Before Watchmen: The Comedian #1 review

With the Before Watchmen issues coming out, I was keen to pick up the Comedian’s miniseries. Not only is he one of the more interesting characters in the hit graphic novel but he also predates the Watchmen group.

We find Edward Blake in his home late at night as he listens to music. He finds an old baseball, and begins to reminisce. He goes back to his days when he was friends with the Kennedy family. He is playing football with Jack and Ted Kennedy while Jackie Kennedy, Jack’s wife, looks on. Comedian makes his way into the Kennedy home where he speaks with Jackie. The two discuss the interest of Comedian in their family. As Jackie tries to get Comedian to admit his love for Jack, he will only admit he respects him. They finally come to the conclusion of Comedian’s complete respect for the boys even though; Jackie pierces away at her mythical family. She brings up Ms. Marilyn Monroe who Jack has been sleeping with, and Jackie persuades Comedian to take care of the situation. He does it, and moves onto a bar. He talks with the Kennedy brothers who he had made bets with either. He is apparently not doing too well, and wants to continue going. They conclude a bargain, and go on. As Comedian is about to leave on a plane, a FBI agent stops him, and wants him to take care of Moloch the Mystic. Blake stops him just as Walter Cronkite is announcing Kennedy has been shot. The two men stop their battle of good versus evil, and Mr. Moloch poses the question: “What are we going to do now?”

Brian Azzarello does a fine job here. He makes Blake more of a character you sympathize. He has had a troubling life, and Mr. Azzarello tries to bring that out rather than leave his anger as the thing motivating him. The only troubling thing is that in the graphic novel Watchmen, the Comedian is hinted at being the one who killed JFK. However here, we have Blake taking down Moloch as it happens. It doesn’t add up but yet again, Azzarello may just be writing this page in history down as Eddie being innocent. Backing Azzarello up is JG Jones who does a magnificent job capturing that past era of American history. He really manages to capture every detail of that time but also capture the Watchmen-esque take on that era made famous by Dave Gibbons. While it had an issue with continuity, I cannot fault the issue for that. Mr. A may have wanted to clear Blake of that crime to make him a more sympathetic person…… Who knows…… All I know is that it is a good re-entry point for Comedian.

Links:

http://www.fanboybuzz.com/2012/06/before-watchmen-the-comedian-1/

http://paperdragonink.com/?p=8395

Nightwing #10 review

Dick has finally finished his odyssey through his past. Though he won’t let the past exit his life, he tries to focus on the future of his life and of Gotham’s.

Nightwing begins the issue reminiscing about “Old Gotham.” He does not feel it represents the best of the city like many old historic districts do. He is investigating why one of his escrima sticks were used in a murder. He is at the crime scene, and finds an alpha/omega symbol. As he is analyzing it, the GCPD enter storming the room. They unfortunately feel he murdered the Strayhorn brothers. More unfortunate for Dick is that Detective Travis Nie believes that too even though Gordon tells him Nightwing is only a person of interest. Gordon meets with Deputy Mayor Cavanaugh to update him on the situation, and Cavanaugh expresses his wish to help Nightwing especially since Dick saved his butt during “The Night of the Owls.” As Dick moves through the issue, his problems only amount more. He wants to keep the Circus in town to perform at the Amusement Mile. He is hoping the reinvigorate the city’s life so that people will spend more time. He can remember when he was younger, and the Mile used to be the soul of the city. Unfortunately after his fallout with his father Mr. Bruce Wayne, he wants to stray away from him a bit. He also wants to make sure he is his own man; not just a Wayne surrogate. Lucius Fox suggests Sonia Zucco, the daughter of Tony Zucco who murdered Dick’s parents. Dick is not too happy to be working with her but cannot deny his attraction to her. She runs the Gotham Municipal Bank, and she agrees to help Dick. The Circus is not too keen on the idea of staying in Gotham. Jimmy the Clown promises to speak to the group but makes it clear to Dick they probably won’t be sticking around. Next, Nightwing goes to work at a tattoo parlor where the earlier symbol originated from. As he gets his answer, men attack him. Dick takes them down easily finding out they are from the Republic of Tomorrow. Unfortunately as Dick goes into their hideout, he is stopped by Paragon or as he calls himself: “The Future of this City.”

Kyle Higgins hands in another good issue. He manages to capture Dick’s voice, and move the story he wants to tell forward. My only nitpick with the issue is Dick’s dialogue seems a bit too preachy and redundant at times as he talks to Ms. Zucco. Yes, I understand he wants to save the city but he seems to say it a bit too much. On the art side, Eddy Barrows hands in some more great art. While this isn’t his best issue he’s had, it remains up to par with what he wants to do. I continue to love this book, and hope it keeps all the issue’s threads going.

Links:

http://www.fanboybuzz.com/2012/06/nightwing-10/

http://superpoweredfiction.com/2012/06/26/comics-nightwing-10/

http://paperdragonink.com/?p=8392

More links to comic book reviews

Batman: The Dark Knight #9: http://superpoweredfiction.com/2012/06/07/comics-batman-the-dark-knight-9/

Voodoo #9: http://superpoweredfiction.com/2012/06/07/comics-voodoo-9/

MOTOR CITY COMIC CON 2012: Interview with “Billion Dollar Batman” author Bruce Scivally

Bruce Scivally is the author of the acclaimed book titled Billion Dollar Batman. He has also written books on Superman, James Bond, and is a professor at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois. He was enthusiatic about speaking to me when I asked him if he could fit me in.

TOMMY ZIMMER: Of all the topics you have written about (Batman, Superman, James Bond), which is your favorite?

BRUCE SCIVALLY: I like all of them. I was more of a superhero fan and a big fan of Bond. I was a fan of the Batman 60′s series as a kid, and watched Superman as a kid.

TZ:  What attracted you to Batman as a kid?

BS: In my teenage years, I loved his fancy ears. I loved his whole persona and getting the women. Whatever he wanted, he had.

TZ: How did you become a fan of James Bond?

BS: I was a fan but got into him in college. There, I met John Cork who produced featurettes on James Bond DVDs with me.

TZ: How did you prepare for writing a book on him?

BS: Since I did so many interviews, I got Bond. I usaully do as much research in news and media archives.

TZ: How did you decide you wanted to write a book on Batman?

BS: Promoting Superman drew me to writing about him.

TZ: What do you feel is the difference between the two heroes?

BS: Superman represents hope, goodness, and all we aspire to be. Batman represents revenge and who we are.

TZ: Who is your favorite James Bond?

BS: My favorite’s Sean Connery. Connery’s Bond was of his time. He was the classic James Bond. George Lazenby was the more vulnerable. Roger Moore was more of a disco-Bond. After him, Timothy Dalton played up a more angry Bond. When Pierce Brosnan took over, I thought he was the best since Connery but he was an emotionally needy Bond. Finally today, Daniel Craig is just a hard, cold bastard.

TZ: Who is your favorite Superman?

BS: George Reeves is my favorite. I saw Christopher Reeve in high school, and thought he did Clark Kent/Superman best.

TZ: In the same fashion, with The Dark Knight Rises coming out, who do you think the best Batman has been?

BS: It’s between Keaton and Bale. To think about Batman, he’s crazy……

TZ: What do plan to write about next?

BS: I don’t know……. maybe on the 60′s or old Tarzan.

Thanks Mr. Scivally, and I hope you all enjoyed my coverage of MCCC 2012!!!

Links:

http://www.fanboybuzz.com/2012/06/motor-city-comic-con-2012-interview-with-billion-dollar-batman-author-bruce-scivally/

http://paperdragonink.com/?p=7242

Voodoo #9 review

Voodoo #9 takes some weird turns.

Priscilla Kitaen wakes up from a dream where her parents were murdered by Voodoo, her clone. However, she is still with Lincoln, head of the Blackhawks, after she accepted working for him to help him with the Daemonite problem. Meanwhile, Voodoo is somewhere in South America, and seems to have found one of Helspont’s hideouts. She wants to prove she is worthy to continue the Daemonite legacy while she thinks the new Daemonites or the hybrids should be the ones in charge now as they are more advanced. The issue then highlights both Priscilla training to fight, and Voodoo fighting some of Helspont’s brainwashed humans. Priscilla stops, and meets her new trainer and possible love interest Axel Walker. Pris is not too happy to hear she worked at the Voodoo Lounge or at least her clone did. Helspont send Voodoo to the Dead City of the Daemonites. She is sent away while Pris has a vision of what Voodoo was hearing from Helspont. Lincoln then takes them to what seems to be a Daemonite sleeper transport, and it seems to be reaching out psychically to Pris. She is able to control it, and flies off to find Voodoo.

Joshua Williamson continues to make me confident in the narrative he is trying to tell with each issue. While I missed Ron Marz, Williamson is quickly making me love his crazy new direction for the book. Sami Basri continues to excel in his artwork for the book. To all who read this, you should join the Daemonite fight, and read this book asap.

Links:

http://paperdragonink.com/?p=7091

http://www.fanboybuzz.com/2012/06/voodoo-9/

Batman: The Dark Knight #9 review

Batman: The Dark Knight #9 is a companion story to Batman #9. The reader gets a view of the events of the death of Lincoln March from the talon’s perspective.

Talon begins by noting his age. He then remembers how he was tested, and was chosen as a talon. He was trapped in a mobile home, it was set on fire, and he survived somehow. He remembers his time as he grew older that there was word of him possibly having to retire as someone would take over for him. That someone was the young Dick Grayson who Bruce Wayne rescued from such duty. Subsequently, Talon encounters Batman, and for the second time since being afraid of replacement, he feels fear from Batman. Unfortunately, his target he was trying to kill was thwarted by Batman, and he is forced into retirement. Next, he is woken up along with the other talons, and given his target; that of mayoral candidate Lincoln March. He notes he is not up to the job as he is physically weak, and his past failures are still present before him. Batman comes to stop Talon, and Talon notes he feels fear but sees Batman is really human. He then feels he can stop him. Batman defeats Talon but tells Nightwing, Red Robin, and Robin to hunt him as Talon escapes….

Judd Winick, the guest writer for this issue, does remarkable work with providing more scope to Snyder’s latest issue of Batman. Not only that but David Finch hammers home this issue with his dynamic art. With a poor issue last month, I am glad to see this series is back on track for excellence.

Links:

http://paperdragonink.com/?p=7088

http://www.fanboybuzz.com/2012/06/batman-the-dark-knight-9/

New links to old reviews

Batman Incorporated #1: http://superpoweredfiction.com/2012/05/29/comics-batman-incorporated-1/

Superman #9: http://superpoweredfiction.com/2012/05/30/comics-superman-9/

Interview with actress Alaina Huffman

Alaina Huffman introduced herself to American audiences portraying Cherry in Indefinitely. However, after many different roles, she would find herself portraying characters in two cult universes: Black Canary in Smallville and Tamara Johnson in Stargate Universe.

Tommy Zimmer: Were you a geek growing up?

Alaina Huffman: I grew up, and I was a model in Tokyo. I was fascinated by Japanese anime but never got into it. I then got Painkiller Jane, and got a taste of it. Later, I did Black Canary but I never earned my geek cred.

TZ: What made you want to become an actress?

AH: I remember being a kid watching Annie, and wanted to be what that left the audience feeling emotionally.  I said that’s something I want to do. I did children’s theatre, and did pilots.

TZ: How did modeling differ from acting?

AH: Modeling was totally different. I was never a big one, and I worked a lot in Tokyo.

TZ: What was the role that broke you into the film/television industry?

AH: A combination of all three [Painkiller Jane, Smallville, and Stargate Universe]. That’s how I was seen.

TZ: How did you end up getting the role of Black Canary?

AH: I just auditioned. It wasn’t that I was going to be a hero but I got sides.

TZ: How did you end up working on Stargate Universe?

AH: Smallville attracted Stargate Universe.

TZ: Do actors in Hollywood usaully have to audition for their roles?

AH: Even at the uppert level, there’s an awarteness there in your genre. However, we always have to prove ourselves.

TZ: Since you have gone from being a blonde bombshell to playing a brunette former DEA agent, what is the true color of your hair?

AH: I am a little in between. I don’t really know. It’s dirty blonde with red highlights.

TZ: What’s it like to be a sex symbol?

AH: It’s shocking. It’s part in parcile in portraying sexy characters.

TZ: What do have coming up?

AH: I am attached to an action movie taking place in Bangkok. I cannot talk about it but can say it’s not sci-fi. I just wrapped NCIS LA, and am also working on a dark romantic comedy

Thanks Mrs. Huffman, and stay tuned for our final interview from Detroit’s MCCC!!

Links:

http://www.fanboybuzz.com/2012/05/motor-city-comic-con-2012-interview-with-actress-alaina-huffman/

http://paperdragonink.com/?p=6945