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Rom Dead?! And the Odinson Chimes in on Before Watchmen!
Greetings from the Odinson,
Avengers Academy #25 dealt the Odinson a blow more powerful than a right cross from the Hulk. Hybrid, an old enemy of Rom the Spaceknight, is taking the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to task. Not even with the help of their instructors, Hawkeye, Tigra, and Giant Man, do the kids of Avengers Academy seem to have a chance against this extremely powerful menace. As all their attempts to subdue Hybrid fail, one after the other, the kids begin to wonder how anyone has ever defeated this monster before. Giant Man tells them of a great hero (Rom) who was able to subdue Hybrid in the past. The kids say, “Great! Let’s get him here.” And here’s the bombshell. Giant Man says they can’t because “he’s dead.”
NOOOOOOO! Have all my hopes and dreams of one day seeing the mighty Rom grace the pages of Marvel Comics been crushed?
I say thee, Nay!
As any of us know, heroes do not stay dead in the comics. If Bucky and Jason Todd can come back to life, then anyone can. Once again, Avengers Academy #25 is an example of the House of Ideas just teasing us. But the Odinson shall not lose hope and I shall continue to put out the call until the glorious return of Rom comes to pass.
Now on to the Big News of the week...
DC Comics dropped a bombshell of their own when they announced that this summer they will be unveiling a mega event project called Before Watchmen. BW will be comprised of 35 issues of Watchmen prequels in seven miniseries and a 1-shot. Wow! Now there is so much going on here I hardly know where to begin. First off, the creative teams DC has assigned to this Herculean task are amazing to say the least. It’s a Who’s Who of industry giants. These prequels include a 4-issue Dr. Manhattan series which will be helmed by J. Michael Straczynski (Superman Earth-1) and Adam Hughes (Ghost); a 6-issue Minutemen series by Darwyn Cooke (New Frontier), a 6-issue Comedian series Brian Azzarello (Joker) and J.G. Jones (Final Crisis); a 4-issue Rorschach series by Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets) and Lee Bermejo (Joker); a 4-issue Nite Owl series by J. Michael Straczynski (Thor), Andy Kubert (Batman) and Joe Kubert (Sgt. Rock); Ozymandias (6 issues) by Len Wein (Swamp Thing) and Jae Lee (Dark Tower); and Silk Spectre (4 issues) by Darwyn Cooke (Parker) and Amanda Conner (Power Girl). With names like these, at least the fanboys and girls will get their money’s worth.
Make no mistake…these creators are not taking this project lightly. They know, as well as the rest of the comics community, the gravitas a project like this is going to take. Darwyn Cooke said it best that this will be a polarizing project. There will be a group of people in support of exploring some of these stories, and there will be another group completely against this undertaking. The original creators - writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons – have both chimed in with their opinions on the matter. Gibbons, though he thinks the original should stand on its own, wishes the project success. Moore…well, Moore simply called the project “shameless.” The long feud between DC Comics and the accomplished scribe is no secret.
Personally, I’m on the fence about Before Watchmen. On the one hand, Watchmen is a masterpiece and stands on its own with a beginning, middle, and end. The material leaves very few questions unanswered. But on the other hand, these characters are really cool and it will be nice to see some of the events only talked about or alluded to during the original story, much like the opening montage of the Watchmen movie did. It showed the viewer things only talked about in the original comic. That being said, it will be hard to find the drama and emotional investment for these tales, especially when, as the reader, you already know where the journey will ultimately end for these characters.
See? I’m torn.
I think ultimately this will be a success and worth it in the end. The creative teams assembled are second to none and they know the magnitude and the responsibility of the endeavor they have taken upon themselves. They will do the material justice and prove that no characters are untouchable.
How quickly and quietly would comics have faded away into obscurity if the only people who could tell the stories of characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman were their creators. Just think of all the decades of wonderful stories we would have missed out on. Hey, if Before Watchmen is no good, then the nay sayers can wag their fingers and say, “I told you so.” But if BW is good (and I think it will be), then we gain another wonderful chapter in a classic tale that redefined the medium.
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
This is Why We Read Comics
Greetings from the Odinson,
Comic books are a big part of our lives. They are a wonderful source of entertainment. And there are few things as great as that comic series (usually a particular run) that keeps us coming back week after week to pick up the next issue. New Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, Incredible Hulk by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema, Mighty Thor by Walt Simonson, Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont, Fantastic Four by John Byrne, Superman by John Byrne, Amazing Spider-Man by Todd McFarlane – these are the creative runs that kept the Odinson coming back for more and to this day have made comic books a major part of my entertainment budget.
There was a dark period for me in the ‘90s, a time when the Odinson nearly turned his back on comics forever. Two words nearly ruined everything for me. Those two words…CLONE SAGA. The singular issue that nearly changed the course of my comics history was Spectacular Spider-Man #226. To this day I can still remember the betrayal and hurt I felt when I learned in these very pages that Peter Parker, the Spider-Man that I had grown up with since the late ‘70s (since around Amazing Spider-Man #148-151), was actually a clone and the real Spider-Man, the original Lee/Ditko Spidey, was in fact Ben Reilly. I was absolutely floored and quite frankly mad. Now when this issue hit the stands I was a young adult, but I was still young enough (and had the energy) to really be affected by comic book cliffhangers and shocking moments (i.e. Bane breaks Batman’s back, Doomsday kills Superman).
It was at this moment and because of this “clone” revelation that a young Odinson swore he would never collect comics again. And for a few years, the industry made it easy for me, as it adopted flashy big guns-big pecs-super model-super heroes that would come to dominate most of the decade. The Avengers were running around in leather jackets trying to be the X-Men. The Man of Steel sported a mullet that would make Billy Ray Cyrus proud. And Heroes Reborn nearly ruined Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. So suffice it to say, there was a 2-year period there when the Odinson actually turned his back on comics.
But, of course, it didn’t last.
Heroes Return signaled the triumphant return of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Marvel’s First Family back into the fold of the Marvel Universe and also signaled my own return to the wonderful world of comics. I will be forever grateful to Avengers by Kurt Busiek and George Perez, Captain America by Mark Waid and Ron Garney, and JLA by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter for restoring my passion for this extraordinary medium. And thank God for the brick and mortar comic stores like Lone Star Comics that carried the back issues of JLA that I had missed during my hiatus. Equal parts good storytelling and great artwork, once again comics were fun. I even learned that Peter Parker was still the real Spider-Man. I also learned a valuable lesson - not to take works of fiction, and myself, so seriously.
And it seemed that I jumped back on board at just the right time, for as the New Millennium dawned, comic books entered a renaissance.
Over the course of the first decade of the New Millennium, comic fans would be treated to some of the greatest comics ever produced in history - The Ultimates, JLA/Avengers, House of M, Annihilation, Infinite Crisis, Planet Hulk, The Sinestro Corps War, Civil War, and World War Hulk. And super heroes weren’t the only comics breaking new ground. Titles like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Walking Dead, Buffy Season 8, Umbrella Academy, Scott Pilgrim, and other genre-bending titles stormed the racks and helped redefine what a great comic book could be. Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and Bill Crabtree is easily the best teenage super hero comic since Stan Lee and Steve Ditko introduced the world to Spider-Man way back in Amazing Fantasy #15. Add to this the fact that movies like Batman Begins, 300, Iron Man and the Avengers are getting made is a good sign that the rest of the global community is taking our beloved medium seriously as well.
And as we head into the second decade of this New Millennium, with DC Comics: New 52 grabbing headlines and breaking rules, and Big Events like AVX on the horizon, the train is showing no signs of slowing down.
Aquaman – Part of DC’s New 52 regime, this series features wonderful characterization by Geoff Johns (something we’ve come to expect form this accomplished writer) and amazing artwork by Ivan Reis (dare I say the best so far in his career). Aquaman has always been one of those characters that we want to like but over the decades, due to no fault of his own, he has seemingly become a punch line (a candid fact that this series does NOT ignore). I love how the story is unfolding with the world at large reflecting the feeling of the real world toward this proud hero. Watching Aquaman deal with the snickers and taunts is part of the gold, especially when he silences the critics with a super heroic feat that drops jaws. The first storyarc entitled The Deep is 1-part super hero story and 1-part sci-fi/horror. From the darkest depths of the ocean, horrible flesh-eating creatures rise out of the sea and besiege a small coastal town. The mystery of these attacks finds Aquaman and his consort, Mera, venturing down into places even the King of the Sea should not go. The Deep is a good old fashioned 1950s monster movie gold. Issue #5 kicks off a new storyarc that finds Aquaman stranded in the middle of the desert with no water in sight. The mystery of how he got into this predicament is part of a bigger mystery involving the lost City of Atlantis.
Daredevil – I guess Matt Murdock’s life as a broody rooftop vigilante experiencing every single hardship life can throw his way probably started with the classic run by Frank Miller on the title. Don’t get me wrong, Miller’s is the definitive DD and those that came after him picked up the torch and ran with it. Kevin Smith killed his girlfriend. Brian Michael Bendis exposed his secret identity to the world. Ed Brubaker had him walking a fine line between right and wrong. And Andy Diggle flat out turned him into a super villain. Now all five of these writers have had amazing character-defining runs on the Man without Fear but all these dark storylines seemed to forget one thing – Daredevil is a fun guy. I wouldn’t change anything that has transpired in Murdock’s life over the last few decades but the poor guy deserves a break from the drama. Enter Mark Waid. Waid has brought the swashbuckling adventure back to the pages of Daredevil. Matt seems happier than he’s been since Stan Lee, John Romita and Gene Colan were helming his adventures (see Essential Daredevil). Daredevil is actually one of those titles that I really look forward to every month, and not one issue since its re-launch has disappointed. One tale in particular I want to point out is the 2-part team-up with Spider-Man (see Amazing Spider-Man #677 and Daredevil #8). Through all the years of my comic reading experience I have always enjoyed it when these two characters interacted. They are the Odd Couple of rooftop vigilantes. And anytime they are together the writers seem to really have a good time of it. This tale is no exception. Spidey seeks the Man without Fear’s help to clear Black Cat’s name. She’s been framed, and the reasons behind it and the twists and turns of this caper set up even more fun for the future.
Justice League – Yes, yes, I know that saying this title is a must read is stating the obvious. But, hands down, Justice League is the cream of the crop when it comes to the current roster of titles out of DC. Some creative team-ups go together like peanut butter and jelly, French toast and syrup. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Chris Claremont and John Byrne, Marv Wolfman and George Perez, and now Geoff Johns and Jim Lee can be added to the list of no-brainer team-ups of instant greatness. Comics like Justice League are why we read comics in the first place. When DC Comics first announced they were doing The New 52 re-launch, Justice League is what the Odinson had in mind. It’s what the entire affair should have been. Sadly, only Justice League and a few other titles feel like a true NEW beginning. The rest of the titles seem to be just business as usual. I love the feel of this book. Seeing a neophyte group of heroes coming together to take on a threat so big they will have to learn how to become the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in order to save the day, and we get to witness it happen. That’s exciting. Especially since we already know the heights to which these heroes will go. Justice League gives us a chance to see how they get there.
If these titles aren’t already on your pull list then they need to be added ASAP. Fantastic work like this needs to be supported.
There was a tough stretch there in the mid-90s, when the Odinson nearly turned his back on comic books. But thanks to the resurgence of the equality of story and art and the renaissance of the last decade, comic books are better than ever. If you haven’t checked out these titles or maybe you, too, haven’t been reading comics lately for this reason or that, or maybe you have a friend who hasn’t been a part of the scene for some time and they need a way back in, check out the current issues of Aquaman, Daredevil, and Justice League. You will not be disappointed.
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
The Odinson Reviews New Teen Titans: Games and Revisits the Ultimates
Greetings from the Odinson,
Poor Rom only gets one week out of the year to shine and unfortunately, this year, his moment was overshadowed by far more important news. So, just to show the Big Guy we still care, the Odinson is making ROM this week’s Preferred Customer Password. Also this week, the Odinson took the time to revisit a couple of graphic novels - one that came out fairly recently and another from a while ago, but topical, nonetheless, due to upcoming events.
First,
New Teen Titans: Games – Odinson Rating: 4 Hammers - This was a story twenty years in the making and it was executed by the legendary creative team that made these teenage heroes a force to be reckoned with in the first place. New Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman and George Perez is a huge reason why I read comic books to this day. So, obviously, I was excited when I heard this baby was going to hit stands. Games was well worth the wait. This original graphic novel helped me remember why I fell in love with these characters in the first place all those years ago.
This GN is unique, as half of it was drawn way back in 1988 and the rest was finished only recently. Though the plot had been originally worked out by the creative team all those years ago, the script had yet to be written. There is a whole section in the book discussing the genesis of this project, and the changes that went into the story from its inception in 1988 to its release in 2011. That in itself is an interesting read. George Perez is a master storyteller and his considerable talents are on display here. And what can I say about Marv Wolfman? The man just knows how to write characters and make the reader actually care about what happens to them.
In Games, a criminal mastermind known simply as The Gamesmaster uses henchmen and the Titans themselves as game pieces and New York City as the game board for his insane “game.” During the story, someone very close to the Titans is murdered, one member is pushed to the brink of murder himself, one member is crippled, a DCU monument is destroyed, and the world and mythology of the Teen Titans is forever changed. My only complaint about this tale, and it’s a small one, is that I guessed the identity of the mysterious arch villain halfway through the story. I just chalk that up to many years of comics reading experience.
Everyone in the cast gets a chance to shine. Raven is confronted with her demonic past and what she might have become if not for the love and support of her friends. Nightwing proves that all those years under the wing of the Caped Crusader were not in vain as his investigative and leadership skills are on full display. And Marv Wolfman truly shows why Starfire was a breakout star of the original series. I love this version of the character and miss the days when Koriand’r and Dick Grayson were an item. I wish the current rendition of Starfire in the pages of Red Hood and the Outlaws could be a little less tawdry, and a little more like the original. But, c'est la vie.
Longtime fans will love it, as it fits seamlessly in with the narrative of the Titans mythos. New fans can also enjoy it because…well, because they have eyes. This is truly a modern masterpiece, and I hope Wolfman and Perez are not done and have another Titans story for us at some point in the near future. I don’t think I could wait another twenty years.
Next,
The Ultimates – Odinson Rating: 5 Hammers - The Odinson is not a fan of the Ultimate Universe. For the most part, I just see it as a playground for modern creators to put classic character into ridiculous situations and/or kill them off in outlandish ways they never could in the Marvel Universe. However, that being said, Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch really caught lightning in a bottle in their little corner of the Ultimate U. They truly capture the essence of these legendary characters - the man out of time, the billionaire/playboy/philanthropist with flaws, the meek man of science that becomes an unstoppable force of rage when provoked, and the power and awe of a thunder god walking amongst mere mortals. It’s been said many times before…there is no way these people should be in the same room with one another. But when they come together they are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and they assemble to take on the threats no single hero can defeat alone.
Everything that makes the Avengers great is on display here. I could spend hours talking about this character or that scene so I’ll just focus on the main reason why I really dig this book – Captain America. Ultimate Steve Rogers (as is the case with most “Ultimate” versions) is more violent than the real Captain America. But what I really dig is that when they say he’s a super soldier, they mean it. If there is one thing that gets under my skin, it’s when some people (it could be other characters in the comics, some of the creators that make the comics, or even other fanboys) refer to Captain America as a regular guy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. He’s not just a soldier…he’s a SUPER soldier. There is nothing regular about a guy that can break chains, jump out of ten-story windows, and take a punch from the Hulk. Cap can run faster, jump higher, see farther, and bench press more than any regular Joe on Earth, and no version illustrates that better than Ultimate Captain America. Like I’ve said before, when I read super hero comics or watch a super hero movie, I want to see my super heroes doing super hero things – extraordinary feats beyond the capabilities of ordinary men and women. The Ultimates got it right. The Captain America movie got it right. And, most of the time the creators get it right with the Marvel U Cap. But every now and then there’s that writer that treats him like he’s just a dude in blue chainmail that orders the other guys around.
But I digress.
The Ultimates is a modern take on a classic book and is the number one reason why the world will be treated to a live action Avengers movie this May. Ironically enough, Ultimates HC Vol. 1 features an introduction by none other than Joss Whedon himself, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and director of the aforementioned Avengers movie. In this introduction, he mirrors a lot of my own feelings about Millar and Hitch’s take on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (and he articulates it far better than I ever could). The Ultimates has been adapted into a really cool animated DVD movie (Ultimate Avengers: The Movie) that paved the way for the extremely awesome The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes animated series.
The Ultimates is the book of the decade and is well worth another read and New Teen Titans: Games, in a modern landscape of many new great original graphic novels, is a standout piece of art and well worth your hard earned shekels.
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
The Odinson's 7th Annual Shout Out to Rom, Greatest of the Spaceknights
Greetings from the Odinson,
You guessed it, boys and girls, it’s time once again for the Odinson’s annual shout-out to a sorely underused character with all the potential to be a great comic. Once a year I try to talk up one of my all time favorite heroes from the past in hopes that Marvel will dust him off and bring him back to the fold. I am, of course, speaking of Rom the Spaceknight, whose series ran 75 issues and 4 annuals from 1979-1987.
Rom (1979-1986) #1-75 and Rom Annual (1982-1985) #1-4 depict an epic tale of love, loss, redemption, and, of course, scary alien monsters. Deep in space two centuries ago a decisive battle between the forces of good and evil was fought. The brave Spaceknights of Galador defeated the evil sorcery and super-science of the Dire Wraiths, and scattered them to the furthest reaches of the galaxy. Now, in present day their eternal struggle has spilled over to Earth. Rom, greatest of the Spaceknights, has landed in a small West Virginia town. Frightened by the arrival of a seven-foot alien, the people of Clairton have called in the National Guard. Rom is then forced to defend himself against those he has come to save.
Now that’s the kind of set-up that sets the stage for a truly classic story.
Rom was a very important character to the early eighties Marvel Universe. For example, in Rom #32 Rogue – who at this time was still with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants - attempts to absorb Rom’s abilities. Rom’s innate nobility awakens her own goodness, thus helping her on her path to seek out the X-Men (as seen in Uncanny X-Men #171). The rest is history. Also, Richard Rider’s story did not actually end with the cancellation of his first series (Nova). It concluded in Fantastic Four (1961-1996 1st Series) #208 and Rom #24. After Rom helps Nova defend the planet Xandar from a Skrull invasion (those devious little alien villains who made a big noise in Secret Invasion), Richard Rider decides to give up his Nova powers and return to Earth. These issues bridge the gap between Nova (1976-1979 1st Series) #25 and New Warriors (1990-1996 1st Series) #1, where Nova made his triumphant return. In Incredible Hulk #296, when the citizens of a small town are mutated and begin to die from Gamma radiation poisoning, it’s Rom that swoops in and saves the day. The drama of this tale is part of what sets the Hulk on his spiraling path to his remarkable meltdown in the now classic Incredible Hulk #300.
Rom is a powerful force for good. The heart of a true hero resides in his nigh indestructible cyborg- shell. Marvel keeps teasing us with cameos by the Spaceknights in the space epics Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest, but where is Rom? Rom has stood toe-to-toe with the likes of Jack of Hearts, Terrax the Tamer, Gladiator, the Savage Sub-Mariner, and he has survived encounters with the mighty Hulk and Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds. He is definitely a force to be reckoned with. The greatest of the Spaceknights has fought side-by-side with some of Earth’s mightiest heroes – the X-Men and New Mutants, Torpedo, Power Man and Iron Fist, the Thing, Shang Chi, Doctor Strange, the Soviet Super Soldiers (now known as Winter Guard), and Alpha Flight. And talk about epic events…there is nothing more epic than the final battle between Rom and his sworn enemies, the Dire Wraiths, with the fate of mankind hanging in the balance. Rom is defeated and victory is within the grasp of the evil Dire Wraiths. However, one last thing stands in their way and total victory…all those pesky super-heroes Rom spent the first 64 issues of his series recruiting to his cause. Rom is joined by the Avengers, West Coast Avengers, X-Men, Defenders, Soviet Super-Soldiers and all of the heroes of the world in one last ultimate battle to rid the Earth of Wraithkind forever. To put it simply, it’s awesome, and it all takes place in Avengers (1963-1996 1st Series) #244-245, Uncanny X-Men #187-188, Rom Annual #3, and Rom #61-66.
I know Rom received a satisfying and well earned ending at the conclusion to his series, but with these cosmic events that keep creeping into the Marvel U (Annihilation, War of Kings, The Thanos Imperative), surely the Greatest Spaceknight can be enticed to come out of retirement to instill justice in a chaotic universe.
Rom’s original series features superb writing by Bill Mantlo and some of the best artwork from Sal Buscema’s illustrious career, plus some fantastic covers from Mike Zeck and Frank Miller, and pencils by the legendary Steve Ditko. I can’t recommend this comic enough. If you love Sci-Fi, stories of passion and bravery, cool guest appearances, and, of course, scary alien creatures, then Rom is for you.
At the very least this guy has earned the right to get either the Essential or Marvel Masterworks treatment. I know Marvel no longer possesses the rights to the character but now with the power of Disney backing them up surely they can muster the funds to pave the way for Rom’s return to the House of Ideas.
In the aftermath of the war with the Cancer-Verse, a cadre of the Marvel Universe’s most powerful galactic heroes unites to form the Annihilators (see Thanos Imperative: Devastation). The team is comprised of Gladiator, from the Shi’ar Empire, Ronan, from the Kree Empire, Quasar, the protector of the universe, Beta-Ray Bill, Thor’s brother in arms, and the Silver Surfer, Sentinel of the Spaceways. Now that line up by itself should be enough to get the reader to pick up Annihilators, but it was the wonderful surprise on the final page of Devastation that gave the Odinson goose-bumps. It seems that these galactic heroes will have their hands full, for in the wake of all the cosmic upheaval over the last few years (i.e. Annihilation, Conquest, War of Kings, and the Thanos Imperative) an old evil will rise once again to threaten the Marvel Universe. The Dire Wraiths have returned! And who better to combat this threat than the mighty Spaceknights of Galador. I, for one, can only hope that this means the triumphant return of Rom, greatest of the Spaceknights. The Spaceknights are back in the form of a cocky hero named Ikon. She’s a noble and capable warrior to be sure, but she lacks the compassion and likeability of Rom. Not only are the Dire Wraiths making trouble for our cosmic heroes but they are also popping up in other places, like the pages of FF. If these sinister shape-shifting aliens do make another play for universal domination, then the Marvel U is definitely going to need its greatest Spaceknight on the frontlines.
Well, Marvel just keeps teasing us with appearances by supporting cast members like Brandy Clark and returning villains from Rom’s past - villains like Doctor Dredd in the pages of Annihilators and Hybrid in the pages of Avengers Academy. Rom’s last appearance in comics was at Rick Jone’s wedding in Incredible Hulk #418. According to the events of Spaceknights (2000), Rom had taken the name Artour (remember his encounter with the ghosts of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in Rom #37). He is missing and presumed dead. As we all know, good heroes die hard. For instance, Rom made a cameo appearance in the instant classic 3-part South Park epic Imaginationland. What a triumphant moment that was for the Odinson to see one of his all time favorite heroes be recognized like that. Rom also made a not-so-triumphant appearance in an episode of Robot Chicken. Several times in recent months, Rom has been referred to and mentioned in all but name. STOP TEASING US, MARVEL! Please, work out the rights with Parker Brothers or whoever holds the rights to this awesome hero and return him back to the fold.
My point is that I’m obviously not the only Rom fan in the world. There are websites dedicated to Rom. This is an important character in Comics History. This is a fantastic creation and dearly needs to come back. This is my 7th Annual proclamation for Rom’s return and I’m prepared to do it every year until the end of time until the powers that be heed my call.
Marvel, hear my plea. Bring Rom back!
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
The Odinson's Most Beautiful Women in Comics
Greetings from the Odinson,
It’s that time of year when the most beautiful women in America gather in Las Vegas to participate in the Miss America beauty pageant. The worlds of science fiction, fantasy, and comics are filled with attractive, talented, smart women, and the Odinson loves them all. But who is the most beautiful woman in comics? Instantly, visions of Princess Leia in her gold bikini being held captive in Jabba the Hutt’s palace come to mind. Dark beauties like Vampirella and Lady Death are unquestionably beautiful, but a little too dangerous for my taste. The villainess Poison Ivy is sultry and as enticing as a siren of myth and legend. But one kiss from this femme fatale could be the last.
Rogue is hot, but untouchable. Wonder Woman is beautiful, but unattainable. Betty and Veronica are cute, but this is a contest for women. So, who is the most beautiful woman in comics? Krause Publications tries to answer this question with their beautifully illustrated book 100 Sexiest Women in Comics. This is a fantastic look at just about all the beautiful women from across the multiverse. And though I may not agree with the order some of these beauties fall into, I can say, with all confidence, that this is a must read.
Well, in honor of the Miss America contest, the Odinson has decided to list the women whom he thinks are the most beautiful women in comics. Here’s a list of the gorgeous gals that just missed placing in this contest: Black Widow, Storm, Lara Croft, Princess Leia, and Xena. These five women, and others I’ve already mentioned, are extremely attractive, capable women, but my Top 5 are the cream of the crop.
So without further ado, here are the Odinson’s Most Beautiful Women in Comics.
5th Place goes to: Deja Thoris – Right off the bat, this runner up will have the fanboys fanning themselves as their faces flush. What confidence this Martian princess has in order to be able to prance around as scantily clad as she seemingly is all the time. Dynamite’s re-launch of the Warlord of Mars series has been a good one, and Deja Thoris is, without a doubt, a major factor for the buzz and success of this series. Sure, there are other alien beauties, but few can capture your attention and hold it like this Princess of Mars. All I have to say is, it must be really hot on Mars. Her Talent: She’s a natural born leader with a natural born talent for looking breath-taking on the red sands of Mars.
4th Place goes to: Buffy Summers – Now I have to admit that I’m a little biased with this pick because I have always had a huge crush in Sarah Michelle Gellar. But, c'est la vie! What can I say, the girl is hot. Buffy is not only attractive, but she’s smart, strong, loyal, and passionate. And when she falls in love, it’s forever. To this day, even though it’s been years since they were an item, Buffy can’t lay eyes on her ex-beau without getting flushed and affectionately saying his name – “Angel.” But make no mistake, Buffy is a heartbreaker. Just ask Xander, Riley Finn, and Spike. More so than any other name on this list, Buffy Summers knows fashion and is no stranger to a mall shopping spree. This is definitely one super heroine that is going to beat the bad guy, and look good while doing it. Her Talent: Vampire slaying.
3rd Place goes to: Catwoman – One word: catsuit. From the skin-tight outfit to the leather whip to the devil-may-care attitude, this is one pick that hardly has to be explained. Since her debut in Batman #1, this sultry vixen has walked a tightrope between villainess and heroine. She was a scene-stealer in the 1960s campy Batman TV Show (as portrayed by the lovely Julie Newmar). She was a scene-stealer in the Batman Animated Series (as voiced by the legendary Adrienne Barbeau). And she was definitely a scene-stealer in Batman Returns (as portrayed by the eternally sexy Michelle Pfeiffer). Not only will this kitten steal the crown jewels, but she’ll steal your heart as well. Her Talent: She’s a master thief with the uncanny ability to take even Batman’s breath away.
2nd Place goes to: Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) – Yes, I know one of her super powers is that she can excrete a pheromone that makes men fall for her. Well, guess what, it’s working. When I was a young tike, there was a Spider-Woman cartoon and even as a child I found her to be beautiful. Fast forward many years later and Jessica Jones makes a triumphant return in the pages of New Avengers and as rendered by uber artist David Finch has become, without a doubt, one of the sexiest women I’ve ever seen in a comic book. How this young lady has remained single is beyond me, but it looks like a romantic relationship between her and Hawkeye is about to take off. So, not only is Clint Barton the World’s Mightiest Marksman, but he’s also the luckiest one too. Some guys just get all the breaks. Her Talent: This sexy heroine can glide through the air, climb up walls, and zap any evil doer that decides to get a little too handsy.
1st Place goes to: Invisible Woman – Susan Storm Richards is the most beautiful woman in comics. Period. As a founding member of the professional super adventurers the Fantastic Four, Sue has come a long way from her early days of being little more than a damsel in distress. She’s one of the most versatile and powerful super heroes in the Marvel Universe and she is a loving wife and mother. This matriarch of the Future Foundation has the patience to deal with her obnoxious younger brother (the Human Torch), the compassion to sympathize with her disfigured friend (the Thing), the understanding to support her scatter-brained scientist husband (Mister Fantastic), and still find time to be a doting mother to her children (Valeria and Franklin). Powerful men like Doctor Doom and especially Prince Namor of Atlantis are attracted and drawn to her. But Sue only has eyes for her man, Reed. Sue Richards is beautiful, smart, brave, loyal and independent. She is the perfect woman. Too bad she’s fictional. Her Talent: Not only can this beautiful and capable woman stare unflinching into the face of Galactus but she can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never ever let Reed Richards forget he’s a man.
Obviously, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For the Odinson, these five women are the most beautiful women in comics. Did your favorite make my list? The Odinson celebrates all women and holds a special place in his heart for all of them, especially those brave, beautiful women that protect us from the forces of evil.
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
2011: The Year in Review
Greetings from the Odinson,
It’s time for Odinson’s 2011 “The Year in Review!”
The Comics
Fear Itself – I’m really torn on this one. This tale had a great opening with Book of the Skull, and the build up throughout the event was also great. The tension rising as the Fear god closed his bony fingers around the globe and caused civilization to fall into chaos. As the villain’s avatars wreaked havoc all over the globe and the Red Skull’s engines of war turned New York City into a war zone, the chance for survival, let alone victory, became more and more bleak for our heroes. There were great character moments for Captain America, Thor and Iron Man and a really awesome scene involving Thor’s hammer, but the climatic ending really fell short. It felt like most of the drama happened off camera. It just didn’t deliver the goods considering the amazing build up leading into it. Odinson Rating: 3 out of 5 Hammers
Flashpoint – It was DC Comics’ version of The Age of Apocalypse, and it was not executed nearly as well. The alternate characters were unlikable, and in most cases so far removed from the original as to make them unrecognizable. Alternate realities like these seem to just be about how the creators can kill off main characters in ways they never could in the real DCU. The only bit of drama I took from this tale happened in a side book when Booster Gold faced off with the monstrous Doomsday. But even the shocker of bringing this behemoth back every other year or so is wearing just a little thin. And before you think that I don’t have anything good to say about this storyline - Andy Kubert’s art was great. The other good thing to come out of this otherwise forgettable event (other then a collection of really nice BUTTONS) is that it set up the much anticipated launch of The New 52. Odinson Rating: 2 out of 5 Hammers
DC Comics: The New 52 – Easily one of the most anticipated events of the year. In a bold move, DC Comics restarted its entire line from issue #1, a 52 title launch that would restart and reinvigorate the DCU. Sort of... The Odinson was a big time supporter of this idea from the very beginning (see The Odinson Talks about the Big Announcement), and still am. But there is something missing. It just kind of feels like DC only halfway committed to its restart. Some of the books like Justice League and Action Comics are fantastic jumping on points, but other titles seem to just be business as usual with no real difference from what was going on before the launch of the New 52. With a lot of the titles, DC has really delivered. Batman, Nightwing, StormWatch, Aquaman, Action Comics, Superman, Suicide Squad and, of course, Justice League are really, really good. Justice League by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee has to be, hands down, the super hero book of the year. It’s simply amazing and Lee’s artwork just keeps getting better. All I’m saying is if you’re going to re-launch, then go all the way with it like you did in 1986. Don’t kind of do it and leave a backdoor escape route in case it doesn’t work. Have the courage of your convictions. I’m really enjoying the DC titles I mentioned above, as for the rest…I’m as on the fence about them as DC seems to be about really re-launching their universe. Odinson Rating: 3 out of 5 Hammers
X-Men: Schism – It’s the moment that will split the Children of the Atom into two factions. Like Civil War did to the Avengers, Schism pits the X-Men’s two top dogs, Cyclops and Wolverine, against each other with opposite opinions about the future of mutantkind. Half the team stayed with Cyclops on the west coast while the other half left Utopia with Wolverine and now make their base of operations in the east coast. Though the actual argument seemed a bit flimsy, the ramifications that followed their falling out was definitely major. Like so much that happened in the world of comics in 2011, Schism had huge build up but just didn’t seem to quite deliver all the goods. The real fall out of this in family fighting will be felt in 2012 in the pages of X-Men vs. Avengers when the already fractured X-Men will once again have to decide where loyalties lie. Odinson Rating: 3 out of 5 Hammers
Spider Island – This was just a big mess. There were a few really entertaining moments and guest-stars galore, but in the end it seemed like this whole event was simply put together to just break up Peter Parker and his current girl of interest. However, J. Jonah Jameson with Spidey powers earns this tale a Hammer. Odinson Rating: 1 out of 5 Hammers
The Return of Doctor Octopus – Otto Octavius, a.k.a. Doctor Octopus, has always been one of the Odinson’s favorite Spidey villains. Years ago, he was one of the most dangerous villains around. He’s as smart as Doctor Doom and his mechanical arms are as versatile and deadly as super weapons come. But what makes him even scarier is the fact that Doctor Octopus is certifiably insane. Spider-Man was always challenged when it came to dealing with this mad man’s diabolical schemes. Plus, it was Doc Ock that assembled the original Sinister Six! For years now, thanks to phobias, injuries, death and current creators seeming lack of respect for this great character, Doc Ock had become something akin to a punch line. That is until Died in Your Arms Tonight, when the most grotesque version of Ock made his triumphant return. Then 2011 became the year of the Octopus as first in Unfixable, Doctor Octopus made his presence known by outsmarting Tony Stark and actually making the “Iron Man” beg. Then Doctor Octopus reassembles the Sinister Six and pays a visit to his old foe Spider-Man and his new team the FF (see The Fantastic Spider-Man). Here, once again, Ock proves just how smart he is by outwitting the Big Brains of the Future Foundation. Finally, Octavius ends the year with a bang in Amazing Spider-Man #676 with a showdown against the Intelligencia. The Intelligencia is a cabal of criminal masterminds and comprised of some of the smartest super villains on Earth. Doc Ock is going to make them pay for not considering him for membership. And this is all just set up for what this diabolical super villain has in store for the Marvel U in 2012. I can’t wait to see what he has planned next. Odinson Rating: 5 out of 5 Hammers
Television
Walking Dead – This television series continues to be strong to quite strong. It’s good drama. As fantastic as the comic is, the show is even better. The show fills in all those gaps between panels and, through the performances of the actors, really fleshes out the characters. And the twists and turns the show makes that the comics don’t, really keeps longtime readers and fans on their toes. The mid-season finale was, without a doubt, one of the most heart-breaking TV scenes in history. This is an amazing story of a small group of survivors trying to make their way during the end of days and the effect this dark and dangerous new world has upon them. Oh yeah, and there are zombies. This is one TV show well worth your time. Odinson Rating: 4 out of 5 Hammers
The Movies
So busy was the Odinson in 2011 that I hardly found time to get to go to the movies. So first let me comment on the movies I haven’t seen yet. Adventures of Tin Tin, I can’t imagine this film could be better than a live action version, but with Spielberg involved I’ll wait until I see it to pass judgment. I really wanted to see Immortals. It just seems right up my alley and I can’t wait to see if it lives up to my expectations. I’m scared to watch the new Conan the Barbarian movie. That’s such an important character and I just hope they did him justice. With X-Men: First Class I’m already not a huge X fan and it will take way more than a story about Professor X and Magneto in their younger days to get me to sit in a theatre for two and a half hours. Revenge of the Fallen was so poorly executed that I skipped Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon. And I’m told it was to my detriment. As for Smurfs, I barely liked the cartoon, so I’ll wait for Netflix. As for Green Hornet? No interest.
Now on to the films I actually saw.
Thor – I’ve already spoken at length about this film in the past (see Thor Movie Review). With a fantastic cast, story, director, and a respect for the source material, Thor not only hit a home run but it knocked the ball out of the park. The opening scene in Asgard brought a tear to my eye. ‘Nuff said. Odinson Rating: 5 out of 5 Hammers and a Thunderclap
Green Lantern – Now this one is funny for me because I really want to like it, almost to the point of forcing myself. It was a good movie, not great, but OK. And therein lies the problem. If you are going shill out your hard earned money and sit in the theatre for two hours you want to be wowed. Warner almost got it right but there just seemed to be a little bit missing. Odinson Rating: 3 out of 5 Hammers
Captain America: The First Avenger – Like its Thor counterpart, Cap’s film was almost perfectly executed. I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t completely on board with the casting of Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. But boy did he bring it. Seeing my all time favorite super hero come to life on the Big Screen was amazing. My only complaint was the cop out of using a pseudo off shoot faction of the Axis Powers instead of the Nazis themselves. And the laser guns were a little much. But seeing Cap fling his mighty shield on the Big Screen more than made up for that. And the early preview of 2012’s Avengers movie didn’t hurt either. Odinson Rating: 4 out of 5 Hammers
Cowboys and Aliens – Produced by Ron Howard (Willow, The Da Vinci Code) and Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws), directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), and starring Daniel Craig (Casino Royale) and Harrison Ford (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) – there’s no way this movie isn’t going to be great, right? Well... The idea is solid. The cast is amazing. The direction is well executed. Yet I walked away from this one simply saying “meh.” First off, it’s about 45 minutes too long. It takes 20 minutes in the beginning of the film before anything really happens. And there are too many endings. If it wasn’t for the wonderful performances by the films stars, Craig and Ford, then the film would hardly be worth watching at all. It also doesn’t hurt that it co-stars the beautiful Olivia Wilde (TRON: Legacy and Baroness in The Ballad of G.I. Joe video short from Funny or Die). In the end, there were probably just too many hands in the cookie jar. Odinson Rating: 2 out of 5 Hammers
2012 may just turn out to be the best year for fanboys and girls yet. Blizzard plans to finally release its follow up to Starcraft II with Heart of the Swarm. Marvel has announced a huge mega championship bout between their two premiere super teams. X-Men vs. Avengers will settle the argument once and for all – who are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes? And with movies like Man of Steel, The Dark Knight Rises, Wrath of the Titans, and Amazing Spider-Man hitting theatres in 2012, this year is sure to be a step above all others. But the Odinson is not anticipating anything more than he is the arrival of The Avengers directed by none other than Joss Whedon himself.
So, here’s to 2011. It was fun. Now bring on 2012! Happy New Year everybody!
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
The Odinson’s Top 10 Worlds of Imagination: Part 2
Seasons Greetings from the Odinson,
It’s now Christmas time and the Holiday Season is a time for joy and happiness, and a perfect time to catch up on your favorite books, comics, and movies. At times like these some people may find themselves with a lot of quiet time to fill. This is the perfect time to visit a World of Imagination. So the Odinson is presenting his Top 10 Worlds of Imagination to visit this Holiday Season. Last week the top half of my list shaped up like this:
10 – The View Askewniverse
09 – G.I. Joe/Transformers
08 – World of Blizzard
07 – The Hyborian Age
06 – The Forgotten Realms
Those first five are going to be hard to top. So without further ado, let’s check out the rest of the list.
The Odinson’s Top 10 Worlds of Imagination: Part 2
05 – Star Trek – “Space, the final frontier…” The original Star Trek TV series set the standard for all other sci-fi shows to follow. Creator Gene Roddenberry had a beautiful vision of the future where men and women of all nationalities put aside their differences and banded together to advance society and reach out to travel among the stars. For nearly five decades now this idea has been an inspiration for countless fans around the world. I know there are many fans of Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, and the Animated Series but, without a doubt, for the Odinson, the gems of this long running series are the aforementioned original Star Trek, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek.
The original series starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, a brash handsome hero who could overcome any challenge using guile and wit and a man whose romantic conquests were nearly as legendary as his heroic ones. It also featured Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock; the yin to Kirk’s yang. Spock was rational, analytical, and, with him, logic always ruled the day. The Wrath of Khan was not only the second movie in the series but it was also the sequel to one of the most memorable episodes from the original TV series, and featured the return of the genetic superman Khan Noonien Singh, easily one of the greatest villains in the entire history of Star Trek. The Undiscovered Country is the last hooray of the original cast that started it all and they go out with a bang. Star Trek: The Next Generation had wonderful character arcs for Data, Worf and Captain Jean-Luc Picard, but any series that introduces villains like Q and the Borg into the universe is an instant classic. Then, in 2009, director J.J. Abrams, reset the continuity and launched Star Trek from the beginning with a whole new cast of young actors and updated the franchise for a whole new generation of fans. And he did it in a way that longtime fans could also get on board with it.
Star Trek has a lot of history and no matter what your Trek is, there is bound to be a Star Trek that fits your fancy.
04 – The Whedonverse – Joss Whedon is a third generation writer that got his start writing episodes of Rosanne. This imaginative genius turned the horror genre on its ear when he created Rhonda the Immortal Waitress. In most horror movies the beautiful young girl is chased down a dark alley by the big scary monster and preyed upon. Joss turned the tables and the girl actually turns out to be the thing the monsters are afraid of. A few rewrites later and we’ve come to know this creation as Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Angel is the vampire with a soul, and Buffy’s ex beau. Two-hundred years ago he was the worst of his kind to ever stalk the earth. Now, thanks to a gypsy curse that returned his conscience, Angel is one of the greatest champions for good in the Whedonverse.
Then there’s Firefly, Joss Whedon’s cowboys in outer space. Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a roguish natural born leader of men with a crooked smile and a quick draw, along with his motley crew of misfits fly from one side of the galaxy to the other trying to avoid the law of the Alliance or the deadly flesh-eating Reavers and looking for their next score. These are thieves with hearts of gold, but unlike Robin Hood and His Merry Men, they don’t rob from the rich and give to the poor. No, they beg, borrow, steal and take the occasional less than legal job in order to keep their vessel, Serenity, flying. I imagine that if the fans of Star Wars were able to ever follow Han Solo and Chewbacca around the galaxy during their smuggling days it would look a lot like Mal’s adventures on Firefly.
Just to prove that the Whedonverse has even more variety, Joss throws in Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible. The Doll House is a mysterious organization that provides operatives for any, and I mean any, situation. Using super science these operatives can have any skill, from fighting to driving to seduction downloaded into their brains. But there is far more to the Doll House than meets the eye as a conspiracy is slowly beginning to unravel and may reveal a terrible truth that could mean the end of the world. Dr. Horrible is a hapless super villain that just wants to get the girl and membership into the Evil League of Evil. But that dastardly pompous hero Captain Hammer is always standing in his way. So whether you want to slay vampires with Buffy and Angel, streak through the universe with space pirates aboard the Serenity, sing along with Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog or follow the high concepts of Dollhouse, the Whedonverse has something for you.
03 – Star Wars – “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” Cue the bombastic John Williams score and let the goose-bumps rise. What can I possibly say about Star Wars that hasn’t already been said? If Star Trek set the standard, Star Wars broke the mold. At first it was simply Star Wars. But later it became known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. To this day when I’m talking about the movies and I say “Star Wars” I’m talking about A New Hope. As a child of the seventies and eighties there was absolutely nothing, NOTHING, bigger than Star Wars. The magic, the adventure, the romance, it had it all. Huge space battles, a beautiful princess in distress, a rogue and his monstrous companion, an old wizard, robots, and a farm boy armed with a freaking laser sword – Star Wars had it all. I know it’s cliché to say that Star Wars was ahead of its time, but Star Wars was way ahead of its time. The special effects were mind-blowing. And like many great movies of this kind (Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Matrix), Star Wars inspired a whole generation of movie makers.
Some may argue that The Empire Strikes Back is the superior film. The first chapter of Return of the Jedi when our heroes are on Tatooine battling Jabba the Hutt is some of the greatest Star Wars stuff in the franchise. And even the prequels – The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith – have a young Obi-Wan Kenobi to hold them together. But for me, nothing will ever top the original movie that started it all. Star Wars also introduced one of the greatest movie and sci-fi villains in history in Darth Vader. From movies to cartoons, novels to comics, toys to artwork, nothing in this genre beats Star Wars.
02 – The DC Universe – This is the comic book universe that started it all. And when you cut it down to its bare essentials, DC Comics’ greatness can be traced back to one hero – Superman. Some may think Batman is cooler and other heroes like Green Lantern and Flash are more fun, but it is Superman that sets the standard for all other super heroes to follow. He was the first, making his debut in Action Comics #1 back in 1938, and to this day, Superman is the greatest super hero ever! There are a thousand reasons I can give you why the DCU is so great. Due to the constraints of space and time I am going to narrow it down to why I love the DCU. It all started back in 1985 with Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Up to this point my only exposure to DC Comics was Superman, New Teen Titans, and the Super Friends cartoons. Crisis revealed this whole new world of heroes and villains and did it in the biggest, loudest way possible. I came to the Crisis because the creative team from New Teen Titans, Marv Wolfman and George Perez were doing the book. Boy, am I glad that I gave it a shot, because I entered the DCU right at the perfect time. Crisis on Infinite Earths reset the DCU and everything, for the most part, started over. So it was like I was on the ground floor. Titles like Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, SHAZAM The New Beginning, Justice League International, and Batman Year One allowed me to read the adventures of these fabulous characters as they grew and became what they are today. And I didn’t have to know 50 years of continuity that came before.
This chapter in the History of the DC Universe, the Post-Crisis DCU, ran from 1985 to 2005. It began with Crisis on Infinite Earths and culminated with the instant classic Infinite Crisis. Just think about all the fantastic comics history that occurred during that time – Darkseid’s diabolical scheme in Legends; the death of Jason Todd (Robin II); the Death of Superman; Bane breaking Batman’s back; Hal Jordan’s fall from grace; Zero Hour; Final Night, Grant Morrison’s JLA; the eye-opening and shocking events of Identity Crisis; the Countdown to Infinite Crisis with Day of Vengeance, The Rann/Thanagar War; the OMAC Project, and the Villains United. Just to mention a few things. It was 20 years of fantastic action/adventure and drama. And with the launch of The New 52, here’s to another 20 great years.
01 – The Marvel Universe – Every comic is somebody’s first comic and for me the very first comic I can remember thumbing through is Amazing Spider-Man #157. From the cliffhanger cover to the harrowing Spidey face-off with Doctor Octopus, I was hooked for life. The House of Ideas has the best playground of any World of Imagination. From Avengers Mansion in downtown New York City to Aunt May’s humble abode in Queens, from the Savage Land to Asteroid M, from Asgard to the Negative Zone, from Atlantis to the Kree Empire – the Marvel Universe is a place where anything can happen, and usually does.
The Marvel heroes have always been the more relatable in the super hero genre. Unlike the modern god-like heroes of the completion that watch the Earth below from their orbiting satellite high above it all, the Marvel heroes are seemingly everyday people with everyday concerns, and often with frailties. Peter Parker works hard to make ends meet and moonlights as the super hero Spider-Man. But the local newspaper has tagged him as a menace and if his ailing Aunt were to ever discover his secret it could prove fatal for her. Bruce Banner is a mild mannered scientist but when he becomes angry he turns into a 7-foot tall rage monster called the Hulk. Steve Rogers was the greatest hero of World War II, but in modern times Captain America struggles to find his place and struggles with the guilt over the death of his wartime partner, Bucky. Ben Grimm, after a cosmic accident suddenly finds himself trapped in the body of a monster people call the Thing. Matt Murdock was blinded as a child but his other senses were enhanced to superhuman levels and now he fights crime by day as a lawyer and by night as the masked vigilante Daredevil. Norrin Radd, in order to save his homeworld, gave up his humanity and became the Silver Surfer, the Herald of Galactus. But when he intervened on behalf of humanity, the Devourer of Worlds exiled him to planet Earth, forever keeping him from the stars and his beloved Shalla Bal. Thor, the mighty Norse god of thunder resides in the frail body of a crippled doctor named Donald Blake. The students of Xavier’s School for the Gifted defend mankind against the forces of evil as X-Men, even though society hates and fears them for being mutants. And these examples are only the beginnings of what would become the Marvel Universe.
Pathos! Pathos! Pathos! That is what sets the House of Ideas apart from the rest. I could tell you about this Big Event or that fantastic story but when it is all said and done, what makes the Marvel Universe the best there is at what they do is the characters. From the heroes to the villains to the best supporting casts in comics it has always been, and hopefully always be, the characters that are the driving force behind Marvel’s greatness.
Whatever your taste, whether you want to roam the red sands of Mars with John Carter, outsmart the vile agents of SPECTRE with 007, or reload The Matrix, the Odinson wishes you nothing but joy and happiness and have a very Merry Christmas.
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
The Odinson’s Top 10 Worlds of Imagination: Part 1
Greetings from the Odinson,
Do you remember the first time you ever read a book? Or, the first time you picked up a comic book? Listened to music? Or, watched a movie? All these mediums are gateways to worlds undreamed of, places that stimulate the imagination and excite the synapses of your mind. These are worlds of high adventure, passionate romance, and lurking danger. These are the Worlds of Imagination. Places like Wonderland where a young girls escalating journey through unbelievable landscapes and interactions with insanely mischievous characters leave her and the reader in stunned contemplation. How about the Land of Oz, where a lost child searching for a way home can befriend a brainless scarecrow, a heartless tin woodsman, and a cowardly lion? And who could possibly forget the wonder and danger of Middle-Earth, a land of might and magic where trees walk and even the smallest person can make a difference.
It’s now Christmas time in the world and the Holiday Season is a time of joy and happiness. As most people take vacation, television shows are on hiatus, and most of your Christmas shopping is behind you, it is also a time when some may find themselves with a lot of quiet time to fill. Whether with a book, comic, or DVD, this is the perfect time to visit a World of Imagination.
The Odinson’s Top 10 Worlds of Imagination: Part 1
10 – The View Askewniverse – Kevin Smith is a modern day renaissance man. As a writer, director, producer, public speaker, husband and father, Smith has lived the fanboy dream. He made a world for fanboys inhabited by fanboys, and that magical little kingdom is lovingly referred to as the View Askewniverse. It’s in this landscape that Generation X really gets a chance to shine. Here Clerks sit around clock-watching and debate the moral and deadly consequences of an independent contractor’s decision to work on the uncompleted Death Star in Return of the Jedi. Mallrats plot to topple a local villain and his terrible rip off game show. A bleeding heart comic book artist spends his days and nights Chasing Amy. Two rogue angels threaten the very foundation of religious Dogma. And, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. If you’re in the mood for witty, funny dialogue, relatable characters, and a world that is not that far removed from our own, then pay a visit to New Jersey and enjoy the 18-year old and older hijinks of the View Askewniverse.
09 – G.I. Joe/Transformers – Enter a world where things are more than meets the eye. A world where a group of brave elite soldiers fight for truth, justice and the American way against a diabolical terrorist organization determined to rule the world. The centuries old war of the Transformers, giant shape-changing robots from a far off world, has spilled over and planet Earth has become the frontlines. Mighty Optimus Prime, leader of the brave Autobots, struggles to stop the tyrannical Megatron and his vile militaristic Decepticons from draining Earth’s resources and destroying mankind. Meanwhile, General Hawk, Duke, Snake Eyes and the rest of GI Joe struggle to keep democracy free against the side-winding tactics of Cobra Commander, Destro, Major Bludd and the villains of Cobra. It’s GI Joe vs. Cobra, the Autobots vs. the Decepticons, and the winners in it all are the fanboys and girls. Yo, Joe!
08 – The Worlds of Blizzard – This is a realm where you can pick your poison. In the fantasy setting of World of Warcraft, choose a race – human, orc, elf, dwarf, or gnome – and explore the ever expanding world of Azeroth. Here you can help defend the realm from the invading hordes of the Burning Legion, topple the mighty Lich King, and try to survive the Cataclysmic return of the great wyrm – Deathwing the Destroyer. Or, rocket into outer space and join the three-way struggle for universal dominance in Starcraft. As the human terran race, use your armored space marines, tactical command centers and mighty mech to defend mankind against the Swarm. The Swarm, or zerg, is a vast hive mind insect-like race of monsters that spreads out across the galaxy and infests the landscape and fauna with their essence, assimilating all in their path. The zerg are a cross between the Xenomorphs from Aliens and the Arachnids of Starship Troopers. Very scary. Then there are the religious fanatics, the Protoss. The Toss, with their super technology, mighty war machines, and psychic powers, are a true force to be reckoned with and they will stop at nothing to wipe the zerg from the universe, even if it means eradicating all terran life to do it. It’s a three-way brawl for universal survival and you have a front row seat.
07 – The Hyborian Age – “… between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the years of the rise of the Sons of Aryas, there was an Age undreamed of…Hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandalled feet.” – Robert E. Howard, "The Phoenix on the Sword"
Before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, there was Conan. Robert E. Howard, the godfather of modern fantasy, created a vivid world of danger, romance, and high adventure. His greatest creation was the barbaric hero Conan (described above far better than I could ever dare try). Conan traveled this ancient world of myth and magic from one coast to the other on his long journey to becoming a king by his own hand. Conan is the mightiest warrior of this genre and to this day his legendary exploits are cheered. Within this ancient realm there are other heroes from different time periods – Red Sonja, Kull of Atlantis, Bran Mak Morn – but none shine as bright or swing the sword quite like Robert E. Howard’s mighty Cimmerian. Whether it’s battling pirates, monsters, demon-gods, or sinister sorcerers, Conan conquers all who stand in his way. It is Howard’s world of Hyboria (along with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings) that set the stage for Dungeons and Dragons to follow.
06 – The Forgotten Realms – Set in the magical world of Dungeons and Dragons, the Forgotten Realms made its triumphant debut in 1987 and has only grown bigger and better everyday since. From Calimport up the Sword Coast to Luskan the City of Sails, from Icewind Dale to Waterdeep the City of Splendors, the Realms is a place where anything can happen, and does. There was a Time of Troubles when gods fell from the heavens and walked the earth and magic flared out of control. There’s Elminster, a seemingly immortal old sage that roams the Realms and aids heroes and travelers along their paths. Baldur’s Gate 1&2, set in the Forgotten Realms in the aftermath of the Time of Troubles, are, to this day, my all time favorite fantasy computer games. And The Pool of Radiance brings back nostalgic memories of my Commodore 64.
The Forgotten Realms also just so happens to be the home of the Odinson’s all time favorite fantasy hero – Drizzt Do’Urden. Drizzt is an anomaly. Born a dark elf, a race of malevolent evildoers, this noble warrior shed the evil ways of his treacherous kin and left the Underdark behind to reside in the surface world. Here though he deals with the prejudice of those that fear and hate him simply for the color of his skin. He has fought long and hard and is now actually considered across Faerun to be one of the Realms’ greatest heroes. With his whirling twin scimitars, his celestial black panther and the Companions of Mithral Hall at his side, there is no foe Drizzt cannot conquer. Created by R.A. Salvatore, Drizzt made his debut in The Crystal Shard, the Odinson’s all time favorite book, and has gone on to star in more than twenty novels, a comic series and made memorable cameos in the Baldur’s Gate computer games. How this character has not been turned into a movie yet is beyond me.
So during the down time of this Holiday Season, be sure to visit your favorite Worlds of Imagination and be sure to check back in next week when the Odinson rounds out his list with a trek through the final frontier, a town on top of a Hellmouth, a galaxy far, far away, the original comics universe, and the House of Ideas.
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
The House of Ideas Makes a Big Announcement for 2012 - AVX!
Greetings from the Odinson,
Recently Marvel made a Big Announcement. The House of Ideas is going to settle the argument about who is the mightiest super team in the Marvel Universe once and for all, and they are going to do it with a mega event titled AVENGERS VS. X-MEN. There are so many aspects about this announcement that get the Odinson excited it’s hard to know where to begin.
It all starts this December in the pages of Avengers: X-Sanction. The super human freedom fighter Cable comes back from the future to present time in order to stop a major catastrophe involving the Avengers. And as Marvel fans know, this man of tomorrow is not going to let a little thing like Earth’s Mightiest Heroes stop him from accomplishing his mission. What event could possibly cause a man inspired by the Avengers to want to dismantle them? Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Just pick up Marvel Point One, a 1-shot setting up next year’s major plot points, and you will see the return of arguably the greatest threat/miracle the Marvel Universe has ever known – the Phoenix Force. The issue also includes a 2-page ad depicting a fiery bird with the ominous warning “It’s coming.” So the Phoenix Force is headed for Earth and you can imagine this would make the heroes of our planet a bit nervous. So, decisions are made, a line is drawn in the sand, and the battle is joined, as the Children of the Atom face off with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to decide the fate of mankind. I’m getting giddy just writing those words down.
Now this isn’t the first time these mutant heroes and Marvel’s premiere super team have butted heads. Way back in Uncanny X-Men #9 the Avengers arrive to take down the villainous Lucifer, but if they succeed the world is doomed and the only ones that can stop them from making this mistake are the students of Xavier’s School for the Gifted. In Avengers (1963-1996 1st Series) #53, a misunderstanding sets these two mighty teams against each other yet again. Back in the 80s, during Marvel’s 25th Anniversary celebration, back when Wolverine still walked around with a chip on his shoulder bigger than the Hulk’s, Wolverine and Captain America traded blows (see Captain America Annual #8). But things really got heated between the Avengers and X-Men in the now classic X-Men vs. Avengers. The X-Men were harboring Magneto, a known terrorist, and the Avengers set out to bring him to justice. Throw the Soviet Super Soldiers into the mix and let the fun begin!
The difference between these previous encounters, and most hero vs. hero throw downs for that matter, is that while all these battles usually ended in the obligatory stalemate with both sides working together in the end, AVENGERS VS. X-MEN will have a decisive winner. So once and for all the world will know who would win if the X-Men and the Avengers battled for the heavyweight championship belt. This is absolutely one area where Marvel really has it over on DC. There is a legitimate debate between who is mightier, the X-Men or Avengers? In the DCU, there’s the Justice League and everyone else. The Teen Titans certainly aren’t a challenge to the JLA’s premiere status. Who else? The Outsiders, Doom Patrol, the Secret Six? Give me a break. Superman could defeat all those teams single-handedly. I could possibly make a case for JLA vs. the Legion of Super-Heroes, but that would just involve a lot of time travel and that’s just a headache all its own. So nobody debates the Justice League’s place in the DCU. But there seems to be a real split amongst Marvel fans who is the strongest super team in their universe is – the Avengers or the X-Men.
Well, my friends, we are finally about to find out.
Now before I go on, let me address the question “why are super heroes fighting super heroes?” I am one who thinks heroes shouldn’t fight heroes, but it doesn’t stop me from enjoying the drama. These are age old questions that have been asked for centuries. Who is stronger – Hercules or Samson? Who would win? Achilles vs. Hector. Human Torch vs. Sub-Mariner. Hulk vs. Thing. These are the debates that have driven countless conversations between fanboys and girls since the beginning. And I, for one, am excited to finally have the debate settled.
Heavyweight fights are all about the match ups and this one provides so many delicious recipes. Along with their many other recently acquired assets (Danger, Namor, and the Colossus/Juggernaut hybrid), the X-Men also have (pardon the pun) a huge X-Factor in Magneto. This guy is easily one of the most powerful beings to ever walk the earth. Anyone that can single-handedly defeat Proteus in battle is promoted to instant Alpha Class. And with the mighty Thor apparently pushing up daisies right now, I just don’t know who the Avengers have that can counter what the Master of Magnetism brings to the table. They will have to come up with something since a lot of their assets (Iron Man’s armor, Cap’s shield, Thor’s hammer, Hawkeye’s arrows, etc.) are made of metal. Iron Man did one time produce a “de-magnetized” version of his armor (comic book logic at play once again) to take on Magneto in Avengers West Coast #60.
So right off the bat, the Avengers have two major obstacles to overcome – Magneto and the seemingly endless supply of telepaths the X-Men have. Physically Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can go toe-to-toe with anybody. They proved that in JLA/Avengers. But the X-Men bring an array of skills and power sets that are very different from the norm. However, the Avengers do have Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme on their side and the X-Men don’t really have anything to counter that (No, Magik can’t beat the Master of the Mystic Arts).
Another delicious aspect of this match up is where will loyalties lie? Wolverine just had a big falling out with Cyclops in Schism. He’s an Avenger, but he was an X-Man for years and years before that. Throw in the fact that this tussle is about the return of the Phoenix Force and he is definitely a character to keep an eye on during this event. Storm, a perennial member of the X-Men, is now also a member of the Avengers and married to the Black Panther, a longtime Avenger and loyal friend to Captain America. How about a character like the Beast? This bouncing blue hero is just as easily identified with the Avengers as he is with the X-Men (Beast was a valued member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for most of the 70s and into the early 80s). And don’t forget that Magneto’s own children, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, will probably fall in line with their Avengers teammates. Drama!
Hands down the most interesting showdown I'm looking forward to is Captain America vs. Cyclops. Cap has a way to block Scott's power but Scott can also block Cap's shield throw with his power. It will be so fun watching these two strategic masterminds go at it. I just don’t understand why there always seems to be friction between these two. I envision a future where we see Steve and Scott meeting once a month for a game of chess and discussing strategies on how to take down Doctor Doom and the Brood. Here’s a question. Cyclops’ power is force and Cap’s shield absorbs kinetic energy (it’s made of vibranium). If Cyclops blasts Cap’s shield and then Cap throws it, would his shield hit with the force of Thor’s hammer? I don’t know if this comic book logic adds up, but that would be a cool scenario.
AVENGERS VS. X-MEN is going to be 12 issues released bi-weekly. One of the best features about this event as compared to others is that it will be contained in the main series and only encompass the X-Men and Avengers titles. So a fan does not have to buy 20 comics each week in order to follow the story. On Marvel’s website there is a wonderful 40-minute interview with a round table of the writers and editors responsible for this event (check it out HERE). Speaking of which, the creative team assembled for this book is incredible. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Jonathan Hickman, Ed Brubaker, and Matt Fraction and with art by John Romita Jr., Olivier Coipel and Adam Kubert, AVENGERS VS. X-MEN promises to be something really special.
Anyone who knows me or has followed my columns for any length of time obviously knows on which side the Odinson’s loyalties are going to fall when this goes down. Captain America and Thor are my all time favorite heroes and the Avengers is my all time favorite comic book. Before I go, I’m going to leave you with a list of recommended reading to prepare yourself for this coming event. You will not have to read these in order to enjoy the story but as a longtime Marvel fan, I know these will provide some wonderful back story leading into AVENGERS VS. X-MEN.
Oh, one more thing…
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!
The Odinson’s Recommended Reading before AVENGERS VS. X-MEN hits stands in April:
X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga
Uncanny X-Men #150 and 200
X-Men vs. Avengers
House of M
Avengers: The Children’s Crusade
Marvel Point One
Avengers: X-Sanction
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell -
The Odinson’s Annual Christmas List of Ideas for that Special Someone
Seasons Greetings from the Odinson,
Christmas is almost here and it’s time for Odinson’s annual Christmas List of Ideas for that special someone on your shopping list. ‘Tis the season to be jolly and I have picks for everyone. Use this link to see the shipping schedule in order to get your package there by Christmas Day (Holidays Shipping Schedule).
For the person who loves Spider-Man: Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day
For the person who loves Batman: Batman Hush HC (Absolute Edition)
For the person who loves Superman: Superman Secret Origin HC (Deluxe Edition)
For the person who loves Captain America: Captain America Operation Rebirth TPB (Deluxe Edition)
For the person who loves the Mighty Thor: Thor by J. Michael Straczynski
For the person who loves Aliens: Aliens Omnibus
For the person who loves the Predator: Predator Omnibus
For the person who loves Aliens against Predators: Aliens vs. Predator Omnibus
For the Buffy fan: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus
For the Joss Whedon fan: The Write Environment with Joss Whedon
For the person who misses the Sunday classics: Sundays with Walt and Skeezix HC
For the adult superhero fan: Watchmen TPB
For the person who loves Stephen King: Stephen King’s The Stand
For that person the loves Stephen King and Vampires: American Vampire
For the person who wants to celebrate the Holidays with their heroes: JSA #54 and DC Universe Christmas TPB
For the person who likes to mix their Big Events with Christmas: DCU Infinite Holiday Special
For the person who doesn’t miss an episode of CSI: CSI Omnibus
For the person who loves baseball: Heroes of the Negro Leagues
For the person who wants to see a little boy get his Christmas even in the middle of the Apocalypse: Last Christmas TPB
For that PC gamer on a never-ending quest to explore the world of Azeroth: Word of Warcraft HC
For the WOW fan that can’t decide who’d win between a Hunter and a Mohawk Nightelf: Chuck Norris vs. Mr. T
For that terran struggling against the protoss and fighting to keep the galaxy safe from zerg infestation: Starcraft HC
For the person that remembers collecting “Tumblers”: Collectible Glass Tumblers/Cups
For the rebellious teen that just wants to rock out and get the girl: Scott Pilgrim
For the person that wants to see Santa kick a little butt: Santa the Barbarian
For the person that wants to see Santa get what’s coming to him: Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special
For the person that can’t get enough of that galaxy far, far away: Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (Slipcase Set)
For the person that wants to be a Jedi Knight: Star Wars: Lightsabers
For the person that wants to settle the argument once and for all: Star Wars: Head to Head
For the person that loves comics history: 75 Years of DC Comics HC
For the person that loves comics history and DVDs: Secret Origin The Story of DC Comics DVD
For the fanboys and fangirls that loves flare: Collector Buttons/Fanboy Flare
For the person that wants to keep their lunch safe from bullies: Collectible Lunch Boxes
For the person who wants to see the Hulk smash, even during the Holidays: Incredible Hulk #378
For the Robert E. Howard fan: Best of Robert E. Howard HC (Limited Edition)
For the fan of kung fu: The Immortal Iron Fist
For the fan of super-sized kung fu: Dragon Ball Z TPB (VizBig Edition)
For the person who loves the classics: A Christmas Carol
For the ultimate zombie fan: Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks GN
And, finally -
For the hopeless romantic: Archie Marries Betty/Veronica: 70 Years in the Making
Merry Christmas, from the Odinson.
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