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AICN COMICS REVIEWS SECRET INVASION! INVINCIBLE! CAPTAIN BLASTO! AND MUCH MORE!

I am so buying Beards of Our Forefathers- Awesome! by krushjudgement	Jun 18th, 2008 01:13:40 AM
And Mike Allred is my hero.
Last week was hella light. So is this week... by DuncanHines	Jun 18th, 2008 03:25:55 AM
But, man oh man, Skaar: Son Of Hulk kicked some ass. This book is what I've been waiting for since Busiek and Nord left Conan.
Mcpoops by DuncanHines	Jun 18th, 2008 06:06:58 AM
yeah, they still publish Wizard. My pal Toney still gets it sometimes and I read his copy on downtime at work. It's alright, when it's someone else's copy. Or if you subscribe (it's like 6 bucks an issue now, vs like 30 or something for a year's subscription.) It's definitely not worth that cover price though.
Captain Blasto! by MorpheusTheSandman	Jun 18th, 2008 06:39:30 AM
Rules!!!!!! It's like Kick-Ass for kids!
Recent Batman releases by mothandrust	Jun 18th, 2008 07:20:43 AM
Is anyone reading the latest Batman titles? Where is Batman R.I.P. going? I mean, what on earth are they doing with the Bat continuity in this, the year of the bat? Am I getting the vibe that there's some big changes for Bruce, or will everything trickle back to the default setting? Bruce Wayne has more girlfriends than I can keep up with and seems to be letting the batseed flow freely. And you gotta check out Confidential. Batgirl and Catwoman are nude and bumping into nude swingers at a hedonists club party. Man, I love Gotham.
Wizard's great by mothandrust	Jun 18th, 2008 07:24:09 AM
The recent 200th edition was a must have mag. What do you want from Wizard? A fold out bikini pin-up superheroine or sealed section? Ummm, not a bad idea actually.
Now I feel bad for Grant Morrison by Laserhead	Jun 18th, 2008 07:41:41 AM
This isn't exactly new, but I finally read his Newsarama interview for Final Crisis #1. Holy shit. Q: "So, this is like the third time in a few months that Orion's died, and these two big event series were all about the New Gods and them dying, including Darkseid. Why does Superman act like it's a huge thing to find a dead New God, when he's been watching them all die for the last eight months?" A: "Um... what?" So the story he had planned (confusing as it is) has basically been spoiled before it could even really begin, because the editors failed to maintain the slightest continuity between projects, and even allowed other projects to steal the thunder of Morrison's idea. I'm not a continuity stickler, but when a story happened LAST MONTH, it should probably take a little while before its entirely negated. Plus, after talking up how ahead they were on the work, we learn that with FC#4, Carlos Pacheco will be sharing art duties. I've been much, much happier with the way DC handles its characters, and only read Brubaker at Marvel, so it's pretty disappointing that the hugest-event-ever at DC is already feeling like an anti-climax. If I was Morrison, I'd be furious with editorial. Shouldn't editorial heads be rolling at DC?
God Damn by Series7	Jun 18th, 2008 07:46:57 AM
I loved Captain Blasto for the PS. Even if it sucked.
Man, those Beards comics sucked. by rev_skarekroe	Jun 18th, 2008 08:09:02 AM
Like Red Meat, but they forgot to make it funny.
that Quicksilver statue by Gatsbys West Egg Omlet	Jun 18th, 2008 08:31:14 AM
is pretty bad ass.
THE TWELVE KICKS FUCKING ASS!!!!! by kingben	Jun 18th, 2008 08:59:19 AM
THE TWELVE is bar none the best series of '08. Final Crisis still has alot to do, and secret invasion i'am still on the fence about. But THE TWELVE has shown me time, and time again that it still fucking kinks ass
DC Editorial is suffering from trade-itis by RealDoubleJ	Jun 18th, 2008 09:06:09 AM
It's true! It started off with Infinite Crisis having 4-5 spin-off graphic novels leading up to Infinite Crisis & then they posted a couple of "Crisis Aftermath" books but the main draw were the 4 volumes of 52 (which sold a lot). Now someone at DC had the bright idea that not only could they do another 4 volume series (Countdown to the Final Crap) with it's own spin-off trades (Adventure, Mystery, Havok, New Gods, Specials, Salvation Run, Underground, the search for Ray Palmer where they didn't actually find him in their own book) but that'll lead into a Crisis so large that it's going to affect all the major books (again) & have even more tales to flesh out the universe (again) & an already planned retrospective series (...kind of again). If they really want people to get caught up in this fever they gotta start spelling things out along the spines (House of M) or giving us a multicolour rainbow (Civil War) to pimp out are bookshelves. If they're gonna treat fans of COMICS like money-grubby children they can at least have the decency to paint it up a bit prettier.
FC Laserhead by optimous_douche	Jun 18th, 2008 09:06:37 AM
Couldn't agree more, it was actually one of the reasons I roasted the title in my review last week. http://www.aintitcool.com/node /36963#1
Final Crisis 4 onwards= pathetic by messi	Jun 18th, 2008 09:08:17 AM
fill in artist. how pathetic. this is supposed to be a mega event. Like someone else said, it's the new rolling stones record with half the songs being covers by eric clapton. lame. you fail dc. marvel wins again.
Eternals by optimous_douche	Jun 18th, 2008 09:30:46 AM
Hated it despite liking the mini-series. I think I made teh mistake of reading this right after New Universal, which in my opinion was vastly superior. Granted, two different books, but they are both trying to set up a new stable of "heroes".
Captain Blasto by Tardispilot	Jun 18th, 2008 09:39:51 AM
This is actually an independent movie that played in film festivals about 2 years ago.
Invincible 50 was disappointing by v1cious	Jun 18th, 2008 10:36:48 AM
seriously, we all pretty much saw what was coming after 49. it didn't offer any real surprising developments. also, was it necessary to have a damn 10 page autobiography of Cecil Steadman? I can't believe this is what we were handed after months of delays.
DC editors by Laserhead	Jun 18th, 2008 10:38:52 AM
The actual size of the editorial incompetence with FC just boggles my mind, the more I think about it. Think about if this situation occurred in association with 'Secret Invasion': it'd be the equivalent of someone doing a high-profile 'Death of the Skrulls' mini-series immediately prior, wherein all the Skrulls are killed, while also having a year-long, weekly miniseries called, I don't know, 'Deadline to Secret Invasion', which also features the death of the Skrulls, but in a completely different way, and ends with all Skrulls everywhere wiped from existence. THEN-- 'Secret Invasion' shows up a few weeks later, with absolutely no knowledge of the contents of the two previous series, nor much awareness of the fact that Skrulls don't seem like such a novel story-device anymore, since they've been overexposed and pushed down readers throats for the past year, leaving Bendis to say, "They did what--? Why the fuck didn't an editor tell me?"
Alright: I need to start letting things go by Laserhead	Jun 18th, 2008 10:42:08 AM
but to start me on my process of healing, somebody needs to be fired at DC. Somebody named Didio.
Twelve is much better than Superpowers by Squashua	Jun 18th, 2008 10:44:06 AM
I still read Twelve. I dropped Superpowers. That's about all there is to it.
... by blackthought	Jun 18th, 2008 10:46:21 AM
egg white omelette. cup of soy chocolate milk. slice of whole wheat with apricot preserves. cup of green tea. i feel full. you?
Yay! by saddael	Jun 18th, 2008 10:49:31 AM
The manga bit was really truncuated!
laserhead by saddael	Jun 18th, 2008 10:57:03 AM
You wanna be healed? then repeat after me "i must let the buckets go, buckets are a good way for superheroes to fight a fire..."
Invincible by optimous_douche	Jun 18th, 2008 11:18:22 AM
I really didn't expect him to completely sever ties with Stedman. I still satnd by my review, I liked the middle story and was luke warm to the third.
Twelve by kungfuhustler84	Jun 18th, 2008 11:44:24 AM
is definitely one of my favorite comics out right now, along with Iron Fist, Cap, and Omega the Unknown. It definitely has the Watchmen vibe. I am ignoring all of Marvel's crossovers, in the hopes that they will stop trying to get as much money as they can, and start making stories as good as that one.
BottleImp by Jonas Grumpy	Jun 18th, 2008 12:05:11 PM
Spider-Man. SpiderHYPHENMan. Come on! Also, WATCHMEN was over 20 years ago, not merely 15. You're technically accurate, but I'm detail-oriented. Who edits this stuff?
Whens the new by Series7	Jun 18th, 2008 12:27:46 PM
Deadpool series come out damnit!
Series7 by WarpedElements	Jun 18th, 2008 12:40:23 PM
Deadpool's new series comes out in September. I've spoken to a lot of people pissed off that he's not the random "CHIMICHUNGA" Deadpool he was in Cable & Deadpool. But I think it was Fabian who messed it up and brought us a random "Hur hur i did or thought something outraaaaaaaageous" type of Deadpool. Way is going to focus on that Wade isn't crazy, he's just dealing with the hand he's dealt, through cynical somewhat twisted eyes.
Mr. Mcpoops by krushjudgement	Jun 18th, 2008 12:59:46 PM
Yeah, they still publish Wizard. My problem with it is they are way too ass-kissy. They don't act like real journalists. I don't even think they review anything anymore.
Wizard way too ass-kissy? by MrSensitive	Jun 18th, 2008 01:21:10 PM
Was the @$$hole interview with Joe Q. where he was let off the hook for the "One More Day/Brand New Day" stories just ass-kissy enough?
Jonas Grumpy... by bottleimp	Jun 18th, 2008 01:48:12 PM
Correct on WATCHMEN, sir-- I had a brain fart while I was writing that review and flashed back ten years or so. And to me, he will ALWAYS be "Spiderman... Murray Spiderman, from Brooklyn."
Dan DiDio is killing DC... by bottleimp	Jun 18th, 2008 01:53:42 PM
Did anyone else read the back page of this week's DC comics? Apparently Adam Hughes was to draw DC's most famous female characters in evening gowns to be used as a poster, and DiDio did not want to include Catwoman. Harley Quinn is in there, for chrissakes, along with some redheaded bimbo (who I have NO clue as to her identity) with her crotch splayed open! And he didn't want Catwoman because he felt that readers were tired of her! Luckily Hughes went ahead and drew her anyways, but this really backs up Chuck Dixon's statement about the editorial idiocy at DC right now.
bottleimp by Jonas Grumpy	Jun 18th, 2008 03:17:38 PM
Oh, THAT Spiderman! I thought you meant the one from Queens. I accept your apology.
MrSensitive by krushjudgement	Jun 18th, 2008 03:34:33 PM
Sorry, I should've been more specific. The entire comic book press is ass-kissy, not just Wizard. CBR, aintitcool, etc.. all guilty of being too fanboy-ish.
Fanboys in the comic industry???? by BangoSkank	Jun 18th, 2008 09:00:02 PM
WHAT! Next you'll tell me there's cheating in professional sports! Say it ain't fuckin' so, Joe.
Final Crisis by DuncanHines	Jun 19th, 2008 02:44:47 AM
Y'know... I just realized an hour ago or so that I think I am a little pissed that J.G. Jones isn't drawing the whole thing and Pacheco is handling some of the art chores. At first I didn't mind. I figured, have Jones handle certain characters and plot aspects, say, the cosmic shit, and have Pacheco handle the earthbound elements. Their page drafting skills are similar enough that this could work, and still kick a little ass. BUT!- It came to me that Morrison keeps stressing how much Kirby inspired this. Hell, he pretty much says that everyone reading this should read those awesome Fourth World Omnibus books first (which I have, and man, they're great. And it definitely clarifies elements of Final Crisis... I'm getting off topic...) ...Spirit of Kirby. Hey! J.G. Jones! Jack Kirby wrote, drew and edited about 60 pages a month! AND he was being paid a HELL of a lot less than you are for your work! Tighten up, man and handle this shit! Don't throw around words like "Tribute to Jack Kirby" without paying tribute to the man's work ethic as well. Come on, man!
Define Fanboy by optimous_douche	Jun 19th, 2008 08:20:45 AM
I think we’re pretty damn objective here. Case in point; I have amazing respect for Chris Claremont, but I have hated his recent work to the point I avoided his signing table at WW Philly. Now if I was pandering or being school girlish I would have walked right up, regardless of my feelings on his work. Plus, I would have offered a much more favorable review of GENEXT. Don’t confuse respect with kowtowing to creators in interviews. If you’re a d-bag in an interview you’ll never get the chance to sit down with anyone again. Want to know why book reviews are a week after the fact, because we write real reviews, where other sites’ reviews are essentially press releases and synopses.
Respect vs. kowtowing by MrSensitive	Jun 19th, 2008 11:25:24 AM
Acting like a jackass to a interviewee and calling someone on bad art/storylines are two different things...especially if you have no problem ripping someone's work before they take the time to grant you an interview. Harry just ripped Mike Myers and Paramount new assholes in his review of "Love Guru", you think the studio or the actor won't give Knowles the day of time again? Come on...
Not Quite Sure by optimous_douche	Jun 19th, 2008 01:40:40 PM
That even Harry will be getting a ton of calls after that anal reaming. I thought that movie looked stupid from even the previews.
Comics aren't movies, Mr.Sensitive. by SleazyG.	Jun 19th, 2008 01:42:52 PM
They have a lot less money for comps, and a lot less time for interviews and stuff. So yeah, if we rip into somebody too hard in an interview, they (or their publisher) won't come back. Don't assume that means we didn't ask hard questions, though; what tends to happen is we send out a big batch of questions to a creator or an EIC or whatever, and they pick and choose which they respond to, then we run the responses. Do I wish Quesada had confronted some of our tougher questions head on instead of ignoring them? You bet. But we ran with what he did respond to because it seemed silly to hold back on all of it because he skipped a few things here and there. And I should point out, in light of what I just said, that I've never backed down in a review and said any less than I meant out of fear it would somehow put comps or reviews or advance preview pages in jeopardy, nor would I want any of our other reviewers to do so. We're still straightforward, honest, and sincere in our reviews. If we think it sucks, we tell you why, and if we like it, ditto.
DuncanHines by steverodgers	Jun 19th, 2008 02:06:29 PM
Agreed. If you are going to pay tribute to the king, then do it by drawing your ass off - it means more when we see it in the panels.
True Dat Sleaze by optimous_douche	Jun 19th, 2008 05:16:24 PM

Comics aren't movies, but an interview is same for both by MrSensitive	Jun 20th, 2008 08:50:28 AM
You guys let your subjects pick and choose the questions? I had no idea, I thought y'all had your set of questions and did the interviews over the phone after setting up a time and day through e-mail or something. Might as well go with what they give you, I guess.
Wait a minute Sleaze by optimous_douche	Jun 20th, 2008 09:57:39 AM
You get comps? What the hell am I doing wrong? :-)
Depends on the sitch, Mr. Sensitive. by SleazyG.	Jun 20th, 2008 12:06:25 PM
Sometimes we're lucky enough to get a phone interview or face to face, but honestly, 98% are done via email. It's how everybody gets their work done--you can do it when you have the free time, even if that's at 2 AM, instead of having to schedule and buy equipment and etc. etc. So we send a whole bunch of questions, and creators often fail to answer all of them. At that point, though, saying "well, we won't run the interview if you don't answer these three questions you skipped" is really just shooting ourselves in the foot. They're not gonna answer 'em, and we're not gonna get any more offers for interviews, either.
Buzz Maverik Ask Comic Pros Hard Questions by Buzz Maverik	Jun 20th, 2008 11:17:16 PM
"Hey, Alan Moore..." "Yeah, what is it, you Yank git?" "Why is it impossible to tickle yourself?" "Yer bloody right. It is impossible, wif yer own fingers. Maybe if you used a feather or something..."
More Tough Questions For Comic Pros by Buzz Maverik	Jun 21st, 2008 04:58:40 PM
"Excuse me, Garth Ennis!" "What is it now, Maverik?" "I forget which has which, but why doesn't the number of hotdog buns in a bag correspond with the number of weiners in a pack?"
Still More Tough Questions For Comic Pros by Buzz Maverik	Jun 21st, 2008 05:00:10 PM
"Alex! Alex Ross?" "Uh, yeah?" "What was the name of that horrible product that Hormel put out that was like Spam, only it was made of chicken instead of pork?"
Good Call Duncan Hines! by Buzz Maverik	Jun 21st, 2008 05:08:44 PM
Jack Kirby grew up poor. These newguys have the same number of hours per day that he did. Plus they are working from a full script, whereas most of the time, the very most Jack had to work with was, "How about a villain who travels through time this month?" And that was okay because it worked. You got a lot of comic for your allowance (although Kirby's heyday was even before my time). And none of this modern day, apologist crap that the pace is slow because of the high quality art. These guys are surfing the net when Kirby would have been working. Also, decompressed writing started when the top 21st century Marvel writers were given more assignments. Stan might have dialogued up to 35 books a month but he probably never wrote a full script in his life. The new writers were understandably unable to script a greater number of books in detail. This combined with the Barnes and Noble trade length cop out and...
Just calling it like I see it, Buzz by DuncanHines	Jun 22nd, 2008 02:59:14 AM
I love comics, man. I'm heavily addicted to the artform. I'll read comics before watching movies, playing video games, at work on break, damn near as much as possible. I've always wanted to read Kirby's Fourth World epic, but I was waiting for a nice edition to be released. (Those black-and-white TPBs DC has had out forever weren't cutting it) I'm midway through the third HC, and man, I'm glad I'm reading it now because of the ridiculous ways it ties to Final Crisis. Hell, that Final Crisis Sketchbook pretty much tells you outright that you should be reading Kirby's Fourth World to get the most out of FC. But, again, I'm rambling... As for your well-worded way of putting, "modern day, apologist crap that the pace is slow because of the high quality art..." Yeah, that shit is a cop-out from these dudes. I remember a couple years back, meeting Frank Quitely at WizardWorld Philly; when his New X-Men issues were always late, and few and far between... I didn't even want his damn autograph; I asked him why he was here in Philly instead of home drawing the book. He replied, "Ach! Anything to not be home drawing..." Really, dude? Then don't take on an assignment you know you can't live up to. Same to Mr. Jones. He knew what he was getting into, and he knew the lead time. Handle that shit, or stick to drawing pretty covers. Back to those Fourth World Omnibus books, Mark Evanier wrote lengthy afterwords for all of them. He was Kirby's assistant during that period of time. He said Jack would be at the drawing board until the sun came up. Roz Kirby would be pissed because the dude would never stop drawing. He'd do about 15 pages a week. And Mike Royer had to keep up on the friggin inks! The only modern artists I see with anything even a little close to that kind of work ethic are Mark Bagley, John Romita Jr, Stuart Immonen, and Igor Kordey, who got the short end of the stick when his most high-profile work looked like crap because he drew and inked his own work on 22-page issues at a rate of about an issue a week (New X-Men. Back to that again...) Alright. I'm done ranting about this for today.

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