Fantastic Four #588- This “final issue,” that is until the new series starts next month. The team (and the superhero community in general) is dealing with the death of the Human Torch. There are actually two stories here. The first story is 99.9% told without dialogue or narration. It’s not exactly new, but when done well, works. And it was done extremely well in this issue. I want to take a moment to compliment the coloring for one reason alone. Just pay attention to Ben Grimm’s eyes throughout the story. They are blood red from all the tears he shed over his buddy’s death. Nice touch. The backup story you may have seen parts of on the internet. It’s Spiderman talking to Franklin about the death of Johnny and that Spidey can related since his uncle was taken from him in violence as well. Very nice job all the way around.

Incredible Hulks #623 – Hulk and the Warbound (not the Hulk family) respond to Ka-Zar’s call for help. Sakaarians who had arrived on with the Hulk have received asylum to live in the Savage Land have been brutally attacked and killed. Won’t spoil the ending for you, but if you are reading this series, it’s not too much of a spoiler, right? Expect a bunch of monsters and creatures battling each other next couple of issues! 

Star Trek: Infestation #2 – There’s pluses and minuses when a mini-series is two issues. The plus is it’s over quick and the minus is…it’s over quick. The story is resolved way too quickly, but had to for the reasons I just said. This probably could have been extended another issue and would have been perfect. As I stated with the first issue, I’m tired of zombies, but this story doesn’t really push the fact that Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are battling zombies. They are fighting a deadly virus. If you are looking for a read and don’t want invest a lot of time (meaning a story arc that is a yearlong), I would recommend this.

Teen Titans # 92 – This is the concluding chapter of the Red Robin/Teen Titans crossover. Our heroes take out the Calculator robots and finally come face-to-face with the man himself…or do they? And Titan fans get their wish, Damian leaves the group and it appears that Tim is back. Quite honestly, that’s a shame. Damian is a pain – I know that. The situation is similar to the JLI days when Guy Gardner was a pain in the butt. No one was screaming to get rid of him!!!! Oh well, lost opportunities because of short-sightedness….

THE NOT-SO GOOD

Secret Avengers #10 – This is the concluding chapter of “Eyes of the Dragon.” Five issues, it took five issues that should have taken four. Sigh. I’m starting to have doubts about this series, I really am. I mean, yay the good guys won and the bad guys lost; Shang-Chi ain’t staying around (boo) and apparently the next issue we’ll learn more about John Steele and his days in WWII with Steve Rogers (Captain America). My problem is NOT every story has to take five issues to be told. Some might take six, others four.

THE UGH

Iron Man 2.0 #1–I guess they named it that because they’re hoping to get people to buy the people who wouldn’t if it had been called War Machine. Yeah, this is Rhodey’s book and I don’t have a problem with that. As to the story, meh. Rhodes is given a chance to redeem himself in the government’s eyes from his time being a part of the Osborn Reign…what??? They’re pissed at him because of actions he did following the orders of a madman that was put in power by the federal government??? Screw the story…I’m out of here!!!!

Remember to watch “The Fellowship of the Geeks,” a comic book talk show…every Monday @ 7:00pm CST (-6 GMT).

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THE GOOD

Green Lantern Corps #57- This issue is the concluding chapter of “The Weaponer” storyline. Why is Firestorm in here? I mean, I know, I have been reading Brightest Day, but he wasn’t really necessary to the story. The battle between the Weaponer and Sinestro didn’t end the way I thought it would, which is great and unexpected. Great end to a great storyline. And up next, according to the last page…”War of the Green Lanterns.” no break for us the readers.

Justice League #54 – Part one of the Rise of Eclipso story arc. The issue does a great job recounting the origin of Eclipso and his history up until this issue and it’s being told while Eclipso is trying to put together his army to achieve his goal, to get the super heroine Jade, the daughter of the original Green Lantern Alan Scott. Nice pencil work from Brett Booth as well.

Silver Surfer #1 –I had to pick this up when I heard Greg Pak is writing it. True to form, he delivers. I am not familiar with Stephen Segovia’s pencil work, but I enjoyed it a lot. After the event of Chaos War, the Silver Surfer is on Earth after placing Galactus in the sun to restore his energies (and shortening the life of the sun by a billion years). Surfer is reflecting on his past and missing his humanity when he notices a group of armored men shooting a couple. The man dies, but Surfer is able to heal the woman when the High Evolutionary shows up and appears to devolve him.

Spider-girl #4- Spidergirl battles the daughter of Kraven the Hunter. They changed artist on me and I don’t like the new one (Matthew Southworth). Ana Kravenoff spends most of the issue tracking Anya down until it’s too late to notice that it’s a trap. The big fight will be in the next issue. I like this book a lot! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Young Justice # 1 – The book starts towards the end of the pilot episode. The League has allowed the team to stay together and to use their old Happy Harbor headquarter (the Cave). Everybody eventually leave allowing Superboy to be there alone. Or IS he alone? I’ll tell you didn’t expect that ending. There was a nice little moment between Miss Martian and Superboy. Overall, a decent start for the series, but I expected more. I’ll give it another issue or two.

THE NOT-SO GOOD

Brightest Day #20 –I said it last time, and I’ll say it again…I’m ready for this series to end. Six more issues to go. The “Aquawar” ends very quickly (barely two issues) as the sudden appearance of Mera and Aquagirl turns the tides of the battle. With this, Aquaman completes his task, and if you have been reading this series you know what happens next, the same thing that happened to Hawkman and Hawkwoman. There was an “explaination” in the previous issue, but to quote a line from Escape from the Planet of the Apes….”maybe the explanation needs explaining.” Yeah, it does. To me at least.

THE UGH
None

OTHER

Detective Comics Classics- I only placed this here since it’s reprints of older stories. The stories included in this book are: “The Riddler’s Prison-Puzzle Problem” from Detective Comics #377 (July 1968), “Tall, Dark, Handsome – and Missing!” from Detective Comics 384-385 (February – March 1969; a Batgirl backup story), and “The Invader from Hell!” from Batman Family #1 (September-October 1975; a Robin/Batgirl team-up). If you wanna read a couple of stories when Dick Grayson was Robin and Barbara Gordon was Batgirl, I recommend this.

THE GOOD

Birds of Prey #9 – Part three of “The Death of Oracle.” A good part of the book focuses on Black Canary’s regrets in visual form (thanks to new villain Mortis). The rest of the Birds have been capture and brought to the Calculator. Meanwhile, Hawk shows up and is chewed out for going offline during the time everything went to hell. Oracle personally decides to go after the Calculator and free the Birds. I won’t say how this issue ends, but a month is a long wait! LOL.

DC Universe Legacies #9- This issue covers the appearance of Kyle Rayner as Green Lantern, the Final Night event, and Hal Jordan’s merger with Spectre. The backup story focuses on Black Adam with art by Bill Siekiewicz. This series is almost over (one more issue) and I hate to see it go. Len Wein has done a great job retelling the history of the DC universe, especially through the eyes of the storyteller who also tells the story of his life. It’s a great book.

Heroes for Hire #3 – Paladin starts observing the people that are close to Misty Knight (or Control) to find out what is going on. Meanwhile, Moon Knight is called in on what was to be a prostitution/human trafficking job. If only it were that easy. Not too much was added to the mystery of the Puppet Master, which is a shame. I would like to know how all of this started in the first place. The way story arcs are written now days it will be issue five before I get my answer. Still, I like the book and will continue reading it.

The Incredible Hulks #622- The Hulk versus Zeus! ‘Nuff Said! Well, I will say more. The Hulk is battling the Father of the Greek gods because he feels Zeus owes Team Hulk a reward for their assistance in battling the Chaos King and won. Won’t mention the end of the issue, but it leads into next month’s “Planet Savage.”  Another great issue by Greg Pak and company.

Red Robin #20 – Catman is hired by Mikalek to hack Lonnie’s firewall program codes to access the Unternet. After doing some tracking, Tim realizes that the Calculator is using robot duplicates of him all over the world. After locating the server’s nest in Istanbul, Red Robin enlists the aid of the Teen Titans to at least take out the server, if not find the Calculator.  After encountering one robot that exploded, the team finds themselves surrounded by more robots…to be continued in Teen Titans # 92. I enjoyed this issue better than the previous one. A return to form for Fabian Nicieza.

Spider-girl #3- Anya recounts her time since the end of the previous issue. She’s trying to move on with her life since the death of her father. She runs across the Red Hulk who explains that it was not he that killed her father. Anya’s father had been investigating the same death that the Rulk was. However, someone found out what they were doing and drugged them. The drug killed Anya’s father, but made the Rulk lose control. Spider-girl decides to help Rulk find out who’s behind everything. Come to find out Anya was recounting everything to Sue Richards, the Invisible Woman. Sue reveals that she has paperwork for guardianship, and gives her a scholarship that is in her father’s name.  This is a great book. If you are not reading it, do yourself a favor and pick them up.

Star Trek: Infestation # 1 – It’s the crew of the Enterprise versus zombies! If you know me, you know how tired I am of vampires and zombies. So why this book? It’s a Star Trek comic that takes place in a time period hardly touched except for the Marvel run…between Star  Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Kirk, Spock and McCoy take a shuttle to Calibus VII, where the colonists want to honor Dr. McCoy for his curing them of a virus that had plague them for a months.  They land and find no one to greet them…until the zombies appeared. I mean it’s a standard zombie story, just feels fresher with the addition of the Trek crew. Plus it’s a two-issue mini-series so not that much invested.

THE NOT-SO GOOD

Brightest Day #19 –I’m ready for this series to end. Just seven more issues. It starts with Deadman dealing with the repercussions of the last issue. Meanwhile, Aquaman and the new Aqualad try to prevent Siren and her army from their assault on the surface world. I won’t reveal the shocking event in this book, but I really didn’t see that coming!

Thunderstrike #3 – Kevin is recovering from the events of the previous issue. With the assistance of Gruenhilda, he was able to locate the Thunderstrike mace. Upon obtaining the mace, Kevin becomes Thunderstrike again, but an altered appearance that looks like something out of a bad 90’s video game. He has a lightning bolt Mohawk! I kid you not. The antagonist is Adam Mann, a one-time Olympic champion who built a business empire from his endorsements. He also believes that the father he never knew was a god. His whole goal is to find out who his father is and destroy him. Adam plan to use the Thunderstrike to reach Olympus, Asgard and other lands of the gods to locate him. Not as good as the first two issues, but the storyline overall is good.

THE UGH

None

Warner Brothers announced today that English actor Henry Cavill, best known as Charles Brandon on Showtime’s The Tudors, will don the primary colors of Zack Snyder’s Superman

credit- iFanboy and Superherohype

Cavill, 27, also appeared in Matthew Vaughan’s Stardust in the role of Humphrey. Coincidentally, his Tudors season one co-star Callum Blue played Zod on TV’s Smallville.

It just so happens that I started watching The Tudors quite recently. Cavill commands a powerful presence as Henry VIII’s friend and advisor. He’s more handsome that anyone has any right to be, and exhibits just the kind of gravitas you’d want from a Superman. It’s very early, but on paper, this seems like an inspired choice. 

The project is slated to hit theaters in December 2012.

THE GOOD

The Incredible Hulks #621- Team Hulk is recovering from the events of “Chaos War.” (Spoilers present if you are reading Chaos War and have not read issue #5) Apparently, Hercules for a moment had the power to restart Mount Olympus as an island in the Long Island Sound. Bruce approaches Hercules to ask him to repair the mental, psychical and psychological damage caused by the Chaos War. Hercules can’t because he gave up the power to restore Earth and Olympus. Banner (as the Hulk) battles Gods and Titans to approach Zeus with the request. I sense a big fight coming. Another great issue by Greg Pak and company. I won’t mention the backup story. I didn’t care for it.

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1- This is a miniseries that takes place after Revenge of the Sith. Vader is order to find a missing Star Destroyer commanded by Admiral Garoche Tarkin, the son of Grand Moff Tarkin (not sure who he is? He’s the Peter Cushing character in Star Wars: A New Hope). Tarkin doesn’t trust Vader after his last mission was a failure, so he sends Captain Shale to accompany him. Shale is a friend/competitor of Tarkin during their academy days. This is an interesting Vader. He has not yet earn the reputation and the fear/respect within the Empire, much less the galaxy. Not familiar with Haden Blackman’s writing, but this is a nice start. Wish I could say the same for Rick Leonardi. I remember enjoying his art from the New Mutants, X-Men, and a couple of others. I did not this time. I don’t know if it’s Daniel Green’s inking or what, but I didn’t enjoy the art.

THE NOT-SO GOOD

Secret Avengers #9 – For the first time in my reviews, I have placed this book in this category. Most of the time I don’t have too much of a problem with retcons, but this pushed it BIG time. The mystery of John Steele is revealed, and I don’t buy it. Steele is indestructible, and possibly immortal. He fought in WWI and was an ally of Captain America in WWII. He led Professor Erskine to develop the super-soldier serum that created Captain America. ANYWAY, the Shadow Council and Secret Avengers do a trade – Shang Chi for Sharon Carter. Expecting a trap, Rogers planned his own. I won’t spoil the ending, but it ain’t over yet. Why? Because story arcs can no longer be three or four issues. The stories have to be five issues at least. I’m sorry, if you read this blog, you know I am a big Ed Brubaker fan, but these days the big two companies want to stretch out stories to make more money, not tell great stories. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

THE UGH
None

OTHER

Joel Simka at Comic Book Craze gave me a chance to get these books. He knows I liked the Atlas titles from the 1970s and figured I would want them.

The Grim Ghost #0 – A man who has no memory, is walking around not being heard by anybody (guess what he is – you’re right!) He runs into a man named Jonathan who is helping someone else (crossing over). The guy with no memory helps move the body much to the surprise from Jonathan. Jonathan urges them to leave but it was too late. A demon named Braddock and his gang show up and kill Jonathan. They start questioning the guy who starts to remember pieces of his life and his name…Michael. The Grim Ghost shows up, kills most of the gang, and reveals to Michael what I knew early on…that he’s dead. This was OK, but I hope it gets better.

Phoenix #0 – Wall street guy Ed Taylor returns to his hometown and looks up his best friend Max. Ed finds out that Max is dating his old girlfriend Alexis. Just then a series of lightning bolts strike and the people of the town disappear. Ed wakes up to find that they are all dressed in strange uniforms and periodically, a person is taken away. Literally, the floor swallows him or her up. The next to go is Alexis and she is experimented on. She dies from the experiments. After a couple of others disappear, Ed goes. He dies from the experimentation as well. However, he comes back to life. The aliens decide to make him comfortable…before they kill him again. Great start!

I’m excited about the return of Atlas comics. The Fellowship Live will do a special episode devoted to Atlas comics on Feb 28th. Just in time for Grim Ghost #1, Phoenix #1, and Wulf #1 to be released that Wednesday!

Don’t forget – the Fellowship Live goes weekly starting Monday February 7 @ 7:00pm CST! Please join us!

In the most recent issue of Fantastic Four fans finally learn what member of the team dies

from the Marvel ‘Press Release’-

“FLAME OFF!” In a move sure to shock comic fans worldwide, Marvel unveiled that its ever popular super hero the Human Torch will meet his demise and die heroically in Fantastic Four #587, hitting stores tomorrow (Wednesday, January 26th). Concluding the “Three” storyline that captivated the mainstream media and industry press alike, this issue and the death of such a renowned character from the First Family of comics signals the beginning of major changes for the Marvel Universe as the Fantastic Four lose one of their founding members.

from Wikipedia-

About

In 1942, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is deemed too physically unfit to enlist in the U.S. Army and fight the Nazis in World War II. Volunteering instead for Project: Rebirth, a secret military operation, he is physically transformed into a super-soldier dubbed Captain America. With sidekick Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), he fights the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), Hitler’s treacherous head of advanced weaponry, whose own plan for world domination involves a seemingly magical object known as the Tesseract.

Casting

• Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America
• Hugo Weaving as Johann Schmidt / Red Skull
• Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
• Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter: A freedom fighter during World War II and the love interest of Captain America
• Toby Jones as Arnim Zola: A biochemist for the Nazi party during World War II
• Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury: The director of the super-spy agency, S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark: The father of Tony Stark, who worked on various government projects dating back to the World War II era
• Neal McDonough as Dum Dum Dugan: A former circus strongman and a corporal in the Howling Commandos, an elite special unit of U.S. Army Rangers, known for his marksmanship with rifles and for his impressive physique
• Stanley Tucci as Dr. Abraham Erskine: The scientist who created the Super Soldier Serum
• Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Chester Phillips: In the early comics, Phillips recruited Steve Rogers to join Project Rebirth, the secret experiment that created the Super Soldier known as Captain America
• Richard Armitage as Heinz Kruger: The Red Skull’s top assassin who murdered Dr. Erskine

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About Mr. Sinister. from Wikipedia-

Writer Chris Claremont conceived Mister Sinister as a new villain for the X-Men, having felt “tired of just going back toMagneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and the same old same old” Claremont recalled:

“Dave Cockrum and I were over ideas and what we were coming towards was a mysterious young boy – apparently an 11-year-old – at the orphanage where Scott (Cyclops) was raised, who turned out to be the secret master of the place. In effect what we were setting up was a guy who was aging over a lifespan of roughly a thousand years. Even though he looked like an 11-year-old, he’d actually been alive since the mid-century at this point – he was actually about 50 [...] He had all the grown up urges. He’s growing up in his mind but his body isn’t capable of handling it, which makes him quite cranky. And, of course, looking like an 11-year-old, who’d take him seriously in the criminal community? [...] So he built himself an agent in a sense, which was Mister Sinister, that was, in effect, the rationale behind Sinister’s rather – for want of a better word – childish or kid-like appearance. The costume… the look… the face… it’s what would scare a child. Even when he was designed, he wasn’t what you’d expect in a guy like that.”

from Wikipedia-

About

The film will star Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Jaimie Alexander and Anthony Hopkins with Kenneth Branagh directing a script by Mark Protosevich,Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz and Don Payne. The project of a film adaptation of Thor was in development hell for several years before Marvel Studios signed Protosevich to write its script in 2006. Matthew Vaughn was to direct the film in late 2008 for a release in 2010. Branagh replaced Vaughn in late 2008, and the film’s release was rescheduled into 2011. The main characters were cast in 2009 and principal photography took place from January to May 2010. Thor is also scheduled to be released in 3-D

Cast

• Chris Hemsworth as Thor: The god of thunder based on the Norse mythologicaldeity of the same name
• Tom Hiddleston as Loki: Thor’s adoptive brother and nemesis based on the deity of the same name
• Natalie Portman as Jane Foster: A scientist and Thor’s love interest
• Anthony Hopkins as Odin: The ruler of Asgard, father of Thor, and adoptive father of Loki, based on the mythological deity of thesame name
• Jaimie Alexander as Sif: A warrior and Thor’s childhood friend based on the mythological deity of the same name.
• Colm Feore as Ymir: King of the Frost Giants
• Stellan Skarsgård as Professor Andrews, a scientist doing research in New Mexico who encounters Thor
• Joshua Dallas as Fandral: The leader of the Warriors Three, a group of three Asgardian adventurers who are among Thor’s closest comrades.
• Tadanobu Asano as Hogun: One of the Warriors Three, primarily characterized by his grim demeanor and the only member who is not an Æsir
• Ray Stevenson as Volstagg: The comic relief of the Warriors Three known for both his hearty appetite and wide girth
• Idris Elba as Heimdall: The all-seeing, all-hearing Asgardian sentry of the bifröst bridge, based on the mythological deity of the same name
• Rene Russo as Frigga: The wife of Odin, queen of Asgard, step mother of Thor and the adoptive mother of Loki, based on the mythological deity of the same name
• Kat Dennings as Darcy: A co-worker of Jane Foster

Trailers

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