Batman/Deadpool #1

The Dark Knight meets the Merc with a Mouth. 

This should have been the event of the year. If this had occurred 30 years ago, it would have made the front cover of Wizard Magazine, Entertainment Weekly and a host of other publications that have gone the way of the dodo. Even 20 years ago, such a cross company crossover would have made the news.

But it's 2025. There's so much media out there, this epic introduction was barely a blip on the radar. Still, getting the stars of the DC and Marvel universes together again for the first time in over 20 years was a crossover that established fans have been clamoring over for a very long time!

I must admit, I forgot about this one-shot happening. Earlier this year when the announcement was made, I promptly emailed my favorite comic shop and ordered a copy. I then put a pic of Batman and Deadpool together- officially!- on my Facebook pic. Then as time elapsed, I just forgot about it until I saw on a comic book website that the time had come. And yet, despite having been really excited about the meet-up, it was another week until I picked up my copy!

While Batman meeting Deadpool is the primary selling point of this book, there are several other crossovers contained in this Marvel published giant. After Deadpool is brought over from his universe to the DC one by a mysterious benefactor who hires the mercenary to off the Bat;  Wonder Woman and Captain America reflect on their past history which sees the DC and Marvel universes cohabitating as one. Then Daredevil and Green Arrow bump into each other in a story penned by Kevin Smith, who helmed classics starring the two characters. The Dark Knight Returns Batman and the Old Man Logan Wolverine are given the same treatment by an artist/writer who knows the pair rather intimately: Frank Miller! Then we get a tease that the Amalgam Universe could be alive and well with the introduction of Logo: a hybrid of Czarnian bounty hunter Lobo and the mutant Wolverine. 

Every story but 1 was great. Woman Woman with her World War II introduction to the world was the perfect team-up pairing with Captain America. Princess Diana must have a thing for Army men named Steve. Having Kevin Smith bring the Man Without Fear and the Emerald Archer together was another brilliant idea. And could it be true that we're going to be returning to the Amalgam Universe? Please say it's so! But man, has things fallen off for Frank Miller...

The artwork was primitive. But I can't really fault that. Arthritis and age have reduced many an artistic talent in the comic book industry to far cries of their glory years. But the dialogue for this piece. It was chopped full of cliches. It was such a jumbled mess. I didn't know what was happening nor what the hell either character was trying to say. 

Oh! And how could I forget that adorable play date between Krypto and Jeff, the Land Shark! Plus I loved the cultural exchange program between the Guardians of Oa and the Guardians of the Galaxy! Having Rocket Raccoon as a Green Lantern was hilarious. That adventure was way too short.

There was only one missed opportunity. No Deadpool meets Deathstroke. No Deadpool meeting Harley Quinn. Okay. That was 2 missed opportunities 

Thankfully, the DC/Marvel fun doesn't have to end just yet. In November, Batman and Deadpool will intermingle once more in a one-shot published by DC. Grant Morrison is set to pen it. Hopefully, Wade Wilson will meet Slade Wilson and Harleen Quinzel. Regardless, it should be epic. I can't wait. And hopefully, I won't forget about it this time!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3

FX has been showing a slew of Marvel movies this summer. I've recently seen Eternals and I've got a couple other films coming up in my queue. Whatever the programming campaign by Disney is, it's really helping me to catch up on my superhero movie deficits. I just don't have the money to see these films new for the prices theaters are asking for these days.

My latest watch was the third, and perhaps final, entry in the Guardians of the Galaxy series. If you've been wanting to get all the details on the origin of Rocket Raccoon, this is the film you've been waiting for. The movie has some pretty heartbreaking moments and that's not just because of the ending which seems to wrap things up for the Guardians. It's also because of just how freaking tragic Rocket's origin story was.

I'm that sort of softie that I will absolutely hate a movie if a lovable animal is killed. So, YES- once I realized that we were finding out about how Rocket and his friends were early experiments of the High Evolutionary, I made sure to go to Wikipedia and find out who lives and who dies so that I wasn't stunned by the death of a furry friend. It's a good thing I did, because several adorable animals buy the farm in this film. But what really surprises me is that because of that treatment of animals, Vol. 3 actually won an award of praise from PETA! It must have been because director James Gunn used CGI animals instead of the real McCoy. 

As for James Gunn, I've seemingly made my peace with him. His scandal of dressing up as a pedophile priest really stung me because I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I was pretty pissed off at him at first and it did factor in me not watching this 2023 film when it first came out. But I've learned that if I want to be an opponent of cancel culture, what I have to do is forgive. It's also a tenant of being a follower of Christ. I'm not perfect. FARRRRRRRR from it and I've got to practice the forgiveness I was given by Jesus on others. Even if I've never met them in person. James Gunn in his escapades was trying to be funny. It wasn't a good joke. But it's not worth holding a grudge against someone. He apologized and deserved a second chance.

I wouldn't say that Vol. 3 was a bad movie. I also can't say that its the weakest of the trilogy. But it is long. At exactly 150 minutes in length, I think we could have cut out about 20 minutes, which is pretty much the length of time the Guardians visit the Evolutionary's counter-Earth. What I was initially thinking was going to be the funniest part of the film just felt unnecessary to me. Based on the clip where Star Lord is trying to help Nebula open a car door, I was expecting much more of this movie to take place on our Earth and not a anthropomorphic duplicate created by the film's main antagonist.  The animal hybrids were pretty cool looking but I don't think we needed to see how they lived. I would have been totally fine with seeing these creatures walking about on the High Evolutionary's ship. 

As for the High Evolutionary, in comics, he's never been a character that appealed to me. But I thought actor Chukwudi Iwuji was great as the very unhinged bio-scientist. Another character that won me over in the film despite not being one I care much about in the books was Will Poulter as Adam Warlock. The British actor brought a naivety to the character for some much needed comic relief since Rocket spends about 2/3 of the movie in a coma. And I just love the Soviet era pooch with psychic powers, Cosmo. That dog stole every scene!

Although the film was very long, I didn't want the excitement to end. I really have grown to love these characters. As I don't have Disney+, I've never seen the Holiday Special. Maybe I will have that to look forward to this Christmas season. FX is showing streaming series such as Daredevil: Born Again. So maybe we'll get lucky! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Rocket and Groot: The Hunt for Star-Lord (Family Comic Friday)

A couple of years ago, writer and director James Gunn was removed from completing his Guardians of the Galaxy movie trilogy because of some past inappropriate posts and Halloween costumes. True, he did return after the cast and crew supported him, underwent therapy and made some apologies. However, if things had gone differently, I think I would have been able to make a great argument for who could have at least replaced Gunn as script writer for Guardians Vol. 3!

Rocket and Groot: The Hunt for Star-Lord sees the rascally duo get an alert that their cocky leader has been kidnapped and held for ransom. As Rocket and Groot follow the leads for the whereabouts of the missing Peter Quill, they reunite with their other Guardian teammates who join the search. Along the way, some iconic Guardians baddies along with a surprise villain or two will learn that nothing comes between a Guardian of the Galaxy and their search for their best friend. Except maybe for a bounty offering the promise of some much needed credits.

This 2023 chapter graphic novel from Scholastic was written by veteran comic writer Amanda Deibert. The author captured the quirks and voices of every character in this book perfectly. This story really felt like a never before told segment of the Guardians of the Galaxy cinematic trilogy. If Marvel decides to make a 4th Guardians film, this is who should write the script! And with a follow up adventure seeing Rocket and Groot trapped in with a mysterious stranger in a spooky forest, due to come out in September, I've already got a book on my Halloween to-read list!

The book is illustrated by cartoonist Cam Kendall, who is more well known for his work on board games. I liked his art style. I was also fooled by it. Kendall's style looks a lot like the work Skottie Young did on his 2014-15 Rocket Raccoon miniseries. I liked that work and I loved this one. 

The Hunt for Star-Lord is a fun-filled romp similar in many ways to the mad cap antics of Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo. There's fighting and laser weapons a plenty. A few threatening use of sharp objects. And an appearance by a Marvel UK character that in its 90s era heyday was considered 10 times more violent than Wolverine or the Punisher. COMBINED! Here, the character (of whose identity I dare not spoil), is more buffoonish than deadly. But he's still a little intimidating in appearance.

I did fear that when the Guardians arrived on planet Earth in their search for Star-Lord, that things were going to get a little preachy. Groot sees a lumberjack making timber out of his brethren and rightfully becomes incensed. That was all fine. It was the addition of the eco-protesters in the scene that could have made the scene become fodder for a bad ABC Afterschool Special. But Amanda Deibert keeps things balanced with quirky humor while also presenting a positive message of not wasting our precious resources for no reason at all.

Recommended by Amazon for readers ages 6-8. However I think those up to age 12 could really get a kick out of this graphic novel. The author and illustrator did fantastic jobs! Oh boy! How I can't wait for October to get here!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy #1

After the events of Annihilation, the Guardians of the Galaxy have decided to take a break from things. Only, another universal threat has manifested. This time, Zeus and several cybernetically enhanced Greek gods have turned Mount Olympus into a warship that can transverse time and space. In order to power it, Mount Olympus must terraform planets at a level of destruction on par with Galactus. Normally the Nova Corps would answer the call to action. However, what happened in Annihilation led to the the Corps' membership to dwindle down to just two!

Richard Ryder comes to the Guardians for help. Tired, wore out and still recovering from their part of the battle, the Guardians decline. Except, the decision eats at both Peter Quill and Rocket who both sneak away to join the small team of Nova Corps, plus Moondragon and an Captain Marvel from another universe to stop these Greek gods from destroying the universe!

Marvel.com claimed that this issue was a Thanksgiving set issue. While Peter Quill does make a turkey for his friends at the beginning of this issue, he doesn't wish anybody a Happy Thanksgiving or anything like that. There are a couple jokes about how the turkey looks weird, which is funny based on the odd stuff Gamora and the other Guardians are preparing for their cookout. After like 3 pages, the turkey is gone, Nova comes asking for help and the story picks up steam from there. So, is this a Thanksgiving comic? I'm gonna say 'No!'

First of all, Thanksgiving is never mentioned anywhere. This variant cover nor the regular cover shows a Turkey Day gathering or any sort. Other than Marvel.com listing this as part of their Thanksgiving reads, I don't see evidence of this issue being a holiday book. Even the Marvel Wiki is noticeably quiet on this plot point. Maybe I got some bad advice. If so, that makes me nervous as I recently bought 3 other issues suggested from that online article. What if those comics aren't really set during Thanksgiving either? I'm going feel like I wasted my money.

The good thing is that I enjoyed this issue. Al Ewing's opening salvo was very action packed. I really wouldn't mind getting my hands on the rest of this storyline. But I think I'd only get it if I could check it out at the library or if I could find the trades for super cheap.

Worth Consuming. But boy was I disappointed.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #134

There's not really much happening in the Wolverine/Cyber unlikely team-up story. Same thing goes for the Iron Fist and Daughters of the Dragon Vs. Sabretooth and the Yakuza crime thriller. 

The one and done story stars Lance Astro of the original Guardians of the Galaxy. He's on a mission to save the crew of a crashed ship. In the year 3000-ish, Astro and his teammates are at war with the Badoon. But in this story, Lance learns that not all members of that bloodthirsty race are natural born killers. Some are lovers and the Galaxy Guardian must help this intergalactic Romeo & Juliet survive a Badoon terror squad that looks to eliminate those 'pure bloods' who fall into inter-species love.

Then there's the Ghost Rider/Luke Cage adventure. I'm still not a fan of it. But this chapter is of note because of it's locale- atop the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. It's just so hard to imagine that we've been without those buildings for going on 22 years now! Anytime I come across images of those buildings in a comic (or other type of media), my mind just can't help but go back to that tragic day in September. 

The one-shot story was amazing while all three of the team-up multi-parters weren't really all that impressive. Only the setting of the Ghost Rider epic is what's really all that memorable. 

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars. 

Thor: Love and Thunder

Thanks to COVID and my being of high risk, I haven't been to the movies in a very long time. Spider-Man: No Way Home was the last thing I've seen in theaters. Despite a love of Jack Kirby, Eternals just didn't motivate me enough to go amongst the crowds for over 3 hours. And while I really wanted to see the latest Doctor Strange movie, I just didn't. Thus, when my god son asked me to go see Thor: Love and Thunder, I had many questions.

For one, will my not having seen Eternals or Multiverse of Madness, along with still not having succumbed to joining Disney+, impact how to follow the plot. The answer to that question is that it will not. Second, it's been years since I have seen the first 3 Thor films, am I going to be lost? The answer is no, not really. That's because filmmaker Taika Waititi does a very good job keeping the viewers up to date with most of what has occurred in the 11 years Thor has graced the silver screen. But that might just about be all Waititi does perfectly in Thor: Love and Thunder. 

My feelings for the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie are all over the place. There were a lot of things I liked and quite a few things I thought were moronic. If Thor: Ragnarok was introducing the corn factor to the god of thunder, then Love and Thunder topped that corn with plenty of cheese. 

How about I list off what I liked so that way I can explain my dislikes:

• The reason Mjolnir chooses Jane Foster to become the new Thor. It was a whole lot more believable and acceptable than jerk-wad and former Marvel EIC Axel Alonso's need to make Thor a woman for the sake of pissing off fans. Plus, I have enjoyed that this film moves the needle in a lot of areas not really explored by Disney/Marvel without being preachy.
• Speaking of Axel. I loved the addition of Kieron L. Dyer (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story) as the late Heimdall's son Axel. In fact, I want Marvel to either make a series about him or add him to the comics. Or both! He was such a scene stealer.
• Speaking of scene stealers, Christian Bale was fantastic as Gorr the God Butcher. He was the perfect mix of betrayed acolyte and bat-crap crazy killer. I really think Bale channeled former The Dark Knight cast mate, Heath Ledger's Joker to play the role of Gorr.
• Speaking of Gorr, I liked how this movie was a family affair. Not only did Chris Hemsworth's daughter India play Gorr's daughter; but his twin sons Tristan and Sasha represent Thor as a child during flashback scenes. Plus, brother Luke is back portraying Thor in those ridiculous theatre scenes along with Matt Damon and some other popular actors whom might surprise you!
• Finally, I loved the Easter eggs in this movie. And I loved how interconnected things were. The Guardians of the Galaxy return. Though if you are wondering where Gamora is, you probably have to wait for GOTG Vol. 3 to get your answer. Several key players from past Thor movies make cameos and there are a bunch of deities from 60 some odd years of Marvel comics history that appear. Sadly, if there was a Stan Lee image hiding somewhere in this movie, I missed it. 

Okay. I've covered the hits. Let's look at the misses.

• The film's soundtrack, which is heavy on Guns n' Roses songs, was inconsistent with the tone of the film. There's a scene that uses the instrumental ending to November Rain and while as powerful as that tune is, some of the characters used were ridiculous and it took away from the serious of that penultimate scene. 
• Now on the plus side, Dio's Rainbow in the Dark was used in the closing credits. Perfect as the rainbow bridge known as Bifrost is a main plot point in the movie. But, I don't understand how if you use all GNR songs for the movie that you don't stay consistnet and close with such a song in the end credits...
• Speaking of the credits, there was a huge missed opportunity. The actors names were blasted on the screen using fonts of popular heavy metal bands from the 80s. But to not use the AC/DC logo with the lightning bolt to represent Russell Crowe who plays the Greek god Zeus was down right criminal!
• Speaking of Russell Crowe. I felt that his over the top Greek stereotype portrayal of Zeus was absurd. I had heard that Waititi had Crowe do every scene in both a refined British accent and as buffoonish Greek speak before deciding which dialect to use. Should have gone British. Again- the goofiness sprinkled throughout the film diminishes the serious overtones.

The film ends with a promise that Thor will return (along with 2 extra end credit scenes.) I have seen reports that the pledge of more  Asgardian hi-jinx was something of a surprise to both the director and Chris Helmsworth. Even though I thought that the silliness of this film was amped up to 11 at times, I would very much want to see Thor 5, if not for the promising ending. An ending of which I would very much like to see explored in the comics. Take note Marvel. I'm willing to buy new issues of Thor off the shelf, monthly, if you created a Love and Thunder comic book! 

Finally, I have to talk about the two real stars of this film. The goats Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher. As a recnt adoptive parent of a pair of goats, I enjoyed the presence of these two CGI wonders. Thankfully, my goats don't scream. With Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher added to the MCU, I think it's time for a Holiday special with Thor and Company. Odin's riding of a sleigh driven by goats is an inspiration for Santa's reindeer transport. And since Odin is dead in the MCU (not a spoiler, BTW), I think having Thor take over would be a hoot. I might even subscribe to Disney+ just to experience it.

This wasn't the best MCU offering I've ever seen. But it sure wasn't Thor: The Dark World! Thank God!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Captain America: The Korvac Saga (Family Comic Friday)

It's confession time. I've never read the entire Korvac Saga. I've read the first few issues of what is considered the prelude. When I was reading the original Guardians of the Galaxy Omnibus, I read the issues of The Avengers that guest-starred Yondru, Charlie-27 and Vance Astro. I had every intention to read the rest of the story. But I got to reading something else and next thing I know 7 years have passed. 

Recently, I found this book. A little big bigger than a digest, this volume reprints the 4-issue miniseries of the same name from 2011. This version of the Korvac Saga takes place quite early in the revived career of Captain America. A born military leader, Cap is butting heads with Iron Man over leadership of the team. Iron Man is more used to going with his gut on making a plan. For Captain America, everything is a chess game in a strategic plan of attack. 

As the story is opening up, the Avengers are getting their butts handed to them by a bunch of C-listers like Quasimodo and the Living Laser. Thanks to mostly sheer luck, the Avengers discover that these underdog villains had their powers and armor upgraded by a supposedly random nobody hacker named Michael Korvac. The capture of Korvac feels too easy to Cap. So he goes to the local jail in hopes of getting some answers. Instead, Captain America is meet by a group of super-powered mystery men who claim to be a sort of intergalactic police force from the year 3000 and they want Korvac back immediately! 

Then everything goes wonky...

Now Steve Rogers finds himself thrust into future. Kovac has revealed himself to be an insane android. And did we mention Korvac has taken control of future Galactus' warship? Threatening to destroy the entire universe, Cap must team with these Guardians of the Galaxy by storming the TAA II and claim the ultimate nulifier in order to stop an ultimate evil!

Captain America: The Korvac Saga was a fun read. But it was rated A for All Ages. Based on the fact that the original Korvac Saga was Comics Code Approved, it was all ages too. Technically. So why did we need a reboot? Was this an attempt by Marvel to garner interest in Captain America in younger readers in anticipation for 2011's The First Avenger? If so, why use the Guardians? 

And don't say that this book was designed to boost the Guardians in the eyes of young readers! Their movie wasn't for another 4 years. Plus, this isn't even the Star Lord, Groot and Rocket Raccoon version the team we're dealing with! And with Sony owning rights to Galactus and considering how obscure Korvac is to the casual Marvel reader, this miniseries being rated All Ages just doesn't make sense to me.

Don't get me wrong. This was an exciting book. Justice League Unlimited's Ben McCool's story is modern with a nostalgic touch. Craig Rousseau's (Marvel Her-oes) art and inks are dynamic. But the dialogue is terse, the vocabulary is too advanced and the lines are too thin for an All Ages read. I'd say this was more of a 11 and up type read. Maybe go 12 or 13. I know that kids read and differing levels. But I can't see a 4 year old reading this.

Featuring Avengers #167, the opening salvo of the original Korvac storyline, this is a volume older readers will probably enjoy more than the kiddies. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Avengers: Infinity War

Considered the greatest superhero crossover event in cinematic history, the mad Titan Thanos finally makes his much heralded arrival into the Marvel Universe.

Thanos has a theory that over-population of the universe will result in the destruction of all life in the cosmos. He's tried in the past to wipe out 50% of the population of all inhabited planets, but he and his army of murderers are getting the job fast enough. Thus, in order to get the job done quicker, Thanos sets his sights on acquiring all six of the Infinity stones. 

Thanos already has two of the stones, making him the most powerful being ever. Now it's up to the combined forces of Avengers, Guadians of the Galaxy, a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Wakanda's finest to stop the villain from using his specially made gauntlet to it's fullest potential and destroying half of all life in existence with a mere snap of his fingers.

I'm not going any further with the synopsis of the film. It's too early in the movie's release and people are having fits about spoilers. But I don't know what's worst- those who want a complete media blackout of info about Infinity War or the reactions of those who have seen the film.

Apparently, there's been episodes of mass crying fits and need for comfort and consolation. Some people have taken to Twitter claiming to have become severely depressed from watching the movie. I was not one of those people. Though I will say that I am shocked that Disney actually let Marvel pull off what they did.

Avengers: Infinity War is both superior and grossly lacking to the previous Marvel Cinematic entry Black Panther. In terms of a story with compelling drama, brains, and passion, then Black Panther is the victor. But as both a special effects marvel and laugh riot, then Infinity War wins. It also has a lot of surprises, but you'll have to watch it for yourself to catch them all. But again, I don't want to spoil anything. 

A fun 2.5 hours of superhero fighting and feuding. Not the greatest Marvel movie ever made but at least it ain't no Thor: Dark World either.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2

  The Guardians of the Galaxy; those madcap misfits that cruise the stars for fun and glory returned to the big screen today. All of the major players return as Peter Quill/ Star Lord (Chris Pratt) finally learns who his father is. Turns out, it's not the fanatical J'Son of the Spartax Empire but instead Ego, the Living Planet, played by veteran actor Kurt Russell. 
     Meanwhile, Rocket Raccoon, (baby) Groot, and the space pirate Yondu (Michael Rooker) find themselves in the middle of a mutiny sparked by the deadly Nebula (Karen Gillan). Will the daughter of Thanos get her revenge on her sister Gamora, portrayed by Star Trek's Zoe Saldana? While Rocket and friends get out of the mess they are in? And what is Ego's true motive behind his long overdue reunion with his son?

     Guardians Volume 2 was a fun ride but it doesn't quite match up to the original. The soundtrack filled with tons of 70s and 80s hits was just as good as in the first film. The humor was actually better than in the original (Dave Bautista's Drax was a real hoot!) and it's a visually stunning film. But the plot just wasn't as good as the first film. Thus, it's not another Empire Strikes Back.
      Sadly, with the very adorable and oh so marketable Baby Groot- this film actually comes really close to becoming another Return of the Jedi. But thankfully, it doesn't pander too much in that direct. But man, every young girl in the theatre just oohed and aahed with every scene that feature the lovable tree-being. You would have thought Orlando Bloom was Groot it was that much of a love fest...
      The first half of this film looked like it was going to be a sappy love story or film about father son bonding like the scene when Star Lord finally plays catch with his father. Yes- family is a big theme in this flick. But for a solid hour, I didn't have a clue where this was going and was really afraid this was going to be a dull interlude between the first film and the purported 'Epic' third act due in 2019. 
      Thankfully, the second act really cranks up the plot, action, and adventure. I don't want to give too much away about the plot, but if you are familiar with the character of Ego the Living Planet then you have a pretty good idea what's going to happen. So in other words, while exciting to watch, if you are a Marvel Comics expert, you know how everything is going to end and it's not something that will vest too much interested- meaning I wasn't on the edge of my seat wondering what's going to happen next.
       That being said- I do wonder how events of this film will pan out in next week's episode of Agents of SHIELD. 
       Also, if you've ever wondered if Stan Lee is Uatu the Watcher in all of the Marvel films, you get your definitive answer in two great cameo scenes. But believe me when I say if you blink you will miss at least 1 of them.
      Lastly, as we all know, this being a superhero feature, the kids are going to want to see this. Let me warn you- there's a couple of scenes in which Ego explains the birds and the bees to his son. Not graphic, but it could spark some 'Where do babies come from' conversations. The violence is pretty mild as is the language. But there are several penis jokes as well. So, if you have little ones, this could be an interesting car ride home.

     A very enjoyable movie that doesn't surpass the original. But at least it isn't a complete repeat of the first blockbuster either.

     Worth Consuming!

     Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Universe: Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (Family Comic Friday)

   This issue hits stores just this past Wednesday- so it's probably still on shelves. But the main reason I choose this book was actually not for reading purposes but TV watching!

    Marvel's kids titles based on the Disney XD cartoons have one very annoying trait to them- they're taken straight from the TV show!
    The artwork is stills from the cartoon. The images are often not very clear and sometimes it just looks like a bunch of pixels.
    The stories are taken from the scripts. Word for word- NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
    Except for the cover, there isn't any originality to these. 
    To be honest, if I'm going to choose- I take the cartoons on the comics. 
    Now you might think that it's heresy for a Madman who supports children reading comics. However, if I had to choose between the copy or the real thing, I'm going to choose the TV shows that these issues are based on. I would have no problem if Disney or Marvel would make original stories based on the cartoons. But they don't and since they do not look that aesthetically pleasing, I'd rather watch the toons. (Plus, with the cartoons, you get the awesome voice overs of actors like Will Friedle (Star Lord), Trevor Duvall (Rocket), Jonathan Frakes (Star Lord's father J'son), and many more.
   You'll actually get your wish as the episode that this comic is based on will air on Disney XD tomorrow on Christmas Eve at 4:30am and 10:30pm. True, those times are both too early and too late for those needing to be in bed for Santa. But that doesn't mean that you can't set your DVRs now for some festive Marvel fun later on in the week. 

   Hey, make the event double fun! Buy the comic and then follow along with the show!


   
 

    

All-New X-Men Volume 5:One Down (Marvel NOW!)

   Fresh from their adventure in outer-space, the original X-Men find themselves the target of a new kind of enemy with very familiar faces. These villains are the twin sons of Professor X-Men and Mystique, along with an alternate reality version of the Beast, Deadpool, and other mutants. Operating under the name of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, this team from the future seeks to do what Magneto could never do: destroy the X-Men.

    The X-Men seem to know these guys, but they are new to me. I had mentioned that the All-New (and yet at the same time original) X-Men had just returned from space. Those adventures have the team pairing with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Instead of comprising the fifth volume of this series of trades, the geniuses at Marvel decided to repackage that epic team-up as 'Guardians of the Galaxy/ All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey' and I have a sneaking suspicion that this is where the future incarnation of the Brotherhood make their first appearance.

    At this time, I've yet to get my hands on the Guardian/ X-Men team-up. I've been waiting for my local library to pick it up since they carry both Marvel Now! series on which the issues of the 'Trial of Jean Grey' were published. I'm starting to lose faith that my branch ever will pick it up. So, I'm going to have to add it to my wish list.

   Bendis continues to do a fantastic job with this team of mutants. The artwork by Immonen and Marquez is still just as awesome as before. But since so much seems to have happened in the 'Trial of Jean Grey' including Jean developing new powers and Kitty Pryde and Star Lord becoming an item, I feel like I missed out on something important. Thus, I just didn't connect so much with this book as other collections past.

  Sorry BMB...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2: Angela (Marvel NOW!)

  I've got to get my hands on the crossover event 'Infinity.' With completing volume 2 of Guardians, that will make it 4 'Infinity' tie-ins that I have read. If there's one thing I can tell you about that storyline is that I know Thanos is involved and he has his sights set on earth. Other than that, I am at a loss as to what that series really is about.

   Marvel's done a fantastic job getting just about every one of their series to tie-in together. The bullpen of the 2010s have built upon Lee and Kirby's philosophy established during the Marvel Age of Comics in the 1960s and exceeded that vision to the Nth degree. Events in this volume relate to important storylines in the various Marvel NOW! Avengers titles as well as Iron Man. I give major kudos to the editors at the House of Ideas for keeping all of these threads straight. I know I've would've made a few knots if that was all up to me.

  In this volume, the bounds of reality have continued to crack throughout the Marvel Universe. Star-Lord is plagued by a terrible vision of all his possible realities and now he seeks out his biggest enemy for answers. Meanwhile, the rest of the Guardians attempt to exercise some R & R  but when an Asgardian princess from an alternate universe that shouldn't exist attempts to kill Gamora, the most dangerous woman in the universe, it's back to business as usual. For the Guardians, that means rescuing SWORD from the clutches of Thanos' armies and eventually saving the earth from the Mad Titan himself.

    'Angela' sees the end of Iron Man's tenure with the team. But I suspect that with the appearance of the assassin of Asgard, the Guardians are going to have a new teammate albeit probably only for a short while. Having two deadly women on one team will make for some killer moments but eventually there's only going to be room for one alpha female.

   The art is dynamic and it matches the might of this action-packed volume. The array of variant covers is stunning as well. But I must say that as an EC Comics fan, I just adore the Weird Science variant covers the most.

   Now to get my hands on that Infinity book I mentioned earlier...

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
 

Rocket Raccoon and Groot: The Complete Collection

  This collection includes the first appearances of Rocket and Groot along with the Rocket Raccoon 4-issue miniseries, the Annihilators mini and a short-story sequel from Annihilators: Earthfall.

  Groot got his start in a 1960 issue of Tales to Astonish. In that story, Groot could say much more than " I am Groot" and was a bad  guy. It's classic Stan Lee and Dick Ayers sci-fi fun.

   Rocket was first known as Rocky Raccoon. He first appeared in a trippy story in 1976 about a Prince who lives in a Heavy Metal type universe were medieval meets technology. I think whoever did this book was on some serious drugs. The story ended with a cliffhanger that asked readers to write in if they wanted to see more. Since there isn't a follow-up chapter, I'm assuming readers didn't.

   But this wasn't the end of Rocket. He reappeared in an anniversary issue of Incredible Hulk. Here, the big green machine has been transported to the asylum planet of half-world. I had just read this story not 6 months ago, so I kinda just glanced over it. It's a good thing too since the Rocket Raccoon miniseries take place right after the events of the Hulk story. So, it was a good refresher.

  The Rocket miniseries was insane in more ways than one. Rocket is the chief of security on the planet Halfworld in which insane patients received therapeutic treatment by anthropomorphized animals. On the other half of the world, robots build toys to help keep the patients happy and calm. I had this miniseries on my wish list but having read this now, I probably wouldn't seek it out for my collection unless I found it for less than a buck an issue. It does feature some early work from Mike 'Hellboy' Mignola and it's visually stunning but this story was really weird (and maybe just a little too weird for me.)

   Annihilators was awesome. It was funny and full of action and contained great amounts of Easter Eggs. It takes place after the Peter Quill led Guardians of the Galaxy have disbanded. In that series, Rocket has no memory of life on Halfworld. This series attempts to rectify that retooling some of the events in the RR miniseries. I loved it and thought it was the best part of this collection.

   The Annihilators sequel was very funny too. It featured the media mogul Mojo and was a great parody of cartoons and action figures. The only problem with it was that it was a secondary feature and was way too short a tale.

Why Rocket and Groot have never been given their own monthly series is beyond me. They're a fantastic duo that work well together. They have crazy adventures and more importantly- they make me laugh. With Guardians being the darlings of the Marvel Universe, they probably won't get a series anytime soon. But hopefully EIC Axel Alonso will green light another miniseries soon.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Drax The Destroyer #1-4 (Annihilation Week)

Cover to Drax #1

  This prequel series to Annihilation starts out with Drax the Destroyer, but this isn't the Drax you've fallen in love with in the pages of Guardians of the Galaxy and its 2014 feature film. Yes, he's green and mean but mentally, he's got a couple screws loose. Speaking mostly gibberish, when he does speak, he'll only get smarter the more to you pummel him. It's like the Hulk but in reverse.
     Drax's story starts out like in the film, as he is imprisoned for mass genocide and wanton destruction. When Drax's prison ship crash lands  in the woods of Alaska, his life is suddenly cut short. But thanks to some impressive genetics, the Destroyer is restored to life, gains some red tribal markings and becomes more like the Drax we're used to.
     The story turns into a sort of buddy cop movie when Drax is bonded to a young girl named Cami. Together, they seek to save Cami's hometown from the surviving prisoners who've taken the small Northwestern burg hostage in efforts to possibly salvage a rescue ship. This duo of Drax and Cami are the perfect odd couple. One's a super strong destroyer, the other is Drax. I kid, but these two are have such strong personalities that they might just kill each.
     A very good opening servo in the Annihilation storyline. It's quite good, but it didn't start off that way. For one, not having Drax be like the hero in the books or movie, it was a little confusing. Also, the story didn't really pick up until Cami and Drax became a team. I look forward to their future exploits.
   Up Next: Annihilation Prologue

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Guardians of the Galaxy (Prelude to Annihilation Week)

Finally, I saw the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy. I'm not 100% sure why it's taken me this long. It's been a weird mash of financial shortfalls, injury, and surgeries that have culminated in me putting off seeing it and putting it off, and putting it off- until now. So, what changed?

  Recently at my local library, I found the Annihilation Omnibus. Having read it and granted a free PPV rental by DISH Network, I was finally inspired to check it out. More on this later. But first let's discuss the film.

  The movie begins with a young Peter Quill being abducted by aliens in 1988 after his mother dies of what is assumed to be cancer. We then jump 26-years to find an adult Quill now calling himself Star-Lord. When Quill finds a mysterious orb, he becomes the target of the Scavengers, a ragtag bunch of aliens who abducted Quill for some reason and now have a bounty for his capture, bounty hunters Rocket Raccoon and Groot, and Gamora, daughter of Thanos and associate of the crazed Ronan.

   After the group ends up in Nova Corps prison, they meet up with Drax the Destroyer whose got a blood lust against Ronan for killing his wife and child. With this fifth member, the line-up for the Guardians of the Galaxy is complete. Together they trek across the universe seeking to sell the stolen orb to the Collector. There, the Guardians learn that the orb contains another of the Infinity Gems and has the power to destroy worlds. When Ronan steals the orb, the team must race back to the Nova homeworld of Xandar to protect it and the rest of the galaxy from being destroyed by a now power-mad Ronan.
 
   With any superhero film that begins a franchise and an origin, the film starts off a little slow. It really isn't until the group finally all meet that it became an instant classic. Many consider lovable Groot, the living tree, to be the fan favorite of the film, but I really like Drax. He's very droll, but he's given some of the funniest lines. I felt like he stole the show though Groot does give the Destroyer a run for his money.

  Another element that stole this flick was its soundtrack. Peter has an old Sony Walkman that belts out some classic 70s tunes such as Blue Suede's 'Hooked on a Feeling.' It's these catchy songs that help make this cosmic odyssey seem more familiar and more like 'home.'

    One part of this film that I thought was hit or miss was the special effects. The home world of Xandar looked like Starfleet Academy's's wet dream. It was beautiful, but many of that's planet's residents looked fake. Some characters like Yondu, the Alpha-Centurian with the musical arrow, has blue skin. However, the skin looked like an FX computer tech just painted the image of actor Michael Rooker, in facial prosthetics, navy. I swear I was ready for him to move off screen quickly and his blue hue to follow him off screen. Zoe Saldana's green Gamora looked like that was her real skin tone but the pink-hued attendant to the Collector and many other characters looked like someone was playing around with the color on their computer monitor in order to get their desired effect and it just fell flat.

    There're lots of great Easter eggs in this film. The character of Yondu was a member of the original Guardians team from the year 3,000 (maybe this was his great-grandfather?) There's several minor characters in the background and zoo of the Collector (as well as a few baddies from previous Marvel Films.) Perhaps the biggest Easter Egg is that Thanos and his army are the same mystery characters from the first Avengers film. It's just another bit of evidence that though Marvel may not be following the comic books to an exact 'T' they do have an all-encompassing plan for their films and live-action series to help create a true live-action Marvel Universe.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

(Wait a minute---- Didn't I say I was going to come back to Annihilation? About that- I was able to get my hands on a copy of the Annihilation Omnibus recently. In that massive 500-page plus tome, Star-Lord, Drax, Gamora, Thanos, Ronan, Nebula, Korath, and the Nova Corps play important roles. Since they were in that book as well as this film, I broke down and finally set aside time to watch GOG. 
    So, starting tomorrow I will begin a week-long review of the series Annihilation and its many prequels and companion pieces. 
     My friends, welcome to Annihilation Week.)