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Review of 2nd Star Trek movie trailer
Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, Movies, Reviews,
A car is moving fast through the desert. It’s being chased by a motorcycle. The car is heading towards a cliff. The driver can’t stop in time and jumps out of the car barely making it out. The driver is a young boy. The motorcyclist is driving a futuristic speeder. The young boy announces to the cyclist that he is James Tiberius Kirk. So opens the new trailer for next year’s relaunch of the Star Trek franchise.
I wouldn’t call myself a “Trekker” or a “Trekkie” (I don’t know which is the preferred term these days), but I have seen a ton of Star Trek over the years.
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| Star Trek Movie
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Batman dead?! So says DC Comics February Solicitations
Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,
The advance February solicitations for the final issue of “Nightwing” goes as follows: “As Robin, Dick Grayson fought alongside Batman as part of the Dynamic Duo, the greatest crime-fighting team in history. As Nightwing, he teamed up with his peers to combat injustice in the Teen Titans and the Outsiders. Now, Dick Grayson faces the most important battle of his life. Batman is dead. The Mantle of the Bat must be passed, but it will require all of Dick’s training and skills to carry out the last wishes of Bruce Wayne and protect Gotham City.”
Over at the solicitations for the last issue of “Robin” which also comes out in February, we have the following stated: “Gotham City has found a new hero and his name is Robin – but with a battle for Batman’s cowl looming, is Tim Drake ready to become something more?” Now, if Bruce Wayne was dying, I seriously doubt DC would have that written in their advance solicitations two weeks before the end of Batman: R.I.P.
As previously stated in my blog in regards to DC’s plans for the Post-R.I.P. world of Batman, Grant Morrison has stated that Batman will not be dying and that he has plans for something better than just killing off Batman. I believe him. I think for whatever reason, everyone will think Batman is dead, but in reality he will be in hiding. I’ve read on message boards that Batman will become a New God during Final Crisis - which is also written by Grant Morrison. I don’t think that will happen. To be honest as of right now, I have NO IDEA what Grant Morrison has in store for Batman in “Batman” #681 the final issue of R.I.P. I do think it will be shocking and it will probably anger a lot of fans - but isn’t that what happens all the time?
Read More | Comic Book Resources
DC Comics Review: Batman Confidential #23
Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,
The “Batman: Confidential” series has not been great. The first story arc of Batman vs Lex Luthor was okay. The new Joker origin storyline by Michael Green started off good, but by the end it became kind of blah for me. I read the advance solicitations of the current storyline “Do You Understand These Rights?” a few months ago and thought it sounded interesting. So far, I’m really enjoying it.
The story began in last month’s issue with Batman bringing in the Joker for booking at the Gotham City Police Department for the first time ever. The first issue ended with the Joker stealing the home phone number of one of the detectives who were booking him. He used his one phone call to call the detective’s wife and pretend to be a doctor with the news that she was dying of a disease and that it would be slow and painful death; he said it would be best if she ended her life. One of the cruelest things the Joker has ever done in comics. This issue is part two and is even better than the previous one. With an ending you won’t believe. It involves the Joker and a peanut.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: Batman Confidential #23
Read More | DC Comics
Review of Cartoon Network’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, Television, DC Comics,
I watched the premiere episode of the newest Batman television series with my four-year old son, James - he loved it. However, he also likes Caillou and The Backyardigans. If you are a parent with a young child, you know what I’m talking about.
The latest Batman cartoon takes its name and format from the classic original run of the “Brave and the Bold” comic series that featured Batman teaming up with a different super-hero from the DC Universe each month. The premiere episode was entertaining. It’s a decent story that saw Batman teaming up with Jamie Reyes the Blue Beetle. It’s cool that DC and its parent company, Warner Brothers, are sticking with Jamie and introducing him to an audience outside of the comic book world. I wasn’t crazy about the death of the Ted Kord Blue Beetle, especially with the new Blue Beetle’s outfit. I hated the outfit when I first saw it, but it’s grown on me. I also like the character of Jaime himself in the various appearances he’s made in comics over the past two years. That said, what about tonight’s episode?
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I wasn’t planning on getting “Batman: Cacophony” (not crazy about the title). As regular comic readers, we know that the writer of this series Kevin Smith as of late has not been good at meeting deadlines. His last work over at Marvel was a six-issue mini-series called “Spider-man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do”. A mini-series which began in 2002 and did not finish until sometime in 2006. Four years for six issues. Then there is “Daredevil: The Target”. Issue one was released and the series was never finished. So why should I even bother investing money and time to this man? If I wasn’t writing for this blog, and if I didn’t get 20% off of new books, I wouldn’t have bothered. I can’t say, “it was worth every penny, thank God I bought this book.” But I will say, Kevin Smith does a very good job of writing a Batman story.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: Batman: Cacophony #1
Read More | DC Comics
DC Comics Review: Detective Comics #850
Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,
I’ve enjoyed Paul Dini‘s run on “Detective Comics” so far. I’ve also enjoyed this story arc of his: Heart of Hush which ends with this issue #850. Hush has returned to exact revenge on Bruce Wayne. Thomas Elliot aka Hush hates Bruce Wayne because his abusive mother thought more highly of Bruce than her own son Tommy. Hush decides to attack Bruce by attacking the woman he loves most in the world: Catwoman. He attacks at Bruce’s heart figuratively and attacks Catwoman literally by taking out her heart.
This was a good issue. A good ending to this story. Batman retrieves Catwoman’s heart and has it put back in her body thanks to the surgical skills of Dr. Mid-nite and Mister Terrific of the Justice Society. The issue had a lot of action, good drama, and some fine moments that will give fan boys something to squeal about like Alfred kicking Hush’s butt.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: Detective Comics #850
There is a relatively new service that is available to comic book collectors called CGC. Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) is an independent company which appraises the condition of comic books that are sent to them by collectors. After the grading process, CGC encapsulates the comic book in a hard plastic container and awards the comic book a specific number grade. The numbers range from 0.5 to 10; 0.5 being Poor and 10 being Gem Mint. Here is a complete list of the breakdown.
I have gotten many of my comics graded by CGC. I only get comics of significant value graded. I have an “Incredible Hulk” #181 which is the first full appearance of Wolverine and its graded at a 6.5 (Fine +). Some comic fans do not like this process. Their belief is that comics are meant to be read. I agree, but I think if you are a comic book collector, it’s good to have important issues graded.
Click to continue reading To CGC or Not to CGC
Read More | CGC
I’m going to assume that anybody taking the time to read about comics online is familiar with Previews, that strange hybrid of retailer catalog and consumer buying guide (and major publisher propaganda piece) put out on a monthly basis that contains the full range of items filling your local comic shop’s shelves.
I use Previews sort of like I used to use TV Guide back in the day when that was just a weekly pamphlet: it allows me to more or less keep tabs on the goings-on of hundreds of series without having to either purchase or read every single thing that comes out, which is way beyond my budgetary means.
But in order for this to work for me—and, I’d say, for retailers looking to gauge interest in a title—both the art and the copy for each solicit really has to grab you. And this is my current quibble… which is probably less with Previews than it is with whoever’s handling copy for Image Comics, but details, shmetails. Accompanying the cover of issue 58 of Invincible is the following text:
Click to continue reading A Problem with Previews
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Captain America movie gets a director!
Posted by David Torres Categories: Movies, Marvel Comics,
The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Marvel Studios have decided to go with Joe Johnston as the director for the Captain America film. Johnston was the director for films such as “The Rocketeer”, “October Sky”, and “Jurassic Park III”. According to imdb.com he is in post-production for a remake of the “Wolf Man” staring Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. “First Avenger: Captain America” is scheduled for a May 6, 2011 release.
Click to continue reading Captain America movie gets a director!
Read More | Hollywoood Reporter
Interesting Villians Help Make Interesting Heroes
Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, Marvel Comics, Wizard Entertainment,
I just noticed in the latest issue of Wizard magazine that War Machine will be getting his own on-going series. It will be written by Greg Pak who has done some amazing things on the Hulk recently. Cool. I wonder how long this series will last.
I say this because if you are a long-time comic book fan as I am, you know that when a supporting character gets their own on-going series, very rarely do these books last more than a year or two. Some break the trend and do last awhile, but many last twelve issues or so and then get canceled. Some characters don’t even deserve their own series and get canceled because nobody cares. Marvel Comics’ Quicksilver had his own series in the ‘90s. Why ask you?!? Why?!?
I think a major reason why supporting characters don’t last in their own series is because the powers that be (writers/editor-in-chief/editors) don’t take the time to really develop interesting antagonists for these characters.
Click to continue reading Interesting Villians Help Make Interesting Heroes
Read More | Wizard Magazine
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