REVIEW: 14

PLOT: Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches. There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s. Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends. Or the end of everything.

REVIEW: I picked up this book because the description sounded very entertaining, and it seemed extremely neat because all of the reviews on the book comparing it to one of my favorite TV shows, Lost. After reading it, I can see why the comparisons were drawn to the hit television show but at the same time, it really isn't that much like it at all in my eyes. I particularly like the quote inside the cover from the star of Castle, Nathan Fillion, that says something about geek jizzing in the book. It is a really great story, and it's really entertaining but the quotes on the book may exaggerate just a little bit. After reading about halfway through this book, I realized it was written by Peter Clines. While it was probably unusually late for me to be looking to see who the author was, I discovered that Clines was the one who wrote the Ex-Heroes and Ex-Patriots books that I read earlier this year. What has now turned into a full-fledged series for Clines with the heroes and zombies books, looks like a successful adventure into his own science fiction series. This is great too, because Peter Clines is a fantastic author with really great ideas and after 14 I'm really looking forward to more from him.

With 14, Clines takes an incredibly ordinary setting and group of characters into an adventure that is as wild as anything he's ever written. For sake of spoilers and mystery, I don't really want to give too much away but I really like the connections that this book drew with real life and real, once living, people. The science part of this fiction is really intense, and I guess in a way one could accurately describe 14 as "Lost in an apartment building" but it never quite earned that comparison from me. The main character Nate is really likable in the sense that his life is somewhat easy to understand, at least for the common man, as he's stuck in a seemingly dead end job with nowhere to go but down. It's these characters that are all in some sort of despair that seems unlikely to be conquered, but yet when they band together as a group and become something more than their individual selves, they find their purpose. Not only do they find their purpose together as a group, but as individuals after this wild ride through The Kavach Building and its unique apartment rooms to rent. By the time things start to go down, there's so much mystery surrounding the building that even though you may have a theory, deep down you know it probably won't even come close. This was a great book, a great mystery, and a definitely awesome sci-fi read.

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Don Jon

PLOT: A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.

REVIEW: I've been looking forward to Don Jon for quite some time now, and now it is finally here. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (from here on out referred to as JGL) is a talent of the times right now, as he is seemingly becoming more popular each and every year. Still being on his youthful side, he's still able to draw in new audience young and old. This movie however, deals with a lot of adult subjects, relationship woes, and the meaning of love and I couldn't have been any more impressed with JGL's first outing in the director's chair. I can't say it looked like my kind of movie in the first place, but being that JGL was the person behind all of its creative aspects I knew I couldn't miss out on this one. So far it's been very well-reviewed by a lot of critics and it is kind of hard for me to say it any better as to why this film is so great. What Don Jon has that most other romantic comedies don't have is the window for a guy to look through, and add in all of the charm and humor of JGL's writing and you've got a hit.

It's so rare in romantic comedies anymore to see a story that applies to men, as much as it does for women. I think that these type of films always tend to cater to the female side of things and it's kind of disappointing because I think no matter who the film skews towards in this genre, it's going to be relatable for women because they love sappy stories. However, my opinion on this is exactly what is turned on its ear in this movie and it really shows how great of a story JGL has written here. This is a romantic comedy, but instead of centering around a charming and cute girl who hasn't found Mr. Right and all of her friends are urging her to meet a nice guy, it's a tough and sex-driven Jersey gym rat played by JGL, and some go as far as calling him The Don. Immediately when the movie starts, you're overloaded with Jon's routine and what it takes to be in his shoes on a daily basis. It can turn you off the movie quickly if you don't have the patience for it or don't expect what's coming, as you see that Jon lives his ritual like a religion and doesn't take it lightly when it's thrown off course.

Jon uses porn more than anything else, and when it comes to his porn, it is very important to him. It's JGL's seemingly casual insight on this subject that draws and has been drawing a lot of eyes to character in the film, as he's not the kind of guy you typically like in these kind of films but JGL paints him with a light brush. It's never too much to where you can't stand the guy, and it's never to little to not forget who he is. He's really obsessed with pornography, and if you can't see it after 15 minutes of the film, you probably are too. It's the subject matter though, and the development and understanding of Don Jon, that really put this film above and beyond others in terms of analyzing the differences between men's view of romance, and women's. It's a sadly realistic and honest portrayal of an exaggerated typical man, which allows the audience to see what JGL is actually trying to point out within his tale. Men and women are two entirely different kinds of people whether a common society wants to believe it or not, and we see things in different ways. Love and sexual relations are just two things that Don Jon focuses on during its runtime, and it is about as endearing as a story about this matter can be.

The acting in the film is incredible, and of course JGL puts in another solid performance as Jon here. Being that this is his first feature film that he's directed, and written as well, I was curious to see how well his acting ability paired with these new talents that he is trying to develop. What I saw was incredible all around tour of the film set by JGL, and does great at all three points of his job here on Don Jon. One thing JGL is better at doing that most anyone else in Hollywood is that he's able to completely transform himself into whatever character he's playing, and really absorb himself into the mentality and style of said character. I don't think it was a question as to whether or not he could play Jon, but he never loses his charm and wit as an actor behind the muscular and cocky Don. The other star of the film is Scarlett Johansson, who is nearly perfect to play alongside JGL in this film. I'm not entirely sold on her as a serious actress yet, but this movie does a pretty good job of showing how great of a caricature she can be. She's pretty much the shell of a woman, what men want to see in a beautiful woman. Scarlett takes Jersey girl dead serious though, and nails the excessive gum chewing and unrealistic expectations of a woman absorbed into romance films herself. Barbara, played by Scarlett Johansson, never quite understands why Jon is attracted to pornography, and it's this misunderstanding that the film's foundation is built upon.

By the end of the film, Julianne Moore has come to play as a disheveled older woman looking for a friend, and seemingly only in Jon. She does a fantastic job at playing the wayward and careless woman in the middle of her midlife crisis, and it's really her involvement in the events of the end of the film that make it so beautiful. Everything that Jon goes through with Esther, Moore's character, really sold me and a lot of audiences on the story of Jon and how he goes from being a man in a movie, to a man of reality. The final scene with Jon and Barbara, for those who weren't following all along, points out the nasty elephant in the room and ousts some people for what they are, and that's being materialistic and unrealistic. It's Scarlett Johansson's stern and hard-headed approach in this scene as Barbara that really drives the point home, and even though she's 100% sure of her life and the way it's run, it's Jon's subtle understanding of the way she is and the way he's learned to be that concludes the movie on such an amazing note. I am a guy here, so I see this movie a little differently than some would, but I think it's one of the most beautiful romantic comedies I've ever seen. It's not the funniest, nor is it the saddest. But it is by far the smartest, most observant, and brutally honest romantic comedy I've seen in years and I couldn't be any more proud of my boy JGL. I've been singing his praises for years that he was going to be a true talent one day, and I've loved him ever since Brick back in 2005 when he began his comeback in the industry. Thank you Mr. Gordon-Levitt, for finally making a romantic comedy that for once guys can understand, and women can learn from, and not the other way around.

ACTING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 9 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: New Avengers, Volume One: Everything Dies

PLOT: To prevent the collision of our universe with another, the Illuminati must reassemble...NOW! It's the most powerful and brilliant team in the Marvel Universe: the Black Panther, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Mister Fantastic, Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Beast against an infinite legion of parallel realities. Armed with the six Infinity Gems, the Illuminati gather to plan for the death of everything...but their task is complicated by old wounds, lies and secret agendas. But when the Illuminati experience their first dimensional incursion, can this loose brotherhood of end times trust each other enough to use the Infinity Gems in unison? And what new member will join the group? Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting revamp the New Avengers in a multiverse-spanning saga!

REVIEW: Considering the Marvel NOW! entries haven't really dazzled me, I never have too high of hopes for any of these now upon picking them up. New Avengers is based on an older volume of a previous New Avengers comic it seems, called  The New Avengers: Illuminati. I had picked the previous volume up a month or so ago to read but I haven't gotten around to it, though this one does seem to originate from that story. It's a really cool group of Avengers that are assembled, and in my opinion some of the best characters from the Marvel universe. The volume deals with the threat created by The Black Swan, who upon coming to our Earth, destroys her own. This causes concern with the New Avengers and they then handle the threat as best they can without destroying all the universes and time as we know it. A few things I liked about this volume was the art, and some of the characters. I really like Black Panther, so it's nice to see him in this volume, and of course Iron Man. One character that bugged me to no end though was  Namor, because not only did he seem like he didn't want to be on the team, he didn't really seem like he wanted to be in the comic, as silly as that sounds. It was one complaint after another from this guy, and all he really seemed to serve as was the stirrer of the pot when things seemed to be going all too well for our new team. I'd definitely recommend this title out of the Marvel NOW! before I recommended a lot of others, but I still wasn't absolutely amazed by anything in this comic. I would definitely like to go back and read The New Avengers: Illuminati now to see how this team got together the first time, but you don't really need it to enjoy this book.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach

PLOT: Eisner Award-winning writer Brian Azzarello brings his gritty, nuanced storytelling to these two recognizable characters. In RORSCHACH, Azzarello again teams with superstar artist Lee Bermejo to illustrate how one of most dangerous vigilantes the comic world has ever seen became even darker. COMEDIAN, featuring art by J.G. Jones, plants the famed war hero within the context of American history, as we find out how the Vietnam War and the Kennedy assassination revolve around him.

REVIEW: So far, the Before Watchmen series has been hit or miss for me. The volume that stuck out the most to me, was the one that was the most poorly reviewed of all four. I liked this volume too however, and I'm not sure how it stacks up against the Ozymandias volume but it's pretty close. The Comedian and Rorschach are probably the two most likable characters from the Watchmen world, but that doesn't make them the most easily likable. The Comedian is pretty much a character you're supposed to hate, and even in this book they do a pretty good job of doing that. They tie him in to a lot of actual American history and while it provides for a somewhat entertaining read, it wasn't really anything I couldn't have figured out for myself about the character. The ongoing problem with these books is that they're telling back stories to characters that didn't really need back stories, but merely just other stories with them in it. It doesn't really give you anything extra that you absolutely needed in the first place, but does just enough to entertain you to keep reading it. Rorschach's half of the volume was a little more entertaining but comes to no clear end and pits him against a strangely faced enemy. I agree with some other readers that Rorschach is guilty of some lines in this volume that just don't fit his character, but other than that his is pretty entertaining. The art in this book is phenomenal, much like the other volumes in the series and that's probably all that really kept these comics going as shortly as they did. They're beautiful to look at, and it's a trade off in terms of the pretty lackluster and unnecessary stories that the art is told with.

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 4 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Fiend

PLOT: There’s more than one kind of monster. When Chase Daniels first sees the little girl in umbrella socks tearing open the Rottweiler, he's not too concerned. As a longtime meth addict, he’s no stranger to horrifying, drug-fueled hallucinations. But as he and his fellow junkies soon discover, the little girl is no illusion. The end of the world really has arrived. The funny thing is, Chase’s life was over long before the apocalypse got here, his existence already reduced to a stinking basement apartment and a filthy mattress and an endless grind of buying and selling and using. He’s lied and cheated and stolen and broken his parents’ hearts a thousand times. And he threw away his only shot at sobriety a long time ago, when he chose the embrace of the drug over the woman he still loves. And if your life’s already shattered beyond any normal hopes of redemption…well, maybe the end of the world is an opportunity. Maybe it’s a last chance for Chase to hit restart and become the man he once dreamed of being. Soon he’s fighting to reconnect with his lost love and dreaming of becoming her hero among civilization’s ruins. But is salvation just another pipe dream?

REVIEW: I had requested this from the library for obvious reasons, it has zombies in it. I had forgotten that upon requesting it, it had also been about meth users in a zombie apocalypse. I was quickly greeted with very dark and gritty narration, that leaves nothing to the imagination when it comes to the use of methamphetamine. Chase Daniels is a meth user, and when he sees a little girl with umbrella socks opening up a rottweiler for her first meal, he thinks he's just hallucinating. As time goes on, the visions become more and more real and Chase realizes it isn't the drugs making these visions appear, it's actually happening. Chase and his buddy Typewriter, A.K.A. John, embark on a journey of survival in more ways than one, quickly after this book begins. At first the book is difficult to follow, with the two main characters bantering back and forth, because the author chose to use a different style in terms of writing dialogue. There are no quotes around any of the words spoken by any of the characters, but rather it is led by a "he said" or "she said" type line. I found this to be somewhat refreshing and a different take, and I'm curious as to the reason of said decision but it did take some getting used to.

The zombies in the book are definitely a little different from the usual as well, as for some reason these zombies chuckle or giggle. This is how our characters are able to differentiate between the walking dead and the spun out human beings they encounter on their journey. There's a lot left to the imagination in terms of how this apocalypse arrived and why it is that these people are shambling, yet giggling, walking dead. I'm curious as to the hidden meaning of a lot of things in this book, as I have a feeling there are a few. I noticed upon finishing the book that Peter Stenson is a recovering addict, and I'm going to assume it's from use of methamphetamine but I'm not sure because there was no clarification of that on the back of the book. It really shows though in terms of the descriptions when our main characters are using drugs, preparing drugs, or rattling off rapid fire thoughts they have while high on meth. While it can at times be disturbing, it's a very rattling and seemingly true perspective through the eyes of a meth addict. The meth use is prominent through the book, so if drug use is something that bothers you, you should definitely shy away from this book. The thoughts are often times irrational, erratic, and downright absurd from our main character Chase, but it's all part of the dream that he's living out in real life.

I find myself caught between really liking this book, but also questioning why so much was left up to interpretation or was inconclusive. The book kind of just ends and you wonder what happens to Chase Daniels after such an excruciating journey through his addiction, solving other people's problems through his meth visions, and of course the zombies, A.K.A. Chucklers. I like a lot about the book, as it was very different and definitely was a different zombie tale that stands out from the rest of the craze that has recently swept the bookshelves. Peter Stenson weaves an incredibly macabre story of a meth addict in a post apocalyptic world, and you can't help but to keep turning the pages to find out what the character is going to do, or think, next. I would recommend this to the most hardcore fans of zombie fiction, and even drug fiction and meth takes the front seat in this ride. The zombies are definitely there, but I don't feel that it's the true focus of the story. The battle inside Chase over his meth addiction, and the battle outside for the people around him are at the forefront of the emotional impact this story has, and even though it all sounds like a ridiculous premise I was pretty impressed. If you're sad that Breaking Bad is coming to a close in the next two weeks, and you have to wait a month until the fourth season of The Walking Dead premieres, this is probably the perfect book to satisfy your addiction and pass the time.

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVER : ( 9 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hawkeye, Volume Two: Little Hits

PLOT: Artist David Aja returns to the most critically acclaimed comic of 2012, as ace archer Clint Barton faces the digital doomsday of - DVR-Mageddon! Then: Cherry's got a gun. And she looks good in it. And Hawkeye gets very, very distracted. Plus: Valentine's Day with the heartthrob of the Marvel Universe? This will be...confusing.

REVIEW: After reading the first volume of Hawkeye, I had a pretty good idea what to expect of the second volume. This one is much like the first, where I find it hard to believe that this is so critically acclaimed when I really can't recall there ever being a threat to Hawkeye's well-being or super hero status. It focuses too much on the relationship between Clint Barton and Kate Bishop, with little to no outcome of their relationship or their adventures as Hawkeye. I guess I'm not just not seeing what everyone else sees, because these comics are kind of boring. I mean, shouldn't Hawkeye be doing something as an Avenger instead of running around as Clint Barton being a comedian? That's one of the few things I'll give these comics, and that's the sense of humor but where is everything else? My main gripe with this volume over the first one is while it's much the same, the tenth issue is phenomenal and comes out of nowhere. The art style is beyond amazing and really breathes life into the otherwise dull Hawkeye artwork, and it gave Hawkeye a viable threat that looks uncannily like Clint in clown makeup. I like the introduction of this villain, and maybe it will take us somewhere in the future. But until then, I'm still in the minority on this comic as it's way too bland and just squandered opportunities in my opinion. Also, the last issue of the volume is told from the point of view of a dog. While it's different, fresh, and somewhat funny, what was the point? Last time I checked this comic was Hawkeye, not his dog and I can't really say I got much from that issue at all. There's no desire for me to try and flip through a 20 page issue of a comic and try to decipher what the writer was trying to convey from the eyes of a dog. It just doesn't make sense, does it?

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 5 / 10 )

STORY : ( 5 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 6 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Hawkeye, Volume One: My Life As A Weapon

PLOT: The breakout star of this summer's blockbuster Avengers film, Clint Barton - aka the self-made hero Hawkeye - fights for justice! With ex-Young Avenger Kate Bishop by his side, he's out to prove himself as one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes! SHIELD recruits Clint to intercept a packet of incriminating evidence - before he becomes the most wanted man in the world. You won't believe what is on The Tape! What is the Vagabond Code? Matt Fraction pens a Hawkeye thriller that spans the globe...and the darkest parts of Hawkeye's mind. Barton and Bishop mean double the Hawkeye and double the trouble...and stealing from the rich never looked so good.

REVIEW: I've been hearing about this comic for months now, and finally I've been able to get around to it. Hawkeye was certainly one of the breakout stars in Marvel's The Avengers movie, and without Jeremy Renner it may not have been as successful. A lot of people really fell in love with the character, and a lot of girls did as well, probably because of Jeremy Renner. After reading the comic, I think it's the character in the film that everyone is in love with and it's carrying over into this book, because it isn't really that special, at least in my eyes. Now, let me say this though too, that I have yet to fully enjoy a Marvel NOW! title and I don't know why, but New 52's stories are so much more compelling to me. While Hawkeye may have been one of the better Marvel NOW! titles I've read, it certainly isn't anywhere near the best that it's being touted as. I'm not sure what it is about Matt Fraction's Hawkeye that has everyone all giddy, but I found it to be a pretty normal, but decent comic. The artwork is pretty simple, and has a basic look to it, so there's no wows there at all. Then you have the writing, and while it's definitely some of the better, I don't find the story groundbreaking in the slightest. The story seems a bit incomplete and that's what I'm hoping a second volume would correct, but I wasn't too much of a fan of the latter half of this. This book did serve very well for humor, as Clint Barton is a pretty humorous and snippy guy, but other than that I wasn't too entertained by it. I really like the bit with the different kinds of arrows that Clint uses as Hawkeye, but doesn't have labels on them to know which is which. Maybe the second volume will outline a grander story, but color me unimpressed, at least less impressed than everyone else is, with Hawkeye.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 4 / 10 )

STORY : ( 6 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 5 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Justice League Dark, Volume Two: The Books of Magic

PLOT: Vampires across the world have gone berserk, attacking anything with a pulse. Fearing her apocalyptic vision of the future has come to pass, Madame Xanadu mobilizes the team to intervene. But everything the Justice League Dark members know about how to slay a vampire is useless, for the world has changed.

REVIEW: So what can you add to Justice League Dark that could make it any better than it was the first time? Apparently the answer is Jeff Lemire, writer for DC Comics' New 52 Animal Man. Lemire comes in after Peter Milligan opened up the series with a pretty big bang, and there's no one better suited for this world that Jeff Lemire. I was so happy to see his name on the cover of the book, and boy was I right about the chemistry he has with this book. Where the first volume finds the characters and puts them together as a loose team, this one utilizes all of that and starts to create the world that our dark Justice League will battle. One of the things I love is that in this book, John Constantine sort of becomes the unofficial leader of this squad and his character is just so perfectly written for it, I was surprised. With my recent journey into Hellblazer, I wasn't really that sold on Constantine but this book is by far the best John Constantine story I've ever read. The title of this volume also has some relevance in the universe as Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic child protagonist makes a return to the page. I recently read that book and so seeing this character come out of obscurity for me and tie up again with Constantine and some new heroes was pretty cool. The art again was superb in this second volume, but the writing is so much better here. It's no wonder Jeff Lemire is one of the greater writers currently writing for New 52, and now I simply cannot wait for the conclusion of this current storyline that he has woven. Also, John Constantine bears an uncanny resemblance to the Doctor of Doctor Who in this volume of Justice League Dark, which I found cool as a recently converted Whovian but also slightly odd.

WRITING : ( 10 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 10 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )

REVIEW: Justice League Dark, Volume One: In The Dark

PLOT: The witch known as The Enchantress has gone mad, unleashing a wave of chaos that not even the combined powers of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Cyborg can stop. Shade the Changing Man, Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Zatanna, Mindwarp and John Constantine may be our only hope - but how can we put our trust in beings whose very presence makes ordinary people break out in a cold sweat?

REVIEW: Anything dark is pretty much right up my alley, so I've been excited to see what Justice League Dark will be bringing to the table with DC Comics' New 52. So far, I've been really impressed with everything New 52, and of course there are a few titles that aren't that great but that comes with anything new. A great amount of these titles though have been amazing, so add to that success that there was a darker title that would appeal to me even further, and I'm fanboy excited. Now, I have read the first volume and while I can't say it is among the best of the New 52 titles, it is definitely one of the best in terms of artwork. Much like the current Batwoman, the art is phenomenal and it makes use of the entire page and non-traditional layouts. Just like the characters that comprise of this dark team, they're full of colorful and odd traits, which is really what puts Justice League Dark amongst the most creative of the initiative. I really liked the largely illustrated scenes where heroes and people of the dark both try and attack on the witch known as Enchantress, and seeing Superman in particular being torn apart by a witch tooth storm really explains why the Justice League Dark exists. New 52 put out a lot of renewed titles with a lot of the same old, so it's cool to see that someone out there by the name of Peter Milligan penned a different and unique super hero squadron. The art is by far the best part of this book, and now I'm excited to read the second volume as it is written by Jeff Lemire who has done amazing things with Animal Man. If you like the darker side of comics, John Constantine, or any of the darker elements of DC, this book is for you.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain America, Volume One: Castaway in Dimension Z

PLOT: Thrust into a bizarre, inhospitable world far from home, the all-new, high-adventure, mind-melting, tough-as-nails, sci-fi, pulp-fantasy era of Captain America is NOW! Arnim Zola's ambitions leave Captain America stranded in the upside-down territory known as Dimension Z. With no country and no allies, what's left for the Sentinel of Liberty to protect? Just the one thing that his foe values most...Zola's son! Steve has saved the boy's life, but can he keep him alive against the savage barbarians of Phrox - with the fate of a world hinging on his victory? Plus: introducing Jet Black...the woman who's waited her whole life for the chance to destroy Captain America! Meanwhile, Zola's plans continue to move forward - and threaten to curse Steve Rogers for years to come.

REVIEW: This is my first journey with a Captain America comic, but I have a feeling that this is okay with this Marvel NOW! series. I have to say that this is the boldest entry yet, as the story seems very atypical of Captain America but also fitting. He gets stuck in an alternate dimension and befriends a young child who he claims as his own, and as time passes they both struggle to live in this new world. I like how ambitious Captain America is not only with the story, but also with the art. The artwork is pretty great, and it really helps to paint the portrait of a normal man in a strange world. This story doesn't seem like a typical story for this Avengers hero, though I could be wrong, but it takes place over a course of years and sees the Captain from confidence to losing hope. What I liked most about this comic was the fact that it was dark, and unforgivably dark at that. Captain America is a pretty light-hearted hero though he deals with large threats usually to the country or the world, like most heroes anyways. I like the attempts at trying for a darker audience though, because that is something Marvel NOW! has yet to successfully do.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 9 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 8 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Deadpool Killustrated

PLOT: Deadpool has already killed every hero in the Marvel Universe, but he isn't through. This time...Deadpool's gonna take down the most famous characters in classic literature! Why read a book when you can watch a book die?! Tom Sawyer gets slashed in TWAIN! The Little Women's throats MAY get ALL-CUT! Scrooge gets a visit from THREE BULLETS! Gulliver gets a SWIFT DEATH! The Three Musketeers are all for DONE! Sherlock Holmes gets to the bottom of HIS OWN GRAVE! And more book-related puns! Can Deadpool rid the universe of the scourge of classical literature?

REVIEW: Considering that I'm fairly new to the character of Deadpool in writing, all of this material just seems absolutely great to me. Anything Deadpool I read at the moment I would love, because I don't have a lot of experience with the character. Now, I do think this is supposed to be one of the more fun comics with Deadpool, and there are obvious reasons why. After his killing spree through the Marvel universe, which I have yet to read, Deadpool sets his sights on the characters that inspired the creation of all the heroes and villains in the Marvel universe. Thus, Deadpool takes his dead fleshy self to the "Ideaverse" as he likes to call it, where all things fictional come to creation. What is awesome about this book is that Deadpool literally goes all through classic literature and starts knocking off popular characters and worlds one by one. The covers actually do a pretty good job of showing how this book is meant to be taken, and it's really just another example of why Deadpool is so much fun. He's very self aware as well as aware of the reader reading the book, and his whole personality revolves around that. This book is the strongest of the two I've read in showing how Deadpool is a conscious character, aware that he's in a fictional world, and because of that it's really funny. This book is definitely for adults too, so if you're a fan of Marvel and want a good character to read, Deadpool is your guy.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

REVIEW: Indestructible Hulk, Volume One: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

PLOT: Hulk: Indestructible force more weapon than man. Banner: Smartest man alive. Combined, they are the strongest, smartest weapon on the planet! And NOW!, the Indestructible Hulk is an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.! Hulk's first official missions include taking down the all-new Quintronic Man and battling Attuma on the ocean floor! But not everything is as it seems: What is Banner's secret hold over S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill? What and where is Bannertown, USA? And which one of Banner's lab assistants holds a deadly secret? Plus: Bruce Banner and Tony Stark are friends but Hulk and Iron Man are anything but!

REVIEW: For some reason, I was really excited to start reading Indestructible Hulk because the last few times I've encountered the green monster, I've had a lot of fun. Being that this is Marvel NOW!, I wasn't really expecting too much but this was probably one of the better entries in the NOW! Initiative. The first issue in particular is great, because any time the story of Bruce Banner and Hulk is picked apart and analyzed, it's really complex stuff. There's so much more to Hulk now that I'm an adult, and understand the underlying factors and personality traits that make Hulk part of Dr. Banner. This isn't short on action, and it's one of the few Marvel NOW! titles that was actually very visually impressive. I really dug the artwork in this one, and other than Marvel NOW!'s Deadpool, this may be the best I've read and that's shocking. Somehow they've managed to do pretty awful with their title characters in the Marvel universe, but are treating their second tier characters like stars. Granted, Hulk has arguably moved from second tier to top tier because of the movies, but before all of that I don't think he was one of the most popular characters in the universe. For Hulk fans this is a must read, and if you're looking for a good entry point into the NOW!, I'd give this a shot. Of course, after you're done laughing and being entertained by Deadpool.

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 6 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Doctor Who: The Monsters Inside

PLOT: The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Rose to a destination in deep space - Justicia, a prison camp stretched over seven planets, where Earth colonies deal with their criminals. While Rose finds herself locked up in a teenage borstal, the Doctor is trapped in a scientific labour camp. Each is determined to find the other, and soon both Rose and the Doctor are risking life and limb to escape in their distinctive styles. But their dangerous plans are complicated by some old enemies. Are these creatures fellow prisoners as they claim, or staging a takeover for their own sinister purposes?

REVIEW: After having read the first book of the Doctor's New Series Adventures, I sort of knew what to expect from The Monsters Inside, which is the second book. Again, I wasn't all too impressed with the story that was told, and it's not entirely fault of the story itself. The writing in these books is very simple, and the books could each serve as a base script to an episode. It's really hard to get a grasp on the setting of the events being detailed, because there is little to no description. I liked this story a little more because it didn't take place in the past like The Clockwise Man did, but instead in the future and with Slitheen monsters. I'm familiar with these creatures already having watched the show, so that made this book that tad bit better for me. It was entertaining, and though the Doctor and Rose are separated I knew they would find a way to get back to each other. I feel what these stories lack is real despair, or descriptive environments and events to draw the reader in. Had I never seen the show, I would have put either one of these first two books down before I read 50 pages, so if you haven't seen the show I wouldn't recommend picking up this series.

RATED : ( PG )

WRITING : ( 4 / 10 )

STORY : ( 5 / 10 )

COVER : ( 4 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 4 / 10 )   

FINAL RATING : ( 4 / 10 )

REVIEW: Avengers Arena, Volume One: Kill or Die

PLOT: Trapped on an isolated island, 16 superhuman teens (including cult favorites like members of the Runaways, the Avengers Academy and Darkhawk) are given a chilling ultimatum by their demented captor: Fight or die...only one will walk out alive! Thus begins a primal battle that will test the skills, stamina and morals of each combatant. Welcome to Murder World, where secrets are plenty, alliances are fleeting, and the key to victory might be rewriting the rules of the game. Who will survive? As Cammi and Hazmat battle the mysterious Deathlocket, X-23 and Juston Seyfert's Sentinel join the fray...but who is the killer stalking the heroes in their sleep? Who are the students of the Braddock Aacdemy? And why does Darkhawk equal death?

REVIEW: This book is incredibly sad in the worst way possible. For months, I've been anxious to read this Marvel NOW! title more than pretty much any of the others. So now I've found out for months, that I'd been duped by Marvel. Not only is this series one of the worst to come out of the Marvel NOW!, but it's quite possibly the most tangible reason that Marvel has fallen by the wayside and DC Comics' New 52 is considerably more successful. I've never seen such cowardice by a comic team, that in order to re-brand Marvel and create great new stories, they stole ideas from elsewhere. I get that concepts are borrowed in literature, and that nothing is 100% original or unique, but Avengers Arena is about the worst example of this I've ever seen. I also understand that this is somewhat an attempt at being clever and twisting a popular skeleton of a story around Marvel characters, but it just doesn't work at all as its own thing and basically comes off as a joke. From the beginning, sixteen super-teens are chosen and placed on an island to wage war against one another until there is only one left standing. Does that sound familiar to you? With the recent popularity of all things The Hunger Games, it leaves a lot of the not so popular books grasping for straws at how to make their stories as relatable as Suzanne Collins did for Katniss and Peeta.

The sad part is, that Marvel should be the pioneers of comic book hero stories, considering they're one of the top two comic producers out there. Instead, they're not even borrowing, but straight ripping off a concept from a popular teen fiction series and trying to make it their own. They could have easily taken a bit of this concept and put a unique twist on it to make it their own, as many others already have in this dystopian trend that I'm sick of, and with some success. There's nothing about this comic at all that is cool, original, or awesome. I was so disappointed that I had to read six issues of this comic and not get a single great thing out of it. A lot of the reviews I'd seen had claimed that this was intense, superb, and leaning towards adult. This is a teenage Marvel fan's dream comic I suppose, but I wasn't really expecting what I read at all in Avengers Arena. This series should be titled, Marvel's The Hunger Games, because that's about all it is. If you like The Hunger Games, you may like this. If you like Marvel NOW!, you may like this (and I really haven't so far). If you're an adult and want to read something worth your while, pass on this. Even one of the covers was a straight rip of the mockingjay pin on fire poster for the movie, but with an Avengers A! Marvel, this is pathetic.

WRITING : ( 5 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 3 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 2 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 4 / 10 )

REVIEW: Superman: For Tomorrow

PLOT: A cataclysmic event has struck the Earth. Millions of people have vanished without a trace. No one is left unaffected; not even Superman! But after a year, Superman is left with many questions. For a hero who tries to have all the answers, it's torture. And, just as the action heats up and the stakes are raised, one huge question emerges: Just how far is Superman willing to go "For Tomorrow"?

REVIEW: I joke a lot about how much I hate Superman. I'm not a Superman fan, because of my undying love for everything Batman. It just so happens that typically Batman is the one the Justice League is counting on when Superman fails them, and always gets Supes out of trouble. However, I do read some Superman because I know that there are good stories in all kinds of packages and if it's a comic book then I guess I'll read it. I mainly wanted to read Superman: For Tomorrow because it's written by Brian Azzarello. Azzarello is currently working the New 52 Wonder Woman and even did some Batman in the form of Joker, which is great if you haven't read it. I was not only pleased with this graphic novel but also surprised at really how great it was. It also was a pretty serious story for Superman, and was kind of depressing. Superman finds himself at a loss for an idea of a future after a device has triggered random mass vanishings in the world. He befriends a priest at the beginning and throughout his questioning and narrative to him, Superman finds the reason he does what he does for the people of Metropolis. This is not an action packed Superman comic, but it really goes in depth in thinking about the character and that is one of the few ways I enjoy reading Superman. I like it when the character of Superman is analyzed, because even though he's all powerful, he struggles the most with being a human, or the perfect human in his mind. It's a dilemma that most all of us can relate to, so it provides for a great Superman reading experience. Also, expect the beautiful artwork, as usual from Jim Lee.

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 8 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 8 / 10 )

REVIEW: Murder as a Fine Art

PLOT: Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH OPIUM-EATER, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London forty-three years earlier. The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey's essay "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts." Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter Emily and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives. In MURDER AS A FINE ART, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

REVIEW: I'm doing Murder as a Fine Art for my mystery book club at the library, and it was suggested to me personally from a co-worker awhile back. I took the suggestion for two reasons. One is that David Morrell is the author, who is famously known for having written First Blood, which is the basis for the character Rambo. First Blood is a great movie, though I've never read the book, so I knew that the author was capable of writing a very compelling story. The second reason is that it seemed like a fairly dark novel, which I'm a big fan of the dark arts typically when it comes to fiction. When I finally got around to picking it up earlier this week, I suddenly remembered not being a huge fan of historical fiction because of the type of writing it typically brings along with it. What is impressive about Morrell's writing here is that even though the story is a historical fiction, it's loose enough to keep a reader like me turning the pages and not getting bored with the old English times dialogue. Morrell never goes full English on the reader, and I think that's the reason this book works so well for me. The book starts with a chapter from the killer's perspective, and it really sets the tone for the book. The deaths and action are all written in such great detail, and though it does provide for a gruesome image or two, I really find that entertaining. I want to feel the full effect of the killer, so that I'm as interested in catching the guy as the characters in the book are.

Thomas De Quincey is an interesting character whom I didn't know was a real person until I was about halfway through the book. I really enjoyed his sense of humor, and his frequently made fun of way of thinking about the killer and the murders, and just life in general. His addiction to opium and laudanum is the driving force behind his attitude and outlook on everything, and much like everyone points out, it makes him so much different than anyone else in those times. His capability of thinking things through, is many times what keeps him out of trouble, or gets him out of it. His daughter Emily was also an interesting character mainly because of her following in her father's footsteps, in the sense that she was a free thinking woman in a time where it was sort of taboo for a woman to be independent. She wears a dress that shows the motion of her legs, and continually finds herself in places or conversations that men don't seem to quite understand why. I liked Emily and even though she's not the main character, she often feels like the one that the story focuses on because of her involvement in almost everything, as well as her journal entries peppered throughout the book.

The other two main characters are the Scotland Yard detectives who at first seem like they'll be the main protagonists of the book, but end up being side characters to the De Quinceys. They don't really have the humor or the personality that they do, but they do serve as the hand of the law in the book to keep the story going. Obviously in the search for a killer in the 1800's had to involve the law somehow, because everyday people like the De Quinceys could not have done it without them or their information. In the end, I don't think the ultimate twist of revealing the character is too big. I do like how it's done though, and I like the killer's background that really exhibits Morrell's strengths as a writer for these type of characters. I did like the story behind how it was done, why it was done, and who it was done for but again it wasn't a particularly mind blowing experience. The novel is very dark, and it's not for the faint of heart. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, or mystery novels. It has a Jack the Ripper type feel to it, and probably draws a lot of resemblances though I'm not entirely familiar with that story either. I'm pleased with my reading experience and I do want to try out more fiction from Morrell, and knowing that none of that is historical helps, because Murder as a Fine Art definitely wasn't amazing enough to change my opinion on that. 

RATED : ( R )

WRITING : ( 8 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVER : ( 7 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 6 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain Marvel, Volume Two: Down

PLOT: Former Captain Monica Rambeau returns, but what's her problem with Earth's new Mightiest Hero? What threat is lurking below the ocean's surface? And can both Captain Marvels stop it before they get ship wrecked? Then: Carol finally returns home, but is changed. What is weakening Captain Marvel's powers? How will the lifelong high-flyer react when she discovers that she can no longer fly?

REVIEW: It could have gone either way on the second volume of Captain Marvel, because at first it's not much to be impressed with and I was really annoyed by some of the choices with the writing and pacing. But as it goes on, it only continues to get better and drop a huge bomb on the character that will ensure drama for a bit. The first half, Carol Danvers is reunited with an old friend as they try to defeat a gigantic robot that was unearthed in the sea by Captain Marvel. What I didn't like about the first two issues with this battle was that all of the characters on the page were having pretty intense conversation during the fight with the robot. And it's not even like it was when there was a break in the action, it was just mid-fight and the characters made small talk about things they'd heard. I wasn't really a fan of this choice, and I think had the action been taken care of first, the book would have been able to show off some more complex art without text, and then take care of the dialogue after the fight was drawn out. But then, Captain Marvel returns after this journey to take on some wildly random villains in the city. As the story unfolds, you are learning more about the tumor that is in Carol's brain that has given doctors reason to tell her that she can no longer fly unless she wishes to further endanger her life and risk it all for her superpower. As this progresses, the story becomes a lot more intricate and poses legitimate questions for the character and has implications for the entire last four issues of the volume. I really liked this part of the book, and the story was really great. Captain Marvel is easily one of the better titles still from Marvel NOW!, and I'm looking forward to more now that a villain has returned!

WRITING : ( 6 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 7 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 7 / 10 )

REVIEW: Captain Marvel, Volume One: In Pursuit of Flight

PLOT: Ace pilot. Legendary Avenger. One hundred percent pure bad-@$$. Carol Danvers has a new name, a new mission - and all the power she needs to make her own life a living hell. As the new Captain Marvel, Carol is forging from a challenge from her past! It's a firefight in the sky as the Banshee Squadron debut - but who are the Prowlers, and where has Carol seen them before? And how does secret NASA training program Mercury 13 fit in? Witness Captain Marvel in blazing battlefield action that just may change the course of history! Avengers Time Travel Protocols: engage!

REVIEW: Because this was a Marvel NOW! title I wasn't really expecting too much, plus with it being a character I'm not entirely familiar with I didn't figure I'd enjoy this much at all. I was really surprised at how much I like this title, and while it's not the greatest of characters it was enjoyable. I find it surprising that it's the second tier characters in Marvel that are getting the best treatment with this re-branding of all their characters in Marvel NOW!. Carol Danvers has a wit about her that makes her really fun to read, and I think it helps to have a female writer on board to give her that authentic female feel. All of the dialogue between her and all the gal pals she meets throughout her journey really feels right and not forced. It's rare that a character you really don't read, piques your interest and gives you a fun read that you can buy into immediately. I will be interested to see where this series goes, and if it continues to get any better as her character develops. This one of those volumes that definitely serves as an introduction to the character, so that may be why it's relatively easy to connect from the beginning. Go figure that Captain Marvel is one of the very few titles to impress me from Marvel NOW!, which still furthers my opinion that New 52 stories are above and beyond Marvel's new structure.

WRITING : ( 7 / 10 )

ARTWORK : ( 7 / 10 )

STORY : ( 7 / 10 )

COVERS : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 5 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 6 / 10 )

REVIEW: Swamp Thing, Volume Two: Family Tree

PLOT: Alec Holland is back as the Swamp Thing, fully formed as the protector of The Green. Immediately upon his return, he must battle his way through the Bone Kingdom and The Rot to free his ally - and ex-girlfriend - Abigail Arcane. But will the cost of freeing her be...fighting her? Nothing, not even this titanic battle, will prepare Swampy for what he has to face next--a resurrected and even more dangerous Anton Arcane!

REVIEW: I loved the first volume of the New 52 Swamp Thing, and there are so many reasons for that love. One, it's written by Scott Snyder who in recent years has proved himself to be one of the better new talents in comic writing. Currently working on the main title for Batman, he's frequently proven capable of blending dark elements into super hero stories that make them beautiful on the page and in your mind. Also, Swamp Thing has been one of the better drawn titles of the New 52 behind only Batwoman in my mind. The excellence continues in the second volume of Swamp Thing and the story gets even wilder. I loved the story with Arcane and the threat that he presented not only to Alec, but to others as well and the horror that he brought with the rot. What I love about Swamp Thing and the adjoining hero, Animal Man, is that the story is so dark and the art is so gruesome that it provides for a truly unique comic book experience. You could classify these as horror comics, and they do kind of come off the page a little on the adult side because the artwork is just so vivid but haunting. You can read superheroes everyday, but you can't always get this world that you have with Swamp Thing. I would highly recommend reading this title of New 52, as it is easily my favorite behind Batman and most of us know how much I enjoy Batman titles. Pick this up, and observe the perfection in artistry from this team of talented artists and take note that you aren't going to see panels as breathtaking as you see here too often, so enjoy them while we can.

WRITING : ( 9 / 10 )
ARTWORK : ( 10 / 10 )
STORY : ( 9 / 10 )
COVERS : ( 10 / 10 )
AWESOME : ( 10 / 10 )
FINAL RATING : ( 10 / 10 )