The Graphic Landscape

This is my review of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Now some people say that they don't like the fact that the movie doesn't really take place in America, and it's G.I. Joe, but, and maybe this is because this is my first real exposure to G.I. Joe, I don't feel that at all. This movie is rated PG-13 for strong sequences of action violence and mayhem. I'm not quite sure what mayhem means, but this movie has it.

Characters

Duke (Channing Tatum): Duke is a soldier working for (or with) M.A.R.S., a weapons company, basically the equivalent of Oscorp. (Marvel comics? Norman Osborn?) He and his friend, Ripcord, are helping to transport some nanomite warheads, when they are attacked by Cobra. G.I. Joe saves them, and Duke and Ripcord join them. We find out that G.I. Joe asked Duke to join years ago, and that Duke was engaged to Ana, the Baroness, but then he couldn't save her brother in war.

Duke

Ripcord (Marlon Wayans): Ripcord is Duke's best friend, and also a soldier. He wants to be in the Air Force, and he can fly anything.

Ripcord

Baroness (Sienna Miller): The Baroness, Ana, used to be engaged to Duke. Then Duke came back from war without her brother, Rex. She now works with Cobra and is second-in-command. However, her former feelings for Duke get in her way.

Baroness

McCullen/Destro (Christopher Eccleston): McCullen is the head of both M.A.R.S. and Cobra. He steals his own warheads. Yeah.

McCullen

Snake Eyes (Ray Park): Snake Eyes is an awesome ninja who works with G.I. Joe. He uses both a sword and a gun, which automatically makes him awesome. He took a vow of silence years ago, and is connected with the Cobra ninja Storm Shadow.

Snake Eyes

Storm Shadow (Byung-hun Lee): Storm Shadow is Cobra's ninja and Snake Eyes' mortal enemy. Storm Shadow killed their master years ago because the master liked Snake Eyes better.

Storm Shadow

Plot

Scarlett

Duke and Ripcord are transporting the M.A.R.S. warheads when Cobra and Baroness attack them. They are saved by Snake Eyes, Mr. Eko, the French robber from Teen Titans, and the Black Widow. No, I'm kidding.

Heavy Duty

It was actually Snake Eyes, Heavy Duty (who plays Mr. Eko in Lost), Breaker, a French scientist, and Scarlett, basically Black Widow with Ultimate Hawkeye's weapons, (A redhead with crossbows) whom Ripcord falls in love with.

The Joes

These four are members of G.I. Joe, a secret spy organization. Duke and Ripcord then join the Joes, but they are attacked by Cobra in their base. Baroness and Storm Shadow then steal back the warheads, go to Paris and shoot down the Eiffel Tower, while the Joes try to stop them, at which they fail.

Storm Shadow & Baroness

Cobra captures Duke and head off to their secret base in the Arctic. Now, the rest of the Joes have to save Duke, defeat Cobra, and stop Cobra's nanomite missiles. The one problem I have is that in the end of the movie, when McCullen is turned into a metal-composite being, and the true villain dons his awesome Darth Vader-ish armor and becomes Commander Cobra, and then a minute after, they get captured. You don't do that. You put on the armor, menace people, and then get captured. Anakin didn't put on the Vader armor and then get his head chopped off by Obi-Wan. He put on the armor, terrorized people for three movies, and then died.

Snake Eyes in Action

Plot: 5 stars. I can't think of anything wrong with the plot.

Character: 4 stars. Duke didn't really change throughout the movie, although Snake Eyes did.

Action: 5 stars. The perfect amount of action.

Total Score: 4 2/3 stars.

How do these spoilers keep getting in here?

Here is my Movie World review of the DCU animated movie Green Lantern: First Flight. This movie, chronicling the journey of Hal Jordan to Green Lantern, is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence. (Sorry, but I must put that for legal reasons.)

Characters

Hal Jordan (Christopher Meloni): Hal Jordan is, although you wouldn’t get this from the movie, a fearless pilot working for Ferris Aircraft. While on a test flight, his ship was brought to a downed alien starship, which contained the dying alien Abin Sur, who was a member of the intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps. Sur then gives him a Green Lantern ring and makes him a Green Lantern. However, the other Green Lanterns don’t exactly accept him.

Hal Jordan

Sinestro (Victor Garber): Sinestro is quite literally the best Green Lantern ever. He agrees to take on Hal Jordan when no other Lanterns would. But when Hal shows him up and embarrasses him, well, let’s just say Sinestro is kind of the jealous type.

Sinestro and Hal

Boodikka (Tricia Helfer): Boodikka is a female Green Lantern. Yeah. Not much to say about her, except there’s more to her than you think.

Kilowog (Michael Madsen): Kilowog is also a Green Lantern, and a very good one too. Got a problem with that, poozer?

Kilowog, Hal, and Boodikka

Kanjar Ro (Kurtwood Smith): Kanjar Ro is an intergalactic space pirate. He is ruthless, and an all-around bad character. Not someone you want your children hanging around. Unless your children are intergalactic space pirates, in which case I say, good luck to you.

Kanjar Ro

Plot

The Green Lantern Corps is the intergalactic police force of the universe. They are led by the Guardians of the Universe, the immortal founders of the Corps. (Think blue Yodas.) The universe is divided into many sectors, and the Corps are based on the plant Oa in sector 0, the known center of the universe. Each sector has one Lantern and each Lantern has both a ring and a power battery. The ring responds to the Lantern’s thoughts and grants them what is basically telekinesis. The rings are tied in to the Book of Oa, making them sentient and very smart. After a length of time, roughly the equivalent of 24 Earth hours, the rings must be recharged by a power battery, which looks like a green lantern. The batteries are connected to the Central Power Battery on Oa, which grants all the Lanterns and Guardians their power. The Lanterns recharge their rings by reciting the Green Lantern Oath:

Guardians of the Universe

In brightest day, in blackest night,

No evil shall escape my sight.

Let those who worship evil's might,

Beware my power: Green Lantern's light!

As previously said, pilot Hal Jordan was brought to Lantern Abin Sur by Sur’s ring, which (and this is not addressed in the movie) chose Hal because of his fearlessness and his willpower. The dying Sur gave Jordan the ring and Jordan became Green Lantern. However, he soon learned that there was an impurity in the Central Power Battery, making the rings ineffectual against the part of the color spectrum known as yellow. This impurity was…well…that’s another story. Actually, it was because of the being known as Parallax, who was the yellow embodiment of fear, and he was trapped inside the power battery…oh, but I digress. Come to think of it, I’m not sure if the yellow impurity was in the movie.

Anyways, the other Lanterns don’t accept Jordan, but Sinestro agrees to take on Hal as his apprentice. Together, they hunt down Abin Sur’s killer, (who in the comics, is actually Atrocitus, leader of the Red Lanterns…oh, but I digress once again) who is hiding on some backwater planet. Much to Sinestro’s dismay, Jordan stops the criminal. Later, a small army of Lanterns goes after Kanjar Ro, for some unremembered crime, and by the end Hal is the only one left standing. But that’s okay, because Kanjar’s got a man or two on the inside.

Plot: 4 stars. I loved the story, except they don’t use the whole “No Fear” and “Willpower” thing, which is sort of crucial to the Green Lantern mythos.

Character: 3 stars. You can’t compare Hal Jordan in the beginning of the movie (before he gets the ring) to Hal Jordan in the end of the movie because you don’t know Hal Jordan in the beginning of the movie. He says one line, which vaguely references his lack of fear, and appears for a couple minutes before getting the ring.

Action: 5 stars. There was just the right amount of action. Not too much, not too little. Which I guess is what “right amount” means.

Total Score: 4 1/3 stars!

Oh, look at that, a spoiler.

Next: G.I. Joe!

Hey, everyone! So, here is my official report of San Diego Comic-Con International 2009! First of all, though, after I got home, I quite literally could no longer walk, and I had a fever. But, among the highlights, I found Secret Wars issues 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, and 12 for only $2 each! Anyways, let?s get on with it, shall we?

Mondo Marvel Panel

At all the Marvel panels, while you were waiting for the panel to begin, they would show you trailers and videos. And the Spider-Woman Motion Comic (on www.marvel.com) looks really cool, so you should check that out.

In other news, Deadpool and Spidey will be teaming up in The Amazing Spider-Man #611, and will also be meeting in Deadpool: Suicide Kings #4. In November, the Black Widow: Deadly Origins limited series will be debuting. It will cover the deadly origins of the Black Widow, Natasha Romanov. (Kind of obvious, don?t you think?) X-Men Noir fans, you?re in luck! Because the sequel, X-Men Noir: Mark of Cain, will soon come out. There will also be a Doctor Voodoo: Defender of the Supernatural series, documenting Brother Voodoo?s path to becoming Sorcerer Supreme, and a Strange series in October, about Doctor Strange?s new path and new role.

Captain America and Black Panther fans rejoice! A new miniseries, Captain America and Black Panther: Flags of our Father, will soon arrive, documenting Cap?s first journey into Wakanda during World War II, where he meets Black Panther?s father, the Panther before him. Also in November, the Marvel Adventures series gets better, with actual arcs, and Punisher Max returns. In September, Andy Diggle will join Daredevil, and, at some point in the Dark Reign: Lethal Legion miniseries, Wonder Man will join his brother, the Grim Reaper, on the Legion.

In the Marvel U, there have been three ?acts? of events that are changing the universe. The first was Civil War, the second Secret Invasion, with Dark Reign being the third. After Dark Reign ends, things will be normal for at least a year, after which the Universe will probably be turned upside down again.

Clone Wars: Building the Universe Panel

This panel was kind of boring, and I didn?t get much from it.

The Anakin model used in the T.V. show is different from the one used in the movie. Also, they were going to give Ahsoka a school girlish skirt, but that was way too expensive, so they stuck with the pants. And coming up in season 2, two words: Clone Flamethrowers!

Batman Panel

Being a person who does not keep up regularly with the DC Universe, I have no idea how much of this you already know, but this is all I got from this panel.

Azrael will soon get his own series, Hush will soon return, and Mr. Zsasz will be in Streets of Gotham.

Cup O? Joe Panel

For those of you who don?t know Cup O? Joe was a column Joe Quesada, the Editor in Chief of Marvel Comics, used to do for comics.

There will be online biweekly Spider-Man stories by Bob Gale. Each will be about 8 pages, and will be part of the continuum. In November, there will be a Marvel Knights: Deathlok 7-issue miniseries. In the Hulk world, there will soon be a Red She-Hulk. And in December: World War Hulks! In the one-shot prelude, World War Hulks: Gamma, someone big dies!

As for Ben Reilly in the Spider-Man, no one ever said he was back! And if you read the latest Spider-Man Annual, you?d realize that?s he?s not really back. In the Ultimate Comics U, there will 4-5 Ultimate Comics books.

When Joe asked if we wanted to hear the big news, his request was met by thunderous applause and cheers. The big news: Marvel now owns the rights to Marvel Man! About half the crowd cheered. The other half, including me, had no idea who that was. All I can say is, hopefully it?s a good thing.

DC Universe Animation Panel

The fifth DCU Animated movie, Green Lantern: First Flight (I?ll review it separately) comes out and Tuesday, July 28^th, although that day will probably have passed by the time this gets posted. The movie was produced by animated extraordinaire Bruce Timm.

Bruce Timm

The next DCU movie, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, based on the book, looks awesome. Kevin Conroy is Batman (Best Batman Ever! Besides maybe Christian Bale), Tim Daly is Superman, Clancy Brown is Lex Luthor, and Smallville?s Allison Mack is Power Girl. In addition, there will be DC Showcase animated shorts featuring different heroes like Jonah Hex.

Clancy Brown

Speaking of Jonah Hex, he will be played by Josh Brolin in the live-action movie, and will be with Megan Fox (as his love interest, I?m guessing.)

Minimates Panel

Minimates are now the #1 block figure, topping both LEGO and Kubrick. It is also the longest running specialty toy line.

With the success of the BSG Mini-flyers, DST is thinking about vehicles for other lines, like Marvel or T2. Also, Minimates now owns Battle Beasts, the 80?s toyline, and is therefore putting one in the Laboratory playset. With the Secret Wars box set coming out soon, DST is also putting a Molecule Man and Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman 2-Pack on the shelves at Toys R? Us in the fall. Also, www.actionfigureexpress.com will have an exclusive Silver Age X-Men box set, featuring Cyclops, Marvel Girl, the Beast, and Iceman.

Blackest Night Panel

The Blackest Night has begun, and the dead shall rise! For those of you who don?t know, Blackest Night and the War of Light are about the 8 Lantern Corps (including the Green Lanterns) fighting each other, and the Black Lanterns raising the dead.

Martian Manhunter

Here are the Lantern Corps:

Green Lanterns

Emotion: Willpower

Powers: Telekinetic Constructs

Members: Guardians of the Universe, Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, ??????????? John Stewart, Kilowog, Salaak

Blue Lanterns

Emotion: Hope

Powers: Telekinetic Constructs, Healing

Members: Ganthet, Sayd, Saint Walker

Indigo Tribe

Emotion: Compassion

Powers: Unknown

Members: Indigo

Star Sapphires

Emotion: Love

Powers: Telekinetic Constructs

Members: Carol Ferris

Sinestro Corps.

Emotion: Fear

Powers: Telekinetic Constructs

Members: Sinestro, Mongul, Manhunters

Red Lanterns

Emotion: Rage

Powers: Telekinetic Constructs

Members: Atrocitus

Agent Orange (Orange Lanterns)

Emotion: Avarice

Powers: Can Raise Army of Ghosts

Members: Larfleeze

Black Lanterns

Emotion: Death

Powers: Can Zombify Dead

Members: Black Hand, Scar, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Earth-2 Superman, ??????????? Firestorm

Firestorm

In the panel, now that Black Hand has risen the dead, they will attack. But not just anyone. The living people that cared about them, because the black rings are about who?s alive as well as who?s dead. In Blackest Night #2, Black Lantern Aquaman attacks, and in issue #3, Black Lantern Firestorm attacks.

There will be many spinoffs, like Blackest Night: Batman, Blackest Night: Superman, Blackest Night: Maxwell Lord, Blackest Night: Flash, Blackest Night: Wonder Woman, and Blackest Night: Titans, among others. Upcoming in Green Lantern, it?s Carol Ferris vs. Sinestro, the avatars of all the emotions, and the story of Carol Ferris.

Earth-2 Superman

Also coming, Booster Gold vs. Black Lantern Blue Beetle, Booster?s old partner, as well as Black Lanterns Sandman and Starman vs. the JSA, as well as Black Lantern Vibe. Also, Red Lantern cat Dextar vs. Krypto!

A little tidbit: Geoff Jones, the writer of Blackest Night, based Agent Orange?s Larfleeze on a Muppet left in the street for two days, and based his name on the words lard and sleeze.

Aquaman & Deadman

Spectacular Spider-Man Panel

In you haven?t seen this show, do. It?s a great show, although season three has not yet been picked up. So everyone, write to the company and tell them how awesome the show is and to pick it up for another season.

As for upcoming stuff, and Gargoyles & Spectacular Spider-Man Convention coming up in L.A. (both shows were created by the same guy) Go to www.gatheringofthegargoyles.com .

If season three gets picked up, there is a possible Clone Saga, possible Carnage, possible Hobgoblin, and more Black Cat!

Marvel Video Games Panel

Marvel tries to make movie games not movie games. In other words, movie games have the characters, locations, and mood, but have their own story. Because, as everyone knows, movie games suck.

As for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Fusion, it will cover both Nick Fury?s Secret War, as well as the Civil War. It will come out on September 15^th.

I?ll be honest. The whole Super Hero Squad franchise looks completely stupid and blasphemous, with the toys, the new show coming out, and the video game. However, the game doesn?t look that bad. You know what, I take that back. It does look bad, but it sounds kind of cool. It?s like a playable SHS episode.

Also, Gazillion and Marvel are teaming up to make both a SHS and a Marvel U MMO, which should be awesome.

One more thing, involving Little Big Planet: you will soon be able to get Iron Man, Wolverine, and Captain America costumes.

Talk to the X-Man.

That?s it for San Diego Comic-Con International 2009! See you all soon!

?Hello! Now, this is the debut of my newest column, the Movie World! Here, I will review movies based on comic books, super heroes, or other nerdy stuff. This issue (for lack of a better word) is about Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

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Characters

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Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf): In the last movie, he discovered the Transformers race along with his girlfriend Mikela by buying a Camaro, which was actually the Autobot Bumblebee. He helped the Autobots keep the AllSpark cube safe from the evil Decepticons, and eventually killed Megatron, the Decepticon leader, by overloading him with the AllSpark. He is now going to college.

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Sam Witwicky

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Mikaela (Megan Fox): Mikela now works at a garage with her father, who was let out of jail. She is dating Sam. Not much to say about her.

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Mikaela

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Major Lennox (Josh Duhamel): In the first Transformers, he led a military squad that helped Sam and the Autobots. He then got possession of Ironhide, an Autobot. Now he leads Nest Squad. Nest Squad, made up of Lennox’s old squad and the Autobots, hunts down all Decepticons still remaining on Earth.

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Agent Simmons (John Turturro): In the first movie, Agent Simmons led a secret government organization called Sector 7. They first found Megatron and the AllSpark cube. At the end, they were disbanded. In this movie, Simmons works at his family delicatessen, but still has some stuff from his Sector & days.

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Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen (voice)): Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots, and cares deeply for Earth and the humans, not wanting them to reflect Cybertron, the Transformers’ planet.

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Bumblebee: Bumblebee is the Camaro that Sam bought in the first movie. His speech processors are damaged, so he talks through his radio. His mission is to guard Sam.

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Megatron (Hugo Weaving (voice)): Megatron is the leader of the Decepticons. His goal in this movie is to gather more Energon fuel by destroying the sun. However, his plans have a little problem in it. Megatron was killed in the first movie by Sam and dropped to the bottom of the ocean by the military. In this movie, we learn that he does have a superior, the Fallen.

Megatron

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Starscream (Charles Adler (voice)): In the last movie, Starscream took off in the end and fled. He then took over the Decepticons, a life-long dream of his. He is now their leader, and they are searching the Earth for something.

Starscream

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Plot

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Nest Squad, a black ops team for taking down Decepticons, is journeying to Tokyo to find and destroy two more Decepticons. Once there, the Autobots, Optimus Prime, Ratchet and Ironhide, now joined by Arcee, Chromia, their unnamed sister (the first female Autobots), Sideswipe, Jolt, and Skids and Mudflap (who hilariously are an ice cream truck, but then get upgraded) take on Sideways and the Constructicon Demolisher. After Sideswipe cuts Sideways in half and Optimus Prime blows up Demolisher, Demolisher issues the warning that the Fallen will rise again.

Demolisher in Shanghai

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In the meantime, Sam is going to college, and while packing up, he finds a piece from the AllSpark. After the piece turns his kitchen appliances to life and they get blown up by Bumblebee, Sam gives the piece to Mikela. Once at college, Sam starts seeing weird symbols in the air and starts drawing them. He realizes that the symbols are in his brain because of the AllSpark piece. Mikela is then hunted by the tiny Decepticon Wheelie, whose eye she burns out and stuffs in a trunk. She then rescues Sam from a Decepticon disguised as a college girl. Then the Decepticon Soundwave, who takes control of a satellite, launches the panther Ravage to Earth, who launches the razor-thin Reedman, who takes an AllSpark piece in the possession of Nest. Then Ravage and several other Decepticons, swim to the bottom of the ocean and revive Megatron with the AllSpark piece.

Ravage

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Then (these next few parts might not be in the right order) Megatron and Starscream take Sam, and the Doctor, a tiny scalpel-like Decepticon, hacks Sam’s brain and takes the information Sam learned from the AllSpark. After, Optimus Prime somehow gets Sam and they run to the forest, where Megatron, Starscream, and Grindor, a Decepticon who looks exactly like Blackout from the first movie, get their butts kicked by Optimus Prime all at once, until Optimus fails and dies. Sam, Mikela, Bumblebee, Skids, and Mudflap find Agent Simmons, and Wheelie, who is so scared of Mikela he becomes an Autobot, leads them to the ancient robot Jetfire, who knows what is happening. He explains that the Fallen, Megatron’s master, is one of the original 8 Primes. He tried to destroy Earth and take the Energon from its sun with a machine, but the other Primes made a tomb where they kept the key to activate the Fallen’s machine. The only way to destroy the Fallen is with a Prime, but the last one died. Sam realizes that he has to find the key, or the Matrix, revive Optimus with it, and then keep the Fallen from finding the machine.

Jetfire

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??Now, that’s all I will tell you about the story, but this next part is funny. In the final battle, where its about 20 Decepticons against 12 Autobots (miraculously only 2 die), Jetfire crashes in the midst of the battle, mutters something about a landing, shouts, “Let me show you how we did it in my day!”? and then proceeds to bash in the heads of several Decepticons with his cane, until Scorponok drills his insides out.

??As for the score, I will consider three factors. The highest score will be 5 stars. The factors are Plot, mainly confusion and depth, Character, mainly development, and Action, mostly amount.

??Plot: 3 stars. The plot was a bit confusing. Also, they don’t explain Energon at all. I just know because I’m a nerd.

??Character: 3 stars. There was more character development in the first one, and here, there isn’t much at all.

            Action: 4 stars. There was a lot of action in this movie, about 5 battles. 7, if you include Decepticons blowing up defenseless humans. The movie would have benefited from a little less action.

?Total Score: 3? Stars!

Hey, everyone! Sorry I haven?t written for a while, but I?ve been busy. Anyways, here are your Dark Reign/Ultimatum comics for this month. And watch out. There?s plenty of spoilers.

Dark Avengers #6: After dealing with the rebirth of the Sentry and the mental ramifications of it, Norman Osborn has to respond to Clint Barton?s public accusations, which charged him with being the murderous Green Goblin and his team of Avengers of being psychopaths and murderers, all of which is true. So, how does Osborn respond? He does what all people in power do. He lies on national television, saying that ?the Lord has given [a second chance] to me.? He goes on preaching. ?When I was at my worst, I used to pray to God he would let me have this second chance. And look. Look where he put me. Where he put all of us.? Don?t get me wrong, though. I loved it. It was very Norman Osborny. Good story and great drawings. Total Score: 4.5 Stars!

Dark Avengers #5

Dark Reign: Hawkeye #3 (of 5): Hawkeye is insane. We all know that. But now, he seems to be going more insane! Finding people dead with bullseyes carved into their forehead. Seeing a ghost Bullseye who is trying to kill him. But is it a ghost? Or is someone gaslighting poor Lester? That is what reporter Ben Urich is trying to discover. Are the bodies result of Hawkeye?s lust for blood, or are they the result of something more?sinister? (I?ll give you a hint. It?s the latter.) Great story and great drawings. Total Score: 5 Stars!

Dark Reign: Hawkeye #3

Thunderbolts #132: The Ghost is one mysterious person. If you read the Magnum Opus arc, then you probably bothered by the fact the Ghost said he saved Headsman twice. Well, Headsman is also wondering. And he?ll get some answers. In the meantime, the Thunderbolts are trying to recruit Mister X. If you know who he is, (he beat Wolverine in hand-to-hand combat) then you know how hard it will be. Good thing it was set up. (CHEAP!!) The first half, with Headsman and Ghost was great, but the latter half was not so great. Good story and good drawings. Total Score: 4 Stars!

Thunderbolts #132

Marvel Zombies 4 #3 (of 4): Now joined by the Hood and Man-Thing, the Midnight Sons have to stop the Zombie Plague, which is now airborne. Portal, from A.R.M.O.R., threatens to nuke the whole island if the Midnight Sons can?t stop it. So, Jennifer Kale, after smartly declining Dormammu?s offer, sends Man-Thing out into the Plague to stop it. However, the Plague, which can be controlled by Headpool, (Zombie Deadpool, the Merc with Only a Mouth) manages to stop Man-Thing. Then, worst comes to worst as Werewolf by Night gets Zombified. Great story, good drawings. Total Score: 4.5 Stars!

Marvel Zombies 4 #3

Ultimatum #4: ?And God said unto Noah: the end of all flesh is come before me. For the Earth is filled with violence through them; And, behold, I will destroy them with the Earth.? I?m sorry, but if Magneto memorizes Bible passages to recite to his enemies, then he has way too much free time. Anyways, after Hulk destroys Dr. Strange?s Sanctum Sanctorum (Is it called that in the Ultimate U?), killing Spider-Man, Dormammu, who has somehow absorbed the Human Torch, gets free and kills Dr. Strange, leaving the Invisible Woman (Girl?) and the Thing to stop him. In the Supreme Powerverse, Mr. Fantastic, Doom, Princess Power, and Arcanna are retrieving Nick Fury in order to stop Ultimatum. Back in he Ultimate U, the X-Men and Avengers attack Magneto?s Citadel, albeit a bit abruptly. Anyways, great story and great drawings. Total Score: 5 Stars!

Ultimatum #4

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1: Utopia Chapter One! It all starts here. Simon Trask is leading an anti-mutant protest, and the Beast is leading an anti-anti-mutant protest. They meet up, which leads to riotous disastrous, of course. Soon, mutant riots break out all over San Francisco. Since the X-Men are unable to handle the riots, Norman Osborn and the Dark Avengers are called in to contain them. In the meantime, the Beast, who has been arrested, encounters a possibly friendly face (I don?t really keep up with X-Men), and Norman presents Emma with a surprise of her own. Great story, and good drawings. Total Score: 4.5 Stars!

Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1

Uncanny X-Men #513: Utopia Chapter Two! While the Dark Avengers maintain order (or try to), the Iron Patriot shakes hands with Professor Xavier, while the real Professor X mentally talks with the Beast. In the meantime, Emma Frost, now the Black Queen, leads a new team of Dark X-Men, including the Mimic, Cloak, Dagger, Wolverine (Daken), Namor, and Weapon Omega, or Michael Pointer. The team then goes to take down a team of ragtag mutants, which then prompts Cyclops to have a ?talk? with Osborn. Good story and good drawings. Total Score: 4 Stars!

Uncanny X-Men #513

Dark Avengers #7: Utopia Chapter Three! While the Dark X-Men take on some ragtag mutants, Scott Summers, Cyclops, pays a visit to the Iron Patriot and asks him to surrender, which, of course, Osborn refuses. In the meantime, the Beast recovers from the Omega machine, a machine that drains power for Weapon Omega. Tensions between the Dark X-Men and the Dark Avengers boil over into completely awesome battle. Good story and great drawings! Total Score: 4.5 Stars!

Dark Avengers #7

And yes, I am quite painfully aware that I do not have Dark Avengers #6.

Dark X-Men: The Beginning #1 (of 3): A Utopia Tie-In! The stories of Namor, the Mimic, and Dark Beast. Since this book has three stories, I?ll rate them all individually. Dark X-Men: Namor/Norman: Okay story, good drawings. 3.5 Stars.

Dark X-Men: The Beginning

Dark X-Men: Mimic: Okay story, okay drawings. 3 Stars. Dark X-Men: Dark Beast: Good story, good drawings. 4 Stars.

Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man #1 (of 4): The story of the Mac Gargan Spider-Man. After foiling a villain?s bank robbery, he makes out with two women on top of the villain, pockets the villain?s loot, bites his arm off, then spends all his money at a strip club. He then kills one of his 20 girlfriends and leaves her body on the bed of mayor J. Jonah Jameson, whom he hates for turning him into the Scorpion in the first place. ?Nuff said. Good story and good drawings. Total Score: 4 Stars!

Dark Reign: The Sinister Spider-Man #1

New Avengers #54: The new Sorcerer Supreme is chosen! And his name is Brother Voodoo, or Jericho Drumm! I am actually very glad to have him as the Sorcerer Supreme, as opposed to Dr. Doom or the Hood, who, by the way, wanted the Eye of Agamotto (one of the powerful objects belonging to the Sorcerer Supreme) so badly, he transformed completely into the Dread Dormammu, his demon. Until, that his, he gets exorcised by Hellstorm, the Son of Satan, Dr. Strange, and the now Dr. Voodoo. Great story and great drawings. Total Score: 5 Stars!

New Avengers #54

Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #1: Deadpool is sent to the Savage Land by his new employers, A.I.M., or as he thinks of them, honey collectors, to steal Zombie Deadpool?s head from Hydra. One problem: Now knowing that Hydra is the ?parent? company of A.I.M. (Secret Warriors #1), what angle are they playing? Anyways, Deadpool, along with an A.I.M. scientist, have to take the head. Great story and good drawings. Total Score: 4.5 Stars!

Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #1

So, that?s it for these months. I?ll see you all at Comic-Con!

?? ? ? ? ? ?Hey. I had a different opening than this, but I realized that it was not funny at all, plus, I have something to say. Sorry about not being able to post more, folks. I?ve been extremely busy. But don?t worry, there will be some cool stuff coming. Anyways, we (hopefully) won?t have as many comics this time.

??????????? Secret Invasion #7 (of 8): SPOILER ALERT! The queen is dead! The queen is dead! Oh, sorry. Anyways, more of the huge battle between the humans (mostly) and the Skrulls. I especially love the part where Bullseye shoots Yellowjacket in the eye with a bazooka. Anyways, this is a great issue, with Skrull chaos and carnage. A great story and good drawings. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

Secret Invasion #7

??????????? Marvel Zombies 3 #2: In this issue, Machine Man and Jocasta enter the zombieverse. (Definitely the best made-up word ever. Okay, maybe not. But one of them.) Did you think the zombies that attacked and defended New Wakanda were the only zombies still alive? Yeah, right. Unless, of course, this story takes place before Marvel Zombies 2. (Note: I just found out it doesn?t.) Anyways, someone is pulling the strings behind Deadpool and Morbius? invasion. And it?s the same person who is always pulling the strings in the Marvel universe. Kingpin! And he?s working with?Darn. Outta ink. Great drawings and great story. Total Score: 5 stars!

Marvel Zombies 3 #2

??????????? Secret Invasion #8 (of 8): SPOILER ALERT! Okay, so the whole ?queen is dead? thing is a lie. Apparently, Skrulls can survive an arrow through the jaw. Anyways, with the Wasp about to explode, when Thor works his magic. Then Veranke, who survived like I said, was by finally killed, by Norman Osborn! Everyone who could fly (sorry, Spidey) destroyed the rest of the Skrull fleet, but not before Iron Man found the prisoners. You?ll never guess who?s actually alive! Well, you might. Actually, its kinda obvious, if you think about it. Jessica Jones learns the hard way to never to leave your baby with a Skrull. Not that she knew. So, Stark takes the blame of the invasion and the keys to the kingdom are handed over the Norman Osborn! And it all goes downhill from there. I though that the ending of the big battle was very abrupt and could have used some more tension with the Wasp thing. Great story and good drawings. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

Secret Invasion #8

??????????? Secret Invasion: Requiem: SPOILER ALERT UNLESS YOU?VE READ SECRET INVASION #8! This issue also has reprints of Tales to Astonish #44 and The Avengers #213 as well as a Wasp bio, so I?ll only be rating the actual story. In the wake of Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp)?s death, Jocasta is helping Henry Pym (Yellowjacket) move Jan?s stuff out of her house. However, Jocasta finds Hank working in the lab, making a new Pym formula. She asks him questions and he recounts the story where he first met Janet and the story where he hits her out of rage. In the end, he changes identities for the fifth time and we find out that this story takes place in the near future. Also, The Mighty Avengers #21 takes place after this story. Great story (made me teary eyed) and great drawings. Total Score: 5 stars!

Secret Invasion: Requiem

??????????? Secret Invasion: Dark Reign: SPOILER ALERT UNLESS YOU?VE READ SECRET INVASION #8! The Secret Invasion is over, and the Dark Reign has begun! (See, I could make ads for Marvel!) Norman Osborn has assembled a Dark Illuminati of Dr. Doom, Namor, Emma Frost, the Hood, and Loki (who?s now a girl! Don?t tell her I said that or she?ll turn me into a mongoose.). He offers them one thing: redemption. They?ll be untouchable by the law and they?ll get what they want. All they have to do is jump when Osborn says, ?Jump,? which, as we all know, is never a good thing. However, even within evil, evil rises. (That?ll make more sense once you read the book.) The drawings were not that good. Namor looked like he was balding, Norman Osborn looked like Peter Parker, Loki had rings around her eyes, and Dr. Doom looked like a devil. Wait, he always looks like that. Never mind! Great story and okay drawings. Total Score: 4 stars!

Secret Invasion: Dark Reign

??????????? The New Avengers #47: SPOILER ALERT UNLESS YOU?VE READ S.I. #8! This issue is about the parenthood of Luke Cage, the former Power Man, and Jessica Jones, the former Jewel. (As if you didn?t know that!) They raise their baby, and recount the time when they fell in love. I think that they?re bad role models, because they swear a lot in front of their baby. Good story and great drawings. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

?New Avengers #47

??????????? The Mighty Avengers #20: SPOILER ALERT UNLESS YOU?VE READ S.I. #8! The Wasp?s death was yet another blow to Hank Pym?s sanity, although I have to say, he?s handling it very well. The story of the Wasp?s funeral and how Hank copes with it. Thor drops by and takes Hank to Asgard for a celebration and funeral of the Wasp, which is very nice of him, considering he kinda killed the Wasp in the first place. But if he hadn?t, everyone in New York and probably beyond would be dead, so no one?s blaming him. Great story, great drawings. Total Score: 5 stars!

Mighty Avengers #20

??????????? Dark Reign: New Nation: SPOILER ALERT UNLESS YOU?VE READ BLAH BLAH BLAH! So this story, much like the Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? one-shot, just shows you what?s going on with different heroes and teams. In this book , those heroes are Nick Fury?s Secret Warriors, the Agents of Atlas, War Machine, the Skrull Kill Krew?s Ryder, and Ronin and Mockingbird. Nick Fury inspires the Secret Warriors to fight with an old wartime tale. The Agents of Atlas rob a gold vault. War Machine attacks some French dude. I love the robotic polar bears in that story. Ryder, of the Skrull Kill Krew, goes through the countryside, killing Skrulls disguised as cows to the dismay of their idiot (that’s a compliment) ?farmers. Finally, Mockingbird tries to get used to returning from the dead while coping with her years in Skrull captivity. And she reveals that there?s more to her than Clint (Ronin) realizes. Okay, since this has five writers and artists, I?ll rate them individually and then rate the book. ?Secret Warriors: Declaration?: Good story, good drawings. Score: 4 stars. ?Agents of Atlas: The Heist?: Good story, great drawings. Score: 4.5 stars. ?War Machine: Crossing the Line?: Good story, great drawings. Score: 4.5 stars. ?Skrull Kill Krew: Breakfast in America?: Great story, great drawings. Score: 5 stars. ?New Avengers: The Reunion: Suspicion?: Great story, good drawings. Score: 4.5 stars. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

Dark Reign: New Nation

??????????? Marvel Zombies 3 #3 (of 4): SPOILER ALERT UNLESS YOU?VE READ MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #2! In this issue, Machine Man fights the zombies, and he kills most of them, too. Of course, zombie Kingpin monologues, giving away his whole plan. Meanwhile, in the 616-universe, (the name for the Marvel Universe), zombie Morbius gives in to his hunger and spreads the ?Gospel.? Who can stop it? Not Machine Man, that?s for sure! He?s having troubles of his own! Great story and great drawings. Total Score: 5 stars!

Marvel Zombies 3 #3

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All right! Here?s to another successful review! Now between the time these comics came out and the time I?m posting this, I realize that a lot of other comics have come out since then. Just automatically assume that anything with Dark Reign on it or anything Ultimate gets 5 stars. See ya next month!

?Hey there, everyone! What’s up? Back for more? Alrighty then! We got an all-star line up for you folks today! There’s tons to read, so turn of the TV, make some popcorn, and pull up a chair! I’ll just stop talking so’s we can get to the reviews!

Ultimates 3 #5 (of 5): The stunning conclusion to the Sex, Lies, and DVDs that everyone’s been waiting for! Who outed Tony Stark’s, well, you know, video? Who is the Black Panther and what’s his connection to Captain America? Why did Venom melt? Who killed the Scarlet Witch? Why are robots declaring war against humanity? And just who is Hank Pym’s son? It answers all of those questions, and the answers just lead to more questions. Hank Pym’s son conveniently monologues his whole plan and history while Ant-Man and the Wasp are in the vents, so you know almost everything by the fourth page. Plus, it leads right into Ultimatum! Anyways, a great story and pretty good drawings. Total Score: 5 out of 5 stars!

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Ultimates 3 #5

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?The New Avengers #45: During House of M, whatever happened to the Skrulls? ?They were there. But they knew more than you think! Good story and great drawings. ?Total Score: 4 out of 5 stars!

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New Avengers #45

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The Mighty Avengers #18: Are you wondering how Nick Fury turned a bunch of nobodies with powers into Howling Commandos? Well, you won’t be after reading this issue! And let me just tell you, I wouldn’t want to put through what the Commandos were put through. Good story and good drawings. Total Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars!

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Mighty Avengers #18

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Avengers: The Initiative #17: Hey, I just realized something. I’m doing all the Avengers-type comics first aren’t I? That’s weird. Anyways, so the Shadow Initiative, Trauma, Bengal, Mutant Zero, and Constrictor, joined by Ant-Man, try to take back Camp Hammond. Meanwhile, the Skrull Kill Krew, now joined by Hardball, are wondering just how they’re going to get around, when suddenly, they’re problem is fixed right before their eyes! I love this story, and I like the drawings, too. Total Score: 4.5 stars out of 5!

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Avengers: The Initiative #17

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Marvel Apes #2 (of 4): Let me start by saying this book is not for small kids under the age of 10. So for those of you who thought they were going to give Marvel Apes to their 8-year-old nephews as a birthday gift or whatever, think again. It’s got depth, blood and supernatural creatures, so it’s not nearly as stupid as we all thought it was going to be. Plus, it’s got monkey Speedball on the cover! So Marty and Fiona have finally finished the interdimensional portal with the help of monkey Mr. Fantastic, but who’s there to stop them? It’s…it’s…nah, I’m not gonna tell you. But let me just say, it’s not who you think it is! Great story and great drawings. I give it: 4.5 out of 5 stars!

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Marvel Apes #2

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Deadpool #2: The Skrulls don’t exactly trust the Merc with a Mouth, so they lock him up. Luckily, (I think) Deadpool manages to convince them to let him train a new breed of Deadpool-spliced Super-Skrulls! You know, like how the Clone Army is cloned from Jango Fett? It’s the same thing. Of course, the ensuing chaos follows when the Skrulls start learning from Deadpool. But, you’ll never guess who Deadpool is really working for! Tony Stark! Queen Veranke! Norman Osborn! Dr. Doom! Nah, I’m kidding. It’s not them. But you will be surprised by who it is! Great and funny story and good drawings! Total Score: 4.5 stars out of 5!

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Deadpool #2

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Ultimate Origins #4 (out of 5): First of all, this issue explains a lot. Have you wondered how Bruce Banner became the Hulk? How Peter Parker’s parents died? Why Nick Fury has taken such a liking to Peter Parker? If so, wonder no longer! Also, if you’re wondering just what those little statues are, you’ll find out! Great drawings, great story, 5 out of 5 stars!

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Ultimate Origins #4

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Marvel Apes #3 (of 4): In this issue, Marty, Fiona, and the Outcasts hatch a plan to stop, well, you’ll find out. In the meantime, they’re being chased by Captain America and the Invaders! But there’s more than meets the eye with them, and no, they’re not Transformers. However, it has a pretty good story and good drawings. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

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Marvel Apes #3

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Marvel Apes #4 (of 4): The, well, not so stunning conclusion to the Marvel Apes saga! It shows the final battle between the Ape-vengers/Invaders and the Outcasts! Also, it has an ape version of Captain America #25, the Death of Captain America! Good story and good drawings. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

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Marvel Apes #4

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Marvel Zombies 3 #1 (of 4): Woweewow. For those of you who have read Marvel Zombies 2 #5 and know the tagline is “The Zombies Invade the Marvel Universe,”? its not what you’re thinking. Malcolm didn’t send the zombies to the Marvel Universe. Well, he might’ve, but that’s not what this series (at least this issue) is about. Instead, Citrusville, Florida, the “Nexus of All Realities,”? is invaded by zombie Deadpool, who takes out half of Florida’s Initiative team, The Command. He is apprehended by S.H.I.E.L.D., who send Machine Man and Jocasta into the Zombie Universe to find an antidote. But what they don’t know is that Deadpool isn’t the only zombie on Earth. Pretty good drawings and a great story. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

Oh, and, sorry about the picture, folks. For some reason, I can’t get a caption or the top of the picture.

The Amazing Spider-Man #572: Part 5 of New Ways to Die! The Thunderbolts police, led by Bullseye, attack Pete, Harry, and his girlfriend Lily at The Coffee Bean. Spidey, aided by Anti-Venom, who arrives just in time, manages to trick Bullseye and escape. In the meantime, ol’ Normy is back in his old Halloween costume. Only it’s not Halloween! And he has a new costume for his pal Mac! Pretty good drawings and a great story! Total Score: 4.5 stars!

Wow. Once again, I can’t get the picture right. Sorry.

The Amazing Spider-Man #573: The Conclusion of New Ways to Die! It’s Anti-Venom vs. Ven-orpian! (You’ll see.) Meanwhile, Spidey confronts the Goblin! Pretty good story, good drawings! Total Score: 4.5 stars!

?Avengers: The Initiative #18: The Skrull Kill Krew, now joined by Hardball, Gravity, Cloud 9, Ant-Man, Ultragirl, Jocasta, and Devil-Slayer, are making their way across the country, weeding out all the Initiative’s Skrulls! It’s pretty much the same thing over and over again. The Skrull Kill Krew, well, killing Skrulls! Yeah, it’s cool, and it’s not worn out yet, but it will be by next issue. Good drawings and pretty good storyline. Total Score: 4 stars!

Secret Invasion: The Amazing Spider-Man #2 (of 3): It’s Jackpot against a Sinister Six Super-Skrull! (Try saying that five times fast!) The Skrull is looking for Spider-Man, and he doesn’t know that Spidey’s in the Savage Land fighting his brethren. So, while he and Jackpot are fighting, Vin Gonzales, Joe Robertson, Dexter Bennett, and Betty Brant are running for their lives! Meanwhile, Harry Osborn and his gf Lily are also running for their lives from Super-Skrulls! And who is also following Jackpot? That’s right, everyone’s favorite (okay, maybe not) goblin, Menace! Good drawings and a good story. Total Score: 4 stars!

The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1: Speaking of Jackpot, just who is she? (I know what you’re thinking and it’s not her.) How did she get her powers? And just what did Sara Ehret mean by “I’m sorry, but you really should keep out of this?”? Find all that out! Plus! Jackpot dies! That’s right! But that’s all I’m telling ya! Great story and good drawings! Total Score: 4.5 stars!

The Mighty Avengers #19: Sorry, but it’s a long two months. Anyways, the story of the Captain Marvel sleeper Skrull! He must choose whether he should follow his Skrull teachings or his Captain Marvel instincts! Plus, Marvel Boy! Good story and pretty good drawings. Total Score: 3.5 stars!

The New Avengers #46: The Hood breaks Madame Masque out of S.H.I.E.L.D custody, only to find that it’s not S.H.I.E.L.D at all! It’s Skrulls! The Syndicate of Criminals gets back together to discuss what’s going on, only to find that one of them is a Skrull! Now they’re mad! And just who is giving the Hood his power? I’ll tell you! It’s…darn it. Out of ink. Good story and great drawings. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

Thunderbolts #125: Norman Osborn: Hero! Never thought you’d here that, didja? But, in the world of Civil Wars and Brand New Days and Initiatives, anything is possible. Anyways, the Thunderbolts are still in the process of liberating Washington D.C. And Norman Osborn is being honored as a hero. Pretty good drawings and a great story. Total Score: 4 stars!

Avengers/Invaders #6 (of 12): The Human Torch (no, not Johnny Storm) is on a rampage, leading S.H.I.E.L.D. LMDs (Life Model Decoys) against the Mighty Avengers! But the LMDs have more of a plan than just freeing themselves. Good drawings and a great story. Total Score: 4.5 stars!

Ultimate Captain America Annual #1: The story of Ultimate Black Panther! Why does he not talk? How did he get his powers? Why did Captain America recommend Panther to the Ultimates? And just why is Panther actually Cap? Find out all this! Great drawings, great story! Total Score: 5 stars!

Ultimatum #1 (of 5): This is the Ultimate Universe event that everyone’s been waiting for! So Reed (Richards, Mr. Fantastic) is about to propose to Sue (Susan, Invisible Woman) while Henry Pym uses the Yellowjacket suit. Then all of New York floods and hundreds, including the Beast, Nightcrawler, and Dazzler die. Mr. Fantastic goes and attacks and knocks out Namor, thinking he did it. Not only that, but Dr. Doom finds Latveria and everyone in it frozen! Professor X telepathically contacts Captain America, Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, and Spider-Man, telling them just who it was! Great art and a great storyline. Total Score: 5 stars!

Alrighty then. Sorry the pictures were all screwed up. Oh, and sorry it took so long. See ya soon!

            Back already? All right, then! We got a plethora of awesome comic books this month just for you!

            We’ll start with The Amazing Spider-Man #568, the start of the New Ways to Die arc. So Spidey stops Menace once again (and appropriately nicknames him the Mock Goblin), and then starts looking for a job. He ends up at (why, oh why, didn’t he think of this earlier) Front Line, which also houses ex-Daily Bugle employees Ben Urich and Joe Robertson. In the meantime, Ms. Brant is assigned to dig up something on Mr. Li, Aunt May’s boos and founder of F.E.A.S.T., even though he seems perfectly normal (little do they know). While there, Ms. Brant meets Eddie Brock, who now works at F.E.A.S.T.! And if you think that’s not exciting, wait ‘till you read the whole thing! Pretty good drawings, but I thought they were better at the beginning of Brand New Day. An awesome story, too. Overall, I’d give  it 5 stars! (Out of 5.)

   

Amazing Spider-Man #568

            Then we have The Amazing Spider-Man #569. So the Thunderbolts show  up at Pete’s apartment, looking for Spidey. Thanks to Mephisto, even Norman  can’t make the connection, so he does the next best thing: ask Peter. After they  leave, Spidey takes the fight to them in Osborn Mansion, but not before Venom  goes renegade and attacks Eddie Brock in the F.E.A.S.T. shelter. Once again,  pretty good drawings and a great story. Total Score: 5 stars out of 5!

  

Amazing Spider-Man #569

            The Amazing Spider-Man #570 is next on the line-up. Anti-Venom takes on real Venom, and Spidey really doesn’t want to get involved, but unfortunately, he really doesn’t have a choice. However he does manage to turn Anti-Venom to the good side, and let me tell you, he makes a really bad good guy. The two Venoms and Spidey are drawn well, but the rest of the people aren’t. Anyways, I give this comic 5½ stars out of 5!

Amazing Spider-Man #570

            Alright, The Amazing Spider-Man #571 is next. So Menace attacks Norman Osborn, which doesn’t go so well for either of them. The Thunderbolts (by which I mean Songbird and Radioactive Man) go in to retrieve Mac Gargan, and end up in a fight with Anti-Venom. Anti-Venom beats the living daylights out of them, so they go after Spider-Man instead. Not so good for him. So good drawings and a great story. Total Score: 4 out of 5 stars!

Amazing Spider-Man #571

            Next on the agenda we have Mini Marvels: Rock, Paper, Scissors digest. Okay, technically, it came out in July, but I didn’t get it until August. I have to say, those Mini Marvels are hilarious! If you like comedy and you like Marvel characters, than this is the book for you! (I know, I know, I’m starting to sound like an ad, but it’s true!) I just love how those little characters are drawn, and the stories are “rib-tickling knee-slappers”! Total Score: 4 ½ stars out of 5!

Mini Marvels

            Then we have Avengers: The Initiative #16. So, 3-D Man hijacked a Quinjet from Camp Hammond, but when the Skrulls disable all StarkTech, his Quinjet crashes. It lands in New Mexico, where She-Thing finds it. She rescues 3-D Man, but 3-D Man sees that she’s a Skrull. She reverts back, and then Ryder and Riot of the Skrull Kill Krew leap out and kill her. Then, 3-D Man joins the Skrull Kill Krew, and one by one they venture out to kill the Skrull hiding in every state. My favorite line: When the Krew finds out that they’ll have to travel cross-country, Ryder exclaims, “I call shotgun! And chainsaw. And blowtorch…” Anyways, yeah, I know I’m not even old enough to know who the Skrull Kill Krew are, but I still appreciate the historical significance. Pretty good drawings, and I love the story. Anyways, I give this comic 5 out of 5 stars!

Avengers: The Initiative

            Up next is Thunderbolts #123. As you should know from Secret Invasion #5, Norman Osborn talks the Captain Marvel Skrull into leaving. Then the Thunderbolts head to Washington D.C. to defend their nation’s capital. Oh, and by the way, remember when Moonstone said that she wanted to become Director of the Thunderbolts? Well, let’s just say that she goes way beyond that. The drawings were better in the Caged Angels arc, but they were still pretty good. And the story was pretty good too. Total Score: 4 ½ stars out of 5!

Thunderbolts #123

            Seventh in line is The New Avengers #44. Have you ever wondered exactly how the Skrulls figured out how to produce the new Super-Skrulls and render them completely undetectable until death? Well, read this to find out! With great drawings and a great story, I give this 5 out of 5 stars!

New Avengers #44

            Next we have Secret Invasion: The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (of 3). Honestly, I think this book should be called Secret Invasion: Jackpot or something like that, because this whole book is about Jackpot. So, Jackpot is patrolling when she makes a dire mistake and attacks a bunch of “crooks” for selling…DVD players?!? So the Daily Bugle calls her on it publicly (their headline being “Jackpot or Crackpot?”), and she hires a Registration Act lawyer, who turns out to be a complete crackpot herself. And that’s when the Skrulls attack New York! Good drawings, and a good story. Total Score: 4 out of 5  stars.

Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man #1

            Ninth, (Yeah, I know, but I just couldn’t put any down!) is The Mighty  Avengers #17. The Skrull that replaced Yellowjacket starts saying that their plan won’t  work, leaving the Skrull Dum-Dum Dugan with one choice: Kill him! Pretty good  drawings, and a pretty good story. Total Score, 3½ stars out of 5!

        Mighty Avengers #17

            Then is Ultimate Origins #2. The backstory of Ultimate Captain America’s  creation. I know I didn’t review #1 last month, because I didn’t start getting into it  until this month. And let me tell you, it’s really interesting. Pretty good drawings (I  liked The Ultimates 1, 2, & 3 and the old Ultimate Spider-Man better) and the story is cool too. Total Score: 4 out of 5 stars!

Ultimate Origins #2

            After is Ultimate Origins #3.  So This is the story of how  Professor X and Magneto met. Its actually pretty interesting.  Anyways, it has good drawings and a great story. I give it 4½ stars  out of 5!

        Ultimate Origins #3

            Not last and not least is Marvel Apes #1. So, the now-  registered Gibbon tries to stop the Red Ghost from robbing a  bank, but the Mighty Avengers get there first. So the Gibbon gets depressed and lets himself be tested upon by a scientist. Then something goes terribly awry (Don’t they always?) and the two of them get transported to the world of apes, including Spider-Monkey, Iron Mandrill, and Gro-rilla! Actually, it’s better then it looks. The drawings and the story are pretty good. I’d give it 4 out of 5 stars!

Marvel Apes #1

            Next is Venom: Dark Origin #2. So Eddie Brock is now a reporter for the Daily Globe. He is contacted by the villain Sin-Eater and earns a big promotion. But something funky’s going on with the symbiote! Good drawings and a good story. Total Score: 4 out of 4 stars!

Venom: Dark Origin #2

            Last (Oh, wait, no, we still have another one) is Deadpool #1. Deadpool dresses up as the Phillie Phanatic and traps a ship full of Skrulls inside a baseball stadium. He takes them all on, but then completely changes face! Great drawings and a good story. I give it 4½ stars out of 5!

Deadpool #1

            Last (For real, this time) is Secret Invasion #6. So the New Avengers, the Mighty Avengers the Howling Commandos, Thor, Captain America, Mr. Fantastic, Agent Brand, the Initiative, the Young Avengers, the Thunderbolts, and the Hood’s gang all gather in New York city, and meet up with Spider-Woman, Yellowjacket, and the Skrull armada for the final battle! (Which isn’t this issue.) Pretty good drawings and a great story. 4½ stars!

Secret Invasion #6

            All right folks! See ya next month! And hopefully, the list won’t be as long. Though I doubt it.

Cybils Nominations Open October 1st: How Can You Participate?

Nominations for the third annual Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’
Literary Awards (the Cybils) will be open Wednesday, October 1st through
Wednesday, October 15th. The goal of the Cybils team (some 100 bloggers) is
to highlight books that are high in both literary quality and kid appeal.
The Cybils were founded by Anne Boles Levy
(http://dadtalk.typepad.com/book_buds_kidlit_reviews/) and Kelly Herold
(http://kidslitinformation.blogspot.com/).

This year, awards will be given in nine categories (Easy Readers, Fantasy &
Science Fiction, Fiction Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade Novels,
Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Books, Non-Fiction Picture Books,
Poetry, Young Adult Novels). Anyone can nominate books in these categories
(one nomination per person per category). Nominated titles must be published
between January 1st and October 15th of this year, and the books must be in
English (or bilingual, where one of the languages is English). To nominate
titles, visit the Cybils blog (http://www.cybils.com/) between October 1st
and 15th. A separate post will be available for each category – simply
nominate by commenting on those individual posts. If you are not sure which
category to choose for a particular book, a questions thread will also be
available.

Between October 16th and January 1st, Cybils panelists (children’s and young
adult bloggers) will winnow the nominations down to a 5-7 book short list
for each category. A second set of panelists will then select the winning
titles for the different categories. The winners will be announced on
February 14th, 2009.

The Cybils lists, from long lists to short lists
(http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/finalists/index.html) to the lists of
winners (http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/2007/02/the_2006_cybils.html),
offer a wonderful resource to anyone looking for high-quality, kid-friendly
books. The Cybils team has worked hard to balance democracy (anyone can
nominate titles) with quality control (two rounds of panel judging by people
who focus on children’s books every day). We do this work because we
consider it vital to get great books into the hands of children and young
adults.

How Can You Participate?

We think that the Cybils nominations will be of interest to parents,
teachers, librarians, writers, and teens. If you have a blog or an email
list or belong to a newsgroup that serves one of these populations, and you
feel that your readers would be interested, please consider distributing
this announcement (you are welcome to copy it). The Cybils team would very
much appreciate your help in spreading the word. And if you, or the children
that you know, have any titles to suggest, we would love to see your
nominations at the Cybils blog (http://www.cybils.com/), starting on
Wednesday. Thanks for your help, and stay tuned for further news!

Jen Robinson (http://jkrbooks.typepad.com)
Literacy Evangelist for the 2008 Cybils

Live the Dream with Jesse Reklaw

Cartoonist Jesse Reklaw turns the dreams of strangers into insightful, humorous, and clever four-panel comic strips in The Night of Your Life. This stunning hardcover collects over five years of Reklaw’s comic strip, Slow Wave, which appears in alternative newsweeklies all over the country.

Sometimes playful, sometimes thought provoking, but always entertaining, The Night of Your Life is a testament to the ability of comics to illuminate the corridors of the imagination with wit, sincerity, and delight.

We are excited to announce the Night of Your Life East Coast book tour. Jesse will be hitting up six states along the East Coast in nine days doing signings, readings, and lectures.

This is the largest book tour I’ve been on – fifteen different events in nine states,” admits Reklaw. “In some newsweeklies my comic strip has been running for over ten years. I’ve followed the dream lives of people who’ve grown up, gotten married, had kids, etc. So it’ll be fascinating to meet these people in real life. I’m also really happy with the book; some of these comics I drew years ago, but I still get a chuckle out of them.”
For more information, please visit www.slowwave.com/noyltour.html

Tue Sep 30 6:30pm
Yale Bookstore, 77 Broadway, New Haven CT 06511>
203.777.8440 / yale.bncollege.com

Presentation and book signing

Wed Oct 01 5pm

Amherst Books, 8 Main St, Amherst MA 01002

413.256.1547 / 800.503.5865 /

Book signing and comics social

Jesse Reklaw, Robyn Chapman, Alec Longstreth, Clutch, Samuel C. Gaskin,

Colleen Frakes, and the Center for Cartoon Studies

Thu Oct 02 3-5pm

Center for Cartoon Studies, 94 S Main St, White River Junction VT

802.295.3319 / www.cartoonstudies.org

Private Lecture

Jesse Reklaw

Fri Oct 03 7-10pm

Atomic Books, 3620 Falls Rd, Baltimore MD 21211

410.662.4444 / www.atomicbooks.com

SPX kickoff party and comics reading

Jesse Reklaw, Brian Ralph, Lauren Weinstein, Theo Ellsworth, Ken Dahl,

Julia Wertz, Laura Park, Austin English, and Ben Claassen

Sun Oct 04-05

Small Press Expo

Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center

5701 Marinelli Rd, North Bethesda MD 20852

301-822-9200 / www.spxpo.com

Mon Oct 06 5-7pm

George Washington University, Gelman Library

2130 H Street NW, Washington DC 20052

202.994.6558 / www.gwu.edu

Presentation and panel discussion

Jesse Reklaw, Dash Shaw, Trevor Alixopulos, and Ken Dahl

Tue Oct 07 6-8pm

Robin’s Books, 108 S 13th St, Philadelphia PA 19107

215.735.9600 / www.robinsbookstore.com

Presentation and book signing

Jesse Reklaw, Trevor Alixopulos, Ken Dahl, and Joey Sayers

Wed Oct 08 7-9pm

Desert Island, 540 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn NY 11211

718.388.5087 / www.desertislandbrooklyn.com

Book signing and comics social