Mycomicshop's Comic Blog

Greetings from the Odinson,

Everybody knows names like Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, and the Hulk.  These heroes are icons with decades of entertaining readers and viewers with their super heroic exploits.  Through comic strips, comic books, novels, cartoons, television shows, and movies, these heroes have kept the galaxy safe from all manner of threats.  Teams like the Justice League, Avengers, Legion of Super-Heroes, and X-Men represent the greatest assembly of heroes and powerful forces for truth and justice.  These are the best of the best.  When it comes to super hero icons nobody has bigger icons then Marvel and DC.  But they aren’t the only great super heroes that have been fighting the good fight.

Through the decades there have been other heroes that have heeded the call, and for brief periods of time shined as bright as any of the biggest stars from the Big Two.  These are legends forged from the four corners of the universe, legends, for one reason or another that just did not have the staying power of their Marvel and DC contemporaries.  But this does not make their mighty exploits any less spectacular.  Nor does it make their creation anything less inspired. 

1960s – In the ‘60s the Marvel Age exploded onto the scene and, much like Superman and Batman did in the Golden Age, inspired a slew of fantastic super hero creations to follow.  Next to the House of Ideas the best treasure trove of heroes at this time and the coolest playground in the super hero medium had to be at Hanna-Barbera.  And head and shoulders above them all had to be none other than Space Ghost.  Space Ghost is an intergalactic police officer with super human abilities that allow him to take on the deadliest alien villains in the galaxy.  He can fly, has super strength, can turn invisible, and has power bands that give him all sorts of energy-based powers.  Plus, he rides around in a super cool space ship with cloaking abilities.  Sadly, most of today’s youth probably only know him from his funny talk show spoof Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.  Back in the day, Space Ghost was the greatest super hero of his universe, but he wasn’t the only cool cat defending justice in the Hanna-Barbera U.

This universe was full brave men and women with extraordinary powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary people.  Birdman is a winged crusader powered by the sun and accompanied by his ever faithful super eagle Avenger.  The Galaxy Trio, Vapor Man, Meteor Man and Gravity Girl, are a group of alien superheroes gathered together by Galactic Patrol to keep the peace in their sector of space.  There was Shazzan, a powerful genie that uses his vast magical abilities to help his mortal friends solve crimes and combat tyranny.  There was the super strong Neanderthal, Mightor, a brave hero that protects his fellow cavemen from the perils of a prehistoric world.  And then there were, next to Space Ghost, my personal favorites, the Herculoids.  On an alien world constantly being contested by threats from beyond the stars, the Herculoids were the first and last line of defense.  Led by their Ka-Zar-like leader Zandor, the Herculoids were comprised of Zandor’s wife Tara, his son Dorno, the powerful dragon Zok, the mighty rock ape Igoo, the many-legged dinosaur Tundro, and the gelatinous duo of Gloop and Gleep.  Together the Herculoids fought all manner of threats, from invading alien hordes to prehistoric monsters of enormous power, and they made quite a reputation for themselves across the galaxy.  The Herculoids have been known to team up with Space Ghost from time to time when the emergency called for it. 

Space Ghost, Birdman, the Galaxy Trio, Shazzan, and the Herculoids are a group of mighty heroes that stack up against any other group in all of comicdom.  How these characters are not flourishing today or getting the revamp treatment is beyond me. 

1970s – During the Bronze Age of Comics, Marvel’s Horror Comics were dominating the shelves, Jack Kirby was introducing the New Gods to the DCU, and the Star Wars phenomenon was born.  But on the small screen, viewers were introduced to one of the coolest sci-fi/super hero shows of all time – Battle of the Planets!  Adapted from a Japanese animated series called Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, BotP features the team of heroes known as G-Force.  Mark the leader, Jason the bad boy demolitionist, the beautiful Princess, the diminutive Keyop, and Tiny, the husky pilot, use their super human abilities and vehicles to defend planet Earth from the evil alien forces of Spectra.

Each member of the team represents a member from the bird family – eagle, condor, swan, swallow and owl.  Their specially designed costumes give the ability to glide through the air.  And their superb martial arts skills allow them take on many adversaries at the same time.  Even though BotP was edited for American audiences (for violence and language) this show was still ahead of its time for an animated show for kids.  It had drama and pathos and powerful character driven stories.  There have been brief revisits, the most notable being the comic series featuring amazing covers by Alex Ross, but this franchise has not had the re-boot it so deservedly needs.  Like the Hanna-Barbera characters of the ‘60s, Battle of the Planets would make an outstanding addition to the modern comic racks.      

1980s – The ‘80s overflowed with creative goodness.  At Marvel and DC we saw the birth of the Big Event with titles like Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars and Crisis on Infinite Earths.  And from He-Man to GI Joe to Transformers and everything in-between, there were dozens and dozens of properties producing iconic heroes for the decade.  So I’ll just narrow it down to one, and that property is the Thundercats.  Among a sea of fantastic heroes the Thundercats stood out.  Perhaps it was the archetypal origin story of tragedy and triumph that lured us in.  Or perhaps it was the animation and artwork that was just a step above your average ‘80s cartoon.  Whatever the case may be, Thundercats was clearly an all time great.    

When their homeworld of Thundera is destroyed, a small band of survivors make their way across the cosmos and crash-land on the seemingly paradise world of Third Earth.  But it isn’t long before they realize they are not alone.  A young Thundercat by the name of Lion-O would have to learn on the fly to become a leader if his people were to survive.  Armed with the powerful magic Sword of Omens and together with the super fast Cheetara, the super strong Panthro, the stealthy Tygra, the mischievous twins WilyKit and WilyKat, his diminutive friend Snarf, and under the guidance of the ghost of his deceased mentor Jagga, Lion-O sets out to make a new life for his people in this brave new world. 

But many dangers lie in wait.  The evil Mutants of Plun-Darr, the Thundercats sworn enemies, have followed them to Third Earth.  Also the Thundercats would have to defend themselves against the malevolent machinations of the cyborg pirates Hammerhand and the Berserkers, the renegade Thundercat Grune, the glory seeking Demolisher, the subterranean villain the Mole Master, the fear demon Mongor, and many, many others.  But nobody posed as great a threat to the Thundercats as the mighty ogre-mage Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living.    

These feline heroes have made several comebacks in the comics, but have yet to make the same impact they did in the late ‘80s.  Maybe with the debut of their new updated cartoon a Thundercats resurgence could be on the horizon.

1990s – Without a doubt, the non Marvel/DC heavyweight champion of this decade has to be the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.  This franchise spawned several movies, countless toys, magazines, and a television series that started in 1992 and in some form another has run to this very day.  Much like Battle of the Planets and Robotech before it, Power Rangers adapted a Japanese property for American audiences, using footage from the original show and editing it with scenes played by American actors. 

From Lost Galaxy to Ninja Storm to Operation Overdrive, there are so many different incarnations of the Power Rangers, so I’ll just concentrate on the one I know best – the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.  Five teenagers are given super powers and super weapons of mass destruction to defend our world against the mutant and monster hordes of Rita Repulsa and her consort, Lord Zedd.  They fight these tyrants using martial arts and courage.  But when a challenge arises that is too big for them to handle they call on the Zords, massive robots in the shapes of dinosaurs.  The Zords can come together and transform into the Megazord, the most powerful force for good in the universe.  Take elements of Voltron, G-Force, The Mighty Or-Bots, and Ultraman, toss them all into a blender and what comes out is Power Rangers.  Though coated with plenty layers of cheese, it cannot be denied that the Power Rangers are thoroughly entertaining. 

I for one can’t see how these properties, especially the Hanna-Barbera Heroes from the ‘60s and G-Force, are not top sellers to this day.  But then again, I don’t get the popularity of Deadpool either. 

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

There is no denying the popularity of Wolverine, but he is not the same character he used to be.  When he very first exploded onto the scene in Incredible Hulk #181 (his first full appearance), Wolverine was a feisty little tough guy that was not afraid to throw down with not only the mighty Hulk, but with the Hulk and the Green Goliath’s erstwhile sparring partner, the cannibalistic Wendigo, at the same time.  Later it would be revealed that Wolverine is a mutant and in Giant-Size X-Men #1 he joined the ranks of the All-New, All Different X-Men in order to save the original team, and the title itself from cancellation.  From the very beginning this man simply known as Logan was a loose cannon.  Because he suffered from berserker rages during battles, he was just as likely to slash one of his teammates as he was an enemy.  He was dangerous.  And even his allies feared him. 

For nearly three decades (from 1974-2001) Wolverine’s life was a mystery.  His mysterious past only being revealed in very small windows that seemed to just add more and more layers to this truly complex character.  We already knew that Logan was a Canadian, but in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #109 and 120-121 we learn that before joining the X-Men, Wolverine actually was a member of Alpha Flight, Canada’s premiere super team.  The Japan Adventure revealed that he had spent extensive time in the past in the Land of the Rising Sun, and Kitty Pryde and Wolverine expanded on this revealing that Logan had actually studied under the tutelage of Ogun, a deadly assassin and demon sorcerer.  In Wolverine #10, we see a younger Logan being tormented by Sabretooth and establishing the longest running and bloodiest feud in the Marvel Universe.  In Uncanny X-Men #268, we learn that not only is Wolverine much older than he appears but that he actually fought alongside Captain America in a covert operation during the harrowing days of World War II.  The Weapon X story finally reveals how Logan received his unique Adamantium skeleton, but this tale also raises even more questions about his mysterious past.  And, in Mutant Genesis we learn that Logan actually served in an international co-ops unit side-by-side with Sabretooth during the height of the Cold War, thus adding even more layers to the mystery that is his past.

This is part of what made this character so great, a bad boy with a mysterious past.  Sometimes it’s better not knowing everything there is know about a character.  They are just cooler when there is an air of mystery.  Now in the wake of Wolverine: The Origin and the Wolverine: Origins series there are very few secrets left to tell.  I say the ole Canucklehead has lost some of his mystique.  More importantly, he’s lost some of his edge.  Back when Wolverine first came on the scene in the ‘70s and ‘80s he was dangerous and feared.  Now, in the pages of Wolverine and the X-Men, he’s the headmaster of a school crying out loud.  The ultimate bad boy loner is now the father figure/mentor for the next generation of mutant heroes.  Though commendable, and some readers may like seeing the softer side of the most dangerous man alive, but give me the berserker.  Give me the character that keeps other characters and the reader on their toes because nobody, including himself, knows what he will do next.  This brings me to my next point…

Does a character like Wolverine work better as a villain?      

Now hear me out on this one.  In the Early ‘90s, legendary X-scribe Chris Claremont, before he left the franchise he helped make number one for nearly twenty years, had a story plotted out where Wolverine would be killed by Lady Deathstrike and brought back to life by the Hand and go on to become the X-Men’s greatest foe for a yearlong storyarc that would illustrate why this character was so important to the franchise.  He and John Byrne (the masterminds behind the greatest run on X-Men in history) talk about this unused tale and other stories they never got to tell in the Wizard Wolverine Special Edition. 

Though Claremont never got to do this story, Wolverine as a villain has been done, several times, and because of the nature of the character, Wolverine as a villain really isn’t that much of a stretch.  He makes a great bad guy.  In The Shattering, Wolverine is killed in battle by Death, a Horseman of the mutant terrorist Apocalypse.  Death is a seemingly unstoppable foe and the X-Men, having lost their toughest ally, don’t know if they can defeat him.  Then, in The Twelve, it gets even worse, as the unstoppable foe the X-Men have been fighting is revealed to be none other than Wolverine himself.  Brainwashed and given his unbreakable Adamantium back by Apocalypse, Wolverine had become the X-Men’s most dangerous adversary.  But if Death is actually Wolverine, then who was the Wolverine that Death killed?  This was a good story that brought the mystery and danger back to the character.  And it set the stage for a decade of stories that would beg the question:  Does a character like Wolverine work better as a villain?      

The next event would almost prove to be the end of the Marvel Universe.  Enemy of the State not only reestablished Wolverine as the most dangerous man alive, but it is, hands down, the best Wolverine tale of the last twenty years.  Writer Mark Millar introduces the ultimate adversary for Logan in the form of Gorgon, a super strong, super fast, telepathic assassin with the ability to murder anyone he makes eye contact with.  In the opening scenes of this tale, Gorgon actually kills Wolverine.  Then the Hand uses black magic to bring Logan back to life in service of the dark side.  Wolverine becomes the ultimate super villain and cuts a swath of terror and destruction across the globe as he sets out to murder the super heroes of the Marvel U.  This storyline establishes two things.  One, just how dangerous a guy like Wolverine would be if he were a bad guy.  And two, just how fortunate and important it is to the rest of the world that Wolverine is a good guy.  John Romita, Jr.’s art on this project is some of his best.  This tale really illustrates Wolverine as being the best there is, as he takes on a foe who just might be even deadlier than he is. 

The plot of Enemy of the State may sound a little familiar.  Chris Claremont may not have gotten the chance to tell his Wolverine-as-a-villain story but Marvel sure did, twice, and they weren’t done yet.       

In Wolverine vs. the X-Men, once again the ole Canucklehead perishes, but this time, his spirit goes to Hades, while back on Earth, a demon presence has taken control of his body and begins to terrorize Logan’s friends and allies.  This certainly isn’t the first time Wolverine has turned against his allies and in light of that, this time Cyclops is ready for him.  With Magneto, the mutant Master of Magnetism, and Prince Namor, the Savage Sub-Mariner, at his side, Cyclops sets out to beat the unbeatable foe.  During the Dark Angel Saga, a Wolverine led X-Force, in order to save the soul of a friend, venture to the world of Age of Apocalypse.  Here they face the dark legacy of a mutant tyrant and come face-to-face with a deadly, yet familiar, adversary, a certain clawed mutant that may go on to become one of the Marvel Universe’s greatest arch villains.  Follow the development of this twist in the pages of the Age of Apocalypse series starting this spring.  

If you need more examples of just how bad the ultimate bad boy can be, check out What If…? (1989-1998 2nd Series) #24 featuring the tale "What If Wolverine Had Become the Lord of Vampires?"  This is a horror story that picks up on plot points from when the Children of the Atom faced off with Dracula in Uncanny X-Men #159 and Annual #6.  Also, in the pages of What If: Wolverine – Enemy of the State, see what would have happened in the Marvel Universe if Wolverine had remained the world’s deadliest villain.

There’s a reason why this theme (Wolverine as a villain) keeps getting revisited over and over.  The modern day Wolverine has lost his edge.  Logan of 1985 would kick the snot out of Logan of 2012 if he saw what a cupcake he’s turned into.  Turning Wolverine into a villain gives the character his edge back.  It makes him dangerous again, unpredictable.  The way he was in the beginning when Wolverine was the coolest and most dangerous character in comics.  This last decade has left me wondering…

Does a character like Wolverine work better as a villain?

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

Greetings from the Odinson,

Back in the eighties, when writers, artists and filmmakers looked into the future they saw a bleak outcome.  Some called it “Millennium Fever.”  The turn of the century was nigh and every generation thinks that they will be the last.  This was reflected in our comics, television shows, books, and movies.  The funny thing about some of these doom-and-gloom predictions is that the dark future that waited for us was never that far off. 

Thundarr the Barbarian, a fantastic sci-fi cartoon from the early ‘80s, featured just such a dystopian future.  In the year 1994 a runaway planet passes between the Earth and the moon and causes all sorts of havoc on our planet.  Earthquakes, tsunami, and fierce storms ravage the planet and mankind is cast in ruin.  2,000 years later, Earth is reborn.  But this is a strange new world inhabited by mutants and a warring feudal society ruled by malevolent wizards and demon sorcerers.  Yet 1994 came and went, and luckily there was no runaway planet to destroy our way of life.    

Master of Horror John Carpenter painted a bleak picture in his film Escape from New York.  This film was released in 1981 but according to the storyline the crime rate in America would rise 400% by 1988, just seven years from the time we were watching this movie.  And in 1997, Manhattan Island would be turned into the largest maximum security prison in the world.  It is surrounded by a 50-foot wall which was electrified and manned with high power guns, and the water surrounding the island was mined.  All the country’s criminals are kept here.  No one has ever escaped and no one that is not a prisoner ever goes inside, even guards.  Yet, 1988 and 1997 came and went, and luckily the crime rate has not risen 400%.

Sometimes I wonder if we’ve been lucky or if these dystopian visions of the future are just too far fetched to come to past.  Maybe it was the pressure of living under the threat of nuclear war.  The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union had everyone on edge and left some wondering who would drop the bombs first.  I remember in grade school doing drills in case the bombs started to fall.  Dark stuff I know, but that’s just part of what we had to live with.  And the world of entertainment was not about to let us forget it.  Films like Mad Max, Road Warrior, Steel Dawn, Solarbabies, Robocop and comics like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Starriors and The Dark Knight Returns did not paint a pretty picture of the days to come.  In the dark future of The Running Man, people are so poor that they are willing to risk their lives on a reality TV show where they are hunted down by professional killers.  Even cartoons got in on the act with dystopian-depicting-yarns like The Spiral Zone, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, and Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future.

Our favorite heroes also have a knack for dodging dystopian futures.  In Days of Future Past, when the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants led by Mystique assassinate a senator, mutants and mankind go to war.  That is when comic fans see a not-too-distant-future where the United States is under martial law and an army of Omega Class Sentinels patrol the country and hunt down all mutants.  Most mutants are killed, but some live out their miserable last days in concentration camps.  Only a handful of X-Men remain free to oppose this, and even they are not long for the world.  It’s a dark future that can only be avoided by the future Kitty Pryde’s consciousness being sent back in time to her younger self so that she can prevent the senator’s assassination.

The World’s Greatest Heroes also dodged the dystopian bullet.  In the classic JLA adventure by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter, Rock of Ages, time-displaced Leaguers witness a not-too-distant-future where Darkseid has conquered planet Earth.  The world’s heroes are either captured or dead, and the Dark God’s Anti-Life Equation has enslaved mankind.  Only a handful of Leaguers remain to mount a rebellion, but they are severely outnumbered and outgunned.  This dystopian future was narrowly avoided in the pages of Final Crisis.     

In Terminator, Kyle Reese tells Sarah Connor about a dystopian future where Skynet, a self aware super computer, declares war on mankind and tries to eradicate it. In the early part of the 21st Century, Skynet first tries to use the world’s nuclear arsenal to do the job.  This would become known as Judgment Day.  When some humans are left alive to rebel, Skynet turns to using hunter/killer robots called Terminators.  This is similar to the plot in The Matrix.  Except instead of hunting down humans for eradication, the machine overlords of this dark future grow and harvest humans in fields like food for energy.  They keep mankind in check by enslaving their minds in a virtual reality that reflects our own present day.  In 2001: A Space Odyssey, mankind’s first contact with extraterrestrial life is almost thwarted by a malfunctioning A.I. called HAL 9000.  

I haven’t even touched on the futures of I, Robot, Blade Runner, and The Planet of the Apes.  Just more dystopian fun to look forward to.  And as a man, Y: The Last Man doesn’t sound like a future I want to see either.  Oh, yeah, and the ancient Mayan calendar runs out this year.  Some people are predicting major changes, whatever that means.  So, could 2012 be the last year of life as we know it?    

Growing up in the eighties, whether by nuclear winter, celestial cataclysm, economic crisis, or a machine uprising, the future seemed very bleak indeed.  But guess what, the future has come to pass.  For most of these scenarios, what was once a dark future has already come and gone, and mankind is still here and still going strong.  That is unless this world is all an illusion and we are all now stuck inside The Matrix.   

This is Odinson bidding thee farewell

Happy Valentines Day from the Odinson,

Romance is in the air.  As in the real world, romance plays a huge part in the worlds of sci-fi/fantasy and fiction.  From the moment Princess Leia called Han Solo a scruffy-looking nerf herder, the sparks were flying and the hottest couple in a galaxy far, far away was born.  So what makes a good romance?  Passion, excitement, caring, loyalty, understanding, love…

There has to be a fire, an unquenchable need between two people to be together.  Take Bella and Edward for instance.  In the Twilight Saga these two are drawn to each other like magnets.  Obstacle after obstacle arises but nothing is going to keep them apart.  Not revenge-seeking vampires, hunky werewolf boys, not even death can separate these two.  Love can be tragic.  Take Bruce Banner and Betty Ross for instance.  These two were born to love each other but Banner must be careful, for every time his emotions bubble to the surface he transforms into the monster the world has come to know as the Hulk.  The Hulk is a creature fueled by rage, thus making him a danger to those around him.  So until Banner can find a cure for his “Hulk problem,” he cannot be with the woman he loves. Cue the sad piano music.  Cupid also has a funny sense of humor.  The Marvel Universe’s embodiment of Death is madly in love with the Merc with a Mouth, but due to his extreme healing powers, Deadpool cannot die, thus preventing these two lovebirds from ever being together.  On the flip side of that morbid coin, Thanos the Mad Titan loves Death so much that he is willing to annihilate half the population in existence in order to win her favor (see Infinity Gauntlet).  

Love and the promise of romance will make a man do almost anything.  Do you think Link would face the dangers of the quest for the Triforce or Mario would take on the minions of Bowser if Princess Zelda and Princess Toadstool weren’t worth it?  Love can overcome the power of the Matrix.  Or it can topple the walls of Troy.  Just ask the mighty King Kong how far one will go for love. 

There are many, many great couples in the history of fiction.  Tarzan and Jane, Flash Gordon and Dale Arden, Mickey and Minnie Mouse…  Here are the Odinson’s favorite romances. 

Superman and Lois Lane – He is the Last Son of Krypton and the world’s greatest super hero.  She is a award-wining investigative star reporter for the Daily Planet, the most renowned newspaper in the city of Metropolis.  Doing whatever it takes to get the scoop on a story, she has a knack for getting into trouble, and he has a knack for saving her life.  He’s a farmboy from Smallville U.S.A. and she’s a big city girl with street smarts coming out of her ears.  For years and years she was known as Superman’s Girlfriend.  That was until the day they tied the knot (see The Wedding and Beyond).  Now, in the wake of DC Comics: The New 52, the Man of Steel and Lois Lane are no longer married and the future is wide-open.  Will these two find each other again, or is one of the biggest romances of the 20th Century truly over? 

Spider-Man and Mary Jane – He was the nerdy introverted science genius that got picked on in high school and she was the outgoing party girl and most popular girl in school.  They grew up as neighbors and became close friends.  He is a masked super hero that saves the city on a regular basis and she knows his biggest secret.  For years they seemed to never be on the same track as far as romance is concerned, then one day it all fell into place.  It took the death of a friend and the harrowing events of Spider-Man vs. Wolverine to make Peter Park realize that he needed MJ in his life. So, in Amazing Spider-Man #290, he proposed to her.  And in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21 they were married.  For years she was the rock in his life.  Then, during Civil War, when in a moment of what can only be described as dumb, Peter Parker revealed to the world that he was in fact Spider-Man.  It did not take long for those close to him to come under fire.  Aunt May was gunned down and in order to save her life, Peter and MJ, in an ill-conceived deal with Mephisto, were forced to give up that which is most important to them…their love (see One More Day).  Much like Superman and Lois Lane, now Spider-Man and Mary Jane are single and exploring other avenues.  But there will come a day when they do find each once again for that’s the power of true love.   

Buffy and Angel – This is a match that could only happen on the Hellmouth.  She is the vampire slayer.  He is a vampire.  Angel is cursed with a soul.  This makes him feel guilt for all the horrible acts he committed for over a century as a soulless monster.  Even worse, if Angel were to feel a moment of true happiness he would lose his soul again and revert to the monstrous fiend he once was.  This being a world created by Joss Whedon, Buffy and Angel fall in love and he obtains that moment of true happiness in her arms and reverts back into Angelus, becoming one of Buffy’s most dangerous villains.  In order to save the world, Buffy must kill the man she loves and send him to hell.  Shakespeare’s got nothing on a good Whedon tragedy.  Angel has since returned from hell, soul intact, but he is forced to leave Sunnydale and the woman he loves behind for fear of him losing his soul again. 

There are two moments in these star-crossed lovers’ history that really encapsulate their tragic romance for me.  At the end of Episode 7: Angel of Season 1 of BtVS Angel and Buffy kiss and he has just the slightest look of pain on his face.  She asks him if it hurts.  He tells her a little.  The camera pans back slightly to reveal that the cross she wears around her neck has burned an imprint into his chest.  This is a beautiful, albeit sad, metaphor for why these two people should not be together.   The second moment is in Season 1 of Angel Episode 8: I will Remember You.  Angel becomes human and for the first time ever he and Buffy can be together as a man and woman without the fear of any curse.  But her destiny as the slayer and his as a Champion of mankind is more important to the world than their love.  So Angel makes a sacrifice to the Powers that Be and time is rewound 24 hours to before his change.  The heart-breaking thing is that only Angel remembers that one perfect day they spent together.  These poor kids can’t seem to catch a break.      

Cyclops and Jean Grey – He started out as a skinny shy kid that grew to become the confident and capable leader of an entire race.  She was a star student that one day became arguably the most powerful force in the universe.  So powerful was their love for each other that they shared a psychic link.  When Jean was possessed by the Phoenix Force she succumbed to its power and became the greatest threat the Marvel U has ever known.  And she sacrificed her life in order to save the galaxy (see the classic Dark Phoenix Saga).  Cyclops would fall in love with a woman that turned out to be a clone of Jean Grey and they had a son together.  Their son would grow up to become the man called Cable.  Later it was discovered that Jean was still alive (see Return of Jean Grey).  Scott and Jean soon rekindled their romance and even got married in X-Men #30.   But the good times were not meant to last as the maniac Xorn, disguised as Magneto, murdered Jean Grey, and Scott was forced to deal with the loss of the woman he loved a second time (see New X-Men by Grant Morrison Vol. 7).  Cyclops has found solace in the arms of Emma Frost but with the approach of the Phoenix Force in the pages of AVX….       

Wow, I just realized that these romances I’ve pointed out are all pretty tragic in one way or another.  And none of them seem to have had that happy ending that we were all promised in Cinderella.  When it comes to comics, why does romance and tragedy seem to walk hand-in-hand?  But I submit this.  Romance is also about perseverance.  And won’t it be that much more triumphant when Superman and Lois Lane, Spider-Man and Mary Jane, Buffy and Angel, and Cyclops and Phoenix somehow, no matter what the odds, find their way back into each other’s arms.  When is comes to love I believe Westley from The Princess Bride said it best when he said, “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.”
 
This is Odinson bidding thee farewell     

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     

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     

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     

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     

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     

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