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Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 2, 2014 9:30:51 GMT -5
I'm sure you'll talk about it on the show, but how did you feel about the Guardians of the Galaxy 100th book this week? I was a little disappointed with it. I wanted a similar tone to the old MC2 stuff which the FF 100th had, and it had heart, and this felt like more of the standard superhero slugfest. But on the other had, I found my Dad and I's old long box and am rereading Spider-Girl and the MC2 stuff, it's still good. Simon, Unless one of colleagues decides to chat it up, the new Guardians 100th will go unremarked upon, so here's the spot! I glanced through it at the store, and it didn't look bad, but seeing that it wasn't directly connected to, or provide a finale for, that wonderful Fantastic Four 100th, I didn't pick up the GotG. I understand that the May Parker Spider-Girl is going to make an appearance somewhere in the up-coming "Spider-Verse" event, so we'll have to keep a sharp look-out! (The wrap-up issue of her series, Spider-Girl: The End, made its way onto my post as an "honorable Mention" on the "Top Ten Issues" thread!)
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Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 1, 2014 17:27:06 GMT -5
It's been my favorite number one of this year, and the DCR guys made it even better! Everyone but Bob needs to pick this up, so it doesn't get canceled! Okay Vic, I'll make you a deal--I won't buy SSW if you give...I dunno... Mighty Avengers a try?
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Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 1, 2014 17:17:19 GMT -5
Benjamin, Sorry that it's taken me a while to respond, but I've had to ruminate about this question for a bit, and even at that, most of my second "Ten" might deserve a place in the "first division". I've only selected issues that came out in my lifetime, so although Marvel Comics #1, All-Winners #19, Batman #1, or All-Star Comics #8 would be on my list, I don't think they're fair picks. Anyway, here goes nuttin': #10) Amazing Spider-Man #121 (June 1973) "The Death of Gwen Stacy"; need I say more?#9) Captain America & the Falcon #156 (Dec. 1972) The finale of "Cap of the Fifties" by Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema.#8) Showcase #37 (April 1962) The introduction of Dr. Will Magnus and his Metal Men, who have been in my heart ever since!#7) Brave & the Bold #33 (June 2010) You're right that I know about this one--it's one of the most touching comics that I've ever read!#6) Fantastic Four #236 (November 1981) This was the 20th Anniversary issue, and writer/artist John Byrne pulled out all the stops with a gripping tale of "what could have been...". A great encapsulation within one issue of all that makes this series my favorite.#5) Captain Marvel #17 (Jan. 2014) Coming after the stunning conclusion of #14 (and ramifications there-from in two "Infinity" cross-overs), this final issue of the first series by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Filipe Andrade covers the emotional spectrum, with the last few pages certain to draw a tear!#4) Justice League of America #21 (Aug. 1963) The original DC "Crisis", and the book that began my love affair with the Golden Age Justice Society of America, comics' first super-team; check out this cover by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson:#3) Avengers #4 (March 1964) Coming just a few short months later, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby brought back their own Golden Age stalwart, Captain America, and he was instantly one of my favorite characters. The Avengers, on their way back to NYC after battling the team of Namor and the Hulk discover a strange, ice-encased figure floating past their submarine! (In the November 1963 issue #114 of Strange Tales, Stan and Jack teased this return, using a villain called The Acrobat, who impersonated Cap to commit robberies! The issue ended with panels showing Johnny Storm reading a 'Captain America" comic, and wondering what had become of him!)#2) X-Men #137 (Sept. 1980) Chris Claremont and John Byrne tell us of "The Fate of the Phoenix", in the finale of their grand cosmic opera. For those who find Scott Summers uninteresting (or worse!), read the "Dark Phoenix Saga", and discover what a fine and noble man...and great hero...he was! #1) Fantastic Four #51 (June 1966) Following a month after "The Galactus Trilogy" (any one of which could have been on this list!), "This Man, This Monster" opens with a distraught Ben Grimm roaming the streets of New York, mistakenly fearing that he's lost the heart of Alicia Masters to the Silver Surfer. Strangely disoriented, he's taken in by a kindly stranger, who is in fact a scientist with a axe to grind with Mr. Fantastic, feeling that Reed hasn't earned his triumphs. Using a device of his own creation, he draws The Thing's power into himself, and heads off to infiltrate, and then destroy, the rest of the Fantastic Four. Where this story goes from there is not the expected slug-fest, but instead a book-length glimpse into what it takes to be a hero.Honorable Mentions (All Vol. 1 unless noted):Action Comics #423Amazing Spider-Man #33Avengers #58Captain America #113 Defenders #4Doom Patrol #121Fantastic Four #32Fantastic Four #40Fantastic Four #267FF #23Kingdom Come #12Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #9Sensational She-Hulk #4Spider-Girl: The EndWhat If? #4Wonder Woman #62 (vol. 2)As with a previous question about "cosmic stuff", a month from now, I might have a different list, although my "Number One" is set in stone!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 31, 2014 10:48:42 GMT -5
I wanted to repeat what Steve said about how it's productive when you disagree. One of the best, if not the best, things about TC is that you have different points of view that you all state with civility and with care toward each other (and toward what listeners' opinions might be). This week with Storm and last week with Teen Titans were great examples of how you do it and do it well. My two cents: Storm #1: good Wonder Woman: heels, bad. t&a inside clothing that has both WW and eagle, and body facing front and showing strength rather than being broke back (or ass-front with her looking over her shoulder at camera): good Mark Waid's Princess Leia: can't wait Carolyn, As none of you out there can hear the "in-betweens", let me say that no matter the how passionate the disagreement before the break, we're happy as clams and chattering away off-mike, as we certainly have the utmost respect for each others' opinions... no matter how wrong they are! (Sorry, bad joke!) Topping that, I'm so thrilled that our spirit of bonhomie is just as evident in the interactions of all you fine folks in these Forums; keep up the great work!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 31, 2014 9:29:26 GMT -5
This isn't as easy for me as you might think, as it comes down to what are the parameters of "Marvel Cosmic"? Is is defined solely by the space epics, or are other dimensions and realities included, and what about the mystic realms? As usual, I'm probably over-thinking this, so I'll go with my first thoughts. FAVORITE STORY: "The Kree-Skrull War" (Avengers #89 to #97), with "The Galactus Trilogy" (Fantastic Four #48 to #50) #1A, as it introduced the Silver Surfer and Galactus, as well as "The Power Cosmic" itself. Even though the majority of the story is set in Manhattan, it's pretty darn "cosmic"!
LEAST FAVORITE: "AvX" ('nuff said!)
HERO: Dr. Strange...and here's where the real trouble started for me! By the broader definition, Stephen Strange is as "cosmic" as you can get, visiting all those outre dimensions, but it might be beyond the general thought on the matter. Along those lines, I'd say Silver Surfer and Jim Starlin's Adam Warlock.
VILLAIN: Taking Thanos and Galactus as "givens", I'll go with Annihilus, although Dormammu wouldn't be a bad pick if the mystical is included.
FAVORITE RACE: The Kree, but it was close, as I love the concept of The Watchers, and I did like the Shi'ar back in the old days.
LEAST FAVORITE RACE: Snarky answer coming: The Kree, as they're just over-used at this point; otherwise, it's probably The Celestials.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Counting heroes, villains, and those "beyond good and evil", as my #1 pick Uatu describes Galactus, I would also add The Stranger, Frankie Raye (as Nova), Terrax, Umar, Eternity and one of the coolest-designed characters ever, the Stan Lee/Marie Severin creation, The Living Tribunal, seen here on this cover by Ms. Severin from his first full appearance in Strange Tales #158:
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 30, 2014 18:50:29 GMT -5
Lauren,
Thanks for an important and beautifully stated post!
Even with the raised attention to, and improving conditions regarding the harassment issue, we as the comics community can do more, but as you said, those changes don't address the "real world" predators. Beyond out-and-out criminal or sociopathic activity, with loutish behavior celebrated in some quarters, there's not much of a leap for those who act in such fashion to believe they can take any liberty they choose, bringing them quickly over the line into something beyond despicable. Sad as it might be to have to point them out, your common sense suggestions could prevent heartache for some family.
As to the con itself, beyond copious signage and in-program notices, I would like to see a highly-visible kiosk where incidents of harassment can be reported safely to security officers who can make a quick investigation, with confidentiality and surety as key elements to protect all concerned, accusers and accused; I would imagine that the presence of the booth itself can have a deterrent effect.
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 30, 2014 10:02:14 GMT -5
Bob, what is YOUR Avengers lineup?? Chris, This is an easy one... .. John Steed and Mrs. Emma Peel!...but seriously, folks... (I know that Chris meant "comic book" Avengers, but the TV show has been on my mind lately! Chris, If by your question you mean which line-up as it appeared in the comics as an entity, I'm inclined to say the originals plus Cap, so Thor, Iron Man, Ant-Man and The Wasp, with the addition of Captain America in issue #4, although I do love "Cap's kooky quartet" that began in #16 and featured Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Hawkeye. If you're asking what line-up would I select as if drafting a fantasy baseball team from the various teams and eras, I might go this way: Captain AmericaThorThe WaspBlack PantherScarlet WitchThe VisionLuke CageCaptain Marvel (Carol Danvers)Spider-WomanI think it's a good balance; Cap provides the moral high ground and leadership along with the combat strategy, but you also have Carol and T'Challa, in case you need a two-pronged approach, and Luke is good along these lines, too! There are also two "muscle men" (Luke, Thor)for the same reason, similarly that there are two "space flyers" (Carol, Thor). Some "stealthy" characters (Jessica, Wasp, Vision) for "spy stuff", two "super-brains" (T'Challa, Vision) for those "science moments", and of course, the mystical, magical Wanda for when science breaks down and the hellfire is rising! I think I've covered a lot of bases for most of the threats a super-team might encounter, and from the writing standpoint, I think there are some interesting relationships already present within the group, and some nice possibilities for future drama, fun adventure, and some comedy...but if you ask me again in a half-hour, I might come up with an entirely different selection!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 30, 2014 8:49:02 GMT -5
Bob, what is YOUR Avengers lineup?? Chris, This is an easy one... .. John Steed and Mrs. Emma Peel!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 30, 2014 8:46:31 GMT -5
Chris, This one of the images that revved my excitement back up; just a dynamite rendition of Captain Marvel, and smiling in just the right "Holey Moley" way!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 30, 2014 0:01:23 GMT -5
Hi, I'm Carolyn and I'm from New York. I loved the Superfriends and the Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman tv shows when I was a kid, along with Star Wars and Star Trek. I read comics then, returned to them in the mid-1980s with dark, dark Batman stories, and returned again in the 2000s with Buffy, Batman, Scott Pilgrim, and Y: the Last Man. Current favorites: older Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Batman, X-men, Cap, JSA, Secret six; new Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel. And Saga. And Sex Criminals. And Princeless and My Little Pony. And a lot of things I would not have otherwise read if not for TC. Thanks!! Prized geek possessions: my old Leia and Han action figures, who are holding a tiny tiny trophy I won at a comics trivia game. Carolyn, Welcome to the Forums! Based on your reading list, I think you and I will get along just fine, and I love your avatar...but I may have to try and challenge you at trivia!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 28, 2014 16:44:35 GMT -5
I bet it will be more colorful when it's realized on screen. That picture has very stylized lighting making it almost sepia-toned. Even her skin-tone is void of realistic color in the picture, so I don't think we can trust this stylized picture to give us an accurate look at the color of her costume, just the detail Hey Ross, It's funny you mention that! This is not official, but over at deviantart, a fellow posting as "valdezign" has put up a"colorized" version of Ms. Gadot as Diana; it still has some problems (the upside-down head-piece, for instance), but the color really sells her as Wonder Woman, I think:
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 28, 2014 14:45:57 GMT -5
Hey Bob, I was wondering what your opinions were on this manifesto by the owner of Mile High Comics and his decision to most likely not return to SDCC. www.milehighcomics.com/newsletter/Is it just me, or does this sound like a "back in my day" kind of essay? I have trouble giving much value to the claims he makes when on the front page of Mile High Comics they are promoting the exclusive variant covers. I have a lot of mixed emotions on this topic.... Cap'n Nick, Chuck Rozanski has always been a "back in the day" guy, even though he's been in the forefront of making things into the "now" that he can't stand, as he talks about in this newsletter. You know that I don't completely disagree with his assertion about variants soaking up money better spent on other books rather than covers, but in Mr. Rozanski's case, it seems a mite hypocritical, even though I understand his anguish. From a friend who's a major dealer in Golden Age books, I've heard that the focus at SDCC went away from comic book dealers a long time ago, instead turning to the publishers, movie/TV studios, and toy manufacturers. (When he threatened to pull out of the show over being in the "basement", they gave him a prime spot near the front of the hall, which gave him the chance to sell some stuff to RDJ, and chat with Stan the Man!) Although not doing the same volume here, he was much happier at NYCC due to the balance between media and comics, and I'm sure that he would have loved the Special Edition show even more!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 28, 2014 8:06:25 GMT -5
This was announced by legendary at SDCC for a 2016 release. So what do you think? Brandon, As I cite the original 1933 "King Kong" as my favorite movie, I'm a little trepidatious about yet another re-make, particularly so soon after the Peter Jackson version that I wasn't thrilled with. That Legendary Pictures is doing it does raise the bar, as...KING KONG VS. GODZILLA!!
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 28, 2014 6:49:30 GMT -5
Benjamin, Of the more recent stuff, I might suggest the Gail Simone arc (#26 to #33) that's collected as the trade "Rise of the Olympian". It (obviously)features tons of mythology and great usage of the Amazons, plus some creepy super-villainy countered by great heroism from Diana...and some surprises that I won't spoil. In the older stuff, in George Perez's run, issues #1 to #14 of the post-Crisis re-boot (collected as "Gods and Mortals" and "Challenge of the Gods" are the "gold standard", and in Phil Jimenez's run #164 to #177 ("Paradise Lost" and "Paradise Found") are also excellent arcs. For a quick "study guide", you might want to take a look at a piece that I posted entitled Wonder Woman: MilestonesI just looked up the George Perez run, never realized it started with the origin story. And of course to my luck its way, way, WAY out of print. Surely they'll be reprinting it soon. Hopefully. Seems strange DC and Marvel reprint things like this so late in the game eg the Abnett Guardians run, No Mans Land for DKR (and still no Legacy reprint), always released AFTER the announcement, not before when everybody scrambles for it. Oh well. Patience. Benjamin, I should have checked on the availability of those George Perez Wonder Woman volumes before touting them, but I can't fathom why they're out-of-print, although the original Birds of Prey trades by Chuck Dixon and Gail Simone suffer a similar fate, so I shouldn't be surprised. If I see Perez TPBs in my travels, I'll shoot you a line.
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Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 26, 2014 21:45:39 GMT -5
Benjamin, I'm not unhappy with it on the whole, but the color pallete is awfully drab, and I think that the whole enterprise could use some "brighter bulbs", so to speak. ps) In the comics from the Forties that presented her origin, Wonder Woman dons the colors of the American flag as a matter of respect (and to identify herself as a "good guy" to a world that didn't know her!) when she's returning Steve Trevor to the US to begin her mission to help save humanity from the spectre of fascist rule. Yeah that's what I'm assuming will happen, she's introduced in this film coming straight from Themiscyra and then in the future, whether it be the JLA film or a solo film, will no doubt change to the American flag or at least a more bright version of her costume to look less soldier and more hero. It just starts to make me wonder where this all seeing all knowing directory containing measurements of Batmans ears, Supermans logo, Wonder Womans weight/heel height, is being stored and how thousands of people seem to have access to it and I don't. I just feel such a strong urge to jump to the defense of Zack Snyder because he's as much of a fan as all of us, just from a different perspective. Where somebody may have grown up reading the the Golden/Silver/Bronze/Heroic Ages of comics, he grew up reading Heavy Metal and 2000AD which holds as much of a standing in comics as Archie does, just a complete different spectrum. I refuse to believe that any one era of a character is the be all end all. Even look at the New 52. Superman from #1 is not the Superman we're reading now. I just feel such a childlike sense of excitement when I see all these things happening now and then I turn around and see a thousand people saying its not good enough. Makes you wonder how if even seeing the Trinity standing together in a film for the first time is not enough to make someone happy, what is? Benjamin, One of the nagging problems plaguing super-hero films is that film-makers have to try to create a "greatest hits" package in some ways, finding the best moments from decades of continuity and trying to get them to fit together. However, from writers and directors there might be one set of "must-haves", while in the audience, there might be very differing views as to what those moments should be. These sorts of issues can certainly affect how different segments of the movie-going audience, critics, and film-makers come to such disparate opinions on a single film. I certainly agree with you that Mr. Snyder's view of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman is forged by the versions that he read, but particularly when introducing characters, the original creator's ideas are the best, unless overwhelmingly proved otherwise. This isn't to suggest that we should see WW II versions of all these icons, but there were timeless core values that kept these heroes "on-model", and I believe that those need to be adhered to above all else. There are flaws in the Marvel films as well, but both the Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield Spider-Man (and Peter) seem like the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko/John Romita character that I grew up with in the books, and for all the hub-bub over audiences not relating because of it possibly seeming "old-fashioned", the core attributes of Captain America as portrayed by Chris Evans seem to have connected with today's "more sophisticated" audience. For me, it's about trusting the source material above all else!
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