adopted her and had her shipped up.

She can be difficult but I love her,and I figure she deserved a little love,so a post was in order.Here are some of Indy's likes and dislikes.

Likes-

Food,real food hound,and I have seen her twice eat cat vomit...

My wife...Indy is a true Momma's girl,they have a unique connection.

Walking and being outside in general,she loves it.

Dislikes-

Strangers,and in that case men in general.

Cats and squirrels,no tolerance for them.

Being left home alone,she is at her happiest when family is together.

So yeah,it's corny,but Indy deserves a mention,and I love her,so there ya go.

Ultimates

Alright,I am finally excited for this movie.

Musical Interlude:Patrick Stump and Daryl Hall

Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy and Daryl Hall and his band doing a great rendition of Sugar,We're Going Down on Hall's web series.

Jor-El

Russell Crowe in the first pic of Jor-El from the upcoming nineteenth Superman reboot film.I like the Kryptonian outfit over what looks to be Superman's suit,complete with the S logo on chest,suggesting it is the family crest as in the '79 film.

Musical Interlude

The Swell Season performing Lies.If you haven't seen Once,it's one of my favorite movies of the last few years and features these two great musicians,and is full of their music.

Denmark,Thank You!

These are my hits since starting the blog in January.We knew it would be a hit in the U.S.,but 34 views in Denmark.Goddamn!23 in Germany,I'm the next Hasslehoff.

United States 2,010

Denmark 34

Germany 23

United Kingdom 19

Canada 16

Russia 6

Singapore 6

Australia 5

Argentina 2

India 2

The Ultimates Movie!

Liking the design for Cap's modern uniform.Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye should be good as well.I need to see a full trailer to get excited,still not yet.

Go Buy "I'm With You"

The Chili Peppers' new album "I'm With You"is fantastic and well worth the $12 bucks it will cost you.Guitarist John Frusciante left the band a couple of years ago,but left the door open for new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer,who proves a worthy,if a bit more held back player.This song is so full of energy and reeks of "Mother's Milk"era Peppers music.Trust your buddy John!(Although I admittedly like the much hated "One Hot Minute"album too)

30 Second Movie Review:Bridesmaids

Yes this is a chick flick.No matter how funny it gets at times,in the end this IS a chick flick.The script by Star Kristen Wiig is full of chick flick moments,from the down on her luck heroine meeting cute with Mr.Right,to the inevitable moment where the newfound love falls victim to said heroine's insecurities,and of course the magic happy ending where our couple ride off into the sunset.What sets this film apart is also the mass vomiting/diarrhea in a sink scene,the main character calling a 14 year old girl a c&#T,and a good amount of other bawdy humor.
Kristen Wiig has been one of the few shining stars of the pretty bad SNL for the last few years,and she excels at playing awkward humor.Maya Rudolph and the rest of the cast play offf of each other well,and if I have one problem it is that the film doesn't focus enough on the other female characters.All of the woman playing the Bridesmaids are funny in their own right,but only Wiig and Rose Byrne share excessive amounts of screen time,and Byrne plays the straight man to all of the goofy characters.Overall 3 stars out of 5.

Conventioneering

I have gotten into a bad habit.Raiding .25 and .50 cent bins at shows,trying to fill series and also buying random odd stuff I find.In the last month I went to Stamford's ComicConn and Classicon in Waterbury,and I have added signifigant amounts to my collection.Not much groundbreaking,but the thrill of finding something you want in a cheap box is quite exhilerating.What is almost equally frustrating is seeing a new book that you paid 4 bucks for in the last year also be in the .50 cent bin,but such is life.Here are some of the things I have picked up at the last few shows.

Yeah I know,this mid 80s series based on the Raiders hero only lasted 34 issues and is not known as being good,but I love Indy,never read it and figure if it takes years to get them all,so be it.I found about 4 issues thus far.

I have been reading the 80s Suicide Squad run,and as Checkmate runs as a sort of sister title and ties in at one point,I figured I'll pick em up.Got about 10 issues of the 33 issue run.

I read IM,but picked this up because it is from November 86,Marvel published most of their books with this style portrait cover,and character border.I want to pick up as many as possible.I own the Daredevil issue from when I was a kid and the Transformers.This is the first I have picked up.

Supposedly a great Legion series,I found about 5 issues of the 12 issue run.Really looking forward to finding the rest.

ASM #262.I never saw this before and found it cornily interesting.It is the only photograph cover ever in ASM's history.The guy on the cover was a stuntman hired in the 80s to play Spidey in what was to be his big screen debut.That uh didn't happen.Peter Parker likes his jeans tight!

Picked up the last remaining books needed to complete the DD 'Born Again"storyline(227-233)by Frank Miller,which I have always wanted to read.

1 of the 2 issues of the 80s Booster Gold series that I am going to start putting together.

Well,thats not all,but some good finds for less than a dollar,and all in generally good condition.NYCC is a few weeks away,but I do not delve into the bins there as carrying all that stuff around can be cumbersome.Keep posted for more cool found schwag.

                                                          

DCU New 52

Ok,so I read some more of the #1 issues,heres some thoughts.

Suicide Squad-Good setup issue,Deadshot is the only hold over from the 80's run,along with a newly svelte Amanda Waller,still in charge of Task Force X.The team is captured and being tortured for info as the book opens,and we learn that all is not as it seems.Does a good job of leaving the reader at a point where you really want to pick up the second issue.

Red Lanterns-Just didn't care for this book.The opening with Atrocitus and Dex-Starr raiding an alien ship was good,but the rest as Atrocitus tries to come to grips with his rage dying out,and the mutiny he has on his hands from the rest of the Reds just didn't pull me in.A cool group of characters that work better in another book.

Green Lantern-Now this was good.Sinestro finds himself a GL again,and Hal Jordan finds himself feeling useless after losing his ring to the former Yellow Corps leader.The book splits time between Hal's struggles to live an ordinary life,and Sinestro's spying on his Yellow Lanterns and his homeworld of Korugar.By books end we have the two misplaced souls looking to change their own fortunes together.

Wonder Woman-I have never been a huge WW fan,I only have read a handful of issues of her books and don't really care.That being said the first issue was fantastic.Brian Azzarello did a great job of bringing a real visceral nightmare quality to these Greek Gods walking the Earth.They don't walk around adorned in gowns and togas,instead they cut the heads off of Horses to birth the Centaurs inside.Diana is charged with protecting a young girl who may be pregnant with Zeus' baby.All manner of Amazonian nightmare is after the girl,it shall be interesting to see where this goes.

Mr.Terrific-Michael Holt is an ex athlete,genius scientist,who fights crime under the guise of Mr.Terrific.A quick flashback lets us know that his wife was killed in a car accident,and he poured all of his energies into his scientific research.Years later something or someone is sending signals that upgrade people's minds and turns them murderous,so Terrific is on the job.Good first issue.

Detective Comics-Bruce Wayne is back as the sole Batman in the DCU,and the first story finds him up against his nemesis,The Joker.Good story,really overshadowed by a shocking last page.

Batwing-Surprisingly good first issue,tremendous art by Ben Oliver.David Zambivi is a good cop amongst bad cops and warlords in the Republic of Congo.Holding onto a plot thread from the old DCU,Batman has chosen David to act as the Batman of Africa.The first issue reads strangely as it starts with a fight between Batwing and a villain,goes into flashback after a few pages and never returns to the present,ending on a cliffhanger that seems to kill off a character that we have seen is alive in the present.Otherwise interesting book.

More to come

Cover To Cover

FF #252,cover by John Byrne.A favorite of mine simply for the sideways cover,and the issue reads the same way.The cover is a basic enough group shot,but is always memorable to me because of the orientation.Uncanny X Men did an issue similar in the early 2000's.Simple,classic cover.

Nothings Perfect

Two casualties to report on the DCU new books front.Writer John Rozum has left Static Shock after issue 1,and JT Krul will be replaced by the writing team of Keith Giffen and current Green Arrow artist Dan Jurgens after issue 3 of Green Arrow.I can only say that the new GA team excites me,as the first issue was ok at best.

DCU New 52

Week 2 of DC's big 5 week long launch of 52 new books has just ended,and as I'm starting this late and haven't read all the books yet,I'll review what I have read so far.That being said I am not going to be reading all 52,so this is just a small group of books.

Action Comics-A nice surprise.Grant Morrison is the most maddening writer,offering sheer brilliance one minute and steaming crap the next.This first issue introduces us to a very young,and very brash Superman,freshly moved to Metropolis from Smallville.We meet General Lane who operates an anti Supes project known as "The City",a very Morrisonesque idea,that basically lends the idea that Metropolis has automated anti meta weaponry in every nook and corner.Lex Luthor is advising the General,and spouts off on his anti alien views,setting him up as Superman's eventual nemesis.Morrison stamps the idea of this being a beginning for The Man Of Steel nicely,with seperate scenes of him being faster than speeding bullets,leaping tall buildings in a single bound(just like the 30's version,this bird can't fly yet)and being(almost)more powerful than a locomotive.Nice start.

Green Arrow-So far a little disappointed.Lots of action,but the characterization of Ollie is a bit offputting for me.This Ollie is much younger,and employs a two person team of weaponeers and tech experts in his crime fighting quest.He is also in charge of something called Q-Core,and works closely with Queen Industries,which the relationship wasn't totally explained yet.It seems that the basis for this new version of GA is the Smallville TV show's version,from pictures I have seen.Hopefully we get a little further in issue 2.

Stormwatch-Mixes elements of Stormwatch and it's spinoff the Authority nicely.The first issue introduces us to the team as they investigate a threatening Moon,try to recruit a new member and meet a new threat/future member.I love the old Authority series when Warren Ellis and Mark Millar wrote it,and hope we can get something akin.The stories in those books were always larger than life,with big concepts,and it seems we are heading down the right path so far.

JLI-The U.N. puts together their own version of a Justice League,and populate it with heroes from all over the Earth.Booster Gold is picked to lead based on his P.R. abilities and commercialism,while other second tier characters join up because they are picked by the constituents of their countries.Batman is rejected as a candidate but in classic Bat fashion works his way on the team as a liason from the JLA.A good set up issue.

Animal Man-Best of the bunch and I had no real interest.Buddy Baker is a part time superhero,actor,activist and family man,struggling to balance his love of being a hero with his love for and responsibilities as a father.This first issue sets us up with Buddy having some physical issues,and the last page presents him with a true parenting predicament.I loved the art by Travel Foreman,especially the black and white dream sequence highlighted in a few frames by the color red.


Still have to read-

JLA
Batwing
Detective Comics
Demon Knight
Red Lanterns
Green Lantern
Suicide Squad
Swamp Thing
Frankenstein

These will follow soon.