So happy!!
Goodnight everyone!
Friday 10 July 2015
Superman Returns!
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| Superman: Lois and Clark #1 by Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks |
The best Superman announcement from DC Comics today came not from the Man of Steel's own panel but from IGN who revealed that in October DC will be publishing three spin offs from Convergence. On October 14th Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks, the team behind Convergence: Superman, will launch Superman: Lois and Clark #1!
"Following the epic events of CONVERGENCE, here are the adventures of the last son and daughter of Krypton and Earth as they try to survive in a world not their own. But can they keep this world from suffering the same fate as their own? Can this Superman stop the villains he once fought before they are created on this world? What is Intergang, and why does Lois's discovery of it place everyone she loves in jeopardy? And what will happen when their nine-year-old son learns the true identity of his parents?"
At the end of Convergence pre-Flashpoint Superman (along with Lois and their new born son, Jonathan) teamed up with Zero Hour Hal Jordan and Pre-Crisis Flash and Supergirl on a mission to save stop the multiverse from being destroyed in the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. We never see what happens, we are only told they succeed. Personally I assumed they just returned to their rightful time/world and picked up where they left off but that clearly wasn't what happens. Instead it seems they found a new, younger, world to call home.
I am so over the moon to hear about this series! As much as I enjoy the New 52/DC You Superman, the post-Crisis/pre-Flashpoint version of Superman is my Superman. He's the one I grew up on and whose adventures I followed for year. His death and return, his marriage, his time as a being of pure energy, Superman Red/Superman Blue, Superman Forever. This is my Superman.
Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks did an incredible job on the Convergence: Superman series (personally I preferred it to the main series) and Dan is a Superman legend so I couldn't be happier to see them continue Superman's adventures in this new series.
Thank you DC, thank you!
Friday Highlights at SDCC
There weren't many panels that caught my eye on yesterday's schedule but today is a totally different story! There's about 20 panels I can't wait to hear all about later today ranging from comics to TV to film. Here's my top 5;
Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
I love this show! This panel should give a look at what's coming up in the rest of season 3 and some teases at what to expect in season 4. With the Kraang already defeated and talk of Shredder maybe being defeated this season as well, I intrigued as to where they plan to take the show next season so this panel is definitely one to look forward to!
DC Comics Superman Panel
The Superman comics are probably the best they've been since the New 52 re-launch right now. We know from the solicitations that the current Truth arc ends in September so I'm looking forward to hearing what's coming next direct from the creative teams. I'm actually hoping that the secret stays revealed, at least for a while, as it offers so much story potential. Yang's first issue had a strong Daily Planet focus so I'm hoping that will continue when (if) the status quo is restored and I'd love Pak to really explore Kentville and the Superman living openly amongst the people.
Disney Animators
Something a bit different for SDCC. I'm a huge Disney fan so I'm really hoping I can find some reports from this panel online. Their current 3D films look great but I still feel there's just something magical about some of their classic 2D movies and this is a chance to hear from the people behind the magic.
DC Entertainment from Page to Screen
With Arkham Knight less than a month currently keeping gamers glued to their screens around the world, new seasons and new series coming to TV later this year and the DC Extended Universe set to take over cinemas next year there will definitely be plenty to talk about at this panel! I'm not expecting to hear much about the movies (that'll come tomorrow) but there's plenty of TV shows to talk about and maybe I'm really hoping for a Superman/Justice League video game announcement after those screen shots appeared online recently!
Honourable Mentions - Marvel TV Presents
From the description this sounds like it will be focused on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter. I enjoyed both but I'm really hoping for some Netflix news. Daredevil was a breath of fresh air earlier this year, taking the MCU to a much darker place with a rich and powerful narrative. I'm more of a DC comic reader so I don't know much about the other Defenders but I'm eager to find out based on the excellence of Daredevil. With Elektra and Punisher both cast and filming underway I'm hoping for more news on Daredevil season 2 as well!
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| Rey, Finn and BB-8 in Star Wars: The Force Awakens |
Lucasfilm
There's no doubt this is number 1! Even if there isn't a trailer there's still plenty they could reveal at this panel. Personally I'm praying for a first look at Luke and Leia in The Force Awakens! Plus you just know there's going to be some teases about the upcoming Anthology films Rogue One and Han Solo. Whatever they do show is going to have to be big to beat the Han Solo announcement they made on Wednesday so I'm confident Lucasfilm must have something pretty special up their sleeve for this one!
Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
I love this show! This panel should give a look at what's coming up in the rest of season 3 and some teases at what to expect in season 4. With the Kraang already defeated and talk of Shredder maybe being defeated this season as well, I intrigued as to where they plan to take the show next season so this panel is definitely one to look forward to!
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| Superman by John Romita Jr. |
The Superman comics are probably the best they've been since the New 52 re-launch right now. We know from the solicitations that the current Truth arc ends in September so I'm looking forward to hearing what's coming next direct from the creative teams. I'm actually hoping that the secret stays revealed, at least for a while, as it offers so much story potential. Yang's first issue had a strong Daily Planet focus so I'm hoping that will continue when (if) the status quo is restored and I'd love Pak to really explore Kentville and the Superman living openly amongst the people.
Disney Animators
Something a bit different for SDCC. I'm a huge Disney fan so I'm really hoping I can find some reports from this panel online. Their current 3D films look great but I still feel there's just something magical about some of their classic 2D movies and this is a chance to hear from the people behind the magic.
DC Entertainment from Page to Screen
With Arkham Knight less than a month currently keeping gamers glued to their screens around the world, new seasons and new series coming to TV later this year and the DC Extended Universe set to take over cinemas next year there will definitely be plenty to talk about at this panel! I'm not expecting to hear much about the movies (that'll come tomorrow) but there's plenty of TV shows to talk about and maybe I'm really hoping for a Superman/Justice League video game announcement after those screen shots appeared online recently!
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| Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Daredevil |
From the description this sounds like it will be focused on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter. I enjoyed both but I'm really hoping for some Netflix news. Daredevil was a breath of fresh air earlier this year, taking the MCU to a much darker place with a rich and powerful narrative. I'm more of a DC comic reader so I don't know much about the other Defenders but I'm eager to find out based on the excellence of Daredevil. With Elektra and Punisher both cast and filming underway I'm hoping for more news on Daredevil season 2 as well!
Thursday 9 July 2015
Preview Night Goodness!
With most panels not starting until tomorrow Preview Night is about two things - the show floor and the product reveals. From what I've seen so far the show floor looks as incredible as always. This year's highlight (at least so far) has to be the WB costume displays for Batman v Superman and their Arrow and Flash TV series. I mean just look at these incredible costumes;
I can only imagine how awesome it must be to be on the show floor and see these up close and in person. Just wow!!
I'm hoping to see plenty more show floor goodness over the next few days but for those not there (like me!) it was the reveals that were the main excitement last night. I said that SDCC always hurts my wallet even though I never go (link). This is why!
The film may not be out until next March but Batman v Superman had a ton of products revealed on the show floor last night. DC Collectibles showed off three statues featuring Superman and Batman in both his standard suit and his armoured look and although she wasn't shown I have to assume that Wonder Woman will be coming as well.
Play Arts Kai also showed off prototypes for their upcoming Superman and Batman figures which you can see over at Toy Ark. Like with DC, Wonder Woman wasn't shown but I'm certain she'll be coming as well along with Batman's armoured look. I tend to find the PAK figures a little over priced (I'd rather put the money towards the expected Hot Toys versions) but they certainly have nice sculpts.
Not to be outdone Mattel debuted both their standard and collector lines for the film as well. I wasn't too impressed with the Man of Steel Movie Masters but these do look better so I'm hoping that the final figures turn out just as good. According to 13th Dimension's review of the SDCC exclusive 2-Pack there will be 8 figures in the collectors line and they will all come with a piece of a larger collect and connect figure. Four of the eight were on display, the trinity plus a 2nd Batman in armour, and it's probably reasonable to assume Lex and Aquaman are 2 of the remaining 4. Not sure who will round out the set but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Lois (we got Alfred for The Dark Knight Rises so it's not out of the question). The large collect and connect figure is probably obvious to anyone who's read any of the rumours/spoilers surrounding the film.
The collectors figures I expected, especially after Mattel revealed their SDCC exclusive 2-Pack, but I didn't expect them to be part of a new 6" DC Multiverse line! Whilst Batman v Superman gets a wave to itself there will be another wave featuring characters from both comics and TV! On display were The Flash's Flash and Reverse Flash along with Joker and Batman's robot suit from the recent Endgame comic arc. According to The Fwoosh Mattel's representative said this would be a six figure wave that also included Arrow's Arrow and a "black" Superman (I'm guess this will be Earth-2's Val-Zod). However, I'd guess that Batman's robot suit is the collect and connect figure so there's still one more figure to be revealed.
I'm actually really excited for these. I've wanted DC Collectibles to do movie figures in scale with their TV offerings for ages but I'd pretty much given up on that dream. Whilst Mattel may not go as deep as DC (I don't see them offering Felicity or Diggle any time some) this line will finally allow me to get DC movie and TV figures in the same scale so I'm really looking forward to these hitting the shelves at the start of next year. You can see plenty of pictures over at The Fwoosh.
I have to admit Mattel really impressed me last night. On top of their DC announcements they revealed the remainder of their 2015 Masters of the Universe Classics line up as well. They normally hold the reveals back until their panel on Friday but with a big re-branding coming up for the line in 2016 (which will debut at the panel) they obviously decided to hit the ground running this year and show more than usual! You can see plenty of pictures from the reveal at The Fwoosh link above and also over at PixelDan's Instagram (I'm really looking forward to his booth walkthrough after the panel!) I know it's a controversial opinion amongst MOTU fans but personally I'm loving Dare/He-Ro II! If those ThunderCats rumours turn out to be true then this will have been an amazing Comic Con for Mattel!
Moving on to 1/6 scale (oh how my bank balance wishes I'd never discovered these!) Hot Toys continues it's all out assault on collector's wallets by showing off plenty of new pieces including Princess Leia, Boba Fett, Stormtrooper Disguise Luke Skywalker and two incredible pieces you'll need a second mortgage for - the Millennium Falcon cock pit and an actual 1/6 scale TIE Fighter!! You can see all the pics over at Rebelscum. I'm kinda glad I'm not jumping on the Hot Toys Star Wars line until The Force Awakens (you can bet I'll be getting at least Luke, Han and Leia) as my wallet definitely couldn't handle this!
But one 1/6 scale release I'm not going to miss is Mondo's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line!
If I could afford it I would totally be all in with this line. I'm just praying for a sub $150 price point so I can at least afford the 4 Turtles and then go from there depending on who comes next ($100 or less would be amazing but unrealistic given the current trend of 1/6 prices). The detail on the figures, the comic inspired look and accessories, the alternate heads with the coloured mask, I just love almost everything about them. The only thing I'd change would be the make Raphael a little darker. I like that Mondo are paying tribute to the original Playmates line with the different coloured Turtles but Raph just stands out a little too much against his brothers for my personal tastes. You can see more incredible pictures over at Ninja Pizza's Facebook page. The price on these is still TBD but Leo will be going up for pre-order later this month (followed by Don in August, Mikey and a Mouser 2-Pack in September and Raph in October) with the figures due to ship late Q1/early Q2 2016. Definitely my favourite Comic Con reveal so far!!
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| Photo by DC Comics |
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| Photo by DC Comics |
I'm hoping to see plenty more show floor goodness over the next few days but for those not there (like me!) it was the reveals that were the main excitement last night. I said that SDCC always hurts my wallet even though I never go (link). This is why!
The film may not be out until next March but Batman v Superman had a ton of products revealed on the show floor last night. DC Collectibles showed off three statues featuring Superman and Batman in both his standard suit and his armoured look and although she wasn't shown I have to assume that Wonder Woman will be coming as well.
Play Arts Kai also showed off prototypes for their upcoming Superman and Batman figures which you can see over at Toy Ark. Like with DC, Wonder Woman wasn't shown but I'm certain she'll be coming as well along with Batman's armoured look. I tend to find the PAK figures a little over priced (I'd rather put the money towards the expected Hot Toys versions) but they certainly have nice sculpts.
Not to be outdone Mattel debuted both their standard and collector lines for the film as well. I wasn't too impressed with the Man of Steel Movie Masters but these do look better so I'm hoping that the final figures turn out just as good. According to 13th Dimension's review of the SDCC exclusive 2-Pack there will be 8 figures in the collectors line and they will all come with a piece of a larger collect and connect figure. Four of the eight were on display, the trinity plus a 2nd Batman in armour, and it's probably reasonable to assume Lex and Aquaman are 2 of the remaining 4. Not sure who will round out the set but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Lois (we got Alfred for The Dark Knight Rises so it's not out of the question). The large collect and connect figure is probably obvious to anyone who's read any of the rumours/spoilers surrounding the film.
The collectors figures I expected, especially after Mattel revealed their SDCC exclusive 2-Pack, but I didn't expect them to be part of a new 6" DC Multiverse line! Whilst Batman v Superman gets a wave to itself there will be another wave featuring characters from both comics and TV! On display were The Flash's Flash and Reverse Flash along with Joker and Batman's robot suit from the recent Endgame comic arc. According to The Fwoosh Mattel's representative said this would be a six figure wave that also included Arrow's Arrow and a "black" Superman (I'm guess this will be Earth-2's Val-Zod). However, I'd guess that Batman's robot suit is the collect and connect figure so there's still one more figure to be revealed.
I'm actually really excited for these. I've wanted DC Collectibles to do movie figures in scale with their TV offerings for ages but I'd pretty much given up on that dream. Whilst Mattel may not go as deep as DC (I don't see them offering Felicity or Diggle any time some) this line will finally allow me to get DC movie and TV figures in the same scale so I'm really looking forward to these hitting the shelves at the start of next year. You can see plenty of pictures over at The Fwoosh.
I have to admit Mattel really impressed me last night. On top of their DC announcements they revealed the remainder of their 2015 Masters of the Universe Classics line up as well. They normally hold the reveals back until their panel on Friday but with a big re-branding coming up for the line in 2016 (which will debut at the panel) they obviously decided to hit the ground running this year and show more than usual! You can see plenty of pictures from the reveal at The Fwoosh link above and also over at PixelDan's Instagram (I'm really looking forward to his booth walkthrough after the panel!) I know it's a controversial opinion amongst MOTU fans but personally I'm loving Dare/He-Ro II! If those ThunderCats rumours turn out to be true then this will have been an amazing Comic Con for Mattel!
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| Masters of the Universe Classics - Dare, Photo by The Fwoosh |
Moving on to 1/6 scale (oh how my bank balance wishes I'd never discovered these!) Hot Toys continues it's all out assault on collector's wallets by showing off plenty of new pieces including Princess Leia, Boba Fett, Stormtrooper Disguise Luke Skywalker and two incredible pieces you'll need a second mortgage for - the Millennium Falcon cock pit and an actual 1/6 scale TIE Fighter!! You can see all the pics over at Rebelscum. I'm kinda glad I'm not jumping on the Hot Toys Star Wars line until The Force Awakens (you can bet I'll be getting at least Luke, Han and Leia) as my wallet definitely couldn't handle this!
But one 1/6 scale release I'm not going to miss is Mondo's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line!
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| Mondo's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Photo by ComingSoon.net |
If I could afford it I would totally be all in with this line. I'm just praying for a sub $150 price point so I can at least afford the 4 Turtles and then go from there depending on who comes next ($100 or less would be amazing but unrealistic given the current trend of 1/6 prices). The detail on the figures, the comic inspired look and accessories, the alternate heads with the coloured mask, I just love almost everything about them. The only thing I'd change would be the make Raphael a little darker. I like that Mondo are paying tribute to the original Playmates line with the different coloured Turtles but Raph just stands out a little too much against his brothers for my personal tastes. You can see more incredible pictures over at Ninja Pizza's Facebook page. The price on these is still TBD but Leo will be going up for pre-order later this month (followed by Don in August, Mikey and a Mouser 2-Pack in September and Raph in October) with the figures due to ship late Q1/early Q2 2016. Definitely my favourite Comic Con reveal so far!!
Wednesday 8 July 2015
It Begins!!
I'd barely clicked post on my hopes for SDCC last night when 2 of them happened before the conventions even started!
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| Harrison Ford as Han Solo with Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Force Awakens |
As Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy rightly observes "It's not just any filmmaker who can tell the story of such a beloved icon like Han Solo". The creative team is extremely strong and I'm sure they will do Han's story justice. Ultimately though, this film will rest on the shoulders of whoever is brave enough to step into Harrison Ford's shoes and take on such an iconic role. I wish whoever that ends up being the best of luck! Personally I'm hoping this film is set at least a decade before A New Hope to make the re-casting a little easier for fans and creative alike.
I have to say I didn't see this announcement coming. With the reports that there won't be a new trailer for The Force Awakens at SDCC, the announcement of the second Anthology seemed like one of the big things they could do at the panel. To announce it now really makes me excited to think about what Lucasfilm must have up their sleeve for Friday's panel!!
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| Elodie Yung, photo by Getty Images |
Marvel also started their pre-con announcements last night, confirming that Elodie Yung is joining the second season of Marvel and Netflix's Daredevil as Elektra!! I loved the first series and was hoping to see Elektra in season 2 so I'm loving this announcement! I've not seen Elodie Yung in anything but she certainly looks the part!
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| 1/6 Scale Kevin Eastman TMNT by ThreeZero |
And TMNT co-creator took to Facebook to share some images of his designs for ThreeZero's upcoming 1/6 scale Ninja Turtles figures. ThreeZero did excellent work on the movie figures even though I wasn't a big fan of the designs so I'm excited to see how these look when they come out. I still prefer the classic look Mondo is doing but if the price is right then these will definitely be tempting!
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| Kevin Eastman's Leonardo |
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| Kevin Eastman's Raphael |
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| Kevin Eastman's Michelangelo |
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| Kevin Eastman's Donatello |
And it's still six hours until the doors open for Preview Night! This is going to be one awesome Comic Con!
Tuesday 7 July 2015
'Twas the Night before Comic Con
San Diego Comic Con. SDCC. This is it, the biggest event of the geek calendar starts tomorrow night!
If there's one comic convention I want to attend before I die, this is the one. I swear one day I'll be there! This year though I'll be doing what I normally do, staying up late and getting up early to check all the latest online.
Here's just a few of the things I'm hoping for/looking forward to this year;
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Revealing the Legacy Characters
Diminished slightly by the reports that there will be no new trailer at the panel, my enthusiasm for this panel is still sky high! After all, with so little revealed so far (even after 2 teaser trailers) and a product launch now less than 2 months away they have to show something! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this panel will finally give us our first look at Luke, Leia and C-3PO. If it did just that I'm be more than satisfied. Of course they could also show Andy Serkis' Supreme Leader Snoke and Lupita Nyong'o's Maz Kanata in their finished CG forms and maybe we'll finally learn who Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow are actually playing!
Of course The Force Awakens isn't the only thing Lucasfilm could show. Whilst the deal with Paramount means it won't be shown online yet, they could screen definitely the Rogue One trailer in Hall H and talk more about that film. And maybe, just maybe, they could start to pull back the curtain a little bit on the second Anthology film as well.
WB Bringing the Justice League
We know WB are bringing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad to their main panel on Saturday and to be honest that's more than enough to get me excited but there's been talk online that they might use their panel to bring the Justice League together for the first time! That would make my DC dreams come true! Whatever happens, WB's panel this year is going to be huge! I don't care what time Sunday morning this will be for me in the UK, I'm totally staying up for this!
DC TV
DC has a long history of great TV series and last year really kicked things into high gear. Can't wait to see what's coming next for Arrow, The Flash and Gotham and to see some teases at what's to come in Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow.
Once Upon a Time Panel
Being a huge Disney geek I just love this show and I'm so happy Netflix UK is now airing the new episodes only a few days behind the US. Really looking forward to hearing all the season 5 teases in Saturday (and I'm still wishing for them to get Aladdin on this show!)
Marvel TV
Whilst I've tended to enjoy DC's TV offerings more I'm still interested to see where Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter are going next season. But if there's one series that stood out above all the rest last season it was Marvel/Netflix's Daredevil. I'm really hoping we learn more about the other Netflix series at SDCC and hopefully some new info on Daredevil season 2 as well!
The Comic Panels
I'm loving the DC You re-launch and DC have hinted at big things to come in October so I'm hoping we get some hints at what's to come over the course of SDCC. Plus I'm hoping to jump into the Marvel Universe with some trades following their latest All-New All-Different post-Secret Wars re-launch so I'll be following their panels with great interest to see what catches my eye. On top of the "Big 2" I'm also looking forward to IDW's panel for all the latest on their fantastic TMNT title. Which leads me nicely to;
Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Ok, the movie may not have been all I wanted it to be (ok, it sucked!) but the Nick series is still a lot of fun! Hoping there's more good stuff to come from their panel on Friday.
Fox's Panel
I'm not expecting it to compare with WB's offering but after Days of Future Past I'm really looking forward to the X-Men: Age of Apocalypse. With the addition of Fantastic Four and Deadpool as well it should be a good panel.
The Toys!!
I've never been and my wallet still cringes at the thought of SDCC. Not because of the exclusives but because of what gets revealed. We already know Hasbro will be revealing their first The Force Awakens offerings this year and I'm hoping for some surprises from Hot Toys and Sideshow as well (and not just from TFA, a 1/6 scale Padme or Dooku would be a really treat to see). Being an 80s kid Mattel's Masters of the Universe Classics nearly always has a few things to tempt me and I can't wait to see Mondo's display of their upcoming 1/6 comic TMNT. Then there's DC Collectable too. I'm trying desperately not to get sucked into their animated Batman line but it's proving very hard to resist!
And that's just off the top of my head! As always SDCC promises to be an amazing (and crazy) few days!
Batman v Superman Plot Leaked?
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| Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman |
Last weekend saw plenty of pre-Comic Con reveals about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, including the above shot of the Trinity together for the first time! However, it was a piece on the Superman Homepage that really caught my eye as they posted a link to what is possibly a complete summary of the movie (obviously major potential spoiler warnings apply so read at your own risk). Apparently this summary has been floating around for a while but has gained some credibility this week as the new Entertainment Weekly info certainly seems to back up some of the scenes it describes. Now normally I try and avoid spoilers like the plague. I made the mistake once of really spoiling a film and sat watching it for the first time feeling like I'd already seen it. But after Superman killed Zod in Man of Steel I decided that I'd rather go into this film a little more forewarned. If there's going to be another moment like that then I'd prefer to know in advance.
So I gave it a read. And I have to say, if it is legit, I really liked it. It's not perfect (I'm not sure I like what happens after Superman's first exposure to Kryptonite but I can see how it's important in driving the story forwards) but given all this film has to accomplish the story does a remarkably good job of building off the world created in Man of Steel, addressing many of the criticisms of that movie and setting up the future Justice League. Yes, there's plenty of action, that's a given in any comic book movie and especially one by Zack Snyder, but the story appears to be deeper than in Man of Steel and it doesn't just move from one action scene to another, the characters all get room to have their own plot points and moments to shine. It even manages to work in a long rumoured second villain in a way that not only doesn't feel crammed in but also feels like a natural progression to the world they are building. If this is the direction the film goes in then Batman v Superman has the potential to be not just the biggest film of 2016 but also one of the best as well.
Of course a LOT can change between script and screen. Even if this summary is legitimate there's no way of knowing if this is from before shooting or during or just how much things will change in the editing room. All I know is that whilst I was looking forward to Batman v Superman before there was always a part of me that remained hesitant, afraid of being burnt again, now I'm feeling much more optimistic for this film and the future DC Extended Universe and that's a brilliant feeling!
Monday 6 July 2015
DC You Month 1 Review
So here we are. After almost 4 years The New 52 brand is over. Convergence has been and gone, showing us that our old heroes still live somewhere out in the DC multiverse and last month saw DC big rebranding - DC You! Promising a book for everyone DC certainly delivered a much more diverse line up than they have since, well for as long as I can remember honestly and, judging by the reactions I've been reading online, it seems to have paid off!
Personally, I used it as a chance to cut back a little. This had nothing to do with the quality of the books on offer, just reading the free "Divergence" previews DC offered in May I could easily have increased my pull list, but before Convergence I was probably 5 months behind in my comic reading and realised I was reading some books just because I'd always read them. If anything the previews showed me that there were other books I'd rather be reading! So I decided to cut my monthlies right back to just a few core titles and eventually get the trades of some of the previews I really enjoyed.
My five titles were Justice League, Action Comics, Batman, Detective Comics and Superman. So for me this month wasn't really so much about new titles as it was new directions.
The first title I picked up continued right where The New 52 left off. Geoff Johns' Justice League was the flagship book of The New 52 and that looks set to continue as The Darkseid War begins. Justice League has been a consistently good book from the beginning but after Forever Evil it really began improving every month to become one of the best titles DC was putting out. With the opening chapter of The Darkseid War that looks set to continue as Johns starts to pull together all of the plots he's been building since the title began. At $4.99 it's one of the most expensive titles DC put out last month but at 40 story pages it's fantastic value. The extra page count allows Johns to spend a bit more time laying the foundations for what looks to be an epic story. His character work in this issue is superb and it's the little touches (like Shazam admitting he's never seen a dead body before and Superman challenging Lex Luthor to save a life) that really show just how well he can get inside the League's heads and understands what makes them tick. And under Jason Fabok's pen (and Brad Anderson's colouring) the League has never looked better. From a domestic crime scene to the arrival of the Anti-Monitor Fabok just nails it. This book is gorgeous. There's so much detail in the art that I spent a long time reading this book, slowly digesting every panel. I don't know if Fabok's staying on the book after The Darkseid War but I really hope he does! I'd love this team to stay on this book for years. I don't say this a lot, but I would happily keep this book at $4.99 for this page count and this quality of story every month. This story has been building for years and I can't wait to see it finally come to a head over the next few months! An amazing start for what will hopefully be the biggest epic in comics this summer.
Next up for me was Action Comics #41 by Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder (with colours by Tomeu Morey and Hi-Fi). Picking up straight where the Divergence preview left off this issue begins with Clark almost powerless and trying to make his way home after the Fortress took the last pieces of his Kryptonian heritage from him. With Superman telling the story of how Clark's secret was revealed Action Comics is free to get straight to exploring the new status quo in Hard Truth. If there's one thing Pak does well it's get in Clark's head and it's a joy to read how he feels about his new power level, about being more human. The man knows what makes Superman tick and continues to cement his status as one of the best Superman writers in recent memory. After seeing the sadly realistic scene of the men who wanted to beat Superman up because he's weak now and an alien it was great to see Kentville and people standing with him too. And it was great to see Superman still leaping into action to save the day despite his recent power loss. The issue is a fast paced and enjoyable read with just a hint of mystery (like who is Dawn Command and how does it link to the shadow creatures?). Just as Pak continues to show himself to be a great Superman writer, Kuder's art has gone from strength to strength recently. I may not be the fondest of Superman's new look (I really miss the cape and don't like the shorter hair) but Kuder makes it look good and I think his style really suits Superman. Overall a very strong start to Superman's new status quo and I can't wait to read the next issue.
Whilst Action Comics explores Clark's new status quo Superman #41 begins to tell the story of how we got there in Before Truth. I was a little disappointed when it was announced that Geoff Johns was leaving Superman. I loved his run on Action Comics way back in 2006-2009 and really hoped that he'd stay for a longer run on the title this time. That said, if this issue is anything to go by then I'm extremely happy with his replacement. Gene Luen Yang gets off to a great start as he brings the focus of the book squarely back on to Clark, Lois and Jimmy. It's a good move as the Daily Planet and Clark's supporting cast have played relatively minor roles since The New 52 reboot. His characterisation is extremely strong and it was nice to see the reporter side of Clark getting some attention. The anonymous source blackmailing Clark raises some intriguing story potential. How far, morally, should Clark go to protect his secret? We already know that the secret will come out and that Lois is the one to reveal the truth but does she do it to try and protect Clark from his mysterious opponent's bribery or is she herself being blackmailed? John Romita Jr.'s art (with Klaus Janson's inks and Dean White's colours) may not be my favourite style but there's no denying his story telling ability. I'm loving the whole Truth crossover so far but I have to admit I'm now extremely excited to see what Yang can do when he's not tied to an event. A brilliant start to what will hopefully be a long run.
I'm still not totally sold on the idea of James Gordon as Batman but Batman #41 was a solid start from Scott Snyder and Gregg Capullo (with Danny Miki's inks and Fco Plascencia's colors). And let's be honest, Scott Snyder has earned my trust so I'm more than happy to go along for the ride and see how this plays out. After the frantic battle against the Joker in Endgame, this issue returned to a slightly slower pace, switching between present day and recent past to explore Gordon's reasons for becoming a new type of Batman. I loved that Snyder had Gordon echo fan's complaints about the new robotic batsuit and whilst I'm not the fondest of it, it makes sense for the story being told. James Gordon is not Bruce Wayne or Dick Grayson. Even with his military background he doesn't have the training to be Batman. He needs the suit if he's to do the job. The scenes with Bullock were probably my favourite in the issue. I know that Harvey's busy over in Detective Comics but after this issue I would love to see Snyder write him more. Capullo's art is simply fantastic. I don't think I can say anything that hasn't already been said before, the man has earned his place as one of the best Batman artists of all time and continues to amaze me every month. Superheavy Part 1 may not be the best issue of Snyder's run (to be fair that does set the bar exceedingly high) but it is a strong start and you can already see seeds being planted for what promises to be another great story arc from one of DC's best creative teams.
Detective Comics has had a few ups and downs since The New 52 re-launch but I've really been enjoying Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato's run. In fact I thought their 8 page preview was one of the best DC put out and I actually preferred it to the Batman preview! This first issue didn't quite live up to the amazing preview but it was still a great read. The preview hit the ground running with Harvey Bullock asking Gordon's Batman to help him kill his partner and appearing to actually go through with the act. This issue takes a step back and begins to lay the ground work for those events. It's a solid first issue and whilst I miss Manapul's art (I seriously need to check out The Flash run by these guys!) Fernando Blanco does a fine job. Manapul and Buccellato's work developing Harvey Bullock has been the highlight of their run for me so I was happy to see that continue here and I love the direction they seem to be taking the character in with this arc, the lone cop in the city still searching for the real Batman. I was saddened by this week's announcement that this is their final arc on Detective Comics but it looks like this will be a great story to go out on.
As for the rest, well based on the previews I will definitely be checking out Batgirl, Grayson and Starfire when the trade paperbacks come out and I'll probably check out Batman Beyond if the reviews are good (I'm still uneasy with it not being Terry but if it's good I'm more than willing to try). A friend of mine recommended Robin: Son of Batman and the preview was good fun so I'll probably give that a try too. The Flash looks like it could be good and I've been meaning to try the title since I loved the first season of the TV series but I'll definitely be checking out the Manapul/Buccellato run first. And finally I really must check out Harley Quinn at some point too! All things considered it's a good job I've cut back on the monthlies as I think I'll be reading a lot more trades in the future!
Personally, I used it as a chance to cut back a little. This had nothing to do with the quality of the books on offer, just reading the free "Divergence" previews DC offered in May I could easily have increased my pull list, but before Convergence I was probably 5 months behind in my comic reading and realised I was reading some books just because I'd always read them. If anything the previews showed me that there were other books I'd rather be reading! So I decided to cut my monthlies right back to just a few core titles and eventually get the trades of some of the previews I really enjoyed.
My five titles were Justice League, Action Comics, Batman, Detective Comics and Superman. So for me this month wasn't really so much about new titles as it was new directions.
Next up for me was Action Comics #41 by Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder (with colours by Tomeu Morey and Hi-Fi). Picking up straight where the Divergence preview left off this issue begins with Clark almost powerless and trying to make his way home after the Fortress took the last pieces of his Kryptonian heritage from him. With Superman telling the story of how Clark's secret was revealed Action Comics is free to get straight to exploring the new status quo in Hard Truth. If there's one thing Pak does well it's get in Clark's head and it's a joy to read how he feels about his new power level, about being more human. The man knows what makes Superman tick and continues to cement his status as one of the best Superman writers in recent memory. After seeing the sadly realistic scene of the men who wanted to beat Superman up because he's weak now and an alien it was great to see Kentville and people standing with him too. And it was great to see Superman still leaping into action to save the day despite his recent power loss. The issue is a fast paced and enjoyable read with just a hint of mystery (like who is Dawn Command and how does it link to the shadow creatures?). Just as Pak continues to show himself to be a great Superman writer, Kuder's art has gone from strength to strength recently. I may not be the fondest of Superman's new look (I really miss the cape and don't like the shorter hair) but Kuder makes it look good and I think his style really suits Superman. Overall a very strong start to Superman's new status quo and I can't wait to read the next issue.
Whilst Action Comics explores Clark's new status quo Superman #41 begins to tell the story of how we got there in Before Truth. I was a little disappointed when it was announced that Geoff Johns was leaving Superman. I loved his run on Action Comics way back in 2006-2009 and really hoped that he'd stay for a longer run on the title this time. That said, if this issue is anything to go by then I'm extremely happy with his replacement. Gene Luen Yang gets off to a great start as he brings the focus of the book squarely back on to Clark, Lois and Jimmy. It's a good move as the Daily Planet and Clark's supporting cast have played relatively minor roles since The New 52 reboot. His characterisation is extremely strong and it was nice to see the reporter side of Clark getting some attention. The anonymous source blackmailing Clark raises some intriguing story potential. How far, morally, should Clark go to protect his secret? We already know that the secret will come out and that Lois is the one to reveal the truth but does she do it to try and protect Clark from his mysterious opponent's bribery or is she herself being blackmailed? John Romita Jr.'s art (with Klaus Janson's inks and Dean White's colours) may not be my favourite style but there's no denying his story telling ability. I'm loving the whole Truth crossover so far but I have to admit I'm now extremely excited to see what Yang can do when he's not tied to an event. A brilliant start to what will hopefully be a long run.
I'm still not totally sold on the idea of James Gordon as Batman but Batman #41 was a solid start from Scott Snyder and Gregg Capullo (with Danny Miki's inks and Fco Plascencia's colors). And let's be honest, Scott Snyder has earned my trust so I'm more than happy to go along for the ride and see how this plays out. After the frantic battle against the Joker in Endgame, this issue returned to a slightly slower pace, switching between present day and recent past to explore Gordon's reasons for becoming a new type of Batman. I loved that Snyder had Gordon echo fan's complaints about the new robotic batsuit and whilst I'm not the fondest of it, it makes sense for the story being told. James Gordon is not Bruce Wayne or Dick Grayson. Even with his military background he doesn't have the training to be Batman. He needs the suit if he's to do the job. The scenes with Bullock were probably my favourite in the issue. I know that Harvey's busy over in Detective Comics but after this issue I would love to see Snyder write him more. Capullo's art is simply fantastic. I don't think I can say anything that hasn't already been said before, the man has earned his place as one of the best Batman artists of all time and continues to amaze me every month. Superheavy Part 1 may not be the best issue of Snyder's run (to be fair that does set the bar exceedingly high) but it is a strong start and you can already see seeds being planted for what promises to be another great story arc from one of DC's best creative teams.
Detective Comics has had a few ups and downs since The New 52 re-launch but I've really been enjoying Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato's run. In fact I thought their 8 page preview was one of the best DC put out and I actually preferred it to the Batman preview! This first issue didn't quite live up to the amazing preview but it was still a great read. The preview hit the ground running with Harvey Bullock asking Gordon's Batman to help him kill his partner and appearing to actually go through with the act. This issue takes a step back and begins to lay the ground work for those events. It's a solid first issue and whilst I miss Manapul's art (I seriously need to check out The Flash run by these guys!) Fernando Blanco does a fine job. Manapul and Buccellato's work developing Harvey Bullock has been the highlight of their run for me so I was happy to see that continue here and I love the direction they seem to be taking the character in with this arc, the lone cop in the city still searching for the real Batman. I was saddened by this week's announcement that this is their final arc on Detective Comics but it looks like this will be a great story to go out on.
As for the rest, well based on the previews I will definitely be checking out Batgirl, Grayson and Starfire when the trade paperbacks come out and I'll probably check out Batman Beyond if the reviews are good (I'm still uneasy with it not being Terry but if it's good I'm more than willing to try). A friend of mine recommended Robin: Son of Batman and the preview was good fun so I'll probably give that a try too. The Flash looks like it could be good and I've been meaning to try the title since I loved the first season of the TV series but I'll definitely be checking out the Manapul/Buccellato run first. And finally I really must check out Harley Quinn at some point too! All things considered it's a good job I've cut back on the monthlies as I think I'll be reading a lot more trades in the future!
Wednesday 1 July 2015
Mondo Reveal 1/6 Scale Leonardo!!
Ok, being a TMNT fan and a 1/6 scale collector this is just awesome news for me (if a little scary for my wallet) as Mondo have today revealed their 1/6 scale Leonardo based on the original Eastman and Laird comics!!
According to Mondo's website the figure will be approximately 11" tale and feature 25 points of articulation along with multiple accessories, interchangeable hands and the choice to display him with either his classic red bandana from the comics of the blue bandana made famous in the class cartoon series.
Price is still TBD and pre-orders will be opened up at a later date but all four Turtles will be on display at Mondo's booth at SDCC next week (can't believe it's Comic Con time already!)
I'm really glad I held off buying the ThreeZero movie versions now as this is definitely a must buy for me! Can't wait to see the full team when the Comic Con pictures come out next week!!
According to Mondo's website the figure will be approximately 11" tale and feature 25 points of articulation along with multiple accessories, interchangeable hands and the choice to display him with either his classic red bandana from the comics of the blue bandana made famous in the class cartoon series.
Price is still TBD and pre-orders will be opened up at a later date but all four Turtles will be on display at Mondo's booth at SDCC next week (can't believe it's Comic Con time already!)
I'm really glad I held off buying the ThreeZero movie versions now as this is definitely a must buy for me! Can't wait to see the full team when the Comic Con pictures come out next week!!
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