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House of M 1

Posted by John Klein III on July 4, 2014
Posted in: Reality Television, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . 1 Comment

House of M 1 Coipel

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Olivier Coipel

Inker Tim Townsend

Colorist Frank D’Armata

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Gatefold Cover by Olivier Coipel

House of M Part One of Eight

Cover Dated August 2005

Of House of M, I own all the issues except for parts three and four.  Of issue one, I own this cover, the regular cover by Esad Ribic and the Director’s Cut.

This was my first real exposure to the wonder that is Olivier Coipel’s art.  I’ve seen it before but this was the first time I was able to follow him on a series.  I still say a huge credit needs to go to D’Armata’s work with the coloring, as it looks amazing!

The Gatefold is a work of art!  Also, a fun way to just let Coipel draw a bunch of characters.

On the Left Side of the Gatefold – Havok, Dazzler (in an outfit she hasn’t worn in decades), She-Hulk, Cloak, Daredevil, Hank Pym as Yellow Jacket, Storm, Doctor Strange, Falcon, Gambit, Sentry and Wolverine.

The middle and the actual cover – Mockingbird (right?), Emma Frost, Nightcrawler, Wasp, Luke Cage, Cyclops, not sure who that cat lady is above Cannonball, Spider-Woman, the idiot that is Wonder Man and Xavier in the middle.  Kitty (making a face I rather she wasn’t) and she is next to Captain America!  Look how much bigger he is than her!  I know people don’t like the way Coipel draws characters with pudgy faces but it works for me for whatever reason.

Right side of the cover – Forge (maybe?), Bishop, Beast, Moon Knight, Mystique, Rogue, Iron Fist, the worst that is Colossus, Warbird, Iron Man and Spider-Man.

Not bad, I just can’t name one character outfit.

On the inside of the gatefold is an ad for the Man-Thing film, which I still haven’t seen.

Issue opens with Wanda giving birth.  Now that I’ve experience this (via watching one happen inches away from me) her first son coming out belly down, isn’t great but he is colored paler than the second son, so that’s a nice touch on D’Armata’s part.  Second son is coming out, back down and head first so that’s the preferred way.

Wanda loves her sons, Vision is happy that they are healthy and there are smiles all around.

Then Xavier comes into the room, demanding that she reset reality to what it really is.  For some reason, Cyclops is also part of the newborn party.

Wanda resets and remembers that she killed the Avengers (her husband, Hawkeye and Jack of Hearts back in Avengers Disassembled).  That was six months ago.

Later, Magneto (wearing his pajamas) and Xavier are discussing Magneto’s daughter, Wanda.  She is sleeping again but only because Xavier made her do so with his mind magic.  Xavier informs her father that he can’t keep doing this to her.  She is losing more and more of his ability to stay in this actual reality.  Magneto mostly just feels bad for himself as he is the worst father in the Marvel Universe.

These two scenes take place on Genosha – or what’s left of it after Grant Morrison had Cassandra Nova destroy it.

In New York City.  Carol Danvers, Wonder Man and Falcon are on their way to Stark Tower, they are wearing their uniforms under jackets and trench coats.  Under the words, New York City, eagle eyed readers can see Quicksilver (he’s under the N) – that will pay off later.

Carol isn’t thrilled with not being invited to join the ‘New’ Avengers.  The team had only recently been formed.  The general public doesn’t know that Stark Tower is the headquarters to the new team.  Also, the message was that no fly ups, everyone has to use the elevator.

Before getting onto the elevator, they have to identify themselves with real names and hero names.  Carol calls herself Ms. Marvel.  Falcon asks her about it but the word balloon response comes from Wonder Man, oops!

The Astonishing X-Men land the Blackbird on Stark.  The panel of them coming out of their plane, feels like the first time we saw them wear their uniforms in the first issue of Astonishing X-Men Volume Three.

House of M X-Men Astonishing X-Men X-Men

Now that I see them side by side, I’m not sure why I thought that.   (or included it here!)

Cyclops is getting impatient with while they were asked to come.  Also, he calls them, Wolverine’s Avengers, which if it was spoken aloud, must be said with a sneer.  Wolverine wants him to just wait four more seconds.

There is an ad for the Fantastic Four game for the first movie (I played it on the PS2).  It wasn’t horrible but I only got as far as the Diablo level then the game started not loading correctly.

The X-Men enter the room to see the assembled Avengers –

House of M Avengers

From left to right – Hank Pym as Yellow Jacket, Captain America, Wasp, Carol “Warbird” Danvers, Wonder Man, Xavier, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Falcon, Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Luke Cage and Sentry.

I really like the poses the heroes are in.  I wonder if they look at Luke Cage with jealousy, as he gets to be comfortable.  Though by now, I bet they love wearing spandex and that is more comfortable to them than wearing jeans.  Imagine living that type of live?

Kitty gives Xavier a big ol’ hug.  This is after Astonishing X-Men 12 (the final issue of the Danger arc) so the X-Men had turn their back on Xavier for his abuse of Danger.

Emma has read Xavier’s mind and knows why they are there.  I really like Emma in this scene.

Xavier wants the combined heroes to judge the fate of Wanda Maximoff.

There is an ad for the Batman Begins video game.  I never got to play it but I heard some people really like it.  I’m under the impression it is like an entire game of Predator missions from Arkham Asylum, so if that is true – I would imagine I would like that game.

Quicksilver has rushed back to his sister’s side.  His father comes into the room.  Pietro knows that the Avengers are coming to kill Wanda.  He has sworn to protect her, first from their father and now from the Avengers.  Magneto is quiet but his son knows that Magneto has made peace with his daughter being killed.  He does have that other daughter in reserve – but I’m sure it doesn’t work like that.

Back in Stark Tower.  Emma is so cold with her decision that Wanda needs to be killed.  Cap and Wonder Man won’t hear of it.  Wolverine is all for killing Wanda as well.

Emma confirms that Xavier can no longer help Wanda.  She turns to Doctor Strange, he also has not found any solutions to help but he is still looking.  This gives Cap hope and so he repeats that they will not be killing Wanda this day.

Kitty is very surprised by Emma’s continued push for death.

Emma wants to vote on it and Cap won’t allow that at all.  Plus, he makes a point of stating this is an Avengers issue and not an X-Men issue.   Emma tells him that Wanda is a mutant threat and that’s what the X-Men deal with.  Kitty speaks up that they deal with threats to mutants and not mutant threats.  Emma tells her that they do both.  Which really, I hate to take a side that Kitty isn’t on but they do both.  That is their bag.  I think Kitty was just waiting for a chance to disagree with Emma and took the first low hanging fruit that she could.

Emma goes on to why Wanda is no goodskees.  If the world found out that a mutant with reality warping abilities killed the Avengers, forced them to disband and is now even crazier, mutant relations will be thrown back to the stone age.

Wolverine wonders how many more Avengers have to die before they are willing to put two in the back of Wanda’s head.  Or one to the neck.

Spider-Man is worried that if his powers ever got out of control, that they would kill him.  Wolverine hopes that is exactly what would happen if that ever happen to Wolverine.  Which is odd as it has happen at least four times by this point and one time after this and they still didn’t kill him.

Wasp and Warbird both want to talk to Wanda, and see what she wants.  As if Wanda will be told the pros and cons and be like “oh sure, that makes sense – suicide by Avenger, please go ahead.”

They decide to go, hoping that Xavier and Doctor Strange can keep them safe.  Page ends with Spider-Man commenting that he won’t be home for dinner this day.

House of M 1 Kitty Pryde Genosha

On the plane ride to Genosha, Kitty hates the site of the island nation.  She goes on to comment that it is a reminder what humans will do to mutants.  Even though the attack was done on a mutant’s orders.

House of M 1 Shadowcat Spider-Man exchange

The heroes get to Wanda’s room and it is empty.  Emma and Xavier can’t detect her, nor can Doctor Strange.

Kitty states that they should get out of there, to which Spider-Man says “no duh.”  This is the interaction that the Proper Marvel Universe Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde have under Bendis’ pen.  Ultimate Spider-Man Annual 1 is still a year away.

Spider-Man notices Xavier is gone.  Then Emma gets a signal.

On the way to the church.  Iron Man is holding Cyclops arms up as they fly together, that can’t be comfortable.  Warbird is carrying Emma, only sightly better with the classic one hand under the legs the other supporting the back.

The church is empty and no one can detect anything.  Spider-Man tells everyone how his Spider-sense works.  He then gets a signal, leading people around.

Then a giant white aura happens, leading to a full page of the effect.

The final page is Peter Parker waking up to a cry of a baby.  His wife tells him it is his turn.  He gets up.

The last panel, we see Peter and Gwen’s wedding photo and her blonde hair sticking out of the sheets.

. . .

So with this, let me say, happy July 4th everybody!  Please be careful out there on the roads and around any fireworks.

. . .

Big Brother 16 – Joey being Alex, was sort of fun.

Was Chenbot wearing blue due to Joey’s hair and Pao Pao wearing a blue dress?

Wish the two gals’ speeches were funner but Pao Pao’s was better as Joey set her up well.

Caleb, I may not know ladies well, but I know you can’t walk up to a lady and tell her that she likes you.  Amber handled it has well as one can expect.

Joey is gone from the house.

I am glad that there were some fun interactions in the hallway prior to their votes.  Chenbot’s little sentence description prior to the houseguests’ votes are still horrible.  The writers need to give her some better material.

Chenbot’s interview with Joey, was not bad.

1st HoH – Amber

2nd HoH – Devin

I don’t care for production forcing gender heads of household.  This is going to get out of hand.

Poor Hayden, dropping at the wrong moment!  That is twice now!

Also, poor Cody, being dethrone on a technicality.

Another week of safety for the Bomb Squad.

Feel so bad for Donny being Team America.  Hopefully the curse stops at Joey.  My wife and I are Team Donny!

. . .

Independence Day film, just because I keeping wondering.  The running times are –

July 2nd – 54 minutes / Blast Ray Aftermath

July 3rd – 47 minutes / First Lady’s Death

July 4th – 50 minutes / Plus Credits

Another year of no Margaret Colin major appearances

Uncanny X-Men Volume Two Issue 6

Posted by John Klein III on July 3, 2014
Posted in: Reality Television, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Writer Kieron Gillen

Penciler Greg Land

Inker Jay Leisten

Colorists Guru Efx

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover Dated April 2012

How great must it be for Gillen, that he can point to this second volume of Uncanny X-Men, and say that this was completely his.

Issue opens inside Tabula Rasa, which was a small fictional town in Montana.  This all happened during Rick Remender’s Uncanny X-Force.  Cyclops’ Extinction Team is here to investigate.

The roster is – Cyclops, Colossus (now with Juggernaut powers), Hope Summers, Namor, Magneto, Danger, Magik, Storm and Psylocke (filling in for Emma).

Psylocke actually knows about this place, as she was there when it happened.  She is keeping that a serect as this version of X-Force is a secret.

Issue opens with the team broken into smaller groups.  Cyclops is taken prisoner.  Magik has been poisoned, and Colossus is watching over her.  Hope and Namor are investigating the under water life.  Magneto and Psylocke are a team.  Danger and Storm are both solo at the moment.

Tabula Rasa is a city under a dome.  One day passed for us, but inside the dome, a million years has passed.  Now the dome has come down.

Magneto and Psylocke find some cave drawings of Archangel and Fantomex.  Then the Immortal Man appears, from the cover.  He kills a green creature and leaves the two X-Men alone.  The man’s armor is not made out of metal so Magneto can’t stop him from leaving.  Psylocke calls for reinforcements.

prv11298_pg5

Colossus is losing a fight as some creatures are making off with Magik.  Hope and Namor are shooting undersea creatures.  Only Danger and Storm can come.

We see Cyclops is a prisoner with three humans.  I like how one of them asks if he is Cyclops, the blasting guy.  That is how I bet most citizens of the Marvel Universe see the heroes.  They are being watched by a humanoid creature, who wants to keep them talking.

There is a special page remembering Joe Simon’s passing, December 14, 2011.  Instead of a picture of him, we get Captain America and Bucky.

The humanoid creature wants them to keep speaking, as that is how he learns English.  I really like the learning curve he displays.

Psylocke and Magneto are trying to fight the Immortal Man.  In a panel where we are ‘treated’ to Psylocke’s left breast, Magneto confeses he is powerless to stop the threat.  There is no metal around for him to manipulate.

In an awesome page turn, Magneto was only jesting.  He uses the metal in his helmet to create shards and attacks the Immortal Man.  Magneto then goes on to describe all the ways he could have obtained metal.

There is a two page spread celebrating that Mark Waid’s Daredevil has won Best New Series of 2011.

Immortal Man can teleport.  Psylocke starts shouting for assistance. Danger states she will be there shortly.  Betsy asks how shortly.  Danger states now, and stomps on the foe from above.  It is a very well paced sequence.

Storm arrives, blasts lightning.  Immortal Man sinks into the ground.  The four members regroup and we get a to see Psylocke from behind.  It is amazing how long she stayed in that bathing suit costume.  Now that she has a far superior new outfit, the old one is so silly.

There is an ad for AvX, Storm versus Thor.  Which is an actual matchup that one would want to see.

Now that he is Juggerolossus, he goes down the hole after his sister.  He doesn’t need backup.

Hope and Namor are making their way to the underwater base.  She asks him why the water creatures are so upset.  He explains that when time stood still, the river was a lake – the water had no current.  Now that the dome is down, the river is moving, destroying their homes.  She compliments him on not being a pretty face.  I really like how this new character brings out a new side of a character who has been around since the 1940s.  She asks if one of his powers is speaking tapeworm.  He doesn’t, but does know one universal tongue.  That pays off big time next issue.

Cyclops and the creature meet up with the X-Men.  The creature explains their history.  Their race was on the brink of destruction.  He wanted to enter stasis but the Immortal Man wanted to escape.  His people exiled him.  Next, the Immortal Man’s attempt fails.  Then the people tried the stasis idea but it was too late.  Now the two are the last of their kind.  Sort of like Superman, but with an extra one.

Issue ends with the threat of the Immortal Man going to try to restore their people, at all cost.  The final panel is of a mushroom cloud, so that isn’t good.

There is an ad for the Avengers with Norman Osborn about to make his big move.  So grand how he became a major threat and not just a girlfriend knocking up and then throwing off a bridge type of villain.

. . .

Big Brother 16 – Donnie took himself the block, and Caleb put Joey up as a replacement nominee.  Hopefully Joey goes home, but I am okay if Pao Pao goes as well.

The Have Nots are – Hayden, Brittany, Joey and Cory.  Poor Cory, I can’t seem to remember him.  Also, poor Joey, not having a good week.

The Have Nots are in a room full of ice and they only have emergency ration blankets to keep them warm.  Also, they all volunteered for it.  I don’t care for when the HoH has to choose the Have Nots.  Not this early, anyway.  Later, it can be mean spirited, which makes for better television.

I also want to remember James Rebhorn, who played the Secretary of Defense in this movie.  He passed away this pass year, such a great actor.

. . .

It was nice to watch the first third of Independence Day with my parents last night.  Tonight is the fastest segment.

X-Men : No More Humans

Posted by John Klein III on July 2, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

X-Men No More Humans

Writer Mike Carey

Artist Salvador Larroca

Color Artists Justin Ponsor with Matt Milla, Jeromy Cox and Guru-eFX

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

This is billed as the first Original Graphic Novel since X-Men Gods Love Man Kills – but is that accurate?  Wouldn’t Dazzler the Movie be the last one?

I know I’ve stated this with Larroca before but his work, with the right colorists, is amazing and he got four of the best right here!

Issue opens with Autolycus Corporation being invaded by a little girl.  She gets locked up and starts taunting the security staff.  They claim their building can’t get breached, to which she makes the awesome comment that she breached it and super easy as they just let her in.  The locked door makes her laugh.

We learn that this day is March 8, and that the girl has future knowledge.  Which makes sense as she shifts into … Raze!  Mystique and Wolverine’s son from Battle of the Atom!

Over at the Jean Grey School.  An empty 747 begins to fall towards the school.  The X-Men faculty go out and try to stop the plane’s descent.  Once they get it to land safely, they discover that the plane is empty.

Rachel turns on Cerebra and confirms that there are No More Humans.

Wolverine takes the faculty to New York City’s Times Square.  They confirm that there is No More Humans.

X-Men No More Mutants Kitty Splash dialogue

Just then, Cyclops’ Uncanny X-Men and Kitty’s All New X-Men teleport feet away.  It is an awesome splash page.  I wish there was a third Cyclops side, Blue Team, title so we can get more of this combined team.

In what I can only imagine is a perfect metaphor to the differences between Blue and Gold – Cyclops reveals that they have already been to several world capitals and confirm that there are No More Humans.

The metaphor being that Cyclops works on a global scale, whereas Wolverine deals with, largely, threats at home – a very narrow scale.

Now is as decent as any time to comment on the time period of this Original Graphic Novel.  Nightcrawler is alive and at the school.  Also alive, are Rogue and Scarlet Witch.  So this takes place, at least, after Amazing X-Men 6 and whenever Rick Remender’s current Uncanny Avengers storyline ends.   As clearly it ends with a major time reset, leaving both Rogue and Scarlet Witch alive and most likely Wonder Man being the only dead Avenger – again.

Kitty being part of the splash page is the extent of her contribution to this hardcover.

Magik, though, is featured throughout.

X-Men No More Humans Kitty story

Wolverine believes Cyclops is responsible for the missing human race.  They start bickering like the exes that we have seen them to be portrayed as for the past couple years.

X-Men No More Humans Magneto minus one daughter

Magneto shows up and tells them to stop.  He brought with him, the twins – Wanda and Quicksilver.  Quicksilver is wearing his All New X-Factor uniform, which is awkward.  So Magneto approached All New X-Factor, grabbed his son but left his other daughter, Polaris, behind?  Ooof, she isn’t going to like that.

Her name is Polaris and she is bipolar, get it?  Seems to obvious to me.

Magneto, his children, and all of the X-Men go back to the Jean Grey School to figure their next step.  Magneto believes that they are done, the human problem has finally been solved and now Earth is ready for the mutants to inherit.

Old Beast makes a fun comment regarding Cerebra being a machine that is built to locate needles in haystacks.  He sets Cerebra to locate humans, and finds only one – in Texas.

The mutants pick a squad to represent the X-Men this day, consisting of – Wolverine, Beast, Jean, Stoem, Emma, Cyclops and Magneto.

Once there, they discover a dying Mr. Sale, tied to a stake.  Emma, with Jean’s help, pulls the image of Raza from Sale’s mind.  Then a machine appears and a fup later, this field team is gone.

Over at the Jean Grey School.  For some reason, the students (of both schools) are dressd like Grant Morrison era X-Men.  Which isn’t uncommon for the New Xavier School students.

The students want to play a game of baseball, which I would be all for another game of baseball.  Just then, odd looking muants show up at the door.  They don’t want a fight.  Instead, they want sanctuary.

Somwhere else entirely.  The field team are in a sort of other-universe.  Beast aids Magneto to reverse the machine to get them back home.  They get back and Sale is dead.  Rachel beckons them back home.

Turns out that these new mutants are from alternate timelines and such.  Since this planet is nearly empty, this is the perfect time.

Nightcrawler is chosen to go investigate in Elliot Bay, Seattle.  Once there, he meets his half brother, Raze, and it is actually pretty cool.

Kurt is taken hostage.  Magik teleports a group of X-Men there to rescue him.

Raze takes this opportunity to reveal his master plan.

The X-Men take Kurt back, and Raze takes this as a victory.  The X-Men can’t do anything at this moment.

There is a scene with Raze and Mystique.  It isn’t until now that I notice their mutual character designs.  Both wear mainly white, both wear white belts with skulls, they have red hair and blue skin.

There is a moment when Mystique wonders if Raze really is her son.  Is he just using his shape shifting abilities to appear like Mystique.

Tempus overhears Raze tell his mother that the humans may not be dead.  He isn’t that familiar with the technology that he used to send the humans away.

The X-Men retrieve Tempus and learn there is a chance the human race can be saved.  Magneto doesn’t like that idea and leaves.

Cyclops convinces Triage to heal the dead Mr. Sale.  He is hesitant at first but agrees.  Doing so makes Sale a zombie.

Back in Seattle.  Mystique and Magneto are talking.  This feels like a special scene to me as I’m not sure if these two have ever spoken to each other before.  It feels unique.

The X-Men show up.  They fight Raze’s Brotherhood.  They do so, so that they can get inside and make the machine bring back the humans.

The two Doctor McCoys are working on the machine.

Mystique and Iceman go a round together.

There are pages of pages of the Phoenix from an alternate timeline and young Jean that goes on.  I guess that Carey and Larocca really wanted to use the Phoenix Force.

The Hanks reverse the machine so all mutants are teleported to that empty quasi-universe.  They left the zombie Sale behind.  It is up to the zombie to bring everyone back.

Once humans and mutants are returned, the Alter-Phoenix makes it so that all the other alternate timeline mutants can live in that weird purple universe.

Story ends with Cyclops telling Jean she did good.  The final page is Beast being an idiot and being worried about dumb things.

. . .

Also, anyone keeping track – today is July 2, so if you are going to watch the film, Independence Day, today is the first of the three days to do so.  I’m going to try my best to squeeze it in but my parents are in town for the next few days and if they don’t want to do the marathon, then I may have to miss it this year.

But don’t worry, I have some posts prepared so feel free to come on coming back.

Happy Independence Day!!!

Posted by John Klein III on July 4, 2013
Posted in: Fun With YouTube. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

This is the last ID reference from me (probably)

As I tell peeps in RL, please make it a safe one!

For those who can’t watch videos, this is the speech from the second greatest fictional president, President Thomas J. Whitmore:

The President: Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in this history of mankind.

Mankind — that word should have new meaning for all of us today.

We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore.

We will be united in our common interests.

Perhaps its fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution — but from annihilation.

We’re fighting for our right to live, to exist.

And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice:

“We will not go quietly into the night!

We will not vanish without a fight!

We’re going to live on!

We’re going to survive!”

Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!

Thanks to AmericanRhetoric.com for having this speech typed out.

Also, thanks to YouTuber Manoj Thansi for the video!

No New Comics For Me This Week

Posted by John Klein III on July 3, 2013
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Our local Hastings, the only comic book shop in this fair city, is now officially two weeks behind in their comic shipment.  Seems like they are getting half of their order, and it’s just DC comics, the Marvel ones seem to be lost somewhere.

Officially, I’m behind on receiving:

(Thanks to ComicList.com)

All New X-Men 13

Scarlet Spider 18

Ultimate Comics X-Men 28

Uncanny X-Men 7

Wolverine and the X-Men 32

Haven’t been told yet if Illyana shows up in What If AvX 1 but hopefully she doesn’t as I’m already getting five comics which is bad enough.  Was hoping to get at least half of the order so the ol’ wallet doesn’t feel the pain too much all at once.

Next week, hopefully Astonishing X-Men 64, Uncanny X-Men 8, and not sure if Wolverine 8 is going to have Kitty or not, I know Cornell said she was showing up in the Killable arc, which I can’t wait to see Davis/Farmer draw Kitty again, so excited!

7 comics is pushing 21 dollars, oooof!

So that this isn’t completely horrible news, I was watching the first third of Independence Day and thinking about how that movie stopped careers so many years ago.  Of course Will Smith is still acting but I notice the President Thomas Whitmore’s daughter is Mae Whitman!  From Arrested Development, Parenthood and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  That’s awesome!  Harry Connick Jr. is still putting out CDs too from what I’ve seen.  Also, Raphael Sbarge, who plays Jiminy Cricket/Archie Hopper (very clever, indeed), plays a commander/tech at the Area 51 base.

Nightwing Volume Two Issue 21

Posted by John Klein III on July 2, 2013
Posted in: Homage, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Written by Kyle Higgins

Pencilled by Brett Booth

Inked by Norm Rapmund

Colored by Andrew Dalhouse

I bought this issue solely for the cover, as I’m a huge fan of homages to Uncanny X-Men 141.  I like how, with these homages, that 141 has become this iconic cover.

This comic was pretty good, I didn’t realize that DC doesn’t do recap pages like how Marvel does, which is a shame as all I know about last issue is that the Prankster has essentially blinded Grayson and trapped him in a tank.  The interesting thing is that it looks like Nigthwing is using this as a training exercise or something as he doesn’t seem that troubled by it and the Prankster seems to be trying to encourage him to get through it.  The Chicago police are after the Prankster and, it seems, are after Nightwing too, or maybe they just don’t know who Nightwing is in this new continuity.

Which I don’t mind no recap page or references to the previous issue as when it comes out in trade, you would have to read something that you clearly just read a few pages back, so I like that idea, and Higgins shouldn’t be writing his comic just for the one guy who jumped in the middle of the story, it should be exciting enough to warrant me to go back and buy the previous issue as well as the next issue.  I’m not going to do that but it was a fun diversion.

Nightwing is after Zucco, who killed his parents back in the day, or at least that’s how Pre-Flashpoint/52 continuity was like.  Interesting that they are now just doing a follow up to what I can imagine is his origin story but from I remember reading back in the day, the whole point with the relaunch of the 52 titles, was to start each arc with a great exciting issue and then dig into origins and explain the differences along the way.  Which is why Batman Year Zero is just now coming out.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Slipshift, who can phase through walls, that was pretty cool.  Not a power enough people do with, which is a real shame, as it can be an extremely deadly power.

Imagine if Invisible Woman and Shadowcat went around, while invisible, just taking people’s hearts out of their bodies?  That would be horrible!  Heroes did something like that, during the first season, with DL, spoilers, which I liked how they used the power, not so much with that character but still, a fun watch.  Then again, Kitty is a ninja, and can phase through the ground, so you really don’t need Sue there, but it might be nice to have someone to talk to during this gruesome crime wave.  Luckily, they don’t do this, as they are heroes.

This was my first issue of any New 52 title, I’m flipping through Justice League at the store, but was not tempted to read it.  I’m not the biggest fan of how DC likes to reboot their continuity every 25 or 15 years, it makes sense why they do it, but then there are no stakes.  Marvel doesn’t do that, but I’ve always been a Marvel guy.

DC, to me, has three great characters.  Chase Cameron, Batman, Wally West Flash and as far as I know, Chase Cameron and Wally West, don’t exist in this new 52 universe.  If you ever get a chance to buy that Chase trade, I can’t recommend it highly enough.  Not sure if her first appearance in Batman 550 made it (it would have to, I’ll imagine) but a good read.  I know she was in that Manhunter series towards the end, and that was good too.

I just saw the new 52 has a huge jumping off point instead of a jumping on point but it shows up end in sight and they haven’t done anything where they have hinted that the old universe still exists so its most likely here to stay (for at least another 12 years anyway) but in this age of having to stay current, and having to reclaim new readers each year, it took a lot of courage to do this clean slate, it just wasn’t for me.

Independence Day Film

On a side, note, today is July 2nd, and if you are as crazy as I am, I just wanted to remind any of you, that if you like to watch the 1996 classic film, Independence Day, broken up over three days, today is the first day to do it.  I always forget which day is shorter, I want to say the July 3rd portion is the shortest, with the 2nd being the longest.  Fun movie, not sure why Margaret Colin didn’t work more after that film, she was great in that movie as Connie, who was married to Jeff Goldblum’s character.  Just looking over her Wikipedia page and she was on a TV show called “Now and Again” which I wonder if I can find that anywhere.  She was also on Gossip Girl, so I’ll have to ask my wife about that at some point too.  *mental note*

Watching this movie like this was a fun tradition that my mother and I started, most likely in 1997, when we owned the film on VHS.  I have to admit that there have been years when I plump forgot to do it and either watched the whole film on the 4th or just scolded myself and told myself to make sure I do it the next year.  Its pretty much the only real “our unique” family tradition we had, which was nice as sometimes in school, you have to write essays on stuff like that and I knew other students would struggle with the assignment as they didn’t have anything like that and I could write about a movie for a page and call it a day.