Review Teen Titans #88

Teen Titans #88

Take a good look at this cover. Notice how the characters are exploding off the page with smiles on their faces. That's because this book, much like Stella, has finally got its groove back. Keep in mind that they don't spend a Caribbean vacation Taye Diggs to do this. That's my obligatory "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" reference for this review.

The biggest change you're going to notice in this issue is going to be the roster. The fat has been trimmed and has been reverted back to the core members, as for as the 2000's are concerned. You have Superboy, Wonder Girl, Beast Boy, Kid Flash, Raven, Ravager, and another memeber that is revealed on the last page. To say that this mystery member has left me giddy for what is to come, is an understatement. It's a team that looks like it can do some damage, and it looks good.

J.T. Krul, writer, demonstrates a great understanding of these characters right from the beginning. It's very reminiscent of how Geoff Johns handled the characters when the series was rebooted several years ago. By that, I mean the characters are complex, interesting, and fun. He manages to throw in some new monkey wrenches into their lives in this issue, that are sure to make for some interesting moments in the future. He also has them beat down blood thirsty mutants in the first issue! Fantastic!

Nicola Scott really blew me away in this issue. The Teen Titans look phenomenal in this issue. He uses a lot of dynamic angles and poses for the characters, which make them look powerful. He reminds me a lot of Frank Cho, who is one my favorite artists. He also made Raven and Beast Boy look older than the rest of their team mates. I only point that out, because they're supposed to be. I usually seem them as still being drawn as teenagers, as opposed to the mentors of the group. It's awesome stuff and I hope he stays on this book for a while.

If you felt like Teen Titans left you out in the cold a long time ago, then come back into the warmth. The weather is beautiful on Titans island and looks like things are only going to get better from here.

-Action Chad
@chadventure
chad@coastcitycomics.net

X-Men Only

Spidey on The Simpsons

Hell Yeah

The Ghost Rider Omnibus

Halloween is less than a week away, so I hope you guys are close to having your costumes finished. If you already do have one finished you should email me a photo of it. That way you'll be entered into our Halloween Costume Contest. We'll pick our favorite and the winner will receive a $25 gift card!

Around this time last year, I posted an article about why I thought Ghost Rider was the most brutal guy on the planet. This year, I decided to write a review for the Ghost Rider omnibus that came out a couple of weeks ago. Flaming skulls, vengeance, demons, and motorcycles... it doesn't get any more Halloween than that.

Ghost Rider Omnibus

Ghost Rider, the Spirit of Vengeance, dishes out the pain to a number of scumbags, murderers, and cultists in this book. His path of destruction eventually leading him to his final encounter with the angel Zadkiel, who has thrown Ghost Rider's life into the proverbial blender. Think of it as a wild cross country trip full of flaming skulls and Armageddon like visuals.

The writer responsible for all of this chaos is Jason Aaron. You may know him as the guy who recently sent Wolverine to Hell. The horrors of the afterlife seem to be Aaron's bread and butter. His writing makes you feel for Ghost Rider, as he searches for his own vengeance. He's a very human character at his core, and that's what makes this such an enjoyable read. It didn't get so wrapped up in the mythology, that I would have felt distanced from the story. No matter how crazy it became, it never wasn't a story about a guy trying to get someone who wronged him. Aaron's Ghost Rider is down-to-earth while doing things that are otherworldly. He also references "Vengeance", a horrible knock-off of Ghost Rider from the 90's. It's nods to those oh-so-bad Ghost Rider books of the 90's that made me smile, as I grew up on them. Thanks for that flaming motorcycle drive down memory lane.


Aaron also used an idea that Iron Fist did a couple of years ago. They made Ghost Rider a legacy character. By that, I mean that there have been tons of Ghost Riders throughout the ages. They've been in different countries, and date pretty far back. It gave the artists of this book a chance to have fun, and create some really interesting characters. My personal favorite was the Smokey and the Bandit Ghost Riders. I love those movies! It's a great idea, and really opens up the field for what types of Ghost Rider stories can be told in the future.

The art in this collection is handled by Roland Boschi, Tan Eng Huat, and Tony Moore. Each of these artists handled their stories beautifully. They really captured the dark tone of the book, but also captured the more human moments of the story as well. Overall, it's a great collection of artists that are showcasing some of their best work.

The other thing should mention is the price of this book. It's only $50.00! Marvel omnibus collections typically go for $80 - $100, so this is more than a bargain. It's probably the best deal you're going to get when comparing the awesomeness to cost ratio. I'd make some crack about how crappy the economy is, but to hell with it. You already know that.

The Ghost Rider omnibus by Jason Aaron is a well written, good looking, and well priced collection of awesome comics. I can't imagine a better book to sit down with on Halloween.

Review Hulk #26

After conducting some extensive research via my twitter account (@chadventure). I have discovered that you people, you internet people, want to see more cheeseburgers. I am more than happy to oblige.


On to the review!

HULK #26

After the events of World War Hulks, I've been more than a little cautious about reading anything that says "Hulk" on it. I haven't been a fanof the Red Hulk. He was arrogant, hateful, and seemingly unstoppable. Couple those traits with the fact it took way too long for us to find out who he was, I lost interest pretty quickly. The character didn't seem to have any legs to me. I assumed he wouldn't stick around after the events of World War Hulks. As you can see from the cover of this issue, I was wrong. Granted, he's getting the stuffing beat out of him by Thor...but I was still wrong.

What I quickly learned is that I was wrong to treat this as Red Hulk centered issue of the past year. The status quo for the character has changed in a big way. He's been humbled and drop down a couple of notches on the power scale. He's at the mercy of his former rival and looking for purpose. He's everything that he was not before. He's changed so much that I'll even go out on a limb and say he's likable. (gasp!)
I credit this change to the new creative team, Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman (good last name). You may know them from their work on the recently canceled, yet insanely awesome, Atlas series. Putting this creative team on this book makes sense, as it's full of sci-fi threats and complex characters. That's their bread and butter! Kudos to the editor that called these guys.

Atonement is a big theme in this issue, as the Red Hulk knows he screwed up during the events of World War Hulks. Everybody hates him, and for good reason. When doomsday weapons built by The Leader and MODOK (his evil partners in crime from WWH's) start to terrorize the world, it makes sense that he would be willing to help stop them. This is his chance to change how people perceive him, maybe even how he perceives himself. It's a great idea and is providing some really compelling moments.

While Jeff Parker has written the Red Hulk to be a likable character, a feat which is Herculean in my mind, Gabriel Hardman really distinguishes this book as "not your typical Hulk book" with his art. I've found most Hulk books tend to have giant faces, or full body muscle flexing battles that take up the whole page. This isn't the case here. Instead of seeing the Hulk smashing in one giant panel, you'll several panels and poses of him in action. By putting the Hulk in smaller boxes, we actually get to see more of him than normal. It's more interesting to the eye and leads you on the visual path that a comic should. It's great stuff.

This series has taken a turn for the better. If you felt burned out by the events of World War Hulks like I did, then give this series a shot. Jeff Parker and Gabriel Hardman have given this character a stay of execution and it's worth your time to read it.

That's all for now guys!
-Action Chad
chad@coastcitycomics.net
@chadventure

Review Strange Tales II #1

Hey guys! I bet some of you were wondering about what happened on the third day of Comic Con. To answer your question, much like Tony's third day at SDCC, not a whole lot happened. Gerald and I just walked around and played video games for the day. Towards the end of the day I paid $13 for a cheeseburger with fries and a coke. I cried while I ate that meal. Thanks New York Comic Con!

Strange Tales Vol. II #1

The idea behind Strange Tales is that indie comic creators take Marvel characters and put them in odd, and often hilarious situations. The result is a collection of several stories, each with a different look and feel. Have you ever wondered why Spider-Man never tricked Kraven into attending the prom so he could hang out in a hammock. I know I have, and luckily the folks behind Strange Tales did too.

One of the best elements of the Strange Tales series is that you don't know what is going to appear on the next page. It could be a story where Wolverine and Deadpool are members of a wrestling league for people who regenerate. It could also be a dreamily illustrated story about the Silver Surfer longing for his lost love. Either way, the excitement of flipping the page never goes away.

Strange Tales is a wild trip that is a lot of fun. It's full of beautifully illustrated, well written stories that will make any comic fan, no matter how jaded, chuckle at the very least. If that doesn't make you want to buy this book, then know you should know one thing. There is a story where Wolverine eats hundreds of hot dogs while complaining about being dumped. Amazing.

That's all for now guys!

- Action Chad
chad@coastcitycomics.net
@chadventure

HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST!

How would you like to wear your Halloween costume and win a $25 gift card in the process? All you have to do is send a picture of yourself in your costume and send it to chad@coastcitycomics.net. We'll pick the best costume on October 29th! We will be displaying our favorite costumes on the blog.

PLEASE NOTE: It does not have to be a superhero costume! We will accept costumes of all shapes and sizes!

REMEMBER!
send to chad@coastcitycomics.net

New York Comic Con Day 2

The hits keep on coming as day 2 has come to a close. What manner of beasts and magic did I witness today?

The con was absolutely packed today. I joked with one guy about how I felt like cattle being sent to the slaughter house. He laughed, but then sighed and stared at the floor. We shuffled forward. There were a lot of people.

My first stop was David Mack's table. David is one of the nicest guys in comics. If you ever get a chance to stop by his table, then you should take it. I purchased a Spiderman print from him which he was cool enough to sign.

I also had my copy of Uncanny X-Force signed by Rick Remender and Jerome Opena at the Midtown Comics booth. It was a real "wam bam thank ya ma'am" type of deal. I was a little hummed about that, but at least I got it signed by two talented guys.

Also! I spent some time talking to other comic shop employees this week and I can say for sure that our store is some type of Bermuda Triangle anomaly. They were all shocked when I told them Shadowland and Franken-Castle had sold well for us. Apparently you guys are the only ones that like our best selling books. I don't know why and I don't care either. You guys have great taste.

After that, I went to the Avengers Assemble panel. This panel was a lot of fun, and they gave us a few bits of information about upcoming Avengers titles. The most important thing, to me anyways, is that Luke Cage and Jessica Jone's nanny will be Squirrel Girl! Bendis told the crowd that upon hearing this, Matt Fraction told him "well we better call the Eisner committee and inform that there will be no need for voting this year." It was also revealed that Nick Spencer will be writing a War Machine title called Iron Man 2.0. Exciting stuff! The marvel group was a lot of fun. Especially Jonathan Hickman, who is a genuine crazy person.

After that, I went and paid $4 for a cherry coke. I'm from Maine guys. That's some serious cash to be dropping on a soda. My bank called me to make sure my card had not been stolen. I told them no, but I had been molested.

I then went to the Green Lantern: Emerald Empire panel. You're probably wondering what gems were revealed at this panel. What tasty comic book nuggets will leave you salivating for more? Well there weren't any. None, not a one. The only highlights were a guy in an amazing Larfleeze costume asking Geoff Johns what his most prized possession was and Ivan Reis acting like a nutcase. Reis kept saying his mother was in the crowd as the answer to any fans question. If you ever want me to do an impression of it, just ask me. Gerald really enjoys it. It's also important to note that Larfleeze tried to steal the mic stand after his question.

After that, the place was shutting down. We stopped off at Chipotle and then saw the new Resident Evil movie in 3D. I LOVE CHIPOTLE!

That's all for now guys!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.2

New York Comic Con Day 1

Wow, what a day. It feels like weeks have passed me by since I woke up at 6:30 this morning.

My first stop was a retailers breakfast, that was hosted by our distributor Diamond. I won't bore you with a lot of the details, ordering and numbers us pretty dry stuff. The good stuff that was announced for you guys is that all books from DC Marvel won't go above $2.99 beginning January 2011. Hooray! There was also Bacon, and I drank a whole pitcher of orange juice.

I played a lot of video games today. I finally got my mits on Marvel vs Capcom 3. It was an awesome game and I even won a few matches in the tournament, until I was destroyed by a professional player. Oh well, at least I received a free poster.

I also played the new Donkey Kong Country, and it is amazing. It will be in my home for sure. Not even two girls arguing over what is canon from previous Donkey Kong Country games ruined my experience.

The good folks at Sega gave me a demonstration on their upcoming Captain America game. This game looks really promising. I asked the developer if Cap-Wolf would be an alternate costume. He laughed and told me they wouldn't be digging that deep into the franchise.

Gerald met Rick Remender (Franken-Castle, X-Force, Fear Agent) while I was playing games. He bought some stuff from him and came and grabbed me, so I could meet him. Rick was one if the guys I wanted to see the most, so I was excited. We get over to his table and Remender informs Gerald that he really appreciated him buying his books, but he never paid him. Obviously, this wasn't intentional so we rib Gerald about this for a little while. I then asked him to sign my Punisher book. I posted a picture of what he wrote above. It's pretty funny.

I spent more time walking around checking out some great artists and booths. It's really a blast seeing all of these creative people being really excited about what they're working on.

To close out the night, I went to the Venture Bros panel. Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick are out of their minds. I love it. They didn't have any footage to show, since the season had just started. Instead they just took questions from the crowd and told stories. It was hilarious and well worth the hour plus I waited in line.

Tomorow ill be checking out the cup o' Joe panel and walking around eating pizza. It's a tough job folks!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.2

Video Quickies! 10/610

Bobcat

I was going to write a review tonight, but then I met Bobcat Goldthwait. I'm all flustered and starstruck and can't think straight. Woo!

Quickies 10/5/10

Wow! I'm sorry there hasn't been any updates between now and 24 Hour Comic Book Day, but I needed to take some mental health days after that marathon of insanity. We had 7 people complete the 24 hour challenge, which is quite a bit considering how hard it is to complete it. If you're ever talking to those people who completed it, make sure to shake their hand. They worked hard and deserve your respect.

I'll be scanning some of the comics we have tonight, and posting them tomorrow. There's some pretty funny/amazing stuff in there.

While I was having panic attacks last Wednesday through Friday, I neglected to do reviews! This will not do, so here they are!

Captain America #610

What can I say about this issue that hasn't been said about this series already. It's amazingly well written, and the art is top notch. I could gush about that for a few paragraphs, but instead I want to talk about why I think this issue is important to Bucky Barnes, the new Captain America.

This is the last issue of the "No Escape" storyline that features the return of Baron Zemo, or rather the original Baron's son as Baron Zemo. Zemo has taken Cap to task throughout this series and has left him unconscious and beaten on more than one occasion. At the beginning of this issue, Cap finds himself at the site of where he was believed to have died when he was the original Captain America's sidekick in WW2. Revisiting this location makes me Cap emotional and more determined the beat Zemo than ever before.

During their epic battle, Cap manages to gain the upper hand. Just as he is ready to finish Zemo off, he utters a sentence that cripples Cap more than any of the beatings he has received thus far. Taken aback, Zemo seizes the opportunity and defeats Cap.

Having the hero be beatable is critically important to me, and to storytelling as a whole. Cap can lose, and it casts a shadow of doubt in your mind when he's in a tight spot. It shows how strong the character is, if he keeps going after being knocked down.

With the trial of Captain America set to begin in the next issue, I can't encourage you to start reading Captain America enough. It's everything a comic book should be. Do yourself a favor and get caught up on this series.

Action Comics #893

Holy crap, I'm reviewing a book that's part of the Superman family. Wait? It's about Lex Luthor? Oh, well that's a horse of a different color! I loved that bald super genius and his Lois Lane Robot. Speaking of Lois Lane robots, like those wouldn't sell like hotcakes* if they were real. Just saying!

In this issue, we find Lex and company on the outskirts of Gorilla City. You may know Gorilla City as the home of the evil, super intelligent, psychic gorilla known as Gorilla Grodd. Lex is in search of the Black Lantern energy that was teleported away from him by Grodd, when he was on the North Pole. Calamity, and by calamity I mean brains are eaten, ensue and a very special cameo happens on the last page. I don't want to spoil it for you, but it's a popular character from an uber popular Vertigo title.

Paul Cornell, writer, crafts a tale full of so many twists and turns it will make your head spin. That's how a Lex Luthor book should be though. The guy thinks 50 steps ahead of everyone, nothing should be taken at face value. I especially enjoyed Cornell's take on Gorilla Grodd, as a crazy brain eating jerk. It's a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy a good story about the bad guys.\

Sean Chen pulls off another great issue. His work is full of detail and well organized. His gorillas are especially fierce, especially Grodd. I would also dare to say that I've never been more afraid of a gorilla with a giant spoon before. Good work Mr. Chen! I'll be having giant spoon related nightmares for weeks to come.

Overall, the series is progressing well. I'm looking forward to where this story arc will be when it reaches it's end. Out of all of the Superman books, I recommend this one the most.

That's it for this week! If you guys have any questions or comments, then feel free to leave a comment here. Also, if you want to email me then you can reach me at chad@coastcitycomics.net. You can also follow me on twitter @chadventure. Goodness I'm connected!

crush your enemies

24 Hour Madness part 5

Sweet merciful crud, that's a lot of pizza...

Thanks Flatbread and Otto's!

24 Hour Madness part 4

We had two dropouts, seen playing pinball in this picture. Luckily, a replacement was found in the lovely Kristine.

One will finish in time, the other will not. You decide internet!

Tristan is blurry in every shot I take of him. His molecules are unstable.

I told them to look nice in this photo and this is what I get.

Some awesome work from participant Eric Santos

Hugh and Bruce have got some attitude for you...they'll probably be stabbing each other at hour 15.

Guess who didn't want their picture taken??

These guys are machines!

Zoe is doing a lot of intricate work here.

Damnnit Gerald! You're supposed to be working on the comic!

24 Hour Madness part 3

There, I contributed.

24 Hour Madness part 2

Over an hour in and everyone is working hard! Things are going well and my panic attacks are subsiding.