Author Archives: Vanessa Gabriel

About Vanessa Gabriel

bold beyond repair

Starfire Redesigned

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Girls Gone Geek has the distinct pleasure of being guest judges over at Super Hero of the Month for the Starfire redesign contest. E. and I both agree that few characters could use a fashion makeover as much as Starfire. She has been rendered many ways over the years, but almost always wearing very little. Her most recent incarnation in Red Hood and the Outlaws might be the most ridiculous version to date.

E. sums it up perfectly …

My problem with the costume is that it’s garish – like a futuristic stripper ensemble. She’s a powerful character trapped in a teenage boy’s idea of a sexy outfit, and it’s damn near impossible to take her seriously.

So, in the spirit of creating a heroic image – Come one, come all! Submit your redesigns for the lovely Koriand’r from Tamaran. Erika and I look forward to your submissions!

Submissions are due by Wednesday, February 22nd. Click here for further details.

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Stream of Comicsness – Week of 02.01.2012

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This week’s haul …
Action Comics #6, Sweet Tooth #30, Uncanny X-Force #21

So Sweet
If you get your comics from your LCS every week, you know it isn’t cheap. Prices ranging from $2.99 and sometimes up to $4.99, multiplied by four or five books a week. Well, you do the math. Some books are more than worth it, others are not. The titles that are worth it hit hard and make you anticipate the hell out of the next issue. Titles that do that for me are Batwoman, Chew, Uncanny X-Force … and now Sweet Tooth.

Rewind a couple of months.

One of my besties lent me the first trade of Sweet Tooth, a title that was on the long list of things I want to read. I devoured it. Next trade, please. I also read that voraciously. On to the third, Sweet Tooth: Animal Armies. It is probably one of the most intense stories I have ever come across in a comic. It ranks up there with moments in Y: The Last Man and something else really awesome that I can’t think of right now. But then I had to wait for the fourth trade. That was more than I could handle.

I decided that once the fourth trade hits, I’m getting the single issues. That little doe-eyed, antler-having, coming-of-age in a post-apocalypse kid stole my damn heart. Also, from a sociological standpoint, the story speaks volumes. Sweet Tooth falls firmly into the “worth it” category. Of the many comics currently on the shelves, I’d bet that Sweet Tooth is one of the best. So, if you are looking for something else to read, check it out. Digital issues are only $1.99.

Issue #30 came out this week, and it was stellar. I reviewed it for Newsarama … check it.

Awesome in Otherworld
For the spandex portion of the show, Uncanny X-Force #21 did a fine job, once again. Rick Remender is on a roll with that book. I reviewed that, too.

Exhausted From All the Action
Morrison’s Superman story has gone from interesting to convoluted. I literally got tired trying to read Action Comics #6. I am not going to sit here and hash out the overuse of time travel or pretend like this isn’t what Morrison does. It is. I’m just not sure if it is working for me. Erika is much more eloquent about these things than I am. Check her review.

Xombilicious
One of the most tragic casualties of the DC relaunch was the cancellation of Xombi. John Rozum and Frazer Irving made a deliciously odd and beautiful book. I love, love, LOVE Irving’s art and colors. There is nothing else like it. Rozum’s story isn’t perfect, but it has this bizarre abruptness that plays out quite well. It’s adventurous. Also, there are nuns with guns. If you missed it, the trade came out this week.

Nerd Lunch Podcast: Comic Book Scenarios

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Greetings on this most glorious and geeky Wednesday! While you contemplate your pull list; add a little soundtrack to your day, and head over to Nerd Lunch to listen to our guest appearance on their weekly podcast. We answer some of history’s greatest questions! If you had superpowers, would you use them for good? What comic book planet would you want to vacation on? AND which artist/writer team would you have reboot YOUR life? We answer all of these and more on the Nerd Lunch Podcast 21: Comic Book Scenarios. Check it out!

Stream of Comicsness – Week of 01.18.2012

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Not So Wonderful
Holy crow. Who has been singing the praises of Wonder Woman louder than me? Since issue #1, I have been going on about Cliff Chiang’s beautiful art, and how Brian Azzarello “gets” Diana. Maybe I was just blinded by the light (art). I stand by what I said about Chiang being damn near perfect on this book, but this month’s issue was not drawn by Chiang. So, Azzarello had to do the heavy lifting with the story, and that just did not happen. There is plenty of Greek Mythology. There is another half-breed offspring of Zeus unexpectedly popping in on Diana, Poseidon shows up and Hera is still pissed off. Quelle suprise! Azzarello is a good writer, but this issue falls flat without Chiang’s magic. Tony Akins is the fill in artist, and either DC chose him because he kind of sort of draws like Chiang, or he tried to draw like Chiang. Either way, it was not working for me. It wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t impressed. Akins draws a pretty mean sea monster splash page, but his Diana is all wonky in the face. The proportions seemed off with the other characters as well. Cliff Chiang is a tough act to follow. Continue reading →

Friday Favorite: Starling

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There was tons of skepticism about DC’s new books, and Birds of Prey was no exception. How could you take a perfect formula, Gail’s Dinah, Babs, and Zinda, and just change it? Well, even loaded with all the skepticism this fangirl could muster, I like the new Birds of Prey. I like it because of Starling.

I knew Starling was a pistol as soon as she burst onto the scene. And by burst I mean drove an antique car through the wall of a church. She’s a girl after my own heart. Continue reading →

G3 Review: Action Comics #5

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Action Comics #5
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Brad Anderson, and Patrick Brosseau

It’s the “New 52,” and the new Action Comics, and inevitably we revisit fall of Krypton. But how many ways can Krypton be annihilated? In Grant Morrison’s take on Supes’ origin, he makes subtle tweaks to how it all went down in the House of El. With minor adjustments to previous continuity, Morrison paves the road for a plethora of possibilities for future stories. We press pause on the events of issue #4 and focus on baby Kal-El making it to a planet with a yellow sun and less gravity, so he will be super. Superman’s chunky, little baby self is escorted in a rocket powered by an artificial intelligence Jor-El calls Brainiac. It is Brainiac who narrates this issue, entitled, “Rocket Song.” Continue reading →