It seems like it was so long ago. Atari’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. One of the first movie tie-in games ever made, way back in 1982. E.T. was widely considered a terrible game, even being blamed by some for a crash in the gaming industry. And so it began, the terrible movie tie-in era. In the years since, we have seen many movie tie-in games, typically from the action genre. The bigger the movie, the more likely there will be a tie-in game. Studios and game manufacturers alike just can’t seem to help themselves. Quick Question: Name a great movie tie-in game… still waiting… oh wait there was, no that one was bad too… The point I’m trying to make here is that movie tie-in games typically are not very good. Sure, there may be a rare gem out there that I haven’t played, or even a niche market consisting of a small group of people who actually like to play bad games. But generally speaking, tie-in games are considered bad. Real bad. Why? Video game movie tie-ins are expensive for a game developer to license, and the game designers have to work within constraints imposed by the film studio, under pressure to finish the game in time for the film’s release. The aim for the publishers is to increase hype and revenue as the two industries effectively market one another’s releases. This is hard to do. Poor quality is often due to game developers forced to rush the product in order to meet the movie’s release date.
When you hear the announcement that a big time movie is about to get a tie-in game, do you get excited? If your answer is “NO. Never have, Never will!” you are just like me. But it appears as though I may be wrong, and there just may be a good movie tie-in game on the way. On May 1st, FOX will release it’s X-Men prequel film X-Men Origins: Wolverine which is based on the iconic comic book character and all around bad ass. Most of us expected a tie-in game. What most of us did not expect, however, is for the game to look good at this stage in the game. Everything that I’ve seen, heard and even gotten a chance to “beta test “(just one level, but still pretty cool!) this game is going to rock! Here is what I know about the game so far.
The game is being made by Raven Software, and apparently the folks over there are big Wolverine fans. I’m sure that’s what they are supposed to say, but they say they honestly are, and that they really wanted to make a great game that the character deserves to have. They have said that they wanted to focus on the aspects of the character that they, along with most everyone else, find so cool about Logan: His claws, the brutal combat he engages in, regeneration and his bad ass attitude. Sounds great. How do they implement this? Quite well actually. The experience is solid, the combat system is good (but still needs work) and the game is just as brutal as the character is in the comics. Let me explain by offering you a couple of quick glimpses into what can happen in the game to Wolverine, and what Wolverine can make happen to the poor s.o.b’s he’s fighting.
Combat
The combat system is wicked cool. I’m not going to get into control aspects and technical details, because there is still time for Raven to work on them and I’m sure they will do so, if they are not doing it already. Wolverine’s attack capabilities in the game are vicious. The claws will finally cause dismemberment! That’s right, you can brutally slash away at your foes, each attack leaving visible claw marks and spraying blood. The final blows can even lop off arms, legs, and heads! Wolverine also has the ability to run and jump into the air, landing on his foe and impaling them with his claws, just like he does so frequently in the comics. He can attack in this way from a pretty significant distance, so it is a great way to take out heavily armed enemies quickly. You can also use a combo system and rage attacks, although I was unable to try that out, word is that it is pretty cool. The environments that Wolverine is in can also be used as weapons, as he has the ability to throw enemies onto any large protruding point, impaling them and leaving them hanging. All of this is cool, but it does not even come close to the coolest aspect of the game, the best part of the whole game playing experience.
Regeneration
Wolverine’s regenerative abilities are well known, and they have been used in previous games featuring the character. But never like this. In this game, you get to see each and every wound inflicted upon Wolverine in gruesome detail, and you can watch it heal before your eyes! Say Wolvie gets shot by a shotgun, leaving a hole in his stomach. You’ll see the flesh being torn from his body. You can see the whole, dripping with blood and torn flesh, and if you stand still long enough you get to watch it grow new tissue slowly covering up the wound. Scratches and dismemberment are the same way. But wait! There is so much more cool regenerative things in this game. Say you are in a major fight. You are getting your ass handed to you, but still you manage to take out the baddies with only a sliver of life left (yes, you can die in this game. More on that in a second.) What would you imagine Wolverine looks like after that battle?
Well, you could see all of Logan’s flesh gone, and have him walk around as just his adamantium skeleton and vital organs appear, and slowly you will see all of his muscles and skin regrow. To keep the game from being way to easy, the developers developed a system in which Wolverine will actually die when he takes too much damage, restarting from the last checkpoint. But it takes a while to get to that point! Wolverine’s health is monitored by a bar at the top of the screen. The more damage he takes, the less the bar is filled. When you get close to death, all of his skin will be gone and his vital organs will be exposed. The life bar is replaced by a beating heart, which is a good indicator that you should get cover quick so you can heal yourself before further engaging the enemy. Wolverine even has finishing moves. I was unable to see them in action for myself, but I’ve been told that the game features all sorts of different finishing moves. You can lop off heads, split bodies in half, deliver claws through skulls, ripping out vital organs, all sorts of things. Basically, if you can imagine a way to kill somebody with Wolverine’s claws, it’s probably in the game.
I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty awesome to me. I love the character, and recently he hasn’t been done any justice. Pop-Culture has made Wolverine into a far less volatile creature. He is even likeable and a sympathetic figure. I blame the X-Men movies. Anyway, because of this, we haven’t yet seen the brutal Wolverine game fans deserve. But all indications at this point are that we finally will. It is entirely possible that we will finally get a really great movie tie-in game, an experience which could even be better than the movie itself because of all the added violence. It’s pretty clear at this point that Raven wasn’t going to make a game that could be sold to the kids who will see the watered down take on the character in theaters. This game is for the adults; the fans of brutal, vicious, feral and violent Wolverine!
Well, if you are an aspiring comic book artist or writer, or both, it just got a little bit harder for you to break into the business. Marvel has announced that due to an unprecedented number of unsolicited art and writing submissions, they have altered their open submissions policy effective immediately. They are planning on “reviewing their strategies for accepting future submissions.” Marvel has a proven track record of attracting new and emerging talent, but apparently their methods will change along with everything else, in this era of technology. I certainly don’t blame them; it is important to keep up with the times. But what exactly does this mean for everyone looking to show off their wares to perspective employers?
Marvel will continue its active recruitment of artists through its Talent Management department. They also encourage artists to bring portfolios for review to the major conventions at which Marvel will have a presence this year and for any years in the foreseeable future. Here is what Chris Allo, the talent coordinator for Marvel, had to say on the subject:
“In regards to finding new artists, we in the Talent Management department will still continue to look at online websites such as Deviant Art, Comic Art Community, as well as comic art blogs, and other related sites. Online comics are rapidly becoming a source for scouting as well. And, of course, we will still go to the comic book stores on Wednesdays and see what new artists are out there working for other companies and on independent books.”
We don’t really know what the future holds for Marvel in regards to it’s submission policies aside from what was previously mentioned. Certainly though, this makes life a little harder for aspiring artists. Marvel has said they will announce their plans for future submissions soon.
Fans of comic books, and particularly the series’ involving the X-Men, were treated yet again at WonderCon. Some of you may be fans of the great X-Men series covering one of the team’s most iconic lineups, X-Men: First Class. I know I am. But that series will soon be drawing to a close with the release of X-Men: First Class – Finals. Never fear comic fans! Marvel has plans to keep the First Class concept alive and kicking. Following the conclusion of Finals, Marvel will introduce a new series called Uncanny X-Men: First Class. This new book will focus on the iconic lineup introduced in Giant-Size X-Men #1. This new series will be written by Scott Gray (Marvel Adventures Super Heroes), with X-Men: First Class artist Roger Cruz making the transition. The fine folks over at IGN got to sit down for an exclusive interview with Scott Gray to find out what this new series has in store for the characters, and why we shouldn’t expect to see Wolverine make an appearance any time soon. We have the highlights for you!
When asked about the series would weave in and out of the events of Uncanny X-Men or if it would exist all on it’s own, Gray provided a response that I found particularly exciting: ”The comic is set shortly after the X-Men get back from the M’Kraan Crystal adventure in Uncanny #107-108. It’s a fertile time for the group. They’re still learning about each other, trying to function as a team (and often failing), and slowly becoming a family. It’s really the only point when the entire second generation cast are all in the same place at the same time, but we only got a glimpse of that period in the original Uncanny run. Now we’ve got a chance to explore it! ” Cool! I love the thought of exploring the relationships to be formed and the trials/tribulations of becoming a true team, and it looks like this series will continue to explore that concept.
Some other interesting points from the interview include talks about potential villains to be included in the series. I found this to be the most exciting part of the interview: ”The Knights of Hykon are an interstellar threat of colossal proportions, and they’re heading for Earth… I also have plans for an old enemy to resurface, but with a new look and attitude. But the first challenge the X-Men will be facing isn’t a villainous one at all. They’ll be meeting the Inhumans, a group even more secretive than the FC. Their first encounter starts well, but it turns into a major culture clash which leads to a catastrophic battle! ”
When asked about Wolverine, the X-Man that seems to be getting the most publicity over the last 10 years, Gray seemed to suggest that eventually he would explore all the characters from the roster, including Wolverine. But he thought that Wolverine is getting enough publicity now, so it wouldn’t be any time soon. He then brought up Nightcrawler, one of his favorite mutants. ”He’s a study in contrasts. Is he dashing, handsome, heroic? Of course he is, but in the eyes of Joe Public, he’s demonic, terrifying, deadly! How Kurt copes with his isolation from humanity, particularly at this stage when he’s new to America, is juicy territory to explore. He’s a sensitive guy. What happens if his spirit gets crushed by a near-lethal rejection?” This concept should be explored in the first issue of the series.
Gray left us with his thoughts on the X-Men in general, a quote which humorously leaves us with a great idea as to what the deeper aspects of the series will be: ”…the comic was always a journey through the imagination. It explored relationships, social themes, science fiction concepts and, of course, the really big question in life – just how do you stop the Juggernaut? ” How do you stop that guy anyway?!? Well, there you have it. Looks like Uncanny X-Men: First Class will be a great read for both fans of the First Class series AND fans completely new to the iconic line-up. X-Men: First Class – Finals will hit shelves on April the 2nd. There is no date set for the release of UXM: FC.
WonderCon has done it again, premiering new footage for fans eagerly anticipating the impending release of DC’s animated take on The Green Lantern. At the end of the panel for DC’s latest Direct-to-DVD release of Wonder Woman, fans were treated to the first trailer for Green Lantern: First Flight. While the trailer hasn’t hit the web yet, at least not officially, you can bet we’ll have it here when it does. Until then, we’ll have to make due with the description of the footage shown. And here it is:
“The mostly dialogue free trailer showed scenes that will be familiar to Lantern fans, as a space ship crashes and Hal Jordan finds the dying alien inside. The only dialogue in the trailer comes from this dying Green Lantern, as he says, “The ring has chosen you. Take it.” We see the ring then actually float onto Hal’s finger, and the sensation at first causes him to scream, before we then hear the alien say, “You are now one of the protectors of the universe.” Glimpsed in the montage that followed was Hal encountering the Green Lantern Corps, and then fighting alongside them against a group of aliens –at one point using a ring-powered barrier to protect themselves from enemy fire. Green Lantern’s longtime foe Sinestro is then seen, as he and Hal square off in what looks to be a major battle. ”
I don’t know about you, but the description alone is enough to have me salivating over the possibilities. I’m really looking forward to the live action Green Lantern film that has been rushed into production, but I’ve always thought that for a great GL film to be made, it would need to be either animated or full of CG. So I may just be as excited about First Flight as I am about the possibilities of a live action GL flick. And as if that trailer description isn’t enough, the producer of the all new DC animated films Bruce Timm, dropped some very interesting tidbits about the film and the potential future of the character. Here are some excerpts:
Timm said that it was “just a coincidence that Green Lantern: First Flight was coming out soon, just as a live-action movie is finally coming together, noting First Flight has been in the works for quite awhile. ” He went on to say that now that they know the intended release date for the live action GL film (December 17th, 2010), the time between the release of First Flight and the release of the live action film will be busy. “We’re going to bust our butts to make some more Green Lantern stuff to tie into that,” seeming to hint that another Green Lantern animated movie could be in the pipeline for the direct to DVD market to be released by December 2010. An exciting possibility for certain.
I can’t wait for First Flight, and as soon as I get my hands on it, I WILL review it for all of you. Some of the recent DC animated films have been questionable lately (Wonder Woman, I’m looking at you!), so you may have questions as to the quality of the film. But from what I know so far, it will be good. The official press release for the film offers this plot description: Green Lantern: First Flight finds Hal Jordan recruited to join the Green Lantern Corps and placed under the supervision of respected senior Lantern Sinestro. The earthling soon discovers his mentor is actually the central figure in a secret conspiracy that threatens the philosophies, traditions and hierarchy of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Hal must quickly hone his new-found powers and combat the treasonous Lanterns within the ranks to maintain order in the universe.
Green Lantern: First Flight stars Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) as Hal Jordan aka the Green Lantern, Victor Garber (Alias, Milk) as Sinestro, Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) as the voice of Boodikka, and Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) as Kilowog. You can pick up Green Lantern: First Flight from Warner Home Video on July 28th!
I’m pretty sure that if you are a regular reader here, you know what WonderCon is, or at least you have heard mention of it before. This is, of course, the premier destination site for fans of all things featured at the WonderCon event. But for anyone who does not know, I’ll give you the lowdown now, because you will find a lot of news breaking from the event right here at GKS, and you may just find yourself wondering what this wonderful event is all about. Well, WonderCon is an annual comic book, science fiction, and motion picture convention, held in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1987. The main attraction of WonderCon is that various retailers sell back issues of comic books and action figures. But the years have seen the exhibitorship grow to include retailers of specialty DVDs. There is also an Artists Alley featuring comic book artists selling artwork, signing books, and doing sketches; and mainstream celebrities signing autographed pictures.
The convention’s founders eventually made WonderCon part of the Comic-Con International family of conventions. That gave the San Francisco show a wider audience and made it a venue for previews and early screenings of major motion pictures, particularly ones based on comic books. Some of the major releases that gave presentations at WonderCon recently included Spider-Man 2, Batman Begins, Fantastic Four, Superman Returns, and 300. All of these events featured the stars of the films fielding questions from the audience. WonderCon also holds an event called the Trailer Park where they show trailers for upcoming films. Comic industry professional hold the Comic Arts Conference in conjunction with WonderCon.
Now that you know, we can now move on to the late breaking news from the premiere event for comic book followers each year. At the panel for the new direct to DVD animated Wonder Woman movie at WonderCon, the audience had a couple of specific questions regarding what characters might be seen in future DC animated movies. One fan asked about Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, a project announced quite a long time ago, only to never be produced. Another asked about the potential film future for Captain Marvel. What the audience was given was not exactly a clear answer, but it does give us a little insight into the thought process behind DC’s creative minds.
The Teen Titans project seems to be facing a grim future. DC Comics senior VP of creative affairs Gregory Noveck said that the reason it was never finished was because every time polling is done and potential DVD projects based on DC characters are listed, fans constantly rate a Teen Titans project last. Noveck then offered a suggestion to those in the crowd, saying that if they ever respond to such a poll, don’t bother listing Batman or Superman as the releases they most likely will buy, because “everyone knows Batman and Superman projects will sell well anyway,” and that there was “no doubt they’d continue making projects centered on those characters.” He said that the best way to get The Judas Contract made was for the fans to continue letting DC and Warner Bros know they want it. Do you hear that Teen Titans fans? If you ever want to see your precious pubescent heroes on your TV screen, make your voice heard!
As for the fate of Captain Marvel, here is what producer Bruce Timm had to say: ”Captain Marvel comes up quite often in our internal discussions. I wouldn’t be surprised if he shows up some day.” They are cryptic words for sure, but I think that they bode well for fans of magic lightning bolts, the word “Shazam”, and big red cheese (and if you get that, you truly are a fan of Captain Marvel!) I wouldn’t expect to see the character in animation on DVD any time soon, but you can bet that there are plans currently in the works to bring the character to you sometime in the next 2-3 years. Of course, if anything more concrete comes out regarding Captain Marvel or The Teen Titans, you can bet I’ll keep you posted.
In a perfect world, you’d have a new Pull List column every week. But with an average of about 8 titles and a trade paperback per week for the last couple of months, the idea of a weekly in-depth review becomes slightly unreasonable.So we’re gonna do this one rapid-fire, kiddies. Without further ado, here’s the highlights (and lowlights) of the summer in mainstream comics.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: NEW WAYS TO DIE
Who’d have thunk it, Amazing Spider-Man would actually be good following the retcon of 25 years of events at the end of the One More Day arc? Certainly not me. I hated One More Day, thought it was terrible. The follow up arc, Brand New Day, however, proved to be just that. New. And it was good. It was simple, kids stuff, but good. One could argue it was too safe, but after the clusterfuck that was OMD, I think we, the mighty Marvel audience, needed a break so to speak. It was like having the Spider-Man of the 60’s but today. Although we didn’t get memorable new villains added to the Rogues gallery, we did get some pretty neat little tales featuring the likes of the new guilder of the glider, Menace, and the interesting and enigmatic Mr. Negative, whom I would really like to see more of. The last arc of One More Day, entitled Kraven’s First Hunt, did seem a little contrived though, especially with it coinciding with the re-release of the classic trade paperback Spider-Man story Kraven’s Last Hunt – one of my all-time favorite Spidey stories.
With Brand New Day over, we swing right into New Ways To Die, of which we are two issues in. The promo art revealed months ago left little to be desired for me, as it all centers around one of my least favorite Spider-Man villains: Venom. I really dug Venom when I was younger, but the more I matured, I can see the character for what he really is, uninteresting and stale. New Ways To Die is giving the character a little more depth though with the inclusion of the long absent Eddie Brock taking the symbiote from Mac Gargan. The catch, instead of Brock and the Symbiote reuniting as Venom, they’ve become Anti-Venom… think Venom but in reverse. I canget behind this story, and will keep reading for the sole purpose of seeing how a post-cancer/reformed Eddie Brock will handle being back opposite Spider-Man. That new twist to the character is really the only thing keeping me reading at this point, so long as the words “Venom” and “Symbiote” are part of the new, and GKS approved Amazing Spider-Man.
BATMAN R.I.P.
I’ve often said that my biggest problem with DC is its inaccessibility to casual readers. They don’t make it easy for new readers to get on board with a title, so is the case for me with Batman. I really haven’t been in a Batman title for a couple years. And saying that, I really don’t have the best footing to be in synch with what’s going on, nor do I fully understand R.I.P. But let me tell you this: I’m digging the hell out of this arc. We’re only 3 issues in (not including the tie-ins) and already we’ve seen Alfred beat to shit, the Batcave under seige, Bruce Wayne drugged up with heroin and crystal meth left to wander the streets of Gotham as a bum, the return of Bat-Mite, and a baseball-bat weilding Batman clad in a homemade suit sewn from red and purple rags. I mean, does anyone have a clue as to what’s going on? I love it though. Batman has gone bat-shit crazy.
The title I’m digging even more though is the current Detective Comics arc. Its a killer tale so far, that is only solidifying Hush as a solid permanent addition to Batman’s iconic gallery of villains. Hush himself is the perfect balance of brain and braun to face up to the caped crusader. So far the whole run and R.I.P. Is certainly a worthy adddition to the shelf once the trade is out.
SECRET INVASION
Apparently the seeds for Secret Invasion, Marvel’s big event for the year, were planted years ago. I think the brains at Marvel are giving themselves too much credit. Either that or they’re full of shit. Secret Invasion isn’t even done yet and I’m already throwing in the towel. This has to be the most boring, over-hyped crossover in years. Marvel fans were on the fence about their last two events, Civil War and World War Hulk, but at least those stories had some progression from issue to issue. With Secret InvasionI feel that nothing significant has happened since the first issue. It’s disorganized, clumsily written, and the pacing is way off. The potential of revealing major characters as Skrull sleeper cells for years leaves us clammoring for more when the reality sets in that only a small handful of superheroes are in fact aliens in disguise. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Yellowjacket or Elektra, but when this arc is touted as one to change Marvel as we know, then that just don’t cut it. Civil War at least forced changes that are still in effect today. Once Secret Invasion is done, it will merely fall under the radar of great stories and find its way next to Secret Wars II on the shelf. I mean, Jarvis a main Skrull villain? The Avengers butler?
Don’t even get me started on the tie-ins for this either. Front Line is terrible and New Avengers and Mighty Avengers have both taken massive hits in quality since abandoning their own seperate arcs to follow the Skrull invasion.
There is one exception to this though, and its actually the most surprising…
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE
Never in a million years would I think that this title would not only work incredibly well, but end up being one of the most consistently entertaining books of the last year. The ongoing tales of the 51 superhero teams in training is chock full of everything I love in a monthly: suspense, action, great artwork, interesting characters, and a little bit of comedy for good measure. And although I’m poo-pooing the Secret Invasion right now, this month’s issue of Initiative was just what I needed to take my mind off the boring. Three words: Skrull. Kill. Crew. The issue reeked of gritty, southern Americana pulp mixed with bright colored tights and capes and cowls. And it was full of chuckles, legitimate smiles. I love the title, and I have enjoyed every issue since its inception.
FINAL CRISIS
Before I go any further, let me echo here my thoughts on Batman R.I.P., I have no clue what is going on in this title. I’m really, really lost. But I love it. Final Crisis is a true summer event (even though its not done yet) in the sense that it has captured readers not directly in the know with whats going on in the universe, yet still manages to tell an awesome story and keep them hooked. I mean, I can deduce whats going on mostly, but the roots of Final Crisis are planted way deep. A lot of the plot seems to revolve around Jack Kirby’s New Gods characters and stories, of which I am not familiar. Same with Flash. But the pacing is great, the artwork is phenominal and I am hooked and intrigued. So far, I say kudos to DC, their track record for major events has been great the last few years, even though Marvel has the high numbers. This could be because DC puts out quality over quantity. I digress.
FINAL CRISIS: ROGUE’S REVENGE
In keeping with the DC/Final Crisis praise, I’ve got to add Final Crisis: Rogue’s Revenge to the hit-list. Although I’m an avid nay-sayer of small run tie-ins for major events, Rogue’s Revenge serves as a story that needed to be told, and Final Crisis is the perfect catalyst for it. Rogue’s Revenge follows the Rogues, an older team of Flash villains, dealing with the reprecussions of turning down Libra’s offer to join his legion of super-villains. The Rogues are such an eclectic mix of traditional villains, and the book does an awesome job not only making them more badass then they’ve ever been, but putting them in this unusual anti-hero light. I choose tie-ins very carefully, and Revenge is well worthy of your cash.
It really has been a great summer for comics, despite my somewhat abundance of venom (no pun intended), and there has been a ton of books week in, week out that deserve examining in the Pull List. I find myself expanding my trade intake as well; I’ve been reading some fantastic books such as Green Lantern: Rebirth, Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men and Preacher. I also finished the first volume of All Star Batman & Robin, which was absolutely horrid. But, with the movie biz slowing down hopefully comics can have a stronger presence here on GKS.
What do you think of this years events? Secret Invasion or Final Crisis? Discuss…
Final Crisis: Requiem
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy
This edition of PULL LIST features one of the best single issues I’ve read in a long time, and marks the departure of a huge character from DC. So take that as a spoiler warning, because I’m getting right into it.
The Martian Manhunter bites the big one in the first issue of DC’s big summer event Final Crisis, but this one-shot issue, Final Crisis: Requiem, spills out the last moments of the life of J’onn J’onzz and how his death affected those closest to him.
Although I am reading Final Crisis (and no doubt many tie-in titles and one-shots), I come into this big story arc rather unprepared as I didn’t read the last few big events, namely Countdown to Final Crisis and it’s predecessor 52. The reason for this is my biggest beef with DC right now – the arcs are too damn long. Both Countdown and 52 span fifty-two issues, that’s an issue per week for a year straight. I really started hitting the books again about a third into 52 and for one, couldn’t be bothered to get all the back issues, and two, didn’t want to commit myself to fifty-two issues – the cost alone is enough to scare a re-emerging comic reader like myself away, let alone the uncertainty of its quality. So then 52 turned to Countdown and I felt equally as out of the loop and was too busy buying hundreds of Civil War spin-offs and crossovers.
It’s very hard for someone who grew up reading, sleeping and breathing Marvel, to get into DC. I mean really get into it. I’m well versed in the characters of DC, and have read my fair share of trades over the years – hell, I will even say that DC’s best books are more often than not better than Marvel’s best books. Take DC’s Sinestro Corps. arc for example – in my opinion that made mincemeat of the lackluster World War Hulk over at Marvel. My point is, my relationship with DC is that of lust. I can see how great DC would be in the sack, but am stuck panting at the racks at the comic store not knowing what to do, like a kid in a boob store fondling at his zipper. It’s with this that I took the plunge, threw caution to the wind and jumped on the Final Crisis train.
So far, I’m enjoying Final Crisis. I’m in the dark on a few references here and there, but the DC Universe #0 one-shot from a few months back has faced me in the right direction and given me the Cliff-notes on where I need to be. Of course, with me being a completest, I must now buy every crossover title and one shot with Final Crisis written on it, but I’ve never been so fulfilled with a supporting title than I was after reading Final Crisis: Requiem.
Requiem evoked a reaction in me very similar to that of one of my favorite comic stories of all time, Identity Crisis. Putting down Identity Crisis for the first time I was shaken up – I hadn’t read a book so real, and with such raw emotion all while taking place in this fantastical world with capes and cowls. These were real problems happening to real people; these characters we’ve loved so much growing deconstructing before our eyes. It’s also the first comic to put a lump in my throat, and although it wasn’t as hard to swallow as reading Ralph Dibny bury his wife, Final Crisis: Requiem certainly gave me the gulps. It’s hard to take any characters death in comics seriously these days, cheapening the moments when we see our heroes fall, but this book really leaves you with a sense of loss. Libra, the primary villain of Final Crisis, kills the Martian Manhunter so brutally that for those last moments Manhunter truly becomes so human and fragile, much more than his tough green exterior could ever allow. And the artwork is perfect in capturing the carnage and the life slipping out of him. There isn’t a single moment of relief in the book, and though it’s a downer, it is damn compelling storytelling.
The issue ends with Nightwing’s discovery of J’onn’s deplorably desecrated body, and the subsequent superhero funeral. It’s heavy seeing a room full of such power and strength, only to realize that everyone there is so brittle and helpless. The thing that kills me most is any time Batman gets that panel where he lets the wall down for a second and shows his emotions – in this case it’s something like “goodbye, my friend” and he puts a Choco cookie, Manhunter’s favorite, on the casket. Cue Niagra Falls.
The real heart of the issue lies in the legacy that J’onn leaves. Being a psychic, on his last moments of life, J’onn telepathically reaches out to his closest comrades (Superman, Batman, Hal Jordan and Black Canary) and through them documents his life story and the history of Mars. Though the Martian was murdered in the most vile way, his death, though unnecessary, wasn’t all for naught. It certainly isn’t justified with this souvenir, but rather shows the amount of respect given to the character.
So if you’re into Final Crisis at all, I insist that you pick this one-shot up. I would even recommend the more casual comic reader to check the book out, as it really is a fantastic exposition on the fall of a major character, and stands on its own. This is one of those stories I desperately want to show to everyone who scoffs at the cape and cowl superhero stories. Final Crisis: Requiem is an awesome book, and while I’m so on board for the next five issues of Final Crisis, I worry that Requiem has already out-shined them.
Posted on: June 29th, 2008 PULL LIST #1
PULL LIST, a new regular article here at GKS, highlights some of the weekly must reads in the world of comic books.
What better way to mark an inaugural column than with the return of Marvel comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy.
Now, I read a few issues of GotG way back when I first got into comics around the age of ten or so. I never liked it. I found it cheesy and stupid, and that’s saying a lot considering I still have an old issue with an ad for The Super Mario Bros. movie on the back. That being said, I found nothing of the book or its characters memorable and never got into it. Apparently none of these characters really crossed-over into other books either because I couldn’t name them right now to save my life.
So you will see that I met the news of a new Guardians book with little enthusiasm. I must say though that some interest slightly developed when I saw the art for issue #1’s cover; definitely awesome. Readers familiar with the old title will notice right away that this incarnation of the Guardians has an entirely new lineup (with exception to a couple familiar faces) which is a good thing. And wait… what’s that? A racoon with a machine gun?!
Without spoiling any of this title, the synopsis for the first issue is rather straight-forward: inter-galactic heroes join forces to form a super-team and protect, err guard the galaxy. From page one you can tell right away that the characters in this title are just as important as the story and action. Each member of the team is unique and brings something different to the table. I forsee some great interaction and dialogue from within the team, which consists of Star-Lord, Drax, Gamora, the badass Adam Warlock, the new Quasar, and the machine-gun toting rodent that steals every panel he appears in, Rocket Racoon. In an effective and refreshing-yet-bold move, our issues are peppered with single panel testimonials from our characters, in the vain of ” MTV’s Real World”, providing an intimate and personable commentary to the action and story which is already told with great pacing. And it’s genuinely funny, which is a very good thing for a “space book”, as I’m not a fan of that sub-genre of comics. This title really bridges the gap though, lubes me up and eases people like me in, like a gentleman would.
Great artwork, fresh characters and a killer first two issues make this a welcome addition to my pull list for now. The new Guardians of the Galaxy is the perfect book for someone looking for a completely new read that hasn’t been saturated with crossovers and skrull invasions and year-long storylines.
