In the wake of the “Cataclysm” Gotham City has become a “No Man’s Land!” This is one of the biggest events ever to hit the Bat titles, and it’s collected in its entirety in these five volumes.
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Captain America’s courage is legendary. Superman’s stalwart presence is a fine example for others to follow. Spider-Man, Daredevil, Nightwing, the Flash, Green Lantern...they are all heroes in every sense of the word. These masked men mete out justice, but with a very strict code of honor – if at all possible they do not kill. However, there are those in the worlds of comics and sci-fi who have been pushed beyond the limits of self restraint and have become self-appointed judge, jury, and executioner to the criminal element. These are the Hardcore Heroes.
No Comments »The 4th of July is upon us. You know what that means...Bar-B-Q, fireworks, family, and the latest Will Smith movie. The 4th is a day of celebration. A day to celebrate our independence and honor this great country we live in. It’s the most patriotic day of the year. With that in mind, here’s a list of some of the most patriotic heroes in comics.
No Comments »Greetings from the Odinson,
It should come as no surprise to anyone who has read my columns to learn that I am a huge Captain America and Thor fan. Ever since I was a kid it wasn’t the X-Men that got me excited. It wasn’t the dark and bloody adventures of Wolverine and the Punisher that I followed month in and month out. It was the heroic endeavors of a certain super-soldier and a certain thunder god that sparked my imagination. It was Captain America, the stalwart Sentinel of Liberty, and Thor, the mighty protector of Asgard, who kept me coming back to the comic shop. With that being said, I am overjoyed with the state of the Cap and Thor books here in the present day.
Captain America- Even with Steve Rogers pushing up daisies at the moment, these books are consistently Grade A month after month. Ed Brubaker’s take on Cap has been refreshing. His unique brand of storytelling is intriguing and it’s just good fun watching the mystery of it all unfold. To say that Steve Epting’s art compliments Brubaker’s voice would be an understatement. His style fits the Cap mythos like a glove, and his visual storytelling is second to none. The way he designs and choreographs a scene it’s as if the picture is moving on the page.
From the opening shot fired in the first issue, through the startling revelations about the Winter Soldier, into the character defining moments of the Civil War, the assassination of Steve Rogers and beyond, Captain America is easily one of the finest reads on the rack right now.
Must Read Stories: Captain America: Winter Soldier TPB (2006) Vol. 1-2, Captain America: Red Menace TPB (2006) Vol. 1-2, Civil War: Captain America TPB (2007), and Captain America by Ed Brubaker Omnibus HC (2007).
Thor- Almost four years ago the saga of the mighty Norse Gods ended not with a whimper but with a thunderous bang! Ragnarok, the prophesized end of days, had finally caught up to Thor, Balder, Sif and the rest. Their time had come and passed. But now, thanks to J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel, the Asgardians shall live again.
Straczynski’s pacing and attention to the lore of the characters is appreciated. He gives a nod to what creators like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Walt Simonson and others have established, he incorporates elements from the actual myths and legends that have not been used in the Marvel cannon before, and he throws in a little of his own spice so that the finished product is the best Thor I’ve read in years. Coipel’s take on the Thunder God is amazing. When he draws the mighty Odinson on the page Thor looks powerful and regal. Heimdall looks like an imposing sentry ready to defend Asgard with a mighty swing of his sword. Loki is sinister and unmistakably evil. The ground shakes and the fearful tremble when the unstoppable Destroyer rushes into battle.
From the Thunderer’s resurrection in the first issue, to the rise of Asgard in the middle of Oklahoma, to Thor’s globetrotting quest to awaken his fellow Aesir, to Thor’s throttling of Iron Man, to the interactions of the Norse Gods and their mortal neighbors, and up to the current revelations about Odin, Balder, and the whereabouts of Lady Sif, Thor is that one book that when it ends each month the reader can’t wait for the subsequent issue to find out what is going to happen next.
Must Read Stories: Avengers Disassembled: Thor TPB (2004) and Thor HC (2008).
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell!
2 Comments »Aaron Settle looks at Twilight Guardian, Justice League of America 21, Robin 174, and new Grendel graphic novels.
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