My Favourite Things: March 2013

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

Three. It's a magic number, so I'm told. This is also the number of months that we've all survived in 2013. And man, let me tell you, March has also felt three times longer than the average month. Maybe that's just me but I'm glad we're finally at the end of it. Phew! Despite my own personal misgivings it has still been a great month for cool stuff online. Here are my favourite ones:

1) Sweded Iron Man 3

For anyone who doesn't know what "Sweded" means (and obviously, you've never seen the Michel Gondry movie Be Kind Rewind) here is the urban dictionary definition:

The summarized recreation of popular pop-culture films using limited budgets and a camcorder. The process is called sweding. Upon completion the film has been Sweded.

The fine folks of Cinefix have done a shot-for-shot remake of the Iron Man 3 trailer using not much more than some flashlights and cardboard. It's immensely satisfying.

Comics: 27th March 2013

Back on track! For anyone who doesn't know what's going on; Every Wednesday I buy comic books. I read them and then blab a bit about them here. I plan to do this for a full year (and then we'll see what kind of mood I'm in).

- East of West #1

- Written by Jonathan Hickman

- Art by Nick Dragotta

Yes, it's another Hickman joint. No, I'm not obsessed. He just keeps coming up with these crazy high-concept comics and it's kinda hard for me to resist.

This time it's a western-sci-fi-Armageddon deal. A sort of alternative universe where people ride headless motorized horses, high-tech cities climb out of canyons, and there are still bloody shoot-outs in bars. Add to that the four horsemen of the apocalypse and you can get an idea of what's happening in this first issue.

Hickman is reunited with his Fantastic Four partner Nick Dragotta on this and it's a perfect match. I wasn't always happy with his work on F4 but you can tell that this world is more geared towards his style. Frank Martin also does a great job on colour too. They really compliment each other.

If you like the kind of stories that you'd find in 2000AD, this one is for you. It would fit right in with the rest of Tharg's domain.

- Fantastic Four #5AU

- Written by Matt Fraction
- Art by André Araújo

So this is one of those out-of-continuity, special tie-in issues for the Age of Ultron story. Sadly, it's also the best issue of Fraction's run so far and has highlighted my problems with the series.

First of all, the art is a million times better than the series' current team. And I'm not just ragging on Bagley again, it's the colourist too. Araujo and Villarrubia are really good on this and I wish they would stay.

This is also a more grown-up affair. It's not the fun-for-all-the-family work that the book normally is. People get hurt, things get serious, the kids are frightened.

It just feels like a much more satisfying read and it only further confirms my suspicion that this is a series I should probably drop soon.

Tease Me, Baby! – The Wolverine

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

I think it's pretty unanimous that the last Wolverine movie sucked. We don't have to skirt around it. With that settled, this follow up has a lot of work to do in order to both reclaim the brand's respectability and also win over the audience it lost.

The general likeability of Hugh Jackman is a plus. You can just tell that he really cares about the character and loves playing him. They've taken him to Japan where a lot of great Wolverine stories are written. The director has "Girl, Interrupted" and "Walk The Line" on his CV. So there are still some things to be positive about.

Considering the movie is out in July, for this to be the first full length trailer released today is quite unusual. Often these days you'll see a trailer even a full year before the movie is released. It's hard to tell if that's to do with the endless production delays (every director has been attached to this at some point or another) or just plain secrecy. But now that it's here, it would be plain rude not to take a look.

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #34: Coquettish

This week I get help from my friends at the No Drama Theatre group. Big thank you to them!

Céad Míle Fáilte

Tomorrow night the Republic of Ireland will play Austria in a vitally important World Cup Qualifier. I'll be attending the game and I'm highly looking forward to it. Two men who were no doubt also looking forward to it where a pair of Austrian fans who visited Dublin for the match. They were taking in the Guinness Brewery tour during the day and were unfortunately mugged by some locals outside. Both their wallets and match tickets were taken.

Obviously this is a heinous, disgusting thing that's unfortunately all too common in our capitol city but the Ireland Fans Embassy posted a message about it on Facebook and the responses started to come in.

One response was from the Irish supporters group known as You Boys In Green, folks who organise pretty much all the positive fan events/initiatives for the team. They instantly took to their forum to see what they could do. Luckily, it seems the FAI have sorted the two men out with tickets but the YBIG fans have been chipping in and over 60 different people (at last check) have donated to help them recoup some of the money they lost.

They've been in contact with the two Austrian gentlemen and they have said that if they receive more money than they lost in their wallets they'll donate the extra to charity.

Football fans can often have bad reputations but it's nice to see that once again the Irish supporters do us proud. Well done for turning some bad news into good.

Comics: 20th March 2013

More Marvel madness as this week I pick up five of their titles and one Image comic. It's been mental the last few days at home so once again this is late to publish but some great stuff in this haul so lets get to it!

- All New X-Men #9
- Written by Brian Michael Bendis
- Art by Stuart Immonen

Some real highlights in this issue.

Kitty Pryde shows the past-X-Men around the danger room and introduces them to Sentinels for the first time. Bendis is writing the classic team magnificently. He really gets he dynamic of the group and shows it to full extent during this sequence/battle. It's reminding why the X-Men is such a great concept too. Seeing them as teenagers again makes me love them like I'm sure the readers did the first time round.

Oh and Iceman is essentially Spider-Man but with cooler powers (no pun intended) and without the heartache. There, I said it.

Mystique is starting to make her move and it involves Sabretooth who I haven't seen in years. In fact, there is so much "classic" X-Mening going on that this all feels a little like wish fulfillment in this book. Look may it continue.

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #33: Canard

Thank fuck this move is now officially over. Next week's word will be better folks, I promise.

Comics: 13th March 2013

This article is being posted later than advertised due to there being two collected trades in this week's batch and BACK OFF, OK?! I've got shit to do.

- X-Factor Vol. 18: Breaking Points (Trade Paperback)
- Written by Peter David
- Art by Leonard Kirk

Peter David has been writing this current X-Factor run since 2005. Taking in to account that he also wrote it for a long time in the 1990s and you can safely say that it's his book to do with whatever the hell he likes. For the most part "whatever the hell he likes" is usually "pretty great comic books". But inevitably, if you write a story for that long, it's going to change a lot as it goes.

Over the years X-Factor has gone from being a cool pulp/noir style comic to recently being a crazy mystical mutant comic. The transition has been natural enough as it has taken place so slowly but nonetheless a little jarring considering why I fell in love with it so many years ago now.

The team has changed a number of times too over the course of it's run but it is still technically an X-Men series so that's par for the course...

Tease Me, Baby! - Kick-Ass 2

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

Kick-Ass is a favoured movie around here in Doom Towers. It's a wonderful mix of bloody violence, humour, and superhero mythology. Despite all the cast and crew having previous work, it seemingly brought them all to the attention of the world, particularly Chloe Grace Moretz and director Matthew Vaughan who have both been busy little bees since.

The production of Kick-Ass 2 the movie started long before Kick-Ass 2 the comic was finished. Although, considering we weren't that crazy about the comic version of the original in comparison (you can hear us discuss it at length here), this may be a good thing.

The following trailer is a red-band trailer which means it's not safe for work or the younglings. Only watch it at your own risk. But, you know, cursing is cool so...

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #32: Privation

For so many reasons the last week has been hell. Here is one of them.

Comics: 6th March 2013

Lots to talk about this week. Also picked up a back issue for a comic whose second issue came out this week because I liked the look of it. I feel like I could have phrased that last sentence better, but let's just move on shall we?

- All New X-Men #8
- Written by Brian Michael Bendis
- Art by David Marquez

This issue is spent mostly with the Angels of both time-lines as present-Angel dodges past-Angel's questions. Then, they dodge bullets together as they foil an attempt to destroy Avengers tower. This, as you can imagine, brings the big team into the X-Men's sordid time-affair and that's basically the issue in a nutshell.

There's a couple good comedy moments in this and it's nice to spend a bit more time with Angel although it is slightly frustrating how all those questions are never answered. But what I like most about this issue is that it gives a quick opportunity for past-Cyclops to once again step-up to the plate.

I really hope this series helps plant Cyclops back in the box of beloved good-guy again. He deserves it.

The Drive-In of DOOM! - Iron Man

Here's a sneaky secret; I really love this podcast. It's one of my favourite things that I do. So there's that.

This month we commentate over Iron Man, the big daddy of the modern super-hero movie and the movie that relaunched Robert Downey Junior's career. It's universally loved and you'll find no argument here about that. Although JJ makes a case that it's not perfect. But he's wrong. He always is.

PLUS: We announce the winner of The Drive-In's first ever competition!

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

PS: We're now available on iTunes so go subscribe!

My Favourite Things: February 2013

NOTE: The article was originally published by me on ASiteCalledFRED.com

February is the shortest month of the year but it felt like the busiest I've ever been. Crazy month. Hence why I'm a couple days late with this. But thankfully there has still been lots of cool things online to share with you.

1) Drive-Thru Prank

This is one of the more childish things I've ever posted here but it gave me a good hearty chuckle. As explained at the start of the video, the driver of the car will be hidden and appear invisible to the drive-thru attendants. Normally I would roll my eyes at such things but the reaction of the staff is genuinely amusing.

Fast-food employees of the world, I salute you.

Word-A-Week Vocabulary Vlog #31: Hagridden

"Thanks for watching and please... don't have nightmares".

I Heart Graffiti: Tintin

I actually spotted and took this photo on my camera a couple of months ago but I completely forgot to post it here.

This is part of a project by the Dublin City Council to paint all the electricity boxes (I have no idea how better to describe these things) around the city and there are lots of cool ones but this particularly gave me a giggle. A nice cross of the old comic character and Dublin scum-bags.

SOME KIND OF CHARITY (or Something)

Back in May 2010 (bloody hell, I can't believe it's that long ago) I participated in what was a loony mission. A 24 hour non-stop webcast known as Red Nose Net in aid of Comic Relief. We raised thousands of dollars and I'm incredibly proud of being involved. You can see some previous posts about it HERE.

That year we made a charity single, with a bunch of celebrities, to sell in order to help raise as much money as possible. It was called "Some Kind Of Charity (or Something)" and featured such dignitaries as:

Ken Plume, Paul and Storm, Jonathan Coulton, Dave Hill, J. Elvis Weinstein, Bill Corbett, Phill Jupitus, Kevin Murphy, Mike Phirman, Jackson Publick, Doc Hammer, John Roderick, Molly Lewis, MC Frontalot, Hank Green, James Urbaniak, David Mitchell, Joe “Covenant” Lamb, John “Widgett” Robinson...

...and me. Somewhere towards the back.

The single is available again this year to help raise even more money for this great cause. If you're unfamiliar with all the wonderful things Comic Relief do CLICK HERE to learn more.

To find out how to download the track and donate CLICK HERE. Please do. It will do an enormous amount of good in the world.