Comics: 27th February 2013

Thankfully the Image delivery truck got it's act together and I was able to pick up last week's omission. Huzzah! Which is serendipitous as it means that the two comics I bought this week are my two favourite comics right now.

- Saga #10
- Written by Brian K. Vaughan
- Art by Fiona Staples

I don't think I've read a comic with Fiona Staples art before this one. Now, it's all I want. She is amazing. Of course, she is being helped by Vaughan's imaginative writing and unique characters but she brings them alive in a way few other artists could. They're fantastical while still feeling real. They're incredibly consistent in their structure (sadly, this is something that's not always common in comic artists, one characters face can look completely different from one page to another) and she has a wonderful way with expressions. I want to say how they're very emotive without ever losing their realism but I can't find a better way of expressing it myself other than that. And this is me just talking about her figures, forgetting the lush backgrounds. So when I rant and rave this much, you know I'm in love.

This issue sees The Will catch up with our space-faring lovers but meets a bigger problem at the same time... that sentence will make more sense after you read the comic. And you should read the comic!

- Hawkeye #8
- Written by Matt Fraction
- Art by David Aja and Annie Wu

oooooooooooOOOOOOOOOO HAWKGUY!

This is the song I sing in my head every time I get an issue.

oooooooooooOOOOOOOOOO HAWKGUY!

It's incredibly addictive. As is the comic.

I dislike writing terms such as "nerd-boner" and the like but I have become quite obsessed with this series since I've started reading. And I don't pretend to be hip and claim that I've been reading from the start, the first issue I picked up was #4. By the way, I've retroactively bought 1# and 2# but I'm still short #3 which has become my Everest! Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that this series has inspired the kind of fanatical fervor that I haven't seen in myself since my teens. I would legit kiss Matt and David on the mouth I'm so head-over-heels for it.

Added Bonus: This month features some awesome guest art by Annie Wu who I've admired for a long time online. Stoked to see her work in a Marvel comic. Hope to see more of this sort of thing happening in the future.

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #30: Lachrymose

As a weird side note, I originally was going to use UP as my "movie that makes you cry" thing but apparently I don't own the DVD (I was convinced that I did). I feel like Toy Story 2 is a good substitute. It appears Pixar movies are my weakness.

Mars Needs Podcasts #200 Part Two - Infinity Docking: I’m Done

Run to the hills! Run for your life! Mars Needs Podcasts reached 200 episodes. Last week, JJ had his classic clip show and this week he recorded an extravaganza featuring myself, Elizabeth, and Jason!

The four of us had a grand old time and laughed our buts off at all sorts of weird things. To tell you about it here would be doing you a disservice so go listen to the episode now! Do it!

To listen to the podcast CLICK HERE or to download it directly CLICK HERE.

Comics: 20th February 2013

Rather annoyingly, my local comic book store was sans-Image comics this week. This means I'm short a SAGA issue. This is not good. Apparently the U.S. have had some bad weather recently, especially wherever they ship Image comics from. Grrr.

Don't worry folks, I'll keep shaking my fist at the sky until it's all resolved and I can have my precious, precious SAGA.

- Avengers #6

- Written by Jonathan Hickman

- Art by Adam Kubert

Things have really slowed down now. This is the third issue in a row to take a closer look at a new member of the expanded roster. This time it's Captain Universe, a rather cool concept of the living embodiment of the Universe symbiotically living inside (or on top of?) a young woman who seems to have had a traumatic past.

Also featuring this week is the presence of none-other than Superior Spider-man, the creepy Doctor Octopus/Spider-man hybrid. And man, did I have a gut reaction to him. I know he's not Peter and I know this is temporary but to have someone in the Spider-man costume being such a colossal dick, well it creates an instinctive response of anger. Maybe I'm not as cool and uninvolved as I once thought I was. I firmly await the removal of this usurper.

Bonus material of a decoder page at the back of the book for the alien language. I look forward to going back through the older issues to find out what they were saying!

Mars Needs Podcasts #200 Part One - It Starts…

He did it! He made it to 200 episodes! Does that means Mars Needs is twice the podcast that Cabin Fever was? Possibly.

I'm very proud of JJ for NEVER MISSING A WEEK (he may have missed a week, once, but it's been a damn near perfect run) but also for being one of the nicest guys on the internet. He's been doing this thing for 4 years now and in that time he's gone from being one of those guys I know online to being one of my best friends. I love him and I know this will embarrass him when he reads it but embarrassment is what the internet is for!

This is a clip show of the early days of his podcast and contains the first appearances of a lot of his guest hosts. Including me! Which is obviously the bit you will naturally skip to, but try and listen to the rest too!

Winky face.

To listen CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #29: Haver

No bra this week, but I still think it's worth watching.

Another Hectic Evening

Comics: 13th February 2013

Just two purchases this week. Two new Marvel series started this week also but after flicking through them I realised that they probably aren't for me.

Secret Avengers perked my interest because of Agent Coulson being apart of it, but the art wasn't pleasing for me and I wasn't particularly moved by the rest of the roster either. Uncanny X-Men also started back up this week with Bendis at the helm. Normally that would excite me but something about the book seemed to repel me and I have no idea what it is. Possibly the stupid helmet they have Cyclops wearing in it, I don't know. Either way, I passed on them both.

I'm still on the look out for a new series to follow so we'll see in the coming weeks if I can find anything that clicks with me.

- Fantastic Four #4
- Written by Matt Fraction
- Art by Mark Bagley

Ugh, I really dislike Bagley's art. It's just so... generic. All the faces are similar, to the point where they're almost indistinguishable from each other and that's a big pet peeve of mine. It's the reason why I won't buy anything from Greg Land. The colours (done by three gentlemen here) are garish too. Despite this being a very colourful book I find a lot of the panels difficult to look at.

What I'm trying to say is, I'm this close to dropping this series.

The only thing keeping me around is my faith in Fraction as a writer. I feel despite his rocky start (which he admitted himself recently on his Tumblr page) he is genuinely passionate about Marvel's first family and I know he wants to bring a lot of his own family experiences into it, which should make for a great read.

I'm just waiting for that to start happening. This week's story was a slight improvement. Lets hope that becomes a trend.

- The Manhattan Projects
- Written by Jonathan Hickman
- Art by Nick Pitarra

First of all, let me just say that I love the covers for these books. Uniformed but different each time. I know this is Hickman's influence too as you can see it in all his comics. He really has a great eye for design.

This issue seems to wrap up the current story arc of the invasion from President Truman and sets up the next with JFK and the moon. Everything is as insane as usual while the chess pieces are being repositioned.

For the first time I realised that this series must have an endpoint and one that isn't too far away. Mostly because of the new president coming to power reminded me of the movement of time within the book, it's speed so far, and the finite nature of using real characters.

I can only imagine this book ending with the universe imploding (the story's universe not our real one) but maybe that's just me.

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #28: Zaftig

I do these things because I want you to remember the great words of the world.

Tease Me, Baby! - Fast and Furious 6

NOTE: This article was originally published by me on TheWebsiteOfDOOM.com

Here we are. Six. Six Fast and Furious films. Bloody hell.

I saw the first one in the cinema because I too once was a teenager and just needed to get out of the house at the weekends. I too once thought that Vin Diesel would be a big thing. But I'm older now and have grown smarter than such things. I would have thought that the rest of the world would have grown with me but I guess there's always more teenagers looking for something to do on the weekends.

Harsh? Perhaps. The previous films have been very hit-and-miss. When they work, the F&F franchise is good popcorn chewing fun. When they don't, they're mindless drivel. So when Fast & Furious pulls off the double-trilogy, all is not well in Denmark Hollywood.

Here is the extended 3 minute trailer.

Comics: 6th February 2013

It may seem like I read nothing but Marvel in these reviews but honestly, my love for Marvel appears stronger than it is due to this Marvel NOW initiative. A lot of these books are coming out bi-weekly. Hence why the following books have appeared more than a couple times already...

- All New X-Men #7
- Written by Brian Michael Bendis
- Art by David Marquez

This book is turning into a bit of a tease. The last two issues have contained little more than some teenage moping and a lot of angst. Now, obviously this is quite appropriate for an X-Men book but when the showdown between past and present Cyclops is so tantalizing, every moment that passes is excruciating.

This week more character work is laid down as Mystique meets past-Cyclops and pushes him to confront his future self. As always, Mystique has something up her sleeve. Or her arm length gloves. It was interesting to be reminded that at this point in the game past-Cyclops wouldn't know who Mystique is. You forgot sometimes how old these characters are in their universe.

Bonus points go to whoever gave past-Hank an iPad. That was a fun image.

- Avengers #5
- Written by Jonathan Hickman
- Art by Adam Kubert

Another issue to ingratiate us with the expanded roster. This week we meet Smasher. Not a lot to say about the issue really, other than there is a cool reveal of who her grandfather is.

A good issue but nothing to be blown away by yet.

Things have kinda slowed down to a halt.


At this point I'm just trying to fill space for the next review.

How are you? Hope you're having a good Thursday.

Dum-di-dum...

- New Avengers #3
- Written by Jonathan Hickman
- Art by Steve Epting

This issue sees things get even more bleak. This is a dark story, in a lot of ways. The group have come to the conclusion that to stop the problem of another Earth from a different dimension crashing into this one they have to destroy the incoming world.

It's obviously a decision of great magnitude as they have to essentially kill another Earth.

This group is made up of the Illuminati members (barring the dead Charles Xavier) but it also includes Captain America, a man of a very high moral fibre and one who is not used to making hard decisions in secret like the Illuminati are. It makes a great conflict but also a roadblock for the group's plans.

OR DOES IT? Haha... read the book.

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #27: Jentacular

Look at that face. Oh yeah. That's a face that is excited to bring you a new word this week.

The Drive In Of Doom! - Superman

After doing this podcast for nearly a year we thought we'd finally get round to doing the original, big superhero movie. Superman is a classic but does it hold up? Does our attention hold firm? Do we actually get through the whole film in one go?

Join us as we talk about the film's place in history, Lois & Clark the TV show, and the difference in casting-based-on-looks from the 70s until now.

To listen to the podcast CLICK HERE or to download directly CLICK HERE.