Tag: Batman

G3 Year in Review: Honorable Mention

More great comics of 2013.

It was a tough task to make a list of the “BEST” comics for 2013 because inevitably some books have to get left off. Some really great books.

What does one do?

She makes another list.

Sometimes they were flubbed by crossover confusion. Sometimes Grant Morrison didn’t make any sense, again. Sometimes the writer got caught up in a sexual harassment scandal. But no matter what the obstacle, these titles still managed tear-jerking, character-defining, cuteness-overloaded, chaotically magic moments.  Here are their honorable mentions. Continue reading “G3 Year in Review: Honorable Mention”

Batman Poll: Affleck Apocalypse

You guys seem to have opinions about this Batman/Ben Affleck thing.

I know we are supposed to be on hiatus, but then the Internet lit up like a Christmas tree … on fire … doused with gasoline … when news broke that Ben Affleck will play Batman in the Man of Steel sequel. Judging from Twitter and Facebook, many, many fanfolk are not feeling this idea. Like, at all. I haven’t seen this kind of social media meltdown since the 2012 Presidential debates.

Check out some of the best tweets. Continue reading “Batman Poll: Affleck Apocalypse”

Comic Judgment: Young Romance – The New 52 Valentine’s Day Special

This collection of romance-themed stories didn’t make E. want to break out the candles and flowers.

Supes and WondySuperheroes and anti-heroes lead complicated, over-the-top dramatic lives that inevitably wreak havoc on their relationships. No matter what that passionate lip-lock between Wonder Woman and Superman on the cover of Young Romance: The New 52 Valentine’s Day Special suggests — and enough already; we get it — the stories in this collection are not heavy on heart-fluttering moments and sexytime. Continue reading “Comic Judgment: Young Romance – The New 52 Valentine’s Day Special”

2012 Memorable Moment: The Joker Returns

Batman #14Owls, schmowls. The real horror story in Gotham arrived in Batman #13 with an eerie cackle and a face hanging off its hinges. Writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo brought the world’s scariest jester back in a big way, and the story rattled me so much that I was suspicious of every creaking floorboard for a few days. The Joker is on a highly personal mission to rid Batman of the loved ones and allies who, in his words, have made him weak. What makes this especially unsettling is that he has practically seeped into the walls and knows everything, from the kind of soap Nightwing uses to Commissioner Gordon’s restless sleeping patterns. Did I mention that the skin of his mug, already grotesque, is barely attached? “All he’s about is convincing yourself that the things you’re most afraid of are true,” Snyder told the Washington Post in his assessment of the Joker. Keep a flashlight handy, dear reader. You’ll need it to look under your bed after reading the next installment.

NRRD PROBZ – 12.11.2012

Hello, dear readers. Just as a heads up this is going to be the last NRRD PROBZ of 2012. It will return on January 8th, so have a wonderful holiday and send in those questions!

“Gail Simone got sacked! If I wanted to start reading some Gail Simone books, where do I start?”

I KNOW WHAT’S UP WIDDAT? We here at G3 are currently mourning the loss, and may continue to do so for some time.

In the interim, you could start out your Simone quest with one of her runs on Secret Six. They are great fun and really accessible to newer readers. Her first collected work on it is entitled “Six Degrees of Devastation” and includes all six issues of the mini series. I would read this first, not only because it is chronological, but because when using this as a starting point you really get to see her grow into the series later on. Continue reading “NRRD PROBZ – 12.11.2012”

Comic Judgment: Triple Play

E. grades Batman #13, Punk Rock Jesus #4, and Amy Reeder’s Halloween Eve.

Here’s the lowdown on the three best comics I read last week:

Punk Rock Jesus #4
I half expected Jesus to drop the mic and walk off the stage after that scalding final panel in Sean Murphy’s Punk Rock Jesus #4, which took the pull list prize last week. Batman #13 may have been the big draw, but PRJ is the one that really leaves a mark. Now a teen, Chris — the so-called clone of Jesus Christ — can only stand by and watch as the horrible J2 reality show franchise delivers his poor mother a final, crushing blow. Afterward, you can see in him the same dead-eyed grief that haunted his security guard, Thomas, an ex-IRA terrorist who witnessed horrible violence as a boy. Chris takes refuge in punk rock albums and extreme cardio, and he then fully rejects the dogma that has defined his existence. It’s goodbye, Bible; hello, Sex Pistols and Richard Dawkins. Let’s just say that Chris goes way off script and makes his feelings about religion and his followers scathingly clear in the most memorable scene of the week. Jesus has left the building. Grade: A+

Batman #13
The Joker has one of the scariest faces in comics, but he’s even more terrifying when you can’t really see him. In the first chapter of “Death of the Family,” we catch only glimpses of Batman’s nemesis as he makes a methodical, chilling comeback. A shoe here. A blood-splattered glove there. A cackle in the dark as victim after victim suffers off-camera. I doubt poor Jim Gordon will ever have a sound night’s sleep again after hearing the Joker’s startling commentary about where the commissioner stashes his cigarettes. This is a horror show in the making, and Snyder-Capullo deliver a perfectly paced, chilling first act. The “Tease” backup story, in which Mr. J. tests the depths of Harley Quinn’s loyalty, made my skin crawl right up until the last second. Grade: A

Halloween Eve (one-shot)
Image one-shot Halloween Eve is like candy. Its pleasures are brief, colorful and ultimately quite sweet. Brandon Montclare’s story focuses on the cranky Eve, a costume shop employee who loathes Halloween. When Eve falls asleep in the shop the night before Halloween, she plunges into a topsy-turvy fantasy world where every day is the one she hates most. Montclare’s story is charming, but it’s Amy Reeder’s art that dazzles. Reeder illustrated and colored the comic, and each panel is luminous and lovingly detailed. Her rendering of each character, especially the expressive Eve, is perfect. Plus, the magical aspects of the story give her a lot of room to play. Halloween Eve is a treat, one that’s appropriate and appealing for tween readers and up. Grade: B+

Random thoughts on ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ with spoilers

Imposing in scale and length, The Dark Knight Rises takes viewers on a scenic but meandering journey — two hours and 45 minutes — that can test the limits of patience. But that’s OK. Thanks to some great acting and incredibly satisfying final scenes, these indulgences are easily forgiven. TDKR wraps up Christopher Nolan’s Bat-trilogy with style while offering some honest-to-goodness surprises and moments of pure fan delight.

This guy right here.

A few thoughts, in no particular order: Continue reading “Random thoughts on ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’ with spoilers”